16. Quotes from Swami Vivekananda idea of education
Education is the manifestation of the perfection already in man.
What is civilization? It is the feeling of the divine within.
First of all comes the gift of food: next is the gift of learning, and the
highest of all is the gift of knowledge.
On one side, new India is saying, ‘What the Western nations do is surely
good, otherwise how did they become so great?’. On the other side, old
India is saying ,’The flash of lightening is intensely bright, but only for a
moment: lookout, boys it is dazzling your eyes. Beware!’
Purity in thought, speech and act is absolutely necessary…As to the thirst
after knowledge, it is an old law that we all get whatever we want. None of
us can get anything other than what we fix our hearts..The student who
sets out with such a spirit of perseverance will surely find success and
realization at last.
17. • I call him a traitor who, having been
educated, nursed in luxury by the heart’s
blood of the downtrodden millions of toiling
poor, never even takes a thought for them.
• History and the Puranas, housekeeping and
the arts, the duties of home life and principles
that make for the development of an ideal
character have to be taught(learnt).
• Along with other things students should
acquire the spirit of valour and heroism.
18. • There is only one method by which to attain
knowledge, that which is called concentration.
• The very essence of education is concentration of
mind.
• All success in any line of work is the result of this.
High achievements in art, music, etc are the
results of concentration.
• Practice of meditation…leads to mental
concentration.
• Power comes to him who observes unbroken
Brahmacharya for a period of twelve years.
• Chastity in thought, word and deed always and in
all conditions is what is called Brahmacharya.
19. • Never allow weakness to overtake your mind.
• You have to build the body by good nutritious
food- then only will the mind be strong.
• Be a hero. Always say, ‘’I have no fear’. Fear is
death, fear is sin, fear is hell, fear is
unrighteousness, fear is wrong life.
• What we think we become…Fill the
brain, therefore with high thoughts, highest
ideals, place them day and night before
you, and out of that will come great work.
20. • When we hear beautiful music, our minds
become fastened upon it.
• In literature, our epics and poems and dramas
rank as high as those of any language: our
Shagunthala was summarized by Germany’s
greatest poet, as ‘heaven and earth united’.
• Sanskrit is the divine language.
21. • Be moral. Be brave.
• Nothing else is necessary but these
love, sincerity and patience.
• Never say any man is hopeless, because he
only represents a character, a bundle of
habits, which can be checked by new and
better ones.
• Character is repeated habits and repeated
habits alone can reform character.
22. • All power is within you: you can do anything and
everything. Believe in that.
• All beings, great or small, are equally
manifestations of God, the difference is only in
the manifestation.
• Unselfishness is God.
• I do not believe in a God or religion which cannot
wipe the widow’s tears or bring a piece of bread
to the orphan’s mouth.
• Every religion and every creed recognizes man as
divine.
• All religions are true.
23. • If there is any land on this earth..where humanity
has attained its highest gentleness, towards
generosity, towards purity, towards calmness
above all the land of introspection and of
spirituality – it is India.
• O India! Forget not..forget not that the lower
classes, the ignorant, the poor, the illiterate, the
cobbler, the sweeper are your flesh and blood
your brothers.
• When you have men who are ready to sacrifice
their everything for their country, sincere to the
backbone- when such men arise, India will
become great in every respect. It is the men that
make the country!
