The root of suffering is attachment.

Don't try to push away the darkness. Just light a lamp. The darkness will disappear by itself.

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

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

For things to reveal themselves to us, we need to be ready to abandon our views about them.

The menu is not the meal.

When we attempt to exercise power or control over someone else, we cannot avoid giving that person the very same power or control over us.

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 Buddha's teaching challenges us to master the art of living, to live in a way that leads to the extinction of suffering.

The deepest form of happiness comes from discovering the natural peace of our own awareness.

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

Forgiveness is giving up all hope for a better past.

Zen is not necessarily against words, but it is well aware of their limitations.

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

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

The goal of the Buddhist path is not to add something to our existence but to discover something that has been there all along.

The greatest wisdom is seeing through appearances.

You are your own teacher. Looking for teachers can't solve your own doubts. Investigate yourself to find the truth - inside, not outside.

The Noble Eightfold Path is a path of training: training in ethical conduct, training in mental discipline, and training in wisdom.

The real secret of the arts: always be a beginner.

The law of nature is the law of cause and effect. As you sow, so shall you reap.

A flower falls, even though we love it; and a weed grows, even though we do not love it.

The essence of the spiritual journey is the uncovering of what is always already present.

Every thought, every word, and every action leaves an imprint on our mind.

The nature of mind is not something we need to achieve - it's something we need to recognize.

You will not be punished for your anger; you will be punished by your anger.

The truth of suffering is not to be feared but to be understood through direct observation.

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 dharma is not outside of you. Looking for it elsewhere is like placing a Buddha on your head while searching for him everywhere else.

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

The highest truth cannot be taught except through the conventional truth.

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

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

Give the ones you love wings to fly, roots to come back, and reasons to stay.

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

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

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

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

The mind is like a room with many windows. Open them all and let the fresh air in.

Vipassana is the art of living. Not the art of escaping.

Kindness is the solution to all of life's problems.

If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito.

Don't try to change the world. First, change yourself.

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

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

Like a fine flower, beautiful to look at but without scent, fine words are fruitless in a man who does not act in accordance with them.

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

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

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

If we learn to open our hearts, anyone, including the people who drive us crazy, can be our teacher.

The key to transformation is not to fight with our experience but to open to it with awareness.

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

The truth of Zen is the truth of life, and life means to live, to move, to act, not merely to reflect.

The mind is like a well-forged sword - it adapts to all situations.

The instant you speak about a thing, you miss the mark.

We can learn to be present with whatever is happening in our lives, and in this way, we can begin to transform our relationship to difficulty.

Compassion is not a relationship between the healer and the wounded. It's a relationship between equals.

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

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