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

Meditation is not about getting rid of thoughts; it's about changing the way we relate to them.

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.

The great gift of meditation is that it returns us to the simplicity of our own being.

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

Meditation in the midst of activity is a thousand times superior to meditation in stillness.

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

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

The practice of meditation is not about achieving states of bliss but about seeing things as they really are.

Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor.

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

Don't think that only sitting with the eyes closed is practice. If you do think this way, then quickly change your thinking.

Meditation is not about achieving anything. It's about letting go of everything.

The most profound meditation is to think nothing at all.

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

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

The more you meditate, the more you understand yourself and the better friend you become to yourself.

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

The practice of meditation requires both energy and patience, both effort and relaxation.

The technique of self-observation is the technique of observing the reality about oneself at the experiential level.

The purpose of meditation is to gain right understanding of the true nature of mental and physical phenomena.

The root of all mind is your own present pure awareness. Rest in that essence without seeking elsewhere.

Zazen is not step-by-step meditation. Rather it is simply the easy and pleasant practice of a Buddha, the realization of the Buddha's Wisdom.

In the gap between thoughts, nonconceptual wisdom shines continuously.

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

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

The goal of meditation is not to achieve a blank mind, but to gain insight into the nature of mind itself.

When thoughts arise, recognize them as the display of your own awareness, like recognizing your own children in a crowd.

The purpose of meditation is to make our mind calm and peaceful. If our mind is peaceful, we will be free from worries and mental discomfort.

The object of meditation and the mind which knows it must be noted as they occur. If they are not noted, desire arises and disturbs concentration.

The state of mind that exists when you sit in the right posture is, itself, enlightenment.

In true vipassana practice, there is no room for likes and dislikes. There is only observation.

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

The view is like a lion - it cannot be led around by anything else. Meditation is like an eagle - it cannot be distracted by anything else. Action is like a madman - it is free from accepting and rejecting.

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

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

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.

Sleep is the best meditation.

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

Meditation is not about getting away from it all. It's about getting into it all.

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

The moment you note a thought, it disappears. The noting mind keeps the hindrances away.

Meditation is like a gym in which you develop the powerful mental muscles of calm and insight.

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

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

Meditation is the road to happiness.

Meditation is not about trying to change your experience; it's about changing your relationship to your experience.

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

Concentration develops naturally through continuous noting. Don't try to force concentration to arise.

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

The rising and falling of the abdomen is not the main object. The main object is to develop mindfulness, concentration, and insight.

The most important things in our practice are our physical posture and our way of breathing.

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

Concentration is a cornerstone of mindfulness practice. Your mindfulness will only be as robust as your capacity to ground your attention in the present moment.

Silence is so much more productive of wisdom and clarity than thinking.

When you practice zazen you should not try to attain anything. You should just sit in the complete calmness of your mind and not rely on anything.

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

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

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

The purpose of meditation is not to create a new state of mind, but to recognize what is already present.