675 Quotes by Dalai Lama XIV

Instead of wondering WHY this is happening to you, consider why this is happening to YOU.

If we wish to ensure everyone’s peace and happiness we need to cultivate a healthy respect for the diversity of our peoples and cultures, founded on an understanding of this fundamental sameness of all human beings.

Moving towards better rather than moving away from bad is an attitude of embracing life rather than rejecting it.

All human beings have an innate desire to overcome suffering, to find happiness. Training the mind to think differently, through meditation, is one important way to avoid suffering and be happy.

As far as social-economic theory is concerned, I am still a Marxist.

My own view, which does not rely solely on religious faith or even on an original idea, but rather on ordinary common sense, is that establishing binding ethical principles is possible when we take as our starting point the observation that we all desire happiness and wish to avoid suffering.

In the Buddha’s life story we see the three stages of practice: Morality comes first, then concentrated meditation, and then wisdom. And we see that the path takes time.

If we can cultivate a concern for others, keeping in mind the oneness of humanity, we can build a more compassionate world.

Friends, genuine friends, are attracted by a warm heart, not money, not power. A genuine friend considers you as just another human being, as a brother or sister, and shows affection on that level, regardless of whether you are rich or poor, or in a high position; that is a genuine friend.