Wisdom and compassion must be developed equally and harmoniously.

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

External phenomena are like a dream, whatever appears is not real. Recognize the nature of dream-like phenomena to be dream-like.

The most important thing is to enjoy your life - to be happy. This is the goal of Buddhist practice.

Man suffers only because he takes seriously what the gods made for fun.

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

The defilements of the mind are temporary visitors. Pure awareness is your true home.

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

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 ultimate revolution is the spiritual revolution, where we learn to see reality as it truly is.

The Buddha's teaching is a middle way between all extremes, between eternalism and annihilationism, between self-indulgence and self-torture.

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

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.

The quieter you become, the more you can hear.

The trick is to keep exploring and not bail out, even when we find out that something is not what we thought.

The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly.

Every step on the path must be with the understanding of anicca - impermanence. This is the essence of the teaching.

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.

We do not "come into" this world; we come out of it, as leaves from a tree.

If you want to know your past life, look at your present condition. If you want to know your future life, look at your present actions.

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.

The mind itself is the maker of all happiness and misery; yet beings do not understand this and blame external conditions.

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

Emptiness is not nothingness. Emptiness is the space of possibility.

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

The real meaning of enlightenment is to gaze with undimmed eyes on all darkness.

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

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

It is under the greatest adversity that there exists the greatest potential for doing good, both for oneself and others.

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.

Start from where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.

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.

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

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

The whole moon and the entire sky are reflected in one dewdrop on the grass.

Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional.

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

The three characteristics - impermanence, suffering, and non-self - are not philosophical concepts but aspects of experience to be directly observed.

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

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

The Buddha's teachings are not a religion, but a science of mind.

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

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

The path to liberation requires both individual effort and the support of the spiritual community.

Dependent origination is not a theory about the origin of the world but a teaching that shows how suffering originates in dependence on our own mental processes.

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

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

Silence is so much more productive of wisdom and clarity than thinking.

The affairs of the world will go on forever. Do not delay the practice of meditation.

The dharma is not about collecting more beliefs but about becoming free from the power of belief itself.

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

Don't think that only sitting with the eyes closed is practice. If you do think this way, then quickly change your thinking.

Mindfulness is being aware of what's going on, not trying to control what's going on.

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

Waking up this morning, I smile. Twenty-four brand new hours are before me. I vow to live fully in each moment.

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

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

When you walk in the mist, you get wet.

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