You are the master of your own mind. You can be your best friend or your worst enemy.

As surely as there is a voyage away, there is a journey home.

Zen is a way of life, not a theory or a piece of knowledge to be stored away in our minds.

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

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

The basic idea of Zen is to come in touch with the inner workings of our being, and to do this in the most direct way possible, without resorting to anything external or superadded.

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

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

Wisdom is not about accumulating knowledge, but about seeing through all knowledge.

The key to transformation is not to fight with our experience but to open to it with awareness.

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

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

Every step on the path must be with the understanding of anicca - impermanence. This is the essence of the teaching.

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

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

Happiness is a skill that can be developed like playing an instrument or learning to read.

Faith is the firm foundation, diligence the supporting pillar, and wisdom the roof of the house of practice.

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

Nothing ever goes away until it has taught us what we need to know.

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

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

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

May all beings be happy, be peaceful, be liberated.

We can learn the art of fierce compassion - redefining strength, deconstructing isolation and renewing a sense of community, practicing letting go of rigid us-vs.-them thinking.

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

The practice of meditation is like learning to play an instrument - it takes patience, regular practice, and a gentle touch.

Wisdom and compassion must be developed equally and harmoniously.

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

Knowledge must be stabilized by meditation. Without meditation, knowledge is like a child in battle.

Know the rules well, so you can break them effectively.

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

The way to change the world is to change your own mind.

Panic is a gateway to wisdom. When we learn to stay present with our panic, it becomes our teacher.

The movement of love is what creates the beauty in our lives.

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

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.

Forgiveness means giving up all hope for a better past.

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

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.

Ardently do today what must be done. Who knows? Tomorrow, death comes.

There is no way to happiness - happiness is the way.

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

Right View is not just a matter of intellectual understanding but of seeing things as they really are.

The signs of practice are not in extraordinary experiences but in extraordinary awareness of ordinary experiences.

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

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

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.

The spiritual journey begins with the recognition that beneath our surface happiness there lies a deep inner pain.

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

The master's introduction is direct recognition of one's own nature. Meditation is maintaining the continuity of this recognition.

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.

Meditation is not an escape from reality but a way to understand reality as it truly is.

The root of happiness is altruism — the wish to be of service to others.

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

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

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.

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

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

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

Anger or hatred is like a fisherman's hook. It is very important for us to ensure that we are not caught by it.