Ethical conduct is not a constraint upon our freedom but a condition of our freedom.

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

The path is the goal. Every step of the journey is the journey.

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

To understand everything is to forgive everything.

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

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

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

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

The door of your heart can only be opened from the inside.

Nothing ever goes away until it has taught us what we need to know.

Life is like a cup of tea. It's all in how you make it.

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

The path is not about moving from one place to another. It's about recognizing where we already are.

The movement of love is what creates the beauty in our lives.

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

The purpose of a spiritual discipline is to give us a way to stop the war, not by our force of will, but through understanding and through letting go.

Right View is not just a matter of intellectual understanding but of seeing things as they really are.

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

The nature of everything is illusory and ephemeral, those with dualistic perception regard suffering as happiness, like they who lick the honey from a razor's edge.

Trying to define yourself is like trying to bite your own teeth.

The more you understand yourself, the more you understand the world.

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

Karma is not fate but the law of moral causation, showing us that we are the architects of our own destiny.

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

The water in the ocean can be rough or calm. It can be clear or murky. But the water itself doesn't mind.

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

The Buddha's teaching is not about belief but about investigation, not about accepting but about examining.

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

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.

Muddy water is best cleared by leaving it alone.

Compassion is not a sign of weakness but a sign of strength.

Rejoicing in ordinary things is not sentimental or trite. It actually takes guts.

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

Not by hatred is hatred conquered, but by love alone. This is an eternal law.

The more you understand impermanence, the more you appreciate every moment.

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

When you plant lettuce, if it does not grow well, you don't blame the lettuce. You look for reasons it is not doing well. It may need fertilizer, or more water, or less sun. You never blame the lettuce.

The most difficult times for many of us are the ones we give ourselves.

To have faith is to trust yourself to the water. When you swim you don't grab hold of the water, because if you do you will sink and drown. Instead you relax, and float.

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

When dharma fills your body and mind, you realize that something is missing.

The farther you enter into truth, the deeper it is.

If you see certainty in that which is uncertain, you are bound to suffer.

The seed of suffering in you may be strong, but don't wait until you have no more suffering before allowing yourself to be happy.

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

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

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

The key to happiness is inner peace. The greatest obstacles to inner peace are disturbing emotions such as anger, attachment, fear and suspicion.

Peace is not found by changing the world, but by changing your attitude to the world.

Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional.

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

Looking for peace is like looking for a turtle with a mustache: you won't be able to find it. But when your heart is ready, peace will come looking for you.

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

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

If you want to understand suffering, you must look into the situation at hand. The teachings say that wherever a problem arises it must be settled right there.

The five aggregates are not a theoretical model but a description of lived experience to be investigated through mindfulness.

The first step toward faith is to admit that we don't know everything.

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