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

To think in terms of either pessimism or optimism oversimplifies the truth. The problem is to see reality as it is.

The essence of Buddhism is not a belief system but a systematic investigation of our experience.

The practice of ethics is not about following rules but about developing inner purity and freedom.

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

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.

Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional.

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

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

Only one book is worth reading: the heart.

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

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

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

If you see certainty in that which is uncertain, you are bound to suffer.

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

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

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

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

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

Wherever you are, you are one with the clouds and one with the sun and the stars you see. You are one with everything. That is more true than I can say, and more true than you can hear.

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

Emptiness is not nothingness. Emptiness is the space of possibility.

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

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.

This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness.

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

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

The three characteristics - impermanence, suffering, and non-self - are not philosophical concepts but aspects of experience to be directly observed.

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

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

Although all phenomena are empty of inherent existence, they function perfectly well.

If you want to know your past life, look into your present condition; if you want to know your future life, look into your present actions.

Past thoughts are traceless, clear, and empty. Future thoughts are unborn and fresh. The present moment abides naturally and unconstructed.

The ultimate revolution is the spiritual revolution, where we learn to see reality as it truly is.

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

All that appears and exists, all of samsara and nirvana, has one ground, two paths, and two results. This is the magical display of awareness and unawareness.

Life is available only in the present moment.

Impermanence, suffering, and non-self are not philosophical concepts but realities to be directly perceived through mindfulness practice.

Love is not about possession. Love is about appreciation.

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

When you walk in the mist, you get wet.

External phenomena are like a dream, whatever appears is not real. Recognize the nature of dream-like phenomena to be dream-like.

Real peace comes from seeing things as they really are, not as we want them to be.

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

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

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

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

The ultimate purpose of Buddhism is to serve and benefit humanity.

We do not "come into" this world; we come out of it, as leaves from a tree.

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

When you understand that all phenomena are impermanent, unsatisfactory, and non-self, attachment naturally falls away.

There is no way to happiness - happiness is the way.

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

The only things that are truly mine are my actions and their results.

True happiness is not about getting rid of all our problems, but about changing our relationship to them.