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

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

Meditation is like catching a fish. If you try to catch it quickly, you'll miss it. If you have patience and know how to wait, the fish will come.

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

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

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

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

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

When you run after your thoughts, you are like a dog chasing a stick. Every time a stick is thrown, you run after it. Instead, be like a lion who, rather than chasing after the stick, turns to face the thrower.

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

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

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

Meditation is not just about sitting quietly, it's about transforming the mind.

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

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

Short moments, many times. That is the essence of meditation practice.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The challenge in meditation is not to eliminate thinking but to understand the nature of thought itself.

Meditation is the road to happiness.

Leave your front door and your back door open. Allow your thoughts to come and go. Just don't serve them tea.

In the gap between thoughts, nonconceptual wisdom shines continuously.

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sankharas are the seeds of consciousness that manifest as sensations. By observing sensations equanimously, we stop creating new sankharas.

Sleep is the best meditation.

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 quieter you become, the more you can hear.

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

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

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

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

The practice of meditation is like tuning an instrument. Too tight, and the strings break. Too loose, and they won't play.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

The most profound meditation is to think nothing at all.