Theos-Talk Archives (September 2001 Message tt00295)

Tuesday, September 25, 2001


Dear Friends:


An insight into the work of "the Great White Brotherhood" at this
time or any time is predicated on Their knowledge of Karma and
many currents, past and present, that affect the WHOLE WORLD.

They are the Knowers and the Promulgators of the "accumulated
Wisdom of the Ages." They know the "Soul of Things. They
preserve the "uninterrupted record covering thousands of
generations of Seers," and of Those who watched over the
"childhood of Humanity." They are the Ones who have passed their
lives in learning, not teaching." And, They have "developed (as
we can if we will) and perfected their physical, mental, psychic
and spiritual organisations to the utmost possible degree." [ S
D I 272-3 ]

The SECRET DOCTRINE belongs to all the pre-historic nations. It
is the one key that can trace the connections of all the ancient
world-religions to a single Source, a single WISDOM, and a
continually reverberation of the great LAWS of NATURE.

One might well ask: At what point can I enter their College and
profit by the course of instruction that Nature provides equally
to all? Those who approach Theosophy to study it are all at that
point. The effort to advance and the degree of progress depend
entirely on one's determination.


The question perhaps could revolve around: --

What do Masters do in the World?

Those of us who are familiar with The SECRET DOCTRINE have some
idea of Their actions in the past and their continuing
responsibilities, which apparently cover some far more important
events and crises than those of our immediate present.

What are some of the broad general principles on which They base
Their work?

We might consider the following, selected here nd there from the
MAHATMA LETTERS ( page numbers are from the Barker Edition ) :



Brotherhood

"The Chiefs want a "Brotherhood of Humanity," a real
Universal Fraternity started; an institution which would make
itself known throughout the world and arrest the attention of the
highest minds." ML 24 ( see also M L p. 22 bottom )


"...we have a duty set before us; that of sweeping away
as much as possible of the dross left to us by our pious
forefathers. "New ideas have to be planted on clean places...It
is not physical phenomena but these universal ideas that we
study." ML 24

"Our doctrine knows no compromises. It either affirms or
denies, for it never teaches but that which it knows to be the
truth." ML 22


"The sun of Theosophy must shine for all, not for a part.
There is more of this movement than you have yet an inkling of,
and the work of the T.S. is linked in with similar work that is
secretly going on in all parts of the world." ML 271

"Our chief aim is to deliver humanity of this nightmare
[the Personal God idea], to teach man virtue for its own sake,
and to walk in life relying on himself instead of leaning on the
theological crutch, that for countless ages was the direct cause
of nearly all human misery." ML 23

"...all will give away, to become blended into one
universal feeling, the only true and holy, the only unselfish and
Eternal one -- Love, an Immense Love for humanity -- as a Whole!
For it is "Humanity" which is the great Orphan, the only
disinherited one upon this earth...and it is the duty of every
man who is capable of an unselfish impulse, to do something,
however little, for its welfare." ML 32

"...Hermetic Philosophy is universal and
unsectarian...knowing neither caste, nor colour, nor creed, no
lover of Esoteric wisdom can have any objection to the
name...Hermetic Philosophy suits every creed and philosophy and
clashes with none. It is the boundless ocean of Truth...The
Egyptian Hierophant, the Chaldean Mage, the Arhat, and the
Rishis, were bound in days of yore on the same voyage of
discovery and ultimately arrived at the same goal though by
different tracks.

There are even at the present moment three centres of the
Occult Brotherhood in existence, widely scattered geographically,
and as widely exoterically--the true esoteric doctrine being
identical in substance though differing in terms; all aiming at
the same grand object, but no two agreeing, seemingly in the
details of procedure. It is an everyday occurrence to find
students belonging to different schools of occult thought sitting
side by side at the feet of the same Guru. Upasika (Madam B.)
and Subba Row, though pupils of the same Master, have not
followed the same Philosophy--the one is Buddhist and the other
an Adwaitee.

Many prefer to call themselves Buddhists...because the
Sanskrit word "Buddhi"--wisdom, enlightenment; and as a silent
protest tot he vain rituals and empty ceremonials, which have in
too many cases been productive of the greatest calamities."
ML 398-9


"The public safety is only ensured by our keeping secret
the terrible weapons which might otherwise be used against it,
and which, as you have been told became deadly in the hands of
the wicked and selfish." ML 4 [ see SD I 558-63, 276 ]


"Unity always gives strength; and since Occultism in our
days resembles a "Forlorn Hope," union and cooperation are
indispensable. Union does indeed imply a concentration of vital
and magnetic force against the hostile currents of prejudice and
fanaticism." ML 36


" [no one] "...has the right directly or indirectly to
interfere with the freedom of thought of the humblest member,
least of all to seek to influence his personal opinion." ML 401

"Absolute Justice makes no difference between the many
and the few." ML 401

"...discord is the harmony of the Universe." ML 401

"Let meaner natures wrangle if they will; the wise
compound their differences in a mutually forbearing manner."
ML 409

"Nature is destitute of goodness or malice; she follows
only immutable laws when she either gives life and joy, or sends
suffering [and] death, and destroys what she has created." ML
56


"The real evil proceeds from human intelligence and its
origin rests entirely with reasoning man who dissociates himself
from Nature. Humanity then alone is the true source of evil.
Evil is the exaggeration of good, the progeny of human
selfishness and greediness...the origin of every evil whether
small or great is in human action, in man whose intelligence
makes him the one free agent in Nature...All this then--food,
wealth, ambition, and a thousand other things we have to leave
unmentioned, becomes the source and cause of evil whether in its
abundance or through its absence...Therefore it is neither nature
nor an imaginary Deity that has to be blamed, but human nature
made vile by selfishness.

I will point out the greatest, the chief cause of nearly
two thirds of the evils that pursue humanity ever since that
cause became a power. It is religion under whatever form and in
whatsoever nation. It is the sacerdotal caste, the priesthood
and the churches; it is in those illusions that man looks upon
as sacred, that he has to search out the source of the multitude
of evils which is the greatest curse of humanity and that has
almost overwhelmed mankind. Ignorance created gods and cunning
took advantage of the opportunity...It is belief in God and gods
that makes two-thirds of humanity the slaves of a handful of
those who deceive them under the false pretense of saving them. "
ML 57-8

"Love and Hatred are the only immortal feelings, the only
survivors from the wreck of Ye-damma, or the phenomenal world."
ML 127

"Distrust and prejudice are contagious." ML 427
see ML 211 - distrust and suspicion ]


"...motives are like vapours, as attenuated as the
atmospheric moisture: and, as the latter develops its dynamic
energy for man's use only when concentrated and applied as steam
or hydraulic power, so the practical value of good motives is
best seen when they take the form of deeds." ML 25


--------------------------------------------


If we take a few of these ideas and carefully study, compare and
assimilate their implications we will begin to secure some idea
of what are the powers and work of the Mahatmas. They are not
free to act but are always bound by the immutable and
untransgressable laws of Nature -- which is the Deity manifest in
and through the whole of Nature.

We, the vast host of Mind-endowed Pupils self-enrolled in the
school of Earth, toil, incarnation after incarnation, in search
of an understanding of our true nature of our SPIRIT / Soul and
its wonderful and Universal Powers.

Seeing the vast unity of evolving Spiritual beings we endeavor to
offer whatever we have learned freely to others -- since no one
"owns" any of nature's 'secrets,' but everyone lives because of
their silent and swift, accurate actions. It is Nature that is
the Greatest of Magicians. The Wisdom of Nature was called by
the Greeks: "Pan-sophia."

But we seem to be afraid of immortality, and of Universal Wisdom.

We seem to fear returning of earth life to continue the effort we
registered aeons ago to struggle ever onward towards PERFECTION:
the SUBLIME GOAL.

Now that contact with Theosophy has given us an inkling of what
we are and what we may do, let us try to discover how to become
in our embodied self THAT which we ARE, and let us use those
powers that are internal to us as universally as we can:--
altruism, idealism, virtue and generosity -- to gradually
dispel the vapors of unwisdom (of psychic selfishness) that
surround our Minds, and which we call Ambition, Passion, Greed.
Pride, Desire, and Isolation.

While all may not agree with these statements, they yet ought to
invoke inner questioning and search.

Where and How can the ultimate TRUTHS of Nature and of Man be
found?

Are they not already inside of us?

Does not the INNER MAN (in each of us, in our Intuitions and in
the "Voice of conscience" represent an ideal Sage, a Wise One,
whose words and recommendations we shirk? Why are we afraid?

How do we evoke the Living PRESENCE enshrined in ourselves? And
how do we preserve its sanctity?

The "God" of our Inner Selves exists, patiently waiting to be
called on by the purified Lower Man. That task of
self-purification, of impersonalizing, and of universalizing
ourselves, has to be done by ourselves alone, and by no other
agency can in any way interfere. [ Those interested in reading
how H P B describes this process ought to take a copy of her
TRANSACTIONS OF THE BLAVATSKY LODGE and read and study pp.
66-78; In BLAVATSKY: Collected Works (TPH) it will be found in
Vol. 10, pp 250 - 263 ]

It is to be understood that these words of mine are penned only
as the views of a student of Theosophy, and of course they ought
to be carefully scrutinized for reasonableness and accuracy.

Best wishes,

DTB

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-----Original Message-----
From:
Sent: Tuesday, September 25, 2001 7:06 AM
To:
Subject: [bn-study] Re: Patanjali p. 25 on the PERCEIVER and the
SOUL. REALITY. MEANING

Does anyone have an understanding of what, if anything, is being
done by the
Great White Brotherhood as a CURRENT intervention strategy ? I
am not
asking for a quote from any book with this question.

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