Maxims

Presented below are a number of short philosophic and moral precepts culled from Swami Vivekananda's works and utterances. Some will also be found in the section on quotations as part of a particular quotation and in his teachings. In this section, we have attempted to choose statements of force and brevity - which stand alone as, perhaps, a complete lesson in and of themselves.

• Truth never dreams


• No one can get anything unless he earns it. This is an eternal law.


• The more you fly from nature, the more she follows you; and if you do not care for her at all, she becomes your slave


• There is no virtue higher than non-injury.


• By truth we attain fruits of work.


• Chastity is the basis of all religions.


• He who has conquered the internal nature controls the whole universe; it becomes his servant.


• As soon as you make a sect, you protest against universal brotherhood.


• Through truth everything is attained. In truth everything is established.


• Mercy shall not be for men alone, but shall go beyond, and embrace the whole world.


• The worm that crawls under your feet today is a God to be.


• That man has reached immortality who is disturbed by nothing material.


• There is no other teacher but your own soul.


• The totality of all souls, not the human alone, is the Personal God.


• Each individual has to work out his own salvation; there is no other way, and so also with nations.


• The strong, the well-knit, the young, the healthy, the daring alone are fit to be Yogis.


• To the Yogi everything is bliss


• Misery is caused by sin, and by no other cause.


• From contentment comes superlative happiness.


• Everything is fraught with fear: Renunciation alone is fearless.


• Friendship with many is good at a distance.