Theos-Talk Archives (May 2005 Message tt00001)

May 1 2005

Dear Cass:

Glad that is straightened out. Good for all.

Delay due to ill health. I read all and try.

My general observation is that many who have claimed after HPB died to
"channel" her or the Masters, etc... have offered vast sets of names and
hierarchies -- but rarely give explanations.

Names by themselves lend no authority or help, but they appear to be learned
and overwhelm new students. 

THEOSOPHY is for all and especially newcomers. It provides no "seats" for
older students, if their contributions are not of real assistance to getting
to know ones' self and its potentials -- and offer some clues to
self-development of a noble and compassionate kind. 

You write: "...Angel of the Presence and The Dweller on the Threshold, the
reunion with past selves on the astral." To me these are ever-present
within ourselves -- as they represent the "monads" (or life-atoms) that we
need to exist here, on. We have shaped and defined them with our past
choices. We as immortal MONADS are ourselves the mysterious triad of
SPIRIT, MATTER and MIND.

We (as spiritual beings -- Monads) -- never die, but always advance from
life to life with our burden of those "monads of lesser experience" who have
chosen us to be their guide and mentor . We cannot throw them off or away.
But we can teach them to develop their own independent self-consciousness
and commence their own self-guided pilgrimage as our companions and friends.
I think this is important. They have inherently the same capacities and
qualities that we all do.

This is an example of how Nature develops, through the fires and trials of
developing self-consciousness, those assistants that it can trust to assist
it impartially and honestly.

Look at this:

"We say, "I am happy, or I am sad," "I am sick or I am well," "I am
contented or I am dissatisfied," all of these expressions being due to some
form or condition which is changeable. 

We should observe that the self-identifying attachment is chiefly concerned
with the present form and conditions, although we are aware that other forms
and conditions have existed in the past, to which we were attached by like
or dislike, and that still others will exist in the future.

Through all the changes of the past we have gone; through all the changes of
the future we must go. The past changes have perished; the present changes
are perishing; the future changes will also perish; but "we" remain through
them all, unchanged and unchanging. 

If we can grasp this idea and hold to it, we will have taken the first step
towards right knowledge and freedom, for, as an ancient sage has put it,
"The soul is the Perceiver; is assuredly vision itself pure and simple;
unmodified; and looks directly upon ideas." [Patanjali, p. 24]

In this chapter are the following statements of a similar kind: "I am the
knower in ever mortal body ;" "As a single sun illuminateth the whole
world, even so doth the One Spirit illumine every body ;" "He who seeth the
Supreme [191] Being existing alike imperishable in all perishable things,
sees indeed ;" "Perceiving the same lord present in everything and every
where, he does not by the lower self (Ahankara) destroy his own soul, but
goeth to the supreme end."

It must be apparent to every one who thinks, that to be immortal
necessitates being changeless, for that which changes has no stability. 

There could not be a continuity of consciousness even through one physical
existence, un-less there is permanence of identity; the same "I" has noted
the conditions, ideas, and feelings from childhood up to the present time,
and will note them through all the years to come.

This Western mind of ours finds a difficulty in reconciling "changelessness"
with "progression;" this is because of Ahankara, the tendency to identify
ourselves with forms and conditions. 

Forms and conditions do change, but not of themselves; there is That which
causes change to succeed change, and That is the indwelling spirit, which
continually impels the instruments It has evolved towards further
perfection. 

So progress and evolution mean an unfolding from within outward, a constant
impulsion towards a better and better instrument for the use of the
Spirit-the Self within. [192 ]

"The spirit in the body is called Maheswara, the Great Lord, the spectator,
the admonisher, the sustainer, the enjoyer, and also Paramatma, the highest
soul." This sentence really tells the whole story; the Spirit sees,
rectifies, sustains and enjoys through Its instrument or vehicle; the ideal
of progress is a perfected vehicle which will contact and reflect in the
'highest sense all worlds and all beings.

The term "body" has been used throughout this chapter, but it must not be
supposed that only the physical body is meant. The physical body is included
in the term, because itself is the product of involution and evolution from
higher states of substance or matter. 

Krishna says "Know that Prakriti or nature, (sub stance), and Purusha the
spirit, are without beginning. And know that the passions and the three
qualities are sprung from Nature. Nature or prakriti is said to be that
which operates in producing cause and effect in actions." 

There can be no action unless there is something to be acted upon; that
something is the highest substance; it is that which fills all space, and
from which all denser forms of sub stance or matter have been evolved, and
within which they are contained. Thus, the body represents on this plane all
the other states of 
[193] substance from which it has been evolved; it is surrounded by, and
connected with them. A study of the Seven Principles of Man will give an
understanding of this statement, if it is remembered that Man, the Thinker,
is not any of his principles; they are his vehicles or instruments.

"Individual spirit or Purusha is said to be the cause of experiencing pain
and pleasure" (through the connection with nature found in the instrument) ;
"for spirit, when invested with matter or prakriti experienceth the
qualities that proceed from Prakriti; its connection with these qualities"
(and self-identification with them) "is the cause of its rebirth in good and
evil wombs."

' Krishna says that "the passions and the three qualities are sprung from
nature" (prakriti). The three qualities represent attachment to bodily
existence through love of that which is good and pleasant (sattva) through a
propensity for passion and desire (rajas); and through heedlessness, which
destroys the power of judgment. They are all due to self-identification with
one form or an other of bodily existence.

That which informs and moves all manifestation is the One Spirit. That
Spirit is
[194] the Real and Permanent in all forms and beings; as Krishna says "it is
wisdom itself, the object of wisdom, and that which is to be gained by
wisdom ;" it is "the receptacle and the seed ," it is the power to perceive,
the consciousness, the life in all things. 

It is the cause of all manifestation and the holder of all knowledge gained
thereby. Causing and perceiving change, It changes not. All power and all
law proceed from It, are inherent in It. This is the meaning of "Spirit,"
where Krishna says in conclusion: "Those who with the eye of wisdom thus
perceive what is the difference between the body and Spirit, and the
destruction of the illusion of objects, go to the Supreme." 

By the "illusion of objects" is meant, the seeing of the objects as
different from Spirit. Each object may be called an expression of Spirit
through various evolved vehicles, whether these be called atoms, molecules,
or forms composed of them.
In the "Voice of the Silence," a statement of the same import may be
remembered: "The eye of Spirit-the eye which never closes, the eye for which
there is no veil in all her (Nature's) kingdoms."

All creatures, being essentially Spirit, strive (consciously or
unconsciously) to realize their [195 ] spiritual being through contact
psychical and physical with all manifested nature; some by meditation; some
by service; some-mistakenly-by selfishness through separateness. 

While all paths lead to the Supreme, it is only when the Permanent as
distinguished from the Perishable is realized, that erroneous paths are
forsaken and the true Path followed."
BHAGAVAD GITA NOTES, pp. 190 - 195

I think these ideas are helpful,

Best wishes, 

Dallas

===============
 

-----Original Message-----
From: Behalf Of Cass Silva
Sent: Friday, April 29, 2005 9:47 PM
To: Subject: Re: God and the brute

Dear Dallas
 
"The God within begins with Manas or Mind, and it is the struggle between
this God and the brute with Theosophy speaks of and warns about." W.Q.Judge
 
Unfortunately, thaprin, misquoted what I was saying, by cut and pasting my
name to her statement "This is a false statement", or something to that
effect. I suggested that Thalprin take up her notion that this statement
was false with Mr.Judge and not with me, as it completely agrees with my
thinking.
 
In truth, what Judge said, was absolutely spot on in regard to my studies of
The Dweller on the Threshold.  
 
There seems to be a 24-36 hour delay in my postings and when you receive
them which I think is compounding the issue, and also my syntax doesnt help.
 
"The Dweller" can be interpreted in several ways, the struggle between the
Higher Self and Lower Self, the kosmic battle between the Angel of the
Presence and The Dweller on the Threshold, the reunion with past selves on
the astral.
 
So, we are in agreement on one or another interpretation.
Regards

Cass