721 Quotes by the Dalai Lama

If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.

If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito.

World peace must develop from inner peace. Peace is not just mere absence of violence. Peace is, I think, the manifestation of human compassion.

If there is love, there is hope that one may have real families, real brotherhood, real equanimity, real peace.

I am just one human being.

In order to become prosperous, a person must initially work very hard, so he or she has to sacrifice a lot of leisure time.

All major religious traditions carry basically the same message, that is love, compassion and forgiveness the important thing is they should be part of our daily lives.

Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.

It is our collective and individual responsibility to preserve and tend to the environment in which we all live.

If a problem can be solved it will be. If it can not be solved there is no use worrying about it.

Home is where you feel at home and are treated well.

Only the development of compassion and understanding for others can bring us the tranquility and happiness we all seek.

A truly compassionate attitude toward others does not change even if they behave negatively or hurt you.

A good friend who points out mistakes and imperfections and rebukes evil is to be respected as if he reveals the secret of some hidden treasure.

I think technology really increased human ability. But technology cannot produce compassion.

Generosity is the most natural outward expression of an inner attitude of compassion and loving-kindness.

The planet does not need more successful people. The planet desperately needs more peacemakers, healers, restorers, storytellers, and lovers of all kinds.

A disciplined mind leads to happiness, and an undisciplined mind leads to suffering.

Some scientists believe climate change is the cause of unprecedented melting of the North Pole, and that effects these very uncertain weather patterns. I think we should listen to those scientists and experts.

In order to lead a meaningful life, you need to cherish others, pay attention to human values and try to cultivate inner peace.

The whole purpose of religion is to facilitate love and compassion, patience, tolerance, humility, and forgiveness.

Old friends pass away, new friends appear. It is just like the days. An old day passes, a new day arrives. The important thing is to make it meaningful: a meaningful friend -- or a meaningful day.

In this century we have made remarkable material progress, but basically we are the same as we were thousands of years ago. Our spiritual needs are still very great.

Look at situations from all angles, and you will become more open.

Life is as dear to a mute creature as it is to man. Just as one wants happiness and fears pain, just as one wants to live and not die, so do other creatures.

In order to carry a positive action we must develop here a positive vision.

We seek happiness in external things without realizing that they don't help when we have problems within. We need to focus instead on the joy that comes with peace of mind that allows us to remain happy whatever happens.

To be aware of a single shortcoming in oneself is more useful than to be aware of a thousand in someone else.

True change is within; leave the outside as it is.

Through difficult experiences, life sometimes becomes more meaningful.

Once a year go somewhere you have never been before.

Just one small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day.

I defeat my enemies when I make them my friends.

The important thing is that men should have a purpose in life. It should be something useful, something good.

Where ignorance is our master, there is no possibility of real peace.

Compassion is the radicalism of our time.

If your heart has peace, nothing can disturb you.

Happiness is not something ready-made. It comes from your own actions.

Sometimes one creates a dynamic impression by saying something, and sometimes one creates as significant an impression by remaining silent.

When we are caught up in a destructive emotion, we lose one of our greatest assets: our independence.

It is very important to generate a good attitude, a good heart, as much as possible. From this, happiness in both the short term and the long term for both yourself and others will come.

If at the beginning and end of our lives we depend upon the kindness of others, why in the middle of our lives should we not act kindly toward them? It is the pragmatic choice.

It is very rare or almost impossible that an event can be negative from all points of view.

Because we all share this planet earth, we have to learn to live in harmony and peace with each other and with nature. This is not just a dream, but a necessity.

The goal is not to be better than the other man, but your previous self.

If you have a particular faith or religion, that is good. But you can survive without it.

I have always had this view about the modern education system: we pay attention to brain development, but the development of warmheartedness we take for granted.

Sleep is the best meditation.

Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.

Because of lack of moral principle, human life becomes worthless. Moral principle, truthfulness, is a key factor. If we lose that, then there is no future.

An open heart is an open mind.

Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.

Love is the absence of judgment.

We can live without religion and meditation, but we cannot survive without human affection.

The purpose of all the major religious traditions is not to construct big temples on the outside, but to create temples of goodness and compassion inside, in our hearts.

In most cases, my visits to the West are for promotion of human values and religious harmony.

If you can, help others; if you cannot do that, at least do not harm them.

Time passes unhindered. When we make mistakes, we cannot turn the clock back and try again. All we can do is use the present well.

Know the rules well, so you can break them effectively.

Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them, humanity cannot survive.

Human use, population, and technology have reached that certain stage where mother Earth no longer accepts our presence with silence.

When we feel love and kindness toward others, it not only makes others feel loved and cared for, but it helps us also to develop inner happiness and peace.

We all have to live together, so we might as well live together happily.

Choose to be optimistic, it feels better.

Share your knowledge. It is a way to achieve immortality.

When you talk, you are only repeating what you already know. But if you listen, you may learn something new.

I one individual human being. One of the seven billion human being. I believe each of us, our future depends on the rest of humanity.

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.

Just as ripples spread out when a single pebble is dropped into water, the actions of individuals can have far-reaching effects.

Media people should have long noses like an elephant to smell out politicians, mayors, prime ministers and businessmen. We need to know the reality, the good and the bad, not just the appearance.

Infinite altruism is the basis of peace and happiness. If you want altruism, you must control hate and you must practice patience. The main teachers of patience are our enemies.

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.

In our concern for others, we worry less about ourselves.

I think really, China, Chinese, I think they really have a long history of civilization, rich culture.

Happiness comes through taming the mind; without taming the mind there is no way to be happy.

Look at children...
If they feel angry with someone,
they express it, and then it is finished.
They can still play with that person the following day.

We must have a pure, honest, and warm-hearted motivation, and on top of that, determination, optimism, hope, and the ability not to be discouraged. The whole of humanity depends on this motivation.

Be a good human being, a warmhearted, affectionate person. That is my fundamental belief.

Today, as we wish each other a Happy New Year, let us determine to be more sincere, compassionate, warm-hearted human beings, trying to make our world a more equal place. That way we'll actually make it a happy year.

Whether or not we follow any particular spiritual tradition, the benefits of love and kindness are obvious to anyone.

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.

Pain can change you, but that doesn't mean it has to be a bad change. Take that pain and turn it into wisdom.

I am a firm believer in the importance of democracy, not only as the ultimate goal, but also as an essential part of the process.

The motivation of all religious practice is similar: love, sincerity, honesty. The way of life of practically all religious persons is consistent. The teachings of tolerance, love, and compassion are the same.

Reality is devoid of any intrinsic identity that can be captured by any one single proposition -- that is what Buddha meant by "voidness.

World peace must develop from inner peace.

True compassion is not just an emotional response but a firm commitment founded on reason.

It is necessary to help others, not only in our prayers, but in our daily lives. If we find we cannot help others, the least we can do is to desist from harming them.

Today different ethnic groups and different nations come together due to common sense.

Buddhahood is a state free of all obstructions to knowledge and disturbing emotions. It is the state in which the mind is fully evolved.

Genuine happiness and compassion go hand in hand.

We have to make a sustained effort, again and again, to cultivate the positive aspects within us.

My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness.

I think governments can't do much.

Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive.

Had Tibet not fallen away from dharma China could not have invaded.

Suffering increases your inner strength. Also, the wishing for suffering makes the suffering disappear.

I don't think generally politician come from democratic country. I think not that thinking. But sometimes little bit short-sighted. They are mainly looking for their next vote.

We know that to wage a nuclear war today, for example, would be a form of suicide; or that to pollute the air or the oceans in order to achieve some short-term benefit would be to destroy the very basis for our survival.

Infinite altruism is the basis of peace and happiness. If you want altruism, you must control hate and you must practice patience. The main teachers of patience are our enemies.

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.

When educating the minds of our youth, we must not forget to educate their hearts.

Mutual respect is the foundation of genuine harmony.

If a person's basic state of mind is serene and calm, then it is possible for this inner peace to overwhelm a painful physical experience.

By developing a sense of respect for others and a concern for their welfare, we reduce our own selfishness, which is the source of all problems, and enhance our sense of kindness, which is a natural source of goodness.

Self-rule means that China must stop its intensive effort to colonize Tibet with Chinese settlers and must allow Tibetans to hold responsible positions in the government of Tibet.

The creation of a more peaceful and happier society has to begin from the level of the individual, and from there it can expand to one's family, to one's neighborhood, to one's community and so on.

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

When you think everything is someone else's fault, you will suffer a lot. When you realize that everything springs only from yourself, you will learn both peace and joy.

Since periods of great change, such as the present one, come so rarely in human history, it is up to each of us to make the best use of our time to help create a happier world.

Great changes start with individuals; the basis of world peace is inner peace in the hearts of individuals.

The basic condition of human life is happiness.

Human satisfaction must ultimately come from within oneself.

Every human actions becomes dangerous when it is deprived of human feeling. When they are performed with feeling and respect for human values, all activities become constructive.

In some cases, in order to protect global issues some sacrifice for national interest is worth it in the long run. Global warming, these things, they suffer everybody.

An enemy is indeed a precious teacher.

True compassion is universal in scope. It is accompanied by a feeling of responsibility.

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

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

If we have a positive mental attitude, then even when surrounded by hostility, we shall not lack inner peace.

Everyday, think as you wake up, today I am fortunate to be alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it.

The foundation of the Buddha's teachings lies in compassion, and the reason for practicing the teachings is to wipe out the persistence of ego, the number-one enemy of compassion.

I only escaped from Tibet because I feared my people would resort to desperate violence if the Chinese took me as their prisoner.

The real destroyer of inner peace is fear and distrust. Fear develops frustration, frustration develops anger, anger develops violence.

Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them, humanity cannot survive.""Laughter is good for thinking because when people laugh, it is easier for them to admit new ideas to their minds.

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.

One can overcome the forces of negative emotions, like anger and hatred, by cultivating their counter-forces, like love and compassion.

Rulers come and go. It's the people who are the real rulers of the country.

The Dalai Lama is just a temporal leader of Tibet.

Most REAL change is slow. Happiness and joy are the purpose of life. If we know that the future will be very dark or painful, then we lose our determination to live. Therefore, life is something based on hope.

Even when we have physical hardships, we can be very happy.

The creatures that inhabit this earth-be they human beings or animals-are here to contribute, each in its own particular way, to the beauty and prosperity of the world.

Climate change has been immense difficulties of pains or illness or hard life on this planet. So through that way, you have sense of concern of the well being, not sky, not just the environment itself.

Whatever the intellectual quality of the education given our children, it is vital that it include elements of love and compassion, for nothing guarantees that knowledge alone will be truly useful to human beings.

Love and compassion are the pillars of world peace.

World belongs to humanity, not this leader, that leader or that king or prince or religious leader. World belongs to humanity.

All good qualities must be sown and cultivated. We can't expect to change overnight from an ordinary person into one with high realizations.

I don't take myself too seriously! That makes me happy.

Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can't help them, at least don't hurt them.

Computers make me totally blank out.

With realization of one's own potential and self-confidence in one's ability, one can build a better world.

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

There is a saying in Tibetan, 'Tragedy should be utilized as a source of strength.' No matter what sort of difficulties, how painful experience is, if we lose our hope, that's our real disaster.

People should not rush to change religions. There is real value in finding the spiritual resources you need in your home religion. Even secular humanism has great spiritual resources; it is almost like a religion to me.

Compassion and love is the source of external and internal peace and is also the root of racial survival.

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

Different religions meet the needs of different people.

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

There is an intense delight in abandoning faulty states of mind and in cultivating helpful ones in meditation.

No material object, however beautiful or valuable, can make us feel loved, because our deeper identity and true character lie in the subjective nature of the mind.

Follow the three R's: -- Respect for self. -- Respect for others. -- Responsibility for all your actions.

Without love we could not survive. Human beings are social creatures,
and a concern for each other is the very basis of our life together.

I believe the twenty-first century can become the most important century of human history. I think a new reality is emerging. Whether this view is realistic or not, there is no harm in making an effort.

All religions are essentially the same in their goal of developing a good human heart so that we may become better human beings.

Consider that not only do negative thoughts and emotions destroy our experience of peace, they also undermine our health.

Ultimately, the reason why love and compassion bring the greatest happiness is simply that our nature cherishes them above all else. The need for love lies at the very foundation of human existence.

Share your knowledge. It's a way to achieve immortality.

In the modern world, the interests of a particular community can no longer be considered to lie within the confines of its own boundaries.

All religions try to benefit people, with the same basic message of the need for love and compassion, for justice and honesty, for contentment.

If we have no inner peace, we deceive ourselves into thinking that comfort and prosperity will bring happiness.

Don't let a little dispute injure a great relationship.

If you develop a pure and sincere motivation, if you are motivated by a wish to help on the basis of kindness, compassion, and respect, then you can carry on any kind of work, in any field, and function more effectively.

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

Not only can I not recall my experiences in my previous lives, sometimes I can't even remember what I did yesterday.

A tree with strong roots can withstand the most violent storm, but the tree can't grow roots just as the storm appears on the horizon.

If you are honest, truthful, and transparent, people trust you. If people trust you, you have no grounds for fear, suspicion or jealousy.

We must recognize that all beings want the same thing we want. This is the way to achieve a true understanding, unfettered by artificial consideration.

In the practice of tolerance, one's enemy is the best teacher.

The very purpose of religion is to control yourself, not to criticise others.

Instead of harboring fear and suspicion we need to think of other people not as ‘them' but ‘us'.

I learn as much from a turtle as from a religious text.

Many Tibetans sacrifice their lives.

To reduce destructive emotions we need to strengthen constructive emotions. For example, to counter anger we cultivate love and compassion.

Happiness can be achieved through training the mind.

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.

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

The basis of human rights is happy life. Everyone wants to lead a happy life for which we need to have a holistic approach.

Awareness of death is the very bedrock of the entire path. Until you have developed this awareness, all other practices are obstructed.

When something needs to be done in the world to rectify the wrongs, if one is really concerned with benefiting others, one needs to be engaged, involved. This is action out of compassion.

The message of love and compassion will travel far and wide if all who follow a spiritual path work together in harmony and mutual respect.

I find hope in the darkest of days, and focus in the brightest. I do not judge the universe.

My main hope is eventually, in modern education field, introduce education about warm-heartedness, not based on religion, but based on common experience and a common sort of sense, and then scientific finding.

To foster inner awareness, introspection, and reasoning is more efficient than meditation and prayer.

Today we understand that the future of humanity very much depends on our planet, and that the future of the planet very much depends on humanity.

We can hardly call a beggar an obstacle to generosity.

Our life depends on others so much that at the root of our existence is a fundamental need for love. That is why it is good to cultivate an authentic sense of responsibility and concern for the welfare of others.

Because my main concern is the Tibetan Buddhist culture, not just political independence, I cannot seek self-rule for central Tibet and exclude the 4 million Tibetans in our two eastern provinces of Amdo and Kham.

Once you have a genuine sense of concern for others, there's no room for cheating, bullying or exploitation.

Without mutual tolerance emerging as the foundation, terrible situations like those of Tibet and Sri Lanka, Bosnia and Rwanda, can never be effectively improved.

It is a wonderful thing if one can use one's place of work as a place of spiritual practice as well.

A sense of contentment is a key factor for attaining happiness.

A positive future cannot emerge from the mind of anger of despair.

Basically, a human being is a social animal. So, if you create some short moment of happiness for people, you get deep satisfaction.

The more we care for the happiness of others, the greater is our own sense of well-being.

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

With genuine love and compassion, another person's appearance or behavior has no affect on your attitude.

By deceiving one another through false assumptions and misrepresentations there has been, in reality, a great lapse and delay in achieving the real goals.

In twenty years' time I'll be eighty-three, just an old man with a stick moving like a sloth bear. While I'm alive, I am fully committed to autonomy, and I am the person who can persuade the Tibetan people to accept it.

Our prime purpose in life is to serve others.

There needs to be understanding that anger never helps to solve a problem. It destroys our peace of mind and blinds our ability to think clearly. Anger and attachment are emotions that distort our view of reality.

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.

Even modern medical researchers have come to the conclusion that peace of mind is vital for good health.

By far the single greatest danger facing humankind -- in fact, all living beings on our planet -- is the threat of nuclear destruction.

True spirituality is a mental attitude you can practice at any time.

Whether one believes in a religion or not, and whether one believes in rebirth or not, there isn't anyone who doesn't appreciate kindness and compassion.

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

I do not see any reason why animals should be slaughtered to serve as human diet when there are so many substitutes. After all, man can live without meat.

There is a saying in Tibetan, "Tragedy should be utilized as a source of strength". No matter what sort of difficulties, how painful experience is, if we lose our hope, that's our real disaster.

My overriding belief is that it is always possible for criminals to improve and that by its very finality the death penalty contradicts this.

There is no need to mention the great difference between the amount of satisfaction there is in just oneself being happy and the amount of satisfaction there is in an infinite number of people being happy.

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

Once a year, go some place you've never been before.

Spend some amount of time alone everyday.

Our attitude towards suffering becomes very important because it can affect how we cope with suffering when it arises.

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

Anger and hatred lead to fear; compassion and concern for others allow us to develop self-confidence, which breeds trust and friendship.

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

Anger, jealousy, impatience, and hatred are the real troublemakers, with them problems cannot be solved.

I call the light and high aspects of my being spirit and the dark and heavy aspects soul.

The ultimate source of happiness is not money and power, but warm-heartedness.

Medical science begin to notice for good health, peace of mind, self-confidence, optimism is something very important. And also preventive measure.

Other human beings have a right to peace and happiness that is equal to our own; therefore we have a responsibility to help those in need.

There must be a way of promoting human values without involving religion, based on common sense, experience and recent scientific findings.

Whether someone believes something or not, believer or non-believer, as long as you are a member of the human family, you need warm human feeling, warmhearted feeling.

Cultivating a close, warmhearted feeling for others automatically puts the mind at ease.

When you practice gratefulness, there is a sense of respect toward others.

I felt we must separate political responsibility. The Dalai Lama should not carry that burden. So that is my selfish reason -- to protect the old Dalai Lama tradition. It is safer without political involvement.

In the interests of everyone the artist had a responsibility to use his medium well. In the Tibetan culture, most of the paintings are of deities or Buddhas, and they try to send a message of the value of the spiritual.

If there is no solution to the problem then don't waste time worrying about it. If there is a solution to the problem then don't waste time worrying about it.

Always embrace the common humanity that lies at the heart of us all.

When you engage in fulfilling the needs of others, your own needs are fulfilled as a by-product.

A spoon cannot taste of the food it carries. Likewise, a foolish man cannot understand the wise man´s wisdom even if he associates with a sage.

The ultimate authority must always rest with the individual's own reason and critical analysis.

Fear, hatred, and suspicion narrow your mind -- compassion opens it.

The main cause of suffering is egoistic desire for one's own comfort and happiness.

I believe all suffering is caused by ignorance.

If you can do something about a situation, why worry? And if you can't do something about a situation, why worry?

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

The period of greatest gain in knowledge and experience is the most difficult period in one's life.

Anger, hatred, fear, is very bad for our health.

From that viewpoint, America, free country, democratic country, so more opportunity. Still is more sort of Alive. This is my feeling.

How can we eliminate the deepest source of all unsatisfactory experience? Only by cultivating certain qualities within our mindstream.

God exists or God does not exist. Leave it for us. Your task is to learn how to live peacefully.

China has to go along with world trends. That's democracy, liberty, individual freedom. China sooner or later has to go that way. It cannot go backward.

When you think everything is someone else's fault, you will suffer a lot.

Once a year, go someplace you've never been before.

A generous heart and wholesome actions lead to greater peace.

Genuine happiness comes from focusing on the happiness of others.

Life can be pleasant or miserable. To lead a fruitful life, and to make it positive, practice analytical meditation.

No one can force us to transform our minds, not even Buddha. We must do so voluntarily. Therefore Buddha stated, ‘You are your own master'.

Self-discipline is crucial to a simpler, more contented life.

If one assumes a humble attitude, one's own good qualities will increase. Whereas if one is proud, one will become jealous of others, one will look down on others, and due to that there will be unhappiness in society.

From adversity we can learn the value of patience.

People should never sit alone for too long when they're crying.

One country ... one ideology, one system is not sufficient. It is helpful to have a variety of different approaches ... We can then make a joint effort to solve the problems of the whole of humankind.

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

Firstly, as a Buddhist monk, I hold that violence is not good. Secondly, I am a firm believer in the Gandian ethic of passive resistance. And thirdly, in reality, violence is not our strength.

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

The basic Buddhist stand on the question of equality between the genders is age-old. At the highest tantric levels, at the highest esoteric level, you must respect women: every woman.

I never dreamt, in my dream, I'm Dalai Lama.

True enlightenment is nothing but the nature of one's own self being fully realized.

We are all basically the same human beings, who seek happiness and try to avoid suffering. Everybody is my peer group. Your feeling "I am of no value" is wrong. Absolutely wrong.

People assume that happiness stems from collecting things outside of yourself, whereas true happiness stems from removing things from inside of yourself.

I have come to the conclusion that whether or not a person is a religious believer does not matter. Far more important is that they be a good human being.

Compassion should be unbiased and based on the recognition that others have the right to happiness, just like you.

I totally disagree with the view that the Tibet struggle will die, and there will be no hope for Tibet, after the Dalai Lama passes away.

There is soul music, soul food, and soul love.

I am convinced that everyone can develop a good heart and a sense of universal responsibility with or without religion.

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

Genuine happiness consists in those spiritual qualities of love, compassion, patience, tolerance and forgiveness and so on. For it is these which provide both for our happiness and others happiness.

By developing a sense of concern for others' well-being, then no matter what others' attitudes are, you can keep inner peace.

Black Power If the motive is good, and there are no other possibilities, then seen most deeply it violence is nonviolence, because its aim is to help others.

I am the source of my own suffering, because of the habits of my mind.

A source of trouble is our unruly minds. We can counter that by developing a warm heart. We need to effect an inner transformation, to understand that love and affection are a real source of joy.

Hatred, jealousy, and fear hinder peace of mind. When you're angry or unforgiving, for example, your mental suffering is constant. It is better to forgive than to spoil your peace of mind with ill feelings.

Anything that contradicts experience and logic should be abandoned.

Go at least once a year to a place you've never been before.

We often add to our pain and suffering by being overly sensitive, over-reacting to minor things, and sometimes taking things too personally.

Compassion is of little value if it just remains an idea. It must motivate how we respond to others and be reflective in all our thoughts and actions.

We all need basic human values rooted in trust and affection.

If you wish to make others happy, practice kindness.
If you wish to be happy, practice kindness.

Peace in the world relies on individuals finding inner peace.

World economies are always so tenuous and we are subject to so many losses in life, but a compassionate attitude is something we can always carry with us.

A thousand candles can be lit from one candle, however the life of the original candle is not shortened in the least.

If you shift your focus from oneself to others, and think more about others' well-being and welfare, it has an immediate liberating effect.

Overcoming negative tendencies and enhancing positive potential are the very essence of the spiritual path.

If you resort to violent methods because the other side has destroyed your monastery, for example, you then have lost not only your monastery, but also your special Buddhist practices of detachment, love, and compassion.

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.

To defy the authority of empirical evidence is to disqualify oneself as someone worthy of critical engagement in a dialogue.

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.

The most important thing is transforming our minds, for a new way of thinking, a new outlook: we should strive to develop a new inner world.

You can develop the right attitude toward others if you have kindness, love and respect for them, and a clear realization of the oneness of all human beings.

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

To seek solitude like a wild animal.  That is my only ambition.

Your education tends to develop the brain while it neglects the heart, so you have a longing for teachings that develop and strengthen the good heart.

Constructiveness is the human way.

I am open to the guidance of synchronicity, and do not let expectations hinder my path.

My Brain and My Heart are my Temples. My true Religion is Kindness.

Do something that scares you every day. You have nothing to lose but fear itself.

If you practice in accord with your individual capacity, little by little you will find more pleasure and joy in it. As you gain inner strength, your positive actions will gain in profundity and scope.

In order to meditate correctly, you must have knowledge.

Unlike an external enemy, the inner enemy cannot regroup and launch a comeback once it has been destroyed from within.

Ultimately, the decision to save the environment must come from the human heart. The key point is a call for a genuine sense of universal responsibility that is based on love, compassion and clear awareness.

We had a rule in Tibet that anyone proposing a new invention had to guarentee that it was beneficial, or at least harmless, for seven generations of humans before it could be adopted.

What is important is to see how we can best lead a meaningful everyday life, how we can bring about peace and harmony in our minds, how we can help contribute to society.

On a certain day, month and year one should observe the ceremony of tree-planting. Thus, one fulfils one's responsibilities, serves one's fellow-beings which not only brings happiness but benefits all.

All suffering is caused by ignorance. People inflict pain on others in the selfish pursuit of their happiness or satisfaction.

If you are showing love to your fellow human beings, you are showing love to your God.

Individuality is very important for a full human life.

Tolerance and patience should not be read as signs of weakness. They are signs of strength.

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

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

I became the Dalai Lama not on a volunteer basis.

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

All beings want to live in peace and happiness, undisturbed. Therefore the concept of human rights is universal.

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

Through training there is knowledge. You can produce compassion, love, forgiveness. you can change yourself.

The ultimate way to solve human problems is with nonviolence.

My religion is kindness. A good mind, a good heart, warm feelings these are the most important things.

I feel that we should not only maintain gentle, peaceful relations with our fellow human beings bur also that is very important to extend the same kind of attitude toward the natural environment.

I consider non-violence to be compassion in action. It doesn't mean weakness, cowering in fear, or simply doing nothing. It is to act without violence, motivated by compassion, recognising the rights of others.

During the day extend that attitude to everyone you meet. Practice cherishing the "simplest" person (clerks, attendants, etc) or people you dislike.

Anger is the ultimate troublemaker. I feel you can express a strong disapproval or dislike of an object without losing your temper.

Logically, harmony must come from the heart... Harmony very much based on trust. As soon as use force, creates fear. Fear and trust cannot go together.

Friends, genuine friends, have much more to do with whether we have a warm heart, not money or power.

Each individual has a universal responsibility to shape institutions to serve human needs.

Once a year go someplace you've never been.

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

Religion does not mean just precepts, a temple, monastery, or other external signs, for these as well as hearing and thinking are subsidiary factors in taming the mind.

To be extremely self-centred, only interested in your own satisfaction, always brings negative consequences in the long run.

The only way to fail is to quit.

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

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.

Anger and hatred are the real enemies that we must confront and defeat, not the 'enemies' who appear from time to time in our lives.

Ethics: The indispensable interface between my desire to be happy and yours.

A positive state of mind is not merely good for you, it benefits everyone with whom you come into contact, literally changing the world.

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

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

All I can do is engage with complete sincerity. Then whatever happens, there is no regret.

The practice of love can be expressed in one sentence: 'Do not harm others.'

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

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

The deep root of failure in our lives is to think, 'Oh how useless and powerless I am.' It is essential to think strongly and forcefully, 'I can do it,' without boasting or fretting.

We cannot overcome anger and hatred simply by suppressing them. We need to actively cultivate the antidotes: patience and tolerance.

Death means change our clothes. Clothes become old, then time to come change. So this body become old, and then time come, take young body.

Im a Tibetan monk, not a vegetarian.

In some cases is keeping your mouth shut the best answer.

Although you may not always be able to avoid difficult situations,you can modify the extent to which you can suffer by how you choose to respond to the situation.

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

If we ourselves remain angry and then sing world peace, it has little meaning. First, our individual self must learn peace.

This we can practice. Then we can teach the rest of the world.

I try to treat whoever I meet as an old friend. This gives me a genuine feeling of happiness. It is the practice of compassion.

Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness.

Our prime purpose in this life is to help others and if you can't help them, at least don't hurt them.

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.

Human potential is the same for all. If you have will power, then you can change anything.

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.

We have to have some form of politics. Politics is a form of resolving conflicts. Politics which comes from sincere motivation is constructive.

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.

If I were to die today, I would have some concern for Tibet. But I know that I have personally done as much as I can to use my existence for others. So I have no regret.

You are so anxious about the future that you do not enjoy the present. You therefore do not live in the present or the future. You live as if you are never going to die, and then die having never really lived.

There is no need for temples, no need for
complicated philosophies. My brain and my
heart are my temples; my philosophie is
kindness.

It is lack of love for ourselves that inhibits our compassion toward others. If we make friends with ourselves, then there is no obstacle to opening our hearts and minds to others.

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

There is no way to escape death, it is just like trying to escape by four great mountains touching sky. There is no escape from these four mountains of birth, old age, sickness and death.

Sectarian feelings and criticism of other teachings or other sects is very bad, poisonous, and should be avoided.

The question is not to know what is the meaning of life, but what meaning I can give to my life.

If we want spiritual development, the practice of patience is essential.

All human beings have an innate desire to overcome suffering, to find happiness. Training the mind to think differently, through meditation, is one important way to avoid suffering and be happy.

In my mind of course natural disaster like tsunami, and these things, also I think indirectly may relate to human behavior. But then major sort of problems actually they're due to a lack of moral principle.

I'm nothing special, just an ordinary human being. That's why I always describe myself as a simple Buddhist monk.

Anger and hatred are signs of weakness, while compassion is a sure sign of strength.

If we see pride among people who have no idea about Dharma, it is understandable. However, if afflictive emotions and haughtiness are present among Dharma practitioners, it is great disgrace to practice.

I want to show that there are indeed some universal ethical principles which could help everyone to achieve the happiness we all aspire to.

If your life becomes only a medium of production, then many of the good human values and characteristics will be lost.

I believe that constant effort, tireless effort, pursuing clear goals with sincere effort is the only way.

One thing I want to make clear, as far as my own rebirth is concerned, the final authority is myself and no one else, and obviously not China's Communists.

I feel that the essence of spiritual practice is your attitude toward others. When you have a pure, sincere motivation, then you have right attitude toward others based on kindness, compassion, love and respect.

We share the earth not only with our fellow human beings, but with all the other creatures.

Love and compassion ... are the ultimate source of human happiness, and the need for them lies at the very core of our being.

When I meet people from other cultures I know that they too want happiness and do not want suffering, this allows me to see them as brothers and sisters.

There are a number of qualities which are important for mental peace, but from the little experience I have, I believe that one of the most important factors is human compassion and affection: a sense of caring.

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 can cultivate a concern for others, keeping in mind the oneness of humanity, we can build a more compassionate world.

Concern yourselves more with the needs of others, with the needs of all humanity, and you'll have peace of mind.

Human happiness and human satisfaction must ultimately come from within oneself. It is wrong to expect some final satisfaction to come from money or from a computer.

It is crucial that we realize the great value of human existence, the opportunity and the potential that our brief lives afford us. It is only as humans that we have the possibility of implementing changes in our lives.

For those who may not find happiness to exercise religious faith, it's okay to remain a radical atheist; it's absolutely an individual right, but the important thing is with a compassionate heart -- then no problem.

If you're looking for work and have a choice of a job, choose a job that allows the opportunity for some creativity, and for spending time with your family. Even if it means less pay.

Use your human intelligence in the best way you can; transform your emotions in a positive way.

Encountering sufferings will definitely contribute to the elevation of your spiritual practice, provided you are able to transform calamity and misfortune into the path.

The question of world peace, the question of family peace, the question of peace between wife and husband, or peace between parents and children, everything is dependent on that feeling of love and warmheartedness.

The Dalai Lama should not be partisan either, should remain above.

There should be a balance between material and spiritual progress, a balance achieved through the principles based on love and compassion.

Developing love and compassion and reducing anger and spite is a universal activity which requires no faith in any religion whatsoever.

It is worth remembering that the time of greatest gain in terms of wisdom and inner strength is often that of greatest difficulty.

The practicing of loving kindness toward one's enemy is the ultimate test of one's own spiritual attainment.

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

It is very wrong for people to feel deeply sad when they lose some money, yet when they waste the precious moments of their lives they do not have the slightest feeling of repentance.

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

I believe compassion to be one of the few things we can practice that will bring immediate and long-term happiness to our lives.

If we wish to ensure everyone's peace and happiness we need to cultivate a healthy respect for the diversity of our peoples and cultures, founded on an understanding of this fundamental sameness of all human beings.

If one's cause is supported by sound reasoning, there is no point in using violence. It is those who have no motive other than selfish desire and who cannot achieve their goal through logical reasoning who rely on force.

I believe that whether a person follows any religion or not is unimportant, he or she must have a good heart, a warm heart.

Maybe, just maybe, I would like to become a real spiritual teacher, a working lama!

In fact, being wealthy often brings even more anxiety.

In our own case, we don't consider the loss of a monastery or a monument the end of our entire way of life. If one monastery is destroyed, sometimes it happens.

A learned person will become noble only when he or she has put into real practice what has been learned, instead of mere words.

Everybody wants a happy life and a peaceful mind, but we have to produce peace of mind through our own practice.

There should be pluralism -- the concept of many religions, many truths. But we must also be careful not to become nihilistic.

If your mind is scattered, it is quite powerless.

As far as social-economic theory is concerned, I am still a Marxist.

I feel exhausted if I teach too long.

I think there's every reason this 21st century will be much happier.

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

You can’t help someone just by making a wish to do so, you have to take action.

With the realization of one's own potential and self-confidence in one's ability, one can build a better world.

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

If there is a solution to a problem, there is no need to worry. And if there is no solution, there is no need to worry.

Compassion is one of the principal things that make our lives meaningful. It is the source of all lasting happiness and joy.

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

As individuals we can influence our own families. Our families can influence our communities and our communities can influence our nations.

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

Every religion emphasizes human improvement, love, respect for others, sharing other people's suffering. On these lines every religion had more or less the same viewpoint and the same goal.

It is not only our right as members of the global human family to protest when our brothers and sisters are being treated brutally, but it is also our duty to do whatever we can to hep them.

Attachment constrains our vision so that we are not able to see things from a wider perspective.

A mind that is characterized by unrest will not be tranquil even in the presence of great calm.

If you lose your temper, your sound sleep will go, and you will have to use a tranquilizer or sleeping pills? Then gradually, more white hair, wrinkles.

The greatest antidote to insecurity and sense of fear is compassion. It brings one back to the basis of one's inner strength.

Brute force, no matter how strongly applied, can never subdue the basic human desire for freedom.

My earnest request is that you practice love and kindness whether you believe in a religion or not.

We need an approach to ethics which makes no recourse to religion and can be equally acceptable to those with faith and those without.

I believe all religions pursue the same goals, that of cultivating human goodness and bringing happiness to all human beings. Though the means might appear different the ends are the same.

When seen from outer space, our beautiful blue planet has no national boundaries.

As human beings we have the same experience of destructive and constructive emotions. We also have a human mind capable of developing wisdom. We all have the same Buddha nature.

Limitless like the ocean are your excellent qualities.

Love and compassion benefit both ourselves and others. Through kindness to others, your heart and mind will be peaceful and open.

Of course, when I say that human nature is gentleness, it is not 100 percent so. Every human being has that nature, but there are many people acting against their nature, being false.

No matter what activity or practice we are pursuing, there isn't anything that isn't made easier through constant familiarity and training (I think you can apply this to soccer as well).

Chinese people themselves, they really want change.

Like the lotus which thrives in mud, the potential for realization grows in the rich soil of everyday life.

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.

No single Tibetan dreaming return of previous sort of backwardness, therefore as far as economy development is concerned, Tibet remain within the People's Republic of China, we will get greater benefit.

If a harmonious relationship is established amongst societies and religious beliefs in today's multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-cultural world, then it will surely set a very good example for others.

Spiritual practice ... involves, on the one hand, acting out of concern for others' well-being. On the other, it entails transforming ourselves so that we become more readily disposed to do so.

Scientists are discovering that while anger and hatred eat into our immune system, warm-heartedness and compassion are good for our health.

When you are discontent, you always want more, more, more. Your desire can never be satisfied. But when you practice contentment, you can say to yourself, 'Oh yes -- I already have everything that I really need.'

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.

When selflessness is seen in objects, the seed of cyclic existence is destroyed.

I do not judge the universe.

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

Life does not wait: Whether we spend our lives meaningfully or not, the time will be used up moment by moment.

Just because they're not on your road doesn't mean they've gotten lost.

We must each lead a way of life with self-awareness and compassion, to do as much as we can. Then, whatever happens we will have no regrets.

Women have the capacity to lead us to a more peaceful world with compassion, affection, and kindness.

Conversion is not my intention. Changing religion is not easy. You may develop some kind of confusion or difficulties.

The more you are motivated by Love, The more Fearless and Free your action will be.

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

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.

If you want to be wisely selfish, care for others.

The essence of compassion is a desire to alleviate the suffering of others and to promote their well-being.

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.

Spend 5 minutes breathing in, cherishing yourself; and, breathing out cherishing others. If you think about people you have difficulty cherishing, extend your cherishing to them anyway.

Giving in to anger, fear and suspicion disturbs our minds and our physical well-being, whereas trust and friendship are the basis of society.

If the Dalai Lama joins one party, then that makes it hard for the system to work.

The real enemy of happiness is the mind's fixations and delusions... If you have the right mind, you can overcome anything -- you can be happy, no matter what.

Buddhism strongly discourages blind faith and fanaticism.

My aim is to create a happy society with genuine friendship. Friendship between Tibetan and Chinese peoples is very essential.

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

A calm mind is good for our physical health, but it also enables us to see things more realistically.

Just as compassion is the wish that all sentient beings be free of suffering, loving-kindness is the wish that all may enjoy happiness.

Anger is the real destroyer of our good human qualities; an enemy with a weapon cannot destroy these qualities, but anger can. Anger is our real enemy.

Tibet is not like Kuwait. Kuwait has oil.

One scientist had discussions about love and compassion. Usually, he felt irritation. After our meeting, for some months, anger never come.

We have to adopt a wider perspective, and always find common things between the people of north, east, south, and west. Conflict comes from the basis of differencs.

Only through the development of mutual respect, and in a spirit of truth, can friendship come about. By these means it is possible to move human minds, but never by force.

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

Some mischievous people always there. Last several thousand years, always there. In future, also.

The Chinese government wants me to say that for many centuries Tibet has been part of China. Even if I make that statement, many people would just laugh. And my statement will not change past history. History is history.

Who has magnificent self-confidence
And fears nothing that exists?
The man who has attained to truth
And lives free of error.

Death and dying provide a meeting-point between the Tibetan Buddhist and modern scientific traditions. I believe both have a great deal to contribute to each other on the level of understanding and of practical benefit.

Refraining from harm, not out of fear, but out of concern for others, their well-being and out of respect is non-violence.

If you wish to experience peace, provide peace for another.

Everyday, think as you wake up, today I am fortunate to be alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it. I am going to use all my energies to develop my self, to expand my heart out to others.

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

Inner values like friendship, trust, honesty and compassion are much more reliable than money -- they always bring happiness and strength.

If we ourselves remain angry and then sing world peace, it has little meaning. First, our individual self must learn peace.
This we can practice. Then we can teach the rest of the world.

Even without a religion, we can become a good human being.

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

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.

The egotistical ambition to always want to earn more money harms both the company and the individual himself. That is the biggest weakness of many managers -- the financial crisis has proven this.

For a better, happier, more stable and civilized future, each of us must develop a sincere, warm-hearted feeling of brotherhood and sisterhood.

In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don't bring up the past.

Whether you call it Buddhism or another religion, self-discipline, that's important. Self-discipline with awareness of consequences.

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

The universe is a single atom: the convergence of science and spirituality.

China can keep her troops on the external frontiers of Tibet, and Tibetans will pledge to accept the appropriate form of union with China.

When we have inner peace, we can be at peace with those around us. When our community is in a state of peace, it can share that peace with neighboring communities.

Buddha was speaking about reality. Reality may be one, in its deepest essence, but Buddha also stated that all propositions about reality are only contingent.

Too much self-centered attitude, you see, brings, you see, isolation. Result: loneliness, fear, anger. The extreme self-centered attitude is the source of suffering.

Someone else's action should not determine your response.

It's not enough to be compassionate. You must act.

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

Happiness is the highest form of health.