Thich Nhat Hanh Quotes

When you look deeply into your anger, you will see that the person you call your enemy is also suffering. As soon as you see that, the capacity of accepting and having compassion for them is there.

In the moment when I truly understand my enemy, understand him well enough to defeat him, then in that very moment I also love him.

For a practitioner of love and compassion, an enemy is one of the most important teachers. Without an enemy you cannot practice tolerance, and without tolerance you cannot build a sound basis of compassion.

Hate does not produce love, and by hate one cannot remake the world.

It is easier to hate an enemy with much good in him than one who is all bad. We cannot hate those we despise.

Do you think you can cure the hatreds and the maladjustments of the world by hanging them? You simply show your ignorance and your hate when you say it. You may here and there cure hatred with love and understanding, but you can only add fuel to the flames by cruelty and hate.

Love your enemy. It will not only puzzle him, But finally illumine him.

War is not the answer, because only love can conquer hate.

Love is not blind - it sees more, not less. But because it sees more, it is willing to see less.

If we could read the secret history of our enemies we should find in each man's life sorrow and suffering enough to disarm all hostility.

In the practice of tolerance, one's enemy is the best teacher.

I have begun to sympathetically understand Paul, though I don't like him much.

If you and I are having a single thought of violence or hatred against anyone in the world at this moment, we are contributing to the wounding of the world.

It doesn't do any good to argue. Be kind.

Remind yourself that the greatest technique for bringing peace into your life is to always choose being kind when you have a choice between being right or being kind.

Love soothes wounds, while hatred and violence deepen them.

History is not hatred.

Compassion is more important than intellect in calling forth the love that the work of peace needs, and intuition can often be a far more powerful searchlight than cold reason.

Hatred is increased by being reciprocated, and can on the other hand be destroyed by love.

Peace will not be built, however, by people with bitterness in their hearts.

It is not easy to talk about peace to people who are mourning every day.

I have striven not to laugh at human actions, not to weep at them, nor to hate them, but to understand them.

In order to have understanding, you need forgiveness, compassion, and empathy.

I'm not one who wants to hate on anybody.

I'm not just a fighter; I like to give love as well. I'm a lover, too.