--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The Hindus are not looking for us to send…" description: "\"The Hindus are not looking for us to send them men who will build schools and hospitals, although those things are good and useful in themselves--and p..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fd/thomas-merton-231_hinduism_the-hindus-are-not-looking-for-us-to-sen_1241824.jpg" --- # The Hindus are not looking for us to send them men who… ![“The Hindus are not looking for us to send them men who will build schools and hospitals, although those things are good and useful in themselves--and perhaps very badly needed in India: they want to know if we have any saints to send them.” quote by Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fd/thomas-merton-231_hinduism_the-hindus-are-not-looking-for-us-to-sen_1241824.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fd/thomas-merton-231_hinduism_the-hindus-are-not-looking-for-us-to-sen_1241824.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fd/thomas-merton-231_hinduism_the-hindus-are-not-looking-for-us-to-sen_1241824.jpg) > “The Hindus are not looking for us to send them men who will build schools and hospitals, although those things are good and useful in themselves--and perhaps very badly needed in India: they want to know if we have any saints to send them.” [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He emphasizes that spiritual guidance is valued over material aid in India. **In simple terms:** Spiritual leaders matter more than schools. Key Takeaway Prioritize sharing wisdom. Themes missionary work spirituality culture humanitarianism Mood reflective hopeful Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - development projects - church outreach - interfaith dialogue Key Concepts cultural exchange faith leadership Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance material and spiritual support? - What qualities define a true saint? A Different Perspective Material aid alone may not fulfill deeper needs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Hinduism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hinduism/) [Hindus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hindus/) [Hindus Looking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hindus-looking-3879586/) [India](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/india/) [India Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/india-want-1204083/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Needed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needed/) [Needed India](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needed-india-3879587/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Saint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saint/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Send Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/send-men-1813477/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) ## Related quotes > [We have, I think, developed an inferiority complex. I think what is needed in India today is the destruction of that defeatist spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-v-raman/we-have-i-think-developed-an-inferiority-complex-i-think-what-is/) [C. V. Raman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-v-raman/) > [It takes more courage to send men into battle than to fight the battle yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/it-takes-more-courage-to-send-men-into-battle-than-to-fight-the/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [What is this you write- 'Come home? Surely now, in our terrible dearth of workers, it is not the time for any one to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-murdoch-mackay/what-is-this-you-write-come-home-surely-now-in-our-terrible-dearth-of/) [Alexander Murdoch Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-murdoch-mackay/) > [“They were willing to send men and women to death to avoid being called losers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-sheinkin/they-were-willing-to-send-men-and-women-to-death-to-avoid-being/) [Steve Sheinkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-sheinkin/) > [Send us people with initiative, who can carry themselves and others too; such as need to be carried hamper the work and weaken those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-studd/send-us-people-with-initiative-who-can-carry-themselves-and-others/) [Charles Studd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-studd/) > [I want to build the India that we all want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roopa-ganguly/i-want-to-build-the-india-that-we-all-want/) [Roopa Ganguly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roopa-ganguly/) > [Pakistan is keen to promote its trade with India, we want economic ties getting stronger with India. Our business community is keen to reach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nawaz-sharif/pakistan-is-keen-to-promote-its-trade-with-india-we-want-economic/) [Nawaz Sharif](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nawaz-sharif/) > [Religion for a long time has come to be static in India. What we want is to make it dynamic. I want it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/religion-for-a-long-time-has-come-to-be-static-in-india-what-we-want/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [The India I want, I'll never tire of repeating, is a more just and less poor India, one entirely free of foreign influences. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indira-gandhi/the-india-i-want-i-ll-never-tire-of-repeating-is-a-more-just-and-less/) [Indira Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indira-gandhi/) > [Some people in India want to increase corruption and dishonesty in the name of caste.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yogi-adityanath/some-people-in-india-want-to-increase-corruption-and-dishonesty-in/) [Yogi Adityanath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yogi-adityanath/) > [I am no Hindu, but I hold the doctrine of the Hindus concerning a future state (rebirth) to be incomparably more rational, more pious,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-jones/i-am-no-hindu-but-i-hold-the-doctrine-of-the-hindus-concerning-a/) [William Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-jones/) > [We've always seen ourselves as Indian. We've never seen ourselves as Hindus or Muslims or Christians or Buddhists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azim-premji/we-ve-always-seen-ourselves-as-indian-we-ve-never-seen-ourselves-as/) [Azim Premji](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/azim-premji/) > [The BJP leadership has an imagination that only spewing hatred on Muslims will satisfy Hindus. It is not true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-k-stalin/the-bjp-leadership-has-an-imagination-that-only-spewing-hatred-on/) [M. K. Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-k-stalin/) > [Christians and Jews don't believe in Allah or Brahma. Hindus don't believe in Yahweh or Allah. Muslims don't believe in Brahma or Yahweh. Atheists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-thomas/christians-and-jews-don-t-believe-in-allah-or-brahma-hindus-don-t/) [Mark Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-thomas/) > [The Hindus have a peculiar slovenliness in business matters, not being sufficiently methodical and strict in keeping accounts etc.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/the-hindus-have-a-peculiar-slovenliness-in-business-matters-not-being/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) ## More by Thomas Merton > [“Let no one hope to find in contemplation an escape from conflict, from anguish or from doubt. On the contrary, the deep, inexpressible certitude…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/let-no-one-hope-to-find-in-contemplation-an-escape-from-conflict-from/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [If nothing that can be seen can either be God or represent Him to us as He is, then to find God we must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/if-nothing-that-can-be-seen-can-either-be-god-or-represent-him-to-us/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [It is almost impossible to overestimate the value of true humility and its power in the spiritual life. For the beginning of humility is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/it-is-almost-impossible-to-overestimate-the-value-of-true-humility/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [We are not perfectly free until we live in pure hope. For when our hope is pure, it no longer trusts exclusively in human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/we-are-not-perfectly-free-until-we-live-in-pure-hope-for-when-our/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [The desire to kill is like the desire to attack another with an ingot of red -hot iron: I have to pick up the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/the-desire-to-kill-is-like-the-desire-to-attack-another-with-an-ingot/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [To enter into the realm of contemplation one must in a certain sense die: but this death is in fact the entrance to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/to-enter-into-the-realm-of-contemplation-one-must-in-a-certain-sense/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [The mission of Christian humility in social life is not merely to edify, but to keep minds open to many alternatives. The rigidity of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/the-mission-of-christian-humility-in-social-life-is-not-merely-to/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [Peace cannot be built on exclusivism, absolutism, and intolerance. But neither can it be built on vague liberal slogans and pious programs gestated in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/peace-cannot-be-built-on-exclusivism-absolutism-and-intolerance-but/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [Things that are good are good, and if one is responding to that goodness one is in contact with a truth from which one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/things-that-are-good-are-good-and-if-one-is-responding-to-that/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [Love winter when the plant says nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/love-winter-when-the-plant-says-nothing/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [The logic of worldly success rests on a fallacy: the strange error that our perfection depends on the thoughts and opinions and applause of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/the-logic-of-worldly-success-rests-on-a-fallacy-the-strange-error/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [“The wisdom of the flesh is a judgement that the ordinary ends of our natural appetites are the goods to which the whole of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/the-wisdom-of-the-flesh-is-a-judgement-that-the-ordinary-ends-of-our/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [I will no longer wound myself with the thoughts and questions that have surrounded me like thorns: that is a penance You do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/i-will-no-longer-wound-myself-with-the-thoughts-and-questions-that/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [If you write for God you will reach many men and bring them joy. If you write for men--you may make some money and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/if-you-write-for-god-you-will-reach-many-men-and-bring-them-joy-if/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [“Contemplation means rest, suspension of activity, withdrawal into the mysterious interior solitude in which the soul is absorbed in the immense and fruitful silence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/contemplation-means-rest-suspension-of-activity-withdrawal-into-the/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) [Explore all 851 Thomas Merton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) ## More Hinduism quotes > [The Hindus have a peculiar slovenliness in business matters, not being sufficiently methodical and strict in keeping accounts etc.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/the-hindus-have-a-peculiar-slovenliness-in-business-matters-not-being/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [As our domestic fowls are said to have their original in the wild pheasant of India, so our domestic thoughts have their prototypes in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-our-domestic-fowls-are-said-to-have-their-original-in-the-wild/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“Never praise oneself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhagwan-swaminarayan/never-praise-oneself/) [Bhagwan Swaminarayan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhagwan-swaminarayan/) > [By education I am an Englishman, by views an internationalist, by culture a Muslim and a Hindu only by accident of birth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jawaharlal-nehru/by-education-i-am-an-englishman-by-views-an-internationalist-by/) [Jawaharlal Nehru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jawaharlal-nehru/) > [I don't look at anything. Every person whether he is Hindu, Muslim or Buddhist, he is my brother, my sister. I think we all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/i-don-t-look-at-anything-every-person-whether-he-is-hindu-muslim-or/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [Realized souls in the Hindu tradition are called rishis, but realized souls are not confined to the Hindu tradition. Seekers across geographical and religious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramesh-bijlani/realized-souls-in-the-hindu-tradition-are-called-rishis-but-realized/) [Ramesh Bijlani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramesh-bijlani/) > [KARMAS a bitch it will get you time and time again so fuck off](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/everyone-knowthis/karmas-a-bitch-it-will-get-you-time-and-time-again-so-fuck-off/) [EveryOne Knowthis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/everyone-knowthis/) > [“For even if the greatest sinner worships me with all his soul, he must be considered righteous, because of his righteous will. And he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-even-if-the-greatest-sinner-worships-me-with-all-his-soul-he-must/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Everything we perceive to be solid and static is made up of almost entirely empty space.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-p-kauffman/everything-we-perceive-to-be-solid-and-static-is-made-up-of-almost/) [Joseph P. Kauffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-p-kauffman/) > [The interesting part of my spiritual life is studying as much as you can. Islam and Buddhism and Hinduism and Shamanism and Judaism, Christianity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goldie-hawn/the-interesting-part-of-my-spiritual-life-is-studying-as-much-as-you/) [Goldie Hawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goldie-hawn/) > [We've always seen ourselves as Indian. We've never seen ourselves as Hindus or Muslims or Christians or Buddhists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azim-premji/we-ve-always-seen-ourselves-as-indian-we-ve-never-seen-ourselves-as/) [Azim Premji](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/azim-premji/) > [Hinduism... gave itself no name, because it set itself no sectarian limits; it claimed no universal adhesion, asserted no sole infallible dogma, set up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-aurobindo/hinduism-gave-itself-no-name-because-it-set-itself-no-sectarian/) [Sri Aurobindo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-aurobindo/) > [Hinduism is not just a faith. It is the union of reason and intuition that can not be defined but is only to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarvepalli-radhakrishnan/hinduism-is-not-just-a-faith-it-is-the-union-of-reason-and-intuition/) [Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarvepalli-radhakrishnan/) > [ Before \[Hindus and Moslems\] dare think of freedom, they must be brave enough to love one another, to tolerate one another's religion, even prejudices… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/before-hindus-and-moslems-dare-think-of-freedom-they-must-be-brave/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [The followers of Derrida are pathetic, snuffling in French pockets for bits of pieces of a deconstructive method already massively and coherently presented and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/the-followers-of-derrida-are-pathetic-snuffling-in-french-pockets-for/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) [Browse all 1,187 Hinduism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hinduism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The Hindus are not looking for us to send them men who will build schools and hospitals, although those things are good and useful in themselves--and perhaps very badly needed in India: they want to know if we have any saints to send them.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thomas Merton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/the-hindus-are-not-looking-for-us-to-send-them-men-who-will-build/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Hinduism" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/the-hindus-are-not-looking-for-us-to-send-them-men-who-will-build/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fd/thomas-merton-231_hinduism_the-hindus-are-not-looking-for-us-to-sen_1241824.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fd/thomas-merton-231_hinduism_the-hindus-are-not-looking-for-us-to-sen_1241824.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fd/thomas-merton-231_hinduism_the-hindus-are-not-looking-for-us-to-sen_1241824.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The Hindus are not looking for us to send them men who will build schools and hospitals, although those…” — Thomas Merton", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Thomas Merton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The Hindus are not looking for...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/the-hindus-are-not-looking-for-us-to-send-them-men-who-will-build/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/the-hindus-are-not-looking-for-us-to-send-them-men-who-will-build/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```