Rick Hanson on Thích Nhất Hạnh’s Quotation

Rick Hanson, in Neurodharma, reflects on the profound teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh, emphasizing the deep interconnectedness that binds all beings and phenomena. Hanson resonates with Thich Nhat Hanh’s understanding that everything in the universe is intricately linked, recognizing that this awareness is vital to our well-being. As Hanson insightfully notes, “When you really sense your relatedness to everything, compassion and kindness naturally flow from that.” This recognition is not merely a philosophical concept but a lived experience that can reshape our understanding of self. By perceiving ourselves as integral parts of a larger whole, our actions and intentions naturally align with the well-being of all, cultivating a deeper sense of compassion, responsibility, and peace. Realizing our “inter-being” with all life forms and the environment is essential to attaining true happiness and reducing suffering, as it nurtures a deep sense of belonging and purpose in our shared journey.

“There is no phenomenon in the universe that does not intimately concern us, from a pebble resting at the bottom of the ocean to the movement of a galaxy millions of light-years away. All phenomena are interdependent. When we are in harmony with each other, we are also in harmony with the land. We see our close relationship with every person and every species. The happiness and suffering of all humans and all other species is our own happiness and suffering. We inter-are. As practitioners we see that we are part of and not separate from the soil, the forests, the rivers, and the sky. We share the same destiny.”

—Thích Nhất Hạnh [Rick Hanson, Opening into Allness, Neurodharma 2019 – Quotes (rickhanson.net)].

The Sun My Heart, Thích Nhất Hạnh

“There is no phenomenon in the universe that does not intimately concern us, from a pebble resting at the bottom of the ocean, to the movement of a galaxy millions of light-years away. Walt Whitman said, “I believe a blade of grass is no less than the journey-work of the stars…” These words are not philosophy. They come from the depths of his soul. He also said, “I am large, I contain multitudes.” This might be called a meditation on “interfacing endlessly interwoven.” All phenomena are interdependent. When we think of a speck of dust, a flower, or a human being, our thinking cannot break loose from the idea of unity, of one, of calculation. We see a line drawn between one and many, one and not one. But if we truly realize the interdependent nature of the dust, the flower, and the human being, we see that unity cannot exist without diversity. Unity and diversity interpenetrate each other freely. Unity is diversity, and diversity is unity. This is the principle of interbeing.”

—Thích Nhất Hạnh [The Sun My Heart (1996) “The Sun My Heart” in Engaged Buddhist Reader (1996) edited by Arnold Kotler] p. 162.

“The present moment is filled with joy and happiness. If you are attentive, you will see it.”

—Thích Nhất Hạnh [Plum Village Website].

“When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe.”

—John Muir [Rick Hanson, Opening into Allness, Neurodharma 2019 – Quotes (rickhanson.net)].

Quotes About Thích Nhất Hạnh

[Thích Nhất Hạnh] shows us the connection between personal inner peace and peace on earth.

—Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama [“Anger, in Wisdom For Cooling the Flames”].

Thích Nhất Hạnh offers a way out of this nightmare, a solution acceptable to rational leaders. He has traveled the world, counseling statesmen, religious leaders, scholars and writers, and enlisting their support. His ideas for peace, if applied, would build a monument to ecumenism, to world brotherhood, to humanity.

—Martin Luther King [Martin Luther King Jr.’s letter of nomination of Thich Nhat Hanh for the Nobel Peace Prize (25 January 1967)].

*Zen Master Thích Nhất Hạnh was a global spiritual leader, poet and peace activist, revered around the world for his pioneering teachings on mindfulness, global ethics, and peace.