After-Death Consciousness and Processes: by Geoffrey Farthing

After-Death Consciousness and Processes by Geoffrey Farthing
After-Death Consciousness and Processes

by Geoffrey Farthing
Published in the late 1900's
Geoffrey Farthing has authorized us to reproduce this docuent
for purely non-coercial purposes only!

CONTENTS
Preface
Synopsis
Introduction
ey to tit!es
Tab!e A
Chapter I Constitution of "an
Chapter II Dying and I##ediate!y After$ards
Chapter III The %Death Strugg!e% and %Gestation% Period
Chapter I& The Second Death and De'achan
Chapter & ar#a and (eincarnation
Chapter &I E)ceptions* Suicides and Accidents
Chapter &II Psychic and Spiritua!istic Pheno#ena
Chapter &III I##orta!ity and Other "atters
Appendi)
A
"ahat#a +etter ,-
Appendi) . "ahat#a +etter /0c
G!ossary

"#hey forget$ or ne%er &ne'$ that he 'ho holds the &eys to the
secrets of Death is possessed of the &eys of Life!" ()* +,9-+.,/
A CO"PENDI1" OF A++ T2E INFO("ATION ON T2E S1.3ECT IN T2E O(IGINA+ +ITE(AT1(E
OF 24P4 .+A&ATS5* 2E( "ASTE(S AND OT2E(S
Page 1
P(EFACE
0t 'ill doubtless coe as a surprise to ost people that a boo& of this size can be 'ritten on the sub1ect
of the after-death states and processes! 2e are deeply ibued 'ith the idea that nothing on it can be
&no'n3 any ideas 'e ay ha%e are ost li&ely to be based on our religious belief! 2hat follo's$
ho'e%er$ purports to be an authoritati%e account by those 'ho do &no'! #he boo& tells us soething
about these &no'ers$ and not only 'hat they &no'$ but ho' they coe to &no' it! 0t is all strange territory
for the great a1ority! Perhaps to start 'ith it should be regarded as a story$ but as 'e read$ the story
unfolds in such a 'ay as to becoe credible! 2e begin to aster a set of strange ideas$ a strange
terinology$ a ass of detail 'hich e%entually aggregates into a 'onderfully coprehensi%e concept of
such significant eaning for us that 'e 'onder ho' 'e e%er anaged happily 'ithout it! 0t then certainly
ceases to ha%e the character of a story!
#his boo& is presented to t'o classes of reader3 1/ the interested 'lay' reader 'ho has begun seriously to
en4uire as to 'hat goes on after death and 5/ the student of #heosophy! #heosophy is the iense and
coprehensi%e syste of thought introduced at the end of the nineteenth century! 0t is a copendiu of
aspects of the Ancient 2isdo scattered 'idely throughout 'orld literature in nuerous philosophical
and religious 'ritings! #o these it adds e6planations and soe aterial ne%er ade public before!
7tudents of #heosophy 'ill be failiar 'ith the esoteric constitution of an and the ain after-death
stages! For the lay an$ 'hat is 'ritten here ust coe as a re%elation! #here is uch inforation$ of an
'authoritati%e' nature$ $ 'hereas pre%iously %irtually nothing has been ade public! 0t is to accoodate
this lay reader that the 0ntroductory 0nforation has been gi%en! #his is necessary for the understanding
of 'hat follo's! 0t is rudientary and incoplete but it is hoped enough is gi%en to a&e the earlier
e6tracts in the nubered 7ections intelligible! #he later aterial 'ill then becoe %irtually self
e6planatory! #he boo& coprises a ass of inforation$ 'ith uch duplication$ but at each iteration
soething is added$ soe ore inforation$ further e6planation$ a different point of %ie'$ all helping to
paint a richer picture!
#he boo& is a copilation a&ing a%ailable in one %olue all the inforation gi%en in the 'theosophical'
classics! 0t tells of the uni%ersal process of the cyclic coing and going of e%erything in e6istence! #he
birth$ death and re-birth of en are included in this process! #he story also tells soething of the
uni%ersal la' 'hich go%erns the process and 'hat happens in the period bet'een li%es! All references to
the sub1ect ha%e been 4uoted %erbati$ and the references to the source boo&s gi%en!
A proble arose in the copilation as to the order in 'hich the e6tracts should be arranged! #hey could
ha%e been in date order$ or by the boo&s fro 'hich they 'ere ta&en$ or in the order of the after-death
processes$ fro dying to re-birth! #his last 'as chosen! #he aterial is arranged in 7ections$ each
7ection dealing 'ith a phase of 'hat happens after death! #he account ainly relates to the noral case
of soeone dying peacefully at the end of a noral life-span! #here are$ ho'e%er$ e6ceptions to the
noral rule! 0nforation about these e6ceptional cases is gi%en! )uch inforation of a general character
not specially related to any one of these phases is included! #he #able of Contents gi%es a descripti%e
title to each 7ection!
8ery little 'connecti%e tissue' has been inserted bet'een e6tracts$ and then only 'hen it 'as felt to be
necessary!
Page 5
#he great ass of this inforation on death and the hereafter 'as gi%en out$ aongst uch else$ in the
%oluinous classical literature on #heosophy ade a%ailable to the general public at the end of the
nineteenth century! #he sub1ect of death$ sur%i%al$ rebirth$ both as states and as processes$ together 'ith
descriptions of the nature of consciousness and its contents$ at the different stages$ and under 'idely
differing circustances$ is particularly dealt 'ith3 the size of this boo& is e%idence of the aount of
inforation 'e 'ere gi%en!
Although the sub1ect atter has been arranged generally in the order of the post-orte happenings$
there are any e6tracts 'ith no clear dearcation lines3 soe single e6tracts contain soe aterial
properly belonging in other 7ections! 0n these cases it 'as felt desirable to preser%e the e6tracts intact
rather than split the up$ e%en though soe are lengthy$ because they contain a se4uence of thought
and ideas better unbro&en! #he e6tracts 'ithin the 7ections are in rando order! #he 'hole 'or& can be
regarded as a 1igsa' puzzle 'ith the e6tracts as pieces! #he 0ntroductory 0nforation pro%ides a
thubnail s&etch$ 'ithout detail or colours$ of the 'hole picture$ constituting a guide to the 'ould-be
sol%er! As the story unfolds$ and the picture assues shape$ each piece of additional inforation 'ill be
found to fit naturally into place! 2here this ight see not to be the case to begin 'ith$ continued
reading 'ill reo%e any difficulties$ and e%entually the 'hole picture$ the full panoraa$ surprising in its
e6tent and agnificence$ 'ill be coplete! Continued %ie'ing of the great scene brings an e%er-
increasing a'areness of its significance! 9ach of us is ine6tricably$ and interinably$ not only in%ol%ed in
but also one 'ith the %ast cosic process of 989: ;9C<)0=G!
Page +
S5NOPSIS OF CONTENT OF C2APTE(S
Chapter I 6 The Constitution of "an
As described!
Chapter II 6 Dying and I##ediate!y After$ards
At the tie 'hen the *etters and boo&s based on the 'ere published$ the sub1ect of near-death
e6periences had not attracted attention! #hese e6periences$ no' uch in the public eye$ 'ere not
specifically touched on in the literature! >o'e%er$ there is reference to the re%ie' of the past life and to
our being at a high le%el of consciousness oentarily$ on passing! #his ight be the e6planation of the
e6perience of eeting or couning 'ith the "7hining <ne"$ as %ariously described!
#he thoughts passing through the ind during the last oents of the dying process are of the utost
iportance and should not be disturbed! #hey are significant factors in deterining the 'hole tenor of the
ne6t life! 0n the noral case the brain still functions right to the end of the dying stage! 0t is during these
last oents that the re%ie' of the past life ta&es place! 2hen this is coplete and the brain is at last
dead$ the defunct then goes unconscious!
Chapter III 6 The %Death Strugg!e% and %Gestation% Period
7oon after death the higher group of principles (9goic #riad/ prepares to separate fro the lo'er four
constituting the personality! #his preparation includes 'hat is described as a 'struggle'! 0t is the period
'hen the past life is e%aluated in ters of its spiritual content! #he 'struggle' is bet'een the really spiritual
eleents of the dead an's last life e6perience and the lo'er$ purely personal$ aybe selfish and carnal$
ones! #he ne6t stage of the death process can only be entered if there is a sufficiency of spiritual content
to be assiilated by the 9goic entity! 2hat happens if there is not is fully described!
After the death struggle$ a period of "gestation" is entered! 0t is during this tie that the spiritual aroa of
the past life is 'ingested' into the 9goic entity! 2ithout this aroa the 9go 'ould ha%e no personal identity
at the ne6t stage!
During the "death struggle" and the "gestation" period$ the deceased is norally unconscious! At the end
of the "gestation" period$ there is a second re%ie' of the life 1ust passed! At the end of the gestation all
that is left of the late personality are the psychic reli4uiae$ its 'orldly e6periences$ its desires$ passions$
abitions$ eories of achie%eents$ disasters$ and so on! #he 7piritual aroa or residue of the
deceased's e6periences$ its noble thoughts$ unselfish sacrifices$ higher aspirations$ etc!$ 'ill ha%e been
assiilated by the 9go!
2hat happens to these t'o classes of residue$ the base and the noble$ is described in the Chapters! #he
personal bodily and psychic reains do not last long3 they disintegrate relati%ely 4uic&ly$ lea%ing their
Page ?
conditioned essences as a carried-for'ard balance$ so to spea&$ to the ne6t personality!
Chapter I& 6 The Second Death and De'achan
2hen the separation of the lo'er fro the higher results of the e6-personality's li%ing is finished$ a
second 'death' occurs$ and the 9go proceeds to the ne6t stage! 2hat is left of the late personality then
depri%ed of its source of real life and consciousness$ i!e! the 9go$ becoes literally a ere 'shell'! #he
fate of that shell and its state of consciousness in the 'orld of shades is described in detail!
After the second death 'hen 9go is freed fro the encubrance of the ipure reains of its last
personality$ consciousness slo'ly returns to it! As this happens it a'a&es slo'ly to find itself in a state or
condition of unadulterated bliss- it is in surroundings 'here$ and 'ith those 'ith 'ho$ it 'ould ost
ha%e 'anted to be! 0t is in the state &no'n as De%achan$ a blissful but purely sub1ecti%e state- one 4uite
pri%ate to the De%achanee! 0t is as a drea 'hich no-one else can share!
De%achan is not a place$ it is a state! 0t is the ost enduring one for ost of us after death! 0t lasts for
centuries$ but e%entually it does coe to an end! #here is a gradual decline into 'old age' and then 'death'
or unconsciousness $ prior to starting the processes of re-birth into a ne' body! #he ne' baby is born
into circustances entirely deterined by la'$ @ara$ as 'ill be the nature of the ne' personality and
the circustances$ at least of the early part$ of its ne6t life!
Chapter & 6 ar#a and (eincarnation
#he factors 'hich deterine the nature of the ne' personality are all the result of the life of the old one!
#here is a echanis$ a &ind of psychic or non-physical one$ 'hereby the su of personal
characteristics of the old personality are transitted to the ne' one! #his is a soe'hat siilar process
to the one 'hereby the physical body is endo'ed 'ith hereditary characteristics fro its parents$ but the
old personality assues the role of both parents as far as the character 4ualities of the ne' being are
concerned! 0n this 'ay 'e all get our due deserts$ neither ore nor less! #his is the la' of @ara in
action as regards our huan condition fro a purely indi%idual point of %ie'! #here is a treendous
cople6ity in the 'or&ings of this la' 'ith regard to any one life because of the interaction of the @ara
of the ass of indi%iduals$ by failies$ groups and nations 'hich ust be ta&en into account!
Chapter &I 6 E)ceptions* Suicides and Accidents
All that has so far been described of the after- death processes relates to the noral case only! #here are
e6ceptions3 and all of these coe under the heading of preature deaths! #hese are deaths by disease$
at %arious ages$ suicides$ accidents and urders! All these are special cases and the after-death
processes are affected accordingly!
#he la' of @ara has a oral content! 0t is this 'hich deterines the effect of oti%e in our actions$
Page ,
e%en to the ta&ing of our o'n life! #here is a difference bet'een a soldier 'ho &ills but under orders$ and
a urderer! #he fate of the suicide$ responsible for his o'n death$ is different fro that of the 'accident'
'hose death ay be so sudden that he does not &no' 'hat happened$ and 'ho certainly had no
intention to die! All these %ariations fro the noral are e6ained!
Chapter &II 6 Psychic and Spiritua!istic Pheno#ena
0t 'ill be apparent that the inner principles of an are in the sae reals of being (sub1ecti%e to us/
'hence originate psychic and spiritualistic phenoena$ usually by 'ay of counication but soeties
by aterialization$ apparitions and other 'psycho-psychic' phenoena! 0n this Chapter 'e learn the
nature of the %arious &inds of entity that can counicate through edius! #he echanis of
aterialization is also described!
Chapter &III 6 I##orta!ity and Other "atters
Personalities coe and go3 so does e%erything else in a anifest Ani%erse! #his ust e%en apply to the
9go$ that persisting di%ine eleent of an's being$ 'hich ust ha%e$ in our ters$ an alost infinite span
of life! #here coes a tie$ ho'e%er$ 'hen it has fulfilled its purpose in the grand schee! 2hat thenB
Does anything endure for e%erB 0f it does$ is it of any interest to us either indi%idually or personallyB 7oe
ans'ers e%en to these 4uestions are %ouchsafed us!
#here are areas of being of 'hich the post orte states as described are only an aspect! 2orlds as
'ell as en ha%e their inner principles3 they too ha%e their life cycles$ their periods of rest and acti%ity$
and their birth and death! After a period of acti%ity$ referred to soeties as one of causes$ there is a
corresponding period of inacti%ity$ of rest$ 'hich is one of effects! #hese effects are then assiilated and
resol%ed$ but in that state no ne' cause can be originated! *i&e'ise 'ith an- a de%achanee in his 'orld
of effects cannot$ for instance$ affect 'hat goes on in our 'orld of causati%e acti%ity! #he balancing
effects of all causes ust be 'or&ed out on the plane on 'hich they 'ere generated! #here is no
punishent as such after death3 the retributi%e effects of our sins on earth are %isited on us there$ not in
the after life!
-oOo-
Fro here on the e6traordinary story of 'hat happens 'hen 'e die is told in the ultitude of e6tracts
fro the source boo&s$ gi%ing us an ipressi%e outline of the ancient but ageless 'isdo of 'hich the
&no'ledge of the after-death states is but a part!
Page .
INT(OD1CTO(5 INFO("ATION
"Fro the oent 'hen the foetal ebryo is fored until the old an$ gasping his last$ drops into the
gra%e$ neither the beginning nor the end is understood by scholastic science3 all before us is a blan&$ all
after us chaos! For it there is no e%idence as to the relations bet'een spirit$ soul and body$ either before
or after death! #he ere life-principle itself presents an unsol%able eniga$ upon the study of 'hich
aterialis has %ainly e6hausted its intellectual po'ers! 0n the presence of a corpse the s&eptical
physiologist stands dub 'hen as&ed by his pupil 'hence cae the forer tenant of that epty bo6$
and 'hither it has gone! #he pupil ust either$ li&e his aster$ rest satisfied 'ith the e6planation that
protoplas ade the an$ and force %italized and 'ill no' consue his body$ or he ust go outside the
'alls of his college and the boo&s of its library to find an e6planation of the ystery!"
(0707 0$ ++./
-oOo-
#he ain source of inforation 'e ha%e as to 'hat happens after death is #he )ahata *etters to A!P!
7innett and the %oluinous 'ritings of >!P! ;la%ats&y$ a pupil of one of the )ahatas!
#he )ahata *etters are a series of letters 'ritten bet'een 1CC0 and 1CC, to A!P! 7innett$ a 1ournalist
and author! #he letters are no' &ept in the ;ritish *ibrary! 2ho 'ere these )ahatasB #hey are reported
to be ebers of a ;rotherhood of 0nitiates into the )ysteries! 0n these )ysteries 'ere taught soe of
the secrets of the grand cosic process and an's part in it$ and they 'ere a %ehicle for con%eying$ fro
age to age$ a &no'ledge of the inner 'or&ings of =ature! #o becoe heir to this &no'ledge re4uires an
intellect of the highest calibre$ the greatest purity of life$ an unbleished character$ an ardent desire to be
of effecti%e ser%ice to huanity$ and an indoitable 'ill! 8ery fe' attain these 4ualifications but tradition
has it that there has been a continuous line of such en fro tie ieorial! #heir &no'ledge and
strength of character gi%e the access to po'er in an e6ceptional degree! #his is not only o%er the
inherent po'ers of =ature but in the inner psychological reals$ 'here they can operate in full self-
consciousness! 0t is in this 'ay that they can &no' of the processes 'e all go through in those inner
reals of being after death! #hey get this &no'ledge directly$ by a direct spiritual perception (of a
different order altogether fro clair%oyance/ and not through any interediary such as a spiritualistic
ediu!
#heir account of 'hat happens 'hen 'e die had not been ade public$ in plain language nor in such
detail$ before it 'as gi%en to 7innett in those letters! #he letters 'ere not published until 195?$ but 7innett
had earlier 'ritten an account of the post orte states fro the inforation gi%en in the letters$ in his
boo& 9soteric ;uddhis!
#he coon belief is that as no an has e%er returned fro the other side of death to tell us 'hat it is
li&e$ 'e therefore cannot &no'! #he spiritualists ha%e gi%en us accounts fro "spirits"$ assued to &no'
since they are 'there'$ but as 'e shall see$ not only are their accounts contradictory and inconsistent
bet'een thesel%es$ but also the reliability of the 'spiritual' inforants is 4uestionable for %ery good
reasons! #he )ahatas$ li%ing$ highly trained en in full possession of all their faculties - and those
Page D
de%eloped to a 4uite e6traordinary degree - are the 'authority' for 'hat is 'ritten here! #he "spirits" on the
other hand are entities of 4uite another uch lo'er order altogether and cannot ha%e$ or ha%e becoe
ac4uainted 'ith any &no'ledge they did not possess before they died!
#o understand the after-death processes 'e ust ha%e &no'ledge of the cople6 nature of an! >e is
not to be regarded erely as a physical being$ ali%e on earth$ aybe ha%ing a soul$ or e%en both a soul
and spirit! #he teaching is that he is essentially a spiritual entity$ 'ho during life operates at %arious le%els
of being- the spiritual$ ental$ eotional and physical! >e is said to be constituted of se%en aspects or
principles$ grouped to correspond 'ith those le%els! ;y eans of these principles he has 'being' at each
le%el and$ depending on his e%olutionary de%elopent$ he is able to operate ore or less consciously on
those le%els!
=o doubt the idea of )ahatas in the sense used here and of this se%enfold constitution of an 'ill be
strange to ost readers! #he idea of the e%olutionary unfoldent of faculties 'ill perhaps appear less
strange$ but in the teaching that idea is e6tended to include a long ter psychological and spiritual
de%elopent far beyond 'hat could norally be en%isaged! #his is suppleentary to the coonly
accepted %ie' of e%olution 'hich is all at physical le%el by 'ay of the sur%i%al of the fittest!
#he )ahatas are en 'ho ha%e 'e%ol%ed' in this 'ay! #heir ability consciously to operate on the
%arious le%els of being by the de%elopent of their inner principles is a result of e%olutionary process! 0n
this 'ay 'e all$ in tie$ ay becoe )ahatas$ but 'e cannot do this in one lifetie! #he teaching tells
of this progressi%e de%elopent through a long series of li%es$ each of 'hich is a lin& in a causati%e chain
1oined both to its predecessors and successors by 'ay of its inner$ non-physical principles$ i!e! its soul
and spiritual aspects!
During our stay on earth 'e pass fro infancy$ adolescence$ aturity$ old age$ to e%entual death! #he
4uestions no' are- 'hat is reborn3 'hat can constitute another life3 'hat connects it to past and future
li%esB
#he teaching is that the processes of =ature$ indeed of the 'hole Ani%erse$ are cyclical$ li&e the round of
the seasons- a coing and going 'hich applies to e%erything including e%ery an and all that coprises
hi$ physically or internally! ;ehind this coing and going$ ho'e%er$ it is postulated that there is al'ays a
self-e6istent soething - #>A# 'hich al'ays 07! 2hen 'e are thin&ing of an acti%e Ani%erse$ #>A# is
regarded as the <ne *ife! #his <ne *ife is as a flae at 'hich innuerable candles can be lit! #he
essential$ spiritual inner nature of e%ery thing and being$ including en$ is as one of these candle flaes!
#his is the indispensable spiritual essence of e%erything - identical 'ith the <ne *ife! 0t becoes
teporarily a separate life in a sea of other li%es during$ say$ the life of our globe earth!
#his one '*ife' needs %ehicles in 'hich to operate$ to becoe effecti%e$ at the %arious le%els of being! 0n
an it is these %ehicles 'hich are referred to as his principles! #he three upperost of these$ the ost
spiritual$ for a threefold entity$ a triad$ the spiritual 9go of the an$ &no'n also as the 0=D080DAA*0#E!
#he principles are con%entionally as follo's- 7pirit3 the 8ehicle of 7pirit3 and )ind3 this last seen as
Page C
ha%ing t'o aspects$ higher and lo'er! #he higher is associated 'ith the t'o spiritual principles abo%e it!
#his triad is %irtually an iortal$ di%ine entity! 0t is this 'hich anifests periodically in successi%e
P9:7<=A*0#097! 9ach personality is coposed of the four lo'er principles! #hese are- the Physical
;ody3 a 8ehicle for 'life' energies$ the life force3 the *ife Force itself$ %itality3 and an eotional$ passional
desire 8ehicle! #his %ehicle is closely associated 'ith the lo'er aspect of )ind! For con%enient reference
these principles are nubered one to se%en$ the physical body being nuber one and 7pirit$ the highest$
nuber se%en!
As said$ )ind (in 7ans&rit- )anas/$ the fifth principle$ is regarded as dual$ ha%ing t'o aspects$ although it
is al'ays one single principle! #he upper or higher aspect is al'ays closely associated 'ith the .th
principle (in 7ans&rit- ;uddhi/$ foring a dual cobination (;uddhi-)anas/! #he lo'er aspect associates
'ith the fourth principle (in 7ans&rit- @aa/$ foring a duad$ @aa-)anas! #his ento-eotional
cople6$ the iddle duad$ so called$ is the an's soul or psyche and 'e shall see that it is ortal$
'hereas the spiritual 9go is %irtually iortal!
For clarity an's principles are set out in #able A at the end of this section!
#here is a 'bridge' bet'een the upper and lo'er aspects of )anas$ foring a connection$ at ind le%el$
bet'een the teporary or ortal soul and the persisting 0ndi%iduality or 9go! *astly the three lo'er
principles$ referred to soeties as the lo'er triad$ are the Physical ;ody$ the *ife Force (Prana/ and its
%ehicle (*inga 7arira/! #he iddle duad and the lo'er triad constitute the an's Personality$ as opposed
to his 0ndi%iduality! #he distinction bet'een these t'o is iportant and ust be &ept in ind other'ise
confusions can arise! For e6aple$ it is ne%er (or nearly so/ the personality 'hich reincarnates!
0n considering reincarnation 'hich is inseparable fro the after-death processes$ there is a lin& bet'een
one personality and the ne6t! #his lin& is t'o-fold- on the one hand there is the persisting spiritual 9go$
and on the other$ soe 'tendencies' (fored during pre%ious li%es/ of a psycho-ental nature$ but they
can also ha%e an effect on the physical body of the ne6t personality! #hese tendencies$ referred to as
s&andhas$ are$ so to spea&$ a residue of pre%ious personal li%es$ distilled out in the after-death
processes! #hey deterine the character of the ne6t personality$ both psychically and$ to soe e6tent$
physically!
#his classification and nubering of an's principles is used consistently throughout the original classical
theosophical literature! <ther classifications$ 'ith resulting confusions$ 'ere introduced later! #he
account of the after-death states and processes gi%en here can only be understood in ters of this
original noenclature and nueration!
#he 'processes' of the after-life as they relate to an reflect the greater cosic ones pertaining not only
to 'orlds$ but also analogously to gala6ies of uni%erses thesel%es! All the processes are 'ithin the
operation of uni%ersal *a' 'hich operates throughout and at all le%els of being! #his o%erall *a' (@ara/
ensures the origination or coing into anifest being$ of e%erything in its proper season! 0t also ensures
its sur%i%al$ by 'ay of intelligent regulation$ and its e%entual deise after it has fulfilled its prograe of
de%elopent! #his latter as applying to 'orlds$ for e6aple$ is effected by innuerable streas of life in
an infinity of fors! 0n this prograe on our earth an&ind plays a central$ &ey role!
Page 9
#he account gi%en here of 'hat happens after death is coplicated! 2ithout soe frae'or&$ an o%erall
pattern of successi%e happenings$ it 'ould be difficult to fit the nuerous ites of inforation into the
'hole picture! 0t is hoped that ta&en together the 7ections 'ill gi%e such an outline$ so as to gi%e shape to
the 'hole panoraa! #here is a degree of o%erlap bet'een the 7ections! 7oe of the )ahata *etters
are long$ co%ering ore than one aspect of the sub1ect! <ccasionally the longer letters ha%e been split up
and their contents allocated to appropriate 7ections! #'o of these letters ha%e been reproduced entire in
the Appendi6 so that the relationship of a paragraph to the others can be seen!
Page 10
@9E to the ;oo&-title Abbre%iations --

@9E F #he @ey to #heosophy

C2 F #he Collected 2ritings of >!P! ;la%ats&y (de Gir&o%/

7D F #he 7ecret Doctrine

0707 F 0sis An%eiled

)* F #he )ahata *etters to A!P! 7innett

97# F 9soteric 7chool of #heosophy - 0nstructions

927 F 9soteric 2ritings of 7ubba :ao

=ote-
#he page nubers of The Secret Doctrine and The Key to Theosophy are those of the original editions!
#he page nubers of #he )ahata *etters are +rd 9dition follo'ed by 5nd 9dition!
Page 11
TA.+E A
)A=H7 P:0=C0P*97
=ae
Groupings
9nglish 7ans&rit =o!
7pirit Ata D 9go or
0ndi%iduality
9go or
Apper #riad
7pirit or
)onad
8ehicle of 7pirit ;uddhi .
)ind
Apper
)anas , >uan 7oul
*o'er
Personality
)iddle Duad Psyche or
Anial 7oul
8ehicle of
9otions etc!
@aa ?
*ife Force Prana +
*o'er #riad
8ehicle of
*ife Force
*inga 7arira 5
Physical ;ody 7thula 7arira 1

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79C#0<= 0
T2E CONSTIT1TION OF "AN
@ey 90 #heo- ;elie%ing in se%en planes of @osic being and states of Consciousness$ 'ith regard to the
Ani%erse or the )acrocos$ 'e stop at the fourth plane$ finding it ipossible to go 'ith any degree of
certainty beyond! ;ut 'ith respect to the )icrocos$ or an$ 'e speculate freely on his se%en states and
principles!
9n4- >o' do you e6plain theseB
#heo- 2e find$ first of all$ t'o distinct beings in an3 the spiritual and the physical$ the an 'ho thin&s$
and the an 'ho records as uch of these thoughts as he is able to assiilate! #herefore 'e di%ide hi
into t'o distinct natures3 the upper or the spiritual being$ coposed of three "principles" or aspects3 and
the lo'er of the physical 4uaternary$ coposed of four - in all seven!
@ey 91 #>9<7<P>0CA* D08070<=
#>9<7<P>0CA* D08070<=
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Sans7rit Ter#s Esoteric "eaning E)p!anatory
+O8E( 91ATE(NA(5 : ;Princip!es a to d<
;a< (upa* or Sthu!a-
sarira
;a< Physica! body ;a< Is the 'ehic!e of a!! the other =princip!es> during !ife4
;b< Prana ;b< +ife* or &ita! Princip!e ;b< Necessary on!y to a, c, d, and the functions of the
!o$er Manas* $hich e#brace a!! those !i#ited to the
;physical< brain4
;c< +inga-sarira ;c< Astra! .ody ;c< The Double* the phanto# body4
;d< a#a-rupa ;d< The seat of ani#a! desires
and passions
;d< This is the centre of the ani#a! #an* $here !ies the
!ines of de#arcation $hich separates the #orta! #an fro#
the i##orta! entity4
1PPE( I"PE(IS2A.+E T(IAD : ;Princip!es e to g<
;e< Manas : a dua!
princip!e in its
functions
;e< "ind* inte!!igence6 $hich
is the higher hu#an #ind*
$hose !ight or radiation !in7s
the "ONAD* for the !ifeti#e
to the #orta! #an4
;e< The future state and the ar#ic destiny of #an depend
on $hether "anas gra'itates #ore do$n$ard to a#a
rupa* the seat of the ani#a! passions* or up$ards to
Buddhi* the Spiritua! Ego4 In the !atter case* the higher
consciousness of the indi'idua! Spiritua! aspirations of
mind ;"anas<* assi#i!ating .uddhi* are absorbed by it and
for# the Ego* $hich goes into De'achanic b!iss4
;f< .uddhi ;f< The Spiritua! Sou! ;f< The 'ehic!e of pure uni'ersa! spirit4
;g< At#a ;g< Spirit ;g< One $ith the Abso!ute* as its radiation4
ey ?@ #heo- >ere you ha%e our doctrine$ 'hich sho's an a Septenary during life3 a quintile Icounting
)anas as t'oJ 1ust after death$ in @aa-*o&a3 and a threefold 9go$ 7pirit 7oul$ and consciousness in
De%achan !!! I#hen follo's a colourful description in Plutarch's 'ords of the post orte processes until
the 9go reaches De%achan!J
ey ,00 #heo- Do not iagine that because an is called septenary$ then quintuple and triad$ he is a
copound of se%en$ fi%e or three entities3 !!! #he "principles"$ as already said$ sa%e the body$ the life$ and
the astral eidolon$ all of 'hich disperse at death$ are siply aspects and states of consciousness! #here
is but one real an$ enduring through the cycle of life and iortal in essence$ if not in for$ and this is
Manas$ the )ind-an or ebodied Consciousness !!! Are you ac4uainted with all the states of matter$
Page 1?
you 'ho hitherto &ne' but threeB And ho' do you &no' 'hether that 'hich 'e refer to as A;7<*A#9
C<=7C0<A7=977 or Deity for e%er in%isible and un&no'able be not that 'hich$ though it eludes for
e%er our huan finite conception$ is still uni%ersal 7pirit-atter or atter-7pirit in its absolute finitude?! 0t
is then one of the lo'est$ and in its an%antaric anifestations fractioned - aspects of this 7pirit-atter$
'hich is the conscious Ego that creates its o'n paradise$ a fool's paradise$ it ay be$ still a state of bliss!
9n4- ;ut 'hat is DevachanB
#heo- #he "land of gods" literally3 a condition$ a state of ental bliss! Philosophically a ental condition
analogous to$ but far ore %i%id and real than$ the ost %i%id drea! 0t is the state after death of ost
ortals!
ey ,,@ #heo- Kust the sae$ 'e could easily a&e of the body the %ehicle of the "%ital Double"3 of the
latter the %ehicle of *ife or rana- of Kama!rupa or (anial/ soul$ the %ehicle of the higher and the lower
ind$ and a&e of this si6 principles$ cro'ning the 'hole 'ith the one iortal spirit! 0n <ccultis e%ery
4ualificati%e change in the state of our consciousness gi%es to an a ne' aspect$ and if it pre%ails and
becoes part of the li%ing and acting 9go$ it ust be (and is/ gi%en a special nae$ to distinguish the
an in that particular state fro the an he is 'hen he places hiself in another state!
9n4- 0t is 1ust that 'hich it is so difficult to understand!
#heo- 0t sees to e %ery easy$ on the contrary$ once that you ha%e seized the ain idea$ i!e!$ that an
acts on this or another plane of consciousness$ in strict accordance 'ith his ental and spiritual
condition! ;ut such is the aterialis of the age that the ore 'e e6plain the less people see capable
of understanding 'hat 'e say! Di%ide the terrestrial being called an into three chief aspects$ if you li&e$
and unless you a&e of hi a pure anial you cannot do less! #a&e his ob1ecti%e body3 the thin&ing
principle in hi - 'hich is only a little higher than the instinctual eleent in the anial - or the %ital
conscious soul3 and that 'hich places hi so ieasurably beyond and higher than the anial - i!e!$ his
reasoning soul or "spirit"! 2ell$ if 'e ta&e these three groups or representati%e entities$ and subdi%ide
the according to the occult teaching$ 'hat do 'e getB
First of all$ 7pirit (in the sense of the Absolute$ and therefore$ indi%isible A**/$ or Ata! As this can neither
be located nor liited in philosophy$ being siply that 'hich is in 9ternity$ and 'hich cannot be absent
fro e%en the tiniest geoetrical or atheatical point of the uni%erse of atter or substance$ it ought
not to be called$ in truth$ a "huan" principle at all! :ather$ and at best$ it is in )etaphysics that point in
space 'hich the huan )onad and its %ehicle an occupy for the period of e%ery life! =o' that point is
as iaginary as an hiself$ and in reality is an illusion$ a maya3 but then for oursel%es$ as for other
personal 9gos$ 'e are a reality during that fit of illusion called life$ and 'e ha%e to ta&e oursel%es into
account$ in our o'n fancy at any rate$ if no one else does !!! <ccultis calls this seventh principle the
synthesis of the si6th$ and gi%es it for %ehicle the Spiritual 7oul$ "uddhi !!! 0n con1unction$ these t'o IAta
and ;uddhiJ are one$ ipersonal and 'ithout any attributes (on this plane$ of course/$ and a&e t'o
spiritual principles! 0f 'e pass on to the #uman 7oul$ Manas or mens$ e%ery one 'ill agree that the
intelligence of an is dual to say the least- e$g$ the high-inded an can hardly becoe lo'-inded3 the
%ery intellectual and spiritual-inded an is separated by an abyss fro the obtuse$ dull$ and aterial$ if
Page 1,
not anial-inded an!
9n4- ;ut 'hy should not an be represented by t'o principles or t'o aspects$ ratherB
#heo- 9%ery an has these t'o principles in hi$ one ore acti%e than the other$ and in rare cases one
of these is entirely stunted in its gro'th$ so to say$ or paralysed by the strength and predoinance of the
other aspect$ in 'hate%er direction! #hese$ then$ are 'hat 'e call the t'o principles or aspects of Manas$
the higher )anas$ or the thin&ing conscious 9go gra%itating to'ards the spiritual 7oul (;uddhi/3 and the
latter$ or its instinctual principle$ attracted to Kama$ the seat of anial desires and passions in an! #hus
'e ha%e four principles 1ustified3 the last three being (1/ the "Double"$ 'hich 'e ha%e agreed to call
Protean$ or Plastic 7oul3 the %ehicle of (5/ the life principle3 and (+/ the physical body !!!
9n4- ;ut 'hat is it that reincarnates$ in your beliefB
#heo- #he 7piritual thin&ing 9go$ the peranent principle in an$ or that 'hich is the seat of Manas! 0t is
not Ata$ or e%en Ata-;uddhi$ regarded as the dual Monad$ 'hich is the individual$ or divine an$ but
)anas3 for Atan is the Ani%ersal A**$ and becoes the >0G>9:-79*F of an only in con1unction 'ith
"uddhi$ its %ehicle$ 'hich lin&s 0# to the indi%iduality (or di%ine an/! For it is the ;uddhi-)anas 'hich is
called the %ausal body (the Anited ,th and .th Principles/$ and 'hich is %onsciousness that connects it
'ith e%ery personality it inhabits on earth! #herefore$ 7oul being a generic ter$ there are in en three
aspects of 7oul - the terrestrial$ or anial3 the >uan 7oul3 and the 7piritual 7oul3 these$ strictly
spea&ing$ are one 7oul in its three aspects! =o' of the first aspect nothing reains after death3 of the
second (nous or )anas/ only its di%ine essence if left unsoiled sur%i%es$ 'hile the third in addition to
being iortal becoes consciously di%ine$ by the assiilation of the higher )anas!
ey ,AB 9n4- ;ut 'hat is the difference bet'een the t'oB I0ndi%iduality and PersonalityJ 0 confess that 0
a still in the dar&! 0ndeed it is 1ust that difference$ then$ that you cannot ipress too uch on our inds!
ey ,AC #heo- #o understand the idea 'ell$ you ha%e to first study the dual sets of principles- the
spiritual$ or those 'hich belong to the iperishable 9go3 and the material$ or those principles 'hich a&e
up the e%er-changing bodies or the series of personalities of that 9go! *et us fi6 peranent naes to
these$ and say that-
0! &tma$ the "#igher Self$" is neither your spirit nor ine$ but li&e sunlight shines on all! 0t is the uni%ersally
diffused "divine principle$" and is inseparable fro its one and absolute Meta-7pirit$ as the sunbea is
inseparable fro sunlight!
00! "uddhi (the spiritual soul/ is only its %ehicle! =either each separately$ nor the t'o collecti%ely$ are of
any ore use to the body of an than sunlight and its beas are for a ass of granite buried in the
earth$ unless the divine Duad is assimilated by' and reflected in$ soe consciousness! =either Ata nor
;uddhi are e%er reached by @ara$ because the forer is the highest aspect of @ara$ its wor(ing
agent of 0#79*F in one aspect$ and the other is unconscious on this plane! #his consciousness or ind
Page 1.
is$
000! Manas$ the deri%ation or product in a reflected for of &ham(ara$ "the conception of 0$" or 9G<-7>0P!
0t is$ therefore$ 'hen inseparably united to the first t'o$ called the 7P0:0#AA* 9G<$ and Tai)asa (the
radiant/! #his is the real 0ndi%iduality$ or the di%ine an! 0t is this 9go 'hich - ha%ing originally incarnated
in the senseless huan for aniated by$ but unconscious (since it had no consciousness/ of$ the
presence in itself of the dual onad - ade of that huan-li&e for a real man! 0t is that 9go$ that
"Causal ;ody"$ 'hich o%ershado's e%ery personality @ara forces it to incarnate into- and this 9go
'hich is held responsible for all the sins coitted through$ and in$ e%ery ne' body or personality - the
e%anescent as&s 'hich hide the true 0ndi%idual through the long series of rebirths!
ey ,AC Footnote- )A>A# or the "Ani%ersal )ind" is the source of )anas! #he latter is )ahat i!e!$ ind$
in an! )anas is !!! "ebodied 7pirit" !!! 0t is )anas$ therefore$ 'hich is the real incarnating and
peranent Spiritual Ego$ the 0=D080DAA*0#E$ and our %arious and nuberless personalities only its
e6ternal as&s! I#his note a&es reference also to ")anasa-putras$ third :ace$ our :ound"$ not directly
rele%ant to the after-death story at this stage!J
ey ,DC #heo- #o a%oid henceforth such isapprehensions Iconcerning >igher 7elf$ 9go$ etc!J$ 0 propose
to translate literally fro the <ccult 9astern ters their e4ui%alents in 9nglish$ and offer these for future
use!
T2E 2IG2E( SE+F is Ata$ the inseparable ray of the Ani%ersal and <=9 79*F! 0t is the God above$
ore than 'ithin$ us! >appy the an 'ho succeeds in saturating his inner Ego 'ith itL
T2E SPI(IT1A+ divine EGO is the 7piritual soul or "uddhi$ in close union 'ith Manas$ the ind-
principle$ 'ithout 'hich it is no 9G< at all$ but only the Atic *ehicle!
T2E INNE( or 2IG2E( EGO is Manas$ the "Fifth" Principle$ so called$ independently of ;uddhi! #he
)ind-Principle is only the 7piritual 9go 'hen erged into one 'ith ;uddhi - no aterialist being
supposed to ha%e in hi such an 9go$ ho'e%er great his intellectual capacities! 0t is the peranent
+ndividuality or the ":eincarnating 9go!"
T2E +O8E( or PE(SONA+ EGO is the physical an in con1unction 'ith his lower 7elf$ i!e! anial
instincts$ passions$ desires$ etc! 0t is called the "false personality"$ and consists of the lower Manas
cobined 'ith @aa-rupa$ and operating through the Physical body and its phanto or "double"!
#he reaining Principle "rana"$ or "*ife"$ is$ strictly spea&ing$ the radiating force or 9nergy of Ata - as
the Ani%ersal *ife and the <=9 79*F - 0#7 lo'er or rather (in its effects/ ore physical$ because
anifesting$ aspect! Prana or *ife pereates the 'hole being of the ob1ecti%e Ani%erse3 and is called a
"principle" only because it is an indispensable factor and the deus e, machina of the li%ing an!
Page 1D
ey ,@A 9n4- ;ut you 'anted to tell e soething of the essential nature of )anas$ and of the relation
in 'hich the 7&andhas of physical an stand to itB
#heo- 0t is this nature$ ysterious$ Protean$ beyond any grasp$ and alost shado'y in its correlations
'ith the other principles$ that is ost difficult to realize$ and still ore so to e6plain! )anas is a principle$
and yet it is an 9ntity and indi%iduality or 9go! >e is a "God"$ and yet he is dooed to an endless cycle of
incarnations$ and for each of 'hich he has to suffer! All this sees as contradictory as it is puzzling3
ne%ertheless$ there are hundreds of people$ e%en in 9urope$ 'ho realize all this perfectly$ for they
coprehend the 9go not only in its integrity but in its any aspects! Finally$ if 0 'ould a&e yself
coprehensible$ 0 ust begin at the beginning and gi%e you the genealogy of this 9go in a fe' lines!
9n4- 7ay on!
#heo- #ry to iagine a "7pirit"$ a celestial ;eing$ 'hether 'e call it by one nae or another$ di%ine in its
essential nature$ yet not pure enough to be one with the A**$ and ha%ing$ in order to achie%e this$ to so
purify its nature as to finally gain that goal! 0t can do so only by passing individually and personally' i$e$$
spiritually and physically$ through e%ery e6perience and feeling that e6ists in the anifold or differentiated
Ani%erse! 0t has$ therefore$ after ha%ing gained such e6perience in the lo'er &ingdos$ and ha%ing
ascended higher and still higher 'ith e%ery rung on the ladder of being$ to pass through e%ery e6perience
on the huan planes! 0n its %ery essence it is #><AG>#$ and is$ therefore$ called in its plurality Manasa!
putras$ "the 7ons of the (Ani%ersal/ ind"! #his individuali-ed "#hought" is 'hat 'e #heosophists call the
real huan 9G<$ the thin&ing 9ntity iprisoned in a case of flesh and bones! #his is surely a 7piritual
9ntity$ not Matter$ and such 9ntities are the incarnating 9G<7 that infor the bundle of anial atter
called an&ind$ and 'hose naes are Manasa or ")inds"! ;ut once iprisoned$ or incarnate$ their
essence becoes dual- that is to say$ the rays of the eternal di%ine )ind$ considered as indi%idual
entities$ assue a t'ofold attribute 'hich is (a/ their essential inherent characteristic$ hea%en-aspiring
ind (higher Manas/$ and (b/ the huan 4uality of thin&ing$ or anial cogitation$ rationalized o'ing to the
superiority of the huan brain$ the Kama-tending or lo'er )anas! <ne gra%itates to'ards ;uddhi$ the
other$ tending do'n'ards$ to the seat of passions and anial desires! #he latter ha%e no roo in
De%achan$ nor can they associate 'ith the di%ine triad 'hich ascends as <=9 into ental bliss! Eet it is
the 9go$ the )anasic 9ntity$ 'hich is held responsible for all the sins of the lo'er attributes$ 1ust as a
parent is ans'erable for the transgressions of his child so long as the latter reains irresponsible!
9n4- 0s this "child" the personalityB
#heo- 0t is! 2hen$ therefore$ it is stated that the personality dies 'ith the body it does not state all! #he
body$ 'hich 'as only the ob1ecti%e sybol of )r A! or )rs ;! fades a'ay 'ith all its aterial 7&andhas$
'hich are the %isible e6pressions thereof! ;ut all that 'hich constituted during life the spiritual bundle of
e6periences$ the noblest aspiration$ undying affections$ and unselfish nature of )r A or )rs ;!$ clings for
the tie of the De%achanic period to the 9G<$ 'hich is identified 'ith the spiritual portion of that
terrestrial 9ntity$ no' passed a'ay out of sight! #he AC#<: is so ibued 'ith the role 1ust played by hi
that he dreas of it during the 'hole De%achanic night$ 'hich vision continues till the hour stri&es for hi
to return to the stage of life to enact another part!
Page 1C
C8 I* AA, 0n the grain of sand$ and each ato of the huan aterial body$ the spirit is latent$ not acti%e3
hence$ being but a correlation of the highest light$ soething concrete as copared 'ith the purely
abstract$ the ato is %italized and energized by spirit$ 'ithout being endo'ed 'ith distinct
consciousness! A grain of sand$ as e%ery inutest ato$ is certainly "ibued 'ith that %ital principle
called spirit"! 7o is e%ery ato of the huan body$ 'hether physical or astral$ and thus e%ery ato of
both$ follo'ing the la' of e%olution$ 'hether of ob1ecti%e or sei-concrete astral atter$ 'ill ha%e to
reain eternal throughout the endless cycles$ indestructible in their priary$ eleentary constituents !!!
<ur opponents repeat the 'ords #rinity$ ;ody$ 7oul$ 7pirit$ as they ight say the cat$ the house and the
0rishan inhabiting it - three perfectly dissiilar things! #hey do not see that$ dissiilar as the three parts
of the huan trinity ay see$ they are in truth but correlations of the one eternal essence - 'hich is no
essence3 but unfortunately the 9nglish language is barren of ade4uate e6pression$ and$ though they do
not see it$ the house$ the physical 0rishan$ and the cat are$ in their last analysis$ one!
C8 I&* CA !!! the Linga!Sarira "!!! is the subtile$ ethereal eleent of the ego of an organis I'hether
huan or anial or %egetableJ3 inseparably united to !!! the latter3 it ne%er lea%es it but at death"! And if
so$ ho' could the "astral body" of an$ if 'e call it Linga!Sarira$ lea%e hi during his lifetie and appear
as his double$ as 'e &no'$ is repeatedly the case 'ith edius and other peculiarly endo'ed personsB
#he ans'er is siple3 that 'hich appears$ or the "double"$ is called Mayavi!.upa (illusionary for/ 'hen
acting blindly3 and - Kama!.upa$ "'ill" or "desire-for" 'hen copelled into an ob1ecti%e shape by the
conscious 'ill and desire of its possessor! #he /ivatma (%ital principle/ and Linga!Sarira (7e6-body/ are
inner principles3 'hile the Mayavi!.upa is the outside soul so to say- one 'hich en%elops the physical
body$ as in a fily ethereal casing! 0t is a perfect counterpart of the an and e%en of the clothing 'hich
he happens to 'ear! And this principle is liable to becoe condensed into opacity$ copelled to it$ either
by the la' of interagnetic action$ or by the potentiality of 0oga!ballu or "adept-po'er"!
#hus$ the "Linga!Sarira" is "dissol%ed 'ith the e6ternal body at the death of the latter"! 0t dissol%es slo'ly
and gradually$ its adhesion to the body becoing 'ea&er$ as the particles disintegrate! During the
process of decay$ it ay$ on sultry nights$ be soeties seen o%er the gra%e! <'ing to the dry and
electric atosphere it anifests itself and stands as a bluish flae$ often as a luinous pillar$ of "odyle"$
bearing a ore or less %ague reseblance to the out'ard for of the body laid under the sod! Popular
superstition$ ignorant of the nature of these post!mortem gaseous eanations$ ista&es the for the
presence of the "suffering" soul$ the personal spirit of the deceased$ ho%ering o%er his body's tob! Eet$
'hen the 'or& of destruction has been copleted$ and nature has bro&en entirely the cohesion of
corporeal particles$ the Linga!Sarira is dispersed 'ith the body of 'hich it 'as but an eanation!
C8 I&* ,@B 0t is sufficient to !! ponder o%er the septenary constitution of an into 'hich the triple huan
entity is di%ided by the occultists$ to percei%e that the "astral" monad is not the "7piritual" monad and vice
versa! !! 'e say again that ":eincarnation"$ i$e$$ the appearance of the sae indi%idual$ or rather$ of the
astral onad Ior the personality as claied by the odern :eincarnationistsJ$ t'ice on the sae planet$
is not a rule in nature" and that "it is an e6ception"! *et us try once ore to e6plain our eaning! #he
re%ie'er spea&s of the "spiritual 0ndi%iduality" or the +mmortal Monad as it is called$ i$e$$ the se%enth and
si6th Principles !! 0n +sis 'e refer to the personality or the finite astral onad$ a copound of
iponderable eleents coposed of the fifth and fourth principles! #he forer as an eanation of the
<=9 absolute is indestructible3 the latter as an eleentary copound is finite and dooed sooner or
later to destruction 'ith the e6ception of the ore spiritualized portions of the fifth principle (the Manas or
Page 19
ind/ 'hich are assiilated by the si6th principle 'hen it follo's the se%enth to its "gestation" state" to
be reborn or not reborn$ as the case ay be$ in the &rupa Lo(a (the Forless 2orld/! #he se%en
principles$ foring$ so to say$ a triad and a quaternary$ or$ as soe ha%e it a "Copound Trinity"$
subdi%ided into a triad and t'o duads$ ay be better understood in the follo'ing groups of Principles-
G(O1P I SPI(IT
D4 Atma : =Pure Spirit>4
-4 Buddhi : =Spiritua! Sou! or Inte!!igence>4
Spiritual Monad or =Indi'idua!ity> : and its vehicle.
Eterna! and indestructib!e4
G(O1P II SO1+
C4 Manas : ="ind or Ani#a! Sou!>4
B4 Kama-Rupa : =Desire> or =Passion> For#4
Astral Monad - or the personal Ego and its 'ehic!e4
Sur'i'es Group III and is destroyed after a ti#e* un!ess
reincarnated* as said* under e)ceptiona! circu#stances4
G(O1P III .OD5
A4 inga-sarira : =Astra! or &ita! .ody>4
/4 !iva : =+ife Princip!e>4
,4 Sthula-sarira : =.ody>4
Co#pound Physica!* or the =Earth!y Ego>4 The three die
together invariably.
C8 &* B? 2hat are these principles or "9ntities" I'hich constitute a 'hole anJB
1st Principle- the physical body 'hich decoposes and disappears!
5nd Principle- *0F9 or rather the %ital ray 'hich aniates us and 'hich is borro'ed fro the
ine6haustible reser%oir of the Ani%ersal *ife!
+rd Principle- the astral body$ the double or doppelgaenger$ the shado' of$ or eanation fro the
physical body$ 'hich disappears 'hen the latter ceases to e6ist! 9%ery li%ing being has one$ e%en the
beasts3 and it is called illusory because it has no aterial consistence$ properly spea&ing$ and cannot last
Page 50
?th Principle- the 'ill 'hich directs Principles 1 and 5!
,th Principle- the human or anial intelligence$ or the instinct of the brute!
.th Principle- the spiritual or di%ine soul$ and the
Dth Principle- the 7P0:0#! #he last is 'hat the Christians call Logos$ and 'e - our personal God! 2e &no'
no other3 because the absolute and the 1ne - that is the All - arabrahm$ is an ipersonal principle
beyond all huan speculation!"
C8 EI* BC, !!! if indeed the physical brain is of only a liited area$ the field for the containent of rapid
flashes of unliited and infinite thought$ neither 'ill nor thought can be said to be generated within it$
e%en according to aterialistic 7cience$ the ipassable chas bet'een atter and ind ha%ing been
confessed both by #yndall and any others! #he fact is that the huan brain is siply the canal bet'een
t'o planes - the psycho-spiritual and the aterial - through 'hich e%ery abstract and etaphysical idea
filters fro the )anasic do'n to the lo'er huan consciousness! #herefore$ the ideas about the infinite
and the absolute are not$ nor can they be$ 'ithin our brain capacities! #hey can be faithfully irrored only
by our 7piritual consciousness$ thence to be ore or less faintly pro1ected onto the tables of our
perceptions on this plane! #hus 'hile the records of e%en iportant e%ents are often obliterated fro our
eory$ not the ost trifling action of our li%es can disappear fro the "7oul's" eory$ because it is no
)9)<:E for it$ but an e%er present reality on the plane 'hich lies outside our conceptions of space and
tie! ")an is the easure of all things$" said Aristotle3 and surely he did not ean by an$ the for of
flesh$ bones and usclesL
C8 EII* ,B As 7ha&espeare says of the genius of great en - 'hat 'e percei%e of his substance "is not
here" -

"For 'hat you see is but the sallest part
And least proportion of huanity-
0 tell you$ ada$ 'ere the 'hole frae here$
0t is of such a spacious lofty pitch
Eour roof 'ere not sufficient to contain it!"
#his is precisely 'hat the 9soteric philosophy teaches! #he flae of genius is lit by no anthropoorphic
hand$ sa%e that of one's o'n 7pirit! 0t is the %ery nature of the 7piritual 9ntity itself$ of our 9go$ 'hich
&eeps on 'ea%ing ne' life-'oofs into the 'eb of reincarnation on the loo of tie$ fro the beginnings
to the ends of the great *ife-Cycle! #his it is that asserts itself stronger than in the a%erage an$ through
its personality3 so that 'hat 'e call "the anifestations of genius" in a person$ are only the ore or less
successful efforts of that 9G< to assert itself on the out'ard plane of its ob1ecti%e for - the an of clay -
in the atter-of-fact$ daily life of the latter! #he 9G<7 of a =e'ton$ an Aeschylus$ or a 7ha&espeare are$
of the sae essence and substance as the 9gos of a yo&el$ an ignoraus$ a fool$ or e%en an idiot3 and
Page 51
the self-assertion of their inforing genii depends on the physiological and aterial construction of the
physical an! =o 9go differs fro another 9go$ in its priordial or original essence and nature! #hat
'hich a&es one ortal a great an and another a %ulgar$ silly person is$ as said$ the 4uality and
a&eup of the physical shell or casing$ and the ade4uacy or inade4uacy of brain and body to transit
and gi%e e6pression to the light of the real$ +nner an3 and this aptness or inaptness is$ in its turn$ the
result of @ara! <r$ to use another siile$ physical an is the usical instruent$ and the 9go$ the
perforing artist! #he potentiality of perfect elody of sound$ is in the forer - the instruent - and no
s&ill of the latter can a'a&en a faultless harony out of a bro&en or badly ade instruent! #his
harony depends on the fidelity of transission$ by 'ord or act$ to the ob1ecti%e plane$ of the unspo&en
di%ine thought in the %ery depths of an's sub1ecti%e or inner nature! Physical an ay - to follo' our
siile - be a priceless 7tradi%arius$ or a cheap and crac&ed fiddle$ or again a ediocrity bet'een the t'o$
in the hands of the Paganini 'ho ensouls hi!
C8 EII* C/- !! neither Atan$ 'hich is no indi%idual "principle" but a radiation from and one with the
Ananifested *ogos3 nor the body$ 'hich is the aterial rind or shell of the 7piritual )an$ can be in strict
truth$ referred to as "principles"! )oreo%er the chief "principle" of all$ one not e%en entioned heretofore$
is the "*uinous 9gg" (>iranyagarbha/ or the in%isible agnetic sphere in 'hich e%ery an is
en%eloped! IFootnote- 7o are the anials$ the plants and e%en the inerals! :eichenbach ne%er
understood 'hat he learned through his sensiti%es and clair%oyants! 0t is the odic$ or rather the auric or
agnetic fluid 'hich eanates fro an$ but it is also soething ore! 0t is the direct eanation- (a/
fro the Atic :ay in its triple aspect of Creator$ Preser%er and Destroyer (:egenerator/3 and (b/ fro
;uddhi-)anas! #he seventh aspect of this indi%idual aura is the faculty of assuing the for of its body
and becoing the ":adiant"$ the *uinous Augoeides! 0t is this$ strictly spea&ing$ 'hich at ties
becoes the for called )aya%i-:upa! #herefore as e6plained in the second face of the diagra (the
astral an/$ the 7piritual )an consists of only fi%e principles$ as taught by the 8edantins$ 'ho substitute
tacitly for the physical this si6th$ or Auric ;ody$ and erge the dual )anas (the dual ind or
consciousness/ into one! #hus they spea& of fi%e &osas (sheaths or principles/$ and call Atan the si6th
yet no "principle"!
C8 EII* C/- 0t is this ;ody 'hich at death assiilates the essence of ;uddhi and )anas and becoes
the %ehicle of these spiritual principles$ which are not ob)ective$ and then 'ith the full radiation of Atan
upon it$ ascends as )anas-#ai1asa into the De%achanic state! #herefore$ it is called by any naes! 0t is
the 7utratan$ the sil%er "thread" 'hich "incarnates" fro the beginning of )an%antara to the end$
stringing upon itself the pearls of huan e6istence - in other 'ords$ the spiritual aroa of e%ery
personality it follows through the pilgriage of life!
C8 EII* D0B #>9 *0=GA-7A:0:A! #he *inga-7arira$ as often said before$ is the %ehicle of Prana$ and
supports life in the ;ody! 0t is the reser%oir or sponge of life$ gathering it up fro all the natural &ingdos
around$ and it is the interediary bet'een the &ingdos of Pranic and physical life! *ife cannot pass
iediately and directly fro the sub1ecti%e to the ob1ecti%e$ for nature passes gradually fro sphere to
sphere$ o%erleaping none! #he *inga-7arira ser%es as the interediary bet'een Prana and 7thula-
7arira$ dra'ing life fro the ocean of Ki%a$ and puping it in the physical ;ody as Prana! For life is$ in
reality$ Di%inity$ Parabrahan$ the Ani%ersal Deity! ;ut in order that it ay anifest on the physical plane
it ust be assiilated to the atter of that plane3 this cannot be done directly$ as the purely physical is
too gross$ and thus it needs a %ehicle - the *inga-7arira!
Page 55
#he *inga-7arira is in a sense the peranent seed for the 7thula-7arira of an$ and 2eissann$ in his
theory of the hereditary ger$ is not far fro the truth! ;ut it 'ould be an error to say that there is one
peranent seed o%ersouled by a single 9go in a series of incarnations! #he *inga-7arira of one
incarnation fades out$ as the 7thula-7arira to 'hich it belongs rots out3 the Auric 9gg furnishes the basis
of the ne' *inga-7arira and the #anhic 9leentals for it 'ithin the Auric 9n%elope$ the continuity being
thus preser%ed3 it lies dorant in the foetal state$ during the De%achan of the entity to 'ho it belongs$
and enters$ in due course$ a 'oan's 'ob! 0t is first in the 'ob$ and then coes the ger that
fructifies it$ fro the ale parent! 0t is the sub1ecti%e iage of the an that is to be$ the odel of the
physical body in 'hich the child is to be fored and de%eloped! 0t is then clothed 'ith atter$ as 'ere the
*unar Pitris$ and is therefore often called the Chhaya! Ap to the age of se%en$ it fors and oulds the
;ody3 after that age$ the ;ody fors the *inga-7arira! #he )ind and the *inga-7arira utually act and
react on each other and so is prepared a ould for the ne6t incarnation! 0t is the perfect picture of the
an$ good or bad$ according to his o'n nature! 0t cannot therefore be said that there is one peranent
*inga-7ariric seed in the incarnations of the 9go3 it is a perpetual succession of destruction and
reforation$ the )anas by the Auric 9gg affording the peranent seed3 "it is >ea%en and 9arth &issing
each other"!
During incarnation the ger$ or life essence$ of the *inga 7arira$ is$ as said$ in the 7pleen3 the Chhaya
lies curled up therein! And no' let the student escape fro uch confusion by distinguishing bet'een
the %arious Astral ;odies and the true Astral! #he Astral$ par e,cellence$ the 7econd Principle in )an$
corresponding to the 7econd Principle in Cosos$ is the progeny of the Chhaya of the *unar Pitris and
the Auric 9ssence that absorbed it! #his is the oulder of the infant's ;ody$ the odel spo&en of abo%e!
#his has for its physical organ the 7pleen$ and during incarnation has its seat there! 0t affords the basis
for all Astral ;odies$ for the *inga-7arira proper$ and the )aya%i-:upas used as %ehicles for different
Principles! *et us then no' call it the Chhaya$ in %ie' of its origin! 2hen an Astral ;ody is to be fored$
the Chhaya e%ol%es a shado'y$ curling or gyrating essence li&e so&e$ 'hich gradually ta&es for as it
eerges! 0n order that this essence ay becoe %isible$ the Chhaya dra's on the surrounding
atosphere$ attracting to itself certain inute particles floating therein$ and so the *inga-7arira$ or other
Astral %ehicle is fored outside the physical ;ody! #his process has often been obser%ed at spiritualistic
sMNances$ at 'hich aterialization has occurred! An 9sotericist has seen the Chhaya eerging fro
9glinton's left side$ and foring in the 'ay here described!
#his ethereal ;ody$ built outside the 7thula-7arira$ is the *inga-7arira$ properly so tered3 it could not
for in vacuo3 it is built up teporarily$ 'ith the Chhaya as its foundation$ and disperses 'hen the
Chhayic foundation is 'ithdra'n into the ;ody! #his *inga-7arira is united to the physical ;ody by an
ubilical cord$ a aterial cord$ and cannot therefore tra%el %ery far fro it! 0t ay be hurt by a sharp
instruent$ and 'ould not face a s'ord or bayonet$ although it can easily pass through a table or other
piece of furniture! 2hen s'ords are struc& at 7hades$ it is the s'ord itself$ not its *inga- 7arira$ or Astral
that cuts! 7harp instruents alone can penetrate such Astrals3 thus$ under 'ater$ a blo' 'ith a blunt
ob1ect 'ould not affect you so uch as a cut 'ould!
C8 EII* D0D @A)A A=D @A)A-:APA! Although the student can no longer loo& on Prana as one of the
7e%en Principles$ since it is the Ani%ersal *ife$ he ust not forget that it %i%ifies all$ as Pranic energy!
9%ery Principle is a differentiation of Ki%a$ and the life!motion in each is Prana$ "the ;reath of *ife"! 0t is
=ephesh- and Ki%a becoes Prana only 'hen the child is born! #hus @aa depends on Prana$ 'ithout
'hich there 'ould be no @aa! Prana 'a&es the @aic gers to life$ and it a&es all desires %ital and
Page 5+
li%ing!
Prana is not$ it ust be reebered$ the production of the countless "li%es" that a&e up the huan
;ody$ nor of the congeries of the cells and atos of the ;ody! 0t is the parent of the "li%es"$ not their
product! As an e6aple$ a sponge ay be iersed in an ocean3 the 'ater in the sponge's interior ay
be copared to Prana3 the 'ater outside is Ki%a! Prana is the otor-principle in life! #he ;ody lea%es
Prana$ Prana does not lea%e it! #a&e out the sponge fro the 'ater$ and it becoes dry - thus
sybolizing death!
(D0C/ #he @aa during life does not for a ;ody 'hich can be separated fro the physical ;ody! 0t is
interolecular$ ans'ering olecule for olecule to the physical ;ody$ and inseparable fro it
olecularly! #hus it is a for yet not a for3 a for 'ithin the physical ;ody$ but incapable of being
pro1ected out'ard as a for! #his is the 0nner$ or Astral )an$ in 'ho are located the centres of
sensation$ the psychic senses$ and on 'hose interolecular rapport 'ith the physical ;ody$ all sensation
and purposi%e action depend! At death$ e%ery cell and olecule gi%es out this essence$ and fro it$ 'ith
the dregs of the Auric 9n%elope$ is fored the separate @aa-:upa3 but this can ne%er coe during life!
#he ;lood is a good sybol of @aa-:upa$ for 'hile 'ithin the ;ody$ filling e%ery portion but confined in
%essels$ it ta&es the shape of the ;ody and has a for$ though in itself forless! 0f the ter @aa-:upa
be used to indicate this interolecular structure 'hich is the Psychic )an$ then the post mortem
separate for ust be called the @aa-:upa-Astral$ or Astral of the @aa-:upa!
During life the *o'er )anas acts through this @aa-:upa$ and so coes into contact 'ith the 7thula-
7arira3 this is 'hy the *o'er )anas is said to be "enthroned in @aa-:upa"! After death it ensouls the
@aa-:upa for a tie$ until the >igher #riad$ ha%ing reabsorbed the *o'er )anas$ or such portion of it
as it can reabsorb$ passes into De%achan! #he noral period during 'hich any part of the consciousness
reains in @aa-*o&a$ i$e$$ is connected 'ith the @aa-:upa$ is one hundred and fifty years! #he
@aa-:upa e%entually brea&s up$ and lea%ing in @aa-*o&a the #anhic 9leentals$ its reaining
portions go into anials$ of 'hich the red-blooded coe fro an! Cold-blooded anials are fro the
atter of the past!
2e ha%e already seen that$ in the ;ody$ @aa is specially connected 'ith the ;lood$ *i%er$ 7toach$
=a%el and Generati%e <rgans$ lea%ing out no' its organs in the >ead$ 'hich are connected 'ith its
psychic rather than 'ith its anial aspect! Connected so strongly 'ith the organs that support and
propagate life$ the ace of @aa is the se6ual instinct! 0diots sho' such desires$ and also appetites
connected 'ith food$ etc!$ but nothing higher! #herefore$ to get rid of @aa$ you ust crush out all your
aterial instincts - "crush out atter"! ;ut at the sae tie you ust reeber that @aa$ 'hile ha%ing
as part of it bad passions and eotions$ anial instincts$ yet helps you to e%ol%e$ by gi%ing also the
desire and ipulse necessary for rising! For in @aa-Prana are the physical eleents 'hich ipel to
gro'th both physically and psychically$ and 'ithout these energetic and turbulent eleents progress
could not be ade! #he 7un has a physical as 'ell as a ental effect on an$ and this effect of the 7un
on huanity is connected 'ith @aa-Prana$ 'ith these ost physical @aic eleents$ for fro the 7un
flo's the 8ital Principle 'hich$ falling on these$ ipels to gro'th! >ence the student ust learn to
doinate and purify @aa$ until only its energy is left as a otor po'er$ and that energy directed 'holly
by the )anasic 2ill!
Page 5?
C8 EII* D0? *<29: )A=A7$ <: @A)A-)A=A7! #he *o'er )anas is$ in any respects$ ost difficult
to understand! #here are enorous ysteries connected 'ith it! 2e shall here consider it as a Principle$
ta&ing later the 'or&ings of Consciousness in the Ouaternary$ and in each eber of it!
#he iportant point to grasp is its relationship to the >igher )anas!
)anas is$ as it 'ere$ a globe of pure$ Di%ine *ight$ a :ay fro the 2orld 7oul$ a unit fro a higher
sphere$ in 'hich is no differentiation! Descending to a plane of differentiation it eanates a :ay 'hich is
itself$ 'hich it can only anifest through the personality already differentiated! #his :ay is the *o'er
)anas$ 'hile the globe of Di%ine *ight$ a @uara on its o'n plane$ is the >igher 9go$ or >igher )anas$
)anas Proper! ;ut it ust ne%er be forgotten that the *o'er )anas is the sae in its essence as the
>igher!
#his >igher 9go$ at incarnation$ shoots out the :ay$ the *o'er 9go! At e%ery incarnation a ne' :ay is
eitted$ and yet in essence it is the sae :ay$ for the essence is al'ays one$ the sae in you and in e
and in e%erybody! #hus the >igher 9go incarnates in a thousand bodies! #he Flae is eternal! Fro the
Flae of the >igher 9go the *o'er is lighted$ and fro this a lo'er %ehicle$ and so on! For this :ay can
anifest on this 9arth$ sending out its )aya%i-:upa! #he >igher 9go is the 7un$ 'e ay say$ and the
personal )anases are its :ays3 the ission of the >igher 9go is to shoot out a :ay to be a soul in a
child! <nly thus can the >igher 9go anifest$ for thus it anifests through its attributes! <nly thus also
can it gather e6perience3 and the eaning of the passage in the 2panishads$ 'here it says that the Gods
feed upon en$ is that the >igher 9go obtains its 9arth e6perience through the *o'er!
(D10/ #hese relationships ay be better concei%ed by a study of the follo'ing diagra-
)A=8A=#A:0C A7P9C# <F PA:A;:A>)A= A=D )A*AP:A@:0#0
Page 5,
Diagra on p D10 of >!P!;!Hs Collected 2ritings 8ol P00
2hen the ray is thus shot forth$ it clothes itself in the highest degree of the Astral *ight$ and is then ready
for incarnation3 it has been spo&en of at this stage as the Chhaya$ or shado'$ of the >igher )ind$ as
indeed it is! #his clothing of itself in a lo'er for of )atter is necessary for action in the ;ody3 for as an
eanation of the >igher anas and of the sae nature$ it cannot$ in that nature$ a&e any ipression
on this plane nor recei%e any! An archangel$ ha%ing no e6perience$ 'ould be senseless on this plane$
and could neither gi%e nor recei%e ipressions! >ence the *o'er )anas clothes itself 'ith the essence
of the Astral *ight$ and this Astral 9n%elope shuts it out fro its Parent$ e6cept through the Antas&arana!
#he Antas&arana is therefore that portion of the *o'er )anas 'hich is one 'ith the >igher$ the essence$
that 'hich retains its purity3 on it are ipressed all good and noble aspirations$ and in it are the up'ard
energies of the *o'er )anas$ the energies and tendencies 'hich becoe its De%achanic e6periences!
#he 'hole fate of an incarnation depends on 'hether this pure essence$ Antas&arana$ can restrain the
@aa-)anas or not! 0t is the only sal%ation! ;rea& this and you becoe an anial!
;ut 'hile the inner essence of the higher 9go is unsoilable$ that part of it 'hich ay be spo&en of as its
outer garent$ the portion of the :ay 'hich ta&es up Astral )atter$ ay be soiled! #his portion of it fors
the do'n'ard energies of the *o'er )anas$ and these go to'ards @aa$ and this portion ay$ during
life$ so crystallize itself and becoe one 'ith @aa$ that it 'ill reain assiilated 'ith )atter!
(D11/ #hus the *o'er )anas$ ta&en as a 'hole$ is$ in each 9arth-*ife$ 'hat it a&es itself! 0t is possible
for it to act differently on different occasions$ although surrounded each tie by siilar conditions$ for it
has :eason and self-conscious &no'ledge of :ight and 2rong$ of Good and 9%il$ gi%en to it! 0t is$ in fact$
endo'ed 'ith all the attributes of the Di%ine 7oul$ and one of these attributes is 2ill! 0n this the :ay is the
Page 5.
>igher )anas! #he part of the 9ssence is the 9ssence$ but 'hile it is out of itself$ so to say$ it can get
soiled and polluted$ as abo%e e6plained! 7o also it can eanate itself$ as said abo%e$ and can pass its
essence into se%eral %ehicles$ e$g$$ the )aya%i-:upa$ the @aa-:upa$ etc!$ and e%en into 9leentals$
'hich it is able to ensoul$ as the :osicrucians taught!
C8 EI&* A@- #>9 7989= P:0=C0P*97! #he ")ystery of ;uddha" is that of se%eral other Adepts -
perhaps of any! #he 'hole trouble is to understand correctly that other ystery- that of the real fact$ so
abstruse and transcendental at first sight$ about the "7e%en Principles" in an$ the reflections in an of
the se%en po'ers in =ature$ physically$ and of the se%en >ierarchies of ;eing$ intellectually and
spiritually! 2hether a an - aterial$ ethereal$ and spiritual - is for the clearer coprehension of his
(broadly-spea&ing/ triple nature$ di%ided into groups according to one or another syste$ the foundation
and the ape6 of that di%ision 'ill be al'ays the sae! #here being only three Apadhis (bases/ in an$
any nuber of @osas (sheaths/ and their aspects ay be built on these 'ithout destroying the harony
of the 'hole! #hus$ 'hile the 9soteric 7yste accepts the septenary di%ision$ the 8edantic classification
gi%es fi%e @osas$ and the #ara&a :a1a Eoga siplifies the into four - the three Apadhis synthesized by
the highest principle$ Atan!
#hat 'hich has 1ust been stated 'ill$ of course$ suggest the 4uestion- ">o' can a spiritual (or sei-
spiritual/ personality lead a triple or e%en a dual life$ shifting respecti%e '>igher 7el%es' ad libitum$ and be
still the one eternal )onad in the infinity of a )an%antaraB #he ans'er to this is easy for the true
<ccultist$ 'hile for the uninitiated profane it ust appear absurd! #he "7e%en Principles" are$ of course$
the anifestation of one indi%isible 7pirit$ but only at the end of the )an%antara$ and 'hen they coe to
be re-united on the plane of the <ne :eality$ does the unity appear3 during the "Pilgri's" 1ourney the
reflections of that indi%isible <ne Flae$ the aspects of the one eternal 7pirit$ ha%e each the po'er of
action on one of the anifested planes of e6istence - the gradual differentiations fro the one
unanifested plane - on that plane naely to 'hich it properly belongs! <ur earth affording e%ery
aya%ic condition$ it follo's that the purified 9gotistical Principle$ the astral and personal 7elf of an
Adept$ though foring in reality one integral 'hole 'ith its >ighest 7elf (Atan and ;uddhi/$ ay$
ne%ertheless$ for purposes of uni%ersal ercy and bene%olence$ so separate itself fro its di%ine )onad
as to lead on this plane of illusion and teporary being a distinct independent conscious life of its o'n$
under a borro'ed illusi%e shape$ thus ser%ing at one and the sae tie a double purpose- the
e6haustion of its o'n indi%idual @ara$ and the sa%ing of illions of huan beings less fa%oured that
itself fro the effects of ental blindness! 0f as&ed- "2hen the change described as the passage of a
;uddha or a Ki%anu&ta into =ir%ana ta&es place$ 'here does the original consciousness 'hich
aniated the body continue to reside - in the =ir%ani or in the subse4uent reincarnations of the latter's
'reains' (the =irana&aya/B" the ans'er is that imprisoned consciousness ay be a "certain
&no'ledge fro obser%ation and e6perience$" as Gibbon puts it$ but disembodied consciousness is not
an effect$ but a cause! it is a part of the 'hole$ or rather a :ay on the graduated scale of its anifested
acti%ity$ of the one all-per%ading$ liitless Flae$ the reflections of 'hich alone can differentiate3 and$ as
such$ consciousness is ubi4uitous$ and can be neither localized nor centred on or in any particular
sub1ect$ nor can it be liited! 0ts effects alone pertain to the regions of atter$ for thought is an energy
that affects atter in %arious 'ays$ but consciousness per se$ as understood and e6plained by <ccult
philosophy$ is the highest 4uality of the sentient spiritual principle in us$ the Di%ine 7oul (or ;uddhi/ and
our >igher 9go$ and does not belong to the plane of ateriality! After the death of the physical an$ if he
be an 0nitiate$ it becoes transfored fro a huan 4uality into the independent principle itself3 the
conscious 9go becoe Consciousness per se 'ithout any 9go$ in the sense that the latter can no longer
be liited or conditioned by the senses$ or e%en by space or tie! #herefore it is capable$ 'ithout
Page 5D
separating itself fro or abandoning its possessor$ ;uddhi$ of reflecting itself at the sae tie in its astral
an that 'as$ 'ithout being under any necessity for localizing itself! #his is sho'n at a far lo'er state in
our dreas! For if consciousness can display acti%ity during our %isions$ and 'hile the body and its
aterial brain are fast asleep - and if e%en during those %isions it is all but ubi4uitous - ho' uch greater
ust be its po'er 'hen entirely free fro$ and ha%ing no ore connection 'ith$ our physical brain!
"+ DC6DC ;esides 'hich e%ery &ingdo (and 'e ha%e se%en - 'hile you ha%e but three/ is sub-di%ided
into seven degrees or classes! )an (physically/ is a copound of all the &ingdos$ and spiritually - his
indi%iduality is no 'orse for being shut up 'ithin the casing of an ant than it is for being inside a &ing!
I#his is not to say that any an has e%er been an ant - it is the spiritual )onadic essence passing up
through the &ingdo that is referred to!J 0t is not the outward or physical shape that dishonours and
pollutes the fi%e principles but ental per%ersity! #hen it is but at his fourth round 'hen arri%ed at the full
possession of his @aa-energy and is copletely atured$ that an becoes fully responsible$ as at the
si,th he ay becoe a ;uddha and at the se%enth before the Pralaya - a "Dhyan Chohan"!
"+ DD6DD #he 'hole indi%iduality is centred in the three iddle or +rd$ ?th and ,th principles! During
earthly life it is all in the fourth$ the centre of energy$ %olition - 'ill !!! #he forer (the personality/ hardly
sur%i%es - the latter$ to run successfully its se%enfold do'n'ard and up'ard course has to assiilate to
itself the eternal life-po'er residing but in the se%enth and then blend the three (fourth$ fifth and se%enth/
into one - the si6th! #hose 'ho succeed in doing so becoe ;uddhas$ Dhyan Chohans$ etc! #he chief
ob1ect of our struggles and initiations is to achie%e this union 'hile yet on this earth! #hose 'ho 'ill be
successful ha%e nothing to fear of during the fifth$ si6th and se%enth :ounds!
Page 5C
SECTION II
D5ING AND I""EDIATE+5 AFTE(8A(DS
C8 I* /?B Plutarch taught that at death Proserpine separated the body and the soul entirely$ after 'hich
the latter becae a free and independent demon (daimon/! After'ard$ the good under'ent a second
dissolution- Deeter di%ided the psyche fro the nous or pneuma! #he forer 'as dissol%ed after a tie
into ethereal particles - hence the ine%itable dissolution and subse4uent annihilation of the an 'ho at
death is purely psychical3 the latter$ the nous ascended to its higher Di%ine po'er and becae gradually
a pure$ Di%ine spirit! @apila$ in coon 'ith all 9astern philosophers$ despised the purely psychical
nature! 0t is this aggloeration of the grosser particles of the soul$ the eseric e6halations of huan
nature ibued 'ith all its terrestrial desires and propensities$ its %ices$ iperfections and 'ea&ness$
foring the astral body - 'hich can becoe ob1ecti%e under certain circustances - 'hich the ;uddhists
call s(andhas (the groups/ !!! #herefore$ 'e ay correctly say$ that so long as the disebodied an is
thro'ing off a single particle of these s(andhas$ a portion of hi is being reincarnated in the bodies of
plants and anials! And if he$ the disebodied astral an$ be so aterial that "Deeter" cannot find
e%en one spar& of the pneuma to carry up to the "di%ine po'er"$ then the indi%idual$ so to spea&$ is
dissol%ed$ piece by piece$ into the crucible of e%olution$ or$ as the >indus allegorically illustrate it$ he
passes thousands of years in the bodies of ipure anials!
C8 &I* ABD )A= is coposed of t'o bodies$ the internal and the e,ternal3 the inner one being oreo%er$
double i$e$$ ha%ing$ in its turn$ a sei-physical outer shell 'hich ser%es as the astral being only during the
life-tie of an3 'hile the latter is still in seeing health$ the dissolution of the forer$ or rather of its
outer shell$ ay ha%e already begun! For during its capti%ity in the li%ing body the "double" - or that
co%ering of the astral for that alone sur%i%es - is too closely bound by its 1ailor (an/$ too uch
encubered 'ith the physical particles deri%ed fro the prison of flesh 'ithin 'hich it is confined$ not to
iperiously re4uire$ before the astral for proper is set entirely free$ to be thro'n off fro the latter!
#hus$ this preliinary process of purification ay be 1ustly called "the dissolution of the inner an"$ and it
begins uch earlier than the agony or e%en the final disease of the physical an! *et us adit so uch
and then as&- 'hy should 'e re4uire$ in such a case$ in order to account for the insight soe persons
ha%e of the hour of their death$ - to e6plain the phenoenon by "re%elation" fro without$
supernaturalis$ or the still ore unsatisfactory hypothesis of a purely physiological character as gi%en
by >unter and 2a&ley$ and that e6plain to us oreo%er nothing at allB During and after the dissolution of
the "double"$ the dar&ness of our huan ignorance beginning to be dispelled$ there are any things 'e
can see!
Footnote- #hat such dissolution has to precede that of the physical body$ is pro%ed to us by se%eral
things! <ne of these is the 'ell ascertained fact (to those$ of course$ 'ho belie%e in such facts/ that the
astral doubles of li%ing en - of sorcerers for instance - fear steel$ and ay be 'ounded by s'ord or fire3
their 'ounds$ oreo%er$ reacting upon and lea%ing ar&s and scars upon the physical shells - 'hereas
the astral bodies of e%en the "9leentary apparitions" - cannot be hurt$ ! Ed$
Aong these$ things hidden in futurity$ the nearest e%ents of 'hich o%ershado'ing the purified "soul"$
ha%e becoe to her as the present! #he "forer-self" is a&ing roo for the actual-self$ the latter to be
Page 59
transfored in its turn$ after the final dissolution of both the "double" and the physical body into the
"9ternal 9go"! #hus the actual-self" ay pass its &no'ledge to the physical brain of an3 and thus also
'e ay see and hear the precise hour of our death stri&ing on the cloc& of eternity! 0t is ade %isible to
us through the decaying nature of our dying "double"$ the latter sur%i%ing us during a %ery short period$ if
at all$ and through the ne'ly ac4uired po'ers of the purified "soul" (the higher tetra(tis or 4uaternary/ as
yet in its integral 'hole$ and 'hich is already possessing itself of those faculties that are in store for it$ on
a higher plane!
Footnote- 2hen the "double" of the li%ing an has been disintegrated before the death of an$ it is
annihilated for e%er! 2hen$ ho'e%er$ death coes suddenly$ it ay sur%i%e the body that held it capti%e$
but then$ the process of dissolution going on outside of the dead body$ the "soul" suffers$ and in its
impatience tries often to throw off the particles that encumber its freedom and chain it to the earth' upon
the living$$$ ! Ed$
#hrough our "soul" it is then that 'e see$ clearer and still clearer$ as 'e approach the end3 and it is
through the throbs of dissolution that horizons of %aster$ profounder &no'ledge are dra'n on$ bursting
upon our ental %ision$ and becoing 'ith e%ery hour plainer to our inner eye! <ther'ise$ ho' account
for those bright flashes of eory$ for the prophetic insight that coes as often to the enfeebled
grandsire$ as to the youth 'ho is passing a'ayB #he =earer soe approach death$ the brighter becoes
their long lost eory and the ore correct the pre-%isions! #he unfoldent of the inner faculties
increases as life-blood becoe ore stagnant!
#ruly is life on earth li&e a day passed in a deep %alley surrounded on all sides by high ountains and
'ith a cloudy$ story s&y abo%e our heads! #he tall hills conceal fro us e%ery horizon$ and the dar&
clouds hide the sun! 0t is only at the close of the story day$ that the sunshine$ brea&ing through the
clefts of the roc&s affords us its glorious light to enable us to catch occasional glipses of things around$
behind and before us!
C8 E* /-0 3$ #ow does sleep differ from death?
A! #here is an analogy certainly$ but a %ery great difference bet'een the t'o! 0n sleep there is a
connection$ 'ea& though it ay be$ bet'een the lo'er and higher ind of an$ and the latter is ore or
less reflected into the forer$ ho'e%er uch its rays ay be distorted! ;ut once the body is dead$ the
body of illusion$ Mayavi .upa$ becoes @aa :upa$ or the anial soul$ and is left to its do'n de%ices!
#herefore$ there is as uch difference bet'een the spoo& and an as there is bet'een a gross aterial$
anial but sober ortal$ and a an incapably drun& and unable to distinguish the ost proinent
surroundings3 bet'een a person shut up in a perfectly dar& roo and one in a roo lighted$ ho'e%er
iperfectly$ by soe light or other!

#he lo'er principles are li&e 'ild beasts$ and the higher )anas is the rational an 'ho taes or
subdues the ore or less successfully! ;ut once the anial gets free fro the aster 'ho held it in
sub1ection3 no sooner has it ceased to hear his %oice and see hi than it starts off again to the 1ungle and
its ancient den! 0t ta&es$ ho'e%er$ soe tie for an anial to return to its original and natural state$ but
these lo'er principles or "spoo&" return instantly$ and no sooner has the higher #riad entered the
Page +0
De%achanic state than the lo'er Duad rebecoes that 'hich it 'as fro the beginning$ a principle
endued 'ith purely anial instinct$ ade happier still by the great change!
C8 EI* BBD I)aterial corroborating the )asters' stateent$ " - the brain thin(s and the Ego li%es o%er in
those fe' brief seconds - his 'hole life again"J
Dr! Ferre has counicated 4uite recently to the ;iological 7ociety of Paris a %ery curious note on the
ental state of the dying$ 'hich ar%ellously corroborates the abo%e lines! For$ it is to the special
phenoenon of life-reiniscences$ and that sudden re-eerging on the blan& 'alls of eory$ fro all
its long neglected and forgotten "noo&s and corners"$ of "picture after picture" that Dr! Ferre dra's the
special attention of biologists!
(??C/ 2e need notice but t'o aong the nuerous instances gi%en by this 7cientist in his .apport$ to
sho' ho' scientifically correct are the teachings 'e recei%e fro our 9astern )asters!
#he first instance is that of a oribund consupti%e 'hose disease 'as de%eloped in conse4uence of a
spinal affection! Already consciousness had left the an$ 'hen$ recalled to life by t'o successi%e
in1ections of a grae of ether$ the patient slightly lifted his head and began tal&ing rapidly in Fleish$ a
language no one around hi$ nor yet hiself$ understood! <ffered a pencil and a piece of 'hite
cardboard$ he 'rote 'ith great rapidity se%eral lines in that language - %ery correctly$ as 'as ascertained
later on - fell bac&$ and died! 2hen translated - the 'riting 'as found to refer to a %ery prosaic affair! >e
had suddenly recollected$ he 'rote$ that he o'ed a certain an a su of fifteen francs since 1C.C -
hence ore than t'enty years - and desired it to be paid!
;ut 'hy 'rite his last 'ish in FleishB #he defunct 'as a nati%e of Ant'erp$ but had left his country in
childhood$ 'ithout e%er &no'ing the language$ and ha%ing passed all his life in Paris$ could spea& and
'rite only in French! 9%idently his returning consciousness$ that last flash of eory that displayed
before hi$ as in a retrospecti%e panoraa$ all his life$ e%en to the trifling fact of his ha%ing borro'ed
t'enty years bac& a fe' francs fro a friend$ did not eanate fro his physical brain alone$ but rather
fro his spiritual eory$ that of the #igher Ego ()anas or the re-incarnating indi%iduality/! #he fact of
his spea&ing and 'riting Fleish$ a language that he had heard at a tie of life 'hen he could not yet
spea& hiself$ is an additional proof! The E41 is almost omniscient in its immortal nature! For indeed
atter is nothing ore than "the last degree and as the shado' of e6istence!" as :a%aisson$ eber of
the French 0nstitute$ tells us!
(??9/ ;ut to our second case!
Another patient$ dying of pulonary consuption and li&e'ise re-aniated by an in1ection of ether$
turned his head to'ards his 'ife and rapidly said to her- "Eou cannot find that pin no'3 all the floor has
been rene'ed since then!" #his 'as in reference to the loss of a scarf pin eighteen years before$ a fact
so trifling that it had alost been forgotten$ but 'hich had not failed to be re%i%ed in the last thought of
the dying an$ 'ho ha%ing e6pressed 'hat he sa' in 'ords$ suddenly stopped and breathed his last!
#hus any one of the thousand little daily e%ents$ and accidents of a long life 'ould see capable of being
Page +1
recalled to the flic&ering consciousness$ at the supree oent of dissolution! A long life$ perhaps$ li%ed
o%er again in the space of one short secondL
A third case ay be noticed$ 'hich corroborates still ore strongly that assertion of <ccultis 'hich
traces all such reebrances to the thought-po'er of the individual$ instead of to that of the personal
(lo'er/ 9go! A young girl$ 'ho had been a sleep'al&er up to her t'enty-second year$ perfored during
her hours of sonabulic sleep the ost %aried functions of doestic life$ of 'hich she had no
reebrance upon a'a&ening!
Aong other psychic ipulses that anifested thesel%es only during her sleep$ 'as a secreti%e
tendency 4uite alien to her 'a&ing state! During the latter she 'as open and fran& to a degree$ and %ery
careless of her personal property3 but in the sonabulic state she 'ould ta&e articles belonging to
herself or 'ithin her reach and hide the a'ay 'ith ingenious cunning! #his habit being &no'n to her
friends and relati%es$ and t'o nurses$ ha%ing been in attendance to 'atch her actions during her night
rables for years$ nothing disappeared but 'hat could be easily restored to its usual place! ;ut on one
sultry night$ the nurse falling asleep$ the young girl got up and 'ent to her father's study! #he latter$ a
notary of fae$ had been 'or&ing till a late hour that night! 0t 'as during a oentary absence fro his
roo that the sonabule entered$ and deliberately possessed herself of a 'ill left open upon the des&$
as also of a su of se%eral thousand pounds in bonds and notes! #hese she proceeded to hide in the
hollo' of t'o duy pillars set up in the library to atch the solid ones$ and stealing fro the roo
before her father's return$ she regained her chaber and bed 'ithout a'a&ening the nurse 'ho 'as still
asleep in the archair!
(?,0/ #he result 'as$ that$ as the nurse stoutly denied that her young istress had left the roo$
suspicion 'as di%erted fro the real culprit and the oney could not be reco%ered! #he loss of the 'ill
in%ol%ed a la'suit 'hich alost beggared her father and entirely ruined his reputation$ and the faily
'ere reduced to great straits! About nine years later the young girl 'ho$ during the pre%ious se%en years
had not been sonabulic$ fell into consuption of 'hich she ultiately died! Apon her death-bed$ the
%eil 'hich had hung before her physical eory 'as raised3 her di%ine insight a'a&ened3 the pictures of
her life cae streaing bac& before her inner eye3 and aong others she sa' the scene of her
sonabulic robbery! 7uddenly arousing herself fro the lethargy in 'hich she had lain for se%eral
hours$ her face sho'ed signs of soe terrible eotion 'or&ing 'ithin$ and she cried out "AhL 'hat ha%e 0
doneB !!! 0t 'as 0 'ho too& the 'ill and the oney !!! Go search the duy pillars in the library$ 0 ha%e !!!"
7he ne%er finished her sentence for her %ery eotion &illed her! ;ut the search 'as ade and the 'ill
and oney found 'ithin the oa&en pillars as she had said! 2hat a&es the case ore strange is$ that
these pillars 'ere so high$ that e%en by standing upon a chair and 'ith plenty of tie at her disposal
instead of only a fe' oents$ the sonabulist could not ha%e reached up and dropped the ob1ects
into the hollo' coluns! 0t is to be noted$ ho'e%er$ that ecstatics and con%ulsionists *ide the
%onvulsionnaires de St$ Medard et de Mor-ine/ see to possess an abnoral facility for clibing blan&
'alls and leaping e%en to the tops of trees!
(?,1/ #a&ing the facts as stated$ 'ould they not induce one to belie%e that the sonabulic personage
possesses an intelligence and eory of its o'n apart fro the physical eory of the 'a&ing lo'er
7elf3 and that it is the forer 'hich reebers in articulo mortis$ the body and physical senses in the
latter case ceasing to function$ and the intelligence gradually a&ing its final escape through the a%enue
of psychic$ and last of all of spiritual consciousnessB
Page +5
C8 EI* BC/ !!! since an is a bundle of obscure$ and to hiself unconscious perceptions$ of indefinite
feelings and isunderstood eotions$ of e%er-forgotten eories and &no'ledge that becoes on the
surface of his plane - ignorance! Eet$ 'hile physical eory in a healthy li%ing an is often obscured$
one fact cro'ding out another 'ea&er one$ at the oent of the great change that an calls death - that
'hich 'e call "eory" sees to return to us in all its %igour and freshness!
)ay not this be due$ as 1ust said$ siply to the fact that$ for a fe' seconds at least$ our t'o eories (or
rather the t'o states$ the highest and the lo'est state$ of consciousness/ blend together$ thus foring
one$ and that the dying finds hiself on a plane 'herein there is neither past nor future$ but all is one
presentB )eory$ as 'e all &no'$ is strongest 'ith regard to its early associations$ then 'hen the future
an is only a child$ and ore of a soul than of a body3 and if eory is a part of our 7oul$ then$ as
#hac&eray has soe'here said$ it ust be of necessity eternal! 7cientists deny this3 'e$ #heosophists$
affir that it is so! #hey ha%e for 'hat they hold but negati%e proofs3 'e ha%e$ to support us$ innuerable
facts of the &ind 1ust instanced$ in the three cases described by us! #he lin&s of the chain of cause and
effect 'ith relation to ind are$ and ust e%er reain a terra incognita to the aterialist! For if they ha%e
already ac4uired a deep con%iction that as Pope says-

"*ulled in the countless chabers of the brain
<ur thoughts are lin&'d by any a hidden chain !!!"
and that they are still unable to disco%er these chains$ ho' can they hope to unra%el the ysteries of the
higher$ 7piritual$ )indL
C8 EII* --A &uric %onsciousness! IAstral Pra&riticJ!
#he consciousness is on this plane at the oent of death$ or in e6ceptional %isions! >ere is the
consciousness of the dro'ning an 'hen he reebers all the past incidents of his life in a flash! #he
eory of this consciousness ust be stored in the heart$ "the seat of ;uddhi"! #hen it 'ill reain there$
but ipressions fro this Atic plane cannot be ade on the physical brain!
I=ote in connection 'ith near death e6periences the .th 7tate of <b1ecti%e Pra&ritic Consciousness - C2
P00$ ..5J
"uddhic' or Spiritual!Emotional %onsciousness! #he plane of ;uddhi or of the Auric 9n%elope! Fro this
plane consciousness goes to the "Father in >ea%en"$ Atan$ reflecting all that is in the Auric 9n%elope!
#he )anasic and ;uddhic states co%er the planes fro the =oetic to the Di%ine$ but it is ipossible at
this stage to define the intelligibly!
Isis I* ,D? #hat flash of eory 'hich is traditionally supposed to sho' a dro'ning an e%ery long-
forgotten scene of his ortal life - as the landscape is re%ealed to the tra%eller by interittent flashes of
lightning - is siply the sudden glipse 'hich the struggling soul gets into the silent galleries 'here his
history is depicted in iperishable colours!
Page ++
Isis I* BD- @ircher$ Digby$ and 8alleont ha%e deonstrated that the fors of plants could be
resuscitated fro their ashes! !!! Ashes of burned plants contained in %ials$ 'hen heated$ e6hibited again
their %arious fors! "A sall obscure cloud gradually rose in the %ial$ too& a defined for$ and presented
to the eye the flo'er or plant the ashes consisted of !!! And$ if the astral for of e%en a plant 'hen its
body is dead still lingers in the ashes$ 'ill s&eptics persist in saying that the soul of man$ the inner ego$ is
after the death of the grosser for at once dissol%ed$ and is no oreB "At death"$ says the philosopher$
"the one body e6udes fro the other$ by osose and through the brain3 it is held near its old garent by
double attraction$ physical and spiritual$ until the latter decoposes3 and if the proper conditions are
gi%en the soul can reinhabit it and resue the suspended life! 0t does it in sleep3 it does it ore
thoroughly in trance3 ost surprisingly at the coand and 'ith the assistance of the >eretic adept!
0ablichus declared that a person endo'ed 'ith such resuscitating po'ers is 'full of God'! All the
subordinate spirits of the upper spheres are at his coand$ for he is no longer a ortal$ but hiself a
god!
Isis I* B@0 #he &abalists say that a an is not dead 'hen his body is entobed! Death is ne%er sudden3
for$ according to >eres$ nothing goes in nature by %iolent transitions! 9%erything is gradual$ and as it
re4uired a long and gradual de%elopent to produce the li%ing huan being$ so tie is re4uired to
copletely 'ithdra' %itality fro the carcass! "Death can no ore be an absolute end$ than birth a real
beginning! ;irth pro%es the pree6istence of the being$ as death pro%es iortality$" says the sae
French @abalist!
Isis I* B@/ #hus$ the 4uestion at issue is not 'hether a dead body can be resuscitated - for$ to assert that
'ould be to assue the possibility of a iracle$ 'hich is absurd - but$ to assure oursel%es 'hether the
edical authorities pretend to deterine the precise oent of death! #he &abalists say that death
occurs at the instant 'hen both the astral body$ or life-principle$ and the spirit part fore%er 'ith the
corporeal body! #he scientific physician 'ho denies both astral body and spirit$ and adits the e6istence
of nothing ore than the life-principle$ 1udges death to occur 'hen life is apparently e6tinct! 2hen the
beating of the heart and the action of the lungs cease$ and rigor mortis is anifested$ and especially
'hen decoposition begins$ they pronounce the patient dead! ;ut the annals of edicine tee 'ith
e6aples of "suspended aniation" as the result of asphy6ia by dro'ning$ the inhalation of gases and
other causes3 life being restored in the case of dro'ning persons e%en after they had been apparently
dead for t'el%e hours!
0n cases of sonabulic trance$ none of the ordinary signs of death are lac&ing3 breathing and the pulse
are e6tinct3 anial-heat has disappeared3 the uscles are rigid$ the eye glazed$ and the body is
colourless! 0n the celebrated case of Colonel #o'nshend$ he thre' hiself into this state in the presence
of three edical en3 'ho$ after a tie$ 'ere persuaded that he 'as really dead$ and 'ere about lea%ing
the roo$ 'hen he slo'ly re%i%ed! >e describes his peculiar gift by saying that he "could die or e6pire
'hen he pleased$ and yet$ by an effort$ or somehow$ he could coe to life again"!
#here occurred in )osco'$ a fe' years since$ a rear&able instance of apparent death! #he 'ife of a
'ealthy erchant lay in the cataleptic state se%enteen days$ during 'hich the authorities ade se%eral
attepts to bury her3 but$ as decoposition had not set in$ the faily a%erted the cereony$ and at the
end of that tie she 'as restored to life!
Page +?
#he abo%e instances sho' that the ost learned en in the edical profession are unable to be certain
'hen a person is dead! 2hat they call "suspended aniation"$ is that state fro 'hich the patient
spontaneously reco%ers$ through an effort of his o'n spirit$ 'hich ay be pro%o&ed by any one of any
causes! 0n these cases$ the astral body has not parted fro the physical body3 its e6ternal functions are
siply suspended3 the sub1ect is in a state of torpor$ and the restoration is nothing but a reco%ery fro it!
;ut$ in the case of 'hat physiologists 'ould call "real death"$ but 'hich is not actually so$ the astral body
has 'ithdra'n3 perhaps local decoposition has set in! >o' shall the an be brought to life againB #he
ans'er is$ the interior body ust be forced bac& into the e6terior one$ and %itality rea'a&ened in the
latter! #he cloc& has run do'n$ it ust be 'ound! 0f death is absolute3 if the organs ha%e not only ceased
to act$ but ha%e lost the susceptibility of rene'ed action$ then the 'hole uni%erse 'ould ha%e to be
thro'n into chaos to resuscitate the corpse - a iracle 'ould be deanded! ;ut$ as 'e said before$ the
an is not dead 'hen he is cold$ stiff$ pulseless$ breathless$ and e%en sho'ing signs of decoposition3
he is not dead 'hen buried$ nor after'ard$ until a certain point is reached! #hat point is$ when the vital
organs have become so decomposed' that if reanimated' they could not perform their customary
functions3 'hen the ainspring and cogs of the achine$ so to spea&$ are so eaten a'ay by rust$ that
they 'ould snap upon the turning of the &ey! Antil that point is reached$ the astral body ay be caused$
'ithout iracle to reenter its forer tabernacle$ either by an effort of its o'n 'ill$ or under the resistless
ipulse of the 'ill of one 'ho &no's the potencies of nature and ho' to direct the! #he spar& is not
e6tinguished$ but only latent - latent as the fire in the flint$ or the heat in the cold iron!
Isis I* B@B 2hen a an falls into the last sleep$ he is plunged at first into a sort of drea$ before gaining
consciousness in the other side of life! >e sees$ then$ either in a beautiful %ision$ or in a terrible
nightare$ the paradise or hell$ in 'hich he belie%ed during his ortal e6istence! #his is 'hy it often
happens that the affrighted soul brea&s %iolently bac& into the terrestrial life it has 1ust left$ and 'hy soe
'ho 'ere really dead$ i$e$$ 'ho$ if left alone and 4uiet$ 'ould ha%e peaceably passed a'ay fore%er in a
state of unconscious lethargy$ 'hen entobed too soon$ rea'a&e to life in the gra%e!
Isis I* B@C *e%i says that resuscitating is not ipossible 'hile the %ital organis reains undestroyed$
and the astral spirit is yet 'ithin reach! "=ature$" he says$ "accoplishes nothing by sudden 1er&s$ and
eternal death is al'ays preceded by a state 'hich parta&es soe'hat of the nature of lethargy! 0t is
torpor 'hich a great shoc& or the agnetis of a po'erful 'ill can o%ercoe!"
Isis II* A-D 0n the 9gyptian notions$ as in those of all other faiths founded on philosophy$ an 'as not
erely$ as 'ith the Christians$ a union of soul and body3 he 'as a trinity 'hen spirit 'as added to it!
;esides$ that doctrine ade hi consist of (ha - body3 (haba - astral for$ or shado'3 (a - anial soul or
life-principle3 ba - the higher soul3 and a(h - terrestrial intelligence! #hey had also a si6th principle naed
Sah - or uy3 but the functions of this one coenced only after the death of the body! After due
purification$ during 'hich the soul$ separated fro its body$ continued to re%isit the latter in its uified
condition$ this astral soul "becae a god"$ for it 'as finally absorbed into "the 7oul of the 'orld"! 0t
becae transfored into one of the creati%e deities$ "the god of Phtah"$ the Deiurgos$ a generic nae
for the creators of the 'orld$ rendered in the "ible as the 9lohi! 0n the .itual the good or purified soul$
"in con1unction 'ith its higher or uncreated spirit$ is ore or less the %icti of the dar& influence of the
dragon Apophis! 0f it has attained the final &no'ledge of the hea%enly and the infernal ysteries - the
gnosis' i$e$$ coplete reunion 'ith the spirit$ it 'ill triuph o%er its eneies3 if not the soul could not
escape its second death! 0t is 'the la&e that burneth 'ith fire and bristone' (eleents/$ into 'hich those
Page +,
that are cast undergo a 'second death'" &pocalypse! #his death is the gradual dissolution of the astral
for into its prial eleents$ alluded to se%eral ties already in the course of this 'or&! ;ut this a'ful
fate can be a%oided by the &no'ledge of the ")ysterious =ae" - the "2ord"$ say the &abalists!
And 'hat then 'as the penalty attached to the neglect of itB 2hen a an leads a naturally pure$ %irtuous
life$ there is none 'hate%er3 e6cept a delay in the 'orld of spirits$ until he finds hiself sufficiently purified
to recei%e it fro his 7piritual "*ord"$ one of the ighty >ost! ;ut if other'ise$ the "soul"$ as a half anial
principle$ becoes paralyzed$ and gro's unconscious of its sub1ecti%e half - the *ord - and in proportion
to the sensuous de%elopent of the brain and ner%es$ sooner or later$ it finally loses sight of its di%ine
ission on earth! *i&e the *ourdala($ or 8apire$ of the 7er%ian tale$ the brain feeds and li%es and gro's
in strength and po'er at the e6pense of its spiritual parent! #hen the already half-unconscious soul$ no'
fully into6icated by the fues of earthly life$ becoes senseless$ beyond hope of redeption! 0t is
po'erless to discern the splendour of its higher spirit$ to hear the 'arning %oice of its "guardian Angel"$
and its "God"! 0t ais but at the de%elopent and fuller coprehension of natural$ earthly life3 and thus$
can disco%er but the ysteries of physical nature! 0ts grief and fear$ hope and 1oy$ are all closely blended
'ith its terrestrial e6istence! 0t ignores all that cannot be deonstrated by either its organs of action or
sensation! 0t begins by becoing %irtually dead3 it dies at last copletely! 0t is annihilated! 7uch a
catastrophe ay often happen long years before the final separation of the life-principle fro the body!
2hen death arri%es$ its iron and clay grasp finds 'or& 'ith life as usual3 but there is no ore a soul to
liberate! #he 'hole essence of the latter has been already absorbed by the %ital syste of the physical
an! Gri death frees but a spiritual corpse3 at best an idiot! Anable either to soar higher or a'a&en
fro lethargy$ it is soon dissol%ed in the eleents of the terrestrial atosphere!
7eers$ righteous en$ 'ho had attained to the highest science of the inner an and &no'ledge of truth$
ha%e$ li&e )arcus Antoninus$ recei%ed instructions "fro the gods" in sleep and other'ise! >elped by the
purer spirits$ those that d'ell in "regions of eternal bliss"$ they ha%e 'atched the process and 'arned
an&ind repeatedly! 7&epticis ay sneer3 faith$ based on (nowledge and spiritual science$ belie%es
and affirs!
"+ ,/B6,/D !!! reeber$ both$ that 'e create oursel%es our devachan as our avitchi 'hile yet on earth$
and ostly during the latter days and e%en oents of our intellectual$ sentient li%es! #hat feeling 'hich
is the strongest in us at that supree hour3 'hen$ as in a drea$ the e%ents of a long life$ to their
inutest details$ are arshalled in the greatest order in a fe' seconds in our %ision$ IFootnote- #hat
%ision ta&es place 'hen a person is already proclaied dead! #he brain is the last organ that dies!J - that
feeling 'ill becoe the fashioner of our bliss or 'oe$ the life principle of our future e6istence! 0n the latter
'e ha%e no substantial being$ but only a present and oentary e6istence$ - 'hose duration has no
bearing upon$ as no effect$ or relation to its being - 'hich as e%ery other effect of a transitory cause 'ill
be as fleeting$ and in its turn 'ill %anish and cease to be !!! #hus$ 'hen a an dies$ his '7oul' (fifth prin!/
becoes unconscious and loses all reebrance of things internal as 'ell as e6ternal! 2hether his stay
in @aa *o&a has to last but a fe' oents$ hours$ days$ 'ee&s$ onths or years3 'hether he died a
natural or a %iolent death3 'hether it occurred in his young or old age$ and$ 'hether the 9go 'as good$
bad$ or indifferent$ - his consciousness lea%es hi as suddenly as the flae lea%es the 'ic&$ 'hen blo'n
out! 2hen life has retired fro the last particle in the brain atter$ his percepti%e faculties becoe e6tinct
fore%er$ his spiritual po'ers of cogitation and %olition - (all those faculties in short$ 'hich are neither
inherent in$ nor ac4uirable by organic atter/ - for the tie being! >is Mayavi!rupa ay be often thro'n
into ob1ecti%ity$ as in the cases of apparitions after death3 but$ unless it is pro1ected 'ith the &no'ledge of
Page +.
('hether latent or potential/$ or o'ing to the intensity of the desire to see or appear to soeone$ shooting
through the dying brain$ the apparition 'ill be siply - autoatical3 it 'ill not be due to any sypathetic
attraction$ or to any act of %olition$ and no ore than the reflection of a person passing unconsciously
near a irror$ is due to the desire of the latter!
Page +D
SECTION III
T2E %DEAT2 ST(1GG+E% AND %GESTATION% PE(IOD
C8 &* B/ !!! four principles or constituent eleents can ne%er be found together in the gestation state
'hich preceded the Devachan (the paradise of the ;uddhist <ccultists/! #hey are separated at the
entrance into gestation! #he se%enth and the si6th$ that is to say the iortal spirit and its %ehicle$ the
iortal or spiritual soul$ enter therein alone (an e6ceptional case/ or$ 'hich nearly al'ays ta&es place$
the soul carries in the case of %ery good people (and e%en the indifferent and soeties the %ery
'ic&ed/$ the essence$ so to spea&$ of the fifth principle 'hich has been 'ithdra'n fro the personal 9G<
(the aterial soul/! 0t is the latter only$ in the case of the irredeemably wic(ed and 'hen the spiritual and
ipersonal soul has nothing to 'ithdra' fro its indi%iduality (terrestrial personality/ because the latter
had nothing to offer but the purely aterial and sensual - that becoes annihilated! <nly the indi%iduality$
'hich possesses the ost spiritual feelings$ can survive by uniting 'ith the iortal principle! #he
"@aa-rupa"$ the %ehicle$ and the manas$ the soul in 'hich the personal and animal intelligence inheres$
after ha%ing been denuded of their essence$ as described$ reain alone in Kama!lo(a$ the interediate
sphere bet'een our earth and the Devachan (the @aa-lo&a being the hades of the Gree&s$ the region
of the shades/ to be e6tinguished and to disappear fro it after a 'hile! #his unfortunate duad fors the
cast-off "tatters" of the "spiritual ego" and of the personal 9G<$ superior principles 'hich$ purified of all
terrestrial uncleanliness$ united henceforth 'ith the di%ine onad in eternity$ pass into regions 'here the
ire of the purely terrestrial ego cannot follo'$ to glean therein their re'ard - the effects of the causes
generated - and fro 'hich they do not eerge until the ne6t incarnation! 0f 'e aintain that the shell$
the refle6ion of the person 'ho 'as$ sur%i%es in the land of shades for a certain tie proportionate to its
constitution and then disappears$ 'e offer nothing but the logical and philosophical! 0s that annihilationB
Are 'e annihilationists 'ithout &no'ing it because 'e &eep insisting that the huan shado' disappears
fro the 'all 'hen the person to 'ho it belongs lea%es the rooB And e%en in the case of the ost
depra%ed$ 'hen dissociated fro its di%ine and iortal double principle$ and unable to gi%e anything to
the spiritual 9G<$ the aterial soul is annihilated 'ithout lea%ing anything behind of its personal
indi%iduality$ is that annihilation for the spiritual 9G<B 0s it the reincarnationist-7piritists 'ho protestB 0s it
these believers 'ho teach that )r P becoes after his death )r # !!!$ and )rs A - )rs ;$ etc!$ 'ho refuse
to belie%e in the losing of all recollection by the spiritual soul of one of its thousands of personalities$
annihilated because there 'as nothing in it spiritual enough to sur%i%eB *et us clearly understand each
other once and for all! 0t is not the di%ine soul$ the iortal indi%iduality$ that perishes$ but only the anial
soul 'ith its consciousness of a personality too gross$ too terrestrial$ for the forer to assiilate! )illions
of people 'ho ha%e ne%er heard of reincarnation and e%en those 'ho belie%e in it$ li%e and die in
absolute ignorance of 'ho they 'ere in their forer incarnations - and they are not a bit the 'orse for
that! #hose 'hose spirit is open to the great truths$ those 'ho understand absolute 1ustice and re1ect
e%ery doctrine based on fa%oritis or personal grace 'ill fully understand 'hat 'e ean! For the
iortal soul this is nothing but 1ustice! #hat cast-off e6istence is for it but a page torn out of the great
boo& of life before the pages are nubered$ and the 7<A* suffers no ore fro it than a saint in ecstasy
'ould suffer because he had lost all recollection of one 'retched day aong the 50$000 days that he has
passed on earth! <n the contrary$ had he retained that recollection$ it 'ould ha%e been enough to
pre%ent hi fro e%er feeling happy! <nly one drop of gall is enough to a&e the 'ater bitter in the
largest %essel! And after all$ the doctrine teaches us that these cases of total annihilation of a personality
are e6treely rare!
Page +C
C8 &I* ,/? !!! the a%erage stay of shells in Kamalo(a before the final disintegration is soeties of %ery
long duration! 5, to +0 years 'ould not be too long$ 'ith a ediu to preser%e its %itality!
C8 &I* ,?C I#o a passage fro +sis 2nveiled$ 0$ +10$ on the sub1ect of *ar%ae$ or the lo'er principles of
all disebodied beings$ >!P!;! adds the follo'ing e6planation$ after ha%ing stated that they are to be
di%ided into three general groups-J
#hese are$ properly$ the disebodied 7ouls of the depra%ed3 these 7ouls ha%ing at soe tie prior to
death separated thesel%es fro their di%ine 7pirits$ and so lost their chance of iortality! 9liphas *e%i
and soe other @abalists a&e little if any$ distinction bet'een 9leentary 7pirits 'ho ha%e been en$
and those beings 'hich people the eleents$ and are the blind forces of nature! <nce di%orced fro their
bodies$ these 7ouls (also called "astral bodies"/$ especially those of purely aterialistic persons$ are
irresistibly attracted to the earth$ 'here they li%e a teporary and finite life aid eleents congenial to
their gross natures! Fro ha%ing ne%er$ during their natural li%es$ culti%ated their spirituality$ but
subordinated it to the aterial and gross$ they are no' unfitted for the lofty career of the pure$
disebodied being$ for 'ho the atosphere of earth is stifling and ephitic! 0ts attractions are not only
a'ay fro earth$ but it cannot$ e%en if it 'ould$ o'ing to its De%achanic condition$ ha%e aught to do 'ith
earth and its denizens consciously! 96ceptions to this rule 'ill be pointed out later on! After a ore or
less prolonged period of tie these aterial souls 'ill begin to disintegrate$ and finally$ li&e a colun of
ist$ be dissol%ed$ ato by ato$ in the surrounding eleents!
#hese are the "shells" 'hich reain the longest period in the @aa *o&a3 all saturated 'ith terrestrial
efflu%ia$ their @aa :upa (body of desire/ thic& 'ith sensuality and ade ipenetrable to the
spiritualizing influence of their higher principles$ endures uch longer and fades out 'ith difficulty! 2e
are taught that these reain for centuries soeties$ before the final disintegration into their respecti%e
eleents!
#he second group includes all those$ 'ho$ ha%ing had their coon share of spirituality$ ha%e yet been
ore or less attached to things earthly and terrestrial life$ ha%ing their aspirations and affections ore
centered on earth than in hea%en3 the stay in @aa *o&a of the reliquiae of this class or group of en$
'ho belonged to the a%erage huan being$ is of a far shorter duration$ yet long in itself and proportionate
to the intensity of their desire for life!
:eains$ as a third class$ the disebodied souls of those 'hose bodies ha%e perished by %iolence$ and
these are en in all sa%e the physical body$ till their life-span is coplete!
Aong 9leentaries are also rec&oned by @abalists 'hat 'e ha%e called psychic ebryos$ the
"pri%ation" of the for of the child that is to be!
C8 IE* ,-A I#o the 9ditors of LuciferJ As you in%ite 4uestions$ 0 ta&e the liberty of subitting one to your
consideration! 0s it not to be e6pected (basing one's reasoning on #heosophical teaching/ that the
eeting and intercourse in @aa-lo&a of persons truly attached to each other ust be fraught 'ith
disappointent$ nay fre4uently e%en 'ith deep griefB *et e illustrate y eaning by an e6aple-
Page +9
A other departs this life t'enty years before her son$ 'ho$ deeply attached to her$ longs to eet her
again$ and only finds her "shell" fro 'hich all those spiritual 4ualities ha%e fled 'hich to hi 'ere the
essential part of the being he lo%ed! 9%en the "shell" itself$ by its reseblance to the forer body$ only
adds to his grief by &eeping early eories ore %i%idly ali%e$ and sho'ing hi the %ast difference
bet'een the entity he &ne' on earth and the renant he finds!
<r ta&e a second case-
#he son eets his other in @aa-lo&a after a short separation$ only to find her entity in a state of
disintegration$ as her pure spirit has already begun to lea%e her astral body and to ascend to'ards
De%achan! >e has to 'itness this process of gradual dissolution$ and day by day he feels his other's
spirit slip a'ay 'hilst his ore aterial nature pre%ents hi fro 1oining in her rapid progress!!!!
I9ditor's :eply!J <ur Correspondent sees to ha%e been isled as to the state of consciousness 'hich
entities e6perience in @aa-lo&a! >e sees to ha%e fored his conceptions on the %isions of living
psychics and the re%elations of living edius! ;ut all conclusions dra'n fro such data are %itiated by
the fact$ that a living organis inter%enes bet'een the obser%er and the @aa-lo&a state per se! #here
can be no conscious eeting in @aa-lo&a$ hence no grief! #here is no astral disintegration pari passu
'ith the separation of the shell fro the spirit!
According to the 9astern teaching the state of the deceased in @aa-lo&a is not 'hat 'e$ li%ing en$
'ould recognize as "conscious"! 0t is rather that of a person stunned and dazed by a %iolent blo'$ 'ho
has oentarily "lost his senses"! >ence in @aa-lo&a there is as a rule (apart fro %icarious life and
consciousness a'a&ened through contact 'ith edius/ no recognition of friends or relati%es$ and
therefore such a case as stated here is ipossible!
2e eet those 'e lo%ed only in De%achan$ that sub1ecti%e 'orld of perfect bliss$ the state 'hich
succeeds the @aa-lo&a$ after the separation of the principles! 0n De%achan all our personal$ unfulfilled
spiritual desires and aspirations 'ill be realized3 for 'e shall not be li%ing in the hard 'orld of atter but
in those sub1ecti%e reals 'herein a desire finds its instant realization3 because an hiself is there a
god and a creator!
0n dealing 'ith the dicta of psychics and edius$ it ust al'ays be reebered that they translate$
autoatically and unconsciously$ their e6periences on any plane of consciousness$ into the language
and e6perience of our noral physical plane! And this confusion can only be a%oided by the special
study-training of occultis$ 'hich teaches ho' to trace and guide the passage of ipressions fro one
plane to another and fi6 the on the eory!
@aa-lo&a ay be copared to the dressing-roo of an actor$ in 'hich he di%ests hiself of the
costue of the last part he played before rebecoing hiself properly - the iortal Ego of the Pilgri
cycling in his :ound of 0ncarnations! #he 9ternal 9go being stripped in @aa-lo&a of its lo'er terrestrial
principles$ 'ith their passions and desires$ it enters into the state of De%achan! And therefore it is said
that only the purely spiritual$ the non-aterial eotions$ affections and aspirations accopany the 9go
Page ?0
into that state of ;liss! ;ut the process of stripping off the lo'er$ the fourth and part of the fifth$ principles
is an unconscious one in all noral huan beings! 0t is only in %ery e6ceptional cases that there is a
slight return to consciousness in @aa-lo&a- and this is the case of %ery aterialistic unspiritual
personalities$ 'ho$ de%oid of the conditions re4uisite$ cannot enter the state of absolute :est and ;liss!
C8 E* /-/ 3$ %an there be any connection between a dreamer and an entity in 5Kama Lo(a5?
A! #he dreaer of an entity in Kama Lo(a 'ould probably bring upon hiself a nightare$ or 'ould
run the ris& of becoing "possessed" by the "7poo&" so attracted$ if he happened to be a ediu$ or one
'ho had ade hiself so passi%e during his 'a&ing hours that e%en his higher 7elf is no' unable to
protect hi! #his 'hy the ediuistic state of passi%ity is so dangerous$ and in tie renders the >igher
7elf entirely helpless to aid or e%en 'arn the sleeping or entranced person! Passi%ity paralyzes the
connection bet'een the lo'er and higher principles! 0t is %ery rare to find instances of edius 'ho$
'hile reaining passi%e at will$ for the purpose of counicating 'ith soe higher 0ntelligence$ soe
e,terraneous spirit not disebodied$ 'ill yet preser%e sufficiently their personal 'ill so as not to brea& off
all connection 'ith the higher 7elf!
"+ ,/B6,/D #he real full reebrance of our li%es 'ill coe but at the end of the inor cycle - not
before! 0n @aa *o&a those 'ho retain their reebrance$ 'ill not en1oy it at the supree hour of
recollection! - #hose 'ho (now they are dead in their physical bodies can only be either adepts or
sorcerers3 and these t'o are the e6ceptions to the general rule! ;oth ha%ing been "co-'or&ers 'ith
nature"$ the forer for good$ the latter for bad$ in her 'or&s of creation and in that of destruction! #hey
are the only ones 'ho ay be called immortal in the &abalistic and the esoteric sense of course!
Coplete or true iortality$ - 'hich eans an unliited sentient e6istence$ can ha%e no brea&s and
stoppages$ no arrest of Self-consciousness! And e%en the shells of those good en 'hose page 'ill not
be found issing in the great ;oo& of *i%es at the threshold of the Great =ir%ana$ e%en they 'ill regain
their reebrance and an appearance of 7elf-consciousness$ only after the si6th and se%enth principles
'ith the essence of the ,th (the latter ha%ing to furnish the aterial for e%en that partial recollection of
personality 'hich is necessary for the ob1ect in De%a Chan/ - ha%e gone to their gestation period$ not
before! 9%en in the case of suicides and those 'ho ha%e perished by %iolent death$ e%en in their case$
consciousness re4uires a certain tie to establish its ne' centre of gra%ity$ and e%ol%e$ as 7ir 2!
>ailton 'ould ha%e it - its "perception proper" henceforth to reain distinct fro "sensation proper"!
"+ ,BB6,BD O! Eou say- "And e%en the shells of those good en 'hose pages 'ill not be found issing
in the great boo& of li%es-- e%en they 'ill regain their reebrance and an appearance of self
consciousness only after the si6th and se%enth principles 'ith the essence of the fifth ha%e gone to their
gestation period!
"+ ,-@6,D, A! 8erily so! Antil the struggle bet'een the higher and iddle duad begins - (with the
e,ception of suicides who are not dead but have only (illed their physical triad' and whose Elemental
parasites' therefore' are not naturally separated from the Ego as in real death/$ until that struggle$ 0 say$
has not begun and ended$ no shell can realize its position! 2hen the si6th and se%enth principles are
gone$ carrying off 'ith the the finer$ spiritual portions of that 'hich once 'as the personal
consciousness of the fifth$ then only does the shell gradually de%elop a hazy consciousness of its o'n
fro 'hat reains in the shado' of the personality!
Page ?1
"+ ,-?6,DA ;ut 'hat is then "the nature of the reebrance and self-consciousness of the shellB" you
as&! As 0 said in your note - no better than a reflected or borro'ed light! ")eory" is one thing$ and
"percepti%e faculties" 4uite another! A adan ay reeber %ery clearly soe portions of his past life3
yet he is unable to percei%e anything in its true light for the higher portion of his Manas and his "uddhi
are paralysed in hi$ ha%e left hi! Could an anial - a dog$ for instance - spea&$ he 'ould pro%e you
that his eory in direct relation to his canine personality$ is as fresh as yours3 ne%ertheless his eory
and instinct cannot be called "percepti%e faculties"! A dog reebers that his aster thrashed hi 'hen
the latter gets hold of his stic& - at all other ties he has no reebrance of it!
"+ ,BB6,BD O! A little later on-- "2hether the personal 9go 'as good$ bad or indifferent$ his
consciousness lea%es hi as suddenly as the flae lea%es the 'ic& - his perceptive faculties becoe
e6tinct for e%er"! (2ellB can a physical brain once dead retain its percepti%e faculties- that 'hich 'ill
percei%e in the shell is soething that percei%es 'ith a borro'ed or reflected light! 7ee notes!/
#hen 'hat is the nature of the reebrance and self-consciousness of the shellB #his touches on a
atter 0 ha%e often thought about - 'ishing for further e6planation - the e6tent of personal identity in
eleentaries!
"+ ,-@6,D, A! All that 'hich pertains to the aterio-psychological attributes and sensations of the fi%e
lo'er s&andhas3 all that 'hich 'ill be thro'n off as a refuse by the ne'ly born 9go in the De%a Chan$ as
un'orthy of$ and not sufficiently related to the purely spiritual perceptions$ eotions and feelings of the
si6th$ strengthened$ and so to say$ cemented$ by a portion of the fifth$ that portion 'hich is necessary in
the de%achan for the retention of a divine spiritualized notion of the "0" in the Monad - 'hich 'ould
other'ise ha%e no consciousness in relation to ob1ect and sub1ect at all - all this "becoes e,tinct for
ever"- naely at the oent of physical death$ to return once ore$ arshalling before the eye of the
ne' 9go at the threshold of De%a Chan and to be re1ected by it! 0t 'ill return for the third tie fully at the
end of the inor cycle$ after copletion of the se%en :ounds 'hen the sum total of collecti%e e6istences
is 'eighed - "erit" in one cup$ "deerit" in the other cup of the scales! ;ut in that indi%idual$ in the 9go -
"good$ bad$ or indifferent" in the isolated personality$ - consciousness lea%es as suddenly as "the flae
lea%es the 'ic&"! ;lo' out your candle$ good friend! #he flae has left that candle "for e%er"3 but are the
particles that o%ed$ their otion producing the ob)ective flae annihilated or dispersed for all thatB
6ever! :elight the candle and the sae particles dra'n by utual affinity 'ill return to the 'ic&! Place a
long ro' of candles on your table! *ight one and blo' it out3 then light the other and do the sae3 a third
and a fourth$ and so on! #he sae atter$ the sae gaseous particles - representing in our case the
Karma of the personality - 'ill be called forth by the condition gi%en the by your atch$ to produce a
ne' luinosity3 but can 'e say that candle =o!1 has not had its flae e6tinct for e%erB =ot e%en in the
case of the "failures of nature"$ of the immediate reincarnation of children and congenital idiots$ etc!$ that
so pro%o&ed the 'rath of C!C!)!$ can 'e call the the identical e6-personalities3 though the whole of the
same life!principle and identically the same M&6&S (fifth principle/ re!enters a new body and ay be
truly called a "reincarnation of the personality" - 'hereas$ in the rebirth of the 9gos fro devachans and
avitchis into @aric life it is only the spiritual attributes of the )onad and its ;uddhi that are reborn! All
'e can say of the reincarnated "failures" is$ that they are the reincarnated Manas$ the fifth principle of )r
7ith or )iss Grey$ but not certainly that these are the reincarnations of )r 7 and )iss G!
"+ ,@B6,@- 9%ery 1ust disebodied four!fold entity - 'hether it died a natural or %iolent death$ fro
suicide or accident$ entally sane or insane$ young or old$ good$ bad$ or indifferent - loses at the instant
Page ?5
of death all recollection$ it is entally annihilated3 it sleeps its a&asic sleep in the @aa-lo&a! #his state
lasts fro a fe' hours (rarely less/$ days$ 'ee&s$ onths - soeties se%eral years! All this according to
the entity$ to its ental status at the oent of death$ to the character of its death$ etc! #hat
reebrance 'ill return slo'ly and gradually to'ard the end of the gestation (to the entity or 9go/$ still
ore slo'ly but far ore iperfectly and incompletely to the shell$ and fully to the 9go at the oent of
its entrance into the De%achan! And no' the latter being a state deterined and brought by its past life$
the 9go does not fall headlong but sin&s into it gradually and by easy stages! 2ith the first da'n of that
state appears that life (or rather is once more lived over by the 9go/ fro its first day of consciousness to
its last! Fro the ost iportant do'n to the ost trifling e%ent$ all are arshalled before the spiritual
eye of the 9go3 only$ unli&e the e%ents of real life$ those of the reain only that are chosen by the ne'
liver (pardon the 'ord/ clinging to certain scenes and actors$ these reain permanently - 'hile all others
fade a'ay to disappear for e%er$ or to return to their creator - the shell! =o' try to understand this highly
iportant because so highly 1ust and retributi%e la'$ in its effects! <ut of the resurrected Past nothing
reains but 'hat the 9go has felt spiritually -that 'as e%ol%ed by and through and li%ed o%er by his
spiritual faculties - be they love or hatred! All that 0 a no' trying to describe is in truth - indescribable! As
no t'o en$ not e%en t'o photographs of the sae person$ nor yet t'o lea%es reseble line for line
each other$ so no t'o states in De%a-Chan are ali&e! Anless he be an adept$ 'ho can realize such a
state in his periodical De%a-chan - ho' can one be e6pected to for a correct picture of the saeB
Page ?+
SECTION I&
T2E SECOND DEAT2 AND DE&AC2AN
ey ,A/ 9n4- !!! 2here$ then$ is that %aunted oniscience during his De%achanic life$ as you call itB
#heo- During that tie it is latent and potential$ because$ first of all$ the 7piritual 9go (the copound of
;uddhi-)anas/ is not the >igher 79*F$ 'hich being one 'ith the Ani%ersal 7oul or )ind is alone
oniscient3 and$ secondly$ because De%achan is the idealized continuation of the terrestrial life 1ust left
behind$ a period of retributi%e ad1ustent$ and a re'ard for unerited 'rongs and sufferings undergone
in that special *ife! 0t is oniscient only potentially in De%achan$ and de facto e6clusi%ely in =ir%ana$
'hen the 9go is erged in the Ani%ersal )ind-7oul! Eet it rebecoes quasi oniscient during those
hours on earth 'hen certain abnoral conditions and physiological changes in the body a&e the Ego
free fro the traels of atter!
ey ,B@ >e 'ho has placed hiself beyond the %eil of aya - and such are the highest Adepts and
0nitiates - can ha%e no De%achan! As to the ordinary ortal$ his bliss in it is coplete! 0t is an absolute
obli%ion of all that ga%e it pain or sorro' in the past incarnations$ and e%en obli%ion of the fact that such
things as pain or sorro' e6ist at all! #he Devachanee li%es its interediate cycle bet'een t'o
incarnations surrounded by e%erything it had aspired to in %ain$ and in the copanionship of e%eryone it
lo%ed on earth! 0t has reached the fulfillent of all its soul-yearnings! And thus it li%es throughout long
centuries an e6istence of unalloyed happiness$ 'hich is the re'ard for its sufferings in earth life!
ey ,B? #heo- #o belie%e that a pure spirit can feel happy 'hile dooed to 'itness the sins$ ista&es$
treachery$ and$ abo%e all$ the sufferings of those fro 'ho it is se%ered by death and 'ho it lo%es
best$ 'ithout being able to help the$ 'ould be a addening thought!
ey ,C0 !!! 2e are 'ith those 'ho 'e ha%e lost in aterial for$ and far$ far nearer to the no'$ than
'hen they 'ere ali%e! And it is not only in the fancy of the Devachanee$ as soe ay iagine$ but in
reality! For pure di%ine lo%e is not erely the blosso of a huan heart$ but has it roots in eternity!
7piritual holy lo%e is iortal$ and @ara brings sooner or later all those 'ho lo%ed each other 'ith such
a spiritual affection to incarnate once ore in the sae faily group! Again 'e say that lo%e beyond the
gra%e$ illusion though you ay call it$ has a agic and di%ine potency 'hich reacts on the li%ing! A
other's Ego filled 'ith lo%e for the iaginary children it sees near itself$ li%ing a life of happiness$ as real
to it as 'hen on earth - that lo%e 'ill al'ays be felt by the children in flesh! 0t 'ill anifest in their dreas$
and often in %arious e%ents -in providential protections and escapes$ for lo%e is a strong shield$ and is not
liited by space or tie! As 'ith this De%achanic "other"$ so 'ith the rest of huan relationships and
attachents$ sa%e the purely selfish or aterial! Analogy 'ill suggest to you the rest!
9n4- 0n no case$ then$ do you adit the possibility of the counication of the li%ing 'ith the
disembodied spiritB
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#heo- Ees$ there is a case$ and e%en t'o e6ceptions to the rule! #he first e6ception is during the fe' days
that follo' iediately the death of a person and before the Ego passes into the De%achanic state!
2hether any li%ing ortal$ sa%e a fe' e6ceptional cases ('hen the intensity of the desire in the dying
person to return for soe purpose forced the higher consciousness to remain awa(e$ and therefore it
'as really the individuality$ the "7pirit" that counicated/ has deri%ed uch benefit fro the return of
the spirit into the ob)ective plane is another 4uestion! #he spirit is dazed after death and falls %ery soon
into 'hat 'e call "pre!devachanic unconsciousness"! #he second e6ception is found in the
6irmana(ayas!
9n4- 2hat about theB And 'hat does the nae ean for youB
#heo- 0t is the nae gi%en to those 'ho$ though they ha%e 'on the right to =ir%ana and cyclic rest - (not
De%achan$ as the latter is an illusion of our consciousness$ a happy drea$ and as those 'ho are fit for
=ir%ana ust ha%e lost entirely e%ery desire or possibility of the 'orld's illusions/ - ha%e out of pity for
an&ind and those they left on earth renounced the =ir%anic state! 7uch an adept$ or 7aint$ or 'hate%er
you ay call hi$ belie%ing it a selfish act to rest in bliss 'hile an&ind groans under the burden of
isery produced by ignorance$ renounces =ir%ana$ and deterines to reain in%isible in spirit on this
earth! #hey ha%e no aterial body$ as they ha%e left it behind3 but other'ise they reain 'ith all their
principles e%en in astral life in our sphere! And such can and do counicate 'ith a fe' elect ones$ only
surely not 'ith ordinary edius!
ey ,C- 9n4- !!! Do 'e possess ore &no'ledge in De%achan than 'e do in 9arth lifeB
#heo- 0n one sense$ 'e can ac4uire ore &no'ledge3 that is$ 'e can de%elop further any faculty 'hich
'e lo%ed and stro%e after during life$ pro%ided it is concerned 'ith abstract and ideal things$ such as
usic$ painting$ poetry$ etc!$ since De%achan is erely an idealized and sub1ecti%e continuation of earth-
life!
9n4- ;ut if in De%achan the 7pirit is free fro atter$ 'hy should it not possess all &no'ledgeB
#heo- ;ecause$ as 0 told you$ the 9go is$ so to say$ 'edded to the eory of its last incarnation! #hus$ if
you thin& o%er 'hat 0 ha%e said$ and string all the facts together$ you 'ill realize that the De%achanic state
is not one of oniscience$ but a transcendental continuation of the personal life 1ust terinated! 0t is the
rest of the soul fro the toils of life!
0f they Ithe scientific aterialistsJ say that self-consciousness ceases 'ith the body$ then in their case
they siply utter an unconscious prophecy$ for once they are firly con%inced of 'hat they assert$ no
conscious after-life is possible for the! For there are e6ceptions to e%ery rule!
9n4- !!!#his is but an aberration of the blind an$ 'ho denies the e6istence of the sun because he does
not see it! ;ut after death his spiritual eyes 'ill certainly copel hi to see! 0s that 'hat you eanB
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#heo- >e 'ill not be copelled$ nor 'ill he see anything! >a%ing persistently denied during life the
continuance of e6istence after death$ he 'ill be unable to see it$ because his spiritual capacity ha%ing
been stunted in life$ it cannot de%elop after death$ and he 'ill reain blind! ;y insisting that he must see
it$ you e%idently ean one thing and 0 another! Eou spea& of the spirit fro the spirit$ or the flae fro
the flae - of Ata$ in sort - and you confuse it 'ith the huan soul - )anas !!! #he 'hole gist of your
4uestion is to &no' 'hether$ in the case of a do'nright aterialist$ the coplete loss of self-
consciousness and self-perception after death is possibleB !!! 0 ans'er$ it is possible! ;ecause$ belie%ing
firly in our 9soteric Doctrine$ 'hich refers to the post!mortem period$ or the inter%al bet'een t'o li%es
or births$ as erely a transitory state$ 0 say$ 'hether that inter%al bet'een t'o acts of the illusionary
draa of life lasts one year or a illion$ that post!mortem state ay$ 'ithout any breach of the
fundaental la'$ pro%e to be 1ust the sae state as that of a an 'ho is in a dead faint!
ey ,C@ I2e ustJ understand 'hat 'e ean by ;uddhi and the duality of )anas to gain a clear
perception 'hy the aterialist ay fail to ha%e a self-conscious sur%i%al after death! 7ince )anas$ in its
lo'er aspect$ is the seat of the terrestrial ind$ it can$ therefore$ gi%e only that perception of the Ani%erse
'hich is based on the e%idence of that ind3 it cannot gi%e spiritual %ision !!!
ey ,-0 #heo- !!! both iortality and consciousness after death becoe$ for the terrestrial personality
of an$ siply conditioned attributes$ as they depend entirely on conditions and beliefs created by the
huan soul itself during the life of its body! @ara acts incessantly- 'e reap in our after!life only the fruit
of that 'hich 'e ha%e oursel%es so'n in this!
C8 I&* BBB IAbout De%achanJ !!!! #o realize the conditions of spiritual e6istence of any sort it is necessary
to get abo%e the plane of erely physical perceptions! <ne cannot see the things of the spirit 'ith the
eyes of the flesh$ and one cannot successfully appreciate sub1ecti%e phenoena by help only of those
intellectual reflections 'hich appertain to the physical senses! ">o' can a conscious e6istence 'ithout
activity or pursuit be one of satisfaction or en1oyentB" 0t 'ould only ephasize the ista&en idea 'hich
this 4uestion ebodies if one 'ere to as& instead$ "ho' can a conscious e6istence 'ithout athletic sports
and hunting be one of en1oyentB" #he cra%ings of an's anial or e%en bodily huan nature are not
peranent in their character! #he deands of the ind are different fro those of the body! 0n physical
life an e%er-recurring desire for change ipresses our iagination 'ith the idea that there can be no
continuity of contentent$ 'ithout %ariety of occupation and auseent! #o realize copletely the 'ay in
'hich a single %ein of spiritual consciousness ay continue for considerable periods of tie to engage
the attention - not only the contented$ but the delighted attention - of a spiritual entity$ is probably possible
only for persons 'ho already in life ha%e de%eloped certain inner faculties$ dorant in an&ind at large!
;ut ean'hile our present correspondent ay perhaps deri%e soe satisfaction fro the fact - as
e6plained in recent essays on the sub1ect - that one sort of %ariety is de%eloped in De%achan in a %ery
high degree3 vi-!$ the %ariety 'hich naturally gro's out of the siple thees set in %ibration during life!
0ense gro'ths$ for e6aple$ of &no'ledge itself are possible in De%achan$ for the spiritual entity
'hich has begun the "pursuit" of such &no'ledge during life! =othing can happen to a spirit in De%achan$
the &eynote of 'hich has not been struc& during life3 the condition of a sub1ecti%e e6istence are such that
the iportation of 4uite e6ternal ipulses and alien thoughts is ipossible! ;ut the seed of thought once
so'n$ the current of thoughts once set going (the etaphor ay freely be %aried to suit any taste/$ and
then its de%elopents in De%achan ay be infinite$ for the si6th sense there and the si6th principle are
our instructors3 and in such society there can be no isolation$ as physical huanity understands the ter!
#he spiritual ego in fact$ under the tuition of his o'n si6th principle$ need be in no fear of being dull$ and
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'ould be as li&ely to sigh for a doll's house or a bo6 of ninepins as for the harps and pal lea%es of the
ediae%al >ea%en!
C8 &* D0 IAns'ering soe ob1ectionsJ 2e constantly hear of the "dreamers in De%achan"$ of the
"sub1ecti%e isolation" of this state! And then 'e are forth'ith reproached for regarding it as "less real"
than our present conditionL #a&e the case of the association of friends there! 2hat 'e 'ant to &no' is
'hether there is any :9A* intercourse of personalities - of ,th principles - there !!! <f course for the
disebodied
consciousness in De%achan the bodily presence 'hich to us here is the out'ard and %isible sign of
intercourse can ha%e no reality! 0t 'as surely unnecessary to insist uch upon the fact! "#'o sypathetic
souls$" 'e are told$ "both disebodied$ 'ill each 'or& out its o'n De%achanic sensations$ a&ing the
other a sharer in its sub1ecti%e bliss! #his 'ill be as real to the$ naturally$ as though both 'ere yet on
this earth!" 7o far so good3 the truth and reality of the intercourse see to be 4uite unista&ably
affired$ though of course the mode of the intercourse is not such as 'e can at present recognize fro
e6perience! ;ut in the ne6t passage our doubt re%i%es! "=e%ertheless$ each is dissociated fro the other
as regards personal or corporeal association!"
Footnote- 0f 'e understand the spirit of the ob1ection at all$ it rests siply upon a ista&e! #he
con1unction placed bet'een the 'ords "personal" and "corporeal" is sufficient to sho' that the ter
personal stands here for "e6ternal" or "bodily"! 2hy should it then be ta&en in the sense of the ental
representation of a personalityB #he "or" a&es the t'o ad1ecti%es identical! - Ed$
As regards corporeal$ granted$ but 'hat as regards personal$ since it is 1ust the personal$ ,th principle$
consciousness that sur%i%es in De%achanB >ere are t'o disebodied personal consciousnesses in
De%achan! Are they really and truly affected the one by the other so as to constitute a %eritable
intercourse$ or is it erely that the one personality imagines the presence of the other$ as ta&ing that
iage to be reality$ 'hereas it does not correspond 'ith any fact of 'hich the other personality could
ta&e cognizanceB 0 deny that 0 a "postulating an incongruity" in ob1ecting that such an "intercourse" is
not real$ is a "ere drea"$ for 0 can concei%e a real intercourse - conscious on both sides and truly
acting and reacting - 'hich does not apply "only to the utual relationship of physical e6istence"!
(D1/ 0t is as&ed "!!! 'hat actual copanionship could there e%er be other than the purely idealistic one as
abo%e described$ bet'een t'o sub)ective entities 'hich are not e%en as aterial as that ethereal body-
shado' - the Mayavi!rupaB" =o' actual copanionship iplies the utual action and reaction of
consciousness - 'hich need not be by any bodily ediation 'hate%er! 0ou ust really and truly affect
me$ and 0 ust &no' that you are in this sense (the ost real of all/ present 'ith e$ and vice versa!
Anything short of that$ any sub1ecti%e consciousness of ine$ 'hereby soe representation of you arises
in e if not correspondent to$ and caused by$ soe act or thought of yours$ is a ere drea$ and 0 a
7cheated by nature7 if 0 a ade to belie%e 'hat is not the fact! 2hat 'e 'ant to &no'$ and cannot 4uite
a&e out fro these teachings$ is 'hether De%achan is a state corresponding to our 'a&ing life here$ or
to our sleep 'ith dreasB #he forer 'e call real and true$ the latter fictitious!
(D5/ #he 'hole doubt arises out of the follo'ing stateent- "#he person 'hose happiness of the higher
sort on earth had been entirely centred in the e6ercise of the affections" Ithat is the case 'ith fe' of us -
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enough that the affections are an essential eleent of our higher happinessJ "'ill iss none in De%achan
of those 'ho he or she lo%ed! ;ut at once it 'ill be as&ed$ if soe of these are not thesel%es fit for
De%achan$ ho' thenB #he ans'er is$ that does not atter! For the person 'ho lo%ed the they will be
there"! And then it is truly pointed out that there is nothing absolutely real in 'hat is ob1ecti%e to us here -
all is relati%e! "As real as the realities of this 'orld to us$ and e%en ore so$ 'ill be the realities of
De%achan to those 'ho go into that state!" ;ut it 'ill not be denied that there is a real intercourse
bet'een personalities here$ albeit by %ery iperfect and not essentially real means! Eour body$ and the
%oice 0 hear$ as 'ell as y body and those organs of sense by 'hich 0 hear$ are ere phenoena$ at
least as unreal to a spiritual consciousness$ as spirits are unpercei%ed and therefore unreal to us! ;ut
you and 0 are not unreal! #here is real intercourse bet'een us! #hrough our present defecti%e eans$ it is
true that you are %ery iperfectly$ %ery partially$ with e - 0 only get a sybol of your presence! 7till it is a
perfectly honest sybol as far as it goes$ and you are really spea&ing to e 'hen 0 hear you! 0 do not
erely see to yself to hear you$ 'ho ay be absent or non-e6istent all the 'hile! ;ut if in De%achan 0
can realistically iagine the presence - the li%ing$ counicating presence - of soe one 'ho is not
there3 'hat security ha%e 0 that 0 a truly in counication 'ith any one 'ho is thereB &m 0 truly in such
counication in any caseB <r is each personality perfectly secluded and isolated$ erely feigning and
dreaing the copanions around it$ you of e$ and 0 of you$ e%en though 'e are both really in the sae
state$ and ight 1ust as 'ell be really in each other's copanyB ;ut again$ ho'$ for any one 'ho had
attained the conception of De%achan in earth life - you and 0 for instance - 'ould such dreas be
possibleB 2hy$ 'e should &no' perfectly 'ell all the tie that 'e 'ere erely dreaing$ and then the
drea 'ould lose all its apparent reality - and 'e should in fact be awa(e! 0 should &no' that the friend 0
ha%e left on earth is there still$ and that 'hat of hi sees to be 'ith e is a ere sub1ecti%e iage of
y o'n! 0 should &no' that because 0 ha%e learned the doctrine of De%achan$ and because "the
continuity of our speculati%e ideas is one of the characteristics of De%achan$"!!!
(D+/ #here sees to be one 'ay out of this$ and 0 should li&e to &no' if that is the true idea! 0t ay be
that for the De%achanee$ that 'hich is only future and potential for us here$ is actual and present! 7ay
that you are in De%achan$ 0 upon earth! 0 of course as a person upon earth should ha%e only that
ob1ecti%e consciousness! ;ut y higher personality$ though not yet translated into ters of y ob1ecti%e
consciousness$ ay all this 'hile ha%e a sub1ecti%e consciousness of its o'n$ that into 'hich 0 shall
coe$ and 'ith 'hich 0 shall identify yself in De%achan! And you in De%achan ight be en rapport 'ith
this higher sub1ecti%e consciousness of ine! Eou 'ould thus &no' all that is best in e$ all that in e
'hich is in ost affinity 'ith your o'n De%achanic consciousness! Eet it 'ould still be only so uch of y
,th principle as is capable of ele%ation into the De%achanic state!
C8 &* DB #he "isunderstanding" arises fro a natural isconception of the sense in 'hich certain
ters are ade use of rather than fro any "inconsistent language" used! #he alternati%e of o%ing for
e%er in a %icious circle faces the 9uropean student of <ccult philosophy$ 'ho begins his study before
ha%ing ade hiself failiar 'ith the technical ode of thought and peculiarity of e6pression of its
teachers! >is first necessity is$ to &no' the esoteric %ie's of the ultiate nature of 7pirit$ of )atter$ Force
and 7pace3 the fundaental and a6ioatic theories as to the :eality and Anreality$ For and the
Forless rupa and a!rupa$ drea and 'a&ing!
Footnote- #he 8edanta philosophy teaches as uch as <ccult philosophy that our monad during its life
on earth as a triad (Dth$ .th$ and ,th principles/$ has$ besides the condition of pure intelligence$ three
conditions3 naely$ 'a&ing$ dreaing$ and sushupti - a state of dreamless sleep - fro the standpoint of
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terrestrial conceptions3 of real$ actual soul-life - fro the occult standpoint! 2hile an is either
dreamlessly$ profoundly asleep or in a trance state$ the triad (7pirit$ 7oul and )ind/ enters into perfect
union 'ith the Paraata$ the 7upree Ani%ersal 7oul! - Ed$
9specially should he aster - at least appro6iately - the distinction bet'een the "ob1ecti%e' and the
"sub1ecti%e" in the li%ing an's sensuous perceptions and the sae as they appear to the psychic
perceptions of a disebodied entity (De%achanee/! 0t 'ill not strengthen his case to put forth the
ob1ection that "the ode of the intercourse is not such as 'e can at present recognize fro e6perience"3
in other 'ords$ that until one becoes a "De%achanee" one cannot enter into sypathy 'ith his feelings
or perceptions! For$ the disebodied indi%iduality being identical in nature 'ith the higher triad of the
li%ing an$ 'hen liberated as the result of self-e%olution effected by the full de%elopent of conscious
and trained 'ill$ the adept can through this triad learn all that concerns the De%achanee3 li%e for the tie
being his ental life$ feel as he feels and sharing thoroughly in his supersensuous perceptions$ bring
bac& 'ith hi on earth the eory of the sae$ un'arped by mayavic deceptions$ hence - not to be
gain-said! #his$ of course$ assuing the e6istence of such lusus naturae as an "adept"$ 'hich ay$
perhaps$ be conceded by the ob1ectors for the sa&e of arguent! And the further concession ust be
as&ed that no coparison shall be ade to the adept's detrient bet'een the percepti%e po'ers of his
triad$ 'hen so freed fro the body$ and those of the half liberated onad of the entranced sonabule
or ediu 'hich is ha%ing its dazed glipse into the "celestial arcana"! 7till less$ is it allo'able to gauge
the by the re%eries of an ebodied ind$ ho'e%er cultured and etaphysical$ 'hich has no data to
build upon$ sa%e the deductions and inductions 'hich spring fro its o'n noral acti%ity!
C8 &* DD IAbout the De%achanic "drea"J the <ccultist replies that there are dreas and dreas! #hat
there is a difference bet'een a drea produced by out'ard physiological causes$ and the one 'hich
reacts and becoes in its turn the producer of super-sensuous perceptions and feelings! #hat he di%ides
dreas into the phenoenal and the nouenal$ and distinguishes bet'een the t'o3 and that$ oreo%er$
the physiologist is entirely unfit to coprehend the ultiate constitution of a disebodied Ego - hence the
nature of its "dreas"! #his$ he does for se%eral reasons$ of 'hich one ay be particularly noticed- the
physiologist re1ects a priori 20**$ the chief and indispensable factor of the inner an! >e refuses to
recognize it apart fro particular acts of %olition$ and declares that he &no's only the latter$ %ie'ed by
hi siply as a reaction or desire of deterination of energy out'ard$ after !!! "the cople6 inter'or&ing
and cobination of ideas in the heispheral ganglia"! >ence the physiologist 'ould ha%e to re1ect at
once the possibility of consciousness - minus eory3 and the De%achanee ha%ing no organs$ no
sensory ganglia$ no "educated" nor e%en "idiotic centres"$ nor ner%e cells$ cannot naturally ha%e that$
'hat the physiologists 'ould regard and define$ as eory! Anfettered fro the personal sensations of
the manas$ the de%achanic consciousness 'ould certainly ha%e to becoe uni%ersal or absolute
consciousness$ 'ith no past as 'ith no future$ the t'o erging into one eternal P:979=# - but for the
traels of the personal 9go! ;ut e%en the latter$ once se%ered fro its bodily organs$ can ha%e no such
eory as defined by Professor >u6ley$ 'ho fathers it upon the "sensigenous olecules" of the brain -
those olecules$ 'hich$ begotten by sensation$ reain behind 'hen it has passed a'ay$ and that
constitute$ 'e are told$ the physical foundation of eory3 hence also the foundation of all dreas! 2hat
can these olecules ha%e to do 'ith the ethereal atos that act in the spiritual consciousness of the
onad$ during its bliss 'holly based and depending upon the degree of its connection 'ith only the
essence of that personal EgoL
(DC/ 2hat ay then be the nature of the De%achanic drea - 'e are as&ed - and ho' does the occultist
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define the drea of the still ebodied anB #o 2estern science a drea is a series of thoughts$ of
connected acts or rather "states" 'hich are only imagined to be real! #he uninitiated etaphysician$ on
the other hand$ describes it in his e6oteric 'ay$ as the passage of sense fro dar&ness into light - the
a'a&ening of spiritual consciousness! ;ut the occultist$ 'ho &no's that the spiritual sense pertaining to
the immutable can ne%er sleep or e%en be dorant per se$ and is al'ays in the "*ight" of reality$ says
that during the state of sleep$ Manas (the seat of the physical and personal intelligence/ becoes able -
its containing %ehicle Kama$ the 20**$ being allo'ed the full freedo of its conscious action o'ing to
volition being rendered passi%e$ and unconscious by the teporary inacti%ity of the sensory centres - to
percei%e that reality in the sub1ecti%e 'orld 'hich 'as hidden fro it in 'a&ing hours! #hat reality does
not becoe less real$ because upon a'a&ening the "sensigenous olecules"$ and "uneducated centres"
thro' and toss in the mayavic light of actual life the recollection and e%en the reebrance of it into
confusion! ;ut the participation of the manas in the De%achanic bliss$ does not add to$ but on the
contrary ta&es a'ay fro$$ the reality that 'ould fall to the lot of the onad 'ere it altogether free fro its
presence! 0ts bliss is an outcoe of Sa((ayaditthi$ the delusion or "heresy of indi%iduality"$ 'hich heresy$
together 'ith the attavadic Ia ;uddhist ter eaning$ false belief in a peranent separate 'self'J chain of
causes$ is necessary for the onad's future birth! 0t is all this that leads the occultist to regard the
association or "intercourse" bet'een t'o disebodied entities in the De%achan -ho'e%er more real than
life it ay be - as an illusion$ and fro his standpoint still "a drea"$ and so to spea& of it3 'hile that
'hich his critics 'ould fain call - ho'e%er regretfully -dreas - "the interludes 'hich fancy a&es" - is in
the &no'ledge of the forer siply glipses of the :eality!
(D9/ *et us ta&e an instance- a son loses a uch belo%ed father! 0n his dreas he ay see and con%erse
'ith hi$ and for the tie it lasts feel as happy and unconscious of his death as though the father had
ne%er left this earth! #his upon a'a&ening$ he 'ill regard 'ith sorro' as a ere drea that could not
last! 0s he right to so regard itB #he occultist says that he is 'rong! >e is siply ignorant of the fact that
his spirit being of the sae essence and nature as that of his father$ - as all spirits are -and the inherent
property of utual attraction and assiilation being in their special case strengthened by the paternal
and filial lo%e of their personal Egos - that they ha%e$ in fact$ never separated from each other$ death
itself being po'erless to se%er psychic association there$ 'here pure spiritual lo%e lin&s the t'o! #he
"drea" 'as in this instance the reality3 the latter a maya$ a false appearance due to avidya (false
notions/! #hus it becoes ore correct and proper to call the son's ignorance during his 'a&ing hours a
"drea" and "a delusion"$ than to so characterize the real intercourse! For 'hat has happenedB A
7piritualist 'ould say- "the spirit of the father descended upon earth to hold counion 'ith his son's
spirit$ during the 4uiet hours of sleep"! #he <ccultist replies- "=ot so3 neither the father's spirit descended$
nor has the son's triad ascended (strictly and correctly spea&ing/"! #he centre of De%achanic acti%ity
cannot be localized- it is again avidya! )onads during that tie e%en 'hen connected 'ith their fi%e finite
Kosas (sheaths or principles/ &no' neither space nor tie$ but are diffused throughout the forer$ are
onipresent and ubi4uitous! Manas in its higher aspect is dravya - an eternal "substance" as 'ell as the
"uddhi$ the spiritual soul - 'hen this aspect is de%eloped3 and united 'ith the 7oul Manas becoes
spiritual self-consciousness$ 'hich is a *i(ara (a production/ of its original "producer" "uddhi!
(C0/ Footnote- 0t is only 'hen Ego becoes Ego!ism deluded into a notion of independent e6istence as
the producer in its turn of the fi%e Tanmatras that )anas is considered Maha!bhutic and finite in the
sense of being connected 'ith &hancara$ the personal "0-creating" faculty! >ence Manas is both eternal
and non-eternal- eternal in its atoic nature (paramanu rupa/3 finite (or (arya!rupa/ 'hen lin&ed as a
duad - 'ith (ama (*olition/$ a lo'er production! - Ed$
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Anless ade utterly unfit$ by its ha%ing becoe hopelessly i6ed 'ith$ and lin&ed to$ its lo'er
Tanmatras$ to becoe one 'ith ;uddhi$ it is inseparable fro it! #hus the higher huan triad$ dra'n by
its affinity to those triads it lo%ed ost$ 'ith Manas in its highest aspect of self-consciousness - ('hich is
entirely disconnected 'ith$ and has no need as a channel of the internal organ of physical sense called
antah(arana - helping$ it is e%er associated 'ith and en1oys the presence of all those it lo%es - in death$
as uch as it did in life! #he intercourse is real and genuine!
#he critic doubts 'hether such an intercourse can be called a "%eritable one"! >e 'ants to &no' 'hether
the t'o disebodied entities are "really and truly affected the one by the other"3 or$ "is it erely that the
one personality imagines the presence of the other"$ such intercourse corresponding 'ith no fact "of
'hich the other personality Ieither ebodied or disebodiedJ could ta&e cognizance"3 and 'hile
doubting$ he denies that he is "'postulating an incongruity' in ob1ecting that such an 'intercourse' is not
real$ is a 'ere drea'"$ for he says$ he "can concei%e a real intercourse - conscious on both sides and
truly acting and reacting - 'hich does not apply 'only to the utual relationship of physical e6istence'"! 0f
he really can$ then 'here is the difficulty coplained ofB #he real eaning attached by the occultist to
such 'ords as drea$ reality and unreality$ ha%ing been e6plained$ 'hat further trouble is there to
coprehend this specific tenetB #he critic ay also be as&ed$ ho' he can concei%e of a real conscious
intercourse on both sides$ unless he understands the peculiar$ and - to hi as yet un&no'n - intellectual
reaction and inter-relation bet'een the t'o! I#his sypathetic reaction is no fanciful hypothesis but a
scientific fact &no'n and taught at initiations$ though un&no'n to odern science and but hazily
percei%ed by soe etaphysicians - spiritualistsJ!
(C1/ Footnote- 0t is deonstrated to <ccultists by the fact that t'o adepts separated by hundreds of
iles$ lea%ing their bodies at their respecti%e habitations and their astral bodies (the lo'er manas and
%olition$ (ama/ to 'atch o%er the$ can still eet at soe distant place and hold con%erse and e%en
percei%e and sense each other for hours as though they 'ere both personally and bodily together$
'hereas$ e%en their lo'er mayavi!rupas are absent! - Ed$
<r is it that$ alternati%ely$ he anthropoorphises 7pirit - in the spiritualistic ista&en senseB <ur critic has
1ust told us that "the mode of the intercourse is not such as 'e IheJ can at present recognize fro
e6perience"! 2hat &ind of intercourse is it then that he can concei%e ofB
C8 &* @, 0t is incorrect to use the ter "personal soul" in connection 'ith the onad$ "#he personal or
anial soul" is$ as already said$ the ,th principle$ and cannot be in De%achan$ the highest state peritted
to it on earth being samadhi! 0t is only its essence that has follo'ed the onad into De%achan$ to ser%e it
there as its ground-tone$ or as the bac&ground against 'hich its future drea-life and de%elopents 'ill
o%e3 its entity$ or the reliquiae is the "shell"$ the dross that reains behind as an eleentary to fade
a'ay and in tie disappear! #hat 'hich is in De%achan is no ore the persona - the as&$ than the
sell of a rose is the flo'er itself! #he rose decays and becoes a pinch of dust- its aroa 'ill ne%er die$
and ay be recalled and resurrected ages thence! Correctly e6pressed$ the sentence 'ould ha%e to
read- "!!! the li%ing iage before the Spiritual 7oul$ 'hich being no' saturated 'ith the essence of the
personality$ has thus ceased to be &rupa (forless or rather de%oid of all substance/ for its De%achanic
duration$ and cra%es for their presence$ etc"! #he gestation period is o%er$ it has 'on the day$ been
reborn as a ne' out of the old ego$ and before it is ushered again into a ne' personality$ it 'ill reap the
effects of the causes so'n in its precedent birth in one of the De%achanic or A%itchian states$ as the case
ay be$ though the latter are found 'ide apart! &vasyam eva bho(tavyam (ritam (arma subhasubham$
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I#he fruit of the tree of action$ 'hether good or bad$ ust una%oidably be eaten!J #he De%achanic
condition in all its aspects is no doubt siilar to a dreay state when considered from the standpoint of
our present ob)ective consciousness when we are in our wa(ing condition! =e%ertheless$ it is as real to
the De%achanee hiself as our 'a&ing state is to us! #herefore$ 'hen it is as&ed "2hether De%achan is
a state corresponding to our 'a&ing life here or to our sleep 'ith dreas"$ - the ans'er gi%en is that it is
not siilar to either of these conditions3 but it is siilar to the dreamy condition of a an 'ho has no
'a&ing state at all$ if such a being can be supposed to e6ist! A onad in De%achan has but one state of
consciousness$ and the contrast bet'een a 'a&ing state and a dreay state is ne%er presented to it so
long as it is in that condition! Another ob1ection urged is$ that if a De%achanee 'ere to thin& of an ob1ect
or person as if the ob1ect or person 'ere present before hi 'hen they are not so ('hen 1udged fro the
coon ideas of ob1ecti%e perception/ then the De%achanee is "cheated by nature"! 0f such is really the
case$ he is indeed al'ays "cheated by nature"3 and the suggestion contained in the foregoing letter as to
the possible ode of counication bet'een a De%achanee and one li%ing on earth 'ill not sa%e hi
fro delusion! *ea%ing aside for a oent the nature of a De%achanee's counication 'ith another
onad either in or out of De%achan$ let the nature of his ideas be e6ained so far as they are connected
'ith ob1ects3 and then the truth of the abo%e entioned stateent 'ill be easily percei%ed! 7uppose$ for
instance$ Galileo in De%achan$ sub1ecti%ely engaged in his fa%ourite intellectual pursuit! 0t is natural to
suppose that his telescope often coes 'ithin the range of his De%achanic consciousness$ and that the
De%achanee sub1ecti%ely directs it to'ard soe planet! 0t is 4uite clear that according to the general
ideas of ob1ecti%ity$ Galileo has no telescope before hi$ and it cannot be contended that his train of
ideas in any 'ay actually affects the telescope 'hich he left behind hi in this 'orld! 0f the ob1ector's
reasoning is correct$ Galileo is "being cheated by nature"$ and the suggestion abo%e referred to 'ill in no
'ay help hi in this case!
(C+/ #hus$ the inference that it is neither correct nor philosophical to spea& of a De%achanee as being
"cheated by nature" becoes once ore una%oidable! 7uch 'ords as cheating$ delusion$ reality are
al'ays relati%e! 0t is only by contrast that a particular state of consciousness can be called real or
illusionary3 and these 'ords cease to ha%e any significance 'hate%er$ 'hen the said state of
consciousness cannot be copared 'ith any other state! 7upposing one is 1ustified in loo&ing upon
De%achanic e6perience as delusion fro his present standpoint as a huan being li%ing on this earth$
'hat thenB 2e fail to see ho' any one eans to a&e use of this inference! <f course fro the
foregoing rear&s the reader is not to suppose that a De%achanee's consciousness can ne%er affect or
influence the state of consciousness of another onad either in or out of De%achan! 2hether such is the
case or not$ the reality or the unreality of De%achanic e6perience$ so far as a De%achanee is concerned$
does not depend upon any such counicati%e influence!
(C?/ 0n soe cases it is e%ident that the state of consciousness of one onad 'hether in De%achan or
yet on earth$ ay blend 'ith$ as it 'ere$ and influence the ideation of another onad also in De%achan!
7uch 'ill be the case 'here there is strong$ affectionate sypathy bet'een the t'o egos arising fro
participation in the sae higher feelings or eotions$ or fro siilar intellectual pursuits or spiritual
aspiration! Kust as the thoughts of a eserizer standing at a distance are counicated to his sub1ect
by the eanation of a current of agnetic energy attracted readily to'ards the sub1ect$ the train of ideas
of a De%achanee are counicated by a current of agnetic or electric force attracted to'ards another
De%achanee by reason of the strong sypathy e6isting bet'een the t'o onads$ especially 'hen the
said ideas relate to things 'hich are sub1ecti%ely associated 'ith the De%achanee in 4uestion! 0t is not to
be inferred$ ho'e%er$ that in other cases 'hen there is no such action or reaction$ a De%achanee
becoes conscious of the fact that his sub1ecti%e e6perience is a ere delusion$ for it is not so! 0t 'as
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already sho'n that the 4uestion of reality or unreality does not depend upon any such counication or
transission of intellectual energy!
2e are as&ed$ "if soe of these (the De%achanee lo%ed/ are not thesel%es fit for De%achan$ ho' thenB"
2e ans'er- "9%en in the case of a an still li%ing on earth$ or e%en of one suffering in A%itchi$ the
ideation of a onad in De%achan ay still affect his onad if there is strong sypathy bet'een the t'o
as indicated abo%e! Eet the De%achanee 'ill reain ignorant of the ental suffering of the other"!
Footnote- #he reader is reinded in this connection that neither De%achan nor A%itchi is a locality$ but a
state 'hich affects directly the being in it and all others only by reaction$ ! Ed$
(C,/ 0f this generous pro%ision of nature that ne%er punishes the innocent outside this our 'orld of
delusion$ be still called "a cheating of nature"$ and ob1ected to$ on the ground that it is not an "honest
sybol" of the other personality's presence$ then the ost reasonable course 'ould be to lea%e the
occult doctrines and De%achan alone! #he noble truths$ the grandest goal in soul-life$ 'ill reain for e%er
a closed boo& to such inds! De%achan instead of appearing 'hat it is - a blissful rest$ a hea%enly oasis
during the laborious 1ourney of the )onad to'ard a higher e%olution$ 'ill indeed present itself as the
culination$ the %ery essence of death itself! <ne has to sense intuitionally its logical necessity3 to
percei%e in it$ untaught and unguided$ the outcoe and perpetuation of that strictest 1ustice absolutely
consonant 'ith the harony of the uni%ersal la'$ if one 'ould not lose tie o%er its deep significance!
2e do not ean it in any un&ind spirit$ yet 'ith such an opposition to the %ery e6position (since no one is
pressed for its acceptance/ of our doctrine by soe 2estern inds$ 'e feel bound to reind our
opponents that they ha%e the freedo of choice! I>ere follo's a passage coparing De%achan and
A%itchi to the (then/ current con%entional ideas on >ea%en and >ell!J
C8 &* @- #he bliss of a De%achanee is coplete$ and nature secures it e%en at the ris& of being accused
of cheating by the pessiists of this 'orld unable to distinguish bet'een *astu - the one reality and
*ishaya - the "ayas" of our senses! 0t is fetching rather too far the presuption that our ob)ective and
sub)ective shall be the true standards for the realities and unrealities of the rest of the uni%erse3 that our
criterion of truth and honesty is to stand as the only uni%ersal land-ar& of the sae! >ad 'e to proceed
upon such principles$ 'e 'ould ha%e to accuse nature of cheating incessantly not only her huan but
also her anial offspring! 2ho$ of our ob1ectors$ 'hen treating of facts of natural history and the
phenoena of %ision and colour$ 'ould e%er hazard the rear& that because ants are utterly unable to
see and distinguish colours as huan beings do (the red$ for instance$ ha%ing no e6istence for the/$
therefore$ are they also "cheated by nature"B =either personality nor ob)ectivity as &no'n to us$ ha%e any
being in the coposition of a onad3 and could$ by any iracle$ any li%ing huan creature coe 'ithin
the range of the De%achanic %ision$ it 'ould be as little percei%ed by the De%achanee as the eleentals
that throng the air around us are percei%ed 'ith our natural eyes!
(CD/ <ne ore error of the critic! >e sees to be labouring under the ipression that if one has soe
conception of De%achanic state of sub1ecti%e consciousness 'hile in this life$ he 'ill &no' that such
e6perience is illusory 'hen he is actually there3 and then De%achanic beatitudes 'ill ha%e lost all their
reality so far as he is concerned! #here is no reason to apprehend any such catastrophe! 0t is not %ery
difficult to percei%e the fallacy that underlies this arguent! 7uppose$ for instance$ A$ no' li%ing at
*ahore$ &no's that his friend ; is at Calcutta! >e dreas that they are both at ;obay engaged in
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%arious transactions! Does he &no' at the time he is dreaming that the 'hole drea is illusoryB >o' can
the consciousness that his friend is really at Calcutta$ 'hich is only realized 'hen he is in his 'a&ing
condition$ help hi in ascertaining the delusi%e nature of his drea when he is actually dreamingB 9%en
after e6periencing dreas se%eral ties during his life and &no'ing that dreas are generally illusionary$
A 'ill not &no' that he is dreaing 'hen he is actually in that condition!
7iilarly$ a an ay e6perience the de%achanic condition 'hile yet ali%e$ and call it delusion$ if he
pleases$ 'hen he coes bac& to his ordinary state of ob1ecti%e consciousness and copares it to the
said condition! =e%ertheless$ he 'ill not &no' that it is a drea either 'hen he e6periences it a second
tie (for the tie being/ 'hile still li%ing$ or 'hen he dies and goes to De%achan!
(CC/ #he abo%e is sufficient to co%er the case 'ere e%en the state under discussion indeed "a drea" in
the sense our opponents hold it in! ;ut it is neither a "drea" nor in any 'ay "cheating"! 0t ay be so
fro the standpoint of Kohnson's dictionary3 fro that of fact independent of all huan definition$ and the
standpoint of hi 'ho &no's soething of the la's that go%ern the 'orlds in%isible$ the intercourse
bet'een the onads is real$ utual$ and as actual in the 'orld of sub1ecti%ity$ as it is in this our 'orld of
decepti%e reality! 0t is the old story of Goellner's an fro the t'o-diensional region disputing the reality
of the phenoena ta&ing place in the three-diensional 'orld!
C8 &* @? I>!P!;! e6aines the bac&ground to 2esterners' difficulties in understanding 9astern esoteric
teachings$ then concludesJ- >is difficulty is to reconcile "isolation"$ as he understands it$ 'ith
"intercourse" as 'e understand it! #hough the onad is not li&e a seed dropped fro a tree$ but in its
nature is ubi4uitous$ all-per%ading$ onipresent3 though in the sub1ecti%e state tie$ space and locality
are not factors in its e6periences3 though$ in short$ all undane conditions are re%ersed3 and the no'
thin&able becoes the then unthin&able and vice!versa - yet the *ondon friend goes on to reason as
though all this 'ere not so!
(90/ =o'$ ;uddhistically spea&ing$ there are states and states and degrees upon degrees in De%achan$
in all of 'hich$ not'ithstanding the (to us/ ob1ecti%e isolation of the principal hero$ he is surrounded by a
host of actors in con1unction 'ith 'ho he had during his last earth-life created and 'or&ed out the
causes of those effects that are produced first on the field of Devachanic or &vitchian sub1ecti%ity$ then
used to strengthen the @ara to follo' on the ob1ecti%e (B/ plane of the subse4uent rebirth! 9arth-life$ is
so to say$ the rologue of the draa (or 'e should$ perhaps$ call it mystery/$ that is enacted in the rupa
and arupa lo&as! =o' 'ere 'e to say that nature$ 'ith e%ery due regard to personality and the la's of
ob1ecti%ity as understood in e6otericis$ "constitutes a %eritable intercourse" bet'een the de%achanic
heroes and actors3 and$ instead of dissociating the onads not only as regards "personal or corporeal"
but e%en astral "association" -establishes "actual copanionship" bet'een the$ as on the earth-plane$
'e ight$ perhaps$ a%oid the strange accusation of "nature cheating" in De%achan! <n the other hand$
after thus pandering to eotional ob1ections$ 'e could hardly help placing our 9uropean Chelas in a far
ore ine6tricable dilea! #hey 'ould be ade to face a proble of personal post!mortem ubi4uity$
thro'ing that of the 2estern deity far into the bac&ground of illogical absurdity! 7uppose for one oent
a De%achanic father$ t'ice 'edded$ and lo%ing both his 'i%es as he does his children$ 'hile the step-
other lo%es neither his progeny nor their other$ the coolest indifference if not actual a%ersion reigning
bet'een the t'o! "Actual copanionship"$ and "real personal intercourse" (the latter applied e%en to their
astral bodies/ iplies here bliss for the father and irritation for the t'o 'i%es and children$ all e4ually
'orthy of De%achanic bliss! =o' iagine again the real other attracting by her intense lo%e the children
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'ithin her de%achanic state$ and thus depri%ing the father of his legitiate share of bliss! 0t has been said
before$ that the de%achanic ind is capable only of the highest spiritual ideation3 that neither ob1ects of
the grosser senses nor anything pro%ocati%e of displeasure could e%en be apprehended by it - for
other'ise$ De%achan 'ould be erging into &vitchi$ and the feeling of unalloyed bliss destroyed for e%er!
>o' can nature reconcile in the abo%e case the proble 'ithout either sacrificing her duty to our
terrestrial sense of ob)ectivity and reality$ or$ 'ithout coproising her status before our criterion of truth
and honest dealingB <n one hand$ the children 'ould ha%e to double and treble thesel%es ad infinitum
- as they too ay ha%e disebodied$ de%achanic ob1ects of spiritual attachent claouring else'here
for their presence - 'hich process of ubi4uity 'ould hardly be consistent 'ith our notions of personal$
actual presence$ at one and the sae tie and at se%eral different places3 or$ there 'ould al'ays be
soebody$ soe'here "cheated by nature"! #o place the monads proiscuously together$ li&e one
happy faily - 'ould be fatal to truth and fact- each an$ ho'e%er insignificant he ay ha%e been on
earth$ is yet entally and orally sui generis in his o'n distinct conceptions of bliss and desires$ and
has$ therefore$ a right to$ and an absolute necessity for$ a specific$ personal$ "isolated" de%achan !!!
(91/ According e%en to e6oteric ;uddhistic philosophy disincarnate beings are di%ided into three classes
of - (1/ Kamawachara$ or those 'ho are still under the doinion of the passions in Kamalo(a3 (5/
.upawachara$ or those 'ho ha%e progressed to a higher stage$ but still retain %estiges of their old for
in .upa lo(a3 and (+/ &rupawachara$ or those 'ho are becoe forless entities in the &rupa lo(as of the
highest De%achan! All depends on the degree of the onad's spirituality and aspirations! #he astral body
of the ?th principle - called Kama$ because inseparable fro Kama lo(a$ - is al'ays 'ithin the attraction
of terrestrial agnetis3 and the onad has to 'or& itself free of the still finer yet e4ually potent
attractions of its Manas before it e%er reaches in its series of De%achanic states$ the upper-&rupa
regions! #herefore$ there are %arious degrees of De%achanees! 0n those of the &rupa lo(as the entities
are as sub)ective and truly "not e%en as aterial as that ethereal body-shado' - the )aya%i-rupa"! And
yet e%en there$ 'e affir there is still "actual copanionship"! ;ut only %ery fe' reach there s&ipping the
lo'er degrees! #here are those De%achanees$ en of the highest oral calibre and goodness 'hen on
earth$ 'ho$ o'ing to their sypathy for old intellectual researches and especially for unfinished mental
wor($ are for centuries in the :upa lo&as in a strict De%achanic isolation - literally so$ since en and
lo%ed relati%es ha%e all %anished out of sight before this intense and purely spiritual passion for
intellectual pursuit! For an e6aple of the study-bound (pardon the ne' 'ord for the sa&e of its
e6pressi%eness/ condition$ ta&e the ental state of the dying ;erzelius$ 'hose last thought 'as one of
despair that his 'or& should be interrupted by death! #his is Tanha (>indu Trishna/ or an unsatisfied
yearning 'hich ust e6haust itself before the entity can o%e on to the purely a!rupa condition! A
pro%ision is ade for e%ery case$ and in each case it is created by the dying an's last$ upperost
desire! #he scholar 'ho had ainly li%ed under the influence of manas$ and for the pleasure of
de%eloping his highest physical intelligence &ept absorbed in the ysteries of the aterial uni%erse$ 'ill
still be agnetically held by his ental attractions to scholars and their 'or&$ influencing and being
influenced by the sub)ectively - (though in a anner 4uite different fro that &no'n in sance-roos
and by edius/$ until the energy e6hausts itself and "uddhi becoes the only regnant influence! #he
sae rule applies to all the acti%ities$ 'hether of passion or sentient$ 'hich entangle the tra%elling
onad (the 0ndi%iduality/ in the relationships of any gi%en birth! #he discarnate ust consecuti%ely ount
each rung of the ladder of being up'ard fro the earthly sub1ecti%e to the absolutely sub1ecti%e! And
'hen this liited =ir%anic state of De%achan is attained$ the entity en1oys it and its %i%id though spiritual
realities until that phase of @ara is satisfied and the physical attraction to the ne6t earth-life asserts
itself! 0n De%achan$ therefore$ the entity is affected by and reciprocally affects the psychic state of any
other entity 'hose relationship is so close 'ith it as to sur%i%e as 'as abo%e rear&ed$ the purgatorial
e%olution of the lo'er post-orte spheres! #heir intercourse 'ill be sensed spiritually$ and still$ so far as
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any relationship until no' postulated by 2estern thin&ers goes$ each 'ill be "dissociated fro the other"!
0f the 4uestioner can forulate to hiself the condition of the onad as pure spirit$ the ost sub1ecti%e
entity concei%able$ 'ithout for$ colour$ or 'eight$ e%en so great as an ato3 an entity 'hose
recollections of the last personality (or earth-birth/ are deri%ed fro the late union of the Manas 'ith the
lo'er fi%e principles - he ay then find hiself able to ans'er his o'n interrogatory! According to
9soteric Doctrine this e%olution is not %ie'ed as the e6tinguishent of indi%idual consciousness but its
infinite e6pansion! #he entity is not obliterated$ but united 'ith the uni%ersal entity $ and its consciousness
becoes able not erely to recall the scenes of one of its earth-e%ol%ed Personalities$ but of each of the
entire series around the @alpa$ and then those of e%ery other Personality! 0n short fro being finite it
becoes infinite consciousness! ;ut this coes only at the end of all the births at the great day of the
absolute :esurrection! Eet$ as the onad o%es on fro birth to birth and passes its lo'er and
De%achanic spheres after each fresh earthly e6istence$ the utual ties created in each birth ust
'ea&en and at last gro' inert$ before it can be reborn! #he record of those relationships iperishably
endures in the A&asa$ and they can al'ays be re%ie'ed 'hen$ in any birth$ the being e%ol%es his latent
spiritual po'ers to the "fourth stage of Dhyana"- but their hold upon the being gradually rela6es! #his is
accoplished in each internatal De%achan3 and 'hen the personal lin&s - agnetic or psychic$ as one
ay prefer to call the -binding the De%achanee to other entities of the ne6t pre%ious life$ 'hether
relati%es$ friends or faily$ are 'orn out$ he is free to o%e on in his cyclic path! 2ere this obliteration of
personal ties not a fact$ each being 'ould be tra%elling around the @alpa entangled in the eshes of his
past relationships 'ith yriad fathers$ others$ sisters$ brothers$ 'i%es$ etc!$ etc!$ of his nuberless
births- a 1uble$ indeedL 0t 'as the ignorant delusion of the geocentric hypothesis 'hich begot all the
e6oteric theologies$ 'ith their absurd dogas! 7o$ li&e'ise$ it is the ignorant theory of onogenesis$ or
but one earth life for each being$ 'hich a&es it so hard for 9uropean etaphysicians to read the riddle
of our e6istence and coprehend the difference bet'een the onad's indi%iduality$ and its physical
appearance in a series of earth-li%es as so any different$ totally distinct personalities! 9urope &no's
uch about atoic 'eights and cheical sybols$ but has little idea of De%achan!
C8 E* BD I!!! the De%achanic state !!! is purely a state of bliss$ in 'hich an recei%es copensation for
the undeser%ed isery of his past life!J
Ouite correct3 but it is not the in)ustice or mista(es of @ara 'hich are the causes of such "undeser%ed
isery"$ but other causes$ independent of the past @ara of either the producer or the innocent %icti of
their effects$ ne' actions generated by the 'ic&edness of en and circustances3 and 'hich arouse
@aric la' to fresh acti%ity$ i$e$$ the punishent of those 'ho caused these ne' 6idanas (or causal
connections/$ and the re'ard of hi 'ho suffered fro the undeser%edly!
C8 E* /-/ 3$ %an a dreamer be 5en rapport5 with an entity in Devachan?
A! #he only possible eans of counicating 'ith De%achanees is during sleep by a drea or
%ision$ or in trance state! =o De%achanee can descend into our plane3 it is for us - or rather our inner Self
- to ascend to his!
C8 E* /-? !!! the 4uestion raised 'as 'hether or not all stayed 1,00 years in De%achan!
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2ell$ Kudge$ you ust &no' 'ell that under the philosophy 'e don't all stay there so long! 0t %aries 'ith
the character of each! A thoroughly aterial thin&er 'ill eerge sooner than one 'ho is a spiritual
philosopher and good! ;esides$ recollect that all 'or&ers for the *odge$ no atter of 'hat degree$ are
helped out of De%achan if they thesel%es perit it! Eour o'n idea 'hich you ha%e stated$ that 1,00
years had not elapsed since you 'ent into De%achan$ is correct$ and 'hat 0 tell is 'hat )aster hiself
tells e! 7o there you are!
"+ ?D6?? #he De%a-Chan$ or land of "7u&ha%ati"$ is allegorically described by our *ord ;uddha hiself!
2hat he said ay be found in the Shan!Mun!yi!Tung! 7ays #athagata--
")any thousand yriads of systes of 'orlds beyond this (ours/ there is a region of ;liss called
Su(havati !!! #his region is encircled 'ith seven ro's of railings$ seven ro's of %ast curtains$ seven ro's
of 'a%ing trees3 this holy abode of Arhats is go%erned by the #athagatas (Dhyan Chohans/ and is
possessed by the ;odhisat'as! 0t hath seven precious la&es$ in the idst of 'hich flo' crystalline 'aters
ha%ing 'seven and one' properties$ or distincti%e 4ualities (the D principles eanating fro the <=9/!
#his$ <$ 7ariputra is the 'De%a Chan'! 0ts di%ine Adabara flo'er casts a root in the shadow of every
earth$ and blossos for all those 'ho reach it! #hose born in the blessed region are truly felicitous$ there
are no ore griefs or sorro's in that cycle for the !!! )yriads of 7pirits (*ha/ resort there for rest and
then return to their own regions! Again$ <$ 7ariputra$ in that land of 1oy any 'ho are born in it are
A%ai%artyas !!!"
"+ ?@6,00 Certainly the ne' Ego once that it is reborn Iin De%a ChanJ$ retains for a certain tie -
proportionate to its 9arth-life$ a "coplete recollection of his life on earth"! (7ee your preceding 4uery/!
;ut it can never return on earth$ fro the De%a Chan$ nor has the latter - e%en oitting all
"anthropoorphic ideas of God" - any reseblance to the paradise or hea%en of any religion$ and it is
>!P!;!'s literary fancy that suggested to her the 'onderful coparison!
"+ ?@6!00 "2ho goes to De%a ChanB" #he personal 9go of course$ but beatified$ purified$ holy! 9%ery
9go - the cobination of the si6th and se%enth principles - 'hich after the period of unconscious
gestation is reborn into the De%a-Chan$ is of necessity as innocent and pure as a ne'-born babe! #he
fact of his being reborn at all$ sho's the preponderance of good o%er e%il in his old personality! And 'hile
the @ara (of e%il/ steps aside for the tie being to follo' hi in his future earth-reincarnations$ he
brings along 'ith hi but the @ara of his good deeds$ 'ords$ and thoughts$ into this De%a-Chan! ;ad is
a relati%e ter for us - as you 'ere told ore than once before$ - and the *a' of :etribution is the only
la' that ne%er errs! >ence all those 'ho ha%e not slipped do'n into the ire of unredeeable sin and
bestiality - go to the De%a Chan! #hey 'ill ha%e to pay for their sins$ %oluntary and in%oluntary$ later on!
)ean'hile they are re'arded3 recei%e the effects of the causes produced by the!
<f course it is a state$ one$ so to say$ of intense selfishness during 'hich an Ego reaps the re'ard of his
unselfishness on earth! >e is copletely engrossed in the bliss of all his personal earthly affections$
preferences and thoughts$ and gathers in the fruits of his eritorious actions! =o pain$ no grief nor e%en
the shado' of a sorro' coes to dar&en the bright horizon of his unalloyed happiness3 for it is a state of
perpetual 5Maya5!
Page ,D
7ince the conscious perception of one's personality on earth is but an e%anescent drea that sense 'ill
be e4ually that of a drea in the De%a-Chan - only a hundred fold intensified! 7o uch so indeed$ that
the happy 9go is unable to see through the %eil the e%ils$ sorro's and 'oes to 'hich those it lo%ed on
earth ay be sub1ected to! 0t li%es in a s'eet drea 'ith its lo%ed ones - 'hether gone before$ or yet
reaining on earth3 it has the near itself$ as happy$ as blissful and as innocent as the disebodied
dreaer hiself3 and yet$ apart fro rare %isions the denizens of our gross planet feel it not! 0t is in this$
during such a condition of coplete Maya that the 7ouls or astral 9gos of pure$ lo%ing sensiti%es$
labouring under the sae illusion$ thin& their lo%ed ones coe do'n to the on earth$ 'hile it is their
o'n 7pirits that are raised to'ards those in the De%a-Chan!
"+ ,006,0/ Ees$ there are great %arieties in the De%a-Chan states$ and it is all as you say! As any
%arieties of bliss$ as on earth there are shades of perception and of capability to appreciate such re'ard!
0t is an ideated paradise$ in each case of the 9go's o'n a&ing$ and by hi filled 'ith the scenery$
cro'ded 'ith the incidents$ and thronged 'ith the people he 'ould e6pect to find in such a sphere of
copensati%e bliss! 0t is that %ariety 'hich guides the teporary personal Ego into the current 'hich 'ill
lead hi to be reborn in a lo'er or higher condition in the ne6t 'orld of causes! 9%erything is so
haroniously ad1usted in nature - especially in the sub1ecti%e 'orld$ that no ista&e can e%er be
coitted by the #athagatas - or Dhyan Chohans - 'ho guide the ipulses!
"+ ,006,0/ O! <n the face of the idea$ a purely spiritual state 'ould only be en1oyable to the entities
highly spiritualized in this life! ;ut there are yriads of %ery good people (orally/ 'ho are not
spiritualized at all! >o' can they be fitted to pass$ 'ith their recollections of this life fro a aterial to a
spiritual condition of e6istenceB
A! 0t is "a spiritual condition" only as contrasted 'ith our o'n grossly "aterial condition"$ and$ as already
stated - it is such degrees of spirituality that constitute and deterine the great "%arieties" of conditions
'ithin the liits of De%a-Chan! A other fro a sa%age tribe is not less happy than a other fro a regal
palace$ 'ith her lost child in her ars3 and although as actual 9gos$ children preaturely dying before
the perfection of their septenary 9ntity do not find their 'ay to De%a-Chan$ yet all the sae the other's
lo%ing fancy finds her children there$ 'ithout one issing that her heart yearns for! 7ay - it is but a drea$
but after all 'hat is ob1ecti%e life itself but a panoraa of %i%id unrealitiesB #he pleasures realized by a
:ed 0ndian in his "happy hunting grounds' in that *and of Dreas is not less intense than the ecstasy felt
by a connoisseur 'ho passes aeons in the rapt delight of listening to di%ine 7yphonies by iaginary
angelic choirs and orchestras! As it is no fault of the forer$ if born a "sa%age" 'ith an instinct to &ill -
though it caused the death of any an innocent anial - 'hy$ if 'ith it all$ he 'as a lo%ing father$ son$
husband$ 'hy should he not also en1oy his share of re'ardB #he case 'ould be 4uite different if the
sae cruel acts had been done by an educated and ci%ilized person$ fro a ere lo%e of sport! #he
sa%age in being reborn 'ould siply ta&e a lo' place in the scale$ by reason of his iperfect oral
de%elopent3 'hile the Karma of the other 'ould be tainted 'ith oral delin4uency !!!
9%ery one but that ego 'hich$ attracted by its gross agnetis$ falls into the current that 'ill dra' it into
the "planet of Death" - the ental as 'ell as physical satellite of our earth - is fitted to pass into a relati%e
"spiritual" condition ad1usted to his pre%ious condition in life and ode of thought! #o y &no'ledge and
recollection >!P!;! e6plained to )r! >ue that an's si6th principle$ as soething purely spiritual could
not e6ist$ or ha%e conscious being in the De%a-Chan$ unless it assiilated soe of the ore abstract and
pure of the ental attributes of the fifth principle or anial 7oul- its manas (ind/ and eory!
Page ,C
"+ ,0/6,0B O! And ho' is a spiritual e6istence in 'hich e%erything has erged into the si6th principle$
copatible 'ith that consciousness of indi%idual and personal aterial life 'hich ust be attributed to
the 9go in De%a-Chan if he retains his earthly consciousness as stated in the Theosophist =oteB
A! #he 4uestion is no' sufficiently e6plained$ 0 belie%e- the si6th and se%enth principles apart fro the
rest constitute the eternal iperishable but also unconscious ")onad"! #o a'a&en in it to life the latent
consciousness$ especially that of personal indi%iduality$ re4uires the onad plus the highest attributes of
the fifth - the "anial soul"3 and it is that 'hich a&es the ethereal Ego that li%es and en1oys bliss in the
De%a-Chan! 7pirit$ or the unalloyed eanations of the <=9 - the latter foring 'ith the se%enth and si6th
principles the highest triad - neither of the t'o eanations are capable of assiilating but that 'hich is
good$ pure and holy3 hence no sensual$ aterial or unholy recollection can follo' the purified eory of
the Ego to the region of ;liss! #he @ara for these recollections of e%il deeds and thought 'ill reach the
9go 'hen it changes its personality in the follo'ing 'orld of causes! #he Monad$ or the "7piritual
0ndi%iduality"$ reains untainted in all cases! "=o sorro' or Pain for those born there (in the .upa!Lo(a
of De%a-Chan/3 for this is the Pureland! All the regions in 7pace possess such lands (Sa(wala/$ but this
land of ;liss is the ost pure!" 0n the D)nana rasthana Shaster$ it is said- "by personal purity and
earnest editation$ 'e o%erleap the liits of the 2orld of Desire$ and enter in the 2orld of Fors"!
"+ ,0A6,0C ";ardo" is the period bet'een death and rebirth - and ay last fro a fe' years to a &alpa!
0t is di%ided into three sub-periods (1/ 'hen the Ego deli%ered of its ortal coil enters into Kama!Lo(a
(the abode of 9leentaries Ior shellsJ3 (5/ 'hen it enters into its "Gestation 7tate"3 (+/ 'hen it is reborn in
the .upa!Lo(a of De%a-Chan! 7ub-period (1/ ay last fro a fe' inutes to a number of years - the
phrase "a fe' years" becoing puzzling and utterly 'orthless 'ithout a ore coplete e6planation3 7ub-
period (5/ is "%ery long"3 as you say$ longer soeties than you ay e%en iagine$ yet proportionate to
the Ego7s spiritual staina3 7ub-period (+/ lasts in proportion to the good @ara$ after 'hich the monad
is again reincarnated! #he &gama Sutra saying-- "in all these .upa!Lo(as$ the De%as (7pirits/ are e4ually
sub1ected to birth$ decay$ old age$ and death$" eans only that an 9go is borne thither then begins fading
out and finally "dies"$ i!e!$ falls into that unconscious condition 'hich preceded rebirth3 and ends the
7lo&a 'ith these 'ords- "As the de%as eerge fro these hea%ens$ they enter the lo'er 'orld again-"
i!e!$ they lea%e a 'orld of bliss to be reborn into a 'orld of causes!
"+ ,0A6,0- )ost ephatically the "the De%a-Chan is not solely the heritage of adepts"$ and ost
decidedly there is a "hea%en" - if you must use this astro-geographical Christian ter - for "an iense
nuber of those 'ho ha%e gone before"! ;ut "the life of 9arth" can be 'atched by none of these$ for
reasons of the *a' of ;liss plus Maya$ already gi%en!
"+ ,0A6,0- O! And for ho' longB Does this state of spiritual beatitude endure for yearsB for decadesB
for centuriesB
A! For years$ decades$ centuries and illennius oftenties ultiplied by soething ore! 0t all
depends upon the duration of @ara! Fill 'ith oil Den's I7innett's sonJ little cup$ and a city :eser%oir of
'ater (sic/$ and lighting both see 'hich burns the longer! #he Ego is the 'ic& and @ara the oil3 the
difference in the 4uantity of the latter (in the cup and the reser%oir/ suggesting to you the great difference
in the duration of %arious Karmas! 9%ery effect ust be proportionate to the cause! And$ as an's ters
of incarnate e6istence bear but a sall proportion to his periods of inter-natal e6istence in the
Page ,9
an%antaric cycle$ so the good thoughts$ 'ords and deeds of any one of these "li%es" on a globe are
causati%e of effects$ the 'or&ing out of 'hich re4uires far ore tie than the e%olution of the causes
occupied! #herefore$ 'hen you read in the Kats and other fabulous stories of the ;uddhist 7criptures that
this or the other good action 'as re'arded by @alpas of se%eral figures of bliss$ do not sile at the
absurd e6aggeration$ but bear in ind 'hat 0 ha%e said! Fro a sall seed$ you &no'$ sprung a tree
'hose life endures no' for 55 centuries3 0 ean the Anuradha-pura "o tree! =or ust you laugh$ if e%er
you coe across indha!Dhana or any other ;uddhist Sutra and read- ";et'een the Kama!Lo(a and the
.upa!Lo(a there is a locality$ the d'elling of ')ara' (Death/! #his )ara filled 'ith passion and lust$
destroys all %irtuous principles$ as a stone grinds corn! >is palace is D000 yo1anas s4uare$ and is
surrounded by a seven-fold 'all"$ for you 'ill feel no' ore prepared to understand the allegory!
"+ ,/A6,/D Most of those$ 'ho you ay call$ if you li&e$ candidates for Deva!%han - die and are
reborn in the @aa-*o&a "'ithout reebrance"3 though (and 1ust because/ they do get soe of it bac&
in De%a-Chan! =or can 'e call it a full$ but only partial reebrance! Eou 'ould hardly call
"reebrance" a drea of yours3 soe particular scene or scenes$ 'ithin 'hose narro' liits you
'ould find enclosed a fe' persons - those 'ho you lo%ed best$ 'ith an undying lo%e$ that holy feeling
that alone sur%i%es$ and - not the slightest recollection of any other e%ents or scenesB Love and #atred
are the only immortal feelings$ the only sur%i%ors fro the 'rec& of 0e!damma$ or the phenoenal 'orld!
0agine yourself then$ in De%a-Chan 'ith those you ay ha%e lo%ed 'ith such iortal lo%e3 'ith the
failiar$ shado'y scenes connected 'ith the for a bac&ground and - a perfect blan& for e%erything else
relating to your interior$ social$ political$ literary and social life! And then$ in the face of that spiritual$ purely
cogitati%e e6istence$ of that unalloyed felicity 'hich$ in proportion 'ith the intensity of the feelings that
created it$ last fro a fe' to se%eral thousand years$ - call it the "personal reebrance of A!P!7innett" -
if you can! Dreadfully onotonousL - you ay thin&! - =ot in the least - 0 ans'er! >a%e you e6perienced
onotony during - say - that oent 'hich you considered then and now so consider it - as the oent
of the highest bliss you ha%e e%ery feltB - <f course not! - 2ell no ore 'ill you e6perience it there$ in
that passage through 9ternity in 'hich a illion of years is no longer than a second! #here$ 'here there
is no consciousness of an e6ternal 'orld there can be no discernent to ar& differences$ hence$ - no
perception of contrasts of onotony or %ariety3 nothing in short$ outside that iortal feeling of lo%e and
sypathetic attraction 'hose seeds are planted in the fifth$ 'hose plants blosso lu6uriantly in and
around the fourth$ but 'hose roots ha%e to penetrate deep into the si6th principle if it 'ould sur%i%e the
lo'er groups!
"+ ,A,6,AB !!! unless he Iany anJ has a strong desire to li%e$ he need not trouble hiself about Deva!
%han! Anless a an loves 'ell or hates as 'ell$ he 'ill be neither in De%a-Chan nor in A%itchi! "=ature
spe's the lu&e-'ar out of her outh" eans only that she annihilates their personal 9gos (not the
shells nor yet the si6th principle/ in the @aa *o&a and the De%a-Chan! #his does not pre%ent the fro
being iediately reborn - and$ if their li%es 'ere not %ery very bad$ - there is no reason 'hy the eternal
)onad should not find the page of the life intact in the ;oo& of *ife!
"+ ,BA6,BD O! 2hen you 'rote ">a%e you e6perienced onotony during that oent 'hich you
considered then and no' so consider it$ - as the oent of the highest bliss you ha%e e%er feltB" - did
you refer to any specific oent and any specific e%ent in y life$ or 'ere you erely referring to an P
4uantity - the happiest oent 'hate%er it ight ha%e beenB
"+ ,--6,D0 A! =o$ good friend3 0 a not as indiscreet as all that$ 0 left you siply to your o'n
Page .0
reiniscences! 9%ery ortal creature$ e%en the less fa%oured by Fortune$ has such oents of relati%e
happiness at soe tie of his life! 2hy shouldn't youB Ees$ it 'as an P 4uantity 0 referred to!
"+ ,BA6,BD O! Eou say-- :eeber 'e create oursel%es$ our De%a Chan$ and our A%itchi and ostly
during the latter days and e%en oents of our sentient li%es!
"+ ,-D6,D0 A! 0t is a 'idely spread belief aong all the >indus that a person's future pre-natal state and
birth are oulded by the last desire he ay ha%e at the tie of death! ;ut this last desire$ they say$
necessarily hinges on to the shape 'hich the person ay ha%e gi%en to his desires$ passions$ etc!$
during his past life! 0t is for this %ery reason$ %iz! - that our last desire ay not be unfa%ourable to our
future progress - that 'e ha%e to 'atch our actions and control our passions and desires throughout our
'hole earthly career!"
"+ ,BA6,BD O! ;ut do the thoughts on 'hich the ind ay be engaged at the last oent necessarily
hinge on to the predoinant character of its past lifeB <ther'ise it 'ould see as if the character of a
person's De%a Chan or A%itchi ight be capriciously and un1ustly deterined by the chance 'hich
brought soe special thought upperost at the lastB
"+ ,-D6,D0 A! 0t cannot be other'ise! #he e6perience of dying en - by dro'ning and other accidents -
brought bac& to life$ has corroborated our doctrine in alost e%ery case! 7uch thoughts are involuntary
and 'e ha%e no ore control o%er the than 'e 'ould o%er the eye's retina to pre%ent it percei%ing that
colour 'hich affects it ost! At the last oent$ the 'hole life is reflected in our eory and eerges
fro all the forgotten noo&s and corners picture after picture$ one e%ent after the other! #he dying brain
dislodges eory 'ith a strong supree ipulse$ and eory restores faithfully e%ery ipression
entrusted to it during the period of the brain's acti%ity! #hat ipression and thought 'hich 'as strongest
naturally becoes the ost %i%id and sur%i%es so to say all the rest 'hich no' %anish and disappear for
e%er$ to reappear but in De%achan! (Footnote- Good graciousL had 0 forgotten in y hurry to add the last
five words$ 'ould not 0 ha%e caught it as a charge of flat contradictionL/ =o an dies insane or
unconscious - as soe physiologists assert! 9%en a madman$ or one in a fit of delirium tremens 'ill ha%e
his instant of perfect lucidity at the oent of death$ though unable to say so to those present! #he an
ay often appear dead! Eet fro the last pulsation$ fro and bet'een the last throbbing of his heart and
the oent 'hen the last spar& of anial heat lea%es the body - the brain thin(s and the Ego li%es o%er
in those fe' brief seconds his 'hole life o%er again! 7pea& in 'hispers$ ye 'ho assist at a death-bed and
find yoursel%es in the solen presence of Death! 9specially ha%e you to &eep 4uiet 1ust after Death has
laid her clay hand upon the body! 7pea& in 'hispers$ 0 say$ lest you disturb the 4uiet ripple of thought$
and hinder the busy 'or& of the Past casting its reflection upon the 8eil of the Future!
"+ ,@B6,@D #herefore$ there is no contradiction in saying$ that the ego once reborn in the De%achan$
"retains for a certain tie proportionate to its earth life a complete recollection of his (7piritual/ life on
earth"! >ere again the oission of the 'ord "7piritual" alone$ produced a isunderstandingL
All those that do not slip do'n into the Cth sphere - go to the Devachan! 2here's the point ade or the
contradictionB
Page .1
#he De%achan State$ 0 repeat$ can be as little described or e6plained$ by gi%ing a ho'e%er inute and
graphic description of the state of one ego ta&en at rando$ as all the huan li%es collecti%ely could be
described by the "*ife of =apoleon" or that of any other an! #here are illions of %arious states of
happiness and isery$ emotional states ha%ing their source in the physical as 'ell as the spiritual
faculties and senses$ and only the latter sur%i%ing! An honest labourer 'ill feel differently fro an honest
millionaire! )iss =ightingale's state 'ill differ considerably fro that of a young bride 'ho dies before the
consuation of 'hat she regards as happiness! #he t'o forer lo%e their failies3 the philanthropist -
huanity3 the girl centres the 'hole 'orld in her future husband3 the melomanic &no's of no higher state
of bliss and happiness than usic - the ost di%ine and spiritual of arts! #he de%achan erges fro its
highest into its lo'est degree - by insensible gradations3 'hile fro the last step of devachan$ the 9go
'ill often find itself in A%itcha's faintest state$ 'hich$ to'ards the end of the spiritual selection of e%ents
ay becoe a bona fide "A%itcha"! :eeber e%ery feeling is relati%e! #here is neither good nor evil'
happiness nor misery per se! #he transcendent' evanescent bliss of an adulterer$ 'ho by his act urders
the happiness of a husband$ is no less spiritually born for its criinal nature! 0f a reorse of conscience
(the latter proceeding always from the Si,th rinciple/ has only once been felt during the period of bliss
and really spiritual lo%e$ born in the si6th and fifth$ ho'e%er$ polluted by the desires of the fourth$ or
Kamarupa - then this reorse must sur%i%e and will accompany incessantly the scenes of pure love! 0
need not enter into details$ since a physiological e6pert$ as 0 ta&e you to be$ need hardly ha%e his
iagination and intuitions propted by a psychological obser%er of y sort! 7earch in the depths of your
conscience and eory and try to see 'hat are the scenes that are li&ely to ta&e their fir hold upon
you3 'hen once ore in their presence you find yourself living them over again3 and that$ ensnared$ you
'ill ha%e forgotten all the rest - this latter aong other things$ since in the course of e%ents it 'ill coe
far later on in the panoraa of your resurrected life! 0 ha%e no right to loo& into your past life! 2hene%er 0
ay ha%e caught glipses of it$ 0 ha%e in%ariably turned y eyes a'ay$ for 0 ha%e to deal 'ith the
present A!P! 7innett - (also and by far ore "a ne' in%ention" than the e6 A!P!7!/ - not 'ith the ancient
an!
Ees3 Love and #atred are the only iortal feelings3 but the gradations of tones along the se%en by
se%en scales of the 'hole &ey-board of life$ are nuberless! And$ since it is those t'o feelings - (or$ to be
correct$ shall 0 ris& being isunderstood again and say those t'o poles of an's "7oul" 'hich is a unityB/
- that ould the future state of an$ 'hether for devachan or &vitcha then the %ariety of such states ust
also be ine6haustible!
"+ ,@@6,?, 2hy should it be supposed that devachan is a onotonous condition only because one
oent of earthly sensation is infinitely perpetuated - stretched$ so to say$ throughout aeonsB 0t is not$ it
cannot be so! #his 'ould be contrary to all analogies and antagonistic to the la' of effects under 'hich
results are proportioned to antecedent energies! #o a&e it clear you ust &eep in ind that there are
t'o fields of causal anifestation$ to 'it$ the ob1ecti%e and the sub1ecti%e! 7o the grosser energies$ those
'hich operate in the hea%ier or denser conditions of atter anifest ob1ecti%ely in physical life$ their
outcoe being the ne' personality of each birth included 'ithin the grand cycle of the e%ol%ing
indi%iduality! #he oral and spiritual acti%ities find their sphere of effects in "de%achan"! For e6aple$ the
%ices$ physical attractions$ etc! - say$ of a philosopher ay result in the birth of a ne' philosopher$ a &ing
or a erchant$ a rich 9picurean$ or any other personality 'hose a&e-up 'as ine%itable fro the
preponderating procli%ities of the being in the ne6t preceding birth! ;acon$ for inst!- 'ho a poet called -
"#he greatest$ 'isest$ meanest of an&ind" - ight reappear in his ne6t incarnation as a greedy oney-
getter$ 'ith e6traordinary intellectual capacities! ;ut the oral and spiritual 4ualities of the pre%ious
;acon 'ould also ha%e to find a field in 'hich their energies could e6pand thesel%es! De%achan is such
Page .5
a field! >ence - all the great plans of oral refor$ of intellectual and spiritual research into abstract
principles of nature$ all the di%ine aspirations$ 'ould in de%achan coe to fruition$ and the abstract entity
pre%iously &no'n as the great Chancellor 'ould occupy itself in this inner 'orld of its o'n preparation$
li%ing$ if not 4uite 'hat one 'ould call a conscious e6istence$ at least a drea of such realistic %i%idness
that none of the life-realities could e%er atch it! And this "drea" lasts - until @ara is satisfied in that
direction$ the ripple of force reaches the edge of its cyclic basin$ and the being o%es into the ne6t area
of causes! #his$ it ay find in the sae 'orld as before$ or another$ according to his or her stage of
progression through the necessary rings and rounds of huan de%elopent!
#hen - ho' can you thin& that "but one oent of earthly sensation only is selected for perpetuation"B
8ery true$ that "oent" lasts fro the first to the last3 but then it lasts but as the &ey-note of the 'hole
harony$ a definite tone of appreciable pitch$ around 'hich cluster and de%elop in progressi%e %ariations
of elody and as endless %ariations on a thee$ all the aspirations$ desires$ hopes$ dreas$ 'hich$ in
connection 'ith that particular "oent" had e%er crossed the 5dreamer7s5 brain during his lifetie$
'ithout ha%ing e%er found their realization on earth$ and 'hich he no' finds fully realized in all their
%i%idness in de%achan$ 'ithout e%er suspecting that all that blissful reality is but the progeny begotten by
his o'n fancy$ the effects of the ental causes produced by hiself! #hat particular one moment 'hich
'ill be ost intense and upperost in the thoughts of his dying brain at the tie of dissolution 'ill of
course regulate all the other "oents"3 still the latter - inor and less %i%id though they be - 'ill be there
also$ ha%ing their appointed plan in his phantasagoric arshalling of past dreas$ and ust gi%e
%ariety to the 'hole! =o an on earth$ but has soe decided predilection if not a doineering passion3
no person$ ho'e%er huble and poor - and often because of that - but indulges in dreas and desires
unsatisfied though these be! 0s this onotonyB 2ould you call such %ariations ad infinitum on the one
thee$ and that thee odelling itself$ on$ and ta&ing colour and its definite shape fro$ that group of
desires 'hich 'as the ost intense during life "a blan& destitution of all &no'ledge in the de%achanic
ind" - seeing "in a easure ignoble"B #hen$ %erily$ either you ha%e failed$ as you say$ to ta&e in y
eaning$ or it is 0 'ho a to blae! 0 ust ha%e sorely failed to con%ey the right eaning$ and ha%e to
confess y inability to describe the -indescribable! #he latter is a difficult tas&$ good friend! Anless the
intuiti%e perceptions of a trained chela coe to the rescue$ no aount of description - ho'e%er graphic -
'ill help! 0ndeed$ - no ade4uate 'ords to e6press the difference bet'een a state of ind on earth$ and
one outside of its sphere of action3 no 9nglish ters in e6istence$ e4ui%alent to ours3 nothing -but
una%oidable (as due to early 2estern education/ preconceptions$ hence - lines of thought in a 'rong
direction in the learner's ind to help us in this inoculation of entirely ne' thoughtsL Eou are right! =ot
only "ordinary people" - your readers - but e%en such idealists and highly intellectual units as )r C!C!)!
'ill fail$ 0 a afraid$ to seize the true idea$ 'ill never fatho it to its %ery depths! Perhaps$ you ay soe
day$ realize better than you do no'$ one of the chief reasons for our un'illingness to ipart our
@no'ledge to 9uropean candidates!
"+ ,?06,?A "A an in the 'ay to learn soething of the ysteries of nature sees in a higher state of
e6istence to begin 'ith on earth than that 'hich nature apparently pro%ides for hi as a re'ard for his
best deeds!"
Perhaps "apparently" - not so in reality! 2hen the modus operandus of nature is correctly understood!
#hen that other isconception- "#he ore erit$ the longer period of de%achan! ;ut then in De%achan !!!
all sense of the lapse of tie is lost3 a inute is as a thousand years !!! a quoi bon then$ etc!"
Page .+
#his rear& and such 'ays of loo&ing at things ight as 'ell apply to the 'hole of 9ternity$ to =ir%ana$
Pralaya$ and 'hat not! 7ay$ at once that the 'hole syste of being$ of e6istence separate and collecti%e$
of nature ob1ecti%e and sub1ecti%e are but idiotic$ ailess facts$ a gigantic fraud of that nature$ 'hich
eeting 'ith little sypathy 'ith 2estern philosophy$ has$ oreo%er$ the cruel disapprobation of the best
"lay-chela"! & quoi bon$ in such a case$ this preaching of our doctrines$ all this uphill 'or& and s'iing
in adversum flumenB 2hy should the 2est be so an6ious then to learn anything fro the 9ast$ since it is
e%idently unable to digest that 'hich can ne%er eet the re4uireents of the special tastes of its
9sthetics! 7orry outloo& for us$ since e%en you fail to ta&e in the 'hole agnitude of our philosophy$ or to
e%en ebrace at one scope a sall corner - the de%achan - of those sublie and infinite horizons of
"after life"! 0 do not 'ant to discourage you! 0 'ould only dra' your attention to the foridable difficulties
encountered by us in e%ery attept 'e a&e to e6plain our etaphysics to 2estern inds$ e%en aong
the ost intelligent! Alas$ y friend$ you see as unable to assiilate our ode of thin&ing$ as to digest
our food$ or en1oy our elodiesL
(191-19?/ =o3 there are no cloc&s$ no tiepieces in De%achan$ y esteeed chela$ though the 'hole
Cosos is a gigantic chronoeter in one sense! =or do 'e ortals$ - ici bas meme - ta&e uch$ if any$
cognizance of time during oents of happiness and bliss$ and find the e%er too short$ a fact that does
not in the least pre%ent us fro en1oying that happiness all the sae$ 'hen it does coe! >a%e you e%er
gi%en a thought to this little possibility that$ perhaps$ it is because their cup of bliss is full to its bri$ that
the "de%achanee" loses "all sense of the lapse of tie"3 and that is soething that those 'ho land in
&vitchi do not$ though as uch as the devachanee$ the &vitchee has no cognizance of tie - i!e!$ of our
earthly calculations of periods of tieB 0 ay also reind you in this connection that time is something
created entirely by ourselves3 that 'hile one short second of intense agony ay appear$ e%en on earth$
as an eternity to one an$ to another$ ore fortunate$ hours$ days$ and soeties 'hole years ay
see to flit li&e one brief oent3 and that finally$ of all the sentient and conscious beings on earth$ an
is the only anial that ta&es any cognizance of tie$ although it a&es hi neither happier nor 'iser!
>o' then$ can 0 e6plain to you that 'hich cannot feel$ since you see unable to coprehend itB Finite
siiles are unfit to e6press the abstract and the infinite3 nor can the ob1ecti%e e%er irror the sub1ecti%e!
#o realize the bliss in Devachan$ or the 'oes in &vitchi$ you ha%e to assiilate the - as 'e do! 2estern
critical idealis (as sho'n in )r :oden =oel's attac&s/ has still to learn the difference that e6ists bet'een
the real being of super-sensible ob1ects$ and the shado'y sub1ecti%ity of the ideas it has reduced the
to! Time is not a predicate conception and can$ therefore$ neither be pro%ed nor analyzed$ according to
the ethods of superficial philosophy! And$ unless 'e learn to counteract the negati%e results of that
ethod of dra'ing our conclusions agreeably to the teachings of the so-called "syste of pure reason"$
and to distinguish bet'een the atter and the for of our &no'ledge of sensible ob1ects$ 'e can ne%er
arri%e at correct$ definite conclusions! #he case in hand$ as defended by e against your (%ery natural/
isconception is a good proof of the shallo'ness and e%en fallacy of that "syste of pure (aterialistic/
reason"! 7pace and tie ay be - as @ant has it - not the product but the regulators of the sensations$
but only so far$ as our sensations on earth are concerned$ not those in Devachan! #here 'e do not find
the a priori ideas of those "space and tie" controlling the perceptions of the denizen of Devachan in
respect to the ob1ects of his sense3 but$ on the contrary$ 'e disco%er that it is the devachanee hiself
'ho absolutely creates both and annihilates the at the sae tie! #hus$ the "after states" so called$
can ne%er be correctly 1udged by practical reason since the latter can ha%e acti%e being only in the
sphere of final causes or ends$ and can hardly be regarded 'ith @ant ('ith 'ho it eans on one page
reason and on the ne6t - 'ill/ as the highest spiritual po'er in an$ ha%ing for its sphere that 20**! #he
abo%e is not dragged in - as you ay thin& - for the sa&e of an (too far stretched$ perhaps/ arguent$ but
'ith an eye to a future discussion "at hoe"$ as you e6press it$ 'ith students and adirers of @ant and
Plato that you 'ill ha%e to encounter!
Page .?
(195-19,/ 0n a plainer language$ 0 'ill no' tell you the follo'ing$ and$ it 'ill be no fault of ine if you still
fail to coprehend its full eaning! As physical e6istence has its cuulati%e intensity fro infancy to
prie$ and its diinishing energy thencefor'ard to dotage and death$ so the drea-life of de%achan is
li%ed correspondentially! >ence you are right in saying that the "7oul" can ne%er a'a&e to its ista&e and
find itself "cheated by nature" - the ore so$ as strictly spea&ing$ the 'hole of the huan life and its
boasted realities$ are no better than such "cheating"! ;ut you are 'rong in pandering to the pre1udices
and preconceptions of the 2estern readers (no Asiatic 'ill e%er agree 'ith you upon this point/ 'hen you
add that "there is a sense of unreality about the 'hole affair 'hich is painful to the ind"$ since you are
the first one to feel that$ it is no doubt due uch ore to "an iperfect grasp of the nature of the
e6istence" in de%achan - than to any defect in our syste! >ence - y orders to a chela to reproduce in
an Appendi6 to your article e6tracts fro this letter and e6planations calculated to disabuse the reader$
and to obliterate$ as far as possible$ the painful ipression this confession of yours is sure to produce on
hi! #he 'hole paragraph is dangerous! 0 do not feel yself 1ustified in crossing it out$ since it is
e%idently the e6pression of your real feelings$ &indly$ though - pardon e for saying so - a little clusily
'hite-'ashed 'ith an apparent defence of this (to your ind/ wea( point of the syste! ;ut it is not so$
belie%e e! =ature cheats no ore the devachanee than she does the li%ing$ physical an! =ature
pro%ides for hi far ore real bliss and happiness there$ than she does here$ 'here all the conditions of
e%il and chance are against hi$ and his inherent helplessness - that of a stra' %iolently blo'n hither and
thither by e%ery reorseless 'ind - has ade unalloyed happiness on this earth an utter ipossibility for
the huan being$ 'hate%er his chances and condition ay be! :ather call this life an ugly$ horrid
nightare$ and you 'ill be right! #o call the de%achan e6istence a "drea" in any other sense but that of
a con%enient ter$ 'ell suited to our language all full of isnoers - is to renounce for e%er the
&no'ledge of the esoteric doctrine - the sole custodian of truth! *et e then try once ore to e6plain to
you a fe' of the any states in De%achan and -A%itchi!
As in actual earth-life$ so there is for the 9go in de%achan -the first flutter of psychic life$ the attainent of
prie$ the gradual e6haustion of force$ passing into sei-unconsciousness$ gradual obli%ion and
lethargy$ total obli%ion and - not death but birth3 birth into another personality$ and the resuption of
action 'hich daily begets ne' congeries of causes$ that ust be 'or&ed out in another ter of
De%achan$ and still another physical rebirth as a ne' personality! 2hat the li%es in devachan and upon
9arth$ shall be respecti%ely in each instance is deterined by @ara! And this 'eary round of birth upon
birth ust be e%er and e%er run through until the being reaches the end of the se%enth round$ or - attains
in the interi the 'isdo of an Arhat$ then that of a ;uddha and thus gets relie%ed for a round or t'o$ -
ha%ing learned ho' to burst through the %icious circles - and to pass periodically into the Paranir%ana!
(19+-19./ ;ut suppose it is not a 4uestion of a ;acon$ a Goethe$ a 7helley$ a >o'ard$ but of soe hu-
dru person$ soe colourless$ flac&less personality$ 'ho ne%er ipinged upon the 'orld enough to
a&e hiself felt$ 'hat thenB 7iply that his de%achanic state is as colourless and feeble as 'as his
personality! >o' could it be other'ise since cause and effect are e4ual! ;ut suppose a case of a onster
of 'ic&edness$ sensuality$ abition$ a%arice$ pride$ deceit$ etc!$ but 'ho ne%ertheless has a ger or
gers of soething better$ flashes of a ore di%ine nature - 'here is he to goB #he said spar&
souldering under a heap of dirt 'ill counteract$ ne%ertheless$ the attraction of the eighth sphere$ 'hither
fall but absolute nonentities$ "failures of nature"$ to be reodelled entirely$ 'hole di%ine onad separated
itself fro the fi%e principles during their life-tie$ ('hether in the ne6t preceding or se%eral preceding
births$ since such cases are on our records/$ and 'ho ha%ing li%ed as soulless huan beings!
Page .,
Footnote- !!!the 'ord 'soul' standing for '7piritual 7oul'$ of course$ 'hich$ 'hene%er it lea%es a person
"7oulless" becoes the cause of the fifth principle (Anial 7oul/ sliding do'n into the eighth sphere!
#hese persons 'hose si6th principle has left the ('hile the se%enth ha%ing lost its vahan (or %ehicle/
can e6ist independently no longer/ their fifth or anial 7oul of course goes do'n "the bottoless pit"!
#his 'ill perhaps a&e 9liphas *e%i's hints still ore clear to you$ if you read o%er 'hat he says$ and y
rear&s on the argin$ thereon (see Theosophist$ <ctober$ 1CC1$ Article "Death"/ and reflect upon the
'ords used- such as drones etc! 2ell$ the first naed entity then$ cannot 'ith all its 'ic&edness go to the
eighth sphere - since his 'ic&edness is of a too spiritual' refined nature! >e is a monster - not a ere
Soulless brute! >e ust not be siply annihilated but PA=07>9D3 for$ annihilation$ i!e! total obli%ion$ and
the fact of being snuffed out of conscious e6istence$ constitutes per se no punishent$ and as 8oltaire
e6pressed it- "le neant ne laisse pas d'a%oir du bon"! >ere is no taper-glier to be puffed out by a
zephyr$ but a strong$ positi%e$ aleficent energy$ fed and de%eloped by circustances$ soe of 'hich
ay ha%e really been beyond his control! #here ust be for such a nature a state corresponding to
De%achan$ and this is found in &vitchi$ the perfect antithesis of devachan - %ulgarized by the 2estern
nations into >ell and >ea%en$ and 'hich you ha%e entirely lost sight of in your "Fragent"! :eeber-
"#o be iortal in good one ust identify hiself 'ith Good (or God/3 to be iortal in e%il -'ith e%il (or
7atan/"! )isconceptions of the true %alue of such ters as "7pirit"$ "7oul"$ "indi%iduality"$ "personality"$
and "0ortality" (especially/ - pro%o&e 'ordy 'ars bet'een a great nuber of idealistic debaters$
besides )essrs C!C!)! and :oden =oel! And$ to coplete your Fragent 'ithout ris&ing to fall again
under the angling tooth of the latter honourable gentlean's criticis - 0 found it necessary to add to
de%achan - A%itchi as its copleent and applying to it the sae la's as to the forer! #his is done$ 'ith
your perission$ in the &ppendi,!
(19?-19D/ >a%ing e6plained the situation sufficiently 0 ay no' ans'er your 4uery =o!1 directly! Ees$
certainly there is "a change of occupation"$ a continual change in De%achan$ 1ust as uch - and far ore
- as there is in the life of any an or 'oan 'ho happens to follo' his or her whole life one sole
occupation 'hate%er it ay be3 'ith that difference$ that to the Devachanee his special occupation is
al'ays pleasant and fills his life 'ith rapture! Change then there ust be$ for that drea-life is but the
fruition$ the har%est-tie of those psychic seed-gers dropped fro the tree of physical e6istence in our
oents of dreas and hopes$ fancy-glipses of bliss and happiness stifled in an ungrateful social soil$
blooing in the rosy da'n of De%achan$ and ripening under its e%er fructifying s&y! =o failures there$ no
disappointentsL 0f an had but one single oent of ideal happiness and e6perience during his life - as
you thin& - e%en then$ if De%achan e6ists$ - it could not be as you erroneously suppose the indefinite
prolongation of that "single oent"$ but the infinite de%elopents the %arious incidents and e%ents$
based upon$ and outflo'ing fro$ that one "single oent" or oents$ as the case ay be3 all in short
that 'ould suggest itself to the "dreaers" fancy! #hat one note$ as 0 said$ struc& fro the lyre of life$
'ould for but the @ey-note of the being's sub1ecti%e state$ and 'or& out into nuberless haronic
tones and sei-tones of psychic phantasagoria! #here - all unrealized hopes$ aspirations$ dreas$
becoe fully realized$ and the dreams of the ob1ecti%e becoe the realities of sub1ecti%e e6istence! And
there behind the curtain of )aya its %apours and decepti%e appearances are percei%ed by the adept$ 'ho
has learnt the great secret ho' to penetrate thus deeply into the Arcana of being!
Doubtless y 4uestion 'hether you had e6perienced onotony during 'hat you consider the happiest
oent of your life has entirely isled you! #his letter thus$ is the 1ust penance for y laziness to aplify
the e6planation!
Page ..
"+ ,?C6,?@ De%a Chan is a state$ not a locality! :upa *o&a$ Arupa-*o&a and @aa-*o&a are the three
spheres of ascending spirituality in 'hich the se%eral groups of sub1ecti%e entities find their attractions! 0n
the @aa-*o&a (sei-physical sphere/ d'ell the shells$ the %ictis and suicides3 and this sphere is
di%ided into innuerable regions and sub-regions corresponding to the ental states of the coers at
their hour of death! #his is the glorious "7uerland" of the 7piritualists$ to 'hose horizons is liited the
%ision of their best seers - %ision iperfect and defecti%e because untrained and non-guided by &laya
*i)nana (hidden &no'ledge/! 2ho in the 2est &no's anything of true Sahalo!Kadhatu$ the ysterious
Chiliocos out of the any regions of 'hich but three can be gi%en out to the outside 'orld$ the
Tribuvana (three 'orlds/ naely- @aa$ :upa$ and Arupa-*o&as!
"+ ,?-6,?? :oden =oel says a fe' pages further on$ that$ theosophists are endo'ing "shells" 'ith
simulated consciousness! 7ee the difference one 'ord 'ill a&e! 0f the 'ord "assiilated" instead of
"siulated" had been 'ritten the true idea 'ould ha%e been con%eyed that the shells' consciousness is
assimilated fro the ediu and li%ing persons present$ 'hereas no' --L ;ut of course$ it is not our
9uropean critics$ but our Asiatic chelas' e6positions that "see absolutely Protean in their e%er shifting
%ariety"! #he an has to be ans'ered and set right anyho'$ 'hether by yourself or )r )assey! ;ut alasL
the latter &no's but little$ and you$ - you loo& at our conception of de%achan 'ith ore than "discofort"L
;ut to resue!
Fro @aa *o&a then in the great Chiliocos$ - once a'a&ened fro their post-orte torpor$ the ne'ly
translated "7ouls" go all (but the shells/ according to their attractions either to De%achan or A%itchi! And
these t'o states are again differentiating ad infinitum - their ascending degrees of spirituality deri%ing
their naes fro the locas in 'hich they are induced! For instance3 the sensations$ perceptions and
ideation of a devachanee in .upa-*o&a 'ill$ of course$ be of less sub1ecti%e nature than they 'ould be in
&rupa-*o&a$ in both of 'hich the de%achanic e6periences 'ill %ary in their presentation to the sub1ect-
entity$ not only as regards for$ colour$ and substance$ but also in their forati%e potentialities! ;ut not
e%en the ost e6alted e6perience of a onad in the highest de%achanic state in &rupa-*o&a (the last of
the se%en states/ - is coparable to that perfectly sub1ecti%e condition of pure spirituality fro 'hich the
onad eerged to "descend into atter"$ and to 'hich at the copletion of the grand cycle it ust
return! =or is =ir%ana itself coparable to Para =ir%ana!
"+ ,?D6,?? :e%i%ing consciousness begins after the struggle in @aa-*o&a at the door of de%achan$
and only after the "gestation" period!
"+ ,?D6/00 #he stay in De%achan is proportional to the unfinished psychic ipulses originating in earth-
life3 those persons 'hose attractions 'ere preponderatingly aterial 'ill sooner be dra'n bac& into
rebirth by the force of Tanha! As our *ondon opponent truly rear&s- these sub1ects (etaphysical/ are
only partly for understanding! A higher faculty belonging to the higher life ust see$ - and it is truly
ipossible to force it upon one's understanding - erely in 'ords! <ne ust see 'ith his spiritual eye$
hear 'ith his Dhara&ayic ear$ feel 'ith the sensations of his &shta!vi)nyana (spiritual "0"/ before he can
coprehend this doctrine fully$ other'ise it ay but increase one's "discofort"$ and add to his
&no'ledge %ery little!
"+ ,?D6/00 #he "re'ard pro%ided by nature for en 'ho are bene%olent in a large$ systeatic 'ay" and
'ho ha%e not focussed their affections upon an indi%idual or speciality$ is that -if pure - they pass the
Page .D
4uic&er for that through the @aa and :upa *o&as into the higher sphere of Tribuvana$ since it is one
'here the forulation of abstract ideas and the consideration of general principles fill the thought of its
occupants! Personality is the synony for liitation$ and the ore contracted the person's ideas$ the
closer 'ill he cling to the lo'er spheres of being$ the longer loiter on the plane of selfish social
intercourse!
"+ A?D6B0B 0t is difficult to percei%e 'hat relations you 'ish to establish bet'een the different states of
sub1ecti%ity in De%a Chan and the %arious states of atter! 0f it be supposed that in De%a Chan the 9go
passes through all these states of atter$ then the ans'er 'ould be that e6istence in the se%enth state of
atter is 6irvana and not Devachanic conditions! >uanity$ although in different states of de%elopent$
yet belongs to the three diensional condition of atter! And there is no reason 'hy in De%a Chan the
9go should be %arying its "diensions"!
)olecules occupying a place in infinity is an inconcei%able proposition! #he confusion arises out of the
2estern tendency of putting an ob1ecti%e construction upon 'hat is purely sub1ecti%e! #he boo& of Khiu!
te teaches us that space is infinity itself! 0t is forless$ iutable and absolute! *i&e the huan ind$
'hich is the e6haustless generator of ideas$ the Ani%ersal )ind or 7pace has its ideation 'hich is
pro1ected into ob1ecti%ity at the appointed tie3 but space itself is not affected thereby! 9%en your
>ailton has sho'n that infinity can ne%er be concei%ed by any series of additions! 2hene%er you tal& of
place in infinity$ you dethrone infinity and degrade its absolute$ unconditioned character!
2hat has the nuber of incarnations to do 'ith the shre'dness$ cle%erness$ or the stupidity of an
indi%idualB A strong cra%ing for physical life ay lead an entity through a nuber of incarnations and yet
these ay not de%elop its higher capacities! #he *a' of Affinity acts through the inherent Karmic
ipulses of the 9go$ and go%erns its future e6istence! Coprehending Dar'in's *a' of >eredity for the
body$ it is not difficult to percei%e ho' the birth-see&ing 9go ay be attracted at the tie of rebirth to a
body born in a faily 'hich has the sae propensities as those of the reincarnating 9ntity!
Page .C
SECTION &
A("A AND (EINCA(NATION
ey AA #heo- !! 'e ust argue upon 'hat you ean by "0" or 9go! 2e distinguish bet'een the siple
fact of self-consciousness$ the siple feeling that "0 a 0"$ and the cople6 thought that "0 a )r 7ith"
or ")rs ;ro'n"! ;elie%ing as 'e do in a series of births for the sae 9go$ or reincarnation$ this distinction
is the fundaental pi%ot of the 'hole idea! Eou see ")r 7ith" really eans a long series of daily
e6perience strung together by the thread of eory$ and foring 'hat )r 7ith calls "hiself"! ;ut none
of these "e6periences" are really the "0" or the 9go$ nor do they gi%e )r 7ith the feeling that he is
hiself$ for he forgets the greater part of his daily e6periences$ and they produce the feeling of Egoity in
hi only 'hile they last! 2e #heosophists$ therefore$ distinguish bet'een this bundle of "e6periences"$
'hich 'e call the false (because so finite and e%anescent/ personality$ and that eleent in an to 'hich
the feeling of "0 a 0" is due! 0t is this "0 a 0" 'hich 'e call the true indi%iduality3 and 'e say that this 9go
or indi%iduality plays$ li&e an actor$ any parts on the stage of life !!!
ey AB 9n4- !! surely the actor is at liberty !! to return if he li&es to the scene of his forer actionsB
#heo- 2e say not$ siply because such a return to earth 'ould be incopatible 'ith any state of
unalloyed bliss after death !!! 2e say that an suffers so uch unerited isery during his life$ through
the fault of others 'ith 'ho he is associated$ or because of his en%ironent$ that he is surely entitled to
perfect rest and 4uiet$ if not bliss$ before ta&ing up again the burden of life!
ey ,/A 9n4- !! no single an has yet been found to reeber that he has li%ed$ least of all 'ho he
'as$ during his pre%ious life!
#heo- !! Eet 'hen you ta&e into consideration (a/ the utter inability of the best odern psychologists to
e6plain to the 'orld the nature of mind3 and (b/ their coplete ignorance of its potentialities$ and higher
states$ you ha%e to adit that this ob1ection is based on an a priori conclusion dra'n fro prima facie
and circustantial e%idence ore than anything else!
ey ,/B !! there is a great difference bet'een the three accepted fors of eory! ;esides eory in
general you ha%e .emembrance' .ecollection and .eminiscence !! )eory is siply an innate po'er in
thin&ing beings$ and e%en in anials$ of reproducing past ipressions by an association of ideas
principally suggested by ob1ecti%e things or by soe action on our e6ternal sensory organs! )eory is a
faculty depending entirely on the ore or less healthy and noral functioning of our physical brain3 and
remembrance and recollection are the attributes and handaidens of that eory! ;ut reminiscence is
an entirely different thing! :einiscence is defined by the odern psychologist as soething
interediate bet'een remembrance and recollection$ or "a conscious process of recalling past
occurrences$ but without that full and varied reference to particular things 'hich characterizes
recollection"! *oc&e$ spea&ing of recollection and reebrance$ says- "2hen an idea again recurs
'ithout the operation of the li&e ob1ect on the e6ternal sensory$ it is remembrance3 if it be sought after by
Page .9
the ind$ and 'ith pain and endea%our found and brought again into %ie'$ it is recollection" !! 'hile
memory is physical and e%anescent and depends on the physiological conditions of the brain - a
fundaental proposition !! 'e call reminiscence the memory of the soul! And it is this eory 'hich
gi%es the assurance to alost e%ery huan being$ 'hether he understands it or not$ of his ha%ing li%ed
before and ha%ing to li%e again! 0ndeed$ as 2ords'orth has it-

<ur birth is but a sleep and a forgetting$
#he soul that rises 'ith us$ our life's 7tar$
>ath had else'here its setting$
And coeth fro afar!
ey ,/D 9n4- !! ho' do they Ithe se%en principlesJ account for our coplete loss of any recollection of
ha%ing li%ed beforeB
#heo- 8ery easily! 7ince those principles 'hich 'e call physical !! are disintegrated after death 'ith their
constituent eleents$ memory along 'ith its brain$ this %anished eory of a %anished personality can
neither reeber nor record anything in the subse4uent reincarnation of the 9G<! :eincarnation eans
that this 9go 'ill be furnished 'ith a new body$ a new brain and a new eory! #herefore it 'ould be as
absurd to e6pect this memory to reeber that 'hich it has ne%er recorded as it 'ould be idle to
e6aine under a icroscope a shirt ne%er 'orn by a urderer$ and see& on it for the stains of blood
'hich are to be found only on the clothes he 'ore!
ey ,/@ #heo- #o get con%inced of the fact of reincarnation and past li%es$ one ust put oneself in
rapport 'ith one's real peranent 9go$ not one's e%anescent eory!"
ey ,A0 #heo- !! Eet the record or reflection of all the past li%es ust sur%i%e$ !! and anyone 'ho attains
to the state of /hana can thus retrospecti%ely trace the line of his li%es! #his pro%es to you that 'hile the
undying 4ualities of the personality - such as lo%e$ goodness$ charity$ etc! - attach thesel%es to the
iortal 9go$ photographing on it$ so to spea&$ a peranent iage of the di%ine aspect of the an 'ho
'as$ his aterial 7&andhas (those 'hich generate the ost ar&ed @aric effects/ are as e%anescent
as a flash of lightning$ and cannot ipress the ne' brain of the ne' personality3 yet their failing to do so
ipairs in no 'ay the identity of the reincarnating 9go!
9n4- Do you ean to infer that that 'hich sur%i%es is only the 7oul-eory !! 'hile nothing of the
personality reainsB
#heo- =ot 4uite3 soething of each personality unless the latter 'as an absolute aterialist 'ith not e%en
a chin& in his nature for a spiritual ray to pass through$ ust sur%i%e$ as it lea%es its eternal ipress on
the incarnating peranent 7elf or 7piritual 9go!
I#here is a footnote here (1+1/ e6plaining that !! "Spiritual Ihere isJ in contradistinction to the personal
Page D0
Self! #his 7piritual 9go ust not be confused 'ith the ">0G>9: 79*F" 'hich is &tma$ the God 'ithin us$
and inseparable fro the Ani%ersal 7pirit!"J
#he personality 'ith its 7&andhas is e%er changing 'ith e%ery ne' birth! 0t is$ as said before$ only the
part played by the actor (the true 9go/ for one night! #his is 'hy 'e preser%e no eory on the physical
plane of our past li%es$ though the real 9go has li%ed the o%er and &no's the all!
ey ,A, #heo- !! the 7piritual 9go can act only 'hen the personal 9go is paralysed! #he 7piritual "0" in
an is oniscient and has e%ery &no'ledge innate in it3 'hile the personal self is the creature of its
en%ironent and the sla%e of the physical eory! Could the forer anifest itself uninterruptedly$ and
'ithout ipedient$ there 'ould be no longer en on earth$ but 'e should all be gods!
ey ,AD 9n4- 0 ha%e heard you say that the Ego$ 'hate%er the life of the person he incarnated in ay
ha%e been on 9arth$ is ne%er %isited 'ith post!mortem punishent!
#heo- =e%er$ sa%e in %ery e6ceptional and rare cases of 'hich 'e 'ill not spea& here$ as the nature of
the "punishent" in no 'ay approaches any of your theological conceptions of danation!
ey ,A@ 9n4- ;ut if it is punished in this life for the isdeeds coitted in a pre%ious one$ then it is this
9go that ought to be re'arded also$ 'hether here$ or 'hen disincarnated!
#heo- And so it is! 0f 'e do not adit of any punishent outside of this earth$ it is because the only state
the 7piritual 7elf &no's of$ hereafter$ is that of unalloyed bliss!
9n4- 2hat do you eanB
#heo- 7iply this- crimes and sins committed on a plane of ob)ectivity and in a world of matter' cannot
receive punishment in a world of pure sub)ectivity! 2e belie%e in no hell or paradise as localities3 in no
ob1ecti%e hell-fires and 'ors that ne%er die$ nor in any Kerusales 'ith streets pa%ed 'ith sapphires
and diaonds! 2hat 'e belie%e in is a post!mortem state or ental condition$ such as 'e are in during a
%i%id drea! 2e belie%e in an iutable la' of absolute *o%e$ Kustice$ and )ercy! And belie%ing in it$ 'e
say- "2hate%er the sin and dire results of the original @aric transgression of the no' incarnated 9gos$
no an (or the outer aterial and periodical for of the 7piritual 9ntity/ can be held$ 'ith any degree of
1ustice$ responsible for the conse4uences of his birth! >e does not as& to be born$ nor can he choose the
parents that 'ill gi%e hi life! 0n e%ery respect he is the %icti to his en%ironent$ the child of
circustances o%er 'hich he has no control3 and if each of his transgressions 'ere ipartially
in%estigated$ there 'ould be found nine out of e%ery ten cases 'hen he 'as the one sinned against$
rather than the sinner!
ey ,A? !! 2hether a great or a%erage sinner$ good or bad$ guilty or innocent$ once deli%ered of the
burden of physical life$ the tired and 'orn-out Manu ("thin&ing 9go"/ has 'on the right to a period of
Page D1
absolute rest and bliss! #he sae unerringly 'ise and 1ust rather than erciful *a'$ 'hich inflicts upon
the incarnated 9go the @aric punishent for e%ery sin coitted during the preceding life on 9arth$
pro%ided for the no' disebodied 9ntity a long lease of ental rest$ i!e! the entire obli%ion of e%ery sad
e%ent$ aye$ to the sallest painful thought$ that too& place in its last life as a personality$ lea%ing the soul-
eory but the reiniscence of that 'hich 'as bliss$ or led to happiness!
ey ,B0 9n4- "#hen a 0 to understand that the urderer$ the transgressor of la' di%ine and huan in
e%ery shape$ is allo'ed to go unpunishedB
#heo- 2ho e%er said thatB <ur philosophy has a doctrine of punishent as stern as that of the ost rigid
Cal%inist$ only far ore philosophical and consistent 'ith absolute 1ustice! =o deed$ not e%en a sinful
thought$ 'ill go unpunished3 the latter ore se%erely e%en than the forer$ as a thought is far ore
potential in creating e%il results than e%en a deed! 2e belie%e in an unerring la' of :etribution$ called
@ara$ 'hich asserts itself in a natural concatenation of causes and their una%oidable results!
9n4- And ho'$ or 'here$ does it actB
#heo- 9%ery labourer is 'orthy of his hire$ said 2isdo in the Gospel3 e%ery action$ good or bad$ is a
prolific parent$ !!! After allo'ing the 7oul$ escaped fro the pangs of personal life$ a sufficient$ aye$ a
hundredfold copensation$ @ara$ 'ith its ary of 7&andhas$ 'aits at the threshold of De%achan$
'hence the Ego re-eerges to assue a ne' incarnation! 0t is at this oent that the future destiny of
the no'-rested 9go trebles in the scales of 1ust :etribution$ as it no' falls once again under the s'ay
of acti%e @aric la'! 0t is in this rebirth 'hich is ready for it$ a rebirth selected and prepared by this
ysterious$ ine6orable$ but in the e4uity and 'isdo of its decrees infallible *A2$ that the sins of the
pre%ious life of the 9go are punished! <nly it is into no iaginary >ell$ 'ith theatrical flaes and
ridiculous tailed and horned de%ils$ that the 9go is cast$ but %erily on this earth$ the plane and region of
his sins$ 'here he 'ill ha%e to atone for e%ery bad thought and deed! As he has so'n$ so 'ill he reap!
:eincarnation 'ill gather around hi all those other 9gos 'ho ha%e suffered$ 'hether directly or
indirectly$ at the hands$ or e%en through the unconscious instruentality$ of the past personality! #hey 'ill
be thro'n by =eesis in the 'ay of the new an$ concealing the old$ the eternal 9go$ and !!!
9n4- ;ut 'here is the e4uity you spea& of$ since these new personalities are not a'are of ha%ing sinned
or been sinned againstB
#heo- >as the coat torn to shreds fro the bac& of a an 'ho stole it$ by another an 'ho 'as robbed
of it and recognizes his property$ to be regarded as fairly dealt 'ithB #he ne' personality is no better
than a fresh suit of clothes 'ith its specific characteristics$ colour$ for and 4ualities3 but the real an
'ho 'ears it is the sae culprit of old! 0t is the individuality that suffers through his personality! And it is
this$ and this alone$ that can account for the terrible$ still only apparent in1ustice in the distribution of lots
in life to an!
ey ,CA 9n4- 0 begin to understand better no'! 0t is the 7pirit$ so to say$ of those 7&andhas 'hich are
the ost ennobling$ 'hich$ attaching thesel%es to the incarnating 9go$ sur%i%e$ and are added to the
Page D5
stoc& of its angelic e6periences! And it is the attributes connected 'ith the aterial 7&andhas 'ith selfish
and personal oti%es$ 'hich$ disappearing fro the field of action bet'een t'o incarnations$ re-appear
at the subse4uent incarnation as @aric results to be atoned for3 and therefore the 7pirit 'ill not lea%e
De%achan! 0s it soB
#heo- 8ery nearly so! 0f you add to this the la' of retribution or @ara$ re'arding the highest and ost
spiritual in De%achan$ ne%er fails to re'ard the again on earth by gi%ing the a further de%elopent$
and furnishing the 9go 'ith a body fitted for it$ then you 'ill be 4uite correct!
ey ,CB 9n4- "2hat becoes of the other$ the lo'er 7&andhas of the personality$ after the death of the
bodyB Are they 4uite destroyedB
#heo- #hey are and yet they are not - a fresh etaphysical and occult ystery for you! #hey are
destroyed as the 'or&ing stoc& in hand of the personality3 they reain as Karmic effects$ as gers$
hanging in the atosphere of the terrestrial plane$ ready to coe to life$ as so any a%enging fiends$ to
attach thesel%es to the ne' personality of the 9go 'hen it reincarnates!
9n4- #his really passes y coprehension$ and is %ery difficult to understand!
#heo- =ot once that you ha%e assiilated all the details! For then you 'ill see that for logic$ consistency$
profound philosophy$ di%ine ercy and e4uity$ this doctrine of :eincarnation has not its e4ual on earth! 0t
is a belief in a perpetual progress for each incarnating 9go$ or di%ine soul$ in an e%olution fro the
out'ard into the in'ard$ fro the aterial to the 7piritual$ arri%ing at the end of each stage at absolute
unity 'ith the di%ine Principle! Fro strength to strength$ fro beauty and perfection$ of one plane to the
greater beauty and perfection of another$ 'ith accessions of ne' glory$ of fresh &no'ledge and po'er in
each cycle$ such is the destiny of e%ery 9go$ 'hich thus becoes its o'n 7a%iour in each 'orld and
incarnation!
ey ,-0 9n4- ;ut if y 9go can$ after the destruction of y body$ becoe plunged in a state of entire
unconsciousness$ then 'here can be the punishent for the sins of y past lifeB
#heo- <ur philosophy teaches that @aric punishent reaches the 9go only in its ne6t incarnation! After
death it recei%es only the re'ard for the unerited sufferings endured during its past incarnation!
IFootnote paraphrased- 7oe people ha%e ta&en e6ception to this stateent !! the essential idea 'as
that en often suffer fro the effects of the actions done by others$ effects 'hich thus do not strictly
belong to their o'n @ara - and for those sufferings they of course deser%e copensation!J
#he 'hole punishent after death$ e%en for the aterialist$ consists$ therefore$ in the absence of any
re'ard$ and the utter loss of consciousness of one's bliss and rest! @ara is the child of the terrestrial
9go$ the fruit of the actions of the tree 'hich is the ob1ecti%e personality %isible to all$ as uch as the fruit
Page D+
of all the thoughts and e%en oti%es of the 7piritual "0"3 but @ara is also the tender other$ 'ho heals
the 'ounds inflicted by her during the preceding life$ before she 'ill begin to torture this 9go by inflicting
upon hi ne' ones! 0f it ay be said that there is not a ental or physical suffering in the life of a ortal
'hich is not the direct fruit and conse4uence of soe sin in preceding e6istence3 on the other hand$
since he does not preser%e the slightest recollection of it in his actual life$ and feels hiself not deser%ing
of such punishent$ and therefore thin&s he suffers for no guilt of his o'n$ this alone is sufficient to entitle
the huan soul to the fullest consolation$ rest$ and bliss in his post!mortem e6istence! Death coes to
our spiritual sel%es e%er as a deli%erer and friend! For the aterialist$ 'ho$ not'ithstanding his
aterialis$ 'as not a bad an$ the inter%al bet'een the t'o li%es 'ill be li&e the unbro&en and placid
sleep of a child$ either entirely drealess$ or filled 'ith pictures of 'hich he 'ill ha%e no definite
perception3 'hile for the a%erage ortal it 'ill be a drea as %i%id as life$ and full of realistic bliss and
%isions!
9n4- #hen the personal an ust al'ays go on suffering blindly the @aric penalties 'hich the 9go has
incurredB
#heo- =ot 4uite so! At the solen oent of death e%ery an$ e%en 'hen death is sudden$ sees the
'hole of his past life arshalled before hi$ in its inutest details! For one short instant the personal
becoes one 'ith the individual and all-&no'ing Ego! ;ut this instant is enough to sho' to hi the 'hole
chain of causes 'hich ha%e been at 'or& during his life! >e sees and no' understands hiself as he is$
unadorned by flattery or self-deception! >e reads his life$ reaining as a spectator loo&ing do'n into the
arena he is 4uitting3 he feels and &no's the 1ustice of all the suffering that has o%erta&en hi!
9n4- Does this happen to e%eryoneB
#heo- 2ithout e6ception! 8ery good and holy en see$ 'e are taught$ not only the life they are lea%ing$
but e%en se%eral preceding li%es in 'hich 'ere produced the causes that ade the 'hat they 'ere in
the life 1ust closing! #hey recognize the la' of @ara in all its a1esty and 1ustice!
9n4- 0s there anything corresponding to this before rebirthB
#heo- #here is! As the an at the oent of death has a retrospecti%e insight into the life he has led$ so$
at the oent he is reborn on to earth$ the Ego$ a'a&ing fro the state of De%achan$ has a prospecti%e
%ision of the life 'hich a'aits hi$ and realizes all the causes that ha%e led to it! >e realizes the and
sees futurity$ because it is bet'een De%achan and rebirth that the Ego regains his full manasic
consciousness$ and rebecoes for a short tie the god he 'as$ before$ in copliance 'ith @aric la'$
he first descended into atter and incarnated in the first an of flesh! #he "golden thread" sees all its
"pearls" and isses not one of the!
ey ,-A #heo- "!!! 0n soe 2panishads these recurrent rebirths are li&ened to the life of a ortal 'hich
oscillates periodically bet'een sleep and 'a&ing!
Page D?
9n4- #his$ 0 ust say$ does not see %ery clear$ and 0 'ill tell you 'hy! For the an 'ho a'a&es$ another
day coences$ but that an is the sae in soul and body as he 'as the day before3 'hereas at e%ery
incarnation a full change ta&es place not only of the e6ternal en%elope$ se6$ and personality$ but e%en of
the ental and psychic capacities !!! #he an 'ho arises fro sleep reebers 4uite clearly 'hat he
has done yesterday$ the day before$ and e%en onths and years ago! ;ut none of us has the slightest
recollection of a preceding life or of any fact or e%ent concerning it !!! 0 ay forget in the orning 'hat 0
ha%e dreat during the night$ still 0 &no' that 0 ha%e slept and ha%e the certainty that 0 li%ed during sleep3
but 'hat recollection can 0 ha%e of y past incarnation until the oent of deathB >o' do you reconcile
thisB
#heo- 7oe people do recollect their past incarnations during life3 but these are ;uddhas and 0nitiates!
#his is 'hat the Eogis call 7aa-7abuddha$ or the &no'ledge of the 'hole series of one's past
incarnations!
9n4- ;ut 'e ordinary ortals 'ho ha%e not reached 7aa-7abuddha$ ho' are 'e to understand this
siileB
#heo- ;y studying it and trying to understand ore correctly the characteristics and the three &inds of
sleep! 7leep is a general and iutable la' for an as for beast$ but there are different &inds of sleep
and still ore different dreas and %isions!
9n4- !! *et us return to the aterialist 'ho$ 'hile not denying dreas$ 'hich he could hardly do$ yet
denies iortality in general and the sur%i%al of his o'n indi%iduality!
#heo- And the aterialist$ 'ithout &no'ing it$ is right! <ne 'ho has no inner perception of$ and faith in$
the iortality of his soul$ in that an the soul can ne%er becoe ;uddhi-tai1asi$ but 'ill reain siply
)anas$ and for )anas alone there is no iortality possible! 0n order to li%e in the 'orld to coe a
conscious life$ one has to belie%e first of all in that life during the terrestrial e6istence! <n these t'o
aphoriss of the 7ecret 7cience all the philosophy about the post!mortem consciousness and the
iortality of the soul is built! #he 9go recei%es al'ays according to its deserts! After the dissolution of
the body$ there coences for it a period of full a'a&ened consciousness or a state of chaotic dreas$
or an utterly drealess sleep undistinguishable fro annihilation$ and these are the three &inds of sleep!
0f our physiologists find the cause of dreas and %isions in an unconscious preparation for the during
the 'a&ing hours$ 'hy cannot the sae be aditted for the post!mortem dreasB 0 repeat it- death is
sleep! After death$ before the spiritual eyes of the soul$ begins a perforance according to a prograe
learnt and %ery often unconsciously coposed by oursel%es- the practical carrying out of correct beliefs
or of illusions 'hich ha%e been created by oursel%es! #he )ethodist 'ill be )ethodist$ the )ussulan a
)ussulan$ at least for soe tie - in a perfect fool's paradise of each an's creation and a&ing!
#hese are the post!mortem fruits of the tree of life! =aturally$ our belief or unbelief in the fact of conscious
iortality is unable to influence the unconditioned reality of the fact itself$ once that it e6ists$ but the
belief or unbelief in that iortality as the property of independent or separate entities$ cannot fail to gi%e
colour to that fact in its application to each of these entities!
ey ,-CF- 9n4- "!! #he aterialist$ disbelie%ing in e%erything that cannot be pro%en to hi by his fi%e
Page D,
senses$ or by scientific reasoning$ based e6clusi%ely on the data furnished by these senses in spite of
their inade4uacy$ and re1ecting e%ery spiritual anifestation$ accepts life as the only conscious e6istence!
#herefore according to their beliefs so 'ill it be unto the! #hey 'ill lose their personal 9go$ and 'ill
plunge into a drealess sleep until a ne' a'a&ing! 0s it soB
#heo- Alost so! :eeber the practically uni%ersal teaching of the t'o &inds of conscious e6istence-
the terrestrial and the spiritual! #he latter ust be considered real fro the %ery fact that it is inhabited by
the eternal$ changeless and iortal )onad3 'hereas the incarnating 9go dresses itself up in ne'
garents entirely different fro those of its pre%ious incarnations$ and in 'hich all e6cept its spiritual
prototype is dooed to a change so radical as to lea%e no trace behind!
9n4- >o' soB Can y terrestrial "0" perish not only for a tie$ li&e the consciousness of a aterialist$ but
so entirely as to lea%e no trace behindB
#heo- According to the teaching$ it ust so perish and in its fullness$ all e6cept the principle 'hich$
ha%ing united itself 'ith the )onad$ has thereby becoe a purely spiritual and indestructible essence$
one 'ith it in the 9ternity! ;ut in the case of an out-and-out aterialist$ in 'hose personal "0" no ;uddhi
has e%er reflected itself$ ho' can the latter carry a'ay into the 9ternity one particle of that terrestrial
personalityB Eour spiritual "0" is iortal3 but fro your present self it can carry a'ay into 9ternity that
only 'hich has becoe 'orthy of iortality$ naely$ the aroa alone of the flo'er that has been o'n
by death!
9n4- 2ell$ and the flo'er$ the terrestrial "0"B
#heo- #he flo'er$ as 'ell as all past and future flo'ers 'hich ha%e blossoed and 'ill ha%e to blosso
on the other bough$ the Sutratma$ all children of one root or ;uddhi - 'ill return to dust! Eour present
"0"$ as you yourself &no'$ is not the body no' sitting before e$ nor yet is it 'hat 0 'ould call )anas-
7utrata$ but 7utrata-;uddhi!
ey ,-D 9n4- ;ut this does not e6plain to e$ at all$ 'hy you call life after death iortal$ infinite and
real$ and the terrestrial life a siple phanto or illusion3 since e%en that post!mortem life has liits$
ho'e%er uch 'ider they ay be than those of terrestrial life!
#heo- =o doubt! #he 7piritual 9go of )an o%es in eternity li&e a pendulu bet'een the hours of birth
and death! ;ut if these hours$ ar&ing the periods of life terrestrial and life spiritual$ are liited in their
duration$ and if the %ery nuber of such stages in 9ternity bet'een sleep and a'a&ening$ illusion and
reality$ has its beginning and its end$ on the other hand$ the spiritual pilgri is eternal! #herefore are the
hours of his post!mortem life$ 'hen$ disebodied$ he stands face to face 'ith truth and not the irages
of his transitory earthly e6istences$ during the period of that pilgriage 'hich 'e call "the cycle of
rebirths" - the only reality in our conception! 7uch inter%als$ their liitation not'ithstanding$ do not
pre%ent the 9go$ 'hile e%er perfecting itself$ fro follo'ing unde%iatingly$ though gradually and slo'ly$
the path to its last transforation$ 'hen that 9go$ ha%ing reached its goal$ becoes a di%ine being!
#hese inter%als and stages help to'ards this final result instead of hindering it3 and 'ithout such liited
Page D.
inter%als the di%ine 9go could ne%er reach its ultiate goal! 0 ha%e gi%en you once already a failiar
illustration by coparing the Ego$ or the individuality$ to an actor$ and its nuerous and %arious
incarnations to the parts it plays! 2ill you call these parts or their costues the indi%iduality of the actor
hiselfB *i&e that actor$ the 9go is forced to play during the cycle of necessity$ up to the %ery threshold of
aranirvana$ any parts such as ay be unpleasant to it! ;ut as the bee collects its honey fro e%ery
flo'er$ lea%ing the rest as food for the earthly 'ors$ so does our spiritual indi%iduality$ 'hether 'e call it
7utrata or 9go! Collecting fro e%ery terrestrial personality$ into 'hich @ara forces it to incarnate$ the
nectar alone of the spiritual 4ualities and self-consciousness$ it unites all these into one 'hole and
eerges fro its chrysalis as the glorified Dhyan-Chohan! 7o uch the 'orse for those terrestrial
personalities fro 'hich it could collect nothing! 7uch personalities cannot assuredly outli%e consciously
their terrestrial e6istence!
(1.C/ 9n4- #hus$ then$ it sees that$ for the terrestrial personality$ iortality is still conditional! 0s then$
iortality itself not unconditionalB
#heo- =ot at all! ;ut iortality cannot touch the non!e,istent- for all that 'hich e6ists as 7A#$ or
eanates fro 7A#$ iortality and 9ternity are absolute! )atter is the opposite pole of spirit$ and yet
the t'o are one! #he essence of all this$ i!e! 7pirit$ Force and )atter$ or the three in one$ is as endless as
it is beginningless3 but the for ac4uired by this triple unity during its incarnations$ its e6ternality$ is
certainly only the illusion of our personal conceptions! #herefore do 'e call =ir%ana and the Ani%ersal life
alone a reality$ 'hile relegating the terrestrial life$ its terrestrial personality included$ and e%en its
De%achanic e6istence$ to the phanto real of illusion!
(1.9/ 9n4- ;ut 'hy in such a case call sleep the reality$ and 'a&ing the illusionB
#heo- 0t is siply a coparison ade to facilitate the grasping of the sub1ect$ and fro the standpoint of
terrestrial conceptions it is a %ery correct one!
9n4- And still 0 cannot understand$ if the life to coe is based on 1ustice and the erited retribution for all
our terrestrial suffering$ ho' in the case of aterialists$ any of 'ho are really honest and charitable
en$ there should reain of their personality nothing but the refuse of a faded flo'er!
Footnote- ":etribution" forerly included the eaning of "copensation"!
#heo- =o one e%er said such a thing! =o aterialist$ ho'e%er unbelie%ing$ can die for e%er in the fullness
of his spiritual indi%iduality! 2hat 'as said is that consciousness can disappear either fully or partially in
the case of a aterialist$ so that no conscious reains of his personality sur%i%e!
9n4- 7urely this is annihilationB
#heo- Certainly not! <ne can sleep a dead sleep and iss se%eral stations during a long rail'ay 1ourney$
Page DD
'ithout the slightest recollection or consciousness$ and a'a&e at another station and continue the
1ourney past innuerable other halting-places till the end of the 1ourney or the goal is reached! #hree
&inds of sleep 'ere entioned to you- the drealess$ the chaotic$ and the one 'hich is so real$ that to
the sleeping an his dreas becoe full realities! 0f you belie%e in the latter$ 'hy can't you belie%e in the
forerB According to the after-life a an has belie%ed in and e6pected$ such is the life he 'ill ha%e! >e
'ho e6pected no life to coe 'ill ha%e an absolute blan&$ aounting to annihilation$ in the inter%al
bet'een the t'o rebirths! #his is 1ust the carrying out of the prograe 'e spo&e of$ a prograe
created by the aterialists thesel%es! ;ut there are %arious &inds of aterialists$ as you say! A selfish$
'ic&ed 9goist$ one 'ho ne%er shed a tear for anyone but hiself$ thus adding entire indifference to the
'hole 'orld to his unbelief$ ust$ at the threshold of death$ drop his personality for e%er! #his personality
ha%ing no tendrils of sypathy for the 'orld around and hence nothing to hoo& on to 7utrata$ it follo's
that 'ith the last breath e%ery connection bet'een the t'o is bro&en! #here being no De%achan for such
a aterialist$ the 7utrata 'ill reincarnate alost iediately! ;ut those aterialists 'ho erred in
nothing but their disbelief 'ill o%ersleep but one station! And the tie 'ill coe 'hen that e6-aterialist
'ill percei%e hiself in the 9ternity and perhaps repent that he lost e%en one day$ one station$ fro the
life eternal!"
(1D0/ 9n4- 7till$ 'ould it not be ore correct to say that death is birth into a ne' life$ or a return once
ore into eternityB
#heo- Eou ay if you li&e! <nly reeber that births differ$ and that there are births of "still-born" beings$
'hich are failures of nature! )oreo%er$ 'ith your 2estern fi6ed ideas about aterial life$ the 'ords
"li%ing" and "being" are 4uite inapplicable to the pure sub1ecti%e state of post!mortem e6istence! 0t is 1ust
because$ sa%e in a fe' philosophers 'ho are not read by the any$ and 'ho thesel%es are too
confused to present a distinct picture of it$ it is 1ust because your 2estern ideas of life and death ha%e
finally becoe so narro'$ that on the one hand they ha%e led to crass aterialis$ and on the other to
the still ore aterial conception of the other life$ 'hich the spiritualists ha%e forulated in their
7uerland! #here the souls of en eat$ drin&$ arry$ and li%e in a paradise 4uite as sensual as that of
)ohaed$ but e%en less philosophical! =or are the a%erage conceptions of the uneducated Christians
any better$ being if possible still ore aterial! 2hat bet'een truncated angels$ brass trupets$ golden
harps$ and aterial hell-fires$ the Christian hea%en sees li&e a fairy scene at a Christas pantoie!
0t is because of these narro' conceptions that you find such difficulty in understanding! 0t is 1ust because
the life of the disebodied soul$ 'hile possessing all the %i%idness of reality$ as in certain dreas$ is
de%oid of e%ery grossly ob1ecti%e for of terrestrial life$ that the 9astern philosophers ha%e copared it
'ith %isions during sleep!
ey ,DD 9n4- !! 0t is there Iin the "uddhist %atechismJ stated that the 7&andhas - eory included -
change 'ith e%ery ne' incarnation! And yet$ it is asserted that the reflection of the past li%es$ 'hich$ 'e
are told$ are entirely ade up of 7&andhas$ "ust sur%i%e"! At the present oent 0 a not 4uite clear in
y ind as to 'hat it is precisely that sur%i%es !! 0s it only that "reflection" or those 7&andhas$ or al'ays
that sae 9G<$ the )anasB
#heo- 0 ha%e 1ust e6plained that the reincarnating Principle$ or that 'hich 'e call the divine an$ is
indestructible throughout the life cycle- indestructible as a thin&ing Entity$ and e%en as an ethereal for!
Page DC
#he "reflection" is only the spiritualized remembrance$ during the De%achanic period$ of the e,!
personality$ )r A! or )rs ;! - 'ith 'hich the Ego identifies itself during that period! 7ince the latter is but
the continuation of the earth-life$ so to say$ the %ery ace and pitch$ in an unbro&en series$ of the fe'
happy oents in that no' past e6istence$ the Ego has to identify itself 'ith the personal consciousness
of that life$ if anything shall reain of it!
(1DC/ 9n4- #his eans that the Ego$ not'ithstanding its di%ine nature$ passes e%ery such period bet'een
t'o incarnations in a state of ental obscuration$ or teporary insanity!
#heo- Eou ay regard it as you li&e! ;elie%ing that$ outside the <=9 :eality$ nothing is better than a
passing illusion - the 'hole Ani%erse included - 'e do not %ie' it as insanity$ but as a %ery natural
se4uence or de%elopent of the terrestrial life! 2hat is lifeB A bundle of the ost %aried e6periences$ of
daily changing ideas$ eotions$ and opinions! 0n our youth 'e are often enthusiastically de%oted to an
ideal$ to soe hero or heroine 'ho 'e try to follo' and re%i%e3 a fe' years later$ 'hen the freshness of
our youthful feelings has faded out and sobered do'n$ 'e are the first to laugh at our fancies! And yet
there 'as a day 'hen 'e had so thoroughly identified our o'n personality 'ith that of the ideal in our
ind - especially if it 'as that of a li%ing being - that the forer 'as entirely erged and lost in the latter!
Can it be said of a an of fifty that he is the sae being that he 'as at t'entyB #he inner an is the
sae3 the out'ard li%ing personality is copletely transfored and changed! 2ould you also call these
changes in the huan ental states insanityB
9n4- >o' 'ould you nae the$ and especially ho' 'ould you e6plain the peranence of one and the
e%anescence of the otherB
#heo- 2e ha%e our o'n doctrine ready$ and to us it offers no difficulty! #he clue lies in the double
consciousness of our ind$ and also$ in the dual nature of the ental "principle"! #here is spiritual
consciousness$ the )anasic ind illuined by the light of ;uddhi$ that 'hich sub1ecti%ely percei%es
abstractions3 and the sentient consciousness (the lo'er Manasic light/$ inseparable fro our physical
brain and senses! #his latter consciousness is held in sub1ection by the brain and physical senses$ and$
being in its turn e4ually dependent on the$ ust of course fade out and finally die 'ith the
disappearance of the brain and physical senses! 0t is only the forer &ind of consciousness$ 'hose root
lies in eternity$ 'hich sur%i%es and li%es for e%er$ and ay therefore be regarded as iortal! 9%erything
else belongs to passing illusions!
(1D9/ 9n4- 2hat do you really understand by illusion in this caseB
#heo- 0t is %ery 'ell described in the !!! essay on "#he >igher 7elf"! 7ays its author- "#he theory 'e are
considering (the interchange of ideas bet'een the #igher Ego and the lo'er self/ haronizes %ery 'ell
'ith the treatent of this 'orld in 'hich 'e li%e as a phenoenal 'orld of illusion$ the spiritual plane of
nature being on the other hand the nouenal 'orld or plane of reality! #hat region of nature in 'hich$ so
to spea&$ the peranent soul is rooted is ore real than that in 'hich its transitory blossos appear for a
brief space to 'ither and fall to pieces$ 'hile the plant reco%ers energy for sending forth a fresh flo'er!
7upposing flo'ers only 'ere perceptible to ordinary senses$ and their roots e6isted in a state of =ature
intangible and in%isible to us$ philosophers in such a 'orld 'ho di%ined that there 'ere such things as
Page D9
roots in another plane of e6istence 'ould be apt to say of the flo'ers- #hese are not the real plants3 they
are of no relati%e iportance$ erely illusi%e phenoena of the oent!
#his is 'hat 0 ean! #he 'orld in 'hich blosso the transitory and e%anescent flo'ers of personal li%es
is not the real peranent 'orld3 but that one in 'hich 'e find the root of consciousness$ that root 'hich
is beyond illusion and d'ells in the eternity!
(1C0/ 9n4- 2hat do you ean by the root d'elling in eternityB"
#heo- 0 ean by this root the thin&ing entity$ the 9go 'hich incarnates$ 'hether 'e regard it as an
"Angel"$ "7pirit"$ or a Force! <f that 'hich falls under our sensuous perceptions only 'hat gro's directly
fro or is attached to this in%isible root abo%e$ can parta&e of its iortal life! >ence e%ery noble
thought$ idea and aspiration of the personality it infors$ proceeding fro and fed by this root$ ust
becoe peranent! As to physical consciousness$ as it is a 4uality of the sentient but lo'er principle
(@aa-rupa or anial instinct$ illuinated by the lo'er manasic reflection/$ or the huan 7oul - it ust
disappear! #hat 'hich displays acti%ity$ 'hile the body is asleep or paralysed$ is the higher
consciousness$ our eory registering but feebly and inaccurately - because autoatically -such
e6periences$ and often failing to be e%en slightly ipressed by the!
ey ,@, 9n4- And is it this 9go of ours 'hich is our GodB
#heo- =ot at all3 "& God" is not the uni%ersal deity$ but only a spar& fro the one ocean of Di%ine Fire!
<ur God within us$ or "our Father in 7ecret" is 'hat 'e call the ">0G>9: 79*F"$ &tma! <ur incarnating
9go 'as a God in its origin$ as 'ere all the prie%al eanations of the <ne An&no'n Principle! ;ut
since its "fall into )atter"$ ha%ing to incarnate throughout the cycle$ in succession$ fro first to last$ it is
no longer a free and happy god$ but a poor pilgri on his 'ay to regain that 'hich he has lost !! 7uch is
the destiny of )A= -the true 9go$ not the Autoaton$ the shell that goes by that nae! 0t is for hi to
becoe the con4ueror o%er atter!
ey ,@@ #heo- !! >e Ithe 9goJ is the "an-god" of Plato$ 'ho crucifies hiself in Space (or the duration
of the life cycle/ for the redeption of )A##9:! #his he does by incarnating o%er and o%er again$ thus
leading an&ind on'ard to perfection$ and a&ing thereby roo for lo'er fors to de%elop into higher!
=ot for one life does he cease progressing hiself and helping all physical nature to progress3 e%en the
occasional$ %ery rare e%ent of his losing one of his personalities$ in the case of the latter being entirely
de%oid of e%en a spar& of spirituality$ helps to'ard his indi%idual progress!
(1C9/ 9n4- ;ut surely if the Ego is held responsible for the transgressions of its personalities$ it has to
ans'er also for the loss$ or rather the coplete annihilation$ of one of such!
#heo- =ot at all$ unless it has done nothing to a%ert this dire fate! ;ut if$ all its efforts not'ithstanding$ its
%oice$ that of our conscience$ 'as unable to penetrate through the 'all of atter$ then the obtuseness of
the latter$ proceeding fro the iperfect nature of the aterial$ is classed 'ith other failures of nature!
Page C0
#he 9go is sufficiently punished by the loss of De%achan$ and especially by ha%ing to incarnate alost
iediately!
9n4- #his doctrine of the possibility of losing one's soul - or personality$ do you call itB - ilitates against
the ideal theories of both Christians and 7piritualists$ though 7'edenborg adopts it to a certain e6tent$ in
'hat he calls Spiritual death! #hey 'ill ne%er accept it!
#heo- #his can in no 'ay alter a fact of nature$ if it be a fact$ or pre%ent such a thing occasionally ta&ing
place! #he uni%erse and e%erything in it$ oral$ ental$ physical$ psychic$ or 7piritual$ is built on a perfect
la' of e4uilibriu and harony! As said before (+sis 2nveiled$ 0$ +1C-9/$ the centripetal force could not
anifest itself 'ithout the centrifugal in the haronious re%olutions of the spheres3 and all fors and their
progress are the products of this dual force in nature! =o' the 7pirit (or "uddhi/ is the centrifugal and the
soul (Manas/ the centripetal spiritual energy3 and to produce one result they ha%e to be in perfect union
and harony! ;rea& or daage the centripetal otion of the earthly soul tending to'ard the centre 'hich
attracts it3 arrest its progress by clogging it 'ith a hea%ier 'eight of atter than it can bear$ or than is fit
for the De%achanic state$ and the harony of the 'hole 'ill be destroyed! Personal life$ or perhaps rather
its ideal reflection$ can only be continued if sustained by the t'ofold force$ that is by the close union of
"uddhi and Manas in e%ery rebirth or personal life! #he least de%iation fro harony daages it3 and
'hen it is destroyed beyond redeption the t'o forces separate at the oent of death! During a brief
inter%al the personal for (called indifferently Kama!rupa and Mayavi!rupa/$ the spiritual efflorescence of
'hich$ attaching itself to the 9go$ follo's it into De%achan and gi%es to the peranent individuality its
personal colouring (pro!tem!$ so to spea&/$ is carried off to reain in Kama!lo(a and to be gradually
annihilated! For it is after the death of the utterly depra%ed$ the unspiritual and the 'ic&ed beyond
redeption$ that arri%es the critical and supree oent! 0f during life the ultiate and desperate effort
of the 0==9: 79*F (Manas/$ to unite soething of the personality 'ith itself and the high gliering ray
of the di%ine ;uddhi$ is th'arted3 if this ray is allo'ed to be ore and ore shut out fro the e%er-
thic&ening crust of the physical brain$ the 7piritual 9G< or )anas$ once freed fro the body$ reains
se%ered entirely fro the ethereal relic of the personality3 and the latter$ or Kama!rupa$ follo'ing its
earthly attractions$ is dra'n into and reains in #ades$ 'hich 'e call the Kama!lo(a! #hese are "the
'ithered branches" entioned by Kesus as being cut off fro the *ine! Annihilation$ ho'e%er$ is ne%er
instantaneous$ and ay re4uire centuries soeties for its accoplishent! ;ut there the personality
reains along 'ith the remnants of other ore fortunate personal 9gos$ and becoes 'ith the a shell
and an Elementary! As said in +sis$ it is these t'o classes of "7pirits"$ the shells and the Elementaries$
'hich are the leading "7tars" on the great spiritual stage of "aterializations"! And you ay be sure of it$
it is not they 'ho incarnate3 and$ therefore$ so fe' of these "dear departed ones" &no' anything of
reincarnation$ isleading thereby the 7piritualists!
ey ,?D 9n4- Eou ean$ then$ that 'e ha%e all li%ed on earth before$ in any past incarnations$ and
shall go on so li%ingB
#heo- 0 do! #he life-cycle$ or rather the cycle of conscious life$ begins 'ith the separation of the ortal
anial-an into se6es$ and 'ill end 'ith the close of the last generation of en$ in the se%enth round
and se%enth race of an&ind Isee GlossaryJ! Considering 'e are only in the fourth round and fifth race$
its duration is ore easily iagined than e6pressed!
Page C1
9n4- And 'e &eep on incarnating in ne' personalities all the tieB
#heo- )ost assuredly so3 because this life-cycle or period of incarnation ay be best copared to
huan life! As each such life is coposed of days of acti%ity separated by nights of sleep or of inaction$
so$ in the incarnation-cycle$ an acti%e life is follo'ed by a De%achanic rest!
9n4- And it is this succession of births that is generally defined as reincarnationB
#heo- Kust so! 0t is only through these births that the perpetual progress of the countless illions of 9gos
to'ard final perfection and final rest (as long as 'as the period of acti%ity/ can be achie%ed!
(19C/ 9n4- And 'hat is it that regulates the duration$ or special 4ualities of these incarnationsB
#heo- @ara$ the uni%ersal la' of retributi%e 1ustice!
9n4- 0s it an intelligent la'B
#heo- For the )aterialist$ 'ho calls the la' of periodicity 'hich regulates the arshalling of the se%eral
bodies$ and all the other la's in nature$ blind forces and echanical la's$ no doubt @ara 'ould be a
la' of chance and no ore! For us$ no ad1ecti%e or 4ualification could describe that 'hich is ipersonal
and no entity$ but a uni%ersal operati%e la'! 0f you 4uestion e about the causati%e intelligence in it$ 0
ust ans'er you 0 do not &no'! ;ut if you as& e to define its effects and tell you 'hat these are in our
belief$ 0 ay say that the e6perience of thousands of ages has sho'n us that they are absolute and
unerring equity' wisdom$ and intelligence! For @ara in its effects is an unfailing redresser of huan
in1ustice$ and of all the failures of nature3 a stern ad1uster of 'rongs3 a retributi%e la' 'hich re'ards and
punishes 'ith e4ual ipartiality! 0t is$ in the strictest sense$ "no respecter of persons"$ though$ on the
other hand$ it can neither be propitiated$ nor turned aside by prayer! #his is a belief coon to >indus
and ;uddhists$ 'ho both belie%e in @ara!
ey ,?? #heo- !! And 'e belie%e neither in %icarious atoneent$ nor in the possibility of the reission of
the sallest sin by any god$ not e%en by a "personal Absolute" or "0nfinite"$ if such a thing could ha%e any
e6istence! 2hat 'e belie%e in is strict and ipartial 1ustice! <ur idea of the un&no'n Ani%ersal Deity$
represented by @ara$ is that it is a Po'er 'hich cannot fail$ and can$ therefore$ ha%e neither 'rath nor
ercy$ only absolute 94uity$ 'hich lea%es e%ery cause$ great or sall$ to 'or& out its ine%itable effects!
#he saying of Kesus- "2ith 'hat easure you ete it shall be easured to you again" (Matt!$ %ii$ 5/$
neither by e6pression nor iplication points to any hope of future ercy or sal%ation by pro6y! #his is
'hy$ recognizing as 'e do in our philosophy the 1ustice of this stateent$ 'e cannot recoend too
strongly ercy$ charity$ and forgi%eness of utual offences! .esist not evil$ and render good for evil$ are
;uddhist precepts$ and 'ere first preached in %ie' of the iplacability of @aric la'! For an to ta&e the
la' into his o'n hands is anyho' a sacrilegious presuption! >uan *a' ay use restricti%e$ not
puniti%e easures3 but a an 'ho$ belie%ing in @ara$ still re%enges hiself and refuses to forgi%e e%ery
in1ury$ thereby rendering good for e%il$ is a criinal and only hurts hiself! As @ara is sure to punish the
Page C5
an 'ho 'ronged hi$ by see&ing to inflict an additional punishent on his eney$ he$ 'ho instead of
lea%ing that punishent to the great *a' adds to it his o'n ite$ only begets thereby a cause for the
future re'ard of his o'n eney and a future punishent for hiself! #he unfailing :egulator affects in
each incarnation the 4uality of its successor3 and the su of the erit or deerit in preceding ones
deterines it!
(500/ 9n4- Are 'e then to infer a an's past fro his presentB
#heo- <nly so far as to belie%e that his present life is 'hat it 1ustly should be$ to atone for the sins of the
past life! <f course - seers and great adepts e6cepted - 'e cannot as a%erage ortals &no' 'hat those
sins 'ere! Fro our paucity of data$ it is ipossible for us e%en to deterine 'hat an old an's youth
ust ha%e been3 neither can 'e$ for li&e reasons$ dra' final conclusions erely fro 'hat 'e see in the
life of soe an$ as to 'hat his past life ay ha%e been!
ey /0, 9n4- ;ut 'hat is @araB
#heo- As 0 ha%e said$ 'e consider it as the 2ltimate Law of the Ani%erse$ the source$ origin and fount of
all other la's 'hich e6ist throughout =ature! @ara is the unerring la' 'hich ad1usts effect to cause$ on
the physical$ ental and spiritual planes of being! As no cause reains 'ithout its due effect fro
greatest to least$ fro a cosic disturbance do'n to the o%eent of your hand$ and as li&e produces
li&e$ Karma is that unseen and un&no'n la' which ad)usts wisely' intelligently and equitably each effect
to its cause$ tracing the latter bac& to its producer! #hough itself un(nowable$ its action is percei%able!
ey /0? IOuoting 9!D! 2al&er in his 5.eincarnation5J ;riefly$ the doctrine of @ara is that 'e ha%e ade
oursel%es 'hat 'e are by forer actions$ and are building our future eternity by present actions! #here is
no destiny but 'hat 'e oursel%es deterine! #here is no sal%ation or condenation e6cept 'hat 'e
oursel%es bring about !!! ;ecause it offers no shelter for culpable actions and necessitates a sterling
anliness$ it is less 'elcoe to 'ea& natures than the easy religious tenets of %icarious atoneent$
intercession$ forgi%eness and death-bed con%ersions !!! 0n the doain of eternal 1ustice the offence and
the punishent are inseparably connected as the sae e%ent$ because there is no real distinction
bet'een the action and its outcoe !!! 0t is @ara$ or our old acts$ that dra's us bac& into earthly life!
#he spirit's abode changes according to its @ara$ and this @ara forbids any long continuance in one
condition$ because it is al'ays changing! 7o long as action is go%erned by aterial and selfish oti%es
1ust so long ust the effect of that action be anifested in physical rebirths! <nly the perfectly selfless
an can elude the gra%itation of aterial life! Fe' ha%e attained this$ but it is the goal of an&ind!
C8 III* /?/ D9A#> by (the late/ 9liphas *e%i!

Death is the necessary dissolution of iperfect cobinations! G)aster @!>!'s Coents - "<f the 1$ 5$
+rd$ ?$ ,th!
"H 0t is the re-absorption of the rough outline of indi%idual G )aster @!>!'s Coents - " #he personality of
the personal 9go! H life into the great 'or& of uni%ersal life3 only the perfect G )aster @!>!'s Coents -"
#he .th and Dth Principles!" H is iortal!
Page C+
0t is a bath in obli%ion! G )aster @!>!'s Coents -" Antil the hour of reebrance! H 0t is the fountain of
youth 'here on one side plunges old age$ and 'hence on the other issues infancy! ;Fn- :ebirth of the
Ego after death! #he 9astern$ and especially ;uddhistic doctrine of the e%olution of the ne'$ out of the
old Ego$ ! #$$"$<

Death is the transfiguration of the li%ing3 corpses are but the dead lea%es of the #ree of *ife 'hich 'ill still
ha%e all its lea%es in the spring! G)aster @!>!'s Coents -" 0n the language of the @abalist "7pring"
eans the beginning of that state 'hen the 9go reaches its oniscience! H #he resurrection G )aster
@!>!'s Coents -"#he Chaldean "resurrection in life eternal" borro'ed by the Ptians eans resurrection
in =ir%ana! H of en resebles eternally these lea%es!

Perishable fors are conditioned by iortal types!

All 'ho ha%e li%ed upon earth$ li%e there still in ne' e6eplars of their types$ but the souls 'hich ha%e
surpassed their type recei%e else'here a ne' for based upon a ore perfect type$ as they ount e%er
on the ladder of 'orlds3 ;Fn- Fro one lo(a to the other3 fro a positi%e 'orld of causes and acti%ity$ to a
negati%e 'orld of effects and passi%ity! < the bad e6eplars are bro&en$ and their atter returned into the
general ass! ; Fn- 0nto Cosic atter$ 'hen they necessarily lose their self-consciousness or
indi%iduality$ G )aster @!>!'s Coents -" #heir )onad .th and Dth Principles! "H or are annihilated$ as
the 9astern @abalists say! - #$$"$/

(59+/ <ur souls are as it 'ere a usic of 'hich our bodies are the instruents! #he usic e6ists 'ithout
the instruents$ but it cannot a&e itself heard 'ithout a aterial interediary3 G )aster @!>!'s
Coents -">ence 7pirit cannot counicate "H the iaterial can neither be concei%ed nor grasped!

)an in his present e6istence only retains certain predispositions fro his past e6istences! G )aster @!>!'s
Coents - " @ara!" H

9%ocations of the dead are but condensations of eory$ the iaginary coloration of the shades! #o
e%o&e those 'ho are no longer there$ is but to cause their types to re-issue fro the iagination of
nature! ;Fn- #o ardently desire to see a dead person is to evo(e the iage of that person$ to call it forth
fro the astral light or ether 'herein rest photographed the iages of the ast! #hat is 'hat is being
partially done in the s89ance rooms! #he 7piritualists are unconscious =9C:<)A=C9:7! - #$$"$<

(59,/ #o be in direct counication 'ith the iagination of nature$ one ust be either asleep$
into6icated$ in an ecstasy$ cataleptic$ or ad! G )aster @!>!'s Coents -" And to be in direct
counication 'ith the intelligence of =ature one ust becoe an Adept! "H

#he eternal eory preser%es only the iperishable3 all that passes in #ie belongs of right to obli%ion!

#he preser%ation of corpses is a %iolation of the la's of nature3 it is an outrage on the odesty of death$
Page C?
'hich hides the 'or&s of destruction$ as 'e should hide those of reproduction! Preser%ing corpses is to
create phantos in the iagination of the earth3 ;Fn- #o intensify these iages in the astral or sidereal
light!< G)aster @!>!'s Coents -" 2e ne%er bury our dead! #hey are burnt or left abo%e the earth! "H the
spectres of the nightare$ of hallucination$ and fear are but the 'andering photographs of preser%ed
corpses! G)aster @!>!'s Coents -" #heir reflections in the astral light! "H 0t is these preser%ed or
iperfectly destroyed corpses$ 'hich spread$ aid the li%ing$ plague$ cholera$ contagious diseases$
sadness$ scepticis and disgust of life!;Fn- People begin intuitionally to realize the great truth$ and
societies for burning bodies and crematories are no' started in any places in 9urope! #$$"$< Death is
e6haled by death! #he ceeteries poison the atosphere of to'ns$ and the iasa of corpses blight the
children e%en in the bosos of their others!

=ear Kerusale in the 8alley of Gehenna a perpetual fire 'as aintained for the cobustion of filth and
the carcasses of anials$ and it is to this eternal fire that Kesus alluded 'hen he says that the 'ic&ed
shall be cast into 4ehenna3 signifying that dead souls 'ill be treated as corpses!

(59,/ #he Talmud says that the souls of those 'ho ha%e not belie%ed in iortality 'ill not becoe
iortal! 0t is faith only 'hich gi%es personal iortality3 ;Fn- Faith and will po'er! 0ortality is
conditional$ as 'e ha%e e%er stated! 0t is the re'ard of the pure and good! #he 'ic&ed an$ the aterial
sensualist$ only sur%i%es! >e 'ho appreciates but physical pleasure 'ill not and cannot li%e in the
hereafter as a self-conscious 9ntity! #$$"$<
G)aster @!>!'s Coents -" 0n the De%a-Chan the 9go sees and feels but that 'hich he longed for! >e
'ho cares not for a continuation of sentient personal life after physical death 'ill not ha%e it! >e 'ill be
reborn reaining unconscious of the transition! e6istence$ but a necessary hypothesis"! H science and
reason can only affir the general iortality!

#he ortal sin is the suicide of the soul! #his suicide 'ould occur if the an de%oted hiself to e%il 'ith
the full strength of his ind$ 'ith a perfect &no'ledge of good and e%il$ and an entire liberty of action
'hich sees ipossible in practice$ but 'hich is possible in theory$ because the essence of an
independent personality is an unconditioned liberty! #he di%inity iposes nothing upon an$ not e%en
e6istence! )an has a right to 'ithdra' hiself e%en fro the di%ine goodness$ and the doga of eternal
>ell is only the assertion of eternal free 'ill!

God precipitates no one into >ell! 0t is en 'ho can go there freely$ definitely and by their o'n choice!

#hose 'ho are in >ell$ that is to say$ aid the gloo of e%il (Fn- #hat is to say$ they are reborn in a "lo'er
'orld" 'hich is neither "hell" nor any theological purgatory$ but a 'orld of nearly absolute matter and one
preceding the last one in the "circle of necessity" fro this "there is no redeption$ for there reigns
absolute spiritual dar&ness" ("oo( of Khiu!ti/! - #$$"$/ and the sufferings of the necessary punishent$
'ithout ha%ing absolutely so 'illed it$ are called to eerge fro it! #his >ell is for the only a purgatory!
#he daned copletely$ absolutely and 'ithout respite$ is 7atan 'ho is not a rational

(59./ =!0! 7atan is the last 'ord of the creation! >e is the end infinitely eancipated! >e 'illed to be li&e
God of 'hich he is the opposite! God is the hypothesis necessary to reason$ 7atan the hypothesis
Page C,
necessary to unreason asserting itself as free 'ill! G )aster @!>!'s Coents -" #hat 'hich 0 ha%e
ar&ed 'ith red pencil are all seeing contradictions but they are not" H

#o be iortal G )aster @!>!'s Coents -" As a rule the >eretists$ 'hen using the 'ord "iortality"
liit its duration fro the beginning to the end of the inor cycle! #he deficiencies of their respecti%e
languages cannot be %isited upon the! <ne could not 'ell say a sei-iortality! #he ancients called it
"panaeonic eternity" fro the 'ords !!!!!! - all or nature$ and !!!!!!$ a period of tie 'hich had no definite
liit$ e6cept for the initiates! 7ee Dictionaries - an aeon is the period of tie during 'hich a person li%es$
the period during 'hich the uni%erse endures$ and also - eternity! 0t 'as a "ystery 'ord" and 'as
purposely %eiled!" H in good$ one ust identify oneself 'ith God3 to be iortal in e%il$ 'ith 7atan! #hese
are the t'o poles of the 'orld of souls3 bet'een these t'o poles %egetate and die 'ithout reebrance
the useless portion of an&ind!

(59D/ #$$"$7s 6ote! - #his ay see incoprehensible to the a%erage reader$ for it is one of the ost
abstruse of the tenets of <ccult G )aster @!>!'s Coents -" 2estern!" H doctrine! =ature is dual3 there is
a physical and aterial side$ as there is a spiritual and oral side to it3 and$ there is both good and e%il in
it$ the latter the necessary shado' to its light! #o force oneself upon the current of iortality$ or rather to
secure for oneself an endless series of rebirths as conscious indi%idualities - says the "oo( of Khiu!ti$
8olue PPP0$ I
)aster @!>!'s Coents -" Chap! 000!" H one ust becoe a co-'or&er 'ith nature$ either for good or for
bad$ in her 'or& of creation and reproduction$ or in that of destruction! G)aster @!>!'s Coents -" #his
sentence refers to the t'o &inds of the initiates - the adepts and the sorcerers!"H 0t is but the useless
drones$ 'hich she gets rid of$ %iolently e1ecting and a&ing the perish by the illions I)aster @!>!'s
Coents -" <ne of her usual e6aggerations!"Has self-conscious entities! I)aster @!>!'s Coents -"
#'o useless 'ords! "H#hus$ 'hile the good and the pure stri%e to reach 6ipang (=ir%ana/ or that state of
absolute e6istence and absolute consciousness - 'hich$ in the 'orld of finite perceptions$ is non-
e6istence and non-consciousness/ - the 'ic&ed 'ill see&$ on the contrary$ a series of li%es

as conscious$ definite e6istences or beings$ preferring to be e%er suffering under the la' of retributi%e
1ustice I
)aster @!>!'s Coents -" @ara!"H rather than gi%e up their li%es as portions of the integral$ uni%ersal
'hole! ;eing 'ell a'are that they can ne%er hope to reach the final rest in pure spirit$ or nirvana$ they
cling to life in any for$ I )aster @!>!'s Coents -" #hro' edius 'ho ha%e e6isted e%ery-'here in
e%ery age!"
H rather than gi%e up that "desire for life"$ or Tanha 'hich causes a ne' aggregation of S(andhas or
indi%iduality to be reborn! =ature is as good a other to the cruel bird of prey as she is to the harless
do%e! )other nature 'ill punish her child$ but since he has becoe her co-'or&er for destruction she
cannot e1ect hi! I)aster @!>!'s Coents -" =ot during the aeon$ if they but &no' ho' to force her! ;ut
it is a life of torture and eternal hatred! 0f you belie%e in us ho' can you disbelie%e in theB"H #here are
thoroughly 'ic&ed and depra%ed en$ yet as highly intellectual and acutely spiritual for e%il$ as those 'ho
are spiritual for good! I)aster @!>!'s Coents -" #he ;rothers of the shado'!"H #he Egos of these ay
escape the la' of final destruction or annihilation for ages to coe! I)aster @!>!'s Coents -" #he
a1ority ha%e to go out of this planet into the Cth as she calls it! ;ut the highest 'ill li%e till the %ery
threshold of the final nir%ana!" H #hat is 'hat 9liphas *e%i eans by becoing "iortal in e%il"$ through
identification 'ith 7atan! "0 'ould thou 'ert cold or hot$" says the %ision of the .evelation to 7t! Kohn (iii$
Page C.
1,-1./! "7o then because thou art lu(ewarm$ and neither cold nor hot$ 0 'ill spue thee out of y outh!"
#he .evelation is an absolutely Kabalistic boo&! >eat and cold are the t'o "poles"$ i$e$$ good and e%il$
spirit and matter! =ature spues the "lu&e'ar" or "the useless portion of an&ind" out of her outh$ i$e$$
annihilates the! #his conception that a considerable portion of an&ind ay after all not ha%e iortal
souls$ 'ill not be ne' e%en to 9uropean readers! Coleridge hiself li&ened the case to that of an oa& tree
bearing$ indeed$ illions of acorns$ but acorns of 'hich under noinal I)aster @!>!'s Coents -"
=oral "! H conditions not one in a thousand e%er de%eloped into a tree$ and suggested that as the
a1ority of the acorns fails to de%elop into a ne' li%ing tree$ so possibly the a1ority of en fail to
de%elop into a ne' li%ing entity after this earthly death!

C8 I&* ,@- 2hether an 'as good$ bad$ or indifferent$ Group 00 I)anas and &aa-rupaJ has to becoe
either a "shell" or be once or se%eral ties ore reincarnated under "e6ceptional circustances"! #here
is a ighty difference in our <ccult doctrine bet'een an impersonal 0ndi%iduality$ and an indi%idual
ersonality! !!! 7hall 'e say then 'ith the 7piritists that !!! the an 'e &no'$ 'ill be reborn againB =o3
but that his di%ine )onad 'ill be clothed thousands of ties yet before the end of the Grand Cycle$ in
%arious huan fors$ e%ery one of the a new personality! *i&e a ighty tree that clothes itself e%ery
spring 'ith a ne' foliage$ to see it 'ither and die to'ards autun$ so the eternal )onad pre%ails through
the series of saller cycles$ e%er the sae$ yet e%er changing and putting on at each birth$ a ne'
garent! #he bud$ that failed to open one year$ 'ill reappear in the ne6t3 the leaf that reached its aturity
and died a natural death - can ne%er be reborn on the sae tree again!

C8 I&* /C0 #o the 9ditor of The Theosophist-

0n the article on "Death" by the late 9liphas *e%i$ printed in the <ctober nuber of The Theosophist$
8ol!000$ the 'riter says that "to be iortal in good$ one ust identify oneself 'ith God3 to be iortal in
e%il$ 'ith 7atan! #hese are the t'o poles of the 'orld of soul3 between these two poles vegetate and die
without remembrance the useless portion of man(ind"! 0n your e6planatory note on this passage you
4uote the boo& of Khiu!ti$ 'hich says that "to force oneself upon the current of iortality$ or rather to
secure for oneself an endless series of rebirths as conscious individualities$ one ust becoe a co-
'or&er 'ith nature$ either for good or for bad$ in her 'or& of creation and reproduction$ or in that of
destruction! 0t is but the useless drones$ 'hich she gets rid of$ %iolently e1ecting and a&ing the perish
by the illions as self-conscious entities! #hus$ 'hile the good and the pure stri%e to reach =ir%ana !!! the
'ic&ed 'ill see&$ on the contrary$ series of li%es as conscious$ definite e6istences or beings$ preferring to
be e%er suffering under the la' of retributi%e 1ustice rather than gi%e up their li%es as portions of the
integral uni%ersal 'hole! ;eing 'ell a'are that they can ne%er hope to reach the final rest in pure spirit$
or 6irvana$ they cling to life in any for$ rather than gi%e up that 'desire for life'$ or Tanha 'hich causes a
ne' aggregation of S(andhas or indi%iduality to be reborn! !!! #hey are thoroughly 'ic&ed or depra%ed
en$ yet as highly intellectual and acutely spiritual for e%il$ as those 'ho are spiritual for good! #he Egos
of these ay escape the la' of final destruction or annihilation for ages to coe !!! >eat and cold are the
t'o 'poles'$ i!e! good and e%il$ spirit and matter! =ature spews the 'lu&e'ar' or 'useless portion of
an&ind' out of her outh$ i!e!$ annihilates the"! 0n the %ery sae nuber in 'hich these lines occur 'e
ha%e the "Fragents of <ccult #ruth"$ and 'e learn thence that there are se%en entities or principles
constituting a huan being! 2hen death occurs$ the first three principles (i!e! the body$ the %ital energy$
and astral body/ are dissipated3 and 'ith regard to the reaining four principles "one of two things
occurs"! 0f the 7piritual 9go (si6th principle/ has been in life aterial in its tendencies$ then at death it
continues to cling blindly to the lo'er eleents of its late cobination$ and the true spirit se%ers itself
Page CD
fro these and passes a'ay else'here$ 'hen the 7piritual 9go is also dissipated and ceases to e6ist!
Ander such circustances only t'o entities (the fourth and fifth$ i!e! @aa :upa and Physical 9go/ are
left$ and the shells ta&e long periods to disintegrate!

(5,1/ <n the other hand$ if the tendencies of the ego ha%e been to'ards things spiritual$ it 'ill cling to the
spirit$ and 'ith this pass into the ad1oining :orld of Effects$ and there e%ol%e out of itself by the spirit's aid
a ne' ego$ to be reborn (after a brief period of freedo and en1oyent/ in the ne6t higher ob1ecti%e 'orld
of causes!

#he "Fragents" teach that$ apart fro the cases of the higher adepts$ there are t'o conditions- ;irst$
that in 'hich the 7pirit is obliged to se%er its connection3 and$ secondly that in 'hich the 7pirit is able to
continue its connection 'ith the fourth$ fifth and si6th principles! 0n either case the fourth and fifth
principles are dissipated after a longer or a shorter period$ and$ in the case of the spiritual-inded$ the
7piritual 9go undergoes a series of ascending births$ 'hile in the case of the depra%ed no 7piritual 9go
reains and there is siply disintegration of the fourth and fifth principles after iense periods of tie!
#he "Fragents" do not see to adit of a third or interediary case 'hich could e6plain the condition
of 9liphas *e%i's "useless portion" of an&ind after death! 0t appears to e also that there could be only
t'o cases- (l/ either the spirit continues its connection$ or (5/ it se%ers its connection! 2hat$ then$ is
eant by the "useless portion of an&ind" 'ho$ you suggest$ are annihilated by the illionsB Are they a
cobination of less than se%en principlesB #hat cannot be$ for e%en the %ery 'ic&ed and depra%ed ha%e
the all! 2hat$ then$ becoes of the fourth$ fifth$ si6th and se%enth principles in the case of the so-called
5useless portion of man(ind5B

(5,5/ #he "Fragents" again tell us that$ in the case of the 'ic&ed$ the fourth and fifth principles are
siply disintegrated after long ages$ 'hile in your abo%e 4uoted note you say that the "'ic&ed 'ill see& a
series of li%es as conscious$ definite e6istences or beings"$ and again in the note to the 'ord ">ell" you
'rite that it is "a 'orld of nearly absolute matter and one preceding the last one in the 'circle of necessity'
fro 'hich 'there is no redeption$ for there reigns absolute spiritual dar&ness'"! #hese t'o notes see
to suggest that$ in the case of the depra%ed$ the fourth and fifth principles are born again in inferior
'orlds and ha%e a series of conscious e6istences!

#he "Fragents" are adittedly the production of the ";rothers" and 'hat 0 could gather fro the after
a careful perusal sees apparently not to accord 'ith your notes 4uoted abo%e! 9%idently there is a gap
soe'here$ and$ as the "useless portion of an&ind" ha%e been so far noticed$ a ore e6hausti%e
e6planation of the after the ethod of the se%en principles is needed to a&e your other'ise learned
note accord 'ith the "Fragents"! 0 ight ention again that at e%ery step the 'ords "atter" and "spirit"
confound the a1ority of your readers$ and it is highly iportant and necessary that these t'o 'ords be
satisfactorily e6plained so that the a%erage reader ight understand 'herein lies the difference bet'een
the t'o3 'hat is eant by atter eanating fro spirit$ and 'hether spirit does not becoe liited to
that e6tent by the eanation of atter therefro!

Eours faithfully and fraternally$ =!D!@ ----$ F!#!7!

#he apparent discrepancy bet'een the t'o stateents$ that our correspondent 4uotes$ does not in%ol%e
Page CC
any real contradiction at all$ nor is there a "gap" in the e6planation! #he confusion arises fro the
unfailiarity of ordinary thin&ers$ unused to <ccult ideas$ 'ith the distinction bet'een the personal and
indi%idual entities in )an! :eference has been ade to this distinction in odern <ccult 'riting %ery
fre4uently$ and in +sis itself 'here the e6planations of a hundred ysteries lie but half buried - they 'ere
altogether buried in earlier 'or&s on <ccult philosophy - only 'aiting for the application of intelligence
guided by a little <ccult &no'ledge to coe out into the light of day! 2hen +sis 'as 'ritten$ it 'as
concei%ed by those fro 'ho the ipulse$ 'hich directed its preparation cae$ that the tie 'as not
ripe for the e6plicit declaration of a great any truths 'hich they are no' 'illing to ipart in plain
language! 7o the readers of that boo& 'ere supplied rather 'ith hints$ s&etches$ and adubrations of the
philosophy to 'hich it related$ than 'ith ethodical e6positions! #hus in reference to the present idea$
the difference bet'een personal and indi%idual identity is suggested$ if not fully set forth at page +1,$
8ol!0! #here it is stated as the %ie' of certain philosophers$ 'ith 'ho$ it is easy to see$ the 'riter
concurs- ")an and 7oul had to con4uer their iortality by ascending to'ards the Anity 'ith 'hich$ if
successful$ they 'ere finally lin&ed !!! #he indi%idualization of an after death depended on the spirit$ not
on his soul and body! Although the 'ord 'personality'$ in the sense in 'hich it is usually understood$ is an
absurdity$ if applied literally to our iortal essence$ still the latter is a distinct entity$ iortal and eternal
per se"! And a little later on- "A person ay ha%e 'on his iortal life$ and reain the sae inner!self he
'as on earth$ throughout eternity3 but this does not iply necessarily that he ust either reain the )r
7ith or )r ;ro'n he 'as on earth !!!" Ip!+1.J!

(5,+/ A full consideration of these ideas 'ill sol%e the ebarrassent in 'hich our correspondent is
placed! 9liphas *e%i is tal&ing about personalities - the "Fragents" about indi%idualities! =o'$ as
regards the personalities$ the "useless portions of an&ind" to 'hich 9liphas *e%i refers$ is the great bul&
thereof! #he permanent preser%ation of a personal identity beyond death is a %ery rare achie%eent$
accoplished only by those 'ho 'rest her secrets fro =ature$ and control their o'n super-aterial
de%elopent! 0n his fa%ourite sybolical 'ay 9liphas *e%i indicates the people 'ho contri%e to do this as
those 'ho are iortal in good by identification 'ith God$ or iortal in e%il by identification 'ith 7atan!
#hat is to say$ the preser%ation of personal identity beyond death (or rather$ let us say$ far beyond death$
reser%ing for the oent an e6planation of the distinction/ is accoplished only by adepts and sorcerers
- the one class ha%ing ac4uired the supree secret &no'ledge by holy ethods$ and 'ith bene%olent
oti%es3 the other ha%ing ac4uired it by unholy ethods$ and for base oti%es! ;ut that 'hich constitutes
the inner self$ the purer portions of the earthly personal soul united 'ith the spiritual principles and
constituting the essential indi%iduality$ is ensured a perpetuation of life in ne' births$ 'hether the person$
'hose earthly surroundings are its present habitat$ becoes endued 'ith the higher &no'ledge$ or
reains a plain ordinary an all his life!

C8 I&* /CC =o'$ ost people 'ill be but too apt to feel that unsatisfactory as the circustances ay be$
'hich constitute their present personalities$ these are after all themselves -"a poor thing$ 7ir$ but ine
o'n" - and that the inner spiritual onads$ of 'hich they are but %ery dily conscious by the tie they
are united 'ith entirely different sets of circustances in ne' births$ 'ill be other people altogether in
'hose fate they cannot ta&e any interest! 0n truth 'hen the tie coes they 'ill find the fate of those
people profoundly interesting$ as uch so as they find their o'n fates no'! ;ut passing o%er this branch
of the sub1ect$ there is still soe consolation for 'ea& brethren 'ho find the notion of 4uitting their
present personality at the end of their present li%es too glooy to be borne! 9liphas *e%i's e6position of
the doctrines is a %ery brief one - as regards the passage 4uoted - and it passes o%er a great deal 'hich$
fro the point of %ie' 'e are no' engaged 'ith$ is of %ery great iportance! 0n tal&ing about iortality
the great <ccultist is thin&ing of the %ast stretches of tie o%er 'hich the personality of the adept and the
Page C9
sorcerer ay be ade to e6tend! 2hen he spea&s of annihilation after this life$ he ignores a certain
inter%al$ 'hich ay perhaps be not 'orth considering in reference to the enorous 'hole of e6istence$
but 'hich none the less is %ery 'ell 'orth the attention of people 'ho cling to the little fragent of their
life e6perience 'hich ebodies the personality of 'hich 'e ha%e been tal&ing!

(5,./ 0t has been e6plained$ in ore than one paper published in this agazine during the last fe'
onths$ that the passage of the spiritual onad into a rebirth does not iediately follo' its release
fro the fleshly body last inhabited here! 0n the Kama!lo(a$ or atosphere of this earth$ the separation of
the t'o groups of ethereal principles ta&es place$ and in the %ast a1ority of cases in 'hich the late
personality - the fifth principle - yields up soething 'hich is susceptible of perpetuation and of union
'ith the si6th$ the spiritual onad$ thus retaining consciousness of its late personality for the tie being$
passes into the state described as Devachan$ 'here it leads$ for %ery long periods indeed as copared
'ith those of life on this earth$ an e6istence of the ost unalloyed satisfaction and conscious en1oyent!
<f course$ this state is not one of acti%ity nor of e6citing contrasts bet'een pain and pleasure$ pursuit
and achie%eent$ li&e the state of physical life$ but it is one in 'hich the personality of 'hich 'e are
spea&ing is perpetuated$ as far as that is copatible 'ith the nonperpetuation of that 'hich has been
painful in its e6perience! 0t is fro this state that the spiritual onad is reborn into the ne6t acti%e life$ and
fro the date of that rebirth the old personality is done 'ith! ;ut for any iagination$ 'hich finds the
conception of rebirth and ne' personality uncofortable$ the doctrine of Devachan - and these
"doctrines"$ be it reebered$ are stateents of scientific fact 'hich Adepts ha%e ascertained to be as
real as the stars though as far out of reach for ost of us - the doctrine of Devachan$ 'e say$ 'ill furnish
people 'ho cannot gi%e up their earth-life eories all at once - 'ith a soft place to fall upon!

C8 I&* CD0 I=!D!@! further en4uiresJ- :hat Karma propels the higher Ego into the ne,t birth' when a
highly depraved personality is dropped out?

(,D1/ !! 0n each birth the personality differs fro that of the pre%ious or ne6t succeeding birth! @ara$ the
deus e, machina$ as&s (or shall 'e say reflectsB/ itself no' in the personality of a sage$ again as an
artisan$ and so on throughout the string of births! ;ut though personalities e%er shift$ the one line of life
along 'hich they are strung li&e beads$ runs unbro&en !!

#he tie 'ill coe$ no doubt$ but any steps higher on the ladder$ 'hen the 9go 'ill regain its
consciousness of all its past states of e6istence!

0f the en4uirer 'ill realize the real eaning of these t'o 4uotations$ he 'ill ha%e the &ey to a correct
understanding of the 4uestion as to 'hat Karma propels the higher Ego into the ne6t birth$ 'hen e%en
that of a highly depra%ed personality is dropped out$ together 'ith the personal soul that is responsible
for it! 0t 'ill be clear fro these passages that the indi%iduality or the spiritual onad is a thread upon
'hich are strung %arious personalities! 9ach personality lea%es its o'n - the higher spiritual - ipressions
upon the di%ine Ego$ the consciousness of 'hich returns at a certain stage of its progress$ e%en that of
the highly depra%ed soul that had to perish in the end! #he reason for it becoes self-e%ident$ if one
reflects that ho'e%er criinal and lost to e%ery glier of a higher feeling$ no huan soul is yet born
utterly depra%ed$ and that there 'as a tie during the youth of the sinful huan personality 'hen it had
'or&ed out soe &ind or other of Karma3 and that it is this that sur%i%es and fors the basis of the
Karma to coe! #o a&e it clearer$ let us suppose that A! li%es to that age 'hen a person becoes an
Page 90
adult and begins to bloo fully into life! =o an$ ho'e%er$ %icious his natural tendency$ becoes so at
once! >e has had therefore tie to e%ol%e a Karma$ ho'e%er faint and insignificant! *et us further
iagine that at the age of eighteen or t'enty A! begins to gi%e 'ay to %ice and thus gradually loses the
reotest connection 'ith his higher principle! At thirty or say forty$ he dies! =o'$ the personality of A!
bet'een fifteen and t'enty is as little the personality of A! fro t'enty to thirty$ as though it 'ere 4uite
another an! 9%en the physiologists di%ide the physical personality into stages of se%en$ and sho' an
changing atos to the last$ e%ery se%en years! #he sae 'ith the inner an! #he fifth principle of the
sensual$ highly depra%ed an$ ay 'ell and 'ill perish$ 'hile the Karma of his youth$ though not strong
and coplete enough to secure for hi a bliss in Devachan and union 'ith his higher principle - is yet
sufficiently outlined to allo' the onad a grasp on it for the ne6t rebirth! <n the other hand 'e are taught
that it so happens soeties that the @ara of a personality is not fully 'or&ed out in the birth that
follo's! *ife is ade up of accidents$ and the personality that becoes$ ay be hindered by
circustances fro recei%ing the full due its Karma is entitled to$ 'hether for good or for bad! ;ut the
*a' of :etribution 'ill ne%er allo' itself to be cheated by blind chance! #here is then a pro%ision to be
ade$ and the accounts that could not be settled in one birth 'ill be s4uared in the succeeding one! #he
portion of the su total 'hich could not be sued up on one colun is carried for'ard to the follo'ing!
For %erily the any li%es of an indi%idual onad 'ere 'ell copared !!! to the pages of an account boo& -
#>9 ;<<@ <F *0F9 or - *i%es!

(,D5/ <ut of these ipressions$ then$ 'hich constitute the Karma of the youth$ is e%ol%ed the ne'
personality! <ur botanical friends ay &no' that the croton plant e%ol%es out of itself another plant$ 'hen
the one already e%ol%ed dies out or 'ithers a'ay! =ature ust al'ays progress$ and each fresh attept
is ore successful than the pre%ious one! #his fresh e%olution is due to the latent potentiality of life it has
'ithin itself! 0n the sae anner$ although one particular personality ay be so depra%ed as to be
entirely dissociated fro the spiritual onad and go into the eighth sphere$ 'here annihilation is its lot$
yet the ipressions of the pre%ious personalities upon the higher Ego ha%e in the potentiality enough to
e%ol%e a ne' physical 9go$ li&e the croton plant! #he connection bet'een a an's spiritual onad and
the succession of physical 9gos 'ith 'hich it is teporarily associated$ has been soe'here in these
coluns$ copared to the retrospecti%e glance of a an on soe past period of his earthly e6istence!
2hile re%ie'ing in his eory his 'or& day by day - those days on 'hich he did nothing of any
iportance and passed idly a'ay$ ha%ing left no ipression on his ind$ ust be$ and are to hi$ li&e a
perfect blan&! =o consciousness that he had passed such days reains there! 0n the sae anner$ the
Ego 'hen at the end of its long pilgriage 'ill regain consciousness of those personalities only 'hich
ha%e ade a sufficiently strong spiritual$ hence indelible$ ar& on the onad$ 'hile the eory of the
conscious acts of the particular depra%ed personality 'hich goes to the eighth sphere 'ill be entirely
obliterated!

C8 &* BB ":eincarnation on a planet of a superior world!" - #hat sentence contains t'o errors! #he
)onad is going to incarnate on the planet superior to ours$ in our chain of 'orlds$ but only 'hen its
incarnations on our globe are copleted - and not "on a planet of a superior 'orld"$ and before it reaches
that superior planet$ 9 - ours being D - 'hich it has already %isited three ties and 'hich it ust %isit four
ties ore before reaching the end of its great cycle - each onad ust incarnate in e%ery one of the
se%en great huan races as 'ell as in their raifications into collateral races!

Footnote- According to our doctrine$ the Ani%erse is filled 'ith septenary chains of 'orlds$ each chain
being coposed of se%en globes$ ours being the ?th of its chain and being found e6actly in the iddle! 0t
Page 91
is after passing through all the races as 'ell as all the sub!races and ha%ing reached the planetary
ralaya (dissolution/ that 'e shall go to a planet of a superior 'orld! #here is aple tie for that!

C8 &* BC #he difference bet'een the souls entioned abo%e Ii!e! those of children 'ho die young and
congenital idiotsJ and those of people in general is that the forer incarnate immediately$ because
neither the infants nor the idiots$ being irresponsible for their actions$ are able to recei%e either re'ard or
punishent! Failures of nature - they begin a ne' life iediately3 'hile reincarnations in general ta&e
place after rather long periods passed in the interediate and in%isible spheres! 7o that if a 7piritist-
#heosophist tells an <ccultist-#heosophist that he is a reincarnation of *ouis P8$ or that )rs P is a
reincarnation of Koan of Arc$ the <ccultist 'ould ans'er that according to his doctrine it is ipossible! 0t
is 4uite possible that he ight be a reincarnation of 7esostris or of 7eirais$ but the tie period that
has passed since the death of *ouis P8 and e%en of Koan of Arc is too short according to our
calculations$ 'hich are atheatically correct! 7hould 'e be thoroughly ostraci-ed if 'e 'ere to say that
the soul of idiots and e6treely young children (dying before the age of personal consciousness/ are the
e6act parallels to those 'ho are annihilatedB Can the personalities of the infants and the idiots lea%e a
greater trace on the onadic eory 'ith 'hich they ha%e not been able to becoe united$ than those
of the souls of ar&ed anial tendencies 'ho ha%e also$ though not ore than the forer$ failed to
becoe assiilated thereinB 0n both cases the final result is the sae! #he si6th eleent or the spiritual
9G< 'hich has not had either the tie or the possibility to unite 'ith the lo'er principles in the cases of
the idiot and the infant$ has had the tie but not the possibility to accoplish that union in the case of the
totally depra%ed person! =o' it is not that the "spiritual 9G< is dissipated and ceases to e,ist" !!! 0t 'ould
be absurd to say that soething 'hich is iortal in its essence can be dissipated or cease to be! #he
spiritual 9G< is dissociated fro the lo'er eleents and$ follo'ing its di%ine onad - the se%enth
eleent$ disappears in the case of the utterly %icious an and ceases to e6ist for him$ for the personal
and physical an as 'ell as for the astral an! As for the latter$ once being depra%ed$ 'hether it belong
to an idiot or to a =e'ton$ if it has failed to grasp$ or has lost the Ariadne's thread 'hich ust lead it
through the labyrinth of atter into the regions of eternal light - it must disappear!

#hus this personal astral an (or the fourth and fifth principles/ 'hether it disappears into an iediate
reincarnation$ or is annihilated$ drops fro the nuber of the indi%idual e6istences 'hich are to the
onad e4ui%alent to days passed by an indi%idual - a series of recollections$ soe fresh and eternal in
our eory$ others forgotten and dead$ ne%er to re%i%e!

C8 &II* ,D@ ":eincarnation$ i$e$$ the appearance of the sae indi%idual$ or rather of his astral monad'
twice on the same planet is not a rule in nature3 it is an e6ception$ li&e the teratological phenoenon of a
t'o-headed infant! 0t is preceded by a violation of the laws of harmony of nature$ and happens only 'hen
the latter$ see(ing to restore its disturbed equilibrium' violently throws bac( into earth!life the astral
monad which had been tossed out of the circle of necessity by crime or accident! #hus$ in cases of
abortion$ of infants dying before a certain age$ and of congenital and incurable idiocy$ nature's original
design to produce a perfect huan being$ has been interrupted! #herefore$ 'hile the gross atter of
each of these se%eral entities is suffered to disperse itself at death$ through the %ast real of being$ the
immortal spirit and astral monad of the individual ! the latter having been set apart to aniate a frae
and the forer to shed its di%ine light on the corporeal organization - must try a second time to carry out
the purpose of the creative intelligence!" (+sis' *ol$ +' p$<=>/

>ere the "astral onad" or body of the deceased personality - say of Kohn or #hoas - is eant! 0t is that
Page 95
'hich$ in the teachings of the 9soteric philosophy of >induis$ is &no'n under its nae of bhoot3 in the
Gree& philosophy is called the simalcrum or umbra$ and in all other philosophies 'orthy of the nae is
said$ as taught in the forer$ to disappear after a certain period ore or less prolonged in Kama!lo(a -
the *ibus of the :oan Catholics$ or #ades of the Gree&s! 0t is "a %iolation of the la's of harony of
nature"$ though it be so decreed by those of Karma - e%ery tie that the astral onad$ or the simalcrum
of the personality - of Kohn or #hoas -instead of running do'n to the end of its natural period of tie in
a body - finds itself (a/ %iolently thro'n out of it by either early death or accident or (b/ is copelled in
conse4uence of its unfinished tas& to reappear (i$e$' the same astral body wedded to the same immortal
monad/ on earth again$ in order to coplete the unfinished tas&! #hus it "ust try a second tie to carry
out the purpose of the creati%e intelligence" or law!

(1D9/ "0f reason had been so far de%eloped as to becoe acti%e and discriinati%e there is no immediate
reincarnation on this earth$ for the three parts of the triune an ha%e been united together$ and he is
capable of running the race! ;ut 'hen the ne' being has not passed beyond the condition of )onad$ or
'hen$ as in the idiot$ the trinity has not been copleted Ion earth and therefore cannot be so after deathJ$
the iortal spar& 'hich illuinates it$ has to re-enter on the earthly plane as it 'as frustrated in its first
attept! <ther'ise$ the ortal or astral$ and iortal or di%ine$ souls$ could not progress in unison and
pass onward to the sphere above ?Devachan@! 7pirit follo's a line parallel 'ith that of atter3 and the
spiritual e%olution goes hand in hand 'ith the physical!" (+sis' *ol$ +' pp <=>!A/

#he <ccult Doctrine teaches that --

(1/ #here is no immediate reincarnation on 9arth for the )onad$ as falsely taught by the :eincarnationist
7piritists3 nor is there any second incarnation at all for the "personal" or false 9go - the perisprit - sa%e
the e6ceptional cases entioned! ;ut that (a/ there are re-births$ or periodical reincarnations for the
iortal 9go - ("9go" during the cycle of re-births$ and non-9go$ in =ir%ana or )a&sha 'hen it becoes
impersonal and absolute3 for that 9go is the root of e%ery ne' incarnation$ the string on 'hich are
threaded$ one after the other$ the false personalities or illusi%e bodies called en$ in 'hich the )onad-
9go incarnates itself during the cycle of births3 and (b/ that such reincarnations ta&e place not before
1$,00$ 5$000$ and e%en +$000 years of De%achanic life!

(5/ #hat Manas - the seat of /iv$ that spar& 'hich runs the round of the cycle of births and rebirths 'ith
the )onad$ fro the beginning to the end of a )an%antara - is the real Ego! #hat (a/ the /iv follo's the
di%ine onad that gi%es it spiritual life and iortality into De%achan - that therefore$ it can neither be
reborn before its appointed period$ nor reappear on 9arth visibly or invisibly in the interim3 and (b/ that$
unless the fruition$ the spiritual aroa of the )anas - or all these highest aspirations and spiritual
4ualities and attributes that constitute the higher 79*F of an becoe united to its onad$ the latter
becoes as 6on-e6istent3 since it is in esse "ipersonal" and per se 9go-less$ so to say and gets its
spiritual colouring or fla%our of 9go-tis only fro each Manas during incarnation and after it is
disebodied$ and separated fro all its lo'er principles!

(1C0/ (+/ #hat the reaining four principles$ or rather the -5!1Q5 - as they are coposed of the terrestrial
portion of Manas$ of its 8ehicle Kama!.upa and Linga Sarira - the body dissol%ing iediately$ and
prana or the life principle along 'ith it - that these principles ha%ing belonged to the false personality are
unfit for De%achan! #he latter is the state of ;liss$ the re'ard for all the undeser%ed iseries of life$ and
Page 9+
that 'hich propted an to sin$ naely his terrestrial passionate nature can ha%e no roo in it!

Footnote- #he reader ust bear in ind that the esoteric teaching aintains that sa%e in cases of
'ic&edness 'hen an's nature attains the ace of 9%il$ and huan terrestrial sin reaches Satanic
uni%ersal character$ so to say$ as some Sorcerers do - there is no punishent for the a1ority of an&ind
after death! #he la' of retribution as Karma$ 'aits an at the threshold of his ne' incarnation! )an is at
best a 'retched tool of e%il$ unceasingly foring ne' causes and circustances! >e is not al'ays (if
e%er/ responsible! >ence a period of rest and bliss in De%achan$ 'ith an utter teporary obli%ion of all
the iseries and sorro's of life! &vitchi is a spiritual state of the greatest isery and is only in store for
those 'ho ha%e de%oted consciously their li%es to doing in1ury to others and ha%e thus reached its
highest spirituality of 980*!

#herefore the non-reincarnating principles are left behind in Kama!Lo(a$ firstly as a aterial residue$
then later on as a reflection on the irror of Astral light! 9ndo'ed 'ith illusive action$ to the day 'hen
ha%ing gradually faded out they disappear$ 'hat is it but the Gree& Eidolon and the simalcrum of the
Gree& and *atin poets and classicsB

(1C1/ "2hat re'ard or punishent can there be in that sphere of disebodied huan entities for a
foetus or a huan ebryo 'hich had not e%en tie to breathe on this earth$ still less an opportunity to
e6ercise the di%ine faculties of the spiritB <r$ for an irresponsible infant$ 'hose senseless onad
reaining dorant 'ithin the astral and physical cas&et$ could as little pre%ent hi fro burning hiself
as another person to deathB <r for one idiotic fro birth$ the nuber of 'hose cerebral circu%olutions
is only fro t'enty to thirty percent of those of sane persons3 and 'ho therefore is irresponsible for either
his disposition$ acts$ or the iperfections of his %agrant$ half-de%eloped intellectB" (+sis' *ol$ +' p <=A/

#hese are then$ the "e6ceptions" spo&en of in +sis$ and the doctrine is aintained no' as it 'as then!
)oreo%er$ there is no "discrepancy" but only incompleteness - hence$ isconceptions arising fro later
teachings!

C8 &II* ,@C !! the principle 'hich does not reincarnate - sa%e the e6ceptions pointed out - is the false
personality$ the illusi%e huan 9ntity defined and indi%idualized during this short life of ours$ under soe
specific for and nae3 but that 'hich does and has to reincarnate nolens volens under the unflinching$
stern rule of @aric la' - is the real 9G<! #his confusing of the real iortal 9go in an$ 'ith the false
and epheeral personalities it inhabits during its )an%antaric progress$ lies at the root of e%ery such
isunderstanding! =o' 'hat is the one and 'hat is the otherB #he first group is - 1! #he iortal 7pirit -
se6less$ forless (arupa/$ an eanation fro the <ne uni%ersal ;:9A#>!

5! 0ts 8ehicle - the divine 7oul - called the "0ortal 9go"$ the "Di%ine onad"$ etc!$ etc!$ 'hich by
accretions fro Manas in 'hich burns the e%er-e6isting /iv - the undying spar& - adds to itself at the
close of each incarnation the essence of that indi%iduality that was$ the aroa of the culled flo'er that is
no ore!

2hat is the false personalityB 0t is that bundle of desire$ aspiration$ affection and hatred$ in short of
Page 9?
action$ anifested by a huan being on this earth during one incarnation and under the for of one
personality! Certainly it is not all this$ 'hich as a fact for us$ the deluded$ aterial$ and aterially thin&ing
lot - is )r 7o and 7o$ or )rs soebody else -that reains iortal! or is e%er reborn!

(1C./ All that bundle of Egotism$ that apparent and e%anescent "0"$ disappears after death$ as the
costue of the part he played disappears fro the actor's body$ after he lea%es the theatre and goes to
bed! #hat actor re-becoes at once the sae "Kohn 7ith" or Gray$ he 'as fro his birth and is no
longer the <thello or >alet that he had represented for a fe' hours! =othing reains no' of that
"bundle" to go to the ne6t incarnation$ e6cept the seed for future Karma that Manas ay ha%e united to
its iortal group$ to for 'ith it - the disebodied #igher Self in "De%achan"! As to the four lo'er
principles$ that 'hich becoes of the is found in ost classics$ fro 'hich 'e ean to 4uote at length
for our defence! #he doctrine of the perisprit$ the "false personality"$ or the reains of the deceased
under their astral for - fading out to disappear in tie$ is terribly distasteful to the spiritualists$ 'ho insist
upon confusing the teporary 'ith the iortal 9G<!

C8 E* ,D- @A:)A$ #A=>A and 7@A=D>A7$ are the alighty trinity in one$ and the cause of our re-
birth! #he illustration of painting our o'n present li&eness at death$ and that li&eness becoing the future
personality is %ery poetical and graphic$ but 'e clai it as an occult teaching! 2hat >!:!>! eans to
infer$ as 'e understand it$ is this! At the solen oent of death no an can fail to see hiself under his
true colours$ and no self-deception is of any use to hi any longer! #hence the follo'ing thing happens!
As at the instant of dro'ning an sees arshalled past his ind's eye the 'hole of his life$ 'ith all its
e%ents$ effects and causes$ to the inutest details$ so at the oent of death$ he sees hiself in all his
oral na&edness$ unadorned by either huan flattery or self-adulation$ and$ as he is3 hence$ as he$ or
rather$ as his astral double cobined 'ith his Kama principle - shall be! For the %ices$ defects and
especially the passions of the preceding life becoe$ through certain la's of affinity and transference$
the gers of the future potentialities in the animal soul (Kama rupa/$ hence of its dependent$ the astral
double (linga sarira/ - at a subse4uent birth! 0t is the personality alone 'hich changes3 the real
reincarnating principle$ the 9G<$ reains al'ays the sae3 and it is its @A:)A that guides the
idiosyncracies and proinent oral traits of the old "personality" that 'as (and that the 9G< &ne' not
ho' to control/$ to re-appear in the new an that 'ill be! #hese traits and passions pursue and fasten on
the yet plastic third and fourth principles of the child$ and - unless the 9G< struggles and con4uers - they
'ill de%elop 'ith tenfold intensity and lead the adult an to his destruction! For it is they 'ho are the
tools and 'eapons of the @aric *A2 <F :9#:0;A#0<=! #hus$ the Prince says %ery truly that our good
and bad actions "are the only tools 'ith 'hich 'e paint our li&enesses at death"$ for the new an is
in%ariably the son and progeny of the old an that 'as!

SD I* A? (b/ #he t'el%e =idanas or causes of being! 9ach is the effect of its antecedent cause$ and a
cause$ in its turn$ to its successor3 the su total of the =idanas being based on the four truths$ a doctrine
especially characteristic of the >inayana 7yste! #hey belong to the theory of the strea of catenated
la' 'hich produces erit and deerit$ and finally brings @ara into full s'ay! 0t is based upon the great
truth that reincarnation is to be dreaded$ as e6istence in this 'orld only entails upon an suffering$
isery and pain3 death itself being unable to deli%er an fro it$ since death is erely the door through
'hich he passes to another life on earth after a little rest on its threshold - De%achan!

SD I* B0 As 'e rise in the scale of de%elopent 'e percei%e that during the states through 'hich 'e
ha%e passed 'e istoo& shado's for realities$ and the up'ard progress of the 9go is a series of
Page 9,
progressi%e a'a&enings$ each ad%ance bringing 'ith it the idea that no'$ at last$ 'e ha%e reached
"reality"3 but only 'hen 'e shall ha%e reached the absolute Consciousness$ and blended our o'n 'ith it$
shall 'e be free fro the delusions produced by )aya!

SD I* CB #he idea that things can cease to e6ist and still ;9$ is a fundaental one in 9astern
psychology! Ander this apparent contradiction in ters$ there rests a fact of =ature to realize 'hich in the
ind$ rather than to argue about 'ords$ is the iportant thing! A failiar instance of a siilar parado6 is
afforded by cheical cobination! #he 4uestion 'hether >ydrogen and <6ygen cease to e6ist$ 'hen
they cobine to for 'ater$ is still a oot one$ soe arguing that since they are found again 'hen the
'ater is decoposed they ust be there all the 'hile3 others contending that as they actually turn into
soething totally different they ust cease to e6ist as thesel%es for the tie being3 but neither side is
able to for the faintest conception of the real condition of a thing$ 'hich has becoe soething else
and yet has not ceased to be itself! 96istence as 'ater ay be said to be$ for <6ygen and >ydrogen$ a
state of =on-being 'hich is "ore real being" than their e6istence as gases3 and it ay faintly sybolize
the condition of the Ani%erse 'hen it goes to sleep$ or ceases to be$ during the "=ights of ;raha" - to
a'a&en or reappear again$ 'hen the da'n of the ne' )an%antara recalls it to 'hat 'e call e6istence!

SD I* ,DC =o' the e%olution of the e,ternal for or body round the astral is produced by the terrestrial
forces$ 1ust as in the case of the lo'er &ingdos3 but the e%olution of the internal or real )A= is purely
spiritual! 0t is no' no ore a passage of the ipersonal )onad through any and %arious fors of
atter - endo'ed at best 'ith instinct and consciousness on 4uite a different plane- as in the case of
e6ternal e%olution$ but a 1ourney of the "pilgri-soul" through %arious states of not only matter but 7elf-
consciousness and self-perception$ or of perception fro apperception!

SD I* //D The "oo( of the Dead gi%es a coplete list of the "transforations" that e%ery defunct
undergoes$ 'hile di%esting hiself$ one by one$ of all those principles - aterialized for the sa&e of
clearness into ethereal entities or bodies! 2e ust$ oreo%er$ reind those 'ho try to pro%e that the
ancient 9gyptians &ne' nothing of and did not teach :eincarnation$ that the "7oul" (the Ego or Self/ of
the defunct is said to be li%ing in 9ternity- it is iortal$ "coe%al 'ith$ and disappearing 'ith the 7olar
boat"$ i$e$$ for the cycle of necessity! #his "7oul" emerges from the Tiaou (the real of the cause of life/
and 1oins the li%ing on 9arth by day$ to return to Tiaou e%ery night! #his e6presses the periodical
e6istences of the 9go!

#he shadow$ the astral for$ is annihilated$ "de%oured by the Araeus"$ the Manas 'ill be annihilated$3 the
t'o t'ins (the ?th and ,th principles/ 'ill be scattered3 but the 7oul-bird$ "the di%ine 7'allo' - and the
Araeus of Flae" ()anas and Ata-;uddhi/ 'ill li%e in the eternity$ for they are their other's husbands!

*i&e alone produces li&e! #he 9arth gi%es )an his body$ the gods (Dhyanis/ his fi%e inner principles$ the
psychic 7hado'$ of 'hich those gods are often the aniating principle! 7P0:0# (Atan/ is one - and
indiscrete! 0t is not in the Tiaou!

For 'hat is the TiaouB #he fre4uent allusion to it in the "oo( of the Dead contains a ystery! Tiaou is the
path of the =ight 7un$ the inferior heisphere$ or the infernal region of the 9gyptians$ placed by the on
the concealed side of the moon! #he huan being$ in their esotericis$ cae out fro the oon (a triple
Page 9.
ystery - astronoical$ physiological$ and psychical at once/3 he crossed the 'hole cycle of e6istence
and then returned to his birthplace before issuing fro it again!

SD I* /AD (b/ Kust as illiards of bright spar&s dance on the 'aters of an ocean abo%e 'hich one and
the sae oon is shining$ so our e%anescent personalities - the illusi%e en%elopes of the iortal
)<=AD-9G< - t'in&le and dance on the 'a%es of )aya! #hey last and appear$ as the thousands of
spar&s produced by the oonbeas$ only so long as the Oueen of the =ight radiates her lustre on the
running 'aters of life$ the period of a )an%antara3 and then they disappear$ the beas - sybols of our
eternal 7piritual 9gos - alone sur%i%ing$ re-erged in$ and being$ as they 'ere before$ one 'ith the
)other-7ource!

SD III* C@D 7@A=D>A7! 7&andhas are the gers of life on all the se%en planes of ;eing$ and a&e up
the totality of the sub1ecti%e and ob1ecti%e an! 9%ery %ibration 'e ha%e ade is a 7&andha! #he
7&andhas are closely united to the pictures in the Astral *ight$ 'hich is the ediu of ipressions$ and
the 7&andhas$ or %ibrations$ connected 'ith sub1ecti%e or ob1ecti%e )an$ are the lin&s 'hich attract the
:eincarnating 9go$ the gers left behind 'hen it 'ent into De%achan 'hich ha%e to be pic&ed up again
and e6hausted by a ne' personality! #he e6oteric 7&andhas ha%e to do 'ith the physical atos and
%ibrations$ or ob1ecti%e an3 the 9soteric 'ith the internal and sub1ecti%e an!

A ental change$ or a glipse of spiritual truth$ ay a&e a an suddenly change to the truth e%en at
his death$ thus creating good 7&andhas for the ne6t life! #he last acts or thoughts of a an ha%e an
enorous effect upon his future life$ but he 'ould still ha%e to suffer for his isdeeds$ and this is the
basis of the idea of a death-bed repentance! ;ut the @aric effects of the past life ust follo'$ for the
an in his ne6t birth ust pic& up the 7&andhas or %ibratory ipressions that he left in the Astral *ight$
since nothing coes fro nothing in <ccultis$ and there ust be a lin& bet'een the li%es! =e'
7&andhas are born fro their old parents!

0t is 'rong to spea& of #anhas in the plural3 there is only one #anha$ the desire to live! #his de%elops into
a ultitude or one ight say a congeries of ideas! #he 7&andhas are @aric and non-@aric! 7&andhas
ay produce 9leentals by unconscious @riyasha&ti! 9%ery 9leental that is thro'n out by an ust
return to hi sooner or later$ since it is his o'n %ibration! #hey thus becoe his Fran&enstein!
9leentals are siply effects producing effects! #hey are disebodied thoughts$ good and bad! #hey
reain crystallized in the Astral *ight and are attracted by affinity and gal%anized bac& into life again$
'hen their originator returns to earth-life! Eou can paralyze the by re %erse effects! 9leentals are
caught li&e a disease and hence are dangerous to oursel%es and to others! #his is 'hy it is dangerous to
influence others! #he 9leentals 'hich li%e after your death are those 'hich you iplant in others- the
rest reain latent till you are reincarnated$ 'hen they coe to life in you! "#hus$" >!P!;! said$ "if you are
badly taught by e or incited thereby to do soething 'rong$ you 'ould go on after y death and sin
through e$ but 0 should ha%e to bear the @ara!

SD III* C?0 At reincarnation the >igher 9go shoots out a :ay$ the *o'er 9go! 0ts energies are up'ard
and do'n'ard! #he up'ard tendencies becoe its De%achanic e6periences3 the lo'er are @aic! #he
>igher )anas stands to ;uddhi as the *o'er )anas to the >igher!

Page 9D
As to the 4uestion of responsibility$ it ay be understood by an e6aple! 0f you ta&e the for of Kac& the
:ipper$ you ust suffer for its isdeeds$ for the la' 'ill punish the urderer and hold hi responsible!
Eou are the sacrificial %icti! 0n the sae 'ay the >igher 9go is the Christos$ the sacrificial %icti for the
*o'er )anas! #he 9go ta&es the responsibility of e%ery body it infors!

Eou borro' soe oney to lend it to another3 the other runs a'ay$ but it is you 'ho are responsible! #he
ission of the >igher 9go is to shoot out a :ay to be a 7oul in a child!

#hus the 9go incarnates in a thousand bodies$ ta&ing upon itself the sins and responsibilities of each
body! At e%ery incarnation a ne' :ay is eitted$ and yet it is the sae :ay in essence$ the sae in you
and e and e%ery one! #he dross of the incarnation disintegrates$ the good goes into De%achan!

#he Flae is eternal! Fro the Flae of the >igher 9go$ the *o'er is lighted$ and fro this a lo'er
%ehicle$ and so on!

And yet the *o'er )anas is such as it a&es itself! 0t is possible for it to act differently in li&e conditions$
for it has reason and self-conscious &no'ledge of right and 'rong$ and good and e%il$ gi%en to it! 0t is in
fact endo'ed 'ith all the attributes of the Di%ine 7oul! 0n this the :ay is the >igher )anas$ the spec& of
responsibility on earth!

#he part of the essence is the essence$ but 'hile it is out of itself$ so to say$ it can get soiled and
polluted! #he :ay can be anifested on this earth because it can send forth its )aya%i :upa! ;ut the
>igher cannot$ so it has to send forth a :ay! 2e ay loo& upon the >igher 9go as the 7un$ and the
personal )anases as its :ays! 0f 'e ta&e a'ay the surrounding air and light the :ay ay be said to
return to the 7un$ so 'ith the *o'er )anas and *o'er Ouaternary!

#he >igher 9go can only anifest through its attributes!

"+ ,0D6,,0 ;ut let e gi%e you a clearer idea of 'hat 0 ean by Karma in this case! 0n connection 'ith
this$ let e tell you before$ that since you see so interested 'ith the sub1ect$ you can do nothing better
than to study the t'o doctrines - of Karma and =ir%ana - as profoundly as you can! Anless you are
thoroughly 'ell ac4uainted 'ith the t'o tenets - the double &ey to the etaphysics of Abidhara - you
'ill al'ays find yourself at sea in trying to coprehend the rest! 2e ha%e se%eral sorts of @ara and
=ir%ana in their %arious applications - to the Ani%erse$ the 'orld$ De%as$ ;uddhas$ ;odhisat'as$ en
and anials - the second including its se%en &ingdos! @ara and =ir%ana are but t'o of the se%en
great )E7#9:097 of ;uddhist etaphysics3 and but four of the se%en are &no'n to the best orientalists$
and that %ery iperfectly!
0f you as& a learned ;uddhist priest 'hat is @araB - he 'ill tell you that @ara is 'hat a Christian ight
call Pro%idence (in a certain sense only/ and a )ahoedan - Kismet$ fate or destiny (again in one
sense/! #hat it is that cardinal tenet 'hich teaches that$ as soon as any conscious or sentient being$
'hether an$ de%a$ or anial dies$ a ne' being is produced and he or it reappears in another birth$ on
the sae or another planet$ under conditions of his or its o'n antecedent a&ing! <r$ in other 'ords that
Karma is the guiding po'er$ and Trishna (in Pali Tanha/ the thirst or desire to sentiently li%e -the
Page 9C
pro6iate force or energy$ the resultant of huan (or anial/ action$ 'hich$ out of the old S(andhas
produce the ne' group that for the ne' being and control the nature of the birth itself! <r to a&e it still
clearer$ the new being$ is re'arded and punished for the eritorious acts and isdeeds of the old one3
@ara representing an 9ntry ;oo&$ in 'hich all the acts of an$ good$ bad$ or indifferent$ are carefully
recorded to his debit and credit - by hiself$ so to say$ or rather by these %ery actions of his! #here$
'here Christian poetical fiction created$ and sees a ":ecording" Guardian Angel$ stern and realistic
;uddhist logic$ percei%ing the necessity that e%ery cause should ha%e its effect - sho's its real presence!
#he opponents of ;uddhis ha%e laid great stress upon the alleged in1ustice that the doer should escape
and an innocent %icti be ade to suffer$ - since the doer and the sufferer are different beings! #he fact
is$ that 'hile in one sense they ay be so considered$ yet in another they are identical! #he "old being" is
the sole parent - father and other at once - of the "ne' being"! 0t is the forer 'ho is the creator and
fashioner$ of the latter$ in reality3 and far ore so in plain truth$ than any father in flesh! And once that you
ha%e 'ell astered the eaning of S(andhas you 'ill see 'hat 0 ean!

(10C-111/ 0t is the group of 7&andhas$ that for and constitute the physical and ental indi%iduality 'e
call an (or any being/! #his group consists (in the e6oteric teaching/ of fi%e 7&andhas$ naely- .upa -
the aterial properties or attributes3 *edana - sensations3 Sanna - abstract ideas3 San(hara - tendencies
both physical and ental3 and *innana - ental po'ers$ and aplification of the fourth - eaning the
ental$ physical and oral predispositions! 2e add to the t'o ore$ the nature and naes of 'hich
you ay learn hereafter! 7uffice for the present to let you &no' that they are connected 'ith$ and
producti%e of Sa((ayaditthi$ the "heresy or delusion of indi%iduality" and of &ttavada "the doctrine of 7elf"$
both of 'hich (in the case of the fifth principle the soul/ lead to the maya of heresy and belief in the
efficacy of %ain rites and cereonies3 in prayers and intercession!

=o'$ returning to the 4uestion of identity bet'een the old and the new "9go"$ 0 ay reind you once
ore$ that e%en your 7cience has accepted the old$ %ery old fact distinctly taught by our *ord$ %iz! - that a
an of any gi%en age$ 'hile sentiently the sae$ is yet physically not the sae as he 'as a fe' years
earlier ('e say seven years and are prepared to aintain and pro%e it/-buddhistically spea&ing his
S(andhas ha%e changed! At the sae tie they are e%er and ceaselessly at 'or& in preparing the
abstract ould$ the "pri%ation" of the future new being! 2ell then$ if it is 1ust that a an of ?0 should en1oy
or suffer for the actions of the an of 50$ so it is e4ually 1ust that the being of the ne' birth$ 'ho is
essentially identical 'ith the pre%ious being - since he is its outcoe and creation - should feel the
conse4uences of that begetting 7elf or personality! Eour 2estern la' 'hich punishes the innocent son of
a guilty father by depri%ing hi of his parent$ rights and property3 your ci%ilized 7ociety 'hich brands 'ith
infay the guiltless daughter of an ioral$ criinal other3 your Christian Church and 7criptures 'hich
teach that the "*ord God %isits the sins of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth
generation"$ are not all these far ore un1ust and cruel than anything done by @araB 0nstead of
punishing the innocent together 'ith the culprit$ the @ara avenges and rewards the former$ 'hich
neither of your three 'estern potentates abo%e entioned e%er thought of doing! ;ut perhaps$ to our
physiological rear& the ob1ectors ay reply that it is only the body that changes$ there is only a
olecular transforation$ 'hich has nothing to do 'ith the ental e%olution3 and that the S(andhas
represent not only a aterial but also a set of ental and oral 4ualities! ;ut is there$ 0 as&$ either a
sensation$ an abstract idea$ a tendency of ind$ or a ental po'er$ that one could call an absolutely non-
olecular phenoenonB Can e%en a sensation or the ost abstracti%e thoughts 'hich is something$
coe out of nothing$ or be nothingB

Page 99
"+ ,?D6/00 #he social status of a being is$ of course$ a result of @ara3 the la' being that "li&e attracts
li&e"! #he renascent being is dra'n into the gestati%e current 'ith 'hich the preponderating attractions
coing o%er fro the last birth a&e hi assiilate! #hus one 'ho died a ryot ay be reborn a &ing$ and
the dead so%ereign ay ne6t see the light in a coolie's tent! #his la' of attraction asserts itself in a
thousand "accidents of birth" - than 'hich there could be no ore flagrant isnoer! 2hen you realize$
at least$ the follo'ing - that the s(andhas are the eleents of liited e6istence then 'ill you ha%e
realized also one of the conditions of De%achan 'hich has no' such a profoundly unsatisfactory outloo&
for you! =or are your inferences (as regards the 'ell-being and en1oyent of the upper classes being
due to a better @ara/ 4uite correct in their general application! #hey ha%e a eudaeonistic ring about
the 'hich is hardly reconcilable 'ith @aric *a'$ since$ those "'ell-being and en1oyent" are oftener
the causes of a ne' and o%erloaded @ara than the production or effects of the latter! 9%en as a "broad
rule" po%erty and huble condition in life are less a cause of sorro' than 'ealth and high birth$ but of
that -later on!
Page 100
SECTION &I
EECEPTIONS6 S1ICIDES AND ACCIDENTS
C8 I&* A0, An 0n4uirer IebodiesJ in his 4uery the stateent- "0 shall certainly affir that an incurable
in%alid 'ho finds hiself po'erless for good in this 'orld has no right to e6ist !!!"$ upon 'hich >!P!;!
coents-
And the affiration - 'ith a %ery$ %ery fe' e6ceptions - 'ill be as %eheently denied by e%ery occultist$
spiritualist$ and philosopher$ on grounds 4uite the re%erse of those brought for'ard by Christians! 0n
"godless" ;uddhis suicide is as hateful and absurd$ since no one can escape rebirth by ta&ing his life!
C8 &I* ,0- IFro a learned #ibetan correspondentJ !!! 2hat &ind of creatures are they 'ho can
counicate at 'ill ob1ecti%ely or by physical anifestationsB #hey are ipure$ grossly sinful souls$ 'a-
tsa-ras'3 suicides3 and such as ha%e coe to preature deaths by accident and ust linger in the earth's
atosphere until the full e6piration of their natural ter of life!
=o right-inded person$ 'hether *aa or Chhipa - non-;uddhist - 'ill %enture to defend the practice of
necroancy$ 'hich$ by a natural instinct has been condened in all the great Dharas - la's or religions
- and intercourse 'ith$ and using the po'ers of these earth-bound souls is siply necroancy!
=o' the beings included in the second and third classes - suicides and %ictis of accident - ha%e not
copleted their natural ter of life3 and$ as a conse4uence$ though not of necessity ischie%ous$ are
earth-bound! #he preaturely e6pelled soul is in an unnatural state3 the original ipulse under 'hich the
being 'as e%ol%ed and cast into the earth-life has not e6pended itself - the necessary cycle has not been
copleted$ but ust ne%ertheless be fulfilled!
(10D/ Eet$ though earth-bound$ these unfortunate beings$ %ictis 'hether %oluntary or in%oluntary$ are
only suspended$ as it 'ere$ in the earth's agnetic attraction! #hey are not$ li&e the first class$ attracted
to the li%ing fro a sa%age thirst to feed on their %itality! #heir only ipulse - and a blind one$ since they
are generally in a dazed or stunned condition - is$ to get into the 'hirl of rebirth as soon as possible!
#heir state is 'hat 'e call a false ;ar-do - the period bet'een t'o incarnations! According to the &ara
of the being - 'hich is affected by his age and erits in the last birth - this inter%al 'ill be longer or
shorter!
=othing but soe o%erpo'eringly intense attraction$ such as a holy lo%e for soe dear one in great peril$
can dra' the 'ith their consent to the li%ing3 but by the eseric po'er of a ;a-po$ a necroancer -
the 'ord is used ad%isedly$ since the necroantic spell is Dzu-trul$ or 'hat you ter a eseric
attraction - can force the into our presence! #his e%ocation$ ho'e%er$ is totally condened by those
'ho hold to the Good Doctrine3 for the soul thus e%o&ed is ade to suffer e6ceedingly$ e%en though it is
not itself but only its iage that has been torn or stripped fro itself to becoe the apparition3 o'ing to
its preature separation by %iolence fro the body$ the '1ang-&hog' - anial soul - is yet hea%ily loaded
Page 101
'ith aterial particles - there has not been a natural disintegration of the coarser fro the finer
olecules - and the necroancer$ in copelling this separation artificially$ a&es it$ 'e ight alost say$
to suffer as one of us ight if he 'ere flayed ali%e!
#hus$ to e%o&e the first class - the grossly sinful souls - is dangerous for the li%ing3 to copel the
apparition of the second and third classes is cruel beyond e6pression to the dead!
(10C/ 0n the case of one 'ho died a natural death totally different conditions e6ist3 the soul is alost$ and
in the case of great purity$ entirely beyond the necroancer's reach hence beyond that of a circle of
e%o&ers$ or spiritualists$ 'ho$ unconsciously to thesel%es$ practise a %eritable necroancer's 7ang-
ngag$ or agnetic incantation! According to the &ara of the pre%ious birth the inter%al of latency -
generally passed in a state of stupor - 'ill last fro a fe' inutes to an a%erage of a fe' 'ee&s$ perhaps
onths! During that tie the "1ang-&hog' -anial soul - prepares in solen repose for its translation$
'hether into a higher sphere - if it has reached its se%enth huan local e%olution - or for a higher rebirth$
if it has not yet run the last local round!
At all e%ents it has neither 'ill nor po'er at that tie to gi%e any thought to the li%ing! ;ut after its period
of latency is o%er$ and the ne' self enters in full consciousness the blessed region of De%achan - 'hen
all earthly ists ha%e been dispersed$ and the scenes and relations of the past life coe clearly before
its spiritual sight - then it ay$ and does occasionally$ 'hen espying all it lo%ed$ and that lo%ed it upon
earth$ dra' up to it for counion and by the sole attraction of lo%e$ the spirits of the li%ing$ 'ho$ 'hen
returned to their noral condition$ iagine that it has descended to the!
SD III* C?, 0n cases of sudden death$ the *o'er )anas no ore disappears than does the @aa :upa
after death! After the se%erance the :ay ay be said to snap or be dropped! After death such a an
cannot go to De%achan$ nor yet reain in @aa *o&a3 his fate is to reincarnate iediately! 7uch an
entity is then an anial 7oul plus the intelligence of the se%ered :ay! #he anifestation of this
intelligence in the ne6t birth 'ill depend entirely on the physical foration of the brain and on education!
7uch a 7oul ay be re-united 'ith its >igher 9go in the ne6t birth$ if the en%ironent is such as to gi%e it
a change of aspiration (this is the "grace" of the Christians/3 or it ay go on for t'o or three incarnations$
the :ay becoing 'ea&er and 'ea&er$ and gradually dissipating$ until it is born a congenital idiot and
then finally dissipated in lo'er fors!
"+ ,006,0A !!! although as actual 9gos$ children preaturely dying before the perfection of their
septenary 9ntity do not find their 'ay to De%a-Chan !!!
"+ ,0-6,0? <f course there is a "better sort" of reliquiae3 and the "shells" or "earth-'al&ers" as they are
here called$ are not necessarily all bad! ;ut e%en those that are good$ are ade bad for the tie being by
edius! #he "shells" ay 'ell not care$ since they ha%e nothing to lose anyho'! ;ut there is another
&ind of "7pirits"$ 'e ha%e lost sight of- the suicides and those (illed by accident! ;oth &inds can
counicate$ and both ha%e to pay dearly for such %isits! And no' 0 ha%e again to e6plain 'hat 0 ean!
2ell$ this class is the one that the French 7piritists call - "les Esprits Souffrants"! #hey are an e6ception
Page 105
to the rule$ as they ha%e to reain 'ithin the earth's attraction$ and in its atosphere - the Kama!Lo(a -
till the %ery last oent of 'hat 'ould ha%e been the natural duration of their li%es! 0n other 'ords$ that
particular 'a%e of life-e%olution ust run on to its shore! ;ut it is a sin and a cruelty to re%i%e their
eory and intensify their suffering by gi%ing the a chance of li%ing an artificial life3 a chance to
overload their Karma$ by tepting the into open doors$ %iz! edius and sensiti%es$ for they 'ill ha%e
to pay roundly for e%ery such pleasure! 0 'ill e6plain! #he suicides$ 'ho$ foolishly hoping to escape life$
found thesel%es still ali%e$ - ha%e suffering enough in store for the fro that %ery life! #heir
punishent is in the intensity of the latter! >a%ing lost by their rash act their se%enth and si6th principles$
though not for e%er$ as they can regain both - instead of accepting their punishent$ and ta&ing their
chances of redeption$ they are often ade to regret life and tepted to regain a hold upon it by sinful
eans! 0n the Kama!Lo(a$ the land of intense desire$ they can gratify their earthly yearnings but through
a living pro6y3 and by so doing$ at the e6piration of the natural ter$ they generally lose their monad for
e%er! As to the %ictis of accident - these fare 'orse still! Anless they 'ere so good and pure$ as to be
dra'n iediately 'ithin the A&ashic Samadhi$ i!e! to fall into a state of 4uiet sluber full of rosy
dreas$ during 'hich$ they ha%e no recollection of the accident$ but o%e and li%e aong their failiar
friends and scenes$ until their natural life-ter is finished$ 'hen they find thesel%es born in the De%a-
Chan - a glooy fate is theirs! Anhappy shades$ if sinful and sensual they 'ander about - (not shells$ for
the connection 'ith their t'o higher principles is not 4uite bro&en/ - until their death-hour coes! Cut off
in the full flush of earthly passions 'hich bind the to failiar scenes$ they are enticed by the
opportunities 'hich edius afford$ to gratify the %icariously! #hey are the isachas$ the +ncubi$ and
Succubi of ediae%al ties! #he deons of thirst$ gluttony$ lust and a%arice$ - eleentaries of intensified
craft$ 'ic&edness and cruelty3 pro%o&ing their %ictis to horrid cries$ and re%elling in their coissionL
#hey not only ruin their %ictis$ but these psychic %apires$ borne along by the torrent of their hellish
ipulses$ at last$ at the fi6ed close of their natural period of life - they are carried out of the earth's aura
into regions 'here for ages they endure e64uisite suffering and end 'ith entire destruction!
(10D-110/ ;ut if the %icti of accident or %iolence$ be neither %ery good nor %ery bad - an a%erage person
- then this ay happen to hi! A ediu 'ho attracts hi$ 'ill create for hi the ost undesirable of
things- a ne' cobination of S(andhas and a ne' and e%il Karma!
"+ ,0?6,,/ =o'$ the causes producing the "ne' being" and deterining the nature of Karma are$ as
already said -Trishna (or "#anha"/ - first$ desire for sentient e6istence and 2padana - 'hich is the
realization or consuation of Trishna or that desire! And both of these the ediu helps to a'a&en
and de%elop nec plus ultra in an 9leentary$ be he a suicide or a %icti! (Footnote- Alone the 7hells and
Elementals Ii!e! 'here the si6th and se%enth principles ha%e 'ithdra'nJ are left unhurt though the
orality of the sensiti%es can by no eans be ipro%ed by the intercourse/! #he rule is$ that a person
'ho dies a natural death$ 'ill reain fro "a fe' hours to se%eral short years" 'ithin the earth's
attraction$ i!e! in the Kama!Lo(a! ;ut e6ceptions are$ in the case of suicides and those 'ho die a %iolent
death in general! >ence$ one of such 9gos$ for instance$ 'ho 'as destined to li%e - say C0 or 90 years$
but 'ho either &illed hiself or 'as &illed by soe accident$ let us suppose at the age of 50 - 'ould ha%e
to pass in the Kama!Lo(a not "a fe' years" but in his case .0 or D0 years$ as an 9leentary$ or rather as
an "earth 'al&er"3 since he is not$ unfortunately for hi$ e%en a 5shell5! >appy$ thrice happy$ in
coparison$ are those disebodied entities$ 'ho sleep their long sluber and li%e in drea in the boso
of spaceL And 'oe to those 'hose #rishna 'ill attract the to edius$ and 'oe to the latter$ 'ho tept
the 'ith such an easy 2padana! For in grasping the$ and satisfying their thirst for life$ the ediu
helps to de%elop in the - is in fact the cause of - a ne' set of S(andhas$ a ne' body$ 'ith far 'orse
tendencies and passions than 'as the one they lost! All the future of this ne' body 'ill be deterined
Page 10+
thus$ not only by the Karma of deerit of the pre%ious set or group but also by that of the ne' set of the
future being! 2ere the edius and spiritualists but to &no'$ as 0 said$ that 'ith e%ery ne' "angel guide"
they 'elcoe 'ith rapture$ they entice the latter into an 2padhana 'hich 'ill be producti%e of a series of
untold e%ils for the ne' 9go that 'ill be born under its nefarious shado'$ and that 'ith e%ery sMNance -
especially for aterialization - they ultiply the causes for isery$ causes that 'ill a&e the unfortunate
9go fail in his spiritual birth$ or be reborn into a 'orse e6istence than e%er - they 'ould$ perhaps$ be less
la%ishing their hospitality!
"+ ,,?6,/A 96ceptional cases$ y friend! 7uicides can and generally do Icounicate 'ith earthJ$ but
not so 'ith others! #he good and pure sleep a 4uiet blissful sleep$ full of happy %isions of earth-life and
ha%e no consciousness of being already for e%er beyond that life! #hose 'ho 'ere neither good nor bad$
'ill sleep a drealess$ still a 4uiet sleep3 'hile the 'ic&ed 'ill in proportion to their grossness suffer the
pangs of a nightare lasting years3 their thoughts becoe li%ing things$ their 'ic&ed passions - real
substance$ and they recei%e bac& on their heads all the isery they ha%e heaped upon others! :eality
and fact if described 'ould yield a far ore terrible +nferno than e%en Dante had iaginedL"
"+ ,/06,/A O! 2hat difference can there be to ta&e the case of suicides$ 'hether these be conscious or
unconscious$ 'hether the an blo's his brains out$ or only drin&s or 'oanizes hiself to death$ or &ills
hiself by o%er-studyB 0n each case e4ually the noral natural hour of death is anticipated and a spirit
and not a shell the result - or again 'hat difference does it a&e 'hether a an is hung for urder$ &illed
in battle$ in a rail'ay train or a po'der e6plosion$ or dro'ned or burnt to death$ or &noc&ed o%er by
cholera or plague$ or 1ungle fe%er or any of the other thousand and one epideic diseases of 'hich the
seeds 'ere not ab initio in his constitution$ but 'ere introduced there in conse4uence of his happening to
%isit a particular locality or undergo a gi%en e6perience$ both of 'hich he ight ha%e a%oidedB 94ually in
all cases the noral death hour is anticipated and a spirit instead of a shell the result!
"+ ,/D6,A, I0n ans'er to 4uestions re suicides etc! in *etter PP A$ p 15+J Although not "'holly
disse%ered fro their si6th and se%enth principles" and 4uite "potent" in the sMNance roo$ ne%ertheless
to the day 'hen they IsuicidesJ 'ould ha%e died a natural death$ they are separated fro the higher
principles by a gulf! #he si6th and se%enth reain passi%e and negati%e$ 'hereas$ in cases of accidental
death the higher and the lo'er groups utually attract each other! 0n cases of good and innocent 9gos$
oreo%er$ the latter gra%itates irresistibly to'ard the si6th and se%enth$ and thus - either slubers
surrounded by happy dreas$ or sleeps a drealess profound sleep until the hour stri&es! 2ith a little
reflection$ and an eye to the eternal 1ustice and fitness of things$ you 'ill see 'hy! #he %icti 'hether
good or bad is irresponsible for his death$ e%en if his death 'ere due to soe action in a pre%ious life or
an antecedent birth$ it 'as an act$ in short$ of the *a' of :etribution$ still$ it 'as not the direct result of an
act deliberately coitted by the personal 9go of that life during 'hich he happened to be &illed! >ad he
been allo'ed to li%e longer he ay ha%e atoned for his antecedent sins still ore effectually- and e%en
no'$ the 9go ha%ing been ade to pay off the debit of his a&er (the pre%ious 9go/ is free fro the
blo's of retributi%e 1ustice! #he Dhyan Chohans 'ho ha%e no hand in the guidance of the living huan
9go$ protect the helpless %icti 'hen it is %iolently thrust out of its eleent into a ne' one$ before it is
atured and ade fit and ready for it! 2e tell you 'hat 'e &no'$ for we are made to learn it through
personal e,perience! Eou &no' 'hat 0 ean and 0 CA= 7AE =< )<:9L Ees3 the %ictis 'hether good
or bad sleep$ to a'a&e but at the hour of the last /udgement$ 'hich is that hour of the supree struggle
bet'een the si6th and se%enth$ and the fifth and fourth at the threshold of the gestation state! And e%en
after that$ 'hen the si6th and se%enth carrying off a portion of the fifth ha%e gone to their A&ashic
Page 10?
7aadhi$ e%en then it ay happen that the spiritual spoil fro the fifth 'ill pro%e too 'ea& to be reborn in
De%a-Chan3 in 'hich case it 'ill there and then reclothe itself in a ne' body$ the sub1ecti%e ";eing"
created fro the @ara of the %icti (or no-%icti as the case ay be/ and enter upon a ne' earth-
e6istence 'hether upon this or any other planet! 0n no case then$ - 'ith the e6ception of suicides and
shells$ is there any possibility for any other to be attracted to a sMNance roo! And it is clear that "this
teaching is not in opposition to our forer doctrine" and that 'hile "shells" 'ill be any$ - 7pirits very fe'!
"+ ,/@6,A/ A! #here is a great difference in our huble opinion! 2e$ 'ho loo& at it fro a stand-point
'hich 'ould pro%e %ery unacceptable to *ife 0nsurance Copanies$ say$ that there are %ery fe' if any of
the en 'ho indulge in the abo%e enuerated %ices$ 'ho feel perfectly sure that such a course of action
'ill lead the e%entually to preature death! 7uch is the penalty of )aya! #he "%ices" 'ill not escape
their punishent$ but it is the cause not the effect that 'ill be punished$ especially an unforeseen though
probable effect! As 'ell call a suicide a an 'ho eets his death in a stor at sea$ as one 'ho &ills
hiself 'ith "o%erstudy"! 2ater is liable to dro'n a an$ and too uch brain 'or& to produce a softening
of the brain 'hich ay carry hi a'ay! 0n such a case no one ought to cross the Kalapani nor e%en ta&e
a bath for fear of getting faint in it and dro'ned (for 'e all &no' of such cases3/ nor should a an do his
duty$ least of all sacrifice hiself for e%en a laudable and highly-beneficent cause$ as any of us - (>!P!;!
for one/ - do! 2ould )r >ue call her a suicide 'ere she to drop do'n dead o%er her present 'or&B
Motive is e%erything and an is punished in a case of direct responsibility$ ne%er other'ise! 0n the
%icti's case the natural hour of death 'as anticipated accidentally$ 'hile in that of the suicide$ death is
brought on %oluntarily and 'ith a full and deliberate &no'ledge of its iediate conse4uences! #hus a
an 'ho causes his death in a fit of teporary insanity is not a felo de se to the great grief and often
trouble of the *ife 0nsurance Copanies! =or is he left a prey to the teptations of the @aa *o&a but
falls asleep li&e any other %icti! A Guiteau 'ill not reain in the earth's atosphere 'ith his higher
principles o%er hi - inacti%e and paralysed$ still there! Guiteau is gone into a state during the period of
'hich$ he 'ill be ever firing at his resident$ thereby tossing into confusion and shuffling the destinies of
illions of persons3 'here he 'ill be ever tried and ever hung! ;athing in the reflections of his deeds and
thoughts - especially those he indulged in on the scaffold !!! As for those 'ho 'ere "&noc&ed o%er by
cholera$ or plague$ or 1ungle fe%er" they could not ha%e succubed had they not the gers for the
de%elopent of such diseases in the fro birth!
7o then$ the great bul& of the physical phenoena of 7piritualists" y dear brother$ are not "due to these
7pirits" but indeed - to "shells"!
"+ ,A/6,A- <n argin 0 said "rarely" but 0 ha%e not pronounced the 'ord "never"! Accidents occur under
the ost %arious circustances3 and en are not only &illed accidentally$ or die as suicides but are also
murdered - soething 'e ha%e not e%en touched upon! 0 can 'ell understand your perple6ity but can
hardly help you! ;ear al'ays in ind that there are e6ceptions to e%ery rule and to these again and other
side e6ceptions$ and be al'ays prepared to learn soething ne'! 0 can easily understand 'e are
accused of contradictions and inconsistencies - aye$ e%en to 'riting one thing to-day and denying it to-
orro'! 2hat you 'ere taught is the :A*9! 4ood and pure "accidents" sleep in the A&asa$ ignorant of
their change3 %ery 'ic&ed and ipure - suffer all the tortures of a horrible nightare! #he a1ority -
neither %ery good nor %ery bad$ the %ictis of accident or violence (including urder/ - soe sleep$
others becoe 6ature pisachas$ and 'hile a sall inority ay fall victims to edius and deri%e a ne'
set of s&andhas fro the ediu 'ho attracts the! 7all as their nuber ay be$ their fate is to be the
ost deplored!
Page 10,
!! :eeber still e%en in the case of suicides there are any 'ho 'ill ne%er allo' thesel%es to be
dra'n into the %orte6 of ediuship!
Page 10.
SECTION &II
PS5C2IC AND SPI(IT1A+ISTIC P2ENO"ENA
I#his section contains a selection of only the ore iportant passages on the sub1ect in the boo&s! #here
is uch ore inforation!J
ey /@ 9n4- >o' do you account for the Ispiritualistic phenoenaJ thenB
#heo- 0n any 'ays! #he causes of such anifestations are by no eans so siple as the 7piritualists
'ould li&e to belie%e! Foreost of all$ the deus e, machina of the so-called "aterializations" is usually
the astral body or "double" of the ediu or of soeone present! #his astral body is also the producer or
operating force in the anifestations of slate-'riting$ "Da%enport"-li&e anifestations$ and so on!
9n4- Eou say "usually"3 then what is it that produces the restB
#heo- #hat depends on the nature of the anifestations! 7oeties the astral reains$ the Kama!lo(ic
"shells" of the %anished personalities that 'ere3 at other ties$ 9leentals! "7pirit" is a 'ord of anifold
and 'ide significance! 0 really do not &no' 'hat 7piritualists ean by the ter3 but 'hat 'e understand
the to clai is that the physical phenoena are produced by the reincarnating Ego$ the Spiritual and
iortal "indi%iduality"! And this hypothesis 'e entirely re1ect! #he Conscious +ndividuality of the
disebodied cannot materiali-e$ nor can it return fro its o'n ental De%achanic sphere to the plane of
terrestrial ob1ecti%ity!
9n4- ;ut any of the counications recei%ed fro the "spirits" sho' not only intelligence$ but a
&no'ledge of facts not &no'n to the ediu$ and soeties e%en not consciously present to the ind
of the in%estigator$ or any of those 'ho copose the audience!
(59/ #heo- #his does not necessarily pro%e that the intelligence and &no'ledge you spea& of belong to
spirits$ or eanate fro disembodied souls! 7onabulists ha%e been &no'n to copose usic and
poetry and to sol%e atheatical probles 'hile in their trance state$ 'ithout ha%ing e%er learnt usic or
atheatics! <thers ans'ered intelligently to 4uestions put to the and e%en$ in se%eral cases$ spo&e
languages$ such as >ebre' and *atin$ of 'hich they 'ere entirely ignorant 'hen a'a&e - all this in a
state of profound sleep! 2ill you$ then$ aintain that this 'as caused by "spirits"B
9n4- ;ut ho' 'ould you e6plain itB
#heo- 2e assert that the di%ine spar& in an being one and identical in its essence 'ith the Ani%ersal
7pirit$ our "spiritual 7elf" is practically oniscient$ but that it cannot anifest its &no'ledge o'ing to the
ipedients of atter! =o' the ore these ipedients are reo%ed$ in other 'ords$ the ore the
Page 10D
physical body is paralysed$ as to its o'n independent acti%ity and consciousness$ as in deep sleep or
trance$ or$ again$ in illness$ the ore fully can the inner 7elf anifest on this plane! #his is our
e6planation of those truly 'onderful phenoena of a higher order$ in 'hich undeniable intelligence and
&no'ledge are e6hibited!
ey A0 Footnote- Iregarding "intercounication of the spirit of the li%ing an 'ith that of disebodied
personalities"J 2e say that in such cases it is not the spirits of the dead 'ho descend on earth$ but the
spirits of the li%ing that ascend to the pure 7piritual 7ouls! 0n truth there is neither ascending nor
descending$ but a change of state or condition for the ediu! #he body of the latter becoing
paralysed$ or "entranced"$ the spiritual 9go is free fro its traels$ and finds itself on the sae plane of
consciousness 'ith the disebodied spirits! >ence$ although there is hardly a huan being 'hose 9go
does not hold free intercourse$ during the sleep of his body$ 'ith those 'ho it lo%ed and lost$ yet$ on
account of the positi%eness and non-recepti%ity of its physical en%elope and brain$ no recollection$ or a
%ery di drea-li&e reebrance$ lingers in the eory of the person once a'a&e!
ey ,BB 9n4- And is it this nonentity I@aa-rupic "shell"J 'hich 'e find aterializing in sMNance roos
'ith )ediusB
#heo- 0t is this nonentity! A true nonentity$ ho'e%er$only as to reasoning or cogitating po'ers$ still an
Entity$ ho'e%er astral and fluidic$ as sho'n in certain cases 'hen$ ha%ing been agnetically and
unconsciously dra'n to'ards a ediu$ it is re%i%ed for a tie and li%es in hi by pro,y$ so to spea&! !!!
0n the )ediu's Aura$ it li%es a &ind of %icarious life and reasons and spea&s either through the ediu's
brain or those of other persons present!
ey ,BC And if the "7pirits of the dead" are enabled to return and see all that is going on on earth$ and
especially in their homes$ 'hat &ind of bliss can be in store for theB
9n4- 2hat do you eanB 2hy should this interfere 'ith their blissB
#heo- 7iply this3 and here is an instance! A other dies$ lea%ing behind her little helpless children -
orphans$ 'ho she adores - perhaps a belo%ed husband also! 2e say that her "7pirit" or Ego - that
indi%iduality 'hich is no' all ipregnated$ for the entire De%achanic period$ 'ith the noblest feelings held
by its late personality' i$e$$ lo%e for her children$ pity for those 'ho suffer$ and so on - 'e say that it is no'
entirely separated fro the "%ale of tears"$ that its future bliss consists in that blessed ignorance of all the
'oes it left behind! 7piritualists say$ on the contrary$ that it is as %i%idly a'are of the$ and more so than
before$ for "7pirits see ore than ortals in the flesh do"! 2e say that the bliss of the Devachanee
consists in its coplete con%iction that it has ne%er left the earth$ and that there is no such thing as death
at all3 that the post!mortem spiritual consciousness of the other 'ill represent to her that she li%es
surrounded by her children and all those 'ho she lo%ed3 that no gap$ no lin&$ 'ill be issing to a&e
her disebodied state the ost perfect and absolute happiness! #he 7piritualists deny this point blan&!
According to their doctrine$ unfortunate an is not liberated e%en by death fro the sorro's of this life!
=ot a drop fro the life-cup of pain and suffering 'ill iss his lips3 and nolens volens$ since he sees
e%erything no'$ shall he drin& it to the bitter dregs! #hus$ the lo%ing 'ife$ 'ho during her lifetie 'as
ready to sa%e her husband sorro' at the price of her heart's blood$ is no' dooed to see$ in utter
Page 10C
helplessness$ his despair$ and to register e%ery hot tear he sheds for her loss! 2orse than that$ she ay
see the tears dry too soon$ and another belo%ed face shine on hi$ the father of her children3 find
another 'oan replacing her in his affections3 dooed to hear her orphans gi%ing the holy nae of
other to one indifferent to the$ and to see those little children neglected$ if not ill-treated !!!
(1?D/ 9n4- !! >o' can you reconcile the theory of 7oul's oniscience 'ith its blindness to that 'hich is
ta&ing place on earthB
#heo- ;ecause such is the la' of lo%e and ercy! During e%ery De%achanic period the 9go$ oniscient
as it is per se$ clothes itself$ so to say$ 'ith the reflection of the personality that 'as! 0 ha%e 1ust told you
that the ideal efflorescence of all the abstract$ therefore undying and eternal 4ualities or attributes$ such
as lo%e and ercy$ the lo%e of the good$ the true and the beautiful$ that e%er spo&e in the heart of the
li%ing personality$ clung after death to the 9go$ and therefore follo'ed it to De%achan! For the tie being$
then$ the 9go becoes the ideal reflection of the huan being it 'as 'hen last on earth$ and that is not
oniscient! 2ere it that$ it 'ould ne%er be in the state 'e call De%achan at all!
ey ,?, 9n4- !! does not the author of +sis 2nveiledB stand accused of ha%ing preached against
reincarnationB
#heo- ;y those 'ho ha%e isunderstood 'hat 'as said$ yes! At the tie that 'or& 'as 'ritten$
reincarnation 'as not belie%ed in by any 7piritualists$ either 9nglish or Aerican$ and 'hat is said there
of reincarnation 'as directed against the French 7piritists$ 'hose theory is as unphilosophical and
absurd as the 9astern teaching is logical and self-e%ident in its truth! #he :eincarnationists of the Alan
@ardec 7chool belie%e in an arbitrary and iediate reincarnation! 2ith the the dead father can
incarnate in his o'n unborn daughter$ and so on! #hey ha%e neither De%achan$ @ara$ nor any
philosophy that 'ould 'arrant or pro%e the necessity of consecuti%e rebirths! ;ut ho' can the author of
+sis argue against Karmic reincarnation$ at long inter%als %arying bet'een 1$000 and 1$,00 years$ 'hen it
is the fundaental belief of both ;uddhists and >indusB
(195/ 9n4- #hen you re1ect the theories of both the 7piritists and the 7piritualists$ in their entiretyB
#heo- =ot in their entirety$ but only 'ith regard to their respecti%e fundaental beliefs! ;oth rely on 'hat
their "7pirits" tell the3 and both disagree as uch 'ith each other as 'e #heosophists disagree 'ith
both! #ruth is one3 and 'hen 'e hear the French spoo&s preaching reincarnation$ and the 9nglish
spoo&s denying and denouncing the doctrine$ 'e say that either the French or the 9nglish "7pirits" do not
&no' 'hat they are tal&ing about! 2e belie%e 'ith the 7piritualists and the 7piritists in the e6istence of
"7pirits"$ or in%isible ;eings endo'ed 'ith ore or less intelligence! ;ut$ 'hile in our teachings their
&inds and genera are legion$ our opponents adit of no other than huan disebodied "7pirits"$ 'hich$
to our &no'ledge$ are ostly @aa-lo&ic 7>9**7!
9n4- Eou see %ery bitter against 7pirits! As you ha%e gi%en e your %ie's and your reasons for
disbelie%ing in the aterialization of$ and direct counication in s89ances$ 'ith the disebodied spirits
- or the "spirits of the dead" - 'ould you ind enlightening e as to one ore factB 2hy are soe
Page 109
#heosophists ne%er tired of saying ho' dangerous is intercourse 'ith spirits$ and ediushipB >a%e
they any particular reason for thisB
#heo- 2e ust suppose so! 0 &no' + ha%e! <'ing to y failiarity for o%er half a century 'ith these
in%isible$ yet but too tangible and undeniable "influences"$ fro the conscious 9leentals$ sei-
conscious shells$ do'n to the utterly senseless and nondescript spoo&s of all &inds$ 0 clai a certain right
to y %ie's!
(19+/ 9n4- Can you gi%e an instance or instances to sho' 'hy these practices should be regarded as
dangerousB
#heo- #his 'ould re4uire ore tie than 0 can gi%e you! 9%ery cause ust be 1udged by the effects it
produces! Go o%er the history of 7piritualis for the last fifty years$ e%er since its reappearance in this
century in Aerica - and 1udge for yourself 'hether it has done its %otaries ore good or har! Pray
understand e! 0 do not spea& against real 7piritualis$ but against the odern o%eent 'hich goes
under that nae$ and the so-called philosophy in%ented to e6plain its phenoena!
9n4- Don't you belie%e in their phenoena at allB
#heo- 0t is because 0 belie%e in the 'ith too good reason$ and (sa%e soe cases of deliberate fraud/
&no' the to be as true as that you and 0 li%e$ that all y being re%olts against the! <nce ore 0 spea&
only of physical$ not ental or e%en psychic phenoena! *i&e attracts li&e! #here are se%eral high-
inded$ pure$ good en and 'oen$ &no'n to e personally$ 'ho ha%e passed years of their li%es
under the direct guidance and e%en protection of high "7pirits"$ 'hether disebodied or planetary! ;ut
these 0ntelligences are not of the type of the Kohn @ings and the 9rnests 'ho figure in s89ance roos!
#hese 0ntelligences guide and control ortals only in rare and e6ceptional cases to 'hich they are
attracted and agnetically dra'n by the @aric past of the indi%idual! 0t is not enough to sit "for
de%elopent" in order to attract the! #hat only opens the door to a s'ar of "spoo&s"$ good$ bad and
indifferent$ to 'hich the ediu becoes a sla%e for life! 0t is against such proiscuous ediuship and
intercourse 'ith goblins that 0 raise y %oice$ not against spiritual ysticis! #he latter is ennobling and
holy3 the forer is of 1ust the sae nature as the phenoena of t'o centuries ago$ for 'hich so any
'itches and 'izards ha%e been ade to suffer! :ead Glan%il and other authors on the sub1ect of
'itchcraft$ and you 'ill find recorded there the parallels of ost$ if not all$ of the physical phenoena of
nineteenth century 7piritualis!
(19?/ 9n4- Do you ean to suggest that it is 'itchcraft and nothing oreB
#heo- 2hat 0 ean is that$ 'hether conscious or unconscious$ all this dealing 'ith the dead is
necromancy$ and a ost dangerous practice! For ages before )oses such raising of the dead 'as
regarded by all the intelligent nations as sinful and cruel$ inasuch as it disturbs the rest of the souls and
interferes 'ith their e%olutionary de%elopent into higher states! #he collecti%e 'isdo of all past
centuries has e%er been loud in denouncing such practices! Finally$ 0 say$ 'hat 0 ha%e ne%er ceased
repeating orally and in print for fifteen years- 2hile soe of the co-called "spirits" do not &no' 'hat they
Page 110
are tal&ing about$ repeating erely - li&e poll-parrots -'hat they find in the edius' and other people's
brains$ others are ost dangerous$ and can only lead one to e%il! #hese are t'o self-e%ident facts!
I#his is follo'ed by uch ore 1ustifying caution 'hen e%o&ing or dealing 'ith "spirits"!J
C8 I* AC 9%en the aterialized for of y uncle at the 9ddy's 'as the picture3 it 'as 0 'ho sent it out
fro y o'n ind$ as 0 had coe out to a&e e6perients 'ithout telling it to any one! 0t 'as li&e an
epty outer en%elope of y uncle that 0 seeed to thro' on the ediu's astral body! 0 sa' and
follo'ed the process! 0 &ne' 2ill 9ddy 'as a genuine ediu$ and the phenoenon as real as it could
be$ and$ therefore$ 'hen days of trouble cae for hi 0 defended hi in the papers! 0n short$ for all the
years of e6perience in Aerica 0 ne%er succeeded in identifying$ in one single instance$ those 0 'anted to
see! 0t is only in y dreas and personal %isions that 0 'as brought in direct contact 'ith y o'n blood
relati%es and friends$ those bet'een 'ho and yself there had been a strong utual spiritual lo%e !!!
For certain psychoagnetic reasons$ too long to be e6plained here$ the shells of those spirits 'ho lo%ed
us best 'ill not$ 'ith a %ery fe' e6ceptions$ approach us! #hey ha%e no need of it since$ unless they 'ere
irretrie%ably 'ic&ed$ they ha%e us 'ith the in De%achan$ that state of bliss in 'hich the monads are
surrounded 'ith all those$ and that$ 'hich they ha%e lo%ed - ob1ects of spiritual aspirations as 'ell as
huan entities! "7hells" once separated fro their higher principles ha%e nought in coon 'ith the
latter! #hey are not dra'n to their relati%es and friends$ but rather to those 'ith 'ho their terrestrial$
sensuous affinities are the strongest! #hus the shell of a drun&ard 'ill be dra'n to one 'ho is either a
drun&ard already or has a ger of using his organs to satisfy the cra%ing3 one 'ho dies full of se6ual
passion for a still li%ing partner 'ill ha%e its shell dra'n to hi or her$ etc! 2e #heosophists$ and
especially occultists$ ust ne%er lose sight of the profound a6io of the 9soteric Doctrine 'hich teaches
us that it is 'e$ the li%ing$ 'ho are dra'n to'ard the spirits - but that the latter can ne%er$ e%en though
they 'ould$ descend to us$ or rather into our sphere!
C8 I* /@D #hey (the &abalists/ taught that an's spirit descended fro the great ocean of spirit$ and is
therefore$ per se$ pure and di%ine3 but its soul or capsule$ through the (allegorical/ fall of Ada$ becae
containated 'ith the 'orld of dar&ness$ or the 'orld of 7atan (e%il/$ of 'hich it ust be purified$ before
it could ascend again to celestial happiness! 7uppose a drop of 'ater enclosed 'ithin a capsule of
gelatine and thro'n in the ocean3 so long as the capsule reains 'hole$ the drop of 'ater reains
isolated- brea& the en%elope$ and the drop becoes a part of the ocean$ its indi%idual e6istence has
ceased! 7o it is 'ith the spirit$ so long as its ray is enclosed in its plastic ediator or soul it has an
indi%idual e6istence! Destroy this capsule (the astral an$ 'ho then becoes an eleentary/$ 'hich
destruction ay occur fro the conse4uences of sin$ in the ost depra%ed and %icious$ and the spirit
returns bac& to its original abode - the indi%idualization of an has ceased! #his ilitates !!! 'ith the idea
of progression$ that 7piritualists generally entertain! 0f they understood the la' of harony$ they 'ould
see their error! 0t is only by this la' that indi%idual life can be sustained3 and the farther 'e de%iate fro
harony the ore difficult it is to regain it!
C8 I* /@@ 2hen 'e die$ our interior light (the soul/ ascends$ agreeably to the attraction of its star (the
spirit/$ but it ust first of all get rid of the coils of the serpent (earthly e%il -sin/3 that is to say$ of the
unpurified astral light$ 'hich surrounds and holds it capti%e$ unless$ by the force of 'ill$ it frees and
ele%ates itself! #his iersion of the li%ing soul in the dead light (the eanations of e%erything that is
e%il$ 'hich pollute the earth's agnetic atosphere$ as the e6halation of a s'ap does the air/ is a
dreadful torture3 the soul freezes and burns therein$ at the sae tie!
Page 111
C8 I* /?A ;y its cople6 nature$ the soul ay descend and ally itself so closely to the corporeal nature
as to e6clude a higher life fro e6erting any oral influence upon it! <n the other hand$ it can so closely
attach to the nous or spirit$ as to share its potency$ in 'hich case its %ehicle$ physical an$ 'ill appear as
a God e%en during his terrestrial life! Anless such union of soul and spirit does occur$ either during this
life or after physical death$ the indi%idual an is not iortal as an entity! #he psyche is sooner or later
disintegrated! #hough the man ay ha%e gained "the 'hole 'orld"$ he has lost his "soul"! Paul$ 'hen
teaching the anastasis$ or continuation of indi%idual spiritual life after death$ set forth that there 'as a
physical body 'hich 'as raised in incorruptible substance! #he spiritual body is ost assuredly not one
of the bodies$ or %isible or tangible larvae$ 'hich for in circle-roos$ and are so iproperly tered
"aterialized spirits"! 2hen once the metanoia$ the full de%eloping of spiritual life$ has lifted the spiritual
body out of the psychical (the disebodied$ corruptible astral an$ 'hat Colonel <lcott calls "soul"/$ it
becoes in strict ratio 'ith its progress$ ore and ore an abstraction for the corporeal senses! 0t can
influence$ inspire$ and e%en counicate 'ith en sub1ecti%ely3 it can a&e itself felt$ and e%en$ in those
rare instances$ 'hen the clair%oyant is perfectly pure and perfectly lucid$ seen by the inner eye ('hich is
the eye of the purified psyche - soul/! ;ut ho' can it e%er anifest ob1ecti%elyB
C8 I&* ,0, 0n the noral or natural state$ the sensations are transitted fro the lo'est physical to the
highest spiritual body$ i$e$$ fro the first to the .th principle (the Dth being no organized or conditioned
body$ but an infinite$ hence unconditioned principle or state/$ the faculties of each body ha%ing to a'a&en
the faculties of the ne6t higher one$ to transit the essage in succession$ until they reach the last$
'hen$ ha%ing recei%ed the ipression$ the latter (the spiritual soul/ sends it bac& in an in%erse order to
the body! >ence$ the faculties of soe of the "bodies" ('e use this 'ord for 'ant of a better ter/ being
less de%eloped$ they fail to transit the essage correctly to the highest principle$ and thus also fail to
produce the right ipression upon the physical senses$ as a telegra ay ha%e started for the place of
its destination faultless$ and ha%e been bungled up and isinterpreted by the telegraph operator at soe
interediate station! #his is 'hy soe people$ other'ise endo'ed 'ith great intellectual po'ers and
percepti%e faculties$ are often utterly unable to appreciate -say$ the beauties of nature$ or soe particular
oral 4uality3 as$ ho'e%er perfect their physical intellect - unless the original$ aterial or rough physical
ipression con%eyed has passed in a circuit through the sie%e of e%ery "principle" -(fro 1$ 5$ +$ ?$ ,$ .$
up to D$ and do'n again fro D$ .$ ,$ ?$ +$ 5$ to =o! 1/ - and that e%ery "sie%e" is in good order - the
spiritual perception 'ill al'ays be iperfect! #he Eogi$ 'ho$ by a constant training and incessant
'atchfulness$ &eeps his septenary instruent in good tune and 'hose spirit has obtained a perfect
control o%er all$ can$ at 'ill$ and by paralysing the functions of the four interediate principles$
counicate fro body to spirit and vice versa - direct!
I#he author says- "#he Eogi fors a direct connection bet'een his spiritual soul and any faculty$ and$ by
the po'er of his trained 'ill$ that is by agnetic influence$ concentrates all his po'ers in the soul$ 'hich
enables hi to grasp the sub1ect of his en4uiry and con%ey it bac& to the physical organs$ through the
%arious channels of counication!" >!P!;! adds-J
<r - direct$ 'hich is oftener the case$ 'e belie%e!
I#he author also says- "0f he desires to tra%erse space in spirit$ this is easily done by hi by transferring
the faculty of will !!" >!P!;! adds-J
Fro the physical to the 7piritual body and concentrating it there$ as 'e understand it!
Page 115
C8 I&* ,/0 !! to sho' the great difference that e6ists bet'een the ters "soul" and "spirit" - one the
reliquiae of the personal 9G<$ the other the pure essence of the spiritual 0=D080DAA*0#E - the ter
"spirit" had to be often used in the sense gi%en to it by the 7piritualists$ as 'ell as other siilar
con%entional ters$ as$ other'ise$ a still greater confusion 'ould ha%e been caused! #herefore$ the
eaning of the three sentences$ cited by our friend$ should be thus understood-
<n page si6ty-se%en 'herein it is stated that any of the spirits$ sub1ecti%ely controlling edius$ are
"huan disebodied spirits"$ etc!$ the "controlling" ust not be understood in the sense of a "spirit"
possessing hiself of the organis of a ediu3 nor that$ in each case$ it is a "spirit"3 for often it is but a
shell in its preliinary stage of dissolution$ 'hen ost of the physical intelligence and faculties are yet
fresh and ha%e not begun to disintegrate$ or fade out! A "spirit"$ or the spiritual Ego$ cannot descend to
the ediu$ but it can attract the spirit of the latter to itself$ and it can do this only during the t'o inter%als
- before and after its "gestation period"! 0nter%al the first is that period bet'een the physical death and the
erging of the spiritual 9go into that state 'hich is &no'n in the Arhat esoteric doctrine as ";ar-do"! 2e
ha%e translated this as the "gestation" period$ and it lasts fro a fe' days to se%eral years$ according to
the e%idence of the adepts! 0nter%al the second lasts so long as the erits of the old Ego entitle the being
to reap the fruit of its re'ard in its ne' regenerated 9goship! 0t occurs after the gestation period is o%er$
and the ne' spiritual 9go is reborn - li&e the fabled Phoeni6 fro its ashes - fro the old one! #he
locality$ 'hich the forer inhabits$ is called by the northern ;uddhist <ccultists "De%a-chan"$ the 'ord
ans'ering$ perhaps$ to Paradise or the @ingdo of >ea%en of the Christian elect! >a%ing en1oyed a tie
of bliss$ proportionate to his deserts$ the ne' personal 9go gets reincarnated into a personality 'hen the
reebrance of his pre%ious 9goship$ of course$ fades out$ and he can "counicate" no longer 'ith
his fello'en on the planet he has left fore%er$ as the indi%idual he 'as there &no'n to be! After
nuberless reincarnations$ and on nuerous planets and in %arious spheres$ a tie 'ill coe$ at the
end of the )aha-Eug or great cycle$ 'hen each indi%iduality 'ill ha%e becoe so spiritualized that$
before its final absorption into the 1ne &ll$ its series of past personal e6istences 'ill arshal thesel%es
before hi in a retrospecti%e order li&e the any days of soe period of a an's e6istence!
#he 'ords - "their being bene%olent or 'ic&ed in 4uality largely depends upon the ediu's pri%ate
orality" - 'hich conclude the first 4uoted sentence ean siply this- a pure ediu's Ego can be
dra'n to and ade$ for an instant$ to unite in a agnetic (B/ relation 'ith a real disebodied spirit$
'hereas the soul of an impure ediu can only confabulate 'ith the astral soul$ or "shell"$ of the
deceased! #he forer possibility e6plains those e6treely rare cases of direct 'riting in recognized
autographs$ and of essages fro the higher class of disebodied intelligences! 2e should say then
that the personal orality of the ediu 'ould be a fair test of the genuineness of the anifestation! As
4uoted by our friend$ "affection to those 'ho they ha%e left on earth" is "one of the ost po'erful
attractions" bet'een t'o lo%ing spirits - the ebodied and the disebodied one!
C8 I&* /BB For the sa&e of those of our friends 'ho ha%e ade of spiritualis a ne' ":e%elation"$ a
"glorious faith"$ as they call it$ 'e feel really sorry to be forced to hurt their feelings by our "blan& denial"!
;ut truth stands higher in our opinion than any earthly consideration e%er 'ill3 and$ it is truth - at least 'e
so regard it - that copels us to ans'er those$ 'ho coe to us for an e6planation$ according to the
teachings of occultis$ instead of telling the$ as 7piritualists 'ould$ that such phenoena are all
produced by disebodied ortals$ or spirits! #o ascertain the la's according to 'hich psycho-
physiological anifestations ta&e place fro a spiritualistic standpoint is$ no doubt a gratifying &ind of
&no'ledge3 but 'e$ <ccultists$ are not satisfied 'ith only this! 2e see& to learn prial$ as 'ell as
Page 11+
secondary$ causes3 to fatho the real$ not apparent$ nature of that po'er that perfors such strange$
seemingly supernatural operations3 and$ 'e thin&$ 'e ha%e succeeded in unra%elling soe of its
ysteries and in e6plaining uch of the hitherto une6plained! >ence our con%iction that the Force 'hich
the 7piritualists %ie' as a thin&ing$ intelligent Principle$ a po'er$ that can ne%er be anifested outside the
agnetic aura of a sensiti%e$ is oftener a blind energy than the conscious production of any beings or
spirits3 and also$ that this Force can be replaced by the conscious 'ill of a li%ing an$ one of those
initiates$ as a fe' ay yet be found in the 9ast! 2e cannot be content 'ith the easygoing theory of
returning spirits! 2e ha%e seen too uch of it! And$ since 'e are thoroughly con%inced that nearly
e%erything in connection 'ith this ysterious agent - the "Astral 7erpent" of 9liphas *e%i - had been
disco%ered ages ago$ ho'e%er little &no'ledge of it 'e ay clai personally$ yet 'e &no' sufficiently$ 'e
thin&$ to 1udge on the 'hole correctly of its influence upon$ and direct relations 'ith$ the corporeal
achines called mediums3 as also of its intercorrelations 'ith the aura of e%ery person present in the
sMNance-roo! )oreo%er$ 'e aintain that it loo&s far ore reasonable to follo' the unifor teaching
upon this sub1ect of one school$ than to be hopelessly groping for truth in the dar&$ 'ith our intellects
literally rent asunder by the thousand and one conflicting "teachings" of the supposed denizens of the
"7pirit-2orld"!
(5?,/ >ad our correspondent as&ed - for an e6planation of the 'eird phenoena that ha%e 1ust occurred
in his faily - one possessed practically of that &no'ledge$ he 'ould no doubt$ ha%e recei%ed perfectly
correct inforation as to 'hat really too& place$ and ho' the phenoena ha%e coe to pass (that is to
say$ if the adept had found IitJ 'orth his 'hile to undergo a entally painful process$ and safe to di%ulge
the 'hole truth to the public/! 2hile no'$ he has to be content 'ith a fe' generalities! 2e can tell hi for
a certainty 'hat it was not$ but 'e cannot underta&e to say 'hat it really was$ since siilar effects ay
be produced by a hundred %arious causes!
2e 'ill not touch upon the 4uestion of foreboding dreas$ since the e6istence of such is pro%ed to all but
incurable sceptics$ and is easily accounted for by e%eryone 'ho belie%es and &no's that inside his body
of flesh$ the gross en%elope$ there is the real$ generally in%isible$ body of ethereal eleents$ the 9go$ that
'atches and ne%er sleeps! #he facts as described see certainly as though they belonged to that class
of phenoena 'hich are regarded as "spiritual"$ and 'hich occur$ under ordinary circustances$ only
'here there are one or ore edius in the faily! #he regular and periodic trance-fits$ 'hich our
correspondent's relati%e had suddenly becoe sub1ect to for se%eral consecuti%e nights$ 'ould point to
that lady as being the cause$ the principal generator of the phenoena! ;ut$ since 'e &no' nothing of
her pre%ious state of health$ and lac& further details that ight gi%e an additional clue to the ystery$ our
e6planation ust be regarded as a siple suggestion! #hough the <ccultists re1ect$ on the 'hole$ the
theory of disebodied 9gos anifesting after death$ yet they adit of certain possibilities of a real spirit's
presence$ either preceding or directly follo'ing physical death$ especially 'hen the latter 'as sudden as
in the case of the 'riter's niece! 2e are taught by those in 'ho 'e ha%e full confidence$ that$ in such
rapid cases of dissolution$ the body ay be 4uite dead$ and buried$ and yet the brain - though its
functions are stopped - ay preser%e a latent spar& of 'ill or desire$ connected 'ith soe predoinating
feeling in life 'hich 'ill ha%e the effect of thro'ing into ob1ecti%ity$ of thrusting so to say$ into a certain
agnetic current of attraction the astral 9go$ or doppelgaenger$ of the dead body! 2hene%er$ 'e are told$
death is brought on by suffocation$ apople6y$ concussion of the brain$ haeorrhage$$ or soe such
change$ "the tripod of life" - as the Gree&s called it - the heart$ the lungs and the brain$ the fundaental
basis upon 'hich anial life is erected - is siultaneously affected in its three parts3 the lungs and heart$
the organs the ost intiately associated in the circulation of the blood$ becoing inacti%e$ and the
blood not being sufficiently aerated on account of this inacti%ity$ the latter often becoes the cause of
Page 11?
putting a sudden stop to the functions of the brain$ and so terinates life!
(5?./ #herefore$ before pronouncing upon the %alue of an apparition$ an <ccultist has al'ays to
ascertain 'hether coplete death 'as brought on by$ or priarily due to the death of the lungs$ the
heart$ or the brain! ;ut of all these the latter - on account of its double functions - the spiritual and the
physical - is the ost tenacious! As cessation of breathing and of the pulse$ stoppage of the heart$
coldness and paleness of the surface$ a fil on the eye$ and the rigidity of the 1oints are no sure
indications of real physical death3 and$ as the facies #ippocratica has decei%ed ore than one
e6perienced practitioner3 so$ e%en coplete physical death is no indication that the innerost spiritual life
of the brain is e4ually dead! #he acti%ity of the ind reains to the last3 and the final physical function of
the brain in connection 'ith soe feeling$ or passion ay ipart$ for all our physiologists can say to the
contrary$ a &ind of post!mortem energy to the be'ildered astral 9go$ and thus cause it to continue its
dynaic$ seeingly conscious action e%en for a fe' days after death! #he ipulse iparted by the still
li%ing brain dies out long after that brain has ceased its functions fore%er! During life the astral 9go is
dependent on$ and 4uite subser%ient to$ the 'ill of the physical brain! 0t acts autoatically$ and according
to ho' the 'ires are being pulled by either our trained or untrained thought! ;ut after death - 'hich is the
birth of the spiritual entity into the 'orld or condition of effects$ the latter ha%ing no' becoe for it a 'orld
of causes - the astral entity ust be gi%en tie to e%olute and ature a shado'y brain of its o'n before it
can begin to act independently! 2hate%er its subse4uent fate$ and 'hate%er happens in the ean'hile$
no action of it can be regarded as a result of a conscious$ intelligent 'ill$ no ore than 'e 'ould hold any
gestures of a ne'ly-born infant for actions resulting fro a deterined and conscious desire!
C8 I&* /?A !! 2hat 'e say is$ that no "spirit" can tell$ do$ or &no'$ anything that is absolutely un&no'n to
either the ediu or one of the sitters! 7oe "shells" ha%e a di intelligence of their o'n!
C8 &* BD 0t is not logical to say that all the entities that anifest thesel%es are essentially bad!" 2e
ha%e ne%er said it! 2e do not say that these are de%ils/$ but that they are unfortunate %apires$ generally
unconscious - ere shells !!! #hat is 'hy 'e do not consent to degrade the sublie 'ord 7pirit by
applying it to the 9leentaries 'hose spirit is in Devachan$ fro 'hence it never descends although the
spirit of the medium can ascend thereto3 and 'hile 'e ha%e nothing to say against sub)ective
counication 'ith the spirits$ ne%ertheless 'e 'ould consider oursel%es practising necroancy 'ere
'e to encourage the larvae to play the part of the latter in aterial and physical anifestations!
C8 &* B@ #heosophy (<ccultis 'ould be ore correct/ in di%iding the huan being into entities called-
&nimal intelligence' higher intelligence' Spirit' etc!$ does not assert$ nor e%en iply "the disintegration
and conse4uently the destruction of the conscious' individual Ego"! <n the contrary$ <ccultis protects it
fro e%ery &ind of profanation$ fro the sacrilegious outrage of a&ing it bear the hea%y burden of
absurdities$ lies and ipostures$ of the goblins and lar%ae 'hich ha%e been adorned 'ith that di%ine
nae$ that does not belong to the nor does it suit the in any cases! Do the 7piritists 'ish us to
belie%e that all their "7pirits" are Angels of *ight$ that they al'ays sho' thesel%es true and honest$ that
they ha%e ne%er lied or decei%ed anyoneB :eallyL 2e <ccultists say that in our estiation it is a horrible
blasphey to gi%e these iperanent beings the holy nae of "7pirit"$ and SoulC 2hy should 'e not
gi%e to e%erything its proper naeB 2here is the chaos and the destruction of the "conscious ego" in that
ost necessary di%isionB Can one doubt that the intelligence and the soul are t'o different things3 that
the first can be destroyed by 1ust a blo' on the head 'ith a haer 'ithout the soul feeling it at allB #he
aggregations 'hich the 7piritists call eory$ intelligence$ etc!$ are only the transitory attributes of the
Page 11,
fifth principle$ 'hich itself is also teporary! #o render the conscious ego eternal$ in short to assure its
iortality$ it is absolutely necessary that it be transferred (not in its terrestrial entirety$ but in the
essence of its spirituality/ to the .th and Dth Principles$ to the onad$ in fact! 2e appeal to the
philosophy of the 'hole 'orld to infor us if 'e can accept$ 'hile reaining 'ithin the bounds of rigid
logic$ the absolute iortality of the di%ine soul$ 'hile firly belie%ing that the fi%e principles 'hich clothe
it during its earthly e6istences$ continue 'ith the di%ine essence$ attached to it li&e barnacles to the sides
of a shipL
C8 &* C0 2e ha%e recei%ed our doctrines fro those 'ho do not need$ in order to e6plore and learn the
ysteries of the Ani%erse$ to a%ail thesel%es of either the disincarnate spirits or their "shells"$ and 'hat
an enorous ad%antage that isL #he 7piritists$ on the other hand$ 'ho$ li&e the blind$ ha%e to eploy the
eyes of others to cognize ob1ects too far a'ay to be touched$ are only able to learn what those 5spirits5
are willing to tell them! #he ore fortunate aong the$ ha%ing had to trust to sonabulists who are
not able to guide at will their temporarily liberated souls$ cannot al'ays recei%e correct ipressions
because their soul (the fifth principle/ is itself guided by the magneti-er' whose preconceived and often
fi,ed ideas dominate the sub)ect and ma(e him spea( in the direction in 'hich they tend ore or less
thesel%es$ 'hile the adepts do not suffer fro these una%oidable liitations! For the$ the e%idence is
not second-hand$ nor post!mortem$ but really the e%idence of their o'n faculties$ purified and prepared
through long years to recei%e it correctly and 'ithout any foreign influence that 'ould a&e the de%iate
fro the straight road! For thousands of years$ one initiate after another$ one great hierophant succeeded
by other hierophants$ has e6plored and re-e6plored the in%isible Ani%erse$ the 'orlds of the
interplanetary regions$ during long periods 'hen his conscious soul$ united to the spiritual soul and to the
A**$ free and alost onipotent$ left his body! 0t is not only the initiates belonging to the "Great
;rotherhood of the >ialayas"$ 'ho gi%e us these doctrines3 it is not only the ;uddhist Arhats 'ho teach
the$ but they are found in the secret 'ritings of Sam(aracharya$ of Gautaa ;uddha$ of Goroaster$ as
'ell as in those of the :ishis!
#he ysteries of life as 'ell as of death$ of the %isible and in%isible 'orlds$ ha%e been fathoed and
obser%ed by initiated adepts in all epochs and in all nations! #hey ha%e studied these during the solen
oents of union of their di%ine onad 'ith the uni%ersal 7pirit$ and they ha%e recorded their
e6periences! #hus by coparing and chec&ing the observations of one 'ith those of another$ and finding
none of the contradictions so fre4uently noticed in the dicta$ or communications of the mediums$ but on
the contrary$ ha%ing been able to ascertain that the %isions of adepts 'ho li%ed 10$000 years ago are
in%ariably corroborated and %erified by those of odern adepts$ to 'ho the 'ritings of the forer ne%er
do becoe &no'n until later - the truth has been established! A definite science$ based on personal
obser%ation and e6perience$ corroborated by continuous deonstrations$ containing irrefutable proofs$
for those 'ho study it$ has thus been established! 0 %enture to belie%e that this science is 1ust as good as
that 'hich relies on the accounts of one or e%en of se%eral sonabulists!
C8 &I* ,0@ IFro a learned #ibetan CorrespondentJ "#herefore 'e differ radically fro the 'estern
:olang-pa - spiritualists - as to 'hat they see or counicate 'ith in their circles and through their
unconscious necroancy! 2e say it is but the physical dregs$ or spiritless reains of the late being3 that
'hich has been e6uded$ cast off and left behind 'hen its finer particles passed on'ard into the great
;eyond!
"0n it linger soe fragents of eory and intellect! 0t certainly 'as once a part of the being$ and so
Page 11.
possesses that odicu of interest3 but it is not the being in reality and truth! Fored of atter$ ho'e%er$
etherealized$ it ust sooner or later be dra'n a'ay into %ortices 'here the conditions for its atoic
disintegration e6ist!
"Fro the dead body the other principles ooze out together! A fe' hours later the second principle - that
of life - is totally e6tinct$ and separates fro both the huan and ethereal en%elopes! #he third - the %ital
double - finally dissipates 'hen the last particles of the body disintegrate! #here no' reain the fourth$
fifth$ si6th and se%enth principles3 the body of 'ill3 the huan soul3 the spiritual soul and pure spirit$ 'hich
is a facet of the 9ternal! #he last t'o$ 1oined to$ or separated fro the personal self$ for the e%erlasting
indi%iduality and cannot perish! #he reainder proceeds to the state of gestation - the astral self and
'hate%er sur%i%ed in it of the 'ill$ pre%ious to the dissolution of the physical body!
">ence for any conscious action in this state are re4uired the 4ualifications of an adept$ or an intense$
undying$ ardent and holy lo%e for soeone 'ho the deceased lea%es behind hi on earth3 as
other'ise the astral ego either becoes a 'bhuta' -'ro-lang' in #ibetan - or proceeds to its further
transigrations in higher spheres!
"0n the forer case the *ha$ or 'an-spirit'$ can so1ourn aong the li%ing for an indefinite tie$ at his o'n
pleasure3 in the latter the so-called 'spirit' 'ill tarry and delay his final translation but for a short period3
the body of desire being held copact$ in proportion to the intensity of the lo%e felt by the soul and its
un'illingness to part 'ith the lo%ed ones!
"At the first rela6ation of the 'ill it 'ill disperse$ and the spiritual self$ teporarily losing its personality
and all reebrance of it$ ascends to higher regions! 7uch is the teaching! =one can o%ershado'
ortals but the elect$ the 'Accoplished'$ the ';yang-tsiub'$ or the ';odhisatt'as' alone -they 'ho ha%e
penetrated the great secret of life and death - as they are able to prolong$ at 'ill$ their stay on earth after
'dying'! :endered into the %ulgar phraseology$ such o%ershado'ing is to 'be born again and again' for the
benefit of an&ind!
"0f the spiritualists$ instead of conferring the po'er of "controlling" and "guiding" li%ing persons upon e%ery
'raith calling itself "Kohn" or "Peter"$ liited the faculty of o%ing and inspiring a fe' chosen pure en
and 'oen only to such ;odhisatt'as or holy initiates - 'hether born as ;uddhists or Christians$
;rahans or )ussulans on earth - and$ in %ery e6ceptional cases$ to holy and saintly characters$ 'ho
ha%e a oti%e$ a truly beneficial ission to accoplish after their departure$ then 'ould they be nearer to
the truth than they are no'!
"#o ascribe the sacred pri%ilege$ as they do$ to e%ery "eleentary" or "eleental" as4uerading in
borro'ed plues and putting in an appearance for no better reason than to say- ">o' d'ye do$ )r
7noo&sB" and to drin& tea and eat toast$ is a sacrilege and a sad sight to hi 'ho has any intuitional
feeling about the a'ful sacredness of the ystery of physical
translation$ let alone the teachings of the adepts!
C8 IE* ,0D Student!- 2hat are soe of the dangers at sancesB
Page 11D
Sage! - #he scenes %isible - in the Astral - at sances are horrible$ inasuch as these "spirits" - bhuts -
precipitate thesel%es upon sitters and edius ali&e3 and as there is no sance 'ithout ha%ing present
soe or any bad eleentaries -half dead huan beings$ - there is uch %apirising going on! #hese
things fall upon the people li&e a cloud or a big octopus$ and disappear 'ithin the as if suc&ed in by a
sponge! #hat is one reason 'hy it is not 'ell to attend the in general!
9leentaries are not all bad$ but$ in a general sense$ they are not good! #hey are shells$ no doubt of
that! 2ell$ they ha%e uch autoatic and seeingly intelligent action left if they are those of strongly
aterial people 'ho died attached to the things of life! 0f of people of an opposite character$ they are not
so strong! #hen there is a class 'hich are really not dead$ such as suicides$ and sudden deaths$ and
highly 'ic&ed people! #hey are po'erful! 9leentals enter into all of the$ and thus get a fictitious
personality and intelligence 'holly the property of the shell! #hey gal%anize the shell into action$ and by
its eans can see and hear as if beings thesel%es$ li&e us! #he shells are$ in this case$ 1ust li&e a sleep-
'al&ing huan body! #hey 'ill through habit e6hibit the ad%anceent they got 'hile in the flesh! 7oe
people$ you &no'$ do not ipart to their bodily olecules the habit of their inds to as great IanJ e6tent
as others! 2e thus see 'hy the utterances of these so-called "spirits" are ne%er ahead of the highest
point of progress attained by li%ing huan beings$ and 'hy they ta&e up the ideas elaborated day-by-day
by their %otaries!
C8 E* /,@ )!C! Great confusion e6ists in the inds of people about the %arious &inds of apparitions$
'raiths$ ghosts or spirits! <ught 'e not to e6plain once for all the eaning of these tersB Eou say there
are %arious &inds of "doubles" - 'hat are theyB
>!P!;! <ur occult philosophy teaches us that there are three &inds of "doubles"$ to use the 'ord in its
'idest sense! (1/ )an has his "double" or shadow$ properly so called$ around 'hich the physical body of
the foetus - the future an - is built! #he iagination of the other$ or an accident 'hich affects the child$
'ill affect also the astral body! #he astral and physical both e6ist before the ind is de%eloped into
action$ and before the Ata a'a&es! #his occurs 'hen the child is se%en years old$ and 'ith it coes the
responsibility attaching to a conscious sentient being! #his "double" is born 'ith an$ dies 'ith hi and
can ne%er separate itself far fro the body during life$ and though sur%i%ing hi$ it disintegrates$ pari
passu$ 'ith the corpse! 0t is this$ 'hich is soeties seen o%er the gra%es li&e a luinous figure of the
an that 'as$ during certain atospheric conditions! Fro its physical aspect it is$ during life$ man7s vital
double and after death$ only the gases gi%en off fro the decaying body! ;ut$ as regards its origin and
essence$ it is soething ore! #his "double" is 'hat 'e ha%e agreed to call linga!sarira$ but 'hich 0
'ould propose to call$ for greater con%enience$ "Protean" or "Plastic ;ody"!
)!C! 2hy Protean or PlasticB
>!P!;! Protean$ because it can assue all fors3 e$g$$ the "shepherd agicians" 'ho popular ruour
accuses$ perhaps not 'ithout soe reason$ of being "'ere-'ol%es"$ and "edius in cabinets"$ 'hose
o'n "Plastic ;odies" play the part of aterialized grandothers and "Kohn @ings"! <ther'ise$ 'hy the
in%ariable custo of the "dear departed angels" to coe out but little further than ar's length fro the
ediu 'hether entranced or notB )ind$ 0 do not at all deny foreign influences in this &ind of
phenoena! ;ut 0 do affir that foreign interference is rare$ and that the aterialized for is al'ays that
of the ediu's "&stral" or Protean body!
Page 11C
(519/ )!C! ;ut ho' is this astral body createdB
>!P!;! 0t is not created3 it gro's$ as 0 told you$ 'ith the an and e6ists in the rudientary condition e%en
before the child is born!
)!C! And 'hat about the secondB
>!P!;! #he second is the "#hought" body$ or Drea body$ rather3 &no'n aong <ccultists as the Mayavi!
rupa$ or "0llusion-body"! During life this iage is the %ehicle both of thought and of the anial passions
and desires$ dra'ing at one and the sae tie fro the lo'est terrestrial manas (ind/ and Kama$ the
eleent of desire! 0t is dual in its potentiality$ and after death fors$ 'hat is called in the 9ast "hoot$ or
Kama!rupa$ but 'hich is better &no'n to theosophists as the "7poo&"!
)!C! And the thirdB
>!P!;! #he third is the true Ego$ called in the 9ast$ by a nae eaning "causal body" but 'hich in the
trans->ialayan schools is al'ays called the "@aric body"$ 'hich is the sae! For Karma or action is
the cause 'hich produces incessant rebirths or "reincarnation"! 0t is not the Monad$ nor is it Manas
proper3 but is$ in a 'ay$ indissolubly connected 'ith$ and a copound of the )onad and )anas in
De%achan!
)!C! #hen there are three doublesB
>!P!;! 0f you can call the Christian and other #rinities "three Gods"$ then there are three doubles! ;ut in
truth there is only one under three aspects or phases- the ost aterial portion disappearing 'ith the
body3 the iddle one$ sur%i%ing both as an independent$ but teporary entity in the land of shado's3 the
third$ iortal$ throughout the an%antara unless =ir%ana puts an end to it before!
(550/ )!C! ;ut shall not 'e be as&ed 'hat difference there is bet'een the Mayavi and Kama rupa$ or as
you propose to call the the "Drea body" and the "7poo&"B
>!P!;! )ost li&ely$ and 'e shall ans'er$ in addition to 'hat has been said$ that the "thought po'er" or
aspect of the )aya%i or "0llusion body"$ erges after death entirely into the causal body or the conscious
thin(ing 9G<! #he anial eleents$ or po'er of desire of the "Drea body"$ absorbing after death that
'hich it has collected (through its insatiable desire to live/ during life3 i$e$$ all the astral %itality as 'ell as
all the ipressions of its material acts and thought 'hile it li%ed in possession of the body$ fors the
"7poo&" or Kama rupa! <ur #heosophists &no' 'ell enough that after death the higher )anas unites 'ith
the Monad and passes into De%achan$ 'hile the dregs of the lower manas or anial ind go to for this
7poo&! #his has life in it$ but hardly any consciousness$ e6cept$ as it 'ere by pro6y3 'hen it is dra'n into
the current of a ediu!
Page 119
)!C! 0s it all that can be said upon the sub1ectB
>!P!;! For the present this is enough etaphysics$ 0 guess! *et us hold to the "Double" in its earthly
phase! 2hat 'ould you &no'B
)!C! 9%ery country in the 'orld belie%es ore or less in the "double" or doppelgaenger! #he siplest
for of this is the appearance of a an's phanto$ the oent after his death$ or at the instant of death$
to his dearest friend! 0s this appearance the mayavi rupaB
>!P!;! 0t is3 because produced by the thought of the dying an!
)!C! 0s it unconsciousB
>!P!;! 0t is unconscious to the e6tent that the dying an does not generally do it &no'ingly3 nor is he
a'are that he so appears! 2hat happens is this! 0f he thin&s %ery intently at the oent of death of the
person he either is %ery an6ious to see$ or lo%es best$ he ay appear to that person! #he thought
becoes ob1ecti%e3 the double or shado' of a an$ being nothing but the faithful reproduction of hi$
li&e a reflection in a irror$ that 'hich the an does$ e%en in thought$ that the double repeats! #hat is
'hy the phantos are often seen in such cases in the clothes they 'ear at the particular oent$ and
the image reproduces e%en the e6pression on the dying an's face! 0f the double of a an bathing 'ere
seen it 'ould see to be iersed in 'ater3 so 'hen a an 'ho has been dro'ned appears to his
friend$ the iage 'ill be seen to be dripping 'ith 'ater! #he cause for the apparition ay be also
re%ersed3 i$e$$ the dying an ay or ay not be thin&ing at all of the particular person his iage appears
to$ but it is that person 'ho is sensiti%e! <r perhaps his sypathy or his hatred for the indi%idual 'hose
'raith is thus e%o&ed is %ery intense physically or psychically3 and in this case the apparition is created
by$ and depends upon$ the intensity of the thought! 2hat then happens is this! *et us call the dying an
A$ and hi 'ho sees the double ;! #he latter$ o'ing to lo%e$ hate or fear$ has the iage of A so deeply
ipressed on his psychic eory$ that actual agnetic attraction and repulsion are established bet'een
the t'o$ 'hether one &no's of it and feels it$ or not! 2hen A dies$ the si6th sense or psychic spiritual
intelligence of the inner man in ; becoes cognizant of the change in A$ and forth'ith apprises the
physical senses of the an$ by pro1ecting before his eye the for of A$ as it is at the instant of the great
change! #he sae 'hen the dying an longs to see soe one3 his thought telegraphs to his friend$
consciously or unconsciously along the 'ire of sypathy$ and becoes ob1ecti%e! #his is 'hat the
"7poo&ical" :esearch 7ociety 'ould popously$ but none the less uddily$ call telepathic impact!
(551/ )!C! #his applies to the siplest for of the appearance of the double! 2hat about cases in 'hich
the double does that 'hich is contrary to the feeling and 'ish of the anB
>!P!;! #his is ipossible! #he "Double" cannot act$ unless the &ey-note of this action 'as struc& in the
brain of the an to 'ho the "Double" belongs$ be that an 1ust dead$ or ali%e$ in good or in bad health!
0f he paused on the thought a second$ long enough to gi%e it for$ before he passed on to other ental
pictures$ this one second is as sufficient for the ob)ectivi-ations of his personality on the astral 'a%es$ as
for your face to ipress itself on the sensitized plate of a photographic apparatus! =othing pre%ents your
Page 150
for then$ being seized upon by the surrounding Forces - as a dry leaf fallen fro a tree is ta&en up and
carried a'ay by the 'ind - ItoJ be ade to caricature or distort your thought!
(555/ )!C! 7upposing the double e6presses in actual 'ords a thought uncongenial to the an$ and
e6presses it - let us say to a friend far a'ay$ perhaps on another continentB 0 ha%e &no'n instances of
this occurring!
>!P!;! ;ecause it then so happens that the created iage is ta&en up and used by a "7hell"! Kust as in
sMNance-roos 'hen "iages" of the dead - 'hich ay perhaps be lingering unconsciously in the
eory of e%en the auras of those present - are seized upon by the 9leentals or 9leentary 7hado's
and ade ob1ecti%e to the audience$ and e%en caused to act at the bidding of the strongest of the any
different 'ills in the roo! 0n your case$ oreo%er$ there ust e6ist a connecting lin& - a telegraph 'ire -
bet'een the t'o persons$ a point of psychic sypathy$ and on this the thought tra%els instantly! <f
course there ust be$ in e%ery case$ soe strong reason 'hy that particular thought ta&es that direction3
it ust be connected in soe 'ay 'ith the other person! <ther'ise such apparitions 'ould be of
coon and daily occurrence!
)!C! #his sees %ery siple3 'hy then does it only occur 'ith e6ceptional personsB
>!P!;! ;ecause the plastic po'er of the iagination is uch stronger in soe persons than in others!
#he ind is dual in its potentiality- it is physical and etaphysical! #he higher part of the ind is
connected 'ith the spiritual soul or ;uddhi$ the lo'er 'ith the anial soul$ the @aa principle! #here are
persons 'ho ne%er thin& 'ith the higher faculties of their ind at all3 those 'ho do so are the inority
and are thus$ in a 'ay$ beyond$ if not abo%e$ the a%erage of huan &ind! #hese 'ill thin& e%en upon
ordinary atters on that higher plane! #he idiosyncrasy of the person deterines in 'hich "principle" of
the ind the thin&ing is done$ as also the faculties of a preceding life$ and soeties the heredity of the
physical! #his is 'hy it is so %ery difficult for a aterialist - the etaphysical portion of 'hose brain is
alost atrophied - to raise hiself$ or for one 'ho is naturally spiritually inded$ to descend to the le%el
of the atter-of-fact %ulgar thought! <ptiis and pessiis depend on it also in a large easure!
(55+/ )!C! ;ut the habit of thin&ing in the higher ind can be de%eloped - else there 'ould be no hope
for persons 'ho 'ish to alter their li%es and raise thesel%esB And that this is possible ust be true$ or
there 'ould be no hope for the 'orld!
>!P!;! Certainly it can be de%eloped$ but only 'ith great difficulty$ a fir deterination$ and through uch
self-sacrifice! ;ut it is coparati%ely easy for those 'ho are born 'ith the gift! 2hy is it that one person
sees poetry in a cabbage or a pig 'ith her little ones$ 'hile another 'ill percei%e in the loftiest things only
their lo'est and ost aterial aspect$ 'ill laugh at the "usic of the spheres"$ and ridicule the ost
sublie conceptions and philosophiesB #his difference depends siply on the innate po'er of the ind
to thin& on the higher or on the lo'er plane$ 'ith the astral (in the sense gi%en to the 'ord by de 7aint-
)artin/$ or 'ith the physical brain! Great intellectual po'ers are often no proof of$ but are ipedients to
spiritual and right conceptions3 'itness ost of the great en of science! 2e ust rather pity than blae
the!
Page 151
)!C! ;ut ho' is it that the person 'ho thin&s on the higher plane produces ore perfect and ore
potential iages and ob1ecti%e fors by his thoughtB
>!P!;! =ot necessarily that "person" alone$ but all those 'ho are generally sensiti%es! #he person 'ho is
endo'ed 'ith this faculty of thin&ing about e%en the ost trifling things fro the higher plane of thought
has$ by %irtue of that gift 'hich he possesses$ a plastic po'er of foration$ so to say$ in his %ery
iagination! 2hate%er such a person ay thin& about$ his thought 'ill be so far ore intense than the
thought of an ordinary person$ that by this %ery intensity it obtains the po'er of creation! 7cience has
established the fact that thought is an energy! #his energy in its action disturbs the atos of the astral
atosphere around us! 0 already told you3 the rays of thought ha%e the sae potentiality for producing
fors in the astral atosphere as the sunrays ha%e 'ith regard to a lens! 9%ery thought so e%ol%ed 'ith
energy fro the brain$ creates nolens volens a shape!
(55?/ )!C! 0s that shape absolutely unconsciousB
>!P!;! Perfectly unconscious unless it is the creation of an adept$ 'ho has a pre-concei%ed ob1ect in
gi%ing it consciousness$ or rather in sending along 'ith it enough of his 'ill and intelligence to cause it to
appear conscious! #his ought to a&e us ore cautious about our thoughts! ;ut the 'ide distinction that
obtains bet'een the adept in this atter and the ordinary an ust be borne in ind! #he adept ay at
his 'ill use his Mayavi!rupa$ but the ordinary an does not$ e6cept in %ery rare cases! 0t is called
Mayavi!rupa because it is a for of illusion created for use in the particular instance$ and it has 4uite
enough of the adept's ind in it to accoplish its purpose! #he ordinary an erely creates a thought-
iage$ 'hose properties and po'ers are at the tie 'holly un&no'n to hi!
)!C! #hen one ay say that the for of an adept appearing at a distance fro his body$ as for instance
:a *al in Mr$ +saacs$ is siply an iageB
>!P!;! 96actly! 0t is a 'al&ing thought!
)!C! 0n 'hich case an adept can appear in se%eral places alost siultaneously!
>!P!;! >e can! Kust as Apollonius of #yana$ 'ho 'as seen in t'o places at once$ 'hile his body 'as at
:oe! ;ut it ust be understood that not all of e%en the astral adept is present in each appearance!
)!C! #hen it is %ery necessary for a person of any aount of iagination and psychic po'ers to attend to
their thoughtsB
>!P!;! Certainly$ for each thought has a shape 'hich borro's the appearance of the an engaged in the
action of 'hich he thought! <ther'ise ho' can clair%oyants see in your aura your past and presentB
2hat they see is a passing panoraa of yourself represented in successi%e actions by your thoughts!
Eou as&ed e if 'e are punished for our thoughts! =ot for all$ for soe are still-born3 but for the others$
Page 155
those 'hich 'e call "silent" but potential thoughts - yes! #a&e an e6tree case$ such as that of a person
'ho is so 'ic&ed as to 'ish the death of another! Anless the e%il-'isher is a Dugpa$ a high adept in blac&
agic$ in 'hich case @ara is delayed$ such a 'ish only coes bac& to roost!
(55,/ )!C! ;ut supposing the e%il-'isher to ha%e a %ery strong 'ill$ 'ithout being a dugpa$ could the
death of the other be accoplishedB
>!P!;! <nly if the alicious person has the e%il eye$ 'hich siply eans possessing enorous plastic
po'er of iagination 'or&ing in%oluntarily$ and thus turned unconsciously to bad uses! For 'hat is the
po'er of the "e%il eye"B 7iply a great plastic po'er of thought$ so great as to produce a current
ipregnated 'ith the potentiality of e%ery &ind of isfortune and accident$ 'hich inoculates$ or attaches
itself to any person 'ho coes 'ithin it! A )ettatore (one 'ith the e%il eye/ need not be e%en iaginati%e$
or ha%e e%il intentions or 'ishes! >e ay be siply a person 'ho is naturally fond of 'itnessing or
reading about sensational scenes$ such as urder$ e6ecutions$ accidents$ etc!$ etc! >e ay be not e%en
thin&ing of any of these at the oent his eye eets his future %icti! ;ut the currents ha%e been
produced and e6ist in his %isual ray ready to spring into acti%ity the instant they find suitable soil$ li&e a
seed fallen by the 'ay and ready to sprout at the first opportunity!
)!C! ;ut ho' about the thoughts you call "silent"B Do such 'ishes or thoughts coe hoe to roostB
>!P!;! #hey do3 1ust as a ball 'hich fails to penetrate an ob1ect rebounds upon the thro'er! #his happens
e%en to soe dugpas or sorcerers 'ho are not strong enough$ or do not coply 'ith the rules - for e%en
they ha%e rules they ha%e to abide by - but not 'ith those 'ho are regular$ fully de%eloped "blac&
agicians"3 for such ha%e the po'er to accoplish 'hat they 'ish!
)!C! 2hen you spea& of rules it a&es e 'ant to 'ind up this tal& by as&ing you 'hat e%erybody 'ants
to &no' 'ho ta&es any interest in occultis! 2hat is a principal or iportant suggestion for those 'ho
ha%e these po'ers and 'ish to control the rightly - in fact to enter occultisB
(55./ >!P!;! #he first and ost iportant step in occultis is to learn ho' to adapt your thoughts and
ideas to your plastic potency!
)!C! 2hy is this so iportantB
>!P!;! ;ecause other'ise you are creating things by 'hich you ay be a&ing bad @ara! =o one
should go into occultis or e%en touch it before he is perfectly ac4uainted 'ith his o'n po'ers$ and that
he &no's ho' to coensurate it 'ith his actions! And this he can do only by deeply studying the
philosophy of <ccultis before entering upon the practical training! <ther'ise$ as sure as fate - >9 20**
FA** 0=#< ;*AC@ )AG0C!
C8 EII* -0? fn And it is this @aa-:upa alone that can materiali-e in ediuistic sMNances$ 'hich it
Page 15+
occasionally does 'hen it is not the Astral Double$ or *inga-7arira$ of the ediu hiself 'hich appears!
#herefore$ ho' can this bundle of %ile oral passions and terrestrial lusts$ resurrected by$ and gaining
consciousness only through$ the organis of the ediu$ be accepted as a "departed angel" or the spirit
of a once huan bodyB As 'ell say of the icrobe pest 'hich fastens upon a person that it is a s'eet
departed angel!

#his is accoplished in ore or less tie$ according to the degree that the Personality ('hose dregs it
no' is/ 'as spiritual or aterial! 0f spirituality pre%ailed$ then the Larva$ "spoo&"$ 'ill fade out %ery soon3
but if it 'as %ery aterialistic$ the @aa-:upa ay last centuries and - e%en sur%i%e 'ith the help of
soe of its scattered 7&andhas$ 'hich are all transfored in tie into 9leents!
C8 EII* D0- At spiritualistic sances the *inga-7arira of the ediu aterializes$ the reseblance to
deceased persons being ostly caused by the iagination$ but soeties by an 9leental thro'ing
onto the *inga-7arira a reflection of a picture of the defunct in the Astral *ight$ thus producing the
li&eness! #he clothing on such phantass is fored fro the li%ing particles of the ediu's body$ and is
no real clothing$ nor has it anything to do 'ith the clothing of the ediu! All the aterial clothing seen at
aterialization sances has been paid for! )aterialized fors are to be for the present di%ided into t'o
classes- (a/ those 'ith a definite for produced by the sub-conscious or other thought of the person to
'ho the for belongs$ or as abo%e stated$ and (b/ those the for$ or seblance$ or appearing of 'hich
is due to the cobined thought of the person to 'ho it belongs$ and the person 'ho sees it$ so that the
outer appearance is due to a process of thought or iagination e6ercised by the one or the other! #he
iagination and the thought in these cases ta&e place or act at the sae tie 'ith too sall an inter%al
to be noticed! 0t is these facts about Astral ;odies that account for the Arabian and 9astern tales about
Kinns$ bottle ips$ etc! Dugpas are able to 'or& on the *inga-7ariras of other people! 2hen a an %isits
another in his Astral ;ody$ it is the *inga-7arira that goes$ but this cannot happen at any great distance!
7o also it is the *inga-7arira that is seen in the neighbourhood of persons as their "doubles"! And it is the
*inga-7arira that is used to o%e ob1ects 'ithout %isible contact! A *inga-7arira can be fored by the
escaping Chhaya 'ithout any &no'ledge of the person eanating it$ and can 'ander about$ but it is not
then fully endo'ed 'ith Consciousness! 7uch pro1ection of the Astral ;ody should not be attepted!
A ore iportant &ind of Astral ;ody is the )aya%i-:upa$ or illusionary ;ody$ and this is of different
degrees! All ha%e the Chhaya as upadhi$ but they ay be unconscious or conscious! 0f a an thin&s
intensely of another at a distance$ his )aya%i-:upa ay appear to that person$ 'ithout the pro1ector
&no'ing anything about it! #his )aya%i-:upa is fored by the unconscious use of @riyasa&ti$ 'hen the
thought is at 'or& 'ith uch intensity and concentration! 0t is fored 'ithout the idea of conscious
pro1ection$ and it is itself unconscious$ a thought body$ but not a %ehicle of Consciousness! ;ut 'hen a
an consciously pro1ects a )aya%i-:upa and uses it as a %ehicle of Consciousness$ he is an Adept! =o
t'o persons can be siultaneously conscious of one another's presence$ unless one of the t'o be an
Adept!
0n the foration of a )aya%i-:upa$ as already said$ the upadhi is furnished by the Chhaya$ the "basis of
all fors"! 2hen an Adept pro1ects his )aya%i-:upa$ the guiding intelligence that infors it coes fro
the >eart$ the essence of )anas entering it3 the attributes and 4ualities are dra'n fro the Auric
9n%elope! =othing can hurt the )aya%i-:upa - no sharp instruent or 'eapon - since$ as regards this
plane$ it is purely sub1ecti%e! 0t has no aterial connection 'ith the physical ;ody$ no ubilical cord! 0t is
spiritual and ethereal$ and passes e%ery'here 'ithout let or hindrance! 0t thus entirely differs fro the
Page 15?
*inga-7arira3 its pro1ection is al'ays a )anasic act$ since it cannot be fored 'ithout the acti%ity of
@riyasa&ti! #he )aya%i-:upa ay be so strongly %italized that it can go on to another plane$ and can
there unite 'ith the beings of that plane$ and so ensoul the! ;ut this can only be done by an Adept!
Dugpas and 7orcerers$ the Adepts of the *eft >and Path$ are able to create and use )aya%i-:upas of
their o'n!
Isis I* -D 2e are far fro belie%ing that all the spirits that counicate at circles are of the classes called
"9leental"$ and "9leentary"! )any - especially aong those 'ho control the ediu sub1ecti%ely to
spea&$ 'rite$ and other'ise act in %arious 'ays - are huan$ disebodied spirits! 2hether the a1ority of
such spirits are good or bad$ largely depends on the pri%ate orality of the ediu$ uch on the circle
present$ and a great deal on the intensity and ob1ect of their purpose! 0f this ob1ect is erely to gratify
curiosity and to pass the tie$ it is useless to e6pect anything serious! ;ut$ in any case$ huan spirits
can never aterialize thesel%es in propria persona! #hese can ne%er appear to the in%estigator clothed
'ith 'ar$ solid flesh$ s'eating hands and faces$ and grossly-aterial bodies! #he ost they can do is
to pro1ect their aethereal reflection on the atospheric 'a%es$ and if the touch of their hands and clothing
can becoe upon rare occasions ob1ecti%e to the senses of a li%ing ortal$ it 'ill be felt as a passing
breeze gently s'eeping o%er the touched spot$ not as a huan hand or aterial body! 0t is useless to
plead that the "aterialized spirits" that ha%e e6hibited thesel%es 'ith beating hearts and loud %oices
('ith or 'ithout a trupet/ are human spirits! #he %oices - if such sound can be tered a %oice at all - of
a spiritual apparition once heard can hardly be forgotten! #hat of a pure spirit is li&e the treulous
urur of an Aeolian harp echoed fro a distance3 the %oice of a suffering$ hence ipure$ if not utterly
bad spirit$ ay be assiilated to a huan %oice issuing fro an epty barrel!
Isis I* A/0 !! 'hile$ as a rule$ physical phenoena are produced by the nature-spirits$ of their o'n otion
and to please their o'n fancy$ still good disebodied huan spirits$ under e,ceptional circustances$
such as the aspiration of a pure heart or the occurrence of soe fa%ouring eergency$ can anifest their
presence by any of the phenoena e,cept personal materiali-ation! ;ut it ust be a ighty attraction
indeed to dra' a pure$ disebodied spirit fro its radiant hoe into the foul atosphere fro 'hich it
escaped upon lea%ing its earthly body!
Isis I* BD- 7oe persons ha%e the natural and soe the ac4uired po'er of 'ithdra'ing the inner fro
the outer body$ at 'ill$ and causing it to perfor long 1ourneys$ and be seen by those 'ho it %isits!
=uerous are the instances recorded by unipeachable 'itnesses of the "doubles" of persons ha%ing
been seen and con%ersed 'ith$ hundreds of iles fro the places 'here the persons thesel%es 'ere
&no'n to be! >erotius$ if 'e ay credit Pliny and Plutarch$ could at 'ill fall into a trance and then his
second soul proceeded to any distant place he chose!
#he Abbe Frethei$ the faous author of Steganographie$ 'ho li%ed in the se%enteenth century$ could
con%erse 'ith his friends by the ere po'er of his 'ill! "0 can a&e y thoughts &no'n to the initiated$"
he 'rote$ "at a distance of any hundreds of iles$ 'ithout 'ord$ 'riting$ or cipher$ by any essenger!
#he latter cannot betray e$ for he &no's nothing! 0f needs be$ 0 can dispense 'ith the essenger! 0f any
correspondent should be buried in the deepest dungeon$ 0 could still con%ey to hi y thoughts as
clearly and as fre4uently as 0 chose$ and this 4uite siply$ 'ithout superstition$ 'ithout the aid of spirits!"
Cordanus could also send his spirit$ or any essages he chose! 2hen he did so$ he felt "as if a door 'as
opened$ and 0 yself iediately passed through it$ lea%ing the body behind e!" #he case of a high
Geran official$ a counsellor 2eserann$ 'as entioned in a scientific paper! >e claied to be able to
Page 15,
cause any friend or ac4uaintance$ at any distance$ to drea of e%ery sub1ect he chose$ or see any
person he li&ed! >is clais 'ere pro%ed good$ and testified to on se%eral occasions by s&eptics and
learned professional persons! >e could also cause his double to appear 'here%er he li&ed3 and be seen
by se%eral persons at one tie! ;y 'hispering in their ears a sentence prepared and agreed upon
beforehand by unbelie%ers$ and for the purpose$ his po'er to pro1ect the double 'as deonstrated
beyond any ca%il!
"+ B?6B? #he 4uestion arising- ")ay not 7pirits as 'ell as en differ in ideasB" 2ell$ then their teaching
- aye$ of the highest of the since they are the "guides" of the three great *ondon 7eers - 'ill not be
ore authoritati%e than those of ortal en! ";ut$ they ay belong to different spheresB" 2ell3 if in the
different spheres contradictory doctrines are propounded$ these doctrines cannot contain the #ruth$ for
#ruth is 1ne$ and cannot adit of diaetrically opposite %ie's3 and pure 7pirits 'ho see it as it is$ 'ith
the %eil of atter entirely 'ithdra'n fro it - cannot err!
"+ ??6,0, )any of the sub)ective spiritual counications - ost of the 'hen the sensiti%es are pure
inded - are real3 but it is ost difficult for the uninitiated ediu to fi6 in his ind the true and correct
pictures of 'hat he sees and hears! 7oe of the phenoena called psychography (though ore rarely/
are also real! #he spirit of the sensiti%e getting odylised$ so to say$ by the aura of the 7pirit in the De%a-
Chan$ becoes for a fe' inutes that departed personality$ and 'rites in the hand 'riting of the latter$ in
his language and in his thoughts$ as they 'ere during his life tie! #he t'o spirits becoe blended in
one3 and$ the preponderance of one o%er the other during such phenoena deterines the
preponderance of personality in the characteristics e6hibited in such 'ritings$ and "trance spea&ing"!
2hat you call "rapport" is in plain fact an identity of olecular %ibration bet'een the astral part of the
incarnate ediu and the astral part of the disincarnate personality! 0 ha%e 1ust noticed an article on
smell by soe 9nglish Professor ('hich 0 'ill cause to be re%ie'ed in the Theosophist and say a fe'
'ords/$ and find in it soething that applies to our case! As$ in usic$ t'o different sounds ay be in
accord and separately distinguishable$ and this harony or discord depends upon the synchronous
%ibrations and copleentary periods3 so there is rapport bet'een ediu and "control" 'hen their
astral olecules o%e in accord! And the 4uestion 'hether the counication shall reflect ore of the
one personal idiosyncracy$ or the other$ is deterined by the relati%e intensity of the t'o sets of %ibrations
in the copound 'a%e of &(asa! #he less identical the %ibratory ipulses the ore ediuistic and less
spiritual 'ill be the essage! 7o then$ easure your ediu's oral state by that of the alleged
"controlling" 0ntelligence$ and your tests of genuineness lea%e nothing to be desired!
"+ ,0C6,0@ 0s there any interediate condition bet'een the spiritual beatitude of De%a-Chan$ and the
forlorn shado' life of the only half conscious eleentary reliquiae of huan beings 'ho ha%e lost their
si6th principleB ;ecause if so that ight gi%e a locus standi in iagination to the 9arnests and Koeys of
the spiritual edius - the better sort of controlling "spirits"! 0f so surely that ust be a %ery populous
'orldB fro 'hich any aount of "spiritual" counication ight coe!
Alas$ no3 y friend3 not that 0 &no' of! Fro "7u&ha%ati" do'n to the "#erritory of Doubt" there is a %ariety
of 7piritual 7tates3 but 0 a not a'are of any such "interediate condition"! 0 ha%e told you of the
7a&'alas (though 0 cannot be enuerating the since it 'ould be useless/3 and e%en of &vitchi - the
">ell" fro 'hich there is no return$ and 0 ha%e no ore to tell about! "#he forlorn shado'" has to do the
best it can! As soon as it has stepped outside the Kama!Lo(a$ and crossed the "Golden ;ridge" leading
to the "7e%en Golden )ountains" the Ego can confabulate no ore$ 'ith easy-going edius! =o
Page 15.
"9rnest" or "Koey" has e%er returned fro the .upa!Lo(a -let alone the &rupa-*o&a - to hold s'eet
intercourse 'ith ortals!
"+ ,,06,,A !! it is not against true 7piritualis that 'e set oursel%es$ but only against indiscriinate
ediuship and - physical anifestations$ - aterializations and trance-possessions especially! Could
the 7piritualists be only ade to understand the difference bet'een individuality and personality$
bet'een individual and personal iortality and soe other truths$ they 'ould be ore easily persuaded
that <ccultists ay be fully con%inced of the Monad7s iortality$ and yet deny that of the soul - the
%ehicle of the personal 9go3 that they firly belie%e in$ and thesel%es practice spiritual counications
and intercourse 'ith the disembodied 9gos of the :upa-*o&a$ and yet laugh at the insane idea of
"sha&ing hands" 'ith a "7pirit"L3 that finally$ that as the atter stands$ it is the <ccultists and the
#heosophists 'ho are true 7piritualists$ 'hile the odern sect of that nae is coposed siply of
materialistic phenoenalists!
"+ ,/,6,/B O! !! %ery often as 0 understand the spirits of %ery fair a%erage people dying natural deaths$
reain soe tie in the earth's atosphere - fro a fe' days to a fe' years - 'hy cannot such as these
counicateB
"+ ,/?6,AA A! #he 7pirits of %ery fair a%erage good people dying natural deaths reain !! in the earth's
atosphere fro a fe' days to a fe' years$" the period depending on their readiness to eet their -
creature$ not their creator3 a %ery abstruse sub1ect you 'ill learn later on$ 'hen you too are ore
prepared! ;ut 'hy should they "counicate"B Do those you lo%e counicate 'ith you during their
sleep ob1ecti%elyB Eour 7pirits$ in hours of danger$ or intense sypathy$ %ibrating on the sae current of
thought - 'hich$ in such cases$ creates a &ind of telegraphic spiritual 'ires bet'een your t'o bodies -
ay eet and utually ipress your eories3 but then you are living$ not dead bodies! ;ut ho' can an
unconscious ,th principle ipress or counicate 'ith a li%ing organis$ unless it has already becoe
a shellB 0f$ for certain reasons$ they reain in such a state of lethargy for se%eral years$ the spirits of the
li%ing ay ascend to the !! and this ay ta&e place still easier than in De%a Chan$ 'here the Spirit is
too uch engrossed in his personal bliss to pay uch attention to an intruding eleent! 0 say - they
cannot!
"+ ,/,6,/B O! !! it is a fact that thousands of spirits do appear in pure circles and teach the highest
orality !!"
"+ ,A06,AA A! 0 a sorry to contradict your stateent! 0 &no' of no "thousands of spirits" 'ho do appear
in circles - and oreo%er positi%ely do not &no' of one "perfectly pure circle" and "teach the highest
orality"!
"+ ,D06,DA #hus 'ith a shell3 once in the aura of a ediu all he percei%es through the borro'ed
organs of the ediu and of those in agnetic sypathy 'ith the latter$ he 'ill percei%e %ery clearly -
but not further than 'hat the shell can find in the percepti%e faculties and eories of circle and ediu
- hence often the rational and at ties highly intelligent ans'ers3 hence also a coplete obli%ion of things
&no'n to all but that ediu and circle! #he shell of a highly intelligent$ learned$ but utterly unspiritual
an 'ho dies a natural death$ 'ill last longer and the shadow of his o'n eory helping - that shado'
Page 15D
'hich is the refuse of the si6th principle left in the fifth - he ay deli%er discourses through trance
spea&ers and repeat parrot-li&e that 'hich he &ne' of and thought uch o%er it$ during his life-tie! ;ut
find e one single instance in the annals of 7piritualis 'here a returning shell of a Faraday or a
;re'ster (for e%en they 'ere ade to fall into the trap of ediuistic attraction/ said one 'ord ore than
it &ne' during its life-tie! 2here is that scientific shell$ that e%er ga%e e%idence of that$ 'hich is claied
on behalf of the "disebodied Spirit" - naely$ that a free 7oul$ the 7pirit disenthralled fro its body's
fetters percei%es and sees that 'hich is concealed fro ortal eyesB
"+ ,D06,DB Spirits they call theB 7pirits 'ith personal reebrancesB As 'ell call personal
reebrances the sentences screeched out by a parrot! !! *et the "7pirit" of Goellner - no' that he is in
the "fourth diension of space"$ and has put up an appearance already 'ith se%eral edius - tell the
the last 'ord of his disco%ery$ coplete his astro-physical philosophy! =o3 Goellner 'hen lecturing
through an intelligent ediu$ surrounded 'ith persons 'ho read his 'or&s$ are interested in the - 'ill
repeat on %arious tones that 'hich is &no'n to others (not e%en that 'hich he alone &ne'$ ost
probably/$ the credulous$ ignorant public confounding the post!hoc 'ith the propter!hoc and firly
con%inced of the Spirit7s identity! 0ndeed$ it 'ill be 'orth your 'hile to stiulate in%estigation in this
direction! Ees3 personal consciousness does lea%e e%eryone at death3 and 'hen e%en the centre of
eory is re-established in the shell$ it 'ill reeber and spea& out its recollections but through the
brain of soe living huan being!
Page 15C
SECTION &III
"1C2 S1PP+E"ENTA(5 "ATE(IA+ AND I""O(TA+IT5
ey ?A 9n4- Do you really teach$ !! Ias soe sayJ the annihilation of e%ery personalityB
#heo- 2e do not! ;ut as this 4uestion of the duality - the individuality of the Di%ine 9go$ and the
personality of the huan anial - in%ol%es that of the possibility of the real iortal 9go appearing in
s89ance rooms as a "aterialized spirit"$ 'hich 'e deny as already e6plained$ our opponents ha%e
started the nonsensical charge!
ey ?B 9n4- Eou ha%e 1ust spo&en of psyche running to'ards its entire annihilation if it attaches itself to
&noia Isee GlossaryJ! 2hat did Plato and 'hat do you ean by thisB
#heo- #he entire annihilation of the personal consciousness$ is an e6ceptional and rare case$ 0 thin&! #he
general and alost in%ariable rule is the erging of the personal into the indi%idual or iortal
consciousness of the 9go$ a transforation or a di%ine transfiguration$ and the entire annihilation only of
the lo'er quaternary! 2ould you e6pect the an of flesh$ or the temporary personality$ his shado'$ the
"astral"$ his anial instincts and e%en physical life$ to sur%i%e 'ith the "spiritual 9G<" and becoe
sepiternal Ilasting indefinitely after a startJB =aturally all this ceases to e6ist$ either at$ or soon after
corporeal death! 0t becoes in tie entirely disintegrated and disappears fro %ie'$ being annihilated as
a 'hole!
9n4- #hen you also re1ect resurrection in the fleshB
#heo- )ost decidedly 'e doL
ey ?C #heo- #he 6ous is the spirit ('hether in @osos or in an/$ and the logos$ 'hether Ani%erse or
astral body$ the eanation of the forer$ the physical body being erely the anial! <ur e6ternal po'ers
percei%e phenomena3 our 6ous alone is able to recognize their noumena! 0t is the logos alone$ or the
noumenon$ that sur%i%es$ because it is iortal in its %ery nature and essence$ and the logos in an is
the 9ternal 9G<$ that 'hich reincarnates and lasts for e%er! ;ut ho' can the e%anescent or e6ternal
shado'$ the teporary clothing of that di%ine 9anation 'hich returns to the source 'hence it
proceeded$ be that which is raised in incorruptibilityB
ey ,0A #heo- 2e say that Iconcerning the relationship of the 7upree 7pirit (Ata/ to the spiritual
anJ 'e only allo' the presence of the radiation of 7pirit (or Ata/ in the astral capsule$ and so far only
as that spiritual radiancy is concerned! 2e say that an and 7oul ha%e to con4uer their iortality by
ascending$ to'ards the unity 'ith 'hich$ if successful$ they 'ill be finally lin&ed and into 'hich they are
finally$ so to spea&$ absorbed! #he indi%idualization of an after death depends on the spirit$ not on his
soul and body! Although the 'ord "personality"$ in the sense in 'hich it is usually understood is an
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absurdity if applied literally to our iortal essence$ still the latter is$ as our indi%idual 9go$ a distinct
entity$ iortal and eternal$ per se$ +t is only in the case of blac( magicians or of criminals beyond
redemption' criminals who have been such during a long series of lives - that the shining thread$ 'hich
lin&s the spirit to the personal soul fro the oent of the birth of the child$ is %iolently snapped$ and the
disebodied entity becoes di%orced fro the personal soul$ the latter being annihilated 'ithout lea%ing
the sallest ipression of itself on the forer! 0f that union bet'een the lo'er$ or personal )anas$ and
the indi%idual reincarnating 9go has not been effected during life$ then the forer is left to share the fate
of the lo'er anials$ to gradually dissol%e into ether$ and ha%e its personality annihilated! ;ut e%en then
the 9go reains a distinct being! 0t (the spiritual 9go/ only loses one De%achanic state - after that
special$ and in that case indeed useless$ life - as that idealized ersonality$ and is reincarnated$ after
en1oying for a short tie its freedo as a planetary spirit$ alost iediately!
ey ,0C #heo- An 9go 'ho has 'on his iortal life as spirit 'ill reain the sae inner self throughout
all his rebirths on earth3 but this does not iply necessarily that he ust either reain the )r 7ith or
the )r ;ro'n he 'as on earth$ or lose his indi%iduality! #herefore$ the astral soul and the terrestrial body
of an ay$ in the dar& hereafter$ be absorbed into the cosical ocean of subliated eleents$ and
cease to feel his last personal 9go (if it did not deser%e to soar higher/$ and the divine 9go still reain the
sae unchanged entity$ though this terrestrial e6perience of his eanation ay be totally obliterated at
the instant of separation fro the un'orthy %ehicle!
ey ,0- 9n4- 2ould you call the 7oul$ i!e! the huan thin&ing 7oul$ or 'hat you call the 9go - atterB
#heo- =ot atter$ but substance assuredly3 nor 'ould the 'ord "atter"$ if prefi6ed 'ith the ad1ecti%e
primordial be a 'ord to a%oid! #hat atter$ 'e say$ is co-eternal 'ith 7pirit$ and is not our %isible$
tangible$ and di%isible atter$ but its e6tree subliation! Pure 7pirit is but one reo%e fro the no-
7pirit$ or the absolute all! Anless you adit that an 'as e%ol%ed out of this priordial 7pirit-atter$ and
represents a regular progressi%e scale of "principles" fro meta-7pirit do'n to the grossest atter$ ho'
can 'e e%er coe to regard the inner an as iortal$ and at the sae tie as a spiritual 9ntity and a
ortal anB
ey ,0@ 9n4- >o' can that 'hich !! is !! of an identical substance 'ith the di%ine$ fail to be iortalB
#heo- 9%ery ato and spec& of atter$ not of substance only$ is imperishable in its essence$ but not in its
individual consciousness! 0ortality is but one's unbro&en consciousness3 and the personal
consciousness can hardly last longer than the personality itself$ can itB And such consciousness !!!
sur%i%es only throughout De%achan$ after 'hich it is reabsorbed$ first$ in the individual$ and then in the
universal consciousness !!
ey ,,A #he personal soul ust$ of course$ be disintegrated into its particles before it is able to lin& its
purer essence for e%er 'ith the iortal spirit! "Can that spirit$ 'hich gi%es life and otion and parta&es
of the nature of light$ be reduced to nonentityB" !! 0n ;uddhistic philosophy annihilation eans only a
dispersion of atter$ in 'hate%er for or semblance of for it ay be$ for e%erything that has for is
teporary$ and is therefore$ really an illusion! For in eternity the longest periods of tie are as a 'in& of
the eye! 7o 'ith for! ;efore 'e ha%e tie to realize that 'e ha%e seen it$ it is gone li&e an
Page 1+0
instantaneous flash of lightning$ and passed for e%er! 2hen the spiritual entity brea&s loose for e%er fro
e%ery particle of atter$ substance$ or for$ and re-becoes a 7piritual breath$ then only does it enter
upon an eternal and unchangeable 6irvana$ lasting as long as the cycle of life has lasted - an eternity
truly! And then the ;reath$ e6isting in Spirit$ is nothing because it is all3 as a for$ a seblance$ a shape$
it is copletely annihilated3 as absolute 7pirit it still is for it has becoe "e!ness itself!
C8 I&* C0- IConcerning funerary ritesJ !! no'here 'ill one find in the oldest boo&s the in1unction of the
cereonies no' in use$ least of all that of spending large sus of oney 'hich often entails ruin upon
the sur%i%ors!
=or$ fro the occult standpoint$ do such rites benefit in the last the departed soul! #he correct
coprehension of the la' of @ara is entirely opposed to the idea! As no persons's &ara can be either
lightened or o%erburdened 'ith the good or bad actions of the ne6t of &in of the departed one$ e%ery an
ha%ing his &ara independent and distinct fro that of his neighbour -no ore can the departed soul be
ade responsible for the doings of those it left behind! ICoent on the handling of the dead$ burial$
etc!$ follo'ed!J
C8 I&* C0@ fn #'el%e hours at least had to elapse bet'een the death of the person and the burning or
the destruction by any other eans of the corpse of the dead! #his old la' 'as e4ually forgotten by the
;rahins as by the Goroastrians! 0t 'as not the act of burning that 'as forbidden$ but the burning before
the corpse 'as epty$ vi-$ before the inner principles had had tie to get entirely liberated! As the aqua
fortis 'as thought possessed of an occult property to that effect$ hence the preliinary burning of the
flesh by this eans!
C8 I&* CC? IConcerning uificationJ !! >e Ithe 'riter of an articleJ loo&s at the ob1ecti%e terrestrial and
empty shell - the "uy" - and forgets that there ay be hidden under the crude allegory a great
scientific and occult truth! 2e are taught that for +000 years at least the "uy"$ not'ithstanding all the
cheical preparations$ goes on thro'ing off$ to the last$ in%isible atos 'hich fro the hour of death$ re-
entering the %arious vortices of being$ go indeed "through e%ery %ariety of organized life fors"! ;ut it is
not the soul$ the fifth$ least of all the si6th principle$ but the life atoms of the )iva$ the second principle! At
the end of +000 years$ soeties ore$ and soeties less$ after endless transigrations all these
atos are once ore dra'n together$ and are ade to for a ne' outer clothing or the body of the sae
onad (the real soul/ 'hich had already been clothed 'ith ItheJ t'o or three thousands of years
before! 9%en in the 'orst case$ that of the annihilation of the conscious personal principle$ the onad or
indi%idual soul is e%er the sae as are also the atos of the lo'er principles 'hich$ regenerated and
rene'ed in this e%er-flo'ing ri%er of being are agnetically dra'n together o'ing to their affinity$ and are
once ore reincarnated together! 7uch 'as the true occult theory of the 9gyptians!
C8 I&* C-0 #hat 'hich aintains the consciousness of its indi%iduality is the si6th principle in con1unction
'ith the se%enth and a portion of the fifth and its %ehicle the fourth -the triad thus constituting the
conscious monad! *ife-atos or "life principle" (the /iv/ that escapes at death has no consciousness in
its disintegrated condition$ nor has this any bearing upon the "grand purposes of creation"!
C8 &* C 0 can indicate Ia nuber ofJ places !! 'here it is affired in the clearest anner that the Dth and
Page 1+1
.th principles$ the Di%ine )onad and its %ehicle$ the spiritual soul ('hich a&es a unity/$ are iortal$
indestructible and infinite! ;elie%ing in the innuerable reincarnations of the "spiritual 9go"$ the only
"conscious 9go" in 9ternity$ not one of us$ <ccultists$ could e%er say that the indi%idual consciousness
'as annihilated or that the "spiritual 9go" could fall bac& into the 'orld of cosic$ prial atter !!!
C8 &I* /BB 0t has also been often put forth in %arious theosophical and other occult 'ritings that the only
difference bet'een an ordinary an 'ho 'or&s along 'ith =ature during the course of cosic e%olution
and an occultist$ is that the latter$ by his superior &no'ledge$ adopts such ethods of training and
discipline as 'ill hurry on that process of e%olution$ and he thus reaches in a coparati%ely %ery short
tie that ape6 to ascend to 'hich the ordinary indi%idual ay ta&e perhaps billions of years! 0n short$ in a
fe' thousand years he approaches that for of e%olution 'hich ordinary huanity 'ill attain to perhaps
in the si6th or the se%enth round during the process of Manvantara$ i!e!$ cyclic progression! 0t is e%ident
that a%erage an cannot becoe a )A>A#)A in one life$ or rather in one incarnation! =o' those$ 'ho
ha%e studied the occult teachings concerning Devachan and our after-states$ 'ill reeber that bet'een
t'o incarnations there is a considerable period of sub1ecti%e e6istence! #he greater the nuber of such
Devachanic periods$ the greater is the nuber of years o%er 'hich this e%olution is e6tended! #he chief
ai of the occultist is therefore to so control hiself as to be able to control his future states$ and thereby
gradually shorten the duration of his Devachanic states bet'een his t'o incarnations! 0n his progress$
there coes a tie 'hen$ bet'een one physical death and his ne6t re-birth$ there is no Devachan but a
&ind of spiritual sleep$ the shoc& of death$ ha%ing$ so to say$ stunned hi into a state of unconsciousness
fro 'hich he gradually reco%ers to find hiself reborn$ to continue his purpose! #he period of this sleep
ay %ary fro t'enty-fi%e to t'o hundred years$ depending upon the degree of his ad%anceent! ;ut
e%en this period ay be said to be a 'aste of tie$ and hence all his e6ertions are directed to shorten its
duration so as to gradually coe to a point 'hen the passage fro one state of e6istence into another is
alost iperceptible! #his is his last incarnation$ as it 'ere$ for the shoc& of death no ore stuns hi!
#his is the idea the 'riter of the article on "#he 9li6ir of *ife" eans to con%ey$ 'hen he says--
;y or about the tie 'hen the Death-liit of his race is passed$ >9 07 AC#AA**E D9AD$ in the
ordinary sense$ that is to say$ that he has relie%ed hiself of all or nearly all such aterial particles
as 'ould ha%e necessitated in disruption the agony of dying! >e has been dying gradually during
the 'hole period of his 0nitiation! #he catastrophe cannot happen t'ice o%er! >e has only spread
o%er a nuber of years the ild process of dissolution 'hich others endure fro a brief oent
to a fe' hours! #he highest Adept is$ in fact$ dead to$ and absolutely unconscious of$ the 'orld3 -
he is obli%ious of its pleasures$ careless of its iseries$ in so far as sentientalis goes$ for the
stern sense of DA#E ne%er lea%es hi blind to its %ery e6istence !!
#he process of the eission and attraction of atos$ 'hich the occultist controls$ has been discussed at
length in that article and in other 'ritings! 0t is by these eans that he gets rid gradually of all the old
gross particles of his body$
substituting for the finer and ore ethereal ones$ till at last the forer sthula sarira is copletely dead
and disintegrated and he li%es in a body entirely of his o'n creation$ suited to his 'or&! #hat body is
essential for his purposes$ for$ as the "9li6ir of *ife" says--
;ut to do good$ as in e%erything else$ a an must ha%e tie and aterial to 'or& 'ith$ and this is
a necessary eans to the ac4uireent of po'ers by 'hich infinitely ore good can be done than
'ithout the! 2hen these are once astered$ the opportunities to use the 'ill arri%e !!
Page 1+5
0n another place$ in gi%ing the practical instructions for that purpose$ the sae article says--
#he physical an ust be rendered ore ethereal and sensiti%e3 the ental an ore
penetrating and profound3 the oral an ore self-denying and philosophical!
C8 &I* A-/ I<n a day for e%er eorable to e - a fatal dayJ - 0 ade the ac4uaintance of a %enerable
and learned bonze$ a Kapanese priest$ naed #eoora >ideyeri! 0 et hi at the foot of the golden
@'on-<n$ and fro that oent he becae y best and ost trusted friend! I=ot'ithstanding y great
and genuine regard for hi$ ho'e%er$ 'hene%er a good opportunity 'as offered 0 ne%er failed to oc& his
religious con%ictions$ thereby %ery often hurting his feelings!J
;ut y old friend 'as as ee& and forgi%ing as any true ;uddhist's heart ight desire! >e ne%er
resented y ipatient sarcass$ Ie%en 'hen they 'ere$ to say the least$ of e4ui%ocal propriety$J and
generally liited his replies to the "'ait and see" &ind of protest! I=or could he be brought seriously to
belie%e in the sincerity of y denial of the e6istence of any god or gods! #he full eaning of the ters
"atheis" and "scepticis" 'as beyond the coprehension of his other'ise e6treely intellectual and
acute ind! *i&e certain re%erential Christians$ he seeed incapable of realizing that any an of sense
should prefer the 'ise conclusions arri%ed at by philosophy and odern science to a ridiculous belief in
an in%isible 'orld full of gods and spirits$ d1ins and deons! ")an is a spiritual being$" he insisted$ "'ho
returns to earth ore than once$ and is re'arded or punished in the bet'een ties"! #he proposition that
an is nothing else but a heap of organized dust$ 'as beyond hi! *i&e Kerey Collier$ he refused to
adit that he 'as no better than "a stal&ing achine$ a spea&ing head 'ithout a soul in it"$ 'hose
"thoughts are all bound by the la's of otion"! "For$" he argued$ "if y actions 'ere$ as you say$
prescribed beforehand$ and 0 had no ore liberty or free 'ill to change the course of y action than the
running 'aters of the ri%er yonder$ then the glorious doctrine of @ara$ of erit and deerit$ 'ould be a
foolishness indeed!"
(+.+/ #hus the 'hole of y hyper-etaphysical friend's ontology rested on the sha&y superstructure of
etepsychosis$ of a fancied "1ust" *a' of :etribution$ and other such e4ually absurd dreas!
"2e cannot$" he said parado6ically one day$ "hope to li%e hereafter in the full en1oyent of our
consciousness$ unless 'e ha%e built for it beforehand a fir and solid foundation of spirituality !! =ay$
laugh not$ friend of no faith$" he ee&ly pleaded$ "but rather thin& and reflect on this! <ne 'ho has ne%er
taught hiself to li%e in 7pirit during his conscious and responsible life on earth$ can hardly hope to en1oy
a sentient e6istence after death$ 'hen$ depri%ed of his body$ he is liited to that 7pirit alone!"
"2hat can you ean by life in 7piritB" - 0 en4uired!
"*ife on a spiritual plane3 that 'hich the ;uddhists call Tushita Devalo(a (Paradise/! )an can create such
a blissful e6istence for hiself bet'een t'o births$ by the gradual
transference onto that plane of all the faculties 'hich during his so1ourn on earth anifest through his
organic body and$ as you call it$ anial brain!" !!
Page 1++
">o' absurdL And ho' can an do thisB"
"Conteplation and a strong desire to assiilate the blessed gods$ 'ill enable hi to do so!"
"And if an refuses this intellectual occupation$ by 'hich you ean$ 0 suppose$ the fi6ing of the eyes on
the tip of his nose$ 'hat becoes of hi after the death of his bodyB" - 'as y oc&ing 4uestion!
">e 'ill be dealt 'ith according to the pre%ailing state of his consciousness$ of 'hich there are any
grades! At best -
iediate rebirth3 at 'orst - the state of avitchi$ a ental hell! Eet one need not be an ascetic to
assiilate spiritual life 'hich 'ill e6tend to the hereafter! All that is re4uired is to try and approach 7pirit!"
(+.?/ ">o' soB 9%en 'hen disbelie%ing in itB" - 0 re1oined!
"9%en soL <ne ay disbelie%e and yet harbour in one's nature roo for doubt$ ho'e%er sall that roo
ay be$ and thus try one day$ 'ere it but for one oent$ to open the door of the inner teple3 and this
'ill pro%e sufficient for the purpose!"
"Eou are decidedly poetical$ and parado6ical to boot$ re%erend sir! 2ill you &indly e6plain to e a little
ore of the ysteryB"
"#here is none3 still 0 a 'illing! 7uppose for a oent that soe un&no'n teple to 'hich you ha%e
ne%er been before$ and the e6istence of 'hich you thin& you ha%e reason to deny$ is the 'spiritual plane'
of 'hich 0 a spea&ing! 7oe one ta&es you by the hand and leads you to'ards its entrance$ curiosity
a&es you open its door and loo& 'ithin! ;y this siple act$ by entering it for one second$ you ha%e
established an e%erlasting connection bet'een your consciousness and the teple! Eou cannot deny its
e6istence any longer$ nor obliterate the fact of your ha%ing entered it! And according to the character and
the %ariety of your 'or&$ 'ithin its holy precincts$ so 'ill you li%e in it after your consciousness is se%ered
fro its d'elling of flesh!"
"2hat do you eanB And 'hat has y after-death consciousness -if such a thing e6ists - to do 'ith the
tepleB"
"0t has e%erything to do 'ith it$" solenly re1oined the old an! "#here can be no self-consciousness after
death outside the teple of spirit! #hat 'hich you 'ill ha%e done 'ithin its plane 'ill alone sur%i%e! All the
rest is false and an illusion! 0t is dooed to perish in the <cean of )aya!"
Aused at the idea of li%ing outside one's body$ 0 urged on y old friend to tell e ore! )ista&ing y
eaning$ the %enerable old an 'illingly consented!
Page 1+?
#eoora >ideyeri belonged to the great teple of #zi-<nene$ a ;uddhist onastery$ faous not only in
all Kapan$ but also throughout #ibet and China! =o other is so %enerated in @ioto! 0ts on&s belong to the
sect of Dzenodoo$ and are considered as the ost learned aong the any erudite fraternities! #hey
are$ oreo%er$ closely connected and allied 'ith the Eaabooshi (the ascetics$ or herits/$ 'ho follo'
the doctrines of *ao-tze! I=o 'onder then$ that at the slightest pro%ocation on y part the priest fle' into
the highest etaphysics$ hoping thereby to cure e of y infidelity!J
(+.,/ =o use repeating here the long rigarole of the ost hopelessly in%ol%ed and incoprehensible of
all doctrines! According to his ideas$ 'e ha%e to train oursel%es for
spirituality in another 'orld - as for gynastics! Carrying on the analogy bet'een the teple and the
"spiritual plane" he tried to illustrate his idea! >e had hiself 'or&ed in the teple of 7pirit t'o-thirds of
his life$ and gi%en se%eral hours daily to "conteplation"! #hus he (new (BL/ that after he had laid aside
his ortal cas&et$ "a ere illusion$" he e6plained - he 'ould in his spiritual consciousness li%e o%er again
e%ery feeling of ennobling 1oy and di%ine bliss he had e%er had$ or ought to have had - only a hundred-
fold intensified! >is 'or& on the spirit-plane had been considerable$ he said$ and he hoped$ therefore$
that the 'ages of the labourer 'ould be proportionate!
";ut suppose the labourer$ as in the e6aple you ha%e 1ust brought for'ard in y case$ should ha%e no
ore than opened the teple door out of ere curiosity3 had only peeped into the sanctuary ne%er to set
his foot therein again! 2hat thenB"
"#hen$" he ans'ered$ "you 'ould ha%e only this short inute to record in your future self-consciousness
and no ore! <ur life hereafter records and repeats but the ipressions and feelings 'e ha%e had in our
spiritual e6periences and nothing else! #hus$ if instead of re%erence at the oent of entering the abode
of 7pirit$ you had been harbouring in your heart anger$ 1ealousy or grief$ then your future spiritual life
'ould be a sad one$ in truth! #here 'ould be nothing to record$ sa%e the opening of a door$ in a fit of bad
teper!"
">o' then could it be repeatedB" - 0 insisted$ highly aused! "2hat do you suppose 0 'ould be doing
before incarnating againB"
(+../ "0n that case$" he said$ spea&ing slo'ly and 'eighing e%ery 'ord - "in that case$ you would have' +
fear' only to open and shut the temple door' over and over again' during a period which' however' short'
would seem to you an eternity$"
#his &ind of after-death occupation appeared to e at that tie$ so grotes4ue in its sublie absurdity$
that 0 'as seized 'ith an alost ine6tinguishable fit of laughter!
)y %enerable friend loo&ed considerably disayed at such a result of his etaphysical instruction! >e
had e%idently not e6pected such hilarity! >o'e%er$ he said nothing$ but only sighed and gazed at e 'ith
increased bene%olence and pity shining in his sall blac& eyes!
Page 1+,
"Pray e6cuse y laughter$" 0 apologized! ";ut really$ no'$ you cannot seriously ean to tell e that the
'spiritual state' you ad%ocate and so firly belie%e in$ consists only in aping certain things 'e do in lifeB"
"=ay$ nay3 not aping$ but only intensifying their repetition3 filling in the gaps that 'ere un1ustly left unfilled
during life in the fruition of our acts and deeds$ and of e%erything
perfored on the spiritual plane of the one real state! 2hat 0 said 'as an illustration$ and no doubt for
you$ 'ho see entirely ignorant of the ysteries of Soul!*ision$ not a %ery
intelligible one! 0t is yself 'ho a to be blaed! !! 2hat 0 sought to ipress upon you 'as that$ as the
spiritual state of our consciousness liberated fro its body is but the fruition of e%ery spiritual act
perfored during life$ 'here an act had been barren$ there could be no results e6pected - sa%e the
repetition of that act itself! #his is all! 0 pray you ay be spared such fruitless deeds and finally ade to
see certain truths!" And passing through the usual Kapanese courtesies of ta&ing lea%e$ the e6cellent
an departed!
Alas$ alasL had 0 but &no'n at the tie 'hat 0 ha%e learnt since$ ho' little 'ould 0 ha%e laughed$ and ho'
uch ore 'ould 0 ha%e learnedL
I#his story unfolds during the ne6t fe' pages and ends 'ith a bitter conclusion!J
C8 &II* BA #he Apostle preises by saying (.om!$ %iii$ 1.-1D/ that "#he 7pirit itself" (aramatma/
"beareth 'itness 'ith our spirit" (atman/ "that 'e are the children of God$" and "if children$ then heirs" -
heirs of course to the eternity and indestructibility of the eternal or di%ine essence in us! #hen he tells us
that-
#he sufferings of this present tie are not 'orthy to be copared 'ith the glory 'hich shall be
re%ealed in us! (%iii$ 1C/
#he "glory" 'e aintain$ is no "ne' Kerusale"$ the sybolical representation of the future in 7t Kohn's
&abalistical :e%elations - but the Devachanic periods and the series of births in the succeeding races
'hen$ after e%ery ne' incarnation 'e shall find oursel%es higher and ore perfect$ physically as 'ell as
spiritually3 and 'hen finally 'e shall all becoe truly the "sons" and "the children of God" at the "last
:esurrection" - 'hether people call it Christian$ =ir%anic or Parabrahic3 as all these are one and the
sae! For truly -
#he earnest e6pectation of the creature 'aiteth for the anifestation of the sons of God! (%iii$ 19/
C8 EII* A, I IA!F! #indallJ cannot but feel that the Agencies of the Adepts are not confined in their
anifestations to the #heosophical 7ociety!
=or 'as it e%er claied by us! <n the contrary$ the hitherto %ery esoteric doctrine of the 6irmana(ayas
'as lately brought for'ard as a proof and e6plained in the treatise called The *oice of the Silence! #hese
=irana&ayas are the "odhisattvas or late Adepts$ 'ho ha%ing reached =ir%ana and liberation fro
Page 1+.
rebirth$ renounce it %oluntarily in order to reain in%isibly aidst the 'orld to help poor ignorant >uanity
'ithin the lines peritted by @ara! #hese are the real 7P0:0#7 of the disebodied en$ and 'e
recognize no others! #he rest are either Devachanees to 'hose plane the spirit of the li%ing ediu
ust ascend$ and 'ho therefore$ can ne%er descend to our plane$ or spoo(s of the first 'ater! ;ut then
no =irana&aya 'ill influence any an for the benefit of the latter for his o'n 'eal$ or to sa%e hi fro
anything sa%e death$ and that only IifJ the an's life is useful! ;y the fruit 'e recognize the tree! Anits are
as the lea%es of that tree for the3 and they loo& for'ard to benefit and sa%e the trun($ not to concern
thesel%es 'ith its e%ery leaf$ 'hether good$ bad$ or indifferent! 9%en li%ing Adepts ha%e no such right!
C8 EII* C/- #he reason 'hy public ention of the Auric ;ody is not peritted is on account of its being
so sacred! 0t is this ;ody 'hich at death assiilates the essence of ;uddhi and )anas and becoes the
%ehicle of these spiritual principles$ which are not ob)ective$ and then$ 'ith the full radiation of Atan
upon it$ ascends as )anas-#ai1asa into the De%achanic state! #herefore it is called by any naes! 0t is
the 7utratan$ the sil%er "thread" 'hich "incarnates" fro the beginning of )an%antara to the end$
stringing upon itself the pearls of huan e6istence - in other 'ords$ the spiritual aroa of e%ery
personality it follows through the pilgriage of life! 0t is also the aterial fro 'hich the Adept fors his
Astral ;odies$ fro the Augoeides and the )aya%i-:upa do'n'ards! After the death of an$ 'hen its
ost ethereal particles ha%e dra'n into thesel%es the spiritual principles of ;uddhi and the Apper
)anas$ and are illuinated 'ith the radiance of Atan$ the Auric ;ody reains either in the De%achanic
state of consciousness or$ in the case of a full Adept$ prefers the state of a =irana&aya - that is$ one
'ho has so purified his 'hole syste that he is abo%e e%en the di%ine illusion of a De%achani! 7uch an
Adept reains in the astral (in%isible/ plane connected 'ith our earth$ and henceforth o%es and lives in
the possession of all his principles e6cept the @aa-:upa and Physical ;ody! 0n the case of the
De%achani the *inga-7arira - the alter ego of the ;ody 'hich during life is 'ithin the physical en%elope
'hile the radiant aura is 'ithout - strengthened by the aterial particles 'hich this aura lea%es behind$
reains close to the dead body and outside it$ and soon fades a'ay! 0n the case of the full Adept the
body alone becoes sub1ect to dissolution$ 'hile the centre of that force 'hich 'as the seat of desires
and passions$ disappears 'ith its cause - the anial body! ;ut during the life of the latter all these
centres are ore or less acti%e and in constant correspondence 'ith their prototypes$ the cosic
centres$ and their icrocoss$ the principles! 0t is only through these cosic and spiritual centres that
the physical centres (the upper se%en orifices and the lo'er triad/ can benefit by their occult interaction$
for these orifices$ or openings$ are channels conducting into the body the influences that the will of man
attracts and uses$ vi-/$ the cosic forces!
C8 EII* -0@ #he Auric 9gg$ on account of its nature and anifold functions$ has to be 'ell studied! As
>iranyagarbha$ the Golden 2ob or 9gg$ contains ;raha$ the collecti%e sybol of the 7e%en
Ani%ersal Forces$ so the Auric 9gg contains$ and is directly related to$ both the di%ine and the physical
an! 0n its essence$ as said$ it is eternal3 in its constant correlations$ it is a &ind of perpetual otion
achine during the reincarnating progress of the 9go on this earth!
As gi%en out in The Secret Doctrine$ the 9gos or @uaras$ incarnating in an$ at the end of the #hird
:oot-:ace$ are not huan 9gos of this earth or plane$ but becae such only fro the oent they
ensouled the anial an$ thus endo'ing hi 'ith his >igher )ind! #hey are ";reaths" or Principles$
called the >uan 7oul$ or )anas$ the )ind! As the teachings say- "9ach is a Pillar of *ight! >a%ing
chosen its %ehicle$ it e6panded$ surrounding 'ith an A&asic Aura the huan anial$ 'hile the Di%ine
()anasic/ Principle$ settled 'ithin that huan for"!
Page 1+D
Ancient 2isdo teaches$ oreo%er$ that fro this first incarnation$ the *unar Pitris ('ho ade en out
of their Chhayas$ or 7hado's/ are absorbed by this auric essence$ and a distinct Astral For is no'
produced for each forthcoing Personality of the reincarnating series of each 9go!
#hus the Auric 9gg$ reflecting all the thoughts$ 'ords and deeds of an$ is-
(a/ #he preser%er of e%ery @aric record!
(b/ #he storehouse of all the good and bad po'ers of an$ recei%ing and gi%ing out at his 'ill - nay$ at his
%ery thought - e%ery potentiality$ 'hich becoes$ then and there$ an acting potency- this aura is the
irror in 'hich sensiti%es and clair%oyants sense and percei%e the real an$ and see hi as he is/$ not
as he appears!
(c/ As it furnishes an 'ith his Astral For around 'hich the physical entity odels itself$ first as a
foetus$ then as a child and an$ the astral gro'ing apace 'ith the huan being$ so it furnishes hi
during his life$ if an Adept$ 'ith his )aya%i-:upa$ +llusion "ody ('hich is not his *ital Astral ;ody/3 and
after death$ 'ith his De%achanic 9ntity and @aa-:upa$ or ;ody of Desire (the 7poo&/!
Footnote- 0t is erroneous$ 'hen spea&ing of the fifth huan principle$ to call it "the @aa-:upa"! 0t is no
:upa$ or for at all$ e6cept after death$ but the @aic eleents$ anial desires and passions$ such as
anger$ lust$ en%y$ re%enge$ etc!$ etc!$ the progeny of selfishness and atter!
0n the forer case$ that of the De%achanic 9ntity$ the 9go$ in order to be able to go into a state of bliss$
as the "0" of its iediately preceding incarnation$ has to be clothed (etaphorically spea&ing/ 'ith the
spiritual eleents$ of the ideas$ aspirations and thoughts of the no' disebodied Personality3 other'ise
'hat is it that en)oys bliss and rewardB 7urely not the impersonal 9go$ the Di%ine 0ndi%iduality! #herefore
it ust be the good @aric records of the deceased$ ipressed upon the Auric Substance$ 'hich furnish
the >uan 7oul 'ith 1ust enough of the 7piritual eleents of the e6-personality to enable it to still belie%e
itself that body fro 'hich it has 1ust been se%ered$ and to recei%e its fruition$ during a ore or less
prolonged period of "spiritual gestation"! For De%achan is a "spiritual gestation" 'ithin an ideal atri6
state$ that ends in the ne' birth of the 9go into the 'orld of effects$ 'hich ideal$ sub1ecti%e birth precedes
its ne6t terrestrial birth - the latter being deterined by its bad @ara - into the 'orld of causes! I>ere the
'orld of effects is the De%achanic state$ and the 'orld of Causes$ earth life!J 0n the second case$ that of
furnishing the @aa-:upa for the ghost or spoo& of the 9ntity$ it is fro the anial dregs of the Auric
9n%elope$ 'ith its daily @aric record of anial life$ so full of anial desires and selfish aspirations$ that
it is furnished!
(.09/ Footnote- And it is this @aa-:upa alone that can materiali-e in ediuistic sMNances$ 'hich it
occasionally does 'hen it is not the Astral Double$ or *inga-7arira$ of the ediu hiself 'hich appears!
#herefore$ ho' can this bundle of %ile oral passions and terrestrial lusts$ resurrected by$ and gaining
consciousness only through$ the organis of the ediu$ be accepted as a "departed angel" or the spirit
of a once huan bodyB As 'ell say of the icrobe pest 'hich fastens upon a person that it is a s'eet
departed angel!
Page 1+C
=o'$ the *inga-7arira reains 'ith the Physical ;ody$ and fades out along 'ith it! An astral entity then
has to be created (a ne' *inga 7arira pro%ided/ to becoe the bearer of all the past #anhas and future
@ara! >o' is this accoplishedB #he ediuistic "spoo&"$ the "departed angel"$ fades out and
%anishes also in its turn as an entity or full iage of the Personality that 'as$ and lea%es in the @aalo&ic
'orld of effects only the records of its isdeeds and sinful thoughts and acts$ &no'n in the phraseology
of the <ccultists as #anhic or huan "9leentals"!
Footnote- #his is accoplished in ore or less tie$ according to the degree that the Personality ('hose
dregs it no' is/ 'as spiritual or aterial! 0f spirituality pre%ailed$ then the Larva$ "spoo&"$ 'ill fade out
%ery soon3 but if it 'as %ery aterialistic$ the @aa-:upa ay last centuries and - e%en sur%i%e 'ith the
help of soe of its scattered 7&andhas$ 'hich are all transfored in tie into 9leents! 7ee The Key to
Theosophy$ pp 1?1 et seq$$ in 'hich 'or& it 'as ipossible to go into details but 'here the 7&andhas
are spo&en of as the gers of @aric effects!
0t is these 9leentals 'hich - upon entering into the coposition of the "astral for" of the ne' body$ into
'hich the 9go$ on its 4uitting the De%achanic state$ is to enter according to @aric degree - for that
ne' astral entity 'hich is born 'ithin the Auric 9n%elope$ and of 'hich it is often said "@ara$ 'ith its
ary of 7&andhas$ 'aits at the threshold of De%achan"! For no sooner is the De%achanic state of re'ard
ended$ than the 9go is indissolubly united 'ith (or rather follo's in the trac& of/ the ne' Astral For!
;oth are @arically propelled to'ards the faily or 'oan fro 'hich is to be born the animal child
chosen by @ara to becoe the %ehicle of the 9go 'hich has 1ust a'a&ened fro the De%achanic state!
#hen the new Astral For$ coposed partly of the pure A&asic 9ssence of the Auric "9gg"$ and partly of
the terrestrial eleents of the punishable sins and isdeeds of the last Personality$ is dra'n into the
'oan! <nce there$ =ature odels the foetus of flesh around the Astral$ out of the gro'ing aterials of
the ale seed in the feale soil! #hus gro's out of the essence of a decayed seed the fruit or eidolon of
the dead seed$ the physical fruit producing in its turn 'ithin itself another and other seeds for future
plants!
C8 EII* -/- #he higher triad$ Ata-;uddhi-)anas$ ay be recognized fro the first lines of the
4uotation fro the 9gyptian papyrus! 0n the .itual (no' the "oo( of the Dead/$ the purified 7oul (the dual
)anas/ appears as "the %icti of the dar& influence of the Dragon Apophis" (the physical personality of
@aa-:upic an$ 'ith his passions/! 0f it has attained the final &no'ledge of the hea%enly and the
infernal ysteries$ the Gnosis - the di%ine and terrestrial ysteries of 2hite and ;lac& )agic - then the
defunct personality "'ill triuph o%er its eney" - death! #his alludes to the case of a coplete reunion$
at the end of earth life$ of the 9go 'ith its lo'er )anas$ full of "the 'har%est' of life"! ;ut if "Apophis"
con4uers the "7oul"$ then it "cannot escape its second death"!
#hese fe' lines fro a papyrus$ any thousands of years old$ contain a 'hole re%elation$ &no'n$ in
those days$ only to the >ierophants and the 0nitiates! #he "harvest of life" consists of the finest spiritual
ideations$ of the eory of the noblest and ost unselfish deeds of the personality$ and the constant
presence during its bliss after death of all those it lo%ed 'ith di%ine$ spiritual de%otion! :eeber the
teaching- #he huan soul (lo'er )anas/ is the only and direct ediator bet'een the personality and the
di%ine 9go! #hat 'hich goes to a&e up on this earth the personality (iscalled by us individuality/ is the
su of all its ental$ physical and spiritual characteristic traits$ 'hich$ being ipressed on the huan
soul$ produces the man! =o'$ of all these characteristics it is the purified ideations alone 'hich can be
ipressed on the higher iortal 9go! #his is done by the "huan soul" erging again$ in its essence$
Page 1+9
into its parent source$ coingling 'ith its di%ine 9go during life$ and reuniting itself entirely 'ith it after
the death of the physical an! #herefore unless @aa-)anas transits to ;uddhi-)anas such personal
ideations$ and such consciousness of its "0" as can be assiilated by the di%ine 9G<$ nothing of that "0"
or personality can sur%i%e in the 9ternal! <nly that 'hich is 'orthy of the iortal God 'ithin us$ and
identical in its nature 'ith the di%ine 4uintessence$ can sur%i%e3 for in this case it is its o'n$ the di%ine
9go's$ "shado's" or eanations 'hich ascend to it and are indra'n by it into itself again$ to becoe
once ore part of its o'n 9ssence! =o noble thought$ no grand aspiration$ desire$ or di%ine iortal
lo%e$ can coe into the brain of the an of clay and settle there$ e6cept as a direct eanation fro the
higher to$ and through$ the lo'er 9go3 all the rest$ intellectual as it ay see$ proceeds fro the
"shado'"$ the lower mind$ in its association and coingling 'ith @aa$ and passes a'ay and
disappears fore%er! ;ut the ental and spiritual ideations of the personal "0" return to it$ as parts of the
9go's essence$ and can ne%er fade out! #hus of the personality that 'as$ only its spiritual e6periences$
the eory of all that is good and noble$ 'ith the consciousness of its "0"$ blended 'ith that of all the
other personal "0's" that preceded it - sur%i%e and becoe iortal! #here is no distinct or separate
iortality for the en of earth outside of the 9G< 'hich infored the! #hat >igher 9go is the sole
;earer of all its alter Egos on earth and their sole representati%e in the ental state called De%achan! As
the last disebodied personality$ ho'e%er$ has a right to its o'n special state of bliss$ unalloyed and free
fro the eories of all others$ it is the last life only which is fully realistically vivid! De%achan is often
copared to the happiest day in a series of any thousands of other "days" in the life of a person! #he
intensity of its happiness a&es the an forget entirely all others$ his past becoes obliterated!
(.5D/ #his is 'hat 'e call the Devachanic State and the re'ard of the personality$ and it is on this old
teaching that the hazy Christian notion of "Paradise" 'as built$ borro'ed 'ith any other things fro the
9gyptian )ysteries$ 'herein the doctrine 'as enacted! And this is the eaning of the passage 4uoted in
+sis! #he 7oul has triuphed o%er Apophis$ the Dragon of Flesh! >enceforth$ the personality 'ill li%e in
eternity$ in its highest and noblest eleents$ the eory of its past deeds$ 'hile the "characteristics" of
the "Dragon" 'ill be fading out in @aa-*o&a! 0f the 4uestion is as&ed$ ">o' li%e in eternity$ 'hen
De%achan lasts but fro 1000 to 5000 yearsB" the ans'er is- "0n the sae 'ay as the eory of each
day 'hich is 'orth reebering li%es in the eory of each one of us"! For the sa&e of an e6aple$ the
days passed in one personal life ay be ta&en by us as an illustration of each personal life$ and this or
that person ay stand for the di%ine 9go!
#o obtain the &ey 'hich 'ill open the door of any a psychological ystery it is sufficient to understand
and reeber that 'hich precedes and that 'hich follo's! )any a 7piritualist has felt terribly indignant
on being told that personal iortality 'as conditional3 and yet such is the philosophical and logical fact!
)uch has been said already on the sub1ect$ but no one to this day sees to ha%e understood the
doctrine! )oreo%er$ it is not enough to &no' that such a fact is said to e6ist! An <ccultist$ or he 'ho
'ould becoe one$ ust &no' why it is so3 for ha%ing learned and coprehended the raison d7etre$ it
becoes easier to set others right in their erroneous speculations$ and$ ost iportant of all$ it affords
you an opportunity$ 'ithout saying too uch$ to teach other people to a%oid a calaity 'hich$ sad to say$
occurs in our age alost daily! #his calaity 'ill no' be e6plained at length!
(.5C/ <ne ust &no' little indeed of the 9astern odes of e6pression to fail to see in the passage
4uoted fro the "oo( of the Dead$ and the pages of +sis referred to- (a/ an allegory for the uninitiated$
containing our esoteric teaching3 and (b/ that the t'o ters$ "second death" and "soul"$ are$ in one
sense$ blinds! "7oul" refers indifferently to ;uddhi-)anas and @aa-)anas! As to the ter "second
Page 1?0
death"$ the 4ualification "second" applies to se%eral deaths 'hich ha%e to be undergone by the
"principles" during their incarnation$ <ccultists alone understanding fully the sense in 'hich such a
stateent is ade! For 'e ha%e- (1/ the death of the body3 (5/ the death of the Anial 7oul in @aa-
*o&a3 (+/ the death of the Astral (*inga-7arira/$ follo'ing that of the ;ody3 (?/ the etaphysical death of
the >ighest 9go$ the immortal$ e%ery tie it "falls into atter"$ or incarnates in a ne' personality! #he
Anial 7oul$ or *o'er )anas$ that shado' of the di%ine 9go 'hich separates fro it to infor the
personality (the details of 'hich process 'ill no' be gi%en/$ cannot by any possible eans escape death
in @aa-*o&a$ at any rate that portion of this reflection 'hich reains as a terrestrial residue and cannot
be ipressed on the 9go! #hus the chief and ost iportant secret 'ith regard to that "second death"$ in
the esoteric teaching$ 'as and is to this day the terrible possibility of the death of the 7oul$ that is$ its
se%erance fro the 9go on earth during a person's lifetie! #his is a real death (though 'ith chances of
resurrection/$ 'hich sho's no traces in a person and yet lea%es hi orally a li%ing corpse! 0t is difficult
to see 'hy this teaching should ha%e been preser%ed until no' 'ith such secrecy$ 'hen$ by spreading it
aong people$ at any rate aong those 'ho belie%e in reincarnation$ so uch good ight be done! ;ut
so it 'as$ and 0 had no right to 4uestion the 'isdo of the prohibition$ but ha%e gi%en it hitherto$ as it 'as
gi%en to yself$ under pledge not to re%eal it to the 'orld at large! ;ut no' 0 ha%e perission to gi%e it to
all$ re%ealing its tenets first to the 9sotericists3 and then 'hen they ha%e assiilated the thoroughly$ it
'ill be their duty to teach others this special tenet of the "second death"$ and 'arn all the #heosophists of
its dangers! #he pledge of secrecy$ therefore$ 'ill no longer e6tend o%er this one solitary article of the
esoteric creed!
#o a&e the teaching clearer$ 0 shall seeingly ha%e to go o%er old ground3 in reality$ ho'e%er$ it is gi%en
out 'ith ne' light and ne' details! 0 ha%e tried to hint at it in The
Theosophist as 0 ha%e done in +sis$ but ha%e failed to a&e yself understood! 0 'ill no' e6plain it$ point
by point!
(.59/ #>9 P>0*<7<P>0CA* :A#0<=A*9 <F #>9 #9=9#
(1/ 0agine$ for illustration's sa&e$ the one hoogeneous$ absolute and onipresent 9ssence$ abo%e the
upper step of the "stair of the se%en planes of 'orlds"$ ready to start on its e%olutionary 1ourney! As its
correlating reflection gradually descends$ it differentiates and transfors into sub1ecti%e$ and finally into
ob1ecti%e atter! *et us call it at its north pole Absolute *ight3 at its south pole ('hich to us 'ould be the
fourth or iddle step$ or plane$ counting either 'ay/ 'e &no' it esoterically as the <ne and Ani%ersal
*ife! =o' ar& the difference! Abo%e$ *0G>#3 belo'$ Life! #he forer is e%er iutable3 the latter
anifests under the aspects of countless differentiations! According to the occult la'$ all potentialities
included in the higher becoe differentiated reflections in the lo'er3 and according to the sae la'$
nothing 'hich is differentiated can be blended 'ith the hoogeneous!
=or can anything endure of that 'hich li%es and breathes and has its being in the seething 'a%es of the
'orld$ or plane of differentiation! #hus$ ;uddhi and )anas being both priordial rays of the <ne Flae -
the forer the %ehicle (upadhi or %ahana/$ of the one eternal 9ssence$ the latter the %ehicle of )ahat or
Di%ine 0deation ()aha-;uddhi in the uranas$ the Ani%ersal 0ntelligent 7oul - neither of the$ as such
can becoe e6tinct or be annihilated$ either in essence or consciousness! ;ut the physical personality$
'ith its *inga-7arira$ and the anial soul 'ith its @aa$ can and do becoe so! #hey are born in the
real of illusion$ and ust %anish li&e a fleecy cloud fro the blue and eternal s&y!
Page 1?1
>e 'ho has read The Secret Doctrine 'ith any degree of attention$ ust &no' the origin of the huan
9gos$ called generically )onads$ and 'hat they 'ere before they 'ere forced to incarnate in the huan
anial! #he di%ine beings 'ho @ara led to act in the draa of )an%antaric life$ are entities fro
higher and earlier 'orlds and planets$ 'hose @ara had not been e6hausted 'hen their 'orld 'ent into
Pralaya! 7uch is the teaching3 but 'hether it is so or not$ the >igher 9gos are - as copared to such
fors of transitory$ terrestrial ud as oursel%es - Di%ine ;eings! Gods$ iortal throughout the
)ahaan%antara$ or the +11$0?0$000$000$000 years during 'hich the Age of ;raha lasts! And as the
Di%ine 9gos$ in order to re-becoe the <ne 9ssence$ or be indra'n again into the Ani%ersal AA)$ ha%e
to purify thesel%es in the fire of suffering and indi%idual e6perience$ so also ha%e the terrestrial 9gos$
the personalities$ to do li&e'ise$ if they 'ould parta&e of the iortality of the >igher 9gos! #his they can
achie%e by crushing in thesel%es all that benefits the lo'er personal nature of their "sel%es" and by
aspiring to transfuse their thin&ing @aic principle into that of the >igher 9go! 2e (i$e$$ our personalities/
becoe iortal by the ere fact of our thin&ing$ oral nature$ being grafted on our di%ine triune )onad
(Ata-;uddhi-)anas/$ the three in one and one in three (aspects/! For the )onad anifested on earth
by the incarnating 9go is that 'hich is called the #ree of *ife 9ternal$ that can only be approached by
eating the fruit of @no'ledge$ the @no'ledge of Good and 9%il$ or of G=<707$ Di%ine 2isdo!
(.+0/ 0n the e6oteric teachings$ this 9go is the fifth principle in an! ;ut the student 'ho has read and
understood the first t'o +nstructions$ &no's soething ore! >e is a'are that the se%enth is not a
huan$ but a uni%ersal principle in 'hich )an participates3 but so does e4ually e%ery physical and
sub1ecti%e ato$ and also e%ery blade of grass and e%erything that li%es or is in 7pace$ 'hether it is
sensible of it or not! >e &no's$ oreo%er$ that if an is ore closely connected 'ith it$ and assiilates it
'ith a hundredfold ore po'er$ it is siply because he is endo'ed 'ith the highest consciousness on
this earth3 that an$ in short$ ay becoe a 7pirit$ a De%a or a God in his ne6t transforation$ 'hereas
neither a stone nor a %egetable$ nor an anial can do so before they becoe en in their proper turn!
(5/ =o' 'hat are the functions of ;uddhiB <n this plane it has none$ unless it is united 'ith )anas$ the
Conscious 9go! ;uddhi stands to the di%ine :oot-9ssence in the sae relation as )ulapra&riti to
Parabrahan$ in the 8edanta school3 or as Alaya$ the Ani%ersal 7oul$ to the <ne 9ternal 7pirit$ or that
'hich is beyond 7pirit! 0t is its huan %ehicle$ one reo%e fro that Absolute 'hich can ha%e no relation
'hate%er to the finite and the conditioned!
(+/ 2hat again is )anas and its functionsB 0n its purely etaphysical aspect$ )anas$ being again one
reo%e (on the do'n'ard plane/ fro ;uddhi$ is still so ieasurably higher than the physical an$ that
it cannot enter into direct relation 'ith the personality$ e6cept through its reflection$ the lo'er ind!
)anas is Spiritual Self!%onsciousness$ in itself$ and Di%ine Consciousness 'hen united 'ith ;uddhi$
'hich is the true "producer" of that "production" (%i&ara/$ or 7elf-Consciousness$ through )ahat! ;uddhi-
)anas$ therefore$ is entirely unfit to anifest during its periodical incarnations$ e6cept through the huan
ind$ or lo'er )anas! ;oth are lin&ed together and are inseparable$ and can ha%e as little to do 'ith the
lo'er #anatras (rudientary atos/ as the hoogeneous 'ith the heterogeneous! 0t is$ therefore$ the
tas& of the lo'er )anas$ or thin&ing personality$ if it 'ould blend itself 'ith its God$ the di%ine 9go$ to
dissipate and paralyze the #anatras$ or properties of the aterial for! #herefore$ )anas is sho'n
double$ as the 9go and the )ind of )an! 0t is @aa-)anas$ or the lo'er 9go$ 'hich deluded into a
notion of independent e6istence$ as the "producer" in its turn and the 7o%ereign of the fi%e #anatras$
becoes Ego!ism$ the selfish 7elf$ in 'hich case it has to be considered as )ahabhutic and finite$ in the
sense of its being connected 'ith Aha&ara$ the personal "0-creating" faculty! >ence ")anas has to be
Page 1?5
regarded as eternal and non-eternal3 eternal in its atoic nature (para-anu-rupa/$ as eternal substance
(dra%ya/$ finite (&arya-rupa/$ 'hen lin&ed as a duad 'ith @aa (anial desire or huan egoistic %olition/$
a lo'er production$ in short"! 0n this 0 do but repeat 'hat 0 'rote in August$ 1CC+$ in ans'er to a critic in
The Theosophist$ in an article called "#he :eal and the Anreal"! 2hile$ therefore$ the 0=D080DAA* 9G<$
o'ing to its essence and nature$ is iortal throughout eternity$ 'ith a for (rupa/ 'hich pre%ails during
the 'hole life-cycle of the Fourth :ound$ its Sosie$ or reseblance$ the personal 9go$ has to 'in its
iortality!
(.+1/ (?/ Antas&arana is the nae of that iaginary bridge$ the path 'hich lies bet'een the di%ine and
the huan 9gos$ for they are Egos$ during huan life$ to re-becoe one 9go in De%achan or =ir%ana!
#his ay see difficult to understand$ but in reality$ 'ith the help of a failiar though fanciful illustration$
it becoes 4uite siple! *et us figure to oursel%es a bright lap in the iddle of a roo$ casting its light
upon the solid plaster 'all! *et the lap represent the di%ine 9go$ and the light thro'n on the 'all the
lo'er )anas$ and let the 'all stand for the body! #he atosphere 'hich transits the ray fro the lap
to the 'all$ 'ill then in our siile represent the Antas&arana! 2e ust further suppose that the light thus
transitted is endo'ed 'ith reason and intelligence$ and possesses$ oreo%er$ the faculty of dissipating
all the e%il shado's 'hich pass across the 'all$ and of attracting brightness to itself$ recei%ing their
indelible ipressions! =o'$ it is in the po'er of the huan 9go to chase a'ay the shado's (sins/ and
ultiply the brightness (good deeds/ 'hich a&e these ipressions$ and thus$ through Antas&arana$
ensure its o'n peranent connection$ and its final reunion 'ith the di%ine 9go! :eeber that the latter
cannot ta&e place 'hile there reains a single taint of the terrestrial$ or of atter$ in the purity of that
light! <n the other hand$ the connection can ne%er be ruptured$ and final reunion pre%ented$ so long as
there reains one spiritual deed$ or potentiality$ to ser%e as a thread of union3 but the oent this last
spar& is e6tinguished$ and the last potentiality e6hausted$ then coes the se%erence! 0n an 9astern
parable the di%ine 9go is li&ened to the )aster 'ho sends out his labourers to till the ground and to
gather in the har%est$ and 'ho is content to &eep the field so long as it can yield e%en the sallest return!
;ut 'hen the ground becoes actually sterile$ not only is it abandoned$ but the labourer also (the lo'er
)anas/ perishes!
<n the other hand$ ho'e%er$ still using our siile$ 'hen the light thro'n on the 'all$ or the rational
huan 9go$ reaches the point of actual spiritual e6haustion$ the Antas&arana disappears$ the light is no
longer transitted$ and the lap becoes non-e6istent to it! #he light 'hich has been absorbed
gradually disappears and "soul-eclipse" occurs3 the being li%es on earth and then passes into @aa-*o&a
as a ere sur%i%ing congeries of aterial 4ualities3 it can ne%er pass out'ards to'ards De%achan$ but is
reborn iediately$ a huan anial and scourge! *et "Kac& the :ipper" stand as a type!
#his siile$ ho'e%er fantastic$ 'ill help one to seize the correct idea! 96cept through the blending of the
oral nature 'ith the di%ine 9go$ there is no iortality for the personal 9go! 0t is only that 'hich is a&in
to the ost spiritual eanations of the personal huan soul 'hich sur%i%es! >a%ing$ during a lifetie$
been ibued 'ith the notion and feeling of the "0-a-0" of its personality$ the huan soul$ the bearer of
the %ery essence of the @aric deeds of the physical an$ becoes$ after the death of the latter$ part
and parcel of the di%ine Flae (the 9go/! 0t becoes iortal through the ere fact that it is no'
strongly grafted on the )onad$ 'hich is the "#ree of *ife 9ternal"!
And no' 'e ust spea& of the tenet of the "second death"! 2hat happens to the Kamic huan soul$
al'ays that of a debased and 'ic&ed an or of a soulless personB #his ystery 'ill no' be e6plained!
Page 1?+
#he personal "soul" in this case - vi-$ in that of one 'ho has ne%er a thought unconnected 'ith the
anial self$ ha%ing nothing to transit to the >igher$ or to add to the su of the e6periences fro past
incarnations 'hich its eory is to preser%e throughout eternity - this personal soul becoes separated
fro the 9go! 0t can graft nothing of 7elf on that eternal trun& 'hose sap thro's out illions of
personalities$ li&e so any lea%es fro its branches$ lea%es 'hich 'ither and die and fall at the end of
their season! #hese personalities bud$ blosso forth and e6pire$ soe 'ithout lea%ing a trace behind$
others after coingling their o'n life 'ith that of the parent ste! 0t is the "souls" of the forer class
that are dooed to annihilation$ or A%ichi$ a state so incorrectly understood and still 'orse described by
soe #heosophical 'riters$ but 'hich is in fact not only located on our earth$ but is this %ery earth itself!
(.++/ #hus 'e see that Antas&arana has been destroyed before the lo'er an had an opportunity of
assiilating the >igher and becoing at one 'ith it3 and therefore the @aic "7oul" becoes a separate
entity$ to li%e henceforth - for a short or long period$ according to its @ara - as a "soulless" creature!
;ut before 0 elaborate this 4uestion$ 0 ust e6plain ore clearly the eaning and functions of the
Antas&arana! As already said$ it is represented in Plate 0 as a narro' strip connecting the >igher and the
lo'er )anas! 0f you loo& at the Glossary of The *oice of the Silence$ pp! CC and C9$ you 'ill find that it is
a pro1ection of the lo'er )anas$ or$ rather$ the lin& bet'een the latter and the >igher 9go$ or bet'een the
huan and the di%ine or spiritual 7oul! "At death it is destroyed as a path$ or ediu of counication$
and its reains sur%i%e as @aa-:upa" - the "shell"! 0t is this 'hich the 7piritualists see soeties
appearing in the sMNance roos as aterialized "fors"$ 'hich they foolishly ista&e for the "7pirits of
the Departed"! 7o far is this fro being the case$ that in dreas$ though Antas&arana is there$ the
personality is only half a'a&e3 therefore Antas&arana is said to be drun( or insane during our noral
sleeping state! 0f such is the case during the periodical death (sleep/$ of the li%ing body$ one ay 1udge of
'hat the consciousness of Antas&arana becoes 'hen it has been transfored after the "eternal sleep"
into @aa-:upa!
;ut to return! 0n order not to confuse the ind of the student 'ith the abstruse difficulties of 0ndian
etaphysics$ let hi %ie' the lo'er )anas or )ind$ as the personal 9go during the 'a&ing state$ and as
Antas&arana only during those oents 'hen it aspires to'ards its higher half$ and thus becoes the
ediu of counication bet'een the t'o! 0t is for this reason that it is called "Path"! =o'$ 'hen a lib
or organ belonging to the huan physical organis is left in disuse$ it becoes 'ea& and finally
atrophies3 so also is it 'ith any ental faculty3 hence the atrophy of the lo'er ind-function$ called
Antas&arana$ becoes coprehensible in both copletely aterialistic natures and those of depra%ed
people!
According to esoteric philosophy$ ho'e%er$ the teaching is as follo's! 7eeing that the faculty and function
of Antas&arana is as necessary as the ediu of the ear for hearing$ or that of the eye for seeing$ so
long as the feeling of Aha&ara (of the personal "0" or selfishness/ is not entirely crushed out in a an$
and the lo'er ind not entirely erged into and becoe one 'ith the >igher (;uddhi-)anas/$ it stands
to reason that to destroy Antas&arana is li&e destroying a bridge o%er an ipassable chas- the traveller
can never reach the goal on the other shore! And here lies the difference bet'een the e6oteric and the
esoteric teaching! #he forer a&es 8edanta state that so long as )ind (the lo'er/ clings through
Antas&arana to 7pirit (;uddhi-)anas/$ it is ipossible for it to ac4uire true spiritual 2isdo$ Knana$ and
that this can only be attained by see&ing to coe en rapport 'ith the Ani%ersal 7oul (Atan/3 that$ in fact$
it is by ignoring the >igher )ind altogether that one reaches :a1a-Eoga! 2e say that it is not so! =o
Page 1??
single rung of the ladder leading to &no'ledge can be s&ipped! =o personality can e%er reach or bring
itself into counication 'ith Atan$ e6cept through ;uddhi-)anas3 to try and becoe a Ki%anu&ta or
a ")ahata"$ before one has becoe an Adept or e%en a =al1or (a sinless an/ is li&e trying to reach
Ceylon fro 0ndia 'ithout crossing the sea! #herefore 'e are told that if 'e destroy Antas&arana before
the personal is absolutely under the control of the ipersonal 9go$ 'e ris& to lose the latter and be
se%ered fore%er fro it$ unless indeed 'e hasten to reestablish the counication by a supree and
final effort!
(.+?/ 0t is only 'hen 'e are indissolubly lin&ed 'ith the essence of the di%ine )ind$ that 'e ha%e to
destroy Antas&arana! "*i&e as a solitary 'arrior pursued by an ary$ see&s refuge in a stronghold3 to cut
hiself off fro the eney$ he first destroys the dra'bridge$ and then only coences to destroy the
pursuer3 so ust the 7rotapanna act before he slays Antas&arana!" <r$ as an occult a6io has it- "#he
unit becoes three$ and three generate four! 0t is for the latter (the 4uaternary/ to rebecoe three$ and
for the di%ine three to e6pand into the Absolute <ne"! )onads ('hich becoe duads on the differentiated
plane$ to de%elop into triads during the cycle of incarnations/$ e%en 'hen incarnated$ &no' neither 7pace
nor #ie$ but are diffused through the lo'er principles of the 4uaternary$ being onipresent and
oniscient in their nature! ;ut this oniscience is innate$ and can anifest its reflected light only through
that 'hich is at least sei-terrestrial or aterial3 e%en as the physical brain 'hich$ in its turn$ is the
%ehicle of the lo'er )anas enthroned in @aa-:upa! And it is this 'hich is gradually annihilated in cases
of "second death"!
(.+,/ ;ut such annihilation - 'hich is in reality the absence of the slightest trace of the dooed soul fro
the eternal )9)<:E$ and therefore signifies annihilation in eternity - does not ean siply
discontinuation of huan life on earth$ for earth is A80C>0$ and the 'orst A%ichi possible! 96pelled fore%er
fro the consciousness of the 0ndi%iduality (the reincarnating 9go/$ the physical atos and psychic
%ibrations of the no' separate personality are iediately reincarnated on the sae earth$ only in a
lo'er and still ore ab1ect creature$ a huan being only in for$ dooed to @aric torents during the
'hole of its ne' life! )oreo%er$ if it persists in its criinal or debauched course$ it 'ill suffer a long series
of such iediate reincarnations!
>ere t'o 4uestions present thesel%es- (1/ 2hat becoes of the >igher 9go in such casesB (5/ 2hat
&ind of an anial is a huan creature born soullessB
;efore ans'ering these t'o %ery natural 4ueries$ 0 ha%e to dra' the attention of all of you 'ho are born
in Christian countries to the fact that the roance of the %icarious atoneent and ission of Kesus$ as it
no' stands$ 'as dra'n or borro'ed by soe too liberal 0nitiates fro the ysterious and 'eird tenet of
the earthly e6periences of the reincarnating 9go! #he latter is indeed the sacrificial %icti of$ and through$
his o'n @ara in pre%ious )an%antaras$ 'ho ta&es upon hiself %oluntarily though un'illingly the duty
of sa%ing 'hat 'ould be other'ise soulless en or personalities! 9astern truth is thus ore philosophical
and logical than 2estern fiction! #he Christos (;uddhi-)anas/ of each an is not 4uite an innocent and
sinless God$ though in one sense it is the "Father"$ being of the sae essence 'ith the Ani%ersal 7pirit$
and at the sae tie the "7on"$ for )anas is the second reo%e fro the "Father"! ;y incarnation the
Di%ine 7on a&es hiself responsible for the sins of all the personalities 'hich he 'ill infor! #his he
can do only through his pro6y or reflection$ the *o'er )anas! #his$ then is 'hat happens 'hen it has to
brea& off fro the personality! 0t is the only case in 'hich the Di%ine 9go can escape indi%idual penalty
and responsibility as a guiding principle$ because atter$ 'ith its psychic and astral %ibrations$ is then$ by
Page 1?,
the %ery intensity of its cobinations$ placed beyond the control of the 9G<! "Apophis$ the Dragon"$
ha%ing becoe the con4ueror$ the reincarnating )anas$ separating itself gradually fro its tabernacle$
brea&s finally asunder fro the psycho-anial soul!
#hus$ in ans'er to the first 4uestion$ 0 say-
(1/ #he Di%ine 9go does one of t'o things- either (a/ it recoences iediately under its o'n @aric
ipulses a fresh series of incarnations3 or (b/ it see&s and finds refuge in the "boso of the )other"$
Alaya$ the Ani%ersal 7oul$ of 'hich the )an%antaric aspect is )ahat! Freed fro the life ipressions of
the personality$ it erges into a &ind of interlude of =ir%ana$ 'herein there can be nothing but the eternal
Present$ 'hich absorbs the Past and Future! ;ereft of the "labourer"$ both field and har%est no' being
lost$ the )aster$ in the infinitude of his thought$ naturally preser%es no recollection of the finite and
e%anescent illusion 'hich had been his last personality! #he latter$ then$ is indeed annihilated!
(.+./ (5/ #he future of the *o'er )anas is ore terrible$ and still ore terrible to huanity than to the
no' anial an! 0t soeties happens that after the separation the e6hausted 7oul$ no' becoe
supreely anial$ fades out in @aa-*o&a$ as do all other anial souls! ;ut seeing that the ore
aterial the huan ind$ the longer it lasts$ in that interediate state$ it fre4uently happens that after the
actual life of the soulless an is ended$ he is again and again reincarnated into ne' personalities$ each
one ore ab1ect than the other! #he ipulse of animal life is too strong3 it cannot 'ear itself out in one or
t'o li%es only! 0n rarer cases$ ho'e%er$ soething far ore dreadful ay happen! 2hen the lo'er )anas
is dooed to e6haust itself by starvation3 'hen there is no longer hope that e%en a renant of a lo'er
light 'ill$ o'ing to fa%ourable conditions - say$ e%en a short period of spiritual aspiration and repentance -
attract bac& to itself its Parent 9go$ then @ara leads the >igher 9go bac& to ne' incarnations! 0n this
case the @aa-)anasic spoo& ay becoe that 'hich 'e call in <ccultis the "D'eller on the
#hreshold"! #his "D'eller" is not li&e that 'hich is described so graphically in Danoni$ but an actual fact in
nature and not a fiction in roance$ ho'e%er beautiful the latter ay be! ;ul'er ust ha%e got the idea
fro soe 9astern 0nitiate! <ur "D'eller"$ led by affinity and attraction$ forces itself into the astral current$
and through the Auric 9n%elope of the ne' tabernacle inhabited by the Parent 9go$ and declares 'ar to
the lo'er light 'hich has replaced it! #his$ of course$ can only happen in the case of the oral 'ea&ness
of the personality so obsessed! =o one strong in his %irtue$ and righteous in his 'al& of life$ can ris& or
dread any such thing3 but only those depra%ed in heart! :obert *ouis 7te%enson had a glipse of a true
%ision indeed 'hen he 'rote his Strange %ase of Dr$ /e(yll and Mr$ #yde! >is story is a true allegory!
9%ery Chela 'ould recognize in it a substratu of truth$ and in )r! >yde a "D'eller"$ an obsessor of the
personality$ the tabernacle of the "Parent 7pirit"!
"#his is a nightare taleL" 0 'as often told by one$ no' no ore in our ran&s$ a person 'ho had a ost
pronounced "D'eller"$ a ")r! >yde"$ as an alost constant copanion! ">o' can such a process ta&e
place 'ithout one's &no'ledgeB" 0t can and does happen$ and 0 ha%e alost described it once before in
The Theosophist! "#he 7oul$ the lo'er ind$ becoes as a half-anial principle alost paralyzed 'ith
daily %ice$ and gro's gradually unconscious of its sub1ecti%e half$ the *ord$ !! one of the ighty >ost"3
and "in proportion to the rapid sensuous de%elopent of the brain and ner%es$ sooner or later$ it (the
personal 7oul/ finally loses sight of its di%ine ission on earth"! #ruly$ "li&e the %apire$ the brain feeds
and li%es and gro's in strength at the e6pense of its spiritual parent !! and the personal half-unconscious
7oul becoes senseless$ beyond hope of redeption! 0t is po'erless to discern the %oice of its 'God'! 0t
ais but at the de%elopent and fuller coprehension of natural$ earthly life3 and thus can disco%er but
Page 1?.
the ysteries of physical nature !! 0t begins by becoing %irtually dead$ during the life of the body3 and
ends by dying copletely - that is$ by being annihilated as a complete immortal Soul! 7uch a catastrophe
ay often happen long years before one's physical death- '2e elbo' soulless en and 'oen at e%ery
step in life'! And$ 'hen death arri%es !!! there is no ore a 7oul (the reincarnating 7piritual 9go/ to
liberate$ !! for it has fled years before"!
(.+D/ .esultE ;ereft of its guiding principles$ but strengthened by the aterial eleents$ @aa-)anas$
fro being a "deri%ed light"$ no' becoes an independent 9ntity! After suffering itself to sin& lo'er and
lo'er on the anial plane$ 'hen the hour stri&es for its earthly body to die$ one of t'o things happens-
either @aa-)anas is iediately reborn in )yalba (the state of &vichi on earth/ - Footnote- the 9arth$
or earth-life rather$ is the only A%ichi (>ell/ that e6ists for the en of our huanity on this globe! A%ichi is
a state$ not a locality - a counterpart of De%achan! 7uch a state follo's the "7oul" 'here%er it goes$
'hether into @aa-*o&a$ as a sei-conscious "spoo&"$ or into a huan body$ 'hen reborn to suffer
A%ichi! <ur philosophy recognizes no other >ell/$ or$ if it becoes too strong in e%il - "iortal in 7atan"
is the <ccult e6pression - it is soeties allo'ed$ for @aric purposes$ to reain in an acti%e state of
A%ichi in the terrestrial Aura! #hen through despair and loss of all hope it becoes li&e the ythical
"de%il" in its endless 'ic&edness3 it continues in its eleents$ ibued through and through 'ith the
essence of atter3 for e%il is coe%al 'ith atter rent asunder fro spirit! And 'hen its higher 9go has
once ore reincarnated$ e%ol%ing a ne' reflection$ or @aa-)anas$ the dooed *o'er 9go$ li&e a
Fran&enstein's onster$ 'ill e%er feel attracted to its "Father"$ 'ho repudiates his 7on$ and 'ill becoe a
regular "D'eller" on the threshold of "terrestrial" life! I>ere >!P!;! 4uotes fro The Theosophist (8ols 000
and 08/J$ "useless drones" IareJ those 'ho refuse to becoe co-'or&ers 'ith nature and 'ho perish by
illions during the )an%antaric life-cycle3 those (as in the case in hand/ 'ho prefer to be e%er suffering in
A%ichi under @aric *a' than to gi%e up their li%es "in e%il"$ and finally$ those 'ho are co-'or&ers 'ith
=ature for destruction! #here are thoroughly 'ic&ed and depra%ed en$ but yet as highly intellectual and
acutely spiritual for e%il$ as those 'ho are spiritual for good! "#he (lo'er/ 9gos of these ay escape the
la' of final destruction or annihilation for ages to coe!"
#hus 'e find t'o &inds of soulless beings on earth- those 'ho ha%e lost their higher 9go in the present
incarnation$ and those 'ho are born soulless$ ha%ing been se%ered fro their 7piritual 7oul in the
preceding birth! #he forer are candidates for A%ichi3 the latter are ")r! >ydes"$ 'hether in or out of their
huan bodies$ 'hether incarnated or hanging about as in%isible but potent ghouls! 0n such en$ cunning
de%elops to an enorous degree$ and no one e6cept those 'ho are failiar 'ith the doctrine 'ould
suspect the of being soulless$ for neither :eligion nor 7cience has the least suspicion that such facts
actually e6ist in =ature!
2hile yet in the body 'hich has lost its higher "7oul" through its %ices$ there is still hope for such a
person! >e ay be still redeeed and ade to turn on his aterial nature3 in 'hich case either an
intense feeling of repentance$ or one single earnest appeal to the 9go that has fled$ or best of all$ an
acti%e effort to end one's 'ays$ ay bring the >igher 9go bac& again! #he thread or connection is not
altogether bro&en$ though the 9go is no' beyond forcible reach$ for "Antas&arana is destroyed"$ and the
personal 9ntity has one foot already in )yalba3 but it is not yet beyond hearing a strong spiritual appeal!
I=ote- ")yalba is our earth - pertinently called ">ell" and the greatest of all >ells$ by the esoteric schools!
#he esoteric doctrine &no's of no hell or place of punishent other than a an-bearing planet or earth!
A%itchi is a state not a locality!" (*oice of the Silence' t +++' note <=/J
Page 1?D
C8 EII* D,/ DO1.+ES AND EE-DO1.+ES! >o' to disco%er the source of the "2ill behind your
consciousness (your o'n e6pression/ 'hich s'eeps your physical self out of the oorings of your
control - a fre4uent case 'ith any personsB #his in%ol%es the re%elation of a great ystery- the
disco%ery %ery often$ of the identity of one's in%isible foe$ 'ho sees to lead one there and a&e one do
that 'hich is dangerous and inad%isable! 0 cannot tell all$ yet 0 ay ipart enough to put you on the right
trac&! @no' then that the atoic 4uality of your astral doubles is not unifor! <n the contrary it %aries
iensely 'ith the oral$ spiritual and physical cobination of the indi%idual! *et us ta&e the instance of
the sae ego - 'ho 'as A! fifteen hundred years ago$ and is no' ;! in the year 1CCC!
=o' the Double of A! is$ after the death of his body$ either preponderatingly spiritual or preponderatingly
terrestrial! 0n the first case it soon dissipates in the @aa *o&a and disappears li&e so&e3 for it has no
@aa :upa (body of strong desires and passions/ to cling to and assiilate! "#he *inga 7arira of the
good an is li&e the orning ist after it has 4uitted the body of illusion3 the erits of %irtue of the an
that 'as$ are li&e the sun! 2hen the sun rises its 'ar rays dissipate the iage (Astral ;ody/ li&e the
perfue of the rose" (1ccult &phorisms/! #his$ if A! 'as e%en an a%erage good an! ;ut suppose he has
been a great sensualist$ or cruel or soething of the sort$ his Double at his death sur%i%es by a sort of
elastic 4uality$ a stri&ing of its atos together by the sur%i%ing ediu of that intense force 'hich ade
the an the sensualist or 'hate%er he 'as!
=o'$ in this case the Double sur%i%es and holds on together for centuries soeties! 2hereas the
Double of A!$ the good an$ is disintegrated long$ long before the rebirth of his 9go3 the Double of A!$ the
sensualist$ ay linger till the ne6t reincarnation! And that 'hich ta&es place then is this! #he pre%ious
Double is dra'n by affinity to the ne' personality (or rather to the 9go therein$ its old 9go/! =o' you
ha%e to learn 'ell and &no' the nature$ the origin and 'ays of the Doubles$ the genesis and the la's of
dissolution of those reflections of en$ before you can understand e 'ell! #his 'ould ta&e too long to
e6plain and cannot be gi%en no'$ but try to understand e! #he old Double fastens %ery often on the
ne' personality of his e6-9go$ and$ if the actual Double is 'ea&er$ the forer gets astery o%er the
latter3 it o%erpo'ers it and a&es soeties the other'ise good an all that 'hich his e6-personality
'as the pre%ious birth or worse! #his$ 0 see$ is your case! Eou ha%e one of your Doubles$ or rather your
e6-Double$ trying to lin& itself again 'ith you! Eet it is but a phanto of a phanto$ and$ unless soon after
death - 'hich is not your case$ as your past incarnation is any centuries old - or 'hen the deceased
has been e6ceedingly 'ic&ed$ it cannot affect third parties! ;ut$ until it is finally disintegrated and
dispersed$ it can affect its old Ego no'$ in ne' for$ that indi%iduality 'ithin your present body and your
past bodies$ 'hich is o%ing ahead fro birth to birth! 0t can gi%e hi (the ne' an/ in his physical self$
a lasci%ious$ or cruel$ or selfish$ or a%aricious tendency against his better feelings$ a&e hi %ain and
self-opinionated$ etc!$ and ha%e the best of hi unless he struggles hard to sha&e off the incubus! 0t is the
e6-Doubles of the present an and 'oan 'hich$ if the an 'as a 'oan in the pre%ious birth$ or the
'oan a an$ ta&e the shells or fors of their past incarnations and play the "spirit-'i%es" and "spirit-
husbands" 'ith the unfortunate ortals! 0t is they again - but let us drop the sub1ect!
0 see then in your photograph that at least one cause of your trouble is the influence of your forer
undissol%ed Double! ;ut$ as 0 said to you in y last letter$ "the best reedy is your :ill" under the
asterful inspiration$ and 'ith the help of spirituality! #his (the 2ill/ is the one irresistible po'er in nature
and in the psychic 'orld3 'hate%er the phanto or deon$ it ay be s'ept into nothingness by
concentrating upon it this :ill and bidding it go!
Page 1?C
C8 EIII* A-B I;*A8A#7@E *<DG9 )0=A#97J! At a eeting held at )aycot$ Kune 1.$ 1CCD$ a discussion
arose as to the aura and agnetis of any indi%idual! )agnetis$ it 'as stated$ is an eanation 'hich
arises fro all things$ the earth$ anial and %egetable life3 it is a physiological thing and arises fro
prana3 'hich is the indi%idual life principle! #he aura is an indi%idualization of a Ani%ersal *ife Principle
(Ki%a/ and endures 'ith a an in spite of his periodical changes of state and planes! #he aura is the
origin of the feeling of sypathy and antipathy3 it is a agnetic eanation of prana but in cobination
'ith anas and buddhi! 0n this connection it ay be noted that eory is the effect of buddhi upon
anas! #he process of "psychologizing" is perfored by 'ill-po'er and is effected by and affects the
aura! A discussion arose as to the distinction bet'een 'ill and desire! Desire has to do 'ith a an's
success but less than 'ill or &ara! <utside the anial &ingdo desire ought only to ha%e concern 'ith
one of the higher principles! Desire is a @aic principle$ it is #yphonic$ a disturbing po'er and is opposed
to 'ill$ 'hich latter is an eanation fro the se%enth and si6th principles! Desire is an energy 'hich
ought to be repressed3 'hen repressed the energy is scattered and goes to the uni%ersal energy but is
not lost! 0t is got rid of by the an hiself 'hen repressed$ but if gi%en effect hangs round his nec& li&e a
ill-stone in the for of @ara! After death a an e6ists in @aa-lo&a encased in the @aa-rupa or
bundle of desires 'hich restrains the higher principles fro passing entirely into De%achan! <n his return
thence an finds the @ara of unrepressed Desire 'aiting for hi at the threshold! >ence the real
punishent of @ara arises fro the presence of desires 'hich ha%e to be repressed! #his is done by
the effort of 'ill3 'hich is not infinite and has a beginning and an end! ;ut 'ill is the anifestation of an
eternal la' 'hich is appreciable only in its effects and in this place it 'as said that absolute 'ill is not the
sae as @osic 2ill! #hus )an as icrocosos is gifted 'ith free'ill3 but is liited by the action of
other free 'ills under the la' of uni%ersal harony 'hich is @ara! #he real function of 'illpo'er is to
produce harony bet'een the la' and an! #hus the )ahata being 'ithout desire and outside of the
sphere of action of @ara3 >is real condition is in harony 'ith nature and is @ara and its agent$ and
hence is outside its action! >is physical body is ho'e%er still 'ithin its liits of action! #hus the direction
of 'ill should be to'ards realizing one's aspirations 'hich are ;uddhic$ 'hen the intellectual fifth
principle is nearly erged in buddhi the si6th! #hese aspirations ay be called "glipses into the
eternal"! #he lo'er consciousness irrors aspirations unconsciously to itself and then itself aspires and
is ele%ated if things are in accord! 7uch an aspiration 'ould be a tendency to'ards #heosophy3 this
instinct if de%eloped becoes a conscious aspiration! A distinction 'as dra'n bet'een obstinacy$
firness and 'ill! <bstinacy results fro an obscuration of the reason and ay be copared to the t'o
hal%es of the brain acting in opposition 'hen the 'or& is obstructed! Firness ay be said to result fro
e4uilibration of these t'o! Apon this firness 'ill is based and starts fro this e4uilibration to 'or&!
C8 EI&* B@? #he ore 0 see of edius - for the Anited 7tates are a true nursery$ the ost prolific hot-
bed for edius and sensiti%es of all &inds genuine and artificial - the ore 0 see the danger huanity is
surrounded 'ith! Poets spea& of the thin partition bet'een this 'orld and the other! #hey are blind- there
is no partition at all e6cept the difference of states in 'hich the li%ing and the dead e6ist$ and the
grossness of the physical senses of the a1ority of an&ind! Eet$ these senses are our sal%ation! #hey
'ere gi%en to us by a 'ise and sagacious other and nurse - nature3 for$ other'ise$ individuality and
e%en personality 'ould ha%e becoe ipossible- the dead 'ould be e%er erging into the li%ing$ and the
latter assiilating the forer! 2ere there around us but one %ariety of 'spirits'$ - as 'ell call the dregs of
'ine$ spirits$ - the reli4uae of those ortals 'ho are dead and gone$ one could reconcile oneself 'ith it!
2e cannot a%oid$ in soe 'ay or other$ assimilating our dead$ and little by little$ and unconsciously to
oursel%es$ 'e becoe them - e%en physically$ especially in the un'ise 2est$ 'here creation is
un&no'n! :e breathe and devour the dead -en and anials - 'ith e%ery breath 'e dra' in$ as e%ery
huan breath that goes out a&es up the bodies$ and feeds the forless creatures in the air that 'ill be
en soe day! 7o uch for the physical process3 for the ental and the intellectual$ and also the
Page 1?9
spiritual$ it is 1ust the sae3 'e interchange gradually our brain-olecules$ our intellectual and e%en
spiritual auras$ hence - our thoughts$ desire$ and aspirations$ 'ith those 'ho preceded us! #his process
is coon to huanity in general! 0t is a natural one$ and follo's the econoy and la's of nature$
insouch that one's son ay becoe gradually his o'n grandfather$ and his aunt to boot$ ibibing their
cobined atos$ and thus partially accounting for the possible reseblance$ or ata%is! ;ut there is
another la'$ an e6ceptional one$ and 'hich anifests itself aong an&ind sporadically and periodically-
the la' of forced post-orte assiilation$ during the pre%alence of 'hich epideic the dead in%ade the
doain of the li%ing fro their respecti%e spheres - though$ fortunately$ only 'ithin the liits of the
regions they li%ed in$ and in which they are buried! 0n such cases the duration and intensity of the
epideic depends upon the 'elcoe they recei%e$ upon 'hether they find the doors opening 'idely to
recei%e the or not$ and 'hether the necroantic plague is increased by agnetic attraction$ the desire
of the edius$ sensiti%es$ and the curious thesel%es$ or 'hether again$ the danger being signalled the
epideic is 'isely repressed!
7uch a periodical %isitation is no' occurring in Aerica! 0t began 'ith innocent children - the little )isses
Fo6 - playing unconsciously 'ith this terrible 'eapon! And$ 'elcoed and passionately in%ited to 'coe
in'$ the 'hole of the dead counity seeed to ha%e rushed in$ and got a ore or less strong hold of the
li%ing! 0 'ent on purpose to a faily of strong edius - the 9ddys - and 'atched for o%er a fortnight$
a&ing e6perients$ 'hich$ of course$ 0 &ept to yself !! Eou reeber$ 8era$ ho' 0 ade e6perients
for you at :ougode%o$ ho' often 0 sa' the ghosts of those 'ho had been li%ing in the house$ and
described the to you$ for you could ne%er see the !! 2ell$ it 'as the sae daily and nightly in
8eront! 0 sa' and 'atched these soulless creatures$ the shado's of their terrestrial bodies$ fro 'hich
in ost cases soul and spirit had fled long ago$ but 'hich thro%e and preser%ed their sei-aterial
shado's$ at the e6pense of the hundreds of %isitors that cae and 'ent$ as 'ell as of the edius! And
0 rear&ed under the ad%ice and guidance of y )aster$ that (1/ those apparitions 'hich 'ere genuine
'ere produced by the 'ghosts' of those 'ho had li%ed and died 'ithin a certain area of those ountains3
(5/ those 'ho had died far a'ay 'ere less entire$ a i6ture of the real shado' and of that 'hich lingered
in the personal aura of the %isitor for 'ho it purported to coe3 and (+/ the purely fictitious ones$ or as 0
call the$ the reflections of the genuine ghosts or shado's of the deceased personality! #o e6plain
yself ore clearly$ it 'as not the spoo&s that assiilated the ediu$ but the ediu$ 2! 9ddy$ 'ho
assiilated unconsciously to hiself the pictures of the dead relati%es and friends fro the aura of the
sitters!
SD I* CDD #he Planetary origin of the )onad (7oul/ and of its faculties 'as taught by the Gnostics! <n its
'ay to 9arth$ as on its 'ay bac& fro the 9arth$ each soul born in$ and fro$ the ";oundless *ight"$ had
to pass through the se%en planetary regions both 'ays!
SD II* B/B 9%ents 'hich 'ere ne%er 'ritten outside the huan eory$ but 'hich 'ere religiously
transitted fro one generation to another$ and fro race to race$ ay ha%e been preser%ed by constant
transission "'ithin the boo& %olue of the brain"$ and through countless aeons$ 'ith ore truth and
accuracy than inside any 'ritten docuent or record! "#hat 'hich is part of our souls is eternal$" says
#hac&eray3 and 'hat can be nearer to our souls than that 'hich happens at the da'ns of our li%esB
#hose li%es are countless$ but the soul or spirit that aniates us throughout these yriads of e6istences
is the sae3 and though "the boo& and %olue" of the physical brain ay forget e%ents 'ithin the scope
of one terrestrial life$ the bul& of collecti%e recollections can ne%er desert the di%ine soul 'ithin us! 0ts
'hispers ay be too soft$ the sound of its 'ords too far off the plane percei%ed by our physical senses3
Page 1,0
yet the shado' of e%ents that were$ 1ust as uch as the shado' of the e%ents that are to come$ is 'ithin
its percepti%e po'ers$ and is e%er present before its ind's eye!
Isis I* A0/ 2hen the Central 0n%isible (the *ord Ferho/ sa' the efforts of the di%ine Scintilla$ un'illing to
be dragged lo'er do'n into the degradation of atter$ to liberate itself$ he peritted it to shoot out fro
itself a monad$ o%er 'hich$ attached to it as by the finest thread$ the Di%ine 7cintilla (the soul/ had to
'atch during its ceaseless peregrinations fro one for to another! #hus the onad 'as shot do'n into
the first for of atter and becae encased in stone3 then$ in course of tie$ through the cobined
efforts of living fire and living water$ both of 'hich shone their reflection upon the stone$ the onad crept
out of its prison to sunlight as a lichen! Fro change to change it 'ent higher and higher3 the onad$
'ith e%ery ne' transforation borro'ing ore of the radiance of its parent$ Scintilla$ 'hich approached it
nearer at e%ery transigration! For "the First Cause"$ had 'illed it to proceed in this order"3 and destined
it to creep on higher until its physical for becae once ore the Ada of dust$ shaped in the iage of
the Ada @adon! ;efore undergoing its last earthly transforation$ the e6ternal co%ering of the onad$
fro the oent of its conception as an ebryo$ passes in turn$ once ore$ through the phases of the
se%eral &ingdos! 0n its fluidic prison it assues a %ague reseblance at %arious periods of the gestation
to plant$ reptile$ bird$ and anial$ until it becoes a huan ebryo! At the birth of the future an$ the
onad$ radiating 'ith all the glory of its iortal parent 'hich 'atches it fro the se%enth sphere$
becoes senseless! 0t loses all recollection of the past$ and returns to consciousness but gradually$ 'hen
the instinct of childhood gi%es 'ay to reason and intelligence! After the separation bet'een the life-
principle (astral spirit/ and the body ta&es place$ the liberated soul - )onad$ e6ultingly re1oins the other
and father spirit$ the radiant Angoeides$ and the t'o$ erged into one$ fore%er for$ 'ith a glory
proportioned to the spiritual purity of the past earth-life$ the Ada 'ho has copleted the circle of
necessity$ and is freed fro the last %estige of his physical encaseent! >enceforth$ gro'ing ore and
ore radiant at each step of his up'ard progress$ he ounts the shining path that ends at the point fro
'hich he started around the G:A=D CEC*9!
Isis I* A,D Physical death$ or the death of the body$ 'as a pro%ision of the di%ine econoy for the benefit
of an$ a pro%ision by eans of 'hich he attained the higher ends of his being! ;ut there is another
death 'hich is the interruption of the di%ine order and the destruction of e%ery huan eleent in an's
nature$ and e%ery possibility of huan happiness! #his is the spiritual death$ 'hich ta&es place before the
dissolution of the body! "#here ay be a %ast de%elopent of an's natural ind 'ithout that
de%elopent being accopanied by a particle of lo%e of God$ or of unselfish lo%e of an"! 2hen one
falls into a lo%e of self and lo%e of the 'orld$ 'ith its pleasures$ losing the di%ine lo%e of God and of the
neighbour$ he falls fro life to death! #he higher principles 'hich constitute the essential eleents of his
huanity perish$ and he li%es only on the natural plane of his faculties! Physically he e6ists$ spiritually he
is dead!
Isis I* A,? After the death of the depra%ed and the 'ic&ed$ arri%es the critical oent! 0f during life the
ultiate and desperate effort of the inner-self to reunite itself 'ith the faintly-gliering ray of its di%ine
parent is neglected3 if this ray is allo'ed to be ore and ore shut out by the thic&ening crust of atter$
the soul$ once freed fro the body$ follo's its earthly attractions and is agnetically dra'n into and held
'ithin the dense fogs of the aterial atosphere! #hen it begins to sin& lo'er and lo'er$ until it finds
itself$ 'hen returned to consciousness$ in 'hat the ancients tered #ades! #he annihilation of such a
soul is ne%er instantaneous3 it ay last centuries$ perhaps3 for nature ne%er proceeds by 1ups and
starts$ and the astral soul being fored of eleents$ the la' of e%olution ust bide its tie! #hen begins
Page 1,1
the fearful la' of copensation$ the 0in!youan of the ;uddhists! #his class of spirits are called the
"terrestrial" or "earthly eleentary"!
Isis I* A/D #hat 'hich sur%i%es as an individuality after the death of the body is the astral soul$ !! the
mortal soul$ for$ according to the >eretic doctrine$ it thro's off its ore aterial particles at e%ery
progressi%e change into a higher sphere! !! his mortal soul retains all the characteristics of the body after
the death of the latter3 so uch so$ indeed$ that a an ar&ed 'ith the 'hip 'ill ha%e his astral body "
full of prints and scars"! #he Di%ine$ the highest and immortal spirit$ can be neither punished nor
re'arded! #o aintain such a doctrine 'ould be at the sae tie absurd and blaspheous$ for it is not
erely a flae lit at the central and ine6haustible fountain of light$ but actually a portion of it$ and of
identical essence! 0t assures iortality to the indi%idual astral being in proportion to the 'illingness of
the latter to recei%e it! 7o long as the double an$ i$e$$ the an of flesh and spirit$ &eeps 'ithin the liits
of the la' of spiritual continuity3 so long as the di%ine spar& lingers in hi$ ho'e%er faintly$ he is on the
road to an iortality in the future state! ;ut those 'ho resign thesel%es to a aterialistic e6istence$
shutting out the di%ine radiance shed by their spirit$ at the beginning of the earthly pilgriage$ and stifling
the 'arning %oice of that faithful sentry$ the conscience$ 'hich ser%es as a focus for the light in the soul -
such beings as these$ ha%ing left behind conscience and spirit$ and crossed the boundaries of atter$ 'ill
of necessity ha%e to follo' its la's!
Isis I* AB- #hus$ li&e the re%olutions of a 'heel$ there is a regular succession of death and birth$ the
oral cause of 'hich is the clea%ing to e6isting ob1ects$ 'hile the instruental cause is (arma (the po'er
'hich controls the uni%erse$ propting it to acti%ity/$ erit and deerit! "0t is$ therefore$ the great desire
of all beings 'ho 'ould be released from the sorrows of successive birth$ to see& the destruction of the
oral cause$ the clea%ing to e6isting ob1ects$ or e%il desire"! #hey$ in 'ho e%il desire is entirely
destroyed$ are called &rhats! Freedo fro e%il desire insures the possession of a miraculous po'er! At
his death$ the Arhat is ne%er reincarnated3 he in%ariably attains =ir%ana !! =ir%ana is the 'orld of cause$
in 'hich all decepti%e effects or delusions of our senses disappear! =ir%ana is the highest attainable
sphere!
Isis I* A@? At the end of three or four 'ee&s the IhuanJ o%u has assued a plant-li&e appearance$
one e6treity ha%ing becoe spheroidal and the other tapering$ li&e a carrot! Apon dissection it is found
to be coposed$ li&e an onion$ of %ery delicate lainae or coats$ enclosing a li4uid! #he lainae
approach each other at the lo'er end$ and the ebryo hangs fro the root of the ubilicus alost li&e a
fruit fro a bough! #he stone has no' becoe changed$ by etepsychosis$ into a plant! #hen the
ebryonic creature begins to shoot out$ fro the inside out'ard$ its libs and de%elops its features! #he
eyes are %isible as t'o blac& dots3 the ears$ nose$ and outh for depressions$ li&e the points of a
pineapple$ before they begin to pro1ect! #he ebryo de%elops into an anial-li&e foetus - the shape of a
tadpole - and li&e an aphibious reptile li%es in 'ater$ and de%elops fro it! 0ts onad has not yet
becoe either huan or iortal$ for the &abalists tell us that that only coes at the "fourth hour"! <ne
by one the foetus assues the characteristics of the huan being$ the first flutter of the iortal breath
passes through his being3 he o%es3 nature opens the 'ay for hi3 ushers hi into the 'orld3 and the
di%ine essence settles in the infant frae$ 'hich it 'ill inhabit until the oent of physical death$ 'hen
an becoes a spirit!
Isis I* B@, 7etting aside the incredible fiction of *azarus$ 'e 'ill select t'o cases- the ruler's daughter$
recalled to life by Kesus$ and the Corinthian bride$ resuscitated by Apollonius! 0n the forer case$ totally
Page 1,5
disregarding the significant e6pression of Kesus - "She is not dead but sleepeth"$ the clergy force their
god to becoe a brea&er of his o'n la's and grant un1ustly to one 'hat he denies to all others$ and 'ith
no better ob1ect in %ie' than to produce a useless iracle! 0n the second case$ not'ithstanding the 'ords
of the biographer of Apollonius$ so plain and precise that there is not the slightest cause to
isunderstand the$ they charge Philostratus 'ith deliberate iposture! 2ho could be fairer than he$
'ho less open to the charge of ystification$ 'hen$ in describing the resuscitation of the young girl by the
#yanian sage$ in the presence of a large concourse of people$ the biographer says$ "she had seemed to
die"B
0n other 'ords$ he %ery clearly indicates a case of suspended aniation3 and then adds iediately$ "as
the rain fell %ery fast on the young girl"$ 'hile she 'as being carried to the pile$ "'ith her face turned
up'ards$ this also$ ight ha%e e6cited her senses! Does this not sho' ost plainly that Philostratus sa'
no iracle in that resuscitationB Does it not rather iply$ if anything$ the great learning and s&ill of
Apollonius$ "'ho li&e Asclepiades had the erit of distinguishing at a glance bet'een real and apparent
deathB
A resuscitation$ after the soul and spirit ha%e entirely separated fro the body$ and the last electric thread
is se%ered$ is as ipossible as for a once disebodied spirit to reincarnate itself once ore on this earth$
e6cept as described in pre%ious chapters! "A leaf$ once fallen off$ does not reattach itself to the branch$"
said 9liphas *e%i! "#he caterpillar becoes a butterfly$ but the butterfly does not again return to the grub!
=ature closes the door behind all that passes$ and pushes life for'ard! Fors pass$ thought reains$
and does not recall that 'hich it has once e6hausted!"
Isis II* ,CA !! )oses$ li&e certain other god-li&e en$ 'as belie%ed to ha%e reached the highest of all
states on earth- -the rarest of all psychological phenoena$ the perfect union of the iortal spirit 'ith
the terrestrial duad had occurred! #he trinity 'as coplete! A god 'as incarnate! ;ut ho' rare such
incarnationsL
#hat e6pression$ "Ee are gods"$ 'hich$ to our biblical students$ is a ere abstraction$ has for the
&abalists a %ital significance! 9ach iortal spirit that sheds its radiance upon a huan being is a god -
the )icrocosos of the )acrocosos$ part and parcel of the An&no'n God$ the First Cause of 'hich it is
a direct eanation! 0t is possessed of all the attributes of its parent source! Aong these attributes are
oniscience and onipotence! 9ndo'ed 'ith these$ but yet unable to fully anifest the 'hile in the
body$ during 'hich tie they are obscured$ %eiled$ liited by the capabilities of physical nature$ the thus
di%inely -inhabited an ay to'er far abo%e his &ind$ e%ince a god-li&e 'isdo$ and display deific
po'ers3 for 'hile the rest of ortals around hi are but overshadowed by their D080=9 79*F$ 'ith e%ery
chance gi%en to the to becoe iortal hereafter$ but no other security than their personal efforts to
'in the &ingdo of hea%en$ the so chosen an has already becoe an iortal 'hile yet on earth! >is
prize is secured! >enceforth he 'ill li%e fore%er in eternal life! =ot only he ay ha%e "doinion" o%er all
the 'or&s of creation by eploying the "e6cellence" of the =A)9 (the ineffable one/ but be higher in this
life$ not as Paul is ade to say$ "a little lo'er than the angels"!
Isis II* C-C !! a an stri%ing after spiritual perfection ust ha%e three births- 1st Physical fro his ortal
parents3 5nd Spiritual$ through religious sacrifice (initiation/3 +rd >is final birth into the 'orld of spirit - at
death! #hough it ay see strange that 'e should ha%e to go to the old land of the Pun1ab and the
Page 1,+
ban&s of the sacred Ganges$ for an interpreter of 'ords spo&en in Kerusale and e6pounded on the
ban&s of the Kordan$ the fact is e%ident! #his second birth$ or regeneration of spirit$ after the natural birth
of that 'hich is born of the flesh$ ight ha%e astonished a Ke'ish ruler! =e%ertheless$ it had been taught
+$000 years before the appearance of the great Galilean prophet$ not only in old 0ndia but to all the
epoptae of the Pagan initiation$ 'ho 'ere instructed in the great ysteries of *0F9 and D9A#>! #his
secret of secrets$ that soul is not &nit to flesh$ 'as practically deonstrated in the instance of the Eogis$
the follo'ers of @apila! >a%ing eancipated their souls fro the fetters of ra(riti$ or Mahat (the physical
perception of the senses and ind - in one case$ creation/$ they so de%eloped their soul-po'er and will!
force$ as to ha%e actually enabled thesel%es$ 'hile on earth$ to counicate 'ith the supernal 'orlds$
and perfor 'hat is bunglingly tered "iracles"! )en 'hose astral spirits ha%e attained on earth the
nehreyasa$ or the mu(ti$ are half-gods3 disebodied spirits$ they reach )o&sha or 6irvana$ and this is
their second spiritual birth!
"+ BD6BD Eou 'ant to &no' 'hy it is deeed supreely difficult if not utterly ipossible for pure
disembodied 7pirits to counicate 'ith en through edius or hantomosophy! 0 say$ because--
(a/ <n account of the antagonistic atospheres respecti%ely surrounding these 'orlds3
(b/ <f the entire dissiilarity of physiological and spiritual conditions3 and -
(c/ ;ecause that chain of 'orlds 0 ha%e 1ust been telling you about$ is not only an epicycloid but an
elliptical orbit of e6istences$ ha%ing$ as e%ery ellipse$ not one but t'o points -t'o foci$ 'hich can ne%er
approach each other3 )an being at one focus of it and pure 7pirit at the other!
#o this you ight ob1ect! 0 can neither help it$ nor change the fact$ but there is still another and far
ightier ipedient! *i&e a rosary coposed of 'hite and blac& beads alternating 'ith each other$ so
that concatenation of 'orlds is ade up of 'orlds of CAA797 and 'orlds of 9FF9C#7$ the latter - the
direct result produced by the forer! #hus is becoes e%ident that e%ery sphere of Causes and our 9arth
is one - is not only inter-lin&ed 'ith$ and surrounded by$ but actually separated fro its nearest neighbour
- the higher sphere of Causality - by an ipenetrable atosphere (in its spiritual sense/ of effects
bordering on$ and e%en interlin&ing$ ne%er i6ing 'ith - the ne6t sphere- for one is acti%e$ the other -
passi%e$ the 'orld of causes positive$ that of effects - negative! #his passi%e resistance can be o%ercoe
but under conditions$ of 'hich your ost learned 7piritualists ha%e not the faintest idea! All o%eent is$
so to say$ polar! 0t is %ery difficult to con%ey y eaning to you at this point3 but 0 'ill go to the end! 0 a
a'are of y failure to bring before you these - to us - a6ioatical truths - in any other for but that of a
siple logical postulate - if so uch - they being capable of absolute and une4ui%ocal deonstration$ but
to the highest 7eers! ;ut$ 0'll gi%e you food for thin&ing if nothing else!
(?C-?C/ #he interediary spheres$ being the pro1ected shado's of the 2orlds of Causes - are negati%ed
by the last! #hey are the great halting places$ the stations in 'hich the ne' Self!%onscious Egos to be -
the self begotten progeny of the old and disebodied 9gos of our planet$ are gestated! ;efore the ne'
phoeni6$ reborn of the ashes of its parents$ can soar higher$ to a better$ ore spiritual$ and perfect 'orld -
still a 'orld of atter - it has to pass through the process of a ne' birth$ so to say3 and$ as on our earth$
'here the t'o -thirds of infants are either still born or die in infancy$ so in our "'orld of effects!" <n earth
Page 1,?
it is the physiological and ental defects$ the sins of the progenitors 'hich are %isited upon the issue3 in
that land of shado's$ the ne' and yet unconscious 9go-foetus becoes the 1ust %icti of the
transgressions of its old Self$ 'hose (arma - erit or deerit - 'ill alone 'ea%e out its future destiny! 0n
that 'orld$ y good friend$ 'e find but unconscious$ self-acting$ e6-huan achines$ souls in their
transition state$ 'hose dorant faculties and indi%iduality lie as a butterfly in its chrysalis3 and
7piritualists 'ould ha%e the tal& senseL Caught at ties$ into the %orte6 of the abnoral 5mediumistic5
current$ they becoe the unconscious echoes of thoughts and ideas crystallized around those present!
9%ery positive$ 'ell-directed ind is capable of neutralizing such secondary effects in a sMNance roo!
#he 'orld belo' ours is 'orse yet! #he forer is harless at least3 it is ore sinned against by being
disturbed$ than sinning3 the latter allo'ing the retention of full consciousness as being a hundredfold
ore aterial$ is positi%ely dangerous! #he notions of hells and purgatory$ of paradises and resurrections
are all caricatured$ distorted echoes of the prie%al one #ruth$ taught huanity in the infancy of its races
by e%ery First )essenger - the Planetary 7pirit entioned on the re%erse of page the third - and 'hose
reebrance lingered in the eory of an as 9lu of the Chaldees$ <siris the 9gyptian$ 8ishnu$ the
first ;uddhas and so on!
(?9-?9/ #he lo'er 'orld of effects is the sphere of such distorted #houghts3 of the ost sensual
conceptions$ and pictures3 of anthropoorphic deities$ the out-creations of their creators$ the sensual
huan inds of people 'ho ha%e ne%er out-gro'n their brutehood on earth! :eebering thoughts are
things - ha%e tenacity$ coherence$ and life$ - that they are real entities - the rest 'ill becoe plain!
Disebodied - the creator is attracted naturally to its creation and creatures3 suc&ed in - by the
)aelstro dug out by his o'n hands !!
"+ C,6C, For countless generations hath the adept builded a fane of iperishable roc&s$ a giant's #o'er
of 0=F0=0#9 #><AG>#$ 'herein the #itan d'elt$ and 'ill yet$ if need be$ d'ell alone$ eerging fro it
but at the end of e%ery cycle$ to in%ite the elect of an&ind to co-operate 'ith hi and help in his turn
enlighten superstitious an! And 'e 'ill go on in that periodical 'or& of ours3 'e 'ill not allo' oursel%es
to be baffled in our philanthropic attepts until that day 'hen the foundations of a ne' continent of
thought are so firly built that no aount of opposition and ignorant alice guided by the ;rethren of the
7hado' 'ill be found to pre%ail!
"+ D,6D, #he 'orlds of effects are not lo&as or localities! #hey are the shado' of the 'orld of causes
their souls - 'orlds ha%ing li&e en their se%en principles 'hich de%elop and gro' siultaneously$ 'ith
the body! #hus the body of an is 'edded to and reains for e%er 'ithin the body of his planet- his
indi%idual )ivatma life principle that 'hich is called in physiology animal spirits returns after death to its
source - ;ohat3 his linga shariram 'ill be dra'n into &(asha3 his Kama rupa 'ill recoingle 'ith the
Ani%ersal Sa(ti - the 2ill-Force$ or uni%ersal energy- his "anial soul" borro'ed fro the breath of
2niversal Mind 'ill return to the Dhyan Chohans- his si6th principle - 'hether dra'n into or re1ected fro
the atri6 of the Great Passi%e Principle ust reain in its o'n sphere - either as part of the crude
aterial or as an indi%idualized entity to be reborn in a higher 'orld of causes! #he se%enth 'ill carry it
fro the Devachan and follo' the ne' Ego to its place of rebirth !!
"+ DA6DA All is one *a'! )an has his se%en principles$ the gers of 'hich he brings 'ith hi at his birth!
7o has a planet or 'orld! Fro first to last e%ery sphere has its 'orld of effects$ the passing through
'hich 'ill afford a place of final rest to each of the huan principles - the se%enth principle e6cepted!
Page 1,,
"+ ,0B6,0D !! had the re%erend translator been ac4uainted 'ith the true doctrine a little better - he 'ould
ha%e (1/ di%ided the De%as into t'o classes - and called the the ".upa-de%as" and the "&rupa-de%as
(the "form" - or ob1ecti%e$ and the "formless" or sub1ecti%e Dhyan %hohans/3 and (5/ 'ould ha%e done the
sae for his class of "en"$ since there are shells$ and ")ara-rupas" - i!e! bodies dooed to annihilation!
All these are-

(1/ .upa!devas Dhyan %hohans$ ha%ing fors
96-en
(5/ &rupa!devas Dhyan %hohans$ ha%ing no fors
(+/ isachas (t'o-principled/ ghosts!
(?/ Mara!rupa Dooed to death (+ principled/!
(,/

&suras 9leentals - ha%ing huan for
Future en
(./ "easts 9leentals - 5nd class - anial 9leentals!
(D/
.a(shasas
(Deons/
7ouls or Astral Fors of sorcerers3 en 'ho ha%e
reached the ape6 of &no'ledge in the forbidden
art! Dead or ali%e they ha%e$ so to say cheated
nature3 but it is only teporary - until our planet
goes into obscuration$ after 'hich they ha%e
nolens volens to be annihilated!

0t is these seven groups that for the principal di%isions of the D'ellers of the sub1ecti%e 'orld around
us! 0t is in stoc& =o!1$ that are the intelligent :ulers of this 'orld of )atter$ and 'ho$ 'ith all this
intelligence are but the blindly obedient instruents of the <=93 the acti%e agents of a Passi%e Principle!
"+ ,/-6,/? 2e call "iortal" but the one Life in its uni%ersal collecti%ity and entire or Absolute
Abstraction3 that 'hich has neither beginning nor end$ nor any brea& in its continuity! Does the ter apply
to anything elseB Certainly it does not! #herefore the earliest Chaldeans had se%eral prefi6es to the 'ord
"iortality"$ one of 'hich is the Gree&$ rarely-used ter - panaeonic iortality$ i!e! beginning 'ith the
manvantara and ending 'ith the pralaya of our 7olar Ani%erse! 0t lasts the aeon$ or "period" of our pan or
"all nature"! 0ortal then is he$ in the panaeonic iortality 'hose distinct consciousness and
perception of Self under whatever form - undergoes no dis1unction at any tie not for one second$ during
the period of his Egoship! #hose periods are se%eral in nuber$ each ha%ing its distinct nae in the
secret doctrines of the Chaldeans$ Gree&s$ 9gyptians and Aryans$ and$ 'ere they but aenable to
translation$ - 'hich they are not$ at least so long as the idea in%ol%ed reains inconcei%able to the
2estern ind - 0 could gi%e the to you! 7uffice for you$ for the present to &no'$ that a an$ an Ego li&e
yours or ine$ ay be iortal fro one to the other :ound! *et us say 0 begin y iortality at the
present fourth :ound$ i!e!$ ha%ing becoe a full adept ('hich unhappily 0 a not/ 0 arrest the hand of
Death at 'ill$ and 'hen finally obliged to subit to it$ y &no'ledge of the secrets of nature puts e in a
position to retain y consciousness and distinct perception of 7elf as an ob1ect to y o'n reflecti%e
consciousness and cognition3 and thus a%oiding all such diseberents of principles$ that as a rule
ta&e place after the physical death of a%erage huanity$ 0 reain as @oothooi in y Ego throughout the
'hole series of births and li%es across the se%en 'orlds and &rupa-*o&as until finally 0 land again on this
earth aong the fifth race of en of the full fifth :ound beings! 0 'ould ha%e been$ in such a case -
"iortal" for an inconcei%able (to you/ long period$ ebracing any illiards of years! And yet a "0"
Page 1,.
truly iortal for all thatB Anless 0 a&e the sae efforts as 0 do no'$ to secure for yself another such
furlough fro =ature's *a'$ @oothooi 'ill %anish and ay becoe a )r 7ith or an innocent ;abu$
'hen his lea%e e6pires! #here are en 'ho becoe such ighty beings$ there are en aong us 'ho
ay becoe iortal during the reainder of the :ounds$ and then ta&e their appointed place aong
the highest Chohans$ the Planetary conscious "9go-7pirits"! <f course the )onad "ne%er perishes
'hate%er happens$" !!
"+ ,B/6,B- O! 2hat is the good of the 'hole cyclic process if spirit only eerges at the end of all things
pure and ipersonal as it 'as at first before its descent into atterB (And the portions ta&en a'ay fro
the fifthB/
"+ ,CB6,C@ A! 2hat eerges at the end of all things is not only "pure and ipersonal spirit"$ but the
collecti%e "personal" reebrances s&ied off e%ery ne' fifth principle in the long series of being! And$
if at the end of all things - say in soe illion of illions years hence$ 7pirit 'ill ha%e to rest in its pure$
impersonal non-e6istence$ as the <=9 or the absolute$ still there ust be "some good" in the cyclic
process$ since e%ery purified Ego has the chance in the long interims bet'een ob1ecti%e being upon the
planets to e,ist as a Dhyan Chohan - fro the lo'est "De%a-Chanee" to the highest Planetary$ en1oying
the fruits of its collecti%e li%es!
;ut 'hat is "7pirit" pure and ipersonal per seB 0s it possible that you should not ha%e realized yet our
eaningB 'hy$ such a Spirit is a nonentity$ a pure abstraction$ an absolute blan& to our senses - e%en to
the ost spiritual! 0t becoes something since atter is infinite and indestructible and non!e,istent
'ithout 7pirit 'hich$ in atter$ is *ife! 7eparated fro atter it becoes the absolute negation of life and
being$ 'hereas atter is inseparable fro it! As& those 'ho offer the ob1ection$ 'hether they &no'
anything of "life" and "consciousness" beyond 'hat they no' feel on earth! 2hat conception can they
ha%e - unless natural born seers - of the state and consciousness of one's indi%iduality after it has
separated itself fro gross earthly bodyB :hat is the good of the 'hole process of life on earth - you
ay as& the$ in your turn - if$ 'e are as good as "pure" unconscious entities before birth$ during sleep$
and$ at the end of our careerB 0s not death$ according to the teachings of 7cience$ follo'ed by the sae
state of unconsciousness as the one before birthB Does not life 'hen it 4uits our body becoe as
ipersonal as it 'as before it aniated the foetusB *ife$ after all$ - the greatest proble 'ithin the &en of
huan conception is a ystery that the greatest of your en of 7cience 'ill ne%er sol%e! 0n order to be
correctly coprehended$ it has to be studied in the entire series of its anifestations$ other'ise it can
ne%er be$ not only fathoed$but e%en coprehended in its easiest for - life$ as a state of being on this
earth! 0t can ne%er be grasped so long as it is studied separately and apart fro uni%ersal life!
"+ ,BA6,BD O! "#he full reebrance of our li%es 'ill coe but at the end of the minor cycle!" - Does
"inor cycle" here ean one round$ or the 'hole )an%antara of our planetary chainB #hat is$ do 'e
reeber our past li%es in the De%a Chan of 'orld G at the end of each round$ or only at the end of the
se%enth roundB
"+ ,-D6,D, A! Ees3 the "full" reebrance of our li%es (collective li%es/ 'ill return bac& at the end of all
the seven rounds$ at the threshold of the long$ long =ir%ana that a'aits us after 'e lea%e Globe G! At the
end of isolated :ounds$ 'e reeber but the su total of our last ipressions$ those 'e had selected$
or that ha%e rather forced thesel%es upon us and follo'ed us in Deva %han! #hose are all
Page 1,D
"probationary" li%es 'ith large indulgences and ne' trials afforded us 'ith e%ery ne' life! ;ut at the close
of the inor cycle$ after the copletion of all the se%en :ounds$ there a'aits us no other ercy but the
cup of good deeds$ of merit$ out'eighing that of evil deeds and demerit in the scales of :etributi%e
Kustice! ;ad$ irretrie%ably bad ust be that Ego that yields no ite fro its fifth Principle$ and has to be
annihilated$ to disappear in the Eighth Sphere! A ite$ as 0 say$ collected fro the Personal 9go suffices
to sa%e hi fro the dreary Fate! =ot so after the copletion of the great cycle3 either a long =ir%ana of
;liss (unconscious though it be in the$ and according to$ your crude conceptions/3 after 'hich - life as a
Dhyan Chohan for a 'hole )an%antara$ or else 5&vitchi 6irvana5 and a )an%antara of isery and >orror
as a -----$ you ust not hear the 'ord nor 0 - pronounce or 'rite it! ;ut "those" ha%e nought to do 'ith the
ortals 'ho pass through the se%en spheres! #he collective @ara of a future Planetary is as lo%ely as
the collecti%e @ara of a ----- is terrible!
"+ ,BB6,BD O! "#he spiritual 9go goes circling through the 'orlds$ retaining 'hat it possesses of identity
and self-consciousness$ al'ays neither ore nor less (a/ ;ut it is continually e%ol%ing personalities$ in
'hich at all e%ents the sense of identity 'hile it reains united 'ith the is %ery coplete! (b/ =o' these
personalities 0 understand to be absolutely ne' e%olutions in each case! A!P! 7innett is$ for 'hat it is
'orth$ - absolutely a ne' in%ention! =o' it 'ill lea%e a shell behind 'hich 'ill sur%i%e for a tie (c/
assuing that the spiritual onad teporarily engaged in this incarnation 'ill find enough decent
aterial in the fifth to lay hold of! (d/ #hat shell 'ill ha%e no consciousness directly after death$ because
"it re4uires a certain tie to establish its ne' centre of gra%ity and e%ol%e its perception proper"! (e/ ;ut
ho' uch consciousness 'ill it ha%e 'hen it has done thisB (f/ 2ill it still be A!P! 7innett of 'hich the
spiritual 9go$ 'ill thin&$ e%en at the last$ as of a person it had &no'n - or 'ill it be conscious that the
indi%iduality is goneB 2ill it be able to reason about itself at all$ and to reeber anything of its once
higher interestB 2ill it reeber the nae it boreB (g/ or is it only inflated 'ith recollections of this sort in
ediuistic presence$ reaining asleep at other tiesB (h/ And is it conscious of losing anything that
feels li&e life as it gradually disintegratesB
"+ ,D,6,DB A! A ore or less coplete$ still di recollection of its personality$ and of its purely physical
life! As in the cases of coplete insanity the final se%erance of the t'o higher duads (Dth .th and ,th ?th/
at the oent of the forer going into gestation$ digs an ipassable gulf bet'een the t'o! 0t is not e%en
a portion of the fifth that is carried a'ay - least of all 5!1Q5 principles as )r >ue crudely puts it in his
;ragments that go into De%a Chan lea%ing but 1!1Q5 principles behind! #he Manas shorn of its finest
attributes$ becoes li&e a flo'er fro 'hich all the aroa has suddenly departed$ a rose crushed$ and
ha%ing been ade to yield all its oil for the attar anufacture purposes3 'hat is left behind is but the
sell of decaying grass$ earth and rottenness!
(a/ Ouestion the second is sufficiently ans'ered$ 0 belie%e! (Eour second para!/ #he spiritual Ego goes on
e%ol%ing personalities$ in 'hich "the sense of identity" is very complete 'hile li%ing! After their separation
fro the physical 9go$ that sense returns %ery di$ and belongs 'holly to the recollections of the
physical an! #he shell ay be a perfect 7innett 'hen 'holly engrossed in a gae of cards at his club$
and 'hen either losing or 'inning a large su of oney - or a ;abu 7ut )ur&y Dass trying to cheat his
principal out of a su of rupees! 0n both cases - e6-editor and ;abu 'ill - as shells$ reind anyone 'ho
'ill ha%e the pri%ilege of en1oying an hour's chat 'ith the illustrious$ disebodied angels$ ore of the
inates of a lunatic asylu ade to play parts in pri%ate theatricals as eans of hygienic recreation$
than of the Caesars or >alets they 'ould represent! #he slightest shoc& 'ill thro' the off the trac&
and send the off ra%ing!
Page 1,C
(1D5-1D,/ (b/ An error! A!P! 7innett is not "an absolutely new in%ention"! >e is the child and creation of his
antecedent personal self3 the Karmic progeny for all he &no's$ of =onius Asprena$ Consul of the
9peror Doitian - (9? A!D!/ together 'ith Arricinius Cleentus$ and friend of the ;lamen Dealis of that
day (the high priest of Kupiter and chief of the ;lamenes/ or of that ;lamens hiself - 'hich 'ould
account for A!P! 7innett's suddenly de%eloped lo%e for ysticis! A!P!7! - the friend and brother of @!>!
'ill go to Deva %han3 and A!P!7!$ the 9ditor and the la'n-tennis an$ the Don Kuan$ in a mild 'ay$ in the
paly days of "7aints$ 7inners and 7ceneries"$ identifying hiself by entioning a usually co%ered ole
or scar$ - 'ill$ perhaps$ be abusing the ;abus through a ediu to soe old friend in California or
*ondon!
(c/ 0t will find "enough decent aterial" and to spare! A fe' years of #heosophy 'ill furnish it!
(d/ Perfectly correctly defined!
(e/ As uch as there is of the personality - in A!P!7!'s reflection in the loo&ing glass - of the real$ li%ing
A!P!7!
(f/ #he 7piritual 9go 'ill not thin& of the A!P!7!$ the shell$ any ore than it 'ill thin& of the last suit of
clothes it 'ore3 nor 'ill it be conscious that the indi%iduality is gone$ since that only individuality and
Spiritual personality it 'ill then behold in itself alone! 6osce te ipsum is a direct coand of the oracle to
the Spiritual monad in Deva %han3 and the "heresy of 0ndi%iduality" is a doctrine propounded by
Tathagatha 'ith an eye to the 7hell! #he latter 'hose buptiousness is as pro%erbial as that of the
ediu 'hen reinded that it is A!P!7! - 'ill echo out- "<f course$ no doubt$ hand e o%er soe
preser%ed peaches 0 de%oured 'ith such an appetite for brea&fast$ and a glass of claretL" - and 'ho after
this 'ho &ne' A!P!7! at Allahabad$ 'ill dare doubt his identityB And 'hen left alone for one short instant
by soe disturbance in the circle$ or the thought of the ediu 'andering for a oent to soe other
person - that shell 'ill begin to hesitate in its thoughts 'hether it is A!P!7!$ 7! 2heeler$ or :atigan3 and
end by assuring itself it is Kulius Caesar! (g/ - and by finally "reaining asleep"!
(h/ =o$ it is not conscious of this loss of cohesion! ;esides$ such a feeling in a shell being 4uite useless
for nature's purposes$ it could hardly realize soething that could be ne%er e%en dreaed by a ediu
or its affinities! 0t is dily conscious of its o'n physical death - after a prolonged period of tie though -
that's all! #he fe' e6ceptions to this rule - cases of half successful sorcerers$ of %ery 'ic&ed persons
passionately attached to the 7elf - offer a real danger to the li%ing! #hese %ery aterial shells$ 'hose last
dying thought 'as 7elf$ - 7elf$ - 7elf$ - and to li%e$ to li%eL 'ill often feel it instincti%ely! 7o do soe
suicides$ though not all! 2hat happens then is terrible for it becoes a case of post mortem licanthropy!
#he shell 'ill cling so tenaciously to its seblance of life that it 'ill see& refuge in a ne' organis in any
beast - in a dog$ a hyaena$ a bird$ 'hen no huan organis is close at hand - rather than subit to
annihilation!
"+ ,?C6,?@ #he "inor cycle" eant$ is$ of course$ the copletion of the se%enth .ound$ as decided
upon and e6plained! ;esides that at the end of each of the se%en rounds coe a less "full"
reebrance3 only of the de%achanic e6periences ta&ing place bet'een the nuerous births at the end
of each personal life! ;ut the complete recollection of all li%es - (earthly and de%achanic/ omniscience - in
Page 1,9
short coes but at the great end of the full se%en :ounds (unless one had becoe in the interi a
;odhisat'a$ an Arhat/ - the "threshold" of =ir%ana eaning an indefinite period! =aturally a an$ a
Seventh!rounder ('ho copletes his earthly igrations at the beginning of the last race and ring/ 'ill
ha%e to 'ait longer at the threshold than one of the %ery last of those :ounds! #hat Life of the 9lect
bet'een the inor Pralaya and =ir%ana - or rather before the Pralaya is the 4reat :e'ard$ the grandest$
in fact$ since it a&es of the 9go (though he ay ne%er ha%e been an adept$ but siply a 'orthy$
%irtuous an in most of his e6istences/ - %irtually a God$ an oniscient$ conscious being$ a candidate -
for eternities of aeons - for a Dhyan Chohan !! 9nough - 0 a betraying the ysteries of initiation! ;ut
'hat has =0:8A=A to do 'ith the recollections of ob1ecti%e e6istencesB #hat is a state still higher and in
'hich all things ob1ecti%e are forgotten! 0t is a 7tate of Absolute :est and assiilation 'ith Parabrah - it
is Parabrah itself! <h$ for the sad ignorance of our philosophical truths in the 2est$ and for the inability
of your greatest intellects to seize the true spirit of those teachings! 2hat shall 'e - 'hat can 'e doL
E8S* ,@C #><AG>#7 <= @A)A-*<@A
7uggested by )r 7innett's paper on the sae sub1ect (%ide the Theosophist$ February 1CC,$ page 10./
0n considering this sub1ect 'e ust$ abo%e all things$ ta&e care to realize that the se%en principles in an
are not se%eral entities or substances that can be separated and each considered as a distinct
indi%iduality ha%ing definite characteristics peculiar to itself! 0n 7ans&rit the different principles are called
2padhis' i$e$$ the sheaths or seats of the different states of e6istence of the <=9 *0F9!
#he seat of consciousness 'hich gi%es rise to the feeling of indi%iduality and the sense "0 a 0" is in the
fifth principle!
0f there is no fifth principle$ i$e$$ if there is no consciousness of indi%iduality$ all the other states of
e6istence are non-e6istent$ for 'ithout a percipient ego there can be neither perception nor any ob1ect of
perception! >ence it is said$ that 'ithout the son (the ger of consciousness in the *ogos roused into
acti%ity at the tie of Cosic e%olution/ there is no Father or )other! #he Father and the >oly Ghost
coe into e6istence 'hen the 7on is born$ and this is the true occult e6planation of the #rinity in Anity
and Anity in #rinity! Perhaps it ay be ob1ected that anials can ta&e cognisance of e6istence although
they ha%e no fifth principle3 but the reason of this is that$ although the fifth principle is not united to the
lo'er principles of the anials$ it yet overshadows the! #hus$ properly spea&ing$ it is the fifth principle
only 'hich plays a proinent part in the %arious states of an in life and after death! ;y its association
(no atter ho'$ for the present/ 'ith the lo'er principles$ it generates earthly and aterial tendencies
'hich attract it do'n'ards! At the sae tie$ being overshadowed by its father$ the si6th and se%enth
principles$ it generates higher aspirations 'hich attract it up'ards! After physical death$ 'hen the entity
passes into Kama!Lo(a$ the real struggle is confined to the fifth principle alone$ that is$ to the seat of
consciousness together 'ith the affinities generated in it during its earthly incarnation! 0n Kama!Lo(a$
therefore$ the fourth principle of Kama!.upa 'hich is the 2padhi$ or seat of all earthly desires and
passions$ etc!$ drags to'ards itself those affinities of the fifth principle 'hich are of a aterial nature$
'hile the higher aspirations are attracted to'ards the si6th and the se%enth principles! #he conception
ay be ade clear by reebering that the se%enth principle is the source of energy$ 'hile the si6th
principle is erely the energy radiated by the se%enth! #he states of e6istence of an ay be di%ided
into three 'hich can be again di%ided into se%en! #he first three are-- physical life$ astral life and spiritual
Page 1.0
life! #he se%en states are -- (1/ Physical life$ (5/ the state bet'een physical and astral life$ (+/ the astral
life$ (?/ the state bet'een the astral life and the spiritual life$ and (,$ .$ D$/ the three states of spiritual life!
0n physical life$ all the physical acti%ities are strong 'hile the astral life is e6hibited in the teporary
cessation of the functions of physical acti%ities$ as ta&es place in sleep$ etc! 9ach life anifests itself only
on those spheres to 'hich its organization is adapted! #hus for anifestation on this physical 'orld a
physical organis is essential$ and 'ithout its help no acti%ity can be anifested in this sphere! 0n this life
'e ha%e$ as it 'ere$ brought 'ith us such an accretion of principles as has been produced by the effects
of the causes generated in a pre%ious incarnation! At the sae tie 'e ha%e an organization 'hich
enables us to generate ne' causes! 2hen the physical body is 'orn out by the acti%ities anifested
through it$ the cohesi%e force 'hich held its particles together becoes 'ea&er and 'ea&er until physical
death ta&es place! 2e do not therefore die at once (e6cept in cases of sudden death caused by
accidents$ etc!/$ but are gradually dying e%ery oent of our li%es! #he %ital principle$ finding its present
Sthulasariram unfit for habitation$ lea%es it$ to aniate soe other Sthulasariram! #he third principle$
'hich is the aggloeration of the agnetic eanations of the physical body$ cannot but die at the death
of the latter! #he fourth principle$ ho'e%er$ by its contact 'ith the third in physical life$ has gathered round
itself soe of its essence! ;ut this essence is li&e the sell of a rose$ 'hich lingers only for a tie after
the rose has been destroyed! >ence it is that the so-called astral body is seen at a distance by the
friends or relati%es of a dying an! #he concentrated thought$ an intense desire to see a friend$ etc!$
clothes itself in the fourth principle 'hich$ by the essence of the third gathered around itself$ a&es itself
ob1ecti%e to the distant friend! And such a anifestation is possible$ only so long as this essence is
retained! #his is the reason for the >indu custo of burning the dead$ for 'hen the body is once burnt$
no ore astral essence can be dra'n out of it! ;ut a buried body$ although in the process of
decoposition$ still furnishes the aura$ ho'e%er feeble it ay be$ through 'hich the dead entity finds
itself able to anifest itself! 0n the dying an the struggle bet'een the physical and the astral an goes
on till it ends on physical death! #his result produces a shoc& stunning the astral an 'ho passes into a
state of unconscious sleep until he re-a'a&ens into the Kama!Lo(a! #his sleep is the second state of
e6istence! 0t 'ill thus becoe apparent 'hy it is that "apparitions" are seen soe tie after the supposed
death of the an! ;ut on careful e6aination it ay be found that the an only appears to be dead3 and
although the edical faculty ay not be able to detect any signs of life in hi$ still$ in reality$ the struggle
bet'een the physical and the astral an is not yet ended!
0t is because this struggle is silently going on that the ancients en1oined solen silence in the a'ful
presence of death! 2hen the an a'a&ens into the Kama!Lo(a$ he begins his third state of e6istence!
#he physical organization$ 'hich alone enables man to produce causes$ is not there$ and he is$ as it
'ere$ concerned only 'ith those affinities 'hich he has already engendered! 2hile this struggle in the
fifth principle is going on$ it is alost ipossible for the entity to anifest itself upon earth! And 'hen a
d'eller on this earth tries to establish a connection 'ith that entity$ he only disturbs its peace! >ence it is
that the ancients prohibited these practices$ to 'hich they ga%e the nae of necroancy$ as deadly sin!
#he nature of the struggle depends upon the tendencies engendered by the indi%idual in his physical life!
0f he 'as too aterial$ too gross$ too sensual$ and if he had hardly any spiritual aspirations$ then the
do'n'ard attraction of the lo'er affinities causes an assiilation of the lo'er consciousness 'ith the
fourth principle! #he an then becoes a sort of astral anial$ and continues in that state until$ in
process of tie$ the astral entity is disintegrated! #he fe' spiritual aspirations that he ight ha%e had are
transferred to the monad3 but the separate consciousness being dragged into the anial soul dies 'ith it
and his personality is thus annihilated! 0f a an$ on the other hand$ is tolerably spiritual$ as ost of our
fello' en are$ then the struggle in Kama!Lo(a %aries according to the nature of his affinities3 until the
consciousness being lin&ed to the higher ones is entirely separated fro the "astral shell"$ and is ready to
go into Devachan! 0t 'ill thus be seen that in any case intercourse 'ith the Kama!Lo(a entities is
Page 1.1
detriental to the progress of those entities and also in1urious to the person indulging in such
intercourse! #his interruption is 1ust as bad and e%en far 'orse than the disturbance in the death-
chaber on this physical plane! 2hen it is reebered that the fourth principle by its contact 'ith the
fifth has assiilated to itself the essence of the latter$ it becoes an easy atter to account for those rare
phenoena in 'hich a high degree of intelligence has been e6hibited by the Kama!Lo(a entities dragged
into ediuistic sances! <f course there are cases in 'hich an "astral shell" acts erely as a irror
through 'hich the intelligence of the "ediu" is reflected$ as there are others in 'hich "eleentals"
a&e use of these "astral shells"! ;ut in those cases 'here the Kama!Lo(a entities actually appear and
e6hibit a rare intelligence$ it is on account of the essence absorbed by the fourth principle during its
connection 'ith the fifth! #here are again cases in 'hich the Kama!Lo(a entities of "suicides" and of
persons dying unnatural and accidental deaths ay appear and e6hibit rare intelligence$ because those
entities ha%e to li%e in Kama!Lo(a the period they 'ould ha%e passed on earth if those accidents had not
carried the a'ay - before the struggle bet'een the astral and spiritual affinities coences! #he
causes engendered by the during earth-life are not yet ripe for fruition and they ust 'ait their natural
tie! ;ut to recall these into "ediuistic" circles is e4ually dangerous as in the abo%e-entioned cases$
and for the %ery sae reasons! 0t ay not be positi%ely in1urious in all cases$ but at any rate the process
is fraught 'ith danger and should not be underta&en by ine6perienced persons! As regards those good
persons 'ho$ it is apprehended$ ay on account of soe unsatisfied desire linger on earth$ the >indus
ha%e a peculiar custo 'hich is generally relegated to the libo of e6ploded superstitions$ because its
scientific rationale is not properly understood! 0f the desire be of a spiritual nature$ then of course it is only
concerned 'ith the spiritual affinities set up in the Manas! ;ut if it be of a aterial nature$ such as soe
act to be done for the 'elfare of a friend or faily$ etc$' etc$$ then only need it be ta&en into account! 0n
ancient ties$ an initiate or adept 'as al'ays present in a death chaber$ and attended to the necessary
conditions and thus released the dying an fro his earthly attractions! #his is the real origin of "e6tree
unction" in the :oan Catholic Church and the custo of ha%ing a priest near the dying an in other
religions! Gradually as a aterializing tendency began to assert itself$ the >indus in%ented a cereony
'hich is the ne6t best thing they could do under the circustances! 0t is a general belief aong the that
after physical death$ the entity lingers on the earth for a period of ten days before passing into any other
state of e6istence! During this period they perfor a regular daily cereony in 'hich they prepare soe
rice balls and put the before cro's! #he belief is that cro's are so sensiti%e as to detect any astral
figure they see! 0f the an dies$ ha%ing soe unsatisfied desire$ then his astral figure co%ers the rice
balls 'hich the cro's cannot touch! 0f the balls are iediately touched$ then it is concluded that the
an ha%ing no unsatisfied desire is no longer earth-bound! ;ut if they are not$ then the relati%es of the
dead person go on recounting all the 'ishes of the latter$ that they can possibly thin& of$ proising at the
sae tie to fulfil the! 2hen the right thing is hit on$ then it is belie%ed the entity iediately goes off
to its sphere$ and the cro's touch the balls! 2hate%er it ay be$ the >indus ha%e a horror of those
eleentaries$ and instead of dragging the into sances they try by e%ery possible eans to release
the fro the earth's atosphere! 2hen the struggle bet'een the lo'er affinities and the higher
aspirations of the an is ended in Kama!Lo(a$ astral death ta&es place in that sphere as does physical
death on this earth! #he shoc& of death again thro's the entity into a state of unconsciousness before its
passage into Devachan! #he "shell" left behind ay anifest itself until it is disintegrated$ but it is not the
real spiritual an3 and the rare intelligence e6hibited by it$ occasionally$ is the radiation of the aura
caught by it during its connection 'ith the spiritual indi%iduality! Fro its fourth state of e6istence$ it
rea'a&ens in Devachan$ the conditions of 'hich$ according to >indu boo&s are$ Salo(ata' Samipata and
Sayu)ata! 0n the lo'est state$ i$e$$ of Salo(ata the entity is only under the influence of the si6th and the
se%enth principle$ 'hile in the second state$ i$e$ of Samipata$ it is fully overshadowed by the latter! 0t is in
the Sayu)ata state only that it is fully erged into its Logos to be thro'n again into re-incarnation 'hen it
has fully en1oyed the effects of the spiritual aspirations created by it! 0t is only %ery highly spiritualized
entities that reach this higher state of Devachan! <f course$ the cases of adepts are here entirely left out
Page 1.5
of consideration for as the "hagavat 4ita says$ the 4nyani reaches that state fro 'hich there is no re-
birth and 'hich is called Mo(sha or Mu(ti! #he period of gestation bet'een the Devachanic condition and
the physical re-birth ay be called the eighth state3 but in the >indu boo&s the physical life being the
basis of the se%en after-states is not included in the category of the Sapta higher lo(as$ 1ust as in the
septenary principles$ arabrahma is not ta&en into account for the %ery sae reason! Fro the
sub1ecti%e stand-point$ the arabrahman$ and fro the ob1ecti%e stand-point the Sthulasariram$ are not
included in the septenary di%ision$ as the forer is the basis upon 'hich the 'hole structure is built!
Page 1.+
"A2AT"A +ETTE( No4 ,-
I)r 7innett's 4ueries are indentedJ

#he rear&s appended to a letter in the last Theosophist$ page 55.$ col! 1$ stri&e e as %ery
iportant and as 4ualifying - 0 do not say contradicting - a good deal of 'hat 'e ha%e hitherto
been told in re 7piritualis!

2e had heard already of a spiritual condition of life in 'hich the rede%eloped 9go en1oyed a
conscious e6istence for a tie before reincarnation in another 'orld3 but that branch of the sub1ect
has hitherto been slurred o%er! =o' soe e6plicit stateents are ade about it3 and these
suggest further en4uiries!

0n the Devachan ( !! / the ne' 9go retains coplete recollection of his life on earth apparently! 0s
that so or is there any isunderstanding on that point on y partB
;,< #he De%a-Chan$ or land of "7u&ha%ati"$ is allegorically described by our *ord ;uddha hiself! 2hat
he said ay be found in the Shan!Mun!yi!Tung! 7ays #athagata--
")any thousand yriads of systes of 'orlds beyond this (ours/ there is a region of ;liss called
Su(havati !!! #his region is encircled 'ith seven ro's of railings$ seven ro's of %ast curtains$ seven ro's
of 'a%ing trees3 this holy abode of Arhats is go%erned by the #athagatas (Dhyan Chohans/ and is
possessed by the ;odhisat'as! 0t hath seven precious la&es$ in the idst of 'hich flo' crystalline 'aters
ha%ing 'seven and one' properties$ or distincti%e 4ualities (the D principles eanating fro the <=9/!
#his$ <$ 7ariputra is the 'De%a Chan'! 0ts di%ine Adabara flo'er casts a root in the shadow of every
earth$ and blossos for all those 'ho reach it! #hose born in the blessed region are truly felicitous$ there
are no ore griefs or sorro's in that cycle for the !!! )yriads of 7pirits (Lha/ resort there for rest and
then return to their own regions! Again$ <$ 7ariputra$ in that land of 1oy any 'ho are born in it are
&vaivartyas !!!" etc!$ etc!

(5/ =o' e6cept in the fact that the duration of e6istence in the Devachan is liited$ there is a %ery
close reseblance bet'een that condition and the >ea%en of ordinary religion (oitting
anthropoorphic ideas of God/!
;/< Certainly the ne' Ego once that it is reborn Iin De%a ChanJ$ retains for a certain tie - proportionate
to its 9arth-life$ a "coplete recollection of his life on earth"! (7ee your preceding 4uery/! ;ut it can never
return on earth$ fro the De%a Chan$ nor has the latter - e%en oitting all "anthropoorphic ideas of
God" - any reseblance to the paradise or hea%en of any religion$ and it is >!P!;!'s literary fancy that
suggested to her the 'onderful coparison!

Page 1.?
(+/ =o' the 4uestion of iportance is 'ho goes to >ea%en - or De%achanB 0s this condition only
attained by the fe' 'ho are %ery good$ or by the any 'ho are not %ery bad$ - after the lapse in
their case of a longer unconscious incubation or gestationB
;A< "2ho goes to De%a ChanB" #he personal 9go of course$ but beatified$ purified$ holy! 9%ery 9go - the
cobination of the si6th and se%enth principles - 'hich after the period of unconscious gestation is
reborn into the De%a-Chan$ is of necessity as innocent and pure as a ne'-born babe! #he fact of his
being reborn at all$ sho's the preponderance of good o%er e%il in his old personality! And 'hile the
@ara (of e%il/ steps aside for the tie being to follo' hi in his future earth-reincarnations$ he brings
along 'ith hi but the @ara of his good deeds$ 'ords$ and thoughts$ into this De%a-Chan! ;ad is a
relati%e ter for us - as you 'ere told ore than once before$ - and the *a' of :etribution is the only la'
that ne%er errs! >ence all those 'ho ha%e not slipped do'n into the ire of unredeeable sin and
bestiality - go to the De%a Chan! #hey 'ill ha%e to pay for their sins$ %oluntary and in%oluntary$ later on!
)ean'hile they are re'arded3 recei%e the effects of the causes produced by the!
<f course it is a state$ one$ so to say$ of intense selfishness during 'hich an Ego reaps the re'ard of his
unselfishness on earth! >e is copletely engrossed in the bliss of all his personal earthly affections$
preferences and thoughts$ and gathers in the fruits of his eritorious actions! =o pain$ no grief nor e%en
the shado' of a sorro' coes to dar&en the bright horizon of his unalloyed happiness3 for it is a state of
perpetual 5Maya5!
7ince the conscious perception of one's personality on earth is but an e%anescent drea that sense 'ill
be e4ually that of a drea in the De%a-Chan - only a hundred fold intensified! 7o uch so indeed$ that
the happy 9go is unable to see through the %eil the e%ils$ sorro's and 'oes to 'hich those it lo%ed on
earth ay be sub1ected to! 0t li%es in a s'eet drea 'ith its lo%ed ones - 'hether gone before$ or yet
reaining on earth3 it has the near itself$ as happy$ as blissful and as innocent as the disebodied
dreaer hiself3 and yet$ apart fro rare %isions the denizens of our gross planet feel it not! 0t is in this$
during such a condition of coplete Maya that the 7ouls or astral 9gos of pure$ lo%ing sensiti%es$
labouring under the sae illusion$ thin& their lo%ed ones coe do'n to the on earth$ 'hile it is their
o'n 7pirits that are raised to'ards those in the De%a-Chan! )any of the sub)ective spiritual
counications - ost of the 'hen the sensiti%es are pure inded - are real3 but it is ost difficult for
the uninitiated ediu to fi6 in his ind the true and correct pictures of 'hat he sees and hears! 7oe of
the phenoena called psychography (though ore rarely/ are also real! #he spirit of the sensiti%e getting
odylised$ so to say$ by the aura of the 7pirit in the De%a-Chan$ becoes for a fe' inutes that departed
personality$ and 'rites in the hand 'riting of the latter$ in his language and in his thoughts$ as they 'ere
during his life tie! #he t'o spirits becoe blended in one3 and$ the preponderance of one o%er the other
during such phenoena deterines the preponderance of personality in the characteristics e6hibited in
such 'ritings$ and "trance spea&ing"! 2hat you call "rapport" is in plain fact an identity of olecular
%ibration bet'een the astral part of the incarnate ediu and the astral part of the disincarnate
personality! 0 ha%e 1ust noticed an article on smell by soe 9nglish Professor ('hich 0 'ill cause to be
re%ie'ed in the Theosophist and say a fe' 'ords/$ and find in it soething that applies to our case! As$
in usic$ t'o different sounds ay be in accord and separately distinguishable$ and this harony or
discord depends upon the synchronous %ibrations and copleentary periods3 so there is rapport
bet'een ediu and "control" 'hen their astral olecules o%e in accord! And the 4uestion 'hether the
counication shall reflect ore of the one personal idiosyncracy$ or the other$ is deterined by the
relati%e intensity of the t'o sets of %ibrations in the copound 'a%e of &(asa! #he less identical the
Page 1.,
%ibratory ipulses the ore ediuistic and less spiritual 'ill be the essage! 7o then$ easure your
ediu's oral state by that of the alleged "controlling" 0ntelligence$ and your tests of genuineness lea%e
nothing to be desired!

(?/ <r are there great %arieties of conditions 'ithin the liits$ so to spea&$ of De%achan$ so that an
appropriate state is dropped into by all$ fro 'hich they 'ill be born into lo'er and higher
conditions in the ne6t 'orld of causesB 0t is no use ultiplying hypotheses! 2e 'ant soe
inforation to go on!
;B< Ees$ there are great %arieties in the De%achan states$ and it is all as you say! As any %arieties of
bliss$ as on earth there are shades of perception and of capability to appreciate such re'ard! 0t is an
ideated paradise$ in each case of the 9go's o'n a&ing$ and by hi filled 'ith the scenery$ cro'ded 'ith
the incidents$ and thronged 'ith the people he 'ould e6pect to find in such a sphere of copensati%e
bliss! 0t is that %ariety 'hich guides the teporary personal Ego into the current 'hich 'ill lead hi to be
reborn in a lo'er or higher condition in the ne6t 'orld of causes! 9%erything is so haroniously ad1usted
in nature - especially in the sub1ecti%e 'orld$ that no ista&e can e%er be coitted by the #athagatas -
or Dhyan Chohans - 'ho guide the ipulses!

(,/ <n the face of the idea$ a purely spiritual state 'ould only en1oyable to the entities highly
spiritualized in this life! ;ut there are yriads of %ery good people (orally/ 'ho are not
spiritualized at all! >o' can they be fitted to pass$ 'ith their recollections of this life fro a aterial
to a spiritual condition of e6istenceB
;C< 0t is "a spiritual condition" only as contrasted 'ith our o'n grossly "aterial condition"$ and$ as already
stated - it is such degrees of spirituality that constitute and deterine the great "%arieties" of conditions
'ithin the liits of De%a-Chan! A other fro a sa%age tribe is not less happy than a other fro a regal
palace$ 'ith her lost child in her ars3 and although as actual 9gos$ children preaturely dying before
the perfection of their septenary 9ntity do not find their 'ay to De%a-Chan$ yet all the sae the other's
lo%ing fancy finds her children there$ 'ithout one issing that her heart yearns for! 7ay - it is but a drea$
but after all 'hat is ob1ecti%e life itself but a panoraa of %i%id unrealitiesB #he pleasures realized by a
:ed 0ndian in his "happy hunting grounds' in that *and of Dreas is not less intense than the ecstasy felt
by a connoisseur 'ho passes aeons in the rapt delight of listening to di%ine 7yphonies by iaginary
angelic choirs and orchestras! As it is no fault of the forer$ if born a "sa%age" 'ith an instinct to &ill -
though it caused the death of any an innocent anial - 'hy$ if 'ith it all$ he 'as a lo%ing father$ son$
husband$ 'hy should he not also en1oy his share of re'ardB #he case 'ould be 4uite different if the
sae cruel acts had been done by an educated and ci%ilized person$ fro a ere lo%e of sport! #he
sa%age in being reborn 'ould siply ta&e a lo' place in the scale$ by reason of his iperfect oral
de%elopent3 'hile the Karma of the other 'ould be tainted 'ith oral delin4uency!
9%ery one but that ego 'hich$ attracted by its gross agnetis$ falls into the current that 'ill dra' it into
the "planet of Death" - the ental as 'ell as physical satellite of our earth - is fitted to pass into a relati%e
"spiritual" condition ad1usted to his pre%ious condition in life and ode of thought! #o y &no'ledge and
recollection >!P!;! e6plained to )r! >ue that an's si6th principle$ as soething purely spiritual could
not e6ist$ or ha%e conscious being in the De%a-Chan$ unless it assiilated soe of the ore abstract and
pure of the ental attributes of the fifth principle or anial 7oul- its manas (ind/ and eory! 2hen a
Page 1..
an dies his second and third principles die 'ith hi3 the lo'er triad disappears$ and the fourth$ fifth$
si6th and se%enth principles for the sur%i%ing 3uaternary! #henceforth it is a "death" struggle bet'een
the Apper and *o'er dualities! 0f the upper 'ins$ the si6th$ ha%ing attracted to itself the 4uintessence of
4ood fro the fifth - its nobler affections$ its saintly (though they be earthly/ aspirations$ and the ost
7piritualized portions of its ind - follo's its di%ine elder (the Dth/ into the "Gestation" 7tate3 and the fifth
and fourth reain in association as an epty shell - (the e6pression is 4uite correct/ - to roa in the
earth's atosphere$ 'ith half the personal eory gone$ and the ore brutal instinct fully ali%e for a
certain period - an "9leentary" in short! #his is the angel guide of the a%erage ediu! 0f on the other
hand$ it is the Apper Duality 'hich is defeated$ then it is the fifth principle that assiilates all that there
ay be left of personal recollection and perceptions of its personal indi%iduality in the si6th! ;ut$ 'ith all
this additional stoc&$ it 'ill not reain in Kama!Lo(a - "the 'orld of Desire" or our 9arth's atosphere! 0n
a %ery short tie li&e a stra' floating 'ithin the attraction of the %ortices and pits of the )aelstro$ it is
caught up and dra'n into the great 'hirlpool of huan 9gos3 'hile the si6th and se%enth - no' a purely
spiritual$ individual )<=AD$ 'ith nothing left in it of the late personality$ ha%ing no regular "gestation"
period to pass through (since there is no purified personal 9go to be reborn/$ after a ore or less
prolonged period of unconscious :est in the boundless 7pace - 'ill find itself reborn in another
personality on the ne6t planet! 2hen arri%es the period of "Full 0ndi%idual Consciousness" - 'hich
precedes that of &bsolute Consciousness in the ari!6irvana - this lost personal life becoes as a torn
out page in the great "oo( of Lives$ 'ithout e%en a disconnected 'ord left to ar& its absence! #he
purified onad 'ith neither percei%e nor reeber it in the series of its past rebirths - 'hich it 'ould had
it gone to the "2orld of Fors" (rupa!lo(a/ - and its retrospecti%e glance 'ill not percei%e e%en the
slightest sign to indicate that it had been! #he light of Samma!Sambuddh-
" !!! that light 'hich shines beyond our ortal &en
#he light of all the li%es in all the 'orlds" -
thro's no ray upon that personal life in the series of li%es foregone!
#o the credit of an&ind$ 0 ust say$ that such an utter obliteration of an e6istence fro the tablets of
Ani%ersal ;eing does not occur often enough to a&e a great percentage! 0n fact$ li&e the uch
entioned "congenital idiot"$ such a thing is a lusus naturae - an e6ception$ not the rule!

(./ And ho' is a spiritual e6istence in 'hich e%erything has erged into the si6th principle$
copatible 'ith that consciousness of indi%idual and personal aterial life 'hich ust be
attributed to the 9go in De%a-Chan if he retains his earthly consciousness as stated in the
Theosophist =oteB
;-< #he 4uestion is no' sufficiently e6plained$ 0 belie%e- the si6th and se%enth principles apart fro the
rest constitute the eternal iperishable but also unconscious ")onad"! #o a'a&en in it to life the latent
consciousness$ especially that of personal indi%iduality$ re4uires the onad plus the highest attributes of
the fifth - the "anial soul"3 and it is that 'hich a&es the ethereal Ego that li%es and en1oys bliss in the
De%a-Chan! 7pirit$ or the unalloyed eanations of the <=9 - the latter foring 'ith the se%enth and si6th
principles the highest triad - neither of the t'o eanations are capable of assiilating but that 'hich is
good$ pure and holy3 hence no sensual$ aterial or unholy recollection can follo' the purified eory of
Page 1.D
the Ego to the region of ;liss! #he @ara for these recollections of e%il deeds and thought 'ill reach the
9go 'hen it changes its personality in the follo'ing 'orld of causes! #he Monad$ or the "7piritual
0ndi%iduality"$ reains untainted in all cases! "=o sorro' or Pain for those born there (in the .upa!Lo(a
of De%a-Chan/3 for this is the Pureland! All the regions in 7pace possess such lands (Sa(wala/$ but this
land of ;liss is the ost pure!" 0n the D)nana rasthana Shaster$ it is said- "by personal purity and
earnest editation$ 'e o%erleap the liits of the 2orld of Desire$ and enter in the 2orld of Fors"!

(D/ #he period of gestation bet'een Death and De%achan has hitherto been concei%ed by e at
all e%ents as %ery long! =o' it is said to be in soe cases only a fe' days$ in no cases (it is
iplied/ ore than a fe' years! #his sees plainly stated$ but 0 as& if it can be e6plicitly confired
because it is a point on 'hich so uch turns!
;D< Another fine e6aple of the habitual disorder in 'hich )rs >!P!;!'s ental furniture is &ept! 7he tal&s
of ";ardo" and does not e%en say to her readers 'hat it eansL As in her 'riting-roo confusion is ten
ties confounded$ so in her ind are cro'ded ideas piled in such a chaos that 'hen she 'ants to
e6press the the tail peeps out before the head! ";ardo" has nothing to do 'ith the duration of tie in
the case you are referring to! ";ardo" is the period bet'een death and rebirth - and ay last fro a fe'
years to a &alpa! 0t is di%ided into three sub-periods (1/ 'hen the Ego deli%ered of its ortal coil enters
into Kama!Lo(a (the abode of 9leentaries Ior shellsJ3 (5/ 'hen it enters into its "Gestation 7tate"3 (+/
'hen it is reborn in the .upa!Lo(a of De%a-Chan! 7ub-period (1/ ay last fro a fe' inutes to a
number of years - the phrase "a fe' years" becoing puzzling and utterly 'orthless 'ithout a ore
coplete e6planation3 7ub-period (5/ is "%ery long"3 as you say$ longer soeties than you ay e%en
iagine$ yet proportionate to the Ego7s spiritual staina3 7ub-period (+/ lasts in proportion to the good
@ara$ after 'hich the monad is again reincarnated! #he &gama Sutra saying-- "in all these .upa!Lo(as$
the De%as (7pirits/ are e4ually sub1ected to birth$ decay$ old age$ and death$" eans only that an 9go is
borne thither then begins fading out and finally "dies"$ i!e!$ falls into that unconscious condition 'hich
preceded rebirth3 and ends the 7lo&a 'ith these 'ords- "As the de%as eerge fro these hea%ens$ they
enter the lo'er 'orld again-" i!e!$ they lea%e a 'orld of bliss to be reborn into a 'orld of causes!

(C/ 0n that case$ and assuing that De%achan is not solely the heritage of adepts and persons
alost as ele%ated$ there is a condition of e6istence tantaount to >ea%en actually going on$ fro
'hich the life of 9arth ay be 'atched by an iense nuber of those 'ho ha%e gone beforeL
;@< )ost ephatically the "the De%a-Chan is not solely the heritage of adepts"$ and ost decidedly there
is a "hea%en" - if you must use this astro-geographical Christian ter - for "an iense nuber of those
'ho ha%e gone before"! ;ut "the life of 9arth" can be 'atched by none of these$ for reasons of the *a' of
;liss plus Maya$ already gi%en!

(9/ And for ho' longB Does this state of spiritual beatitude endure for yearsB for decadesB for
centuriesB
;?< For years$ decades$ centuries and illennius oftenties ultiplied by soething ore! 0t all
depends upon the duration of @ara! Fill 'ith oil Den's I7innett's sonJ little cup$ and a city :eser%oir of
'ater (sic/$ and lighting both see 'hich burns the longer! #he Ego is the 'ic& and @ara the oil3 the
Page 1.C
difference in the 4uantity of the latter (in the cup and the reser%oir/ suggesting to you the great difference
in the duration of %arious Karmas! 9%ery effect ust be proportionate to the cause! And$ as an's ters
of incarnate e6istence bear but a sall proportion to his periods of inter-natal e6istence in the
an%antaric cycle$ so the good thoughts$ 'ords and deeds of any one of these "li%es" on a globe are
causati%e of effects$ the 'or&ing out of 'hich re4uires far ore tie than the e%olution of the causes
occupied! #herefore$ 'hen you read in the Kats and other fabulous stories of the ;uddhist 7criptures that
this or the other good action 'as re'arded by @alpas of se%eral figures of bliss$ do not sile at the
absurd e6aggeration$ but bear in ind 'hat 0 ha%e said! Fro a sall seed$ you &no'$ sprung a tree
'hose life endures no' for 55 centuries3 0 ean the Anuradha-pura "o tree! =or ust you laugh$ if e%er
you coe across indha!Dhana or any other ;uddhist Sutra and read- ";et'een the Kama!Lo(a and the
.upa!Lo(a there is a locality$ the d'elling of ')ara' (Death/! #his )ara filled 'ith passion and lust$
destroys all %irtuous principles$ as a stone grinds corn! >is palace is D000 yo1anas s4uare$ and is
surrounded by a seven-fold 'all"$ for you 'ill feel no' ore prepared to understand the allegory! Also$
'hen ;eal$ or ;urnouf$ or :hys Da%ids in the innocence of their Christian and aterialistic souls indulge
in such translations as they generally do$ 'e do not bear the alice for their coentaries$ since they
cannot &no' any better! ;ut 'hat can the follo'ing ean-- "#he naes of the >ea%ens" (a is-
translation3 lo(as are not heavens but localities or abodes/ of Desire$ @aa-*o&a - so-called because the
being 'ho occupy the are sub1ect to desires of eating$ drin&ing$ sleeping and lo%e! #hey are other'ise
called the abodes of the five (B/ orders of sentient creatures - De%as$ en$ asuras$ beasts$ deons"
(Lautan Sutra$ trans! by 7! ;eal/! #hey ean siply that$ had the re%erend translator been ac4uainted
'ith the true doctrine a little better - he 'ould ha%e (1/ di%ided the De%as into t'o classes - and called
the the ".upa-de%as" and the "&rupa-de%as (the "form" - or ob1ecti%e$ and the "formless" or sub1ecti%e
Dhyan %hohans/3 and (5/ 'ould ha%e done the sae for his class of "en"$ since there are shells$ and
")ara-rupas" - i!e! bodies dooed to annihilation! All these are-
(1/ 5.upa!devas5 - Dhyan %hohans$ ha%ing fors / 96-
(5/ 5&rupa!devas5 - " " $ ha%ing no fors / en!
(+/ 5isachas5 - (t'o-principled/ ghosts!
(?/ 5Mara!rupa5 - Dooed to death (+ principled/!
(,/ &suras - 9leentals - ha%ing huan for / Future
(./ "easts - " 5nd class - anial 9ltls!/ en!
(D/ .a(shasas (Deons/ 7ouls or Astral Fors of sorcerers3 en 'ho ha%e reached the ape6 of
&no'ledge in the forbidden art! Dead or ali%e they ha%e$ so to say cheated nature3 but it is only
teporary - until our planet goes into obscuration$ after 'hich they ha%e nolens volens to be annihilated!
0t is these seven groups that for the principal di%isions of the D'ellers of the sub1ecti%e 'orld around
us! 0t is in stoc& =o!1$ that are the intelligent :ulers of this 'orld of )atter$ and 'ho$ 'ith all this
intelligence are but the blindly obedient instruents of the <=93 the acti%e agents of a Passi%e Principle!
And thus are isinterpreted and istranslated nearly all our 7utras3 yet e%en under that confused 1uble
of doctrines and 'ords$ for one 'ho &no's e%en superficially the true doctrine there is fir ground to
stand upon! #hus$ for instance$ in enuerating the se%en lo&as of the "@aa-*o&a" the &vatamsa(a
Sutra gi%es as the seventh the "#erritory of Doubt"! 0 'ill as& you to reeber the nae as 'e 'ill ha%e
to spea& of it hereafter! 9%ery such "'orld 'ithin the 7phere of 9ffects has a #athagata$ or "Dhyan
Page 1.9
Chohan" to protect and 'atch o%er$ not to interfere 'ith it! <f course$ of all en$ spiritualists 'ill be the
first to re1ect and thro' off our doctrines to "the libo of e6ploded superstitions"! 2ere 'e to assure the
that e%ery one of their "7uerlands" had se%en boarding houses in it$ 'ith the sae nuber of "7pirit
Guides" to "boss" in them$ and call these "angels"$ 7aint Peters$ Kohns and 7t 9rnests$ they 'ould
'elcoe us 'ith open ars! ;ut 'hoe%er heard of #athagatas and Dhyan Chohans$ Asuras and
9leentalsB PreposterousL 7till$ 'e are happily allo'ed - by our friends ()r 9glinton$ at least/ to be
possessed "of a certain &no'ledge of <ccult 7ciences" (*ide Light/! And thus$ e%en this ite of
"@no'ledge/ is at your ser%ice$ and is no' helping e to ans'er your follo'ing 4uestion-

0s there any interediate condition bet'een the spiritual beatitude of De%a-Chan$ and the forlorn
shado' life of the only half conscious eleentary reliquiae of huan beings 'ho ha%e lost their
si6th principleB ;ecause if so that ight gi%e a locus standi in iagination to the 9rnests and
Koeys of the spiritual edius - the better sort of controlling "spirits"! 0f so surely that ust be a
%ery populous 'orldB fro 'hich any aount of "spiritual" counication ight coe!
Alas$ no3 y friend3 not that 0 &no' of! Fro "7u&ha%ati" do'n to the "#erritory of Doubt" there is a %ariety
of 7piritual 7tates3 but 0 a not a'are of any such "interediate condition"! 0 ha%e told you of the
7a&'alas (though 0 cannot be enuerating the since it 'ould be useless/3 and e%en of &vitchi - the
">ell" fro 'hich there is no return$ and 0 ha%e no ore to tell about! "#he forlorn shado'" has to do the
best it can! As soon as it has stepped outside the Kama!Lo(a$ and crossed the "Golden ;ridge" leading
to the "7e%en Golden )ountains" the Ego can confabulate no ore$ 'ith easy-going edius! =o
"9rnest" or "Koey" has e%er returned fro the .upa!Lo(a -let alone the &rupa-*o&a - to hold s'eet
intercourse 'ith ortals!
<f course there is a "better sort" of reliquiae3 and the "shells" or "earth-'al&ers" as they are here called$
are not necessarily all bad! ;ut e%en those that are good$ are ade bad for the tie being by edius!
#he "shells" ay 'ell not care$ since they ha%e nothing to lose anyho'! ;ut there is another &ind of
"7pirits"$ 'e ha%e lost sight of- the suicides and those (illed by accident! ;oth &inds can counicate$
and both ha%e to pay dearly for such %isits! And no' 0 ha%e again to e6plain 'hat 0 ean! 2ell$ this class
is the one that the French 7piritists call - "les Esprits Souffrants"! #hey are an e6ception to the rule$ as
they ha%e to reain 'ithin the earth's attraction$ and in its atosphere - the Kama!Lo(a - till the %ery last
oent of 'hat 'ould ha%e been the natural duration of their li%es! 0n other 'ords$ that particular 'a%e
of life-e%olution ust run on to its shore! ;ut it is a sin and a cruelty to re%i%e their eory and intensify
their suffering by gi%ing the a chance of li%ing an artificial life3 a chance to overload their Karma$ by
tepting the into open doors$ %iz! edius and sensiti%es$ for they 'ill ha%e to pay roundly for e%ery
such pleasure! 0 'ill e6plain! #he suicides$ 'ho$ foolishly hoping to escape life$ found thesel%es still
ali%e$ - ha%e suffering enough in store for the fro that %ery life! #heir punishent is in the intensity of
the latter! >a%ing lost by their rash act their se%enth and si6th principles$ though not for e%er$ as they can
regain both - instead of accepting their punishent$ and ta&ing their chances of redeption$ they are
often ade to regret life and tepted to regain a hold upon it by sinful eans! 0n the Kama!Lo(a$ the
land of intense desire$ they can gratify their earthly yearnings but through a living pro6y3 and by so doing$
at the e6piration of the natural ter$ they generally lose their monad for e%er! As to the %ictis of accident
- these fare 'orse still! Anless they 'ere so good and pure$ as to be dra'n iediately 'ithin the
A&ashic Samadhi$ i!e! to fall into a state of 4uiet sluber full of rosy dreas$ during 'hich$ they ha%e no
recollection of the accident$ but o%e and li%e aong their failiar friends and scenes$ until their natural
life-ter is finished$ 'hen they find thesel%es born in the De%a-Chan - a glooy fate is theirs! Anhappy
Page 1D0
shades$ if sinful and sensual they 'ander about - (not shells$ for the connection 'ith their t'o higher
principles is not 4uite bro&en/ - until their death-hour coes! Cut off in the full flush of earthly passions
'hich bind the to failiar scenes$ they are enticed by the opportunities 'hich edius afford$ to gratify
the %icariously! #hey are the isachas$ the +ncubi$ and Succubi of ediae%al ties! #he deons of
thirst$ gluttony$ lust and a%arice$ - eleentaries of intensified craft$ 'ic&edness and cruelty3 pro%o&ing
their %ictis to horrid cries$ and re%elling in their coissionL #hey not only ruin their %ictis$ but these
psychic %apires$ borne along by the torrent of their hellish ipulses$ at last$ at the fi6ed close of their
natural period of life - they are carried out of the earth's aura into regions 'here for ages they endure
e64uisite suffering and end 'ith entire destruction!
;ut if the %icti of accident or %iolence$ be neither %ery good nor %ery bad - an a%erage person - then this
ay happen to hi! A ediu 'ho attracts hi$ 'ill create for hi the ost undesirable of things- a ne'
cobination of S(andhas and a ne' and e%il Karma! ;ut let e gi%e you a clearer idea of 'hat 0 ean
by Karma in this case!
0n connection 'ith this$ let e tell you before$ that since you see so interested 'ith the sub1ect$ you can
do nothing better than to study the t'o doctrines - of Karma and =ir%ana - as profoundly as you can!
Anless you are thoroughly 'ell ac4uainted 'ith the t'o tenets - the double &ey to the etaphysics of
Abidhara - you 'ill al'ays find yourself at sea in trying to coprehend the rest! 2e ha%e se%eral sorts
of @ara and =ir%ana in their %arious applications - to the Ani%erse$ the 'orld$ De%as$ ;uddhas$
;odhisat'as$ en and anials - the second including its se%en &ingdos! @ara and =ir%ana are but
t'o of the se%en great )E7#9:097 of ;uddhist etaphysics3 and but four of the se%en are &no'n to the
best orientalists$ and that %ery iperfectly!
0f you as& a learned ;uddhist priest 'hat is @araB - he 'ill tell you that @ara is 'hat a Christian ight
call Pro%idence (in a certain sense only/ and a )ahoedan - Kismet$ fate or destiny (again in one
sense/! #hat it is that cardinal tenet 'hich teaches that$ as soon as any conscious or sentient being$
'hether an$ de%a$ or anial dies$ a ne' being is produced and he or it reappears in another birth$ on
the sae or another planet$ under conditions of his or its o'n antecedent a&ing! <r$ in other 'ords that
Karma is the guiding po'er$ and Trishna (in Pali Tanha/ the thirst or desire to sentiently li%e -the
pro6iate force or energy$ the resultant of huan (or anial/ action$ 'hich$ out of the old S(andhas
produce the ne' group that for the ne' being and control the nature of the birth itself! <r to a&e it still
clearer$ the new being$ is re'arded and punished for the eritorious acts and isdeeds of the old one3
@ara representing an 9ntry ;oo&$ in 'hich all the acts of an$ good$ bad$ or indifferent$ are carefully
recorded to his debit and credit - by hiself$ so to say$ or rather by these %ery actions of his! #here$
'here Christian poetical fiction created$ and sees a ":ecording" Guardian Angel$ stern and realistic
;uddhist logic$ percei%ing the necessity that e%ery cause should ha%e its effect - sho's its real presence!
#he opponents of ;uddhis ha%e laid great stress upon the alleged in1ustice that the doer should escape
and an innocent %icti be ade to suffer$ - since the doer and the sufferer are different beings! #he fact
is$ that 'hile in one sense they ay be so considered$ yet in another they are identical! #he "old being" is
the sole parent - father and other at once - of the "ne' being"! 0t is the forer 'ho is the creator and
fashioner$ of the latter$ in reality3 and far ore so in plain truth$ than any father in flesh! And once that you
ha%e 'ell astered the eaning of S(andhas you 'ill see 'hat 0 ean!
0t is the group of 7&andhas$ that for and constitute the physical and ental indi%iduality 'e call an (or
any being/! #his group consists (in the e6oteric teaching/ of fi%e 7&andhas$ naely- .upa - the aterial
Page 1D1
properties or attributes3 *edana - sensations3 Sanna - abstract ideas3 San(hara - tendencies both
physical and ental3 and *innana - ental po'ers$ and aplification of the fourth - eaning the ental$
physical and oral predispositions! 2e add to the t'o ore$ the nature and naes of 'hich you ay
learn hereafter! 7uffice for the present to let you &no' that they are connected 'ith$ and producti%e of
Sa((ayaditthi$ the "heresy or delusion of indi%iduality" and of &ttavada "the doctrine of 7elf"$ both of
'hich (in the case of the fifth principle the soul/ lead to the maya of heresy and belief in the efficacy of
%ain rites and cereonies3 in prayers and intercession!
=o'$ returning to the 4uestion of identity bet'een the old and the new "9go"$ 0 ay reind you once
ore$ that e%en your 7cience has accepted the old$ %ery old fact distinctly taught by our *ord$ %iz! - that a
an of any gi%en age$ 'hile sentiently the sae$ is yet physically not the sae as he 'as a fe' years
earlier ('e say seven years and are prepared to aintain and pro%e it/-buddhistically spea&ing his
S(andhas ha%e changed! At the sae tie they are e%er and ceaselessly at 'or& in preparing the
abstract ould$ the "pri%ation" of the future new being! 2ell then$ if it is 1ust that a an of ?0 should en1oy
or suffer for the actions of the an of 50$ so it is e4ually 1ust that the being of the ne' birth$ 'ho is
essentially identical 'ith the pre%ious being - since he is its outcoe and creation - should feel the
conse4uences of that begetting 7elf or personality! Eour 2estern la' 'hich punishes the innocent son of
a guilty father by depri%ing hi of his parent$ rights and property3 your ci%ilized 7ociety 'hich brands 'ith
infay the guiltless daughter of an ioral$ criinal other3 your Christian Church and 7criptures 'hich
teach that the "*ord God %isits the sins of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth
generation"$ are not all these far ore un1ust and cruel than anything done by @araB 0nstead of
punishing the innocent together 'ith the culprit$ the @ara avenges and rewards the former$ 'hich
neither of your three 'estern potentates abo%e entioned e%er thought of doing! ;ut perhaps$ to our
physiological rear& the ob1ectors ay reply that it is only the body that changes$ there is only a
olecular transforation$ 'hich has nothing to do 'ith the ental e%olution3 and that the S(andhas
represent not only a aterial but also a set of ental and oral 4ualities! ;ut is there$ 0 as&$ either a
sensation$ an abstract idea$ a tendency of ind$ or a ental po'er$ that one could call an absolutely non-
olecular phenoenonB Can e%en a sensation or the ost abstracti%e thoughts 'hich is something$
coe out of nothing$ or be nothingB
=o'$ the causes producing the "ne' being" and deterining the nature of Karma are$ as already said
-Trishna (or "#anha"/ - first$ desire for sentient e6istence and 2padana - 'hich is the realization or
consuation of Trishna or that desire! And both of these the ediu helps to a'a&en and de%elop nec
plus ultra in an 9leentary$ be he a suicide or a %icti! (Footnote- Alone the 7hells and Elementals Ii!e!
'here the si6th and se%enth principles ha%e 'ithdra'nJ are left unhurt though the orality of the
sensiti%es can by no eans be ipro%ed by the intercourse/! #he rule is$ that a person 'ho dies a
natural death$ 'ill reain fro "a fe' hours to se%eral short years" 'ithin the earth's attraction$ i!e! in the
Kama!Lo(a! ;ut e6ceptions are$ in the case of suicides and those 'ho die a %iolent death in general!
>ence$ one of such 9gos$ for instance$ 'ho 'as destined to li%e - say C0 or 90 years$ but 'ho either
&illed hiself or 'as &illed by soe accident$ let us suppose at the age of 50 - 'ould ha%e to pass in the
Kama!Lo(a not "a fe' years" but in his case .0 or D0 years$ as an 9leentary$ or rather as an "earth
'al&er"3 since he is not$ unfortunately for hi$ e%en a 5shell5! >appy$ thrice happy$ in coparison$ are
those disebodied entities$ 'ho sleep their long sluber and li%e in drea in the boso of spaceL And
'oe to those 'hose #rishna 'ill attract the to edius$ and 'oe to the latter$ 'ho tept the 'ith
such an easy 2padana! For in grasping the$ and satisfying their thirst for life$ the ediu helps to
de%elop in the - is in fact the cause of - a ne' set of S(andhas$ a ne' body$ 'ith far 'orse tendencies
and passions than 'as the one they lost! All the future of this ne' body 'ill be deterined thus$ not only
Page 1D5
by the Karma of deerit of the pre%ious set or group but also by that of the ne' set of the future being!
2ere the edius and spiritualists but to &no'$ as 0 said$ that 'ith e%ery ne' "angel guide" they
'elcoe 'ith rapture$ they entice the latter into an 2padhana 'hich 'ill be producti%e of a series of
untold e%ils for the ne' 9go that 'ill be born under its nefarious shado'$ and that 'ith e%ery sMNance -
especially for aterialization - they ultiply the causes for isery$ causes that 'ill a&e the unfortunate
9go fail in his spiritual birth$ or be reborn into a 'orse e6istence than e%er - they 'ould$ perhaps$ be less
la%ishing their hospitality!
And no'$ you ay understand 'hy 'e oppose so strongly 7piritualis and ediuship! And$ you 'ill
also see 'hy$ to satisfy )r >ue$ - at least in one direction$ - 0 got yself into a scrape 'ith the Chohan$
and mirabile dictuC - 'ith both the sahibs$ "the young en by the nae of" - 7cott and ;anon! #o ause
you 0 'ill as& >!P!;! to send you 'ith this a page of the ";anon papyrus"$ an article of his that he 'inds
up 'ith a se%er literary thrashing of y huble self! 7hado's of the Asuras$ in 'hat a passion she fle'
upon reading this rather disrespectful criticisL 0 a sorry she does not print it$ upon considerations of
"faily honour"$ as the "Disinherited" e6pressed it! As to the Chohan$ the atter is ore serious$ and he
'as far fro satisfied that 0 should ha%e allo'ed 9glinton to belie%e it 'as myself! >e had peritted proof
of the po'er in living man to be gi%en to the 7piritualists through a ediu of theirs$ but had left the
prograe and its details to oursel%es3 hence his displeasure at soe trifling conse4uences! 0 tell you$
y dear friend$ that 0 a far less free to do as 0 li&e than you are in the atter of the ioneer! =one of us
but the highest %hutu(tus are their full asters! ;ut 0 digress!
And no' that you ha%e been told uch and had e6plained a good deal$ you ay as 'ell read this letter
to our irrepressible friend - )rs Gordon! #he reasons gi%en may through soe cold 'ater on her
7piritualistic zeal$ though 0 ha%e y reasons to doubt it! Anyho' it ay sho' her that it is not against true
7piritualis that 'e set oursel%es$ but only against indiscriinate ediuship and - physical
anifestations$ - aterializations and trance-possessions especially! Could the 7piritualists be only ade
to understand the difference bet'een individuality and personality$ bet'een individual and personal
iortality and soe other truths$ they 'ould be ore easily persuaded that <ccultists ay be fully
con%inced of the Monad7s iortality$ and yet deny that of the soul - the %ehicle of the personal 9go3 that
they firly belie%e in$ and thesel%es practise spiritual counications and intercourse 'ith the
disembodied 9gos of the :upa-*o&a$ and yet laugh at the insane idea of "sha&ing hands" 'ith a "7pirit"L3
that finally$ that as the atter stands$ it is the <ccultists and the #heosophists 'ho are true 7piritualists$
'hile the odern sect of that nae is coposed siply of materialistic phenoenalists!
And once that 'e are discussing "indi%iduality" and "personality"$ it is curious that >!P!;!$ 'hen
sub1ecting poor )r >ue's brain to torture 'ith her uddled e6planations$ ne%er thought - until recei%ing
the e6planation fro hiself of the difference that e6ists bet'een indi%iduality and personality - that it
'as the %ery sae doctrine she had been taught- that of acce(a!0ana$ and of &mata!0ana! #he t'o
ters as abo%e gi%en by hi are the correct and literal translation of the Pali$ 7ans&rit$ and e%en of the
Chino-#ibetan technical naes for the any personal entities blended in one +ndividuality - the long
string of li%es eanating fro the sae 0ortal )<=AD! Eou 'ill ha%e to reeber the--
(1/ #he acce(a 0ana - (in 7ans&rit "Pratye&a"/ eans literally the "personal %ehicle" or personal Ego$ a
cobination of the fi%e lo'er principles! 2hile -
Page 1D+
(5/ #he &mata!0ana - (in 7ans&rit "Arita/ is translated "the iortal %ehicle"$ or the +ndividuality$ the
7piritual 7oul$ or the 0ortal monad - a cobination of the fifth$ si6th and se%enth!

0t appears to e that one of our great difficulties in trying to understand the progress of affairs
turns on our ignorance so far of the divisions of the se%en principles! 9ach has in turn its se%en
eleents 'e are told- can 'e be told soething ore concerning the se%en-fold constitution of the
fourth and fifth principles especiallyB 0t is e%idently in the di%isibility of these that the secret of the
future and of any psychic phenoena here during life$ resides!
Ouite right! ;ut 0 ust be peritted to doubt 'hether 'ith the desired e6planations the difficult 'ill be
reo%ed$ and you 'ill becoe able to penetrate "the secret of psychic phenoena"! Eou$ y good
friend$ 'ho 0 had once or t'ice the pleasure of hearing playing on your piano in the 4uiet inter%als
bet'een dress-coating and a beef-and-claret dinner - tell e$ could you fa%our e as readily as 'ith one
of your easy walt-es - 'ith one of ;eetho%en's Grand 7onatasB Pray$ pray ha%e patienceL Eet$ 0 'ould
not refuse you by any eans! Eou 'ill find the fourth and fifth principles$ di%ided into roots and ;ranches
on a fly-sheet herein enclosed$ if 0 find tie! And no'$ ho' long do you propose to abstain fro
interrogation ar&sB
Faithfully$
@!>!
Page 1D?
"A2AT"A +ETTE( No4 /0c
:ecei%ed August 1CC5!
96cept in so far that he constantly uses the ters "God" and "Christ" 'hich ta&en in their esoteric sense
siply ean "Good" - in its dual aspect of the abstract and the concrete and nothing ore dogatic -
9liphas *e%i is not in any direct conflict 'ith our teachings! 0t is against a stra' blo'n out of a hay-stac&
and accused by the 'ind of belonging to a hay-ric&! Most of those$ 'ho you ay call$ if you li&e$
candidates for Deva!%han - die and are reborn in the @aa-*o&a "'ithout reebrance"3 though (and
1ust because/ they do get soe of it bac& in De%a-Chan! =or can 'e call it a full$ but only partial
reebrance! Eou 'ould hardly call "reebrance" a drea of yours3 soe particular scene or scenes$
'ithin 'hose narro' liits you 'ould find enclosed a fe' persons - those 'ho you lo%ed best$ 'ith an
undying lo%e$ that holy feeling that alone sur%i%es$ and - not the slightest recollection of any other e%ents
or scenesB Love and #atred are the only immortal feelings$ the only sur%i%ors fro the 'rec& of 0e!
damma$ or the phenoenal 'orld! 0agine yourself then$ in De%a-Chan 'ith those you ay ha%e lo%ed
'ith such iortal lo%e3 'ith the failiar$ shado'y scenes connected 'ith the for a bac&ground and - a
perfect blan& for e%erything else relating to your interior$ social$ political$ literary and social life! And then$
in the face of that spiritual$ purely cogitati%e e6istence$ of that unalloyed felicity 'hich$ in proportion 'ith
the intensity of the feelings that created it$ last fro a fe' to se%eral thousand years$ - call it the "personal
reebrance of A!P! 7innett" - if you can! Dreadfully onotonousL - you ay thin&! - =ot in the least - 0
ans'er! >a%e you e6perienced onotony during - say - that oent 'hich you considered then and
now so consider it - as the oent of the highest bliss you ha%e e%ery feltB - <f course not! - 2ell no
ore 'ill you e6perience it there$ in that passage through 9ternity in 'hich a illion of years is no longer
than a second! #here$ 'here there is no consciousness of an e6ternal 'orld there can be no discernent
to ar& differences$ hence$ - no perception of contrasts of onotony or %ariety3 nothing in short$ outside
that iortal feeling of lo%e and sypathetic attraction 'hose seeds are planted in the fifth$ 'hose
plants blosso lu6uriantly in and around the fourth$ but 'hose roots ha%e to penetrate deep into the si6th
principle if it 'ould sur%i%e the lo'er groups! (And no' 0 propose to &ill t'o birds 'ith one stone - to
ans'er your and )r >ue's 4uestions at the sae tie/ - reeber$ both$ that 'e create oursel%es our
devachan as our avitchi 'hile yet on earth$ and ostly during the latter days and e%en oents of our
intellectual$ sentient li%es! #hat feeling 'hich is the strongest in us at that supree hour3 'hen$ as in a
drea$ the e%ents of a long life$ to their inutest details$ are arshalled in the greatest order in a fe'
seconds in our %ision$ IFootnote- #hat %ision ta&es place 'hen a person is already proclaied dead! #he
brain is the last organ that dies!J - that feeling 'ill becoe the fashioner of our bliss or 'oe$ the life
principle of our future e6istence! 0n the latter 'e ha%e no substantial being$ but only a present and
oentary e6istence$ - 'hose duration has no bearing upon$ as no effect$ or relation to its being - 'hich
as e%ery other effect of a transitory cause 'ill be as fleeting$ and in its turn 'ill %anish and cease to be!
#he real full reebrance of our li%es 'ill coe but at the end of the inor cycle - not before! 0n @ara
*o&a those 'ho retain their reebrance$ 'ill not en1oy it at the supree hour of recollection! - #hose
'ho (now they are dead in their physical bodies can only be either adepts or sorcerers3 and these t'o
are the e6ceptions to the general rule! ;oth ha%ing been "co-'or&ers 'ith nature"$ the forer for good$
the latter for bad$ in her 'or&s of creation and in that of destruction! #hey are the only ones 'ho ay be
called immortal in the &abalistic and the esoteric sense of course! Coplete or true iortality$ - 'hich
eans an unliited sentient e6istence$ can ha%e no brea&s and stoppages$ no arrest of Self-
consciousness! And e%en the shells of those good en 'hose page 'ill not be found issing in the great
;oo& of *i%es at the threshold of the Great =ir%ana$ e%en they 'ill regain their reebrance and an
appearance of 7elf-consciousness$ only after the si6th and se%enth principles 'ith the essence of the ,th
Page 1D,
(the latter ha%ing to furnish the aterial for e%en that partial recollection of personality 'hich is necessary
for the ob1ect in De%a Chan/ - ha%e gone to their gestation period$ not before! 9%en in the case of
suicides and those 'ho ha%e perished by %iolent death$ e%en in their case$ consciousness re4uires a
certain tie to establish its ne' centre of gra%ity$ and e%ol%e$ as 7ir 2! >ailton 'ould ha%e it - its
"perception proper" henceforth to reain distinct fro "sensation proper"! #hus$ 'hen a an dies$ his
'7oul' (fifth prin!/ becoes unconscious and loses all reebrance of things internal as 'ell as e6ternal!
2hether his stay in @aa *o&a has to last but a fe' oents$ hours$ days$ 'ee&s$ onths or years3
'hether he died a natural or a %iolent death3 'hether it occurred in his young or old age$ and$ 'hether
the 9go 'as good$ bad$ or indifferent$ - his consciousness lea%es hi as suddenly as the flae lea%es
the 'ic&$ 'hen blo'n out! 2hen life has retired fro the last particle in the brain atter$ his percepti%e
faculties becoe e6tinct fore%er$ his spiritual po'ers of cogitation and %olition - (all those faculties in
short$ 'hich are neither inherent in$ nor ac4uirable by organic atter/ - for the tie being! >is Mayavi!
rupa ay be often thro'n into ob1ecti%ity$ as in the cases of apparitions after death3 but$ unless it is
pro1ected 'ith the &no'ledge of ('hether latent or potential/$ or o'ing to the intensity of the desire to see
or appear to soeone$ shooting through the dying brain$ the apparition 'ill be siply - autoatical3 it 'ill
not be due to any sypathetic attraction$ or to any act of %olition$ and no ore than the reflection of a
person passing unconsciously near a irror$ is due to the desire of the latter!
>a%ing thus e6plained the position$ 0 'ill su up and as& again 'hy it should be aintained that 'hat is
gi%en by 9liphas *e%i and e6pounded by >!P!;! is "in direct conflict" 'ith y teachingB 9!*! is an
<ccultist$ and a @abalist$ and 'riting for those 'ho are supposed to &no' the rudients of the @abalistic
tenets$ uses the peculiar phraseology of his doctrine$ and >!P!;! follo's suit! #he only oission she 'as
guilty of$ 'as not to add the 'ord "2estern" bet'een the t'o 'ords "<ccult" and doctrine ( !! /! 7he is a
fanatic in her 'ay$ and is unable to 'rite 'ith anything li&e syste and calness$ or to reeber that the
general public needs all the lucid e6planations that to her ay see superfluous! And$ as you are sure to
rear& - "but this is also our case3 and you too see to forget it"$ - 0 'ill gi%e you a fe' ore
e6planations! As rear&ed on the argin of the <ctober Theosophist - the 'ord "iortality" has for the
initiates and occultists 4uite a different eaning! 2e call "iortal" but the one Life in its uni%ersal
collecti%ity and entire or Absolute Abstraction3 that 'hich has neither beginning nor end$ nor any brea& in
its continuity! Does the ter apply to anything elseB Certainly it does not! #herefore the earliest
Chaldeans had se%eral prefi6es to the 'ord "iortality"$ one of 'hich is the Gree&$ rarely-used ter -
panaeonic iortality$ i!e! beginning 'ith the manvantara and ending 'ith the pralaya of our 7olar
Ani%erse! 0t lasts the aeon$ or "period" of our pan or "all nature"! 0ortal then is he$ in the panaeonic
iortality 'hose distinct consciousness and perception of Self under whatever form - undergoes no
dis1unction at any tie not for one second$ during the period of his Egoship! #hose periods are se%eral in
nuber$ each ha%ing its distinct nae in the secret doctrines of the Chaldeans$ Gree&s$ 9gyptians and
Aryans$ and$ 'ere they but aenable to translation$ - 'hich they are not$ at least so long as the idea
in%ol%ed reains inconcei%able to the 2estern ind - 0 could gi%e the to you! 7uffice for you$ for the
present to &no'$ that a an$ an Ego li&e yours or ine$ ay be iortal fro one to the other :ound!
*et us say 0 begin y iortality at the present fourth :ound$ i!e!$ ha%ing becoe a full adept ('hich
unhappily 0 a not/ 0 arrest the hand of Death at 'ill$ and 'hen finally obliged to subit to it$ y
&no'ledge of the secrets of nature puts e in a position to retain y consciousness and distinct
perception of 7elf as an ob1ect to y o'n reflecti%e consciousness and cognition3 and thus a%oiding all
such diseberents of principles$ that as a rule ta&e place after the physical death of a%erage
huanity$ 0 reain as @oothooi in y Ego throughout the 'hole series of births and li%es across the
se%en 'orlds and &rupa-*o&as until finally 0 land again on this earth aong the fifth race of en of the
full fifth :ound beings! 0 'ould ha%e been$ in such a case - "iortal" for an inconcei%able (to you/ long
period$ ebracing any illiards of years! And yet a "0" truly iortal for all thatB Anless 0 a&e the
Page 1D.
sae efforts as 0 do no'$ to secure for yself another such furlough fro =ature's *a'$ @oothooi 'ill
%anish and ay becoe a )r 7ith or an innocent ;abu$ 'hen his lea%e e6pires! #here are en 'ho
becoe such ighty beings$ there are en aong us 'ho ay becoe iortal during the reainder
of the :ounds$ and then ta&e their appointed place aong the highest Chohans$ the Planetary conscious
"9go-7pirits"! <f course the )onad "ne%er perishes 'hate%er happens$" but 9liphas spea&s of the
personal not of the 7piritual 9gos$ and you ha%e fallen into the sae ista&e (and %ery naturally too/ as
C!C!)!3 though 0 ust confess the passage in +sis 'as %ery clusily e6pressed$ as 0 had already
rear&ed to you about this sae paragraph in one of y letters long ago! 0 had to "e6ercise y
ingenuity" o%er it - as the Ean&ees e6press it$ but succeeded in ending the hole$ 0 belie%e$ as 0 'ill ha%e
to any ties ore$ 0 a afraid$ before 'e ha%e done 'ith +sis! 0t really ought to be re!written for the
sa&e of the faily honour!
P 0t is certainly inconceivable3 therefore$ there is no ortal use to discuss the sub1ect!
P Eou isconcei%ed the teaching$ because you 'ere not a'are of 'hat you are no' told- FaB 'ho are the
true co!wor(ers 'ith nature3 and FbB that it is by no eans all the e%il co-'or&ers 'ho drop into the eighth
sphere and are annihilated!
#he potency for evil is as great in an - aye - greater - than the potentiality for good! An e6ception to the
rule of nature$ that e6ception$ 'hich in the case of adepts and sorcerers becoes in its turn a rule$ has
again its o'n e6ceptions! :ead carefully the passage that C!C!)! left un4uoted - on pp +,5-+,+$ +sis$
8olue 1$ para! +! Again she oits to distinctly state that the case entioned relates but to those
po'erful sorcerers 'hose co-partnership 'ith nature for e%il affords to the the eans of forcing her
hand$ and thus accord the also panaeonic iortality! ;ut oh$ 'hat &ind of iortality$ and ho'
preferable is annihilation to their li%esL Don't you see that e%erything you find in +sis is delineated$ hardly
s&etched - nothing copletely or fully re%ealed! 2ell the tie has coe$ but 'here are the 'or&ers for
such a treendous tas&B
( !! / And no' 'hen you ha%e read the ob1ections to that ost unsatisfactory doctrine - as )r >ue calls
it - a doctrine 'hich you had to learn first as a 'hole$ before proceeding to study it in parts$ - at the ris& of
satisfying you no better$ 0 'ill proceed to e6plain the latter!
(1/ Although not "'holly disse%ered fro their si6th and se%enth principles" and 4uite "potent" in the
sance roo$ ne%ertheless to the day 'hen they 'ould ha%e died a natural death$ they are separated
fro the higher principles by a gulf! #he si6th and se%enth reain passi%e and negati%e$ 'hereas$ in
cases of accidental death the higher and the lo'er groups utually attract each other! 0n cases of good
and innocent 9gos$ oreo%er$ the latter gra%itates irresistibly to'ard the si6th and se%enth$ and thus -
either slubers surrounded by happy dreas$ or sleeps a drealess profound sleep until the hour
stri&es! 2ith a little reflection$ and an eye to the eternal 1ustice and fitness of things$ you 'ill see 'hy! #he
%icti 'hether good or bad is irresponsible for his death$ e%en if his death 'ere due to soe action in a
pre%ious life or an antecedent birth$ it 'as an act$ in short$ of the *a' of :etribution$ still$ it 'as not the
direct result of an act deliberately coitted by the personal 9go of that life during 'hich he happened to
be &illed! >ad he been allo'ed to li%e longer he ay ha%e atoned for his antecedent sins still ore
effectually- and e%en no'$ the 9go ha%ing been ade to pay off the debit of his a&er (the pre%ious 9go/
is free fro the blo's of retributi%e 1ustice! #he Dhyan Chohans 'ho ha%e no hand in the guidance of the
Page 1DD
living huan 9go$ protect the helpless %icti 'hen it is %iolently thrust out of its eleent into a ne' one$
before it is atured and ade fit and ready for it! 2e tell you 'hat 'e &no'$ for we are made to learn it
through personal e,perience! Eou &no' 'hat 0 ean and 0 CA= 7AE =< )<:9L Ees3 the %ictis
'hether good or bad sleep$ to a'a&e but at the hour of the last /udgement$ 'hich is that hour of the
supree struggle bet'een the si6th and se%enth$ and the fifth and fourth at the threshold of the gestation
state! And e%en after that$ 'hen the si6th and se%enth carrying off a portion of the fifth ha%e gone to their
A&ashic 7aadhi$ e%en then it ay happen that the spiritual spoil fro the fifth 'ill pro%e too 'ea& to be
reborn in De%a-Chan3 in 'hich case it 'ill there and then reclothe itself in a ne' body$ the sub1ecti%e
";eing" created fro the @ara of the %icti (or no-%icti as the case ay be/ and enter upon a ne'
earth-e6istence 'hether upon this or any other planet! 0n no case then$ - 'ith the e6ception of suicides
and shells$ is there any possibility for any other to be attracted to a sance roo! And it is clear that "this
teaching is not in opposition to our forer doctrine" and that 'hile "shells" 'ill be any$ - 7pirits very fe'!
(5/ #here is a great difference in our huble opinion! 2e$ 'ho loo& at it fro a stand-point 'hich 'ould
pro%e %ery unacceptable to *ife 0nsurance Copanies$ say$ that there are %ery fe' if any of the en 'ho
indulge in the abo%e enuerated %ices$ 'ho feel perfectly sure that such a course of action 'ill lead the
e%entually to preature death! 7uch is the penalty of )aya! #he "%ices" 'ill not escape their punishent$
but it is the cause not the effect that 'ill be punished$ especially an unforeseen though probable effect!
As 'ell call a suicide a an 'ho eets his death in a stor at sea$ as one 'ho &ills hiself 'ith
"o%erstudy"! 2ater is liable to dro'n a an$ and too uch brain 'or& to produce a softening of the brain
'hich ay carry hi a'ay! 0n such a case no one ought to cross the Kalapani nor e%en ta&e a bath for
fear of getting faint in it and dro'ned (for 'e all &no' of such cases3/ nor should a an do his duty$ least
of all sacrifice hiself for e%en a laudable and highly-beneficent cause$ as any of us - (>!P!;! for one/ -
do! 2ould )r >ue call her a suicide 'ere she to drop do'n dead o%er her present 'or&B Motive is
e%erything and an is punished in a case of direct responsibility$ ne%er other'ise! 0n the %icti's case the
natural hour of death 'as anticipated accidentally$ 'hile in that of the suicide$ death is brought on
%oluntarily and 'ith a full and deliberate &no'ledge of its iediate conse4uences! #hus a an 'ho
causes his death in a fit of teporary insanity is not a felo de se to the great grief and often trouble of the
*ife 0nsurance Copanies! =or is he left a prey to the teptations of the @aa *o&a but falls asleep li&e
any other %icti! A Guiteau 'ill not reain in the earth's atosphere 'ith his higher principles o%er hi -
inacti%e and paralysed$ still there! Guiteau is gone into a state during the period of 'hich$ he 'ill be ever
firing at his resident$ thereby tossing into confusion and shuffling the destinies of illions of persons3
'here he 'ill be ever tried and ever hung! ;athing in the reflections of his deeds and thoughts -
especially those he indulged in on the scaffold ! ! ! his fate! As for those 'ho 'ere "&noc&ed o%er by
cholera$ or plague$ or 1ungle fe%er" they could not ha%e succubed had they not the gers for the
de%elopent of such diseases in the fro birth!
7o then$ the great bul& of the physical phenoena of 7piritualists" y dear brother$ are not "due to these
7pirits" but indeed - to "shells"!
(+/ #he 7pirits of %ery fair a%erage good people dying natural deaths reain !!! in the earth's atosphere
fro a fe' days to a fe' years"$ the period depending on their readiness to eet their creature not their
creator3 a %ery abstruse sub1ect you 'ill learn later on$ 'hen you too are ore prepared! ;ut 'hy should
they "counicate"B Do those you lo%e counicate 'ith you during their sleep ob1ecti%elyB Eour
7pirits$ in hours of danger or intense sypathy$ %ibrating on the sae current of thought - 'hich in such
cases creates a &ind of telegraphic spiritual 'ire bet'een your t'o bodies - ay eet and utually
Page 1DC
ipress your eories3 but then you are living$ not dead bodies! ;ut ho' can an unconscious ,th
principle (see supra/ ipress or counicate 'ith a li%ing organis$ unless it has already becoe a
shellB 0f$ for certain reasons they reain in such a state of lethargy for se%eral years$ the spirits of the
li%ing ay ascend to the$ as you 'ere already told3 and this ay ta&e place still easier than in
De%achan$ 'here the Spirit is too uch engrossed in his personal bliss to pay uch attention to an
intruding eleent! 0 say - they cannot!
(?/ 0 a sorry to contradict your stateent! 0 &no' of no "thousands of spirits" 'ho do appear in circles -
and oreo%er positi%ely do not &no' of one "perfectly pure circle" and "teach the highest orality"! 0
hope 0 ay not be classed 'ith slanderers in addition to other naes lately besto'ed upon e$ but truth
copels e to declare that Allan @ardec 'as not 4uite iaculate during his lifetie$ nor has becoe a
very pure Spirit since! As to teaching the "highest orality"$ 'e ha%e a Dugpa-7haar not far fro
'here 0 a residing! Ouite a rear&able an! =ot %ery po'erful as a sorcerer but e6cessi%ely so as a
drun&ard$ a thief$ a liar$ and - an orator! 0n this latter role he could gi%e points to and beat )essrs
Gladstone$ ;radlaugh$ and e%en the :ec! >!2! ;eecher - than 'ho there is no ore elo4uent preacher
of orality$ and no greater brea&er of his *ord's Coandents in the A!7!A! #his 7hapa-tung *aa$
'hen thirsty$ can a&e an enorous audience of "yello'-cap" layen 'eep all their yearly supply of
tears 'ith the narrati%e of his repentance and suffering in the orning$ and then get drun& in the e%ening
and rob the 'hole %illage by eserising the into a dead sleep! Preaching and teaching orality 'ith
an end in %ie' pro%es %ery little! :ead "K!P!#!'s" article in Light and 'hat 0 say 'ill be corroborated!
(#o A!P!7! (,// #he "obscuration" coes on only 'hen the last an of 'hate%er :ound has passed into
the sphere of effects! =ature is too 'ell$ to atheatically ad1usted to cause ista&es to happen in the
e6ercise of her functions! #he obscuration of the planet on 'hich are no' e%oluting the races of the fifth
:ound en - 'ill$ of course "be behind the fe' avant couriers" 'ho are no' here! ;ut before that tie
coes 'e 'ill ha%e to part$ to eet no ore$ as the 9ditor of the ioneer and his huble correspondent!
And no' ha%ing sho'n that the 1ctober =uber of the Theosophist 'as not utterly wrong$ nor 'as it at
"%ariance 'ith the later teaching"$ ay @!>! set you to "reconcile the t'o"B
#o reconcile you still ore 'ith 9liphas$ 0 'ill send you a nuber of his )77! that ha%e ne%er been
published in a large$ clear$ beautiful hand'riting 'ith y coents all through! =othing better than that
can gi%e you a &ey to @abalistic puzzles!
0 ha%e to 'rite to )r >ue this 'ee&3 to gi%e hi consolation$ and to sho'$ that unless he has a strong
desire to li%e$ he need not trouble hiself about Devachan! Anless a an loves 'ell or hates as 'ell$ he
'ill be neither in De%a-Chan nor in A%itchi! "=ature spe's the lu&e-'ar out of her outh" eans only
that she annihilates their personal 9gos (not the shells nor yet the si6th principle/ in the @aa *o&a and
the De%achan! #his does not pre%ent the fro being iediately reborn - and$ if their li%es 'ere not
%ery very bad$ - there is no reason 'hy the eternal )onad should not find the page of the life intact in the
;oo& of *ife!
@!>!
Page 1D9
G+OSSA(5
#his Glossary is copiled fro definitions of$ and eanings ascribed to$ %arious 7ans&rit and other ters
used in the boo&$ gi%en in >!P! ;la%ats&y's "#heosophical Glossary"$ Geoffrey A! ;arbor&a's "Glossary of
7ans&rit #ers"$ "<ccult Glossary" by G! de Puru&er and the Glossary to "#he @ey to #heosophy"!
-oOo-
Abidhar#a4 #he etaphysical (third/ part of Tripita(a$ a %ery philosophical ;uddhist 'or& by @atyayana!
Abso!ute! #he ad1ecti%e deri%ed fro 'Absoluteness'! 2hen predicated of the A=089:7A* P:0=C0P*9 it
denotes an abstract noun 'hich is ore correct and logical than to apply the ad1ecti%e in the "Absolute"
to that 'hich has neither attributes nor liitation$ nor can 0# ha%e any!
Adept! Fro the *atin adeptus$ ">e 'ho has obtained"! 0n <ccultis one 'ho has reached the stage of
0nitiation$ and becoe a )aster in the science of 9soteric Philosophy!
Aga#a Sutra! A portion of the ;uddhist scriptures! Agaa eans coing$ ad%ent3 7utra eans a
thread!
Aha#7ara (alt! Ahan7ara/! #he conception of "0"$ 7elf-consciousness or 7elf-identity3 the "0"$ the
egotistical and Mayavic principle in an$ due to our ignorance 'hich separates our "0" fro the Ani%ersal
<=9-79*F$ Personality 9gois! 7iply egoity!
A7asha (alt! A7asa/! #he subtle$ super-sensuous spiritual essence 'hich per%ades all space3 the
priiti%e substance erroneously identified 'ith 9ther! 0t is to 9ther 'hat spirit is to atter or &tma to
Kama!rupa! 0t is$ in fact$ the Ani%ersal 7pace in 'hich lies inherent the eternal ideation of the Ani%erse in
its e%er-changing aspects on the planes of atter and ob1ecti%ity$ fro 'hich radiates !!! e6pressed
thought!
A!aya! #he Ani%ersal 7oul! #he nae belongs to the #ibetan syste of the conteplati%e Mahayana
7chool! 0t is identical 'ith &(asa in its ystic sense and 'ith Muhlapra(riti$ in its essence$ as it is the
basis or root of all things!
A!aya-&iInana! A copound of &laya as defined abo%e and *i)nana$ the principle 'hich d'ells in the
8i1nanaaya @osha (the sheath of intellect/ and corresponds to the faculties of >igher )anas!
Anastasis! #he continued e6istence of the 7oul!
Page 1C0
Ano!a! *it! R'ant of understanding3 the nae gi%en to the lo'er )anas 'hen too closely allied 'ith
@aa!
Antah7arana! #he path or bridge bet'een the >igher and the *o'er )anas$ the di%ine Ego$ and the
personal soul of an! 0t ser%es as a ediu of counication bet'een the t'o$ and con%eys fro the
*o'er to the >igher 9go$ all those personal ipressions and thoughts of en 'hich can$ by their nature
be assiilated and stored by the undying 9ntity$ and be thus ade iortal 'ith it$ these being the only
9leents of the e%anescent ersonality that sur%i%e death and tie! 0t thus stands to reason that it is
only that 'hich is noble$ spiritual and di%ine in an can testify in 9ternity to his ha%ing li%ed!
Arupa +oca! *iterally a place of no for! :upa is for$ Arupa is forless$ *oca siply eans a place!
Arupa 8ashara! 9soterically ystic sound! 2ashara is sound$ as bird-song$ hu of insects$ etc!
Ashta-&iInyana4 Ashta literally eans eight! 8i1nyana corresponds to the faculties of the >igher )ind!
Astra! .ody! #he ethereal counterpart or shado' of an or anial! #he Linga Sarira (4!%!/$ the
"Doppelgaenger" or double$ not to be confused 'ith the A7#:A* 7<A*$ another nae for the lo'er
)anas or @aa-)anas$ so-called$ the reflection of the >igher 9go!
Astra! +ight! #he in%isible region that surrounds our globe$ as it does e%ery other$ and corresponding to
the second Principle of @osos (the third being *ife$ of 'hich it is the %ehicle/ and to the *inga-7arira or
the Astral Double in an! #he subtle 9ssence$ %isible only to a clair%oyant eye and the lo'est but one
(%iz!$ the earth/ of the 7e%en A&asic or @osic Principles!
Asuras! #he Asuras$ esoterically$ are spiritual and di%ine beings in spite of the coon e6oteric eaning
of eleentals and e%il gods!
At#a;n<! #he Ani%ersal 7pirit$ the di%ine )onad$ the se%enth Principle$ so-called$ in the septenary
constitution of an! #he 7upree 7oul!
Atta'ada! #he sin of personality!
Au#4 #he sacred syllable3 the triple-lettered unit3 hence the trinity in one!
Aura! A subtle in%isible essence or fluid 'hich eanates fro huan and anial bodies and e%en
things! 0t is a psychic efflu%iu$ parta&ing of both the ind and the body$ as it is the electro-%ital and at
the sae tie and electro-ental aura3 called in #heosophy the a&ashic or agnetic aura! #he Auric
;ody is this aura regarded as an entity! 7ee ho'e%er Auric 9gg belo'!
Page 1C1
Auric Egg or En'e!ope! 0n 9soteric 7cience this is an a&ashic sheath surrounding all the principles of a
an! 0t endures fro life to life and contains all the &aric influences and effects generated by a an
during his physical li%es! 0t is so to spea& the boundary of a an's spiritual being dear&ing hi 'hilst he
reains an indi%iduality fro the generality of cosic life!
A'ai'artya! *it! non-receding! A ter applied to higher ad%anced ;odhisatt'as!
A'idya! <pposed to 8idya$ @no'ledge! 0gnorance 'hich proceeds fro$ and is produced by$ the illusion
of the senses!
A'itchi! *it! the 'a%eless state! #he state of continuous agony$ not necessarily after death only or
bet'een t'o births$ for it can ta&e place on earth as 'ell! 7oe soulless en are condened to it on this
physical plane!
SSSSS
.abu! A respectful for of address3 endearing ter for a ale baby!
.ardo! *it! bet'een$ until$ during$ as long as! 9soterically soeties used for the state bet'een li%es$
after death!
.hut ;.hoot<! Ghost or phanto3 a secondary eaning is "heretics"! #o call the deons is incorrect!
.odhi! A shortened %ersion of ;odhi #ree under 'hich Gautaa$ the ;uddha$ obtained illuination!
;odhi is to a'a&en or enlighten$ hence spiritual 'isdo!
.odhisatt$a! *it! "he$ 'hose essence (satt%a/ has becoe intelligence (bodhi/"! <ne 'ho needs but
one ore incarnation to becoe a perfect ;uddha$ to be entitled to =ir%ana!
.rah#a;n<! #he ipersonal$ supree and uncognizable Principle of the Ani%erse fro the essence of
'hich all eanates and into 'hich all returns$ 'hich is incorporeal$ iaterial$ unborn$ eternal$
beginningless and endless! 0t is all-per%ading$ aniating the highest god as 'ell as the sallest ineral
ato! 0f spelt 'ith an accent o%er the last 'a' it is the ale and the alleged Creator 'ho e6ists periodically
in his anifestation only$ and then again goes into pralaya$ i!e! disappears and is annihilated!
.uddhi! #he uni%ersal soul or ind3 the spiritual soul in an (the si6th Principle/$ the %ehicle of Ata!
.yang-Tsiub! Purified$ perfect3 ;odhi enlightenent!
SSSS
Page 1C5
Chain ;of 8or!ds<! #he nae gi%en to si6 sub1ecti%e$ non-physical globes and one ob1ecti%e physical
one foring an integral syste corresponding in an to his physical body and his si6 inner principles! An
entirely esoteric conception!
Chhaya! "7hade" or "shado'"3 the astral iage of a person in esoteric philosophy!
Chhipa! *atent$ secret$ occult!
Chi!iocos#! #he ter including the :upa and Arupa *ocas of De%achan!
SSSSS
Dai#on ;Dae#on<! A 'ord 'ith a eaning identical 'ith that of "God"$ "Angel" or "Genius"! #he Daeon
of 7ocrates is the incorruptible part of the an$ or rather the real inner an 'hich 'e call 6ous or the
rational di%ine 9go! #o be distinguished fro "deon"!
De'achan! *it! the "d'elling of the gods"3 a state interediate bet'een t'o earth li%es$ in 'hich the 9go
(Ata-;uddhi-)anas or the #rinity ade <ne/ enters after its separation fro @aa-:upa and the
disintegration of the lo'er principles on earth!
Dhar#a7aya! *it! "the glorified spiritual body"! #he third or highest of the three bodies de%eloped by
e%ery initiate 'ho has crossed or reached the end of 'hat is called "the fourth Path" (in 9sotericis the
si6th portal prior to his entry on the se%enth/! #his body corresponds to the buddhic plane of
consciousness! #he three bodies are 1/ =irana&aya$ 5/
7abhoga&aya and +/ Dera&aya$ the last being the highest and ost subliated of all as it places the
ascetic on the threshold of =ir%ana!
Dhyani! An abbre%iation of Dhyan Chohan (see belo'/!
Dhyan Chohan! #he "*ords of *ight"! #he highest gods ans'ering to the :oan Catholic archangels$
the di%ine 0ntelligences charged 'ith the super%ision of Cosos!
Dindha-Dhana! )isconcei%ed treasures!
Doppe!gaenger! A synony of the "Double" and of the "Astral ;ody" in occult parlance!
Dra'ya! 7ubstance (etaphysically/!
Page 1C+
Dugpa! *atterly the ter has becoe a synony for "sorcerer"$ "adept of blac& agic" and e%erything
%ile! 0t is fro the Dugpas that orientalists ha%e learned of ;uddho-*aais in #ibet and ha%e fored a
copletely 'rong ipression of it! ;ecause of this =orthern ;uddhis in its purified$ etaphysical for
is alost entirely un&no'n!
SSSSS
Ego! "7elf"3 the consciousness in an "0 A) 0" - or the feeling of "0-a-ship"! 9soteric philosophy teaches
the e6istence of t'o "9gos" in an$ the ortal or "personal"$ and the >igher$ the Di%ine and the
0personal$ calling the forer "Personality" and the latter "0ndi%iduality"!
E!e#ent! 0n <ccultis the 'ord is applied to the old philosophers' eleents of 9arth$ 2ater$ Air and Fire!
<ccultis adds another$ "9ther"$ 'hich is 1ust starting to anifest and there are t'o ore to coe in the
si6th and se%enth :ounds! 9ach eleent has a correspondence 'ith a tatt%a$ a sense$ a sound$ and so
on!
E!e#enta!! 7pirits of the 9leents$ the creatures e%ol%ed in the four &ingdos or eleents - earth$ air$
fire and 'ater! #hese 'ere called by the @abalists$ gnoes (of the earth/$ sylphs (of the air/$
salaanders (of fire/ and undines (of 'ater/! 96cept a fe' of the higher &inds$ and their rulers$ they are
rather forces of nature !! and ha%e any naes as 'little people' etc!
E!e#entary! Properly the disebodied soul of the depra%ed$ these souls ha%ing soe tie prior to death
separated fro thesel%es their di%ine spirit and so lost their chance for iortality3 the ter is also
applied to the spoo&s or phantos of disebodied persons in general$ i!e! to those 'hose teporary
habitation is the @aa *oca!
E!ohi#! #his sees to be the plural of the feinine noun 9loah !! and sees to iply the eitted acti%e
and passi%e essences !! "9lohi" has been said to represent a se%enfold po'er of Godhead!
SSSSS
Facies hippocratica! Facies eans 'general aspect'$
>ippocrates 'as a Gree& physician of the pre-Christian era!
SSSSS
G!obes (A - G/! 0t is said in <ccultis that the earth is one of se%en globes of a Chain$ itself physical and
ob1ecti%e but its si6 copanion globes are sub1ecti%e and in%isible! 0t is said that during the life of a globe
the life 'a%e passes se%en ties round the Chain and that in each :ound the &ingdos of =ature
including the huan go through se%en e%olutionary stages! #he huan stages are &no'n as :oot
:aces!
Gnosis! *it! &no'ledge! #he technical ter used by the 7chools of :eligious Philosophy$ both before and
Page 1C?
during the first centuries of so-called Christianity$ to denote the ob1ect of their en4uiry! #his 7piritual and
7acred @no'ledge$ the Gupta 8idya of the >indus$ could only be obtained by 0nitiation into 7piritual
)ysteries of 'hich the cereonial ")ysteries" 'ere a type!
SSSSS
2iranyagarbha (soeties as t'o 'ords >iranya Garbha/! #he radiant or golden egg or 'ob!
9soterically the luinous "fire-ist" or ethereal stuff fro 'hich the Ani%erse 'as fored!
SSSSS
Incubi4 #he plural of 0ncubus! 7oething ore real and dangerous than the ordinary eaning gi%en to
the 'ord$ %iz!$ that of nightare !! #he spoo&s of ediae%al deonology called forth fro the in%isible
regions by huan passions and lusts!
Initiates! #he designation of anyone 'ho 'as recei%ed into$ and had re%ealed to hi$ the ysteries and
secrets of either )asonry or <ccultis !! 0n our odern days those 'ho ha%e been initiated by the
Adepts of )ystic *ore into the ysterious &no'ledge$ 'hich$ not'ithstanding the lapse of ages$ has yet a
fe' real %otaries on earth!
SSSSS
3ettatore! <ne possessing the "e%il eye"!
3hana! @no'ledge3 occult 'isdo!
3i'a4 *ife$ as the Absolute3 the )onad also or "Ata-;uddhi"!
3i'an#u7ta! An Adept or Eogi 'ho has reached the ultiate state of holiness$ and separated hiself
fro atter3 a )ahata$ or =ir%anee$ a d'eller in bliss and eancipation! 8irtually one 'ho has reached
=ir%ana during life!
3i'at#a! #he <ne uni%ersal life$ generally3 but also the di%ine 7pirit in )an!
SSSSS
a! A nae of ;raha in his phallic character as generator or Pra1apati!
aba!ah4 #he hidden 'isdo of the >ebre' :abbis of the iddle ages deri%ed fro the older secret
doctrines concerning di%ine things and cosogony !!
a!apani! Punishent for the 'orst %iolators of la's (ci%il/!
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a!pa4 #he tie period of a planet$ generally a cycle of tie$ but usually representing a "day" and "night"
of ;raha$ a period of ?$+50 illion years!
a#a4 #he first conscious$ all-ebracing desire for uni%ersal good$ lo%e$ and for all that li%es and feels$
needs help and &indness$ the first feeling of infinite tender copassion and ercy that arose in the
consciousness of the <=9 F<:C9 as soon as it cae into life and being as a ray fro the A;7<*A#9!
)ore coonly thought of as e%il desire$ lust$ %olition3 clea%ing to e6istence! @aa is generally identified
'ith )ara$ the tepter!
a#a-!oca! #he sei-aterial plane$ to us sub1ecti%e and in%isible$ 'here the disebodied
"personalities"$ the astral fors$ called @aa rupa reain until they fade out fro it by the coplete
e6haustion of the effects of the ental ipulses that created these eidolons of huan and anial
passions and desires!
a#a-prana! A copound of @aa and Prana$ 'hich see!
a#a-rupa! )etaphysically$ and in our esoteric philosophy$ it is the sub1ecti%e for created through the
ental and physical desires and thought in connection 'ith things of atter$ by all sentient beings$ a for
'hich sur%i%es the death of their bodies3 this for plays an iportant part in the after death states and
processes! #hese ha%e a definite ter in relation to it and 'hen they are o%er the for disintegrates!
a#a$achar;a<! ;elonging to @aa-loca3 one de%oted to sensuous pleasure or personal desires!
ar#a! Physically$ action3 etaphysically$ the la' of retribution$ the la' of cause and effect or ethical
causation$ neesis only in one sense$ that of bad @ara !! 0t is the po'er that controls all things$ the
resultant of oral action !! #he oral effect of an act coitted for the attainent of soething that
gratifies a personal desire! #here is a personal erit and a @ara of deerit! @ara neither punishes
nor re'ards$ it is siply the one Ani%ersal *a' 'hich guides unerringly$ and$ so to say blindly$ all other
la's producti%e of certain effects$ along the groo%es of their respecti%e causations!
arya-rupa! 0n the for of action3 to suppleent or translate into action!
ha! #he sae as "A&asa"!
haba! #he s4uare building in )ecca$ ob1ect of pilgriage!
osha4 *it! a sheath$ as in Anandaaya-&osha$ "the illusi%e sheath of bliss"$ identical 'ith our Ata-
;uddhi or the 7piritual 7oul! A aya%ic or illusory for! <ne of the fi%e @oshas or "principles" in an$
Page 1C.
u#ara! *it! a %irgin boy or young celibate$ a holy youth! #he nae 'as gi%en to a class of high spiritual
entities associated 'ith the %ery early de%elopent of huanity! #'o other classes entioned 'ere the
Agnish%attas and the )anasaputras!
SSSSS
+a#a4 0n #ibet this title$ if correctly applied$ belongs only to the priests of superior grades$ those 'ho can
hold office as gurus in the onasteries$ but the title has becoe soe'hat debased!
+ha! 7pirit of the highest spheres$ 'hence the nae of *hasa$ residence of the Dalai *aa! #itle often
gi%en to saints and yogis in #ibet 'ho ha%e attained great occult po'ers!
+icanthropy! (*ycanthropy/ #he po'er of changing oneself into an anial (properly a 'olf/!
+inga Sarira! #he "Astral ;ody" of an or anial3 the %ital and prototypal body3 the reflection of the an
of flesh! 0t is born before and dies or fades out$ 'ith the disappearance of the last ato of the body!
+ogos! #he anifested deity 'ith e%ery nation and people3 the out'ard e6pression$ or the effect of the
cause 'hich is e%er concealed! #hus$ speech is the logos of thought3 hence it is aptly translated by the
"8erbu" and "2ord" in its etaphysical sense!
SSSSS
"aha-but! *it! )aha great and but (bhut/ a ghost or phanto3 soeties the ter is applied to one of
the se%en great 9leent Principles!
"ahat! *it! the "great one"! #he first principle of Ani%ersal 0ntelligence and Consciousness! #he producer
of )anas$ the thin&ing principle and of Ahan&ara$ egotis or the feeling of "0 a 0" in the lo'er anas!
"ahat#a! *it! great soul! Adepts of the highest order$ e6alted beings 'ho$ ha%ing attained the astery
o%er their lo'er principles$ are thus li%ing unipeded by the "an of flesh"$ and are in possession of
&no'ledge and po'er coensurate 'ith the stage they ha%e reached in their spiritual e%olution3 Arhats!
"a7sha! >ypocrisy3 concealing one's %ie's!
"anas! *it! the ind$ the ental faculty 'hich a&es of an an intelligent and oral being$ and
distinguishes hi fro the ere anials! 9soterically it eans 'hen un4ualified the >igher 9go or the
sentient reincarnating Principle in an! 2hen 4ualified$ it is ;uddhi-)anas or the 7piritual 7oul in
contradistinction to its huan reflection$ @aa-)anas!
"anasa! *it! the efflu6 of the Di%ine )ind$ signifying the )anasa or Di%ine 7ons$ arupa and incorporeal$
Page 1CD
of )ahat !! (#hey/ are identical 'ith @uara$ the )anasa-Putra (ind sons/ and are finally identified 'ith
the huan "9gos"!
"anasa-Putra! *it! sons of )ind$ see abo%e! Also tered the 7olar Pitris$ the great benefactors of the
huan race acting in the capacity of a'a&ening the dorant ind principle during the #hird :oot :ace of
huanity!
"anas TaiIasa4 *it! the radiant )anas! A state of the >igher 9go$ 'hich only high etaphysicians are
able to realize and coprehend!
"anu! A great :egent or 2atcher of a planetary syste! #here are 1? )anus (D prie%al ones/ 'ho are
each the patron or guardian of a cycle in a )an%antara! 0n 0ndia a great
legislator$ hence the *a's of )anu!
"an'antara4 A period of anifestation as opposed to Pralaya (dissolution or rest/! Applied to %arious
cycles$ especially to a day of ;raha$ ?$+50 illion 7olar years!
"ara! #he Destroyer$ the 9%il <ne3 the god of #eptation$ hence the "death" of the soul$ the seducer 'ho
tried to turn ;uddha a'ay fro his path!
"aya! 0llusion3 the cosic po'er 'hich renders phenoenal e6istence and the perceptions thereof
possible! 0n >indu philosophy that alone 'hich is changeless and eternal is called reality3 all that 'hich is
sub1ect to change$ to decay and differentiation and 'hich has therefore a beginning and an end is
regarded as aya - illusion!
"aya'i-rupa! "0llusi%e for"3 the "double" in esoteric philosophy$ to be distinguished fro the *inga
7arira3 the %ehicle of pro1ection!
"etanoia4 Change3 spiritual con%ersion3 repentance3 transforation!
"onad4 #he Anity$ the 1ne3 in <ccultis it often eans the unified triad$ Ata-;uddhi-)anas$ or the
duad$ Ata-;uddhi$ that iortal part of an 'hich reincarnates in the lo'er &ingdos$ and gradually
progresses through the to )an and then to the final goal - =ir%ana!
"u!apra7riti! #he abstract deific feinine principle -undifferentiated substance! A&asa! *it! the "root of
nature" (Pra&riti/ or )atter!
"ya!ba! 0n esoteric philosophy of =orthern ;uddhis the nae of our 9arth$ called #ell for those 'ho
reincarnate in it for punishent!
Page 1CC
Nephesh! ;reath of life! 0n theosophical teachings the synony of the Prana-@aic principle or the %ital
anial 7oul in an!
Nidana! <ne of the t'el%e causes of e6istence3 as lin&s in the chain of causation of the 'hole range of
e6istence! #he =idanas are listed under their 7ans&rit naes in the #heosophical Glossary!
Nipang! Crippled3 'orthless!
Nir#ana7aya4 *it! a transfored "body"3 a state3 a an 'ho$ 'hile lea%ing behind his physical body$
retains e%ery other principle sa%e the &aic! 0nstead of entering =ir%ana he reains to help an&ind in
an in%isible yet effecti%e anner!
Nir'ana4 #he state of absolute e6istence and absolute consciousness$ that of an 9go 'ho has reached
the highest degree of perfection and holiness during life$ after the body dies!
Nou#ena! #he true essential nature of being as distinguished fro the illusi%e ob1ects of sense!
Nous! #he >igher )ind or 7oul3 7pirit as distinct fro anial soul - psyche3 di%ine consciousness or
ind in an!
SSSSS
Occu!t! *it! hidden! #he secrets of =ature at all le%els of being! An <ccultist is one 'ho studies the!
<ccultis co%ers all arcane sciences!
Ody!e! )atter$ tenuous! A force supposed to anifest in light$ agnetis$ cheical action$ hypnotis$
etc! (:eichenbach/!
SSSSS
Parabrah#! *it! beyond ;raha! #he 7upree 0nfinite ;raha$ "Absolute" -$ the attributeless$
secondless reality! #he ipersonal and naeless uni%ersal Principle!
Para#anu-rupa! #he for of an ato or infinitesially sall particle!
Para#at#a;n<! #he 7upree 7oul of the Ani%erse!
Paranir'ana! Absolute =on-;eing$ the state reached by the huan )onad at the end of the Great Cycle!
Page 1C9
Pisachas! Fading renants of huan beings in @aa-loca$ as shells and 9leentaries!
Pra7riti4 #he aterial aspect in =ature in general as opposed to Purusha$ the spiritual nature and 7pirit!
Pra!aya! A period of obscuration or repose - planetary$ cosic or uni%ersal! #he opposite of )an%antara!
Prana4 *ife principle3 the breath of life!
Princip!e;s<! #he 9leents or original essences$ the basic differentiations upon and of 'hich all things
are built up3 the se%en indi%idual and fundaental aspects of the one uni%ersal reality in @osos and in
an!
Protean! <f any shapes or aspects3 fro Proteus!
Psyche! *it! soul- in #heosophy the ortal soul$ the inner (fourth and lo'er fifth/ principles of Personality!
SSSSSS
(apport! :elation- sypathy$ eotional bond- spiritualistic touch!
(e!iJuiae! *it! reains! 0n #heosophy the reains of the psyche after death$ in @aa-loca!
(osicrucians! <riginally disciples of Christian :osen&reuz (1?.0/3 ystical students of the @abbala and
'estern agic!
(ound;s<! #he passage of the life 'a%e round the se%en globes of a planetary Chain! #his earth is in its
fourth :ound!
(upa! ;ody- for$ the fors of the gods 'hich are sub1ecti%e to us!
(upa$achara! <ne belonging to the doain of for3 one de%oted to %isual ob1ects or fine aterial!
SSSSS
Sa77ayaditthi! False belief that the personality (7a&&aya/ is peranent and unchanging!
Sa#adhi! A state of ecstatic and coplete trance$ conferring absolute control o%er all faculties!
Page 190
Sa##a-Sa#buddha! #he recollection of all one's past incarnations- a yoga phenoenon! A title of
;uddha$ perfect illuination!
Sanna! A 7&andha$ abstract ideas!
S7andha;s<4 *it! group of attributes! Characteristics 'hich for the personality!
So#na#bu!;is#<! *it! sleep'al&ing! Perforing e%ery function of 'a&ing consciousness in one's sleep
'ith utter obli%ion of the fact on 'a&ing!
Srotapanna4 <ne 'ho has "entered the strea"3 attained the first grade of sanctification3 a con%erted
an!
Sthu!a-sarira! #he gross physical body$ the lo'est of an's se%en principles!
Succubi4 Feale de%ils supposed to consort 'ith en during sleep!
Su7ha'iti4 A paradise of physical delights en1oyed bet'een li%es$ a ista&en notion of De%achan!
Sushupti4 #he state of deep sleep- the third of the ? states of consciousness!
SSSSS
Tanha! #he thirst for life!
Tan#atra;s<4 A characteristic property3 nouena of the eleent-principles of earth$ 'ater$ air$ fire and
ether!
Tara7a (aIa 5oga! A syste of brahinical Eoga culinating in liberation!
Tathagata! <ne 'ho is li&e his predecessors (the ;uddhas/ and successors!
Terra incognita! *it! un&no'n territory!
Tetra7tis! #he sacred Pythagorean Four3 sae as #etragraaton$ sybolized by a triangle of four dots
a side 'ith one in the iddle a&ing ten dots$ the nuber of perfection!
Page 191
Theosophist! A student of #heosophy$ the Ancient 2isdo$ the 2isdo :eligion$ 9soteric 7cience$
<ccultis$ etc! <ne 'ho tries to li%e in accordance 'ith the eternal %erities of e6istence!
Tiaou! A &ind of de%achanic post-orte state!
Tribu'ana! #he three 'orlds$ hea%en$ earth and hell$ in popular beliefs! 9soterically the spiritual$ psychic
(astral/ and the terrestrial regions!
Trisharana4 *it! three conditions of ;odhi ('isdo/ essential$ reflected$ and practical3 attributes of a
=irana&aya$ one 'ho has attained to but renounces the state of =ir%ana in order to ser%e huanity!
Tushita De'a!o7a! #he d'elling place of a class of gods of great purity (>indu/!
SSSSS
1da#bara f!o$er! *it! lotus of great size- a supernatural oen blossoing once e%ery three thousand
years! <ne such blossoing heralded the birth of Gautaa ;uddha!
1padhana! *it! ac4uiring an adhana! Clinging to earth life- a aterial cause!
1padhi! *it! a substitute! A disguise$ basis or %ehicle3 carrier of soething less aterial than itself$ e!g!
body upadhi of spirit!
1panishad;s<4 (>indu/ that 'hich destroys ignorance$ produces liberation of spirit- 'ritings dealing 'ith
etaphysical sub1ects$ %iz! the origin of the uni%erse$ the nature and essence of unanifest deity$ gods$
etc!3 'ritings of great anti4uity!
SSSSS
&ahan;a/! *it! a %ehicle! #he carrier of soething iaterial and forless!
&edana! #he second 7&andha$ perceptions$ senses- the si6th =idana!
&ihara! Place inhabited by ;uddhist priest or ascetic$ teple$ ca%e or onastery!
&i7ara! Alteration3 deterioration3 per%ersion3 change of ind!
&innana! *it! ental po'ers- consciousness$ intelligence! A 7&andha and =idana!
Page 195
&ishaya! An ob1ect of sense3 a 'orldly ob1ect or concern!
&ishnu! A sustaining force in the Ani%erse- preser%er$ second person of >indu trinity!
SSSSS
5e-da##a! Faous ;uddhist antra suarizing the ;uddhist essage!
5in 5onan! *it! earth and s&y! Dar&ness and *ight!
5oga-ba!!u! #he po'er of de%otion or editation3 any 'supernatural' po'er!
Page 19+

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