Theos-Talk Archives (September 2004 Message tt00322)

Sept 9 2004


Dear Friends:

Thus have I heard ----------------------------

Brotherhood starts with a recognition of the immortality of the spirit/soul
(the ATMA) which is present in every being, be is a speck f dust, a drop of
water, an air current, an Earth, a human being or an animal form, a Sun, or
the Whole GALAXY. 

Consider this metaphysical basis:

The SECRET DOCTRINE (pp. 14-19) establishes three fundamental propositions:
— 

(a) An Omnipresent, Eternal, Boundless, and Immutable PRINCIPLE on which all
speculation is impossible, since it transcends the power of human conception
and could only be dwarfed by any human expression or similitude. It is
beyond the range and reach of thought — in the words of Mandukya,
"unthinkable and unspeakable." 

To render these ideas clearer to the general reader, let him set out with
the postulate that there is one absolute Reality which antecedes all
manifested, conditioned, being. 

This Infinite and Eternal Cause — dimly formulated in the "Unconscious" and
"Unknowable" of current European philosophy — is the rootless root of "all
that was, is, or ever shall be."

It is of course devoid of all attributes and is essentially without any
relation to manifested, finite Being. It is "Be-ness" rather than Being (in
Sanskrit, Sat), and is beyond all thought or speculation. 

This "Be-ness" is symbolised in the Secret Doctrine under two aspects. 

1	On the one hand, absolute abstract Space, representing bare
subjectivity, the one thing which no human mind can either exclude from any
conception, or conceive of by itself. 

2	On the other, absolute Abstract Motion representing Unconditioned
Consciousness. 


Parabrahm (the One Reality, the Absolute) is the field of Absolute
Consciousness, i.e., that Essence which is out of all relation to
conditioned existence, and of which conscious existence is a conditioned
symbol. 

But once that we pass in thought from this (to us) Absolute Negation,
duality supervenes in the contrast of 

1	Spirit (or consciousness) and 

2	Matter, Subject and Object. 

Spirit (or Consciousness) and Matter are, however, to be regarded, not as
independent realities, but as the two facets or aspects of the Absolute
(Parabrahm), which constitute the basis of conditioned Being whether
subjective or objective. 

The "Manifested Universe," therefore, is pervaded by duality, which is, as
it were, the very essence of its EX-istence as "manifestation." 
 
But just as the opposite poles of subject and object, spirit and matter, are
but aspects of the One Unity in which they are synthesized, so, in the
manifested Universe, there is "that" which links spirit to matter, subject
to object. 

This something, at present unknown to Western speculation, is called by the
occultists Fohat. It is the "bridge" by which the "Ideas" existing in the
"Divine Thought" are impressed on Cosmic substance as the "laws of Nature."
Fohat is thus the dynamic energy of Cosmic Ideation; or, regarded from the
other side, it is the intelligent medium, the guiding power of all
manifestation, the "Thought Divine" transmitted and made manifest through
the Dhyan Chohans,* the Architects of the visible World. 

Thus from Spirit, or Cosmic Ideation, comes our consciousness; from Cosmic
Substance the several vehicles in which that consciousness is individualised
and attains to self — or reflective — consciousness; while Fohat, in its
various manifestations, is the mysterious link between Mind and Matter, the
animating principle electrifying every atom into life. 


2	UNIVERSAL LAW

(b.) The Eternity of the Universe in toto as a boundless plane; periodically
"the playground of numberless Universes incessantly manifesting and
disappearing," called "the manifesting stars," and the "sparks of Eternity."
"The Eternity of the Pilgrim" † is like a wink 
[ "Pilgrim" is the appellation given to our Monad (the two in one) during
its cycle of incarnations. It is the only immortal and eternal principle in
us, being an indivisible part of the integral whole — the Universal Spirit,
from which it emanates, and into which it is absorbed at the end of the
cycle. ] is like a wink of the Eye of Self-Existence (Book of Dzyan.) "The
appearance and disappearance of Worlds is like a regular tidal ebb of flux
and reflux." 

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.

Moreover, the Secret Doctrine teaches: —


3	EVOLUTION IS UNIVERSAL

(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 (or "Necessity") in accordance with Cyclic and Karmic law,
during the whole term. 

In other words, no purely spiritual Buddhi (divine Soul) can have an
independent (conscious) existence before the spark which issued from the
pure Essence of the Universal Sixth principle, — or the OVER-SOUL, — has 

(a) passed through every elemental form of the phenomenal world of that
Manvantara, and 

(b) acquired individuality, first by natural impulse, and then by
self-induced and self-devised efforts (checked by its Karma), thus ascending
through all the degrees of intelligence, from the lowest to the highest
Manas, from mineral and plant, up to the holiest archangel (Dhyani-Buddha). 

The pivotal doctrine of the Esoteric philosophy admits no privileges or
special gifts in man, save those won by his own Ego through personal effort
and merit throughout a long series of metempsychoses and reincarnations. 

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

In the human stage the Mind is to be brought under control and the passions
and emotions fully mastered and subdued. 

The Ultimate goal has been called SUPREME PERFECTION -- or ALL KNOWLEDGE --
in effect wisdom -- and the state of a Universally Self-Conscious being -- A
Mahatma. 


Best wishes, 

Dallas
 
======================================================

-----Original Message-----
From: Perry 
Sent: Thursday, September 09, 2004 2:02 AM
To: 
Subject: Re: practicing universal brotherhood rather than merely mouthing
the concept


What is Brotherhood? 

Perhaps a theosophical definition could be the recognition of the 
ONENESS of the ALL.

Certain questions I think need to be asked in terms of theosophical 
discussion and scholarship.

Do we not examine and discuss uncomfortable but valid points of 
difference and contradiction because doing this is somehow seen as 
not allowing others their right to belief and opinion?

If you examine this rational to me there is an inherent contradiction.
For if we try and suppress and squash legitimate debate because it 
raises uncomfortable and unpopular points to be openly discussed, are 
we not excluding the rights of someone to freely and openly explore 
new evidence and information as it come to hand and also empower 
members with that new information when that comes to light.

Are we so attached to our beliefs that the thought of challenging 
them is out of the pale because it may upset us or others after such 
an examination is carried out?

Perhaps reputations are at stake maybe we will need to admit that our 
past position was in fact incorrect.

What's at stake in making such an admission especially for an 
organization which has build a certain amount of `credibility' on 
this or that being a certain way and then it is then proven not to be 
the case.

These are difficult questions and I don't claim to know easy 
solutions to them.

Is ignorance and denial bliss and adding to the sum total 
of "Brotherhood" or it a veneer of "Brotherhood" cloaking deceit in 
an extreme example, is that Brotherhood?

The inability to handle legitimate discussion and debate to me is a 
sign of a dysfunctional personality type.

Maintaining the cosy but perhaps illusionary world we are familiar 
and comfortable with.

Maybe we need to look outside of the square as to what might be meant 
by the concept of Brotherhood.

Can the inability to handle debate be out of a need for security and 
certainty?

Is it possible to be mature enough to discuss both historical and 
philosophical positions in a way that lays things on the table and 
allows each as an individual to look at the various perspectives and 
draw our own inferences from them.

Can this be done without being nasty or vindictive but rather kept 
within due bounds of valid, decent and honest intellectual debate?
These are just the questions I've asked myself. 

Perry