Theos-Talk Archives (April 1999 Message tt00082)

Jerry,

> >>How does this detract from the idea that it is the Individuality and
> not the personality that reincarnates and reaps the Karma of previous
> births?>>
>
> Peter, I think that you should be careful here. The individuality does
> not "reap the Karma" of previous births. The next
> personality and body does that.

Yes I will be careful.  There are a number of places you can look for
yourself just in "The Key to Theosophy" alone to see where HPB points out it
is indeed the Individuality that 'reaps' the karma of prevous births.  Here
are a couple to start you off:

"The new 'personality' is no better than a fresh suit of clothes with its
specific characteristics, colour, form and qualities; but the real man who
wears it is the same culprit as of old. It is the individuality who suffers
through his 'personality.'"  (Key to Theosophy: Section 8, p142)

"Nevertheless, the man in his old age justly reaps the reward or suffering
consequent upon his thoughts and actions at every previous stage of his
life. So the new being of the re-birth, being the same individuality as
before (but not the same personality), with but a changed form, or new
aggregation of Skandhas, justly reaps the consequences of his actions and
thoughts in the previous existence.' This is abstruse metaphysics"  (Key to
Theosophy: p77)

"It is that Ego, that "Causal Body," which overshadows every personality
Karma forces it to incarnate into; and this Ego which is held responsible
for all the sins committed through, and in, every new body or personality --
the evanescent masks which hide the true Individual through the long series
of rebirths. "  (Key to Theosophy, p135)

In another post you ask:

> Please tell me how the Reincarnating Ego "is made to suffer?"

I think a clue to this is in understanding the real relationship of Higher
and Lower Manas.  Lower Manas is described as a ray which emanates from the
Higher Manas to form the 'human mind' (lower) in conjunction with Kama.
Here is a passage in "Dreams", from Collected Writings vol 10, p254.  This
will give you somewhere to start if you want to explore this question
further.

"The Higher Manas or EGO is essentially divine, and therefore pure; no stain
can pollute it, as no punishment can reach it, per se, the more so since it
is innocent of, and takes no part in, the deliberate transactions of its
Lower Ego. Yet by the very fact that, though dual and during life the Higher
is distinct from the Lower, "the Father and Son" *are one*, and because that
in reuniting with the parent Ego, the Lower Soul fastens upon and impresses
upon it all its bad as well as good actions -- both have to suffer, the
Higher Ego, though innocent and without blemish, has to bear the punishment
of the misdeeds committed by the lower Self together with it in their future
incarnation. The whole doctrine of atonement is built upon this old esoteric
tenet;" [*are one* is in italics]

There is a lot that we can deduce and expand on from the above.  However I
will leave you to your own refelctions.

Peter




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