Theos-Talk Archives (May 2003 Message tt00223)

Friday, May 23, 2003


Dear S. and Friends:

Yesterday there was put on line a copy of THE GREAT MASTER'S
LETTER

under the heading

SOCRATES TEACHES ABOUT THE SOUL
(copied below)

It deals partially with the question of patriotism and the risk
of death for one's country as a normal event in the recurring
lives of immortals -- who as IMMORTALS never die. This involves
the courage to disregard personal fear and also, unconsciously,
to accept the Karma that will inevitably come to us.

If you recall in the KEY TO THEOSOPHY (HPB) H P B speaks of the
NATIONALIST CLUBS (1885-6) which Theosophists in Boston had
supported.
[Key p. 44; also in LUCIFER, VII, pp. 240-2; PATH, iii. p. 376;
5 MESSAGES, p. 26 -- also a brief notice in Theosophy, Vol. 81,
p. 188 -- W Q J Articles, II p. 182].

Patriotism and giving of ones' self for the whole was a natural
step out of Monarchism and the rule of the Lord over his serfs.

Patriotism and sacrifice for its ideals is volunteering -- it is
the accepting and adopting by self-choice of restrictions on
living and even on life.

It was tested in the American War of Independence. And every
time, when, as a nation, we have defended the weak and the
oppressed. But if for political or economic advantage we pretend
to do this, we lose. We retreat to terrorism and oppression
ourselves.

In Medieval times war was fought man to man by Kings, Lords and
men-at-arms. The populace seems to have been left pretty much
alone -- except for the invasions from the East of waves of
Persians, Mongols, and Turks. World War II seems to be a legacy
of the people of Teutonic heredity -- as depicted in KARMIC
VISIONS by H P B. Historically the Germanic races had an age-old
feud with the communities and tribes of Celts, Franks, and
Iberians. History can teach us a lot about the flow of
physiological heredity. Every 600 years or so a wave rises in
the ast and sweeps on into the West. The discovery, subjugation
and peopling of the Americas was part of this great flow. And
now we see that it is beginning to move further West over the
Pacific and back into Asia again.

Any form of rule is unnecessary if everyone rules themselves as
brothers, and virtue prevails everywhere. When selfishness
supported by dark secrecy and vice arise, the virtuous are
usually too slow to identify and control it. Hence it infects
insidiously those who may be weak in some moral area.

To lose sight of immortality and purpose is to submit to
"Ahankara" or the sense of "Lower-self-ishness. One then places
the personality ahead of the SELF -- the ATMAN.

As Sri Krishna says in BHAGAVAD GITA, Ch. II (p. 19) "He who
attendeth to the inclination of the senses, in them develops a
concern, from this concern is developed passion; from passion,
anger; from anger, loss of the memory, form loss of memory, loss
of discrimination; and from loss of discrimination, loss of all."

The development of "government" in humanity, from the rule of
Kings and Chiefs, to Patriotism finds itself now confronted with
internationalism. It seems to me this would be the next
development -- which is foreshadowed now, even more clearly since
World War II and international economics based on oil,
electronics, plastics and the spread "the American way of life"
to most countries. Internet has, in a way, spread this even more
widely -- for good and for bad. Like all things each advance has
both aspects embedded in it.

Theosophical doctrines, if tested, verified and adopted cure
these.

BROTHERHOOD IN ONE SPIRITUAL WHOLE --

"Moreover, the Secret Doctrine teaches: [not proposes] - (c) The
fundamental identity of all Souls with the Universal Over Soul,
the latter being itself an aspect of the Unknown Root; and the
obligatory pilgrimage for every Soul - a spark of the former -
through the Cycle of Incarnation (of "Necessity") in accordance
with Cyclic and Karmic law, during the whole term."
-- -Secret Doctrine Vol I Proem page 17

UNIVERSAL LAW. --

"This second assertion of the Secret Doctrine is the absolute
universality of that law of periodicity, of flux and reflux, ebb
and flow, which physical science has observed and recorded in all
departments of nature. An alternation such as that of Day and
Night, Life and Death, Sleeping and Waking, is a fact so common,
so perfectly universal and without exception, that it is easy to
comprehend that in it we see one of the absolutely fundamental
laws of the universe."	-- -Secret Doctrine Vol I, Proem,
page 17.

Best wishes,

Dallas



=====================================
THE GREAT MASTER'S LETTER


[That article was printed in Lucifer without signature as "An
Important Letter," prefaced by the statement that it "was
circulated by H.P.B. among many of her pupils, and some
quotations from it have been published from time to time." The
Letter belongs to the early days of the Theosophical Society in
India and was part of the correspondence received (through
H.P.B.) by A. P. Sinnett and A. 0. Hume from the Theosophical
Adepts. His Adept-teacher introduced the letter to Mr. Sinnett as
"an abridged version of the view of the Chohan on the T.S. from
his own words as given last night"-in reply to objections about
the conduct of the Society and especially to the "Brotherhood
plank."

Although the text of the complete letter was not published until
after H. P. Blavatsky and Wm. Q. Judge had left the scene, both
provided a setting for the statements made, and both quoted in
their magazines some passages for particular attention.-Eds.]


THE doctrine we promulgate being the only true one,
must-supported by such evidence as we are preparing to
give-become ultimately triumphant, like every other truth.

Yet it is absolutely necessary to inculcate it gradually;
enforcing its theories (unimpeachable facts for those who know)
with direct inference, deduced from and corroborated by the
evidence furnished by modern exact science.

That is why Col. H. S. Olcott, who works to revive Buddhism, may
be regarded as one who labours in the true path of Theosophy, far
more than any man who chooses as his goal the gratification of
his own ardent aspirations for occult knowledge. Buddhism,
stripped of its superstition, is eternal truth; and he who
strives for the latter is striving for Theo-Sophia, divine
wisdom, which is a synonym of truth.

For our doctrines to practically react on the so-called moral
code, or the ideas of truthfulness, purity, self-denial, charity,
etc., we have to preach and popularize a knowledge of Theosophy.

It is not the individual and determined purpose of attaining
Nirvana-the culmination of all knowledge and absolute wisdom,
which is after all only an exalted and glorious selfishness-but
the self-sacrificing pursuit of the best means to lead on the
right path our neighbour, to cause to benefit by it as many of
our fellow-creatures as we possibly can, which constitutes the
true Theosophist.

The intellectual portion of mankind seems to be fast dividing
into two classes:

1. the one unconsciously preparing for itself long periods of
temporary annihilation or states of non-consciousness, owing to
the deliberate surrender of intellect, and its imprisonment in
the narrow grooves of bigotry and superstition-a process which
cannot fail to lead to the utter deformation of the intellectual
principle;

2. the other unrestrainedly indulging its animal propensities
with the deliberate intention of submitting to annihilation pure
and simple, in case of failure, and to millenniums of degradation
after physical dissolution.

Those intellectual classes, reacting upon the ignorant
masses-which they attract, and which look up to them as noble and
fit examples to be followed-degrade and morally ruin those they
ought to protect and guide.

Between degrading superstition and still more degrading brutal
materialism, the White Dove of Truth has hardly room whereon to
rest her weary unwelcome feet.

It is time that Theosophy should enter the arena. The sons of
Theosophists are more likely to become in their turn Theosophists
than anything else. No messenger of the truth, no prophet, has
ever achieved during his life-time a complete triumph-not even
Buddha.

The Theosophical Society was chosen as the cornerstone, the
foundation of the future religions of humanity. To achieve the
proposed object, a greater, wiser, and especially a more
benevolent intermingling of the high and the low, the alpha and
the omega of society, was determined upon. The white race must be
the first to stretch out the hand of fellowship to the dark
nations, to call the poor despised "nigger" brother. This
prospect may not smile for all, but he is no Theosophist who
objects to this principle.

In view of the ever-increasing triumph, and at the same time the
misuse, of free thought and liberty (the universal reign of
Satan, Eliphas Levi would have called it), how is the combative
natural instinct of man to be restrained from inflicting hitherto
unheard-of cruelty and enormous tyranny, injustice, etc., if not
through the soothing influence of brotherhood, and of the
practical application of Buddha's esoteric doctrines?

For everyone knows that total emancipation from the authority of
the one all-pervading power, or law-called God by the priests,
and Buddha, Divine Wisdom and enlightenment or Theosophy, by the
philosophers of all ages-means also the emancipation from
that of human law.

Once unfettered and delivered from their dead weight of
dogmatism, interpretations, personal names, anthropomorphic
conceptions, and salaried priests, the fundamental doctrines of
all religions will be proved identical in their esoteric meaning.
Osiris, Krishna, Buddha, Christ, will be shown as different means
for one and the same royal highway to final bliss-Nirvana.

Mystical Christianity teaches Self-redemption through one's own
seventh principle, the liberated Paramatma, called by the one
Christ, by others Buddha; this is equivalent to regeneration, or
rebirth in spirit, and it therefore expounds just the same truth
as the Nirvana of Buddhism.

All of us have to get rid of our own Ego, the illusory, apparent
self, to recognize our true Self, in a transcendental divine
life.

But if we would not be selfish, we must strive to make other
people see that truth, and recognize the reality of the
transcendental Self, the Buddha, the Christ, or God of every
preacher. This is why even esoteric Buddhism is the surest path
to lead men towards the one esoteric truth.

As we find the world now, whether Christian, Mussulman, or Pagan,
justice is disregarded, and honour and mercy are both flung to
the winds. In a word, how-since the main objects of the
Theosophical Society are misinterpreted by those who are most
willing to serve us personally-are we to deal with the rest of
mankind? with that curse known as the struggle for life, which is
the real and most prolific parent of most woes and sorrows, and
all crimes? Why has that struggle become almost the universal
scheme of the universe?

We answer,-because no religion, with the exception of Buddhism,
has taught a practical contempt for this earthly life; while each
of them, always with that one solitary exception, has through its
hells and damnations inculcated the greatest dread of death.

Therefore do we find that struggle for life raging most fiercely
in Christian countries, most prevalent in Europe and America. It
weakens in the Pagan lands, and is nearly unknown among Buddhist
populations. In China during famine, and where the masses are
most ignorant of their own or of any religion, it was remarked
that those mothers who devoured their children belonged to
localities where there was none; and where the Bonzes alone had
the field, the population died with the utmost indifference.
Teach the people to see that life on this earth, even the
happiest, is but a burden and an illusion; that it is our own
Karma [the cause producing the effect] that is our own judge-our
Saviour in future lives-and the great struggle for life will soon
lose its intensity. There are no penitentiaries in Buddhist
lands, and crime is nearly unknown among the Buddhist Tibetans.
The world in general, and Christendom especially, left for 2,000
years to the régime of a personal God, as well as to its
political and social systems based on that idea, has now proved a
failure.

If the Theosophists say we have nothing to do with all this; the
lower classes and the inferior races (those of India, for
instance, in the conception of the British) cannot concern us,
and must manage as they can, what becomes of our fine professions
of benevolence, philanthropy, reform, etc.? Are those professions
a mockery? And if a mockery, can ours be the true path?

Shall we devote ourselves to teaching a few Europeans-fed on the
fat of the land, many of them loaded with the gifts of blind
fortune-the rationale of bell-ringing, of cup-growing, of the
spiritual telephone, and astral body formation, and leave the
teeming millions of the ignorant, of the poor and oppressed, to
take care of themselves, and of their hereafter, as best they
can?

Never! perish rather the Theosophical Society with both its
hapless Founders, than that we should permit it to become no
better than an academy of magic, and a hall of occultism!

That we, the devoted followers of that spirit incarnate of
absolute self-sacrifice, of philanthropy, divine kindness, as of
all the highest virtues attainable on this earth of sorrow, the
man of men, Gautama Buddha, should ever allow the Theosophical
Society to represent the embodiment of selfishness, the refuge of
the few with no thought in them for the many, is a strange idea,
my brothers!

Among the few glimpses obtained by Europeans of Tibet and its
mystical hierarchy of perfect Lamas, there was one which was
correctly understood and described. The incarnations of the
Bodhisattva Padmapani or Avalokiteshvara, of Tsong-ka-pa, and
that of Amitabha, relinquished at their death the attainment of
Buddhahood-i.e., the summum bonum of bliss, and of individual
personal felicity-that they might be born again and again for the
benefit of mankind. In other words, that they might be again and
again subjected to misery, imprisonment in flesh, and all the
sorrows of life, provided that they by such a self-sacrifice,
repeated throughout long and weary centuries, might become the
means of securing salvation and bliss in the hereafter for a
handful of men chosen among but one of the many planetary races
of mankind.

And it is we, the humble disciples of these perfect Lamas, who
are expected to allow the Theosophical Society to drop its
noblest title, that of the Brotherhood of Humanity, to become a
simple school of philosophy!

No, no, good brothers, you have been labouring under the mistake
too long already. Let us understand each other. He who does not
feel competent to grasp the noble idea sufficiently to work for
it, need not undertake a task too heavy for him.

But there is hardly a Theosophist in the whole Society unable to
effectually help it by correcting erroneous impressions of
outsiders, by himself actually propagating this idea. Oh! for
noble and unselfish men to help us effectually in that divine
task! All our knowledge, past and present, would not be
sufficient to repay him.

Having explained our views and aspirations, I have but a few
words more to add.

The true religion and philosophy offer the solution of every
problem.

That the world is in such a bad condition, morally, is a
conclusive evidence that none of its religions and philosophies,
those of the civilized races less than any other, has ever
possessed the truth.

The right and logical explanations on the subject of the problems
of the great dual principles, right and wrong, good and evil,
liberty and despotism, pain and pleasure, egotism and altruism,
are as impossible to them now as they were 1886 years ago. They
are as far from the solution as they were; but to these problems
there must be somewhere a consistent solution, and if our
doctrines will show their competence to offer it, then the world
will be the first to confess that there must be the true
philosophy, the true religion, the true light, which gives truth
and nothing but the truth.

Lucifer, August, 1896


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

There is a message in here for questions asked by a number of
posts in the past 2 weeks.




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


-----Original Message-----
From: Steven Levey [mailto:levey_steven@hotmail.com]
Sent:	Friday, May 23, 2003 9:37 AM
To:	dalval14@earthlink.net
Subject:	Re: REINCARNATION SUPPORTED -- Ocean Ch. .10

Dal-Thank you for that. I pulled it up on my screen as I was
checking my
e-mail at work this morning and the reading of such thought at
8:00 am seems
a great way to start the day. This seems especially so with
Memorial Day at
hand with its consideration of those who served or died in the
military and
thought given to the meaning of such things.

The phrase of Belamy's comes to mind:"We are now living
our immortal
lives". This even in the face of our country's over exagerated
sense of
patriotism where many think that giving their "one life" is
appropriate in
defense of the prevailing ideal of freedom. Such mixed ideals and
confused
motives must give Karma "a run for its money" to make sense of it
all so as
assign an appropriately lawful future for those so thinking.
Forgive the
anthropomorphising of supra-human law , but it is obvious that
only pure law
could find the equivelant relation between cause and effect in
such
situations, not the human mind, unless one were an adept.

Perhaps it can be seen as a celebration of people doing
their duty
as best they could percieve it. Where the trials, per the text of
The Ocean
of Theosophy, may give individuals circumstances in which growth
is
possible, regardless of the confusion which brings about such
circumstances.

Such sophistry might just be reasonable from one point of
view so as
to defuse pessamism in the face of human affairs and to allow for
the
prevailing sense of ignorance, on the part of the majority,
regarding karma
and reincarnation. What do you think?-Steve

CUT