Dalai Lama Quotes

The Dalai Lama, a spiritual leader and advocate for peace, embodies compassion, wisdom, and humility. His teachings inspire kindness, mindfulness, and the pursuit of inner happiness. Through his unwavering commitment to nonviolence and interfaith dialogue, he spreads a message of harmony, understanding, and the importance of cultivating a compassionate heart.

Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive.

I always tell people that religious institutions and political institutions should be separate. So while I’m telling people this, I myself continue with them combined. Hypocrisy!

The Chinese government wants me to say that for many centuries Tibet has been part of China. Even if I make that statement, many people would just laugh. And my statement will not change past history. History is history.

When you are discontent, you always want more, more, more. Your desire can never be satisfied. But when you practice contentment, you can say to yourself, ‘Oh yes – I already have everything that I really need.’

There is no need for temples, no need for complicated philosophies. My brain and my heart are my temples; my philosophy is kindness.

If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.

The purpose of our lives is to be happy.

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.

I find hope in the darkest of days, and focus in the brightest. I do not judge the universe.

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.

Sleep is the best meditation.

My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness.

Sometimes one creates a dynamic impression by saying something, and sometimes one creates as significant an impression by remaining silent.

We can never obtain peace in the outer world until we make peace with ourselves.

Where ignorance is our master, there is no possibility of real peace.

We can live without religion and meditation, but we cannot survive without human affection.

Many Tibetans sacrifice their lives.

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 desist from harming them.

When you practice gratefulness, there is a sense of respect toward others.

Today, more than ever before, life must be characterized by a sense of Universal responsibility, not only nation to nation and human to human, but also human to other forms of life.

The best way to resolve any problem in the human world is for all sides to sit down and talk.

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.

If you have a particular faith or religion, that is good. But you can survive without it.

Generally speaking, if a human being never shows anger, then I think something’s wrong. He’s not right in the brain.

With realization of one’s own potential and self-confidence in one’s ability, one can build a better world.

Look at situations from all angles, and you will become more open.

World belongs to humanity, not this leader, that leader or that king or prince or religious leader. World belongs to humanity.

The roots of all goodness lie in the soil of appreciation for goodness.

Out of 6 billion humans, the troublemakers are just a handful.

Home is where you feel at home and are treated well.

The ultimate authority must always rest with the individual’s own reason and critical analysis.

Whether you call it Buddhism or another religion, self-discipline, that’s important. Self-discipline with awareness of consequences.

My faith helps me overcome such negative emotions and find my equilibrium.

I think governments can’t do much.

We all have to live together, so we might as well live together happily.

The important thing is that men should have a purpose in life. It should be something useful, something good.

Appearance is something absolute, but reality is not that way – everything is interdependent, not absolute.

Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.

Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.

Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can’t help them, at least don’t hurt them.

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.

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.

Even when we have physical hardships, we can be very happy.

Disagreement is something normal.

Computers make me totally blank out.

A lack of transparency results in distrust and a deep sense of insecurity.

I think really, China, Chinese, I think they really have a long history of civilization, rich culture.

As long as I am alive, I am fully committed to amity between Tibetans and Chinese. Otherwise there’s no use.

I never dreamt, in my dream, I’m Dalai Lama.

Chinese people themselves, they really want change.

China has to go along with world trends. That’s democracy, liberty, individual freedom. China sooner or later has to go that way. It cannot go backward.

One thing I want to make clear, as far as my own rebirth is concerned, the final authority is myself and no one else, and obviously not China’s Communists.

I am just one human being.

I always believe the rule by king or official leader is outdated. Now we must catch up with the modern world.

Today different ethnic groups and different nations come together due to common sense.

It is difficult to violently suppress people in the long run, as the example of the Soviet Union and the Eastern European countries has shown.

Number of people have said to me, after hearing your thinking, their mind becomes much more happier.

Some mischievous people always there. Last several thousand years, always there. In future, also.

I totally disagree with the view that the Tibet struggle will die, and there will be no hope for Tibet, after the Dalai Lama passes away.

I have no trouble sleeping.

My desire to devolve authority has nothing to do with a wish to shirk responsibility.

There are techniques of Buddhism, such as meditation, that anyone can adopt.

Conversion is not my intention. Changing religion is not easy. You may develop some kind of confusion or difficulties.

I became the Dalai Lama not on a volunteer basis.

I describe myself as a simple Buddhist monk. No more, no less.

I consider myself as a free spokesman for the people.

I want to be just a pure spiritual leader.

I think there’s every reason this 21st century will be much happier.

In the practice of tolerance, one’s enemy is the best teacher.

If you can, help others; if you cannot do that, at least do not harm them.

In order to carry a positive action we must develop here a positive vision.

I have always had this view about the modern education system: we pay attention to brain development, but the development of warmheartedness we take for granted.

Even when a person has all of life’s comforts – good food, good shelter, a companion – he or she can still become unhappy when encountering a tragic situation.

I don’t think generally politician come from democratic country. I think not that thinking. But sometimes little bit short-sighted. They are mainly looking for their next vote.

Wherever I go meeting the public… spreading a message of human values, spreading a message of harmony, is the most important thing.

If some people have the belief or view that the Dalai Lama has some miracle power, that’s totally nonsense.

I am confident I will set foot again in Tibet in my lifetime.