Theos-World Response to Peter
Apr 08, 1999 06:29 AM
by Gerald Schueler
>>I think the point Leon is refering to is that you spent so so many
posts arguing that 'liberation in a single lifetime' was the only valid
view to hold. >>
I am not sure where you and Leon got this idea. What I did
say, or meant to say, was that it is a valid possibility. Modern
Theosophy seems to rule it out as even a possibility saying
that future lives are absolutely required. Actually it was
this view that I opposed. Both liberation and enlightenment in a
single lifetime (OK, perhaps the "single lifetime" is the 7th in a
series, who knows?) are taught as possibilities in both Hinduism
and Buddhism and are especially emphasized in Tibetan Buddhism. Why
doesn't Theosophy at least accept the possibility,
and if so give some hope to those of us who are tired of going
round and round. I am not looking forward to doing this all
over again.
>> You argued repeatedly that any other view that included believing in
a number of lifetimes ahead of us or even just the *seven* of the Chela
was "self defeating". >>
Yeah, and I still maintain that this is true. Not in the fact of
future lives per se, but in the "necessity" of them. Believing
in the necessity of anything tends to bring that about
as a wish-fulfilling prophesy. Theosophy seems to have
thrown out the promised possibility of liberation taught
in Buddhism. If so, then its a sad loss.
>>According to you, Theosophists who believed this were, fearfull of
liberation, afraid to Try and Dare, would be reborn because they
believed they would be etc and on and on. >>
They are not fearful of liberation, but rather lack hope in the
possibility and so won't try or dare. The fear part comes into
play with ethics, sex, and magic which are part of the Path,
not liberation itself. Most theosophists see liberation like a
child standing outside a candy store looking at candy through
a glass--the glass forever separating them from ownership.
I do hope that there are exceptions here, but they are certainly
few.
I disagree with the notion that we have to keep incarnating
forever and forever because karma is endless. The notion
having to chose between reincarnation and liberation is a lot
like Christianity's choice between infinite heaven and
infinite hell with nothing in between. I prefer to believe in
a middle ground.
>>And yet at the end of all those posts you said you don't agree with
this view either, but consider it as an extreme.>>
It all comes down to our belief system or worldview. If our
worldview accepts reincarnation but not liberation, then
that is one extreme (India, I think, is a good example of
this, and apparently most theosophists agree). If our worldview
accepts liberation but not reincarnation then that is the other
extreme (Christianity is an example). My worldview accepts
both.
Jerry S.
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