The practice is like peeling an onion. Layer after layer of delusion is removed through continuous mindfulness.

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

May all beings be happy, be peaceful, be liberated.

The problem is not the problem; the problem is your attitude about the problem.

In my youth I studied, in my prime I practiced, now all my doubts are cleared.

When you listen to someone, you should give up all your preconceived ideas and your subjective opinions.

When walking, just walk. When sitting, just sit. Above all, don't wobble.

The practice of mindfulness begins in the small, remote cave of your unconscious mind and blossoms with the sunlight of your conscious life.

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

Short moments, many times. That is the essence of meditation practice.

If your mind is empty, it is always ready for anything; it is open to everything.

Much of spiritual life is self-acceptance, maybe all of it.

The mind can go in a thousand directions, but on this beautiful path, I walk in peace. With each step, the wind blows. With each step, a flower blooms.

Maintain the state of undistractedness and distractions will fly away.

The root of happiness is altruism — the wish to be of service to others.

Moment after moment, completely devote yourself to listening to your inner voice.

The best way to solve a problem is to help someone else solve their problem.

Don't expect or desire anything. Just keep noting whatever arises in the present moment.

Should a person do good, let him do it again and again. Let him find pleasure therein, for blissful is the accumulation of good.

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.

The most important point is to accept yourself and stand on your two feet.

Just as a mother would protect her only child with her life, even so let one cultivate a boundless love towards all beings.

When both body and mind are at peace, all things appear as they are: perfect, complete, lacking nothing.

The heart is like a garden. It can grow compassion or fear, resentment or love. What seeds will you plant there?

Face your own anger and you will be free from anger. Face your own fears and you will be free from fear.

Zen does not confuse spirituality with thinking about God while one is peeling potatoes. Zen spirituality is just to peel the potatoes.

The Buddha's teaching is a middle way between all extremes, between eternalism and annihilationism, between self-indulgence and self-torture.

The practice of Dharma is a constant battle within oneself.

The way is not in the sky. The way is in the heart.

When you practice zazen you should not try to attain anything. You should just sit in the complete calmness of your mind and not rely on anything.

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

Breathing in, I calm body and mind. Breathing out, I smile.

Anger or hatred is like a fisherman's hook. It is very important for us to ensure that we are not caught by it.

Our defilements are like tame tigers. If you feed them, they're tame. If you stop feeding them, they'll eat you up.

The more you give, the more you have. That's the economics of kindness.

The spiritual journey begins with the recognition that beneath our surface happiness there lies a deep inner pain.

Ardently do today what must be done. Who knows? Tomorrow, death comes.

The goal is not to be better than the other man, but your previous self.

A good friend who points out mistakes and imperfections and rebukes evil is to be respected as if he reveals a secret of hidden treasure.

Each breath is a new beginning, a fresh opportunity to awaken.

The purpose of a spiritual discipline is to give us a way to stop the war, not by our force of will, but through understanding and through letting go.

This is the real secret of life -- to be completely engaged with what you are doing in the here and now. And instead of calling it work, realize it is play.

The way to change the world is to change your own mind.

Wisdom is not something we have to strive to acquire. Rather, wisdom arises naturally as we open our hearts to the truth of what is.

The challenge in meditation is not to eliminate thinking but to understand the nature of thought itself.

Nothing ever goes away until it has taught us what we need to know.

Observe the reality as it is, not as you wish it to be.

In the monastery of your body, the monk of your mind must stay in retreat.

What is the sound of one hand clapping?

We can learn the art of fierce compassion - redefining strength, deconstructing isolation and renewing a sense of community, practicing letting go of rigid us-vs.-them thinking.

External seeking only leads to exhaustion. When you imitate others, you lose your own authenticity.

Like a fine flower, beautiful to look at but without scent, fine words are fruitless in a man who does not act in accordance with them.

Compassion is not just about being kind to others. It's about being kind to ourselves as well.

The teaching is simple: act with kindness and compassion. If you cannot do this, at least try not to harm others.

Zen teaches nothing; it merely enables us to wake up and become aware. It does not teach, it points.

Should you desire the great tranquility, prepare to sweat white beads.

The more you meditate, the more you understand yourself and the better friend you become to yourself.

The mind is like a room with many windows. Open them all and let the fresh air in.

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

The true path is not difficult; just avoid picking and choosing.