Always embrace the common humanity that lies at the heart of us all.

Education is the way to achieve far-reaching results, it is the proper way to promote compassion and tolerance in society.

Even a small act of compassion grants meaning and purpose to our lives.

Prayer alone will not make a happy life. A happy life must be built. You must act.

We need a sense of the oneness of the 7 billion human beings alive today. When I meet people, I don't think about being different from them, about being Tibetan, Buddhist or even the Dalai Lama. I only think about being a human being. We all share the potential for positive and negative emotions, yet one of our special qualities is our human mind, our intelligence. If we use it well we'll be successful and happy.

The future will be in the hands of those of you who belong to the 21st century. You have the opportunity and responsibility to build a better humanity. This means developing warm-heartednes s in this very life, here and now. So, do whatever work you do, but ask yourselves now and then, 'How can I contribute to human beings being happier and more peaceful?'

It is under the greatest adversity that there exists the greatest potential for doing good, both for oneself and others.