When you realize nothing is lacking, the whole world belongs to you. Lao Tzu
Let go, or be dragged. Zen proverb
What the superior man seeks is in himself; what the small man seeks is in others. Confucius
To seek is to suffer. To seek nothing is bliss. Bodhidharma
Mind is like a mad monkey. Sathya Sai Baba
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Wise men don’t judge – they seek to understand. Wei Wu Wei
When thoughts arise, then do all things arise. When thoughts vanish, then do all things vanish. Huang Po
Wherever you are, it’s the place you need to be. Maxime Lagacé
The noble-minded are calm and steady. Little people are forever fussing and fretting. Confucius
Rest and be kind, you don’t have to prove anything. Jack Kerouac
Nothing ever goes away until it has taught us what we need to know. Pema Chödrön
Only the hand that erases can write the true thing. Meister Eckhart
Where can I find a man who has forgotten words so I can talk with him? Zhuangzi
When we discover that the truth is already in us, we are all at once our original selves. Dogen
Life is a balance of holding on and letting go. Rumi
See also: positive quotes, silence quotes, Buddha quotes
Zen Quotes Video
Relax Music For Stress Relief (1 HOUR – With Beautiful Zen Quotes)
The Best Zen Quotes
Wherever you are, be there totally. Eckhart Tolle
I live by letting things happen. Dogen
Forget the years, forget distinctions. Leap into the boundless and make it your home. Zhuangzi
Before enlightenment; chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment; chop wood, carry water. Buddha
Who you are is always right. Ming-Dao Deng Click to tweet
The search for happiness is one of the chief sources of unhappiness. Eric Hoffer
And when they played they really played. And when they worked they really worked. Dr. Seuss
Do not seek the truth, only cease to cherish your opinions. Seng-ts’an
One loses joy and happiness in the attempt to possess them. Masanobu Fukuoka
Education breeds confidence. Confidence breeds hope. Hope breeds peace. Confucius Click to tweet
Relax. Nothing is under control. Adi Da Click to tweet
Still your waters. Josh Waitzkin Click to tweet
Relax. Nothing’s missing. Maxime Lagacé
Peace of mind is that mental condition in which you have accepted the worst. Lin Yutang
Learn to be comfortable in adversity but most importantly, learn to be comfortable when you’re bored. Maxime Lagacé
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 (Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind by Shunryu Suzuki, Amazon book)
The place to improve the world is first in one’s own heart and head and hands. Robert M. Pirsig (Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance)
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
Everything that happens to you is a form of instruction if you pay attention. Robert Greene
I don’t mind what happens. That is the essence of inner freedom. Jiddu Krishnamurti
The less you try to impress, the more peaceful you can be. Maxime Lagacé
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
Do you have the patience to wait until your mud settles and the water is clear? Lao Tzu
When one first seeks the truth, one separates oneself from it. Dogen
Don’t seek, don’t search, don’t ask, don’t knock, don’t demand – relax. Osho Click to tweet
Man suffers only because he takes seriously what the gods made for fun. Alan Watts
Muddy water is best cleared by leaving it alone. Alan Watts
Every experience is a lesson. Every loss is a gain. Sathya Sai Baba
See also: quotes to live by
See also: Tao Te Ching, The Definitive Edition (Amazon book)
What Is Zen?
Zen is an effort to become alert and awake. Osho
In Zen we have no gurus. Frederick Lenz Click to tweet
Zen teaches nothing; it merely enables us to wake up and become aware. It does not teach, it points. D.T. Suzuki
Zen in it’s essence is the art of seeing into the nature of one’s being, and it points the way from bondage to freedom. D.T. Suzuki
The practice of Zen is forgetting the self in the act of uniting with something. Koun Yamada
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. Shunryu Suzuki
Zen practice is to open up our small mind. Shunryu Suzuki Click to tweet
Zen is not a religion. There is no room for a cult. There is no dependence on a teacher. There is only learning how to use your own mind and making it strong. Frederick Lenz
Zen teaches that if we can open up to the inevitability of our demise, we can begin to transform and lighten up about it. Allen Klein
Zen is a liberation from time. For if we open our eyes and see clearly, it becomes obvious that there is no other time than this instant, and that the past and the future are abstractions without any concrete reality. Alan Watts
Zen is a path of liberation. It liberates you. It is freedom from the first step to the last. You are not required to follow any rules; you are required to find out your own rules and your own life in the light of awareness. Osho
Zen is not some kind of excitement, but concentration on our usual everyday routine. Shunryu Suzuki
Zen is not an art, it’s not a religion. It’s a realisation. Gene Clark
See also: What is Zen? (zen-buddhism.net)
Part 2. Zen Quotes That Are…
The Most Famous Zen Quotes (Lao Tzu, Confucius, Buddha, etc.)
To be wronged is nothing unless you continue to remember it. Confucius Click to tweet
If you chase two rabbits, you catch none. Confucius
Do not think you will necessarily be aware of your own enlightenment. Dogen
To study Buddhism is to study ourselves. To study ourselves is to forget ourselves. Dogen
Treat every moment as your last. It is not preparation for something else. Shunryu Suzuki (Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind)
In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s mind there are few. Shunryu Suzuki Click to tweet
The only Zen you can find on the tops of mountains is the Zen you bring up there. Robert M. Pirsig (Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance)
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
Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power. Lao Tzu
Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished. Lao Tzu
If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion. 14th Dalai Lama
The successful warrior is the average man, with laser-like focus. Bruce Lee
Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment. Buddha
The first and the best victory is to conquer self. Plato Click to tweet
All know the way, but few actually walk it. Bodhidharma
Not engaging in ignorance is wisdom. Bodhidharma
The essence of the Way is detachment. Bodhidharma
More famous quotes
See also: 12 Practical Steps for Learning to Go With the Flow (zenhabits.net)
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Short Zen Quotes
One-liners, short zen quotes, sayings, thoughts and captions for your bio, social status, self-talk, motto, mantra, signs, posters, wallpapers, backgrounds.
Act without expectation. Lao Tzu
Not creating delusions is enlightenment. Bodhidharma
All things are difficult before they are easy. Thomas Fuller
Words diminish meanings; these words included. Unknown
The more you know, the less you need. Yvon Chouinard (Patagonia)
Don’t be afraid to just sit and watch. Anthony Bourdain
Your mind wants control. Life wants change. Maxime Lagacé
Become comfortable with not knowing. Eckhart Tolle
Life begins where fear ends. Osho Click to tweet
Be present above all else. Naval Ravikant
Think with your whole body. Taisen Deshimaru
Love all. Serve all. Help ever. Hurt never. Sathya Sai Baba
Don’t try to steer the river. Deepak Chopra Click to tweet
To go beyond is as wrong as to fall short. Confucius
Roads were made for journeys not destinations. Confucius
Don’t curse the darkness, light a candle. Confucius
Body and mind dropped off. Dogen (on enlightenment)
Those who seek the easy way do not seek the true way. Dogen Click to tweet
Enlightenment is intimacy with all things. Dogen
A zen master’s life is one continuous mistake. Dogen
Now I know what success is: living your truth, sharing it. Kamal Ravikant
I follow four dictates: face it, accept it, deal with it, then let it go. Sheng-yen
To live – is that not enough? D.T. Suzuki
Zen has no business with ideas. D.T. Suzuki
Sleep is the best meditation. 14th Dalai Lama
This will never come again. Steve Hagen
Movement is evil. Being still is good. Ben Caesar
In the highest level a man has the look of knowing nothing. Yamamoto Tsunetomo
Singlemindedness is all-powerful. Yamamoto Tsunetomo
More short quotes
Inspirational Zen Quotes
If you know the enemy and know yourself you need not fear the results of a hundred battles. Sun Tzu
When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don’t adjust the goals, adjust the action steps. Confucius
If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a lifetime, help someone else. Confucius
Truth makes you rise to new heights, no matter where you are. Kamal Ravikant
These mountains that you are carrying, you were only supposed to climb. Najwa Zebian
Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or lose. Lyndon B. Johnson
It is easy to believe we are each waves and forget we are also the ocean. Jon J. Muth
Little people overwhelmed by emotions. Zen people are calm and detached. Maxime Lagacé
Emptiness which is conceptually liable to be mistaken for sheer nothingness is in fact the reservoir of infinite possibilities. D.T. Suzuki
In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity. Sun Tzu (See also: uplifting quotes)
Even if it seems certain that you will lose, retaliate. Neither wisdom nor technique has a place in this. A real man does not think of victory or defeat. He plunges recklessly towards an irrational death. By doing this, you will awaken from your dreams. Yamamoto Tsunetomo (Hagakure: The Book of the Samurai)
Purity is something that cannot be attained except by piling effort upon effort. Yamamoto Tsunetomo (Hagakure: The Book of the Samurai)
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
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 (Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance)
A man is great not because he hasn’t failed; a man is great because failure hasn’t stopped him. Confucius
There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness. 14th Dalai Lama
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
My daily affairs are quite ordinary; but I’m in total harmony with them. Layman Pang
Unhappiness and rain just drift by and are gone, they are visitors. John Aske
Have the fearless attitude of a hero and the loving heart of a child. Soyen Shaku
Confuse them with your silence and amaze them with your actions. Unknown
I don’t hold on to anything, don’t reject anything; nowhere an obstacle or conflict. Layman Pang
We just let it happen… and that’s the beauty of this technique. Bob Ross
Just as parents care for their children, you should bear in mind the whole universe. Dogen
See also: quotes about strength
See also: Here’s How A Month Of Zen Meditation Changed My Life (fastcompany.com)
Funny And Surprising Zen Quotes
If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito. 14th Dalai Lama Click to tweet
A true Zen saying: “Nothing is what I want”. Frank Zappa
When I’m riding my bicycle I feel like a Buddhist who is happy just to enjoy his mundane existence. Robin Williams
When you’ve understood this scripture, throw it away. If you can’t understand this scripture, throw it away. I insist on your freedom. Jack Kerouac
Too lazy to be ambitious, I let the world take care of itself. Ten days’ worth of rice in my bag; a bundle of twigs by the fireplace. Why chatter about delusion and enlightenment? Listening to the night rain on my roof, I sit comfortably, with both legs stretched out. Ryōkan
Craziness is good. Crazy people are happy, free, they have no hindrance. But since you have many attachment, you are only a little crazy. This is not crazy enough. You must become
completely crazy. Then you will understand. Seungsahn
I have lived with several Zen masters – all of them cats. Eckhart Tolle Click to tweet
The menu is not the meal. Alan Watts
Zen is nothing to get excited about. Shunryu Suzuki
Do not be too interested in Zen. Shunryu Suzuki
Deep Zen Quotes
We are here to awaken from our illusion of separateness. Thich Nhat Hanh Click to tweet
The whole moon and the entire sky are reflected in one dewdrop on the grass. Dogen
Cease from practice based on intellectual understanding, pursuing words, and following after speech. Dogen
It is the nature of the wise to resist pleasures, but the foolish to be a slave to them. Epictetus
They call it ‘peace of mind’ but maybe it should be called ‘peace from mind’. Naval Ravikant
Your mind is a mad monkey trying to understand life which is unfair and crazy. Get used to it. Maxime Lagacé
To set up what you like against what you dislike, this is the disease of the mind. Sengcan
But as long as you think you are practicing zazen for the sake of something, that is not true practice. Shunryu Suzuki
Many have died; you also will die. The drum of death is being beaten. The world has fallen in love with a dream. Only sayings of the wise will remain. Kabir
The ability to observe without evaluating is the highest form of intelligence. Jiddu Krishnamurti
Pursue not the outer entanglements; dwell not in the inner void; be serene in the oneness of things; and dualism vanishes by itself. Sengcan
Matters of great concern should be treated lightly. Matters of small concern should be treated seriously. Yamamoto Tsunetomo (Hagakure: The Book of the Samurai, Amazon book)
One thing, all things: move among and intermingle, without distinction. To live in this realization is to be without anxiety about non-perfection. To live in this faith is the road to non-duality, because the non-dual is one with the trusting mind. Sengcan
There is a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in. Leonard Cohen
Why do you so earnestly seek the truth in distant places? Look for delusion and truth in the bottom of your own heart. Ryōkan
The thief left it behind: the moon at my window. Ryōkan Click to tweet
We shape clay into a pot, but it is the emptiness inside that holds whatever we want. Lao Tzu
Even death is not to be feared by one who has lived wisely. Buddha
For things to reveal themselves to us, we need to be ready to abandon our views about them. Thich Nhat Hanh
One has not understood until one has forgotten it. D.T. Suzuki
More deep quotes
Wise Zen Quotes (Words Of Wisdom)
A great man is hard on himself; a small man is hard on others. Confucius Click to tweet
To be truly ignorant, be content with your own knowledge. Zhuangzi
It’s beautiful to be alone. To be alone does not mean to be lonely. It means the mind is not influenced and contaminated by society. Jiddu Krishnamurti
When you understand one thing through and through, you understand everything. When you try to understand everything, you will not understand anything. Shunryu Suzuki
When we start to feel anxious or depressed, instead of asking, “What do I need to get to be happy?” The question becomes, “What am I doing to disturb the inner peace that I already have?”. D.T. Suzuki
If you want something then you lose everything. If you don’t want anything then you already have everything. Seungsahn
To say one is revolutionary is a little like saying one is a Zen Buddhist – if you say you are, you probably aren’t. Lawrence Ferlinghetti
When you catch yourself slipping into a pool of negativity, notice how it derives from nothing other than resistance to the current situation. Donna Quesada
The foolish reject what they see, not what they think; the wise reject what they think, not what they see. Huang Po
A wise man speaks because he has something to say; a fool because he has to say something. Plato Click to tweet
The man who asks a question is a fool for a minute, the man who does not ask is a fool for life. Confucius
Un-think. Un-learn. Un-know. Un-believe. Un-speculate. Un-seek. Un-strive. Un-fear. Lose your mind and effortlessly be. Brian Thompson
Knowledge is learning something everyday. Wisdom is letting go of something everyday. Unknown
Don’t be satisfied with your accomplishment, nor be dissatisfied with it. Unknown
Little people try to control everything. Thus, they control nothing. Wise people focus on one thing, the most important, and let go of the rest. Maxime Lagacé
You can have the mind or you can have the moment. Naval Ravikant
Obstacles don’t block the path, they are the path. Zen proverb
One must be deeply aware of the impermanence of the world. Dogen
Prefer to be defeated in the presence of the wise than to excel among fools. Dogen
More words of wisdom
See also: Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance (Amazon book)
Part 3. Top 10 Zen Proverbs
The obstacle is the path. Zen proverb Click to tweet
Move and the way will open. Zen proverb
Be master of mind rather than mastered by mind. Zen proverb
When the student is ready, the teacher will appear. Zen proverb
You should sit and meditate for 20 minutes, unless you’re too busy, then you should sit and meditate or an hour. Zen proverb (See also: How to Meditate, nytimes.com)
To follow the path, look to the master, follow the master, walk with the master, see through the master, become the master. Zen proverb
The wise adapt themselves to circumstances, as water molds itself to the pitcher. Zen proverb
Only when you can be extremely pliable and soft can you be extremely hard and strong. Zen proverb
Man stands in his own shadow and wonders why it is dark. Zen proverb
When walking, walk. When eating, eat. Zen proverb
Bonus proverb #1
No snowflake ever falls in the wrong place. Zen proverb
Bonus Proverb #2
When you reach the top of the mountain, keep climbing. Zen proverb Click to tweet
Part 4. Top 10 Quotes From Zen Mind Beginner’s Mind (Book)
To live is enough. Shunryu Suzuki Click to tweet
Calmness in activity is true calmness. Shunryu Suzuki
When you do something, you should do it with your whole body and mind; you should be concentrated on what you do. You should do it completely, like a good bonfire. Shunryu Suzuki
You should not be a smoky fire. You should burn yourself completely. If you do not burn yourself completely, a trace of yourself will be left in what you do. Shunryu Suzuki
Emotionally we have many problems, but these problems are not actual problems; they are something created; they are problems pointed out by our self-centered ideas or views. Shunryu Suzuki
Zen is not some kind of excitement, but concentration on our usual everyday routine. Shunryu Suzuki
What we call “I” is just a swinging door which moves when we inhale and when we exhale. Shunryu Suzuki
We do not exist for the sake of something else. We exist for the sake of ourselves. Shunryu Suzuki
We should not hoard knowledge; we should be free from our knowledge. Shunryu Suzuki
The goal of practice is always to keep our beginner’s mind. Shunryu Suzuki
Bonus Quote #1
Sincerity itself is the railroad track. Shunryu Suzuki
Bonus Quote #2
When something dies is the greatest teaching. Shunryu Suzuki Click to tweet
Part 5. Conclusion
Doing nothing is better than being busy doing nothing. Lao Tzu Click to tweet
Call to action: Read The Beginner’s Guide to Zen Habits: A Guided Tour (zenhabits.net)
Table Of Contents
Part 1
Top 15 Images
Zen Video
Best Zen Quotes
What Is Zen?
Part 2
Zen Quotes That ARE
Famous
Short
Inspirational
Funny
Deep
Wise
Part 3
Top 10 Zen Proverbs
Part 4
Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind (Top 10 Quotes From The Book)
Part 5
Conclusion
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I have also collected quotes. I’ve learned a lot from them and they helped me through life. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks to you Ruth for your message.
Glad you liked!
There is one Zen saying which says… when I started Zen you could the mountain. Later it vanished and now I am content to see the mountain again. That saying should be featured on your page.
What a lovely collection.. akin to the work of Confucius …
Hi Arveen, thank you for your message.
I’ve searched for the quote you’re referring to but can’t find it.
Do you have the exact words?
Life is a balance of holding on and letting go
Another similar quote I like is this one from Marcus Aurelius: “Learn to be indifferent to what makes no difference.”
Thanks,
Maxime
What’s my favorite Zen quote? “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
That is indeed a good one, Riley.
Thanks for letting us know.
Maxime
Your work refreshes and calms me. thank you.
Glad to hear that.
Thanks for your message,
Maxime
Thank you for this greatly put together quotes! Very nice collection!!!
Thanks for your comment, Evelina.
Happy you liked it!
Thanks,
Maxime