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

Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth.

Nothing is permanent. Everything is subject to change. Being is always becoming.

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

Every step on the path must be with the understanding of anicca - impermanence. This is the essence of the teaching.

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

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

Remember that sometimes not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck.

Every thought, every word, and every action leaves an imprint on our mind.

The more precisely you note, the more clearly you understand. The more clearly you understand, the stronger your insight becomes.

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

Anxiety and excitement are the same emotion. The only difference is our attitude toward the experience.

When concentration is developed, wisdom arises. When wisdom arises, one becomes disenchanted with the five aggregates.

Real happiness comes from having an unshakable connection to the deep wellspring of peace and happiness that is not dependent on external conditions.

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

Real peace comes from seeing things as they really are, not as we want them to be.

Fear is a natural reaction to moving closer to the truth.

Mindfulness is not just bare attention but wise attention that leads to understanding and insight.

Zen is a way of life, not a theory or a piece of knowledge to be stored away in our minds.

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

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.

There is no path to happiness: happiness is the path.

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

The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly.

Much of spiritual life is self-acceptance, maybe all of it.

The one who grasps at existence suffers in samsara, while the one who grasps at non-existence will find no liberation.

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

Silence is sometimes the best answer.

The victorious ones have said that emptiness is the relinquishing of all views. Those who are possessed of the view of emptiness are said to be incurable.

When the mind is ready to understand, the truth will come to meet it.

Love is the wish that others be happy, and compassion is the wish that they be free from suffering.

The past is for learning from, not for living in.

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

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 I run from suffering, it follows me. When I face suffering with equanimity, it runs from me.

Because you are alive, everything is possible.

Look at situations from all angles, and you will become more open.

The spiritual journey begins with the recognition that beneath our surface happiness there lies a deep inner pain.

In true dialogue, both sides are willing to change.

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

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

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.

Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.

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

The present moment is filled with joy and happiness. If you are attentive, you will see it.

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

Liberation is found in the practice, not in the theory.

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

Understanding at the intellectual level is not enough. There must be experience at the actual level.

The past is gone, the future is not yet here. Live in the present moment with awareness.

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

The root of all suffering is ignorance. The antidote to ignorance is wisdom that realizes emptiness.

There are only two days in the year that nothing can be done. One is called yesterday and the other is called tomorrow, so today is the right day to love, believe, do and mostly live.

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

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.

Our defilements are like tame tigers. If you feed them, they're tame. If you stop feeding them, they'll eat you up.

Mindfulness means keeping one's consciousness alive to the present reality.

The Buddha's teachings are not about abandoning our lives but about bringing the fullness of our attention to our lives.

People have a hard time letting go of their suffering. Out of a fear of the unknown, they prefer suffering that is familiar.

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