TWO SALINGER LETTERS
In 1952, while reading The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, translated by Swami Nikhilananda and Joseph Campbell, the novelist J. D. Salinger experienced a transformation. He was greatly impressed by Sri Ramakrishna's explanation of nondualistic Vedanta, Advaita Vedanta. He also liked his view of karma, reincarnation, celibacy for seekers of truth, and detachment from worldliness, including family.
When Salinger passed away in 2010, the Ramakrishna-Vedanta Center of New York allowed access to a few of the novelist's letters to Swami Nikhilananda, the founder of the Center, and Nikhilananda's successor, Swami Adiswarananda. It is not known how Salinger came to know them.
After hearing of Nikhilananda's failing health, Salinger wrote the following to him:
"It may be that reading to a devoted group from The Gospel of Ramakrishna is all you do now, as you say, but I imagine the students who are lucky enough to hear you read from The Gospel would put the matter differently. Meaning, I've forgotten many worthy and important things in my life, but I have never forgotten the way you used to read from, and interpret, the Upanishads, up at Thousand Island Park."
(The Center maintains a summer cottage, the Vivekananda Cottage, at Thousand Island Park, New York, on the St. Lawrence River.)
Salinger wrote the following to Swami Adiswarananda:
"I read a bit from the Gita every morning before I get out of bed, Swami Nikhilananda's annotated version, (it seems such a reasonable pleasure to imagine that Shankara would have approved unreservedly of Swami's inspired intelligence, devotion, and authority. How could he not?)
When 'Vital Steps to Meditation' is completed (but completed is very probably the wrong word), perhaps you will consider bringing out a collection of the pieces. I greatly hope so. I would love to own such a book, and I can't imagine anyone who would not."
When Salinger passed away in 2010, the Ramakrishna-Vedanta Center of New York allowed access to a few of the novelist's letters to Swami Nikhilananda, the founder of the Center, and Nikhilananda's successor, Swami Adiswarananda. It is not known how Salinger came to know them.
After hearing of Nikhilananda's failing health, Salinger wrote the following to him:
"It may be that reading to a devoted group from The Gospel of Ramakrishna is all you do now, as you say, but I imagine the students who are lucky enough to hear you read from The Gospel would put the matter differently. Meaning, I've forgotten many worthy and important things in my life, but I have never forgotten the way you used to read from, and interpret, the Upanishads, up at Thousand Island Park."
(The Center maintains a summer cottage, the Vivekananda Cottage, at Thousand Island Park, New York, on the St. Lawrence River.)
Salinger wrote the following to Swami Adiswarananda:
"I read a bit from the Gita every morning before I get out of bed, Swami Nikhilananda's annotated version, (it seems such a reasonable pleasure to imagine that Shankara would have approved unreservedly of Swami's inspired intelligence, devotion, and authority. How could he not?)
When 'Vital Steps to Meditation' is completed (but completed is very probably the wrong word), perhaps you will consider bringing out a collection of the pieces. I greatly hope so. I would love to own such a book, and I can't imagine anyone who would not."
posted by Donald L. Simons at
1:59 PM
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