Famous Quotes & Sayings

Dalai Lama

An enemy is indeed a precious teacher.

Dalai Lama

A genuine transformation that results from sustained concerted effort is long lasting because it has a firm foundation.

Dalai Lama

I believe deeply that we must find a new spirituality... in such a way that all people of good will could adhere to it... We ought to promote this concept with the help of scientists... It could lead us to what we are looking for.

Dalai Lama

There is...a tendency to think of the spiritual life as primarily introspective, divorced from the concerns of everyday life....Faith that does not translate into actions is no faith at all.

Dalai Lama

I have observed that religious practice is not a precondition either of ethical conduct or of happiness itself. I have also suggested that, whether a person practices religion or not, the spiritual qualities of love and compassion, patience, tolerance, forgiveness, humility and so on are indispensable.

Dalai Lama

There should be a balance between material and spiritual progress, a balance achieved through the principles based on love and compassion.

Dalai Lama

All major religious traditions carry basically the same message that is love, compassion and forgiveness the important thing is they should be part of our daily lives." Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can't help them, at least don't hurt them." This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness.

Dalai Lama

In the interests of everyone the artist had a responsibility to use his medium well. In the Tibetan culture, most of the paintings are of deities or Buddhas, and they try to send a message of the value of the spiritual.

Dalai Lama

His Holiness Pope John Paul II was a determined and deeply spiritual minded person for whom I had great respect and admiration. His experience in Poland, then a communist country, and my own difficulties with communists, gave us an immediate common ground

Dalai Lama

Overcoming negative tendencies and enhancing positive potential are the very essence of the spiritual path.

Dalai Lama

The more adept we become at cultivating an altruistic attitude, the happier we will feel and the more comfortable will be the atmosphere around us. But if our emotions fluctuate wildly and we easily give in to hatred and jealousy, even our friends will avoid us. So even for people with no spiritual beliefs, it is important to have a peaceful mind.

Dalai Lama

The practicing of loving kindness toward one's enemy is the ultimate test of one's own spiritual attainment.

Dalai Lama

Spiritual practice . . . involves, on the one hand, acting out of concern for others' well-being. On the other, it entails transforming ourselves so that we become more readily disposed to do so.

Dalai Lama

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.

Dalai Lama

There are five billion human beings and in a certain way I think we need five billion different religions.

Dalai Lama

I think in many ways narrow minded-attitudes lead to extreme thinking.

Dalai Lama

So the first step in seeking happiness is learning. We first have to learn how negative emotions and behaviors are harmful to us and how positive emotions are helpful.

Dalai Lama

As far as ignorance is concerned, not just Buddhism, every religion recognizes it as the source of suffering.

Dalai Lama

All sentient beings have the seed of the Buddha within them.

Dalai Lama

There is often a big disparity between the way in which we perceive things and the way things really are.

Dalai Lama

Scientists may study mainly matter but they cannot ignore the human mind, or consciousness: spiritual practitioners may be engaging mainly in developing the mind but they cannot completely ignore their physical needs. It is for this reason that I have always stressed the importance of combining both mental and the material approach to achieving happiness for humankind.

Dalai Lama

By setting our motivation strongly in the morning when our mind is fresh and clear, we are much more likely to remember it during the day and act with that intention

Dalai Lama

It is a wonderful thing if one can use one's place of work as a place of spiritual practice as well.

Dalai Lama

Peace in the world depends on peace in the hearts of individuals; this depends on each of us practising ethics by disciplining our negative thoughts and emotions, and developing basic spiritual qualities.

Dalai Lama

In spiritual growth, it is important to avoid imbalances between academic or intellectual learning and practical implementation. Otherwise there is a danger that too much intellectualiza tion will kill the more contemplative practices and too much emphasis on practical implementation without study will kill the understanding. There has got to be a balance.

Dalai Lama

Compassion and love constitute non-violence in action. They are the source of all spiritual qualities: forgiveness, tolerance, all the virtues. They give meaning to our activities and makes them constructive. There is nothing amazing about being rich or highly educated; only when the individual has a warm heart do these attributes become worthwhile.

Dalai Lama

So the smart brain must be balanced with a warm heart, a good heart -a sense of responsibility, of concern for the well-being of others.

Dalai Lama

Whether you believe in God or not does not matter so much, whether you believe in Buddha or not does not matter so much; as a Buddhist, whether you believe in reincarnation or not does not matter so much. You must lead a good life. And a good life does not mean just good food, good clothes, good shelter. These are not sufficient. A good motivation is what is needed: compassion, without dogmatism, without complicated philosophy; just understanding that others are human brothers and sisters and respecting their rights and human dignity.

Dalai Lama

The very purpose of religion is to control yourself, not to criticise others.

Dalai Lama

Maybe, just maybe, I would like to become a real spiritual teacher, a working lama!

Dalai Lama

The various features and aspects of human life, such as longevity, good health, success, happiness, and so forth, which we consider desirable, are all dependent on kindness and a good heart.

Dalai Lama

If we want spiritual development, the practice of patience is essential.

Dalai Lama

Human beings will continue to deceive and overpower one another. Basically, everyone exists in the very nature of suffering, so to abuse or mistreat each other is futile. The foundation of all spiritual practice is love. That you practice this well is my only request.