The Secret Doctrine, page 280
Q. What is the connection between the circulation of the vital airs and the power of the Yogî to make his Auric Egg a defence against aggression?
A. It is impossible to answer this question. The knowledge is the last word of Magic. It is connected with Kundalinî, that can as easily destroy as preserve. The ignorant tyro might kill himself.
Q. Is the Auric Egg of a child a differentiation of Akâsha, into which may be thrown by the Adept the materials he needs for special purposes—e.g., the Mâyâvi Rûpa?
(The question was somewhat obscurely worded. Evidently what the questioner wanted to know was if the Auric Egg was a differentiation of Akâsha, into which, as the child became a man, he might, if an Adept, weave the materials needed for special purposes, etc.)
A. Taking the question in the sense of an Adept putting something into or acting on the Auric Egg of a child, then this could not be done, as the Auric Egg is Karmic, and not even an Adept must interfere with such Karmic record. If the Adept were to put anything into the Auric Egg of another, for which the person is not responsible, or which does not come from the Higher Self of that personality, how could Karmic justice be maintained?
The Adept can draw into his own Auric Egg from his planet, or even from that of the globe or of the universe, according to his degree. This envelope is the receptacle of all Karmic causes, and photographs all things like a sensitive plate.
The child has a very small Auric Egg which is in colour almost pure white. At birth the Auric Egg consists of almost pure Akâsha plus the Tanhâs, which, until the seventh year, remain potential or in latency.
The Auric Egg of an idiot cannot be said to be human, that is, it is not tinged with Manas. It is Akâshic vibrations rather than an Auric Egg—the material envelope, such as that of the plant, the mineral or other object.
The Auric Egg is the transmitter from the periodical lives to the Life eternal, i.e., from Prâna to Jîva. It disappears, but remains.
The reason why the confession of the Roman Catholic and Greek Churches is so great a sin is because the confessor interferes with the Auric Egg of the penitent by means of his will power, engrafting artificially emanations from his own Auric Egg and casting seeds for germination into the Auric Egg of his subject. It is on the same lines as hypnotic suggestion.
The above remarks apply equally to Hypnotism, although the latter is a psycho-physical force, and it is this which constitutes one of its many serious dangers. At the same time “a good thing may pass through dirty channels,” as in the case of the breaking by suggestion of the alcohol or opium habit. Mesmerism may be used by the Occultist to remove evil habits, if the intention be perfectly pure; as on the higher plane intention is everything, and good intention must work for good.
Q. Is the Auric Egg the expansion of the “Pillar of Light,” the Mânasic Principle, and so not surrounding the child till its seventh year?
A. It is the Auric Egg. The Auric Egg is quite pure at birth, but it is a question whether the higher or lower Manas will colour it at the seventh year. The Mânasic expansion is pure kâsha. The ray of Manas is let down into the vortex of the lower Principles, and being discoloured, and so limited by the Kâmic Tanhâs and by the defects of the bodily organism, forms the personality. Hereditary Karma can reach the child before the seventh year, but no individual Karma can come into play till the descent of the Manas.
The Auric Egg is to the Man
As the Astral Light is to the Earth
As the Ether is to the Astral Light
As the Akâsha is to the Ether
The critical states are left out in the enumeration. They are the Lava Centres, or missing links in our consciousness, and separate these four planes from one another.
The Dweller.
The “Dweller on the Threshold” is found in two cases: (a) In the case of the separation of the Triangle from the Quaternary; (b) When Kâmic desires and passions are so intense that the Kâma Rûpa persists in Kâma Loka beyond the Devachanic period of the Ego, and thus survives the reincarnation of the Devachanic Entity (e.g., when reincarnation occurs within two hundred or three hundred years). The “Dweller” being drawn by affinity towards the Reincarnating Ego to whom it had belonged, and being unable to reach it, fastens on the Kâma of the new personality, and becomes the Dweller on the Threshold, strengthening the Kâmic element and thus lending it a dangerous potency. Some become mad from this cause.
Intellect.
The white Adept is not always at first of powerful intellect. In fact, H. P. B. had known Adepts whose intellectual powers were originally below the average. It is the Adept's purity, his equal love to all, his working with Nature, with Karma, with his “Inner God,” that give him his power. Intellect by itself alone will make the Black Magician. For intellect alone is accompanied with pride and selfishness: it is the intellectual plus the spiritual that raises man. For spirituality prevents pride and vanity.
Metaphysics are the domain of the Higher Manas; whereas Physics are that of Kâma-Manas, which does the thinking in Physical Science and on material things. Kâma-Manas, like every other Principle, is of seven degrees. The Mathematician without spirituality, however great he may be, will not reach Metaphysics; but the Metaphysician will master the highest conceptions of Mathematics, and will apply them, without learning the latter. To a born Metaphysician the Psychic Plane will not be of much account: he will see its errors immediately he enters it, inasmuch as it is not the thing he seeks. With respect to Music and other Arts, they are the children of either the Mânasic or Kâma-Mânasic Principle, proportionately as Soul or technicality predominates.
Karma.
After each incarnation, when the Mânasic Ray returns to its Father, the Ego, some of its atoms remain behind and scatter. These Mânasic atoms, Tânhic and other “causes,” being of the same nature as the Manas, are attracted to it by strong bonds of affinity, and on the reincarnation of the Ego are unerringly attracted to it and constitute its Karma. Until these are all gathered up, the individuality is not free from rebirth. The Higher Manas is responsible for the Ray it sends forth. If the Ray be not soiled, no bad Karma is generated.
The Turîya State.
You should bear in mind that, in becoming Karma-less, good Karma, as well as bad, has to be gotten rid of, and that Nidânas, started towards the acquisition of good Karma, are as binding as those induced in the other direction. For both are Karma.
Yogîs cannot attain the Turîya state unless the Triangle is separated from the Quaternary.
Mahat.
Mahat is the manifested universal Parabrâhmic Mind (for one Manvantara) on the Third Plane (of Kosmos). It is the Law whereby the Light falls from plane to plane and differentiates. The Mânasaputras are its emanations.
Man alone is capable of conceiving the Universe on this plane of existence.
Existence is; but when the entity does not feel it, for that entity it is not. The pain of an operation exists, though the patient does not feel it, and for the patient it is not.
How To Advance.
Q. What is the correct pronunciation of AUM?
A. It should first be practised physically, always at the same pitch, which must be discovered in the same way as the particular colour of the student is found, for each has his own tone.
Aum consists of two vowels and one semi-vowel, which latter must be prolonged. Just as Nature has its Fa, so each man has his: man being differentiated from Nature. The body may be compared to an instrument and the Ego to the player. You begin by producing effects on yourself; then little by little you learn to play on the Tattvas and Principles; learn first the notes, then the chords, then the melodies. Once the student is master of every chord, he may begin to be a co-worker with Nature and for others. He may then, by the experience he has gained of his own nature, and by the knowledge of the chords, strike such as will be beneficial in another, and so will serve as a keynote for beneficial results.
Try to have a clear representation of the geometrical triangle on every plane, the conception gradually growing more metaphysical, and ending with the subjective Triangle, tmâ-Buddhi-Manas. It is only by the knowledge of this Triangle under all forms that you can succeed, e.g. in enclosing the past and the future in the present. Remember that you have to merge the Quaternary in the Triangle. The Lower Manas is drawn upwards, with the Kâma, Prâna and Linga, leaving only the physical body behind, the lower reinforcing the higher.
Advance may be made in Occultism even in Devachan, if the Mind and Soul be set thereon during life; but it is only as in a dream, and the knowledge will fade away as memory of a dream fades, unless it be kept alive by conscious study.
Fear And Hatred.
Fear and hatred are essentially one and the same. He who fears nothing will never hate, and he who hates nothing will never fear.
The Triangle.
Q. What is the meaning of the phrase: “Form a clear image of the Triangle on every plane;” e.g., on the Astral Plane, what should one think of as the Triangle?
A. (H. P. B. asked whether the question signified the meaning of the Triangle or the way to represent the Triangle on the “screen of light.” The questioner explaining that the latter was the meaning, H. P. B. said that) it was only in the Turîya state, the fourth of the seven steps of Râja Yoga that the Yogî can represent to himself that which is abstract. Below this state, the perceptive power, being conditioned, must have some form to contemplate; it cannot represent to itself the Arûpa. In the Turîya state the Triangle is in yourself and is felt. Below the Turîya state there must be a symbol to represent tmâ-Buddhi-Manas. It is not a mere geometrical Triangle, but the Triad imaged, to make thought possible. Of this Triad, we can make some kind of representation of Manas, however indistinct; while of tmâ no image can be formed. We must try to represent the Triangle to ourselves on higher and higher planes. We must figure Manas as overshadowed by Buddhi, and immersed in tmâ. Only Manas, the Higher Ego, can be represented; we may think it as the Augoeides, the radiant figure in Zanoni. A very good Psychic might see this.
Psychic Vision.
Psychic vision, however, is not to be desired, since Psyche is earthly and evil. More and more as Science advances, the psychic will be reached and understood; Psychism has in it nothing that is spiritual. Science is right on its own plane, from its own standpoint. The law of the Conservation of Energy implies that psychic motion is generated by motion. Psychic motion being only motion on the Psychic Plane, a material plane, the Psychologist is right who sees in it nothing beyond matter. Animals have no Spirit, but they have psychic vision, and are sensitive to psychic conditions; observe how these react on their health, their bodily state.
Motion is the abstract Deity; on the highest plane it is Arûpa, absolute; but on the lowest it is merely mechanical. Psychic action is within the sphere of physical motion. Ere psychic action can be developed in the brain and nerves, there must be adequate action which generates it on the Physical Plane. The paralyzed animal that cannot generate action in the physical body, cannot think. Psychics merely see on a plane of different material density; the spiritual glimpses sometimes obtained by them come from a plane beyond. A Psychic's vision is that of one coming, as it were, into a lighted room, and seeing everything there by an artificial light: when the light is extinguished, vision is lost. Spiritual vision sees by the light within, the light hidden beneath the bushel of the body, by which we can see clearly and independently of all outside. The Psychic seeing by an external light, the vision is coloured by the nature of that light.
X. saying that she felt as though she saw on three planes, H. P. B. answered that each plane was sevenfold, the Astral as every other. She gave as an example on the Physical Plane the vision of a table with the sense of sight; seeing it still, with the eyes closed, by retinal impression; the image of it conserved in the brain; it can be recalled by memory; it can be seen in dream; or as an aggregate of atoms; or as disintegrated. All these are on the Physical Plane. Then we can begin again on the Astral Plane, and obtain another septenary. This hint should be followed and worked out.
Triangle And Quaternary.
Q. Why is the violet, the color of the Linga Sharîra, placed at the apex of the triangle, when the Macrocosm is figured as a triangle over a square, thus throwing the yellow, Buddhi, into the lower Quaternary?
A. It is wrong to speak of the “lower Quaternary” in the Macrocosm. It is the Tetraktys, the highest, the most sacred of all symbols. There comes a moment when, in the highest meditation, the Lower Manas is withdrawn into the Triad, which thus becomes the Quaternary, the Tetraktys of Pythagoras, leaving what was the Quaternary as the lower Triad, which is then reversed. The Triad is reflected in the Lower Manas. The Higher Manas cannot reflect itself, but when the Green passes upward it becomes a mirror for the Higher; it is then no more Green, having passed from its associations. The Psyche then becomes spiritual, the Ternary is reflected in the Fourth, and the Tetraktys is formed. So long as you are not dead, there must be something to reflect the Higher Triad; for there must be something to bring back to the waking consciousness the experiences passed through on the higher plane. The Lower Manas is as a tablet which retains the impressions made on it during trance.
The Turîya state is entered on the Fourth Path; it is figured in the diagram on p. 478, in the Second Paper.
Q. What is the meaning of a triangle formed of lines of light appearing in the midst of intense vibrating blue?
A. Seeing the Triangle outside is nothing; it is merely a reflection of the Triad on the Auric Envelope, and proves that the seer is outside the Triangle. It should be seen in quite another way. You must endeavour to merge yourself in it, to assimilate yourself with it. You are merely seeing things in the Astral. “When the Third Eye is opened in any one of you, you will have something very different to tell me.”
Q. With reference to the “Pillar of Light” in a previous question, is the Auric Envelope the Higher Ego, and does it correspond to the Ring Pass-Not?
(This question was not answered, as going too far. The Ring Pass-Not is at the circumference of the manifested Universe.)
Nidânas.
Q. The root of the Nidânas is Avidyâ. How does this differ from Mâyâ? How many Nidânas are there Esoterically?
A. Again too much is asked. The Nidânas, the concatenations of causes and effects (not in the sense of the Orientalists), are not caused by ignorance. They are produced by Dhyân Chohans and Devas, who certainly cannot be said to act in ignorance. We produce Nidânas in ignorance. Each cause started on the Physical Plane sets up action on every plane to all eternity. They are eternal effects reflected from plane to plane on to the “screen of eternity.”
Manas.
Q. What is the septenary classification of Manas? There are seven degrees of the Lower Manas, and presumably there are seven degrees of the Higher. Are there then fourteen degrees of Manas, or is Manas, taken as a whole, divided into forty-nine Mânasic fires?
A. Certainly there are fourteen, but you want to run before you can walk. First learn the three, and then go on to the forty-nine. There are three Sons of Agni; they become seven, and then evolve to the forty-nine. But you are still ignorant how to produce the three. Learn first how to produce the “Sacred Fire,” spoken of in the Purânas. The forty-nine fires are all states of Kundalinî, to be produced in ourselves by the friction of the Triad. First learn the septenary of the body, and then that of each Principle. But first of all learn the first Triad (the three vital airs).
The Spinal Cord.
Q. What is the sympathetic nerve and its function in Occultism? It is found only after a certain stage of animal evolution, and would seem to be evolving in complexity towards a second spinal cord.
A. At the end of the next Round, Humanity will again become male-female, and then there will be two spinal cords. In the Seventh Race the two will merge into the one. The evolution corresponds to the Races, and with the evolution of the Races the sympathetic developes into a true spinal cord. We are returning up the arc only with self-consciousness added. The Sixth Race will correspond to the “pudding bags,” but will have the perfection of form with the highest intelligence and spirituality.
Anatomists are beginning to find new ramifications and new modifications in the human body. They are in error on many points, e.g., as to the spleen, which they call the manufactory of white blood corpuscles, but which is really the vehicle of the Linga Sharîra. Occultists know each minute portion of the heart, and have a name for each. They call them by the names of the Gods, as Brahmâ's Hall, Vishnu's Hall, etc. They correspond with parts of the brain. The very atoms of the body are the thirty-three crores of Gods.
The sympathetic nerve is played on by the Tântrikas, who call it Shiva's Vînâ.
Prâna.
Q. What is the relation of man to Prâna—the periodical life?
A. Jîva becomes Prâna only when the child is born and begins to breathe. It is the breath of life, Nephesh. There is no Prâna on the Astral Plane.
Antahkarana.
Q. The Antahkarana is the link between the Higher and the Lower Egos; does it correspond to the umbilical cord in projection?
