The most important things in our practice are our physical posture and our way of breathing.

Each of you is perfect the way you are... and you can use a little improvement.

Without accepting the fact that everything changes, we cannot find perfect composure.

As long as you seek for something, you will get the shadow of reality and not reality itself.

Nothing we see or hear is perfect. But right there in the imperfection is perfect reality.

If your mind is empty, it is always ready for anything; it is open to everything.

When you understand one thing through and through, you understand everything. When you try to understand everything, you will not understand anything.

When you do something, you should burn yourself completely, like a good bonfire, leaving no trace of yourself.

There is no need to have a deep understanding of Zen. Even though you read much Zen literature, you must read each sentence with a fresh mind.

The world is its own magic.

The true purpose of Zen is to see things as they are, to observe things as they are, and to let everything go as it goes.

The purpose of studying Buddhism is not to study Buddhism, but to study ourselves.

The state of mind that exists when you sit in the right posture is, itself, enlightenment.

The basic teaching of Buddhism is the teaching of transiency, or change.

Our practice cannot be perfect, but without being discouraged by this, we should continue it. This is the secret of practice.

Life is like stepping onto a boat which is about to sail out to sea and sink.

When you practice zazen you should not try to attain anything. You should just sit in the complete calmness of your mind and not rely on anything.

The awareness that you are here, right now, is the ultimate fact.

Leave your front door and your back door open. Allow your thoughts to come and go. Just don't serve them tea.

Treat every moment as your last. It is not preparation for something else.