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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

Sleep is the best meditation.

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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 most profound meditation is to think nothing at all.

In the gap between thoughts, nonconceptual wisdom shines continuously.

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

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

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

Maintain the state of undistractedness and distractions will fly away.

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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