Theos-Talk Archives (April 1998 Message tt00604)

In a message dated 98-04-29 11:38:47 EDT, you write:

<< Tibetan buddhists believe that when one
 dies, the next incarnation is followed rather quickly, in few days or
 something like that.

 How do this relate to H.P.B:s (and her Mahatmas) teachings about
 centuries spent in between-lives states, like devachan?
 >>

Good question! Many past life regressions have the soul "staying out" about
ten to twenty years, maybe a hundred at the most, before coming back. Are
these past life memories accurate? Is Blavatsky's 1,000 to 1,500 year interim
way off the mark?

Check out P. Pavri's THEOSOPHY EXPLAINED (1930), on pages 177 and 178. The
following "criteria" is given for intervals between incarnations.

1. Those on the Path - they reincarnate within a few months or years if they
choose to continue their work on the physical plane for the Masters. If not,
their interval; between lives is 1,500 to 2,000 years. No time spent on the
Astral Plane.

2. Those approaching the Path - the interval is between 700 to 1,200 (5 years
on the Astral Plane, the rest in Devachan except for about 50 years in the
Causal Body on the Higher Mental Plane.

3. Gentleman with a keen sense of honour and above average in goodness,
intellect and religious feeling, the best type of professional men, city-
merchants and country-gentleman, and others who are well developed and
altruistic - a 600 to 1000 year interval, 20- to 25 on the Astral Plane. Only
a touch of consciousness in the Causal Body.

4. Upper middle class, like most city merchants, gentlemen still, a little
below average in goodness, intellect and religious feelings, who turn their
intellect to more material ends, a life less elevated than the professional
man - an interval between lives of 500 years, 25 years on the Astral Plane,
the rest in Devachan. No conscious life in the Causal Body except for one
flash of memory before incarnating.

5. The great mass of the lower middle class, small shopkeepers, shop
assistants, farmers conventional, dull and narrow, though well-intentioned -
an average interval of 200 to 300 years with 40 years on the Astral Plane and
the rest spent on the lower levels of Devachan.

6. The working classes, skilled laborers working with both hands and heads,
men of respectability and character - 100 to 200 years, 40 on the 4th subplane
of the Astral Plane, the rest in the lower subplanes of Devachan (Lower
Mental).

7. Unskilled labour, well meaning but careless, high types of savages - 60 to
100 years between lives, 40 to 50 on the lower Astral Plane, the remainder on
the lowest subplane of Devachan.

8. Savages of a comparatively mild type, some hill tribes, wastrels,
unemployable and drunkards, slum-dwellers - 40 to 50 years on the lowest
subdivision of the Astral Plane.

9. Lowest specimens of humanity, brutal savages, habitual criminals,
hooligans, wife and child beaters - 5 years on the lowest subplane of the
Astral Plane.

The Empire lives in the after-life! Long live Queen Victoria!

Lmhem111

Added Note: include footmen, grooms, gamekeepers, maids (both upstairs and
downstairs) in Classification 6