Answers from the Heart Quotes

“Just as we have the tendency to run away from a shot or a dose of medicine, even if it’s good for us, we have the tendency to run away from answers that touch painful areas in our lives.”
― Thich Nhat Hanh, Answers from the Heart: Practical Responses to Life's Burning Questions

“It’s possible for us to have several spiritual roots. To me, Buddhism, Christianity, Judaism and all religions belong to the spiritual heritage of humankind. We can profit from all of these traditions. We should not confine ourselves to just one tradition. If you love mangoes, you are free to continue to eat mangoes, but no one forbids you to eat pineapples and oranges. You don’t betray your mango when you eat a pineapple. It would be narrow-minded to enjoy only mango, when there are so many different fruits in the world. Spiritual traditions are like spiritual fruits, and you have the right to enjoy them. It’s possible to enjoy two traditions, to take the best of two traditions and live with them. That’s what I envision for the future, that we remove the barriers between different spiritual traditions.”
― Thich Nhat Hanh, Answers from the Heart: Practical Responses to Life's Burning Questions

“The idea is that we try our best to protect life, knowing that we cannot be perfect. If we're doing our best, that's good enough.”
― Thich Nhat Hanh, Answers from the Heart Publisher: Parallax Press

“Q. What will happen to our consciousness after we die?

A. What happens to consciousness when we're still alive? If you can answer that question, the other question will be answered as well.”
― Thich Nhat Hanh, Answers from the Heart Publisher: Parallax Press

“Thinking of yourself as or calling yourself a "Buddhist" can be a disadvantage because if you wear the title "Buddhist" that may be an obstacle which prevents others from discovering the human being in you.”
― Thich Nhat Hanh, Answers from the Heart Publisher: Parallax Press

“When you suffer because of discrimination, there's always an urge to speak out. But even if you spend a thousand years speaking out, your suffering won't be relieved. Only through deep understanding and liberation from ignorance can can you be liberated from your suffering.”
― Thich Nhat Hanh, Answers from the Heart Publisher: Parallax Press

“Having a good job is important. But being honest, living peacefully, and having a path to follow is more important.”
― Thich Nhat Hanh, Answers from the Heart Publisher: Parallax Press

“The Five Mindfulness Trainings are needed because we're not fully enlightened yet. We don't need to practice the five trainings perfectly. If we know we're making steps in the right direction, that's good enough.”
― Thich Nhat Hanh, Answers from the Heart Publisher: Parallax Press

“To preserve yourself is to preserve the opportunity to serve others.”
― Thich Nhat Hanh, Answers from the Heart Publisher: Parallax Press

“We should not be trapped by appearances. There are people who call themselves Buddhist who in fact are not very Buddhist, because there is discrimination and dogmatism in them. They are less Buddhist than many Christians. There are many Christians who do not call themselves Buddhist, but they are more Buddhist than these "Buddhists." We have to learn to look in that way. There are enough Buddhists; we don't need to convert more people to Buddhism. The right attitude is not to encourage people to be uprooted from their own tradition. The right attitude is to urge them to go back to their tradition. With the Buddhist practice of mindfulness, concentration, and insight they should be able to do this.”
― Thich Nhat Hanh, Answers from the Heart Publisher: Parallax Press

“We have to realize that silence comes from our heart and not from the absence of talk.”
― Thich Nhat Hanh, Answers from the Heart Publisher: Parallax Press

“Only the person who is empty of self is happy; he has no jealousy, no hatred, no anger, because there is no self to compare.”
― Thich Nhat Hanh, Answers from the Heart Publisher: Parallax Press

“To me, the Five Mindfulness Trainings are the substance of a bodhisattva. A bodhisattva is a living being animated by the strong desire to help awaken other people, relieve their suffering, and bring them happiness. By receiving the Five Mindfulness Trainings and being determined to live our lives accordingly, we become bodhisattvas and we live not only for ourselves, but for the well-being of others; our life serves as a source of energy for their happiness.”
― Thich Nhat Hanh, Answers from the Heart Publisher: Parallax Press

“If we don't take the time to tell our children about our culture, they'll lose it. But we also have to be aware that in each culture there are flowers and garbage, and there is no need to idealize one culture or denigrate another.”
― Thich Nhat Hanh, Answers from the Heart Publisher: Parallax Press

“Fear is an element that prevents us from letting go. We’re fearful that if we let go we’ll have nothing else to cling to.”
― Thich Nhat Hanh, Answers from the Heart: Practical Responses to Life's Burning Questions