The Buddha's teachings are not about abandoning our lives but about bringing the fullness of our attention to our lives.

Mindfulness isn't difficult, we just need to remember to do it.

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

Work out your own salvation. Do not depend on others.

The roots of all goodness lie in the soil of appreciation for goodness.

Meditation is not about getting rid of thoughts; it's about changing the way we relate to them.

Even if you speak of 'understanding,' this understanding is not a matter of knowledge. It is what fills the entire body and mind.

The true understanding is that the practice itself is enlightenment.

Our practice cannot be perfect, but without being discouraged by this, we should continue it. This is the secret of practice.

When you practice gratefulness, there is a sense of respect toward others.

Through understanding emptiness, one does not become proud of one's virtues, just as one does not become proud of building a castle in the sky.

Know the rules well, so you can break them effectively.

The truth of Zen is the truth of life, and life means to live, to move, to act, not merely to reflect.

If you cannot find the truth right where you are, where else do you expect to find it?

The practice of meditation is not about achieving states of bliss but about seeing things as they really are.

People who study a lot but don't practice are like a ladle in a soup pot. It's in the soup every day, but it doesn't know the taste of the soup.

The trick is to keep exploring and not bail out, even when we find out that something is not what we thought.

Just as parents care for their children, you should bear in mind the whole universe.

The practice is not about achieving special states but about seeing ordinary experience with extraordinary clarity.

You will not be punished for your anger; you will be punished by your anger.

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

Look at situations from all angles, and you will become more open.

Wisdom and compassion must be developed equally and harmoniously.

The archer ceases to be conscious of himself as the one who is engaged in hitting the bull's-eye which confronts him. This state of unconsciousness is realized only when, completely empty and rid of the self, he becomes one with the perfecting of his technical skill.

When we recognize that our thoughts are just thoughts, we can choose whether or not to follow them.

The true mark of a spiritual practitioner is that your own behavior is better, not that you can criticize others well.

Each moment of mindfulness is a moment of purification.

To have faith is to trust yourself to the water. When you swim you don't grab hold of the water, because if you do you will sink and drown. Instead you relax, and float.

When we meet real tragedy in life, we can react in two ways - either by losing hope and falling into self-destructive habits, or by using the challenge to find our inner strength.

The affairs of the world will go on forever. Do not delay the practice of meditation.

Equanimity is not indifference. It is the balanced mind that sees things clearly without reaction.

True peace comes not from controlling the world, but from letting go of control.

Study the Buddha's teaching which is present in every moment.

True happiness comes from a sense of inner peace and contentment, which in turn must be achieved through cultivation of altruism, of love, of compassion.

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

Equanimity is not indifference. It is the balanced state of mind.

Sensations are not your enemy. They are your teacher. Through observing them, you understand the truth of existence.

Mind training is based on the idea that two opposite mental factors cannot happen at the same time.

As surely as there is a voyage away, there is a journey home.

The development of wisdom requires both study and practice, both learning and direct experience.

The silence between the notes is as important as the notes themselves.

We need the courage to learn from our experience and the wisdom to be willing to change and grow.

Generosity generates its own enthusiasm. We don't have to force ourselves to be generous; we just need to start.

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

True love is not for the faint-hearted.

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

Whatever we do, we should see ourselves. Reading books doesn't show us our defilements. Watch yourself. Watch your mind.

The movement of love is what creates the beauty in our lives.

The miracle is not to walk on water. The miracle is to walk on the green earth, dwelling deeply in the present moment and feeling truly alive.

The trouble is, you think you have time.

Rejoicing in ordinary things is not sentimental or trite. It actually takes guts.

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

There are only two days in the year that nothing can be done. One is called yesterday and the other is called tomorrow, so today is the right day to love, believe, do and mostly live.

Whatever is happening is the path to enlightenment.

Every thought, every word, and every action leaves an imprint on our mind.

In the moment of love, awareness is very strong. Use that awareness, that strength of consciousness, to look into yourself.

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

In true vipassana practice, there is no room for likes and dislikes. There is only observation.

Silence is so much more productive of wisdom and clarity than thinking.

Hatred does not cease by hatred, but only by love; this is the eternal rule.