In a worldwide landscape that is literally drowning with self-help tips, the teachings of His Holiness The 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet rise above on the sound wisdom of the centuries—proven, time-tested, long-debated practices that actually do lead to that elusive joy, happiness and purpose so many of us long for. Sure, HH The Dalai Lama is one of the most revered spiritual leaders alive today. However, his teachings are relevant to believers and non-believers alike. Basically, if you are a person who wants to create more happiness, joy and health in your life, and overcome any obstacles that stand in the way of that, then the secular strategies offered by HH The Dalai Lama, and the unique and logical way that he explains how happiness works, will be of great benefit to you.
Many of the quotes below are taken from teachings the Dalai Lama gave Jan. 5-7, 2018 and Jan. 14-16, 2018 in Bodhgaya, India, which I attended in person. The Peace Zone quote (my personal favorite) is from an earlier teaching that I received from His Holiness The Dalai Lama (along with 18,000 other women and men!) at the 2006 California Governor’s Conference for Women, hosted by California First Lady Maria Shriver. A few of the other quotes are from books authored by HH The Dalai Lama.
Inspiring Quotes from HH The Dalai Lama.
“Create a Peace Zone where children can sit and think about how they can make the world a more peaceful place.” His Holiness The 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet
“It is helpful to see things holistically. When you see the interdependent nature of all things, you see that being selfish is foolish.” His Holiness The 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet
“When you care about others, people will trust you. You will be happy. By respecting and cherishing others, you get benefits. Altruism is of benefit to yourself.” His Holiness The 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet
“Nations take interest in their own nation first, and then global interest. They should take global interest first, and then national interest. Serving humanity means that each nation gets the maximum benefit. We have to look at this holistically.” His Holiness The 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet
“Constant anger and fear are eating our immune systems. A more compassionate mindset is very good for sustaining our health. A healthy mind creates a healthy body.” His Holiness The 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet
“Biologically, females are more sensitive to others’ pain than men. If the leadership of our planet had more females taking responsibility, maybe there would be less violence.” His Holiness The 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet
“Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.” His Holiness The 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet
“If all religions can be harmonious, everyone benefits… My religion is kindness.” His Holiness The 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet
“What is the benefit of practicing nonviolence versus the benefit of practicing violence? All of the problems of the world are rooted in self-cherishing attitudes. All happiness comes from wishing happiness to all people of the world. All unhappiness comes from wishing happiness only for one’s self, for self-cherishing.” His Holiness The 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet
“Modern education pays little attention to inner values and yet our basic human nature is compassionate. We need to incorporate compassion and warmheartedness into the modern education system to make it more holistic.” His Holiness The 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet
“I really feel that some people neglect and overlook compassion because they associate it with religion. Of course, everyone is free to choose whether they pay religion any regard, but to neglect compassion is a mistake because it is the source of our own well-being.” His Holiness The 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet
“Real care of the sick does not begin with costly procedures, but with the simple gift of affection and love. In the practice of healing, a kind heart is as valuable as medical training because it is the source of happiness for both oneself and others. People respond to kindness, even when medicine is ineffective, and in turn cultivating a kind heart is a cause of our own good health.” His Holiness The 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet
“Mental afflictions, including hatred, anger and jealousy, create unhappiness and disrupt peace of mind. The more you are attached to external things, the more likely you are to experience anger.” His Holiness The 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet
There is a literal treasure trove of secular wisdom offered in books authored by His Holiness The Dalai Lama. Over his 82 years on this planet, he has been a prolific author, collaborating with many other spiritual leaders, scientists and writers.
Start with the book or video that resonates most with you (and is available). You might also check out the videos on the HH The Dalai Lama’s website at http://www.DalaiLama.com/.
The most recent book conceived by HH The Dalai Lama is Science and Philosophy in the Indian Buddhist Classics, Vol. 1: The Physical World. It is the wish of HH The Dalai Lama that this text, all four volumes, will be taught in universities around the world. On the occasion of his 82nd birthday, on July 6, 2017, the Central Tibetan Administration published a free ebook entitled, The Dalai Lama on the Environment: Collected Statements 1987-2017. You can download your free PDF copy at http://tibet-edd.blogspot.in/2017/07/dalai-lama-on-environment_14.html.
