Ramakrishna Mission

Hindu religious and spiritual organization

For other uses, see RKM.

Ramakrishna Mission

Emblem

Abbreviation| RKM
Formation| 1 May 1897; 126 years ago (1897-05-01)
Calcutta, British India (present-day West Bengal India)
Founder| Swami Vivekananda
Type| Religious organisation
Legal status| Foundation
Purpose| Educational, philanthropic, religious studies, spirituality
Headquarters| Belur Math, West Bengal, India
Location|

* 261 Branch Centres

Coordinates| 22°22′N 88°13′E﻿ / ﻿22.37°N 88.21°E﻿ / 22.37; 88.21

Area served

| Worldwide

President

| Swami Smaranananda
Affiliations| Advaita Vedanta
Website| belurmath.org
Part of a series on

Advaita

Schools

Classical Advaita Vedanta

* Bhāmatī
* Vivarana

Shaivism/Tantra/Nath

* Kashmir Shaivism
* (Pratyabhijna)
* Nath
* (Inchegeri Sampradaya)

New movements

* Neo-Advaita
* Nondualism

Concepts

Classical Advaita vedanta

* Atman
* Brahman
* Avidya
* Ajativada
* Mahāvākyas
* Satchitananda
* Om
* Tat Tvam Asi
* Three Bodies
* Aham
* Cause and effect
* Kosha
* Neti neti

Kashmir Shaivism

* Pratyabhijna
* so'ham

Practices

* Guru
* Meditation
* Svādhyāya
* Sravana, manana, nididhyasana
* Jnana yoga
* Rāja yoga
* "Unfoldment of the middle"
* Self-enquiry

Moksha

* Moksha
* Anubhava
* Turiya
* Jivanmukta
* Sahaja

Texts

Advaita Vedanta

* Prasthanatrayi
* (Principal Upanishads, Brahma Sutras, Bhagavad Gita)
* Advaita Bodha Deepika
* Dŗg-Dŗśya-Viveka
* Vedantasara of Sadananda
* Panchadasi
* Ashtavakra Gita

Gaudapada

* Mandukya Karika

Adi Shankara

* Upadesasahasri
* Attributed to Shankara
* Vivekachudamani
* Atma bodha
* Aparokshanubhuti

Advaita-Yoga

* Yoga Vasistha
* Yoga Yajnavalkya

Nath

* Avadhuta Gita

Kashmir Shaivism

* Shiva Sutras of Vasugupta
* Pratyabhijnahridayam

Neo-Vedanta

* Works by Vivekananda

Inchegeri Sampradaya

* Dasbodh

Teachers

Classical Advaita Vedanta

* Gaudapada
* Adi Shankara
* Mandana Misra
* Sureśvara
* Vāchaspati Misra
* Padmapadacharya
* Amalananda
* Vidyaranya
* Bharathi Tirtha

* Advaita teachers

Contemporary

* Swami Vivekananda
* Swami Rama Tirtha
* Swami Sivananda
* Swami Chinmayananda
* Swami Dayananda
* Swami Sarvapriyananda

Shaivism/Tantra/Nath

* Gorakshanath
* Matsyendranath

Neo-Advaita

* Ramana Maharshi
* Nisargadatta Maharaj
* H. W. L. Poonja
* Vijnanabhiksu

Influences

* Sramanic movement

Hinduism

* Vedas
* Upanishads
* Mimamsa
* Nyaya
* Samkhya
* Yoga
* Vedanta

Buddhism

* Precanonical Buddhism
* Madhyamika
* Yogacara
* Buddha-nature

Monasteries and Orders

Classical Advaita Vedanta

* Dashanami Sampradaya
* Gaudapadacharya Math
* Sringeri Sharada Peetham
* Govardhana Pīṭhaṃ
* Dvāraka Pīṭhaṃ
* Jyotirmaṭha Pīṭhaṃ

Modern Advaita Vedanta

* Divine Life Society
* Chinmaya Mission
* Arsha Vidya Gurukulam

Neo-Vedanta

* Ramakrishna Mission

Scholarship

Academic

* Paul Deussen
* Daniel H. H. Ingalls
* Richard De Smet
* Eliot Deutsch
* Sengaku Mayeda
* Max Müller
* Hajime Nakamura
* Patrick Olivelle
* Anantanand Rambachan
* Arvind Sharma

Non-academic

* David Godman

Categories

* Advaita
* Advaita Vedanta
* Vishishtadvaita Vedanta
* Advaita Shaivism
* Kashmir Shaivism
* Inchegeri Sampradaya
* Nondualism
* Neo-Advaita teachers

Hindu philosophy

* v
* t
* e

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Hinduism

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* Hindu synthesis (500/200 BCE-300 CE)

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List

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Trimurti

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Tridevi

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Other major Devas / Devis

Vedic:

* Agni
* Ashvins
* Chandra
* Indra
* Prajapati
* Pushan
* Rudra
* Surya
* Ushas
* Varuna
* Vayu

Post-Vedic:

* Dattatreya
* Durga
* Ganesha
* Hanuman
* Kali
* Kartikeya
* Krishna
* Kubera
* Radha
* Rama
* Shakti
* Sita
* Vishvakarma

Concepts

Worldview

* Cosmology
* Mythology
* Puranic chronology

Ontology

* Tattvas
* Subtle elements
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* Gross elements
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Supreme reality

* Brahman
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God

* Ishvara
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Meaning of life

* Dharma
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Stages of life

* Brahmacarya
* Grihastha
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Three paths to liberation

* Bhakti yoga
* Jnana yoga
* Karma yoga

Liberation

Mokṣa-related topics:

* Paramātman
* Maya
* Karma
* Saṃsāra

Mind

* Ātman (self)
* Anātman (non-self)
* Sūkṣma śarīra (subtle body)
* Antaḥkaraṇa (mental organs)

* Prajña (wisdom)
* Ānanda (happiness)
* Viveka (discernment)
* Vairagya (dispassion)
* Sama (equanimity)
* Dama (temperance)
* Uparati (self-settledness)
* Titiksha (forbearance)
* Shraddha (faith)
* Samadhana (concentration)
* Arishadvargas (six enemies)
* Ahamkara (attachment)

Ethics

* Niti śastra
* Yamas
* Niyama
* Ahimsa
* Achourya
* Aparigraha
* Brahmacarya
* Satya
* Damah
* Dayā
* Akrodha
* Arjava
* Santosha
* Tapas
* Svādhyāya
* Shaucha
* Mitahara
* Dāna
* Sources of dharma

Epistemology

* Pratyakṣa (perception)
* Anumāṇa (inference)
* Upamāṇa (comparison, analogy)
* Arthāpatti (postulation, presumption)
* Anupalabdi (non-perception, negation)
* Śabda (word, testimony)

Practices

Worship, sacrifice, and charity

* Puja
* Ārtī
* Prarthana
* Śrauta
* Temple
* Murti
* Bhakti
* Japa
* Bhajana
* Kīrtana
* Yajna
* Homa
* Tarpana
* Vrata
* Prāyaścitta
* Tirtha
* Yatra
* Tirthadana
* Matha
* Nritta-Nritya
* Dāna
* Seva

Meditation

* Tāpas
* Dhyāna
* Samādhāna
* Nididhyāsana

Yoga

* Sadhu
* Yogi
* Yogini
* Asana
* Sadhana
* Hatha yoga
* Jnana yoga
* Bhakti yoga
* Karma yoga
* Raja yoga
* Kundalini Yoga

Arts

* Bharatanatyam
* Kathak
* Kathakali
* Kuchipudi
* Manipuri
* Mohiniyattam
* Odissi
* Sattriya
* Bhagavata Mela
* Yakshagana
* Dandiya Raas
* Carnatic music
* Pandav Lila
* Kalaripayattu
* Silambam
* Adimurai

Rites of passage

* Garbhadhana
* Pumsavana
* Simantonayana
* Jatakarma
* Namakarana
* Nishkramana
* Annaprashana
* Chudakarana
* Karnavedha
* Vidyarambha
* Upanayana
* Keshanta
* Ritushuddhi
* Samavartana
* Vivaha
* Antyeshti

Festivals

* Diwali
* Holi
* Shivaratri
* Navaratri
* Durga Puja
* Ramlila
* Vijayadashami-Dussehra
* Raksha Bandhan
* Ganesh Chaturthi
* Vasant Panchami
* Rama Navami
* Janmashtami
* Onam
* Makar Sankranti
* Kumbha Mela
* Pongal
* Ugadi
* Vaisakhi
* Bihu
* Puthandu
* Vishu
* Ratha Yatra

Philosophical schools

Six Astika schools

* Samkhya
* Yoga
* Nyaya
* Vaisheshika
* Mimamsa
* Vedanta
* Advaita
* Dvaita
* Vishishtadvaita
* Achintya Bheda Abheda
* Shuddhadvaita
* Dvaitadvaita
* Akshar-Purushottam Darshan

Other schools

* Saiva
* Kapalika
* Pasupata
* Pratyabhijña
* Vaishnava
* Pancharatra
* Charvaka

Gurus, sants, philosophers

Ancient

* Agastya
* Angiras
* Aruni
* Ashtavakra
* Atri
* Bharadwaja
* Gotama
* Jaimini
* Jamadagni
* Kanada
* Kapila
* Kashyapa
* Patanjali
* Pāṇini
* Prashastapada
* Raikva
* Satyakama Jabala
* Valmiki
* Vashistha
* Vishvamitra
* Vyasa
* Yajnavalkya

Medieval

* Abhinavagupta
* Adi Shankara
* Akka Mahadevi
* Allama Prabhu
* Alvars
* Basava
* Chaitanya
* Ramdas Kathiababa
* Chakradhara
* Chāngadeva
* Dadu Dayal
* Eknath
* Gangesha Upadhyaya
* Santadas Kathiababa
* Gaudapada
* Gorakshanatha
* Haridasa Thakur
* Harivansh
* Jagannatha Dasa
* Jayanta Bhatta
* Jayatīrtha
* Jiva Goswami
* Jñāneśvara
* Kabir
* Kanaka Dasa
* Kumārila Bhaṭṭa
* Madhusūdana
* Madhva
* Matsyendranatha
* Morya Gosavi
* Mukundarāja
* Namadeva
* Narahari Tirtha
* Nrusinha Saraswatī
* Nayanars
* Nimbarkacharya
* Prabhākara
* Purandara Dasa
* Raghavendra Swami
* Raghunatha Siromani
* Raghuttama Tirtha
* Ram Charan
* Ramananda
* Ramanuja
* Ramprasad Sen
* Ravidas
* Rupa Goswami
* Samarth Ramdas
* Sankardev
* Satyanatha Tirtha
* Siddheshwar
* Sripada Srivallabha
* Sripadaraja
* Surdas
* Swaminarayan
* Śyāma Śastri
* Tukaram
* Tulsidas
* Tyagaraja
* Vācaspati Miśra
* Vadiraja Tirtha
* Vallabha
* Valluvar
* Vedanta Desika
* Vidyaranya
* Vyasaraja

Modern

* Aurobindo
* Bhaktivinoda Thakur
* Chinmayananda
* Dayananda Saraswati
* Jaggi Vasudev
* Krishnananda Saraswati
* Mahavatar Babaji
* Mahesh Yogi
* Narayana Guru
* Nigamananda
* Nisargadatta Maharaj
* Prabhupada
* Radhakrishnan
* R. D. Ranade
* Ramakrishna
* Ramana Maharshi
* Sai Baba
* Sarasvati
* Satyadhyana Tirtha
* Siddharameshwar Maharaj
* Sivananda
* Swami Rama Tirtha
* Swami Ramdas
* Swami Samarth
* Swami Shraddhanand
* Tibbetibaba
* Trailanga
* U. G. Krishnamurti
* Upasni Maharaj
* Vivekananda
* Yogananda

Texts

Sources and classification of scripture

* Śruti
* Smṛti
* Ācāra
* Ātmatuṣṭi

Scriptures

* Timeline of Hindu texts

Vedas

* Rigveda
* Yajurveda
* Samaveda
* Atharvaveda

Divisions

* Samhita
* Brahmana
* Aranyaka
* Upanishad

Upanishads

Rigveda:

* Aitareya
* Kaushitaki

Yajurveda:

* Brihadaranyaka
* Isha
* Taittiriya
* Katha
* Shvetashvatara
* Maitri

Samaveda:

* Chandogya
* Kena

Atharvaveda:

* Mundaka
* Mandukya
* Prashna

Vedangas

* Shiksha
* Chandas
* Vyakarana
* Nirukta
* Kalpa
* Jyotisha

Other scriptures

* Bhagavad Gita
* Agamas (Hinduism)

Other texts

Puranas

* Vishnu Purana
* Bhagavata Purana
* Devi Bhagavata Purana
* Nāradeya Purana
* Vāmana Purana
* Matsya Purana
* Garuda Purana
* Brahma Purana
* Brahmānda Purana
* Brahma Vaivarta Purana
* Bhavishya Purana
* Padma Purana
* Agni Purana
* Shiva Purana
* Linga Purana
* Kūrma Purana
* Skanda Purana
* Varaha Purana
* Mārkandeya Purana

Itihasas

* Ramayana
* Mahabharata

Upavedas

* Ayurveda
* Dhanurveda
* Gandharvaveda
* Sthapatyaveda

Shastras, sutras, and samhitas

* Dharma Shastra
* Artha Śastra
* Shilpa Shastra
* Kamasutra
* Brahma Sutras
* Samkhya Sutras
* Mimamsa Sutras
* Nyāya Sūtras
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* Yoga Sutras
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* Charaka Samhita
* Sushruta Samhita
* Natya Shastra
* Panchatantra
* Divya Prabandha
* Tirumurai
* Ramcharitmanas
* Yoga Vasistha
* Swara yoga
* Panchadasi

Stotras and stutis

* Kanakadhāra Stotram
* Shiva Stuti
* Vayu Stuti

Tamil literature

* Tirumurai
* Divya Prabandham
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Society

Varna

Four varnas:

* Brahmana
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Varna-less:

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Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission (RKM) is a Hindu religious, spiritual and philanthropic organisation headquartered in Belur Math, West Bengal.[1][2] The mission is named after the Indian Hindu spiritual guru and mystic Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa Deva.[1] The mission was founded by Ramakrishna's chief disciple Swami Vivekananda on 1 May 1897.[1] The organisation mainly propagates the Hindu philosophy of Vedanta–Advaita Vedanta and four yogic ideals – Jnana, Bhakti, Karma, and Raja yoga.[3][1]

Apart from religious and spiritual teaching, the organisation carries out extensive educational and philanthropic work in India and abroad. This aspect came to be a feature of many other Hindu movements.[4] The mission bases its work on the principles of Karma Yoga, the principle of selfless work done with a dedication to God.[1] The Ramakrishna Mission has centres around the world and publishes many important Hindu texts.[5] It is affiliated with a monastic organisation. Vivekananda was greatly influenced by his guru (teacher), Ramakrishna, who also believed in Universalism.

## Overview[edit]

Universal Temple at Sri Ramakrishna Math Chennai

The Math and the Mission are the two key organizations that direct the work of the Ramakrishna movement. The Ramakrishna Math, alternatively referred to as the Ramakrishna Order, is a monastic institution associated with the religious movement established by Ramakrishna in 1886. The primary emphasis of the Math lies in the cultivation of spiritual development and the dissemination of the movement's doctrines.[6]

The Mission, founded by Vivekananda in 1897,[7] is a humanitarian organisation that carries out medical, relief, and educational programs. Both organisations have headquarters at Belur Math.[6]

The Mission acquired legal status when it was registered in 1909 under Act XXI of 1860. Its management is vested in a Governing Body. Though the Mission with its branches is a distinct legal entity, it is closely related to the Math.

The elected trustees of the Math also serve as the Mission's Governing Body.[6] Vedanta Societies comprise the American arm of the Movement and work more in the purely spiritual field than social welfare.

## History[edit]

Ramakrishna Paramahamsa Swami Vivekananda at the Parliament of Religions

Ramakrishna Paramahamsa (1836–1886), regarded as a 19th-century mystic, was the inspirer of the Ramakrishna Order of monks[8] and is regarded as the spiritual founder of the Ramakrishna Movement.[9][10] Ramakrishna was a priest at the Dakshineswar Kali Temple and attracted several monastic and household disciples.

In 1886, shortly before his death, Ramakrishna gave the ochre cloths of renunciation to his young disciples, who were planning to become renunciants. Ramakrishna entrusted the care of these young aspirants to Vivekananda. After Ramakrishna's death, the young disciples of Ramakrishna gathered and practised spiritual disciplines. They took informal monastic vows on the night of 24 December 1886.[8]

After the death of Ramakrishna in 1886, the monastic disciples formed the first Math (monastery) at Baranagore. Later, Vivekananda became a wandering monk, and in 1893, he was a delegate at the Parliament of the World's Religions held in the year 1893. His speech there, beginning with "Sisters and Brothers of America," became famous and brought him widespread recognition. Vivekananda went on lecture tours and held private discourses on Hinduism and spirituality. He also founded the first Vedanta Society in the United States, in New York. He returned to India in 1897 and founded the Ramakrishna Mission on 1 May 1897.[8] Though he was a Hindu sadhu and was hailed as the first Hindu missionary in modern times, he exhorted his followers to be true to their faith and respect all the religions of the world, as his guru Ramakrishna had taught that all religions are pathways to God. One such example is his exhortation that one can be born in a church, but he or she should not die in a church, meaning that one should realise the spiritual truths for themselves and not stop at blindly believing in doctrines taught to them. The same year, famine relief was started at Sargachi by Swami Akhandananda, a direct disciple of Ramakrishna. Swami Brahmananda, a direct disciple of Ramakrishna, was appointed as the first president of the Order. After the death of Vivekananda in 1902, Sarada Devi, the spiritual counterpart of Ramakrishna, played an important role as the advisory head of a nascent monastic organisation. Gayatri Spivak writes that Sarada Devi "performed her role with tact and wisdom, always remaining in the background."[11]

## Administration[edit]

The Board of Trustees holds all the authority inside the twin organisation, Ramakrishna Math and Mission. The governing body known as the Board of Trustees consists of several key positions, including an elected President, one or more vice presidents, a General Secretary, one or more Assistant General Secretaries, and a Treasurer.[12]

The individual holding the position of President serves as the highest authority within both Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission, overseeing all affiliated branch centres and the central headquarters located at Belur Math.[12][13]

The composition of the Board of Trustees comprises elected members of the Ramakrishna Order who hold senior positions as monks. The appointment of a head is done by the Trustees, who designate the head of a branch centre of Ramakrishna Math.[12]

The Ramakrishna Movement comprises four distinct streams. The inclusion of ordinary devotees assuming the role of monks within the Ramakrishna Math constitutes the initial manifestation of the Ramakrishna Movement. The second stream of the Ramakrishna Movement consists of lay devotees who choose not to renounce the world but instead engage in voluntary activities. The third stream of the Ramakrishna Movement comprises Sarada Math and the Ramakrishna Sarada Mission. The fourth branch of the Ramakrishna Movement consists of the "Private Ashramas," which operate autonomously and are not administratively affiliated with the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission.[14]

## Motto and principles[edit]

The aims and ideals of the Mission are purely spiritual and humanitarian, and they have no connection with politics.[15] The mission strives to practice and preach these.[16] The Principles of the Upanishads and Yoga in the Bhagavad Gita are reinterpreted in light of Ramakrishna's life and teachings, and are the main source of inspiration for the Mission.[17]

### Motto[edit]

Manifestation of the Atman can be realized through any of the four yogas. The Ramakrishna Mission also believes in the harmony of all religions, i.e. that all religions lead to the same goal if followed properly.[18]

## Monastic Order[edit]

After the death of Ramakrishna in 1886, his young disciples organised themselves into a new monastic order. The original monastery at Baranagar, known as Baranagar Math, was subsequently moved to the nearby Alambazar area in 1892, then to Nilambar Mukherjee's Garden House, south of the present Belur Math in 1898 before finally being shifted in January 1899 to a newly acquired plot of land at Belur in Howrah district by Vivekananda.[19]

## Attitude towards politics[edit]

Almost 95% of the monks possess voter ID cards for the sake of identification and particularly for traveling, as they are forced by governmental authorities to seek a voter ID card. But they generally use it only for identification purpose and not for voting though they are not forbidden to vote. As individuals, the monks may have political opinions, but these are not meant to be discussed in public.[20][21]

The Mission, had, however, supported the movement of Indian independence, with a section of the monks keeping close apolitical relations with freedom fighters of various camps. A number of political revolutionaries later joined the Ramakrishna Order.[22]

## Emblem[edit]

Designed and explained by Swami Vivekananda in his own words:[23]

The wavy waters in the picture are symbolic of Karma; the lotus, of Bhakti; and the rising-sun, of Jnana. The encircling serpent is indicative of [Raja] Yoga and the awakened Kundalini Shakti, while the swan in the picture stands for Paramatman (Supreme Self). Therefore, the idea of the picture is that by the union of Karma, Jnana, Bhakti and Yoga, the vision of Paramatman is obtained.

## Activities[edit]

A sailor assigned to the mine countermeasures ship USS Patriot who cleared ground to plant a garden of pomegranate, guava and lemon trees at the mission. Social service and health promotion at the Home of Service – Ramakrishna Mission, Varanasi, India

The principal workers of the mission are the monks. The mission's activities cover the following areas:[16]

* Education[24]
* Healthcare
* Cultural activities
* Rural upliftment
* Tribal welfare
* Youth movement, spiritual teachings

The mission has its own hospitals, charitable dispensaries, maternity clinics, tuberculosis clinics, and mobile dispensaries. It also maintains training centres for nurses. Orphanages and homes for the elderly are included in the mission's field of activities, along with rural and tribal welfare work.[25]

The mission has established many renowned educational institutions in India, having its own university, colleges, vocational training centres, high schools and primary schools, teacher-training institutes, as well as schools for the visually handicapped.[25] It has also been involved in disaster relief operations during famine, epidemic, fire, flood, earthquake, cyclone and communal disturbances.[25]

The mission played an important role in the installation of photovoltaic (PV) lighting systems in the Sundarbans region of West Bengal. Due to the geographical features of the Sunderbans, it is very difficult to extend the grid network to supply power to its population. The PV lighting was used to provide electricity to the people who were traditionally depending on kerosene and diesel.[26]

### Religious activities[edit]

The mission is a non-sectarian organisation[27][28] and ignores caste distinctions.[29]

Ramakrishna ashrama's religious activities include satsang and arati. Satsang includes communal prayers, songs, rituals, discourses, reading and meditation. Arati involves the ceremonial waving of lights before the images of a deity of holy person and is performed twice in a day.[30] Ramakrishna ashramas observes major Hindu festivals, including Maha Shivarathri, Rama Navami, Krishna Ashtami and Durga Puja. They also give special place to the birthdays of Ramakrishna, Sarada Devi, Swami Vivekananda and his other monastic disciples.[30] 1 January is celebrated as Kalpataru Day.[31]

The math and the mission are known for their religious tolerance and respect for other religions. Among the earliest rules laid down by Swami Vivekananda for them was, "Due respect and reverence should be paid to all religions, all preachers, and to the deities worshiped in all religions."[32] Acceptance and toleration of all religions is the one of ideals of Ramakrishna Math and Mission. Along with the major Hindu festivals, Christmas Eve and Buddha's birthday are also devoutly observed.[30][32][33] Cyril Veliath of Sophia University writes that the Ramakrishna Mission monks are a relatively orthodox set of monks who are "extremely well respected both in India and abroad", and that they "cannot be classified as just another sect or cult, such as the groups led by the gurus". Veliath writes that "of the Hindu groups I have worked with I have found the Ramakrishna Mission to be the most tolerant and amenable to dialogue, and I believe that we Christians couldn't do better, than to cooperate wholeheartedly in their efforts towards inter-religious harmony.[34][35]

## Awards and honourable[edit]

The Ramakrishna Mission has received numerous accolades throughout its lifetime:

* Bhagwan Mahavir Foundation Award (1996).[36]
* Dr. Ambedkar National Award (1996).[36]
* Dr. Bhawar Singh Porte Tribal Service Award (1997–98).[36]
* In 1998 the Mission was awarded the Indian government's prestigious Gandhi Peace Prize.[37][38][39]
* Shahid Vir Narayan Singh Award (2001).[36]
* Pt. Ravishankar Shukla Award (2002).[36]
* National Communal Harmony Award (2005).[40]
* The Ramakrishna Mission was selected for an honorary mention of the UNESCO Madanjeet Singh Prize for Promotion of Tolerance and Non violence 2002.[41]
* The Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama Narainpur, Chhattisgarh was jointly selected for the 25th Indira Gandhi Award for National Integration for the year 2009 with musician A.R.Rehman for their services in promoting and preserving national integration.[42][43]

In a speech made in 1993, Federico Mayor, Director-General of UNESCO, stated:[44]

> I am indeed struck by the similarity of the constitution of the Ramakrishna Mission which Vivekananda established as early as 1897 with that of UNESCO drawn up in 1945. Both place the human being at the center of their efforts aimed at development. Both place tolerance at the top of the agenda for building peace and democracy. Both recognize the variety of human cultures and societies as an essential aspect of the common heritage.

## Branch centres[edit]

Baranagar Ramakrishna Mission, India Singapore Ramakrishna Mission, 179 Bartley Road, Singapore 539784

As of March 7, 2022, the Math and Mission have 261 centres all over the world: 198 in India, 26 in Bangladesh, 14 in the United States, two each in Canada, Russia, and South Africa and one each in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Fiji, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Malaysia, Mauritius, Nepal, Netherlands, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, the UK, and Zambia. Besides, there are 44 sub-centres (14 within India, 30 outside India) under different centres.[45][46]

The centres of the Ramakrishna Order outside India fall into two broad categories. In countries such as Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Fiji and Mauritius, the nature of service activities is very similar to India. In other parts of the world, especially in Europe, Canada, the United States, Japan, and Australia, the work is mostly confined to the preaching of Vedanta, the publication of books and journals and personal guidance in spiritual matters.[47] Many of the centres outside India are called as the 'Vedanta Society' or 'Vedanta Centre'.

## Controversies[edit]

In 1980, in an act that caused "considerable debate" within the order, the mission petitioned the courts to have their organisation and movement declared a non-Hindu minority religion for the purpose of Article 30 of the Indian constitution.[48][49]

Many generations of monks and others have been of the view that the religion propounded and practised by Ramakrishna and his disciples was different from that practised by the Hindu masses then. They held that Ramakrishna's "Neo-Vedanta" is a truer version of the ideals of Vedanta. So it was honestly felt that this makes the followers of Ramakrishna eligible for the legal status of "minority". It is possible that the immediate cause for the appeal for minority status was the danger that the local Marxist government would take control of its educational institutions unless it could invoke the extra protection the Indian constitution accords to minority religions.[49][50]

While the Calcutta High Court accepted the Ramakrishna Mission's pleas, the Supreme Court of India ruled against the Mission in 1995, citing evidence that it had all the characteristics of a Hindu organization.[51] The Mission found it advisable to let the matter rest. The wisdom of the attempt by the Mission's leadership to characterize the Mission as non-Hindu was widely questioned within the membership of the organization itself, and the leadership today embraces the Mission's status as both a Hindu organization and as an organization that emphasizes the harmony of all faiths.[52]

Most members—and even monks—of the Ramakrishna Mission consider themselves Hindus, and the Mission's founding figures, such as Swami Vivekananda, never disavowed Hinduism.[citation needed]

## See also[edit]

* List of publications by Ramakrishna Mission
* List of Ramakrishna Mission institutions
* RKM Football Academy

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e "The Ramakrishna Movement". Centre Védantique Ramakrishna. 26 November 2011. Archived from the original on 2 July 2017. Retrieved 14 January 2018.
2. ^ "Ramakrishna Movement". Ramakrishna Vedanta Society of North Carolina. 15 July 2017. Retrieved 14 January 2018.
3. ^ Mission, Belur Math, The Headquarters of Ramakrishna Math & Ramakrishna. "BELUR MATH : The Headquarters of Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission, India". belurmath.org. Retrieved 25 July 2017.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
4. ^ David Smith, "Religions in the Modern World", p. 57.
5. ^ David Smith, "Religions in the Modern World", p. 58.
6. ^ a b c Carl T. Jackson. "Preface". Vedanta for West. pp. xii–xiii.
7. ^ Jeffery D. Long, Historical Dictionary of Hinduism, p.247
8. ^ a b c Vrajaprana, Pravrajika (1994). Living wisdom: Vedanta in the West. Vedanta Press. pp. 34–36. ISBN 978-0-87481-055-4.
9. ^ Carl T. Jackson, Vedanta for the West p.16
10. ^ Sharma, Arvind (1988). Neo-Hindu views of Christianity. Brill Publishers. p. 69. ISBN 978-90-04-08791-0.
11. ^ Spivak, Gayatri Chakravorty (2007). Other Asias. Wiley-Blackwell. p. 207.
12. ^ a b c donationsbm. "Board of Trustees". Belur Math - Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
13. ^ donationsbm. "The President of Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission". Belur Math - Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
14. ^ "Ramakrishna Movement". Vedanta Center of North Carolina. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
15. ^ The social role of the Gita: how and why, p.77, p.80
16. ^ a b The social role of the Gita: how and why, p.83
17. ^ The social role of the Gita: how and why, pp.8–9
18. ^ donationsbm. "Ideology". Belur Math - Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
19. ^ "History of Belur Math". SriRamakrishna.org. Archived from the original on 13 September 2008.
20. ^ "Lok Sabha Elections: Monks of Ramakrishna Mission to abstain from voting". DNA India. 29 April 2014. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
21. ^ "Monks of Ramakrishna Mission to abstain from voting". The Economic Times. 29 April 2014. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
22. ^ PTI (29 April 2014). "We use voter ID card for identification, not voting". The Hindu Business Line. Retrieved 14 January 2018.
23. ^ Vivekananda, Swami. "Conversations And Dialogues ~ XVI". The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda. Vol. 7\. Advaita Ashrama.
24. ^ "Ramakrishna Mission in the Field of Education — Ramakrishna Mission Saradapitha, Belur". belurmath.org. Belur Math Educational Services. Archived from the original on 6 August 2022. Retrieved 6 August 2022.
25. ^ a b c Vrajaprana, Pravrajika (1994). "Editor's note on Introduction". Living Wisdom: Vedanta in the West. pp. 36–37.
26. ^ Stone, J.L.; Ullal, H.S.; Chaurey, A.; Bhatia, P. (2000). "Ramakrishna Mission initiative impact study-a rural electrification project in West Bengal, India". Conference Record of the Twenty-Eighth IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference - 2000 (Cat. No.00CH37036). Anchorage, AK, USA: IEEE. pp. 1571–1574. doi:10.1109/PVSC.2000.916197. ISBN 978-0-7803-5772-3. S2CID 118203518.
27. ^ Contributions to Indian Sociology. Mouton. 16: 127. 1982. ISSN 0069-9659. `{{cite journal}}`: Missing or empty `|title=` (help)
28. ^ Klostermaier, Klaus K. (2000). Hinduism: a short history. Oneworld. p. 271. ISBN 9781851682133.
29. ^ Oxtoby, Willard Gurdon (1996). World religions: Eastern traditions. Oxford University Press. p. 77.
30. ^ a b c Prozesky, Martin; John De Gruchy (1995). "Hinduism". Living faiths in South Africa. C. Hurst & Co. Publishers. pp. 195–196. ISBN 978-1-85065-244-1.
31. ^ Balakrishnan, S (31 December 2001). "The spiritual significance". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 28 October 2003. Retrieved 1 October 2009.
32. ^ a b Jung, Moses; Herbert W. Schnieder (1963). "Hinduism". Relations among Religions today. Brill Publishers. pp. 69–70.
33. ^ Ananda (2 April 2009). "Service in the name of God in every human". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 13 September 2012. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
34. ^ Veliath, Cyril, Sophia University, Tokyo, Japan (1984). "Hinduism in Japan". Inter-Religio. Japan. 5: 21–29.`{{cite journal}}`: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
35. ^ Robinson, Bob (2004). "Ramakrishna and Vivekananda". Christians Meeting Hindus: An Analysis and Theological Critique of the Hindu-Christian Encounter in India. OCMS. pp. 7–8. ISBN 978-1-870345-39-2. OCLC 55970669.
36. ^ a b c d e "Achievements". Archived from the original on 15 April 2013. Retrieved 24 October 2008.
37. ^ Wilcockson, Michael (2003). A Student's Guide to A2 Religious Studies for the OCR Specification. Rhinegold Publishing. p. 138.
38. ^ "News and Reports: Ramakrishna death 1998–99". Prabuddha Bharata: 191. 2000.
39. ^ "Ramakrishna death". hindi se kahaniya. 28 February 2020. Archived from the original on 28 February 2020. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
40. ^ "National Communal Harmony Awards 2005 announced". Press Information Bureau Government of India. 26 January 2006. Retrieved 25 October 2008.
41. ^ "Aung Suu Kyi, India's Ramakrishna Mission receive UNESCO awards". AsiaPulse News. 7 October 2002. Retrieved 25 October 2008.[dead link]
42. ^ Award for Rahman, Ramakrishna Mission Ashram The Hindu. Thursday, 7 October 2010
43. ^ Indira Gandhi award for Rahman Archived 21 January 2011 at the Wayback Machine Hindustan Times. 1 November 2010
44. ^ "Profiles of famous educators – Swami Vivekananda" (PDF). Prospects. XXXIII (2). June 2003.
45. ^ donationsbm. "Branch Centres". Belur Math - Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
46. ^ Math, Belur (18 March 2017). "What They Are : Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission". BELUR MATH. Archived from the original on 12 January 2018. Retrieved 14 January 2018.
47. ^ Swami Harshananda, p.25
48. ^ Sivaya Subramuniyaswami (2003). Dancing With Siva: Hinduism's Contemporary Catechism. Kappa, Hawaii: Himalayan Academy Publications. p. 686\. ISBN 978-0-945497-96-7. OCLC 55227048.
49. ^ a b The Oxford Handbook of the Indian Constitution Oxford Handbooks, Sujit Choudhry, Madhav Khosla, Pratap Bhanu Mehta, Oxford University Press, 2016
50. ^ Article 30.(1) gives them greater control over their educational institutions: "All minorities, whether based on religion or language, shall have the right to establish and administer educational institutions of their choice".
51. ^ AIR 1995 SC 2089 = (1995) 4 SCC 646
52. ^ Hinduism Today | Aug 1999

## Further reading[edit]

* Prabhananda, Swami. The Early History of the Ramakrishna Movement (2005) ISBN 978-8178232263
* Elst, Koenraad. Who is a Hindu - Hindu Revivalist Views of Animism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Other Offshoots of Hinduism (2001) Online version of Chapter 6 ISBN 978-8185990743
* Swarup, Ram: Ramakrishna Mission in Search of a New Identity. (1986) PDF in www.archive.org

## External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ramakrishna Mission.

Wikiquote has quotations related to Ramakrishna Mission.

* Official website
* Works by or about Ramakrishna Mission at Internet Archive
* About Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission
* Publication House

Links to related articles

* v
* t
* e

Ramakrishna

Life|

| Family|

* Sarada Devi

|

Places|

* Dakshineswar Kali Temple
* Kamarpukur
* Jayrambati

Events|

* Kalpataru Day
* Ramakrishna's samadhi
* Relationship between Ramakrishna and Vivekananda

Philosophy|

| Philosophy|

* Bhakti
* Gita
* Kali
* Tantra
* Vedanta

|

Teachings|

* Teachings of Ramakrishna
* Sri Sri Ramakrishna Kathamrita
* The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna
* Ramakrishna's influence

Disciples|

| Monastic
disciples|

* Vivekananda
* Abhedananda
* Adbhutananda
* Advaitananda
* Akhandananda
* Brahmananda
* Niranjanananda
* Nirmalananda
* Premananda
* Ramakrishnananda
* Saradananda
* Shivananda
* Subodhananda
* Trigunatitananda
* Turiyananda
* Vijnanananda
* Yogananda

|

Lay
disciples|

* Adhar Sen
* Akshay Kumar Sen
* Balaram Bose
* Devendra Nath Majumdar
* Durga Charan Nag
* Girish Chandra Ghosh
* Gopaler Ma
* Keshab Chandra Sen
* Mahendranath Gupta
* Ram Chandra Datta
* Surendra Nath Mitra

Memorials|

* Ramakrishna Math
* Ramakrishna Mission
* Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture

Studies|

* Bibliography of Ramakrishna
* Sri Ramakrishna, the Great Master
* Infinite Paths
* Kali's Child
* Views on Ramakrishna

* Commons
* Wikiquote
* Wikisource texts

* v
* t
* e

Swami Vivekananda

Biography|

* Birthplace
* Prayer to Kali at Dakshineswar
* Baranagar Math
* Swami Vivekananda's travels in India (1888–1893)
* Teachers
* Ramakrishna
* Sarada Devi
* Relationship with Ramakrishna
* at the Parliament of the World's Religions (1893)
* in California

Works and
philosophy|

| Teachings and
philosophy|

* Teachings and philosophy
* Vivekananda and meditation
* Influence and legacy of Vivekananda
* Neo-Vedanta

|

Books|

* Bibliography
* Sangeet Kalpataru
* Bartaman Bharat
* The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda
* Inspired Talks
* Jnana Yoga
* Karma Yoga
* Lectures from Colombo to Almora
* My Master
* Raja Yoga
* The East and the West

Poems/songs|

* "Kali the Mother"
* Khandana Bhava–Bandhana
* "My Play is Done"
* The Hymn of Samadhi
* The Song of the Sannyasin
* To the Fourth of July
* Nachuk Tahate Shyama

Lectures|

* "Buddhism, the Fulfilment of Hinduism"
* Christ, the Messenger
* Religion not the crying need of India
* Vedanta Philosophy

Miscellaneous|

* Arise, awake, and stop not till the goal is reached
* Atmano mokshartham jagat hitaya cha
* Bahujana sukhaya bahujana hitaya cha

Foundations|

* Advaita Ashrama
* Belur Math
* Ramakrishna Math
* Ramakrishna Math, Mangaluru
* Ramakrishna Mission
* Udbodhan
* Vedanta Society (New York)

Disciples
and friends|

| Monastic disciples|

* Shuddhananda
* Virajananda
* Swarupananda
* Paramananda

|

Other disciples
and friends|

* Ajit Singh of Khetri
* Alasinga Perumal
* Emma Calvé
* J. J. Goodwin
* John Henry Wright
* Josephine MacLeod
* Sara Chapman Bull
* Sister Christine
* Sister Nivedita
* Abhayananda
* William Hastie

Memorials|

* Vivekananda Rock Memorial
* National Youth Day (India)
* Swami Vivekananda Airport
* Swami Vivekananda Road metro station
* Swami Vivekanand Nagar
* Vivekanandar Illam
* Vivekananda Setu
* Swami Vivekananda statue (Golpark, Kolkata)
* 150th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda
* Swami Vivekananda Youth Employment Week
* Vivek Express

Depictions|

| Films|

* Swami Vivekananda (1955)
* Bireswar Vivekananda (1964)
* Swami Vivekananda (1998)
* Swamiji (2012)
* The Light: Swami Vivekananda (2013)

|

Dramas|

* Biley
* Bireswar

Namesake
educational
institutions|

* Chhattisgarh Swami Vivekanand Technical University
* Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda University
* Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Centenary College
* Swami Vivekanand Subharti University
* Swami Vivekanand University, Madhya Pradesh
* Vivekananda Degree College, Kukatpally
* Vivekananda Degree College, Puttur
* Vivekananda Global University
* Vivekananda Institution
* Vivekananda Kendra Vidyalaya
* Vivekananda Vidya Mandir

Books about|

* Swami Vivekananda on Himself
* Life and Philosophy of Swami Vivekananda
* Notes of Some Wanderings with the Swami Vivekananda
* Swami Vivekananda: Messiah of Resurgent India
* Swami Vivekananda in the West: New Discoveries
* Pransakha Vivekananda
* Rousing Call to Hindu Nation
* The Master as I Saw Him

Researchers|

* Sankari Prasad Basu
* Mani Shankar Mukherjee
* Marie Louise Burke

* WikiProject
* Commons
* Wikiquote
* Wikisource texts

* v
* t
* e

Hindu reform movements

Reform movements|

* Adi Dharm/Brahmoism
* Brahmo Samaj
* Sadharan Brahmo Samaj
* Advait Mat
* Divine Light Mission
* American Meditation Institute
* Ananda
* Ananda Ashrama
* Ananda Marga
* Anandamayee Sangha
* Art of Living
* Arya Samaj
* Ayyavazhi
* Brahma Kumaris
* Chinmaya Mission
* Datta Yoga
* Divine Life Society
* Hanuman Foundation
* Himalayan Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy
* Hindu nationalism
* Hindutva
* Hindu Janajagruti Samiti
* Hindu Mahasabha
* Hindu Munnani
* Hindu Sena
* Hindu Yuva Vahini
* Sanatan Sanstha
* Sangh Parivar
* Vishva Hindu Parishad
* Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh
* International Vedanta
* ISKCON
* ISKCON Revival
* Isha Foundation
* Kriya Yoga
* Mahima Dharma
* Mata Amritanandamayi Math
* Matua Mahasangha
* Narayana Dharma
* Prarthana Samaj
* Ramakrishna Mission / Vedanta Societies
* Ravidassia
* Sahaja Yoga
* Sant Mat
* Radha Soami
* Sathya Sai Baba
* Satsang
* Satya Dharma
* Satyashodhak Samaj
* Science of Identity
* Self-Realization Fellowship / Yogoda Satsanga
* Shirdi Sai Baba
* Sivananda yoga
* Sri Aurobindo Ashram
* Sri Ramana Ashram
* Abidance in Truth
* Swadhyay Parivar
* NNDYM
* Transcendental Meditation

Topics|

* Bhakti
* Brahmacharya
* Caste
* Ghar Wapsi
* Moksha
* Neo-Vedanta
* Persecution of Hindus
* Shuddhi
* Women in Hinduism

Gurus and
revivalist writers|

* Amritanandamayi
* Ananda Yogi
* Anandamayi Ma
* Anukulchandra Chakravarty
* Arumuka Navalar
* Athavale
* Aurobindo
* Boro Maa
* Chatterjee
* Chinmayananda Saraswati
* Chinmoy
* Dayananda Saraswati
* Daya Mata
* Ganapathi Sachchidananda
* Haidakhan Babaji
* Hariharananda Giri
* Jaggi Vasudev
* Jyotirao Phule
* Kalki Bhagawan
* Kelkar, N. C.
* Kriyananda
* Lekhraj
* Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
* Mahatma Gandhi
* Mirra Alfassa
* Narayana Guru
* Neem Karoli
* Nirmala
* Paramananda
* Prem Rawat
* Ram Chandra
* Ram Dass
* Ram Mohan Roy
* Ramakrishna
* Ramana Maharshi
* Ravi Shankar
* Sarkar
* Sathya Sai Baba
* Savarkar
* Sen, K. C.
* Shraddhanand
* Sister Nivedita
* Sivananda
* Swami Rama
* Tagore, D.
* Tilak
* Vaswani
* Vipulananda
* Vishnudevananda
* Vivekananda
* Yogananda
* more

General|

* Indian diaspora
* Indianisation
* Influence of Indian religions
* Indian-origin religions
* Hinduism
* Buddhism
* Jainism
* Sikhism
* Persecution of Hindus

* v
* t
* e

Bengali Hindus

Society|

| Groups|

* Babu
* Bangal
* Bhadralok
* Ghoti

|

Castes|

* Aguri
* Bagdi
* Baidya
* Baishya Kapali
* Baishya Saha
* Barujibi
* Bauri
* Brahmin
* Chunaru
* Dom
* Gandhabanik
* Suvarna Banik
* Hari
* Kaibartya
* Kansabanik
* Karmakar
* Kayastha
* Kulin
* Maulika
* Mahishya
* Malla
* Namasudra
* Namassej
* Avarna
* Sadgop
* Shunri
* Yogi

Religion|

| Books|

* Bhagavad Gita
* Chandi
* Panchali
* Matuasmritokotha

|

Sects|

* Brahmo
* Kartabhaja
* Shaiva
* Shakta
* Vaishnava

Orders|

* Adi Brahmo Samaj
* Ananda Marga
* Bharat Sevashram Sangha
* Brahmo Conference Organisation
* Brahmo Samaj
* Gaudiya Math
* Gaudiya Mission
* International Society for Krishna Consciousness
* Matua Mahasangha
* Ramakrishna Order
* Self-Realization Fellowship
* Sri Aurobindo Ashram
* Vedanta Society
* Yogoda Satsanga Society of India

Festivals|

* Poila Baisakh
* Rabindra Jayanti
* Akshaya Tritiya
* Buddho Purnima
* Shashthi
* Savitri Brata
* Ambubachi Mela
* Dhamrai Jagannath Roth
* Jhulan Purnima
* Janmashtami
* Bhadu
* Ganesh Chaturthi
* Vishwakarma Puja
* Durga Puja
* Lakshmi Puja
* Diwali
* Kali Puja
* Bhai Phonta
* Shakta Rash
* Nabanna
* Jagaddhatri Puja
* Kalpataru Day
* Swami Vivekananda's Birthday
* Makar Sankranti
* Maghotsab
* Saraswati Puja
* Maha Shivaratri
* Dol Purnima
* Holi
* Gajan

Culture|

| Music|

* Rabindra Sangeet
* Shyama Sangeet
* Kirtan
* Bishnupur gharana

|

Dance|

* Gaudiya Nritya
* Rabindra Nritya Natya

Literature|

* Vaishnava Padavali
* Mangal-Kavya
* Panchali
* Kallol
* Hungry generation

Folk culture|

| Folk art|

* Dhokra
* Sholapith

|

Folk dance|

* Raibenshe
* Chhau
* Paika
* Dhamail
* Alkap
* Gombhira
* Kavigan

Others|

* Bengali Hindu mythology and culture
* Bengali Hindu diaspora

* v
* t
* e

Gandhi Peace Prize laureates

* Julius Nyerere (1995)
* A. T. Ariyaratne (1996)
* Gerhard Fischer (1997)
* Ramakrishna Mission (1998)
* Baba Amte (1999)
* Grameen Bank, Nelson Mandela (2000)
* John Hume (2001)
* Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan (2002)
* Václav Havel (2003)
* Coretta Scott King (2004)
* Desmond Tutu (2005)
* Chandi Prasad Bhatt (2013)
* ISRO (2014)
* Vivekananda Kendra (2015)
* Akshaya Patra Foundation and Sulabh International (2016)
* Ekal Vidyalaya (2017)
* Yōhei Sasakawa (2018)
* Qaboos bin Said (2019)
* Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (2020)
* Gita Press (2021)

* v
* t
* e

New religious movements

Major groups|

* Adi Dharm/Brahmoism
* Adventism
* CoG7
* SDA
* Aetherius Society
* Ahmadiyya
* Lahore Ahmadiyya
* Ananda Marga
* Ancient Mystical Order Rosae Crucis
* Anthroposophy
* Antoinism
* Armstrongism
* Bábism
* Baháʼí Faith
* Bible Students/Jehovah's Witnesses
* Black Hebrew Israelites
* Brahma Kumaris
* Branch Davidians
* Brotherhood of the Cross and Star
* Caodaism
* Chabad
* Noahidism
* Charismatic Christianity
* Pentecostal (Oneness)
* Charismatic
* Neo-charismatic
* Chinese salvationist religions
* Chinmaya Mission
* Christadelphians
* Christian Science
* Church of Divine Science
* Church of Scientology
* Church of the Guanche People
* Creativity
* Discordianism
* Falun Gong
* The Family International
* Friends of Man
* Fourth Way
* Fung Loy Kok
* Goddess
* Godianism
* Heaven's Gate
* Humanistic Judaism
* Iglesia ni Cristo
* International Peace Mission movement
* ISKCON
* Invitation to Life
* Jewish Renewal
* Kingdom of Jesus Christ
* Kopimism
* Latter Day Saints/Mormonism
* Maha Bodhi Society
* Messianic Judaism
* Modern Paganism
* Druidry
* Heathenry
* Rodnovery
* Moorish Science Temple of America
* Nation of Islam
* New Acropolis
* New Apostolic Church
* The New Church
* New Confucianism
* New Kadampa Tradition
* New Thought
* Religious Science
* Unity Church
* Nuwaubian Nation
* Oomoto
* Opus Dei
* Peoples Temple
* Pilgrims of Arès
* The Process Church
* Raëlism
* Rajneesh movement
* Ramakrishna Mission
* Rastafari
* Risshō Kōsei Kai
* Sahaja Yoga
* Sant Mat
* Radha Soami
* Santa Muerte
* Santo Daime
* Satanism
* LaVeyan
* Church of Satan
* Temple of Set
* The Satanic Temple
* Theistic
* Joy of Satan Ministries
* Sathya Sai Baba
* Shakers
* Shambhala Buddhism
* Shri Ram Chandra Mission
* Soka Gakkai
* Spiritualism
* Spiritism
* Sukyo Mahikari
* Tenrikyo
* Thelema
* Theosophy
* Theosophical Society
* Transcendental Meditation
* True Buddha School
* Twelve Tribes communities
* Unarius Academy of Science
* Unification Church
* Unitarian Universalist Association
* United Submitters International
* Universal Church of the Kingdom of God
* Universal White Brotherhood
* Vipassana movement
* Eastern Lightning
* The Way International
* Weixinjiao
* Wicca
* Word of Faith
* World Mission Society Church of God

Notable figures|

* Mirza Ghulam Ahmad
* Noble Drew Ali
* Marshall Applewhite
* Herbert W. Armstrong
* Shoko Asahara
* Sri Aurobindo
* Báb
* Sathya Sai Baba
* Baháʼu'lláh
* Alice Bailey
* Chinmayananda Saraswati
* David Berg
* Helena Blavatsky
* Sri Chinmoy
* Aleister Crowley
* Mary Baker Eddy
* Josemaría Escrivá
* Louis Farrakhan
* Charles Fillmore
* Kelsang Gyatso
* Hak Ja Han
* L. Ron Hubbard
* Li Hongzhi
* David Koresh
* Anton LaVey
* Jorge Ángel Livraga Rizzi
* Lu Sheng-yen
* Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
* Meher Baba
* Nikkyō Niwano
* Sun Myung Moon
* Elijah Muhammad
* Nakayama Miki
* A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
* Phineas Parkhurst Quimby
* Raël
* Rajneesh
* Ramakrishna
* Prem Rawat
* Helena Roerich
* Charles Taze Russell
* Joseph Franklin Rutherford
* Ahn Sahng-hong
* Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar
* Menachem Mendel Schneerson
* Shiv Dayal Singh
* Joseph Smith
* Nirmala Srivastava
* Emanuel Swedenborg
* Rudolf Steiner
* Joseph W. Tkach
* Chögyam Trungpa
* Ellen G. White

By region|

* Pacific Northwest

Concepts|

* African-initiated church
* Buddhist modernism
* Chabad messianism
* Christian denomination
* Classifications of religious movements
* Conspiracy theories
* Cult
* Cybersectarianism
* Doomsday cult
* Heresy
* Hindu reform movements
* In-group favoritism
* Japanese new religions
* Neoshamanism
* New Age
* Open-source religion
* Polytheistic reconstructionism
* Prosperity theology
* Religious conversion
* Religious syncretism
* Schism
* Sect
* Self religion
* Spiritual evolution
* UFO religion

Public education|

* CESNUR
* INFORM (Information Network Focus on Religious Movements)
* World Religions and Spirituality Project

Scholarship|

* Academic study of new religious movements
* Anthropology of religion
* History of religion
* Journal of Contemporary Religion
* Nova Religio
* Philosophy of religion
* Psychology of religion
* Religious studies
* Sociology of religion
* When Prophecy Fails

Opposition|

* Anti-cult movement
* Christian countercult movement
* Anti-Mormonism
* Persecution of Ahmadis
* Persecution of Baháʼís
* Persecution of Falun Gong
* Persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses
* Persecution of Rastafari
* Religious discrimination against Neopagans

Lists|

* Academic study
* In popular culture
* New religious movements

Portals:

* Hinduism
* India

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* VIAF

National|

* Israel
* United States

Other|

* IdRef

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