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

Breathing in, I calm body and mind. Breathing out, I smile.

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

The true path is not difficult; just avoid picking and choosing.

The Buddha's teaching is a teaching of self-reliance, of being one's own master, one's own refuge.

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

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

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

The way to change the world is to change your own mind.

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

May all beings be happy, be peaceful, be liberated.

In a mind clear as still water, even the waves, breaking, are reflecting its light.

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

In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's there are few.

The force of the kindness of others is so strong, we can't possibly measure it.

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

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

The past is gone, the future is not yet here. Live in the present moment with awareness.

Every moment is a fresh beginning. Every breath is a new chance.

The path is not about moving from one place to another. It's about recognizing where we already are.

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

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

Short moments, many times. That is the essence of meditation practice.

The art of living... is neither careless drifting on the one hand nor fearful clinging to the past on the other. It consists in being sensitive to each moment, in regarding it as utterly new and unique, in having the mind open and wholly receptive.

The path to liberation requires both individual effort and the support of the spiritual community.

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

The noting mind and the object noted appear to occur as a pair. Through concentration they are seen to arise and vanish together.

Maintain the state of undistractedness and distractions will fly away.

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

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

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

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.

Face your own anger and you will be free from anger. Face your own fears and you will be free from fear.

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

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

Work out your own salvation. Do not depend on others.

The practice of meditation is like learning to play an instrument - it takes patience, regular practice, and a gentle touch.

The practice of mindfulness leads naturally to concentration. Concentration leads naturally to wisdom.

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

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.

Awareness is like the sun. When it shines on things, they are transformed.

The trouble is, you think you have time.

Choose to be optimistic, it feels better.

Anxiety and excitement are the same emotion. The only difference is our attitude toward the experience.

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

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

Drop by drop is the water pot filled. Likewise, the wise man, gathering it little by little, fills himself with good.

The Buddha never taught a sectarian religion; he taught Dhamma - the way to liberation - which is universal.

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

The practice of mindfulness is the practice of being alive in the present moment.

The grass is greener where you water it.

People who study a lot but don't practice are like a ladle in a soup pot. It's in the soup every day, but it doesn't know the taste of the soup.

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

The most important point is to accept yourself and stand on your two feet.

Do not mistake understanding for realization, and do not mistake realization for liberation.

Just observe whatever arises. Don't try to create anything, and don't reject anything.

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

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 Noble Eightfold Path is not a path of mere intellectual understanding but a path of practice, of inner transformation.