Dalai Lama Quotes

One of the great tragedies of mankind is that morality has been hijacked by religion.

Tis certain that Morality is an indispensable Requisite of true Religion, and there can be none without it. But it would become the Pride and Ignorance of Pagans only, to magnify it, as the Whole of what is necessary.

To be good and to do good-that is the whole of religion.

You don't need a religious background to strive for something good, for genuine compassion and love for others.

We need leadership that can elevate religion and morality to their position of paramount importance and thus eliminate growing selfishness, immorality and materialism.

It is difficult for me to regard anyone who obeys no moral principle in his conduct to be a religious man.

The religious man fears, the man of honor scorns, to do an ill action.

Piety and morality are but the same spirit differently manifested. Piety is religion with its face toward God; morality is religion with its face toward the world.

Mark, therefore, the ordinary theory of practical religion, what it leads to. Charity is great, but the moment you say it is all, you run the risk of running into materialism. It is not religion. It is no better than atheism - a little less.

To be good, and to do good, is all we have to do.

Morality may exist in an atheist without any religion, and in a theist with a religion quite unspiritual.

Whatever efforts one may make, one must revert to the realization that religion is the real basis of morality; religion is the real and perceptible purpose within us, which alone, can turn aside our attention from things. ... The science of morality can no more teach human beings to be honest, in all the magnificence of this word, than geometry can teach one how to draw.

I believe in helping our fellow man in need. I believe that reaching into your own pockets to help someone in need is praiseworthy and laudable. Reaching into somebody else's pockets to help your fellow man in need is despicable. And, or those of us who are Christians, I'm very sure that when God gave Moses the commandment Thou Shalt Not Steal, he did not mean ...unless you get a majority vote in Congress.

We must distinguish between spirituality in general terms, which aims to make us better people, and religion. Adopting a religion remains optional, but becoming a better human being is essential.

Let us with Caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion.

There is no true and abiding morality that is not founded in religion.

I believe in good, having morals, be a decent person.

No man's religion ever survives his morals.

Most people don't base their morality on religion in spite what they say. If you ask people, "If you didn't believe in God, would you go out and kill your neighbour?" Most people will say, "No".

Everyone has conscience enough to hate; few have religion enough to love.

Only Atheists have morals, the religious have reward and punishment. That's not morality, that's sucking up.

Religion and morality are the essential pillars of civil society.

As soon as we lose the moral basis, we cease to be religious. There is no such thing as religion over-riding morality. Man, for instance, cannot be untruthful, cruel or incontinent and claim to have God on his side.

Personal faith can be a powerful force for public good.

It's simply untrue that religion provides the only framework for a universal morality.