Not so long ago people believed in ideologies, systems, and institutions to save all societies. Today, they have given up such hopes and have returned to relying on the individual, on individual freedom, individual initiative, individual creativity.

An important distinction can be made between religion and spirituality. Religion [is] concerned with faith in the claims to salvation of one faith tradition... Spirituality is concerned with qualities of the human spirit, love and compassion, patience, tolerance, forgiveness, contentment, a sense of responsibility, a sense of harmony, that bring happiness both to self.

We are social animals. Others' suffering is ultimately your suffering; their happiness is ultimately your happiness.

My desire to devolve authority has nothing to do with a wish to shirk responsibility.

The key to human happiness lies within our own state of mind, and so too do the primary obstacles to that happiness.

Peace does not mean an absence of conflicts; differences will always be there. Peace means solving these differences through peaceful means; through dialogue, education, knowledge; and through humane ways.

I think really, China, Chinese, I think they really have a long history of civilization, rich culture.