Totally new is this discussion by David Reigle about the term 'dugpa'. I'm proud to present: Who Are the Dugpas in Theosophical Writings? David Reigle.
New on All Considering:
New on Katinka Hesselink Net the spiritual posters department:
However often the true nature of the occult training has been stated and explained, few Western students seem to realize how searching and inexorable are the tests which a candidate must, pass before power is entrusted to his hands. Esoteric philosophy, the occult hygiene of mind and body, the unlearning of false beliefs, and the acquisition of true habits of thought, are more than sufficient for a student during his period of probation, and those who rashly pledge themselves in the expectation of acquiring forthwith "magic powers," will meet only with disappointment and certain failure.
"Truth is a danger to all Societies, because Truth cannot submit to any falsification of thought, or perversion of feeling. It is a constant element of revolt where there is the unessential, the unreal. So you, who are seekers after truth, must be a danger to everything that is futile, childish, fleeting and unreal. That is what I mean when I say that the majority of people are not in earnest. They are still supporting the unessential, consciously or unconsciously."
Much of the confusion in the religious world arises out of its
dependence
on feelings alone, unchecked by reason.
True religion is the life we live, not the creed we profess.
Absolute reality, or Voidness, or Thatness, is called Sunyata in Sanskrit. Even renowned scholars of both ancient and modern times have not understood correctly what Nagarjuna meant by his exposition of the doctrine of Voidness (Sunyata) and they mistakenly interpreted Sunyata as annihilation. However, to establish truth, or even a relative truth, by negation, it is quite a different matter. This system is equivalent to reaching the positive through the negative. For instance, there is a pot. We look at it and perceive it in a distorted way, as usual. What we have to do now is to negate our distorted interpretation - all our conceptions about it - and then, washed clean of our superimposed distortions, the reality of the pot as it is will appear. In a similar way, we shall perceive reality when we develop insight and wisdom.
Aristotle once said, "The ideal man is altruistic because he is wise . . . He does not speak evil of others, unless it be to themselves . . . He never feels malice and always forgets injuries; in short he is a good friend to others because he is his own best friend . . . ."
The doing of a kind deed is not an act of self-sacrifice but of self-preservation. Unselfishness is but a higher form of selfishness or enlightened selfishness. "Love thy neighbor as thy self" can well be the motto of Altruism which is the sacrifice of self to others. The realization of the Brotherhood of Man which at present seems unattainable, can be hastened by the spirit of altruism.
Reformers of all classes, religionists, philanthropists, socialists, all alike, feel that the lack of brotherhood is the main cause of present day conditions of misunderstanding and disunity among all nations. The selfishness of the many individuals ruin the best laid plans of the few who are inspired by a sincere love for their neighbors. We can none of us live only to ourselves; we are living in and for others, whether consciously or not. The greatest amount of good and the most permanent will be done by the efforts made to help individuals. It requires patience and unselfishness for it is generally done unseen and unrecognized by others; often it is met with ingratitude and misunderstanding on the part of the one we try to help. But to one who really loves his fellow beings, this reaction does not matter because he tries to study the individual who is in need of help, to see what is his ideal and then to show him how he can advance toward it. The basis of real altruism is not to be found in books, but in the spiritual realization of life. Real altruism loves the virtues, with compassion and understanding for the shame.
Life is a pilgrimage and all humanity are here to make the journey; our relationship with each other and the effects upon us of all the circumstances of life, is our daily initiation as life is a testing ground. The direction in which we travel is self chosen; each individual must find for himself principles that have the essence of qualities that endure. These principles should be the guiding light on the pathway to direct us in whatever direction we desire to follow. "Who steers right on will gain at length, however far the port."
As we journey through life, we can cultivate the art of friendship. The only way to have a friend is to be one. True friendship is not merely a liking for another, but the action of the higher mind toward altruism, which gives a sense of unity that every man is another self. This reality fully recognized would cause changes not only in the individual but to all men of whatever caste, color, or creed. The real conception of friendship with its true spirit of altruism is the one solid thing in a world of unrest with shadows of war.
When facing tremendous common danger, people instinctively do whatever they can to help a fellow being, with no conscious thought of self. This is because in such moments an individual is thrown back upon his own spiritual powers, and he is fleetingly aware of the kinship of the race in a far deeper way than ever before. When the crisis is over he will lapse back into his own separative world, yet, the experience will have left a mark because he has momentarily recognized something that is ever present in his Higher Self. To be of any real value to humanity, man has to first master himself.
The true spirit of altruism is inherent in us all and part of our spiritual centre. It is our responsibility to develop and practise this characteristic at all times. To understand the frailties of human nature is not to over estimate the virtues of our friends, and to put aside any shades of suspicion and unbelief. Emerson says, "A new person is to me a great event."
The realization of the unity of life is to understand whether
in a lesser
or greater degree the same essence of life flows through all mankind.
"The humblest man; at his best he is a child of Paradise." - Emerson.
An old monk was sweeping the yard in a monastery under the scorching sun.
Another monk passed by and asked him, "How old are you?"
The old monk replied, "I'm seventy-seven."
"You are so old! Why are you still working so hard here?"
"Well, because I'm here."
"But why are you working under the scorching sun?"
"Because the sun is there."
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