Dalai Lama
We can live without religion and meditation, but we cannot survive without human affection.Collection: Religion
A lack of transparency results in distrust and a deep sense of insecurity.
If you can, help others; if you cannot do that, at least do not harm them.
When you are discontent, you always want more, more, more. Your desire can never be satisfied. But when you practice contentment, you can say to yourself, 'Oh yes - I already have everything that I really need.'
Even when a person has all of life's comforts - good food, good shelter, a companion - he or she can still become unhappy when encountering a tragic situation.
Look at situations from all angles, and you will become more open.
With realization of one's own potential and self-confidence in one's ability, one can build a better world.
We all have to live together, so we might as well live together happily.
Out of 6 billion humans, the troublemakers are just a handful.
In order to become prosperous, a person must initially work very hard, so he or she has to sacrifice a lot of leisure time.
It is necessary to help others, not only in our prayers, but in our daily lives. If we find we cannot help others, the least we can do is to desist from harming them.
Sometimes one creates a dynamic impression by saying something, and sometimes one creates as significant an impression by remaining silent.
Open-minded people tend to be interested in Buddhism because Buddha urged people to investigate things - he didn't just command them to believe.
Even when we have physical hardships, we can be very happy.
The ultimate authority must always rest with the individual's own reason and critical analysis.
I have done one thing that I think is a contribution: I helped Buddhist science and modern science combine. No other Buddhist has done that. Other lamas, I don't think they ever pay attention to modern science. Since my childhood, I have a keen interest.
The important thing is that men should have a purpose in life. It should be something useful, something good.
Disagreement is something normal.
I describe myself as a simple Buddhist monk. No more, no less.
Conversion is not my intention. Changing religion is not easy. You may develop some kind of confusion or difficulties.
I think there's every reason this 21st century will be much happier.
I always tell people that religious institutions and political institutions should be separate. So while I'm telling people this, I myself continue with them combined. Hypocrisy!
Today, more than ever before, life must be characterized by a sense of Universal responsibility, not only nation to nation and human to human, but also human to other forms of life.
Of course, when I say that human nature is gentleness, it is not 100 percent so. Every human being has that nature, but there are many people acting against their nature, being false.
My desire to devolve authority has nothing to do with a wish to shirk responsibility.
My main hope is eventually, in modern education field, introduce education about warm-heartedness, not based on religion, but based on common experience and a common sort of sense, and then scientific finding.
I am a simple Buddhist monk - no more, no less.
I never dreamt, in my dream, I'm Dalai Lama.
World belongs to humanity, not this leader, that leader or that king or prince or religious leader. World belongs to humanity.
There are techniques of Buddhism, such as meditation, that anyone can adopt. And, of course, there are Christian monks and nuns who already use Buddhist methods in order to develop their devotion, compassion, and ability to forgive.
I think really, China, Chinese, I think they really have a long history of civilization, rich culture.
I am just one human being.
At the beginning when the child is coming, people worry the child may be deformed. When a healthy boy or child comes, people are very happy for a short moment.
It is difficult to violently suppress people in the long run, as the example of the Soviet Union and the Eastern European countries has shown.
Number of people have said to me, after hearing your thinking, their mind becomes much more happier.
I have no trouble sleeping.
Today different ethnic groups and different nations come together due to common sense.
Wherever I go meeting the public... spreading a message of human values, spreading a message of harmony, is the most important thing.
My main concern is meeting with public because my main commitment, main interest is promotion of human value, human affection, compassion and religious harmony.
I feel exhausted if I teach too long.
Appearance is something absolute, but reality is not that way - everything is interdependent, not absolute.
I don't think generally politician come from democratic country. I think not that thinking. But sometimes little bit short-sighted. They are mainly looking for their next vote.
The Tibetan people will need to determine who the next reincarnation of the Dalai Lama is.
If some people have the belief or view that the Dalai Lama has some miracle power, that's totally nonsense. I am just one human being.
There are techniques of Buddhism, such as meditation, that anyone can adopt.
I want to be just a pure spiritual leader.
If some people have the belief or view that the Dalai Lama has some miracle power, that's totally nonsense.
I felt we must separate political responsibility. The Dalai Lama should not carry that burden. So that is my selfish reason - to protect the old Dalai Lama tradition. It is safer without political involvement.
Physical comforts cannot subdue mental suffering, and if we look closely, we can see that those who have many possessions are not necessarily happy. In fact, being wealthy often brings even more anxiety.