Mindfulness is being aware of what is happening right now, without wishing it were different.

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.

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 key to meditation is to recognize the nature of your mind rather than trying to change it.

Words have the power to both destroy and heal. When words are both true and kind, they can change our world.

What is the sound of one hand clapping?

Every experience is an opportunity to practice awareness.

The development of insight is gradual, but the realization of truth is sudden.

The way is not in the sky. The way is in the heart.

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.

True happiness comes from a sense of inner peace and contentment, which in turn must be achieved through cultivation of altruism, of love, of compassion.

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

The truth of suffering is not to be feared but to be understood through direct observation.

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

Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet.

When you see forms or hear sounds fully engaging body-and-mind, you intuit dharma intimately.

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

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

Better to have one moment of genuine meditation than to perform religious activities for a thousand years.

Metta (loving-kindness) becomes truly effective only when it arises from a peaceful mind, a pure mind, a balanced mind.

The Buddha's teaching is a teaching of self-reliance, of being one's own master, one's own refuge.

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

The trouble is, you think you have time.

The goal of meditation is not to reach some highest place, but to remain in the place where you already are.

Meditation is not an escape from life but a way to fully engage with life.

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

The path to liberation requires both individual effort and the support of the spiritual community.

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

The practice of Dharma is a constant battle within oneself.

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.

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

Meditation practice isn't about trying to throw ourselves away and become something better. It's about befriending who we are already.

When walking, just walk. When sitting, just sit. Above all, don't wobble.

The role of Zen is neither to stand above life nor to run away from it, but to face it with a spirit of determination.

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

Meditation is the ultimate mobile device; you can use it anywhere, anytime, unobtrusively.

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.

The door of your heart can only be opened from the inside.

Life and death are of supreme importance. Time swiftly passes by and opportunity is lost. Each of us should strive to awaken. Awaken! Take heed, do not squander your life.

Love is not a feeling. It's a capability.

The zazen I speak of is not meditation practice. It is simply the dharma gate of joyful ease.

Meditation is not about trying to change ourselves. Meditation is about being aware of what is.

As a flower that is lovely and beautiful, but is scentless, even so fruitless is the well-spoken word of one who does not practice it.

A good friend who points out mistakes and imperfections and rebukes evil is to be respected as if he reveals a secret of hidden treasure.

The true mark of a spiritual practitioner is that your own behavior is better, not that you can criticize others well.

The best way to solve a problem is to help someone else solve their problem.

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

Wisdom and compassion must be developed equally and harmoniously.

The Four Noble Truths are not merely theoretical propositions but a framework for understanding and transforming our experience.

Every moment is a fresh beginning. Every breath is a new chance.

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

The more you give, the more you have. That's the economics of kindness.

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

Life is nothing but a continuous chain of sensations. Pleasant or unpleasant, observe them objectively.

Just know what is happening in your mind - not happy or sad about it, not attached. If you suffer, see it, know it, be empty.

Smile, breathe, and go slowly.

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

Mindfulness is not just bare attention but wise attention that leads to understanding and insight.

Do not follow the ideas of others, but learn to listen to the voice within yourself.

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.