Dalai Lama
His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the Universal Icon of Peace, turn 87 today, 6th July 2022. Here, we look at his quotes on compassion that will change the way you perceive the word, and the world.
(1) "Compassion and affection help the brain to function more smoothly. Secondarily, compassion gives us inner strength; it gives us self-confidence and that reduces fear, which, in turn, keeps our mind calm. Therefore, compassion has two functions: it causes our brain to function better and it brings inner strength. These, then, are the causes of happiness. I feel it is like that."
(2) "Compassion reduces fear, reflecting as it does a concern for others’ well-being. This, not money and power, is what really attracts friends. When we’re under the sway of anger or attachment, we’re limited in our ability to take a full and realistic view of the situation. When the mind is compassionate, it is calm and we’re able to use our sense of reason practically, realistically, and with determination.Be selfless."
(3) "Ultimately, the reason why love and compassion bring the greatest happiness is simply that our nature cherishes them above all else. The need for love lies at the very foundation of human existence. It results from the profound interdependence we all share with one another. However capable and skillful an individual may be, left alone, he or she will not survive. However vigorous and independent one may feel during the most prosperous periods of life, when one is sick or very young or very old, one must depend on the support of others".
(4) “All mammals on our planet want to survive and being at peace is crucial to survival. The reality is that as soon as we are born, our mothers take care of us and treat us with compassion. If it were otherwise, we’d die. Gradually, as we grow up, we develop compassionate relations with members of our family, which in due course are extended to other members of the community."
(5) "Unfortunately, love and compassion have been omitted from too many spheres of social interaction for too long. Usually confined to family and home, their practice in public life is considered impractical, even naive. This is tragic. In my view point, the practice of compassion is not just a symptom of unrealistic idealism but the most effective way to pursue the best interest of others as well as our own. The more we- as a nation, a group or as individuals - depend upon others, the more it is in our own best interests to ensure their well-being".
By Team TRC