The four foundations of mindfulness are not separate practices but different aspects of the same practice of clear awareness.

Concentration and insight are like two wings of a bird: both are necessary for the flight to liberation.

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.

Looking for peace is like looking for a turtle with a mustache: you won't be able to find it. But when your heart is ready, peace will come looking for you.

The practice of Zen mind is beginner's mind. In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities; in the expert's mind there are few.

What we call "I" is just a swinging door which moves when we inhale and when we exhale.

Your mind is like a garden. Your thoughts are the seeds. You can grow flowers or you can grow weeds.

The nature of the mind is like the sky, and our thoughts, emotions, and experiences are like clouds passing through it.

Technical knowledge is not enough. One must transcend techniques so that the art becomes an artless art, growing out of the unconscious.

To live is enough.

Sensations are not your enemy. They are your teacher. Through observing them, you understand the truth of existence.

The miracle is not to walk on water. The miracle is to walk on the green earth, dwelling deeply in the present moment and feeling truly alive.

Whatever is dependently co-arisen, that is explained to be emptiness. That, being a dependent designation, is itself the middle way.

Enlightenment is not about becoming divine. Instead, it's about becoming more fully human.

The more we understand impermanence, the more we appreciate each moment of our lives.

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

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

May all beings be happy, be peaceful, be liberated.

Don't be afraid of the future. The future is good.

Our defilements are like tame tigers. If you feed them, they're tame. If you stop feeding them, they'll eat you up.

The nature of mind is not something we need to achieve - it's something we need to recognize.

Mindfulness is the gentle effort to be continuously present with experience.

If you want to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be miserable, expect something in return.

When we develop patience, we find that we develop a reserve of calm and tranquility.

When you find your place where you are, practice occurs, actualizing the fundamental point.

The present moment is the only moment available to us, and it is the door to all moments.

Do everything with a mind that lets go. Don't accept praise or gain or anything else. If you let go a little, you will have a little peace; if you let go a lot, you will have a lot of peace.

The Noble Eightfold Path is a path of training: training in ethical conduct, training in mental discipline, and training in wisdom.

Time passes unhindered. When we make mistakes, we cannot turn the clock back and try again. All we can do is use the present well.

The practice of ethics is not about following rules but about developing inner purity and freedom.

The mind is everything. What you think, you become.

The role of Zen is neither to stand above life nor to run away from it, but to face it with a spirit of determination.

The best way to control people is to encourage them to be mischievous. Then they will be in control in a wider sense.