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

Forgiveness means giving up all hope for a better past.

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

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

Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is relax.

Life is nothing but a continuous chain of sensations. Pleasant or unpleasant, observe them objectively.

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

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.

You are your own teacher. Looking for teachers can't solve your own doubts. Investigate yourself to find the truth - inside, not outside.

Like a fine flower, beautiful to look at but without scent, fine words are fruitless in a man who does not act in accordance with them.

The true mark of a spiritual practitioner is that your own behavior is better, not that you can criticize others well.

Look at situations from all angles, and you will become more open.

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

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

The more you understand, the more you love; the more you love, the more you understand.

To live fully is to let go and die with each step.

We don't set out to save the world; we set out to wonder how other people are doing and to reflect on how our actions affect other people's hearts.

Every thought, every word, and every action leaves an imprint on our mind.

The mind that notes and the object that is noted are both impermanent. Understanding this leads to liberation.

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.

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

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

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

Compassion is not something we develop. It arises naturally as we see the truth of what is.

You are the master of your own mind. You can be your best friend or your worst enemy.

In the gap between thoughts, nonconceptual wisdom shines continuously.

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

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

The essence of the spiritual journey is the uncovering of what is always already present.

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.

In true dialogue, both sides are willing to change.

The person who clings to nothing of the past, present and future, who has no attachment and no aversion, has no conceptual imprints.

Panic is a gateway to wisdom. When we learn to stay present with our panic, it becomes our teacher.

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

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

Anxiety and excitement are the same emotion. The only difference is our attitude toward the experience.

The farther you enter into truth, the deeper it is.

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.

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

When mindfulness and concentration are strong, insight into the three characteristics naturally unfolds.

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

To see the truth, do not be for or against. The struggle between for and against is the mind's worst disease.

People take different roads seeking fulfillment and happiness. Just because they're not on your road doesn't mean they've gotten lost.

The grass is greener where you water it.

The lamp of wisdom burns constantly, illuminating the nature of mind.

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

If you see certainty in that which is uncertain, you are bound to suffer.

The defilements of the mind are temporary visitors. Pure awareness is your true home.

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

Hope is important because it can make the present moment less difficult to bear. If we believe that tomorrow will be better, we can bear a hardship today.

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

Not knowing how near the truth is, we seek it far away.

Just as treasures are uncovered from the earth, so virtue appears from good deeds, and wisdom appears from a pure and peaceful mind.

The path to enlightenment is not a path at all. It is a realization that where you are is where you have always been.

The purpose of our lives is to be happy, and happiness is found in benefiting others.

The practice of vipassana is the study of the self. When you study physical and mental phenomena, you are studying the truth about yourself.

The path of practice requires both faith and wisdom, both devotion and understanding.

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

The path to liberation requires both understanding and practice, both pariyatti and patipatti.