When spiritual beliefs are used to build up walls between people, this is a total misunderstanding of the purpose of spirituality. Spirituality should mean coming closer to yourself. When this happens, you become closer to others, too. Spirituality and religion should dismantle discrimination and labels, not shore them up. It should break, not create, barriers between people.
17th Karmapa
from the book The Heart Is Noble: Changing the World from the Inside Out
translated by Ngodup Tsering Burkhar & Damchö Diana Finnegan
Read a random quote or see all quotes by the 17th Karmapa.
Further quotes from the book The Heart Is Noble:
- Interdependent reality
- Who are you
- Our relationship to the material world
- Let the moon be the keeper of my love
- Making healthy relationships possible
- Take joy in your sincere intentions
- The kindness we receive from others
- Distinguishing between wants and needs
- Boxing Love with Our Expectations
- Facing Impermanence Wisely
- Greed is a recipe for dissatisfaction
- Balanced Life
- The intention to work for others
- True Wealth
- Life in Balance
- Expanding our sense of ourselves
- The Wealth of Contentment
- Reality is your teacher
- Protective Inner Wisdom