September 08, 2026

Look Only Here

You shouldn't chase after the past or place expectations on the future. What is past is left behind. The future is as yet unreached. Whatever quality is present you clearly see right there, right there.

This verse comes from the Bhaddekaratta Sutta, a discourse the Buddha gave to monks on how to live a single day wisely, in a translation by Thanissaro Bhikkhu. He was addressing renunciates prone to dwelling on past failures or future attainments, redirecting their attention to what was happening right in front of them. The passage teaches that the past is finished and the future unformed, so clear seeing can only happen in the present moment. In the Eastern wisdom tradition, this grounds practices like walking meditation and mindful chores, where attention is trained to rest in breath, sensation, or task rather than drift into memory or planning. Practiced daily, it turns ordinary acts — pouring coffee, writing a line, greeting someone — into complete moments rather than steps toward something else.

A principle of Eastern Wisdom: Present-Moment Awareness →