The practice of vipassana is the study of the self. When you study physical and mental phenomena, you are studying the truth about yourself.

The purpose of studying Buddhism is not to study Buddhism, but to study ourselves.

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 affairs of the world will go on forever. Do not delay the practice of meditation.

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.

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

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

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

Self-awareness is the key to freedom. The more we understand ourselves, the more we understand how to be free.

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

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.

If you love someone, the greatest gift you can give them is your presence.

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

Should a person do good, let him do it again and again. Let him find pleasure therein, for blissful is the accumulation of good.

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

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

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

Each decision we make, each action we take, is born out of an intention.

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

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

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

The truth of suffering is not to be feared but to be understood through direct observation.

Every moment of mindfulness is a step on the path to liberation. Each step is valuable, no matter how small.

Maintain the state of undistractedness and distractions will fly away.

Feelings like disappointment, embarrassment, irritation, resentment, anger, jealousy, and fear, instead of being bad news, are actually very clear moments that teach us where it is that we're holding back.

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

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

Smile, breathe, and go slowly.

Each moment of noting is a moment of purification, a moment of cultivating the path.

Share your knowledge. It is a way to achieve immortality.

The everyday practice is simply to develop complete acceptance and openness to all situations and emotions.

If in our daily life we can smile, if we can be peaceful and happy, not only we, but everyone will profit from it. This is the most basic kind of peace work.

If it isn't good, let it die. If it doesn't die, make it good.

The purpose of meditation is not to create a new state of mind, but to recognize what is already present.

Every experience is an opportunity to practice awareness.

Meditation is like catching a fish. If you try to catch it quickly, you'll miss it. If you have patience and know how to wait, the fish will come.

Mindfulness helps you go home to the present. And every time you go there and recognize a condition of happiness that you have, happiness comes.

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

The quieter you become, the more you can hear.

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

Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.

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

Breathing in, there is only the present moment. Breathing out, it is a wonderful moment.

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 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 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 deepest happiness comes from having an enduring sense of purpose, one that gives our lives meaning beyond the endless pursuit of pleasure and success.

Just as a snake sheds its skin, we must shed our past over and over again.

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

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

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.

If your compassion does not include yourself, it is incomplete.

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

Though the view should be as vast as the sky, keep your conduct as fine as barley flour.

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.

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

When you find your place where you are, practice occurs, actualizing the fundamental point.

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.

When you let go of trying to control everything, you can relax and enjoy life.

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