Theos-Talk Archives (November 1997 Message tt00004)

Nov 1st 1997

Dear Brenda:

 Paragraph 11 of mine. Your comment on it. May I explain ?

 Perhaps that is why those exalted being leave us a message to study. In
our present every-day world we have masses of books authored by well
qualified and highly educated individuals who occupy positions equivalent
to the "Deans," "Professors," etc... if and when we show some mastery of
what they offer and write, it would be appropriate for them to note our
response. [ Have we spent adequate time to familiarize ourselves
thoroughly with HPB's presentation of Theosophy as in the KEY TO THEOSOPHY
? After many years I must humbly confess that I find every time that I go
back to it, there are passages that open out fresh aspects of the great
Philosophy to my mind -- so I know I have not acquired all the depth that
is possible to receive from what some consider an introductory text.]

 It also occurs to me that in the educational scheme of things no student
is left entirely guide-less: there are lecturers and libraries, assistant
professors and laboratories, seminars and panels -- all of increasing and
developing opportunities for our growing depth and erudition which can be
attended and in which one may participate -- and so on.

 But, as always, we have to "do the work." We have to choose to study and
to digest what we have read. Everything depends on the effort that we put
forward. There is nothing that is a "gift" to us, which we have not earned
at some time. [See below the Master's criterion on this.]

 Yes, we all have high aspirations, but to those we have to add the
dicipline of our minds which make study increasingly easier. Some have a
most active intuition, and may, seeimingly unerringly, fly stright to the
core of a subject. But that does not make it easy on the rest of us, as we
may have to laboriously climb those crags to such ledges, which the
angel-flight of the intution enables its possessor to alight on.

 Those who went to the Buddha, 2.500 years back, realizing this, entreaed
him to make their path easier -- hence the enormous volume of texts
available in the records of his living and teaching. But a read of the
brief DHAMMAPADA [ 97 short pages ] insures and assures us of the depth of
his mind as well as of the compasssion he had for us who are all struggling
to learn. The BHAGAVAD GITA "sung" 2,500 years earlier than the Buddha's
life, when Krishna taught Arjuna (mankind-us) at the beginning of the
Kali-Yuga is equally brief and also very profound.

 But we are here dealing with an inner discipline and study once that we
pass the Gates of Gold -- figuratively. Many years ago, studying MAHATMA
LETTERS I was struck by a statmeent written to Mr. Sinnett. It is in
Letter LVIII of March 1883 (Barker edition, p. 337) :

 "May I beg of you two more personal and important favours ? First--to
ever bear in mind that whenever and whatever is possible will be always
done for you unurged; hence never to either ask for, or suggest it,
yourself--since it will amount to simply avoiding to me the supremely
disagreeable task of having to refuse a friend's request..."

 I hope this will help you see what was in my mind. Dal

> Date Saturday, November 01, 1997 9:53 AM
> From Brenda S. Tucker <brenda@theosophy.com>
> Subject Re:Reincarnation
>
> >11. Again as to contact with the Masters. Why not use what I consider a
> >valid parallel: Why should a freshman at the University expect or
demand
> >that he see the President or Dean or chancellor of his University ? It
> >would depend on necessity, if there was something truly vital that had
to
> >be communicated. But if it is curiosity, why waste the time of the Head
of
> >the university ? When a necesity exists, the Masters will be aware of
it,
> >and then if there is merit in the candidate one might expect some kind
of
> >communication.
>
> Why? Because they can show us things. They can show us a way of life,
> actions, reactions, methods, mastery, new techniques and because this is
a
> new ecstasy of oneness.