What are the similarities and differences between religion and spirituality?

[Smt. Chhanda asked: Padanamaskaram Swami! Please enlighten me on the following doubts. Can I please request You to kindly elaborate in detail about the various similarities and dissimilarities between religion and spirituality?]

Swami replied:- Spirituality is the root of the religion having stem, leaves, flowers and fruits. Root is looking quite different from the upper part of the plant. The roots are purely white whatever may be the colour of upper part of the plant and its parts. Spirituality is very pure and looks like one and the same root of different plants having different colours. Even though spirituality is common for all plants-religions, there is lot of diversity in knowledge of scents of flowers and tastes of fruits. Unity is the main characteristic of root spirituality and diversity is the main characteristic of external religion. The plant lives by the mineral water supplied from the root and the religion is alive based on the essence of spirituality.

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