Zen of Happiness

Mukesh Jain

1. “Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.” – Dalai Lama
2. “The less you want, the richer you are.” – Zen proverb
3. “When you realize nothing is lacking, the whole world belongs to you.” – Lao Tzu
4. “In the pursuit of learning, every day something is acquired. In the pursuit of Tao, every day something is dropped.” – Lao Tzu
5. “Let go of your mind and then be mindful. Close your ears and listen!” – Rumi
6. “When you do something, you should burn yourself completely, like a good bonfire, leaving no trace of yourself.” – Shunryu Suzuki
7. “The quieter you become, the more you can hear.” – Ram Dass
8. “To understand everything is to forgive everything.” – Zen proverb
9. “When you realize how perfect everything is, you will tilt your head back and laugh at the sky.” – Buddha
10. “The goal of life is to make your heartbeat match the beat of the universe, to match your nature with Nature.” – Joseph Campbell
11. “Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise; seek what they sought.” – Basho
12. “Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water.” – Zen proverb
13. “The present moment is a gift. That is why they call it the ‘present.’” – Eckhart Tolle
14. “In the beginner’s mind, there are many possibilities; in the expert’s mind, there are few.” – Shunryu Suzuki
15. “To know and not to do is not to know.” – Zen proverb
16. “The only Zen you find on the tops of mountains is the Zen you bring up there.” – Robert M. Pirsig
17. “Sitting quietly, doing nothing, spring comes, and the grass grows by itself.” – Zenrin Kushu
18. “A flower falls, even though we love it; and a weed grows, even though we do not love it.” – Dogen
19. “When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves.” – Buddha
20. “If you are depressed, you are living in the past. If you are anxious, you are living in the future. If you are at peace, you are living in the present.” – Lao Tzu
21. “Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it.” – Rumi
22. “Be master of mind rather than mastered by mind.” – Zen proverb
23. “Do not be a storehouse of memories. Leave past, future, and even present thoughts behind. Be a witness to life unfolding by itself.” – Mooji
24. “When walking, walk. When eating, eat.” – Zen proverb
25. “In the landscape of spring, there is neither better nor worse. The flowering branches grow naturally, some long, some short.” – Zenrin Kushu