Theos-Talk Archives (April 1999 Message tt00029)

> motive is the great determinor


Rich,

I think you are right about motive.  I notice that over and over again in
the Mahatma Letters one reads "With us, motive is everything",  or some
variation on that theme.  Once we look at motives we get a sense of the
complexity of our own make up and the complexity that Karma has to weigh up
in all our actions at so many levels of our being.  What are our motives to
give up "expectations" in order to to stop generating Karma, for example?
And I don't think we can easily judge our motives just from our conscious
attitudes and the statements we make to ourselves and others.  There is an
interesting statement from KH in his letter to Hume (No. 28)  where he
writes:

"Human nature is unfathomable, and yours is perhaps, more intensely so than
any other man I know of."

I find this a remarkable thing for an Adept to say.

In the chapter on Karma, in the Key to Theosphy, HPB points out that it is
not just our actions, but it is our thoughts and motives that affect the
Karma we will have in our next life.

I disagree that Theosophy offers a simple view of Karma.  When HPB says
that:

 "Karma is the unerring law which adjusts effect to cause, on the physical,
mental and spiritual planes of being. As no cause remains without its due
effect from greatest to least, from a cosmic disturbance down to the
movement of your hand.."

... this suggest to me a complexity that is beyond our finite minds to
grasp - once we begin to reflect on what this truly means.  And if we bear
in mind that the Law of Karma spans pralayas in its operations..!

When I reflect on the above I sense an almost infinite complexity of our
Human Nature and all the interelationships we have, and have had, with life
on the unseen as well as the visible planes.  I marvel at the fact that this
complexity and interelationship with all life has existed over many  many
lifetimes, back to the dawn of Humanity on this planet and beyond.  I also
keep in mind, as HPB points out, that our individual Karma is inextricably
connected with that of the nation and of the whole world, just like the
individual atoms are all part of the one Body - and this too extends
backwards and forwards through time.  So it seems to me that when we say
that we can eliminate our past Karma by forgiving ourselves or that we can
eliminate future Karma just by not having expectations of reward and
punishment, this is a very superficial view of Karma.

I'm not relating the following to the above,  I'm thinking more of what is
happening in Kosovo at the moment and other places around the world.  Do you
truly believe that the murderer, or torturer etc "knows the error at some
level and fully expects punishment at some time."?   The more I see of
brutal human nature the more I wonder.    There do seem to be many
individuals that show absolutely no sign of remorse for their actions, and
see "punishment" for their deeds as a rather quaint idea that belongs solely
to others.  I say this with some sadness.

Best wishes

Peter



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