Don't be afraid of the future. The future is good.

The art of living... is neither careless drifting on the one hand nor fearful clinging to the past on the other. It consists in being sensitive to each moment, in regarding it as utterly new and unique, in having the mind open and wholly receptive.

Wisdom is not about accumulating knowledge, but about seeing through all knowledge.

The one who grasps at existence suffers in samsara, while the one who grasps at non-existence will find no liberation.

What Zen wants us to do is to acquire an entirely new point of view whereby to look into the mysteries of life and the secrets of nature.

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

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

Zen is a way of life, not a theory or a piece of knowledge to be stored away in our minds.

Happiness is not about getting what you want, but wanting what you've got.

The signs of practice are not in extraordinary experiences but in extraordinary awareness of ordinary experiences.

Life is an art, and like perfect art it should be self-forgetting.

The most important thing in life is to know death is coming and to prepare for it.

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

Only to the extent that we expose ourselves over and over to annihilation can that which is indestructible be found in us.

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

Misery ceases to exist when we stop reacting to sensations.

To be fully alive, fully human, and completely awake is to be continually thrown out of the nest.

Let none find fault with others; let none see the omissions and commissions of others. But let one see one's own acts, done and undone.

Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is relax.

Mindfulness isn't difficult, we just need to remember to do it.

The nature of all things is like a magical illusion, a mirage, a dream, a reflection of the moon in water.

In the end, just three things matter: How well we have lived, how well we have loved, how well we have learned to let go.

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

The path of awakening is not about becoming who we think we should be, but about unbecoming who we are not.

Altruism is not a luxury, it is a necessity for the survival of humanity.

When you understand that all phenomena are impermanent, unsatisfactory, and non-self, attachment naturally falls away.

Panic, anxiety, and stress are not obstacles to the practice. They are the path to wisdom and compassion.

The root of all suffering is ignorance. The antidote to ignorance is wisdom that realizes emptiness.

Each moment of clear seeing is a moment of freedom from the illusion of permanence, satisfaction, and self.

Awareness is the basis, or what you might call the "support," of the mind. It is steady and unchanging, like the pole to which the flag of ordinary consciousness is attached.

It is never too late to turn on the light.

Wisdom arises when you see the true characteristics of phenomena through direct experience.

The meaning of life is just to be alive. It is so plain and so obvious and so simple. And yet, everybody rushes around in a great panic as if it were necessary to achieve something beyond themselves.

Don't be a bodhisatta; don't be an arahant; don't be anything at all. Being something makes you suffer.

The ultimate source of happiness is not money and power, but warm-heartedness.

When we meet real tragedy in life, we can react in two ways - either by losing hope and falling into self-destructive habits, or by using the challenge to find our inner strength.

Loving-kindness is not something we need to manufacture. It's a natural expression of our awakened nature.

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

Only one book is worth reading: the heart.

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.

When you walk in the mist, you get wet.

The root of happiness is altruism — the wish to be of service to others.

Mindfulness helps us get better at seeing the difference between what's happening and the stories we tell ourselves about what's happening.

When mindfulness and concentration are strong, insight into the three characteristics naturally unfolds.

Compassion is not just about being kind to others. It's about being kind to ourselves as well.

The Dhamma unfolds in accordance with a definite sequence: faith, virtue, learning, generosity, wisdom, and insight.

The fundamental delusion of humanity is to suppose that I am here and you are out there.

In the moment of pure noting, there is no self - only the knowing and the known.

The biggest prison is the one we build in our own mind.

The period of greatest gain in knowledge and experience is the most difficult period in one's life.

The six realms of existence are like a dream, why build a prison for yourself?

Sensations are not your enemy. They are your teacher. Through observing them, you understand the truth of existence.

Long is the night to him who is awake; long is a mile to him who is tired; long is life to the foolish who do not know the true law.

The most important factor in achieving happiness is the mind. Happiness and suffering are mental states and therefore depend on the mind.

To see directly is to be free of hope and fear. Hope and fear are like a cloud before the sun.

Compassion is not something we develop. It arises naturally as we see the truth of what is.

The silence between the notes is as important as the notes themselves.

Much of spiritual life is self-acceptance, maybe all of it.

By understanding emptiness, one understands all phenomena. Without understanding emptiness, one understands nothing.

The difference between being caught in thoughts and being mindful of thoughts is like the difference between being in a movie and watching a movie.