Theos-Talk Archives (February 2006 Message tt00618)

--- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, "T. H. Hauw" <hauwquek@...> wrote:

> After reading all the lively discussions here and stories about 
Chelas who
> failed one way or another, I have a few question.
> 
> To start off, my understanding so far is that apart from the 3 
stated
> objects, TS also has an 'inner circle' of members who  have been 
accepted as
> Chelas by adepts or Masters, and they learn esoteric knowledge. 
What I don't
> know is, what is the ultimate aim of learning this esoteric 
knowledge. Is it
> also to become an adept? Is it to cut short the path to nirvana? 
Is it to
> save the world, how? Or all of these? Where can I find writings on 
this
> subject?


Hello Hauw,

You can find Madame Blavatsky's "Preliminary Memorandum of the 
Esoteric Section of the TS" here:

http://www.katinkahesselink.net/esinstr.htm#prelim1

Please note that according to the following document of the very 
origins of the ESTS, it did not have "official or corporate 
connection with the Exoteric Society" (TS). The source is H. P. 
Blavatsky Collected Writings, vol. X, p. 154:

"THE ESOTERIC SECTION OF THE THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY

[Lucifer, Vol. III, No. 14, October, 1888, p. 176]

Owing to the fact that a large number of Fellows of the Society have 
felt the necessity for the formation of a body of Esoteric students, 
to be organized on the ORIGINAL LINES devised by the real founders 
of the T. S., the following order has been issued by the President-
Founder:—

I. To promote the esoteric interests of the Theosophical Society by 
the deeper study of esoteric philosophy, there is hereby organised a 
body, to be known as the "Esoteric Section of the Theosophical 
Society."

II. The constitution and sole direction of the same is vested in 
Madame H. P. Blavatsky, as its Head; she is solely responsible to 
the Members for results; and the section has no official or 
corporate connection with the Exoteric Society save in the person of 
the President-Founder.
  
III. Persons wishing to join the Section, and willing to abide by 
its rules, should communicate directly with:--Mme. H. P. Blavatsky, 
17 Lansdowne Road, Holland Park, London, W. 

                                       (Signed) H. S. OLCOTT,
                                        President in Council.

Attest:—H. P. BLAVATSKY."


> Secondly, the "K H Letters to Leadbeater" tells that CWL's Master 
was
> impressed by CWL and agreed to take him as Chela in less than 48 
hours
> instead of putting him on probation for 7 years. It would 
therefore be
> logical to say that the Master didn't detect any hidden agenda on 
the part
> of CWL. From thereon, one would assume that things that CWL said 
or did must
> have come from the Master directly or indirectly. What I don't 
understand
> is, if he had gone astray later (as some members here have been 
saying), and
> granted that the Master couldn't foresee the future accurately and 
couldn't
> interfere with karmic cycle (as some here would put it), where was 
the
> Master when he was needed most, and did he at least warn the other 
Masters
> and Chelas about CWL so as to leave us with some clues?


Please consider the following passage from "The Mahatma Letters" 
(letter # 92, chronological sequence). It may suggest a possible 
answer to your question:


"The fact is, that to the last and supreme initiation every chela — 
(and even some adepts) — is left to his own device and counsel. We 
have to fight our own battles, and the familiar adage — "the adept 
becomes, he is not made" is true to the letter. Since every one of 
us is the creator and producer of the causes that lead to such or 
some other results, we have to reap but what we have sown. Our 
chelas are helped but when they are innocent of the causes that lead 
them into trouble; when such causes are generated by foreign, 
outside influences. Life and the struggle for adeptship would be too 
easy, had we all scavengers behind us to sweep away the effects we 
have generated through our own rashness and presumption."

 
> The same question goes to the rest--the Masters have selected the 
80 (some
> say 72) people, where were they (the Masters) when these Chelas 
were failing
> either because they were 'kidnapped' by dark force or when they 
were
> revealing their real colours or simply going mad? Even earthly 
masters are
> duty bound to help their students if they know that the students 
are playing
> truant, mix up with bad company and so on, shouldn't the astral 
Masters be
> more enlightened? I have a feeling that many Christians would 
attribute the
> whole thing as the work of anti-Christ; how would theosophists 
view and
> explain this?


Here is a possible explanation:


"Sigh not for chelaship; pursue not that, the dangers and hardships 
of which are unknown to you.

Verily many are the chelas offering themselves to us, and as many 
have failed this year as were accepted on probation. Chelaship 
unveils the inner man and draws forth the dormant vices as well as 
the dormant virtue. Latent vice begets active sins and is often 
followed by insanity. Out of 5 lay chelas chosen by the Society and 
accepted under protest by us, 3 have become criminals and 2 are 
insane. Throw a glance around, make an enquiry at Bareilly and 
Cawnpore, and judge for yourself.

("Letters from the Masters of the Wisdom, First Series, ed. by C. 
Jinarajadasa, letter #9)


This is a very complex subject and difficult to understand. But 
there is, in my opinion, a common thread in all the above mentioned 
passages: whoever becomes interested in the study of Theosophy will 
find himself or herself, sooner or later, "tested", not necessarily 
by a "Master", but by the web of human relationships. It may amount 
to a self-educational process.

Best wishes,

pedro