Theosophy is that ocean of knowledge which spreads from shore to shore of the evolution of sentient beings; unfathomable in its deepest parts, it gives the greatest minds their fullest scope, yet, shallow enough at its shores, it will not overwhelm the understanding of a child. It is Wisdom, for it is the science of sciences. It is therefore complete in itself and sees no unsolvable mystery anywhere. It throws the word coincidence out of its vocabulary. It hails the reign of law in everything and every circumstance.
The vast array of objects and men are not mere collections of atoms fortuitously thrown together and thus without law evolving law, but down to the smallest atom all is soul and spirit ever evolving under the rule of law which is inherent in the whole. Theosophy teaches that the course of evolution is the drama of the soul and that nature exists for no other purpose than the soul's experience.
SCALES OF INTELLIGENCE -- THE SAGES
The Theosophist agrees with the wise Prof. Huxley in the assertion that there must be beings in the universe whose intelligence is as much beyond ours as ours exceeds that of the black beetle, and those possessing such advanced intelligence naturally take an active and cooperative part in the government of the natural order of things. They are the active, and wise assistants of Nature, [the UNIVERSE] as a whole. The Theosophist adds that such Wise Sages are Intelligences which were once human, and came like all of us from other and previous worlds.
The most intelligent being in the universe, man, has never, been without a friend, but has a line of elder brothers who continually watch over the progress of the less progressed, preserve the knowledge gained through aeons of trial and experience, and continually seek for opportunities of drawing the developing intelligence of the race to consider the great truths concerning the destiny of the soul.
We are therefore not appearing for the first time when we come upon this planet, but have pursued a long, an immeasurable course of activity and intelligent perception on other systems of globes, some of which were destroyed ages before the solar system condensed.
UNIVERSAL EVOLUTION -- ITS RECORDS
This immense reach of the evolutionary system means, that this planet on which we now are, is the result of the activity and the evolution of some earlier one that died long ago. It left its energy to be used in the bringing into existence the earth. Further, the inhabitants of the Earth, in their turn, came from some older world. They are now proceeding with their destined work in the "matter" we are familiar with here.
The Elder Brothers of the human race, keep the knowledge they have gained of the laws of nature in all departments, and are ready when cyclic law permits to use it for the benefit of mankind. They have always existed as a body, all knowing each other, no matter in what part of the world they may be, and all working for the race in many different ways. [see ISIS UNVEILED, Vol. 2, pp. 98-103]
They have stood by the cradle of nations and seen the vast achievements of the ancients, watched sadly the decay of those who had no power to resist the cyclic law of rise and fall; and while cataclysms seemed to show a universal destruction of art, architecture, religion, and philosophy, they have preserved the records of it all in places secure from the ravages of either men or time. They have made minute observations, through trained psychics among their own order, into the unseen realms of nature and of mind, recorded the observations, and have preserved the record. And, greater feat than all -- one which implies a knowledge of the very foundations of nature -- they know what the ultimate divisions of time are and what are the meaning and the times of the cycles. [ see SECRET DOCTRINE Vol. I, pp. 272-3 ]
CYCLES OF KNOWLEDGE AND EVOLUTION
Under cyclic law, during a dark period in the history of mind, the true philosophy disappears for a time, but the same law causes it to reappear. It is the Master's work to preserve the true philosophy, but the help of the companions is needed to rediscover and promulgate it.
The periods, when out of the Great Unknown there comes forth the visible universes, are eternal in their coming and going. These alternate with equal periods of silence and rest in that Unknown. The object of these mighty waves is the production of Perfect Man, the evolution of Soul, and they always witness the increase of the number of Elder Brothers. The Elder Brothers are the highest product of evolution through whom alone, in cooperation with the whole human family, the further regular and workmanlike prosecution of the plans of the Great Architect of the Universe can be carried on.
THEOSOPHY DEALS WITH OUR EARTH IN THE UNIVERSE
The teachings of Theosophy deal for the present with our earth, although its purview extends to all the worlds, since no part of the manifested universe is outside the single body of laws which operate upon us. Our globe being one of the solar system is certainly connected with other planets, but as the great human family has to remain with its material vehicle -- the earth -- until all the units of the race which are ready, are perfected, the evolution of that family is of greater importance to the members of it.
SEVEN-FOLD NATURE AND MAN -- " 7 PRINCIPLES"
The universe evolves from the unknown, on seven planes, and in seven ways in all worlds. And this sevenfold differentiation causes all the worlds of the universe, and the beings thereon, to have a septenary constitution.
The divisions of the sevenfold universe may be laid down roughly as: The Absolute, Spirit, Mind, Matter, Will, Akasa or AEther, and Life. In place of "the Absolute" we can use the word "Space." For "Space" is that which ever is, and in which all manifestation must take place.
Our knowledge begins with differentiation, and all manifested objects, beings, or powers are only differentiations of the Great Unknown.
The most that can be said of the Absolute" is that IT periodically differentiates itself, and periodically withdraws the differentiated into itself. As to "the Absolute," we can do no more than say IT IS. None of the Great Teachers of the School ascribe qualities to "the Absolute," although all qualities exist in It.
The first differentiation -- speaking metaphysically as to time -- is Spirit, with which appears Matter and Mind. This is a Unit, and, called the "Monad." [ In manifestation, it is a triune Unity, consisting of: ATMA-BUDDHI-MANAS, or, Spirit - Wisdom - Mind] The Monad is held to be immortal throughout the great life-cycle, whether Manvantara or Kalpa. It is the basis for human Individuality.
The term "Akasa," taken from the Sanskrit, is used in place of AEther, to properly designate that tenuous state of matter which is now sometimes called "Ether" by modern science. Akasa is produced from Matter and Spirit.
Will is the force of Spirit in action. And Life (Jiva) is a resultant of the action of Akasa, moved by Spirit, upon Matter.
But the Matter here spoken of, is not that which is commonly known as such. It is the Real Matter which is always invisible, and has sometimes been called Primordial Matter. In the Brahmanical system it is called "Mulaprakriti" (or "Root Matter"). And it is sometimes referred to as "Maha-Buddhi." [In considering this, one may think of an "atom" as essentially an eternal, individualized field of electro-magnetic Force. Physical material is condensed in and around it by attraction. The formation of worlds, and the reincarnation of human Souls, may be thought of in similar terms, and follow a similar pattern.]
The ancient teaching always held, as is now admitted by Science, that we see or perceive only the phenomena but not the essential nature, cause or being of Matter.
