For change to happen in any community, the initiative must come from the individual.

It is very important to generate a good attitude, a good heart, as much as possible. From this, happiness in both the short term and the long term for both yourself and others will come.

With genuine love and compassion, another person's appearance or behavior has no affect on your attitude.

Altruism is the best source of happiness. There is no doubt about that.

I became the Dalai Lama not on a volunteer basis.

All good qualities must be sown and cultivated. We can’t expect to change overnight from an ordinary person into one with high realizations.

Hard times build determination and inner strength. Through them we can also come to appreciate the uselessness of anger. Instead of getting angry nurture a deep caring and respect for troublemakers because by creating such trying circumstances they provide us with invaluable opportunities to practice tolerance and patience.