Hope and fear come from feeling that we lack something; they come from a sense of poverty. We can't simply relax with ourselves. We hold on to hope, and hope robs us of the present moment.

If you want to understand suffering, you must look into the situation at hand. The teachings say that wherever a problem arises it must be settled right there.

Right View is not just a matter of intellectual understanding but of seeing things as they really are.

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.

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

The practice of meditation is like learning to play an instrument - it takes patience, regular practice, and a gentle touch.

The technique of self-observation is the technique of observing the reality about oneself at the experiential level.

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

What is the sound of one hand clapping?

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.

As long as our orientation is toward perfection or success, we will never learn about unconditional friendship with ourselves, nor will we find compassion.

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

The quieter you become, the more you can hear.

Personal experience is everything in Zen. No ideas are intelligible to those who have no backing of experience.

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

Mindfulness means keeping one's consciousness alive to the present reality.

Breathing in, there is only the present moment. Breathing out, it is a wonderful moment.

The basic idea of Zen is to come in touch with the inner workings of our being, and to do this in the most direct way possible, without resorting to anything external or superadded.

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

The path of insight is a path of discovery, not a path of creation. We are discovering what is already there.

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

The great gift of meditation is that it returns us to the simplicity of our own being.

The more precisely you note, the more clearly you understand. The more clearly you understand, the stronger your insight becomes.

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

Every small positive change we make in ourselves repays us in confidence in the future.

Compassion is not a sign of weakness but a sign of strength.

When you find your place where you are, practice occurs, actualizing the fundamental point.

The highest mantra is to be without deception. The highest medicine is to have few desires. The highest meditation is not to be attached.

The precious pot containing my riches becomes my teacher in the very moment it breaks.

The most important thing in life is to know death is coming and to prepare for it.

The four foundations of mindfulness are not separate practices but different aspects of the same practice of clear awareness.

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

Meditation is like catching a fish. If you try to catch it quickly, you'll miss it. If you have patience and know how to wait, the fish will come.

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

The practice of meditation requires both energy and patience, both effort and relaxation.

In a mind clear as still water, even the waves, breaking, are reflecting its light.

The view is like a lion - it cannot be led around by anything else. Meditation is like an eagle - it cannot be distracted by anything else. Action is like a madman - it is free from accepting and rejecting.

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

When mindfulness and concentration are strong, insight into the three characteristics naturally unfolds.

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

When things fall apart and we're on the verge of we know not what, the test of each of us is to stay on that brink and not concretize.

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

The purpose of meditation is not to create a new state of mind, but to recognize what is already present.

Compassion is the radicalism of our time.

The greatest obstacle to meditation is our expectation about what it should be.

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

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

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

The real secret of the arts: always be a beginner.

The more you are motivated by love, the more fearless and free your actions will be.

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

Each decision we make, each action we take, is born out of an intention.

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

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

Misery ceases to exist when we stop reacting to sensations.

Liberation is found in the practice, not in the theory.

When we rest in awareness, we discover a peace that is always present, regardless of circumstances.

When we develop patience, we find that we develop a reserve of calm and tranquility.

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.

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