Quotes from Thich Nhat Hanh

Suppose you are in the desert, and you only have one glass of muddy water. You have to transform the muddy water into clear water to drink, you cannot just throw it away. So you let it settle for a while, and clear water will appear. In the same way, we have to convert anger into some kind of energy that is more constructive, because anger is you. Without anger you have nothing left. That is the work of meditation.

No one can know in advance the misfortunes which may happen to us and our loved ones, but if we learn to live in an awakened way, living deeply every moment of our life, treating those who are close to us with gentleness and understanding, then we will have nothing to regret when something happens to us or to them.

We don't use our energy for the practice of transforming our afflictions and helping to relieve suffering in others and ourselves. One day, we'll be lying down on the bed, and even if we want nothing more than just to stand up and take one step, we won't be able to do it. That's why we must see right in the present moment that, having a body, surely we will get sick one day. Seeing this, naturally we will drop our arrogance about our good health.

In this plate of food, I see clearly the presence of the entire universe supporting my existence.

It is a kind of luxury to be a monk or a nun, to be able to sit quietly and look deeply into the nature of suffering and the way out.

If we stop being joyful and stop singing, we are caught in a kind of prison. The stars in the sky never build prisons.

If you want to experience what the end of suffering will feel like, it is in the here and the now with this breath. If you want nirvana, it's right here.

People, it seemed, were always allowing jealousy, sadness, anger, and pride to determine their behavior. So much suffering was caused by misunderstandings and erroneous perceptions about one another.

The Heart Sutra says that there is "nothing to attain." We meditate not to attain enlightenment, because enlightenment is already in us.

Your breathing is a stable, solid ground where you can take refuge. No matter what thoughts, emotions, and perceptions are going on inside you, your breath is always there, like a faithful friend.

Man is present in all things, and all things are present in man.

Whenever you're carried away by thinking, overwhelmed by strong emotions, or feeling restless and dispersed, return to your breathing. Bring body and mind together and anchor your mind. Become aware of the air coming in and going out of your body.

Repeating a phrase like "Life is suffering" might help you notice when you are about to become attached to something, but it cannot help you understand the true nature of suffering or reveal the path shown to us by the Buddha.

We "kill" our anger by smiling to it, holding it gently, looking deeply to understand its roots and transforming it with understanding and compassion.

Live every moment of your life deeply, and while walking, eating, drinking, and looking at the morning star, you touch the ultimate dimension.

Is it possible to penetrate the Eighteen Elements in another way?' and the Buddha replied, Yes, we can say that there are Six Elements . These are the Four Great Elements (mahabhuta ) of earth, water, fire, and air, plus space and consciousness. All physical phenomena are made up of these Six Elements. If we observe these Six Elements inside us and around us, we see that we are not separate from the universe.

Breathing mindfully, you are already finding a refuge in your breath, and you become aware of what's going on in your body, your feelings, your perceptions, your mental formations, and your consciousness. In Buddhism, these are known as the five skandhas ("aggregates"), or elements, that make up what we call a person.

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.

Doing things with mindfulness means you perform each action with clear awareness of what's happening and of what you're doing in the present moment, and you feel happy as you do it. Mindfulness is the capacity to shine the light of awareness onto what's going on here and now. Mindfulness is the heart of meditation practice.

If I say A lotus for you, a Buddha to be, it means, I see clearly the Buddha nature in you.

With mindful breathing, you can recognize the presence of a painful feeling, just like an older sibling greets a younger sibling. You can say, "Hello, my suffering. I know you are there." In this way, the energy of mindfulness keeps us from being overwhelmed by painful feelings. We can even smile to our suffering and say, "Good morning, my pain, my sorrow, my fear. I see you. I am here. Don't worry.

Who are you who has taken my suffering as your suffering, my happiness as your happiness, my life and death as your life and death?

Work is only a part of life. But work is life only when done in mindfulness.

We are surrounded by miracles, but we have to recognize them; otherwise there is no life.