We know there is no progress in a straight line.

This earth is higher than all the heavens; this is the greatest school in the universe.

Nature, body, mind go to death, not we. We neither go nor come. The man Vivekananda is in nature, is born and dies. But the Self we see as Vivekananda is never born and never dies. It is the eternal and unchangeable Reality.

The cheerful mind perseveres and the strong mind hews its way through a thousand difficulties.

Renunciation, and renunciation alone, is the real secret, the Mulamantra, of all Realisation.

[Perfection] is only possible if the mind of man is changed, if he, of his own sweet will, changes his mind; and the great difficulty is, neither can he force his own mind.

We read many books, but that does not bring us knowledge. We may read all the Bibles in the world, but that will not give us religion. Theoretical religion is easy enough to get, any one may get that. What we want is practical religion.