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

The Buddha never taught a sectarian religion; he taught Dhamma - the way to liberation - which is universal.

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

In the beginning, nothing comes, in the middle nothing stays, in the end nothing goes.

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.

The mind that sees its own nature becomes free from all extremes.

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

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

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

Even if you speak of 'understanding,' this understanding is not a matter of knowledge. It is what fills the entire body and mind.

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.

The practice of mindfulness is the practice of being alive in the present moment.

The person who clings to nothing of the past, present and future, who has no attachment and no aversion, has no conceptual imprints.

Meditation is like catching a fish. If you try to catch it quickly, you'll miss it. If you have patience and know how to wait, the fish will come.

In the gap between thoughts, nonconceptual wisdom shines continuously.

To live is enough.

The true mark of a spiritual practitioner is that your own behavior is better, not that you can criticize others well.

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

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

Panic is a gateway to wisdom. When we learn to stay present with our panic, it becomes our teacher.

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

Understanding means throwing away your knowledge.

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

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

No valid plans for the future can be made by those who have no capacity for living now.

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

Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.

Zen proposes its solution by directly appealing to facts of personal experience and not to book-knowledge.

Forgiveness is not a moral issue. It's a power issue. When we hold onto grievance and resentment, we are giving our power away.

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

Silence is sometimes the best answer.

The way to change the world is to change your own mind.

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

Enlightenment is not a state of perfection but of authenticity.

Where ignorance is our master, there is no possibility of real peace.

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

Do not follow the ideas of others, but learn to listen to the voice within yourself.

Suffering comes from our resistance to what is. Peace comes from our acceptance of what is.

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

Each of you is perfect the way you are... and you can use a little improvement.

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.

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

Because you are alive, everything is possible.

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.

In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's there are few.

Real happiness comes from having an unshakable connection to the deep wellspring of peace and happiness that is not dependent on external conditions.

Face your own anger and you will be free from anger. Face your own fears and you will be free from fear.

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

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.

To be beautiful means to be yourself. You don't need to be accepted by others. You need to accept yourself.

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

Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is relax.

We think that the point is to pass the test or overcome the problem, but the truth is that things don't really get solved. They come together and they fall apart. Then they come together again and fall apart again. It's just like that. The healing comes from letting there be room for all of this to happen: room for grief, for relief, for misery, for joy.

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

Life is available only in the present moment.

When you walk in the mist, you get wet.

The lamp of wisdom burns constantly, illuminating the nature of mind.

We don't set out to save the world; we set out to wonder how other people are doing and to reflect on how our actions affect other people's hearts.

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

The more we understand our mind, the more we understand the world.