--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Since we became Buddhist, we have lived…" description: "\"Since we became Buddhist, we have lived in peace with them. We did not invade them. We did not want them to invade us. We have never declared war on Ch..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/908/dalai-lama-89_buddhist_since-we-became-buddhist-we-have-lived-i_2320796.jpg" --- # Since we became Buddhist, we have lived in peace with… ![“Since we became Buddhist, we have lived in peace with them. We did not invade them. We did not want them to invade us. We have never declared war on China.” quote by Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/908/dalai-lama-89_buddhist_since-we-became-buddhist-we-have-lived-i_2320796.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/908/dalai-lama-89_buddhist_since-we-became-buddhist-we-have-lived-i_2320796.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/908/dalai-lama-89_buddhist_since-we-became-buddhist-we-have-lived-i_2320796.jpg) > “Since we became Buddhist, we have lived in peace with them. We did not invade them. We did not want them to invade us. We have never declared war on China.” [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Advocates peaceful coexistence and mutual respect without aggression **In simple terms:** Peaceful coexistence without war Key Takeaway Practice empathy and non‑aggression Themes peace coexistence non‑violence Mood calm hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - Diplomacy - community building - conflict resolution Key Concepts Buddhism international relations Questions to Reflect On - How can nations maintain peace amid rivalry? - What role does empathy play in international relations? A Different Perspective Peaceful coexistence may be challenged by political pressures ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Buddhist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buddhist/) [Buddhist Lived](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buddhist-lived-5546987/) [China](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/china/) [Lived Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lived-peace-1785111/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [War China](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war-china-1332909/) ## Related quotes > [We have never declared war on China. We have only asked them to leave us in peace, to let us have our natural freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/we-have-never-declared-war-on-china-we-have-only-asked-them-to-leave/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [“I would have lived in peace. But my enemies brought me war.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierce-brown/i-would-have-lived-in-peace-but-my-enemies-brought-me-war/) [Pierce Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierce-brown/) > [It seemed to me that all things were possible on the island, all tyrannies and cruelties, though in small; and if, in despite of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-seemed-to-me-that-all-things-were-possible-on-the-island-all/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“During the Second World War, China, briefly united under Chiang Kai-shek, was split into pieces controlled by the Kuomintang, the Japanese, the Communists, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-g-chang/during-the-second-world-war-china-briefly-united-under-chiang-kai/) [Gordon G. Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-g-chang/) > [As I've said many times and publicly, a war between China and Taiwan that involves the United States is a lose-lose-lose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-c-blair/as-i-ve-said-many-times-and-publicly-a-war-between-china-and-taiwan/) [Dennis C. Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-c-blair/) > [If I were an Englishman, I should esteem the man who advised a war with China to be the greatest living enemy of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/if-i-were-an-englishman-i-should-esteem-the-man-who-advised-a-war/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [One of the three big factors that count against war in the relationship between China and the U.S. are, first, nuclear weapons and even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-t-allison/one-of-the-three-big-factors-that-count-against-war-in-the/) [Graham T. Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-t-allison/) > [We're at economic war with China. It's in all their literature. They're not shy about saying what they're doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-bannon/we-re-at-economic-war-with-china-it-s-in-all-their-literature-they-re/) [Steve Bannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-bannon/) > [“Cold War. China, though technically an ally of the Soviet Union, was in quest of maneuvering”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-kissinger/cold-war-china-though-technically-an-ally-of-the-soviet-union-was-in/) [Henry Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-kissinger/) > [“The war in China exemplified a fact often forgotten about the Second World War: globally, more non-combatants perished than uniformed participants. Civilians in China…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-g-riddle/the-war-in-china-exemplified-a-fact-often-forgotten-about-the-second/) [A.G. Riddle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-g-riddle/) > [The basic Buddhist stand on the question of equality between the genders is age-old. At the highest tantric levels, at the highest esoteric level,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/the-basic-buddhist-stand-on-the-question-of-equality-between-the/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [The great benefit of science is that it can contribute tremendously to the alleviation of suffering at the physical level, but it is only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/the-great-benefit-of-science-is-that-it-can-contribute-tremendously/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [As a Buddhist, I view death as a normal process, a reality that I accept will occur as long as I remain in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/as-a-buddhist-i-view-death-as-a-normal-process-a-reality-that-i/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [Firstly, as a Buddhist monk, I hold that violence is not good. Secondly, I am a firm believer in the Gandian ethic of passive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/firstly-as-a-buddhist-monk-i-hold-that-violence-is-not-good-secondly/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [The practice of patience guards us against losing our presence of mind. It enables us to remain undisturbed, even when the situation is really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/the-practice-of-patience-guards-us-against-losing-our-presence-of/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) ## More by Dalai Lama > [Although under particular circumstances, the violence method - any method - can be justified, nevertheless once you commit violence, then counterviolence will be returned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/although-under-particular-circumstances-the-violence-method-any/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [There are a number of qualities which are important for mental peace, but from the little experience I have, I believe that one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/there-are-a-number-of-qualities-which-are-important-for-mental-peace/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [In the interests of everyone the artist had a responsibility to use his medium well. In the Tibetan culture, most of the paintings are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/in-the-interests-of-everyone-the-artist-had-a-responsibility-to-use/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [If the mind is dominated by hatred, the best part of the brain, which is used to judge right and wrong, does not function…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/if-the-mind-is-dominated-by-hatred-the-best-part-of-the-brain-which/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [More compassionate mind, more sense of concern for other's well-being, is source of happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/more-compassionate-mind-more-sense-of-concern-for-other-s-well-being/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [Everybody loves to talk about calmness and peace, whether in a family, national, or international context, but without inner peace how can we make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/everybody-loves-to-talk-about-calmness-and-peace-whether-in-a-family/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [The only "definitive truth" for Buddhism is the absolute negation of any one truth as the Definitive Truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/the-only-definitive-truth-for-buddhism-is-the-absolute-negation-of/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [We can change society, change humanity by changing ourselves as individuals. By cultivating inner values, we can change our own lives and those of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/we-can-change-society-change-humanity-by-changing-ourselves-as/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [I don't want to convert people to Buddhism — all major religions, when understood properly, have the same potential for good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/i-don-t-want-to-convert-people-to-buddhism-all-major-religions-when/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [There is no way to escape death, it is just like trying to escape by four great mountains touching sky. There is no escape…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/there-is-no-way-to-escape-death-it-is-just-like-trying-to-escape-by/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [We live within the environment. So that directly relates with our survival, our life. So through that way, more concern of well being of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/we-live-within-the-environment-so-that-directly-relates-with-our/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [My belief is that the various religious traditions have great potential to increase compassion, the sense of caring for one another, and the spirit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/my-belief-is-that-the-various-religious-traditions-have-great/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [When we think carefully, we see that the brief elation we experience when appeasing sensual impulses may not be very different from what the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/when-we-think-carefully-we-see-that-the-brief-elation-we-experience/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [“So let us reflect on what is truly of value in life, what gives meaning to our lives, and set our priorities on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/so-let-us-reflect-on-what-is-truly-of-value-in-life-what-gives/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [I am the source of my own suffering, because of the habits of my mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/i-am-the-source-of-my-own-suffering-because-of-the-habits-of-my-mind/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) [Explore all 1,406 Dalai Lama quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) ## More Buddhist quotes > [One of the things I regret about not putting in that book or I think it's there but I didn't really elaborate on it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-warner/one-of-the-things-i-regret-about-not-putting-in-that-book-or-i-think/) [Brad Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-warner/) > [One of his students asked Buddha, "Are you the Messiah?" "No," answered Buddha. "Then are you a healer?" "No," Buddha replied. "Then are you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/one-of-his-students-asked-buddha-are-you-the-messiah-no-answered/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [For fear of causing terror to living beings, Mahamati, let the Bodhisattva who is disciplining himself to attain compassion, refrain from eating flesh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/for-fear-of-causing-terror-to-living-beings-mahamati-let-the/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [Be lamps unto yourselves. Be refuges unto yourselves. Take yourself no external refuge. Hold fast to the truth as a lamp. Hold fast to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/be-lamps-unto-yourselves-be-refuges-unto-yourselves-take-yourself-no/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [Humility simply means that you do a great job at everything and it isn't really a big deal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/humility-simply-means-that-you-do-a-great-job-at-everything-and-it/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Speak only the speech that neither torments self nor does harm to others. That speech is truly well spoken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/speak-only-the-speech-that-neither-torments-self-nor-does-harm-to/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [I don't look at anything. Every person whether he is Hindu, Muslim or Buddhist, he is my brother, my sister. I think we all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/i-don-t-look-at-anything-every-person-whether-he-is-hindu-muslim-or/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [My family is Jewish, Buddhist, Baptist and Catholic. I don't believe in man-made religions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whoopi-goldberg/my-family-is-jewish-buddhist-baptist-and-catholic-i-don-t-believe-in/) [Whoopi Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whoopi-goldberg/) > [I'm working at trying to be a Christian, and that's serious business. It's like trying to be a good Jew, a good Muslim, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/i-m-working-at-trying-to-be-a-christian-and-that-s-serious-business/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [Buddhist words such as compassion and emptiness don't mean much until we start cultivating our innate ability simply to be there with pain with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/buddhist-words-such-as-compassion-and-emptiness-don-t-mean-much-until/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [“Even my Buddhist friends have been feeling despair and when they go bad, you know the end is nigh.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/even-my-buddhist-friends-have-been-feeling-despair-and-when-they-go/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [He who causes suffering shall suffer. There is no escape.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/he-who-causes-suffering-shall-suffer-there-is-no-escape/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [“When I think about what it would take to achieve freedom from all psychological stuff, the response that comes is this: life is about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-m-ingram/when-i-think-about-what-it-would-take-to-achieve-freedom-from-all/) [Daniel M. Ingram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-m-ingram/) > [If my happiness at this moment consists largely in reviewing happy memories and expectations, I am but dimly aware of this present. I shall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/if-my-happiness-at-this-moment-consists-largely-in-reviewing-happy/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) > [The Buddha gave his first talks, and three or four ascetics became his first disciples. They recognized his enlightenment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/the-buddha-gave-his-first-talks-and-three-or-four-ascetics-became-his/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) [Browse all 1,479 Buddhist quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buddhist/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Since we became Buddhist, we have lived in peace with them. We did not invade them. We did not want them to invade us. We have never declared war on China.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dalai Lama" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/since-we-became-buddhist-we-have-lived-in-peace-with-them-we-did-not/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Buddhist" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/since-we-became-buddhist-we-have-lived-in-peace-with-them-we-did-not/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/908/dalai-lama-89_buddhist_since-we-became-buddhist-we-have-lived-i_2320796.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/908/dalai-lama-89_buddhist_since-we-became-buddhist-we-have-lived-i_2320796.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/908/dalai-lama-89_buddhist_since-we-became-buddhist-we-have-lived-i_2320796.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Since we became Buddhist, we have lived in peace with them. We did not invade them. We did not want them to…” — Dalai Lama", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Dalai Lama", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Since we became Buddhist, we have...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/since-we-became-buddhist-we-have-lived-in-peace-with-them-we-did-not/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/since-we-became-buddhist-we-have-lived-in-peace-with-them-we-did-not/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```