The essence of all phenomena is empty and clear like space. The nature of mind is awareness-emptiness like the sun and sky.

If you want to climb a mountain, begin at the top.

The basic idea of Zen is to come in touch with the inner workings of our being, and to do this in the most direct way possible, without resorting to anything external or superadded.

When you begin to see that your enemy is suffering, that is the beginning of insight.

Meditation is not about escaping from difficulty but about meeting it with awareness.

When both body and mind are at peace, all things appear as they are: perfect, complete, lacking nothing.

The farther you enter into truth, the deeper it is.

Through understanding emptiness, one does not become proud of one's virtues, just as one does not become proud of building a castle in the sky.

The knowledge of dissolution comes when you see both the noting mind and noted object dissolving together.

If you want to know the past, look at the present. If you want to know the future, look at the present.

The path of awakening is not about becoming who you are. Rather it is about unbecoming who you are not.

The essence of the spiritual journey is the uncovering of what is always already present.

The dharma is not in the books. If you want to find the dharma, look in your mind.

The reason we struggle with insecurity is because we compare our behind-the-scenes with everyone else's highlight reel.

The more you meditate, the more you understand yourself and the better friend you become to yourself.

Our task is not to seek for love but to find all the barriers within ourselves that we have built against it.

Even if you speak of 'understanding,' this understanding is not a matter of knowledge. It is what fills the entire body and mind.

Altruism is not a luxury, it is a necessity for the survival of humanity.

Life and death are of supreme importance. Time swiftly passes by and opportunity is lost. Each of us should strive to awaken. Awaken! Take heed, do not squander your life.

To think in terms of either pessimism or optimism oversimplifies the truth. The problem is to see reality as it is.

The practice of meditation is like learning to play an instrument - it takes patience, regular practice, and a gentle touch.

The meaning of life is just to be alive. It is so plain and so obvious and so simple. And yet, everybody rushes around in a great panic as if it were necessary to achieve something beyond themselves.

Vipassana is the art of living. Not the art of escaping.

If you want to understand suffering, you must look into the situation at hand. The teachings say that wherever a problem arises it must be settled right there.

Equanimity is not indifference. It is the balanced state of mind.

Every day, think as you wake up, today I am fortunate to be alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it.

The contradiction so puzzling to the ordinary way of thinking comes from the fact that we have to use language to communicate our inner experience, which in its very nature transcends linguistics.

Wisdom is not something we have to strive to acquire. Rather, wisdom arises naturally as we open our hearts to the truth of what is.

Sometimes one creates a dynamic impression by saying something, and sometimes one creates as significant an impression by remaining silent.

Every morning we are born again. What we do today is what matters most.

The secret of happiness is to want what you already have.

Panic is a gateway to wisdom. When we learn to stay present with our panic, it becomes our teacher.

The nature of life is change. The nature of change is painful. The nature of pain is temporary.