Theos-Talk Archives (November 2000 Message tt00137)

Nov 18 2000



A friend asks: will you elucidate and expound on the comments of
your last paragraph [ In regard to the 3rd OBJECT of the
THEOSOPHICAL MOVEMENT -- on the STUDY of the psychic laws and
powers in and around us, it would seem that this excluded
EXPERIMENTATION, as HPB observed in the 4th of her MESSAGES to
AMERICAN THEOSOPHISTS (dated April 15th., 1891) that this was
altogether too dangerous without high occult knowledge. She
seems to says something similar in the KEY TO THEOSOPHY (pp. 48,
306 original edition) . ] and in particular the term "high
occult knowledge."

An answer was made:

In my humble opinion, let us try and answer your query, as an
understanding of it may be derived from HPB's SECRET DOCTRINE.
It is something we can all refer to, using the S. D. INDEX, and
also using the logical faculty resident in our minds, can we not
derive all the concepts eventually, and, so to say, prove them to
ourselves?

If at core (of our INDIVIDUAL --SPIRITUAL --consciousness) we
are "rays" of the ONE UNIVERSAL SPIRIT (whether in or out of
manifestation) then we (as a MONAD or SPIRITUAL BEING
encapsulated in a form of PRIMORDIAL MATTER) have existed for an
enormous period of TIME, and will continue to "BE" for an
indefinable future.

The purpose of the MONAD considered even as a long-lived DUAD, is
to enable the ONE CONSCIOUSNESS that is directly derived from the
ABSOLUTE, to have a basis for perception and action in our field
of Manifestation. HPB indicates that this TRIAD (Spirit, Matter,
Mind) DOES NOT DIE OR DISAPPEAR even over the enormous period of
time of Non-Manifestation (whether the PRALAYA be brief or
'Universal") [ see HPB Articles, ULT Edn., Vol. 3, p. 264-6
"ISIS UNVEILED AND THE VISISHTADWAITA" -- Theosophist, January
1886. ]

The question of individual immortality is important, as it gives
a basis for all our study and work together, as well as being a
basis for our conduct in the World and among our brother men and
women.

In this article, she says in part:

"I maintain as an occultist, on the authority of the Secret
Doctrine, that though merged entirely into Parabrahm, man's
spirit while not individual per se, yet preserves its distinct
individuality in Paranirvana owing to the accumulation in it of
the aggregates, or skandhas that have survived after each death,
from the higher faculties of the Manas.

The most spiritual -- i.e., the highest and divinest aspirations
of every personality follow BUDDHI and the Seventh Principle
[ATMA] into Devachan... after the death of each personality along
the line of rebirths, and become part and parcel of the
MONAD....the individuality of the spirit-soul...is preserved to
the end of the great cycle (MAHA-MANVANTARA) when each Ego enters
Paranirvana, or, is merged in Parabrahm.

To our ...mole-like, comprehension the human spirit is then lost
in the One Spirit...But de facto it is not so in the world of
immaterial thought ..That such Parabrahmic and Paranirvanic
"spirits," or units, have and must preserve their divine (not
human) individualities, is shown [when the "night of Brahma"
ends] the same individual Divine Monad resumes its majestic path
of evolution, though on a higher, hundredfold perfected and more
pure chain of earths than before, and brings with it all the
essence of compound spiritualities from its previous countless
rebirths. Spiritual evolution...is dual... " -- HPB

It would appear, that as we live and make choices, we IMPRESS the
MOTIVE (virtue/vice) on the less experienced Monads that we have
drawn around us so that a "form" may be produced.
[ Note: in an analogetic way, the same process is repeated at
each reincarnation, when, returning from Devachan, the Immortal
Monad {Higher EGO, the Real "I"} brings with it and attracts to
itself the skandhas it used, and marked with its motives in
previous lives on earth. ]

But we are accompanied by all the beings (Monads at various
levels of individual development) around us in nature, whether
they are "sub-atomic" (or any other 'form' --- atom, molecule,
cell, crystal, plant, animal, human -- and super-human -- in
knowledge and wisdom - 'geniuses' and 'universal-geniuses'. )

So we (as a Unit of CONSCIOUSNESS -- a MONAD) neither "die," nor
are ever 'non-essed' *extinguished or annihilated). We are truly
ETERNAL PILGRIMS. For our embodied minds, as "personalities,"
this is just barely comprehensible.

Yet, it is this present "Personal Mind" which has to realise its
inherent share in divinity and potential; and then, seizing the
opportunity, here and now, begin to take this higher objective as
a base for the motive behind its future choices, stating, right
away.

Our many forms, used in the past have been composed of living
intelligences (similar to ours, as SPIRITUAL points of LIFE -
also Monads under training at a lower level in
experience) --these forms are drawn together by each of the
Monadic Units (now, as we all are, involved in the human phase of
evolution) we might call 'the Individual Central Self [named by
HPB the MONAD (or ATMA-BUDDHI -- the "Spiritual-Ray" indissolubly
conjoined with a 'form' of PRIMORDIAL MATTER (Buddhi) ]

As these are all equal in potential, though different in terms of
their Individual EXPERIENCE (as some have emerged from the
MONADIC ESSENCE (SD I 140 176-9 181 187 619-20 632-3) later or
earlier than others, the term "host" or "brotherhood" has been
suggested as a collective noun in which to gather the concept.
We can see this as a fact all around us.

This appears to be the reason why the SECRET DOCTRINE sets up the
THREE FUNDAMENTALS {1. Universal DIVINITY -- or SPIRITUAL UNITY,
2. Universal LAW -- KARMA -- and, 3. the universal and
individual EVOLUTION of every Unit of Life (Monad). The reality
of the whole concept of universal evolution, and its minute
sensitivity and capacity for adjustment to each and every
SPIRITUAL BEING, is staggering for us to conceive of. Yet the
evidence of its existence, operation and actual being, surrounds
us, if we will but look for it.

This is, as one may surmise, only an introduction to "high occult
knowledge." All the details of the power of the WILL in choosing
our future, and the resulting KARMA, is involved in our future
work. In brief, we can only say that it has to be cooperative,
interactive, friendly, and individually responsible. The only
possible course is to be on all occasions BROTHERLY,
Benevolence, charity, and service are the prime criteria of our
continued living. [see SD I 207-8 as an example is given to us
there, of this idealism put into actual action by a Universalized
BEING. ]

Here is what HPB wrote as a conclusion to an article "A FEW
THOUGHTS ON SOME WISE WORDS" [Theosophist, June 1883. Reprinted
in HPB Articles, ULT Edn., Vol. 3, p. 90.]

"In our humble opinion, the only "Essentials" in the Religion of
Humanity are -- virtue, morality, brotherly love, and kind
sympathy with every living creature, whether human or
animal....Having taken for our motto--"In these
Fundamentals--unity; in non-essentials--full liberty; in all
things--charity," ...think with your own brains...be by all means
yourself ... [be] honest..."

These are of course only the musings of a student on this
subject, and one hopes that they prove to be of help. Best
wishes,