Sometimes, whether a desire is excessive or negative depends on the circumstances or society in which you live in.

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.

If the situation was such that there was only one learned lama or genuine practitioner alive, a person whose death would cause the whole of Tibet to lose all hope of keeping its Buddhist way of life, then it is conceivable that in order to protect that one person it might be justified for one or 10 enemies to be eliminated if there was no other way.

When we encounter suffering, it is important to respond w/ compassion rather than to question the politics of those we help.

A Compassionate state of mind brings inner peace, and therefore a healthier body.

Never give up. No matter what is happening, no matter what is going on around you, never give up.

When I talk to a few thousand people, I just feel I am talking to an old friend. Like that. I never felt some kind of distance, so therefore, I feel one source of happiness. In that kind of atmosphere, my experience seems some benefit to some people.