It is difficult to violently suppressed people in the long run, as the example of the Soviet Union and the Eastern European countries has shown.

The moment there is suspicion about a person's motives, everything he does become tainted.

In a democracy the poor will have more power than the rich, because there are more of them, and the will of the majority is supreme.

A war based on Satyagraha is always of two kinds. One is the war we wage against injustice, and the other we fight our own weaknesses.

There are only two styles of portrait painting; the serious and the smirk.

The wise man does not expose himself needlessly to danger, since there are few things for which he cares sufficiently; but he is willing, in great crises, to give even his life - knowing that under certain conditions it is not worthwhile to live.

After 2014, we will support a unified Afghanistan as it takes responsibility for its own future.

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.

In a controversy the instant we feel anger we have already ceased striving for the truth, and have begun striving for ourselves.

I am confident I will set foot again in Tibet in my lifetime.

You have to dream before your dreams can come true.

All the powers in the universe are already ours. It is we who have put our hands before our eyes and cry that it is dark.