Meditation is like a single log of wood. Insight and investigation are one end of the log; calm and concentration are the other end. If you lift up the whole log, both sides come up at once. Which is concentration and which is insight? Just this mind.
- Ajahn Chah, “Still Forest Pool”

Monks, there are these three roots of evil. What three?
Lust is a root of evil, hate is a root of evil, delusion is a root of evil. These are the three roots of evil.

- Itivuttaka

Abandoning malicious speech, he abstains from malicious speech; he does not repeat elsewhere what he has heard here in order to divide (those people) from these, nor does he repeat to these people what he has heard elsewhere in order to divide (these people) from those; thus he is one who reunites those who are divided, a promoter of friendships, who enjoys concord, rejoices in concord, delights in concord, a speaker of words that promote concord.

- Majjhima Nikaya

Of the divine state of love the near enemy is lust, because, like love, it sees good qualities. It is like a foe lurking near a man. Quickly it finds access. Hence love should be well protected from lust. Ill-will is the distant enemy. From its dissimilarity in nature it is like a man’s foe dwelling in a mountain fastness, and so on. Hence love should be developed secure from ill-will. It is impossible that one should develop love and at the same time get angry.

- Buddhaghosa, “Visuddhimagga”

All beings tremble before violence.
All fear death.
All love life.

See yourself in others.
Then whom can you hurt?
What harm can you do?

- Dhammapada 129-130

It is not proper to watch other people. This will not help your practice. If you are annoyed, watch the annoyance in your own mind. If others’ discipline is bad or they are not good monks, this is not for you to judge. You will not discover wisdom watching others. Monks’ discipline is a tool to use for your own meditation. It is not a weapon to use to criticize or find fault. No one can do your practice for you, nor can you do practice for anyone else. Just be mindful of your own doings. This is the way to practice.

- Ajahn Chah, “Bodhinyana”

As rain seeps into an ill-thatched hut, so passion, the undeveloped mind. As rain doesn’t seep into a well-thatched hut, so passion does not, the well-developed mind.
- Dhammapada [1]

To travel with the unawakened makes the journey long and hard and is as painful as travelling with an enemy.
But the company of the wise is as pleasant as meeting with friends.
Follow the wise, the intelligent, and the awakened.
- Dhammapada

Don’t ask about caste or riches but instead ask about conduct. Look at the flames of a fire. Where do they come from? From a piece of wood—and it doesn’t matter what wood. In the same way, a wise person can come from wood of any sort. It is through firmness and restraint and a sense of truth that one becomes noble, not through caste.
- Sutta Nipata

The source of all good, evil, weal and harm lies with actions, speech and thoughts.
Did you bring your actions, speech and thoughts with you today?
Or have you left them at home?
This is where you must look, right here.
You don’t have to look very far away. Look at your actions, speech and thoughts.
- Ajahn Chah [Living Dharma]