I think everyone should try to have an insight into what is one’s universal responsibility, what is one's responsibility towards entire sentient beings. If you understand this, you will definitely have a compassionate mind and you will have the sensitivity of how to relate yourself to the rest of all sentient beings and also to nature. Thereby, you will be able to lead a life on the basis of needs and not on the basis of greed. If you are able to see the greed and its demerits and you lead a very decent life on the basis of need, then I think an ordinary person or householder is really performing his or her universal responsibility. I think that is the highest ethics one person can practise.

-- 5th Samdhong Rinpoche, Lobsang Tenzin