Theos-Talk Archives (March 2003 Message tt00352)

Monday, March 17, 2003

Re: "Greater Good"

Dear Laura:

What might theosophy answer or ask? Suppose that response might
be:

To do “good” for all that lives means to consider ourselves only
as a member of that UNITY that is the UNIVERSE. It means to give
up self-interest, the “self” in this case being the Lower self
( Kama-Manas). To exchange the isolation of the personality for
the universality of the INDIVIDUALITY ( the view-point of the
immortal, deathless Monad )? Does not wisdom imply the broader
and deeper view-point?

Why did Socrates ask that of the child ( in the stories from
GORGO ) ? Would the child perhaps be less selfish?

Did he do that to induce the power of discrimination be invoked
by the child, or the memory of that child’s “past lives” as
“Buddhi-Manas -- wisdom?”

Would the present brain-mind of the child, being recently
constructed by the reincarnating Ego, be less overlaid and
tainted with the prejudices and foibles of the customs and
religion of the present incarnation, and the people among which
the Ego of the child was incarnating?

The “Higher Ego ( Buddhi-Manas) would never recommend hurting
another, but rather interposing ones’ self , even at risk of
death, between an evil doer and his victim, if our Karma placed
us in such a position. If it relates to our selves, what “lesson”
has the lower self ( Kama-Manas) been brought by its Karma to
consider?

Should we not look on our lives as opportunities for
self-improvement ? What virtues are being given an opportunity
for development? Why now? Why us?

We could also ask ourselves how and why were we faced with such a
situation?

If we look at the Jataka tales of the Buddha we will find a
record there of uninterrupted self-sacrifice. “Give up thy life
if thou wouldst live.” I hope everyone knows of those 550 Jataka
tales ?

Wars occur all over our sorry planet. When they come close to
our homes, then we “wake up” and start asking these questions.
But, why not earlier ?

Best wishes,

Dallas

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

-----Original Message-----
From: Laura G
Sent: Sunday, March 16, 2003 7:47 PM
To: study@blavatsky.net
Subject: [bn-study] "Greater Good"

Most people hold to the idea of the greatest good for the
greatest number of people. For a student of Theosophy it is the
greatest good for "all that lives". This is very perplexing, it
seems given circumstance of our karma at the moment. Also
Socrates asked the child "Is it better to do wrong, or have wrong
done to you." What would the "inner man" answer?

Also as a student, I feel a strong connection to the effort of
1775. What is the best way to protect that effort? War is
probably not the best answer and just postpones the true course
of action that is still obscure to our minds.

Laura



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