Theos-Talk Archives (March 2005 Message tt00216)

Mar 13 2005

Dear E:

Consider this also please:

Man's sevenfold constitution ( S D I 157, II 296) provides a basis for us
to understand the purpose of a fragment (or spark) of the UNIVERSAL SPIRIT
- ATMA - to be present in every human.

It is also said to be present uniformly in every "life-atom" in the world
and universe. [ S D I 289 -- "There is not one finger's breadth (angula)
of void Space in the whole Boundless (Universe)..." ]

Man's Individuality is ATMA - BUDDHI - MANAS (Spirit, Wisdom and Mind.)

WE may call the Earth and our Universe INTELLIGENCE UNDER EDUCATION.

This includes: Theosophical Education, Applying a knowledge of the 7
Principles, the duality of Mind, our power of choice as Moral
Responsibility,
Reincarnation of every Immortal MONAD as a process. Each life is like a
"day in School." 

Let me offer for your consideration some ideas that appear to me basic --
they come from a study of THEOSOPHY.
 
First. The economy of Nature has placed relevant analogies and
correspondences throughout all her systems, including ours. These
correspondences enable and facilitate communication and ideas - to travel at
incredible speeds -- wherein distance and time are not the same delaying
factors we encounter in our daily physical world.
 
Second. This enables communication between all of the 7 principles of man,
and also their communication through the physical brain (acting as a
switchboard), so that there can be an outward expression to others of them -
by speech, writing or any other means. 
 
Third. Between incoming sense impressions and ideas, and those which the
Real EGO inside (and behind the brain) generates and chooses to express -
there is an intense but almost immediate activity and response -- one that
evaluates the incoming, and then, responds appropriately to them as outgoing
thoughts, feelings, words and actions. 

There are, it seems, two areas of contrasting reflection, consideration and
response. And these two are presided over by (1) the HIGHER SELF (the ATMA)
and, (2) KAMA -- the "desire principle." This duality has been named in
THEOSOPHY: 1 -- BUDDHI and 2 -- KAMA. (Or: (1) Wisdom / Idealism, and /
vs. (2) Desire / Self-interested emotion).
 
This condition inside of us is like you or me when we use a computer - the
computer is like the brain, it is an instrument - a switchboard. We (the
Real Inner Intelligence) are the directors of the fingers and the computer
output.
 
It receives incoming e-mail, and after reading that, and consideration, the
thought of the correspondent is written and sent.  
 
We all know the computer does not do this on its own, it has not the kind of
individual or personal consciousness that enables it to act INDEPENDENTLY of
human control. Thus all responsibility is focussed on the unseen and
intangible controlling human factor.  
 
The electronic activity in the computer is recognized as evidence of a tool
in use, but the electronic activity of the brain is mistakenly identified
for evidence of the creation of thought and decisions.  

We have not yet developed (as a part of our independent and manipulative
capacity) the tools necessary to penetrate behind the material
surface-operations of the physical brain, although all physiologists and
psychologists have received strong evidence that such an "existence" is
present and independently active and morally responsible. This is
important, I think.
 
It is this mind generated controlling human factor we have to study so as to
be able to advance in occultism. Occultism is a knowledge of the secret
powers and factors of the MIND, and of the reincarnating immortal EGO
[BUDDHI-MANAS which is always presided over by the HIGHER SELF -- ATMA]. The
Atmic principle has a single restriction: It cannot influence or force any
decision on the free and independent Mind of any individual. It acts like a
wise Tutor, but not a policeman, or a giver of magic gifts. It advises if
asked. (see TRANSACTIONS OF THE BLAVATSKY LODGE, pp 64 - 68).
 
We may say that occultism is the study of the development in the human mind
(KAMA-MANAS) - or that which we call our own conscious, intelligent, mental
and emotional workings -- using our LOWER MIND as a tool for observation and
strictly honest, accurate and impersonal measurement in our day-to-day
world. 
 
Any IDEAL (related to the principle BUDDHI) is of necessity an impersonal
and a universal one, so that no isolated aspect of self-interest can
possibly enter into it. In this process of advice, no selfish and isolating
emotion or desire is allowed to mix -- the embodied mind (Kama-manas) has to
be given entire freedom to choose its own destiny. 

So, while the HIGHER SELF (Atma) presents IDEALS and suggestions, these are
carefully separated from ordinary selfish and self-serving ideas and
thoughts. They are impersonal thoughts and may be called universal,
practical idealism.
 
Fourth. It is said that everyone in life tries to: "put their best foot
forward." And whether it is the right or left side of the brain that
appears to be active is not important; but, the quality of our motive and
our decisions is. 
 
You will find, I think that MOTIVE is considered in THEOSOPHY, as in all
ancient prophetic sayings and deeds, the most important aspect of our life.
Most don't realize this, and so, little importance has been placed on
determining what motive is chosen, and whether there is value in using it to
shape our choices or making recommendations.
 
Five We live in a materialistic civilization and its influence is a
part of our lives - as you may observe in the relations of individuals as
well as of parents and children, and in school activities.
 
One thing we are asked to remember and that is: between the astral and the
physical planes and principles, there is an inversion or a reversal.
 
The phenomena of activity registered in regard to volition and thought in
our human brains may be located in many parts of the brain. Just as many
parts of a computer are needed to coordinate a sensible response. 
 
Some experiments tend to locate response and activity to the left or right
sides of the average brain. ( What about a "yogi's" responses ?) Men's
response areas and women's response areas in the brain may differ, but the
significance is still unknown. The whole area is experimental and the
reports we receive illustrate the nature of trips into discovery land. 
 
But there is evidence that all this has been done ages ago. THEOSOPHY states
I that the construction of our physiological organs and their activities
have been provided for and arranged by Nature (the Universe, and its secret
laws and creations) far earlier than our probing and recent observations
(done in the last 300 years) have revealed.
 
Next: It is apparent that ancient Indian psycho-physiologists far long ago
had determined certain correlations. But what we have been able to read in
the nature of translated information from them is to be carefully verified. 

The Vedas and other scriptures of ancient India will be found to conceal
several codes wherein truths and knowledge are concealed in several ways.
They cannot be interpreted literally. 
 
There is a large gap between modern methods of gross literal and physical
observation and measurement, and the ancient India approach using a keenly
honed and carefully directed Mind as a non-destructive tool. This could be
directed in a harmless way to examine, not only the physiological actions
that arise from thought / feelings, but, they carefully distinguished
between those two -- which modern psycho-physiology does not understand or
admit to in the rigorous way the ancients did.

Next, they carefully traced back the sources of personal (selfish) as well
as individual (universal and ideal) mental and emotional positions and
conditions.
 
In other words, the "7 principles of Man," [see S D I 157, II 596] and
their interaction have to be first admitted as profoundly causal.  

But even more important, the concept that Man is an immortal MONAD
(ATMA-BUDDHI), and each incarnation is only a step forward, a "day at
school," needs to be taken as a primary basic fact.  
 
Prior even to that, one has to assume that the commencement of all
"evolution" and "development" gives evidence of an ABSOLUTE indescribable
background. Then periodically, according to vast cycles of Karmic action,
there can be traced:  
 
(1) the descent of SPIRIT into matter, 
 
(2) the development of an independent virtuous MIND, and, 
 
(3) the MATTER being thus spiritualized and made pure by self-effort, is
raised out of the domination of KAMA (selfish desire) into the estate of
BUDDHI-MANAS (the independent spiritual mind) of the MAHATMA. (Prophet, or
Great Soul, or Elder Brother.)
 
The Mahatmas have said They were once men such as we are, and they graduated
from the "School of Life" ages ago They have studied Nature and all her
secret workings -- and they have chosen to reject Nirvana [see S D I
207-210] and remain as our friends, Elder Brothers and instructors, alive
on Earth today. 
 
THEOSOPHY would say that one has to learn, first of all, the "spiritual
heredity" of man's physiological origins, and then when that has been
grasped, an observation of the part played by emotion and desire (Kama) has
to be identified.
  
They state that there are NO short-cuts to this ancient and time-tested
method of instruction and learning, as each man-mind has to develop his
knowledge of action and reaction (Karma) independently. The person doing
the "testing" has first, themselves, to become pure of motive, i.e.:
unselfish and universally impersonal. 
 
We notice that there is a kind of pride involved in the motive activating
many scientific researchers, whereby the urge to be the first to describe or
demonstrate one or other of the installations of OLD NATURE is exposed.  
 
That is unessential in reality, as a use of any such information can lead to
abuse in the hands of those who know little or nothing of man's complete
nature -- starting with the IMMORTAL MONAD in each human, as the CAUSAL
BEING.  
 
Reincarnation, as a process, and the gradual schooling of every human being
as the intention and objective of Nature, has to be seen, understood and
admitted. If this is not done on an impersonal and universal basis, nothing
of practical value will ever emerge.
 
Such activity, either by self-will (What is that? What is the motive? ) or
from external stimulus (to be most carefully defined as to quality) needs to
be classified and identified.  
 
I have always felt that the division of left-brain and right-brain was
arbitrary -- a rough consideration but not to be interpreted as causal in
any way. In our current system of observation and measurement we are
observing effects, not CAUSES. We are, so to speak, observing the electronic
actions of the 'brain-computer in use.'
 
The ancient science of psychology and its relation to physiology in Indian
Literature seems largely to relate to the Vedas and commentaries thereon.
(see PATANJALI's YOGA SUTRAS for instance).
 
Therefore our use of specific words (not fully defined) designating the
parts of the human physiology and psychology, devised and used by ancient
wise men (and retranslated by persons who were not HPB) is for the present a
puzzle for all of us.
 
How can anyone have "happiness" without wisdom and knowledge of what it is
right to do? Where do we secure a true knowledge of the essentials of
"right livelihood?"  

We have the great Mosaic "Ten Commandments."  

Do we practice them rigorously?  


Here is another rendition:
 
Kill not -- for Pity's sake -- and lest ye slay
The meanest thing upon its upward way.
 
Give freely and receive, but take from none
By greed, or force or fraud, what is his own.
 
Bear not false witness, slander not, nor lie;
Truth is the speech of inward purity.
 
Shun drugs and drinks which work the wit abuse;
Clear minds, clean bodies, need no Soma juice.
 
Touch not thy neighbor's wife, neither commit
Sins of the flesh unlawful and unfit.

----------------------
  
I hope this proves to be of some help.
 
Best wishes,
 
Dallas
 
 
==================================
 
-----Original Message-----
From: Etzion Becker 
Sent: Friday, March 11, 2005 
To: 
Subject: [bn-study] Re: Living Master

Friends:

The Master, the Spiritual Guide, the Perfect Person, whatever name, is no 
more but a projector, or a mirror for what we really are, which has been 
shrouded for ages due to action in ignorance. 

These actions, which truly cause suffering to the person and his neighbors,
consolidate in the subconscious mind as a thick layer of past-impressions,
or memories, samskaras in Sanskrit. 

The Masters have provided the Spiritual Path, and actually in this world of
form, so we will learn how to act without creating bindings, without causing
suffering. 

You have reached this Path, and this is your right and duty to tread the
Path, and the Path is actually the Master personified. The Path will provide
you with endless opportunities of training which aim at the dissolusion of
the grey fogs which latent in our subconscious minds, and more light of
understanding will shine in and out, and one day you will become the very
Path yourself. Best wishes, 

Etzion