The mind has first to be attuned to the Unconscious.

When we are mindful, deeply in touch with the present moment, our understanding of what is going on deepens, and we begin to be filled with acceptance, joy, peace and love.

Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.

The idea of Zen is to catch life as it flows. There is nothing extraordinary or mysterious about Zen. I raise my hand; I take a book from the other side of the desk; I hear the boys playing ball outside my window; I see the clouds blown away beyond the neighboring wood: all these I do in Zen.

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.

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

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

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.

The path to liberation requires both understanding and practice, both pariyatti and patipatti.

Zen is a way of life, not a theory or a piece of knowledge to be stored away in our minds.

Metta (loving-kindness) becomes truly effective only when it arises from a peaceful mind, a pure mind, a balanced mind.

The moment you note a thought, it disappears. The noting mind keeps the hindrances away.

My actions are my only true belongings. I cannot escape the consequences of my actions. My actions are the ground upon which I stand.

Do not follow the ideas of others, but learn to listen to the voice within yourself.

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

Let none find fault with others; let none see the omissions and commissions of others. But let one see one's own acts, done and undone.

The Noble Eightfold Path is a path of training: training in ethical conduct, training in mental discipline, and training in wisdom.

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.

Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is relax.

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

We can learn to be present with whatever is happening in our lives, and in this way, we can begin to transform our relationship to difficulty.

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.

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

The true understanding is that the practice itself is enlightenment.

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.

Where is the place that your original face has not yet emerged?

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

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

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

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

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.

No valid plans for the future can be made by those who have no capacity for living now.

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

Not by hatred is hatred conquered, but by love alone. This is an eternal law.

The practice of Dharma is a constant battle within oneself.

Just observe whatever arises. Don't try to create anything, and don't reject anything.

The obstacle is the path.

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.

Technical knowledge is not enough. One must transcend techniques so that the art becomes an artless art, growing out of the unconscious.

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

Meditation is the ultimate mobile device; you can use it anywhere, anytime, unobtrusively.

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

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

My religion is to live and die without regret.

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

The mind is like a wild monkey, jumping here and there. But through meditation, we learn to see whatever arises in our mind with more spaciousness and clarity.

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

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

Faith is not a commodity that you either have or don't have - it is an inner quality that unfolds as we learn to trust our own deepest experience.

Conquer anger with non-anger. Conquer evil with good. Conquer stinginess with giving. Conquer deceit with truth.

Time passes unhindered. When we make ourselves better, we make the world better.

Each of you is perfect the way you are... and you can use a little improvement.

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

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 art of living... is neither careless drifting on the one hand nor fearful clinging to the past on the other. It consists in being sensitive to each moment, in regarding it as utterly new and unique, in having the mind open and wholly receptive.

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

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

Every experience is an opportunity to practice awareness.

The Dhamma unfolds in accordance with a definite sequence: faith, virtue, learning, generosity, wisdom, and insight.

The Buddha never taught a sectarian religion; he taught Dhamma - the way to liberation - which is universal.