Zen Buddhism quotes
We have brought together the most beautiful Zen Buddhism quotes that will translate your feelings for you as basla.org . You can share your favorites from the following messages on social media accounts.
Since life doesn’t come with an instruction book, we remain learners all throughout our lives. Quotabulary picks out the most famous Zen quotes to guide you through your journey of life.
After all, one of the foundations of Buddhist practice is meditation. And while the practice is about a lot more than just harnessing your Qi, embracing Buddhist principles could help you reach your own personal state of nirvana.
A disciplined mind brings happiness.
A good teacher opens the door for you, but you must enter the room by yourself.
A hut full of laughter is richer than a palace full of sadness.
A man is great not because he hasn’t failed; a man is great because failure hasn’t stopped him. – Confucius
A man is not called wise because he talks and talks again; but if he is peaceful, loving, and fearless then he is in truth called wise.
A man with outward courage dares to die; a man with inner courage dares to live. – Lao Tzu
A mountain never yields to the wind no matter how strong it is.
A person who is capable of blushing cannot have a bad heart.
A strong man overcomes an obstacle, a wise man goes the whole way.
A thousand-mile journey begins with just one step.
Act without expectation. ― Lao Tzu
All conditioned things are impermanent—when one sees this with wisdom, one turns away from suffering.
All experiences are preceded by mind, having mind as their master, created by mind.
All that we are, is the result of what we have thought. The mind is everything. What we think, we become. ― Buddha
All the things that truly matter, beauty, love, creativity, joy and inner peace arise from beyond the mind.
All tremble at violence; all fear death. Putting oneself in the place of another, one should not kill nor cause another to kill.
All true artists, whether they know it or not, create from a place of no-mind, from inner stillness. – Eckhart Tolle
All wrong-doing arises because of mind. If mind is transformed can wrong-doing remain?
Always look on the bright side of things. If you can’t comprehend this, polish that which has become dull until it begins to shine.
Ambition is like love: impatient both of delays and rivals.
An idea that is developed and put into action is more important than an idea that exists only as an idea.
An insincere and evil friend is more to be feared than a wild beast; a wild beast may wound your body, but an evil friend will wound your mind.
And when they played they really played. And when they worked they really worked. – Seuss
Ardently do today what must be done. Who knows? Tomorrow, death comes.
As a bee gathering nectar does not harm or disturb the color and fragrance of the flower; so do the wise move through the world. – Buddha
As a water bead on a lotus leaf, as water on a red lily, does not adhere, so the sage does not adhere to the seen, the heard, or the sensed.
As an elephant in the battlefield withstands arrows shot from bows all around, even so shall I endure abuse.
As I am, so are these. As are these, so am I. Drawing the parallel to yourself, neither kill nor get others to kill.
As rain falls equally on the just and the unjust, do not burden your heart with judgments but rain your kindness equally on all.
At the still-point in the center of the circle one can see the infinite in all things. – Chuang Tzu
Awareness is the greatest agent for change. – Eckhart Tolle
Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible. – Dalai Lama
Be master of mind rather than mastered by mind. ― Zen Proverb
Be truthful; do not yield to anger. Give freely, even if you have but little. The gods will bless you.
Be vigilant; guard your mind against negative thoughts.
Be where you are; otherwise you will miss your life.
Before enlightenment, I chopped wood and carried water. After enlightenment, I chopped wood and carried water.
Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense.
Better it is to live one day seeing the rise and fall of things than to live a hundred years without ever seeing the rise and fall of things.
Better than a thousand hollow words, is one word that brings peace.
But it doesn’t have to be that way. You are allowed to fail and feel pain, but eventually you have to put yourself back together. Life is tough, but you need to be tougher—and with a Zen state of mind, you can win the battle.
Ceasing to do evil, Cultivating the good, Purifying the heart: This is the teaching of the Buddhas.
Chaos is inherent in all compounded things. Strive on with diligence.
Conquer anger through gentleness, unkindness through kindness, greed through generosity, and falsehood by truth.
Conquer anger with non-anger. Conquer badness with goodness. Conquer meanness with generosity. Conquer dishonesty with truth.
Delight in heedfulness! Guard well your thoughts!
Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment. – Buddha
Do not follow the idea of others, but learn to listen to the voice within yourself. – Dōgen Zenji
Do not let the behavior of others destroy your inner peace. – Dalai Lama
Do not mistake understanding for realization, and do not mistake realization for liberation. – Tibetan saying
Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the men of old; seek what they sought. – Basho
Don’t be afraid that you do not know something. Be afraid of not learning about it.
Don’t be afraid to go slowly. Be afraid of stopping.
Don’t run after pleasure and neglect the practice of meditation. If you forget the goal of life and get caught in the pleasures of the world, you will come to envy those who put meditation first.
Don’t seek, don’t search, don’t ask, don’t knock, don’t demand – relax. ― Osho
Don’t speak if it doesn’t improve on silence.
Drink your tea slowly and reverently, as if it is the axis on which the world earth revolves – slowly, evenly, without rushing toward the future.
Drop by drop is the water pot filled. Likewise, the wise man, gathering it little by little, fills himself with good.
Each morning, we are born again. What we do today is what matters most. ― Buddha
Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle and it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend. – Bruce Lee
Endurance is one of the most difficult disciplines, but it is to the one who endures that the final victory comes.
Even as a solid rock is unshaken by the wind, so are the wise unshaken by praise or blame.
Even death is not to be feared by one who has lived wisely. ― Buddha
Even if you stumble and fall down, it doesn’t mean you’ve chosen the wrong path.
Even the happiness of a fool is a stupid kind of happiness.
Every morning we are born again. What we do today is what matters most.
Everyone has a spirit that can be refined, a body that can be trained in some manner, a suitable path to follow. You are here to realize your inner divinity and manifest your innate enlightenment. – Morihei Ueshiba
Everything that happens to us is the result of what we ourselves have thought, said, or done. We alone are responsible for our lives.
Everything that has a beginning has an ending. Make your peace with that and all will be well. – Jack Kornfield
Faith and prayer both are invisible, but they make impossible things possible.
Fear is a natural reaction to moving closer to the truth. – Prema Chödrön
Flow with whatever may happen, and let your mind be free: Stay centered by accepting whatever you are doing. This is the ultimate. ― Chuang-Tzu
Forget the years, forget distinctions. Leap into the boundless and make it your home. – Zhuangzi
Friendship is the purest love. It is the highest form of Love where nothing is asked for, no condition, where one simply enjoys giving. – Osho
Generosity brings happiness at every stage of its expression. We experience joy in forming the intention to be generous. We experience joy in the actual act of giving something. And we experience joy in remembering the fact that we have given.
Give, even if you only have a little.
Good people keep on walking whatever happens. They do not speak vain words and are the same in good fortune and bad. If one desires neither children nor wealth nor power nor success by unfair means, know such a one to be good, wise, and virtuous.
Happiness is here, and now. ― Thích Nhất Hạnh
Happiness is the default state. Its what’s there when you remove the sense that something is missing in life. People believe mistakenly that happiness is about positive thoughts and positive action but every positive thought essentially holds within itself a negative thought. – Naval Ravikant
Happiness lies even in little tiny butterflies. You just have to open up your eyes and see where beauty flies to beautify your world lengthwise. – Ana Claudia Antunes
Happiness will never come to those who fail to appreciate what they already have.
Hatred does not cease by hatred, but only by love. – Buddha
Hatred is never appeased by hatred in this world. By non-hatred alone is hatred appeased. This is a law eternal.
Hatreds never cease through hatred in this world; through love alone they cease. This is an eternal law.
Have a mind that is open to everything and attached to nothing. ― Tilopa
Have compassion for all beings, rich and poor alike; each has their suffering. Some suffer too much, others too little.
Have good trust in yourself … not in the One that you think you should be, but in the One that you are. – Maezumi Roshi
He who can curb his wrath as soon as it arises, as a timely antidote will check snake’s venom that so quickly spreads — such a monk gives up the here and the beyond, just as a serpent sheds its worn-out skin.
Health is the best gift, contentment the best wealth, trust the best kinsman, nirvana the greatest joy. Drink the nectar of the dharma in the depths of meditation, and become free from fear and sin.
Health is the greatest gift, contentment is the greatest wealth.
Health is the greatest gift. Contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship.
Heaven & earth & I are of the same root. Ten thousand things & I are of one substance.
I am the miracle.
I do not dispute with the world; rather it is the world that disputes with me.
I don’t let go of concepts – I meet them with understanding. Then they let go of me.
I don’t want to die without any scars. – Chuck Palahniuk
I will not look at another’s bowl intent on finding fault: a training to be observed.
I would rather sink to the bottom of the sea for endless eons than seek liberation through all the saints of the universe. – Shih-t’ou
If a man going down into a river, swollen and swiftly flowing, is carried away by the current — how can he help others across?
If a warrior is not unattached to life and death, he will be of no use whatsoever. – Yamamoto Tsunetomo
If anything is worth doing, do it with all your heart.
If by renouncing a lesser happiness one may realize a greater happiness, let the wise one renounce the lesser, having regard for the greater.
If the problem can be solved why worry? If the problem cannot be solved worrying will do you no good.
If we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly, our whole life would change.
If we do not know how to take care of ourselves and to love ourselves, we cannot take care of the people we love. Loving oneself is the foundation for loving another person. ― Thích Nhất Hạnh
If we look at the world with a deluded body and mind, we will think that our self is permanent. But if we practice correctly and return to our true self, we will realize that nothing is permanent. – Dogen
If with a pure mind a person speaks or acts, happiness follows them like a never-departing shadow.
If you are depressed, you are living in the past. If you are anxious, you are living in the future. If you are at peace, you are living in the present. ― Lao Tzu
If you are quiet enough, you will hear the flow of the universe. You will feel its rhythm. Go with this flow. Happiness lies ahead. Meditation is key.
If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading.
If you do not get it from yourself, where will you go for it?
If you find no one to support you on the spiritual path, walk alone.
If you knew what I know about the power of giving, you would not let a single meal pass without sharing it in some way.
If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. – Sun Tzu
If you light a lamp for somebody, it will also brighten your path.
If you meditate earnestly, pure in mind and kind in deeds, leading a disciplined life in harmony with the dharma, you will grow in glory. If you meditate earnestly, through spiritual disciplines you can make an island for yourself that no flood can overwhelm.
If you miss the present moment, you miss your appointment with life. That is very serious!- Thich Nhat Hanh
If you realize you have enough, you are truly rich. ― Lao Tzu
If you truly loved yourself, you could never hurt another. – Buddha
If you understand, things are just as they are; if you do not understand, things are just as they are.
If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a lifetime, help someone else. – Confucius
If you want to climb a mountain, begin at the top.
If you wish to be gentle with others, be gentle first with yourself.
If you wish to know the taste of seawater and you live on an island, set out towards the coast and keep going. When you reach the seashore all you then need to do is to bend down, put the finger into the water, and then into the mouth and you will know the taste of all the seven seas. So it is with freedom, it has but one single taste. – Hakuin
If you’ve made a mistake, it’s better just to laugh at it.
If your compassion does not include yourself, it is incomplete.
In a mind clear as still water, even the waves, breaking, are reflecting its light. ― Dōgen Zenji
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.
In the scenery of spring, nothing is better, nothing worse; The flowering branches are; some long, some short. – Eicho
In the sky, there is no distinction of east and west; people create distinctions out of their own minds and then believe them to be true.
In whom there is no sympathy for living beings: know him as an outcast.
It all depends on you. You can go on sleeping forever, you can wake up right this moment.
It is better to conquer yourself than to win a thousand battles. Then the victory is yours. It cannot be taken from you — not by angels or by demons, heaven, or hell.
It is better to do nothing, than to do what is wrong. For whatever you do, you do to yourself.
It is better to travel well than to arrive.
It is easy to see the faults of others, but difficult to see one’s own faults.
It is easy to see the faults of others, but difficult to see one’s own faults. One shows the faults of others like chaff winnowed in the wind, but one conceals one’s own faults as a cunning gambler conceals his dice.
It is in the nature of things that joy arises in a person free from remorse.
It is possible to live happily in the here and now. So many conditions of happiness are available – more than enough for you to be happy right now. You don’t have to run into the future in order to get more. – Thich Nhat Hanh
It is ridiculous to think that somebody else can make you happy or unhappy.
It seems that although we thought ourselves permanent, we are not. Although we thought ourselves settled, we are not. Although we thought we would last forever, we will not.
It’s better be a person for a day than to be a shadow for a , days.
Just as a mother would protect her only child with her life, even so, let one cultivate a boundless love towards all beings. – Buddha
Just as a snake sheds its skin, we must shed our past over and over again.
Just as a solid rock is not shaken by the storm, even so the wise are not affected by praise or blame.
Just as the great ocean has one taste, the taste of salt, so also this teaching and discipline has one taste, the taste of liberation.
Just as treasures are uncovered from the earth, so virtue appears from good deeds, and wisdom appears from a pure and peaceful mind. To walk safely through the maze of human life, one needs the light of wisdom and the guidance of virtue.
Kindness should become the natural way of life, not the exception.
Know from the rivers in clefts and in crevices: those in small channels flow noisily, the great flow silent. Whatever’s not full makes noise. Whatever is full is quiet.
Learn to be comfortable in adversity but most importantly, learn to be comfortable when you’re bored. – Maxime Lagacé
Leave behind confused reactions and become patient as the earth; unmoved by anger, unshaken as a pillar, unperturbed as a clear and quiet pool.
Let go, or be dragged. ― Zen Proverb
Let him associate with friends who are noble, energetic, and pure in life. Let him be cordial and refined in conduct. Thus, full of joy, he will make an end of suffering.
Let him not deceive another nor despise anyone anywhere. In anger or ill will let him not wish another ill.
Let none find fault with others; let none see the omissions and commissions of others. But let one see one’s own acts, done and undone.
Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn’t learn a lot, at least we learned a little, and if we didn’t learn a little, at least we didn’t get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn’t die; so, let us all be thankful.
Letting go gives us freedom, and freedom is the only condition for happiness. If, in our heart, we still cling to anything – anger, anxiety, or possessions – we cannot be free. – Thích Nhất Hạnh
Life begins where fear ends. ― Osho
Life is like stepping onto a boat which is about to sail out to sea and sink. ― Shunryu Suzuki
Life is so very difficult. How can we be anything but kind?
Life is suffering.
Like a fine flower, beautiful to look at but without scent, fine words are fruitless in a man who does not act in accordance with them.
Like someone pointing to treasure is the wise person who sees your faults and points them out. Associate with such a sage.
Live calmly. The time will come when the flowers bloom by themselves.
Live with no sense of ‘mine,’ not forming attachment to experiences.
Live your life, do your work, then take your hat. – Henry David Thoreau
Long is the night to him who is awake; long is a mile to him who is tired; long is life to the foolish who do not know the true law.
Love is a gift of one’s innermost soul to another so both can be whole. – Buddha
Love is not just about two people sharing a relationship with each other. We can find love in many other areas of our lives, like family, friends, passion, and ourselves.
Love is of all passions the strongest, for it attacks simultaneously the head, the heart, and the senses. – Lao Tzu
Love is the absence of judgment. ― Dalai Lama
Love the whole world as a mother loves her only child.
Man stands in his own shadow and wonders why it is dark. ― Zen Proverb
Many have come to realization simply by listening to the tinkling of a bell or some other sound. – Philip Kapleau
May all beings have happy minds.
Meditate … do not delay, lest you later regret it.
Meditation brings wisdom; lack of meditation leaves ignorance.
Mindfulness isn’t difficult, we just need to remember to do it. – Sharon Salzberg
Most problems, if you give them enough time and space, will eventually wear themselves out.
Move and the way will open. ― Zen Proverb
Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished. ― Lao Tzu
Nature is full of chaos and conflict. Don’t resist these things. Invite them in. – Charlie Ambler
Neither fire, nor wind, birth, nor death, can erase our good deeds. – Buddha
Nirvana or lasting enlightenment or true spiritual growth can be achieved only through persistent exercise of real love. – M. Scott Peck
No one returns from a long journey the same person they were before.
No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path.
No snowflake ever falls in the wrong place.
No thought, no reflection, no analysis, no cultivation, no intention; let it settle itself
Not by rituals and resolutions, nor by much learning, nor by celibacy, nor even by meditation can you find the supreme, immortal joy of nirvana until you extinguish your self-will.
Not everything happens for a reason. Nature is not rational. Just make peace with whatever happens. – Charlie Ambler
Not thinking of good, not thinking of evil – tell me, what was your original face before your mother and father were born?
Nothing can harm you as much as your own thoughts unguarded.
Nothing ever exists entirely alone. Everything is in relation to everything else. – Buddha
Nothing ever goes away until it has taught us what we need to know. – Pema Chödrön
Nothing remains without change.
Old friends pass away, new friends appear. It is just like the days. An old day passes, a new day arrives. The important thing is to make it meaningful: a meaningful friend – or a meaningful day. – Dalai Lama
One is not called noble who harms living beings. By not harming living beings one is called noble.
One moment can change a day, one day can change a life, and one life can change the world.
One moon shows in every pool, in every pool the one moon.
One must be deeply aware of the impermanence of the world. – Dogen
One who conquers himself is greater than another who conquers a thousand times a thousand men on the battlefield. Be victorious over yourself and not over others.
One who, while himself seeking happiness, oppresses with violence other beings who also desire happiness, will not attain happiness hereafter.
Only when you can be extremely pliable and soft can you be extremely hard and strong. – Zen Proverb
Our life is shaped by our mind; we become what we think. Suffering follows an evil thought as the wheels of a cart follow the oxen that draws it.
Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can’t help them, at least don’t hurt them. ― Dalai Lama
Our sorrows and wounds are healed only when we touch them with compassion. – Buddha
Our theories of the eternal are as valuable as are those which a chick which has not broken its way through its shell might form of the outside world.
Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing there is a field. I’ll meet you there.
Pain is certain, suffering is optional.
Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.
Peace of mind is that mental condition in which you have accepted the worst. – Lin Yutang
People fear death for a variety of reasons. Some are afraid to experience the pain of slowly dying in the arms of their loved ones; others just can’t accept the fact that their lives are about to end. There are also those who fear it because of the uncertainty of the afterlife.
People with opinions just go around bothering each other.
Prefer to be defeated in the presence of the wise than to excel among fools. ― Dōgen Zenji
Purity and impurity depend on oneself; no one can purify another.
Radiate boundless love towards the entire world — above, below, and across — unhindered, without ill will, without enmity.
Radiate boundless love towards the entire world.
Realize that life will never be how you want it to be. Jump in regardless. The jump itself is living; its whole spectrum, its entire beauty. – Mr. Mircea
Regardless of what comes after death, what matters most is how you lived your life when you still had the chance. While you are alive, work to leave a lasting legacy. Live your life to the fullest and assure your future happiness.
Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other. – Dalai Lama
Remembering a wrong is like carrying a burden on the mind.
Resolutely train yourself to attain peace.
Respect life, revere life. There is nothing more holy than life, nothing more divine than life. – Osho
Rest and be kind, you don’t have to prove anything. – Jack Kerouac
Roads were made for journeys, not destinations. – Confucius
Self-realization is effortless. What you are trying to find is what you already are.- Ramesh Balsekar
Set your heart on doing good. Do it over and over again, and you will be filled with joy.
She who knows life flows, feels no wear or tear, needs no mending or repair.
Should a person do good, let him do it again and again. Let him find pleasure therein, for blissful is the accumulation of good.
Should a seeker not find a companion who is better or equal, let them resolutely pursue a solitary course.
Should you find a wise critic to point out your faults, follow him as you would a guide to hidden treasure.
Silence is the language of Om. We need silence to be able to reach our Self. Both internal and external silence is very important to feel the presence of that supreme Love. – Amit Ray
Silence the angry man with love. Silence the ill-natured man with kindness. Silence the miser with generosity. Silence the liar with truth.
Sitting quietly doing nothing, spring comes, grass grows of itself.
Smile, breathe and go slowly. ― Thích Nhất Hạnh
Someone who points out your flaws to you is not necessarily your enemy. Someone who speaks of your virtues is not necessarily your friend.
Speak only endearing speech, speech that is welcomed. Speech, when it brings no evil to others, is a pleasant thing.
Stop, stop. Do not speak. The ultimate truth is not even to think.
Surrender to what is. Let go of what was. Have faith in what will be. – Sonia Ricotti
Teach this triple truth to all: A generous heart, kind speech, and a life of service and compassion are the things which renew humanity.
Tell your friend that in his death, a part of you dies and goes with him. Wherever he goes, you also go. He will not be alone. – Jiddu Krishnamurti
The aim of spiritual life is to awaken a joyful freedom, a benevolent and compassionate heart in spite of everything.
The basic principles of Zen teachings are to relax and be at utmost peace with oneself. Zen is not effort. Effort is tension, effort is work, effort is to achieve something. Zen is not something to achieve. You are already that. Just relax, relax so deeply that you become a revelation to yourself.
The best time to plant a tree was years ago. The second best time is now.
The Buddha talked about saving all beings from delusion, not converting them to a new religion.
The feeling that any task is a nuisance will soon disappear if it is done in mindfulness. – Thich Nhat Hahn
The foot feels the foot when it feels the ground.
The frog in the pond knows little of the great ocean.
The fundamental delusion of humanity is to suppose that I am here and you are out there. – Yasutani Roshi
The goal in life is to die young, but to do as late as possible.
The good life can be as simple as just paying attention. – Charlie Ambler
The Great Way is not difficult, it only avoids picking and choosing. – Sosan
The greater the passion, the greater the Buddha.
The instant you speak about a thing, you miss the mark.
The intuitive recognition of the instant, thus reality… is the highest act of wisdom.
The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. ― Lao Tzu
The man who moved the mountain was the one who began carrying away the smallest stones.
The mind is everything. What you think you become.
The mind of the beginner is empty, free of the habits of the expert, ready to accept, to doubt, and open to all the possibilities. – Shunryu Suzuki
The most important point is to accept yourself and stand on your two feet. ― Shunryu Suzuki
The noble-minded are calm and steady. Little people are forever fussing and fretting. Confucius
The one in whom no longer exist the craving and thirst that perpetuate becoming; how could you track that awakened one, trackless, and of limitless range.
The only real failure in life is not to be true to the best one knows.
The personal life deeply lived always expands into truths beyond itself. – Anais Nin
The practice of Zen is forgetting the self in the act of uniting with something. – Koun Yamada
The present moment is filled with joy and happiness. If you are attentive, you will see it. – Thich Nhat Hahn
The purpose of our lives is to be happy. ― Dalai Lama
The real meditation is how you live your life. – Jon Kabat-Zinn
The resistance to the unpleasant situation is the root of suffering. – Ram Dass
The root of suffering is attachment.
The search for happiness is one of the chief sources of unhappiness. – Eric Hoffer
The temptation to give up is strongest just before victory.
The three elements of creativity are thus: loving, knowing, and doing – or heart, mind, and hands – or, as Zen Buddhist teaching has it; great faith, great question, and great courage. – Eric Maisel
The trouble is, you think you have time. ― Buddha
The true miracle is not walking on water or walking in air, but simply walking on this earth. – Thích Nhất Hạnh
The way is not in the sky. The way is in the heart.
The way to free yourself of pain and suffering is to accept it. – Charlie Ambler
The way to happiness is: keep your heart free from hate, your mind from worry. Live simply, give much. Fill your life with love. Do as you would be done by.
The whole moon and the entire sky are reflected in one dewdrop on the grass. – Dogen
The whole secret of existence is to have no fear. Never fear what will become of you, depend on no one. Only the moment you reject all help are you freed.
The words of the Buddha offer this truth: Hatred never ceases by hatred but by love alone is healed. – Jack Kornfield
The world is afflicted by death and decay. But the wise do not grieve, having realized the nature of the world. – Buddha
The world is its own magic.
The Zen expression Kill the Buddha! means to kill any concept of the Buddha as something apart from oneself.
There are only two ways to live your life. One is as if nothing is a miracle. The other is as if everything is a miracle. – Albert Einstein
There is no fear for one whose mind is not filled with desires.
There is no fire like passion, there is no shark like hatred, there is no snare like folly, there is no torrent like greed.
There is no mistake in nature.- Byron Katie
There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness. – Dalai Lama
There is no path to happiness: happiness is the path. – Buddha
There is nothing more dreadful than the habit of doubt. Doubt separates people. It is a poison that disintegrates friendships and breaks up pleasant relations. It is a thorn that irritates and hurts; it is a sword that kills.
There is nothing so disobedient as an undisciplined mind, and there is nothing so obedient as a disciplined mind.
There will always come a time in your life when you no longer have the courage and strength to deal with the challenges you face. During those times, you often start to think that there is no hope.
There’s no such thing as a friend who doesn’t have any flaws. But if you try to look for all their flaws, you will remain with no friends.
Therefore the Three Realms are only mind.
They blame those who remain silent, they blame those who speak much, they blame those who speak in moderation. There is none in the world who is not blamed.
Things are as they are. Looking out into the universe at night, we make no comparisons between right and wrong stars, nor between well and badly arranged constellations. – Alan Watts
This dew like life fades away; time speeds swiftly. In this short life of ours, avoid involvement in superfluous things and just study the Way. ― Dōgen Zenji
Those who are awake, live in a state of constant amazement. ― Buddha
Those who are free of resentful thoughts surely find peace.
Those who cling to perceptions and views wander the world offending people.
Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared. – Buddha
Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth.
Throughout this life, you can never be certain of living long enough to take another breath.- Huang Po
To a mind that is still, the whole universe surrenders. ― Chuang Tzu
To accept some idea of truth without experiencing it is like a painting of a cake on paper which you cannot eat. – Suzuki Roshi
To be beautiful means to be yourself. You don’t need to be accepted by others. You need to accept yourself. ― Thích Nhất Hạnh
To be idle is a short road to death and to be diligent is a way of life; foolish people are idle, wise people are diligent.
To cry and not be carried away by tears, to laugh and not be carried away by laughter, is the way.
To enjoy good health, to bring true happiness to one’s family, to bring peace to all, one must first discipline and control one’s own mind. If a man can control his mind he can find the way to Enlightenment, and all wisdom and virtue will naturally come to him.
To insist on a spiritual practice that served you in the past is to carry the raft on your back after you have crossed the river.
To know yourself as the Being underneath the thinker, the stillness underneath the mental noise, the love, and joy underneath the pain is freedom, salvation, enlightenment. – Eckhart Tolle
To live a pure unselfish life, one must count nothing as one’s own in the midst of abundance. ― Buddha
To receive everything, one must open one’s hands and give. ― Taisen Deshimaru
To seek is to suffer. To seek nothing is bliss. ― Bodhidharma
To study the way of the Buddha is to study oneself. To study oneself is to forget oneself. To forget oneself is to be enlightened by everything.
To support mother and father, to cherish wife and children, and to be engaged in peaceful occupation — this is the greatest blessing.
To think in terms of either pessimism or optimism oversimplifies the truth. The problem is to see reality as it is. – Thich Nhat Hạnh
To understand everything is to forgive everything. ― Buddha
Today, you can decide to walk in freedom. You can choose to walk differently. You can walk as a free person, enjoying every step.
Train your eyes and ears; train your nose and tongue. The senses are good friends when they are trained. Train your body in deeds, train your tongue in words, train your mind in thoughts. This training will take you beyond sorrow.
Treat every moment as your last. It is not preparation for something else. – Shunryu Suzuki
True love is born from understanding.
Trying to define yourself is like trying to bite your own teeth.- Alan Watts
Understanding is the heartwood of well-spoken words.
Unhappiness enters through a door that has been left open.
We all die. The goal isn’t to live forever; the goal is to create something that will. – Chuck Palahniuk
We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves. – Buddha
We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make the world.
We do not exist for the sake of something else. We exist for the sake of ourselves. – Shunryu Suzuki
We shape clay into a pot, but it is the emptiness inside that holds whatever we want. ― Lao Tzu
We will develop and cultivate the liberation of mind by loving kindness, make it our vehicle, make it our basis, stabilize it, exercise ourselves in it, and fully perfect it.
We will develop love, we will practice it, we will make it both a way and a basis…
What day is it? asked Pooh. It’s today, squeaked Piglet. My favourite day, said Pooh. – A. A Milne
What is important is not the right doctrine but the attainment of the true experience. It is giving up believing in belief.
What is inexpressible is inexhaustible in its use.
What the superior man seeks is in himself; what the small man seeks is in others. Confucius
What was never lost can never be found. ― Zen Proverb
What we are today comes from our thoughts of yesterday, and our present thoughts build our life of tomorrow: Our life is the creation of our mind.
What we think, we become.
What you are is what you have been. What you’ll be is what you do now.
Whatever a monk keeps pursuing with his thinking and pondering, that becomes the inclination of his awareness.
Whatever happens always happens on time.
Whatever has the nature of arising has the nature of ceasing.
Whatever is not yours: let go of it. Your letting go of it will be for your long-term happiness and benefit.
Whatever living beings there may be — feeble or strong, long, stout, or of medium size, short, small, large, those seen or those unseen, those dwelling far or near, those who are born as well as those yet to be born — may all beings have happy minds.
Whatever precious jewel there is in the heavenly worlds, there is nothing comparable to one who is Awakened.
Whatever words we utter should be chosen with care, for people will hear them and be influenced by them for good or ill.
When an ordinary man attains knowledge, he is a sage; when a sage attains understanding, he is an ordinary man.
When I eat, I eat; when I sleep, I sleep.
When I feel like dancing, I dance. I don’t care if anyone else is dancing or if everyone else is laughing at me. I dance. – Rachel Danson
When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be. ― Lao Tzu
When it is understood that one loses joy and happiness in the attempt to possess them, the essence of natural farming will be realized. The ultimate goal of farming is not the growing of crops, but the cultivation and perfection of human beings. – Masanobu Fukuoka
When the student is ready, the teacher will appear. ― Zen Proverb
When thoughts arise, then do all things arise. When thoughts vanish, then do all things vanish. Huang Po
When walking, walk. When eating, eat. ― Zen Proverb
When we meet real tragedy in life, we can react in two ways – either by losing hope and falling into self-destructive habits, or by using the challenge to find our inner strength. Thanks to the teachings of Buddha, I have been able to take this second way. ― Dalai Lama
When you accept what is, every moment is the best moment. That is enlightenment. – Eckhardt Tolle
When you attain victory over yourself, not even the gods can turn it into defeat.
When you do something, you should burn yourself up completely, like a good bonfire, leaving no trace of yourself. – Shunryu Suzuki
When you forget the good and the non-good, the worldly life and the religious life, and all other dharmas, and permit no thoughts relating to them to arise, and you abandon body and mind—then there is complete freedom. When the mind is like wood or stone, there is nothing to be discriminated. – Pai-chang Huai-hai
When you get to the top of the mountain, keep climbing.
When you pass through, no one can pin you down, no one can call you back.
When you realize how perfect everything is you will tilt your head back and laugh at the sky.
When you realize nothing is lacking, the whole world belongs to you. – Lao Tzu
When you seek it, you cannot find it. ― Zen Proverb
When you think everything is someone else fault, you will suffer a lot. When you realize that everything springs only from yourself, you will learn both peace and joy. ― Dalai Lama
Where there is great doubt, there will be great awakening; small doubt, small awakening, no doubt, no awakening.
Wherever you are, be there totally. – Eckhart TolleClick To Tweet
Wherever you are, it’s the place you need to be. – Maxime Lagacé
Why is the tao so valuable? Because it is everywhere, and everyone can use it. This is why those who seek will find.
Wisdom says we are nothing. Love says we are everything. Between these two our life flows. – Jack Kornfield
Wise men don’t judge – they seek to understand. – Wei Wu Wei
With mindfulness, strive on.
Words have the power to both destroy and heal. When words are both true and kind, they can change our world.
You are a function of what the whole universe is doing in the same way that a wave is a function of what the whole ocean is doing.
You can be happy if you are willing to let go of your past and leave yourself unencumbered so you can fly freely. – Chris Prentiss
You can search throughout the entire universe for someone who is more deserving of your love and affection than you are yourself, and that person is not to be found anywhere. You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.
You cannot travel the path until you have become the path itself.
You have to grow from the inside out. None can teach you, none can make you spiritual. There is no other teacher but your own soul. – Swami Vivekananda
You look at where you’re going and where you are and it never makes sense, but then you look back at where you’ve been and a pattern seems to emerge. – Robert M. Pirsig
You must love yourself before you love another. By accepting yourself and fully being what you are, your simple presence can make others happy.
You only lose what you cling to.
You should respect each other and refrain from disputes; you should not, like water and oil, repel each other, but should, like milk and water, mingle together.
You should stop pursuing words and letters, and learn to withdraw and reflect on yourself. When you do so, your body and mind will fall away naturally and your original Buddha-nature will appear. – Dogen
You will not be punished for your anger. You will be punished by your anger.
Your home is where your thoughts find peace.
Your own self is your master; who else could be? With yourself well controlled, you gain a master very hard to find.
Your purpose in life is to find your purpose and give your whole heart and soul to it.
Zen has no business with ideas.
Zen is not some kind of excitement, but concentration on our usual everyday routine. – Shunryu Suzuki
Zen teaches us to love unconditionally, free from doubts, regrets, and hesitations. When we love, we embrace everything that love itself has to offer. We don’t love because we want to receive it in return; we love because we choose to give of ourselves.
