Theos-Talk Archives (January 1997 Message tl00264)

Tom and John wrote:

>>>>>Anything that has identity is temporary.  Only the homogeneous substance
>>>>>that makes up what has identity is eternal.  I believe it was in "The Key
>>>>>to Theosophy" that HPB said that "Atman is no individual property of any
>>>>>human being."

>>>>I don't believe there is an unchangeable real me.  Individuality is a
>>>>temporary illusion.  Whatever had a beginning must have an end.
>>
>>>Can you say for sure that you had a beginning?  And can you prove this?  
>>>Mind you I am not saying of the physical sense, but everything as one.  
>>>Can you prove that everything that makes up *you* had a beginning? Anything 
>>that has identity is temporary.  Only the homogeneous substancethat makes up 
>>what has identity is eternal.  I believe it was in "The Keyto Theosophy" 
>>that HPB said that "Atman is no individual property of anyhuman being."

>But what of Buddhi?  Isn't that eternal as well?

I believe you're both a little right.

Tom, you're statements relating to Atman (still a conditioned "form",
albeit so fine as to be considered universally "spiritual") and
unchangeable Reality (The Boundless), I would agree with. But there is
still an important point to understand.

Atman and it's vehicle Buddhi, are said to last for a kosmic
Maha-manvantara. In that sense they have a "limited" duration (cycling
in and out of Kosmic pralaya) and because of that are not technically
Absolute. (The old Being and Non-Being pair)

The re-imbodying Ego that resides in the Causal Body is relatively
immortal compared to the incarnate human personality. It was created at
the monad's moment of individualization into the human kingdom and lasts
(as it develops) for the duration of the monad's journey through the
human experience. This is still a very, very long time relatively
speaking. In that sense, it is a more "Real" and "enduring" individual
you than your mere personality which, although originating in each
instance from it's ray, lasts for only one lifetime.

It's our task in this human kingdom to become fully conscious in and
move our focus of personal identity into rapport (and ultimately
identity) with the reimbodying Ego. That's why we cycle through
incarnations and why there is a distinction made between the incarnating
part of the higher Ego (which forms a personality) and the same Ego in
relative fullness on it's own plane.

In the due course of time, after the appropriate natural "initiations",
the Causal Ego fully matures. Boom! We're out of the human kingdom and
onto the next, living fully at the Causal level. No more need to
incarnate as personalities, although the power to do so at will (i.e.,
produce usable vehicles for contact and work on the lower planes)
remains. We become ourselves then, Mahatmas.

At an even farther point in time (but still within the Maha-manvantara),
another natural "initiation" is reached where even the causal ego is
dropped and identity moves up again.

On and on, until the great cosmic play has reached it's fruition and the
whole universe sleeps it's long pralaya, only to rewaken and start time
all over again.

The question I ask is not what is "real", but rather "Is the activity of
your personal lifetime helping you to know and respect your origin?"

Mark
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