What will you do when your whole being is greed, when whatever action you do is
greed? Unfortunately, we don't think along those lines. There is the `me', the
superior entity, the soldier who is controlling, dominating. To me that process
is destructive. It is an illusion and we know why we do it. I divide myself into
the high and the low in order to continue. If there is only greed, completely,
not `I' operating greed, but I am entirely greed, then what happens? Surely then
there is a different process at work altogether, a different problem comes into
being. It is that problem which is creative, in which there is no sense of `I'
dominating, becoming, positively or negatively. We must come to that state if we
would be creative. In that state, there is no maker of effort. It is not a
matter of verbalizing or of trying to find out what that state is; if you set
about it in that way you will lose and you will never find. What is important is
to see that the maker of effort and the object towards which he is making effort
are the same. That requires enormously great understanding, watchfulness, to see
how the mind divides itself into the high and the low - the high being the
security, the permanent entity - but still remaining a process of thought and
therefore of time. If we can understand this as direct experience, then you will
see that quite a different factor comes into being
[11/13/2010 7:11:32 PM] Van Atman: 17. The Breath (human Monad) needed a form;
the Fathers gave it. The breath needed a gross body; the Earth moulded it. The
Breath needed the Spirit of Life; the Solar Lhas breathed it into its form. The
breath needed a mirror of its body (astral shadow); “We gave it our own,” said
the Dhyanis. The breath needed a vehicle of desires (Kama Rupa); “It has it,”
said the Drainer of Waters (Suchi, the fire of passion and animal instinct). The
breath needs a mind to embrace the Universe; “We cannot give that,” said the
Fathers. “I never had it,” said the Spirit of the Earth. “The form would be
consumed were I to give it mine,” said the Great (solar) Fire . . . . (nascent)
Man remained an empty, senseless Bhuta . . . . Thus have the boneless given life
to those who became (later) men with bones in the third (race) (a).
As a full explanation is found in Stanza V. (Vide paragraph (a)), a few remarks
will now suffice. The “Father” of primitive physical man, or of his body, is the
vital electric principle residing in the Sun. The Moon is its Mother, because of
that mysterious power in the Moon which has as decided an influence upon human
gestation and generation, which it regulates, as it has on the growth of plants
and animals. The “Wind” or Ether, standing in this case for the agent of
transmission by which those influences are carried down from the two luminaries
and diffused upon Earth, is referred to as the “nurse”; while “Spiritual Fire”
alone makes of man a divine and perfect entity.
Now what is that “Spiritual Fire”? In alchemy it is hydrogen, in general; while
in esoteric actuality it is the emanation or the Ray which proceeds from its
noumenon, the “Dhyan of the first Element.” Hydrogen is gas only on our
terrestrial plane. But even in chemistry hydrogen “would be the only existing
form of matter, in our sense of the term,”* and is very nearly allied to
protyle, which is our layam. It is the father and generator, so to say, or
rather the Upadhi (basis), of both air and water, and is “fire, air and water,”
in fact: one under three aspects; hence the chemical and alchemical trinity. In
the world of manifestation or matter it is the objective symbol and the material
emanation from the subjective and purely spiritual entitative Being in the
region of noumena. Well might Godfrey Higgins have compared Hydrogen to, and
even identified it with, the To on, the “One” of the Greeks. For, as he remarks,
Hydrogen is not Water, though it generates it; Hydrogen is not fire, though it
manifests or creates it; nor is it Air, though air may be regarded as a product
of the union of Water and
Footnote(s) ———————————————
* See “Genesis of the Elements,” by Prof. W. Crookes, p. 21.
Vol. 2, Page 106 THE SECRET DOCTRINE.
Fire — since Hydrogen is found in the aqueous element of the atmosphere. It is
three in one.
If one studies comparative Theogony, it is easy to find that the secret of these
“Fires” was taught in the Mysteries of every ancient people, pre-eminently in
Samothrace. There is not the smallest doubt that the Kabeiri, the most arcane of
all the ancient deities, gods and men, great deities and Titans, are identical
with the Kumaras and Rudras headed by Kartikeya — a Kumara also. This is quite
evident even exoterically; and these Hindu deities were, like the Kabeiri, the
personified sacred Fires of the most occult powers of Nature. The several
branches of the Aryan Race, the Asiatic and the European, the Hindu and the
Greek, did their best to conceal their true nature, if not their importance. As
in the case of the Kumaras, the number of the Kabeiri is uncertain. Some say
that there were three or four only; others say seven. Aschieros, Achiosersa,
Achiochersus, and Camillus may very well stand for the alter egos of the four
Kumaras — Sanat-Kumara, Sananda, Sanaka, and Sanatana. The former deities, whose
reputed father was Vulcan, were often confounded with the Dioscuri, Corybantes,
Anaces, etc.; just as the Kumara, whose reputed father is Brahma, (or rather,
the “Flame of his Wrath,” which prompted him to perform the ninth or Kumara
creation, resulting in Rudra or Nilalohita (Siva) and the Kumaras), were
confounded with the Asuras, the Rudras, and the Pitris, for the simple reason
that they are all one — i.e., correlative Forces and Fires. There is no space to
describe these “fires” and their real meaning here, though we may attempt to do
so if the third and fourth volumes of this work are ever published. Meanwhile a
few more explanations may be added.
The foregoing are all mysteries which must be left to the personal intuition of
the student for solution, rather than described. If he would learn something of
the secret of the fires, let him turn to certain works of the Alchemists, who
very correctly connect fire with every element, as do the Occultists. The reader
must remember that the ancients considered religion, and the natural sciences
along with philosophy, to be closely and inseparably linked together.
AEsculapius was the Son of Apollo — the Sun or fire of Life; at once Helius,
Pythius, and the god of oracular Wisdom. In exoteric religions, as much as in
esoteric philosophy, the Elements — especially fire, water, and air — are made
the progenitors of our five physical senses, and hence are directly connected
(in an occult way) with them. These physical senses pertain even to a lower
creation than the one called in the Puranas Pratisarga, or secondary Creation.
“Liquid fire proceeds from indiscrete fire,” says an Occult axiom.
“The Circle is the thought; the diameter (or the line) is the word;
Vol. 2, Page 107 BATH-KOL, DAUGHTER OF THE VOICE.
and their union is life.” In the Kabala, Bath-Kol is the daughter of the Divine
Voice, or primordial light, Shekinah. In the Puranas and Hindu exotericism, Vach
(the Voice) is the female Logos of Brahma — a permutation of Aditi, primordial
light. And if Bath-Kol, in Jewish mysticism, is an articulate praeter-natural
voice from heaven, revealing to the “chosen people” the sacred traditions and
laws, it is only because Vach was called, before Judaism, the “Mother of the
Vedas,” who entered into the Rishis and inspired them by her revelations; just
as Bath-Kol is said to have inspired the prophets of Israel and the Jewish
High-Priests. And both exist to this day, in their respective sacred
symbologies, because the ancients associated sound or Speech with the Ether of
Space, of which Sound is the characteristic. Hence Fire, Water and Air are the
primordial Cosmic Trinity. “I am thy Thought, thy God, more ancient than the
moist principle, the light that radiates within Darkness (Chaos), and the
shining Word of God (Sound) is the Son of the Deity.” (“Pymander,” § 6.)*
Thus we have to study well the “Primary creation,” before we can understand the
Secondary. The first Race had three rudimentary elements in it; and no fire as
yet; because, with the Ancients, the evolution of man, and the growth and
development of his spiritual and physical senses, were subordinate to the
evolution of the elements on the Cosmic plane of this Earth. All proceeds from
Prabhavapyaya, the evolution of the creative and sentient principles in the
gods, and even of the so-called creative deity himself. This is found in the
names and appellations given to Vishnu in exoteric scriptures. As the Protologos
(the Orphic), he is called Purvaja, “pregenetic,” and then the other names
connect him in their descending order more and more with matter.
The following order on parallel lines may be found in the evolution of the
Elements and the Senses; or in Cosmic terrestrial “man” or “Spirit,” and mortal
physical man: —
1. Ether ... Hearing ... Sound.
2. Air ... Touch ... Sound and Touch.
3. Fire, or Light ... Sight ... Sound, Touch and Colour.
4. Water ... Taste ... Sound, Touch, Colour and Taste.
5. Earth ... Smell ... Sound, Touch, Colour, Taste and Smell.
As seen, each Element adds to its own characteristics, those of its
Footnote(s) ———————————————
* The opponents of Hinduism may call the above Pantheism, Polytheism, or
anything they may please. If Science is not entirely blinded by prejudice, it
will see in this account a profound knowledge of natural Sciences and Physics,
as well as of Metaphysics and Psychology. But to find this out, one has to study
the personifications, and then convert them into chemical atoms. It will then be
found to satisfy both physical and even purely materialistic Science, as well as
those who see in evolution the work of the “Great Unknown Cause” in its
phenomenal and illusive aspects.
Vol. 2, Page 108 THE SECRET DOCTRINE.
predecessor; as each Root-Race adds the characterizing sense of the preceding
Race. The same is true in the septenary creation of man, who evolves gradually
in seven stages, and on the same principles, as will be shown further on.
Thus, while Gods or Dhyan Chohans (Devas) proceed from the First Cause — which
is not Parabrahm, for the latter is the all cause, and cannot be referred to as
the “First Cause,” — which First Cause is called in the Brahmanical Books
Jagad-Yoni, “the womb of the world,” mankind emanates from these active agents
in Kosmos. But men, during the first and the second races, were not physical
beings, but merely rudiments of the future men: Bhutas, which proceeded from
Bhutadi, “origin,” or the “original place whence sprung the Elements.” Hence
they proceeded with all the rest from Prabhavapyaya, “the place whence is the
origination, and into which is the resolution of all things,” as explained by
the Commentator. Whence also our physical senses. Whence even the highest
“created” deity itself, in our philosophy. As one with the Universe, whether we
call him Brahma, Iswara, or Purusha, he is a manifested deity, — hence created,
or limited and conditioned. This is easily proven, even from the exoteric
teachings.
After being called the incognizable, eternal Brahma (neuter or abstract), the
Punda-Rikaksha, “supreme and imperishable glory,” once that instead of
Sadaika-Rupa, “changeless” or “immutable” Nature, he is addressed as
Ekanaka-Rupa, “both single and manifold,” he, the cause, becomes merged with his
own effects; and his names, if placed in esoteric order, show the following
descending scale: —
1. Mahapurusha or Paramatman ..... Supreme Spirit.
2. Atman or Purvaja (Protologos) ... The living Spirit of Nature.
3. Indriyatman, or Hrishikesa .......... Spiritual or intellectual soul (One
with the senses).
5. Bhutatman .................................. The living, or Life Soul.
6. Kshetrajna .................................. Embodied soul, or the Universe
of Spirit and Matter.
7. Bhrantidarsanatah ....................... False perception — Material
Universe.
The last name means something perceived or conceived of, owing to false and
erroneous apprehension, as a material form; but, in fact, only Maya, illusion,
as all is in our physical universe.
It is in strict analogy with its attributes in both the spiritual and material
worlds, that the evolution of the Dhyan Chohanic Essences takes place; the
characteristics of the latter being reflected, in their turn, in Man,
collectively, and in each of his principles; every one of which contains in
itself, in the same progressive order, a portion of their various “fires” and
elements
[11/13/2010 7:13:29 PM] Van Atman: 211. 5. Virya, đại hùng đại lực mở đường
thẳng đến Chân lư siêu việt, ngoài ṿng bùn lầy của những giả dối trần gian.
[11/13/2010 7:14:13 PM] Van Atman: 211 5. Virya, hùng lực dũng mănh mở đường
thẳng đến chân lư siêu việt, ngoài ṿng bùn nhơ của sự gian trá thế gian.
Ai tiến bước trên Đường Đạo cũng đều có những đức tánh đặc biệt của ḿnh. Vậy y
sẽ nhận thấy vài cánh cửa nầy hơi dễ vượt qua hơn và các cánh cửa khác, trái lại
rất khó qua. Chẳng hạn, đối với đệ tử Đông phương th́ đức nhẫn nhục dễ hoạch đắc
hơn; đối với đệ tử Tây phương th́ đức tánh dễ dàng chính là năng lực tinh tấn.
Khi khảo sát bản liệt kê nầy lần đầu tiên, vài người trong chúng ta đă hỏi tại
sao những đức tánh khó đạt nhất lại được đặt ra cho chúng ta trong bước đầu
tiên. Sự thật, ư nghĩa ấy không đúng. Đức Phật của chúng ta là một người Ấn Độ,
Ngài kê ra những đức tánh mà người Ấn Độ cần phải đạt được và có lẽ Ngài đă kể
những đức tánh phải có trước tiên để thực hiện những sự tiến bộ dễ nhất.
Sau khi đă phát triển hùng lực hay virya đến một mức độ cao, chắc chắn là kế đó
khó hoạch đắc tánh dịu dàng và nhẫn nại, hay kshanti. Một người có hùng lực ấy
khi nghe nói đến con Đường Đạo, muốn đi từ đầu đến cuối ngay -nhưng nếu y thiếu
nhẫn nại, y sẽ rải ra dọc theo con đường đi chung quanh y một sự xáo trộn và tạo
nên một số nghiệp xấu làm chậm trễ sự tiến hóa của y khá nhiều. Trái lại, người
kiên nhẫn nhưng thiếu hùng lực đành phải chịu tŕ trệ và sự tiến bộ của y quả
thật chậm chạp.
Ở Đông phương một khuynh hướng giống như thế c̣n rơ nét. Tại Tích Lan, tôi c̣n
nhớ nghe nói là hồi xưa người ta có thể đạt đến cơi Niết Bàn thật sự, nhưng
trong thời đại gian ác của chúng ta - người ta gọi là thời đại hắc ám hay thời
đại mạt pháp - những sự thành công như thế không thể thực hiện được nữa. Có thể
sau nầy, trong một thời đại hoàng kim xa xăm, sự kiện ấy mới có thể thực hiện
lại. Nhưng những bậc Đại Huấn Sư vẫn c̣n bên chúng ta và như Thánh Kinh Thiên
Chúa giáo đă cho biết, nếu cánh cửa đă khép chặt và con đường bị thu hẹp lại,
ngày nay cũng như bất cứ lúc nào, th́ chúng ta vẫn có thể t́m được cánh cửa ấy
và đi theo con đường.
Trong vấn đề nầy không ai có thể nói là ḿnh đang ở tŕnh độ nào. Đối với nhiều
người Thông Thiên Học, nhớ lại được một hoài niệm nào đó - chứng tỏ rằng họ đă
hoạch đắc những khái niệm về Đường Đạo trong những kiếp trước. Nếu trong những
thời kỳ xa xăm trước kia, một người đă thực hiện những cố gắng lớn lao để đạt
đến Con Đường Đạo, th́ vài cố gắng được tăng thêm trong kiếp nầy sẽ đưa y trở
lại con đường ấy ngay. Nếu y chỉ bắt đầu những cố gắng ấy hiện giờ, th́ đó chính
là một kỳ công gần như siêu phàm đối với y để được bước đi trên Đường Đạo trong
kiếp nầy.
Những cố gắng của nhiều nhà Thông Thiên Học đă tạo nên một sự căng thẳng lớn
lao; đó là lư do tại sao trong Hội Thông Thiên Học có nhiều sự nhiễu loạn, nhiều
sự phẫn nộ, nhiều sự gây gỗ. Tôi nghe nói ở những hội khác ít xảy ra những sự
khốn khổ buồn phiền như thế. Đó là lẽ dĩ nhiên. Nếu bạn là nhân viên của một hội
địa lư, địa chất hay một hội khác tương tợ như thế, bạn chỉ gia nhập vào một
nhóm người muốn hoạch đắc những kiến thức tương đối tầm thường về một vấn đề đặc
biệt. Nhưng trong Hội Thông Thiên học một số đông người đă đặt Thể Vía và Thể
Trí của ḿnh vào trạng thái căng thẳng và sự căng thẳng ấy gây phản ứng trên thể
xác họ. Do đó, từ lâu, chúng ta gặp phải những người nhạy cảm nhưng chưa hoàn
toàn mà sự tiến bộ lại mau chóng hơn bản chất trong những t́nh trạng b́nh thường
không định trước, nên chắc rằng Hội Thông Thiên Học c̣n tiếp tục xảy ra nhiều sự
rối loạn. Tuy nhiên đến một ngày nào đó, lúc ấy mỗi hội viên sẽ đạt được "đức
nhẫn nhục dịu dàng, mà không có ǵ có thể làm phật ḷng được ".
[11/13/2010 8:54:02 PM] Thuan Thi Do:
http://www.lost-civilizations.net/mayan-pyramids-mexico-teotihuacan.html