In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s there are few

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

True communication depends upon our being straightforward with one another... But the best way to communicate may be just to sit without saying anything.

Those who are attached only to the result of their effort will not have any chance to appreciate it, because the result will never come.

A mind full of preconceived ideas, subjective intentions, or habits it not open to things as they are.

We emphasize straightforwardness. You should be true to your feelings, and to your mind, expressing yourself without any reservations. This helps the listener to understand more easily.

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... Zen practice is to open up our small mind.

In our practice we have no particular purpose or goal, nor any special object of worship.

Zen is nothing to get excited about.

To live in the realm of Buddha nature means to die as a small being, moment after moment.

In your practice you should accept everything as it is, giving to each thing the same respect given to a Buddha.

There is no art without contemplation.

Sure, I had been accused of murder by my family and was wrapped up in a bizarre investigation, but there were such cute boys involved. Hey, I try to look on the bright side.

Vanity dulls the senses.

Americans are so enamored of equality that they would rather be equal in slavery than unequal in freedom.

January is my favorite month, when the light is plainest, least colored. And I like the feeling of beginnings.

Women will never be taken seriously until they accept full responsibility for their sexuality.

Even truthfulness is but one means to knowledge, a ladder--but not the ladder.

Misunderstandings and neglect create more confusion in this world than trickery and malice. At any rate, the last two are certainly much less frequent.

To be honest, my social life is my work. It's quite boring to say, but I meet a lot of people, and we have people from different creative disciplines. I enjoy life right now, and I enjoy work.

Secularism and Religion are both all about your personal performance. The Gospel is the performance of another applied to you.