Theos-Talk Archives (January 2005 Message tt00592)

Jan 19 2005

Dear friends and K:


Karma is everywhere

Karma, as HPB describes it ( a review of what she writes in THE KEY TO
THEOSOPHY is helpful, if we want an accurate description of the Law)
operates to bring on manifestation.  

The Great Dhyanis (the WISE ONES ) operate to do this, using the matter from
previous Manvantaras, and they do it under the LAWS of the UNIVERSE.

How does it work?

Theosophy states that our Karma is “attached” to us as soon as we make a
choice. The Jain philosophers speak of the “karmas” that attach themselves
to us. Liberation, they say, is achieved when all these are detached and we
are no longer bound.

This is explained as a magnetic adherence of the “virtue” inherent in our
thoughts and feelings that affect the living atoms of our bodies (as well as
our environment) . We momentarily change this quality -- so whatever we do,
think or feel, remains as an indelible impression in and on the “skandhas
and the matter” we use to make up the various “koshas” (sheaths or
principles) that we think of as our Personal SELVES. This is not generally
realized, but a moment’s thought will enable us to see the justice of this.


For example take a tennis player receiving and returning the balls in his
court. He serves, and if the ball is returned, he receives the impact of
his original delivery, plus the return impression of the opponent, and so
on, until a fault is made. Every return is compounded of several choices
and impressions -- thus we may generate something and receive it back plus
the impressions that others may have added or taken from it. This is a kind
of moral action that is very real in the dynamic balance that Nature
maintains in all departments.  

Since we may not have thought of the whole of Nature as being alive and
sensitive, this action is usually not noticed -- hence, not considered. But
our ignorance does not destroy this force, which is active always all
around, and in, and through us. How else could Nature support our living
and maintain our “position” in her marvelous complexity?

This activity in nature’s hidden laboratory is yet to be identified and
accurately analyzed by our science, but it has always been known in
Theosophy.

That which HPB taught at the beginning of the Theosophical Movement covers
the basic ideas of karma and the power of free choice that is ours as human
beings.

There is in each of us an aspect of the Universal Spirit. Karma (as effect
that strictly follows any cause) is one of its operational factors. It
operates to bring the Universe into existence, and, continuing unbroken to
the present, it takes note of our thoughts, feelings and acts. It is
always educative, and not punitive. 

It seeks to restore disturbed equilibrium. In a dynamic universe, this is a
most marvelous achievement – everything has to be weighed and balanced. It
is only possible when we consider that the entire Universe is composed of
MONADS, each the “mirror” of every other monad. It is a very real
brotherhood. 

"Bad karma" is a misnomer. It is simply the fact that sensitive nature
around us, takes notice of our motives, feelings, desires, thoughts and
acts, and brings to us, sooner or later, the exact result that those have
induced.  

We may think we have secured a personal advantage, or that we have settled a
score with some one else, by putting them in difficulty. But if we have
done this and know that it was a wrong thing to do, we are going to
eventually "suffer" from our own error. We always KNOW when we are choosing
or doing wrong.

"Land mines" are no exception to such a rule, nor are other "accidents."
Those who have assisted in their construction, placement and ultimately in
the harm they do to others who are unknown, will at some time, have to
suffer the consequences.

The view that Theosophy offers is that all action whether it be thought,
feeling, emotion, or actions --- anything involving CHOICE -- involves
Karma.

Karma, as HPB describes it ( described in THE KEY TO THEOSOPHY is helpful
for accuracy ) operates to bring on manifestation. 

The Great Dhyanis (the WISE ONES ) to do this impersonally, using the
matter (monads and skandhas) from previous Manvantaras, under the LAWS of
the UNIVERSE. Nothing ever “dies,” it is always preserved and transformed.
Nature always finds a place for it to continue to exist. Hence, in the case
of the monads that have reached the “human stage,” there is the Law of
reincarnation. 

Humankind, because of its presence at the balance point of nature in its
general evolutionary process, is given the gift of "Mind" by the Great
Dhyanis – it is the power to think, the power to know the various Laws that
govern all that is about him, and his own progress. It is said this process
of general mental enlightenment is similar to lighting one candle from
another.

To do this we evolve a "personality" and this includes in our emotional
nature likes, dislikes, uncertainties, knowledge, etc., and these are
usually quite unorganized. The MIND is a tool which enables us to observe
and to organize them. It is part of the "personality" but not under its
control. In point of evolution it is a superior power allied to the
"spiritual nature." It is impersonal, detached, and able to analyze motive,
volition, emotion, and all impulses – and control and direct them.

Essentially MIND is a portion of the INDIVIDUALITY -- the REAL EGOIC ENTITY.

This "Individuality (or MONAD)" is said in Theosophy to include:

1. SPIRIT (or rather, a "ray" of the ONE UNIVERSAL SPIRIT );

2. BUDDHI, or Wisdom that has been acquired as the experience of the
MONAD through all its evolution up to the present. This ATMA-BUDDHI, bound
together, are called by HPB the MONAD. In evolution, as they are
indissolubly linked. And then,

3. MANAS -- the Mind. With all its many powers and functions [ see
PATANJALI's YOGA-SUTRAS for a full description ]

The MIND serves as a link between the Individuality and the "Personality"
through the thread that is called "Sutratma" ( the "thread-soul." ) It
links the HIGHER MANAS with the LOWER MANAS ( or the embodied mind).

In terms of Karma, the personality generates new causes all the time when it
makes choices. The INDIVIDUALITY is always detached and is in complete
harmony with Universal KARMA.

The purpose of living for us, humans, is said to be to develop (with our
"embodied-mind -- Lower Manas) an understanding of the operation of Law in
all of Nature's departments, and especially in the area of our ability to
make free and independent choice. The MORAL / ETHICAL factor is the
important faculty to master and develop in this stage of our evolution. The
first and primary faculty of the MIND is its independence -- its free-will,
and its power to chose. Hence our advancement in the evolutionary scheme is
said to be "probationary." The goal is called "Perfection."

This is to be carefully understood. In no way are we the "tools" or subject
to the manipulations of a supposed "personal God," Angel, Demon, etc...
Therefore Theosophy advances the idea that we are linked DIRECTLY through
the INDIVIDUALITY to the ONE SPIRIT. We carry in ourselves its entire
potential. We educate ourselves and we conclude our term of learning by
initiating ourselves. The wisdom of the Universe is within --- in our own
Spirit. Mind is the channel that leads to That and self-discipline (of the
desire nature) is the tool we use for this advance.

In regard specifically to the question of our ability or inability to chose
the "right thing," or to choose "between two evils," implies that we,
interiorly, know what is the "RIGHT THING." Or, we would not have a sense
of a "bad" thing, nor a warning intuition from the "Voice of Conscience"
against such a choice.

There is much food for thought in these ideas.

Here are a couple of quotes: --

------------------


“Eye for an eye can imply revenge if the Old Testament is taken literally.
Karma is divine justice [in which it seems that the general public has no
true faith]; so could it be implying that there is a return of good for
good, and for evil a return of JUSTICE...? YES “  

------------------------------------

"Verily, an evil deed committed does not immediately bear fruit, just as
milk does not curdle at once; but like a smoldering fire covered with
ashes, it remains with the fool until the moment it ignites and burns
him.” --Buddhism. Dhammapada verses : 69, 71 


"One who you think should be hit is none else but you. 
One who you think should be governed is none else but you. 
One who you think should be tortured is none else but you. 
One who you think should be enslaved is none else but you. 
One who you think should be killed is none else but you. 
A sage is ingenuous and leads his life after comprehending the
parity of the killed and the killer. Therefore, neither does he cause
violence to others nor does he make others do so.”
--Jainism. Acaranga Sutra 5. verses 101-2 

---------------------------------------------

Best wishes,

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

-----Original Message-----
From: krishtar 
Sent: Tuesday, January 18, 2005 12:06 PM
To: 
Subject: Re: Controversy and its effects


Agreed, controversy generates controversy, all this discussion about the
sexuality of a man who is not alive to defend himself could be sustituted
for a true exchange not only experiences but also to learn more from those
who are a bit advanced in the studies.

People learn from many sources and the important is not the quantity or the
sources of information which we can assimilate but how much of it we can use
and transform into wisdom.

One important topic and perhaps the most important in any philosophical or
theosophical is the meditation, not the meditation taught under
sensacionalism and exotic techniques but the simplest of all, which is the
sanzen which is to sit and meditate.

We have to stop all this talking inside and ouside of us, the more we feed
ourselves with a multiple set of definitions, prejudices, gossips and
controversies the more we´ll find hard to meditate.

If we can´t stop for a while and stop generating so many thoughts we can
never hear our inner silence and what our real being is.

There is no use on knowing so many dates, data, episodes, gossips and those
endless someone-told-me-thats or even those tiring cut and pastes from
everywhere. 

We have a giant, huge amount of information in books, in the net, but what
we do with it all?

In what level all this we are processing to become a better person or how
good is the evolution it brings us?

We know a lot, many are chiefs of schools and cultural movements and
fraternities but we are still arrogant and competitive.

Once Eldon wrote that we must never forget we are persons, even in front of
a PC, but we are persons and the high amount of emails here could be quite
more educative.

Many of us write about subjects never put into practise, just theories or
something a man once wrote, so we should be more honest and ask help, trade
ideas without labels or prejudices.

CUT