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

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.

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

The quieter you become, the more you can hear.

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

Maintain the state of undistractedness and distractions will fly away.

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

Sleep is the best meditation.

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

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

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

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.

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

Meditation is the road to happiness.

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

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

In the gap between thoughts, nonconceptual wisdom shines continuously.

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

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.

The most profound meditation is to think nothing at 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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