ENGLISH SPEECH | SWAMI VIVEKANANDA’s 1893 Speech at Chicago (English Subtitles)

Summary

The speaker, representing Hinduism, emphasizes the religion's universal tolerance, acceptance of all faiths, and belief in the eternal soul. They discuss the Vedas, spiritual laws, and the concept of karma, highlighting Hinduism's inclusive nature and its journey towards realizing the divine within all beings.

Takeaways

• 🙏 The speaker expresses gratitude on behalf of various religious and cultural groups, emphasizing the importance of tolerance and acceptance.
• 🌏 The speaker is proud to belong to a religion that promotes universal tolerance and acceptance of all religions, highlighting the inclusivity of Hinduism.
• 🏛️ The speaker mentions the historical shelter provided by India to persecuted people of all religions, including remnants of the Israelites and Zoroastrians.
• 📚 The Vedas, as the Hindu scriptures, are described as timeless and eternal, containing spiritual laws that govern the moral, ethical, and spiritual relations among beings.
• 🌟 The concept of creation is presented as being without beginning or end, aligning with the idea that cosmic energy is constant and eternal.
• 🧘‍♂️ The speaker argues against the idea of a created soul, suggesting that the soul is eternal and not subject to the laws of creation and destruction.
• 🌱 The speaker discusses the concept of karma, explaining that tendencies and actions from past lives influence the conditions of the present life.
• 🔥 The speaker challenges the idea that the soul can be deluded into thinking it is imperfect, questioning how a perfect being could be bound by matter.
• 💖 The speaker emphasizes the importance of love in worship, stating that God should be loved for love's sake, not for the hope of reward.
• 🌈 The speaker envisions a universal religion that transcends specific doctrines and embraces all humanity, aiming to help individuals realize their divine nature.

Q & A

What is the speaker expressing gratitude for at the beginning of the speech?

The speaker expresses gratitude in the name of the most ancient order of monks, the mother of religions, and the millions of Hindu people. They also thank the speakers on the platform who have spoken about the delegates from the Orient.

What does the speaker say about the concept of tolerance in Hinduism?

The speaker states that Hinduism believes in universal tolerance and accepts all religions as true. It is a religion that has sheltered the persecuted and refugees of all religions and nations.

How does the speaker describe the Vedas in relation to Hinduism?

The Vedas are described as the source of Hinduism, being without beginning or end. They are seen as the accumulated treasury of spiritual laws discovered by different persons in different times, similar to how the law of gravitation existed before its discovery.

What is the speaker's view on the concept of creation and God?

The speaker argues that creation is without beginning or end, and God is the ever-active Providence. They suggest that God is immutable and that the idea of a Creator God does not explain the anomalies in the world but simply expresses the growing fear of an all-powerful being.

How does the speaker address the idea of the soul and its relation to the body?

The speaker asserts that the soul is eternal and immortal, perfect and infinite. They argue that the soul is not created for creation means a combination, which implies a certain future dissolution. The soul is seen as a spirit living in a body, not the body itself.

What is the speaker's explanation for why some people are born happy and others are not?

The speaker suggests that the tendencies of the mind and body are influenced by past actions (karma). They argue that the soul with certain tendencies, influenced by past actions, takes birth in a body that is the fittest instrument for the display of that tendency.

How does the speaker discuss the concept of memory and the proof of past lives?

The speaker suggests that consciousness is only the surface of the mental ocean, and within its depths are stored all our experiences. They challenge the audience to try and stir up the depths of the ocean of memory to gain a complete reminiscence of past lives.

What is the speaker's view on the nature of God and how to worship Him?

The speaker describes God as omnipresent, pure, fatherless, almighty, and all merciful. They advocate for worshiping God through love, as the one beloved, dearer than everything, in this and the next life.

How does the speaker describe the ultimate goal of the Hindu religion?

The ultimate goal of the Hindu religion, according to the speaker, is to realize one's own true divine nature. This involves becoming perfect, divine, reaching God, and seeing God, which is the highest form of bliss and perfection.

What is the speaker's perspective on the role of images and symbols in worship?

The speaker explains that images and symbols are used in Hindu worship to help keep the mind fixed on the divine being. They argue that these external symbols are not compulsory but are tools to aid in spiritual realization, and their use is not inherently wrong.

How does the speaker view the diversity of religions and their ultimate unity?

The speaker sees all religions as different paths leading to the same goal, evolving a God out of the material man. They believe that the apparent contradictions in religions are necessary for adaptation to different circumstances, but at the heart of everything, the same truth reigns.