"Religion must mainly be a matter of principles only. It cannot be a matter of rules. The moment it degenerates into rules, it ceases to be a religion, as it kills responsibility which is an essence of the true religious act"

B. R. Ambedkar’s words reflect a profound understanding of religion as a living, ethical force rather than a rigid set of prescriptions. At its core, religion provides people with guiding principles, foundational values that inspire moral behavior, compassion, and personal growth. When religion is anchored in principles, it encourages adherents to act thoughtfully and responsibly, fostering a dynamic relationship with their beliefs and with others.

When principles are replaced by a fixed set of rules, religion risks becoming a static institution, losing its transformative influence on individuals. Rules, while necessary to some extent, offer a prescriptive, formulaic approach to complex moral problems. They can become ends in themselves, followed out of habit or fear, rather than from conviction. Ambedkar suggests that when religious life is reduced to rote obedience or external conformity, it deprives individuals of true responsibility, the conscious process of judging, choosing, and acting according to one’s understanding of right and wrong.

Responsibility, according to Ambedkar, is central to genuine religious experience. If people are simply following rules without engaging their conscience or inner moral compass, there is little room for growth, reform, or adaptation. Viewed this way, religion must principally serve as an ethical compass; its value lies not in enforcing blind obedience but in nurturing autonomous, morally conscious individuals. Only through active responsibility do believers engage honestly with the moral demands of their faith, adapting practice to new contexts while remaining true to underlying values.

By cautioning against the degeneration of religion into mere rule-following, Ambedkar advocates for a faith that empowers individuals and communities to reflect, reform, and act in the spirit of genuine responsibility. Such an approach maintains the vitality and relevance of religion, ensuring it aids human development rather than stifling moral agency.