89 Zen phrases that will touch your soul

Zen is a Buddhist school which arose in India and developed in China, which aims to raise awareness.

In the West, this philosophy is closely related to mental and physical well-being and meditation, and in recent years it has become very popular. Well, it helps to escape the fast pace of life in which we live in western societies, promoting self-knowledge and relaxation and helping people to “be in the here and the now"-

The best Zen phrases

Throughout history there are many authors who have pronounced Zen phrases. In today's article, you can find a list of the best phrases on this topic. Enjoy them!

1. The things I carry are my thoughts. They are my only weight. My thoughts determine whether I am free and light or heavy and burdened

Kamal ravikant. Constantly reminiscing about things is a very heavy burden.

2. Meditation is the new mobile device; can be used anywhere, anytime, discreetly

Sharon salzberg. It is possible to benefit from meditation anywhere and at any time.

3. Only the hand that erases can write the true

Meister Eckhart, a Zen phrase to reflect on the truth.

4. Those who are free from resentment will find peace for sure

Buddha, talking about hatred and resentment.

5. Worried about a single leaf you won't see the tree

If you focus your attention only on the negative aspects, you will not see the positive ones.

6. It's funny that life, the emptier, the more it weighs

A reflection on the personal development of each one of us

7. In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's there are few

The beginner's mind is a pure, non-judgmental mind.

8. Just like parents take care of their children, you should consider the entire universe

Zen Master Dogen, a phrase about taking care of yourself.

9. Three things can no longer be hidden: the sun, the moon and the truth

Another great reflection of the great Buddha.

10. If you are unable to find the truth right where you are, where do you hope to find it?

The present is the only moment we can live.

11. My experience tells me that most things are not as bad as I thought they would be

We tend to worry excessively about the things that happen to us.

12. What we can change are our perceptions, which have the effect of changing everything

Donna Quesada. It is not the events that affect us, but how we interpret them.

13. We are formed by our thoughts; We become what we think.

Buddha. We are what we think and act based on it.

14. Remember that sometimes not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck.

Dalai Lama. Not achieving what you want can be an opportunity to achieve other things.

15. You are not your thoughts. This simple statement can make a big change in your quality of life.

Dawn Gluskin. A Zen phrase with a certain tone of irony.

16. Mindfulness is not complicated, we just have to remember to do it

Sharon Salzberg, Mindfulness requires attitude and practice.

17. One thing: you have to walk and create the path by walking; you will not find a path already made. It is not cheap to achieve the highest realization of the truth. You will have to create the path by walking by yourself; the road is not already done waiting for you. It's just like the sky: birds fly but leave no footprints. You cannot follow them; there are no footprints behind

Osho. Each of us must carve out our destiny, because destiny is not written.

18. There is no fear for the one whose mind is not full of desires

A reflection that deals with the relationship between fears and desires.

19. The object of your desire is not an object

A quote from Jack gardner, which invites you to think.

20. True love is born of understanding

According to Zen philosophy, love is only understood with understanding

21. Better than a thousand empty words, a single word that can bring peace

In this quote he exposes the importance of a word full of feeling.

22. Escaping the world means that one's world is not preoccupied with the world's opinions

One should not worry about what others think of him.

23. Purity and impurity come from oneself; no one can purify another

Buddha highlights the central role of everyone's mind

24. A madman is known for his actions, a wise man too

We are what we do, that is, the actions we carry out.

25. Firmly train yourself to achieve peace

This phrase refers to the search for inner peace.

26. We can only lose what we hold on to

We must not get attached to our emotions, but observe them and let them pass.

27. Stress comes from the way you relate to events or situations

Chris prentiss. Events or situations do not stress us, but how we interpret them.

28. Fill your mind with compassion

Compassion is one of the principles of Zen philosophy.

29. All we are is the result of what we have thought

Buddha. Our thoughts determine who we are.

30. How people treat you is their karma; how you react is yours

Wayne dyer. A quote about Karma from this well-known author.

31. Not thinking about anything is Zen. Once you know this, walk, sit or lie down, all you do is Zen

The Zen philosophy surrounds you and is part of your day to day.

32. It is better to travel well than to arrive

You have to live in the present to get to the future.

33. Problems that remain persistently unsolved should be viewed as incorrectly questioned questions.

Alan Wilson Watts, about problem solving.

34. The more you know, the less you need

Yvon Chouinard. Wisdom makes you need less.

35. If you can bring your consciousness, your intelligence to the act, if you can be spontaneous, then there is no need for any religion, life turns itself into religion.

Osho. A quote about self-knowledge and about the present and spontaneity.

36. You cannot travel the path until you become the path itself.

If you do not focus on the present and your senses, you will not move forward.

37. The meaning of spiritual life is to realize the truth. But you will never understand spiritual life, or the truth, if you measure it with your own criteria.

Dainin katagiri. An interesting quote to reflect on.

38. The power of the mind is unconquerable

Seneca It tells us about the power of the mind.

39. Stress is an ignorant state. With him you think everything is an emergency. Nothing is that important

Natalie Goldberg. Stress is a problem that takes its toll on our days.

40. The answer is never "out there." All the answers are "in there", inside you, wanting to be discovered

Chris prentiss. A phrase about self-knowledge and its importance to be happy.

41. I have lived with many Zen masters, many of them cats.

Eckhart Tolle. A reflection on the Zen masters.

42. Every human being is the author of his own health or disease

Another quote from Buddha that refers to the health of each one.

43. We should live each day like people who have just been rescued from the moon

A great Zen phrase from Thích Nhất Hạnh.

44. If you want to learn, teach. If you need inspiration, inspire others. If you are sad, cheer someone up

A curious phrase about attitude.

45. If you want to master the anxiety of life, live in the moment, live in the breath

A quote that makes clear reference to Buddhist meditation.

46. The best trick of the mind is the illusion that it exists

Marty rubin. The mind is very powerful.

47. To teach others, first you have to do something very hard: you have to straighten yourself

In order to teach, as well as to love, you must first come into contact with your own self.

48. You can be happy if you are willing to let go of your past and get rid of obstacles in order to fly.

The past weighs so much that it doesn't let you fly in the direction you want.

49. There is no fire like passion: there is no evil like hatred

Hate is one of the worst defects of the human being.

50. Presence is when you no longer wait for the next moment, believing that the next moment will be fuller than this.

The present is the only way to live the best future.

51. If you add a little to a little, and do it frequently, soon little will become a lot.

The importance of constancy and perseverance highlighted in this quote.

52. Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor

Thich Nhat Hanh, one of the great figures of mindfulness, in clear reference to meditation.

53. Wealth is much more in enjoyment than in possession

Zen philosophy is totally opposed to materialism

54. Better a word that serene who hears it than a thousand absurd verses

The key may be in the short term.

55. The worst aggression against ourselves, the worst of all, is to remain ignorant for not having the courage and respect to treat ourselves with honesty and tenderness

Pema Chödrön. Treating yourself with respect is the key to wellness.

56. Walk like you're kissing the ground with your feet

Another famous reflection by Thich Nhat Hanh on living in the here and now.

57. More than a thousand useless words, only one is worth giving peace

Words that lead to calm are the most helpful.

58. Do not seek the friendship of those who have an impure soul; do not seek the company of men of perverse soul. Associate with those who have the beautiful and good soul. If you want to be happy, surround yourself with people who value your soul and who know how to communicate in a positive way.

Surround yourself with people with good hearts.

59. Your duty is to discover your world and then surrender to it with all your heart

We have to live unique experiences because they make us wise.

60. We must be aware that what causes us discomfort or anxiety are not the events, but how we link our emotions to them

Events do not alter us, but rather what we think of them and how we interpret them.

61. As a solid rock does not move with the wind, so the sage remains undisturbed by slander and flattery.

People with experience and wisdom know the importance of loving yourself.

62. What we are today rests on what we thought yesterday, and our current thoughts shape our future life

The future is gone and the past is yet to live. What matters is the present.

63. We are in this world to live in harmony. Those who know do not fight each other and achieve inner peace

Peace in the world is achieved with inner peace.

64. Long is the night for the one who lies awake; Long is the mile for the one who is weary; long is life for the fool who does not know the true law

A phrase that leaves interpretation open.

65. With our thoughts we create the world

The world we have created is still a reflection of our thoughts.

66. The maximum victory is the one you win over yourself

The first thing to do to achieve personal success is to know yourself.

67. Through effort, vigilance, discipline and self-control, the wise man creates an island that the flood cannot destroy.

Wise people build the world around them based on their experience.

68. If it has a solution, why are you crying? If there is no solution, why are you crying?

We must not waste this precious life lamenting over things that are hopeless.

69. Bless your friend... he allows you to grow

Who has a friend, has a treasure says a popular saying.

70. To live a detached life, one should not feel like owner of anything in the midst of abundance

Abundance doesn't make much sense in Zen philosophy.

71. Your virtue should be professing love and peace to those around you

Giving peace and love to those around you makes you a virtuous person.

72. Just as a candle does not shine without fire, man cannot exist without a spiritual life

Spiritual life is connecting with our soul.

73. Doubt everything. Find your own light

Don't pay attention to what society wants to tell you. Be critical.

74. Conquering yourself is a bigger task than conquering others

Loving yourself is the best option to be happy.

75. The exit is through the door. Why doesn't anyone use this method?

One of Confucius' Zen phrases that focus on a philosophy of life based on simplicity.

76. Those who worship do not know, and those who know do not worship

One of the aphorisms of the Buddhist monk Bodhidharma.

77. To forget yourself is to open up

A brief reflection of Dōgen, one of the great historical references of Buddhism in Japan.

78. Life is like preparing to set sail on a sinking ship

A very graphic comparison with the idea of ​​a person's life path.

79. Many roads start from the skirt of the mountain, but at its top we can only look at the moon

A phrase from Ikkyu, a 15th century Zen monk.

80. Everyone knows the way, but few walk it

Another of Bodhidharma's phrases about how simple it is to live virtuously.

81. Don't see mountains from the scale of human thoughts

Humility and awareness of one's limitations are essential in life.

82. The goal of practice is always to keep your beginner's mind

You have to maintain freshness and creativity to develop properly.

83. When someone dies, that is a great lesson

One of the Zen phrases of Shunryu Suzuki, a monk and popularizer of Buddhism.

84. I'd rather be defeated in the presence of the wise than stand out from the ignorant

Another of Dōgen's phrases about the importance of surrounding yourself with wise people.

85. Shedding words is liberation

Bodhidharma talks about that psychological facet that is beyond language and that, according to him, constitutes life.

86. One must be very aware of the constant flow of the world

The immobile does not exist, it is an illusion.

87. The river that flows around you also flows around me

There are no isolated people, we are all part of the same reality. This is a phrase of Kabir, religious reference of India 

88. How incomplete is someone who needs to have many things?

A reflection by Sen no Rikyū about resignation.

89. We sit together, the mountain and I, until only the mountain remains

A poetic phrase by Li Bai, a Chinese poet.