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Dalai Lama

Dalai Lama Quotes

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The Dalai Lama (born July 6, 1935) is the 14th Dalai Lama, a prominent religious leader of Tibetan Buddhism's Gelug school. Born as Tenzin Gyatso in Qinghai Province, China, he is recognized as an incarnation of Avalokiteshvara. He advocates non-violence, peace, and interfaith dialogue, and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989. However, his political activities are viewed by the Chinese government as separatist, and he has lived in exile in India since 1959. His influence remains controversial, blending religious authority with political dissent.

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All Ifs Humans Compassion Mind Buddhist People Inspirational Spiritual Way Needs

Famous Dalai Lama Quotes

“The proper way to create friends is to have a warm heart, not simply money or power. The friend of power and the friend of money are something different.”

Way Heart Different Warm Warm Heart

Book:My Tibet

Source: My Tibet

“The egotistical ambition to always want to earn more money harms both the company and the individual himself. That is the biggest weakness of many managers - the financial crisis has proven this.”

Want Individual Company Ambition Weakness Crisis Financial Harm Managers More Money Proven Egotistical Financial Crisis

Author:Dalai Lama

“Everybody loves to talk about calmness and peace, whether in a family, national, or international context, but without inner peace how can we make real peace? World peace through hatred and force is impossible.”

World Real Force Impossible Hatred International Inner Peace Calmness

Book:Kindness, Clarity, and Insight

Source: Kindness, Clarity, and Insight

“In my childhood, I had a religious assistant who always told me, if you can really laugh with full abandonment, it's very good for your health.”

Ifs Religious Laughing Childhood Very Good Abandonment Assistants

Author:Dalai Lama

“The main cause of suffering is egoistic desire for one's own comfort and happiness.”

Desire Suffering Causes Comfort Comfort And Happiness

Author:Dalai Lama

“We must live harmoniously with our neighbors.”

Author:Dalai Lama

“On a daily basis, you must take more care of your mind than just money, money, money!”

Mind Care Bases

Author:Dalai Lama

“In the interests of everyone the artist had a responsibility to use his medium well. In the Tibetan culture, most of the paintings are of deities or Buddhas, and they try to send a message of the value of the spiritual.”

Trying Wells Use Spiritual Artist Values Culture Interest Responsibility Painting Messages Mediums Deities Tibetan

Author:Dalai Lama

“Through meditative techniques, one can free the mind of delusions and attain what we call enlightenment.”

Mind Enlightenment Technique Delusion

Author:Dalai Lama

“We have to adopt a wider perspective, and always find common things between the people of north, east, south, and west. Conflict comes from the basis of differencs.”

People Common Perspective Conflict Bases West South East Common Things North East

Author:Dalai Lama

“If through practice of insight you develop a sense of ease, then time has no relevance. If you're miserable, time does matter. It's so unbearable, so enormous you want to get out of it as soon as possible.”

Ifs Want Doe Matter Practice Insight Enormous Miserable Ease Unbearable Relevance

Author:Dalai Lama

“When a problem first arises, try to remain humble and maintain a sincere attitude, and be concerned that the outcome is fair.”

Trying Firsts Problem Attitude Concerned Fairs Humble Arise Outcomes Sincere

Book:In My Own Words: An Introduction to My Teachings and Philosophy

Source: In My Own Words: An Introduction to My Teachings and Philosophy

“The very purpose of meditation is to discipline the mind and reduce afflictive emotions.”

Mind Purpose Emotion Meditation Discipline

Author:Dalai Lama

“If the mind is dominated by hatred, the best part of the brain, which is used to judge right and wrong, does not function properly.”

Ifs Mind Doe Used Brain Judging Hatred Function

Author:Dalai Lama

“For a better, happier, more stable and civilized future, each of us must develop a sincere, warm-hearted feeling of brotherhood and sisterhood.”

Feelings Warm Civilized Sincere Brotherhood Stable Hearted Sisterhood Warm Hearted

Author:Dalai Lama

“Freedom is the real source of human happiness and creativity. Irrespective of whether you are a believer or nonbeliever, whether Buddhist, Christian, or Jew, the important thing is to be a good human being.”

Humans Important Real Christian Human Beings Creativity Source Important Things Jew Believer Buddhist Human Happiness Good Human Being

Author:Dalai Lama

“We have to have some form of politics. Politics is a form of resolving conflicts. Politics which comes from sincere motivation is constructive.”

Form Motivation Conflict Sincere Constructive Resolving Conflict

Author:Dalai Lama

“Ignorance is the source of hatred, and the way to get rid of ignorance is realization.”

Way Ignorance Source Hatred Realization

Author:Dalai Lama

“The ultimate way to solve human problems is with nonviolence.”

Way Humans Problem Ultimate Solve Nonviolence Human Problems

Author:Dalai Lama

“All religions are essentially the same in their goal of developing a good human heart so that we may become better human beings.”

Humans Heart May Goal Human Beings Developing Human Heart

Author:Dalai Lama

“To me there is no difference whether president, beggar, or king.”

President Differences Kings Beggar

Author:Dalai Lama

“For a person who cherishes compassion and love, the practice of tolerance is essential, and for that, and enemy is indispinsable. So we should be grateful to our enemies, for it is they who can best help us to develop a tranquil mind.”

Should Mind Persons Helping Compassion Enemy Practice Essentials And Love Grateful Tolerance Cherish Be Grateful Tranquil

Book:In My Own Words: An Introduction to My Teachings and Philosophy

Source: In My Own Words: An Introduction to My Teachings and Philosophy

“Indulgence in resentment and vengeance will only further increase miseries to oneself and others in this life and in lives to come.”

Increase Misery Oneself This Life Resentment Vengeance Indulgence

Author:Dalai Lama

“Humans are not machines-we are something more. We have feeling and experience. Material comforts are not sufficient to satisfy us. We need something deeper-human affection.”

Needs Humans Feelings Materials Comfort Machines Affection Deeper Sufficient

Author:Dalai Lama

“No material object, however beautiful or valuable, can make us feel loved, because our deeper identity and true character lie in the subjective nature of the mind.”

Feels Mind Character Beautiful Lying Identity Objects Materials Deeper Valuable Subjective True Character

Book:In My Own Words: An Introduction to My Teachings and Philosophy

Source: In My Own Words: An Introduction to My Teachings and Philosophy

“In some respects I have been the most unlucky because I have spent more time living as a refugee outside my country than I have spent in Tibet. On the other hand, it has been very rewarding for me to live in a democracy and to learn about the world in a way that we Tibetans had never known before.”

World Way Has Beens Country Hands Known Democracy More Time Refugee Tibetan Unlucky Tibet

Author:Dalai Lama

“I just want to live as a simple Buddhist monk, but during the last thirty years I have made many friends around the world and I want to have close contact with these people. I want to contribute to harmony and peace of mind, for less conflict. Wherever the possibililty is, I'm ready. This is my life's goal.”

People World Want Years Mind Made Lasts Goal Simple Ready Conflict Harmony Contact Around The World Buddhist Thirty Peace Of Mind Monk Thirty Years Many Friends Buddhist Monk

Author:Dalai Lama

“Good human qualities-honesty, sincerity, a good heart-cannot be bought with money, nor can they be produced my machines, but only by the mind itself. We can call this the inner light, or God's blessing, or human qualitity. This is the essence of mankind.”

Mind Humans Heart Light Quality Mankind Honesty Blessing Machines Essence Sincerity Good Heart Inner Light Human Qualities

Author:Dalai Lama

“When you encounter some problems, if you point your finger at yourself and not at others, this gives you control over yourself and calmness in a situation, where otherwise self-control becomes problematic.”

Ifs Giving Self Problem Situation Fingers Encounters Over You Self Control Calmness

Author:Dalai Lama

“Infinite altruism is the basis of peace and happiness. If you want altruism, you must control hate and you must practice patience. The main teachers of patience are our enemies.”

Ifs Want Hate Enemy Practice Teacher Bases Infinite Altruism Peace And Happiness

Author:Dalai Lama

“If you help and serve others, you will ultimately gain.”

Ifs Helping Gains

Author:Dalai Lama

“The rationale for loving others is the recognition of the simple fact that every living being has the same right to and the same desire for happiness, and not suffering, and the consideration that you as one individual are one life unit as compared with the mulititude of others in their ceaseless quest for happiness.”

Facts Desire Suffering Individual Simple Recognition Consideration Quests Units Loving Others Rationale

Author:Dalai Lama

“A learned person will become noble only when he or she has put into real practice what has been learned, instead of mere words.”

Persons Has Beens Real Practice Mere Noble Learned Person

Author:Dalai Lama

“Some feel that you lose your independence if you don't let your mind just wander where it wants to, if you try to control it. But that is not the case. If your mind is proceeding in the correct way, one already has the correct opinion. But if your mind is proceeding in an incorrect way, then it's necessary, definitely, to exercise control.”

Ifs Way Want Feels Trying Mind Loses Opinion Cases Exercise Independence Wander Proceeding

Author:Dalai Lama

“If we adopt a self-centered approach to life, by which we attempt to use others for our own self interest, we might be able to gain temporary benefits, but in the long run we will not succeed in achieving even our personal happiness, and hope for the next life is out of the question.”

Ifs Long Self Use Might Running Able Life Is Next Interest Achieve Succeed Benefits Approach Gains Temporary Long Runs Self Interest Self Centered Next Life Personal Happiness

Author:Dalai Lama

“A mind that is characterized by unrest will not be tranquil even in the presence of great calm.”

Mind Calm Tranquil Unrest

Author:Dalai Lama

“If you are showing love to your fellow human beings, you are showing love to your God.”

Ifs Humans Human Beings Fellows Showing Love

Author:Dalai Lama

“Anger is the ultimate troublemaker. I feel you can express a strong disapproval or dislike of an object without losing your temper.”

Feels Strong Objects Losing Ultimate Dislike Temper Disapproval Troublemaker

Author:Dalai Lama

“Firstly, as a Buddhist monk, I hold that violence is not good. Secondly, I am a firm believer in the Gandian ethic of passive resistance. And thirdly, in reality, violence is not our strength.”

Reality Violence Ethics Believer Resistance Buddhist Firm Passive Monk Buddhist Monk Passive Resistance

Author:Dalai Lama

“If one assumes a humble attitude, one's own good qualities will increase. Whereas if one is proud, one will become jealous of others, one will look down on others, and due to that there will be unhappiness in society.”

Ifs Looks Attitude Quality Proud Increase Assuming Humble Dues Unhappiness Jealous Good Quality

Author:Dalai Lama

“I think when tragic things happen it is on surface. It is like the ocean. One the surface a waves and sometimes the wave is very serious and strong. But it comes and goes, comes and goes, and underneath, the ocean always remains calm. Tibetans have a saying: "If bad news comes to you listen here" (points to the right ear) "and let it our here" (points to the left ear).”

Ifs Thinking Sometimes Happens Left Strong Serious Ocean News Ears Remains Calm Wave Surface Things Happen Tragic Comes And Goes Bad News Tibetan

Author:Dalai Lama

“Sometimes religion becomes yet another source for more division and even open conflict. Because of that situation, I feel the different religious traditions have a great responsibility to provide peace of mind and a sense of brotherhood and sisterhood among humanity.”

Feels Mind Different Sometimes Humanity Religious Responsibility Situation Source Conflict Tradition Peace Of Mind Division Brotherhood Sisterhood Religious Traditions Great Responsibility

Author:Dalai Lama

“It is my fundamental belief that all human beings share the same basic aspirations: that we all want hapiness and that we all share suffering. Asians, just like Americans, Europeans, and the rest of the world, share a desire to live life to its fullest, to better ourselves and the lives of our loved ones.”

World Want Humans Desire Suffering Belief Human Beings Share Fundamentals Live Life Aspiration Loved Ones Desire To Live Live Life To Its Fullest

Author:Dalai Lama

“If you shift your focus from oneself to others, and think more about others' well-being and welfare, it has an immediate liberating effect.”

Ifs Thinking Wells Focus Effects Oneself Well Being Welfare Liberating

Author:Dalai Lama

“In twenty years' time I'll be eighty-three, just an old man with a stick moving like a sloth bear. While I'm alive, I am fully committed to autonomy, and I am the person who can persuade the Tibetan people to accept it.”

People Men Years Persons Moving Three Accepting Alive Bears Twenties Sticks Committed Old Man Autonomy Eighty Sloth Tibetan I'm Alive

Author:Dalai Lama

“The two most important things to remember in business are: to be aware of the consequential impact on ecology, and a caring relationship between employer and employee.”

Two Important Remember Important Things Impact Caring Employee Ecology Employers

Author:Dalai Lama

“Inner darkness, which we call ignorance, is the root of suffering. The more inner light that comes, the more darkness will diminish. This is the only way to achieve salvation or nirvana.”

Way Light Suffering Darkness Achieve Ignorance Roots Salvation Diminish Inner Light Inner Darkness

Author:Dalai Lama

“Nonviolence is the only way. Even if you achieve your goal by violent means there are always side effects, and these can be worse than the problem. Violence is against human nature.”

Ifs Way Humans Mean Problem Sides Goal Violence Achieve Effects Human Nature Violent Nonviolence Side Effects Achieving Your Goals

Author:Dalai Lama

“Don't be a person of success, be a person of value.”

Author:Dalai Lama

“The lessons we have begun to learn make me hopeful, that human beings will become friendlier, more harmonious, less harmful. Compassion and the seeds of peace will be able to flourish. At the same time, every individual is responsible to help guide our global family in the right direction. Good wishes alone are not enough; we have to take responsibility. Large human movements spring from individual human initiatives”

About the Author

Born: July 6, 1935
Known for: Author
Quotes: 1496

Related Topics

Ifs Humans Compassion Mind Buddhist People Inspirational Spiritual Way Needs

Popular Topics

People Ifs Thinking Knows Men World Way Want Love Life Inspirational Needs Giving Feels Should Writing Trying Years Mind Firsts

Books & Sources

Path To TranquilityRelated source material

The Art of Happiness, 10th Anniversary Edition: A Handbook for LivingRelated source material

In My Own Words: An Introduction to My Teachings and PhilosophyRelated source material

Kindness, Clarity, and InsightRelated source material

My TibetRelated source material

Imagine All the People: A Conversation with the Dalai Lama on Money, Politics, and Life As It Could BeRelated source material

Ancient Wisdom, Modern World: Ethics for the New MillenniumRelated source material

How to Practice: The Way to a Meaningful LifeRelated source material

The Dalai Lama’s Little Book of WisdomRelated source material

Illustrated Teachings of the Dalai LamaRelated source material

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