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

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

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

The idea of Zen is to catch life as it flows. There is nothing extraordinary or mysterious about Zen. I raise my hand; I take a book from the other side of the desk; I hear the boys playing ball outside my window; I see the clouds blown away beyond the neighboring wood: all these I do in Zen.

The Buddha's teachings are not about abandoning our lives but about bringing the fullness of our attention to our lives.

When you listen to someone, you should give up all your preconceived ideas and your subjective opinions.

Meditation is not about escaping from difficulty but about meeting it with awareness.

The practice of Buddhism is fundamentally a practice of expanding our happiness and diminishing our suffering.

Mindfulness is attention to life, and life itself is sacred.

Mindfulness is the gentle effort to be continuously present with experience.

The true understanding is that the practice itself is enlightenment.

Equanimity is not indifference. It is the balanced state of mind.

The yogi's joy is in the solitude of mountains, where all distractions naturally dissolve into emptiness.

Silence is so much more productive of wisdom and clarity than thinking.

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

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

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

The Buddha's teaching is not a philosophy or a religion; it is a method of practice.

The Dhamma unfolds in accordance with a definite sequence: faith, virtue, learning, generosity, wisdom, and insight.

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

There are many ways to meditate. But at the heart of them all is mindfulness.

Should you desire the great tranquility, prepare to sweat white beads.

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

Choose to be optimistic, it feels better.

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

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

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.

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

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

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

If we learn to open our hearts, anyone, including the people who drive us crazy, can be our teacher.

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

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

Mindfulness is the quality and power of mind that is aware of what's happening—without judgment and without interference.

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

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

The path is the goal. Every step of the journey is the journey.

The practice of meditation is like tuning an instrument. Too tight, and the strings break. Too loose, and they won't play.

The path to liberation requires both understanding and practice, both pariyatti and patipatti.

The silence between the notes is as important as the notes themselves.

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

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

The Buddha's path is not about becoming somebody different but about becoming more and more who you really are.

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

The source of love is deep in us and we can help others realize a lot of happiness. One word, one action, one thought can reduce another person's suffering and bring that person joy.

Faith is the firm foundation, diligence the supporting pillar, and wisdom the roof of the house of practice.

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

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

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

Metta is the ability to embrace all parts of ourselves, as well as all parts of the world.

The mind of the beginner is empty, free of the habits of the expert, ready to accept, to doubt, and open to all the possibilities.

Where is the place that your original face has not yet emerged?

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.

Drink your tea slowly and reverently, as if it is the axis on which the world earth revolves - slowly, evenly, without rushing toward the future.

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

The most important thing is to enjoy your life - to be happy. This is the goal of Buddhist practice.

The Buddha's teaching challenges us to master the art of living, to live in a way that leads to the extinction of suffering.

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