Those who grasp at things as truly existent are like someone trying to catch the reflection of the moon in water.

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

The deepest form of happiness comes from discovering the natural peace of our own awareness.

Problems that remain persistently insoluble should always be suspected as questions asked in the wrong way.

Peace is not found by changing the world, but by changing your attitude to the world.

True freedom is not the absence of commitment but the presence of choice.

The path of practice requires both faith and wisdom, both devotion and understanding.

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

The past is just a memory. The future is just a dream. Be here now.

The path to liberation requires both understanding and practice, both pariyatti and patipatti.

To carry yourself forward and experience myriad things is delusion. That myriad things come forth and experience themselves is awakening.

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

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

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

The goal of the Buddhist path is not to add something to our existence but to discover something that has been there all along.

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

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

When we understand that peace is not dependent on external conditions, we can find it in the midst of any circumstance.

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

The eye with which I see Buddha is the same eye with which Buddha sees me.

The mind is the root from which all things grow. If you can understand the mind, everything else is included.

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

Recognize the emptiness of all phenomena, but do not become attached to emptiness itself.

The ocean does not reject any water; therefore it is great. The mountain does not select its stones; therefore it is great.

Karma is not fate but the law of moral causation, showing us that we are the architects of our own destiny.

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

For things to reveal themselves to us, we need to be ready to abandon our views about them.

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

When we understand others, we understand ourselves. When we love others, we love ourselves.

The truth you believe and cling to makes you unavailable to hear anything new.

This very body is the Buddha. And this very earth the lotus paradise.

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

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

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

To study the Way is to study the self. To study the self is to forget the self. To forget the self is to be enlightened by all things.

The path to liberation is through understanding the true nature of mind and matter through direct observation.

Happiness is found in the simplest of things. It is not in the things you own, but in the love you share.

Wisdom is not about accumulating knowledge, but about seeing through all knowledge.

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

To live is enough.

Real happiness lies within. It cannot be found in external objects or achievements.

The future is completely open, and we are writing it moment to moment.

When you realize the emptiness of all phenomena, compassion will arise in your heart for all sentient beings who do not understand this truth.

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

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

The more you understand impermanence, the more you appreciate every moment.

The mind is intrinsically empty. It's empty of all that we perceive as being intrinsically "me" and "mine."

Buddhas and ordinary beings are not two. Enlightenment and delusion are not different paths.

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.

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

Appearances are mind, mind itself is emptiness, emptiness itself is spontaneous presence.

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

The more we understand the nature of our mind, the more we understand the nature of our world.

The essence of the spiritual journey is the uncovering of what is always already present.

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

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

The purpose of Buddhist practice is not to become a Buddhist but to awaken to the nature of reality.

Zen is not necessarily against words, but it is well aware of their limitations.

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

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