Meaning

This short line delivers a quiet warning about one of the most common and costly human assumptions: that there will always be more time later. People delay the things that matter, assuming a future moment will be more convenient or more suitable. The quote cuts through that comfortable illusion, pointing out that the habit of waiting is itself a way of losing time. The urgency it creates is not anxious but clarifying.

Context

This line appears in Jack Kornfield's collection published in 1994, which gathered short teachings and reflections in the spirit of Buddhist wisdom. Kornfield attributed the sentiment to the Buddha, though collections of this kind often present traditional teachings in paraphrased or adapted form rather than as direct historical quotations. The idea itself is deeply consistent with Buddhist thought, which places great emphasis on impermanence and on the importance of practicing presence rather than deferring awareness to a later time that may never arrive.

About the author

Jack Kornfield is an American author and teacher who trained as a Buddhist monk in Southeast Asia and later became one of the leading figures in bringing mindfulness and Vipassana meditation to Western audiences. He holds a doctorate in clinical psychology and co-founded the Insight Meditation Society in Massachusetts as well as Spirit Rock Meditation Center in California. His writing tends to blend traditional Buddhist teachings with psychological insight and personal storytelling, making contemplative ideas accessible to a wide readership.