Mahatma Letter No. 64: Difference between revisions
No edit summary |
No edit summary |
||
| (14 intermediate revisions by 4 users not shown) | |||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
[[ | {{Infobox MLbox | ||
[[ | | header1 = People involved | | ||
| writtenby = [[T. Subba Row|Subba Row]] | |||
| receivedby = [[A. P. Sinnett]] | |||
| sentvia = unknown | |||
[[ | | header2 = Dates | ||
[[ | | writtendate = June 26, 1882 | ||
| receiveddate = June 1882 | |||
''' | | otherdate = unknown | ||
| header3 = Places | |||
| sentfrom = Coconada, India | |||
| receivedat = [[Simla, India]] | |||
| vialocation = unknown{{pad|9em}} | |||
}} | |||
This is '''Letter No. 64''' in''' [[The Mahatma Letters to A. P. Sinnett (book)|''The Mahatma Letters to A. P. Sinnett'']], 4th chronological edition'''. It corresponds to '''Letter No. 131''' in '''Barker numbering.''' See below for [[Mahatma Letter No. 64#Context and background|Context and background]]. | |||
<br> | <br> | ||
<br> | <br> | ||
<big>[[Mahatma Letter No. 63|'''<nowiki> < </nowiki>'''Prev letter chrono]]</big>{{pad|3em}} | <big>[[Mahatma Letter No. 63|'''<nowiki> < </nowiki>'''Prev letter chrono]]</big>{{pad|3em}} | ||
<big>[[Mahatma Letter No. 65|Next letter chrono'''<nowiki> > </nowiki>''']]</big>{{pad|3em}} | <big>[[Mahatma Letter No. 65|Next letter chrono'''<nowiki> > </nowiki>''']]</big>{{pad|3em}} | ||
<br> | |||
<big>[[Mahatma Letter No. 58|'''<nowiki> < </nowiki>'''Prev letter Barker]]</big>{{pad|3em}} | <big>[[Mahatma Letter No. 58|'''<nowiki> < </nowiki>'''Prev letter Barker]]</big>{{pad|3em}} | ||
<big>[[Mahatma Letter No. 59|Next letter Barker'''<nowiki> > </nowiki>''']]</big> | <big>[[Mahatma Letter No. 59|Next letter Barker'''<nowiki> > </nowiki>''']]</big> | ||
<br> | <br> | ||
<br> | <br> | ||
== Page 1 transcription, image, and notes == | == Page 1 transcription, image, and notes == | ||
| Line 27: | Line 33: | ||
Dear Sir, | Dear Sir, | ||
Please kindly excuse me for not having sent you a reply to your letter up to this time. The qualified assent which you were pleased to give to the conditions laid down by me necessitated a reference to the Brothers for their opinion and orders. And now I am sorry to inform you that anything like practical instruction in the ritual of Occult Science is impossible under the conditions you propose. So far as my knowledge goes, no student of Occult Philosophy has ever succeeded in developing his psychic powers without leading the life prescribed for such students; and it is not within the power of the teacher to make an exception in the case of any student. The rules laid down by the ancient teachers of Occult Science are inflexible; and it is not left to the discretion of any teacher either to enforce them or not to enforce them according to the nature of the existing circumstances. If you find it impracticable to change the present mode of your life, you cannot but wait for practical instruction until you are in a position to make such sacrifices as Occult Science demands; and for the present you must be satisfied with such theoretical | Please kindly excuse me for not having sent you a reply to your letter up to this time. The qualified assent which you were pleased to give to the conditions laid down by me necessitated a reference to the [[Masters of Wisdom|Brothers]] for their opinion and orders. And now I am sorry to inform you that anything like practical instruction in the ritual of [[Occult Science]] is impossible under the conditions you propose. So far as my knowledge goes, no student of [[Esoteric Philosophy|Occult Philosophy]] has ever succeeded in developing his [[Psychism#Psychic Powers|psychic powers]] without leading the life prescribed for such students; and it is not within the power of the teacher to make an exception in the case of any student. The rules laid down by the ancient teachers of Occult Science are inflexible; and it is not left to the discretion of any teacher either to enforce them or not to enforce them according to the nature of the existing circumstances. If you find it impracticable to change the present mode of your life, you cannot but wait for practical instruction until you are in a position to make such sacrifices as Occult Science demands; and for the present you must be satisfied with such theoretical | ||
{{Col-break|width=3%}} | {{Col-break|width=3%}} | ||
| Line 46: | Line 52: | ||
instruction as it may be possible to give you. | instruction as it may be possible to give you. | ||
It is hardly necessary now to inform you whether the instruction promised you in my first letter under the conditions therein laid down would develop in you such powers as would enable you either to see the Brothers or converse with them clairvoyantly. Occult training, however commenced will in course of time, necessarily develop such powers. You will be taking a very low view of Occult Science if you were to suppose that the mere acquirement of psychic powers is the highest and the only desirable result of occult training. The mere acquisition of wonder-working powers can never secure immortality for the student of Occult Science unless he has learnt the means of shifting gradually his sense of individuality from his corruptible material body to the incorruptible and eternal Non-Being represented by his seventh principle. Please consider this as the real aim of Occult Science and see whether the rules you are called upon to obey are necessary or not to bring about this mighty change. | It is hardly necessary now to inform you whether the instruction promised you in my first letter under the conditions therein laid down would develop in you such powers as would enable you either to see the [[Masters of Wisdom|Brothers]] or converse with them [[Clairvoyance|clairvoyantly]]. [[Chela|Occult training]], however commenced will in course of time, necessarily develop such powers. You will be taking a very low view of [[Occult Science]] if you were to suppose that the mere acquirement of [[Psychism#Psychic Powers|psychic powers]] is the highest and the only desirable result of occult training. The mere acquisition of wonder-working powers can never secure immortality for the student of Occult Science unless he has learnt the means of shifting gradually his sense of individuality from his corruptible material body to the incorruptible and eternal Non-Being represented by his [[Seventh Principle|seventh principle]]. Please consider this as the real aim of Occult Science and see whether the rules you are called upon to obey are necessary or not to bring about this mighty change. | ||
Under the present circumstances, the Brothers have asked me to assure you and Mr. Hume that I would be fully prepared to give you both such theoretical instruction as I may be able to give in the Philosophy of the Ancient Brahminical religion and Esoteric Buddhism. | Under the present circumstances, the Brothers have asked me to assure you and [[Allan Octavian Hume|Mr. Hume]] that I would be fully prepared to give you both such theoretical instruction as I may be able to give in the Philosophy of the [[Esoteric Philosophy#Aryan Esoteric Philosophy|Ancient Brahminical religion]] and [[Esoteric Philosophy#Arhat Esoteric Philosophy|Esoteric Buddhism]]. | ||
I am going to leave this place for Madras on the 30th of this month. | I am going to leave this place for Madras on the 30th of this month. | ||
| Line 54: | Line 60: | ||
I beg to remain your sincerely, | I beg to remain your sincerely, | ||
T. Subba Row. | [[T. Subba Row]]. | ||
{{Col-break|width=3%}} | {{Col-break|width=3%}} | ||
| Line 72: | Line 78: | ||
== Physical description of letter == | == Physical description of letter == | ||
The original is in the British Library, Folio 3. According to [[George Linton]] and [[Virginia Hanson]], the letter was written: | |||
<blockquote> | |||
In the handwriting of [[Subba Row|TSR]], both sides of paper in black ink.<ref>George E. Linton and Virginia Hanson, eds., ''Readers Guide to The Mahatma Letters to A. P. Sinnett'' (Adyar, Chennai, India: Theosophical Publishing House, 1972), 47.</ref> | |||
</blockquote> | |||
== Publication history == | == Publication history == | ||
| Line 78: | Line 88: | ||
== Commentary about this letter == | == Commentary about this letter == | ||
Joy Mills comments on [[T. Subba Row]]'s statement on [[Siddhi|occult powers]] and true purpose of occult training: | |||
<blockquote> | |||
Occult training, states Subba Row, involves "instruction" that would "in the course of time necessarily develop such powers." In other words, the training and instruction accompanying it comes first and involve what Subba Row here calls "the means of shifting gradually [the student's] sense of individuality from the corruptible material body to the incorruptible and eternal Non-Being represented by the seventh principle." He adds: "Please consider this as the real aim of Occult Science." What is called for is a genuine "shift" from ego-centered consciousness to a transpersonal awareness of the underlying source of all existence ... <ref>Joy Mills, Reflections on an Ageless Wisdom, (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 2010), 224.</ref> | |||
</blockquote> | |||
Subba Row, was a [[Hinduism|Hindu]] belonging to the [[Advaita Vedanta]] school. In this quote it is interesting to notice that he uses the phrase "Non-Being" to refer to [[Ātman]], the seventh principle. The [[Sanskrit]] word ''ātman'' (which means "self") is used in Vedanta to refer to the true self of an individual beyond the conditioned phenomena. Subba Row's translation as "non-being", however, sounds more [[Buddhism|Buddhist]] than Hindu. | |||
== Notes == | == Notes == | ||
<references/> | <references/> | ||
[[Category:ML from Subba Row]] | |||
[[Category:ML needs background]] | |||
[[Category:ML to A. P. Sinnett]] | |||
[[Category:ML with images]] | |||
[[Category:ML needs commentary]] | |||
[[it:Lettera dei Mahatma n° 131]] | |||
[[es:CM64]] | |||
Latest revision as of 12:11, 14 November 2022
| Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| People involved | |
| Written by: | Subba Row |
| Received by: | A. P. Sinnett |
| Sent via: | unknown |
| Dates | |
| Written on: | June 26, 1882 |
| Received on: | June 1882 |
| Other dates: | unknown |
| Places | |
| Sent from: | Coconada, India |
| Received at: | Simla, India |
| Via: | unknown |
This is Letter No. 64 in The Mahatma Letters to A. P. Sinnett, 4th chronological edition. It corresponds to Letter No. 131 in Barker numbering. See below for Context and background.
< Prev letter chrono
Next letter chrono >
< Prev letter Barker
Next letter Barker >
Page 1 transcription, image, and notes
|
Coconada. 26th June, 1882. To A. P. Sinnett, Esq., etc. etc. etc. Dear Sir, Please kindly excuse me for not having sent you a reply to your letter up to this time. The qualified assent which you were pleased to give to the conditions laid down by me necessitated a reference to the Brothers for their opinion and orders. And now I am sorry to inform you that anything like practical instruction in the ritual of Occult Science is impossible under the conditions you propose. So far as my knowledge goes, no student of Occult Philosophy has ever succeeded in developing his psychic powers without leading the life prescribed for such students; and it is not within the power of the teacher to make an exception in the case of any student. The rules laid down by the ancient teachers of Occult Science are inflexible; and it is not left to the discretion of any teacher either to enforce them or not to enforce them according to the nature of the existing circumstances. If you find it impracticable to change the present mode of your life, you cannot but wait for practical instruction until you are in a position to make such sacrifices as Occult Science demands; and for the present you must be satisfied with such theoretical |
|
NOTES: |
Page 2
|
instruction as it may be possible to give you. It is hardly necessary now to inform you whether the instruction promised you in my first letter under the conditions therein laid down would develop in you such powers as would enable you either to see the Brothers or converse with them clairvoyantly. Occult training, however commenced will in course of time, necessarily develop such powers. You will be taking a very low view of Occult Science if you were to suppose that the mere acquirement of psychic powers is the highest and the only desirable result of occult training. The mere acquisition of wonder-working powers can never secure immortality for the student of Occult Science unless he has learnt the means of shifting gradually his sense of individuality from his corruptible material body to the incorruptible and eternal Non-Being represented by his seventh principle. Please consider this as the real aim of Occult Science and see whether the rules you are called upon to obey are necessary or not to bring about this mighty change. Under the present circumstances, the Brothers have asked me to assure you and Mr. Hume that I would be fully prepared to give you both such theoretical instruction as I may be able to give in the Philosophy of the Ancient Brahminical religion and Esoteric Buddhism. I am going to leave this place for Madras on the 30th of this month. I beg to remain your sincerely, |
|
NOTES: |
Context and background
Physical description of letter
The original is in the British Library, Folio 3. According to George Linton and Virginia Hanson, the letter was written:
In the handwriting of TSR, both sides of paper in black ink.[1]
Publication history
Commentary about this letter
Joy Mills comments on T. Subba Row's statement on occult powers and true purpose of occult training:
Occult training, states Subba Row, involves "instruction" that would "in the course of time necessarily develop such powers." In other words, the training and instruction accompanying it comes first and involve what Subba Row here calls "the means of shifting gradually [the student's] sense of individuality from the corruptible material body to the incorruptible and eternal Non-Being represented by the seventh principle." He adds: "Please consider this as the real aim of Occult Science." What is called for is a genuine "shift" from ego-centered consciousness to a transpersonal awareness of the underlying source of all existence ... [2]
Subba Row, was a Hindu belonging to the Advaita Vedanta school. In this quote it is interesting to notice that he uses the phrase "Non-Being" to refer to Ātman, the seventh principle. The Sanskrit word ātman (which means "self") is used in Vedanta to refer to the true self of an individual beyond the conditioned phenomena. Subba Row's translation as "non-being", however, sounds more Buddhist than Hindu.