100 Dalai Lama Quotes On Compassion, Humanity, Peace

By Maxime Lagacé

Maxime is the founder of WisdomQuotes. He has been collecting quotes since 2004. His goal? To help you develop a calm and peaceful mind. Learn more about him on his about page.

dalai lama quotes silence sometimes best answer wisdom nature mountains sea water beach landscape

Silence is sometimes the best answer. Dalai Lama

dalai lama quotes behavior others destroy your inner peace wisdom smile

Do not let the behavior of others destroy your inner peace. Dalai Lama

dalai lama quotes conquer oneself greater victory than thousands battle wisdom

To conquer oneself is a greater victory than to conquer thousands in a battle. Dalai Lama

dalai lama quotes religion very simple kindness wisdom

My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness. Dalai Lama

dalai lama quotes defeat enemies when make them friends wisdom

I defeat my enemies when I make them my friends. Dalai Lama

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dalai lama quotes goal better than other man your previous self wisdom

The goal is not to be better than the other man, but your previous self. Dalai Lama

dalai lama quotes true change within leave outside wisdom silhouette man clouds

True change is within; leave the outside as it is. Dalai Lama

dalai lama quotes matter how educated wealthy dont have peace mind you wont happy wisdom

No matter how educated or wealthy you are, if you don’t have peace of mind, you won’t be happy. Dalai Lama

dalai lama quotes real change the world will only come from heart wisdom

Real change in the world will only come from a change of heart. Dalai Lama

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Anger and hatred are signs of weakness, while compassion is a sure sign of strength. Dalai Lama

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dalai lama quotes individuals influence families communities nations wisdom people walking road sun

As individuals we can influence our own families. Our families can influence our communities and our communities can influence our nations. Dalai Lama

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Love is the absence of judgment. Dalai Lama

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

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The planet does not need more successful people. The planet desperately needs more peacemakers, healers, restorers, storytellers, and lovers of all kinds. Dalai Lama

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The more you are motivated by love, the more fearless and free your action will be. Dalai Lama

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The Best Dalai Lama Quotes

Real name: Tenzin Gyatso
He is the 14th Dalai Lama
You can find him on Twitter, Wikipedia, and his website

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dalai lama quotes tenzin gyatso small thought morning change whole day wisdom man sitting nature

Just one small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day.

To be aware of a single shortcoming in oneself is more useful than to be aware of a thousand in someone else.

Even more important than the warmth and affection we receive, is the warmth and affection we give.

I try to treat whoever I meet as an old friend. This gives me a genuine feeling of happiness. It is the practice of compassion

Our visit to this planet is short, so we should use our time meaningfully, which we can do by helping others wherever possible.

Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.

Love and compassion are the true religions to me. But to develop this, we do not need to believe in any religion.

dalai lama quotes tenzin gyatso disciplined mind leads happiness undisciplined leads suffering wisdom man nature sitting

A disciplined mind leads to happiness, and an undisciplined mind leads to suffering.

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.

As you breathe in, cherish yourself. As you breathe out, cherish all beings.

The ultimate source of happiness is not money and power, but warmheartedness.

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Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.

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.

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 is our own sense of well-being. Cultivating a close, warmhearted feeling for others automatically puts the mind at ease. It is the ultimate source of success in life.

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.

For our life to be of value, I think we must develop basic good human qualities — warmth, kindness, compassion. Then our life becomes meaningful and more peaceful — happier.

dalai lama quotes tenzin gyatso ancient experience confirms every point everything linked together inseparable dalai lama wisdom people nature

Our ancient experience confirms at every point that everything is linked together, everything is inseparable.

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.

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.

If we are to create a more peaceful world, made up of peaceful individuals, we need a greater concern for others — altruism. That gives inner strength, self-confidence.

The remedy is to look deeper and recognize that we human beings are physically, mentally and emotionally the same.

To be kind, honest and have positive thoughts; to forgive those who harm us and treat everyone as a friend; to help those who are suffering and never to consider ourselves superior to anyone else: even if this advice seems rather simplistic, make the effort of seeing whether by following it you can find greater happiness.

It is not enough to be compassionate, we must act.

Related: 65 Prayer Quotes To Inspire More Hope In Your Life

Part 2. Dalai Lama Quotes That Are…

The Most Famous Dalai Lama Quotes

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dalai lama quotes tenzin gyatso kind whenever possible always wisdom people walking beach

Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.

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

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

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

Don’t ever mistake my silence for ignorance, my calmness for acceptance or my kindness for weakness. Compassion and tolerance are not a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength.

The true hero is one who conquers his own anger and hatred.

dalai lama quotes tenzin gyatso think small make difference sleeping mosquito wisdom bed

If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito.

An eye for an eye… we are all blind.

If a problem can be solved it will be. If it can not be solved there is no use worrying about it.

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

Related: Dalai Lama’s YouTube Channel

Great (But Fake) Dalai Lama Quotes

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On what surprised him most about humanity: Man. Because he sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the result being that he does not live in the present or the future; he lives as if he is never going to die, and then dies having never really lived.

We have bigger houses but smaller families; more conveniences, but less time; We have more degrees, but less sense; more knowledge, but less judgment; more experts, but more problems; more medicines, but less healthiness; We’ve been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbor. We’ve built more computers to hold more information to produce more copies than ever, but have less communications; We have become long on quantity, but short on quality. These times are times of fast foods; but slow digestion; Tall man but short character; Steep profits but shallow relationships. It is time when there is much in the window, but nothing in the room.

Short Dalai Lama Quotes

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One-liners, short Dalai Lama quotes, sayings, thoughts, and captions for your bio, social status, self-talk, motto, mantra, signs, posters, wallpapers, and backgrounds.
dalai lama quotes tenzin gyatso have start giving first expect absoluterly nothing wisdom man nature standing lake water

You have to start giving first and expect absolutely nothing.

I believe the ultimate source of blessings is within us.

Spend some time alone every day.

Compassion is the radicalism of our time.

Choose to be optimistic, it feels better.

Sleep is the best meditation.

An open heart is an open mind.

I am just one human being.

dalai lama quotes tenzin gyatso smile want from another face wisdom woman

Smile if you want a smile from another face.

I want to be just a pure spiritual leader.

Optimism leads to success; pessimism leads to defeat.

Work for peace in your heart and in the world.

Action is more important than meditation.

If your heart has peace, nothing can disturb you.

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

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Inspirational Dalai Lama Quotes

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dalai lama quotes tenzin gyatso never give up matter what going wisdom lake water nature

Never give up. No matter what is going on. Never give up.

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

Proper utilization of time is so important. While we have this body, and especially this amazing human brain, I think every minute is something precious.

There are two kinds of compassion. The first comes from a natural concern for friends and family who are close to us. This has limited range but can be the seed for something bigger. We can also learn to extend a genuine concern for others’ well-being, whoever they are. That is real compassion, and only human beings are capable of developing it.

Given the scale of life in the cosmos, one human life is no more than a tiny blip. Each one of us is a just visitor to this planet, a guest, who will only stay for a limited time. What greater folly could there be than to spend this short time alone, unhappy or in conflict with our companions? Far better, surely, to use our short time here in living a meaningful life, enriched by our sense of connection with others and being of service to them.

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

dalai lama quotes tenzin gyatso open your arms change your values wisdom man sitting nature

Open your arms to change but don’t let go of your values.

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.

It is under the greatest adversity that there exists the greatest potential for doing good, both for oneself and others.

Hard times build determination and inner strength. Through them we can also come to appreciate the uselessness of anger. Instead of getting angry nurture a deep caring and respect for troublemakers because by creating such trying circumstances they provide us with invaluable opportunities to practice tolerance and patience.

In order to become prosperous, a person must initially work very hard, so he or she has to sacrifice a lot of leisure time.

The quality of what we do depends on our motivation, which is why we have to learn how to cultivate a compassionate mind.

dalai lama quotes tenzin gyatso compassionate your friends everyone wisdom

Be compassionate, not just to your friends but to everyone.

Optimism doesn’t mean that you are blind to the reality of the situation. It means that you remain motivated to seek a solution to whatever problems arise.

As long as we observe love for others and respect for their rights and dignity in our daily lives, then whether we are learned or unlearned, whether we believe in the Buddha or God, follow some religion or none at all, as long as we have compassion for others and conduct ourselves with restraint out of a sense of responsibility, there is no doubt we will be happy.

We all have the power of thought – so what are you lacking? If you have willpower, then you can change anything.

Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.

Deep And Emotional Dalai Lama Quotes

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dalai lama quotes tenzin gyatso remember sometimes getting wonderful stroke luck wisdom woman sitting nature

Remember that sometimes not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck.

Instead of looking to blame others and the world around us, we should first look within ourselves.

In this century we have made remarkable material progress, but basically we are the same as we were thousands of years ago. Our spiritual needs are still very great.

The challenge today is to convince people of the value of truth, honesty, compassion and a concern for others.

Responsibility does not only lie with the leaders of our countries or with those who have been appointed or elected to do a particular job. It lies with each of us individually. The Nobel Lecture, December 11, 1989

I will not propose to you that my way is best. The decision is up to you. If you find some point which may be suitable to you, then you can carry out experiments for yourself. If you find that it is of no use, then you can discard it.

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.

Only the development of compassion and understanding for others can bring us the tranquility and happiness we all seek.

dalai lama quotes tenzin gyatso in our struggle for freedom truth only weapon possess wisdom man sunset nature

In our struggle for freedom, truth is the only weapon we possess.

There is a saying in Tibetan, ‘Tragedy should be utilized as a source of strength’. No matter what sort of difficulties, how painful experience is, if we lose our hope, that’s our real disaster.

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.

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.

Because motivation pervades all action, it is important that we have a positive motivation. Whatever we are involved in, whether it’s politics, education, medicine, law, engineering, science, business or industry, the nature of our motivation determines the character of our work.

We are the controller of the technology. If we become a slave of technology, then that’s not good.

Ethics are not a collection of commandments and prohibitions to abide by, but a natural inner offering that can bring happiness and satisfaction to ourselves and others.

dalai lama quotes tenzin gyatso rare almost impossible event can negative points view dalai lama wisdom man hiking

It is very rare or almost impossible that an event can be negative from all points of view.

I don’t dwell on being the Dalai Lama, I think of myself as just another human being. And when I meet someone else I greet them as a brother or sister, which brings me joy. Self-centredness, being obsessed with ourselves, just brings us trouble.

When you don’t have much concern for others and you feel you’re the center of the universe, you’ll be dogged by feelings of suspicion left and right.

We are deluded by attachment and anger, but we can learn to tackle these emotions.

Develop the heart. Too much energy in your country is spent developing the mind instead of the heart.

Thinking of ourselves as somehow special isolates us.

Someone else’s action should not determine your response.

Related12 Timeless Life Lessons Learned from the Dalai Lama (lifehack.org)

Conclusion

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We are visitors on this planet. We are here for 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 meaning of life.

Further Readings

What’s your favorite Dalai Lama quote? And remember: words can transform your life, if you find the right ones.

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Author Bio

maxime lagace

Maxime Lagacé started collecting quotes in 2004 after he lost his girlfriend in a car accident.

In search of meaning, he dived in the self-improvement world, psychology and trail running.

Books, blogs, quotes and nature became his guide.

He started journaling, reflecting, writing his thoughts, feelings and quotes.

His goal was to understand his pain, his depression, his fears, his lack of motivation and inspiration.

He finished his software engineering degree in 2007 at the École de Technologie Supérieure de Montréal.

A few years later, he started his first website to share his love of quotes.

Maxime is a father of two, husband, and INFJ.

Other notable interests of Maxime are health (mental and physical), meditation, bananas, SEO, human potential, and education.

You can find him on X, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, YouTube.

Last update

March 7, 2022

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