Each of you is perfect the way you are... and you can use a little improvement.

The most precious gift we can offer others is our presence. When mindfulness embraces those we love, they will bloom like flowers.

When you practice zazen you should not try to attain anything. You should just sit in the complete calmness of your mind and not rely on anything.

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

Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.

The development of wisdom requires both study and practice, both learning and direct experience.

Don't be afraid of the future. The future is good.

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.

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

Instead of having a deep understanding of the teaching, we need a strong confidence in our teaching, which says that originally we have Buddha nature.

The purpose of a spiritual discipline is to give us a way to stop the war, not by our force of will, but through understanding and through letting go.

Compassion is a verb.

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.

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

The real purpose of Zen is to see things as they are, to observe things as they are, and to let everything go as it goes.

You are your own teacher. Looking for teachers can't solve your own doubts. Investigate yourself to find the truth - inside, not outside.

Meditation is not about stopping thoughts, but recognizing that we are not our thoughts.

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

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

The four foundations of mindfulness are not separate practices but different aspects of the same practice of clear awareness.

Our emotions are like waves in the ocean. We can't stop the waves, but we can learn to surf.

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

Choose to be optimistic, it feels better.

In the moment of love, awareness is very strong. Use that awareness, that strength of consciousness, to look into yourself.

The purpose of studying Buddhism is not to study Buddhism, but to study ourselves.

This is the real secret of life -- to be completely engaged with what you are doing in the here and now. And instead of calling it work, realize it is play.

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

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

The goal of meditation is not to achieve a blank mind, but to gain insight into the nature of mind itself.

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

My religion is to live and die without regret.

The miracle is not to walk on water. The miracle is to walk on the green earth, dwelling deeply in the present moment and feeling truly alive.

The true purpose of Zen is to see things as they are, to observe things as they are, and to let everything go as it goes.

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

Be a lamp unto yourself. Work out your liberation with diligence.

True love is not for the faint-hearted.

If you love someone, the greatest gift you can give them is your presence.

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

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

Kindness is the solution to all of life's problems.

Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.

In meditation, we are continuously discovering who and what we are.

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

We deal with our mind from morning until evening, and it can be our best friend or our worst enemy.

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.

Insight knowledge comes from direct experience, not from intellectual understanding.

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

The everyday practice is simply to develop complete acceptance and openness to all situations and emotions.

The most profound meditation is to think nothing at all.

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

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

External seeking only leads to exhaustion. When you imitate others, you lose your own authenticity.

Compassion is the radicalism of our time.

The practice is simply this: keep coming back to your breath during the day. This will give your mind a steadiness and your life a balance.

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

Whoever told you that practice and enlightenment are separate?

Our task is not to seek for love but to find all the barriers within ourselves that we have built against it.

Moment after moment, completely devote yourself to listening to your inner voice.

When we look directly at our thoughts, they dissolve like bubbles in water.

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