What you have known of this life so far is only a dream, a slim dream at that. As one who has traveled greatly in the worlds, I can assure you there is much to see and much to become.

I was drawn to be very solitary as a scholar. I lived a very quiet life, aloof, with my books, with my walks in nature, meditating, and of course with my teacher.

Within silence all things are contained. What appears to our eyes to be life is but a thin curtain, a gauze penumbra, which stultifies our vision, which prevents us from seeing the truth.

There is really only one Zen Master ... and that's yourself.

It is only when you realize that you are mortal and yet immortal simultaneously that you begin to realize that the beautiful incongruities of existence aren't incongruous at all, but rather perfect.

I would suggest to you that at this moment you are the only self that you have ever had; you've never had a childhood; there wasn't a five-minute-ago time.

If you are able to stop feeling sorry for yourself, and to contribute to the betterment of this world and of those around us, you will experience a high that is beyond my ability to express.