--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Every country that meets Buddhism molds…" description: "\"Every country that meets Buddhism molds it into their own indigenous religion, as America will. A very clear example of this is Japan, which threw out ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc0/tenzin-palmo-1431_america_every-country-that-meets-buddhism-molds_384284.png" --- # Every country that meets Buddhism molds it into their own… ![“Every country that meets Buddhism molds it into their own indigenous religion, as America will. A very clear example of this is Japan, which threw out almost all the dharma, and just kept that essence, which spoke to them.” quote by Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc0/tenzin-palmo-1431_america_every-country-that-meets-buddhism-molds_384284.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc0/tenzin-palmo-1431_america_every-country-that-meets-buddhism-molds_384284.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc0/tenzin-palmo-1431_america_every-country-that-meets-buddhism-molds_384284.png) > “Every country that meets Buddhism molds it into their own indigenous religion, as America will. A very clear example of this is Japan, which threw out almost all the dharma, and just kept that essence, which spoke to them.” [Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Buddhism changes shape when it spreads, adopting local customs while keeping core teachings. **In simple terms:** Buddhism adapts to local cultures. Key Takeaway Respect local traditions while preserving core values. Themes cultural adaptation religious syncretism identity globalization preservation Mood reflective analytical cautious Type observational critical philosophical When to use this quote - missionary work - interfaith dialogue - educational curricula - community rituals Key Concepts syncretism cultural diffusion essentialism Questions to Reflect On - How can core teachings stay intact amid cultural change? - What risks arise when religions merge with local practices? A Different Perspective Local customs may dilute original doctrines, causing loss of depth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Buddhism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buddhism/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Dharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dharma/) [Essence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/essence/) [Indigenous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indigenous/) [Japan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/japan/) ## Related quotes > [The very best players, when they are practicing, put everything they've got into it. But then they leave it for a while. And it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenzin-palmo/the-very-best-players-when-they-are-practicing-put-everything-they-ve/) [Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/) > [I think it would help if, when people are first ordained, they underwent a period of strict training, maybe for several years. During this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenzin-palmo/i-think-it-would-help-if-when-people-are-first-ordained-they/) [Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/) > [When one has a decisive realization of the inherent nature of the mind, which has no ego, it has no sense of duality between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenzin-palmo/when-one-has-a-decisive-realization-of-the-inherent-nature-of-the/) [Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/) > [The dharma is the most precious thing in the world and we should put it at the center of our hearts and transform our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenzin-palmo/the-dharma-is-the-most-precious-thing-in-the-world-and-we-should-put/) [Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/) > [Everyone should not be ordained, but for those who really feel that the only thing that matters in this world is the Dharma, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenzin-palmo/everyone-should-not-be-ordained-but-for-those-who-really-feel-that/) [Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/) > [The purpose of dharma is to help your mind to expand, to grow, to clarify. It should uphold us and create an inner sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenzin-palmo/the-purpose-of-dharma-is-to-help-your-mind-to-expand-to-grow-to/) [Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/) > [The future of Dharma is in women's hands now because they have this energy which was never really tapped.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenzin-palmo/the-future-of-dharma-is-in-women-s-hands-now-because-they-have-this/) [Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/) > [Just entering into the dharma and taking refuge and bodhisattva vows is a tremendous amount of merit, but we need more and more and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenzin-palmo/just-entering-into-the-dharma-and-taking-refuge-and-bodhisattva-vows/) [Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/) > [All of the external circumstances and the rude and difficult people we meet, instead of getting angry, upset, or frustrated, we see that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenzin-palmo/all-of-the-external-circumstances-and-the-rude-and-difficult-people/) [Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/) > [We have met with the dharma. Many of us have met with teachers. We do have some idea of what to do and how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenzin-palmo/we-have-met-with-the-dharma-many-of-us-have-met-with-teachers-we-do/) [Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/) > [Obviously the dharma is every breath we take, every thought we think, every word we speak, if we do it with awareness and an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenzin-palmo/obviously-the-dharma-is-every-breath-we-take-every-thought-we-think/) [Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/) > [If you don't find that people find you're easier to live with than you were before, if you don't find that your heart is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenzin-palmo/if-you-don-t-find-that-people-find-you-re-easier-to-live-with-than/) [Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/) > [I was born in England and brought up in London. When I was 18 I read a book and came across the Dharma. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenzin-palmo/i-was-born-in-england-and-brought-up-in-london-when-i-was-18-i-read-a/) [Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/) > [It takes a tremendous amount of merit to meet with the dharma - especially if you have an interest in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenzin-palmo/it-takes-a-tremendous-amount-of-merit-to-meet-with-the-dharma/) [Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/) > [The Tibetans are good at learning many skillful ways to show that everything we do becomes dharma practice, depending on which kind of approach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenzin-palmo/the-tibetans-are-good-at-learning-many-skillful-ways-to-show-that/) [Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/) ## More by Tenzin Palmo > [All of us are playing roles, and there's nothing wrong with playing roles because we have to live in this world - the problem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenzin-palmo/all-of-us-are-playing-roles-and-there-s-nothing-wrong-with-playing/) [Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/) > [The very best players, when they are practicing, put everything they've got into it. But then they leave it for a while. And it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenzin-palmo/the-very-best-players-when-they-are-practicing-put-everything-they-ve/) [Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/) > [I really don't know what I could teach and don't really plan to teach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenzin-palmo/i-really-don-t-know-what-i-could-teach-and-don-t-really-plan-to-teach/) [Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/) > [If you go to any nunnery and ask them what the main obstacle is, they'll always say low self-esteem and lack of confidence. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenzin-palmo/if-you-go-to-any-nunnery-and-ask-them-what-the-main-obstacle-is-they/) [Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/) > [To really be of benefit to others as the Buddha always taught, we ourselves must first get out of the swamp. 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One has to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenzin-palmo/for-any-practice-to-work-the-mind-which-is-meditating-on-the-object/) [Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/) > [I've often said that the seventh paramita should be a sense of humor, so we don't take ourselves too seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenzin-palmo/i-ve-often-said-that-the-seventh-paramita-should-be-a-sense-of-humor/) [Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/) > [If you take the time to study how to be a doctor and how to use your scalpel and your medicine, then there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenzin-palmo/if-you-take-the-time-to-study-how-to-be-a-doctor-and-how-to-use-your/) [Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/) > [If we want to be musicians, dancers or sportspeople, we can download a certain amount and watch DVDs and read books, but in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenzin-palmo/if-we-want-to-be-musicians-dancers-or-sportspeople-we-can-download-a/) [Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/) > [Realization is wonderful, but you have to expand it until there's not a single defilement left in the mind and the mind is completely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenzin-palmo/realization-is-wonderful-but-you-have-to-expand-it-until-there-s-not/) [Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/) > [It's not a matter of how much you know or can define, or how many millions of mantras or thousands of prostrations you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenzin-palmo/it-s-not-a-matter-of-how-much-you-know-or-can-define-or-how-many/) [Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/) > [We have compassion because of the incredible pain and suffering which we as unenlightened beings cause to ourselves and all others through our ignorance.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenzin-palmo/we-have-compassion-because-of-the-incredible-pain-and-suffering-which/) [Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/) > [When I look back I can think that of course I've been lazy and haven't practiced as much as I could have and have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenzin-palmo/when-i-look-back-i-can-think-that-of-course-i-ve-been-lazy-and-haven/) [Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/) > [We do have the precious opportunity of this human life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenzin-palmo/we-do-have-the-precious-opportunity-of-this-human-life/) [Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/) > [I think the problem with Western students is they're very ambitious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenzin-palmo/i-think-the-problem-with-western-students-is-they-re-very-ambitious/) [Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/) [Explore all 242 Tenzin Palmo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! 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And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? 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