Today, we celebrate the birthday of Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama. Born on 6 July 1935, His Holiness is the secular leader of the Tibetan people and the leader of the Gelugpa school of Tibetan Buddhism. He lives in exile in Dharamsala, India, ever since the Chinese occupied Tibet in 1959. As one of the most respected men of our times, the Dalai Lama is a champion of the basic human values of compassion, love, altruism, and nonviolence.
His Holiness is the 1989 recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize “for his consistent resistance to the use of violence in his people’s struggle to regain their liberty” and “in part a tribute to the memory of Mahatma Gandhi.”
Here is the Dalai Lama’s favorite prayer for your consideration. This is a verse from a translation of “Bodhicaryavatara” by Shantideva, an Indian Buddhist scholar from the 8th century.
For as long as space endures
And as long as sentient beings remain
May I too abide
To dispell the miseries of the world.
“My religion is kindness”
Because we all share this small planet earth, we have to learn to live in harmony and peace with each other and with nature. That is not just a dream, but a necessity.
—The 14th Dalai Lama (Tibetan Buddhist Religious Leader)
If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.
—The 14th Dalai Lama (Tibetan Buddhist Religious Leader)
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.
—The 14th Dalai Lama (Tibetan Buddhist Religious Leader)
Reason well from the beginning and then there will never be any need to look back with confusion and doubt.
—The 14th Dalai Lama (Tibetan Buddhist Religious Leader)
From the moment of birth every human being wants happiness and freedom and wants to avoid suffering. In this we are all the same; and the more we care for the happiness of others the greater our own sense of each other becomes.
—The 14th Dalai Lama (Tibetan Buddhist Religious Leader)
Whether one believes in a religion or not, and whether one believes in rebirth or not, there isn’t anyone who doesn’t appreciate kindness and compassion.
—The 14th Dalai Lama (Tibetan Buddhist Religious Leader)
All major religions, when understood properly, have the same potential for good.
—The 14th Dalai Lama (Tibetan Buddhist Religious Leader)
Inner peace is the key: if you have inner peace, the external problems do not affect your deep sense of peace and tranquility.
—The 14th Dalai Lama (Tibetan Buddhist Religious Leader)
Compassion and tolerance are not a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength.
—The 14th Dalai Lama (Tibetan Buddhist Religious Leader)