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Thich Nhat Hanh Quotes

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Famous Thich Nhat Hanh Quotes

“People have lost faith in God and the Kingdom of God because they have put God in the wrong place. If they put God in the right place, in their own heart, the spiritual crisis will come to an end. This is a spiritual and a cultural matter. In the Jewish, Christian, and Islamic traditions there are people who have discovered that God does not belong to the future or to another place.”

GodReligionSpiritualityBuddhismZenNondualityNirvanaPure Land
Book:Enjoying the Ultimate: Commentary on the Nirvana Chapter of the Chinese Dharmapada
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“If you have experienced hunger, you know that having food is a miracle. If you have suffered from the cold, you know the preciousness of warmth. When you have suffered, you know how to appreciate the elements of paradise that are present. If you dwell only in your suffering, you will miss paradise. Don't ignore your suffering, but don't forget to enjoy the wonders of life, for your sake and for the benefit of many beings.”

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Book:The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching: Transforming Suffering into Peace, Joy, and Liberation
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“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
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“If the bodhisattvas live during a time of armed conflict, they give rise to the mind of compassion, transforming those who are fighting, and causing them to dwell in a land without contention. If there are great wars, the bodhisattvas make the strength on both sides equal. They manifest their spiritual authority and subdue people so that peace is restored.”

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Book:The Bodhisattva Path: Commentary on the Vimalakirti and Ugrapariprccha Sutras
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“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
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“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.”

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Author:Thich Nhat Hanh
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“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.”

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Author:Thich Nhat Hanh
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“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.”

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Author:Thich Nhat Hanh
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“People think it is impossible to establish a system of ethics without referring to good or evil. But clouds float, flowers bloom, and wind blows. What need have they for a distinction between good and evil? There are people who live like clouds, flowers, and wind, who don’t think about morals, yet many people point to their actions and words as religious and ethical models, and they praise them as saints. These saints simply smile. If they revealed that they do not know what is good and what is evil, people would think they were crazy”

SpiritualityGood And Evil
Book:Fragrant Palm Leaves: Journals, 1962-1966
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“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.”

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Author:Thich Nhat Hanh
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