Theos-Talk Archives (March 2005 Message tt00251)

March 16 2005

 
WHAT OUR SOCIETY NEEDS MOST


The first object of our Society is the formation of a nucleus of a Universal
Brotherhood. 

This is a practical object and at the same time a fact in nature. It has
been long regarded by the greater number of men as an Utopian ideal, one
that might be held up, talked about, desired, but impossible of attainment.
And it was no wonder that people so regarded it, because the ordinary
religious view of God, nature, and man placed everything on a selfish basis,
offered personal distinction in heaven to the saints who might die in the
odor of sanctity, and thus made impossible the realization of this beautiful
dream. 

But when the Theosophical philosophy shows that there is a unity among
beings not only in their better natures but also on the physical plane, our
first object becomes most practical. For if all men are brothers in fact,
that is, joined one to another by a tie which no one can break, then the
formation of the nucleus for the future brotherhood is something that has to
do with all the affairs of man, affects civilizations, and leads to the
physical as well as moral betterment of each member of the great family.

This first object means philanthropy. 

Each Theosophist should therefore not only continue his private or public
acts of charity, but also strive to so understand Theosophical philosophy as
to be able to expound it in a practical and easily understood manner, so
that he may be a wider philanthropist by ministering to the needs of the
inner man. 

This inner man is a thinking being who feeds upon a right or wrong
philosophy. If he is given one which is wrong, then, becoming warped and
diseased, he leads his instrument, the outer man, into bewilderment and
sorrow.

Now as Theosophical theories were and are still quite strange, fascinating,
and peculiar when contrasted with the usual doctrines of men and things,
very many members have occupied themselves with much metaphysical
speculation or with diving into the occult and the wonderful, forgetting
that the higher philanthropy calls for a spreading among men of a right
basis for ethics, for thought, for action. 

So we often find Theosophists among themselves debating complicated
doctrines that have no present application to practical life, and at the
same time other members and some enquirers breathing a sigh of relief when
anyone directs the inquiries into such a channel as shall cause all the
doctrines to be extended to daily life and there applied.

What we most need is such a Theosophical education as will give us the
ability to expound Theosophy in a way to be understood by the ordinary
person. This practical, clear exposition is entirely possible. That it is of
the highest importance there can be no doubt whatever. 

It relates to and affects ethics, every day life, every thought, and
consequently every act. 

The most learned, astute, and successful church, the Roman Catholic,
proceeds on this basis. Should we refrain from a good practise because a
bigot takes the same method? The priests of Rome do not explain, nor attempt
to explain or expound, the highly metaphysical and obscure, though
important, basis of their various doctrines. 

They touch the people in their daily life, a knowledge of their own system
in all its details enabling them to put deep doctrine into every man's
language, although the learning of the preacher may be temporarily
concealed. With them the appeal is to fear; with us it is to reason and
experience. So we have a natural advantage which ought not to be overlooked.

High scholarship and a knowledge of metaphysics are good things to have, but
the mass of the people are neither scholars nor metaphysicians. 

If our doctrines are of any such use as to command the efforts of sages in
helping on to their promulgation, then it must be that those sages - our
Masters - desire the doctrines to be placed before as many of the mass as we
can reach. 

This our Theosophical scholars and metaphysicians can do by a little effort.
It is indeed a little difficult, because slightly disagreeable, for a member
who is naturally metaphysical to come down to the ordinary level of human
minds in general, but it can be done. And when one does do this, the reward
is great from the evident relief and satisfaction of the enquirer.

It is pre-eminently our duty to be thus practical in exposition as often as
possible. 

Intellectual study only of our Theosophy will not speedily better the world.
It must, of course, have effect through immortal ideas once more set in
motion, but while we are waiting for those ideas to bear fruit among men a
revolution may break out and sweep us away. 

We should do as Buddha taught his disciples, preach, practise, promulgate,
and illustrate our doctrines. 

He spoke to the meanest of men with effect, although having a deeper
doctrine for greater and more learned minds. Let us, then, acquire the art
of practical exposition of ethics based on our theories and enforced by the
fact of Universal Brotherhood.


Path, September, 1892


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APPLICATION OF THEOSOPHICAL THEORIES


KARMA REINCARNATION


The mistake is being made by a great many persons, among them being
Theosophists, of applying several of the doctrines current in Theosophical
literature, to only one or two phases of a question or to only one thing at
a time, limiting rules which have universal application to a few cases, when
in fact all those doctrines which have been current in the East for so long
a time should be universally applied. 


KARMA


For instance, take the law of Karma. Some people say, "yes, we believe in
that," but they only apply it to human beings. They consider it only in its
relation to their own acts or to the acts of all men. Sometimes they fail
to see that it has its effect not only on themselves and their fellows, but
as well on the greatest of Mahatmas. 

Those great Beings are not exempt from it; in fact they are, so to say, more
bound by it than we are. Although they are said to be above Karma, this is
only to be taken to mean that, having escaped from the wheel of Samsara
(which means the wheel of life and death, or rebirths), and in that sense
are above Karma, at the same time we will find them often unable to act in a
given case. 

Why? If they have transcended Karma, how can it be possible that in any
instance they may not break the law, or perform certain acts which to us
seem to be proper at just that juncture? Why can they not, say in the case
of a chela who has worked for them and for the cause, for years with the
most exalted unselfishness, interfere and save him from suddenly falling or
being overwhelmed by horrible misfortune; or interfere to help or direct a
movement? It is because they have become part of the great law of Karma
itself. It would be impossible for them to lift a finger.

Again, we know that at a certain period of progress, far above this
sublunary world, the adept reaches a point when he may, if he so chooses,
formulate a wish that he might be one of the Devas, one of that bright host
of beings of whose pleasure, glory and power we can have no idea. The mere
formulation of the wish is enough. At that moment he becomes one of the
Devas. He then for a period of time which in its extent is incalculable,
enjoys that condition--then what? Then he has to begin again low down in the
scale, in a mode and for a purpose which it would be useless to detail here,
because it could not be understood, and also because I am not able to put it
in any language with which I am conversant. In this, then, is not this
particular adept who thus fell, subject to the law of Karma? [see The VOICE
OF THE SILENCE, pp. 43 - 47, 71 - 79]

There is in the Hindoo books a pretty story which illustrates this. 

A certain man heard that every day a most beautiful woman rose up out of the
sea, and combed her hair. He resolved that he would go to see her. He went,
and she rose up as usual. He sprang into the sea behind her, and with her
went down to her abode. There he lived with her for a vast length of time.
One day she said she had to go away and stated that he must not touch a
picture which was on the wall, and then departed. In a few days, fired by
curiosity, he went to look at the picture; saw that it was an enameled one
of a most ravishingly beautiful person, and he put out his hand to touch it.
At that moment the foot of the figure suddenly enlarged, flew out from the
frame, and sent him back to the scenes of earth, where he met with only
sorrow and trouble. 


The law of Karma must be applied to everything. Nothing is exempt from it.
It rules the vital molecule from plant up to Brahma himself. Apply it then
to the vegetable, animal and human kingdom alike. 


REINCARNATION


Another law is that of Reincarnation. 

This is not to be confined only to the souls and bodies of men. Why not use
it for every branch of nature to which it may be applicable? 

Not only are we, men and women, reincarnated; but also every molecule of
which our bodies are composed. In what way, then, can we connect this rule
with all of our thoughts? 

Does it apply there? 

It seems to me that it does, and with as much force as anywhere. 

Each thought is of definite length. It does not last for over what we may
call an instant, but the time of its duration is in fact much shorter. It
springs into life and then it dies; but it is at once reborn in the form of
another thought. And thus the process goes on from moment to moment, from
hour to hour, from day to day. And each one of these reincarnated thoughts
lives its life, some good, some bad, some so terrible in their nature that
if we could see them we would shrink back in affright. Further than that, a
number of these thoughts form themselves into a certain idea, and it dies to
be reincarnated in its time. Thus on rolls this vast flood. 

Will it overwhelm us? It may; it often does. Let us then make our thoughts
pure. Our thoughts are the matrix, the mine, the fountain, the source of all
that we are and of all that we may be.

WILLIAM Q. JUDGE	[The Occult Word, May, 1886 ]


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Best wishes to all, 


Dallas