Our task is not to seek for love but to find all the barriers within ourselves that we have built against it.

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 restraint of the senses is not a matter of suppression but of wise attention to our experience.

The mind is like a room with many windows. Open them all and let the fresh air in.

The way to overcome anger is to be too busy being kind to have time to be angry.

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

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

The key to meditation is to recognize the nature of your mind rather than trying to change it.

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

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

When you practice zazen you should not try to attain anything. You should just sit in the complete calmness of your mind and not rely on anything.

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. If you let go completely, you will have complete peace.

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

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

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

The challenge in meditation is not to eliminate thinking but to understand the nature of thought itself.

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 my youth I studied, in my prime I practiced, now all my doubts are cleared.

The treasure house within you contains everything, and you are free to use it. You don't need to seek outside.

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

Life and death are of supreme importance. Time swiftly passes by and opportunity is lost. Each of us should strive to awaken. Awaken! Take heed, do not squander your life.

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

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

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

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

Misery ceases to exist when we stop reacting to sensations.

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

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

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

Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is relax.

This is the real secret of life -- to be completely engaged with what you are doing in the here and now. And instead of calling it work, realize it is play.

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

The master's introduction is direct recognition of one's own nature. Meditation is maintaining the continuity of this recognition.

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

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

Know the rules well, so you can break them effectively.

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

Work out your own salvation. Do not depend on others.

Anxiety and excitement are the same emotion. The only difference is our attitude toward the experience.

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

The most important thing in life is to know death is coming and to prepare for it.

The problem is not the problem; the problem is your attitude about the problem.

Mindfulness isn't difficult, we just need to remember to do it.

The whole path of mindfulness is about letting go. We let go of our attachment to our views, our attachment to our opinions, our attachment to our ideas.

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

Rejoicing in ordinary things is not sentimental or trite. It actually takes guts.

Every time we become aware of a thought, as opposed to being lost in a thought, we experience that opening of the mind.

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

Hasten slowly and you will soon arrive.

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

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

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

Concentration develops naturally through continuous noting. Don't try to force concentration to arise.

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

Even if you speak of 'understanding,' this understanding is not a matter of knowledge. It is what fills the entire body and mind.

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

The perfect moment is this one, not the one you're waiting for.

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

The door of your heart can only be opened from the inside.

The roots of all goodness lie in the soil of appreciation for goodness.