Quotes of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama

We are human beings; we can be happy and compassionate, or we can be miserable ourselves and harm others. All of this is present within each of us. If we want to be happy, then it is important to cultivate the good and beneficial sides of ourselves and to try to eliminate the bad ones. Bad deeds, such as stealing or lying, sometimes bring momentary satisfaction, but afterward they are still fraught with unhappiness for us. Good deeds always give us inner strength. And having inner strength, we experience fewer fears and are more self-assured; we give our love to others with far greater ease, without paying attention to all sorts of limitations, whether religious, cultural, or any other. Therefore, it is very important to recognize our inclinations toward both good and bad, and then to observe and carefully analyze them. I call this promoting the development of human values. My constant goal is to promote an understanding of profound human values. These values are compassion, care for others, and devotion. Regardless of your religious beliefs, without these values you cannot be happy.