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

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

Mindfulness is the key to the present moment. Without it we cannot see the world clearly, and we cannot make the wisest choices in our lives.

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

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

The root of suffering is not in the world outside us but in our own minds.

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

The knowledge of dissolution comes when you see both the noting mind and noted object dissolving together.

True freedom is a freedom from the tyranny of our own thoughts and afflictive emotions.

In true dialogue, both sides are willing to change.

Enlightenment is not a state of perfection but of authenticity.

The more clearly you see the arising and passing of phenomena, the less you will be attached to them.

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

The mind that sees its own nature becomes free from all extremes.

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

Only when you can be extremely pliable and soft can you be extremely hard and strong.

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

The sign of wisdom is constant joy.

The root of all suffering is ignorance. The antidote to ignorance is wisdom that realizes emptiness.

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

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

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

Only to the extent that we expose ourselves over and over to annihilation can that which is indestructible be found in us.

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.

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

What Zen wants us to do is to acquire an entirely new point of view whereby to look into the mysteries of life and the secrets of nature.

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

The mind is like a room with many windows. Open them all and let the fresh air in.

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

Peace is within oneself to be found in the same place as agitation and suffering. It is not found in a forest or on a hilltop, nor is it given by a teacher.

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

If you want to find peace, then look at that point where you find you're dissatisfied and investigate what's really going on.

It is never too late to turn on the light.

True happiness is not about getting rid of all our problems, but about changing our relationship to them.

The dharma is not about collecting more beliefs but about becoming free from the power of belief itself.

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

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

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

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

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

Personal experience is everything in Zen. No ideas are intelligible to those who have no backing of experience.

This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness.

Silence is sometimes the best answer.

Because you are alive, everything is possible.

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

The key to the Buddha's teaching is not grasping, not trying to hold onto things that are essentially impermanent and unstable.

The practice of Buddhism is fundamentally a practice of expanding our happiness and diminishing our suffering.

The Noble Eightfold Path is a path of training: training in ethical conduct, training in mental discipline, and training in wisdom.

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

The movement of love is what creates the beauty in our lives.

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

The world is its own magic.

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

Only one book is worth reading: the heart.

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

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

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

Misery ceases to exist when we stop reacting to sensations.

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.

Expectations are the thieves of joy.