Theos-Talk Archives (March 2001 Message tt00094)

THEOSOPHY speaks on EVOLUTION (Part I )


[ Based on articles written by H. P. Blavatsky and Wm,. Q,
Judge, ]


WHAT IS THEOSOPHY: ?

Theosophy is a modern presentation of the history of discovery
done by wise Sages and devoted Men, assisted by their pupils.

The range of study covers a period that starts before the present
program of evolution of our Earth. These records are not only
preserved in the Libraries maintained by this "College of the
Sages," but partial records and fragments of philosophies,
scientific observations, religious theogonies, rites and
literature are to found scattered all over the world, and
including that of scholars.

Madame Blavatsky in her works has attempted to draw those
significant facts together, so that modern scholars might check
and verify them. [ Books: ISIS UNVEILED, THE SECRET DOCTRINE,
THE VOICE OF THE SILENCE, THE KEY TO THEOSOPHY, and numerous
articles and letters. -- available through BLAVATSKY.NET
"on-line."]


THEOSOPHY IS NOT A CREED OR A SET OF THEORIES
-- IT IS A REPORT ON
OBSERVATIONS

Theosophy has been named: "The Wisdom-Religion." It is not a
sect, nor is it an attempt to build one. It offers a theory of
nature and of life which is not speculatively laid down and then
proved by adjusting facts or conclusions to fit it; but is an
explanation of existence, cosmic and individual, derived from
knowledge reached by those who have acquired the power to see
behind the curtain that hides the operations of Nature from the
average mind.


A COLLEGE OF WISE MEN -- THE LODGE OF ADEPTS

Such Wise Beings have been called Sages, (in the highest sense),
Mahatmas, Masters of Wisdom and Adepts. In ancient times they
were known as Prophets, Teachers of Mankind, Reformers of
degraded Religions, and, the most ancient of mankind's teachers:
the Rishis (Sage Teachers) and Maharishis- or, Great Rishis.

The process of evolution up to reunion with the Divine is, and
includes successive elevation from rank to rank of power and
usefulness. The most exalted beings still in the flesh are Sages,
Rishis, Brothers, Masters. Their great function being the
preservation at all times, and when cyclic laws permit, the
extension of spiritual knowledge and influence. When union with
the Divine is effected, all the events and experiences of each
incarnation are known.

The whole of mankind and, in fact, the whole of Nature is engaged
at one degree, or another in this vast program of
self-improvement. Theosophy is a study of ourselves, and of our
powers. It includes our progress up to date, and opens to our
view the potentials of our future.


EVOLUTION IS A COMPLETE SYSTEM

It is held that Evolution forms a complete system of development.
It concerns Intelligence (which is universal) and Consciousness
(which is personal) to every "life-unit" (these are held to be
eternal, and in their variety and reality, they entirely fill all
SPACE). The study of evolution commences from the beginning of
the Universe when all these intelligences come back into
individual consciousness and resume their program of individual
development from the point when the earlier Evolutionary Program
(called a Manvantara) came to an end.


EARLY UNIVERSES and SLEEP
BETWEEN PERIODS OF MANIFESTATION

The intervening time was spent like sleep, and the dreams during
that period, served each entity in the review of the progress it
had made. Theosophy holds that every manifestation is a re-birth
in toto of that which went to sleep at a much earlier stage.
Thus the phenomenon of Life passes through cyclic phases (of an
enormous time period amounting to many trillions of our solar
years). This is analogous to reincarnation and to our daily
sleep and waking cycle.

The so-called BIG BANG is merely the emerging simultaneously on
the plane of manifestation of the entire Universe and all its
creatures as they all awake at that instant of beginning.
Nothing is "created out of NO-THING, by some monstrous Being.
The Universe is to be viewed as an entity (in some ancient
theogonies it has been likened to a Universal Man ( like Adam
Kadmon).

>From the atom to the UNIVERSE it is held that there a continuous
and traceable line and a cyclic system of experience between the
two poles of Life: SPIRIT (or Perfection) and MATTER (or form).
For purposes of convenience, this Life-unit (to us, "sub-atomic")
is called a Monad. It is said by the Sage Patanjali of old:
"For the sake of the soul alone, the Universe exists... The Soul
is the Perceiver; is assuredly vision itself pure and simple;
unmodified and looks directly upon ideas." [ Patanjali Yoga
Sutras, p. 26 ]

>From the atom to the UNIVERSE it is held that there a continuous
and traceable line and a cyclic system of experience between the
two poles of Life: SPIRIT (or Perfection) and MATTER (or form).
For purposes of convenience, this Life-unit (to us, "sub-atomic")
is called a Monad. It is said by the Sage Patanjali of old:
"For the sake of the soul alone, the Universe exists... The Soul
is the Perceiver; is assuredly vision itself pure and simple;
unmodified and looks directly upon ideas." [ Patanjali YOGA
SUTRAS, p. 26 ]


TEACHERS and PUPILS in EVOLUTION -- THE SAGES

Clearly, it will appear that there must be various grades among
the students (and the Teachers) of this Wisdom-Religion. Those
belonging to lower degrees are able to give out only as much of
the knowledge as their grade reached. For further information,
they depend on students who are higher yet. It is these higher
students for whom the claim is made that their knowledge is not
inference, but it concerns realities (of history and of operative
Laws in Nature, which can be verified by any who acquire the
necessary qualifications.) [ see SECRET DOCTRINE, Vol. I, pp.
272-3 ]


ACQUIRING WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE

The power to see and absolutely know such laws is surrounded by
natural and inherent regulations which must be complied with as
precedent conditions. It is, therefore, not possible to respond
to the demand for an immediate statement of this entirety of this
Wisdom, insomuch as one could not comprehend it until those
conditions of prior study, testing and self-discipline are
fulfilled.

As this knowledge deals with laws and states of matter, and of
consciousness, so far undreamed of by the "practical" Western
world. For this reason, it can only be grasped, piece by piece,
as the student pushes forward his study, which in some cases will
require the demolition of his preconceived notions, due either to
inadequate or to erroneous theories.


OBSTACLES FACING US IN LEARNING

It is claimed by these higher students that, in the Occident
especially, a false method of reasoning has for many centuries
prevailed, resulting in a universal habit of mind which causes
men to look upon many effects as causes, and to regard that which
is real as the unreal, putting meanwhile the unreal in the place
of the real. As a minor example, the phenomena of precognition,
thought transference, and clairvoyance have, until lately, been
looked on with suspicion by Western science, yet there have
always been numerous persons who know for themselves, by
incontrovertible, and introspective evidence, the truth of these
phenomena, and, in some instances, understand their cause, laws
and rationale.


THE CAUSAL WORLD is INVISIBLE but TOTIPOTENT

Within the surface world of phenomena that we deal with every
day, there is a causal world dependent on electro-magnetic
impulses, fields, structures and the powerful impact of the
passional and desire nature of mankind. Additionally to this,
there lies a superior plane, which one might name the Plane of
Mentality, of Intellect, of Reason, of memory, and finally of the
Mind engaged in active and creative Thinking, of the creation of
future plans and programs. ["Totipotent" = all-potent, and is
one of the many powers within the WILL-decision of the
Chooser in Man, his Real SELF, which is One with the Absolute
ONE SOURCE OF ALL.

Example:
In the MONAD (Spirit / Matter), there is a mid (or balance)
point where MANAS the ray of the Universal Soul [MAHAT] may be
said to reside. Manas (the ONE CONSCIOUSNESS in Man the Thinker)
has the power of contrasting the many correlates of Spirit/Matter
during all the experiences of individual evolution. This power
is seemingly independent, and therefore may be traced in origin
to the "ray" of the ABSOLUTE which is inherent in every
"Life-uni," or Monad. ]


FUNDAMENTAL IDEAS IN THEOSOPHY

The following are some of the fundamental propositions of
Theosophy: [ S.D. I pp. 14 -20 ]

The Spirit in man is the only real and permanent part of his
being; the rest of his nature being variously compounded. And
since decay is incident to all composite things, everything in
man but his Spirit is impermanent. The Universe is said to be
the reflection to our sight of the UNIVERSAL SPIRIT. In effect
it pervades all Space and our "spirit" may be likened to a "ray"
of the universal Spirit.

The universe being one thing and not diverse, and everything
within it being connected with the whole and with every other
thing therein, of which upon the upper plane (below referred to )
there is a perfect knowledge, no act or thought occurs without
each portion of the great whole perceiving and noting it. Hence
all are inseparably bound together by the bond of an unbreakable
and un-dissolving Brotherhood.

This WHOLE is what is denominated "Deity" by Western
Philosophers, (and "Para-Brahm" by the Hindu Vedantins). It may
be called the Unmanifested, containing within itself the potency
of every form of manifestation, together with the laws governing
those manifestations. This first fundamental proposition of
Theosophy postulates that the universe is not an aggregation of
diverse unities but that it is One Whole. It is a cosmos of
diversity, harmonized by one Law: the attainment of PERFECT
KNOWLEDGE by all its component entities, by means of individual
chosen self-effort, directed by the free-will of each.

It is taught that there is no creation of worlds in the
theological sense; but that their appearance is due strictly to
evolution. When the time comes for the Unmanifested to come forth
again as an objective Universe, which it does periodically, it
emanates a Power or "The First Cause"-so called because it itself
is the Rootless Root of that Cause, and called in the East the
"Causeless Cause."

Every Life-Unit forms a part of this program; and the great
sensitivity of the Universe (NATURE) is such, that every one
returns to life and experience in a situation or position
comparable to that from which it last went to "sleep the Sleep of
Pralaya." Nothing is left out, destroyed, erased or abandoned.
There is no "refuse heap" where nature disposes of the unshapely,
disorganized, recalcitrant, lazy, or unwieldy life-units, but
endlessly and mercifully each is nurtured and given endless
opportunities to learn, improve and eventually return (if it
will) to the One vast Community of Life and living that we call
the Universe. These Laws are said to pertain to all Universes
and to the utmost confines of our visible UNIVERSAL SPHERE.
Recent exploration with the Hubble telescope reveals we seem to
dwell in an enormous SUN -- as everywhere Suns pave every portion
of the sphere we can view.


CAUSELESS CAUSE and the FIRST CAUSE

The first Cause we may call Deity, or Brahma, or Ormazd, or
Osiris, or by any name we please. The projection into time and
manifested Space, of the awakening influence (or so-called
"breath of Brahma") causes all the worlds and the beings upon
them to gradually reappear. They remain in manifestation just as
long as that influence continues to proceed forth in evolution.


PRALAYA the SLEEP OF THE UNIVERSE

After long aeons the outbreathing, evolutionary influence
slackens, and the universe begins to go into obscuration, or the
"sleep" of Pralaya, until, the "breath" being fully indrawn, no
objects remain, because nothing is but Brahm. Care must be taken
by the student to make a distinction between Brahm (the
impersonal Parabrahm) and Brahma the manifested Logos --which
stands for the prototype of all manifestation and every being in
it. A discussion of the means used is also treated of by
Theosophy and this will be found detailed in THE SECRET DOCTRINE.



MANVANTARA the TIME for PROGRESS

This breathing-forth is known as a Manvantara, or the
Manifestation of the world between two Manus ( from Manu "man,"
and Antara "between" ) and the completion of the inbreathing
brings with it Pralaya, or destruction of organized forms. It is
from these factual
and repetitive truths, that the erroneous theological doctrines
of "creation" and the "last judgment" have sprung. Such
Manvantaras and Pralayas have eternally occurred, and will
continue to take place periodically and forever. Man the Thinker
is the Eternal Pilgrim, and this vast study, (almost stunning in
terms of time and complexity); this living many lives and through
universe after Universe in a complete experiencing and learning
process, is designed by Nature's Laws to give each one the
opportunity of knowing their own constitution, capacities and
perfections. No one is left out or "eternally damned." Each has
a right to determine their own rate and "Path" of progress. Each
has free-will as a Thinker and with that can determine by choice
their progress.


SPIRIT-MATTER -- the MONAD

For the purpose of a Manvantara two so-called eternal principles
are postulated, that is, Purusha and Prakriti (or SPIRIT and
MATTER). This is because both are ever present and conjoined in
each manifestation. Those terms are used here because no
equivalent for them exists in English. Purusha is called
"spirit," and Prakriti "matter," but this Purusha is not the
unmanifested, nor is Prakriti matter as known to science. The
ancient Sages, Teachers of humanity in its infancy, the declare
that there is a higher spirit still, called Purushottama. The
reason for this is that at the night of Brahma, or the so-called
indrawing of his breath, both Purusha and Prakriti are absorbed
in the Unmanifested; a conception which is the same as the idea
underlying the Biblical expression "remaining in the bosom of the
Father." These remain "awake" and are referred to as "the opened
eye of the Dangma (wise)" [S.D., Vol. I, p. 27 ]


UNIVERSAL EVOLUTION

This brings us to the doctrine of Universal Evolution as
expounded by the Sages of the Wisdom-Religion. The Spirit, or
Purusha, they say, proceeds from Brahma through the various forms
of matter evolved at the same time. The "beginning" is to be
seen as recorded, starting in the world of the Spiritual from the
highest, and in the Material world from the lowest form. The
lowest form is one unknown as yet to modern science. Thus,
therefore, the mineral, vegetable and animal forms each imprison
a spark of the Divine, a portion of the indivisible Purusha.
S.D. I pp. 14-20 ]

Metaphorically, it is said that there is inherent in each Monad
(life-atom) a fundamental desire to learn and to progress. These
sparks struggle to "return to the Father," or in other words, to
secure Self-Consciousness, and at last come into the highest
form, on Earth, that of MAN, where alone self-consciousness is
possible to them.


CYCLES and TIME PERIODS in Manifestation

The period, calculated in human time, during which this evolution
goes on embraces millions of ages. [ S.D. II pp. 68-70



SELF-CONSCIOUSNESS the Goal of Evolution

Each spark of divinity has, therefore, millions of ages in which
to accomplish its mission-that of obtaining complete
SELF-CONSCIOUSNESS while in the form of man. But by this is not
meant that the mere act of coming into human form of itself
confers self-consciousness upon this divine spark.

That great work may be accomplished during the Manvantara in
which a Divine spark reaches the human form, or it may not; all
depends upon the individual's own will and efforts. Each
particular spirit thus goes through the Manvantara, or enters
into manifestation for its own enrichment and for that of the
Whole.


ADEPT, MAHATMAS are HIGHER DEGREES
of MAN'S POSSIBLE ACHIEVEMENTS


Mahatmas and Rishis (Great Souls) are thus gradually evolved
during a Manvantara, and become, after its expiration, planetary
spirits, who guide the evolutions of other future planets. The
planetary spirits of our globe are those who in previous
Manvantaras-or days of Brahma- made the efforts, and became in
the course of that long period Mahatmas.

Each Manvantara is for the same end and purpose, so that the
Mahatmas who have now attained those heights, or those who may
become such in the succeeding years of the present Manvantara,
will probably be the Planetary Spirits (that assist Nature in
guiding a reawakening to all the entities which will find
themselves awakening in the "new Universe" consisting of the same
old "materials."


SLEEP AND REINCARNATION as ANALOGIES

The process is analogous to reincarnation and to our daily
awakening, when we resume control of our bodies after sleep.) of
the next Manvantara for this or other planets. This system is
thus seen to be based upon the continued and Eternal Identity of
Spiritual Being, and, under the name of "Universal Brotherhood,"
constitutes idea of the Theosophical Movement, whose object is
the practical and active realization of that Brotherhood among
humans.

[ Continued in Part 2 - ]

DTB