Theos-Talk Archives (September 1998 Message tt00181)

Sept 12 1998

Dear Amaldo

Allow me to interject some comments in your notes back to me

Thanks,		Dallas

> From: Arnaldo Sisson Filho
> Sent:	Saturday, September 12, 1998 7:11 AM
> Subject: Re: RE: HPB's 1888 edition of THE SECRET DOCTRINE?

Masters and participation in recording Theos.
Literature.

Dear Dallas,

Without exactly desiring to take sides in this discussion,
I do want to openly thank you for this contribution. My feeling
is that you touched important points/aspects:

1) They work under rules and limitations that can not be broken;

		CORRECT,  THAT IS WHAT THEY SAY


2) We should make the best use we can of the help offered;

		THAT IMPLIES THAT WE ADVANCE AS WE STUDY AND UNDERSTAND - WE
HAVE TO LEARN WHAT THEY TEACH AS BEST WE CAN  -- EVERYTHING FOR
OUR ADVANCE IN LEARNING DEPENDS ON THAT.  We cannot bring all our
preconceptions to the ancient "school room" of our world, or we
will delay the process of real learning, because of the errors
that are in those preconceptions.  Our Kamic nature desires
glory, praise and is vain. And we find that "Occultism" is the
practice of silence, and self-effacement.  It is not pleasant to
most under those circumstances.


3) Karma operates. There is the Karma of the race, the
    Karma of the messengers, and the Karma of those
    those who are attracted to work with the messengers;

		ABSOLUTELY CLEAR - KARMA IS IN FACT THE OPERATIVE POWER BEHIND
THE WHOLE OF EVOLUTION.  IT IS AN ASPECT OF THE "ABSOLUTE."  It
has no limits in time, although during manifestation it operates
in  the most minute of relationships as well as the vastest.  It
is the one aspect of Nature's infinite sensitivity, that we find
it hard to believe.  Each least "atom" is a sensitive point - a
"receptor" - in Nature's vast network.


4) Because of that, the work of the messengers usually
    is done under very difficult/limitating circunstances;

		THE WORK OF THE MESSENGERS - And there are many who work
silently and unobserved all the time in the world - is to assist
others, without drawing specific attention to themselves.  They
can be recognized (but, they probably won't be) by their
learning, their honesty, sincerity and probity.  At no time do
they advertise or seek to bring others under their "influence."
Like the "monks" of Buddhism, when they speak they preface their
observations with the phrase:  "Thus have I heard...."  They,
copying this Master, put all true aspirants strictly on their own
feet - to sink or swim as they can best devise, because that is
the only path to true Occultism.  When Karma permits they give
advice, or point to the sources from which an inquirer may find
the needed information.

		The effort to advance in true living is one that each student
or disciple has to devise and apply in a fashion which they
determine by their motive and ethico/moral force.  Consider even
our academies, from kindergarten on up - wards -- although
curricula are set annually, the progress of each pupil is
entirely the result of their own efforts within the parameters of
the curriculum, the teacher, the school and parental attention.

		THE WORK OF A MESSENGER, SUCH AS HPB was to serve to
re-promulgate the teachings.  She came for the benefit of the
whole World, and not for any one portion of it.  If she used
Oriental literature it is because of the scriptures of old
available to us, it was the least affected by time and the
destruction of invaders (witness the vast destruction by state,
church and invaders, in the Middle East, Egypt, and around the
Mediterranean and over the whole of Europe and the Americas in
history) . She gave as much as could be exposed to inquiring
minds, and more - to lead them out of the areas of useless
speculation into areas of true constructiveness.  She tried to
show that the Universe/Nature already embodies all the possible f
acts and laws of living.  And we don't need to use strong arm
methods to wrest those pieces of information from Her, we need
intelligent and careful study in our approach and a little
respect for the work already done by the ancients of which they
have left records.  But, by and large we are very impatient -- to
ruin, rather than to learning.

		Our problem is that we do not believe this.  We know innately
that LAW prevails in all things, but something very perverse in
us desires to escape from the bondage of living under law.  And
our innate sense of freedom, carried to an extreme, by our desire
nature (Kama) tries to force us to find ways of breaking those
LAWS and somehow escaping from the inevitable results.  When we
have done wring, we know it.  We desire then, to be forgiven, so
that we can go out and do some more law-breaking !  Nature sees
all and does not allow that in any way.  The pain and the
suffering we endure in life is the direct result of all our past
errors in this sole direction.  Priests in every religion have
taken advantage of this fact and use it to construct the hidden
psychological bonds that keep their parishioners ignorant and
praying for escapes that never come.  [ Most prayer is very
selfish, as it is a request for something undeserved, and usually
takes no restitution for victims into account. ]


5) Also partly because of that, truth is almost always covered
    with odd forms like confusion, craziness and aparent
    worthylessness - let us just think of the message of Jesus,
    in those days, coming from Palestine - why not from Rome?;

		When all is said and done we are the only ones who have tried
to make the craziness and confusion.  We refuse to grasp the
"whole picture," even when it is plainly shown right in front of
us.  What kind of idiocy is it to think that we can escape the
scrutiny of that UNIVERSAL LAW which notes every failure of our
judgment ?

		Thinking, feeling and acting are the 3 avenues of our living.
The power of decision - or motive - impresses our intent on the
surrounding atmosphere, on the very atoms of our bodies, visible
and invisible.  Those "little lives, the living atoms" go our
from us carrying the impression for improvement or detriment and
are lodged elsewhere in Nature according to the affinities that
we have impressed on them.  Those are our "skandhas" - the
"carriers of our particular Karma."  And when they return to us,
they bring the Karmic results of good or evil intent with them.
We make our own future and fate every moment as we live.  This is
what I see is plainly said in Theosophy


6) The message is almost incomprehensible to us today when
     Mystery Schools almost vanished from our daily life/culture;


		The so-called MYSTERY SCHOOLS taught in allegory, myth, drama
and legend the same things that Theosophy now puts into plain
language.

		In those ancient days, when the set of people's minds was in a
different bent, the emphasis was more by allegory and
correspondence.

		HPB and the Masters writing in the Secret Doctrine, Isis, and
HPB's Articles, the Mahatma Letters, etc.... say plainly what the
cause of our situation is.  If they are not believed, it is not
their fault.  A few of us desire to learn the facts and truth
about our condition, and we are prepared to bridge the gap
between what we learned in our academies and schools and the
occult wisdom which is innate, immanent in all Nature, if we
would only try to study it.


7) HPB and her assistants, specially the Keightleys and Mead,
    did what they could under very limitating circunstances -
    can we benefit from their work, and should not we try to help
    them to improve what they did?

		BY ALL MEANS ALL THOSE OF US WHO ARE STUDENTS AND BECOME
SCHOLARS THROUGH OUR OWN EFFORTS.  WE OUGHT TO HELP TO KEEP
THEOSOPHY GOING.  IT HAS DONE US GOOD.  NOW, WE HAVE A DUTY TO
PASS IT ON - UNALTERED - SO THAT OTHERS CAN TASTE AND TEST AS WE
HAVE.

		To my mind all this discussion as to whether there are errors
in the physical books and physical printing is only "by the way."
Yes we do see that there are errors.  But those are not
DETERRENTS.

		Again, when people insert their "corrections" unmarked into the
original text they are taking a liberty with that original.  If
they do find some valuable changes that ought to be considered, a
list in an ADDENDUM would be a far more suitable way of recording
those and offering them for the consideration of succeeding waves
of students and seekers.

		If one looks at the whole philosophy and tries to see what is
the underlying message, the errors of the surface can be handled
easily.  Scholarship and cross-referencing, (of which we are
shown good evidence) does that.

		But, are we :missing the boat" when we allow these minor
irritants to deter us from progress in trying to understand the
vast over-all picture of our situation and our potential ?  There
is something to be observed here:

		As I understand it, one of the purposes of the "Mystery
Schools" was to test the candidates.  In some ways these small
errors and surface snags test us and help to determine the
measure of our control of our own "Lower Mind."
Those ancient schools tried to determine the extent to which each
candidate has his "Lower Mind" under his control.  If this was
found wanting, then they were not allowed to proceed.  Again, it
is the MORAL NATURE that is being tested (not "customary
morality" but the true inner rectitude of the devotee ).

		In each person, the Higher Mind already knows the truth because
it is in rapport with the Higher Self through Buddhi.  The Lower
Mind, that is, we awake, aware, embodied here and now has to so
decide to attune itself to universal and impersonal, impartial
facts so that it can live and realize those as laws for practical
daily life in daily affairs.  That  is the kind of practical
Occultism that we are faced with.  Do we understand ?   Most who
approach the doors of Occultism do so in the hope that they will
be granted "powers" which will enable them of bend others to
their will, and thus they will acquire ascendancy over others,
get ease, wealth, power, etc...  but that is the selfish, and
lower kind of occultism, (being selfish, it is in fact
black-magic) and may work for a while, but at the end of life
there is no carry-over to the next incarnation.

		But to some this description of "white" Occultism does not seem
to be important because there is no praise or notice to be gained
from doing those things.  True Occultism, as I understand it, is
doing everything from the smallest of duties to the largest with
concentration and attention - and whether we are alone or in the
public eye.  However, it is Nature and Law that are the final
judges.

		Some accounts of the great trials that await disciples have
come down to us from the various ancient scripts - and we tend to
think that "Occultism" requires great fortitude at extremely
critical points of life.  But how can such capacities be
developed unless we have built into our natures those capacities
by repetitive disciplines ?  If we do not see their value we
lose.  I am reminded of Edison's observation that "Genius is 99%
perspiration."

		I saw a film some years ago about a young boy who was learning
Karate from an old Okinawan.  He was instructed to polish a car
with the left hand going vertically up and doing s similar thing,
but simultaneously horizontally.  The result was that he learned
to handle his hands separately and with accuracy as needed.  A
simple and repetitive task with no glamour produced extraordinary
results when really needed as a skill in another area of real
crisis.


Best wishes to all,  Arnaldo.

		Thanks, and back to you		Dallas


-----Mensagem original-----
De: W. Dallas TenBroeck <dalval@nwc.net>
Para: theos-talk@theosophy.com <theos-talk@theosophy.com>
Data: Sexta-feira, 11 de Setembro de 1998 18:39
Assunto:  RE: HPB's 1888 edition of THE SECRET
DOCTRINE? Masters
and participation in recording Theos. Literature.


>Sept 11th 1998
>
>Dallas offers::
>
>In several places the Masters, writing to Mr. Sinnett show that
>They have their rules and limitations as to how much they can
>interfere and use their "powers" in making adjustments and
>framing the progress of the Theosophical Movement and the
>Literature that they provided for study through HPB.
>
>I use the 1923 Edition of ML for these page references:
>
>They indicate that their rules were framed aeons ago, and could
>not be broken.
>[ see ML pp. 8-9, 18-19, 376, 446-7, 458,  Theosophist V. 2, pp
>180-4, ]
>
>They indicate that the students and those who work with humanity
>have to make the best use they can of the help offered.  In
other
>words Karma operates.  There is the Karma of the race at the
time
>of re-promulgation.  Karma of the Messengers. And, the Karma of
>those who are attracted to work closely with the Messengers at
>that time. [ See ML 203, 10, 34-5, 263, 368, 257, 296, 325, 484,
>328-9, - How HPB was selected, and the desperate situation under
>which the work was to be done, and the vicissitudes of the
>passing times and work.  Pp. 310-17, 376, 446-7, 458, ]
>
>I would say that much of what is written in ML is almost
>incomprehensible to us in the West, where the traditions of the
>Mystery and Occult Schools has been banished for over 1500
years.
>
>The chela has to become an Adept through his own efforts  p. 144
>
>The Teacher takes on the karma of the pupil: failure or success,
>p. 284.
>
>The chela should never ask for anything,  p.  337.
>
>The Work of the Mahatmas:  pp. 51-3, 180-1, 385.
>
>Apparently the work of editing and issuing the S D fell fully on
>HPB and her assistants.  The Keightleys and Mead have written on
>their part in this.  The Masters provided the material in many
>cases (as Dr. Hubbe-Schlieden and Col. Olcott have noted) and
>from then on it was up to HPB to put it into something that
could
>be published.
>
>So what is the purpose of accusing the Masters of carelessness
or
>of assuming that all the "errors" in ISIS, the SD, and various
>Articles are evidence for assumed carelessness ?  Could we have
>done better ?
>
>Dallas