Dalai Lama Inspirational Quotes

A compassionate attitude opens our inner door, and as a result it is much easier to communicate with others. – Dalai Lama

A genuine smile gives us hope, freshness. If we want a genuine smile, first we must produce the basis for a smile to come.

A good mind, a good heart, warm feelings, these are the most important things.

A kind heart and compassion are the real sources of peace and happiness.

A learned person will become noble only when he or she has put into real practice what has been learned, instead of just mere words.

A limit to the size of the family is desirable. It is very, very essential to have fewer children, and they must be properly taken care of.

A meaningful ethical system divorced of an individual experience of suffering and happiness is hard to imagine.

A mind that is characterized by unrest will not be tranquil even in the presence of great calm.

A person who knows a lot but does not practice is like a shepherd who does not own any sheep but always looks after another’s flock.

A single word or expression in tantra can have four different meanings corresponding to the four levels of interpretation known as the four modes of understanding: the literal meaning, the general meaning, the hidden meaning, and the ultimate meaning.

A strong sense of separateness in the past has brought about competition and warring. But now we are more interdependent. So we need to communicate, hold dialogs, and compromise.

According to tantra, the ultimate nature of mind is essentially pure. This pristine nature is technically called “clear light.”

Adopting a kind attitude becomes a personal matter. How each of us behaves in daily life is, after all, the real test of compassion.

Affection and compassion are not only a religious matter, but in our day-to-day life they are quite indispensable. Our basic human nature is gentleness.

Aggression is an intimate part of ourselves. That is why we have to struggle.

All different faiths and systems are only methods to achieve a goal that for the average person is happiness in life.

All emotions, if practiced regularly, grow in size. – The Dalai Lama

All human beings come from a mother’s womb. We are all the same part of one human family.

All living beings, starting with insects, want happiness and not suffering.Others gaining happiness is more important than yourself alone.

All religions are essentially the same in their goal of developing a good heart so that we may become better human beings.

All the waters and rivers of different lands have their ultimate meeting point in the ocean. So too, the different viewpoints on society the variety of economic theories, and means to attainment benefit mankind itself. This can clearly be seen from the contemporary history of both the East and West.

All the waters and rivers of different lands and climes have their ultimate meeting point in the ocean.

Also, with 1000’s of brothers and sisters for neighbors, so many people appear able to show their true feelings only to their cats and dogs.

Although space seems empty, once you develop the energies, you can control it. When that happens, you can look right through solid things and walk in empty space as if it were solid.

An area in Tibetan Buddhism which may be of interest to scientists is the relationship between the physical elements and the nerves in particular the relationship between the elements in the brain and consciousness.

And as far as external appearance is concerned, nature in its pristine form is also art.

And as long as they have not attained enlightenment, may I devote myself entirely to their happiness.

And if it is necessary to express your views and take strong countermeasures, do so without anger or ill intent.

And if you rely on someone who has better qualities than yourself, that will help you to achieve sublime status.

And you must understand that the key to a successful practice is to never lose your determination.

Anger and agitation make us more susceptible to illness.

Anger and hatred cannot bring harmony. The noble task of arms control and disarmament can’t be controlled by confrontation and condemnation.

Anger is the ultimate troublemaker. I feel you can express a strong disapproval or dislike of an object without losing your temper.

Anything that contradicts experience and logic should be abandoned.

Around the world millions of people remain silent, but the majority want peace, not bloodshed. Don’t worry, I plan to live 100 years.

As a Buddhist monk, my concern extends to all members of the human family and, indeed, to all sentient beings who suffer.

As a spiritual trainee, you must be prepared to endure the hardships involved in a genuine spiritual pursuit.

As long as you’re not completely enlightened there will always be an inner obstruction to knowledge that will make your task of helping others incomplete.

As students, you should first watch and investigate thoroughly.

At daybreak if the weather is fine, I go into the garden. This time of day is very special to me.

At the end of the last century, science and spirituality seemed incompatible. Now, they have moved closer together.

At the highest tantric levels, at the esoteric level, you must respect women, every woman.

At the moment of desire, everything seems agreeable and desirable. One sees no obstacle to it, no reason for restraint. But then everything changes with possession. Once the desire disappears, we no longer look at the other in the same way.

At the moment when strong feelings of anger arise, no matter how hard one tries to adopt a dignified pose, one’s face looks rather ugly.

Basically, everyone exists in the very nature of suffering, so to abuse or mistreat each other is futile.

Because violence can only breed more violence and suffering, our struggle must be nonviolent and free of hatred.

Because we all share an identical need for love, it is possible to feel that anybody we meet is a brother or sister.

Being patient might not be easy. It requires considerable concentration. But the result we achieve by enduring difficulties will be sublime.

Being patient might not be easy. It requires considerable concentration. But the result we achieve by enduring these difficulties will be sublime.

Besides education, one must introduce to them the reverence for life and the value of human affection.

Blessings are not enough. Blessings must come from within. Without your own effort, it is impossible for blessings to come.

Bodhicitta is the medicine which revives and gives life to eery sentient being who ever hears of it.

Both bondage and true freedom depend on the varying states of the clear light mind.

Buddha advises, ‘O bhikshus and wise men, just as a goldsmith would test his gold by burning, cutting, and rubbing it so must you examine my words and accept them but not merely out of reverence for me.’

Buddha always talked about the negative experiences as a result of having performed negative actions. So for a good practitioner there is no new year, there is no good day or bad day.

Buddha is the teacher, Dharma is the actual refuge, and the Sangha is the one which assists in understanding the objects of refuge.

Buddha never mentioned that the problems we encounter are the result of misconstruction of a house or working on an inappropriate day.

Buddhahood is a state free of all obstructions and disturbing emotions. It is the state in which the mind is fully evolved.

But now, the time has come when our power to destroy is so extreme that Mother Earth is compelled to tell us to be careful.

By maintaining sharp awareness of the function of religion as expressed in the actuality of all teachings we can escape the ruinous error of sectarian discrimination and partisanship and we can avoid the grave sin of casting aside any religious teaching.

By striving in vain for perfection in a world where everything is relative, one wanders ever further away from inward peace and happiness.

Compassion and loving kindness are the hallmarks of achievement and happiness.

Compassion and tolerance are not a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength. -Dalai Lama

Compassion brings us more smiles, friendship, and harmony. So compassion is really something very precious.

Compassion can be roughly defined in terms of a state of mind that is nonviolent and non-harming, or non-aggressive.

Compassion does not arise mechanically. Such a sincere feeling must grow gradually, cultivated in each individual, based on their own conviction of its worth.

Compassion is compulsory for everyone to practice, and if I were a dictator I would dictate to everyone to do so.

Compassion is the source of nonviolent action, and it brings us inner strength and mental peace.

Compassion, loving-kindness, altruism, and a sense of brotherhood and sisterhood are the keys to human development.

Compassion, tolerance, and altruism bring us happiness and calmness. But when the individual is able to fully experience this clear light, he or she is on the way to true liberation and full enlightenment.

Consciousness is like a crystal stone; while a crystal is resting on a colored surface you can’t see the real untinted clarity of the stone. But once you take the crystal away from the surface you can perceive its actual clarity.

Cultivating a close, warmhearted feeling for others automatically puts the mind at ease.

Cultivating a close, warmhearted feeling for others automatically puts the mind at ease. It is the ultimate source of success in life.

Cultivating inner discipline is a time consuming process. Having expectations of immediate results is a sign of impatience.

Cultivating wisdom helps us to avoid these pitfalls. But it is hard to generalize because each person’s courage and forbearance are unique.