Life lessons of the Dalai Lama

Life lessons of the Dalai Lama
by AFP Staff Writers
Mcleod Ganj, India (AFP) June 30, 2025

Tibet's spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, ostracised by Beijing while feted by leaders across the world, has over decades penned a plethora of life lessons.

He is the author of dozens of books, on topics ranging from Buddhist philosophy and mediation, to environmental politics and the importance of love and kindness.

Here, drawn from his writings, is the Dalai Lama in his own words.

- On hope -

"We must never lose hope and must always maintain it if we are to meet with success in the challenges we face. With hope, we have the courage to care and the courage to act."

"As our saying goes, 'If you fall nine times, you get up nine times.' Always remember that a bright sun awaits behind the cloud."

"If a situation is such that you can do something about it, then there is no need to worry. If it's not fixable, then there is no help in worrying. There is no benefit in worrying whatsoever."

- On life -

"What matters most is what we do with our short life. If we live our life divorced from our shared humanity, embroiled in discord and division, and causing harm, what a waste of our precious life!"

"I believe that the very purpose of our life is to seek happiness. That is clear."

"As social beings, we seek connection with others and find joy through them. There is no such thing as my own independent interest separate from others', because our well-being is interconnected with the well-being of others."

"Compassion and concern for others are the keys to human survival. They are relevant to anyone, whether believer or non-believer, who wishes to live a happy life."

- On politics -

"If we recognise our shared humanity, recalling that the welfare of one depends on the welfare of all, I truly believe we can find a peaceful resolution to even the most intractable conflicts."

"One clear lesson we know from history is this: if you keep people permanently unhappy, you cannot have a stable society."

"Nations and countries belong to their peoples, not to their governments. No matter how enduring or powerful they might seem at any given time, governments will come and go, but the peoples will always remain."

"We must stand up against injustice. Nonviolence does not preclude taking a firm stand and expressing our opposition in a forceful way."

- On China -

"The Tibetan people do not accept the present status of Tibet under the People's Republic of China. At the same time, they do not seek independence for Tibet."

"Insofar as the Tibetans on the ground are concerned, the Communist Chinese rule in Tibet remains that of a foreign, unwanted, and oppressive occupying power."

"The problem of Tibet should be and can only be solved by the Tibetan people and the Chinese people themselves sitting down and talking."

"Today's dark period of Communist Chinese occupation may seem endless, but in our long history, it is but a brief nightmare. As our Buddhist faith teaches us, nothing is immune to the law of impermanence."

- On his successor -

"It is totally inappropriate for Chinese Communists, who explicitly reject religion, including the idea of past and future lives, to meddle in the system of reincarnation."

"Whether the Dalai Lama institution should continue or not is a matter for the Tibetan people. So if the Tibetan people feel that the institution has served its purpose and there is now no longer any need for a Dalai Lama, then the institution will cease."

"The new Dalai Lama will be born in the free world so that the traditional mission of the Dalai Lama -- that is, to be the voice for universal compassion, the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism, and the symbol of Tibet embodying the aspirations of the Tibetan people -- will continue."