Theosophical Society,
H P Blavatsky
Mahatmas and Chelas
Anonymous Article
A
Mahatma is an individual who, by special training and education, has
evolved
those higher faculties, and has attained that spiritual
knowledge,
which ordinary humanity will acquire after passing through
numberless
series of re-incarnations during the process of cosmic
evolution,
provided, of course, that they do not go, in the meanwhile,
against
the purposes of Nature and thus bring on their own annihilation.
This
process of the self-evolution of the MAHATMA extends over a number
of
"incarnations," although, comparatively speaking, they are very few.
Now, what is it that incarnates? The
occult doctrine, so far as it is given out, shows that the first three
principles die more or less with what is called the physical death. The fourth principle, together with the lower
portions of the fifth, in which reside the animal propensities, has Kama Loka
for its abode, where it suffers the throes of disintegration in proportion to
the intensity of those lower desires; while it is the higher Manas, the pure
man, which is associated with the sixth and seventh principles, that goes into
Devachan to enjoy there the effects of its good Karma, and then to be
reincarnated as a higher personality.
Now
an entity that is passing through the occult training in its successive births,
gradually has less and less (in each incarnation) of that lower Manas until
there arrives a time when its whole Manas, being of an entirely elevated
character, is centred in the individuality, when such a person may be said to
have become a MAHATMA.
At
the time of his physical death, all the lower four principles perish
without
any suffering, for these are, in fact, to him like a piece of
wearing
apparel which he puts on and off at will.
The real MAHATMA is
then
not his physical body but that higher Manas which is inseparably
linked
to the Atma and its vehicle (the sixth principle)--a union
effected
by him in a comparatively very short period by passing through
the
process of self-evolution laid down by Occult Philosophy. When
therefore,
people express a desire to "see a MAHATMA," they really do
not
seem to understand what it is they ask for.
How can they, with
their
physical eyes, hope to see that which transcends that sight? Is
it
the body--a mere shell or mask--they crave or hunt after? And
supposing
they see the body of a MAHATMA, how can they know that behind
that
mask is concealed an exalted entity? By
what standard are they to
judge
whether the Maya before them reflects the image of a true MAHATMA
or
not? And who will say that the physical
is not a Maya?
Higher
things can be perceived only by a sense pertaining to those higher things;
whoever
therefore wants to see the real MAHATMA, must use his intellectual sight. He must so elevate his Manas that its
perception will be clear and all mists created by Maya be dispelled. His vision will then be bright and he will
see the MAHATMA wherever he may be, for, being merged into the sixth and the
seventh principles, which know no distance, the MAHATMA may be said to be
everywhere. But, at the same time, just
as we may be standing on a mountain top and have within our sight the whole
plain, and yet not be cognizant of any particular tree or spot, because from
that elevated position all below is nearly
identical,
and as our attention may be drawn to something which may be
dissimilar
to its surroundings--in the same manner, although the whole
of
humanity is within the mental vision of the MAHATMA, he cannot be
expected
to take special note of every human being, unless that being by
his
special acts draws particular attention to himself. The highest
interest
of humanity, as a whole, is the MAHATMA's special concern, for
he
has identified himself with that Universal Soul which runs through
Humanity; and to draw his attention one must do so
through that Soul.
This
perception of the Manas may be called "faith" which should not be
confounded
with blind belief. "Blind
faith" is an expression sometimes
used
to indicate belief without perception or understanding; while the
true
perception of the Manas is that enlightened belief which is the
real
meaning of the word "faith."
This belief should at the same time
be
accompanied by knowledge, i.e., experience, for "true knowledge
brings
with it faith." Faith is the
perception of the Manas (the fifth
principle),
while knowledge, in the true sense of the term, is the
capacity
of the Intellect, i.e., it is spiritual perception. In short,
the
individuality of man, composed of his higher Manas, the sixth and
the
seventh principle, should work as a unity, and then only can it
obtain
"divine wisdom," for divine things can be sensed only by divine
faculties. Thus a chela should be actuated solely by a
desire to
understand
the operations of the Law of Cosmic Evolution, so as to be
able
to work in conscious and harmonious accord with Nature.
--Anon.
Theosophical Society,