The mind that is wise mourns less for what age takes away; than what it leaves behind.
We need an approach to ethics which makes no recourse to religion and can be equally acceptable to those with faith and those without.
The problems we face today, violent conflicts, destruction of nature, poverty, hunger and so on, are human-created problems which can be resolved through human effort, understanding and the development of a sense of brotherhood and sisterhood. We need to cultivate a universal responsibility for one another and the planet we share.
We are driven by self-interest, it’s necessary to survive. But we need wise self-interest that is generous and co-operative, taking others’ interests into account. Co-operation comes from friendship, friendship comes from trust, and trust comes from kind-heartedness. Once you have a genuine sense of concern for others, there’s no room for cheating, bullying or exploitation.
The way to change others' minds is with affection, and not anger.
True friendship develops not as a result of money or power but on the basis of genuine human affection.
A simple smile. That's the start of opening your heart and being compassionate to others.
You feel this pressure that people will take you more seriously if you play guitar, but I've decided I'm a singer and that's enough.
I could only try to comfort the women that I came face-to-face with. I was really moved by how much they wanted to talk, how much they needed to be comforted, and how happy they were that we were there.
Today it is fashionable to talk about the poor. Unfortunately, it is not fashionable to talk with them.
My mother's great. She has the major looks. She could stop you from doing anything, through a closed door even, with a single look. Without saying a word, she has that power to rip out your tonsils.