The following letter was published in the magazine "The Theosophist" of August 1900, pp. 700-701:
A LETTER FROM CHINA
Through the kindness of an Indian Prince we have received a letter written by a gentleman from Simla who was travelling in China, to an Indian friend. The reference to H.P.B. makes it specially interesting. We omit the names from the original letter which is in our possession. — Editor Note.
« RUNG JUNG
MAHAN, CHINA
1st January 1900.
MY DEAR ____ :
Your letter addressed through His Highness Raja Sahib Hira Singh, reached me while traversing the Spiti mountains. Now I have crossed these mountains and am in the territory of Mahan, China.
This place is known by the name of Rung Jung and lies within the territory of the Chinese empire. The place has a great cave and is surrounded by high mountains. It is the chief haunt of Lamas and the favourite resort of Mahatmas. Great Rishis have chosen it on account of its antiquity and beautiful and charming scenery. The place is suited for divine contemplation. A man can nowhere find a place better suited for focussing one's mind.
The great Lama, Kut Te Hum, is the guru of all Lamas and has absorbed his attention in the form of Samadhi for the last two and a half months. He is expected to be out of Samadhi after some three and a half months, so it is my chief desire to wait here for that period and personally converse with him.
His chelas (disciples) also are ever meditating and trying to absorb themselves in the Great Divine. From conversation with them I came to know that Madame Blavatsky had visited this place and meditated here for some time. Formerly I had doubts as to her arrival here, but all my misgivings have now been removed and I feel confident of her divine contemplation at this holy and sacred place.
The lesson and Updesha [spiritual instruction] I received from these Lamas show that the views of the Theosophical Society are not merely visionary and theoretical but are practical schemes. But after a long experience I feel that it is difficult to practise yoga in the plains of Hindustan; that it is possible to do so only in these high mountains.
Formerly I used to contemplate for two or three hours per day, and that even with difficulty, now I can sit easily for eight or nine hours, and even more.
I am, now-a-days, quite healthy and feel myself better than before. A Bengali Babu [Lord] named ____ is here with me and has come here for the sake of contemplation and we two will together proceed to Lhassa [the capital of Tibet].
These Lamas have got with them a valuable library which I cannot describe to you within this short space. If God wills, this Bengali Babu will accompany me to those parts and will have occasion to see men noble, like you, as soon as he shall have his term of contemplation completed. He serves me in writing letters at times when he is not busy.
The Athyas of these Mahatmas and Lamas show that every man should devote a portion of his life in contemplation and should not lead a life of atheism and agnosticism. He should spare a portion of each day in contemplating the Divine Being.
With prayers to the Almighty for your health and welfare,
Yours, &c _____. »
OBSERVATIONS
Kut Te Hum is a variant of Koot Hoomi, which would imply that "the guru of all lamas" (at least in this region) is Master Kuthumi.
There are several details that lead me to believe that this letter is possibly genuine.
1. Annie Besant received a letter from Master Kuthumi in August 1900, meaning that Master Kuthumi was still active this year.
2. The place that this Indian mentions in his letter is near where Master Kuthumi has one of his ashrams, so it is possible that this Indian met with Kuthumi's disciples.
And it must be emphasized that in 1881 Master Kuthumi had undergone a higher initiation, and for this he had had to leave his body in that state of sumadhi
In a letter she wrote to Mrs. Mary Hollis Billings, dated October 2, 1881, Blavatsky gave details about that initiation:
« Koot-Hoomi is now gone to sleep for three months to prepare during this Sumadhi or continuous trance state for his initiation, the last but one, when he will become one of the highest adepts.
Poor K. H. his body is now lying cold and stiff in a separate square building of stone with no windows or doors in it, the entrance to which is effected through an underground passage from a door in Toong-ting (reliquary, a room situated in every Thaten (temple) or Lamisery.
(So the old tower is accessed through an underground passage that connects to the old Lamasery. And this also indicates to me that Blavatsky was already in this secret place, probably when she went to Orient to be initiated, although obviously it was a minor initiation in her case.)
In this state, his Spirit is quite free. An adept might lie so for years, when his body was carefully prepared for it beforehand by mesmeric passes etc.
It is a beautiful spot where he is now in the square tower. The Himalayas on the right and a lovely lake near the lamisery. His Cho-han (spiritual instructor, master, and the Chief of a Tibetan Monastery takes care of his body. M. also goes occasionally to visit him. It is an awful mystery that state of cataleptic sleep for such a length of time. »
(The Theosophical Forum, May 1936, p.345 )
It seems that in the year 1900 Kuthumi had gone through his last initiation of that level.
It seems that in the year 1900 Kuthumi had gone through his last initiation of that level.
No comments:
Post a Comment