The inner and outer Temple

Buddhism is so named from Buddha;
yet the meaning of the word denotes the knower, the seer,
the word Buddhi in Sanskrit being the name
of the faculty in man which knows, which sees,
and thereby distinguishes and discriminates
between things and beings.

It is doubtful if Buddha taught his followers
to worship his own image, as they do today.
In every temple of the Buddhists, and in their monasteries,
the statues of Buddha, of all sizes,
in gold, silver, brass, and copper, are found,
where Buddha is sitting cross-legged in the mystic posture.
No home of a Buddhist, no sacred place, is without his statue.
And though the four important scriptures
of the Buddhistic faith are lost, and have vanished long ago,
still the fragrance of his philosophy and moral
could not be lost sight of.
Although it seems to be idolatry,
yet his image, as a symbol, inspires not only his devotees,
but every thoughtful mind,
as it shows balance, quietude, peace, the absorption within,
purity of character, beauty of personality, gentleness,
tenderness, a restful attitude, and perfect wisdom.

Hazrat Inayat Khan

The outer temple, the cathedral, the mosque, the stupa are steps on the way to the inner temple. These facilitate the attunement to the sacred without which no space of glorification could be built. But if one has established the sacred space in one's own heart, all means leading to this goal are no longer needed.

Driven only by fear, do men go for refuge to many places
- to hills, woods, groves, trees and shrines.
Such, indeed, is no safe refuge; such is not the refuge supreme.
Not by resorting to such a refuge is one released from all suffering.
He who has gone for refuge to the Buddha,
to Dharma - the Teaching - and to Sangha - his Order -,
penetrates with transcendental wisdom the Four Noble Truths
[suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the Noble Eightfold Path
leading to the cessation of suffering.]
This indeed is the safe refuge, this the refuge supreme.
Having gone to such a refuge, one is released from all suffering.

Dhammapada, vv. 188-192