Adyar Pamphlets

Correspondences Between thePlanes...

No. 28

Correspondences Between the Planes and Some Lessons to be Drawn from Them
by Weller Van Hook
Published in 1913 Theosophical Publishin !ouse" Adyar" Chennai #$adras% &ndia The Theosophist '((ice" Adyar" $adras. &ndia T!) will is that part o( the e o which determines the course o( action to be pursued when" a(ter a lon series o( incarnations and the accumulation o( a multitude o( e*periences" a sta e in e+olution has been reached which enables the ) o to ma,e permanent and (inal choice o( its course. This sta e is reached when the thin s o( the world are seen to be o( comparati+ely little +alue" when the part is reco ni-ed to be less than the whole in both .uantity and +alue. This reco nition is attained as the result o( e*periences e*tendin o+er many incarnations" the (ruits o( which are elaborated in de+achan. &n de+achan all (acts" products o( perception" are collated" compared" and considered" accordin to their mutual relations. They are set aside in due order and their +alues estimated. /hen this has been done the lower mental body is used by the e o to remo+e the unessential part (rom consideration" lea+in the essential" then it is seen that a certain somethin common to all the (acts is le(t" a somethin wholly intan ible" no lon er a (act but somethin common to all the (acts o( a certain class and containin a part o( e+ery one o( these (acts. This somethin is called a concept. /hen this sta e has been reached" the lower mind has nothin (urther to do with the roup o( (acts which were considered. &t is set aside and a new roup o( (acts is ta,en up to be treated in the same way" with the same purpose repeated 0 the purpose o( e*tractin (rom the new roup o( (acts a new concept. These concepts when (ully (ormed are no lon er the products or ob1ects o( lower mental action. They are the materies with which the upper manas concerns itsel(. 2pper manas cannot consider (acts. &t can only consider concepts. The correspondence is then established between the physical plane and the upper mental plane" the (ormer bein the (ield o( action o( lower manas" the latter bein the ob1ect o( consideration by the hi hest part o( the ) o which is 3tma. 3tma" the /ill" is the 4eterminer" the 4ecider" the (inal Arbiter o( the destiny o( $an. 5or it is 3tma that in the last supreme decision determines that course o( action which leads to the Path. Now this is brou ht about in this way. The lower manas" a(ter lon e*perience in the physical world" becomes wearied with the multiplicity o( (acts6 reco ni-es the hi her +alue o( concepts which are seen to be nearer to the centre o( 7nowled e than (acts6 and" in this state o( vairgya, ceases in part to en a e in acti+ity. This lea+es the ) o (reer than it has e+er been to deal durin earth0li(e with the true ob1ects o( its own co nition" concepts" which are supplied to it by the upper mental body as we ha+e 1ust seen. The upper mental body is capable o( ta,in co ni-ance o( these concepts and collatin them into wholes o( (ar reater +alue than the indi+idual concepts possessed" and at last all concepts are a re ated and condensed into one reat concept which represents the supreme product o( the actions o( the ) o throu h all the a es o( its e*istence. The (inal concept o( concepts is the reco nition that all (acts and all Pa e 1

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concepts are but parts o( a sin le whole" that all mani(ested nature and all re(lections upon it are but parts o( a reater unmani(ested nature and o( a reater mind beyond and abo+e our (inite minds. This means that the ) o reco ni-es that the thin s it has concerned itsel( with in all the past" with which it has had to deal" are but parts o( a reat whole" with which it had ne+er concerned itsel( and o( which" indeed" it had been wholly i norant. The reco nition o( this concept is the reatest achie+ement o( the ) o in all the incarnations. 5or its reco nition alone ma,es possible the entrance o( the ) o upon an entirely new course o( action" a course directed to the disco+ery o( the whole and o( its meanin . The ) o speedily reco ni-es the unsatis(actory nature o( its (ormer acti+ities" and decides to occupy itsel( herea(ter with the thin s which it (eels and ,nows are related to and lead toward a reco nition o( the whole. &t sees that the whole is 8od" the completed part o( Nature" as mani(est nature 9pra,rti: is the incomplete part. $an" then" is himsel( but a tiny part o( this reat whole6 and to per(ect himsel( and attain that peace which he lon s (or" and the need (or which is an essential part o( his nature" he must see, the whole 0 see, union with his hi hest ;el( and ma,e himsel( one with it. Now this decision is not made in all its per(ection and (inality at once upon its (irst reco nition. &t is" at (irst" seen but +a uely and indistinctly6 but" as incarnations multiply" this tremendous concept is more and more (ully co ni-ed" and becomes an inte ral part o( the materies o( the ) o" bein carried o+er (rom incarnation to incarnation" ampli(ied" stren thened" (orti(ied" until" at last it becomes so stron that it is not possible (or the (orces o( lower mind to dominate it. The /ill asserts itsel( at last as supreme and the decision to (ollow the Path becomes the basis o( the course o( action. The man who reaches this (inal decision to (ollow the Path must needs chan e his entire mode o( li(e and conduct. !e must choose only those acti+ities which are in consonance with the new decision and with those thin s with which it is concerned. This brin s us to the need o( considerin what it is which leads man to ma,e choice between +arious courses o( action. The lower manas is concerned with (acts but it has the power to choose the (acts with which it will deal. &t has the power to act on (acts accordin to their relati+e +alue (or it. This distinction is made upon the basis o( its own ood. Those thin s which it (inds are more use(ul or pleasin to it are accepted" while those thin s which ha+e the opposite e((ect are re1ected. This power o( choice" continually e*ercised" leads at last to the re1ection o( +ast classes o( (acts and to the acceptance" as bene(icial or desirable" o( other reat masses o( (acts. The reco nition o( this separation into classes is the incipient ,nowled e o( ood and e+il. &t is desire which determines this separation o( (acts. &t is desire which determines the (inal decision to choose the ood instead o( the e+il. 4esire is the appana e o( the astral realm. And it is ri ht that the astral world should be the seat o( $an<s acti+ity throu h many incarnations. The correspondin plane (or the hi her triad is the buddhic. 5or it is while the ) o is (unctionin as

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buddhi that he yearns (or union with the /hole. !e cannot lon (or the whole until he can entertain a reat concept" and he cannot entertain concepts" as we ha+e seen" until he can lea+e the (ield o( action which is the sphere o( lower mind. Buddhi is" there(ore" the plane o( aspiration and corresponds +ery de(initely with the astral plane. Now the importance o( these correspondences is o( the hi hest conse.uence" (or upon their reco nition depends the intelli ent study o( the course pursued by the $asters with Their pupils in the de+elopment o( their rowin powers. They place be(ore Their pupils ob1ects o( desire with the intention o( stimulatin buddhi6 (or when a pure desire is set in action a correspondin +ibration at once a((ects the buddhic body. This leads o( course to the de+elopment and rowth o( buddhi. /hen They place new and hitherto unobser+ed roups o( (acts be(ore Their pupils these stimulate the upper mind to rasp the concepts supplied by the lower mind (rom their classi(ication and elaboration. And when the lower mind is stimulated to determine the concepts that belon to those (acts" the /ill 93tma: is stimulated to determine the course o( action which properly belon s to the new roup o( concepts as +iewed accordin to their relati+e importance to it. No man can determine his course o( action who has not reached a sta e o( de+elopment su((iciently hi h to enable him to (unctionate upon the upper mental plane. 5or he is" be(ore that time" a mere automaton swayed completely by the relati+e +alue o( (acts (or the rati(ication o( his astral nature. !e cannot choose a hi her course o( action because he has no power to enerali-e" to rise abo+e the iron bonds o( the lower nature. /hen he can determine his course by re(erence to the need (or union with the whole" he has reached the point at which he can (unctionate in his causal body. Then he is in a position to enter upon the Path. /hat determines his (inal course o( action we ha+e already seen. /ith the continual acceptance o( a i+en course o( action leadin toward the Path" there is de(inite pro ress in the de+elopment o( buddhi which is the plane correspondin to the astral. /hen he reaches the sta e where he de(initely accepts the thin s o( the hi her li(e as the more desirable" he decides to adapt his course o( conduct to the new end in +iew. !e places himsel( in contact with Those whose e+olution has reached a point hi her than his own" and by this contact he ac.uires opportunities to ma ni(y his own conceptions o( the desirability o( the ood. No man can reach the oal who is not thus aided at this sta e o( e+olution. 5or unaided" he cannot hold in +iew the concept o( the Part and the /hole" he cannot maintain the feeling that the /hole is more desirable than the Part" and he cannot determine or will continuously the line o( action leadin to a reunion o( the se re ated Part with the /hole. /hen the man chooses the Path he recei+es this aid at once. !e is seen by the $asters immediately. &ndeed he is ,nown to Them as one who is ready (or the reat concept and the reat determination" lon be(ore he has any ,nowled e o( his own tendency. They pro+ide him with opportunities to de+elop his powers with a +iew to ta,in the absolute and (inal step leadin to the Path. Pa e 3

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/hen the man has entered upon the Path he is sustained at the moments o( supreme trial by the $asters who reco ni-e that his will is not stron enou h to maintain his course o( action. /hen his aspiration (ails" They ,indle it a ain into (lame and ,eep the (lame bri htly burnin . 'ne does not reali-e the di((iculties that beset the Path until he tries to (ollow it" and all the aid he can et is ladly accepted by the earnest chela. The (inal act in the drama comes when (or a moment the consciousness o( the man is raised into actual union. 5or once this union has been e*perienced all lower union becomes unattracti+e by comparison" desire i+es place wholly to aspiration. 'nce union has been" e+en (or a moment" e*perienced" the supreme concept is reco ni-ed to ha+e the most per(ect +alidity. All doubt is set aside and the need o( the $asters< support is by so much diminished. As each new spiritual e*perience is added" the (inal oal 0 complete and permanent union 0 is more nearly approached until at last" a(ter centuries or millennia o( conscious ser+ice on the Path" all phases o( e*perience ha+e been passed throu h and with the (inal supreme &nitiation the Part mer es into the /hole. The (inal union enables the man to do (or others below him in e+olution what has been done (or him. !e 1oins the Band o( Those who" ha+in completed Their e+olution" can" without trammels" ta,e part in the wor, o( e+olution and aid with per(ect (reedom in the upli(tin o( man,ind. /hat can we learn (rom this study= The lesson that all men are one day to tread the Path by the same series o( steps 0 the assimilation o( (acts into concepts" the rowth o( buddhi (rom the re(inin o( desire and the de+elopment o( will (rom the repetition o( multitudes o( choosin s by the lower manas. /e may learn patience with our (ellowman when we see him wallowin in those ob1ects o( desire that to us are no lon er attracti+e. And we may learn the +alue o( our own e((orts in the trainin o( those about us who are at a lower sta e o( e+olution. The oal (or all is the same. The Path is the same. The only di((erences are those o( the particular (acts upon which the lower mind acts in the (ormation o( its concepts. >et us" there(ore" renew our determination to lend all possible aid to the $asters in Their stru le with the $?y? o( separateness" to the end that our (ellows may the sooner achie+e (reedom (rom its domination. The man who lends this aid hastens his own e+olution in an almost inconcei+able de ree. 5or he identi(ies himsel(" as it were prematurely" with the $asters" plays their role in a minor de ree and so ac.uires a certain claim on Nature" the /hole" a claim which is ladly reco ni-ed. Nature re(lects upon him her bene(icent smiles" and under that in(luence he (lourishes and rows. A man who consciously thwarts the plans o( the $asters ac.uires a lien o( an opposite character upon the (orces o( Nature. They are then e*pended upon him not (or his upbuildin but (or the retardation o( his rowth. !e is re.uired to dwell (or a es under conditions a+erse to his de+elopment" while others more tractable are permitted to en1oy the opportunity which he missed. Theosophists" who now ha+e be(ore them a complete set o( (acts and o( uidin rules and precepts" are under a tremendous obli ation to utili-e their opportunities well. 5or i( they do not they will in (uture incarnations encounter (ar reater di((iculties than they ha+e met with in (ormer ones. They will be beset Pa e @

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with temptations which" in this (a+ourable incarnation" ha+e been remo+ed (or them by the consummation o( the tremendous aeonic plans o( the Brotherhood o( Adepts who ha+e (or a es planned to ta,e ad+anta e o( this (irst moment o( ascent upon the upward arc o( e+olution. The body o( Theosophists is a pic,ed body o( e os which" ha+in (a+ourably responded to trainin in (ormer li+es" are belie+ed by the Brothers to ha+e be(ore them the possibility o( (ormin " in this incarnation" the supreme concept and ma,in the supreme choiceA Theosophists who (eel the +alidity o( these remar,s would do well to measure their conduct care(ully" (or upon their conduct toward their leaders in di((icult crises and upon their +iew o( the situation at critical moments will depend the amount and ,ind o( aid accorded to them individually by the Brothers in this and in (uture incarnations. Those who ha+e aided much will deser+e and recei+e much. Those who ha+e impeded the e((orts o( their leaders will be rele ated a ain to the ran, and (ile o( men" and their places (illed by those who are pressin upward (rom the" as yet" undi((erentiated body o( man. Those who aid will be rewarded accordin to the intensity o( their desire to aid and not accordin to the (ruit o( their action. Those who inter(ere with e+olution in its special (orm will be repressed by Natural >aws accordin to the de ree o( their male+olence. No man may escape the operation o( the >aw whether it act (or or a ainst his" so0to0say" premature union with the /hole. The Brotherhood (eel the need o( sayin these words at this time and spea, to you in no uncertain terms. >et all beware how they inter(ere with the plans o( the reco ni-ed leaders o( the Theosophical ;ociety. They are under the immediate uidance o( the $asters now more than e+er be(ore and the $asters will no lon er tolerate inter(erence with Their plans. Those who do not wish to comply with the reasonable demands o( the reco ni-ed leaders o( the ;ociety would" (or their own ood" (ar better step out o( the ;ociety and lea+e the or ani-ation (ree to carry on its wor,. Those who remain and aid in all ways accordin to their opportunities will recei+e a reward which will be commensurate to their loyalty6 (idelity and unsel(ish de+otion. The $asters say these thin s solely to sa(e uard the interests o( their char es. They ha+e incurred hea+y obli ations to Nature in choosin and leadin on be(ore the +an o( the army o( men those who compose the Theosophical ;ociety<s membership. And They must ma,e an accountin (or all that They do. They are powerless to inter(ere with the ultimate wor,in o( the >aw. They may (or the moment inter(ere and" as a $aster has said" dam the channel" but they must rec,on with the conse.uences o( the o+er(low. They are amply able to care (or all contin encies" but woe to those who purposely or consciously inter(ere with the wor,in out o( Their bene(icent desi nsA Those who do so will (ind themsel+es in+ol+ed in di((iculties in (uture li+es which they will be able to trace to their wron conduct in this li(e. Those who aid will be i+en opportunities in (uture incarnations" the ma nitude and lory o( which cannot concei+e.

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