(The following article,
although the author did not put her name, was most likely written by Blavatsky,
and for a better understanding of its content I recommend first read this
other article link.)
MAHATMAS AND CHELAS
A Mahatma is a personage, who, by special training and education, has
evolved those higher faculties and has attained that spiritual knowledge, which
ordinary humanity will acquire after passing through numberless series of
re-incarnations during the process of cosmic evolution, provided, of course,
that they do not go, in the meanwhile, against the purposes of Nature and thus
bring on their own annihilation. This process of the self-evolution of the Mahatma
extends over a number of “incarnations,” although, comparatively speaking, they
are very few. Now, what is it that incarnates?
The occult doctrine, so far as it is given out, shows that the first
three principles die more or less with what is called the physical death. The
fourth principle, together with the lower portions of the fifth, in which
reside the animal propensities, has Kama Loka for its abode, where it suffers
the throes of disintegration in proportion to the intensity of those lower
desires; while it is the higher Manas, the pure man, which is associated with
the sixth and the seventh principles, that goes into Devachan to enjoy there
the effects of its good Karma, and then to be reincarnated as a higher
individuality.
Now, an entity, that is passing through the occult training in its
successive births, gradually has less and less (in each incarnation) of that
lower Manas until there arrives a time when its whole Manas, being of an
entirely elevated character, is centred in the higher individuality, when such
a person may be said to have become a Mahatma. At the time of his physical
death, all the lower four principles perish without any suffering, for these
are, in fact, to him like a piece of wearing apparel which he puts on and off
at will. The real Mahatma is then not his physical body but that higher Manas
which is inseparably linked to the Atma and its vehicle (the 6th principle)—a
union effected by him in a comparatively very short period by passing through
the process of self-evolution laid down by the Occult Philosophy.
When, therefore, people express a desire to “see a Mahatma,” they really
do not seem to understand what it is they ask for. How can they, by their
physical eyes, hope to see that which transcends that sight? Is it the body —a
mere shell or mask— they crave or hunt after? And supposing they see the body
of a Mahatma, how can they know that behind that mask is concealed an exalted
entity? By what standard are they to judge whether the Maya (the illusion) before
them reflects the image of a true Mahatma or not? And who will say that the
physical is not a Maya?
Higher things can be perceived only by a sense pertaining to those
higher things. And whoever therefore wants to see the real Mahatma, must use
his intellectual sight. He must so elevate his Manas that its perception will
be clear and all mists created by Maya must be dispelled. His vision will then
be bright and he will see the Mahatma wherever he may be, for, being merged
into the sixth and the seventh principles, which are ubiquitous and
omnipresent, the Mahatmas may be said to be everywhere.
But, at the same time, just as we may be standing on a mountain top and
have within our sight the whole plain, and yet not be cognizant of any
particular tree or spot, because from that elevated position all below is
nearly identical, and as our attention may be drawn to something which may be
dissimilar to its surroundings — so in the same manner, although the whole of
humanity is within the mental vision of the Mahatmas, they cannot be expected
to take special note of every human being, unless that being by his special
acts draws their particular attention to himself.
The highest interest of humanity, as a whole, is their special concern,
for they have identified themselves with that Universal Soul which runs through
Humanity, and he, who would draw their attention, must do so through that Soul
which pervades everywhere.
This perception of the Manas may be called “faith” which should not be
confounded with blind belief. “Blind faith” is an expression sometimes used to
indicate belief without perception or understanding; while the true perception
of the Manas is that enlightened belief, which is the real meaning of the word
“faith.” This belief should at the same time be accompanied by knowledge, i.e.,
experience, for “true knowledge brings with it faith.” Faith is the perception
of the Manas (the fifth principle), while knowledge, in the true sense of the term,
is the capacity of the Intellect, i.e., it is spiritual perception.
In short, the higher individuality of man, composed of his higher Manas,
the sixth and the seventh principles, should work as a unity, and then only can
it obtain “divine wisdom,” for divine things can be sensed only by divine
faculties. Thus
the desire, which should prompt one to apply for chelaship (discipleship), is
to so far understand the operations of the Law of Cosmic Evolution as will
enable him to work in harmonious accord with Nature, instead of going against
its purposes through ignorance.
(The
Theosophist, July 1884, p.233)
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