"Today, more than ever before ...."

Today, more than ever before, life must be characterized by a sense of Universal responsibility, not only nation to nation and human to human, but also human to other forms of life.

--> Dalai Lama

"Happiness is ...."

“Happiness is not just a coincidence; it is a capacity that every individual has at their disposal.  Everyone can be, or become, happy.  Modern research tells us what factors have a bearing on happiness.  Step by step we can transform the factors that militate against happiness.  This is true of individuals and the whole of society.”

“The aim of a secular ethic is to free us of momentary and long-term suffering and to develop the ability to support others in the pursuit of happiness.  One aspect of compassion is the spontaneous willingness to act for the welfare of others.”

The Dalai Lama

"Ethics is more important ...."

“Ethics is more important than religion.  We do not arrive in this world as members of a particular religion.  But ethics is innate.”

“… in the 21^st century we need a new ethic that transcends all religions.  Far more crucial than religion is our elementary human spirituality.  It is a predisposition towards love, kindness, and affection that we all have within us, whatever religion we belong to.  In my view, people can do without religion, but they cannot do without inner values, without ethics.”

The Dalai Lama

"Towards a True Kinship of Faiths"

“… there is also the option to see the contrasting views – one’s own and the other’s – in relation to the differing mental dispositions and aspirations that make up the wonderful diversity of the human family.  In essence, what is required is the ability to recognize the truth in the interconnectedness of all things, even in our disagreements.  This issue is not necessarily to see or go into all the intricate details of these connections; it is rather, to acknowledge the big picture, to see any given event within that larger vision.  So the process entails both returning to the basic simplicity of our shared human nature and looking out with the widest possible perspective.  The shift of perspective alone can open the door of our hearts.”

“Toward a True Kinship of Faiths”, The Dalai Lama