Ramakrishna > Quotes

“Only two kinds of people can attain self-knowledge: those who are not encumbered at all with learning, that is to say, whose minds are not over-crowded with thoughts borrowed from others; and those who, after studying all the scriptures and sciences, have come to realise that they know nothing.”
― Sri Ramakrishna, The Gospel of Ramakrishna

“You see many stars in the sky at night, but not when the sun rises. Can you therefore say that there are no stars in the heavens during the day? Because you cannot find God in the days of your ignorance, say not that there is no God.”
― Ramakrishna

“One man may read the Bhagavata by the light of a lamp, and another may commit a forgery by that very light; but the lamp is unaffected. The sun sheds its light on the wicked as well as on the virtuous.”
― Sri Ramakrishna, The Gospel of Ramakrishna

“You speak of doing good to the world. Is the world such a small thing? And who are you, pray, to do good to the world? First realise God, see Him by means of spiritual discipline. If He imparts power you can do good to others; otherwise not.”
― Sri Ramakrishna, The Gospel of Ramakrishna

“What Brahman is cannot be described. All things in the world — the Vedas, the Puranas, the Tantras, the six systems of philosophy — have been defiled, like food that has been touched by the tongue, for they have been read or uttered by the tongue. Only one thing has not been defiled in this way, and that is Brahman. No one has ever been able to say what Brahman is.”
― Sri Ramakrishna, The Gospel of Ramakrishna

“As long as I live, so long do I learn.”
― Ramakrishna

“God is in all men, but all men are not in God; that is why we suffer.”
― Ramakrishna

“The Man who works for others, without any selfish motive, really does good to himself.”
― Sri Ramakrishna

“The winds of God's grace are always blowing, it is for us to raise our sails.”
― Ramakrishna

“Different creeds are but different paths to reach the same God.”
― Sri Ramakrishna

“Common men talk bagfuls of religion but do not practise even a grain of it. The wise man speaks a little, even though his whole life is religion expressed in action.”
― Sri Ramakrishna

“Do not seek illumination unless you seek it as a man whose hair is on fire seeks a pond.”
― Sri Ramakrishna

“If you must be mad, be it not for the things of the world. Be mad with the love of God.”
― Ramakrishna

“Finish the few duties you have at hand, and then you will have peace.”
― Sri Ramakrishna

“Bondage and Liberation are of the mind alone.”
― Sri Ramakrishna

“God is everywhere but He is most manifest in man. So serve man as God. That is as good as worshipping God.”
― Ramakrishna

“God has revealed to me that only the Paramatman, whom the Vedas describe as the Pure Soul, is as immutable as Mount Sumeru, unattached, and beyond pain and pleasure. There is much confusion in this world of His maya. One can by no means say that 'this' will come after 'that' or 'this' will produce 'that'.”
― Sri Ramakrishna, The Gospel of Ramakrishna

“God has made different religions to suit different aspirants, times, and countries. All doctrines are only so many paths; but a path is by no means God himself. Indeed, one can reach God if one follows any of the paths with whole-hearted devotion...One may eat a cake with icing either straight or sidewise. It will taste sweet either way.”
― Sri Ramakrishna, Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna

“The goal of life is not the earning of money, but the service of God.p.114 ”
― Sri Ramakrishna

“Do all your duties, but keep your mind on God. Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna,p.81”
― Sri Ramakrishna

“Bondage is of the mind; freedom too is of the mind. If you say 'I am a free soul. I am a son of God who can bind me' free you shall be.”
― Ramakrishna

“As Long As I Live, So Long Do I Learn”
― Sri Ramakrishna

“When divine vision is attained, all appear equal; and there remains no distinction of good and bad, or of high and low.”
― Ramakrishna

“God can be realized through all paths. All religions are true. The important thing is to reach the roof. You can reach it by stone stairs or by wooden stairs or by bamboo steps or by a rope. You can also climb up by a bamboo pole.”
― Ramakrishna

“That knowledge which purifies the mind and heart alone is true Knowledge, all else is only a negation of Knowledge.”
― Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa

“Through selfless work, love of God grows in heart.”
― Sri Ramakrishna

“If you desire to be pure, have firm faith, and slowly go on with your devotional practices without wasting your energy in useless scriptural discussions and arguments. Your little brain will otherwise be muddled.”
― Ramakrishna

“It is easy to talk on religion, but difficult to practice it.”
― Ramakrishna

“Many good sayings are to be found in holy books, but merely reading them will not make one religious.”
― Ramakrishna

“Why should you renounce everything? You are all right as you are, following the middle...”
― Sri Ramakrishna