Gyatso, Tenzin (Tenzin Gyatso; 14th Dalai Lama)

"If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion."
-- Tenzin Gyatso

"In the practice of tolerance, one's enemy is the best teacher."
-- Tenzin Gyatso

"I am a simple Buddhist monk - no more, no less."
-- Tenzin Gyatso

"My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness."
-- Tenzin Gyatso

"This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness."
-- Tenzin Gyatso

"All major religious traditions carry basically the same message, that is love, compassion and forgiveness ... the important thing is they should be part of our daily lives."
-- Tenzin Gyatso

"If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion."
-- Tenzin Gyatso

"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."
-- Tenzin Gyatso

"Human happiness and human satisfaction must ultimately come from within oneself. It is wrong to expect some final satisfaction to come from money or from a computer."
-- Tenzin Gyatso

"Compassion and tolerance are not a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength."
-- Tenzin Gyatso

"Buddhism does not accept a theory of God, or a creator. According to Buddhism, one's own actions are the creator, ultimately. Some people say that, from a certain angle, Buddhism is not a religion but rather a science of mind. Religion has much involvement with faith. Sometimes it seems that there is quite a distance between a way of thinking based on faith and one entirely based on experiment, remaining skeptical. Unless you find something through investigation, you do not want to accept it as fact. From one viewpoint, Buddhism is a religion, from another viewpoint Buddhism is a science of mind and not a religion. Buddhism can be a bridge between these two sides. Therefore, with this conviction I try to have closer ties with scientists, mainly in the fields of cosmology, psychology, neurobiology and physics. In these fields there are insights to share, and to a certain extent we can work together."
-- Tenzin Gyatso

"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."
-- Tenzin Gyatso

"True compassion is not just an emotional response but a firm commitment founded on reason. Therefore, a truly compassionate attitude towards others does not change even if they behave negatively."
-- Tenzin Gyatso

"I believe that at every level of society - familial, tribal, national and international - the key to a happier and more successful world is the growth of compassion. We do not need to become religious, nor do we need to believe in an ideology. All that is necessary is for each of us to develop our good human qualities."
-- Tenzin Gyatso

"It is necessary to help others, not only in our prayers, but in our daily lives. If we find we cannot help others, the least we can do is to not harm them."
-- Tenzin Gyatso

"We need a little more compassion, and if we cannot have it then no politician or even a magician can save the planet."
-- Tenzin Gyatso

"Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive."
-- Tenzin Gyatso

"Whether one believes in a religion or not, and whether one believes in rebirth or not, there isn't anyone who doesn't appreciate kindness and compassion."
-- Tenzin Gyatso

"You should respect other religions....the essence of all religions is basically the same: to achieve a true sense of brotherhood, a good heart, respect for others. If we can develop these qualities from within our heart, then I think we can actually achieve true peace."
-- Tenzin Gyatso

"Bodhichitta is the medicine which revives and gives life to every sentient being who even hears of it. When you engage in fulfilling the needs of others, your own needs are fulfilled as a by-product."
-- Tenzin Gyatso

"When others insult, rebuke and speak unpleasant words to us, although an intolerable pain arises like a thorn at the heart, if we comprehend the teachings then we can recognize the essenceless nature of these words which resemble an echo. So just as when an inanimate object is scolded, we will experience not the slightest mental turmoil."
-- Tenzin Gyatso

"Just as rust, which arose from the iron itself, wears out the iron, likewise, performing an action without examination would destroy us by projecting us into a negative state of existence."
-- Tenzin Gyatso

I feel that the essence of spiritual practice is your attitude toward others. When you have a pure, sincere motivation, then you have right attitude toward others based on kindness, compassion, love and respect. Practice brings the clear realisation of the oneness of all human beings and the importance of others benefiting by your actions.
-- Tenzin Gyatso

According to Buddhism, individuals are masters of their own destiny. And all living beings are believed to possess the nature of the Primordial Buddha Samantabhadra, the potential or seed of enlightenment, within them. So our future is in our own hands. What greater free will do we need?
-- Tenzin Gyatso

It is the enemy who can truly teach us to practice the virtues of compassion and tolerance.
-- Tenzin Gyatso