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Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda

* At Colombo

• India is the Punya-Bhumi where every soul wending its way towards God must come to attain its last home. Whenever ideas have flowed from other civilizations, it was accompanied by bloodshed but from India ideas have marched with a blessing behind it and peace before it. India survives because of this while other civilizations have vanished.


• While for other nations religion is one among many occupations of life, for India it is life itself; it is India's national life. Whenever India was united with rest of the world, spiritual ideas have flowed out from her to rest of the world. Influence of Indian thought on the world has been slow, unseen, unheard, fascinating like a gentle dew drop and never sudden with force of fire and sword.


• In modern times, once again, Indian spiritual ideas are proving to be the succor for entire humanity, as science has given death-blow to crude theologies and antiquated orthodoxies. Shruti based eternal universal laws regarding soul, God and eternal nature are not to be confused with changing Yuga-specific laws of Smritis, Puranas which deal with social customs, manners.


• एकं सद्विप्रा बहुधा वदन्ति "That which exists in One; sages call It by various names" - this saved India from religious bigotry and violence and made India tolerant and accommodating for all sects, religions, view-points.

* Vedantism, At Jaffna

• Rishis were Mantra-Drashtas - seers of eternally existing universal thoughts and these were recorded in Vedas, the 'book' of Hindus. Karma-Kanda (work portion) and Jnana-Kanda (spiritual portion) are the two parts of Veda; Karma-Kanda deals with various duties of life according the different station of life while Jnana-Kanda is Vedanta, the gist and goal of Veda.


• Vedanta i.e. Upanishads are accepted as authority by all sects and philosophies of Hinduism and hence the name 'Vedantism' is better for the religion than Hinduism. So deeply are the Upanishads penetrated into the social life of India that many daily used symbols and figures, even now, are concretized forms of Upanishadic ideas.


• Next to Vedanta comes Smritis; their authority is subordinate to Vedanta. Smritis are like books of other religions i.e. they are written by certain sages. Shruti has eternal truths about soul, God etc. that remain always unchanged while Smritis dealing with social customs, habits etc. change as per the social conditions of the time.


• पुराणं पञ्चलक्षणम् Puranas are of 'five characteristics - that which treats of history, of cosmology, with various symbological illustration of philosophical principles, and so forth'; they tell spiritual philosophy and principles in simple language and with lives of saints, for common masses. Then there are Tantras.


• Common points of all sects of Hinduism: projection (and not creation out of nothing) and dissolution of universe and its cyclic nature, God or Brahman is the source, sustenance, and ruler of world, eternal nature of life (transmigration of soul, Law of Karma), by knowing the soul alone i.e. by searching within alone, can we know God, goal of soul is Mukti, freedom not attainment of heavens, personal and impersonal nature of God.


• Impersonal idea of God/Self is the rational behind all ethics. In God, I am one with everyone and everything and hence injuring others is injuring oneself. What India needs now is this idea of Impersonal God - a tremendously powerful source for moral & ethical strength, fearlessness, compassion, charity, unselfishness, service etc. Also the idea of 'Ishta' (chosen ideal) is great as it gives everyone to follow his/her own path without disturbing others in their paths.


• Castes of Hinduism were not religious but social institutions and were meant for national protection. Other nations before advising India about social institutions, should first try and form stable social institutions which stand the test of time. Spiritual knowledge is the highest gift, next is secular knowledge, next, life saving and last is giving food and drink. It is our greatest duty to spread the spiritual treasures of India. Also jealousy among ourselves must be avoided.

* At Pamban

• Spirituality is the backbone of India. To call Hindu passive is wrong as Indian civilization was greatly active in past and is the only one surviving from ancient ones. Hindu religion was never 'missionary' but now a change is coming and world needs spiritual ideas of India.

* At Rameswaram Temple

• Without internal worship & purity of mind, external worship is of little value. Tirtha is a place where holy people live and not necessarily a place with temple.


• Serving human being with the attitude of worshipping Shiva is real worship of Shiva and image worship is but preliminary step. 'He who wants to serve Shiva must serve His children - must serve all creatures in this world.'

* At Ramnad

• Religion is the life-breath of India; India is the 'motherland of philosophy, of spirituality, and of ethics, of sweetness, gentleness, and love.' Since India still holds on to God and spirituality, She lives, that is the reason of Her existence; from Her will have to flow the fountains of spirituality to other nations. India can learn from other nations little bit of power of organization, ability to handle powers, organizing powers, and bringing our best results out of smallest causes.


• A Hindu, sooner or later, must renounce the transient world and seek God. Due to the mistake of binding everyone down by the rules of Sannyasin, Indian society degenerated into poverty, laziness etc.; to remedy this some Western ideas can be taken, especially for the poor, who need to enjoy the world a little; but it needs to be done cautiously and there has to be a limit to it.


• If India gives up its national life - Spirituality - and opts for some Western ideal then within three generations, it will be an extinct entity. Whatever is to be gathered from other countries must be subordinated to spirituality which is primary interest.

* At Paramkudi

• 'Two attempts have been made in the world to found social life: the one was upon religion, and the other was upon social necessity. The one was founded upon spirituality, the other upon materialism.' Curiously it seems these two prevail in wave-like fashion.


• In present times, India needs some of Western materialism while West needs Indian spirituality. Ignorance of Atman - the store of infinite power and knowledge - alone makes difference between one and another; causes fear and mistakes. When Atman is known, the world becomes a play rather than being a battlefield. We make our own body by our karma; Lord is every ready with His infinite mercy to take us beyond good and bad, beyond body.

* At Manamadurai

• Indian civilization was never passive or dead but its field of activity is not battleground, or anything materialistic; it is spirituality. India suffered slavery, religious conversion not only because of invasions and persecutions but also because of its own Karma of practicing untouchability and other social ills.


• The great Vedantic truths must be now practiced and propagated to all nations. Vyasa says that Dana is the only work in Kaliyuga; give the highest gift i.e. spirituality. Living for a high ideal is the only value of life.

* At Madurai

• 'India's contribution to the sum total of human knowledge has been spirituality, philosophy.' India contributed her share once before the rise of Persian Empire, second during Persian Empire, third during Greek Empire, and fourth during British Empire.


• The greatest mistake made by ignorant people is to think that local custom of the village or area is the essence of our religion. There are two sorts of truths in scriptures: one eternal and other temporal, social; Shrutis are eternal while Smritis keep changing. Once upon a time in India, Brahmins used to eat beef.


• We should be inclusive and not exclusive; should combine the intensity of a fanatic with the extensity of materialist; depth of ocean with infinitude of skies. We all must become Rishis.

* The Mission of the Vedanta, At Kumbakonam

• India for centuries have followed religious, spiritual ideal and it is now impossible to suddenly change that into something else. To the materialistically oriented foreign religions, Hinduism shows the true essence of religion: renunciation of this transitory sense-world for the infinite glory of the soul; because of this Indian civilizations survives till today while many other ancient civilizations have vanished from face of earth.


• All religions, except Hinduism, are based on the life of their founders, on the shaky foundations of historicity of that life, but Hinduism is based on eternal principles. Sages in Vedas were not interested in perpetuating their names but only in principles. Still the beauty of Hinduism is that, despite being based on Impersonal principles, it allows infinite scope for play of persons; for no other religions has so many Incarnations of God as Hinduism! And all incarnations derive their strength from principles.


• Principle based approach & rationality of Vedanta along with its conclusions concurring with those of modern science, makes it the only religion capable of being universal. 'एकं सद् विप्रा बहुधा वदन्ति' saved India from religious strife that engulfed the Semitic religions and it has been the backbone of Indian national life. Gentleness and love alone are fitted to survive and not hatred, brute force, and physical force.


• Another great idea that needs to be given to whole world - especially to masses, to ignorant, weaker sections - is of spiritual oneness of whole universe. It is the practical application and effective operation of this idea that can regenerate India. This spiritual oneness is also to eternal sanction for morality and ethics.


• Presently India does not need soft, weeping type of religion, we have had it enough, now is the time of heroic and dynamic spirituality based on Advaita. Loss of faith in oneself is the reason of India's downfall and the remedy is positive and inclusive application of Vedanta; to develop faith in one's innate divinity. Poor masses of India were crushed by Indian aristocracy; ignorant and selfish application of caste, religions customs etc. made them weaker and weaker until foreign slavery was the result for whole nation. Proclaim the infinite divinity of soul to each and every one.


• 'There is a great opening for the Vedanta to do beneficent work both here and elsewhere. This wonderful idea of the sameness and omnipresence of the Supreme Soul has to be preached for the amelioration and elevation of the human race here as elsewhere.'


• All the social reform movements in India (during 19th century) had very little impact on society because these were not founded on the backbone of India; they were imitations of western means and methods and they did more of denunciation. Ancient Indian sages were also social reformers, even caste-breakers, but their method was not shallow and ignorant like the moderns, they placed the highest spiritual ideal - the unselfish, calm, steady, and pure Brahminhood - before society and tried to take everyone slowly and gently towards it. This spiritual Vedantic ideal of Brahminhood is for all, in India as well in other countries.

* At Madras (now Chennai)

• To the problem of life namely what should survive: love or hatred, matter or spirit, enjoyment or renunciation etc., India has given solution always as renunciation, love, fearlessness.

* My Plan of Campaign, At Victoria Hall Madras (now Chennai)

• Swamiji explains the hatred & road-blocks put in his path, during his work in West, by Theosophists, Christian Missionaries, and a leader of Hindu reform movement [most probably:Brahmo Samaj leader Pratap Chandra Mazoomdar].


• Hindus should uplift masses by serving all - following the steps of Sri Ramakrishna, who being Brahmin of Brahmins cleaned the latrine of a pariah. 'I do not believe in reform; I believe in growth'; and working for the cause of nation in nishkama way as pointed out by Gita. Good and evil are two sides of a same coin; the work against evil is 'more subjective than objective, more educational than actual'; this makes us calm and not fanatics.


• For social reforms, denunciation won't work [as was done by many reform societies in 19th Century India, especially in Bengal and Madras], educating the masses is required; this is a slow process. Much of the degradation in India was the result of decaying Buddhism for centuries until Shankaracharya reversed the process and masses started to return back to Hinduism. Shankaracharya and Ramanuja were true reformers as they understood well that sudden, vituperative reform is not possible; the soul gradually progresses through many stages. Similarly, Nanak, Dadu and many other saints were true social reformers.


• Spirituality being the backbone of Indian life, even social reforms, political reforms etc. need to be explained from spiritual perspective. Need of the hour is to spread the spiritual jewels from Indian scriptures. In history time and again, Indian spirituality has flooded the world whenever it was required to. For centuries the masses were made weaker and weaker, now they must hear of Atman and gain self-confidence.


• Mysticism and occultism are results of weakening; there may be great truth in them but it has degraded India. India now needs strength of clear and pure philosophy of Upanishads and not mystery-mongering. To be true patriot one must feel deeply about others, must have practical solutions, and must be absolutely steadfast on the path. Never should we curse and condemn.

* Vedanta In Its Application to Indian Life, At Madras (now Chennai)

• 'Hindu' word was used by Persians for river Sindhu and Greeks dropped 'h', so we are called 'Indians'. The one unifying characteristic of a Hindu is that he/she believes in the supreme authority of Veda; so better word for a Hindu would be 'Vaidika' or 'Vedantist'. Since Shankara mostly cites Shrutis and dualists mostly cite Puranas i.e. Smritis (with qualified monists in between), Vedanta word was mostly associated with Advaita.


• In Upanishads i.e. in Vedas, can be found the entire ground of Indian religious life (including that of Buddhism and Jainism, minus their peculiarities). Upanishads are full of love, knowledge and never of fear or tribulation. Most of India now is Pauranika and not much Vaidika and some even ignorantly cling to local customs considering them to be essence of religion! Despite the vastness of scriptures of India & their varying interpretations, and despite the fact that most of it has vanished now, still there is a common ground for Hindu religion. In the light of Sri Ramakrishna's life, all scriptures and their varying interpretations can be beautifully harmonized.


• In Indian national life there is as much place for dualism as that of non-dualism; former is 'building' while the latter is 'top'. In Upanishads is the highest philosophy expressed in sublime poetry; they are also a tremendous mine of strength which can invigorate the masses of, not only India but that of the whole world. Also the ideas of innate divinity of all beings and of solidarity, oneness of this universe are of immense value to whole world which are also the basis for ethics, morality.


• For about thousand years Indians suffered due to castes, kings, foreign rule etc., and as a result weakness - physical, mental, moral - entered into the race. Vedantic strength from Upanishads is the solution; it must be broadcast to all without reserve. The result will be restoration of caste which is a natural way of solving life but sans the evil of privileges associated with it; no privileges, equal chance for all. Each soul has his/her karma to work-out, so do not assume that you can reform others; you can only serve others as God.

* The Sages of India, At Madras (now Chennai)

• '... the framework of the destiny and goal of man has been all delineated in the Vedas, the details have been left to be worked out in the Smritis and Puranas.' The personalities in Shrutis are not known but those in Smritis are known. Truth was discovered and told in Vedas, later Incarnations and sages retold the same Truth and suggested means to reach It according to the needs of their times.


• Instead of and better than the vain imaginations of Personal God, are the living personalities who are walking, talking God in our midst, i.e. the Incarnations. Vedanta is the already present universal religion which can easily absorb all past & present ideals and also future ones. One who comes directly across Truth, transcending senses, is called Rishi.


• Rama - the ideal man, Sita - the ideal woman; Krishna - embodiment of Gita, of non-attachment. Love of Gopis towards Krishna can not be understood until one becomes perfectly chaste and pure; it is a perfect solution for the conflict between Personal God and Impersonal God.


• Buddha - the greatest Karma-Yogi and preacher of morality; but his disciples and later outside race inclusions in Buddhism brought in temples, idols and ceremonies etc. to India, which obliterated Vedic sacrifices and fire-altars. Degraded Buddhism, due to the addition of Tartar, Baluch and other hideous races with their bestial and horrible customs, created some of the most hideous structures in India; then Shankaracharya arose from South to save India. Since then till now all the work in India is 'reconquest of this Buddhistic degradation by the Vedanta.'


• Shakaracharya pointed out the essential similarity of Buddhism and Vedanta and also pointed out the mistake of Buddhism in rejecting soul and God. Ramanuja, with his broad heart and most practical philosophy, was more successful in integrating masses with their ceremonies back into Hinduism. The exclusiveness attributed to Shankara is probably due to the incapacity of his followers to understand the Master as had happened with Buddhism.


• Chaitanya - represents the mad love of Gopis; he spread Bhakti all over Bengal. Shankaraits may be exclusive in caste but are most liberal in religious, philosophical questions but with the Vaishnavites the case is other way around!


• Sri Ramakrishna - head of Shankara and heart of Chaitanya, most universal, liberal and tremendously spiritual, fulfillment of Indian sages, age of the time.

* The Work Before Us, At Triplicane Literary Society Madras (now Chennai)

• Indo-Aryan mind, being surrounded by sublime nature, became introspective whereas the Greek mind, being surrounded by beautiful yet simple nature, became extrovert. Excessive logical analysis narrowed Indian mind and degradation in art, music, religion was set in; contact with other cultures was cut and the result was thousand years of slavery - first Mohammedan and then British.


• Europe is nothing but Greek civilization. Though all foreign conquest is bad, some good prevails through it also, hence contact with British conquerors started some much needed broadening of Indian mind. Also Indian wisdom, philosophy, spirituality started flowing to entire world silently & slowly, as it had happened in ancient times - before Buddhism, during Buddhism, after Greek invasions.


• 'Indian thought, philosophical and spiritual, must once more go over and conquer the world.' Everyone has to strive for this as national as well as international awakening and rejuvenation depends on it. Two extremes are to avoided: rank materialism and arrant religious superstition. Avoid all mystery.


• India and Hinduism survives because we cling to principles and not personalities. Vedas are neither entirely dualistic not entirely monistic; they guide human mind, gently through steps, towards the ultimate goal of life - identity with Brahman, with whole world. This can be reached through Knowledge as well as Love. Actual realisation of Truth alone matters.

* The Future of India, At Madras (now Chennai)

• India - the land of wisdom and spirituality is as eternal and indestructible as the Soul. 'Race, religion, language, government -- all these together make a nation.' As regards race and language India is much more complex than any other nation. 'The unity in religion, therefore, is absolutely necessary as the first condition of the future of India.' The common principles in Hinduism which are same irrespective of differing sects or philosophies are to be known by every Indian. Spirituality is Indian life-blood; purifying this would cure all other diseases - social, educational, political, financial etc.


• Spread of spiritual ideas in common language is needed; at the same time Sanskrit also should be learned and spread. Knowledge alone can not guarantee sustenance of raised condition of masses, culture too has to be imparted; Sanskrit gives the prestige and culture to the knowledge heard.


• The whole of India is Aryan; the myth of separation between North and South based on Dravidian race or language is illogical. Also the idea that Shudras were Indian aborigines that were subjugated by invading Aryans is totally baseless falsehood. Solution to caste problem is not by degrading Brahmins but raising lower castes to real Brahminhood.


• The good out of Mohammedan and British rule was that it destroyed the exclusive privileges & claims associated with castes. Sages like Shankara sometimes converted people from one caste to other in mass, like hordes of Balichis converted to Kshatriya or bunch of fishermen converted as Brahmins. Brahmins should work hard to disseminate the culture and knowledge they have acquired through centuries, to all castes without any monetary benefit. In Indian history, we see that because the Brahmin did not disseminate culture to masses, Mohammedan and other invasions were possible.


• Secret for India's resurgence lies in organization, accumulation of power, and co-ordination of wills. Future of India depends on giving up trivial fights like Brahmin Vs non-Brahmins and Aryan Vs Dravidian; the slave mentality of jealousy must be given up and worship of fellow countrymen by helping them is to be carried out, that is the way to purification of mind. Let us give up our lives for a great ideal.

* On Charity, At Madras (now Chennai)

• Indiscriminate and ready charity in India made the receiver peaceful, content and learner of scriptures while the legal charity practiced in West turned poor into criminal.

* At Calcutta (now Kolkata)

• Western mind links spirituality, even morality, to worldly prosperity and hence seeing Indian poverty they used to equate it with no religion, no morality! India is the only nation where poverty does not mean crime and sin.


• Life of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa stands above the lives of all earlier incarnations of God; His whole life was a Parliament of Religions showing universal religion and brotherly feeling between different sects! People representing political, social, commercial ideals will have no appeal in India but people representing religious, spiritual ideal will have great appeal; that is the backbone of the nation. Lord does not need our help for His work; it is a privilege and glory that we are allowed to work under Him.


• Foreign policy keeps the internal fights within a country at bay, so teaching the truths of our Shashtras to other nations should be Indian foreign policy! Apart from this selfish reason, the unselfish reason is to break the exclusiveness and narrowness of India and give the spirituality, civilization to waiting, expecting world.


• Power of enthusiasm, faith, feeling work wonders. Man makes money, not the other way around. Story of Nachiketa from Katha Upanishad. Have Shraddha and give up the habit of ridiculing everything. Be not afraid of anything.

* The Vedanta In All Its Phases, At Calcutta (now Kolkata)

• From time immemorial, silently and unperceived, has the wisdom of Upanishads gone all over the world. In India too, the Upanishads are the authority and foundation behind all the different sects and philosophies. Sri Ramakrishna's life is the best, harmonizing, & modern interpretation of this truth. Hindus can better be called Vedantists, even Vaidikas is not accurate term as in ordinary life Hindus are more of Pauranikas and Tantrikas than Vaidikas.


• Despite various subcategories within Vedanta, they all can be divided as dualists or monists. Thus divided, we can take Ramanuja to represent all the dualistic ideas and Shankara for monism. All Vaishnavites, including Madhva and Chaitanya (who taught Madhva philosophy in Bengal), and some Shaivaites (Southern qualified dualists) are actually Ramanujists since their philosophies (in its substance) and organizations (in structure and details) follow Ramanuja. It seems there were sects also within Advaita philosophy, but they were later assimilated under Shankara's philosophy. Influence of Shankara can be seen in South India as well as in North India (in North, mainly from Varanasi and with the exception of Bengal, Kashmir, and Punjab).


• Ramanuja explicitly says that he is following Bodhayana for his Bhashya on Brahma-Sutra and Shankara too seems to follow some older Bhashya. Vyasa's philosophy (Vyasa-Sutra) has attained solid permanence and it is the logical development out of Sankhya philosophy; Sankhya philosophy and psychology is the basis of all systems of thought, not only in India but all over the world. As to Naiyayikas of Bengal, their logic is accepted by all but not philosophy; names like Jagadisha, Gadadhara, and Shiromani are well-known throughout the land.


• After Upanishads, Vyasa-Sutras are the authority for any sect in India and after Vyasa-Sutras, it is Bhagawad-Gita. Sanskrit grammar being very flexible and Yaska's dictionary being full of synonyms, it is very easy to write an Upanishad if you know the language! Thus we find Allopanishad and Mohammed as Rajasulla!! Some are authentic Upanishads and Shankara has written commentary on them.


• Westerners as well as ancient Vedic Rishis searched for Truth externally first but failed; while Westerners stopped there, Rishis penetrated inward and succeeded. The sublime poetry of Upanishads which tries to portray impersonal Truth is unique; it does not try to paint infinite in terms of external dead, dull nature but employs almost negative language. Also the sages of Upanishads were perfectly impersonal, so we neither know much about their personalities nor find personality worship in the text.


• Vedas, Upanishads are primary scriptures of Hindus. Bible, Koran etc. are Puranas as they deal in Pauranika themes, so as per Shruti-Smriti law, if they contradict Vedas, they are to be rejected.


• Some common points accepted by all sects within Hinduism are: reincarnation of soul, psychology of body-mind-jivatman, God, soul is the repository of all power, purity, and greatness (this is a marked different point from all other nations). Dualistic scheme - God, soul, and nature are eternal; God is interpenetrating everything and is essence of soul; soul 'contracts' or 'expand' as per bad or good actions respectively.


• Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas are the materials, not qualities, of this universe. Ahara-Shuddhi makes Sattva-Shuddhi i.e. freeing from Rajas and Tamas; Jati-dosha, Ashraya-dosha, Nimitta-dosha make food impure (Ramanuja); Shankara says food is the sense-perceptions and making it pure constitutes Ahara-Shuddhi. Both should be practiced but primary is Shankara's view. Brahmins of Bengal, give up empty talk of Shastra and Varnashrama; give up the filthy Vamachara and take up Vedas, Gita, and Upanishads.


• According to Advaita, time-space-causation is Maya and Shankara was first to put forth this idea, not Kant or any other Western philosopher. India, the children of Maya (who know the ephemeral nature of world) live while children of enjoyment die. Fortunately Hegelianism (which said individual, samsara is greater than Absolute, Salvation!) was not allowed to sprout in India, rather Indian scriptures proclaim that only by renunciation can the original state of Infinitude be regained; it is the greatest idea India has proclaimed to the world.


• Another idea common in India is the 'realisation' of Atman, not mere belief or talk or study. Guru must be man of realisation, shrotriya (well versed in Vedas), avrijina (sinless), akamahata (un-pierced by desires), and shanta (peaceful). Advaita says 'you', 'I', and 'everything else' is Brahman. Sri Ramakrishna's life demonstrates the harmony of different sects, philosophies of India.

* At Almora

• Himalaya stands for renunciation; best memories of our race are associated with Himalayas. Since ancient time spiritual aspirants have been coming to Himalayas and in future too this will continue.

* Bhakti, At Sialkote, Punjab (now in Pakistan) delivered in Hindi

• Compared to Jnana and Yoga, Bhakti is easier to practice for majority of people. Bhakti cleanses the mind; God should be remembered always without consideration of place and time. Maintain devotion for your own idea but do not hate other ideals. Each must grow as per the tendencies he/she is born with; forcing one ideal on all is futile.


• Ahara-Shuddhi lost its spirit and only empty, baneful practices remained. External as well as internal purity is required for Bhakti; internal being more important. Truthfulness, helping the needy, abstaining from immoral acts etc. purifies the mind; Bhakti itself also helps in purification of mind.


• In true Bhakti there is no demand and barter; true Bhakta does not even want heaven or Mukti but only pure devotion. Bhakti admits no fear. God is love personified; if we think of Him only as creator, preserver, destroyer of the world then we can only do external worship and we can not truly love Him. Seeing Him in everything and everybody is supreme Bhakti.

* The Common Bases of Hinduism, At Lahore (now in Pakistan)

• This land (Punjab) - which was called Brahmavarta by Manu - has been the source of spiritual aspirations and has been on the forefront of foreign invasion into Aryavarta; land of Guru Nanak and Guru Govind Singh. After the spread of Western ideas all over India, we have heard enough of criticism and now is the time for constructive rebuilding; no more criticism.


• Have pride in the glorious past and great ancestors of this Aryavarta; no other ancient land has seen so much suffering and subjugation as this land and yet it lives and now even expands. This is due to its life-current, national-characteristic namely philosophy and spirituality. 'National union in India must be a gathering up of its scattered spiritual forces.'


• Sects there have been here always and they will remain but what is to be avoided is sectarianism. One Truth is proclaimed by sages in various names. First point of agreement between all sects of Hinduism is the acceptance of authority of Vedas. Second is the belief in God; third is eternal cyclic nature of universe; next is the belief in eternal, infinite nature of soul which is different from body and mind and that this soul travels from body to body till it attains perfection.


• Another important point which common to all and which separate Eastern thought with that of Western is the belief that all purity, power, perfection, goodness is already in the soul. This is vital point and needs to be practiced and proclaimed, even taught to children from their birth. Do not mind mistakes and follies but remember your true nature.


• Religion in India means realisation and nothing short of that; Anubhuti is the main thing, mere listening, believing, giving intellectual assent is not spirituality. Short of realisation, any teaching to others has the danger of developing sectarianism.


• Civilizations build on shaky foundations of materialism do not last long but like India, if they are built on the solid foundation of spirituality, then they live; Japan and China listened and learned from India and hence they too survive. We should not imitate anyone but can learn good points from others. Religion in India must become dynamic and free for all, it must reach everyone; give light of truth to man/woman and let him/her develop as per his/her mental makeup.

* Bhakti, At Lahore (now in Pakistan)

• In Upanishads, we find faint glimpse of the ideal of Bhakti, it is behind the glory and poetry of the sublime impersonal ideal; and in Puranas it finds its full expression. Many aspects of Puranas may be questioned but its strong illustration of 'Bhakti ideal' through lives of saints and incarnations is unmistakable. And this ideal is nearer to ordinary human being.


• We have to thank Puranas for giving a popular and better religion to us than degraded Buddhism. Except Paramahamsas, all most all human beings need human representation of God and Bhakti in order to practically make spiritual progress. The idea of Bhakti is spiritual but the way is through material. Worship of Ishta-Devata is the method by which each follows his/her own path yet being sympathetic to other paths.


• Guru should be as per shastra guidelines i.e. unselfish, pure, unattached etc. and not hereditary. For vast mass of humanity, material pleasures are more real and necessary than spirituality, so there is no point forcing it down their throats. Bhakti is a triangle with three angles of no want, no fear, and love as highest ideal; love is God Himself.

* The Vedanta, At Lahore (now in Pakistan)

• Vedic sages first tried to search truth externally as can be seen in Karma-Kanda portion of Vedas; then they turned inward and reached the Reality which can be seen in Jnana-Kanda (Shruti) portion. The eternal, unchanging, immortal truths about the true nature of human being taught in Shruti remain unchanged throughout ages while surface truths about outer aspects of human beings continuously change.


• Upanishads, Vyasa-Sutras, and Bhagawad-Gita are the Prasthanatraya of India and anyone wanting to start a new system of thought based on authority of Vedas must comment on these three. Vedanta word covers all these and not just Upanishads or Advaita. Dualism, qualified-monism and monism are not contradictory but rather they are the stages of development of mind towards final truth of monism.


• To find unity in diversity is the goal of knowledge, of science; same is the theme of Upanishads but its field is vast: the whole seen and unseen universe. For all Vedantic schools the psychological aspect is common. As to the cosmological aspect, just as the modern scientists, the ancients discovered the unit force, Prana, of which all gross and subtle forces are but different manifestations. 'Prana is Spandana or vibration.'


• Srishti, the projection of universe, moves in cycles; at the end of cycle when every form becomes fine and one with primal matter (Akasha), all forces are resolved in primal Prana and it remains almost un-vibrating (Anidavatam). The unity of Akasha and Prana is in cosmic mind called Mahat or Brahma.


• Behind the gross material body stands Antahkarana, Sukshma Sarira, mind which is also fine matter and behind it is Atman, the real man/woman. Antahkarana is the term used for Chitta, Manas, Buddhi, Ahamkara - a series of vibratory states which are acted upon by external as well as internal inputs. Continuously changing body-mind has the unchanging, spiritual, non-material Atman as the basis for their unity. Every evolution presupposes and involution; Buddha at the end of evolution must be involved in the amoeba at beginning of the series.


• Only in India was the idea that all purity, power, strength is already present in the soul and we just have to manifest it, not to acquire it from outside. Child born of lust is not Aryan according to Manu and because of the increase in the number of such children, Kali Yuga is manifest on earth! Systems in India were designed with eternal principles behind them (e.g. food habits, marriage etc.) but the implementation has degraded over a period of time and new methods may be required, but no that account, principles need not be condemned or thrown away.


• Dualist idea of Atman behind every changing body-mind and Paramatman (Personal God) interpenetrating behind all souls and all nature is refuted by Buddhists; they say that only the flow of ever changing body-mind is present and there is no need to assume Atman, Paramatman! This argument is subtle, powerful, and difficult to counter with dualistic ideas of individual souls and Personal God. Also modern science gives death blow to dualistic ideas of soul and God; history also shows that the dualistic ideas give rise to tyranny and priestcraft. Only Advaita, by showing that substance and qualities as non-different, can counter all philosophies and sciences successfully and also sympathetically explain them in proper light.


• Advaita proclaims that One Brahman appears as all souls and all universes and when soul realizes that 'I am not particular limited entity' but 'I am the universe', then alone is freedom from birth and death. Self or Brahman is this universe but it can't be known through sense-perception or mind; It is the eternal witness of universe, of all souls. Infinite can never be expressed in finite. It is the witness alone that enjoys the play of life and works without desires. Time, space, causation, or more generalized - name and form - is Maya which causes all differentiation.


• First stage of knowledge is that everything is separate and independent; next is that all is dependent and interdependent, strung on one universal power; and the last is, It is the One which we falsely see as many. When substance is realised qualities vanish and when qualities are perceived, substance has vanished! On solid foundation of Advaita we can handle the onrush of logic and scientific knowledge. Science seeks explanation of things from within itself and not outside; Advaita in that sense is most scientific.


• Would to God that all were Advaitists immediately, not in theory but in realisation; but if that can't be let all evolve progressively from where they are. Only a brute can say that Advaita leads to immorality; in fact Advaita and Advaita alone explains morality. It must to be spread to all without distinction; must to be made practical with sympathy and love for poor, downtrodden, and ignorant.

* Sannyasa: Its ideal and Practice

• Sannyasi (monk) should love death; hold body and mind as sacrifice for others. Too high an ideal for a nation weakens it and too much of practicality makes us brutes. Try to combine immense idealism with immense practicality. True human being should be strong as strength itself and yet should have heart of a woman.

* What Have I Learnt, At Dacca (now Dhaka)

• There are some modern reformists who ignorantly imitate Westerners & criticize Hinduism and there is other group which try to give weird scientific explanation to every Hindu custom, rite etc. Better than these two are those who having sincere faith in ancient saints faithfully strive for Moksha; they are much sturdier than above two groups.


• Then there are others who profess that we should follow God as well as world; they are not sincere as they contradict the unequivocal teaching of saints: 'one who wishes God has to renounce lust and possessions'.


• Without Mumukshutva (strong desire for Moksha), realisation of God is impossible. Next thing required is initiation from Mahapurusha (great soul) who has reached the goal through Guru Parampara, who has grasped the spirit of scriptures, is pure and free of desires.


• After initiation, the aspirant should earnestly and repeatedly practice his/her spiritual discipline.

* The Religion We Are Born In, At Dacca (now Dhaka)

• Vedas are eternal source of inexhaustible knowledge ever-present in the universe; rishis were the discoverers of this knowledge. If Vasishtha, Vyasa, and Narada - whose parentage was non-brahmin or questionable - were rishis, then how much more should present day Brahmins strive to achieve Rishihood. Smritis, Puranas, and Tantras are subordinate to Vedas


• Tantras mean shastras; barring vamachara etc. tantras contain high Vedantic ideas, in fact the Brahmana portion of the Vedas was modified a bit and incorporated into tantras by Buddhists who were originally Hindus. Current day ceremonials of Hindus are from tantra.


• The real meaning of doctrine of Incarnation (Avataravaada) is to see God in human being. Image worship - though lowest form of worship - is necessary for many and it has long served a great purpose in Hindu history; so it needs a little reform, that's all and not condemnation or destruction.

( Readers can go through the book fully by downloading the Vol III of Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda here )

----------- Om Tat Sat -----------