Sri Ramakrishna Universal Temple:
Purpose & Significance
"Truth is my God, & the Universe my country. The three worlds are my homeland, do what is auspicious unto all the three worlds.." - Swami Vivekananda
The Abode of Spiritual Knowledge
Swami Vivekananda's "Temple Universal" is all-inclusive.
He affirmed his faith in these words: "I accept all religions that were in the past & worship with them all; I worship God with every one of them, in whatever form they worship Him...
-- I shall go to the mosque of the Mohammedan;
-- I shall enter the Christian’s church and kneel before the crucifix;
-- I shall enter the Buddhist temple, where I shall take refuge in Buddha, and in his law.
-- I shall go into the forest and sit down in meditation with the Hindu who is trying to see the light, which enlightens the heart of every one.
-- Not only shall I do all these but I shall keep my heart open for all that may come in the future.
Salutations to all the prophets of the past, to all the great ones of the present, and to all that are to come in the future!".
His Vedanta and his yoga is for all. He said, "Vedanta, will be the future religion of thinking humanity."
He affirmed "Raja Yoga, never asks the question what our religion is, whether we are Deists, or Atheists, whether Christians, Jews or Buddhists; we are human beings, that is sufficient."
The way of Vivekananda is at once the way to self-perfection and to world-betterment.
Swami Vivekananda was truly a disciple of his Master Sri Ramakrishna who in himself was a whole Parliament of Religions.
All these ideas are exemplified in the word; 'Universal Temple’.
"As many faiths so many paths"; -- all lead to the same Truth.
The world is passing through difficult times. Violence, hatred and crimes have spread out to all parts of the world creating hardships to the people. We are facing unprecedented terrorism in the world at the outset of the third millennium. Fanaticism and dogmatism have caused severe damages to the religions. The real import of religions is misunderstood.
In this crucial time Sri Ramakrishna Ideal is very significant. Sri Ramakrishna is the greatest scientist in the field of spirituality. One may call him a sage or a mystic of modern age, a Man of God, God- incarnate, etc. according to one's liking and everyone would be correct in his/her own way of understanding him.
This is because he encompasses every aspect of religion and mysticism in his life and teachings. Every soul can take something from this perennial fountain of spirituality and nourish his/her heart with purity, holiness, and selflessness.
Sri Ramakrishna’s unique life and teachings have tremendous spiritual power of integrating all the religions in the world.
His extraordinary uniqueness is the force & inspiration behind the Sri Ramakrishna Universal Temple, which has universal significance.
Sacred Place of Pilgrimage
"I am cruising through the length and breadth of this country. But Chicago is my Math, where I always return after my wanderings…." - Swami Vivekananda
-- The western world, for the first time, received the universal message of Vedanta in Chicago.
-- Swami Vivekananda considered Chicago his headquarters in the West.
-- Chicago is the "Gateway of Vedanta to the West."
-- Swami Vivekananda envisioned the Universal Temple in the west and mentioned in his letters to his disciples.
-- Temple is a sacred place of pilgrimage.
