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

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.

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

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

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

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

Through understanding emptiness, one does not become proud of one's virtues, just as one does not become proud of building a castle in the sky.

True happiness comes from a sense of inner peace and contentment, which in turn must be achieved through cultivation of altruism, of love, of compassion.

Concentration is a cornerstone of mindfulness practice. Your mindfulness will only be as robust as your capacity to ground your attention in the present moment.

The essence of Buddhist practice is to reduce our selfishness and to work for the benefit of others.

Let none find fault with others; let none see the omissions and commissions of others. But let one see one's own acts, done and undone.

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

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

Happiness is not something ready-made. It comes from your own actions.

Faith is not a commodity that you either have or don't have - it is an inner quality that unfolds as we learn to trust our own deepest experience.

Our true nature is like a diamond - pure, brilliant, and indestructible. No matter how much dirt covers it, its essential nature remains unchanged.

The movement of love is what creates the beauty in our lives.

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

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

The path is not about perfecting ourselves, but about perfecting our love.

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

Hope and fear come from feeling that we lack something; they come from a sense of poverty. We can't simply relax with ourselves. We hold on to hope, and hope robs us of the present moment.

The mind has first to be attuned to the Unconscious.

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

The dharma wheel turns from the beginning. There is neither excess nor deficiency. The whole universe is moistened with nectar, and the truth is ready to harvest.

The purpose of Buddhist practice is not to become a Buddhist but to awaken to the nature of reality.

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

Every step on the path must be with the understanding of anicca - impermanence. This is the essence of the teaching.

Right practice is steady practice. Whether you feel lazy or diligent, just keep practicing.

Understanding at the intellectual level is not enough. There must be experience at the actual level.

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

Meditation is the road to happiness.

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.

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

At the bottom of great doubt lies great awakening. If you doubt fully, you will awaken fully.

Ardently do today what must be done. Who knows? Tomorrow, death comes.

When you generate negativity, you are the first victim of your negativity.

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

When you note effectively, there is no time for defilements to arise. The mind becomes pure through noting.

Study how water flows in a valley stream, smoothly and freely between the rocks.

Words have the power to both destroy and heal. When words are both true and kind, they can change our world.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

Open your arms to change, but don't let go of your values.

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

When you see forms or hear sounds fully engaging body-and-mind, you intuit dharma intimately.

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

The goal of Buddhist practice is not to escape from the world but to transform our relationship with it.

Kindness is the solution to all of life's problems.

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 practice of meditation is not about achieving states of bliss but about seeing things as they really are.

Love is not a feeling. It's a capability.

The more you are motivated by love, the more fearless and free your actions will be.

When you note pain, you should not dwell on the thought, "I feel pain." Simply recognize the presence of pain.

Generosity generates its own enthusiasm. We don't have to force ourselves to be generous; we just need to start.

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.

Just as a mother would protect her only child with her life, even so let one cultivate a boundless love towards all beings.