Dalai Lama Quotes - Page 18

• 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.

  Dalai Lama

  Wise, Selfish, Lying

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• Buddhism does not accept a theory of God, or a creator. According to Buddhism, one's own actions are the creator, ultimately. Some people say that, from a certain angle, Buddhism is not a religion but rather a science of mind.

  Dalai Lama

  Buddhism, People, Mind

  "The Dalai Lama: A Policy of Kindness". Book edited by Sidney Piburn. "The Nobel Evening Address" p. 115, 1990.

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• There are two kinds of happiness - the temporary pleasure derived primarily from material comfort alone and another more enduring comfort that results from the thorough transformation and development of the mind. We can see in our own lives that the latter form of happiness is superior because when our mental state is calm and happy, we can easily put up with minor pains and physical discomforts. On the other hand, when our mind is restless and upset, the most comfortable physical facilities do not make us happy.

  Dalai Lama

  Pain, Hands, Two

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• Lack of understanding of the true nature of happiness, it seems to me, is the principal reason why people inflict sufferings on others. They think either that the other's pain may somehow be a cause of happiness for themselves or that their own happiness is more important, regardless of what pain it may cause. But this is shortsighted. No one truly benefits from causing harm to another sentient being. . . . . In the long run causing others misery and infringing their rights to peace and happiness result in anxiety, fear, and suspicion within oneself.

  Dalai Lama

  Running, Pain, Thinking

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• It is lack of love for ourselves that inhibits our compassion toward others. If we make friends with ourselves, then there is no obstacle to opening our hearts and minds to others.

  Dalai Lama

  Friendship, Heart, Compassion

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• What is the relationship between spirituality and ethical practice? Since love and compassion and similar qualities all, by definition, presume some level of concern for others' well-being, they presume ethical restraint. We cannot be loving and compassionate unless at the same time we curb our own harmful impulses and desires.

  Dalai Lama

  Compassion, Practice, Concern For Others

  The Dalai Lama (2012). “The Essence Of Wisdom”, p.10, Hachette UK

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• Compassion and love give meaning to our activities and makes them constructive.

  Dalai Lama

  Compassion, Giving, And Love

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• You are so anxious about the future that you do not enjoy the present. You therefore do not live in the present or the future. You live as if you are never going to die, and then die having never really lived.

  Dalai Lama

  Live In The Present, Enjoy, Anxious

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• By deceiving one another through false assumptions and misrepresentations there has been, in reality, a great lapse and delay in achieving the real goals.

  Dalai Lama

  Real, Goal, Delay

  Dalai Lama's letter to Deng Xiaoping, www.officeoftibet.com. March 23, 1981.

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• Genuine human friendship is on the basis of human affection, irrespective of your position. Therefore, the more you show concern about the welfare and rights of others, the more you are a genuine friend. The more you remain open and sincere, then ultimately more benefits will come to you. If you forget or do not bother about others, then eventually you will lose your own benefit.

  Dalai Lama

  Friendship, Rights, Genuine Friends

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• In order to be happy we must first possess inner contentment; and inner contentment doesn't come from having all we want; but rather from wanting and appreciating being grateful for all we have.

  Dalai Lama

  Gratitude, Grateful, Order

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• On a certain day, month and year one should observe the ceremony of tree-planting. Thus, one fulfils one's responsibilities, serves one's fellow-beings which not only brings happiness but benefits all.

  Dalai Lama

  Responsibility, Years, Tree

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• If your mental attitude is positive, even when threats abound, you won’t lose your inner peace. On the other hand, if your mind is negative, marked by fear, suspicion and feelings of helplessness, even among your best friends, in a pleasant atmosphere and comfortable surroundings, you won’t be happy.

  Dalai Lama

  Attitude, Hands, Inner Peace

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• Sensory experience does not offset the intense pain or pleasure we feel on a mental level; it may distract us, but doesn't overcome it. On the other hand, if we have peace of mind, even negative experiences do not upset us. Peace of mind is also good for our physical health. Medical experts have found that anger, hatred and fear eat into our immune system. Being calm and relaxed is better for our physical well-being.

  Dalai Lama

  Pain, Hands, Negative Experiences

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• A female Dalai Lama must be very attractive, otherwise not much use.

  Dalai Lama

  Female, Use, Attractive

  Source: www.sbs.com.au

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• Under the bright sun, many of us are gathered together with different languages, different styles of dress, even different faiths. However, all of us are the same in being humans, and we all uniquely have the thought of 'I' and we're all the same in wanting happiness and in wanting to avoid suffering.

  Dalai Lama

  Ego, Style, Suffering

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• If you are mindful of death, it will not come as a surprise-you will not be anxious. You will feel that death is merely like changing clothes. Consequently, at that point you will be able to maintain your calmness of mind.

  Dalai Lama

  Death, Clothes, Mind

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• Peace starts within each one of us. When we have inner peace, we can be at peace with those around us. When our community is in a state of peace, it can share peace with neighboring communities, and so on. When we feel love and kindness towards others, it not only makes others feel loved and cared for, but it helps us also to develop inner happiness and peace.

  Dalai Lama

  Kindness, Community, Inner Peace

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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.

  Dalai Lama

  Thinking, Differences, Growth

  Source: www.kpbs.org

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• 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.

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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.

  Dalai Lama

  Meaningful, Order, Space

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• I consider non-violence to be compassion in action. It doesn’t mean weakness, cowering in fear, or simply doing nothing. It is to act without violence, motivated by compassion, recognising the rights of others.

  Dalai Lama

  Mean, Compassion, Rights

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• Spirit is a land of high white peaks and glittering jewel-like lakes and flowers. Life is sparse and sounds travel great distances.

  Dalai Lama

  Distance, Flower, White

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• To defy the authority of empirical evidence is to disqualify oneself as someone worthy of critical engagement in a dialogue.

  Dalai Lama

  Engagement, Authority, Empirical Evidence

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• Anger and hatred lead to fear; compassion and concern for others allow us to develop self-confidence, which breeds trust and friendship.

  Dalai Lama

  Self Confidence, Compassion, Concern For Others

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