Dalai Lama Quotes About Conflict

• The reality today is that we are all interdependent and have to co-exist on this small planet. Therefore, the only sensible and intelligent way of resolving differences and clashes of interests, whether between individuals or nations, is through dialogue.

  Dalai Lama

  Intelligent, Reality, Differences

• Peace does not mean an absence of conflicts; differences will always be there. Peace means solving these differences through peaceful means; through dialogue, education, knowledge; and through humane ways.

  Dalai Lama

  Life, Education, Spiritual

• Many problems that confront us today are created by man, whether they are violent conflicts, destruction of the environment, poverty or hunger. These problems can be resolved thanks to human efforts by understanding that we are brother and sister and by developing this sense of closeness. We must cultivate a universal responsibility toward each other and extend it to the planet that we have to share.

  Dalai Lama

  Brother, Responsibility, Men

• The problems we face today, violent conflicts, destruction of nature, poverty, hunger, and so on, are human-created problems which can be resolved through human effort, understanding and the development of a sense of brotherhood and sisterhood. We need to cultivate a universal responsibility for one another and the planet we share.

  Dalai Lama

  God, Peace, Responsibility

  The 14th Dalai Lama's Acceptance Speech, on the occasion of the award of the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo, Norway, www.nobelprize.org. December 10, 1989.

• Given the scale of life in the cosmos, one human life is no more than a tiny blip. Each one of us is a just visitor to this planet, a guest, who will only stay for a limited time. What greater folly could there be than to spend this short time alone, unhappy or in conflict with our companions? Far better, surely, to use our short time here in living a meaningful life, enriched by our sense of connection with others and being of service to them.

  Dalai Lama

  Inspirational, Meaningful, Unhappy

• When we face problems or disagreements today, we have to arrive at solutions through dialogue. Dialogue is the only appropriate method. One-sided victory is no longer acceptable. We must work to resolve conflicts in a spirit of reconciliation and always keep in mind the interests of others.

  Dalai Lama

  Mind, Victory, Today

  "Open Heart: Practising Compassion in Everyday Life". Book by Dalai Lama, p. 13, September 5, 2002.

• Everyone wants to be happy; happiness is a right. And while on a secondary level differences exist of nationality, faith, family background, social status and so on, more important is that on a human level we are the same. None of us wants to face problems, and yet we create them by stressing our differences. If we see each other just as fellow human beings, there'll be no basis for fighting or conflict between us.

  Dalai Lama

  Stress, Fighting, Differences

• I remain convinced that most human conflicts can be solved through genuine dialogue conducted with a spirit of openness and reconciliation.

  Dalai Lama

  Spirit, Conflict, Genuine

  Dalai Lama's Speech to the European Parliament, tibet.net. October 24, 2001.

• If science proves facts that conflict with Buddhist understanding, Buddhism must change accordingly. We should always adopt a view that accords with the facts.

  Dalai Lama

  Buddhist, Buddhism, Views

  "Scientists Meditate On Happiness" by Kim Zetter, www.wired.com. September 16, 2003.

• If each of us can learn to relate to each other more out of compassion, with a sense of connection to each other and a deep recognition of our common humanity, and more important, to teach this to our children, I believe that this can go a long way in reducing many of the conflicts and problems that we see today.

  Dalai Lama

  Children, Believe, Compassion

  The Dalai Lama, Howard C. Cutler, Dalai Lama (2010). “The Art of Happiness in a Troubled World”, p.198, Hachette UK

• Non-violence means dialogue, using our language, the human language. Dialogue means compromise; respecting each other’s rights; in the spirit of reconciliation there is a real solution to conflict and disagreement. There is no hundred percent winner, no hundred percent loser—not that way but half-and-half. That is the practical way, the only way.

  Dalai Lama

  Inspirational, Real, Mean

• I believe that the basic nature of human beings is gentle and compassionate. It is therefore in our own interest to encourage that nature, to make it live within us, to leave room for it to develop. If on the contrary we use violence, it is as if we voluntarily obstruct the positive side of human nature and prevent its evolution.

  Dalai Lama

  Believe, Healing, Rooms

• It is natural that we face obstacles in pursuit of our goals. But if we remain passive, making no effort to solve the problems we meet, conflicts will arise and hindrances will grow. Transforming these obstacles into opportunities is a challenge to our human ingenuity.

  Dalai Lama

  Opportunity, Goal, Effort

• Peace is not just the mere absence of violence or disturbance. It's when there is a possibility of conflict, but you deliberately avoid violence and adopt methods to solve the problem through peaceful means. That is real peace.

  Dalai Lama

  Real, Mean, Peaceful

• In olden times when there was a war, it was a human-to-human confrontation. The victor in battle would directly see the blood and suffering of the defeated enemy. Nowadays, it is much more terrifying because a person in an office can push a button and kill millions of people and never see the human tragedy that he or she has created. The mechanization of war, the mechanization of human conflict, poses an increasing threat to peace.

  Dalai Lama

  War, Blood, Office

  "Pathways to Peace: Interreligious Readings and Reflections". Book by A. Jean Lesher, p. 111, 2005.

• Forgiveness is the most effective way of dealing with arguments; altruism and forgiveness bring humanity together so that no conflict, however serious, will go beyond the bounds of what is truly human.

  Dalai Lama

  Happiness, Humanity, Together

• When a certain community is destroyed, in reality it destroys a part of all of us. So there should be a clear recognition that the entire humanity is just one family. Any conflict within humanity should be considered as a family conflict. We must find a solution within this atmosphere.

  Dalai Lama

  Reality, Community, Humanity

  Interview with Amitabh Pal, www.sharedhost.progressive.org. January 1, 2006.

• We must work to resolve conflicts in a spirit of reconciliation and always keep in mind the interests of others. We cannot destroy our neighours! We cannot ignore their interests!

  Dalai Lama

  Mind, Spirit, Conflict

  "Open Heart: Practising Compassion in Everyday Life". Book by Dalai Lama, p.13, September 5, 2002.

• We have to adopt a wider perspective, and always find common things between the people of north, east, south, and west. Conflict comes from the basis of differencs.

  Dalai Lama

  Perspective, People, West

• We have to have some form of politics. Politics is a form of resolving conflicts. Politics which comes from sincere motivation is constructive.

  Dalai Lama

  Motivation, Conflict, Sincere

• I just want to live as a simple Buddhist monk, but during the last thirty years I have made many friends around the world and I want to have close contact with these people. I want to contribute to harmony and peace of mind, for less conflict. Wherever the possibililty is, I'm ready. This is my life's goal.

  Dalai Lama

  Buddhist, Simple, Years

• 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.

  Dalai Lama

  War, Believe, Technology

• Sometimes religion becomes yet another source for more division and even open conflict. Because of that situation, I feel the different religious traditions have a great responsibility to provide peace of mind and a sense of brotherhood and sisterhood among humanity.

  Dalai Lama

  Religious, Responsibility, Sisterhood

You May Also Like:

Mahatma Gandhi

Desmond Tutu

Gautama Buddha

Gautama Buddha

Nhat Hanh

Billie Holiday

Heinrich Harrer