Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama - Buddhism Quotes

11 Sourced Quotes

View all Tenzin Gyatso Quotes
My confidence in venturing into science lies in my basic belief that as in science so in Buddhism, understanding the nature of reality is pursued by means of critical investigation: if scientific analysis were conclusively to demonstrate certain claims in Buddhism to be false, then we must accept the findings of science and abandon those claims.

Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama
I don't want to convert people to Buddhism — all major religions, when understood properly, have the same potential for good.

Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama
To study Buddhism and then use it as a weapon in order to criticize others' theories or ideologies is wrong. The very purpose of religion is to control yourself, not to criticize others. Rather, we must criticize ourselves. How much am I doing about my anger? About my attachment, about my hatred, about my pride, my jealousy? These are the things which we must check in daily life with the knowledge of the Buddhist teachings.

Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama
According to Buddhism, individuals are masters of their own destiny. And all living beings are believed to possess the nature of the Primordial Buddha Samantabhadra, the potential or seed of enlightenment, within them. So our future is in our own hands. What greater free will do we need?

Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama
If science proves some belief of Buddhism wrong, then Buddhism will have to change. In my view, science and Buddhism share a search for the truth and for understanding reality. By learning from science about aspects of reality where its understanding may be more advanced, I believe that Buddhism enriches its own worldview.

Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama
From one viewpoint, Buddhism is a religion, from another viewpoint Buddhism is a science of mind and not a religion. Buddhism can be a bridge between these two sides.

Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama
To develop genuine devotion, you must know the meaning of teachings. The main emphasis in Buddhism is to transform the mind, and this transformation depends upon meditation. in order to meditate correctly, you must have knowledge.

Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama
On the philosophical level, both Buddhism and modern science share a deep suspicion of any notion of absolutes, whether conceptualize as a transcendent being, as an eternal, unchanging principle such as soul, or as a fundamental substratum of reality.... In the Buddhist investigation of reality, at least in principle, empirical evidence should triumph over scriptural authority, no matter how deeply venerated a scripture may be.

Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama
Buddhism does not accept a theory of God, or a creator. According to Buddhism, one's own actions are the creator, ultimately.

Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama
If there's good, strong evidence from science that such and such is the case and this is contrary to Buddhism, then we will change.

Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama
Buddhism does not accept a theory of God, or a creator. According to Buddhism, one's own actions are the creator, ultimately. Some people say that, from a certain angle, Buddhism is not a religion but rather a science of mind.

Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama