Thích Nhất Hạnh Quotes

“Because you are alive, everything is possible.”

“Breathing in, I calm body and mind. Breathing out, I smile. Dwelling in the present moment I know this is the only moment.”

“By eating meat we share the responsibility of climate change, the destruction of our forests, and the poisoning of our air and water. The simple act of becoming a vegetarian will make a difference in the health of our planet.”

“Compassion is a verb.”

“Drink your tea slowly and reverently, as if it is the axis on which the world earth revolves - slowly, evenly, without rushing toward the future.”

“Enlightenment is growing all the time. It is not something that happens once and is then complete.”

“Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor.”

“For things to reveal themselves to us, we need to be ready to abandon our views about them.”

“Hope is important because it can make the present moment less difficult to bear. If we believe that tomorrow will be better, we can bear a hardship today.”

“I promise myself that I will enjoy every minute of the day that is given me to live.”

“If you love someone but rarely make yourself available to him or her, that is not true love.”

“If you love someone, the greatest gift you can give them is your presence.”

“If you suffer and make your loved ones suffer, there is nothing that can justify your desire.”

“It is my conviction that there is no way to peace – peace is the way.”

“Letting go gives us freedom, and freedom is the only condition for happiness. If, in our heart, we still cling to anything - anger, anxiety, or possessions - we cannot be free.”

“Life is available only in the present moment.”

“Many people think excitement is happiness. But when you are excited you are not peaceful. True happiness is based on peace.”

“My actions are my only true belongings. I cannot escape the consequences of my actions. My actions are the ground on which I stand.”

“Next time you have to make a decision, be sure to breathe in and out first.”

“No one has ever lived in the past or the future, only the now.”

“Our own life has to be our message.”

“People deal too much with the negative, with what is wrong. Why not try and see positive things, to just touch those things and make them bloom?”

“People have a hard time letting go of their suffering. Out of a fear of the unknown, they prefer suffering that is familiar.”

“People usually consider walking on water or in thin air a miracle. But I think the real miracle is not to walk either on water or in thin air, but to walk on earth. Every day we are engaged in a miracle which we don't even recognize: a blue sky, white clouds, green leaves, the black, curious eyes of a child—our own two eyes. All is a miracle.”

“Sitting in meditation is nourishment for your spirit and nourishment for your body, as well.”

“Smile, breathe and go slowly.”

“Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.”

“The mind can go in a thousand directions, but on this beautiful path, I walk in peace. With each step, the wind blows. With each step, a flower blooms.”

“The present moment is filled with joy and happiness. If you are attentive, you will see it.”

“The secret of Buddhism is to remove all ideas, all concepts, in order for the truth to have a chance to penetrate, to reveal itself.”