Theos-Talk Archives (March 1998 Message tt00121)

Mar 16th 1998

Dear Thoa: O

Your essay on Manas and its source (based on commentaries in SD I  pp 24-5)
are valuable.

In a condensed form and with good logic to back it up, have you had the
opportunity of comparing these with HPB's KEY TO THEOSOPHY.  Specifically
pp. 91-2, 135-6 and 175-6 are in my mind and before me on the desk.

Mind-Manas links the spiritual Triad to the personality and as a result it
become triple.  One aspect is called "Higher Manas" and is attached to
Buddhi-wisdom,  the opposite side is "Lower-Manas" and is attached to Kama
(passions and desires--the emotional nature).  In between is the true
Manasic principle (mind) as memory, perception and choice, and hope or
anticipation of the future.  So Manas-mind is aware of TIME.  It is always
aware of the fact that in terms of DURATION (unlimited time) it has
continued existence.

On those pages in the SD you refereed to (I 242-3) there is an important
hint, and that is, as I understand it, that Manas-mind acquires its
immortality by those thoughts and acts of the present personality it is
living in, which link it directly through the Higher Manas to the
Atma-Buddhic MONAD.  In other places (her articles) HPB is even more direct
in this statement concerning the nature of immortality.

The UNITED LODGE OF THEOSOPHISTS brought together and has published the
most important of HPB's articles in 3 volumes, and one of these references
is in vol. 3, p. 265.  I do not know if you have these or if you have
access to the COLLECTED WORKS BLAVATSKY, it is there also [ BCW Vol.4, p.
422  "ISIS UNVEILED AND THE VISHISTADWAITA "-- from THEOSOPHIST--January
1886--, Vol. 4, p. 196-7 ]  I quote these references so that others may
also refer to them if they have other books than mine.

There are several curious and important references in SD II to the "Undying
Race."  See SD II 275 footnote and 281 -- see also THEOSOPHIST Vol. 5,
263-4 -- BCW Vol. 6, p. 261-3.

Hope this can be of some help.		Best wishes,		Dallas

                                                          W. Dallas
TenBroeck

dalval@nwc.net

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| From: "Thoa Thi-Kim Tran" <thoalight@aol.com>
| Cc: theos-talk@theosophy.com
| Subject: Manas
| Date: Thursday, March 12, 1998 5:50 PM
|
| Karat:
| >I guess my question is, what is the higher manas to
| >everyone.  Is it that which bestows upon us moral values?  Or perhaps
| >the ability to observe moral values?  I guess my question is, how does
| >the migher manas manifest itself within us?  How do we express it?
| >How would the cat express it?
|
| Glad to see you back on the list!  You can't have delicious carrot cake
| without the carrot.
|
| Stanza VII of our beloved Secret Doctrine I gives us a clue.  The
| "three-fold" refers to the Universal Principles of Father, Mother and
Son.
| The human Monad reflects these three principles.  The Father reflects our
| will and drive, the Mother reflects our psyche, our intuition and inner
| wisdom, and the Son reflects our ability to relate these experiences.
>From
| those come the four lower principles.
|
| "The thread" refers to the connection of all of our life cores. Thus,
there
| is actually no real separation between us.  Even in reincarnation (if it
| exists), there is no static substance that reincarnates.  The
concentration
| of our experience is the individuating factor, and not the experience
| itself.  For example, note Einstein's theory of relativity.  Although,
| according to Einstein, there is no such thing as simultaneity and each
| experience is relative to each other, the experience is basically
| universal.  Your time my be painfully slower than mine in my reality, but
| in all reality, time goes at a regular pace according to each
| consciousness.  Thus, we are all one, and only the focus is individual.
|
| "Who forms Manu (the Man) and who forms his body?..."  The Seven Lives
and
| the One Life.  The Seven Lives are the stages of man's evolution and the
| One Life is the force of all life.  This formation of us humans allows us
| to make choices that go beyond our animal instinctive habits.  It allows
us
| to communicate with each other in complex ways.  We are, at varying
levels,
| aware of our choices, ethical choices, e.g..  We are also aware of the
| impact of our choices.  Basically, we are fully self-aware.  Thus, Adam
and
| Eve have to cover themselves up in shame.  Our ego gives us a structure
| within which we can work with.  Our comprehension allows us to
understand,
| make choices, and relate.  Our desire pushes us to move forward.
|
| How it compares humans to animals, I think we have to each do our
thinking
| for ourselves.  I heard on the news about physically handicapped children
| being brought into contact with dolphins as part of their therapy.  The
| dolphins knew which part of the body was injured and interacted with the
| injured part.
|
| All this talk about Manas, connection, etc., brings me to something
that's
| been bothering me.  It is the duality of to "live and let live" and the
| controlling factor of "shoulds."  If we truly have love and compassion
for
| others, we should be able to see them as part of us.  That means we
accept
| them as they are.  If you look into the mirror and see yourself, would it
| not be more loving to say "I'm alright" than to say "I need a nose job?"
| As students of theosophy, would it not be better to say that everyone has
| an equal right to spiritual knowledge, that everyone is okay where they
| are, and for us to have patience with each other as we grow.  Should
there
| be guilt about vegetarianism, sex, or frivolous talk?  Yes, the reactive
| thing to do would be to impose rules.  However, could there have been
other
| ways of helping guide a student of theosophy, more loving ways of
relating
| to each other?  Isn't any exclusion (from a group, e.g.) be against the
| purpose of theosophy to go beyond the framework of known organized
religion
| and its weaknesses?  Also, to be dogmatic to any one point of view
without
| considering others, would be against theosophy's purpose of ultimately
| looking at the Divine wisdom within ourselves.  Theosophy began with the
| idea of Truth being universal, for everyone, to be discovered everywhere,
| to be discovered intelligently, without falling into the trap of shutting
| one's eyes once a source of comfort is found, and without the laziness of
| letting others do the thinking for you. As with preoccupation with
| anything, even spirituality, we are so determined in our search that we
| shun others as being frivolous and as being of the lower level.  As the
| teacher would say, "Go wash your bowl."  The lesson is right in front of
| you, in that humble dishwashing chore.
|
| Thoa :o)
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