Dalai Lama Profile
Dalai Lama

@DalaiLama

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0
Following
237
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1,938
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Welcome to the official twitter page of the Office of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama.

Dharamsala, India
Joined February 2009
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
6 years
Although I am a Buddhist monk, I am skeptical that prayers alone will achieve world peace. We need instead to be enthusiastic and self-confident in taking action.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
6 years
Many people think that patience is a sign of weakness. I think this is a mistake. It is anger that is a sign of weakness, whereas patience is a sign of strength.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
7 years
What we need today are universal values based not on faith but on scientific findings, common experience and common sense.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
6 years
What is important is not so much how long you live as whether you live a meaningful life. This doesn’t mean accumulating money and fame, but being of service to your fellow human beings. It means helping others if you can, but even if you can’t do that, at least not harming them.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
6 years
I am one of the 7 billion human beings alive today. We each have a responsibility to think about humanity and the good of the world because it affects our own future. We weren’t born on this planet at this time to create problems but to bring about some benefit.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
6 years
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
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
6 years
Scientists warn that constant fear and anger are bad for our health, while being compassionate and warm-hearted contributes to our physical and mental well-being. Therefore, just as we observe physical hygiene to stay well, we need to cultivate a kind of emotional hygiene too.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
6 years
I often ask myself what is the purpose of our lives and I conclude that life's purpose is to be happy. We have no guarantee what will happen in the future, but we live in hope. That's what keeps us going.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
6 years
I am one of the 7 billion human beings alive today. We each have a responsibility to think about humanity and the good of the world because it affects our own future. We weren’t born on this planet at this time to create problems but to bring about some benefit.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
5 years
Our visit to this planet is short, so we should use our time meaningfully, which we can do by helping others wherever possible. And if we cannot help others, at least we should try not to create pain and suffering for them.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
4 years
Fundamentally human beings are the same. Imagine being lost in some remote place and suddenly seeing someone coming towards you over the horizon. You wouldn't care about their race, nationality or religious faith, you'd be filled with the joy of encountering another human being.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
6 years
Making others happy is not a question of sacrificing our own happiness. Trying to make others happy, even when we do not always succeed, is a source of great satisfaction. Anger and hatred are signs of weakness, while compassion is a sure sign of strength.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
6 years
I’m Tibetan, I’m Buddhist and I’m the Dalai Lama, but if I emphasize these differences it sets me apart and raises barriers with other people. What we need to do is to pay more attention to the ways in which we are the same as other people.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
6 years
People inflict pain on others in their selfish pursuit of happiness and satisfaction. Yet true happiness comes from a sense of brotherhood and sisterhood. We need to cultivate a sense of universal responsibility for one another and the planet we share.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
6 years
The very purpose of spirituality is self-discipline. Rather than criticizing others, we should evaluate and criticize ourselves. Ask yourself, what am I doing about my anger, my attachment, my pride, my jealousy? These are the things we should check in our day to day lives.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
6 years
We may say prayers when we are trying to solve the problems we face, but it is up to us to put an end to violence and bring about peace. Creating peace is our responsibility. To pray for peace while still engaging in the causes that give rise to violence is contradictory.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
6 years
In today’s materialistic world there is a risk of people becoming slaves to money, as though they were simply cogs in a huge money-making machine. This does nothing for human dignity, freedom, and genuine well-being. Wealth should serve humanity, and not the other way around.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
6 years
As a human being I’m aware that we are all physically, mentally and emotionally the same and we all want to live a happy life. Scientists say our basic nature is compassionate. It’s clear that love and affection bring people together.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
7 years
Protecting our environment is not a luxury we can choose to enjoy, but a simple matter of survival.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
6 years
I really feel that some people neglect and overlook compassion because they associate it with religion. Of course, everyone is free to choose whether they pay religion any regard, but to neglect compassion is a mistake because it is the source of our own well-being.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
4 years
I urge young women to accept leadership roles. We need you to promote love and compassion. Realise my dream—that the 200 nations of the world be governed by women. There’ll be less war, violence, and economic and social injustice because strength is rooted in love and compassion
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
6 years
Not only is it the case that happy people are more willing to help others, but as I generally point out, helping others is the best way to help yourself, the best way to promote your own happiness. It is you, yourself, who will receive the benefit.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
6 years
What’s past is past, nothing can change that. But the future can be different if we choose to make it so. We have to cultivate a vision of a happier, more peaceful future and make the effort now to bring it about. This is no time for complacency, hope lies in the action we take.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
6 years
Because of the great differences in our ways of thinking, it is inevitable that we have different religions and faiths. Each has its own beauty. And it is much better that we live together on the basis of mutual respect and mutual admiration.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
4 years
Time’s always moving on. Nothing can stop it. The question is whether we use our time well or not. We can't do anything about the past, but what happens in the future depends on what we do now. We can create a happier future by remembering that in being human we are all the same.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
2 years
We are all here on this planet, as tourists, as it were. None of us can live here forever. The longest we might live is a hundred years. So while we are here we should try to have a good heart and to make something positive and useful of our lives.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
6 years
Many of the problems we face today are our own creation. Creating a more peaceful world requires a peaceful mind and a peaceful heart. As human brothers and sisters we must live together in tolerance and affection.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
6 years
I don’t like formality. There’s no formality when we’re born and none when we die. In between we should treat each other as brothers and sisters because we all want to live a happy life. This is our common purpose and our right.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
7 years
I’m just one human being, but I believe each one of us has a responsibility to contribute to a happier humanity.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
2 years
As soon as I wake every morning, I remind myself that all human beings are the same as me—we all want to be happy. I resolve to use my life to ensure that other beings are happy. It’s compassion that brings about peace of mind, not anger and hatred.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
5 years
Women have been shown to be more sensitive to others' suffering, whereas, warriors celebrated for killing their opponents are almost always men. We need to see more women in leadership roles and more closely involved in education about compassion. #InternationalWomensDay
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
6 years
Everyone wants to lead a peaceful, happy life, but happiness and success aren’t measured by how much money you have, but by whether you have inner peace in your heart.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
4 years
As human beings, all 7 billion of us are born the same way and die the same way. Physically, mentally and emotionally we are the same. We all want to live a happy life and avoid problems, but in a materialistic culture we overlook the importance of love and affection.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
5 years
We won’t bring about peace in the world merely by praying for it; we have to take steps to tackle the violence and corruption that disrupt peace. We can’t expect change if we don’t take action.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
5 years
When you care for others, you manifest an inner strength despite any difficulties you face. Your own problems will seem less significant and bothersome to you. Reaching beyond your own problems and taking care of others, you gain confidence, courage and a greater sense of calm.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
4 years
The purpose of life is to be happy. This is what all human beings have in common—the wish to lead a happy life. Many think that happiness is to be found outside us in material things, but actually it’s something that comes from within, from warm-heartedness and concern for others
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
6 years
Change in the world comes from individuals, from the inner peace in individual hearts. Just as ripples spread out when a single pebble is dropped into water, the actions of individuals can have far-reaching effects.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
7 years
Religious people pray for peace, but prayer alone is not enough, what will bring peace in the world is people cultivating peace of mind.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
6 years
When our intentions toward others are good, we find that any feelings of anxiety or insecurity we may have are greatly reduced. We experience a liberation from our habitual preoccupation with self and paradoxically, this gives rise to strong feelings of confidence.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
5 years
We all want to live a happy life, so we have to learn to live together in trust and mutual respect. We do have differences of race, nationality, religious faith and so on, but these differences are secondary in comparison to our equality in being human.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
6 years
While many people consider sensory experience as the main source of happiness, really it is peace of mind. What destroys peace of mind is anger, hatred, anxiety and fear. Kindness counters this—and through appropriate education we can learn to tackle such emotions.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
6 years
Anger and aggression sometimes seem to be protective because they bring energy to bear on a particular situation, but that energy is blind. It takes a calm mind to be able to consider things from different angles and points of view.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
6 years
The basic foundation of humanity is compassion and love. This is why, if even a few individuals simply try to create mental peace and happiness within themselves and act responsibly and kind-heartedly towards others, they will have a positive influence in their community.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
5 years
If you set out to cheat and deceive others you’ll be tense and anxious in case you’re found out. But if you live your life and conduct your business on the basis of truth and honesty, it gives you a sense of satisfaction and self-confidence that is also a source of inner strength
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
5 years
It’s good to remember that other human beings are like us. We are born the same way; we die the same way. While we’re alive it’s better to be able to trust each other as friends. We earn other people’s trust when we show a genuine concern for their well-being.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
5 years
We may sometimes feel that we can’t do much as individuals, but humanity is made up of individuals; we can make a difference. As individuals we can influence our own families. Our families can influence our communities and our communities can influence our nations.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
4 years
What is important is not so much how long you live as whether you live a meaningful life. This doesn’t mean accumulating money and fame, but being of service to your fellow human beings. It means helping others if you can, but even if you can’t do that, at least not harming them.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
6 years
I am convinced we can become happier individuals, happier communities and a happier humanity by cultivating a warm heart, allowing our better selves to prevail.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
5 years
The first drawback of anger is that it destroys our inner peace; the second is that it distorts our view of reality. If we think about this and come to understand that anger is really unhelpful, that it is only destructive, we can begin to distance ourselves from anger.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
6 years
As human beings we need to assess whether anger has any value - it destroys our peace of mind. Compassion, on the other hand, brings optimism and hope.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
5 years
Of the 7 billion human beings alive today, no one wants to suffer; no one chooses to have problems. Yet, many of the problems we face are our own creation. Why? Because of ignorance. But ignorance is not permanent and whether we overcome it depends on whether we make the effort.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
4 years
Taking care of our planet, is a matter of looking after our own home. We can no longer exploit the earth’s resources—the trees, water, air and minerals—with no care for the coming generations. I support young people’s protests at governments’ inaction over the climate crisis.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
6 years
Human beings are social animals and it is love that brings us together, while anger drives us apart. To live more peacefully and joyfully in our day to day lives, we need a warm heart.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
4 years
We can no longer exploit the resources of this earth—the trees, the water, and other natural resources—without any care for coming generations. Common sense tells us that unless we change, we won’t survive. This Earth Day let’s resolve to live in harmony with nature.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
6 years
The kind of behavior that really is spiritual practice consists of refraining from falsehood and abiding by the truth, neither humiliating nor mocking others, being humble, and having a good heart and helping others.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
5 years
Human beings are social animals. What brings us together is love and affection—anger drives us apart. Just as we employ physical hygiene to protect our health, we need emotional hygiene, the means to tackle our destructive emotions, if we are to achieve peace of mind.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
5 years
Because anger and hostility destroy our peace of mind, it is they that are our real enemy. Anger ruins our health; a compassionate attitude restores it. If it were basic human nature to be angry, there’d be no hope, but since it is our nature to be compassionate, there is.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
5 years
Time is always moving on; nothing can stop it. We can’t change the past, but we can shape the future. The more compassionate you are, the more you will find inner peace.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
6 years
Because of our intelligence we human beings are uniquely capable not only of creating problems, but of doing so on a large scale. Therefore, it is important that we use our intelligence in constructive ways. That’s what warm-heartedness and concern for others lead us to do.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
6 years
Our real enemies and the enemies of humanity are negative emotions like anger and hatred. Indeed, people who are dominated by powerful negative emotions should be objects of our compassion.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
6 years
We may say prayers when we are trying to solve the problems we face, but it is up to us to put an end to violence and bring about peace. Creating peace is our responsibility. To pray for peace while still engaging in the causes that give rise to violence is contradictory.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
6 years
In the present circumstances, no one can afford to assume that someone else will solve their problems. Each one of us has a responsibility to help guide our global family in the right direction. Good wishes are not sufficient; we must become actively engaged.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
6 years
I always consider that the shape of the future is in our hands. The past is past and can’t be changed, but the future has not yet arrived. Young people have the opportunity and responsibility to shape it by creating a better world.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
5 years
It’s quite right that students and today's younger generation should have serious concerns about the climate crisis and its effect on the environment. They are being very realistic about the future. They see we need to listen to scientists. We should encourage them.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
6 years
We are, you might say, "brainwashed" into thinking that money is the source of happiness while what we really need to know is that inner peace is something that comes from within.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
6 years
I don’t think of myself just as a Tibetan or a Buddhist, but as a human being. We have to think of the whole of humanity. Being human is the common ground in our efforts to create a better world. Remember, we all survive in dependence on others.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
4 years
The very purpose of spirituality is self-discipline. Rather than criticizing others, we should evaluate and criticize ourselves. Ask yourself, what am I doing about my anger, my attachment, my pride, my jealousy? These are the things we should check in our day to day lives.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
5 years
Time’s always moving on; nothing can stop it. We can’t change the past, but we can still learn from it. And we can shape the future, creating a more peaceful era, by adopting a realistic approach, recognising that the more compassionate you are, the more you’ll find inner peace.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
5 years
I feel optimistic about the future because humanity seems to be growing more mature; scientists are paying more attention to our inner values, to the study of mind and the emotions. There is a clear desire for peace and concern for the environment.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
6 years
Some people consider the practice of love and compassion is only related to religious practice and if they are not interested in religion they neglect these inner values. But love and compassion are qualities that human beings require just to live together.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
6 years
Within each of us exists the potential to contribute positively to society. Although one individual among so many on this planet may seem too insignificant, it is our personal efforts that will determine the direction our society is heading.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
7 years
People go to great lengths to look physically attractive, but inner beauty is a more important and stronger basis for lasting relationships.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
5 years
If love is defined as a wish that others be happy and compassion as the wish that they be free from suffering, and you cultivate love and compassion within yourself, it will ensure happiness, good health and peace of mind.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
5 years
Be honest, truthful, and altruistic. If you concern yourself with taking care of others, there’ll be no room for lies, bullying and cheating. If you’re truthful you can live transparently, which will enable you to establish trust, the basis for making friends.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
6 years
Karma means action and action motivated by compassion is good. To complain that what happens to you is just the result of your karma is lazy. Instead, confidently recalling the advice that, "You are your own master," you can change what happens by taking action.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
5 years
Even more important than the warmth and affection we receive, is the warmth and affection we give. It is by giving warmth and affection, by having a genuine sense of concern for others, in other words through compassion, that we gain the conditions for genuine happiness.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
7 years
I’m convinced that today’s young people can achieve a more peaceful world if they cultivate warm-heartedness and inner peace.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
4 years
I believe all 7 billion human beings alive today are part of one human family. We are born and die in the same way. And what is most precious in our relations with others is warm-heartedness. It yields the peace of mind and inner strength that are fundamental to a happy community
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
6 years
Kindness and a good heart are the foundation for success in this life, progress on the spiritual path, and the fulfillment of our aspirations. Our need for them is not limited to any specific time, place, society, or culture.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
6 years
If we were really to see one another as brothers and sisters, there would be no basis for division, cheating and exploitation among us. Therefore it’s important to promote the idea of the oneness of humanity, that in being human we are all the same.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
5 years
Love, kindness, compassion and tolerance are qualities common to all the great religions, and whether or not we follow any particular religious tradition, the benefits of love and kindness are obvious to anyone.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
4 years
People face difficulties in many parts of the world, but since all seven billion of us live on this one planet we should be united and stand in solidarity with each other. When this blue planet is viewed from space, there are no national boundaries to be seen.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
6 years
World peace can only be based on inner peace. If we ask what destroys our inner peace, it's not weapons and external threats, but our own inner flaws like anger. This is one of the reasons why love and compassion are important, because they strengthen us. This is a source of hope
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
6 years
Anger and fear undermine our immune system, while warm-heartedness brings peace of mind. Therefore, just as we teach children to comply with physical hygiene for the good of their health, we should also counsel them in a kind of hygiene of the emotions.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
6 years
We seek happiness in external things without realizing that they don’t help when we have problems within. We need to focus instead on the joy that comes with peace of mind that allows us to remain happy whatever happens.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
6 years
If you develop a pure and sincere motivation, if you are motivated by a wish to help on the basis of kindness, compassion, and respect, then you can carry on any kind of work, in any field, and function more effectively.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
5 years
The source of a happy life is within us. Troublemakers in many parts of the world are often quite well-educated, so it is not just education that we need. What we need is to pay attention to inner values.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
5 years
In working for the good of humanity I don't think of myself just as a Tibetan or a Buddhist, but as a human being. We have to think of the whole of humanity. Being human is the common ground in our efforts to create a better world, because we all survive in dependence on others.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
7 years
Whatever our religious faith, showing others loving kindness is the best way to bring about inner peace.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
3 years
I’d like to offer my hearty congratulations to Joe Biden on his election as the next President of the United States of America. Humanity places great hope in the democratic vision of the U.S. as leader of the free world.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
5 years
Modern education is premised strongly on materialistic values. It is vital that when educating our children’s brains that we do not neglect to educate their hearts, a key element of which has to be the nurturing of our compassionate nature.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
6 years
In today’s interconnected and globalized world, it’s now commonplace for people of different world views, faiths and races to live side by side. It’s a matter of great urgency, therefore, that we find ways to cooperate with one another in a spirit of mutual acceptance and respect
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
6 years
Irrespective of whether we have faith in religion or not, it’s good to be more compassionate. It makes us happier as individuals with a positive influence on our families and the neighborhood where we live.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
5 years
Mental transformation takes time, but it becomes easier with familiarity. Don’t entertain unrealistic expectations; it doesn’t take place quickly. It requires patience and determination over months and years, but if you keep it up, at the end of your life you’ll be content.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
5 years
Optimism does not mean being blind to the actual reality of a situation. It means maintaining a positive spirit to continue to seek a solution to any given problem. And it means recognizing that any given situation has many different aspects—positive as well as problematic.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
6 years
Modern education pays little attention to inner values and yet our basic human nature is compassionate. We need to incorporate compassion and warm-heartedness into the modern education system to make it more holistic.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
6 years
Peace has a great deal to do with warm-heartedness and respect for the lives of others, avoiding doing them harm and regarding their lives as being as precious as our own. If, on that basis, we can also be of help to others, so much the better.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
5 years
The young people of this 21st century represent our planet now. They have the ability to bring about change. Even as climate change increases in intensity, they can work together in the spirit of brotherhood and sisterhood to find and share solutions. They are our real hope.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
4 years
Time is always moving on, Nothing can stop it. The question is whether we use our time properly or not. We can’t do anything about the past, but what happens in the future depends on what we do now.
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@DalaiLama
Dalai Lama
6 years
Practicing compassion, caring for others and sharing their problems, lays the foundation for a meaningful life, not only at the level of the individual, family or community, but also for humanity as a whole.
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