There is a story in Zen circles about a man and a horse. The horse is galloping quickly, and it appears that the man on the horse is going somewhere important. Another man standing alongside the road, shouts, ยซWhere are you going?ยป and the first man replies, ยซI don't know! Ask the horse!ยป This is also our story. We are riding a horse, and we don't know where we are going and we can't stop. The horse is our habit energy pulling us along, and we are powerless.
Nhat HanhTo be free, first of all, is to be free from wrong views that are the foundation of all kinds of suffering and fear and violence.
Nhat HanhSimple practices like conscious breathing and smiling are very important. They can change our civilization.
Nhat HanhThe Buddha said that if we know how to look deeply into our suffering and recognize what feeds it, we are already on the path of emancipation.
Nhat Hanh