Theos-Talk Archives (December 1996 Message tt00080)

Eldon writes-->

To this, I'd have to reply that there's no proof other than the
philosophical necessity for them [Masters].  And there's an
intuitive sense that there are such more highly evolved humans in
the scheme of things.

Richard Ihle writes-->

I agree.  There is a "philosophical necessity" in the sense that
the advent of more and more highly evolved beings is the
fundamental idea of Anthropogenesis.  "Masters" of some sort are
necessary to complete the philosophy.  Whether or not the
philosophy has any actual connection with biological,
anthopological, psychological, or even Spiritual reality is
another question, of course.

But I agree even more so when you say, "And there's an intuitive
sense that there are such more highly evolved humans.  .  .  ."
In my opinion, one is not a theosophist until one begins relying
on something equivalent to the intuition in such matters.
(~theosophy~: "valid knowledge which has its base in, or at least
originally derives from, transcendental, mystical, or intuitive
insight or higher perception.")

My problem has never been with the possibility of Masters or the
mention of Masters.  The thing which continues to concern me
regarding the TS is the noticeable shift away from being an
organization which has the purpose of attracting individuals
willing to consider theosophically based knowledge in general and
toward one which is ineluctably predicated upon the existence of
Masters.  I sometimes get the feeling that 90% of the Olcott
Library might almost be an embarrassment to some people, because
although "theosophical" by the broad definition, the material may
be regarded as "pseudo-Theosophy" by the narrow definition
(Master-dispensated/assisted HPB doctrine).

Like you, I want to see THE SECRET DOCTRINE and closely
associated teachings survive for the future.  However, for the
life of me, I just cannot see how this will be possible without
first attracting a large base of general Truth-seekers into the
Theosophical arena.  I am convinced that a certain percentage of
those who sincerely meditate and study will always sooner or
later gravitate to HPB and perhaps even develop an intuition
about the Masters as well.  However, an ever-shrinking general
base can only result in an ever-shrinking number represented by
the percentage.

Thus, some people may be concerned that HPB' teachings will be
lost because of too much competition from other theosophical
writings in the library; I, on the other hand, am concerned that
the teachings may be lost because of a shortage of people who are
enticed into the library in the first place.

Indeed, the "new TS" continues to seem less and less interested
in the "our-percentage strategy" which I believe was wisely set
in operation from the beginning.  Now, many seem to want to cast
their lariats for only those who can swallow the whole horse pill
right from day one.

But, simply and practically, I don't think the latter approach
will work in the modern world.  The horse pill is just too
big--especially if it insisted that it is necessary to
believe from the outset that Pharmacists in the Sky (the most
"unbridaled" conception of the Masters) aided in the compounding
of it.  Furthermore, I have an ~intuition~ that the new approach
will not work.  If there were Masters guiding the TS from its
inception, they must have also ~seen~ that it would not work or
they would not have given their blessings to the setting up of a
more general "outer organization" at all.

Therefore, I would continue to mention the possibility of Masters
but perhaps not try to ~use~ them quite so much.

Godspeed,

Richard Ihle