Our emotions are like waves in the ocean. We can't stop the waves, but we can learn to surf.

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

The purpose of a spiritual discipline is to give us a way to stop the war, not by our force of will, but through understanding and through letting go.

When we understand that peace is not dependent on external conditions, we can find it in the midst of any circumstance.

External phenomena are like a dream, whatever appears is not real. Recognize the nature of dream-like phenomena to be dream-like.

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

The secret of happiness is to want what you already have.

The most important thing in life is to know death is coming and to prepare for it.

You are the sky. Everything else is just the weather.

The more you understand yourself, the more you understand the world.

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

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

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

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

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

Things derive their being and nature by mutual dependence and are nothing in themselves.

The Buddha taught us to leave alone the things that don't lead to awakening.

Forgiveness is giving up all hope for a better past.

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 goal of the Buddhist path is not to add something to our existence but to discover something that has been there all along.

We need the courage to learn from our experience and the wisdom to be willing to change and grow.

Because you are alive, everything is possible.

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

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

The purpose of meditation is to gain right understanding of the true nature of mental and physical phenomena.

The fundamental delusion of humanity is to suppose that I am here and you are out there.

Open your arms to change, but don't let go of your values.

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.

When we meet real tragedy in life, we can react in two ways - either by losing hope and falling into self-destructive habits, or by using the challenge to find our inner strength.

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.

Love is not a feeling. It's a capability.

The practice of patience guards us against losing our presence of mind.

Words have the power to both destroy and heal. When words are both true and kind, they can change our world.

Life is nothing but a continuous chain of sensations. Pleasant or unpleasant, observe them objectively.

The seed of suffering in you may be strong, but don't wait until you have no more suffering before allowing yourself to be happy.

When you walk in the mist, you get wet.

Even if you speak of 'understanding,' this understanding is not a matter of knowledge. It is what fills the entire body and mind.

Our true nature is like a diamond - pure, brilliant, and indestructible. No matter how much dirt covers it, its essential nature remains unchanged.

Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.

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

Man suffers only because he takes seriously what the gods made for fun.

Expectations are the thieves of joy.

In the end, just three things matter: How well we have lived, how well we have loved, how well we have learned to let go.

Our basic nature is pure awareness that simply cognizes experience. Everything else is temporary and adventitious.

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.

Recognize the emptiness of all phenomena, but do not become attached to emptiness itself.

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

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

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

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

Faith is the firm foundation, diligence the supporting pillar, and wisdom the roof of the house of practice.

Loving-kindness is not something we need to manufacture. It's a natural expression of our awakened nature.

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

Forgiveness means giving up all hope for a better past.

When you recognize that pain and suffering are impermanent, you become free.

The more we understand the nature of our mind, the more we understand the nature of our world.

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

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.

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

Happiness is not the pursuit of an endless succession of experiences but an attitude toward life.