TheFirstPrinciplesofTheosophyByCuruppumullageJinarajadasa

Firstpublishedin1921

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INTRODUCTION

Theosophyisthewisdomarisingfromthestudyoftheevolutionoflifeandform.Thiswisdomalreadyexists,becausethestudyhasbeenpursuedforlongages by properly equipped investigators into nature’s mysteries. Theinvestigators,whoarecalledtheMastersoftheWisdom,arethosesoulswhointheevolutionaryprocesshavepassedbeyondthestageofmantothenexthigher,that of the “Adept”. As man evolves to Adept, he gains knowledge byinvestigationandexperiment.TheknowledgesofargainedbyanunbrokenlineofAdeptsisTheosophy,theAncientWisdom.

AsmanbecomesAdept,heceasestobemerelyanitemintheevolutionaryprocess, and appears as a master and director of that process, under thesupervision of a great Consciousness called in Theosophy the Logos. He isenabled,asacooperatorwiththeLogos,toseenaturefromHisstandpoint,andto some extent survey her, not as her helpless tool, butwith the vision of herCreator.SuchasurveyisTheosophytoday.

These Masters of the Wisdom, the agents of the Logos, direct theevolutionaryprocessinallitsphases,eachsupervisingaparticulardepartmentintheevolutionoflifeandform.TheyformabodyknownastheGreatHierarchyor theGreat White Brotherhood. They guide the building and unbuilding offormsonseaandland;theydirecttheriseandfallofnations,givingtoeachjustso much of the Ancient Wisdom as is needed for its welfare, and can beassimilatedbyit.

Sometimes that Wisdom is given indirectly, through workers in quest ofknowledge, by inspiring them all unseen towards discoveries; sometimes it isgiven directly, as a revelation. Both these ways are observable now in thetwentieth century. The Masters of the Wisdom, who are in charge of theevolution of all that lives, are giving the Wisdom—the science of facts—indirectly, through the invisibleguidance and inspirationof scientificworkers;directly, they have given it in a body of knowledge known by the termTheosophy.

Theosophy is then, in a sense, a revelation, but it is the revelation of aknowledgebythosewhohavediscoveredit,tothosewhohavenotyetdoneso.

Itcannotbutbeahypothesisatfirsttowhomsoeveritisoffered;itcanbecomeone’sownpersonalknowledgeonlybyexperimentandexperience.

InTheosophytodaywehavenotthefullnessofknowledgeofallfacts.Onlyafewmainfactsandlawshavebeentoldus,sufficienttospurusontostudyanddiscovery;butinnumerablegapsremaintobefilledin.Theyarebeingfilledinbyindividualworkersinourmidst,butwhatwehaveofknowledgeisasadropintheoceantowhatliesundiscoveredorunrevealed.Nevertheless,thelittlewehave is of wonderful fascination, and it reveals new inspiration and beautyeverywhere. Theosophy today, in the modern Theosophical literature, will befound to be concerned mostly with the evolution of life. But the knowledgeconcerningtheevolutionofform,nowgatheredineverydepartmentofmodernscience, isequallyapartof theAncientWisdom.Inboth, therearegaps tobefilled in; but when both are correctly viewed, each is seen to supplement theother.

InthisexpositionofTheosophy,asineverymanualofscience,thereareboundtobetwoelements.Awriterwillexpoundwhathasbeenacceptedasfactbyall,orbyamajorityofscientificinvestigators,butatthesametimehemayincludethe result of the work of a few or of himself only, which may requirecorroborationorrevision.Asheproceeds,hemaynotseparate,unconsciouslyorthroughlackoftruescientifictraining,thesetwoelements.Similarly,whiletheleading ideas of thisworkmay be considered “Theosophical”, and as a fairlycorrect exposition of the knowledge revealed by theMasters of theWisdom,therewillbeparts thatwillnotdeserve thatdignity.ButasTruth isafterall amatterofdiscoverybyeachforhimself,whatotherscando ismerely topointout theway.Scientificallyestablished truths,andwhatmaybebutpersonalorerroneousviews,mustallbetestedbythesamestandard.

Though in its fundamental ideasTheosophy is a revelation, yet there is noauthorityinittoanindividual,unlesshehimselfassentstoit.Nevertheless,asamanmustbe ready to standor fallby thenoblesthypothesisof lifewhichhisheartandmindcanconceive,thisworkiswrittentoshowthatsuchahypothesisexistsinTheosophy.

CHAPTERI

THEEVOLUTIONOFLIFEANDFORM

There is no better preparation for a clear comprehension ofTheosophy than abroad, general, knowledge of modern science. For science deals with facts,tabulatingthemanddiscoveringlaws;Theosophydealswiththesamefacts,andthough theymay be tabulated differently, the conclusions are in themain thesame.Wheretheydiffer, it isnotbecauseTheosophyquestionsthefactsofthescientist,butsimplybecause,beforecomingtoconclusions,ittakesintoaccountadditional facts which modern science either ignores or has not as yetdiscovered.ThereisbutoneScience,solongasfactsremainthesame;whatisstrictly scientific is Theosophical, as what is truly Theosophical is entirely inharmonywithallthefacts,andthereforeinthehighestdegreescientific.

The greatest achievement of modern science is the conception offered to thethinkingmindofthephenomenaofexistenceasfactorsinagreatprocesscalledEvolution.Letusunderstandinbroadoutlinewhatevolutionmeansaccordingtoscience, and we shall be ready to understand what it means according toTheosophy.

LetusconsiderfirstthegreatnebulainOrion(Fig.1).

It is a chaotic mass of matter in an intensely heated condition, millions andmillionsofmilesindiameter.Itisavague,cloudymass,fullofenergy;but,sofaraswecansee,itisenergynotperforminganyusefu1work.

But there are other nebulaewhich give us an indication of a definite trend inevolution.Thenebula inCanesVenatici (Fig.2) isnotonly revolving roundacenter,but italsoappears tobebreakingupintodistinctsectionsorarms.Thematerial of each arm,while retaining itsmotion round the centre,will slowlycondenseroundoneormorenuclei.Eachnucleuswillbecomeastar.

Asimilarprocesscanbepostulatedforthenextstageinevolution.Thematerialof each star undergoes a change. Either because of its internal condition, orbecause it is affectedbyapassing star, itwill develop subsidiary centers.Thenebularmatterwillcondenseroundthem,andslowlythesecenterswillbecomeplanets circling round the star’s central nucleus.Thus,with regard toourownstar, theSun,wenotewhat evolutionhas accomplished; it is todayanorderlysolarsystem,havingacentralsunandattendantplanetscirclingroundit(Fig.3).

Whatwillbe thenextstage?By this time, therewillhaveappearedwithin thesolarsystemthelighterchemicalelements.Hydrogen,carbon,nitrogen,oxygen,phosphorus,calcium,iron,andothers,willbethere;theywillenterintocertaincombinations, and then will come the first appearance of Life.We shall nowhavesomeofthematterasprotoplasm,thefirstformofLife.What,then,willbethenextstage?

This protoplasm, too, arranges itself in groups and combinations; it takes theformoforganisms,bothvegetableandanimal.Letusfirstwatchwhathappenstoit,asitbecomesvegetableorganisms.

Twoactivitieswillbenoticeable fromthebeginning in this livingmatter:one,that theorganismdesires to retain its lifeas longaspossible,bynutrition; theother,toproduceanotherorganismsimilartoitsown.Undertheimpulseofthese

twoinstincts,itwill“evolve”,thatis,weshallseethesimpleorganismtakingonacomplexstructure.Thisprocesswillcontinue,stagebystage,tillslowlytherewillariseavegetablekingdomoneachplanet,suchaswehaveonourown(Fig.4).

Each successive stagewill bedeveloped from its predecessor; eachwill be soorganizedastoprolongitsexistencelongerandtogiverisetobetteroffspring.Each will be more “evolved” than what has gone before. From unicellular

organisms,suchasbacteria,algaeandfungi,sporeplantswillbedeveloped,abletodisseminateoffspringinanewway;later,abettermethodofpropagationwillbeevolved,bymeansofseeds.Laterstill,therewillcomethestageoffloweringplants, where the individual organism, with least expenditure of energy, willretainitsownlife,whileatthesametimeitgivesrisetoalargenumberofoff-spring. Stage by stage, the organism increases in complexity; but that verycomplexity enabIes it to “live” more satisfactorily, that is, to give rise tooffspringwiththeleastexpenditureofforce,toprolongitslife,andatthesametime to produce a type of progenywith new and greater potentialities of self-expressionthanitsparent.

Asimilarprocessofevolutiontakesplace inprotoplasm,as itgivesrise to theanimalkingdom.Fromprotozoa,simpleunicellularorganisms,wefindevolvedstepbystepthevariousgroupsoftheinvertebratekingdom(Fig.5).

Fromunicellularorganismstomulti-cellularorganismswithtissuesandnervousand circulatory systems, complexity increases group after group. Then a newstepcomesinthebuildingoforganisms;thecentralnervetrunkissheathedbyvertebrae,andthuswehavethevertebrates.Fromoneorderofvertebrates, the

reptiles,comethemammals;(onlycontainsFigure5)amongthehighestofthemammalsappeartheprimates.Ofthislastorderoftheanimalkingdom,themosthighlyorganizedisMan.

The instincts of self-preservation and propagation are seen in the animalkingdomalso.Asstructurebecomesmorecomplex,theorganismisbetterfittedto adapt itself to the changing environment, better able, with less and lessexpenditureofforce,toliveandproducesimilarorganisms.Butanewelementoflifeappearsamongthehighervertebrates.

“Ifwecontemplatelifeatlargeinitsascendingforms,weseethatinthelowestcreatures theenergiesarewhollyabsorbed inself-sustentationandsustentationof the race. Each improvement in organization, achieving some economy orother,makesthemaintenanceoflifeeasier;sothattheenergiesevolvedfromagiven quantity of foodmore than suffice to provide for the individual and forprogeny;someunusedenergyisleft.Aswerisetothehighertypesofcreatureshaving more developed structures, we see that this surplus energy becomesgreaterandgreater;andthehighestshowuslongintervalsofcessationfromthepursuitoffood,duringwhichthereisnotaninfrequentspontaneousexpenditureofunusedenergy in thatpleasurableactivityof thefacultieswecallplay.Thisgeneraltruthhastoberecognizedasholdingoflifeinitsculminatingforms—ofhumanlifeaswellasofotherlife.Theprogressofmankindis,underoneaspect,ameansof liberatingmoreandmorelifefrommeretoilandleavingmoreandmore life available for relaxation—for pleasurable culture, for aestheticgratification;fortravel,forgames.”1

Fromthechaoticnebula,onceuponatime,tomantoday,thinking,playingandloving—thisistheprocesscalledEvolution.Achaoshasbecomeacosmos,withorderly events, which the humanmind can tabulate as laws; the unstable, “a-dharma”, has become the stable, “dharma”. We note what are the principleswhichnaturehasfollowed,astheOnebecomestheMany,asdisorderbecomesorder,inthenextdiagram(Fig.6).

True, no eye ofman saw the beginning of this process, nor has continuouslywatchedittothepresentday,andsocandescribefromdirectobservationeachstep inevolution,andsay thatevolution isa fact.Wecanonly reconstruct theprocess by observing different kinds of nebulae, by studying the structures ofextinctand livingorganisms,bypiecing togetherherea tailwith thereawing.Nonecansaythattheuniversedidnotariseinallitscomplexityafewthousandyears ago, just before historical tradition began; and none can say that theuniversewillnottomorrowceasetobe.Butmancannotbesatisfiedwithtakingnoteonlyofthefewbriefmomentsofthepresentwhichhisconsciousnesscanretain;hemustconstructsome,conceptionofnature,andpostulateapastandafuture. Such a past and a future are propounded, largely from analogy, in theprocesscalledevolution.Inasense,evolutionisahypothesis;butitisthemostsatisfactoryhypothesissofarinthehistoryofmankind,anditisalsoonewhich,whenonceaccepted,showsevolutioneverywhere,foralltosee.

Fascinatingasisthesurveyofthecosmosinthelightofevolutionastaughtby

modernscience, there isneverthelessonegloomyelement in it,and that is theinsignificantpartplayedbytheindividualinthetimelessdrama.Natureatwork,“evolving”,lavishlyspendsherenergies,buildingformafterform.Butaterriblespendthrift she seems, producing farmore forms than sheprovides sustenancefor.Timeisofnoaccount,andtheindividualbutoflittle,onlyindeedsolongashe lives.During thebrief lifeof the individual,naturesmilesonhim,caresseshim, as though everything had been planned for hiswelfare. But after he hasmadethemovesheguideshimtomake,afterhehasgivenrisetooffspring,orhasslightlymodifiedtheenvironmentforothersbyhisliving,deathcomesandheisannihilated.That“IamI”,whichimpelseachtolive, tostruggle, toseekhappiness, ceases to be; for it is notwewho are important, but the type—”socareful of the type she seems, so careless of the single life”.Where today areNinevehandBabylon,and“theglorythatwasGreeceandthegrandeurthatwasRome”?

“TisallaCheckerboardofNightsandDaysWhereDestinywithmenforPiecesplays;Hitherandthithermoves,andmates,andslays,Andonebyonebackintheclosetlays.”

From this aspect, evolution is terrible, a mechanical process, serene in itsomnipotenceandruthlessness.Yet,sinceitisaprocessafterall,perhapstobringinpersonalconsiderationswhetherwelikeitornotmaynotbetothepoint.Butsincewearemenandwomenwhothinkanddesire,wedobringinthepersonalelementtoourconceptionoflife;andwhenwelookatevolution,theoutlookforusasindividualsisnotencouraging.Weareasbubblesofthesea,arisingfromnovolitionofourown,andweceasetobe,followingdevelopmentsinaprocesswhichwe cannot control.We are “such stuff as dreams aremade of, and ourlittlelifeisroundedwithasleep”.

Is therepossibleanyconceptionof theevolutionaryprocesswhichcanshowamoreencouragingoutlook?ItisthatwhichTheosophyoffersinthedoctrineoftheEvolutionofLifethroughtheevolutionofforms.

As the scientist of today examines nature, he notes two inseparable elements,matterandforce;athird,whichweknowas“life”,heconsiderstobetheeffectoftheinteractionofthetwo.Heseesinmatterthepossibilitiesofbothlifeandconsciousness,andneitherofthemisconsideredbyhimcapableofanexistenceindependent of matter. In the main this conception is true; but, according to

Theosophy,amodificationisrequired,whichmaybestatedasfollows.

Just as we see no matter without force, and no force which is not affectingmatter, so, too, thereexistsasimilar relationbetween lifeandmatter.The twoareinseparable,andneitheristheproductoftheother.

There are in the universe types of matter finer than those recognized by oursenses,orponderablebythemostdelicateofinstruments.Manyformsofenergy,too,exist,ofwhichbutafewhaveasyetbeendiscoveredbyman.Oneformofenergy,whichacts inconjunctionwithcertaintypesofultra-physicalmatter, iscalled Life. This life evolves; that is, it is slowly becoming more and morecomplexinitsmanifestations.

Thecomplexityof the life-activities isbroughtaboutbybuildingorganisms insuchmatterasweknowbyoursenses.(Thereareothermodesoflife-activities,butforthemomentweshallconfineourattentiontothoseactivitieswhichoursensescanperceive.)Itisthislifewhichholdsagroupofchemicalcompoundsduringacertainperiodasalivingorganism.Whilesoholdingit,thatlifegainsacomplexity bymeansof the experiences received through its receptacle.Whatwenoteasthedeathoftheorganismisthewithdrawalofitslife,inordertoexistfor a while dissociated from the lowest or physical forms of matter. It is,however,stilllinkedtoultra-physicalmatter.Inwithdrawingfromtheorganismat death, such experiences as were received through it are retained as habitslearnedby the life; they are transmuted into newcapacities for form-building,andtheywillbeutilizedwithitsnextefforttobuildaneworganism.

If we look at Fig. 7, we shall be able to grasp clearly the TheosophicalconceptionoftheEvolutionofLife.

Whenweconsiderstructuresonly,wearelookingatbutonesideofevolution.Forbehindeachstructureisalife.Thoughaplantdies,thelifewhichmakesitliving,andpropelsittoreacttoenvironment,doesnotdie.Whenarosewithersanddiesanddisappears indust,weknow thatnoneof itsmatter isdestroyed;everyparticleofitstillexists,formattercannotbeannihilated.So,too,isitwiththelifewhichoutofchemicalelementsmakesarose.Itmerelywithdrawsforatime, to reappear later building another rose.The experiences of sunshine andstorm, of the struggle for existence, gained through the first rose, are slowlyutilized to build a second (Contains only Fig. 19.) rose which shall be betteradaptedtoliveandpropagateitskind.

Just as an individualorganism isoneunit in a largergroup, so also is the lifewithineachorganismaunitinalargergroupcalleda“group-soul”.Behindtheorganismsofthevegetablekingdomasawholeisthevegetablegroup-soul,anindestructible reservoir of those life-forces which are attaining complexity bybuildingvegetableforms.Eachunitoflifewithinthatgroup-soul,asitappears

onearthanew inanorganism,comes thereendowedwith the sum totalof theexperiencesofthedeadorganismsbuiltbythegroup-soul;eachunit,asitreturnstothegroup-soulatdeath,contributestothegroupwhatithasgainedinpowerof new ways of reacting to environment. The same is true of the animalkingdom;eachspecies,genusandfamilyhasitsowncompartmentinthegeneralanimalgroup-soul.

Withman,too,theprincipleisthesame,exceptthatmanhaspassedthestageofbelonging to a group-soul. Each man is an individual life and, though he islinkedinmysticwaystoallhisfellowsinaBrotherhoodofMan,hetreadshisownpath,andcarvesouthisownfuture.Heretainshisexperiences,gainedbyhimlifeafterlife,anddoesnotsharethemwithothers,unlesshesharesthemofhisownvolition.

There is no such thing as death in nature, in the sense of a resolution intonothing. The life withdraws into its ultra-physical environment for a while,retaining there the experiences which it has gained as new modes of form-building.Thoughformafterformcomesandgoes,theirsuccessivelivesarebuttheentrancesandexitsofthesameliteintheevolutionarydrama.Notafractionofexperienceislost,asnotaparticleofmatterisdestroyed.

Furthermore,thislifeevolves,asalreadymentioned.Themethodofitsevolutionisthroughgrowthinforms.Theaimofagivenpartofthegroup-soul’slifeistomanifestthroughsuchformsasshalldominate,throughthegreatestadaptabilitytoenvironment,allotherforms,whileatthesametimetheyshallbecapableofthemostdelicateresponsetotheinnerpromptingsofthelifeitself.Eachpartofagroup-soul,eachtypeoflife,eachgroupandclassandorder,hasthisaim;andhence ensues the fiercewarfare in nature. She is “red in tooth and clawwithravin”,butthestruggleforexistenceisnotthewastefulworkitseems.Formsaredestroyed,butonlytobebuiltupintonewforms.Thelifecomesandgoes,butstepbystepitcomesnearertotheformwhichitseeks.Nolifeislost;thewasteisbutaseeming,andtheruthlessstruggleisthewaytodeterminethebestformsinanever-changingenvironment.

When the fittest forms, for a given environment have been evolved, then thatparticularpartofthegroup-soulpoursitslifethroughthemwithafullnessandrichnesswhichmarkanepochbyitsdomination;andastheenvironmentagainchanges,oncemorethequestisresumedforthenextfitterforms.Soallpartsof

thegroup-soulsof thevegetableandanimalkingdomsareatwar, inastrugglefor a survival of the fittest. Yet in that struggle not a single unit of life isannihilated;thevictoryachievedbyonetypeisnotforitself,butforthetotalityoflifewhichhasbeenseekingthatveryformasthebestthroughwhichtounfolditsdormantenergies.

Lifeasitevolveshasitsstages.First,itbuildsformsinultra-physicalmatter,andthenwenameit“elemental”life.Then,withtheexperiencesofitspastbuilding,it“ensouls”chemicalelementsincombination,andbecomesthemineralgroup-soul.Next, it builds protoplasm, ensouls vegetable forms, and afterwards, at alaterperiod,animalforms.Thenwehavethenextstageasman.Lifenowbuildsindividualsabletothinkandlove,capableofself-sacrificeandidealism,for

...strivingtobeMan,thewormMountsthroughallthespiresofform.Andmanisnotthelastlinkinthechain.

Inallthiscosmicprocessfromatomtoman,thereisoneelementwhichmustbetakenintoaccount,ifwearetounderstandtheprocesscorrectly.Thoughmatterevolves fromhomogeneous toheterogeneous, from indefinite todefinite, fromsimple to complex, life does not so evolve. The evolution of matter is arearrangement; theevolutionof life is anunlockingandanunfoldment. In thefirst cell of living matter, there exists, in some incomprehensible fashion,ShakespeareandBeethoven.Naturemayneedmillionsofyearstorearrangethesubstance, “selecting” age after age, till the proper aggregation is found, andShakespeareandBeethovencancomefromherbosomtobetheprotagonistsinonesceneofherdrama.Yetallthewhile,throughoutthemillionsofyears,thelife held them both mysteriously within itself. The evolution of life is not areceivingbutagiving.Forattherootofthelifeitself,asitsveryheartandsoul,issomethinggreaterstill,aConsciousnessfromHisfullnessofPower,LoveandBeauty,HegavetothefirstspeckoflifeallthatHeis.,Asalltheraysfromtheglorious panorama or amountain rangemay be converged by a lens into oneinvisiblegeometricalpoint,soeachoflifeisasafocalpointofthatillimitableExistence.WithineachcellHeresidesinHisfullness;underHisguidance,attheproper time Shakespeare and Beethoven step forth, and we call the actionEvolution.

Ifthestudyoftheevolutionofforms,accordingtomodernscience,hasenlarged

and corrected our previous conceptions of the universe, the study of theevolutionoflifeismorestrikingstill initsconsequences.Fornewelementsofcomplexityappearinthelife-sideofevolution,andtheirconsiderationmeansanewevaluationof evolutionaryprocesses.The first factor in thecomplexity isthat, within the forms as studied by the scientist, there are several parallelstreams of evolving life, each largely independent of the others in itsdevelopment.

TwoofthesestreamsarethoseofHumanityandofaparallelstreamcalledtheevolutionofDevasorAngels(Fig.8).

As already mentioned, human life has as its earlier stages animal, vegetable,mineral,andelementallife.

From that samemineral life, however, the life diverges into another channel,through thestagesofvegetable forms,animal forms, then to formsof“nature-spirits”orthefairiesoftradition,intoAngelsorDevas.Anotherparallelstream,aboutwhichlittleisknown,isthelifeofcells,withitsearlierphasesandthosetocome.Astreamoflifethroughelectrons,ionsandchemicalelementsisalsoprobably distinct. Yet other evolutions exist on our planet, but for lack ofsufficientinformationtheymayforthemomentbeleftoutofconsideration.

TheladderoflifewhichevolvesthroughtheformsinourmidstisseeninFig.9.

Thelifeutilizesorganismsbuiltupofsolid,liquidandgaseousmatter;butitalsouses forms built of more tenuous matter in a “fourth state” of matter (called“etheric” by the Theosophist), and also in types ofmatter still more rarefied,called “astral” and “mental” matter. Ascending from the mineral, six distinctstreamswillbenoted, converging intoAdeptsorPerfectMen,and intoArupaDevasorHigherAngels,andculminatinginatypeofloftyentitiescalledDhyanChohans. Of the six, only two utilize physical matter in its finer physical or“etheric”states(firstandthirdcolumnsinthediagram),andthenbuildformsinastral matter as “sylphs”. One stream builds organisms living in water, whilethree use forms living on land.Only one of the six streams of life leads into

humanity;theotherfivepassintotheparallelevolutionoftheDevasorAngels.

Itmustbecarefullynotedthattheevolutionoflifehasitsantecedentphases,itsheredity,as itwere,which is sometimesquitedistinct fromtheheredityof theforms. The fact that mammals and birds have been developed from reptilianformsonlyindicatesacommonancestryofbodilyform.Whileseaweeds,fungi,grasses andmosseshave a commonphysical heredity fromunicellular aquaticorganisms, the life nevertheless has ascended through four separate streams.Similarly,whilebirdsandmammalshaveacommonphysicalancestry, the lifeofbirdshas,foritsfuture,stagesasethericcreatures,thefairiesonthesurfaceofthe earth, then as fairies in higher etheric matter and so to astral fairies andDevas;butthelifeofmammalspassesintothehumankingdom.

Beforepassingfromtheseethericformsinearth-depthsandinthedepthsofthesea, itmustbepointedout thatanethericform, thoughcomposedof“matter”,canpassthroughandexistinsolidrock,orinthesea,astheaircanpassthroughawood-pileorremainamongtheintersticesbetweenthepieces:ofwood.Evenourdensestsubstancesareporoustotheetherictypesofmatter;andorganismsbuiltupoftheselattertypesfindnodifficultyinexistinginsidetheearthorsea,sincetheyarenotaffectedbytheheatorthepressurewhichwouldmakelifeforordinaryphysicalcreaturesimpossible.

The samegeneral differentiationof life is observable ifwe consider humanityalone(Fig.10).

Thestreamoflife,whichlateristobecomehumanity,hasrudimentarymarksofspecialization,eveninitsearlyphasesofelemental,mineralandvegetablelife;webegintonotethesemoreclearlywhentheanimalkingdomisreached.Therearesevenfundamental typesof this lifewhich isgoing tobehuman; therearemodificationsineachtypeasitisinfluencedsomewhatbytheothers.Thetypespersist throughout all the kingdoms preceding the human. The life of dogs isalwaysdistinct fromthatofcats; thatof tileelephants fromboth.Thedog lifeevolvedinformsofwolvesandjackalsandothercanidae,previoustoitshighestembodiment in thedomesticateddog.Similarlyother typesofanimal life, likecats,horses,elephants,monkeys,had theirearlier“incarnations” throughmoresavageandprehistoricformsofthesamespecies.(ThissubjectwillbedealtwithmorefullyinChapterVII—”TheEvolutionofAnimals”).

When we come to study these types as they appear in humanity, a mostfascinatingviewofmankindopensbeforeus.Itrequiresbutlittleimaginationto

see that the canine life, on its entrance into humanity, will appear as thedevotionaltypeofsoultheclassificationinFig.11isinnowayfinal;itisgivenmorebywayofsuggestionthanasanabsolutelycorrectclueto,themysteryoftemperaments.

Seven typesareclearlymarked;one isnotbetterorhigher thananother.Theyareallneededinthegreatevolutionarydrama,andeachisgreatasitcontributestothewholethatdevelopmentoftheoneDivineLifeandConsciousnesswhichhasbeenarrangedforitbytheLogos.

IfweexaminedevotionalsoulsaroundusweshallnotesomewhointheirheartandmindgotoGoddirect,andotherstowhomGodisvagueunlessconceivedin the form of some Incarnation or Mediator, such as Jesus Christ or ShriKrishna. There are also devotional souls who are influenced by the dramaticwave of life; and then theywill covetmartyrdom, not out of conceit or fromdesireofposing,butbecausealifeofdevotionisunrealunlessitiscontinuallydramatic.LoveofGodandthemindofaTolstoywillmeanidentifyinghimselfin outwardwayswith the poor and the down-trodden, and playing a role in adramaticsituation;theChrist-lifemustbedramaticforthesesouls,tobefullofmeaning.

Theaffectionate type, too,has itsmanyvariants.Thereare thoseforwhomalllife iscentredintheloveofonesoulalone, theRomeosandJulietsamongus,whoarereadytorenounceallforone.Thereareotherswhoarecapableofalessintenselove,butwhodelightinsendingitouttoawidercircleofparent,childandfriend,andareattractedbyphilanthropicschemesofactivity.

The dramatic type, one variant of which has been mentioned above, isinteresting,asitisoftenmisunderstood.Tothemlifeisnotrealunlessaneventis a scene in a drama. Happiness is not happiness, unless it is in a drama inwhichthesoulisplayinga“strongpart”;griefisgriefonlyifitis“likeNiobe,alltears”.Onevariantwillbedrawntothestage,developingadualconceptionofactionastheselfandthenot-self;influencedbythephilosophictypeoflife,another soul will develop into the playwright; while the dramatic soul withexecutivetendencieswillfindlifefascinatingasaleaderofbattalionsorasthechiefofapoliticalparty.

Among the scientific type, the theoretical and experimental variants are easilyrecognizable.Athird,thereverential,islesscommonjustnow,butheisthesoulfullofzealinscientificinvestigations,yetcontinuallyfeelingtheuniverseasthelivinggarmentofGod.‘Thescientistwhoisspectacularinhismethodshasthedramatic type influencing him; his behaviour is not necessarily the result ofvanityorofadesire tobe“in the limelight”,butonlybecausehe is livinghisGod-giventemperament.

Of the executive type, there is the dramatic variant, seen in many a politicalleader,andanother,themagnetictype,whoisabletoinspiresubordinateswithdeep loyalty, but is not at all spectacular—if anything, prefers to keep in the

background,solongastheworkisdone.

Littleneedbesaidofthephilosophictype,thedifferencesofmethodadoptedbythevariousphilosophers,indevelopingtheirconceptionsoflife,areduetowhatthey are, within themselves, as expressions of the One Life. Spencer andHaeckel,RuskinandCarlyle,Aristotle,Plato,Shankaracharya,Ramanujacharya,Kant,Hegel,Spinoza,andothers,wellrepresentafewofthemanyvariationsofthis“Ray”.

To another type, which is much misunderstood, belong those to whomsymbolismstronglyappeals.Tothese,lifeisnotrealunlessitisanallegory.AnexampleofthistypewouldbeSt.John,theauthorofRevelation,whodelightsinsymbols and allegories.Amodification of this type is seen in thosewho findreligion real only when ritual accompanies it. Vestments and processions,incenseandgenuflections,areapartoftheworshipofabeingofthistype.

In manifold ways the Logos trains His children to help Him in the commonwork,andallareequalbeforeHim.Foreach,Hehashewnapath;itisforeachtotreadhisownpath,encouragingthewhiletheothersontheirs.

Thesubjectisfulloffascination,butenoughhasbeensaidtoshowsomethingoftheEvolutionofLife,andtosuggestalineofthoughtandobservationthatwillbeproductiveofmuchwisdom.

This rapid surveyof creation fromOrion toman shows, then, an evolutionaryprocesseveratwork,theOnebecomingtheMany.Itisnotaprocesswhere,intheMany,eachstrivesforhimself,butwhereeachslowlyrealizesthathishigherexpressionisdependentuponservingtheothers,forallareOne.Notaseriesoflikeparts,simplyplacedinjuxtaposition,butonewhole,madeupofunlikepartsmutually dependent, is the key-note of the Evolution of Form; not onetemperament,notonecreedormodeofworship,butadiversityoftemperamentsandcreedsandwaysofservice,allunitingtocooperatewiththeLogostobringtorealizationwhatHehasplannedforus,iseverthekey-noteoftheEvolutionofLife.

CHAPTERII

THERISEANDFALLOFCIVILIZATIONS

InFig.12wehaveapictureoftheworldtoday.

Initsmanylands-northandsouth,eastandwest—livemanypeoplesofdiverseracesandcreeds,andastudyoftheirrace-characteristicsandcustomsisoneofgreat fascination. The study of peoples, aiming to understand their racialcharacteristics, iscalledEthnology.Weshallbebetterable tounderstandwhatTheosophyteachesastotheriseandfallofcivilizations,ifwefirststudywhatmodernscientificresearchtellsusofthelivingracesofmankind.

Thepeoplesoftheworldtodaycanbeclassifiedinmanyways;amongthemaretworecognizedastrustworthyguides.Itisfoundthattheshapeoftheheadandthe textureof thehairare twofairlysafemethodsofclassification,as theyarecharacteristics which pass on from generation to generation with but littlemodification. Peoples are first divided into three groups according to their

“cephalicindex”,aseitherdolichocephalousorlong-headed,orbrachycephalousorshort-headed,ormesaticephalousormedium-headed.The“cephalicindex”isthat figure obtained when the maximum breadth of the head is stated as apercentageofitsmaximumlength.Takingonehundredasthelengthofthehead,thenwhenitswidthisbelowseventy-five,amaniscalleddolichocephalousorlong-headed;betweenseventy-fiveandeightyheismesaticephalousormedium-headed;andaboveeightyheissaidtobebrachycephalousorshort-headed.

Thesecondmethodofclassification,accordingtothetextureofthehair,isduetothefactthathairmaybewoollyandkinky,orcurlyandwavy,orstraightandsmooth. In woolly hair, each hair is flattened like a ribbon, and a transversesectionunderthemicroscopeisseentobeaflatellipse.Smoothandstraighthairis roundlikeawire,andamicroscopicalsectionshowsit tobecircular.Wavyandcurlyhairismidwaybetweenthetwopeculiaritiesofovalandcircular,anditssectionisanovalellipse.Itisthesestructuralcharacteristicswhichmakehairwoolly,orstraight,orwavy.

Thesetwobroadmethodsofclassifications,accordingtothecephalicindexandaccordingtothehair,aresummedupinFig.13.

Broca’s classification shows us threemain types of people. No race in all itsindividuals follows one type only; in each may be found long-headed ormedium-headed or short-headed individuals; but one of the three types willpredominate, and according to that will be the classification of the race.Sometimes, however, even though the hair will be a sure indication ofclassification,aracemaybesomixedthattheethnologistisuncertainwhetheritshouldbelabelledmedium-headedratherthanlong-headedorshort-headed.

TheclassificationofFlower andLydekker isbut littledifferent, though it alsotakesintoconsiderationthefacialangle,thecolorofthehairandskin,andotherphysicalpeculiarities.

It is noteworthy that both these systems of classification give us in theworldtodaythreeprincipaltypesofraces:(1)theEthiopiantype,dark-skinned,almostblack,withthicklips,headtendingtobedolichocephalic,andwithblack,woollyhair; (2) the Mongolian, with high cheek bones, yellow or reddish incomplexion,hairblack,straightandsmooth,and,inthemen,scantyontheface;(3)the

AryanorCaucasian,eitherwhiteorbrown,withhaircurlingorwithtendencytocurl,incolorflaxen,brown,blackor“carroty”;thebeardisusuallyfull.

We have excellent examples of the Ethiopian type in Figs. 14 and 15. Thewoolly hair, the broad nose and thick lips are prominent in these peoples.Though these two individuals, chosen as examples of their race-type, are nothandsome according to our standards of beauty, nevertheless they are notrepulsive.Fig.14showsstrengthanddignityofakind,

whileFig.15showsa ruggedbutartisticmodelling thatwouldhavedelightedtheeyeofRodin.

Figs.16,17and18giveusexamplesofthesecondtype.WehaveitinacrudeforminFig.16,whichisthatofaRedIndian“squaw’”fromBritishColumbia,withherhighcheekbonesandlong,lankhair.

MoretypicalofthesecondtypeareFigs.17and18;intheformerwehaveaRedIndian from the north-west of the United States, and in the latter a Chinesemandarin;thehighcheekbonesandthesmooth,hairlessfaceshowusatoncetowhichtypetheybelong.

Whenwe come to theCaucasian races,wehave a typenearer to ourWesternstandards of the beautiful.We have two representatives, aHinduwith shavenface(Fig.19),

andabeardedEnglishman(Fig.20).

IntheAryanorCaucasianraceswehaveinsomerespectsthehighestforms,notonlyforbeautyofstructure,butalsoforquickresponsetoexternalstimuliandhighsensitivenesstothefinerphilosophicalandartisticthoughtsandemotions.

Thepeoplesoftheworldtodayhavetheircivilizations;butnonationcontinuesforever,andthefateofNinevehandTyre,ofGreeceandRome,willbethefateofall.Somewillvanishutterly, leavinghardlya trace;others likeGreece,willleavetomankindamightymessageoftheartoflife.Wemayknowsomething

oftheriseandfallofcivilizationsbyastudyofhistory,butinhistoricalstudiesweseethepastthroughtherefractingmediumoftimeandtradition,andwecannever be fully certain that our conclusions are not partial or erroneous. Yetwithout a study of the past of humanity, we cannot judge of the present orconstructthefuture,andourphilosophyoflifecannotbetruetofact.

Theosophyopensanewwaytostudythecivilizationsthathavebeen,amethodin which, for the time, the past becomes the present, and therefore writtenrecordsortraditionsarenotessential.Difficultasisthissubjecttoexpound,yetanattemptmustbemade,foritisoneofthefundamentaltruthsofexistence,towhichweshallhavetoreferagainandagaininthecourseofthisexpositionofTheosophy.

InChapter I itwasmentioned that behindall life and form, as their heart andsoul, is a great Consciousness. It isHismanifestation that is the evolutionaryprocess, and “in Him we live and move and have our being”. Of HimTheosophiststodayspeakastheLogos.TothatConsciousnessthereisnoPast,andwhattoushasbeeniswithHimaneventthatishappeningevenNow.TotheLogos,thePastisasthePresent,andtheeventofeachmomentofpasttimeisstillhappeninginHim,isstillapartofHispresentSelf.Mortalmindcanlittleunderstandthe“EternalNow”;andyetitisoneofthegreatestoftruths,which,whengrasped,showsnewvaluestoallthings.

Mysterious and incredible as is this “Eternal Now”, yet man too may knowsomethingofit.Man,theindividualevolvingsoul,isintruthmadeintheimageof his Maker, and what He is in His fullness now, that man will becomesomeday. Hence it is that, by a certain development of faculties latent in thehuman consciousness, men can touch even now the fringe, as it were, of theConsciousnessoftheLogos,andso,with

Him,see thePastashappeningevennow.It isnopicturewhichpassesbeforethevisionoftheinvestigator,nopanoramawhichunveilsitselfbeforehim,asonastage;itisanactuallivingintheso-calledPast.Hehasbuttoselectthatpartofthe“Past”whichhedesirestoinvestigate,andthenheisofit,andinit.Doeshedesire tosee theearthbefore itscrusthassolidified?Thenhe livesmillionsofyearsago,androundhimistheearthwithitsseethingmoltenmetals,andhecanwatchwhatishappening,heartheexplosions,andfeeltheheatandthepressure.And this in no dream condition, but exactly as he may go into a busy

thoroughfare today,hear the roarof the traffic,watch thepeopleas theygo toandfro,orlookupatthesunandtheclouds,andnotewhatsoeverthinginterestshim.Doeshedesire tohearanorationofPericlesorseea triumphofCaeser?ThenheisinAthensorinRome;thelifeofthatdayisallaroundhim;hehearsthemusicalGreekorthesonorousLatin;hewatchestheactorsinlife’sdramaofthosedays.TheBookofTimeisspreadoutbeforehim,anditisforhimtoselectaneventwhich,tous,happenedathousandyearssince;but,asheputshimselfintouchwiththeMemoryoftheLogos,thePastbecomesforhimthePresent,andhemaystudyitwithsuchfacultiesashepossessestoday.

Theosophical investigators, of present and past generations, have thusinvestigatedthePastoftheearthbywatchingthisRecordintheMemoryoftheLogos;andmuchinformationgatheredinthiswayformsapartofTheosophicalteaching.What theyhave found in their researches intopast civilizations is asfollows.

Long,longago—overonemillionyearsago—thedistributionoflandandwaterwasasshowninFig.21,thedark,shadedpartsrepresentingland.

We know that the surface of the earth is changing all the time, with here acoastline slowly sinking, and therenew land risingout of thewaves; but howmayanyoneknowexactlywhatwasthedistributionoflandandwateramillion

yearsago?Itisthisthatispossible;first,bywatchingtheRecord,andsecondly,bystudyinthemuseumoftheAdeptBrotherhood.TheHierarchy,ortheGreatBrotherhood,mentioned in the Introduction, has preserved, from the daymanbegan his habitation of the earth, fossils and skeletons, maps, models andmanuscripts, illustrative of the development of the earth and its inhabitants,animalandhuman.Tothosewho,throughutterrenunciationofselfandserviceof man, earn the privilege, the study of past forms and civilizations in thiswonderful museum is a never-failing delight. There, the Theosophicalinvestigatorfindsmodelsinclayoftheappearanceoftheearthlongago,beforethisorthatcataclysm,patientlyconstructedfortheguidanceoflatergenerationsof students by theAdept investigators of past civilizations.Themaps ofFigs.21-24 have been drawn after a survey of the land andwater bywatching theearth’s changes, and afterwards checking such survey with the globes in themuseumoftheBrotherhood.

AswelookatthemapinFig.21,weseethatmostofthelandtodaywasunderthewaves then,whilemost of the landof those days has sunkbelow the sea,leaving here and there remnants, as in Australasia and in parts of othercontinents.Thecontinentwhichisseentoextendalongtheequatorandsouthofit,coveringmuchofthepresentPacificOcean,iscalledLemuriabythestudentsofTheosophy.ThetermistakenfromthenaturalistSclater,whobelievedintheexistenceofsomesuchcontinent,becauseoftheunusualdistributionoverwideterritoriesoftheLemurmonkeys.EveninthedaysofLemuria,menpeopledtheearth,andtheLemurianpeopleswereofourfirsttype,asinFigs.14and15.ThepureNegroes andotherwoolly-haired races today are remnants of the ancientLemurians,withlittlechangeoftype,exceptadiminutionofstature.

Slowly,asyearspassed,theconfigurationbecameasinFig.22.

WheretheAtlanticOceanis today, thereexistedonceuponatimeacontinent,which Theosophists, after Plato, called Atlantis. It was on this continent thattherearose thesecond typeof thosepeopleswhomFlowerandLydekkerhavecalledMongolians—thosewith smooth hair and high cheek bones. From theiroriginalhomeinAtlantis theymigratedinalldirections,andgiveus todaythemillionsofChinaandkindredpeoples,andthefast-disappearingRedIndiansofNorthandSouthAmerica.

By the timeof themap inFig.23,Atlantisand the remnantsofLemuriahavechangedinoutline,andaswecometothedaysofFig.24,thereremainsoftheoncevastcontinentofAtlantisonlyalargeislandintheAtlanticOcean.

Thestoryof its sinkingasnarrated toSolon,Plato’sancestor,by theEgyptianpriests, is given by Plato in his Timaeus and Kritias. In 9564 B.C. mightyconvulsions destroyed this last remnant of Atlantis, and the island sank sorapidlyundertheseathatitcreatedahugetidalwavewhichsweptthelow-landsoftheearth,andleftinmen’smindsthetraditionofavast,devastating“flood”.AsAtlantissankunderthewaves,otherpartsoftheearth,suchasthedesertofSahara,roseup;andwhatwasonceaninlandseaofCentralAsiabecamewhatis

nowtheGobiDesert,andtheearthtookonmoreorlessitsappearanceoftoday.

ThatAtlantisisnotameremythiseasilyseenwhenwelookatFig.25.

ItgivesusinoutlinethebedoftheAtlanticOcean,asmappedoutaccordingtodeepseasoundings.RoundtheAzores,thelanddoesnotslopegentlydown,asin theordinarycoast lands,butdescendsprecipitously; for,whenAtlantiswasabovetheleveloftheocean,thepresentAzoresweretheinaccessible,snow-cladtopsofthehighestmountainrangeofthesunkencontinent.

LongbeforethedestructionofAtlantis,however,anewraceofmenhadsprunguproundthesouthernshoresoftheCentralAsianSea.ThesearetheAryansorCaucasians,ourthirdtype,ofFigs.19and20.Southwardsandwestwards theyspread,becomingHindus,ArabsandPersians,GreeksandRomans,Celts,SlavsandTeutons.

Thus in Lemuria, Atlantis and Asia, arose the three races whose descendantspeopletheearthtoday.

Theosophy teaches that the rise and fall of civilizations is not a mechanicaldevelopment,“aCheckerboardofNightsandDayswhereDestinywithMenforPieces plays”.Nations come, and nations go, but always according to a Plan.TheLogos,fromthebeginningofhumanexistence,hasplannedwhatraces,andwhatreligionsandsciencesappropriatetothem,shallappearoneaftertheother,andHisAgents on earth, theGreat Brotherhood, carry outHis Plan. It is the

AdeptBrotherswho, using all nature’s forces, visible and invisible, direct theevolutionaryprocessthroughoutthemillionsofyears.Inthat

Brotherhood,therearetwoAdeptswhoseworkistomouldthedestinyofeachgreatrace.OneiscalledtheManu,whodirectsthephysicaldevelopmentoftherace, forming the new race-type by modification from that already existing,accordingtothePlanoftheLogossetbeforeHim.ItistheManuwhoguidesthemigrationsoftherace,givestoeachpeopleitspolity,anddirectseachtodoitsappointedwork.Theother guardianof the race is itsBodhisattva, orSpiritualTeacher, who watches over its intellectual and emotional development, andarranges for each people such religions, arts and sciences as shall enable it toplayitsroleinthedramawrittenbytheLogos.

FollowingthePlanoftheLogos,duringthatperiodoftimeinwhichhumanityevolvesonearth,sevengreatrace-typesaremadetoappear,called“Root-races“.Sofarintheevolutionofmen,onlyfiveofthesevenhaveappeared;ofthemthe First and the Second appeared so long ago that they have left no directdescendants.

EachRoot-racehassevenmodifications,called“sub-races”.Asub-racehasthefundamental characteristics of theRoot-race, but it has also some tendency ormodificationpeculiartoitself.InFig.26wehavethenamesofthethreeRoot-racesandtheirsub-races,whoserepresentativeswehaveseeninthethreerace-typesalreadystudied.

TheThirdRoot-raceistheLemurian,anditsearliersub-races,thefirst,secondand third, have left no trace at all. Negroes, Negritos, Negrillos, and otherwoolly-hairedpeoples represent the later sub-racesof theLemurianRoot-race.HardlyanywhereisaRoot-racetobefoundnowquitepure,butthoughitmayhave intermingled with other races, usually it still shows its peculiarcharacteristics.

Fromtheseventhsub-raceof theLemurian, theManuof theFourthRoot-racedeveloped thenewRoot-race, theFourthor theAtlantean. It toohas its sevensub-races.Ofthefirstandsecondofitssub-racesnopuredescendantsareliving,buttheskeletonofthe“Furfoozman”isafairspecimenofthefirst,andthatofthe “Cro-Magnon man” of the second. The third, the Toltec sub-race, stillremains in the “Indios” (Indians) of South andCentralAmerica, and theRedIndiansoftheUnitedStatesandCanada.ThefourthmigratedfromAtlantis,andwenteastwards,pastBabylonia,alongtheYellowRiverintotheplainsofChina.Its peoples are represented in certain parts of China today by a tall, yellowChinese race, quite distinct from the later seventh sub-race Chinese. The“original Semites”, the fifth sub-race, have left their descendants for us in thewhitepureJews,andinthe

KabylesofNorthAfrica.Thesixth, theAkkadians,werethePhoenicians,whotraded in the Mediterranean Seas; and the seventh, or Mongolians, weredevelopedoutofthefourthorTuranianontheplainsofChina,andbecamethemodernChinese.Tworaces,theJapaneseandtheMalays,belonghardlytoanyspecialoneofitssub-races,havinginthemthemixtureoftwoormore.WiththeJapaneseespecially,itisasthoughtheyareafinalebullitionofthewholeRoot-race, as a crowning effort, before the energies of the race begin their slowdecline; hence they possess many qualities which differentiate them from theseventhsub-race,theChinese.

Fromthe fifthor“originalSemite”sub-raceof theAtlantean, theManuof theFifthRoot-raceevolvedHisnewtype.TheFifthorAryanRoot-racealsohasitsSevensubdivisions,butsofaronlyfiveofthemhaveappeared.OfthefirstaretheAryanHindus,asalsoonetypeamongtheancientEgyptians—thattowhichtheupperrulingclassesbelonged.ThesecondistheAryanSemite,distinctfromthe“originalSemite”, and ithas its representatives today in theArabsand theMoors. The third is the Iranian, to which belonged the ancient Persians, andwhosedescendantsaretheIraniansandParsisoftoday.Ofthefourthsub-race,or theCelts,were the ancient.Greeks andRomans; and to it belong,with theexception of those of Teutonic descent, their modern descendants in Italy,Greece,France,PortugalandSpainandtheirdescendantsinSouthandCentralAmerica,MexicoandtheAntilles.TheIrish,theScots,theWelsh,theManxandtheBretonsmustalsobenumberedamongtheCelts.

To the Teutonic sub-race belong the Slavs, the Scandinavians, the Dutch; theGermans, the English, and their descendants all over the world. By aninterminglingofseveralsub-races,theManuoftheRaceisnowdevelopingthesixth sub-race,which is called in thediagram the “Austral-American”. It is inprocess of formation in the United States, Australia and New Zealand. Theseventhsub-race,whoseworkisstill far in thefuture, isalreadyshowingfaintindicationsofitsfuturetype.InachildhereandthereinBrazilonemaynoteamoulding of the facewhich shows that the type is notAustral-American, butanothervariantstilloftheAryanrace.Theseventhsub-racemaywellbecalled“Latin-American”,todistinguishitfromthesixth,theAustral-American.

TheManuoftheSixthRoot-racewilldevelopHisfuturetypelateronfromthesixthsub-raceof theAryan,andtensof thousandsofyearshencetheManuoftheSeventhRoot-racewilldevelopHisnewtypefromtheseventhsub-raceof

theSixthRoot-race.

Root-racesandsub-racesplaytheirrolesinthedramaoftheLogos,inordertogiveexperiencestous,Hischildren,whomHesendstobeborninthem.Forthatitis,thattheManubringsaboutdifferencesinHissub-racesofcolorandotherphysicalpeculiarities,andplacesthemamongmountainsorbythesea;forthatitis,thattheBodhisattvaoftheracesendstothesub-racesdifferentaspectsoftheoneTruth, in themanyreligionsandphilosophieswhichappear in themunderHisguidance.

In Fig. 27 we have something of the characteristics of the races, and tounderstandthesignificanceofthetableletusimagineasoulasheisborninsub-raceaftersub-race,inthemall.

Starting with a birth in the first sub-race of the Atlantean what strangeexperienceshewouldhaveasaprimitive,giant-likeman;andthenhowdifferentthoseasamountaineer,taciturnandhardy,sensitivetochangesofsunandcloud.InabirthasaToltec,inAtlantisorPeru,hislifewouldbeasanadministratorofsome kind in the wonderful patriarchal government that was the glory of the

Toltecs; he would have thrust upon his shoulders the welfare of a village orprovince, would be trained to sink his individuality in some life-work for hisfellow-men.AsaTuraniancolonist,hewouldknowofwanderingsinsearchofnew lands, of the struggle to tame nature in a new settlement.As an originalSemite, hewould be first and foremost a fighter,whodevelopedquickness ofdecisionandwastaughtthathislifewasnothis,butbelongedtohistribe.AsanAkkad,hewouldknowsomethingofthemagicofthesea,theneedtosensethepsychologicalmoment in the disposal of his wares, andwould developmuchmental strength in business competition. And then as a Chinaman, a farmer,hardlyleavingforadayhisancestralfarm,howintimatelyhewouldknowafewof his village, share their griefs and sorrows, and learn much of the innermeaningoflifeawayfromtheturmoilofwarortrade!

Imaginehowdifferent,too,wouldbethesoul’sexperiencesinthosesamesub-races,shouldhethenbebornineachinawoman’sform,withawoman’sduties;new standpoints and sensibilities would be developed, for the lack of whichsurelythesoulwouldbeallthepoorer.

Followingthesoul’sjourneyingsinrebirths,letuswatchhisentranceamongtheAryans.SurelyalifeinIndiawouldleaveanindeliblemarkonhim,givinghimsomethingoftheHinduphilosophicalanddetachedviewoflife.Later,inEgyptof old, among its practical and happy people, not given to dreams, he woulddevelopanotherphaseofhisnature.AsanArab,borninthebosomofthedesert,wouldnot that desert leave an impressupon the soul, in a quick sensitivenessand in the sense of the peopled solitude and the vastness of nature? As anIranian,borninacivilizationforcinghimtoalifeofsuccessthroughmercantilepursuits,whatmighthenotlearnofinventivenessandinitiative,andofindustryandintegrity?Hecouldnotspeakbuthisthoughtwouldtakepoeticalform,andevenifhehadnothingofpoetryinhim,alifeasanIranianwouldputhimintotouchwithanotherphaseoflife.ThenasaCelt—asaGreekofAthensperhaps—what a new conception of life hewould have, believing that the godswereeverywhereonseaandonland,thathewasdescendedfromthem,borntomakean art of life, to have as his ideal to know something of everything, and sodevelop a rounded nature and a health of heart; or as a Roman, firm in theconvictionthatreligionandthefamilyandtheStateareone,withhisdeepsenseoflawandreverenceforit,andareadinesstoobey,inorderthathemightlearnhowtorule;orasaFrenchmanoranItalian,sensitiveandquicktorespondtoemotions, dazzled by ideas because they are ideas, irrespective of material

considerations;orasanIrishman,perhapsadescendantoftheTuathadeDanaan,withhisdreamsandintuitions,withhisexaltationsanddepressions.

And then born a Teuton, in Scandinavia or England or America—what newqualitieswouldnotthesouladdtothosealreadyacquired?Apracticaloutlook,impersonality through scientific research, conscientiousness through business,and individualism,wouldhegain;andwouldnotBeethoven, too,andWagner,andShakespeare,givehimanewmessageoflife?

Of the future sub-race, the sixth, the “Austral-American”, now arising inAmerica,Australia andNewZealand,we can already forecast some qualities:fraternal, as in the new conception of the relation of parent and child;cooperative,with combinations and “mergers” in business and in thework ofmaterial development; intuitive, with an ability to approach anew the worldproblem, untrammelled by the traditions of the old world; and a delight insunshine and open air and in all things which bring men together incongregations.

Andwhatof the seventh sub-race?Though still in thewombof time, its faintstirrings of life may today be noted in the craving of Latin-America forarchitecture,poetryandmusic,rememberingsubconsciously“theglorythatwasGreeceandthegrandeurthatwasRome”.Inthatfar-offfuture,menwillliveafuller life than even Greece dreamed of; from the treasure-house of Beautywhichamanwillthenfindinhisheartandmind,hewillknowthatheisdivine,andrealizehisDivinitybycreation.

Thuscivilizationsriseandfall,anddevelopthisorthatquality;butthemeaningofitallisReincarnation.Theycomeandgo,onlytogiveustraining-groundsfortheexperiencesweneedlifeafterlife.OurFatherinHeavenmakesthemoutofthedust,letsthemplaytheirparts,andsinksthemunderthewaves,ordestroystheminafierycataclysm;buttheyareallonlyscenesinthedramawhichHehaswrittenforus,Hischildren,sothatbyplayingwellandtrulyourrolesinthem,wemaysomedaybecomelikeHim.

CHAPTERIII

THELAWSOFREINCARNATION

TheLordletthehouseofabrutetothesoulofaman,Andthemansaid,“AmIyourdebtor?”AndtheLord—”Notyet:butmakeitascleanasyoucan,AndthenIwillletyouabetter.”TENNYSON

Once in ten thousand years ormore, an idea is suddenly born into theworld,that,likeanotherPrometlieus,ushersinaneweraformen.Inthecenturybehindus, suchan ideawasborn, a conceptof concepts, in that ofEvolution.Like aflashoflightningatnight, itslightpenetratedintoeverycorner,andeversincemenhaveseennatureatwork,andnotmerelyfeltherheavyhand. In thedimdawnoftimewassimilarlybornanotherconcept,thatofReincarnation.

Reincarnation—thatlife,throughsuccessiveembodiments,ascendstofullerandnobler capacities of thought and feeling—and Evolution—that form ascends,becomingevermoreandmorecomplexinstructure—areastherighthandandleft of the Great Architect who is fashioning the world. The riddle of theuniverse is but half solved in the light of one truth alone; consider the two asinseparable,theonethecomplementoftheother,andmanthenfindsaconceptwhichgrowswithhisgrowth.

ThoughReincarnationisusuallythoughtofaspeculiartothesoulsofmen,itisinrealityaprocesswhichaffectsalllifeinallorganisms.Thelifeoftherosethatdies returns to its subdivision of the Rosaceae “group-soul”, and thenreincarnatesasanotherrose;thepuppythatdiesofdistemperreturnstoitsdog“group-soul”,andlaterreincarnatesasthepuppyofanotherlitter.Withman,theonlydifferenceisthatatdeathhedoesnotreturntoanygroup-soul,forheisanindividualandseparateconsciousness;whenhereincarnates,hereturnswiththefaculties which he developed in his previous lives, undiminished by sharing

themwithanotherindividual.

Bycommonusage,however,thewordReincarnationisrestrictedtotheprocessasitaffectsthesoulsofmen,anditisusedinoneofthreesenses,asfollows:

1.Thatatthebirthofachild,Goddoesnotthencreateforitasoul,becausethatsoul existed long before as an individual, in some spiritual condition. For thefirstandforthelasttime,thesoultakesbirthinahumanform.

ThisisthedoctrineofPre-existence.

2.Thatthesoulofmanhasalreadyappearedinearlierembodiments,sometimesinhumanforms,butatothertimesasananimalorasaplant;andthatsimilarly,afterdeath,thesoulmayberebornasananimalorplant,beforereturningoncemore to a human habitation. This idea is best known as Transmigration orMetempsychosis.

3.Thatthesoulofman,beforebirthasachild,hasalreadylivedonearthasmanandaswoman,butnotasananimaloraplant,exceptbefore“individualization”,i.e. before the soul became a permanent, self-conscious, individual entity; andthatatdeath,afteranintervaloflifeinaspiritualcondition,thesoulreturnstoearthagain,asmanoraswoman,butnevermoretakingbirthasaplantorasananimal.ThisisthedoctrineofReincarnation.

Theosophyteachesthatasoul,oncebecome“individualized”andhuman,cannotreincarnateinanimalorvegetableforms,andTheosophists todayusethewordReincarnationonlyinthethirdsenseabove.InmodernTheosophicalliterature,Reincarnation never means rebirth as plant or animal, for, were such a thingpossible,asoulwouldgainnothingforhisevolutionbysucharetrogradestep.

Since this work is a textbook of Theosophy, arguments for and againstReincarnationhaveherenoplace.Each inquirermustdiscover forhimself thefact of Reincarnation by study and observation, as each student of sciencediscovers the process ofEvolution by similarmeans.This sectionwill outlinethelawsunderwhichsoulsreincarnate, insofaraslawshavebeendiscoveredbyoccultinvestigations.

Attheoutset,wemustclearlyunderstandwhoorwhatitisthatreincarnates.Forthis, we must understand what is the soul, and what are his vehicles orinstrumentsofconsciousness.

(Fig.28)

Thesoulofman isan individualandpermanentConsciousnesswho lives inaformorbodyofinvisiblematter.Thissoul-body,composedofatypeofmattercalledhighermental,iscalledinmodernTheosophicalstudiestheCausalBody.Itsformishuman,butnotofeithermanorwomanwithsexcharacteristics,butmoreoftheangeloftradition.ItiscalledtheAugoeides.Itissurroundedbyanovoidoffiery,luminousmatter,yetdelicateastheevanescenttintsofasunset.TheAugoeides and theovoidof luminousmatter surrounding it are the soul’spermanent habitation, the causal body; it is called “causal”, because the bestimpulses for thought, feeling and action on all the planes of the soul’soperations,arecausedorcreatedinthispermanentresidenceofthesoul.Inthatcausal body the soul lives, undying and eternal. To him there is no birth,childhood,oldageordeath;heisanimmortalsoul,growinginpowertolove,tothink,toact,astheagesrollby.Heliveshiseternallifeonlyinordertomake

himselfanexpertinsomedepartmentoflifebytheexperienceswhichheshallgain, and to find his utmost happiness in aiding the evolutionary Plan of hisDivineProgenitor.

Thegrowthof the soul commences first by experimentingwith life on realmslowerthanthosewhereishistruehome.Forthishereincarnates;thatis,

1.Hegathersmatterofthelowermentalplaneandshapesitintoamentalbody,withwhichtothink,thatis,totranslatetheouterworldofphenomenaintermsofthoughtsandlaws;

2.Hegathersastralmatterandshapesitintoanastralbody,withwhichtofeel,that is, to translate the phenomenal world in terms of personal desires andemotions;

3.He is providedwith an appropriate physical body,withwhich toact; usingthatbody,hetranslatestheworldintermsofphysicalproperties—heavyorlight,hotorcold,movableorimmovable,andothers.

ThisprocessoftakingupthesethreebodiesbythesoulisReincarnation.Duringthe lifeof thephysicalbody,everyvibration towhich thenerves respond firstcausesasensorialreactioninthebrain;thisreactionisnotedthenbytheastralbody as pleasant or unpleasant; the mental body next notes the report of theastral,andtranslatestheimpressionasathought;thatthoughtisfinallynotedbythesoulinthecausalbody.Thesoulthensends,throughthementalbodytotheastral body, and through the astral to the physical brain, its response to thephenomenon of the physical world. At every moment of time, whenconsciousness works, there is this telegraphing to and from the causal body.Aftermany ideas are thusgained, the soul analyses them, tabulates them, andfinally generalizes all life’s experiences into ideals of thought and action. Hethus transmutes the phenomenal world into eternal concepts which become apartofhimself.

The return process in Reincarnation, called Death, makes no differencewhatsoevertothesoulinthecausalbody.First, thephysicalbodyisputaside,andaresponseisnolongermadethroughittophysicalphenomena.Buthehasstill the mental body and the astral body. Then the astral is cast aside, andattentionisnolongerpaidtoastralphenomena,andthesoulobservesonlytheworldofthelowermentalplane.Lastly,thementalbodyitselfisdiscarded,and

the soul is fullyhimself in the causal body;heno longerpossesses any lowervehicles.(SeeChapterVI—”ManinLifeandinDeath”.)Hehasreturnedhomeoncemore,asitwere,thoughasamatteroffactheneverlefthisrealabodeatall;hedidbutfocusapartofhisconsciousnessandwillthroughhisvehiclesoflowermatter,andmencalleditReincarnation.Heusedhisvehiclesforvaryinglengthsoftimeand,whenhenolongerneededthem,hecastthemaside.Whatwe call life and death are, to the soul, only the sending forth of some of hisconsciousnesstolowerplanes,andthenitswithdrawaltothehigheroncemore.

ThemethodofstudyingthelawsofReincarnationistoobservesoulsastheyarebornintophysicalbodies,astheyliveinthem,astheycastthemasideatdeath,astheylaterfreethemselvesfromtheirastralandmentalbodies,andastheyarefinallyfullythemselvesintheircausalbodies.EveryincidentofthisprocessisrecordedintheMemoryoftheLogos,andtheinvestigatorwhocanputhimselfin touchwith thatMemorycanwatch thereincarnationsofanysoul timeaftertime.

Investigations by this method have been made, and enough facts have beengathered already to enable us to deduce laws. The first important fact inReincarnation is that its lawsdiffer forvarious typesofsouls.Allsoulsatanygivenepocharenotof equal capacity, for someareolder souls andothers areyounger. (Why there should be this difference in age will be explained inChapter VII—”The Evolution of Animals”.) The aim of Reincarnation is toenableasoultobewiserandbetteraftertheexperiencesofeachincarnation;butit is found that while one soul has the ability of learning quickly from anexperience,anotherwillbeextremelyslowtolearn,andneedseachexperiencetoberepeatedoverandoveragain.Thisdifferenceincapacityforassimilatingexperienceisduetothedifferenceinageofthetwosouls,and,accordingtosuchdifferences,soulsnaturallyfallintofivebroadclasses,asinFig.29.

Theyoungestsoulsare thosewhoareunable tocontrol theirviolentandcrudedesire-naturesandare lackinginmentalability; in theworldtoday, thesesoulsappear in the savage and semi-civilized races, as also in the backward orcriminal-mindedindividualsincivilizedcommunities(No.5).Somewhatfurtherevolved,andsoolder,arethosesoulswhohavepassedbeyondthesavagestage,but are still simple-minded, unimaginative, and lacking in initiative (No.4).Thesetwoclassesincludemorethannine-tenthsofhumanity.

Thencomethemoreadvancedandculturedsoulsinallraces,whoseintellectualhorizon is not altogether limited by family or nation, who crave an ideal ofperfection,andareconsciouslyaimingtoachieveit(No.3).Fewerstillarethosesouls who have discovered that the meaning of life is self-sacrifice anddedication,andare“onthePath”andconsciouslymouldingtheirfuture(No.2).AndastherareblossomsonourtreeofHumanityaretheAdepts,theMastersoftheWisdom,thosemightyElderBrothersofHumanitywhoaretheShadowsofGod upon earth, who stand guiding evolution according to the Divine Plan(No.1).

Reincarnation takesplace in thesub-racesof theRoot-racesstudied in the lastchapter;butbeforewecometoitslaws,wemustfirstexemptfromtheirworking

twoclasses—thatoftheAdeptsand thatof those“on thePath“.TheAdept ispast any need of Reincarnation; he has already gained all experiences whichcivilizations can give him; he has “wrought the purpose through of what didmakehimman”.Thoughhehasbecome“apillarinthetempleofmyGod”and“shall go nomore out”, yet many an Adept reincarnates amongmen to be aLawgiverandGuide,toat-onemankindwithGod.AstheAdepttakesbirth,hechooseswhere andwhen hewill be born, for he is the absolutemaster of hisdestiny.

Those“onthePath”arethedisciplesoftheMastersoftheWisdom,andusually,after death, they reincarnatewithin a fewmonths or years,without discardingtheirmentalandastralbodies,asisnormallythecasebeforerebirth.Thegenerallawisthat,afterthedeathofthephysicalbody,thesoulhasabriefperiodoflifeon the astral plane; and then, after discarding the astral body, spends severalcenturies in the lowermentalworld.This lowermentalworld is in theLowerHeaven (often called Devachan in Theosophical literature), and there thelongingsandaspirationsoftheearth-lifearelivedoveragain,butwithcompleterealization now of all the happinesses longed for. Centuries are thus spent inhappy activity, till the forces of aspiration work themselves out, and the souldiscards the mental body itself. He has then finished his incarnation, and ishimself,inhiscausalbodyonly,withallhisexperiencestransmutedintoidealsand capacities. But as he has still much to do towards perfecting himself, hereincarnates again, taking three new bodies—the mental, the astral and thephysical.

Anexceptiontothisusualmethodofevolutionisthedisciple“onthePath”;heputsbythecenturiesofhappinesswhichhemighthaveintheheavenworld,forhe is eager to continue on the physical plane the work for his Master; hetherefore renounces thehappinesswhich ishisdue, inorder to servemankindwithhiswork.HisMasterchoosesforhimwhenandwhereheshallbeborn,andhereturnstobirthwiththeastralandmentalbodiesofthelifejustclosed,takingonlyanewphysicalbody.

ThelawsofReincarnation,whichapplytosoulswhoareneitherdisciples,norAdepts,canbededucedasweanalysethefactsinFigs.30-33.

The charts give us, in tabular form, facts concerning the past lives of fourindividuals.2Allfourhaveofcoursebehindthemseveralhundredlives;but,forpurposes of study, only theirmore recent lives have been investigated. Thesefourbelong to the culturedclassof souls,but the studyof the lawsgoverningtheirevolutionwillgiveusalsosomefactsconcerningthereincarnationof theothertwoclasses—thesimple-mindedandtheundeveloped.

Fromtheparticularsgivenastotheplace,time,sexandraceoftheincarnations,andfromthetimeinterveningbetweenlives,wecandeducethefollowing:

1.Thereareamongtheculturedsoulstwosub-types:oneofthosewhoseperiodbetweendeathandrebirthaveragesabout1,200years(SubjectsA,BandD,Figs.30,31and33),andtheother,ofthosewhoseintervalbetweenlivesisonlyabout700years(SubjectC,Fig.32).Theperiodbetweenincarnationsislargelyspentinthelowerheavenworld,in“Devachan”,andthelengthoflifetheredependsontheamountandintensityofaspirationduringtheearthly life. In thecaseor

the undeveloped and the simple-minded souls, a life in the physical body ofsomesixtyyearswillcreatespiritual forcewhichwillgivea life inDevachan,for theformerfromfive tofiftyyears,andfor the latterofsometwoor three-centuries; should,however, thephysical lifebe short, aswhendeathoccurs inchildhoodoryouth,theDevachanwillbemuchshorter,sincethespiritualforcegeneratedwillbesmallerinquantity.

Inthecaseofthemajorityofculturedsouls,alifeofsixtyyearsmayneedfrom1,000to1,200yearsinDevachan;theperiodoftimedependsonthequantityofforce tobe transmuted into faculty.Among thesecultured souls,however, is asmallgroup,ofthetypeofSubjectCinFig.32,who,thoughtheymaygeneratethesamequantityofaspirationalforceastheotherswhorequiretwelvecenturiesinDevachan,yetcondensetheirheaven-worldlifeintosomesevencenturies.

2.Culturedsoulsofthefirstsub-typeareborn,inonecycle,inthesub-raceofaRoot-raceatleasttwiceineachsub-race,andgenerallyintheirnumericalorder.WhenweconsiderSubjectAofFig.30,wefindhimborn,in23,650B.C.,inthefirstsub-raceoftheAtlanteanRoot-race;hissubsequentlivesoccurinitsothersub-racesintheirorder.Athisincarnationinthesixthsub-race,hechangessex.After his life in the seventh sub-race, he returns to the first again, and then isborninthenextsub-racesinnumericalorder.Ashereturnstothese,hechangessex in thesecondand fifthsub-races.Ashe isborn for thesecond time in thesub-races,heomitstheseventhsub-race;whenasub-raceisaltogethermissed,itis because the soul has already acquired elsewhere the qualities which areusually to be gained only in that race. In A’s case, evidently one life in theseventhsub-racewasenoughtogainfromitwhatherequired.Similarly,wherealifeinasub-raceisrepeatedmorethantwice,theextraincarnationisneededforthesoultoaccomplishthepurposeplanned.

Thesecondsub-type,representedbySubjectC,mustalsofollowsomegenerallaw,butnosuchlawcanbededucedasweconsultFig.32;lateron,nodoubt,when other individuals of the same sub-type are examined, some lawmay beseen.

3.Concerning thesexof thebody,wemayobserve that these four individualsvaryconsiderably.Anincarnationasmanorwomanisforthepurposeofgainingqualitiesmorereadilydevelopedintheonesexthanintheother.Since,however,thecapacity forassimilatingexperiencesvarieswithdifferent souls,andsince,

further,theneedschangeasthelivesarelived,thereisnohardandfastruleastothenumberofincarnationsinthesexes.Usually,therearenotmorethansevenlivesconsecutively,norlessthanthree,inonesex,beforechangingtotheother;butthereareexceptions,andwefindourSubjectA,afteraseriesofthreeasaman,changestotwoasawoman,andthenrevertstothemalesexagain.Therehasbeenobservedthecaseofasoulhavingasmanyasnineconsecutivelivesasawoman.

4. There is no general principle to be deduced as to the length of life in thephysicalbody.The timeofbirth isdeterminedby theendingof the life in theheavenworld; the time of death is usually fixed beforehand by the “Lords ofKarma”—thoseAngelsofGod’sPlanwhoseworkistoadjustthegoodandtheevilofman’spastandpresent,sothatthroughtheirinteractionthemaximumofgoodmayresultforthefuture.Thelifemaybebroughtearlytoaclosethroughaccidentordisease,iftheyseethatthatisbestforthesoul’sfutureevolution;if,on theotherhand,a long life is just thenneeded toenable the soul toacquiresomefaculty,thenthelengthoflifewillbeadjustedtothatend.

Though themain incidents and the close of an incarnation are fixed by thesecommissaries ofGod according to the soul’s “Karma”“—i.e., according to theservicesduebyhimtoothers,andbythemtohim,astheresultofpastlives—neverthelessthegeneralplanmaybemodifiedbyanexerciseofinitiativebytheindividualhimself,orbyotherswhoseactionsdirectlyaffecthim.Forinstance,whendeathisbyaccident,itisnotinfrequentlytheendingplannedbytheLordsof Karma for that incarnation; but sometimes it is not so intended, and theaccidentaldeathisthereforeaninterferencebynewforcesbroughttobearonthelife. Insuchacase, thedisturbedplanwillbeadjusted in thebeginningof thenext life, so that therewill not be anything lost in the end to the soulwhosedestinyhasbeenchangedforthemomentbyothers.

In no case is suicide in the plan of a man’s life; for such an act the soul isdirectly responsible, though that responsibility may also be shared by others.Therearemanyvarietiesofsuicide,someinorder toescape theresultofevil-doing, some due from mental derangement, and some due to noble motives.According to the causes andmotives of the suicide will be the karmic resultwhichfollows.

Forsoulsofthetwoclasses—thesimple-mindedandtheundeveloped—thelaw

ofReincarnationismodifiedtotheextentthattheywillbebornrepeatedlyinasub-racebeforepassingontothenext.Thiswillbeduetotheirinabilitytogainthe required experience during two or three lives in a sub-race. The periodbetween their incarnations is sometimesonlya fewyears, though itmaybeaslongas twoor threecenturies.Theyare in realitymillionsofyearsbehind thecultured class, so far as their general evolution is concerned. Yet thebackwardnessof classes4and5 isnotdue toanyevil in them; it ismerelyamatteroftheageofthesoul;theyareyoungsouls.Thelargeroutlookonlifeandthewidersympathies,whicharenaturaltodaytoaculturedsoul,willsomedaybe possessed by the undeveloped and the simple-minded souls also. Growthcomestoall,soonerorlater,intheendlesslifeofthesoul.

Lookingatthesechartsoflives,andnotingtheparticularsthereinofplaceanddateandrace,itmaybeaskedhowtheoccultinvestigatoriscertainastoanyofthem. How is he sure that a man in Poseidonis (Subject D) and an Eskimowomanofthenextlifearethesamesoul?GrantedthatthereisaMemoryoftheLogos,howcanthesethingsbefoundout?

Thequestionisnatural,andtheanswerwillperhapsmakeclearthatthemethodsof occult investigation are not radically different from those employed by thescientiststoday.Thelocatingofanypartoftheearthwhereanindividualisbornisnotadifficultmatter;theinvestigatorwillseethebirthofthechild,andthenhewill have to look round the surroundingcountry tonote its relation to seasandmountains and lakes and rivers; his present knowledge of geographywillthenenablehimtolocatetheplace.Iftheepochisremote,andtheconfigurationofthesurfaceoftheglobeisdifferent,hemustforonemomentlookattheplaceas it was then, and the next moment put himself in touch with the DivineMemory,at the sameplace, but in laterhistorical timesor even today;hecanthenknowwhatnamegeographersgivetotheplacetoday.

Toknowtheraceandsub-race,muchpreviousstudyinethnologyisrequired.Toone who has travelled much, there is little difficulty in distinguishing aChinaman from a Japanese, or even a French Celt from an Italian Celt, or aNorwegianfromanEnglishman.Similarly,observationsoftheracepeculiarities,andespeciallyofthevariationsintheconstituentsofthesubtleinvisiblebodiesof the sub-races,will enable the investigator to find the informationwhich heseeks.

Thefixingofdatesisamoredifficulttask.AstheinvestigatorreadstheMemoryoftheLogos,hecanwatchtheeventsonearthasfastorasslowlyashedesires.Hemay,ifhelikes,watchtheincidentsofadayoflongago,minutebyminute;orhecan in thecourseofa fewseconds swiftlynote summer,autumn,winterandspring,andsummeroncemore,atanyplacehechooses,andsocounttimebyseasons.Ifhedesiresperfectaccuracy,hemustwatchtheseasonsastheyflythus,rapidlycountingthepassageoftime,yearbyyear.

Within historical times, for instance, if he is watching a scene in Egypt, anddesirestoknowthedate,hemayperhapsneedtoobservesomecourtceremony,catchthePharaoh’snameas it ispronouncedbysomeone,andthenconsultanencycloproia to find the date of thatmonarch. InGreece hemay need to seesomeonewritealetterordocument,andnotethenumberoftheOlympiad,orhemay fix upon some well-known event, like the Battle ofMarathon, and thencountthenumberofyearsfromthattotheincidentinwhichheisinterested.InRome he must find a scribe dating a letter “such and such a year from thefoundingoftheCity”,orhecouldfindthedatebywatchingsomedebateintheSenate and noting the names of theConsuls for the year, and then by gettingtheirdatefromanhistoricallist.Sometimeshewillcountbackwardsorforwardsfrom a landmark in time, like the sinking of Atlantis, 9564 B.C.—that timehavingbeenonceandforallfixedbyhimbypreviouscounting.Whenhundredsof thousands of years are needed to be counted, the investigator will need toknowsomethingofastronomysoastocalculatethelargeperiodsbytherelativepositionofthePoleStartotheearth’saxis.Aswithmodernscientificresearch,sotoothevalueoftheworkoftheoccultinvestigatordependsuponhiscareinobservation,anduponhisgeneralcultureandabilitytopresenthisobservationsinamethodicalmanner.

In recognizing a soul in his different incarnations, a careful investigator neednever make any mistake in identification. It is quite true that the subject’sphysical body is a different one in each incarnation; but his soul-body, theCausalBodywith theAugoeides in it, does not change.Once the investigatorhasnotedtheappearanceofthatpermanentbodyofthesoul,hewillrecognizeitlifeafterlife,whateverbethechangesinthetemporaryphysicalbody.Itisthatcausalbodywhichisthecertainmarkofidentification,andthatwillbethesame,whetherthephysicalbodybethatofanew-borninfantorthatofamantotteringtothegrave.

Twomorediagramsremain tobeconsidered in thischapter.TheyareFigs.34and35.

Thethreesouls,A,BandC,whomwehavestudied,arecloselylinkedbybondsofaffection,bybonds,thatwereforgedmany,manylivesago.EachsoulevolvesunderthepressureofhisownseparateEternity,buthedoesnottreadthepathtohisDeificationalone,butincompanionshipwithothersoulswhomhelearnstolove.Atruebondofdeepaffectionisalwaysonebetweensouls,andnotmerelybetweentheirearthlygarments;andwhatevertheselattermaybe,lovewillflashthroughthemfromsoultosoul.Physicalrelationshipsareofminorconsequence;the onemany-dimensional power of lovewillmanifest itself—always as loveandservice,whateverbe theearthlychannelmarkedoutfor itby theLordsofKarma.

Of the three subjects A, B and C, A and B belong to that sub-type amongculturedsoulswhohave1,200yearsinDevachan,whileCbelongstothesecondsub-typewithonly700yearsintervalbetweenlives.ItisobviousthatAandBcannotappearinall thelivesofC,unlesstheybothdieineachlifeat thatagewhichwill entitle them to some700years onlyofDevachan.What has reallyhappenedisgiveninFig.34.DuringthetimethatChaslived31incarnations,A

haslivedonly19,andBonly23.InthefirstofA’slivesinthisseries,hemeetsC,andtheybecomehusbandandwife;butinthatlifeAdoesnotmeethisotherfriendB.WhenAisnextbornagain,heishusbandtoB,andbrother-in-lawtoC;butinthemeantimeBhashadthreelivesandCone,wheretheyhavenotmetA.Studyingthechart,weshallfindthatduring31livesCmeetsAtwelvetimes,whilehemeetsbothAandBtogetheronlyeighttimes.ThebondbetweenAandCisspeciallystrong,aswillbeseenfromthediagram;whateveristhephysicalrelation—ashusbandandwife,orwifeandhusband,asbrotherandsister,oraslovers to whom the fates are unpropitious, so that they do not marry—soulspeakstosoul.OnceBasawomanadoptsalittlegirl,A;thatdebtispaidlaterbyAwhenasamanheadoptsalittleboy,B.

InfourteenofthelivesofSubjectsEandF,Fig.35,inwhichtheymeet,weseehow thebondof love appears invarying forms.WhenEchanges sex andhastwolivesasawoman,herbelovediswithher,firstasson,andthenashusband.WhenFchangessexandhasthreelivesasaman,inthethirdofthemhemeetshisfriendEasaman;betweenthetwomentherespringsupanunusualbondofsympathyandaffection.Inthenextlife,Eisapriest,andalittleorphangirlisbrought to him to be admitted to the temple; little need for many months toelapse before they are great friends, and the priest is father and guide. Thencomesalifewheretheyarehusbandandwifeagain,andthentwolivesinwhichtheymeetandlovespringsupbetweenthem,butthecourseoftruelovedoesnotrun smooth. Follows then a lifewhere F does notmeet her beloved; but theymeetagainashusbandandwifeinRome.Intheirpresentlifetheyhavenotyetmeteachother;thoughtheplansoftheLordsofKarmaforeachhaskeptthemapartthistime,thebond,soultosoul,isstrongandunbroken,andtheywillmeetagain in future lives,—as wife and husband, as son and father, or as friends.They will be true lovers once more, capable of that many-dimensional lovewhichgoesoutindevotionandsacrificetoitsbeloved,inwhateverchannelforittheLordsofFategive.

——-

Actfirst,thisEarth,astagesogloom’dwithwoe,Youallbutsickenattheshiftingscenes.Andyetbepatient.OurplaywrightmayshowInsomefifthActwhatthiswildDramameans.

Life,withoutReincarnationasaclue,isawild,wilddramaindeed,asitseemedtoTennysononce, in spiteofhisChristian faith.Acruelprocess isEvolution,careful of the type and careless of the single lite. But grant that Life,indestructible and undying, also evolves, then the future of each individual isbrightindeed.InthelightofReincarnation,deathlosesitsstingandthegraveitsvictory; formengoeveronwards toDeification,hand inhandwith those theylove,withneverafearofparting.Mortalityisbutarolewhichthesoulplaysforawhile;andwhen theplay isdone,whenall livesare livedandalldeathsaredead,thenthesoulbeginshisdestinyasaMasteroftheWisdom,asaShadowofGoduponearth,evenas“theWordmadeflesh”.Tousoneandall,culturedorsavagenow,thisisthefuturethatawaitsus,theglorythatshallberevealed.

CHAPTERIV

THELAWOFKARMA

WhotoiledaslavemaycomeanewaPrince,Forgentleworthinessandmeritwon;WhoruledaKingmaywanderearthinragsForthingsdoneandundone.—TheLightofAsia

Littlebylittle,asman’sknowledgegrows,theworldinwhichhelivesisseentobeaworldoflaw.Eachlawofnature,asitisdiscovered,liberatesmoreofourwill, howevermuch itmay seem at first sight to circumscribe our action; andsinceactionsarebut theresultantdiagonalofaseriesofforcesof thoughtandfeelingofaninnerworld,man’ssupremeneedistounderstandthatinnerworldof his as one of law and order. The great Law of Karma or Action, whichTheosophyexpounds,revealstomansomethingoftheinnerfabricofhisbeing,andsohelpshimlittlebylittletobeamasterofcircumstance,andnotitsslave.

Wearealreadyfamiliarinsciencewiththeconceptionofthewholeuniverseasanexpressionofenergy.Theelectronisastorehouseofenergy;sotoo,thoughon a larger scale, is a star. This energy is continually changing, motiontransforming itself into light or heat or electricity, and a heavy element into alighter, and so on from one transformation to another. Man himself is astorehouseofenergy;hetakesinenergywithhisfood,andtransformsitintothemovementsofhisbody.Theenergyinman,whenutilizedforakindlyaction,isbeneficent;andwecallsuchause“good”;whenitisemployedtoinjureanother,wetermsuchause“evil”.All thetimethatmanlives,heisatransformer; theuniversalenergyenters intohim, tobe transformedbyhimintoserviceor intoinjury.

The Law of Karma is the statement of cause and effect as man transformsenergy.Ittakesintoaccountnotonly,assciencedoes,thevisibleuniverseandits

forces,butalsothatlarger,unseenuniverseofforcewhichisman’struesphereofactivity.Justas,withtheflickerofaneyelid,manthrowsintotheuniverseaforcewhichaffectstheequilibriumofallotherforcesinourphysicalcosmos,sotoo,witheachthoughtandfeeling,hechangestheadjustmentofhimselftotheuniverse,andtheadjustmentoftheuniversetohimself.

Thefirstprinciple tograsp, in theattempt tounderstandKarma, is thatwearedealing with force and its effects. This force is of the physical world ofmovement,oroftheastralworldoffeeling,orofthementalworldofthinking.Weareusingallthreetypesofforce,thefirstwiththeactivitiesofourphysicalbodies, thesecondwiththefeelingsofourastralbodies,andthethirdwiththeconcrete and abstract thoughts of ourmental and causal bodies. To aspire, todream,toplan,tothink,tofeel,toact—allthismeanstosetinmotionforcesorthreeworlds;and,accordingtotheusemadebyusoftheseforces,wehelporwehinder.

Now,alltheforcewhichweuse,onalltheplanes,istheenergyoftheLogos;wearebuttransformersofthatenergy.Aswesotransformandusethatenergy,itisHisDesire thatweuse it to furtherHisPlanofEvolution.Whenwehelp thatPlan,ouractionis“good”;whenwehinderit,ouractionis“evil”.AndsinceweuseHisforceallthetime,wemust,ateachmomentoftime,eitherhelporhinderthatPlan.

Since man is not an individual by himself, but is one unit in a Humanity ofmillionsofindividuals,eachthoughtorfeelingoractofmanaffectseachofhisfellow-men, in proportion to the nearness of each to him as the distributor offorce.Each suchuse of force by aman,whichhelps or hinders thewhole, ofwhichheisapart,bringswithitaresult tohim;thisresult isbrieflystated,intermsofhisactionanditsresultantreaction,inFig.36.

Eachhurtfulactissomuchforce(representedinthediagrambyablacksquare)thrown out into the universe,whichworks itself out in the injury inflicted onanother;buttheequilibriumoftheuniversetothatotherhasthenbeendisturbedbytheinjurer,andthatequilibriummustberestoredattheexpenseofthewrong-doer.His“karma”fortheinjuryisa“pain”;theforcewhichproducesthatpaindischargesitselfthroughtheinjuredasthefulcrum,andthusrestorestheoriginalequilibrium.Similarlyisitwithakindact;itskarmaorreactionisaforcewhichadjustscircumstancessoastoproducea“comfort”.

Furthermore,inthisuniverseoflaw,eachtypeofforceworksonitsownplane.Onemanmaygivealmstoabeggarwithpityandsympathy,butanothermerelytogetridofhimasanuisance;bothperformakindact,andtoboththekarmaofthe act on the physical plane is a “comfort”;’ but there is to the former anadditionalkarmaontheastralplaneforhispityandsympathy,anditreturnstohim as a happy emotion, while to the latter there is no karma of this kind.

Similarly, Imayhavenothingbut pity to give to a sufferer; I reap thereby anemotional“happiness”,butIdonotreapaphysical“comfort”aswell.

For the purpose of the exposition of this difficult subject, a symbol has beentakenforeach typeof forcewhichmakeskarma(see lastcolumnindiagram);these signs-squares, triangles, circles and the star—are merely symbols, andnothingmore.Onthehighermentalplane,wherethesoulofmanresidesinhiscausal body, evil “is null, is naught, is silence implying sound”; there, no evilcounterpartexiststothesoul’saspiration.Thereisthereforenothingwhichcanbesymbolizedbyablackstar.Thewickedmanisnotawickedsoul;heisbuttherepresentativeinanearthlybodyofanundevelopedsoul,whoseenergiesaretoofeebleasyettocontrolhisemotionalandphysicalagents.

Eachoneofus,asheentersthislife,comesfromalongpastofmanylives;aswetakeupourtaskoncemoreonearth,webringwithusourkarmaofgoodandevil.Nowthiskarma,asalreadyexplained,consistsofforces;andFig.37isanattempttosuggesttoourimaginationthisfactoftheindividualasafulcrumforthedischargeofthegoodandevilforcesofhisowncreation.3

Perhaps, as we look at the diagram, our eye is first impressed by the largenumber of “pains”, “griefs” and. “worries” which are the man’s due; and wecountonlythree“ideals”.Butwemustnotforgetthattheforcesofalltheplanesarenotofequalvalueintheproductionofchangesinaman’sdestiny;aunitofphysical force, producing a “comfort”, may be only a hundredth fraction aspowerfulasaunitofmentalforcewhichmakesan“ideal”.Ifwegive1asthe“work”equivalentforaphysicalunitofforce,weshallnotbeexaggeratingifweput 5 for an astral unit, 25 for a lowermental, and 125 for an “ideal” of thehighermentalworld.While amanmay havemany “pains” ‘and “griefs” and“worries”ashiskarma,yetifhebuthaveafew“ideals”aswell,hewillmakeasuccess of his life and not a failure; on the other hand, amanmay get as hiskarmicduewealthandposition,givinghimmany“comforts”and“happiness”,andyet,ifhehasnotbroughtfromhispastany“inspirations”forhismind,hislifemaybemerelyonelargelyofagreeablefutility.

Looking round us at the lives which men and women live, it is scarcely anexaggeration to say that, inmost lives today, there ismore “bad” karma than“good”, that is, there is on thewholemore of tedious toil and sorrow than ofhappy labor and joy.At the present stage of human evolution, there is, in thestoreof forcesaccumulatedbyeachofus,more togiveuspain thanpleasure.Ourevilaccountislargerthanourgood,becauseinourpastliveswehavenotdesiredtobeguidedbywisdom,butpreferredinsteadtoliveselfishlives,caringlittlewhomwehurtbyourselfishness.Buteachkarmicforcemustdischargeitsenergy,for“whatsoeveramansoweth,thatshallhealsoreap”.

As a man “reaps”, his karmic forces are carefully adjusted, so that, from theinteractionbetweenhisgoodandhis evil, the final result shallbeanaddition,howeverslight,tohisgood.If,asweenterlife,allourkarmicforcesofgoodandevilweretobesetintooperation,then,seeinghowmuchlargerastockwehaveofevilthanofgood,ourliveswouldbesoweightedwithpainandsadnessthatwe should have little spirit to struggle through the battle of life. In order,however,thatweshouldstruggleandsucceed,andincreasethegoodsideofouraccountandnotthebad,acarefuladjustmentismadeforeachsoulasheentersintoincarnation.

Thisadjustmentismadebythe“LordsofKarma”,thosebeneficentIntelligenceswho,inthePlanoftheLogos,actasthearbitersofKarma.Theyneitherrewardnor punish; they only adjust the operation of aman’s own forces, so that his

karma shall help him one step forward in evolution. We can study a typicalmethodofadjustmentfromthediagramswhichnowfollow.

InFig.38wehaveacirclewhichrepresentsthetotalityofaman’skarma,ortheaccumulated force of all his past lives; the circle has two segments, thewhiteandthedark.Thewhitesegmentrepresentsthequantityofgoodkarma,andthedarkthatoftheevilkarma.

Wewillpresume that the individual’s totalkarmacomes toonehundredunits,andthattherelationbetweenhisgoodandhisevilisintheratiodepictedinthediagram,which is as2 to3.The segmentaebca, then, represents thegoodkarmaof40units,whilethesegmentadbca represents thebadkarmaof60units. This total of accumulated past karma is known in Indian philosophy asSanchitaor“accumulated”karma.

Outofthistotal,theLordsofKarmaselectacertainquantityforthenewlifeofthesoul;wewillimaginethattheytakefortheworkofthenewlifeone-fourthofthetotal.Thisone-fourthisrepresentedinthediagrambythesegmentecdae;andofthisecarepresentsthegood,with10.7.units,andacdthebad,with14.3units.Theratiobetweenthisgoodandbadisnotas2to3,whichisthatofthetotal;itisas3to4,thusgivingtheindividualmoreoutofhisgoodaccountthan is properly speaking his share. This stock of karma,withwhich the soulstarts his incarnation, is called in Sanskrit Prarabdha or “starting” karma; it isthat“fate”whichtheMuslimbelievesGodtiesroundtheneckofeachsoulathisbirth.

InFig.39wehavethisPrarabdhakarma;anditsgoodisthewhitesegmentfighfanditsevilisthedarksegmentfhgf.Itwasmentionedthatmoreofgood

karmawasselectedfor thelife thanwastheratioin thetotalkarmaofallpastlives. This is shown in the diagram, where the segment f i h f represents theproportionofgoodaccordingtothetotalofkarma,andthelargersegmentfighfrepresentstheproportionofgoodactuallyselectedforthenewlife.

Karmaisforce;asforcespendsitself,itdoes“work”.This“work”bringsaboutinaman’slifethosereactionswhicharedescribedinFig.36.Asaman’slifeislived, theKarma representedbyourFig. 39 exhausts itself.But the “work” itdoeshas,however, the resultofmakinghimcreatenewkarmaby its reaction;accordingtotheman’swisdomwillbethisnewkarmawhichisthusproduced.Ifhis“pains” teachhimresignationandsympathy, ifhis“grief”and“worries”spurhimtoefforttorightthewrongswhichhehasdone,ifhe“payshiskarmicdebts”withunderstanding,thenthenewkarmawhichhegeneratesisgoodandnotevil.Butifheisresentfulofthedebtswhichheiscalledupontopay,ifhisnaturehardens,andasaresulthecausesmiserytoothers,thenewkarmawhichhemakes isevil.Asamatterof fact,mostofus,aswepayourkarmicdebts,makeournewkarmamixed,asofold,ofbothgoodandevil;only,therewillbe,inthewiserofus,alargerproportionofgoodthanevil.

Thisnew karma created, called in Sanskrit Agami or Kriyamana, or “future”Karma,isshowninFig.40.

ItisalargercirclethanthatofFig.39.While25unitsofkarmawerespent,goodandbad,weshallpresumethat36newunitsofbothhavebeencreated;whereastheproportionofgoodandevilwithwhichthelifewasstartedwasas3to4,theproportion,asthelifecloses,ofthenewkarmacreated—ofgood16andofbad20—isas4to5.InFig.40theradiimlandklmarkrespectivelythesizesofthesegmentsoftheoldexhaustedgoodkarmaandthenewgenerated.

InFig.41wehavethetwoFigs.39and40superimposedoneovertheother;wesee at once that here both a larger quantity of force is generated, and a largerproportionofgoodtoevil.

ReferringoncemoretoFig.38,wenowfindthatthesegmentaecdahasbeenexhausted;wemustputinitsplacethenewkarmarepresentedbyFig.40.ThisisdoneinthenewFig.42.

The outer circle represents the new total of 111 units, while the inner circlerepresents theold totalof100; the radiip r,po showus how there is for thefuturealargerproportionofgoodtoevil,theproportionbeingnowpracticallyas41 to59.Since theproportionof theold totalwas40 to60, thechange isnotgreat; there isonlyonemoreunitof thegood, andone lessof thebad, as theresultoroneincarnation.Butasamatteroffact,tillamanunderstandstheplanofevolution,thereisnogreatchangeinhimfromlifetolife;therearetheusualups anddownsofgoodandevil fortune,ofgriefs and joys, asyearspass andlivesarelived.ItisonlywhenamandefinitelyaspirestoservethePlanoftheLogos, to live not for himself but for his fellow-men, that great changes takeplaceinhiskarma,andhisevolutionishastened.Thenhisprogressisswiftfromlifetolife,evenasintheratioofgeometricalprogression.

Wecanunderstandnow,howtosomeextent,thereisforeachmana“fate”,for“fate”is thatquantityofgoodandevilkarmaselectedforhimbytheLordsofKarmaforagivenlife.Hisparents,hisheredity,thosewhohelphimandthosewho hinder him, his opportunities, his obligations, his death—these are as his“fate”;butwhile these forces spend themselves, theydonot imposeuponhimthemannerinwhichheshallreacttothem.Smallthoughhiswillis,asyet,thatwillisstillfree;hecanreacttohisoldkarmaandproducegoodratherthanbadnewkarma.Itistruethatheisgreatlyhandicapped,bothbyhispasttendenciesandby thepressureofhisenvironment;yet theDivineSpirit liveswithinhim,and, if he will but rouse himself, he may cooperate with the DivineWill inevolution, andnotwork against it. It is thedutyof his teachers and elders, as

wellasofthegovernmentunderwhichhelives,sotoarrangehiseducationandenvironmentthathewillfinditeasiertocooperatewiththeDivineWillthantothwartit;butthisUtopiaisstillinthewombofthefuture.Tillthatdaycomes,whenanymanfails—andmuchofhisfailurenowisduetohisenvironment—eachofuswhohashelpedtomakethatenvironmentsharesinthekarmaofhisfailure.

It has beenmentioned that, in theworking out of karmic forces, theLords ofKarma direct their operation; we must now understand the principles whichguidetheseDirectors;theyarebrieflysummarizedinFig.43.

TheLordsofKarmamustuse the individual’sownstockofforce; theycannotadd to it nor diminish it. He comes out of a past, with karmic bonds toindividuals, toacommunity, toapeople;hemustbesent tobebornwherehecan“workout”hiskarmawithrespecttothese.Butalso,hislifeisonlyoneofaseriesoflives,andattheendofthem,heistobecomeaMasteroftheWisdom,aPerfectMan,intheimageofanArchetypewhichtheLogoshascreatedforhim.TheLordsofKarma,then,mustadjusttheindividual’skarmasothathegrows

steadilytowardshisArchetype.

Now,much of aman’s activitieswill depend upon the kind of physical bodywhichhehas;andsincethis isprovidedbyafatherandamother, theheredityfrom the parents is an importantmatter. In these dayswe think of heredity intermsofMendelian“genes”—thoseunitsofphysicalattributeswhichareinthegerm-cells of the parents; the Lords of Karma have therefore to select such“genes”aswillbeusefulforthetypeofbodywhichthekarmarequires.Iquoteherewhat I havewritten previously on the subject inTheosophy andModernThought,whence,too,istakenthisFig.43.

“Oncemoretheproblemresolvesitselfintohappeningsintwoworlds,theseenand the unseen.On the seen, the form side,we haveman as a body, and thatbodyhasbeenfashionedbyfactors.4Butthesefactorsarehelpful tosomeandarehandicapstoothers;onemanisbornwithasplendidphysique,whileanotherhasnight-blindnessorhemophiliaashisshare;onemaybemusical,andanotherdeafanddumb.Inafamilywiththefactorforcolor-blindness,wehaveonesonnormal, but three are affected; why are three handicapped thus, but not thefourth?

“Wemust turn to the lifeside tounderstand theriddleofman’sdestiny.Threeelements therecome intoplay.Of these the first is that theman is anEgo, animperishablecircleinthesphereofDivinity;“long,longago,indeed,hehadhisbirth,heverily isnowwithin thegerm”.Hehas livedonearth inmanyapastlife,andtherethoughtandfeltandactedbothgoodandevil;hehassetinmotionforcesthathelporhinderbothhimselfandothers.Heisboundandnotfree.Buthelivesonfromagetoagetoachieveanideal,whichishisArchetype.Justasfor plant and animal life there are archetypes of the forms, so are therearchetypes for the souls of men. One shall be a great saint of compassion,another a teacherof truth, a thirda rulerofmen; artist and scientist, doer anddreamer,eachhassetbeforehimhisArchetype,thatThoughtofGodHimselfofwhat eachman shall be in the perfection of hisGod-given temperament.AndeachegoachieveshisArchetypebyfindinghiswork.For this it is thatwe,asegos, come into incarnation—to discover our work and to release the hiddenpowerswithinusbybattlingwithcircumstancesasweachievethatwork.

“Buttodoourworkwemusthaveabodyofflesh;andthehelpor,thehandicapthebodyis toourworkdependsonthefactorsofwhichit ismade.Hereonce

more there is no fortuitous concourse of factors; Deva Builders come to helpmanwithhisdestiny.ThesearetheLordsofKarma,thoseinvisibleIntelligenceswhoadministerthegreatLawofRighteousnesswhichestablishesthatasamansoweth so shall he reap; they select from the factors provided by the parentsthosethataremostserviceabletotheegoforthelessonhehastolearnandfortheworkhehastodo,inthatparticularbodywhichKarmaallotstohim.

“TheLordsofKarmaneitherpunishnorreward;theyonlyadjusttheforcesofaman’spast,sothatthoseforcesintheirnewgroupingshallhelpthemanonestepnearer his Archetype. Whatever the Lords give to a man, joy or sorrow,opportunityordisaster,theykeeponethinginmind,thatman’spurposeinlifeathis present stage is neither to be happy nor miserable, but to achieve hisArchetype. There is, later on, untold bliss for him in action, when he is theArchetype in realization;but till thatday, it is theirduty topresshimon fromoneexperiencetoanother.

“After thezygote5 ismade, theLordsofKarmaselect thefactors,sinceasyetthe ego cannot do so himself; if the next stage in evolution for him is bydevelopingsomeparticulargift—as,forinstance,thatofmusic—thentheyselectforhimtheappropriatefactors; themusicianwillneedanabnormallysensitivenervoussystemandaspecialdevelopmentofthecellsoftheear,andtheLordswill pickout these factors as the embryo is fashioned. If at the same time theman’sinnerstrengthistoberousedbyahandicap,orhisnaturetobepurifiedbysuffering, thenanappropriate factorwill alsoappear, some factorperhaps likethatwhich brings about a lack of virility or of resistance to disease. If on theotherhandtheego,alreadyamathematician,isinthislifetobeamathematicalgenius,thenthosefactorsinthezygotethatbuildthemathematicalbrainwillbebroughtoutasthezygotegrowstobetheembryo.

“Whateveristheworkfortheego,appropriatefactorsareselectedfor;itbytheLords;virility for thepioneer innewlands, thepsychic temperament for thosewhocanhelpbycommuningwiththeinvisible,adisablingfactorforonewhoshallgrowthroughsuffering,andsoon,factorbyfactor,theLordsdistributethekarmaofmen.Withinfinitecompassionandwithinfinitewisdom,butswervingnot one hair’s breadth from justice, they build for one soul a body suited forgenius,andforanotherabodywhichisasalog.Itisnottheirstomakethemanhappyordiscontented,goodorevil;theironedutyistoguidethemanonestepnearer his Archetype. Helps and handicaps, joys and pains, opportunities or

privations,arethebricksoftheego’sownmakingforhistemporaryhabitation;the Lords ofKarma add nothing and take nothing away; they only adjust theforcesofthesoul’smaking,sothathisultimatedestiny,hisArchetype,shallbeachievedasswiftlyasmaybe,ashetreadstheroundofbirthsanddeaths.”

We must not, however, imagine that this “fate” selected for the individual isabsolutely rigid and immutable; a man can, and does, change his “fate”sometimes,byanunusualreactiontocircumstances.Forinstance,suicideisnotinaman’sfate,thoughhisvisibleandinvisiblecircumstancesmay,seeminglytous,betoomuchforhisstrength;theplanfortheindividualisalwaystostrugglethroughhis“pains”and“griefs”and“worries”,andnot“gounder“.Similarly,an individual may take an opportunity not specially arranged for him; somereligiousteacher,forinstance,whoseappearanceisnotspeciallyrelatedtohim,may affect him, and he may make for himself a new opportunity. Notinfrequentlytoo,aman’skarmamaybeasitwereputoutofgearbytheactionsofotherswhicharenotcalculatedfor inhiskarma. Inall thesecases,whetherthe event be of service or disservice to the individual, there is always a largereserveofkarmanotactuallyinoperation,andthenewkarmaisdeductedfromoraddedtothisreserve,sothatthereisnofinalfavoritismorinjustice.

It is also interesting to note that there are several types of karma, and thatindividualscanberelatedbyone,ormore,of them,butnotnecessarilybyall.The commonest “karmic link” is of love or hatred; but there are also links ofcaste,orofrace.Amanborn,for instance, intoapriestlycastesharestosomeextent in thegoodor theevildonebythecasteasawhole;an individualbornamong a particular people is handicapped or helped by the karmawhich thatpeople has made for itself throughout the centuries. There is also the karmaattachingtoaspecialtypeofwork;thehenchmenofaPericlesorthelieutenantsofaCaesarwillbedrawnbykarmiclinkstotheirchiefwheneverthatchiefisinincarnationandworksagainathislife’sdream.Insuchcases,theremayormaynotbeanyemotionallinksatallbetweenthoseunitedinthecommonwork;thelinkwhichbinds them,so that theyhelporhindereachotherandthecommonwork,isakarmiclinkofwork.

Thisvastsubjectofthesoul’skarma,orthesoulatwork,canonlybesuggestedin outline in such a brief summary as this.To understandKarma in its fullestoperationandsignificance requires thewisdomofanAdept;but tounderstandtheprinciple0fKarmaistorevolutionizeone’sconceptionofthepossibilitiesoflife and of oneself. As Theosophy is intensely ethical in its outlook, thereperhapsisnomoreusefulwayofsummarizingwhatweknowofKarmathanasdoneinFig.44.

****

Ah,Love,couldyouandIwithHimconspire,Tograspthissorryschemeofthingsentire,Wouldwenotshatterittobits,andthenRemoulditnearertotheheart’sdesire!

ThereisindeedOnewhohasmadethis“schemeofthingsentire“accordingtoaPlanofLoveandBeauty;but,atthepresentstageofhumanevolution,thatPlanis“inheaven”,andnot“onearth”.ButHeiswaitingtillthedaywhenHisWillshallbedone“onearth,as it is inheaven”;andthatdaycannotcometilleachoneof themyriadsof soulswho areFragments ofHim is ready toworkwithHimtoshatterHispresentschemeandremoulditnearertoHis“heart’sdesire”.HeisthegreatReconstructor,whoshatterswhatHeerstwhilebuilt,andrebuildsnearertoHisheart’sdesire.ForthewholeworldisHisKarma,HisAction.AndweneedonlytofollowHisguidance,asHewhispersinourinmostheartshowtoshatterourschemeofthingsentire,andthenmakeitnearertoourheart’sdesire.Wheneachofushas indeed thevisionofhisheart’s true desire, andwants toshatterhisschemeofthingsentire,sothatabetter,divinerschemeshallexistforall men and not for himself alone, then he will inevitably know how so tofashion his Karma that each action of his shall be the action of the Logos,accordingtoHisHeart’sDesire.

CHAPTERV

THEINVISIBLEWORLDS

Inthelifeofeachofus,theworldwhichsurroundsushasaverygreat,ifnotthegreatest, influence.Weareverymuchwhatourknowledgeoftheworldmakesus.Weknowtheworldbymeansofourfivesenses;andifoneofoursensesisdefective,ourknowledgeoftheworldislessbythatdefect.

Now,thoughweareallthetimeexercisingoursenses,andsee,hear,touch,tasteand smell the objects of the world in which we live, we little realize whatcomplexprocessesof consciousness are involved inour “knowing” theworld.Nordowerealizethatweknowonlyapartofwhatthereistobeknownoftheworldaroundus.

Letusconsider,forinstance,ourknowledgeoftheworldthroughthefacultyofsight.Whatdowemeanby“seeing”anobject?Itmeansthatoureyesrespondtosuchvibrationsoflightasaregivenoffbythe frontof theobject,andthatourconsciousnesstranslatesthosevibrationsintoideasofformandcolor.

Whatweseeisofcourseonlythefrontoftheobject,neverthewhole,whichisboththefrontandtheback.Ourfacultyofsight,then,isduetowavesoflighttowhich our eyes respond. But what, after all, is “light”? In answering thatquestionweshallquickly seehowsmallapartof the trueworld is thevisibleworld,andhow’largeaparttheinvisible.InFig.45wehaveadiagramshowingusthemainfactsaboutlight.

Light is a vibration; according to the frequency of the vibration is the colorproducedbyit.Thelightbywhichweseecomesfromthesun,whichthrowsoffbundlesofvibrationsofvariousfrequencies,andwecalltheaggregatesofthesebundleswhite light.But ifweinterposeaprismofglass in thewayofawhiteray of light, the particles of glass break the white light into its constituentvibrations.Thesevibrationscreateinourconsciousness,whentheyarenotedbytheretinaofoureyes,thesenseofcolor.Thecolorswhichoureyescanseeareseven—red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet; these seven colorsand their shades and theirmixturesmake up themany colors of theworld inwhichwelive.

But the colorswhichwe see arenot theonly colorswhich exist.We seeonlysuchcolorsasoureyescanrespondto.Buttheresponseofoureyesislimited;wecanseeinthespectrumthecolorsfromredtoblue,andthentheviolet;fewof us can see any indigo between the blue and the violet. So long as thevibrationsarenot larger than38,000 to the inch (or15,000 to thecentimeter),making the color red, nor smaller than 62,000 to the inch (or 25,000 to thecentimeter), making the color violet, we can respond to solar vibrations, andknowthemascolor.Butalittleexperimentwillquicklyshowusthat,belowtheredof thespectrum,andbeyond theviolet, thereexistvibrationswhichwouldmeancolortous,ifwecouldbutrespondtothem.If,afterthespectrumismade,we put a burning-glass where come the infra-red rays (where our eyes seenothing),andputapieceofphosphoruswheretheraysofthelensconverge,weshallhavethephosphorussetonfirebyheat;evidently,belowthecolorredofthespectrum,therearevibrationsproducingheat.Similarly,attheotherendofthespectrum, ifweshutoff theviolet raysbyascreen,and in thatpartof the

spacebeyondtheviolet,whereoureyesseenocolor,weplaceadiscorscreencoveredwithplantino-cyanide,thediscwillbegintoglow,owingtotheeffectofthe ultraviolet rays. There are, then, in the sun’s rays, infrared and ultravioletcolorswhichour eyes cannot see; ifwe could see them, it is obvious that thecolorsinnaturalobjectswouldbeseentohavenotonlynewcolorsbutalsonewshades.

Oursenseofhearingissimilarlylimited;therearesoundsbothtoohighandtoolow for us to hear. Sound ismade bywaves in the air; 16½ sound-waves persecond make the low C note of the organ.While some can hear this, otherscannothearanotewhichproducesfewervibrationsthan40persecond.Sotoowiththehighestaudiblenote;somecanhearanoteashighas40,000persecond,butothersonlyupto20,000persecond.Whereverexistsoundswhichsomeofus,duetosomedefect,cannothear,theydonotexistforus;theyexistforotherswhorespondtothosevibrations.InFig.46wehaveatableofvibrations,givingusageneral ideaof sucheffectsasareproduced innaturebyvibrations inairandintheaether.6

Ifwe imagine a pendulum swinging twice per second, then increasing to fourtimespersecond,and then toeight,andsoon,doublingateachstep,weshallproduce certain numbers of vibrations per second.Ofwaves producible in theair,ourfacultyofhearingbeginsonlywhentheyareatthe5thstep,anditendsbetween the 13th and 15th steps. Of the electro-magnetic waves in the ether,also,we“see”onlythoseofadefiniterangeoffrequency.Thewirecarryingthecurrent to a lamp is opaque to our eyes, but when the electricity meets withresistance,andvibrations,correspondingtothoseofthe45thto46thstepsinthediagram,areproducedintheether,thenlightappearsandoureyesrecognizethepresenceoftheelectriccurrent.Ofthewiderangeofvibrations,extendingfromwavesaminute fractionofan inch in length, tomanymiles,whichhavebeentabulatedbyscience,oursensesrespondonlytoalittlemorethanone-ninthofthewhole.Thus,oftheworldaroundus,whichsciencehasdiscovered,weknowonly about one-eighth; seven-eighths of the world is hidden to ourconsciousness.

Suppose that our nerves were differently organized; suppose they did notrespond to lightwavesbut to someother rangeofelectro-magneticvibrations,what a different world would then be around us!When the sun shone, therewouldbenosunlight;theatmosphereaboutuswouldbeopaquebutforwavessuchas thoseused inradio.Whenweturnedon theelectricswitch,ourroomswouldbelit,notbythelightoftheelectricbulb,butbythewiresalongthewallsand by the discharges of static electricity from the objects in the room. As amatter of fact, if our eyes responded to electric waves, we should require nowiresatall;weshould“see”bymeansof the lightemittedby theprotonsandelectrons composing the atoms.Therewould then be for us no alternations ofnight and day; it would always be “day” for us, so long as the protons andelectronsswungintheirorbits.

Fig.47and48showushowdifferentanobjectcanappear ifcognizedbytwodifferent types of vibration. Both are pictures of the sun, taken by thephotographic camera; but in Fig. 47 we have a picturemade by the ordinaryphotographicnegative,whichrespondstoalltheraysemittedbythesun,thatis,tothewhiterays.

ButFig.48isapictureof thesuntakenbymeansof thespectroheliograph, inwhichthenegativerespondsonlytoselectedvibrationsfromthesunandtonoothers.Tomakethispicture,onlythevibrationsoflightemittedbythehydrogenvaporsof the sunareallowed toenter thecamera.Wehave thus twodifferentpicturesofthesun,bothmadebythecamera.If,therefore,atoneandthesametime,wewere tophotograph the sunby two telescopes,onewith theordinarycamera attachment and the other with the spectroheliograph adjusted to aparticularrateofvibration,weshouldthenobtaintwophotographs,ofoneandthesamesun,differingentirelyindetail,exceptforthecircularcontourcommontoboth.

ThisisexactlytheprincipleunderlyingwhatiscalledClairvoyance.Aroundusaremanytypesofvibrationstowhichtheordinarymortalcannotrespond.Heisblindtoandunconsciousofapartoftheuniversewhichisreadytorevealitselftohim,werehebutreadytorespondtoitsvibrations.Buttheclairvoyantdoesso respond,and thereforehe“sees”moreof the realworld inwhichwespendourdays.Ofcourseallclairvoyantsarenotalikeintheirresponsetotheunseenworld;some“see”onlyalittle,othersagreatdeal;somemakeclearconceptionsof what they see, others are confused and incoherent. But the principle ofClairvoyance is exactly the principle of ordinary sight7.We do not yet knowwhatspecialdevelopmentofnervesandofbraincentresisnecessarytocalloutresponsetothevibrationsoftheinvisibleworld;thescienceofafuturedaywillmapoutforustheoccultphysiologyofthebrain,whichwillexplaintousmorethanwenowknowofthemechanismofClairvoyance.

Onthismatterofalarger,unseenworldaround,us,Ispeaknotatsecondhand,butpartlyofmyowndirectobservationandknowledge.Whatthereispeculiarin the centres of my brain I do not know; but a never-vanishing fact of myconsciousness is that there is on all sides ofme, through,within andwithouteverything, an invisible world, which ismost difficult to describe. It scarcelyrequiresaneffortofthewilltoseeit;thereisnogreaterneedtoconcentratetoseeitthanforthephysicaleyetofocusinstantlytoseeanobject.Itisnotseenwiththeeye;whethertheeyeisopenorshutmakesnodifference.Thesightofthephysicaleyeandthisinnersightareindependentofeachother,andyetbothwork simultaneously;my eye sees the paper onwhich Iwrite this, and at thesame time my something—scarcely know what to call it—sees the invisibleworldabove,below,aroundandthroughthepaper,andthetable,andtheroom.Thatworldisluminous,andseemsasifeverypointofitsspacewasapointof

self-created light of a kind different from the light of the physical world; thewholeofitsspaceisfullofmovement,butinapuzzling,indescribablemanner,suggestiveofafourthdimensionofspace.Imusttestify,withallthevehemenceat my command, that to my consciousness, to all that I know of as “I”, thisinvisibleworldhasagreaterrealitythanthephysicalworld;thatasIlookatit,and thenwithmyphysical eye look at theworld of earth and sky andhumanhabitations,thephysicalworldisanutterillusion,aMaya,andhasnoqualityinit which my consciousness can truly label as “real”. “Our world”, when Icompare it to the intense reality of even this fragment of the invisibleworldswhichIsee,islessthanamirageorashadoworadream;itseemsscarcelyevenan idea of my brain. Nevertheless, of course, our physical world is “real”enough;initsownway,itisrealenoughjustnowtome,seeingthat,asIwritethis among the hills of Java, mosquitoes are biting me, and I am acutelyconsciousoftheirstings.Someday,whenopportunitypermits,ImaybeabletodevelopthisfacultywithwhichIhavebeenborn,andaddtothestockoffactsabout the invisibleworldswhich have already been gathered byTheosophicalinvestigators.

ThefactsalreadygatheredbythescientistsoftheTheosophicaltraditiontellusthat this physicalworld of ours is only a fragment of the trueworld, and thatinterpenetratingthisworld,asalsobeyondit,aremanyinvisibleworlds.Eachoftheseworldsismaterial,thatis,notamereconception,butmadeofmatter;thematteroftheinvisibleworlds,however,isfarfinerinqualityandsubstantialitythan the matter to which we are usually accustomed. We are aware of solidmatter, and liquid matter; gaseous matter, as of the air, we are not normallyconsciousof,andwenotegasesonlywhentheyincommodeus,aswhenwindobstructs us, or some gas causes difficulty in breathing. Beyond this gaseousstate ofmatter, modern science has discovered further states, once termed byCrookes“radiant”matter;andthereisalsothemysteriousluminiferousether—ineverysensematter,andyetdifferinginitsattributesfromsuchmatterasweknow.All this vast domainof finer states ofmatter has been investigated anddescribedinTheosophy,andinFig.49wehaveintabularformsomefactsabouttheinvisibleworlds.

Thereareseven“planes”orworldswhichhavespecialrelationtoman,andeachindividual has some phase of his life in them. He is represented in the threelowerplanesbyavehicleorbodymadeofmatterofeachof thoseplanes,andeach body serves him as ameans of knowledge and communicationwith thatplane.Thus,eachofushasaphysicalbody,madeupofthesevensub-statesofphysicalmatter,andthroughthatbodyhegainshisexperiencesofthephysicalworld.Similarly,eachofushasabodyof“astral”matter—socalledbecausethematterisstarryorself-luminous—whichiscalledthe“astralbody”,andeachhasalsoa“mentalbody”anda“causalbody”madeupofmaterialsof themental

world.(SeeFig.28.)Eachinvisiblebodyisofcoursehighlyorganized,asisthephysical body; there is an anatomy and physiology of these invisible vehiclesmorecomplexthanthatofthephysicalbody.Onplaneshigherthanthementalworld,man’sconsciousnessisasyetrudimentary,andhisbodiesorvehiclesinthemarestillawaitingorganization.

As is shown in the diagram, eachplane orworld is quite distinct fromall theothers;naturalphenomenalikeheatandlightandelectricityareofourphysicalworld of physicalmatter, and do not affect, for instance, theworld ofmentalmatter.Astherearelawsofsolid,liquidandgaseousstatesofphysicalmatter,soare theresimilarly lawsofmatterforeachplane.Thematterofeachplanehasseven sub-states, called sub-planes; our physical world has not only the threesub-states, solid, liquid and gaseouswithwhichwe are familiar, but also fourother sub-states, called respectively etheric, super-etheric, sub-atomic andatomic. (It should here bementioned that theword “etheric” relates to certainsub-states of physical matter, and does not refer to the ether, that substancewhich fills interstellar space and bears to us the lightwaves from the fartheststars.)

Thehighestsub-planeofeachof thesevenplanes is labelled“atomic”, for thereason that its particles are notmolecular; each particle is a unitwhich is notfurtherdivisibleintosmallerconstituentsofthatplane.

Alltheinvisibleworldsexistaroundus,hereandnow;theyarenotremovedinspacefromthisworld.Theastralworldanditsinhabitantsarearoundusallthetime, though most of us are unaware of them. So too is that invisible worldwhich is known in tradition as “Heaven”; the glories ofHeaven are here andnow,andallaboutus,hadwebuttheeyetoseeandtheeartohear.Howcanthisbe, that inour rooms, inourgardensand roadsandcities, therearealsootherworlds?Howcanseveralworldsexistinoneandthesamespace?

They can so exist, because each higher world is of finer matter than the onebelow. If we compare the matter of the three lower worlds—physical, astral,mental—tothethreestatesofphysicalmatterwithwhichwearefamiliar—solid,liquidandgaseous; ifwe thinkof thephysicalworldforamomentas“solid”,theastralworldas“liquid”,andthementalworldas“gaseous”,theninoneandthesamespacethesethreeworldscanexist.Abottlecanbefilledwithsand;butitisnotreallyfull,asthereareairspacesbetweentheparticlesofsand;wecan

putwaterintothebottle,andthewaterparticleswilloccupytheemptyspacesinthesand.Evenwiththesandandthewaterthebottleisnotreallyfull,forwecanaeratethewater,thatis,sendgasparticlestofilltheemptyspacesinthewater,sincewaterdoesnotcloselypackspacebutisfullofholesbetweenitsparticles.Sand,waterandgascanthusexisttogetherinsideoneandthesamebottle.

Wecanuseanothersimileinordertounderstandhowseveralworldscanoccupythe same space. Suppose a large room or hall were filled with old-fashionedroundcannonballs,ascloselyastheywillpack;becauseofthesphericalshapeoftheballs,therewillbeemptyspacesbetweenthem,howevercloselytheyarepacked.Supposethenwesendintotheroomthousandsofsmallgunshot,eachhaving a mysterious faculty of movement; the shot could exist in the emptyspaces between the cannon balls, and move about without finding them aninsuperableobstruction.Suppose theroomisquitefullofshot,and there isnoroomforthemtomoveatallamongthecannonballs;still,becausetheshotareround, there are empty spaces between them. If then we send in an army ofmicrobes,theywilllivequiteateaseamongthesmallshot,moveaboutwithoutfindingtheshotanobstruction.

Thisissomewhatthewaythattheastralworld,thementalandthehigherworlds,arehereallaboutus;ourphysicalworld,ofsolidandliquidandgaseousandtheetheric states, is porous, and between its finest particles exist great spaces; inthesespacesexistparticlesofmatterofthehigherplanes.Anatomofararegasin theatmosphere, likeargon,mightmoveinandoutbetweenthemeshesofawire fencewithout in the least being incommoded by the fence; and as argonwillnotcombinewithanysubstance,theargonatomandthefencewillbeshutoff from each other, as it were, in consciousness, though both partake of thesame space. Similarly, entities of the astral and otherworlds are all about us,livingtheirlife,butwearenotconsciousofthem,northeyofus,exceptunderabnormalcircumstances.

Suppose there exists a man who responds to the vibrations of the astral andmentalworlds, and socan“see” them,and thathehasalsobeen scientificallytrainedinobservationandjudgment,whatdoeshesee?Heseesamultitudeofphenomena,whichwilltakehimlongyearstoanalyzeandunderstand.Thefirstand most striking thing will be that he sees, living in either astral or mentalbodies,thosefriendsandacquaintancesofhiswhomhethoughtofasdead;theyarenotremovedinspace,inafar-offheavenorpurgatoryorhell,butarehere,in

the finer unseen extensions of this world. He will see the “dead” blissfullyhappy,mildly contented, bored, or utterlymiserable; hewill note that entitieswiththeseattributesofconsciousnessarelocalizedtovarioussub-planesoftheastralandmentalworlds.Hewillobservehowfarfromtheearth’ssurfacethesesub-planesextend,andsohewillmakeforhimselfageographyoftheinvisibleworlds.

Hewillseethatintheastralworld,andinitslowestsubdivision,liveforatimemen and women acutely miserable, and that that part of the astral world isevidentlythe“hell”describedinallthereligions;thatahigherpartoftheastralworldisevidently“purgatory”;andthatahigherpartstillisthe“Summerland”describedbythecommunicatingentitiesatspiritualisticseances.Withahigherfacultyofobservationstill,hewillnoteapartof theinvisibleworldwherethe“dead”liveasintenselyhappyaseachiscapableofbeing,andhewillnotethatthis is evidently “heaven”, though inmanyways radically different andmoresensiblethanthereligiousimaginationhasconceivedheaventobe.Themysteryoflifeanddeathwillbesolvedforhimashethusobservestheinvisibleworlds.

Fig. 50 is an attempt to sumup in tabular form the various inhabitants of the“threeworlds”,thephysical,theastralandthementalorheavenworld.

Threedistinct typesofevolvingentitiesshareincommontheseworlds:(1)thehuman (including individualized animals), (2) the life of “elementalEssence”,and the life of minerals, (3) the Devas or Angels, with the nature-spirits orfairies.Thesecondtypeisthemostdifficulttograsp,becauseitislifewhichisnotdifferentiatedintostableorpersistentforms.Thematteroftheastralandmentalworlds,quomatter, that is, irrespective of the soul who makes avehicle out of it, is alive with a peculiar kind of life, which is delicatelysensitive,quickwithlife,andyetisnotindividualized;ifweimaginewhattheparticlesofwater inacupmight feelasanelectriccurrentpassed through thewater,wehave a faint ideaof the increasedvitality and energyofmental and

astralgradesofmatteras“elementalessence”ofthefirst,secondandthirdtypesactsthroughthem.

Thiselementalessenceis,asitwere,ina“criticalstate”,readytoprecipitateinto“thought-forms” themomentavibrationof thought froma thinker’smindaffectsit.Accordingtothetypeandqualityandstrengthofthethoughtisthe thought-formwhich ismade by elemental essence out of astral ormentalmatter.Thesethought-formsarefleetingorlastforhours,monthsoryears;andhencetheycanwellbeclassedamongtheinhabitantsoftheinvisibleworlds.TheyarecalledElementals.

Of the same somewhat undifferentiated type of life are forms of the ethericgrades of physicalmatter;whilemore differentiated is the life ofminerals.Amineral has a dual existence, as form and as life; as form, it is composed ofvariouschemicalelements;aslife,itisagradeofevolvinglifetrainedtobuildinmattercrystalformsaccordingtogeometricaldesigns.

Lookingat thesecondcolumnof thediagram,wehave,ofcourse,asphysicalinhabitants, all minerals, plants, animals and men. Temporary inhabitants,disintegratingafterafewweeksormonths,are thosefinerethericcounterpartsof the physical bodies, called the “etheric doubles”, which float over graveswherethecoarserphysicalbodiesareburied.“Sincetheseethericdoubleshavetheshapeof theirmorephysicalcounterparts,andsince theyarestill ‘physicalmatterofasort,theyaresometimesseenbysensitivepeopleinchurchyards,andmistakenforthesoulsofthedead.

Intheastralworldexisttemporarilyallthosephysicalentities,menandanimals,forwhomsleep involvesaseparationof thephysicalbodyfora timefromthehigher bodies. While we “sleep”, we live in our astral bodies, either fullyconsciousandactive,orpartlyconsciousandsemi-dormant,asthecasemaybe,according to our evolutionary growth;whenwe “wake”, the physical and thehigherbodiesareinterlockedagain,andweceasetobeinhabitantsoftheastralworld. Of course the “dead” live in astral bodies in the astral world;“temporarily”, asmentioned in the diagram, since after a period of time theyfinallypassontolifeintheheavenworld;thistemporarylifeintheastralworldmay,however,varyfromafewhourstoseveraldozenyears.(SeeFig.54.)

“Discardedastralbodies”areexactlydescribedbythewords;justaswediscardourphysicalbodieswhenwe“die”,andgotoliveintheastralworldforatime,

sotoo,whenweleavetheastralworldtopassontothementalworld,ourastralbodiesarecastaside.Thesediscardedastralbodiesare,however,differentfromour discarded physical bodies, because they retain a certain amount of thedeparted soul’s consciousness locked up among their astral particles; theypossess, therefore,manymemories, and, having a curious vitality for awhile,will,likeautomata,enactcertainhabitsandmodesofexpressionofthedepartedentity.Theyarecalled“spooks”,andoftenareattracted to seances,wheretheyaremistakenforthetruesouls,ofwhomtheyarenothingmorethanmeresimulacra8. Unless they are artificially stimulated, as at seances; theydisintegrate in a few hours, or in a fewmonths or years, according to thespiritual or material nature of the entity who has passed on into the heavenworld.

The seven sub-planes of the heavenworld [theMental Plane] form two greatdivisions; the three higher sub-planes make the higher heaven, and the fourlowersub-planesmakethelowerheaven.Thelowerheavenworldisalsoknownas“Devachan”,theabodeofBliss,ortheplaceofintensejoybecauseinitsfourlower sub-divisions are found souls after death in conditions of happinessdescribedinthevariousreligionsas“heaven”.Heretooarefoundthoseanimalswho, before death, became “individualized”, and attained to the stature of ahumansoul.Onthelowestsub-planelivethosemenandwomenandchildreninwhomaffectionpredominated in thecharacterwhenonearth (however limitedmay have been its manifestation, owing to adverse circumstances), and theydwell inblissforcenturies inhappycommunionwith thoseto lovewhomwasthehighestpossibleheavenofearthlydreams.Onthenexthighersub-planearethosewhoaddedtoaffectionadevotiontosomedefinitereligiousideal;onthesub-planeabove,themenandwomenwhodelightedtoexpresstheirdreamsofloveanddevotioninphilanthropicaction;onthefourthsub-planearethosewho,with all these beautiful attributes, added philosophic, artistic or scientificintereststotheirsoul’smanifestationswhenonearth.

Inthethreehighersub-planes,inthehigherheaven,everliveallthesoulswhocomposeourhumanity.Hereeachlivesasthe“individuality”,asthetotalityofcapacity and consciousness evolved throughout the long course of evolution.Fromhere,astheindividuality,eachsouldescendsintoincarnation,puttingforthonly a part of himself as the “personality”, to experiment with life on lowerplanes.Onthehighestsub-planelivetheAdeptsandtheirhigherpupils;onthatnextbelow,thesoulswhosehigherevolutionisattestedbytheir inbornculture

andnaturalrefinementwheninearthlybodies;andonthethirdsub-planearethevastmajorityofthe60,000millionsofsoulswhoformthemassofour,asyet,backwardhumanity.

Totally distinct from all the life in the visible and invisible worlds so fardescribed,isthelifeofanevolutionofentitiesknownasDevasorAngels.Inthehigherheaven liveDevasof thehighest grade, knownasArupaor “formless”Devas, because thematter of their bodies ismade up of the three higher sub-planes ofmentalmatter, technically called “formless”. The term “formless” isused because thought in that matter does not precipitate into definite shapeshavingform,butexpressesitselfasacomplex,radiatingvibration.Onthefourlowersub-planes,calledtheRupaor“form”sub-planes,becausethoughtcreatesthought-forms having definite shapes with outlines, exist the Rupa or “form”Devas,thelesser-Angels.

On the astral plane exists a still lower order of Angels known as Kama or“desire”Devas,sincetheastralworldinwhichtheyliveisessentiallytherealmof self-centred emotions.On this plane andon thehigher etheric levels of thephysical, exist the nature-spirits or fairies, whose relation to the Devas issomewhatakintotherelationwhichourdomesticpetsholdtous.Thesefairies,thoughtheirhighergradespossesshighintelligence,arenotyetindividualized,i.e., they are still part of a fairy group-soul. They individualize and becomepermanentegosby theirdevotion to individualDevas, justas,onebyone,ourpetdogsandcatsattain to thepossessionofa reincarnating soul through theirdevotiontous.

The invisible worlds ofFig. 49 are those within the boundaries of our solarsystem,andare the fieldsof experience forour evolvinghumanity.There are,however, other planes, extra-solar and so cosmic in their nature and extent,called the “Cosmic Planes”. Each of these cosmic planes too has its sevensubdivisions or sub-planes; the lowest and seventh sub-plane of each cosmicplane makes the highest and first, the atomic, sub-plane of our seven planeswithinthesolarsystem.TheideawillbeclearifwestudythetwodiagramsofFigs.49and51together.

ItisonthefifthorCosmicMentalPlanethatthereexistsasadefiniteThought-FormthegreatPlanoftheevolutionofalltypesoflifeandforminalloursevenplanes; this Plan is the Thought of the LogosHimself of how evolution shallproceed from its beginning to its end. In this “Mind of the Logos” are the“Ideas”or“Archetypes”discussedbyPlato;here,“asitwasinthebeginning,isnowandevershallbe”isanobjectivereality.

As will be noted by examining the two diagrams of the Planes of the SolarSystemandoftheCosmicPlanes,thehighestsub-planeofourmentalworldisseen to make the lowest subdivision of the Cosmic Mental Plane; from this

followsastrikingfact, thatwhoevercanraisehisconsciousnesstoworkintheformercomesdirectlyundertheinspiringvisionandpoweroftheArchetypesofthe latter.As thegloriouscolorsofasunsetarereflectedonthestillsurfaceatthe bottom of a deep well, though in space the water and the clouds are farremoved,socanthepurifiedintellectandthespiritualemotionsofthesoulseeandsenseandknowtheEternalNow, thefuture thatawaitsus,“theglory thatshall be revealed”. It is in thismanner that thegreat artists glimpsewith theirintuitionswhateternallyIS,andsocreateforusworksofartwhichare,atoneandthesametime,beautyandwisdom,workandsacrifice.

Suchare theworlds invisibleandvisible, in the lowestandleastpartofwhichweplayatourrolesofmortality.Butourimmortalselvesaretheinheritorsofavast unseen universe, inwhich our fuller life shall become, aswe advance inknowledge and growth, a series of inspiring adventures amidst divinemasterpieces.Evenatinyglimpseofthatvastinvisibleworldcorrectsourmortalvisionofthings,andgivesaperspectivetolifeandevolutionwhichneverpallsinitsfascination.Alldoubtsofmanfadeaway,asmistsdissolvewhenthesunrises,whenman can thus see for himself, and knowby direct vision, and notmerelybelieve.

Though formost of us this vision is not as yet attainable, yet there is anothervisionofthepurifiedintellectandoftheglorifiedintuition,whichisindeedasabeacon light to guide our steps amid the dark paths of our mortal world. IfTheosophycannotgiveatonce,andtoall,thedirectvisiontotheeye,itcanatleastgive,moresatisfactorily thananyotherphilosophy,avisionof“thingsasthey are” to the human intellect, which inspires to good and adds to life’senthusiasms.Tillallcanseewhatnowonlyafewsee,thisisallthatTheosophycan legitimatelyclaim,as thevisionof the invisibleworlds is thus revealed totheaspiringintellectsofmen.

CHAPTERVI

MANINLIFEANDINDEATH

It isanaxiominourmodemconceptionofevolutionthat themorediversearethefunctionsofwhichanorganismiscapable,themorecomplexisitsstructure.It is therefore in the order of things that man should have a complexity ofstructure not found in less developed organisms. But the complexity of thehumanorganismrevealedtousinanatomyandphysiologyisonlyasmallpartofthefullcomplexityofman;evenwhatwearetoldinmodernpsychologylaysbarebutlittleofthecomplexityrevealedinTheosophy.

InFig.52aresummarizedthemainfactsaboutman,asseeninTheosophy.

Atthebirthofanindividual,wehaveseveralelementswhichgotobuildtheunitofhumanitywhomwecall“man”.Theyareasfollows:

1.TheEgo,thetrueSoulofman,ofwhominallcasesonlyapartcaneverbemanifestedinaphysicalbody.ThisEgoistheIndividuality.

2.ApartoftheIndividualitywhichismanifestedinareincarnation,atagiventime, in a particular race, and as either a man or a woman. This is thePersonality.

TherelationbetweentheIndividualityandthePersonalityhasbeenexpressedbymanysymbols;one,whichhasbeenusedintheoldmysteries,isthatofastringof pearls, where the string represents the Individuality, and the pearls the

separate Personalities in successive incarnations. In Fig. 52 another symbol istaken.Ifwetakethethree-dimensional,twenty-equal-surfacedgeometricalsolid,knownastheicosahedron,torepresenttheIndividuality,thenthePersonalityisequivalent to one of the twenty two-dimensional triangleswhichmake up thesurfaceofthefigure.

Allthetwentytrianglesofthesurface,evenwhenputsidebyside,willalwaysfailtorepresentonecharacteristicofthefigure,whichisitsthirddimension;andconversely, since a triangle has only two dimensions, and the solid figure hasthree, it is possible to separate an infinity of triangles from each face of theicosahedron.Inasimilarfashion,eachPersonality—as,too,allthePersonalitiestogether which an Ego ensouls at successive rebirths—fails to reveal certainattributesoftherealEgo;and,also,anEgocanensoulasmanyPersonalitiesashisforceisadequateto,withoutexhaustinghistruenatureastheEgo.

OnlyonePersonality,however,isensouledbytheIndividualityforthepurposeoftheworkdoneinanyoneincarnation.

3.ThePersonality(Fig.52,column3)atrebirthtakesaMindorMentalBody,anAstralBodyandaPhysicalBody.

4. Each of these three bodies has a life and consciousness of its own, quitedistinctfromthelifeandconsciousnessofthePersonalitywhousesthem.This“body-consciousness” of each vehicle is known respectively as the “mentalelemental”ofthemindbody, the“desireelemental”of theastralbody,andthe“physical elemental” of the physical body (column 2). This “body-consciousness”isthelifeoftheElementalEssencesofmentalandastralmatter,andthelifeofthemineral,vegetableandanimalstreamsoflifewhichmakeupthephysicalbody(column4).

5.Thephysicalbody,whichisprovidedbytheparents,istherepositoryofthehereditaryMendeliangenesor“factors”whichareintheparentalancestry;outoftheseparentalgenessuchofthemareselected,atthebuildingoftheembryoatconception,asareconsonantwiththekarmaoftheIndividuality,andwillbeusefulfortheworkofthePersonality.

6.Theastralandmentalbodiesalsohavehereditaryfactorsofakind;butthesearenotprovidedby theparentsbutby theEgohimself.Theastral andmentalbodieswithwhichachildisbornarereplicasoftheastralbodyandthemental

bodywith which the previous incarnation ended, when the Personality of theprevious life discarded his astral body to enter the heaven world, and laterdiscardedhismentalbody,attheendofhisperiodintheheavenworld.

Man then,whenexamined in the lightofTheosophy, isaverycomplexentity,theresultantofthediagonalsofmanyparallelogramsofforcesofthreeworlds;for the purpose of coherent study,we canwell arrange these forces into threegroups:

1.TheIndividuality,wholivesoninthepermanentCausalBodyfromlifetolife,andretainsthememoriesoftheexperiencesofallhisPersonalities;

2.ThePersonality,amoreorlesspartialrepresentativeoftheIndividuality;

3.The“bodyconsciousness”ofeachofthethreevehicles,themental,astralandphysicalelementals.

Weshallconsiderfirstthekindsofbody-consciousness.Thephysicalbodyhasaconsciousnesswhich, however limited, is sufficient for thepurposesof its lifeand functions. This consciousness knows how to attract the attention of theoccupierwhenthereisneedforit;whenthebodyistirediturgestheindividualtorest;whenitneedsfoodanddrink,itcreatesinhimthedesiretoeatanddrink.Whensuchphysicalfunctionswork,itisnottheEgowhowantstoeatanddrink;butmerely the physical elemental. It is clever enough, through long ancestralhabitsofheredity,toprotectitself;whenattackedbydiseasegerms,itmarshalsitsarmyofphagocytestokillthem;whenwounded,itorganizesthecellstohealwhenthebodyisasleep(thatis,whentheownerdepartsinhisastralbody,andthephysicalbodyistenantless),itpullsupthebedclothestocoveritselfagainstthecold,or turnsover tosleep inanewposition. Inanyeventwhich it thinksthreatens its life, it will instantly do what it can, however limited, to protectitself;ifashotisfiredoradoorisslammed,itjumpsback;itsconsciousnessisnotsufficienttodistinguishbetweenthedangerrevealedbythesoundofashotandtheabsenceofdangerfromtheslammingofadoor.

Manyofthesemanifestationsofthephysicalelementalarenaturalenough,andneednotbeinterferedwithbytheconsciousnessofthetenantofthebody;butsometimessuch interference isnecessary,aswhenadutyhas tobeperformed,andthebodyistiredandobjects,andyetmustbeforcedtowork,orwhenthereisaworkofdangertobedone,andtheelemental,fearingforits life,wantsto

runawayandyetmustbeheldtoitstaskbythewilloftheowner.Inchildrenthephysicalelementalismostpronounced;whenababycriesandscreams,Itistheelemental which manifests its objections (reasonable to it, though oftenunreasonabletous),butitisnottheSoulofthebabywhoscreamsandcries.

This physical elemental’s life and consciousness is the reservoir of all theexperiences of pleasure and pain of its long line of physical ancestors; its lifewasoncethelifeofthedesireelementalsofsavagesoflongago.Ithasallkindsof ancestralmemories and tendencies, towhich it often reverts,whenever theEgo’sconsciousnessoveritislessened.Itisthisbody-consciousnesswhichhasbeen discovered in the researches ofmodern psychoanalysts of the schools ofFreud, Jung and Adler, and its vagaries of consciousness are manifest in ourinconsequentialandoftenmeaninglessdreams.

The elementals of the astral and mental bodies consist of the life of theElementalEssence.ThisElementalEssenceisaphaseofthelifeoftheLogosatan earlier stageofmanifestation than even the life of themineral; it is on the“downward arc” of life, and is “descending into matter”, to become, later,mineral life, and later still, vegetable and animal life. Its chief need is to feelitself alive, and in as many new ways as possible; it wants a variety ofvibrations,andthecoarsertheyare,thatis,tendingmoretomateriality,thebetterpleased it is.This is that “law inmymembers,warringagainst the lawofmymind”,ofwhichSt.Paulspeaks,the“sinthatdwellethinme”.

Thedesireelementallikestheastralbodytoberoused,tohaveinfact“arousingtime”;variety,novelty,excitementarewhatitwantsonitsdownwardarcoflife.Thementalelementaldoesnotlikethemindtobeheldtoonethought;itiseverrestless,andcravesasmanyvariedthoughtvibrationsasitcaninduceitsownertogive;henceourdifficulty inconcentrationbecauseof this“ficklenessof themind”.

Buttheowneroftheastralandmentalbodies,theEgo,isontheupwardarcoflife;billionsofyearsagohelivedasthemineral,theplantandtheanimal;suchexperiencesasthementalanddesireelementalsnowprefer,ontheirdownwardarc,arenotnecessarilywhathe,theEgowhoisontheupwardarc,findsusefulforhisworkinlife.HencethatcontinualwarfareformasterybetweentheEgoandhisvehicles,graphicallydescribedbySt.Paul;“thegoodthatIwould,Idonot;buttheevilwhichIwouldnot,thatIdo.”

Man’sworkinlifeanddeathandbeyondistocontrolhisvehicles,andusetheirenergiestoaccomplishaworkmappedoutforhimbytheLordsofKarma,andacquiesced in by the Ego. He may succeed or he may fail according to theamount of will-power in the Ego, and according to his knowledge of how toexercise it.Thisbattlegroundof life, this crucibleofexperience, isoutlined inFig.53.

The Individuality is the “Higher Self”, “the Demon” of Plato; he has threefundamentalattributes,describedasAtma,theSpirit;Buddhi,theIntuition;andHigherManas,theAbstractMind.Will,WisdomandActivityalsodescribethisfundamental triplicityof theHigherSelf.Thepersonality is the “LowerSelf”,andiscomposedoftheLowerManasortheConcreteMind,theastralordesirenature, the physical functions, and the three vehicles inwhich these activities

manifest.TheHigherSelf“putsdown”apartofhimselfintoincarnationfortheworkoftransformingexperiencesintofaculty.

Everythingnowdependsonhowmuchpowerofwillexists in theEgo,and isbeingmanifestedbyhiminthecontrolofhisvehicles.WherethewilloftheEgodominates the instincts of the mental, desire and physical elementals, theincarnationisasuccess;where,ontheotherhand,thethreeelementalsgaintheupperhand, theincarnationissomuchwastedeffort.Inthecaseofmostmen,there is neither complete dominationnor complete slavery; in some thingswesucceedindominating,inotherswefail.Whathappensineachcase,wecanseefromthediagram.

Thefunctionsofthephysicalbodyareneithergoodnorevil;itisthebody’sdutytoeat to live,drinktosatisfy thirst.Theevilbeginswhenanaturalfunctionisintensified, by the identification of the desire nature of the man with thefunction.Whenthepurelyanimalsensationsfromfoodanddrinkaredelightedinbytheastralbody,thebodybecomesgluttonousandcravesstimulants;atfirsttheastralbodydictateswhenthecravingsmustbeindulgedin,butafterawhilethephysicalelementalmakestheastralbodyits tool.It isnaturalenoughforaprimitivesavage togorgeandbeaglutton;butwhenacivilizedmanallowsapurely physical function to hypnotize his desire nature, he is for the timereverting to the savage. The process of reversion is well illustrated in theJapaneseproverbaboutdrunkenness:

Firstthemantakesadrink;Thenthedrinktakesadrink;Thenthedrinktakestheman.

Butwhere thewill is dominant, then, from the physical functions, permanentqualitiesaredevelopedbytheEgoofself-controlandpurity.Itisofgreatusetothe Ego to have perfect control over the physical body, so that the body’stechniquemaybefullyandswiftlyunder theEgo’scontrol in theworkin life.Rational and pure diet, perfect health, control over muscle and limb, throughexerciseandgames,areinvaluableintransformingphysicalfunctionsintoself-controlandpurity.

Inexactlya similarway, it isnatural for theastralbody todesire; it isnaturalthattheastralbodyshouldobjecttooffensivesmellsortodiscordsinsound,and

bepleasedatharmonioussurroundingsandagreeabletones.Thedesirenatureoftheastralbodyprovidesadelicateinstrumentofcognition.Evilbeginswhenthedesire elemental dominates and dis-possesses the Ego for the time. A naturaldesirethenbecomesacraving,andtheastralbodygetsoutofcontrol.

When aman loses his temper, so that for the time he is not showing a soul’sattributes,butthoseofawildbeast,hehasforthetimerevertedtoanearlystageofevolution,draggedtheretobytheastralbodywhichhecannotcontrol.

Whatwehavetounderstandisthatwearenotthehabitsofthedesireelementaloftheastralbody,butaretosearchout,foroursoul’spurpose,suchaptitudesinit asareuseful tous.Sometimes, throughsuffering,wediscover forourselvesthisduality inus; anAmericangirl of thirteenwhom Iknewsodiscovered it.Onedayshecamehomefromschoolalmostcryingbecauseherplaymateshadbeen teasing her; and when her mother asked her if they had hurt her, shereplied:“N-no,but theymademyfeelingsfeelbad.”Whenwerealize thatwearenotthefeelingsoftheastralbodybutpossessthem,justaswemightpossessatennisracketoramotorcar,thenweshallknowexactlyhowmuchfreedomtogivetothefeelings.

On the reverse side of the picture, the feelings of our astral body, whencontrolled,canbemademostsensitiveanddelicate,andcanbetransformedintowonderfulrevelationsofthesoul’saffectionandsympathy;theastralbodythenbecomesafineinstrumentuponwhichwecanplay,soastothrowtheinvisibleworldaroundusintowavesofinspiringandpurifyingemotions.

Whathasbeensaidabove,aboutthedesireelementaloftheastralbody,applieswith evengreater force to themental elementalof themindbody.Thementalbody has, as its natural function, that of responding to thought; and thought,when exercised by the Ego, is ameans of discovering theworld inwhich helives. Concrete thought weighs and measures the universe; the function ofabstract thought is to transformallexperiencesof thementaland lowerbodiesintoeternalconceptswhichcanbeincorporatedintothesoul’snature.

Butvery fewofour thoughtsareof thisnature, for two reasons: first, that themental elemental often clings to past thoughts of ours, and insists on thinkingthem,despiteourattemptstocontrolit;andsecondly,thatwhatwethinkislessourowncreation,andmorewhatissuppliedtousbyothers.Oftheformertypeareprejudices,whichareinrealitythoughtswhichwereonceusefultousinour

workinlife,thoughnotnecessarilytrue;theybecomelaternolongeruseful,andwearebetterwithoutthem,butthementalelementalretainsthestrengthwhichwe instilled into them, and, the better to gain its end, hypnotizes us intobelievingthattheyarestillourtruethoughts.Theprejudiceswhichmenhaveasto the superiority of race, creed, sex, caste, class or color, are largely of thisnature.

Ofthesecondtypearethethoughtsofotherpeople,whicharebeingcontinuallypouredintotheworld’smentalatmosphere,andwhich,impingingonourmentalbodies, draw out of us automatically a response of like thoughts.When suchthoughts seek admittance,weneed to take care thatwegivewelcomeonly tothosewhichareuseful forour soul’swork, and thatwe rigorously exclude allothers.

Certain thoughts of both these types sometimes behave like the “malignantgrowths” which appear in the human body as tumors and cancers. Somethoughtsmakedefinitecentersinthementalbody,andgatherroundthemsimilarthoughts,andabsorbtheirvitality;theythenbecomedistinctlymalignantmentalgrowths of themindbody. Just as a tumor in the brain, in the beginning,willproduceonlyaslightache,butafterwards,asitgrowslarger,willderangemanyfunctionsof thebody,sotoois itwiththesemalignantmentalgrowths;atfirsttheyarehardlyevident,exceptperhapsasunreasonablephantasiesandworries;later, they grow and produce definitemental diseases, like phobias of variouskindsandinsanity.

The transmutation of the experiences into eternal concepts, which is gainedthroughrightthinking,feelingandacting,isonlypartlyaccomplishedduringthelifeonearthandintheastralworldafterdeath; thetaskiscontinuedwhentheindividualbeginshis life in theheavenworld.There,under themost idealandcongenialsurroundings,withthepowertocreateallsuchhappinessashelongsfor,andaboveallwiththewonderfulaidoftheMindoftheLogosplayinguponhismentalbodyandcausingit togrow, themanliveshisperiodin theheavenworld. He develops his will and transforms all his experiences into eternalconcepts, and into faculties which more and more reflect his hidden DivineNature.

This workwhichman does during his period, “in Heaven” naturally dependsuponthestrengthofhisaspirations,andupontheamountofcapacitywithwhich

he sets toworkupon theworkof transmutation.These factors determinehowlongheis“inDevachan”,growingtherethroughhappiness.InFig.54wehaveatablegivingageneralaverageforvarioustypesofEgos.

When the death of the physical body takes place, the man lives in the astralworld for awhile; afterwards he passes to the lower heaven, to live there “inDevachan”.At the end ofDevachan, themental body, the last remnant of thePersonality, is cast aside, and theEgo is oncemore fully himself,with all hisenergies,inthehigherheaven.Afteraperiod,brieforlong,dimlyconsciousorfully aware of the process of rebirth, the Ego oncemore puts down a part of

himselfintoincarnationtobecomethenewPersonality.

We see from the diagram that the degenerate, low type of human being livesabout five years in the astral world and, having no spiritual qualities needingDevachanfor theirgrowth, returnsatonce into incarnation.The termsartisan,farmer, merchant are used to describe general types; and doctor is used torepresent professional men in general. But a farmer or a merchant may be ahighly cultivated man and belong really to a higher type of Ego than isrepresentedbyhisoccupation.

Theculturedman,whoisdefinitelyidealisticandwhomakessacrificesforthesakeofhisideals,hasaconsciouslyactivelifeastheIndividualityinthehigherheaven.Themanconsecrated toserviceunder theguidanceofaMasterof theWisdom,shouldhe“takehisDevachan”,willhavesopurifiedhisastralnaturebeforedeaththatheneedhavenolife in theastralworldatall;hewillpassatonceintohisDevachan.

We see from thediagram that theperiodbetween incarnationsmayvary fromfive years to twenty-three centuries.When a child dies, he, too, has his shortastral life and his short Devachan before return to birth again; the periodbetween his death and rebirthmay vary from a fewmonths to several years,accordingtotheageandthementalandemotionalnatureofthechild.

Manyof the facts alreadymentioned, about the hidden nature ofman and hisfinervehicles,arerestatedinthenextdiagram,Fig.55.

Inthefirstcolumnwehavethesevenplanesofthesolarsystem;inthesecondwehavethefourbodieswhichmannowuses.Itwillbeseenfromthethirdandfourth columns thatman exists, in his highest nature, as the “Monad”, on thefour planes higher than themental plane, but that he has as yet no vehicle orinstrumentofcognitionandactioninthem.

For all general purposes of study, the soul of man is the Individuality in thecausal body. The Individuality creates a Personality for the purpose ofincarnation, and the Personality has three vehicles, the mental, astral andphysical bodies.Eachof these three lowerbodies representsone aspect of the

Ego; and since the Ego in the causal body gives the fundamental tone ortemperamentfortheincarnation,we,maythinkoftheEgoandhisthreelowervehiclesasformingachordoftemperamental,tones,theChordoftheMan.Butthe Individuality in the causal body is only a partial representation of all hisqualities; behind his Higher Manas or Abstract Mind exists the Buddhi, theDivineIntuition,andbehindthat, theAtmaortheindomitableSpiritofGodinman.ButtheAtma,BuddhiandManasarethemselvesreflectionsofstillhigherattributesoftheMonad,“theSoninthebosomofthe“Father”,Thefundamentalnoteof theLifeof theLogosgives thedominant tone for theMonad, and thethree attributes of the Monad, on the Adi, Anupadaka and higher Nirvanicplanes, make the “Chord of the Monad”. The Monad then creates theIndividuality; the toneof theMonadbeing then thedominant, it and the tonesrepresented by the Atma, Buddhi and Manas make the “Chord of theAugoeides”.WhennexttheIndividualitycreatesthePersonality,the“mask”,wehavethe“ChordoftheMan”.

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Man’sworkinlifeandindeathistodiscoverwhatheis,whatistheworld,andwhat is theLogos“inwhomwelive,andmove,andhaveourbeing”.Agesofexperience and action are required before he begins to grasp this “WisdomofGodinamystery”,andtounderstand“God’sPlan,whichisEvolution”.Yetthisishiseternalwork—toknow,inhimselfandinothers,theclod,thebruteandtheGod. All life is a workshop where he is taught his work; and many are theinstructorswhocometohelphim.Thesearethereligionsandthephilosophies,the sciences and the arts of his time. Instructors too, unwelcome for themostpart,arethesufferingswhicharehislot.ButmostwelcomeofallhisinstructorscanbetheHiddenWisdomknownasTheosophy,whichrevealsGod’sPlanwithsuchafascinationtothemind,andwithsuchaninspirationtotheheart,ashavenotyetbeenfoundinanyotherrevelation.

CHAPTERVII

THEEVOLUTIONOFANIMALS

Whenwe survey nature,we can readily see that by far the greater number oflivingorganismsaretobefoundnotinthehumankingdom,butinthevegetableand animal kingdoms. The theories of modern science tell us that there is abridgeintheevolutionofformsfromthevegetabletotheanimal,andfromtheanimal toman; therefore it is evident that, sinceman is the highest so far inevolution, all forms lower than man must be tending towards his type. Thehighest type in the animal kingdom,which is nearest toman, is the “missinglink”;and theanthropoidapesare theformsnowexistingwhicharenearest tothis“missinglink”.Onthesideofthephysicalform,wecanseeclearlyenoughthe transition from the anthropoid apes to man; but when we considerintelligence in the animal kingdom, there is a serious gap in the scientificconceptionofevolution.Wehavecertaindomesticanimals, likedogs,catsandhorses, in whom distinctly human characteristics of intelligence and emotionappear;manyadoginhisinnernatureisnearertomanthantheanthropoidape.Itisobviousthatthereisnopossibletransition,onthesideofform,fromthedogto man; inevitably, therefore, the high human attributes developed in ourdomesticpetsmustbepracticallywasted,ifevolutionproceedsrigidlyaccordingtotheladderofformsenunciatedbyscience.(Fig.5.)

Inordertounderstandmorethoroughlynatureatherwork,wemustsupplementtheconceptionoftheevolutionofformintheanimalkingdomwiththatoftheevolutionofitslife.Onlythislatterconceptionwillenableusfullytounderstandtherolewhichtheanimalkingdomplaysinevolutionaryprocesses.

Alllifewhatsoever,whetherinmineral,plant,animalor,man,isfundamentallytheOneLife,whichisanexpressionofthenatureandactionoftheLogos;butthisLiferevealsitsattributesmorefully,orlessfully,accordingtotheamountoflimitation which it has surmounted in evolution. The limitations to itsmanifestationaregreatestinthemineral,buttheybecomebydegreeslessintheplant,theanimalandman.Intheevolutionofitsattributes,theLifeundergoes

these limitations in succession; after enduring the limitationormineralmatter,and therehaving learned to express itself in thebuildingofgeometrical formsthrough crystallization, it next passes on to become the life of the vegetablekingdom. Retaining all the capacities which the Life learned throughmineralmatter,itnowaddsnewcapacitiesastheplant,anddiscoversnewwaysofself-revelation.When sufficient evolutionarywork has been done in the vegetablekingdom, this Life, with all the experiences gained as themineral and as theplant, builds organisms in the animal kingdom, in order to revealmore of itshidden attributes through themore complex andmore pliant forms of animallife.Whenitsevolutionaryworkisoverintheanimalkingdom,itsnextstageofself-revelationisinthehumankingdom.

Throughallthesegreatstages,asthemineral,thevegetable,theanimalandthehuman, it is the One Life which is at work, building and unbuilding andrebuilding,everatwork tobuildhigherandhigherforms.ThisOneLife, longbeforeitbegins itsworkinmineralmatter,differentiates itself intosevengreatstreams,eachofwhichhasitsownspecialandunchangingcharacteristics.(Fig.56.)

TheOneSourceofLifeissymbolizedinthediagrambythetrianglewithinthecircle.Eachofthesesevenstreamsdifferentiatesitselfintosevenmodifications.Ifwerepresentthesevengreatstreamsbythefigures1,2,3,4,5,6,7,thenthemodificationsofeachareasinthefollowingtable.

Itwillnowbeapparenthowthefirsttypeorlifehassevenvariants,inthefirstofwhichitsownspecialcharacteristicisdoublyemphasized(11),butinits2ndto7thvariantsitsownspecialcharacteristicismodifiedbythecharacteristicsofthesixotherfundamentaltypesl.2l.3l.4l.5l.6l.7.Thesameprincipleholdsgoodwithreferencetothesixotherfundamentaltypesalso,aswillbeseenfromthetable.Thesetypesareknownasthe“Rays”.

Each of the forty-nine variants of theOne Life follows its own characteristicdevelopment throughall thegreatkingdomsof life, themineral, thevegetable,the animal and the human. The type of life, which in the animal Kingdombelongs to the 3.2 variety, passes from themineral kingdom to the vegetablekingdom along its own special channel, and is the 3.2 life of the vegetablekingdom;whenthetimecomesforittopassintotheanimalkingdom,itappearsthere still as 3.2 animal life, and through animal formswhich are exclusivelyreservedforthedevelopmentofthistypeorlife.Whenthisanimallifecomestothestageofpassingintothehuman,itwillbuildanindividualofthe3.2typeofhumanbeing,andnotoneofanothertype.Theseforty-ninevariantsoftheOneLife-Stream follow their forty-nine distinct channels through all the greatkingdoms,andthereisnominglingofonetypeoflifewithanothertype.

When the forty-nine life-streams in the animalkingdomare ready topass intothehuman,eachofthesevenvariantsofeachfundamentaltypeconverges,inthehighest phases of its animal life, to a few predetermined animal forms.TheseanimalformsarearrangedintheDivinePlansoastocomeintoclosetouchwithhumanityasdomesticpets; and,under the influenceof thecare lavisheduponthem, the animal life reveals its hidden attributes, and develops them, and“individualizes”intothehumankingdom.

Wehave todaycertain animal typeswhich standas thedoors from the animalkingdomtothehuman;suchtypesarethedog,thecat,thehorse,theelephant,andprobablyalsothemonkey.Thetransitionfromtheanimaltothehumancantake place through these doors, provided the proper influences are brought tobearontheanimalbytheactionofman.Whilethelifeindogsandcatsisofthehighesttypealongtheirtwo“Rays”,yetthetransitionwilltakeplaceonlywhen

anindividualdogorcathasdevelopedhisintelligenceandaffectionbythedirectactionofahumanbeing.

Ourdomesticanimalshavebeendevelopedoutofearlierandmoresavagetypesofanimallife;thedogisthedescendantofthewolf,andthecatofvariouscat-like creatures, like the panther, the tiger, etc. At the present stage, the life-streamsmanifestinginthedog-streamsoflife,theCanine,allconvergeuponthedomesticateddogforthepurposeofenteringthehumankingdom;andsimilarlytheFelinetypesoflifeconvergetodayuponthedomesticatedcat.Infutureagesweshallhaveother“domesticatedanimals,whoalsowillbeamong the formsmakingthesevendoorstohumanity.

In the understanding of the evolution of the animals, it is necessary to graspclearlywhatistheanimalgroup-soul.Justas,fromtheTheosophicalstandpoint,the individual man is not the physical body, but an invisible spiritual entitypossessingaphysicalbody,sotooistheanimal.Thetrueanimalisnotthebody;heisaninvisiblelifewhichactsontheanimalformasdoesthesoulofmanonman’sbody.This invisible life,whichenergizes theanimalforms, iscalledtheGroup-Soul.

Thegroup-soul isacertaindefinitequantityofmentalmatterchargedwith theenergy of the Logos. Thismentalmatter contains a definite life at the animalgradeofevolution,andinthatlifeareretainedallthepossibledevelopmentsofanimal consciousness and activity. This animal group-soul was, in previouscycles, the vegetable group-soul; and in earlier cycles still, itwas themineralgroup-soul.Sothatnow,atthestageweareconsidering,theanimalgroup-soulis already highly specialized, as the result of its experiences in vegetable andmineralmatter.Atthepresentstageofevolution,thereisnooneanimalgroup-soulfortheanimalkingdom,justasthereisnoonephysicaltypeforallanimals;andjustasintheevolutionofformswehavetodaytheirdivisionintokingdom,sub-kingdom,group,class,order,family,genusandspecies,sohavewesimilardivisionsintheanimalgroup-soul.

Ournextdiagram,Fig.57,willgiveusan ideaof theway that thegroup-soulworks.

Let us presume that there exists, on themental plane, the group-soul of somespecies of animal life; this group-soul will repeatedly reincarnate on earththrough its animal representatives. The life of two animals of this group-soulwillbequitedistinctsolongastheyarealive;butwhentheydie,thelifeofeachreturns to the group-soul, and is mingled with all other such returning liveswhich form the group-soul of that species. Looking at our diagram, if weconsiderthatAandBaretworepresentativesofthegroup-soulonthephysicalplane,then,whentheygivebirthtooffspring—Atoa,b,c,d,ande,andBtofandg—thelifeensoulingthebodiesofthenewgenerationcomesdirectfromthegroup-soulonthementalplane.Letuspresumethat,inthelitterofA,theyounganimalsrepresentedbya,dande,dieyoungthroughfeebleness,orgetdestroyedby theenemiesof the species; andalso thatoneoffspringofB,denotedbyg,suffers a similar fate.When these animals die, their life returns direct to thegroup-soul,andcontributes to itsstockofexperiencessuchfewexperiencesas

theygainedbefore death.Nowwe see, according to the diagram, that b givesrisetooffspringh,iandj,andctooffspringkandl,andftooffspringm,ando.Thelifeensoulingthebodiesofthethirdgenerationalsocomesdirectfromthegroup-soul, but it will have impressed upon it such experiences as have beengatheredbythoseofearliergenerationswhohaddiedbeforethethirdgenerationwasconceived.Aseachanimaldies,thelifewhichensouledthatanimalformispoured back into the group-soul; and this life, as it returns to the group-soul,adds as innate memories the experiences it gained in its various physicalenvironments.Itisthememoryofthesepastexperienceswhichexpressesitselfas instinct in animals; and the consciousness of the group-soul is slowlychanging,according to thecontributionsreceivedby it fromits representativesonearthaftertheirreturn.

Itwillbeevidentthatb,candfsurvivedonlybecausetheywereabletoadaptthemselves to the environment of nature,which is constantly changing aroundthem; and a, d, e and g died because they were not strong enough to adaptthemselves to that environment. The former survived because they were thestrongestandthefittest,inanenvironmentfullofstruggleandcompetition;andbeingthefittesttosurvive,theybecomethechannelsoftheevolvinglifeofthegroup-soul;theythenproducedescendantswhopossessthisqualityoffitnesstosurvivewhichhadbeendevelopedforagivenenvironment.

Inthisactionbynatureofselectingtheformsbestfittedtosurvive,animportantrole isplayedbycertain entities in the invisibleworldswhoare called, inourdiagram, the “Builders”. These Intelligences belong to a kingdom higher thanthe human, and are known as Devas or Angels. One department of these“ShiningOnes”hasasitsworkthatofguidingtheprocessesoflifeinnature;itistheywhoguidetheStruggleforexistence,andwatchforthedevelopmentintheirchargesofthosecharacteristicswhicharetendingtowardstheidealformsof the species. They combine the Mendelian genes which are so intimatelyconnectedwiththerevelationofthelatentcharacteristicsofthelifedwellingintheform.TheseBuildershavebeforethemcertainidealTypeswhichhavetobedeveloped in nature, so as to serve best the purposes of the Life; with theseArchetypes before them, they watch and mould organisms from the unseenworlds,soastobringaboutthatarrivalofthefittestwhichisdifficulttoexplainwiththeordinaryevolutionarytheories.

Present-day theories of biology are not sufficient to explain the “three major

problemsofevolution”—theoriginofspecies,theoriginofadaptations,andthemaintenanceoflongrangetrends.That“blindnature”canworksopurposefullywith a purely mechanical method of trial and error is not convincing. Theadaptations are towards a definite end in the long run. The conception of thegroup-soul, and of the operations of the Deva Builders, provide a reasonableexplanation. It is theBuilderswho use trial and error as theirmethod in theirlongrangeoperationsthroughouttheages,butthefinaltypeisbeforethemfromthebeginning.

The struggle for existence is themethod adoptedby theBuilders to the livingorganisms,inordertofindoutwhichofthemwilldevelop,inthatstruggle,thoseadaptations which build types that steadily approximate to the Archetypes. Itmustberememberedthat,inthedeathofanyorganism,itslifeisnotdissipatedintonothing;thatlife,withitsexperiences,returnstoitsgroup-soul,andthenceissues later to dwell in another form. Therefore,whenwe see that out of onehundredseedsperhapsonlyonefindssoilinwhichtogrow,andninety-ninearewasted, the waste is only apparent, since the life of the “unfit” ninety-nineappearsinalatergenerationasthedescendantsoftheone“fit”seed.

With this principle before them of the indestructibility of Life, the Buildersarrangeforakeenstruggleforexistenceinthevegetableandanimalkingdoms.Thismethod,whichbringsaboutafiercebrutalityinvisiblenature,yethasonitsunseensideamostamicablecooperationamongtheBuilderswhoaredirectingthegrowthofrivalforms.Theyallhavebutoneaim,whichis,tocarryouttheDivine Will, which places before them the Archetypes which must bereproducedintheevolutionofforms.

Wemustnowunderstandhowtheanimallifedifferentiatesitselfinitsprogressto individualization. If we consider any group-soul, such as, for instance, theCanine (Fig. 58), we shall first note that its group-soul exists on the mentalplane.

LetuspresumethatitputsoutexpressionsofitselfinCanineformsindifferentparts of the world. The differences of climate and other variations inenvironmentwilldrawoutoftheindividuals’differencesofresponse,accordingtothepartoftheworldwherethelifeofeachismanifest;eachindividualinacountry will, as it dies, take back to the group-soul a particular type ofexperience and tendency. As time passes and these experiences accumulate,there will arise in the group-soul different nuclei, each segregating particularexperiencesandtendencies.Ifwethinkofanexperienceasarateofvibrationintheindwellinglife,then,whereinonemasstworatesofvibrationareproduced,there will be a tendency for the mass to divide, just as a glass cracks whenboilingwaterispouredintoit,becausetherateofvibrationoftheinnerparticlesissuddenlymademorerapidthanthatoftheouterparticles.Similarlyweshallfind that, after several generations, the Canine group-soul will subdivide intospecialized group-souls of wolves, foxes, dogs, jackals and other varieties.Similarly, theFelinegroup-soul (Fig.58)willdivide, followingspecializationsofexperience,intosmallergroup-soulsoflions)tigers,cats,etc.Infact,justasgenera subdivide into families, so too does the group-soul slowly divide itselfinto smaller and smaller group-souls containing more and more specialized

characteristicsandtendencies.

In this process of the subdivision of the group-soul,we shall come to a pointwhenahighlyspecializedsmallgroup-soulwillbetheindwellinglifeofonlyasmallnumberofphysicalforms;whenthishappens,andwhentheformscanbebroughtundertheinfluenceofman,thetransitionfromtheanimaltothehumanbecomespossible,andindividualizationisnear.

If, for instance, we consider the original Feline group-soul, we shall, in thecourseoftime,haveasmallgroup-soulwhichenergizesonehighlyspecializedbreedofdomesticcats(Fig.58);atthisstageindividualizationispossible.Ifweconsidertwocats,No.1andNo.2,wemaypresumethattheirexperienceswillvary;wewillpresumethatcatNo.1findsahomewherehe isappreciatedandmuchinterestandaffectionarelavisheduponhim,andthatcatNo.2isborninanother home where he is relegated to the kitchen and banished from thedrawing-room.CatNo.1,inhisfavorableenvironment,willbegintorespondtothehighratesofvibrationimpinginguponhimfromthethoughtsandfeelingsofhismasterormistress; and evenbeforehisdeath, thiswill bring about such aspecialization in the little group-soul that that part of the group-soul whichstandsasthesoulofCatNo.1willbreakofffromtherestofthegroup-soul.InthecaseofCatNo.2,thelifeinhim,whenhedies,willreturntothegroup-soul,theretominglewithalltheotherreturninglives.

WhenCatNo. 1 has so separated himself during life fromhis group-soul, thefurtherstagesofindividualizationcanbeunderstoodfromthenextdiagram(Fig.59).

The animal taken into consideration is, however, not a cat, but a dog, “Jack”.Jack was a fox terrier of pedigree who was most devoted to his master andmistress, and also a great friend of thewriter. If we look at our diagram andimagine the group-soul, with Jack in it before he came to his master, as arectangle,thenthespecialaffectionlavishedonJackwillhavetheeffect,whichisshowninthediagram,ofdrawingupthatpartofthegroup-soulwhichisJackintoaconethatrisesupwards.Theamountofmentalmatter,whichstandsasthe“Soul of Jack”, then slowly separates itself from the rest of thementalmattermakingupthegroup-soul,asshowninthethirdcolumnofthediagram.

NowthisspecializationofJackoutofthedog-group-soulisdue,notonlytothehighervibrationssenttowardshimfromJack’smaster,mistressandfriends,butalso to the fact thataMonad,“aFragmentofDivinity”, is seeking to formanEgo or Soul in order to begin his human pilgrimage. This Monad long agoattachedtohimselfanatomofeachoftheplanesasacenteronthatplane,asan“earnest”depositedinadvancewithaviewtohisfuturework.These“permanentatoms” of hiswere sent out into the elemental,mineral, vegetable and animalgroup-souls in succession, there to receive whatever experiences they could.Whenthe“permanentatomsfindthemselvesintouchwithahighlyspecializedpart of the animal group-soul, like the “soul of Jack”, then theMonad sendsdownfromhishighplanecertaininfluences,inresponsetotheouterworkdoneforthe“soulofJack”byhishumanfriends.Theseinfluencesaresymbolizedinour diagram as the force from theMonad sprayed on the “soul of Jack”. TheMonadissymbolizedinthediagramastheupperinvertedcone,andeachstarinthatconerepresentsthequalitywhichtheMonadismanifestingoneachoftheplanesofhisactivity.

Whenthe“soulofJack”,asaresultofthestrongerandmoredivineradiationsfrom theMonad, breaks off from the group-soul, Jack is still a dog to outerappearance,buthe is reallyatan intermediatestage,ashecertainly isnotdognor yetman. This stage is illustrated in the third column of the diagram.Thenextstage, illustratedinthelastcolumnof thediagram,iswhen,asaresultoftheincreasedoutpouringfromthehigherplanesbytheMonad,theCausalBodyismade.

Whathappenscanonlybedescribedbyasimile;ifweimaginethatthe“soulofJack” which in the third column is represented by the lower cone, is like avolumeofwateryvaporofnopreciseshapeorcoherence;ifwethenthinkofallthisvaporasbeingcondensedintoadrop;ifwethenimaginethatintothedropairisblownandabubbleiscreated;thenthisissomethinglikewhathappenstothe“soulofJack”whentheMonaddescendsandcreatesacausalbody.Adivineafflatus,whichistheenergyoftheMonad,poursintothementalmatterwhichhas stood to Jack as his little soul. Thementalmatter rearranges itself into acausalbody,tobecomethevehicleofthis“SonintheBosomoftheFather”whohasdescendedtobecomeahumansoul.

It should here be clearly noted that, in this process of individualization, theanimaldoesnotbecomethehumaninthesamewaythatthevegetableevolves

into the animal; at individualization, all that has been for ages the animalbecomesnow thevehicle to hold a fragment ofDivinity, theMonad,whohasdescendedfromabove.

This Monad cannot make an Ego with a Causal Body until all the previousstageshavebeenachieved,ofexperienceintheanimalandprecedingkingdoms;but,while heutilizeswhat the animal kingdomhasprepared for him, he is inrealityanutterlydifferentstreamofenergyandconsciousnessoftheDivineLifefromwhatisfoundinkingdomslowerthanman.Thatiswhythereisaninfinitegap in evolution between the highest anthropoid ape and the youngestindividualizedsoul;inthelatteristhelifeofaMonad,intheformerwehaveasyetonlythehighermanifestationsofanimallife.

Fromthetimethatthe“soulofJack”separatesitselffromhisdog-group-soul,hehas in reality ceased to be a dog, though he still has a dog’s form. From thispoint of separation up to the actual formation of the causal body, there areseveral stages of transformation. These stages can be hastened by the properunderstanding by men of the process of individualization, so that our animalfriendsmaypassswiftlytothereceptionofthatDivineOutpouringwhichmakesofeachaSoulofMan.

Oneof thegreatest privileges in lifewhichmenhave is to cooperatewith theDivinePlaninhasteningtheindividualizationof thehigheranimals;but it isaprivilegewhich,throughignorance,onlyafewarereadytoaccepttoday.Mostpeople now take for granted that animals exist only to servemen’s purposes;thoughanimalsareindeedintendedtogiveustheirstrengthandintelligencetohelpusinthedevelopmentofourcivilizations,yet theyexistnotprimarilyformen, but to fulfil their ownpurposes in theDivinePlan. In our dealingswithanimals,we have to remember that,while they give us their strength, yet ourfirst duty is to see that they develop in such ways as hasten theirindividualization.Inthesedays,wetraintheintelligenceofhorsestotakepridein speed, that of dogs to develop their cunning in hunting, that of cats to be“goodmousers”.Allthisisutterlywrong,fortheanimalsarebroughtintotouchwithman to have their savage instincts weaned out of them, and to have thehigherhumanattributescalledoutof them.Eachactionofman,whichutilizesthemerecunningoftheanimaltogratifyman’sdesires,issomuchinjurydoneto the evolving animal life. We have yet to learn that, while our superiorintelligence and control of nature’s forces give us a control of the animal

kingdom, yet that control has to be exercised for the benefit of the animalkingdom,andnotforourown.

CHAPTERVIII

THEWORKOFTHETRIPLELOGOS

EachsystemofthoughtworthyofthenamePhilosophyhasinitmanyelementswhich cannot be tested by the limited intelligence ofman.Man’s experiencesdeal mainly with a world interpreted for him by his five senses; even suchfaculties of the imagination as he has are largely circumscribed by theseexperiences.When,therefore,aphilosophytellsofthebeginningsofthings,orunveilsapanoramaofpastorfutureevents,nomancanjudgeofitstruthbythestandardofhisownexperiences.

Thisisthecasewithsomeoftheteachingsofmodernscience;whensciencetellsusthatalltheplanetsandthesunonceformedanebula,wecanlogicallyinferitbyobservingthemanynebulaeexistingintheheavens,butweshouldbecertainofitonlyifweweretoseetheoriginalnebula,andwatchitsprocessofdivisioninto sunandplanets.Whenscience tellsusof theevolutionaryprocess,of thebuilding of molecules into protoplasm, and of protoplasm into man, throughdefinitestagesofa ladderofevolution,weaccept theaccount,notbecausewecanprove it tobe true,butbecauseouracceptanceof itmakesour intellectuallifemorevitaland fruitful.Logically, if the testof truthwereonlyman’sownexperiences,heshouldputasideeverystatementofscienceorphilosophywhich,forhim,isoutsidetherangeofpossibleexperience.But,ontheotherhand,hewouldlosetherebymostofhispresentintellectualpoiseandimaginativevigor.

Itisonlyasamaniscontinuallyimaginative,thathetranscendsthelimitationswhichaperishablebodyimposesuponhissenseofindividuality.Thelargerisaman’s intellectual horizon, the more powerful is his imagination, and thecombinedresultofbothmakeshimmoreforcefulinhisenvironment.Sincethesum totalof anyphilosophy, in termsof conduct, is togiveusmorepower tochange our environment, philosophical ideas are essential for our life, eventhoughatanyparticularmomentitmaybebeyondourcapabilitiestotest theirtruth.

When a man is confronted by philosophical ideas which deal with subjects

outsidehisexperience,hecansurveythemasawhole,andacceptthemonlyinso far as they appeal to his sense of the fitness of things. If the intellectualedifice which a philosophy provides for him proves not only sound but alsoinspiring,andifallthefactsofwhichheisaware:findlogicalandharmoniousplaceinthatdwelling,hemayaswellaccept thatphilosophytolivebyasanyother. Exactly this, no more but no less, can be said of those particularTheosophical ideas which form this chapter and the next; while they are notlikely to be personally proved for many a life by the average inquirer,nevertheless they offer to themind a conception of lifewhich is attractive toman’sreasonandinspiringtohisimagination.

1.TheDivineWisdomtellsusthattheuniversewithitsmyriadsofstarsistheexpression of a Conscious Life, called variously God, Isvara, Ahura Mazda,Allah,ortheLogos.ThisOneLifeis,wearetold,aPersonbutHetranscendsallthelimitationswhichnecessarilyareassociatedwithourideasofPersonality.WearetoldthatthisCosmicLogosiseveraUnity,“Onewithoutasecond”(ekamadvitiyam);nevertheless,asHeenergizesauniverse,HeenergizesitasaTrinityof three fundamentalmodesofmanifestation.God as aTrinity is described inHinduismasBrahmatheCreator,VishnuthePreserver,andShivatheDestroyer;inChristianitytheTrinityisstatedasGodtheFather,GodtheSon,andGodtheHolyGhost.Inotherreligionstoo,wefindnamesforthetrinitarianmodesofthedivineactivities.

2. Associated with the work in the universe of the Cosmic Logos are sevenEmbodimentsofHisNature,calledtheSevenCosmicPlanetaryLogoi.All thestarsintheuniverse,eachofwhichisthecenterofagreatevolutionarysystem,belongtooneorotherofthesegreatSeven,andareinsomewayexpressionsofTheirlife,asTheyinturnareexpressionsoftheOneLifeoftheCosmicLogos.Fig. 60 is an attempt to symbolize the Primordial One and His sevenEmbodiments; the seven small circles, within each of which should beinnumerable stars, both great and small, represent the Seven Planetary Logoi,whilethelargecircle,embracingthesevensmallcircles,representstheCosmicLogos.

3. Inall thisvast splendorofuniversal life, theLordofourSolarSystem, theSolarLogos, exists.AsaStar, as theLordof aSystemamong themyriadsofstars,HelivesandmovesandhasHisBeinginHisFather-Star,oneofthegreatSeven;yetHemirrorsdirectlytheLifeandLightandGloryofthe“Onewithoutasecond”.WhatisthespecialpurposewhichtheSolarLogos,withtheBrother-StarsofHisCompany,fulfils in thegrowthof theUniverse,whocantell?Butthisatleastissure,that,forusmen,HeisGod,theultimateofallourthoughtandimagination,theonlyGodwhomwecanconceive,becauseweourselvesareHeandnoneother.

True,weare rooted in the“Onewithouta second”;butweabide in thatgloryonlyasseedswithintheseed-pod.TheactionoftheSolarLogosistonourishustillwe grow into. Individuality, as themother nourishes the embryo till it canbeginitsseparateexistenceasanentity.ButforHisthinkingwecouldnotthink,butforHislovingwecouldnotlove,butforHislivingwecouldnotlive.Our

IndividualitiesarefractionsoftheTotalofHisIndividuality,circlesinscribedonthevastsphereofHisBeing.Hisfieldofactivityisavastsphere,whoseradiusbeginswiththesunandendswiththelastsatelliteofthefarther-mostplanetyettobediscovered.Withinthissphere,in“bright-space”,Heworks,everimpellingHissystemtorevealmoreandmoreofHiswondrousnatureasthecyclespass,patientlywaiting for theDaywhen all the life of the systemwhich has comeforthfromHimshallreturntoHim,consciousofitsrevealedglory.

4.“Asabove,sobelow.”In the imageof the.CosmicLogos, theLogosof thesolarsystemisalsoaTrinitywhenHeenergizesHissystem.Heworksinthreefundamentalmodes,whicharesymbolizedinthegreatreligionsasthoseoftheCreator, thePreserver,and theDestroyer;or theFather, theSon,and theHolyGhost.InmodernTheosophicalnomenclature,thistripleactivityisdescribedasthatof theFirstLogos (Father), theSecondLogos (Son),and theThirdLogos(HolyGhost).TheFirstLogos, theSecondLogosand theThirdLogosarebutthreeAspectsoftheoneSolarLogos;whilethreeinmanifestation,HeisyetevertheoneindivisibleGodhead.(Fig.61.)

5.“Asabove,sobelow.”Associatedwith“theworkoftheLogosofoursolarsystemaresevenBeings,whoareassevenexpressionsofHisNature,assevenchannelsofHisinexhaustibleLife.TheseSevenarecalledtheSevenPlanetaryLogoi.(Fig.62.)InHinduismTheyarecalledtheSevenPrajapatis(LordsofCreatures), in Zoroastrianism the Seven Amesha Spentas (Immortal HolyOnes), in the Hebrew and Christian tradition the “Seven Spirits before theThroneofGod.”[Revelation4:5]

The energies of these Seven control and direct all that takes placewithin thesolar system; each of the Seven contributes His typical nature as a vibratoryresponseeventoeachatom,so thatwhenanatomisaffectedbythesun’sray,theseven“minorstrands”oftheatomflashoutthesevenprismaticcolors.EachoftheSevenistheHeadandRulerofhierarchiesofcreativeentitieswhoworkunder His direction in the building and sustaining of the solar system. Undereach are ranged those Devas (Shining Ones) or “Angelic Hosts, called inOrientalreligionsAdityas,Vasus,PhyaniBuddhas,DhyanChohans,etc.,andinthe Christian tradition, Angels, Archangels, Thrones, Dominations,Principalities,Virtues,Powers,CherubimandSeraphim.

6. In Fig. 63we have a condensed summary of thework of theTripleLogoswithinHissystem.

The Logos works through three aspects or modes, whose fundamentalcharacteristicsmaybestatedasfollows:

I.FirstLogos:Divinity-Humanity.II.SecondLogos:Life-Form.III.ThirdLogos:Force-Matter.

BeforetheLogosbegantheworkofthesystem,Hecreatedonthe“PlaneoftheDivineMind”(seeFig.51)thesystemasitwastobe,fromitscommencementtoitsend.HecreatedalltheArchetypesofforces,forms,emotions,thoughtsandintuitions,anddeterminedhowandbywhatstagesincivilizationeachshouldberealized in the evolutionary schemeofHis system.Then, in that part of spaceselectedbyHimfortheworkofHisPlan,HecommencedHisworkthroughHisThirdAspect,theThirdLogosasForce-Matter.

The vast sphere in space, within which the sun and its planets were to arise,contained at the beginning no substance in anyway akin tomatter (visible or

invisible)whichwehavewithinthesystemtoday.TherewasonlyMulaprakrtior“root-matter”, that ether of space once postulated by science which isincomprehensibletoourimagination,sinceitisonlyoutof“holesintheaether”thatmattersuchasweknowiscomposed.InourTheosophicalstudieswehavecalled this primordial ether or negation of matter “Koilon”, the “emptiness”.(Fig.64.)

Into thisKoilon, or primordial ether of “space, theCosmicLogos pouredHisenergy,pressingbacktheKoilonfrominnumerablepointswithinit.(Fig.65.)

Each“bubble”orpointoflightexistswhereKoilonisnot;thereforeeachbubbleisinrealityapointofconsciousnessoftheThirdAspectoftheCosmicLogos;andeachbubblepersistsonlyso longasHewills tokeepback theenvelopingKoilon.

As the next action, the Solar Logos, acting in His Third Aspect, swept thesebubblesintospiralformations(Fig.66),withsevenbubblesspiral.ThebubblesaresoheldbyHisWill.Thesearetermed“spiralsofthefirstorder”.Hecoiledgreatlengthsofthesespiralsofthefirstorder,intolargerloopsstill,withsevenspiralsmakingone“spiralofthesecondorder”;lengthsofspiralsofthesecondorderweresimilarly twistedandheldas“spiralsof the thirdorder”;andsoontill there were created lengths of “spirals of the sixth order”. (Fig.66 showsspiralsofthefirst,secondandthirdorders;thewhitelineconnectingthebubblesinthespiralofthefirstorder,andthatgoingthroughtheloopsinthespiralsofthesecondandthirdorders,denotetheparticularforcesoftheWilloftheThirdLogos which holds the bubbles in each spiral order.) Ten parallel strands,composedoflengthsofspiralsofthesixthorder,werethentwisted,asshowninFig.67,tomakethefundamentalunitofourphysicalmatter.

Eachactioninthemakingofthesespirals,fromthespiralofthefirstordertothephysicalatom,isduetothefocussingoftheconsciousnessoftheThirdLogostothatparticularpurpose;eachorderofspirals retains its formationonlybecauseHisconsciousnesscontinuestoholditso.Ourphysicalatomisnot“matter”;itisin realitymyriads of points of the consciousness of the Third Cosmic Logos,heldbytheSolarLogosinaparticularformationtodoaspecificwork—thatofbuildingthephysicalplane.

But the building of the physical plane is preceded by the building of thesuperphysicalplanes;tograspthiswemustreverttoFig.63.Inthatdiagram,wefindthatthelittlecirclerepresentingtheThirdLogoshastwolinesissuingfromtherightside; these two linesdenote twoactivitieswhichbuild theplanesandsub-planes.The shorter line refers to the first actionof all of theThirdLogoswhich is, as already described, that of grouping the bubbles in Koilon; thesebubblesarethefinalunits,thebrickssotosay,outofwhichallthesevenplanesofthesolarsystemaremade.

ThefirstorAdiplaneismadeoutofthebubblesinKoilondirectly,andtheatomofthisplaneisonebubble.Theatomofthenextplane,theAnupadaka,ismadeout of 49 bubbles.TheAtmic atom ismade out of 492 or 2,401 bubbles.We

havetheatomsofthelowerplanesthenmadeinsuccessionwithbubblestothenumberasfollows:atomoftheBuddhicplane,493or49x2,401bubbles;atomoftheMentalplane,494or2,401x2,401bubbles;atomoftheAstralplane,495or49x2,401x2,401bubbles;atomofthePhysicalplane,496or2,401x2,401x2,401 bubbles, with a definite number of bubbles in addition, owing to thepeculiarformationofthephysicalatom.

Whentheatomsofeachof thesevenplaneshavebeencreated, then theThirdLogoscreatesthesub-planesofeachplane.(Thelongerline,issuingtotherightfromthesmallcircleoftheThirdLogos,denotesthissecondaction.)Theatomsof eachplane are swept intogroupsof two, three, four, etc., tomake the sub-planes. The first or highest sub-plane is composed of the single atomsthemselves,while the second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh sub-planesaremadebycombinationsoftheseatomsintomolecules.Thus,onthephysicalplane,thehighestsub-planeiscomposedofunitphysicalatoms,oftwovarieties,the positive and the negative. Then, by combination of these positive andnegative atoms, there are built the remaining, sub-planes, called sub-atomic,super-etheric,etheric,gaseous,liquidandsolid.Itisinthecourseofbuildingthesub-planes of the physicalworld, that the chemical elements are produced, aswilllaterbeexplainedwhendealingwiththesubjectofOccultChemistry.

TheworkoftheThirdLogos,then,buildsthesevengreatplanes,withtheirsub-planes, of the solar system. That building is not complete, and it is stillproceeding apace. He is the ensouling Force in the Matter of all the planes;electricity is one expression of His force through the matter of the physicalplane;anotherexpression,whichistotallydistinct,isKundalini,themysterious“serpentfire”whichoperatesinallhigherorganisms.

InthesevengreatplanesthusbuiltbytheThirdLogos,nextappearstheworkoftheSecondLogos.HisenergyisessentiallyofanorderbestdescribedasLife-Form;withthisenergyHeensoulsthematterofthesevenplanes,andenablesittobuildformswhichhavethatmysteriousqualitywhichwecall“life”.Thislifebuildsthematteroftheplanesintovaryingforms,and,eachformpersistsonlysolongasthelifeoftheSecondLogosholdsthematterinthatform.

Nowforthefirsttimeappearthephenomenaofbirth,growth,decayanddeath.AformisbornbecausetheLifeoftheSecondLogoshasaworkofevolutiontodothroughthatform;itgrowswhilethatworkisprogressingtoitsculmination;

it shows signs of decay because the Second Logos slowly withdraws the lifefrom the form, since the life has evolved all it can through that form; it dieswhenfinallythe“SecondLogoswithdrawsallofthelife,inordertosenditbackonceagaintobuildanewerandbetterform,whichcangivetheevolvinglifethenew experiences necessary for its further growth and self-revelation. On thephysicalplane,theexpressionoftheforceofthesecondLogosisPrana,Vitality.

Whenmanifest on the four highest planes of the solar system, that life of theSecondLogosiscalledtheMonadicEssence;itdescendsstagebystage,gainingateachstagethegrowthwhichhasbeenplannedforitintheGreatPlan.Duringalongperiodoftime,calledaChain,itfirstmanifestsinthematteroftheAdiplane; at the end of theChain, it returns to the SecondLogos, fromwhom itissues forthagainat thebeginningof thesucceedingChain, inorder toensoulthematterof the second, theAnupadakaplane. It commences theworkof thesecond Chain, with all the experiences of the first Chain inherent in it astendenciesandcapacities.

ChainbyChain,theMonadicEssencedescendsfromplanetoplane,andatthebeginningof its fifthcycle, itbegins toensoul thematterof thehighermentalplane.Uptothispoint,theMonadicEssencewasnotlimitedforitsexperiencesto one “scheme of evolution”; but henceforth its experiences are restricted tothoseobtainableinour“schemeofevolution”.Fromthetimeofitsentranceintothematterofourmentalplane,itiscalledElementalEssence.Duringtheperiodofitsgrowthinhighermentalmatter,thislifeoftheSecondLogosiscalledtheFirst Elemental Essence; after the end of a Chain, it reappears at thecommencementofanewChain,andensoulslowermentalmatter;atthisstageitiscalledtheSecondElementalEssence.AtthenextChain,itbecomestheThirdElementalEssence,andensoulsthematteroftheastralplane.

1Inthenextchaptertheterms“chain”and“schemeofevolution”willbefullyexplained.

It is this ensouling life of the SecondLogoswhich gives tomental and astralmattertheirpeculiarlylivingquality,sothatthefaintestvibrationcausedinthementalworldbyathought,orintheastralworldbydesire,makesthementalandastralmatterswiftlygenerateshapesandforms,andcausesittocrystallizeinto“thought-forms”.

Still “descending intomatter” Chain by Chain, the life of the Second Logos,afterensoulingastralmatter,nextensoulsphysicalmatter.Thefirsteffectofthis

new ensouling is to give to the chemical elements a power of combinationamong themselves.While theThirdLogos creates hydrogen and oxygen, it isonlywhenthelifeoftheSecondLogosappearsthattwoatomsofhydrogencancombinewithoneofoxygentomakewater.Physicalmatterasweknowittodayappears with the work of the Second Logos; under His guidance there nowappears themineral kingdom, ready to build a solid earth. In termsof rhythmandbeauty,matter nowcrystallizeswithmathematical precision; through eachphysical encasement the work of the Second Logos is done according to thePlan.Tooureyes,themineralisinertandlifeless,mereearth;yetallthewhiletheSecondLogosisatworkinthatseeminglyinertmatter.OfatruthistheGodnow“deadandburied”,crucifiedonacrossofmatter.

ThelifeoftheSecondLogos,afteritslowestdescentintomatterasthemineralkingdom, now begins its ascent. Its next manifestation is as the vegetablekingdom.Atthecommencementofthisstage,thesubstancesofearthdevelopanewcapacity,thatofbecomingavehicleforlife,suchlifeasoureyescansee.Thechemicalelementsgroupthemselvestogether,andamysteriouslifeappearsamongthem,andbuildsthemintoprotoplasm.GuidedbytheSecondLogos,thisprotoplasmundergoestransformation,becominginprocessoftimethevegetablekingdom.(Fig.4.)Afterlongexperiencesofgrowth,slowlyevolvingduringtheperiodofaChain,thevegetablekingdomappearsinasubsequentChainastheanimal kingdom. (Fig. 5.) In due course of time, out of the animal kingdom,arisethosehighestanimalswhicharecapableofindividualization.

When the animal group-soul has been built, as has been explained in theprevious chapter, and a particular animal is ready for individualization, thenbegins the action of the First Logos. He sends a Fragment of Himself, a“Monad”,tomakeanIndividualityinaCausalBody.ASoulofMan,made“inthe image of hisMaker”, then begins his evolution, which is to discover theDivinity in himself, in his fellowmen, and in all the life of nature whichsurrounds him. On the physical plane the expression of the force of the FirstLogosistheImmortalSoulinamortalbody.

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Thus swiftly we have surveyed the mighty work of the Triple Logos, whichbegan long, long ago, and yet is, as says theUpanishad, still “in thewomb”.Creator, Preserver and Destroyer, He builds, and unbuilds, and builds again,

comingbyeachstageonestepnearertothePerfectionofHisPlan.ToseethatPlan is to have the Beatific Vision; to work for that Plan is to change one’smortalnature to thatofadeathless immortal.Deathlessness in life,Eternity intime, Divinity in humanity, are his who, understanding the Plan, works for itunceasingly.

CHAPTERIX

THEKINGDOMSOFLIFE

Magnificently,asmodernsciencehasdevelopedtheconceptofevolution,ithasyet to come to that breadth and granderwhich is revealed in Theosophy. Theword“life”,especiallyhas,inTheosophicalstudies,aprofounderandmorefar-reachingsignificance; for life is seen,notonly,aswithmodernscience, in thesmall circle of existence which comprises the human, animal and vegetablekingdoms,butalsoasmanifestingintheseemingdeadmatterofminerals,andinorganismsofinvisiblematterlowerthanmineralsandhigherthanman.InFig.68, we have briefly summarized the wave of evolving life which leads up tohumanity.

Acomparison of this figurewith that ofFig. 9will show that there are otherstreams of evolving life which, without touching the human kingdom, pass,throughlevelswhichcorrespondtothatofhumanity,intokingdomshigherthanman.

Fig. 68, however, deals with those forms of life, which, in their evolutionarygrowth,issueinahumanitylikeours.Weseefromitthat,stagebystage,thelifeof the Logos manifests as three types of Elemental Essence, and thensubsequentlyasMineralLife,VegetableLife,AnimalLifeandHumanity.Thetransitionfromstagetostagewasexplainedinthepreviouschapter,and,inFig.59,wasshownthetransitionofthehighestanimalintothehumankingdom.

The seven stages of evolving life, fromElementalEssence I toHumanity, arecalled the “Life Wave.”. Other forms of life and consciousness are also, ofcourse, “lifewaves”;but, for the clearerunderstandingof adifficult topic, the

term “life wave” is reserved for those forms of life which are most closelyrelatedtoourhumanityinadirectlineofgrowth,asshowninFig.68.

All these great changes involve vast periods of time; nevertheless in eachfractionoftimetheevolutionaryworkisdoneaccordingtoapre-destinedplan.Eachtypeofformandconsciousnessappearsinevolutiononlyatitsgiventime,and always under the supervision of thoseWorkers in theDivine Planwhosefunctionitistosupervisetheintricateworkingsofevolution.Wemustthinkoftheseperiodsoftimelessintermsofactualyears,andmoreintermsofquotasofevolutionaryworkcompletedinthefurtheranceofthePlan.

ItwasshowninChapterII,on“TheRiseandFallofCivilizations”,that,duringthe time thathumanityexistsonourEarth, sevengreatRoot-racesappear,andthateachof theseRoot-raceshassevensub-races.Theperiodof timewhichisnecessary to accomplish thework,which has to be done through sevenRoot-racesandtheirsub-races,iscalleda“WorldPeriod“.DuringaWorldPeriod,theevolutionaryscheme,asitaffectsthesevenkingdomsofourlifewave,isinfulloperation; the lifewavemay be said to beginwith the appearance of the firstsub-race of the First Root-race, and it endswhen the seventh sub-race of theSeventhRoot-racehasdoneitswork.

WhentheallottedspanofworkforaparticularWorldPeriodisfinished,thelifewavepassesfromourEarth,tocommenceitsevolutiononanotherglobeofoursolarsystem.Onthisnewglobe,eachofthesevenstagesoflife,fromElementalEssenceItoHumanity,resumesitsworkandcontinuesitsfurtherdevelopment.Once again, this development, so far as humanity is concerned, takes placethrough civilizations and cultures develop in seven Root-races and their sub-races. At the end of the evolutionary work on this new globe, the life wavepassesontoanotherglobe,theretoresumeitsworkundernewconditions,andaccomplishthepartinevolutionnextallottedtoitintheGreatPlan.

Theworkofthelifewave,withwhichhumanityonthisEarthisassociated,willbeunderstoodifwecarefullystudyournextdiagram,Fig.69.

Our life wave requires for invisible types of matter. These too have theirrevolutions round the sun, as have the visible planets, but their matter is ofsuperphysicalstates.Ofthesefourinvisibleplanets,two—BandF—areofastralmatter,andtheremainingtwo—AandG—oflowermentalmatter.Eachoftheseglobes is separated in space from all the others; each is a complete planet byitself,justasareMars,EarthandMercury.

Ifweconsult ourdiagram, andcarefully study thatpart of itwhich representsourEarth,weshall see that theEarth is shownasbeingcomposedofphysicalmattersurroundedbyenvelopesofastral,lowermentalandhighermentaltypesof matter. It goes without saying that each higher and finer type of matterinterpenetratesallgrosser than itself; thus theastralenvelopenotonlyextends

fromtheEarth’ssurfacemilesupwards,butitalsointerpenetratestheEarth;andsimilarly, the envelope of lower mental matter interpenetrates both the astralworld and the physical Earth. This astral envelope round our Earth, andinterpenetrating it, is our Astral Plane; the lower mental matter is our LowerHeaven, and the higher mental matter makes our Higher Heaven. Associatedwithalltheseare,ofcourse,thehigherplanesofnature,composedofBuddhic,Atmicandhighertypesofmatterthoughtheyarenotshowninthediagram.

Butinasimilarfashion,Mars,aphysicalglobe,hasalsoanastralenvelope,andtwo envelopes of lower and higher mental matter. The astral envelopeinterpenetrating the physical planet Mars is the astral plane of Mara. ThisMartian astral plane is totally distinct from the astral plane of our Earth.Moreover, just as there is no communication of a physical kind throughinterplanetary space between the Earth and Mars, so is there no astralcommunicationbetweentheastralplaneofMarsandourastralplane.Marsalsohasitslowerheavenworldanditshigherheaven.ExactlythesameschemeholdsgoodforMercury,whichhasitsownastralandlowerandhighermentalplanes.When we come to planets B and F, we find that they have no physicalcounterparts;theyareastralplanets,buteachplanethasitsownlowerandhigherheavensandalsohigherplanes still.PlanetsAandG, itwillbe seen from thediagram,areglobesof lowermentalmatter; they toohave theirhighermental,Buddhic, Atmic and higher planes, but they have no planes below the lowermental plane. We must think then, of the seven planets—A, B, Mars, EarthMercury, F andG—as complete in themselves, and each revolving round thesun;butonlythreeofthemarevisibletoourphysicaleyes.

Wecannowgraspingeneraloutlinetheworkofthelifewave.Thelifewaveonthe Earth, at this actual moment, is doing the work, so far as humanity isconcerned,oftheThird,FourthandFifthRoot-races,andithasprogresseduptothepointofstartingthefirstvariants—thesixthsub-raceoftheFifthRoot-Race;they are now appearing in the United States of America, Australia and NewZealand. Side by sidewith thework of humanity is the evolutionarywork ofanimals,plants,mineralsandthethreetypesofElementalEssence.

TherestillremainstobedoneontheEarththeworkoftheseventhsub-raceofthe Fifth Root-race, and the vast work of the Sixth and Seventh Root-raceswhich are still to come, with their respective sub-races and variations. Howmany hundreds of thousands of years more this work will require, we can

scarcelytell;butthelifewavewillnothaveaccomplishedtheworksetbeforeit,duringitsoccupationoftheEarthanditshigherplanes,tillallthisfurtherworkcomestoasuccessfulconclusion.

When theseventhsub-raceof theSeventhRoot-Racehasgiven itsmessage toevolutionthereisnomoreworktobedone,forthetime,ontheEarth; thelifewave then passes on to another planet, to begin there the next stage of itsunfoldment.ThisplanetisMercury.OnMercury,asontheEarth,thelifewaveinallitsdivisions,fromElementalEssenceItoHumanity,willcontinueitsworkfromstagetostage;inthehumankingdomtherewillbesevenRoot-raceswiththeirsub-races.EachRoot-race,throughthestructureofitsvisibleandinvisiblebodies, enables the development of some new form and expression ofconsciousnessandactivity;hencetheneedforthevariousRoot-racesandtheirsub-divisions.

After the lifewave has finished onMercury, itwill be transferred to the nextplanet, which is F. On F, which is an astral planet and has no physicalcounterpart,obviouslytherecanbenophysicalformsfortheevolvinglife;thatlifewillhavetodoitsworkthroughformsofastralandhighermatter.AfterthelifewavehascompleteditsworkonplanetF,itwillthenbetransferredtoplanetG. As this planet G is composed of lower mental matter, all evolution willnecessarily takeplace in formsof thisandfiner typesofmatter.When the lifewave completes itsworkonplanetG, itwill passon to evolutionaryworkonplanetA.FromAitwillpassontoB,whereevolutionwillberesumedagaininastralforms.AftertheworkdoneonB,thelifewavewillpassontoMars,whereworkwillbebegunonceagainthroughphysicalformsalso.Afterthelifewavecompletes itswork onMars, itwill be transferred to theEarth, there to beginanother stage of evolution through new human, animal and, vegetable types.Whenthelifewavehascompleteditsworkonthesevenplanetsinsuccession,itwillhavetakenaperiodoftimecalleda“Round”.

Inthedescriptionsofargivenofthetransferenceofthelifewave,itwasmadetostartfromtheEarthandtopassthroughMercury,F,G,A,B,Mars,toreturntotheEarth again, thusmaking a completedRound. In reality, however, the lifewavebeginsonplanetA, thenpasseson toplanetB,andnext toMars,Earth,Mercury; F and G. Our present life wave, therefore, began long ages ago onplanet. A in the First Round, and has already gone through three completeRounds; only after this work was done, began then the work of the Fourth

Round,onplanetA.ThenthelifewavepassedontoB,andthentoMars,andsototheEarth;thisiswhereitistoday.

Intheevolutionaryscheme,weareatpresentonthefourthplanetoftheFourthRound.Thisisexactlymidwayinthelargerschemeofourevolution,sincethelifewavehasyettocompletetheFourthRoundbypassingtoMercury,FandG,andthenafterwardstocompletetheFifth,SixthandSeventhRounds.WhenthelifewavehassopassedthroughsevencompleteRoundsinsuccession,thetimeoccupiedintheprocessiscalledaChain.

ThesefactsaresummarizedinFig.70.

Sevensub-racescomposeoneRoot-race;thetimeoccupiedbysevenRoot-racesis that ofoneWorldPeriod.SevenWorldPeriods, on seven successiveglobeswhile the life wave passes from one to another, compose one Round. SevenRounds, in each of which the life wave has passed from planet to planet,composeoneChain.

Theworkofevolution,ofalllifeandforminthesolarsystemis,however,notaccomplished within the period of one Chain. It is intended in the Plan that,during the period of activity of one Chain, one kingdom of life shall haveevolvedtothenext-higherkingdom;thus,thatwhichbeganasanimallifeatthebeginningofburChain,thatis,onplanetAoftheFirstRound,willrisetothestage of humanity at the end of the Chain, which will be on planet G of theSeventhRound;similarly, thatwhichbegantheChainasvegetable lifewill,atitsending,haverisentotheanimallife.IfwelookbacktoFig.68,wesee the

various steps of evolution of the kingdom of life; each step requires onecompleteChain.

When our Chain began on planet A of our First Round, the work wascommenced In all the seven kingdoms, from the First Elemental Essence toHumanity; butwhere didHumanity achieve its human characteristics, and theanimal life its animal characteristics, so as to begin the Chain already thusequipped?ToanswerthiswemustturntoFig.71.

Wefind in it,as thefourthcircle, theEarthChain; this ispracticallyFig.69inminiature, for we find Mars, Earth and Mercury as the three black spheresdenotingphysicalmatter,whileplanetsBandFaremarkedasofastralmatterandplanetsAandGasofmatterof the lowermentalplane.Weseepreceding

theFourthChainaThird,calledinthediagramtheMoonChain.InthisMoonChain we find that there are seven globes, but only one of them is physical,whiletwoareastral,twoarelowermental,andtwohighermental.

Now, our life wave, before it entered our Chain, the Earth Chain, was forcountlessagesthelifeoftheprecedingChain,theMoonChain;butthelifewaveon theMoonChainwas exactly one stage earlier thanwhat it is todayon theEarthChain.Thatistosay,thatwhichishumanitynowontheEarthChainwasthe animal kingdom of the Moon Chain; our present animal kingdom of theEarthChainwasthevegetablekingdomoftheMoonChain;andsimilarly,alltheotherkingdomsof lifeon theEarthChainwereonestageearlieron theMoonChain.

Inanexactlysimilarfashion,thekingdomsoflifeoftheMoonChainthemselvescame into it fromanearlierChain still,ChainNo.2on thediagram. ItwillbeseenthatthisChainhasnophysicalplanetatall,butiscomposedofoneastral,twolowermental,twohighermental,andtwoplanetsofBuddhicmatter.EachkingdomoflifeonthisSecondChainwasexactlyonestageearlierthanitwason the Moon Chain; thus, that which was the animal kingdom of the MoonChainwas thevegetablekingdomofChainNo.2.ChainNo.2 itselfderived itslifefromanearlierChainNo.1;inthiswehaveonlyonelowermentalplanet,twohighermental,twoofBuddhicmatter,andtwoofNirvanicmatter.

ThekingdomsoflifeonthisChainNo.1wereatonestageearlierthantheywereon Chain No.2. To sum up, following the direction of evolution, that whichbegan onChainNo.1 as themineral kingdom appeared onChainNo.2 as thevegetable kingdom, and on Chain No.3—the Moon Chain—as the animalkingdom,andonChainNo.4—ourpresentEarthChain—itisourHumanity.

When the work of this Earth Chain is completed at the end of the SeventhRound,eachkingdomofevolvinglifewillhaveascendedonestage;ouranimalsof today will, at the end of our Chain, have come to the human level; ourvegetable life will have entered into the animal kingdom. Our Humanity willhave gone to a stage beyondhumanity.TheFifthChainwill be similar to theThirdChain,sofar,atleast,asthenatureofitsglobesisconcerned;justas,ontheThirdChain, therewas only one physical planet, sowill there be but onephysicalplanetintheFifthChain,thoughitwillhavetwoastralplanets,twooflowermentalmatter,andtwoofhighermental.

The constituent planets of Chains No.6 and No.7 will be as marked on thediagram.

Theworkof theFirst,SecondandThirdChains isnowover,and theirplanetshavedisintegrated,except that theonlyphysicalplanetof theThirdChainstillremains,thoughshrunk,astheMoonwhichgoesroundtheEarth.TheMoonhasnowon itnoneof the lifewave,and it ispracticallyadeadplanet,waiting itsfinaldisintegration.EvolutionisnowexactlymidwayamongthesevenChains,since our presentChain is theFourth; and on this FourthChainwe are at thefourthplanetoftheFourthRound.

Wehavebeforeus,whentheworkoftheEarthChainiscompleted,worktobedonebythekingdomsofevolvinglife inthenext, theFifthChain.ThisChainwill have one physical planet, which will be made by coalescing into oneplanetarymass theAsteroids,whichnowmakea ringof littleplanetsbetweenMars and Jupiter.By the time theAsteroids have coalesced into a planet, andbecome the center of evolution of the life wave, the work will have beencompletedintheEarthChain.OurEarthwillhavebecomeadeadplanetwithnoevolvinglifeuponit; itwillhaveshrunkinsize throughlossof its liquidsandgasesandothercauses,andItwillthenbeattractedtothephysicalplanetofthenewChainandattachedtoitasaMoon.

Our present animal kingdom will begin the work of the Fifth Chain as itshumanity; our present vegetable kingdomwill then be its animal kingdom. Inexactlyasimilarway,theworkintheSixthandSeventhChains,whichareyettocome,willbeaccomplished.IneachsuccessiveChainthelifeevolvesfromonekingdomtothenextbeyondit.

The work done through seven Chains in succession makes one “Scheme ofEvolution”.TherearesevensuchSchemesofEvolution,andover theworkofeachpresides aPlanetaryLogos; nay,more, eachScheme is theexpression ofHis exalted Life, and the seven Chains of His Scheme are as successiveincarnationsofthatLife.EachofthesevenPlanetaryLogoihasthusbeforeHima Scheme of Evolution to develop and guide; each Scheme involves sevenChains,andeachChainrequiressevendistinctglobes.

TherearenowinthesolarsystemsevenSchemesofEvolution;theyrequire,atsome stage of their work, a physical planet; the stage of each of these sevenSchemesisgiveninournextdiagram,Fig.72.(Wearetoldthattherearethree

Schemes which require no physical planet at all; but there is no informationabout their arrangement.) The Schemes of Evolution which involve Vulcan,Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus, are behind the Earth Scheme by one Chain; theNeptuneScheme(whichincludesPlutoandanotherplanetnotyetdiscovered)is,like the Earth Scheme, at its Fourth Chain whereas the Venus Scheme ofEvolutionisinadvanceoftheEarthSchemebyoneChain.

Itmustberememberedthatthoughaphysicalplanetmaynotbeable,owingtoheatandpressureorabsenceofatmosphere,topermitlifeinsuchorganismsaswe have on our Earth, nevertheless there are types of non-physical evolutionwhich can do their work efficiently on the astral planes of planets, wherephysicallifeisnotpossible.

It is because the Venus Scheme is one Chain in advance of the Earth, andtherefore the average humanity of Venus is near theAdept level, that Adepts

fromVenuswereabletohelptheworkoftheEarthChainatitscommencement,becomingLordsofWorlds,Manus,Buddhas,Chohans,andothergreat leadersof our evolution. These are the “gods” and “divine rulers” of the myths ofprimitivemankind.Inexactlyasimilarfashion,suchoftheEarth’shumanityasattainAdeptship at the end of the EarthChain, and care to do so,may beginhelping the work of evolution of the four backward Chains of the Vulcan,Saturn,JupiterandUranusSchemes.

Whenan individualcompletes theworkofevolutionsetbeforehim,heattainsthe level of aMaster of theWisdom. Hewill attain this level, in the normalcourseofslowevolution,attheendoftheSeventhRoundofthisChain;buthemay,byhasteninghisevolution,attainAdeptship farearlier than this.Asmallnumberamongtheadvancedsoulsofhumanityhavealreadydoneso.WheneverasoulattainstheAdeptlevel,andhasgainedsuchexperiencesasthisChaincanafford him, he has before him seven choices, regarding his future growth andactivity.Thesesevenchoicesaresummarizedinournextdiagram,Fig.73.

Amongthesevenchoicesnoneisbetterthantheothers;eachAdeptwillchoosehispathaccordingtohistemperamentandtheneedsoftheGreatPlan.Acertainnumber, quite a minority, decide to qualify themselves to become Manus,Buddhas,ChohansandotherofficialsoftheHierarchywhoguidetheevolutionof the kingdoms of life on a globe; this choice requires constant physicalincarnation,though,asanAdept,theneedforincarnationislongover.Adeptsof

another temperament, while not desiring to take office as officials of theHierarchy,neverthelessremainwithhumanity,andliveintheinvisibleworldsas“Nirmanakayas”;inthisconditionofexistence,theycreategreatspiritualforces,whicharethentransferredtothemembersoftheHierarchytobeusedtofurtherhumanadvancement.

A third typeofAdeptpasses into thekingdomof theDevasorAngelicHosts,theretoworksometimesindirectlywithhumanityasAngels,andsometimestodo the work of the Angelic Hosts in other parts of the solar system than theEarth. Yet another type of Adept enrolls himself in the “Staff Corps of theLogos”,traininghimselftoworkinanypartofthesolarsystem,andinanyworkneeded, where he may be sent, in accordance with the needs of the Plan. AcertainnumberofAdeptswillchoosetodotheworkofpreparationnecessarytoinitiate the Fifth Chain. The sixth and seventh types of Adepts enter upon aphaseofspiritualevolutionandactivityincomprehensibletoourconsciousness,and technically called “entering Nirvana”; they do not achieve any kind of“annihilation” or negativity, but give their splendid contribution to the GreatPlan, though in ways incomprehensible to our present limited humanconsciousness.

All thisprocessofevolution, takingmillionsofyearsfor itsunfoldment, isfarvaster thanour imaginationcanconceive.Ateach stage,morepower,wisdomandbeautyarereleasedintheuniverse.ThevegetablekingdomineachRoundismorehighlyevolvedthanthevegetablekingdomofthepreviousRound;ineachChain it ismore evolved still.What our present trees, plants and shrubs,withtheirexquisitefoliageandflowers,are to theantediluvianforestsof treeferns;whatourbirds,with theirgorgeouscoloring, songand joyous life, are to theirungainly, drab ancestors of bygone ages; that toowill the animal kingdom, ofRounds andChains to come, be towhat is the animal kingdomof thepresentRound.Eventheinvisibleatomevolves,RoundbyRoundandChainbyChain;andalllifegrowsingreaterself-expressionandself-revelationasthecyclesgoby.

Man’slife,too,changesRoundbyRound;OurmentallifewillhaveinthenextRound a richness scarce to be grasped today, for our lowest instrument ofthinking,thebrain,willbecomposedofatomsofsubstancesmoreevolvedthantheyareinthisFourthRound.Sincematterisforce,andformislife,andman’shumanityisfundamentallyDivinity,so,whereverevolutionis,theretheLogosis

at work; and where He is, there a joyous work comes, step by step, near tofulfilment.

CHAPTERX

THEEVOLUTIONOFMATTERANDFORCE

Itisusualformentomakeacontrastbetweenmindandmatter;mindsignifiestothem a spiritual faculty while matter denotes a lifeless unspiritual substancewhich is theveryoppositeofmind.Butanewoutlookariseswhenwerealizethat bothmind andmatter are the expressions and revelations of a wondrousPersonality, theLogos“inwhomweliveandmoveandhaveourbeing”.Thenwe see that matter is no less divine than mind, and that there is a gospel ofbeautyandgrandeurtobefound,notonlyinthemindofagenius,butalsointhetinyfragmentofmatterwhichmakesacrystal.Behindbothmindandmatteramighty Doer works, who wills to evolve, and who directs each stage. In theunderstandingofwhatconstitutesHismatter,noless thanintheunderstandingofHismind,wemaygainaslightglimpseintoHisNature—thatever-attractivenature,forwhichmatterisamirrorofHiswisdom,strengthandbeauty.

BeforeweattempttounderstandtheLifeoftheLogosasmatter,asrevealedinTheosophy,wemustfirstgraspfairlyclearlywhatmatteris,asmodernsciencehasdiscovereditforus.ForthefactsestablishedbyscienceareGod’sFacts,andthe understanding of them enables us to lay a sure foundation for the deeperwisdomaboutGod’sFactsrevealedinTheosophy.Leavingasideforthetimethefactthatmatterconsistsfundamentallyof“holesintheether”,withthose“holes”groupedintoelectrons,protonsandneutrons,thematteroftheworldaroundusconsistsofvarioussubstanceswithwhichwearemoreorlessfamiliar.Theearthwetreadissolid,thewaterwedrinkisliquid,andtheairwebreatheisgaseous;ourhouses,ourutensils,ourfurnitureareallmadeofmatterofvariouskinds—earths, woods, metals; we have matter, but of a different kind, in the livingbodiesofourselvesandofpeoplearoundus,andintheplantsandanimalsandother“living”thingswhichpeopleourworld.

Now,thismatteriseithersolid,aswoodoriron;liquid,aswater;orgaseous,astheatmosphere.Itexistsforusinthousandsofvariations.But,numerousarethekindsofmatterwhichcomposetheobjectsofourworld,inrealitytheyaremade

up out of a few fundamental substances. These fundamental substances arecalledthe“chemicalelements”,andmodernsciencehas,sofar,tabulatedforus92 elements9. Each chemical element exists in an “atomic”10 state; thus, forexample,apieceofsulphurisanaggregationofsulphur“atoms”,andthenatureofeachoftheseatomsissuchthatitcannotbefurthersubdivided,withoutlosingitscharacteristicastheelement.Theatom(isbuiltofprotons(carryingachargeof positive electricity) electrons (negative electricity) and neutrons (neitherpositivenornegative).

The known chemical elements are divisible into twomain groups-metals andnon-metals.

MetallicelementsareAluminium,Manganese,Calcium,etc.,andnon-metalsareCarbon, Boron, Oxygen, Chlorine, etc. Metals in electrolysis appear at thecathode or negative pole, and non-metals at the anode or positive pole. Themetalsaregoodconductorsofheatandelectricity,whilethenon-metalsarebadconductors. There is a third group of elements, like Arsenic, Antimony, etc.,calledmetalloids,astheyarehybridincharacter,beinglikebothmetalsandnon-metalsintheirbehavior.

InFig.74,wehaveinitsfirstdivisiontwelveoutofthe92chemicalelements,with the symbols used for them: H=Hydrogen, C=Carbon, N=Nitrogen,O=Oxygen,Na(forNatrium)=Sodium,Cl=Chlorine,K(forKalium)=Potasium,S=Sulphur,AI=Aluminium,Fe(forFerrum)=Iron,P=Phosphorus,Ca=Calcium.Eachhasitsdefiniteweight,andcertainothermarkedcharacteristics.

In the second and third divisions of Fig. 74, we have illustrated the fact thatthese primary elements combine among themselves to make new substances.Thus, twoparticles ofHydrogenwill combinewith oneofOxygen tomake aunitparticleofwater;oneparticleofSodiumwillcombinewithoneparticleofChlorine tomakeaunit particleof salt.So element combineswith element tomakethemyriadsoforganicandinorganicsubstanceswhichmakeupourworld.WhileonlytwoatomsofCarbon,withsixofHydrogenandoneofOxygen,arenecessarytomakeonemoleculeofalcohol,werequire,tomakeonemoleculeofHemoglobin (the red coloring-matter of the blood), no less than 712 Carbon,1,130 Hydrogen, 214 Nitrogen, 1 Iron, 2 Sulphur and 425 Oxygen atoms.Protoplasm, the primary living substance out of which all cells are made, iscomposed of Hydrogen, Carbon, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Sulphur, Phosphorous,Chlorine,Sodium,Potassium,Calcium,MagnesiumandIronatoms,butinwhatproportionsciencecannotasyetsay.

Thechemicalelements,thebricks,sotosay,ofouruniverse,notonlycombine(with a few exceptions) among themselves, but they combine according tocertainhabitscharacteristicofeachelement.Thishabitofcombinationiscalled“valency”(seeFig.75).Thus(seeFigure,firstcolumn),oneatomofFluorine,or

ofChlorine,BromineorIodine,preferstocombinewithoneatomofHydrogenrather thanwith two;whileontheotherhand,anatomofOxygen,orSulphur,SeleniumorTellurium,preferstocombinewithtwoHydrogenatomsratherthanwithone(seeFigure,secondcolumn).Nitrogen,PhosphorousandArsenicatomsselectthreeHydrogenatomsforcombinations,andatomsofCarbonandSiliconchoose four (see Figure, third and fourth columns). Chemical science merelycataloguesthisbehavioroftheelements,andtermsitvalency,withoutbeingabletoaccountforitprecisely.

In the lower half of Fig. 75, we have illustrated two cases of an atom of anelementcombiningwithfiveotherbodies.WhenAmmoniumChlorideismadeby 1 Nitrogen, 4 Hydrogen and 1 Chlorine atoms, Chemistry presumes thatNitrogen,whosevalencyis,ashere,five,insomewayputsoutofitselfinfivedirections five unsatisfied desires for combination; these are fulfilled bycombiningwith4Hydrogenand1Chlorineatoms.WehaveasimilarcaseofafivefoldvalencyinPhosphorusPentachloride.

The next interesting fact taught us inChemistry is that, as chemical elementscombine they combine so as to make geometrical figures; we have this factillustratedforusinFig.76.

Marsh Gas is composed of 1 Carbon and 4 Hydrogen atoms; it has beensuggestedbyKekulethatthespatialpositionsofthefiveatomsareasshowninthediagram,thatis,theCarbonatomstandsinthemiddleofatetrahedron,andthe 4Hydrogen atoms are placed at its four corners.With another gas, calledEthane, which is composed of 2 Carbon and 6 Hydrogen atoms, it has beensuggestedthatthepositionsofthe8atomsareasinthefigure,wheretheapicesof two tetrahedra interpenetrate eachother, therebeing at each apex1Carbonatom, and 6 Hydrogen atoms being placed at the other corners of the twotetrahedra.

A further illustration of this geomtetrical building appears in the ammoniacalderivativesofCobalt,VioleocobaltammineandPraseocobaltammine.Theformerincolorisvioletandthelattergreen;yetinboththereare2atomsofChlorinewith fourgroupsofAmmonia, eachofwhich ismadeupof1Nitrogenand3Hydrogenatoms.Now,ithasbeensuggestedthatthedifferenceofcolorisdue

tothedifferenceofpositioninanoctohedronofthetwoChlorineatoms;wherethe two atoms of Chlorine are at the opposite apices of the octohedron, theCobalt derivative isViolet,whilewhen these two atoms are at the ends of anedgeoftheoctohedron,thederivativeisgreen.

Therearecertainmarkedcharacteristicsinthechemicalelements,whichcanbesummarizedasfollows:

1.Eachelementhasadefiniteaverageweight,andno twoelementsareof thesameweight.

2.Elementsareeitherparamagneticordiamagnetic;thatistosay,whentheyarebroughtundertheinfluenceofmagneticforce,someremainparalleltothelinesof that force (paramagnetic), while others remain at right angles to that force(diamagnetic).

3.Elementsareeitherelectro-positiveorelectro-negative.

4.Elementshavevalency,thatis,theycancombinewithordisplaceoneormoreatomsofHydrogen.

Now when all the elements are arranged in a list, according to their atomicweights, it is found that they group themselves naturally in a certain orderaccordingtovalency,magneticandelectricqualities.Thismethodofgroupingoftheelementsisknownasthe“PeriodicLaw”.Thereareseveralwaysofstatingthis “periodicity”of theelementsbut, theway that thePeriodicLawhasbeenstatedforusbythelateSirWilliamCrookesisperhapstheclearest.Wehaveitinournextdiagram,Fig.77.

(Click here for Figure 77.) In the line depicting a pendulum which swingsbackwardsandforwardsalltheelementsaremarkedintheirorderofweight;thelightest,Hydrogen,beginning thependulumswing,and theheaviest,Uranium,(and possibly one or more heavier, yet to be discovered) closing the swing.Amongtheupper-rightlinesisamiddleline,andtherearefouroneitherside;ifthemiddle-perpendicularlinerepresentsnovalency,andalso“inter-periodicity”,ifthefourlinesoneithersideofthismedianlinerepresent,inorder,valency1,valency2,valency3andvalency4;then,itisfound,astheelementsaremappedoutintheorderoftheiratomicweights,andplacedattheintersectingpointsofthependulumlineandthenineuprightlines,that(withafewexceptions):

1.Onthemedianlinefallthe“inertgases”,whosecharacteristicisthattheywillnotcombinewithanyotherelement,andhencehavevalency

0.Theyappearregularlyafteronecompleteswingofthependulum.

2.Onthesamemedianline,andatregularintervals,thatis,afteronecompleteswingofthependulum(afterNeon),occurtheInter-periodics.

3.Allelementstotherightofthemedianlinearediamagnetic,andthosetotheleftparamagnetic,accordingtothetheoryofCrookes.

4.Theelementsappearinacertainorderofvalency;beginningwithanyelementhavingcharacteristicvalency0,thenextheavierhasvalency1,andfollowingitthere come those with valency 2, valency 3, valency 4; next the valencydiminishes,andthesucceedingelementshavevalency3,valency2andvalency1;andafterthisthenextelement,valency0.

5.Asthependulumswingsoutwardfromthemedianline,mostoftheelementscomingon theoutward swingare all electro-positive; as thependulumswingsinward to themedian line, the elements coming on this inward swing are allelectro-negative.

Aslongagoas1887,CrookeconceivedorthechemicalelementsasappearingintheCosmosoneafteranother,theircharacteristicsmodifiedbyforcesbroughttobear upon them.Hedrew a picture of the “Genesis of theElements” out of aprimordialsubstancewhichhecalled“protyle”.ThediagramofCrookesappearsasFig.77,withscarcelyanymodifications; thechiefchangesare thegivingtoeachelementnottheweightgiveninChemistrybutits“numberweight”,i.e.,thenumberof“ultimatephysicalatoms”whichitcontains11,andthatnewelementsdiscoveredsince1887havealsobeenaddedtothediagram.

Theideaofa“genesisoftheelements“isinrealitynomerehypothesisatall,buta fact of the greatest inspiration. Let us first conceive the idea as Crookespresented it to a materialistically-minded scientific audience at the RoyalInstitutionofLondononFebruary18,1887;weshallthenhaveourimaginationsfairly prepared to grasp the more magnificent conception given as inOccultism.12

“Wemaytrace, in theundulatingcurve, theactionof twoformsofenergy, theoneactingverticallyandtheothervibratingtoandfrolikeapendulum:Letthe

vertical line represent temperature gradually sinking through an unknownnumber of degrees from the dissociation-point of the first-formed elementdownwardstothedissociation-pointofthelastmemberofthescale.

“Butwhatformofenergyisfiguredbytheoscillatingline?Weseeitswingingto and fro to points equidistant from a neutral center.We see this divergencefrom neutrality confer atomicity of one, two, three, or four degrees, as thedistancefromthecenter increases toone, two, three,or fourdivisions.Weseethe approach to or the retrocession from this same neutral line deciding theelectro-negative or electro-positive character of each element; those on theretreating half of the swing being positive, and those on the approaching halfnegative. In short, we are led to suspect that this oscillating power must becloselyconnectedwiththeimponderablematter,essence,orsourceofenergywecallelectricity.

“Ourpendulumbeginsitsswingfromtheelectro-positiveside:lithium,nexttohydrogen in the simplicity of its atomic weight, is now formed, followed byglucinum, boron, and carbon. Each element, at themoment of birth, takes updefinite quantities of electricity, and on these quantities its atomicity depends.Thus are fixed the types of themonatomic, diatomic, triatomic and tetratomicelements.

“IthasbeenpointedoutbyDr.Carnelly that“thoseelementsbelonging to theevenseriesof theperiodicclassificationarealwaysparamagnetic,whereas theelementsbelongingtotheoddseriesarealwaysdiamagnetic”.Nowinourcurvethe even series to the left, so far as has been ascertained, are paramagnetic,whilst,withafewexceptions,alltotherightarediamagnetic.

“Wecomenowtothereturnornegativepartoftheswing;nitrogenappearsandshows instructively how position governs the rriean, dominant atomicity.Nitrogen occupies a position immediately below boron, a tri-atomic element,and, therefore, nitrogen is likewise tri-atomic. But nitrogen also follows uponcarbon,a tetratomicbody,andoccupies thefifthposition ifwecount fromtheplace of origin. Now these seemingly opposing tendencies are beautifullyharmonized by the endowment of nitrogen with a double atomicity, its atombeingcapableofactingeitherasatri-orasapent-atomicelement.Withoxygen(di and hex-atomic) and fluorine mon- and hept-atomic) the same law holdsgood,andonehalf-oscillationofthependulumiscompleted.Passingtheneutral

line again, we find successively formed the electro-positive bodies sodium(monatomic), magnesium (diatomic), aluminium (triatomic), and silicon(tetratomic).

“Thefirstcompleteswingof thependulumisaccomplishedbythebirthof thethreeelectro-negativeelements,phosphorus,sulphur,andchlorine;allthree,likethecorrespondingelementson theoppositehomewardswing,havingat leastadoubleatomicity,dependinguponposition.

“Again let us follow our pendulum... and the first element to come intoexistence,whenthependulumstartsforitssecondoscilation,isnotlithium,butthemetalnextalliedtoitintheseries,i.e.,potassium,whichmayberegardedasthe linealdescendantof lithium,with the samehereditary tendencies,butwithlessmolecularmobilityandahigheratomicweight.

“Passalongthecurve,andinnearlyeverycasethesamelawholdsgood.Thusthelastelementofthefirstcompletevibrationischlorine.Inthecorrespondingplaceinthesecondvibrationwehave,notanexactrepetitionofchlorine,buttheverysimilarbodybromine,andwhenthesamepositionrecursfora third timeweseeiodine.Ineednotmultiplyexamples.Imay,however,pointoutthatwehavehereaphenomenonwhichremindsusofalternatingorcyclicalgenerationintheorganicworld,orwemayperhapssayofatavism,arecurrencetoancestraltypessomewhatmodified.“

Nowthatwehavegainedageneralideaofthespeculationsofmodernscienceasto a possible “genesis of the elements”, we can understand more fully whatTheosophyrevealsofthemysteries,offorceandmatter.Fromthebeginningwemustrememberthatthereisnosuchthingasa“fortuitousconcourseofatoms”;thebuildingoftheuniversewasthoughtoutbyaDivineBuilder,andeachstepinthebuildingisdirectedbyHim.Atomsrushtogetherorpart,onlybecauseHesowills.

The first stages in the building of matter by the Logos have already beendescribed inChapterVIII,on“TheWorkof theTripleLogos”, inFigs.64,65and66.TheenergyoftheCosmicLogos,called“Fohat”inTheSecretDoctrine,“thrilling through the inertSubstance”makes inKoilon thoseholesorbubbleswhicharethetrueunitsofoursolarplanes.Thentheseholes,thusfilledwiththeConsciousnessoftheCosmicLogos,arewhirledbytheSolarLogosintospiralformations.When,intheprocessofformingthephysical,atom,spirillaeofthe

sixthorderhavebeenformed,Hethencoilsstrandsof theminto threeparallelseries, as in Fig. 78. The coils in this figure go from right to left, in order tomake a positive atom;13 the coils are wound from left to right, to make thenegativeatom.14

These three coils in somemysteriousway are chargedwith the three types ofenergycharacteristicof theTripleLogos;“in the threewhorlsflowcurrentsofdifferentelectricities”.15Then the sevenembodimentsof theTripleLogos, theSevenPlanetaryLogoi,twistsevenparallelcoilstocompletethephysicalatom.Eachof theseminorsevencoils,whenaffectedby lightandsound, throwsoutonecolorofthesolarspectrumandoneofthesevensoundsorthenaturalscale,andtherewiththespecialinfluenceofitsPlanetaryLogos.

Theatom,whencompleted,appearsinoutlineasinFigs.79and80,whicharediagramsofapositiveandanegativeatom.

We must never forget that the atom is not “substance”, but the negation ofsubstance;thewhitelinesinFigs.79and80representthebubblesintheircoils,andarelinesofforce.Thesubstance, thefundamentalrather, isrepresentedbytheblackbackgroundofthediagram.So,asPoincaretrulysaid,theatomisonlya“holeintheether”.Yetisthis“holeintheether”filledwiththeDivineNature;“hole”thoughitbe,whencomparedwithKoilon,itisrealtous,truesubstancetoourknowing, just because theCosmicLogos is there, and creates inus the

thoughtofsubstanceandreality.AsHethinks,andastheSolarLogosthinks,sothinkwe,atourlevel,withThem.

Whenthephysicalatom;ofthetwotypes,positiveandnegative,isconstructed,thenbegins thebuildingof thechemicalelements.Theyarebuilt according tothePeriodicLaw,outlinedinFig.77;but there ismoreWisdomandBeauty inthe Periodic. Law than has yet happened to the scientific imagination toconceive.BeforewecanappreciatethePeriodicLawinallitsmagnificence,wemustturnasideforawhiletostudywhatareknownasthePlatonicSolids(Fig.81).

Therearefive,andonlyfive,three-dimensionalsolids,ineachofwhichitslines,angles and surfaces are equal. They are the Tetrahedron, Cube (Hexahedron),Octahedron,Dodecahedron and Icosahedron.16 In the first row of Fig. 81 areillustrationsofthem,asthefivesolidsappearwhentheylieonaflatsurface.Inthisposition, their symmetry isnot readilyevident;hence theyareplaced inadifferentposition,inordertobringouttheirsymmetry,andtheirappearancethenis given in the illustrationsof the second and third rows.These five “PlatonicSolids “were considered of special significance by the Platonic schools ofGreeceandAlexandria;thereasonforthiswillbeevidentsoon.Now,thesefivesolids,distinctivethougheachisinthenumberofitslines,anglesandsurfaces,are all developable from one solid, the tetrahedron. Thus, the cube and theoctahedronaredevelopedoutof two tetrahedrawhen symmetrically interlaced(see the second figure of the second row); the 8 corners of the 2 interlacingtetrahedragivethe8cornersofthecube,whilethe6intersectingpointsgivethe6 corners of theoctahedron.This fact has longbeenwell known ingeometry.But the further fact, that the two remainingPlatonicSolids, the dodecahedronandtheicosahedron,arealsodevelopablefromthetetrahedron,wasdiscoveredby Senor Arturo Soria y Mata, a Theosophist of Madrid. By interlacing 5tetrahedra,wehave thecomplicatedsolidshown in the first figureof the thirdrow; the20corners of the5 interlacing tetrahedramake the20cornersof thedodecahedron, while the 12 intersecting points give the 12 corners of theicosahedron.

Thereare,ineachofthefivesolids,anumberofsurfacesandcorners;thesegivethe directions for the building of the chemical elements.Taking the first threesolids—thetetrahedron,cubeandoctahedron—wehave:

SOLID SURFACESCORNERS

Tetrahedron 4 4

Cube 6 8

Octahedron 8 6

Wefind that these threesolidsare the tanmatras—“themeasuresofThat”—oraxes for the building of the divalent, trivalent and tetravalent elements of thePeriodic Law. Thus, all divalent elements, both positive and negative,paramagneticanddiamagnetic,withthesingleexceptionofOxygen,areofthegeneraltypeofBeryllium(Glucinum),illustratedinFig.82.

Atoms of the positive and negative types are massed together in groups, butespeciallyinfourmaingroupsor“funnels”,whichradiatefromthecenterofthetetrahedron to its four surfaces. This is the simple divalent structure for thelighter elements; in the heavier elements there appear, in addition to the“funnels”,newgroupstermed“spikes”,four innumber,andradiatingfromthecentertothefourcorners.(Theunitofeachelementissurroundedbyasphericallimitingwall,composedofthecircumambientmatteroftheatomicsub-planeofthe physical plane, but for the sake of simplicity, this is not shown in thediagrams.)

Alltrivalentelements,withthesingleexceptionofNitrogen,areofthetypeinFig.83; the lighter trivalentsarecomposedofsix“funnels” radiating fromthecenterofacube10itssixsurfaces;theheaviertrivalentshave,inadditiontothesixfunnels,eight“spikes”radiatingtotheeightcornersofthecube.

All tetravalentelements,with theexceptionofTitaniumandZirconium,areofthe type in Fig. 84; the lighter tetravalents are composed of eight “funnels”,startingfromthecenterofanoctahedronandpointingtoitseightsurfaces; theheaviertetravalentshave,inaddition,six“spikes”pointingtothesixcorners:

Thereremainthedodecahedronandtheicosahedron;theformeristhetanmatra,notforanyonetypeofelements,butforaconstituentofsomeoftheelements.Thisconstituentiscomposedofgroupsofatomswhichareplacedatthetwenty

corners of a dodecahedron.17 Except that the icosahedron is implied in adodecahedron—for the corners of an icosahedron are the twelve pointswherethe five tetrahedra regularly intersect—no definite groups of bodies in thebuildingoftheelementshavesofarbeennoted,asplacedatthetwelvecornersofanicosahedron.

Themonovalentelementsarebuilt according to the types representedbyFigs.85and86.TheparamagneticmonovalentsstartwithLithium,whosestructureisgiveninFig.85.

Lithium contains 127 ultimate physical atoms. The remaining elements, downthe line of Lithium, in Fig. 77 of the Periodic Law (with the exception ofFluorine),havethecenterpillaror“cigar”ofLithium,butmadeheavierbytheadditionofnewbodies,andmultipliedinadefiniteseries,andradiatingfromacommon center. The direction of these radiating bodies has not yet beendetermined, but they will be sure to follow definite positions formed by the

interlacingofvarioussolids.ThediamagneticmonovalentsareallbuiltafterthetypeofSodiuminFig.86;thereisacentralbarorrod,whichconnectsanuppergroupoftwelve

(ThispageonlycontainsFig.85.)radiatingfunnelswithalowergroupoftwelvesimilarlyradiatingfunnels.

There are two remaining groups in the table of the chemical elements to beaccountedfor; thesearethe“interperiodic”metals,andthe“inertgases”oftheatmosphere. Both groups, come on the median line of the diagram of thePeriodic Law. The appearance of the Interperiodics (Iron, Cobalt, Nickel,Palladium,Ruthenium,Rhodium,etc.)isgiveninFig.87.

Each is composedof14 “bars” radiating froma center.The four interperiodicgroups so far noted go in triplets (with the fourth group adding a fourthmember),andtheyhaveastrikingpeculiarityinthateachmemberofitsgroupis28atomsheavier than theprecedingmember.Thus,sinceeachInterperiodic iscomposed of 14 bars, all of which within one element are alike, we have“periodicity”comingregularlyasfollowsineachgroup:

GROUPI.IRON,COBALT,NICKEL

in

aBar

Total

14Bars

TotalWeight,

H=1

Iron 72 1008 56

Cobalt 74 1036 57.55

Nickel 76 1064 59.11

-260-

GROUPII.RUTHENIUM,RHODIUM,PALLADIUM

Ruthenium 132 1848 102.66

Rhodium 134 1876 104.22

Palladium 136 1904 105.77

GROUPIII.X,Y,Z

X 189 2646 147

Y 191 2674 148.55

Z 193 2702 150.11

GROUPIVOSMIUM,IRIDIUM,PLATINUM,PLATINUMB

Osmium 245 3430 190.55

Iridium 247 3458 192.11

Platinum 249 3486 193.66

PlatinumB18 251 3514 195.22

This same characteristic of periodicity appears in the second type of elementswhich come on the median line, the inert gases. Their general appearance isgiveninFig.88.

Theseinertgasesgoinpairs,thesecondmemberofthepairhavingexactly42atoms more than the first member. Fig. 88 shows us that in the center thereappears the complicated five interlacing tetrahedra which came in Fig. 81;radiating from this, but all on one plane, are six arms, each having the samenumber of atoms. Periodicity appears in the fact that, in each inert gas, thesecondmemberor“isotope”has7atomsmoreineacharm.,(Inalloftheinertgases,thecenterspherehasonly120atoms.)

GROUPI.NEON,META-NENON

Number

inanArm

TotalWeight,

H=1

Neon 40 20

Meta-Neon 47 22.33

GROUPII.ARGON,META-ARGON

Argon 99 39.66

Meta-Argon 106 42

GROUPIII.KRYPTON,META-KRYPTON

Krypton 224 81.33

Meta-Krypton 231 83.66

GROUPIV.XENON,META-XENON

Number

inanArm

TotalWeight,

H=1

Xenon 363 127.66

Meta-Xenon 370 130

GROUPV.“KALON”,“META-KALON”

“Kalon” 489 169.66

“Meta-Kalon” 496 172

GROUPVI.RADON,META-RADON

Radon 645 221.6

Meta-Radon 652 224

In the description given above of the elements, it has been stated that certainelements (i.e., Nitrogen, Oxygen, Fluorine, etc.) are exceptions. There are no“exceptions”todivinelaws;thewordismerelyusedintheconventionalsense,to imply thatwehavenot as yet discoveredofwhat laweach exception is anexample.Wedonotyetknowwhytheexceptionsaredifferentinstructurefromthatwhich isseenas the“ancestral type“.But,evenfromwhat littlewehavealready seen of the building of the elements, it is fairly clear that furtherdiscoveries will explain exactly why these exceptions have their presentformations.

Of the few exceptions, among the noteworthy are Hydrogen, Nitrogen andOxygen,representedinFigs.89,90,91.InFig.89,whichisthatofHydrogen,the stages of its building are given.Hydrogen has in each unit 18 atoms, buttherearetwovarietiesofHydrogen,thefirstcompsedoftenpositiveandeightnegative atoms, and the second composed of nine positive and nine negativeatoms.Figure89showsthefirstvariety.Initsfirststage,theatoms,tenofwhichare positive and eight negative exist, on the atomic sub-plane of the physicalplane.Atthenextstage,onthesub-atomicsub-plane(seeFig.49),the18atomsarrange themselves into 6 groups of 3 each. At the next stage, on the super-etheric sub-plane, there is a rearrangement. At the fourth stage on the ethericsub-plane, there is a further rearrangement. Finally, when we come to thegaseous sub-plane, the 18 atoms making up the one unit of Hydrogen (thechemicalatomofHydrogen)re-groupthemselvesinto6groupsof3each;three

of these6groupsare specially linked together as apositivehalfofHydrogen,while the remaining 3 groups link themselves together as the negative half ofHydrogen.

InthisFirstPrinciplesofTheosophyitisobviouslyoutofplacetowritefullyon“OccultChemistry”, i.e., chemical structureas seenby theenlargingpoweroftrainedclairvoyance.ButOccultChemistry is interestingeventoabeginner inTheosophy, because, when, after leaving on one side mere theories andspeculations about chemical structure, one sees how elements are actuallyconstructed,thenonerealizeshow,evenintheproton,electron,andneutronintheatomandtheelement,theLogosisatwork,building.

The vision of “things as they are” is a vision revealing a wonderfulcraftsmanship and an inspiring wisdom. A glimpse of His Plan, even for thechemicalelement,enablesone toknowthat there isnoplacewhereHe isnot,

andnothinginwhichHeisnotworking.

We have had glimpses of the modes of His working in the elements in theirgeometrical design, in their periodicity, in their “valency”. We get anotherglimpse aswe look at onemore diagram, that of Fig. 92,which gives us theskeleton of the structure of six monovalent elements—Sodium, Chlorine,Copper,Bromine,SilverandIodine.AllthesecomeononelineofthePeriodicTable,Fig.77,andallareof the“ancestral type”ofSodiumshowninFig.86.That figure shows us Sodium somewhat like a dumb-bell in shape; there is acentralrodconnectingtwogroupsoffunnels,anupperandalower;thefunnelsofeachgroupare twelve innumber,andeachsetof twelve radiateson to twoplanes from a central sphere. This “dumb-bell” structure is carried on to allelementsappearingonthediamagneticmonovalentline.If,therefore,inanyoneoftheseelements,weknowthebar,onefunnel,andonespherefromwhichthefunnels radiate,we can construct the full element.Then, by counting the totalnumberof“ultimatephysicalatoms”,anddividingby18(forHydrogenhas18such atoms, and if we make H=1, to reduce “atomic weights” to a commonstandard),weget the “atomicweight” of the element in termsofHydrogen.19Fig.92 is illuminating,as it showsushowtheLogosbuilds froman“ancestraltype”, as Crookes suggests. To make a funnel of Chlorine20, the funnel ofSodiumistaken,andaddedto,andthebarismadeheavierby5atoms.ThenthefunnelofChlorineisinturntakentomakethefunnelsofCopperandBromine,andnewgroupsofatomsareadded.BromineinitsturnistakentobuildSilverandIodine,andtheBrominefunnelof58atomsisusedwithadditionsinorderto build them. The changes made in the spheres connecting the funnels areshowninthediagram.ItwillbeseenthatfromChlorinetoIodinenochangeismade in the bar. Counting all the dots, which represent “ultimate physicalatoms”,andrememberingthatineachelementthereisonebar,twospheres,and24funnels(seeSodium,Fig.86),wegetthefollowing:

ElementNumber

ofAtoms

Weight,

H=1

Sodium 418 23.22

Chlorine1 639 35.50

Copper 1139 63.27

Bromine 1439 79.94

Silver 1945 108.05

Iodine 2287 127.05

Here I must leave this fascinating subject of the building of the chemicalelements,referringstudentswhocaretofollowthematterfurthertothespecialworkonthesubject,OccultChemistry,byAnnieBesantandC.W.Leadbeater.21

Whenmostofus turnour attention to the substances aroundus,whichare all

composedofthechemicalelements,wethinkofthesesubstancesbytherelationwhichtheybeartous.Utterlywrappedupinourman-centeredoutlook,wesaythatthissubstanceisuseful,orthatuseless.Welookwithinterestatadiamond,butwithnointerestatallatapieceofgraniteorclay.Ithasnotyetdawnedonour imagination that all substances have their part in theDivinePlan, and aredoingtheirworktofurtherthatPlan,irrespectiveoftheirrelationtousmortals.

How different all nature appearswhenwe come to know that even the” dead“substanceswhichcomposeourworldareevolving;andthat,aseachoneofusis irresistibly drawn upwards towards an ideal, so all the elements and theircombinationsarebeingdrawnupwardsslowlytobecomemoreperfectlensesoftheDivinitydwellingwithinthem.ForHedoessodwell,evenasinthesoulofman.DidnotChrist theLogossay:“Raise thestone,and there thoushalt findMe;cleavethewood,andthereamI?”Tohimthathathearstohear,thereisnotonlyamelodyinthesurfoftheseaandinthewhispersofthewood,thereisalsoaSongofnaturewherevereven the tiniest speckofmatterexists,anddoes itspartintheGreatPlan.Outoftheearth,outofheavenandhell,fromeverycornerof all theworldsvisible and invisible, there ever risesone triumphantpeanofnature:

ThusattheroaringLoomoftimeIply,AndweaveforGodtheRobethouseestHimby.

CHAPTERXI

THEEVOLUTIONOFLIFE

OfalltheperenniallyinspiringfactsinlifewhichTheosophyreveals,noneissooverwhelmingasthefact thatMatter,LifeandConsciousnessarethreeaspectsofoneindivisibleUnity.Itisimpossibletoconceiveofanymatterwhichisnotliving, nor of any lifewhichhas not consciousness.Andwhen aman realizesthat all forms of consciousness, from that of an electron to that of a DhyanChohan, are embodiments of the one Logos; that, “cabined, cribbed, andconfined” thoughHebe there,yetHe iswithin theelectron; thenhebegins toliveinauniverseofperpetuallight,andtohimnatureatworkinrealmsvisibleand invisible isoneblazeofgloryof theIneffable.Toknowthis,evenmerelyintellectually,istogainanewinsightintoeverythinginheavenandearth.Buttofeelit,toliveit,istodiscoveranexhilarationandanenthusiasmofwhichhehadnotthoughthimselfcapable.

Itwasshown, in thechapteron“TheEvolutionof theMatterandForce”, thattheConsciousnessoftheLogospervadesalltheprocessesinthebuildingofthechemicalelements.Thesameistruewhenwewatchalltheprocesseswhichweconsidercharacteristicoflife,asdistinctfromthoseofmatter.Ateachstageoflife,fromthelowesttothehighest,fromabacteriumtoanarchangel,Heworks,with His agents as His helpers, with His plan before Him. Nothing comes tobirthbychance;nothingdiesbychance;lifeanddeatharethewarpandwoofofHisloom.Eachorganismcontains—whentheseed,whenthetree,inlife,astoo,in death—one chapter of the Divine Wisdom for him who will study itsprocesses.

Whataretheprincipleswhichguidetheevolutionoflife?Therearemany,andoneof them is that lifegrows in response to a stimulus fromwithout.Stimulifromtheworldwithoutareneededsoastorousetheslumberinglife,whetherofmineral,plant,animalorman.Heat,strain,pressureandotherexternalimpacts,which impingeon the slumbering life in amineral, awaken thatmineral to itshigherpossibilitiesoforganization.Thefieryglowofanebulahasnomeaning

to us men, and we do not grow, but die, in that whirling mass of heat andpressureandmovement.Buttothechemicalelement,allthatincandescenceisasthe breath of its life. Our earth, when it was one seethingmass of lava, wasimpossibleforusmenasahabitation;butitwasasafairygardentothemineral,who rejoiced in receiving those fiery impactsandpressureswhichwouldhaveannihilated plant and animal organisms. An inner impulse in the life and astimulus from the outer environment are both necessary for the life’s growth;without the impact, the life is dormant; with stimulus alone, but without theinnerimpulse,theformisdead.

A second principle to note is that life grows by building and unbuilding. Amyriaddeathsorunbuildingsmatterlittletothelife,solongasoneopportunitycanbeseizedtobuildamorefittingform.Lifelavishlybuildsandunbuilds,everseekingtobuildforitselfthatgarmentwhichisplacedbeforeitasitsideal.Inallthisprocess,thereseemstobeaterriblewasteofforms;yetinrealitythereisnowasteatall.Thematteroftheforms,aftertheyarebrokenup,stillremainsthesamematter.Asforthelife,itwithdrawsfromthedyingorganisms,toreappearundiminishedintheformsofsucceedinggenerations.Sincelifeisindestructible,itworksat its self-evolutionbyexperimentafterexperiment in thebuildingofforms.(SeeFig.57.)

Perhapsthemostvitalprincipletograspisthat,aslifeevolves,moreandmoreconsciousness is released. A successful evolutionary formmeans one throughwhich the consciousness locked up within the life can manifest more fully.Simply to livemeans little for the life; but, while living, to think, to feel, tointuit,toaspire,howevervaguely,howeverfeebly,iswhatallnatureisstrivingfor. There is not an electron that is not vaguely aspiring to be a fullerrepresentativeoftheDivineForceofwhichitisachannel;eachplantandeachanimal,fromthedimrecessesofitsthoughtandfeeling,isdumblyhopingandtrying to be a largermirror of theDivine Lifewhich it contains. Life is everstrivingtobemoreandmoreself-conscious,and,aboveall, tobeconsciousoftheGreatPlan,andofitsownjoyousparticipationinthatPlan.

These principles of the evolving life are seen in operation in that struggle forexistencewhichcharacterizestheevolutionofourvegetableandanimalforms.Seenthroughthecoldpassionlesseyesofascientificmaterialism,natureis“redintoothandclawwithravin”;whatelsemayonethinkasoneexaminesnaturewiththemagnifyinglensofabotanist?

Thegaily-colored lidof theSarracenia pitcher isbedewed in springandearlysummerwith drops of nectar,which lie on its inward surface, at least for themostpart;notonboth,asinthepennonoftheDarlingtonia.

Acloserexaminationofitssurfaceshowsthatthesedropsareatoncehelpedtoform,andifsufficientlylargetotrickledownwards,byacoatingoffinebutshortandstiffhairswhicharisefromtheepidermicsurface.Here,infact,isineverywayanadmirably-constructed“attractivesurface”,and it isobviousaswellasnaturalthattheinsectswhichsipthehoneyshouldtraveldownintotheinteriorofthepitchertoseekformore.Beyondthelidsurface,withitshairsandnectar-glands,theycomeuponthesmoothandglassy“conductingsurface”,andwell-pavedpathleadingindeedtowardsdestruction.InS.purpureathereareindeedafewfreshnectariestobereachedbythisdescent,anewsecretingsurfacebelowtheconductingone—inS.flauaandotherspeciesnoteventhis—butinallcaseswe soon reach the “detentive surface” of thewhole lower part of the pitcher.This is coveredwith long, stout, bristlyhairs, averaging say1/4 inch long, allslopingdownwardsintothecavityofthepitcher,andsopresentingnoobstacletowards descent, but much resistance towards return, as the finger can easilyverify,orasthedeadinmatesofthetubularprisonstillmoreconclusivelyshow.That so comparatively powerful an insect as awasp or bluebottle can be thusdetainedmaybeatfirstsightperplexing;butweseethatthereisnoscopetousethe wings for escape, while legs and wings alike become entangled and heldback by the stiffly-pointed hairs,which the struggling insect can atmost onlythrustalong,andthusnotbreak.Anothercaptivesooncomesontop;ventilationsbecomes checked, and the foul air rising from dead predecessors must stillfurther check respiration; little wonder then that life must fail.. Even in ourgreenhousestheleafthusbecomesfilled,notonly1or2,butoften5or6inchesdeepwithdeadinsects;whileobserversonthespot,notablyDr.Melichamp,towhom our knowledge is mainly due, have shown that there is normally aconsiderableamountoffluidsecretedbythepitcher,althoughthisdoesnotseemto appear inEuropean cultivation, and that this fluid has distinctly anaestheticandfatalpropertiestoinsectsimmersedinit.

Itisanoldfactthatwhilewithusthebluebottlefallsaneasyandnaturalpreytothis unwanted trap, being doubtless attracted like the wasp by that odor ofdecomposingcarrion towhich thebeeandbutterfly in turnowe their safety, ashrewder American cousin (Sarcophaga sarraceniae) lays few eggs over thepitcheredge,wherethemaggotshatchandfattenontheabundantfood.InApril

three or four of these larvae are to be found, but in June or July only onesurvives,thevictorwhohasdevouredhisbrethren.Butnemesisisoftenathandin the formofagrub-seekingbird,whoslitsup thepitcherwithhisbeak,andmakesshortworkofall itseatablecontents.For thisbird in turn thenaturalisthasnexttolieinwait,andsoaddsanewlinktothechain.

The larvae of a moth, (Xanthoptera semicrotea) also inhabit the pitcher, butdevour its tissue, not its animal inmates; in fact, they spin a web across itsdiameter, as if to exclude further entranceof these, and thendevour theupperpart of the tissue especially, it would seem, the nectar-glands, finally passingthroughtheirchrysalisstagewithin thecavityof thepitcher,andnot,as in thecaseoftheSarcophagalarva,makingtheirexitintotheground.

It is said that spiders also spin theirwebsover themouthsof thepitchers andwait to reap the profit of their attractiveness-again a point of almost humanshrewdness.22

Thestruggleforexistenceinthevegetableandanimalkingdomsisawonderfulpart of the Great Plan. Ever at its work of releasing more and more ofconsciousness,itstrivestoselectthoseformswhicharemostresponsivebothtotheinnerurgeofthelifeandtothechangingenvironment.Itworksatselectionfirstbymultiplyingformsandthenbysegregatingthosemostsuitedtosurvivein the struggle for existence.Hosts ofDevas orAngels, higher and lower, areguardians of the multitudinous types of evolving life; they carry on a fiercewarfare, for eachDeva arranges for his charges to fatten on those of anotherDeva,toslayandtobeslain;eachconcentratesonhisowntypeoflifeandform,asifitalonewereintendedtothriveaccordingtotheGreatPlan.Butsincethedeathof the form is not awaste of the life, and since, too, each seeming lossbringswithitsexperiencebothofwisdomandforcetothelife,tohelpittowardsitsultimatesuccess,theghastlywarfareinnatureisamimicwarfareafterall,foralltheunseenBuildersareoneintheirdedicationtotheneedsofthePlan.

The conception that the life-energies in nature do not work blindly nor athaphazard,butareguidedbyBuilders,isnotonlynoveltomost,butstartlingtomany.Yettheideaisasoldasthehills.Mankindhaseverbelievedinthegreaterinvisibleworkers,theAngelsorDevas,thattheyruledplanetsandstars,andthatpatronsaintsguidethedestiniesofnations.ThebeliefisstillvitalinHinduismandBuddhism;ZoroastrianismandMuhammadanismhaveitasanintegralpart

oftheirteaching.ItexistsinChristianity,butisprofessedsincerelyonlybyafewtoday.Thebeliefinthelesserinvisibleworkersisequallywidespread;fairiesofearth andwater, of air and fire, arewell known inOriental traditions; faith intheir existence began to disappear in Europe only after the birth of modernscience.ButthatsuchafaithisnotirrationaliswellillustratedinthefollowingdescriptionofaprocessinembryologybyT.H.Huxley,whosetrainedscientificimaginationledhimbeyondtheboundsofhistemperamentalagnosticism:

The student of nature wonders the more and is astonished the less, the moreconversanthebecomeswithheroperations;butofalltheperennialmiraclessheoffers to his inspection, perhaps the most worthy of admiration is thedevelopmentofaplantorofananimal fromitsembryo.Examine therecentlylaideggsofsomecommonanimal,suchasasalamanderoranewt.Itisaminutespheroidinwhichthebestmicroscopewillrevealnothingbutastructurelesssac,enclosingaglairyfluidholdinggranulesinsuspension.Butstrangepossibilitiesliedormantinthatsemi-fluidglobe.Letamoderateamountofwarmthreachitswatery cradle, and the plastic matter undergoes changes so rapid and yet sosteadyandpurpose-like in their succession thatonecanonlycompare themtothoseoperatedbyaskilledmodelleruponaformless lumpofclay.Aswithaninvisible trowel, the mass is divided and subdivided into smaller and smallerproportions, until it is reduced to an aggregation of granules not too large tobuildwithal the finest fabrics of the nascent organism.And then, it is as if adelicate finger traced out the line to be occupied by the spinal column, andmouldedthecontourofthebody,pinchinguptheheadatoneend,thetailattheother, and fashioning flank and limb into due salamandrine proportions in soartistic a way that, after watching the process hour by hour, one is almostinvoluntarilypossessedbythenotionthatsomemoresubtleaidtovisionthananachromaticmicroscopewouldshowthehiddenartist,withhisplanbeforehim,strivingwithskilfulmanipulationtoperfecthiswork.23

Thisisexactlywhathappens.MyriadsofBuilders,greatandsmall,areeveratwork,buildingcells,guidingorganstoform,mouldingandcoloringtheflowers,selectingfromtheMendelian“genes”thosewhicharemostsuitedtobringaboutthe particular form, themodel ofwhich is placed before themby theDeva incharge.Natureistrulyafactory,butsovastandstupendousthattheimaginationofmancanbutstanddazedatthesightofhermanycreations.

Stage by stage life evolves, and in these dayswe need but take a textbookof

Botany or Zoology to see what is God’s Plan for the vegetable and animalkingdoms.Butwhilewestudy thatPlan,wemustnever forget that thePlan isHe, and that it isHis self-revelationwhichwe arewatching as thepageant ofnature passes before our eyes. The crude ideas of Animism professed byprimitive savages are in some ways nearer the truth than the expositions ofmodernskepticalscientists;theformerhavediscoveredthetruthastotheLife,whilethelatterhavefoundthetruthastotheForm.BothareblendedandgivenusinsymbolinHinduisminitsdoctrineoftheAvataras(Fig.93).AnAvataraisliterally a “descent”, and is specially used to describe the descents or“incarnations”24ofVishnu,theSecondPersonoftheHinduTrinity.

InalltheTrinities,theSecondLogosisspeciallyidentifiedwiththeLife-Formactivitiesinmanifestation.ThusitisthattheAvatarasareofVishnu,andnotofBrahmaorShiva,theThirdandFirstPersonsoftheHinduTrinity.

According, then, to theHindumyth, the first stage in theDivineRevelation ismarked by the fish, the creature of water. The statement that Godwas a fishseems revolting, until we grasp its inner significance. How that statementappears to the Hindu imagination is shown in Fig. 94, which represents thepopularideaoftheMatsyaorFishAvatara.TheAvataracameatthetimeofthe“Deluge”tosaveforthehumanracethevolumesoftheDivineRevelation,thefourVedas,whicharerepresentedasfourchildrenrescuedfromtheflood.Theartist has drawn the children white, brown, yellow and black in color, hisimaginationsensinginthechildrentheracesofmankind.

Thenexthigher stage isoneof transition,as the life inwater-creaturesslowlyascends to life in creatures of the land.Hence theAvatara is the tortoise, theanimalbothof landandwater.Thenextstage inevolution is representedbyacreature who lives completely on land, the boar. Next comes once again atransition,thatoftheDivineLifeinanimalformsasitslowlybeginstomanifestin human forms. This is the mythical “man-lion”, the lion being taken torepresent the highest stage of animal evolution. After the man-lion, the nextstageisthatofcompletehumanity,butofaprimitivekind;andtheDivineLifeintheearlystageofhumanactivityisrepresentedbythe“dwarf”,theprimitiveman.Thehumanlife,afteragesofgrowth,becomesstronginbody,withgiantshapes, violent, selfish, destructive; yet that life is God Himself, and so theAvataraisParashuRama—Ramawiththeaxe—whoseenergieswerebentmore

ondestructionthanonreconstruction.

Nowcomes the stageof theDivineLife as full andperfect humanity, and theAvataraisRamachandra,theidealkingoftheHindus,whoreignedinIndiatensof thousands of years ago, and whose exploits and sacrifices for Duty andRighteousness are treasured in every Indian heart today. Comes thereafter thesucceedingstage,whentheperfectmanisbothmanandconsciousGod,andsotheAvataraisthatofShriKrishna,whotaughtwithauthority,rulingandguidingmen because He was God. A further Avatara is promised, though ourimaginations can scarce graspwhat it is; the books say thatKalkiwill come,ridingonawhitewingedhorse25,againtoestablishRighteousnessforthesakeofmen.

Solifeevolves,ateachstagereleasingmoreoftheconsciousnessenshrinedinit,and steadily becoming a fuller reflection of Divine Wisdom, “Strength andBeauty.Whoso can dreamwith amineral, feelwith a flower, rejoicewith thebirds,sympathizewiththecravingsanddelightsoftheanimals,isapoet,aseer,whose imagination senses what is the Divine Purpose for which they wereplanned.Notmerelytolookatalandscape,buttothinkandfeelaseachbladeofgrass,aseachshruband treeopens itsheart to thesun’s rays,aseachof themcontributes its tiny note to nature’s wondrous harmony, is to transcendman’slimitations and toputon the attributesof anAngel, adeva, and lastlyofGodhimself. It was not a beautiful phantasy but a most glorious verity whichColeridgesaw,whenhesang:

AndwhatifallofanimatednatureBebutorganicharpsdiverselyframed,Thattrembleintothought,aso’erthemsweeps,Plasticandvast,oneintellectualbreeze,AtoncetheSoulofeach,andGodofAll?

CHAPTERXII

NATURE’SMESSAGEOFBEAUTY

Whenweusetheword“truth”,wemeanaknowledgeoftheuniverse,inallitsembodiments,visibleand invisible.Theseembodiments,whenmirrored inourconsciousness,giverisetothesenseoflaw.

But each law concerning the universe is woven into its innermost texture.Because the universe iswhat it is, the lawswhich ourminds formulate exist,whetherweexistornottodiscoverthem.Truth,inreality,isnottheresultofthediscoveriesoftheseekersoftruth.Truthis,becausetheuniverseis.

Now,thistruthisourselves.Forman,whoisaninfinitesimalpartoftheWhole,isnevertheless,inamysteriousway,himselfthatWhole.Furthermore,inawaythat seems incredible, every truth which concerns the Whole is to be foundsomewhereineveryfractionoftheWhole.

Therefore,thetruthsastoGod,nature,andman’sascenttoDivinityexistinmanhimself.

The treasures of the wisdom, love and beauty of the Whole exist in theinnermostrecessesofman’ssoul.Ifamanwillbutseekrightly,hecanfindalltruth.

There are two possible modes of discovering truth. One process is by usingManas,themind;theotherisbyusingBuddhi,theintuition.Atthepresentstageofevolution, theprocessofdiscoveringtruthbyBuddhi,unaidedbyManas, ispossibleonlytoafew;wemaythereforeomitBuddhiinourconsiderationofthemeansofarrivingattruth.Themind,however,hasalreadybeenwelldevelopedby the advancedEgos of ourHumanity, and it has served uswell to discovertruth.Themodesofdiscoveryaremathematics,scienceandphilosophy.

Butwhatmindhassofarrevealedisincomplete,becausethemindhasomittedtobring into theproblemoneaspectofnature.Thisaspect is thatofnatureasrevealingBeauty.Untilnature is seen to revealnotonlyLaw,butalsoBeauty,

ourvisionoftruthremainsonlypartial.

WehaveseeninChapterX, inourstudyof the lawsof thebuildingofmatter,howtheDivineMindoftheLogosconstructsaccordingtocertainfundamentalprinciples.Wenotonlywatch,aswestudythechemicalelements,anenthrallingwisdom,butwecanalsoreactwithasenseofwonderinadmirationofaworkthat is exquisite in symmetry and proportion.Whenwe shall have before oureyesthediagramswhichgiveindetailthebuildingofallthechemicalelementsof the Periodic Law26, this sense of wonder will be as powerful as when wecontemplate a perfect edifice like the Parthenon or the TajMahal. For, as theLogosbuilds,Hebuildsinbeauty,andallnatureisHishandiwork.

Letuslookatthreeleaves(Figs.95,96,97).Naturehasworkedthroughouttheages to produce in each of them a quality that is beautiful. Many laws areinvolvedinbuildingintotheleafthecarbonoftheair,inusingthesun’sraysformaking its chlorophyll, in transmuting theminerals of the earth and in liftingthemfromthesoilagainstgravity.Butwhatisthemysteriousattributeofnaturewhichhasbuilt,“mechanically”weareapttothink,suchabeautifulthingasoneoftheseleaves?Wegetaglimpseofonelawofnature’shandiworkinournextillustration (Fig.98). The law is not of chemistry or physics, but of anothersphere, that of art. It is the lawof radiation.Beauty is oncemore revealed asnaturebuildsaleaf,aflower,acrustaceanandacrystalofsnow.Abeautywhichis less evident to most is shown when building the cells of Scolopendriumofficinarium(Fig.99),asitsprotoplasmicfilamentstraversethecellwalls.

Onefact isclear, that,while theessentialattributeofnature isbeauty,yet thatbeauty has a framework of geometry. The old maxim of the Stoics, “Godgeometrizes”, is full of truth, as science delves into nature’smysteries. In theradiatingwhorlofspiralleavesinAlstroemeria(Fig.100),oneofthecommonestgeometricalformsisrevealed.

How the life-force in the vegetable kingdom insists on building geometricallyappears inafungus(Fig.101),whichwasphotographedelevenyearsagonearWellingtoninNewZealand.

Moreinstructiveisthesea-shell,Solariumperspectivum (Fig.102),because its

spiralisalogarithmiccurve.27Thisshell—asindeedallspiralshells—bringsusdirectlyintotherealmofart.

The spiral volute in the Ionic pillar in Greek architecture (Fig. 103) isdevelopedfromthisandothershellswhichreveal thelogarithmiccurve.Thecurvewhichisdrawn,whenastringwoundroundaconicalshellisunwoundfromitstop,withapenciltouchingthepaper,isshowninFig.104.

Anexquisitewonderisthebuildingofthesea-creature,Lichnaspisgiltochii,oneoftheacantharia(Fig.105),whosespinesradiateinsopreciseafashionthatalaw,formulatedbyMuller,tellsusthatthespinesarearrangedingroupswhicharedesignatedrespectively,northpolar,northtropical,equatorial,southtropicalandsouthpolarspines.

Weallknowthatnaturebuildsgeometricallyinallminerals.Weknowthaticeisa crystal butwhowould dream thatwater freezing to ice could ever form thewonderrevealedinFig.106?“Butthisexquisitedesignmusthavebeendrawnandmouldedbyagreatartist,surely,”wewouldsay,ifthephotographwereofamouldedceiling.Butit isaphotographofice-crystals.Whatistheprincipleinnature that produces the fronds of the American maiden-hair fern, Adiantumpedatum(Fig.107),sothattheartisticimaginationisthrilledwiththeirbeauty?

Everywherenaturebuildsinbeauty.

WhencethebeautyoftheLyrebirdofAustralia(Fig.108),orthebeautyofthecurveofthecat’sback(Fig.109)?

Howcouldnature“mechanically”,everfashionastructureofboneandmuscleso that the cat’s pose is beautiful, and equally too that of the playful kitten?Watch any bird in flight (Fig. 110), and there nature reveals not merely hermasterlyartistichands,butalsothepoetryofmotion.

Itiswhenwecometocoloring,asshowninbirdsandfishes,thatoursenseofdelight in nature’s artistic creations becomes profound. No theory of amechanical selection of the geneswithin the chromosome, nor even that of ageometricalstructureinherentinnature,willexplaintherichfantasyofamasterartistwhohascoloredthebirdsandthefishes.Itisonlyonewhoishimselfanartist—thatis,onewhohastrainedhiseyeandhandthroughlongyears,andhasdevelopedhisimaginationtosensethatindescribableprinciplewhichis“Art”—who knows that nature cannot bemechanical, normerely the fashioning by a“puregeometrician”.Thelifeofnaturethrobswithart,thoughgeometrycanalsobefoundifweseekforit.

LetanyonelookattwoamongthedozensofvarietiesoffishestobefoundintheseasaroundHawaii,andshownintheaquariumatHonolulu;andhecannothelpfeeling (ifhehas the rootofart inhim) thathe isgazingat thecreationsofamaster.Teuthisachilles,Pakui inHawaiian, ispureblack, the last imaginablecolor fora fish;yet round themouth,earandeye,and in the lowerandupperfins,aretouchesofcolor,blueandred;andinthetailandtheside-finsnearthetailsucha“layingon”,asapainterwouldsay,ofredthattheobserver,ifheisartistic,knowsandsaluteswithjoytheunseenartist.

Impossible todescribe inwords isZancluscanescens,Kihikihi inHawaiian, afishstrangeinshape;onceagainthecoloris“laidon”withamaster’shand.Butmorethanitscolorisitsshape,whichrevealstherichfantasyoftheartistwho,in a playful mood and as if to rest from serious labors, sends forth from hisstudiothisfishsostrangeinshapeandyetbeautiful.

Wereone todescribe thebeautyof thebirds, theonlywaywouldbe togathertogetherall thebirds,andsay to the seekerof truth,“Look;and ifyoudonotunderstand,lookagain”.

The next two illustrations, of a spider’sweb (Fig. 111), and of the PeriodicLawofthechemicalelements(Fig.112),linkinanundecipherablemysteryamicrocosmwith theMacrocosm.For in the centerof the spider’sweb is thelogarithmiccurve;howdoesthespiderknowtobuildaccordingtogeometricalprinciple? And why does the universe, as it comes into being, create 92

elementsinsucharhythmicfashionthatwecangroupthemintofamilies,andtabulate them all according to their atomic weights, so as to make a spiralcurvesimilartothespider’sandtothatofSolarium(Fig.102)?

An acute sense of the beauty of nature as she works is essential to ourunderstandingof truth. For themindwhich catalogues facts anddeduces lawscantakeusonlyuptoacertainpoint,andnofarther.

Life has more mysteries than the mind can ever formulate. As we gaze atHymenocallis litoralis (Fig.113), it isas ifwemustperforce fall inadoration.(But,indeed,hewhoseekstoknowtheEternallyTruedoesfallinadorationinhis imagination before every flower.) Are not the beads in the feather of the

Arguspheasant (Argusargusianus) of Java (Fig. 113a) like the repetition of achordinmusic?

Andwhatofthestarfish(actualsize)pickeduponMadrasBeachbythewriter(Fig.114)?

AndwhenwelookatthepictureoftheWave,byHokusaiofJapan(Fig.114a),andwhenwe sense theCosmicWill in thewave and feel in it the beauty ofnature’srhythm,whatmaywedobutbedumb?YetitisinthatsilencethatwediscoveroneaspectoftheEternallyTrue,whichisalsotheEternallyGoodandtheEternallyBeautiful.

CHAPTERXIII

THEEVOLUTIONOFCONSCIOUSNESS

CouldonebutunderstandwhatConsciousnessreallyis,onewouldfindthecluetoallproblemsinevolution.ForconsciousnessisthehighestexpressionofthatOneExistencewhichisbothforceandmatter,formandlife.

OM,AMITAYA!measurenotwithwordsTheImmeasurable;norsinkthestringofthoughtIntotheFathomless.Whoasksdotherr,

Whoanswers,errs.Saynought!28

Yetsuchisthefabricofournaturethatwemustask,andwecanfindsatisfactioninlifeonlyaswedeemourselvestohavefoundanswerstoourquestions.Theanswerofyesterdaymaynotsatisfyus today;butwecannotbecontent today,unlesswefindsomeanswerfortoday,thoughwemaydiscardittomorrow.Anintellectual grasp of how consciousness evolves only takes us partway to therealization of what consciousness is. Nevertheless, the knowledge of howconsciousnessevolvesisthescienceofsciences.

The first greatmarvel about consciousness is that thewhole is in thepart, thetotalisintheunit.For,thoughtheconsciousnessinanelectronbeasapinpointofconsciousness,yetthattinyunitislinkedtothevasttotalityofconsciousnesswhichistheLogos.AllofHimisthere,thoughwewithourlimitationscanonlydiscoversomuchofHimasmakestheelectron.Justas,whenamyriaddiffusedraysofsunlightarefocusedbyalensintoapoint,alltheray’senergiesarethereinthatpoint,soisitwitheverytypeofconsciousnessensoulingeveryform.Allpossible revelationsofconsciousnessare ineachensouledunit,greatorsmall.The Mendelian biologist is only stating the occult truth when he says that“Shakespeareonceexistedasaspeckofprotoplasmnotsobigasasmallpin’shead”29.Placealensbeforeagreatpanoramaextendingformiles;thelenswillbring all the rays of thepanorama in to one focal point.Thewhole landscapewillthereexistinthepoint,andyettherewillbenopicturetobeseen.Itisonly

aswegetawayfromthefocalpoint, thatpictureafterpicturewillappearonascreenplaced to reflect the rays, eachpicture varying in size according to thedistancefromthepointwhereweplacethescreen.Accordingtothedistanceisthe size of the picture; and according to the size will be the legibility of thepicture’sdetails.Thepicture isall there in thepoint; it isonlyaswegetawayfrom the point that the picture steps out of nothing towards us.This is an aptillustrationoftheevolutionofconsciousness.

Theevolutionofconsciousness isalsoas thedrawingasideofacurtainwhichscreensalight;theactionofdrawingthecurtainasideaddsnothingtothelight.Having nothing to gain, the Light only wills to banish the Darkness. Till weourselvesconsciouslyidentifyourselveswiththeLight,weshallnotrealizewhyIt so wills. Its action is both a sacrifice and a joy; the sacrifice comes fromenduringalimitation,thejoyfromagiving.TopartakeofthatSacrificeandofthatJoyistoattainDivinity.

Theevolutionofconsciousnessinmanisbygiving.Theprincipleofgrowthfortheanimalandvegetablekingdomsiscompetition,rivalryandself-seeking;theprincipleofgrowthformaniscooperation,renunciationandself-sacrifice.TheLogos is eternally sacrificingHimself on the cross of life andmatter; only asman imitatesHimdoesmangrowintoHis likeness.This is thegreatprincipleever to keep in mind. The consciousness in man unfolds hidden possibilitiesstagebystage,butwithoutself-sacrifice there, isnopassingfromonestage tothe next.Manmust die to every remnant of the brute in him, though it takeshundredsoflives.When,aftermanybirthsanddeaths,self-sacrificehasbecomeinstinctivewith him, then he knows that sacrifice is joy, the only conceivablejoy.

Before consciousness can evolve, it must first have been involved. It is thisprocessofinvolutionwhichwehaveoutlinedinournextdiagram,Fig.115.

Thereareinitsevenhorizontaldivisionstomakethesevengreatplanesofoursolar system; and above them all is the symbol of the Unmanifested Logos,before creative processes begin. Within the circle, which represents theAbsolute,isatriangle.ThisistheTrinityoftheLogos.WithinthattriangleisaStar;itrepresentstheMonadofman.

Asthefirststepofinvolution,theLogosdescendsontotheAdiplane;thereallthe threegreataspects,asShiva,VishnuandErahma,orFather,SonandHolyGhost, function inperfection.When theLogosdescends to thenextplane, theAnupadaka, He endures limitation, for His aspect as the First Logos is therelatent, and only the aspects as the Second and Third Logos can find perfectexpression.Thisisrepresentedinthediagrambyomittingthesideofthetrianglewhich symbolizes the First Logos. At the, next stage of descent, the Logosundergoesstill further limitation,andtheThirdLogosalonecanfullymanifeston the plane ofNirvana, the aspects of the Second and First Logos finding itimpossible to manifest Their attributes on that plane. Only one line of thetriangleremains.

Perhaps itmaybedifficult to some tograsphowanomnipotentLogos shouldsufferlimitation,asHedescendsfromplanetoplane.Wecangrasptheidea,if

wetakeanexamplefromourknowledgeofspacerelations.Weallknowwhatacubeis;ithasthreedimensions,oflength,breadthandheight.Toeveryonewhocanwalk round a cube, and lookdownupon it, and look too at its bottombyliftingit,acubeisasolidobject,havingsixsquarefaces,withtwelveboundinglines.

Butsupposeweputourselvesintotheconsciousnessofamicrobewhoisonapieceofpaper,amicrobewhoisunabletolifthimselfoutofthesurfaceofthepaper.Then,whenthecubeisplacedonthepaper,themicrobe,cominguptothecube, andwalking round the cubewhere it touches the paper,will see or feelonlyfourequal,impenetrablelines;withhishighestimagination,hemaybeabletoconceiveofasquare,thatis,aplanesurfaceboundedbyfourequallines.But,sincethemicrobecannotleavetheplaneofthepaper,thecubewillneverbeableto reveal itself to him as a cube, a solid in three dimensions. The cube maypresentitssixfacesinsuccessionbeforethemicrobe’seyes;butthemicrobewillsayeachtime:“Itisonlyasquare.”

So too,whenanyobjectof threedimensionspresents itself toaconsciousnesswhich knows only two dimensions, that object undergoes a limitation. Thatlimitationisnotinthenatureoftheobject;itexistswithreferencetothepowerwhichtheobjectcanexerciseinthetwo-dimensionalworld.SimilarlyitiswiththelimitationswhichtheLogosundergoes,asHedescendsfromplanetoplane.InHisNature,He is ever the same; but asHeworks on the planeswhichHecreates,Hesufferslimitationplanebyplane,accordingtothematerialityoftheplane.

DuringalltheperiodofthedescentoftheLogosontothethreehighestplanes,thehumanMonaddwellswithinHim.Thisfactissymbolizedinthediagrambythetinystarwithinthetriangle.Thereisneveramomentwheneachofus,asaMonad,doesnotliveandmoveandhaveourbeinginHim.Thoughatfirstweknow nothing of Him, though we, even when knowing, may for a while gocontrary toHisWill, yet, in all the stages throughwhichwe have gone, frommineraltoplant,fromplanttoanimalandman,noseparationfromHimhaseverbeenpossible.ThusspeakstheancientstanzaofTheSecretDoctrine:30

The Spark hangs from the Flame by the finest thread of Fohat. It journeysthrough theSevenWorldsofMaya. It stops in theFirst, and is aMetal and aStone;itpassesintotheSecond,andbehold—aPlant;thePlantwhirlsthrough

sevenchangesandbecomesaSacredAnimal.FromthecombinedattributesoftheseManu,theThinker,isformed.

Andever,theSparkhangsfromtheFlame.Thesenseofindividuality,asadoer,begins in the Monad when, on the plane of Nirvana, he finds himself as atriplicityofAtma,BuddhiandManas,separatefromtheFlameasaspark,andyet gaining from the Flame all the attributes of its light and fire. The tripleMonad,ontheplaneofNirvana,isaminiatureLogos,inallwaysintheimageofhisMaker.Heisrepresentedinthediagrambythelittletriangle.

JustastheLogosunderwentaprocessofinvolution,sotoodoestheMonadinhisturn.

All three aspects of the Monad reveal themselves on his true plane, that ofNirvana. The moment he descends to the Buddhic plane, he undergoes alimitation, and his aspect as the Atma is veiled, and only Buddhi andManasmanifestthemselves.Soonesideofhistrianglebecomesunmanifestandlatent.Similarly, when he descends one plane lower still, to the mental plane, heundergoes a further limitation; and, in the causal bodywhich he forms there,onlyhisaspectasManasappears, theothertwobeinglatentwithregardtothehighermentalplane.Nowonlyonesideofhistriangle,itsbase,canmanifest.

Onceagain,therebeginstheprocessofinvolution,andnowoftheEgowholivesin the causal body. When the Ego descends into incarnation, he undergoeslimitation plane by plane, as he makes successively the mental, astral andphysicalbodies.

Theevolutionofconsciousness is theprocessofreleasing thehiddenenergies,firstoftheEgo,thenoftheMonad,andlastlyoftheLogos,throughthevehiclesmadeonalltheplanes.ThemodeofreleasingtheconsciousnessoftheEgo,bytheprocessof traininghisvehicles,hasalreadybeendealtwith inChapterVI,“ManinLifeandinDeath”,wheretheprocessisdescribedwiththeaidofFig.53.AftertheEgohasgainedtherequisitecontrolofhisvehicles,thenextstagein the expansion of his consciousness comeswhen he enters theGreatWhiteBrotherhood.He is then taught, at the First Initiation, how to function in fullconsciousness on the lowest sub-plane of Buddhi. Then, for the first time, hebeginstoknow,byactualrealizationandnotbymerebelief,theunityofallthatlives, and how his destiny is indissolubly linked with the destiny of all themyriadsofsoulswhowithhimformHumanity.Nay,more,herealizesthatthey

areapartofhim,andthatall thosedivisionsof“I”and“thou,”of“mine”and“thine”whichmarkexistenceontheplanesbelowBuddhi,areillusions.Hehasnow, at this ascending stage on the Buddhic plane, realized and brought intomanifestationtwosidesofhistriangle.

Furtherexpansionsofconsciousness,attheSecond,ThirdandFourthInitiations,givehimmasteryof theremainingsub-planesof theBuddhicplane, till,at theFifthInitiation, thatof theAsekha,hisconsciousnessworksunbrokenlyontheplaneofNirvana.ThetriangleoftheMonadisnowcomplete,andthe“EternalPilgrim”hasnowreturnedhome,“rejoicing,bringinghissheaveswithhim”.

HimtheGodsenvyfromtheirlowerseats;HimtheThreeWorldsinruinshouldnotshake;Alllifeislivedforhim,alldeathsaredead;Karmawillnomoremake.Newhouses.Seekingnothing,hegainsall;Foregoingself,theUniversegrows“I”.IfanyteachNirvanaistocease,Sayuntosuchtheylie.IfanyteachNirvanaistolive,Sayuntosuchtheyerr;notknowingthis,Norwhatlightshinesbeyondtheirbrokenlamps,

Norlifeless,timeless,bliss.31

AtthisstageoftheAsekhaAdept,theMonadknows,bydirectrealization,thatmarvelofmarvels—that,Sparkthoughhebe,heistheFlame.HeisthenceforththeChristos,the“Anointed”,crownedwiththatkinglyCrownwhich,astheSonofGod,hewentforth“towar”togain.

Fromthistime,thetriangleoftheMonadisindirectcontactwiththeTriangleoftheLogos,thoughonlywithonelineofit,withitsbase,whichistheaspectofthe“HolyGhost”.HenceChristiantraditiontellsusthattherearetwobaptisms,oneofwaterandtheotherof“fire”.JohntheBaptistcouldgivethefirstbaptism,withwater;butonlyaChristoscouldgivethesecond,withtheHolyGhostandfire:“Iindeedbaptizeyouwithwateruntorepentance;buthethatcomethafter

meismightierthanI,whoseshoesIamnotworthytobear;heshallbaptizeyouwiththeHolyGhost,andwithfire.”

ItiswhentheMonadissobaptized“withtheHolyGhostandwithfire”,thathecansayintriumphandindedication:“AstheFatherknowethme,evensoknowItheFather....Iamtheresurrectionandthelife;hethatbelievethinme,thoughheweredead,yetshallhelive;andwhosoeverlivethandbelievethinmeshallneverdie....IandmyFatherareone.”

To further heights still, inconceivable now to us, does theEternal Pilgrim go,making,on theAnupadakaplane,hisBuddhionewith theBuddhiof thegreatTriangle and, at last, on theAdi plane,making hisAtma onewith the eternalAtmaofallthatis,wasandevershallbe,theLogosofourSystem.

Man’sascenttoDivinitycanbestudiedfrommanypointsofview,andanothersuchisgiveninthenextdiagram,Fig.116.Thefundamentalthoughtinitisthat,asisthekindofimpactonaconsciousnessfromoutside,soisthediscoveryoftheworldbythatconsciousness.Responsetoimpacts,physical,astralormental,gives us a knowledge of the world; according to the type of response is theexpansionofconsciousnessintheindividual.Aphysicalstoneresponds, inthemain,onlytotheimpactsofheatandcoldandpressure;thereforeitknowsonlythephysicalworld.Aplantrespondstoastralvibrationsoflikeanddislike;andhenceithasaninstinctofadaptationtoenvironment;itknowsboththephysicaland astral worlds, though the latter only dimly. The animal responds to thevibrationsofthelowermentalworld,andsothinksaswellasfeels;itthereforeknowsthephysical,astralandmentalworlds,thoughthelastonlyvaguely,Butmaniscapableofbeingaffectedbythehighermentalworld,whichmeansthathisvisionoftheuniverseisfromthatplane.

The lower astralworld is thrown byman into activity by animal feelings likeanger, lust, envy and jealousy, As man’s astral body gets refined, and he iscapableofaffection,devotionandsympathy,thoughtheymaybestronglytingedwith his personal needs, he discovers the higher astral world of feeling. In asimilar fashion, the disjointed, unrelated thoughts which we have concerningthings ingeneralenableus tocontact the lowermentalworldofparticularizedthought.Itisonlywhenwecanarrangeourideasintocategoriesofthoughtandfeeling, and discover laws from them, that we reach up to the vision of thehighermentalworld,Tothinkwiththecausalbodyistoriseaboveparticularizedthoughts, and to come to those universal thoughts concerning religion,philosophy,scienceandartwhichcharacterizethephilosophicmind.

Beyond the highest attribute of pure thought, man has yet another faculty, orinstrumentofcognition,which,forwantofabetterterm,TheosophycallsbytheHinduphilosophicaltermBuddhi.Itscharacteristicisthatanobjectisknownbyit,notbyexaminationfromoutside,butbyidentificationwithitbytheknower.Buddhi isamodeofconsciousnesswhich isneither thoughtalone,nor feelingalone,norbothsimplycombined;yetatonceitisboth,andmorestill,akindofindescribablebeing-thought-feeling.Onecanonlysaythat,whenBuddhiaffects

thehighermentalplane,themindgraspsuniversalconcepts;andthat,whentheforceofBuddhiisreflectedonapureastralnature,thetenderestofsympathiesresult.BuddhiisaDivineIntuition,surerthanknowledge,becauseitjudgesnotonly from a past and a present but also from a future, more precise inunderstanding than the profoundest emotion, because the knower at willbecomes the known. Hindu philosophers have termed it arsha-buddhi, theBuddhiofRishisorsaints,notofcommonmen.

If already words fail to describe what Buddhi is, howmay one describe thatfacultyoftheMonadwhichexpressesitselfontheNirvanicplane?Sufficeittosaythat,asBuddhiisdifferentandmorewonderfulthanpurethoughtandpureemotion,soistheAtmaaspectofthesoulmorewonderfulstillthanBuddhi.

TheculturalgrowthofhumanitywillnotbecompletetillallcanfunctionontheplaneofNirvana.Sofar,thehighestachievementofmankindhasbeentotouch,throughtheeffortsofafewgeniuses,theBuddhicplanethroughArt.Wemust,however,not forget that“art” isnotmerelypainting,sculpture,music,etc.Artalsomanifests throughDevotion, throughLove, throughPhilosophy,wheneverthese touch the realm of Buddhi. But it is as if only yesterday that mankinddiscovered art, and that there exists a realm of beingwhereman can fashionobjectsofbeautythatarejoysforever,andcreatenotforadaybutforalltime.

Whenthemindofagenius,whetherinreligionorart,inphilosophyorscience,breaksthroughintotheBuddhicplane,whathecreatesenshrinestheessenceofart.Ifasscientisthedealswithnature’sfacts,heconceivesandpresentsthemsoartistically that his science is luminous with intuition; if as philosopher hecreatesasystem,hebroodswithtendernessonboththesmallandthegreat,andenwraps them with a beauty and a unity. The ethical precepts of the greatTeachersarerevelationsofthepurestart,fortheircommandmentsareuniversalintheirapplicabilitytoallmen’sproblems,andun-ageingintheirfreshnessandbeautyatallepochsoftime.

Anyoneexpressionofartcontainswithinitsomeofthecharacteristicsofalltheothers; a picture is a sermon, and a symphony is a philosophy.WhenBuddhigivesitsmessage,religionisscience,andartisphilosophy,andallfourarelove.It is only on the lower mental plane of particularized thoughts that the unitybreaks into diversity, and then he who cannot sense the unity through oneparticular expression sees the particulars as contradicting each other.Man the

thinker,thelover,thedoer,whentheBuddhiisawakeinhim,achievesaunityofhimselfwhichhecannotfullyrevealexceptontheBuddhicplane.

MankindisbeingtaughttoattaintoThat,whichexistsoutoftimeandspace,byusingtimeandspace.Ourhighesttoolofcognition,sofar,iscreativeart.Howitsvariousaspectsarerelatedtoeachotherisoneoftheproblemsinphilosophy;onemodeoftheirrelationissuggestedindiagram,Fig.117.

Inliteratureofthehighesttype,wehavebothabrilliant“word-painting”andagraphicdramatizationofeventsandideas.Fromliterature,accordingas itusestime-values or space-values, the arts develop. On the side of time, literatureleads to drama, and drama tends to poetry, and poetry through its essentialmusicalqualityleadsontomusic.

On the side of space, theword-paintingof literature is linked to painting, andpainting thatuses twodimensionsrises toa three-dimensionalmanifestation insculpture,andsculpturetothosewonderfulabstractconceptionsofrhythmandbeautywhicharchitecturegives. It isnotdifficult to seehowdrama,narratingeventsintime,isrelatedtopainting,whichdepictseventsinspace.

Sculpture is likedumbpoetry,whilepoetry sculptures imageafter image fromthe matter of the imagination. The description of Goethe and Lessing, thatarchitecture is “frozenmusic”,givesus theclue to the relationbetweenmusic

andarchitecture.

Alltrueformsofartleadman’sconsciousnesstograspthosevaluesinlifewhichthe Monad knows on the Buddhic plane. The artistic sense of humanity isrudimentary as yet, but with the growth of Brotherhood more of art will besensedinlife.Ontheotherhand,withthedevelopmentinmenoftheirartisticsense, there will be a greater power to realize Brotherhood. Lastly, when wehavecometotheutmostlimitsofartisticcreation,andbegintofeelinuspowersandrealizationsnotexpressibleeveninthehighestart,thenshallweknowthoseactivitiesofcreationwhichcharacterize theMonadonhis trueplaneofAtma.ButinwhatmannerweshalljointhesplendorofNirvanaandthisearthofoursintoonerealmofActionisamysteryofthefuture.

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To understand fully the evolution of consciousness is to solve themystery ofGod’snature.YetsincealllifeisHe,andsincewetooarefragmentsofHim,ourgrowth in consciousness is both a discovery of Him and a growing into Hislikeness.YetwhilewediscoverHim,itisourselveswhomwediscover.Thisisthemysteryofconsciousness,thatthepartistheWhole.Buttoknowthisisonething,andtobethisanother.TobetheWholeisonlypossibleasweactastheWhole,andthatis,bygivingourselvesasfullyandfreelytoallwithinourlittlecircleofbeing,as theWholegivesHimself toallwithin thevastcircleofHisBeing.ItseemsincrediblethatweshalleverbecapableofimitatingtheWhole.Yetbecausethatindeedisourdestiny,HehassentusforthfromHimtoliveourseparatedlives.ThattheonlylifeworthlivingistojoininHiseternalSacrificeisthetestimonyofallwhohavecomefromHim,andareconsciouslyreturningtoHim.

CHAPTERXIV

THEINNERGOVERNMENTOFTHEWORLD

AmongthemanystartlingideaswhichconfronttheinquirerintoTheosophy,oneof themost significant is that there is an innerGovernmentof theWorld.Theinternationallifeoftheworldthroughouttheagesseemstoussopurposelessinmost ways, that one is thoroughly in accord with Gibbon’s dictum that thehistory of the nations “is, indeed, little more than the register of the crimes,follies,andmisfortunesofmankind”.

Itseemsscarcelycredibletotheskepticalmindoftodaythateveryeventintheworld’s happenings is being used and guided to fulfil a Divine Plan. Ourreligious faith is sufficient to believe in a far-off “divine event to which thewhole creation moves”; but when it comes to believing literally that not asparrow“shallfallonthegroundwithoutyourFather”,ourfaithisoftheheartandnotofthehead.

YetnomorewonderfulfactexistsinnaturethanthisrevealedbytheChrist;itisliterally true that not a sparrow falls, without that event being noted in aConsciousness, and without a Love enwrapping the sparrow as it falls, andguidingitbeyondthegatesofdeathtoahappierlife.Here,onthisglobeofourswhich spins round the sun,MightyBeings guide every event; and the crimes,folliesandmisfortunesofmankind,astoo,theirheroisms,sacrificesanddreams,areusedbyThemtoachievethatparticularpartofthePlanoftheLogos,whichisintendedforfulfilmentasthedaysandmonthspass,onebyone.

The facts as to an InnerGovernmentof theWorldhavebeen longkept as themostpreciousofsecretsintheAncientMysteries;but,withtheopportunitiesofa swifter evolution now dawning for men, what was once hidden is nowrevealed.Tomany,nodoubt,therevelationwillmeannothingatall;insomeitwillgiverisetomockery;inafewitmaycallforthbothanewinsightintolife,and a new determination to throw themselves heart and soul into thework offurthering“God’splan,whichisEvolution”.Itisforthesakeoftheselatter,wholong to understand in order to justify to the brain the faith which is in their

hearts,thatagreatbodyofoccultknowledgehasbeenrevealedtomenthroughtheTheosophicalMovement.

Throughoutall thesepagesofFirstPrinciplesofTheosophy, theonedominantthemehasbeenthatallthathappensinnature,inlife,andintheheartofman,istheSelf-revelationof theLogos. Ithasbeenshown thatHisLife reveals itselfstagebystage,and thatall formsof lifeandconsciousnessare related toeachotherinaladderofevolution.AnatomandanamebacontainHisLife;butmoreofHisLifeisrevealedinaDhyanChohanoraPlanetaryLogos.Onthisearthofours,allofusmenareembodimentsofHisLife,andwerevealHimmorefullythancanouryoungerbrothersoftheanimalcreation.Inanexactlysimilarway,thereareBeingshigherthanmanwhorevealmorestillofHisLifethancanman.ItisTheywhoformtheInnerGovernmentoftheWorld.

Eachglobewithin thesolar systemhasabandofHisMinisterswhocarryoutHisPlanforthatglobe.Thisbodyiscalledthe“Hierarchy”oftheglobe,andtheHierarchy on our Earth is known in tradition by many names, the one nowchieflyinusebeingthe“GreatWhiteBrotherhood”.ThisBrotherhoodisnotamere association of Supermen but a living organismwhich contains the Life-energiesof theLogos. It is trulya“GrandLodgeAbove”, thepatternofeveryGrandLodgethathaseverbeen,anditsmightyOfficerslaborfromnoontonoonwithout ceasing. The Adepts of the Great White Brotherhood work in truehierarchical order, according to their qualifications, each having hiswork in aparticulardepartmentofthePlan.

IthasjustbeensaidthattheGreatWhiteBrotherhoodcontainstheLife-energiesoftheLogos.AstheLogos,wheninmanifestation,worksasaTrinity,soallHisenergiesflowthroughthreeMinisters,whoaretherepresentativesforthisEarthofHistriplenature,andwhoarethechannelsoftheenergiesofthatTriplicity.TheGreatTriangle, “eternal in theheavens”, is thatof theLogosas theFirst,SecondandThirdLogos—Shiva,VishnuandBrahma,orFather,SonandHolyGhost. Its representation here on the Earth is another Triangle, composed ofthreeGreatAdepts, known as theLord of theWorld, theBodhisativa and theMaha-Chohan.TheFirstbringsdowntohumanitytheenergiesoftheAtmicorPoweraspectoftheLogos;theSecond,astheWorld-Teacher,isthechannelofHisWisdomaspect,andperformsforhumanitythemysteriousfunctionwhichisthe “Atonement”; theThird is the channelofHisDivineMind, and reveals toearthallthoseactivitieswhicharetypicaloftheThirdLogos,the“HolyGhost”.

Though the Logos in activity is a Trinity, there is an aspect of Him as theUnmanifested; similarly is itwith the Triangle of theHierarchy of this Earth.BehindtheGreatThree—theKingwhowills,thePrimeMinisterwhoplans,andthe General who executes—is a Fourth, the Silent Watcher, who in the lastRoundwas theLordof theWorldofourglobe, andnow“watchesandwaits”behindtheThree,butdoingwhatmightyactionsformanandGodwescarcecanconceive.

Thegradesof theHierarchywhichrulestheworldaresetdownbrieflyinFig.118.

TheHeadoftheHierarchyisthatloftyBeing,theLordoftheWorld,whowillsand orders all events on this globe for men and for angels. Within Hisconsciousnessisrecordedeverythingwhichhappensonall thesevenplanesofour globe. Since His aura pervades the entire Earth, He is aware of all thathappenswithinthataura,andnoact issosecretbutHeknows,noinjusticesosmallbutHerecordsit.

TheKing,asHeisoftennamed,isnotanAdeptofourhumanity; thepositionwhich He holds is too lofty a one to be filled by any Adept of our humanevolution.He is amightyAdeptof thegreatVenusSchemeofEvolution, andcamethencesixandahalfmillionyearsagototakechargeoftheevolutionofthisEarth, tosucceedapredecessorwhohad takenchargewhenhumanityhadbeentransferredfromtheMoonChaintotheEarthChain.WithoutHisfiat,nonecan be admitted into the Great White Brotherhood, and it is His Star whichflashesinassentover theheadof theAdeptInitiator,asasignthatHeacceptsthe initiate intoHisBrotherhood.Hindu tradition,which knows orHim, callsHimSanatKumara;the“EternalVirgin-Youth“,forHisBody,thoughphysical,isnotbornofwoman,butwasmadebykriyashatki,orwill-power,anditneverages;andHeisinappearancenotamanbuta“Youthorsixteensummers”.HeistheWilloftheLogosincarnateformen,andyetisHismightyLoveasvastastheocean.

RoundHimstandtheFourGreatDevarajas,ortheRulersoftheElements,whoadjustthekarmasofmen,andgreatDevasorAngelsareasHisministers,readyto do His bidding. All earthly kings, whose dynasties have gained HisBenediction as a recognition of their selfless service for men, have thatmysterious“divinerightofkings”asapartoftheirinvisibleheritage.Whenthe

crownofEnglandissetupontheheadofherKing,afar-offreminiscenceofthetraditionas to theGreatKingof theWorld is seen in the littleglobewhich isplaced in theKing’s left hand, and in the sceptre, or Rod of Power,which isplacedinhisright.Forofatruth,thisEarthofours,largethoughitbetous,doeslieinthehollowofHisHand,andverilynotasparrowfallsbutHeknows.

WithHimarethreePupilsandAssistants,whoalsocamefromVenus;TheyarenamedinHindutraditionSanandana,SanakaandSanarana,andallthegloriousFourarecalled“mind-bornSonsofBrahma”and“LordsoftheFlame”.ThefourLordsoftheFlamehavebeenalsocalled“theHead,theHeart,theSoulandtheSeed of undying knowledge”. When the life wave shall pass from Earth toMercury,itistheseThreewhowillbecomeinturnLordsofMercury,andguideallevolutiononthatglobe.TheyareknowninBuddhismasPratyekaBuddhas,the“solitaryBuddhas”;forTheydonotteach,orestablishworld-religions.TheyareontheFirstorrulingRay,whiletheBuddhasareontheSecondorteachingRay.ThoughThey stand at the level of theBuddhas,Theirs is not the role ofWorld-Teachers. Hence the curiously misleading description in popularBuddhism of Them as “solitary” or “selfish” Buddhas, who “cannot” teach.TheirloveisasgreatasthatoftheBuddhas,butTheygivetomenPower,notWisdom.

TheBuddhaInitiation is the highest achievement on this Earth on the SecondRay,anditistakenbyaBodhisattvaorWorld-TeacherasthecrownofHisworkof ages for humanity. After founding religion after religion, [a Bodhisattva]gathers,inthelastofHislives,allHispupilswhoarereadytoenterthevariousgradesofInitiation,andHereincarnatesonearthwiththem.ThenHeestablishesaworld-religion,andaftertheworkofthatphysicalbodyisover,Hepassestoloftierworkonotherplanes.AsHepassesfromhumanity,HehandsovertoHissuccessor the duties of the World-Teacher. The last of the Buddhas was theBuddha Gautama, and His successor in the office of World-Teacher is theBodhisattvaMaitreya,alreadycalledbyBuddhisttraditionMaitreyaBuddha,inanticipationofHisfutureoffice.

On all the remaining five Rays, from the Third to the Seventh, the highestInitiation,asamemberofourhumanity,isthatoftheMaha-Chohan.Thisofficeis held by only oneAdept at a time. According to the dominant influence inevolution, at anygiven epoch, of aRay and its sub-rays, is the typeofAdeptwho holds the position of Maha-Chohan. He is the great “Keeper of the

Records”oftheevolutionaryprocessesoftheglobe,andsupervisesanddirectsall the activities of themembers of the Great Brotherhood, as stage by stageTheydeveloptheGreatPlan.Hehasbeendescribedasone“towhoseinsightthefuturelieslikeanopenpage”.

TheAdeptoftheFirstRaywhotakestheFifthInitiationusuallyentersthereafterupon thearduousdutiesof theManuofaRoot-raceonaglobe.HisworkhasalreadybegunwiththeslowselectionoftheEgoswhoaregoingtoworkunderHimatthecommencementofthenewrace,andthroughallthesuccessivesub-racesastheyappearonebyone.Duringthehundredsof thousandsofyearsofthehistoryof aRoot-race,Hedirects as itsManu thebuildingofvariant aftervariantofthesub-races,andHimselfincarnatesineachsub-racetosettheformfor it.AfterHiswork asManu is completed,Hepasses on to take theEighthInitiationasaPratyekaBuddha,andaeonslatertotaketheNinthInitiation,thatofaLordoftheWorld.OnlytwoManusnowremainwithhumanity,theManuChakshushawho founded the Fourth Root-race, the Atlantean, over amillionyearsago,andtheManuVaivasvata,whofoundedtheFifthRoot-race,theAryan,aboutsixtythousandyearsago.

A careful study ofFig. 118will show that, on all the seven Rays, there areAdeptsup to the levelof theAsekha Initiation32.At this stage, theAdept canmakeoneofsevenchoices,as tohisfuturework(seeFig.73). Ifhedecides tocontinue to workwith our humanity, heworks on and finally takes the SixthInitiation.Afterthis,hemay,ifhesochooses,leavehisworkwithhumanity,andtakeupwork elsewhere.But if he decides to continuewith humanity, he thenqualifieshimselftobeaManu,oraBodhisattva,oraMaha-Chohan,andtakestheSeventhInitiation33.TheAdeptwho isaMaha-Chohan,afterhisperiodofoffice isover,oncemoremakeshis“choice”. Ifhechoosesstill tocontinue toworkwithhumanityasanofficialoftheHierarchy,hemusttransferhimselftothe First or the SecondRay, in order to proceed to take the Eighth Initiation.Similarly,theAdeptwhoholdstheofficeofBuddha,ifhechoosesstill totakeofficeintheHierarchy,musttransferhimselftotheFirstRaytotaketheNinthInitiation.

TheAdepts of anyRay,who leave humanity from theAsekha level upwards,will take elsewhere those Initiations for which they have not qualifiedthemselvesonthisglobe.OneRayisnotbetterthananother.AlltheInitiationscan be taken on all the Rays. But since only three Lords of the World are

requiredduringaworld-period,andonlysevenManusandsevenBuddhas,andonly a certain number of Maha-Chohans, not all Adepts as a matter of factqualify for these offices, and the majority of them “enter Nirvana” after theAsekhaInitiation,andpassontoformsofworkwhichdonotbringthemdirectlyintouchanymorewithourhumanity.

Theworkoftheworld,visibleandinvisible,isunderthedirectionoftheAdeptsoftheGreatWhiteBrotherhood.IntoTheirhandstheLogoscommitsHisPower,WisdomandLove,andTheydistributetheenergyoftheLogosintoallthemanydepartments of human activity. Religion and philosophy, science and art,commerce and development, are inspired and guided by Them; eitherincarnating amongmen,or from the invisible,Theymovemenandnations aspawnsonaboard,strivingtowinovermentocooperatewiththeDivinePlan.They are constantly hindered in Theirwork by the unwillingness ofmen; yetsinceTheymaynotcoercemen’swills,Theytoilwithapatiencewhichhasnobounds,andTheyinspireandguideall,broodingovermen’sgoodandevilwithinfiniteloveandunderstanding.

The“EverlastingArms”oftheGreatBrothersenfoldhumanity,andwhileTheylabortocompletethePlan,noultimatefailureispossibleformankind.BecauseThey,onceweakandsinfulaswearetoday,havenowachievedPerfection,thevisionofourPerfectionsomedayisnotadreambutareality. InTheir loveisourcomfort,andinTheirstrengthisourpeaceandsalvation.ToserveThemistogainthecertaintythatallthingsmoveinthedirectionoftheGood,theTrueandtheBeautiful; tobeacceptedbyThemasTheirassistantsandhelpersistoenteronthePaththatleadstoDeification.

CHAPTERXV

THEPATHOFDISCIPLESHIP

As theAncientWisdomunfolds to thegazeof the seeker themajesticPlanofEvolution,therearesomewhoseheartsburnwithinthemwithanoverwhelminglongingtoconsecratethemselvestothatPlan.AllthingsinlifelosetheirsavoraftertheHeavenlyVisionisseen,andnothingthenceforthispossibleexcepttogive utterly, holding back nothing, to an Ideal of service, devotion orrenunciation. The noblest impulses in man are the manifestations on earthlylevelsofanexpansionofconsciousnessintheheavenlyrealms;thevisionofanidealbringswithitthepromiseofitsattainment.ForwithinmanistheWay,theTruthandtheLife;heonlyneedstoberousedfromhislethargytoseetheLightwhichburnsinhisSoul.

Theawakeningof thesoulhasmanystages,and the influencesofall formsofculturearebroughttobearonhim,tomaketheDivineSparkwithinhimtoshineforth as a flame. In the long history of the soul’s unfolding of consciousness,therecomesthestagewhenheisclearlyrecognizableascommittednottoself-seekingbut toaltruism.Thesoul is thenonearththemanorwomanof ideals,who,howeveroftenheorshemaybetray the ideal,never finally renounces it,thoughthecostissufferingandmartyrdom.

It is at this stage that there enters into the soul’s lifeOnewho shall guidehisexpansionofconsciousnesstogreaterheightsofrealization.Thisisa“FatherinGod”,aMasteroftheWisdom,whohaswatchedthesoul’sstruggles,lifeafterlife, to be true to his ideal; He now comes to make a bond with the soul asMastertodisciple.

ThestagesonthePathofDiscipleship,leadingupwardsfromthemanofidealstotheInitiateoftheGreatWhiteBrotherhood,aregiveninFig.119.

Thefirststageis thatof theProbationaryPupil,whenaMasterof theWisdomputstheaspirant“onProbation”.Thisisdoneeitheronthephysicalortheastralplane,butmoreusuallyonthelatter.At theMaster’scommand, theaspirant isconductedtoHimbyaseniorpupil,andtheMasterformallyputsthecandidateon Probation. It is at this time that the Master makes what is known as the“living image”; it is a living replica, fashioned by the Master’s will, of thepupil’sastralandmentalbodies.ThelivingimageiskeptneartheMaster,anditissomagneticallyconnectedwiththepupilthatitrecordsperfectlytheeffectsofthe latter’s thoughts and emotions as he does his work in life. The Masterexaminesfrequentlythislivingimage,tonotehowfarthepupilissucceedingorfailing. Needless to say, whenHe so examines, it is notmerely as judge; Hesendsthroughthelivingimagetothepupilsuchpurificationandstrengtheningasthelatterwillallowhimselftoreceive.

TheactofbeingputonProbationistheresponsetoademand,madebythepupiltotheGuardiansofHumanity,tobegivenopportunitiesforaswifterevolutionthan is normal with the generality ofmankind. The response brings with it areadjustment of the individual’s karma.This karmic readjustment has the aim:

(1)offreeing the individualslowlyfromsuch typesofkarmaashandicaphimfromexercisingagreaterusefulness;(2)ofgivinghimopportunitiesforawiderknowledge, especially the knowledge of the hidden truths of nature; (3) ofbringingtohimnewopportunitiesforself-expressionthroughService.

TheProbationorprovingofthepupilconsistsintestinghim,toseehowfarhecan withstand the shocks of his karma, and remain without diminishing hisaltruism, in spite of the fact that his life becomes more barren of thosesatisfactionsanddelightswhichmakelifeworthlivingformostmen.Heisalsotestedtoseeif,asaworker,hecansufficientlyadapthimselftobeaworkerintheMaster’splan.ForeachMasteroftheWisdomisthecenterofalargenumberofactivities,whichHehasundertakentofosterasHiscontributiontothePlanofthe Logos; an aspirant, therefore, is put on Probation less to gain knowledgefromtheMasterand,moretotrainhimselftobeanapprenticetohelptheMasterin His work. The probationary pupil must therefore be ready, if necessary, tochange hismethods ofwork to fit himself to those of hisMaster; hemust beready to cooperatewithhis fellow-apprentices; and in allwayshemust provethatanIdealofworkweighsmorewithhimthanhispersonalsatisfactionasaworker.

WhenaMaster takesanaspirantasaprobationarypupil, it isusuallywith theexpectationofpresentinghimforInitiationinthatlife.Itdoesnotfollowthatthepupil will succeed because a Master has responded to his aspiration; he hasearned a karmic right to be given the opportunity, butwhat hemakes of thatopportunity depends on himself. Still, if he “means business”, andwill allowhimself to be guided by the senior pupils of hisMaster, he is more likely tosucceedthantofail.

IfhestrenuouslyworksatthequalificationsforInitiation,thentheWilltoGoodinherent in nature will help him with illumination and strength. Thesequalificationsaregivenin tabularforminFig.120; theyare takenfromAt theFeetof theMaster,by J.Krishnamurti.Theauthorof thatpricelessgemgivestheexplanationsandcommentsonthemwhichweregiventohimbyhisMasterwhen he was prepared for Initiation. The aspirant who is seeking theMastercannot do better than take that little book, study it, and live it. If, after sevenyearsoftesting,thepupilonProbationisfoundtohavegrowninself-sacrificetoman and to God, his Master then finally receives the pupil into the stage ofAcceptance. The living image is dissolved, and the Master makes with the

accepted pupil an inward linkwhich, even if temporarily broken by the pupilthroughfailure,willinalllivestocomebefeltasdrawinghimtohisMaster.

Whenaccepted,thepupilisgiventherighttoamysticalexperience,whichisofthe greatest inspiration to him in hiswork.When anymatter ariseswhich hecannot decide out of his own experience, he may test his judgment by thejudgmentoftheMasteronthematter.ThisisdonebyraisinghisconsciousnessforthemomentsoastotouchthefringeofhisMaster’sconsciousness.Ifhecanfreehimselfoftheprejudicesofhispersonality,andknowshowtoguardhimselfagainsttheidiosyncrasiesofhistemperament,thensuchapossibilityoftestinghisjudgmentbythecriterionoftheMasterisoneofthegreatestprivilegesinlifetowhichthepupilcanattain.Itenableshimtodistinguishbetweenwhatismoreuseful and less useful, between what is more helpful and less helpful, as heworksformeninthenameofhisMaster.

TherearesomepupilsputuponProbationwhohaveshortenedtheusualsevenyears betweenProbation andAcceptance intooneyear, or even less; but suchfortunate souls are few, for it means that behind them, as they enter uponProbation,thereexistsagreataccumulatedkarmaofService,whichgivesthemthestrengthandtheopportunitieswhichothershavenotearned.Theintervaloftime between the various stages on the Probationary Path depends upon theinitiative and the capabilitiesof thepupil; if he is forceful anddetermined,hemayoverrideobstacleafterobstacleand“enter thePath” swiftly;or, ifhe lets

opportunitiesslipby,hemayspenddecades inonestagebeforepassing to thenext.All pupils,without distinction, receive the inspiration of theMaster, buteachassimilatesfromitaccordingtohiscapacity.

AstillcloserlinkbetweenMasterandpupiltakesplaceatthenextstage,whenthepupilbecomesthe“SonoftheMaster”.Moreandmorethepupil’shopesanddreams begin to reflect the wondrous life which theMaster lives among Hispeers, and slowly the pupil becomes as a cell in the living organism of hisMaster.He grows to be a ray of hisMaster’s consciousness, and he comes topossessadepthofwisdomwhichisnothis,but isgiventohimforusebyhisFatherinGod.

Nevermorecanthepupilbealone;ingriefsandinjoys,indarknessandinlight,theMaster’s consciousness enfolds that of the pupil, even though at times thepupilmaynotbeawareofthatgloriousfact.Now,asheworksfortheplanofhisMaster, whether the world accepts him with acclamation or martyrs him, heworks,notasasolitarycraftsman,butasayoungerbrotherbywhosesidetoilsanelderandmoreexpertBrother.

HiscommandmentsgrievousarenotLongerthanmenthinkthemso;thoughHesendmeforth,Icarenot,WhilstHegivesmestrengthtogo.Whenorwhither,allisone,OnHisbusiness,notmineown,Ishallnevergoalone.

At each stage, from Probation to Acceptance and to Initiation, the Masterformallypresentshispupil to theMaha-Chohan, theKeeperof theRecordsoftheHierarchy;thepupil’snameandrankareenteredbytheMaha-ChohaninHisimperishableRecord.

CoincidentusuallywiththestageoftheSonoftheMaster,thepupilispresentedbyhisMastertotheGreatWhiteBrotherhoodforInitiation.TheMastertherebyaffirmstotheBrotherhoodthathispupilissufficientlyfit,byhisidealsandbyhis life; and by the balance between his good karma and bad, to share in themysterious life of that august Body, and to be a channel of Its forces to theworld.BesideshisownMaster,asecondmemberoftheBrotherhood,oftherankofaMaster,hasalsotostandsponsorforthecandidate.ThepresentationismadeinthefirstinstancetotheMaha-Chohan,whothenappointsoneoftheAdeptstoactastheHierophantInitiator.EitherintheHallofInitiation,orinsomeotherappointedplace, thecandidateisformallyinitiatedatastatelyceremony.Whathappens to the candidate is truly an “initiation”, i.e., a beginning. It is the

beginningofanewphaseofexistence,wherethePersonalitybecomessteadilymoreandmoreareflectionoftheEgo,andtheEgohimselfbeginstodrawuponthepowersofhisMonad34.

TheSoul ofMan is in truth that highest part of himwhich is theMonad; butfrom thatmoment, when theMonadmade the causal body out of the animalgroup-soulat individualization, the“Sparkhangs from theFlameby the finestthreadofFohat”.TheEgo,thoughlinkedthustotheMonad,hashad,uptothemoment of Initiation, nomeans of communicationwith that highest aspect ofhimself.ButatInitiation,atthecalloftheHierophant,theMonaddescendsintothe causal body to take the vows of Initiation. From thatmoment, the “finestthreadofFohat”becomesasabundleofthreads,andtheEgo,insteadofhangingmerely as a “spark”, becomes as the lower end of a funnel, which reachesupwards to theMonad and brings down fromhim life and light and strength.FromthetimeofInitiation,therecomesintotheInitiateavirilityandapowerofresistanceofwhichhewasnot capablebefore, andhe finds thenceforth inhisownselfaRockofAgeswhichnothingcanshake.

AfterhisInitiation,thecandidateistakenbyhisMaster,orbyaseniorpupil,totheBuddhic plane, to be taught to function there in hisBuddhic vehicle.Thismeansthatthecausalbodymustbetranscended.Herenowhappenswhathasnothappenedbefore.Eachnight,whenhelefthisbodytoworkontheastralorthementalplane,hisphysicalbody,orhisastral—oneorboth,asthecasemaybe—hasbeenleftbehindonthebed,tobedonnedwhenhereturnedtothem.WhenheleavesthehighermentalplanefortheBuddhicplane,heofcourseleaveshiscausalbody;butthiscausalbody,insteadofremainingwiththephysical,astralandmentalbodies,vanishes.

Whenthepupil,fromhisBuddhicvehicle,looksdownontothehighermentalplane,nocausalbodyisthereanylongertorepresenthim.Itistruethat,whenhereturns,hefindshimselfinacausalbodyagain;butitisnotthecausalbodywhichhehashadformillionsofyearssincethedayofindividualization,butacausalbodywhichisareplicaofthatage-longhouseofhis.

This experience shows the Initiate that he is not theEgo, but somethingmoretranscendentalstill;heknowsnowatfirsthandthathis“self”,towhichhehasclungfromthetimeofindividualization,isnotrueselfatall,butonly“thatthingwhich he has with pain created for his own use and by means of which he

purposes, as his growth slowly develops his intelligence, to reach to the lifebeyond individuality”35. Also, with his first Buddhic experience, the Initiateknows,notmerelybelievesonfaith, theUnityofall that lives—howallmen’slives, theirgriefsas their joys, their failuresas their successes,are inseparablefromhis life.Thenceforth,hisstandardofall things ischanged;hehasshiftedhiscenterfromthatofhispersonalselfanditsintereststothatofagreaterSelf,the“greatOrphan”,Humanity.AtInitiation,theSoul“enterstheStream”,(Fig.121).

This is theancientBuddhistphrase,whichdescribes thegreat transitionwhichtakesplaceinthelifeof theInitiate.Heentersthegreat tideoftheWillof theLogos, which has determined that, on this Earth Chain, the majority of ourhumanityshallcommitthemselvestoHisPlan,beforethegreatdayoftestinginthe Fifth Round, when the laggard souls must drop out of evolution, as thefailures of the EarthChain. They drop out, not for ever, but only for an age;whenthenextChainbegins,theyresumetheirevolution,aftertheirlongrest,atthatlevelwhencetheydroppedoutfromtheEarthChain.

This is that “eternal damnation” with which the ungodly are threatened inChristianity. But it is not a condemnation, but rather an evolutionaryarrangementforthosesoulswhomustdropout,becausetheycannotkeeppacewiththeirmorespirituallyequippedfellows.Norisiteternal,butonly,asintheoriginalGreekoftheNewTestament,“eonian”,thatis,fortheperiodofaneon

ordispensation.Buthewhohas“enteredtheStream”is“safe”or“saved”;and,slowly orwith speed, hewill “attainNirvana”, the goal of human perfection,according to the plan for the Earth Chain. Therefore the Initiate is called inBuddhismSotapanna,“hewhohasenteredtheStream”.

It is said thatusuallyseven lives intervenebetween theFirst Initiationand theFourth,thatoftheArhat,andthatsimilarlybetweentheArhatandtheAsekha,sevenmorelivesarenecessaryinwhichtodotherequiredworkofpurification.EachInitiationmeansanexpansionofconsciousness,andeachmustbepreparedforbyadequateexperienceandself-training.ButwhileoneInitiatemaytakethefull limit of time for thework to be done, anothermay condense it all into amuch briefer period. It is largely a matter of the accumulated karma of theindividual,i.e.,oftheworkdoneinpastlives,andofthegrowthinstrengthandpurificationachievedbyhiminthem.Butallwho“entertheStream”reachthe“furthershore”,thatis,totheblissofNirvana.

The stages on the Path ofHoliness, as this process of spiritual unfoldment iscalled,aremarkedbyexpansionsofconsciousness,andbythegiftbytheGreatWhite Brotherhood of new knowledge and new powers to the Initiate. TheBrotherhoodrequiresfromthecandidate,beforehecanpassfromonestage toanother,a recordofworkdone forhumanity,a freedomfromspecifiedmentalandmoraldefects,andthepossessionofcertainspiritualfaculties.Inparticular,thereareten“Fetters”,whichthecandidatemustcastoffonebyone,beforehecanfinallycometoAdeptship.Afterthecandidatehas“enteredtheStream”,andbeforehecanbegiventheSecondInitiation,hemustshow,besidestherecordofwork which he presents, that he is free of the first three Fetters; these are,accordingtoBuddhistterminology:

(1)Sakkayaditthi,(2)Vichikichchha,and(3)Silabbataparamasa.

ThefirstFetter,Sakkayaditthi36,means“thedelusionastoone’sindividualityorSelf”.Many a man thinks of his physical body as the Self; and he identifieshimselfwith its lusts and cravings, with its health orwant of health, with itspersistenceduringlife,orwith itsdeath.Amanmoreevolvedwill identifyhisSelfwith his “temperament”,with his professions of belief,with his religiousandestheticideas,andwithhissympathiesandantipathies.Onlyveryfew,who

are capable of dispassion and analysis, will begin to realize howmost of theideas and emotions,which aman thinks are his own, are in reality a garmentwhichhewears,agarmentwhichislessofhisownmakingandfarmoremadeforhimbyhissex,race,casteorclass,andreligion.Andall,exceptthesupremeidealists, instinctivelymakeadistinctionbetween theirpersonal selvesand thehumanityofwhichtheyareunits.

TogetridoftheFetterofthedelusionofSelfistoknowwhattherealSelfis—thatItistheHeartofallthatlives,andthatItsgainandgoodcomeonlyfromthegain and good of theWhole. The Buddhic experience, when the causal bodyvanishes,showsthewaytotheInitiatetodiscoverbyexperimentandexperiencewhat is that trueSelf inhim,whichhasnopart in the limitingforcesof“race,creed,sex,casteorcolor”.

ThesecondFetter,Vichikichchha37,means“Doubt”.Thisisdoubtasto“God’splan,whichisEvolution”,especiallyastothatpartwhichconcernsthegrowthoftheindividualbytheprocessofReincarnation,inaccordancewiththeLawofKarma.Therearemanystagesindoubt,fromrankdisbelieftotheacceptanceofa truth as a “working hypothesis”. In practical conduct, the noblest lives havebeenlivedbymenandwomenwhohavehadonlyworkinghypothesesastothenatureofexistence.Aloftyidealism,basedonworkinghypotheses,will leadamanthroughthegatesofInitiation;buttherecomesthetimewhensomeatleastofhisworkinghypothesesmustbelivingfactsofhisinmostconsciousness,factsknowntobetruebecause,byouterobservationandbyinwardrealization,theyarepartofhisindividualityevermore.TheFetterofDoubtastothefundamentallawsgoverninghumanevolutionmustbeutterly thrownaside,before the soulcanpasstothesecondstage.

The third Fetter, Silabbataparamasa38, means “reliance upon rites andceremonies”. It was the Lord Christ who pointed out in Palestine that “thesabbathwasmade forman, andnotman for the sabbath; therefore theSonofman isLord also of the sabbath”. Itwas the same great truthwhich theLordBuddhaproclaimed,whenHeheld that relianceuponprayers and invocations,uponritesandceremonies,isasuperstition,fromwhichthewisemanshouldbefree.Ritualsandceremonies,whenscientificallyconstructed,arelikeanyotherpiece of scientific mechanism; they are reservoirs of energy or conductors offorce.Buttheyaretobeservantstodoman’swill,notmasterstocontrolman’sbehaviour.Thisisthetrueattitudetowardsritesandceremonies.

Theyarenotnecessary,nor indispensable, forwiseconductor forcooperationwiththeDivine;theyareuseful,especiallytosoulsofcertaintemperaments;tohelpthemtoattunetheirwillstotheOneWill.Butthesameworkcanbedoneby earnest striving and aspiration, each man for himself, without rites andceremonies, and without help of priests or Devas or Angels. The advice andguidanceofmenorSupermen,ofearthlyorheavenlydenizens,areonlyusefulto enable a man to look up and not down, forward and not back; but thesehelpers cannot tread thePath for him, nor leadhim toSalvation.Amanmust“save”himself.Toknowutterlythatwithinone’sownself,andnotwithout, is“the Way, the Truth and the Life”, is to cast off forever this Fetter ofSuperstition.

WhentheMasterfindsthatthepupilhastranscendedthefirstthreeFetters,andhastohiscredit therequisiteamountofworkdone, thenHepresents thepupilonceagainforInitiation.Asbefore,inasimilarstatelyceremony,theHierophantopens up at Initiation new possibilities of consciousness in the candidate, andentrusts himwith those secrets and powerswhich appertain to the new stage.TheInitiateofthesecondgradeiscalledSakadagamin,“hewhoreturnsonce”,for only onemore physical birth is obligatory for him; at the end of his nextphysicallifehecan,ifhesochooses,completetheremainingstagesofthePathwithoutreturningtoincarnation.

AshepassesontothenextInitiation,newfacultiesmustbeevolved,andayetlarger record of work must be achieved. There are no Fetters to be cast offbetweentheSecondandThirdInitiations;but thehighermindmustbemadeamirror of the wisdom of the Intuition, and trained to conceive and elaboratethosetruthswhichthemindcannotdiscover,unlessimplantedinitbyafacultygreaterthanthemind.

When the higher mind has become the tool of the Intuition, and the pupil’srecord of service is adequate, he is presented by his Master for the ThirdInitiation.Hebecomes thenAnagamin, “not returning”; forbirth in aphysicalbody,unlesshesochooses,isnolongerobligatoryinordertoattaintothefinalgoal. Thework can be done in the invisibleworlds, and the Initiate can fromthere,ifhesodecides,proceedtotheFourthandFifthInitiations.

Between the Third and Fourth Initiations, two Fetters must be cast off:Kamaraga, sensuality, andPatigha, anger.Of course, long before this, all the

cruder formsof sense-gratificationandangerwillhavebeeneliminatedby theInitiate;buttherearesubtleformsofthesetwoFetterswhichbindtheaspirantasfirmlyastheircruderformsenslavethemanoftheworld.InadditiontofreedomfromtheseFetters,andtherecordofwork,thecandidatemustshowthathehasacquired mastery over some of the invisible worlds, and that his brainconsciousnesscanbemade,whennecessary,a truerecordofhis lifeonhigherplanes.AttheFourthInitiation,hebecomestheArhat,“thevenerable”.Duringall the stages—Sotapanna, Sakadagamin,Anagamin andArhat—the Initiate issekha, a “disciple”, under the instruction and supervision of a Master of theWisdom.ThenextstageistobecomeAsekha,“no-more-disciple”,theMaster39.HeisaMasteroftheWisdom,thatis,hehaswithinhimall thecapacitiesandpowerswhicharerequisiteinordertoknowallthatconcernstheevolution-past,presentand future-of thePlanetaryChain towhichhebelongs.Butbefore thisstagecanbereached,fivemoreFettersmustbecastaside,thehardestofall.

Lo!likefiercefoesslainbysomewarrior,TensinsalongtheseStageslieindust,TheLoveofSelf,FalseFaith,andDoubtarethreeTwomore,HatredandLust.WhooftheseFiveisconquerorhathtrodThreeStagesoutofFour;yetthereabideThe Love of Life on earth, Desire for Heaven, Self-Praise, Error, andPride40.

The five Fetters which the Arhat must cast off before he can take the FifthInitiation,thatoftheAsekha,areRulparaga,“desireforlifeinworldsofform”,Aruparaga,“desireforlifeinworldsofno-form”,Mano“pride“,Uddhachchha,“irritability”, and Avijja, “ignorance”. What is the true significance of thesetermsitisdifficulttosay;butknowledgeaboutthesefiveFettersisnotessentialtothosewhohavenotyetenteredthePath.Sufficeittosaythat,beforetheFifthInitiationcanbetaken,manmustputontheattributesoftheSuperman;hemustbecome theChristos, “theAnointed”,whohas come“unto themeasureof thestatureofthefullnessofChrist”.41

ThisisthegreatDayforwhichtheMonadwentfortha“kinglycrowntogain”;andwhenhe gains it, he gains it not for himself but for all creatures, human,

sub-human and super-human. All nature rejoices in his achievement; for onemoreSaviourofHumanityhasjoinedtheranksofthosewholivetogiveutterly,astheLogosgives.ItissaidthatwhenoneofourhumanityattainstoPerfection,all Nature thrills with joyous awe and feels subdued. The silver star nowtwinklesoutthenewstothenight-blossoms,thestreamlettothepebblesripplesout the tale;darkocean-waveswill roar it to the rockssurf-bound,scent-ladenbreezessing it to thevales,andstatelypinesmysteriouslywhisper:“AMasterhasarisen,aMasterOfTheDay”42.

****

Know,Odisciple, that thosewhohavepassed through the silence, and felt itspeaceand retained its strength, they long thatyou shallpass through it also....Give your aid to the few strong hands that hold back the powers of darknessfrom obtaining complete victory. Then do you enter into a partnership of joy,whichbringsindeedterribletoilandprofoundsadness,outalsoagreatandever-increasingdelight43.

These are thewordsof aMasterof theWisdom,uttered to thosewho seek toserve God or Man or an Ideal. There awaits each man and woman of nobleinstincts and pure enthusiasms such a life of delight as only those knowwhohave become Disciples. It is a delight which comes not from ease and thefruition of dreams, but from ceaseless toil in the noblest cause which man’simaginationcanconceive.To lookupandseeGod,andknow thatonecanbeHismessenger;tolookdownandseemen’signoranceandmisery,andknowthatinone’shandisthepowertolessenbothforthem;tolookroundatnatureandknowthatonecanbecomeherprophet;tolookwithinandknowthataLightisthere to leadmen from thedarknessof death to a newday—it is these thingswhichinspire;thosewhohavetorntheveilofself-interestwhichenwrapsthem,andhaveseensomethingoftheHiddenLightandtheHiddenWork.ItwassaidbytheRishisofIndia,ofthosewhoseetheHeavenlyVision:Nanyahpanthahvidyate‘yanaya—“Nootherpathatallistheretogo.”ForthosewhohaveseenwhattheLogosdoesand,fromthatwhattheLogosis,thereisindeed“nootherpathatalltogo”.

ThePathisfulloftoil,andrenunciationofhopesanddreams,andweariness;yetare the days and nights, when treading that Path” suffused with a keenenthusiasminspiringtonewhopesandtonewdreams,andfilledwiththedelight

of knowledge andmastery. It is said in a book of occultmaxims: “When oneenters thePath,he layshisheartupon thecross;when thecrossand thehearthave become” one, then hath he reached the goal.” And that goal is aTransfiguration.TothatTransfigurationtheLogoscallsus,andtogowhitherHecallsistodiscoverwhathasneveryetbeenrevealed.

EnterthePath;Thereisnogrieflikehate!Nopainslikepassion,nodeceitlikesense!EnterthePath!FarhathhegonewhosefootTreadsdownonefondoffence.EnterthePath!TherespringthehealingstreamsQuenchingallthirst!Therebloomth’immortalflowersCarpeting all the way with joy! There throng Swiftest and sweetesthours!44

CHAPTERXVI

GOD’SPLAN,WHICHISEVOLUTION

There is a saying attributed to Platowhich is full of significance: it is, “Godgeometrizes”. In that sayingwe have the proclamation of theDivineWisdomthatthereexistsaGodoftheuniverse,andthatallnatureisacreationbyHimafter a Plan.Modern science, with her doctrine of evolution, acknowledges a“designinNature”,butthatdesignistomostscientists,merelytheresultofthemechanicalinterplayofnaturalforces,anditinnowaywarrantsthebeliefinaCreator.Itisonlyascientisthereandtherewhoisreadytoacknowledgethatthestructureoftheuniverserevealsthemindofa“puremathematician”,theGreatArchitectoftheUniverse.

The Ancient Wisdom proclaims with no hesitating voice that every part ofnature’sdesign reflects theplanofaDivineMind.This“God’splan,which isEvolution”isnotmechanical;whatseemsa“fortuitousconcourseofatoms”isthe resultant diagonal of the energies of the Logos, and their quantity anddirectionastheyoperatearedeterminedbyHimateachmomentoftime.

It is difficult for the modern mind to imagine our Solar System as a livingorganism.Yetthatiswhatitis.Thesphereinspace,whosecenteristheSunandwhoseradiusisthedistancefromthecentertothetrans-Plutonianplanet“X”45,isthephysicalbodyoftheLogos,andHisminddirectsalltheactivitieswithinthatvastsphere.ThemagnitudeofthatMindbaffleshumanimagination;onlyafewglimpseshere and thereof Itswonders canwegain aswe studycreation.Looking at thatMindwith the heart, It appears as infinite Love; observing Itwiththedevelopedartisticimagination,ItisinfiniteBeauty.

When the mind looks at Its activities in visible nature, there is revealed afascinatinggeometricaldesign.Why“Godgeometrizes”wemaynotknow tillour littlemindscandirectlycontactHisgreatMind;wecanbut lookwithoureyesandponderonwhattheyreport,andwhattheyreportisorder,rhythmandbeauty.

Allmatteriselectricity,thoughnooneyetknowswhatiselectricity,norwhatismagnetism,theforceinducedbyelectricity.Unknownasthesetwoforcesareintheir true nature, we yet know that, as one of them, magnetism, operates,geometricaldesignatonceappears.Whenneedlesarepierceduprightincorks,eachneedlemadeintoamagnetwithanorthandsouthpole,andwhenthecorksareallowedfreelytofloatinwater,andwhenoverthefloatingneedlesthereisheldapowerfulelectro-magnet,theresultisshowninFig.122.

When only one needle floats, it comes directly under the magnet; on theintroductionofasecondcork,thetwocorksrangethemselvessidebyside;threeformatriangle;fourasquare;fiveapentagon;sixapentagonwithaneedleatitscenter.Theexperimenthasbeencarriedto52needles;with51,thecirclesareof6,11,14and19,withoneneedleinthemiddle.With52needles,thecirclesarethe same, but instead of one needle, two form the nucleus round which thecircles are grouped. Why do the magnets arrange themselves in thesegeometricaldesigns?Becausesotoactis“God’splan”formagnetism.

For,everythinghasworktodo,mappedoutforitinthatPlan.Evenatthisverybeginningofphysicalforces,“number”andgeometrycomeintoplay.ItwasthisthatPythagorastaughtwhenhesaidthattheuniverseisconstructedaccordingto

“number”.Everywherewelook,ageometricaldesignappears.Andasrhythminstructureandmovementmeansmusic,theuniversemakesmusicasitworksatits tasks. The electrons make waves as they rush through the ether; but theirnotesare scarcelywithin theaudibilityof theaverageclairaudientear.But thenotewhich theEarthmakes as it circles theSun, pushing itsway through theether,andtheharmoniesofthatnote,canbeheard46.Eachvisibleandinvisibleplanethas itsnote,and the“musicof thespheres” isnota fantasy,butamostsoberverity.

Letuslookforamomentnowattheultimatephysicalatom(Fig.123).

It isa livingheart,pulsatingwithenergy;with its three thickerwhorlsand theseventhinner,itisalsoatransformer;eachwhorlismadeupofsevenordersofspirillae.Spiralsandspirillaeareitsbasisorstructure;theatomisfashionedtodoawork.

“Inthethreewhorlsflowcurrentsofdifferentelectricities, thesevenvibrateinresponsetoetheric-wavesofallkinds—tosound,light,heat,etc.;theyshowtheseven colors of the spectrum; give out the seven sounds of the natural scale;respond in a variety of ways to physical vibration—flashing, surging, pulsingbodies,theymoveincessantly,inconceivablybeautifulandbrilliant.

“The atomhas—asobserved so far—three propermotions, i.e.,motions of itsown,independentofanyimposedonitfromoutside.Itturnsincessantlyuponitsownaxis,spinninglikeatop;itdescribesasmallcirclewithitsaxis,asthoughtheaxisofthespinningtopmovedinasmallcircle;ithasaregularpulsation,acontraction and expansion, like the pulsation of the heart. When a force isbroughttobearuponit,itdancesupanddown,flingsitselfwildlyfromsidetoside, performs the most astonishing and rapid gyrations, but the threefundamentalmotionsincessantlypersist.Ifitbemadetovibrate,asawhole,atthe rate which gives anyone of the seven colors, the whorl belonging to thatcolorglowsoutbrilliantly.”47

Whyhas theatomthispeculiar shape,and thesemanymotionsand functions?Becausethatis“God’splan”fortheatom.OutofitstinylifetheLogosexpectsacooperation,andagebyagetheatomisbeingtrainedbyHisagentstoperformthatduty.Andwhenmenarewillingtodotheirdutytothefull, thentheatomandmankindwilljoininacommonworkwithaforcefulnessnotnowpossible.

Order, rhythmandbeautyaremoreevident toourmindswhenwe lookat theshapesofthechemicalelements48.Thefive“PlatonicSolids”(Fig.124)givetheaxesofstructureforalltheelements.VerilyGodgeometrizes,asHebuildsthebricksofmatteroutofwhichthesolarsystemistobemade.

WhyisCalciumatetrahedronandPhosphorusacube?BecauseitisGod’splan.ForeachelementhasitspartintheGreatPlan;eachgivestotheuniverseitsownrevelation of the nature of the Logos. Each is a mirror of the inexhaustiblefullnessof theDivineLife; each is achannel,both tobringdown toearth theenergiesofthatLife,asalsotoconductupwardsandinwardstoIttheresponsewhichnaturegives.

Whenwecometothemolecularworld,whothathaslookedatmineralshasnotnotedhowcrystalscarryoutgeometricaldesigntoperfection?Theprecisionoftheiranglesisoftenmoreperfectthancanbeachievedbythemostaccurateofman-made measuring tools. After building angular solids, exquisite forsymmetry and beauty, the mineral life next fashions out of them solids with

curves; one can but perennially marvel at the ingenuity of the mineral, as itarrangestinycrystalsofquartzandothermineralstomakespirals(Fig.125).

ThelifeactivitiesofthemineralkingdomareaglorificationoftheDivineMindwhich thinks in “numbers”, and ever shapes the combinations of the elementsintoformsoforder,rhythmandbeauty.EachmineralcarriesoutGod’splanforit,andthecrystalworldisamirrorofthosegeometricallawsoftheDivineMindwhichtheartistsensesandthemathematiciandeduces.

As the life of the Logos expresses itself in more pliant forms of matter, therhythmandthemusicbecomeevermorecomplexwitheachhigherstage.Eachplantisbuiltrhythmically,theplaceofleafontwig,andbranchonstem,beingfixedbylawsofgeometryanddesign.Whenwelookattheflowers,theneachflower, built as it is according to “number”, is as a chord in a great musicaloctave.Considerthearrangementofsepalsandpetals,ofstamensandovaries,inanyflower,andthegeometryoftheminerallifereappearsinnewvariationsandcombinations at the next stage as the vegetable group-soul; surely Godgeometrizes as He builds the four types of Fig.126, the Loosestrifes, Gourds,BoragewortsandGeraniums.

Andwhenwecome to the lifeof theanimalkingdom,howexquisite isGod’sgeometry in the shell of the Nautilus pompilius (Fig. 127), and in that ofSolarium(Fig.128).

Beauty is thereclear toourgaze;butwhatof the lawsofmathematics in theircurves, and ofmechanics in themoulding of their chambers? In theNautilus,SurelyaGrandGeometricianisvisiblyatwork,andHisMindisfullofrhythmandmelody.

Inallthemyriadsofcreaturesoftheanimalkingdom,Godgeometrizesasintheplantandthemineral.ButHisgeometryislessevident,thoughthemovementof

everymuscleillustrateslawsofrhythmicmotion,andahigherbeautyexistsintheanimalthaninplantormineral.Graceoflineandlimbandmovement,withacomplexity of rhythm difficult to analyze, characterizes all the forms of theanimalworld.IneachanimalGodgeometrizes,andteachesitsdutyinHisplan.

So“God’splan,which”isEvolution”, isworkedout ineachorderofcreation,fromtheatomtotheanimal.AndwhentheanimallifeindividualizestobecomethehabitationofaMonad,aSonofGodgoneforthtorealizehisDivinity,thenthewholelifeofman,didhebutknowhowtoliveit,canbecomeoneharmonyofthoughtandfeelingandaction,bodyingforth,inworldsvisibleandinvisible,formafterformofbeauty.Everyatomandcellinhisvehiclesthenspringforthtogivetheirloveoforder,rhythmandbeauty,tomakehislifeasamelodyintheeternalsymphonyof theLogos.For,wemakemusicwhereverwego,withallour bodies—physical, astral, mental and causal; either we amplify the greatchordssoundedbytheLogos,andweaveoutofthemnewmelodiesofourown,orwemar themusic of nature, and introduce discordswhich reverberate andcauseconfusioninthemelodieswhichothers,morenoblethanwe,aretryingtoweave.

God’splanformenistounfoldtheirlatentDivinity.Forthat,theLogossendsusforthfromHimselftoliveourseparatelives,eachboundonawheelofbirthanddeath and birth again; and each life is as a day in the School ofEternalLife.There,welearn,taughtbyHisMessengers,whatarethelessonsnecessaryforusinordertopassfromalowerclasstoahigher(Fig.129).

God’s plan for the savage is selfishness,with an ever-insistent “Iwant it”, inorder to strengthen the center of his individuality.But aftermany lives as thesavage, God’s plan for him changes, and “We”, not “I”, becomes slowly thelessonwhichhemustlearn;hemustnowcooperatewiththeLogosbysharing,not by asking for himself alone. “Let us share it” becomes his creed as thecitizenofacommunity.Comesnext the laterstage,whenhemustbespiritual,havingasthekeynoteofhislifeadesiretosharetheburdensofothers.“Iwillhelp you” is theway thatGod’s plan speaks to the heart of theman rising tospirituality.

God’s plan for the Disciple is that he shall live in the name of his Master,becomingdaybydayanoblerwardenandasaintlieralmonerof theblessingswhichhisMastercreatesfortheworld.Atthelaststageofall,thatoftheMasterof the Wisdom, God’s plan is fully achieved, and the soul lives in anindescribableunityofmanandGod.“Iseeknotmineownwill,butthewilloftheFather,”isthenthemotiveofeveryaction.Ashealonecanknow,andnonebelowthelevelofhisachievement;herealizeswhattheSagesmeantwhentheysaid, “I am theSelf”, andwhatChristmeantwhenHeproclaimed, “I andmyFatherareone“.

And this wonder, which is each moment’s experience for the Master of theWisdom,isGod’splanforallmen,thesavageandthecivilized,thespiritualandtheDisciple.AndHewillfulfilitinHisowngoodtime,winningthecooperationof all, of the sinner as of the saint. For that purpose alone has He sacrificedHimself tofashionauniverseforourhabitationandgrowth.WhereHeworks,nofailure ispossible,andto joinHiminHisworkis tofeeldeathlessnessandmastery.

God’splanisnot,asitsometimesseemstooureyes,aroundofwearinessandpain, an implacable Fate which wrings out of man many griefs for each joywhichhe creates for himself.To thebabewho tries towalk, there is stress oflimbandanxietyofmindashemakeshis firststeps;but, ifamother’s joyousfaceand laughingeyes arebeforehim to encouragehim, the effortofbody islittle,comparedtothefinalblissinherlovingarms.Soisitwithalllife.If,fromoneangle,evolutionseemsanunendingstress,fromanotheritisanexhilaratingplay. It is the great Game which the Logos plays with us, and the laws ofRighteousnessaretherulesofthegame.

Thejoyousnesswhichistheundercurrentofnature’sprocessesmustbesensedbyeachforhimself,outofhisownexperiences.Itmaytakemanyalifebeforehecansay, inspiteofall thathehassuffered, thatLoveis thefulfillingbf theLaw;buthisevolutionisincompletetillheknowsforhimselfthattheheartofthings is indeed Love and Joy, and that all the tragedy of evolution is only apassingphase.

Oneofthemysteryteachingsofthepastisthattheuniverseisatplaywhileitisatwork.Hinduismteachesthatallmanifestationisthe“danceofShiva”,andthesamedoctrinewastaughtintheEleusinianMysteries.OneoftheexperiencesoftheinitiatedinthoseMysterieswastofeelwhatwasinthe“sacredbasket”;thesewerethe“playthings”ofDionysus,theDivineChild.Traditionreportsthattheywere the dice, the spinning-top, the ball, and the mirror. What they were inreality,tiehaveinFig.130.

The“dice”werethefivePlatonicSolids,whichgivetheaxesforthegrowthofthe chemical elements and crystals; the “top” was a model of the ultimatephysical atom; the “ball”was amodel of theEarth, and the “mirror”was thesymbolof thesevenplanesonwhicharereflectedwhat theLogosfashionsonhigh. Thesewere the “play-things” of the Logos as theDivine Child and theinitiatesatEleusiswere taught tosensebeneath theprocessesofnatureadeepunder-currentofjoy.

AlltheprinciplesofTheosophy,whichthisworkhassofartriedtoexplain,aresummedupinournextfigure,Fig.131.

Thefirstandthelastmaximsgivethecluetowhatishappeningaroundus,thatall is consciousness, theDivine Consciousness itself, and none less; and that,wherever the Divine: Manifestation reveals itself there is neither “less” nor“more”.WhereHeis,thereHeisinHisPerfection.

WehavesofarconsideredGod’splanlargelyfromthestandpointofman,astheindividualandastheunit,andonlyhereandtheregainedaglimpseofthePlaninitslargeraspect.

There remains only to attempt to see the Plan as awhole.Couldwe but stepoutsidethelimitsoftheplanesofourglobe,thenshouldweseetheworkoftheLogosfortheSolarSystemasawhole.

ThosewhoareabletoseethatworkinitsentiretysaythattheappearanceoftheSolarSystem fromhighplanes is that of awonderful cosmicFlower ofmanypetalsandcolors,withagreatgoldenpistilwhichistheSun,astheheartoftheFlower (see frontispiece, Fig.132.)49 Each of the seven Planetary Logoipermeates the whole system with His influences, but the matter especially

affected by one type of those influences forms a great ellipsoid in space, themajorfocusofwhichistheSun,andtheminorfocustheplanetofthePlanetaryLogos.Theseellipsoidsofinfluencearechangingintheirrelationtoeachother,andthosechangesarepartlyindicatedbythechangingpositionsofthephysicalplanets.SotheSolarSystem,astheLogosandHissevengreatAssistantswhoworkwithHim,appearsasagreatFlowerofmanypetals,withagreat,glowing,goldenheartatitscenter.50

Whoso can attain to this vision of the work of the Logos can never have ashadowofdoubtastoHisLoveandMightandBeauty.EachvisionoftheTruth,throughreligionorphilosophy, throughscienceorart,or throughphilanthropyandservice,leadsthesoulonestepnearertothegoal,whichis,toliveandmoveandhavehisbeing,infullconsciousness,andwithexceedingjoy,intheLogosofourSolarSystem.

CONCLUSION

Inaswiftsurvey,wehaveseenwhattheAncientWisdomsaysofmanandhisdestiny, of Nature and her message, and of God and His Work. There is nophilosophytoequalTheosophyinitsidealism,initshopefulness,andinitsall-embracing tenderness. It reveals to the intellect so stupendous a panorama oflife’sactivities, inworldsvisibleand invisible, that themindofman isat firststupefied,andthentransportedwithitsentrancingbeauty.Aboveall,theAncientWisdom does not speculate, but speaks with authority. “These are the eternalfactsofNature”,saytheTeachersoftheWisdom,andTheyaskustolivealifeof Idealism, because no other life is possible for reasonablemen andwomenwhodesiretoactinthelightofTruth,andnotundertheswayoferror.Wellmaythe inquirer intoTheosophyask,confrontedwith itsseemingdogmatism:HowcanIknowformyselfthatallthisistrue?

Knowledgeisofmanykinds—whatthesensesreport,whatthemindsees,whattheheartconceives,andwhattheintuitionknows.Oneorotherofthese,orall,are for aman avenues toTruth, according to his temperament.We are not allalike, and, the value to each of us of the world and its happenings variesaccordingtowhatweseekfromlife.Asisthefabricofaman’smindandheart,soishisvisionoflife.

Butwhilewhatisafacttoonemanmayperhapsbeanillusiontoanother,thereisone testofTruthwhich is thesameforall.Truthiswhatcompels.Afactofnature,whenonceviewedhonestlyandclearly,thereafterdrawsallone’snaturetoactinaccordancewithit;itscompulsionmaybeswiftorslow,butsuchistheeffectonthemindoftheThing-that-is,thatthemindcanneverfreeitselffromthepowerof thatThing.Furthermore, ifwhat themindhasseen isavisionofTruth and not an illusion, the vision grows day by day, ever revealing largerhorizons.Doubtsmay surge up one after another, but amillion doubts cannotinvalidate one truth. The soul who thinks that he has grasped the essence ofTruthcanpatientlyfighton,slayingonebyonethehostsofdoubtsastheyarise.

If thesemany truths of Theosophy are facts in nature, then in time they willprove themselves so to everyone. Theymust sooner or later be built into thefabricofeveryman’sthinking,ifamanistothinktrulyinaccordancewithallfacts.Theycanbeseen,onebyone,asthefacultiesnecessaryfortheirsightaredeveloped; but to see all, from the atom at its work to the solar system as itcarriesouttheWilloftheLogos,isnotforeveryoneofus,atourpresentstageoflimitation.Asaman’sconsciousnessgrows,andfacultyafterfacultyisadded,moreandmorefactswillbeseen.Onebyone,eachfact,whichisatfirstmerelybelievedin,willbeseenwithdirectvision,andrelieduponwithanunassailablecertainty.Toallwill come thisdirectvision;but the fullvision in its splendorwillcomeonlywhenthesoulbecomestheMasteroftheWisdom.

Till thatday,wecanat leasteachact in the lightof thevisionofTruthwhicheachhas.Ifwewillonlyrealizethatnotonlythefivesensesandthemindaretheavenuesofsight,butalsotheaspirations,theimagination,ourrefinedlovesand our spirit of sacrifice, then Truth will pour into our natures from manyavenueswhicharenowbarredbyus.Lifeisagreaterthingthancanbeknownbymerelyoneinstrumentofcognition,themind;themindisausefulinstrumenttorecord,butitisaverylimitingonetogiveusvision.

Thereisnosurerwayfortheinquirer,ifhedesirestoproveonebyonethetruthsof Theosophy, than to put into practice one great truth which he can readilyaccept. It is the truth of Brotherhood. Let aman remember that another is ashimself,thatthesamelifeofnatureflowsinboth,thatwhatishardforhimselfishardfortheothertoo;lethim,lookingathisneighbour,say,“Thisismyself,inahithertounknownaspectofme”;lethimstudywithpatiencethismysteriouspartofhimselfthatexistsoutsideofhim;thenlethimseeif,ashegrowsincharity

and long-suffering,he isnotmysteriously impelled todiscoveraboutmanandGod truths of whose existence he was not aware. Loving action is DivineWisdomatworkandwhosoactslovinglymustinevitablycometotheWisdom.

ThisisthesurestwaytoprovethatthetruthsofTheosophyarerealities,andnotthebeautifulcreationsofsomephilosopher’sbrain.Ifamancannotbelieveinallthe teachingsofTheosophy, lethimat leastactasTheosophy teaches.Hewillthenfind that theword“Theosophy”describesawonderfulReality.Andwhenheknows,witheveryfiberofhisbeing,andineachmomentoftime,thatallthathe is—his highest love and sacrifice, his fullest faith and offering—is thatReality in him, and that apart from It he has no existence, then he will findwithinhimselfaninstrumentofknowledgebymeansofwhichhecandiscoverallforhimself.ForGod’sTruthiswithinaman’sownnature;itisnotanutterstrangertohim,butevertheCompanionofhisdreams.

BecausemanisDivine,theWisdomishisheritage.Nay,notWisdomalone,butPower also—power to dare, to suffer, and to conquer. This sense of Victory,whichbringswith it all joy, is thegiftwhich theAncientWisdomgives toallwhocherishher.

May14,1921

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Incontinuationofmyobligationtovarioussourcesforillustrations,Ihavetoadd the following, with sincere thanks: Fig. 98 to the late C. F. Bragdon;Fig.101 to The Evening Post, Wellington, New Zealand; Fig. 103 toArchitectureofAthensbyStuartandRevett;Fig.104toTheCurvesofLifebyT.A.Cook;Fig.106toIllustratedLondonNews;Fig.107toArtFormsinNaturebyKarlBlossfeldt;Fig.108totheAustralianMuseum,Sydney;Fig.109toTiereinSchonenBildrenbyK.R.Langewische;Fig.113toVitadellePiantebyR.H.France;Fig.105toTheProtozoabyG.N.Calkins;Fig.110tothefamousJapanesepainterChiuraoftheperiodoftheShogunYoritomo.

Notes[←1]

1HerbertSpencer,Life,I,page147

[←2]These four individuals,A,B,CandD,are respectively thecharacter-egos.Sirius,Orion,AlcyoneandEratoof“TheLivesofAlcyone”.SiriusandAlcyonedonot,strictlyspeaking,belonganymoretoclass3ofFig.29,sincetheyarenow“onthePath”.Butastheyentered“thePath”onlyrecently—inthecaseofSirius,inhisGreekincarnation,524B.C.,andinthecaseofAlcyone,inA.D.1910—theirlivesareprobablytypicalofclass3.

[←3]In the diagram, the black signs represent pains, griefs and worries respectively, and the whitesymbolizeideals,inspirations,joysandcomforts.SeeFig.36.

[←4]In1914,whenIwrote,theword“gene”hadnotbeeninventedasasubstituteforBateson’s“factors”whatarenowtermed“genes”.

[←5]Thefirstcelloftheembryo,madebytheunionofthetwogerm-cellscontributedbytheparents.

[←6]Iknowthatphysics todayhasdiscardedtheexistenceof theaether,sincethephenomenonof lightcanbeexplainedwithoutanyneedtopostulateamediuminwhichitmoves.Allthesametheetherexists,forIseeit.

[←7]Ireferhereonlytothoseclairvoyantswhoseeobjectively,thatis,theobjectisseeninfrontofthem,and apart from them, just as in the case of physical sight. Many clairvoyants, however,” see”subjectively,thatis,bymentalimpressionsreceivedwhichcreateimagesorpictures.

[←8]cáigiốnghoặcđượccholàmgiốngai/cáigì;vậtthaythếgiảtạo

[←9]ListofchemicalelementsasgivenintheInternationalAtomicWeightsTableof1937:Aluminium,Antimony, Argon, Arsenic, Barium, Beryllium, Bismuth, Boron, Bromine, Cadmium, Calcium,Carbon,Caerium,Cesium,Chlorine,Chromium,Cobalt,Columbium,Copper,Dysprosium,Erbium,Europium, Fluorine, Gadolinium, Gallium, Germanium, Gold, Hagnium, Helium, Holmium,Hydrogen, Indium, Iodine, Iridium, Iron, Krypton, Lanthanum, Lead, Lithium, Lutecium;Magnesium, Manganese, Mercury, Molybdenum, Neodymium, Neon, Nickel, Nitrogen, Osmium,Oxygen, Palladium, Phosphorus, Platinum, Potassium, Praseodymium, Protoactinium, Radium,

Radon,Rhenium,Rhodium,Rubidium,Ruthenium,Samarium,Scandium,Selenium,Silicon,Silver,Sodium, Strontium, Sulphur, Tantalum, Tellurium, Terbium, Thal- lium, Thorium, Thulium, Tin,Titanium,Tungsten,Uranium,Vanadium,Xenon,Ytterbium,Yttrium,Zinc,Zirconium.

[←10]Thewords“atomic”and“atom“arehereusedintheordinarychemicalsense,notinthatof“OccultChemistry”.

[←11]Asdiscovered by clairvoyant investigation byAnnieBesant andC.W.Leadbeater. See the book,OccultChemistry.

[←12]InquotingfromCrookes’s lectureat theRoyal Institution, Ihave leftouthereand theresentencesandparagraphsofasomewhattechnicalnature.

[←13]Theword“atom”isusedhenceforthintheTheosophicalsense.

[←14]Thedetailsofthissubjectof“occultchemistry”willbefoundinOccultChemistrybyAnnieBesantandC.W.Leadbeater.

[←15]OccultChemistry,page7ofFirstEdition

[←16]Tetrahedron,4, surfaces;Hexahedron,orCube,6surfaces;Octahedron,8surfaces;Dodecahedron,12surfaces;Icosahedron,20surfaces.

[←17]Thedodecahedronalsoappearsinthe“ring”seriesofcarboncompoundslikenapthalene,anthracene,etc.,with12funnelspointingtothe12surfacesofthedodecahedron.

[←18]Aslaterthiselementofweight195.22wassaidtobediscoveredinCanada,afewCanadianchemistsgaveitthenameof“Canadium”.Butthediscoveryhasnotbeenconfirmed.

[←19]Ifitisdesiredtogetthe“atomicweight”intermsofOxygen=16,asisdonenowinChemistry,thedivisorwillhavetobemade18.144.

[←20]ThereisanisotopeofChlorinewith667atoms,andweight37.05.

[←21]Firstedition,1908;secondedition,1919;thirdedition,1951.French,ItalianandGermantranslationsofthisworkhaveappeared.

[←22]Geddes,ChaptersinModemBotany,pp.8-IO.

[←23]LaySermons,AddressesandReveries,Chapter,“TheOriginofSpecies”.

[←24]Intheliteralsenseoftheword,i.e”“enteringintoflesh”,intophysicallifeforthefirsttime.CompareintheChristianGospel:EtVerbumcarofactumest—“AndtheWordwasmadeflesh.”

[←25]Perhapstheaeroplane.

[←26]InthethirdeditionofOccultChemistry.

[←27]SeealsoFig.127,theshellofthechamberedNautiluspompilius.

[←28]TheLightofAsia,BookVIII.

[←29]Bateson,PresidentialAddress,BritishAssociation,1914.

[←30]ByH.P.Blavatsky.

[←31]TheLightofAsia,BookVIII.

[←32]The first, second, third and fourth Initiationswill be dealtwith in the nextChapter, “ThePath ofDiscipleship”.

[←33]Thereare,however,AdeptsonboththeFirstandSecondRayswhohavetakentheSeventhInitiation,andwhodonotholdtheofficesofManuorBodhisattva,butdootherworkintheGreatPlan.

[←34]Forfurtherinformation,seeTheMastersandthePath,byC.W.Leadbeater.

[←35]LightonthePath

[←36]Sanskrit:Sat-kaya-drishti

[←37]Sanskrit:Vichikitsa.

[←38]Sanskrit:Sh£la-vrata-paramarsha

[←39]ThesefivestagesonthePathprobablycorrespondtothefivestagesinHinduism,knownas:

1.Kutichaka,

2.Bahudaka,

3.Hamsa,

4.Paramahamsa,

5.Atita.

IntheFestivalsof theChristianChurch, thefiveInitiationsaresymbolizedinthelife-storyof theChristbyfivegreatFestivals,commemorating

(1)theVirginBirth,

(2)theBaptism,

(3)theTransfiguration,

(4)theCrucifixionandtheResurrection,and

(5)AscensionandDescentoftheHolyGhost.

(SeeTheHiddenSideofChristianFestivals,byC.W.Leadbeater.)

[←40]LightonthePath,BookVIII.

[←41]St.Paul,Ephesians,iv,3.

[←42]TheVoiceoftheSilence,byH.P.Blavatsky

[←43]LightonthePath

[←44]TheLightofAsia,BookVIII.

[←45]SeeFig.3.

[←46]Icantestifytotheexistenceofsomeofthesenotesbycontinuouspersonalexperiencenightandday.—C.J.

[←47]OccultChemistry,byAnnieBesantandC.W.Leadbeater

[←48]SeeChapterX,“TheEvolutionofMatterandForce”

[←49]Itisimpossibletodomorethanbarelysuggestthisvisioninadiagram.Theplanetscannotbeplacedtoatruescaleinthesmalldiagram.ThecolorsadoptedarenottheancienttraditionalcolorsoftheSevenPlanetaryLogoi,butsimplythesevencolorsofthesolarspectrumtakeninorder.ThecolorsusedinAncientChaldeaaredescribedinMan:Whence,HowandWhither,byAnnieBesantandC.W.Leadbeater,Chap.XIII.

[←50]SeeThe InnerLife, by C.W. Leadbeater, Vol. I, under “Symbology” [starting with the sentence,“Anothersymbolisthatofthelotus...],forafullerdescription.