Theos-Talk Archives (May 1998 Message tt00223)

May 9th 1998

Dallas offers:

On the subject of the  "Second Death."

 "Theosophical fundamentalist" (as some think I am, because I
like to refer back to what HPB has originally taught), I would
say that if you refer to THE KEY TO THEOSOPHY (original Edition)
you will find it described on pp. 143-5.

And, in Mr. Judge's THE OCEAN OF THEOSOPHY  you will find it
described on pages 99...  (original edition).

The THEOSOPHICAL GLOSSARY (Original Edition) has some valuable
comments on this, see pp. 154  172  226-7,

Also MAHATMA LETTERS p. 110  106-7  131-6  147  170-1 ]

In HPB's long article on ELEMENTALS ("Lucifer, Aug. 1893 -- about
2 or 3 pages from the end of Part "I" -- in the ULT, 3 Volume
edition of HPB ARTICLES, it is in Vol 2, p. 139) she describes
the condition of the "Kama-rupa" (the body of the "man of
desire")  and speaks of its gradual "fading out" -- a "2nd
death" -- on the astral plane.  She states that the spiritual
principles have already separated from it shortly after physical
death, and the Permanent Ego leaves the Kama-rupa to disintegrate
on the astral plane, while it retires into the Devachanic
condition of meditative rest and review (which can last for 10 to
15 centuries the average, but may in certain cases extend to 10
centuries ! ).

The "Kamarupa," being abandoned by its Spiritual Creator -- its
life-giving source, gradually dies out and fades away, its
components (life-atoms and skandhas) being absorbed into the
astral matter all around it.  This has been called the "Second
Death."

While I am at it, let me add that Theosophy teaches that the
coherence of the astral form is gradually lost.  Its coherence is
dependent on the nature of the passional life allowed to manifest
in thought and feeling in the life last lived.

The decaying Kama-rupa is sometimes attracted to "Spiritualistic
Seances."  There it can be galvanized, reanimated, and may
provide some of the phenomena of memory and response based solely
on the limits of its last life and also, the desires thoughts and
memories of the persons present at the seance.

The annals of Theosophy provide extensive reports on this
(chiefly to be found in the magazine articles of the early
volumes of THEOSOPHIST, LUCIFER and PATH), and it is also to be
explained in ISIS UNVEILED
(Vol. I, p. 365), and in the MAHATMA LETTERS.

In addition to the actual astral corpse, the Kama-rupa, which
fades away in a relatively short time -- say a few days to a few
weeks, there is an imprint left on the matrix of the Astral
Light. This can sometimes be accessed
and partial and inaccurate reports secured, largely influenced by
the desires and curiosity of the "sitters at such a seance."

If more information is desired, let me know as quotations can be
supplied for personal use and reference on this subject.

I hope that this will help.
Dallas

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