His Holiness theDalai Lamais the spiritual loss leader of TibetanBuddhismand former political swayer of the Tibetan people . He ’s believe to be the 14threincarnationof the Bodhisattva of Compassion , an enlightened being that has chosen to be born-again so he can serve man . pluck from a small farming hamlet at just 2 years old , the Dalai Lama has spent his sprightliness diffuse his message of compassion and seek freedom for his homeland of Tibet .
The Dalai Lama is a political refugee , thrust to flee Tibet in 1959 when the Chinese governing violently subdue a Tibetan revolt . Since then , he has hold up in exile in Dharamsala , India , and acted as the headland of the Tibetan government activity in expat until 2011 , when he give over all political duties to a democratically elected Tibetan cabinet and fantan .
For Buddhists and non - Buddhists likewise , the Dalai Lama is an inspirational figure whose message of peace of mind , benignity and pity is a guidepost to everyday aliveness . He has written or coauthored more than 110 books , each filled with practical wisdom about finding pleasure , peace treaty and signification in an often dark and confusing earth .
To help us opt five essential quote from the Dalai Lama ’s ocean of writings and speeches , we reached out toTravis Hellstrom , editor in chief of " The Dalai Lama Book of Quotes : A Collection of Speeches , Quotations , Essays & Advice from His Holiness " and " dubiousness for the Dalai Lama : answer on Love , Success , Happiness , & the Meaning of Life . "
1. “I always consider myself first and foremost to be a monk. A Buddhist monk. Dalai Lama comes after that.”
The Dalai Lama win theNobel Peace Prizein 1989 for his nonviolent struggle to win independence for Tibet . He has encounter with presidents , Alexander Pope and high-up on every continent . Yetwhen ask to draw himself , he choose arguably the humblest label , a monk .
Why ? Hellstrom thinks it ’s because so much of what the Dalai Lama represent and how he lives his lifespan is rooted in his daily practice of meditation , study and prayer — a apparitional routine shared by all Buddhistic Thelonious Monk .
The Dalai Lama travels extensively , but when he ’s home plate in Dharamsala , he sustain monk hour . He wakes up at 3 a.m. , showers , and sits in supplication and meditation until 5 a.m. , when he has a light breakfast and listens to the BBC World News . From 6 to 9 a.m. , it ’s more entreaty and speculation . When his workday is over , the Dalai Lama has afternoon tea at 5 p.m. , followed by even prayer and meditation and then bedtime at 7 p.m.
The Dalai Lama says that he relies on this monastic spectral practice session to keep his mind focused and to direct his actions .
" I myself am a Buddhistic monk , " hesaidat the Global Buddhist Congregation in 2011 . " Every morning , as soon as I wake up , I remember Buddha and recite some of Buddha ’s teachings , sort of mold my mind . Then the residuum of my Clarence Shepard Day Jr. I should pass according to those principles : being good , truthful , compassionate , peaceable , nonviolent . "
There ’s power in sympathy that the warmth and pity exude by the Dalai Lama does n’t descend naturally , but is a product of decades of daily aware practice .
" Every Clarence Day , he prepare himself mentally to be the sort of presence that everyone ’s expecting — 100 - percent nowadays , focussed and ready to be as compassionate and kind as he can be , no matter what go on , " Hellstrom enounce .
Bonus quote : " I speak to you as just another human being ; as a bare monk . If you find oneself what I say utilitarian , then I go for you will examine to practice it . "
2. “I believe that the purpose of life is to be happy.”
Buddhism has an interesting take on happiness . fit in to theFour Noble Truthstaught byBuddha , our existence is grind to a halt in woe — aroused agony , psychological suffering , physical woe . The only way to unfreeze yourself from this suffering and obtain felicity is by rid yourself of the source of all suffering , which is desire and adhesion .
soft , right ? just . Perhaps it ’s because the Dalai Lama have intercourse how unmanageable it is for humans to snuff out things like greed , ignorance and hatred that he dictate a more manageable path to felicity .
" From my own circumscribed experience I have found that the large degree of interior quiet comes from the evolution of sexual love and pity , " the Dalai Lamawrote . " The more we manage for the happiness of others , the greater our own sentience of well - being becomes . Cultivating a close , warm - hearted notion for others automatically set the nous at ease . This helps take away whatever fears or insecurity we may have and give us the strong point to make do with any obstacle we meet . It is the ultimate source of winner in life story . "
While the Dalai Lama pick out that " genuine happiness comes from within " and is a product of a calm and compassionate nous , he also recognizes the infective power of a smiling , a hug or even a jape to set off that felicity in others .
" Even though he ’s experience more than his fair share of woe , the Dalai Lama models a character of lightheartedness and kindness that ’s very powerful for multitude and very moving , " Hellstrom aver . " mass feel different in his front . It ’s the reason he draws stadiums full of the great unwashed who want to see him . To me that speaks to his liveliness - naturalize bearing and his caution for other people . "
Bonus quotation : " Life ’s aim of happiness can be gained only if people civilise the canonical human values of compassion , caring and forgiveness . "
3. “My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness.”
The Dalai Lama is the spiritual drawing card of Tibetan Buddhism and a conditioned scholarly person of Buddhist philosophy and recitation . Yet when he writes books and delivers oral communication , you seldom hear him say , " Buddhism learn this … " or " In Buddhism , we think that … " It ’s clear that he wants his substance to resonate with people regardless of their spiritual ( or areligious ) backdrop .
" It ’s so wizard the fashion he looks at thing , " says Hellstrom . " He chooses a word like benignity because everybody can come to to it and anyone can put it into practice . We can always , in any moment , opt pity and opt kindness . It draw us out of our own ego , centers us in the moment and puts us in service to others . "
Bonus inverted comma : " Some multitude , when we talk about compassion and love , think it is a spiritual matter . Compassion is the oecumenical religion . "
4. “Be a nice person. Be a good person.”
Once again , these words from the Dalai Lama are so unsubdivided and square that they environ on being childish . But maybe that ’s what he ’s going for . As Albert Einstein ( probably ) said : " If you ca n’t explicate it to a 6 - twelvemonth - onetime , you do n’t understand it yourself . " Only after a lifetime ruminate the nature of a " sound " life could the Dalai Lama explain his guiding philosophy so simply .
In Buddhism , being a truly dependable person is a little more complicated than " being courteous . " The Buddha taught his disciples to follow what ’s called theNoble Eightfold Path , which includes admonitions to practice " right speech communication , " " right action at law " and " ripe livelihood . " In Buddhism , being " proficient " means behaving ethically and honestly in business dealing and personal relationships , but also civilize a compassion for all living affair .
The Dalai Lama takes this last responsibility seriously . Being a " nice " and " effective " person at long last comes down to treating others as you would wish to be treat , and seeking their happiness as much as — or even more than — your own .
" Now , when you recognize that all beings are equal in both their desire for felicity and their right to obtain it , you automatically feel empathy and closeness for them,“wrotethe Dalai Lama . " Through accustom your thinker to this sense of ecumenical altruism , you develop a feeling of obligation for others : the wish to help them actively overcome their problem … As long as they are human beings experiencing delight and infliction just as you do , there is no ordered basis to separate between them or to vary your concern for them if they behave negatively . "
Bonus quotation : " No matter what the luck , no matter what variety of disaster I am face up , I practice compassion . This give me inner forte and happiness . This gives me the impression that my spirit is useful . "
5. “Meditation is the key to spiritual growth.”
Have you ever tried to meditate ? It front so easy . All you have to do is sit there and breathe and quiet your psyche . What ’s so hard about that ? Everything , it turn out . The mind is like a monkey after three cups of coffee , leap from opinion to thought and easily distracted . calm down the " rascal mind " is a accomplishment that take years of practice .
But what ’s the period of meditation ? Why does the Dalai Lama , after all these years , still start and terminate his days with hours of meditation ? Hellstrom says that the canonic thought of speculation is to fork documentary physical realism from the subjective interpretation being generated by our thoughts , desires and fears .
" speculation helps you be aware of what ’s actually happening — I ’m sitting , I ’m breathe , the wind is blow , the sun is shining . These are things that are really hap , " suppose Hellstrom . " Everything else is being created inside my mind . "
Hellstrom enounce that focus on the breath is such an effectual technique because breathing is one of the body ’s only function that ’s both unvoluntary and voluntary . By taking ascendance of the breath , inhaling and exhaling slow and deeply , it offers a way to escape the whirling judgment for a minute and centre on the instant .
" Let the monkey mind quiet down for just two breaths , " pronounce Hellstrom . " It ’ll be really hard at first , but over clock time you might get to five breathing space or 10 . When the scamp stops jumping from branch to branch , then you ’re feature a conversation with your own mind and endeavor to help it be less afraid , judgmental and so on . "
The promise is that by learning how to steady the mind and not focalize obsessively on your own anxiousness and selfish desire , that you will increase in patience , compassion for others and love . For an sophisticated line , see to it out the Dalai Lama ’s thoughts on " condition the Mind " at his website .
Bonus quote : " Training the creative thinker to imagine other than , through speculation , is one important way to avoid suffering and be felicitous . "
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