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Dalai Lama

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Famous Dalai Lama Quotes

“Unless we possess high spiritual qualifications, there is no doubt that the events life throws upon us will give rise to frustration, emotional turmoil, and other distorted states of consciousness. These imperfect states of mind in turn give rise to imperfect activities, and the seeds of suffering are ever planted in a steady flow.”

GivingMindStatesSpiritualSufferingTurnsConsciousnessDoubtEventsEmotionalActivityFlowSeedsNo DoubtFrustrationState Of MindSteadyImperfectTurmoilQualificationsStates Of ConsciousnessEmotional Turmoil
Book:The Path to Enlightenment
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“(Because) the notion of absolute truth is difficult to sustain outside the context of religion, ethical conduct is not something we engage in because it is somehow right in itself but because, like ourselves, all others desire to be happy and to avoid suffering. Given that this is a natural disposition, shared by all, it follows that each individual has a right to pursue this goal. Accordingly, I suggest that one of the things which determines whether an act is ethical or not is its effect on others' experience or expectation of happiness.”

DesireSufferingIndividualGivenDifficultGoalNaturalEffectsTruth IsExpectationsEthicsAbsolutesNotionDeterminePursueEthicalDispositionAbsolute Truth
Author:Dalai Lama
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“We are beset by problems and if we look for their source, we find they arise because of our selfishness, because we tend to pursue our own interests at the expense of others. Our various religious traditions exist to help us reduce these problems. They all teach ways to overcome suffering through cultivating love and compassion, tolerance, patience and contentment.”

IfsWayLooksHelpingProblemSufferingInterestReligiousCompassionTeachSourceTraditionOvercomingVariousToleranceArisePursueSelfishnessContentmentExpensesLove And CompassionCultivatingReligious Traditions
Author:Dalai Lama
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“So long as space remains, So long sentient beings' suffering remain, I will remain, In order to help, in order to serve... I am nothing but a servant to provide to others. So if you provide some happiness, some comfort to others, then your life becomes meaningful. If your life creates problems or suffering to others, then there's no meaning to your existence.”

IfsLongHelpingProblemSufferingOrderSpaceExistenceComfortRemainsMeaningfulServantTortureSentient Beings
Author:Dalai Lama
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“Everyone wants a happy life without difficulties or suffering. We create many of the problems we face. No one intentionally creates problems, but we tend to be slaves to powerful emotions like anger, hatred and attachment that are based on misconceived projections about people and things. We need to find ways of reducing these emotions by eliminating the ignorance that underlies them and applying opposing forces.”

PeopleWayWantNeedsProblemFacesSufferingForcePowerfulEmotionIgnoranceHatredDifficultySlaveAttachmentPeace Of MindHappy LifeSpiritual WisdomBeing HappyProjectionReducingOpposingEliminatingBe A SlaveEmotional EnergyPowerful Emotions
Author:Dalai Lama
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“Yet even the rich have their own kind of suffering, anxiety, doubt, and fear. So in many cases, wealthy people aren't happy! And once those with material wealth encounter small difficulties, their amount of mental suffering is sometimes bigger than it is for those who have faced such difficulties every day.”

PeopleKindSometimesSufferingWealthCasesRichDoubtMaterialsAmountAnxietyBiggerDifficultyEncountersWealthyMaterial WealthDoubt And Fear
Author:Dalai Lama
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“Some people get the impression that Buddhism talks too much about suffering. In order to become prosperous, a person must initially work very hard, so he or she has to sacrifice a lot of leisure time. Similarly, the Buddhist is willing to sacrifice immediate comfort so that he or she can achieve lasting happiness.”

PeoplePersonsHardSufferingOrderToo MuchSacrificeAchieveWillingBuddhismComfortImpressionBuddhistLastingLeisureProsperousLeisure TimeLasting Happiness
Author:Dalai Lama
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“In order to develop the willpower it takes to sacrifice, you must first realize that spending all your time and energy pursuing material comforts means you will eventually suffer. It's all about positive and negative consequences. It's very important to be aware that there are long-term consequences [for every action].”

FirstsMeanLongImportantActionSufferingOrderEnergyTermRealizingSacrificeMaterialsComfortConsequenceNegativeSpendingLong TermWillpowerTime And EnergyNegative Consequences
Author:Dalai Lama
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“We all have the potential to show others love and affection, but as we progress in our materialistic world, these values tend to remain dormant. We can develop them on the basis of common sense, common experience and scientific findings. The response to the recent tragedy in the Philippines is an example of how such values are awakened; people helped simply because others are suffering and in need of support.”

PeopleWorldNeedsShowsSufferingValuesCommonSupportProgressExampleFindingsBasesTragedyResponseAffectionCommon SenseAwakenedMaterialisticPhilippinesDormantLove And AffectionCommon ExperienceMaterialistic World
Author:Dalai Lama
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“To be kind, honest and have positive thoughts; to forgive those who harm us and treat everyone as a friend; to help those who are suffering and never to consider ourselves superior to anyone else: even if this advice seems rather simplistic, make the effort of seeing whether by following it you can find greater happiness.”

IfsKindHelpingSeemsHappinessSpiritualSufferingEffortGreaterSeeingAdviceHonestPositivePositive ThinkingForgivenessTreatsForgivingFollowingHarmHelping OthersSuperiorsBuddhistBeing HonestTreatmentBe KindPositive ThoughtsGood AdviceFriendliness
Author:Dalai Lama
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“Whether one is rich or poor, educated or illiterate, religious or nonbelieving, man or woman, black, white, or brown, we are all the same. Physically, emotionally, and mentally, we are all equal. We all share basic needs for food, shelter, safety, and love. We all aspire to happiness and we all shun suffering. Each of us has hopes, worries, fears, and dreams. Each of us wants the best for our family and loved ones. We all experience pain when we suffer loss and joy when we achieve what we seek. On this fundamental level, religion, ethnicity, culture, and language make no difference.”

MenWantInspirationalNeedsDreamPainJoySufferingCultureLanguageBlackDifferencesReligiousLossWhitePoorLevelsWorryRichShareAchieveEqualAnd LoveSafetyFundamentalsEducatedBuddhistOur FamilyChanging The WorldBrownLoved OnesShelterAspireEthnicityHaving HopeIlliterateBlack WhiteBasic NeedsRich Or PoorWorry FearCulture And LanguageFears And Dreams
Author:Dalai Lama
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“I believe all suffering is caused by ignorance. People inflict pain on others in the selfish pursuit of their happiness or satisfaction. Yet true happiness comes from a sense of inner peace and contentment, which in turn must be achieved through the cultivation of altruism, of love and compassion and elimination of ignorance, selfishness and greed.”

PeopleInspirationalBelievePainSufferingTurnsI BelievePeaceCompassionIgnoranceGreedSatisfactionSelfishInner PeacePursuitSelfishnessContentmentAltruismTrue HappinessCultivationEliminationLove And CompassionCompassion For OthersSelfishness And Greed
Author:Dalai Lama
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“We begin from the recognition that all beings cherish happiness and do not want suffering. It then becomes both morally wrong and pragmatically unwise to pursue only one's own happiness oblivious to the feelings and aspirations of all others who surround us as members of the same human family. The wiser course is to think of others when pursuing our own happiness.”

ThinkingWantInspirationalHumansFeelingsHappinessSufferingCoursesMembersPursueRecognitionAspirationCherishSurroundWiserObliviousAlways HappyUnwiseJust Be HappyJoy HappinessWant To Be HappyHuman HappinessSelf HappinessHuman FamilyKey To HappinessAlways Be HappyYou Make Me HappyOthers HappinessFound HappinessMy Own HappinessI Just Want To Be HappyPursuing Happiness
Author:Dalai Lama
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“In our concern for others, we worry less about ourselves. When we worry less about ourselves an experience of our own suffering is less intense. What does this tell us? Firstly, because our every action has a universal dimension, a potential impact on others' happiness, ethics are necessary as a means to ensure that we do not harm others. Secondly, it tells us that genuine happiness consists in those spiritual qualities of love, compassion, patience, tolerance and forgiveness and so on. For it is these which provide both for our happiness and others' happiness.”

MeanDoeActionHappinessSpiritualSufferingQualityCompassionWorryEthicsConcernUniversalImpactHarmToleranceGenuineIntenseDimensionsOthers HappinessConcern For OthersGenuine HappinessWorry Less
Author:Dalai Lama
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