Every experience is an opportunity to practice awareness.

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

The practice of ethics is not about following rules but about developing inner purity and freedom.

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

A man is not called wise because he talks and talks again; but if he is peaceful, loving and fearless then he is in truth called wise.

The purpose of meditation is not to create a new state of mind, but to recognize what is already present.

To be in harmony with the wholeness of things is not to have anxiety over imperfection.

In the moment of pure noting, there is no self - only the knowing and the known.

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

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

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

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

The root of suffering is attachment.

In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's there are few.

The dharma is not outside of you. Looking for it elsewhere is like placing a Buddha on your head while searching for him everywhere else.

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

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.

The path of insight is a path of discovery, not a path of creation. We are discovering what is already there.

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

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.

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

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

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

The real secret of the arts: always be a beginner.

When you generate negativity, you are the first victim of your negativity.

Each moment of clear seeing is a moment of freedom from the illusion of permanence, satisfaction, and self.

The measure of success in spiritual life is how peaceful you are.

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

The heart of the path is quite simple. No need for long explanations. Give up clinging to love and hate, just rest with things as they are.

The essence of Buddhist practice is to bring everything onto the path. Every experience becomes an opportunity for awakening.

Better than a thousand hollow words, is one word that brings peace.

If we learn to open our hearts, anyone, including the people who drive us crazy, can be our teacher.

The menu is not the meal.

The highest mantra is to be without deception. The highest medicine is to have few desires. The highest meditation is not to be attached.

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

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

Right View is not just a matter of intellectual understanding but of seeing things as they really are.

The only way to experience truth is to look within, to observe oneself.

Hasten slowly and you will soon arrive.

The essence of meditation is not something complicated or exotic. It is simply taking a break from our habitual patterns.

Meditation is like catching a fish. If you try to catch it quickly, you'll miss it. If you have patience and know how to wait, the fish will come.

Forgiveness is letting go of the hope that the past could have been any different.

Insight knowledge comes from direct experience, not from intellectual understanding.

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

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

Mindfulness is being aware of what's going on, not trying to control what's going on.

To what shall I compare this life? It is like a boat that left at dawn, leaving no trace.

Silence is sometimes the best answer.

Only one book is worth reading: the heart.

Those who understand interdependent origination understand suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path.

In the gap between thoughts, nonconceptual wisdom shines continuously.

Enlightenment is the realization that we were never really separate from one another or from all of life.

Study how water flows in a valley stream, smoothly and freely between the rocks.

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

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

Holding onto anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.

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

Your mind is like a garden. Your thoughts are the seeds. You can grow flowers or you can grow weeds.

If you want to know the past, look at the present. If you want to know the future, look at the present.

Forgiveness is giving up all hope for a better past.