Theos-Talk Archives (August 2003 Message tt00048)

Thursday, August 14, 2003


Dear J F and Friends,
:

I look at your letter and would say in response -- for you to
consider: --


Let us agree that in Theosophy the presence of SPIRIT ( Atma )
is a constant. A “presence” and that derived from its permanence
and immortality we are enable to perceive anything as well as all
things. It is in us the Thinker, the Perceiver, the Witness. It
never “dies.” We can only apprehend its IMMORTALITY as a
potential, as a possibility. When our personality become
translucent (purified and free of self-interest) to IT, then we
will truly know IT.

When quoting from MAHATMA LETTERS or any other book, could the
actual page numbers please be given in addition to Edition and
Letter Number, etc… . It shortens the time to be devoted to
research. It enables immediate focus on the matter adduced.

It really does not matter what point is attained in any
particular cycle by an individual, or a mass, since all
graduation from any particular stage in study by a Monad
(Atma-Buddhi) is individual and involves a refinement of the
PERSONALITY.

In a few words, it is the personality that is endeavouring to
immortalize itself in an IMPERSONAL manner. It becomes the
Bodhisattva and then the Buddha -- but this takes aeons, and
those who desire speed in such attainment have to be like the
diamond, pure and true to themselves, as to all, in all aspects.
Any selfishness prevents this. No exceptions, no “spiritual
powers” come, or can be developed in” the impure personalities
most of us have created, live in and have, as duty, to refine.

In the “Foundation Series” (Azimov), Hari Seldon is made to
confront history, past and developing, from the physical point of
view. The spiritual and psychic motives are hazy, but dimly
present to the understanding of a “student of Theosophy.” The
view is incomplete because of this lack, as are all of Azimov’s
theories, and answers. If you study carefully the words that
Azimov places in Seldon’s mouth, you will note that he does not
answer or posit the ultimate CAUSES for physical events. No
materialist can do that, relying on materialism alone.

Since the Universe is symbolically a circle (or a globe) “Star’s
End” is symbolically, also the beginning-- and lies under foot
for all of us. “The Foundation” is not distant, but lies
securely concealed in the present in the locality closest to the
point of main disturbance. (Just as the MONAD is SPIRIT/MATTER
always closely conjoined.)

This ought to be obvious to a student well grounded in the
Theosophical FUNDAMENTALS.
Like the fundamentals of mathematics, physics or chemistry, these
Theosophical FUNDAMENTALS add a depth to the mere physical
surface of things that nothing else approaches to. It is our
carefully attuned Mind that has to do the recognition. I use the
next step, identifying as the moral and ethical perception --
Theosophy says it in one word: BROTHERHOOD.

Why not set up a list of FUNDAMENTALS to which all us, who are
seekers can agree ?


Every Monad (an immortal) has for its ultimate “graduation,” the
internal potentials of a Bodhisattva and a Buddha (and also much
higher levels of spiritual attainment) locked within itself from
the outset. This inner SPIRITUAL NATURE, essential and
fundamental, is what the personality has to focus on, and use as
a basis for regulating choices in the present cycle of physical
existence. The Monad is a three-fold ENTITY:--. Spirit is ever
linked to Matter (form) by INTELLIGENCE (or Mind, understanding
and thought).

Theosophy points to that. Do we truly desire to secure that
knowledge, and by application reproduce internally the wisdom (or
truth in action) which it provides intuitively? Where else can we
secure the guidance needed? Do we not trust ourselves? Can we
not find analogies elsewhere to support good reasoning and sound
logic?

Certainly H P B is not to be considered from any pint of view as
a “feeling.” She provides food for thought and not for
sentiment. If she demonstrated the powers of the Astral and
occult sides of Nature as evidence of that aspect of animating
forces behind visible physical Nature, it is because such
demonstrations were needed at that time and in those places to
those then present.

A careful reading and study of the chronology, the persons, and
environment of those events reveals this. She was demonstrating
the hidden Laws of nature at a time when that was needed. None of
us, retrospectively, are able to decide on the opportune time of
those events. To do is presumptuous. Our Personal and physical
Minds are unable, today, to encompass yet, the whole of the
Karmic event that then took place under Master’s supervision.

One cannot afford to brush over, with superficial and present day
conclusions, any aspect of her life and work.. We need to find
the need (Karmically) for those actions and works. It is that,
or we lose (as evidence for our learning) the sequential value of
her life, her wisdom, and its many kinds of illustrations. It is
we who need to develop the patience and respect of Her life and
work, and the Masters behind Her. We can only watch how she
dealt with individuals from others’ accounts of what they saw or
felt.

She did not talk down to any one, but took them as they were --
and gave them to think about their natures (personalities) in her
responses to them. A few caught the hints and made applications
to themselves. She asked us to discover the HIGHER SELF within
( see TRANSACTIONS OF THE BLAVATSKY LODGE , pp 64-78). And hold
discussion with it in meditation.

But we are in no position to generalize about her and her
motives, only, we can observe, and seek to find out how Theosophy
is disclosed and, its laws and structure is shown to work, yea,
made to work, in the hands of a Master SOUL. We need patience
and extreme humility when faced with One who has Wisdom. We
(none of us) are in no position to arbitrate or decide on those
matters -- only, observe -- and seek to understand.

Olcott removed HPB’s name from the Mast Head and pages of the
THEOSOPHIST (as co-Editor) in 1879, 10 years after the magazine
was started under their joint editorship. He did not ask her
permission.

There is no reason why, if you secure permission, you don’t
publish any theosophical work of value. I try to keep in print
and before our eyes the teachings most useful to present
discussions.

Yes the whole of what is said in SECRET DOCTRINE, Vol. I and 2,
Vol. 1, on the early Rounds, and in 2 Vol. on the current Round,
4th GLOBE (D) -- on its early Races in this GLOBE “D” . The
analogies are stressed there. These have to be studied and known
if we wish to ascertain our present position and opportunities.
The INDEX to The SECRET DOCTRINE can provide us with a
starting-point.

NO one is asked to take on a burden of self-purification greater
than they UNDERSTAND. The VOICE OF THE SILENCE, PATANJALI, and
the LIGHT ON THE PATH provide adequate information -- providing
we use that and take it to heart for daily consultation. This is
important for each of us.

The path to true self-development is outlined there, for those
who will opt to take it.

Theosophy is not set up to become the basis of a Church of blind
believers. It is designed to let enlightened minds find the
“still old path* to spiritual success. The idea of a Church is
repugnant to it. H P B declares and so do the Masters that a
certain crisis had arrived whereby a rent in the silence of
centuries had to be made to repair the damage that fanaticism
spearheaded by “Christians” and “Moslems” had reared by
systematically destroying libraries and ancient monuments -- The
Taliban destroying the most ancient of statues in Bamian is a
proximate illustration of this. Karma provided a most rapid
response I think. Now who will repair and rebuild that ancient
statue ?

Many thanks for your views, they are all good material for us to
think over.

Best wishes,

Dallas

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


-----Original Message-----
From: J F
Sent: Wednesday, August 13, 2003 4:46 AM
To:
Subject: RE: Worries about Robots...

Well, the Mahatmas were certainly cognizant of the
possibilities...and dangers of such beings. In Letter 23B of the
Mahatma Letters, comment is made (end of answer to Question 6.
As a note for everyone, this is the enumeration used in 1st - 3rd
ed. Chron Ed., Letter 93B) about the possibility of making a
Frankenstien monster...and a very good opinion of what is going
on today, which is an interesting issue of karma of collective
humanity, and the story of Vol. 2 of the SD (We create our
successors, and they are us.). Honestly, I don't think we'll get
to that point in this cycle. We will probable destroy ourselves
as a civilization before we get close. As Theosophists, I would
think the question is (as Hari Seldon faced in Asimov's
"Foundation" series) is how to best raise the consciousness so as
to make the karmic pills less bitter and help all of humanity
towards the Buddhahood. That is the goal of the true
Bodhisattva.

For everything you said, Dallas, it makes one feel that all of
HPB's work was so utterly in vain, that she had no business going
before the public, hawking an organization and shamelessly making
a spectacle of herself. She, and her teachers should have been
hanging out with Monier-Williams and Max Mueller doing some real
scholarly work and not getting her hands dirty with the karma of
the world trying to make it a better place. HPB should not have
been doing parlor tricks in Calcutta, nor Olcott hanging out with
Buddhists in Sri Lanka or doing mass mesmeric healings wherever
he went. Nah...work was too dirty, not philosophical and
antiseptic...It was just dealing with people where they're at, on
their terms and not cramming some idea that you have that they
can't understand (for whatever reason...fill in the blanks!) down
their throats.

One thing that I have been pushing with Theosophical
organizations for many years, without success is the publication
of the Theosophist, with HPB as editor (I believe that would be
1879 - 1885...could be wrong there). The Edmonton Lodge has
produced several editions in small quantity periodically but for
some reason the rest of the movement has been slow to put these
into publication for general availability. It would be a great
service for some organization, Theosophical Publishing House,
Theosophy Company, Point Loma Publications or Theosophical
University Press, among others to put this deserving work back
into availability for the student. More than any other
publication of the early Theosophical era does it give a true
flavor of HPB's efforts to disseminate Theosophy to the public.
These volumes certainly have been my inspiration and, in many
ways, the basis for my attitudes towards Theosophy and its role
in the world.

Now for a line by line on your comments...

cut


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