Dalai Lama Quotes

Enlightened Insights for Life...

Enjoy this beautiful collection of Dalai Lama quotes including the A to Zen of Life, Instructions for Life, and other gems of wisdom.

I have been captivated by the wisdom of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, XIV. His quotes embody his quiet spirit of love, compassion, and peace.

Just reading and contemplating his words will change you in profound ways.

Peace and Love!

A to Zen of Life

Dalai Lama

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Live one day at a time and Make it a masterpiece.

Avoid negative sources, people, places and habits

Believe in yourself

Consider things from every angle

Don’t give up and don’t give in

Everything you’re looking for lies behind the mask you wear

Family and friends are hidden treasures, seek them and enjoy their riches

Give sre than you planned to

Hang onto your dreams

If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door

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

Keep trying no matter how hard it seems

Love yourself

Make it happen

Never lie, steal or cheat

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

Practice makes perfect

Quality not quantity in anything you do

Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer

Stop procrastinating

Take control of your own destiny

Understand yourself in order to better understand others

Visualise it

When you lose, don’t lose the lesson

Xcellence in all your efforts

You are unique, nothing can replace you

Zero in on your target and go for it

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Adversity

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.
~ Dalai Lama

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Beautiful

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

"The creatures that inhabit this earth-be they human beings or animals-are here to contribute, each in its own particular way, to the beauty and prosperity of the world."
~ Dalai Lama

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Change

We all have the power of thought – so what are you lacking? If you have willpower, then you can change anything. It is usually said that you are your own master.
~ Dalai Lama

First one must change. I first watch myself, check myself, then expect changes from others.
~ Dalai Lama

Nothing is permanent.
~ Dalai Lama

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Contentment

When you practice contentment you can say to yourself, "Oh yes I already have everything that I really need".
~ Dalai Lama

Our purpose in life is to be happy. From the very core of our being, we simply desire contentment.
~ Dalai Lama

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Environment

As people alive today, we must consider future generations: a clean environment is a human right like any other. It is therefore part of our responsibility toward others to ensure that the world we pass on is as healthy, if not healthier, than we found it.
~ Dalai Lama

Ultimately, the decision to save the environment must come from the human heart. The key point is a call for a genuine sense of universal responsibility that is based on love, compassion and clear awareness.
~ Dalai Lama

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Fear

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.
~ Dalai Lama

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Friends

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

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

Don’t let a little dispute injure a friendship.
~ Dalai Lama

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Giving

You have to start giving first and expect absolutely nothing.
~ Dalai Lama

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Good Advice

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

Spend some time alone every day.
~ Dalai Lama

You must not procrastinate. Rather, you should make preparations so that even if you did die tonight, you would have no regrets. If you develop an appreciation for the uncertainty and imminence of death, your sense of the importance of using your time wisely will get stronger and stronger.
~ Dalai Lama

Anything that contradicts experience and logic should be abandoned.
~ Dalai Lama

Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before.
~ Dalai Lama

Follow the three Rs: Respect for self, Respect for others, and Responsibility for all your actions.
~ Dalai Lama

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Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.

~ Dalai Lama

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Happiness

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

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We must recognize that the suffering of one person or one nation is the suffering of humanity. That the happiness of one person or nation is the happiness of humanity.
~ Dalai Lama

If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.
~ Dalai Lama

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

Whether we are rich or poor, educated or uneducated, whatever our nationality, color, social status, or ideology may be, the purpose of our lives is to be happy.
~ Dalai Lama

What unites all beings is their desire for happiness.
~ Dalai Lama

We must all live harmoniously with our neighbors. Your happiness depends on it.
~ Dalai Lama

The ultimate source of happiness is our mental attitude.
~ Dalai Lama

The more you nurture a feeling of loving kindness, the happier and calmer you will be.
~ Dalai Lama

Happiness mainly comes from our own attitude, rather than from external factors.
~ Dalai Lama

Happiness comes through taming the mind. Without taming the mind there is no way to be happy.
~ Dalai Lama

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Helping Others

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

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.
~ Dalai Lama

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

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Hope

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

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Humanity

All People and things are interdependent. The world has become so small that no nation can solve its problems alone, in isolation from others. That is why I believe we must all cultivate a sense of responsibility based on love and compassion for each other.
~ Dalai Lama

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Insightful

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

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

A spoon cannot taste of the food it carries. Likewise, a foolish man cannot understand the wise man´s wisdom even if he associates with a sage.
~ Dalai Lama

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

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

With realization of one’s own potential & self confidence in one’s ability, one can build a better world.
~ Dalai Lama

Through money or power you cannot solve all problems. The problem in the human heart must be solved first.
~ Dalai Lama

Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.
~ Dalai Lama

Compassion and happiness are not a sign of weakness but a sign of strength.
~ Dalai Lama

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Instructions for Life

Dalai Lama...

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

2. When you lose, don't lose the lesson.

3. Follow the three R’s:
- Respect for self
- Respect for others and
- Responsibility for all your actions.

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

5. Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.

6. Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.

7. When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.

8. Spend some time alone every day.

9. Open your arms to change, but don't let go of your values.

10. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.

11. Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll be able to enjoy it a second time.

12. A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.

13. In disagreements with loved ones deal only with the current situation. Don't bring up the past.

14. Share your knowledge. It's a way to achieve immortality.

15. Be gentle with the earth.

16. Once a year, go someplace you've never been before.

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

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

19. Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.

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Kindness

Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.
~ Dalai Lama

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

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.
~ Dalai Lama

Right from the moment of our birth, we are under the care and kindness of our parents, and then later on in our life when we are oppressed by sickness and become old, we are again dependent on the kindness of others. Since at the beginning and end of our lives we are so dependent on other´s kindness, how can it be in the middle that we would neglect kindness towards others?
~ Dalai Lama

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Love/Compassion

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

Dalai Lama:...

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

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

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

True compassion is universal in scope. It is accompanied by a feeling of responsibility.
~ Dalai Lama

A truly compassionate attitude toward others does not change even if they behave negatively or hurt you.
~ Dalai Lama

If you have no compassion for yourself then you are not capable of developing compassion for others.
~ Dalai Lama

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Meditation

Sleep is the best meditation.
~ Dalai Lama

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Peace

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

Peace does not come through prayer, we human beings must create peace.
~ Dalai Lama

Love and compassion are the pillars of world peace.
~ Dalai Lama

Kindness is the key to peace and harmony in family life.
~ Dalai Lama

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Profound

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

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In the practice of tolerance, one's enemy is the best teacher.
~ Dalai Lama

Attachment constrains our vision so that we are not able to see things from a wider perspective.
~ Dalai Lama

A great rock is not disturbed by the wind; the mind of a wise man is not disturbed by either honor or abuse.
~ Dalai Lama

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Purpose of Life

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Religion

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.
~ Dalai Lama

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The purpose of all the major religious traditions is not to construct big temples on the outside, but to create temples of goodness and compassion inside, in our hearts.
~ Dalai Lama

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.
~ Dalai Lama

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

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Smiles

I love smiles. That is a fact. How to develop smiles? There are a variety of smiles. Some smiles are sarcastic. Some smiles are artificial-diplomatic smiles. These smiles do not produce satisfaction, but rather fear or suspicion. But a genuine smile gives us hope, freshness. If we want a genuine smile, then first we must produce the basis for a smile to come.
~ Dalai Lama

Smile if you want a smile from another face.
~ Dalai Lama

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Success

Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to achieve it.
~ Dalai Lama

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Violence

Through violence, you may "solve" one problem, but you sow the seeds for another.
~ Dalai Lama

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