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.

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

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

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

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

When you note pain, you should not dwell on the thought, "I feel pain." Simply recognize the presence of pain.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

Every experience is an opportunity to practice awareness.

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

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

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

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

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

Smile, breathe, and go slowly.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

Because you are alive, everything is possible.

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

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

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.

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

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

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

Life is nothing but a continuous chain of sensations. Pleasant or unpleasant, observe them objectively.

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

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

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?

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.

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.

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

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

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

The mind can go in a thousand directions, but on this beautiful path, I walk in peace. With each step, the wind blows. With each step, a flower blooms.

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

Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet.

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

Each moment of mindfulness is a moment of purification.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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

The only way to experience truth is to look within, to observe oneself.

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

Fear keeps us focused on the past or worried about the future. If we can acknowledge our fear, we can realize that right now we are okay.

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