Dalai Lama Mind Quotations

Calm mind brings inner strength and self-confidence, so that's very important for good health.

As a human being, anger is a part of our mind. Irritation also part of our mind. But you can do - anger come, go. Never keep in your sort of - your inner world, then create a lot of suspicion, a lot of distrust, a lot of negative things, more worry.

The greater the level of calmness of our mind, the greater our peace of mind, the greater our ability to enjoy a happy and joyful life.

As our own peace of mind grows, so the atmosphere around us becomes more peaceful.

Concern yourselves more with the needs of others, with the needs of all humanity, and you'll have peace of mind.

When educating the minds of our youth, we must not forget to educate their hearts.

We need to understand how destructive emotions affect us and constructive emotions can help us, so that we can maintain our peace of mind.

A positive state of mind is not merely good for you, it benefits everyone with whom you come into contact, literally changing the world.

If you have peace of mind, when you meet with problems and difficulties they won’t disturb your inner peace. You’ll be able to employ your human intelligence more effectively. But, if your mental state is disturbed, full of emotion, it is very difficult to cope with problems, because the mind that is full of emotion is biased, unable to see reality. So whatever you do will be unrealistic and naturally fail.

It is the state of mind of the person wielding the instrument that determines to what end it will be put.

A truly peaceful mind is very sensitive, very aware.

Nowadays the world is becoming increasingly materialistic, and mankind is reaching toward the very zenith of external progress, driven by an insatiable desire for power and vast possessions. Yet by this vain striving for perfection in a world where everything is relative,they wander even further away from inward peace and happiness of the mind.

The ultimate source of my mental happiness is my peace of mind. Nothing can destroy this except my own anger.

...there is an intense delight in abandoning faulty states of mind and in cultivating helpful ones in meditation.

It is not enough to be compassionate. You must act. There are two aspects to action. One is to overcome the distortions and afflictions of your own mind, that is, in terms of calming and eventually dispelling anger. This is action out of compassion. The other is more social, more public. When something needs to be done in the world to rectify the wrongs, if one is really concerned with benefitting others, one needs to be engaged, involved.

When our mind is calm, we’re better able to find peace of mind and live a joyful life.

Those who have little interest in spirituality shouldn’t think that human inner values don’t apply to you. The inner peace of an alert and calm mind are the source of real happiness and good health. Our human intelligence tells us which of our emotions are positive and helpful and which are damaging and to be restrained or avoided.

The practice of patience guards us against losing our presence of mind. It enables us to remain undisturbed, even when the situation is really difficult. It gives us a certain amount of inner peace, which allows us some self-control, so that we can choose to respond to situations in an appropriate and compassionate manner, rather than being driven by our disturbing emotions.

Unlike physical progress, which is subject to natural restrictions, the qualities of the mind can be developed limitlessly.

Material progress and a higher standard of living bring us greater comfort and health, but do not lead to a transformation of the mind, which is the only thing capable of providing lasting peace. Profound happiness, unlike fleeting pleasures, is spiritual in nature. It depends on the happiness of others and it is based on love and affection.

Happiness comes through taming the mind; without taming the mind there is no way to be happy

The most important thing is transforming our minds, for a new way of thinking, a new outlook: we should strive to develop a new inner world.

Fear, hatred, and suspicion narrow your mind - compassion opens it.

Although we are all the same in not wanting problems and wanting a peaceful life, we tend to create a lot of problems for ourselves. Encountering those problems, anger develops and overwhelms our mind, which leads to violence. A good way to counter this and to work for a more peaceful world is to develop concern for others. Then our anger, jealousy and other destructive emotions will naturally weaken and diminish.

When we face problems or disagreements today, we have to arrive at solutions through dialogue. Dialogue is the only appropriate method. One-sided victory is no longer acceptable. We must work to resolve conflicts in a spirit of reconciliation, always keeping others' interests in mind.

We have a largely materialistic lifestyle characterized by a materialistic culture. However, this only provides us with temporary, sensory satisfaction, whereas long-term satisfaction is based not on the senses but on the mind. That’s where real tranquility is to be found. And peace of mind turns out to be a significant factor in our physical health too.

The most important benefit of patience consists in the way it acts as a powerful antidote to the affliction of anger - the greatest threat to our inner peace, and therefore our happiness. The mind, or spirit, is not physical, it cannot be touched or harmed directly. Only negative thoughts and emotions can harm it. Therefore, only the corresponding positive quality can protect it.

Developing concern for others, thinking of them as part of us, brings self-confidence , reduces our sense of suspicion and mistrust, and enables us to develop a calm mind.

Most of our problems are related to the mind, so we have to work to reduce our destructive emotions.

A positive future cannot emerge from the mind of anger of despair

Like anyone else, I too have the potential for violence; I too have anger in me. However, I try to recall that anger is a destructive emotion. I remind myself that scientists now say that anger is bad for our health; it eats into our immune system. So, anger destroys our peace of mind and our physical health. We shouldn’t welcome it or think of it as natural or as a friend.

A calm mind is good for our physical health, but it also enables us to see things more realistically.

Compassion, tolerance, forgiveness and a sense of self-discipline are qualities that help us lead our daily lives with a calm mind

An open heart is an open mind.

Historically, the East was more concerned with understanding the mind and the West was more involved in understanding matter.

In the final analysis, the hope of every person is simply peace of mind.

Mental happiness is more important than physical comfort. Physical comfort comes from the material. But material facilities cannot provide you with peace of mind.

We need material development, but we need to understand that by itself it doesn't bring peace of mind.

Compassion automatically brings happiness and calmness. Then, even if you receive disturbing news, it will be easier to take, as your mind is still.

An affectionate disposition not only makes the mind more peaceful and calm, but it affects our body in a positive way too.

Delusions are states of mind which, when they arise within our mental continuum, leave us disturbed, confused and unhappy. Therefore, those states of mind which delude or afflict us are called 'delusions.'

If the mind is tranquil and occupied with positive thoughts, the body will not easily fall prey to disease

If an individual has a calm state of mind, that person's attitudes and views will be calm and tranquil even in the presence of great agitation.

If someone remains in a peaceful and tranquil state of mind, external surroundings can cause them only a limited disturbance.

We don’t need more money, we don’t need greater success or fame, we don’t need the perfect body or even the perfect mate-right now, at this very moment, we have a mind, which is all the basic equipment we need to achieve complete happiness.

Whether we love humanity or not, we must realize that we are part of it. My future depends entirely on the future of humanity, and so I am compelled to take care of humanity. That is why being compassionate is actually in my own best interest. And a symptom of my own peace of mind is that I can share comfort with others around me.

The real enemy of happiness is the mind's fixations and delusions... If you have the right mind, you can overcome anything - you can be happy, no matter what.

Some feel that you lose your independence if you don't let your mind just wander where it wants to, if you try to control it. But that is not the case. If your mind is proceeding in the correct way, one already has the correct opinion. But if your mind is proceeding in an incorrect way, then it's necessary, definitely, to exercise control.

From the viewpoint of absolute truth, what we feel and experience in our ordinary daily life is all delusion. Of all the various delusions, the sense of discrimination between oneself and others is the worst form, as it creates nothing but unpleasantness for both sides. If we can realize and meditate on ultimate truth, it will cleanse our impurities of mind and thus eradicate the sense of discrimination. This will help to create true love for one another. The search for ultimate truth is, therefore, vitally important.

Neither a space station nor an enlightened mind can be realized in a day.

Patience as we wait to take action is a kind of compassionate mind. Impatience on the other hand can be a source of failure.

Affection is important because it counters anger, hatred and suspicion that can prevent our minds from functioning clearly.

Once your mind is calm and full of love, there is no room for hatred or fear. Others will trust you because of your open heart.

Even modern medical researchers have come to the conclusion that peace of mind is vital for good health.

If you wonder what you were doing in the past, look at your body; to know what will happen to you in the future, look at your mind.

I am the source of my own suffering, because of the habits of my mind.

If you are mindful of death, it will not come as a surprise-you will not be anxious. You will feel that death is merely like changing clothes. Consequently, at that point you will be able to maintain your calmness of mind.

Cultivating a close, warmhearted feeling for others automatically puts the mind at ease.

A Compassionate state of mind brings inner peace, and therefore a healthier body.

The mind must be developed by you alone. There is no way for others to do the work and for you to reap the results. Reading someone else's blueprint of mental progress will not transfer its realizations to you. You have to develop them yourself.

As human beings we have the same experience of destructive and constructive emotions. We also have a human mind capable of developing wisdom. We all have the same Buddha nature.

If your mind is scattered, it is quite powerless.

May I examine my mind in all actions and as soon as a negative state occurs, since it endangers myself and others, may I firmly face and avert it.

Scientists may study mainly matter but they cannot ignore the human mind, or consciousness: spiritual practitioners may be engaging mainly in developing the mind but they cannot completely ignore their physical needs. It is for this reason that I have always stressed the importance of combining both mental and the material approach to achieving happiness for humankind.

Happiness can be achieved through training the mind.

Buddhism does not accept a theory of God, or a creator. According to Buddhism, one's own actions are the creator, ultimately. Some people say that, from a certain angle, Buddhism is not a religion but rather a science of mind.

Religion does not mean just precepts, a temple, monastery, or other external signs, for these as well as hearing and thinking are subsidiary factors in taming the mind.

In our daily life a certain way of thinking makes us happy, and a certain way of thinking makes us unhappy. In other words, there are certain states of mind which bring us problems, and they can be removed...

Happiness is determined more by one's state of mind than by external events.

As soon as I wake up I pay homage to the Buddha, and I try to prepare my mind to be more altruistic, more compassionate, during the day to come so I can be of benefit to beings. Then I do physical exersice - I walk on a treadmill.

We need to make material progress, but we need inner development too ... remember that the real development we seek is not in the buildings but in our hearts and minds.

It is also possible within this lifetime to enhance the power of the mind, enabling one to reaccess memories from previous lives. Such recollection tends to be more accessible during meditative experiences in the dream state. Once one has accessed memories of previous lives in the dream state, one gradually recalls them in the waking state.

For material progress and physical well being, peace of mind is of utmost importance.

The purpose of our lives is to be happy. We live in hope, which means looking forward to something good. And there are increasing scientific findings that both our physical and mental well-being depend on our peace of mind.

The immediate source of a mind... must be a mind which existed before the conception took place; the mind must have a continuity from a previous mind. This we hold to prove the existence of a past life.

Contemplating the suffering which is unbearable to us, and is unbearable to others, too, can produce awake mind, which arises from the compassion that wishes to free all living beings from suffering.

We must work to resolve conflicts in a spirit of reconciliation and always keep in mind the interests of others. We cannot destroy our neighours! We cannot ignore their interests!

More compassionate mind, more sense of concern for other's well-being, is source of happiness.

Real power has to do with one's ability to influence the hearts and minds of others.

I believe that the time has come for women to take more active roles in all domains of human society, in an age in which education and the capacities of the mind, not physical strength, define leadership. This could help create a more equitable and compassionate society.

On a daily basis, you must take more care of your mind than just money, money, money!

Through meditative techniques, one can free the mind of delusions and attain what we call enlightenment.

The very purpose of meditation is to discipline the mind and reduce afflictive emotions.

A mind that is characterized by unrest will not be tranquil even in the presence of great calm.

As human, we all have the same human potential, unless there is some sort of retarded brain function. The wonderful human brain is the source of our strength and the source of our future, provided we utilize it in the right direction. If we use the brilliant human mind in the wrong way, it is really a disaster.

External circumstances can contribute to one's happiness and well-being, but ultimately happiness and suffering depend on the mind.

A mind wishing to benefit other people and other sentient beings is the very basis of peace and happiness.

The training of the mind is an art. If this can be considered art, one's life is art.

Only through kindness and love can peace of mind be achieved.

What is important is to see how we can best lead a meaningful everyday life, how we can bring about peace and harmony in our minds, how we can help contribute to society.

We are the creators of our own happiness and suffering, for everything originates in the mind.

Buddhahood is a state free of all obstructions to knowledge and disturbing emotions. It is the state in which the mind is fully evolved.

Only through the development of mutual respect, and in a spirit of truth, can friendship come about. By these means it is possible to move human minds, but never by force.

A calm mind helps our human intelligence to assess the situation realistically.

Once you encourage the thought of compassion in your mind, once it becomes active, then your attitude towards others changes automatically.

Anger is the ultimate destroyer of your own peace of mind

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

The Laws of Reasoning consist of the ground, the path, and the result. ...Suffering is in the mind. How we perceive happiness determines our suffering or not.

It is lack of love for ourselves that inhibits our compassion toward others. If we make friends with ourselves, then there is no obstacle to opening our hearts and minds to others.

Peace of mind is the basis of a healthy body and a healthy mind; so peace of mind, a calm mind, is very, very important.