Theos-Talk Archives (May 2002 Message tt00011)

Friday, May 03, 2002


Dear Ram:


In ancient Hindu philosophy the human was considered to be a
spiritual Being living in a limited physical body.

Everything, Theosophy teaches, is, in the Universe, 7-fold:

The gradations are explained in both The SECRET DOCTRINE
( I 157, II 596 ) and in the KEY TO THEOSOPHY (HPB), pp. 91-2,
135-6, 175-6. It takes a bit of study to secure an understanding
of them, as our early education rarely gives us these gradations
as material for our thinking and consideration.

I think it would be a good idea to look these up and
assure yourself of the reason for their existence. They have
already been detailed a number of times These can be accessed
in the actual books or, "on-line" at BLAVATSKY NET.


Briefly:

Present: timelessly, universally, is the always awake. It is:
THE ONE
CONSCIOUSNESS -- the ABSOLUTE (it cannot be defined by any
finite mind) [ S D I 27 ] It IS and serves as the SOURCE of
EVERYTHING.. Time, Space, Motion, Law and Cause are all
emanations
from it, but it cannot be penetrated or described. IT IS.

NOTE: IT IS positively NOT a limited, formed or form-bound
"PERSONAL GOD." On might hazard a guess that it is the CAUSELESS
CAUSE, UNITY, ACTIVITY, PURPOSE and WISDOM emanate or radiate
from IT.
But that is about as far as a logical matter-encrusted Mind can
guess. Of it, it has been said: " Man can approach the LIGHT,
but
can never touch the FLAME."


Under universal KARMA, Manifestation begins again. [Karma is the
summation, in this case, of the “unfinished business” of all
manifested beings when the last Pralaya (Night-time) set in and
all "went to sleep." Now, they all wake up together at the point
where they had dropped off to Pralaya-sleep.


These emanate (wake-up) from the Pralayic sleep: This
"wake-up" is universally a change of state, from SLEEP and
unconsciousness, to: "awake" and the instantaneous and complete
restoration of individualized consciousness on the many planes of
substance, of a vast host of sleeping Units. Science visualizes
this as the "BIG BANG." Theosophy states that it is a universal
and
simultaneous process. [ Example: If one switches on a light in
a
dark room, all gets simultaneously illuminated. ]


At first, in order of "descent" we have: The 3 foci of the
SPIRITUAL WORLD [ S D I 200 ] Atma -- Buddhi -- Manas, or
Universal Purity SATTVA -- universal Law and harmonious activity
RAJAS -- universal Intelligence that animates all forms MANAS.
In the BHAGAVAD GITA, Sri Krishna refers to Himself as the
“Resident” [the EGO] seated in the “heart” of “all beings.” “I
established this whole Universe with a portion of Myself, and
remain separate.” “The manifested Universe is composed of the 3
Gunas (qualities) -- they are in Me, but I am not in them.”


Next, In the planes of denser material substance we find the
7-fold characteristics of material Evolution:


1 ATMA -- SPIRIT : -- immortal, universal, pure,
source of all manifestations.


2 BUDDHI -- WISDOM Accumulated wisdom of
experience over aeons. source of Everything, Theosophy teaches
is, in the Universe, 7-fold:

The gradations are explained in both The SECRET DOCTRINE ( I
157, II 596 ) and in the KEY TO THEOSOPHY (HPB), pp. 91-2,
135-6, 175-6. It takes a strong desire to learn to enforce the
discipline of study, and thus to secure an understanding of them,
as our early education rarely gives us these gradations as
material for our thinking and consideration.

I think it would be a good idea to look these up, each of us for
ourselves, and secure independent assurance of the reason for
their existence. They have already been detailed a number of
times These can be accessed in the actual books and articles of
the “original teachings of Theosophy” or, "on-line" at BLAVATSKY
NET.


Briefly:

Our “Present”: timelessly, universally, is the always awakened
CONSCIOUSNESS -- the ABSOLUTE (it cannot be defined by any
finite mind) [ S D I 27 ] It IS, and IT serves as the SOURCE
of EVERYTHING.. Time, Space, Motion Law and Cause are all
emanations from it, but it cannot be penetrated or described. IT
IS the eternal and unchangeable, unmodifiable BACKGROUND. It is
a “logical necessity.” It is in continual contrast to everything
that “changes.” It is UNIVERSAL as each being (monad) in
manifestation has its own individual consciousness derived from
it and that individual consciousness linked to the ONE
CONSCIOUSNESS affords the individual its INDEPENDENCE. This
gives each human mind the power to choose independently at all
times.

NOTE: IT IS positively NOT a limited, formed or form-bound
"PERSONAL GOD." On might hazard a guess that it is the CAUSELESS
CAUSE, UNITY, ACTIVITY and WISDOM emanate or radiate from IT.
But that is about as far as a logical matter-encrusted Mind can
guess. Of it, it has been said: " Man can enter the LIGHT, but
can never touch the FLAME."


Under universal KARMA, Manifestation begins again (wakes up).
[Karma is the summation, in this case of the unfinished business
of all manifested beings when the last Pralaya (Night-time) set
in and all "went to sleep." It is the law of eternity, that a
cause once set into motion will continue until the original force
is exhausted.]


These emanate (wake-up) from the Pralayic sleep: [ This
"wake-up" is universally a change of state, from SLEEP and
unconsciousness, to: "awake" and the instantaneous and complete
restoration of individualized consciousness on the many planes of
substance, of a vast host of sleeping Units. Science visualizes
this as the "BIG BANG." ] Actually it is the change from “One
pointedness” ( or no-contrast, and introspection ) to “Duality”
or the field of all contrasts, to external sensations, and all
gradations of contrast and experience.


At first, in order of "descent" we have: The 3 foci of the
SPIRITUAL WORLD [ S D I 200 ]


The Jain philosophy expresses it as the ATMA and the many kind of
Karmas -- all attached to their respective samskaras. In
Theosophy it is expressed as the “Dual Monad” or ATMA-BUDDHI, as
the basic UNIT (monad) building blocks of Nature. It is a
studying contrasts -- the contrasts of “the pairs of opposites”
as Sri Krishna calls it in the BHAGAVAD GITA.

Vedic philosophy expressed the CAUSE ( better still, the
“causeless cause”) in this way: (in translation):

“Desire first arose in IT which was the primal germ of Mind, and
which Sages seeking with their Intellect, discovered in their
hearts to be the bond between BEING and non-being.” [ S D II
176 top ] It must be made clear that “desire” here, is KAMADEVA
and not the ordinary desires of embodied existence.


Next, In the planes of substance, we find the 7-fold
characteristics of Evolutionary experience: (see S D I 200-2)


1 ATMA -- SPIRIT immortal, universal,
pure, source of all manifestations.


2 BUDDHI -- WISDOM Accumulated wisdom of
experience over aeons. source of Intuition and of the Voice of
Conscience. It is also, Universal Brotherhood idealism.
Altruism, nobility, impartiality,
unselfishness, charity, concern for others, generosity, (also
called the HEART-DOCTRINE). IT recognizes its Immortality and
seeks to employ its knowledge to assist others. Storage place
through Akasic records of all memories. Is in constant contact
with all other BUDDHIS everywhere. [see: "Suddha Sattva" T.
Glos, 311] It is also called Mulaprakriti (root-matter), and
Maha-Buddhi or universal experience accumulated through eternity
and therefore infallible WISDOM.

NOTE: (ATMA-BUDDHI when conjoined in manifestation, are called
the MONAD, the Eternal Pilgrim.) In periods of Pralaya (or
non-manifestation they are in a laya (resting) condition,
awaiting the cycle of the re-birth of the period of manifestation
called Manvantara.)


3 MANAS -- MIND Thinking principle,
Free, independent, able to act and choose, and to look into both
the "spiritual" and the "Physical or material." Seeks causes,
motives, seeks to know and understand LAWS and their operation.
Reason, Intellectual, dispassionate, or passionate. Stores
Memory and also "forgets."

It (manas) is therefore divided into 3:

1. Spiritual-Mind (Buddhi-Manas) -- source of
"virtue" and seeks WISDOM (commonly called the (INDIVIDUALITY)

2. pure Mental action ( as in Mathematics or
logical pursuit of LAWS ) Intellectual, “cold” and passionless.

3. Desire-Mind or (passional / desire-mind) --
source of all "vices." seeks to justify its selfish existence,
even though short-lived. Commonly called the "PERSONALITY" (or
the "mask").


4 KAMA -- Passions and Desires -- the source of
wild follies and personal selfishness, isolationist and
ignorant -- unable to think and reason. It is the field in which
“Tanha” the "thirst for life" is to be seen; it seeks to bind
Mind to it, and thus plan its follies regardless of their final
outcome. Known of as "Kama-Manas" or "Lower Manas." With our
“detached, and impartial” mental faculty, we can observe how our
“embodied mind” is wrapped in “desires, vices, passions, etc…
And it is again our detached and altruistic mind that can see
these are follies and selfishness and if pursued, lead only to
disappointment, disease and ultimately to the death of the form.


5. PRANA (Breath of life) -- a principle that is
closely related to the physical longevity of any personality.
Prana may be said to be an aspect of Atma as well as of Buddhi.
It responds to the Karmic burden and the “balance-sheet” of a
life’s activities of feelings, thoughts, words and actions

6. ASTRAL BODY (or LINGA-SARIRA) The electro-magnetic
lattice, defined by the force of the “Prana” of one life-time.
It is the work of forces that bind the physical atoms and
molecules into
place to form the physical structures of our bodies, and,
finally:


7. PHYSICAL BODY -- as said above, it consists of
living atoms, -- of “monads” -- or, elemental beings on the
astral plane who form the necessary foci for the laying down of
the opaque (yet constantly changing) physical structure we all
know of as "my body." Every particle of food, of water, of air
we use has a living vital counterpart and it is the affinity
between us and those which enables them to find a place in our
bodies, or causes them to be rejected and expelled.


The physical body is the starting point for all independent
“material” individual development Yes, the Buddha Gautama is the
latest of a long line of Buddhas. But there have been others
before him, and he refers to that. It has been called the
Guruparampara chain. Its beginnings are lost in the “night of
time.” It was instituted ever since “Man” became a thinker. And
that commencement cannot be traced to this Manvantara only, but
is a continuing of the process foe many earlier Manvantaras.


The NIRMANAKAYA and the MAHATMA are “bodies” used by Great SOULS
to manifest and support the WISDOM of Nature. It is acquired by
Those who master all their principles and center their
consciousness in the 7th. ATMAN. As a Nirmanakaya they are
living consciously a we are told in all the 6 principles except
the physical body. When a Nirmanakaya incarnates then the
7-bodied DHYANI (or Mahatma) is manifest.


If one lays these out on a square with 7 spaces going
horizontally and vertically (total 49) one can see how the
various qualities associated with those "principles" also form a
part of every other main category of principles. This is left to
each student to do, since in each case the mix is determined by
the equation
of mind and desire in him/her.

Much more is to be said about this, but each student has to seek
and verify the accuracy of thee propositions for themselves.

But one thing is clear. all the processes in nature are
cooperative. If one reads carefully the section SECRET DOCTRINE
I 207 -210 one begins to realize how the SPIRITUAL always
sacrifices it self for the same of the Physical, the material and
the form side so that it may escape from the “maya” an delusion
of separateness and resume its life in full comprehension of the
unity -- the brotherhood -- of all beings. The ONE SPIRIT -- the
ATMAN -- is the unification principle. It is eternal
omnipresent, and in it we live and have our being.

Best wishes,

Dallas

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


Dear Friends,

>>From Dallas' email - dated 4/30/02

> But we have according to Theosophy this physical brain type
> memory. And it is very selective. It exercises at times an
> independence -- it forgets.
> An effort to "remember" may, depending on the strength of our
> will, bring back the mental pictures and records associated
with
> a word, a person or a situation. Very interesting.
Independence exercised by mind or involuntary regulation by a
higher force?

We are all aware to a certain extent that there is an involuntary
action that takes place within us that regulates and keeps us
alive - our respiration. It is not dependent on our whims n
fancies. It goes on about its job. How long? Do not know.
There seems to be a certain force that is all encompassing that
gives this physical body that breath and also can direct it when
to stop. I call it an all encompassing force because I certainly
cannot dictate when to stop the breath and definitely cannot
dictate when NOT to STOP.

Breathing is an example of an involuntary process that goes on in
the man who is otherwise capable of performing almost anything.
So within the human body, we have the existence of the forces
that can 'create' and the ultimate force that cannot be governed
by any other aspects of the physical body.

This 'ultimate force' is probably evidence of that which we try
to describe as divine, universal, the one substance in which we
all exist etc. In other words, that of which we are only a part
of and therefore can probably never know it in full.

If 'creation' or the ability to create is an attribute of this
ultimate force, then we (i.e. the individual unit) have to
exhibit this 'creativity' also if we are made up of that ultimate
force. I think we are given the numerous other abilities to
create/invent/discover/pleasure/pain etc. as evidence of this
'creativity'. However, all this ability is only as long as the
'breathing force' (prana?) is going on in the background.

Extrapolating this thought, all the creation we see around us
(however mighty and awesome) is probably subject to an 'ultimate
force' which forms the background of it.

You might wonder why I went off-tangent on the issue of physical
brain and the ability to remember. No matter how hard we try,
there is probably only a certain amount that we can remember.
For this reason, I think that the brain, mind and the process of
remembering are also subject to the same 'involuntary
regulation'.

For instance, take breathing, the organs that process breathing
(lungs/heart - plus excuse my knowledge of the body), and the
ultimate force that causes this breathing to go on as a 'set'.
Lets call this as a 'physical set' (since we can verify lungs
exist)

I think we can formulate a similar set - interaction of the mind
(or that which the mind takes in), the mind(with brain as the
physical apparatus) and the ultimate force that gives the mind
the ability to register/understand its interactions. Lets call
this a 'non-physical set' (since we can say the mind exists but
cannot see that the mind exists).

[[Please note that I am using 'physical set' and 'non-physical'
set to refer to them easily.]]

A man with healthy habits or growing in a physically clean
environment is likely to experience better health than a man who
is a smoker and is living in an environment that is far from
clean.

The same can probably be applied to the 'non-physical' set. A
person with a clean mind is likely to enjoy better mental health
than that of a man with a mind that is an environment far from
clean.

If we probably realize and respect the incoming and outgoing
force into us i.e. if we grow conscious of it, we will probably
make an effort to keep ourselves in an environment that is clean.
A purely physical example would be 'smoking' or inhaling any
substance that is not natural to the physical body. The
respiration system was given to this body to breath in and breath
out the prana/air/force that is necessary for sustaining it. By
spoiling it, we are introducing odd behavior that we call disease
etc.

Now, relating the mind from non-physical set to the lungs in the
physical set, if we probably use the mind for what it is meant to
be, then it will probably breathe in and breathe out the ultimate
force. If we vitiate the mind with the 'substances' that are not
natural to it, then it also is subject to odd behavior or
disease.

I think the process of moving from the lower self to the higher
self is essentially fixing/regulating each and every tool given
to us do what it is supposed to do. As we do that, we will
probably experience more and more of the ultimate force or
divinity or universal consciousness flowing within us.

Best Wishes

Ram

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


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