The five aggregates are not a theoretical model but a description of lived experience to be investigated through mindfulness.

Wisdom and compassion must be developed equally and harmoniously.

Reality is only a Rorschach ink-blot, you know.

Compassion is not mere sentiment but a powerful force that can transform both ourselves and others.

Wisdom is not about accumulating knowledge, but about seeing through all knowledge.

The difference between buddhas and sentient beings is that buddhas recognize their nature while sentient beings fail to recognize it.

Rejoicing in ordinary things is not sentimental or trite. It actually takes guts.

Our task is to learn to see clearly what is happening in each moment, rather than be lost in our reactions and judgments.

What we learn about the world is colored by the way we approach it.

The basic idea of Zen is to come in touch with the inner workings of our being, and to do this in the most direct way possible, without resorting to anything external or superadded.

When you talk, you are only repeating what you already know. But if you listen, you may learn something new.

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.

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

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

The nature of everything is empty and clear, and the mind is beyond both existence and nonexistence.

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

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

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.

The greatest achievement is selflessness. The greatest worth is self-mastery.

When the iron bird flies and horses run on wheels, the Tibetan people will be scattered like ants across the face of the earth.

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

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

The practice is simply this: keep coming back to your breath during the day. This will give your mind a steadiness and your life a balance.

Freedom is not found in the absence of difficulty, but in our relationship to it.

Through our eyes, the universe is perceiving itself. Through our ears, the universe is listening to its harmonies. We are the witnesses through which the universe becomes conscious of its glory, of its magnificence.

We think that the point is to pass the test or overcome the problem, but the truth is that things don't really get solved. They come together and they fall apart. Then they come together again and fall apart again. It's just like that. The healing comes from letting there be room for all of this to happen: room for grief, for relief, for misery, for joy.

Mindfulness is attention to life, and life itself is sacred.

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

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

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.

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

The cave I live in is empty and so is my mind. I live simply and at ease.

The most profound meditation is to think nothing at all.