Theos-Talk Archives (July 2002 Message tt00024)

July 2 2002

Re: SKANDHAS -- What are they ? Are they necessary ?


Dear Larry and Friends:


Seeking for a "purpose" is what our minds always desire to put in a
perspective we can understand.


SKANDHA

The word "skandha" is a Sanskrit word and includes several ideas: As
I have learned, it is a stage in the education of the eternal Monad.
They have progressed through the "kingdoms" of nature until they
become of special use to the" human MONAD" which is itself progressing
towards Perfection. The Human Monad apparently attracts to itself
certain monads of lesser experience which become (because of their own
evolution) able to bear the impress of human feelings and thoughts.
The impact of the thoughts and feelings of a Human Mind, imposes the
action of the Law of Karma -- and thus these monads, being so
impressed, become the "vehicles," or "carriers" of the kind of Karma
related to that Individual who first generated it and imposed it on
them.

This is not unusual, as it is all part of the chain of experience
which every Monad has to pass through. We much earlier went through a
similar phase. We, as Monads that THINK ( MINDS, MANASES), are
independent and free. The fruit of the Tree of Knowledge imposes
responsibilities on us because of the KNOWLEDGE we have gained. If we
do not grasp or understand these duties and responsibilities the
choices we make as we live from moment to moment, and day to day,
makes of our "personality" [ the aggregate of the Monads of lesser
experience which provide us with our lower vehicles ( body, and its
cause, the astral body, prana, Kama and Lower Manas ) ] either an
intelligent chooser, or an ignoramus who chooses by whim and pleasure,
having no thought of future consequences. If we look closely at the
memories of our choices we will see that we seem to vibrate between
these two extremes.

What does Theosophy do ? it provides us with the information and the
rationale of the whole system.

The word "Skandha," in translation is said to be "attributes." All
attributes are impressions made on the plastic substance of the
Monads; and in so accepting this, they become a part of the Karmic
trail of the particular Monad to which they are for the time being
attached.

But let us look into this rationale that Theosophy presents. It makes
the whole of Nature and her hidden ways reasonable and coherent.


MONAD

Suppose we start with the basic idea that the Monads represent a
portion of SPIRIT and of MATTER that are so closely intertwined and
joined that they are inseparable.


UNIVERSE

Can you imagine an endless UNIVERSE ( H P B in the 1st Fundamental
uses the words: "a boundless plain." ) At that point one might
wonder how else we could express this ?

We are so limited by finality and boundaries.


MEMORY

For example: Our birth we do not know as a memory. Yet our existence
demonstrates logically its event. The study of physiology and
embryology give us an outline of the physical process of foetal
development. Not being trained in those areas we accept the diagrams
and explanations as true. In other words we adopt the statements made
by AUTHORITY.

There are dozens of other memories and explanations that we have
accepted and adopted because of the same reasons. We have not
studied, we then take the short-cut of accepting the authoritative
statements of others who we presume are qualified. Most of us do not
know =, for instance< what it takes to make the motor of a car move.
The mix of gasoline, air, electricity and water combined in the
various passages and parts of a compression-ignition engine are quite
a mystery, until we sit down and study the diagrams that explain
these. We can then go out to the car, open the hood and examine the
parts there that relate to what we have read about or seen in the
diagrams.


AUTHORITY and WISDOM

I am trying to show that we accept without examination many things on
"authority." This does not mean we cannot find the necessary texts
and guides that will explain and illustrate many of those things.

But lets get back to the Monads and see if they play a part in this.


A UNIVERSE OF MONADS

Theosophy states that the Monads are eternal and immutable, changeless
points of life. Our Whole Universe is made up of these. The numbers
are staggering if we think of "atoms". molecules," "cells," and the
vast complexity of living relationships becomes incomprehensible if we
think for a moment of that which physicists call "sub-atomic
particles."


The UNIVERSE is EMBODIED CONSCIOUSNESS

Theosophy avers that these are "points of life." They are eternal and
immortal. One of their qualities is that they represent also a UNIT
OF CONSCIOUSNESS. No matter how small, or how unimportant (in size)
or in potential they may seem, they are the remote "building blocks"
of the Universe. [ Lets remember always that each Monad is a small
replica of the vast UNIVERSAL MONAD. It has the same potencies and
potentials of its "parent." ]


UNIVERSAL EVOLUTION -- IMMORTALS SEEK WISDOM

Theosophy teaches that the evolution of all units is one of the
purposes of the existence of the Universe and the continual
interaction of all of these points of LIFE.


The KINGDOMS OF NATURE -- GRADUATED EXPERIENCE FOR ALL

It traces an unbroken chain of evolution starting with the
undifferentiated "monadic essence" to the individual monads. From
there it traces their progress through the "elemental" kingdoms (as
the currents and forces of Nature) to their "immetalization." The
Monads working through all kinds of mineral conditions, builds into
its memory and widening consciousness every aspect of these many kinds
of elements and the compounds that they form in working or fighting
together.

This process then moves to the vegetable kingdom, [ some call them at
this stage the "Vegetable Monad"] and after aeons spent in gaining all
experience there, the immortal Monads now pass on to the animal
kingdom [ where they are sometimes designated the "animal Monads"].

There again the whole process of experience, experiment, participation
and the gaining of "instinct" proceeds. These "instincts" are
variously described, some deal with self-preservation, others with the
help and parenting of offspring, still others manifest as the cunning
needed to prey upon other animals, or to limit one's diet to
vegetables, or meats. Some show an innate sagacity in regard to herbs
and their curative powers, other aspects of instinct relate to home
building, protection against heat or cold, concealment, advertising,
etc., etc., -- all aspects of the emotional, instinctive, desire or
aversion nature. Enmities and friendships are clearly marked and
certain qualities are almost human in their attention to others and
care for them -- a kind of love, and friendship that has no limits or
boundaries. Behavioral psychology deals with and analyses these.


TIME SCALES -- Confusion of numbers and Aeons

Manvantaras may be spent (in our concept of time) in these processes.
But that is not important as we are dealing with the education of
immortals and eternals. Every experience leaves a memory etched
forever in the inner consciousness of each MONAD. We see little
evidence of this, when we investigate and peer into the nature of the
animals, vegetables, minerals -- and we seem to have few clues as to
the nature of the "elementals." [ ISIS UNVEILED is full of
interesting evidence concerning the elementals, their existence and
powers all around us. ]


HUMANITY -- MIND - MONADS

We now come to ourselves: the human kingdom. Here is the same
deathless Monad (with its long train of inherent memories) is faced
with a new development in Nature's vast program. Its school changes
to a consideration of the mental qualities, their nature, growth,
potential. In ourselves all the various memories and qualities,
instincts aversions and other qualities are brought to a focus under
the light of a MIND.


NO ISOLATION IN NATURE

But that is not the only considerations. and here is where your
question arises: Do we not continually use the "little lives" or
Monads of lesser experience in framing our bodies? are not our
experiences a part of their education and become part of their
immortal memories ?

Theosophy says that no part of Nature is ever totally isolated. It is
reasonable to think therefore that one of the pressing duties of the
Human Monad is the education and care for its "younger brothers" --
the Monads that are coming up through the ranks and experience by
experience developing their own unique consciousness ?


THE ELDERS, THE WISE ASSIST THE
YOUNGER AND INEXPERIENCED

This idea of the elder assisting the younger, is one that transcends
all boundaries, such as we employ in analysis today. It deals with
the idea of total participation. We are "our brothers keepers."

We preserve their integrity and assist in their development. We, the
elders, become the servants of the youngsters, and this is an eternal
process. So the Great Adepts assist and help us towards a total
comprehension of the life process. That help is embodied in the
philosophy of Theosophy.


LIGHTING UP OF MANAS

The process of "Lighting up of the Mind" is one that occurred many
million years ago for the human race. ( S D I 150 fn says over
18,000,000 years ) . We see this occur every time in a family as the
young ones gradually acquire the mind faculties through their daily
contact with parents, and other elders. Full independence is usually
given a period of 21 years for maturation.

Obviously one cannot learn everything in a single life through a
single personality -- an organism that supports the mind on this
Earth. Since the Monad now a MIND-MONAD will undergo many experiences
in which instinct, imagination, thought, and intuition become
adjusted, the concept of many incarnations in successive bodies is
seen to be relevant, possible and actually does occur.

I hope this gives some idea of the scope of Theosophy. all these
points will be found in The SECRET DOCTRINE and in the OCEAN OF
THEOSOPHY -- this is only a condensed version.

Best wishes,


Dallas


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

-----Original Message-----

From: Larry F Kolts
Sent: Tuesday, July 02, 2002 3:38 PM
To: B N
Subject: RE: Color and Music


Thanks to Gopi, Dallas and Christina for the additional feedback on
color
and music.

Yes Gopi, I see that what I posted consisted of opposites. Dualism
pervades all our thoughts. Getting beyond that is a worthy goal but
not
always that easy. You write of the feeling of unconditional love.
Then we see things for what the really are. All the illusion of Maya
disappears. This must be what Paul alluded to when he wrote of now
seeing
through a glass darkly but then face to face.

Dal, as usual that was a most illuminating couple of posts. You really
put this all in the proper perspective!. So it is the lower self at
work
here, with caries over from previous lives through the skandhas. So
that's WHAT happens. But WHY does it happen at all? Why do we feel
the
need to categorize everything like this?

Christina writes of vibrations within us. Is this part of it? Do we
set
ourselves up to resonate a certain way so that certain types of music
feel harmonious with our very beings? How do we then progress to the
state
Gopi writes of?

Again, this has been a very productive topic, and as usual, I'm trying
to
squeeze the most out of it I can. this seems like a microcosm for
something much larger!

Larry