While the economic and political maps of the World have now been 'Westernized' almost out of recognition, the cultural map remains today substantiall… - Arnold J. Toynbee

...These intellectuals despise the general public for being non-professional and ignorant;
the public ignores the intellectuals , because it finds them unintelligible and unpractical. This mutual alienation is bad for the two of them and bad for society

All the great religions and philosophies declare that the proper goal for every living creature is to subdue and extinguish its natural self-centerness -to die unto itself.
They also declare unanimously that this effort is difficult because it is contrary to nature ,but that it is at the same time ,the only true way of self- fulfillment and therefore ,the only true way of attaining self-satisfaction and happiness

Now who are the individuals who are the greatest benefactors of the living generation of mankind? I should say: Confucius and Lao-Tse; the Buddha; the Prophets of Israel and Judah; Zoroaster, Jesus, Muhammad; and Socrates.

There may or may not be only one single absolute truth and only one single ultimate way of salvation. We do not know. But we do know that there are more approaches to truth than one, and more means of salvation than one.’’‘‘This is a hard saying for adherents of the higher religions of the Judaic family (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam), but it is a truism for Hindus. The spirit of mutual good-will, esteem, and veritable love … is the traditional spirit of the religions of the Indian family. This is one of India’s gifts to the world.