Substance
Substance, in philosophy, refers to the ultimate constituent or constituents of reality on which everything else depends. Substance is the "thing-in-itself," as distinct from the properties it bears. A philosophy may be said to be monist, dualist, or pluralist according to how many ultimate substances they consider to exist in the cosmos. In the writings of Mme. Blavatsky a "substance" is seen as the cause of matter on any given plane, although this substance in turn may appear as matter when seen from a higher plane.
General definition
Mme. Blavatsky explained that "substance is not matter in metaphysics."[1] Rather, it is "the Noumenon [or cause] of matter."[2] However, the concept of substance in the Esoteric Philosophy is relative. Again, in Blavatsky's words:
But the Occult sciences, while calling Substance the noumenon of every material form, explain that noumenon as being still matter—only on another plane. That which is noumenon to our human perceptions is matter to those of a Dhyan Chohan.[3]
Pre-cosmic substance
Cosmic substance
Mme. Blavatsky identifies the Cosmic or Primordial Substance with Ākāśa.[4]
Cosmic Substance is differentiated during manvantara, but returns to its undifferentiated source at the end of the cycle:
During the period of Universal Pralaya . . . the variously differentiated states of Cosmic Substance are resolved back again into the primary state of abstract potential objectivity.[5]
See also
Notes
- ↑ Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, The Secret Doctrine vol. I, (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1993), 508.
- ↑ Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, Collected Writings vol. VIII (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1990), 317.
- ↑ Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, Collected Writings vol. VIII (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1990), 317.
- ↑ Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, The Secret Doctrine vol. I, (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1993), 326.
- ↑ Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, The Secret Doctrine vol. I, (Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1993), 328.