There are no national or man-made boundaries in religion. Religion can and should be used by anyone who finds it beneficial. One might, for example, employ some of the efficacious Buddhist meditative techniques without becoming a Buddhist. What is important is for each seeker to choose the way most suitable for himself.
Religion is, at best, a tool to help us control our minds. The aim is to transform the self-destructive thoughts of anger, greed, pride, jealousy and hatred into their opposites. When one recognizes the destructive nature of negative emotions, attempts to control and transform them are logical and natural steps. In Mahayana Buddhism there is the additional stipulation that self-control is for the sake of all other beings….
The noblest human qualities of honesty, sincerity, and a good heart will never result from money or be produced by machines. Only the mind itself can produce these attitudes. The mental development is not easy, nor can compassion come quickly. It requires brave and consistent adherence to truth even in the midst of dishonesty and competitive aggression. But it is the only viable approach for our future survival.
Universal responsibility is based on an understanding of the desire, the right and the possibility of achieving happiness for all beings. When we recognize the importance of this outlook, a true sense of compassion becomes possible, and eventually, a natural reality.
— Tenzin Gyatso, The 14th Dalai Lama