His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, a renowned spiritual leader and the leader of Tibet, is the author of many influential spiritual books. He won the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1989. Despite his accolades, he humbly states, “I am a simple Buddhist monk, no more, no less.”
I have been fortunate to be a follower of His Holiness for years now. My journey with him began with his New York Times bestseller, “The Art of Happiness.” In this book, he discusses the profound importance of love and compassion, which he believes are necessities, not luxuries, for humanity’s survival. One of his famous quotes on life emphasizes, “Happiness is the radicalism of our time,” highlighting that choosing to be happy and practicing compassion are powerful acts in today’s world.
The Dalai Lama advises that compassion and inner peace are intertwined; one leads to the other. He often says that compassion is the radicalism of our time. When we are compassionate towards others, we are also nurturing our own inner peace. This inner peace then becomes the foundation from which we can help others. Practicing compassion enables people to relate better to each other, fostering strength, peace, and joy that radiates to everyone around us.
Every day, think as you wake: “Today, I am fortunate to be alive; I have a precious human life. I am not going to waste it.” This mindset, inspired by the Dalai Lama, helps us appreciate our stroke of luck in being alive and encourages us to make the most of our lives.
The Dalai Lama also teaches that people take different roads seeking fulfillment and happiness, and that is perfectly fine. What matters is that we pursue our prime purpose with compassion and kindness. “Compassion is the radicalism of our time,” he reminds us. By embracing this radicalism, we not only improve our own lives but also contribute positively to the world around us.
“We can reject everything else: religion, ideology, all received
wisdom. But we cannot escape the necessity of love and compassion….
This, then, is my true religion, my simple faith. In this sense, there is no need
for temple or church, for mosque or synagogue, no need for complicated
philosophy, doctrine or dogma. Our own heart, our own mind, is the temple.
The doctrine is compassion. Love for others and respect for their rights and
dignity, no matter who or what they are: ultimately these are all we need.
So long as we practice these in our daily lives, then no matter if we are
learned or unlearned, whether we believe in Buddha or God, or follow some
other religion or none at all, as long as we have compassion for others and
conduct ourselves with restraint out of a sense of responsibility, there is
no doubt we will be happy.”
“When we are motivated by compassion and wisdom, the results of our actions benefit everyone, not just our individual selves or some immediate convenience. When we are able to recognize and forgive ignorant actions of the past, we gain strength to constructively solve the problems of the present.”
“The essence of any religion is a good heart. Sometimes I call love and compassion a universal religion. This is my religion.”
“I have found that the greatest degree of inner tranquility comes from the development of love and compassion. The more we care for the happiness of others, the greater is our own sense of well-being. Cultivating a close, warmhearted feeling for others automatically puts the mind at ease. It is the ultimate source of success in life.”
“I believe all suffering is caused by ignorance. People inflict pain on others in the selfish pursuit of their happiness or satisfaction. Yet true happiness comes from a sense of inner peace and contentment, which in turn must be achieved through the cultivation of altruism, of love and compassion and elimination of ignorance, selfishness, and greed.”
“Sometimes when I meet old friends, it reminds me how quickly time passes. And it makes me wonder if we’ve utilized our time properly or not. Proper utilization of time is so important. While we have this body, and especially this amazing human brain, I think every minute is something precious. Our day-to-day existence is very much alive with hope, although there is no guarantee of our future. There is no guarantee that tomorrow at this time we will be here. But we are working for that purely on the basis of hope. So, we need to make the best use of our time. I believe that the proper utilization of time is this: if you can, serve other people, other sentient beings. If not, at least refrain from harming them. I think that is the whole basis of my philosophy.”
“So, let us reflect what is the true value in life, what gives meaning to our lives, and set our priorities on the basis of that. The purpose of our life needs to be positive. We weren’t born with the purpose of causing trouble, harming others. For our life to be of value, I think we must develop basic good human qualities—warmth, kindness, compassion. Then our life becomes meaningful and more peaceful—happier.”
“Now there are many, many people in the world, but relatively few with whom we interact, and even fewer who cause us problems. So when you come across such a chance for practicing patience and tolerance, you should treat it with gratitude. It is rare. Just as having unexpectedly found a treasure in your own house, you should be happy and grateful toward your enemy for providing you that precious opportunity. Because if you are ever to be successful in your practice of patience and tolerance, which are critical factors in counteracting negative emotions, it is due to your own efforts and also the opportunity provided by your enemy.”
“Generosity is the most natural outward expression of an inner attitude of compassion and loving-kindness.”
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