Renounce and give up. What did Christ say? "He that loseth his life for my sake shall find it." Again and again did he preach renunciation as the only way to perfection. There comes a time when the mind awakes from this long and dreary dream-the child gives up its play and wants to go back to its mother. Renunciation is not asceticism. Are all beggars Christ? Poverty is not a synonym for holiness; often the reverse.
Swami VivekanandaEvery individual has in himself perfection. It lies within the dark recesses of his physical being.
Swami VivekanandaThis Maya is everywhere. It is terrible. Yet we have to work through it. The man who says that he will work when the world has become all good and then he will enjoy bliss is as likely to succeed as the man who sits beside the Ganga and says, "I will ford the river when all the water has run into the ocean."
Swami VivekanandaThrough practice comes Yoga, through Yoga comes knowledge, through knowledge love, and through love bliss.
Swami VivekanandaAnything that is western origin, first you verify it, then accept it. Anything that is Indian origin, first accept it, then verify it if necessary.
Swami VivekanandaWe have seemingly been divided, limited, because of our ignorance; and we have become as it were the little Mrs. so - and - so and Mr. so - and - so. But all nature is giving this delusion the lie every moment. I am not that little man or little woman cut off from all else; I am the one universal existence. The soul in its own majesty is rising up every moment and declaring its own intrinsic Divinity.
Swami Vivekananda