Devotion is the head of meditation, as is often said. When you are inspired by some spiritual teacher, you can have a very strong connection with that person, and thereby the blessings can enter.

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

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

When you practice gratefulness, there is a sense of respect toward others.

Don't think that only sitting with the eyes closed is practice. If you do think this way, then quickly change your thinking.

The more you give, the more you have. That's the economics of kindness.

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

The most precious gift we can offer others is our presence. When mindfulness embraces those we love, they will bloom like flowers.

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

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

The measure of success in spiritual life is how peaceful you are.

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

The essence of Buddhist practice is to bring everything onto the path. Every experience becomes an opportunity for awakening.

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 cave I live in is empty and so is my mind. I live simply and at ease.

Choose to be optimistic, it feels better.

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

The archer ceases to be conscious of himself as the one who is engaged in hitting the bull's-eye which confronts him. This state of unconsciousness is realized only when, completely empty and rid of the self, he becomes one with the perfecting of his technical skill.

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

The only way to fail at meditation is to stop doing it.

My religion is to live and die without regret.

The role of Zen is neither to stand above life nor to run away from it, but to face it with a spirit of determination.

In true vipassana practice, there is no room for likes and dislikes. There is only observation.

When we look directly at our thoughts, they dissolve like bubbles in water.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The cultivation of loving-kindness has the power to transform enmity into amity, hostility into hospitality.

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.

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

If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito.

The heart is like a garden. It can grow compassion or fear, resentment or love. What seeds will you plant there?

The more clearly you see the arising and passing of phenomena, the less you will be attached to them.

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

Your mind is like a garden. Your thoughts are the seeds. You can grow flowers or you can grow weeds.

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

A good friend who points out mistakes and imperfections and rebukes evil is to be respected as if he reveals a secret of hidden treasure.

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

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

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

The essence of Buddhism is not a belief system but a systematic investigation of our experience.

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.

The cultivation of loving-kindness is the thread that runs through all Buddhist teachings.

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

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

The development of wisdom does not occur in isolation but requires the cultivation of the entire Noble Eightfold Path.

Every experience is an opportunity to practice awareness.

Try to be mindful and let things take their natural course. Then your mind will become still in any surroundings, like a clear forest pool.

The spiritual journey begins with the recognition that beneath our surface happiness there lies a deep inner pain.

The path of practice requires both faith and wisdom, both devotion and understanding.

Live in joy, in love, even among those who hate. Live in joy, in health, even among the afflicted. Live in joy, in peace, even among the troubled. Look within, be still.

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

Happiness is a skill that can be developed like playing an instrument or learning to read.

Equanimity is not indifference. It is the balanced mind that sees things clearly without reaction.

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