Theos-Talk Archives (March 2003 Message tt00100)

Re-sent Dal

-----Original Message-----
From: dalval14@earthlink.net [mailto:dalval14@earthlink.net]
Sent: Friday, March 07, 2003 5:26 AM
To: study@blavatsky.net
Subject: RE: [bn-study] RE: Tibetan moral conumdrum

Friday, March 07, 2003

Dear Larry:

Sorry I was so terse. Let me try and say that this is what I got
from Theosophy

You ask me to further write on:

1

“When in doubt -- Abstain.” But it sets no time limit.
Abstention should be in place and made clear to others if we have
no immediate answer. I think that we all ought to know the
fundamental principles of Theosophy so well that we can almost
immediately derive answers.

It really means that when we are ignorant we ought to try to
secure knowledge. Then with that firmly grasped we can act in
accordance with the LAW. In the meantime we put on the brakes.

2

The BHAGAVAD GITA does not say ignorant action. Throughout the
book it teaches the acquirement of Spiritual Knowledge. There is
a great wealth of wisdom there, and it becomes evident sometimes
after many readings and much thought. Not easy.

No strictures or rote can be pre-set for any man or any
situation.

3

As I understand it: Theosophy teaches the true freedom of
self-direction and choice. But it does not leave any one
dangling in uncertainty. It presupposes that each has common
sense.

It does not offer anything to blame on. It sets us up entirely
on our on responsibility and to assist it gives the rules and
laws. We need to test those and find out if they are true.

Our entire progress, as humanity and as individuals, is dependent
on OUR DILIGENCE. Our future depends on it. We are At a school
(of LIFE) and the next exam is one which separates the studious
from those who are not. But this is not a dry study. It is hands
on and messy with the many problems of daily life and the
frictions that emerge constantly.

No teacher serves out gobs of wisdom -- true the ways to wisdom
are taught. But the effort and the benefit is always left to
the student to discover and make self-application of those things
he is sure of. If it were otherwise we would be developing
another creed with lip-observances and a credo. rites and rotes
of an external appearance, while within there continued to be
IGNORANCE.

It also presupposes that all are unprejudiced.

The whole process of developing human wisdom depends on the
person’s attentiveness and desire to “do that which is right.”


here is something that ought to be carefully studied, I think:
It reminds me of some of the rules in PATANJALI’s YOGA SUTRAS.
also it explains them, to some extent.

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

THE FUNCTION OF ATTENTION IN
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

True study of any branch of knowledge consists in giving the
matter of that branch such repetitions of attentive consideration
that it at length becomes an integral part of the domain of the
consciousness, and can at any time, under any correlated
stimulus, be made use of by automatic mental action.

True Study of an Art consists, primarily in the attentive
repetitions of the action of the physiological organs, involved
in the productions of that Art, until that action becomes
automatic, and is as well and so naturally performed as any
original reflex physiological function.

In these definitions the word qualifying the necessary processes
is the adjective attentive, denoting the presence of attention in
the operation. Without this word the definitions would not merely
be imperfect, they would be essentially incorrect and misleading.

Only in the quality of being attentive can the reiterated
consideration and the reiterated action, respectively, result in
the possession, on the one hand, of a new realm of knowledge, or,
on the other hand, of a new area of power.

What is the nature and manner of expression of this supreme
quality Attention?

An appreciative intellectual grasp of the answer to this question
and a realisation of the function of its subject in the processes
of human personal evolution, should be recognised as fundamental
elements in the knowledge and understanding of the true
educationist, be he teacher or not.

The word Attention is used largely, but loosely, in educational
employments, yet we have no other word with which, habitually, to
express that attitude of the consciousness which, in any study or
acquisition of power, is absolutely and continuously demanded, in
order to ensure intrinsic results. The term concentration is more
literally correct in this relation, but concentration has, with
most persons, too limited and too special an application to
render it available for ordinary use instead of Attention.

Yet the Attention we are discussing, the attention of all
knowledge-acquiring processes, may perhaps be better understood
and realized if it is regarded as Concentrated Attention.

Attention is that condition or attitude of consciousness in which
its rays are steadily and unintermittently centred upon the thing
being done or the subject of study. This may be presented to the
consciousness by one or more of the special senses, or it may
already be a content of the mind; the special element in the
attitude being the intentness with which the consciousness
operates. This intentness of gaze must proceed to such a degree
that all other sensible or mental objects, except the one, become
excluded from its range.

In the effort to do this to maintain concentrated attention, the
Will of the individual is brought into play, and its function in
the process may be compared to that played by a burning-glass
held between the sun and the surface of an object. If it is
intended that the sun’s rays shall produce, through the
burning-glass, a definite and observable effect, the glass must
be held in such a relation to the object that the rays of light
converge upon one spot. This spot, or focus, then receives the
whole force of the rays that pass through the glass; it alone, of
all that surrounding surface, is brought out into relief and
operated upon.

In like manner the Will, in sustaining attention, focuses the
rays of the consciousness, with all their inherent dynamic
forces, upon one circumscribed area, physiological, mental, or
moral, as the case may be, wherein lies the work to be done.

Thus we see that Attention is intentness of Mental Vision,
concentrated and maintained by action of the Will. It is not a
separate function or property of the mind, like perception,
imagination, reason, &c., as some psychologists might lead us to
suppose, but a mode of action,— the true mode of the Will’s
action. In other words it is the definite, efficient expression
of the Volition or Will force of the individual.

The functions, perception, conception, imagination, &c., are
instruments of the Ego for operating upon the phenomenal world
and upon mental appropriations of that world; when one or more of
these thus operates with all its force, undiverted from its
employment by any surrounding object, then Attention is
exhibited.

Will is the manifestation or action of the real human Ego;
Attention designates the mode in which that manifestation is
functionally exhibited, and by which alone permanent results are
produced.

In relation to the psychological realm in which Attention is a
feature, we may formulate the following scheme. This scheme may
serve to make the general bearings of the subject clearer and to
more definitely indicate the part played by Attention in all
psychological phenomena.:

The source of mental movement arises in EMOTION = the desire to
know.

The direction of the movement lies with REASON = how and what to
know.

The machinery of the movement is provided by THE MENTAL
ACTIVITIES (Perception, etc.)
= the means by which the knowledge is gained.

The maintaining force of the movement resides in the WILL (the
Energy of the Ego.)
= the mode by which continuity of operation is ensured.

The efficient relation of the two last groups of factors to each
other, and their joint relation to the object under study, are
expressed by our term Attention. The Will holds the mental
activities employed rigidly and persistently to their work.

The Ego, through Volition, can only establish relations with
objects external to itself through the mental activities,
Perception, Conception, Judgment, Imagination, &c., and to effect
this, the latter must be maintained in operation in a direct line
between the Ego, represented by Volition, and the object to be
studied; just as the gun of the sportsman must be held with exact
precision longitudinally between his eye and the object he
desires to hit. If the gun be allowed to deviate in the least
degree from the exact line of vision, the sportsman misses his
object, so, also, if Perception, or Conception, or Judgment, or
Imagination, whichever of these activities or faculties is in
use, is permitted to lose its direct bearing upon the work in
hand absolute failure of purpose ensues. In this illustration the
steady maintenance of the gun in precise position is a parallel
to the psychological action of Attention.

When we grasp the full bearing of the truths here pointed out, we
cannot fail to perceive the significant relation which the mental
attitude of Attention holds to all educational processes and
employments, nor can we assign it too prominent a position in
laying down true and efficient methods of culture.

Let Volition, the Mental Activities, the Light of Reason, the
Physiological System of nerves and muscles, and vast mines of
possible knowledge, all be provided; what intrinsic and permanent
result can be accomplished amongst them if the manner in which
they are used does not include Attention?

Modern Education fails, as evident to all thoughtful observers of
human life, very largely because of its neglect to maintain this
essential factor of personal evolution in its due place. The
desultoriness, aimlessness and mental commonplaceness of the
general adult life around us, spring from this omission.

Modern Education, in its multitude of subjects, in its haste in
passing from one subject to another, and in its lack of precise
aim, exhibits desultoriness in employment of time and faculty.
Desultoriness is the antithesis of Systematic Attention.

Modern Education rules over an area from which nothing new arises
as the fruit of its fostering care, it brings no new thing into
being from out its world of chaos.

This results from its desultoriness of method and action.

The Human Will is, however, a natural creator when it operates
through Concentrated Attention, but education fails in its true
mission as a stimulus and guide to individual creative force,
because of this unreasonable neglect of a fundamental principle.

Every area of acquired skill is a new creation; it has a real,
patent existence and is an object of possession and use in the
world of human life, which did not exist previous to its
evolution by the personal Will operating through the mental
activities upon a physiological chaos.
To prevent possible confusion of thought in tracing out the
subject, it may be remarked here that there is a mental attitude
to which the term, Attention is commonly applied. This may be
termed Passive Attention.

Passive Attention rules the consciousness when one listens to an
eloquent speech or interesting lecture.

In such instances the Will is in abeyance, the consciousness
being probably held entranced by forces which the Occultist might
term Mantramic.

Passive attention also rules when the mind follows an absorbing
train of thought. But this form is not that demanded for personal
growth; educationally it is of slight value and without necessary
relation to our subject.

Attention plays its necessary part in each one of the realms or
planes of life to which the human individual belongs:—

I. On the PHYSICAL PLANE;— in the physiological realm of the
special senses and the nervous and muscular systems. Conscious
action under its rule in this realm results in skill, the basis
not only of all art and artistic performance, but of every nicely
adapted movement of the human limbs and frame for practical
purpose or for the display of agility and gracefulness.

2. On the MENTAL PLANE;— in the psychological realm of concepts,
comparisons, judgments, deductions, speculations and ideals. On
this plane intellectual energy under the control of Attention,
creates logical systematic and consecutive forms of thought, true
panoramic fields of vision out of detached intellectual details,
and new emotional forms of power and beauty.

3. On the MORAL PLANE;—in the spiritual realm of supreme truths,
vital principles, gropings after the Infinite, the laws of human
relationships, and the application of all these to the entire
conduct of the personal life. In this supreme area the moral
sentiments and spiritual aspirations after perfection of life,
concentrate their attention upon definite details of personal
thought and behaviour, the production of grace of spirit,
reliability of disposition, agreement of conduct with principle,
altruism in all its effective forms, and the development of a
personal influence ever tending towards the evolution of a
vitalizing social harmony.

In the evolution of personal life, when the object of its action
is an area or detail of any one of these realms, Attention may be
termed specific, and when the control of the adopted purpose of
existence as a whole is maintained through its means,
establishing an efficient and well-ordered unity amongst the many
divisions and details of that purpose, then we may designate
Attention as supreme.

“Genius” has been defined as “an infinite capacity for taking
pains.” The expression “taking pains” is merely a synonym for
“close attention to minute details.” “Close attention to details”
takes each brick of which the “mansion for all lovely forms,”—
the structure of personal knowledge, capacity and ability, is to
be built, and carefully places it in its due position, cementing
it there at once. The structure so put together is substantial,
capacious, beautiful, and efficient.

This structure, the result of infinite pains long continued, is
that which the world wonders at and worships and calls Genius.
Nearly all men, if first guided and supported along the toilsome
track and afterwards urged along it by pressure of their own
Wills, might develop some form of power and skill which would
elevate them considerably towards that height from which Genius
looks down, and thus render the ordinary world much less
commonplace, monotonous and unskillful than it is at present.

To sum up:— Concentrated Attention is the expression of the Will,
and Will is the central, animating force proceeding from the Ego.
Will, operating under the condition of Attention upon the chaos
of its attendant world, and coordinating the energies, forces and
movements of that world, converts it into a realm of form, power,
and purpose, centering around the Ego.

This constitutes Personal Evolution resulting at length in a
PERFECTED INDIVIDUALITY, THE CREATION OF ITS OWN WILL.

—I.

Lucifer, November, 1888 ( Theosophical Articles & Notes, pp.
153 - 8 )


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

Best wishes as always,

Dallas


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

-----Original Message-----
From: Tatoorachael@aol.com [mailto:Tatoorachael@aol.com]
Sent: Thursday, March 06, 2003 9:18 AM
To: study@blavatsky.net
Subject: [bn-study] RE: Tibetan moral conundrum

In a message dated 3/5/2003 3:27:39 PM Eastern Standard Time,
dalval14@earthlink.net writes:




The advice in such cases was given: "When in doubt -- ABSTAIN."


How does this reconcile with the Gita's admonitions that right
action is better than abstaining from action?

Actually, these types of questions drive me crazy.

I can imagine a situation where the only way possible to save the
1000 would be to kill the one. But then I also wonder...

I do not walk around each day carrying with me the the capacity
to kill another human being. If I were so inclined and allowed by
the law to do so, I would first check out what incapacitating
weapons are available. Is there a gun that shoots darts that
carry a potion strong enough to knock a guy unconscious before he
even knows he was hit?

If so, I wouldn't have to kill, only render harmless and then
allow the authorities do their thing and get the guy
incarcerated. The 1000 are saved and no one is killed.

But if push came to shove and I was indeed in a position to save
the 1000 only by killing the one, I would kill the one. This idea
of the Buddha sacrificing himself rather than kill is certainly
noble, but then that's why he is the avatar he is, I'm no where
near that obviously. But by killing the one and creating the
karma I create, haven't I in effect sacrificed something also
which I perhaps wouldn't have by doing nothing?

BTY, I'm very pleased with this discussion thus far, it does show
that we can indeed discuss this topic in a brotherly fashion.

Larry



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