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

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 greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.

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

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

The practice of Zen is forgetting the self in the act of uniting with something.

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

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

The way to change the world is to change your own mind.

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

The willingness to empty ourselves and then seek our true nature is an expression of great and courageous love.

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

The best way to solve a problem is to help someone else solve their problem.

Be a lamp unto yourself. Work out your liberation with diligence.

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

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.

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

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

Misery ceases to exist when we stop reacting to sensations.

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

When we get too caught up in the busyness of the world, we lose connection with one another – and ourselves.

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

The Buddha's teaching is a teaching of self-reliance, of being one's own master, one's own refuge.

The way is not in the sky. The way is in the heart.

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

Don't be afraid of the future. The future is good.

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

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

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

Forgiveness is letting go of the hope that the past could have been any different.

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

The law of nature is the law of cause and effect. As you sow, so shall you reap.

The Buddha's teaching is not a philosophy or a religion; it is a method of practice.

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

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

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

Smile, breathe, and go slowly.

Our own life has to be our message.

Sticking with uncertainty, getting the knack of relaxing in the midst of chaos, learning not to panic—this is the spiritual path.

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

Hatred does not cease by hatred, but only by love; this is the eternal rule.

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.

Meditation is not an escape from reality but a way to understand reality as it truly is.

Instead of having a deep understanding of the teaching, we need a strong confidence in our teaching, which says that originally we have Buddha nature.

The more we witness our emotional reactions and understand how they work, the easier it is to refrain.

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

True love is not for the faint-hearted.

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

Don't expect or desire anything. Just keep noting whatever arises in the present moment.

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

Forgiveness means giving up all hope for a better past.

Mindfulness is the key to transformation. It enables us to see our experience as it really is, free from distortion and bias.

Meditation is not about getting rid of thoughts; it's about changing the way we relate to them.

The practice of Buddhism is fundamentally a practice of expanding our happiness and diminishing our suffering.

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

If you want to climb a mountain, begin at the top.

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

The practice of Zen is forgetting the self in the act of uniting with something.

The root of happiness is altruism — the wish to be of service to others.

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