The spiritual journey begins with the recognition that beneath our surface happiness there lies a deep inner pain.

There is no way to happiness - happiness is the way.

The heart of one who practices is like the earth. No matter what they throw on it, the earth remains unchanged.

The only thing that we truly have control over is our attitude toward experience.

The nature of mind is clearer than the sky, yet we keep looking elsewhere.

The past is gone, the future is not yet here. Live in the present moment with awareness.

The Buddha's teaching is a teaching of self-reliance, of being one's own master, one's own refuge.

Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.

Life is like an ever-shifting kaleidoscope - a slight change, and all patterns alter.

Mindfulness is the key to the present moment. Without it we cannot see the world clearly, and we cannot make the wisest choices in our lives.

The more precisely you note, the more clearly you understand. The more clearly you understand, the stronger your insight becomes.

Compassion is not mere sentiment but a powerful force that can transform both ourselves and others.

In the spring, hundreds of flowers; in autumn, a harvest moon; in the summer, a refreshing breeze; in winter, snow will accompany you. If useless things do not hang in your mind, any season is a good season for you.

Our emotions are like waves in the ocean. We can't stop the waves, but we can learn to surf.

The practice is not about achieving special states but about seeing ordinary experience with extraordinary clarity.

The secret of happiness lies not in getting what we want, but in learning to want what we already have.

If you want to find peace, then look at that point where you find you're dissatisfied and investigate what's really going on.

Forgiveness is giving up all hope for a better past.

Real freedom is not about controlling our experience, but about being free within our experience.

Self-awareness is the key to freedom. The more we understand ourselves, the more we understand how to be free.

If you want to know your past life, look into your present condition; if you want to know your future life, look into your present actions.

Mindfulness is attention to life, and life itself is sacred.

The spiritual journey is not about heaven and finally getting to a place that's really swell.

When you find your place where you are, practice occurs, actualizing the fundamental point.

Personal experience is everything in Zen. No ideas are intelligible to those who have no backing of experience.

The stages of insight unfold naturally when mindfulness is continuous. There is no need to desire them or try to make them happen.

The only way to experience truth is to look within, to observe oneself.

Every moment of confusion is also a moment of wisdom, if we can learn to recognize it.

The true hero is one who conquers his own anger and hatred.

When we get too caught up in the busyness of the world, we lose connection with one another – and ourselves.

When you love someone, you have to have trust and confidence. Love without trust is not yet love.

People take different roads seeking fulfillment and happiness. Just because they're not on your road doesn't mean they've gotten lost.

The superior person is like water, bringing benefit to all without competing.

Don't take life too seriously. No one gets out alive anyway.

The essence of bravery is being without self-deception.

To be beautiful means to be yourself. You don't need to be accepted by others. You need to accept yourself.

True peace comes not from controlling the world, but from letting go of control.

Be happy at the moment, that's enough. Each moment is all we need, not more.

Better than a thousand hollow words, is one word that brings peace.

Suffering is not the end of the story; it is the middle of the story.

The quieter you become, the more you can hear.

The root of suffering is attachment.

Change is possible because there is nothing inherently permanent about our disturbing emotions.

Mindfulness means keeping one's consciousness alive to the present reality.

There is no need to have a deep understanding of Zen. Even though you read much Zen literature, you must read each sentence with a fresh mind.

In my youth I studied, in my prime I practiced, now all my doubts are cleared.

The more we understand our mind, the more we understand the world.

Remember that sometimes not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck.

The more we care for the happiness of others, the greater our own sense of well-being becomes.

Through our eyes, the universe is perceiving itself. Through our ears, the universe is listening to its harmonies. We are the witnesses through which the universe becomes conscious of its glory, of its magnificence.

The practice of ethics is not about following rules but about developing inner purity and freedom.

Real happiness lies within. It cannot be found in external objects or achievements.

The path of practice requires both faith and wisdom, both devotion and understanding.

Mindfulness is not just bare attention but wise attention that leads to understanding and insight.

The practice of mindfulness leads naturally to concentration. Concentration leads naturally to wisdom.

Awareness is like the sun. When it shines on things, they are transformed.

True freedom is a freedom from the tyranny of our own thoughts and afflictive emotions.

The goal is not to be better than the other man, but your previous self.

We can learn the art of fierce compassion - redefining strength, deconstructing isolation and renewing a sense of community, practicing letting go of rigid us-vs.-them thinking.

If you want to know the past, look at the present. If you want to know the future, look at the present.