Time passes unhindered. When we make mistakes, we cannot turn the clock back and try again. All we can do is use the present well.

The technique of self-observation is the technique of observing the reality about oneself at the experiential level.

The practice of mindfulness leads naturally to concentration. Concentration leads naturally to wisdom.

The more precisely you note, the more clearly you understand. The more clearly you understand, the stronger your insight becomes.

Awareness is like the sun. When it shines on things, they are transformed.

The things that matter most in our lives are not fantastic or grand. They are the moments when we touch one another.

The present moment is the only moment available to us, and it is the door to all moments.

Mindfulness helps you go home to the present. And every time you go there and recognize a condition of happiness that you have, happiness comes.

The practice of mindfulness begins in the small, remote cave of your unconscious mind and blossoms with the sunlight of your conscious life.

The practice of mindfulness is the practice of being alive in the present moment.

Awareness is the basis, or what you might call the "support," of the mind. It is steady and unchanging, like the pole to which the flag of ordinary consciousness is attached.

Each breath is a new beginning, a fresh opportunity to awaken.

Our basic nature is pure awareness that simply cognizes experience. Everything else is temporary and adventitious.

Waking up this morning, I smile. Twenty-four brand new hours are before me. I vow to live fully in each moment.

Through continuous mindfulness practice, the true nature of physical and mental phenomena becomes clear.

Awareness is always with us. We don't need to create it or achieve it - we just need to recognize what's already there.

Self-awareness is the key to freedom. The more we understand ourselves, the more we understand how to be free.

The practice of mindfulness is simply to bring awareness to what we are doing, what we are saying, and what we are thinking.

Ardently do today what must be done. Who knows? Tomorrow, death comes.

When you see forms or hear sounds fully engaging body-and-mind, you intuit dharma intimately.

Each moment of noting is a moment of purification, a moment of cultivating the path.

The difference between misery and happiness depends on what we do with our attention.

When you do something, you should burn yourself completely, like a good bonfire, leaving no trace of yourself.

In the spiritual world there are no time divisions such as the past, present and future; for they have contracted themselves into a single moment of the present where life quivers in its true sense.

Sensations are not your enemy. They are your teacher. Through observing them, you understand the truth of existence.

The Buddha's teachings are not about abandoning our lives but about bringing the fullness of our attention to our lives.

The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly.

Concentration is a cornerstone of mindfulness practice. Your mindfulness will only be as robust as your capacity to ground your attention in the present moment.

Mindfulness is attention to life, and life itself is sacred.

Because you are alive, everything is possible.

The difference between being caught in thoughts and being mindful of thoughts is like the difference between being in a movie and watching a movie.

What you are is what you have been. What you'll be is what you do now.

When we are mindful, deeply in touch with the present moment, our understanding of what is going on deepens, and we begin to be filled with acceptance, joy, peace and love.

When you note pain, you are not trying to make it go away. You are trying to understand its true nature.

Our task is to learn to see clearly what is happening in each moment, rather than be lost in our reactions and judgments.

Each moment of mindfulness is a moment of purification.

When you note effectively, there is no time for defilements to arise. The mind becomes pure through noting.

Mindfulness isn't difficult, we just need to remember to do it.

The true purpose of Zen is to see things as they are, to observe things as they are, and to let everything go as it goes.

When we look directly at our thoughts, they dissolve like bubbles in water.

Every sensation shares the same characteristic - arising, passing. Arising, passing. Learn to observe objectively.

Past thoughts are traceless, clear, and empty. Future thoughts are unborn and fresh. The present moment abides naturally and unconstructed.

We can learn to be present with whatever is happening in our lives, and in this way, we can begin to transform our relationship to difficulty.

When walking, just walk. When sitting, just sit. Above all, don't wobble.

The past is gone, the future is not yet here. Live in the present moment with awareness.

Mindfulness is being aware of what's going on, not trying to control what's going on.

People usually consider walking on water or in thin air a miracle. But I think the real miracle is not to walk either on water or in thin air, but to walk on earth.

No valid plans for the future can be made by those who have no capacity for living now.

The signs of practice are not in extraordinary experiences but in extraordinary awareness of ordinary experiences.

The practice of mindfulness is simple: whatever you experience, you observe and note it.

Mindfulness is the quality and power of mind that is aware of what's happening—without judgment and without interference.

Awareness is like the sun. When it shines on things, they are transformed.

The idea of Zen is to catch life as it flows. There is nothing extraordinary or mysterious about Zen. I raise my hand; I take a book from the other side of the desk; I hear the boys playing ball outside my window; I see the clouds blown away beyond the neighboring wood: all these I do in Zen.

Rejoicing in ordinary things is not sentimental or trite. It actually takes guts.

Impermanence, suffering, and non-self are not philosophical concepts but realities to be directly perceived through mindfulness practice.

Treat every moment as your last. It is not preparation for something else.

The practice is not about achieving special states but about seeing ordinary experience with extraordinary clarity.

The real purpose of Zen is to see things as they are, to observe things as they are, and to let everything go as it goes.

Moment after moment, completely devote yourself to listening to your inner voice.

Every moment of mindfulness is a step on the path to liberation. Each step is valuable, no matter how small.