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

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

When you find your place where you are, practice occurs, actualizing the fundamental point.

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

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.

Anger or hatred is like a fisherman's hook. It is very important for us to ensure that we are not caught by it.

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

When we rest in awareness, we discover a peace that is always present, regardless of circumstances.

Meditation is not about getting away from it all. It's about getting into it all.

The practice of Zen is forgetting the self in the act of uniting with something.

We need to learn to let our emotions pass through us like waves, without getting caught in their undertow.

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

Radiate boundless love towards the entire world — above, below, and across — unhindered, without ill will, without enmity.

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 law of nature is the law of cause and effect. As you sow, so shall you reap.

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.

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

The great gift of meditation is that it returns us to the simplicity of our own being.

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 practice is like peeling an onion. Layer after layer of delusion is removed through continuous mindfulness.

The practitioner and practice are like fire and wood. The more you practice, the more you burn.

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

The quieter you become, the more you can hear.

The Dhamma is not a collection of doctrinal formulas but a path leading to direct insight into the nature of reality.

The obstacle is the path.

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

When you talk, you are only repeating what you already know. But if you listen, you may learn something new.

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

Work diligently. Diligently. Work patiently and persistently. Patiently and persistently. And you're bound to be successful. Bound to be successful.

The stages of insight unfold naturally when mindfulness is continuous. There is no need to desire them or try to make them happen.

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

Don't expect or desire anything. Just keep noting whatever arises in the present moment.

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

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

The more precisely you note, the more clearly you understand. The more clearly you understand, the stronger your insight becomes.

Every time we become aware of a thought, as opposed to being lost in a thought, we experience that opening of the mind.

If your mind is empty, it is always ready for anything; it is open to everything.

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

Our own life has to be our message.

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

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

When we recognize that our thoughts are just thoughts, we can choose whether or not to follow them.

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

True peace comes not from controlling the world, but from letting go of control.

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

Smile, breathe, and go slowly.

Open your arms to change, but don't let go of your values.

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.

The mind has first to be attuned to the Unconscious.

The object of meditation and the mind which knows it must be noted as they occur. If they are not noted, desire arises and disturbs concentration.

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

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.

Look at situations from all angles, and you will become more open.

Just as treasures are uncovered from the earth, so virtue appears from good deeds, and wisdom appears from a pure and peaceful mind.

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

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

Devotion is the head of meditation, as is often said. When you are inspired by some spiritual teacher, you can have a very strong connection with that person, and thereby the blessings can enter.

Whoever told you that practice and enlightenment are separate?