Theos-Talk Archives (April 1999 Message tt00103)

In a message dated 4/8/99 2:30:55 PM, schuelergerald@optec-hq.optec.army.mil 
writes:

>>>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.

Is this another one of your wiggle outs?  YOU said it was the "only view."  
(I wont bother to quote you since you don't like references:-)  

No amount of wishful thinking is going to enable anyone to avoid future lives 
which is mandatory--whether or not such a one chooses the Bodhisattva 
path--so long as there remains karma that is unresolved at the time of death. 
 And, this would include all karma for which the circumstances are not right 
to resolve in this present lifetime.  This means that in order to achieve 
enlightenment (which doesn't necessary mean Nirvana) in one lifetime, one 
would have to have resolved all previous karma in previous lifetimes.  How 
many lifetimes would that be since first stepping on the path?  Thus again, I 
say that except for the remote case of a possibly already enlightened and 
pure soul such as a Milarepa, or a perfectly new soul, such as an avatar, It 
is virtually impossible to achieve enlightenment--from total ignorance, 
through all possible experiences, both good and bad, to total knowledge and 
wisdom--in one lifetime.  For one to say that such a rare occurrence is the 
"only way" theosophists should view their approach to enlightenment is the 
height of false presumption and false teaching without any substantial 
foundation.  Pity the poor student who might believe this and spend a whole 
lifetime wishfully thinking all his past karma would just disappear, as if by 
magic--so long as he sat in meditation contemplating his navel.:-).  I don't 
think that even you would be willing to go that far. 

As an added thought, where does it say in "modern theosophy" that ANY 
shortcut to enlightenment is "ruled out."  I don't recall if HPB ever spoke 
one word about how long it might take to become enlightened.  That was left 
to the teachers of meditational practices, and to the student himself.  
Besides, "enlightenment" would actually mean, "realizing the Self."  But, 
since you prefer to believe there is no self, it's a moot question about how 
long it would take to get there... Right?  

As for going round and round, what makes you think that reincarnation in a 
new cycle means repeating the same old thing again and again?  Like a spiral, 
each new cycle is on a higher plane than the last and the circumstances 
would, accordingly, be entirely different.  But, perhaps, you are one of 
those retarded souls who are caught in a "vicious circle" and are continually 
reliving their past lives--like a psychologically retarded person cannot 
progress beyond his childhood or pubescent stages so long as he lives.  So, 
what reason would theosophy have to mislead such poor souls who have placed 
themselves in such a repetitive circle of futile existence?  However, as far 
as I know, theosophy, has never denied that anything is possible that can be 
achieved by "self induced and self determined efforts."  And that could mean, 
for the brave and persevering pure soul, enlightenment in one lifetime, 
perhaps.  Don't all avatars achieve that?  How long did it take for Jesus, 
Moses, Buddha or Sankaracharya to be enlightened?  Too bad we are not all 
avatars, or we can't issue degrees to "psychologists" who can show us how to 
break out of these psychic patterns that trap some few of us in endless 
circles on the lower planes.  My sympathetic advice would be the one Hermes 
(or was it Paracelsus?) gave... That is, "Doctor, heal thyself."

Best wishes,

LHM


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