Theos-Talk Archives (April 2005 Message tt01802)

Apl 27

Dear Laura:

Pardon delay -- time and health factors made it

As I see it: see notes below please

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

-----Original Message-----
From: Laura 
Sent: Wednesday, April 20, 2005 8:56 AM
To: dalval14@earthlink.net


Subject: Re: ORGANlSATION OF THE THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY - HPB 



LG
Dear Dallas:

How and who judges and how is merit determined?  



DTB	Only Karma judges fairly everything starting with our motive.


LG
How in this application does evolution take place?  


DTB	We have to be honest and frank, and try to show what the principles
that are invariable are. 

And above all we have to adhere to them. The path of the disciple runs for
lives of patient and intent striving. Practice of the virtues and of
impersonality are the criteria. 


LG
Many will regard judgement and merit as to be determined by rules and
constitution? Could you give an understanding of judgement and merit from
the point of view of the Higher Self?


DTB	The ATMA -- HIGHER SELF speak the same to each of us. Look inward
! Thou art Buddha.!


DTB
Here are some of the virtues to consider:


VIRTUES, VICES and the 3 GUNAS (qualities of Nature)
Man's independence and responsibility ?


Concerning the position of religions vs. THEOSOPHY :

I am of the opinion, having studied a number of religions, that the basis
from which they started -- the sayings and deeds of a very WISE personage
-- is uniform. And, that those of his disciples who chose to perpetuate his
injunctions and copy his actions have gradually acted to pervert them. The
reasons for this sad state are various.  

The uniformity of those several original teachings conforms with the
teachings HPB offered: THEOSOPHY -- the same principles are there. In
THEOSOPHY we find additional explanations and logical concepts offered. She
carefully traces the brotherhood of religions for us.

Instead of illuminating and encouraging all their adherents to study
independently, and become themselves knowledgeable and wise, they have
gradually concealed under ritual, rote and ceremony the basic freedom of
individual search and application that is implicit in the "originals." They
have caused to arise as a matter of "duty," a dependence on their "services"
to become mandatory, or the threat of expulsion from the "congregation," and
an isolation from the "True God" was invoked.

Of course any inquiry into their priestly doings and authority is resisted
vigorously.

Consider the basis all priesthoods are found to have adopted.  

I will use the 3 universal qualities that are equipoised in Nature (the
Universe we live in, and the Earth we live on, in particular). These are
the 3 "Gunas:" Sattva - Rajas and Tamas, or Truth, Action and Inertia, or
Spirit, Mind and Matter -- spoken of in the BHAGAVAD GITA (Chapters : 12,
14, 17)

Let us use these few statements concerning Deity (God) as an impersonal and
Universal Base-Principle -- They will be found to be the prime principles
which all religions are based on:  

The Omnipresence, Omniscience and Omnipotence, of the Deity -- 


1	"God" is PRESENT EVERYWHERE 

-- IT in the "heart" and essence of all -- no exceptions.  

-- Therefore "God" desires their existence. No one has the right, or duty,
to terminate another's living for any reason.  

-- "God" lives closest to us in our own "heart," and does not need
"priests" to be contacted, when we think.


2	"God" - KNOWS ALL 

-- therefore, there are no secrets, no "hiding places,"  

-- What we do and are, good or bad, is clearly known to "IT."  

-- "Nature" and the "Universe" are synonyms for "God" or "Deity."  

-- Logically, therefore, there is no isolated "Personal God" separate from
ITS Universe or from anything, (including every human) in it.

-- Every "religion" has sprung from these single prime facts. It has become
a creed because of rigidity in rites, rote, and ceremonies instituted by a
priesthood.


3	"God" - SUPERVISES EVERYTHING  


-- that is essential and needed to support life and harmonious relations
among all beings large or small, near or far.


4	God is honest, merciful and just -- not a tyrant, but demands that
we know these qualities and powers and live our lives in harmony with all.



A	TAMAS - inertia, lethargy


1.	Mental lethargy -- avoid thinking and learning TRUTH

2	Ignorance, doubt -- avoid learning and responsibility

3	Faith substituted for knowledge

4	Fear - of effects that will pain or harm ourselves

5	Forgiveness for wrongs done deliberately or carelessly

6	Securing special unmerited advantages, desire, passion, 

7	Hate, haughtiness, domination, and ruling over others,

8	Pride, fame, ostentation, adulation,  

9	Greed for possessions, life to be prolonged, 

10	Self-righteousness, lack of humility, concealing ignorance 



B	RAJAS	- Wrongful actions


1	Pretense to wisdom and power, connection to "god"

2	Can "fix" and avoid due retribution

3	Demands ceremonial respect and sacrifices

4	Keeps people ignorant of LAW (Karma) and fearful

5	Greed for wealth, false justice and power

6	Theft, extortion, lying, torture (physical and mental),  

7	Murder, wars, 



C	SATTVA -  


1	Spiritual selfishness and isolation

2	Refusal to assist others, isolation,

3	Acquisition of wisdom for selfish use


No everyone is acquainted with "Nemesis" the Greek Goddess of retribution
which simply stated says every choice we make produces an inescapable
effect.  

THEOSOPHY states (as does every other religion) that a human is in reality
a seven-fold entity:

(1) Spirit or "God's" presence within him / her.

(2) Wisdom accumulated through experience over many incarnations

(3) Thinking and the power to think -- Mind. Decision making, Free choice.


In your comment you call these three: "the Spiritual Man." 


(4) Emotion, desire passion, urges, moods, sensitivities to our
environment.

(5) Life-force that sustains the body.

(6) Electro-magnetic pattern or model body, underlying all physical
structures in

(7) The physical body we all know and live in.


If I understand you rightly, you have called these 4 the "personal
man."

To make this analysis simple we can say that every human ("Spiritual Man")
is an immortal Spiritual entity (called in THEOSOPHY a "Monad").  

It accumulates a fund of wisdom / experience / memory over many
incarnations.  

Endowed (by its Elder Brothers, Men who have graduated earlier, now act as
its mentors) with an independent Mind, it (we) thinks independently and
makes free choices.  

It is often confronted with its desires and emotions which may run against
its knowledge of what is "best to do." Such conflicts require thought and
are the tests set by Nature to enable its individual progress as an immortal
human being. 

This is the "field of battle" -- "Kurukshetra" in the BHAGAVAD GITA .

The life force, model body and physical body are the vehicles of this
process and also serve as the field of experience for innumerable "monads"
of lesser experience to develop. Each human is as a parent to these, and
responsible for their advance and development. They serve as the vehicles
-- the "carriers" of karmic effects.

 


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Thanks again and hope you are keeping well.

Best Wishes,
Laura