Whether one believes in a religion or not, and whether one believes in rebirth or not, there isn't anyone who doesn't appreciate kindness and compassion.

When you are discontent, you always want more, more, more. Your desire can never be satisfied. But when you practice contentment, you can say to yourself, 'Oh yes - I already have everything that I really need.'

I feed on other people's creativity, photographers, artists of every kind. Sometimes a feeling that you get listening to a song can be so powerful. I've wanted to write whole scripts around what I felt just listening to a piece of music. I think music is important, and surrounding your visual field with stimulating things.

Short words are best and the old words when short are best of all. 

Politicians also have no leisure, because they are always aiming at something beyond political life itself, power and glory, or happiness.

Our human compassion binds us the one to the other - not in pity or patronizingly, but as human beings who have learnt how to turn our common suffering into hope for the future. 

There is no end to the adventure that we can have if only we seek them with your eyes open.

We may stumble and fall but shall rise again; it should be enough if we did not run away from the battle.

When the water starts boiling it is foolish to turn off the heat.

As a man sow, shall he reap. and I know that talk is cheap. But the heat of the battle is as sweet as the victory.

My son has died of AIDS.

Nirvana is not the blowing out of the candle. It is the extinguishing of the flame because day is come.