At Home In The World: Stories and Essential Teachings From A Monk's Life

In Sanskrit this is called samsara, the habitual continuation of negative or destructive behavior.

love is another name for understanding.

Nonviolence is not a set of techniques that you can learn with your intellect. Nonviolent action naturally arises from the compassion, lucidity, and understanding you have within.

choose to walk in such a way that every step can bring you joy, peace, and happiness. You may like to remember that others are also walking like that, and we can feel connected with each other. Connection is very important.

If we only rely on external conditions, we will get lost. We need a refuge we can always rely on, and that is the island of self. Firmly established on our inner island, we’re very safe.

it. So I lay in bed, and just breathed in and out, becoming the cedars and my breath. I felt much better, but I still couldn’t sleep. Finally I imagined a delightful Vietnamese child nicknamed Little Bamboo. She came to Plum Village when she was two years old, and she was so cute that everyone wanted to hold her in their arms, especially the childr

Buddha is not the name of a particular person; buddha is just a common name to designate anyone who has a high degree of peace and who has a high degree of understanding and compassion. All of us are capable of being called by this name.

If we live near a park or a riverbank, we can enjoy walking meditation there, and the park or river becomes part of our community.

This is very important. It was because I didn’t belong to any particular country that I had to make an effort to break through and find my true home. The feeling that we are not accepted, that we do not belong anywhere and have no national identity, can provoke the breakthrough necessary for us to find our true home.