Quotes by the Dalai Lama

Open your arms to change, but don't let go of your values.

Someone else's action should not determine your response.

Without changing one's self, without peace in one's self, world peace is not possible.

The root of happiness is altruism - the wish to be of service to others.

Altruism is the best source of happiness. There is no doubt about that.

If you harbor hatred or ill feelings toward a person, the feeling does not hurt the enemy. It only harms your own peace of mind and eventually your own health.

Dangerous consequences will follow when politicians and rulers forget moral principles.

Remember that sometimes, not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck.

Meet hostility and suspicion with kindness. Helping others out of love is always the best option.

Fundamentally, the basis on which you can build a sense of caring for others is the capacity to love yourself.

Simplicity is extremely important for happiness. Having few desires, feeling satisfied with what you have, is very vital.

The basic condition of human life is happiness.

An enemy is indeed a precious teacher.

Killing animals for sport, for pleasure, for adventures, and for hides and furs is a phenomenon which is at once disgusting and distressing. There is no justification in indulging in such acts of brutality.

How we fare in any given situation depends on the conduct of our body, speech, and mind. Since mind is the chief, a disciplined mind is essential.

We live very close together. So, our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can't help them, at least don't hurt them.

Developing concern for others, thinking of them as part of us, brings self-confidence, reduces our sense of suspicion and mistrust, and enables us to develop a calm mind.

If we are in a good mood when we get up in the morning, if there is a warm-hearted feeling within, automatically our inner door is opened for that day.

Responsibility does not only lie with the leaders of our countries or with those who have been appointed or elected to do a particular job. It lies with each of us individually. Peace, for example, starts within each one of us. When we have inner peace, we can be at peace with those around us.

If your mind is scattered, it is quite powerless.

A calm mind brings inner strength and self-confidence, so that's very important for good health.

The only way to fail is to quit.

To a large extent, whether you suffer depends on how you respond to a given situation.

The 20th century was the century of war and blood. The 21st century is the century of dialogue.

Anything that contradicts experience and logic should be abandoned.

I think the person who has had more experience of hardships can stand more firmly in the face of problems than the person who has never experienced suffering. From this angle then, some suffering can be a good lesson for life.

The most important benefit of patience consists in the way it acts as a powerful antidote to the affliction of anger.

The antidote to hatred in the heart, the source of violence, is tolerance.

Computers make me totally blank out.

Happiness is a state of mind. With physical comforts if your mind is still in a state of confusion and agitation, it is not happiness. Happiness means calmness of mind.

Everybody loves to talk about calmness and peace, whether in a family, national, or international context, but without inner peace how can we make real peace? World peace through hatred and force is impossible.

Don't use Buddhism to become a Buddhist. Use Buddhism to become better at whatever else in your life you are doing already.

A balanced and skillful approach to life, taking care to avoid extremes, becomes a very important factor in conducting one's everyday existence.

As you breathe in, cherish yourself. As you breathe out, cherish all Beings.

As far as mental development is concerned, we should never be complacent. We can develop our minds infinitely -- there is no limitation.

Constructiveness is the human way.

The world has also learned that economic growth, by itself, cannot close the gap between rich and poor.

Contemplating the suffering which is unbearable to us, and is unbearable to others, too, can produce awake mind, which arises from the compassion that wishes to free all living beings from suffering.

Inner disarmament, external disarmament; these must go together, you see. Peace is not just mere absence of violence -- genuine peace must start in each individual heart.

We have global communication and yet confrontation is more common than dialogue.

Try to improve. Don't expect too much, but don't feel discouraged either; keep up your enthusiasm; you will make progress.

It seems that for some people the idea of compassion entails a complete disregard for or even a sacrifice of their own interests. This is not the case. In fact, you first of all have to have a wish to be happy yourself -- if you don't love yourself like that, how can you love others?

We must conduct research and then accept the results. If they don't stand up to experimentation, Buddha's own words must be rejected.

Limitless like the ocean are your excellent qualities.

If I had not been a monk, I would have become an engineer.

Since form is emptiness and emptiness is form, then instead of a hand grasping at nothing, it is better to grasp at someone's nose because this is closer to reality.

Genuine harmony must come from the heart. It cannot come from the barrel of a gun.

The real test of compassion is not what we say in abstract discussions but how we conduct ourselves in daily life.

Unlike physical progress, which is subject to natural restrictions, the qualities of the mind can be developed limitlessly.

Many of the earth's habitats, animals, plants, insects and even micro-organisms that we know to be rare may not be known at all by future generations. We have the capability and the responsibility to act; we must do so before it is too late.

Individuality is very important for a full human life.

Provided that societies stay mindful of the challenges that capitalism creates and never forget the paramount importance of inclusion and equal opportunity, we can and should celebrate the miracle of free enterprise-and the billions of souls it has helped free from desperate poverty.

Too strong a media emphasis on death and violence can lead to despair.

I do not judge the universe.

The highest happiness is when one reaches the stage of liberation, at which there is no more suffering.

The person who received maximum affection from mother, that person also sort of cultivated the potential showing affection to others.

When we are motivated by compassion and wisdom, the results of our actions benefit everyone, not just our individual selves.

When ever Buddhism has taken root in a new land, there has been a certain variation in the style in which it is observed. The Buddha himself taught differently according to the place, the occasion and the situation of those who were listening to him.

The source of peace is within us; so also the source of war. And the real enemy is within us, and not outside. The source of war is not the existence of nuclear weapons or other arms. It is the minds of human beings who decide to push the button and to use those arms out of hatred, anger or greed.

If you focus only on yourself and neglect others, you will lose; but you will gain if you value others as much as you cherish yourself.

According to Buddhist psychology most of our troubles stem from attachment to things that we mistakenly see as permanent.

When a person is in a miserable situation, then, yes, it is difficult to develop genuine compassion toward others. That's why I find it difficult to say to poor people, Please have compassion toward millionaires. That's not easy.

Happiness doesn't always come from a pursuit. Sometimes it comes when we least expect it.

Without freedom, creativity cannot flourish. The right to freedom is crucial to progress in any society; and the context is having a sense of global responsibility.

If we want to save the world, we must have a plan. But no plan will work unless we meditate.

The only clear thing is that we humans are the only species with the power to destroy the earth as we know it. The birds have no such power, nor do the insects, nor does any mammal. Yet if we have the capacity to destroy the earth, so, too, do we have the capacity to protect it.

Affection is important because it counters anger, hatred and suspicion that can prevent our minds from functioning clearly.

I try to treat whoever I meet as an old friend with dignity, with honor.

Spiritually, yes, now many people knows Tibetans in spiritual field are very, very advanced but in material field is very, very backward.

I think many people knows what I am thinking. The whole world knows I am not seeking independence, therefore is many Tibetan disappointed, and also some of our supporters -- many Indians, many Europeans, many Americans are also disappointed because I am not seeking independence.

I make small mistakes every day. But major mistakes? It doesn't seem so. I've examined my service to the Tibetan people and to humanity, and I've done as much as I can in my life.

Many Tibetans sacrifice their lives.

I'm a Tibetan monk, not a vegetarian.

The fact that there is always a positive side to life is the one thing that gives me a lot of happiness. This world is not perfect. There are problems. But things like happiness and unhappiness are relative. Realizing this gives you hope.

I always tell my Western friends that it is best to keep your own tradition. Changing religion is not easy and sometimes causes confusion. You must value your tradition and honor your own religion.

It is felt that a disciplined mind leads to happiness and an undisciplined mind leads to suffering, and in fact it is said that bringing about discipline within one's mind is the essence of the Buddha's teaching.

Indulgence in resentment and vengeance will only further increase miseries to oneself and others in this life and in lives to come.

In fact, being wealthy often brings even more anxiety.

Do not think only of your own joy, but vow to save all beings from suffering. This is sharing in its highest form and purity beyond all poisons of this world.

When you encounter some problems, if you point your finger at yourself and not at others, this gives you control over yourself and calmness in a situation, where otherwise self-control becomes problematic.

Certain beliefs must accompany every action: One should act without selfishness, cultivate compassion for all living things, and develop respect for others.

A zero itself is nothing, but without a zero you cannot count anything; therefore, a zero is something, yet zero.

May I examine my mind in all actions and as soon as a negative state occurs, since it endangers myself and others, may I firmly face and avert it.

There are five billion human beings and in a certain way I think we need five billion different religions.

Different religions meet the needs of different people.

Buddhism strongly discourages blind faith and fanaticism.

We can hardly call a beggar an obstacle to generosity.

To me there is no difference whether president, beggar, or king.

Chinese people themselves, they really want change.

True friends share genuine closeness and remain friends irrespective of fluctuating fortunes.

Therefore we have to make effort through well through every corner, media people, education sort of institution, and family, parents, everywhere. It is our common goal, common interest promote more compassion toward the world.