Words matter. These are the best Dalai Lama Quotes, and they’re great for sharing with your friends.
The ultimate authority must always rest with the individual’s own reason and critical analysis.
Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can’t help them, at least don’t hurt them.
If some people have the belief or view that the Dalai Lama has some miracle power, that’s totally nonsense.
Calm mind brings inner strength and self-confidence, so that’s very important for good health.
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.
I am a simple Buddhist monk – no more, no less.
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.
Physical comforts cannot subdue mental suffering, and if we look closely, we can see that those who have many possessions are not necessarily happy. In fact, being wealthy often brings even more anxiety.
Home is where you feel at home and are treated well.
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.
World belongs to humanity, not this leader, that leader or that king or prince or religious leader. World belongs to humanity.
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.
Sometimes one creates a dynamic impression by saying something, and sometimes one creates as significant an impression by remaining silent.
I am sometimes sad when I hear the personal stories of Tibetan refugees who have been tortured or beaten. Some irritation, some anger comes. But it never lasts long. I always try to think at a deeper level, to find ways to console.
I think technology really increased human ability. But technology cannot produce compassion.
I think there’s every reason this 21st century will be much happier.
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.
When we meet real tragedy in life, we can react in two ways – either by losing hope and falling into self-destructive habits, or by using the challenge to find our inner strength. Thanks to the teachings of Buddha, I have been able to take this second way.
If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.
We can live without religion and meditation, but we cannot survive without human affection.
Some mischievous people always there. Last several thousand years, always there. In future, also.
All religions try to benefit people, with the same basic message of the need for love and compassion, for justice and honesty, for contentment.
Many Tibetans sacrifice their lives.
I think the self-burning itself on practice of non-violence. These people, you see, they easily use bomb explosive, more casualty people. But they didn’t do that. Only sacrifice their own life. So this also is part of practice of non-violence.
Today different ethnic groups and different nations come together due to common sense.
Whether you call it Buddhism or another religion, self-discipline, that’s important. Self-discipline with awareness of consequences.
I am just one human being.
The important thing is that men should have a purpose in life. It should be something useful, something good.
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.
Today, more than ever before, life must be characterized by a sense of Universal responsibility, not only nation to nation and human to human, but also human to other forms of life.
When you practice gratefulness, there is a sense of respect toward others.
My aim is to create a happy society with genuine friendship. Friendship between Tibetan and Chinese peoples is very essential.
Even when a person has all of life’s comforts – good food, good shelter, a companion – he or she can still become unhappy when encountering a tragic situation.
I think governments can’t do much.
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.
I always say that people should not rush to change religions. There is real value in finding the spiritual resources you need in your home religion.
Number of people have said to me, after hearing your thinking, their mind becomes much more happier.
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 think really, China, Chinese, I think they really have a long history of civilization, rich culture.
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.’
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.
It is difficult to violently suppress people in the long run, as the example of the Soviet Union and the Eastern European countries has shown.
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.
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.
Out of 6 billion humans, the troublemakers are just a handful.
I feel exhausted if I teach too long.
Appearance is something absolute, but reality is not that way – everything is interdependent, not absolute.
As a human being, anger is a part of our mind. Irritation also part of our mind. But you can do – anger come, go. Never keep in your sort of – your inner world, then create a lot of suspicion, a lot of distrust, a lot of negative things, more worry.
In order to become prosperous, a person must initially work very hard, so he or she has to sacrifice a lot of leisure time.
I consider myself as a free spokesman for the people.
Chinese people themselves, they really want change.
My main concern is meeting with public because my main commitment, main interest is promotion of human value, human affection, compassion and religious harmony.
There are techniques of Buddhism, such as meditation, that anyone can adopt.
As long as I am alive, I am fully committed to amity between Tibetans and Chinese. Otherwise there’s no use.
The purpose of our lives is to be happy.
If you have a particular faith or religion, that is good. But you can survive without it.
In the practice of tolerance, one’s enemy is the best teacher.
I want to be just a pure spiritual leader.
Conversion is not my intention. Changing religion is not easy. You may develop some kind of confusion or difficulties.
Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.
