This is the real secret of life -- to be completely engaged with what you are doing in the here and now. And instead of calling it work, realize it is play.

The practitioner and practice are like fire and wood. The more you practice, the more you burn.

Technical knowledge is not enough. One must transcend techniques so that the art becomes an artless art, growing out of the unconscious.

The master's introduction is direct recognition of one's own nature. Meditation is maintaining the continuity of this recognition.

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.

The essence of bravery is being without self-deception.

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

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

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

Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them, humanity cannot survive.

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.

For things to reveal themselves to us, we need to be ready to abandon our views about them.

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

One moment can change a day, one day can change a life, and one life can change the world.

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

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

The Buddha's teaching is not a philosophy or a religion; it is a method of practice.

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

Who would then deny that when I am sipping tea in my tearoom I am swallowing the whole universe with it and that this very moment of my lifting the bowl to my lips is eternity itself transcending time and space?

People who study a lot but don't practice are like a ladle in a soup pot. It's in the soup every day, but it doesn't know the taste of the soup.

The roots of all goodness lie in the soil of appreciation for goodness.

Although all phenomena are empty of inherent existence, they function perfectly well.

The essence of meditation is not something complicated or exotic. It is simply taking a break from our habitual patterns.

A flower falls, even though we love it; and a weed grows, even though we do not love it.

All experiences are preceded by mind, having mind as their master, created by mind.

When we develop patience, we find that we develop a reserve of calm and tranquility.

When you listen to someone, you should give up all your preconceived ideas and your subjective opinions.

Nothing can harm you as much as your own unguarded thoughts.

When another person makes you suffer, it is because he suffers deeply within himself, and his suffering is spilling over. He does not need punishment; he needs help.

Every small positive change we make in ourselves repays us in confidence in the future.

The practice of Dharma is a constant battle within oneself.

The purpose of meditation is not to create a mental vacuum but to come to know one's own mind.

In true vipassana practice, there is no room for likes and dislikes. There is only observation.