Theos-Talk Archives (March 2005 Message tt00653)

EVOLUTION


THE word "evolution" is the best word from a theosophical standpoint to use
in treating of the genesis of men and things, as the process which it
designates is that which has been always stated in the ancient books from
whose perusal the tenets of the wisdom religion can be gathered. 


In the Bhagavad Gita we find Krishna saying that "at the beginning of the
day of Brahma all things come forth from the non-developed principle, and at
the coming on of Brahma's night they are resolved into it again," and that
this process goes on from age to age. 


This exactly states evolution as it is defined in our dictionaries, where it
is said to be a process of coming forth or a development. The "days and
nights of Brahma" are immense periods of time during which evolution
proceeds, the manifestation of things being the "day" and their periodical
resolution into the Absolute the "night."


If, then, everything is evolved, the word creation can only be properly
applied to any combination of things already in existence, since the
primordial matter or basis cannot be created.


The basis of the theosophical system is evolution, for in theosophy it is
held that all things are already in esse, being brought forth or evolved
from time to time in conformity to the inherent law of the Absolute. 


The very next question to be asked is, What is this inherent law of the
Absolute? as nearly as can be stated. 


Although we do not and cannot know the Absolute, we have enough data from
which to draw the conclusion that its inherent law is to periodically come
forth from subjectivity into objectivity and to return again to the former,
and so on without any cessation. 

In the objective world we have a figure or illustration of this in the
rising and setting of the sun, which of all natural objects best shows the
influence of the law. It rises, as H. P. Blavatsky says, from the (to us)
subjective, and at night returns to the subjective again, remaining in the
objective world during the day. 

If we substitute, as we must when attempting to draw correspondences between
the worlds, the word "state" for locality or place, and instead of the sun
we call that object "the Absolute," we have a perfect figure, for then we
will have the Absolute rising above the horizon of consciousness from the
subjective state, and its setting again for that consciousness when the time
of night arrives that is, the night of Brahma. This law of periodicity is
the same as that of the cycles, which can be seen governing in every
department of nature.


But let us assume a point of departure so as to get a rapid survey of
evolution theosophically considered. And let it be at the time when this
period of manifestation began. 


What was projected into the objective world at that time must have been life
itself, which under the action of the law of differentiation split itself up
into a vast number of lives [Monads -- S D I 289], which we may call
individual, the quantity of which it is not possible for us of finite mind
to count. 


In the Hindu system these are called Jivas and Jivatman. Within these lives
there is contained the entire plan to be pursued during the whole period of
manifestation, since each life is a small copy of the great All from which
it came.


Here a difficulty arises for studious minds, calling for some attention, for
they may ask "What then do you do with that which we call 'matter', and by
and through which the lives manifest themselves?"


The reply is that the so-called matter is an illusion and is not real
matter, but that the latter -- sometime known in Europe as primordial matter
-- cannot be seen by us. The real matter is itself only another form of the
life first thrown out, but in a less perfect state of differentiation, and
it is on a screen of this real matter that its inner energies project
pictures which we call matter, mistaking them for the real.


It may then be further asked, "Have we not been led to suppose that that
which we supposed was matter but which you now say is an illusion is
something absolutely necessary to the soul for acquiring experience of
nature?" 


To this I reply that such is not the case, but that the matter needed for
the soul to acquire experience through is the real unseen matter. It is that
matter of which psychic bodies are composed, and those other "material"
things all the way up to spirit. 


It is to this that the Bhagavad Gita refers where it says that Spirit
(purusha) and matter (prakriti) are coeternal and not divisible from each
other. [ Gita Notes, 
pp. 132-3]  

That which we and science are accustomed to designate matter is nothing more
than our limited and partial cognition of the phenomena of the real or
primordial matter. 


This position is not overturned by pointing to the fact that all men in
general have the same cognitions of the same objects, that square objects
are always square and that shadows fall in the same line for all normal
people, for even in our own experience we see that there is such a thing as
a collective change of cognition, and that thus it is quite possible that
all normal people are merely on the single plane of consciousness where they
are not yet able to cognize anything else. 


In the case of hypnotizing everything appears to the subject to be different
at the will of the operator, which would not be possible if objects had any
inherent actuality of their own apart from our consciousness.


In order to justify a discussion of the Theosophical system of evolution, it
is necessary to see if there be any radical difference between it and that
which is accepted in the world, either in scientific circles or among
Theologians. 


That there is such a distinction can be seen at once, and we will take first
that between it and Theology. Here, of course, this is in respect to the
genesis of the inner man more especially, although Theology makes some claim
to know about race descent. 


The Church either says that the soul of each man is a special creation in
each case or remains silent on the subject, leaving us, as it was once so
much the fashion to say, "In the hands of a merciful Providence," who after
all says nothing on the matter. But when the question of the race is raised,
then the priest points to the Bible, saying that we all come from one pair,
Adam and Eve. On this point Theology is more sure than science, as the
latter has no data yet and does not really know whether we owe our origin to
one pair, male and female, or to many. Theosophy, on the other hand, differs
from the Church, asserting that Paramatma alone is self-existing, single,
eternal, immutable, and common to all creatures, high and low alike; hence
it never was and never will be created; that the soul of man evolves, is
consciousness itself, and is not specially created for each man born on the
earth, but assumes through countless incarnations different bodies at
different times. 


Underlying this must be the proposition that, for each Manvantara or period
of manifestation, there is a definite number of souls or egos who project
themselves into the current of evolution which is to prevail for that period
or manvantara. 


Of course this subject is limitless, and the consideration of the vast
number of systems and worlds where the same process is going on with a
definite number of egos in each, staggers the minds of most of those who
take the subject up. And of course I do not mean to be understood as saying
that there is a definite number of egos in the whole collection of systems
in which we may imagine evolution as proceeding, for there could be no such
definiteness considered in the mass, as that would be the same as taking the
measure of the Absolute. But in viewing any part of the manifestation of the
Absolute, it is allowable for us to say that there are to be found such a
definite number of egos in that particular system under consideration; this
is one of the necessities of our finite consciousness.


Following out the line of our own argument we reach the conclusion that,
included within the great wave of evolution which relates to the system of
which this earth is a part, there are just so many egos either fully
developed or in a latent state. 


These have gone round and round the wheel of rebirth, and will continue to
do so until the wave shall meet and be transformed into another. Therefore
there could be no such thing as a special creation of souls for the
different human beings born on this earth, and for the additional reason
that, if there were, then spirit would be made subservient to illusion, to
mere human bodies. So that in respect to theology we deny the propositions,
first, that there is any special creation of souls, second, that there is,
or was, or could be by any possibility any creation of this world or of any
other, and third, that the human race descended from one pair.


In taking up the difference existing between our theory and that of science
we find the task easy. Upon the question of progress, and how progress or
civilization may be attained by man, and whether any progress could be
possible if the theories of science be true, our position is that there
could be no progress if the law of evolution as taught in the schools is
true, even in a material sense. In this particular we are diametrically
opposed to science. 


Its assumption is that the present race on the earth may be supposed to
belong to a common stock which in its infancy was rude and barbarous,
knowing little more than the animal, living like the animal, and learning
all it now knows simply by experience gained in its contest with nature
through its development. 


Hence they give us the paleolithic age, the neolithic age, and so on. In
this scheme we find no explanation of how man comes to have innate ideas.
Some, however, seeing the necessity for an explanation of this phenomenon,
attempt it in various ways; and it is a phenomenon of the greatest
importance. It is explained by theosophy in a way peculiar to itself, and of
which more will be said as we go on.

W.Q.J.	PATH, August, 1890
 






Dallas

-----Original Message-----
From: Estela Carson [mailto:estela3@blavatsky.net] 
Sent: Sunday, March 27, 2005 2:09 PM
To: study@blavatsky.net
Subject: [bn-study] Deity Cosmos & Man, Chp 2 pgs 17&18

Hello Folks, 

We are going to go onto the next two topics in the chapter 2 of Deity Cosmos
and Man, evolution and rounds and races. 

11. Evolution.

Evolution is the emergence of the possibilities inherent in Nature from
latency into active expression. The word means, literally, unfolding, and it
implies the prior process of involution by which the potentialities of
spirit are communicated to matter. 


Esoteric Science affirms the universality of the evolutionary process: 
 "The whole order of nature evinces a progressive march towards a higher
life. There is design in the action of the seemingly blindest forces. The
whole process of evolution with its endless adaptations is a proof of this."
[19] 
Here we must return to the Hierarchies of Sections 4 and 5, for the
evolutionary process is not a mechanical one but "is guided, controlled, and
animated by almost endless series of Hierarchies of sentient Beings." [20]


12. Rounds and Races

These are the terms used to indicate states in the great evolutionary
cycles. In our cosmic scheme, they are applied particularly to our Earth and
its humanity. Like everything else in Nature, planets have their period of
activity and rest, their days and nights, analogous to human life and death.
A grand evolutionary program is in operation throughout the Cosmos, each
part of which -whether it be planet or kingdom of nature or human group -
has to pass through sequential phases of development towards its particular
goal. 

In the study of the program for humanity, it will be important to note that
the term "Race" indicates a stage in the evolution of humanity. It applies
to the development of mental and psychic faculties as well as to the
superficial physical characteristics such as skin color or hair type. 

___________________________________________________

[19] Secret Doctrine, vol 1 277, 297 & 320
[20] Secret Doctrine, vol 1 274, 295, 317

Let us recap what we know of Hierarchies according to Theosophy

Hierarchies of sentient beings populate all planes of the Universe, each
with characteristics and capabilities suited to that plane. These beings do
not necessarily resemble us humans, as ancient traditions call them devas,
angels, gods, spirits, fairies. In many cultures there are instances of
these beings appearing to ordinary humans to either warn of danger, or to
guide. In all instances, these beings seem to be saying that there is a
grand design, which we humans at times are upsetting, derailing, altering
and that is why they appear. Does this imply that in our plane, the forces
of independence are greater, so that we literally have the capacity to
change the universe? 

Evolution, a word almost always assumed to mean Darwinism. Yet, evolution is
much more spiritual than Darwin and the materialist scientists will accept.
Evolution is the struggle of the inner man to manifest inherent powers and
transcend this plane of reality to higher realms through his own effort. We
are destined to reach the "heavens" in our reality. This is evolution, not
that we evolved from one cell structures floating around in a marsh billions
of years ago. 

Rounds and Races, a very difficult subject that needs much thinking and
adjusting to. All of mankind participates in this, no one is left behind,
and we all go through the process as we reincarnate with each step humanity
takes. To understand rounds and races and our evolutionary process we need
to go beyond our immediate identification with a particular group, as we are
not fundamentally a man or a woman, an European nor Indian, but we are a
soul using a current instrument to fulfil a grand plan. 


All questions, and comments on these points are always welcomed. To those
who have just joined, and to the old timers, questions pertaining to other
aspects of Theosophy are also welcomed. 

Take care and see ya online, 
Estela





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