In all these classifications subdivisions have been multiplied
indefinitely by conceiving new combinations of the Primary Powers in
different proportions. But I must now drop this subject, and proceed to
consider the "Fragments of Occult Truth" (since embodied in "Esoteric
Buddhism").
I have carefully examined it, and find that the results arrived at (in
the Buddhist doctrine) do not differ much from the conclusions of our
Aryan philosophy, though our mode of stating the arguments may differ in
form. I shall now discuss the question from my own standpoint, though,
following, for facility of comparison and convenience of discussion, the
sequence of classification of the sevenfold entities or principles
constituting man which is adopted in the "Fragments." The questions
raised for discussion are (1) whether the disembodied spirits of human
beings (as they are called by Spiritualists) appear in the seance-rooms
and elsewhere; and (2) whether the manifestations taking place are
produced wholly or partly through their agency.
It is hardly possible to answer these two questions satisfactorily
unless the meaning intended to be conveyed by the expression
"disembodied spirits of human beings" be accurately defined. The words
spiritualism and spirit are very misleading. Unless English writers in
general, and Spiritualists in particular, first ascertain clearly the
connotation they mean to assign to the word spirit, there will be no end
of confusion, and the real nature of these so-called spiritualistic
phenomena and their modus occurrendi can never be clearly defined.
Christian writers generally speak of only two entities in man--the body,
and the soul or spirit (both seeming to mean the same thing to them).
European philosophers generally speak of body and mind, and argue that
soul or spirit cannot be anything else than mind. They are of opinion
that any belief in lingasariram* is entirely unphilosophical. These
views are certainly incorrect, and are based on unwarranted assumptions
as to the possibilities of Nature, and on an imperfect understanding of
its laws. I shall now examine (from the standpoint of the Brahmanical
esoteric doctrine) the spiritual constitution of man, the various
entities or principles existing in him, and ascertain whether either of
those entities entering into his composition can appear on earth after
his death, and if so, what it is that so appears.
--------
* The astral body, so called.
--------
Professor Tyndall in his excellent papers on what he calls the "Germ
Theory," comes to the following conclusions as the result of a series of
well-planned experiments:--Even in a very small volume of space there
are myriads of protoplasmic germs floating in ether. If, for instance,
say water (clear water) is exposed to them, and if they fall into it,
some form of life or other will be evolved out of them. Now, what are
the agencies for the bringing of this life into existence? Evidently--
I. The water, which is the field, so to say, for the growth
of life.
II. The protoplasmic germ, out of which life or a living organism
is to be evolved or developed. And lastly--
III. The power, energy, force, or tendency which springs into activity
at the touch or combination of the protoplasmic germ and the water, and
which evolves or develops life and its natural attributes.
Similarly, there are three primary causes which bring the human being
into existence. I shall call them, for the purpose of discussion, by
the following names
(1) Parabrahmam, the Universal Spirit.
(2) Sakti, the crown of the astral light, combining in itself all the
powers of Nature.
(3) Prakriti, which in its original or primary shape is represented by
Akasa. (Really every form of matter is finally reducible to Akasa.)*
It is ordinarily stated that Prakriti or Akasa is the Kshetram, or the
basis which corresponds to water in the example we have taken Brahmam
the germ, and Sakti, the power or energy that comes into existence at
their union or contact.**
--------
* The Tibetan esoteric Buddhist doctrine teaches that Prakriti is cosmic
matter, out of which all visible forms are produced; and Akasa, that
same cosmic matter, but still more subjective--its spirit, as it were.
Prakriti being the body or substance, and Akasa Sakti its soul or
energy.
** Or, in other words, "Prakriti, Swabhavat, or Akasa, is SPACE, as the
Tibetans have it; Space filled with whatsoever substance or no
substance at all--i.e., with substance so imperceptible as to be only
metaphysically conceivable. Brahman, then, would be the germ thrown
into the soil of that field, and Sakti, that mysterious energy or force
which develops it, and which is called by the Buddhist Arahat of Tibet,
FOHAT. That which we call form (rupa) is not different from that which
we call space (sunyata).... Space is not different from form. Form is
the same as space; space is the same as form. And so with the other
skandhas, whether vedana, or sanjna, or sanskara, or vijnana, they are
each the same as their opposite." .... (Book of Sin-king, or the "Heart
Sutra." Chinese translation of the "Maha-Prajna-Paramita-Hridaya-Sutra,"
chapter on the "Avalokiteshwara," or the manifested Buddha.) So that
the Aryan and Tibetan or Arhat doctrines agree perfectly in substance,
differing but in names given and the way of putting it.
---------
But this is not the view which the Upanishads take of the question.
According to them, Brahamam* is the Kshetram or basis, Akasa or
Prakriti, the germ or seed, and Sakti, the power evolved by their union
or contact. And this is the real scientific, philosophical mode of
stating the case.
--------
* See Appendix, Note IV.
--------
Now, according to the adepts of ancient Aryavarta, seven principles are
evolved out of these three primary entities. Algebra teaches us that the
number of combinations of n things, taken one at a time, two at a time,
three at a time, and so forth = 2(n)-1.
Applying this formula to the present case, the number of entities
evolved from different combinations of these three primary causes
amounts to 2(3)-1 = 8-1 = 7.
As a general rule, whenever seven entities are mentioned in the ancient
occult science of India, in any connection whatsoever, you must suppose
that those seven entities came into existence from three primary
entities; and that these three entities, again, are evolved out of a
single entity or MONAD. To take a familiar example, the seven coloured
rays in the solar ray are evolved out of three primary coloured rays;
and the three primary colours coexist with the four secondary colours in
the solar rays. Similarly, the three primary entities which brought man
into existence co-exist in him with the four secondary entities which
arose from different combinations of the three primary entities.
Now these seven entities, which in their totality constitute man, are as
follows. I shall enumerate them in the order adopted in the
"Fragments," as far as the two orders (the Brahmanical and the Tibetan)
coincide:--
Corresponding names in
Esoteric Buddhism.
I. Prakriti. Sthulasariram
(Physical Body).
II. The entity evolved
out of the combination Sukshmasariram or Lingasariram
of Prakriti and Sakti. (Astral Body).