Through continuous mindfulness practice, the true nature of physical and mental phenomena becomes clear.

The root of suffering is not in the world outside us but in our own minds.

Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.

Just as the wise do not take a mirage to be water, nor an echo to be a voice, so the enlightened do not take the world to be real.

The Buddha's teaching is not a philosophical system but a practical guide to living.

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

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

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

The heart of the path is quite simple. No need for long explanations. Give up clinging to love and hate, just rest with things as they are.

Whatever precious jewel there is in the heavenly worlds, there is nothing comparable to one who is awakened.

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

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

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

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

Everything that has a beginning has an ending. Make your peace with that and all will be well.

Reality is only a Rorschach ink-blot, you know.

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

The purpose of meditation is to gain right understanding of the true nature of mental and physical phenomena.

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.

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

When concentration is developed, wisdom arises. When wisdom arises, one becomes disenchanted with the five aggregates.

The path of practice moves from faith through understanding to direct realization.

All beings by nature are Buddha, as ice by nature is water. Apart from water there is no ice; apart from beings, no Buddha.

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

Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.

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

Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can't help them, at least don't hurt them.

Enlightenment is intimacy with all things.

Few among men are they who cross to the further shore. The others merely run up and down the bank on this side.

The whole moon and the entire sky are reflected in one dewdrop on the grass.

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

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

Remember that sometimes not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck.

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.

To live fully is to let go and die with each step.

Awareness is the basis, or what you might call the "support," of the mind. It is steady and unchanging, like the pole to which the flag of ordinary consciousness is attached.

The lamp of wisdom burns constantly, illuminating the nature of mind.

You are the sky. Everything else is just the weather.

Each moment of clear seeing is a moment of freedom from the illusion of permanence, satisfaction, and self.

The Four Noble Truths are not mere doctrinal propositions but a framework for understanding and transforming our lives.

When you recognize that pain and suffering are impermanent, you become free.

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

The deepest happiness comes from having an enduring sense of purpose, one that gives our lives meaning beyond the endless pursuit of pleasure and success.

Loving-kindness is not something we need to manufacture. It's a natural expression of our awakened nature.

The mind is like water. When it's turbulent, it's difficult to see. When it's calm, everything becomes clear.

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

To live – is that not enough? To love – is that not everything?

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

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

The willingness to empty ourselves and then seek our true nature is an expression of great and courageous love.

The practice of Buddhism is fundamentally a practice of expanding our happiness and diminishing our suffering.

Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.

The Buddha's teachings are not a religion, but a science of mind.

The defilements of the mind are temporary visitors. Pure awareness is your true home.

The Dhamma is not a collection of doctrinal formulas but a path leading to direct insight into the nature of reality.

When you are you, Zen is Zen. Big mind is just big mind.

The Buddha taught that wealth does not bring happiness and security. The pursuit of wealth is a matter of living in balance.

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

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