Theos-Talk Archives (March 1995 Message tl00022)

Astrea said regarding my criticism of THE MAHATAMA LETTERS:
"Yeah, who are you anyway?"

Well who are the Mahatamas and who are any of us really? Isn't
this the question we are all asking? Many like Liesel feel
uncomfortable with heirarchies since they imply a better and a
less better, so to speak.  A network as a new paradigm may be
similar to Indra's web where everything vibrates everything else
and in the Buddhist sense (as I understand or misunderstand it)
that the web is the great MU the nothing that is NOT
Buddha-nature according to the Koan: Does a dog have Buddha
nature? MU (no!)

I think Nancy Cocker (welcome back Nancy, I don't remember
reading your posts before.  I just began in January) understands
what I am trying to get at:

Nancy writes:

MASTERING:

I can't find and have not read Keith's original post on the
Masters, but there were so many quotes from it, I can't help but
chime in.

We agree that the Spiritual Path is an inner one and this
interiorization process naturally touches on the subject of
privacy.  Many times issues which some folks are comfortable
discussing publicly, others feel are too private (too holy or too
personal or a host of other too's) to discuss casually.

For me, the subject of Masters is a sensitive one -- that is, I'm
still coming to terms with my relationship to it.  I'm still
exploring the contours, the shapes, depths, and heights.  This
requires times of bright light, times of twilight, and times of
no light, and I don't always care to have the process
scrutinized/contaminated by the sometimes harsh light of other's
opinions/prejudices.

And so I sympathize with Keith's feelings.  I dislike the wild
eyed look I sometimes see when people profess their interest in
the Masters.  I am equally uncomfortable (defensive mostly) by
the reaction of amused skeptics.  My discomfort is a clue about
where I need to continue working, and to that extent is a
personal dilemma, but to the extent that others feel a similar
discomfort, it may also be a group dilemma.

Considering the heated reactions people in this group have had to
postings on past leaders, I would say we indeed have a GROUP
DILEMMA.

Keith:

Thanks Nancy for this balanced analysis.

Yes, the identity crises may be on a group level, indeed.  How do
we identify or approach the Masters as a group? My answer would
be: with respect to all, that is to a new or unscholarly seeker,
like myself, a healthy scepticism may be in order, to the
advanced or devout student a respect for their acceptance of the
Masters as presented in the Mahatma letters.

It is a great idea to have a study group concerning the Mahatma
letters here on theos-l.  I could learn a lot and make a more
informed opinion, as no doubt could we all.  We should all be
open-minded in the largest sense, that is perhaps the greatest
tool of the person on the path along with discrimination, that
much maligned term (IMHO).

I picked up the ML just before I began posting.  I was hoping to
find a quote where it says that there is no evil.  I thought this
might be interesting along with the discussion regarding that
there is no God.  If there is no evil (ABSOLUTE EVIL) and no God
(ABSOLUTE GOOD), well what is there :) ?? A lot of relative
activity for sure, but not absolutes! This may beg the question.
I'm still driving on the right hand side of the road, even now!
:) But as I was looking I found a lot of references to the
"people of the day" from scientists (now outdated) to lodge
members and friends (unknown to me).  This is not a criticism,
just a fact.

DOES AN EDITTED STUDY VERSION OF THE MAHATMA LETTERS EXIST?.
Just a humble suggestion, but from laziness or whatever, I think
an editted version would be better for study although purists
would balk and I guess we would always debate about what might
have been "left out", so forget that idea.

More on the real subject of Masters:

1.  advanced teachers exist (Jesus and Buddha, Plato, Plotinus,
etc.)

2.  advanced teachers may appear at anytime

3.  advanced teachers appeared to HPB, Sinnet etc.

4.  advanced teachers live today

5.  we can become advanced teachers, if not in this lifetime,
then in lifetimes to come (what makes an advanced teacher and how
does one become one?)

The above are hypotheses ONLY (and a queston) which I suggest we
keep in mind if or when we study the Mahatma Letters.

Namste

Keith Price