Page:A Collection of Esoteric Writings.djvu/40

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.

26

and it can survive also the complete destruction of the material substance of the brain.

This individuality arising from mental consciousness has its seat of existence, according to our philosophers, in an occult power or force which keeps a registry, as it were, of all our mental impressions. The power itself is indestructible, though by the operation of certain antagonistic causes its impressions may in course of time be effected, in part or wholly.

I may mention in this connection that our philosophers have associated seven occult powers with the seven principles or entities above-mentioned. These seven occult powers in the microcosm correspond with, or are the counterparts of the occult powers in the macrocosm. The mental and spiritual consciousness of the individual becomes the general consciousness of Brahmam when the barrier of individuality is wholly removed, and when the seven powers in the microcosm are placed en rapport with the seven powers in the macrocosm.

There is nothing very strange in a power or force, or sakti carrying with it impressions of sensations, ideas, thoughts, or other subjective experiences. It is now a well-known fact, that an electric or magnetic current can convey in some mysterious manner impressions of sound or speech with all their individual peculiarities; similarly, I can convey my thoughts to you by a transmission of energy or power.

Now this fifth principle reptesents in our philosophy, the mind, or, to speak more correctly, the power or force above described, the impressions of the mental states therein, and notion of individuality or Ahankâram generated by their collective operation. This principle is called merely physical intelligence in the "Fragments." I do not know what is really meant by this expression. It may be taken to mean that intelligence which exist in a very low state of development in the lower animals. Mind may exist in different stages of developmeut, from the very lowest forms of organic life, where