Changes

{{Page|206|the secret doctrine.}}

{{Page|206|the secret doctrine.}}

To calculate its age, however, as the pupil is asked to do in the Stanza, is rather difficult, since we are not given the figures of the Great Kalpa, and are not allowed to publish those of our small Yugas, except as to the approximate duration of these. “ The older wheels rotated for one Eternity and one half of an Eternity,” it says. We know that by “ Eternity ” the seventh part of 311,040,000,000,000 years, or an age of Brahmâ is meant. But what of that ? We also know that, to begin with, if we take for our basis the above figures, we have first of all to eliminate from the 100 years of Brahmâ (or 311,040,000,000,000 years) two ''years ''taken up by the Sandhyas (twilights), which leaves 98, as we have to bring it to the mystical combination 14 _×7. But ''we ''have no knowledge at what time precisely the evolution and formation of our little earth began. Therefore it is impossible to calculate its age, unless the time of its birth is given — which the teachers refuse to do, so far. At the close of this Book and in Book II., however, some chronological hints will be given. We must remember, moreover, that the law of Analogy holds good for the worlds, as it does for man ; and that as “ The {{Style S-Small capitals|one}} (Deity) becomes ''Two ''(Deva or Angel) and ''Two ''becomes ''Three ''(or man),” etc., etc., so we are taught that the ''Curds ''(world-stuff) become wanderers, (Comets), these become stars, and the stars (the centres of vortices) ''our sun and planets'' — to put it briefly. *

To calculate its age, however, as the pupil is asked to do in the Stanza, is rather difficult, since we are not given the figures of the Great Kalpa, and are not allowed to publish those of our small Yugas, except as to the approximate duration of these. “ The older wheels rotated for one Eternity and one half of an Eternity,” it says. We know that by “ Eternity ” the seventh part of 311,040,000,000,000 years, or an age of Brahmâ is meant. But what of that ? We also know that, to begin with, if we take for our basis the above figures, we have first of all to eliminate from the 100 years of Brahmâ (or 311,040,000,000,000 years) two ''years ''taken up by the Sandhyas (twilights), which leaves 98, as we have to bring it to the mystical combination 14 × 7. But ''we ''have no knowledge at what time precisely the evolution and formation of our little earth began. Therefore it is impossible to calculate its age, unless the time of its birth is given — which the teachers refuse to do, so far. At the close of this Book and in Book II., however, some chronological hints will be given. We must remember, moreover, that the law of Analogy holds good for the worlds, as it does for man ; and that as “ The {{Style S-Small capitals|one}} (Deity) becomes ''Two ''(Deva or Angel) and ''Two ''becomes ''Three ''(or man),” etc., etc., so we are taught that the ''Curds ''(world-stuff) become wanderers, (Comets), these become stars, and the stars (the centres of vortices) ''our sun and planets'' — to put it briefly. *

{{Vertical space|}}

{{Vertical space|}}

{{Page|208|the secret doctrine.}}

{{Page|208|the secret doctrine.}}

''initiated ''Adepts throughout the whole world. He is, as said, the “ Nameless One ” who has so many names, and yet whose names and whose very nature are unknown. He is ''the ''“ Initiator,” called the “ great sacrifice.” For, sitting at the threshold of light, he looks into it from within the circle of Darkness, which he will not cross ; nor will he quit his post till the last day of this life-cycle. Why does the solitary Watcher remain at his self-chosen post ? Why does he sit by the fountain of primeval Wisdom, of which he drinks no longer, as he has naught to learn which he does not know — aye, neither on this Earth, nor in its heaven ? Because the lonely, sore-footed pilgrims on their way back to their ''home ''are never sure to the last moment of not losing their way in this limitless desert of illusion and matter called Earth-Life. Because he would fain show the way to that region of freedom and light, from which he is a voluntary exile himself, to every prisoner who has succeeded in liberating himself from the bonds of flesh and illusion. Because, in short, he has sacrificed himself for the sake of mankind, though but a few Elect may profit by the great sacrifice.

''initiated ''Adepts throughout the whole world. He is, as said, the “ Nameless One ” who has so many names, and yet whose names and whose very nature are unknown. He is ''the ''“ Initiator,” called the “ {{Style S-Small capitals|great sacrifice}}.” For, sitting at the threshold of light, he looks into it from within the circle of Darkness, which he will not cross ; nor will he quit his post till the last day of this life-cycle. Why does the solitary Watcher remain at his self-chosen post ? Why does he sit by the fountain of primeval Wisdom, of which he drinks no longer, as he has naught to learn which he does not know — aye, neither on this Earth, nor in its heaven ? Because the lonely, sore-footed pilgrims on their way back to their ''home ''are never sure to the last moment of not losing their way in this limitless desert of illusion and matter called Earth-Life. Because he would fain show the way to that region of freedom and light, from which he is a voluntary exile himself, to every prisoner who has succeeded in liberating himself from the bonds of flesh and illusion. Because, in short, he has sacrificed himself for the sake of mankind, though but a few Elect may profit by the great sacrifice.

It is under the direct, silent guidance of this Maha — (great) — Guru that all the other less divine Teachers and instructors of mankind became, from the first awakening of human consciousness, the guides of early Humanity. It is through these “ Sons of God ” that infant humanity got its first notions of all the arts and sciences, as well as of spiritual knowledge ; and it is they who have laid the first foundation-stone of those ancient civilizations that puzzle so sorely our modern generation of students and scholars. *

It is under the direct, silent guidance of this {{Style S-Small capitals|Maha}} — (great) — {{Style S-Small capitals|Guru}} that all the other less divine Teachers and instructors of mankind became, from the first awakening of human consciousness, the guides of early Humanity. It is through these “ Sons of God ” that infant humanity got its first notions of all the arts and sciences, as well as of spiritual knowledge ; and it is they who have laid the first foundation-stone of those ancient civilizations that puzzle so sorely our modern generation of students and scholars. *

{{Footnotes start}}

{{Footnotes start}}

{{Page|212|the secret doctrine.}}

{{Page|212|the secret doctrine.}}

{{Style P-No indent|the highest Being reveals himself in man. This body, these faculties, this life of ours, is it not all as a vesture for the unnamed ? ”}}

{{Style P-No indent|the highest Being reveals himself in man. This body, these faculties, this life of ours, is it not all as a vesture for the {{Style S-Small capitals|unnamed}} ? ”}}

The ''breath ''of heaven, or rather the breath of life, called in the Bible ''Nephesh'', is in every animal, in every animate speck as in every mineral atom. But none of these has, like man, the consciousness of the nature of that highest Being, * as none has that divine harmony in its form which man possesses. It is, as Novalis said, and no one since has said it better, as repeated by Carlyle : — 

The ''breath ''of heaven, or rather the breath of life, called in the Bible ''Nephesh'', is in every animal, in every animate speck as in every mineral atom. But none of these has, like man, the consciousness of the nature of that highest Being, * as none has that divine harmony in its form which man possesses. It is, as Novalis said, and no one since has said it better, as repeated by Carlyle : —