In 1967, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. nominated Buddhist monk and peace activist Thich Nhat Hanh for the Nobel Peace Prize. In his letter to the committee, Dr. King wrote: “I do not personally know of anyone more worthy of this prize than this gentle monk from Vietnam. He is an Apostle of Peace and Nonviolence.” Though he did not win, Nhat Hanh continues to work tirelessly for peace and enlightenment.
Now 89, Nhat Hanh, who lives in the south of France and travels internationally for speaking engagements, offers regular retreats at Plum Village, the largest Buddhist monastery in Europe. A bestselling author, he’s published more than 100 books, including The Miracle of Mindfulness: An Introduction to the Practice of Meditation; No Mud, No Lotus: The Art of Transforming Suffering; and Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life. Following are just a few of his most inspiring, life-changing quotes:
On opening our eyes: “We have more possibilities in each moment than we realize.”
On mindfulness: “Drink your tea slowly and reverently, as if it is the axis on which the whole earth revolves.”
On truly living: “Many people are alive, but don’t touch the miracle of being alive.”
On finding joy: “There is no way to happiness—happiness is the way.”
On patience: “Compassionate listening is to help the other side suffer less. If we realize that other people are the same people as we are, we are no longer angry at them.”
On potential: “You are a miracle, and everything you touch could be a miracle.”
On animals: “Buddhist practitioners have practiced vegetarianism over the last 2,000 years. We are vegetarian with the intention to nourish our compassion towards the animals. Now we also know that we eat vegetarian in order to protect the earth.”
On beauty: “Because of your smile, you make life more beautiful.”
On respect: “We have to walk in a way that we only print peace and serenity on the earth. Walk as if you are kissing the earth with your feet.”
On love: “The most precious gift we can offer others is our presence. When mindfulness embraces those we love, they will bloom like flowers.”
On knowing ourselves: “Listening to and understanding our inner sufferings will resolve most of the problems we encounter.”
On finding peace: “Peace in ourselves, peace in the world.”
Which quote inspires you the most?