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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Meditation is the ultimate mobile device; you can use it anywhere, anytime, unobtrusively.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In the spring, hundreds of flowers; in autumn, a harvest moon; in the summer, a refreshing breeze; in winter, snow will accompany you. If useless things do not hang in your mind, any season is a good season for you.

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

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

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

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?

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

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

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

Life is available only in the present moment.

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

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

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

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

Smile, breathe, and go slowly.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

Each moment of mindfulness is a moment of purification.

Mindfulness is the gentle effort to be continuously present with experience.

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.

In the moment of pure noting, there is no self - only the knowing and the known.

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

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.

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

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

This is the real secret of life -- to be completely engaged with what you are doing in the here and now. And instead of calling it work, realize it is play.

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

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

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

Every experience is an opportunity to practice awareness.

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

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