Quotes from Thich Nhat Hanh

This is the great insight of the Mahayana—that everyone can become a Buddha. What Siddhartha achieved, all of us can also achieve, whether we are a man or a woman, no matter what social class or ethnic group we were born into, or whether we practice as a monastic or as a layperson. We all have the capacity to become a fully enlightened Buddha. And while on the path to becoming a fully enlightened Buddha, we are all bodhisattvas.

The Buddha called suffering a Holy Truth, because our suffering has the capacity of showing us the path to liberation. Embrace your suffering, and let it reveal to you the way to peace.

Do not sit by while others are working. Do not avoid heavy work or seek light work. Do not covet the work of others or compare your work with others. Do not take on work beyond your capacity or state of health.

You have two gardens: your own garden and that of your beloved. First, you have to take of your own garden and master the art of gardening.

True love doesn't contain suffering or attachment. It brings well-being to ourselves and others.

Bhikshu, you should know that the Tathagata is the Dharma King. If the Tathagata says something then those words are not false, they are always true. If the Tathagata says something exists, that is true. If the Tathagata says something does not exist, that is also true. If the Tathagata teaches the Mahayana, it is true. And if the Tathagata teaches the Hinayana, it is also true.

In the experience [of drinking tea], you are one with the tea, there is no distinction between subject and object, there is no evaluation, there is no discrimination. This pure sensation can be presented as an example of non-discriminative knowledge. It is that which introduces us to the heart of reality.

THE WORD suchness describes reality as it is. Concepts and ideas are incapable of expressing reality as it is. Nirvana, the ultimate reality, cannot be described, because it is free of all concepts and ideas. Nirvana is the extinction of all concepts. Most of our suffering arises from our ideas and concepts. If you are able to free yourself from these concepts, anxiety and fear will disappear. Nirvana, the ultimate reality, or God, is of the nature of no-birth and no-death. It is total freedom.

The problem is not one of being wrong or right, but one of being more or less skillful.

El único modo de liberarnos del miedo y ser realmente felices consiste en reconocerlo y ver profundamente en su fuente. Dejemos de querer escapar del miedo, permitamos que aflore en nuestra conciencia y mirémoslo directa y fijamente a los ojos.

So many individuals, children, couples, and families have been destroyed by sexual misconduct. To practice the Third Precept is to heal ourselves and heal our society. This is mindful living.

The Buddha recommends we live our daily life in this way, seeing everything in the light of interbeing. Then we will not be caught in our small self.

To reach truth is not to accumulate knowledge, but to awaken to the heart of reality. Reality reveals itself complete and whole at the moment of awakening. In the light of this awakening, nothing is added and nothing is lost; but emotions that are based on concepts can no longer affect a man.

The most precious gift you can give someone to the one you love is your true presence

Some people think that to end suffering, you have to stop everything — body, feelings, perceptions, mental formations and consciousness — but that is not correct

There are things we can do. It is very important to come home to ourselves and look deeply to see what we can do every day to help the situation. Taking action helps us not to drown in despair.

Interbeing" is a word that is not in the dictionary yet, but if we combine the prefix "inter-" with the verb "to be," we have a new verb, "inter-be." If we look into this sheet of paper even more deeply, we can see the sunshine in it. If the sunshine is not there, the forest cannot grow. In fact, nothing can grow.

The monastic robe and eating bowl are as close to a monastic as wings are to a bird. Take them everywhere you go.

Brushing my teeth and rinsing my mouth, I vow to use truthful and loving speech. When my mouth is fragrant with right speech, a flower blooms in the garden of my heart.

We have six sense organs that can be in contact with the world outside, and with all the "worlds" inside. The six organs are our eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind. These organs are like sensors hooked up to a computer. When you get in touch with an image, a sound, a smell, a taste, a touch, or a thought, your mind receives that signal and immediately goes through material stored in the subconscious, searching for any connection to the sensory input.

We already have enough time to be attentive to all the people and things that are most important to us, and we can live each moment to the fullest, knowing it is a wonderful moment, the only moment we really have.

Happiness isn't possible without freedom.

We all need a friend to help remind us from time to time. If no one else is there, the sound of the bell can be that friend, reminding us to recognize and smile at our old habit energies. In that way, we can become free of them.

The root of that craving is our habit energy.When we look deeply at it, we can begin to untie the knot.