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

Much of spiritual life is self-acceptance, maybe all of it.

The practice of ethics is not about following rules but about developing inner purity and freedom.

Your work is to discover your work and then with all your heart to give yourself to it.

Karma is not fate but the law of moral causation, showing us that we are the architects of our own destiny.

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

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

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

Every sensation shares the same characteristic - arising, passing. Arising, passing. Learn to observe objectively.

We can learn to be present with whatever is happening in our lives, and in this way, we can begin to transform our relationship to difficulty.

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

The path of practice moves from faith through understanding to direct realization.

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 key to transformation is not to fight with our experience but to open to it with awareness.

The quieter you become, the more you can hear.

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

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

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

Each breath is a new beginning, a fresh opportunity to awaken.

Zen proposes its solution by directly appealing to facts of personal experience and not to book-knowledge.

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

The root of all mind is your own present pure awareness. Rest in that essence without seeking elsewhere.

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

Don't be a bodhisatta; don't be an arahant; don't be anything at all. Being something makes you suffer.

Every small positive change we make in ourselves repays us in confidence in the future.

Every moment of confusion is also a moment of wisdom, if we can learn to recognize it.

We practice to learn how to let go, not how to increase our holding on to things.

Like a fine flower, beautiful to look at but without scent, fine words are fruitless in a man who does not act in accordance with them.

Don't try to change the world. First, change yourself.

There is no need to have a deep understanding of Zen. Even though you read much Zen literature, you must read each sentence with a fresh mind.

Wisdom is not something we have to strive to acquire. Rather, wisdom arises naturally as we open our hearts to the truth of what is.

The mind has first to be attuned to the Unconscious.

There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth; not going all the way, and not starting.

The basic idea of Zen is to come in touch with the inner workings of our being, and to do this in the most direct way possible, without resorting to anything external or superadded.

The grass is greener where you water it.

Study the Buddha's teaching which is present in every moment.

If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.

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

Rather than letting our negativity get the better of us, we could acknowledge that right now we feel like a piece of shit and not be squeamish about taking a good look.

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.

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.

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

Zen does not confuse spirituality with thinking about God while one is peeling potatoes. Zen spirituality is just to peel the potatoes.

Observe the reality as it is, not as you wish it to be.

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

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

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

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

Wisdom is not about accumulating knowledge, but about seeing through all knowledge.

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

Mindfulness is being aware of what's going on, not trying to control what's going on.

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