In the gap between thoughts, nonconceptual wisdom shines continuously.

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.

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

The essence of Buddhist practice is to reduce our selfishness and to work for the benefit of others.

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.

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

Knowledge must be stabilized by meditation. Without meditation, knowledge is like a child in battle.

Rejoicing in ordinary things is not sentimental or trite. It actually takes guts.

The mind is everything. What you think you become.

A pure mind is always full of love - real love for all others.

To think in terms of either pessimism or optimism oversimplifies the truth. The problem is to see reality as it is.

The Dhamma unfolds in accordance with a definite sequence: faith, virtue, learning, generosity, wisdom, and insight.

The ocean does not reject any water; therefore it is great. The mountain does not select its stones; therefore it is great.

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

The development of insight is gradual, but the realization of truth is sudden.

Mind training is based on the idea that two opposite mental factors cannot happen at the same time.

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

When you talk, you are only repeating what you already know. But if you listen, you may learn something new.

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.

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

The world is its own magic.

In true dialogue, both sides are willing to change.

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

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

Mindfulness is the key to the present moment. Without it we cannot see the world clearly, and we cannot make the wisest choices in our lives.

Mindfulness helps us get better at seeing the difference between what's happening and the stories we tell ourselves about what's happening.

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.

When you note pain, you are not trying to make it go away. You are trying to understand its true nature.

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

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

When another person makes you suffer, it is because he suffers deeply within himself, and his suffering is spilling over. He does not need punishment; he needs help.

Many people think excitement is happiness... But when you are excited you are not peaceful. True happiness is based on peace.

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

The measure of success in spiritual life is how peaceful you are.

The root of suffering is attachment.

When we understand others, we understand ourselves. When we love others, we love ourselves.

Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is relax.

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

The difference between buddhas and sentient beings is that buddhas recognize their nature while sentient beings fail to recognize it.

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

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

Drop by drop is the water pot filled. Likewise, the wise man, gathering it little by little, fills himself with good.

The only things that are truly mine are my actions and their results.

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

The six realms of existence are like a dream, why build a prison for yourself?

To understand everything is to forgive everything.

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.

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

The path to liberation requires both understanding and practice, both pariyatti and patipatti.

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

The five aggregates are not a theoretical model but a description of lived experience to be investigated through mindfulness.

The law of nature is the law of cause and effect. As you sow, so shall you reap.

Time passes unhindered. When we make ourselves better, we make the world better.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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