Dalai Lama - Be Brave

Be Happy

Be Angry

Be Here

Be Kind

Copyright The Dalai Lama Trust 2022

Foreword copyright Renuka Singh 2022

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from Hampton Roads Publishing, Inc.

Reviewers may quote brief passages.

First published in 2021 as The Little Book of Encouragement by

Penguin Books, Penguin Random House India.

ISBN 9780670094943

Hampton Roads Publishing Company, Inc.

Charlottesville, VA 22906

Distributed by Red Wheel/Weiser, LLC

www.redwheelweiser.com

Cover and text design by Kathryn Sky-Peck

Graphic image of the Dalai Lama from www.vectorportal.com

ISBN: 978-1-64297-044-9

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data available on request.

Printed in the United States of America

IBI

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The spread of Covid-19 has shaken up our world within a very short period. It has given rise to uncertainties, unknown fears, anxieties, loneliness, and depression. As societies and nations struggle to come to terms with and contain it, economic breakdown, migration, environmental crises, and a dwindling spirit stare us in our face. Nevertheless, it has indeed presented an opportune moment to explore one's interiority. His Holiness the Dalai Lama rightly points to our emotional hygiene that helps the mind and heart to gain inner strength, peace, clarity, and happiness. I am grateful to His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama for being in my life and being a reliable object of refuge for millions in this ever-changing world. His Holiness has always advocated the principle of interdependence and maintained that we are deeply connected by the humaneness that unites us all.

I am indebted to Mr Tseten Samdup Chhoekyapa from the private office of His Holiness, who generously and promptly provided sources and relevant material for this book and gave valuable suggestions and comments. Also, my gratitude to Venerable Geshe Ngawang Sonam for his philosophical input and insights.

My editor Premanka Goswami encouraged and inspired me at every step to put this collection together. I would like to thank him, as well as editor Ms Shreya Pandey, and the team at Penguin Random House for their hard and meticulous work.

For their patience and unfailing support, I thank my family membersJyotsna, Sumeet, Supriti, Lisl, Sam, Harry, and the Mehtas.

I hope and pray that the 21st century will be peaceful and that this book of quotations will benefit and inspire all the readers to never give up hope.

Renuka Singh

1 January 2021

With his characteristic down-to-earth approach to the Buddhist path, His Holiness the Dalai Lama has often observed of himself that his informal speaking style complements my broken English. This volume has been edited to keep alive his voice and its unique flavor.

A s one among the more than seven billion human beings alive today, I have made a commitment to promoting human happiness. We tend to think that happiness comes from money and power, without acknowledging the role of the mind or that the key to happiness is inner peace. When we are mentally distressed and physical comfort brings little relief, whereas we can often withstand physical pain if we are mentally at peace. Our modern lifestyle is focused on material goals, which are not sufficient in and of themselves to bring about inner peace. We all want to live a happy life and to do so is our right. What we need to do is to cultivate inner values such as warm-heartedness and compassion.

Similarly, whenever we face conflicts of interest, we have to think on a global level. We are interdependent. We need each other. In the globalized world in which we now live, clinging to notions of my nation, my faith, my community is out of date. We need, instead, to be much more aware of the oneness of humanity, to acknowledge others' rights and interests; and when we do so, meaningful dialogue can come about.

Dr Renuka Singh, who I have known for many years, has chosen quotations concerning these topics from talks I have given in recent years and gathered them together in this book. I am very happy to have this opportunity to share some of my thoughts and experiences with you. Please take time to think more about these ideas. Discuss them with your friends and, if you can, put them into practice in your day-to-day life.

The Dalai Lama

1 January 2021

For me, the best introduction is the human face. When I see two eyes, one mouth, one nose, I know I am dealing with another human being. I am like those young children who don't care about their companion's background, so long as they are smiling and willing to play.

Tragic situations reveal the deeper human values of compassion in us. Usually, people don't think about these deeper human values, but when they see their human brothers and sisters suffering, the response comes automatically. We need a revolution of compassion that is based on warm-heartedness. This will contribute to a more compassionate world that has a sense of oneness of humanity.

Scientists have evidence to prove that basic human nature is compassionate. They have also found that constant anger and hatred weaken our immune system. Therefore, just as we teach people physical hygiene to help preserve their physical health, for a happy and peaceful mind, we need to teach people about emotional hygienehow to tackle their destructive emotions.

When you find that all human beings are just like you, a spirit of friendship is fostered. You find that there is less need to hide things and as a result, feelings of fear, self-doubt, and insecurity are automatically dispelled. What's more, you earn the trust of other people!

We must recognize that we are not individuals who are alone. We depend on our community and we are a part of it. No matter how rich your family is, without the community you cannot survive. In the past, there has been too much emphasis on one's race, ethnicity, nation, and religion. We are slowly learning that that sort of thinking is outdated. What we really need is a sense of oneness shared among seven billion human beings. This could be one of the positive outcomes of the coronavirus disease crisis.