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.

Each moment of clear seeing is a moment of freedom from the illusion of permanence, satisfaction, and self.

Hasten slowly and you will soon arrive.

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

Our own life has to be our message.

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

In the gap between thoughts, nonconceptual wisdom shines continuously.

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

True freedom is not the absence of commitment but the presence of choice.

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

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

The path of insight is a path of discovery, not a path of creation. We are discovering what is already there.

Only one book is worth reading: the heart.

To have faith is to trust yourself to the water. When you swim you don't grab hold of the water, because if you do you will sink and drown. Instead you relax, and float.

Just as treasures are uncovered from the earth, so virtue appears from good deeds, and wisdom appears from a pure and peaceful mind.

The development of wisdom does not occur in isolation but requires the cultivation of the entire Noble Eightfold Path.

Vipassana is the art of living. Not the art of escaping.

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

The trouble is, you think you have time.

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

The Buddha's teaching is a teaching of self-reliance, of being one's own master, one's own refuge.

Without darkness, there is no light. Without the path, there is no arrival.

Face your own anger and you will be free from anger. Face your own fears and you will be free from fear.

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

If you cannot find the truth right where you are, where else do you expect to find it?

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

Don't try to push away the darkness. Just light a lamp. The darkness will disappear by itself.

Meditation is like catching a fish. If you try to catch it quickly, you'll miss it. If you have patience and know how to wait, the fish will come.

Mindfulness is being aware of what is happening right now, without wishing it were different.

The perfect moment is this one, not the one you're waiting for.

The more you suffer the deeper grows your character, and with the deepening of your character you read the more penetratingly into the secrets of life.

The truth of Zen is the truth of life, and life means to live, to move, to act, not merely to reflect.

The world is its own magic.

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

The nature of everything is illusory and ephemeral, those with dualistic perception regard suffering as happiness, like they who lick the honey from a razor's edge.

Every being has the potential of becoming a Buddha. Our true nature is Buddha nature.

The heart of one who practices is like the earth. No matter what they throw on it, the earth remains unchanged.

Happiness is a skill that can be developed like playing an instrument or learning to read.

The period of greatest gain in knowledge and experience is the most difficult period in one's life.

The reason we struggle with insecurity is because we compare our behind-the-scenes with everyone else's highlight reel.

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

Love is not about possession. Love is about appreciation.

Even death is not to be feared by one who has lived wisely.

Long is the night to him who is awake; long is a mile to him who is tired; long is life to the foolish who do not know the true law.

The Noble Eightfold Path is a path of training: training in ethical conduct, training in mental discipline, and training in wisdom.

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.

Our true nature is like a diamond - pure, brilliant, and indestructible. No matter how much dirt covers it, its essential nature remains unchanged.

Sometimes one creates a dynamic impression by saying something, and sometimes one creates as significant an impression by remaining silent.

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.

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

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

Share your knowledge. It is a way to achieve immortality.

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

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.

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

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

Wisdom says we are nothing. Love says we are everything. Between these two our life flows.

Impermanence, suffering, and non-self are not philosophical concepts but realities to be directly perceived through mindfulness practice.

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

The obstacle is the path.