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.

Every experience is an opportunity to practice awareness.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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.

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 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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

Each moment of mindfulness is a moment of purification.

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

Breathing in, there is only the present moment. Breathing out, it is a wonderful moment.

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

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

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

The present moment is filled with joy and happiness. If you are attentive, you will see it.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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?