Whoever told you that practice and enlightenment are separate?

My religion is to live and die without regret.

The supreme path is not to fabricate anything. The supreme meditation is not to be distracted.

Our task is to learn to see clearly what is happening in each moment, rather than be lost in our reactions and judgments.

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

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

Mind training is based on the idea that two opposite mental factors cannot happen at the same time.

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

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

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

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

If in our daily life we can smile, if we can be peaceful and happy, not only we, but everyone will profit from it. This is the most basic kind of peace work.

The mind is like a wild monkey, jumping here and there. But through meditation, we learn to see whatever arises in our mind with more spaciousness and clarity.

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

The path of practice requires both faith and wisdom, both devotion and understanding.

The noting mind and the object noted appear to occur as a pair. Through concentration they are seen to arise and vanish together.

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

The purpose of meditation is not to create a mental vacuum but to come to know one's own mind.

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

Compassion is not just about being kind to others. It's about being kind to ourselves as well.

Every thought, every word, and every action leaves an imprint on our mind.

When mindfulness and concentration are strong, insight into the three characteristics naturally unfolds.

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

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

Our practice cannot be perfect, but without being discouraged by this, we should continue it. This is the secret of practice.

If you cannot find the truth right where you are, where else do you expect to find it?

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

Conquer anger with non-anger. Conquer evil with good. Conquer stinginess with giving. Conquer deceit with truth.

Anxiety and excitement are the same emotion. The only difference is our attitude toward the experience.

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

Meditation is not about escaping from difficulty but about meeting it with awareness.

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.

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

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

Whatever we do, we should see ourselves. Reading books doesn't show us our defilements. Watch yourself. Watch your mind.

Self-awareness is the key to freedom. The more we understand ourselves, the more we understand how to be free.

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

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. If you let go completely, you will have complete peace.

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.

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.

The Noble Eightfold Path is not a path of mere intellectual understanding but a path of practice, of inner transformation.

The quieter you become, the more you can hear.

Concentration and insight are like two wings of a bird: both are necessary for the flight to liberation.

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

The essence of meditation is not something complicated or exotic. It is simply taking a break from our habitual patterns.

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

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

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

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

Live in joy, in love, even among those who hate. Live in joy, in health, even among the afflicted. Live in joy, in peace, even among the troubled. Look within, be still.

If you want to understand suffering, you must look into the situation at hand. The teachings say that wherever a problem arises it must be settled right there.

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

Not by hatred is hatred conquered, but by love alone. This is an eternal law.

Mindfulness is being aware of what's going on, not trying to control what's going on.

You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.

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

We practice to learn how to let go, not how to increase our holding on to things.

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

Hope and fear come from feeling that we lack something; they come from a sense of poverty. We can't simply relax with ourselves. We hold on to hope, and hope robs us of the present moment.