Enlightenment is not a state of perfection but of authenticity.

The true hero is one who conquers his own anger and hatred.

Every moment of confusion is also a moment of wisdom, if we can learn to recognize it.

Each of you is perfect the way you are... and you can use a little improvement.

Ethical conduct is not a constraint upon our freedom but a condition of our freedom.

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

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 defilements of the mind are temporary visitors. Pure awareness is your true home.

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

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

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

The key to transformation is not to fight with our experience but to open to it with awareness.

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.

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

Insight knowledge comes from direct experience, not from intellectual understanding.

Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is relax.

Happiness is not the pursuit of an endless succession of experiences but an attitude toward life.

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

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

You are your own teacher. Looking for teachers can't solve your own doubts. Investigate yourself to find the truth - inside, not outside.

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

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

True happiness is born of letting go of what is unnecessary.

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

Emptiness is not nothingness. Emptiness is the space of possibility.

The Buddha's teaching is not a philosophical system but a practical guide to living.

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.

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

The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly.

Our emotions are like waves in the ocean. We can't stop the waves, but we can learn to surf.

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

All worldly pursuits have but one unavoidable and inevitable end, which is sorrow; acquisitions end in dispersion; buildings in destruction; meetings in separation; births in death.

The most important thing is to enjoy your life - to be happy. This is the goal of Buddhist practice.

Right practice is steady practice. Whether you feel lazy or diligent, just keep practicing.

The practice is not about achieving special states but about seeing ordinary experience with extraordinary clarity.

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

Through our eyes, the universe is perceiving itself. Through our ears, the universe is listening to its harmonies. We are the witnesses through which the universe becomes conscious of its glory, of its magnificence.

Just as true humor is laughter at oneself, true humanity is knowledge of oneself.

In the moment of pure noting, there is no self - only the knowing and the known.

Peace is within oneself to be found in the same place as agitation and suffering. It is not found in a forest or on a hilltop, nor is it given by a teacher.

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

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

In the spring, hundreds of flowers; in autumn, a harvest moon; in the summer, a refreshing breeze; in winter, snow will accompany you. If useless things do not hang in your mind, any season is a good season for you.

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

The realization of impermanence leads not to despair but to a deeper appreciation of the preciousness of each moment.

People have a hard time letting go of their suffering. Out of a fear of the unknown, they prefer suffering that is familiar.

The root of suffering is resisting the certainty that no matter what the circumstances, uncertainty is all we truly have.

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

Craving and aversion are the roots of suffering. Observe them with equanimity.

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

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

When we understand that peace is not dependent on external conditions, we can find it in the midst of any circumstance.

When mindfulness and concentration are strong, insight into the three characteristics naturally unfolds.

The one who grasps at existence suffers in samsara, while the one who grasps at non-existence will find no liberation.

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

If you want to find peace, then look at that point where you find you're dissatisfied and investigate what's really going on.

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

The mind is everything. What you think, you become.

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

Don't try to change the world. First, change yourself.