What is Religion?
Swami Vivekananda

Fourteen definitions from his Complete Works.

Religion is the science which learns of the transcendental in nature through the transcendental in man.

Religion is the idea which is raising the brute into man and man to God.

Religion is the manifestation of the Divinity in man.

Religion is a process. It means being true to your own nature.

Religion is the realization of spirit as spirit.

Religion is realization; not talk nor doctrine, nor theories, however beautiful they may be. It is being and becoming, not hearing or acknowledging; it is the whole soul becoming transformed into what it believes.

Religion is the eternal relation between the eternal soul and the eternal God.

I make the distinction between religion and creed. Religion is the acceptance of all existing creeds.

True religion is the awakening of the spirit within us, consequent upon pure and heroic action.

I do not believe in a religion which cannot wipe the widow's tear or bring a piece of bread to the orphan's mouth.

Doing good to others is the one great universal religion.

My mission is to show that religion is everything and in everything... Without Vedanta every religion is superstition; with it, everything becomes religion.

Religion is learning to play consciously.