There is great transformative power in the act of discovery. No founder of any religion was a follower. The Buddha became the Buddha because he discovered important truths for himself. Many remarkable people following within his tradition also came to that understanding themselves. The same is true of the founders and remarkable followers of every other major world religion. Each brought forth new insights and understanding. Everyone is capable of that; you just need the right conditions. Joining a religion or studying its wisdom can be one of those conditions. But I have studied Buddhist philosophy for over a decade, and I can tell you that such study is not sufficient in order to find true meaning. Only if your own understanding is rooted profoundly within will you be able to awaken spiritually. Only you can understand your life and find its deepest meaning.

17th Karmapa

from the book The Heart Is Noble: Changing the World from the Inside Out

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Further quotes from the book The Heart Is Noble:

• Authentic love toward others
• Expanding our sense of ourselves
• There are no fixed starting points
• Our life is vast
• Open-minded
• Balanced Life
• Greed is a recipe for dissatisfaction
• Disconnected from our own noble heart
• Distinguishing between wants and needs
• A noble vision
• My trust is a gift
• Boxed limitless potential
• Look what he did
• The intention to work for others
• Loving Responsibility
• Authentic love
• Making healthy relationships possible
• Facing Impermanence Wisely
• The kindness we receive from others
• We truly have everything we need already