Peace is not found by changing the world, but by changing your attitude to the world.

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.

The entire path is a path of self-responsibility. Nobody else can walk it for you.

When we get too caught up in the busyness of the world, we lose connection with one another – and ourselves.

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

When you begin to see that your enemy is suffering, that is the beginning of insight.

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

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

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.

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

A flower falls, even though we love it; and a weed grows, even though we do not love it.

The past is just a memory. The future is just a dream. Be here now.

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

The quieter you become, the more you can hear.

The whole moon and the entire sky are reflected in one dewdrop on the grass.

The Four Noble Truths are not mere doctrinal propositions but a framework for understanding and transforming our lives.

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

Every small positive change we make in ourselves repays us in confidence in the future.

When one sees with wisdom that all phenomena are empty of inherent existence, one is liberated from suffering.

Awareness is the basis, or what you might call the "support," of the mind. It is steady and unchanging, like the pole to which the flag of ordinary consciousness is attached.

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

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

The Buddha's teaching challenges us to master the art of living, to live in a way that leads to the extinction of suffering.

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

The truth of suffering is not to be feared but to be understood through direct observation.

When you walk in the mist, you get wet.

The roots of all goodness lie in the soil of appreciation for goodness.

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

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

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

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.

Compassion is not something we develop. It arises naturally as we see the truth of what is.

Silence is so much more productive of wisdom and clarity than thinking.

External seeking only leads to exhaustion. When you imitate others, you lose your own authenticity.

Life is an art, and like perfect art it should be self-forgetting.

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

Each decision we make, each action we take, is born out of an intention.

Just as true humor is laughter at oneself, true humanity is knowledge of oneself.

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

Every moment is a fresh beginning. Every breath is a new chance.

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

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

There is no way to happiness - happiness is the way.

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

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

The grass is greener where you water it.

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

The first noble truth of the Buddha is that life contains suffering. The second noble truth is that the cause of suffering is craving.

The truth you believe and cling to makes you unavailable to hear anything new.

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

It is under the greatest adversity that there exists the greatest potential for doing good, both for oneself and others.

Mindfulness is being aware of what is happening right now, without wishing it were different.

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

The water in the ocean can be rough or calm. It can be clear or murky. But the water itself doesn't mind.

The snow lion stays in the mountains, and the snow lion's ways are the snow lion's ways.

To be beautiful means to be yourself. You don't need to be accepted by others. You need to accept yourself.

The Buddha's teaching is not a philosophy or a religion; it is a method of practice.

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

The mind is the forerunner of all things. Our present life is the result of our past thoughts, and our future life will be the result of our present thoughts.