Genuine harmony must come from the heart. It cannot come from the barrel of a gun.

We are beset by problems and if we look for their source, we find they arise because of our selfishness, because we tend to pursue our own interests at the expense of others. Our various religious traditions exist to help us reduce these problems. They all teach ways to overcome suffering through cultivating love and compassion, tolerance, patience and contentment.

From a certain point of view our real enemy, the true troublemaker, is inside.

The most important thing is transforming our minds, for a new way of thinking, a new outlook: we should strive to develop a new inner world.

Compassion, along with love, is the face of altruism.

The realization that we are all basically the same human beings who seek happiness and try to avoid suffering is very helpful in developing a sense of brotherhood and sisterhood; a warm feeling of love and compassion for others.

I believe each human being has the potential to change, to transform one’s own attitude, no matter how difficult the situation.