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&

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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-&cent.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



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



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&degree 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



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



@ 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-



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



"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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

g. de purucker - the four sacred seasons

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