“With compassion you can die for other people, like the mother who can die for her child. You have the courage to say it because you are not afraid of losing anything, because you know that understanding and love is the foundation of happiness. But if you have fear of losing your status, your position, you will not have the courage to do it.”

Vietnamese Thiền Buddhist monk

Thích Nhất Hạnh was a Vietnamese Thiền Buddhist monk, peace activist, author, poet, and teacher. He was widely known as the "father of mindfulness" and for founding the Plum Village Tradition, which is recognized as the main inspiration for engaged Buddhism. He became a major influence on how Buddhism was practiced in the West. His work and teaching were closely tied to mindfulness and engaged Buddhism, and his reputation rested on both his writing and his role as a Buddhist teacher.