[Buddha-l] Turns out the late J.D. Salinger was a Vedantin

[JKirkpatrick]

http://www.ramakrishna.org/activities/Salinger/Salinger.htm
 
This section of the website includes four letters that Salinger
wrote to the Swamis in the NY Center. Touching to finally learn
the meaning of his reclusivity. Bravo, JD!  
 
In one letter he alludes to a figure used by Swami Vivekananda;
paraphrasing-- 
*In the forest tract of sense pleasures prowls a huge tiger, the
mind.
Let those longing for liberation never go there.*
 
Both a strong description of the mind/body at work, but also so
contrary to Buddhist practice... if, that is, I got it right. 
 
Wouldn't the Buddhist go there to face the tiger, to become
acquainted with the tiger, to see through the tiger as an
apparition, as no more scary than any other mind product......in
order to gain insight into body/mind's workings? 
 
Interesting too that in the previous letter to Swami
Nikhilananda, Salinger mildly suggests that the geniuses of India
never developed a middle ground of care for the body aside from
the two radical ways of yoga or asceticism. (I don't see yoga as
an extreme, but rather, if done right and regularly, one good
method of caring for the body; but then I don't do yoga either,
so probably should refrain from comment.) 
So can we infer that the body part of the mind/body is missing
from Vivekananda's adage about body's (aka senses) in relation to
liberation?
 
Just a bit to think about...........
Joanna