The nature of all things is like a magical illusion, a mirage, a dream, a reflection of the moon in water.

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

To be in harmony with the wholeness of things is not to have anxiety over imperfection.

The trouble is, you think you have time.

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

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

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.

To what shall I compare this life? It is like a boat that left at dawn, leaving no trace.

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.

Equanimity is not indifference. It is the balanced mind that sees things clearly without reaction.

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

The essence of Buddhist practice is to reduce our selfishness and to work for the benefit of others.

The more you understand impermanence, the more you appreciate every moment.

Meditation is not an escape from reality but a way to understand reality as it truly is.

Liberation is not found by running away from our experience but by looking deeply into it.

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

The first step toward faith is to admit that we don't know everything.

The more you give, the more you have. That's the economics of kindness.

Letting go gives us freedom, and freedom is the only condition for happiness.

What Zen wants us to do is to acquire an entirely new point of view whereby to look into the mysteries of life and the secrets of nature.

When the mind is ready to understand, the truth will come to meet it.

The more clearly you see the arising and passing of phenomena, the less you will be attached to them.

To be attached to a thing means that mind and the thing meet and grow into each other.

The more we understand impermanence, the more we understand that we can't hold on to anything.

The Buddha taught us to leave alone the things that don't lead to awakening.

To understand everything is to forgive everything.

Holding onto anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.

Self-awareness is the key to freedom. The more we understand ourselves, the more we understand how to be free.

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

To live fully is to let go and die with each step.

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

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

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

The purpose of meditation is not to create a new state of mind, but to recognize what is already present.

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

When the heart is still, it can be kind. When the mind is still, it can see clearly.

Wisdom is not something we have to strive to acquire. Rather, wisdom arises naturally as we open our hearts to the truth of what is.

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

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

The stages of insight unfold naturally when mindfulness is continuous. There is no need to desire them or try to make them happen.

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

A pure mind is always full of love - real love for all others.

When you begin to see that your enemy is suffering, that is the beginning of insight.

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

Study the Buddha's teaching which is present in every moment.

The goal is not to be better than the other man, but your previous self.

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

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

Enlightenment is not about becoming divine. Instead, it's about becoming more fully human.

The mind creates the abyss, and the heart crosses it.

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

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

To live is enough.

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.

Change is the nature of every phenomenon. Accept this truth and you will live a happy life.

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

Conquer anger with non-anger. Conquer evil with good. Conquer stinginess with giving. Conquer deceit with truth.

Nothing ever goes away until it has taught us what we need to know.

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

The past is just a memory. The future is just a dream. Be here now.