As the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism, the Dalai Lama commits himself to help humanity. And part of his teachings focuses on compassion and the connection of all beings. So whatever your religion or spirituality may be, here are 130 thought-provoking Dalai Lama quotes for you to read and share.
Dalai Lama Quotes
1. “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.” – Dalai Lama
2. “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.” – Dalai Lama
3. “The creation of a more peaceful and happier society has to begin from the level of the individual, and from there it can expand to one’s family, to one’s neighborhood, to one’s community and so on.” – Dalai Lama
4. “In order to lead a meaningful life, you need to cherish others, pay attention to human values and try to cultivate inner peace.” – Dalai Lama
5. “A source of trouble is our unruly minds. We can counter that by developing a warm heart. We need to effect an inner transformation, to understand that love and affection are a real source of joy.” – Dalai Lama
6. “Better grounded emotionally through patience, we become stronger mentally and spiritually, and tend to be healthier physically.” – Dalai Lama
7. “Problems will always arise, but we need to address them differently. We need to engage in dialogue to resolve them rather than resorting to the use of force.” – Dalai Lama
8. “We need to discover not only what disturbs our minds, but also what the antidotes to those factors are.” – Dalai Lama
9. “Although you may not always be able to avoid difficult situations, you can modify the extent to which you can suffer by how you choose to respond to the situation.” – Dalai Lama
10. “Pain can change you, but that doesn’t mean it has to be a bad change. Take that pain and turn it into wisdom.” – Dalai Lama
11. “If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.” – Dalai Lama
12. “Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values.” – Dalai Lama
13. “Compassion and tolerance are not a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength.” – Dalai Lama
14. “Choose to be optimistic, it feels better.” – Dalai Lama
15. “Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you’ll be able to enjoy it a second time.” – Dalai Lama
16. “The goal is not to be better than the other man, but your previous self.” – Dalai Lama
17. “Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.” – Dalai Lama
18. “In the practice of tolerance, one’s enemy is the best teacher.” – Dalai Lama
19. “We can let the circumstances of our lives harden us so that we become increasingly resentful and afraid, or we can let them soften us, and make us kinder. You always have the choice.” – Dalai Lama
20. “The roots of all goodness lie in the soil of appreciation for goodness.” – Dalai Lama
21. “The challenge today is to convince people of the value of truth, honesty, compassion, and concern for others.” – Dalai Lama
22. “The planet does not need more successful people. The planet desperately needs more peacemakers, healers, and lovers of all kinds.” – Dalai Lama
23. “Just one small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day.” – Dalai Lama
24. “You have to start giving first and expect absolutely nothing.” – Dalai Lama
25. “Forget the failures. Keep the lessons.” – Dalai Lama
26. “Blessing must arise from within your own mind. It is not something that comes from outside.” – Dalai Lama
27. “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
28. “Give the ones you love wings to fly, roots to come back and reasons to stay.” – Dalai Lama
29. “Never give up. No matter what is happening, no matter what is going on around you, never give up.” – Dalai Lama
30. “If it can be solved, there’s no need to worry, and if it can’t be solved, worry is of no use.” – Dalai Lama
31. “Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.” – Dalai Lama
32. “A disciplined mind leads to happiness, and an undisciplined mind leads to suffering.” – Dalai Lama
33. “Smile if you want a smile from another face.” – Dalai Lama
34. “Happiness doesn’t always come from a pursuit. Sometimes it comes when we least expect it.” – Dalai Lama
35. “It is very important to generate a good attitude, a good heart, as much as possible. From this, happiness in both the short term and the long term for both yourself and others will come.” – Dalai Lama
36. “Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.” – Dalai Lama
37. “You have achieved your goal, and now you ready to begin another chapter. Now you really start real life. Real life may be more complicated. It is bound to face some unhappy things and hindrance and obstacles, complications. So it is important to have determination and optimism and patience.” – Dalai Lama
38. “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.” – Dalai Lama
39. “Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them, humanity cannot survive.” – Dalai Lama
40. “Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can’t help them, at least don’t hurt them.” – Dalai Lama
41. “People take different roads seeking fulfillment and happiness. Just because they’re not on your road doesn’t mean they’ve gotten lost.” – Dalai Lama
42. “There is only one important point you must keep in your mind and let it be your guide. No matter what people call you, you are just who you are. Keep to this truth. You must ask yourself how is it you want to live your life. We live and we die, this is the truth that we can only face alone. No one can help us, not even the Buddha. So consider carefully, what prevents you from living the way you want to live your life?” – Dalai Lama
43. “When you realize you’ve made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.” – Dalai Lama
44. “A good friend who points out mistakes and imperfections and rebukes evil is to be respected as if he reveals the secret of some hidden treasure.” – Dalai Lama
45. “Because we all share this planet earth, we have to learn to live in harmony and peace with each other and with nature. This is not just a dream, but a necessity.” – Dalai Lama
46. “It is under the greatest adversity that there exists the greatest potential for doing good, both for oneself and others.” – Dalai Lama
47. “I defeat my enemies when I make them my friends.” – Dalai Lama
48. “Old friends pass away, new friends appear. It is just like the days. An old day passes, a new day arrives. The important thing is to make it meaningful: a meaningful friend – or a meaningful day.” – Dalai Lama
49. “Time passes unhindered. When we make mistakes, we cannot turn the clock back and try again. All we can do is use the present well.” – Dalai Lama
50. “As you breathe in, cherish yourself. As you breathe out, cherish all Beings.” – Dalai Lama
51. “The important thing is that men should have a purpose in life. It should be something useful, something good.” – Dalai Lama
52. “When we meet real tragedy in life, we can react in two ways–either by losing hope and falling into self-destructive habits, or by using the challenge to find our inner strength.” – Dalai Lama
53. “To remain indifferent to the challenges we face is indefensible. If the goal is noble, whether or not it is realized within our lifetime is largely irrelevant. What we must do therefore is to strive and persevere and never give up.” – Dalai Lama
54. “Through difficult experiences, life sometimes becomes more meaningful.” – Dalai Lama
55. “I find hope in the darkest of days, and focus in the brightest. I do not judge the universe.” – Dalai Lama
56. “Neither a space station nor an enlightened mind can be realized in a day.” – Dalai Lama
57. “When you practice gratefulness, there is a sense of respect toward others.” – Dalai Lama
58. “Look at situations from all angles, and you will become more open.” – Dalai Lama
59. “You must not hate those who do wrong or harmful things; but with compassion, you must do what you can to stop them — for they are harming themselves, as well as those who suffer from their actions.” – Dalai Lama
60. “Every single being, even those who are hostile to us, is just as afraid of suffering as we are, and seeks happiness in the same way we do. Every person has the same right as we do to be happy and not to suffer. So let’s take care of others wholeheartedly, of both our friends and our enemies. This is the basis for true compassion.” – Dalai Lama
61. “I don’t know whether the universe, with its countless galaxies, stars and planets, has a deeper meaning or not, but at the very least, it is clear that we humans who live on this earth face the task of making a happy life for ourselves. Therefore, it is important to discover what will bring about the greatest degree of happiness.” – Dalai Lama
62. “Anger or hatred is like a fisherman’s hook. It is very important for us to ensure that we are not caught by it.” – Dalai Lama
63. “Sometimes one creates a dynamic impression by saying something, and sometimes one creates as significant an impression by remaining silent.” – Dalai Lama
64. “Share your knowledge. It is a way to achieve immortality.” – Dalai Lama
65. “Let us try to recognize the precious nature of each day.” – Dalai Lama
66. “With realization of one’s own potential and self-confidence in one’s ability, one can build a better world.” – Dalai Lama
67. “Because we all share an identical need for love, it is possible to feel that anybody we meet, in whatever circumstances, is a brother or sister.” – Dalai Lama
68. “What we do and think in our own lives, then, becomes of extreme importance as it effects everything we’re connected to.” – Dalai Lama
69. “We must recognize that the suffering of one person or one nation is the suffering of humanity.” – Dalai Lama
70. “Every human actions becomes dangerous when it is deprived of human feeling. When they are performed with feeling and respect for human values, all activities become constructive.” – Dalai Lama
71. “As free human beings we can use our unique intelligence to try to understand ourselves and our world. But if we are prevented from using our creative potential, we are deprived of one of the basic characteristics of a human being.” – Dalai Lama
72. “Love is the absence of judgment.” – Dalai Lama
73. “Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.” – Dalai Lama
74. “The more you are motivated by Love,
The more Fearless & Free your action will be.”
– Dalai Lama
75. “True change is within; leave the outside as it is.” – Dalai Lama
76. “The true hero is one who conquers his own anger and hatred.” – Dalai Lama
77. “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
78. “I believe all suffering is caused by ignorance. People inflict pain on others in the selfish pursuit of their happiness or satisfaction. Yet true happiness comes from a sense of inner peace and contentment, which in turn must be achieved through the cultivation of altruism, of love and compassion and elimination of ignorance, selfishness and greed.” – Dalai Lama
79. “When life becomes too complicated and we feel overwhelmed, it’s often useful just to stand back and remind ourselves of our overall purpose, our overall goal. When faced with a feeling of stagnation and confusion, it may be helpful to take an hour, an afternoon, or even several days to simply reflect on what it is that will truly bring us happiness, and then reset our priorities on the basis of that. This can put our life back in proper context, allow a fresh perspective, and enable us to see which direction to take.” – Dalai Lama
80. “We create most of our suffering, so it should be logical that we also have the ability to create more joy. It simply depends on the attitudes, the perspectives, and the reactions we bring to situations and to our relationships with other people. When it comes to personal happiness there is a lot that we as individuals can do.” – Dalai Lama
81. “One problem with our current society is that we have an attitude towards education as if it is there to simply make you more clever, make you more ingenious… Even though our society does not emphasize this, the most important use of knowledge and education is to help us understand the importance of engaging in more wholesome actions and bringing about discipline within our minds. The proper utilization of our intelligence and knowledge is to effect changes from within to develop a good heart.” – Dalai Lama
82. “We are but visitors on this planet. We are here for ninety or one hundred years at the very most. During that period, we must try to do something good, something useful with our lives. If you contribute to other people’s happiness, you will find the true goal, the true meaning of life.” – Dalai Lama
83. “Non-violence means dialogue, using our language, the human language. Dialogue means compromise; respecting each other’s rights; in the spirit of reconciliation there is a real solution to conflict and disagreement. There is no hundred percent winner, no hundred percent loser—not that way but half-and-half. That is the practical way, the only way.” – Dalai Lama
84. “Our ancient experience confirms at every point that everything is linked together, everything is inseparable.” – Dalai Lama
85. “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.” – Dalai Lama
86. “Self satisfaction alone cannot determine if a desire or action is positive or negative. The demarcation between a positive and a negative desire or action is not whether it gives you a immediate feeling of satisfaction, but whether it ultimately results in positive or negative consequences.” – Dalai Lama
87. “Instead of wondering WHY this is happening to you, consider why this is happening to YOU.” – Dalai Lama
88. “You are so anxious about the future that you do not enjoy the present. You therefore do not live in the present or the future. You live as if you are never going to die, and then die having never really lived.” – Dalai Lama
89. “Seek to be an oasis of caring and concern as you live your life.” – Dalai Lama
90. “Today is the right day to love, believe, do, and mostly, live.” – Dalai Lama
91. “Compassion is the wish to see others free from suffering.” – Dalai Lama
92. “True spirituality is a mental attitude you can practice at any time.” – Dalai Lama
93. “The more honest you are, the more open, the less fear you will have, because there’s no anxiety about being exposed or revealed to others.” – Dalai Lama
94. “The ultimate authority must always rest with the individual’s own reason and critical analysis.” – Dalai Lama
95. “I believe each human being has the potential to change, to transform one’s own attitude, no matter how difficult the situation.” – Dalai Lama
96. “In general, if we carefully examine any given situation in a very unbiased and honest way, we will realize that to a large extent we are also responsible for the unfolding of events.” – Dalai Lama
97. “Learn and obey the rules very well so you will know how to break them properly.” – Dalai Lama
98. “I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. I felt fear more times than I can remember, but I hid it behind a mask of boldness. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear” – Dalai Lama
99. “A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.” – Dalai Lama
100. “Everybody wants a happy life and a peaceful mind, but we have to produce peace of mind through our own practice.” – Dalai Lama
101. “When something needs to be done in the world to rectify the wrongs, if one is really concerned with benefiting others, one needs to be engaged, involved. This is action out of compassion.” – Dalai Lama
102. “It is important to consider others at least as important as ourselves. This is the essence of spirituality.” – Dalai Lama
103. “So what is true physically is, in a wonderful way, true spiritually as well. Deep down we grow in kindness when our kindness is tested.” – Dalai Lama
104. “Only through the development of mutual respect, and in a spirit of truth, can friendship come about. By these means it is possible to move human minds, but never by force.” – Dalai Lama
105. “Be gentle with the earth.” – Dalai Lama
106. “If at the beginning and end of our lives we depend upon the kindness of others, why in the middle of our lives should we not act kindly toward them? It is the pragmatic choice.” – Dalai Lama
107. “If something can be done about the situation, what need is there for dejection? And if nothing can be done about it, what use is there for being dejected?” – Dalai Lama
108. “A tree with strong roots can withstand the most violent storm, but the tree can’t grow roots just as the storm appears on the horizon.” – Dalai Lama
109. “Be the change you wish to be” – Dalai Lama
110. “You are made for perfection, but you are not yet perfect. You are a masterpiece in the making.” – Dalai Lama
111. “Too much self-centered attitude, you see, brings, you see, isolation. Result: loneliness, fear, anger. The extreme self-centered attitude is the source of suffering.” – Dalai Lama
112. “A lack of transparency results in distrust and a deep sense of insecurity.” – Dalai Lama
113. “There is no need for temples, no need for complicated philosophies. My brain and my heart are my temples; my philosophy is kindness.” – Dalai Lama
114. “Because of lack of moral principle, human life becomes worthless. Moral principle, truthfulness, is a key factor. If we lose that, then there is no future.” – Dalai Lama
115. “Appearance is something absolute, but reality is not that way – everything is interdependent, not absolute. So that view is very helpful to maintain a peace of mind because the main destroyer of a peaceful mind is anger.” – Dalai Lama
116. “My faith helps me overcome such negative emotions and find my equilibrium.” – Dalai Lama
117. “In order to become prosperous, a person must initially work very hard, so he or she has to sacrifice a lot of leisure time.” – Dalai Lama
118. “Whether you call it Buddhism or another religion, self-discipline, that’s important. Self-discipline with awareness of consequences.” – Dalai Lama
119. “Physical comforts cannot subdue mental suffering, and if we look closely, we can see that those who have many possessions are not necessarily happy. In fact, being wealthy often brings even more anxiety.” – Dalai Lama
120. “Logically, harmony must come from the heart… Harmony very much based on trust. As soon as use force, creates fear. Fear and trust cannot go together.” – Dalai Lama
121. “When you talk you are only repeating something you already know. But, if you listen you may learn something new.” – Dalai Lama
122. “If someone does not smile at you, be generous and offer your own smile. Nobody needs a smile more than the one that cannot smile to others.” – Dalai Lama
123. “Change is part of the world.
Until the last moment,
Anything is possible.”
– Dalai Lama
124. “Follow the three R’s: – Respect for self. – Respect for others. – Responsibility for all your actions.” – Dalai Lama
125. “We often add to our pain and suffering by being overly sensitive, over-reacting to minor things, and sometimes taking things too personally.” – Dalai Lama
126. “If you don’t love yourself, you cannot love others. You will not be able to love others. If you have no compassion for yourself then you are not able of developing compassion for others.” – Dalai Lama
127. “There are going to be frustrations in life. The question is not: How do I escape? It is: How can I use this as something positive?” – Dalai Lama
128. “Remember that sometimes not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck.” – Dalai Lama
129. “Just as ripples spread out when a single pebble is dropped into water, the actions of individuals can have far-reaching effects.” – Dalai Lama
130. “The greater the level of calmness of our mind, the greater our peace of mind, the greater our ability to enjoy a happy and joyful life.” – Dalai Lama