Teachings and philosophy of Swami Vivekananda


Swami Vivekananda was a Hindu monk from India. He played significant role in the growing Indian nationalism of the 19th and 20th century, reinterpreting and harmonising certain aspects of Hinduism. His teachings and philosophy applied this reinterpretation to various aspects of education, faith, character building as well as social issues pertaining to India, and was also instrumental in introducing Yoga to the west.
According to Vivekananda a country's future depends on its people, stating that "man-making is my mission." Religion plays a central role in this man-making, stating "to preach unto mankind their divinity, and how to make it manifest in every movement of life."

Indian nationalism

Vivekananda played a major role in the growing Indian nationalism in the late 19th and the 20th century, encouraging many Indians with his success and appeal in the west. His example helped to build pride in India's cultural and religious heritage, and to stand up against the British colonial system. He participated a lot during major movements against the British.
Swami Vivekananda believed that India is the blessed punyabhumi, the "land of virtue":
According to Swami Vivekananda it is coordinated willpower that leads to independence. He gave the British colonial system as an example, with forty millions of Englishmen ruling three hundred millions of people in India. According to Vivekananda, the forty millions put their wills together and that resulted infinite power, and that was the reason of their success. Vivekananda prescribed, to make a great future India the whole serest will lie in organization, accumulation of power, co-ordination of wills.
"The tidal wave of Western Civilisation is now rushing over the length and breadth of the country. It won't do now simply to sit in meditation on mountain tops without realizing in the least its usefulness. Now is wanted intense Karmayoga, with unbounded courage and indomitable strength in the heart. Then only will the people of the country be roused."
- Swami Vivekananda
According to Vivekananda the Indian race never cared about physical wealth, although they acquired immense wealth.

Religion

Religion played a major role in Vivekananda's ideas. To Vivekananda religion was nothing but a waste theory. He said,
According to Swami Vivekananda, religion is the idea which is raising the brute into man, and man into God. Religion was his main focus after self realization.

Ramakrishna Paramahamsa

Vivekananda was deeply influenced by the Brahmo Samaj, and by his guru Ramakrishna, who regarded the Absolute and the relative reality to be nondual aspects of the same integral reality. According to Michael Taft, Ramakrishna reconciled the dualism of form and formless, regarding the Supreme Being to be both Personal and Impersonal, active and inactive. Ramakrishna
The Personal and Impersonal are the same thing, like milk and its whiteness, the diamond and its lustre, the snake and its wriggling motion. It is impossible to conceive of the one without the other. The Divine Mother and Brahman are one.

Swami Vivekananda, born Narendranath Datta, was an Indian Hindu monk, a chief disciple of the 19th-century Indian mystic Ramakrishna. Swami Vivekananda#cite note-4|Swami Vivekananda#cite note-5| He was a key figure in the introduction of the Indian philosophies of Vedanta and Yoga to the Western worldSwami Vivekananda#cite note-6|Swami Vivekananda#cite note-FOOTNOTEGeorg2002600-7| and is credited with raising interfaith awareness, bringing Hinduism to the status of a major world religion during the late 19th century.Swami Vivekananda#cite note-FOOTNOTEClarke2006209-8| He was a major force in the revival of Hinduism in India, and contributed to the concept of nationalism in colonial India.Swami Vivekananda#cite note-FOOTNOTEVon Dense1999191-9| Vivekananda founded the Ramakrishna Math and the Ramakrishna Mission.Swami Vivekananda#cite note-FOOTNOTEGeorg2002600-7| He is perhaps best known for his speech which began, "Sisters and brothers of America...,"Swami Vivekananda#cite note-FOOTNOTEDutt2005121-10| in which he introduced Hinduism at the Parliament of the World's Religions in Chicago in 1893.
Born into an aristocratic Bengali family of Calcutta, Vivekananda was inclined towards spirituality. He was influenced by his guru, Ramakrishna, from whom he learnt that all living beings were an embodiment of the divine self; therefore, service to God could be rendered by service to mankind. After Ramakrishna's death, Vivekananda toured the Indian subcontinent extensively and acquired first-hand knowledge of the conditions prevailing in British India. He later travelled to the United States, representing India at the 1893 Parliament of the World's Religions. Vivekananda conducted hundreds of public and private lectures and classes, disseminating tenets of Hindu philosophy in the United States, England and Europe. In India, Vivekananda is regarded as a patriotic saint and his birthday is celebrated there as National Youth Day.
He belonged to a traditional family and was one of nine siblings. His mother, Bhubaneswari Devi, was a devout housewife. The progressive, rational attitude of Narendra's father and the religious temperament of his mother helped shape his thinking and personality.
In 1880 Narendra joined Keshab Chandra Sen's Nava Vidhan, which was established by Sen after meeting Ramakrishna and reconverting from Christianity to Hinduism. The same search for direct intuition and understanding can be seen with Vivekananda. Not satisfied with his knowledge of philosophy, Narendra came to "the question which marked the real beginning of his intellectual quest for God."Swami Vivekananda#cite note-FOOTNOTEBanhatti19958-39| He asked several prominent Calcutta residents if they had come "face to face with God", but none of their answers satisfied him.Swami Vivekananda#cite note-FOOTNOTESen200612–13-49|Swami Vivekananda#cite note-FOOTNOTEPangbornSmith1976106-31| At this time, Narendra met Debendranath Tagore and asked if he had seen God. Instead of answering his question, Tagore said "My boy, you have the Yogi's eyes."Swami Vivekananda#cite note-FOOTNOTEBanhatti19958-39|Swami Vivekananda#cite note-FOOTNOTEChattopadhyaya199931-36| According to Banhatti, it was Ramakrishna who really answered Narendra's question, by saying "Yes, I see Him as I see you, only in an infinitely intenser sense."Swami Vivekananda#cite note-FOOTNOTEBanhatti19958-39| Nevertheless, Vivekananda was more influenced by the Brahmo Samaj's and its new ideas, than by Ramakrishna.Swami Vivekananda#cite note-FOOTNOTEMichelis200549-48| It was Sen's influence who brought Vivekananda fully into contact with western esotericism, and it was also via Sen that he met Ramakrishna.
In 1881 Narendra first met Ramakrishna, who became his spiritual focus after his own father had died in 1884. Narendra's first introduction to Ramakrishna occurred in a literature class at General Assembly's Institution when he heard Professor William Hastie lecturing on William Wordsworth's poem, The Excursion. While explaining the word "trance" in the poem, Hastie suggested that his students visit Ramakrishna of Dakshineswar to understand the true meaning of trance. This prompted some of his students to visit Ramakrishna.
According to Banhatti, " singer, a painter, a wonderful master of language and a poet, Vivekananda was a complete artist",Swami Vivekananda#cite note-FOOTNOTEBanhatti1963273-203| composing many songs and poems, including his favourite, "Kali the Mother". Vivekananda blended humour with his teachings, and his language was lucid. His Bengali writings testify to his belief that words should clarify ideas, rather than demonstrating the speaker knowledge.
Universities
Born on 12 January 1863 at Calcutta in the West Bengal, Vivekananda was the son of Viswanath Datta and Bhubaneswari Devi. His mother became his first teacher and taught him English and Bengali. Vivekananda listened from his mother the stories of Ramayana and Mahabharata. Being attached with the educational institutions like the Presidency College and General Assembly’s institution, he passed B.A. and became a member of the Brahmo Samaj. His curiosity increased on the question of the existence of God and he asked one question to all whom, he met – “Have you seen God?” At last he met Rama Krishna Parmahamsa, a priest of the Dakshineswar Kali temple and accepted him as his Guru. He was known then Vivekananda. His address in the parliament of Religions at Chicago as “Sisters and Brothers of America” astonished all. He visited different parts of Europe and many foreigners including sister Nivedita became his disciple. Later on Vivekananda established Ramakrishna Mission on social, religious and cultural foundation. He wrote several books like ‘Jnanayoga’, ‘Bhaktiyoga’, ‘Rajayoga’, ‘To the youth of India’ etc. His divinity was greatly felt by the Indians through his speech and works. He breathed his last in 1902.
Reforms

Hinduism-Universal Religion

Vivekananda considered Hinduism to be the mother of all religions. He established through historical sequence. He showed that Vedic religion had influenced Buddhism which again was instrumental in influencing Christianity. He told that all the religions of the world have the same value and importance. In the Parliament of Religions he told—
” …The 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 ….Upon the banner of every religion soon be written … ‘Help and not fight’,‘Assimilation and not Destruction’,‘Harmony, and peace and not Dissension.
Thus, through his universal religion, Vivekananda preached the unity of God. He told that though the paths are different for different religions but the goal is same. He attached great importance to the unity of all religions and their fusion into one universal religion.

Advaita Vedantism

Swami Vivekananda was a great lover of Vedantic philosophy. He believed in monism. He had firm faith on one God. His motto, as reflected earlier, was to establish a link among different religions. He had told that as water of different rivers mingle in the sea, similarly every religion finds itself at the feet of God. He did not see any difference between a Veda or Koran or Bible. Temple, Mosque and Church were equal for him.
He preferred to meditate at any place without any inhibition in his mind. By his personal example he preached monism or Advaita Vedantism. By that he showed his toleration towards every religion. He spoke the message of Vedanta regarding the world unity and to believe shapeless God.

Caste System

He emphasized that the caste system was not by birth as per ancient hindu traditions. It is more about social structure i.e. by profession where a child born in a khatriya family can become brahmin also. A striking contrast was noticed in the idea of Vivekananda regarding the caste system. Strangely enough, he supported the Varna system as described in the Vedas. Unfolding the advantages of the caste system, he told that division of labour is a great blessing of this system. It would lead to excellence in any profession.
This division, of course, will lead to a caste on the path of progress. However, he also exposed the evils of this system. Untouchability was its worst part. So, Vivekananda criticized this type of “Don’t touches”. He wanted to curb out this type of dogmatism from the society.

Estimate

Of course, Vivekananda was criticized for his idea regarding the caste system because he was an ardent believer of the casteism which he regarded as a social institution but actually, till this date, it has undoubtedly remained a religious institution. Furthermore he converted Sister Nivedita from a Christian to a Hindu, an idea or action which he told was an offence in his speeches. Some people even say that he didn't consider this as a sin as he had done it for his own religion. His idea of internationalism was regarded as a platonic utopia. However,Swami Vivekananda’s constituent endeavor to free religion from superstitions really establishes him as a great reformer. His synthesis of the materialism and spiritualism is another remarkable feature of his philosophical thought. Thus, he was a great spiritual, nationalist, internationalist and so on.
Renaissance and reformation were the two peas of Vivekananda’s personality. He really brought a reawakening of the Indian culture. By his sharp intellect and reformative attitude he made Hinduism a progressive force in the world. A rare gem he was in the treasure of Indian wisdom. Undoubtedly he dazzled as a shining star in the cultural horizon of India and attracted the attention of the people of the world.

Yoga and meditation

Swami Vivekananda compared human mind with a monkey who is always restless and incessantly active by his own nature. He noticed, the human mind naturally wants to get outside, to peer out of the body, as it were, through the channels of the organs. So, he stressed on practice of concentration, as he felt there is no limit to the power of the human mind, the more concentrated it is, the more powerful it becomes. Swami Vivekananda suggested not to do anything which disturbs the mind or makes it restless.

Universalism

Although embracing and propagating Universalism, he regarded Hinduism the best of all religions, and Advaita Vedanta the best of what Indian religious thought had to offer. According to Vivekananda the greatest misfortune of the world is we do not tolerate and accept other religions. In his lecture in Parliament of religions on September 15, 1893, he told a story of a frog who lived in a well for a long time, he was born there and brought up there and he used to think that nothing in the world can be bigger than that. Swami Vivekananda concluded the story:
According to Vivekananda we must not only tolerate other religions, but positively embrace them, since the truth is the basis of all religions.

Society

Social service

Social service was an essential aspect of Vivekananda's ideas, and an innovation which deviated from both Advaita Vedanta and Ramakrishna. He nevertheless attributed these ideas to both, trying to reconcile them with his own ideas.
According to Vivekananda, an important teaching he received from Ramakrishna was that Jiva is Shiva. So he stressed on Shiva Jnane Jiva Seva,. According to Vivekananda, man is potentially Divine, so, service to man is indeed service to God.

Non-injury

Swami Vivekananda called Jain monks the first great ascetics. He praised their ancient knowledge of presence of low form of life in water:

Personal development

In line with the influence of western ideas, Vivekananda stressed the importance of individual development.

Character building

Swami Vivekananda realized three things are necessary to make every man great, every nation great:
Swami Vivekananda suggested to try to give up jealousy and conceit and learn to work unitedly for others. He told that purity, patience and perseverance overcome all obstacles. He suggested to take courage and work on. Patience and steady work, according to Swami Vivekananda, this is the only way to get success.
According to Swami Vivekananda "faith in ourselves and faith in God- this is the secret of greatness. Swami Vivekananda observed the history of the world is the history of a few men who had faith in themselves, and it is faith which calls out divinity within. So he told, if people have faith in three hundred and thirty millions of Hindu mythological gods, and in all the gods which foreigners have now and still have no faith in themselves, there will be no salvation.

Education

Vivekananda believed education is the manifestation of perfection already in men. He thought it a pity that the existing system of education did not enable a person to stand on his own feet, nor did it teach him self-confidence and self-respect. To Vivekananda, education was not only collection of information, but something more meaningful; he felt education should be man-making, life giving and character-building. To him education was an assimilation of noble ideas.
Swami Vivekananda felt that the education that young boys and girls receive is very negative. He thinks they do not gain confidence or self-respect from these education, so according to Swami Vivekananda only positive education should be given to children. Swami Vivekananda told, if young boys and girls are encouraged and are not unnecessarily criticized all the time, they are bound to improve in time.
He also told the youth:

Womanhood

Swami Vivekananda warned it is completely unfair to discriminate between sexes, as there is not any sex distinction in atman, the soul has neither sex, nor caste nor imperfection. He suggested not to think that there are men and women, but only that there are human beings. Swami Vivekananda felt, The best thermometer to the progress of a nation is its treatment of its women and it is impossible to get back India's lost pride and honor unless they try to better the condition of women. Vivekananda considered men and women as two wings of a bird, and it is not possible for a bird to fly on only one wing. So, according to him, there is no chance for welfare of the world unless the condition of woman is improved.
Swami Vivekananda noticed almost everywhere women are treated as playthings. In modern countries like America, women have more independence, still, Vivekananda had noticed, men bow low, offer a woman a chair and in another breath they offer compliments like "Oh, how beautiful your eyes.." etc. Vivekananda felt, a man does not have any right to do this or venture so far, and any woman should not permit this as well. According to Swami Vivekananda such things develop the less noble side of humanity. They do not tend to noble ideals.
According to Vivekananda, the ideal of womanhood in India is motherhood - that marvelous, unselfish, all-suffering, ever-forgiving mother. Vivekananda felt, in India, there are two great evils - trampling on the women, and grinding through the poor through caste restrictions.
According to Swami Vivekananda, Sita is typical of India - the idealized India. Swami Vivekananda assured if world literature of the past and world literature of the future are thoroughly exhausted, yet, it'll not be possible to find out another Sita, because Sita is unique, the character was depicted once for all. Swami Vivekananda felt there may have been several Ramas, perhaps, but never more than one Sita.