Buddhism is historically the most important religion -- historically, not philosophically -- because it was the most tremendous religious movement that the world ever saw, the most gigantic spiritual wave ever to burst upon human society.
There is no civilisation on which its effect has not been felt in some way or other.
- Swami Vivekananda, Talk at San Francisco
Ramakrishna came to teach the religion of today, constructive, not destructive. He had to go afresh to Nature to ask for facts, and he got scientific religion which never says "believe", but "see"; "I see, and you too can see."
Use the same means and you will reach the same vision. God will come to everyone, harmony is within the reach of all.
- Swami Vivekananda, Inspired Talks
We have observed Shri Ramakrishna; he was, as it were "देहस्थोSपि न देहस्थ: -- in the body, but not of it!"
About the motive of the actions of such personages only this can be said: "लोकवत्तु लीलाकैवल्यम् -- everything they do like men, simply by way of sport" (Brahma - Sutras , II.i.33).
- Swami Vivekananda,
Conversations and Dialogues,
recorded by Sharat Chandra Chakravarty
These are the memorable words of Buddha: "Believe not because an old book is produced as an authority. Believe not because your father said [you should] believe the same. Believe not because other people like you believe it. Test everything, try everything, and then believe it, and if you find it for the good of many, give it to all."
And with these words, the Master passed away.
- Swami Vivekananda, At Pasadena, California
He [Buddha] was the only man who was ever ready to give up his life for animals to stop a sacrifice. He once said to a king, "If the sacrifice of a lamb helps you to go to heaven, sacrificing a man will help you better; so sacrifice me." The king was astonished.
And yet this man was without any motive power. He stands as the perfection of the active type, and the very height to which he attained shows that through the power of work we can also attain to the highest spirituality.
- Swami Vivekananda, Talk at Detroit
The negative elements of Buddhism -- there is no God and no soul -- died out.
I can say that God is the only being that exists; it is a very positive statement. He is the one reality. When Buddha says there is no soul, I say, "Man, thou art one with the universe; thou art all things." How positive!
- Swami Vivekananda,
‘Buddha’s Message to the World’,
Talk at San Francisco
Such a unique personality, such a synthesis of the utmost of Jnana, Yoga, Bhakti and Karma, has never before appeared among mankind.
The life of Sri Ramakrishna proves that the greatest breadth, the highest catholicity and the utmost intensity can exist side by side in the same individual, and that society also can be constructed like that, for society is nothing but an aggregate of individuals.
- Swami Vivekananda, Notes on Class Talks
I do not believe many of his [Buddha’s] doctrines; of course, I do not. I believe that the Vedantism of the old Hindus is much more thoughtful, is a grander philosophy of life.
I like his method of work, but what I like [most] in that man is that, among all the prophets of mankind, here was a man who never had any cobwebs in his brain, and [who was] sane and strong.
- Swami Vivekananda, At Pasadena, California
Whoever -- man or woman -- will worship Shri Ramakrishna, be he or she ever so low, will be then and there converted into the very highest.
Another thing, the Motherhood of God is prominent in this Incarnation. He used to dress himself as a woman -- he was, as it were, our Mother -- and we must likewise look upon all women as the reflections of the Mother.
- Swami Vivekananda,
in a Letter to Swami Ramakrishnananda (1895)
The universe equals the phenomena of one Universal Being.
He, seen through our senses, is the universe. This is Maya. So the world is illusion, that is, the imperfect vision of the Real, a semi-revelation, even as the sun in the morning is a red ball.
Thus all evils and wickedness are but weakness, the imperfect vision of goodness.
- Swami Vivekananda,
‘Jnana and Karma’, Lecture in London
... it was no new truth that Ramakrishna Paramahamsa came to preach, though his advent brought the old truths to light. In other words, he was the embodiment of all the past religious thoughts of India.
His life alone made me understand what the Shastras really meant, and the whole plan and scope of the old Shastras.
- Swami Vivekananda,
in a Letter to Swami Ramakrishnananda
from US (1895)
It is no great matter to control external material powers by some means and to perform miracles. But I have never seen a greater miracle than the way that ‘mad brahmin’ [endearingly referring to Sri Ramakrishna] would handle human minds like a lump of clay. He would pound those minds, beat them into shape, develop them, and then with a mere touch he would cast them into a new mould, with new thoughts.
- Swami Vivekananda,
Sri Ramakrishna and His Divine Play, P441
He [Buddha] was the only man who was bereft of all motive power. There were other great men who all said they were the Incarnations of God Himself, and that those who would believe in them would go to heaven. But what did Buddha say with his dying breath?
"None can help you; help yourself; work out your own salvation." He said about himself, "Buddha is the name of infinite knowledge, infinite as the sky; I, Gautama, have reached that state; you will all reach that too if you struggle for it."
- Swami Vivekananda, Talk at Detroit
What Buddha did was to break wide open the gates of that very religion which was confined in the Upanishads to a particular caste.
What special greatness does his theory of Nirvana confer on him? His greatness lies in his unrivaled sympathy.
The high orders of Samadhi etc., that lend gravity to his religion are, almost all there in the Vedas; what are absent there are his intellect and heart, which have never since been paralleled throughout the history of the world.
- Swami Vivekananda,
in a Letter to Swami Akhandananda
I am the servant of the servants of the servants of Buddha. Who was there ever like him?-- the Lord -- who never performed one action for himself -- with a heart that embraced the whole world!
So full of pity that he -- prince and monk -- would give his life to save a little goat! So loving that he sacrificed himself to the hunger of a tigress!-- to the hospitality of a pariah and blessed him!
And he came into my room when I was a boy, and I fell at his feet! For I knew it was the Lord Himself!
- Swami Vivekananda,
Sayings and Utterances
(Swamiji had a vision of Buddha in meditation
during his college days.)
Bless men when they revile you. Think how much good they are doing by helping to stamp out the false ego.
Hold fast to the real Self, think only pure thoughts, and you will accomplish more than a regiment of mere preachers. Out of purity and silence comes the word of power.
- Swami Vivekananda,
Discourses on
It will take thousands of years to have large numbers of truly rational human beings.
It is very hard to show men new things, to give them great ideas. It is harder still to knock off old superstitions, very hard; they do not die easily. With all his education, even the learned man becomes frightened in the dark -- the nursery tales come into his mind, and he see ghosts.
- Swami Vivekananda,
‘Is Vedanta the Future Religion’,
Talk at San Francisco
… for the Bhakti Yogi, humility and reverence are necessary. The Bhakti Yogi must hold himself as a dead man. A dead man never takes an insult, never retaliates; he is dead to everyone.
The Bhakti Yogi must reverence all good people, all saintly people, for the glory of the Lord shines always through His children.
- Swami Vivekananda,
Class-Talk in
