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

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 view is like a lion - it cannot be led around by anything else. Meditation is like an eagle - it cannot be distracted by anything else. Action is like a madman - it is free from accepting and rejecting.

Whatever we do, we should see ourselves. Reading books doesn't show us our defilements. Watch yourself. Watch your mind.

Awareness is the basis, or what you might call the "support," of the mind. It is steady and unchanging, like the pole to which the flag of ordinary consciousness is attached.

The great gift of meditation is that it returns us to the simplicity of our own being.

Concentration develops naturally through continuous noting. Don't try to force concentration to arise.

Panic, anxiety, and stress are not obstacles to the practice. They are the path to wisdom and compassion.

The sign of wisdom is constant joy.

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.

When you look deeply into your anger, you will see that the person you call your enemy is also suffering. As soon as you see that, the capacity for accepting and having compassion for them is there.

To what shall I compare this life? It is like a boat that left at dawn, leaving no trace.

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.

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

The nature of the mind is like the sky, and our thoughts, emotions, and experiences are like clouds passing through it.

There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth; not going all the way, and not starting.

In the end, only three things matter: how much you loved, how gently you lived, and how gracefully you let go of things not meant for you.

When walking, just walk. When sitting, just sit. Above all, don't wobble.

Equanimity is not indifference. It is the balanced mind that sees things clearly without reaction.

The true understanding is that the practice itself is enlightenment.

Vipassana is the art of living. Not the art of escaping.

When you note pain, you should not dwell on the thought, "I feel pain." Simply recognize the presence of pain.

Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is relax.

The more you are motivated by love, the more fearless and free your actions will be.

Meditation is not about trying to change your experience; it's about changing your relationship to your experience.

People have a hard time letting go of their suffering. Out of a fear of the unknown, they prefer suffering that is familiar.

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

Zen teaches nothing; it merely enables us to wake up and become aware. It does not teach, it points.

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.

Through understanding emptiness, one does not become proud of one's virtues, just as one does not become proud of building a castle in the sky.

Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet.

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

The real meaning of enlightenment is to gaze with undimmed eyes on all darkness.