Swami Vivekananda
Indian Hindu monk and philosopher (1863 to 1902); chief disciple of Ramakrishna; a major figure in bringing Vedanta and Yoga to the Western world in the late 19th century.
Swami Vivekananda did not write this page.
We collected these quotes from things they published elsewhere, and every quote links to where it was said. They have no account here and have not endorsed this site. Quotes are word for word; the short line under each one is our own restatement, not their wording. Their own site. Is this you? Claim it or ask us to remove it. Or tell us what is wrong here.
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Their wordsThe Christian is not to become a Hindu or a Buddhist, nor a Hindu or a Buddhist to become a Christian. But each must assimilate the spirit of the others and yet preserve his individuality and grow according to his own law of growth.
↗Address at the Final Session, Parliament of Religions, Chicago (1893)en.wikisource.org 1st of 2 in this piece
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Their wordsIt has proved to the world that holiness, purity and charity are not the exclusive possessions of any church in the world, and that every system has produced men and women of the most exalted character.
↗Address at the Final Session, Parliament of Religions, Chicago (1893)en.wikisource.org 2nd of 2 in this piece
- 8 days earlier
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Our reading
Their wordsScience is nothing but the finding of unity.
↗Paper on Hinduism, Parliament of Religions, Chicago (1893)en.wikisource.org 1st of 4 in this piece
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Their wordsSuperstition is a great enemy of man, but bigotry is worse.
↗Paper on Hinduism, Parliament of Religions, Chicago (1893)en.wikisource.org 2nd of 4 in this piece
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Their wordsTo the Hindu, man is not travelling from error to truth, but from truth to truth, from lower to higher truth.
↗Paper on Hinduism, Parliament of Religions, Chicago (1893)en.wikisource.org 3rd of 4 in this piece
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Their wordsIt is not that this help is necessary for every one, but those that do not need it have no right to say that it is wrong.
↗Paper on Hinduism, Parliament of Religions, Chicago (1893)en.wikisource.org 4th of 4 in this piece
- 8 days earlier
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Their wordsI am proud to belong to a religion which has taught the world both tolerance and universal acceptance. We believe not only in universal toleration, but we accept all religions as true.
↗Response to Welcome, Parliament of Religions, Chicago (1893)en.wikisource.org 1st of 2 in this piece
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Our reading
Sectarianism, bigotry and fanaticism have filled the earth with violence and held human society back
Their wordsSectarianism, bigotry, and its horrible descendant, fanaticism, have long possessed this beautiful earth. They have filled the earth with violence, drenched it often and often with human blood, destroyed civilisation and sent whole nations to despair. Had it not been for these horrible demons, human society would be far more advanced than it is now.
↗Response to Welcome, Parliament of Religions, Chicago (1893)en.wikisource.org 2nd of 2 in this piece
The line under a date fills as the words age, a quarter at a time: past a month, six months, a year, and three years. Empty means said within the last month; full, more than three years ago. It says when, not whether it still holds — a change of mind is marked on the claim itself.
Dashed means we only know the words existed by that date; they may be older.