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.

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.

Buddhism strongly discourages blind faith and fanaticism.

On occasions when u feel most hopeless, u must take powerful effort. We must persist in face of failure.

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

Spirituality actually must be above politics. Or some other sort of business.

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.