Theos-Talk Archives (August 1998 Message tt00169)

      THEOSOPHICAL QUERIES: ANSWER TO A LETTER

          By H. P. Blavatsky

       Now it is a fundamental doctrine of Theosophy that the "separateness"
       which we feel between ourselves and the world of living beings around
       us is an illusion, not a reality. In very deed and truth, all men are
       one, not in a feeling of sentimental gush and hysterical enthusiasm,
       but in sober earnest. As all Eastern philosophy teaches, there is but
       ONE SELF in all the infinite Universe, and what we men call "self" is
       but the illusionary reflection of the ONE SELF in the heaving waters
       of earth. True Occultism is the destruction of the false idea of Self,
       and therefore true spiritual perfection and knowledge are nothing else
       but the complete identification of our finite "selves" with the Great
       All. It follows, therefore, that no spiritual progress at all is
       possible except by and through the bulk of Humanity. It is only when
       the whole of Humanity has attained happiness that the individual can
       hope to become permanently happy -- for the individual is an
       inseparable part of the Whole.

       Hence there is no contradiction whatever between the altruistic maxims
       of Theosophy and its injunction to kill out all desire for material
       things, to strive after spiritual perfection. For spiritual perfection
       and spiritual knowledge can only be reached on the spiritual plane; in
       other words, only in that state in which all sense of separateness,
       all selfishness, all feeling of personal interest and desire, has been
       merged in the wider consciousness of the unity of Mankind.

       This shows also that no blind submission to the commands of another
       can be demanded, or would be of any use. Each individual must learn
       for himself, through trial and suffering, to discriminate what is
       beneficial to Humanity; and in proportion as he develops spiritually,
       i.e., conquers all selfishness, his mind will open to receive the
       guidance of the Divine Monad within him, his Higher Self, for which
       there is neither Past nor Future, but only an eternal NOW.

       Again, were there no "poor," far from the "benefits of civilization
       being lost," a state of the highest culture and civilization would be
       attained, of which we cannot now form the faintest conception.
       Similarly, from a conviction of the impermanence of material happiness
       would result a striving after that joy which is eternal, and in which
       all men can share. Throughout the whole letter of our esteemed
       correspondent there runs the tacit assumption that happiness in
       material, physical life is all-important; which is untrue. So far from
       being the most important, happiness in this life of matter is of as
       little importance in relation to the bliss of true spiritual life as
       are the few years of each human cycle on earth in proportion to the
       millions and millions of years which each human being spends in the
       subjective spheres, during the course of every great cycle of the
       activity of our globe.

       With regard to faculties and talents, the answer is simple. They
       should be developed and cultivated for the service of Humanity, of
       which we are all parts, and to which we owe our full and ungrudging
       service.
       (From Blavatsky Collected Writings 11:104-6)
*******************

--
<> Nicholas Weeks <> am455@lafn.org <> Los Angeles
	"Men must learn to love the truth before they thoroughly believe it."
		Blavatsky