Do not live with a vocation that is harmful to humans and nature. Do not invest in companies that deprive others of their chance to live. Select a vocation that helps realise your ideal of compassion.
Nhat HanhRead
The present moment is the only moment available to us and it is the door to all other moments.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The present moment is crucial because it connects us to the past and future.
This quote emphasizes the importance of the present moment in our lives. It suggests that the present is not just a fleeting instant but is significant as it connects our experiences of the past with our expectations of the future. By fully embracing the present, we can access both memories and possibilities, realizing that every moment is an opportunity for awareness and growth.
Themes
PresentMomentAwarenessMindfulnessTime
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a meditation session to remind participants to focus on the current moment.
More from Nhat Hanh
All quotes βI have lost my smile, but don't worry. The dandelion has it.
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I realize that many elements of the Buddhist teaching can be found in Christianity, Judaism, Islam. I think if Buddhism can help, it is the concrete methods of practice.
Nhat HanhRead
Aware of the suffering caused by the destruction of life, I am committed to cultivating compassion and learning ways to protect the lives of people, animals, plants, and minerals. I am determined not to kill, not to let others kill, and not to support any act of killing in the world, in my thinking, and in my way of life.
Nhat HanhRead
The therapist does not treat patients by simply giving them another set of beliefs. He or she tries to help them see which kinds of ideas and beliefs have led to their suffering. Many patients want to get rid of their painful feelings, but they do not want to get rid of their beliefs, the viewpoints that are the very roots of their feelings.
Nhat HanhRead
Scientists tell us that we have enough technology to save our planet. . . . Yet we don't take advantage of this new technology. . . . The technological has to work hand-in-hand with the spiritual. Our spiritual life is the element that can bring about the energies of peace, calm, brotherhood, understanding, and compassion. Without that, our planet doesn't stand a chance.
Nhat HanhRead
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And to tell the truth I don't want to let go of the wrists of idleness, I don't want to sell my life for money, I don't even want to come in out of the rain.
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Giving frees us from the familiar territory of our own needs by opening our mind to the unexplained worlds occupied by the needs of others.
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