Re: MultiperFectivalists Unite!
Apr 09, 2004 05:13 AM
by christinaleestemaker
Hallo Dallis,
Thanks for the total explanation.-
Christina
-- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, "Dallas TenBroeck" <dalval14@e...>
wrote:
> Mar 9th 2004
>
> Dear C and friends;
>
>
> Perhaps the following may partially answer your query:
>
> After the 7 what ?
>
> As I understand it if one refers to the closing 7 pages of the
VOICE OF
> THE SILENCE we find that COMPASSION the LAW OF LAWS demands of us
that
> we linger and assist in helping others showing the Path to the
truths
> concerning our world, our lives and the Universe.
>
> Have a look at this:
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> SPIRITUAL GIFTS & THEIR ATTAINMENT
>
>
>
> SPIRITUAL GIFTS AND THEIR ATTAINMENT
>
>
> ONE of the questions which a Theosophist is apt to ask, and to ask
with
> some earnestness and intensity is, How can I make progress in the
higher
> life? How can I attain spiritual gifts? For the phrase "spiritual
> gifts," which is a rather loose-jointed expression, we are indebted
to
> Paul, the Apostle and Adept, who thus wrote to the Corinthian
Church:
> "Concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you
ignorant."
> Among the "gifts" which he goes on to enumerate are these, -wisdom,
> knowledge, faith, healing, the working of miracles, prophecy,
discerning
> of spirits, the speaking of divers tongues, and the interpretation
of
> tongues. And while the Apostle urges the Corinthians to "covet
earnestly
> the best gifts," he yet proceeds to show them a more excellent way,
> namely the supreme law of love. "Now abideth," he says, "faith,
hope,
> charity (or love), these three; but the greatest of these is
charity."
> Spiritual gifts, then, however desirable their possession may be,
are
> plainly not, in the opinion of this good Adept, on the highest
plane,
> not the supreme object of human attainment, or the most excellent
way of
> reaching human perfection. They may doubtless properly be regarded
as
> evidences of advancement on the higher planes of thought and
spiritual
> life, and may be coveted and used for the benefit of others; but
they
> are not in themselves the chief object of human desire. For man's
> supreme aim should be to become God, and "God is love."
>
> But let us look at the matter a little more closely. In the first
place,
> what is a "gift"? What is the common acceptance of the word? Clearly
> something given to or bestowed upon a recipient, not something
which a
> man already possesses, or which he may obtain by a process of
growth or
> development. The latter, strictly speaking, would be a "fruit," not
a
> gift. A tree which has been producing nothing but leaves and
branches
> for many years finally breaks out into blossom and fruit. No
new "gift"
> ha been conferred upon it; it has simply reached a stage of
development
> in its natural growth where certain powers, inherent in the tree
form
> the beginning, have an opportunity to assert themselves. In the
same way
> the transcendental powers possessed by the Adepts are not gifts;
but the
> natural result of growth in certain directions, and the necessary
> efflorescence, so to speak, of the profound development in their
cases
> of those spiritual potentialities which are the birthright of all
men.
>
> Taking this view of the meaning of the word, I think most
Theosophists
> will be ready to admit that the phrase "spiritual gifts" is a
misnomer.
> There are and can be no gifts for man to receive. Whatever the
student
> of the higher life is, he is as the result of his past labors.
Whatever
> he may become in the future will be due to his own efforts. He may
> develop his latent faculties and in time become an Adept, or he may
> drift along the currents of life without aim or effort, till he
finally
> sinks into oblivion. His destiny is in his own hands, and is in no
way
> dependent upon "gifts."
>
> Bearing in mind, however, the manifold nature of man, the subject
may be
> looked at from another point of view. For all practical purposes
man may
> be said to consist of body, soul, and spirit, the soul being the
true
> ego, and the spirit one with the Supreme. And regarding these for
the
> time as separate entities, it is perfectly true, as James, another
> apostle, puts it, that "every good gift and every perfect gift is
from
> above." Every aspiration of the soul for spiritual things, every
resolve
> of man to lead a purer life, every helping outstretched hand to a
weaker
> brother, every desire for the truth, all hungering and thirsting
after
> righteousness: -these and like yearnings and strivings of the soul
have
> first of all come from above, from the Divine within. In this sense
they
> may be called "gifts,"-gifts from the higher nature to the lower,
from
> the spiritual to the human. And this action of the above upon the
below
> is seen in those humane attributes, or qualities, or virtues-
whatever
> one may be pleased to call them-which Paul in another place
enumerates
> as the "fruits of the spirit,-love, joy, peace, long suffering
> gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance."
>
> Looked at from either of these points of view, how can we attain
> spiritual gifts? The answer would seem to depend upon what we are
really
> striving for. If the extraordinary powers of the Adepts have
captivated
> our fancy and fired our ambition, then we must posses our souls in
> patience. Few, if any, of us are at all fitted for a "forcing"
process.
> We must be content to wait and work; to grow and develop; line upon
> line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little, till,
ages
> hence perhaps, we come to the full stature of the perfect man. If,
> however, wisely recognizing our limitations, we strive instead after
> what may be termed the ordinary manifestations of the spirit, two
> obvious lines of conduct suggest themselves.
>
> Every impulse from above, every prompting of the Divine within,
should
> meet at once with a hearty welcome and response. If you feel as if
> something urged you to visit some sick or afflicted neighbor or
friend,
> obey the suggestion without delay. If the wish to turn over a new
leaf
> comes into the lower consciousness, don't wait till next New Year's
> before actually turning it over; turn it now. If some pathetic
story of
> suffering has moved you, act on the emotion while your cheeks are
still
> wet with tears. In short, put yourself at once in line with the
Divine
> ways, in harmony with the Divine laws. More light, more wisdom, more
> spirituality must necessarily come to one thus prepared, thus
expectant.
> How can a bar of iron be permeated with the earth's magnetism if it
is
> placed across instead of in line with the magnetic meridian? How
can a
> man expect spiritual gifts or powers if he persists in ignoring
> spiritual conditions, in violating spiritual laws? To obtain the
good,
> we must think good thoughts; we must be filled with good desires; in
> short, we must be good.
> And this practical suggestion is to fulfill faithfully and
> conscientiously every known duty. It is in and through the
incidents of
> daily life, in work well done, in duties thoroughly performed, that
we
> today can most readily make progress in the higher life,-slow
progress,
> it may be, but at any rate sure. These are stepping stones to better
> things. We advance most rapidly when we stop to help other
wayfarers. We
> receive most when we sacrifice most. We attain to the largest
measure of
> Divine love when we most unselfishly love the brethren. We become
one
> with the Supreme most surely when we lose ourselves in work for
> Humanity.
>
> DIES NON
>
> Path, February 1889
> -------------------------------------------------
>
> 2
>
> From the The VOICE OF THE SILENCE
>
>
>
> "Behold it written:
>
> "Ere the gold flame can burn with steady light, the lamp must stand
well
> guarded in a spot free from all wind."(1) Exposed to shifting
breeze,
> the jet will flicker and the quivering flame cast shades deceptive,
dark
> and ever-changing, on the Soul's white shrine.
>
> And then, O thou pursuer of the truth, thy Mind-Soul will become as
a
> mad elephant, that rages in the jungle. Mistaking forest trees for
> living foes, he perishes in his attempts to kill the ever-shifting
> shadows dancing on the wall of sunlit rocks.
>
> Beware, lest in the care of Self thy Soul should lose her foothold
on
> the soil of Deva-knowledge.
>
> --------------------------------------------------------
> 68
>
> Beware, lest in forgetting SELF, thy Soul lose o'er its trembling
mind
> control, and forfeit thus the due fruition of its conquests.
>
> Beware of change! For change is thy great foe. This change will
fight
> thee off, and throw thee back, out of the Path thou treadest, deep
into
> viscous swamps of doubt.
>
> Prepare, and be forewarned in time. If thou hast tried and failed, O
> dauntless fighter, yet lose not courage: fight on and to the charge
> return again, and yet again.
>
> The fearless warrior, his precious life-blood oozing from his wide
and
> gaping wounds, will still attack the foe, drive him from out his
> stronghold, vanquish him, ere he himself expires. Act then, all ye
who
> fail and suffer, act like him; and from the stronghold of your Soul,
> chase all your foes away-ambition, anger, hatred, e'en to the
shadow of
> desire-when even you have failed. . .
> Remember, thou that fightest for man's
>
> 69
>
> liberation, (1) each failure is success, and each sincere attempt
wins
> its reward in time. The holy germs that sprout and grow unseen in
the
> disciple's soul, their stalks wax strong at each new trial, they
bend
> like reeds but never break, nor can they e'er be lost. But when the
hour
> has struck they blossom forth. (2) . . .
>
>
> * * * * * * * *
> * *
>
>
> But if thou cam'st prepare, then have no fear.
>
>
> * * * * * * * *
> * *
>
>
> Henceforth thy way is clear right through the Virya gate, the fifth
one
> of the Seven Portals.
>
> ========================
> Footnotes
>
> (1) This is an allusion to a well-known belief in the East (as in
the
> West, too, for the matter of that) that every additional Buddha or
Saint
> is a new soldier in the army of those who work for the liberation or
> salvation of mankind. In Northern Buddhist countries, where the
doctrine
> of Nirmanakayas-those Bodhisattvas who renounce well-earned Nirvana
or
> the Dharmakaya vesture (both of which shut them out for ever from
the
> world of men) in order to invisibly assist mankind and lead it
finally
> to Paranirvana-is taught, every new Bodhisattva or initiated great
Adept
> is called the "liberator of mankind." The statement made by
> Schlagintweit in his "Buddhism in Tibet" to the effect that Prulpai
Ku
> or "Nirmanakaya" is "the body in which the Buddhas or Bodhisattvas
> appear upon earth to teach men"-is absurdly inaccurate and explains
> nothing.
>
> (2) A reference to human passions and sins which are slaughtered
during
> the trials of the novitiate, and serve as well-fertilized soil in
which
> "holy germs" or seeds of transcendental virtues may germinate.
> Pre-existing or innate virtues, talents or gifts are regarded as
having
> been acquired in a previous birth. Genius is without exception a
talent
> or aptitude brought from another birth.
> --------------------------------------
>
> 70
>
> Thou art now on the way that leadeth to the Dhyana haven, the
sixth, the
> Bodhi Portal.
>
> The Dhyana gate is like an alabaster vase, white and transparent;
within
> there burns a steady golden fire, the flame of Prajna that radiates
from
> Atma.
>
> Thou art that vase.
>
> Thou hast estranged thyself from objects of the senses, travelled
on the
> "Path of seeing," on the "Path of hearing," and standest in the
light of
> Knowledge. Thou hast now reached Titiksha state. (1)
>
> O Narjol thou art safe.
>
>
> * * * * * * * *
> * *
>
>
> Know, Conqueror of Sins, once that a Sowanee (2) hath cross'd the
> seventh Path, all Nature thrills with joyous awe and feels subdued.
>
> =================================
> Footnote
>
> (1) Titiksha is the fifth state of Raja Yoga-one of supreme
> indifference; submission, if necessary, to what is
called "pleasures and
> pains for all," but deriving neither pleasure nor pain from such
> submission-in short, the becoming physically, mentally, and morally
> indifferent and insensible to either pleasure or pain.
>
> (2) Sowanee is one who practices Sowan, the first path in Dhyana, a
> Srotapatti.
> ----------------------------------------------------
>
> 71
>
> The silver star now twinkles out the news to the night-blossoms, the
> streamlet to the pebbles ripples out the tale; dark ocean-waves will
> roar it to the rocks surf-bound, scent-laden breezes sing it to the
> vales, and stately pines mysteriously whisper: "A Master has
arisen, a
> MASTER OF THE DAY". (1)
>
> He standeth now like a white pillar to the west, upon whose face the
> rising Sun of thought eternal poureth forth its first most glorious
> waves. His mind, like a becalmed and boundless ocean, spreadeth out
in
> shoreless space. He holdeth life and death in his strong hand.
>
> Yea, He is mighty. The living power made free in him, that power
which
> is HIMSELF, can raise the tabernacle of illusion high above the
gods,
> above great Brahm and Indra. Now he shall surely reach his great
reward!
>
> Shall he not use the gifts which it confers for his own rest and
bliss,
> his well-earn'd weal and glory-he, the subduer of the great
Delusion?
>
> ==============================
> Footnote
>
> (1) "Day" means here a whole Manvantara, a period of incalculable
> duration.
> ------------------------------------------------
>
> 72
>
> Nay, O thou candidate for Nature's hidden lore! If one would follow
in
> the steps of holy Tathagata, those gifts and powers are not for
Self.
>
> Would'st thou thus dam the waters born on Sumeru? (1) Shalt thou
divert
> the stream for thine own sake, or send it back to its prime source
along
> the crests of cycles?
>
> If thou would'st have that stream of hard-earn'd knowledge, of
Wisdom
> heaven-born, remain sweet running waters, thou should'st not leave
it to
> become a stagnant pond.
>
> Know, if of Amitabha, the "Boundless Age," thou would'st become
> co-worker, then must thou shed the light acquired, like to the
> Bodhisattvas twain, (2) upon the span of all three worlds. (3)
>
> ==============================
> Footnotes
>
> (1) Mount Meru, the sacred mountain of the Gods.
>
> (2) In the Northern Buddhist symbology, Amitabha or "Boundless
Space"
> (Parabrahm) is said to have in his paradise two
> Bodhisattvas-Kwan-shi-yin and Tashishi-who ever radiate light over
the
> three worlds where they lived, including our own (vide footnote No.
3,
> below), in order to help with this light (of knowledge) in the
> instruction of Yogis, who will, in their turn, save men. Their
exalted
> position in Amitabha's realm is due to deeds of mercy performed by
the
> two, as such Yogis, when on earth, says the allegory.
>
> (3) These three worlds are the three planes of being, the
terrestrial,
> astral and the spiritual.
> -----------------------------------
>
> 73
>
> Know that the stream of superhuman knowledge and the Deva-Wisdom
thou
> hast won, must, from thyself, the channel of Alaya, be poured forth
into
> another bed.
>
> Know, O Narjol, thou of the Secret Path, its pure fresh waters must
be
> used to sweeter make the Ocean's bitter waves-that mighty sea of
sorrow
> formed of the tears of men.
>
> Alas! when once thou hast become like the fix'd star in highest
heaven,
> that bright celestial orb must shine from out the spatial depths for
> all-save for itself; give light to all, but take from none.
>
> Alas! when once thou hast become like the pure snow in mountain
vales,
> cold and unfeeling to the touch, warm and protective to the seed
that
> sleepeth deep beneath its bosom-'tis now that snow which must
receive
> the biting frost, the northern blasts, thus shielding from their
sharp
> and cruel tooth the earth that holds the promised harvest, the
harvest
> that will feed the hungry.
>
> 74
>
> Self-doomed to live through future Kalpas, (1) unthanked and
unperceived
> by man; wedged as a stone with countless other stones which form the
> "Guardian Wall", (2) such is thy future if the seventh gate thou
> passest. Built by the hands of many Masters of Compassion, raised by
> their tortures, by their blood cemented, it shields mankind, since
man
> is man, protecting it from further and far greater misery and
sorrow.
>
> Withal man sees it not, will not perceive it, nor will he heed the
word
> of Wisdom . . . for he knows it not.
>
> But thou hast heard it, thou knowest all, O thou of eager guileless
> Soul. . . . and thou must choose. Then hearken yet again.
>
> On Sowan's Path, O Srotapatti, (3) thou art secure. Aye, on that
Marga,
> (4) where nought but
>
> ============================
> Footnotes
>
> (1) Cycles of ages.
>
> (2) The "Guardian Wall" or the "Wall of Protection." It is taught
that
> the accumulated efforts of long generations of Yogis, Saints and
Adepts,
> especially of the Nirmanakayas-have created, so to say, a wall of
> protection around mankind, which wall shields mankind invisibly from
> still worse evils.
>
> (3) Sowan and Srotapatti are synonymous terms.
>
> (4)Marga-"Path."
> -----------------------------------------
>
> 75
>
> darkness meets the weary pilgrim, where torn by thorns the hands
drip
> blood, the feet are cut by sharp unyielding flints, and Mara wields
his
> strongest arms-there lies a great reward immediately beyond.
>
> Calm and unmoved the Pilgrim glideth up the stream that to Nirvana
> leads. He knoweth that the more his feet will bleed, the whiter will
> himself be washed. He knoweth well that after seven short and
fleeting
> births Nirvana will be his . . .
>
> Such is the Dhyana Path, the haven of the Yogi, the blessed goal
that
> Srotapattis crave.
>
> Not so when he hath crossed and won the Aryahata Path.
(1) . . . . . . .
>
> There Klesha is destroyed for ever, Tanha's roots (3) torn out. But
> stay, Disciple . . . Yet, one word. Canst thou destroy divine
> COMPASSION? Compassion is no attribute. It is the LAW
>
> ======================================
> Footnotes
>
> (1) From the Sanscrit Arhat or Arhan.
>
> (2) Klesha is the love of pleasure or of worldly enjoyment, evil or
> good.
>
> (3) Tanha, the will to live, that which causes rebirth.
> ------------------------------------------------
>
> 76
>
> of LAWS-eternal Harmony, Alaya's SELF; a shoreless universal
essence,
> the light of everlasting Right, and fitness of all things, the law
of
> love eternal.
>
> The more thou dost become at one with it, thy being melted in its
BEING,
> the more thy Soul unites with that which IS, the more thou wilt
become
> COMPASSION ABSOLUTE. (1)
>
> Such is the Arya Path, Path of the Buddhas of perfection.
>
> Withal, what mean the sacred scrolls which make thee say?
>
> "OM! I believe it is not all the Arhats that get of the Nirvanic
Path
> the sweet fruition."
>
> "OM! I believe that the Nirvana-Dharma is entered not by all the
> Buddhas". (2)
>
> ==============================
> Footnotes
>
> (1) This "compassion" must not be regarded in the same light
as "God,
> the divine love" of the Theists. Compassion stands here as an
abstract,
> impersonal law whose nature, being absolute Harmony, is thrown into
> confusion by discord, suffering and sin.
>
> (2) Thegpa Chenpoido, "Mahayana Sutra," Invocations to the Buddhas
of
> Confession," Part I., iv. In the Northern Buddhist phraseology all
the
> great Arhats, Adepts and Saints are called Buddhas.
> ------------------------------------
>
> 77
>
> "Yea; on the Arya Path thou art no more Srotapatti, thou art a
> Bodhisattva. (1) The stream is cross'd. 'Tis true thou hast a right
to
> Dharmakaya vesture; but Sambogakaya is greater than a Nirvanee, and
> greater still is a Nirmanakaya-the Buddha of Compassion. (2)
>
> ================================
> Footnotes
>
> (1) A Bodhisattva is, in the hierarchy, less than a "perfect
Buddha." In
> the exoteric parlance these two are very much confused. Yet the
innate
> and right popular perception, owing to that self-sacrifice, has
placed a
> Bodhisattva higher in its reverence than a Buddha.
>
> (2) This same popular reverence calls "Buddhas of Compassion" those
> Bodhisattvas who, having reached the rank of an Arhat (i.e., having
> completed the fourth or seventh Path), refuse to pass into the
Nirvanic
> state or "don the Dharmakaya robe and cross to the other shore," as
it
> would then become beyond their power to assist men even so little as
> Karma permits. They prefer to remain invisibly (in Spirit, so to
speak)
> in the world, and contribute toward man's salvation by influencing
them
> to follow the Good Law, i.e., lead them on the Path of
Righteousness. It
> is part of the exoteric Northern Buddhism to honour all such great
> characters as Saints, and to offer even prayers to them, as the
Greeks
> and Catholics do to their Saints and Patrons; on the other hand, the
> esoteric teachings countenance no such thing. There is a great
> difference between the two teachings. The exoteric layman hardly
knows
> the real meaning of the word Nirmanakaya-hence the confusion and
> inadequate explanations of the Orientalists. For example
Schlagintweit
> believes that Nirmanakaya-body, means the physical form assumed by
the
> Buddhas when they incarnate on earth-"the least sublime of their
earthly
> encumbrances" (vide Buddhism in Tibet)-and he proceeds to give an
> entirely false view on the subject. The real teaching is, however,
this:
>
> The three Buddhic bodies or forms are styled
>
> 1. Nirmanakaya.
>
> 2. Sambhogakaya.
>
> 3. Dharmakaya.
>
> The first is that ethereal form which one would assume when leaving
his
> physical he would appear in his astral body-having in addition all
the
> knowledge of an Adept. The Bodhisattva develops it in himself as he
> proceeds on the Path. Having reached the goal and refused its
fruition,
> he remains on Earth, as an Adept; and when he dies, instead of going
> into Nirvana, he remains in that glorious body he has woven for
himself,
> invisible to uninitiated mankind, to watch over and protect it.
>
> Sambhogakaya is the same, but with the additional lustre of "three
> perfections," one of which is entire obliteration of all earthly
> concerns.
>
> The Dharmakaya body is that of a complete Buddha, i.e., no body at
all,
> but an ideal breath: Consciousness merged in the Universal
> Consciousness, or Soul devoid of every attribute. Once a
Dharmakaya, an
> Adept or Buddha leaves behind every possible relation with, or
thought
> for this earth. Thus, to be enabled to help humanity, an Adept who
has
> won the right to Nirvana, "renounces the Dharmakaya body" in mystic
> parlance; keeps, of the Sambhogakaya, only the great and complete
> knowledge, and remains in his Nirmanakaya body. The Esoteric School
> teaches that Gautama Buddha with several of his Arhats is such a
> Nirmanakaya, higher than whom, on account of the great renunciation
and
> sacrifice to mankind there is none known.
> -----------------------------------
>
> 78
>
> Now bend thy head and listen well, O Bodhisattva-Compassion speaks
and
> saith: "Can there be bliss when all that lives must suffer? Shalt
thou
> be saved and hear the whole world cry?"
>
> Now thou hast heard that which was said.
>
> Thou shalt attain the seventh step and cross the gate of final
knowledge
> but only to wed woe-if thou would'st be Tathagata, follow upon thy
> predecessor's steps, remain unselfish till the endless end.
>
> Thou art enlightened-Choose thy way.
>
> * * * * * * * *
> * *
>
> 79
>
> Behold, the mellow light that floods the Eastern sky. In signs of
praise
> both heaven and earth unite. And from the four-fold manifested
Powers a
> chant of love ariseth, both from the flaming Fire and flowing
Water, and
> from sweet-smelling Earth and rushing Wind.
>
> Hark! . . . from the deep unfathomable vortex of that golden light
in
> which the Victor bathes, ALL NATURE'S wordless voice in thousand
tones
> ariseth to proclaim:
>
> JOY UNTO YE, O MEN OF MYALBA. (1)
>
> A PILGRIM HATH RETURNED BACK "FROM THE OTHER SHORE."
>
> A NEW ARHAN (2) IS BORN. . . .
>
> Peace to all beings. (3)
>
> ===============================
> Footnotes
>
> (1) Myalba is our earth-pertinently called "Hell," and the greatest
of
> all Hells, by the esoteric school. The esoteric doctrine knows of no
> hell or place of punishment other than on a man-bearing planet or
earth.
> Avitchi is a state and not a locality.
>
> (2) Meaning that a new and additional Saviour of mankind is born,
who
> will lead men to final Nirvana i.e., after the end of the life-
cycle.
>
> (3) This is one of the variations of the formula that invariably
follows
> every treatise, invocation or Instruction. "Peace to all beings,"
> "Blessings on all that Lives," &c., &c.
>
>
> =======================================
>
>
> Best wishes
>
> Dallas
>
> ==================================
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: chris
> Sent: Thursday, April 08, 2004 2:42 AM
> To:
> Subject: Re: MultiperFectivalists Unite!
>
> Hallo Dallis,
>
> Still you have a good explanation of that and others will have more
> on it.
>
> But you tell me nothing new.
>
> All this stuff I know, but there is no error in that metaphysical
> point only in the interpretation of the teacher.
>
> As I wrote there are everywhere 7 principles, but the binding link
> between the 7 including the 6 others, the level of that stage of
> developement is finished, then starts the next level in chain with
> that highest Ultra atom (out of that higher level) and in the new
> developement start a 7 fold path again.
>
> It is a pity for not showing a picture of that.
>
> The 7 perfects and finished the 6 others.
>
> After that is a factor 8 to go over to the new project.And all
starts
> again only with a higher consciousness.
>
> Thanks for your work on it
>
> Christina
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