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

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.

When thoughts arise, recognize them as the display of your own awareness, like recognizing your own children in a crowd.

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.

Mind training is based on the idea that two opposite mental factors cannot happen at the same time.

Meditation is not just about sitting quietly, it's about transforming the mind.

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

The practice of Zen is forgetting the self in the act of uniting with something.

The Buddha's teaching challenges us to master the art of living, to live in a way that leads to the extinction of suffering.

Enlightenment is like the moon reflected on the water. The moon does not get wet, nor is the water broken.

When we recognize that our thoughts are just thoughts, we can choose whether or not to follow them.

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

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

Live in joy, in love, even among those who hate. Live in joy, in health, even among the afflicted. Live in joy, in peace, even among the troubled. Look within, be still.

Every step on the path must be with the understanding of anicca - impermanence. This is the essence of the teaching.

Few among men are they who cross to the further shore. The others merely run up and down the bank on this side.

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

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

Know the rules well, so you can break them effectively.

The world is its own magic.

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

The greatest obstacle to meditation is our expectation about what it should be.

Suffering is not the end of the story; it is the middle of the story.

Enlightenment is not the end of change but the end of resistance to change.

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

The purpose of our lives is to be happy.

Short moments, many times. That is the essence of meditation practice.

Our task is not to seek for love but to find all the barriers within ourselves that we have built against it.

The mind can go in a thousand directions, but on this beautiful path, I walk in peace. With each step, the wind blows. With each step, a flower blooms.

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.

The whole moon and the entire sky are reflected in one dewdrop on the grass.

All that appears and exists, all of samsara and nirvana, has one ground, two paths, and two results. This is the magical display of awareness and unawareness.

Observe the reality as it is, not as you wish it to be.