The trouble is, you think you have time.

Neither from itself nor from another, nor from both, nor without a cause, does anything whatever, anywhere arise.

When you plant lettuce, if it does not grow well, you don't blame the lettuce. You look for reasons it is not doing well. It may need fertilizer, or more water, or less sun. You never blame the lettuce.

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

People who study a lot but don't practice are like a ladle in a soup pot. It's in the soup every day, but it doesn't know the taste of the soup.

The deepest happiness comes from having an enduring sense of purpose, one that gives our lives meaning beyond the endless pursuit of pleasure and success.

The way we look at the world is the way the world looks.

Enlightenment is not a state of perfection but of authenticity.

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

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

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.

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

The root of suffering is not in the world outside us but in our own minds.

No valid plans for the future can be made by those who have no capacity for living now.

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.

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.

We practice to learn how to let go, not how to increase our holding on to things.

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

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

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

Karma is not fate but the law of moral causation, showing us that we are the architects of our own destiny.

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

We should find perfect existence through imperfect existence.

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.

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.

The only way to experience truth is to look within, to observe oneself.

Change is possible because there is nothing inherently permanent about our disturbing emotions.

Understanding means throwing away your knowledge.

The true path is not difficult; just avoid picking and choosing.

Equanimity is not indifference. It is the balanced state of mind.

The movement of love is what creates the beauty in our lives.

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

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

True happiness is not found through the multiplication of desires but through their simplification.

Trying to define yourself is like trying to bite your own teeth.

Conquer anger with non-anger. Conquer evil with good. Conquer stinginess with giving. Conquer deceit with truth.

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

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

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

The real meaning of enlightenment is to gaze with undimmed eyes on all darkness.

The mind that notes and the object that is noted are both impermanent. Understanding this leads to liberation.

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

When we recognize that our thoughts are just thoughts, we can choose whether or not to follow them.

My religion is to live and die without regret.

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.

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

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

Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is relax.

The greatest obstacle to connecting with our joy is resentment.

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

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 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 superior person is like water, bringing benefit to all without competing.

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

The mind is like water. When it's turbulent, it's difficult to see. When it's calm, everything becomes clear.

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

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

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

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

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.