Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.

Every moment is a fresh beginning. Every breath is a new chance.

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

The practice of Dharma is a constant battle within oneself.

The goal of meditation is not to reach some highest place, but to remain in the place where you already are.

The mind has first to be attuned to the Unconscious.

Every moment of mindfulness is a step on the path to liberation. Each step is valuable, no matter how small.

Radiate boundless love towards the entire world — above, below, and across — unhindered, without ill will, without enmity.

The zazen I speak of is not meditation practice. It is simply the dharma gate of joyful ease.

The seed of suffering in you may be strong, but don't wait until you have no more suffering before allowing yourself to be happy.

Hasten slowly and you will soon arrive.

Panic is a gateway to wisdom. When we learn to stay present with our panic, it becomes our teacher.

Compassion is not mere sentiment but a powerful force that can transform both ourselves and others.

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

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.

Misery ceases to exist when we stop reacting to sensations.

The path is the goal. Every step of the journey is the journey.

Metta is the ability to embrace all parts of ourselves, as well as all parts of the world.

Meditation is not about getting away from it all. It's about getting into it all.

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

The development of wisdom does not occur in isolation but requires the cultivation of the entire Noble Eightfold Path.

Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet.

In the end, just three things matter: How well we have lived, how well we have loved, how well we have learned to let go.

Drop by drop is the water pot filled. Likewise, the wise man, gathering it little by little, fills himself with good.

You are your own teacher. Looking for teachers can't solve your own doubts. Investigate yourself to find the truth - inside, not outside.

Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.

A disciplined mind leads to happiness, and an undisciplined mind leads to suffering.

The development of insight is gradual, but the realization of truth is sudden.

Don't try to change the world. First, change yourself.

Waking up this morning, I smile. Twenty-four brand new hours are before me. I vow to live fully in each moment.

The practice of mindfulness transforms the mind from a place of suffering into an instrument of enlightenment.

Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor.

The more we care for the happiness of others, the greater our own sense of well-being becomes.

The practitioner and practice are like fire and wood. The more you practice, the more you burn.

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

The most profound meditation is to think nothing at all.

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

Mindfulness is being aware of what is happening right now, without wishing it were different.

The essence of Buddhist practice is to reduce our selfishness and to work for the benefit of others.

The Buddha's teaching is not about belief but about investigation, not about accepting but about examining.

Buddhist practice is not to eliminate life's problems but to grow with them patiently and with compassion.

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

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

Concentration develops naturally through continuous noting. Don't try to force concentration to arise.

Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is relax.

Every morning we are born again. What we do today is what matters most.

Only to the extent that we expose ourselves over and over to annihilation can that which is indestructible be found in us.

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

Life is nothing but a continuous chain of sensations. Pleasant or unpleasant, observe them objectively.

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

The practitioner and practice are like fire and wood. The more you practice, the more you burn.

Whatever is happening is the path to enlightenment.

We practice to learn how to let go, not how to increase our holding on to things.

Our task is not to seek for love but to find all the barriers within ourselves that we have built against it.

When mindfulness is weak, defilements are strong; when mindfulness is strong, defilements are weak.

The dharma is not in the books. If you want to find the dharma, look in your mind.

Meditation is not just about sitting quietly, it's about transforming the mind.

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.

Where there is great doubt, there is great awakening; small doubt, small awakening; no doubt, no awakening.

Our emotions are like waves in the ocean. We can't stop the waves, but we can learn to surf.