50 Famous Quotes by Dalai Lama

The Dalai Lama is the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people and a revered figure in the Buddhist tradition. His teachings on compassion, wisdom, and mindfulness have inspired millions of people around the world. The Dalai Lama is known for his humility, his sense of humor, and his commitment to promoting peace and understanding among all people. He has been a tireless advocate for human rights, particularly in Tibet, and has worked to bridge the gap between East and West. His message of hope and unity is more important than ever in a world that is increasingly divided by conflict and polarization. (Dalai Lama Biography).

Dalai Lama Famous Quotes

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1. "Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can't help them, at least don't hurt them"

2. "If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion."

3. "My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness."

4. "Calm mind brings inner strength and self-confidence, so that's very important for good health."

5. "In order to carry a positive action we must develop here a positive vision."

6. "This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness."

7. "Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive."

8. "Sleep is the best meditation."

9. "Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions."

10. "If you can, help others; if you cannot do that, at least do not harm them."

11. "Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible."

12. "The best way to resolve any problem in the human world is for all sides to sit down and talk."

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13. "The roots of all goodness lie in the soil of appreciation for goodness."

14. "The purpose of our lives is to be happy."

15. "Old friends pass away, new friends appear. It is just like the days. An old day passes, a new day arrives. The important thing is to make it meaningful: a meaningful friend - or a meaningful day."

16. "We can never obtain peace in the outer world until we make peace with ourselves."

17. "I find hope in the darkest of days, and focus in the brightest. I do not judge the universe."

18. "Too much self-centered attitude, you see, brings, you see, isolation. Result: loneliness, fear, anger. The extreme self-centered attitude is the source of suffering."

19. "A lack of transparency results in distrust and a deep sense of insecurity."

20. "When you practice gratefulness, there is a sense of respect toward others."

21. "In the practice of tolerance, one's enemy is the best teacher."

22. "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."

23. "Home is where you feel at home and are treated well."

24. "Where ignorance is our master, there is no possibility of real peace."

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25. "The basic Buddhist stand on the question of equality between the genders is age-old. At the highest tantric levels, at the highest esoteric level, you must respect women: every woman."

26. "When you are discontent, you always want more, more, more. Your desire can never be satisfied. But when you practice contentment, you can say to yourself, 'Oh yes - I already have everything that I really need.'"

27. "With realization of one's own potential and self-confidence in one's ability, one can build a better world."

28. "Look at situations from all angles, and you will become more open."

29. "There is no need for temples, no need for complicated philosophies. My brain and my heart are my temples; my philosophy is kindness."

30. "Sometimes one creates a dynamic impression by saying something, and sometimes one creates as significant an impression by remaining silent."

31. "There are techniques of Buddhism, such as meditation, that anyone can adopt."

32. "When we meet real tragedy in life, we can react in two ways - either by losing hope and falling into self-destructive habits, or by using the challenge to find our inner strength. Thanks to the teachings of Buddha, I have been able to take this second way."

33. "The ultimate authority must always rest with the individual's own reason and critical analysis."

34. "My faith helps me overcome such negative emotions and find my equilibrium."

35. "Disagreement is something normal."

36. "Appearance is something absolute, but reality is not that way - everything is interdependent, not absolute. So that view is very helpful to maintain a peace of mind because the main destroyer of a peaceful mind is anger."

37. "All major religious traditions carry basically the same message, that is love, compassion and forgiveness the important thing is they should be part of our daily lives."

38. "More compassionate mind, more sense of concern for other's well-being, is source of happiness."

39. "Whether one believes in a religion or not, and whether one believes in rebirth or not, there isn't anyone who doesn't appreciate kindness and compassion."

40. "All religions try to benefit people, with the same basic message of the need for love and compassion, for justice and honesty, for contentment."

41. "If you have a particular faith or religion, that is good. But you can survive without it."

42. "Even when we have physical hardships, we can be very happy."

43. "Open-minded people tend to be interested in Buddhism because Buddha urged people to investigate things - he didn't just command them to believe."

44. "I am just one human being."

45. "Because of lack of moral principle, human life becomes worthless. Moral principle, truthfulness, is a key factor. If we lose that, then there is no future."

46. "Of course, when I say that human nature is gentleness, it is not 100 percent so. Every human being has that nature, but there are many people acting against their nature, being false."

47. "We can live without religion and meditation, but we cannot survive without human affection."

48. "I have always had this view about the modern education system: we pay attention to brain development, but the development of warmheartedness we take for granted."

49. "In order to become prosperous, a person must initially work very hard, so he or she has to sacrifice a lot of leisure time."

50. "Whether you call it Buddhism or another religion, self-discipline, that's important. Self-discipline with awareness of consequences."

― Dalai Lama Quotes

* Want to explore more inspiring quotes and their meanings? Head over to my curated collection of elevating quotes.

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Tal Gur is an author, founder, and impact-driven entrepreneur at heart. After trading his daily grind for a life of his own daring design, he spent a decade pursuing 100 major life goals around the globe. His journey and most recent book, The Art of Fully Living, has led him to found Elevate Society.

 
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