It is the enemy who can truly teach us to practice the virtues of compassion and tolerance.
—The 14th Dalai Lama
Topics: Tolerance, Compassion
World economies are always so tenuous and we are subject to so many losses in life, but a compassionate attitude is something we can always carry with us.
—The 14th Dalai Lama
Topics: Compassion
Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.
—The 14th Dalai Lama
Topics: Love, Buddhism
My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness.
—The 14th Dalai Lama
Topics: Kindness, Religion
In the practice of tolerance, one’s enemy is the best teacher.
—The 14th Dalai Lama
Topics: Teachers, Teaching, Tolerance
I find hope in the darkest of days, and focus in the brightest. I do not judge the universe.
—The 14th Dalai Lama
I believe all suffering is caused by ignorance. People inflict pain on others in the selfish pursuit of their happiness or satisfaction. Yet true happiness comes from a sense of inner peace and contentment, which in turn must be achieved through the cultivation of altruism, of love and compassion and elimination of ignorance, selfishness and greed.
—The 14th Dalai Lama
If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.
—The 14th Dalai Lama
Topics: Happy, Practice, Passion, Happiness, Buddhism, Act, Kindness
All major religions, when understood properly, have the same potential for good.
—The 14th Dalai Lama
Another kind of love and compassion is not based on something appearing beautiful or nice, but based on the fact that the other person, just like oneself, wants happiness and does not want suffering and indeed has every right to be happy and to overcome suffering. On such a basis, we feel a sense of responsibility, a sense of closeness toward that being. That is true compassion. This is because the compassion is based on reason, not just on emotional feeling. As a consequence, it does not matter what the other’s attitude is, whether negative, or positive. What matters is that it is a human being, a sentient being that has the experience of pain and pleasure. There is no reason not to feel compassion so long as it is a sentient being.
—The 14th Dalai Lama
Topics: Love
In the Buddha’s life story we see the three stages of practice: Morality comes first, then concentrated meditation, and then wisdom. And we see that the path takes time.
—The 14th Dalai Lama
Topics: Meditation
Each of us in our own way can try to spread compassion into people’s hearts. Western civilizations these days place great importance on filling the human “brain” with knowledge, but no one seems to care about filling the human “heart” with compassion. This is what the real role of religion is.
—The 14th Dalai Lama
Topics: Religion, People, Buddhism, Heart, Great, Passion, Knowledge, Compassion, Try
Discrimination against persons of different races, against women, and against weaker sections of society may be traditional in some regions, but if they are inconsistent with universally recognized human rights, these forms of behavior should change. The universal principle of the equality of all human beings must take precedence.
—The 14th Dalai Lama
If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito.
—The 14th Dalai Lama
If a problem is fixable, if a situation is such that you can do something about it, then there is no need to worry. If it’s not fixable, then there is no help in worrying. There is no benefit in worrying whatsoever.
—The 14th Dalai Lama
I would like to explain the meaning of compassion, which is often misunderstood. Genuine compassion is based not on our own projections and expectations, but rather on the rights of the other: irrespective of whether another person is a close friend or an enemy, as long as that person wishes for peace and happiness and wishes to overcome suffering, then on that basis we develop genuine concern for his or her problem. This is genuine compassion. Usually when we are concerned about a close friend, we call this compassion. This is not compassion; it is attachment. Even in marriage, those marriages that last only a short time do so because of attachment—although it is generally present—but because there is also compassion. Marriages that last only a short time do so because of a lack of compassion; there is only emotional attachment based on projection and expectation. When the only bond between close friends is attachment, then even a minor issue may cause one’s projections to change. As soon as our projections change, the attachment disappears—because that attachment was based solely on projection and expectation. It is possible to have compassion without attachment—and similarly, to have anger without hatred. Therefore we need to clarify the distinctions between compassion and attachment, and between anger and hatred. Such clarity is useful in our daily life and in our efforts towards world peace. I consider these to be basic spiritual values for the happiness of all human beings, regardless of whether one is a believer or a nonbeliever.
—The 14th Dalai Lama
Topics: Happiness, Buddhism, Peace, Life, Effort, War, Values, Believe, Attachment, General, Passion, Change, Suffering, Spirit, Spiritual, Friend
On a certain day, month and year one should observe the ceremony of tree-planting. Thus, one fulfils one’s responsibilities, serves one’s fellow-beings which not only brings happiness but benefits all.
—The 14th Dalai Lama
To be aware of a single shortcoming in oneself is more useful than to be aware of a thousand in someone else.
—The 14th Dalai Lama
Topics: Awareness
Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive.
—The 14th Dalai Lama
Topics: Compassion, Love, Kindness, Humanity, Survival
Now, there are many, many people in the world, but relatively few with whom we interact, and even fewer who cause us problems. So, when you come across such a chance for practicing patience and tolerance, you should treat it with gratitude. It is rare. Just as having unexpectedly found a treasure in your own house, you should be happy and grateful to your enemy for providing that precious opportunity.
—The 14th Dalai Lama
The more we take the welfare of others to heart and work for their benefit, the more benefit we derive for ourselves. This is a fact that we can see.
—The 14th Dalai Lama
Topics: Helpfulness
Everything is interconnected. My interest is linked to everyone else’s. Our survival and future are linked. Therefore the destruction of your so-called enemy is actually the destruction of your self.
—The 14th Dalai Lama
Topics: Buddhism
Finding common ground among faiths can help us bridge needless divides at a time when unified action is more crucial than ever.
—The 14th Dalai Lama
Without love we could not survive. Human beings are social creatures, and a concern for each other is the very basis of our life together.
—The 14th Dalai Lama
Every human should have the idea of taking care of the environment, of nature, of water. So using too much or wasting water should have some kind of feeling or sense of concern. Some sort of responsibility and with that, a sense of discipline
—The 14th Dalai Lama
Topics: Water
Follow the three Rs:
Respect for self,
Respect for others and
Responsibility for all your actions.
—The 14th Dalai Lama
We can never obtain peace in the world if we neglect the inner world and don’t make peace with ourselves. World peace must develop out of inner peace.
—The 14th Dalai Lama
Topics: Peace, Love, Buddhism
I truly believe that compassion provides the basis of human survival.
—The 14th Dalai Lama
Topics: Compassion
The various features and aspects of human life, such as longevity, good health, success, happiness, and so forth, which we consider desirable, are all dependent on kindness and a good heart.
—The 14th Dalai Lama
Topics: Kindness
Human happiness and human satisfaction must ultimately come from within oneself. It is wrong to expect some final satisfaction to come from money or from a computer.
—The 14th Dalai Lama
Topics: Computers
Wondering Whom to Read Next?
- Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche Tibetan Buddhist Teacher
- Thich Nhat Hanh Vietnamese Buddhist Religious Leader
- Sakyong Mipham Tibetan Buddhist Religious Leader
- Lama Thubten Yeshe Tibetan Buddhist Lama
- Pema Chodron American Buddhist Nun
- D. T. Suzuki Japanese Buddhist Philosopher
- Alan Watts British-American Philosopher
- Robert Thurman American Buddhist Scholar
- Pope John Paul II Polish Catholic Religious Leader
- Nagarjuna Indian Buddhist Philosopher
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