Zen is a way of life, not a theory or a piece of knowledge to be stored away in our minds.

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.

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

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

Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is relax.

In the end, only three things matter: how much you loved, how gently you lived, and how gracefully you let go of things not meant for you.

When we understand others, we understand ourselves. When we love others, we love ourselves.

The movement of love is what creates the beauty in our lives.

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

You are the sky. Everything else is just the weather.

Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.

External seeking only leads to exhaustion. When you imitate others, you lose your own authenticity.

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

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

The silence between the notes is as important as the notes themselves.

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

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

Enlightenment is not about becoming something special, but about realizing what we already are.

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

If it isn't good, let it die. If it doesn't die, make it good.

When you plant lettuce, if it does not grow well, you don't blame the lettuce. You look for reasons it is not doing well. It may need fertilizer, or more water, or less sun. You never blame the lettuce.

My religion is to live and die without regret.

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.

The key to the Buddha's teaching is not grasping, not trying to hold onto things that are essentially impermanent and unstable.

The ocean does not reject any water; therefore it is great. The mountain does not select its stones; therefore it is great.

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.

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.

Loving-kindness is not something we need to manufacture. It's a natural expression of our awakened nature.

All that appears and exists, all of samsara and nirvana, has one ground, two paths, and two results. This is the magical display of awareness and unawareness.

Zen is not necessarily against words, but it is well aware of their limitations.

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

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

If you see certainty in that which is uncertain, you are bound to suffer.

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

The true path is not difficult; just avoid picking and choosing.

When another person makes you suffer, it is because he suffers deeply within himself, and his suffering is spilling over. He does not need punishment; he needs help.

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

Don't be a bodhisatta; don't be an arahant; don't be anything at all. Being something makes you suffer.

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.

The snow lion stays in the mountains, and the snow lion's ways are the snow lion's ways.

The practice of meditation is not about achieving states of bliss but about seeing things as they really are.

Open your arms to change, but don't let go of your values.

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

The root of happiness is altruism — the wish to be of service to others.

The purpose of meditation is to gain right understanding of the true nature of mental and physical phenomena.

If you want to climb a mountain, begin at the top.

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

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

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

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

Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional.

When you talk, you are only repeating what you already know. But if you listen, you may learn something new.

Every small positive change we make in ourselves repays us in confidence in the future.

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

When concentration is developed, wisdom arises. When wisdom arises, one becomes disenchanted with the five aggregates.

The more you understand yourself, the more you understand the world.

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

People take different roads seeking fulfillment and happiness. Just because they're not on your road doesn't mean they've gotten lost.

Mindfulness is not just bare attention but wise attention that leads to understanding and insight.

The Four Noble Truths are not merely theoretical propositions but a framework for understanding and transforming our experience.