The entire path is a path of self-responsibility. Nobody else can walk it for you.

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

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

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

Faith is the firm foundation, diligence the supporting pillar, and wisdom the roof of the house of practice.

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

Words have the power to both destroy and heal. When words are both true and kind, they can change our world.

The practice of Zen mind is beginner's mind. In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities; in the expert's mind there are few.

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

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

Insight knowledge comes from direct experience, not from intellectual understanding.

True love is not for the faint-hearted.

Understanding at the intellectual level is not enough. There must be experience at the actual level.

My religion is to live and die without regret.

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 essence of meditation is not something complicated or exotic. It is simply taking a break from our habitual patterns.

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.

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

Study how water flows in a valley stream, smoothly and freely between the rocks.

Concentration and insight are like two wings of a bird: both are necessary for the flight to liberation.

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

Ethical conduct is not a constraint upon our freedom but a condition of our freedom.

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

The mind of the beginner is empty, free of the habits of the expert, ready to accept, to doubt, and open to all the possibilities.

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

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

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

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

Meditation practice isn't about trying to throw ourselves away and become something better. It's about befriending who we are already.

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

Treat every moment as your last. It is not preparation for something else.

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 dharma is not outside of you. Looking for it elsewhere is like placing a Buddha on your head while searching for him everywhere else.

The practice is simply this: keep coming back to your breath during the day. This will give your mind a steadiness and your life a balance.

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

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

Meditation in the midst of activity is a thousand times superior to meditation in stillness.

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

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

Every day, think as you wake up, today I am fortunate to be alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it.

The heart of one who practices is like the earth. No matter what they throw on it, the earth remains unchanged.

The true purpose of Zen is to see things as they are, to observe things as they are, and to let everything go as it goes.

We can never obtain peace in the outer world until we make peace with ourselves.

Compassion is not a relationship between the healer and the wounded. It's a relationship between equals.

The first step toward faith is to admit that we don't know everything.

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

The purpose of meditation is not to create a mental vacuum but to come to know one's own mind.

Panic, anxiety, and stress are not obstacles to the practice. They are the path to wisdom and compassion.

The deepest happiness comes from having an enduring sense of purpose, one that gives our lives meaning beyond the endless pursuit of pleasure and success.

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

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

The superior person is like water, bringing benefit to all without competing.

The Buddha's teaching is not a philosophical system but a practical guide to living.

If we learn to open our hearts, anyone, including the people who drive us crazy, can be our teacher.

Feelings like disappointment, embarrassment, irritation, resentment, anger, jealousy, and fear, instead of being bad news, are actually very clear moments that teach us where it is that we're holding back.

The most important thing is to enjoy your life - to be happy. This is the goal of Buddhist practice.

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.

As a flower that is lovely and beautiful, but is scentless, even so fruitless is the well-spoken word of one who does not practice it.

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

The path is not about moving from one place to another. It's about recognizing where we already are.