We can learn the art of fierce compassion - redefining strength, deconstructing isolation and renewing a sense of community, practicing letting go of rigid us-vs.-them thinking.

Nothing we see or hear is perfect. But right there in the imperfection is perfect reality.

If you want to climb a mountain, begin at the top.

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

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

Enlightenment is not a state of perfection but of authenticity.

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

The problem is not the problem; the problem is your attitude about the problem.

The mind creates the abyss, and the heart crosses it.

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

We do not "come into" this world; we come out of it, as leaves from a tree.

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

When we attempt to exercise power or control over someone else, we cannot avoid giving that person the very same power or control over us.

Be happy at the moment, that's enough. Each moment is all we need, not more.

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

The greatest wisdom is seeing through appearances.

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

The Buddha's teaching is not about belief but about investigation, not about accepting but about examining.

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

Dependent origination is not a theory about the origin of the world but a teaching that shows how suffering originates in dependence on our own mental processes.

Muddy water is best cleared by leaving it alone.

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

The path to liberation is through understanding the true nature of mind and matter through direct observation.

The silence between the notes is as important as the notes themselves.

Understanding means throwing away your knowledge.

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

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

When you walk in the mist, you get wet.

Wisdom and compassion must be developed equally and harmoniously.

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

Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.

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

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

The most fundamental aggression to ourselves, the most fundamental harm we can do to ourselves, is to remain ignorant by not having the courage and the respect to look at ourselves honestly and gently.

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

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

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

Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.

You are the master of your own mind. You can be your best friend or your worst enemy.

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

You will not be punished for your anger; you will be punished by your anger.

When you find your place where you are, practice occurs, actualizing the fundamental point.

True peace comes not from controlling the world, but from letting go of control.

The restraint of the senses is not a matter of suppression but of wise attention to our experience.

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

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

The key to happiness is inner peace. The greatest obstacles to inner peace are disturbing emotions such as anger, attachment, fear and suspicion.

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

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

If you want to understand suffering, you must look into the situation at hand. The teachings say that wherever a problem arises it must be settled right there.

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

You are an aperture through which the universe is looking at and exploring itself.

Don't be a bodhisatta; don't be an arahant; don't be anything at all. Being something makes you suffer.

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

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

Waking up this morning, I smile. Twenty-four brand new hours are before me. I vow to live fully in each moment.

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

The biggest prison is the one we build in our own mind.