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Dalai Lama

Dalai Lama Quotes

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Famous Dalai Lama Quotes

“It is my dream that the entire Tibetan plateau should become a free refuge where humanity and nature can live in peace and in harmonious balance. It would be a place where people from all over the world could come to seek the true meaning of peace within themselves, away from the tensions and pressures of much of the rest of the world”

PeopleWorldShouldDreamWould BeHumanityBalancePressureContemplationTensionRefugeHarmoniousTibetanTrue MeaningPeace WithinHumanity And Nature
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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“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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“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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“On the philosophical level, both Buddhism and modern science share a deep suspicion of any notion of absolutes, whether conceptualize as a transcendent being, as an eternal, unchanging principle such as soul, or as a fundamental substratum of reality. ... In the Buddhist investigation of reality, at least in principle, empirical evidence should triumph over scriptural authority, no matter how deeply venerated a scripture may be.”

InspirationalShouldMaySoulMatterRealityLevelsPrinciplesShareModernBuddhismAuthorityEternalEvidenceAbsolutesPhilosophicalFundamentalsNotionScriptureBuddhistTriumphInvestigationSuspicionTranscendentModern ScienceUnchangingEmpirical Evidence
Book:In My Own Words: An Introduction to My Teachings and Philosophy
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“Provided that societies stay mindful of the challenges that capitalism creates and never forget the paramount importance of inclusion and equal opportunity, we can and should celebrate the miracle of free enterprise-and the billions of souls it has helped free from desperate poverty.”

ShouldSoulOpportunityChallengesForgetPovertyEqualCapitalismImportanceMiracleBillionsCelebrateDesperateEnterpriseNever ForgetInclusionParamountEqual OpportunityFree Enterprise
Author:Dalai Lama
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“We should practice by showing one another love and helping one another. It is a mistake to pursue happiness and to seek to the avoid suffering by deceiving and humiliating other people. We must try to achieve happiness and eliminate suffering by being good-hearted and well-behaved.”

PeopleInspirationalShouldTryingWellsHelpingWisdomHappinessSufferingMistakePracticeKindnessAchieveBuddhismWise WordsWords Of WisdomBe GoodHappyHelping OthersPursueBuddhistReachingBe KindDeceivingAvoidingHumiliationMonkHeartedPursuit Of HappinessTrue HappinessWise Man Once SaidFinding HappinessHelping HandLove One AnotherTibetanHumiliatingEliminatingGood HeartHumiliateHappiness And LoveFeeling HappyAuthentic HappinessHappy InspirationalGood Hearted
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“While people are often content to criticize and blame others for what goes wrong, surely we should at least attempt to put forward constructive ideas. One thing is for certain: given human beings' love of truth, justice, peace, and freedom, creating a better, more compassionate world is a genuine possibility. The potential is there.”

PeopleWorldLoveInspirationalShouldHumansIdeasWisdomTruthCertainGivenPeaceJusticeFreedomHuman BeingsCompassionOne ThingPossibilityBuddhismWise WordsWords Of WisdomCreatingBlameGenuineBuddhistCriticizePotentialWrongCompassionateBeing HumanMonkAttemptingConstructiveWise Man Once SaidTibetanHuman PotentialCriticiseBlaming Others
Author:Dalai Lama
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“It is not enough simply to wish that love and compassion should increase in us. We need to make a sustained effort, again and again, to cultivate the positive aspects within us - and the key here is constant familiarity. The nature of human thoughts and emotions is such that the more you engage in them, the more you consciously develop them, the more powerful they become.”

NeedsShouldHumansEnoughWishPowerfulEffortEmotionCompassionKeysAspectIncreaseConstantAgain And AgainFamiliarityLove And CompassionSpiritual TransformationHuman ThoughtThoughts And Emotions
Author:Dalai Lama
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“Nowadays, we are confronted by a huge gap between rich and poor. This is not only morally wrong, but practically a mistake. It leads to the rich living in anxiety and the poor living in frustration, which has the potential to lead to more violence. We have to work to reduce this gap. It's truly unfair that some people should have so much while others go hungry.”

PeopleShouldPoorMistakeRichViolenceHugeAnxietyShould HaveHungryFrustrationGapsUnfairRich And PoorUnfairness
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“On love, not harming others, and respecting all beings. Even animals have these elements in their behavioral patterns. We should start by observing how animals act. They are honest and appreciate it when we are honest with them. If you present something nice to an animal in one hand while hiding a rope in the other, the creature will know your intention. Yet animals have no religion, no constitution. Basic nature has endowed them with the faculty of discernment. It is the same for humans.”

IfsKnowsShouldHumansHandsTruthAnimalNiceHonestCreaturesElementsAppreciateConstitutionIntentionPatternsFacultyHidingRopeObservingDiscernmentHarming Others
Author:Dalai Lama
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“The mind is key. If anything should be considered a god, so to speak, it is the mind, not money. A healthy positive mind is the utmost priority. But if we were to reverse the order of these priorities, what would happen? I find it hard to imagine how a person with great wealth, bad health, no friends, and no peace of mind could feel even slightly happy.”

IfsFeelsShouldMindPersonsHardHappensOrderSpeakWealthImagineKeysFriendsHealthyPrioritiesPeace Of MindReverseNo FriendsPositive MindBad Health
Book:Imagine All the People: A Conversation with the Dalai Lama on Money, Politics, and Life As It Could Be
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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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“One of the most effective ways to overcome anxiety is to try to shift the focus of attention away from self and toward others. When we succeed in this, we find that the scale of our own problems diminishes. This is not to say we should ignore our own needs altogether, but rather that we should try to remember others' needs alongside our own, no matter how pressing ours may be”

WayNeedsShouldTryingMaySelfMatterProblemRememberAttentionFocusSucceedAnxietyOvercomingScalesDiminish
Book:The Essence Of Wisdom
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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
Author:Dalai Lama
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“It is my belief that whereas the twentieth century has been a century of war and untold suffering, the twenty-first century should be one of peace and dialogue. As the continued advances in information technology make our world a truly global village, I believe there will come a time when war and armed conflict will be considered an outdated and obsolete method of settling differences among nations and communities.”

WorldShouldFirstsBelieveHas BeensWarSufferingBeliefI BelieveNationsCommunityDifferencesTechnologyCenturyInformationConflictTwentiesMethodDialogueSettlingOur WorldVillageTwentieth CenturyObsoleteInformation TechnologyOutdatedGlobal VillageArmed Conflict
Author:Dalai Lama
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