The grass is greener where you water it.

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

Hasten slowly and you will soon arrive.

The way to change others' minds is with affection, and not anger.

My religion is to live and die without regret.

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

In the monastery of your body, the monk of your mind must stay in retreat.

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

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

We don't set out to save the world; we set out to wonder how other people are doing and to reflect on how our actions affect other people's hearts.

If we learn to open our hearts, anyone, including the people who drive us crazy, can be our teacher.

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

When you note pain, you should not dwell on the thought, "I feel pain." Simply recognize the presence of pain.

The practice of mindfulness transforms the mind from a place of suffering into an instrument of enlightenment.

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

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

Like a fine flower, beautiful to look at but without scent, fine words are fruitless in a man who does not act in accordance with them.

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

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

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

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

Sensations are not your enemy. They are your teacher. Through observing them, you understand the truth of existence.

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

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

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

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

Compassion is the radicalism of our time.

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

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

What is the sound of one hand clapping?

True love is not for the faint-hearted.

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.

Our true nature is like a diamond - pure, brilliant, and indestructible. No matter how much dirt covers it, its essential nature remains unchanged.

If you want to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be miserable, expect something in return.

Share your knowledge. It is a way to achieve immortality.

Misery ceases to exist when we stop reacting to sensations.

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

The trick is to keep exploring and not bail out, even when we find out that something is not what we thought.

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

Wisdom arises when you see the true characteristics of phenomena through direct experience.

In meditation, we're not trying to get rid of thoughts but to recognize their true nature.

The seed of suffering in you may be strong, but don't wait until you have no more suffering before allowing yourself to be happy.

Sticking with uncertainty, getting the knack of relaxing in the midst of chaos, learning not to panic—this is the spiritual path.

Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.

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

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

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

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

The affairs of the world will go on forever. Do not delay the practice of meditation.

Ethical conduct is not a constraint upon our freedom but a condition of our freedom.

No valid plans for the future can be made by those who have no capacity for living now.

The archer ceases to be conscious of himself as the one who is engaged in hitting the bull's-eye which confronts him. This state of unconsciousness is realized only when, completely empty and rid of the self, he becomes one with the perfecting of his technical skill.

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

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

Vipassana is the art of living. Not the art of escaping.

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

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

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