The Dalai Lama is the highest religious authority of Tibetan Buddhism or Lamaism, considered a reincarnation of Buddha. The current fourteenth holder of this title, whose birth name is Tenzin Gyatso, has always been committed to the search for peace and mutual respect as a means of seeking solutions to conflicts. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989.

Throughout his life, he has made numerous reflections that can allow us to reflect on different aspects of life and the surrounding reality. Therefore, throughout this article I have collected 100 phrases of the Dalai Lama to understand life from its conception .

The Dalai Lama’s Best Famous Quotes

Below you will find several reflections and phrases of the Dalai Lama that can help us to understand his thought and philosophy.

1. Every day when you wake up, think “today I feel lucky to be alive, I have a beautiful human life, I’m not going to waste it”

This phrase reflects the will to live our life at the same time, to take advantage of the time we have. Life can be wonderful and we should feel lucky to enjoy it.

2. Happiness is not something that comes prefabricated. It comes from your own actions

There is no happiness to be sought and attained as if it were an external object, but something that is produced by one’s actions.

3. An eye for an eye… and we will all be blind

Revenge leads nowhere. It only causes those who take revenge to be the object of the revenge of the one who receives that revenge.

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

Helping others and making the world a better place is paramount, and if we are not able to do so we should at least try not to harm them.

5. No matter what kind of difficulties we go through, how painful the experience is, if we lose our hope that is our real disaster

This phrase urges us not to despair, to look for a reason to continue whatever happens-

6. Anger, pride, and competition are our real enemies

These three elements prevent us from striving to understand each other and help the relationships we establish to be destructive rather than positive.

7. There is a Tibetan saying that tragedy should be used as a source of strength

Great tragedies and many moments of pain and suffering can happen in life. However, we must try to make our suffering allow us to become stronger, to visualize what is primordial and to learn from what happened so that it does not happen again.

8. A good friend who points out mistakes and imperfections and rebukes evil should be respected as if the secret of a hidden treasure were revealed

While it may not be pleasant to have our failures highlighted, a true friend is one who is able to risk harm to help us correct them.

9. You can never get peace in the outside world until you are at peace with yourself

We must love and respect ourselves if we are to convey these feelings to the outside world. If we are not at peace with ourselves we cannot aspire to achieve peace in the world.

10. Both believers and non-believers are human beings. We should have great respect for each other

Faith and different beliefs or the absence of them have often confronted people, but we are all human beings just as much as we should respect and love each other.

11. Give your loved ones wings to fly, roots to return, and reasons to stay

A true bond is established freely, it is not restrictive or forced and allows for the other to be counted on.

12. Let go of people who only come to share complaints, problems, disastrous stories, fear and judgment of others. If someone is looking for a trash can, make sure it is not in your mind

It is not bad to share the negative things in life, but someone who only wants to complain and be considered a victim will only succeed in filling us with negativity.

13. Tolerance and patience are much deeper and more effective than mere indifference

Through indifference we do not produce any change in reality , but we limit ourselves to ignore a fact and not participate in any way. Demonstrating tolerance towards others, however, implies an acknowledgement of the situation or the person and can lead to a clear improvement in these.

14. Through inner peace, world peace can be achieved. Here the individual responsibility is quite clear as the atmosphere of peace must be created within oneself, then it can be created in the family and then in the community.

To achieve peace, we have to be right with ourselves. From this we can create and project outward a true understanding.

15. People take different paths in search of happiness. The fact that they are not on their way does not mean that they have lost it

We all have different perspectives and can be happy from very different things. We do not have a single means by which to be happy, but this can vary according to the individual, the moment and the situation.

16. Friendship could only take place through the development of mutual respect and within a spirit of sincerity

True friendship implies respect and truthfulness in the relationship between both people.

17. Someone’s action should not determine your response

Everyone should be responsible for their own actions and thoughts. Our actions should depend on our convictions, not on what others do or don’t do.

18. Peace does not mean an absence of conflict; differences will always be there. Peace means the resolution of these differences by peaceful means; through dialogue, education, knowledge; and through humanitarian forms

Conflicts imply the existence of differences between people and are something normal that does not have to be negative. What can be negative is the way to solve them, which is what we must work on in order to avoid violence.

19. The roots of all good lie in the appreciation of the good itself

To desire the good, to consider it necessary, and to seek it is fundamental in order to reach it.

20. Although there are different religions, due to different cultures, the important thing is that all of them coincide in their main objective: to be a good person and help others

Whatever religion or belief one has, the main thing must be to seek to do good for oneself and others.

21. Judge your success by what you had to give up to achieve it

Success is only achieved with effort. The more effort we have to put in, the more satisfying it will be for us to achieve our goal.

22. Share your knowledge. It is a way to achieve immortality

At some point we’re going to die. But our knowledge, what we have lived and learned throughout our lives, can last if we pass it on to others.

23. Generally speaking, if a human being never shows anger, then something bad is happening in his brain

We all get angry, and sometimes we try to hide it so as not to harm others or because expressing it in a certain context is considered inappropriate. But if we never express anger, when we accumulate it we will end up having various problems such as frustration and/or anxiety.

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

Having good feelings and desires for others is not enough, if we do not put them into practice they will not have any effect.

25. I find hope in the darkest of days and focus on the brightest. I do not judge the universe

In our lives we’re going to have good times and bad times. We must enjoy the former and not lose heart in the latter.

26. There are only two days in the year when nothing can be done. One is called Yesterday and the other is called Tomorrow. Today is the right day to love, to grow, and above all to live

This phrase urges us to live in the present, which is the only moment we are living and over which we have control.

27. Old friends disappear, new friends appear. It’s just like the days. One day goes by, a new day comes. The important thing is that it be meaningful: a meaningful day or a meaningful friend

Everything has an end sooner or later. But just because something ends doesn’t mean it shouldn’t start. What is important is the value we place on each thing, and that we make the best of it.

28. Assume that great love and achievement also involve great risk

The people we love and the things we most desire are not given to us, but we have to fight for them and take risks to reach them or keep them. We also run the risk that whoever or what we want may also be harmed.

29. The basic human problem is lack of compassion. As long as this problem remains, all other problems will remain. If it is solved, we can expect sweeter days

The fact that we cannot put ourselves in the place of others, want their good and feel their discomfort is what causes problems like violence.

30. When you realize you have made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it

Many people do nothing when they realize they have made a mistake, which in reality often ends up maintaining or worsening the problem. We must be responsible for our own actions and correct them when necessary.

31. If we want to die well, we must learn to live well

This sentence encourages us to strive to live in a correct and positive way, which will bring about the well-being of others and of ourselves and will lead us to a life of dignity, meaning and goodness .

32. The highest authority should always fall on the person’s own reason and critical analysis

Our conduct should be guided by what reason dictates, regardless of what others may dictate.

33. Only by developing compassion and understanding for others can we bring the peace and happiness we are seeking

The Dalai Lama establishes in these elements the basis of the feelings of community, love and affection that can lead us to a happy life.

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

Love is the force that brings us together . However, love does not imply dependence. If we want to have a good relationship we must base it on the first thing and not on need.

35. To become prosperous, a person must initially work very hard, so he or she has to sacrifice a lot of free time

This phrase reflects the value of effort and constancy in achieving our goals.

36. I am only a human being

However we are and however we are regarded, we are still human with our defects and limitations, as well as our virtues.

37. We are visitors on this planet. We’re here for a hundred years at most. During that period we must try to do something good, something useful with our lives.

This phrase pushes us to look for meaning in our lives and to fight for something with the time we have.

38. To develop compassion, it is first important to understand that between you and others, others are more important, because they are much more numerous

Taking into account the importance of each person for themselves, as well as the fact that there are many more people than ourselves, is important in order to have compassion.

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

We must be flexible and accept the possibility that our perspective may vary, but not to the extent of losing the values that govern us.

40. We make mistakes when our emotions get in the way and lead to bad actions

Our emotions are good, as well as expressing them . However, if we allow ourselves to be dominated by them we can act irrationally and without taking into account the rest of the world, which can lead us to behave in an aversive and negative way.

41. I am trying from my place to emphasize the true brotherhood of men

The Dalai Lama sets out his aim to try and make us see that we are all equal and deserve respect and love, by uniting us in harmony.

42. It is very important to generate a good attitude, a good heart, as much as possible. From this, short and long term happiness will come to you and others

Trying to maintain a mentality and a way of relating to others and to the world based on well-being, positivity and affection often leads to happiness.

43. The most difficult times are those that build determination and inner strength

It is in bad times that we learn to overcome and be strong .

44. Happiness does not always come from a purpose. Sometimes it comes when we expect it

There are many reasons why we can feel happy, and it does not always have to come from something we have done or from complicating or pursuing a goal. Sometimes we can be happy simply, suddenly and unexpectedly, because of things that happen or we perceive.

45. Be good whenever possible. It is always possible

The Dalai Lama pushes us to try to be good people, no matter what.

46. If someone has a gun and tries to kill you, it would be reasonable to shoot with your own gun

Although we must avoid violence and attempt peaceful solutions , it is legitimate to defend oneself from aggression.

47. When you practice tolerance, remember that your enemy is your best teacher

It is with enemies or those who are averse to us that it can be most difficult to be tolerant. Therefore, it is those who will allow us to practice and test this quality further.

48. We can live without religion and meditation, but we cannot survive without human affection

Contact and affection are elements that are not essential and without which we cannot fully develop.

49. Silence is sometimes the best response

In the face of certain questions, any answer may lead to negative results. Therefore, sometimes silence is the best answer.

50. When you practice appreciation, there is a sense of respect for others

Being grateful to someone means appreciating that he or she has done something for you and that in that act you have gained some degree of respect and recognition.

51. Physical comfort cannot subdue mental suffering, and if we look closely we can see that those who have many possessions are not necessarily happy. In fact, being rich often entails more anxiety

Anxiety, fear and suffering cannot be solved by material elements. Well-being does not emanate from wealth, but is in fact often impaired by it.

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

Sometimes our wishes are not fulfilled for some reason, and we end up discovering that either what we wanted was not what we would have liked or that not achieving it has led us to something even better.

53. Anger is one of the most serious problems the world faces today

Anger and rage are elements that create or are involved in most conflicts, in the triggering of violence and in the lack of acceptance of the other.

  • You may be interested in: “Managing Anger: 7 Practical Tips”

54. Love and compassion are my true religions. But to develop them, one does not need to believe in any religion

We can all love and be compassionate . We can all be good people, whether we believe in what we believe in or even if we believe in nothing. Having or not having a religion does not change that.

55. A lucid mind and a good heart accompanied by warm feelings are the most important things. If the mind is not directed to positive and elevated thoughts, we can never find happiness

The union of reason and emotion, both directed towards well-being, understanding and affection, allow us to achieve happiness.

56. To create an inner peace, the most important thing is the practice of compassion and love, understanding and respect for all forms of life

It is respect and affection for others that allows us to be at peace with ourselves.

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

Even the smallest thing can make a difference. We are all important and we have a great effect on the world. We’re all important.

58. To take positive action, we must develop a positive vision

To do good things we must want to do them and be able to see things in a positive light.

59. If we assume an attitude of humility, our qualities will grow

Humility is a virtue that leads us not to believe ourselves more than others, so that we can work on different aspects that otherwise we would consider unnecessary or already sufficiently developed.

60. Religions are attempts to bring benefits to people and should never be used as grounds for antagonism and violence

This sentence of the Dalai Lama indicates that faith should never be used as a reason for conflict, since this contravenes its original objective: to offer peace and hope.

61. The true purpose of life is to seek happiness

Both for others and for ourselves, the search for happiness is one of the main drivers of our behavior and our life goals. We were born to seek happiness and make those around us happy.

62. If a person wants to test any religion, he should practice his advice. In this way he can discover its true value

Taking into account the implications of the basis of each belief is necessary if it is to be understood and to be able to make a judgment about it.

63. Love is the absence of judgment

Love implies not judging the other person, but accepting him/her unconditionally with his/her virtues and defects and that he/she awakens positive feelings and the desire to have him/her close in spite of it.

64. I believe in human determination. Throughout history it has been proven that human will is more powerful than weapons

Our will and determination has driven us to achieve great deeds and overcome all kinds of obstacles. This is a force that can change our world and can be used to improve it.

65. What we are we owe to affection. The days of our existence occur thanks to affection

Affection is an indispensable element that allows us to live in society. Interactions with our fellow men and with the environment have a great influence on how we have developed. For example, the bonding of our parents led to our conception, as well as the care they lavished on us allowed us to survive and grow.

66. Wrong people use religion wrongly. As a result, religion contributes to greater struggles and greater divisions

Religions are based on achieving greater cooperation, unity, peace and mutual respect. However, many people use them as a weapon, contravening their purposes and precepts and interpreting them in favour of their interests and against peace.

67. While people talk about disarmament throughout the world, a certain type of internal disarmament is a priority

Although the number of warlike conflicts has decreased in comparison with other historical periods, in order to truly suppress them, the first thing that must be done is to reduce the hostility, mistrust and hatred that generate them.

68. Although we do not know what the future holds, we should always do something for life in favor of others

Regardless of what may happen, we must always be willing to act to improve the lives of others.

69. Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them, humanity cannot survive

It is sometimes felt that values should be left in second place when it comes to solving certain problems. However, the opposite is true: although it may be more complicated, these are essential elements without which no real solution will be achieved.

70. Anger is born of fear, and fear is born of a feeling of weakness or inferiority

The Dalai Lama indicates that anger and rage are ultimately the product of fear born of a sense of inferiority .

71. We talk a lot about peace, but it can only exist when the atmosphere is right. We must create this atmosphere and to do so we must adapt the right attitude. Peace, basically, must be born in ourselves

Achieving true peace means that we must first be able to focus things in its direction, creating an enabling environment.

72. If there’s no solution to the problem, don’t waste time worrying about it. If there is a solution to the problem, don’t waste time worrying about it

Worrying excessively, in other words, leads nowhere but to wasting our time.

73. The way to change the minds of others is through love, not hate

Hate doesn’t generate, it only destroys. If we want to change the world or others, we must start from understanding and love.

74. We seek to behave correctly because it is a good attitude. It produces good fruit. The main reason is that one seeks happiness and one does not desire suffering, and based on this, one performs good actions and avoids bad ones

In this sentence the Dalai Lama explains why we tend to seek to be good people.

75. Wisdom is like an arrow. The serene mind is the bow that shoots it

This metaphor alludes to the fact that wisdom is only reached through serenity and acceptance .

76. Parental affection, physical contact, loving tenderness towards all living beings, social responsibility and special attention to the less privileged, all these concepts are so simple to understand. So why does their practice seem to cost us so much?

Reflection on the difficulty of putting into practice something we understand so well and need so much as affection and mutual acceptance.

77. There is no point in being attached exclusively to this life, since however long it may be, we cannot live more than a certain number of years. That is why it does not matter how much wealth or resources we accumulate in this life. At that time they will be of no use to us

Accumulating things and being excessively attached to them is of no use to us, since sooner or later we are going to die. We must accept our own mortality and take advantage of it to make our life as meaningful as possible.

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

Having the ability to be disciplined will allow us to be consistent and coherent and to fight for what we want, as well as to overcome losses.

79. If we are proud, we will fall prey to jealousy and anger and look down on others, and thus all we will achieve is for unhappiness to reign

This phrase warns us against pride , being an element that can lead us to stop valuing others.

80. Anger and hatred are like a fisherman’s hook: it is very important to make sure that we do not get caught up in it

Experiencing and expressing anger or hatred on a particular occasion may be natural, but we should keep in mind that we should not let ourselves be drawn into it or let it settle in us.

81. A lack of transparency results in mistrust and a deep sense of insecurity

Lying and concealment only generate obfuscation and the creation of barriers that prevent the establishment of trust and affection.

82. Because we all share this planet Earth, we have to learn to live in harmony and peace with each other and with nature. This is not only a dream, but a necessity

The Dalai Lama indicates in this sentence the need to establish peace in a world in which we all live together. We must understand and learn from each other if we are to have a meaningful and profound existence.

83. It is much better to make friends, understand each other, and make an effort to serve humanity, than to criticize and destroy

In a similar way to the previous sentence, this one reflects that it is more useful, efficient and positive to join efforts and to link up from affection than from hate.

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

Home is not a building or a location. It is the place where you feel you belong, the set of circumstances that make you feel loved, nurtured, accepted and safe.

85. Death makes us all equal. It is the same for a rich man as for a wild animal

Despite the apparent differences in society and in life in general, in the end we are all equal and share the same end.

86. He who transforms himself transforms the world

Changing oneself can be a complex process , but it allows our relationship with the world to change and in turn we can make a transformation in it.

87. Appearance is an absolute, but reality is not. Everything is interdependent, not absolute

Things may seem concrete and stable to us, but in reality we can see that things are not as they seem and are subject to multiple perspectives and interpretations. Moreover, everything that happens has multiple factors involved in making it so, factors that in turn are affected by others, and so on.

88. When I doubt my existence, I pinch myself

The reality is complex and can lead us to doubt, but the truth is that we are here and we must act and live our lives.

89. Even when we have physical obstacles, we can be very happy

Happiness does not depend on having easy things , nor even on being healthy. We can become happy no matter what happens and no matter how complicated the situation.

90. When one is generous with the intention of receiving something in return or getting a good reputation or being accepted, then one is not acting like an enlightened being

Self-interested generosity is not true generosity, since one is acting deep down out of selfishness or need.

91. Where ignorance is our teacher, there is no possibility of real peace

True peace is established through understanding the other. Ignorance prevents us from accepting the other completely because of ignorance and the fear that it generates, so that hostilities can arise.

92. Success and failure depend on wisdom and intelligence, which can never function properly under the influence of anger

The results of our actions will depend on how we manage situations, which is complex to do under the influence of anger.

93. Even an animal, if you show genuine affection, develops confidence gradually. If you always show bad faces, how can you develop friendship?

This phrase teaches us the importance of showing our affection, since it allows the development of a good bond and even friendship.

94. Time passes freely. When we make mistakes, we cannot turn back the clock and go back again. All we can do is use the present well

Making mistakes is normal and we must fix them as far as possible, but the past is past and it is useless to focus on it. We have to live in the now.

95. If you ever don’t get the smile you expect, be generous and give yours. Because no one needs a smile as much as the one who doesn’t know how to smile at others

This phrase encourages us to try to make small gestures even towards those who do not make them, since their lack of reaction is often due to suffering.

96. I have always had this view of the modern educational system: we pay attention to the development of the brain, but we take the development of human warmth for granted

Education is excessively focused on the transmission of knowledge . Even though topics such as values are beginning to be discussed and worked on, very often the development of affection is not worked on and taken for granted.

97. I consider a smile to be something unique in a human being. A smile is also a powerful communication. A sincere smile is the perfect expression of human love and compassion

Our smile, when sincere, expresses our feelings to others effectively, as well as our love for others.

98. When you lose, you don’t lose the lesson

Not getting what we want isn’t bad, since it helps us learn.

99. Man is willing and prepared to endure any suffering as long as he can find meaning in it

Human beings may be willing to suffer, but this suffering only makes sense if they are able to give it meaning.

100. I will use all my energies to develop myself, to expand my heart to others; to attain enlightenment for the benefit of all beings. I will have good thoughts towards others; I will not get angry or think badly of others. I will benefit others as much as I can

The Dalai Lama expresses his willingness to help his fellow man, as well as to transfer this willingness to others.