The rising and falling of the abdomen is not the main object. The main object is to develop mindfulness, concentration, and insight.

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

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

You are the master of your own mind. You can be your best friend or your worst enemy.

Compassion is the radicalism of our time.

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

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.

In meditation, we are continuously discovering who and what we are.

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

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

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

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

The more we care for the happiness of others, the greater our own sense of well-being becomes.

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

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

The ultimate purpose of Buddhism is to serve and benefit humanity.

To be fully alive, fully human, and completely awake is to be continually thrown out of the nest.

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

The goal of meditation is not to achieve a blank mind, but to gain insight into the nature of mind itself.

My actions are my only true belongings. I cannot escape the consequences of my actions. My actions are the ground upon which I stand.

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

Meditation is not about trying to change your experience; it's about changing your relationship to your experience.

The true mark of a spiritual practitioner is that your own behavior is better, not that you can criticize others well.

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.

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

Letting go gives us freedom, and freedom is the only condition for happiness.

The practice of mindfulness is simply to bring awareness to what we are doing, what we are saying, and what we are thinking.

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.

We can learn the art of fierce compassion - redefining strength, deconstructing isolation and renewing a sense of community, practicing letting go of rigid us-vs.-them thinking.

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

The Buddha taught that wealth does not bring happiness and security. The pursuit of wealth is a matter of living in balance.

The mind has first to be attuned to the Unconscious.

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.

The Buddha's teaching is not about belief but about investigation, not about accepting but about examining.

Instead of having a deep understanding of the teaching, we need a strong confidence in our teaching, which says that originally we have Buddha nature.

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

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.

The heart of the path is quite simple. No need for long explanations. Give up clinging to love and hate, just rest with things as they are.

Zazen is not step-by-step meditation. Rather it is simply the easy and pleasant practice of a Buddha, the realization of the Buddha's Wisdom.

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

The Buddha's teaching is a middle way between all extremes, between eternalism and annihilationism, between self-indulgence and self-torture.

Zen teaches nothing; it merely enables us to wake up and become aware. It does not teach, it points.

The best way to control people is to encourage them to be mischievous. Then they will be in control in a wider sense.

When we are mindful, deeply in touch with the present moment, our understanding of what is going on deepens, and we begin to be filled with acceptance, joy, peace and love.

The trouble is, you think you have time.

The Four Noble Truths are not mere doctrinal propositions but a framework for understanding and transforming our lives.

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

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.

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

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

Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor.

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.

As surely as there is a voyage away, there is a journey home.

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