Quotes About Altruism

We don't stop thinking about ourselves the whole time. Even when this makes us unhappy and uptight. If we focus too much on ourselves, we make ourselves sick. We have this constant inner chatter going morning, noon, and night, this inner monologue. But paradoxically, the more we are able to think about making other beings happy, the happier we become ourselves

One way to achieve happiness is to give happiness to others.

Thinking too much about oneself is a cause of much suffering," the Dalai Lama said. "Anxiety, depression, resentment, fear—these become much worse with too much attention to the self. The mantra Me, me, me is not so good.

The Holy Secret is this: If you wish to end your suffering, seek to end the suffering of others. If you wish for happiness, seek the happiness of others. Exchanging thoughts of self for thoughts of others—this is the most effective way to be happy.

For in giving, we receive.

A Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life?

If you help people lead more positive lives that benefit others as well as themselves, this is a good thing. Very good thing. The danger is that self-development can lead us to more self-cherishing, self-absorption, self-infatuation. And these are not true causes of happiness but the opposite.

instantly understood in that moment, however, was that the version of the beings we saw in the world around us was as much a reflection of our own mind, as it was of them. And that the more our mind was filled with thoughts of self and our own needs and wishes, the less space and compassion there was for others—and the less happy we would be.

Eudemonia, on the other hand, is the happiness we get from what we give to the world.

the more we keep giving, the more profound our sense of well-being.

Every time we do something nice for someone else, even if it is a routine thing they expect, we can do so with the thought 'By this act of love, or of giving happiness, may I attain enlightenment to liberate all living beings.' Every time we practice generosity, whether it is making a donation or nursing a cat, we can think the same thing.

In Buddhism, we define love as the wish to give happiness to others.

For all of us with consciousness"—the Dalai Lama returned to his seat—"our life is very precious. Therefore, we need to protect all sentient beings very much. Also, we must recognize that we share the same two basic wishes: the wish to enjoy happiness and the wish to avoid suffering." These

Without question, the most important practice is bodhichitta. The wish to attain enlightenment to lead all living beings to that same state... This mind of enlightenment is based on pure, great compassion, which in turn is based on pure, great love. In each case pure means impartial. Without conditions. And great means benefiting all living beings, not just the small group of those we happen to like at the moment.

cause for me to become enlightened, so that I may help all other beings attain this same state.

The sense of profound wellbeing that comes from what you give, rather than from what you receive.

From our perspective the only way to enjoy a state of permanent happiness and avoid all suffering is to achieve enlightenment. This is why bodhichitta is considered to be the most altruistic of motivations. We wish to achieve enlightenment not only for ourselves but to help every other living being achieve the same state.

May all beings be free from suffering and the true causes of suffering;

the most fulfilled and purposeful people are those who have turned their abilities to a cause that's greater than themselves.

bodhichitta." "The wish to attain enlightenment in order to lead all living beings to that same state,

love and compassion—the true causes of happiness.

You don't need any special ability to care for the well-being of others. Anyone can practise generosity, giving support to those around us.

we define love as 'the wish to give happiness to others.' If we practice love, then compassion arises quite naturally, for it is 'the wish to free others from suffering.

doing small acts with great love is our most precious gift, and not only for those we are helping. It is a wonderful paradox that when we help others, we, ourselves, are the first to benefit.