Theos-Talk Archives (February 1999 Message tl00034)

Dear Liu, 

In light of the recent troubles of this list, I will reproduce your letter in
its entirety.  Grigor 

In a message dated 2/6/99 10:40:31 AM Central Standard Time, Liu I Ming
writes:

<< Subj:	Re: coincidences and equivalences
 Date:	2/6/99 10:40:31 AM Central Standard Time
 From:	<A HREF="mailto:Liu I Ming">Liu I Ming</A>
 To:	<A HREF="mailto:Hazarapet";>Hazarapet</A>
 CC:	<A HREF="mailto:theos-l@list.vnet.net";>theos-l@list.vnet.net</A>

 Dear Grigor,

 I am so glad to have made contact with you again.  The thing I still find
under-emphasized in the contemporary spiritual search of so many is a profound
lack of awareness that this process of inner evolution or inner alchemy is
advanced ethics.  As you know, HPB said that theosophy was advanced ethics,
that one had to be morally serious about the path, and that the whole thing
involved a radical transformation of the human motivational structure which
was the creation of the body of immortality where the hun identifies with the
shen and disidentifies with the p'o through the process of the white tiger and
green dragon.

 There are so many chi kung practitioners/teachers that do not know the
primary motive or purpose which is the exclusive basis for the inner evolution
of the human to supra-human transmutation to even succeed.

 Liu >>

Dear Liu,

I know what you mean.  I have found that many register surprise when they hear
a detailed introduction to the human constitution.  There is seven valid means
of different kinds of knowledge in the Indian tradition as well as the
Zoroastrian tradition.  These are perception (pratyaksa, which is external in
the five senses, external and internal in conscience, and internal and
partakes primarily of buddhi), inference/logic (anumana, which is primarily
manas operation with buddhi support - as you you, the Buddhists classify all
except perception and conscience as anumana), verbal testimony from reliable
sources (sabda, if the Word of revelation, i.e. sruti or agama), analogical
comparison or metaphor (upamana), hypothesis formulation and testing
(arthapatti), and apprehension of nonexistence (anupalabdhi).  Then they are
surprised when the seventh and highest kind of knowledge (pramana) and valid
means of cognition (karana or indriya) is conscience.  As it says in the
Mahabharata, conscience is the seventh form of perceptual intuitive knowledge
(indriya).  Or, in the direct intuitive-insightful perceptual (buddhi) and
logical-inferential-conceptual  (manas) search for the highest knowledge of
reality, Kumarila, commenting on Kalidasa's point, says in his Sakuntalam, and
you know the high regard HPB held for this treatise, "satam hi samdeha-padesu
vastusu pramanam antakarana pravrttayah" or "to the goodly/wise, conscience is
the sure guide in all matters of doubt." (also see, Tantra-varttika. I. iii.
7).  So, it is the measure of truth.  If a belief conflicts with conscience,
it must be false.  And, further, that conscience is the true microcosm in the
person, the true basis of self-knowledge (atma-vidya) of the I (aham), and
true self-affirmation (atma-tusti) as opposed to egotistical affirmation that
has a bad conscience in the commentary on the Law of Manu (ii. 6, 223, iv 161,
and vi 46) where Manu says that just like there is the administration of
justice leading to the development of society in a court of law, so there is
the inner mentor in every human who is the true inner teacher and guru by who
outlines and guides the true path of inner development of the individual.
This is the inner sabda (Revealed Word or logos) and sruti (revelation). 

In Zoroastrianism, or the Mazdayasna i Zarathustri, this inner guide is of
course the daena or den as one's higher twin/consort who is one's inner
illumination, revelation, and teacher (and higher celestial self).  In Tibetan
Buddhism, this is the seed of the bodhi mind that is also the Prajna of a
Dhyani Buddha (who is the upaya manifesting and working out prajna) and who
manifests in the Bardo in the Judgment Scene in King Yama's court as the good
or bad genius that bears witness.  Course you're better on the Tibetan than
me. 

While some will go "ah ha!" because on hearing this they suddenly recognize a
lost piece of the puzzle or lost key, others initially try to deny it until
overwhelmed by the preponderance of the evidence such as the quotes from
authoritative sources like above. 

Frankly, in either case, I don't know what some of these surprised "seekers"
think spirituality is about if they didn't know it was, as you say, "advanced
ethics."  I wonder what they think phrases like 'death of the ego" and the
like mean if it isn't ethical.  I suspect some kind of subtle egoism or
narcissism is involved just as the ancient Chinese saying of your school put
it, "if the wrong man (i.e. one with wrong motive and wrong understanding)
uses the right means, the right means works in the wrong way."  I suspect
those who go "aha" are more sincere than those, especially Americans, who seek
an exotic belief system because they are running away not just from the
unfortunate dogmatism of dead western religions but also from morality.  

Anyway, the battle continues against pseudo-spirituality.  Glad to know you
are still around.

Grigor