The signs of practice are not in extraordinary experiences but in extraordinary awareness of ordinary experiences.

Waking up this morning, I smile. Twenty-four brand new hours are before me. I vow to live fully in each moment.

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

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

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

The cultivation of loving-kindness is the thread that runs through all Buddhist teachings.

Buddhist practice is not to eliminate life's problems but to grow with them patiently and with compassion.

When you note pain, you are not trying to make it go away. You are trying to understand its true nature.

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

The first step toward faith is to admit that we don't know everything.

The more you are motivated by love, the more fearless and free your actions will be.

Much of spiritual life is self-acceptance, maybe all of it.

Forgiveness means giving up all hope for a better past.

Hatred does not cease by hatred, but only by love; this is the eternal rule.

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.

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

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

Only to the extent that we expose ourselves over and over to annihilation can that which is indestructible be found in us.

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

Meditation is not an escape from reality but a way to understand reality as it truly is.

The dharma is not about collecting more beliefs but about becoming free from the power of belief itself.

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

The mind is like a room with many windows. Open them all and let the fresh air in.

The quieter you become, the more you can hear.

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

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

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

Compassion is not a relationship between the healer and the wounded. It's a relationship between equals.

Right View is not just a matter of intellectual understanding but of seeing things as they really are.

To have faith is to trust yourself to the water. When you swim you don't grab hold of the water, because if you do you will sink and drown. Instead you relax, and float.

Meditation is not about achieving anything. It's about letting go of everything.

Each breath is a new beginning, a fresh opportunity to awaken.

Liberation is not found by running away from our experience but by looking deeply into it.

Let go of what has passed. Let go of what may come. Let go of what is happening now. Don't try to figure anything out. Don't try to make anything happen. Relax, right now, and rest.

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 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 taught us to leave alone the things that don't lead to awakening.

Wisdom and compassion must be developed equally and harmoniously.

Every day, think as you wake up, today I am fortunate to be alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it.

The greatest obstacle to meditation is our expectation about what it should be.

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

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.

The practice of mindfulness is simple: whatever you experience, you observe and note it.

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

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

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

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

Smile, breathe, and go slowly.

The practice of Zen mind is beginner's mind. In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities; in the expert's mind there are few.

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

Do everything with a mind that lets go. Don't accept praise or gain or anything else. If you let go a little, you will have a little peace; if you let go a lot, you will have a lot of peace.

Equanimity is not indifference. It is the balanced mind that sees things clearly without reaction.

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

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

Panic is a gateway to wisdom. When we learn to stay present with our panic, it becomes our teacher.

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

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

Meditation is not just about sitting quietly, it's about transforming the mind.

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

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