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.

Problems that remain persistently insoluble should always be suspected as questions asked in the wrong way.

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

Mindfulness means keeping one's consciousness alive to the present reality.

You are the master of your own mind. You can be your best friend or your worst enemy.

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

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

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

If you let go a little, you will have a little peace. If you let go a lot, you will have a lot of peace. If you let go completely, you will have complete peace.

Altruism is not a luxury, it is a necessity for the survival of humanity.

True peace comes not from controlling the world, but from letting go of control.

Each decision we make, each action we take, is born out of an intention.

Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship.

This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness.

Love is not a feeling. It's a capability.

True happiness is not about getting rid of all our problems, but about changing our relationship to them.

Not by hatred is hatred conquered, but by love alone. This is an eternal law.

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

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

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

Study how water flows in a valley stream, smoothly and freely between the rocks.

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

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

Compassion is not something we develop. It arises naturally as we see the truth of what is.

When we know the truth, we become people who don't have to think much, we become people with wisdom.

Words have the power to both destroy and heal. When words are both true and kind, they can change our world.

Panic, anxiety, and stress are not obstacles to the practice. They are the path to wisdom and compassion.

The practice of Buddhism is fundamentally a practice of expanding our happiness and diminishing our suffering.

Though the view should be as vast as the sky, keep your conduct as fine as barley flour.

Look at situations from all angles, and you will become more open.

Through continuous mindfulness practice, the true nature of physical and mental phenomena becomes clear.

When you love someone, you have to have trust and confidence. Love without trust is not yet love.

Every day, think as you wake up, today I am fortunate to be alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it.

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.

Start from where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.

Recognize the emptiness of all phenomena, but do not become attached to emptiness itself.

Love is not about possession. Love is about appreciation.

When you understand that all phenomena are impermanent, unsatisfactory, and non-self, attachment naturally falls away.

Love is the wish that others be happy, and compassion is the wish that they be free from suffering.

Just as a snake sheds its skin, we must shed our past over and over again.

Genuine happiness comes from having developed basic human qualities, such as attention, emotional balance, and generosity.

Silence is so much more productive of wisdom and clarity than thinking.

The farther you enter into truth, the deeper it is.

The essence of bravery is being without self-deception.

Buddhist practice is not to eliminate life's problems but to grow with them patiently and with compassion.

The practice of mindfulness leads naturally to concentration. Concentration leads naturally to wisdom.

Suffering is not the end of the story; it is the middle of the story.

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

The great gift of meditation is that it returns us to the simplicity of our own being.

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

The path to enlightenment is not a path at all. It is a realization that where you are is where you have always been.

The development of wisdom requires both study and practice, both learning and direct experience.

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

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

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.

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

As surely as there is a voyage away, there is a journey home.

It is under the greatest adversity that there exists the greatest potential for doing good, both for oneself and others.

Time passes unhindered. When we make mistakes, we cannot turn the clock back and try again. All we can do is use the present well.