Death - and After

Death - and After?
by Annie Besant
Death - and After?

by Annie Besant
Theosophical Manual No. 3 ( 18 ! " 1#33 $ T%& T%&'(')%*+A, )-B,*(%*N. %'-(& /80 .reat 1ussell (treet0 ,ondon0 2+lB 3B-0 &n3land 1#43
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Death - and After? by Annie Besant PREFACE

5&2 6ords are needed in sendin3 this little boo7 out into the 6orld. *t is the third of a series of Manuals desi3ned to 8eet the public de8and for a si8ple e9position of Theosophical teachin3s. (o8e ha:e co8plained that our literature is at once too abstruse0 too technical0 and too e9pensi:e for the ordinary reader0 and it is our hope that the present series 8ay succeed in supplyin3 6hat is a :ery real 6ant. Theosophy is not only for the learned; it is for all. )erhaps a8on3 those 6ho in these little boo7s catch their first 3li8pse of its teachin3s0 there 8ay be a fe6 6ho 6ill be led by the8 to penetrate 8ore deeply into its philosophy0 its science0 and its reli3ion0 facin3 its abstruser proble8s 6ith the student<s =eal and the neophyte<s ardour. But these Manuals are not 6ritten for the ea3er student0 6ho8 no initial difficulties can daunt; they are >)a3e :? 6ritten for the busy 8en and 6o8en of the 6or7-a-day 6orld0 and see7 to 8a7e plain so8e of the 3reat truths that render life easier to bear and death easier to face. 2ritten by ser:ants of the Masters 6ho are the &lder Brothers of our race0 they can ha:e no other ob@ect than to ser:e our fello6-8en. >)a3e i?
CONTENTS )A.& D&AT% A AND A5T&1? T%& *MM'1TA, AND T%& )&1*(%AB,& T%& 5AT& '5 T%& B'DB T%& 5AT& '5 T%& &T%&1*+ D'-B,& DEMA,'DA0 D&(*1&-,AND0 AND T%& 5AT& '5 )A((*'N( AND D&(*1&( DEMA,'DA. T%& (%&,,( DEMA,'DA. T%& &,&M&NTA1*&( D&GA+%AN T%& D&GA+%ANH T%& 1&T-1N T' &A1T% N*1GINA +'MM-N*+AT*'N( B&T2&&N T%& &A1T% AND 'T%&1 ()%&1&( A))&ND*J 1 # 13 CC C! / 4F 4C /! !/ !# 81 #4
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Death - and After? by Annie Besant DEATH AND AFTER?

2%' does not re8e8ber the story of the +hristian 8issionary in Britain0 sittin3 one e:enin3 in the :ast hall of a (a9on 7in30 surrounded by his thanes0 ha:in3 co8e thither to preach the 3ospel of his Master; and as he spo7e of life and death and i88ortality0 a bird fle6 in throu3h an un3la=ed 6indo60 circled the hall in its fli3ht0 and fle6 out once 8ore into the dar7ness of the ni3ht. The +hristian priest bade the 7in3 see in the fli3ht of the bird 6ithin the hall the transitory life of 8an0 and clai8ed for his faith that it sho6ed the soul0 in passin3 fro8 the hall of life0 6in3in3 its 6ay not into the dar7ness of ni3ht0 but into the sunlit radiance of a 8ore 3lorious 6orld. 'ut of the dar7ness0 throu3h the open 6indo6 of Birth0 the life of a 8an co8es to the earth; it d6ells for a 6hile before our eyes; into the dar7ness0 throu3h the open 6indo6 of Death0 it :anishes out of our si3ht. And 8an has Kuestioned e:er of 1eli3ion0 2hence co8es it? 2hither 3oes it? and the ans6ers ha:e :aried 6ith the faiths. [Page ! Today0 8any a hundred year since )aulinus tal7ed 6ith &d6in0 there are 8ore people in +hristendo8 6ho Kuestion 6hether 8an has a spirit to co8e any 6hence or to 3o any 6hither than0 perhaps0 in the 6orldLs history could e:er before ha:e been found at one ti8e. And the :ery +hristians 6ho clai8 that DeathLs terrors ha:e been abolished0 ha:e surrounded the bier and the to8b 6ith 8ore 3loo8 and 8ore dis8al funeral po8p than ha:e the :otaries of any other creed. 2hat can be 8ore depressin3 than the dar7ness in 6hich a house is 7ept shrouded0 6hile the dead body is a6aitin3 sepulture? 2hat 8ore repellent than the s6eepin3 robes of lusterless crape0 and the purposed hideousness of the hea:y cap in 6hich the 6ido6 la8ents the Mdeli:eranceN of her husband Mfro8 the burden of the fleshN? 2hat 8ore re:oltin3 than the artificially lon3 faces of the underta7erLs 8en0 the droopin3 M6eepersN0 the carefully arran3ed 6hite hand7erchiefs0 and0 until lately0 the pall-li7e funeral cloa7s? Durin3 the last fe6 years0 a 3reat and 8ar7ed i8pro:e8ent has been 8ade. The plu8es0 cloa7s0 and 6eepers ha:e 6ell-ni3h disappeared. The 3rotesKuely 3hastly hearse is al8ost a thin3 of the past0 and the coffin 3oes forth heaped o:er 6ith flo6ers instead of shrouded in the hea:y blac7 :el:et pall. Men and 6o8en0 thou3h still [Page "! 6earin3 blac70 do not roll the8sel:es up in shapeless 3ar8ents li7e sable 6indin3-sheets0 as if tryin3 to see ho6 8iserable they could 8a7e the8sel:es by the i8position of artificial disco8forts. 2elco8e co88on-sense has dri:en custo8 fro8 its throne0 and has refused any lon3er to add these 3ratuitous annoyances to natural hu8an 3rief. *n literature and in art0 ali7e0 this 3loo8y fashion of re3ardin3 Death has been characteristic of +hristianity. Death has been painted as a s7eleton 3raspin3 a scythe0 a 3rinnin3 s7ull0 a threatenin3 fi3ure 6ith terrible face and uplifted dart0 a bony scarecro6 sha7in3 an hour3lass " all that could alar8 and repel has been 3athered round this ri3htly-na8ed Din3 of Terrors. Milton0 6ho has done so 8uch 6ith his stately rhyth8 to 8ould the popular conceptions of 8odern +hristianity0 has used all the sine6y stren3th of his 8a3nificent diction to surround 6ith horror the fi3ure of Death. The other shape0 *f shape it 8i3ht be called0 that shape had none Distin3uishable in 8e8ber0 @oint0 or li8b0 'r substance 8i3ht be called that shado6 see8ed0 5or each see8ed either; blac7 it stood as ni3ht0 5ierce as ten furies0 terrible as hell0 And shoo7 a dreadful dart; 6hat see8ed his head The li7eness of a 7in3ly cro6n had on. (atan 6as no6 at hand0 and fro8 his seat )a3e 3
Death - and After? by Annie Besant

The 8onster 8o:in3 on6ard ca8e as fast0 2ith horrid strides; hell tre8bled as he strode O [Page #! (o spo7e the 3risly terror; and in shape (o spea7in30 and so threatenin30 3re6 tenfold More dreadful and defor8 O but he0 8y inbred ene8y0 5orth issued0 brandishin3 his fatal dart0 Made to destroyP * fled0 and cried out Death! %ell tre8bled at the hideous na8e0 and si3hed 5ro8 all her ca:es0 and bac7 resounded Death. [Boo7 ii.0 fro8 lines ///-!8#. The 6hole passa3e bristles 6ith horrors.! That such a :ie6 of Death should be ta7en by the professed follo6ers of a Teacher said to ha:e Mbrou3ht life and i88ortality to li3htN is passin3 stran3e. The clai80 that as late in the history of the 6orld as a 8ere ei3hteen centuries a3o the i88ortality of the (pirit in 8an 6as brou3ht to li3ht0 is of course transparently absurd0 in the face of the o:er6hel8in3 e:idence to the contrary a:ailable on all hands. The stately &3yptian 1itual 6ith its Book of the Dead0 in 6hich are traced the post-8orte8 @ourneys of the (oul0 should be enou3h0 if it stood alone0 to put out of court for e:er so preposterous a clai8. %ear the cry of the (oul of the ri3hteousP ' ye0 6ho 8a7e the escort of the .od0 stretch out to 8e your ar8s0 for * beco8e one of you (xvii. 22). %ail to thee0 'siris0 ,ord of ,i3ht0 d6ellin3 in the 8i3hty abode0 in the boso8 of the absolute dar7ness. * co8e to thee0 a purified (oul; 8y t6o hands are around thee (XXI, 1). * open hea:en; * do 6hat 6as co88anded in Me8phis. * ha:e 7no6led3e of 8y heart; * a8 in possession of 8y heart0 * a8 in possession of 8y ar8s0 [Page $! * a8 in possession of 8y le3s0 at the 6ill of 8yself. My (oul is not i8prisoned in 8y body at the 3ates of A8enti (xxvi. 5, 6). Not to 8ultiply to 6eariness Kuotations fro8 a boo7 that is 6holly co8posed of the doin3s and sayin3s of the dise8bodied 8an0 let it suffice to 3i:e the final @ud38ent on the :ictorious (oulP The defunct shall be deified a8on3 the .ods in the lo6er di:ine re3ion0 he shall ne:er be re@ected. O %e shall drin7 fro8 the current of the celestial ri:er. O %is (oul shall not be i8prisoned0 since it is a (oul that brin3s sal:ation to those near it. The 6or8s shall not de:our it (cl9i:. 1 -1/$. The 3eneral belief in 1eincarnation is enou3h to pro:e that the reli3ions of 6hich it for8ed a central doctrine belie:ed in the sur:i:al of the (oul after Death; but one 8ay Kuote as an e9a8ple a passa3e fro8 the Ordinances of Manu0 follo6in3 on a disKuisition on 8ete8psychosis0 and ans6erin3 the Kuestion of deli:erance fro8 rebirths.
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A8id all these holy acts0 the 7no6led3e of self (should be translated0 7no6led3e of the Self0 Et8Q$ is said (to be$ the hi3hest; this indeed is the fore8ost of all sciences0 since fro8 it i88ortality is obtained. [ 9ii. 84. Translation of Burnell and %op7ins.! The testi8ony of the 3reat Rarathustrean 1eli3ion is clear0 as is sho6n by the follo6in30 translated fro8 the Avesta0 in 6hich0 the @ourney of the (oul after [Page %! death ha:in3 been described0 the ancient (cripture proceedsP The soul of the pure 8an 3oes the first step and arri:es at (the )aradise$ %u8ata; the soul of the pure 8an ta7es the second step and arri:es at (the )aradise$ %u7hta; it 3oes the third step and arri:es at (the )aradise$ %:arst; the soul of the pure 8an ta7es the fourth step and arri:es at the &ternal ,i3hts. To it spea7s a pure one deceased before0 as7in3 itP %o6 art thou0 ' pure deceased0 co8e a6ay fro8 the fleshly d6ellin3s0 fro8 the earthly possessions0 fro8 the corporeal 6orld hither to the in:isible0 fro8 the perishable 6orld hither to the i8perishable0 as it happened to thee " to 6ho8 hailS Then spea7s Ahura-Ma=daP As7 not hi8 6ho8 thou as7eth0 (for$ he is co8e on the fearful0 terrible0 tre8blin3 6ay0 the separation of body and soul. [5ro8 the translation of Dhun@eebhoy Ta8set@ee Medhora0 Zoroastrian and some other Ancient Systems0 99:ii.! The )ersian Desatir spea7s 6ith eKual definiteness. This 6or7 consists of fifteen boo7s0 6ritten by )ersian prophets0 and 6as 6ritten ori3inally in the A:estaic lan3ua3e; M.odN is Ahura-Ma=da0 or Ba=danP .od selected 8an fro8 ani8als to confer on hi8 the soul0 6hich is a substance free0 si8ple0 i88aterial0 non-co8pounded and nonappetiti:e. And that beco8es an an3el by i8pro:e8ent. By his profound 6isdo8 and 8ost subli8e intelli3ence0 he connected the soul 6ith the 8aterial body. *f he (8an$ does 3ood in the 8aterial body0 and has a 3ood 7no6led3e and reli3ion he is Hartasp. O As soon as he lea:es this 8aterial body0 * (.od$ ta7e hi8 up to the 6orld of an3els0 that he 8ay ha:e an inter:ie6 6ith the an3els0 and behold 8e. As if he is not %artasp0 but has 6isdo8 and abstains fro8 :ice0 * 6ill pro8ote hi8 to the ran7 of an3els. [Page &! &:ery person in proportion to his 6isdo8 and piety 6ill find a place in the ran7 of 6ise 8en0 a8on3 the hea:ens and stars. And in that re3ion of happiness he 6ill re8ain for e:er. [Translation by Mir=a Moha8ed %adi0 The Platonist0 3F/.! *n +hina0 the i88e8orial custo8 of 6orshippin3 the (ouls of ancestors sho6s ho6 co8pletely the life of 8an 6as re3arded as e9tendin3 beyond the to8b. The Sh !in" " placed by Mr. Ta8es ,e33e as the 8ost ancient of +hinese classics0 containin3 historical docu8ents ran3in3 fro8 B. +. C34!-/C! " is full of allusions to these (ouls0 6ho 6ith other spiritual bein3s0 6atch o:er the affairs of their descendants and the 6elfare of the 7in3do8. Thus )an-7an30 rulin3 fro8 B.+. 1 F1-13! 0 e9horts his sub@ectsP
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My ob@ect is to support and nourish you all. * thin7 of 8y ancestors (6ho are no6$ the spiritual so:erei3ns. O 2ere * to err in 8y 3o:ern8ent0 and re8ain lon3 here0 8y hi3h so:erei3n (the founder of our dynasty$ 6ould send do6n on 8e 3reat punish8ent for 8y cri8e0 and say0 M2hy do you oppress 8y people?N *f you0 the 8yriads of the people0 do not attend to the perpetuation of your li:es0 and cherish one 8ind 6ith 8e0 the 'ne 8an0 in 8y plans0 the for8er 7in3s 6ill send do6n on you 3reat punish8ent for your cri8e0 and say0 M2hy do you not a3ree 6ith our youn3 3randson0 but 3o on to forfeit your :irtue?N 2hen they punish you fro8 abo:e0 you 6ill ha:e no 6ay of escape. O Bour ancestors and fathers 6ill (no6$ cut you off and abandon you0 and not sa:e you fro8 death. [ UThe (acred Boo7s of the &astU Golu8e 30 )a3es 1F#-11F ! *ndeed0 so practical is this +hinese belief0 held today as in those lon3-past a3es0 that Mthe chan3e that 8en call DeathN [Page '! see8s to play a :ery s8all part in the thou3hts and li:es of the people of the 5lo6ery ,and. These Kuotations0 6hich 8i3ht be 8ultiplied a hundred-fold0 8ay suffice to pro:e the folly of the idea that i88ortality ca8e to Mli3ht throu3h the .ospelN. The 6hole ancient 6orld bas7ed in the full sunshine of belief in the i88ortality of 8an0 li:ed in it daily0 :oiced it in its literature0 6ent 6ith it in cal8 serenity throu3h the 3ate of Death. *t re8ains a proble8 6hy +hristianity0 6hich :i3orously and @oyously re-affir8ed it0 should ha:e 3ro6in3 in its 8idst the uniKue terror of Death that has played so lar3e a part in its social life0 its literature0 and its art. *t is not si8ply the belief in hell that has surrounded the 3ra:e 6ith horror0 for other 1eli3ions ha:e had their hells0 and yet their follo6ers ha:e not been harassed by this shado6y 5ear. The +hinese0 for instance0 6ho ta7e Death as such a li3ht and tri:ial thin30 ha:e a collection of hells Kuite uniKue in their :aried unpleasantness. Maybe the difference is a Kuestion of race rather than of creed; that the :i3orous life of the 2est shrin7s fro8 its antithesis0 and that its uni8a3inati:e co88on-sense finds a bodiless condition too lac7in3 in solidity of co8fort; 6hereas the 8ore drea8y0 8ystical &ast0 prone to 8editation0 and e:er [Page (! see7in3 to escape fro8 the thralldo8 of the senses durin3 earthly life0 loo7s on the dise8bodied state as e8inently desirable0 and as 8ost conduci:e to unfettered thou3ht. &re passin3 to the consideration of the history of 8an in the post-8orte8 state0 it is necessary0 ho6e:er briefly0 to state the constitution of 8an0 as :ie6ed by the &soteric )hilosophy0 for 6e 8ust ha:e in 8ind the constituents of his bein3 ere 6e can understand their disinte3ration. Man then consists of
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Et8Q0 or (pirit as 2ill. The #mmortal Triad$ the #ndividual% Buddhi0 or (pirit as *ntuition. Manas0 or (pirit as *ntellect. ,o6er Manas0 or Mind. DQ8a0 or Desire. The Perisha&le 'uaternary$ the Person% )rQna0 as &ner3isin3 Gitality. )rQna0 as Auto8atic Gitality.
*f 6e consider the bodies of 8an0 the dense body is the :isible0 tan3ible outer for80 co8posed of :arious tissues. The etheric double is the ethereal counterpart of the body0 co8posed of the physical ethers. )rQna is :itality0 the inte3ratin3 ener3y that co-ordinates the [Page )! physical 8olecules and holds the8 to3ether in a definite or3anis8; it is the life-breath 6ithin the or3anis80 the portion of the uni:ersal ,ifeBreath0 appropriated by the or3anis8 durin3 the span of e9istence that 6e spea7 of as Ma lifeN0 and appears in t6o for8s in the dense and etheric parts of the physical body. DQ8a is the a33re3ate of appetites0 passions0 and e8otions0 co88on to 8an and brute0 the e8otions e:ol:in3 to a hi3her point in 8an under the play of the lo6er 8ind. Manas is the Thin7er in us0 the *ntellect. Buddhi is the aspect of the (pirit0 6hich 8anifests abo:e the *ntellect.
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Death - and After? by Annie Besant THE *++ORTA, AND THE PER*SHAB,E
No6 the lin7 bet6een the *88ortal Triad and the )erishable Vuaternary is *ntellect0 6hich is dual durin3 earth life0 or incarnation0 and functions as *ntellect and Mind. *ntellect sends out a 1ay0 Mind0 6hich 6or7s in and throu3h the hu8an brain0 functionin3 there as brain-consciousness0 as the ratiocinatin3 intelli3ence. This 8in3les 6ith Desire0 the passional nature0 the passions and e8otions thus beco8in3 a part of Mind0 as defined in 2estern )sycholo3y. And so 6e ha:e the lin7 for8ed bet6een the hi3her and lo6er natures in 8an0 this Desire-Mind belon3in3 to the hi3her by its intellectual0 and to the lo6er by its e8otional0 ele8ents. As this for8s the battle3round durin3 life0 [Page -! so does it play an i8portant part in post-8orte8 e9istence. 2e 8i3ht no6 classify our se:en principles a little differently0 ha:in3 in :ie6 this 8in3lin3 in DesireMind of perishable and i8perishable ele8entsP #mmortal 2ill *ntuition *ntellect Desire-Mind Desire
+.rta/
C.nditi.na//y *00.rta/
&ner3isin3 Gitality Auto8atic Gitality
(o8e +hristian 6riters ha:e adopted a classification si8ilar to this0 declarin3 (pirit to be inherently i88ortal0 as bein3 Di:ine; (oul to be conditionally i88ortal0 i%e%0 capable of 6innin3 i88ortality by unitin3 itself 6ith (pirit; Body to be inherently 8ortal. The 8a@ority of uninstructed +hristians chop 8an into t6o0 the Body that perishes at Death0 and the so8ethin3 " called indifferently (oul or (pirit " that sur:i:es Death. This last classification " if classification it 8ay be called " is entirely inadeKuate0 if 6e are to see7 any rational e9planation0 or e:en lucid state8ent0 of the pheno8ena of post-8orte8 e9istence. The tripartite :ie6 of 8anLs nature 3i:es a 8ore reasonable representation of his [Page ! constitution0 but is inadeKuate to e9plain 8any pheno8ena. The septenary di:ision alone 3i:es a reasonable theory consistent 6ith the facts 6e ha:e to deal 6ith0 and therefore0 thou3h it 8ay see8 elaborate0 the student 6ill do 6isely to 8a7e hi8self fa8iliar 6ith it. *f he 6ere studyin3 only the body0 and desired to understand its acti:ities0 he 6ould ha:e to classify its tissues at far 3reater len3th and 6ith far 8ore 8inuteness than * a8 usin3 here. %e 6ould ha:e to learn the differences bet6een 8uscular0 ner:ous0 3landular0 bony0 cartila3inous0 epithelial0 connecti:e tissues0 and all their :arieties; and if he rebelled0 in his i3norance0 a3ainst such an elaborate di:ision0 it 6ould be e9plained to hi8 that only by such an analysis of the different co8ponents of the body can the :aried and co8plicated pheno8ena of lifeacti:ity be understood. 'ne 7ind of tissue is 6anted for support0 another for 8o:e8ent0 another for secretion0 another for absorption0 and so on; and if each 7ind does not ha:e its o6n distincti:e na8e0 dire )a3e 8

confusion and 8isunderstandin3 8ust result0 and physical functions re8ain unintelli3ible. *n the lon3 run ti8e is 3ained0 as 6ell as clearness0 by learnin3 a fe6 necessary technical ter8s0 and as clearness is abo:e all thin3s needed in tryin3 to e9plain and to understand :ery co8plicated [Page "! post-8orte8 pheno8ena0 * find 8yself co8pelled " contrary to 8y habit in these ele8entary papers " to resort to these technical na8es at the outset0 for the &n3lish lan3ua3e has as yet no eKui:alents for the80 and the use of lon3 descripti:e phrases is e9tre8ely cu8berso8e and incon:enient. 5or 8yself0 * belie:e that :ery 8uch of the anta3onis8 bet6een the adherents of the &soteric )hilosophy and those of (piritualis8 has arisen fro8 confusion of ter8s0 and conseKuent 8isunderstandin3 of each otherLs 8eanin3. 'ne e8inent (piritualist lately i8patiently said that he did not see the need of e9act definition0 and that he 8eant by (pirit all the part of 8anLs nature that sur:i:ed Death0 and 6as not body. 'ne 8i3ht as 6ell insist on sayin3 that 8anLs body consists of bone and blood0 and as7ed to define blood0 ans6erP M'hS * 8ean e:erythin3 that is not boneN. A clear definition of ter8s0 and a ri3id adherence to the8 6hen once adopted0 6ill at least enable us all to understand each other0 and that is the first step to any fruitful co8parison of e9periences.
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Death - and After? by Annie Besant THE FATE OF THE BOD1

The hu8an body is constantly under3oin3 a process of decay and of reconstruction. 5irst builded into the [Page #! etheric for8 in the 6o8b of the 8other0 it is built up continually by the insettin3 of fresh 8aterials. 2ith e:ery 8o8ent tiny 8olecules are passin3 a6ay fro8 it; 6ith e:ery 8o8ent tiny 8olecules are strea8in3 into it. The out3oin3 strea8 is scattered o:er the en:iron8ent0 and helps to rebuild bodies of all 7inds in the 8ineral0 :e3etable0 ani8al0 and hu8an 7in3do8s0 the physical basis of all these bein3 one and the sa8e. The idea that the hu8an tabernacle is built by countless lives0 @ust in the sa8e 6ay as the roc7y crust of our &arth 6as0 has nothin3 repulsi:e in it for the true 8ystic. O (cience teaches us that the li:in3 as 6ell as the dead or3anis8 of both 8an and ani8al are s6ar8in3 6ith bacteria of a hundred :arious 7inds; that fro8 6ithout 6e are threatened 6ith the in:asion of 8icrobes 6ith e:ery breath 6e dra60 and fro8 6ithin by leuco8aines0 aerobes0 anaerobes0 and 6hat not. But (cience ne:er yet 6ent so far as to assert 6ith the 'ccult Doctrine that our bodies0 as 6ell as those of ani8als0 plants0 and stones0 are the8sel:es alto3ether built up of such bein3s0 6hich0 e9cept lar3er species0 no 8icroscope can detect. (o far as re3ards the purely ani8al and 8aterial portion of 8an0 (cience is on its 6ay to disco:eries that 6ill 3o far to6ards corroboratin3 this theory. +he8istry and physiolo3y are the t6o 3reat 8a3icians of the future0 6ho are destined to open the eyes of 8an7ind to the 3reat physical truths. 2ith e:ery day0 the identity bet6een the ani8al and physical 8an0 bet6een the plant and 8an0 and e:en bet6een the reptile and its nest0 the roc70 and 8an0 is 8ore and 8ore clearly sho6n. The physical and che8ical constituents of all bein3 found to be identical0 che8ical (cience 8ay 6ell say that there is no difference bet6een the 8atter 6hich co8poses the o9 and that 6hich for8s 8an. But the 'ccult Doctrine is far 8ore e9plicit. *t saysP Not only the che8ical co8pounds are the sa8e0 but the sa8e infinitesi8al invisi&le lives co8pose the ato8s of the bodies of the 8ountain and the daisy0 of 8an and the ant0 of the elephant0 and of the tree 6hich shelters hi8 fro8 [Page $! the sun. &ach particle " 6hether you call it or3anic or inor3anic " is a life. >The (ecret Doctrine0 Golu8e 10 )a3e C81 of 3rd &dition? These Mli:esN 6hich0 separate and independent0 are the 8inute :ehicles of Auto8atic Gitality0 a33re3ated to3ether for8 the 8olecules and cells of the physical body0 and they strea8 in and strea8 out0 durin3 all the years of bodily life0 thus for8in3 a continual brid3e bet6een 8an and his en:iron8ent. +ontrollin3 these are the M5iery ,i:esN0 &ner3isin3 Gitality0 6hich constrain these to their 6or7 of buildin3 up the cells of the body0 so that they 6or7 har8oniously and in order0 subordinated to the hi3her 8anifestation of life in the co8ple9 or3anis8 called Man. These 5iery ,i:es on our plane correspond0 in this controllin3 and or3anisin3 function0 6ith the 'ne ,ife of the -ni:erse0 [The (ecret Doctrine0 Golu8e 10 )a3e C81 of 3rd &dition! 0 and 6hen they no lon3er e9ercise this function in the hu8an body0 the lo6er li:es run ra8pant0 and be3in to brea7 do6n the hitherto definitely or3anised body. Durin3 bodily life they are 8arshalled as an ar8y; 8archin3 in re3ular order under the co88and of a 3eneral0 perfor8in3 :arious e:olutions0 7eepin3 step0 8o:in3 as a sin3le body. At MDeathN they beco8e a disor3anised and tu8ultuous 8ob0 rushin3 hither and [Page %! thither0 @ostlin3 each other0 tu8blin3 o:er each other0 6ith no co88on ob@ect0 no 3enerally reco3nised authority. The body is ne:er 8ore ali:e than 6hen it is dead; but it is ali:e in its units0 and dead in its totality; ali:e as a con3eries0 dead as an or3anis8. (cience re3ards 8an as an a33re3ation of ato8s te8porarily united by a 8ysterious force )a3e 1F

called the life-principle. To the Materialist0 the only difference bet6een a li:in3 and a dead body is that in the one case that force is acti:e0 in the other latent. 2hen it is e9tinct or entirely latent0 the 8olecules obey a superior attraction0 6hich dra6s the8 asunder and scatters the8 throu3h space. This dispersion 8ust be Death0 if it is possible to concei:e such a thin3 as Death0 6here the :ery 8olecules of the dead body 8anifest an intense :ital ener3y. O (ays &liphas ,e:iP M+han3e attests 8o:e8ent0 and 8o:e8ent only re:eals life. The corpse 6ould not deco8pose if it 6ere dead; all the 8olecules 6hich co8pose it are li:in3 and stru33le to separate.N >*sis -n:eiled0 Golu8e 10 pa3e 8F? Those 6ho ha:e read The Seven Principles of Man0 [ Theosophical Manuals. No 1! 7no6 that the etheric double is the :ehicle of )rQna0 the life-principle0 or :itality. Throu3h the etheric double )rQna e9ercises the controllin3 and co-ordinatin3 force spo7en of abo:e0 and MDeathN ta7es triu8phant possession of the body 6hen the etheric double is finally 6ithdra6n and the delicate cord 6hich unites it 6ith the body is snapped. The process of 6ithdra6al has been 6atched by clair:oyants0 and definitely described. Thus Andre6 Tac7son Da:is0 Mthe )ou3h7eepsie (eerN0 [Page &! describes ho6 he hi8self 6atched this escape of the ethereal body0 and he states that the 8a3netic cord did not brea7 for so8e thirty-si9 hours after apparent death. 'thers ha:e described0 in si8ilar ter8s0 ho6 they sa6 a faint :iolet 8ist rise fro8 the dyin3 body0 3radually condensin3 into a fi3ure 6hich 6as the counterpart of the e9pirin3 person0 and attached to that person by a 3listenin3 thread. The snappin3 of the thread 8eans the brea7in3 of the last 8a3netic lin7 bet6een the dense body and the re8ainin3 principles of the hu8an constitution; the body has dropped a6ay fro8 the 8an; he is e9carnated0 dise8bodied; si9 principles still re8ain as his constitution i88ediately after death0 the se:enth0 or the dense body0 bein3 left as a cast-off 3ar8ent. Death consists0 indeed0 in a repeated process of unrobin30 or unsheathin3. The i88ortal part of 8an sha7es off fro8 itself0 one after the other0 its outer casin3s0 and " as the sna7e fro8 its s7in0 the butterfly fro8 its chrysalis " e8er3es fro8 one after another0 passin3 into a hi3her state of consciousness. No6 it is the fact that this escape fro8 the body0 and this d6ellin3 of the conscious entity either in the :ehicle called the body of desire0 the 7Q8ic or astral body0 or in a yet 8ore ethereal Thou3ht Body0 can be effected durin3 earth-life; so that 8an 8ay beco8e fa8iliar 6ith the [Page '! e9carnated condition0 and it 8ay lose for hi8 all the terrors that encircle the un7no6n. %e can 7no6 hi8self as a conscious entity in either of these :ehicles0 and so pro:e to his o6n satisfaction that MlifeN does not depend on his functionin3 throu3h the physical body. 2hy should a 8an 6ho has thus repeatedly MshedN his lo6er bodies0 and has found the process result0 not in unconsciousness0 but in a :astly e9tended freedo8 and :i:idness of life " 6hy should he fear the final castin3 a6ay of his fetters0 and the freein3 of his *88ortal (elf fro8 6hat he realises as the prison of the flesh? This :ie6 of hu8an life is an essential part of the &soteric )hilosophy. Man is pri8arily di:ine0 a spar7 of the Di:ine ,ife. This li:in3 fla8e0 passin3 out fro8 the +entral 5ire0 6ea:es for itself co:erin3s 6ithin 6hich it d6ells0 and thus beco8es the Triad0 the Et8a-BuddhiManas0 or (pirit0 the reflection of the *88ortal (elf. This sends out its 1ay0 6hich beco8es encased in 3rosser 8atter0 in the desire body0 or 7Q8ic ele8ents0 the passional nature0 and in the etheric double and the physical body. The once free i88ortal *ntelli3ence thus entan3led0 ens6athed0 enchained0 6or7s hea:ily and laboriously throu3h the coatin3s that en6rap it. *n its o6n nature it re8ains e:er the free Bird of %ea:en0 [Page (! but its 6in3s are bound to its side by the 8atter into 6hich it is plun3ed. 2hen 8an reco3nises his o6n inherent nature0 he learns to open his prison doors occasionally and escapes fro8 his encirclin3 3aol; first he learns to identify hi8self 6ith the *88ortal Triad0 and rises abo:e the body and its passions into a pure 8ental and 8oral life; then he learns that the conKuered body cannot hold hi8 prisoner0 and he unloc7s )a3e 11

its door and steps out into the sunshine of his true life. (o 6hen Death unloc7s the door for hi80 he 7no6s the country into 6hich he e8er3es0 ha:in3 trodden its 6ays at his o6n 6ill. And at last he 3ro6s to reco3nise that fact of supre8e i8portance0 that M,ifeN has nothin3 to do 6ith body and 6ith this 8aterial plane; that ,ife is his conscious e9istence0 unbro7en0 unbrea7able0 and that the brief interludes in that ,ife0 durin3 6hich he so@ourns on &arth0 are but a 8inute fraction of his conscious e9istence0 and a fraction0 8oreo:er0 durin3 6hich he is less ali:e0 because of the hea:y co:erin3s 6hich 6ei3h hi8 do6n. 5or only durin3 these interludes (sa:e in e9ceptional cases$ 8ay he 6holly lose his consciousness of continued life0 bein3 surrounded by these co:erin3s 6hich delude hi8 and blind hi8 to the truth of thin3s0 8a7in3 that real 6hich is illusion0 and that stable 6hich is transitory. [Page )! The sunli3ht ran3es o:er the uni:erse0 and at incarnation 6e step out of it into the t6ili3ht of the body0 and see but di8ly durin3 the period of our incarceration; at Death 6e step out of the prison a3ain into the sunli3ht0 and are nearer to the reality. (hort are the t6ili3ht periods0 and lon3 the periods of the sunli3ht; but in our blinded state 6e call the t6ili3ht life0 and to us it is the real e9istence0 6hile 6e call the sunli3ht Death0 and shi:er at the thou3ht of passin3 into it. 2ell did .iordano Bruno0 one of the 3reatest teachers of our )hilosophy in the Middle A3es0 state the truth as to the body and Man. 'f the real Man he saysP %e 6ill be present in the body in such 6ise that the best part of hi8self 6ill be absent fro8 it0 and 6ill @oin hi8self by an indissoluble sacra8ent to di:ine thin3s0 in such a 6ay that he 6ill not feel either lo:e or hatred of thin3s 8ortal. +onsiderin3 hi8self as 8aster0 and that he ou3ht not to be ser:ant and sla:e to his body0 6hich he 6ould re3ard only as the prison 6hich holds his liberty in confine8ent0 the 3lue 6hich s8ears his 6in3s0 chains 6hich bind fast his hands0 stoc7s 6hich fi9 his feet0 :eil 6hich hides his :ie6. ,et hi8 not be ser:ant0 capti:e0 ensnared0 chained0 idle0 stolid0 and blind0 for the body 6hich he hi8self abandons cannot tyrannise o:er hi80 so that thus the spirit in a certain de3ree co8es before hi8 as the corporeal 6orld0 and 8atter is sub@ect to the di:inity and to nature. [ UThe %eroic &nthusiastsU0 translation by ,. 2illia8s0 )art C0 )a3es CC-C3 ! 2hen once 6e thus co8e to re3ard the body0 and by conKuerin3 it 6e 3ain our liberty0 Death loses for us [Page "-! all his terrors0 and at his touch the body slips fro8 us as a 3ar8ent0 and 6e stand out fro8 it erect and free. 'n the sa8e lines of thou3ht Dr. 5ran= %art8ann 6ritesP Accordin3 to certain :ie6s of the 2est0 8an is a de:eloped ape. Accordin3 to the :ie6s of *ndian (a3es0 6hich also coincide 6ith those of the )hilosophers of past a3es and 6ith the teachin3s of the +hristian Mystics0 8an is a .od0 6ho is united durin3 his earthly life0 throu3h his o6n carnal tendencies0 to an ani8al (his ani8al nature$. The .od 6ho d6ells 6ithin hi8 endo6s 8an 6ith 6isdo8. The ani8al endo6s hi8 6ith force. After death0 the (od effects his o)n release from the man by departin3 fro8 the ani8al body. As 8an carries 6ithin hi8 this di:ine consciousness0 it is his tas7 to battle 6ith his ani8al inclinations0 and to raise hi8self abo:e the80 by the help of the di:ine principle0 a tas7 6hich the ani8al cannot achie:e0 and 6hich therefore is not de8anded of it. [ +re8ation0 Theosophical (iftin3s0 Golu8e 3 ! The M8anN0 usin3 the 6ord in the sense of personality0 as it is used in the latter half of this sentence0 is only conditionally i88ortal; the true 8an0 the e:ol:in3 .od0 releases hi8self0 and so 8uch of the personality 3oes 6ith hi8 as has raised itself into union 6ith the di:ine. )a3e 1C

The body thus left to the riotin3 of the countless li:es " pre:iously held in constraint by )rQna0 actin3 throu3h its :ehicle the etheric double " be3ins to decay0 that is to brea7 up0 and 6ith the disinte3ration of its cells and 8olecules0 its particles pass a6ay into other co8binations. [Page " ! 'n our return to &arth 6e 8ay 8eet a3ain so8e of those sa8e countless li:es that in a pre:ious incarnation 8ade of our then body their passin3 d6ellin3; but all that 6e are @ust no6 concerned 6ith is the brea7in3 up of the body 6hose life-span is o:er0 and its fate is co8plete disinte3ration. To the dense body0 then0 Death 8eans dissolution as an or3anis80 the loosin3 of the bonds that united the 8any into one.
)a3e 13
Death - and After? by Annie Besant THE FATE OF THE ETHER*C DO2B,E
The etheric double is the ethereal counterpart of the 3ross body of 8an. *t is the double that is so8eti8es seen durin3 life in the nei3hbourhood of the body0 and its absence fro8 the body is 3enerally 8ar7ed by the hea:iness or se8i-lethar3y of the latter. Actin3 as the reser:oir0 or :ehicle0 of the lifeprinciple durin3 earth-life0 its 6ithdra6al fro8 the body is naturally 8ar7ed by the lo6erin3 of all :ital functions0 e:en 6hile the cord 6hich unites the t6o is still unbro7en. As has been already said0 the snappin3 of the cord 8eans the death of the body. 2hen the etheric double finally Kuits the body0 it does not tra:el to any distance fro8 it. Nor8ally it re8ains floatin3 o:er the body0 the state of consciousness [Page ""! bein3 drea8y and peaceful0 unless tu8ultuous distress and :iolent e8otion surround the corpse fro8 6hich it has @ust issued. And here it 8ay be 6ell to say that durin3 the slo6 process of dyin30 6hile the etheric double is 6ithdra6in3 fro8 the body0 ta7in3 6ith it the hi3her principles0 as after it has 6ithdra6n0 e9tre8e Kuiet and self-control should be obser:ed in the cha8ber of Death. 5or durin3 this ti8e the 6hole life passes s6iftly in re:ie6 before the &3o0 the indi:idual0 as those ha:e related 6ho ha:e passed in dro6nin3 into this unconscious and pulseless state. A Master has 6rittenP At the last 8o8ent the 6hole life is reflected in our 8e8ory0 and e8er3es fro8 all the for3otten noo7s and corners0 picture after picture0 one e:ent after another. O The 8an 8ay often appear dead0 yet fro8 the last pulsation0 fro8 and bet6een the last throbbin3 of his heart and the 8o8ent 6hen the last spar7 of ani8al heat lea:es the body0 the brain thin7s0 and the &3o li:es o:er in those fe6 brief seconds his 6hole life. (pea7 in 6hispers0 ye 6ho assist at a deathbed0 and find yoursel:es in the sole8n presence of death. &specially ha:e ye to 7eep Kuiet @ust after death has laid her cla88y hand upon the body. (pea7 in 6hispers0 * say0 lest ye disturb the Kuiet ripple of [Page "#! thou3ht0 and hinder the busy 6or7 of the past0 castin3 its reflection upon the :eil of the future [ Man$ *ra"ments of *or"otten History0 by T6o +helWs0 (Mohini +hatter@i and ,aura +.%ollo6ay$ ! This is the ti8e durin3 6hich the thou3ht-i8a3es of the ended earth-life0 clusterin3 around their 8a7er0 3roup and inter6ea:e the8sel:es into the co8pleted i8a3e of that life0 and are i8pressed in their totality on the Astral ,i3ht. The do8inant tendencies0 the stron3est thou3ht-habits0 assert their pre-e8inence0 and sta8p the8sel:es as the characteristics 6hich 6ill appear as Minnate KualitiesN in the succeedin3 incarnation. This balancin3-up of the life-issues0 this readin3 of the 7ar8ic records0 is too sole8n and 8o8entous a thin3 to be disturbed by the ill-ti8ed 6ailin3s of personal relati:es and friends. At the sole8n 8o8ent of death e:ery 8an0 e:en 6hen death is sudden0 sees the 6hole of his past life 8arshalled before hi80 in its 8inutest details. 5or one short instant the personal beco8e one 6ith the individual and all-7no6in3 &3o. But this instant is enou3h to sho6 to hi8 the 6hole chain of causes 6hich ha:e been at 6or7 durin3 his life. %e sees and no6 understands hi8self as he is0 unadorned by flattery or self-deception. %e reads his life0 re8ainin3 as a spectator0 loo7in3 do6n into the arena he is Kuittin3. [ The !ey to Theosophy+ %.).Bla:ats7y0 )a3e 1F#0 Third &dition ! This :i:id si3ht is succeeded0 in the ordinary person0 by the drea8y0 peaceful se8i-consciousness )a3e 1

spo7en of abo:e0 as the etheric double floats abo:e the body to 6hich it has belon3ed0 no6 co8pletely separated fro8 it. [Page "$! (o8eti8es this double is seen by persons in the house0 or in the nei3hbourhood0 6hen the thou3ht of the dyin3 has been stron3ly turned to so8eone left behind0 6hen so8e an9iety has been in the 8ind at the last0 so8ethin3 left undone 6hich needed doin30 or 6hen so8e local disturbance has sha7en the tranKuility of the passin3 entity. -nder these conditions0 or others of a si8ilar nature0 the double 8ay be seen or heard; 6hen seen0 it sho6s the drea8y0 ha=y consciousness alluded to0 is silent0 :a3ue in its aspect0 unresponsi:e. As the days 3o on0 the fi:e hi3her principles 3radually disen3a3e the8sel:es fro8 the etheric double0 and sha7e this off as they pre:iously shoo7 off the 3rosser body. They pass on0 as a fi:efold entity0 into a state to be ne9t studied0 lea:in3 the etheric double0 6ith the dense body of 6hich it is the counterpart0 thus beco8in3 an ethereal corpse0 as 8uch as the body had beco8e a dense corpse. This ethereal corpse re8ains near the dense one0 and they disinte3rate to3ether; clair:oyants see these ethereal 6raiths in churchyards0 so8eti8es sho6in3 li7eness to the dead dense body0 so8eti8es as :iolet 8ists or li3hts. (uch an ethereal corpse has been seen by a friend of 8y o6n0 passin3 throu3h the horribly repulsi:e sta3es of deco8position0 a 3hastly [Page "%! :ision in face of 6hich clair:oyance 6as certainly no blessin3. The process 3oes on pari passu0 until all but the actual bony s7eleton of the dense body is co8pletely disinte3rated0 and the particles ha:e 3one to for8 other co8binations. 'ne of the 3reat ad:anta3es of cre8ation " apart fro8 all sanitary conditions " lies in the s6ift restoration to Mother Nature of the physical ele8ents co8posin3 the dense and ethereal corpses0 brou3ht about by the burnin3. *nstead of slo6 and 3radual deco8position0 s6ift dissociation ta7es place0 and no physical re8nants are left0 6or7in3 possible 8ischief. The ethereal corpse 8ay to so8e e9tent be re:i:ified for a short period after its death. Dr. %art8ann saysP The fresh corpse of a person 6ho has suddenly been 7illed 8ay be 3al:anised into a se8blance of life by the application of a 3al:anic battery. ,i7e6ise the astral corpse of a person 8ay be brou3ht bac7 into an artificial life by bein3 infused 6ith a part of the life principle of the 8ediu8. *f that corpse is one of a :ery intellectual person0 it 8ay tal7 :ery intellectually; and if it 6as that of a fool0 it 6ill tal7 li7e a fool. [ Ma"ic+ ,hite and Black by Dr. 5ran= %art8ann0 pa3e 1F# and 11F0 Third &dition ! This 8ischie:ous procedure can only be carried out in the nei3hbourhood of the corpse0 and for a :ery li8ited ti8e after death0 but there are cases on record of such 3al:anisin3 of the ethereal corpse0 perfor8ed [Page "&! at the 3ra:e of the departed person. Needless to say that such a process belon3s distinctly to MBlac7N Ma3ic0 and is 6holly e:il. &thereal corpses0 li7e dense ones0 if not s6iftly destroyed by burnin30 should be left in the silence and the dar7ness0 a silence and a dar7ness that it is the 6orst profanity to brea7.
)a3e 14
Death - and After? by Annie Besant 34+A,O3A5 DES*RE-,AND5 AND THE FATE OF PASS*ONS AND DES*RES
,o7a is a (a8s7rit 6ord that 8ay be translated as place0 6orld0 land0 so that DQ8alo7a is literally the place or the 6orld of Desire0 DQ8a bein3 the na8e of that part of the hu8an or3anis8 that includes all the passions0 desires0 and e8otions 6hich 8an has in co88on 6ith the lo6er ani8als. >(ee The Seven Principles of Man+ pa3es 1! to C1? .*n this di:ision of the uni:erse0 the DQ8alo7a0 d6ell all the hu8an entities that ha:e sha7en off the dense body and its ethereal double0 but ha:e not yet disentan3led the8sel:es fro8 the passional and e8otional nature. DQ8alo7a has 8any other tenants0 but 6e are concerned only 6ith the hu8an bein3s 6ho ha:e lately passed throu3h the 3ate6ay of Death0 and it is on these that 6e 8ust concentrate our study. [Page "'! A 8o8entary di3ression 8ay be pardoned on the Kuestion of the e9istence of re3ions in the uni:erse0 other than the physical0 peopled 6ith intelli3ent bein3s. The e9istence of such re3ions is postulated by the &soteric )hilosophy0 and is 7no6n to the Adepts and to :ery 8any less hi3hly e:ol:ed 8en and 6o8en by personal e9perience; all that is needed for the study of these re3ions is the e:olution of the faculties latent in e:ery 8an; a Mli:in3N 8an0 in ordinary parlance0 can lea:e his dense and ethereal bodies behind hi80 and e9plore these re3ions 6ithout 3oin3 throu3h DeathLs 3ate6ay. Thus 6e read in the Theosophist that real 7no6led3e 8ay be acKuired by the (pirit in the li:in3 8an co8in3 into conscious relations 6ith the 6orld of (pirit. As in the case0 say0 of an initiated Adept0 6ho brin3s bac7 upon earth 6ith hi8 the clear and distinct recollection " correct to a detail " of facts 3athered0 and the infor8ation obtained0 in the in:isible sphere of -ealities. [ The Theosophist0 March 188C0 pa3e 1480 note! *n this 6ay those re3ions beco8e to hi8 8atters of 7no6led3e as definite0 as certain0 as fa8iliar0 as if he should tra:el to Africa in ordinary fashion0 e9plore its deserts0 and return to his o6n land the richer for the 7no6led3e and e9perience 3ained. A seasoned African e9plorer 6ould care but little for the criticis8s passed [Page "(! on his report by persons 6ho had ne:er been thither; he 8i3ht tell 6hat he sa60 describe the ani8als 6hose habits he had studied0 s7etch the country he had tra:ersed0 su8 up its products and its characteristics. *f he 6as contradicted0 lau3hed at0 set ri3ht0 by untra:elled critics0 he 6ould be neither ruffled nor distressed0 but 6ould 8erely lea:e the8 alone. *3norance cannot con:ince 7no6led3e by repeated asse:eration of its nescience. The opinion of a hundred persons on a sub@ect on 6hich they are 6holly i3norant is of no 8ore 6ei3ht than the opinion of one such person. &:idence is stren3thened by 8any consentin3 6itnesses0 testifyin3 each to his 7no6led3e of a fact0 but nothin3 8ultiplied a thousand ti8es re8ains nothin3. (tran3e0 indeed0 6ould it be if all the (pace around us be e8pty0 8ere 6aste :oid0 and the inhabitants of earth the only for8s in 6hich intelli3ence could clothe itself. As Dr. %u9ley saidP 2ithout steppin3 beyond the analo3y of that 6hich is 7no6n0 it is easy to people the cos8os 6ith entities0 in ascendin3 scale0 until 6e reach so8ethin3 practically indistin3uishable fro8 o8nipotence0 o8nipresence0 and o8niscience. [ U&ssays upon (o8e +ontro:erted VuestionsU0 pa3e 3/ ! *f these entities did not ha:e or3ans of sense li7e our o6n0 if their senses responded to :ibrations different fro8 those 6hich affect ours0 they and 6e 8i3ht 6al7 [Page ")! side by side0 pass each other0 )a3e 1/

8eet each other0 pass throu3h each other0 and yet be ne:er the 6iser as to each otherLs e9istence. Mr. +roo7es 3i:es us a 3li8pse of the possibility of such unconscious coe9istence of intelli3ent bein3s0 and but a :ery sli3ht effort of i8a3ination is needed to realise the conception. *t is not i8probable that other sentient bein3s ha:e or3ans of sense 6hich do not respond to so8e or any of the rays to 6hich our eyes are sensiti:e0 but are able to appreciate other :ibrations to 6hich 6e are blind. (uch bein3s 6ould practically be li:in3 in a different 6orld to our o6n. *8a3ine0 for instance0 6hat idea 6e should for8 of surroundin3 ob@ects 6ere 6e endo6ed 6ith eyes not sensiti:e to the ordinary rays of li3ht0 but sensiti:e to the :ibrations concerned in electric and 8a3netic pheno8ena. .lass and crystal 6ould be a8on3 the 8ost opaKue of bodies. Metals 6ould be 8ore or less transparent0 and a tele3raph 6ire throu3h the air 6ould loo7 li7e a lon3 narro6 hole drilled throu3h an i8per:ious solid body. A dyna8o in acti:e 6or7 6ould rese8ble a confla3ration0 6hilst a per8anent 8a3net 6ould realise the drea8 of 8edie:al 8ystics0 and beco8e an e:erlastin3 la8p 6ith no e9penditure of ener3y or consu8ption of fuel. [U 5ortni3htly 1e:ie6U 0 Bear 18#C0 )a3e 1!/ ! DQ8alo7a is a re3ion peopled by intelli3ent and se8i-intelli3ent entities0 @ust as our o6n is thus peopled it is cro6ded0 li7e our 6orld0 6ith 8any types and for8s of li:in3 thin3s0 as di:erse fro8 each other as a blade of 3rass is different fro8 a ti3er0 a ti3er fro8 a 8an. *t interpenetrates our o6n 6orld and is interpenetrated by it0 but0 as the states of 8atter in the t6o 6orlds differ0 they co-e9ist 6ithout the 7no6led3e of the [Page #-! intelli3ent bein3s in either. 'nly under abnor8al circu8stances can consciousness of each otherLs presence arise a8on3 the inhabitants of the t6o 6orlds; by certain peculiar trainin3 a li:in3 hu8an bein3 can co8e into conscious contact 6ith and control 8any of the subhu8an deni=ens of DQ8alo7a; hu8an bein3s0 6ho ha:e Kuitted earth and in 6ho8 the 7Q8ic ele8ents 6ere stron30 8ay :ery readily be attracted by the 7Q8ic ele8ents in e8bodied 8en0 and by their help beco8e conscious a3ain of the presence of the scenes they had left; and hu8an bein3s still e8bodied 8ay set up 8ethods of co88unication 6ith the dise8bodied0 and 8ay0 as said0 lea:e their o6n bodies for a6hile0 and beco8e conscious in DQ8alo7a by the use of faculties throu3h 6hich they ha:e accusto8ed their consciousness to act. The point 6hich is here to be clearly 3rasped is the e9istence of DQ8alo7a as a definite re3ion0 inhabited by a lar3e di:ersity of entities0 a8on3 6ho8 are dise8bodied hu8an bein3s. 5ro8 this necessary di3ression 6e return to the particular hu8an bein3 6hose fate0 as a type0 6e 8ay be said to be tracin30 and of 6hose dense body and etheric double 6e ha:e already disposed. ,et us conte8plate hi8 in the state of :ery brief duration that follo6s the sha7in3 off of these t6o casin3s. [Page # ! (ays %. ). Bla:ats7y0 after Kuotin3 fro8 )lutarch a description of the 8an after deathP %ere you ha:e our doctrine0 6hich sho6s 8an a septenary durin3 life; a .uintile @ust after death0 in DQ8alo7a. [ The !ey to Theosophy0 pa3e /! ! )rQna0 the portion of the life-ener3y appropriated by the 8an in his e8bodied state0 ha:in3 lost its :ehicle0 the ethereal double0 6hich0 6ith the physical body0 has slipped a6ay fro8 its controllin3 ener3y0 8ust pass bac7 into the 3reat life-reser:oir of the uni:erse. As 6ater enclosed in a 3lass :essel and plun3ed into a tan7 8in3les 6ith the surroundin3 6ater if the :essel be bro7en0 so )rQna0 as the bodies drop fro8 it0 8in3les a3ain 6ith the ,ife -ni:ersal. *t is only M@ust after deathN that 8an is a Kuintile0 or fi:efold in his constitution0 for )rQna0 as a distincti:ely hu8an principle0 cannot re8ain appropriated 6hen )a3e 1!

its :ehicle disinte3rates. The 8an no6 is clothed0 but 6ith the DQ8a 1Xpa0 or body of DQ8a0 the desire body0 a body of astral 8atter0 often ter8ed MfluidicN0 so easily does it0 durin3 earth-life0 ta7e any for8 i8pressed upon it fro8 6ithout or 8oulded fro8 6ithin. The li:in3 8an is there0 the i88ortal Triad0 still clad in the last of its terrestrial 3ar8ents0 in the subtle0 sensiti:e0 responsi:e for8s [Page #"! 6hich lent it durin3 e8bodi8ent the po6er to feel0 to desire0 to en@oy0 to suffer0 to thin70 in the physical 6orld. 2hen the 8an dies0 his three lo6er principles lea:e hi8 fore:er; i%e%0 body0 life0 and the :ehicle of the latter0 the etheric body0 or the double of the li:in3 8an. And then his four principles " the central or 8iddle principle (the ani8al soul or DQ8a 1Xpa0 6ith 6hat it has assi8ilated fro8 the lo6er Manas$ and the hi3her Triad " find the8sel:es in DQ8alo7a. [ UThe !ey to TheosophyU0 pa3e #! ! This desire body under3oes a 8ar7ed chan3e soon after death. The different densities of the astral 8atter of 6hich it is co8posed arran3e the8sel:es in a series of shells or en:elopes0 the densest bein3 outside0 shuttin3 the consciousness a6ay fro8 all but :ery li8ited contact and e9pression. The consciousness turns in on itself0 if left undisturbed0 and prepares itself for the ne9t step on6ards0 6hile the desire body 3radually disinte3rates0 shell after shell. -p to the point of this re-arran3e8ent of the 8atter of the desire body0 the post-8orte8 e9perience of all is 8uch the sa8e; it is a Mdrea8y0 peaceful se8i-consciousnessN0 as before said0 and this0 in the happiest cases0 passes 6ithout :i:id a6a7enin3 into the deeper Mpre-de:achanic unconsciousnessN 6hich ends 6ith the blissful 6a7enin3 in De:achan0 hea:en0 for the period of [Page ##! repose that inter:enes bet6een t6o incarnations. But as0 at this point0 different possibilities arise0 let us trace a nor8al uninterrupted pro3ression in DQ8alo7a0 up to the threshold of De:achan0 and then 6e can return to consider other classes of circu8stances. *f a person has led a pure life0 and has steadfastly stri:en to rise and to identify hi8self 6ith the hi3her rather than the lo6er part of his nature0 after sha7in3 off the dense body and the etheric double0 and after )rQna has re-8in3led 6ith the ocean of ,ife0 and he is clothed only 6ith the DQ8a 1Xpa0 the passional ele8ents in hi80 bein3 but 6ea7 and accusto8ed to co8parati:ely little acti:ity0 6ill not be able to assert the8sel:es stron3ly in DQ8alo7a. No6 durin3 earth-life DQ8a and the ,o6er Manas are stron3ly united and inter6o:en 6ith each other; in the case 6e are considerin3 DQ8a is 6ea70 and the ,o6er Manas has purified DQ8a to a 3reat e9tent. The 8ind0 6o:en 6ith the passions0 e8otions0 and desires0 has purified the80 and has assi8ilated their pure part0 absorbed it into itself0 so that all that is left of DQ8a is a 8ere residue0 easily to be 3otten rid of0 fro8 6hich the *88ortal Triad can readily free itself. (lo6ly this *88ortal Triad0 the true Man0 dra6s in all his forces; he dra6s into hi8self the 8e8ories of the earth-life @ust ended0 [Page #$! its lo:es0 its hopes0 its aspirations0 and prepares to pass out of DQ8alo7a into the blissful rest of De:achan0 the Mabode of the .odsN0 or0 as so8e say0 Mthe land of blissN. DQ8alo7a is an astral locality0 the ,i8bus of scholastic theolo3y0 the %ades of the ancients0 and0 strictly spea7in30 a locality only in a relati:e sense. *t has neither a definite area0 nor boundary0 but e9ists )ithin sub@ecti:e space0 i%e%0 is beyond our sensuous perceptions. (till it e9ists0 and it is there that the astral eidolons of all the bein3s that ha:e li:ed0 ani8als included0 a6ait their )a3e 18

second death% 5or the ani8als it co8es 6ith the disinte3ration and the entire fadin3 out of their astral particles to the last. 5or the hu8an eidolon it be3ins 6hen the Et8a-Buddhi-MQnasic Triad is said to MseparateN itself fro8 its lo6er principles or the reflection of the e9-personality0 by fallin3 into the de:achanic state. [ The !ey to Theosophy0 pa3e #! ! This second death is the passa3e0 then0 of the *88ortal Triad fro8 the 7Q8alo7ic sphere0 so closely related to the earth sphere0 into the hi3her state of De:achan0 of 6hich 6e 8ust spea7 later. The type of 8an 6e are considerin3 passes throu3h this0 in the peaceful drea8y state already described0 and0 if left undisturbed0 6ill not re3ain full consciousness until these sta3es are passed throu3h0 and peace 3i:es 6ay to bliss. But durin3 the 6hole period that the fi:e principles " the *88ortal Triad0 Mind and Desire " re8ain in DQ8alo7a0 6hether the period be lon3 or short0 days or centuries0 they are 6ithin the reach of the [Page #%! earth-influences. *n the case of such a person as 6e ha:e been describin30 an a6a7enin3 8ay be caused by the passionate sorro6 and desires of friends left on earth0 and these :iolently :ibratin3 7a8ic ele8ents in the e8bodied persons 8ay set up :ibrations in the desire body of the dise8bodied0 and so reach and rouse the lo6er Mind0 not yet 6ithdra6n to and reunited 6ith its parent0 the (piritual *ntellect. Thus it 8ay be roused fro8 its drea8y state to :i:id re8e8brance of the earth-life so lately left0 and 8ay " if any sensiti:e or 8ediu8 is concerned0 either directly0 or indirectly throu3h one of these 3rie:in3 friends in co88unication 6ith the 8ediu8 " use the 8ediu8Ls etheric and dense bodies to spea7 or 6rite to those left behind. This a6a7enin3 is often acco8panied 6ith acute sufferin30 and e:en if this be a:oided0 the natural process of the Triad freein3 itself is rudely disturbed0 and the co8pletion of its freedo8 is delayed. *n spea7in3 of this possibility of co88unication durin3 the period i88ediately succeedin3 death and before the freed Man passes on into De:achan0 %. ). Bla:ats7y saysP 2hether any li:in3 8ortal0 sa:e a fe6 e9ceptional cases " 6hen the intensity of the desire in the dyin3 person to return for so8e purpose forced the hi3her consciousness to remain a)ake+ and0 therefore0 it 6as really the individuality0 the M(piritN0 that co88unicated " has deri:ed 8uch benefit fro8 the return of the (pirit into the o&/ective plane is another Kuestion. The (pirit is [Page #&! da=ed after death0 and falls :ery soon into 6hat 6e call Mpre-de:achanic unconsciousnessU. [ UThe !ey to TheosophyU0 pa3e 1FC ! *ntense desire 8ay 8o:e the dise8bodied entity to spontaneously return to the sorro6in3 ones left behind0 but this spontaneous return is rare in the case of persons of the type 6e are @ust no6 considerin3. *f they are left at peace0 they 6ill 3enerally sleep the8sel:es Kuietly into De:achan0 and so a:oid any stru33le or sufferin3 in connection 6ith the second death. 'n the final escape of the *88ortal Triad there is left behind in DQ8alo7a only the desire body0 the MshellN or 8ere e8pty phanto80 6hich 3radually disinte3rates; but it 6ill be better to deal 6ith this in considerin3 the ne9t type0 the a:era3e 8an or 6o8an0 6ithout 8ar7ed spirituality of an ele:ated 7ind0 but also 6ithout 8ar7ed e:il tendencies. 2hen an a:era3e 8an or 6o8an reaches DQ8alo7a0 the spiritual *ntelli3ence is clothed 6ith a desire body0 6hich possesses considerable :i3our and :itality; the lo6er Manas0 closely inter6o:en 6ith DQ8a durin3 the earth-life @ust ended0 ha:in3 li:ed 8uch in the en@oy8ent of ob@ects of sense and in the pleasure of the e8otions0 cannot Kuic7ly disentan3le itself fro8 the 6eb of its 6ea:in30 and return to its )arent Mind0 the source [Page #'! of its o6n bein3. %ence a considerable delay in the 6orld of transition0 in DQ8alo7a0 6hile the desires 6ear out and fade a6ay to a point at 6hich they can no lon3er detain the )a3e 1#

(oul 6ith their clin3in3 ar8s. As said0 durin3 the period that the *88ortal Triad0 Mind and Desire re8ain to3ether in DQ8alo7a0 co88unication bet6een the dise8bodied entity and the e8bodied entities on earth is possible. (uch co88unication 6ill 3enerally be 6elco8ed by these0 dise8bodied ones0 because their desires and e8otions still clin3 to the earth they ha:e left0 and the 8ind has not sufficiently li:ed on its o6n plane to find therein full satisfaction and content8ent. The lo6er Manas still yearns to6ards 7Q8ic 3ratifications and the :i:id hi3hly coloured sensations of earth-life0 and can by these yearnin3s be dra6n bac7 to the scenes it has re3retfully Kuitted. (pea7in3 of the possibility of co88unication bet6een the &3o of the deceased person and a 8ediu80 %. ). Bla:ats7y says in UThe Theosophist00 [ Tune of 188C0 Article U(ee8in3 DiscrepanciesU ! as fro8 the teachin3s recei:ed by her fro8 the Adept Brothers0 that such co88unication 8ay occur durin3 t6o inter:alsP *nter:al the first is that period bet6een the physical death and the 8er3in3 of the spiritual &3o into that state 6hich is 7no6n in the Arhat esoteric doctrine as Bardo. 2e ha:e translated this as the M3estationN period >pre-de:achanic?. [Page #(! (o8e of the co88unications 8ade throu3h 8ediu8s are fro8 this source0 fro8 the dise8bodied entity0 thus dra6n bac7 to the earth-sphere " a cruel 7indness0 delayin3 its for6ard e:olution and introducin3 an ele8ent of dishar8ony into 6hat should be an orderly pro3ression. The period in DQ8alo7a is thus len3thened0 the desire body is fed and its hold on the &3o is 8aintained0 and thus is the freedo8 of the (oul deferred0 the i88ortal (6allo6 bein3 still held do6n by the bird-li8e of earth. )ersons 6ho ha:e led an e:il life0 6ho ha:e 3ratified and sti8ulated their ani8al passions0 and ha:e full fed the desire body 6hile they ha:e star:ed e:en the lo6er 8ind " these re8ain for lon30 deni=ens of DQ8alo7a0 and are filled 6ith yearnin3s for the earth-life they ha:e left0 and for the ani8al deli3hts that they can no lon3er " in the absence of the physical body " directly taste. These 3ather round the 8ediu8 and the sensiti:e0 endea:ourin3 to utilise the8 for their o6n 3ratification0 and these are a8on3 the 8ore dan3erous of the forces so rashly confronted in their i3norance by the thou3htless and the curious. Another class of dise8bodied entities includes those 6hose li:es on earth ha:e been pre8aturely cut short0 by their o6n act0 the act of others0 or by accident. [Page #)! Their fate in DQ8alo7a depends on the conditions 6hich surrounded their out-3oin3s fro8 earthly life0 for not all suicides are 3uilty of felo de se0 and the 8easure of responsibility 8ay :ary 6ithin :ery 6ide li8its. The condition of such has been thus describedP (uicides0 althou3h not 6holly disse:ered fro8 their si9th and se:enth principles0 and Kuite potent in the sYance roo80 ne:ertheless0 to the day 6hen they 6ould ha:e died a natural death0 are separated fro8 their hi3her principles by a 3ulf. The si9th and se:enth principles re8ain passi:e and ne3ati:e0 6hereas in cases of accidental death the hi3her and the lo6er 3roups actually attract each other. *n cases of 3ood and innocent &3os0 8oreo:er0 the latter 3ra:itates irresistibly to6ard the si9th and se:enth0 and thus either slu8bers surrounded by happy drea8s0 or sleeps a drea8less profound sleep until the hour stri7es. 2ith a little reflection and an eye to the eternal @ustice and fitness of thin3s0 you 6ill see 6hy. The :icti80 )a3e CF

6hether 3ood or bad0 is irresponsible for his death. &:en if his death 6ere due to so8e action in a pre:ious life or an antecedent birth0 6as an act0 in short0 of the ,a6 of 1etribution0 still it 6as not the direct result of an act deliberately co88itted by the personal &3o of that life durin3 6hich he happened to be 7illed. %ad he been allo6ed to li:e lon3er he 8i3ht ha:e atoned for his antecedent [Page $-! sins still 8ore effectually0 and e:en no60 the &3o ha:in3 been 8ade to pay off the debt of his 8a7er0 the personal &3o is free fro8 the blo6s of retributi:e @ustice. The Dhyan +hohans0 6ho ha:e no hand in the 3uidance of the li:in3 hu8an &3o0 protect the helpless :icti8 6hen it is :iolently thrust out of its ele8ent into a ne6 one0 before it is 8atured and 8ade fit and ready for it. These0 6hether suicides or 7illed by accident0 can co88unicate 6ith those in earth-life0 but 8uch to their o6n in@ury. As said abo:e0 the 3ood and innocent sleep happily till the life-period is o:er. But 6here the :icti8 of an accident is depra:ed and 3ross0 his fate is a sad one. -nhappy shades0 if sinful and sensual0 they 6ander about (not shells0 for their connection 6ith their t6o hi3her principles is not Kuite bro7en$ until their deathhour co8es. +ut off in the full flush of earthly passions 6hich bind the8 to fa8iliar scenes0 they are enticed by the opportunities 6hich 8ediu8s afford to 3ratify the8 :icariously. They are the )ishachas0 the *ncubi and (uccubae of 8ediae:al ti8es; the de8ons of thirst0 3luttony0 lust0 and a:arice " &le8entaries of intensified craft0 6ic7edness0 and cruelty; pro:o7in3 their :icti8s to horrid cri8es0 and re:elin3 in their co88ission They not only ruin their :icti8s0 but these psychic :a8pires0 borne alon3 by the torrent of their hellish i8pulses0 at last " at the [Page $ ! fi9ed close to their natural period of life " they are carried out of the earthLs aura into re3ions 6here for a3es they endure e9Kuisite sufferin3 and end 6ith entire destruction. No6 the causes producin3 the Mne6 bein3N and deter8inin3 the nature of Dar8a are TrishnQ (TanhQ$ " thirst0 desire for sentient e9istence " and -pQdQna0 6hich is the realisation or consu88ation of TrishnQ0 or that desire. And both of these the 8ediu8 helps to de:elop ne plus ultra in an &le8entary0 be he a suicide or a :icti8. The rule is that a person 6ho dies a natural death 6ill re8ain fro8 Ma fe6 hours to se:eral short yearsN 6ithin the earthLs attraction " i% e.0 the DQ8alo7a. But e9ceptions are the cases of suicides and those 6ho die a :iolent death in 3eneral. %ence0 one of such &3os 6ho 6as destined to li:e0 say0 ei3hty or ninety years " but 6ho either 7illed hi8self or 6as 7illed by so8e accident0 let us suppose at the a3e of t6enty " 6ould ha:e to pass in the DQ8alo7a not Ma fe6 yearsN0 but in this case si9ty or se:enty years0 as an &le8entary0 or rather an Mearth-6al7erN0 since he is not0 unfortunately for hi80 e:en a M(hellN. %appy0 thrice happy0 in co8parison0 are those dise8bodied entities 6ho sleep their lon3 slu8ber and li:e in drea8 in the boso8 of (paceS And 6oe to those 6hose TrishnQ 6ill attract the8 to 8ediu8s0 and 6oe to the latter 6ho te8pt the8 6ith such an easy -pQdQna. 5or0 in 3raspin3 the8 [Page $"! and satisfyin3 their thirst for life0 the 8ediu8 helps to de:elop in the8 " is0 in fact0 the cause of " a ne6 set of (7andhas0 a ne6 body 6ith far 6orse tendencies and passions than the one they lost. All the future of this ne6 body 6ill be deter8ined thus0 not only by the Dar8a of de8erit of the pre:ious set or 3roup0 but also by that of the ne6 set of the future bein3. 2ere the 8ediu8s and spiritualists but to 7no60 as * said0 that 6ith e:ery ne6 Man3el 3uideN they 6elco8e 6ith rapture0 they entice the latter into a -pQdQna0 6hich 6ill be producti:e of untold e:ils for the ne6 &3o that 6ill be reborn under its nefarious shado60 and that 6ith e:ery sYance0 especially for 8aterialisation0 they 8ultiply the causes for 8isery0 causes that 6ill 8a7e the unfortunate &3o fail in his spiritual birth0 or be reborn into a far 6orse e9istence than e:er " they 6ould0 perhaps0 be less la:ish in their )a3e C1

hospitality. )re8ature death brou3ht on by :icious courses0 by o:er-study0 or by :oluntary sacrifice for so8e 3reat cause0 6ill brin3 about delay in DQ8alo7a0 but the state of the dise8bodied entity 6ill depend on the 8oti:e that cut short the life. There are :ery fe60 if any0 of the 8en 6ho indul3e in these :ices0 6ho feel perfectly sure that such a course of action 6ill lead the8 e:entually to pre8ature death. (uch is the penalty of MQyQ. The M:icesN 6ill not escape their punish8ent; but it is the cause0 not the effect0 that 6ill be punished0 [Page $#! especially an unforeseen0 thou3h probable effect. As 6ell call a 8an a MsuicideN 6ho 8eets his death in a stor8 at sea0 as one 6ho 7ills hi8self 6ith Mo:er-studyN. 2ater is liable to dro6n a 8an0 and too 8uch brain 6or7 to produce a softenin3 of the brain 8atter0 6hich 8ay carry hi8 a6ay. *n such a case no one ou3ht to cross the !1lap1ni0 nor e:en to ta7e a bath for fear of 3ettin3 faint in it and dro6ned (for 6e all 7no6 of such cases$0 nor should a 8an do his duty0 least of all sacrifice hi8self for e:en a laudable and hi3hly beneficial cause as 8any of us do. Moti:e is e:erythin30 and 8an is punished in a case of direct responsibility0 ne:er other6ise. *n the :icti8Ls case the natural hour of death 6as anticipated accidentally0 6hile in that of the suicide death is brou3ht on :oluntarily and 6ith a full and deliberate 7no6led3e of its i88ediate conseKuences. Thus a 8an 6ho causes his death in a fit of te8porary insanity is not a felo de se0 to the 3reat 3rief and often trouble of the ,ife *nsurance +o8panies. Nor is he left a prey to the te8ptations of the DQ8alo7a0 but falls asleep li7e any other :icti8. The population of DQ8alo7a is thus recruited 6ith a peculiarly dan3erous ele8ent by all the acts of :iolence0 le3al and ille3al0 6hich 6rench the physical body fro8 the soul and send the latter into DQ8alo7a clad in the desire body0 throbbin3 6ith pulses of hatred0 [Page $$! passion0 e8otion0 palpitatin3 6ith lon3in3s for re:en3e0 6ith unsatiated lusts. A 8urderer in the body is not a pleasant 8e8ber of society0 but a 8urderer suddenly e9pelled fro8 the body is a far 8ore dan3erous entity; society 8ay protect itself a3ainst the first0 but in its present state of i3norance it is defenceless as a3ainst the second. 5inally0 the *88ortal Triad sets itself free fro8 the desire body0 and passes out of DQ8alo7a; the hi3her Manas dra6s bac7 its 1ay0 coloured 6ith the life-scenes it has passed throu3h0 and carryin3 6ith it the e9periences 3ained throu3h the personality it has infor8ed. The labourer is called in fro8 the field0 and he returns ho8e bearin3 his shea:es 6ith hi80 rich or poor0 accordin3 to the fruita3e of the life. 2hen the Triad 6ith the 1ay has Kuitted DQ8alo7a0 it passes 6holly out of the sphere of earth attractionsP As soon as it has stepped outside the DQ8alo7a " crossed the M.olden Brid3eN leadin3 to the M(e:en .olden MountainsN " the &3o can confabulate no 8ore 6ith easy-3oin3 8ediu8s. There are so8e e9ceptional possibilities of reachin3 such an &3o0 that 6ill be e9plained later0 but the &3o is out of the reach of the ordinary 8ediu8 and cannot be recalled into the earth-sphere. But ere 6e follo6 [Page $%! the further course of the Triad0 6e 8ust consider the fate of the no6 deserted desire body0 left as a 8ere reli.uum in DQ8alo7a.
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Death - and After? by Annie Besant 34+A,O3A6 THE SHE,,S

The (hell is the desire body0 e8ptied of the Triad and the 1ay0 6hich ha:e no6 passed on6ards; it is the third of the transitory 3ar8ents of (oul0 cast aside and left in DQ8alo7a to disinte3rate. 2hen the past earth-life has been noble0 or e:en 6hen it has been of a:era3e purity and utility0 this (hell retains but little :itality after the passin3 on6ards of the Triad0 and rapidly dissol:es. *ts 8olecules0 ho6e:er0 retain0 durin3 this process of disinte3ration0 the i8pressions 8ade upon the8 durin3 the earthlife0 the tendency to :ibrate in response to sti8uli constantly e9perienced durin3 that period. &:ery student of physiolo3y is fa8iliar 6ith 6hat is ter8ed auto8atic action0 6ith the tendency of cells to repeat :ibrations ori3inally set up by purposi:e action; thus are for8ed 6hat 6e ter8 habits0 and 6e unconsciously repeat 8otions 6hich at first 6ere done 6ith thou3ht. (o stron3 is this auto8atis8 of the body0 that0 as e:eryone 7no6s by e9perience0 it is difficult to brea7 off the use of a phrase or of a 3esture that has beco8e MhabitualN. [Page $&! No6 the desire body is durin3 earth-life the recipient of and the respondent to all sti8uli fro8 6ithout0 and it also continually recei:es and responds to sti8uli fro8 the lo6er Manas. *n it are set up habits0 tendencies to repeat auto8atically fa8iliar :ibrations0 :ibrations of lo:e and desire0 :ibrations i8a3in3 past e9periences of all 7inds. Tust as the hand 8ay repeat a fa8iliar 3esture0 so 8ay the desire body repeat a fa8iliar feelin3 or thou3ht. And 6hen the Triad has left it0 this auto8atis8 re8ains0 and the (hell 8ay thus si8ulate feelin3s and thou3hts 6hich are e8pty of all true intelli3ence and 6ill. Many of the responses to ea3er enKuiries at s2ances co8e fro8 such (hells0 dra6n to the nei3hbourhood of friends and relati:es by the 8a3netic attractions so lon3 fa8iliar and dear0 and auto8atically respondin3 to the 6a:es of e8otion and re8e8brance0 to the i8pulse of 6hich they had so often ans6ered durin3 the lately closed earth-life. )hrases of affection0 8oral platitudes0 8e8ories of past e:ents0 6ill be all the co88unications such (hells can 8a7e0 but these 8ay be literally poured out under fa:ourable conditions under the 8a3netic sti8uli freely applied by the e8bodied friends and relati:es. *n cases 6here the lo6er Manas durin3 earth-life has been stron3ly attached to 8aterial ob@ects and to [Page $'! intellectual pursuits directed by a self-see7in3 8oti:e0 the desire body nay ha:e acKuired a :ery considerable auto8atis8 of an intellectual character0 and 8ay 3i:e forth responses of considerable intellectual 8erit. But still the 8ar7 of non-ori3inality 6ill be presentP the apparent intellectuality 6ill only 3i:e out reproductions0 and there 6ill be no si3n of the ne6 and independent thou3ht 6hich 6ould be the ine:itable outco8e of a stron3 intelli3ence 6or7in3 6ith ori3inality a8id ne6 surroundin3s. *ntellectual sterility brands the 3reat 8a@ority of co88unications fro8 the Mspirit 6orldN; reflections of earthly scenes0 earthly conditions0 earthly arran3e8ents0 are plentiful0 but 6e usually see7 in :ain for stron30 ne6 thou3ht0 6orthy of *ntelli3ences freed fro8 the prison of the flesh. The co88unications of a loftier 7ind occasionally 3ranted are0 for the 8ost part0 fro8 non-hu8an *ntelli3ences0 attracted by the pure at8osphere of the 8ediu8 or sitters. And there is an e:er-present dan3er in this co88erce 6ith the (hells. Tust because they are (hells0 and nothin3 8ore0 they ans6er to the i8pulses that stri7e on the8 fro8 6ithout0 and easily beco8e 8alicious and 8ischie:ous0 auto8atically respondin3 to e:il :ibrations. Thus a 8ediu80 or sitters of poor 8oral character0 6ill i8press the (hells that floc7 around the8 [Page $(! 6ith i8pulses of a lo6 order0 and any ani8al desires0 petty and foolish thou3hts0 6ill set up si8ilar :ibrations in the blindly responsi:e (hells. )a3e C3

A3ain0 the (hell is :ery easily ta7en possession of by &le8entals0 the se8i-conscious forces 6or7in3 in the 7in3do8s of Nature0 and 8ay be used by the8 as a con:enient :ehicle for 8any a pran7 and tric7. The etheric double of the 8ediu80 and the desire bodies e8ptied of their i88ortal Tenants0 3i:e the 8aterial basis by 6hich &le8entals can 6or7 8any a curious and startlin3 result; and freKuenters of s3ances 8ay be confidently appealed to0 and as7ed 6hether 8any of the childish frea7s 6ith 6hich they are fa8iliar " pullin3s of hair0 pinchin3s0 slaps0 thro6in3 about of ob@ects0 pilin3 up of furniture0 playin3 on accordions0 etc. " are not 8ore rationally accounted for as the tric7y :a3aries of subhu8an forces0 than as the actions of MspiritsN 6ho0 6hile in the body0 6ere certainly incapable of such :ul3arities. ,et us lea:e the (hells alone to peacefully dissol:e into their ele8ents0 and 8in3le once a3ain in the crucible of Nature. The authors of The Perfect ,ay put :ery 6ell the real character of the (hellP The true M3hostN consists of the e9terior and earthly portion of the (oul0 that portion 6hich0 bein3 6ei3hted 6ith cares0 [Page $)! attach8ents0 and 8e8ories 8erely 8undane0 is detached by the (oul and re8ains in the astral sphere0 an e9istence 8ore or less definite and personal0 and capable of holdin30 throu3h a sensiti:e0 con:erse 6ith the li:in3. *t is0 ho6e:er0 but as a cast-off :est8ent of the (oul0 and is incapable of endurance as "host% The true (oul and real person0 the anima divina+ parts at death 6ith all those lo6er affections 6hich 6ould ha:e retained it near its earthly haunts. [ UThe Perfect ,ayU by Anna Bonus Din3sford and &d6ard Maitland0 pa3es !3 and ! 0 &dition of 188! ! *f 6e 6ould find our belo:ed0 it is not a8on3 the decayin3 re8nants in DQ8alo7a that 6e should see7 the8. M2hy see7 ye the li:in3 a8on3 the dead?N
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Death - and After? by Annie Besant 34+A,O3A6 THE E,E+ENTAR*ES

The 6ord M&le8entaryN has been so loosely used that it has 3i:en rise to a 3ood deal of confusion. *t is thus defined by %. ). Bla:ats7yP )roperly0 the dise8bodied souls of the depra:ed; these souls ha:in30 at so8e ti8e prior to death0 separated fro8 the8sel:es their di:ine spirits0 and so lost their chance for i88ortality. But at the present sta3e of learnin3 it has been thou3ht best to apply the ter8 to the spoo7s or phanto8s of dise8bodied persons0 in 3eneral to those 6hose te8porary habitation is the DQ8alo7a. O 'nce di:orced fro8 their hi3her Triads and their bodies0 these souls re8ain in their DQ8a 1Xpic en:elopes0 and are irresistibly dra6n to the earth a8id ele8ents con3enial to their 3ross natures. Their stay in the DQ8alo7a :aries as to its duration; but ends in:ariably in disinte3ration0 dissol:in3 li7e a colu8n of 8ist0 ato8 by ato80 in the surroundin3 ele8ents. [ UTheosophical .lossaryU - &le8entaries0 18#C &dition - )osthu8ous publication - edited by ..1.(. Mead ! [Page %-! (tudents of this series of Manuals 7no6 that it is possible for the lo6er Manas to so entan3le itself 6ith DQ8a as to 6rench itself a6ay fro8 its source0 and this is spo7en of in 'ccultis8 as Mthe loss of the (oulU [ (ee The Seven Principles of Man0 pa3es to / ! *t is0 in other 6ords0 the loss of the personal self0 6hich has separated itself fro8 its )arent0 the %i3her &3o0 and has thus doo8ed itself to perish. (uch a (oul0 ha:in3 thus separated itself fro8 the *88ortal Triad durin3 its earth-life0 beco8es a true &le8entary0 after it has Kuitted the dense and etheric bodies. Then0 clad in its desire body0 it li:es for a6hile0 for a lon3er or shorter ti8e accordin3 to the :i3our of its :itality0 a 6holly e:il thin30 dan3erous and 8ali3nant0 see7in3 to rene6 its fadin3 :itality by any 8eans laid open to it by the folly or i3norance of still e8bodied souls. *ts ulti8ate fate is0 indeed0 destruction0 but it 8ay 6or7 8uch e:il on its 6ay to its self-chosen doo8. The 6ord &le8entary is0 ho6e:er0 :ery often used to describe the lo6er Manas in its 3ar8ent the desire body0 not bro7en a6ay fro8 the hi3her )rinciples0 but not yet absorbed into its )arent0 the hi3her Manas. (uch &le8entaries 8ay be in any sta3e of pro3ress0 har8less or 8ischie:ous. [Page % ! (o8e 6riters0 a3ain0 use &le8entary as a synony8 for (hell0 and so cause increased confusion. The 6ord should at least be restricted to the desire body plus lo6er Manas0 6hether the lo6er Manas be disentan3lin3 itself fro8 the 7a8ic ele8ents0 in order that it 8ay be re-absorbed into its source0 or separated fro8 the %i3her &3o0 and therefore on the road to destruction.
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Death - and After? by Annie Besant DE7ACHAN

A8on3 the :arious conceptions presented by the &soteric )hilosophy0 there are fe60 perhaps0 6hich the 2estern 8ind has found 8ore difficulty in 3raspin3 than that of De:achan0 or De:asthQn0 the De:aland0 or land of the .ods. [The na8e (u7hQ:atZ0 borro6ed fro8 Tibetan Buddhis80 is so8eti8es used instead of that of De:achan. (u7hQ:ati0 accordin3 to (chla3int6eit0 is Mthe abode of the blessed0 into 6hich ascend those 6ho ha:e accu8ulated 8uch 8erit by the practice of :irtuesN and Min:ol:es the deli:erance fro8 8ete8psychosisN (Buddhism in Ti&et0 p. ##$. Accordin3 to the )rasan3a school0 the hi3her )ath leads to Nir:Qna0 the lo6er to (u7hQ:atZ. But &itel calls (u7hQ:atZ the MNir:ana of the co88on people0 6here the saints re:el in physical bliss for eons0 until they reenter the circle of trans8i3rationN ([(ans7rit-+hinese DictionaryL$. &itel0 ho6e:er0 under MA8itQbhaN states that the Mpopular 8indN re3ards the Mparadise of the 2estN as Mthe ha:en of final rede8ption fro8 the eddies of trans8i3rationN. 2hen used by one of the Teachers of the &soteric )hilosophy it co:ers the hi3her De:achanic states0 but fro8 all of these the (oul co8es bac7 to earth.! And one of the chief difficulties [Page %"! has arisen fro8 the free use of the 6ords illusion0 drea8-state0 and other si8ilar ter8s0 as denotin3 the de:achanic consciousness " a 3eneral sense of unreality ha:in3 thus co8e to per:ade the 6hole conception of De:achan. 2hen the &astern thin7er spea7s of the present earthly life as MQyQ0 illusion0 drea80 the solid 2estern at once puts do6n the phrases as alle3orical and fanciful0 for 6hat can be less illusory0 he thin7s0 than this 6orld of buyin3 and sellin30 of beefstea7s and bottled stout. But 6hen si8ilar ter8s are applied to a state beyond Death " a state 6hich to hi8 is 8isty and unreal in his o6n reli3ion0 and 6hich0 as he sadly feels0 is lac7in3 in all the substantial co8forts dear to the fa8ily 8an " then he accepts the 6ords in their 8ost literal and prosaic 8eanin30 and spea7s of De:achan as a delusion in his o6n sense of the 6ord. *t 8ay be 6ell0 therefore0 on the threshold of De:achan to put this Kuestion of MillusionN in its true li3ht. *n a deep 8etaphysical sense all that is conditioned is illusory. All pheno8ena are literally MappearancesN0 the outer 8as7s in 6hich the 'ne 1eality sho6s itself forth in our chan3in3 uni:erse. The 8ore M8aterialN and solid the appearance0 the further it is fro8 1eality0 and therefore the 8ore illusory it is. 2hat can be a 3reater fraud than our body0 so apparently solid0 stable0 [Page %#! :isible and tan3ible? *t is a constantly chan3in3 con3eries of 8inute li:in3 particles0 an attracti:e centre into 6hich strea8 continually 8yriads of tiny in:isibles0 that beco8es :isible by their a33re3ation at this centre0 and then strea8 a6ay a3ain0 beco8in3 in:isible by reason of their 8inuteness as they separate off fro8 this a33re3ation. *n co8parison 6ith this e:er-shiftin3 but apparently stable body ho6 8uch less illusory is the 8ind0 6hich is able to e9pose the pretensions of the body and put it in its true li3ht. The 8ind is constantly i8posed on by the senses0 and +onsciousness0 the 8ost real thin3 in us0 is apt to re3ard itself as the unreal. *n truth0 it is the thou3ht-6orld that is the nearest to reality0 and thin3s beco8e 8ore and 8ore illusory as they ta7e on 8ore and 8ore of a pheno8enal character. A3ain0 the 8ind is per8anent as co8pared 6ith the transitory physical 6orld. 5or the M8indN is only a clu8sy na8e for the li:in3 Thin7er in us0 the true and conscious &ntity0 the inner Man0 Mthat 6as0 that is0 and 6ill be0 for 6ho8 the hour shall ne:er stri7eN. The less deeply this inner Man is plun3ed into 8atter0 the less unreal is his life; and 6hen he has sha7en off the 3ar8ents he donned at incarnation0 his )a3e C/

physical0 ethereal0 and passional bodies0 then he is nearer to the (oul of Thin3s than he 6as before0 and thou3h :eils of [Page %$! illusion still di8 his :ision they are far thinner than those 6hich clouded it 6hen round hi8 6as 6rapped the 3ar8ent of the flesh. %is freer and less illusory life is that 6hich is 6ithout the body0 and the dise8bodied is0 co8parati:ely spea7in30 his nor8al state. 'ut of this nor8al state he plun3es into physical life for brief periods in order that he 8ay 3ain e9periences other6ise unattainable0 and brin3 the8 bac7 to enrich his 8ore abidin3 condition. As a di:er 8ay plun3e into the depths of the ocean to see7 a pearl0 so the Thin7er plun3es into the depths of the ocean of life to see7 the pearl of e9perience; but he does not stay there lon3; it is not his o6n ele8ent; he rises up a3ain into his o6n at8osphere and sha7es off fro8 hi8 the hea:ier ele8ent he lea:es. And therefore it is truly said of the (oul that has escaped fro8 earth that it has returned to its o6n place0 for its ho8e is the Mland of the .odsN0 and here on earth it is an e9ile and a prisoner. This :ie6 6as :ery clearly put by a Master of 2isdo8 in a con:ersation reported by %. ). Bla:ats7y0 and printed under the title M,ife and DeathN.[ (ee U,uciferU of 'ctober 188C0 Golu8e 110 No. /C ! The follo6in3 e9tracts state the caseP The GedWntins0 ac7no6led3in3 t6o 7inds of conscious e9istence0 the terrestrial and the spiritual0 point only to the [Page %%! latter as an undoubted actuality. As to the terrestrial life0 o6in3 to its chan3eability and shortness0 it is nothin3 but an illusion of our senses. 'ur life in the spiritual spheres 8ust be thou3ht an actuality because it is there that li:es our endless0 ne:er-chan3in3 i88ortal *0 the (XtrQt8Q. 2hereas in e:ery ne6 incarnation it clothes itself in a perfectly different personality0 a te8porary and short-li:ed one O. The :ery essence of all this0 that is to say0 spirit0 force0 and 8atter0 has neither end nor be3innin30 but the shape acKuired by this triple unity durin3 its incarnations0 their e9terior0 so to spea70 is nothin3 but a 8ere illusion of personal conceptions. This is 6hy 6e call the posthu8ous life the only reality0 and the terrestrial one0 includin3 the personality itself0 only i8a3inary.
2hy in this case should 6e call the reality sleep0 and the phantas8 6a7in3? This co8parison 6as 8ade by 8e to facilitate your co8prehension. 5ro8 the standpoint of your terrestrial notions it is perfectly accurate. Note the 6ordsP M5ro8 the standpoint of your terrestrial notionsN0 for they are the 7ey to all the phrases used about De:achan as an MillusionN. 'ur 3ross physical 8atter is not there; the li8itations i8posed by it are not there; the 8ind is in its o6n real80 6here to 6ill is to create0 6here to thin7 is to see. And so0 6hen the Master 6as as7edP M2ould it not [Page %&! be better to say that death is nothin3 but a birth for a ne6 life0 or still better0 a 3oin3 bac7 to eternity?N he ans6eredP This is ho6 it really is0 and * ha:e nothin3 to say a3ainst such a 6ay of puttin3 it. 'nly 6ith our accepted :ie6s of 8aterial life the 6ords Mli:eN and Me9istN are not applicable to the purely sub@ecti:e condition after death; and 6ere they e8ployed in our )hilosophy 6ithout a ri3id definition of their 8eanin3s0 the GedWntins 6ould soon arri:e at the ideas 6hich are co88on in our ti8es a8on3 the A8erican (piritualists0 6ho preach about spirits 8arryin3 a8on3 the8sel:es and 6ith 8ortals. As a8on3st the true0 not no8inal0 +hristians so a8on3st the GedQntins " the life on the other side of the 3ra:e is the land 6here there are no tears0 no si3hs0 6here there is neither 8arryin3 nor 3i:in3 in 8arria3e0 and 6here the @ust realise their )a3e C!

full perfection. The dread of 8aterialisin3 8ental and spiritual conceptions has al6ays been :ery stron3 a8on3 the )hilosophers and oral Teachers of the far &ast. Their constant effort has been to free the Thin7er as far as possible fro8 the bonds of 8atter e:en 6hile he is e8bodied0 to open the ca3e for the Di:ine (6allo60 e:en thou3h he 8ust return to it for a6hile0 They are e:er see7in3 Mto spiritualise the 8aterialN0 6hile in the 2est the continual tendency has been [Page %'! Mto 8aterialise the spiritualN. (o the *ndian describes the life of the freed (oul in all the ter8s that 8a7e it least 8aterial " illusion0 drea80 and so on " 6hereas the %ebre6 endea:ours to delineate it in ter8s descripti:e of the 8aterial lu9ury and splendour of earth " 8arria3e feast0 streets of 3old0 thrones and cro6ns of solid 8etal and precious stones; the 2estern has follo6ed the 8aterialisin3 conceptions of the %ebre60 and pictures a hea:en 6hich is 8erely a double of earth 6ith earthLs sorro6s e9tracted0 until 6e reach the 3rossest of all0 the 8odern (u88erland0 6ith its Mspirit-husbandsN0 Mspirit6i:esN0 and Mspirit-infantsN that 3o to school and colle3e0 and 3ro6 up into spirit-adults. *n MNotes on De:achanN0 [ UThe )athU 0 May 18#F ! so8eone 6ho e:idently 6rites 6ith 7no6led3e re8ar7s of the De:achanZP The a priori ideas of space and ti8e do not control his perceptions; for he absolutely creates and annihilates the8 at the sa8e ti8e. )hysical e9istence has its cu8ulati:e intensity fro8 infancy to pri8e0 and its di8inishin3 ener3y fro8 dota3e to death; so the drea8-life of De:achan is li:ed correspondentially. Nature cheats no 8ore the De:achanZ than she does the li:in3 physical 8an. Nature pro:ides for hi8 far 8ore real bliss and happiness there than she does here0 [Page %(! 6here all the conditions of e:il and chance are a3ainst hi8. To call the De:achan e9istence a Mdrea8N in any other sense than that of a con:entional ter80 is to renounce for e:er the 7no6led3e of the &soteric Doctrine0 the sole custodian of truth. MDrea8N only in the sense that it is not of this plane of 3ross 8atter0 that it belon3s not to the physical 6orld. ,et us try and ta7e a 3eneral :ie6 of the life of the &ternal )il3ri80 the inner Man0 the hu8an (oul0 durin3 a cycle of incarnation. Before he co88ences his ne6 pil3ri8a3e " for 8any pil3ri8a3es lie behind hi8 in the past0 durin3 6hich he 3ained the po6ers 6hich enable hi8 to tread the present one " he is a spiritual Bein30 but one 6ho has already passed out of the passi:e condition of pure (pirit0 and 6ho by pre:ious e9perience of 8atter in past a3es has e:ol:ed intellect0 the self-conscious 8ind. But this e:olution by e9perience is far fro8 bein3 co8plete0 e:en so far as to 8a7e hi8 8aster of 8atter; his i3norance lea:es hi8 a prey to all the illusions of 3ross 8atter0 so soon as he co8es into contact 6ith it0 and he is not fit to be a builder of a uni:erse0 bein3 sub@ect to the decepti:e :isions caused by 3ross 8atter " as a child0 loo7in3 throu3h a piece of blue 3lass0 i8a3ines all the outside 6orld to be blue. >Page %)! The ob@ect of a cycle of incarnation is to free hi8 fro8 these illusions0 so that 6hen he is surrounded by and 6or7in3 in 3ross 8atter he 8ay retain clear :ision and not be blinded by illusion. No6 the cycle of incarnation is 8ade up of t6o alternatin3 statesP a short one called life on earth0 durin3 6hich the )il3ri8-.od is plun3ed into 3ross 8atter0 and a co8parati:ely lon3 one0 called life in De:achan0 durin3 6hich he is encircled by subtle 8atter0 illusi:e still0 but far less illusi:e than that of earth. The second state 8ay fairly be called his nor8al one0 as it is of enor8ous e9tent as co8pared 6ith the brea7s in it that he spends upon earth; it is co8parati:ely nor8al also0 as bein3 less re8o:ed fro8 his essential Di:ine life; he is )a3e C8

less encased in 8atter0 less deluded by its s6iftly-chan3in3 appearances. (lo6ly and 3radually0 by reiterated e9periences0 3ross 8atter loses its po6er o:er hi8 and beco8es his ser:ant instead of his tyrant. *n the partial freedo8 of De:achan he assi8ilates his e9periences on earth0 still partly do8inated by the8 " at first0 indeed0 al8ost co8pletely do8inated by the8 so that the de:achanic life is 8erely a subli8ated continuation of the earth-life " but 3radually freein3 hi8self 8ore and 8ore as he reco3nises the8 as transitory and e9ternal0 until he can 8o:e throu3h any [Page &-! re3ion of our uni:erse 6ith unbro7en self-consciousness0 a true ,ord of Mind0 the free and triu8phant .od. (uch is the triu8ph of the Di:ine Nature 8anifested in the flesh0 the subduin3 of e:ery for8 of 8atter to be the obedient instru8ent of (pirit. Thus the Master saidP The spiritual &3o of the 8an 8o:es in eternity li7e a pendulu8 bet6een the hours of life and death0 but if these hours0 the periods of life terrestrial and life posthu8ous0 are li8ited in their continuation0 and e:en the :ery nu8ber of such brea7s in eternity bet6een sleep and 6a7in30 bet6een illusion and reality0 ha:e their be3innin3 as 6ell as their end0 the spiritual )il3ri8 hi8self is eternal. Therefore the hours of his posthu8ous life0 6hen un:eiled he stands face to face 6ith truth0 and the short-li:ed 8ira3es of his terrestrial e9istence are far fro8 hi80 co8pose or 8a7e up0 in our ideas0 the only reality. (uch brea7s0 in spite of the fact that they are finite0 do double ser:ice to the (XtrQt8Q0 6hich0 perfectin3 itself constantly0 follo6s 6ithout :acillation0 thou3h :ery slo6ly the road leadin3 to its last transfor8ation0 6hen0 reachin3 its ai8 at last0 it beco8es a Di:ine Bein3. They not only contribute to the reachin3 of this 3oal0 but 6ithout these finite brea7s (XtrQt8Q-Buddhi could ne:er reach it. (XtrQt8Q is the actor0 and its nu8erous and different incarnations are the actorLs parts. * suppose you 6ould not apply to these parts0 and so 8uch the less to their costu8es0 the ter8 of personality. [Page & ! ,i7e an actor the soul is bound to play; durin3 the cycle of births up to the :ery threshold of )arinir:ana0 8any such parts0 6hich often are disa3reeable to it0 but li7e a bee0 collectin3 its honey fro8 e:ery flo6er0 and lea:in3 the rest to feed the 6or8s of the earth0 our spiritual indi:iduality0 the (XtrQt8Q0 collectin3 only the nectar of 8oral Kualities and consciousness fro8 e:ery terrestrial personality in 6hich it has to clothe itself0 forced by Dar8a0 unites at last all these Kualities in one0 ha:in3 then beco8e a perfect bein30 a DhyQn +hohan [ UThe )athU0 May 18#F ! *t is :ery si3nificant0 in this connection0 that e:ery de:achanic sta3e is conditioned by the earth-sta3e that precedes it0 and the Man can only assi8ilate in De:achan the 7inds of e9perience he has been 3atherin3 on earth. A colourless0 fla:ourless personality has a colourless0 feeble de:achanic state.[ UNotes on De:achanU0 as cited ! %usband0 father0 student0 patriot0 artist0 +hristian0 Buddhist " he 8ust 6or7 out the effects of his earth-life in his de:achanic life; he cannot eat and assi8ilate 8ore food than he has 3athered; he cannot reap 8ore har:est than he has so6n seed. *t ta7es but a 8o8ent to cast a seed into a furro6; it ta7es 8any a 8onth for that seed to 3ro6 into the ripened ear; but [Page &"! accordin3 to the 7ind of the seed is the ear that 3ro6s fro8 it0 and accordin3 to the nature of the brief earth-life is the 3rain reaped in the field of Aanroo. There is a chan3e of occupation0 a continual chan3e in De:achan0 @ust as 8uch and far 8ore )a3e C#

than there is in the life of any 8an or 6o8an 6ho happens to follo6 in his or her 6hole life one sole occupation0 6hate:er it 8ay be0 6ith this difference0 that to the De:achanZ this spiritual occupation is al6ays pleasant and fills his life 6ith rapture. ,ife in De:achan is the function of the aspirations of earth-life; not the indefinite prolon3ation of that Msin3le instanceN0 but its infinite de:elop8ents0 the :arious incidents and e:ents based upon and outflo6in3 fro8 that one Msin3le 8o8entN or 8o8ents. The drea8s of the ob@ecti:e beco8e the realities of the sub@ecti:e e9istence . . . The re6ard pro:ided by Nature for 8en 6ho are bene:olent in a lar3e syste8atic 6ay0 and 6ho ha:e not focused their affections on an indi:idual or speciality0 is that0 if pure0 they pass the Kuic7er for that throu3h the DQ8a and 1Xpa ,o7as into the hi3her sphere of Tribhu:ana0 since it is one 6here the for8ulation of abstract ideas and the consideration of 3eneral principles fill the thou3ht of its occupant [ MNotes on De:achanN0 as before. There are a :ariety of sta3es in De:achan; the 1Xpa ,o7a is an inferior sta3e0 6here the (oul is still surrounded by for8s. *t has escaped fro8 these personalities in the Tribhu:ana.! [Page &#! *nto De:achan enters nothin3 that defileth0 for 3ross 8atter has been left behind 6ith all its attributes on earth and in DQ8alo7a. But if the so6er has so6ed but little seed0 the de:achanic har:est 6ill be 8ea3er0 and the 3ro6th of the (oul 6ill be delayed by the paucity of the nutri8ent on 6hich it has to feed. %ence the enor8ous i8portance of the earth-life0 the field of so)in"+ the place )here e4perience is to &e "athered% *t conditions0 re3ulates0 li8its0 the 3ro6th of the (oul; it yields the rou3h ore 6hich the (oul then ta7es in hand0 and 6or7s upon durin3 the de:achanic sta3e0 s8eltin3 it0 for3in3 it0 te8perin3 it0 into the 6eapons it 6ill ta7e bac7 6ith it for its ne9t earth-life. The e9perienced (oul in De:achan 6ill 8a7e for itself a splendid instru8ent for its ne9t earth-life; the ine9perienced one 6ill for3e a poor blade enou3h; but in each case the only 8aterial a:ailable is that brou3ht fro8 earth. *n De:achan the (oul0 as it 6ere0 sifts and sorts out its e9periences; it li:es a co8parati:ely free life0 and 3radually 3ains the po6er to esti8ate the earthly e9periences at their real :alue; it 6or7s out thorou3hly and co8pletely as ob@ecti:e realities all the ideas of 6hich it only concei:ed the 3er8 on earth. Thus0 noble aspiration is a 3er8 6hich the (oul 6ould 6or7 out into a splendid realisation in De:achan0 and [Page &$! it 6ould brin3 bac7 6ith it to earth for its ne9t incarnation that 8ental i8a3e0 to be 8aterialised on earth 6hen opportunity offers and suitable en:iron8ent presents itself. 5or the 8ind sphere is the sphere of creation0 and earth only the place for 8aterialisin3 the pre-e9istent thou3ht. And the soul is as an architect that 6or7s out his plans in silence and deep 8editation0 and then brin3s the8 forth into the outer 6orld 6here his edifice is to be builded; out of the 7no6led3e 3ained in his past life0 the (oul dra6s his plans far the ne9t0 and he returns to earth to put into ob@ecti:e 8aterial for8 the edifices he has planned. This is the description of a ,o3os in creati:e acti:ityP 2hilst Brah8a for8erly0 in the be3innin3 of the Dalpas0 6as 8editatin3 on creation0 there appeared a creation be3innin3 6ith i3norance and consistin3 of dar7ness. O Brah8Q0 beholdin3 that it 6as defecti:e0 desi3ned another; and 6hilst he thus 8editated0 the ani8al creation 6as 8anifested. O Beholdin3 this creation also i8perfect0 Brah8Q a3ain 8editated0 and a third creation appeared0 aboundin3 6ith the Kuality of 3oodness. [Gishnu )urQna0 Boo7 10 +hapter 4 ! The ob@ecti:e 8anifestation follo6s the 8ental 8editation; first idea0 then for8. %ence it 6ill be seen that the notion current a8on3 8any Theosophists that De:achan is 6aste ti8e0 is but one of the illusions due to the 3ross 8atter that blinds the80 and that their i8patience of the idea of De:achan arises fro8 the [Page &%! delusion that fussin3 about in 3ross 8atter is the only real acti:ity. 2hereas0 in truth0 all effecti:e action has its source in deep 8editation0 and out of the (ilence co8es e:er the creati:e 2ord. Action on )a3e 3F

this plane 6ould be less feeble and inefficient if it 6ere the 8ere blosso8 of the profound root of 8editation0 and if the (oul e8bodied passed oftener out of the body into De:achan durin3 earth-life0 there 6ould be less foolish action and conseKuent 6aste of ti8e. 5or De:achan is a state of consciousness0 the consciousness of the (oul escaped for a6hile fro8 the net of 3ross 8atter0 and 8ay be entered at any ti8e by one 6ho has learned to 6ithdra6 his (oul fro8 the senses as the tortoise 6ithdra6s itself 6ithin its shell. And then0 co8in3 forth once 8ore0 action is pro8pt0 direct0 purposeful0 and the ti8e M6astedN in 8editation is 8ore than sa:ed by the directness and stren3th of the 8inden3endered act. De:achan is the sphere of the 8ind0 as said0 it is the land of the .ods0 or the (ouls. *n the before Kuoted MNotes on De:achanN 6e readP There are t6o fields of causal 8anifestationsP the ob@ecti:e and the sub@ecti:e. The 3rosser ener3ies find their outco8e in the ne6 personality of each birth in the cycle of e:olutin3 indi:iduality. The 8oral and spiritual acti:ities find their sphere of effects in De:achan. [Page &&! As the 8oral and spiritual acti:ities are the 8ost i8portant0 and as on the de:elop8ent of these depends the 3ro6th of the true Man0 and therefore the acco8plishin3 of Mthe ob@ect of creation0 the liberation of (oulN0 6e 8ay be3in to understand so8ethin3 of the :ast i8portance of the de:achanic state.
)a3e 31
Death - and After? by Annie Besant THE DE7ACHAN8

2hen the Triad has sha7en off its desire 3ar8ent0 it crosses the threshold of De:achan0 and beco8es Ma De:achanZN. 2e ha:e seen that it is in a peaceful drea8y state before this passa3e out of the earthsphere0 the Msecond deathN0 or Mpre-de:achanic unconsciousnessN. This condition is other6ise spo7en of as the M3estationN period0 because it precedes the birth of the &3o into the de:achanic life. 1e3arded fro8 the earth-sphere the passa3e is death0 6hile re3arded fro8 that of De:achan it is birth. Thus 6e find in MNotes on De:achanNP As in actual earth-life0 so there is for the &3o in De:achan the first flutter of psychic life0 the attain8ent of pri8e0 the 3radual e9haustion of force passin3 into se8i-consciousness and lethar3y0 total obli:ion0 and " not death but birth0 birth into another personality0 and the resu8ption of action 6hich daily be3ets ne6 con3eries of causes that 8ust be 6or7ed out [Page &'! in another ter8 of De:achan0 and still another physical birth as a ne6 personality. 2hat the li:es in De:achan and upon earth shall be respecti:ely in each instance is deter8ined by Dar8a0 and this 6eary round of birth 8ust be e:er and e:er run throu3h until the bein3 reaches the end of the se:enth 1ound0 or attains in the interi8 the 6isdo8 of an Arhat0 then that of a Buddha0 and thus 3ets relie:ed for a 1ound or t6o. 2hen the de:achanic entity is born into this ne6 sphere it has passed beyond recall to earth. The e8bodied (oul 8ay rise to it0 but it cannot be dra6n bac7 to our 6orld. 'n this a Master has spo7en decisi:elyP 5ro8 (u7hQ:atZ do6n to the MTerritory of DoubtN0 there is a :ariety of spiritual states0 but O as soon as it has stepped outside the DQ8alo7a0 crossed the M.olden Brid3eN leadin3 to the M(e:en .olden MountainsN0 the &3o can confabulate no 8ore 6ith easy-3oin3 8ediu8s. No &rnest or Toey has e:er returned fro8 the 1Xpa ,o7a0 let alone the ArXpa ,o7a0 to hold s6eet intercourse 6ith 8en. *n the MNotes on De:achanN0 a3ain0 6e readP +ertainly the ne6 &3o0 once that it is reborn (in De:achan$0 retains for a certain ti8e " proportionate to its earth-life " a co8plete recollection Mof his life on earthN; but it can ne:er re:isit the &arth fro8 De:achan e9cept in 1e-incarnation.>Page &(! The De:achanZ is 3enerally spo7en of as the *88ortal Triad0 Et8a-Buddhi-Manas0 but it is 6ell al6ays to bear in 8ind that Et8an is no indi:idual property of any 8an0 but is the Di:ine &ssence 6hich has no body0 no for80 6hich is i8ponderable0 in:isible0 and indi:isible0 that 6hich does not e4ist and yet is0 as the Buddhists say of Nir:ana. *t only o:ershado6s the 8ortal; that 6hich enters into hi8 and per:ades the 6hole body bein3 only its o8nipresent rays or li3ht0 radiated throu3h Buddhi0 its :ehicle and direct e8anation. [ UThe Dey to TheosophyU0 )a3e /#0 Third &dition !
)a3e 3C

Buddhi and Manas united0 6ith this o:ershado6in3 of Et8a0 for8 the De:achanZ; no60 as 6e ha:e seen in studyin3 the (e:en )rinciples0 Manas is dual durin3 earth-life0 and the lo6er Manas is purified fro8 all passional ele8ents durin3 the 7Q8alo7ic interlude. By this purification of the 1ay it carries only the pure and noble e9periences of the earth-life into De:achan 6ith it0 thus 8aintainin3 the past personality as the 8ar7ed characteristic of the De:achanZ0 and it is in this prolon3ation of the Mpersonal &3oN0 so to spea70 that the MillusionN of the De:achanZ consists. 2ere the 8anasic entity free fro8 all illusion0 it 6ould see all &3os as its brother-(ouls0 and loo7in3 bac7 o:er its past 6ould reco3nise all the :aried relationships it had borne to others in 8any li:es0 as the actor 6ould re8e8ber the 8any parts he had played 6ith other [Page &)! actors0 and 6ould thin7 of each brother actor as a 8an0 and not in the parts he had played as his father0 his son0 his @ud3e0 his 8urderer0 his 8aster0 his friend. The deeper hu8an relationship 6ould pre:ent the brother actors fro8 identifyin3 each other 6ith their parts0 and so the perfected spiritual &3os0 reco3nisin3 their deep unity and full brotherhood0 6ould no lon3er be deluded by the trappin3s of earthly relationships. But the De:achanZ0 at least in the lo6er sta3es0 is still 6ithin the personal boundaries of his past earth-life; he is shut into the relationships of the one incarnation; his paradise is peopled 6ith those he Mloved &est )ith an undyin" love+ that holy feelin" that alone survivesN0 and thus the purified personal &3o is the salient feature0 as abo:e said0 in the De:achanZ. A3ain Kuotin3 fro8 the MNotes on De:achanNP M2ho 3oes to De:achan?N The personal &3o0 of course; but beatified0 purified0 holy. &:ery &3o " the co8bination of the si9th and se:enth principles [(i9th and se:enth in the older no8enclature - fifth and si9th in the later - i.e.0 Manas and Buddhi.! " 6hich after the period of unconscious 3estation is reborn into the De:achan0 is of necessity as innocent and pure as a ne6-born babe. The fact of his bein3 reborn at all sho6s the preponderance of 3ood o:er e:il in his old personality. And 6hile the Dar8a >of &:il? steps [Page '-! aside for the ti8e bein3 to follo6 hi8 in his future earth re-incarnation0 he brin3s alon3 6ith hi8 but the Dar8a of his 3ood deeds0 6ords and thou3hts into this De:achan. MBadN is a relati:e ter8 for us " as you 6ere told 8ore than once before " and the ,a6 of 1etribution is the only la6 that ne:er errs. %ence all those 6ho ha:e not slipped do6n into the 8ire of unredee8able sin and bestiality 3o to the De:achan. They 6ill ha:e to pay for their sins0 :oluntary and in:oluntary0 later on. Mean6hile they are re6arded; recei:e the effects of the causes produced by the8. No6 in so8e people a sense of repulsion arises at the idea that the ties they for8 on earth in one life are not to be per8anent in eternity. But let us loo7 at the Kuestion cal8ly for a 8o8ent. 2hen a 8other first clasps her baby-son in her ar8s0 that one relationship see8s perfect0 and if the child should die0 her lon3in3 6ould be to repossess hi8 as her babe; but as he li:es on throu3h youth to 8anhood the tie chan3es0 and the protecti:e lo:e of the 8other and the clin3in3 obedience of the child 8er3e into a different lo:e of friends and co8rades0 richer than ordinary friendship fro8 the old recollections; yet later0 6hen the 8other is a3ed and the son in the pri8e of 8iddle life0 their positions are re:ersed and the son protects 6hile the 8other depends on hi8 for 3uidance. [Page ' ! 2ould the relation ha:e been 8ore perfect had it ceased in infancy 6ith only the one tie0 or is it not the richer and the s6eeter fro8 the different strands of 6hich the tie is 6o:en? And so 6ith &3os; in 8any li:es they 8ay hold to each other 8any relationships0 and finally0 standin3 as Brothers of the ,od3e closely 7nit to3ether0 8ay loo7 bac7 o:er past li:es and see the8sel:es in earth-life related in the 8any 6ays possible to hu8an bein3s0 till the cord is 6o:en of e:ery strand of lo:e and duty; 6ould not the final unity be the richer not the poorer for the 8anystranded tie? M5inallyN0 * say; but the 6ord is only of this cycle0 for 6hat lies beyond0 of 6ider life and less separateness0 no 8ind of 8an 8ay 7no6. To 8e it see8s that this :ery :ariety of e9periences 8a7es the tie stron3er0 not 6ea7er0 and that it is a rather thin and poor thin3 to 7no6 oneself and another in only one little aspect of 8any-sided hu8anity for endless a3es of years; a thousand or so years of one person in one character 6ould0 to 8e0 be a8ple0 and * should prefer to 7no6 hi8 or her in )a3e 33

so8e ne6 aspect of his nature. But those 6ho ob@ect to this :ie6 need not feel distressed0 for they 6ill en@oy the presence of their belo:ed in the one personal aspect held by hi8 or her in the one incarnation they are conscious of for as lon" as the desire [Page '"! for that presence remains% 'nly let the8 not desire to i8pose their o6n for8 of bliss on e:erybody else0 nor insist that the 7ind of happiness 6hich see8s to the8 at this sta3e the only one desirable and satisfyin30 8ust be stereotyped to all eternity0 throu3h all the 8illions of years that lie before us. Nature 3i:es to each in De:achan the satisfaction of all pure desires0 and Manas there e9ercises that faculty of his innate di:inity0 that he Mne:er 6ills in :ainN. 2ill not this suffice? But lea:in3 aside disputes as to 6hat 8ay be to us MhappinessN in a future separated fro8 our present by 8illions of years0 so that 6e are no 8ore fitted no6 to for8ulate its conditions than is a child0 playin3 6ith its dolls0 to for8ulate the deeper @oys and interests of its 8aturity0 let us understand that0 accordin3 to the teachin3s of the &soteric )hilosophy0 the De:achanZ is surrounded by all he lo:ed on earth0 6ith pure affection0 and the union bein3 on the plane of the &3o0 not on the physical plane0 it is free fro8 all the sufferin3s 6hich 6ould be ine:itable 6ere the De:achanZ present in consciousness on the physical plane 6ith all its illusory and transitory @oys and sorro6s. *t is surrounded by its belo:ed in the hi3her consciousness0 but is not a3onised by the 7no6led3e of 6hat they are sufferin3 in the lo6er consciousness0 held in the bonds [Page '#! of the flesh. Accordin3 to the orthodo9 +hristian :ie60 Death is a separation0 and the Mspirits of the deadN 6ait for reunion until those they lo:e also pass throu3h DeathLs 3ate6ay0 or " accordin3 to so8e " until after the @ud38ent-day is o:er. As a3ainst this the &soteric )hilosophy teaches that Death cannot touch the hi3her consciousness of 8an0 and that it can only separate those 6ho lo:e each other so far as their lo6er :ehicles are concerned; the 8an li:in3 on earth0 blinded by 8atter0 feels separated fro8 those 6ho ha:e passed on6ards0 but the De:achanZ0 says %. ). Bla:ats7y0 has a co8plete con:iction Mthat there is no such thin3 as Death at allN0 ha:in3 left behind it all those :ehicles Mo:er 6hich Death has po6erN. Therefore0 to its less blinded eyes0 its belo:ed are still 6ith it; for it0 the :eil of 8atter that separates has been torn a6ay. A 8other dies0 lea:in3 behind her little helpless children0 6ho8 she adores0 perhaps a belo:ed husband also. 2e say that her M(piritN or &3o " that indi:iduality 6hich is no6 6holly i8pre3nated0 for the entire de:achanic period0 6ith the noblest feelin3s held by its late personality0 i%e%0 lo:e for her children0 pity for those 6ho suffer0 and so on " is no6 entirely separated fro8 the M:ale of tearsN0 that its future bliss consists in that blessed i3norance of all the 6oes it left behind O that the post5mortem spiritual consciousness of the 8other 6ill represent to her that she li:es surrounded by her children and all those 6ho8 she lo:ed; that no 3ap0 no lin7 6ill be 8issin3 to 8a7e her dise8bodied state the 8ost perfect and absolute happiness. [ UThe Dey to TheosophyU 0 pa3e ##0 Third &dition ! [Page '$! And so a3ainP As to the ordinary 8ortal his bliss in De:achan is co8plete. *t is an absolute obli:ion of all that 3a:e it pain or sorro6 in the past incarnation0 and e:en obli:ion of the fact that such thin3s as pain or sorro6 e9ist at all. The De:achanZ li:es its inter8ediate cycle bet6een t6o incarnations surrounded by e:erythin3 it had aspired to in :ain0 and in the co8panionship of e:erythin3 it lo:ed on earth. *t has reached the fulfil8ent of all its soul-yearnin3s. And thus it li:es throu3hout lon3 centuries an e9istence of unalloyed happiness0 6hich is the re6ard for its sufferin3s in earth-life. *n short0 it bathes in a sea of uninterrupted felicity spanned only by )a3e 3

e:ents of still 3reater felicity in de3ree. [ UThe Dey to TheosophyU0 pa3e 1FF0 Third &dition ! 2hen 6e ta7e the 6ider s6eep in thou3ht de8anded by the &soteric )hilosophy0 a far 8ore fascinatin3 prospect of persistent lo:e and union bet6een indi:idual &3os rolls itself out before our eyes than 6as offered to us by the 8ore li8ited creed of e9oteric +hristendo8. MMothers lo:e their children 6ith an i88ortal lo:eN0 says %. ). Bla:ats7y0 and the reason for this i88ortality in lo:e is easily 3rasped 6hen 6e realise that it is the sa8e &3os that play so 8any parts in the dra8a of life0 that the e9perience of each part is recorded in the 8e8ory of the (oul0 and that bet6een the (ouls there is no separation0 thou3h durin3 incarnation they 8ay not realise the fact in its fullness and beauty. 2e are 6ith those 6ho8 6e ha:e lost in 8aterial for80 and far0 far nearer to the8 no6 than 6hen they 6ere ali:e. And it is [Page '%! not only in the fancy of the De:achanZ0 as so8e 8ay i8a3ine0 but in reality. 5or pure di:ine lo:e is not 8erely the blosso8 of a hu8an heart0 but has its roots in eternity. (piritual holy lo:e is i88ortal0 and Dar8a brin3s sooner or later all those 6ho lo:ed each other 6ith such a spiritual affection to incarnate once 8ore in the sa8e fa8ily 3roup. [ UThe Dey to TheosophyU0 )a3e 1F1 of the Third &dition; )a3e #4 of the 1#/# &dition ! ,o:e Mhas its roots in eternityN0 and those to 6ho8 on earth 6e are stron3ly dra6n are the &3os 6e ha:e lo:ed in past earth-li:es and d6elt 6ith in De:achan; co8in3 bac7 to earth0 these endurin3 bonds of lo:e dra6 us to3ether yet a3ain0 and add to the stren3th and beauty of the tie0 and so on and on till all illusions are li:ed do6n0 and the stron3 and perfected &3os stand side by side0 sharin3 the e9perience of their 6ell-ni3h illi8itable past.
)a3e 34
Death - and After? by Annie Besant THE RET2RN TO EARTH

At len3th the causes that carried the &3o into De:achan are e9hausted0 the e9periences 3athered ha:e been 6holly assi8ilated0 and the (oul be3ins to feel a3ain the thirst for sentient 8aterial life that can be 3ratified only on the physical plane. The 3reater the de3ree of spirituality reached0 the purer and loftier the precedin3 earth-life0 the lon3er the stay in De:achan0 [Page '&! the 6orld of spiritual0 pure0 and lofty effects. >* a8 here i3norin3 the special conditions surroundin3 one 6ho is forcin3 his o6n e:olution0 and has entered on the )ath that leads to Adeptship 6ithin a :ery li8ited nu8ber of li:es.? The Ma:era3e ti8e >in De:achan? is fro8 ten to fifteen centuriesN0 %. ). Bla:ats7y tells us0 and the fifteen centuries cycle is one of those 8ost plainly 8ar7ed in history.[ (ee Manual No. C U1eincarnationU0 pa3es /F-/10 Third &dition ! But in 8odern life this period has 8uch shortened0 in conseKuence of the 3reater attraction e9ercised by physical ob@ects o:er the heart of 8an. 5urther0 it 8ust be re8e8bered that the Ma:era3e ti8eN is not the ti8e spent in De:achan by any person. *f one person spends there 1FFF years0 and another fifty0 the Ma:era3eN is 4C4. The de:achanic period is lon3er or shorter accordin3 to the type of life 6hich preceded it; the 8ore there 6as of spiritual0 intellectual0 and e8otional acti:ity of a lofty 7ind0 the lon3er 6ill be the 3atherin3 in of the har:est; the 8ore there 6as of acti:ity directed to selfish 3ain on earth0 the shorter 6ill be the de:achanic period. 2hen the e9periences are assi8ilated0 be the ti8e lon3 or short0 the &3o is ready to return0 and he brin3s bac7 6ith hi8 his no6 increased e9perience0 and any [Page ''! further 3ains he 8ay ha:e 8ade in De:achan alon3 the lines of abstract thou3ht; for0 6hile in De:achan0 *n one sense 6e can acKuire 8ore 7no6led3e; that is0 6e can de:elop further any faculty 6hich 6e lo:ed and stro:e after durin3 life0 pro:ided it is concerned 6ith abstract and ideal thin3s0 such as 8usic0 paintin30 poetry0 etc. [ UThe Dey to TheosophyU pa3e 1F40 Third &dition; )a3e 1FF-1F10 1#/# &dition ! But the &3o 8eets0 as he crosses the threshold of De:achan on his 6ay out6ards " dyin3 out of De:achan to be reborn on earth " he 8eets in the Mat8osphere of the terrestrial planeN0 the seeds of e:il so6n in his precedin3 life on earth. Durin3 the de:achanic rest he has been free fro8 all pain0 all sorro60 but the e:il he did in his past has been in a state of suspended ani8ation0 not of death. As seeds so6n in the autu8n for the sprin3ti8e lie dor8ant beneath the surface of the soil0 but touched by the soft rain and penetratin3 6ar8th of sun be3in to s6ell and the e8bryo e9pands and 3ro6s0 so do the seeds of e:il 6e ha:e so6n lie dor8ant 6hile the (oul ta7es its rest in De:achan0 but shoot out their roots into the ne6 personality 6hich be3ins to for8 itself for the incarnation of the returnin3 8an. The &3o has to ta7e up the burden of his past0 and these 3er8s or seeds0 co8in3 o:er as the har:est of the past life0 are the (7andhas0 to borro6 a [Page '(! con:enient 6ord fro8 our Buddhist brethren. They consist of 8aterial Kualities0 sensations0 abstract ideas0 tendencies of 8ind0 8ental po6ers0 and 6hile the pure aro8a of these attached itself to the &3o and passed 6ith it into De:achan0 all that 6as 3ross0 base and e:il re8ained in the state of suspended ani8ation spo7en of abo:e. These are ta7en up by the &3o as he passes out6ards to6ards terrestrial life0 and are built into the ne6 M8an of fleshN 6hich the true 8an is to inhabit. And so the round of births and deaths 3oes on0 the turnin3 of the 2heel of ,ife; the treadin3 of the +ycle of Necessity0 until the 6or7 is done and the buildin3 of the )erfect Man is co8pleted.
)a3e 3/
Death - and After? by Annie Besant N*1GINA

2hat De:achan is to each earth-life0 Nir:ana is to the finished cycle of 1e-incarnation0 but any effecti:e discussion of that 3lorious state 6ould here be out of place. *t is 8entioned only to round off the MAfterN of Death0 for no 6ord of 8an0 strictly li8ited 6ithin the narro6 bounds of his lo6er consciousness0 8ay a:ail to e9plain 6hat Nir:ana is0 can do au3ht sa:e disfi3ure it in stri:in3 to describe. 2hat it is not 8ay be rou3hly0 badly stated " it is not MannihilationN0 it is not [Page ')! destruction of consciousness. Mr. A. ). (innett has put effecti:ely and briefly the absurdity of 8any of the ideas current in the 2est about Nir:Qna. %e has been spea7in3 of absolute consciousness0 and proceedsP 2e 8ay use such phrases as intellectual counters0 but for no ordinary 8ind " do8inated by its physical brain and brain-born intellect " can they ha:e a li:in3 si3nification. All that 6ords can con:ey is that Nir:Qna is a subli8e state of conscious rest in o8niscience. *t 6ould be ludicrous0 after all that has 3one before0 to turn to the :arious discussions 6hich ha:e been carried on by students of e9oteric Buddhis8 as to 6hether Nir:Qna does or does not 8ean annihilation. 2orldly si8iles fall short of indicatin3 the feelin3 6ith 6hich the 3raduates of &soteric (cience re3ard such a Kuestion. Does the last penalty of the la6 8ean the hi3hest honour of the peera3e? *s a 6ooden spoon the e8ble8 of the 8ost illustrious pre-e8inence in learnin3? (uch Kuestions as these but faintly sy8bolise the e9tra:a3ance of the Kuestion 6hether Nir:Qna is held by Buddhis8 to be eKui:alent to annihilation. [ U6soteric BuddhismU0 pa3e 1#!0 &i3ht &dition ! (o 6e learn fro8 The Secret Doctrine that the Nir:QnZ returns to cos8ic acti:ity in a ne6 cycle of 8anifestation0 and that The thread of radiance 6hich is i8perishable and dissol:es only in Nir:Qna0 ree8er3es fro8 it in its inte3rity on the day 6hen the .reat ,a6 calls all thin3s bac7 into action.[Vuoted in The (ecret Doctrine0 :ol. ii. p. 83. The student 6ill do 6ell to read0 for a fair presentation of the sub@ect0 .. 1. (. MeadLs MNote on Nir:QnaN in [,uciferL0 for March0 April0 and May 18#3. (1eprinted in UTheosophical (iftin3sU$!
[Page (-!
)a3e 3!
Death - and After? by Annie Besant CO++2N*CAT*ONS BET9EEN THE EARTH AND OTHER SPHERES
2e are no6 in position to discri8inate bet6een the :arious 7inds of co88unication possible bet6een those 6ho8 6e foolishly di:ide into MdeadN and Mli:in3N0 as thou3h the body 6ere the 8an0 or the 8an could die. M+o88unications bet6een the e8bodied and the dise8bodiedN 6ould be a 8ore satisfactory phrase. 5irst0 let us put aside as unsuitable the 6ord (piritP (pirit does not co88unicate 6ith (pirit in any 6ay concei:able by us. That hi3hest principle is not yet 8anifest in the flesh; it re8ains the hidden fount of all0 the eternal &ner3y0 one of the poles of Bein3 in 8anifestation. The 6ord is loosely used to denote lofty *ntelli3ences0 6ho li:e and 8o:e beyond all conditions of 8atter i8a3inable by us0 but pure (pirit is at present as inconcei:able by us as pure 8atter. And as in dealin3 6ith possible Mco88unicationsN 6e ha:e a:era3e hu8an bein3s as recipients0 6e 8ay as 6ell e9clude the 6ord (pirit as 8uch as possible0 and so 3et rid of a8bi3uity. But in Kuotations the 6ord often occurs0 in deference to the habit of the day0 and it then denotes the &3o. [Page ( ! Ta7in3 the sta3es throu3h 6hich the li:in3 8an passes after MDeathN0 or the sha7in3 off of the body0 6e can readily classify the co88unications that 8ay be recei:ed0 or the appearances that 8ay be seenP 1. $ 2hile the (oul has sha7en off only the dense body0 and re8ains still clothed in the etheric double. This is a brief period only0 but durin3 it the dise8bodied (oul 8ay sho6 itself0 clad in this ethereal 3ar8ent. 5or a :ery short period after death0 6hile the incorporeal principles re8ain 6ithin the sphere of our earthLs attraction0 it is possi&le for spirit0 under peculiar and favoura&le conditions0 to appear. [ Theosophist0 (ept. 188C0 pa3e 31F.! *t 8a7es no co88unications durin3 this brief inter:al0 nor 6hile d6ellin3 in this for8. (uch M3hostsN are silent0 drea8y0 li7e sleep-6al7ers0 and indeed they are nothin3 8ore than astral sleep-6al7ers. &Kually irresponsi:e0 but capable of e9pressin3 a sin3le thou3ht0 as of sorro60 an9iety0 accident0 8urder0 etc.0 are apparitions 6hich are 8erely a thou3ht of the dyin30 ta7in3 shape in the astral 6orld0 and carried by the dyin3 personLs 6ill to so8e particular person0 6ith 6ho8 the dyin3 intensely lon3s to co88unicate. (uch a thou3ht0 so8eti8es called a MQyQ:i 1Xpa0 or illusory for80 [Page ("! 8ay be often thro6n into ob@ecti:ity0 as in the case of apparitions after death; but0 unless it is pro@ected 6ith the 7no6led3e of (6hether latent or potential$0 or o6in3 to the intensity of the desire to see or appear to so8e one shootin3 throu3h0 the dyin3 brain0 the apparition 6ill be si8ply auto8atical; it 6ill not be due to any sy8pathetic attraction0 or to any act of :olition0 any 8ore than the reflection of a person passin3 unconsciously near a 8irror is due to the desire of the latter. 2hen the (oul has left the etheric double0 sha7in3 it off as it shoo7 off the dense body0 the double thus left as a 8ere e8pty corpse 8ay be 3al:anised into an Martificial lifeN; but fortunately the 8ethod of such 3al:anisation is 7no6n to fe6. )a3e 38

C.$ 2hile the (oul is in DQ8alo7a. This period is of :ery :ariable duration. The (oul is clad in an astral body0 the last but one of its perishable 3ar8ents0 and 6hile thus clad it can utilise the physical bodies of a 8ediu80 thus consciously procurin3 for itself an instru8ent 6hereby it can act on the 6orld it has left0 and co88unicate 6ith those li:in3 in the body. *n this 6ay it 8ay 3i:e infor8ation as to facts 7no6n to itself only0 or to itself and another person0 in the earth-life @ust closed; and for as lon3 as it re8ains 6ithin the terrestrial at8osphere such co88unication is possible. [Page (#! The har8 and the peril of such co88unication has been pre:iously e9plained0 6hether the lo6er Manas be united 6ith the Di:ine Triad and so on its 6ay to De:achan0 or 6renched fro8 it and on its 6ay to destruction. 3.$ 2hile the (oul is in De:achan0 if an e8bodied (oul is capable of risin3 to its sphere0 or of co8in3 into rapport 6ith it. To the De:achanZ0 as 6e ha:e seen0 the belo:ed are present in consciousness and full co88unication0 the &3os bein3 in touch 6ith each other0 thou3h one is e8bodied and one is dise8bodied0 but the hi3her consciousness of the e8bodied rarely affects the brain. As a 8atter of fact0 all that 6e 7no6 on the physical plane of our friend0 6hile 6e both are e8bodied0 is the 8ental i8a3e caused by the i8pression he 8a7es on us. This is0 to our consciousness0 our friend0 and lac7s nothin3 in ob@ecti:ity. A si8ilar i8a3e is present to the consciousness of the De:achanZ0 and to hi8 lac7s nothin3 in ob@ecti:ity. As the physical plane friend is :isible to an obser:er on earth0 so is the 8ental plane friend :isible to an obser:er on that plane. The a8ount of the friend that ensouls the i8a3e is dependent on his o6n e:olution0 a hi3hly e:ol:ed person bein3 capable of far 8ore co88unication 6ith a De:achanZ than one 6ho is une:ol:ed. [Page ($! +o88unication 6hen the body is sleepin3 is easier than 6hen it is a6a7e0 and 8any a :i:id Mdrea8N of one on the other side of death is a real inter:ie6 6ith hi8 in DQ8alo7a or in De:achan. ,o:e beyond the 3ra:e0 illusion thou3h you 8ay call it0 [(ee on MillusionN 6hat 6as said under the headin3 MDe:achanN! has a 8a3ic and di:ine potency that reacts on the li:in3. A 8otherLs &3o0 filled 6ith lo:e for the i8a3inary children it sees near itself0 li:in3 a life of happiness0 as real to it as 6hen on earth " that lo:e 6ill al6ays be felt by the children in flesh. *t 6ill 8anifest in their drea8s and often in :arious e:ents " in providential protections and escapes0 for lo:e is a stron3 shield and is not li8ited by space or ti8e. As 6ith this de:achanic M8otherN0 so 6ith the rest of hu8an relationships and attach8ents0 sa:e the purely selfish or 8aterial. [UThe Dey to TheosophyU 0 pa3e 1FC0 Third edition? 1e8e8berin3 that a thou3ht beco8es an acti:e entity0 capable of 6or7in3 3ood or e:il0 6e easily see that as e8bodied (ouls can send to those they lo:e helpin3 and protectin3 forces0 so the De:achanZ0 thin7in3 of those dear to hi80 8ay send out such helpful and protecti:e thou3hts0 to act as :eritable 3uardian an3els round his belo:ed on earth. But this is a :ery different thin3 fro8 the M(piritN of the 8other co8in3 bac7 to earth to be the al8ost helpless spectator of the childLs 6oes. [Page (%! The (oul e8bodied 8ay so8eti8es escape fro8 its prison of flesh0 and co8e into relations 6ith the De:achanZ. %. ). Bla:ats7y 6ritesP 2hene:er years after the death of a person his spirit is clai8ed to ha:e M6andered bac7 to earthN to 3i:e ad:ice to those it lo:ed0 it is al6ays in a sub@ecti:e :ision0 in drea8 or in trance0 and in that case it is the (oul of the li:in3 seer that is dra6n to the disem&odied spirit0 and not the latter 6hich 6anders bac7 to our spheres. [ UThe TheosophistU0 (epte8ber 1881 ! )a3e 3#

2here the sensiti:e0 or 8ediu80 is of a pure and lofty nature0 this risin3 of the freed &3o to the De:achanZ is practicable0 and naturally 3i:es the i8pression to the sensiti:e that the departed &3o has co8e bac7 to hi8. The De:achanZ is 6rapped in its happy MillusionN0 and The (ouls or astral &3os0 of pure lo:in3 sensiti:es0 labourin3 under the sa8e delusion0 thin7 their lo:ed ones co8e do6n to there on earth0 6hile it is their o6n spirits that are raised to6ards those in the De:achan [ UNotes on De:achanU0 UThe )ath0 Tune 18#F0 pa3e 8F ! This attraction can be e9ercised by the departed (oul fro8 DQ8alo7a or fro8 De:achanP A MspiritN0 or the spiritual &3o0 cannot descend to the 8ediu80 but it can attract the spirit of the latter to itself0 and it can do this only durin3 the t6o inter:als " before and after its M3estation periodN. *nter:al the first is that period bet6een the physical death and the 8er3in3 of the spiritual &3o into that state 6hich is 7no6n in the Arhat &soteric Doctrine as MBar-doN. 2e ha:e [Page (&! translated this as the M3estation periodN0 and it lasts fro8 a fe6 days to se:eral years0 accordin3 to the e:idence of the Adepts. *nter:al the second lasts so lon3 as the 8erits of the old >personal? &3o entitle the bein3 to reap the fruit of its re6ard in its ne6 re3enerated &3oship. *t occurs after the 3estation period is o:er0 and the ne6 spiritual &3o is reborn-li7e the fabled )hoeni9 fro8 its ashes " fro8 the old one. The locality 6hich the for8er inhabits is called by the northern Buddhist 'ccultists MDe:achanN6 [ UThe TheosophistU0 Tune 188C0 )a3e CC/ ! (o also 8ay the incorporeal principles of pure sensiti:es be placed en rapport 6ith dise8bodied (ouls0 althou3h infor8ation thus obtained is not reliable0 partly in conseKuence of the difficulty of transferrin3 to the physical brain the i8pressions recei:ed0 and partly fro8 the difficulty of obser:in3 accurately0 6hen the seer is untrainee. [ (u88ari=ed fro8 article in UThe TheosophistU0 (epte8ber of 188C. ! A pure 8ediu8Ls &3o can be dra6n to and 8ade0 for an instant0 to unite in a 8a3netic (?$ relation 6ith a real dise8bodied spirit0 6hereas the soul of an i8pure 8ediu8 can only confabulate 6ith the Astral Soul0 or (hell0 of the deceased. The for8er possibility e9plains those e9tre8ely rare cases of direct 6ritin3 in reco3nised auto3raphs0 and of 8essa3es fro8 the hi3her class of dise8bodied intelli3ences. But the confusion in 8essa3es thus obtained is considerable0 not only fro8 the causes abo:e na8ed0 but also because e:en the best and purest sensiti:e can at 8ost only be placed at any ti8e en rapport 6ith a particular spiritual entity0 and can only 7no60 see0 and feel 6hat that particular entity 7no6s0 sees0 and feels. >Page ('! %ence 8uch possibility of error if 3eneralisations are indul3ed in0 since each De:achanZ li:es in his o6n paradise0 and there is no Mpeepin3 do6n to earthN. Nor is there any conscious co88unication 6ith the flyin3 (ouls that co8e as it 6ere to learn 6here the (pirits are0 6hat they are doin30 and 6hat they thin70 feel0 and see. )a3e F

2hat then is bein3 en rapport? *t is si8ply an identity of 8olecular :ibration bet6een the astral part of the incarnated sensiti:e and the astral part of the dis-incarnated personality. The spirit of the sensiti:e 3ets ModylisedN0 so to spea70 by the aura of the spirit0 6hether this be hybernatin3 in the earthly re3ion or drea8in3 in the De:achan; identity of 8olecular :ibration is established0 and for a brief space the sensiti:e beco8es the departed personality0 and 6rites in its hand6ritin30 uses its lan3ua3e0 and thin7s its thou3hts. At such ti8es sensiti:es 8ay belie:e that those 6ith 6ho8 they are for the 8o8ent en rapport descend to earth and co88unicate 6ith the80 6hereas0 in reality0 it is 8erely their o6n spirits 6hich0 bein3 correctly attuned to those others0 are for the ti8e blended 6ith the8. [ UThe TheosophistU0 (epte8ber 188C0 )a3e 3F# ! *n a special case under e9a8ination0 %. ). Bla:ats7y said that the co88unication 8i3ht ha:e co8e fro8 an &le8entary0 but that it 6as far 8ore li7ely that the 8ediu8Ls spirit really beca8e en rapport 6ith so8e spiritual entity in De:achan0 the thou3hts0 7no6led3e0 and senti8ents of 6hich for8ed the substance0 6hile the 8ediu8Ls o6n personality and pre-e9istin3 ideas 8ore or less 3o:erned the for8s of the co88unication. [ UThe TheosophistU0 (epte8ber 188C0 )a3e 31F ! 2hile these co88unications are not reliable in the facts and opinions stated0 6e 6ould re8ar7 that it 8ay possi&ly be that there really is a distinct spiritual entity i8pressin3 our correspondentLs 8ind. *n [Page ((! other 6ords0 there 8ay0 for all 6e 7no60 be so8e spirit0 6ith 6ho8 his spiritual nature beco8es habitually0 for the ti8e0 thorou3hly har8onised0 and 6hose thou3hts0 lan3ua3e0 etc.0 beco8e his for the ti8e0 the result bein3 that this spirit see8s to co88unicate 6ith hi8. O *t is possible (thou3h by no 8eans probable$ that he habitually passes into a state of rapport 6ith a 3enuine spirit0 and0 for the ti8e0 is assi8ilated there6ith0 thin7in3 (to a 3reat e9tent if not entirely$ the thou3hts that spirit 6ould thin70 6ritin3 in its hand6ritin30 etc. But e:en so0 Mr. Terry 8ust not fancy that that spirit is consciously co88unicatin3 6ith hi80 or 7no6s in any 6ay anythin3 of hi80 or any other person or thin3 on earth. *t is si8ply that0 the rapport established0 he0 Mr. Terry0 beco8es for the nonce assi8ilated 6ith that other personality0 and thin7s0 spea7s0 and 6rites as it 6ould ha:e done on earth. O The 8olecules of his astral nature 8ay fro8 ti8e to ti8e :ibrate in perfect unison 6ith those of so8e spirit of such a person0 no6 in De:achan0 and the result 8ay be that he appears to be in co88unication 6ith that spirit0 and to be ad:ised0 etc.0 by hi80 and clair:oyants 8ay see in the Astral ,i3ht a picture of the earth-life for8 of that spirit. .$ +o88unications other than those fro8 dise8bodied (ouls0 passin3 throu3h nor8al post5mortem states. (a$ *rom Shells% These0 6hile but the cast-off 3ar8ent of the liberated (oul0 retain for so8e ti8e the i8press of their late inhabitant0 and reproduce auto8atically his habits of thou3ht and e9pression0 @ust as a physical body 6ill auto8atically repeat habitual 3estures. 1efle9 action is as possible to the desire body as to the physical0 but all refle9 action is 8ar7ed by its character of repetition0 and absence of all po6er to initiate 8o:e8ent. *t ans6ers to a sti8ulus 6ith [Page ()! an appearance of purposi:e action0 but it initiates nothin3. 2hen people Msit for de:elop8entN0 or 6hen at a s3ance they an9iously hope and 6ait for 8essa3es fro8 departed friends0 they supply @ust the sti8ulus needed0 and obtain the si3ns of )a3e 1

reco3nition for 6hich they e9pectantly 6atch. (b$ *rom 6lementaries% These0 possessin3 the lo6er capacities of the 8ind0 i%e.0 all the intellectual faculties that found their e9pression throu3h the physical brain durin3 life0 8ay produce co88unications of a hi3hly intellectual character. These0 ho6e:er0 are rare0 as 8ay be seen fro8 a sur:ey of the 8essa3es published as recei:ed fro8 Mdeparted (piritsN. (c$ *rom 6lementals+ or 7ature Spirits% These play a 3reat part at s3ances+ and are 8ostly the a3ents 6ho are acti:e in producin3 physical pheno8ena. They thro6 about or carry ob@ects0 8a7e noises0 rin3 bells0 etc.0 etc. (o8eti8es they play pran7s 6ith (hells0 ani8atin3 the8 and representin3 the8 to be the spirits of 3reat personalities 6ho ha:e li:ed on earth0 but 6ho ha:e sadly de3enerated in the Mspirit6orldN0 @ud3in3 by their effusions. (o8eti8es0 in 8aterialisin3 s3ances0 they busy the8sel:es in thro6in3 pictures fro8 the Astral ,i3ht on the fluidic for8s produced0 so causin3 the8 to assu8e li7enesses of :arious persons. There [Page )-! are also &le8entals of a hi3h type 6ho occasionally co88unicate 6ith :ery 3ifted 8ediu8s0 M(hinin3 'nesN fro8 other spheres. (d$ *rom 7irm1nak1yas% 5or these co88unications0 as for the t6o classes ne9t 8entioned0 the 8ediu8 8ust be of a :ery pure and lofty nature. The Nir8Qna7Qya is a perfected 8an0 6ho has cast aside his physical body but retains his other lo6er principles0 and re8ains in the earth-sphere for the sa7e of helpin3 for6ard the e:olution of 8an7ind. Nir8Qna7Qyas ha:e0 out of pity for 8an7ind and those they left on earth0 renounced the Nir:anic state. (uch an Adept0 or (aint0 or 6hate:er you 8ay call hi80 belie:in3 it a selfish act to rest in bliss 6hile 8an7ind 3roans under the burden of 8isery produced by i3norance0 renounces Nir:ana and deter8ines to re8ain in:isible in spirit on this earth. They ha:e no 8aterial body0 as they ha:e left it behindP but other6ise they re8ain 6ith all their principles e:en in astral life in our sphere. And such can and do co88unicate 6ith a fe6 elect ones0 only surely not 6ith ordinary 8ediu8s. [ UThe Dey to TheosophyU0 pa3e 141 ! (e$ *rom Adepts no) livin" on earth% These often co88unicate 6ith Their disciples0 6ithout usin3 the ordinary 8ethods of co88unication0 and 6hen any tie e9ists0 perchance fro8 so8e past incarnation0 bet6een an Adept and a 8ediu80 constitutin3 that 8ediu8 a disciple0 a 8essa3e fro8 the Adept 8i3ht readily be 8ista7en for a 8essa3e fro8 a M(piritN. [Page ) ! The receipt of such 8essa3es by precipitated 6ritin3 or spo7en 6ords is 6ithin the 7no6led3e of so8e. (f$ *rom the medium8s Hi"her 6"o% 2here a pure and earnest 8an or 6o8an is stri:in3 after the li3ht0 this up6ard stri:in3 is 8et by a do6n6ard reachin3 of the hi3her nature0 and li3ht fro8 the hi3her strea8s do6n6ard0 illu8inatin3 the lo6er consciousness. Then the lo6er 8ind is0 for the ti8e0 united 6ith its parent0 and trans8its as 8uch of its 7no6led3e as it is able to retain. 5ro8 this brief s7etch it 6ill be seen ho6 :aried 8ay be the sources fro8 6hich co88unications apparently fro8 Mthe other side of DeathN 8ay be recei:ed. As said by %. ). Bla:ats7yP
)a3e C

The :ariety of the causes of pheno8ena is 3reat0 and one need be an Adept0 and actually loo7 into and e9a8ine 6hat transpires0 in order to be able to e9plain in each case 6hat really underlies it. [ UThe TheosophistU0 (epte8ber 188C0 )a3e C1F [ UThe TheosophistU0 (epte8ber 188C0 )a3e 31F ! To co8plete the state8ent it 8ay be added that 6hat the a:era3e (oul can do 6hen it has passed throu3h the 3ate6ay of Death0 it can do on this side0 and co88unications 8ay be as readily obtained by 6ritin30 in trance0 and by the other 8eans of recei:in3 8essa3es0 fro8 e8bodied as fro8 dise8bodied (ouls. [Page )"! *f each de:eloped 6ithin hi8self the po6ers of his o6n (oul0 instead of driftin3 about ai8lessly0 or i3norantly plun3in3 into dan3erous e9peri8ents0 7no6led3e 8i3ht be safely accu8ulated and the e:olution of the (oul 8i3ht be accelerated. This one thin3 is sureP Man is today a li:in3 (oul0 o:er 6ho8 Death has no po6er0 and the 7ey of the prison-house of the body is in his o6n hands0 so that he 8ay learn its use if he 6ill. *t is because his true (elf0 6hile blinded by the body0 has lost touch 6ith other (el:es0 that Death has been a 3ulf instead of a 3ate6ay bet6een e8bodied and dise8bodied (ouls. [Pages )#-)$ - are b/an:!
)a3e 3
Death - and After? by Annie Besant APPEND*;

The follo6in3 passa3e on the fate of suicides is ta7en fro8 the Theosophist0 (epte8ber 188C. 2e do not pretend " 6e are not per8itted " to deal e9hausti:ely 6ith the Kuestion at present0 but 6e 8ay refer to one of the 8ost i8portant classes of entities0 6ho can participate in ob@ecti:e pheno8ena0 other than &le8entaries and &le8entals. This class co8prises the (pirits of conscious sane suicides. They are Spirits0 and not Shells0 because there is not in their cases0 at any rate until later0 a total and per8anent di:orce bet6een the fourth and fifth principles on the one hand0 and the si9th and se:enth on the other. The t6o duads are di:ided0 they e9ist apart0 but a line of connection still unites the80 they 8ay yet reunite0 and the sorely threatened personality a:ert its doo8; the fifth principle still holds in its hands the clue by 6hich0 tra:ersin3 the labyrinth of earthly sins and passions0 it 8ay re3ain the sacred penetralia. [Page )%! But for the ti8e0 thou3h really a (pirit0 and therefore so desi3nated0 it is practically not far re8o:ed fro8 a (hell. This class of (pirit can undoubtedly co88unicate 6ith 8en0 but0 as a rule0 its 8e8bers ha:e to pay dearly for e9ercisin3 the pri:ile3e0 6hile it is scarcely possible for the8 to do other6ise than lo6er and debase the 8oral nature of those 6ith and throu3h 6ho8 they ha:e 8uch co88unication. *t is 8erely0 broadly spea7in30 a Kuestion of de3ree; of 8uch or little in@ury resultin3 fro8 such co88unication; the cases in 6hich real0 per8anent 3ood can arise are too absolutely e9ceptional to reKuire consideration. -nderstand ho6 the case stands. The unhappy bein3 re:oltin3 a3ainst the trials of life-trials0 the results of its o6n for8er actions; trials0 hea:enLs 8erciful 8edicine for the 8entally and spiritually diseased " deter8ines0 instead of 8anfully ta7in3 ar8s a3ainst a sea of troubles0 to let the curtain drop0 and0 as it fancies0 end the8. *t destroys the body0 but finds itself precisely as 8uch ali:e 8entally as before. *t had an appointed life-ter8 deter8ined by an intricate 6eb of prior causes0 6hich its o6n 6illful sudden act cannot shorten. That ter8 8ust run out its appointed sands. Bou 8ay s8ash the lo6er half of the hand [Page )&! hour-3lass0 so that the i8palpable sand shootin3 fro8 the upper bell is dissipated by the passin3 aerial currents as it issues; but that strea8 6ill run on0 unnoticed thou3h it re8ain0 until the 6hole store in that upper receptacle is e9hausted. (o you 8ay destroy the body0 but not the appointed period of sentient e9istence0 foredoo8ed (because si8ply the effect of a ple9us of causes$ to inter:ene before the dissolution of the personality; this 8ust run on for its appointed period. This is so in other cases0 e%"%0 those of the :icti8s of accident or :iolence; they0 too0 ha:e to co8plete their life-ter80 and of these0 too0 6e 8ay spea7 on another occasion " but here it is sufficient to notice that0 6hether 3ood or bad0 their 8ental attitude at the ti8e of death alters 6holly their subseKuent position. They0 too0 ha:e to 6ait on 6ithin the M1e3ion of DesiresN until their 6a:e of life runs on to and reaches its appointed shore0 but they 6ait on0 6rapped in drea8s soothin3 and blissful0 or the re:erse0 accordin3 to their 8ental and 8oral state at0 and prior to the fatal hour0 but nearly e9e8pt fro8 further 8aterial te8ptations0 and0 broadly spea7in30 incapable (e9cept @ust at the 8o8ent of real death$ of co88unicatin3 scio motu 6ith )a3e

8an7ind0 thou3h not 6holly beyond the possible reach of [Page )'! the hi3her for8s of the MAccursed (cienceN0 Necro8ancy. The Kuestion is a profoundly abstruse one; it 6ould be i8possible to e9plain0 6ithin the brief space still re8ainin3 to us0 ho6 the conditions i88ediately after death differ so entirely as they do in the case (1$ of the 8an 6ho deliberately lays do)n (not 8erely risks9 his life fro8 altruistic 8oti:es in the hope of sa:in3 those of others; and (C$ of hi8 6ho deliberately sacrifices his life fro8 selfish 8oti:es0 in the hope of escapin3 trials and troubles 6hich loo8 before hi8. Nature or )ro:idence0 5ate0 or .od0 bein3 8erely a self-ad@ustin3 8achine0 it 6ould at first si3ht see8 as if the result 8ust be identical in both cases. But0 8achine thou3h it be0 6e 8ust re8e8ber that it is a 8achine sui "eneris A 'ut of hi8self he span The eternal 6eb of ri3ht and 6ron3; And e:er feels the subtlest thrill0 The slenderest thread alon3. A 8achine co8pared 6ith 6hose perfect sensiti:eness and ad@ust8ent the hi3hest hu8an intellect is but a coarse clu8sy replica0 in petto% And 6e 8ust re8e8ber that thou3hts and 8oti:es are 8aterial0 and at ti8es 8ar:elously potent 8aterial0 forces0 an 6e 8ay then be3in to co8prehend 6hy the [Page )(! hero0 sacrificin3 his life on pure altruistic 3rounds0 sin7s as his life-blood ebbs 6ay into a s6eet drea80 6herein All that he 6ishes and all that he lo:es +o8e s8ilin3 round his sunny 6ay0 only to 6a7e into acti:e or ob@ecti:e consciousness 6hen reborn in the 1e3ion of %appiness0 6hile the poor unhappy and 8is3uided 8ortal 6ho0 see7in3 to elude fate0 selfishly loosens the sil:er strin3 and brea7s the 3olden bo6l0 finds hi8self terribly ali:e and a6a7e0 instinct 6ith all the e:il cra:in3s and desires that e8bittered his 6orld-life0 6ithout a body in 6hich to 3ratify these0 and capable of only such partial alle:iation as is possible by 8ore or less :icarious 3ratification0 and this only at the cost of the ulti8ate co8plete rupture 6ith his si9th and se:enth principles0 and conseKuent ulti8ate annihilation after0 alasS prolon3ed periods of sufferin3. ,et it not be supposed that there is no hope for this class " the sane deliberate suicide. *f0 bearin3 steadfastly his cross0 he suffers patiently his punish8ent0 stri:in3 a3ainst carnal appetites still ali:e in hi80 in all their intensity0 thou3h0 of course0 each in proportion to the de3ree to 6hich it had been indul3ed in earth-life " if0 6e say0 he bears this hu8bly0 ne:er allo6in3 hi8self to be te8pted here or there into unla6ful [Page ))! 3ratifications of unholy desires " then 6hen his fated death-hour stri7es0 his four hi3her principles reunite0 and0 in the final separation that then ensues0 it 8ay 6ell be that all 8ay be 6ell 6ith hi80 and that he passes on to the 3estation period and its subseKuent de:elop8ents. [Page --!
)a3e 4

Death - and After

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Death - and After

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Death - and After?

Death - and After?

Death - and After? by Annie Besant PREFACE

Death - and After? by Annie Besant DEATH AND AFTER?

Death - and After? by Annie Besant

Death - and After? by Annie Besant

Death - and After? by Annie Besant

Death - and After? by Annie Besant

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Death - and After? by Annie Besant

Death - and After? by Annie Besant THE FATE OF THE BOD1

Death - and After? by Annie Besant

Death - and After? by Annie Besant

Death - and After? by Annie Besant

Death - and After? by Annie Besant

Death - and After? by Annie Besant

Death - and After? by Annie Besant

Death - and After? by Annie Besant

Death - and After? by Annie Besant

Death - and After? by Annie Besant

Death - and After? by Annie Besant

Death - and After? by Annie Besant 34+A,O3A6 THE SHE,,S

Death - and After? by Annie Besant

Death - and After? by Annie Besant 34+A,O3A6 THE E,E+ENTAR*ES

Death - and After? by Annie Besant DE7ACHAN

Death - and After? by Annie Besant

Death - and After? by Annie Besant

Death - and After? by Annie Besant

Death - and After? by Annie Besant

Death - and After? by Annie Besant

Death - and After? by Annie Besant THE DE7ACHAN8

Death - and After? by Annie Besant

Death - and After? by Annie Besant

Death - and After? by Annie Besant

Death - and After? by Annie Besant THE RET2RN TO EARTH

Death - and After? by Annie Besant N*1GINA

Death - and After? by Annie Besant

Death - and After? by Annie Besant

Death - and After? by Annie Besant

Death - and After? by Annie Besant

Death - and After? by Annie Besant

Death - and After? by Annie Besant APPEND*;

Death - and After? by Annie Besant

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