Theos-Talk Archives (March 2001 Message tt00102)

Wednesday, March 14, 2001

Re: Matter and Reality -- How do we discover
them?

Dear Odin:

Devachan, Kama Loka, Samadhi, etc... are words and explanations
concerning different "sates of consciousness." The ideas have
value and were evoked (as to description) by inquiries directed
to H.P.B. in the early days of the Theosophical Movement. The
ORIGINAL Theosophical Literature emerged therefrom.

Originally these words and ideals can be traced to correspondence
between Mr. A. P. Sinnett and the Mahatmas in MAHATMA LETTERS.
The INDEX is helpful in tracing these. ) Mr. Sinnett was
instrumental in drawing out philosophical statements, and
historical discoveries. He popularized the teachings of
Theosophy through his very popular books: ESOTERIC BUDDHISM and
THE OCCULT WORLD.

Subsequently in the Theosophical magazines: THEOSOPHIST, PATH and
LUCIFER, discussion and questions kept the inquiries "alive."
More information was made available. Gradually those aspects of
Theosophical doctrine can be seen unfolding as interest demanded
from Theosophy the answers it holds for all.

H.P.B. in her book THE KEY TO THEOSOPHY (1889) elaborates on
these and other matters showing how the entire philosophy of
Theosophy is coherent. It is not a theory, nor is it subject to
"review and revision." It is a statement of HISTORY in regard to
the experiments, findings, and records of this "college" (or
Lodge) of wise Men down the ages. ( S.D. I 272-278 )


SPIRIT / MATTER and MIND

The important statement (claim, if you please) is that the
essence of Matter and Spirit are identical, though seemingly
opposed -- just as the positive pole of the common bar magnet is
opposed and equal in strength to the negative pole. It is
important to note that the existence of both Matter and Spirit
are said to be co-eternals. Uniting these two foci of the
starting point of the present Universe, held in Hinduism to be
the ovoid, called the primordial "Egg of Brahma," is the rule of
immutable LAW and LAWS ("Karma").


LAW OF KARMA

These LAWS are said to also be eternal and causative in the
primordial process of the re-creation of all. [ This is also
called the re-awakening to life of the Universe and all the
Beings involved in its previous existence. Karma demands that
this be done with accuracy and equity, so that there may be an
uninterrupted continuity assured to all living entities of
whatever grade, intelligence, or responsibility.


PHYSICAL OBSERVATIONS GIVE NO BASIS FOR THEORIZING
ACCURATELY ABOUT THE UNIVERSE

These are of course metaphysical statements, but you will find on
close scrutiny that not one of our Scientific findings, and
subsequent discoveries, which have produced many an hypothesis as
to their commencement, existence, effect, and ultimate
extinction, is entirely and only based on PHYSICAL facts. (From
p. 643, S.D., Vol. 2, H.P.B. shows how on their own admission
Scientists are not able to describe accurately the CAUSES and the
powers that brought physical objects and their differences into
being, and present existential inter-actions.)

One might add that all our scientific investigators are probing
that which NATURE (the Universe) has already composed out of the
material of the past evolutionary period, and that this present
existence is only the continuity (under Karmic law) of those
impulses and effects. This demonstrates inherent Law, and
reasonableness to our current position. It is but natural, then,
to investigate the states and planes of consciousness that link
our awareness past the gaps of sleep, dreams, trances, comas and
unconsciousness.

How does the ENTITY survive those lapses? How does it know where
to return ?


NATURE IS ALL and CONTAINS EVERYTHING.

Briefly: NATURE already contains and nurtures all beings in
their vast diversity. One of its prime works may be called the
HARMONIZING of DIVERSITY. Does that not imply a far vaster
INTELLIGENCE than we may credit ourselves with? But can we deny
to Man and to Mankind the innate urge to improve, to learn, to
encompass more of the secrets of NATURE ? Can we not extrapolate
this desire to be of a generosity assistance into the necessary
WISDOM needed to assist Nature as an active agent? What is the
objective of Man? (see S.D., Vol. 2, p 649 on the "tendency to
perfectibility" advanced by a scientific investigator.)

Additionally it must be observed that in all department of
research our Modern Scholars place their whole dependence on the
fact that Nature's Laws are continuous and invariable. They also
posit that these are universal, unmodifiable, and exact.
Psychologists are finding increasingly, that in matters of
behavior there are exact responses for definite stimuli, and
those, if modified, are based on the idiosyncratic nature,
character, and capacity of intelligence of the subject being
studied


EARTH A SCHOOL OF INTELLIGENT DEVELOPMENT

In the scheme of the Universe, our small Earth, is described as
almost lost in the infinitude of Universal Space -- as our
astronomers tell us -- yet it has its own great (or limited)
importance to us, and to all the living beings who are aggregated
around the Prime Impulse that recalled them to living. Some
description of this in actual existence will be fund in the
INTRODUCTORY pages of both ISIS and the S.D., but, particularly
in ISIS UNVEILED, Vol. 2, pp 98 -- 103; S.D., Vol. 2, pp.
636-7, 641; S.D., Vol. 1, pp. 570-575.


UNITY IN DIVERSITY = HARMONY

If this is a sample of the Unity of the whole Universe, then it
is far more satisfactory than the disjointed and confused
theories and hypotheses advanced in many of the departments of
scientific research which are familiar only with the PHYSICAL
conditions, and because of that limit, they are not able to take
advantage of the INTERIOR CONSCIOUSNESS and its power to probe
other states and planes than the mere waking physical life we
know, permits.


THE ASTRAL and the PSYCHIC PLANES

The closest plane to us is called "ASTRAL." H.P.B. describes it,
and its source among the 7 great planes of interactive existence.
And Mr. Judge, her pupil, gives many an explanation of a
practical kind, involving dreams, visions, and karmic links
between adjacent planes, as perceived by the ONE CONSCIOUSNESS of
a human being when he contacts unusual conditions and situations.
(see THE OCEAN OF THEOSOPHY, THE ECHOES FROM THE ORIENT, and the
EPITOME OF THEOSOPHY. )


CHRONOLOGICAL APPEARANCE OF THEOSOPHICAL TEXTS
RESPONSE TO INQUIRIES REVEAL DOCTRINES

In fact if we follow the sequence of the chronological appearance
of Theosophical literature we notice that H.P.B.'s ISIS UNVEILED
(1877) catalogues and serves to relate many instances of
extra-physical phenomena. The esoteric and Occult system is
sketched in this book, and extra-physical events, their causes
and results are fairly well covered, as any assiduous student
will find. The book is quite "in line" with H.P.B.'s subsequent
Articles and THE SECRET DOCTRINE (1888). ISIS produced a vast
stirring in the world of thoughtful personages all around the
world.

Mr. A. P. Sinnett, the Editor of the PIONEER in Allahabad, India,
having read it and learning that there was a company of wise Men
who had contributed to it and whose wisdom and probing of Nature
included conscious experience in the states mentioned, asked if
he might correspond with Them. The being agreed on, we have as a
result the MAHATMA LETTERS. One who reads these will find that
these extraordinary states, planes, causes and effects are well
described.

THE SECRET DOCTRINE (1888) was published shortly before the death
of H.P.B. (1891) This book served to draw the scattered
doctrines to be found in those aforementioned articles together.
More importantly, it showed the transformation of the
metaphysical beginnings of our World and the Universe that
precede the purely physical which is said to be the grossest and
lowest of them all. From here the ascent back to excellence and
perfection of learning and life is upward, to a more moral and
spiritualized condition.

THE KEY TO THEOSOPHY that H.P.B. wrote in 1889 epitomizes the
main doctrines and tenets of the Theosophical exposition -- which
is really an up to date report on the formation of our World and
the production again of Man the THINKER enclosed in a physical
form.

THE VOICE OF THE SILENCE by H.P.B. serves to reawaken in man his
sense of moral responsibility. It suggests that the "Perfection"
that may be aspired to is the summit of a perfect understanding
of the nature of universal and personal Consciousness, and
INTELLIGENCE, which is universal and undying.


THE SEARCH FOR CONSCIOUSNESS AND INTELLIGENCE

To aim to be of service to one's fellows is laudable from all
points of view, but, for those who desire a profoundly logical
and reasonable reason for that, Theosophy is a greater help, so
far, than any series of hypotheses commonly offered and taught.
But as usual this is a statement which each one has to consider
and decide if it is fair and true. That implies study and
meditation of the kind described in Patanjali's YOGA-SUTRAS
(translated and annotated by Mr. Judge).


THE CAUSE OF EVIL and GOOD

To put it most briefly, Evil occurs when through ignorance or
deliberate action anyone or anything is withheld from its natural
self-induced progress UNDER THE LAW OF KARMA. Breaking the LAW
OD NATURE is evil. Similarly GOOD is obeying and assisting that
LAW. To know the difference one has to study and examine how
Nature works. This is what Theosophy tries to expose to our
inquiring minds.

Best wishes,

Dallas

============================

-----Original Message-----
From: Odin Townley [mailto:OTownley@excite.com]
Sent: Wednesday, March 14, 2001 6:14 AM
To: sd@blavatsky.net
Subject: [bn-sd] Re: matter is eternal and flexible?

Dear list,

can any "non-adept" (I speak for myself alone), know anything
about the
complex invisible, etheric states such as Devachan, Kama Loka,
Samadhi,
etc., etc. If there are such Mahatmas in our list, please
identify
yourselves. Otherwise it begs the question is there really a
practical
reason for the labored, hypothetical discussions about these
states? Only a
handful of years ago we were concerned about only one life to
live, heaven
and hell, and the earth is flat! I humbly and politely suggest we
dig out
what is useful in a practical way to help orphan humanity address
the great
problems of evil, pain and suffering. Let's help our suffering
children now
with real solutions, and leave a legacy of spirituality and hope.

Sincerely,
Odin

On Tue, 13 Mar 2001 15:27:01 -0800, sd@blavatsky.net wrote:


In this morning's post, I wrote in error:

Seems as if a difference between Devachanic
states and Nirvanic states might be that, in the
former, there is less recognition of the
illusory nature of the background ("empty")
reality of that state as well as much less control of
the content of that state.

I meant that to mean: Seems as if a difference between
Devachanic states and Nirvanic states might be that, in the
former, there is less recognition of the
illusory nature of the Devachanic content as well as less
recognition of the background ("empty")
reality of that state as well as much less control of
the content of that state.

sorry,
Mauri

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