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Name:
Swami Vivekananda
Born: Narendranath Datta
Dates:
Born: January 12, 1863 in Calcutta, India
Died: July 4, 1902
Attended the Parliament of World Religions: September 11, 1893
Biography:
Vivekananda is a name known throughout India as one of the foremost Hindu figures
of the 19th century. He is not nearly so well known in the United States, even though his
influence here was also quite impressive. He was a devout follower of Ramakrishna and
adhered to the principle that every person was capable of great potential, so long
as they learn how to access it within themselves.
Vivekananda was opposed to the traditional repression which the lower castes suffered on a daily basis, hoping instead to create a society where everyone had equal chances to make something of themselves. Unusually, he was also opposed to the doctrine of non-violence which is so often characteristic of Hindu religious leaders. According to Vivekananda, "the atman cannot be known by the weak."
Vivekananda visited on the occasion of the Parliament of World Religions which opened in Chicago on September 11, 1893, where he made quite an impression on many religious and social figures in America. He was there as the chief representative of Hinduism and, for many, this was their first serious contact with that faith. William James, for example, praised him highly in both The Varieties of Religious Experience and in Pragmatism.
Also Known As: none
Alternate Spellings: none
Common Misspellings: none
Related Resources:
What is Theism?
What is the difference between monotheism and monolatry? Between pantheism and panentheism? How about between animism and shamanism? Or theism and deism? What the heck is henotheism? For that matter, what is and is not a religion?What is Religion?
A system of human beliefs, ideals and practices which is harder to define than it may at first appear.
