If you know something hurtful and not true, don't say it. If you know something hurtful and true, don't say it. If you know something helpful but not true, don't say it. If you know something helpful and true, find the right time to say it.

In the same way that rain breaks into a house with a bad roof, desire breaks into the mind that has not been practising meditation.

With gentleness overcome anger. With generosity overcome meanness. With truth overcome deceit.

A dog is not considered a good dog because he is a good barker. A man is not considered a good man because he is a good talker.

When I was a young man, near the beginning of my life, I looked around with true mindfulness and saw that all things are subject to decay.

Do not accept what you hear by report, do not accept tradition, do not accept a statement because it is found in our books, nor because it is in accord with your belief, nor because it is the saying of your teacher. Be lamps unto yourselves. Those who, either now or after I am dead, shall rely upon themselves only and not look for assistance to anyone besides themselves, it is they who shall reach the topmost height.

In a controversy the instant we feel anger we have already ceased striving for the truth, and have begun striving for ourselves. This is a helpful pointer for our everyday presence-practice. Can you catch yourself angrily defending your point of view or attacking the other person's? There's the ego.