You Are Here: Discovering the Magic of the Present Moment

by Thich Nhat Hanh

Death is just a continuation,

Death is indispensable to life.

Living is a joy. Dying in order to begin again is also a joy. Starting over is a wonderful thing, and we are starting over constantly.

Learning to die is a very profound practice.

Anathapindika, meaning “supporter of orphans and the helpless,

The idea that “This body is me and I am this body” is an idea we must get rid of.

We are life, and life is far vaster than this body, this concept, this mind.

We are not prisoners of our senses.

We must become free of our body and free of our mind.

become greater, deeper, and freer

We must not identify with the six sense consciousnesses—sight, sound, smell, taste, touch, and mind consciousness.

Look deeply into the water element, the earth element, heat, air, space, and consciousness; and you will find that each one contains the five others.

Our true nature is the nature of no-birth and no-death,

the five skandhas: forms, feelings, perceptions, mental formations, consciousness.

As a result of ignorance, we are caught up in ideas and concepts. But in truth we are free from these ideas and concepts.

I vow to cultivate compassion and learn ways to protect the lives of people, animals, plants, and minerals.

I vow to cultivate loving kindness and learn ways to work for the well-being of people, animals, plants, and minerals.

I am determined not to engage in sexual relations without love and a long-term commitment.

I vow to cultivate loving speech and deep listening in order to bring joy and happiness to others and to relieve others of suffering.

I am determined not to use alcohol or any other intoxicant or to ingest foods or other items that contain toxins, such as certain TV programs, magazines, books, films, and conversations.