®Week 2025-35: On Religion

"Prayer is that which enables the soul to realize its divinity. Through prayer human beings worship absolute truth, and seek an eternal reward. Prayer is the foundation-stone of religion; and religion is the means by which the soul is purified of all that pollutes it. Prayer is the worship of the first cause of all things, the supreme ruler of all the world, the source of all strength. Prayer is the adoration of the one whose being is necessary." (Avicenna Latinus [Ibn Sina], "Kitab al-Najat", cca. 1021–1027)

"Religion does what philosophy could never do; it shows the equal dealings of Heaven to the happy and the unhappy, and levels all human enjoyments to nearly the same standard. It gives to both rich and poor the same happiness hereafter, and equal hopes to aspire after it." (Oliver Goldsmith, "The Miscellaneous Works of Dr. Goldsmith", 1792)

"To be good and to do good that is the whole of religion." (Swami Vivekananda, [letter to Govinda Sahay], 1891)

"Anything that is secret and mysterious in these systems of yoga should be at once rejected. The best guide in life is strength. In religion, as in all other matters, discard everything that weakens you, have nothing to do with it." (Swami Vivekananda, "Raja Yoga", 1896)

"All religions have some truth in them, but none has the whole truth; all are created in time and finally decline and perish."  (Sri Aurobindo, [letter] 1929)

"Religion and science are the two conjugated faces of phases of one and the same act of complete knowledge - the only one which can embrace the past and future of evolution so as to contemplate, measure and fulfill them." (Pierre T de Chardin, "The Phenomenon of Man", 1955)

"Science, philosophy and religion are bound to converge as they draw nearer to the whole." (Pierre T de Chardin, "The Phenomenon of Man", 1955)

"Religion is one tree with many branches. As branches, you may say, religions are many, but as a tree, religion is only one." (Mahatma Gandhi, "None High: None Low", 1965)

"Religion and philosophy have their value, but in the end all we can do is open to mystery and live a path with heart." (Jack Kornfield, "A Path with Heart: A Guide Through the Perils and Promises of Spiritual Life", 1993)

"There are essentially two paths to enlightenment. One path is art and the other path is religion. The two paths are closely interrelated." (Kazumi Tabata, "Mind Power: Secret Strategies for the Martial Arts", 2010)

"Every religion is the product of the conceptual mind attempting to describe the mystery." (Ram Dass)

"In eating, sleeping, fearing, and copulating, men and beasts are alike;

Man excelleth the beast by engaging in religious practices.

So why should a man, if he be without religion, not be equal to the beast?" (Nagarjuna, [attributed] "The Staff of Wisdom")

"My religion is kindness." (Dalai Lama)

"Religion is belief is someone else's experience. Spirituality is having your own experience." (Deepak Chopra)

"Supernatural power is not a skill or trick. It exists in your heart, in your sincerity. Religion is the same, too." (Toshitsugu Takamatsu)

"The greatest religion is to be true to your own nature. Have faith in yourselves." (Swami Vivekananda)