top of page
.png){kind=small}
Quotes by Tibetan Authors
"I always tell my Western friends that it is best to keep your own tradition. Changing religion is not easy and sometimes causes confusion. You must value your tradition and honor your own religion."
"If you have fear of some pain or suffering, you should examine whether there is anything you can do about it. If you can, there is no need to worry about it; if you cannot do anything, then there is also no need to worry."
"If we lose our human values by having everything mechanied, then machines will dictate our lives."
"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."
"From my own limited experience, I have found that the greatest degree of inner tranquility comes from the development of love and compassion. The more we care for the happiness of others, the greater our own sense of well-being becomes. Cultivating a close, warmhearted feeling for others automatically puts the mind at ease. This helps remove whatever fears or insecurities we may have and gives us the strength to cope with any obstacles we encounter. It is the ultimate source of success in life."
"We can live without religion and meditation, but we cannot survive without human affection."
"If a person shows anger to you, and you show anger in return, the result is disaster. If you nurse hatred, you will never be happy, even in the lap of luxury. By contrast, if you control your anger and show its opposite - love, compassion, tolerance, and patience - then not only do you remain in peace, but gradually the anger of others also will diminish."
"Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other."
"Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible. And be kinder than is necessary."
"Each one of us is responsible for reducing the negative potential of every situation we have to face."
"Happiness doesn't always come from a pursuit. Sometimes it comes when we least expect it."
"Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it."
"This is my simple religion. No need for temples. No need for complicated philosophy. Your own mind, your own heart is the temple. Your philosophy is simple kindness."
"Love is the absence of judgment."
"I took note of the Buddha's teaching that in one sense a supposed enemy is more valuable than a friend, for an enemy teaches you things, such as forbearance, that a friend generally does not."
"From the Buddhist point of view, all living beings -- that is, beings with feelings, experiences, and sensations -- are considered equal. Human beings can live without eating meat. As human beings, I think that deep down our nature tends towards vegetarianism and leads us to do everything in our power to prevent harming other species."
"We must conduct research and then accept the results. If they don't stand up to experimentation, Buddha's own words must be rejected."
"Every day, think as you wake up, today I am fortunate to be alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it. I am going to use all my energies to develop myself, to expand my heart out to others; to achieve enlightenment for the benefit of all beings. I am going to have kind thoughts towards others, I am not going to get angry or think badly about others. I am going to benefit others as much as I can."
"CIf you are honest, truthful, and transparent, people trust you. If people trust you, you have no grounds for fear, suspicion or jealousy."
"Those questions which are unexpected and complicated are the ones I appreciate most. They can help me a great deal. as I am compelled to take an interest in something that might not otherwise have occurred to me."
"If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito."
"The topic of compassion is not at all religious business; it is important to know it is human business, it is a question of human survival."
"Contemplating this suffering which is unbearable to us, and is unbearable to others, too, can produce awake mind, which arises from the compassion that wishes to free all living beings from suffering."
"We cannot learn real patience and tolerance from a guru or a friend. They can be practiced only when we come in contact with someone who creates unpleasant experiences."
"In the end, the innate desire of all people for truth, justice, and human understanding must triumph over ignorance and despair."
"The more time you spend thinking about yourself, the more suffering you will experience."
"The purpose of all the major religious traditions is not to construct big temples on the outside, but to create temples of goodness and compassion inside, in our hearts."
"The secret to my own happiness, my own good future, is within my own hands. I must not miss that opportunity!"
"I found, as every teacher does, that there is nothing like teaching to help one learn."
"On the philosophical level, both Buddhism and modern science share a deep suspicion of any notion of absolutes, whether conceptualize as a transcendent being, as an eternal, unchanging principle such as soul, or as a fundamental substratum of reality. ... In the Buddhist investigation of reality, at least in principle, empirical evidence should triumph over scriptural authority, no matter how deeply venerated a scripture may be. ~ 14th Dalai Lama in his talk to the Society for Neuroscience in 2005 in Washington."
"Our ancient experience confirms at every point that everything is linked together, everything is inseparable."
"Meanwhile, spring came, and with it the outpourings of Nature. The hills were soon splashed with wild flowers; the grass became an altogether new and richer shade of green; and the air became scented with fresh and surprising smells -- of jasmine, honeysuckle, and lavender."
"The highest happiness is when one reaches the stage of Liberation, at which there is no more suffering. That's genuine, lasting happiness. True happiness relates more to the mind and heart. Happiness that depends mainly on physical pleasure is unstable; one day it's there, the next day it may not be."
"Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them, humanity cannot survive."
"Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions."
"Choose to be optimistic, it feels better."
"Live a life that transcends your own!"
"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."
"Use your good common sense. Is anger useful? If you get angry at someone, the result is good neither for you nor for the other person. Nothing helpful comes of it. In the end, anger does not harm others; it hurts yourself."
"Violence can only breed more violence and suffering. Our struggle must remain non-violent and free of hatred."
"A disciplined mind leads to happiness, and an undisciplined mind leads to suffering."
"The creatures that inhabit this earth--be they human beings or animals--are here to contribute, each in its own particular way, to the beauty and prosperity of the world."
"When I doubt that I exist, I pinch myself."
"It is our collective and individual responsibility to preserve and tend to the environment in which we all live."
"Remember that sometimes not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck."
"If a problem is fixable, if a situation is such that you can do something about it, then there is no need to worry. If it's not fixable, then there is no help in worrying. There is no benefit in worrying whatsoever."
"The true hero is one who conquers his own anger and hatred."
"Where ignorance is our master, there is no possibility of real peace."
"In the practice of tolerance, one's enemy is the best teacher."
"Look at children. Of course they may quarrel, but generally speaking they do not harbor ill feelings as much or as long as adults do. Most adults have the advantage of education over children, but what is the use of an education if they show a big smile while hiding negative feelings deep inside? Children don't usually act in such a manner. If they feel angry with someone, they express it, and then it is finished. They can still play with that person the following day."
bottom of page