All worldly pursuits have but one unavoidable and inevitable end, which is sorrow; acquisitions end in dispersion; buildings in destruction; meetings in separation; births in death.

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

What we learn about the world is colored by the way we approach it.

The time of the past becomes the present, the time of the present becomes the future, the time of the future becomes the present, and the time of the present becomes the past.

Forgiveness is giving up all hope for a better past.

One moment can change a day, one day can change a life, and one life can change the world.

The mind that notes and the object that is noted are both impermanent. Understanding this leads to liberation.

The most fundamental aggression to ourselves, the most fundamental harm we can do to ourselves, is to remain ignorant by not having the courage and the respect to look at ourselves honestly and gently.

Those who cling to perceptions and views wander the world offending people.

Enlightenment is intimacy with all things.

When you realize how perfect everything is, you will tilt your head back and laugh at the sky.

The zazen I speak of is not meditation practice. It is simply the dharma gate of joyful ease.

Awareness is like the sun. When it shines on things, they are transformed.

Your own treasure house contains everything you need; why search outside?

True happiness is not found through the multiplication of desires but through their simplification.

The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly.

Happiness is not about getting what you want, but wanting what you've got.

Don't try to change the world. First, change yourself.

Love is not a feeling. It's a capability.

Whatever is happening is the path to enlightenment.

Know the rules well, so you can break them effectively.

We deal with our mind from morning until evening, and it can be our best friend or our worst enemy.

The cultivation of loving-kindness is the thread that runs through all Buddhist teachings.

Only one book is worth reading: the heart.

The most important factor in achieving happiness is the mind. Happiness and suffering are mental states and therefore depend on the mind.

Every intelligent individual wants to know what makes him tick, and yet is at once fascinated and frustrated by the fact that oneself is the most difficult of all things to know.

You are the master of your own mind. You can be your best friend or your worst enemy.

The mind is like a room with many windows. Open them all and let the fresh air in.

If you want to know your past life, look into your present condition; if you want to know your future life, look into your present actions.

The way we look at the world is the way the world looks.

The goal is not to be better than the other man, but your previous self.

What is the sound of one hand clapping?

Instead of having a deep understanding of the teaching, we need a strong confidence in our teaching, which says that originally we have Buddha nature.