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Dalai Lama

Dalai Lama Quotes

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Famous Dalai Lama Quotes

“What is the relationship between spirituality and ethical practice? Since love and compassion and similar qualities all, by definition, presume some level of concern for others' well-being, they presume ethical restraint. We cannot be loving and compassionate unless at the same time we curb our own harmful impulses and desires.”

WellsDesireSpiritualityLevelsQualityCompassionPracticeEthicsConcernDefinitionsWell BeingImpulseEthicalCompassionateSpiritual WisdomRestraintCaring For OthersLove And CompassionCurbConcern For Others
Book:The Essence Of Wisdom
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“In the past, the respect people had for religion meant that ethical practice was maintained through a majority following one religion or another. But this is no longer the case. We must therefore find some other way of establishing basic ethical principles.”

PeopleWayPastPrinciplesPracticeCasesEthicsMajorityFollowingEthicalRespect PeopleEthical Principles
Book:Ancient Wisdom, Modern World: Ethics for the New Millennium
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“Those who like myself, consider themselves to be followers of Buddha, should practice as much as we can. To followers of other religious traditions, I would like to say, 'Please practice your own religion seriously and sincerely.' And to non-believers, I request you to try to be warm-hearted. I ask this of you because these mental attitudes actually bring us happiness.”

ShouldTryingAsksReligiousAttitudePracticePleaseTraditionWarmBelieverFollowersSincerelyHeartedRequestMental AttitudeReligious TraditionsNon BelieverWarm Hearted
Author:Dalai Lama
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“Once we have a firm practice of compassion our state of mind becomes stronger which leads to inner peace, giving rise to self-confidence, which reduces fear. This makes for constructive members of the community. Self-centredness on the other hand leads to distance, suspicion, mistrust and loneliness, with unhappiness as the result.”

GivingMindSelfStatesHandsCommunityResultsCompassionPracticeLonelinessConfidenceMembersStrongerDistanceSelf ConfidenceInner PeaceFirmUnhappinessPeace Of MindState Of MindSuspicionConstructiveSelf CenteredMistrust
Author:Dalai Lama
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“For Tibetans, the real strength of our struggle is truth - not size, money, or expertise. China is much bigger, richer, more powerful militarily, and has much better skill in diplomacy. They outdo us in every field. But they have no justice. We have placed our whole faith in truth and in justice. We have nothing else, in principle and in practice.”

RealWholeJusticePowerfulPrinciplesPracticeStruggleFieldsSkillsBiggerSizeChinaDiplomacyExpertiseTibetanReal Strength
Author:Dalai Lama
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“The antidote to hatred in the heart, the source of violence, is tolerance. Tolerance is an important virtue of bodhisattvas [enlightened heroes and heroines] - it enables you to refrain from reacting angrily to the harm inflicted on you by others. You could call this practice "inner disarmament," in that a well-developed tolerance makes you free from the compulsion to counterattack. For the same reason, we also call tolerance the "best armor," since it protects you from being conquered by hatred itself.”

WellsHeartImportantReasonPracticeVirtueViolenceSourceHeroProtectHatredHarmToleranceEnlightenedCompulsionAntidoteArmorRefrainDisarmamentHeroinesReactingProtect YouBodhisattvaHeroes And Heroines
Author:Dalai Lama
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“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.”

ShouldMindPersonsHelpingCompassionEnemyPracticeEssentialsAnd LoveGratefulToleranceCherishBe GratefulTranquil
Book:In My Own Words: An Introduction to My Teachings and Philosophy
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“For the rest of your life to be as meaningful as possible, engage in spiritual practice if you can. It is nothing more than acting out of concern for others. If you practice sincerely and with persistence, little by little, step by step you will gradually reorder your habits and attitudes so as to think less about your own narrow concerns and more about others' - and thereby find peace and happiness yourself.”

IfsThinkingLittlesSpiritualActingAttitudeStepsPracticeHabitConcernMeaningfulPersistenceSpiritual WisdomSincerelyRest Of Your LifeEgoismFinding PeaceCaring For OthersSpiritual PracticePeace And HappinessActing OutConcern For OthersAttitude Adjustment
Author:Dalai Lama
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“Here, the certain temple rule, this seems to me to have a certain responsibility to look after the well-being of society and look after Buddhism and culture. I consider these part of the practice of spirituality. There is no competition between spiritual practice and party politics. That is outdated. We already, since 2001, have elected political position. My position is semi-retired. I am looking forward to complete retirement.”

WellsLooksSeemsSpiritualPoliticalCertainCultureSpiritualityPartyResponsibilityPracticePositionBuddhismCompetitionWell BeingTemplesRetirementLooking ForwardRetiredSpiritual PracticeOutdated
Author:Dalai Lama
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“Up to now my involvement in the Tibetan freedom struggle has been part of my spiritual practice, because the issues of the survival of the Buddha Teaching and the freedom of Tibet are very much related. In this particular struggle, there is no problem with many monks and nuns, including myself, joining.”

Has BeensProblemSpiritualPracticeStruggleIssuesTeachingParticularSurvivalIncludingRelatedNo ProblemMonkInvolvementJoiningNunTibetanSpiritual PracticeTibet
Author:Dalai Lama
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“If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.”

IfsWantInspirationalSelfHappinessFunCompassionPracticeKindnessTeacherEmpathyMercyHappyBuddhistCompassionateBeing HappyPursuit Of HappinessFinding HappinessGreat HappinessLife HappinessPeople In Your LifeSelf CompassionLove And CompassionJoy And HappinessPeace And HappinessKindness And CompassionInner HappinessLoving KindnessJust Be HappyJoy HappinessWant To Be HappyLife And HappinessTibetHow To Be HappySelf HappinessArt Of HappinessKindness To OthersSecret To HappinessGenerosity And KindnessKindness GenerosityWords Of KindnessWhat Is HappinessPersonal HappinessLooking For HappinessCompassion For OthersBe Kind To OthersOthers HappinessNo CompassionHappier LifeHuman CompassionCompassion For YourselfBuddhism HappinessBeing Happy With LifeCompassion And EmpathyI Just Want To Be HappyI Want To Be HappyHappy SpiritPursuing HappinessJust Want To Be HappyCaring And CompassionTibetan Buddhist
Book:The Wisdom of Compassion: Stories of Remarkable Encounters and Timeless Insights
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“Hard times build determination and inner strength. Through them we can also come to appreciate the uselessness of anger. Instead of getting angry nurture a deep caring and respect for troublemakers because by creating such trying circumstances they provide us with invaluable opportunities to practice tolerance and patience.”

InspirationalTryingHardOpportunityPracticeCircumstancesCreatingDeterminationAppreciateAngerAngryCaringToleranceHard TimesInner StrengthNurtureInvaluableUselessnessReligious TraditionsTroublemakerPeace And Tolerance
Book:How to Practice: The Way to a Meaningful Life
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“In Buddhism, both learning and practice are extremely important, and they must go hand in hand. Without knowledge, just to rely on faith, faith, and more faith is good but not sufficient. So the intellectual part must definitely be present. At the same time, strictly intellectual development without faith and practice, is also of no use. It is necessary to combine knowledge born from study with sincere practice in our daily lives. These two must go together.”

TwoImportantUseHandsTogetherBornPracticeLearningStudyBuddhismDevelopmentIntellectualBuddhistSufficientRelyDaily LifeSincereHand In HandIntellectual Development
Author:Dalai Lama
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“To be aware of a single shortcoming within oneself is more useful than to be aware of a thousand in somebody else. Rather than speaking badly about people and in ways that will produce friction and unrest in their lives, we should practice a purer perception of them, and when we speak of others, speak of their good qualities.”

PeopleWayShouldSpeakQualityPracticeAwarenessProduceThousandPerceptionOneselfShortcomingsFrictionGood QualityUnrest
Book:The Path to Enlightenment
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