The Dalai Lama is a title that is given to the most important monk of the Gelug school, who becomes the leader of Tibetan people. The current, 14th Dalai Lama is Tenzin Gyatso. The goal of any Dalai Lama is not only to unite all Tibetan states and people within them but also to spread Buddhist values, beliefs, and traditions all over the world. The Dalai Lama represents the wisdom of the whole nation and often considered as the Pope of Buddhism, though this religion doesn’t have a hierarchy in general. Today, we want to refresh the memory of the Dalai Lama’s greatest quotes on love, happiness, and life itself to celebrate his contribution to our society. But first, let us tell a little bit more about his incredible life.
Tenzin Gyatso was born in 1935 and 5 years after was already chosen to be the next Dalai Lama. At the age of 15, he started his political (formal) and religious leadership over Tibet. During conflicts with China and the Tibetan uprising in 1959, the Dalai Lama decided to seek political refuge in India. There, he established the Government of Tibet in Exile, called “Little Lhasa,” and addressed the issue to the UN. The 14th Dalai Lama was named the child of Mahatma Gandhi for his devotion to peace and harmony within humanity. Since that time, he has traveled across the world and shared his wisdom with millions of people. In 1989, the Dalai Lama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, and today, we want to share a piece of his mind with you.
8 Dalai Lama quotes on happiness, love, and life
1. The first Dalai Lama quote is simple, but extremely powerful. So many of us want to obtain happiness, but don’t know how to get it. Some people may even think happiness should be granted. On the contrary, the Dalai Lama believes that you should work to achieve this state. Simply put, happiness is a result of your actions aimed towards this goal.
Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.
2. One of the most famous Dalai Lama’s quotes about peace and tranquility emphasizes the importance of understanding all people. There’s absolutely nothing good in following your anger and using weapons to prove something. Forgiveness is the key to harmony.
It is under the greatest adversity that there exists the greatest potential for doing good, both for oneself and others.
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3. Loving someone doesn’t mean asserting control or dominance because of the fear of losing them. It is exactly the opposite – giving them freedom and offering yourself. That should be enough for true love to grow and inspire both.
Give the ones you love wings to fly, roots to come back, and reasons to stay.
4. We tend to focus on the problems that seem unsolvable to us. We often even exaggerate them because of the fear of failing something. However, the key is to learn what you are capable of doing and to start discovering your strength from small things. Anyone can make a difference.
If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito.
5. The art of conversation is deep and complex. We communicate with the help of words, body language, and other nonverbal techniques. And then, there’s silence, which can sometimes say more than any words. Unfortunately, nowadays, we seem to forget about this sophisticated art.
Sometimes one creates a dynamic impression by saying something, and sometimes one creates as significant an impression by remaining silent.
6. The Dalai Lama stresses the positive energy in humans, especially love. He believes the state of love is the most important one for anybody who wants to live a meaningful life. The state of love opens new possibilities and gives you the courage to achieve new goals.
The more you are motivated by love, the more fearless and free your action will be.
7. Another important factor that changes lives is the state of mind. Anxious, angry, depressed, overly excited mind will only damage the human body and soul in the long run. The Dalai Lama believes that you are healthy and strong only when your mind is calm and empty of destructive thoughts and emotions. The best way to achieve such state is to practice meditations.
Calm mind brings inner strength and self-confidence, so that's very important for good health.
8. The last Dalai Lama’s quote that we want to share with you is about the past. Try to let it go when it’s time. Otherwise you will not be able to see the beauty of your next day. Living here and now is the key to a meaningful life.
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.
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We all perceive the world differently, but there’s always should be some point of contact, where we have something in common. That is the key to unity and harmony. We believe that people like the Dalai Lama are making an invaluable contribution to our society, and it is because of such people we are living in the most peaceful time of the human history. We hope today’s quotes helped you realize something new and feel that point of contact with the whole world.