There is no way to escape death, it is just like trying to escape by four great mountains touching sky. There is no escape from these four mountains of birth, old age, sickness and death.
Dalai LamaI do not see any reason why animals should be slaughtered to serve as human diet when there are so many substitutes. After all, man can live without meat. It is only some carnivorous animals that have to subsist on flesh. Killing animals for sport, for pleasure, for adventures, and for hides and furs is a phenomenon which is at once disgusting and distressing. There is no justification in indulging in such acts of brutality . . . Life is as dear to a mute creature as it is to a man. Just as one wants happiness and fears pain, just as one wants to live and not to die, so do other creatures.
Dalai LamaCompassion is of little value if it just remains an idea. It must motivate how we respond to others and be reflective in all our thoughts and actions
Dalai LamaTo be aware of a single shortcoming within oneself is more useful than to be aware of a thousand in somebody else. Rather than speaking badly about people and in ways that will produce friction and unrest in their lives, we should practice a purer perception of them, and when we speak of others, speak of their good qualities.
Dalai LamaIt is time to fill the world with strong and powerful deeds. It is common knowledge that no great captain in the world has ever destroyed all of his enemies and lived with a sense of satisfaction. If one enemy is killed, two more will appear. It is important we cultivate love and compassion to all the sentient beings which is the way to bring peace to all.
Dalai LamaThrough meditative techniques, one can free the mind of delusions and attain what we call enlightenment.
Dalai LamaI consider non-violence to be compassion in action. It doesn’t mean weakness, cowering in fear, or simply doing nothing. It is to act without violence, motivated by compassion, recognising the rights of others.
Dalai LamaWe can only transform humanity and create a happier more compassionate world through education.
Dalai LamaOur greatest duty and our main responsibility is to help others. But please, if you can't help them, would you please not hurt them.
Dalai LamaThe real test of compassion is not what we say in abstract discussions but how we conduct ourselves in daily life.
Dalai LamaWhere there is a mind, there are feelings such as pain, pleasure, and joy. No sentient being wants pain: all wants happiness instead.
Dalai LamaSpend 5 minutes at the beginning of each day remembering we all want the same things (to be happy and be loved) and we are all connected to one another.
Dalai LamaThose who like myself, consider themselves to be followers of Buddha, should practice as much as we can. To followers of other religious traditions, I would like to say, 'Please practice your own religion seriously and sincerely.' And to non-believers, I request you to try to be warm-hearted. I ask this of you because these mental attitudes actually bring us happiness.
Dalai LamaIf we try to secure the well-being of others, we will, at the same time, create the conditions for our own.
Dalai LamaI pray for a more friendly, more caring, and more understanding human family on this planet. To all who dislike suffering, who cherish lasting happiness, this is my heartfelt appeal.
Dalai LamaOne can overcome the forces of negative emotions, like anger and hatred, by cultivating their counter-forces, like love and compassion.
Dalai LamaHappiness does not come about only due to external circumstances; it mainly derives from inner attitudes.
Dalai LamaWe are born and reborn countless number of times, and it is possible that each being has been our parent at one time or another. Therefore, it is likely that all beings in this universe have familial connections.
Dalai LamaFoolish, selfish people are always thinking of themselves and the result is always negative. Wise persons think of others, helping them as much as they can, and the result is happiness. Love and compassion are beneficial both for you and others. Through your kindness to others, your mind and heart will open to peace.
Dalai LamaConversion is not my intention. Changing religion is not easy. You may develop some kind of confusion or difficulties.
Dalai LamaAnger, jealousy, impatience, and hatred are the real troublemakers, with them problems cannot be solved.
Dalai LamaThose who suffer from an exaggerated sense of their own ability and accomplishment are continually subject to frustration, disappointment, and rage when reality intrudes and the world doesn't validate their idealized view of themselves.
Dalai LamaSome people consider the practice of love and compassion is only related to religious practice and if they are not interested in religion they neglect these inner values. But love and compassion are qualities that human beings require just to live together.
Dalai LamaModern education is premised strongly on materialistic values. It is vital that when educating our children's brains that we do not neglect to educate their hearts, a key element of which has to be the nurturing of our compassionate nature.
Dalai LamaIt seems to me that self confidence and the ability to stand one's ground are essential if we want to succeed in life. I am not talking of stupid self-assurance but of an awareness of our inner potential, a certainty that we can always correct our behavior, improve ourselves, enrich ourselves, and that things are never hopeless
Dalai LamaCompassion, tolerance, forgiveness and a sense of self-discipline are qualities that help us lead our daily lives with a calm mind
Dalai LamaTo defy the authority of empirical evidence is to disqualify oneself as someone worthy of critical engagement in a dialogue.
Dalai LamaI love smiles. That is a fact. How to develop smiles? There are a variety of smiles. Some smiles are sarcastic. Some smiles are artificial-diplomatic smiles. These smiles do not produce satisfaction, but rather fear or suspicion. But a genuine smile gives us hope, freshness. If we want a genuine smile, then first we must produce the basis for a smile to come.
Dalai LamaAnger and hatred lead to fear; compassion and concern for others allow us to develop self-confidence, which breeds trust and friendship.
Dalai LamaI make small mistakes every day. But major mistakes? It doesn't seem so. I've examined my service to the Tibetan people and to humanity, and I've done as much as I can in my life.
Dalai LamaIf you wonder what you were doing in the past, look at your body; to know what will happen to you in the future, look at your mind.
Dalai LamaThe real destroyer of inner peace is fear and distrust. Fear develops frustration, frustration develops anger, anger develops violence.
Dalai LamaLove and compassion benefit both ourselves and others. Through kindness to others, your heart and mind will be peaceful and open.
Dalai LamaWe cannot overcome anger and hatred simply by suppressing them. We need to actively cultivate the antidotes: patience and tolerance.
Dalai LamaDistrust brings frustration and fear. So therefore, the lonely feeling automatically come. So, lonely feeling is not creation of environment, but creation of your own mental attitude.
Dalai LamaTo reduce destructive emotions we need to strengthen constructive emotions. For example, to counter anger we cultivate love and compassion.
Dalai LamaNot only is your own happiness and welfare related to others, but the more you help them, the happier you will be.
Dalai Lama(Because) the notion of absolute truth is difficult to sustain outside the context of religion, ethical conduct is not something we engage in because it is somehow right in itself but because, like ourselves, all others desire to be happy and to avoid suffering. Given that this is a natural disposition, shared by all, it follows that each individual has a right to pursue this goal. Accordingly, I suggest that one of the things which determines whether an act is ethical or not is its effect on others' experience or expectation of happiness.
Dalai Lama