Ten themes on happiness, compassion and a calm mind, drawn from talks and interviews with the Dalai Lama. The headings below are a summary of the videos listed under Sources, not word-for-word quotations from him.
“If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.” – Dalai Lama (widely attributed)
Ten themes for a good life
- Help others
- Don’t care what others say
- Pay attention to your inner values
- Be calm
- Have compassion
- Be determined
- Meditate Watch: Why Meditate?
- Keep things in perspective
- Develop friendships
- Share funny stories
About the Dalai Lama
- He is a monk of the Gelug or “Yellow Hat” school of Tibetan Buddhism, the newest of the schools of Tibetan Buddhism.
- The 14th and current Dalai Lama is Tenzin Gyatso.
- The 14th Dalai Lama received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989.
- He is considered the successor in a line of tulkus who are believed to be incarnations of Avalokiteśvara.
- The name is a combination of the Mongolic word dalai meaning “ocean” and the Tibetan word བླ་མ་ (bla-ma) meaning “guru, teacher, mentor”.
- From 1642 until the 1950s (except for 1705 to 1750), the Dalai Lamas headed the Tibetan government (or Ganden Phodrang) in Lhasa.
- Despite his humble beginnings, the 14th Dalai Lama was reported to be among the most popular world leaders by 2013.
- The 14th Dalai Lama was not formally enthroned until 17 November 1950, during the Battle of Chamdo with the People’s Republic of China.
- During the 1959 Tibetan uprising, the Dalai Lama fled to India, where he has lived as a refugee since.
- He turned 80 in 2015 and, at that time, maintained a busy international lecture and teaching schedule.
- The Dalai Lama’s best known teaching subject is the Kalachakra tantra, which, as of 2014, he had conferred a total of 33 times.
- On 29 May 2011, the Dalai Lama retired from the Central Tibetan Administration.
- The Dalai Lama is the author of numerous books on Buddhism.
Sources
- Dalai Lama’s guide to happiness (Mike Worsman)
- The Benefits of a Calm Mind (Dalai Lama channel)
- Dealing With Anger (Dalai Lama channel)
- Dalai Lama Finding Purpose in Life (peterholloway1953)
- Dalai Lama – Be determined (Buddha7575)
- Dalai Lama – Why meditate? (Buddha7575)
- 10 Questions for the Dalai Lama (TIME)
- Personal responsibility for oneself with others, Templeton Prize 2012
- Dalai Lama – Conquer your “self” (Buddha7575)
- No Regrets: Dalai Lama’s Advice for Living & Dying (Karuna Hospice Services)
- Developing a Healthy Mind (Dalai Lama channel)
