Ramakrishna Quotes

My whole religion is this: do every duty, and expect no reward for it, either here or hereafter.

There is greatness in the fear of God, contentment in faith of God, and honour in humility.

For love is a willful stirring of our thoughts unto God, so that it receive nothing that is against the love of Jesus Christ, and therewith that it be lasting in sweetness of devotion; and that is the perfection of this life.

Plant the love of the holy ones within your spirit; don't give your heart to anything, but the love of those whose hearts are glad.

As long as I loved and served Christ I could be anything I wanted to be.

Pray to God that your attachment to such transitory things as wealth, name, and creature comforts may become less and less every day.

We should always look upon ourselves as God's servants, placed in God's world, to do his work; and accordingly labour faithfully for him; not with a design to grow rich and great, but to glorify God, and do all the good we possibly can.

Experience proves that in this life peace and satisfaction are had, not by the listless but by those who are fervent in God's service. And rightly so. For in their effort to overcome themselves and to rid themselves of self-love, they rid themselves of the roots of all passion and unrest.

God comes first - if I don't love him, I can't love anybody, and if I can't love me I can't love nobody.

The man who seeks to please God is the man who people are pleased with. The man who seeks to please others won't satisfy anyone.

There are many things that are essential to arriving at true peace of mind, and one of the most important is faith, which cannot be acquired without prayer.

Happiness is only attained by the free will agreeing in its freedom to accord with the will of God.

You have the right to work, but never to the fruit of the work. You should never engage in action for the sake of reward, nor should you long for inaction.

Quit Babylon for love of the Babylonians.And do not seek ease or security you can obtain by using Babylon. What will it avail you to cease living in Babylon if you do not also cease living on Babylon?

The measure of charity may be taken from the want of desires. As desires diminish in the soul, charity increases in it; and when it no longer feels any desire, then it possesses perfect charity.

Give up all self, all egotisms get out of anger, lust, give all to God. "I am not, but Thou art; the old man is all gone, only Thou remainest." "I am Thou." Blame none; if evil comes, know the Lord is playing with you and be exceeding glad.

Love's secret is always to be doing things for God, and not to mind because they are such very little ones.

To work without attachment is to work without the expectation of reward.

Do not any longer contend for mastery, for power, money, or praise. Be content to be a private, insignificant person, known and loved by God and me....of what importance is your character to mankind, if you was buried just now. Or if you had never lived, what loss would it be to the cause of God.

Brotherhood means laying down your life for somebody, really willing to sacrifice yourself for somebody else.

I'm only here on Earth to serve God. I never had a career. I don't care about commercialism. I have a ministry and I'll fight for the ministry.

Missionaries must not calculate on the least comfort but what they find in one another and their work.

Define yourself radically as one beloved by God.

Love seeks one thing only: the good of the one loved. It leaves all the other secondary effects to take care of themselves. Love, therefore, is its own reward.

Love is not a feeling of happiness. Love is a willingness to sacrifice.