Theos-Talk Archives (May 1999ar Message tt00002)

Martin Leiderman wrote:

> All true conduct has its root in the Law of Love. As
> long as external law is needed, that law is the measure of our imperfection.
> Only when no law is wanted, when the nature expressing itself spontaneously is
> one with the Divine Law, is humanity perfected and liberty and law become one.
>
> Does morality always depend on an "if," so that those who refuse the goal
> reject right conduct and stand lawless in a universe of law? If that is so, it
> seems to me that human progress will be very slow, for you would first have to
> evolve conscience, and training of the conscience is needed for right ethics.
> You would be walking constantly in a vicious circle with no starting point. ….
>
> Humans, ignorant and foolish, not knowing the laws that surround them, desire
> to follow the promptings of their own untrained will. They are driven,
> perhaps, by the desires of the lower nature and hear in them the voice that
> allures and compels. Nature mandates sternly, "Thou shalt." The human will,
> able to choose, answers "I will not." Then two words fall upon the silence:
> "Then suffer."
>
> Such is the way in which physical nature teaches the inviolability of law.
> Humans strive to follow their own untrained will. They dash themselves against
> the iron wall they cannot break, and the pain of the bruises teaches them that
> law is inviolable and unchangeable, that it must be obeyed or the disobedient
> will perish in the struggle.

Your quote is very timely.

In the context of external laws, it would be of interest to mention about the age
old practice in India.

The traditional ( which many cases are more widely enforced than law) in India
governs the life of most Hindus, except Sanyasis (Monks). Once you become a
Sanyasi, none of the traditional restrictions apply to a Sanyasi. When one takes
the step of  becoming a Sanyasi, he/she irrevocably gives up all rights and
relationships to people and property. The few restrictions that apply are to ensure
that all the relationships and attachments to property and kith and kin that are
given up is maintained.

Krishnamurti also has pointed this issue of choice in a very simple manner. He
stated that when you are taking the right action, you will not have any choice. I
think it implies that right action being in compliance with the Natural Law --
whatever we want to call it -- there is no question of choice.

In the context of laws or requirements, I would want to mention that acting always
in the "right" way is perhaps a very difficult thing for us who have grown up in
the commonly acceptable way of life.

After Krishnamurti made his famous Truth is a Pathless Land statement and disbanded
the Star of the East and other related organizations, Besant who was the Outer Head
of the
Esoteric Section took the extra ordinary action of suspending the operation of the
ES. Once the suspension took place, all the members of  ES were free to self-police
as far as complying with the requirements placed on them in the ES. A year later,
some of the well known members of the ES went to her and told her that the members
are unable to police themselves and wanted her to reopen the ES, which she did.
(All of this is in Ernest Wood's book "Is this Theosophy?". Wood was the private
secretary to Leadbeater and also ran for the Office of President of TS(Adyar) after
the death of Annie Besant. The book is a very rare one and is a gem.)

mkr


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