Quotations

«Discipline means protection from one's own wanton interest.»

«Peace, in the sense of the absence of war, is of little value to someone who is dying of hunger or cold. It will not remove the pain of torture inflicted on a prisoner of conscience. It does not comfort those who have lost their loved ones in floods caused by senseless deforestation in a neighbouring country. Peace can only last where human rights are respected, where the people are fed, and where individuals and nations are free. True peace with oneself and with the world around us can only be achieved through the development of mental peace. The other phenomena mentioned above are similarly interrelated. Thus, for example, we see that a clean environment, wealth or democracy mean little in the face of war, especially nuclear war, and that material development is not sufficient to ensure human happiness.»

«Our ancestors viewed the earth as rich and bountiful, which it is.»

«To combat hatred directed toward a person, a Buddhist cultivates loving kindness toward that person.»

«Harboring angry thoughts and ill feelings can be destructive.»

«Your own pain is involuntary; you feel overwhelmed and have no control. When feeling the pain of others, there is an element of discomfort, but there also is a level of stability because you are voluntarily accepting pain. It gives you a sense of confidence.»

«Human nature is compassionate, is affectionate.»

«Compassion and love is the source of external and internal peace and is also the root of racial survival.»

«In the material world, there are limitations. We always want more, but in the spiritual world, just a short prayer and you're infinitely content.»

«There is a danger when I speak in English that you will get misunderstanding, because I use the wrong word. Sometimes I confuse the words pessimism and optimism.»