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

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

Just as a snake sheds its skin, we must shed our past over and over again.

Wisdom arises when you see the true characteristics of phenomena through direct experience.

The willingness to empty ourselves and then seek our true nature is an expression of great and courageous love.

The mind is intrinsically empty. It's empty of all that we perceive as being intrinsically "me" and "mine."

Don't think that only sitting with the eyes closed is practice. If you do think this way, then quickly change your thinking.

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.

Observe the reality as it is, not as you wish it to be.

Peace and negativity cannot coexist just as light and darkness cannot coexist.

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

When we see the nature of the mind, we see that we are not our thoughts.

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

For things to reveal themselves to us, we need to be ready to abandon our views about them.

Forgiveness is not a moral issue. It's a power issue. When we hold onto grievance and resentment, we are giving our power away.

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.

If a problem is fixable, if a situation is such that you can do something about it, then there is no need to worry. If it's not fixable, then there is no help in worrying. There is no benefit in worrying whatsoever.

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

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

The ultimate source of happiness is not money and power, but warm-heartedness.

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

Enlightenment is not the end of change but the end of resistance to change.

The root of suffering is attachment.

The development of wisdom does not occur in isolation but requires the cultivation of the entire Noble Eightfold Path.

No valid plans for the future can be made by those who have no capacity for living now.

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

Compassion is not a relationship between the healer and the wounded. It's a relationship between equals.

Buddhist practice is not to eliminate life's problems but to grow with them patiently and with compassion.

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

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

The nature of mind is clearer than the sky, yet we keep looking elsewhere.

Ethical conduct is not a constraint upon our freedom but a condition of our freedom.

The most important factor in achieving happiness is the mind. Happiness and suffering are mental states and therefore depend on the mind.

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

When we recognize that our thoughts are just thoughts, we can choose whether or not to follow them.

The instant you speak about a thing, you miss the mark.

If it isn't good, let it die. If it doesn't die, make it good.

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

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.

The development of wisdom requires both study and practice, both learning and direct experience.

Compassion is the radicalism of our time.

Life is like a cup of tea. It's all in how you make it.

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

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

Real happiness lies within. It cannot be found in external objects or achievements.

The most difficult times for many of us are the ones we give ourselves.

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

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

To be fully alive, fully human, and completely awake is to be continually thrown out of the nest.

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

The affairs of the world will go on forever. Do not delay the practice of meditation.

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

In the gap between thoughts, nonconceptual wisdom shines continuously.

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

The path is not about moving from one place to another. It's about recognizing where we already are.

The nature of all things is like a magical illusion, a mirage, a dream, a reflection of the moon in water.

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

We think that the point is to pass the test or overcome the problem, but the truth is that things don't really get solved. They come together and they fall apart. Then they come together again and fall apart again. It's just like that. The healing comes from letting there be room for all of this to happen: room for grief, for relief, for misery, for joy.

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

Problems that remain persistently insoluble should always be suspected as questions asked in the wrong way.