Quotessence
Home / Authors / Thich Nhat Hanh

Thich Nhat Hanh Quotes

Author

Filter quotes by topic

AllZenLoveMindfulnessBuddhismDivorceBreakupSufferingPeaceCompassionRelationship AdviceAffairRelationshipFamilyMisunderstandingHappinessSpiritualityLove Hate RelationshipJoyMeditationLife

Famous Thich Nhat Hanh Quotes

“We have negative mental habits that come up over and over again. One of the most significant negative habits we should be aware of is that of constantly allowing our mind to run off into the future. Perhaps we got this from our parents. Carried away by our worries, we're unable to live fully and happily in the present. Deep down, we believe we can't really be happy just yet—that we still have a few more boxes to be checked off before we can really enjoy life. We speculate, dream, strategize, and plan for these "conditions of happiness" we want to have in the future; and we continually chase after that future, even while we sleep. We may have fears about the future because we don't know how it's going to turn out, and these worries and anxieties keep us from enjoying being here now.”

PhilosophyMindfulness
Book:Peace Is Every Breath: A Practice for Our Busy Lives
Create image

“If you know how to be happy with the wonders of life that are already there for you to enjoy, you don't need to stress your mind and your body by striving harder and harder, and you don't need to stress this planet by purchasing more and more stuff. The Earth belongs to our children. We have already borrowed too much from it, from them; and the way things have been going, we're not sure we'll be able to give it back to them in decent shape. And who are our children, actually? They are us, because they are our own continuation. So we've been shortchanging our own selves. Much of our modern way of life is permeated by mindless overborrowing. The more we borrow, the more we loser. That's why it's critical that we wake up and see we don't need to do that anymore. What's already available in the here and now is plenty for us to be nourished, to be happy. Only that kind of insight will get us, each one of us, to stop engaging in the compulsive, self-sabotaging behaviors of our species. We need a collective awakening. One Buddha is not enough. All of us have to become Buddhas in order for our planet to have a chance. Fortunately, we have the power to wake up, to touch enlightenment from moment to moment, in our very own ordinary and, yes, busy lives. So let's start right now. Peace is your every breath.”

PhilosophyBuddhismMindfulness
Book:Peace Is Every Breath: A Practice for Our Busy Lives
Create image

“If something negative comes to the surface, such as your despair and anger, or the despair and anger of your spouse, you need the energy of mindfulness to embrace it. Breathing in, I know that anger is there in me. Breathing out, I care for my anger. This is like a mother hearing her baby cry out. She is in the kitchen, and she hears her baby wailing. She puts down whatever she has in her hands, goes into the baby's room, and picks it up in her arms. You can do exactly the same thing--embrace the pain that is coming to the surface. Breathing in, I know that you are there, my dear anger, my dear despair. I am there for you; I will take care of you.”

PainAwarenessDespairMindfulnessBreathingBreath
Book:You Are Here: Discovering the Magic of the Present Moment
Create image

“If you feel irritation or depression or despair, recognize their presence and practice this mantra: "Dear one, I am here for you." You should talk to your depression or your anger as you would to a child. You embrace it tenderly with the energy of mindfulness and say, "Dear one, I know you are there, and I am going to take care of you," just as you would with your crying baby.”

CompassionAwarenessDespairDepressionMindfulness
Book:You Are Here: Discovering the Magic of the Present Moment
Create image

“Even when we're sitting still, with no external stimuli, an endless internal dialogue may be going on in our head. we're constantly consuming our thoughts. Cows, goats, and buffalo chew their food, swallow it, then regurgitate and rechew it multiple times. We may not be cows or buffalo, but we ruminate just the same on our thoughts - unfortunately, primarily negative thoughts. We eat them, and then we bring them up to chew again and again, like a cow chewing its cud.”

SilenceMindfulness
Book:Silence: The Power of Quiet in a World Full of Noise
Create image

“When feeling lonely or anxious, most of us have the habit of looking for distractions, which often leads to some form of unwholesome consumption -- whether eating a snack in the absence of hunger, mindlessly surfing the Internet, going on a drive, or reading. Conscious breathing is a good way to nourish body and mind with mindfulness.”

SilenceMeditationLonelinessAnxietyMindfulnessBreathing
Book:Silence: The Power of Quiet in a World Full of Noise
Create image

“Zen is to eat, breathe, cook, carry water, and scrub the toilet, to infuse every act of body, speech, and mind with mindfulness, to illuminate every leaf and pebble, every heap of garbage, every path that leads to our mind’s return home. Only a person who has grasped the art of cooking, washing dishes, sweeping, and chopping wood, someone who is able to laugh at the world’s weapons of money, fame, and power, can hope to descend the mountain as a hero.”

BuddhismMindfulnessZenZen BuddhismThich Nhat Hanh
Book:Fragrant Palm Leaves: Journals, 1962-1966
Create image

“We should live every day like people who have just been rescued from dying on the moon. We are on Earth now, and we need to enjoy walking on this precious, beautiful planet. Zen Master Linji said, “The miracle is not to walk on water or fire. The miracle is to walk on the earth.”

LifeConsciousnessBuddhismGratitudeMindfulnessMiracleZenEveryday Life
Book:Fear: Essential Wisdom for Getting Through the Storm
Create image

“This is the attitude of bodhisattvas: to practice meditation not only for yourself, but for the world, to relieve the suffering. And, when others suffer less, you suffer less. When you suffer less, they suffer less. That is interbeing. There is no separation between yourself and others. You do not live just for yourself; you live for other people. Your peace, freedom, and joy also profit others; you are already helpful. And so, when you breathe mindfully or walk mindfully and create joy and peace, that is already a gift for the world.”

JoySufferingMindfulnessServing HumanitySpiritual PracticeHelpfulnessBodhisattvas
Book:Zen and the Art of Saving the Planet
Create image

“If we practice meditation, we can generate the energies of mindfulness and concentration. These energies will lead us to the insight that there is no birth and no death. We can truly remove our fear of death. When we understand that we cannot be destroyed, we are liberated from fear. It is a great relief. Non-fear is the ultimate joy.”

DeathJoyFearMeditationMindfulnessLiberationUnconditional LoveEternal Happiness
Book:Fidelity: How to Create a Loving Relationship That Lasts
Create image

“Our true home is in the present moment. To live in the present moment is a miracle. The miracle is not to walk on water. The miracle is to walk on the green Earth in the present moment, to appreciate the peace and beauty that are available right now. Peace is all around us—in the world and in nature—and within us, in our bodies and our spirits. Once we learn to touch this peace, we will be healed and transformed. It is not a matter of faith; it is a matter of practice. We only need to find ways to bring our body and mind back to the present moment so we can touch what is refreshing, healing, and wondrous, within us and around us.”

HomeBeautyPracticeMindfulnessAppreciationPresenceMiracles
Book:At Home in the World: Stories and Essential Teachings from a Monk's Life
Create image

“You have to be clear-minded. In the context of war, we grew deeper in our practice of nonviolence. Nonviolence is not a set of techniques that you can learn with your intellect. Nonviolent action naturally arises from the compassion, lucidity, and understanding you have within.”

WarChangeCompassionMindfulnessNonviolence
Book:At Home in the World: Stories and Essential Teachings from a Monk's Life
Create image

“Any peace talks should begin with making peace with ourselves. First we need to recognize our anger, embrace it, and make peace with it. You don’t fight your anger, because your anger is you. Your anger is the wounded child in you. Why should you fight your anger? The method is entirely nonviolent: awareness, mindfulness, and tenderly holding your anger within you. Like this, your anger will transform naturally.”

CompassionCommunicationMindfulnessAngerMental HealthInner Child
Book:How to Fight
Create image

“When we feel anger, irritation, or indignation arising in us, we pause. We stop and come back to our breathing straight away. We do not say or do anything when we are inhabited by this kind of energy, so we don’t escalate the conflict. We wait until we’re calm again. Being able to pause is the greatest gift. It gives us the opportunity to bring more love and compassion into the world rather than more anger and suffering.”

CompassionMindfulnessAngerMental Health
Book:How to Fight
Create image

“Compassion is mindfulness. If you can maintain that awareness, you are protected. Your seeds of irritation and anger will not be watered and you can listen for one hour without being affected by what she says. You don't want to correct her, even if her speech is full of wrong perceptions and accusations—you feel only compassion, "Oh dear, she is the victim of so many wrong perceptions." You don't want to punish or criticize her because you have compassion.”

CompassionListeningMindfulness
Book:Peace Begins Here: Palestinians and Israelis Listening to Each Other
Create image

“We have to find ways to nourish and express our compassion. 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.”

LoveCompassionMindfulnessGolden Rule
Book:Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life
Create image

“When we want to understand something, we cannot just stand outside and observe it. We have to enter deeply into it and be one with it in order to really understand. If we want to understand a person, we have to feel his feelings, suffer his sufferings, and enjoy his joy. The word "comprehend" is made up of the Latin roots cum, which means "with," and prehendere, which means "to grasp it or pick it up." There is no other way to understand something.”

UnderstandingCompassionMindfulnessComprehension
Book:Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life
Create image

“This body is not me. I am not limited by this body, I am life without boundaries. I have never been born, and I have never died. Look at the ocean and the sky filled with stars, manifestations from my wondrous true mind. Since before time, I have been free. Birth and death are only doors through which we pass, sacred thresholds on our journey. Birth and death are a game of hide-and-seek. So laugh with me, hold my hand, let us say goodbye, say goodbye to meet again soon. We meet today. We will meet again tomorrow. We will meet at the source every moment. We meet each other in all forms of life.”

SpiritualityMindfulnessOnenessInterbeing
Author:Thich Nhat Hanh
Create image

“the song of a bird, the warm rays of the sun, a cup of hot tea—are manifestations of the dharmakaya. We, too, are of the same nature as these wonders of the universe. We do not have to walk in space or on water to experience a miracle; the real miracle is to be awake in the present moment. Walking on the green Earth, we realize the wonder of being alive. When we make steps like this, the sun of the dharmakaya will shine.”

InspirationalPhilosophyScienceSpiritualityPsychologySelf HelpMindfulnessEthicsEcology
Book:The World We Have: A Buddhist Approach to Peace and Ecology
Create image

“Walking on the Earth is a miracle! Each mindful step reveals the wondrous dharmakaya. This poem can be recited right as we get out of bed and our feet touch the floor. It can also be used during walking meditation or any time we stand up and walk. Dharmakaya literally means the “body” (kaya) of the Buddha’s teachings (dharma), the way of understanding and love. Before passing away, the Buddha told his disciples, “Only my physical body will pass away. My dharma body will remain with you forever.” In Zen, the word has come to mean “the essence of all that exists.”

InspirationalPhilosophyScienceSpiritualityPsychologySelf HelpMindfulnessEthicsEcology
Author:Thich Nhat Hanh
Create image

“Turning on the Water Water flows from high mountain sources. Water runs deep in the Earth. Miraculously, water comes to us and sustains all life. Even if we know the source of our water, we often take its appearance for granted. But water is what makes all life on Earth possible. Our bodies are more than 70 percent water. Our food can be grown and raised because of water. Water is a good friend, a bodhisattva, which nourishes the many thousands of species on Earth. Its benefits are infinite. Reciting this gatha before turning on the faucet or drinking a glass of water enables us to see the stream of fresh water in our own hearts so that we feel completely refreshed. To celebrate the gift of water is to cultivate awareness and help sustain our life and the lives of others.”

InspirationalPhilosophyScienceSpiritualityPsychologySelf HelpMindfulnessEthicsEcologySustainable Development
Author:Thich Nhat Hanh
Create image

“Looking at Your Empty Bowl My bowl, empty now, will soon be filled with precious food. Beings all over the Earth are struggling to live. How fortunate we are to have enough to eat. When many people on this Earth look at an empty bowl, they know their bowl will continue to be empty for a long time. So the empty bowl is as important to honor as the full bowl. We are grateful to have food to eat, and with this gatha, we can vow to find ways to help those who are hungry.”

InspirationalPhilosophyScienceSpiritualityPsychologySelf HelpMindfulnessEthicsEcologySustainable Development Goal
Author:Thich Nhat Hanh
Create image

“we trade our physical labor for the things we think are essential to our happiness and security. we have borrowed this planet from our children... mindfulness, going home to the present moment we know there so many wonders of life there are many conditions of happiness that are available.... we don't need to borrow anymore. the planet cannot take it anymore. our children cannot take it anymore. we cannot take it anymore. stop borrowing, because we don't need it.”

ChildrenPhilosophyHappinessSpiritualityEnvironmentMeditationBuddhismMindfulnessEthicsClimate Change
Author:Thich Nhat Hanh
Create image

“Gerçekte gelmek ve gitmek yoktur. Su, her zaman dalganın bir parçasıdır. Dalga sudan gelmez ve hiçbir yere gitmez. Dalga her zaman sudur. Gelmek ve gitmek yalnızca zihinsel koşullanmalardır. Dalga hiçbir zaman suyu terk etmez. Bu yüzden dalga sudan geliyor demek tam olarak doğru sayılmaz. Suyu her zaman içinde barındırdığından suya geri döndüğünü de söyleyemeyiz. Dalganın dalga olduğu o anda, zaten aynı zamanda suyun kendisidir. Doğum ve ölüm, gelmek ve gitmek yalnızca birer kavramdır. Doğumdan ve ölümden özgür olan gerçek doğamızla iletişim kurduğumuzda artık korku hissetmeyiz.”

MindfulnessBilgelikBudaBudizm
Book:Korku;Firtinayi Atlatmak Icin Bilgelige Siginmak
Create image

“When I was in Vietnam, so many of our villages were being bombed. Along with my monastic brothers and sisters, I had to decide what to do. Should we continue to practice in our monasteries, or should we leave the meditation halls in order to help the people who were suffering under the bombs? After careful reflection, we decided to do both--to go out and help people and to do so in mindfulness. We called it engaged Buddhism. Mindfulness must be engaged. Once there is seeing, there must be acting. Otherwise, what is the use of seeing?”

ActionMeditationMindfulnessActivismVietnamVietnam War
Book:Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life
Create image