50 Thich Nhat Hanh Quotes That'll Make You Feel At Peace

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Thich Nhat Hanh, who passed away at the age of 92 in 2022, was a Vietnamese Buddhist monk, peace activist, and founder of the Plum Village Tradition—a school of Buddhism in France. At the age of 16, Thich Nhat Hanh started his journey to become a monk in Vietnam. Throughout his lifetime, the Zen master published over 100 books in English. The accomplished author also studied comparative religion at Princeton University and was eventually appointed to be a lecturer of Buddhism at Columbia University. All of this is to say that although he was quite successful, one thing that’s never wavered is his message of mindfulness and peace. That’s very evident in his books and the 50 quotes you’re about to read.

1

On how to move in the world

"Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet," he wrote in Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life.

2

On letting go

"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," Thich Nhat Hanh wrote in his book The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching: Transforming Suffering into Peace, Joy, and Liberation.

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On taking advantage of life

"Because you are alive, everything is possible," he wrote in his book Living Buddha, Living Christ.

4

On letting go of feelings

"Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor," he wrote in Stepping into Freedom: An Introduction to Buddhist Monastic Training.

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On true happiness

“Many people think excitement is happiness...But when you are excited you are not peaceful. True happiness is based on peace," he wrote in The Art of Power.

6

On letting go of suffering

"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," he wrote in The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching: Transforming Suffering into Peace, Joy, and Liberation.

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On living in the present

"Breathing in, I calm body and mind. Breathing out, I smile. Dwelling in the present moment I know this is the only moment," he wrote in his book Being Peace.

8

On making time for loved ones

"If you love someone but rarely make yourself available to him or her, that is not true love," Thich Nhat Hanh wrote in his book Living Buddha, Living Christ.

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On hope

"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," he wrote in Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life.

10

On actions

In his book Understanding Our Mind: 50 Verses on Buddhist Psychology, he wrote, “My actions are my only true belongings.”

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On objectivity

"For things to reveal themselves to us, we need to be ready to abandon our views about them," he wrote in Being Peace.

12

On purpose

"Our own life has to be our message," he wrote in The World We Have: A Buddhist Approach to Peace and Ecology.

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On being in the present

"The present moment is filled with joy and happiness. If you are attentive, you will see it," he wrote in Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life.

14

On being present

In his book Taming the Tiger Within: Meditations on Transforming Difficult Emotions Thich Nhat Hanh wrote, "Life is available only in the present moment."

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On living life to the fullest

"I promise myself that I will enjoy every minute of the day that is given me to live," he wrote in Anger: Wisdom for Cooling the Flames.

16

On staying healthy

"Keeping your body healthy is an expression of gratitude to the whole cosmos—the trees, the clouds, everything," he wrote in Touching Peace: Practicing the Art of Mindful Living.

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On making others suffer

"If you suffer and make your loved ones suffer, there is nothing that can justify your desire," he wrote The Art of Power.

18

On truly understanding

"Understanding means throwing away your knowledge," he wrote in Being Peace.

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On finding peace

"It is my conviction that there is no way to peace—peace is the way," he wrote in The Art of Power.

20

On finding insight

"When you begin to see that your enemy is suffering, that is the beginning of insight," he wrote in Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life.

Celia FernandezLifestyle Writer

As the Lifestyle Writer at OprahMag.com, I cover beauty, style, relationships & love, work & money, health, and food. When I'm not working, you'll find me watching Bravo, on the hunt for the perfect jeans and white tee, or taking my yorkie, Chloe, out for walks in Riverdale, New York.

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