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.

When mindfulness is weak, defilements are strong; when mindfulness is strong, defilements are weak.

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.

The past is for learning from, not for living in.

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.

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.

The most precious gift we can offer others is our presence. When mindfulness embraces those we love, they will bloom like flowers.

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

Through our eyes, the universe is perceiving itself. Through our ears, the universe is listening to its harmonies. We are the witnesses through which the universe becomes conscious of its glory, of its magnificence.

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

Life is available only in the present moment.

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

Every day, think as you wake up, today I am fortunate to be alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it.

When we get too caught up in the busyness of the world, we lose connection with one another – and ourselves.

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

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

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

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

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

Drink your tea slowly and reverently, as if it is the axis on which the world earth revolves - slowly, evenly, without rushing toward the future.

There are many ways to meditate. But at the heart of them all is mindfulness.

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

The awareness that you are here, right now, is the ultimate fact.

The four foundations of mindfulness are not separate practices but different aspects of the same practice of clear awareness.

There are only two days in the year that nothing can be done. One is called yesterday and the other is called tomorrow, so today is the right day to love, believe, do and mostly live.

Mindfulness is being aware of what is happening right now, without wishing it were different.

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

Mindfulness helps us get better at seeing the difference between what's happening and the stories we tell ourselves about what's happening.

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

The art of living... is neither careless drifting on the one hand nor fearful clinging to the past on the other. It consists in being sensitive to each moment, in regarding it as utterly new and unique, in having the mind open and wholly receptive.

Just know what is happening in your mind - not happy or sad about it, not attached. If you suffer, see it, know it, be empty.

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

If you love someone, the greatest gift you can give them is your presence.

When we rest in awareness, we discover a peace that is always present, regardless of circumstances.

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

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

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

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.

Zen does not confuse spirituality with thinking about God while one is peeling potatoes. Zen spirituality is just to peel the potatoes.

Whatever we do, we should see ourselves. Reading books doesn't show us our defilements. Watch yourself. Watch your mind.

Every moment is a fresh beginning. Every breath is a new chance.

Mindfulness is the key to the present moment. Without it we cannot see the world clearly, and we cannot make the wisest choices in our lives.

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

The perfect moment is this one, not the one you're waiting for.

Observe the reality as it is, not as you wish it to be.

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.

Try to be mindful and let things take their natural course. Then your mind will become still in any surroundings, like a clear forest pool.

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

Every morning we are born again. What we do today is what matters most.

Every experience is an opportunity to practice awareness.

Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on 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.

Study the Buddha's teaching which is present in every moment.

Each moment of mindfulness is a moment of purification.

The practice of mindfulness transforms the mind from a place of suffering into an instrument of enlightenment.

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

When mindfulness becomes continuous, the distinction between the observer and the observed begins to break down.

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.

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.