My own view, which does not rely solely on religious faith or even on an original idea, but rather on ordinary common sense, is that establishing binding ethical principles is possible when we take as our starting point the observation that we all desire happiness and wish to avoid suffering.
Dalai LamaI can do what my energy, my time, to my other sort of commitment. And then also emotional, religious harmony. So in these two field, now that more or less I think the spirituality or human values in these fields, I may consider my only professional field. The political, national struggle, these are not my profession.
Dalai LamaHuman beings are not intrinsically selfish, which isolates us from others. We are essentially social animals who depend on others to meet our needs. We achieve happiness, prosperity and progress through social interaction. Therefore, having a kind and helpful attitude contributes to our own and others' happiness.
Dalai LamaWe human beings are social beings. We come into the world as the result of othersโ actions. We survive here in dependence on others. Whether we like it or not, there is hardly a moment of our lives when we do not benefit from othersโ activities. For this reason, it is hardly surprising that most of our happiness arises in the context of our relationships with others.
Dalai Lama