30 Quotes From The The Art of Happiness By Dalai Lama
Last Updated on February 15, 2023
Dalai Lama is like a human form of wisdom that has been a significant part of millions of people on earth. Millions follow him and try to follow his teachings so that they can attain Moksha, or at least be a better human being in this lifetime.
This post is not about Dalai Lama or his quotes, it is about his book of his and the quotations from that book which is called The Art Of Happiness.
For those who didn’t read this book, here’s an overview:
“The Art of Happiness” is a book co-written by the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, and psychiatrist Howard Cutler.
It explores the Dalai Lama’s perspective on happiness and the factors that contribute to it, including compassion, mindfulness, and positive relationships. The book also discusses practical advice and techniques for cultivating happiness in everyday life by training our hearts and minds systematically.
The book📚 is divided into 5 parts and 15 chapters each covering a common topic that we as humans struggle to ponder, like anger, change, or suffering.
The book is among the top spiritual books that young adults must read if they want to live a healthy and happy life.
Anyways, if you’re looking for inspiration on how to cultivate happiness in your life, these quotes from Dalai Lama’s book The Art of Happiness offer valuable insights and practical advice.
Buy the book:
His wise and insightful 30 quotes can serve as a source of inspiration and guidance for anyone seeking a more fulfilling and joyful life😊
Quotes From The The Art of Happiness By Dalai Lama
1. “Happiness is not something ready-made. It comes from your own actions.” – The Art of Happiness, Dalai Lama
2. “Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them, humanity cannot survive.” – The Art of Happiness, Dalai Lama
3. “If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.” – The Art of Happiness, Dalai Lama
4. “Our ultimate aim in seeking more wealth is a sense of satisfaction, of happiness. But the very basis of seeking more is a feeling of not having enough, a feeling of discontentment. That feeling of discontentment, of wanting more and more and more, doesn’t arise from the inherent desirability of the objects we are seeking but rather from our own mental state.” – The Art of Happiness, Dalai Lama
5. “A disciplined mind leads to happiness, and an undisciplined mind leads to suffering.” – The Art of Happiness, Dalai Lama
6. “Whether our action is wholesome or unwholesome depends on whether that action or deed arises from a disciplined or undisciplined state of mind. It is felt that a disciplined mind leads to happiness and an undisciplined mind leads to suffering, and in fact it is said that bringing about discipline within one’s mind is the essence of the Buddha’s teaching.” – The Art of Happiness, Dalai Lama
7. “Today there are societies that are very developed materially, yet among them there are many people who are not very happy. Just underneath the beautiful surface of affluence there is a kind of mental unrest, leading to frustration, unnecessary quarrels, reliance on drugs or alcohol, and in the worst case, suicide. So there is no guarantee that wealth alone can give you the joy or fulfillment that you are seeking.” – The Art of Happiness, Dalai Lama
8. “Compassion can be roughly defined in terms of a state of mind that is nonviolent, nonharming, and nonaggressive. It is a mental attitude based on the wish for others to be free of their suffering and is associated with a sense of commitment, responsibility, and respect towards the other.” – The Art of Happiness, Dalai Lama
9. “We need to learn how to want what we have NOT to have what we want in order to get steady and stable Happiness” – The Art of Happiness, Dalai Lama
10. “Although you may not always be able to avoid difficult situations,you can modify the extent to which you can suffer by how you choose to respond to the situation.” – The Art of Happiness, Dalai Lama
11. “Self satisfaction alone cannot determine if a desire or action is positive or negative. The demarcation between a positive and a negative desire or action is not whether it gives you a immediate feeling of satisfaction, but whether it ultimately results in positive or negative consequences.” – The Art of Happiness, Dalai Lama
12. “Once [our] basic needs are met (food, clothing, shelter, etc), the message is clear: 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.” – The Art of Happiness, Dalai Lama
13. Certainly not. The Dalai Lama has been engaged in training his mind since he was four years old.” – The Art of Happiness, Dalai Lama
14. “The more honest you are, the more open, the less fear you will have, because there’s no anxiety about being exposed or revealed to others.” – The Art of Happiness, Dalai Lama
15. “Our attitude towards suffering becomes very important because it can affect how we cope with suffering when it arises.” – The Art of Happiness, Dalai Lama
16. “Unlike physical progress, which is subject to natural restrictions, the qualities of the mind can be developed limitlessly.” – The Art of Happiness, Dalai Lama
17. “In general, if we carefully examine any given situation in a very unbiased and honest way, we will realize that to a large extent we are also responsible for the unfolding of events.” – The Art of Happiness, Dalai Lama
18. “I think that if one is seeking to build a truly satisfying relationship, the best way of bringing this about is to get to know the deeper nature of the person and relate to her or him on that level, instead of merely on the basis of superficial characteristics.” – The Art of Happiness, Dalai Lama
19. “Our moment-to-moment happiness is largely determined by our outlook. In fact, whether we are feeling happy or unhappy at any given moment often has very little to do with our absolute conditions but, rather it is a function of how we perceive our situation, how satisfied we are with what we have.” – The Art of Happiness, Dalai Lama
20. “I think that in many cases people tend to expect the other person to respond to them in a positive way first, rather than taking the initiative themselves to create that possibility. I feel that’s wrong, it leads to problems and can act as a barrier that just serves to promote a feeling of isolation from others.” – The Art of Happiness, Dalai Lama
21. “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 Art of Happiness, Dalai Lama
22. “In accepting that suffering is a part of your daily existence, you could begin by examining the factors that normally give rise of feelings of discontent and mental unhappiness.” – The Art of Happiness, Dalai Lama
23. “So let us reflect on what is truly of 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.” – The Art of Happiness, Dalai Lama
24. “When you think everything is someone else’s fault, you will suffer a lot. When you realize that everything springs only from yourself, you will learn both peace and joy.” – The Art of Happiness, Dalai Lama
25. “However, if we can transform our attitude towards suffering, adopt an attitude that allows us greater tolerance of it, then this can do much to help counteract feelings of mental unhappiness, dissatisfaction, and discontent.” – The Art of Happiness, Dalai Lama
26. “Rather, genuine compassion is based on the rationale that all human beings have an innate desire to be happy and overcome suffering, just like myself. And, just like myself, they have the natural right to fulfill this fundamental aspiration.” – The Art of Happiness, Dalai Lama
27. “There is one aspect to our experience of suffering that is of vital importance. When you are aware of your pain and suffering, it helps you to develop your capacity for empathy, the capacity that allows you to relate to other people’s feelings and suffering. This enhances your capacity for compassion towards others. So as an aid in helping us connect with others, it can be seen as having value.” – The Art of Happiness, Dalai Lama
28. “By mobilizing our thoughts and practicing new ways of thinking, we can reshape our nerve cells and change the way our brains work.” – The Art of Happiness, Dalai Lama
29. “If you want others to be happy practice compassion; and if you want yourself to be happy practice compassion.” – The Art of Happiness, Dalai Lama
30. “There is a Possibility of freedom from suffering. By removing the causes of suffering, it is possible to attain a state of Liberation, a state free from suffering. According to Buddhist thought, the root causes of suffering are ignorance, craving, and hatred. These are called the ‘three poisons of the mind.’” – The Art of Happiness, Dalai Lama
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