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 perfect moment is this one, not the one you're waiting for.

The Buddha's teaching is not a philosophical system but a practical guide to living.

All worldly pursuits have but one unavoidable and inevitable end, which is sorrow; acquisitions end in dispersion; buildings in destruction; meetings in separation; births in death.

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

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

Altruism is not a luxury, it is a necessity for the survival of humanity.

Happiness is a skill that can be developed like playing an instrument or learning to read.

The more you suffer the deeper grows your character, and with the deepening of your character you read the more penetratingly into the secrets of life.

Happiness is found in the simplest of things. It is not in the things you own, but in the love you share.

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.

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

Your work is to discover your work and then with all your heart to give yourself to it.

The purpose of a spiritual discipline is to give us a way to stop the war, not by our force of will, but through understanding and through letting go.

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

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

The greatest wisdom is seeing through appearances.

The goal of the Buddhist path is not to add something to our existence but to discover something that has been there all along.

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

The true hero is one who conquers his own anger and hatred.

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

The spiritual journey begins with the recognition that beneath our surface happiness there lies a deep inner pain.

Life is available only in the present moment.

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

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

The practice is not about achieving special states but about seeing ordinary experience with extraordinary clarity.

Enlightenment is not about becoming divine. Instead, it's about becoming more fully human.

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

Sankharas are the seeds of consciousness that manifest as sensations. By observing sensations equanimously, we stop creating new sankharas.

Genuine happiness comes from having developed basic human qualities, such as attention, emotional balance, and generosity.

Right practice is steady practice. Whether you feel lazy or diligent, just keep practicing.

Even if you speak of 'understanding,' this understanding is not a matter of knowledge. It is what fills the entire body and mind.

The goal is not to be better than the other man, but your previous self.

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

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

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

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.

The Buddha's teachings are not a religion, but a science of mind.

In the spring, hundreds of flowers; in autumn, a harvest moon; in the summer, a refreshing breeze; in winter, snow will accompany you. If useless things do not hang in your mind, any season is a good season for you.

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.

The future is completely open, and we are writing it moment to moment.

The goal of Buddhist practice is not to escape from the world but to transform our relationship with it.

Looking for peace is like looking for a turtle with a mustache: you won't be able to find it. But when your heart is ready, peace will come looking for you.

When dharma fills your body and mind, you realize that something is missing.

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

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

When you let go of trying to control everything, you can relax and enjoy life.

Real happiness comes from having an unshakable connection to the deep wellspring of peace and happiness that is not dependent on external conditions.

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

To live is enough.

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

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

Understanding means throwing away your knowledge.

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.

A pure mind is always full of love - real love for all others.

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.

True happiness is not found through the multiplication of desires but through their simplification.

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

The practice is like peeling an onion. Layer after layer of delusion is removed through continuous mindfulness.

There are only two days in the year that nothing can be done. One is called yesterday and the other is called tomorrow, so today is the right day to love, believe, do and mostly live.