World peace must develop from inner peace. Peace is not just mere absence of violence. Peace is, I think, the manifestation of human compassion.

Compassion is the radicalism of our time.

When the heart is still, it can be kind. When the mind is still, it can see clearly.

Compassion is a verb.

May all beings be happy, be peaceful, be liberated.

The essence of Buddhist practice is to reduce our selfishness and to work for the benefit of others.

We can learn the art of fierce compassion - redefining strength, deconstructing isolation and renewing a sense of community, practicing letting go of rigid us-vs.-them thinking.

The essence of the teaching is emptiness and compassion. Without emptiness, compassion can become attachment. Without compassion, emptiness can become cold and distant.

When we understand others, we understand ourselves. When we love others, we love ourselves.

Compassion is not something we develop. It arises naturally as we see the truth of what is.

When you realize the emptiness of all phenomena, compassion will arise in your heart for all sentient beings who do not understand this truth.

Just as a mother would protect her only child with her life, even so let one cultivate a boundless love towards all beings.

The purpose of our lives is to be happy, and happiness is found in benefiting others.

When you plant lettuce, if it does not grow well, you don't blame the lettuce. You look for reasons it is not doing well. It may need fertilizer, or more water, or less sun. You never blame the lettuce.

True happiness comes from a sense of inner peace and contentment, which in turn must be achieved through cultivation of altruism, of love, of compassion.

The root of happiness is altruism — the wish to be of service to others.

When another person makes you suffer, it is because he suffers deeply within himself, and his suffering is spilling over. He does not need punishment; he needs help.

The best way to solve a problem is to help someone else solve their problem.

Compassion is not mere sentiment but a powerful force that can transform both ourselves and others.

Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them, humanity cannot survive.

When you practice gratefulness, there is a sense of respect toward others.

The practice of metta begins with oneself, for only when we have developed loving-kindness towards ourselves can we truly offer it to others.

Happiness is found in the simplest of things. It is not in the things you own, but in the love you share.

The way to change others' minds is with affection, and not anger.

The way to overcome anger is to be too busy being kind to have time to be angry.

The more we care for the happiness of others, the greater our own sense of well-being becomes.

As long as our orientation is toward perfection or success, we will never learn about unconditional friendship with ourselves, nor will we find compassion.

Buddhist practice is not to eliminate life's problems but to grow with them patiently and with compassion.

Kindness is the solution to all of life's problems.

The planet does not need more successful people. The planet desperately needs more peacemakers, healers, restorers, storytellers, and lovers of all kinds.

Radiate boundless love towards the entire world — above, below, and across — unhindered, without ill will, without enmity.

The cultivation of loving-kindness has the power to transform enmity into amity, hostility into hospitality.

If we learn to open our hearts, anyone, including the people who drive us crazy, can be our teacher.

Love is not about possession. Love is about appreciation.

When you look deeply into your anger, you will see that the person you call your enemy is also suffering. As soon as you see that, the capacity for accepting and having compassion for them is there.

We don't set out to save the world; we set out to wonder how other people are doing and to reflect on how our actions affect other people's hearts.

The ultimate source of happiness is not money and power, but warm-heartedness.

Words have the power to both destroy and heal. When words are both true and kind, they can change our world.

The ultimate purpose of Buddhism is to serve and benefit humanity.

Altruism is not a luxury, it is a necessity for the survival of humanity.

It is under the greatest adversity that there exists the greatest potential for doing good, both for oneself and others.

If your compassion does not include yourself, it is incomplete.

The ultimate source of a happy life is warm-heartedness. This means extending to others the kind of concern we have for ourselves.

If you want to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be miserable, expect something in return.

Conquer anger with non-anger. Conquer evil with good. Conquer stinginess with giving. Conquer deceit with truth.

Life is glorious, but life is also wretched. It is both. Appreciating the gloriousness inspires us, encourages us, cheers us up, gives us a bigger perspective, energizes us. We feel connected. But if that's all that's happening, we get arrogant and start to look down on others, and there is a sense of making ourselves a big deal and being really serious about it, wanting it to be like that forever. The gloriousness becomes tinged by craving and addiction. On the other hand, wretchedness--life's painful aspect--softens us up considerably. Knowing pain is a very important ingredient of being there for another person.

Metta (loving-kindness) becomes truly effective only when it arises from a peaceful mind, a pure mind, a balanced mind.

If you truly loved yourself, you could never hurt another.

In the moment of anger, abandon anger but not the person. In the moment of attachment, abandon attachment but not the person.

Loving-kindness is not something we need to manufacture. It's a natural expression of our awakened nature.

If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.

Compassion is not just about being kind to others. It's about being kind to ourselves as well.

The more you understand, the more you love; the more you love, the more you understand.

The ultimate source of happiness is not money and power, but warm-heartedness.

This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness.

Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.

My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness.

Love is the wish that others be happy, and compassion is the wish that they be free from suffering.

Hatred does not cease by hatred, but only by love; this is the eternal rule.

Compassion is not a relationship between the healer and the wounded. It's a relationship between equals.