Swami Vivekananda Quotes and Sayings

1. Let us make our hearts as big as an ocean, to go beyond all the trifles of the world and see it only as a picture. We can then enjoy the world without being in any way affected by it.
   
2. The more we grow in love and virtue and holiness, the more we see love and virtue and holiness outside. All condemnation of others really condemns ourselves. Adjust the microcosm (which is in your power to do) and the macrocosm will adjust itself for you.
   
3. It is only work that is done as freewill offering to humanity and to nature that does not bring with it any binding attachment.
   
4. Superstition is our great enemy, but bigotry is worse.
   
5. Books 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.
   
6. We must approach religion with reverence and with love, and our heart will stand up and say, this is truth, and this is untruth.
   
7. Holy meditation helps to burn out all mental impurities. All who are not Yogis are slaves; bond after bond must be broken to make us free.
   
8. Tremendous purity, tremendous renunciation, is the one secret of spirituality. "Neither through wealth, nor through progeny, but through renunciation alone is immortality to be reached," say the Vedas. "Sell all that thou hast and give to poor, and follow me," says the Christ. So all great saints and prophets have expressed it, and have carried it out in their lives. How can great spirituality come without renunciation?