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Dalai Lama

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Famous Dalai Lama Quotes

“Death is a part of all our lives. Whether we like it or not, it is bound to happen. Instead of avoiding thinking about it, it is better to understand its meaning. We all have the same body, the same human flesh, and therefore we will all die. There is a big difference, of course, between natural death and accidental death, but basically death will come sooner or later. If from the beginning your attitude is 'Yes, death is part of our lives,' then it may be easier to face.”

IfsThinkingHumansMayBodyBigsHappensFacesDiesCoursesNaturalDifferencesAttitudeOur LivesEasierBoundsFleshSooner Or LaterAvoidingNatural Death
Book:The Dalai Lama’s Little Book of Wisdom
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“It is our custom to say that someone is 'lucky' or 'unlucky' if they meet with fortunate or unfortunate circumstances, respectively. It is, however, too simplistic to think in terms of random 'luck.' Even from a scientific point of view, this is not a sufficient explanation.”

IfsThinkingTermViewsCircumstancesLuckyLuckRewardsPoint Of ViewFortunateExplanationSufficientCustomsUnfortunateUnluckyUnfortunate Circumstances
Book:Answers: Discussions with Western Buddhists
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“We have to think and see how we can fundamentally change our education system so that we can train people to develop warm-heartedness early on in order to create a healthier society. I don't mean we need to change the whole system, just improve it. We need to encourage an understanding that inner peace comes from relying on human values like, love, compassion, tolerance and honesty, and that peace in the world relies on individuals finding inner peace.”

PeopleThinkingWorldNeedsHumansMeanWholeValuesOrderIndividualUnderstandingCompassionHonestyFindingsTrainWarmToleranceInner PeaceRelyEncouragingWise Man Once SaidEducation SystemNeed A ChangeTibetanLike LoveHuman ValuesFinding Inner Peace
Author:Dalai Lama
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“When we think carefully, we see that the brief elation we experience when appeasing sensual impulses may not be very different from what the drug addict feels when indulging his or her habit. Temporary relief is soon followed by a craving for more. And in just the same way that taking drugs in the end only causes trouble, so, too, does much of what we undertake to fulfill our immediate sensory desires.”

ThinkingWayFeelsMayDoeDifferentEndsDesireCausesTroubleHabitDrugSensualImpulseReliefTemporaryAddictCravingSensoryDrug AddictForbearanceElationTemporary Relief
Book:Ancient Wisdom, Modern World: Ethics for the New Millennium
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“Today we face many problems. Some are created essentially by ourselves based on divisions due to ideology, religion, race, economic status, or other factors. Therefore, the time has come for us to think on a deeper level, on the human level, and from that level we should appreciate and respect the sameness of others as human beings.”

ThinkingShouldHumansProblemTodayFacesHuman BeingsLevelsRaceEconomicAppreciateDeeperDuesFactorsIdeologyDivisionSamenessEconomic Status
Author:Dalai Lama
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“We need a sense of the oneness of the 7 billion human beings alive today. When I meet people, I don't think about being different from them, about being Tibetan, Buddhist or even the Dalai Lama. I only think about being a human being. We all share the potential for positive and negative emotions, yet one of our special qualities is our human mind, our intelligence. If we use it well we'll be successful and happy.”

PeopleIfsThinkingNeedsMindHumansWellsDifferentUseTodayHuman BeingsEmotionQualitySuccessfulAliveShareSpecialNegativeIntelligenceBillionsOnenessBuddhistBeing SuccessfulPotentialHuman MindBeing DifferentLive For TodayTibetanHuman PotentialLamaDalaiNegative EmotionsTibetan Buddhist
Author:Dalai Lama
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“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).”

IfsThinkingSometimesHappensLeftStrongSeriousOceanNewsEarsRemainsCalmWaveSurfaceThings HappenTragicComes And GoesBad NewsTibetan
Author:Dalai Lama
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“For the moment a lot of attention is given to economic concerns, and these problems at hand easily eclipse all others. But the remedies proposed for these problems all come out of outmoded ways of thinking... The remedy? Compassion. The logical feeling that we find in ourselves if we search deeply enough that has to be exercised toward all other living creatures.”

IfsThinkingWayEnoughMomentsFeelingsProblemHandsGivenAttentionCompassionEconomicCreaturesConcernLogicalRemedyWay Of ThinkingEclipseLiving Creatures
Author:Dalai Lama
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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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“The purpose of our life needs to be positive. We weren't born with the purpose of causing trouble, harming others. For our life to be of value, I think we must develop basic good human qualities - warmth, kindness, compassion. Then our life becomes meaningful and more peaceful - happier.”

ThinkingNeedsHumansPurposeValuesBornQualityCompassionKindnessOur LivesTroublePositivityMeaningfulPeacefulBe KindWarmthGood LifeHappy LifeBeing PositiveArt Of HappinessHuman QualitiesHarming OthersCausing Trouble
Book:The Art of Happiness, 10th Anniversary Edition: A Handbook for Living
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“There are five billion human beings and in a certain way I think we need five billion different religions, because there is such a large variety of dispositions. I believe that each individual should embark upon a spiritual path that is best suited to his or her mental disposition, natural inclination, temperament, belief, family and cultural background.”

ThinkingWayNeedsShouldBelieveHumansDifferentSpiritualCertainIndividualBeliefI BelieveNaturalHuman BeingsPathFiveBillionsBackgroundsVarietyDispositionInclinationTemperamentSpiritual PathDifferent Religions
Author:Dalai Lama
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“I think every human being, born from mother, and at least the next few years, you see, received immense affection from our mother. So the child's first experience in this lifetime at the beginning, I think that immense affection from other is in our blood. So therefore, the whole rest of life, other people show you smile, genuine sort of closeness feeling. You feel happy. Even animals also like that.”

PeopleThinkingFeelsYearsFirstsHumansChildrenWholeShowsFeelingsMotherNextBornHuman BeingsAnimalBloodLifetimeAffectionGenuineImmenseClosenessRest Of Life
Author:Dalai Lama
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“I think the problem is these basic sort of human values from our - from the beginning, from birth, are not sort of properly nurtured. So then our mind, our brain, through education and also difference of experiences, that eventually, these basic values or what are called dominant, not have the catching up our intelligence, experience growth, that also should grow. Then our life become more human.”

ThinkingShouldMindHumansProblemValuesGrowsGrowthDifferencesBrainOur LivesBirthDominantCatchingHuman ValuesCatching Up
Author:Dalai Lama
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“I can do what my energy, my time, to my other sort of commitment. And then also emotional, religious harmony. So in these two field, now that more or less I think the spirituality or human values in these fields, I may consider my only professional field. The political, national struggle, these are not my profession.”

ThinkingHumansMayI CanTwoPoliticalValuesSpiritualityEnergyCan DoReligiousStruggleFieldsEmotionalCommitmentHarmonyProfessionMy TimeHuman Values
Author:Dalai Lama
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“In a free country, America, or India, and Japan, and many places, democracy country, free country, but still within the sort of rule of law, some injustice, some sort of problems, some discrimination, and also some sort of scandals or the corruptions. These things, you see, they are always in my mind, I think many people agree, lack of moral principle.”

PeopleThinkingMindStillsCountryProblemAmericaLawMoralPrinciplesDemocracyIndiaAgreeInjusticeCorruptionDiscriminationJapanScandalRule Of LawMoral PrinciplesFree Country
Author:Dalai Lama
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