"We can live without religion and meditation, but we cannot survive without human affection."

~Dalai Lama

"The main difference between us, Buddhism and other philosophies, is that we do not accept the notion of a living god, but rather that we are responsible for our future happiness."

~Tenzin Gyatso The 14th Dalai Lama

The essence of love and compassion is understanding, the ability to recognize the physical, material, and psychological suffering of others, to put ourselves "inside the skin" of the other. We "go inside" their body, feelings, and mental formations, and witness for ourselves their suffering. Shallow observation as an outsider is not enough to see their suffering. We must become one with the subject of our observation. When we are in contact with another's suffering, a feeling of compassion is born in us. Compassion means, literally, "to suffer with."

~ Thich Nhat Hanh

The layman Vimalakirti said, "Because the world is sick, I am sick. Because people suffer, I have to suffer." This statement was also made by the Buddha. Please don't think that because you are unhappy, because there is pain in your heart, that you cannot go to the Buddha. It is exactly because there is pain in your heart that communication is possible. Your suffering and my suffering are the basic condition for us to enter the Buddha's heart, and for the Buddha to enter our hearts.

~ Thich Nhat Hanh

He who treads the Path in earnest Sees not the mistakes of the world; If we find fault with others We ourselves are also in the wrong.

- The Sutra of Hui Neng

Training is needed in order to love properly; and to be able to give happiness and joy, you must practice DEEP LOOKING directed toward the other person you love. Because if you do not understand this person, you cannot love properly. Understanding is the essence of love. If you cannot understand, you cannot love. That is the message of the Buddha.

~ Thich Nhat Hanh

Remember the clear light, the pure clear white light from which everything in the universe comes, to which everything in the universe returns; the original nature of your own mind. The natural state of the universe unmanifest. Let go into the clear light, trust it, merge with it. It is your own true nature, it is home.

- Tibetan Book of the Dead

We really have to understand the person we want to love. If our love is only a will to possess, it is not love. If we only think of ourselves, if we know only our own needs and ignore the needs of the other person, we cannot love.

~ Thich Nhat Hanh

The best proof of love is trust.

- Joyce Brothers

"The first virtue of all really great men is that they are sincere. They eradicate hypocrisy from their hearts." -- Anatole France

Life's easy to live for someone unscrupulous, cunning as a crow, corrupt, back-biting, forward, & brash; But for someone who's constantly scrupulous, cautious, observant, sincere, pure in his livelihood, clean in his pursuits, it's hard.

- Dhammapada, 18, translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.

And I saw the river
over which every soul
must pass
to reach the kingdom
of heaven
and the name of that river
was suffering:
and I saw a boat
which carries souls
across the river
and the name of that boat
was love.

Saint John of the Cross, 1542-1591
Spanish Mystic, Priest and Poet

“For small creatures such as we the vastness is bearable only through love.”

-Dr. Carl Sagan

Think not of the faults of others, of what they have done or not done. Think rather of your own sins, of the things you have done or not done.

- Buddha

“Hope is the companion of power, and mother of success; for who so hopes strongly has within him the gift of miracles.” -- Samuel Smiles

What you are experiencing at this moment is the result of choices and decisions made in the past; what you will experience in the future depends on choices and decisions you make now. Happiness is a daily decision.

Only one thing has to change for us to know happiness in our lives: where we focus our attention.

- Greg Anderson

When you realize where you come from, you naturally become tolerant, amused, kindhearted as a grandmother, and dignified as a king. Immersed in wonder, you can deal with whatever life brings you, and when death comes, you are ready.

Lao Tzu (Adapted)
Ancient Chinese Philosopher

"Love doesn't need reason. It speaks from the irrational wisdom of the heart."

- Deepak Chopra

I will greet this day with love in my heart. And how will I do this? Henceforth will I look on all things with love and be born again. I will love the sun for it warms my bones; yet I will love the rain for it cleanses my spirit. I will love the light for it shows me the way; yet I will love the darkness for it shows me the stars. I will welcome happiness as it enlarges my heart; yet I will endure sadness for it opens my soul. I will acknowledge rewards for they are my due; yet I will welcome obstacles for they are my challenge.

Og Mandino