True happiness is not found through the multiplication of desires but through their simplification.

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

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

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

The purpose of our lives is to be happy, and happiness is found in benefiting others.

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

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

Time passes unhindered. When we make ourselves better, we make the world better.

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

The purpose of our lives is to be happy.

Happiness is a skill that can be developed like playing an instrument or learning to read.

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

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.

Sensations are not your enemy. They are your teacher. Through observing them, you understand the truth of existence.

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

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

Wisdom is not about accumulating knowledge, but about seeing through all knowledge.

Every being has the potential of becoming a Buddha. Our true nature is Buddha nature.

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

The measure of success in spiritual life is how peaceful you are.

Impermanence, suffering, and non-self are not philosophical concepts but realities to be directly perceived through mindfulness practice.

The practice of vipassana is the study of the self. When you study physical and mental phenomena, you are studying the truth about yourself.

The most important thing in life is to know death is coming and to prepare for it.

Many people think excitement is happiness... But when you are excited you are not peaceful. True happiness is based on peace.

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

The Buddha's teaching is not a philosophy or a religion; it is a method of practice.

The more you understand, the more you love; the more you love, the more you understand.

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

Life is glorious, but life is also wretched. It is both. Appreciating the gloriousness inspires us, encourages us, cheers us up, gives us a bigger perspective, energizes us. We feel connected. But if that's all that's happening, we get arrogant and start to look down on others, and there is a sense of making ourselves a big deal and being really serious about it, wanting it to be like that forever. The gloriousness becomes tinged by craving and addiction. On the other hand, wretchedness--life's painful aspect--softens us up considerably. Knowing pain is a very important ingredient of being there for another person.

Those who understand interdependent origination understand suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path.

The path of awakening is not about becoming who you are. Rather it is about unbecoming who you are not.

The biggest prison is the one we build in our own mind.

The true person is not anyone in particular. But like the deep blue color of the limitless sky, it is everyone, everywhere in the world.

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

The Four Noble Truths are not mere doctrinal propositions but a framework for understanding and transforming our lives.

There is no difference at all between samsara and nirvana. There is no difference at all between nirvana and samsara.

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.

People who study a lot but don't practice are like a ladle in a soup pot. It's in the soup every day, but it doesn't know the taste of the soup.

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

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

When you walk in the mist, you get wet.

To understand everything is to forgive everything.

The knowledge of dissolution comes when you see both the noting mind and noted object dissolving together.

Liberation is found in the practice, not in the theory.

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

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

The Buddha's teachings are not about abandoning our lives but about bringing the fullness of our attention to our lives.

Happiness is found in the simplest of things. It is not in the things you own, but in the love you share.

Better than a thousand hollow words, is one word that brings peace.

Not knowing how near the truth is, we seek it far away.

The greatest obstacle to connecting with our joy is resentment.

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

The essence of Buddhism is not a belief system but a systematic investigation of our experience.

Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is relax.

When we see the nature of the mind, we see that we are not our thoughts.

The treasure house within you contains everything, and you are free to use it. You don't need to seek outside.

My religion is to live and die without regret.

The truth you believe and cling to makes you unavailable to hear anything new.

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

Anxiety and excitement are the same emotion. The only difference is our attitude toward the experience.