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

The greatest obstacle to meditation is our expectation about what it should be.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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 mental vacuum but to come to know one's own mind.

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

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

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

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.

In the gap between thoughts, nonconceptual wisdom shines continuously.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

Meditation is the road to happiness.

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

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

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

The quieter you become, the more you can hear.

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

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.

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

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

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

The most profound meditation is to think nothing at all.

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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