This is an important letter, as it was written a week after what Wolff called his first “Fundamental Realization” (and to which Wolff refers in the postscript). He begins, however, by addressing Mr. Gibson’s inquiries concerning conscience, which Wolff recognizes as sourced in one’s inner being and as the highest authority in all moral decisions. There is, of course, the question of properly interpreting the course of action dictated by one’s conscience, and Wolff acknowledges that this is of great importance; but, he states that it is more “important that the individual should follow the dictates or seeming dictates of his conscience than that he should correctly interpret its meaning in action.” Moreover, Wolff holds that any organization that would require its members to follow an external authority when there is a conflict between that authority and one’s conscience is the mark of “the Shadow.” Wolff goes on to remark that proponents of dialectical materialism, who recognize the priority of matter over mind, must—for the sake of logical consistency—deny the authority of a conscience working through an individual’s soul.
In more general terms, Wolff notes any doctrine that is materialistic stands opposite to his own standpoint, which is a philosophy based on “Atmavidya,” and that there is no chance—as Mr. Gibson suggests—of reconciling this philosophy with dialectical materialism. He then explains that “it is possible to reduce the Atmavidya to certainty” because it is based on a third type of knowledge that differs from knowledge based on the senses or knowledge based on reason. Wolff dubs this “Knowledge by Identity,” which is not knowledge of an object, but of “the purely subjective element which is the basis of objective knowledge.” Furthermore, he states that:
it is the profoundest level of meditation, actually “Samadhi.” From the standpoint of relative knowledge it is indistinguishable from absolute 'emptiness, yet when realized It is known as absolute fullness. It is possible for a man to achieve this Recognition and then while he is enfolded within it he literally stands superior to the whole Universe and all hierarchies. I mean he finds himself superior to space, time and causality and thus free from all karma. He is in the stream of consciousness of all Sages of all times. At this point that which heretofore has been belief in or conviction of the truth of the Atmavidya becomes certainty. For one who has attained this there is no longer metaphysical doubt or a vital problem concerning the Soul.
In addition to the juxtaposition of the philosophies of dialectical materialism and Atmavidya, the penultimate section of the letter contains a discussion of the principle that no individual should be exploited, which is followed by a postscript that contains a treatment of Hegel and Marx, as well as some suggested reading meant to acquaint Mr. Gibson to Wolff's recent Awakening to another dimension. (6 pages)
