Thich Nhat Hanh is a Vietnamese Buddhist monk, peace activist, and the founder of the Plum Village Tradition, a French Buddhist school. Thich Nhat Hanh began his path to become a monk in Vietnam when he was 16 years old. Over 100 books in English have been published by the 92-year-old “Zen Master” during his lifetime. The talented author went on to Princeton University to study comparative religion and was eventually appointed as a Buddhist lecturer at Columbia University. The spiritual leader now spends his time in Vietnam, where he lives at the T Hiu Temple. All of this is to show that, despite his considerable success, his message of mindfulness and serenity has never faltered. That’s clear from his novels and the 50+ awards he’s received and quotes you’re about to read.
1. “When another person makes you suffer, it is because he suffers deeply within himself, and his suffering is spilling over. He does not need punishment; he needs help. That's the message he is sending.”
2. “Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.”
3. “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.”
4. “People have a hard time letting go of their suffering. Out of a fear of the unknown, they prefer suffering that is familiar.”
5. “Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor.”
6. “Waking up this morning, I smile. Twenty-four brand new hours are before me. I vow to live fully in each moment and to look at all beings with eyes of compassion.
7. “Breathing in, I calm body and mind. Breathing out, I smile. Dwelling in the present moment I know this is the only moment.
8. “For things to reveal themselves to us, we need to be ready to abandon our views about them.
9. “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.”
10. “Life is available only in the present moment.