According to the New World Encyclopedia, “The Dalai Lama (meaning “Ocean of Wisdom”) is an institution of great importance in Tibetan Buddhism, whose incumbent is considered to be the spiritual figurehead of the Tibetan people. In addition to his supreme religious and temporal authority, the Dalai Lama is also widely revered as an incarnation of the bodhisattva Avalokitesvara (“Chenrezig” in Tibetan), known as the embodiment of compassion.”
The current Dalai Lama is Tenzin Gyatso, who has been one of the most influential political leaders in the history of the Tibetan people. At the age of 15 he was named the Tibetan Head of state, only one month after the Peoples Republic of China invaded Tibet. In 1954 the Dalai Lama went to speak to Mao Zedong on behalf of the Tibetan people, and later left Tibet to go to India to help establish the Central Tibetan Administration.
Gyatso was the first Dalai Lama to travel to the West, and helped to promote the concepts of universal responsibility, secular ethics, and religious harmony across the world in accordance to Tibetan Buddhist teachings. In 1989 he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, which is awarded ” “to the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between the nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses.” Throughout his tenure as the leader of Tibetan Buddhism, the current Dalai Lama has written 18 books, and has been an outspoken advocate of peace and tolerance and of improved relations between the religions of the world.
So, If you are going to take life advice from anyone, what better place to start than the Nobel Peace Prize winning “embodiment of compassion?”
Here are 10 Lessons that the current Dalai Lama has taught through the years, that apply to all of us, and serve as a great reminder of how we should treat each other, and ourselves.
1. “We are all the same—members of the same human family.”
2. “If there is love, there is hope for families.”
3. “Before you generate love, you must first know what love is.”
4. “Self-confidence is vital to making a better world.”
5. “Self-discipline is your best defense against negative emotions.”
6. “Success does not come merely by luck.”
7. “Tomorrow’s events depend very much on today’s actions.”
8. “Calmness of mind is a supreme source of mental happiness.”
9. “True tranquility springs from fewer personal requirements.”
10. “Our own survival is tied to the survival of the natural environment.”
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