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

When you practice zazen you should not try to attain anything. You should just sit in the complete calmness of your mind and not rely on anything.

The most important point is to accept yourself and stand on your two feet.

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

Each of you is perfect the way you are... and you can use a little improvement.

As long as you seek for something, you will get the shadow of reality and not reality itself.

Life is like stepping onto a boat which is about to sail out to sea and sink.

We should find perfect existence through imperfect existence.

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.

In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's there are few.

The mind of the beginner is empty, free of the habits of the expert, ready to accept, to doubt, and open to all the possibilities.

To live is enough.

The true purpose of Zen is to see things as they are, to observe things as they are, and to let everything go as it goes.

When you listen to someone, you should give up all your preconceived ideas and your subjective opinions.

The state of mind that exists when you sit in the right posture is, itself, enlightenment.

Without accepting the fact that everything changes, we cannot find perfect composure.

Treat every moment as your last. It is not preparation for something else.

The real secret of the arts: always be a beginner.

Leave your front door and your back door open. Allow your thoughts to come and go. Just don't serve them tea.

There is no need to have a deep understanding of Zen. Even though you read much Zen literature, you must read each sentence with a fresh mind.