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

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

The present moment is the only moment available to us, and it is the door to all moments.

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

Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.

If you let go a little, you will have a little peace. If you let go a lot, you will have a lot of peace. If you let go completely, you will have complete peace.

Our true nature is like a diamond - pure, brilliant, and indestructible. No matter how much dirt covers it, its essential nature remains unchanged.

When we understand that peace is not dependent on external conditions, we can find it in the midst of any circumstance.

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

Though the view should be as vast as the sky, keep your conduct as fine as barley flour.

The best way to control people is to encourage them to be mischievous. Then they will be in control in a wider sense.

Mindfulness means keeping one's consciousness alive to the present reality.

Expectations are the thieves of joy.

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

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

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

Life is like an ever-shifting kaleidoscope - a slight change, and all patterns alter.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Just as a snake sheds its skin, we must shed our past over and over again.

Misery ceases to exist when we stop reacting to sensations.

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

The present moment is filled with joy and happiness. If you are attentive, you will see it.

Mind training is based on the idea that two opposite mental factors cannot happen at the same time.

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

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.

If a problem is fixable, if a situation is such that you can do something about it, then there is no need to worry. If it's not fixable, then there is no help in worrying. There is no benefit in worrying whatsoever.

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.

When one sees with wisdom that all phenomena are empty of inherent existence, one is liberated from suffering.

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

Every moment of confusion is also a moment of wisdom, if we can learn to recognize it.

The superior person is like water, bringing benefit to all without competing.

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.

Craving and aversion are the roots of suffering. Observe them with equanimity.

The goal of meditation is not to reach some highest place, but to remain in the place where you already are.

The heart of the path is quite simple. No need for long explanations. Give up clinging to love and hate, just rest with things as they are.

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

All worldly pursuits have but one unavoidable and inevitable end, which is sorrow; acquisitions end in dispersion; buildings in destruction; meetings in separation; births in death.

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

Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.

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

Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.

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

To see the truth, do not be for or against. The struggle between for and against is the mind's worst disease.

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

Enlightenment is not the end of change but the end of resistance to change.

The realization of impermanence leads not to despair but to a deeper appreciation of the preciousness of each moment.

The mind that notes and the object that is noted are both impermanent. Understanding this leads to liberation.

If you want to know the past, look at the present. If you want to know the future, look at the present.

Every experience is an opportunity to practice awareness.

The entire path is a path of self-responsibility. Nobody else can walk it for you.

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

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.

The world is its own magic.

The sign of wisdom is constant joy.