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

Understanding at the intellectual level is not enough. There must be experience at the actual level.

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

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.

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

Zen does not confuse spirituality with thinking about God while one is peeling potatoes. Zen spirituality is just to peel the potatoes.

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

There are many ways to meditate. But at the heart of them all is mindfulness.

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.

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.

Forgiveness is letting go of the hope that the past could have been any different.

The perfect moment is this one, not the one you're waiting for.

Every experience is an opportunity to practice awareness.

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

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

The development of wisdom does not occur in isolation but requires the cultivation of the entire Noble Eightfold Path.

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 practice of mindfulness is simply to bring awareness to what we are doing, what we are saying, and what we are thinking.

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

Karma is not fate but the law of moral causation, showing us that we are the architects of our own destiny.

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.

The yogi's joy is in the solitude of mountains, where all distractions naturally dissolve into emptiness.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The teaching is simple: act with kindness and compassion. If you cannot do this, at least try not to harm others.

Mindfulness helps you go home to the present. And every time you go there and recognize a condition of happiness that you have, happiness comes.

The roots of all goodness lie in the soil of appreciation for goodness.

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 real secret of the arts: always be a beginner.

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.

When dharma fills your body and mind, you realize that something is missing.

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

The essence of bravery is being without self-deception.

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

The Buddha's teaching is a middle way between all extremes, between eternalism and annihilationism, between self-indulgence and self-torture.

Maintain the state of undistractedness and distractions will fly away.

Our own life has to be our message.

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

To be fully alive, fully human, and completely awake is to be continually thrown out of the nest.

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

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

The path is not about moving from one place to another. It's about recognizing where we already are.

The more we care for the happiness of others, the greater our own sense of well-being becomes.

Our defilements are like tame tigers. If you feed them, they're tame. If you stop feeding them, they'll eat you up.

It is under the greatest adversity that there exists the greatest potential for doing good, both for oneself and others.

Genuine happiness comes from having developed basic human qualities, such as attention, emotional balance, and generosity.

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

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

When we get too caught up in the busyness of the world, we lose connection with one another – and ourselves.

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.

When we develop patience, we find that we develop a reserve of calm and tranquility.

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

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

The Buddha's path is not about becoming somebody different but about becoming more and more who you really are.