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.

There is no denying that consideration of others is worthwhile and that our happiness is inextricably bound up with the happiness of others. There is no denying that if society suffers, we ourselves suffer, and the more our hearts and minds are afflicted with ill-will, the more miserable we become. We can reject religion, ideology, received wisdom, but we cannot escape the need for love and compassion.

We need to make material progress, but we need inner development too ... remember that the real development we seek is not in the buildings but in our hearts and minds.

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

We consider that the lives of all beings are just as precious as our own, and through this we develop a sense of concern for others.

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

War is out of date, obsolete.