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

In my youth I studied, in my prime I practiced, now all my doubts are cleared.

The nature of mind is not something we need to achieve - it's something we need to recognize.

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

Since all things are empty of inherent existence, anything is possible. If things had inherent existence, nothing would be possible.

If you want to know your past life, look at your present condition. If you want to know your future life, look at your present actions.

The past is for learning from, not for living in.

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.

Drop by drop is the water pot filled. Likewise, the wise man, gathering it little by little, fills himself with good.

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

To be fully alive, fully human, and completely awake is to be continually thrown out of the nest.

The practice of ethics is not about following rules but about developing inner purity and freedom.

When things fall apart and we're on the verge of we know not what, the test of each of us is to stay on that brink and not concretize.

Misery ceases to exist when we stop reacting to sensations.

If you want to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be miserable, expect something in return.

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

The instant you speak about a thing, you miss the mark.

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.

The greatest obstacle to connecting with our joy is resentment.

Mindfulness is the key to the present moment. Without it we cannot see the world clearly, and we cannot make the wisest choices in our lives.

Be happy at the moment, that's enough. Each moment is all we need, not more.

If you want to know your past life, look into your present condition; if you want to know your future life, look into your present actions.

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

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

Your work is to discover your work and then with all your heart to give yourself to it.

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

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

The secret of happiness is to want what you already have.

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

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

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

Because you are alive, everything is possible.

Every step on the path must be with the understanding of anicca - impermanence. This is the essence of the teaching.

Your own treasure house contains everything you need; why search outside?

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

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

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.

When you note pain, you are not trying to make it go away. You are trying to understand its true nature.

My father is the intrinsic awareness, Samantabhadra. My mother is the ultimate sphere of reality, Samantabhadri. I belong to the caste of non-duality of these two.

Peace and negativity cannot coexist just as light and darkness cannot coexist.

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

Love is not about possession. Love is about appreciation.

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

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

Compassion is not just about being kind to others. It's about being kind to ourselves as well.

Nothing is permanent. Everything is subject to change. Being is always becoming.

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

The trick is to keep exploring and not bail out, even when we find out that something is not what we thought.

Rejoicing in ordinary things is not sentimental or trite. It actually takes guts.

The mind is the forerunner of all things. Our present life is the result of our past thoughts, and our future life will be the result of our present thoughts.

When I run from suffering, it follows me. When I face suffering with equanimity, it runs from me.

The mind is intrinsically empty. It's empty of all that we perceive as being intrinsically "me" and "mine."

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

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

The things that matter most in our lives are not fantastic or grand. They are the moments when we touch one another.

Forgiveness means giving up all hope for a better past.

In the gap between thoughts, nonconceptual wisdom shines continuously.

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.

The Dhamma is not a collection of doctrinal formulas but a path leading to direct insight into the nature of reality.

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