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Dalai Lama

Dalai Lama Quotes

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Famous Dalai Lama Quotes

“If one's life is simple, contentment has to come. Simplicity is extremely important for happiness. Having few desires, feeling satisfied with what you have, is very vital: satisfaction with just enough food, clothing, and shelter to protect yourself from the elements.”

IfsImportantEnoughFeelingsLife IsDesireSimpleProtectElementsSimplicitySatisfactionSatisfiedContentmentClothingsShelterMinimalismSimple LivingProtect YourselfLiving A Simple LifeSimple Things In LifeLife Is SimpleContentment And PeaceSimplicity In Art
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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“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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“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 quality of everything we do: our physical actions, our verbal actions, and even our mental actions, depends on our motivation. That's why it's important for us to examine our motivation in our day to day life. If we cultivate respect for others and our motivation is sincere, if we develop a genuine concern for others’ well-being, then all our actions will be positive.”

IfsInspirationalWellsImportantWisdomMotivationalCareActionMotivationQualityPositiveBuddhismDependsWise WordsWords Of WisdomRespectConcernEverydayPositivityCaringGenuineBuddhistDevelopingWell BeingDaily LifeSelf MotivationSincereMotivatedDay To DayEveryday LifeMonkOur ActionsRespecting OthersWise Man Once SaidBeing PositiveExaminingCaring For OthersTibetanCultivatingDay LifeBe RespectfulDay To Day LifeConcern For OthersGenuine Concern
Author:Dalai Lama
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“These days, in our materialistic culture, many people are led to believe that money is the ultimate source of happiness. Consequently, when they don’t have enough of it they feel let down. Therefore, it is important to let people know that they have the source of contentment and happiness within themselves, and that it is related to nurturing our natural inner values.”

PeopleKnowsLifeFeelsBelieveImportantEnoughHappinessSpiritualValuesCultureNaturalMoneyWiseSourceWise WordsWords Of WisdomUltimateHappyThese DaysRelatedContentmentMaterialismNurturingFinding HappinessMaterialisticTibetanLet DownMoney Can't Buy HappinessSource Of HappinessMoney Isn't EverythingHappiness Within
Author:Dalai Lama
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“In spiritual growth, it is important to avoid imbalances between academic or intellectual learning and practical implementation. Otherwise there is a danger that too much intellectualiza tion will kill the more contemplative practices and too much emphasis on practical implementation without study will kill the understanding. There has got to be a balance.”

ImportantSpiritualUnderstandingGrowthPracticeLearningStudyToo MuchDangerBalanceIntellectualPracticalsBuddhistSpiritual GrowthAcademicEmphasisContemplativeImbalanceImplementation
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“The most important benefit of patience consists in the way it acts as a powerful antidote to the affliction of anger - the greatest threat to our inner peace, and therefore our happiness. The mind, or spirit, is not physical, it cannot be touched or harmed directly. Only negative thoughts and emotions can harm it. Therefore, only the corresponding positive quality can protect it.”

WayMindImportantSpiritPowerfulEmotionQualityProtectBenefitsNegativePatienceThreatHarmHappyInner PeaceTouchedPeace Of MindBeing HappyAfflictionAntidoteNegative ThoughtsTibetanCorrespondingThoughts And Emotions
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“Religion is important for humanity, but it should evolve with humanity. The first priority is to establish and develop the principle of pluralism in all religious traditions. If we, the religious leaders, cultivate a sincere pluralistic attitude, then everything will be more simple. It is good that most religious leaders are at least beginning to recognize other traditions, even though they may not approve of them. The next step is to accept that the idea of propagating religion is outdated. It no longer suits the times.”

IfsShouldFirstsMayImportantIdeasReligionHumanityNextReligiousSimpleAttitudeLeaderAcceptingStepsPrinciplesTraditionPrioritiesSuitsEvolveSincereNext StepsPluralismOutdatedReligious LeadersReligious TraditionsPluralism Is
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“Even more important than the warmth and affection we receive, is the warmth and affection we give. It is by giving warmth and affection, by having a genuine sense of concern for others, in other words through compassion, that we gain the conditions for genuine happiness. More important than being loved, therefore, is to love.”

GivingImportantCompassionConditionsGainsConcernAffectionGenuineWarmthInspirational LoveTrue HappinessBeing LovedHappiness And LoveGive And TakeLove And AffectionConcern For OthersGenuine Happiness
Author:Dalai Lama
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“If each of us can learn to relate to each other more out of compassion, with a sense of connection to each other and a deep recognition of our common humanity, and more important, to teach this to our children, I believe that this can go a long way in reducing many of the conflicts and problems that we see today.”

IfsWayBelieveChildrenLongImportantProblemTodayHumanityI BelieveCommonCompassionTeachConflictConnectionsOur ChildrenRecognitionRelateSolidarityLong WayReducingConnectednessCommonalityCommon Humanity
Book:The Art of Happiness in a Troubled World
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“Study and practice are both very important, but they must go hand in hand. Faith without knowledge is not sufficient. Faith needs to be supported by reason. However intellectual understanding that is not applied in practice is also of little use. Whatever we learn from study we need to apply sincerely in our daily lives.”

NeedsLittlesImportantReasonUseHandsUnderstandingPracticeStudyWords Of WisdomIntellectualSufficientDaily LifeSincerelyHand In HandWise Man Once SaidTibetan
Author:Dalai Lama
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“It is important that when pursing our own self-interest we should be 'wise selfish' and not 'foolish selfish'. Being foolish selfish means pursuing our own interests in a narrow, shortsighted way. Being wise selfish means taking a broader view and recognizing that our own long-term individual interest lies in the welfare of everyone. Being wise selfish means being compassionate.”

WayShouldMeanLongImportantSelfLyingIndividualTermInterestViewsWiseSelfishFoolishWelfareLong TermCompassionateAltruismRecognizingSelf InterestBeing WiseSelfish Interest
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