Theos-Talk Archives (October 1997 Message tl00036)

"Therefore, Ananda, be ye lamps unto yourselves, be ye a 
refuge to yourselves. Betake yourselves to no external 
refuge. Hold fast to the Truth as a lamp; hold fast to 
the Truth as a refuge; look not for a refuge in
anyone beside yourselves. And those, Ananda, who either 
now or after I am dead shall be a lamp unto themselves, 
shall betake themselves to no external refuge, but holding 
fast to the Truth as their lamp, and holding
fast to the Truth as their refuge, shall not look 
for refuge to anyone beside themselves- it is they who 
shall reach the topmost Height."

				Buddha
KEITH PRICE:  I couldn't help but think of the "HERMIT" tarot card, carrying 
his lamp - alone - holding the truth close and searching for those to share 
his light.
But perhaps this isn't the only spiritual path.  Some may be doing the best 
they can with cards such as the TOWER, MOON and even the DEVIL,

We have all the archetypes within us, in the world and in our dreams.  This is 
the essence of Gnosticism for me, carried into the modern world most famously 
by C. G. Jung.  I can't remember his exact quotation, but Jung had two 
specific comments on theosophists, neither very flattering.  He seemed to view 
them as people who applied Eastern wisdom like beauty lotion.  They didn't so 
much storm Eastern temples, as bask in the exoticism of the symbols of all 
religions as one would take a Theosophical bubble bath. He saw theosophist as 
dillettantes who never grew into any tradition, but were in a constant 
adolescent "search".  Does any of this ring true?  Well yes, for me I have 
tried Zen until I realized you eventually  one had to accept all the OUTTER 
trappings like celebrating Budda (at least for most, Alan Watts is an obvious 
exception, but he died of alcoholism, not a pretty ending for one who touched 
so many and crashed at the end).  With Sufism, the Mohamed thing turned me off 
. . . and on and on.  Perhaps Budda was right, the lamp is inside and 
organizations offer support, but demand loyalty at some point, even if they 
are far from perfect.  Only in meditation, have a come to find any peace amid 
the marketplace.

K Paul Johnson's remarks on India pretty much confirm what I've heard.  A land 
of extremes for the Westerner.  I think it would open one's eyes to any 
"idealization" of the East one might have.  I still would like to go 
sometimes! 
Namaste
Keith Price