The complete teachings of all Buddhas - past, present, and future - are to be found within the essence of every human being.

As one lamp serves to dispel a thousand years of darkness, so one flash of wisdom destroys ten thousand years of ignorance.

Words are not truth. Truth is like the moon, and words are like my finger. I can point to the moon with my finger, but my finger is not the moon. Do you need my finger to see the moon?

The truth is to be lived, not just mouthed.

Zazen is seated meditation-the opposite of contemplation-the emptying of the mind of all thoughts in order simply to be. In the midst of all evil, not a thought is aroused in the mind-this is called za. Seeing into one's Self-nature, not being moved at all-this is called Zen.

By amending our mistakes, we get wisdom. By defending our faults, we betray an unsound mind.

Because wisdom is innate, we can all enlighten ourselves.