Do humans need religions? The Dalai Lama said religious rituals, temples and religions are luxuries. What we need is to build the temple inside, and to devote ourselves to daily spiritual practice. Everybody has the capacity to transform him-/herself morally and spiritually if s/he wants to attain liberation from negative emotions, false perceptions, and the cycle of birth and death full of sufferings. Spiritual practice is fundamentally dedicated to this transformation. Buddhist teachings provide us the methods and guidelines, and the Buddha is our Master. Of course in life we may encounter various teachers, and learn from many others in various situations. However, it is the practitioner who embarks on the spiritual journey , and who takes the most responsibility in his/her spiritual transformation and ultimate liberation.
Source:
The Dalai Lama: My Spiritual Journey (New York, NY: HarperCollins, 2010). Collected by Sofia Stril-Rever, and translated by Charlotte Mandell.
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