The West is groaning under the tyranny of the Shylocks, and the East is groaning under the tyranny of the priests; each must keep the other in check. Do not think that one alone is to help the world. In this creation of the impartial Lord, He has made equal every particle in the universe. The worst, most demoniacal man has some virtues which the greatest saint has not; and the lowest worm may have certain things which the highest man has not. The poor laborer, who you think has so little enjoyment in life, has not your intellect, cannot understand the Vedanta Philosophy and so forth; but compare your body with his, and you will see, his body is not so sensitive to pain as yours. If he gets severe cuts on his body, they heal up more quickly than yours would. His life is in the senses, and he enjoys there. His life also is one of equilibrium and balance. Whether on the ground of materialism, or of intellect, or of spirituality, the compensation that is given by Bhagavan to every one impartially is exactly the same. Therefore, we must not think that we are the saviors of the world. We can teach the world, good many things, and we can learn good many things from it too. We can teach the world only what it is waiting for.
Apart from the different sects, philosophies, and scriptures,
there is one underlying doctrine — the belief in the soul of man, the Atman — common
to all our sects; and that can change the whole tendency of the world. With
Hindus, Jains, and Buddhists, in fact everywhere in India, there is the idea of
a spiritual soul which is the receptacle of all power. And you know full well
that there is not one system of philosophy in India which teaches you that you
can get power or purity or perfection from outside; but they all tell you that
these are your birthright, your nature. Impurity is a mere superimposition
under which your real nature has become hidden. But the real you is already
perfect, already strong. You do not require any assistance to govern yourself;
you are already self-restrained. The only difference is in knowing it or not
knowing it. Therefore the one difficulty has been summed up in the word,
Avidya. What makes the difference between God and man, between the saint and
the sinner? Only ignorance. What is the difference between the highest man and
the lowest worm that crawls under your feet? Ignorance. That makes all the
difference. For inside that little crawling worm is lodged infinite power, and knowledge,
and purity — the infinite divinity of God Himself. It is unmanifested; it will
have to be manifested.
Source – Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, 3.158–9