The essence of all phenomena is empty and clear like space. The nature of mind is awareness-emptiness like the sun and sky.

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

The purpose of life is to be happy, to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate. It is not to be well known, cited, or powerful.

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

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

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

The mind is the forerunner of all things. Our present life is the result of our past thoughts, and our future life will be the result of our present thoughts.

For whom emptiness is possible, everything is possible. For whom emptiness is not possible, nothing is possible.

By understanding emptiness, one understands all phenomena. Without understanding emptiness, one understands nothing.

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

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

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

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

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

The Buddha and all sentient beings are nothing but expressions of the one mind. There is nothing else.

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 is the source of all happiness and the source of all suffering.

The law of nature is the law of cause and effect. As you sow, so shall you reap.

The color of the mountains is Buddha's body; the sound of running water is his great speech.

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

When mindfulness becomes continuous, the distinction between the observer and the observed begins to break down.

Happiness is not the pursuit of an endless succession of experiences but an attitude toward life.

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

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

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

Suffering comes from our resistance to what is. Peace comes from our acceptance of what is.

The more we understand impermanence, the more we appreciate each moment of our lives.

Through our eyes, the universe is perceiving itself. Through our ears, the universe is listening to its harmonies. We are the witnesses through which the universe becomes conscious of its glory, of its magnificence.

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

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

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

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

The period of greatest gain in knowledge and experience is the most difficult period in one's life.

Every being has the potential of becoming a Buddha. Our true nature is Buddha nature.

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

The Buddha's teaching is a teaching of self-reliance, of being one's own master, one's own refuge.

Not knowing how near the truth is, we seek it far away.

You are an aperture through which the universe is looking at and exploring itself.

Man suffers only because he takes seriously what the gods made for fun.

Enlightenment is not the end of change but the end of resistance to change.

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

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

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

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

The sign of wisdom is constant joy.

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

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

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

The Buddha never taught a sectarian religion; he taught Dhamma - the way to liberation - which is universal.

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

If you want to know your past life, look at your present condition. If you want to know your future life, look at your present actions.

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.

When one sees with wisdom that all phenomena are empty of inherent existence, one is liberated from suffering.

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.

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

Zen in its essence is the art of seeing into the nature of one's own being, and it points the way from bondage to freedom.

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

The water in the ocean can be rough or calm. It can be clear or murky. But the water itself doesn't mind.

Our true nature is like a diamond - pure, brilliant, and indestructible. No matter how much dirt covers it, its essential nature remains unchanged.

The true person is not anyone in particular. But like the deep blue color of the limitless sky, it is everyone, everywhere in the world.