Swami Vivekananda

There is the mind itself. It is like a smooth lake which when struck, say by a stone, vibrates. The vibrations gather together and react on the stone, and all through the lake they will spread and be felt. The mind is like the lake; it is constantly being set in vibrations, which leave an impression on the mind; and the idea of the Ego, or personal self, the "I", is the result of these impressions. This "I" therefore is only the very rapid transmission of force and is in itself no reality.

The mind in its foolishness thinks that it is working in this body. Why should I be bound by one system of nerves, and put the Ego only in one body, if the mind is omnipresent? There is no reason why I should.[Source]_x000D_ _x000D_ The root of that degeneration is egotism - to think that one is just as great as any other, indeed!

This rascal ego must be obliterated.

This ego - the less there is of it, the nearer I am to that which I really am: the universal body.

Man only remains hypnotised with the false idea of an ego. When this ghost is off from us, all dreams vanish, and then it is found that the one Self only exists from the highest Being to a blade of grass.

Out of Mahat comes universal egoism.

One possessing Vairagya does not understand by Atman the individual ego but the All-pervading Lord, residing as the Self and Internal Ruler in all. He is perceivable by all as the sum total.

I am neither the mind, nor the intellect, nor the ego, nor the mind-stuff

The ideal of faith in ourselves is of the greatest help to us. If faith in ourselves had been more extensively taught and practiced, I am sure a very large portion of the evils and miseries that we have would have vanished. Throughout the history of mankind, if any motive power has been more potent than another in the lives of all great men and women, it is that of faith in themselves.

Losing faith in one's self means losing faith in God.

Let me draw your attention to one thing which unfortunately we always forget: that is - "O man, have faith in yourself."

. . . Have patience and be faithful unto death. Do not fight among yourselves. Be perfectly pure in money dealings. . . . We will do great things yet. . . . So long as you have faith and honesty and devotion, everything will prosper.

Have faith in yourselves, be proud of your ancestors, instead of being ashamed of them.

Children of those ancient Aryans, through the grace of the Lord may you have the same pride, may that faith in your ancestors come into your blood, may it become a part and parcel of your lives, may it work towards the salvation of the world!

...oneness is the secret to everything.

You gain nothing by becoming cowards.

Never allow weakness to overtake your mind. Remember Mahavira, remember the Divine Mother! And you will see that all weakness, all cowardice will vanish at once.

Do not run away, it is cowardice.

I hate cowardice; I will have nothing to do with cowards or political nonsense.

Cowards never win victories. We have to fight fear and troubles and ignorance if we expect them to flee before us.

Cowards only sin, brave men never, no, not even in mind.