Seek not the paths of the ancients; Seek that which the ancients sought.

Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise. Seek what they sought.

No matter where your interest lies, you will not be able to accomplish anything unless you bring your deepest devotion to it.

Before enlightenment, chopping wood and carrying water. After enlightenment, chopping wood and carrying water.

Mountain-rose petals Falling, falling, falling now... Waterfall music

There is nothing you can see that is not a flower; there is nothing you can think that is not the moon.

Sitting quietly, doing nothing, Spring comes, and the grass grows, by itself.

Make the universe your companion, always bearing in mind the true nature of things-mountains and rivers, trees and grasses, and humanity-and enjoy the falling blossoms and the scattering leaves.

Learn how to listen as things speak for themselves.

A flute with no holes is not a flute.

Come, butterfly It's late- We've miles to go together.

Creativity is an amazing human characteristic, which is more connected with curiosity than with knowledge.

I still have my little red hardcover notebook—spine now held in place by packing tape, pages dotted with cooking stains—filled with her loving instructions for mandelbrot, nut cake, and strudel.

I had an indie pop phase, I had just about every phase you could think of.

Can any of you seriously say the Bill of Rights could get through Congress today? It wouldn't even get out of committee.

Meditation is essential because meditation opens the mind to itself.

Enhancing long term national security requires that we have a clear-eyed view of radical Islamic terrorism without ascribing radical Islamic terrorist views to all Muslims.

The prophets and the writers of the Psalms were clear that God was continuing to work in the universe and in all history. They declared that He had created the universe.

We have to compete within ourselves relative to the determination it takes to be successful.

To see me as a person on screen would be one of the dullest experiences you could ever wish to experience.

If I were to give off-the-cuff advice to anyone trying to institute change, I would say, "How clear is the metaphor?"