HPB-SD(ed.1) v.1 p.2 sec.12: Difference between revisions

{{Style P-No indent|''incognisable ''{{Style S-Small capitals|Deity}} in One). * “ When the Heavenly man (or Logos) first assumed the form of the Crown † (Kether) and identified himself with Sephira, he caused seven splendid lights to emanate from it (the Crown),” which made in their totality ten ; so the Brahmâ-Prajâpati, once he became separated from, yet identical with Vâch, caused the seven Rishis, the seven Manus or Prajâpatis to issue from that crown. In Exotericism one will always find 10 and 7, of either Sephiroth or Prajâpati ; in ''Esoteric ''rendering always 3 and 7, which yield also 10. Only when divided in the manifested sphere into 3 and 7, they form [[File:sd-circle_with_vertical_diameter.jpg|x20px]], the androgyne, and [[File:sd-circle_with_svastika.jpg|x20px]], or the figure X manifested and differentiated.}}

<nowiki>*</nowiki> It is this ''trinity ''that is meant by the “&nbsp;three steps of Vishnu&nbsp;”&nbsp;; which means&nbsp;: (Vishnu being considered as the ''Infinite ''in exotericism)&nbsp;—&nbsp;that from the Parabrahm issued Mulaprakriti, Purusha (the Logos), and Prakriti&nbsp;: the four forms (with itself, the synthesis) of Vâch. And in the Kabala&nbsp;—&nbsp;Ain-Soph, Shekinah, Adam Kadmon and Sephirah, the four&nbsp;—&nbsp;or the three emanations being distinct&nbsp;—&nbsp;yet one.

Mor Isaac (''See ''Kircher’s ''Œdipus'', ''vol. ii.'', ''p. ''425) shows the ancient Syrians defining their world of the “&nbsp;Rulers&nbsp;” and “&nbsp;active gods&nbsp;” in the same way as the Chaldeans. The lowest world was the {{Style S-Small capitals|Sublunary}}&nbsp;—&nbsp;our own&nbsp;—&nbsp;watched by the “&nbsp;Angels&nbsp;” of the first or lower order&nbsp;; the one that came next in rank, was Mercury, ruled by the “&nbsp;{{Style S-Small capitals|Archangels}}&nbsp;”&nbsp;; then came Venus, whose gods were the {{Style S-Small capitals|Principalities}}&nbsp;; the fourth was that of the {{Style S-Small capitals|Sun}}, the domain and region of the highest and mightiest gods of our system, the solar gods of all nations&nbsp;; the fifth was Mars, ruled by the “&nbsp;{{Style S-Small capitals|Virtues}}&nbsp;”&nbsp;; the sixth&nbsp;—&nbsp;that of ''Bel ''or Jupiter&nbsp;—&nbsp;was governed by the {{Style S-Small capitals|Dominions}}&nbsp;; the seventh&nbsp;—&nbsp;the world of Saturn&nbsp;—&nbsp;by the Thrones. These are the worlds of form. Above come the four higher ones, making seven again, since the three ''highest ''are “&nbsp;unmentionable and unpronounceable.” The eighth, composed of 1,122 stars, is the domain of the ''Cherubs&nbsp;; ''the ninth, belonging to the ''walking ''and numberless stars on account of their distance, has the seraphs&nbsp;; as to the tenth&nbsp;—&nbsp;Kircher, quoting Mor Isaac, says that it is composed “&nbsp;of invisible stars that could be taken, they said, for clouds&nbsp;—&nbsp;so massed are they in the zone that we call ''Via Straminis'', the

Champollion shows the same belief among the Egyptians. Hermes having spoken of the Father-Mother and Son, whose spirit (collectively the divine fiat) shapes the Universe, says&nbsp;:&nbsp;—&nbsp;''Seven Agents ''(mediums) were also formed, to contain the material (or manifested) worlds, within their respective ''circles ''and the action of these agents was named destiny.” He further enumerates seven and ten and twelve orders, which would take too long to detail here.

For the present it is sufficient to show, by a few instances, the truth of what was asserted at the beginning of this Monograph, namely, that no Cosmogony, the world over, with the sole exception of the Christian, has ever attributed to the One Highest cause, the {{Style S-Small capitals|universal}} Deific Principle, the immediate creation of our Earth, man, or anything connected with these. This statement holds as good for the Hebrew or Chaldean Kabala as it does for ''Genesis'', had the latter been ever thoroughly understood, and&nbsp;—&nbsp;what is still more important&nbsp;—&nbsp;correctly translated.&nbsp;† Everywhere there is either a logos&nbsp;—&nbsp;a “&nbsp;''Light ''shining

† The same reserve is found in the Talmud and in every national system of religion whether monotheistic or exoterically polytheistical. From the superb religious poem by the Kabalist Rabbi Solomon Ben Gabirol in “&nbsp;the Kether Malchuth,” we select a few definitions given in the prayers of Kippûr. . . . “&nbsp;Thou art one, the beginning of all numbers, and the foundation of all edifices&nbsp;; Thou art One, and in the secret of Thy unity the wisest of men are lost, because they know it not. Thou art one, and Thy Unity is never diminished, never extended, and cannot be changed. Thou art one, but ''not as an element of numeration&nbsp;; for Thy Unity admits not of multiplication'', ''change or form. ''Thou art existent&nbsp;; but the understanding and vision of mortals cannot attain to thy existence, nor determine for thee the Where, the How, and the Why. Thou art Existent, but in thyself alone, there being none other that can exist with thee. Thou art Existent, before all time and without Place. Thou art Existent, and thy existence is so profound and secret that none can penetrate and discover thy secrecy. Thou art Living, but within no time that can be fixed or known&nbsp;; Thou art Living, but not by a spirit or a soul, for ''Thou art thyself'', the soul of all souls,” etc., etc. There is

† If he rejected it, it was on the ground of what he calls the changes&nbsp;—&nbsp;in other words, rebirths&nbsp;—&nbsp;of man, and constant transformations. He denied immortality to the ''personality ''of man&nbsp;—&nbsp;as we do&nbsp;—&nbsp;not to man.

The Esoteric doctrine of the East having thus furnished and struck the key-note&nbsp;—&nbsp;which is as scientific as it is philosophical and poetical, as may be seen, under its allegorical garb&nbsp;—&nbsp;every nation has followed its lead. It is from the exoteric religions that we have to dig out the root-idea before we turn to esoteric truths, lest the latter should be rejected. Furthermore, every symbol&nbsp;—&nbsp;in ''every ''national religion&nbsp;—&nbsp;may be read esoterically, and the proof furnished for its being correctly read by transliterating it into its corresponding numerals and geometrical forms&nbsp;—&nbsp;by the extraordinary agreement of all&nbsp;—&nbsp;however much the glyphs and symbols may vary among themselves. For in the origin those symbols were all identical. Take, for instance, the opening sentences in various cosmogonies&nbsp;: in every case it is either a ''circle'', an ''egg'', or a ''head. ''Darkness is always associated with this first symbol and surrounds it,&nbsp;—&nbsp;as shown in the Hindu, the Egyptian, the Chaldeo-Hebrew and even the Scandinavian systems&nbsp;—&nbsp;hence black ravens, black doves, black waters and even black flames&nbsp;; the ''seventh ''tongue of Agni, the ''fire-god ''being called “&nbsp;''Kali'',” “&nbsp;the black,” as it was a black flickering flame. Two ''black ''doves flew from Egypt and settling on the oaks of Dodona, gave their names to the Grecian gods. Noah lets out a ''black ''raven after the deluge, which is a symbol for the Cosmic pralaya, after which began the real creation or evolution of our earth and humanity. Odin’s black ravens fluttered around the Goddess Saga and “&nbsp;whispered to her of the past and of the future.” What is the real meaning of all those black birds&nbsp;? They are all connected with the primeval wisdom, which flows out of the pre-cosmic Source of all, symbolised by the Head, the Circle, the Egg&nbsp;; and they all have an identical meaning and relate to the primordial Archetypal man (Adam Kadmon) the creative origin of all things, which is composed of the Host of Cosmic Powers&nbsp;—&nbsp;the Creative Dhyan-Chohans, beyond which all is darkness.

Eastern Esotericism has never degraded the One Infinite Deity, the container of all things, to such uses&nbsp;; and this is shown by the absence of Brahmâ from the Rig Veda and the modest positions occupied therein by Rudra and Vishnu, who became the powerful and great Gods, the “&nbsp;Infinites&nbsp;” of the exoteric creeds, ages later. But even they, “&nbsp;Creators&nbsp;” as the three may be, are not the direct creators and “&nbsp;forefathers of men.” The latter are shown occupying a still lower scale, and are called Prajâpatis, the Pitris (our lunar ancestors), etc., etc.&nbsp;—&nbsp;never the “&nbsp;One Infinite God.” Esoteric philosophy shows only ''physical ''man as created ''in the image ''of the Deity&nbsp;; but the latter is but “&nbsp;the ''minor gods.''” It is the {{Style S-Small capitals|Higher-Self}}, the real Ego who alone is divine and {{Style S-Small capitals|god}}.