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Dalai Lama

Dalai Lama Quotes

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Famous Dalai Lama Quotes

“Peace starts within each one of us. When we have inner peace, we can be at peace with those around us. When our community is in a state of peace, it can share peace with neighboring communities, and so on. When we feel love and kindness towards others, it not only makes others feel loved and cared for, but it helps us also to develop inner happiness and peace.”

FeelsStatesHelpingCommunityKindnessShareInner PeaceOur CommunityLove And KindnessInner HappinessBeing At PeaceInner Peace And HappinessPeace With Others
Author:Dalai Lama
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“I believe that the basic nature of human beings is gentle and compassionate. It is therefore in our own interest to encourage that nature, to make it live within us, to leave room for it to develop. If on the contrary we use violence, it is as if we voluntarily obstruct the positive side of human nature and prevent its evolution.”

IfsBelieveHumansUseI BelieveSidesInterestHuman BeingsRoomsHealingViolenceHuman NatureEvolutionConflictContraryGentleCompassionateConflict ResolutionConflict Of Interest
Author:Dalai Lama
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“Today, the world is so small and so interdependent that the concept of war has become anachronistic, an outmoded approach. As a rule, we always talk about reform and changes. Among the old traditions, there are many aspects that are either ill-suited to our present reality or are counterproductive due to their shortsightedness. These, we have consigned to the dustbin of history. War too should be relegated to the dustbin of history.”

WorldShouldWarRealityTodayPeaceApproachConceptsAspectTraditionIllDuesReformCounterproductiveDustbinOld Traditions
Author:Dalai Lama
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“It is important to have determination and optimism and patience. If you lack patience, even when you face some small obstacle, you lose courage. There is a Tibetan saying, "Even if you have failed at something nine times, you have still given it effort nine times." I think that's important. Use your brain to analyze the situation. Do not rush through it, but think. Once you decide what to do about that obstacle, then there's a possibility that you will achieve your goal.”

IfsThinkingInspirationalStillsImportantUseFacesGivenGoalLosesEffortBrainSituationAchievePossibilityDeterminationOptimismObstaclesNineGraduationTibetanAchieving Your Goals
Author:Dalai Lama
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“Human beings by nature want happiness and do not want suffering. With that feeling everyone tries to achieve happiness and tries to get rid of suffering, and everyone has the basic right to do this. In this way, all here are the same, whether rich or poor, educated or uneducated, Easterner or Westerner, believer or non-believer, and within believers whether Buddhist, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, and so on. Basically, from the viewpoint of real human value we are all the same.”

WayWantTryingHumansRealFeelingsChristianSufferingValuesHuman BeingsPoorRichAchieveBelieverEducatedBuddhistViewpointsUneducatedHuman ValuesRich Or PoorWesternersReal HumanNon Believer
Author:Dalai Lama
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“Self-discipline, although difficult, and not always easy while combating negative emotions, should be a defensive measure. At least we will be able to prevent the advent of negative conduct dominated by negative emotion. That is 'shila', or moral ethics. Once we develop this by familiarizing ourselves with it, along with mindfulness and conscientiousness, eventually that pattern and way of life will become a part of our own life.”

WayShouldSelfAbleEasyDifficultEmotionMoralDisciplineMindfulnessEthicsNegativePatternsSelf DisciplineAdventNegative EmotionsMoral EthicsConscientiousness
Author:Dalai Lama
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“Sometimes we feel that one individual's action is very insignificant. Then we think, of course, that effects should come from channeling or from a unifying movement. But the movement of the society, community or group of people means joining individuals. Society means a collection of individuals, so that initiative must come from individuals. Unless each individual develops a sense of responsibility, the whole community cannot move. So therefore, it is very essential that we should not feel that individual effort is meaningless- you should not feel that way. We should make an effort.”

PeopleThinkingWayFeelsShouldMeanSometimesWholeActionMovingCoursesIndividualCommunityEffortResponsibilityGroupsEffectsMovementEssentialsCollectionsMeaninglessInitiativeInsignificantJoiningChannelingUnifyingSense Of ResponsibilityIndividual Effort
Author:Dalai Lama
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“An affectionate disposition not only makes the mind more peaceful and calm, but it affects our body in a positive way too. On the other hand, hatred, jealousy and fear upset our peace of mind, make us agitated and affect our body adversely. Even our body needs peace of mind and is not suited to agitation. This shows that an appreciation for peace of mind is in our blood.”

WayNeedsMindShowsBodyHandsFearBloodHealthHatredCalmAppreciationPeacefulBuddhistJealousyUpsetPeace Of MindDispositionAffectionateAgitationLove And Affection
Author:Dalai Lama
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“The most important thing is practice in daily life; then you can know gradually the true value of religion. Doctrine is not meant for mere knowledge, but for the improvement of our minds. In order to do that, it must be part of our life. If you put religious doctrine in a building and when you leave the building depart from the practices, you cannot gain its value.”

IfsKnowsMindImportantValuesOrderReligiousPracticeOur LivesBuildingGainsImportant ThingsMereImprovementDoctrineDaily LifeTrue Value
Book:Kindness, Clarity, and Insight
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“Consciousness will always be present, though a particular consciousness may cease. For example, the particular tactile consciousness that is present within this human body will cease when the body comes to an end. Likewise, consciousnesses that are influenced by ignorance, by anger or by attachment, these too will cease. But the basic, ultimate, innermost subtle consciousness will always remain. It has no beginning, and it will have not end.”

HumansMayEndsBodyConsciousnessExampleIgnoranceParticularUltimateCeaseSubtleAttachmentHuman BodyTactile
Author:Dalai Lama
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“One great question underlies our experience, whether we think about it or not: what is the purpose of life? From the moment of birth every human being wants happiness and does not want suffering. Neither social conditioning nor education nor ideology affects this. >From the very core of our being, we simply desire contentment. Therefore, it is important to discover what will bring about the greatest degree of happiness.”

ThinkingWantInspirationalHumansDoeImportantMomentsHappinessDesirePurposeSufferingSocialHuman BeingsBirthDegreesCoreIdeologyContentmentPurpose Of LifeConditioningWhat Is The Purpose Of Life
Book:Path To Tranquility
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“From the viewpoint of absolute truth, what we feel and experience in our ordinary daily life is all delusion. Of all the various delusions, the sense of discrimination between oneself and others is the worst form, as it creates nothing but unpleasantness for both sides. If we can realize and meditate on ultimate truth, it will cleanse our impurities of mind and thus eradicate the sense of discrimination. This will help to create true love for one another. The search for ultimate truth is, therefore, vitally important.”

IfsFeelsMindImportantHelpingFormLife IsSidesRealizingWorstTruth IsOrdinaryUltimateAbsolutesOneselfVariousDiscriminationDelusionDaily LifeBoth SidesViewpointsAbsolute TruthImpurityUltimate Truth
Author:Dalai Lama
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“The great benefit of science is that it can contribute tremendously to the alleviation of suffering at the physical level, but it is only through the cultivation of the qualities of the human heart and the transformation of our attitudes that we can begin to address and overcome our mental suffering...”

HumansHeartScienceSufferingLevelsAttitudeQualityBenefitsOvercomingTransformationBuddhistAddressesHuman HeartCultivationSpiritual TransformationAttitude Adjustment
Author:Dalai Lama
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“Those who have little interest in spirituality shouldn’t think that human inner values don’t apply to you. The inner peace of an alert and calm mind are the source of real happiness and good health. Our human intelligence tells us which of our emotions are positive and helpful and which are damaging and to be restrained or avoided.”

ThinkingInspirationalMindHumansLittlesRealHappinessValuesSpiritualityInterestEmotionSourceCalmInner PeaceHelpfulAvoidedGood HealthHuman IntelligenceReal HappinessInner Peace And HappinessCalm Mind
Author:Dalai Lama
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“I 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.”

MenWantShouldHumansReasonPainLife IsDiesSportsPleasureAnimalAdventureCreaturesKillingDearFleshReason WhyMeatDietsPhenomenonSubstitutesVeganDisgustingJustificationVegetarianismBrutalityFurMuteVegetarian HealthDistressingKilling Animals
Author:Dalai Lama
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“Developing inner values is much like physical exercise. The more we train our abilities, the stronger they become. The difference is that, unlike the body, when it comes to training the mind, there is no limit to how far we can go.”

MindBodySpiritualValuesDifferencesAbilityBuddhismDevelopmentBecomingExerciseLimitsTrainingStrongerTrainBuddhistDevelopingLimitationSpiritual WisdomLimitlessFinding HappinessPhysicalityPhysical ExerciseGetting StrongerTraining The Mind
Author:Dalai Lama
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“The first beneficiary of compassion is always oneself. When compassion, or warmheartedness, arises in us and our focus shifts away from our own narrow self-interest, it is as if we open an inner door. It reduces fear, boosts confidence and brings us inner strength. By reducing distrust, it opens us to others and brings us a sense of connection to others, and sense of purpose and meaning in life.”

IfsFirstsHeartSelfPurposeFearInterestCompassionFocusDoorsStrengthBuddhismConfidenceConnectionsOneselfSensesAriseBuddhistMeaning Of LifeInner StrengthDistrustSelf InterestReducingReductionFinding HappinessBoostMeaning LifeConfidence BoostingBeneficiariesPurpose And Meaning
Author:Dalai Lama
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“There is competition, but it is used in a good way. It is positive to want to go first, provided the intention is to pave the way for others, make their path more easy, help them, or show the way. Competition is negative when we wish to defeat others, to bring them down in order to lift ourselves up.”

WayWantFirstsHelpingShowsUsedOrderWishEasyPathNegativeCompetitionIntentionDefeatLiftsGood Way
Book:Imagine All the People: A Conversation with the Dalai Lama on Money, Politics, and Life As It Could Be
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