This is Part - 2 of the Inspiring Thoughts of Swami Vivekananda on a very significant topic, Religion and Ethics. Whatever be the religion, and I feel, even if one does not seriously believe in any particular religion, Yet, some good idea of what is religion, what is its relationship with ethics, etc. constitute important issues. This is very necessary in the modern materialistic world. Please do read, all the parts, this is the Part 2 of the four parts, and then make up your mind, of course, for the better. Thank you for your patient reading.

1. Inspiring Thoughts of Swami Vivekananda on Religion and Ethics ~ Part - 2 Submitted by Prof. V. Viswanadham

2. Inspiring Thoughts of Swami Vivekananda on Religion and Ethics ~ Part - 2 In one word, the ideal of Vedanta is to know man as he really is, and this is its message, that if you cannot worship your brother man, the manifested God, how can you worship a God who is unmanifested?

3. Inspiring Thoughts of Swami Vivekananda on Religion and Ethics ~ Part - 2 If you are really pure, how do you see the impure? For what is within, is without. We cannot see impurity without having it inside ourselves. This is one of the practical sides of Vedanta, and I hope that we shall all try to carry it into our lives.

4. Inspiring Thoughts of Swami Vivekananda on Religion and Ethics ~ Part - 2 Your godhead is the proof of God Himself. If you are not a prophet there never has been anything true of God. If you are not God, there never was any God, and never will be. This, says the Vedanta, is the ideal to follow.

5. Inspiring Thoughts of Swami Vivekananda on Religion and Ethics ~ Part - 2 Every one of us will have to become a prophet, and you are that already. Only Know it. Never think there is anything impossible for the soul. It is the greatest heresy to think so. If there is sin this is the only sin – to say that you are weak, or others are weak.

6. Inspiring Thoughts of Swami Vivekananda on Religion and Ethics ~ Part - 2 The Vedanta says, there is nothing that is not God.

7. Inspiring Thoughts of Swami Vivekananda on Religion and Ethics ~ Part - 2 The living God is within you, and yet you are building churches and temples and believing all sorts of imaginary nonsense. The only God to worship is the human soul, in the human body. Of course, all animals are temples too, but man is the highest, … If I cannot worship in that, no other temple will be of any advantage.

8. Inspiring Thoughts of Swami Vivekananda on Religion and Ethics ~ Part - 2 The secret of religion lies not in theories but in practice. To be good and do good – that is the whole of religion. ‘ Not he that crieth “Lord”, “Lord”, but he that doeth the will of the Father.’

9. Inspiring Thoughts of Swami Vivekananda on Religion and Ethics ~ Part - 2 Anything that brings spiritual, mental, or physical weakness, touch it not with the toes of your feet. Religion is the manifestation of the natural strength that is in man. A spring of infinite power is coiled up and is inside this little body, and that spring is spreading itself. … This is the history of man, of religion, civilization, or progress.

10. Inspiring Thoughts of Swami Vivekananda on Religion and Ethics ~ Part - 2 The basic aim of religion is to bring peace to man. It is not a wise thing for one to suffer in this life so that one can be happy in the next. One must be happy here and now. Any religion that can bring that about is the true religion for humanity.

11. Inspiring Thoughts of Swami Vivekananda on Religion and Ethics ~ Part - 2 Just one minute please! This is Part - 2 of the Inspiring Thoughts of Swami Vivekananda on a very significant topic, Religion and Ethics. Whatever be the religion, and I feel, even if one does not seriously believe in any particular religion, Yet, some good idea of what is religion, what is its relationship with ethics, etc. constitute important issues. This is very necessary in the modern materialistic world. Please do read, all the parts, and then make up your mind, of course, for the better. Thank you for your patient reading.