Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth.

To see the truth, do not be for or against. The struggle between for and against is the mind's worst disease.

Nothing we see or hear is perfect. But right there in the imperfection is perfect reality.

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.

True freedom is a freedom from the tyranny of our own thoughts and afflictive emotions.

Love is the wish that others be happy, and compassion is the wish that they be free from suffering.

Right View is not just a matter of intellectual understanding but of seeing things as they really are.

Sankharas are the seeds of consciousness that manifest as sensations. By observing sensations equanimously, we stop creating new sankharas.

Change is the nature of every phenomenon. Accept this truth and you will live a happy life.

Life is like a cup of tea. It's all in how you make it.

The way is basically perfect. It is not a matter of practice or enlightenment.

The realization of impermanence leads not to despair but to a deeper appreciation of the preciousness of each moment.

The Buddha's teaching is not about belief but about investigation, not about accepting but about examining.

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

In our struggle for freedom, truth is the only weapon we possess.

The instant you speak about a thing, you miss the mark.

My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness.

What Zen wants us to do is to acquire an entirely new point of view whereby to look into the mysteries of life and the secrets of nature.

The highest truth cannot be taught except through the conventional truth.

The six realms of existence are like a dream, why build a prison for yourself?

The real meaning of enlightenment is to gaze with undimmed eyes on all darkness.

The first noble truth of the Buddha is that life contains suffering. The second noble truth is that the cause of suffering is craving.

The one who grasps at existence suffers in samsara, while the one who grasps at non-existence will find no liberation.

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.

The Dhamma unfolds in accordance with a definite sequence: faith, virtue, learning, generosity, wisdom, and insight.

The awareness that you are here, right now, is the ultimate fact.

Love is not about possession. Love is about appreciation.

The difference between buddhas and sentient beings is that buddhas recognize their nature while sentient beings fail to recognize it.

The most important thing is to enjoy your life - to be happy. This is the goal of Buddhist practice.

Life is like an ever-shifting kaleidoscope - a slight change, and all patterns alter.

Do not think you will necessarily be aware of your own enlightenment.

My actions are my only true belongings. I cannot escape the consequences of my actions. My actions are the ground upon which I stand.

The spiritual journey is not about heaven and finally getting to a place that's really swell.

Suffering is not the end of the story; it is the middle of the story.

The path to enlightenment is not a path at all. It is a realization that where you are is where you have always been.

The mind that sees its own nature becomes free from all extremes.

When you walk in the mist, you get wet.

Our basic nature is pure awareness that simply cognizes experience. Everything else is temporary and adventitious.

Trees, mountains, and vines all exist in nature according to their own truth. They are born and die following their nature. They remain this way because that's what they are. They don't practice meditation or do anything special.

The essence of mind is empty like space; yet it contains all things, like a mirror.

Those who understand interdependent origination understand suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path.

There is no difference at all between samsara and nirvana. There is no difference at all between nirvana and samsara.

The nature of all things is like a magical illusion, a mirage, a dream, a reflection of the moon in water.

The ultimate source of happiness is not money and power, but warm-heartedness.

The nature of mind is the unity of awareness and emptiness.

The dharma is not about collecting more beliefs but about becoming free from the power of belief itself.

The menu is not the meal.

The practice of vipassana is the study of the self. When you study physical and mental phenomena, you are studying the truth about yourself.

People who study a lot but don't practice are like a ladle in a soup pot. It's in the soup every day, but it doesn't know the taste of the soup.

In the beginning, nothing comes, in the middle nothing stays, in the end nothing goes.

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

The dharma wheel turns from the beginning. There is neither excess nor deficiency. The whole universe is moistened with nectar, and the truth is ready to harvest.

Both formerly and now, it is only suffering that I describe, and the cessation of suffering.

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

The biggest prison is the one we build in our own mind.

In Zen there must be satori; there must be a general mental upheaval which destroys the old accumulations of intellection and lays down the foundation for a new life.

The truth of suffering is not to be feared but to be understood through direct observation.

Real freedom is not about controlling our experience, but about being free within our experience.

Enlightenment is not about becoming something special, but about realizing what we already are.

Change is possible because there is nothing inherently permanent about our disturbing emotions.