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[[File:Ramakrishna at studio.jpg|thumb|right|Ramakrishna ('''1881''', Calcutta)]]
{{EngvarB|date=March 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2015}}
[[Ramakrishna Paramahamsa]] (1836–1886) is a famous nineteenth-century Bengali mystic. Ramakrishna was a teacher of popular appeal, speaking in rustic Bengali with stories and parables.<ref name="ninian">Smart, Ninian ''The World’s Religions'' (1998) p.409, Cambridge</ref> Ramakrishna's main teachings included God realization as the supreme goal of life, renunciation of ''Kama-Kanchana'', Harmony of Religions and ''Jiva is Shiva''. Key concepts in Ramakrishna's teachings included the [[wikt:oneness|oneness]] of [[existence]] and the unity and truth of all religions.<ref>{{cite book|last=Flood|first=Gavin|title=An Introduction to Hinduism|url=https://archive.org/details/introductiontohi0000floo|url-access=registration|publisher=Cambridge University Press|year=1996|pages=[https://archive.org/details/introductiontohi0000floo/page/256 256–257]|isbn=978-0-521-43878-0}}</ref>

==God-realisation==
Ramakrishna noted that God-realisation is the supreme goal of all living beings.<ref>''Kathamrita'', 1/10/6</ref> Ramakrishna's mystical experiences through different religions led him to teach that various religions are different means to reach absolute knowledge and bliss—and that the different religions cannot express the totality of absolute truth, but can express aspects of it.<ref>Flood, p. 257.</ref>

==''Kama-Kanchana''==
Ramakrishna taught that the primal bondage in human life is ''Kama-Kanchana'' (lust and gold). When speaking to men, Ramakrishna warned them against ''kamini-kanchana'', or "women and gold",<ref>Jackson, pp. 20–21.</ref>
{{Blockquote|"Through the discipline of constant practice one is able to give up attachment to 'woman and gold'. That is what the [[Bhagavad Gita|Gita]] says. By practice one acquires uncommon power of mind. Then one doesn't find it difficult to subdue the sense-organs and to bring anger, lust, and the like under control. Such a man behaves like a tortoise, which, once it has tucked in its limbs, never puts them out. You cannot make the tortoise put its limbs out again, though you chop it to pieces with an axe."<ref>{{cite book | title = The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna | chapter = Chapter 7 – The Master and Vijay Goswami}}</ref>
"The renunciation of 'woman and gold' is the true renunciation."<ref>{{cite book | title = The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna | chapter = Chapter 9 – Advice to Brahmos}}</ref>
}}

When speaking to women, he warned them against ''purusha-kanchana'', or "man and gold." [[Gauri Ma]], one of Ramakrishna's prominent women disciples, said that:
{{Blockquote|[Ramakrishna] has uttered this note of warning, against gold and sensuality, against a life of enjoyment, but surely not against women. Just as he advised the ascetic-minded men to guard themselves against women's charms, so also did he caution pious women against men's company. The Master's whole life abounds with proofs to show that he had not the slightest contempt or aversion for women; rather he had intense sympathy and profound regard for them.<ref>
{{cite book
| last = Chetanananda
| first = Swami
| title = They Lived with God
| year = 1989
| pages = 146–147
| publisher = Vedanta Society of St. Louis
| place = St. Louis
| isbn = 0-916356-83-3
}}
</ref>}}

==''Avidyamaya'' and ''vidyamaya''==
{{see also|Avidyamaya and vidyamaya}}
Devotees believe that Ramakrishna's realisation of ''nirvikalpa samadhi'' also led him to an understanding of the two sides of ''[[Maya (illusion)|maya]]'', or illusion, to which he referred as ''[[Avidyamaya and vidyamaya]]''. He explained that ''avidyamaya'' represents dark forces of creation (e.g. sensual desire, evil passions, greed, [[lust]] and [[cruelty]]), which keep people on lower planes of consciousness. These forces are responsible for human entrapment in [[karma|the cycle of birth and death]], and they must be fought and vanquished. ''Vidyamaya'', on the other hand, represents higher forces of creation (e.g. spiritual virtues, enlightening qualities, [[kindness]], [[Virtue|purity]], [[love]], and devotion), which elevate human beings to the higher planes of consciousness.<ref>Neevel, p. 82.</ref>

==Harmony of religions==

Ramakrishna recognised differences among religions but realised that in spite of these differences, all religions lead to the same ultimate goal, and hence they are all valid and true.<ref name="cohen">{{cite journal
| last = Cohen
| first = Martin
| title = Spiritual Improvisations: Ramakrishna, Aurobindo, and the Freedom of Tradition
| journal = Religion and the Arts
| volume = 12
| issue = 1–3
| pages =277–293
| publisher = BRILL
| year = 2008
| doi = 10.1163/156852908X271079
}}</ref> Amiya P. Sen writes that the deep foundations in ''[[bhakti]]'' or devotion and faith in God makes Ramakrishna's teachings look universalistic and not his culturally determined forms.<ref name="A.P.Sen">
{{cite journal
| last = Sen
| first = Amiya P.
| title = Sri Ramakrishna, the ''Kathamrita'' and the Calcutta middle classes: an old problematic revisited
| journal = Postcolonial Studies
| volume = 9
| issue = 2
| pages =165–177
| date = June 2006
| doi = 10.1080/13688790600657835| s2cid = 144046925
}}
</ref> The distinguished British historian [[Arnold J. Toynbee]] has written: “... [[Mahatma Gandhi]]’s principle of non-violence and Sri Ramakrishna’s testimony to the harmony of religions: here we have the attitude and the spirit that can make it possible for the human race to grow together into a single family–and in the [[Atomic Age]], this is the only alternative to destroying ourselves.”<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.belurmath.org/sriramakrishna.htm#Contributions |title=Contributions of Sri Ramakrishna to World Culture |access-date=17 October 2008 |archive-date=28 March 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130328025520/http://belurmath.org/sriramakrishna.htm#Contributions |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>[[Walter Russell|Lao Russell]] ''God Will Work With You But Not For You'', pp. 3–12, University of Science and Philosophy, 1981 {{ISBN|1-879605-20-1}}; first ed. 1955</ref>

Regarding Harmony of Religions, Ramakrishna said,<ref name="rr_rtm">
{{cite book
| last = Rolland
| first = Romain
| title = The Life of Ramakrishna
| year = 1929
| pages = 49–62
| chapter = The Return to Man
| publisher = Advaita Ashrama
| isbn = 81-85301-44-1
}}
</ref>
{{Blockquote|"I have practised all religions—Hinduism, Islam, Christianity—and I have also followed the paths of the different Hindu sects. I have found that it is the same God toward whom all are directing their steps, though along different paths. You must try all beliefs and traverse all the different ways once. Wherever I look, I see men quarrelling in the name of religion—Hindus, Mohammedans, Brahmos, Vaishnavas, and the rest. But they never reflect that He who is called Krishna is also called Siva, and bears the name of the Primal Energy, Jesus, and Allah as well—the same Rama with a thousand names..."}}

==''Jiva is Shiva'' and other teachings==
Ramakrishna's proclamation of ''jatra jiv tatra Shiv'' (wherever there is a living being, there is [[Shiva]]) stemmed from his Advaitic perception of Reality. This taught his disciples, "Jive daya noy, Shiv gyane jiv seba" (not kindness to living beings, but serving the living being as Shiva Himself). According to scholars, Vivekananda derived his inspiration from this message and took initiative in social activities like [[famine relief]], pm on maintenance of orphanages, opening of training centers, educational institutions, dispensaries and the like—"Where should you go to seek for God? Are not all the poor, the miserable, the weak, god? Why not worship them first?...Let these people be your God..."<ref>
{{cite book
| author = Y. Masih
| title = A Comparative Study of Religions
|page=203
| publisher = Motilal Banarsidass
| year = 2000
| isbn = 81-208-0815-0
}}
</ref> Ramakrishna did not directly participate in social service, but entrusted the task to his chief disciple Vivekananda.<ref>
{{cite book
| author = Y. Masih
| title = A Comparative Study of Religions
|page=207
| publisher = Motilal Banarsidass
| year = 2000
| isbn = 81-208-0815-0
}}
</ref>

Ramakrishna, though not formally trained as a [[philosopher]], had an intuitive grasp of complex philosophical concepts.<ref name="lh">Hixon, Lex, ''Great Swan: Meetings with Ramakrishna'', (New Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1992, 2002), p. xvi</ref> According to him ''brahmanda'', the visible universe and many other universes, are mere bubbles emerging out of ''[[Brahman]]'', the supreme ocean of [[consciousness]] and intelligence.<ref>''Gospel of Ramakrishna'', vol. 4</ref>

Like [[Adi Sankara]] had done more than a thousand years earlier, Ramakrishna Paramahamsa revitalised Hinduism which had been fraught with excessive [[ritualism]] and [[superstition]] in the nineteenth century and helped it become better-equipped to respond to challenges from [[Islam]], [[Christianity]] and the dawn of the modern era.<ref name="br">Das, Prafulla Kumar, "Samasamayik Banglar adhymatmik jibongothone Sri Ramakrishner probhab", in ''Biswachetanay Ramakrishna'', (Kolkata: Udbodhon Karyaloy, 1987,1997– 6th rep.), pp.299–311</ref> However, unlike [[Adi Sankara]], Ramakrishna developed ideas about the post-''samadhi'' descent of consciousness into the phenomenal world, which he went on to term "''[[Vijñāna]]''". While he asserted the supreme validity of [[Advaita Vedanta]], he also stated that "I accept both the ''Nitya'' and the ''[[Lila (divine play)|Leela]]'', both the Absolute and the Relative."<ref>{{cite book|last=Long|first=Jeffrey D.|title=A Vision for Hinduism: Beyond Hindu Nationalism|publisher=I.B.Tauris|year=2007|page=126|isbn=978-1-84511-273-8}}</ref>

==Parables==
[[Parable]]s formed a very important part of Ramakrishna's teachings.<ref>{{cite book
| last = Smart
| first = Ninian
| title = The World's Religions: old traditions and modern transformations
| date = 25 February 1989
| publisher = Cambridge University Press
|page=410
| quote = Ramakrishna was a teacher with some popular appeal, speaking in vivid images and stories and parables.
| isbn = 0-13-968041-1
}}</ref> Ramakrishna conveyed his [[Spirituality|spiritual]] and [[moral]] messages through [[Folklore|tale]]s and [[parable]]s.<ref>
{{cite book
| title = Studies on Sri Ramakrishna
|page=109
| publisher = Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture (Original from the University of Michigan)
| year = 1988
}}
</ref>

''The Parable of the Greatest Devotee'', is one of his famous parables—
{{Cquote|Once upon a time conceit entered into the heart of [[Narada]] and he thought there was no greater devotee than himself. Reading his heart, the Lord said, "Narada, go to such and such a place, a great devotee of mine is living there. Cultivate his acquaintance; for he is truly devoted to me." [[Narada]] went there and found a farmer who rose early in the morning, pronounced the name of [[Hari]] (God) only once, and taking his [[plough]], went out and tilled the ground all day long. At night,. he went to bed after pronouncing the name of [[Hari]] once more. [[Narada]] said to himself "How can this rustic be a lover of God? I see him busily engaged in worldly duties and he has no signs of a pious man about him." Then [[Narada]] went back to the Lord, and spoke what he thought of his new acquaintance. There upon the Lord said, "Narada, take this cup of oil and go round this city and come back with it. But take care that you do not spill even a single drop of it." [[Narada]] did as he was told, and on his return the Lord asked him, "Well, [[Narada]], how many times did you remember me in the course of your walk round the city?" "Not once, my Lord," said Narada, "and how could I, when I had to watch this cup brimming over with oil?" The Lord then said, "This one cup of oil did so divert your attention that even you did forget me altogether. But look at that rustic, who, though carrying the heavy burden of a family, still remembers me twice every day."
}}

''The Parable of the Pandit who could not swim'' is another famous parable of Ramakrishna, a story akin to the fable of ''[[The Fox and the Cat (fable)|the Fox and the Cat]]''—
{{Cquote|Once several men were crossing the [[Ganges]] in a boat. One of them, a [[pandit]], was making a great display of his erudition, saying that he has studied various books—the [[Vedas]], the [[Vedanta]], the six systems of [[philosophy]]. He asked a fellow passenger, 'Do you know the [[Vedanta]]?' 'No, revered sir.' 'The [[Samkhya]] and the [[Yoga Sutras of Patanjali|Patanjala]]?' 'No, revered sir.' 'Have you read no [[philosophy]] whatsoever?' 'No, revered sir.' The pandit was talking in this vain way and the passenger sitting in silence, when a great storm arose and the boat was about to sink. The passenger said to the pandit, 'Sir, can you swim?' 'No', replied the pundit. The passenger said, 'I don't know the Samkhya or the Patanjala, but I can swim.'<ref>{{cite book | title = The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna | chapter = The Master and his Injured Arm | chapter-url = http://www.belurmath.org/gospel/chapter19.htm | archive-date = 3 March 2016 | access-date = 17 October 2008 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160303230945/http://www.belurmath.org/gospel/chapter19.htm | url-status = dead }}</ref>
}}

==See also==
* [[Sri-Sri-Ramakrisna-kathamrta]]

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

{{Ramakrishna}}

[[Category:Ramakrishna]]
[[Category:Ramakrishna Mission]]

Teachings of Ramakrishna - Revision history

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