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.

Every time we become aware of a thought, as opposed to being lost in a thought, we experience that opening of the mind.

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

The miracle is not to walk on water. The miracle is to walk on the green earth, dwelling deeply in the present moment and feeling truly alive.

Be happy at the moment, that's enough. Each moment is all we need, not more.

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.

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

Mindfulness is not just bare attention but wise attention that leads to understanding and insight.

Each moment of clear seeing is a moment of freedom from the illusion of permanence, satisfaction, and self.

Don't expect or desire anything. Just keep noting whatever arises in the present moment.

The past is just a memory. The future is just a dream. Be here now.

Just observe whatever arises. Don't try to create anything, and don't reject anything.

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

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

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

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

Breathing in, I calm body and mind. Breathing out, I smile.

Who would then deny that when I am sipping tea in my tearoom I am swallowing the whole universe with it and that this very moment of my lifting the bowl to my lips is eternity itself transcending time and space?

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

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

The future is completely open, and we are writing it moment to moment.

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

The key to transformation is not to fight with our experience but to open to it with awareness.

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

Meditation is not about getting away from it all. It's about getting into it all.

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

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.

Mindfulness is the key to transformation. It enables us to see our experience as it really is, free from distortion and bias.

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

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

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

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

Meditation is not about trying to change ourselves. Meditation is about being aware of what is.

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.

One moment can change a day, one day can change a life, and one life can change the world.

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

Meditation is not an escape from life but a way to fully engage with life.

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

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

The five aggregates are not a theoretical model but a description of lived experience to be investigated through mindfulness.

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

When mindfulness and concentration are strong, insight into the three characteristics naturally unfolds.

The whole path of mindfulness is about letting go. We let go of our attachment to our views, our attachment to our opinions, our attachment to our ideas.

The color of the mountains is Buddha's body; the sound of running water is his great speech.

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

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

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

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.

The quality of every moment depends on the state of our minds.