Who is there among men to whom a certain knowledge of the purpose of life would not be welcome? Probably no one. Our scientific men are continually working on the problem of life, thinking to solve it by observing the processes of nature, but they get no nearer a solution than when they began. They thought first that there must be conditions where organic life begins, conceiving that there could be no other life than organic. Some have concluded that it was possible to create life by chemical combinations, and such claims have been made; but still others, just as eminent, deny that life was or can be created, and affirm that life exists in inorganic forms as well as organic ones. To a real student of Theosophy, all this striving looks very much like swimming against the tide, a useless and unnecessary task as far as the end in view is concerned, for he has had the wisdom to admit the possibility of the existence of a knowledge which gives the answer to both science and religion, and by study and application sees and knows for himself. Were the intellectual giants of science and religion willing to learn, instead of posing as leaders of thought, the student of Theosophy could give them the keys to real Science and Religion, whereby they could be of great and permanent benefit to the world, and be enabled to solve the problems that confront humanity, and make possible an orderly and harmonious advance in civilization to a point not even dreamed of by the most extravagant visionaries. These men of science believe in Law and in Evolution; they see that they stand apparently at the top of a great and silent evolution of being, and think to answer the questions of existence by searching for the beginnings of infinitesimal forms of life; they apply Law and Evolution downwards, without for a moment suspecting that Law and Evolution do not cease with humankind, but that all beings above man have evolved through his stage at some time in the incalculable past, and that above us there are Those who have the knowledge for which the men of science seek. It is true that Prof. Huxley made the assertion that there must be beings in the universe whose intelligence is as much beyond ours as ours exceeds that of the black beetle and who take an active part in the government of the natural order of things; but there is no record that he or any of his kind made any search in that direction. One who has looked in that direction and found the key, naturally wonders why such great minds did not do likewise. Is it pride in their own attainments? Or, have they determined to look in only one direction? If either, even a humble student may rightly question their scientific acumen, or their possession of the true scientific spirit.
It may properly be asked, “If this be so, why mention religion and science?” Because the great majority of mankind relies upon one or the other; asking for the bread of life, they have received a stone. Because it is necessary that men should think for themselves and cease relying upon authority.
What do we know in regard to the statements of Science? Only what we read or are told. What do we know in regard to the claims of the various religions? Only what we read or are told. By neither one or the other are we provided with any means of verification; we are expected to “believe.” If there is any real knowledge as to the purpose of life its truth must be self-evident. There will be no call for belief, but there will be need for straight thinking. Let us take stock of ourselves; what do we consist of? Some will say “body and mind”—to which others will add “soul” or “spirit.” A little thought will show that we are not “body” for that is constantly changing from birth to old age, while we preserve the same identity. Nor are we our minds, because we are constantly changing them, and no matter how much or how often we change our minds, “we” remain the same identity with undiminished power to keep on changing our ideas. This points to a something beyond mind or body, which is unchanging, call it “spirit,” “soul,” or “consciousness,” whichever term best suits comprehension. It is clear that change cannot see change, it requires the “permanent” to note changes. The reality in ourselves is to be found in this permanent consciousness—the power to perceive, ever active in waking or sleeping state.
With our training under materialistic science and an equally materialistic religion, it may be difficult for some to realize that the real man is “consciousness” itself; that that which cannot be seen, measured or weighed is the only permanency; that every experience is garnered by consciousness; yet a little thought will convince us of the fact. Should we call this consciousness, “soul” or even “spirit,” would we not come nearer to comprehending the term “immortal soul?”
Theosophy shows that man is a “soul;” that all nature is sentient; that the vast universe is not formed of collections of atoms fortuitously thrown together and thus without law evolving law, but down to the smallest atom all is soul and spirit ever evolving under the rule of Law which is inherent in the whole, and that nature exists for no other purpose than the soul’s experience.
The law inherent in the whole is called Karma, meaning action and reaction, cause and effect. It is this law that was referred to by Jesus and St. Paul in the terms that “Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” The converse of this saying is true, that whatsoever man reaps he must have sown. This means that Law rules in everything and in every circumstance, and that rigid justice rules the world.
The latter statement would be meaningless if there were but one physical life for man; everything in nature, as well as the founders of all great religions, Jesus included, affirm Reincarnation to be the process through which the Soul passes and by which growth is attained. To mention a few examples in nature of the process universal, we may take morning, noon and night; after night comes morning again. Spring, summer, autumn, winter; after winter comes spring again. Birth, youth, manhood, death; after death comes birth again. Besides these indications in nature of the process, there is actual knowledge attainable by those who will learn the doctrine and live the life.
Theosophy teaches the fundamental identity of all souls with the Universal Over-Soul, and the obligatory pilgrimage for every Soul through the Cycle of Incarnation in accordance with Cyclic and Karmic law during the whole term. In other words, no divine soul can have an independent conscious existence, before the spark which issued from the pure Essence of the Over-Soul has passed through every elemental form and acquired individuality, first by natural impulse, and then by self-induced and self-devised efforts, thus ascending through all the degrees of intelligence. The pivotal doctrine of the Esoteric philosophy admits no privileges or special gifts in man, save those won by his own Ego through effort and merit throughout a long series of metempsychoses and reincarnations.
The purpose of life is to learn; it is all made up of learning. Our place and condition in life is a reaping of what we have sown, and we are receiving our just dues, whether in good or evil case. We all spring from One Great Source and are all traveling towards the same great goal, although the path varies with the pilgrim. Recognizing this, we should strive for knowledge and strength that we may be the better able to help and teach others; not that we may make others serve us as is the way of the world.
“Thou canst create this day thy chances for thy morrow. In the Great Journey causes sown each hour bear each its harvest of effects, for rigid Justice rules the World. With mighty sweep of never-erring action, it brings to mortals lives of weal or woe, the karmic progeny of all our former thoughts and deeds.”
“Give light and comfort to the toiling pilgrim, and seek out him who knows still less than thou; who in his wretched desolation sits starving for the bread of Wisdom and the bread which feeds the shadow, without a Teacher, hope, or consolation, and—let him hear the Law.”