Theos-Talk Archives (April 1999 Message tt00095)

Jerry,

> If nothing else, I hope I have shown how Original Source
> Material can be interpeted in different ways.

Yes, you have shown that and I fully agree with you.  I believe if we try
hard enough we can make anything mean whatever we want it to mean. We can
even convince ourselves that apples are oranges, the next day say there are
pears, followed by bananas, and then go back and say they were apples all
along.

What I come back to is - after we have done all that does the source
material substantiate our interpretation or not?  To stay with our topic of
Atma-Buddhi-Manas, a really important one in my view, and worth taking the
time to clarify...

When HPB says of Atma-Buddhi:

"Neither each separately, nor the two collectively, are of
any more use to the body of man, than sunlight and its beams are for a mass
of granite buried in the earth, unless the divine Duad is assimilated by,
and reflected in, some consciousness... This consciousness or mind is, 3.
Manas"

Does this substantiate the view that HPB is NOT refering to Manas? I don't
believe it does.  It is quite clear that what she says is simply what she
says - it is Manas.

And when she adds:

"It [Manas] is, therefore, when inseparably united to the first two,
[Atma-Buddhi] called the SPIRITUAL EGO, and Taijasi (the radiant). This is
the real Individuality, or the divine man."

Does that substantiate the following?

> Manas is beneath the duad and thus is forever unaware of it.

In relation to both statements above see her further words:

" Without Manas...'the reasoning Soul,' or mind, Atma-Buddhi are irrational
on this plane and cannot act." (SD, v1, p 242)


Jerry, I agree with you that consciousness is on every plane, and HPB adds
that every plane has its own particular kind of consciousness.   I think
what she is saying about Manas is connected to that view, not in opposition
to it.


Peter


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