%0 Journal Article
%T Tolerance in Swami Vivek¨¡nanda¡¯s Neo
%A Antonio Rigopoulos
%J Philosophy & Social Criticism
%@ 1461-734X
%D 2019
%R 10.1177/0191453719828425
%X Tolerance was and still is a key notion in Neo-Hindu discourse. Its systematic articulation is to be found in the speeches and writings of Swami Vivek¨¡nanda. Inspired by his master R¨¡mak£¿£¿£¿a, he proclaimed non-dual (advaita) Ved¨¡nta as the metaphysical basis of universal tolerance and brotherhood as well as of India¡¯s national identity. Conceptually, his notion of tolerance is to be understood as a hierarchical inclusivism, given that all religions are said to be ultimately included in Ved¨¡ntic Hinduism. The claim is that Advaita Ved¨¡nta is not a religion but Religion itself. Thus Vivek¨¡nanda promoted his understanding of Ved¨¡ntic Hinduism as the world religion based upon what he perceived to be universally valid ethical and metaphysical principles. Neo-Hinduism has had a profound, lasting influence among the educated middle classes of India and Vivek¨¡nanda was among those who paved the way for the independence movement of the early 20th century. The popular Western view of Hinduism as being synonymous with Advaita Ved¨¡nta is part and parcel of this heritage. The Indian gurus who have become popular in the West in the last hundred years are all indebted to the Vivek¨¡nandian model of spirituality
%K India
%K Neo-Hinduism
%K tolerance
%K Ved¨¡nta
%K Vivek¨¡nanda
%U https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0191453719828425