You are the master of your own mind. You can be your best friend or your worst enemy.

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.

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

Meditation is not an escape from life but a way to fully engage with life.

Do not mistake understanding for realization, and do not mistake realization for liberation.

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

Let go of what has passed. Let go of what may come. Let go of what is happening now. Don't try to figure anything out. Don't try to make anything happen. Relax, right now, and rest.

The rising and falling of the abdomen is not the main object. The main object is to develop mindfulness, concentration, and insight.

Compassion is not something we develop. It arises naturally as we see the truth of what is.

Moment after moment, completely devote yourself to listening to your inner voice.

Genuine happiness comes from having developed basic human qualities, such as attention, emotional balance, and generosity.

The Four Noble Truths are not merely theoretical propositions but a framework for understanding and transforming our experience.

Our task is to learn to see clearly what is happening in each moment, rather than be lost in our reactions and judgments.

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

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

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

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

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

Work diligently. Diligently. Work patiently and persistently. Patiently and persistently. And you're bound to be successful. Bound to be successful.

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

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

The practice of mindfulness begins in the small, remote cave of your unconscious mind and blossoms with the sunlight of your conscious life.

Just know what is happening in your mind - not happy or sad about it, not attached. If you suffer, see it, know it, be empty.

Each moment of mindfulness is a moment of purification.

In meditation, we are continuously discovering who and what we are.

Misery ceases to exist when we stop reacting to sensations.

The greatest achievement is selflessness. The greatest worth is self-mastery.

When you note pain, you are not trying to make it go away. You are trying to understand its true nature.

Vipassana is the art of living. Not the art of escaping.

Do everything with a mind that lets go. Don't accept praise or gain or anything else. If you let go a little, you will have a little peace; if you let go a lot, you will have a lot of peace.

Meditation is not about achieving anything. It's about letting go of everything.

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

In meditation, we're not trying to get rid of thoughts but to recognize their true nature.

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.

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

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

The Buddha taught us to leave alone the things that don't lead to awakening.

Mindfulness is the gentle effort to be continuously present with experience.

Don't be a bodhisatta; don't be an arahant; don't be anything at all. Being something makes you suffer.

The dharma is not about collecting more beliefs but about becoming free from the power of belief itself.

If you want to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be miserable, expect something in return.

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

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.

Better than a thousand hollow words, is one word that brings peace.

The mind has first to be attuned to the Unconscious.

The Buddha taught that wealth does not bring happiness and security. The pursuit of wealth is a matter of living in balance.

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

Rather than letting our negativity get the better of us, we could acknowledge that right now we feel like a piece of shit and not be squeamish about taking a good look.

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

The practice of Dharma is a constant battle within oneself.

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

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

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

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

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.

It is never too late to turn on the light.

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

If your mind is empty, it is always ready for anything; it is open to everything.

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

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