Theos-Talk Archives (August 1996 Message tl00299)

Max writes>
>I think there is no contradiction between these two views. According to
>a certain theory, there are actually two manifestations involved
>in human constitution and in some other things: First the spirit contacts
>the matter, and in such a way consciousness is born aided by a
>Manasaputra (this is what Patrick was talking about as Alice Bailey
>often uses the term Life as synonymous with 'spirit'), and
>then consciousness seeks the form expression, and generates a string of
>personalities (like beads on the sutratma) to get material experience
>(perhaps this is what Liesel referred to). This double relationship is
>reflected in the triad, spirit-soul-personality.
>

Richard Ihle writes>
I like a man who still has what it takes to jump into subjects like this.  I
continue to do so myself from time to time; however, I plan to quit
completely in the near future:  the deeper I try to delve into the possible
Eastern origins for HPB's version of cosmogenenesis, the bigger headache I
get.

Of the "six Orthodox Schools" in Hindu philosophy (the three most important
are Vedanta, Yoga, and Sankhya--I can't remember the other three), I have
more or less concluded that THE SECRET DOCTRINE is probably most compatible
with the "dualistic" Sankhya.  The general idea with this is that existing
UNCREATED from all eternity is the "material" ~Prakriti~ (Substance) on one
"side" and the "immaterial" Purusa (Undifferentiated Consciousness, "Self,"
"Soul,") on the other.  (Actually, I'm cheating a little by presenting it
this way, since I think the prevailing point of view is that there are plural
~Souls~.)

The interesting thing which contrasts somewhat with your above remarks is
that in Sankya, ~Spirit~ is already a component of Substance--i.e., already
included within the Prakriti side of things.  Indeed, it is often said that
it is the very fact of Spirit's ~material~ nature being so ultra-rarefied
that it is indistinguishable from Self (Undifferentiated Consciousness) that
we have the necessary "point of contamination" for all the forms of
Self-delusion etc.

So anyhow, looked at in this way it would not be so meaningful to say "spirit
contacts matter and thus produces consciousness"--since according to this
spirit is already matter, albeit the most unimaginably highest "gradient" of
it.

But--to save ibuprofen--at this point in thinking about these weighty things,
I find myself more and more these days relying on a coin-flipping strategy:
 heads I'll go with Alice Bailey; tails it's Kapila. . . .

Best wishes and

Godspeed,

Richard Ihle