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

Don't try to change the world. First, change yourself.

The Dhamma is not a collection of doctrinal formulas but a path leading to direct insight into the nature of reality.

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

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

The more you understand impermanence, the more you appreciate every moment.

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 difference between being caught in thoughts and being mindful of thoughts is like the difference between being in a movie and watching a movie.

My religion is to live and die without regret.

Work diligently. Diligently. Work patiently and persistently. Patiently and persistently. And you're bound to be successful. Bound to be successful.

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

The secret of happiness lies not in getting what we want, but in learning to want what we already have.

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

You are an aperture through which the universe is looking at and exploring itself.

Dependent origination is not a theory about the origin of the world but a teaching that shows how suffering originates in dependence on our own mental processes.

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

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

The things that matter most in our lives are not fantastic or grand. They are the moments when we touch one another.

Reality is only a Rorschach ink-blot, you know.

Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.

The deepest form of happiness comes from discovering the natural peace of our own awareness.

When mindfulness becomes continuous, the distinction between the observer and the observed begins to break down.

The path is the goal. Every step of the journey is the journey.

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

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.

Start from where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.

The purpose of life is to be happy, to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate. It is not to be well known, cited, or powerful.

Do not follow the ideas of others, but learn to listen to the voice within yourself.

To understand everything is to forgive everything.

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

The signs of practice are not in extraordinary experiences but in extraordinary awareness of ordinary experiences.

Forgiveness is giving up all hope for a better past.

Our own life has to be our message.

Compassion is not just about being kind to others. It's about being kind to ourselves as well.

Happiness is not about getting what you want, but wanting what you've got.

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

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

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.

Suffering comes from our resistance to what is. Peace comes from our acceptance of what is.

In the gap between thoughts, nonconceptual wisdom shines continuously.

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

Emptiness is not nothingness. Emptiness is the space of possibility.

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

We do not "come into" this world; we come out of it, as leaves from a tree.

Self-awareness is the key to freedom. The more we understand ourselves, the more we understand how to be free.

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

The more you give, the more you have. That's the economics of kindness.

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

If you want to know your past life, look into your present condition; if you want to know your future life, look into your present actions.

The more we care for the happiness of others, the greater our own sense of well-being becomes.

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

Do not mistake understanding for realization, and do not mistake realization for liberation.

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

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

The heart of one who practices is like the earth. No matter what they throw on it, the earth remains unchanged.

Study the Buddha's teaching which is present in every moment.

The Four Noble Truths are not merely theoretical propositions but a framework for understanding and transforming our experience.

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

Muddy water is best cleared by leaving it alone.

Understanding means throwing away your knowledge.