Zen & Buddhist Sayings

Be master of mind rather than mastered by mind.

The greatest achievement is selflessness.
The greatest worth is self-mastery.
The greatest quality is seeking to serve others.
The greatest precept is continual awareness.
The greatest medicine is the emptiness of everything.
The greatest action is not conforming with the worlds ways.
The greatest magic is transmuting the passions.
The greatest generosity is non-attachment.
The greatest goodness is a peaceful mind.
The greatest patience is humility.
The greatest effort is not concerned with results.
The greatest meditation is a mind that lets go.
The greatest wisdom is seeing through appearances.
Atisha

In criticizing, the teacher is hoping to teach. That's all.
Bankei

Do not speak- unless it improves on silence.

You can explore the universe looking for somebody who is more deserving of your love and affection than you are yourself,
and you will not find that person anywhere.

Conquer the angry man by love.
Conquer the ill-natured man by goodness.
Conquer the miser with generosity.
Conquer the liar with truth.
The Dhammapada

The beauty of life is, while we cannot undo what is done,
we can see it, understand it, learn from it and change.
So that every new moment is spent not in regret, guilt, fear or anger,
but in wisdom, understanding and love.
Jennifer Edwards

View all problems as challenges.
Look upon negativities that arise as opportunities to learn and to grow.
Don't run from them, condemn yourself, or bury your burden in saintly silence.
You have a problem? Great.
More grist for the mill. Rejoice, dive in, and investigate.
Bhante Henepola Gunaratana, "Mindfulness in Plain English"

Our lives are based on what is reasonable and common sense;
Truth is apt to be neither.
Christmas Humphreys

Normally, we do not so much look at things as overlook them.
Alan Watts

Always think of how others are kind and precious
Treat them as you would like to be treated.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche

If you know the psychological nature of your own mind, depression is spontaneously dispelled;
instead of being enemies and strangers, all living beings become your friends.
The narrow mind rejects; wisdom accepts.
Check your own mind to see whether or not this is true.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche

Famous Chinese Proverb
He who asks a question is a fool for a minute; he who does not remains a fool forever.

Japanese Proverb
When the character of a man is not clear to you, look at his friends.

Chinese Proverb
Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.

Zen Proverb
Student says " I am very discouraged. What should I do?" Master says, "encourage others."

Chinese Proverb
Water and words... Easy to pour impossible to recover.

Taoist Proverb
We cannot see our reflection in running water. It is only in still water that we can see.

Zen Saying
The obstacle is the path.

Osho Zen Quote
This is the Zen approach: nothing is there to be done. There is nothing to do. One has just to be. Have a rest and be ordinary and be natural.

Zen Master Dogen
Do not follow the ideas of others, but learn to listen to the voice within yourself.

Zen Quote
When you get to the top of the mountain, keep climbing.

Our Deepest Fear

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We are born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us, it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

used in Nelson Mandela's speech
(from author Marianne Williamson)