When you understand one thing through and through, you understand everything. When you try to understand everything, you will not understand anything.

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

Faith is not a commodity that you either have or don't have - it is an inner quality that unfolds as we learn to trust our own deepest experience.

Generosity generates its own enthusiasm. We don't have to force ourselves to be generous; we just need to start.

When I run from suffering, it follows me. When I face suffering with equanimity, it runs from me.

Happiness is not the pursuit of an endless succession of experiences but an attitude toward life.

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

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

The root of suffering is resisting the certainty that no matter what the circumstances, uncertainty is all we truly have.

The Buddha taught that wealth does not bring happiness and security. The pursuit of wealth is a matter of living in balance.

Wisdom says we are nothing. Love says we are everything. Between these two our life flows.

The path to liberation is through understanding the true nature of mind and matter through direct observation.

All that appears and exists, all of samsara and nirvana, has one ground, two paths, and two results. This is the magical display of awareness and unawareness.

When concentration is developed, wisdom arises. When wisdom arises, one becomes disenchanted with the five aggregates.

When we recognize that our thoughts are just thoughts, we can choose whether or not to follow them.

The world is its own magic.

Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth.

The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.

Silence is sometimes the best answer.

The menu is not the meal.

Observe the reality as it is, not as you wish it to be.

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

Each decision we make, each action we take, is born out of an intention.

The more we understand impermanence, the more we understand that we can't hold on to anything.

Our basic nature is pure awareness that simply cognizes experience. Everything else is temporary and adventitious.

Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.

Know the rules well, so you can break them effectively.

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.

Conquer anger with non-anger. Conquer evil with good. Conquer stinginess with giving. Conquer deceit with truth.

For whom emptiness is possible, everything is possible. For whom emptiness is not possible, nothing is possible.

The more you suffer the deeper grows your character, and with the deepening of your character you read the more penetratingly into the secrets of life.

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

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

Right practice is steady practice. Whether you feel lazy or diligent, just keep practicing.

The person who clings to nothing of the past, present and future, who has no attachment and no aversion, has no conceptual imprints.

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

To think in terms of either pessimism or optimism oversimplifies the truth. The problem is to see reality as it is.

The true person is not anyone in particular. But like the deep blue color of the limitless sky, it is everyone, everywhere in the world.

The purpose of studying Buddhism is not to study Buddhism, but to study ourselves.

You are the master of your own mind. You can be your best friend or your worst enemy.

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

The more you understand, the more you love; the more you love, the more you understand.

The mind is like water. When it's turbulent, it's difficult to see. When it's calm, everything becomes clear.

True peace is found not in the absence of experience but in the clear seeing of all experience.

The precious pot containing my riches becomes my teacher in the very moment it breaks.

Nothing we see or hear is perfect. But right there in the imperfection is perfect reality.

Happiness is a skill that can be developed like playing an instrument or learning to read.

The mind is everything. What you think, you become.

We deal with our mind from morning until evening, and it can be our best friend or our worst enemy.

The only things that are truly mine are my actions and their results.

Through continuous mindfulness practice, the true nature of physical and mental phenomena becomes clear.

Buddhist practice is not to eliminate life's problems but to grow with them patiently and with compassion.

The development of insight is gradual, but the realization of truth is sudden.

When you generate negativity, you are the first victim of your negativity.

The more a thing tends to be permanent, the more it tends to be lifeless.

Expectations are the thieves of joy.

Our defilements are like tame tigers. If you feed them, they're tame. If you stop feeding them, they'll eat you up.

The teaching of the Buddha is based on two truths: conventional truth and ultimate truth. Without understanding the relationship between these two, the deeper meaning of the Buddha's teaching cannot be understood.

The roots of all goodness lie in the soil of appreciation for goodness.

Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional.