100 Inspirational Quotes By Thich Nhat Hanh, The Man Who Taught Us The Value Of Love & Compassion
Thich Nhat Hanh is a prominent peace and human rights activist from Vietnam. He was also a leading figure in rebuilding and reforming Vietnam after the war. A Buddhist monk Hanh is also a promulgator of mindfulness meditation and is also quite popular in the West. The following is a story told by the exiled activist.
It is a story of the woman who used to practice the invocation of Buddha Amitabha's name thrice everyday. Hahn says, “She is very tough, and she practices the invocation three times daily, using a wooden drum and a bell, reciting, “Namo Amitabha Buddha” for one hour each time. When she arrives at one thousand times, she invites the bell to sound. (In Vietnamese, we don’t say “strike” or “hit” a bell.) Although she has been doing this for ten years, her personality has not changed. She is still quite mean, shouting at people all the time.
A friend wanted to teach her a lesson, so one afternoon when she had just lit the incense, invited the bell to sound three times, and was beginning to recite “Namo Amitabha Buddha,” he came to her door, and said, “Mrs. Nguyen, Mrs. Nguyen!” She found it very annoying because this was her time of practice, but he just stood at the front gate shouting her name. She said to herself, “I have to struggle against my anger, so I will ignore that,” and she went on, “Namo Amitabha Buddha, Namo Amitabha Buddha.”
The gentleman continued to shout her name, and her anger became more and more oppressive. She struggled against it, wondering, “Should I stop my recitation and go and give him a piece of my mind?” But she continued chanting, and she struggled very hard. Fire mounted in her, but she still tried to chant “Namo Amitabha Buddha.” The gentleman knew it, and he continued to shout, “Mrs. Nguyen! Mrs. Nguyen!”
She could not bear it any longer. She threw away the bell and the drum. She slammed the door, went out to the gate and said, “Why, why do you behave like that? Why do you call my name hundreds of times like that?” The gentleman smiled at her and said, “I just called your name for ten minutes, and you are so angry. You have been calling the Buddha’s name for ten years. Think how angry he must be!”
The following section lists some of the famous quotes by the motivational speaker Thich Nhat Hanh.
Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet.
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.
Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.
To be beautiful means to be yourself. You don’t need to be accepted by others. You need to accept yourself.
People have a hard time letting go of their suffering. Out of a fear of the unknown, they prefer suffering that is familiar.
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.
Because you are alive, everything is possible.
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.
Smile, breathe and go slowly.
Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor.
Many people think excitement is happiness.... But when you are excited you are not peaceful. True happiness is based on peace.
The seed of suffering in you may be strong, but don't wait until you have no more suffering before allowing yourself to be happy.
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.
Breathing in, I calm body and mind. Breathing out, I smile. Dwelling in the present moment I know this is the only moment.
My actions are my only true belongings.
If you love someone but rarely make yourself available to him or her, that is not true love.
You must love in such a way that the person you love feels free.
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.
For things to reveal themselves to us, we need to be ready to abandon our views about them.
Our own life has to be our message.
Life is available only in the present moment.
We are here to awaken from our illusion of separateness.
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The present moment is filled with joy and happiness. If you are attentive, you will see it. (21)
Suffering is not enough. Life is both dreadful and wonderful...How can I smile when I am filled with so much sorrow? It is natural--you need to smile to your sorrow because you are more than your sorrow.
I promise myself that I will enjoy every minute of the day that is given me to live.
The source of love is deep in us and we can help others realize a lot of happiness. One word, one action, one thought can reduce another person’s suffering and bring that person 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.
When we are mindful, deeply in touch with the present moment, our understanding of what is going on deepens, and we begin to be filled with acceptance, joy, peace and love.
If you love someone, the greatest gift you can give them is your presence
Compassion is a verb.
