“Not thinking about anything is zen. Once you know this, walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, everything you do is zen. To know that the mind is empty is to see the buddha…. Using the mind to reality is delusion. Not using the mind to look for reality is awareness. Freeing oneself from words is liberation.”

Mortals liberate Buddhas and Buddhas liberate mortals.

Those who worship don’t know, and those who know don’t worship.

People of this world are deluded. They’re always longing for something, always, in a word, seeking. But the wise wake up. They choose reason over custom. They fix their minds on the sublime and let their bodies change with the seasons.

Life and death are important. Don’t suffer them in vain.

According to the Sutras, evil deeds result in hardships and good deeds result in blessings.

Don’t hate life and death or love life and death. Keep your every thought free of delusion, and in life you’ll witness the beginning of nirvana, and in death you’ll experience the assurance of no rebirth.

Those who remain unmoved by the wind of joy silently follow the Path.

In order to see a fish you must watch the water

Our true buddha-nature has no shape. And the dust of affliction has no form.

Not engaging in ignorance is wisdom.

The ignorant mind, with its infinite afflictions, passions, and evils, is rooted in the three poisons. Greed, anger, and delusion.

Regardless of what we do, our karma has no hold on us.

The Way is basically perfect. It doesn’t require perfecting. The Way has no form or sound. It’s subtle and hard to perceive. It’s like when you drink water: you know how hot or cold it is, but you can’t tell others.

When we’re deluded there’s a world to escape. When we’re aware, there’s nothing to escape.

When you don’t understand, you depend on reality. When you do understand, reality depends on you.

Many roads lead to the Path, but basically there are only two: reason and practice.