Quotessence
Home / Authors / Nhat Hanh
Nhat Hanh

Nhat Hanh Quotes

Monk

Filter quotes by topic

AllIfsSufferingMomentsPracticeWayMindfulnessCompassionPeoplePeace Is Every StepUnderstanding

Famous Nhat Hanh Quotes

“We can smile, breathe, walk, and eat our meals in a way that allows us to be in touch with the abundance of happiness that is available. We are very good at preparing to live, but not very good at living. We know how to sacrifice ten years for a diploma, and we are willing to work very hard to get a job, a car, a house, and so on. But we have difficulty remembering that we are alive in the present moment, the only moment there is for us to be alive. Every breath we take, every step we make, can be filled with peace, joy, and serenity. We need only to be awake, alive in the present moment.”

KnowsWayNeedsYearsHardMomentsJobsRememberHappinessJoyHouseWalksStepsKnow HowAliveSacrificeCarWillingTenYogaDifficultyBreathsFilledVery GoodAvailableBreatheAwakeningAwakeMealsAbundancePresent MomentSerenityPreparingLive In The PresentEvery StepDiplomaPeace Is Every Step
Author:Nhat Hanh
Create image

“And once we have the condition of peace and joy in us, we can afford to be in any situation. Even in the situation of hell, we will be able to contribute our peace and serenity. The most important thing is for each of us to have some freedom in our heart, some stability in our heart, some peace in our heart. Only then will we be able to relieve the suffering around us.”

HeartImportantAbleSpiritualJoySufferingSpiritualitySituationHellConditionsImportant ThingsStabilitySerenityPeace And JoyPeace And Serenity
Author:Nhat Hanh
Create image

“The nectar of compassion is so wonderful. If you are committed to keeping it alive, then you are protected. What the other person says will not touch off the anger and irritation in you, because compassion is the real antidote to anger. Nothing can heal anger except compassion. That is why the practice of compassion is a very wonderful practice.”

IfsPersonsRealCompassionPracticeAliveWonderfulCommittedHealProtectedAntidoteIrritationNectar
Book:Anger
Create image

“If we are not empty, we become a block of matter. We cannot breathe, we cannot think. To be empty means to be alive, to breathe in and to breathe out. We cannot be alive if we are not empty. Emptiness is impermanence, it is change. We should not complain about impermanence, because without impermanence, nothing is possible.”

IfsThinkingShouldMeanMatterAliveEmptyBreatheComplainingBlockBuddhistEmptinessImpermanence
Book:Awakening of the Heart: Essential Buddhist Sutras and Commentaries
Create image

“Through your love for each other, through learning the art of making one person happy, you learn to express your love for the whole of humanity and all beings. Please help us develop the curriculum for the Institute for the Happiness of One Person. Don't wait until we open the school. You can begin practicing right away.”

PersonsArtWholeHelpingSchoolHumanityWaitingPleaseBuddhistInstituteCurriculum
Book:Touching Peace: Practicing the Art of Mindful Living
Create image

“If we are not fully ourselves, truly in the present moment, we miss everything. When a child presents himself to you with his smile, if you are not really there - thinking about the future or the past, or preoccupied with other problems - then the child is not really there for you. The technique of being alive is to go back to yourself in order for the child to appear like a marvellous reality. Then you can see him smile and you can embrace him in your arms.”

IfsThinkingChildrenMomentsProblemRealityPastOrderAliveMissingArmsEmbraceTechniqueBuddhistPresent MomentMarvellousHis SmileThinking About The Future
Author:Nhat Hanh
Create image

“Aware of the suffering caused by the destruction of life, I am committed to cultivating compassion and learning ways to protect the lives of people, animals, plants, and minerals. I am determined not to kill, not to let others kill, and not to support any act of killing in the world, in my thinking, and in my way of life.”

PeopleThinkingWorldWaySufferingAnimalCompassionSupportProtectDestructionPlantKillingCommittedDeterminedBuddhistMy WayMineralsCultivatingI Am DeterminedBuddhist Life
Book:Touching Peace: Practicing the Art of Mindful Living
Create image

“The essence of love and compassion is understanding, the ability to recognize the physical, material, and psychological suffering of others, to put ourselves "inside the skin" of the other. We "go inside" their body, feelings, and mental formations, and witness for ourselves their suffering. Shallow observation as an outsider is not enough to see their suffering. We must become one with the subject of our observation. When we are in contact with another's suffering, a feeling of compassion is born in us. Compassion means, literally, "to suffer with."”

LoveMeanEnoughFeelingsBodySufferingUnderstandingBornAbilityCompassionSubjectsMaterialsSkinsEssenceHelping OthersContactPsychologicalObservationBuddhistWitnessOutsidersShallowFormationLove And CompassionSuffering Of OthersUnderstanding And Compassion
Author:Nhat Hanh
Create image

“Training is needed in order to love properly; and to be able to give happiness and joy, you must practice DEEP LOOKING directed toward the other person you love. Because if you do not understand this person, you cannot love properly. Understanding is the essence of love. If you cannot understand, you cannot love. That is the message of the Buddha.”

IfsGivingPersonsAbleJoyOrderUnderstandingLove IsPracticeNeededMessagesTrainingEssenceBuddhistJoy And Happiness
Book:True Love: A Practice for Awakening the Heart
Create image

“When we come into contact with the other person, our thoughts and actions should express our mind of compassion, even if that person says and does things that are not easy to accept. We practice in this way until we see clearly that our love is not contingent upon the other person being lovable.”

IfsWayLoveShouldMindPersonsDoeActionRomanceEasyLove IsActingCompassionAcceptingPracticeContactBuddhistOur ThoughtsOur LoveLovableThoughts And Actions
Book:Transformation and Healing
Create image

“Love is the capacity to take care, to protect, to nourish. If you are not capable of generatng that kind of energy toward yourself - if you are not capable of taking care of yourself, of nourishing yourself, of protecting yourself - it is very difficult to take care of another person. In the Buddhist teaching, it's clear that to love oneself is the foundation of the love of other people. Love is a practice. Love is truly a practice.”

PeopleIfsKindPersonsCareEnergyDifficultLove IsPracticeClearTeachingProtectCapableCapacityFoundationOneselfTake CareBuddhistTake Care Of YourselfLove Oneself
Author:Nhat Hanh
Create image

“You have two gardens: your own garden and that of your beloved. First, you have to take care of your own garden and master the art of gardening. In each one of us there are flowers and there is also garbage. The garbage is the anger, fear, discrimination, and jealousy within us. If you water the garbage, you will strengthen the negative seeds. If you water the flowers of compassion, understanding, and love, you will strengthen the positive seeds. What you grow is up to you.”

IfsFirstsArtTwoCareGrowsUnderstandingWaterCompassionLove YouFlowerMastersNegativeGardenAnd LoveTake CareSeedsDiscriminationBuddhistBelovedGardeningGarbageUp To YouUnderstanding And Love
Author:Nhat Hanh
Create image

“Meditation is not passive sitting in silence. It is sitting in awareness, free from distraction, and realizing the clear understanding that arises from concentration.”

UnderstandingRealizingSilenceClearMeditationAwarenessSittingAriseConcentrationDistractionPassiveCalmingMeditation PracticeSitting In Silence
Book:Present Moment Wonderful Moment: Mindfulness Verses for Daily Living: Easyread Large Bold Edition
Create image

“True love always brings joy to ourself and the one we love. If our love does not bring joy to both of us, it is not true love.”

IfsLoveDoeJoyOur LoveLove Always
Book:The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching: Transforming Suffering Into Peace, Joy, & Liberation : the Four Noble Truths, the Noble Eightfold Path, & Other Basic Buddhist Teachings
Create image

“Silence is something that comes from your heart, not from outside. Silence doesn't mean not talking and not doing things; it means that you are not disturbed inside. If you're truly silent, then no matter what situation you find yourself in you can enjoy the silence.”

IfsHeartMeanMatterEnjoySilenceTalkingSituationNo Matter WhatSilentFinding YourselfSilence IsDisturbedNot Talking
Book:Answers from the Heart: Practical Responses to Life's Burning Questions
Create image

“To meditate is to be aware of what is going on - in our bodies, our feelings our minds, and in the world. When we settle into the present moment, we can see the beauties and wonders before our eyes.”

WorldMindMomentsFeelingsBodyEyeWonderMeditationSettlingPresent Moment
Book:Present Moment Wonderful Moment: Mindfulness Verses for Daily Living: Easyread Large Bold Edition
Create image

“There are many ways to calm a negative energy without suppressing or fighting it. You recognize it, you smile to it, and you invite something nicer to come up and replace it; you read some inspiring words, you listen to a piece of beautiful music, you go somewhere in nature, or you do some walking meditation.”

WayBeautifulFightingEnergyPiecesMeditationWalkingNegativeCalmCome UpInvitesSuppressingNegative EnergyBeautiful MusicWalking Meditation
Book:The Art of Power
Create image