True happiness comes from...

Dalai Lama

"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 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." -

"There needs to be understanding that anger never helps to solve a problem. It destroys our peace of mind and blinds our ability to think clearly. Anger and attachment are emotions that distort our view of reality."

"In order to understand the way our brains behave, we can observe our emotions and their effects. In the past, it seemed as though science and spirituality were opposed to each other. However, it’s not a useful division to maintain, because the one tradition deals with knowledge of the material world and the other with the inner world of the mind; we need to know about both."

"All beings want to live undisturbed in peace and happiness. Therefore, the concept of human rights is universal. It should apply to everyone who experiences pain or pleasure. This is why developing sincere concern for others gives us peace of mind; it brings with it trust and a sense of peace. Cultivating warm-heartedness contributes to our own well-being."

"When we see images of the earth from space, we see no boundaries between us, just this one blue planet, where climate change affects us all, where the global economy brings us all together. In the past, Tibet, surrounded by mountains, cherished its isolation. But, such isolation is outdated. Today, we need to take account of the well-being of the whole of humanity and preserving the health of the planet."

Whether we follow a religious path or not, as human beings we all need affection. Warm-heartedness gives rise to the self-confidence and inner strength that supports a calm mind. Peace of mind in turn contributes to our physical health. This is based on the fostering of the basic human values that I promote as secular ethics.

Too often we are entangled in short-sightedness. We need to adopt a more far-reaching view. We forget our basic human values. If we want to live in a better world, who do you think is going to bring it about? Only we human beings. Such change won’t come about if we wait for governments or the UN to take action, but if we take initiative as individuals. What we need is confidence and determination.

When we say "I love the members of my own family, the people of my own religion or country or color" bias limits our affection. But with proper practice, from an ordinary level of affection we can develop an unbiased universal love, in which we don't care what other people's faith is, their nationality, or social status - so long as they are human beings, they are our brothers and sisters.