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

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

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

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.

Start from where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.

You will not be punished for your anger; you will be punished by your anger.

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

Mindfulness is the key to the present moment. Without it we cannot see the world clearly, and we cannot make the wisest choices in our lives.

A disciplined mind leads to happiness, and an undisciplined mind leads to suffering.

The entire path is a path of self-responsibility. Nobody else can walk it for you.

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

The cultivation of loving-kindness has the power to transform enmity into amity, hostility into hospitality.

When mindfulness is weak, defilements are strong; when mindfulness is strong, defilements are weak.

Misery ceases to exist when we stop reacting to sensations.

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

The heart is like a garden. It can grow compassion or fear, resentment or love. What seeds will you plant there?

Whoever told you that practice and enlightenment are separate?

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

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

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

Time passes unhindered. When we make ourselves better, we make the world better.

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.

Whatever is happening is the path to enlightenment.

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

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

There are only two days in the year that nothing can be done. One is called yesterday and the other is called tomorrow, so today is the right day to love, believe, do and mostly live.

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

The mind can go in a thousand directions, but on this beautiful path, I walk in peace. With each step, the wind blows. With each step, a flower blooms.

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

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.

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

The practice of patience guards us against losing our presence of mind.

The Buddha's teaching is not a philosophical system but a practical guide to living.

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

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

The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly.

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

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

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

The practice of mindfulness begins in the small, remote cave of your unconscious mind and blossoms with the sunlight of your conscious life.

It is under the greatest adversity that there exists the greatest potential for doing good, both for oneself and others.

The goal is not to be better than the other man, but your previous self.

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

We can never obtain peace in the outer world until we make peace with ourselves.

The Noble Eightfold Path is a path of training: training in ethical conduct, training in mental discipline, and training in wisdom.

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.

Our own life has to be our message.

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

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

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

The three characteristics - impermanence, suffering, and non-self - are not philosophical concepts but aspects of experience to be directly observed.

The practice of Dharma is a constant battle within oneself.

Our practice cannot be perfect, but without being discouraged by this, we should continue it. This is the secret of practice.

The practice of metta begins with oneself, for only when we have developed loving-kindness towards ourselves can we truly offer it to others.

The grass is greener where you water it.

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

The practice of vipassana is the study of the self. When you study physical and mental phenomena, you are studying the truth about yourself.

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

Where there is great doubt, there is great awakening; small doubt, small awakening; no doubt, no awakening.