Theos-Talk Archives (April 1996 Message tl00935)

               VIEW OF THE CHOHAN ON THE T.S.

[This is a different version of the Chohan's letter than that published in
*Lucifer* and reprinted by ULT as "The Great Master's Letter". By the way,
I wrongly assumed the ULT version downloaded from the Theoslodge WWW site
had been accurately typed. Some of the blunders are important. In the
future I may fix it up and post it again. The following copy was made by
AP Sinnett, the recipient, and is less (or even not) edited than later
versions.. It is found in the chronological version of *The Mahatma
Letters*.]
***************************

Several good reasons given to K.H. by the Chohan why the T.S.
should be a Brotherhood of Humanity. For the Simla Eclectic T.S.
________________

  The doctrine we promulgate being the only true one, must,
supported by such evidence as we are preparing to give become
ultimately triumphant as every other truth. Yet it is absolutely
necessary to inculcate it gradually enforcing its theories,
unimpeachable facts for those who know, with direct inferences,
deducted from and corroborated by the evidence furnished by modern
exact science. That is why Col. H.S.O., who works to revive
Buddhism may be regarded as one who labours in the true path of
Theosophy, far more than any other man who chooses as his goal the
gratification of his own ardent aspirations for occult knowledge.
Buddhism stripped of its superstitions is eternal truth, and he who
strives for the latter is striving for Theos-sophia, Divine Wisdom,
which is a synonym of truth.
  For our doctrines to practically react on the so called moral
code or the ideas of truthfulness, purity, self-denial, charity,
etc., we have to preach and popularize a knowledge of theosophy. It
is not the individual and determined purpose of attaining oneself
Nirvana (the culmination of all knowledge and absolute wisdom)
which is, after all only an exalted and glorious *selfishness,* but
the self-sacrificing pursuit of the best means to lead on the right
path our neighbour, to cause as many of our fellow-creatures as we
possibly can to benefit by it, which constitutes the true
Theosophist.

  The intellectual portions of mankind seems to be fast dividing
into two classes, the one unconsciously preparing for itself long
periods of temporary annihilation or states of non-consciousness,
owing to the deliberate surrender of their intellect, its
imprisonment in the narrow grooves of bigotry and superstition, a
process which cannot fail to lead to the utter deformation of the
intellectual principle; the other unrestrainedly indulging its
animal propensities with the deliberate intention of *submitting*
to annihilation pure and simple in case of failure, and to
millenniums of degradation after physical dissolution. Those
"intellectual classes," reacting upon the ignorant masses which
they attract, and which look up to them as noble and fit examples
to follow, degrade and morally ruin those they ought to protect and
guide. Between degrading superstition and still more degrading
brutal materialism, the white dove of truth has hardly room where
to rest her weary unwelcome foot....

  It's time that Theosophy should enter the arena. The sons of
Theosophists are more likely to become in their turn Theosophists
than anything else. No messenger of the truth, no prophet, has ever
achieved during his life time a complete triumph--not even Buddha;
The Theosophical Society was chosen as the corner stone, the
foundation of the future religion of humanity. To achieve the
proposed object, a greater, wiser, and especially a more benevolent
intermingling of the high and the low, of the alpha and the omega
of society, was determined upon. The white race must be the first
to stretch out the hand of fellowship to the dark nations, to call
the poor despised "nigger" brothers. This prospect may not smile to
all. He is no Theosophist who objects to this principle.

  In view of the ever increasing triumph, and at the same time
misuse, of free-thought and *liberty* (the Universal reign of
Satan, Eliphas Levi would have called it), how is the combative
*natural* instinct of man to be restrained from inflicting hitherto
unheard of cruelties and enormities, tyranny, injustice, etc., if
not through the soothing influence of a brotherhood, and of the
practical application of Buddha's esoteric doctrines?

  For as everyone knows, total emancipation from authority of the
one all pervading power or law called God by the Theists -- Buddha,
Divine Wisdom and Enlightenment or Theosophy by the philosophers of
all ages -- means also the emancipation from that of human law.
Once unfettered [and] delivered from their deadweight of dogmatic
interpretations, personal names, anthropomorphic conceptions and
salaried priests, the fundamental doctrines of all religions will
be proved identical in their esoteric meaning. Osiris, Chrishna,
Buddha, Christ, will be shown as different means for one and [the]
same royal highway to final bliss, *Nirvana.*

  Mystical Christianity, that is to say that Christianity which
teaches *self* redemption through one's own *seventh* principle --
the liberated Paraatma (Augoeides) called by the one Christ, by
others Buddha, and equivalent to regeneration, or rebirth in spirit
-- will be found just the same truth as the Nirvana of mystical
Buddhism. All of us have to get rid of our own Ego, the illusory
apparent *self*, to recognize our true self in a transcendental
divine life. But if we would not be selfish we must strive to make
other people see that truth, to recognize the reality of that
transcendental self, the Buddh, the Christ or God of every
preacher. This is why even exoteric Buddhism is the surest path to
lead men toward the one esoteric truth. As we find the world now,
whether Christian, Mussulman, or Pagan, justice is disregarded, and
honour and mercy both flung to the winds.

  In a word, how, since the main objects of the T.S. are
misinterpreted by those who are most willing to serve us
*personally*, are we to deal with the rest of mankind, with that
curse known as the "struggle for life," which is the real and most
prolific parent of most woes and sorrows and of all crimes? Why has
that struggle become the almost universal scheme of the universe?
We answer, because no religion, with the exception of Buddhism has
hitherto taught a practical contempt for this earthly life, while
each of them, always with that one solitary exception, has through
its hells and damnations inculcated the greatest dread of death.
Therefore do we find that struggle for life raging most fiercely in
Christian countries, most prevalent in Europe and America. It
weakens in the Pagan lands, and is nearly unknown among Buddhist
populations. (In China during famine, and where the masses are most
ignorant of their own or of any religion, it was remarked that
those mothers who devoured their children belonged to localities
where there were the most of Christian missionaries to be found.
Where there were none and where the Bonzes alone had the field the
population died with the utmost indifference.) Teach the people to
see that life on this earth even the happiest is but a burden and
an illusion, that it is but our own *Karma,* the cause producing
the effect, that is our own judge, our Saviour in future lives, and
the great struggle for life will soon lose its intensity. There are
no penitentiaries in Buddhist lands and crime is nearly unknown
among the Buddhist Tibetans. (The above is not addressed to you,
and has naught to do with the work of the Simla Eclectic Society.
It is meant only as an answer to the erroneous impression in Mr.
Hume's mind of the "Ceylon work" as no *theosophy.*)

  The world in general and Christendom especially, left for two
thousand years to the regime of a personal God as well as its
political and social systems based on that idea, has now proved a
failure. If the Theosophists say, we have nothing to do with all
this, the lower classes and the inferior races (those of India for
instance in the conception of the British) cannot concern us and
must manage as they can, what becomes of our fine professions of
benevolence, philanthropy, reform, etc.? Are these professions a
mockery? And if a mockery, can ours be the true path? Shall we
devote our selves to teaching a few Europeans fed on the fat of the
land, many of them loaded with the gifts of blind fortune, the
*rationale* of bell-ringing, of cup growing, of the spiritual
telephone and astral body formation, and leave the teeming millions
of the ignorant, of the poor and despised, the lowly and the
oppressed, to take care of themselves, and of their hereafter the
best they know how. Never. Perish rather the Theosophical Society
with both its hapless founders, than that we should permit it to
become no better than an academy of magic and a hall of occultism.
That *we* the devoted followers of that spirit incarnate of
absolute self sacrifice, of philanthropy, divine kindness, as of
all the highest virtues attainable on this earth of sorrow, the man
of men, Gautama Buddha, should ever allow the Theosophical Society
to represent the *embodiment of selfishness,* the refuge of the few
with no thought in them for the many, is a strange idea, my
brothers.

  Among the few glimpses obtained by Europeans of Tibet and its
mystical hierarchy of "perfect lamas," there is one which was
correctly understood and described. "The incarnations of the
Boddisatwa Padma Pani or Avalo-Kiteswara and of Tsong Kapa, that of
Amitabha, relinquish at their death the attainment of Buddhahood --
i.e., the *summum bonum* of bliss, and of individual *personal*
felicity -- that they might be born again and again for the benefit
of mankind." [Rhys Davids.] In other words, that they might be
again and again subjected to misery, imprisonment in flesh, and all
the sorrows of life, provided that by such a self sacrifice
repeated throughout long and weary centuries they might become the
means of securing salvation and bliss in the hereafter for a
handful of men chosen among but one of the many races of mankind.
And it is we, the humble disciples of these perfect lamas, who are
expected to allow the T.S. to drop its noblest title, that of the
Brotherhood of Humanity to become a simple school of psychology?
No, no, good brothers, you have been labouring under the mistake
too long already. Let us understand each other. He who does not
feel competent to grasp the noble idea sufficiently to work for it,
need not undertake a task too heavy for him. But there is hardly a
theosophist in the whole society unable to effectually help it by
correcting erroneous impressions of the outsiders, if not by
actually propagating himself the idea. Oh, for the noble and
unselfish man to help us *effectually* in India in that divine
task. All our knowledge past and present would not be sufficient to
repay him.... Having explained our views and aspirations I have but
a few words more to add.

  To be *true,* religion and philosophy must offer the solution of
every problem. That the world is in such a bad condition morally is
a conclusive evidence that none of its religions and philosophies,
those of the *civilised* races less than any other, have ever
possessed the *truth.* The right and logical explanations on the
subject of the problems of the great dual principles -- right and
wrong, good and evil, liberty and despotism, pain and pleasure,
egotism and altruism -- are as impossible to them now as they were
1881 years ago. They are as far from the solution as they were but,
---
  To these there must be somewhere a consistent solution, and if
our doctrines will show their competence to offer it, then the
world will be the first one to confess *that must* be the true
philosophy, the true religion, the true light, which gives truth
and nothing but the *truth.*

  An abridged version of the view of the Chohan on the T.S. from
his own words as given last night. My own letter, the answer to
yours, will shortly follow. K.H.
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--
Nicholas <> am455@lafn.org <> Los Angeles
"Morality is water that cleanses stains of wrongdoing; it is moonlight
cooling hot passions. As a snowy peak in the midst of men, its noble
presence peacefully unites all beings."  Je Tsongkhapa (1357-1419)