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Blavatsky H.P. - Occult or Exact Science (view source)
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{{HPB-CW-comment|[''Vide'' {{Style S-Small capitals|Ovsyaniko-Kulikovsky}} in the Bio-Bibliogr. Index.––''Compiler''.]}}</ref> tells us that “ the Sanskrit verbal root {{Style S-Small capitals|Arch}} is used to denote two meanings—(''a'') ‘to ''sing'',’ and (''b'') ‘to ''shine'',’ to radiate beams or rays. The substantives rich and archis, derived from the root {{Style S-Small capitals|Arch}}, are used to signify (1) ''song, hymn'', and (2) ''brilliancy'', ray, sun. . . . In the conception of the ancients ''a speech could be seen'' . . . ,” he explains. What does the Esoteric Doctrine—that universal solvent indeed of all scientific difficulties and puzzles––say to this? It sends us to the chapter on the {{Page aside|68}}''Evolution of Races'', in which primitive man is shown in his special evolution advancing on the physical plane by developing a sense in each successive sub-race (of which there are seven) of the 1st Root-race during the 4th Round on this globe.<ref>See ''Esoteric Buddhism''—for the Rounds, World-periods, and Subraces. The chapter referred to will appear in ''The Secret Doctrine'', which will shortly be published.</ref> ''Human'' speech, as known to us, came into being in the Root-race that preceded ours—the ''Fourth'' or the “Atlantean”—at the very beginning of it, in sub-race No. 1; and simultaneously with it were developed ''sight''—as a physical sense—while the four other senses (with the two additional—the 6th and 7th—of which science knows nothing as yet)—remained in their latent, undeveloped state as physical senses, although fully developed as spiritual faculties. Our sense of ''hearing'' developed only in the 3rd sub-race. Thus, if human “speech”—owing to that absence of the sense of hearing––was in the beginning even less than what we would call a whispered speech, for it was a mental articulation of sounds rather than anything else, something like the systems we now see worked out for the Deaf and Dumb, still it is easy to understand how, even from those early days, “speech” became associated with “sight,” or, in other words, people could understand each other and talk with the help of only ''sight'' and ''touch''. “Sound is ''seen'' before it is heard”—says the ''Book of Kiu-ti''. The flash of lightning precedes the clap of thunder. As ages went by mankind fell with every new generation lower and lower ''into matter'', the physical smothering the spiritual, until the whole set of senses—that had formed during the first three Root-races but one {{Style S-Small capitals|Sense}}, namely, ''spiritual perception''—finally fell asunder to form henceforth five distinct senses. | {{HPB-CW-comment|[''Vide'' {{Style S-Small capitals|Ovsyaniko-Kulikovsky}} in the Bio-Bibliogr. Index.––''Compiler''.]}}</ref> tells us that “ the Sanskrit verbal root {{Style S-Small capitals|Arch}} is used to denote two meanings—(''a'') ‘to ''sing'',’ and (''b'') ‘to ''shine'',’ to radiate beams or rays. The substantives rich and archis, derived from the root {{Style S-Small capitals|Arch}}, are used to signify (1) ''song, hymn'', and (2) ''brilliancy'', ray, sun. . . . In the conception of the ancients ''a speech could be seen'' . . . ,” he explains. What does the Esoteric Doctrine—that universal solvent indeed of all scientific difficulties and puzzles––say to this? It sends us to the chapter on the {{Page aside|68}}''Evolution of Races'', in which primitive man is shown in his special evolution advancing on the physical plane by developing a sense in each successive sub-race (of which there are seven) of the 1st Root-race during the 4th Round on this globe.<ref>See ''Esoteric Buddhism''—for the Rounds, World-periods, and Subraces. The chapter referred to will appear in ''The Secret Doctrine'', which will shortly be published.</ref> ''Human'' speech, as known to us, came into being in the Root-race that preceded ours—the ''Fourth'' or the “Atlantean”—at the very beginning of it, in sub-race No. 1; and simultaneously with it were developed ''sight''—as a physical sense—while the four other senses (with the two additional—the 6th and 7th—of which science knows nothing as yet)—remained in their latent, undeveloped state as physical senses, although fully developed as spiritual faculties. Our sense of ''hearing'' developed only in the 3rd sub-race. Thus, if human “speech”—owing to that absence of the sense of hearing––was in the beginning even less than what we would call a whispered speech, for it was a mental articulation of sounds rather than anything else, something like the systems we now see worked out for the Deaf and Dumb, still it is easy to understand how, even from those early days, “speech” became associated with “sight,” or, in other words, people could understand each other and talk with the help of only ''sight'' and ''touch''. “Sound is ''seen'' before it is heard”—says the ''Book of Kiu-ti''. The flash of lightning precedes the clap of thunder. As ages went by mankind fell with every new generation lower and lower ''into matter'', the physical smothering the spiritual, until the whole set of senses—that had formed during the first three Root-races but one {{Style S-Small capitals|Sense}}, namely, ''spiritual perception''—finally fell asunder to form henceforth five distinct senses. | ||
But we are in the 5th race, and we have already passed the turning or ''axial'' point of our “sub-race cycle.” Eventually as the current phenomena and the increase of sensitive organisms in our age go to prove, this Humanity {{Page aside|69}}will be moving swiftly on the path of pure spirituality, and will reach the apex (of ''our'' Race) at the end of the 7th sub-race. In plainer and ''fuller'' language—plainer and fuller to some theosophists only, I am afraid—we shall be, at that period, on the same degree of spirituality that belonged to, and was natural in, the 1st sub-race of the 3rd ''Root-race'' of the {{Style S-Small capitals|Fourth}} Round; and the second half of it (or that half in which we now are) will be, owing to the law of correspondence, on parallel lines with the ''first'' half of the {{Style S-Small capitals|Third}} Round. In the words of one in whom live Truth and Wisdom—however often His words may have been misunderstood and criticised, not alone by profane critics but even by some theosophists—“in the 1st half of the 3rd Round the primordial spirituality of man was eclipsed, because over-shadowed by nascent mentality”; Humanity was on its ''descending arc'' in the first half of that round and in the last half on its ascending arc: ''i.e''., “ his [man’s] ''gigantic'' stature had decreased and his body improved in texture; and he had become a more rational being though still more an ape than a ''Deva''-man.” <ref>{{HPB-CW-comment|[H.P.B. makes reference to and | But we are in the 5th race, and we have already passed the turning or ''axial'' point of our “sub-race cycle.” Eventually as the current phenomena and the increase of sensitive organisms in our age go to prove, this Humanity {{Page aside|69}}will be moving swiftly on the path of pure spirituality, and will reach the apex (of ''our'' Race) at the end of the 7th sub-race. In plainer and ''fuller'' language—plainer and fuller to some theosophists only, I am afraid—we shall be, at that period, on the same degree of spirituality that belonged to, and was natural in, the 1st sub-race of the 3rd ''Root-race'' of the {{Style S-Small capitals|Fourth}} Round; and the second half of it (or that half in which we now are) will be, owing to the law of correspondence, on parallel lines with the ''first'' half of the {{Style S-Small capitals|Third}} Round. In the words of one in whom live Truth and Wisdom—however often His words may have been misunderstood and criticised, not alone by profane critics but even by some theosophists—“in the 1st half of the 3rd Round the primordial spirituality of man was eclipsed, because over-shadowed by nascent mentality”; Humanity was on its ''descending arc'' in the first half of that round and in the last half on its ascending arc: ''i.e''., “ his [man’s] ''gigantic'' stature had decreased and his body improved in texture; and he had become a more rational being though still more an ape than a ''Deva''-man.” <ref>{{HPB-CW-comment|[H.P.B. makes reference to and quotes from a Letter of Master K.H. received by A. O. Hume, July 9, 1882, answering questions on Globe-Rounds, etc. The original of this Letter does not seem to exist any longer. The text can be found in ''The Mahatma Letters to A. P. Sinnett'', pp. 78-88, where it has been transcribed “from a copy in Mr. Sinnett’s handwriting.”<br> | ||
The wording runs as follows (pp. 87-88):<br> | The wording runs as follows (pp. 87-88):<br> | ||
“''3rd Round''.—He has now a perfectly concrete or compacted body; at first the form of a giant ape, and more intelligent (or rather cunning) than spiritual. For in the downward arc he has now reached the point where his primordial spirituality is eclipsed or over-shadowed by nascent mentality. In the last half of this third round his gigantic stature decreases, his body improves in texture (perhaps the microscope might help to demonstrate this) and he becomes a more rational being—though still more an ape than a Deva man.”<br> | “''3rd Round''.—He has now a perfectly concrete or compacted body; at first the form of a giant ape, and more intelligent (or rather cunning) than spiritual. For in the downward arc he has now reached the point where his primordial spirituality is eclipsed or over-shadowed by nascent mentality. In the last half of this third round his gigantic stature decreases, his body improves in texture (perhaps the microscope might help to demonstrate this) and he becomes a more rational being—though still more an ape than a Deva man.”<br> | ||