In the Buddha's life story we see the three stages of practice: Morality comes first, then concentrated meditation, and then wisdom. And we see that the path takes time.
Dalai LamaIf every 8 year old in the world is taught meditation, we will eliminate violence from the world within one generation
Dalai LamaAnger, hatred and jealousy never solve problems, only affection, concern and respect can do that.
Dalai LamaPeople need to climb the mountain not simple because it is there But because the soulful divinity needs to be mated with the spirit.
Dalai LamaI have been confronted with many difficulties throughout the course of my life, and my country is going through a critical period. But I laugh often, and my laughter is contagious. When people ask me how I find the strength to laugh now, I reply that I am a professional laugher.
Dalai LamaWe need to employ a secular approach to ethics, secular in the Indian sense of respecting all religious traditions and even the views of non-believers in an unbiased way. Secular ethics rooted in scientific findings, common experience and common sense can easily be introduced into the secular education system. If we can do that there is a real prospect of making this 21st century an era of peace and compassion.
Dalai LamaWe all have the potential to show others love and affection, but as we progress in our materialistic world, these values tend to remain dormant. We can develop them on the basis of common sense, common experience and scientific findings. The response to the recent tragedy in the Philippines is an example of how such values are awakened; people helped simply because others are suffering and in need of support.
Dalai LamaThe more we think of others, the happier we are. The more we think of ourselves, the more suffering we feel.
Dalai LamaWe can solve many problems in an appropriate way, without any difficulty, if we cultivate harmony, friendship and respect for one another.
Dalai LamaBuddha was speaking about reality. Reality may be one, in its deepest essence, but Buddha also stated that all propositions about reality are only contingent. Reality is devoid of any intrinsic identity that can be captured by any one single proposition - that is what Buddha meant by "voidness." Therefore, Buddhism strongly discourages blind faith and fanaticism.
Dalai LamaWhatever forms of meditation you practice, the most important point is to apply mindfulness continuously, and make a sustained effort. It is unrealistic to expect results from meditation within a short period of time. What is required is continuous sustained effort.
Dalai Lama...there is an intense delight in abandoning faulty states of mind and in cultivating helpful ones in meditation.
Dalai LamaGod exists or God does not exist. Leave it for us. Your task is to learn how to live peacefully.
Dalai LamaThere are two kinds of satisfaction or happiness: one mainly through mental peace; another physical comfort
Dalai LamaThe 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.
Dalai LamaMy hope and wish is that one day, formal education will pay attention to what I call 'education of the heart'.
Dalai LamaAll living beings have experience of pleasure and pain, and we are among them. What makes human beings different is that we have a powerful intelligence and a much greater ability to achieve happiness and avoid suffering. Real happiness and friendship come not from money or even knowledge, but from warm-heartednes s. Once we recognize this we will be more inclined to cultivate it.
Dalai LamaWorld 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.
Dalai LamaTibetans must take full authority and responsibility for developing industry, looking from all different perspectives, taking care of the environment, conserving resources for long-term economic health, and safeguarding the interests of Tibetan workers, nomads, and farmers.
Dalai LamaGenuine human friendship is on the basis of human affection, irrespective of your position. Therefore, the more you show concern about the welfare and rights of others, the more you are a genuine friend. The more you remain open and sincere, then ultimately more benefits will come to you. If you forget or do not bother about others, then eventually you will lose your own benefit.
Dalai LamaThe antidote to hatred in the heart, the source of violence, is tolerance. Tolerance is an important virtue of bodhisattvas [enlightened heroes and heroines] - it enables you to refrain from reacting angrily to the harm inflicted on you by others. You could call this practice "inner disarmament," in that a well-developed tolerance makes you free from the compulsion to counterattack. For the same reason, we also call tolerance the "best armor," since it protects you from being conquered by hatred itself.
Dalai LamaI have been clear in my position for quite a while, but the Chinese have not responded. Therefore, we are now in the process of holding a referendum on our policy among all the Tibetan community in exile and even inside Tibet, to check whether the majority thinks we are on the right track.
Dalai LamaThe most important benefit of patience consists in the way it acts as a powerful antidote to the affliction of anger.
Dalai LamaOne Mongolian leader became a very, very brutal dictator and eventually became a murderer. Previously, he was a monk, and then he became a revolutionary. Under the influence of his new ideology, he actually killed his own teacher. Pol Pot's family background was Buddhist. Whether he himself was a Buddhist at a young age, I don't know. Even Chairman Mao's family background was Buddhist. So one day, if the Dalai Lama becomes a mass murderer, he will become the most deadly of mass murderers.
Dalai LamaI believe the ultimate aim of all human beings is to obtain happiness and a sense of fulfillment... I have always stressed the importance of combining both the mental and material approach to achieving happiness for humankind.
Dalai LamaThe essence of any religion is good heart. Sometimes I call love and compassion a universal religion. This is my religion.
Dalai LamaWe can change society, change humanity by changing ourselves as individuals. By cultivating inner values, we can change our own lives and those of our families. This is how we can create a more peaceful world.
Dalai LamaIf you utilize obstacles properly, then they strengthen your courage, and they also give you more intelligence, more wisdom.
Dalai LamaDifferences in religious beliefs, politics, social status, and position are all secondary. When we look at someone with compassion, we are able to see beyond these secondary differences and connect to the primary essence that binds all humans together as one.
Dalai LamaThere 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.
Dalai LamaHappiness doesn't always come from a pursuit. Sometimes it comes when we least expect it.
Dalai LamaHard times build determination and inner strength. Through them we can also come to appreciate the uselessness of anger.
Dalai LamaWhether it is under the guise of survival and self-defence or directly expressed through dominion and greed, the failure to recognize the common humanity shared by us all lies at the heart of our difficulties. To overcome it, we should begin to develop, from the level of the individual through that of society to the world at large, what I call a sense of universal responsibility; a deep respect for every living being who lives on this one small planet and calls it home.
Dalai Lama