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

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

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.

Altruism is not a luxury, it is a necessity for the survival of humanity.

Enlightenment is not a state of perfection but of authenticity.

The knowledge of dissolution comes when you see both the noting mind and noted object dissolving together.

Craving and aversion are the roots of suffering. Observe them with equanimity.

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

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

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

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.

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

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

If I had any position, I would thereby have a flaw. But since I have no position, I alone am without flaw.

The nature of everything is empty and clear, and the mind is beyond both existence and nonexistence.

Intrinsically all living beings are Buddhas, just as ice and water are of the same substance.

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

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

The fundamental delusion of humanity is to suppose that I am here and you are out there.

The Buddha's teaching challenges us to master the art of living, to live in a way that leads to the extinction of suffering.

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

Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship.

The past is for learning from, not for living in.

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

What is evil? Killing is evil, lying is evil, slandering is evil, abuse is evil, gossip is evil, envy is evil, hatred is evil, to cling to false doctrine is evil; all these things are evil. And what is the root of evil? Desire is the root of evil, illusion is the root of evil.

To see nothing is to perceive the Way, and to understand nothing is to know the Dharma.

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

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

Wisdom arises when you see the true characteristics of phenomena through direct experience.

Real happiness comes from having an unshakable connection to the deep wellspring of peace and happiness that is not dependent on external conditions.

Everybody has the light of Buddha within, but they don't look for it.

The victorious ones have said that emptiness is the relinquishing of all views. Those who are possessed of the view of emptiness are said to be incurable.

The more a thing tends to be permanent, the more it tends to be lifeless.

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

The greatest wisdom is seeing through appearances.

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

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

Don't be a bodhisatta; don't be an arahant; don't be anything at all. Being something makes you suffer.

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

The nature of mind is like a mirror. It is not affected by whatever appears in it, yet it never fails to reflect everything perfectly.

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

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

All worldly pursuits have but one unavoidable and inevitable end, which is sorrow; acquisitions end in dispersion; buildings in destruction; meetings in separation; births in death.

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.

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

Since all things are empty of inherent existence, anything is possible. If things had inherent existence, nothing would be possible.

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

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

When you walk in the mist, you get wet.

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

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 is enough.

The teaching of the Buddha is based on two truths: conventional truth and ultimate truth. Without understanding the relationship between these two, the deeper meaning of the Buddha's teaching cannot be understood.

The purpose of our lives is to be happy, and happiness is found in benefiting others.

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

The Buddha's path is not about becoming somebody different but about becoming more and more who you really are.

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