Theos-Talk Archives (April 2003 Message tt00001)

Tuesday, April 01, 2003


Re Tolerance and Brotherhood

Dear Peter and Friends:

May I break in here for a moment?


You write, quoting H P B from The SECRET DOCTRINE :

"One has to acquire true Self-Consciousness in order to understand
Samvriti,
or the 'origin of delusion.'" Paramartha is the synonym of the
Sanskrit term
Svasam-vedana, or "the reflection which analyses itself." (SD 1, Page
44)


To help us I found that in one of the books H P B wrote, are ideas
that may serve as ideal starting points, and certainly a tone which we
may, from time to time, refer to individually, regardless of the
external jostling push and shove of opinions, political, national, or
of any kind. We need not "follow the crowd," nor do we need to be
hypocrites -- saying in superficial agreement that which in our heart
we abhor.

Early in the KEY to THEOSOPHY, H. P. Blavatsky writes to establish
some basis in the mind of the reader of what Theosophy stands for. In
part, she states:


Theosophy is Godlike Wisdom, the word "Theosophy" was found used by
Pythagoras. It is divine knowledge or science, such as that possessed
by the "Gods."

Its first object is to inculcate certain great moral truths upon its
disciples." Other objects are: to reconcile all religions under a
common system of ethics, based on eternal verities. And by
demonstrating their identical origin, to establish one universal creed
based on ethics. Additionally it aims to reinstate and restore to its
primitive integrity the wisdom of the ancients.

The WISDOM RELIGION (Theosophy) was ever one, and being the last word
of possible human thought, was therefore carefully preserved It will
survive every other religion and philosophy.

Ancient theosophists claimed that the divine essence could be
communicated to the higher Spiritual Self in a state of ecstasy. The
latter (also named "samadhi") is practised by its devotees. It is an
incessant endeavour to purify and elevate the mind. It is: 'the
ardent turning of the soul, towards the divine;" not to ask for any
particular good, but for the universal Supreme Good for ALL.

It states that those ethics are the soul of the wisdom Religion, and
were the common property of the initiates of all nations. But Buddha
was the first to embody those in his public teachings. It is the
ethics that have always been the most insisted upon.

All that is now called "Theosophical doctrines," because they form
part of the knowledge of the initiates. These doctrines belong
exclusively to no religion, and are confined to no society or time.
They are the birthright of every human soul. Those who have imagined
Theosophy to be a new religion have hunted in vain for its creed and
ritual. Its creed is Loyalty to Truth, and its ritual "To honor every
truth by use."

The THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY was organized on this one principle, the
essential Brotherhood of Man. We hold to no religion, as to no
philosophy in particular: we cull the good we find in each. The T S
was established as a philanthropic and scientific body for the
propagation of the ideas of brotherhood on a practical instead of
theoretical lines.
The T S cannot make a Theosophist of one who has no sense for the
divine fitness of things. "Theosophist is, who Theosophy does."

How is this to be accomplished by those individuals who determine to
adopt this as their policy of living? It is a difficult undertaking
as the foremost rule is the entire renunciation of one's personality.
He has to become a thorough altruist, never to think of himself, and
to forget his own vanity and pride in the thought of the good of his
fellow creatures, to live a life of abstinence in everything, of
self-denial and strict morality, doing his duty by all men.

If one asks what advantages are received from such a program, the
answer is given: : deriving much strength from mutual aid and
sympathy. Union is strength and harmony, and well-regulated
simultaneous efforts produce wonders. This has been the secret of all
associations and communities since mankind existed. Its aims and true
goal are several, primarily the relief of human suffering, moral as
well as physical. Theosophy has to inculcate ethics; it has to purify
the soul, if it would relieve the physical body.

An Occultist practices scientific Theosophy, based on a accurate
knowledge of Nature's secret workings. The divine spark in man being
one and identical in its essence with the Universal Spirit, our
"spiritual Self" is practically omniscient, but it cannot manifest its
knowledge owing to the impediments of matter. The more these
impediments are removed, the physical body paralyzed, as to its own
independent activity and consciousness, the more fully can the Inner
Self manifest on this plane.

Our beliefs are all founded on that immortal individuality. Spirit is
potential matter, and matter is simply crystallized Spirit, yet the
original and eternal condition of all is not Spirit, but META-SPIRIT
(visible and solid matter being simply its periodical manifestations)
we maintain that the term Spirit can only be applied to the True
Individuality.

Selfishness is essentially conservative and hates being disturbed.
The power of mental inertia is great in anything that does not promise
immediate benefit and reward. Our age is predominately unspiritual,
and matter of fact. Some Theosophical doctrines contradict flatly
many of the human vagaries cherished by sectarians -- vagaries and
errors which have eaten into the core, the very heart of popular
beliefs. The result is that an entirely unselfish code appeals to a
very limited class -- thus producing slow, up-hill results. It is
essentially the philosophy of those who suffer, and have lost all hope
of being helped out of the mire of life by any other means.


To me it is important that the philosophy and the logic of Nature be
exposed and referred to, rather than any opinion, mine or another's.
Opinions fluctuate with times and events. Facts (if spiritual -- as in
verities -- are common property) are stable.

In a sentence: We are born this life into a condition, a nation, a
community, which enables us under karma (which we created for
ourselves by past choosing) to receive and make the best learning
change for our own advance. Additionally, with knowledge that is
true, impersonal and universal, our choices can be molded to assist
all we are connected to. In this we will be true brothers and helpful
as a quiet example to all.

We cannot omit the immortality of the spirit-Soul as the essential
Man, nor Karma as the Law that harmonizes all. Our present incarnation
has nothing to do with the conditions and social impositions of the
past, though the moral and ethical situation today is the direct
outcome of those past choices we made. The present then, represents
to us the area in which we need to learn. The pressures we feel in
moments of crisis, such as we are involved in nationally, politically
and internationally, indicate to us areas where our learning is
essential to our spiritual growth.

How is the "Family of Man" doing? How are we reacting to its
problems? Can we ameliorate and pacify? To "defend" usually means we
are at fault - morally. Are we humble enough to look, and to pause,
and to seek the panorama of ideals we all have, and to learn from
them?

To 'understand' another means to be able to mentally step into their
"shoes," to empathize with their feeling and thought processes, and
perceive the source of their opinions. Then, weighing ours and theirs
(opinions), impartially, we can refer them to an ideal -- a moral
norm. From that we can derive at least for ourselves what we ought to
do, what our minds ought to adopt to stay equipoised, and fair and
merciful.

I hope this is of help,

Best wishes,

Dallas

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

Sources: KEY TO THEOSOPHY (HPB) pp. 1, 2, 3, 6-8, 10, 14-5, 18,
20-1, 24, 27, 29, 33, 37.

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


-----Original Message-----
From: peter.m
Sent: Tuesday, April 01, 2003 12:50 AM
To: study@blavatsky.net
Subject: [bn-study] Re: US protests Part III

Adelasie wrote:
> To me this seems so wise, and so important. If we just try to
> imagine, why does he or she do that, or what could be the reason for
> this or that behavior, with an open mind, we will find outselves
> understanding a lot. After all, we are all capable of anything we
can
> imagine. The Native Americans say, "Don't judge a man until you walk
> a mile in his moccasins." Good advice too.

Hello Adelasie,

I wonder if another important lesson we need to learn at present is to
understand 'how do other people, cultures and/or nations see us, and
why?'.
I feel we tend to believe that our perceptions and judgements of right
and
wrong are just matters of fact and therefore those who oppose the
views we
express or the actions we take based on those perceptions & judgements
must
simply be awkward, wrong, unpatriotic, not intelligent enough, hate
us, or
simply evil. It may well be that some of these responses are just
that, but
there may be a lot more too it.

It may also be of great value to wonder 'why is it we believe we are
doing
right, doing good, being spiritual, just trying to help, & so on yet
so many
of our friends, neigbours and acquaintances view us as being and doing
the
very opposite of what we intend?'

So, perhaps our reflections need to include understanding the 'other'
and
how the 'other' is understanding us, acknowledging what part our
actions and
attitudes have in shaping those perceptions.

"One has to acquire true Self-Consciousness in order to understand
Samvriti,
or the 'origin of delusion.'" Paramartha is the synonym of the
Sanskrit term
Svasam-vedana, or "the reflection which analyses itself." (SD 1, Page
44)

regards,

Peter