Quotes from Swami Vivekananda

43. By making Samyama on the relation between the Akasha and the body and becoming light as cotton-wool etc., through meditation on them, the yogi goes through the skies. This Akasha is the material of this body; it is only Akasha in a certain form that has become the body. If the Yogi makes a Sanyama on this Akasha material of his body, it acquires the lightness of Akasha, and he can go anywhere through the air. So in the other case also.

The cause of all the miseries we have in the world is that men foolishly think pleasure to be the ideal to strive for.

D esire, ignorance, and inequality this is the trinity of bondage

Again, we must consider, religion is a [matter of] growth, not a mass of foolish words.

T ruth can be stated in a thousand different ways Yet each one can be true

We want that education by which character is formed, strength of mind is increased, the intellect is expanded, and by which one can stand on one's own feet.

B ooks are infinite in number and time is short The secret of knowledge is to take what is essential Take that and try to live up to it

When a man is perfect, he sees perfection in others. When he sees imperfection, it is his own mind projecting itself.

There is no happiness higher than what a man obtains by this attitude of non-offensiveness, to all creation.

If you really want to judge the character of a man, look not at his great performances. Watch a man do his most common actions.

Blame neither man, nor God, nor anyone in the world. When you find yourselves suffering, blame yourselves, and try to do better.

The great lesson is, that unity is behind all. Call it God, Love, Spirit. Allah, Jehovah - it is the same unity that animates all life from the lowest animal to the noblest man.

Manushya (man) is a being with Manas (mind); and as soon as his thinking power goes, he becomes no better than an animal.

The perfect man sees nothing but God.

The guiding motive of mankind should be charity towards men, charity towards all animals.

Man cannot always think of matter, however pleasurable it may be.

The knowing ones must have pity on the ignorant.One who knows is willing to give up his body even for an ant, because he knows that the body is nothing.

Consciously or unconsciously, we are all striving for perfection.

We are what our thoughts have made us so take care about what you think. Words are secondary. Thoughts live they travel far.

The best thermometer to the progress of a nation is its treatment of its women.

Man makes the mistake of separating himself from God and identifying himself with the body.

The happiest is the man who is not at all selfish.

As soon as we react, we become slaves. A man blames me, and I immediately react in the form of anger. A little vibration which he created made me a slave.

It is faith that makes a lion of a man.