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

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

The obstacle is the path.

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

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

Observe the reality as it is, not as you wish it to be.

The most important factor in achieving happiness is the mind. Happiness and suffering are mental states and therefore depend on the mind.

Whatever is happening is the path to enlightenment.

Not knowing how near the truth is, we seek it far away.

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

Meditation is not an escape from reality but a way to understand reality as it truly is.

The greatest obstacle to connecting with our joy is resentment.

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.

The more you understand, the more you love; the more you love, the more you understand.

In true dialogue, both sides are willing to change.

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

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 willingness to empty ourselves and then seek our true nature is an expression of great and courageous love.

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

Faith is not a commodity that you either have or don't have - it is an inner quality that unfolds as we learn to trust our own deepest experience.

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

Awareness is the basis, or what you might call the "support," of the mind. It is steady and unchanging, like the pole to which the flag of ordinary consciousness is attached.

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

The path to liberation requires both individual effort and the support of the spiritual community.

Mindfulness is attention to life, and life itself is sacred.

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

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

The greatest wisdom is seeing through appearances.

Every experience is an opportunity to practice awareness.

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.

Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.

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

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.

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

Awareness is always with us. We don't need to create it or achieve it - we just need to recognize what's already there.

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 purpose of our lives is to be happy, and happiness is found in benefiting others.

Know the rules well, so you can break them effectively.

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

In the beginning, nothing comes, in the middle nothing stays, in the end nothing goes.

The ultimate source of happiness is not money and power, but warm-heartedness.

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

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

The way to change the world is to change your own mind.

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

Although all phenomena are empty of inherent existence, they function perfectly well.

Sankharas are the seeds of consciousness that manifest as sensations. By observing sensations equanimously, we stop creating new sankharas.

The more we understand impermanence, the more we appreciate each moment of our lives.

The nature of life is change. The nature of change is painful. The nature of pain is temporary.

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

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

The door of your heart can only be opened from the inside.

Self-awareness is the key to freedom. The more we understand ourselves, the more we understand how to be free.

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

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

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.

Compassion is not a relationship between the healer and the wounded. It's a relationship between equals.

Fear is the cheapest room in the house. I would like to see you living in better conditions.

When you let go of trying to control everything, you can relax and enjoy life.

It is never too late to turn on the light.