Saturday, April 12, 2008

A beautiful letter from the Genaral Secretary of International Vedanta Society


Dear everybody, I present before you a letter written in response to a spiritual aspirant by Swami Probuddhananda. I think this letter would be beneficial to our approach in enhancing a healthy spiritual life. Wishing you all the best.
Bhakti Chaitanya
Joint General Secretary
International Vedanta Society

............the letter follows, ...

Dear Adam,
Thank you for your letter. I was very pleased to read your letter. That you are approaching a very truthful spiritual life made me feel delighted.I would at the first instance wish and pray all the success in your approach towards enlightenment.
Now coming to the point. The problem that you have mentioned is a common problem between aspirants. The problem arises when we comprehend the material and spiritual world as different. We engage ourselves in continuous endevour to strike a balance between the spiritual and material world. But we find that after endless efforts we just cannot. The very first thing that we have to know is that there are no two worlds, its one. Our distraction in spiritual world begins when we establish an imaginary relationship between this world and our Self. There was, neither is nor will be any relation between us and the world. The difference of perception among the spiritual and non spiritual person is only in the level of consciousness. We are conscious about everything that surrounds us but we are not conscious about the consciousness with which we are always conscious. Knowing this consciousness as my Self is the goal of all spiritual practice. This consciousness is eternal, divine, pure and free always. Approaching this consciousness we identify ourselves as this consciousness which liberates us from all dualities. we reach that ever unity, oneness.
Now, how to attain this level? Our mind is always engaged in all worldly matters. The moment we withdraw it from worldly affairs, we seem to get dull. We have to continue our search for truth remaining in this world, we have to introduce the power of discrimination in our mind. We have to learn to discriminate everything knowing that its false or temporary,existent now but never eternal. As we keep on doing this, the shades of materialism fades from the mind gradually paving way for the more elevated thoughts in the frame of mind. Elevated thoughts will bring peace and some bliss with it because it is metaphysical. This taste of peace and bliss will bring about a perception of another existence independent of everything, which is always beyond in us and as we keep on approaching the truth, the perception transforms into a confirmed reality. With this confirmation comes the highest goal of mankind, the attainment of the Self Knowledge already inherent in man for ages. I, you and everybody is that. Thou art That.
Read this, think about it for some moments, try to understand it. Many doubts will come, I am sure. Try to fight with the doubts. You will succeed at last. Even, if you think, I will be helpful for you, I am always at your service. I also have a hotmail account, swamiprobuddhananda@hotmai
l.com. We can have a direct talk if you add me in the messenger.
Lastly, I again pray for your complete accomplishment in spiritual life. Pray always to the Lord within you.
Love, Swamiji

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