Bringing Indian Religion to the Western World
In 1893, a groundbreaking conference in Chicago called the Parliament of the World’s Religions was called together with the intent of discussing the many faiths found around the globe. One of the event’s main speakers was Swami Vivekananda, a wandering Hindu monk who had an intense desire to spread Indian culture and beliefs to the West. His mentor was a famed Indian mystic named Sri Ramakrishna, who had spent almost his entire life in deep contemplation about God. Although Ramakrishna was oblivious to Western culture and education, Vivekananda is credited with introducing Hinduism to the Americas. The teachings of these two men still have a significant influence on the world today, particularly in their home country of India.
Ramakrishna Paramahamsa was born Gadadhar Chatterjee on February 17, 1836. He was born in Kamarpukur, a small rural village not far from the city of Calcutta. His parents were very poor, but they were devout followers of Hinduism. From an early age, Ramakrishna displayed a unique affinity for spiritual teachings as well as a disinterest in formal education and worldly affairs. At the age of six, he experienced his first “spiritual ecstasy” when he spotted a flock of dazzling white cranes flying under a stormy sky. The sight reportedly caused Ramakrishna to feel extreme joy. He experienced several more of these visions (known as samadhis in Hinduism) in his adolescent years, and this strengthened his growing religious fervor. Therefore, he began to gravitate towards the prospect of living a purely religious life.
When Ramakrishna was sixteen, he began to assist his older brother Ramkumar, who was a Hindu priest in Calcutta. Just four years later, he was named the chief priest of Dakshineswar Kali Temple. In this new role, Ramakrishna developed an unquenchable thirst for union with God, and he was constantly absorbed in deep meditation. In fact, he was often described to be in a “God-intoxicated” state. This alarmed his friends and relatives, so they arranged a marriage in the hopes of impressing worldly responsibilities upon Ramakrishna. However, even this failed to alleviate his intense desire to learn about God. Over the next several years, he spent countless hours developing the doctrines and teachings that Swami Vivekananda would later bring to the Western world.
In 1865, a traveling monk named Totapuri visited the Kali Temple where Ramakrishna was the chief priest. Under Totapuri’s guidance, Ramakrishna achieved nirvikalpa samadhi, which is the “highest spiritual experience mentioned in the Hindu scriptures” (Belurmath). While in this heightened state of awareness, he began to explore several different religions, including Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and Sikhism. For example, he began to view Jesus and the Buddha as incarnations of God. These experiences led him to one conclusion: all religions lead to the same goal. He summarized this realization in a simple phrase: “Yato mat, tato path,” which means, “As many faiths, so many paths” (Belurmath). Ramakrishna believed that the realization of God was not the monopoly of any particular religion or people; rather, it was the common quest of all of humanity.
As Ramakrishna’s message of religious tolerance began to spread throughout India, many Hindus came to meditate with him and learn from his teachings. One of the most notable visitors was a man named Narendranath Datta, who would later call himself Swami Vivekananda. Vivekananda was born into an aristocratic, upper-class family on January 12, 1863 in Calcutta. Like Ramakrishna, Vivekananda showed signs of an early appreciation for religion and meditation. However, he also displayed a love of education that Ramakrishna lacked. Vivekananda received a Western education in Calcutta, and he studied the works of various European scholars (such as David Hume and Charles Darwin). He completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1884. During his college years, Vivekananda also notices similarities between Western science and sacred Hindu texts. Hindus sought to gain ultimate knowledge about the universe and it’s creation, and this was also the pursuit of many scientists. Vivekananda’s appreciation for religion also grew dramatically after his uncle took him to visit the renowned Ramakrishna in 1881. Although he went into the meeting with a skeptical attitude, he experienced a spiritual ecstasy similar to the visions that Ramakrishna himself had described. From this moment onwards, Vivekananda’s devotion to religion and Ramakrishna’s teachings was cemented.
The branch of Hindu philosophy taught by Ramakrishna and embraced by Vivekananda is known as “Advaita Vedanta.” This perspective rejected dualism, or the separation of the self from the universe; in fact, Advaita means “not two” (GALE). Instead, Vedantins believe that the soul is one with the universal whole, or Brahman (monism). The pair studied together for five years, and Vivekananda learned much about the key tenets of Hinduism, such as meditation, yoga (preparing the mind for spiritual exploration), karma, and reincarnation. Ramakrishna also taught Vivekananda the importance of studying other religions. The two scholars read together from various sacred religious texts, from the Bible to the Koran to the Upanishads.
After Ramakrishna’s death in 1886, Vivekananda replaced him as a spiritual master. In the same way that devotees came to visit the elder scholar, a new generation of Hindus came to hear the wisdom of Vivekananda. A particularly zealous group took vows as monks and lived with Vivekananda in a small house. In 1890, they set out on a pilgrimage throughout India. During this trip, Vivekananda became more aware of the struggles of the millions of Indians living in poverty. His growing compassion for India’s impoverished drove him to seek financial aid from the wealthy Western nations. What followed was a major breakthrough in the development of religious tolerance and understanding throughout the world.
While in the city of Madras, Vivekananda and his followers learned of the first ever meeting of the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago, scheduled for September 1893. He agreed to represent India and Hinduism as a delegate at the meeting. On September 19, he presented one of his most influential speeches, entitled “Paper on Hinduism.” Here, he expressed beliefs that were completely alien to Western scholars, such as the concept of reincarnation and the belief that the universe was eternal. These beliefs flew in the face of Judaism and Christianity, which taught of death and a finite universe that had been brought into existence by a creator. Nevertheless, the underlying theme in the speech was religious tolerance. Following Ramakrishna’s teachings, Vivekananda spoke about the common goal of all religions-bringing all people to God. At the end of the speech, the seven thousand people in attendance gave Vivekananda a two-minute standing ovation. Bolstered by the reception, he spent the next four years in America, lecturing at various universities. By the time of his early death at the age of thirty-nine in 1902, Vivekananda had left a lasting impact on India and the Western world.
Modern scholars credit Swami Vivekananda Hindu nationalism and Indian pride.Today, Advaita Vedanta is one of the most studied schools of Indian philosophy.