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Such, at the least, must have been the recommendations of one aspiring to perfect Chelaship. With the sole exception of the first, which in rare and exceptional cases might have been modified, each one of these points has been invariably insisted upon, and all must have been more or less developed in the inner nature by the Chela’s UNHELPED EXERTIONS, before he could be actually put to the test.<ref>Blavatsky, H. P., ''Collected Writings'' vol. IV (Wheaton, Ill: Theosophical Publishing House, 1954), fn. 607-608.</ref></blockquote>
Such, at the least, must have been the recommendations of one aspiring to perfect Chelaship. With the sole exception of the first, which in rare and exceptional cases might have been modified, each one of these points has been invariably insisted upon, and all must have been more or less developed in the inner nature by the Chela’s UNHELPED EXERTIONS, before he could be actually put to the test.<ref>Blavatsky, H. P., ''Collected Writings'' vol. IV (Wheaton, Ill: Theosophical Publishing House, 1954), fn. 607-608.</ref></blockquote>


In the Theosophical Journal ''Lucifer'', April, 1888, [[H. P. Blavatsky]]  writes the article "Practical Occultism" where she gives some very specific "conditions under which alone the study of Divine Wisdom can be pursued with safety."<ref>Blavatsky, H. P., ''Collected Writings'' vol. IX (Wheaton, Ill: Theosophical Publishing House, 1962), 155-162.</ref> In Lucifer for June, 1889, [[H. P. Blavatsky]] published a letter questioning the "practicality" of some of the requirements for chelaship as given in "Practical Occultism." She wrote the following reply in a footnote:
In the Theosophical Journal ''Lucifer'', April, 1888, [[H. P. Blavatsky]]  writes the article "Practical Occultism" where she gives some very specific "conditions under which alone the study of Divine Wisdom can be pursued with safety."<ref>Blavatsky, H. P., ''Collected Writings'' vol. IX (Wheaton, Ill: Theosophical Publishing House, 1962), 155-162.</ref> In ''Lucifer'' for June, 1889, [[H. P. Blavatsky]] published a letter questioning the "practicality" of some of the requirements for chelaship as given in "Practical Occultism." She wrote the following reply in a footnote:


<blockquote>Chelaship has nothing whatever to do with means of subsistence or anything of the kind, for a man can isolate his mind entirely from his body and its surroundings. Chelaship is a state of mind, rather than a life according to hard and fast rules on the physical plane. This applies especially to the earlier, probationary period, while the rules given in ''Lucifer'' for April last pertain properly to a later stage, that of actual occult training and the development of occult powers and insight. These rules indicate, however, the mode of life which ought to be followed by all aspirants so far as practicable, since it is the most helpful to them in their aspirations.
<blockquote>Chelaship has nothing whatever to do with means of subsistence or anything of the kind, for a man can isolate his mind entirely from his body and its surroundings. Chelaship is a state of mind, rather than a life according to hard and fast rules on the physical plane. This applies especially to the earlier, probationary period, while the rules given in ''Lucifer'' for April last pertain properly to a later stage, that of actual occult training and the development of occult powers and insight. These rules indicate, however, the mode of life which ought to be followed by all aspirants so far as practicable, since it is the most helpful to them in their aspirations.

Revision as of 17:01, 14 February 2012

The word chela comes from the Sanskrit चेल (cela) meaning "servant" or "slave." In Hinduism the term is used to denominate the religious student or disciple of a spiritual master or guru.

In modern Theosophy the term is frequently used to denominate a disciple accepted by one Master as a candidate for initiation into the occult sciences. In her Theosophical Glossary H. P. Blavatsky defines it as follows:

Chelâ (Sk.). A disciple, the pupil of a Guru or Sage, the follower of some adept of a school of philosophy (lit., child).[1]


Rules for Chelaship

In 1883 H. P. Blavatsky wrote:

From Book IV of Kiu-ti, chapter on “the Laws of Upasana,” we learn that the qualifications expected in a Chela were:

1. Perfect physical health; 2. Absolute mental and physical purity; 3. Unselfishness of purpose; universal charity; pity for all animate beings; 4. Truthfulness and unswerving faith in the law of Karma, independent of any power in nature that could interfere: a law whose course is not to be obstructed by any agency, not to be caused to deviate by prayer or propitiatory exoteric ceremonies; 5. A courage undaunted in every emergency, even by peril to life; 6. An intuitional perception of one’s being the vehicle of the manifested Avalokiteshvara or Divine Atman (Spirit); 7. Calm indifference for, but a just appreciation of everything that constitutes the objective and transitory world, in its relation with, and to, the invisible regions.

Such, at the least, must have been the recommendations of one aspiring to perfect Chelaship. With the sole exception of the first, which in rare and exceptional cases might have been modified, each one of these points has been invariably insisted upon, and all must have been more or less developed in the inner nature by the Chela’s UNHELPED EXERTIONS, before he could be actually put to the test.[2]

In the Theosophical Journal Lucifer, April, 1888, H. P. Blavatsky writes the article "Practical Occultism" where she gives some very specific "conditions under which alone the study of Divine Wisdom can be pursued with safety."[3] In Lucifer for June, 1889, H. P. Blavatsky published a letter questioning the "practicality" of some of the requirements for chelaship as given in "Practical Occultism." She wrote the following reply in a footnote:

Chelaship has nothing whatever to do with means of subsistence or anything of the kind, for a man can isolate his mind entirely from his body and its surroundings. Chelaship is a state of mind, rather than a life according to hard and fast rules on the physical plane. This applies especially to the earlier, probationary period, while the rules given in Lucifer for April last pertain properly to a later stage, that of actual occult training and the development of occult powers and insight. These rules indicate, however, the mode of life which ought to be followed by all aspirants so far as practicable, since it is the most helpful to them in their aspirations. It should never be forgotten that Occultism is concerned with the inner man who must be strengthened and freed from the dominion of the physical body and its surroundings, which must become his servants. Hence the first and chief necessity of Chelaship is a spirit of absolute unselfishness and devotion to Truth; then follow self-knowledge and self-mastery. These are all-important; while outward observance of fixed rules of life is a matter of secondary moment.[4]

Notes

  1. ↑ Blavatsky, H. P., Theosophical Glossary (Krotona, CA: Theosophical Publishing House, 1918), 74.
  2. ↑ Blavatsky, H. P., Collected Writings vol. IV (Wheaton, Ill: Theosophical Publishing House, 1954), fn. 607-608.
  3. ↑ Blavatsky, H. P., Collected Writings vol. IX (Wheaton, Ill: Theosophical Publishing House, 1962), 155-162.
  4. ↑ Blavatsky, H. P., Collected Writings vol. XI (Wheaton, Ill: Theosophical Publishing House, 1973), fn. 300-301.


Further reading

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