karma anniebesant

8/13/2019 Karma AnnieBesant

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Karma by Annie Besant

Karma

by Annie Besant

Theosophical Manual No. 4First Edition in 189! "thers in 189#$ 19%$ &ondon$ 194# and this one the 'i(th Edition$ 199!

The Theosophical )ublishin* +ouse$ Adyar$ ,hennai$ -ndia

PREFACE

FE /ords are needed in sendin* this little boo0 out into the /orld. -t is the ourth o a series o Manuadesi*ned to meet the public demand or a simple e(position o theosophical teachin*s. 'ome ha2

complained that our literature is at once too abstruse$ too technical$ and too e(pensi2e or the ordinareader$ and it is our hope that the present series may succeed in supplyin* /hat is a 2ery real /anTheosophy is not only or the learned! it is or all. )erhaps amon* those /ho in these little boo0s catctheir irst *limpse o its teachin*s$ there may be a e/ /ho /ill be led by them to penetrate more deepinto its philosophy$ its science$ and its reli*ion$ acin* its abstruser problems /ith the student3s eal anthe neophyte3s ardour. But these manuals are not /ritten or the ea*er student$ /hom no initial diicultiecan daunt! they are /ritten or the busy men and /omen o the /or05a5day /orld$ and see0 to ma0e plasome o [Page vi] the *reat truths that render lie easier to bear and death easier to ace. ritten bser2ants o the Masters /ho are the Elder Brothers o our race$ they can ha2e no other ob6ect than ser2e our ello/5men

Contents )a*e

1 T+E -N7A-AB-&-T "F &A :

: T+E )&ANE' "F NAT;E 4

< T+E =ENEAT-"N "F T+";=+T5F"M' 8

4 A,T-7-T "F T+";=+T5F"M' 14

T+E MAK-N= "F KAMA -N )-N,-)&E 19

> T+E MAK-N= "F KAMA -N ?ETA-& :9

# T+E "K-N= ";T "F KAMA 448 FA,-N= KAM-, E';&T' #

9 B;-&?-N= T+E F;T;E >%

1% M";&?-N= KAMA >:

11 T+E ,&EA'-N= "F KAMA #%

1: ,"&&E,T-7E KAMA #

1< ,"N,&;'-"N 81

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KARMA

E7E thou*ht o man upon bein* e2ol2ed passes into the inner /orld$ and becomes anacti2e entity by associatin* itsel$ coalescin* /e mi*ht term it$ /ith an elemental @ that is tosay$ /ith one o the semi5intelli*ent orces o the 0in*doms. -t sur2i2es as an acti2e intelli*ence@ a creature o the mind3s be*ettin* @ or a lon*er or shorter period proportionate /ith theori*inal intensity o the cerebral action /hich *enerated it. Thus a *ood thou*ht is perpetuatedas an acti2e$ beneicent po/er$ an e2il one as a maleicent demon. And so man is continuallypeoplin* his current in space /ith a /orld o his o/n$ cro/ded /ith the osprin* o his ancies$desires$ impulses and passions! a current /hich re5acts upon any sensiti2e or ner2ousor*aniation /hich comes in contact /ith it$ in proportion to its dynamic intensity. The Buddhistcalls it his C'0andhaD! the +indu *i2es it the name o CKarmaD. The Adepte2ol2es these shapes consciously! other men thro/ them o unconsciously. $The OccultWorldpa*es 895 9%$ Fourth Edition [Page 2]

No more *raphic picture o the essential nature o Karma has e2er been *i2en than in these /ords$ ta0erom one o the early letters o Master K. +. - these are clearly understood$ /ith all their implications$ th

perple(ities /hich surround the sub6ect /ill or the most part disappear$ and the main principle underlyin0armic action /ill be *rasped. They /ill thereore be ta0en as indicatin* the best line o study$ and /shall be*in by considerin* the creati2e po/ers o man. All /e need as preace is a clear conception the in2ariability o la/$ and o the *reat planes in Nature.

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http://hpb.narod.ru/OccultWorld.htmhttp://hpb.narod.ru/OccultWorld.htm


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1. THE I!ARIABI"IT# $F "A%

That /e li2e in a realm o la/$ that /e are surrounded by la/s that /e cannot brea0$ this is a truism. et/hen the act is reco*nied in a real and 2ital /ay$ and /hen it is seen to be a act in the mental andmoral /orld as much as in the physical$ a certain sense o helplessness is apt to o2erpo/er us$ asthou*h /e elt oursel2es in the *rip o some mi*hty )o/er$ that$ seiin* us$ /hirls us a/ay /hither it /ilThe 2ery re2erse o this is in reality the case$ or the mi*hty )o/er$ /hen it is understood$ /ill obedientlycarry us /hither we/illG all orces in Nature can be used in proportion as they are understood [Page &] @CNature is conHuered by obedienceD @ and her resistless ener*ies are at our biddin* as soon as/e$ by 0no/led*e$ /or0 /ith them and not a*ainst them. e can choose out o her boundless stores thorces that ser2e our purpose in momentum$ in direction$ and so on$ and their 2ery in2ariability becomesthe *uarantee o our success.

"n the in2ariability o la/ depends the security o scientiic e(periment$ and all po/er o plannin* a resuand o predictin* the uture. "n this the chemist rests$ sure that Nature /ill e2er respond in the same/ay$ i he be precise in puttin* his Huestions. A 2ariation in his results is ta0en by him as implyin* a

chan*e in his procedure$ not a chan*e in Nature. And so /ith all human action! the more it is based on0no/led*e$ the more secure is it in its orecastin*s$ or all CaccidentD is the result o i*norance$and is due to the /or0in* o la/s /hose presence /as un0no/n or o2erloo0ed. -n the mental and moral/orlds$ as much as in the physical$ results can be oreseen$ planned or$ calculated on. Nature ne2erbetrays us! /e are betrayed by our o/n blindness. -n all /orlds increasin* 0no/led*e means increasin*po/er$ and omniscience and omnipotence are one.

That la/ should be as in2ariable in the mental and moral /orlds as in the physical is to be e(pected$since [Page ']the uni2erse is the emanation o the "NE$ and /hat /e call &a/ is but the e(pression othe ?i2ine Nature$ As there is one &ie emanatin* all$ so there is one &a/ sustainin* all! the /orlds rest

on this roc0 o the ?i2ine Nature as on a secure$ immutable oundation.

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2 .THE P"AE( $F AT)RE

To study the /or0in*s o Karma on the line su**ested by the Master$ /e must *ain a clear conception othe three lo/er planes$ or re*ions$ o the uni2erse$ and o the )rinciples ['ee$ or these MAN;A& 1]related to them. The names *i2en to them indicate the state o the consciousness /or0in* on them. -nthis a dia*ram may help us$ sho/in* the planes /ith the )rinciples related to them$ and the 2ehicles in/hich a conscious entity may 2isit them. -n practical "ccultism the student learns to 2isit these planes$and by his o/n in2esti*ations to transorm theory into 0no/led*e. The lo/est 2ehicle$ the =ross Body$ser2es the consciousness or its /or0 on the physical plane$ and in this the consciousness is limited/ithin the capacities o the brain. The term 'ubtle Body co2ers a 2ariety o astral bodies$ respecti2elysuitable to the 2aryin* conditions o the 2ery complicated re*ion indicated by the name psychic plane. "the [Page *] de2achanic plane there are t/o /ell5deined le2els$ the Form &e2el and the Formless &e2el!on the lo/er$ consciousness uses an artiicial body$ the MIyI2i Jpa$ but the term Mind Body seemssuitable as indicatin* that the matter o /hich it is composed belon*s to the plane o Manas. "n theormless le2el the ,ausal Body must be used. " the Buddhic plane it is needless to spea0.

No/ the matter on these planes is not the same$ and spea0in* *enerally$ the matter o each plane isdenser than that o the one abo2e it. This is accordin* to the analo*y o Nature$ or e2olution in itsdo/n/ard course is rom rare to dense$ rom subtle to *ross. Further$ 2ast hierarchies inhabit theseplanes$ ran*in* rom the loty -ntelli*ences o the spiritual re*ion to the lo/est sub5conscious Elementalso the physical /orld. "n e2ery plane 'pirit and Matter are con6oined in e2ery particle @ e2ery particleha2in* Matter as its body$ 'pirit as its lie @ and all independent a**re*ations o particles$ all separatedorms o e2ery 0ind$ o e2ery type$ are ensouled by these li2in* bein*s$ 2aryin* in their *rades accordin*to the *rade o the orm. No orm e(ists /hich is not thus ensouled$ but the inormin* entity may be thelotiest -ntelli*ence$ the lo/est Elemental$ or any o the countless hosts that ran*e bet/een. The entities[Page +]

!e,i-e

ATMA

(/s,/0ti- B/,i (0irit/a Boy

eva-,ani- Manas13Min Boy23Ca/sa Boy

Psy-,i- or AstraHig,er Psy-,i- Kama3Manas

(/bte Boy"o4er Psy-,i- Kama

P,ysi-a

"inga3(,arira 13Et,eri- o/be

(t,/a3(,arira 235ross Boy

[Page 6] /ith /hich /e shall presently be concerned are chiely those o the psychic plane$ or these *i2eto man his body o desire KIma JpaL @ his body o sensation$ as it is oten called @ are indeed builtinto its astral matri( and 2i2iy his astral senses. They are$ to use the technical name$ the FormElementals Jpa ?e2atIsL o the animal /orld$ and are the a*ents o the chan*es /hich transmute2ibrations into sensations.

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The most salient characteristic o the 0Imic Elementals is sensation$ the po/er o not only ans/erin* to2ibrations but o eelin* them! and the psychic plane is cro/ded /ith these entities$ o 2aryin* de*rees oconsciousness$ /ho recei2e impacts o e2ery 0ind and combine them into sensations. Any bein* /hopossesses$ then$ a body into /hich these Elementals are built$ is capable o eelin*$ and man eelsthrou*h such a body. A man is not conscious in the particles o his body or e2en in its cells! they ha2e aconsciousness o their o/n$ and by this carry on the 2arious processes o his 2e*etati2e lie! but the man/hose body they orm does not share their consciousness$ does not consciously help or hinder them as

they select$ assimilate$ secrete$ build up$ and could not at any moment so put his consciousness intorapport /ith the consciousness o a cell in his heart as to say e(actly [Page 7]/hat it /as doin*. +isconsciousness unctions normally on the psychic plane! and e2en in the hi*her psychic re*ions$ /heremind is /or0in*$ it is mind intermin*led /ith KIma$ pure mind not unctionin* on this astral plane.

The astral plane is thron*ed /ith Elementals similar to those /hich enter into the desire5body o man$and /hich also orm the simpler desire5body o the lo/er animal. By this department o his nature mancomes into immediate relations /ith these Elementals$ and by them he orms lin0s /ith all the ob6ectsaround him that are either attracti2e or repulsi2e to him. By his ill$ by his emotions$ by his desires$ heinluences these countless bein*s$ /hich sensiti2ely respond to all the thrills o eelin* that he sends out

in e2ery direction. +is o/n desire5body acts as the apparatus$ and 6ust as it combines the 2ibrations thatcome rom /ithout into eelin*s$ so does it dissociate the eelin*s that arise /ithin into 2ibrations.

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&.THE 5EERATI$ $F TH$)5HT3F$RM(

e$ are no/ in a position to more clearly understand the Master3s /ords. The mind$ /or0in* in its o/nre*ion$ in the subtle matter o the hi*her psychic plane$[Page 8] *enerates ima*es$ thou*ht5orms.-ma*ination has 2ery accurately been called the creati2e aculty o the mind$ and it is so in a more literal

sense than many may suppose /ho use the phrase. This ima*e5ma0in* capacity is the characteristicpo/er o the mind$ and a /ord is only a clumsy attempt to partially represent a mental picture. An idea$ amental ima*e$ is a complicated thin*$ and needs perhaps a /hole sentence to describe it accurately$ sosalient incident in it is seied$ and the /ord naming this incident imperectly represents the /hole! /esay trian*leD$ and the /ord calls up in the hearer3s mind a picture$ /hich /ould need a lon*description i ully con2eyed in /ords! /e do our best thin0in* in symbols$ and then laboriously andimperectly summarie our symbols into /ords. -n re*ions /here mind spea0s to mind there is perecte(pression$ ar beyond anythin* /ords may con2ey! e2en in thou*ht5transerence o a limited 0ind it isnot /ords that are sent$ but ideas. A spea0er puts into /ords such part o his mental pictures as he can$and these /ords call up in the hearer3s mind pictures correspondin* to those in the mind o the spea0erthe mind deals /ith the pictures$ the ima*es$ not /ith the /ords$ and hal the contro2ersies and

misunderstandin*s that arise come about because [Page 19]people attach dierent ima*es to the same/ords$ or use dierent /ords to represent the same ima*es.

A thou*ht5orm$ then$ is a mental ima*e$ created @ or moulded @ by the mind out o the subtle matter othe hi*her psychic plane$ in /hich$ as abo2e said$ it /or0s. This orm$ composed o the rapidly 2ibratin*atoms o the matter o that re*ion$ set up 2ibrations all around it! these 2ibrations /ill *i2e rise tosensations o sound and colour in any entities adapted to translate them thus$ and as the thou*ht5ormpasses5out/ard @ or sin0s do/n/ard$ /hiche2er e(pression may be preerred to e(press the transition@ into the denser matter o the lo/er psychic re*ions$ these 2ibrations thrill out as a sin*in*5colour in

e2ery direction$ and call to the thou*ht5orm /hence they proceed the Elementals belon*in* to thatcolour.

All Elementals$ li0e all thin*s else in the uni2erse belon* to one or other o the se2en primary ays$ these2en prime2al 'ons o &i*ht. The /hite li*ht brea0s orth rom the Third &"="'$ the maniested ?i2ineMind$ in the se2en ays$ the C'e2en 'pirits$ that are beore the ThroneD$ and each o these ayshas its se2en sub5rays$ and so on/ards in seHuential sub5di2isions. +ence$ amid the endlessdierentiations that ma0e up a uni2erse$ there are Elementals [Page 11]belon*in* to the 2arious$ sub5di2isions$ and they are communicated /ith in a colour5lan*ua*e$ *rounded on the colour to /hich theybelon*. This is /hy the real 0no/led*e o sounds and colours and numbers @ number underlyin* both

sound and colour @ has e2er been so careully *uarded$ or the /ill spea0s to the Elementals by these$and 0no/led*e *i2es po/er to control.

Master K. +. spea0s 2ery plainly on this colour lan*ua*e. +e saysG

+o/ could you ma0e yoursel understood$ command in act$ those semi5intelli*ent Forces$/hose means o communicatin* /ith us are not throu*h spo0en /ords$ but throu*h soundsand colours$ in correlations bet/een the 2ibrations o the t/o For sound$ li*ht and colour are

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the main actors in ormin* those *rades o intelli*ences$ those bein*s o /hose 2erye(istence you ha2e no conception$ nor are you allo/ed to belie2e in them @ Atheists and,hristians$ Materialists and 'piritualists$ all brin*in* or/ard their respecti2e ar*umentsa*ainst such a belie @ 'cience ob6ectin* stron*er than either o these to such a de*radin*superstition. The Occult World$ p.1%%

'tudents o the past may remember obscure allusions no/ and a*ain made to a lan*ua*e o colours!they may recall the act that in ancient E*ypt sacred [Page 12]manuscripts /ere /ritten in colours$ andthat mista0es made in the copyin* /ere punished /ith death. But - must not run do/n this ascinatin* by/ay. e are only concerned /ith the act that Elementals are addressed by colours$ and that colour5/ords are as intelli*ible to them as spo0en /ords are to men.

The hue o the sin*in*5colour depends on the nature o the moti2e inspirin* the *enerator o the thou*htorm. - the moti2e be pure$ lo2in*$ beneicent in its character$ the colour produced /ill summon to thethou*ht5orm an Elemental$ /hich /ill ta0e on the characteristics impressed on the orm by the moti2e$and act alon* the line thus traced! this Elemental enters into the thou*ht5orm$ playin* to it the part o a'oul$ and thus an independent entity is made in the astral /orld$ an entity o a beneicent character. - th

moti2e$ on the other hand$ be impure$ re2en*eul$ maleicent in its character$ the colour produced /illsummon to the thou*ht5orm an Elemental /hich /ill eHually ta0e on the characteristics impressed on thorm by the moti2e and act alon* the line thus traced! in this case also the Elemental enters into thethou*ht5orm$ playin* to it the part o a 'oul$ and thus ma0in* an independent entity in the astral /orld$an entity o a maleicent character. For e(ample$ an an*ry thou*ht /ill cause a lash o red$ the thou*ht5orm 2ibratin* so as to produce red! that lash o red is a summons to the Elementals and they s/eep inthe direction o the summoner$ and one o them enters into the thou*ht5orm$ /hich *i2es it anindependent acti2ity o a destructi2e$ disinte*ratin* type. Men are continually tal0in* in this colour5lan*ua*e Huite unconsciously$ and thus callin* round them these s/arms o Elementals$ /ho ta0e uptheir abodes in the 2arious thou*ht5orms pro2ided! thus it is that a man peoples hiscurrentinspacewiaworldofhisown$ crowdedwiththeoffspringofhisfancies$ desires$ impulsesand$passions. An*els an

demons o our o/n creatin* thron* round us on e2ery side$ ma0ers o /eal and /oe to others$ brin*erso /eal and /oe to oursel2es @ 2erily$ a 0armic host.

,lair2oyants can see lashes o colour$ constantly chan*in*$ in the aura that surrounds e2ery personGeach thou*ht$ each eelin*$ thus translatin* itsel in the astral /orld$ 2isible to the astral si*ht. )ersonssome/hat more de2eloped than the ordinary clair2oyant can also see the thou*ht5orms$ and can see theects produced by the lashes o colour amon* the hordes o Elemental [Page 1']

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'. ACTI!IT# $F TH$)5HT3F$RM(

The lie5period o these ennobled thou*ht5orms depends irst on their initial intensity$ on the ener*ybesto/ed upon them by their human pro*enitor! and secondly on the nutriment supplied to them atertheir *eneration$ by the repetition o the thou*ht either by him or by others. Their lie may be continuallyreinorced by this repetition$ and a thou*ht /hich is brooded o2er$ /hich orms the sub6ect o repeatedmeditation$ acHuires *reat stability o orm on the psychic plane. 'o a*ain thou*ht5orms o a similarcharacter are attracted to each other and mutually stren*then each other$ ma0in* a orm o *reat ener*yand intensity$ acti2e in this astral /orld.

Thou*ht5orms are connected /ith their pro*enitor by /hat @ or /ant o a better phrase @ /e must caa ma*netic tie! they re5act upon him$ producin* an impression /hich leads to their reproduction$ and inthe case mentioned abo2e$ /here a thou*ht5orm is reinorced by repetition$ a 2ery deinite habit othou*ht may be set up$ a mould may be ormed into /hich thou*ht /ill readily lo/ @ helpul i it be o a2ery loty character$ as a noble ideal$ but or the most part crampin* and a hindrance to mental *ro/th.[Page 1*]

e may pause or a moment on this ormation o habit$ as it sho/s in miniature$ in a 2ery helpul /ay$ th/or0in* o Karma. &et us suppose /e could ta0e ready5made a mind$ /ith no past acti2ity behind it @ aimpossible thin*$ o course$ but the supposition /ill brin* out the special point needed. 'uch a mindmi*ht be ima*ined to /or0 /ith perect reedom and spontaneity$ and to produce a thou*ht5orm! itproceeds to repeat this many times$ until a habit o thou*ht is made$ a deinite habit$ so that the mind /iunconsciously slip into that thou*ht$ its ener*ies /ill lo/ into it /ithout any consciously selecti2e actiono the /ill. &et us urther suppose that the mind comes to disappro2e this habit o thou*ht$ and inds it aclo* on its pro*ress! ori*inally due to the spontaneous action o the mind$ and acilitatin* the outpourin*o mental ener*y by pro2idin* or it a ready5made channel$ it has no/ become a limitation! but i it is to b

*otten rid o$ it can only be by the rene/ed spontaneous action o the mind$ directed to the e(haustionand inal destruction o this li2in* etter. +ere /e ha2e a little ideal 0armic cycle$ rapidly run throu*h! theree mind ma0es a habit$ and is then obli*ed to /or0 /ithin that limitationG but it retains its reedom /ithithe limitation and can /or0 a*ainst it [Page 1+]rom /ithin till it /ears it out. " course$ /e ne2er indoursel2es initially ree$ or /e come into the /orld encumbered /ith these etters o our o/n past ma0in*but the process as re*ards each separate etter runs the abo2e round @ the mind or*es it$ /ears it$ an/hile /earin* it can ile it throu*h.

Thou*ht5orms may also be directed by their pro*enitor to/ards particular persons$ /ho may be helpedor in6ured by them$ accordin* to the nature o the ensoulin* Elemental! it is no mere poetic ancy that

*ood /ishes$ prayer$ and lo2in* thou*hts are o 2alue to those to /hom they are sent! they orm aprotecti2e host encirclin* the belo2ed$ and /ard o many an e2il inluence and dan*er.

Not only does a man *enerate and send orth his o/n thou*ht5orms$ but he also ser2es as a ma*net todra/ to/ards himsel the thou*ht5orms o others rom the astral plane around him$ o the classes to/hich his o/n ennobled thou*ht5orms belon*. +e may thus attract to himsel lar*e reinorcements oener*y rom outside$ and it lies /ithin himsel /hether these orces that he dra/s into his o/n bein* romthe e(ternal /orld shall be o a *ood or o an e2il 0ind. - a man3s thou*hts are pure and noble$ he /illattract around him hosts o beneicent entities$ [Page 16]and may sometimes /onder /hence comes to

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him the po/er or achie2ement that seems @ and truly seems @ to be so much beyond his o/n.'imilarly a man o oul and base thou*hts attracts to himsel hosts o maleicent entities$ and by thisadded ener*y or e2il commits crimes that astonish him in the retrospect. C'ome de2il must ha2etempted meD$ he /ill cry! and truly these demoniac orces$ called to him by his o/n e2il$ add stren*thto it rom /ithout. The Elemental ensoulin* thou*ht5orms$ /hether these be *ood or bad$ lin0themsel2es to the Elemental in the man3s desire5body and to those ensoulin* his o/n thou*ht5orm$ andthus /or0 in him$ thou*h comin* rom /ithout. But or this they must ind entities o their o/n 0ind /ith

/hich to lin0 themsel2es$ else can they e(ercise no po/er. And urther$ Elementals in an opposite 0ind othou*ht5orm /ill repel them$ and the *ood man /ill dri2e bac0 by his 2ery atmosphere$ his aura$ all thatis oul and cruel. -t surrounds him as a protecti2e /all and 0eeps e2il a/ay rom him.

There is another orm o elemental acti2ity$ that brin*s about /idespread results$ and cannot thereore be(cluded rom this preliminary sur2ey o the orces that *o to ma0e up Karma. &i0e those 6ust dealt /ith$[Page 17]this is included in the statement that these thou*ht5orms people the current which re-acts upoany sensitive or nervous organization which comes in contact with it, in proportion to its dynamicintensity. To some e(tent it must aect almost e2eryone$ thou*h the more sensiti2e the or*aniation the*reater the eect. Elementals ha2e a tendency to be attracted to/ards others o a similar 0ind @

a**re*atin* to*ether in classes$ bein*$ in a sense$ *re*arious on their o/n account @ and /hen a mansends out a thou*ht5orm it not only 0eeps up a ma*netic lin0 /ith him$ but is dra/n to/ards otherthou*ht5orms o a similar type$ and these con*re*atin* to*ether on the astral plane orm a *ood or e2ilorce$ as the case may be$ embodied in a 0ind o collecti2e entity. To these a**re*ations o similarthou*ht5orms are due the characteristics$ oten stron*ly mar0ed$ o amily$ local and national opinion!they orm a 0ind o astral atmosphere throu*h /hich e2erythin* is seen$ and /hich colours that to /hichthe *ae is directed$ and they re5act on the desire bodies o the persons included in the *roupconcerned$ settin* up in them responsi2e 2ibrations. 'uch amily$ local or national 0armic surroundin*slar*ely modiy the indi2idual3s acti2ity$ and limit to a 2ery *reat e(tent his po/er o e(pressin* thecapacities he may possess. 'uppose an [Page 18] -dea should be presented to him$ he can only see itthrou*h this atmosphere that surrounds him$ /hich must colour it and may seriously distort. +ere$ then$

are 0armic limitations o a ar5reachin* 0ind$ that /ill need urther consideration.

The inluence o these con*re*ated Elementals is not conined to that /hich they e(ercise o2er menthrou*h their desire5bodies. hen this collecti2e entity$ as - ha2e called it$ is made up o thou*ht5orms oa destructi2e type$ the Elementals ensoulin* these act as a disrupti2e ener*y and they oten /or0 muchha2oc on the physical plane. A 2orte( o disinte*ratin* ener*ies$ they are the ruitul sources oCaccidentsD$ o natural con2ulsions$ o storms$ cyclones$ hurricanes$ earthHua0es$ loods. These0armic results /ill also need some urther consideration.

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*.THE MAKI5 $F KARMA I PRICIP"E

+a2in* thus realied the relation bet/een man and the elemental 0in*dom$ and he mouldin* ener*ies othe mind @ 2erily$ creati2e ener*ies$ in that they call into bein* these li2in* orms that ha2e beendescribed @ /e are in a position to at least partially understand somethin* o the *eneration and/or0in*5out o Karma durin* a sin*le lie5period. A C lie5periodD$ [Page 29]- say$ rather than aClieD$ because a lie means too little i it be used in the ordinary sense o a sin*le incarnation$ anit means too much i it be used or the /hole lie$ made up o many sta*es in the physical body$ and omany sta*es /ithout it. By lie5period - mean a little cycle o human e(istence$ /ith its physical$ astral ande2achanic e(periences$ includin* its return to the threshold o the physical @ the our distinct sta*esthrou*h /hich the 'oul passes$ in order to complete its cycle. These sta*es are retrodden o2er and o2ea*ain durin* the 6ourney o the Eternal )il*rim throu*h our present humanity$ and ho/e2er much thee(periences in each such period may 2ary$ both as to Huantity and Huality$ the period /ill include theseour sta*es or the a2era*e human bein*$ and none others.

-t is important to realie that the residence outside the physical body is ar more prolon*ed than the

residence in it! and the /or0in*s o 0armic la/ /ill be but poorly understood unless the acti2ity o the'oul in the non5physical condition be studied. &et us recall the /ords o a Master$ pointin* out that the liout o the body is the real one.

The 7edIntins$ ac0no/led*in* t/o 0inds o conscious e(istence$ the terrestrial and thespiritual$ point to the latter as [Page 21]an undoubted actuality. As to the terrestrial lie$ o/in* toits chan*eability and shortness$ it is nothin* but an illusion o our senses. "ur lie in thespiritual spheres must be thou*ht an actuality$ because it is there that li2es our endless$ ne2er5chan*in*$ immortal -$ the 'JtrItmI ... This is /hy /e call the posthumous lie the only reality$and the terrestrial one$ includin* the personality itsel$ only ima*inary.

Lucifer"ctober 189:$ art. &ie and ?eathD.

?urin* earth5lie$ the acti2ity o the 'oul is most directly maniested in the creation o the thou*ht5ormsalready described. But in order to ollo/ out /ith any approach to e(actitude the /or0in*s o Karma$ /emust no/ analyse urther the term thou*ht5ormD$ and add some considerations necessarily omittedin the *eneral conception irst presented. The 'oul$ /or0in* as mind$ creates a Mental -ma*e the primarCthou*ht5ormD 'ee ,hapterG The =eneration o Thou*ht Forms! let us ta0e the term Mental-ma*e to mean e(clusi2ely this immediate creation o the mind$ and henceorth restrict this term to thisinitial sta*e o /hat is *enerally and broadly spo0en o as a thou*ht5orm. This Mental -ma*e remainsattached to its creator$ part o the content o his consciousnessG it is a li2in*$ 2ibratin* orm o subtle

matter$ the ord thoughtbut not yet [Page 22]spoken$ concei2ed but not yet made lesh. &et the readerconcentrate his mind or a e/ moments on this Mental -ma*e$ and obtain a distinct notion o it$ isolatedrom all else$ apart rom all the results it is *oin* to produce on other planes than its o/n$ -t orms$ as 6ussaid$ part o the content o the consciousness o its creator$ part o his inalienable property! it cannot beseparated rom him! he carries it /ith him durin* his earthly lie$ carries it /ith him throu*h the *ate/ay odeath$ carries it /ith him in the re*ions beyond death! and i$ durin* his up/ard tra2ellin* throu*h thosere*ions$ he himsel passes into air too rareied or it to endure$ he lea2es behind the denser matter builtinto it$ carryin* on the mental matri($ the essential orm! on his return to the *rosser re*ion the matter othat plane is a*ain built into the mental matri($ and the appropriate denser orm is reproduced. This

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Mental -ma*e may remain sleepin*$ as it /ere$ or lon* periods$ but it may be re5a/a0ened andre2i2iied! e2ery resh impulse @ rom its creator$ rom its pro*eny dealt /ith belo/L$ rom entities o thesame type as its pro*eny @ increases its lie5ener*y$ and modiies its orm.

-t e2ol2es$ as /e shall see$ accordin* to deinite la/s$ and the a**re*ation o these Mental -ma*es [Pag2&] ma0es the character! the outer mirrors the inner$ and as cells a**re*ate into the tissues o the body

and are oten much modiied in the process$ so do these Mental -ma*es a**re*ate into thecharacteristics o the mind$ and oten under*o much modiication. The study o the /or0in* out o Karma/ill thro/ much li*ht on these chan*es. Many materials may enter into the ma0in* o these Mental-ma*es by the creati2e po/ers o the 'oul! it may be stimulated into acti2ity by desire KImaL$ and mayshape the ima*e accordin* to the promptin* o passion or o appetite! it may be 'el5moti2ed to a noble-deal$ and mould the -ma*e accordin*ly! it may be led by purely intellectual concepts$ and orm the -ma*thereater. But loty or base$ intellectual or passional$ ser2iceable or mischie2ous$ di2ine or bestial$ it isal/ays in man a Mental-ma*e$ the product o the creati2e 'oul$ and on its e(istence indi2idual Karmadepends. ithout this Mental -ma*e there can be no indi2idual Karma lin0in* lie5period to lie5periodG thmInasic Huality must be present to aord the permanent element in /hich indi2idual Karma can inhere.The non5presence o Manas in the mineral$ 2e*etable$ and animal 0in*doms has as its corollary the non

*eneration o indi2idual Karma$ stretchin* throu*h death to rebirth. [Page 2']

&et us no/ consider the primary thou*ht5orm in relation to the secondary thou*ht5orm$ the thou*ht5ormpure and simple in relation to the ensouled thou*ht5orm$ the Mental -ma*e in relation to the Astro5ment-ma*e$ or the thou*ht5orm in the lo/er astral plane. +o/ is this produced and /hat is it To use thesymbol employed abo2e$ it is produced by the ord5thou*ht becomin* the ord5outspo0en! the 'oulbreathes out the thou*ht$ and the sound ma0es orm in astral matter! as the -deas in the ;ni2ersal Mindbecome the maniested uni2erse /hen they are outbreathed$ so do these Mental -ma*es in the humanmind$ /hen outbreathed$ become the maniested uni2erse o their creator. +e peoples his current inspace with a world of his own. The 2ibrations o the Mental -ma*e set up similar 2ibrations in the denser

astral matter$ and these cause the secondary thou*ht5orm$ /hat - ha2e called the Astro5mental -ma*e!the Mental -ma*e itsel remains$ as has been already said$ in the consciousness o its creator$ but its2ibrations passin* outside that consciousness reproduce its orm in the denser matter o the lo/er astraplane. This is the orm that aords the casin* or a portion o elemental ener*y$ specialiin* it or the timthat the orm persists$ since the mInasic element in the [Page 2*]orm *i2es a touch o indi2iduality to th/hich ensouls it. +o/ mar2ellous and ho/ illuminatin* are the correspondences in NatureO This is theactive entity$ spo0en o in the Master3s description$ and it is this Astro5mental -ma*e that ran*es o2er theastral plane$ 0eepin* up /ith its pro*enitor ['ee ,hapterG CThe =eneration o Thou*ht FormsD$and also dia*ram pa*e >]the ma*netic tie spo0en o$ re5actin* on its parent$ the Mental -ma*e$ andactin* also on others. The lie5period o an Astro5mental -ma*e may be lon* or short$ accordin* tocircumstances$ and its perishin* does not aect the persistence o its parent! any resh impulse *i2en to

the latter /ill cause it to *enerate aresh its astral counterpart as each repetition o a /ord produces ane/ orm.

The 2ibrations o the Mental -ma*e do not only pass do/n/ards to the lo/er astral plane$ but they passup/ards also into the spiritual plane abo2e it. [These /ords do/n/ards and up/ards are 2erymisleadin*! the planes o course interpenetrate each other]And as the 2ibrations cause a denser orm othe lo/er plane$ so do they *enerate a ar subtler orm @ dare - call it orm it is no orm to us @ on thehi*her$ in the I0Isha$ the /orld5stu emanated rom the &"="' -tsel. The I0Isha is the store5house o

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all orms$ the treasure5house [Page 2+]/hereinto are poured @ rom the ininite /ealth o the ;ni2ersalMind @ the rich stores o all the -deas that are to be bodied orth in a *i2en ,osmos! thereinto also entethe 2ibrations rom the ,osmos @ rom all the thou*hts o all -ntelli*ences$ rom all the desires o all0Imic entities$ rom all the actions perormed on e2ery plane by all orms. All these ma0e their respecti2impressions$ the to us ormless$ but to loty spiritual -ntelli*ences the ormed$ ima*es o all happenin*s$and these P0Ishic -ma*es @ as /e /ill henceorth call them @ abide or e2ermore$ and are the trueKarmic ecords$ the Boo0 o the &ipi0a$ [The ecret !octrine$ 7olume 1$ )a*es 1#519]that may be

read by any /ho possess the Copened eye o ?an*maD$ ["#id$ stana 1$ o the $ook of !zyan,and see ,onclusion]-t is the relection o these P0Ishic -ma*es that may be thro/n upon the screen oastral matter by the action o the trained attention @ as a picture may be thro/n on a screen rom a slidin a ma*ic5lantern @ so that a scene rom the past may be reproduced in all its li2in* reality$ correct ine2ery detail o its ar5o happenin*! or in the P0Ishic ecords it e(ists$ imprinted there once or all$ anda leetin* li2in* picture o any pa*e o these ecords can be made at pleasure$ dramatied on the astral[Page 26]plane$ and li2ed in by the trained 'eer. - this imperect description be ollo/ed by the reader$ h/ill be able to orm or himsel some aint idea o Karma in its aspect as ,ause. -n the P0Isha /ill bepictured the Mental -ma*e created by a 'oul$ inseparable rom it! then the Astro5mental -ma*e producedby it$ the acti2e ensouled creature$ ran*in* the astral plane and producin* innumerable eects$ allaccurately pictured in connection /ith it$ and$ thereore$ traceable to it and throu*h it to its parent$ each

such thread @ spun as it /ere out o its o/n substance by the Astro5mental -ma*e$ as a spider spins its/eb @ bein* reco*niable by its o/n shade o colour! and ho/e2er many such threads may be /o2eninto an eect$ each thread is distin*uishable and is traceable to its ori*inal orth5*i2er$ the 'oul that*enerated the Mental -ma*e. Thus$ or our clumsy earth5bound intelli*ences$ in miserably inadeHuatelan*ua*e$ /e may i*ure orth the /ay in /hich indi2idual responsibility is seen at a *lance by the *reat&ords o Karma$ the administrators o 0armic &a/! the ull responsibility o the 'oul or the Mental -ma*eit creates$ and the partial responsibility or its ar5reachin* eects$ *reater or less as each eect has othe0armic threads enterin* into its causation. Thus also may /e understand /hy [Page 27]moti2e plays apart so predominant in the /or0in* out o Karma$ and /hy actions are so relati2ely subordinate in their*enerati2e ener*y! /hy Karma /or0s out on each plane accordin* to its constituents$ and yet lin0s theplanes to*ether by the continuity o its thread.

hen the illuminatin* concepts o the isdom eli*ion shed their lood o li*ht o2er the /orld$ dispersinits obscurity and re2ealin* the absolute Qustice /hich is /or0in* under all the apparent incon*ruities$ineHualities and accidents o lie$ is it any /onder that our hearts should *o out in *ratitude unspea0ableto the =reat "nes @ blessed be TheyO @ /ho hold up the Torch o Truth in the mur0y dar0ness$ and reus rom the tension that /as strainin* us to brea0in*5point$ the helpless a*ony o /itnessin* /ron*s thaseemed irremediable$ the hopelessness o Qustice$ the despair o &o2e

e are not boundO the 'oul o Thin*s is s/eet$

The +eart o Bein* is celestial rest!'tron*er than /oe is /illG that /hich /as =ood?oth pass to Better @ Best.

'uch is the &a/ /hich mo2es to ri*hteousness$hich none at last can turn aside or stay!The heart o it is &o2e$ the end o it-s )eace and ,onsummation s/eet. "bey. [Page 28]

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e may perhaps *ain in clearness i /e tabulate the threeold results o the acti2ity o the 'oul that *o tothe ma0in* up o Karma as ,ause$ re*arded in principle rather than in detail. Thus /e ha2e durin* a lieperiodG

Man -reates on

Pane Materia Res/t

(0irit/a A:;


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+. THE MAKI5 $F KARMA I ETAI"

The 'oul in Man$ the E*o$ the Ma0er o Karma$ must be reco*nied by the student as a *ro/in* entity$ ali2in* indi2idual$ /ho increases in /isdom and in [Page &9] mental stature as he treads the path o hisaeonian e2olution! and the undamental identity o the +i*her and &o/er Manas must be constantly 0ep

in mind. For con2enience sa0e /e distin*uish bet/een them$ but the dierence is a dierence ounctionin* acti2ity and not o natureG the +i*her Manas is Manas /or0in* on the spiritual plane$ inpossession o its ull consciousness o its o/n past! the &o/er Manas is Manas /or0in* on the psychic astral plane$ 2eiled in astral matter$ 2ehicled in KIma$ and /ith all its acti2ities intermin*led /ith andcoloured by the desire5nature it is to a *reat e(tent blinded by the astral matter that 2eils it$ and is inpossession only o a portion o the total mInasic consciousness$ this portion consistin* @ or the 2astma6ority @ o a limited selection rom the more stri0in* e(periences o the one incarnation then inpro*ress. For the practical purposes o lie as seen$ by most people$ the &o/er Manas is the C-Dand is /hat /e term the )ersonal5E*o! the 2oice o conscience$ 2a*uely and conusedly re*arded assupernatural$ as the 2oice o =od$ is or them the only maniestation o the +i*her Manas on the psychicplane$ and they Huite ri*htly re*ard it as authoritati2e$ ho/e2er mista0en they may be as to its nature. B

the student must realie that the &o/er Manas is one /ith [Page &1]the +i*her$ as the ray is one /ith itssun! the 'un5Manas shines e2er in the hea2en o the spiritual plane$ the ay5Manas penetrates thepsychic plane! but i they be re*arded as t/o$ other/ise than or con2enience in distin*uishin* theirunctionin*$ hopeless conusion /ill arise.

The E*o then is a *ro/in* entity$ an increasin* Huantity. The ray sent do/n is li0e a hand plun*ed into/ater to seie some ob6ect and then /ithdra/n$ holdin* the ob6ect in its *rasp. The increase in the E*odepends on the 2alue o the ob6ects *athered by its outstretched hand$ and the importance o all its /or0/hen the ray is /ithdra/n is limited and conditioned by the e(periences *athered /hile that ray has beeunctionin* on the psychic plane. -t is as thou*h a labourer /ent out into a ield$ toilin* in rain and in

sunshine$ in cold and in heat$ returnin* home at ni*ht! but the labourer is also the proprietor$ and all theresults o his labour ill his o/n *ranaries and enrich his o/n store. Each )ersonal5E*o is theimmediately eecti2e part o the continuin* or -ndi2idual5E*o$ representin* it in the lo/er /orld$ andnecessary more or less de2eloped accordin* to the sta*e at /hich the E*o$ as a totality or an -ndi2idualhas arri2ed. - this be clearly understood the sense o in6ustice to the [Page &2])ersonal5E*o in itssuccession to its 0armic inheritance @ oten elt as a diiculty by the youn* student o Theosophy @ /ildisappear! or it /ill be realied that the E*o that made the Karma reaps the Karma$ the labourer thatso/ed the seed *athers in the har2est$ thou*h the clothes in /hich he /or0ed as so/er may ha2e /ornout durin* the inter2al bet/een the so/in* and the reapin*! the E*o3s astral *arments ha2e also allen topieces bet/een seed5time and har2est$ and he reaps in a ne/ suit o clothes! but it is CheD /hoso/ed and /ho reaps$ and i he so/ed but little seed or seed badly chosen$ it is he /ho /ill ind but a

poor har2est /hen as reaper he *oeth orth.

-n the early sta*es o the E*o3s *ro/th his pro*ress /ill be e(tremely slo/$['ee $irth and %volution ofthe oul]or he /ill be led hither and thither by desire$ ollo/in* attractions on the physical plane! theMental -ma*es he *enerates /ill be mostly o the passional class$ and hence the Astro5mental -ma*es/ill be 2iolent and short5li2ed rather than stron* and ar5reachin*. Accordin* as mInasic elements enterinto the composition o the Mental -ma*e /ill be the endurance o the Astro5mental. 'teady$ sustainedthou*ht /ill orm clearly deined Mental -ma*es$ and correspondin*ly stron* and endurin* [Page &&]Astrmental -ma*es$ and there /ill be a distinct purpose in the lie$ a clearly reco*nied -deal to /hich the

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mind is constantly recurrin* and on /hich it continually d/ellsG this Mental -ma*e /ill become adominatin* inluence in the mental lie$ and the ener*ies o the 'oul /ill be lar*ely directed by it.

&et us no/ study the ma0in* o Karma by /ay o the Mental -ma*e. ?urin* a man3s lie he orms aninnumerable assembla*e o Mental -ma*es! some are stron*$ clear$ continually reinorced by repeatedmental impulses! others are /ea0$ 2a*ue$ 6ust ormed and then as it /ere orsa0en by the mind! at death

the 'oul inds itsel possessed o myriads o these Mental -ma*es$ and they 2ary in character as /ell asin stren*th and deiniteness. 'ome are o spiritual aspirations$ lon*in*s to be o ser2ice$ *ropin*s ater0no/led*e$ 2o/s o sel5dedication to the +i*her &ie! some are purely intellectual$ clear *ems o thou*hreceptacles o the results o deep study! some are emotional and passional$ breathin* lo2e$ compassiontenderness$ de2otion$ an*er$ ambition$ pride$ *reed! some are rom bodily appetites$ stimulated byuncurbed desire$ and represent thou*hts o *luttony$ drun0enness$ sensuality. Each 'oul has its o/nconsciousness$ cro/ded /ith these Mental -ma*es$ [Page &']the outcome o its mental lie! not onethou*ht$ ho/e2er leetin*$ but is there represented! the Astro5mental -ma*es may in many cases lon*ha2e perished$ may ha2e had stren*th enou*h to endure but or a e/ hours$ but the Mental -ma*esremain amon* the possessions o the 'oul$ not one is lac0in*. All these Mental -ma*es the 'oul carriesa/ay /ith it$ /hen it passes throu*h death into the astral /orld.

The KIma &o0a$ or )lace o ?esire$ is di2ided into many strata as it /ere$ and the 'oul 6ust ater death encumbered /ith its complete body o desire$ or KIma Jpa$ and all the Mental -ma*es ormed byKIma5Manas that are o a *ross and animal nature are po/erul on the lo/est le2els o this astral /orldA poorly de2eloped 'oul /ill d/ell on these -ma*es and act them out$ thus preparin* itsel to repeat thea*ain physically in its ne(t lie! a man /ho has d/elt on sensual thou*hts and made such Mental -ma*e/ill not only be dra/n to earth5scenes connected /ith sensual *ratiications$ but /ill constantly berepeatin* them as actions in his mind$ and so settin* up in his nature stron*er and stron*er impulsesto/ards the uture commission o similar oences. 'o /ith other Mental -ma*es ormed rom materialsupplied by the desire5nature$ that belon* to other le2els in KIma [Page &*]&o0a. As the 'oul rises rom

the lo/er le2els to the hi*her$ the Mental -ma*es built rom the materials o the lo/er le2els lose theseelements$ thus becomin* latent in consciousness$ or /hat +. ). Bla2ats0y used to call Cpri2ations omatterD$ capable o e(istin* but out o material maniestation. The 0Ima5rJpic 2esture is puriied o its*rosser elements as the &o/er E*o is dra/n up/ards$ or in/ards$ to/ards the de2achanic re*ion$ eachcast5o CshellD disinte*ratin* in due course$ until the last is doed and the ray is completely/ithdra/n$ ree rom all astral encasement. "n the return o the E*o to/ards earth5lie$ these latentima*es /ill be thro/n out/ards and /ill attract to themsel2es the appropriate 0Imic materials$ /hichma0e them capable o maniestation on the astral plane$ and they /ill become the appetites$ passionsand lo/er emotions o his desire5body or his ne/ incarnation.

e may remar0 in passin* that some o the Mental -ma*es encirclin* the ne/ly arri2ed 'oul are thesource o much trouble durin* the earlier sta*es o the postmortemlie! superstitious belies presentin*themsel2es as Mental -ma*es torture the 'oul /ith pictures o horrors that ha2e no place in its realsurroundin*s.['ee The Astral )lane$ ,. . &eadbeater$ pp. 4$ 4>] [Page &+]All the Mental -ma*es ormed rom the passions and appetites are sub6ected to the process abo2edescribed$ to be remaniested by the E*o on its return to earth5lie$ and as the /riter o the &stral'lanesaysG

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The &-)-KA$ the *reat Karmic deities o the Kosmos$ /ei*h the deeds o each personality/hen the inal separation o its principles ta0es place in KIma &o0a$ and *i2e as it /ere themould o the Etheric ?ouble e(actly suitable to its Karma or the man3s ne(t birth.['ee The

&stral 'lane, ,.. &eadbeater$ pa*e 8>]

Freed or the time rom these lo/er elements$ the 'oul passes on into ?e2achan$ /here it spends a timeproportionate to the /ealth or po2erty o its Mental -ma*es pure enou*h to be carried into that re*ion.+ere it inds a*ain e2ery one o its lotier eorts$ ho/e2er brie it may ha2e been$ ho/e2er leetin*$ andhere it /or0s upon them$ buildin* out o these materials po/ers or its comin* li2es.

The de2achanic lie is one o assimilation! the e(periences collected on earth ha2e to be /or0ed into thete(ture o the 'oul$ and it is by these that the E*o *ro/s! its de2elopment depends on the number and2ariety o the Mental -ma*es it has ormed durin* its earth5lie$ and transmuted into their appropriate andmore permanent types. =atherin* to*ether all the Mental -ma*es o a special class$ it e(tracts rom them)a*e


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thou*ht into the act. The physical act is ine2itable /hen the Mental -ma*e has been realied as action othe de2achanic plane. The same la/ applies to Mental -ma*es ormed out o baser desires$ thou*h thesne2er pass into ?e2achan$ but are sub6ected to the process beore described$ to be reormed on the /abac0 to earth. epeated co2etous desires$ or instance$ out o /hich Mental -ma*es are ormed$ /illcrystallie out as acts o thet$ /hen circumstances are propitious. The causati2e Karma is complete$ anthe physical act has become the ine2itable eect$ /hen it has reached the sta*e at /hich anotherrepetition o the Mental -ma*e means its passin* into action. -t must not be or*otten that repetition o an

act tends to ma0e the act automatic$ and this la/ /or0s on planes other than the physical! i then anaction be constantly repeated on the psychic plane it [Page '9] /ill become automatic$ and /henopportunity oers /ill automatically be imitated on the physical. +o/ oten it is said ater a crime$ C-t/as done beore - thou*htD$ or C- - had thou*ht or a moment - /ould ne2er ha2e done itD. Thspea0er is Huite ri*ht in his plea that he /as not then mo2ed by a deliberate thou*ht5out idea$ and he isnaturally i*norant as to precedin* thou*hts$ the train o causes that led up to the ine2itable result. Thus asaturated solution /ill solidiy i but one more crystal be dropped into it! atthe mere contact$ the /hole passeinto the solid state. hen the a**re*ation o Mental -ma*es has reached saturation point$ the addition obut one more solidiies them into an act. The act$ a*ain$ is ine2itable$ or the reedom o choice has beene(hausted in choosin* o2er and o2er a*ain to ma0e the Mental -ma*e$ and the physical is constrained tobey the mental impulsion. The desire to do in one lie reacts as compulsion to do in another$ and it

seems as thou*h the desire /or0ed as a demand upon Nature$ to /hich she responds by aordin* theopportunity to perorm.['ee the later section on the /or0in* out o Karma]

The Mental -ma*es stored up by the memory as the e(periences throu*h /hich the 'oul has passeddurin* its earth5lie$ the e(act record o the action upon it o [Page '1]the e(ternal /orld$ must also be/or0ed on by the 'oul. By study o these$ by meditation upon them$ the 'oul learns to see their inter5relations$ their 2alue as translations to it o the /or0in*s o the ;ni2ersal Mind in maniested Nature! in asentence$ it e(tracts rom them by patient thou*ht upon them all the lessons they ha2e to teach. &essono pleasure and pain$ o pleasure breedin* pain and pain breedin* pleasure$ teachin* the presence oin2iolable la/s to /hich it must learn to conorm itsel. &essons o success and ailure$ o achie2ement

and disappointment$ o ears pro2in* *roundless$ o hopes ailin* realiation$ o stren*th collapsin* undetrial$ o ancied 0no/led*e betrayin* itsel as i*norance$ o patient endurance /restin* 2ictory romapparent deeat$ o rec0lessness chan*in* into deeat apparent 2ictory. "2er all these thin*s the 'oulponders$ and by its o/n alchemy it chan*es all this mi(ture o e(periences into the *old o /isdom$ sothat it may return to earth as a /iser 'oul$ brin*in* to bear on the e2ents /hich meet it in the ne/ lie thresult o the e(periences o the old. +ere a*ain the Mental -ma*es ha2e been transmuted$ and no lon*ee(ist as Mental -ma*es. They can only be reco2ered in their old orm rom the Karmic ecords. [Page '2

-t is rom the Mental -ma*es o e(periences$ and more especially rom those /hich tell ho/ suerin* hasbeen caused by i*norance o &a/$ that ,onscience is born and is de2eloped. The 'oul durin* its

successi2e earth5li2es is constantly led by ?esire to rush headlon* ater some attracti2e ob6ect! in itspursuit it dashes itsel a*ainst &a/$ and alls$ bruised and bleedin*. Many such e(periences teach it that*ratiications sou*ht a*ainst &a/ are but /ombs o pain$ and /hen in some ne/ earth5lie the desire5body /ould ain carry the 'oul into en6oyment /hich is e2il$ the memory o past e(periences asserts itseas ,onscience$ and cries aloud its orbiddance$ and reins in the hurryin* horses o the senses that /ouplun*e heedlessly ater the ob6ects o desire. At the present sta*e o e2olution all but the most bac0/ard'ouls ha2e passed throu*h suicient e(periences to reco*nie the broad outlines o Cri*htD andC/ron*D$ i.e.$ o harmony /ith the ?i2ine Nature$ and o discord$ and on these main Huestions oethics a /ide and lon* e(perience enables the 'oul to spea0 clearly and deinitely. But on many hi*her

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and subtler Huestions$ belon*in* to the present sta*e o e2olution and not to the sta*es that lie behindus$ e(perience is still so restricted and insuicient that it has not yet been /or0ed up into [Page '&],onscience$ and the 'oul may err in its decision$ ho/e2er /ell intentioned its eort to see clearly and toact ri*htly. +ere its willtoo#eysets it in line /ith the ?i2ine Nature on the hi*her planes$ and its ailure tsee howto obey on the lo/er plane /ill be remedied or the uture by the pain it eels as it blunders up5a*ainst the &a/G the suerin* /ill teach it /hat beore it 0ne/ not$ and its sorro/ul e(periences /ill be/or0ed into ,onscience$ to preser2e it rom similar pain in the uture$ to *i2e it the 6oy o uller 0no/led*

o =od in Nature$ o sel5conscious accord /ith the &a/ o &ie$ o sel5conscious co5operation in the /oro e2olution.

Thus ar /e see as deinite principles o Karmic &a/ /or0in* /ith Mental -ma*es as ,auses$ thatG

BEC$ME

As0irations an esire Ca0a-ities

Re0eate T,o/g,ts Tenen-ies

%is to 0er=orm A-tions

E@0erien-es %isom

Pain=/ E@0erien-es Cons-ien-e

Karmic &a/ /or0in* /ith Astro5mental -ma*es seems better considered under the head o the /or0in*out o Karma$ to /hich /e /ill no/ turn. [Page '']

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6.THE %$RKI5 $)T $F KARMA

hen the 'oul has li2ed out its de2achanic lie$ and has assimilated all that it can o the material*athered durin* its last period on earth$ it be*ins to be dra/n a*ain to/ards earth by the lin0s o ?esirethat bind it to material e(istence. The last sta*e o its lie5period no/ lies beore it$ the sta*e durin* /hicit re5clothes itsel or another e(perience o earthly lie$ the sta*e that is closed by the =ate/ay o Birth.

The 'oul steps o2er the threshold o ?e2achan into /hat has been called the plane o e5incarnation$brin*in* /ith it the result$ small or *reat$ o its de2achanic /or0. - it be but a youn* 'oul$ it /ill ha2e*ained but little! pro*ress in the early sta*es o 'oul5E2olution is slo/ to an e(tent scarcely realied bymost students$ and durin* the babyhood o the 'oul lie5day succeeds lie5day in /earyin* succession$each earth5lie so/in* but little seed$ each ?e2achan ripenin* but little ruit. As aculties de2elop$ *ro/thHuic0ens at an e2er5increasin* rate$ and the 'oul that enters ?e2achan /ith a lar*e store o material$comes out o it /ith a lar*e increase o aculty$ /or0ed out under the *eneral la/s beore stated. -t issuerom ?e2achan clothed only in that body o the 'oul that [Page '*]endures and *ro/s throu*hout theMan2antara$$ surrounded by the aura that belon*s to it as an indi2idual$ more or less *lorious$ many5

hued$ luminous$ deinite$ and e(tensi2e$ accordin* to the sta*e o e2olution reached by the 'oul. -t hasbeen /rou*ht in the hea2enly ire$ and comes orth as Kin* 'oma. [A mystic name$ ull o meanin* to thstudent /ho understands the part played by 'oma in some ancient mysteries ]

)assin* on to the astral plane on its earth/ard 6ourney$ it clothes itsel ane/ in a Body o ?esire$ the irsresult o the /or0in*s out o its past Karma. The Mental -ma*es ormed durin* the past Crommaterials supplied by the desire nature$ that had become latent in consciousness$ or /hat +. ).Bla2ats0y used to call 3pri2ations o matter3$ capable o e(istin*$ but out o material maniestationD$ arno/ thro/n out/ards by the 'oul$ and immediately attract to themsel2es rom the matter o the astralplane the 0Imic elements con*enial to their natures$ and Cbecome the appetites$ passions$ and lo/

emotions o his the E*o3s desire body or his ne/ incarnationD. [&nte,pa*e


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e approach a re*ion /hereo little may be itly said$ in that it is the re*ion o mi*hty 'piritual-ntelli*ences$ hose nature is ar beyond the scope o our 2ery limited aculties$ hose e(istence mayindeed be 0no/n and hose /or0in*s may be traced$ but to/ards hom /e stand much in the positionoccupied by one o the least intelli*ent lo/er animals to/ards oursel2es$ in that it may 0no/ that /e e(isbut can ha2e no conception o the scope and /or0in*s o our consciousness. These =reat "nes arespo0en o as the &ipi0a and the Four MahIrI6ahs. +o/ little /e can 0no/ o the &ipi0a may be seen romthe ollo/in*!

The &ipi0a$ a description o /hom is *i2en in ,ommentary > o 'tana -7$ are the 'pirits o the;ni2erse . . . They belon* to the most "ccult portion o cosmo*enesis$ /hich cannot be*i2en here. hether the Adepts @ e2en the hi*hest @ 0no/ this an*elic order in thecompleteness o its triple de*rees$ or only the lo/er one connected /ith the records o our/orld$ is somethin* /hich the /riter is unprepared to say$ and she /ould rather incline to thelatter supposition. " its hi*hest *rade one thin* only is tau*ht$ the &ipi0a are connected /ithKarma @ bein* its direct ecorders. [The ecret !octrine$ 7olume 1$ )a*e 1


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be*innin*$ Karma! i.e., that /hich is to be /or0ed out in the openin* lie5period. -n no one lie can theaccumulated Karma o the past be /or0ed out @ no one instrument could be ormed no surroundin*scould be ound$ suitable or the e(pression o all the slo/ly e2ol2ed aculties o the E*o$ nor aordin* allthe circumstances necessary or reapin* all the har2ests so/n in the past$ or dischar*in* all theobli*ations contracted to/ards other E*os /ith /hom the incarnatin* 'oul has come into contact in thecourse o its lon* e2olution. 'o much then o the total Karma as can be arran*ed or in one lie5period$has a suitable etheric double pro2ided or it$ the mould o that double bein* [Page *9]*uided to a suitable

ield. -t is placed /here the E*o may come into relations /ith some o such E*os$ /ith /hom it has beenrelated in its past$ as are present in$ or are comin* into$ incarnation durin* its o/n lie5period. A country chosen /here the reli*ious$ political and social conditions can be ound /hich are suitable to some o itscapacities$ and aord the ield or the occurrence o some o the eects it has *enerated. A race isselected @ sub6ect$ o course$ to the /ider la/s aectin* incarnation in races$ into /hich /e cannot herenter @ o /hich the characteristics resemble some o the aculties /hich are ripe or e(ercise$ o /hichthe type beits the incomin* 'oul. A amily is ound in /hich physical heredity has e2ol2ed the 0ind ophysical materials /hich$ built into the etheric double$ /ill adapt themsel2es to its constitution! a amily o/hich the *eneral or special physical or*aniation /ill aord play to the mental and passional natures othe E*o. "ut o the maniold Hualities e(istin* in the 'oul$ and out o the maniold physical types e(istin*in the /orld$ such can be selected as are adapted to each other$ a suitable casin* can be built or the

/aitin* E*o$ an instrument and a ield in /hich some o his Karma can be out5/or0ed. Fathomless to oushort plummet lines as may be the 0no/led*e and the [Page *1]po/er reHuired or such adaptations$ /ecan yet dimly see that the adaptations can be made$ and that perect Qustice can be done! the /eb o aman3s destiny may indeed be composed o threads that to us are innumerable$ and that may need to be/o2en into a pattern o to us inconcei2able comple(ity! a thread may disappear @ it has only passed tothe under side to come to the surace a*ain presently! a thread may suddenly appear @ it has only re5emer*ed on the upper side ater a lon* transit underneath! seein* but a ra*ment o the /eb$ the patternmay to our short si*ht be indistin*uishable. As /as /ritten by the sa*e lamblichusG

hat appears to us to be an accurate deinition o 6ustice does not also appear to be so to the

=ods. For /e$ loo0in* to that /hich is most brie$ direct our attention to thin*s present$ and tothis momentary lie$ and the manner in /hich it subsists. But the )o/ers that are superior tous 0no/ the /hole lie o the 'oul$ and all its ormer li2es. [On the Mysteries,i2 4. 'ee ne/edition o Thomas TaylorUs translation published by the T.).'.$ pa*es :%95:1%]

This assurance that Cperect Qustice rules the /orldD. inds support rom the increasin* 0no/led*o the e2ol2in* 'oul! or as it ad2ances and be*ins to see on hi*her planes and to transmit its 0no/led*eto the /a0in* consciousness$ /e learn /ith e2er5*ro/in* certainty$ and thereore /ith e2er5increasin*6oy$ that [Page *2]the =ood &a/ is /or0in* /ith unde2iatin* accuracy$ that its A*ents apply it e2ery/here/ith unerrin* insi*ht$ /ith unailin* stren*th$ and that all is thereore 2ery /ell /ith the /orld and /ith itsstru**lin* 'ouls. Throu*h the dar0ness rin*s out the cry$ C All is /ellD$ rom the /atchmen 'ouls$

/ho carry the lamp o ?i2ine isdom throu*h the mur0y /ays o our human city.

'ome o the principles o the /or0in* out o the &a/ /e can see$ and a 0no/led*e o these /ill help us the tracin* out o causes$ the understandin* o eects.

e ha2e already seen that Thoughts#uild)haracter! let us ne(t realie that&ctionsmake%nvironmen

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+ere /e ha2e to do /ith a *eneral principle o ar5reachin* eect$ and it /ill be /ell to /or0 it out a littleinto detail. By his actions man aects his nei*hbours on the physical plane! he spreads happinessaround him$ or he causes distress$ increasin* or diminishin* the sum o human /elare. This increase odiminution o happiness may be due to 2ery dierent moti2es @ *ood$ bad or mi(ed. A man may do anact that *i2es /idespread en6oyment rom sheer bene2olence$ rom a lon*in* to *i2e happiness to hisello/5creatures! let us say that rom such a moti2e he [Page *&]presents a par0 to a to/n$ or the reeuse o its inhabitants! another may do a similar act rom mere ostentation$ rom desire to attract attention

rom those /ho can besto/ social honours say$ he mi*ht *i2e it as purchase money or a titleL! a thirdmay *i2e a par0 rom mi(ed moti2es$ partly unselish$ partly selish. The moti2es /ill se2erally aectthese three men3s characters in their uture incarnations$ or impro2ement$ or de*radation$ or smallresults. But the eect o the action in causin* happiness to lar*e numbers o people does not depend onthe moti2e o the *i2er! the people en6oy the par0 eHually$ no matter /hat may ha2e prompted its *it$ anthis en6oyment$ due to the action o the *i2er$ establishes or him a 0armic claim on Nature$ a debt due thim that /ill be scrupulously paid. +e /ill recei2e a physically comortable or lu(urious en2ironment$ ashe has *i2en /idespread physical en6oyment$ and his sacriice o physical /ealth /ill brin* him his duere/ard$ the 0armic ruit o his action. This is his ri*ht! but the use he ma0es o his position$ the happineshe deri2es rom his /ealth and his surroundin*s$ /ill depend chiely on his character$ and here a*ain the6ust re/ard accrues to him$ eachseed bearin* its appropriate har2est. [Page *']

'er2ice rendered to the ull measure o opportunity in one lie /ill produce$ as eect$ enlar*edopportunities o ser2ice in another! thus one /ho in a 2ery limited sphere helped each /ho came in the/ay$ /ould in a uture lie be born into a position /here openin*s or *i2in* eecti2e help /ere many anar5reachin*.

A*ain$ /asted opportunities re5appear transmuted as limitations o the instrument$ and as misortunes ithe en2ironment. For instance$ the brain o the etheric double /ill be built deecti2ely$ thus brin*in* aboua deecti2e physical brain! the E*o /ill plan$ but /ill ind itsel lac0in* in e(ecuti2e ability$ or /ill *rasp an

idea$ but be unable to impress it distinctly on the brain. The /asted opportunities are transormed intorustrated lon*in*s$ into desires /hich ail to ind e(pression$ into yearnin*s to help bloc0ed by theabsence o po/er to render it$ /hether rom deecti2e capacity or rom lac0 o occasion.

This same principle is oten at /or0 in the cuttin* a/ay rom tender care o some /ell5lo2ed child oridolied youth. - an E*o treats un0indly or ne*lects one to /hom he o/es aectionate duty andprotection$ or ser2ice o any 0ind$ he /ill but too li0ely a*ain ind himsel born in close relationship /iththe ne*lected [Page **]one$ and perhaps tenderly attached to him$ only or early death to snatch hima/ay rom the encirclin* arms! the despised poor relation may re5appear as the much5honoured heir$ thonly son$ and /hen the parents ind their house let unto them desolate$ they mar2el at the CuneHua

/ays o )ro2idenceD that depri2e them o their only one$ on /hom all their hopes ha2e been set$ andlea2e untouched the many children o their nei*hbour. et are the /ays o Karma eHual$ thou*h pastindin* out$ sa2e or those /hose eyes ha2e been opened.

,on*enital deects result rom a deecti2e etheric double$ and are lie5lon* penalties or serious rebelliona*ainst la/$ or or in6uries inlicted upon others. All such arise rom the /or0in* o the &ords o Karma$and are the physical maniestation o the deormities necessitated by the errors o the E*o$ by hise(cesses and deects$ in the mould o the etheric double made by Them. 'o a*ain rom Their 6ustadministration o the &a/ come the in/rou*ht tendency to reproduce a amily disease$ the suitable

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coni*uration o the etheric double$ and the direction o it to a amily in /hich a *i2en disease ishereditary$ and /hich aords the Ccontinuous plasmD suitable to the de2elopment o theappropriate *erms. [Page *+]

The de2elopment o artistic aculties @ to ta0e another type o Hualities @ /ill be ans/ered by the &ordo Karma by the pro2ision o a mould or the etheric double ater /hich a delicate ner2ous system can be

physically built$ and oten by the *uidin* o it to a amily in /hose members the special aculty de2elopeby the E*o has ound e(pression$ sometimes or many *enerations. For the e(pression o such a acultyas that o music$ or instance$ a peculiar physical body is needed$ a delicacy o physical ear and ophysical touch$ and to such delicacy an appropriate physical heredity /ould be most conduci2e.

The renderin* o ser2ice to man collecti2ely as by some noble boo0 or speech$ the spreadin* o ele2atinideas by pen or ton*ue$ is a*ain a claim upon the la/$ scrupulously dischar*ed by its mi*hty A*ents.'uch help *i2en comes bac0 as help besto/ed on the *i2er$ as mental and spiritual assistance /hich ishis by ri*ht.

e thus may *rasp the broad principles o 0armic /or0in*$ the respecti2e parts played by the &ords oKarma and by the E*o itsel in the destiny o the indi2idual. The E*o supplies all the materials$ but thematerials are used by the &ords or by the E*o respecti2ely accordin* to their natureG the latter builds upthe character$ *radually e2ol2es itsel! the ormer [Page *6]build the mould that limits$ choose theen2ironment$ and *enerally adapt and ad6ust$ in order that the =ood &a/ may ind its unerrin* e(pressiodespite the clashin* /ills o men.

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7. FACI5KARMIC RE()"T(

'ometimes people eel$ on irst reco*niin* the e(istence o Karma$ that i all be the /or0in* out o &a/they are but helpless sla2es o ?estiny. Ere considerin* ho/ the &a/ may be utilied or the control o?estiny$ let us study or a e/ moments a typical case$ and see ho/ Necessity and Free/ill @ to use thaccepted terms @ are both at /or0$ and at /or0 in harmony.

A man comes into the /orld /ith certain inborn mental aculties$ let us say o an a2era*e type$ /ith apassional nature that sho/s deinite characteristics$ some *ood$ some bad! /ith an etheric double andphysical body airly /ell5ormed and healthy$ but o no specially splendid character. These are hislimitations$ clearly mar0ed out or him$ and he inds himsel /hen he reaches manhood /ith this mental$passional$ astral$ physical Cstoc05in5handD$ and he has to do the best he can /ith it. There aremany mental hei*hts [Page *7]that he is deinitely unable to climb$ mental conceptions /hich his po/ersdo not permit him to *rasp! there are temptations to /hich his passional nature yields$ thou*h he stri2esa*ainst them! there are triumphs o physical stren*th and s0ill that he cannot achie2e! in act$ he indsthat he can no more thin0 as a *enius thin0s than he can be beautiul as an Apollo$ +e is /ithin a limitin*

rin* and cannot pass out o it$ lon* as he may or liberty. Moreo2er$ he cannot a2oid troubles o many0inds! they stri0e him$ and he can only bear his pain! he cannot escape rom it. No/ these thin*s are soThe man is limited by his past thou*hts$ by his /asted opportunities$ by his mista0en choices$ by hisoolish yieldin*s! he is bound by his or*otten desires$ enchained by his errors o an earlier day. And yetheis not bound$ the eal Man. +e /ho made the past that imprisons his present$ can /or0 /ithin theprison5house and create a uture o liberty. Nay$ let him knowthat he himsel is ree$ and the etters /illcrumble a/ay rom his limbs$ and accordin* to the measure o his 0no/led*e /ill be the illusoriness ohis bonds. But or the ordinary man to /hom the 0no/led*e /ill come as a spar0$ not as a lame$ the irsstep to/ards reedom /ill be to accept his limitations as sel5made and proceed to [Page *8]enlar*ethem. True$ he cannot thin0 as a *enius$ thin0s 6ust yet$ but he can thin0 to the 2ery best o his ability$ anby5and5by he /ill become a *enius! he can ma0e po/er or the uture$ and he /ill. True$ he cannot *et r

o his passional ollies in a moment$ but he can i*ht a*ainst them$ and /hen he has ailed he can i*hton$ certain that presently he /ill conHuer. True$ he has astral and physical /ea0nesses and u*linesses$but as his thou*hts *ro/ stron* and pure and beautiul$ and his /or0 beneicent$ he is ensurin* orhimsel more perect orms in days to come. +e is al/ays himsel$ the ree 'oul$ in the midst o his prisohouse$ and he can he/ do/n the /alls he himsel has built. +e has no *aoler sa2e himselG he can /illhis reedom$ and in /illin* it he /ill achie2e.

A trouble meets him! he is berea2ed o a riend$ he commits a serious ault. Be it so! he sinned as thin0ein the past$ he suers as actor in the present. But his riend is not lost! he /ill hold him ast by lo2e and ithe uture he /ill ind him a*ain! mean/hile there are others round him to /hom he can *i2e the ser2ice

he /ould ha2e sho/ered on his belo2ed$ and he /ill not a*ain ne*lect the duties that are his and so so/seed or similar loss in uture li2es. +e has committed an open /ron* and suers its penalty$ but hethou*ht it in the [Page +9]past$ else could he not ha2e /rou*ht it no/G he /ill patiently endure the penalthe purchased by his thou*ht$ and /ill so thin0 today that his morro/s shall be ree rom shame. -nto /ha/as dar0ness$ has come a ray o li*ht$ and the li*ht is sin*in* to himG

+oO ye /ho suerO 0no/e suer rom yoursel2es. None else compels.

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The &a/ that seemed to be etters has become /in*s$ and by it he can rise to re*ions o /hich /ithout ihe could only dream.

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19. M$)"I5 KARMA

The man /ho has set himsel deliberately to build the uture /ill realie$ as his 0no/led*e increases$ thahe can do more than mould his o/n character$ thus ma0in* his uture destiny. +e be*ins to understandthat he is at the centre o thin*s in a 2ery real sense$ a li2in*$ acti2e$ sel5determinin* Bein*$ and that hecan act upon circumstances as /ell as upon himsel. +e has lon* been accustomin* himsel to ollo/ th*reat ethical la/s$ laid do/n or the *uidance o humanity by the ?i2ine Teachers$ ho ha2e been bornrom a*e to a*e$ and he no/ *rasps the act that these la/s are based on undamental principles inNature$ and that morality is science applied to conduct. +e sees that in his [Page +&]daily lie he canneutralie the ill results that /ould ollo/ rom some ill deed$ by brin*in* to bear upon same point acorrespondin* orce or *ood. A man sends a*ainst him an e2il thou*ht! he mi*ht meet it /ith another oits o/n 0ind$ and then the t/o thou*ht5orms$ runnin* to*ether li0e t/o drops o /ater$ /ould bereinorced$ stren*thened$ each by each! but this one a*ainst /hom the e2il thou*ht is lyin* is a 0no/ero Karma$ and he meets the mali*nant orm /ith the orce o compassion and shatters it! the bro0en ormcan no lon*er be ensouled /ith elemental lie! the lie melts bac0 to its o/n$ the orm disinte*rates! itspo/er$ or e2il is thus destroyed by compassion$ and Chatred ceases by lo2eD. ?elusi2e orms oalsehood *o orth into the astral /orld! the man o 0no/led*e sends a*ainst them orms o truth! purity

brea0s up oulness$ and charity selish *reed. As 0no/led*e increases$ this action becomes direct andpurposi2e$ the thou*ht is aimed /ith deinite intent$ /in*ed /ith potent /ill. Thus e2il Karma is chec0ed its 2ery inception$ and nau*ht is let to ma0e a 0armic tie bet/een the one /ho shot a shat o in6ury andthe one /ho burned it up by pardon. The ?i2ine Teachers$ /ho spa0e as men ha2in* authority on theduty o o2ercomin* e2il /ith *ood$ based Their [Page +']precepts on Their 0no/led*e o the la/! Theirollo/ers$ /ho obey /ithout ully seein* the scientiic oundation o the precept$ lessen the hea2y Karmathat /ould be *enerated i they ans/ered hate /ith hate. But men o 0no/led*e deliberately destroy thee2il orms$ understandin* the acts on /hich the teachin* o the Masters has e2er been based$ andsteriliin* the seed o e2il$ they pre2ent a uture har2est o pain.

At a sta*e /hich is comparati2ely ad2anced in comparison /ith that o the slo/ly dritin*$ a2era*ehumanity$ a man /ill not only build his o/n character and /or0 /ith deliberate intent on the thou*ht5orms that come in his /ay$ but he /ill be*in to see the past and thus more accurately to *au*e thepresent$ tracin* 0armic causes on/ards to their eects. +e becomes able to modiy the uture byconsciously settin* orces to /or0 desi*ned to interact /ith others already in motion. Kno/led*e enablehim to utilie la/ /ith the same certainty /ith /hich scientists utilie it in e2ery department o Nature.

&et us pause or a moment to consider the la/s o motion. A body has been set in motion$ and is mo2in*alon* a deinite line! i another orce be brou*ht to bear upon it$ dierin* in direction rom the one that*a2e it its initial impulse$ the body /ill mo2e [Page +*]alon* another line @ a line compounded o the t/o

impulses! no ener*y /ill be lost$ but part o the orce /hich *a2e the initial impulse /ill be used up inpartially counteractin* the ne/$ and the resultant direction alon* /hich the body /ill mo2e /ill be thatneither o the irst orce nor o the second$ but o the interplay o the t/o. A physicist can calculate e(actat /hat an*le he must stri0e a mo2in* body in order to cause it to mo2e in a desired direction$ andalthou*h the body itsel may be beyond his immediate reach$ he can send ater it a orce o calculated2elocity to stri0e it at a deinite an*le$ thus delectin* it rom its pre2ious course$ and impellin* it alon* ane/ line. -n this there is no 2iolation o la/$ no intererence /ith la/! only the utiliation o la/ by0no/led*e$ the bendin* o natural orces to accomplish the purpose o the human /ill. - /e apply thisprinciple to the mouldin* o Karma$ /e shall readily see @ apart rom the act that la/ is in2iolable @ th

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there is no C intererence /ith KarmaD$ /hen /e modiy its action by 0no/led*e. e are usin*0armic orce to aect 0armic results$ and once more /e conHuer Nature by obedience.

&et us no/ suppose that the ad2anced student$ *lancin* bac0/ards o2er the past$ sees lines o pastKarma [Page ++]con2er*in* to a point o action o an undesirable 0ind! he can introduce a ne/ orceamon* the con2er*in* ener*ies$ and so modiy the e2ent$ /hich must be the resultant o allthe orces

concerned in its *eneration and ripenin*. For such action he reHuires 0no/led*e$ not only the po/er tosee the past and to trace the lines /hich connect it /ith the present$ but also to calculate e(actly theinluence that the orce he introduces /ill e(ercise as modiyin* the resultant$ and urther the eects tha/ill lo/ rom this resultant considered as cause. -n this /ay he may lessen or destroy the results o e2il/rou*ht by himsel in the past$ by the *ood orces he pours orth into his 0armic stream! he cannot undothe past$ he cannot destroy it$ but so ar as its eects are still in the uture he can modiy them or re2ersethem$ by the ne/ orces he brin*s to bear as causes ta0in* part in their production. -n all this he is mereutiliin* the la/$ and he /or0s /ith the certainty o the scientist$ /ho balances one orce a*ainst anotheand$ unable to destroy a unit o ener*y$ can yet ma0e a body mo2e as he /ill by a calculation o an*lesand o mo2ements. 'imilarly Karma may be accelerated or delayed$ and thus a*ain /ill under*omodiication by the action o the surroundin*s amid /hich it is /or0ed out. [Page +6]

&et us put the same thin* a*ain a little dierently$ or the conception is an important and a ruitul one. A0no/led*e *ro/s$ it becomes easier and easier to *et rid o the Karma o the past. -nasmuch as causes/hich are /or0in* out to their accomplishment$ all come /ithin the si*ht o the 'oul /hich is approachinits liberation$ as it loo0s bac0 o2er past li2es$ as it *lances do/n the 2ista o centuries alon* /hich it hasbeen slo/ly climbin*$ it is able to see there the /ay in /hich its bonds /ere made$ the causes /hich itset in motionG it is able to see ho/ many o those causes ha2e /or0ed themsel2es out and aree(hausted$ ho/ many o those causes are still /or0in* themsel2es out. -t is able not only to loo0bac0/ards but also to loo0 or/ards and see the eects these causes /ill produce! so that$ *lancin* inront$ the eects that /ill be produced are seen$ and *lancin* behind$ the causes that /ill brin* about

these eects are also 2isible. There is no diiculty in the supposition that 6ust as you ind in ordinaryphysical nature that 0no/led*e o certain la/s enables us to predict a result$ and to see the la/ thatbrin*s that result about$ so /e can transer this idea on to a hi*her plane$ and can ima*ine a condition othe de2eloped soul$ in /hich it is able to see the 0armic causes that it has set *oin* behind [Page +7]it$and also the 0armic eects throu*h /hich it has to /or0 in the uture.

ith such a 0no/led*e o causes$ and a 2ision o their /or0in* out$ it is possible to introduce reshcauses to neutralie these eects$ and by utiliin* the la/$ and by relyin* absolutely on its unchan*in*and un2aryin* character$ and by a careul calculation o the orce set *oin*$ to ma0e the eects in theuture those /hich /e desire. That is a mere matter o calculation. 'uppose 2ibrations o hatred ha2e

been set *oin* in the past$ /e can deliberately set to /or0 to Huench these 2ibrations$ and to pre2enttheir /or0in* out into the present and uture$ by settin* up a*ainst them 2ibrations o lo2e. Qust in thesame /ay as /e can ta0e a /a2e o sound$ and then a second /a2e$ and settin* the t/o *oin* onesli*htly ater the other$ so that the 2ibrations o the denser part o the one shall correspond to the rarerpart o the other$ and thus out o sounds /e can ma0e silence by intererence$ so in the hi*her re*ions iis possible by lo2e and hate 2ibrations$ used by 0no/led*e and controlled by /ill$ to brin* 0armic causesto an endin* and so to reach eHuilibrium$ /hich is another /ord or liberation. That 0no/led*e is beyondthe reach o the enormous ma6ority. hat the ma6ority can do is this$ i they [Page +8]choose to utilie th'cience o the 'oul$ they may ta0e the e2idence o e(perts on this sub6ect$ they may ta0e the moral

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percepts o the *reat reli*ious Teachers o the /orld$ and by obedience to these precepts @ to /hichtheir intuition responds althou*h they may not understand the method o their /or0in* @ they may eecin the doin* that /hich also may be eected by distinct and deliberate 0no/led*e. 'o de2otion andobedience to a Teacher may /or0 to/ards liberation as 0no/led*e mi*ht other/ise do.

Applyin* these principles in e2ery direction the student /ill be*in to realie ho/ man is handicapped by

i*norance$ and ho/ *reat is the part played by 0no/led*e in human e2olution. Men drit because they dnot 0no/! they are helpless because they are blind! the man /ho /ould inish his course more rapidlythan /ill the common mass o men$ /ho /ould lea2e the slothul cro/d behind Cas the racer lea2esthe hac0D$ he needs /isdom as /ell as lo2e$ 0no/led*e as /ell as de2otion. There is no need or himto /ear out slo/ly the lin0s o chains or*ed lon* a*o! he can ile them s/itly throu*h$ and be rid o themas eecti2ely as thou*h they slo/ly rusted a/ay to set him ree. [Page 69]

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11. THE C"EA(I5 $F KARMA

Karma brin*s us e2er bac0 to rebirth$ binds us to the /heel o births and deaths. =ood Karma dra*s usbac0 as relentlessly as bad$ and the chain /hich is /rou*ht out o our 2irtues holds as irmly and asclosely as that or*ed rom our 2ices. +o/ then shall the /ea2in* o the chain be put an end to$ sinceman must thin0 and eel as lon* as he li2es$ and thou*hts and eelin*s are e2er *eneratin* Karma Theans/er to this is the *reat lesson o the $hagavad*ita$ the lesson tau*ht to the /arrior prince. Neither thermit nor to student /as that lesson *i2en$ but to the /arrior stri2in* or 2ictory$ the prince immersed inthe duties o his state.

Not in action but in desire$ not in action but in attachment to its ruit$ lies the bindin* orce o action. Anaction is perormed /ith desire to en6oy its ruit$ a course is adopted /ith desire to obtain its results! the'oul is e(pectant and Nature must reply to it$ it has demanded and Nature must a/ard. To e2ery cause bound its eect$ to e2ery action its ruit$ and desire is the cord that lin0s them to*ether$ the thread thatruns bet/een. - this could be burned up the conne(ion /ould cease$ and /hen all the bonds o the hea[Page 61]are bro0en the 'oul is ree. Karma can then no lon*er hold it! Karma can then no lon*er bind it

the /heel o cause and eect may continue to turn$ but the soul has become the &iberated &ie.

ithout attachment$ constantly perorm action /hich is duty$ or perormin* action /ithoutattachment$ man 2erily reacheth the 'upreme.[$hagavad *ita,iii$ 19]

To perorm this Karma5o*a @ o*a o action @ as it is called$ man must perorm e2ery action merely aduty$ doin* all in harmony /ith the &a/. 'ee0in* to conorm to the &a/ on any plane o bein* on /hich$he is busied$ he aims at becomin* a orce /or0in* /ith the ?i2ine ill or e2olution$ and yields a perectobedience in e2ery phase o his acti2ity. Thus all his actions parta0e o the nature o sacriice$ and areoered or the turnin* o the heel o the &a/$ not or any ruit that they may brin*! the action is

perormed as duty$ the ruit is 6oyully *i2en or the helpin* o men! he has no concern /ith it$ it belon*s tthe &a/$ and to the &a/ he lea2es it or distribution.

And so /e readG

hose /or0s are all ree rom the mouldin* o desire$ /hose actions are burned up by the ireo /isdom$ he is called a 'a*e by the spiritually /ise. [Page 62]

+a2in* abandoned all attachment to the ruit o action$ al/ays content$ see0in* reu*e in none$

althou*h doin* actions$ he is not doin* anythin*.Free rom desire$ his thou*hts controlled by the 'E&F$ ha2in* abandoned all attachment$perormin* action by the body alone$ he doth not commit sin.

,ontent /ith /hatsoe2er he recei2eth$ ree rom the pairs o opposites$ /ithout en2y$ balancedin success and ailure thou*h he hath acted he is not bound!

For /ith attachment dead$ harmonious$ his thou*hts established in /isdom$ his /or0s$

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sacriices$ all his actions melt a/ay.[$hagavad *ita, i2 195:


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/hich other/ise They mi*ht lea2e or e2er @ to help Their brethren$ to labour century ater century$millennium ater millennium$ or the 6oy and ser2ice that ma0e Their lo2e and peace ineable /ith nothinthat the earth can *i2e Them$ sa2e the 6oy o seein* other 'ouls *ro/in* into Their li0eness$ be*innin* tshare /ith them the conscious lie o =od.

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12. C$""ECTI!E KARMA

The *atherin* to*ether o 'ouls into *roups$ ormin* amilies$ castes$ nations$ races$ introduces a ne/element o perple(ity into 0armic results$ and it is here that room is ound or /hat are calledCaccidentsD$ as /ell as or the ad6ustments continually bein* made by the &ords o Karma. -tappears that /hile nothin* can beall a man that is not Cin his KarmaD as an indi2idual$ ad2anta*emay be ta0en o$ say$ a national or a seismic catastrophe to enable him to /or0 o a piece o bad Karma/hich /ould not normally ha2e allen into the lie5span throu*h /hich he is passin*! it appears @ - canonly spea0 hereon speculati2ely$ not ha2in* deinite 0no/led*e on this point @ as thou*h sudden deathcould not stri0e o a man3s body unless he o/ed such a death to the &a/$ no matter into /hat /hirl ocatastrophic disaster he may be hurled! he /ould be /hat is called Cmiraculously preser2edD amthe death and ruin that s/ept a/ay his nei*hbours$ and emer*e unharmed rom tempest or ieryoutbrea0. But i he o/ed a lie$ and /ere dra/n by his national or amily Karma /ithin the area o such adisturbance$ then$ althou*h such sudden death had not been /o2en into his etheric double or thatspecial lie$ no acti2e intererence mi*ht be made or his preser2ation! special care /ould be ta0en o himater/ards that he mi*ht not suer unduly rom his sudden! snatchin* out o earth5lie$ but he /ould beallo/ed to pay his debt on the arisin* o such an opportunity$ brou*ht /ithin his reach by the /ider s/ee

o the &a/$ by the collecti2e Karma that in2ol2es him.

'imilarly$ beneits may accrue to him by this indirect action o the &a/$ as /hen he belon*s to a nationthat is en6oyin* the ruit o some *ood national Karma! and he may thus recei2e some debt o/ed to himby Nature$ payment o /hich /ould not ha2e allen /ithin [Page 66]his present lot had only his indi2idualKarma been concerned.

A man3s birth in a particular nation is inluenced by certain *eneral principles o e2olution as /ell as by himmediate characteristics. The 'oul in its slo/ de2elopment has not only to pass throu*h the se2en oo

aces o a *lobe - deal /ith the normal e2olution o humanityL$ but also throu*h the sub5races. Thisnecessity imposes certain conditions$ to /hich the indi2idual Karma must adapt itsel$ and a nationbelon*in* to the sub5race throu*h /hich the 'oul has to pass /ill oer the area /ithin /hich the morespecial conditions needed must be ound. here lon* series o incarnations ha2e been ollo/ed$ it hasbeen ound that some indi2iduals pro*ress rom sub5race to sub5race 2ery re*ularly$ /hereas others aremore erratic$ ta0in* repeated incarnations perhaps in one sub5race. ithin the limits o the sub5race$ theindi2idual characteristics o the man /ill dra/ him to/ards one nation or another$ and /e may noticedominant national characteristics re5emer*in* on the sta*e o history en#locater the normal inter2al oiteen hundred years! thus cro/ds o omans reincarnate as En*lishmen$ the enterprisin*$ coloniin*$conHuerin*$ imperial instincts reappearin* as national attributes. A man in /hom such national [Page 67]characteristics /ere stron*ly mar0ed$ and /hose time or rebirth had come$ /ould be drated into the

En*lish nation by his Karma and /ould then share the national destiny or *ood or or e2il$ so ar as thatdestiny aected the ate o an indi2idual.

The amily tie is naturally o a more personal character than is the national$ and those /ho /ea2e bondso close aection in one lie tend to be dra/n to*ether a*ain as members o the same amily. 'ometimethese ties recur 2ery persistently lie ater lie$ and the destinies o t/o indi2iduals are 2ery intimatelyinter/o2en in successi2e incarnations. 'ometimes$ in conseHuence o the dierent len*ths o the?e2achans necessitated by dierences o intellectual and spiritual acti2ity durin* the earth5li2es spent

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to*ether @ members o a amily may be scattered and may not meet a*ain until ater se2eralincarnations. 'pea0in* *enerally$ the more close the tie in the hi*her re*ions o lie$ the *reater theli0elihood o rebirth in a amily *roup. +ere a*ain the Karma o the indi2idual is aected by the inter5lin0ed Karmas o his amily$ and he may en6oy or suer throu*h these in a /ay not inherent in his o/nlie5Karma$ and so recei2e or pay 0armic debts$ out5o5date$ as /e may say. 'o ar as the personality isconcerned$ this seems to brin* /ith it a [Page 68]certain balancin* up or compensation in KIma5&o0aand ?e2achan$ in order that complete 6ustice may be done e2en to the leetin* personality.

The /or0in* out in detail o collecti2e Karma /ould carry us ar beyond the limits o such an elementary/or0 as the present and ar beyond the 0no/led*e o the /riter! only these ra*mentary hints can atpresent be oered to the student. Fo

karma anniebesant

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