Theos-Talk Archives (January 1999 Message tl00107)

Jan 23rd 1999

The Secret Doctrine offers on the subject of human evolution:

"...there exists in Nature a triple evolutionary scheme...or
rather three separate schemes of evolution which in our system
are inextricably intertwined at every point.  These are the
Monadic (or spiritual), the intellectual, and the physical
evolutions.  These three are the finite aspects or the
reflections on the field of Cosmic Illusion of ATMA, the seventh,
the ONE REALITY...

Each of these three systems has its own laws, and is ruled and
guided by different sets of the highest Dhyanis or "Logoi."  Each
is represented in the constitution of man, the Microcosm of the
great Macrocosm;  and it is the union of these three streams in
him which makes him the complex being he now is.

"Nature," the physical evolutionary Power, could never evolve
intelligence unaided-she can only create "senseless forms,"...

The "Lunar Monads" cannot progress, for they have not yet had
sufficient touch with the forms created by "Nature" to allow of
their accumulating experiences through its means.

It is the Manasa-Dhyanis who fill the gap, and they represent the
evolutionary power of Intelligence and Mind, the link between
"Spirit" and "Matter"-in this [4th] Round..."
SD I 181-182
[ see also  SD I 174-5 footnote, 182-187 for more details ]

"...to complete the septenary man, to add to his three lower
principles [ physical body, astral body, Prana ] and cement them
with the spiritual Monad...two connecting principles are needed:
Manas [Mind] and Kama [passions and desires]. This requires a
living Spiritual Fire...the true esoteric meaning is that most of
them were destined to incarnate as the Egos of the forthcoming
crop of Mankind.

The human Ego is neither Atman nor Buddhi, but the higher Manas:
the intellectual fruition and the efflorescence of the
intellectual self-conscious Egotism-in the higher spiritual
sense.

The ancient works refer to it as Karana Sarira [ the "causal
body"]on the plane of the Sutratma [the eternal "thread-soul"]
which is the golden thread on which, like beads, the various
personalities of the this higher Ego are strung...these Beings
were returning Nirvanees from preceding Maha-Manvantaras-ages of
incalculable duration."		SD II 79-80
[ see also  SD II 93-96, 242-246, 255fn,  ]

"...Spiritual fire...is the higher Self, the spiritual Ego or
that which is eternally reincarnating under the influence of its
lower personal Selves, changing with every re-birth, full of
Tanha or desire to live...on this [physical] plane, the higher
(Spiritual)  Nature [is]...in bondage to the lower.

Unless the Ego takes refuge in the Atman, the ALL-SPIRIT, and
merges entirely into the essence thereof, the personal Ego may
goad it to the bitter end...

That which propels towards and forces evolution, i.e., compels
the growth and development of Man towards perfection, is (a) the
MONAD, or that which acts in it, unconsciously, through a force
inherent in itself;  and (b) the lower astral body or the
personal Self...unless the higher Self or EGO gravitates towards
its Sun-the Monad [Atma-Buddhi]-the lower Ego or personal Self
will have the upper hand in every case.  For it is this Ego, with
its fierce Selfishness and animal desire to live a Senseless life
(Tanha), which is the "maker of the Tabernacle" as the Buddha
calls it in Dhammapada..."
SD II 109-110

"We now come to an important point with regard to the double
evolution of the human race.  The Sons of Wisdom, or the
spiritual Dhyanis, had become "intellectual" through their
contact with matter, because they had already reached, during
previous cycles of incarnation, that degree of intellect which
enabled them to become independent and self-conscious entities on
this plane of matter.  They were reborn only by reason of Karmic
effects.

They entered those who were "ready," and became the Arhats, or
sages, alluded to above.  This needs explanation.

It does not mean that Monads entered forms in which other Monads
already were.  They were "Essences,"  "Intelligences," and
conscious spirits;  entities seeking to become still more
conscious by uniting with more developed matter.  Their essence
was too pure to be distinct from the universal essence;  but
their "Egos," or Manas (since they are called Manasaputras, born
of "Mahat," or Brahma) had to pass through earthly human
experiences to become all wise, and to be able to start on the
returning ascending cycle.

The Monads are not discrete principles, limited or conditioned,
but rays from that one universal absolute Principle.

The entrance into a dark room through the same aperture of one
ray of sunlight following another will not constitute two rays,
but one ray intensified.  It is not in the course of natural law
that man should become a perfect septenary being, before the
seventh race in the seventh Round.  Yet he has all these
principles latent in him from his birth."
SD II 167
[ see also SD I 572-574 which speaks of the "Star of the Soul." ]

"What was the religion of the Third and Fourth Races [ of this
our 4th round]?...endowed with divine powers and feeling in
himself his inner God, each felt he was a Man-God in his nature,
though an animal in his physical Self.  The struggle between the
two began from the very day they tasted of the fruit of the Tree
of Wisdom;  a struggle for life between the spiritual and the
psychic, the psychic and the physical.  Those who conquered the
lower principles by obtaining mastery over the body, joined the
"Sons of Light."  Those who fell victims to their lower natures,
became the slaves of Matter...becoming the "sons of Darkness."
They had fallen in the battle of mortal life with Life immortal,
and all those so fallen became the seed of the future generations
of Atlanteans (sorcerers) ...the evolution of Spirit into matter
could never have been achieved;  nor would it have received its
first impulse, had not the bright Spirits sacrificed their own
respective super-ethereal essences to animate the man of clay, by
endowing each of his inner principles with a portion, or rather,
a reflection of that essence."	SD II 272-273

"...all those Monads of men who had reached the highest point of
Merit and Karma in the preceding Manvantara-owed their psychic
and rational natures [ Kama and Manas] to divine Beings
hypostasing into their fifth principles [Mind]...The divine man
dwelt in the animal..."	SD II 272

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The above selections are offered as a brief sketch, with many
details and links omitted (although they are all to be found by
studying the SECRET DOCTRINE), of the intricate paths of
evolution we have been through incarnation after incarnation  and
are pursuing at present.

Comments and questions will be interesting to read and study
together.

Dallas

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