---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I am determined not to kill, not to let…"
description: "\"I am determined not to kill, not to let others kill, and not to condone any act of killing in the world, in my thinking, and in my way of life. We cann..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ede/nhat-hanh-515_break_i-am-determined-not-to-kill-not-to-let-o_2534920.png"
---

#  I am determined not to kill, not to let others kill, and…

![“I am determined not to kill, not to let others kill, and not to condone any act of killing in the world, in my thinking, and in my way of life. We cannot support any act of killing; no killing can be justified. But not to kill is not enough ... If in your thinking you allow the killing to go on…” quote by Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ede/nhat-hanh-515_break_i-am-determined-not-to-kill-not-to-let-o_2534920.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ede/nhat-hanh-515_break_i-am-determined-not-to-kill-not-to-let-o_2534920.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ede/nhat-hanh-515_break_i-am-determined-not-to-kill-not-to-let-o_2534920.png)

> “I am determined not to kill, not to let others kill, and not to condone any act of killing in the world, in my thinking, and in my way of life. We cannot support any act of killing; no killing can be justified. But not to kill is not enough ... If in your thinking you allow the killing to go on, you also break this precept. We must be determined not to condone killing, even in our minds.”

[Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nhat-hanh/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A firm commitment to reject killing in thought, word, and deed, recognizing that mental acceptance also fuels violence.

**In simple terms:** Reject killing completely, even in thoughts.

Key Takeaway

Cultivate non‑violence in mind and actions.

Themes

nonviolence ethics mindfulness

Mood

reflective serious

Type

ethical philosophical

When to use this quote

- personal meditation
- conflict resolution
- policy making
- education
- spiritual practice

Key Concepts

Moral philosophy psychology of aggression

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you notice hidden justifications for harm?
- What practices help keep thoughts aligned with non‑violence?

A Different Perspective

Hard to maintain pure thoughts amid societal influences.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Death penalty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death-penalty/) [Determined](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/determined/) [Killing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/killing/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Support](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/support/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Way of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way-of-life/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/)

## Related quotes

> [“I don't condone killing, but if killing happens anyway, then I think women go about it much more sensibly. Leave it to men to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-berry/i-don-t-condone-killing-but-if-killing-happens-anyway-then-i-think/)

[Julie Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-berry/)

> [“No one must ever fancy another human being so much more evil than themselves that killing was justified.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-amanda-salmonson/no-one-must-ever-fancy-another-human-being-so-much-more-evil-than/)

[Jessica Amanda Salmonson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-amanda-salmonson/)

> [“One day this will end. In liberation, in peace, or in eradication at a scale so overwhelming it resets history. It’ll end when sanctions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omar-el-akkad/one-day-this-will-end-in-liberation-in-peace-or-in-eradication-at-a/)

[Omar El Akkad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omar-el-akkad/)

> [I am determined not to kill, not to let others kill, and not to support any act of killing in the world, in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nhat-hanh/i-am-determined-not-to-kill-not-to-let-others-kill-and-not-to-support/)

[Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nhat-hanh/)

> [Aware of the suffering caused by the destruction of life, I am committed to cultivating compassion and learning ways to protect the lives of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nhat-hanh/aware-of-the-suffering-caused-by-the-destruction-of-life-i-am/)

[Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nhat-hanh/)

> [“Is there really a difference between that killing and this killing? Does God approve of some killing and not other killing? If I kill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/is-there-really-a-difference-between-that-killing-and-this-killing/)

[Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/)

> [At the end, killing is killing. Massacring is massacring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/at-the-end-killing-is-killing-massacring-is-massacring/)

[Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/)

> [This is, I believe, what happens when people take their own lives. They're not killing themselves, they're killing the world. Either to spare it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-stahl/this-is-i-believe-what-happens-when-people-take-their-own-lives-they/)

[Jerry Stahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-stahl/)

> [“You’re killing me! you’re killing me! I know I am amazing”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hoolio-rodriguez/you-re-killing-me-you-re-killing-me-i-know-i-am-amazing/)

[hoolio rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hoolio-rodriguez/)

> [Killing is killing whether done for duty, profit or fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ramirez/killing-is-killing-whether-done-for-duty-profit-or-fun/)

[Richard Ramirez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ramirez/)

> [“Can't you see what's happening? They're killing everyone. They're killing anyone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-celi/can-t-you-see-what-s-happening-they-re-killing-everyone-they-re/)

S. Celi

> [I wanted to work on this central problem of killing. How you go about killing. Now, in the film I had to kill my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-burstyn/i-wanted-to-work-on-this-central-problem-of-killing-how-you-go-about/)

[Ellen Burstyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-burstyn/)

> [“He didn't respond for several seconds. Then he said, "You see things... sometimes you see things that make you think the rest of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mal-peet/he-didn-t-respond-for-several-seconds-then-he-said-you-see-things/)

[Mal Peet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mal-peet/)

> [“The good news is, in those moments when you feel as if God is killing you, He is. But He’s killing you to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/the-good-news-is-in-those-moments-when-you-feel-as-if-god-is-killing/)

[Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/)

> [Sometimes we have to let go of whats killing us, even if its killing us to let go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-we-have-to-let-go-of-whats-killing-us-even-if-its-killing/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

## More by Nhat Hanh

> [Happiness is the cessation of suffering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nhat-hanh/happiness-is-the-cessation-of-suffering/)

[Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nhat-hanh/)

> [We need enlightenment, not just individually but collectively, to save the planet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nhat-hanh/we-need-enlightenment-not-just-individually-but-collectively-to-save/)

[Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nhat-hanh/)

> [If you really know how to live, what better way to start the day than with a smile?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nhat-hanh/if-you-really-know-how-to-live-what-better-way-to-start-the-day-than/)

[Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nhat-hanh/)

> [Contemplating the bowl, it is possible to see the interdependent elements which give rise to the bowl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nhat-hanh/contemplating-the-bowl-it-is-possible-to-see-the-interdependent/)

[Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nhat-hanh/)

> [Our joy, peace and happiness depend very much on our practice of recognizing and transforming habit energies. There are positive habit energies that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nhat-hanh/our-joy-peace-and-happiness-depend-very-much-on-our-practice-of/)

[Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nhat-hanh/)

> [I vow to live fully in each moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nhat-hanh/i-vow-to-live-fully-in-each-moment/)

[Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nhat-hanh/)

> [Silence is something that comes from your heart, not from outside. Silence doesn't mean not talking and not doing things; it means that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nhat-hanh/silence-is-something-that-comes-from-your-heart-not-from-outside/)

[Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nhat-hanh/)

> [Freedom is the real foundation of happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nhat-hanh/freedom-is-the-real-foundation-of-happiness/)

[Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nhat-hanh/)

> [Wisdom is a living stream, not an icon to be preserved in a museum. Only when a practitioner finds the spring of wisdom in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nhat-hanh/wisdom-is-a-living-stream-not-an-icon-to-be-preserved-in-a-museum/)

[Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nhat-hanh/)

> [We may think of peace as the absence of war, that if the great powers would reduce their weapons arsenals, we could have peace.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nhat-hanh/we-may-think-of-peace-as-the-absence-of-war-that-if-the-great-powers/)

[Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nhat-hanh/)

> [If you are capable of brushing your teeth in mindfulness, then you will be able to enjoy the time when you take a shower,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nhat-hanh/if-you-are-capable-of-brushing-your-teeth-in-mindfulness-then-you/)

[Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nhat-hanh/)

> [If I am incapable of washing dishes joyfully, if I want to finish them quickly so I can go and have dessert, I will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nhat-hanh/if-i-am-incapable-of-washing-dishes-joyfully-if-i-want-to-finish-them/)

[Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nhat-hanh/)

> [When we have anger in us, we suffer. When we have discrimination in us, we suffer. When we have the complex of superiority, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nhat-hanh/when-we-have-anger-in-us-we-suffer-when-we-have-discrimination-in-us/)

[Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nhat-hanh/)

> [Every morning, when we wake up, we have twenty-four brand-new hours to live. What a precious gift! We have the capacity to live in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nhat-hanh/every-morning-when-we-wake-up-we-have-twenty-four-brand-new-hours-to/)

[Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nhat-hanh/)

> [It is best if we do not listen to or look at the person whom we consider to be the cause of our anger.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nhat-hanh/it-is-best-if-we-do-not-listen-to-or-look-at-the-person-whom-we/)

[Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nhat-hanh/)

[Explore all 507 Nhat Hanh quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nhat-hanh/)

## More Break quotes

> [I made, like, five movies while I was in college. I think they just weren't memorable movies. I've taken breaks as the years have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodie-foster/i-made-like-five-movies-while-i-was-in-college-i-think-they-just/)

[Jodie Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodie-foster/)

> [Things are going well in Germany because the economy is booming and as an export-driven nation, we are profiting from the fact that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-schulz/things-are-going-well-in-germany-because-the-economy-is-booming-and/)

[Martin Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-schulz/)

> [There were songs that we cut out after we chose the name, because 'Praise Break' turned out to be an underlying concept that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-caesar/there-were-songs-that-we-cut-out-after-we-chose-the-name-because/)

[Daniel Caesar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-caesar/)

> [“He didn't break my heart. No one can break your heart except you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/he-didn-t-break-my-heart-no-one-can-break-your-heart-except-you/)

[Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/)

> [“She couldn't break the orbit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-schwab/she-couldn-t-break-the-orbit/)

[Victoria Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-schwab/)

> [Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding. Even as the stone of the fruit must break, that its heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil-gibran/your-pain-is-the-breaking-of-the-shell-that-encloses-your/)

[Khalil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil-gibran/)

> [Must I go bound while you go free Must I love a manwho doesn't love me Must I be born with so little art…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/must-i-go-bound-while-you-go-free-must-i-love-a-manwho-doesn-t-love/)

[Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/)

> [I hadn't worked for a year when I had my Prison Break audition and it was the easiest audition I've ever had. I got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wentworth-miller/i-hadn-t-worked-for-a-year-when-i-had-my-prison-break-audition-and-it/)

[Wentworth Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wentworth-miller/)

> [If you strike upon a thought that baffles you, break off from that entanglement and try another, so shall your wits be fresh to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristophanes/if-you-strike-upon-a-thought-that-baffles-you-break-off-from-that/)

[Aristophanes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristophanes/)

> [“A hole ain’t nothing either, but you can still break your neck in it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-donati/a-hole-ain-t-nothing-either-but-you-can-still-break-your-neck-in-it/)

[Sara Donati](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-donati/)

> [“I break things, a lot of things, but I don’t want one of them to be you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/i-break-things-a-lot-of-things-but-i-don-t-want-one-of-them-to-be-you/)

[Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/)

> [Motor racing's less of a sport these days than a commercial break doing 150 mph.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-dunne/motor-racing-s-less-of-a-sport-these-days-than-a-commercial-break/)

Peter Dunne

> [Much like teaching art to young art students age 10 to 15 or so on, you have to break it down into bite-sized pieces,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/much-like-teaching-art-to-young-art-students-age-10-to-15-or-so-on/)

[Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/)

> [The purpose is to be in gratitude forever. Live with applied consciousness, prosperity will break through the walls, flood you with it. You do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harbhajan-singh-yogi/the-purpose-is-to-be-in-gratitude-forever-live-with-applied/)

[Harbhajan Singh Yogi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harbhajan-singh-yogi/)

> [Never break another man's rice bowl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akio-morita/never-break-another-man-s-rice-bowl/)

[Akio Morita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akio-morita/)

Browse all 8,188 Break quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I am determined not to kill, not to let others kill, and not to condone any act of killing in the world, in my thinking, and in my way of life. We cannot support any act of killing; no killing can be justified. But not to kill is not enough ... If in your thinking you allow the killing to go on, you also break this precept. We must be determined not to condone killing, even in our minds.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Nhat Hanh"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nhat-hanh/i-am-determined-not-to-kill-not-to-let-others-kill-and-not-to-condone/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Break"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nhat-hanh/i-am-determined-not-to-kill-not-to-let-others-kill-and-not-to-condone/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ede/nhat-hanh-515_break_i-am-determined-not-to-kill-not-to-let-o_2534920.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ede/nhat-hanh-515_break_i-am-determined-not-to-kill-not-to-let-o_2534920.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ede/nhat-hanh-515_break_i-am-determined-not-to-kill-not-to-let-o_2534920.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I am determined not to kill, not to let others kill, and not to condone any act of killing in the world, in…” — Nhat Hanh",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Nhat Hanh",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nhat-hanh/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I am determined not to kill,...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nhat-hanh/i-am-determined-not-to-kill-not-to-let-others-kill-and-not-to-condone/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nhat-hanh/i-am-determined-not-to-kill-not-to-let-others-kill-and-not-to-condone/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
