Theos-Talk Archives (February 2002 Message tt00687)

Friday, February 22, 2002

Dear Naette:

The following might be of use to you in studying what Theosophy
teaches about Karma and its operation universally.

APHORISMS ON KARMA


(1) There is no Karma unless there is a being to make it or feel
its effects.[PARA][PARA](2) Karma is the adjustment of effects
flowing from causes, during which the being upon whom and through
whom that adjustment is effected experiences pain or
pleasure.[PARA][PARA](3) Karma is an undeviating and unerring
tendency in the Universe to restore equilibrium, and it operates
incessantly.[PARA][PARA](4) The apparent stoppage of this
restoration to equilibrium is due to the necessary adjustment of
disturbance at some other spot, place, or focus which is visible
only to the Yogi, to the Sage, or the perfect Seer: there is
therefore no stoppage, but only a hiding from
view.[PARA][PARA](5) Karma operates on all things and beings from
the minutest conceivable atom to Brahma. Proceeding in the three
worlds men, gods, and the elemental beings, no spot in the
manifested universe is exempt from its sway.[PARA][PARA](6) Karma
is not subject to time, and therefore he who knows what is the
ultimate division of time in this Universe knows
Karma.[PARA][PARA](7) For all other men Karma is in its essential
nature unknown and unknowable.[PARA][PARA](8) But its action may
be known by calculation from cause to effect; and this
calculation is possible because the effect is wrapped up in and
is not succedent to the cause.[PARA][PARA](9) The Karma of this
earth is the combination of the acts and thoughts of all beings
[PARA]of every grade which were concerned in the preceding
Manvantara or evolutionary stream from which ours
flows.[PARA][PARA](10) And as those beings include Lords of Power
and Holy Men, as well as weak and wicked ones, the period of the
earth's duration is greater than that of any entity or race upon
it.[PARA][PARA](11) Because the Karma of this earth and its races
began in a past too far back for human minds to reach, an inquiry
into its beginning is useless and profitless.[PARA][PARA](12)
Karmic causes already set in motion must be allowed to sweep on
until exhausted, but this permits no man to refuse to help his
fellows and every sentient being.[PARA][PARA](13) The effects may
be counteracted or mitigated by the thoughts and acts of oneself
or of another, and then the resulting effects represent the
combination and interaction of the whole number of causes
involved in producing the effects.[PARA][PARA](14) In the life of
worlds, races, nations, and individuals, Karma cannot act unless
there is an appropriate instrument provided for its
action.[PARA][PARA](15) And until such appropriate instrument is
found, that Karma related to it remains
unexpended.[PARA][PARA](16) While a man is experiencing Karma in
the instrument provided, his other unexpended Karma is not
exhausted through other beings or means, but is held reserved for
future operation; and lapse of time during which no operation of
that Karma is felt causes no deterioration in its force or change
in its nature.[PARA][PARA](17) The appropriateness of an
instrument for the operation of Karma consists in the exact
connection and relation of the Karma with the body, mind,
intellectual and psychical nature acquired for use by the Ego in
any life.[PARA][PARA](18) Every instrument used by any Ego in any
life is appropriate to the Karma operating through
it.[PARA][PARA](19) Changes may occur in the instrument during
one life so as to make it appropriate for a new class of Karma,
and this may take place in two ways: (a) through intensity of
thought and the power of a vow, and (b) through natural
alterations due to complete exhaustion of old
causes.[PARA][PARA](20) As body and mind and soul have each a
power of independent action, any one of these may exhaust,
independently of the others, some Karmic causes more remote from
or nearer to the time of their inception than those operating
through other channels.[PARA][PARA](21) Karma is both merciful
and just. Mercy and Justice are only opposite poles of a single
whole; and Mercy without Justice is not possible in the
operations of Karma. That which man calls Mercy and Justice is
defective, errant, and impure.[PARA][PARA](22) Karma may be of
three sorts: (a) presently operative in this life through the
appropriate instruments; (b) that which is being made or stored
up to be exhausted in the future; Karma held over from past life
or lives and not operating yet because inhibited by
inappropriateness of the instrument in use by the Ego, or by the
force of Karma now operating.[PARA][PARA](23) Three fields of
operation are used in each being by Karma: (a) the body and the
circumstances; (b) the mind and intellect; the psychic and astral
planes.[PARA][PARA](24) Held-over Karma or present Karma may
each, or both at once, operate in all of the three fields of
Karmic operation at once, or in either of those fields a
different class of Karma from that using the others may operate
at the same time.[PARA][PARA](25) Birth into any sort of body and
to obtain the fruits of any sort of Karma is due to the
preponderance of the line of Karmic tendency.[PARA][PARA](26) The
sway of Karmic tendency will influence the incarnation of an Ego,
or any family of Egos, for three lives at least, when measures of
repression, elimination, or counteraction are not
adopted.[PARA][PARA](27) Measures taken by an Ego to repress
tendency, eliminate defects, and to counteract by setting up
different causes, will alter the sway of Karmic tendency and
shorten its influence in accordance with the strength or weakness
of the efforts expended in carrying out the measures
adopted.[PARA][PARA](28) No man but a sage or true seer can judge
another's Karma. Hence while each receives his deserts,
appearances may deceive, and birth into Poverty or heavy trial
may not be punishment for bad Karma, for Egos continually
incarnate into poor surroundings where they experience
difficulties and trials which are for the discipline of the Ego
and result in strength, fortitude, and sympathy.[PARA][PARA](29)
Race-Karma influences each unit in the race through the law of
Distribution. National Karma operates on the members of the
nation by the same law more concentrated. Family Karma governs
only with a nation where families have been kept pure and
distinct; for in any nation where there is a mixture of family -
as obtains in each Kaliyuga period - family Karma is in general
distributed over a nation. But even at such periods some families
remain coherent for long periods, and then the members feel the
sway of family Karma. The word "family" may include several
smaller families.[PARA][PARA](30) Karma operates to produce
cataclysms of nature by concatenation through the mental and
astral planes of being. A cataclysm may be traced to an immediate
physical cause such as internal fire and atmospheric disturbance,
but these have been brought on by the disturbance created through
the dynamic power of human thought.[PARA][PARA](31) Egos who have
no Karmic connection with a portion of the globe where a
cataclysm is coming on are kept without the latter's operation in
two ways: (a) by repulsion acting on their inner nature, and (b)
by being called and warned by those who watch the progress of the
world.[PARA][PARA]-- W Q Judge[PARA][PARA]Path, March,
1893[PARA]
=================================================

I have found over the years this is a most valuable summary.

As to Karmic debts. We create these every moment of our lives as
we choose and select our words and our acts. They either become
balanced out in this life, or if those cannot be so balanced,
then there is a residue that is carried over into the next
incarnation;

Theosophy states that in Nature there are certain fundamental
principles universally present and impersonally active.

1.	The Universe is a UNIT of living material and every portion of
it, old or new, visible or invisible is interconnected. Every
being is an IMMORTAL center of Intelligence.-- just like an
"atom" is immortal, so the intelligence resident in any form
assembles and builds the material so that it can live in it and
express the level it has achieved. In Mankind this level is
"self-consciousness." The Mind is a self-conscious unit. the
goal of human evolution is UNIVERSAL SELF-CONSCIOUSNESS, or
ALL-KNOWINGNESS.

2.	Laws rule every relationship, old or new, and serve to
harmonize and balance all of the forward thrust of evolution.
Every being of any degree of intelligence is affected by these
laws. Our Science has discovered many of them in its researches.
They say the universe, and our world, and our bodies would fall
apart rapidly if these strong and impersonal Laws of matter did
not operate.

3.	The forward thrust of evolution is the pilgrimage of
Intelligence. Every being evolves along with every other, as
they are co-immortals. The progress of the self-conscious mind
of man is through reincarnation.. The Law of Karma addresses the
moral content of every choice that we make. This is invariable
and no concession can be made for error or intent by :prayer,
penance or supplication. The rights and prerogatives of all
"victims" have to be adjusted when any iniquity is perpetrated by
any one.


All minds are Souls. These do not flit from planet to planet
because the bonds of Karma and of individual responsibility bind
us all to the place and circumstances where we are. Our growth
is self-regulated and self-chosen. But in no way is Nature ever
irresponsible, nor do our desires and whims make any effect on
the impartial Law of Justice. The only way to avoid any
retribution or punishment is to do good all the time. There is
no hiding place where we can escape the debts we incur. This is
a just and stern view. But in any other way, it becomes
inconsistent with justice and universal progress -- that progress
is always in the company of everyone else.

Since we are always choosing, we change our character, and even
in a family we find there are vast differences of character to be
seen. Wen these are brought together then we witness that way in
which nature arranges for self-adjustments. Misunderstandings
can only be settled by honesty and frankness. Trying to avoid
certain issues is not fruitful in the long run, because the basic
issues are not exposed and discussed. The adjustment of
misunderstandings can only occur when there is frank and free
talk.

It is a psychological fact that evil always tries to conceal
itself under an appearance of virtue. But this only works for a
while, until some accident or catastrophe results and then the
exposure reveals the depths of bad and convoluted thinking that
led to the problem in the first place.

I hope these ideas are useful to you.

Best wishes,

Dallas



-----Original Message-----
From: N e
Sent: Thursday, February 21, 2002 2:40 PM
To: study@blavatsky.net
Subject: [bn-study] Karmic Debts

First, I want to apologise for not thanking you earlier for the
information that you sent me.

Does anyone know anything about Karmic numbers & karmic debts?
For a person who is interested in evolving a bit faster, is there
a certain amount of karma that should be burnt in one life?

I heard that somebody who, in the prior life,used his knowledge
to his advantage probably, tends to lose his fortune in this
life. Also, that when a soul is from another planet, he is
completely different than the rest of the family and there are
many misunderstandings. Is that true?

Thank you,

N----e