Nature

External nature is only internal nature writ large.

Sayings and utterances. Complete Works, 5:409

Importance of Activity

I once met a man in my country whom I had known before as a very stupid, dull person, who knew nothing and had not the desire to know anything, and was living the life of a brute. He asked me what he should do to know God, how he was to get free. "Can you tell a lie?" I asked him. "No," he replied. "Then you must learn to do so. It is better to tell a lie than to be a brute, or a log of wood. You are inactive; you have not certainly reached the highest state, which is beyond all actions, calm and serene; you are too dull even to do something wicked." That was an extreme case, of course, and I was joking with him; but what I meant was that a person must be active in order to pass through activity to perfect calmness.

Class on Karma Yoga. New York, 1895. Complete Works, 1:39-40

Manners

Sister, the way is long, the time is short, evening is approaching. I have to go home soon. I have no time to give my manners a finish. I cannot find time to deliver my message. You are good, you are so kind, I will do anything for you; and do not be angry, I see that you all are mere children.

Letter to Miss Mary Hale. From New York: February 1, 1895. Complete Works, 5:72.

True Renounciation

Buddha gave up his throne and renounced his position, that was true renunciation; but there cannot be any question of renunciation in the case of a beggar who has nothing to renounce.

Class on Karma Yoga. New York, 1895. Complete Works, 1:38

What is Religion?

Religion is the idea that is raising the brute unto a human being, and a human being unto God.

Sayings and utterances. Complete Works, 5:409

My Life's Work

The dry, abstract Advaita must become living--poetic--in everyday life. Out of hopelessly intricate mythology must come concrete moral forms, and out of bewildering Yogi-ism must come the most scientific and practical psychology--and all this must be put in a form so that a child may grasp it. That is my life's work.

Letter to Alasinga Perumal. From USA: February 17, 1896. Complete Works, 5.104-5.

Action and Reaction

Just as every action that emanates from us comes back to us as reaction, even so our actions may act on other people and theirs on us. Perhaps all of you have observed it as a fact that when people do evil actions, they become more and more evil, and when they begin to do good, they become stronger and stronger and learn to do good all the time. This intensification of the influence of action cannot be explained on any other ground than that we can act and react upon each other.

Class on Karma Yoga. New York, January 3, 1896. Complete Works, 1:81.

The True Guru

Everyone makes shipwreck on the rock of would-be Guruism,
except souls that were born to be Gurus.

Sayings and Utterances. Complete Works, 5:417.

Universal Brotherhood

Look at the "ocean" and not at the "wave." See no difference between ant and angel. Every worm is the brother of Nazarene. How can you say one is greater and one less? Each is great in his own place. We are in the sun and the stars as much as here. Spirit is beyond space and time and is everywhere.

Retreat given at the Thousand Island Park, USA. June 23, 1895. Complete Works, 7.7.

Social Reform In India

Hindus do stand in need of social reform. At times great men would evolve new ideas of progress, and kings would give them the sanction of law. Thus social improvements had been made in India in the past. To effect such progressive reforms in modern times, we will have first to build up such an authoritative power. Kings having gone, the power is the people's. We have, therefore, to wait till the people are educated, till they understand their needs and are ready and able to solve their problems. The tyranny of the minority is the worst tyranny in the world. Therefore, instead of frittering away our energies on ideal reforms, which will never become practical, we had better go to the root of the evil and make a legislative body, that is to say, educate our people, so that they may be able to solve their own problems. Until that is done, all these old reforms will remain ideals only. The new order of things is the salvation of the people by the people, and it takes time to make it workable, especially in India, which has always in the past been governed by kings.

Interview in The Hindu. Chennai, 1896. Complete Works, 5: 215-16.

The Way of Knowledge

Jñāna Yoga is divided into three parts.

(1) hearing the truth--that the Ātman is the only reality and that everything else is māyā.
(2) reasoning upon this philosophy from all points of view.
(3) giving up all further argumentation and realizing the truth.

This realization comes from:

(1) being certain that Brahman is real and everything else is unreal;
(2) giving up all desire for enjoyment;
(3) controlling the senses and the mind;
(4) intense desire to be free.

Meditating on the reality always and reminding oneself of its real nature are the only ways in this yoga. It is the highest but most difficult. Many persons get an intellectual grasp of it, but very few attain realization.

Written during Swamiji's first visit to America, in response to questions put by a Western disciple. Complete Works, 8:154-155.

On His Work In The West

To put the Hindu ideas into English and then make out of dry philosophy and intricate mythology and startling psychology, a religion which shall be easy, simple, popular, and at the same time meet the requirements of the highest minds--is a task only those can understand who have attempted it.

Letter to Alasinga Perumal. From USA: February 17, 1896. Complete Works, 5.104.