Theos-Talk Archives (September 1996 Message tl00090)

Keith (no actually HPB)  :)
>4. VIRAGA, indifference to pleasure and to pain, illusion
>conquered, truth alone perceived.

Ann:
This seemed to me to relate to something you posted earlier, that one who is
enlightened sees the world as manifestations of energy.  If one were to view
pleasure and pain as manifestations of energy, as simply different types of
tests on the game board of life, neither to be sought nor avoided, then one
would not identify with either.

It says to me that by lifting one's consciousness up another notch, perhaps to
the level of the soul, then one's reactions and behavior to the illusory
opposites would be changed.  One would truly see things as they are and thus,
conquer the illusion of the physical world.

-Ann E. Bermingham

Keith:

This is a very EASTERN -ASCETIC - MAHAYANA - ELITIE - MONASTIC (I think that
enough), solution.  The yogis, non-teaching holy men, set for hours beyond the
desirs of the world.  They do not even atively beg, but are given food, which
they eat little.  They sit in the hot a cold unmoved by either wearing only
loinclothes.  The householder or common people see them as a link to the divine
world and hope for luck and favor from the Hindu gods by being in bakti-yoga
with the ascetic who is in bakti-yoga to the inner God.

I think I might have started to do this in another life, but I wasn't cut out
for it so I incarnated in the West (a joke!)  I think the temporary paralyzation
of the lower bodies by a negative manifestation of the primary function of that
body (such as rational thought, desire, logic) is what is being talked about for
those of us in the West (including HPB).  The middle -path of not to much this
or that is probably the long term result of this type of desireless ness
combined with active altruism (madyamika).

You seem to be implying a kind of imitation Cristi or identification with the
Master, in the sense that we look down on earth through the eyes of a Higher
Self and see things from a Cosmic perspective.  I think we get this in
meditation, don't you?

I guess a spiritual practice along these lines would be to walk in the steps of
the Master, see with his eyes, hear with her ears, touch with his hands, think
with her thoughts and desire and will with humanitatian benevolence.  This may
be off the subject, but do you Ann, or anyone know much about the Hipocratic
oath.  Isn't it heavily spiritual in evoking healing powers from a higher level
for the unselfish healing of others?  If so
it may be quite like the Bodisattva vow of passing to the other shore of
liberation, but helping others to cross.
Namaste
Keith Price