Legend
< How Best to Become a Theosophist (continued from page 10-216) >
desires is comparatively an easy triumph over matter. Will force is sufficient for that. But this very will force must for ever present the temptation of that self-will, which becomes spiritual tyranny; and if it be true that the adept controls and uses for his purposes the souls of weaker spirits, how can he escape that penalty which follows all slaveholding? Must he not sooner or later be compelled to pay the price for work done? Or “can any man touch pitch and not be defiled?
Secrecy as an essential in Eastern adeptship is so far a good, as it is of the nature of that reticence which is so far strength; but can secrecy be maintained for a lifetime, and be the essence of one’s life, and not engender selfishness?
In certain conditions of society, and for certain ends, secrecy may be essential to safety; but perhaps the day is beginning to arrive when even with adeptship the rule of absolute secrecy may be relaxed, and it almost seems as if Madame Blavatsky, as editor of the Theosophist, were really preparing the way to give us a second and true edition of “Isis (fully) Unveiled.”
Another question suggests itself to us as members of the British Theosophical Society. If, as we are told, some of those who practise yogi perish from over-strained bodies, while others, becoming entangled in the middle passage, are torn to pieces by the demons of infernal desire, how could we, the pale faces of the West, endure the ordeal? Unless, indeed, the victory were gained after a long and systematic training of soul and body.
Finally we may ask, granting that magical powers can be obtained by these spiritual athletes, should we of the West, at least, not be in the position of those physical athletes, of whom we know that they ever stand on the verge of dangerous disease?
But I have already confessed that we know almost nothing of the powers or mode of life followed by the Eastern adept.
Perhaps one may some day appear in our midst and instruct us, although it may be a question whether he could, with advantage to himself, forsake his native soil and air, and, isolated from his brothers, stand before us.
But although we are ignorant, and therefore must speak with discretion regarding the adeptship of the East, we can with knowledge and confidence speak regarding the Christian adeptship of the West, because in the life and teachinsrs of Jesus of Nazareth we find the history of the greatest of all the magicians who ever stood on this planet, because He sought not His own will, but the will of Him who sent Him.
His rule of adeptship is distinctly laid down in words, and was openly and continually manifested in His life and works; and all who choose may freely enrol themselves as brothers and sisters of His order, while those who begin to live the life will at once begin to know the doctrine; and those who truly live the life will know the doctrine in its fulness.
Now the rules for Christian adeptship we find fully laid down by the Founder Himself in His Sermon from the Mount.
The historian, after a rapid sketch of the birth and early life of Jesus of Nazareth, suddenly intro duces Him as entering on His public life as a teacher of righteousness and a worker of miracles.
We find that, if I may use the term, He completed His initiation by going into the wilderness and fasting forty days and forty nights, after which He was “an hungered.”
Then, as in Eastern initiation, still following the parallel, He became subject to the test temptations of what is called the devil, but which Easterns and modems call evil spirits, and thus the narrative proceeds.
“And the tempter came to Him and said: If Thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But He answered and said: Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word proceeding out of the mouth of God. Then the devil taketh Him up into the Holy City and setteth Him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto Him: If Thou be the Son of God, cast Thyself down, for it is written. He shall give His angels charge concerning Thee, and in their hands they shall bear Thee up, lest Thou dash Thy foot against a stone. And Jesus answered and said: It is written, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Again the devil taketh Him up into an exceeding high mountain, and showeth Him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them, and said unto Him: All these things will I give Thee if Thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then Jesus answered and said: Get thee behind Me, Satan, for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve. Then the devil left Him, and angels came and ministered unto Him.”
A Birthday Celebration
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Editor's notes
- ↑ A Birthday Celebration by unknown author, Medium and Daybreak, The