A Zen student asked his roshi the most important element of Zen.The roshi replied, "Attention." "Yes, thank you," the student replied. "But can you tell me the second most important element?"And the roshi replied, "Attention."

Allow rather than resist what arises in the present moment-inside or out. Let it be interesting rather than good or bad.

No matter what we feel or know, no matter what our potential gifts or talents, only action brings them to life. Those of us who only think we understand concepts such as commitment, courage, and love, one day discover that we only know when we act; doing becomes understanding.

If there is a central theme to what I called "a peaceful warrior's approach to living," and to The Four Purposes of Life, it is that there may be innumerable techniques or methods one can learn (from the Eastern spiritual cultures and from the Western psychological tradition), but that above and beyond all these technologies waits the school of everyday life.

Faith is the recognition that Spirit works in, as and through each and all of us - through every person and every circumstance.

Life is a series of moments. The quality of attention and action that we bring to each moment determines the quality of our lives.

Bad people don't go to hell, they are already there.