Theos-Talk Archives (June 2006 Message tt00029)

This might help from Isis.
"The building of the Temple of Solomon is the symbolical representation of the gradual acquirement of the secret wisdom, or magic; the erection and development of the spiritual from the earthly; the manifestation of the power and splendour of the builder.  The latter, when he has become an Adept, is a mightier king than Solomon himself, the emblem of the sun or Light himself - the light of the real subjective world, shining in the darkness of the objective universe.

This is the "Temple" which can be reared without the sound of the hammer, or any tool of iron being heard in the house while it is "in building".

In the East, this science is called, in some places, "the seven storied," in others, the "nine storied" Temple, every story answers allegorically to a degree of knowledge acquired.

The former (Adepts)exemplify in works their control over the forces of inanimate as well as animate nature; the latter (neophytes) are but perfecting themselves in the rudiments of the sacred science.  These terms were evidently borrowed at the beginning by the unknown founders of the first Masonic guilds.  P391-392

Christine, looking at Solomon's seal and gleaning from the above, I would say that the triangles and threes associated with them may have been connected to not only the building of solomon's temple, but also the building of a universe.  We see everywhere in Theosophy the triangle or the triad, from where all creation began, from the three attributes of Parabrahman manifesting through Brahman and again through the Logos, to the seven sons of light or the Dhyani Buddhas.

My guess, and I say guess, is that Solomon was a neophyte and had certain powers over some nature spirits.  As we know these can be used for negative or positive effects in our objective reality.  Just like the ring in Lords of the Ring, I believe it had magnetic power and Solomon was able to use these powers through the talisman.  I think you might get more of an idea of where I am coming from by looking at the Kabalah Tree

First Triangle is The Unknown Darkness
Second Triangle is the Manifested Logos,
There are six Triangles in the Star which represent Humanity (Adam Kadmon) the objective world or Hell.  The world within the Universe is shown in a circle (See page 264 Isis)
We see within this star is a circular portal which is bounded by 6 sides. 
The lowest point of the star points downwards to Matter, Earth, Female, the highest point of the star points to Spirit, Fire, Male.

Perhaps I am totally off on this symbolism, but I thought I would offer it, in the hope that some Theosophist may be more learned than I am in the subject.

Regards
Cass




christinaleestemaker <christinaleestemaker@yahoo.com> wrote: -Dear Friends
Still I see no answer,  which seal Solomon used and in what way?   
google search gives and the two interlaced triangles and chaldees 
the three equalized triangles  in a circle,called Enneagram.

As HPB wrote SD II 591/2, it is this two interlaced triangles- 
wrongly called "Solomons's seal".
zDid she means that two ????????
Christina.









-- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, "christinaleestemaker" 
 wrote:
>
> Dear Dallis,
> Thanks for your work,I shall see the Mahatma's for that too.
> I use the SD from TPH,Wheaton-Adyar-London large 
octavos;illustrated 
> with rare portraits; clothbound; fully indexed.1978/79 printed.in 
3 
> editions.
> I literary typed over what is standing on page 591
> 
> see under your writing:
> -- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, "W.Dallas TenBroeck" 
>  wrote:
> >
> > 5/31/2006 4:59 PM
> > 
> >  Re:  Meaning of the double triangle
> > 
> > Dear Christinalee Stemaker:
> > 
> > You wrote:   "Can anyone give the answer to this: why HPB (SD 
591)
> wrote the
> > double triangle wrongly called  "Solomons seal",
> > 
> > What edition of the SECRET DOCTRINE do you use?.  There is in 
Vol. 
> II
> > 591[original 1888 SECRET DOCTRINE] some mention of relevant 
> symbology and
> > meaning.  But not the wording you use.  
> 
> Dallis, strange enough she used the words in my book: After she 
> explain the Indian Trimurti: 
> *** 
> For even in the exoteric rendering, the lower triangle with the 
apex 
> downward is the symbol of Vishnu, the god of the moist principle 
and 
> water ( N�r�-Yana) or the moving principle in water(N�r�); while 
the 
> triangle with its apex upward, is Shiva, the principle of Fire, 
> symbolized by the triple flame in his hand.
> It is these two interlacted triangles- wrongle called "Solomons 
seal"
> which also form the emblem of our Society.   see farther page 
> 592.which allinea I typed over before.
> 
> ***
> By this I don't understand why she mentioned this, for the 
solomons 
> seal have more meanings, not only the enneagram with 3 equalized 
> triangles in the circle, also there is a sign with this two 
> triangles.
> 
> 
> 
> > 
> > I think we all use and refer to the ORIGINAL 1888 Edition.
> ***
> Which I have.
> 
> Times ago you also could not find the  SOLAR  and LUNAR ,for MANAS 
> is double.
> Which she give explanation on page 495/6:Varius names for 
> initiations:
>   
> Lunar is lower manas(animal soul), and solar is the higher manas
> (human soul),which is towards Buddhi.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> > 
> > Here are a few references I have found:
> > 
> > -----------------------------------------------
> > 
> >  Heptachord   - Lyre of Apollo
> > 
> > --------------------------------------------------
> > 
> > MAHATMA LETTERS [Barker], pp. 345-6  explains:
> > 
> > "Does your B.T.S. know the meaning of the white and black 
> interlaced
> > triangles, of the Parent Society's seal that it has also 
adopted? 
> Shall I
> > explain? � 
> > 
> > the double triangle viewed by the Jewish Kabalists as Solomon's 
> Seal, is, as
> > many of you doubtless know the Sri-antara of the archaic Aryan 
> Temple, the
> > "mystery of Mysteries," a geometrical synthesis of the whole 
occult
> > doctrine. 
> > 
> > The two interlaced triangles are the Buddhangums of Creation. 
They 
> contain
> > the "squaring of the circle," the "philosophical stone," the 
great 
> problems
> > of Life and Death, and -- the Mystery of Evil. 
> > 
> > The chela who can explain this sign from every one of its 
aspects -
> - is
> > virtually an adept. 
> > 
> > How is it then that the only one among you, who has come so near 
to
> > unravelling the mystery is also the only one who got none of her 
> ideas from
> > books? Unconsciously she gives out -- to him who has the key -- 
> the first
> > syllable of the Ineffable name! 
> > 
> > Of course you know that the double-triangle -- the Satkiri 
Chakram 
> of Vishnu
> > -- or the six-pointed star, is the perfect seven. In all the old 
> Sanskrit
> > works -- Vedic and Tantrik -- you find the number 6 mentioned 
more 
> often
> > than the 7 -- this last figure, the central point being implied, 
> for it is
> > the germ of the six and their matrix. 
> > 
> > It is then thus . . . [At this point in the original there is a 
> rough
> > drawing of the interlaced triangles inscribed in a circle. -- 
> ED.] -- the
> > central point standing for seventh, and the circle, the 
Mahakasha -
> - endless
> > space -- for the seventh Universal Principle. 
> > 
> > In one sense, both are viewed as Avalokitesvara, for they are 
> respectively
> > the Macrocosm and the microcosm. 
> > 
> > The interlaced triangles -- the upper pointing one -- is Wisdom 
> concealed,
> > and the downward pointing one -- Wisdom revealed (in the 
> phenomenal world). 
> > 
> > The circle indicates the bounding, circumscribing quality of the 
> All, the
> > Universal Principle which, from any given point expands so as to 
> embrace all
> > things, while embodying the potentiality of every action in the 
> Cosmos. 
> > 
> > As the point then is the centre round which the circle is 
traced --
>  they are
> > identical and one, and though from the standpoint of Maya and 
> Avidya --
> > (illusion and ignorance) -- one is separated from the other by 
the
> > manifested triangle, the 3 sides of which represent the three 
> gunas --
> > finite attributes. 
> > 
> > In symbology the central point is Jivatma (the 7th principle), 
and 
> hence
> > Avalokitesvara, the Kwan-Shai-yin, the manifested "Voice" (or 
> Logos), the
> > germ point of manifested activity; -- hence -- in the 
phraseology 
> of the
> > Christian Kabalists "the Son of the Father and Mother," and 
> agreeably to
> > ours -- "the Self manifested in Self -- Yih-sin, the "one form of
> > existence," the child of Dharmakaya (the universally diffused 
> Essence), both
> > male and female. 
> > 
> > Parabrahm or "Adi-Buddha" while acting through that germ point 
> outwardly as
> > an active force, reacts from the circumference inwardly as the 
> Supreme but
> > latent Potency. 
> > 
> > The double triangles symbolize the Great Passive and the Great 
> Active; the
> > male and female; Purusha and Prakriti. 
> > 
> > Each triangle is a Trinity because presenting a triple aspect. 
> > 
> > The white represents in its straight lines: Gnanam -- 
(Knowledge); 
> Gnata --
> > (the Knower); and Gnayam -- (that which is known). The black-
form, 
> colour,
> > and substance, also the creative, preservative, and destructive 
> forces and
> > are mutually correlating, etc., etc. 
> > 
> > Well may you admire and more should you wonder at the marvellous 
> lucidity of
> > that remarkable seeress [Mrs. Kingsford], who ignorant of 
Sanskrit 
> or Pali,
> > and thus shut out from their metaphysical treasures, has yet 
seen 
> a great
> > light shining from behind the dark bills of exoteric religions. 
> How, think
> > you, did the "Writers of the Perfect Way" come to know that 
Adonai 
> was the
> > Son and not the Father; or that the third Person of the 
Christian 
> Trinity is
> > -- female? Verily, they lay in that work several times their 
hands 
> upon the
> > keystone of Occultism. Only does the lady -- who persists using 
> without an
> > explanation the misleading term "God" in her writings -- know 
how 
> nearly she
> > comes up to our doctrine when saying: -- "Having for Father, 
> Spirit which is
> > Life (the endless Circle or Parabrahm) and for Mother the Great 
> Deep, which
> > is Substance (Prakriti in its undifferentiated condition) -- 
Adonai
> > possesses the potency of both and wields the dual powers of all 
> things." 
> > 
> > We would say triple, but in the sense as given this will do. 
> > 
> > Pythagoras had a reason for never using the finite, useless 
> figure -- 2, and
> > for altogether discarding it. 
> > 
> > The ONE, can, when manifesting, become only 3. 
> > 
> > The unmanifested when a simple duality remains passive and 
> concealed. The
> > dual monad (the 7th and 6th principles) has, in order to 
manifest 
> itself as
> > a Logos, the "Kwan-shai-yin" to first become a triad (7th, 6th 
and 
> half of
> > the 5th); then, on the bosom of the "Great Deep" attracting 
within 
> itself
> > the One Circle -- form out of it the perfect Square, 
> thus "squaring the
> > circle" -- the greatest of all the mysteries, friend -- and 
> inscribing
> > within the latter the -- WORD (the Ineffable name) -- otherwise 
> the duality
> > could never tarry as such, and would have to be reabsorbed into 
> the ONE. 
> > 
> > The "Deep" is Space -- both male and female. "Purush (as Brahma) 
> breathes in
> > the Eternity: when 'he' in-breathes -- Prakriti (as manifested 
> Substance)
> > disappears in his bosom; when 'he' out-breathes she reappears as 
> Maya," says
> > the Sloka. The One reality is Mulaprakriti (undifferentiated 
> Substance) --
> > the "Rootless root," the. . . But we have to stop, lest there 
> should remain
> > but little to tell for your own intuitions. 
> > 
> > Well may the Geometer of the R.S. not know that the apparent 
> absurdity of
> > attempting to square the circle covers a mystery ineffable. It 
> would hardly
> > be found among the foundation stones of Mr. Roden Noel's 
> speculations upon
> > the "pneumatical body . . . of our Lord," nor among the debris 
of 
> Mr.
> > Farmer's "A New Basis of Belief in Immortality"; and to many such
> > metaphysical minds it would be worse than useless to divulge the 
> fact, that 
> > 
> > the Unmanifested Circle -- the Father, or Absolute Life -- is 
non-
> existent
> > outside the Triangle and Perfect Square, and -- is only 
manifested 
> in the
> > Son; and that it is when, reversing the action and returning to 
> its absolute
> > state of Unity, and the square expands once more into the 
Circle --
>  that
> > "the Son returns to the bosom of the Father." 
> > 
> > There it remains until called back by his Mother -- the "Great 
> Deep," to
> > remanifest as a triad -- the Son partaking at once, of the 
Essence 
> of the
> > Father, and of that of the Mother -- the active Substance, 
> Prakriti in its
> > differentiated condition. 
> > 
> > "My Mother -- (Sophia -- the manifested Wisdom) took me" -- says 
> Jesus in a
> > Gnostic treatise; and he asks his disciples to tarry till he 
> comes. . . .
> > The true "Word" may only be found by tracing the mystery of the 
> passage
> > inward and outward of the Eternal Life, through the states 
> typified in these
> > three geometric figures. 
> > 
> > The criticism of "A Student of Occultism" (whose wits are 
> sharpened by the
> > mountain air of his home) and the answer of "S.T.K. . . . Chary" 
> (June
> > Theosophist) upon a part of your annular and circular 
expositions 
> need not
> > annoy or disturb in any way your philosophic calm. 
> > 
> > As our Pondicherry chela significantly says, neither you nor any 
> other man
> > across the threshold has had or ever will have the "complete 
> theory" of
> > Evolution taught him; or get it unless he guesses it for 
himself. 
> > 
> > If anyone can unravel it from such tangled threads as are given 
> him, very
> > well; and a fine proof it would indeed be of his or her 
spiritual 
> insight.
> > Some -- have come very near it. But yet there is always with the 
> best of
> > them just enough error, -- colouring and misconception; the 
shadow 
> of Manas
> > projecting across the field of Buddhi -- to prove the eternal 
law 
> that only
> > the unshackled Spirit shall see the things of the Spirit without 
a 
> veil. 
> > 
> > No untaught amateur could ever rival the proficient in this 
branch 
> of
> > research; yet the world's real Revelators have been few, and its
> > pseudo-Saviours legion; and fortunate it is if their half-
glimpses 
> of the
> > light are not, like Islam, enforced at the sword's point, or 
like 
> Christian
> > Theology, amid blazing faggots and in torture chambers. 
> > 
> > Your Fragments contain some -- still very few errors, due solely 
> to your two
> > preceptors of Adyar, one of whom would not, and the other could 
> not tell you
> > all. The rest could not be called mistakes -- rather incomplete
> > explanations. These are due, partly to your own imperfect 
> education in your
> > last theme -- I mean the ever-threatening obscurations -- partly 
> to the poor
> > vehicles of language at our disposal, and in part again, to the 
> reserve
> > imposed upon us by rule. Yet, all things considered, they are 
few 
> and
> > trivial; while as to those noticed by "A Student, etc." (the 
> Marcus Aurelius
> > of Simla) in your No. VII, it will be pleasant for you to know 
> that every
> > one of them, however now seeming to you contradictory, can (and 
if 
> it should
> > seem necessary shall) be easily reconciled with facts. 
> > 
> > The trouble is that (a) you cannot be given the real figures and 
> difference
> > in the Rounds, and (b) that you do not open doors enough for 
> explorers. 
> > 
> > The bright Luminary of the B.T.S. and the Intelligences that 
> surround her
> > (embodied I mean) may help you to see the flaws: at all events 
> Try. "Nothing
> > was ever lost by trying." 
> > 
> > You share with all beginners the tendency to draw too absolutely 
> strong
> > inferences from partly caught hints, and to dogmatize thereupon 
as 
> though
> > the last word had been spoken. You will correct this in due 
time. 
> You may
> > misunderstand us, are more than likely to do so, for our 
language 
> must
> > always be more or less that of parable and suggestion, when 
> treading upon
> > forbidden ground; we have our own peculiar modes of expression 
and 
> what lies
> > behind the fence of words is even more important than what you 
> read. But
> > still -- TRY. 
> > 
> > Perhaps if Mr. S. Moses could know just what was meant by what 
was 
> said to
> > him, and about his Intelligences, he would find all strictly 
true. 
> As he is
> > a man of interior growth, his day may come and his 
reconciliation 
> with "the
> > Occultists" be complete. Who knows? 
> > 
> > Meanwhile, I shall, with your permission, close this first 
volume. 
> > 
> >  
> > K. H. 
> > 
> > {Esoteric Buddhism was published June 11.} 
> > 
> > -----------------------------------------------------------------
- 
>  
> > 
> > 
> > See TRANSACTIONS OF THE BLAVATSKY LODGE:  p.   106  [Blavatsky:  
> COLLECTED
> > WORKS  Vol. X ]
> > 
> >   STANZA III. (continued). 
> > 
> > Sloka (2). THE VIBRATION SWEEPS ALONG, TOUCHING WITH ITS SWIFT 
WING
> > (simultaneously) THE WHOLE UNIVERSE; AND THE GERM THAT DWELLETH 
IN 
> DARKNESS:
> > THE DARKNESS THAT BREATHES (moves) OVER THE SLUMBERING WATERS OF 
> LIFE. 
> > 
> > 
> > Q. How are we to understand the expression that the vibration 
> touches the
> > whole universe and also the germ? 
> > 
> > A. First of all the terms used must be defined as far as 
possible, 
> for the
> > language used is purely figurative. The Universe does not mean 
the 
> Kosmos or
> > world of forms but the formless space, the future vehicle of the 
> Universe
> > which will be manifested. This space is synonymous with 
> the "waters of
> > space," with (to us) eternal darkness, in fact with Parabrahm. 
In 
> short the
> > whole Sloka refers to the "period" before there was any 
> manifestation
> > whatever. In the same way the Germ�the Germ is eternal, the 
> undifferentiated
> > atoms of future matter�- is one with space, as infinite as it is
> > indestructible, and as eternal as space itself. Similarly 
> with "vibration,"
> > which corresponds with the Point, the unmanifested Logos. 
> > 
> > It is necessary to add one important explanation. In using 
> figurative
> > language, as has been done in the Secret Doctrine, analogies and 
> comparisons
> > are very frequent. Darkness for instance, as a rule, applies 
only 
> to the
> > unknown totality, or, Absoluteness. Contrasted with eternal 
> darkness the
> > first Logos is certainly, Light; contrasted with the second or 
> third, the
> > manifested Logoi, the first is Darkness, and the others are 
Light.
> > 
> > 
> > Sloka (3). DARKNESS RADIATES LIGHT, AND LIGHT DROPS ONE SOLITARY 
> RAY INTO
> > THE WATERS, THE MOTHER-DEEP. THE RAY SHOOTS THROUGH THE VIRGIN 
> EGG; THE RAY
> > CAUSES THE ETERNAL EGG TO THRILL, AND DROP THE NON-ETERNAL 
> (periodical)
> > GERM, WHICH CONDENSES INTO THE WORLD-EGG. 
> > 
> > 
> > Q. Why is Light said to drop one solitary ray into the waters 
and 
> how is
> > this ray represented in connection with the Triangle? 
> > 
> > A. However many the Rays may appear to be on this plane, when 
> brought back
> > to their original source they will finally be resolved into a 
> unity, like
> > the seven prismatic colors which all proceed from, and are 
> resolved into the
> > one white ray. Thus too, this one solitary Ray expands into the 
> seven rays
> > (and their innumerable sub-divisions) on the plane of illusion 
> only. It is
> > represented in connection with the Triangle because the Triangle 
> is the
> > first perfect geometrical figure. As stated by Pythagoras, and 
> also in the
> > Stanza, the Ray (the Pythagorean Monad) descending from "no-
place" 
> (Aloka),
> > shoots like a falling star through the planes of non-being into 
> the first
> > world of being, and gives birth to Number One; then branching 
off, 
> to the
> > right, it produces Number Two; turning again to form the base-
line 
> it begets
> > Number Three, and thence ascending again to Number One, it 
finally
> > disappears therefrom into the realms of non-being as Pythagoras 
> shows. 
> > 
> > 
> > Q. Why should Pythagorean teachings be found in old Hindu 
> philosophies? 
> > 
> > A. Pythagoras derived this teaching from India and in the old 
> books we find
> > him spoken of as the Yavanacharya or Greek Teacher. Thus we see 
> that the
> > Triangle is the first differentiation, its sides however all 
being 
> described
> > by the one Ray. 
> > 
> > 
> > Q. What is really meant by the term "planes of non-being"?
> > 
> > A. In using the term "planes of non-being" it is necessary to 
> remember that
> > these planes are only to us spheres of non-being, but those of 
> being and
> > matter to higher intelligences than ourselves. The highest Dhyan-
> Chohans of
> > the Solar System can have no conception of that which exists in 
> higher
> > systems, i.e., on the second "septenary" Kosmic plane, which to 
> the Beings
> > of the ever invisible Universe is entirely subjective. 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > Sloka (4). (Then) THE THREE (Triangle) FALL INTO THE FOUR 
> (Quaternary). THE
> > RADIANT ESSENCE BECOMES SEVEN INSIDE, SEVEN OUTSIDE. THE 
LUMINOUS 
> EGG
> > (Hiranyagarbha), WHICH IN ITSELF IS THREE (the triple hypostases 
> of Brahma,
> > or Vishnu, the three Avasthas) CURDLES AND SPREADS IN MILK WHITE 
> CURDS
> > THROUGHOUT THE DEPTHS OF MOTHER, THE ROOT THAT GROWS IN THE 
OCEAN 
> OF LIFE. 
> > 
> > Q. Is the Radiant Essence the same as the luminous Egg? What is 
> the Root
> > that grows in the ocean of life? 
> > 
> > A. The radiant essence, luminous egg or Golden Egg of Brahma, or 
> again,
> > Hiranyagarbha, are identical. The Root that grows in the ocean 
of 
> life is
> > the potentiality that transforms into objective differentiated 
> matter the
> > universal, subjective, ubiquitous but homogeneous germ, or the 
> eternal
> > essence which contains the potency of abstract nature. The Ocean 
> of Life is,
> > according to a term of the Vedanta philosophy�if I mistake not�
> the "One
> > Life," Paramatma, when the transcendental supreme Soul is meant; 
> and
> > Jivatma, when we speak of the physical and animal "breath of 
life" 
> or, so to
> > speak, the differentiated soul, that life in short, which gives 
> being to the
> > atom and the universe, the molecule and the man, the animal, 
> plant, and
> > mineral. 
> > 
> > "The Radiant Essence curdled and spread through the depths of 
> Space." From
> > an astronomical point of view this is easy of explanation: it is 
> the Milky
> > Way, the world-stuff, or primordial matter in its first form.
> > 
> > 
> > Q. Is the Radiant Essence, Milky Way, or world-stuff, resolvable 
> into atoms,
> > or is it non-atomic? 
> > 
> > A. In its precosmic state it is of course, non-atomic, if by 
atoms 
> you mean
> > molecules; for the hypothetical atom, a mere mathematical point, 

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