His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Ethics for the New Millennium, from Chapter XVI, ÒAn AppealÓ

This, then, is my true religion, my simple faith.  In this sense, there is no need for temple or church, for mosque or synagogue, no need for complicated philosophy, doctrine, or dogma.  Our own heart, our own mind, is the temple.  The doctrine is compassion.  Love for others and respect for their rights and dignity, no matter who or what they are; ultimately these are all we need.  So long as we practice these in our daily lives, then no matter if we are learned or unlearned, whether we believe in Buddha or God, or follow some other religion or none at all, as long as we have compassion for others and conduct ourselves with restraint out of a sense of responsibility, there is no doubt we will be happyÉ.

ÉTherefore, with my two hands joined, I appeal to you the reader to ensure that you make the rest of your life as meaningful as possible.  Do this by engaging in a spiritual practice if you can.  As I hope I have made clear, there is nothing mysterious in this.  It consists in nothing more than acting out of concern for others.  And provided you undertake this practice sincerely and with persistence, little by little, step by step you will gradually be able to reorder your habits and attitudes so you think less about your own narrow concerns and more of othersÕ.  In doing so, you will find that you enjoy peace and happiness yourself.