S1S5: Review Template
Fellowship
of Cosmic Fire
May-June 2005
FILE: S1S5_review.doc ... 12 May 2005
Colour code
Black: AAB Text TCF or any other
Blue: Commentary from or Question to MDR
Violet: Commentary from or Question to Mentors
Green: Key Questions
for Developing Mental Propositions
Pink:
Warning or Motivational Content
Red: Administrative helpfulness
Review S1S0
preface matter
Review Point: The Dedication
DEDICATED WITH GRATITUDE TO HELENA
PETROVNA BLAVATSKY, THAT GREAT DISCIPLE WHO LIGHTED HER TORCH IN THE EAST AND
BROUGHT THE LIGHT TO EUROPE AND
We note the primacy of the work
of HPB, in Isis Unveiled and The Secret Doctrine especially. A Treatise on Cosmic Fire is a
continuation, the second of an intended three phases.
An area to refine here is the
timing. With our knowledge of ray cycles, we could define the astrological and
rayological aspects of the release of the Teaching during these times for the
occidental mind.
Cc:
Phillip Lindsay, Stephen Pugh, Bruce Lyon.
Review Point: Adoration
"To the God Who is in the FIRE and Who is in the waters;
To the God Who has suffused Himself through all the world;
To the God Who is in summer plants and in the lords of the forest;
To that God be adoration, adoration."
—Sh’vet Upanishad, II.17.
Adoration:
FCF NOTE, the definition does not
exclude the real feeling … smile!)
Main Entry: adore
Etymology: Middle English adouren, from Middle French adorer, from
Latin adorare, from ad- + orare to speak, pray -- more at ORATION
1 : to worship or honor as a deity or as divine
2 : to regard with loving admiration and devotion <adored his
daughter>
3 : to be extremely fond of <adores pecan pie>
POINT: Exaltation of Adoration as
a keynote quality at the beginning of a “third and first ray presentation”.
No argument here – my only point
to refine is, we need the Sh’vet Upanishad handy!
Cc:
Guy Pettitt
Review Point: The 5
Purposes
FOREWORD
This "Treatise on Cosmic Fire'' has a fivefold purpose in view:
First, to provide a
compact and skeleton outline of a scheme of cosmology, philosophy, and
psychology …
Secondly, to express that which
is subjective in comprehensible terms, and to point out the next step forward
in the understanding of the true psychology. It is an elucidation of the
relation existing between Spirit and Matter, which relation demonstrates as
consciousness. It will be found that the
Treatise deals primarily with the aspect of mind, with consciousness and
with the higher psychology, and less with matter as we know of it on the
physical plane. … only in the first
section will indication be given as to the nature of those energies which are
strictly confined to the physical plane.
Thirdly, to show the
coherent development of all that is found within a solar system; to demonstrate
that everything which exists evolves (from the lowest form of life at the
densest point of concretion up to the highest and most tenuous manifestation)
and that all forms are but the expression of a stupendous and divine Existence. …
Fourthly, to give
practical information anent those focal points of energy which are found in the
etheric bodies of the solar Logos, the macrocosm, and of man, the microcosm. … The
study of medicine, for instance, will eventually be taken up from a new angle,
and its practice will be built upon a comprehension of the laws of radiation,
of magnetic currents, and of the force centres found in men's bodies and their
relationship to the force centres and currents of the solar system.
Fifthly, to give some
information, hitherto not exoterically imparted as to the place and work of those myriads
of sentient
lives
who form the essence of objectivity; to indicate the nature of those
Hierarchies of Existences who form out of their own substance all that is seen
and known, and who are themselves Fire and the cause of all the heat, warmth,
life and motion in the universe.
POINT: There are FIVE Purposes to a
FIRST and THIRD ray presentation. Let’s note these in their easy-to-remember
rayological and numerical resonance, harmonically:
1 = SKELETON or SCAFFOLD upon which to build. STRUCTURE as a key
to what is Primary.
2 = UNDERSTANDING MIND; love-wisdom.
3 = COHERENT EVOLUTION; intelligence
in activity.
4 = PRACTICAL APPLICATION of
knowledge of force centres, magnetism, and radiation; what man may do with this
power.
5 = New Information on the Creative Hierarchies of Lives by way of
which we recognize objectivity (in terms of heat, warmth, life, and motion);
the beauty of the science of inquiry and discovery.
This is a fivefold definition of the
threefold united flame of cosmology, philosophy, and psychology, the threefold
expression of wisdom.
Cc:
Glen Knape
Review Point: believe in your own
consciousness
The words of the Buddha most
appropriately have their place here, and make a fitting conclusion to these
preliminary remarks:
THE LORD BUDDHA HAS SAID
that we must not
believe in a thing said merely because it is said; nor traditions because they
have been handed down from antiquity; nor rumors, as such; nor writings by
sages, because sages wrote them; nor fancies that we may suspect to have been
inspired in us by a Deva (that is, in presumed spiritual inspiration); nor from
inferences drawn from some haphazard assumption we may have made; nor [Page
xvi] because of what seems an analogical necessity; nor on the mere authority
of our teachers or masters. But we are to believe when the writing, doctrine,
or saying is corroborated by our own reason and consciousness. ''For
this," says he in concluding, "I taught you not to believe
merely because you have heard, but when you believed of your consciousness,
then to act accordingly and abundantly."
—Secret Doctrine III. 401.
68. MDR: A great
epistemological statement. Epistemology may be called the ‘science of
knowledge’. It deals with the nature of knowing and the knowable.
May this be the attitude of every reader
of this ''Treatise on Cosmic Fire.''
ALICE A. BAILEY.
NOTE:
This is a reissue of Michael's commentary from S1S0 (linked via the online
schedule). I have included the Secret Doctrine cross referencing (thanks
BAM!), Sam's recent important post inquiring on the possible inversion of the
fires is included, in conjunction with Michael's concerns about the internal
and external fires possible discrepancy.
VSK
[Page xvii]
FIRE
"What says the esoteric teaching with regard to
Fire?"
Fire is the most perfect and unadulterated reflection, in Heaven as on
earth, of the One Flame. It is life and death, the origin and the end of every
material thing. It is divine Substance." [Substance
is still principled and matter is not] —
73. We will try to come to an understanding of some essential factors: Flame, Fire and Divine Substance.
74. “Heaven” represents the higher dimensions of nature. With respect to the cosmic physical plane, “Heaven” may be considered equivalent the four cosmic ethers.
75. The “One Flame” is the One Reality, Pure Being. “The spark hangs from the flame by the finest thread of Fohat.” (TCF 773)
76. “Fire” and “Flame” are often used interchangeably, but when thinking of the “One Flame”, it must be considered the origin of “Fire” and of all kinds of fires.
77. Thus, “Fire” in this context, it to be considered the reflection of Flame.
78. Philosophically, “Flame” is the noumenon of “Fire”, which is the phenomenon of “Flame”.
79. Does pure flame burn anything? Perhaps it does not. As there is naught else but Pure Being, Flame consumes itself and can be considered Self-existent.
80. When that which flames is dependent upon something to burn, you have fire, but Flame (in this ultimate context) may considered Self-consuming. Flame has only itself to consume. This is another way of saying that Pure Being is Self-sustaining.
81. Fires descend from the One Flame; analogically, God can only create from out Himself. (What else is there?)
82. Flame is pure essence and even “fire electric” is a reflection of it.
83. Pure Being is the ‘Unperceived Perceiver’, the ‘Ultimate Subject’. Flame is the ‘Ultimate Fire’. Flame abides as Essence throughout the duration of every universe, just as the Unmanifested Logos similarly abides.
84. Essential Flame is the Great Breath, the One Essential Motion. The Great Breath has no beginning and no end. >From this perspective, Breath and Flame are equivalent.
85. The three aspects of divinity “Father”, “Son” and “Holy Spirit” are “Fires”. Flame, however, is pure Life/Being, of which “Father”, “Son” and “Holy Spirit” are aspects.
86. Do not expect that there will be an easy consistency of terminology in these matters. Even in Theosophical works and charts, the terminology and the meaning of terms seem to vary.
87. If we say of Fire that “it is life and death, the origin and the end of every material thing”, we mean that all things are both created and destroyed by Fire. The various fires in combination or association are the creation of material things; the various fires in dissociation are the destruction of all material things.
88. The true origin and end of every material thing is the Divine Flame or Pure Being.
89. If we call Fire by the term, “Divine
Substance”, (as suggested above) we are reminded of the “
90. Philosophically, ‘Universal Mulaprakriti (i.e., Universal Pre-Genetic Matter) is the reflection or Self-perception of the Universal Spirit’. That Universal Spirit (or Universal Logos) is Flame expressing (in emanation) as a multiplicity Fires.
91. We might say that ‘Fire-in-Mulaprakriti (taking Mulaprakriti as universal undifferentiated, “pre-genetic substance”) substands all manifestation, and is, thus, ‘sub-stance’.
92. Thus, when considering matter and substance as different, it is possible to think of Fire as substance. Universal Mulaprakriti, would then, be the ‘Self-reflection of the one homogeneous Divine Flame”. Fire (the active emanation of that One Flame) would work within Universal Mulaprakriti creating the differentiated universe.
93. Within our solar system, it would seem that the Fires of Spirit work upon relatively undifferentiated matter. But there may be problem with this supposition.
94. Metaphysical problem to be resolved: Do the ‘Creative Fires’ actually work upon universal, homogeneous, undifferentiated, pre-genetic matter (i.e., Universal Mulaprakriti) or do they work upon differentiated matter (which, even in its most homogenous condition is far from being Universal Mulaprakriti)? What we are asking is, “Is Universal Mulaprakriti the ‘Play Stuff’ of all great Creative Logoi, or only the ‘Play Stuff’ of the Spirit Aspect of the ‘First Universal Logoic Trinity’? Universal Mulaprakriti cannot be confined to any particular plane or subplane in cosmos as it is the Source of all planes and subplanes.
95. True Divine Substance however is not that which has been created by any Logos (such as the Third Universal Logos Who differentiated pre-genetic matter into its manifold parts). True Divine Substance (from the universal perspective) is Pure Being, Itself.
96. When we say this, we are using word “Substance” in a way somewhat in the manner that the philosopher Spinoza used it: Substance, for him was not only infinite, but was the INFINITE—i.e., the INFINITE GOD/DEITY. For him, “Substance” was ‘SUBSTANCE’.
97. It would seem that Spinoza’s definition of substance was very much deeper than the one we are using in relation to HPB’s statement above concerning “divine Substance”, for Spinoza equated Substance (really SUBSTANCE) with the Theosophical ABSOLUTE, the INFINITE DEITY.
98. Returning to intra-Universe considerations, we might say that “Flame” antedates any of the Three “Outpourings”. The very word, “Outpouring” suggests an emanation from that which already exists.
99. Divine Substance (considered as Fire), therefore, is not matter, for Fire works upon matter which already exists to be worked upon.
100. Flame, when considered universally, reaches far beyond our solar system.
101. Universally considered, Flame (as the Divine Flame) antedates cosmic emanation of any kind. Flame is the Source if the three Primary Universal Emanations—Universal Electric Fire, Universal Solar Fire and Universal Fire by Friction.
102. Two summary metaphysical reflections emerge from these rather abstract considerations:
1. Flame (the universal “Divine Flame”) is a conditioned “reflection” of the ABSOLUTE. The term ‘conditioned emanation’ can also be used.
2. Fire is a ‘reflection’ or emanation of the Divine Flame.
103. The universe is created through Self-perception.
104. From this perspective, the Unmanifested Logos is Flame, the point of Pure Being within the Trinity of “Electric Fire”/Father, “Solar Fire”/ “Son and “Fire by Friction” / “Holy Spirit”.
105. It should be noted that this definition of the “Unmanifested Logos” is different from that put forward in the beginning of TCF. There is always a danger of putting forth three ‘Originators’ and forgetting the fourth factor.. As here presented, however, the “Unmanifested Logos” is the “Point within the Triangle” or the ‘Peak of the Universal Tetrahedron’, and thus the one preceding the three, making, in all, four.
106. Thus, the Universal Flame is ‘Pure-Being-in-Universe’.
107. Is Flame, then, finite or infinite? In one respect, Flame is finite, because the Universe (of which Flame is the ‘First Intelligible Cause’) ends repeatedly, cyclically, forever.
108. The real first cause (which is not intelligible) is the ABSOLUTE (which cannot act, but from which ‘arises’ the ‘RAY’ {the “RAY of the ABSOLUTE”} which is the ORIGIN of successive universes.
109. Flame (considered as an extension of the “RAY of the ABSOLUTE”) is, from our perspective, ever-recurring and virtually infinite, because it is, conceivably, the ‘Representative’-in-Cosmos of the ABSOLUTE. (This must be pondered further)
110. Is the ‘Universal Trinity’ to be considered Flame or Fire? It is to be considered as Fire deriving (emanating from) Flame.
111. Philosophically, we might say that ‘Flame is the manifest RAY of the ABSOLUTE’ and is thus the ‘presence-in-cosmos of that which arose in the ABSOLUTE’
112. There are some equivalences we must consider:
1. the ‘RAY of the ABSOLUTE’
2. the ‘FIRST MOVEMENT’
3. the ‘GREAT EXHALATION’
4. the NOUMENON of Flame, i.e., the ‘FLAME’ of Flame
113. Out of the foregoing arise that which can be expressed as additional equivalences:
1. the ‘Universal’ Flame—(i.e., not the ‘FLAME of the Flame’)
2. Pure Being (cosmically considered)
3. The Essential Universal Monad
4. The Unmanifested Logos
5. The ‘Universal Point’ (within the Universal Triangle)
6. The Universal Spirit
7. The ‘Cosmic Primordial Particle’
8. Universal Life pervading Universal Spirit, Universal Soul, Universal Matter
114. The ‘RAY of the ABSOLUTE’ is the evidence of ‘Perpetual Super-Cosmic Dualism’
115. The flashing forth and retraction of the GREAT RAY is:
1. Super-Cosmic PERPETUAL MOTION
2. The ‘GREAT BREATH’
Our earth and man (are) the products of the Three
Fires. —Secret Doctrine II. 258.
117. And his is true of all things in universe,
for the Three Fires are, ultimately, the ‘Universal Trinity’, which, in
a way, springs immediately out of the One—the ‘Omnipresent Point within the
Triangle’
[In the Two Volume 1888 Set this is Volume II, page: 247 -- Note
this is also the section that Sam just posted on the apparent inversion of the
three fires.]
From Sam's email:
The attempt to bridge the three fires as given by the Tibetan in his TCF with
that of HPB's information about them in the SD is challenging (for me it
is). As an example take this paragraph from the SD, vol. 2, page 247:
"Our earth and man," says
the Commentary, "being the products of the three Fires" -- whose
three names answer, in Sanskrit, to "the electric fire, the Solar fire,
and the fire produced by friction," -- these three fires,
explained on the Cosmic and human planes, are Spirit, Soul, and Body, the three
great Root groups, with their four additional divisions. These vary with the Schools,
and become -- according to their applications -- the upadhis and the vehicles,
or the noumena of these. In the exoteric accounts, they are
personified by the "three sons of surpassing brilliancy and
splendour" of Agni Abhimanin, the eldest son of Brahma, the Cosmic LOGOS,
by Swaha, one of Daksha's* daughters. In
the metaphysical sense the "Fire of friction" means the Union between
Buddhi, the sixth, and Manas,
the fifth, principles, which thus are
united or cemented together; the fifth merging partially into and becoming part
of the monad; in the physical, it relates to the creative
spark, or germ, which fructifies and
generates the human being. The three Fires, it is said (whose names are
Pavaka, Pavamana and Suchi) were condemned by a curse of Vasishta, the great
sage, "to be born over and over again." (Bhagavata-Purana
iv. 24, 4.) This is clear enough.
There's also this reference to the three fires in the SD:
Explained elsewhere. The "Three Fires," Pavaka, Pavamana, and Suchi, who had forty-five sons, who, with their three fathers and their Father Agni, constitute the 49 fires. Pavamana (fire produced by friction) is the parent of the fire of the Asuras; Suchi (Solar fire) is the parent of the fire of the gods; and Pavaka (electric fire) is the father of the fire of the Pitris (See Vayu Purana). But this is an explanation on the material and the terrestrial plane. The flames are evanescent and only periodical; the fires -- eternal in their triple unity. They correspond to the four lower, and the three higher human principles (footnote, vol. 2, page 57)
There is also about three or four more other references to the three fires in the SD where HPB indicates them using either the sanskrit or english words. However, from the foregoing, it seems that the SD's fire by friction (pavamana) is a blend of electric and solar fire as indicated in TCF. While electric fire as denoted in the SD is the fire by friction in TCF. Suchi (solar fire) remains more or less the same.
So the question is how to reconcile
these two presentations of the three fires?
Fire and flame destroy the body of an Arhat; their
essence makes him immortal. —
[In the Two Volume 1888 Set this is Volume I, page: 6]
Can the flame be called the essence of Fire? This Essence is "the LIFE and LIGHT of the Universe, the visible fire and flame are destruction, death, and evil." "Fire and Flame destroy the body of an Arhat, their essence makes him immortal." (Bodhi-mur, Book II.) "The knowledge of the absolute Spirit, like the effulgence of the sun, or like heat in fire, is naught else than the absolute Essence itself," says Sankaracharya. IT -- is "the Spirit of the Fire," not fire itself; therefore, "the attributes of the latter, heat or flame, are not the attributes of the Spirit, but of that of which that Spirit is the unconscious cause."
Also see following questioning on
the Internal and External Fires and differences of HPB and DK may use those
terms, below.
118. The word “flame” is not in capital letters, so it does not mean “Flame” (as Pure Being). Could “fire” here mean Solar Fire and “flame”, Fire-by-Friction? If so, this type of “flame” would be evidence of a more objective kind of Fire. Fire by Friction is a more objective fire than Solar Fire.
119. The “body” here referred to is the “causal body”. According to the Tibetan’s descriptions of this destruction, all three types of fire contribute to the destruction of the causal body.
120. The word “essence” refers to the One Flame. The immortality of any being arises from the fact that that being is essentially the “One Ray of the ABSOLUTE”.
121. The term “Arhat” means an initiate of the fourth degree.
122. Man is already immortal and has only to discover that fact.
123. At the heart of the monad is the “Ray of the Absolute”. The monad (as we usually think about it) is but a temporarily localization for the expression of the a ray within the “One Ray of the ABSOLUTE”
_______________________________________
THE THREE FIRES
I. The Internal Fire or Fire by Friction.
"There is heat internal and heat external in every
atom, the breath of the Father (Spirit) and the breath (or heat) of the Mother
(matter)." —
[In the Two Volume 1888 Set this is Volume I, page: 84]
The celestial Ocean, the 'Ether . . . . is the Breath of the Father, the life-giving principle, the Mother, the Holy Spirit, . . . . for these are not separated, and their union is LIFE." SD I 75 [In the Two Volume 1888 Set]
124. Note that “breath” is equated with “heat”. “Heat” is essentially motion, and breath is the cause of motion (as usually perceived), though, ultimately, breath is motion, itself. The one beginningless, endless, perpetual motion is the “Great Breath”.
125. If “heat” is considered to be ‘that which activates’ (for heat is measured by the degree of atomic or particulate activation), then the similarity between “heat” and “breath” is readily seen, for, occultly, “breath” is the great activator.
126. We are dealing here with twofold internal fire—the fire of matter and the fire of ether.
127. It may be that HPB is using the terms “internal” and “external” in a special sense, different from the way DK develops these terms. In this case, it seems the term “internal” relates to Father (Spirit) and “external” to Mother (matter). When DK uses the term “internal” (especially as it is related to fire), He means a ‘lower’ and more material type of fire, with a higher type of fire “radiatory fire” being more “external” in the sense that it is not found in the depths of matter.
128. However, the “Breath of the Father (Spirit)” could be considered “external” to the recipient of that Breath.
129. The order or terms found in the sentence, however, makes HPB’s use of “internal” and “external” seem different from the one that DK develops in TCF.
Review: The Contents
158. All internal fires come
under the heading of “Fire by Friction”.
159. The Table of Contents
below may not mean too much to us at the outset of our study, but later,
reviewing it, we shall see where we have been and shall, perhaps, realize why.
SECTION ONE. THE INTERNAL FIRES—FIRE
BY FRICTION
Introductory Remarks
Division A. Of the Sheaths
macrocosmic and micro cosmic
Division B. The Personality Ray and
the first fire
Division C. Prana and the etheric
body
Division D. Kundalini and the spine
Division E. Motion on the physical
and astral planes
1. In the Sheaths
2. In the Centres
Division F. The Law of Economy
SECTION TWO. THE FIRE OF MIND—SOLAR
FIRE
Introductory Questions
Division A. The Nature of Manas or
Mind
Division B. Manas as a cosmic,
systemic and human factor
Division C. The Egoic Ray and solar
fire
Division B. Thought elementals and
fire elementals
Division E. Motion on the plane of
mind
Division F. The Law of Attraction
SECTION THREE. THE FIRE OF
SPIRIT—ELECTRIC FIRE
Division A. Certain basic
fundamentals
Division B. The Nature of the seven
cosmic paths
Division C. Seven esoteric stanzas
The above tabulation of the subjects
dealt with in this treatise is of very real importance, for it forms the basis
of that which we shall be considering. The total lack of a wider
consciousness than the individual and the personal, acts as a bar to the true
comprehension of things macrocosmic, but if the occult method is
adhered to, if the Law of Correspondences is studied, and if we ever reason
upward from the microcosm to the greater Whole, then glimpses will be caught of
vast realms of realisation and vistas of spiritual unfoldment will open up
before us, undreamt of hitherto.
160. Master DK intends to
widen our consciousness by enabling us to catch “glimpses…of vast realms of
realisation and vistas of spiritual unfoldment…undreamt of hitherto.”
161. Many of us find ourselves
embroiled largely in the individual and the personal, and thus we have been
barred from catching these life-giving glimpses.
162. To correct this situation,
we are asked to
1.
Adhere to the occult method
2.
Study the Law of Correspondences
3.
Reason upward from the microcosm to the greater Whole
163. If we do this “vast
realms of realisation” may dawn upon our consciousness and our ‘being in this
world’ and our service in this world will, inevitably, be improved.
See the 13 CHARTS
FULL PAGE TABULATIONS
I. FIRE AND THE ASPECTS
II. EVOLUTION IN THE UNIVERSE
III. THE ASPECTS AND EVOLUTION
IV. THE BUILDING ENTITIES
V. AGNI-LORD OF FIRE
VI. THE LIVES AND THEIR GOAL
VII. ENERGIES