g. de purucker - the four sacred seasons
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Theosophical University Press Online Edition
The Four Sacred Seasons
by G. de Purucker
First edition copyright © 1979 by Theosophical University Press (PDFeBook and print versions also available) !lectronic version "#B$ 97%&1&''7&7&%
*ll rights reserved This edition +ay be do,nloaded -ree o- charge -or personal .se!/cept -or brie- e/cerpts0 no part o- this p.blication +ay be reprod.ced or trans+itted
-or co++ercial or other .se in any -or+ ,itho.t the prior per+ission o- TheosophicalUniversity Press For ease o- searching0 ,ords are not accented in this ht+l version
CONTENTS
Fore,ord
1 inter #olstice
2 #pring !3.ino/
#.++er #olstice
4 *.t.+nal !3.ino/
TUP 5nline 6en.
Theosophical University Press0 p.blishing and distrib.ting 3.ality theosophical literat.resince 1%%8 P5 Bo/ 0 Pasadena0 * 9119&717 U#*: e&
+ail8 t.press;theosocietyorg: voice8 (2) 79%&7% Free printed catalog available on
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Foreword
=Born o- the +oon0 children o- the s.n0 o--spring o- the stars0 and inheritors o- the
cos+ic spaces ,e and the Bo.ndless are in essence not t,ain b.t one= Tr.ly0 ,eh.+ans are ,ondro.sly -ashioned o- the ele+ents o- the .niverse0 b.t ,e have lost
to.ch ,ith o.r ancestral heritage and kno, not ,here to t.rn
Fi-ty years ago >ott-ried de P.r.cker s.cceeded ?atherine Tingley as internationalleader o- the Theosophical #ociety0 and shortly therea-ter instit.ted reg.lar esotericst.dies in order to strengthen the .nderstanding o- the +e+bers as to the basic goals o-
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the #ociety0 and to a,aken the+ to the deeper di+ensions o- the spirit.al li-e These
st.dies ,ere p.rs.ed not only by the resident sta--0 b.t also by the +e+bershipthro.gho.t the ,orld
T,o years later0 ,hile on his 191 lect.re to.r in !.rope0 Dr de P.r.cker anno.ncedthat hence-orth0 co++encing ,ith the -orthco+ing inter #olstice0 special 3.arterly
gatherings ,o.ld be held at head3.arters in recognition o- the =great spirit.al and psychical events= that take place0 i- the kar+a is propitio.s0 at the -o.r sacred seasons o-
the year0 na+ely0 the inter #olstice0 #pring !3.ino/0 #.++er #olstice0 and *.t.+nal!3.ino/ The seasonal +eetings ,ere s.bse3.ently also held in vario.s national centers
.ntil orld ar "" "n 194' they ,ere again held0 both at head3.arters and abroad0 .ntilthey ,ere discontin.ed a-ter the *.t.+n !3.ino/ o- 19'
For these occasions0 Dr de P.r.cker gave teachings relevant to the respective season0 so
that the s.bli+e e/periences that the prepared candidate -or initiation ,o.ld one day.ndergo +ight0 even no,0 beco+e a living ideal ?ey lines o- teaching0 already treatedo- in the p.blished literat.re0 on B.ddhas and *vataras and their close relationship to
+ankind0 the circ.latory ro.tes o- the solar syste+ -ollo,ed a.to+atically in sleep anddeath and ,ith -.ll a,areness in initiation @ these and other salient doctrines are here
bro.ght together into an ill.+ined synthesis
*s ,e read and re-lect on the panora+a o- tho.ght that is opened be-ore o.r
conscio.sness0 ,e are pro-o.ndly +oved8 ,e int.itively respond to the strea+ o-altr.is+ -lo,ing in .nbroken contin.ity -ro+ the #ilent atcher o- o.r !arth0 thro.gh
the Bodhisattvas and the hrists0 on do,n to .s ordinary h.+an beings *nd ,e areass.red that i- there is the +erest stirring in the so.l to bend oneAs energies o- heart and
head to,ard li-ting the ,eight o- h.+an sorro,0 then one already0 ho,ever.nkno,ingly0 places hi+sel- in align+ent ,ith the bene-icent c.rrents o- nat.re
Ulti+ately0 i- the aspiration is p.re and the ,ill s.stained0 he +ay beco+e a conscio.shelper o- the >reat 5nes in their sel-&sacri-icing labors -or +ankind
These seasonal readings0 no, +ade p.blic -or the -irst ti+e0 are reprod.ced in toto -ro+the original +an.scripts ,ith +ini+al editing They are shared a-ter a near hal-¢.ry
in response to the increasing de+and -or a l.cid and in-or+ed presentation o- ,hatinitiation really is
>*! F ? $5C!
February, 1979 Pasadena, California
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Chapter 1
The Winter Solstice
There are -o.r t.rning points o- the year8 the solstices o- ,inter and s.++er0 and the
e3.ino/es o- the spring and o- the a.t.+n The cycle o- the year a+ong the ancient
peoples ,as al,ays considered to be a sy+bol o- the li-e o- +an or0 indeed0 o- the li-e o-
the .niverse Birth at the inter #olstice0 the beginning o- the year: adolescence @ trials
and their con3.est @ at the #pring !3.ino/: ad.lthood0 -.ll&blo,n strength and po,er0
at the #.++er #olstice0 representing a period o- initiation ,hen the >reat en.nciation
is +ade: and then closing ,ith the *.t.+nal !3.ino/0 the period o- the >reat PassingThis cycle o- the year like,ise sy+bolies the training in chelaship
*t the ti+e o- the inter #olstice0 t,o are the +ain degrees ,hich neophytes or initiants
+.st pass thro.gh0 to ,it0 the -o.rth degree and the seventh or last8 the -o.rth -or less
great +en0 altho.gh they are great +en nonetheless: and the last or seventh initiation0
co+ing b.t at rare intervals as the ages cycle by0 being the birth o- the B.ddhas and o-
the hrists
D.ring the initiation o- those individ.als o- less grandiose spirit.al and intellect.al
capacity than is the h.+an +aterial o.t o- ,hich the B.ddhas are born0 d.ring this
-o.rth initiation0 the post.lant is ta.ght to -ree hi+sel- -ro+ all the tra++els o- +ind and
-ro+ the lo,er -o.r principles o- his constit.tion: and being th.s set -ree he passes along
the +agnetic channels or circ.lations o- the .niverse0 even to the portals o- the #.n0 b.t
there and then he stops and ret.rns Three days .s.ally are the ti+e re3.ired -or this0 and
then the +an arises a -.ll initiate0 b.t ,ith a realiation that ahead o- hi+ are still lo-tier
peaks to scale on that lonely path0 that still path0 that s+all path0 leading to divinity
*s regards the seventh initiation0 this occ.rs in a cycle lasting so+e 201 h.+an years0
the ti+e ,hich it takes -or a odiacal sign to pass thro.gh a constellation back,ards into
the ne/t constellation: in other ,ords0 ,hat is called a+ong +ystics in the 5ccident the
6essianic ycle hen the planets 6erc.ry and <en.s0 and #.n and 6oon and !arth0
are sit.ated in syygy0 then the -reed +onad o- the lo-ty neophyte can pass along the
+agnetic path,ay thro.gh these bodies and contin.e direct to the heart o- the #.n For
-o.rteen days the +an le-t on !arth is as in a trance0 or ,alks abo.t in a dae0 in a 3.asi&
st.por: -or the inner part o- hi+0 the real part o- hi+0 is peregrinating thro.gh the
spheres T,o ,eeks later0 d.ring the light hal- o- the l.nar cycle or +onth0 that is0 ,hen
the +oon stands -.ll0 his peregrinating +onad ret.rns rapidly as -lashing tho.ght along
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the sa+e path,ay by ,hich it ascended to Father #.n0 retaking to itsel- the habili+ents
,hich it dropped on each planet as it passed thro.gh it8 the habili+ents o- 6erc.ry0 the
habili+ents o- <en.s0 the habili+ents o- the 6oon @ o- the l.nar body0 o- the l.nar orb
@ and -ro+ the 6oon the +onad ret.rns to the entranced body le-t behind Then -or a
,hile0 shorter or longer according to circ.+stances0 the neophyteAs ,hole being isirradiated ,ith the solar spirit.al splendor0 and he is a B.ddha E.st =born= *ll his body
is in -la+ing glory0 as it ,ere: and -ro+ his head0 and -ro+ back o- his head in especial0
as an a.reole0 there spring -orth rays0 rays o- glory like a cro,n "t is beca.se o- this that
cro,ns in the 5ccident and diade+s in the Cither !ast ,ere -or+erly ,orn by those ,ho
had passed thro.gh this degree0 -or verily they are #ons o- the #.n0 cro,ned ,ith the
solar splendor
"n these initiations the +an dies "nitiation is death0 death o- the lo,er part o- the +an:
and in act.al -act the body dies b.t is nevertheless held alive0 not by the spirit&so.l
,hich has -lo,n -ro+ it as a b.tter-ly -rees itsel- -ro+ its chrysalis0 b.t kept alive by
those ,ho are ,atching and ,aiting and g.arding "t is d.e to this holding o- the bodily
triad alive that the peregrinating spirit&so.l is enabled -inally to ret.rn as a bird to its
nest0 ,here it recognies its -or+er bodily ho+e0 and is =reborn0= b.t in this case reborn
into the sa+e body D.ring the period o- ti+e ,hen the peregrinating +onad is absent0
,hether it be -or three days or -or -o.rteen0 the e/carnate +onad has -ollo,ed the
path,ays o- death literally0 b.t has done so 3.ickly and ,ithin the -ortnight "n act.al
-act the process is virt.ally identic ,ith that -ollo,ed in the case o- e/carnation and
reincarnation0 -or it ret.rns to the entranced body along the path,ays o- rebirth0 o-
rei+bodi+ent0 and is0 as it ,ere0 reborn into the old body instead o- into a ne, one: and
th.s ,as it said o- s.ch a +an in "ndia that he is a dvija @ as the Brah+ans o- *ryavarta
p.t it @ a =t,ice&born= initiate
This phrase also has one +eaning +ore8 one ,ho is reborn -ro+ the ashes o- the old li-e0
,hich li-e is no, b.rnt o.t and dead B.t it has also the deeper signi-icance o- ,hich "
have spoken These seventh°ree initiations ,hich occ.r once d.ring the 6essianicycle0 and ,hich prod.ce the spirit.al -r.it o- a +inor B.ddha called a Bodhisattva0
+.st not be con-.sed ,ith one o- the greatest o- initiations kno,n to the h.+an race0
that is0 those belonging solely to the racial B.ddhas There are in any root&race b.t t,o
racial B.ddhas B.t the Bodhisattvas o- di--ering degrees o- evol.tionary grande.r are
very n.+ero.s The cyclical Bodhisattvas as above hinted co+e0 one each0 in every
6essianic ycle o- 201 years0 and are .s.ally o- an avataric character
There are cases ,here neophytes -ail0 yet those ,ho -ail have another chance in other
lives: b.t the penalty -or -ail.re in this li-e is either death or +adness0 and the penalty isvery E.st #ole+n indeed are the ,arnings given to those ,ho ,o.ld -ly like the birds
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into the ethers o- the inner ,orlds and -ollo, the tracks o- those ,ho have preceded
the+ along the circ.lations o- the .niverse
hen yo. look .p at the starry night or d.ring the dayti+e raise yo.r eyes and look at
the splendor o- Father #.n shining in the bl.e va.lt o- +idday0 ho, e+pty the spaciale/panse see+s to be @ ho, see+ing vac.o.s0 ho, see+ing void *strono+ers tell .s
that the earth is a sphere poised in the void0 in the ether0 -ree e/cept -or the gravitational
attraction o- the s.n0 and that the earth is -ollo,ing its path,ay0 its orbit0 aro.nd the s.n
not other,ise than gravitationally attached thereto: in short0 that =space= is e+ptiness
*y0 indeed0 space0 +ystically speaking0 is sunyata =e+ptiness= in its esoteric
signi-icance0 b.t by no +eans =e+ptiness= as 5ccidental astrono+ers .nderstand it: -or
verily the space ,hich ,e look at0 ,hich o.r physical eyes think they see @ or donAt see
@ is s.bstance so dense0 so concrete0 that no h.+an conception can give any clear idea
thereo- to the brain&+ind other,ise than by +athe+atics
5ne physicist&astrono+er0 G G Tho+son0 so+e years ago calc.lated that the ether o-
space ,as t,o tho.sand +illion ti+es denser than lead This revoices an old doctrine:
b.t re+e+ber that the proper +anner o- e/pressing this -act all depends .pon the ,ay in
,hich ,e look at it e have eyes evolved to sense0 to pierce0 the +atter o- our sphere0
and ,e see ,hat see+s to .s to be vac.ity0 e+ptiness: b.t act.ally that see+ing vac.ity
or e+ptiness is absol.tely -.ll0 is0 in -act0 a plen.+0 a plero+a0 -.ll o- ,orlds and
spheres and planes0 -.ll o- hierarchies0 o- evolving entities on these ,orlds and spheresand planes
Please try clearly to grasp this idea 5.r entire surya&syste+0 o.r entire solar syste+0
called the !gg o- Brah+a0 +ay be looked at -ro+ one very tr.e standpoint as an
enor+o.s ovoid aggregate body poised in space: and ,ere so+e astrono+er on so+e
distant globe in the stellar deeps to see o.r !gg o- Brah+a0 and ,ere he to see it -ro+
the proper s.perior plane or ,orld0 o.r entire solar syste+ ,o.ld appear to hi+ as an
ovoid body o- light @ as an egg&shaped irresolvable neb.la This ,o.ld incl.de all the
=e+ptiness= that ,e see0 or think ,e see0 the e+ptiness so called0 and there-ore ,o.ld
incl.de all o.r solar ,orld o- the !gg o- Brah+a0 -ro+ the very heart o- Father #.n to
beyond the con-ines o- ,hat astrono+ers call the -arther+ost planets
The !gg o- Brah+a is co+posed o- concentric spheres centered in the #.n0 and each one
o- these spheres is a cos+ic ,orld "ts heart @ the heart o- each one o- the+ @ is the
#.n The ,orld or sphere o- o.r !arth is one s.ch0 and s.rro.nds the #.n as a sphere o-
dense s.bstance0 and the n.cle.s in this sphere or egg0 -or s.ch it is0 is ,hat ,e
co++only call o.r !arth #.ch also is the sphere o- 6erc.ry0 s.ch is the sphere o-<en.s0 s.ch is the sphere o- 6ars0 also o- G.piter0 also o- #at.rn: yes0 and o- Uran.s too
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@ b.t re+e+ber that Uran.s belongs not to o.r o,n syste+ o- sacred ,orlds0 altho.gh
it belongs to o.r !gg o- Brah+a
"n this connection note ,ell that altho.gh any concentric sphere s.ch as that o- o.r
!arth0 or that o- G.piter0 or that o- 6erc.ry0 is de -acto s.ch an !gg or #phere o- Brah+a0yet the n.cle.s o- each s.ch sphere or planet0 i- seen in +otion -ro+ another plane0
,o.ld appear to be a ,ave or ripple advancing steadily in and aro.nd a solid or
se+isolid one or belt: this one or belt act.ally being ,hat ,e call on o.r plane the
loc.s o- the orbit o- s.ch planetary body as o- !arth0 or o- G.piter0 or o- 6erc.ry The
+eaning o- this again is that a planetary orbit0 s.ch as that o- !arth seen -ro+ another
plane0 is an act.al belt or one s.rro.nding the #.n0 being the path,ay0 so to speak0 o-
the n.cle.s ,hich in this one can be considered in +ove+ent as a ripple or ,ave
+oving steadily aro.nd this belt0 or one0 or ring Fro+ ,hat has E.st been said0 it
beco+es i++ediately obvio.s that ,hat ,e call a planet can be properly vie,ed -ro+
three di--erent planes o- vision0 as three di--erent things8 -irst0 as a globe s.ch as ,e on
this plane see it: second0 -ro+ another plane as a ,ave or ripple0 circ.larly advancing in
and -ollo,ing the co.rse o- an ann.lar one or belt s.rro.nding the #.n: and third0 as a
concentric sphere0 or rather spheroid0 or egg0 ,ith its center at the heart o- the #.n
These concentric ,orlds or spheres are in constant circ.lar +ove+ent o- revol.tion
aro.nd the heart o- the #.n0 the spheres ,ithin each other so+e,hat like the skins o- an
onion0 and yet each one is -or+ed o- di--erent +atters in a sense0 o- +atters in a di--erentstate -ro+ the +atters o- the other spheres0 and hence they pass thro.gh each other as
easily as i- the others did not e/ist Th.s it is that o.r eye can see so+e o- the stellar
bodies lying beyond the orbits o- 6ars and o- G.piter and o- #at.rn *ll ,e see o- the
stellar host o.tside o- o.r !gg o- Brah+a happens to be those partic.lar stars or s.ns
,hich0 by reason o- their having attained the sa+e degree o- +aterial evol.tion ,hereon
,e o.rselves no, stand and ,here o.r physical s.n is0 there-ore are visible to o.r organs
o- sight ere ,e living on another plane0 o.r vision co.ld not penetrate the respective
+atters0 other,ise the orbits or spheres0 o- 6ars or G.piter or o- #at.rn These three planets alone hide billions and billions and billions o- s.ns that ,e d.ring o.r present
+anvantara or ,orld&cycle cannot ever see #o+e day in the -ar distant -.t.re0 as
evol.tion ,orks on the +atter o- o.r ,orld&sphere0 ,e shall see so+e o- the raEa&s.ns
no, hid by these three planets @ by the spheres o- these three planets0 -or the planets
and their respective spheres are really the sa+e "t is precisely beca.se the !gg o-
Brah+a is s.bstantial thro.gho.t0 and that interplanetary space is there-ore s.bstantial
thro.gho.t0 that light belonging to this -o.rth cos+ic plane can pass -ro+ stars to .s
"n speaking o- these concentric spheres0 please re+e+ber also that a proper conceptiono- the str.ct.re and characteristics o- the !gg o- Brah+a +.st incl.de a realiation o-
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the signi-icant -act that there are +any +ore planetary concentric spheres than those o-
the eight or nine or ten planets kno,n to 5ccidental astrono+y There are scores o-
planets in the solar syste+ ,hich are .tterly invisible by +eans o- any astrono+ical
instr.+ent or apparat.s0 and -.rther+ore0 and still +ore i+portant0 there are n.+bers o-
these concentric spheres ,hich belong to entirely other planes o- the cos+os0 and eachone o- these invisible concentric spheres0 ,hich are in so+e cases s.perior and in so+e
cases in-erior to o.r plane0 is as -.lly inhabited ,ith its +.lti-ario.s hosts o- beings as
o.r o,n plane is !ach plane has its o,n hierarchies o- inhabitants0 its o,n inhabited
,orlds ,ith their d,ellers0 ,ith their co.ntries0 ,ith their +o.ntains0 and seas0 and
lakes0 and d,ellings0 and ,hatnot0 even as o.r !arth has
These concentric ,orld&spheres considered as a ,hole ,ere the crystalline spheres o- the
ancients0 ,hich astrono+ers have so grossly +is.nderstood0 and there-ore have so +.ch
derided hat indeed did these ,ords +ean8 =crystalline spheres=H The +eaning ,as0
spheres o- ,hich the center ,as the #.n and ,hich ,ere transparent to o.r eyesight G.st
as glass is very dense and yet is transparent to o.r eyesight0 so are the ethers o- o.r
-o.rth cos+ic plane very dense and yet transparent to .s To the inhabitants o- !arth
vie,ing the pheno+ena o- the solar syste+ -ro+ the !arth0 the entire syste+ o-
concentric spheres0 d.e to the !arthAs rotation0 see+s to revolve aro.nd the !arth0 and
hence arises the geocentric ,ay o- looking at the apparent +ove+ents o- the planets and
the #.n0 6oon0 and stars *ll things in .niversal nat.re are repetitive in str.ct.re and in
action The s+all +irrors the great0 and the great reprod.ces itsel- in the s+all0 -or verily
the t,ain are one
F.rther+ore0 on acco.nt o- the +agnetic str.ct.re and action o- the t,elve globes o- o.r
planetary chain0 o.r !arth has +agnetic bipolar action o- t,elve di--erent kinds: one
s.ch polar pair is kno,n to scientists0 the others .nkno,n 5.r !gg o- Brah+a0 o.r solar
syste+0 as a ,hole0 like,ise has t,elve +agnetic bipolar co.rses or ,hat in short are
called +agnetic poles0 and each one o- these t,elve poles has its loc.s in one o- the
t,elve constellations o- the odiac @ or rather the t,elve constellations o- the odiacare the loci o- the t,elve poles o- the odiacal period The ,heel o- li-e ,ith its t,elve
spokes r.ns on -orever
Th.s it is that a h.+an being can be a son o- the #.n Th.s it is that a h.+an being can
ascend along the +agnetic path,ays -ro+ !arth to 6oon0 -ro+ 6oon to <en.s0 -ro+
<en.s to 6erc.ry0 -ro+ 6erc.ry to the heart o- Father #.n @ and ret.rn 5n the
Eo.rney o.t,ards0 certain sheaths or integ.+ents o- the peregrinating +onad are
dropped at each planetary station D.st to d.st on !arth The l.nar body is cast o-- and
abandoned in the valleys o- the 6oon 5n <en.s0 habili+ents o- <en.sian character arecast aside also: and so is it like,ise on 6erc.ry Then the solar portion o- .s is
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ingathered into its o,n heart The peregrinating +onad on its ret.rn Eo.rney leaves the
#.n a-ter reass.+ing its o,n solar sheath "t enters the sphere o- 6erc.ry0 gathers .p
there the gar+ents that it previo.sly had cast aside0 ass.+es these0 and then passes to
<en.s0 reclothes itsel- ,ith ,hat it had there previo.sly laid do,n0 then enters the
.nholy sphere o- the 6oon0 and in its dark valleys picks .p its -or+er l.nar body0 andthence is borne to !arth on the l.nar rays ,hen the 6oon is -.ll D.st to d.st0 6oon to
6oon0 <en.s to <en.s0 6erc.ry to 6erc.ry0 #.n to #.n
"nitiation is the beco+ing0 by sel-&conscio.s e/perience0 te+porarily at one ,ith other
,orlds and planes0 and the vario.s degrees o- initiation +ark the vario.s stages o-
advance+ent or o- ability to do this *s the initiations progress in grande.r0 so does the
spirit&so.l o- the initiant penetrate deeper and deeper into the invisible ,orlds and
spheres 5ne +.st beco+e -.lly cogniant o- all the secrets o- the solar egg be-ore one
can beco+e a divinity in that solar egg0 taking a part0 sel-&conscio.s and deliberate0 in
the cos+ic labor
Prepare yo.rselves contin.ally0 -or every day is a ne, chance0 is a ne, door,ay0 a ne,
opport.nity Iose not the days o- yo.r lives0 -or the ti+e ,ill co+e0 -atally co+e0 ,hen
it ,ill be yo.r t.rn to .ndertake this s.bli+est o- advent.res >lorio.s beyond ,ords to
e/press ,ill be the re,ard i- yo. s.cceed There-ore practice0 practice contin.o.sly yo.r
,ill 5pen yo.r heart +ore and +ore e+e+ber the divinity at yo.r in+ost0 the in+ost
divinity o- yo.0 the heart o- yo.0 the core o- yo. Iove others0 -or these others areyo.rsel- Forgive the+0 -or in so doing yo. -orgive yo.rsel- Celp the+0 -or in so doing
yo. strengthen yo.rsel- Cate the+0 and in so doing yo. prepare yo.r o,n -eet to travel
to the Pit0 -or in so doing yo. hate yo.rsel- T.rn yo.r backs on the Pit0 and t.rn yo.r
-aces to the #.n
Chapter 2
Spring Equinox
Iet .s no, t.rn to the spring e3.inoctial initiatory cycle oncerning this there is a
doctrine ,hich is both ,onder-.l and strange0 and ,hich is based on the operations o-
6other $at.re hersel- "t sho.ld be re+e+bered that this phrase 6other $at.re0 ,hen
.sed ,ith its esoteric signi-icancy0 incl.des not only the physical shell o- the .niverse
s.rro.nding .s0 o- ,hich ,e kno, the e/istence thro.gh o.r i+per-ect senses o- report0
b.t also +ore partic.larly incl.des the vast and indeed -rontierless real+s o- the spaces
o- space
This strange and ,onder-.l doctrine sets -orth that the great initiatory advent.re .pon
,hich the lo-ty initiant enters at the ti+e o- the #pring !3.ino/ is a copy0 a d.plication0
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a repetitive event0 in o.r o,n s+all h.+an sphere o- ,hat act.ally occ.rs at cos+ical
ti+e intervals a+ong the gods The initiations ,hich take place even today ,ith +ore or
less .ninterr.pted reg.larity at the ti+e o- the #pring !3.ino/ incl.de0 not only the
passing thro.gh trials and an .lti+ate res.rrection -ro+ the personal +an o- the god
,ithin and an ascension into the spirit.al real+s0 at least -or a ti+e0 o- the initiantAs percipient conscio.sness0 b.t incl.des also ,hat it has been c.sto+ary to call in
5ccidental literat.re dealing ,ith this the+e the descent o- the neophyte&initiant0
ho,ever grand his spirit.al stat.re +ay be0 into the Under,orld0 into those very real b.t
to .s .tterly invisible real+s o- space ,hich have their being in cos+ic reaches still
+ore +aterial than o.r gross sphere o- physical +ayavi&s.bstance
"t ,o.ld be ,rong to consider this Under,orld as belonging e/cl.sively to ,hat has
been called in theosophical literat.re the !ighth #phere0 other,ise the Planet o- Death0
altho.gh indeed the !ighth #phere +.st be visited by the percipient conscio.sness
peregrinating at the ti+e
e have th.s0 then0 a pict.re o- the initiation o- the #pring !3.ino/ as a phase o- the
general initiatory cycle0 this phase consisting o- severe and searching trials o- spirit.al
and intellect.al and psychical as ,ell as astral tests on the one hand0 and on the other
hand as like,ise co+prising a descent into spheres never traversed in the ordinary
co.rse o- their develop+ent by the peregrinating +onads o- average h.+an beings0 once
these +onads have beg.n to +ani-est in the h.+an stage
This strange and +ysterio.s doctrine as th.s brie-ly o.tlined sets -orth that on this o.r
!arth0 on this holy and sole+n occasion0 there occ.rs a repetition or a d.plication o-
,hat at certain intervals takes place a+ong the divinities G.st as at certain ti+es in the
progress o- cos+ic destiny a certain divinity leaves its o,n l.+ino.s real+s in order to
=descend0= or +ore acc.rately to trans-er a portion o- its o,n divine essence0 into the
,orld o- +en -or the p.rpose o- aiding and helping erring +ankind0 so e/actly does the
neophyte&initiant descend or trans-er his percipient conscio.sness into the Under,orld in
order to learn and also to help the deniens o- those gloo+y spheres hat the gods -ro+
their lo-ty height do in this connection to help .s0 this do like,ise these great +en in
spheres belo, o.r o,n
5ne +ay ,ell ask onesel-0 as one ponders deeply over this pro-o.nd teaching and begins
to sense its e/traordinary and p.ling parado/es0 ,hy it is that a divinity at any ti+e
sho.ld =descend0= or proEect a portion o- its essence0 into o.r sphere ,hich it had long
aeons ago le-t behind in its evol.tionary progress The e/planation lies in other teachings
concerning the nat.re o- o.r cos+ical solar syste+0 as vie,ed -ro+ the spirit.alstandpoint e learn that even the gods the+selves are .nder the s,ay o- al+ighty
destiny0 that even they in their o,n lo-ty spheres +ake and .n+ake kar+a0 and begin0
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and end a-ter bringing to their co+pletion0 ,orks o- -ar&reaching in-l.ence on the
cos+ical spaces0 and that a certain portion o- these divine activities +.st o- necessity
reach to and in-l.ence +ost deeply the spheres o- +en
hen the st.dent o- esotericis+ .nderstands the pro-o.nd philosophical i+port o- theteachings concerning the real +eaning o- the triad o- Cind. deities called Brah+a0
<ishn.0 and #iva0 he ,ill co+e to .nderstand ,hy these a+aing events E.st spoken o-
take place *s Brah+a is the evolver and the prod.cer0 and as <ishn. is the s.stainer and
.pholder0 so is #iva0 ,ho is the partic.lar patron o- esotericists0 the regenerator beca.se
o- being the resolver
To look .pon this triad o- divinities in the solar syste+ in the +anner in ,hich the Cind.
e/oteric literary ,orks set the+ -orth is entirely to lose the real +eaning and the reach o-
the esoteric teaching concerning the+ The three are three individ.als indeed0 and yet
they are one0 very +.ch as evol.tion and invol.tion are t,ain and yet are essentially
one0 beca.se nothing can evolve ,hat is ,ithin itsel- be-ore that ,ithin has been
involved into it Th.s there can be no Brah+a or evolver or prod.cer .nless the
regenerator or resolver in a past cos+ic period had already involved the seeds o- the
.niverse later to be evolved or prod.ced $or co.ld there be any +anvantara or
s.stained co.rse o- cos+ic li-e and evol.tion .nless d.e to the incessant and contin.o.s
in-l.ence o- the s.stainer0 .pholder0 and preserver
$o,0 then0 these three spirit.al&divine energies in the solar syste+0 ,hich are distinctly
three and yet one in essence0 verily are the higher triad o- the septenary belonging to the
ten principles o- o.r solar cos+os0 and there-ore e/ist and ,ork in their s.bli+ity in
,hat is to .s .tter silence and darkness0 beca.se o- being the higher three o- the solar
syste+As septenary o- ,orlds o- li-e&energy&conscio.sness
Fro+ ti+e to ti+e0 governed strictly by the kar+a o- the solar syste+0 there arises an
i+p.lse in the boso+ o- 6aha&<ishn. to +ani-est a portion o- itsel-0 this portion being a
divinity: and this i+p.lse or s.per&spirit.al .rge cannot ever be denied or set aside This
i+p.lse -.rther+ore has a technical na+e in esoteric teaching "t is called bija0 +eaning
=seed= or0 +ore acc.rately perhaps0 avatara-bija @ the cos+ic seed o- the *vataras
The *vataras appear on !arth at intervals ,hen the spirit.al energies are r.nning lo,
a+ongst .s0 and the -orces o- +atter are s.rging in t.rb.lent ,aves ever higher "t is as i-
there ,ere a spirit.al psycho+agnetic strain in the str.ct.re o- the solar syste+0 res.lting
in a spirit.al&electric discharge o- a spirit.al energy0 so+ething like lightning on earth0
this discharge being pop.larly called the =descent= o- the *vatara0 th.s preserving thestability and the e3.ilibri.+ o- things G.st so0 then0 in o.r ,orld0 is it in the cases o-
these great +en0 these s.bli+e neophyte&initiants0 ,ho d.ring the co.rse o- their
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initiation =descend= into the Under,orld -or the sake o- bringing a spirit.al light to the
beings inchained in the darkness o- those gloo+y spheres @ spheres ,hich to .s see+
real+s o- gloo+ only beca.se ,e are higher than they
#o closely is all nat.re knitted together0 so inti+ately and intricately are the strands o-the ,eb o- li-e ,oven0 that all nat.re +.st be considered as one vast organis+: and ,hen
there is a lack o- so+e ele+ent&energy in any part o- the cos+ic body0 there is an
i+p.lse or .rge -ro+ other parts0 possessing this lacking ele+ent&energy in ab.ndance0
to,ards the place ,here s.ch lack e/ists0 and a conse3.ent passage or peregrination or
trans-erence o- the lacking ele+ent&energy to its destination in order that stability and
e3.ilibri.+ o- the cos+ical str.ct.re +ay be reestablished or +aintained
The initiation periods do not take place by hap or by haard0 nor are they governed by
the +ere ,ish or ,ill o- h.+an beings0 ho,ever grand0 ho,ever s.bli+e0 b.t take place
strictly according to the ,orking o- the spirit.al cos+ic +agnetis+s o- the .niverse "n
conse3.ence0 the grand neophyte&initiants enter .pon their trials and +ake their Eo.rneys
into the Under,orld beca.se -or the ti+e being they are beco+e .tterly obedient
servants o- the la, o- the .niverse0 and there-ore can hardly do other,ise
Fro+ ,hat has been said0 there-ore0 it beco+es i++ediately obvio.s ho, grandly does
nat.reAs heart beat thro.gho.t ,ith co+passionate p.lse: -or ,hat +en in their
-eebleness o- speech describe by s.ch phrases as the reestablishing o- dist.rbede3.ilibri.+0 or the +aintenance o- cos+ic stability0 is b.t a poor ,ay o- e/pressing the
-act o- the a.to+atic operation o- the cos+ic li-e in restoring the cos+ic har+onies0 in
the readE.st+ent o- the cos+ic energies0 all .nder the governance and control o- the
ine--ably grand heart o- li-e&conscio.sness ,hich beats .nceasingly and ,itho.t pa.se or
s.rcease to the very end o- the solar +anvantara
Cence it is that the #pring !3.ino/ in partic.lar and the *vataras are associated in both
h.+an tho.ght and in cos+ic act.ality Bear in +ind that three are the general cases or
general instances in ,hich there occ.r descents or avataric +ani-estations o- spirit.al
energies into h.+an e/istence as e/traordinarily po,er-.l +otors 5ne is that o- the
*vataras prod.ced by in-l.ence o- the bija in 6aha&<ishn.: the second is the case o- the
B.ddhas: and the third is that occ.rring at rare intervals a+ong h.+an beings ,ho are
neither *vataras nor B.ddhas 6ark ,ell that the *vatara is the descent o- the in-l.ence0
or o- a portion0 o- a divinity thro.gh a loaned inter+ediate bodhisattvic psychological
apparat.s in order to +ani-est in h.+an li-e in a p.re h.+an body The B.ddhas
incarnate their o,n spirit.al&divine in-l.ences0 in each case e+anating -ro+ the
B.ddhaAs o,n inner god0 and do this thro.gh the entire ter+ o- their ,ork in the ,orld o- +en: and they +ani-est these spirit.al po,ers in p.rposes and ,orks o- indescribably
lo-ty benevolence and -ar&reaching bene-icence
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The cases o- the rare h.+ans ,ho0 being neither *vataras nor B.ddhas0 -ro+ ti+e to
ti+e i+body or beco+e the d,elling places o- spirit.al&divine rays0 are those .n.s.al
+en or ,o+en ,ho0 beca.se o- a line o- kar+a ,hich is sing.larly -ree -ro+ crippling
and e+barrassing shackles o- personality0 are able to trans+it a ray -ro+ the higher
triads o- the+selves This ray penetrates into and sets on -ire ,ith its holy -la+e the brain&+ind and e+otional apparat.s o- s.ch +en and ,o+en
The cases o- these .n.s.al h.+an beings can be instanced or de+onstrated by +en and
,o+en ,hose entire e/istence see+s to sho, a spirit.al and intellect.al po,er
e/ceeding by -ar that o- the average r.n o- +en0 and yet they are h.+an beings only
They +ay0 -or instance0 be great and noble&+inded poets ,ith the seerAs vision: they +ay
again be great and noble&+inded artists0 philosophers0 h.+anitarians0 or states+en: b.t
they are +en and +en only They are neither *vataras on the one hand0 nor B.ddhas on
the other hand0 and their e/istence is so ,ell kno,n in the vario.s ,orld religions that
they have been called by vario.s na+es0 s.ch as saints or holy +en0 or by other si+ilar
titles
*ltho.gh these three classes +ani-esting spirit.al&divine rays @ so di--erent as a+ong
the+selves @ are the three instances in ,hich the divine&spirit.al +ani-ests in the
h.+an sphere0 it +.st be partic.larly noticed that the originating i+p.lse or .rge in all
these three classes takes its rise in the +ysterio.s bija e/isting and ,orking -ro+ da,n
to t,ilight o- a cos+ic +anvantara in the boso+ o- 6aha&<ishn.
*s a last tho.ght in this connection0 +ark ,ell that there are *vataras also o- 6aha&#iva0
E.st as ,ell as there are *vataras o- <ishn.0 the s.stainer o- the solar .niverse: and it is
these *vataras o- 6aha&#iva0 the solar regenerator0 ,hich prod.ce perhaps the +ost
,idespread and ,orld&shaking e--ects in the sphere o- +en
The d.ty o- so+e o- the *vataras0 their characteristic or svabhava0 is to preserve and
s.stain all that is spirit.al0 noble0 good0 lo-ty0 and holy: ,hereas the ,ork o- other
*vataras is to regenerate0 to +ake over ane,0 to bring -orth -ro+ the ,o+b o- destiny
,hat is ,aiting to co+e to birth Cence it is that the ,ork o- the #iva&in-l.ence has o-ten
and al,ays st.pidly been called destr.ction The pro-o.nd philosophy o- the process has
not been grasped by either 5ccidental or 5riental scholars: b.t it is obvio.s that there are
ti+es0 bro.ght abo.t by the ,hirling ,heel o- li-e0 ,hen evil in the co.rse o- destiny
+.st be overthro,n0 ,hen str.ct.res and ,orks ,hich have o.tlasted their ti+es +.st
be destroyed -ro+ the -o.ndations .p0 in order that a ne,er b.ilding and a grander and
lo-tier str.ct.re0 both spirit.ally and +aterially speaking0 shall be raised
Di--ic.lt indeed is the the+e o- tho.ght .pon ,hich " have e+barked0 and " -eel .rged to
.tter a ,ord o- ,arning that one not leap to points o- concl.sion on the s.pposition that
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one has grasped the -.ll i+port o- the +eaning o- the ,onder-.l doctrine that " have so
brie-ly o.tlined e+e+ber that the entire solar .niverse is one vast organis+0 3.ivering
and palpitating ,ith li-e thro.gho.t all its reaches0 and that ,hat +en call spirit or ,hat
+en call +atter are b.t t,o phases or t,o aspects or t,o events o- the onr.shing0 or the
ons,eeping0 o- the cos+ic li-e&conscio.sness&s.bstance ,orking o.t itsinco+prehensibly s.bli+e destiny
Th.s it is that o.r entire solar syste+ can be vie,ed -ro+ t,o aspects8 one as a cos+ic
body o- spheres b.ilded o- the -abric o- the cos+ic conscio.sness: and -ro+ the other
aspect it can be looked .pon as an a+aingly and +ost intricately intert,ined ,eb o-
spheres e/isting on +any planes0 b.t all .nder the do+inance0 and e/isting ,ithin the
li+its0 o- o.r cos+ic divinity Cence every ato+ is 3.ivering ,ith li-e0 and is an
i+bodied conscio.sness center0 ,hich ,e call a +onad0 and the only di--erence bet,een
ato+ and god0 bet,een the hosts o- darkness and the hosts o- light0 is one o-
evol.tionary .n-old+ent
Finally0 let .s try to .nderstand so+e,hat o- the +eaning o- the e/periences0 so -.ll o-
+ystery and danger0 that certain ones0 +ore evolved than ,e0 are no, .ndergoing
Chapter 3
Summer Solstice
e no, celebrate the third o- the great spirit.al and psychical events o- the esoteric year0
the initiation cycle centering in the #.++er #olstice: ,e celebrate in teaching and by
spirit.al and intellect.al s.ggestion the act.al events o- the initiations ,hich take place
at this ti+e else,here on the s.r-ace o- the globe
"t is a +ost s.ggestive tho.ght0 and one that ,e sho.ld carry ,ith .s al,ays @ each one
o- .s as his or her +ost pried ideal @ that anyone belonging to the o.ter ring o- the
+ystic Body can0 i- he or she so ,ill0 so+e day pass -ro+ the o.ter ring to an inner ring0
and -ro+ that inner ring to one still nearer the center: and so on0 .ntil -inally0 i- the
disciple prevail in the con3.est o- sel- and in the enlarge+ent o- conscio.sness0 he shall
one day reach the center0 and thence by his o,n ,ill and act be s,ept into the initiatory
li-e&c.rrents ,hich ,ill bear hi+ on the +ystic pilgri+age0 on the esoteric ro.nd o-
e/perience0 and ret.rn a ,illing and sel-&conscio.s reno.ncer o- ,hat he kno,s he can
get0 b.t ,hich he re-.ses in order to re+ain and to help the ,orld as one o- the stones in
the >.ardian all s.rro.nding h.+anity
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Jo. ,ill re+e+ber that the +ystic year contains -o.r seasonal points0 and that these -o.r
seasons in their cycle are sy+bolic o- the -o.r chie- events o- progress o- initiation8 -irst0
that o- the inter #olstice0 ,hich event is also called the >reat Birth0 ,hen the aspirant
brings to birth the god ,ithin hi+ and -or a ti+e at least beco+es te+porarily at one
there,ith in conscio.sness and in -eeling: a birth ,hich indeed is the birth o- the innerB.ddha born o- the spirit.al solar splendor0 or the birth o- the +ystic hristos
Then0 second0 co+es the period or event o- esoteric adolescence at the #pring !3.ino/0
,hen in the -.ll -l.sh o- the victory gained at the inter #olstice0 and ,ith the
+arvelo.s inner strength and po,er that co+e to one ,ho has th.s achieved0 the aspirant
enters .pon the greatest te+ptation0 e/cept one0 kno,n to h.+an beings0 and prevails:
and this event +ay be called the >reat Te+ptation ith this initiation at the ti+e o- the
#pring !3.ino/ the *vataras are partic.larly concerned0 -or+ing as they do one o- the
lines o- activity @ a god&line0 in -act @ o- the Cierarchy o- o+passion and #plendor0
altho.gh the *vataras are o.tside the circle o- te+ptation e/cept inso-ar as concerns the
h.+an portion o- the+
Then0 third0 co+es the event o- the #.++er #olstice0 at ,hich ti+e the neophyte or
aspirant +.st .ndergo0 and s.ccess-.lly prevail over0 the greatest te+ptation kno,n to
+an E.st re-erred to: and i- he so prevail0 ,hich +eans the reno.ncing o- all chance o-
individ.al progress -or the sake o- beco+ing one o- the #aviors o- the ,orld0 he then
takes his position as one o- the stones in the >.ardian all Therea-ter he dedicates hisli-e to the service o- the ,orld0 ,itho.t tho.ght o- g.erdon or o- individ.al progress @ it
+ay be -or aeons @ sacri-icing hi+sel- spirit.ally in the service o- all that lives For this
reason the initiation at this season o- the year has been called the >reat en.nciation
Then0 -inally0 co+es the -o.rth and last period o- the cycling +ystical year0 the event o-
the *.t.+nal !3.ino/0 ,hich perhaps is the +ost s.bli+e0 b.t ,hich act.ally is not as
holy as the initiation ,hich ,e are no, co++e+orating: beca.se in the initiation o- the
*.t.+nal !3.ino/ the neophyte or aspirant passes beyond the portals o- irrevocable
death0 and ret.rns a+ong +en no +ore 5ne line o- this activity0 lo-ty and spirit.al b.t
yet not the line o- the Cierarchy o- #plendor and o+passion0 is that -ollo,ed by the
Pratyeka B.ddhas *eons ,ill pass be-ore these Pratyeka B.ddhas rea,aken to take .p
ane, the evol.tionary Eo.rney0 the evol.tionary pilgri+age
The *.t.+nal !3.ino/ is like,ise straitly and closely related to the investigation0 d.ring
the rites and trials o- the neophyte0 o- the +any and varied and intricate +ysteries
connected ,ith death For these and -or other reasons it has been called the >reat
Passing
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hildren o- the #.n and 5--spring o- the #tars8 Cas it ever occ.rred to yo. to ask
yo.rselves ,hy it is that the stars glitter in the violet do+e o- night: ,hy o.r s.n shines
,ith .nceasing glory0 po.ring -orth thro.gh aeons a-ter aeons its o,n s.bstance o- light
and li-e and energy: and ,hy0 on the other hand0 s.ch vast stretches and real+s o- nat.re
are s.nken in apparently cold and crystalline rigidity8 asleep0 dor+ant0 see+ingly.n+oving0 altho.gh indeed pervaded every,here and thro.gho.t (so that not even an
ato+ is deprived o- it) by the all&per+eant li-e and conscio.sness o- the Bo.ndlessH
Cave yo. ever ,ondered ,hy these t,o great contrasts e/ist in the +ani-ested .niverse
@ on the one side0 light and +ove+ent0 activity and po,er0 o--spring o- divinity and o-
the spirit.al energies: and on the other side0 relative i++obility0 rigidity0 crystalline
so+nolence0 and the real+s o- cold and spirit.al sleepH
"- yo. have not asked yo.rselves these 3.estions0 yo. have not yet really a,akened:
yo.r spirit.al so.ls are not yet stirring conscio.sly ,ithin yo.0 and yo. are asleep0 yo.
are dor+ant "t is the beasts that ask the+selves no s.ch 3.estions as these0 as they live
,ithin the restricted bo.nds o- their li+ited conscio.sness0 -or it is a conscio.sness o-
-eeling and o- reaction to -eeling only0 ,itho.t the divine -ire o- sel-&conscio.s tho.ght0
and ,itho.t that in3.isitive intelligence0 that thirst -or light and kno,ledge0 ,hich
characterie +an as a son o- the #.n and as an o--spring o- a stellar parent
#pirit on one side and +atter on the other0 conscio.s li-e on one side and relative
i++obility and so+nolence o- conscio.sness on the other *s ,e look .pon ten-oldnat.re and consider her activities0 ,e realie that ,e can -ig.rate the sit.ation as a vast
ar+y o- the sons o- light ,orking .pon dark and sleeping +atter0 the sons o- light
e/isting in their i+bodi+ents bet,een t,o poles0 both o- ,hich to o.r present h.+an
conscio.sness see+ to be i+penetrable real+s o- being hat are these t,o polesH 5ne
is the pole o- +atter0 b.t the other is the pole o- spirit ,hich0 beca.se o- its
inco+prehensible brilliance and po,er0 is so -ar beyond all o.r intellect.al conception or
lo-tiest ideation that it see+s as i+penetrable to .nderstanding as does the nether pole
E.st spoken o-0 also apparently dark and inco+prehensible
The reason ,hy nat.re is th.s divided in t,ain to the .nderstanding o- .s h.+ans is
beca.se ,e observe on one side the hosts o- light0 and on the other side the hosts o-
+atter: and yet both -.nda+entally are one0 the di--erence being that the hosts o- light
are entities +ore or less progressed to,ards the pole o- spirit0 and the hosts o- darkness
are r.led by the mamo-chohans: as0 indeed0 the light side is r.led by the Cierarchies o-
#plendor consisting o- dhyani-chohans in ever increasing ranges o- glory0 ascending
along the ladder o- li-e beyond the reach o- o.r .t+ost vision0 strain ,e it .p,ards as ,e
+ay These t,o0 nat.reAs dark side and her light side0 are the t,o eternal path,ays0eternal beca.se o- being +ighty nat.re hersel- e +ay speak o- the .pper or light side
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as being that o- the Cierarchies o- o+passion0 and the lo,er or dark side as being that
o- the Cierarchies o- 6atter: yet both sides are eternally evolving .p,ards in everlasting
progress *-ter all0 these are b.t t,o +odes o- li-e0 -or -.nda+entally the t,o are one
*s said a great sage and seer o- the Far 5rient0 Iao&tse0 ,hen speaking o- the Tao8
"ts .pper part is not bright0 and its lo,er part is not dark Unceasing in action0
nevertheless it cannot ever be na+ed0 b.t -ro+ action ret.rns again to the spirit.al <oid
e +ay call it the -or+ o- the -or+less0 the i+age o- the i+ageless0 the -leeting and the
indeter+inable Kand yet it is the ever&end.ringL >o yo. be-ore it0 yo. cannot see its
-ace: go yo. behind it0 yo. cannot see its back
itho.t a na+e by ,hich it +ay right-.lly be called0 it is the origin o- the spheres
celestial and the spheres +aterial hen it has a na+e +en call it the !ternal 6other o-all things 5nly he ,ho is constantly -ree -ro+ earthly passions can .nderstand its divine
essence: b.t he ,hose +ind is clogged and blinded by passions can see no +ore than its
o.ter -or+ Jet these t,o0 the spirit.al and the +aterial0 tho.gh ,e call the+ by di--erent
na+es0 in their origin are identically one and identically the sa+e This sa+eness is a
,ondro.s +ystery0 the +ystery o- +ysteries Understanding this +ystery is the portal o-
all initiation @ passages -ro+ the Tao-te-ching paraphrased -ro+ Iionel >ilesAs
translation
hildren o- the #.n0 5--spring o- the #tars8 *re yo. like the blind .nreasoning beast that
has no divine c.riosity -or ,isdo+ and kno,ledge and loveH 5r are yo. beco+ing like
.nto the sages and the seers o- the ages0 ,ho see in all that s.rro.nds the+0 in every
+in.test as ,ell as in every greatest thing or event0 a key to a cos+ic riddleH Think0 and
pa.se a +o+ent over the tho.ght hen yo. consider the glittering orbs above .s and
o.r o,n glorio.s daystar ,ho+ ,e call Father #.n0 has it never occ.rred to yo. that
these very stars are +ani-estations o- the Cierarchy o- o+passion0 bringing light and
li-e and love and ,isdo+ into the dark real+s o- nat.reAs +aterial spheresH <erily it is
so
!very s.n that ,e discern in the +idnight sky0 every h.+an creat.re0 every dhyani&
chohan ,hose presence ,e +ay instinctively -eel0 is not only an evolving and
progressing entity @ especially in the cases o- the stars and o- the gods @ b.t is also an
entity ,hich0 +otivated by celestial love and ,isdo+ divine0 each one in accordance
,ith its o,n kar+ic po,ers and to the e/tent that it +ay0 has halted on its path or
advances slo,ly on its path0 in order to give help to the +.ltit.des and hosts o- less
progressed entities trailing along behind
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Th.s a star0 o.r s.n -or instance0 is not only an evolving god in its divine and spirit.al
and intellect.al and psychical and astral aspects0 b.t is also bending to,ards .s -ro+ its
celestial throne as it ,ere0 and th.s appears in o.r o,n +aterial real+s helping .s0
giving .s light0 .rging .s .p,ards
These are no +erely vain ,ords o- an e+pty poesy0 b.t are s.ggestive tr.th !very,here
aro.nd .s nat.re proclai+s la,0 order0 reg.larity0 a s.ccession o- event ever -ollo,ing
event as beings and things are s,ept along thro.gh the ages on the vast boso+ o- the
river o- lives: and all this is the ,ork o- the Cierarchy o- #plendor and o+passion0 o-
,hich ,e in o.r o,n h.+ble ,ay -or+ on this earth the o.t+ost circle or sphere "t is
the sa+e i+p.lse ,hich s,ays the gods and the #ilent atchers and the starry beings to
help those less progressed0 that s,ays the hearts o- the B.ddhas o- o+passion0 and o-
the 6asters o- isdo+ and Peace and o- their chelas0 to take the initiation o- the >reat
en.nciation0 th.s copying in o.r h.+an real+ ,hat takes place in s.bli+e degree
a+ong the divinities *n *vatara is b.t an e/ceptional case o- a pec.liar kind0
e/e+pli-ying the r.le o- ,hich the B.ddhas are the still nobler and o.tstanding
e/a+ples o- the general case
Iittle do +en kno, o- the i++ense love0 the divine i+p.lses o- co+passion0 ,hich
s,ay the so.ls o- those ,ho +ake the >reat en.nciation0 giving .p all hope o- personal
evol.tionary progress0 it +ay be -or aeons to co+e0 in order to re+ain on earth to help
their -ello,s and in the service o- the ,orld Unrecognied0 .nthanked0 ever silent0 everco+passionate0 ever -illed ,ith holy peace0 they ,ork steadily on0 ,atching others go
past the+ as the slo,ly +oving river o- lives s,eeps along in .nending -lo, There they
stand like pillars o- light0 these great and noble ones *ltho.gh they kno, that so+e day
their re,ard shall co+e0 a re,ard beyond all h.+an .nderstanding0 nevertheless there
they re+ain thro.gh the ages ,itho.t thinking o- their re,ard0 and end.re and end.re
and end.re
6en in the ,orld have no cogniance ,hatsoever o- the +ighty hands and po,er-.l
,ills ,hich hold back certain cos+ic -orces and ele+ents0 lest these -orces and ele+ents
ravage +en beca.se o- the ignorant st.pidity and blind ,ill-.lness o- +en in invoking0
thro.gh their sel-ish e+otions and tho.ghts0 cos+ic po,ers o- ,hich they act.ally have
no real conscio.sness Beca.se these >reat 5nes are the protecting shields o- +ankind0
there-ore are they called the >.ardian all
!very +an or ,o+an ,ho does a genero.s0 .nsel-ish0 and co+passionate act is0 by the
sa+e token and inso-ar as the co+passionate i+p.lse and act e/tend0 a +e+ber o- the
Cierarchy o- o+passion and #plendor !very +an or ,o+an ,ho co++its an act o-sel-ishness or ,ho -ollo,s blindly and solely an i+p.lse o- the +atter side o- hi+sel- or
o- hersel- is0 by the sa+e token and inso-ar as the i+p.lse and act e/tend0 acting .nder
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the in-l.ence o- the so+ber and .nholy po,ers o- the +aterial ,orld ,hose chie-s are
the dread +a+o&chohans presiding at the pralayas !very +an or ,o+an ,ho does a
sel-ish0 evil0 or ignoble act0 in very tr.th is taking a stride back,ards and is0 let .s say in
passing0 by E.st so +.ch hindering the -or,ard progress o- his -ello,s: -or ,e are all
knitted inseparably together into one ,eb o- li-e0 into one living organic .nion
Co, bea.ti-.l are they .pon ,hose -oreheads shines the light eternal0 the light o-
everlasting peace0 the light o- ,isdo+0 and the ill.+ination o- deathless love They are
gro,ing0 and gro,ing rapidly0 sti+.lated by the radiant light ,hich po.rs -orth -ro+
,ithin the deeps o- their o,n spirit.al being Co, blessed is their peace0 ho,
.nspeakably great their happiness0 ho, cal+0 ho, +aEestic0 do they appear hat
,onder-.l strength also are they gaining by each s.ch noble tho.ght0 by each s.ch noble
act 6en and ,o+en ,ho incarnate this spirit o- sel-less devotion0 in ho,ever s+all a
degree0 are preparing the+selves -or a -.t.re ti+e ,hen they in t.rn ,ill stand at the
door and knock0 seeking0 asking -or0 de+anding0 and de+anding ,ith the innate right o-
e+bryo gods0 this initiation o- the >reat en.nciation: and then they ,ill -ind their place
as sel-&conscio.s ,orkers in the Cierarchy o- o+passion and #plendor
*s Iao&tse again says in this connection0 ,hen speaking o- the Tao0 ,hich is at once the
cos+ic organis+ in its divine side and the ti+eless splendor ,ithin the aspirantAs o,n
breast8 =The entire ,orld o- +en ,ill -lock eagerly to hi+ ,ho holds ,ithin hi+sel- the
+ighty -or+ and po,er o- Tao They ,ill co+e and receive no h.rt0 b.t ,ill -ind rest0 peace0 tran3.illity0 and ,isdo+=
"n speaking again o- the practical ethics o- hi+ ,ho has already +ade the >reat
en.nciation and has passed thro.gh the holy rites0 the great hinese 6aster contin.es8
Ce that is e+pty shall be -illed: he that is ,orn o.t shall be rene,ed: he ,ho has little
shall have all: he ,ho thinks he has +.ch shall go astray There-ore the sage e+braces in
tho.ght the cos+ic .nity0 and thereby beco+es a +odel -or all .nder heaven Ce is -ree
-ro+ sel-&display0 there-ore he shines -orth: -ree -ro+ sel-&assertion0 there-ore he is
disting.ished: -ree -ro+ sel-&glori-ication0 there-ore he is glori-ied: -ree -ro+ sel-&
e/altation0 there-ore he rises above all "nas+.ch as he never strives ,ith others0 there is
no one in the ,orld ,ho strives ,ith hi+
*nd -.rther0 the sa+e sage and seer0 in his parado/es0 ta.ght as -ollo,s8
There-ore the sage0 ,ishing to be above the people0 +.st by his ,ords p.t hi+sel- belo,
the people Desiring to be ever nobler than the +.ltit.de0 he +.st p.t hi+sel- +odestly
behind the+ and at their service "n this ,ay0 tho.gh he has his nat.ral place above the+0
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the people do not -eel his ,eight: tho.gh he has his nat.ral place be-ore the+0 they do
not resent it There-ore all +ankind delight to e/alt hi+0 and ,eary o- hi+ not
The sage e/pects no recognition -or ,hat he does: he achieves +erit b.t does not take it
to hi+sel-: " have three precio.s things ,hich " hold -ast and prie above all The-irst is gentleness: the second is -r.gality: the third is proper h.+ility0 ,hich keeps +e
-ro+ p.tting +ysel- be-ore others Be gentle0 and then yo. can be bold Be -r.gal0 and
then yo. can be +ost liberal *void p.tting yo.rsel- be-ore others0 and yo. nat.rally
beco+e a leader a+ong +en
B.t in the present day +en cast o-- gentleness0 and are all -or being bold They sp.rn
-r.gality0 and retain only e/travagance: they discard proper h.+ility0 and ai+ only at
being the -irst There-ore they shall s.rely perish
"t +.st never -or a +o+ent be s.pposed that the >reat en.nciation i+plies an
abandon+ent o- any single part o- the +ani-ested .niverse in order that the neophyte or
aspirant +ay devote hi+sel- only to -ollo,ing the sole path,ay o- light This in itsel- is
a s.btly spirit.al sel-ishness ,hich0 let +en say ,hat they +ay0 is the spirit governing
the career o- the Pratyeka B.ddhas "t is necessary -or the neophyte or chela ,ho desires
to pass thro.gh even the -irst gate,ay o- the initiation leading to the >reat en.nciation
to .nderstand that instead o- abandoning the ,orld he re+ains ,ithin it0 in order0 as he
gro,s greater and stronger0 ,iser and lo-tier0 to serve ever +ore largely in the ca.se o-all things that are
The slightest tinge o- individ.al yearning -or personal advance+ent ,ill bar the doors
-ast against hi+0 -or the very core o- this initiation is .tter sel-&ren.nciation The e--ort is
indeed a titanAs labor0 -or not only +.st the personal nat.re be ,ashed clean0 b.t +.st be
.tterly trans+.ted0 as -ar as is co+patible ,ith e/istence in these real+s0 into beco+ing
a channel or vehicle or +ediator bet,een all above the neophyte and all belo, hi+ and
less than he Ce +.st0 in conse3.ence0 be tested in every -iber o- his being be-ore he can
even raise his heart to dare the greatest trials ,hich ,ill lead hi+ -irst into the gloo+ o-
the regions o- the Under,orld @ -or he +.st prevail or -ail: and later0 ,hen his .tterly
p.re heart and indo+itable ,ill have carried hi+ sa-ely o.t o- these0 he +.st be tested in
lo-tier spheres0 so that no yearning h.nger -or +ore light -or hi+sel- and -or co++.nion
,ith the divinities -or his o,n grace can entice hi+ a,ay -ro+ his sel-&chosen path
The path o- the Pratyeka B.ddha0 a-ter all0 is a relatively easy one by co+parison ,ith
the ,ay o- the one ,ho has chosen the >reat en.nciation: b.t oh0 ho, ine/pressibly
bea.ti-.l and s.bli+e is the g.erdon that co+es to the latter in the -ar distant -.t.re,hen0 his ,ork once done0 -.lly acco+plished0 like the b.tter-ly he -rees hi+sel- -ro+
the chrysalis and0 taking ,ing into the a+bient ether ,here the gods abide0 he beco+es
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at one ,ith the+0 sel-&conscio.sly a collaborator ,ith the+ in the cos+ic ,ork B.t
aeons ,ill pass be-ore this stage shall be reached0 aeons .pon aeons o- re+aining in o.r
real+s o- i+per-ection and o-ten o- stri-e and pain B.t to the one ,ho has +ade the
>reat en.nciation there is a Eoy in the heart ,hich passeth all .nderstanding0 the Eoy o-
helping and o- raising and o- leading others .p the stair,ay o- li-e Po,er beco+es his:-ac.lties hitherto b.t partly recognied and perhaps .nkno,n develop ,ithin hi+: he
beco+es cogniant o- +ysteries o- ,hich in the earlier stages o- his gro,th he had b.t
the -aintest ad.+bration0 i- indeed any int.ition o- the+ at all: and the reason is that the
-arther he advances in his progress the +ore per-ectly0 the +ore co+pletely0 the +ore
entirely0 does he beco+e a sel-&conscio.s +ediator o- the ,isdo+ and love o- the
hierarchies above hi+0 ,ho no, can ,ork thro.gh hi+ as a per-ect instr.+ent0 ,illing0
sel-&sacri-icing0 Eoy-.l0 strong0 and -.lly capable
For hi+ no +ore is there Dead #ea -r.it ,hich t.rns to ashes in the +o.th: -or hi+
sorro, and pain as +en kno, the+ have evanished a,ay Ce has co+e to +ake his o,n
the ,orldAs great sorro, and pain: b.t0 +arvelo.s parado/0 the .nspeakable peace and
bliss that are his beca.se he is an .tterly .nsel-ish helper trans+.te the ,orldAs sorro,
and pain into the greater light and peace o- the splendor above and ,ithin hi+ Ce
beco+es at one ,ith .niversal nat.re0 and instinctively ,orks ,ith her in all her labors:
and beca.se o- this0 nat.re recognies hi+ as her +aster and +akes obeisance .nto hi+
There are +any grades o- those ,ho take the path o- the >reat en.nciation8 there are0-irst0 the lo-tiest ones0 the very gods the+selves ,ho lean -ro+ their a.re thrones0 so to
speak0 and ,ho co++.nicate ,ith those o- the sa+e hierarchy b.t ,ho are less than
they There are inn.+erable grades still lo,er do,n: there are the B.ddhas o-
o+passion: there are the 6asters o- isdo+ and Peace: there are the high chelas: there
are the chelas o- lo,er degree: and there are even ordinary +en and ,o+en ,ho -eel
,ithin the+selves the .ps.rging -orce o- the +ighty -ire o- co+passionate love ,hich0 at
ti+es at least0 -ills their hearts ,ith its -la+e elestial B.ddhas0 Dhyani&b.ddhas0
6an.shya&b.ddhas0 Bodhisattvas0 6asters0 chelas0 in-erior chelas0 and great and noble+en and ,o+en @ there in brie- is the line or ladder o- being ,hich -or+s the 5rder o-
o+passion
*s the chela advances into +asterhood0 as the 6aster beco+es the Bodhisattva0 and as
the Bodhisattva develops into the B.ddha0 and so -orth0 there is a gro,ing sel-&conscio.s
realiation that every individ.al o- this Cierarchy o- o+passion and #plendor is the
vehicle or +ediator o- a divine entity ,hich ,orks thro.gh hi+ as its h.+an channel:
and in the seventh initiation0 altho.gh nothing +ore here can be said o- that last and
greatest o- rites0 the initiant co+es -ace to -ace0 it +ay be -or a brie- instant or even -or+onths or possibly years0 ,ith this inspiring and overshado,ing divine entity
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"t +.st never be s.pposed that the >reat en.nciation i+plies that0 once taken0 this
debars one -ro+ -.rther initiation The >reat en.nciation i+plies0 rather0 that the entity
so devoting hi+sel- consecrates hi+sel- to a series o- -.rther and ever lo-tier initiations0
b.t ,ith the sole and single p.rpose o- rendering hi+sel- ever +ore -it -or trans+itting
the divine light to others less advanced than he0 and -or that p.rpose alone
The >reat en.nciation is also an initiation having +any degrees0 -or the #ilent atcher
o- ,hatever grade is the -irst e/e+plar and o.tstanding type o- one ,ho sits on the
threshold o- kno,ledge absol.te and o- .nspeakable peace0 and yet enters not b.t
re+ains be-ore the last and greatest holy o- holies in order that those less developed +ay
have a link ,ith the highest
!very higher grade entered into d.ring the long cycle o- initiation be-ore +an beco+es a
Bodhisattva is an a,akening ,ithin the neophyte o- a ne, plane o- conscio.sness and
the conse3.ent co+ing into lo-ty personal relation ,ith the di--erent po,ers and -orces
and even entities that belong to each plane as they are attained0 the one a-ter the other
"nitiation is not so+ething ,hich is added .nto the gro,ing and e/panding
conscio.sness o- the neophyte0 as brick is added to brick in b.ilding a ,all: b.t the steps
o- initiation represent0 each one0 a 3.ickening o- the evol.tionary process "n other
,ords0 initiation in every instance and thro.gho.t ti+e is the bringing o.t or -orth into
+ani-ested activity o- ,hat already e/ists ,ithin the individ.al This tho.ght is so
i+portant that " +.st ask yo. to pa.se .pon it and to ponder it ,ell Jo. ,ill at oncerealie that no initiation can possibly take place +erely by re3.est or by petition: that
there-ore it is .tterly i+possible -or anyone s.ccess-.lly to pass thro.gh the rites ,ho is
not already prepared to do so "t ,o.ld be i+possible @ spirit.ally0 intellect.ally0
psychologically0 and psychically @ to initiate a beast into even the lo,est o- the
initiatory grades0 -or the si+ple reason that the respective inner parts o- its constit.tion
are not yet -.nctioning together .nder the direction and control o- a sel-&conscio.s entity0
as is the case ,ith +an
"t is .pon this great and basic -act o- nat.ral -itness that reposes the entire str.ct.re o-
the ethical teaching ,hich the great 6asters o- the past have given to their disciples
Discipline +.st precede the 6ysteries @ not by any 6asterAs +andate0 b.t si+ply
beca.se it is nat.reAs irre-ragable la, 6an +.st prove hi+sel- to be ,orthy0 and not
only ,orthy b.t ready0 and not only ready b.t -it0 be-ore his knocking at the portal o- the
sanct.+ sanctor.+ can be even heard: and re+e+ber that this =knock= is so.ndless and
+ade ,itho.t gest.re0 -or it is a +ove+ent o- the ,ill0 intense and deter+ined0
co+bined ,ith an e/panding o- the conscio.sness
Co, -it ,o.ld a +an be to enter into the dread regions o- the Under,orld and to -ace the
o-ten dangero.s deniens o- those real+s i- he cannot even control his e+otional nat.re
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or s.ccess-.lly g.ide the operations o- his o,n ,ill0 and i- he does not .nderstand the
intricate -.nctioning o- his o,n conscio.snessH *gain0 ho, can a +an pass sa-ely
thro.gh the regions o- the s.perior real+s o- the .niverse0 ,ith ,hat ,o.ld be to hi+0 in
an .nprepared state0 all their +ani-old dangers and s.btil appeals0 i- he hi+sel- is not
already strong in ,ill and e/panded in conscio.sness and there-ore -it to enter thosereal+sH "t ,o.ld be as i+possible as to ask a beast to take charge o- a che+ical
laboratory or o- an electrical ,orks: or0 on the other hand0 to de+and o- a beast that it
sho.ld co+pose an oratorio or ,rite an o.tline o- a cos+ic philosophy that ,o.ld
+ightily and pers.asively s,ay the +inds o- +en
Jet h.ndreds o- tho.sands0 perhaps +illions0 o- h.+an beings today are not -ar -ro+
being ready and -it to .ndertake the -irst o- the initiatory trials: b.t so s.nken are they in
the ,eb and entangle+ents o- +aterial e/istence0 that not only do they not kno, o- these
,onder-.l tr.ths and o- the po,ers lying latent and hid in their nat.re0 b.t they ,o.ld
not care to atte+pt the tests even i- they kne, o- the glorio.s possibilities that are their
birthright Their o,n ignorance and inertia prevent their advancing: and it is a part o- o.r
d.ty to a,aken the +inds o- o.r -ello, h.+an beings and to open the doors o- their
hearts to nat.reAs s.bli+e verities
" +ight say in passing that the greatest and si+plest preparation -or all the vario.s grades
o- initiation is o.r daily li-e Cere one can prove ,hat he is +ade o-: here he can sho,
the st.-- that is in hi+: here he can strengthen his character0 evoke his ,ill0 enlarge his.nderstanding0 e/pand his heart& li-e The 6asters E.dge0 or rather test0 a beginner0 a
neophyte taking his -irst steps0 by the ,ay in ,hich he acts in daily li-e and reacts to the
te+ptations and trials that daily li-e p.ts .pon hi+ These re+arks0 " repeat0 are no vain
,ords o- an e+pty theory0 b.t are sheer tr.th: and yo. ,ill .nderstand this at once ,hen
yo. re+e+ber that li-e is the great school0 and that all the initiations0 ,itho.t a single
e/ception0 are b.t higher grades0 the reaching o- higher classes0 in the school o- li-e @
li-e terrestrial and li-e cos+ic
ecollect the nat.re o- the constit.tion o- +an ,hich is co+posed o- the -ollo,ing
-.nda+entals or bases8 -irst0 a divinity derived -ro+ a star0 the stellar parent -or the
individ.al0 and each individ.al has his o,n $e/t0 a +onadic essence o- an intellect.al
type0 called the +anasap.tra0 deriving -ro+ the s.n Third0 a psycho&e+otional apparat.s
co++only called the h.+an so.l or +onad0 derivative -ro+ the +oon&chain *nd -o.rth0
a psycho&vital&astral apparat.s or body derivative -ro+ o.r o,n globe earth *nd over
all and ,ithin and r.nning thro.gh all these is a s.perdivine0 -la+eless -ire o-
-.nda+ental conscio.sness ,hich ,e can generalie by calling it a son o- the Bo.ndless0
,hose habitat is the range o- the -rontierless spaces o- space This is +anAs o,nindivid.al ladder o- li-e: and he sho.ld earnestly and contin.o.sly strive ,ith never an
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instantAs inter+ission to raise his conscio.sness ever higher along this ladder0 -ro+ and
o.t o- the body to place it in +astery o- his psycho+ental l.nar apparat.s ,hich he
sho.ld con3.er and control: and thence still higher to beco+e at one ,ith the
+anasap.tric essence living ,ithin hi+: and in -.t.re ages to arise o.t o- this into
so+ething still +ore vast and lo-ty0 ,hich is the divine +onad ,ith its range o-conscio.sness e/tending over the .niverse ,hich ,e call the >ala/y or 6ilky ay: and
later on0 in aeons to co+e0 he shall go higher0 and then again higher0 and still higher
-orever
Th.s verily are ,e born o- the +oon0 children o- the s.n0 o--spring o- the stars0 and
inheritors o- the cos+ic spaces: -or space itsel- is ,e and ,e are it0 -or ,e and the
Bo.ndless are in essence not t,ain b.t one
"n these brie- re+arks " have endeavored to give0 by hint and by all.sion0 so+e de-inite
and clear ideas o- the character and range o- the +atters co+prised .nder the esoteric
ter+0 the initiation o- the >reat en.nciation "t too has its co+pensations .nspeakably
bea.ti-.l0 and its end is the heart o- the .niverse Jet ,hy do " say its =end=H This is b.t
a -ig.re o- speech0 b.t a +anner o- phrasing: -or the heart o- the .niverse is indeed
bo.ndless "n-init.de0 and the -rontierless deeps o- the Divine Progress0 there-ore0 is
endless: the light beco+es ever stronger as one progresses along the path: and ,hat the
chela ,o.ld consider the lo-tiest s.++its o- the 6ystic !ast ,hich he +.st cli+b0 he
-inds ,hen he has arrived and has placed his -eet .pon those distant peaks0 that there arei++eas.rable distances still to go0 and o- a grande.r and s.bli+ity ,hich even the gods
have not attained
Chapter 4
Autumnal Equinox
5- all the -o.r sacred initiatory seasons o- the year0 none perhaps is so di--ic.lt to
describe as the events and trials and s.ccess that belong to the initiation o- the *.t.+nal
!3.ino/0 technically called the >reat Passing *s the inter #olstice is connected ,ith
the event called the >reat Birth0 and the #pring !3.ino/ connected ,ith the event
technically called the >reat Te+ptation0 and the #.++er #olstice ,ith the s.bli+e event
called the >reat en.nciation0 so is the *.t.+nal !3.ino/ connected ,ith the event
called the >reat Passing0 the recondite and in so+e cases dread +ysteries o- death
*s it has been pointed o.t0 the Pratyeka B.ddhas0 great and holy +en as they are0e/e+pli-y one aspect o- the events belonging to the a.t.+nal e3.inoctial initiation0 -or
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there co+es a +o+ent in the li-e cycle or esoteric history o- a Pratyeka B.ddha ,hen he
+akes the -inal decision as bet,een t,o paths that he +.st take8 the one being to ret.rn
a+ong +en as a B.ddha o- o+passion0 or to advance steadily along the path o-
individ.al achieve+ent -or hi+sel-0 ,ith the light o- eternity indeed shining .pon his
bro,0 b.t ,ith his heart closed to the cry o- +isery and o-ten o- despair ,elling .p -ro+the +.ltit.des o- the str.ggling pilgri+s on the path behind hi+
The Pratyeka B.ddha de-initely chooses the >reat Passing0 dies absol.tely0 and -or the
ter+ o- a cos+ic +anvantara it +ay be0 o.t o- the ,orld o- +en and sentient beings
traveling behind hi+ @ and ret.rns no +ore Ce has beco+e at one ,ith his divine and
spirit.al parts0 b.t in an enclosed and sel-&s.--icient +anner0 so that altho.gh his being
shines like the s.n and he is s.nken in the ine--able +ystery and bliss o- nirvana0 his
range o- conscio.sness is li+ited to his o,n a.ric egg0 ,idely spread or di--.se tho.gh
this +ay be There he re+ains pl.nged in the deeps o- cos+ic conscio.sness b.t0 alas0
oblivio.s o- all e/cept hi+sel- #trange parado/0 is it not0 that tho.gh a part o- the
cos+ic conscio.sness o- the solar syste+0 he realies this and senses it only inso-ar as it
pertains to his o,n perceiving essence
Jet even the Pratyeka B.ddha0 by the very -act o- his being and e/isting0 e/ercises a
steady altho.gh silent in-l.ence thro.gho.t the cos+ic sphere o- ,hich he has beco+e
an integral albeit inactive part Jet this in-l.ence is negative0 not active0 steady b.t
di--.se: ,hereas the in-l.ence o- the energies -lo,ing -orth -ro+ the heart o- the beingo- a B.ddha o- o+passion is active0 constr.ctive0 b.ilding0 sti+.lating0 and directly
enco.raging0 by its vital -ire
The di--erence0 as it is th.s easily seen0 bet,een the Pratyeka B.ddha and the B.ddha o-
o+passion0 is si+ply i++ense The B.ddhas o- o+passion0 like the #ilent atcher o-
o.r planetary chain o- ,hich they are the copies0 reno.nce the .nspeakable glories that
the >reat Passing con-ers0 and beco+e vibrant spirit.al energies in the ,orldAs li-e and
all that the ,orldAs li-e contains @ energies vibrating ,ith spirit.al potencies0 +ost o-
the+ too s.btil to be described in ,ords
The >reat Passing is the -o.rth and concl.ding initiation ,hich every 6aster o- isdo+
+.st go thro.gh0 and the glories of which he must renounce "n this partic.lar phase o-
the initiatory cycle leading to co+plete +ahat+ahood0 the initiant +.st indeed0 as in the
preceding three initiations0 pass thro.gh the Under,orld: b.t in this0 the -o.rth0 the
passage is b.t -leeting and is0 as it ,ere0 like a traveler in a train r.shing thro.gh scenes
,hich have beco+e -a+iliar -ro+ other stoppings there: and instead o- lingering in the
Under,orld0 the energies are bent .pon achieving cogniance o- and inti+ate0 individ.alac3.aintanceship ,ith0 and indeed +astery o-0 the Upper orlds
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Cere then0 in this initiation0 are learned all the intricate and very +ysterio.s secrets
connected ,ith death0 so+e o- the+ s.bli+ely bea.ti-.l0 and so+e o- the+ dread-.l
beyond any ordinary h.+an i+agination The entire -ra+e,ork o- the constit.tion o- the
initiant +.st be r.pt.red and torn apart -or the ti+e being0 so that the divine +onad +ay
be .tterly -ree and ,itho.t shackles or tra++els o- any kind i+peding its +ove+ents0 tothe end that it +ay ascend to and +ove a+ong the starry spaces co+prised ,ithin the
encircling one o- o.r o,n stellar gala/y0 o.r ho+e&.niverse There a+ong the stars0 and
a+ong the planets in orbital +ove+ent aro.nd those stars0 +.st the -reed divine +onad
o- the initiant roa+0 -ree as a tho.ght o- a -reed god0 to beco+e at one ,ith @ in stellar
sphere a-ter stellar sphere @ all the di--erent and di--ering phases and conditions not
+erely o- stellar s.bstance0 b.t also o- the cos+ic conscio.sness
To p.t the +atter in other lang.age0 the divine +onad ret.rns to its o,n stellar parent
and passes -ro+ star to star0 ranging and ,andering a+ong the+0 -a+iliarly and -.lly at
ho+e hat takes place in the case even o- the ordinary h.+an being ,hen he dies0 and
,hich to s.ch ordinary individ.al is blank .nconscio.sness beca.se he has not evolved
-ar eno.gh to .nderstand ,hat he is .ndergoing0 +.st to the -reed divine +onad o- the
+aster&initiant be +ade -.lly conscio.s and clear !very phase o- the process o- death
that takes place in ordinary h.+an beings is .ndergone by the initiant at this ti+e8 sheath
a-ter sheath o- the so.l is dropped and abandoned0 cast aside and -or the ti+e being
-orgotten0 .ntil the naked divinity stands alone0 a living -ire o- energy in sel-&
conscio.sness and sel-&cogniing +e+ory
5nce that the shackles o- the lo,er personal +an0 once that the enshro.ding and
crippling sheaths o- the lo,er conscio.sness0 have been cast o--0 then step by step0 stair
a-ter stair0 .p the ladder o- li-e0 the +onadic energy ,ings its lo-ty ,ay "t +.st pass
thro.gh every one o- the t,elve ho.ses o- the odiac0 the one a-ter the other @ or0 i- the
,ords are better .nderstood0 .ndergo and e/perience the partic.lar and pec.liar
in-l.ences -lo,ing -orth -ro+ each one o- the t,elve ho.ses o- the odiac @ .ntil0 ,hen
the ro.nd has been +ade and -a+iliarity has been sel-&conscio.sly achieved ,ith ,hattherein is0 the descent begins0 and do,n,ards step by step0 stair a-ter stair0 the hitherto
-reed +onad clothes itsel- again ,ith the sheaths o- conscio.sness and ,ith the vario.s
spirit.al and ethereal and astral bodies that it had previo.sly thro,n o-- and -orgotten
Finally0 reaching o.r o,n earth again @ the body lying entranced @ it re&enters this
,orld0 raises its body ane, and reappears a+ong +en0 shining ,ith a s.pernal light even
+ore ethereal and +arvelo.s and dread than that ,hich clothes the s.ccess-.l initiant at
the ti+e o- the rising -ro+ the trials o- the inter #olstice The initiant has died0 he has
been dead in every sense o- the ,ord: b.t o,ing to the +arvelo.s0 +agical processes
and the protecting care and help o- the great seers and sages ,ho ,atch over and g.ard
their yo.nger brother0 he is enabled to ret.rn -ro+ beyond the portals o- death8 he is
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literally =raised -ro+ the dead0= and beco+es a +an again0 b.t a +an no, glori-ied0
sancti-ied0 p.ri-ied0 in every part and portion o- his co+posite constit.tion Ce has
passed beyond the portals o- death0 and has ret.rned Ce is -.lly reborn
This is no case o- ren.nciation as it is at the ti+e o- the #.++er #olstice The initiant isenabled to pass thro.gh these terrible trials precisely beca.se the >reat en.nciation had
previo.sly been +ade at the ti+e o- the initiation o- the #.++er #olstice0 and he has
gained the strength to die co+pletely and -.lly and yet to ret.rn to h.+an physical
e/istence
G.st here0 spirit.ally and ethically speaking0 do ,e discern the di--erence bet,een the
Pratyeka B.ddha ,ho dies ,ith a ,ill0 and dies gladly and Eoy-.lly -or his o,n spirit.al
bliss0 and the one ,ho has +ade the >reat en.nciation like the B.ddhas o- o+passion
and their -ollo,ers0 ,ho die indeed -or the e/perience that it gives0 -or the great increase
in kno,ledge that it brings ,ith it0 b.t ,ho ret.rn to li-e in order to o--er .p the+selves
as a sacri-ice in service to the ,orld
"t is not easy to die co+pletely 6en die daily0 b.t i+per-ectly0 at night ,hen they lay
the+selves on their bed and -all asleep B.t deliberate dying is a very di--ic.lt thing0 -or
it is contrary to nat.reAs c.sto+ary la, and processes "n any case0 death is not
i++ediate or s.dden0 not even in the case o- the average +an ,ho dies For long +onths
preceding physical dissol.tion there is an adE.st+ent -or it ,hich is an interiorarrange+ent o- the a.ric egg preparing the +onadic parts -or the post+orte+
peregrination *nd at the end0 -or a short ti+e preceding death0 the conscio.sness hovers
bet,een earth and star0 bet,een the physical body and the s.n0 -lashing s.n,ards and
then back again a n.+ber o- ti+es0 .ntil -inally the golden cord o- li-e is r.pt.red0 and
.nconscio.sness @ instant0 i++ediate0 and .nspeakably s,eet and so-t @ descends
.pon the dying0 ,ho therea-ter is ,hat +en call dead
" have hitherto been speaking o- the -o.rth o- the -o.r grand initiations as it applies to
the cases o- the >reat 5nes ,ho .ndergo it and ,ho ret.rn a+ong +en: b.t there are the
+any other cases o- those ,ho take this initiation deliberately a-ter the +anner o- the
Pratyeka B.ddhas and die -ro+ the ,orld and ret.rn no +ore .ntil aeons have passed
and dropped one by one into the ocean o- bygone ti+e These last are the cases o- those
,ho are on the ,ay to beco+ing Pratyeka B.ddhas0 perhaps .nkno,n to the+selves0
parado/ical as it +ay so.nd: and " do.bt not that yo. ,o.ld be astonished ,ere yo. to
realie ho, n.+ero.s are the h.+an so.ls ,ho crave the .nspeakable peace and bliss o-
the nirvanic rest @ clinging to li-e0 longing -or its contin.ance0 they yet0 strange
parado/0 choose the path,ay o- death
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The >reat 5nes .ndertake this -o.rth initiation in order to have -irsthand e/perience in
every respect0 not only o- the Under,orld b.t +ore especially o- the Upper orlds0 and
o- ,hat every +onad leaving incarnation +.st .ndergo in the ordinary co.rse o- dying
"n the initiation o- the inter #olstice the planets visited .s.ally are the 6oon0 <en.s06erc.ry0 and the #.n0 and then there is a ret.rn: ,hereas in this -o.rth initiation o- the
*.t.+nal !3.ino/ these sa+e planets are passed thro.gh @ d.ring the process o- ,hat
,e +ay perhaps E.stly call a dissol.tion o- the constit.tion @ and the s.perior planets
6ars0 G.piter0 and #at.rn0 are like,ise visited0 and thence the -reed +onad ,ings its ,ay
o.t,ards into the kos+ic spaces The ret.rn Eo.rney is +ade along the sa+e path,ay0
and the sheaths or veils o- conscio.sness that the +onadic pilgri+ dropped d.ring these
peregrinations in each one o- the planets and in each one o- the planes0 are again picked
.p and reass.+ed0 and th.s the +onadic ego clothes itsel- ,ith its lo,er selves again
and ret.rns along the path,ay by ,hich it had ascended The order o- the planets as E.st
above given +.st not be .nderstood to be the order o- the planets reg.larly -ollo,ed
"t beco+es obvio.s -ro+ the preceding teaching that +an has in hi+sel- not only a
physical or !arth&body0 b.t a I.nar body0 a <en.sian body0 a Cer+etic or 6erc.rial
body0 a #olar body0 a 6artian body0 a Govian body0 and a #at.rnian body0 as ,ell as
being clothed ,ith the essences o- kos+ic space $ot only has +an in his constit.tion
these vario.s planetary sheaths0 b.t also his conscio.sness itsel- contains color&shades0
as it ,ere0 or energies0 or 3.alities0 derivative -ro+ the vario.s celestial bodies ,ith,hich he is constit.tionally in s.ch strait and inti+ate .nion This is the reason ,hy the
vario.s bodies or ele+ents o- +anAs constit.tion are shed by the initiant as he traverses
any one o- these spheres0 and ,hy he +.st ret.rn to each one o- the spheres in order to
pick .p s.ch veil or sheath or clothing -or+erly shed0 in order to beco+e on earth once
+ore a co+plete +an 6an0 there-ore0 as yo. see0 is a child o- the .niverse0 co+posite o-
all its ele+ents0 and there-ore is in very tr.th a +icrocos+0 or little ,orld Cis very
tho.ght to.ches ,ith ethereal -ingers the +ost distant star0 and the tiniest vibration o- the
+ost distant star has its reaction .pon hi+
Death0 ,e +ay then see0 in the +aEestic cere+onies o- the -o.rth initiation o- the
a.t.+nal e3.inoctial period0 is b.t an ascension0 a res.rrection0 o.t o- certain grosser
ele+ents into ele+ents +.ch +ore ethereal: b.t the center o- conscio.sness0 the -iery
spark o- being0 the +onadic essence is a god0 and re+ains .nto.ched and .nstained
thro.gh the aeons0 no +atter ,hat its children @ ,hich are its vehicles and sheaths o-
conscio.sness and in-erior +onads thro.gh ,hich it ,orks @ do or .ndergo or s.--er
and enEoy
6ark then0 these t,o distinct b.t not con-licting ele+ents o- the teaching regarding the
a.t.+nal e3.inoctial initiation8 (1) *ll the greater initiants +.st pass thro.gh this
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initiation0 b.t they ret.rn They taste in it o- death and van3.ish it: and in the ,ords o-
the hristian script.re they +ay say8 =5 death0 ,here is thy stingH 5 grave0 ,here is thy
victoryH= beca.se the initiant rising s.ccess-.lly as an initiate has tr.ly con3.ered death0
and its +ysteries in all their vario.s phases are to hi+ +ysteries no longer (2) The
second ele+ent o- the teaching is the -act that ar+ies0 +.ltit.des0 cro,ds0 o- h.+an beings0 at so+e ti+e in their evol.tionary pilgri+age0 choose this initiation ,ith
deliberation -or the sole p.rpose o- passing o.t o- the ,orld and ken o- +en0 to ret.rn no
+ore #.ch are the Pratyeka B.ddhas0 and those ,ho0 like the+0 pre-er the bliss o-
individ.al nirvana to the sel-&sacri-icing b.t s.bli+e li-e and destiny o- a B.ddha o-
o+passion
e+e+ber this teaching in its ele+ents Try to carry the tho.ghts o- it in yo.r +ind0 -or
they are help-.l and0 ,hen properly .nderstood0 the conscio.sness o- these tr.ths ,ill
,rap itsel- aro.nd yo. like a protecting b.ckler and shield 5r0 to change the -ig.re o-
speech0 these teachings ,ill beco+e a light .nto yo.r -eet0 and ,ill g.ide yo. along the
path that h.+anityAs greatest and noblest -lo,ers o- per-ection have chosen to tread
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