Karma by Annie Besant

Karma
by Annie Besant
Theosophical Manual No. 4 First Edition in 189 ! "thers in 189#$ 19% $ &ondon$ 194# and this one the 'i(th Edition$ 19 9! The Theosophical )ublishin* +ouse$ Adyar$ ,hennai$ -ndia

PREFACE
FE. /ords are needed in sendin* this little boo0 out into the /orld. -t is the 1ourth o1 a series o1 Manuals desi*ned to meet the public demand 1or a simple e(position o1 theosophical teachin*s. 'ome ha2e complained that our literature is at once too abstruse$ too technical$ and too e(pensi2e 1or the ordinary reader$ and it is our hope that the present series may succeed in supplyin* /hat is a 2ery real /ant. Theosophy is not only 1or the learned! it is 1or all. )erhaps amon* those /ho in these little boo0s catch their 1irst *limpse o1 its teachin*s$ there may be a 1e/ /ho /ill be led by them to penetrate more deeply into its philosophy$ its science$ and its reli*ion$ 1acin* its abstruser problems /ith the student3s 4eal and the neophyte3s ardour. But these manuals are not /ritten 1or the ea*er student$ /hom no initial di11iculties can daunt! they are /ritten 1or the busy men and /omen o1 the /or05a5day /orld$ and see0 to ma0e plain some o1 [Page vi] the *reat truths that render li1e easier to bear and death easier to 1ace. .ritten by ser2ants o1 the Masters /ho are the Elder Brothers o1 our race$ they can ha2e no other ob6ect than to ser2e our 1ello/5men

Contents 1 : < 4 > # 8 9 1% 11 1: 1< T+E -N7A8-AB-&-T9 "F &A. T+E )&ANE' "F NAT;8E T+E =ENE8AT-"N "F T+";=+T5F"8M' A,T-7-T9 "F T+";=+T5F"8M' T+E MAK-N= "F KA8MA -N )8-N,-)&E T+E MAK-N= "F KA8MA -N ?ETA-& T+E ."8K-N= ";T "F KA8MA FA,-N= KA8M-, 8E';&T' B;-&?-N= T+E F;T;8E M";&?-N= KA8MA T+E ,&EA'-N= "F KA8MA ,"&&E,T-7E KA8MA ,"N,&;'-"N

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Karma by Annie Besant KARMA

E7E89 thou*ht o1 man upon bein* e2ol2ed passes into the inner /orld$ and becomes an acti2e entity by associatin* itsel1$ coalescin* /e mi*ht term it$ /ith an elemental @ that is to say$ /ith one o1 the semi5intelli*ent 1orces o1 the 0in*doms. -t sur2i2es as an acti2e intelli*ence @ a creature o1 the mind3s be*ettin* @ 1or a lon*er or shorter period proportionate /ith the ori*inal intensity o1 the cerebral action /hich *enerated it. Thus a *ood thou*ht is perpetuated as an acti2e$ bene1icent po/er$ an e2il one as a male1icent demon. And so man is continually peoplin* his current in space /ith a /orld o1 his o/n$ cro/ded /ith the o11sprin* o1 his 1ancies$ desires$ impulses and passions! a current /hich re5acts upon any sensiti2e or ner2ous or*ani4ation /hich comes in contact /ith it$ in proportion to its dynamic intensity. The Buddhist calls it his ABC'0andhaABD! the +indu *i2es it the name o1 ABCKarmaABD. The Adept e2ol2es these shapes consciously! other men thro/ them o11 unconsciously. E$The Occult World pa*es 895 9%$ Fourth EditionF [Page 2] No more *raphic picture o1 the essential nature o1 Karma has e2er been *i2en than in these /ords$ ta0en 1rom one o1 the early letters o1 Master K. +. -1 these are clearly understood$ /ith all their implications$ the perple(ities /hich surround the sub6ect /ill 1or the most part disappear$ and the main principle underlyin* 0armic action /ill be *rasped. They /ill there1ore be ta0en as indicatin* the best line o1 study$ and /e shall be*in by considerin* the creati2e po/ers o1 man. All /e need as pre1ace is a clear conception o1 the in2ariability o1 la/$ and o1 the *reat planes in Nature.

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Karma by Annie Besant 1. THE I !ARIABI"IT# $F "A%

That /e li2e in a realm o1 la/$ that /e are surrounded by la/s that /e cannot brea0$ this is a truism. 9et /hen the 1act is reco*ni4ed in a real and 2ital /ay$ and /hen it is seen to be a 1act in the mental and moral /orld as much as in the physical$ a certain sense o1 helplessness is apt to o2erpo/er us$ as thou*h /e 1elt oursel2es in the *rip o1 some mi*hty )o/er$ that$ sei4in* us$ /hirls us a/ay /hither it /ill. The 2ery re2erse o1 this is in reality the case$ 1or the mi*hty )o/er$ /hen it is understood$ /ill obediently carry us /hither we /illG all 1orces in Nature can be used in proportion as they are understood [Page &] @ ABCNature is conHuered by obedienceABD @ and her resistless ener*ies are at our biddin* as soon as /e$ by 0no/led*e$ /or0 /ith them and not a*ainst them. .e can choose out o1 her boundless stores the 1orces that ser2e our purpose in momentum$ in direction$ and so on$ and their 2ery in2ariability becomes the *uarantee o1 our success. "n the in2ariability o1 la/ depends the security o1 scienti1ic e(periment$ and all po/er o1 plannin* a result and o1 predictin* the 1uture. "n this the chemist rests$ sure that Nature /ill e2er respond in the same /ay$ i1 he be precise in puttin* his Huestions. A 2ariation in his results is ta0en by him as implyin* a chan*e in his procedure$ not a chan*e in Nature. And so /ith all human action! the more it is based on 0no/led*e$ the more secure is it in its 1orecastin*s$ 1or all ABCaccidentABD is the result o1 i*norance$ and is due to the /or0in* o1 la/s /hose presence /as un0no/n or o2erloo0ed. -n the mental and moral /orlds$ as much as in the physical$ results can be 1oreseen$ planned 1or$ calculated on. Nature ne2er betrays us! /e are betrayed by our o/n blindness. -n all /orlds increasin* 0no/led*e means increasin* po/er$ and omniscience and omnipotence are one. That la/ should be as in2ariable in the mental and moral /orlds as in the physical is to be e(pected$ since [Page '] the uni2erse is the emanation o1 the "NE$ and /hat /e call &a/ is but the e(pression o1 the ?i2ine Nature$ As there is one &i1e emanatin* all$ so there is one &a/ sustainin* all! the /orlds rest on this roc0 o1 the ?i2ine Nature as on a secure$ immutable 1oundation.

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Karma by Annie Besant 2 . THE P"A E( $F AT)RE

To study the /or0in*s o1 Karma on the line su**ested by the Master$ /e must *ain a clear conception o1 the three lo/er planes$ or re*ions$ o1 the uni2erse$ and o1 the )rinciples ['ee$ 1or these MAN;A& 1] related to them. The names *i2en to them indicate the state o1 the consciousness /or0in* on them. -n this a dia*ram may help us$ sho/in* the planes /ith the )rinciples related to them$ and the 2ehicles in /hich a conscious entity may 2isit them. -n practical "ccultism the student learns to 2isit these planes$ and by his o/n in2esti*ations to trans1orm theory into 0no/led*e. The lo/est 2ehicle$ the =ross Body$ ser2es the consciousness 1or its /or0 on the physical plane$ and in this the consciousness is limited /ithin the capacities o1 the brain. The term 'ubtle Body co2ers a 2ariety o1 astral bodies$ respecti2ely suitable to the 2aryin* conditions o1 the 2ery complicated re*ion indicated by the name psychic plane. "n the [Page *] de2achanic plane there are t/o /ell5de1ined le2els$ the Form &e2el and the Formless &e2el! on the lo/er$ consciousness uses an arti1icial body$ the MIyI2i 8Jpa$ but the term Mind Body seems suitable as indicatin* that the matter o1 /hich it is composed belon*s to the plane o1 Manas. "n the 1ormless le2el the ,ausal Body must be used. "1 the Buddhic plane it is needless to spea0. No/ the matter on these planes is not the same$ and spea0in* *enerally$ the matter o1 each plane is denser than that o1 the one abo2e it. This is accordin* to the analo*y o1 Nature$ 1or e2olution in its do/n/ard course is 1rom rare to dense$ 1rom subtle to *ross. Further$ 2ast hierarchies inhabit these planes$ ran*in* 1rom the lo1ty -ntelli*ences o1 the spiritual re*ion to the lo/est sub5conscious Elementals o1 the physical /orld. "n e2ery plane 'pirit and Matter are con6oined in e2ery particle @ e2ery particle ha2in* Matter as its body$ 'pirit as its li1e @ and all independent a**re*ations o1 particles$ all separated 1orms o1 e2ery 0ind$ o1 e2ery type$ are ensouled by these li2in* bein*s$ 2aryin* in their *rades accordin* to the *rade o1 the 1orm. No 1orm e(ists /hich is not thus ensouled$ but the in1ormin* entity may be the lo1tiest -ntelli*ence$ the lo/est Elemental$ or any o1 the countless hosts that ran*e bet/een. The entities
[Page +]

!e,i-.e ATMA (/s,/0ti2eva-,aniPsy-,i- or Astra. P,ysi-a. Hig,er Psy-,i"o4er Psy-,iB/11,i Manas Kama3Manas Kama "inga3(,arira (t,/.a3(,arira (0irit/a. Bo1y 13Min1 Bo1y 23Ca/sa. Bo1y (/bt.e Bo1y 13Et,eri- 2o/b.e 235ross Bo1y

[Page 6] /ith

/hich /e shall presently be concerned are chie1ly those o1 the psychic plane$ 1or these *i2e to man his body o1 desire KKIma 8JpaL @ his body o1 sensation$ as it is o1ten called @ are indeed built into its astral matri( and 2i2i1y his astral senses. They are$ to use the technical name$ the Form Elementals K8Jpa ?e2atIsL o1 the animal /orld$ and are the a*ents o1 the chan*es /hich transmute 2ibrations into sensations.

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Karma by Annie Besant

The most salient characteristic o1 the 0Imic Elementals is sensation$ the po/er o1 not only ans/erin* to 2ibrations but o1 1eelin* them! and the psychic plane is cro/ded /ith these entities$ o1 2aryin* de*rees o1 consciousness$ /ho recei2e impacts o1 e2ery 0ind and combine them into sensations. Any bein* /ho possesses$ then$ a body into /hich these Elementals are built$ is capable o1 1eelin*$ and man 1eels throu*h such a body. A man is not conscious in the particles o1 his body or e2en in its cells! they ha2e a consciousness o1 their o/n$ and by this carry on the 2arious processes o1 his 2e*etati2e li1e! but the man /hose body they 1orm does not share their consciousness$ does not consciously help or hinder them as they select$ assimilate$ secrete$ build up$ and could not at any moment so put his consciousness into rapport /ith the consciousness o1 a cell in his heart as to say e(actly [Page 7] /hat it /as doin*. +is consciousness 1unctions normally on the psychic plane! and e2en in the hi*her psychic re*ions$ /here mind is /or0in*$ it is mind intermin*led /ith KIma$ pure mind not 1unctionin* on this astral plane. The astral plane is thron*ed /ith Elementals similar to those /hich enter into the desire5body o1 man$ and /hich also 1orm the simpler desire5body o1 the lo/er animal. By this department o1 his nature man comes into immediate relations /ith these Elementals$ and by them he 1orms lin0s /ith all the ob6ects around him that are either attracti2e or repulsi2e to him. By his .ill$ by his emotions$ by his desires$ he in1luences these countless bein*s$ /hich sensiti2ely respond to all the thrills o1 1eelin* that he sends out in e2ery direction. +is o/n desire5body acts as the apparatus$ and 6ust as it combines the 2ibrations that come 1rom /ithout into 1eelin*s$ so does it dissociate the 1eelin*s that arise /ithin into 2ibrations.

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Karma by Annie Besant &. THE 5E ERATI$ $F TH$)5HT3F$RM(

.e$ are no/ in a position to more clearly understand the Master3s /ords. The mind$ /or0in* in its o/n re*ion$ in the subtle matter o1 the hi*her psychic plane$ [Page 8] *enerates ima*es$ thou*ht51orms. -ma*ination has 2ery accurately been called the creati2e 1aculty o1 the mind$ and it is so in a more literal sense than many may suppose /ho use the phrase. This ima*e5ma0in* capacity is the characteristic po/er o1 the mind$ and a /ord is only a clumsy attempt to partially represent a mental picture. An idea$ a mental ima*e$ is a complicated thin*$ and needs perhaps a /hole sentence to describe it accurately$ so a salient incident in it is sei4ed$ and the /ord naming this incident imper1ectly represents the /hole! /e sayM trian*leABD$ and the /ord calls up in the hearer3s mind a picture$ /hich /ould need a lon* description i1 1ully con2eyed in /ords! /e do our best thin0in* in symbols$ and then laboriously and imper1ectly summari4e our symbols into /ords. -n re*ions /here mind spea0s to mind there is per1ect e(pression$ 1ar beyond anythin* /ords may con2ey! e2en in thou*ht5trans1erence o1 a limited 0ind it is not /ords that are sent$ but ideas. A spea0er puts into /ords such part o1 his mental pictures as he can$ and these /ords call up in the hearer3s mind pictures correspondin* to those in the mind o1 the spea0er! the mind deals /ith the pictures$ the ima*es$ not /ith the /ords$ and hal1 the contro2ersies and misunderstandin*s that arise come about because [Page 19] people attach di11erent ima*es to the same /ords$ or use di11erent /ords to represent the same ima*es.

A thou*ht51orm$ then$ is a mental ima*e$ created @ or moulded @ by the mind out o1 the subtle matter o1 the hi*her psychic plane$ in /hich$ as abo2e said$ it /or0s. This 1orm$ composed o1 the rapidly 2ibratin* atoms o1 the matter o1 that re*ion$ set up 2ibrations all around it! these 2ibrations /ill *i2e rise to sensations o1 sound and colour in any entities adapted to translate them thus$ and as the thou*ht51orm passes5out/ard @ or sin0s do/n/ard$ /hiche2er e(pression may be pre1erred to e(press the transition @ into the denser matter o1 the lo/er psychic re*ions$ these 2ibrations thrill out as a sin*in*5colour in e2ery direction$ and call to the thou*ht51orm /hence they proceed the Elementals belon*in* to that colour. All Elementals$ li0e all thin*s else in the uni2erse belon* to one or other o1 the se2en primary 8ays$ the se2en prime2al 'ons o1 &i*ht. The /hite li*ht brea0s 1orth 1rom the Third &"="'$ the mani1ested ?i2ine Mind$ in the se2en 8ays$ the ABC'e2en 'pirits$ that are be1ore the ThroneABD$ and each o1 these 8ays has its se2en sub5rays$ and so on/ards in seHuential sub5di2isions. +ence$ amid the endless di11erentiations that ma0e up a uni2erse$ there are Elementals [Page 11] belon*in* to the 2arious$ sub5 di2isions$ and they are communicated /ith in a colour5lan*ua*e$ *rounded on the colour to /hich they belon*. This is /hy the real 0no/led*e o1 sounds and colours and numbers @ number underlyin* both sound and colour @ has e2er been so care1ully *uarded$ 1or the /ill spea0s to the Elementals by these$ and 0no/led*e *i2es po/er to control. Master K. +. spea0s 2ery plainly on this colour lan*ua*e. +e saysG +o/ could you ma0e yoursel1 understood$ command in 1act$ those semi5intelli*ent Forces$ /hose means o1 communicatin* /ith us are not throu*h spo0en /ords$ but throu*h sounds and colours$ in correlations bet/een the 2ibrations o1 the t/oN For sound$ li*ht and colour are )a*e >

Karma by Annie Besant

the main 1actors in 1ormin* those *rades o1 intelli*ences$ those bein*s o1 /hose 2ery e(istence you ha2e no conception$ nor are you allo/ed to belie2e in them @ Atheists and ,hristians$ Materialists and 'piritualists$ all brin*in* 1or/ard their respecti2e ar*uments a*ainst such a belie1 @ 'cience ob6ectin* stron*er than either o1 these to such a de*radin* superstition. EThe Occult World$ p.1%%F 'tudents o1 the past may remember obscure allusions no/ and a*ain made to a lan*ua*e o1 colours! they may recall the 1act that in ancient E*ypt sacred [Page 12] manuscripts /ere /ritten in colours$ and that mista0es made in the copyin* /ere punished /ith death. But - must not run do/n this 1ascinatin* by5 /ay. .e are only concerned /ith the 1act that Elementals are addressed by colours$ and that colour5 /ords are as intelli*ible to them as spo0en /ords are to men. The hue o1 the sin*in*5colour depends on the nature o1 the moti2e inspirin* the *enerator o1 the thou*ht5 1orm. -1 the moti2e be pure$ lo2in*$ bene1icent in its character$ the colour produced /ill summon to the thou*ht51orm an Elemental$ /hich /ill ta0e on the characteristics impressed on the 1orm by the moti2e$ and act alon* the line thus traced! this Elemental enters into the thou*ht51orm$ playin* to it the part o1 a 'oul$ and thus an independent entity is made in the astral /orld$ an entity o1 a bene1icent character. -1 the moti2e$ on the other hand$ be impure$ re2en*e1ul$ male1icent in its character$ the colour produced /ill summon to the thou*ht51orm an Elemental /hich /ill eHually ta0e on the characteristics impressed on the 1orm by the moti2e and act alon* the line thus traced! in this case also the Elemental enters into the thou*ht51orm$ playin* to it the part o1 a 'oul$ and thus ma0in* an independent entity in the astral /orld$ an entity o1 a male1icent character. For e(ample$ an an*ry thou*ht /ill cause a 1lash o1 red$ the thou*ht5 1orm 2ibratin* so as to produce red! that 1lash o1 red is a summons to the Elementals and they s/eep in the direction o1 the summoner$ and one o1 them enters into the thou*ht51orm$ /hich *i2es it an independent acti2ity o1 a destructi2e$ disinte*ratin* type. Men are continually tal0in* in this colour5 lan*ua*e Huite unconsciously$ and thus callin* round them these s/arms o1 Elementals$ /ho ta0e up their abodes in the 2arious thou*ht51orms pro2ided! thus it is that a man peoples his current in space with a world of his own$ crowded with the offspring of his fancies$ desires$ impulses and$ passions. An*els and demons o1 our o/n creatin* thron* round us on e2ery side$ ma0ers o1 /eal and /oe to others$ brin*ers o1 /eal and /oe to oursel2es @ 2erily$ a 0armic host. ,lair2oyants can see 1lashes o1 colour$ constantly chan*in*$ in the aura that surrounds e2ery personG each thou*ht$ each 1eelin*$ thus translatin* itsel1 in the astral /orld$ 2isible to the astral si*ht. )ersons some/hat more de2eloped than the ordinary clair2oyant can also see the thou*ht51orms$ and can see the e11ects produced by the 1lashes o1 colour amon* the hordes o1 Elemental [Page 1']

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Karma by Annie Besant '. ACTI!IT# $F TH$)5HT3F$RM(

The li1e5period o1 these ennobled thou*ht51orms depends 1irst on their initial intensity$ on the ener*y besto/ed upon them by their human pro*enitor! and secondly on the nutriment supplied to them a1ter their *eneration$ by the repetition o1 the thou*ht either by him or by others. Their li1e may be continually rein1orced by this repetition$ and a thou*ht /hich is brooded o2er$ /hich 1orms the sub6ect o1 repeated meditation$ acHuires *reat stability o1 1orm on the psychic plane. 'o a*ain thou*ht51orms o1 a similar character are attracted to each other and mutually stren*then each other$ ma0in* a 1orm o1 *reat ener*y and intensity$ acti2e in this astral /orld. Thou*ht51orms are connected /ith their pro*enitor by /hat @ 1or /ant o1 a better phrase @ /e must call a ma*netic tie! they re5act upon him$ producin* an impression /hich leads to their reproduction$ and in the case mentioned abo2e$ /here a thou*ht51orm is rein1orced by repetition$ a 2ery de1inite habit o1 thou*ht may be set up$ a mould may be 1ormed into /hich thou*ht /ill readily 1lo/ @ help1ul i1 it be o1 a 2ery lo1ty character$ as a noble ideal$ but 1or the most part crampin* and a hindrance to mental *ro/th.
[Page 1*]

.e may pause 1or a moment on this 1ormation o1 habit$ as it sho/s in miniature$ in a 2ery help1ul /ay$ the /or0in* o1 Karma. &et us suppose /e could ta0e ready5made a mind$ /ith no past acti2ity behind it @ an impossible thin*$ o1 course$ but the supposition /ill brin* out the special point needed. 'uch a mind mi*ht be ima*ined to /or0 /ith per1ect 1reedom and spontaneity$ and to produce a thou*ht51orm! it proceeds to repeat this many times$ until a habit o1 thou*ht is made$ a de1inite habit$ so that the mind /ill unconsciously slip into that thou*ht$ its ener*ies /ill 1lo/ into it /ithout any consciously selecti2e action o1 the /ill. &et us 1urther suppose that the mind comes to disappro2e this habit o1 thou*ht$ and 1inds it a clo* on its pro*ress! ori*inally due to the spontaneous action o1 the mind$ and 1acilitatin* the outpourin* o1 mental ener*y by pro2idin* 1or it a ready5made channel$ it has no/ become a limitation! but i1 it is to be *otten rid o1$ it can only be by the rene/ed spontaneous action o1 the mind$ directed to the e(haustion and 1inal destruction o1 this li2in* 1etter. +ere /e ha2e a little ideal 0armic cycle$ rapidly run throu*h! the 1ree mind ma0es a habit$ and is then obli*ed to /or0 /ithin that limitationG but it retains its 1reedom /ithin the limitation and can /or0 a*ainst it [Page 1+] 1rom /ithin till it /ears it out. "1 course$ /e ne2er 1ind oursel2es initially 1ree$ 1or /e come into the /orld encumbered /ith these 1etters o1 our o/n past ma0in*! but the process as re*ards each separate 1etter runs the abo2e round @ the mind 1or*es it$ /ears it$ and /hile /earin* it can 1ile it throu*h. Thou*ht51orms may also be directed by their pro*enitor to/ards particular persons$ /ho may be helped or in6ured by them$ accordin* to the nature o1 the ensoulin* Elemental! it is no mere poetic 1ancy that *ood /ishes$ prayer$ and lo2in* thou*hts are o1 2alue to those to /hom they are sent! they 1orm a protecti2e host encirclin* the belo2ed$ and /ard o11 many an e2il in1luence and dan*er. Not only does a man *enerate and send 1orth his o/n thou*ht51orms$ but he also ser2es as a ma*net to dra/ to/ards himsel1 the thou*ht51orms o1 others 1rom the astral plane around him$ o1 the classes to /hich his o/n ennobled thou*ht51orms belon*. +e may thus attract to himsel1 lar*e rein1orcements o1 ener*y 1rom outside$ and it lies /ithin himsel1 /hether these 1orces that he dra/s into his o/n bein* 1rom the e(ternal /orld shall be o1 a *ood or o1 an e2il 0ind. -1 a man3s thou*hts are pure and noble$ he /ill attract around him hosts o1 bene1icent entities$ [Page 16] and may sometimes /onder /hence comes to )a*e 8

Karma by Annie Besant

him the po/er 1or achie2ement that seems @ and truly seems @ to be so much beyond his o/n. 'imilarly a man o1 1oul and base thou*hts attracts to himsel1 hosts o1 male1icent entities$ and by this added ener*y 1or e2il commits crimes that astonish him in the retrospect. ABC'ome de2il must ha2e tempted meABD$ he /ill cry! and truly these demoniac 1orces$ called to him by his o/n e2il$ add stren*th to it 1rom /ithout. The Elemental ensoulin* thou*ht51orms$ /hether these be *ood or bad$ lin0 themsel2es to the Elemental in the man3s desire5body and to those ensoulin* his o/n thou*ht51orm$ and thus /or0 in him$ thou*h comin* 1rom /ithout. But 1or this they must 1ind entities o1 their o/n 0ind /ith /hich to lin0 themsel2es$ else can they e(ercise no po/er. And 1urther$ Elementals in an opposite 0ind o1 thou*ht51orm /ill repel them$ and the *ood man /ill dri2e bac0 by his 2ery atmosphere$ his aura$ all that is 1oul and cruel. -t surrounds him as a protecti2e /all and 0eeps e2il a/ay 1rom him. There is another 1orm o1 elemental acti2ity$ that brin*s about /idespread results$ and cannot there1ore be e(cluded 1rom this preliminary sur2ey o1 the 1orces that *o to ma0e up Karma. &i0e those 6ust dealt /ith$ [Page 17] this is included in the statement that these thou*ht51orms people the current which re-acts upon any sensitive or nervous organization which comes in contact with it, in proportion to its dynamic intensity. To some e(tent it must a11ect almost e2eryone$ thou*h the more sensiti2e the or*ani4ation the *reater the e11ect. Elementals ha2e a tendency to be attracted to/ards others o1 a similar 0ind @ a**re*atin* to*ether in classes$ bein*$ in a sense$ *re*arious on their o/n account @ and /hen a man sends out a thou*ht51orm it not only 0eeps up a ma*netic lin0 /ith him$ but is dra/n to/ards other thou*ht51orms o1 a similar type$ and these con*re*atin* to*ether on the astral plane 1orm a *ood or e2il 1orce$ as the case may be$ embodied in a 0ind o1 collecti2e entity. To these a**re*ations o1 similar thou*ht51orms are due the characteristics$ o1ten stron*ly mar0ed$ o1 1amily$ local and national opinion! they 1orm a 0ind o1 astral atmosphere throu*h /hich e2erythin* is seen$ and /hich colours that to /hich the *a4e is directed$ and they re5act on the desire bodies o1 the persons included in the *roup concerned$ settin* up in them responsi2e 2ibrations. 'uch 1amily$ local or national 0armic surroundin*s lar*ely modi1y the indi2idual3s acti2ity$ and limit to a 2ery *reat e(tent his po/er o1 e(pressin* the capacities he may possess. 'uppose an [Page 18] -dea should be presented to him$ he can only see it throu*h this atmosphere that surrounds him$ /hich must colour it and may seriously distort. +ere$ then$ are 0armic limitations o1 a 1ar5reachin* 0ind$ that /ill need 1urther consideration. The in1luence o1 these con*re*ated Elementals is not con1ined to that /hich they e(ercise o2er men throu*h their desire5bodies. .hen this collecti2e entity$ as - ha2e called it$ is made up o1 thou*ht51orms o1 a destructi2e type$ the Elementals ensoulin* these act as a disrupti2e ener*y and they o1ten /or0 much ha2oc on the physical plane. A 2orte( o1 disinte*ratin* ener*ies$ they are the 1ruit1ul sources o1 ABCaccidentsABD$ o1 natural con2ulsions$ o1 storms$ cyclones$ hurricanes$ earthHua0es$ 1loods. These 0armic results /ill also need some 1urther consideration.

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Karma by Annie Besant *. THE MAKI 5 $F KARMA I PRI CIP"E

+a2in* thus reali4ed the relation bet/een man and the elemental 0in*dom$ and he mouldin* ener*ies o1 the mind @ 2erily$ creati2e ener*ies$ in that they call into bein* these li2in* 1orms that ha2e been described @ /e are in a position to at least partially understand somethin* o1 the *eneration and /or0in*5out o1 Karma durin* a sin*le li1e5period. A ABC li1e5periodABD$ [Page 29] - say$ rather than a ABCli1eABD$ because a li1e means too little i1 it be used in the ordinary sense o1 a sin*le incarnation$ and it means too much i1 it be used 1or the /hole li1e$ made up o1 many sta*es in the physical body$ and o1 many sta*es /ithout it. By li1e5period - mean a little cycle o1 human e(istence$ /ith its physical$ astral and de2achanic e(periences$ includin* its return to the threshold o1 the physical @ the 1our distinct sta*es throu*h /hich the 'oul passes$ in order to complete its cycle. These sta*es are retrodden o2er and o2er a*ain durin* the 6ourney o1 the Eternal )il*rim throu*h our present humanity$ and ho/e2er much the e(periences in each such period may 2ary$ both as to Huantity and Huality$ the period /ill include these 1our sta*es 1or the a2era*e human bein*$ and none others. -t is important to reali4e that the residence outside the physical body is 1ar more prolon*ed than the residence in it! and the /or0in*s o1 0armic la/ /ill be but poorly understood unless the acti2ity o1 the 'oul in the non5physical condition be studied. &et us recall the /ords o1 a Master$ pointin* out that the li1e out o1 the body is the real one. The 7edIntins$ ac0no/led*in* t/o 0inds o1 conscious e(istence$ the terrestrial and the spiritual$ point to the latter as [Page 21] an undoubted actuality. As to the terrestrial li1e$ o/in* to its chan*eability and shortness$ it is nothin* but an illusion o1 our senses. "ur li1e in the spiritual spheres must be thou*ht an actuality$ because it is there that li2es our endless$ ne2er5 chan*in*$ immortal -$ the 'JtrItmI ... This is /hy /e call the posthumous li1e the only reality$ and the terrestrial one$ includin* the personality itsel1$ only ima*inary. ELucifer "ctober 189:$ art. M&i1e and ?eathABD.F ?urin* earth5li1e$ the acti2ity o1 the 'oul is most directly mani1ested in the creation o1 the thou*ht51orms already described. But in order to 1ollo/ out /ith any approach to e(actitude the /or0in*s o1 Karma$ /e must no/ analyse 1urther the term Mthou*ht51ormABD$ and add some considerations necessarily omitted in the *eneral conception 1irst presented. The 'oul$ /or0in* as mind$ creates a Mental -ma*e the primary ABCthou*ht51ormABD E'ee ,hapterG The =eneration o1 Thou*ht FormsF! let us ta0e the term Mental -ma*e to mean e(clusi2ely this immediate creation o1 the mind$ and hence1orth restrict this term to this initial sta*e o1 /hat is *enerally and broadly spo0en o1 as a thou*ht51orm. This Mental -ma*e remains attached to its creator$ part o1 the content o1 his consciousnessG it is a li2in*$ 2ibratin* 1orm o1 subtle matter$ the .ord thought but not yet [Page 22] spoken$ concei2ed but not yet made 1lesh. &et the reader concentrate his mind 1or a 1e/ moments on this Mental -ma*e$ and obtain a distinct notion o1 it$ isolated 1rom all else$ apart 1rom all the results it is *oin* to produce on other planes than its o/n$ -t 1orms$ as 6ust said$ part o1 the content o1 the consciousness o1 its creator$ part o1 his inalienable property! it cannot be separated 1rom him! he carries it /ith him durin* his earthly li1e$ carries it /ith him throu*h the *ate/ay o1 death$ carries it /ith him in the re*ions beyond death! and i1$ durin* his up/ard tra2ellin* throu*h those re*ions$ he himsel1 passes into air too rare1ied 1or it to endure$ he lea2es behind the denser matter built into it$ carryin* on the mental matri($ the essential 1orm! on his return to the *rosser re*ion the matter o1 that plane is a*ain built into the mental matri($ and the appropriate denser 1orm is reproduced. This )a*e 1%

Karma by Annie Besant

Mental -ma*e may remain sleepin*$ as it /ere$ 1or lon* periods$ but it may be re5a/a0ened and re2i2i1ied! e2ery 1resh impulse @ 1rom its creator$ 1rom its pro*eny Kdealt /ith belo/L$ 1rom entities o1 the same type as its pro*eny @ increases its li1e5ener*y$ and modi1ies its 1orm. -t e2ol2es$ as /e shall see$ accordin* to de1inite la/s$ and the a**re*ation o1 these Mental -ma*es [Page 2&] ma0es the character! the outer mirrors the inner$ and as cells a**re*ate into the tissues o1 the body and are o1ten much modi1ied in the process$ so do these Mental -ma*es a**re*ate into the characteristics o1 the mind$ and o1ten under*o much modi1ication. The study o1 the /or0in* out o1 Karma /ill thro/ much li*ht on these chan*es. Many materials may enter into the ma0in* o1 these Mental -ma*es by the creati2e po/ers o1 the 'oul! it may be stimulated into acti2ity by desire KKImaL$ and may shape the ima*e accordin* to the promptin* o1 passion or o1 appetite! it may be 'el15moti2ed to a noble -deal$ and mould the -ma*e accordin*ly! it may be led by purely intellectual concepts$ and 1orm the -ma*e therea1ter. But lo1ty or base$ intellectual or passional$ ser2iceable or mischie2ous$ di2ine or bestial$ it is al/ays in man a Mental -ma*e$ the product o1 the creati2e 'oul$ and on its e(istence indi2idual Karma depends. .ithout this Mental -ma*e there can be no indi2idual Karma lin0in* li1e5period to li1e5periodG the mInasic Huality must be present to a11ord the permanent element in /hich indi2idual Karma can inhere. The non5presence o1 Manas in the mineral$ 2e*etable$ and animal 0in*doms has as its corollary the non5 *eneration o1 indi2idual Karma$ stretchin* throu*h death to rebirth. [Page 2'] &et us no/ consider the primary thou*ht51orm in relation to the secondary thou*ht51orm$ the thou*ht51orm pure and simple in relation to the ensouled thou*ht51orm$ the Mental -ma*e in relation to the Astro5mental -ma*e$ or the thou*ht51orm in the lo/er astral plane. +o/ is this produced and /hat is it N To use the symbol employed abo2e$ it is produced by the .ord5thou*ht becomin* the .ord5outspo0en! the 'oul breathes out the thou*ht$ and the sound ma0es 1orm in astral matter! as the -deas in the ;ni2ersal Mind become the mani1ested uni2erse /hen they are outbreathed$ so do these Mental -ma*es in the human mind$ /hen outbreathed$ become the mani1ested uni2erse o1 their creator. +e peoples his current in space with a world of his own. The 2ibrations o1 the Mental -ma*e set up similar 2ibrations in the denser astral matter$ and these cause the secondary thou*ht51orm$ /hat - ha2e called the Astro5mental -ma*e! the Mental -ma*e itsel1 remains$ as has been already said$ in the consciousness o1 its creator$ but its 2ibrations passin* outside that consciousness reproduce its 1orm in the denser matter o1 the lo/er astral plane. This is the 1orm that a11ords the casin* 1or a portion o1 elemental ener*y$ speciali4in* it 1or the time that the 1orm persists$ since the mInasic element in the [Page 2*] 1orm *i2es a touch o1 indi2iduality to that /hich ensouls it. E+o/ mar2ellous and ho/ illuminatin* are the correspondences in NatureOF This is the active entity$ spo0en o1 in the Master3s description$ and it is this Astro5mental -ma*e that ran*es o2er the astral plane$ 0eepin* up /ith its pro*enitor ['ee ,hapterG ABCThe =eneration o1 Thou*ht FormsABD$ and also dia*ram pa*e >] the ma*netic tie spo0en o1$ re5actin* on its parent$ the Mental -ma*e$ and actin* also on others. The li1e5period o1 an Astro5mental -ma*e may be lon* or short$ accordin* to circumstances$ and its perishin* does not a11ect the persistence o1 its parent! any 1resh impulse *i2en to the latter /ill cause it to *enerate a1resh its astral counterpart as each repetition o1 a /ord produces a ne/ 1orm. The 2ibrations o1 the Mental -ma*e do not only pass do/n/ards to the lo/er astral plane$ but they pass up/ards also into the spiritual plane abo2e it. [These /ords do/n/ards and up/ards are 2ery misleadin*! the planes o1 course interpenetrate each other] And as the 2ibrations cause a denser 1orm on the lo/er plane$ so do they *enerate a 1ar subtler 1orm @ dare - call it 1orm N it is no 1orm to us @ on the hi*her$ in the I0Isha$ the /orld5stu11 emanated 1rom the &"="' -tsel1. The I0Isha is the store5house o1 )a*e 11

Karma by Annie Besant

all 1orms$ the treasure5house [Page 2+] /hereinto are poured @ 1rom the in1inite /ealth o1 the ;ni2ersal Mind @ the rich stores o1 all the -deas that are to be bodied 1orth in a *i2en ,osmos! thereinto also enter the 2ibrations 1rom the ,osmos @ 1rom all the thou*hts o1 all -ntelli*ences$ 1rom all the desires o1 all 0Imic entities$ 1rom all the actions per1ormed on e2ery plane by all 1orms. All these ma0e their respecti2e impressions$ the to us 1ormless$ but to lo1ty spiritual -ntelli*ences the 1ormed$ ima*es o1 all happenin*s$ and these P0Ishic -ma*es @ as /e /ill hence1orth call them @ abide 1or e2ermore$ and are the true Karmic 8ecords$ the Boo0 o1 the &ipi0a$ [The ecret !octrine$ 7olume 1$ )a*es 1 #51 9] that may be read by any /ho possess the ABCopened eye o1 ?an*maABD$ ["#id$ stan4a 1$ o1 the $ook of !zyan, and see ,onclusion] -t is the re1lection o1 these P0Ishic -ma*es that may be thro/n upon the screen o1 astral matter by the action o1 the trained attention @ as a picture may be thro/n on a screen 1rom a slide in a ma*ic5lantern @ so that a scene 1rom the past may be reproduced in all its li2in* reality$ correct in e2ery detail o1 its 1ar5o11 happenin*! 1or in the P0Ishic 8ecords it e(ists$ imprinted there once 1or all$ and a 1leetin* li2in* picture o1 any pa*e o1 these 8ecords can be made at pleasure$ dramati4ed on the astral [Page 26] plane$ and li2ed in by the trained 'eer. -1 this imper1ect description be 1ollo/ed by the reader$ he /ill be able to 1orm 1or himsel1 some 1aint idea o1 Karma in its aspect as ,ause. -n the P0Isha /ill be pictured the Mental -ma*e created by a 'oul$ inseparable 1rom it! then the Astro5mental -ma*e produced by it$ the acti2e ensouled creature$ ran*in* the astral plane and producin* innumerable e11ects$ all accurately pictured in connection /ith it$ and$ there1ore$ traceable to it and throu*h it to its parent$ each such thread @ spun as it /ere out o1 its o/n substance by the Astro5mental -ma*e$ as a spider spins its /eb @ bein* reco*ni4able by its o/n shade o1 colour! and ho/e2er many such threads may be /o2en into an e11ect$ each thread is distin*uishable and is traceable to its ori*inal 1orth5*i2er$ the 'oul that *enerated the Mental -ma*e. Thus$ 1or our clumsy earth5bound intelli*ences$ in miserably inadeHuate lan*ua*e$ /e may 1i*ure 1orth the /ay in /hich indi2idual responsibility is seen at a *lance by the *reat &ords o1 Karma$ the administrators o1 0armic &a/! the 1ull responsibility o1 the 'oul 1or the Mental -ma*e it creates$ and the partial responsibility 1or its 1ar5reachin* e11ects$ *reater or less as each e11ect has other 0armic threads enterin* into its causation. Thus also may /e understand /hy [Page 27] moti2e plays a part so predominant in the /or0in* out o1 Karma$ and /hy actions are so relati2ely subordinate in their *enerati2e ener*y! /hy Karma /or0s out on each plane accordin* to its constituents$ and yet lin0s the planes to*ether by the continuity o1 its thread. .hen the illuminatin* concepts o1 the .isdom 8eli*ion shed their 1lood o1 li*ht o2er the /orld$ dispersin* its obscurity and re2ealin* the absolute Qustice /hich is /or0in* under all the apparent incon*ruities$ ineHualities and accidents o1 li1e$ is it any /onder that our hearts should *o out in *ratitude unspea0able to the =reat "nes @ blessed be TheyO @ /ho hold up the Torch o1 Truth in the mur0y dar0ness$ and 1ree us 1rom the tension that /as strainin* us to brea0in*5point$ the helpless a*ony o1 /itnessin* /ron*s that seemed irremediable$ the hopelessness o1 Qustice$ the despair o1 &o2eN 9e are not boundO the 'oul o1 Thin*s is s/eet$ The +eart o1 Bein* is celestial rest! 'tron*er than /oe is /illG that /hich /as =ood ?oth pass to Better @ Best. 'uch is the &a/ /hich mo2es to ri*hteousness$ .hich none at last can turn aside or stay! The heart o1 it is &o2e$ the end o1 it -s )eace and ,onsummation s/eet. "bey. [Page 28]

)a*e 1:

Karma by Annie Besant

.e may perhaps *ain in clearness i1 /e tabulate the three1old results o1 the acti2ity o1 the 'oul that *o to the ma0in* up o1 Karma as ,ause$ re*arded in principle rather than in detail. Thus /e ha2e durin* a li1e5 periodG P.ane (0irit/a. Man -reates on Psy-,i"o4er Astra. Materia. A:;<s,a Hig,er Astra. Res/.t A:;<s,i- Images =orming KarmiRe-or1s Menta. Images> remaining in -reator?s -ons-io/sness Astro3menta. Images> a-tive entities on 0sy-,i- 0.ane

The results o1 these /ill be tendencies$ capacities$ acti2ities$ opportunities$ en2ironment$ etc.$ chie1ly in 1uture li1e5periods$ /or0ed out in accordance /ith de1inite la/s.

)a*e 1<

Karma by Annie Besant +. THE MAKI 5 $F KARMA I 2ETAI"

The 'oul in Man$ the E*o$ the Ma0er o1 Karma$ must be reco*ni4ed by the student as a *ro/in* entity$ a li2in* indi2idual$ /ho increases in /isdom and in [Page &9] mental stature as he treads the path o1 his aeonian e2olution! and the 1undamental identity o1 the +i*her and &o/er Manas must be constantly 0ept in mind. For con2enience sa0e /e distin*uish bet/een them$ but the di11erence is a di11erence o1 1unctionin* acti2ity and not o1 natureG the +i*her Manas is Manas /or0in* on the spiritual plane$ in possession o1 its 1ull consciousness o1 its o/n past! the &o/er Manas is Manas /or0in* on the psychic or astral plane$ 2eiled in astral matter$ 2ehicled in KIma$ and /ith all its acti2ities intermin*led /ith and coloured by the desire5nature it is to a *reat e(tent blinded by the astral matter that 2eils it$ and is in possession only o1 a portion o1 the total mInasic consciousness$ this portion consistin* @ 1or the 2ast ma6ority @ o1 a limited selection 1rom the more stri0in* e(periences o1 the one incarnation then in pro*ress. For the practical purposes o1 li1e as seen$ by most people$ the &o/er Manas is the ABC-ABD and is /hat /e term the )ersonal5E*o! the 2oice o1 conscience$ 2a*uely and con1usedly re*arded as supernatural$ as the 2oice o1 =od$ is 1or them the only mani1estation o1 the +i*her Manas on the psychic plane$ and they Huite ri*htly re*ard it as authoritati2e$ ho/e2er mista0en they may be as to its nature. But the student must reali4e that the &o/er Manas is one /ith [Page &1] the +i*her$ as the ray is one /ith its sun! the 'un5Manas shines e2er in the hea2en o1 the spiritual plane$ the 8ay5Manas penetrates the psychic plane! but i1 they be re*arded as t/o$ other/ise than 1or con2enience in distin*uishin* their 1unctionin*$ hopeless con1usion /ill arise. The E*o then is a *ro/in* entity$ an increasin* Huantity. The ray sent do/n is li0e a hand plun*ed into /ater to sei4e some ob6ect and then /ithdra/n$ holdin* the ob6ect in its *rasp. The increase in the E*o depends on the 2alue o1 the ob6ects *athered by its outstretched hand$ and the importance o1 all its /or0 /hen the ray is /ithdra/n is limited and conditioned by the e(periences *athered /hile that ray has been 1unctionin* on the psychic plane. -t is as thou*h a labourer /ent out into a 1ield$ toilin* in rain and in sunshine$ in cold and in heat$ returnin* home at ni*ht! but the labourer is also the proprietor$ and all the results o1 his labour 1ill his o/n *ranaries and enrich his o/n store. Each )ersonal5E*o is the immediately e11ecti2e part o1 the continuin* or -ndi2idual5E*o$ representin* it in the lo/er /orld$ and necessary more or less de2eloped accordin* to the sta*e at /hich the E*o$ as a totality or an -ndi2idual$ has arri2ed. -1 this be clearly understood the sense o1 in6ustice to the [Page &2] )ersonal5E*o in its succession to its 0armic inheritance @ o1ten 1elt as a di11iculty by the youn* student o1 Theosophy @ /ill disappear! 1or it /ill be reali4ed that the E*o that made the Karma reaps the Karma$ the labourer that so/ed the seed *athers in the har2est$ thou*h the clothes in /hich he /or0ed as so/er may ha2e /orn out durin* the inter2al bet/een the so/in* and the reapin*! the E*o3s astral *arments ha2e also 1allen to pieces bet/een seed5time and har2est$ and he reaps in a ne/ suit o1 clothes! but it is ABCheABD /ho so/ed and /ho reaps$ and i1 he so/ed but little seed or seed badly chosen$ it is he /ho /ill 1ind but a poor har2est /hen as reaper he *oeth 1orth. -n the early sta*es o1 the E*o3s *ro/th his pro*ress /ill be e(tremely slo/$ ['ee $irth and %volution of the oul ] 1or he /ill be led hither and thither by desire$ 1ollo/in* attractions on the physical plane! the Mental -ma*es he *enerates /ill be mostly o1 the passional class$ and hence the Astro5mental -ma*es /ill be 2iolent and short5li2ed rather than stron* and 1ar5reachin*. Accordin* as mInasic elements enter into the composition o1 the Mental -ma*e /ill be the endurance o1 the Astro5mental. 'teady$ sustained thou*ht /ill 1orm clearly de1ined Mental -ma*es$ and correspondin*ly stron* and endurin* [Page &&] Astro5 mental -ma*es$ and there /ill be a distinct purpose in the li1e$ a clearly reco*ni4ed -deal to /hich the )a*e 14

Karma by Annie Besant

mind is constantly recurrin* and on /hich it continually d/ellsG this Mental -ma*e /ill become a dominatin* in1luence in the mental li1e$ and the ener*ies o1 the 'oul /ill be lar*ely directed by it. &et us no/ study the ma0in* o1 Karma by /ay o1 the Mental -ma*e. ?urin* a man3s li1e he 1orms an innumerable assembla*e o1 Mental -ma*es! some are stron*$ clear$ continually rein1orced by repeated mental impulses! others are /ea0$ 2a*ue$ 6ust 1ormed and then as it /ere 1orsa0en by the mind! at death the 'oul 1inds itsel1 possessed o1 myriads o1 these Mental -ma*es$ and they 2ary in character as /ell as in stren*th and de1initeness. 'ome are o1 spiritual aspirations$ lon*in*s to be o1 ser2ice$ *ropin*s a1ter 0no/led*e$ 2o/s o1 sel15dedication to the +i*her &i1e! some are purely intellectual$ clear *ems o1 thou*ht$ receptacles o1 the results o1 deep study! some are emotional and passional$ breathin* lo2e$ compassion$ tenderness$ de2otion$ an*er$ ambition$ pride$ *reed! some are 1rom bodily appetites$ stimulated by uncurbed desire$ and represent thou*hts o1 *luttony$ drun0enness$ sensuality. Each 'oul has its o/n consciousness$ cro/ded /ith these Mental -ma*es$ [Page &'] the outcome o1 its mental li1e! not one thou*ht$ ho/e2er 1leetin*$ but is there represented! the Astro5mental -ma*es may in many cases lon* ha2e perished$ may ha2e had stren*th enou*h to endure but 1or a 1e/ hours$ but the Mental -ma*es remain amon* the possessions o1 the 'oul$ not one is lac0in*. All these Mental -ma*es the 'oul carries a/ay /ith it$ /hen it passes throu*h death into the astral /orld. The KIma &o0a$ or )lace o1 ?esire$ is di2ided into many strata as it /ere$ and the 'oul 6ust a1ter death is encumbered /ith its complete body o1 desire$ or KIma 8Jpa$ and all the Mental -ma*es 1ormed by KIma5Manas that are o1 a *ross and animal nature are po/er1ul on the lo/est le2els o1 this astral /orld. A poorly de2eloped 'oul /ill d/ell on these -ma*es and act them out$ thus preparin* itsel1 to repeat them a*ain physically in its ne(t li1e! a man /ho has d/elt on sensual thou*hts and made such Mental -ma*es /ill not only be dra/n to earth5scenes connected /ith sensual *rati1ications$ but /ill constantly be repeatin* them as actions in his mind$ and so settin* up in his nature stron*er and stron*er impulses to/ards the 1uture commission o1 similar o11ences. 'o /ith other Mental -ma*es 1ormed 1rom material supplied by the desire5nature$ that belon* to other le2els in KIma [Page &*] &o0a. As the 'oul rises 1rom the lo/er le2els to the hi*her$ the Mental -ma*es built 1rom the materials o1 the lo/er le2els lose these elements$ thus becomin* latent in consciousness$ or /hat +. ). Bla2ats0y used to call ABCpri2ations o1 matterABD$ capable o1 e(istin* but out o1 material mani1estation. The 0Ima5rJpic 2esture is puri1ied o1 its *rosser elements as the &o/er E*o is dra/n up/ards$ or in/ards$ to/ards the de2achanic re*ion$ each cast5o11 ABCshellABD disinte*ratin* in due course$ until the last is do11ed and the ray is completely /ithdra/n$ 1ree 1rom all astral encasement. "n the return o1 the E*o to/ards earth5li1e$ these latent ima*es /ill be thro/n out/ards and /ill attract to themsel2es the appropriate 0Imic materials$ /hich ma0e them capable o1 mani1estation on the astral plane$ and they /ill become the appetites$ passions and lo/er emotions o1 his desire5body 1or his ne/ incarnation. .e may remar0 in passin* that some o1 the Mental -ma*es encirclin* the ne/ly arri2ed 'oul are the source o1 much trouble durin* the earlier sta*es o1 the postmortem li1e! superstitious belie1s presentin* themsel2es as Mental -ma*es torture the 'oul /ith pictures o1 horrors that ha2e no place in its real surroundin*s. [ 'ee The Astral )lane$ ,. .. &eadbeater$ pp. 4 $ 4>] [Page &+] All the Mental -ma*es 1ormed 1rom the passions and appetites are sub6ected to the process abo2e described$ to be remani1ested by the E*o on its return to earth5li1e$ and as the /riter o1 the &stral 'lane saysG )a*e 1

Karma by Annie Besant

The &-)-KA$ the *reat Karmic deities o1 the Kosmos$ /ei*h the deeds o1 each personality /hen the 1inal separation o1 its principles ta0es place in KIma &o0a$ and *i2e as it /ere the mould o1 the Etheric ?ouble e(actly suitable to its Karma 1or the man3s ne(t birth.['ee The &stral 'lane, ,... &eadbeater$ pa*e 8>] Freed 1or the time 1rom these lo/er elements$ the 'oul passes on into ?e2achan$ /here it spends a time proportionate to the /ealth or po2erty o1 its Mental -ma*es pure enou*h to be carried into that re*ion. +ere it 1inds a*ain e2ery one o1 its lo1tier e11orts$ ho/e2er brie1 it may ha2e been$ ho/e2er 1leetin*$ and here it /or0s upon them$ buildin* out o1 these materials po/ers 1or its comin* li2es. The de2achanic li1e is one o1 assimilation! the e(periences collected on earth ha2e to be /or0ed into the te(ture o1 the 'oul$ and it is by these that the E*o *ro/s! its de2elopment depends on the number and 2ariety o1 the Mental -ma*es it has 1ormed durin* its earth5li1e$ and transmuted into their appropriate and more permanent types. =atherin* to*ether all the Mental -ma*es o1 a special class$ it e(tracts 1rom them E)a*e <#F their essence! by meditation it creates a mental or*an$ and pours into it as 1aculty the essence it has e(tracted. For instanceG a man has 1ormed many Mental -ma*es out o1 aspirations 1or 0no/led*e and e11orts to understand subtle and lo1ty reasonin*s! he casts o11 his body$ his mental po/ers bein* o1 only a2era*e 0ind! in his ?e2achan he /or0s on all these Mental -ma*es$ and e2ol2es them into capacity$ so that his 'oul returns to earth /ith a hi*her mental apparatus than it be1ore possessed$ /ith much increased intellectual po/ers$ able to achie2e tas0s 1or /hich be1ore it /as utterly inadeHuate. This is the trans1ormation o1 the Mental -ma*es$ by /hich as Mental -ma*es they cease to e(ist! i1 in later li2es the 'oul /ould see0 to see a*ain these as they /ere$ it must see0 them in the Karmic 8ecords$ /here they remain 1or e2er as I0Ishic -ma*es. By this trans1ormation they cease to be Mental -ma*es created and /or0ed on by the 'oul$ and become po/ers o1 the 'oul$ part o1 its 2ery nature. -1 then a man desires to possess hi*her mental 1aculties than he at present en6oys$ he can ensure their de2elopment by deliberately /illin* to acHuire them$ persistently 0eepin* their acHuirement in 2ie/$ 1or desire and aspiration in one li1e become 1aculty in another$ and the /ill to per1orm becomes the capacity [Page &7] to achie2e. But it must be remembered that the 1aculty thus built is strictly limited by the materials supplied to the architect! there is no creation out o1 nothin*$ and i1 the 'oul on earth 1ail to e(ercise its po/ers by so/in* the seed o1 aspiration and desire$ the 'oul in ?e2achan /ill ha2e but scanty har2est. Mental -ma*es /hich ha2e been constantly repeated$ but are not o1 the aspirin* character$ o1 the lon*in* to achie2e more than the 1eeble po/ers o1 the 'oul permit$ become tendencies o1 thou*ht$ *roo2es into /hich mental ener*y runs easily and readily. +ence the importance o1 not lettin* the mind dri1t aimlessly amon* insi*ni1icant ob6ects$ idly creatin* tri2ial Mental -ma*es$ and lettin* them d/ell in the mind. These /ill persist and 1orm channels 1or 1uture outpourin*s o1 mental 1orce /hich /ill thus be led to meander about on lo/ le2els runnin* into the accustomed *roo2es$ as the paths o1 least resistance. The /ill or desire to per1orm a certain action$ such /ill or desire ha2in* been 1rustrated$ not by /ant o1 ability but by /ant o1 opportunity$ or by circumstances 1orbiddin* accomplishment$ /ill cause Mental -ma*es /hich @ i1 the action be o1 a hi*h and pure nature @ /ill be acted out in thou*ht on the de2achanic plane$ and /ill be precipitated as actions on returnin* to [Page &8] earth. -1 the Mental -ma*e /as 1ormed out o1 desire to do bene1icent actions$ it /ould *i2e rise to the mental per1ormance o1 these actions in ?e2achan! and this per1ormance$ the re1lection o1 the -ma*e itsel1$ /ould lea2e it in the E*o as an intensi1ied Mental -ma*e o1 an action$ /hich /ould be thro/n out on to the physical plane as a physical act$ the moment the touch o1 1a2ourable opportunity precipitated this crystalli4ation o1 the )a*e 1>

Karma by Annie Besant

thou*ht into the act. The physical act is ine2itable /hen the Mental -ma*e has been reali4ed as action on the de2achanic plane. The same la/ applies to Mental -ma*es 1ormed out o1 baser desires$ thou*h these ne2er pass into ?e2achan$ but are sub6ected to the process be1ore described$ to be re1ormed on the /ay bac0 to earth. 8epeated co2etous desires$ 1or instance$ out o1 /hich Mental -ma*es are 1ormed$ /ill crystalli4e out as acts o1 the1t$ /hen circumstances are propitious. The causati2e Karma is complete$ and the physical act has become the ine2itable e11ect$ /hen it has reached the sta*e at /hich another repetition o1 the Mental -ma*e means its passin* into action. -t must not be 1or*otten that repetition o1 an act tends to ma0e the act automatic$ and this la/ /or0s on planes other than the physical! i1 then an action be constantly repeated on the psychic plane it [Page '9] /ill become automatic$ and /hen opportunity o11ers /ill automatically be imitated on the physical. +o/ o1ten it is said a1ter a crime$ ABC-t /as done be1ore - thou*htABD$ or ABC-1 - had thou*ht 1or a moment - /ould ne2er ha2e done itABD. The spea0er is Huite ri*ht in his plea that he /as not then mo2ed by a deliberate thou*ht5out idea$ and he is naturally i*norant as to precedin* thou*hts$ the train o1 causes that led up to the ine2itable result. Thus a saturated solution /ill solidi1y i1 but one more crystal be dropped into it! at the mere contact$ the /hole passes into the solid state. .hen the a**re*ation o1 Mental -ma*es has reached saturation point$ the addition o1 but one more solidi1ies them into an act. The act$ a*ain$ is ine2itable$ 1or the 1reedom o1 choice has been e(hausted in choosin* o2er and o2er a*ain to ma0e the Mental -ma*e$ and the physical is constrained to obey the mental impulsion. The desire to do in one li1e reacts as compulsion to do in another$ and it seems as thou*h the desire /or0ed as a demand upon Nature$ to /hich she responds by a11ordin* the opportunity to per1orm.['ee the later section on the /or0in* out o1 Karma] The Mental -ma*es stored up by the memory as the e(periences throu*h /hich the 'oul has passed durin* its earth5li1e$ the e(act record o1 the action upon it o1 [Page '1] the e(ternal /orld$ must also be /or0ed on by the 'oul. By study o1 these$ by meditation upon them$ the 'oul learns to see their inter5 relations$ their 2alue as translations to it o1 the /or0in*s o1 the ;ni2ersal Mind in mani1ested Nature! in a sentence$ it e(tracts 1rom them by patient thou*ht upon them all the lessons they ha2e to teach. &essons o1 pleasure and pain$ o1 pleasure breedin* pain and pain breedin* pleasure$ teachin* the presence o1 in2iolable la/s to /hich it must learn to con1orm itsel1. &essons o1 success and 1ailure$ o1 achie2ement and disappointment$ o1 1ears pro2in* *roundless$ o1 hopes 1ailin* reali4ation$ o1 stren*th collapsin* under trial$ o1 1ancied 0no/led*e betrayin* itsel1 as i*norance$ o1 patient endurance /restin* 2ictory 1rom apparent de1eat$ o1 rec0lessness chan*in* into de1eat apparent 2ictory. "2er all these thin*s the 'oul ponders$ and by its o/n alchemy it chan*es all this mi(ture o1 e(periences into the *old o1 /isdom$ so that it may return to earth as a /iser 'oul$ brin*in* to bear on the e2ents /hich meet it in the ne/ li1e this result o1 the e(periences o1 the old. +ere a*ain the Mental -ma*es ha2e been transmuted$ and no lon*er e(ist as Mental -ma*es. They can only be reco2ered in their old 1orm 1rom the Karmic 8ecords. [Page '2] -t is 1rom the Mental -ma*es o1 e(periences$ and more especially 1rom those /hich tell ho/ su11erin* has been caused by i*norance o1 &a/$ that ,onscience is born and is de2eloped. The 'oul durin* its successi2e earth5li2es is constantly led by ?esire to rush headlon* a1ter some attracti2e ob6ect! in its pursuit it dashes itsel1 a*ainst &a/$ and 1alls$ bruised and bleedin*. Many such e(periences teach it that *rati1ications sou*ht a*ainst &a/ are but /ombs o1 pain$ and /hen in some ne/ earth5li1e the desire5 body /ould 1ain carry the 'oul into en6oyment /hich is e2il$ the memory o1 past e(periences asserts itsel1 as ,onscience$ and cries aloud its 1orbiddance$ and reins in the hurryin* horses o1 the senses that /ould plun*e heedlessly a1ter the ob6ects o1 desire. At the present sta*e o1 e2olution all but the most bac0/ard 'ouls ha2e passed throu*h su11icient e(periences to reco*ni4e the broad outlines o1 ABCri*htABD and ABC/ron*ABD$ i.e.$ o1 harmony /ith the ?i2ine Nature$ and o1 discord$ and on these main Huestions o1 ethics a /ide and lon* e(perience enables the 'oul to spea0 clearly and de1initely. But on many hi*her )a*e 1#

Karma by Annie Besant

and subtler Huestions$ belon*in* to the present sta*e o1 e2olution and not to the sta*es that lie behind us$ e(perience is still so restricted and insu11icient that it has not yet been /or0ed up into [Page '&] ,onscience$ and the 'oul may err in its decision$ ho/e2er /ell intentioned its e11ort to see clearly and to act ri*htly. +ere its will to o#ey sets it in line /ith the ?i2ine Nature on the hi*her planes$ and its 1ailure to see how to obey on the lo/er plane /ill be remedied 1or the 1uture by the pain it 1eels as it blunders up5 a*ainst the &a/G the su11erin* /ill teach it /hat be1ore it 0ne/ not$ and its sorro/1ul e(periences /ill be /or0ed into ,onscience$ to preser2e it 1rom similar pain in the 1uture$ to *i2e it the 6oy o1 1uller 0no/led*e o1 =od in Nature$ o1 sel15conscious accord /ith the &a/ o1 &i1e$ o1 sel15conscious co5operation in the /or0 o1 e2olution. Thus 1ar /e see as de1inite principles o1 Karmic &a/ /or0in* /ith Mental -ma*es as ,auses$ thatG

BEC$ME As0irations an1 2esire Re0eate1 T,o/g,ts %i..s to 0er=orm E@0erien-es Pain=/. E@0erien-es Ca0a-ities Ten1en-ies A-tions %is1om Cons-ien-e

Karmic &a/ /or0in* /ith Astro5mental -ma*es seems better considered under the head o1 the /or0in* out o1 Karma$ to /hich /e /ill no/ turn. [Page '']

)a*e 18

Karma by Annie Besant 6. THE %$RKI 5 $)T $F KARMA

.hen the 'oul has li2ed out its de2achanic li1e$ and has assimilated all that it can o1 the material *athered durin* its last period on earth$ it be*ins to be dra/n a*ain to/ards earth by the lin0s o1 ?esire that bind it to material e(istence. The last sta*e o1 its li1e5period no/ lies be1ore it$ the sta*e durin* /hich it re5clothes itsel1 1or another e(perience o1 earthly li1e$ the sta*e that is closed by the =ate/ay o1 Birth. The 'oul steps o2er the threshold o1 ?e2achan into /hat has been called the plane o1 8e5incarnation$ brin*in* /ith it the result$ small or *reat$ o1 its de2achanic /or0. -1 it be but a youn* 'oul$ it /ill ha2e *ained but little! pro*ress in the early sta*es o1 'oul5E2olution is slo/ to an e(tent scarcely reali4ed by most students$ and durin* the babyhood o1 the 'oul li1e5day succeeds li1e5day in /earyin* succession$ each earth5li1e so/in* but little seed$ each ?e2achan ripenin* but little 1ruit. As 1aculties de2elop$ *ro/th Huic0ens at an e2er5increasin* rate$ and the 'oul that enters ?e2achan /ith a lar*e store o1 material$ comes out o1 it /ith a lar*e increase o1 1aculty$ /or0ed out under the *eneral la/s be1ore stated. -t issues 1rom ?e2achan clothed only in that body o1 the 'oul that [Page '*] endures and *ro/s throu*hout the Man2antara$$ surrounded by the aura that belon*s to it as an indi2idual$ more or less *lorious$ many5 hued$ luminous$ de1inite$ and e(tensi2e$ accordin* to the sta*e o1 e2olution reached by the 'oul. -t has been /rou*ht in the hea2enly 1ire$ and comes 1orth as Kin* 'oma. [A mystic name$ 1ull o1 meanin* to the student /ho understands the part played by 'oma in some ancient mysteries] )assin* on to the astral plane on its earth/ard 6ourney$ it clothes itsel1 ane/ in a Body o1 ?esire$ the 1irst result o1 the /or0in*s out o1 its past Karma. The Mental -ma*es 1ormed durin* the past ABC1rom materials supplied by the desire nature$ that had become latent in consciousness$ or /hat +. ). Bla2ats0y used to call 3pri2ations o1 matter3$ capable o1 e(istin*$ but out o1 material mani1estationABD$ are no/ thro/n out/ards by the 'oul$ and immediately attract to themsel2es 1rom the matter o1 the astral plane the 0Imic elements con*enial to their natures$ and ABCbecome the appetites$ passions$ and lo/er emotions o1 his Ethe E*o3sF desire body 1or his ne/ incarnationABD. [&nte, pa*e <4] .hen this /or0 is accomplished @ a /or0 sometimes 2ery brie1$ sometimes one that [Page '+] causes lon* delay @ the E*o stands in the 0armic 2esture he has prepared 1or himsel1$ ready to be ABCclothed uponABD$ to recei2e 1rom the hands o1 the a*ents o1 the =reat &ords o1 Karma the etheric double [Formerly called the &in*a 'harRra$ a name that *a2e rise to much con1usionF built 1or him accordin* to the elements he has himsel1 pro2ided$ a1ter /hich shall be shaped his physical body$ the house /hich he must inhabit durin* his comin* physical li1e. The indi2idual and the personal E*o are thus immediately sel15built$ as it /ere @ /hat he thou*ht on$ that he has become! his Hualities$ his ABCnatural *i1tsABD$ all these appertain to him as the direct results o1 his thin0in*! the Man is in 2ery truth sel15created$ responsible$ in the 1ullest sense o1 the /ord$ 1or all that he is. But this man is to ha2e a physical and etheric body that /ill lar*ely condition the e(ercise o1 his 1aculties! he is to li2e in some en2ironment$ and accordin* to it this /ill be his out/ard circumstances! he is to tread a path mar0ed out by the causes he has set *oin*$ other than those /hich appear as e11ects in his 1aculties! he has to meet e2ents 6oy1ul and sorro/1ul$ resultin* 1rom the 1orces he has *enerated. 'omethin* more than his indi2idual and personal nature [Page '6] seems here to be neededG ho/ is the 1ield to be pro2ided 1or its ener*iesN +o/ are the conditionin* instruments and the re5actin* circumstances to be 1ound and adaptedN

)a*e 19

Karma by Annie Besant

.e approach a re*ion /hereo1 little may be 1itly said$ in that it is the re*ion o1 mi*hty 'piritual -ntelli*ences$ .hose nature is 1ar beyond the scope o1 our 2ery limited 1aculties$ .hose e(istence may indeed be 0no/n and .hose /or0in*s may be traced$ but to/ards .hom /e stand much in the position occupied by one o1 the least intelli*ent lo/er animals to/ards oursel2es$ in that it may 0no/ that /e e(ist but can ha2e no conception o1 the scope and /or0in*s o1 our consciousness. These =reat "nes are spo0en o1 as the &ipi0a and the Four MahIrI6ahs. +o/ little /e can 0no/ o1 the &ipi0a may be seen 1rom the 1ollo/in*! The &ipi0a$ a description o1 /hom is *i2en in ,ommentary > o1 'tan4a -7$ are the 'pirits o1 the ;ni2erse . . . ETheyF belon* to the most "ccult portion o1 cosmo*enesis$ /hich cannot be *i2en here. .hether the Adepts @ e2en the hi*hest @ 0no/ this an*elic order in the completeness o1 its triple de*rees$ or only the lo/er one connected /ith the records o1 our /orld$ is somethin* /hich the /riter is unprepared to say$ and she /ould rather incline to the latter supposition. "1 its hi*hest *rade one thin* only is tau*ht$ the &ipi0a are connected /ith Karma @ bein* its direct 8ecorders. [The ecret !octrine$ 7olume 1$ )a*e 1 <] [Page '7] They are the ABC 'econd 'e2enABD$ and They 0eep the Astral 8ecords$ 1illed /ith the P0Ishic -ma*es be1ore spo0en o1. [&nte pa*e : ] They are connected ABS ABS .ith the destiny o1 e2ery man$ and the birth o1 e2ery child. [The ecret !octrine 7olume 1$ )a*e 1<1] They *i2e ABCthe mould o1 the Etheric ?oubleABD$ [&nte pa*e < ] /hich /ill ser2e as the type o1 the physical body suited 1or the e(pression o1 the mental and passional 1aculties e2ol2ed by the E*o that is to d/ell therein$ and They *i2e it to ABCThe FourABD @ to the MahIrI6ahs$ .ho Are the protectors o1 man0ind and also the a*ents o1 Karma on Earth. [The ecret !octrine$ 7olume 1$ )a*e 1 1F "1 these +. ). Bla2ats0y$ /rites 1urther$ Huotin* the Fi1th 'tan4a o1 the $ook of !zyan( Four ABC.in*ed .heels at each corner ... 1or the Four +oly "nes and Their Armies K+ostsLABD. These are the ABCFour MahIrI6ahsABD$ or =reat Kin*s o1 the ?hyIn ,hohans$ the ?e2as$ .ho preside o2er each o1 the 1our cardinal points. . . . These Bein*s are also connected /ith Karma as the latter needs physical and material a*ents to carry out its decrees. ["#id 7olume 1$ )a*e 14#] 8ecei2in* the mould @ once more the ABCpri2ation o1 matterABD @ 1rom the &ipi0a$ the MahIrI6ahs choose [Page '8] 1or the composition o1 the etheric double the elements suited to the Hualities that are to be e(pressed throu*h it$ and this etheric double thus becomes a 1ittin* 0armic instrument 1or the E*o$ *i2in* it ali0e the basis 1or e(pression o1 the 1aculties it has e2ol2ed$ and the limitations imposed upon it by its o/n past 1ailures and /asted opportunities. This mould is *uided by the MahIrI6ahs to the country$ the race$ the 1amily$ the social surroundin*s$ /hich a11ord the most suitable 1ield 1or the /or0in* out o1 the Karma allotted to the particular li1e5span in Huestion$ that /hich the +indu calls the )rTrabdha$ or )a*e :%

Karma by Annie Besant

be*innin*$ Karma! i.e., that /hich is to be /or0ed out in the openin* li1e5period. -n no one li1e can the accumulated Karma o1 the past be /or0ed out @ no one instrument could be 1ormed no surroundin*s could be 1ound$ suitable 1or the e(pression o1 all the slo/ly e2ol2ed 1aculties o1 the E*o$ nor a11ordin* all the circumstances necessary 1or reapin* all the har2ests so/n in the past$ 1or dischar*in* all the obli*ations contracted to/ards other E*os /ith /hom the incarnatin* 'oul has come into contact in the course o1 its lon* e2olution. 'o much then o1 the total Karma as can be arran*ed 1or in one li1e5period$ has a suitable etheric double pro2ided 1or it$ the mould o1 that double bein* [Page *9] *uided to a suitable 1ield. -t is placed /here the E*o may come into relations /ith some o1 such E*os$ /ith /hom it has been related in its past$ as are present in$ or are comin* into$ incarnation durin* its o/n li1e5period. A country is chosen /here the reli*ious$ political and social conditions can be 1ound /hich are suitable to some o1 its capacities$ and a11ord the 1ield 1or the occurrence o1 some o1 the e11ects it has *enerated. A race is selected @ sub6ect$ o1 course$ to the /ider la/s a11ectin* incarnation in races$ into /hich /e cannot here enter @ o1 /hich the characteristics resemble some o1 the 1aculties /hich are ripe 1or e(ercise$ o1 /hich the type be1its the incomin* 'oul. A 1amily is 1ound in /hich physical heredity has e2ol2ed the 0ind o1 physical materials /hich$ built into the etheric double$ /ill adapt themsel2es to its constitution! a 1amily o1 /hich the *eneral or special physical or*ani4ation /ill a11ord play to the mental and passional natures o1 the E*o. "ut o1 the mani1old Hualities e(istin* in the 'oul$ and out o1 the mani1old physical types e(istin* in the /orld$ such can be selected as are adapted to each other$ a suitable casin* can be built 1or the /aitin* E*o$ an instrument and a 1ield in /hich some o1 his Karma can be out5/or0ed. Fathomless to our short plummet lines as may be the 0no/led*e and the [Page *1] po/er reHuired 1or such adaptations$ /e can yet dimly see that the adaptations can be made$ and that per1ect Qustice can be done! the /eb o1 a man3s destiny may indeed be composed o1 threads that to us are innumerable$ and that may need to be /o2en into a pattern o1 to us inconcei2able comple(ity! a thread may disappear @ it has only passed to the under side to come to the sur1ace a*ain presently! a thread may suddenly appear @ it has only re5 emer*ed on the upper side a1ter a lon* transit underneath! seein* but a 1ra*ment o1 the /eb$ the pattern may to our short si*ht be indistin*uishable. As /as /ritten by the sa*e lamblichusG .hat appears to us to be an accurate de1inition o1 6ustice does not also appear to be so to the =ods. For /e$ loo0in* to that /hich is most brie1$ direct our attention to thin*s present$ and to this momentary li1e$ and the manner in /hich it subsists. But the )o/ers that are superior to us 0no/ the /hole li1e o1 the 'oul$ and all its 1ormer li2es. [On the Mysteries, i2 4. 'ee ne/ edition o1 Thomas TaylorUs translation published by the T.).'.$ pa*es :%95:1%] This assurance that ABCper1ect Qustice rules the /orldABD. 1inds support 1rom the increasin* 0no/led*e o1 the e2ol2in* 'oul! 1or as it ad2ances and be*ins to see on hi*her planes and to transmit its 0no/led*e to the /a0in* consciousness$ /e learn /ith e2er5*ro/in* certainty$ and there1ore /ith e2er5increasin* 6oy$ that [Page *2] the =ood &a/ is /or0in* /ith unde2iatin* accuracy$ that its A*ents apply it e2ery/here /ith unerrin* insi*ht$ /ith un1ailin* stren*th$ and that all is there1ore 2ery /ell /ith the /orld and /ith its stru**lin* 'ouls. Throu*h the dar0ness rin*s out the cry$ ABC All is /ellABD$ 1rom the /atchmen 'ouls$ /ho carry the lamp o1 ?i2ine .isdom throu*h the mur0y /ays o1 our human city. 'ome o1 the principles o1 the /or0in* out o1 the &a/ /e can see$ and a 0no/led*e o1 these /ill help us in the tracin* out o1 causes$ the understandin* o1 e11ects. .e ha2e already seen that Thoughts #uild )haracter! let us ne(t reali4e that &ctions make %nvironment.

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Karma by Annie Besant

+ere /e ha2e to do /ith a *eneral principle o1 1ar5reachin* e11ect$ and it /ill be /ell to /or0 it out a little into detail. By his actions man a11ects his nei*hbours on the physical plane! he spreads happiness around him$ or he causes distress$ increasin* or diminishin* the sum o1 human /el1are. This increase or diminution o1 happiness may be due to 2ery di11erent moti2es @ *ood$ bad or mi(ed. A man may do an act that *i2es /idespread en6oyment 1rom sheer bene2olence$ 1rom a lon*in* to *i2e happiness to his 1ello/5creatures! let us say that 1rom such a moti2e he [Page *&] presents a par0 to a to/n$ 1or the 1ree use o1 its inhabitants! another may do a similar act 1rom mere ostentation$ 1rom desire to attract attention 1rom those /ho can besto/ social honours Ksay$ he mi*ht *i2e it as purchase money 1or a titleL! a third may *i2e a par0 1rom mi(ed moti2es$ partly unsel1ish$ partly sel1ish. The moti2es /ill se2erally a11ect these three men3s characters in their 1uture incarnations$ 1or impro2ement$ 1or de*radation$ 1or small results. But the e11ect o1 the action in causin* happiness to lar*e numbers o1 people does not depend on the moti2e o1 the *i2er! the people en6oy the par0 eHually$ no matter /hat may ha2e prompted its *i1t$ and this en6oyment$ due to the action o1 the *i2er$ establishes 1or him a 0armic claim on Nature$ a debt due to him that /ill be scrupulously paid. +e /ill recei2e a physically com1ortable or lu(urious en2ironment$ as he has *i2en /idespread physical en6oyment$ and his sacri1ice o1 physical /ealth /ill brin* him his due re/ard$ the 0armic 1ruit o1 his action. This is his ri*ht! but the use he ma0es o1 his position$ the happiness he deri2es 1rom his /ealth and his surroundin*s$ /ill depend chie1ly on his character$ and here a*ain the 6ust re/ard accrues to him$ each seed bearin* its appropriate har2est. [Page *'] 'er2ice rendered to the 1ull measure o1 opportunity in one li1e /ill produce$ as e11ect$ enlar*ed opportunities o1 ser2ice in another! thus one /ho in a 2ery limited sphere helped each /ho came in the /ay$ /ould in a 1uture li1e be born into a position /here openin*s 1or *i2in* e11ecti2e help /ere many and 1ar5reachin*. A*ain$ /asted opportunities re5appear transmuted as limitations o1 the instrument$ and as mis1ortunes in the en2ironment. For instance$ the brain o1 the etheric double /ill be built de1ecti2ely$ thus brin*in* about a de1ecti2e physical brain! the E*o /ill plan$ but /ill 1ind itsel1 lac0in* in e(ecuti2e ability$ or /ill *rasp an idea$ but be unable to impress it distinctly on the brain. The /asted opportunities are trans1ormed into 1rustrated lon*in*s$ into desires /hich 1ail to 1ind e(pression$ into yearnin*s to help bloc0ed by the absence o1 po/er to render it$ /hether 1rom de1ecti2e capacity or 1rom lac0 o1 occasion. This same principle is o1ten at /or0 in the cuttin* a/ay 1rom tender care o1 some /ell5lo2ed child or idoli4ed youth. -1 an E*o treats un0indly or ne*lects one to /hom he o/es a11ectionate duty and protection$ or ser2ice o1 any 0ind$ he /ill but too li0ely a*ain 1ind himsel1 born in close relationship /ith the ne*lected [Page **] one$ and perhaps tenderly attached to him$ only 1or early death to snatch him a/ay 1rom the encirclin* arms! the despised poor relation may re5appear as the much5honoured heir$ the only son$ and /hen the parents 1ind their house le1t unto them desolate$ they mar2el at the ABCuneHual /ays o1 )ro2idenceABD that depri2e them o1 their only one$ on /hom all their hopes ha2e been set$ and lea2e untouched the many children o1 their nei*hbour. 9et are the /ays o1 Karma eHual$ thou*h past 1indin* out$ sa2e 1or those /hose eyes ha2e been opened. ,on*enital de1ects result 1rom a de1ecti2e etheric double$ and are li1e5lon* penalties 1or serious rebellions a*ainst la/$ or 1or in6uries in1licted upon others. All such arise 1rom the /or0in* o1 the &ords o1 Karma$ and are the physical mani1estation o1 the de1ormities necessitated by the errors o1 the E*o$ by his e(cesses and de1ects$ in the mould o1 the etheric double made by Them. 'o a*ain 1rom Their 6ust administration o1 the &a/ come the in/rou*ht tendency to reproduce a 1amily disease$ the suitable )a*e ::

Karma by Annie Besant

con1i*uration o1 the etheric double$ and the direction o1 it to a 1amily in /hich a *i2en disease is hereditary$ and /hich a11ords the ABCcontinuous plasmABD suitable to the de2elopment o1 the appropriate *erms. [Page *+] The de2elopment o1 artistic 1aculties @ to ta0e another type o1 Hualities @ /ill be ans/ered by the &ords o1 Karma by the pro2ision o1 a mould 1or the etheric double a1ter /hich a delicate ner2ous system can be physically built$ and o1ten by the *uidin* o1 it to a 1amily in /hose members the special 1aculty de2eloped by the E*o has 1ound e(pression$ sometimes 1or many *enerations. For the e(pression o1 such a 1aculty as that o1 music$ 1or instance$ a peculiar physical body is needed$ a delicacy o1 physical ear and o1 physical touch$ and to such delicacy an appropriate physical heredity /ould be most conduci2e. The renderin* o1 ser2ice to man collecti2ely as by some noble boo0 or speech$ the spreadin* o1 ele2atin* ideas by pen or ton*ue$ is a*ain a claim upon the la/$ scrupulously dischar*ed by its mi*hty A*ents. 'uch help *i2en comes bac0 as help besto/ed on the *i2er$ as mental and spiritual assistance /hich is his by ri*ht. .e thus may *rasp the broad principles o1 0armic /or0in*$ the respecti2e parts played by the &ords o1 Karma and by the E*o itsel1 in the destiny o1 the indi2idual. The E*o supplies all the materials$ but the materials are used by the &ords or by the E*o respecti2ely accordin* to their natureG the latter builds up the character$ *radually e2ol2es itsel1! the 1ormer [Page *6] build the mould that limits$ choose the en2ironment$ and *enerally adapt and ad6ust$ in order that the =ood &a/ may 1ind its unerrin* e(pression despite the clashin* /ills o1 men.

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Karma by Annie Besant 7. FACI 5 KARMIC RE()"T(

'ometimes people 1eel$ on 1irst reco*ni4in* the e(istence o1 Karma$ that i1 all be the /or0in* out o1 &a/ they are but helpless sla2es o1 ?estiny. Ere considerin* ho/ the &a/ may be utili4ed 1or the control o1 ?estiny$ let us study 1or a 1e/ moments a typical case$ and see ho/ Necessity and Free/ill @ to use the accepted terms @ are both at /or0$ and at /or0 in harmony. A man comes into the /orld /ith certain inborn mental 1aculties$ let us say o1 an a2era*e type$ /ith a passional nature that sho/s de1inite characteristics$ some *ood$ some bad! /ith an etheric double and physical body 1airly /ell51ormed and healthy$ but o1 no specially splendid character. These are his limitations$ clearly mar0ed out 1or him$ and he 1inds himsel1 /hen he reaches manhood /ith this mental$ passional$ astral$ physical ABCstoc05in5handABD$ and he has to do the best he can /ith it. There are many mental hei*hts [Page *7] that he is de1initely unable to climb$ mental conceptions /hich his po/ers do not permit him to *rasp! there are temptations to /hich his passional nature yields$ thou*h he stri2es a*ainst them! there are triumphs o1 physical stren*th and s0ill that he cannot achie2e! in 1act$ he 1inds that he can no more thin0 as a *enius thin0s than he can be beauti1ul as an Apollo$ +e is /ithin a limitin* rin* and cannot pass out o1 it$ lon* as he may 1or liberty. Moreo2er$ he cannot a2oid troubles o1 many 0inds! they stri0e him$ and he can only bear his pain! he cannot escape 1rom it. No/ these thin*s are so. The man is limited by his past thou*hts$ by his /asted opportunities$ by his mista0en choices$ by his 1oolish yieldin*s! he is bound by his 1or*otten desires$ enchained by his errors o1 an earlier day. And yet he is not bound$ the 8eal Man. +e /ho made the past that imprisons his present$ can /or0 /ithin the prison5house and create a 1uture o1 liberty. Nay$ let him know that he himsel1 is 1ree$ and the 1etters /ill crumble a/ay 1rom his limbs$ and accordin* to the measure o1 his 0no/led*e /ill be the illusoriness o1 his bonds. But 1or the ordinary man to /hom the 0no/led*e /ill come as a spar0$ not as a 1lame$ the 1irst step to/ards 1reedom /ill be to accept his limitations as sel15made and proceed to [Page *8] enlar*e them. True$ he cannot thin0 as a *enius$ thin0s 6ust yet$ but he can thin0 to the 2ery best o1 his ability$ and by5and5by he /ill become a *enius! he can ma0e po/er 1or the 1uture$ and he /ill. True$ he cannot *et rid o1 his passional 1ollies in a moment$ but he can 1i*ht a*ainst them$ and /hen he has 1ailed he can 1i*ht on$ certain that presently he /ill conHuer. True$ he has astral and physical /ea0nesses and u*linesses$ but as his thou*hts *ro/ stron* and pure and beauti1ul$ and his /or0 bene1icent$ he is ensurin* 1or himsel1 more per1ect 1orms in days to come. +e is al/ays himsel1$ the 1ree 'oul$ in the midst o1 his prison house$ and he can he/ do/n the /alls he himsel1 has built. +e has no *aoler sa2e himsel1G he can /ill his 1reedom$ and in /illin* it he /ill achie2e. A trouble meets him! he is berea2ed o1 a 1riend$ he commits a serious 1ault. Be it so! he sinned as thin0er in the past$ he su11ers as actor in the present. But his 1riend is not lost! he /ill hold him 1ast by lo2e and in the 1uture he /ill 1ind him a*ain! mean/hile there are others round him to /hom he can *i2e the ser2ices he /ould ha2e sho/ered on his belo2ed$ and he /ill not a*ain ne*lect the duties that are his and so so/ seed 1or similar loss in 1uture li2es. +e has committed an open /ron* and su11ers its penalty$ but he thou*ht it in the [Page +9] past$ else could he not ha2e /rou*ht it no/G he /ill patiently endure the penalty he purchased by his thou*ht$ and /ill so thin0 today that his morro/s shall be 1ree 1rom shame. -nto /hat /as dar0ness$ has come a ray o1 li*ht$ and the li*ht is sin*in* to himG +oO ye /ho su11erO 0no/ 9e su11er 1rom yoursel2es. None else compels. )a*e :4

Karma by Annie Besant

The &a/ that seemed to be 1etters has become /in*s$ and by it he can rise to re*ions o1 /hich /ithout it he could only dream.

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Karma by Annie Besant 8. B)I"2I 5 THE F)T)RE

The cro/ds o1 'ouls dri1t on/ards alon* the slu**ish current o1 Time. As the earth rolls$ it carries them /ith it! as *lobe succeeds *lobe$ they too pass on. But the .isdom 8eli*ion is ane/ proclaimed to the /orld that all /ho choose may cease to dri1t$ and may learn to outstrip the slo/ e2olution o1 the /orlds. The student$ /hen he *rasps somethin* o1 the meanin* o1 the &a/$ o1 its absolute certainty$ o1 its unerrin* e(actitude$ be*ins to ta0e himsel1 in hand and acti2ely to superintend his o/n e2olution. +e scrutini4es his o/n character$ and then proceeds to manipulate it$ deliberately practisin* mental and moral Hualities$ [Page +1] enlar*in* capacities$ stren*thenin* /ea0nesses$ supplyin* de1iciencies$ remo2in* e(crescences. Kno/in* that he becomes that on /hich he meditates$ he deliberately and re*ularly meditates on a noble ideal$ 1or he understands /hy the *reat ,hristian -nitiate )aul bade his disciples ABCthin0 onABD the thin*s that are true$ honest$ 6ust$ pure$ lo2ely$ and o1 *ood report. ?aily he /ill meditate on his ideal! daily he /ill stri2e to li2e it! and he /ill do this persistently and calmly$ M/ithout haste$ /ithout restABD$ 1or he 0no/s that he is buildin* on a sure 1oundation$ on the roc0 o1 the Eternal &a/. +e appeals to the &a/! he ta0es re1u*e in the &a/! 1or such a man 1ailure e(ists not! there is no po/er in hea2en or in earth that can bar his /ay. ?urin* earth5li1e he *athers his e(periences$ utili4in* all that comes in his /ay! durin* ?e2achan he assimilates them and plans out his 1uture buildin*s. +erein lies the 2alue o1 a true theory o1 li1e$ e2en /hile the theory rest on the testimony o1 others and not on indi2idual 0no/led*e. .hen man accepts and partially understands the /or0in* o1 Karma$ he can at once be*in this buildin* o1 character$ settin* each stone /ith deliberate care$ 0no/in* that he is buildin* 1or Eternity. There is no lon*er hasty runnin* up and pullin* do/n$ /or0in* on one plan today$ [Page +2] on another to5morro/$ on none at all the day a1ter! but there is a dra1tin* o1 a /ell5thou*ht5out scheme o1 character$ as it /ere$ and then the buildin* accordin* to the scheme$ 1or the 'oul becomes an architect as /ell as a builder$ and /astes no more time in aborti2e be*innin*s. +ence the speed /ith /hich the later sta*es o1 e2olution are accomplished$ the stri0in*$ almost incredible ad2ances$ made by the stron* 'oul in its manhood.

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Karma by Annie Besant 19. M$)"2I 5 KARMA

The man /ho has set himsel1 deliberately to build the 1uture /ill reali4e$ as his 0no/led*e increases$ that he can do more than mould his o/n character$ thus ma0in* his 1uture destiny. +e be*ins to understand that he is at the centre o1 thin*s in a 2ery real sense$ a li2in*$ acti2e$ sel15determinin* Bein*$ and that he can act upon circumstances as /ell as upon himsel1. +e has lon* been accustomin* himsel1 to 1ollo/ the *reat ethical la/s$ laid do/n 1or the *uidance o1 humanity by the ?i2ine Teachers$ .ho ha2e been born 1rom a*e to a*e$ and he no/ *rasps the 1act that these la/s are based on 1undamental principles in Nature$ and that morality is science applied to conduct. +e sees that in his [Page +&] daily li1e he can neutrali4e the ill results that /ould 1ollo/ 1rom some ill deed$ by brin*in* to bear upon same point a correspondin* 1orce 1or *ood. A man sends a*ainst him an e2il thou*ht! he mi*ht meet it /ith another o1 its o/n 0ind$ and then the t/o thou*ht51orms$ runnin* to*ether li0e t/o drops o1 /ater$ /ould be rein1orced$ stren*thened$ each by each! but this one a*ainst /hom the e2il thou*ht is 1lyin* is a 0no/er o1 Karma$ and he meets the mali*nant 1orm /ith the 1orce o1 compassion and shatters it! the bro0en 1orm can no lon*er be ensouled /ith elemental li1e! the li1e melts bac0 to its o/n$ the 1orm disinte*rates! its po/er$ 1or e2il is thus destroyed by compassion$ and ABChatred ceases by lo2eABD. ?elusi2e 1orms o1 1alsehood *o 1orth into the astral /orld! the man o1 0no/led*e sends a*ainst them 1orms o1 truth! purity brea0s up 1oulness$ and charity sel1ish *reed. As 0no/led*e increases$ this action becomes direct and purposi2e$ the thou*ht is aimed /ith de1inite intent$ /in*ed /ith potent /ill. Thus e2il Karma is chec0ed in its 2ery inception$ and nau*ht is le1t to ma0e a 0armic tie bet/een the one /ho shot a sha1t o1 in6ury and the one /ho burned it up by pardon. The ?i2ine Teachers$ /ho spa0e as men ha2in* authority on the duty o1 o2ercomin* e2il /ith *ood$ based Their [Page +'] precepts on Their 0no/led*e o1 the la/! Their 1ollo/ers$ /ho obey /ithout 1ully seein* the scienti1ic 1oundation o1 the precept$ lessen the hea2y Karma that /ould be *enerated i1 they ans/ered hate /ith hate. But men o1 0no/led*e deliberately destroy the e2il 1orms$ understandin* the 1acts on /hich the teachin* o1 the Masters has e2er been based$ and sterili4in* the seed o1 e2il$ they pre2ent a 1uture har2est o1 pain. At a sta*e /hich is comparati2ely ad2anced in comparison /ith that o1 the slo/ly dri1tin*$ a2era*e humanity$ a man /ill not only build his o/n character and /or0 /ith deliberate intent on the thou*ht5 1orms that come in his /ay$ but he /ill be*in to see the past and thus more accurately to *au*e the present$ tracin* 0armic causes on/ards to their e11ects. +e becomes able to modi1y the 1uture by consciously settin* 1orces to /or0 desi*ned to interact /ith others already in motion. Kno/led*e enables him to utili4e la/ /ith the same certainty /ith /hich scientists utili4e it in e2ery department o1 Nature. &et us pause 1or a moment to consider the la/s o1 motion. A body has been set in motion$ and is mo2in* alon* a de1inite line! i1 another 1orce be brou*ht to bear upon it$ di11erin* in direction 1rom the one that *a2e it its initial impulse$ the body /ill mo2e [Page +*] alon* another line @ a line compounded o1 the t/o impulses! no ener*y /ill be lost$ but part o1 the 1orce /hich *a2e the initial impulse /ill be used up in partially counteractin* the ne/$ and the resultant direction alon* /hich the body /ill mo2e /ill be that neither o1 the 1irst 1orce nor o1 the second$ but o1 the interplay o1 the t/o. A physicist can calculate e(actly at /hat an*le he must stri0e a mo2in* body in order to cause it to mo2e in a desired direction$ and althou*h the body itsel1 may be beyond his immediate reach$ he can send a1ter it a 1orce o1 calculated 2elocity to stri0e it at a de1inite an*le$ thus de1lectin* it 1rom its pre2ious course$ and impellin* it alon* a ne/ line. -n this there is no 2iolation o1 la/$ no inter1erence /ith la/! only the utili4ation o1 la/ by 0no/led*e$ the bendin* o1 natural 1orces to accomplish the purpose o1 the human /ill. -1 /e apply this principle to the mouldin* o1 Karma$ /e shall readily see @ apart 1rom the 1act that la/ is in2iolable @ that )a*e :#

Karma by Annie Besant

there is no ABC inter1erence /ith KarmaABD$ /hen /e modi1y its action by 0no/led*e. .e are usin* 0armic 1orce to a11ect 0armic results$ and once more /e conHuer Nature by obedience. &et us no/ suppose that the ad2anced student$ *lancin* bac0/ards o2er the past$ sees lines o1 past Karma [Page ++] con2er*in* to a point o1 action o1 an undesirable 0ind! he can introduce a ne/ 1orce amon* the con2er*in* ener*ies$ and so modi1y the e2ent$ /hich must be the resultant o1 all the 1orces concerned in its *eneration and ripenin*. For such action he reHuires 0no/led*e$ not only the po/er to see the past and to trace the lines /hich connect it /ith the present$ but also to calculate e(actly the in1luence that the 1orce he introduces /ill e(ercise as modi1yin* the resultant$ and 1urther the e11ects that /ill 1lo/ 1rom this resultant considered as cause. -n this /ay he may lessen or destroy the results o1 e2il /rou*ht by himsel1 in the past$ by the *ood 1orces he pours 1orth into his 0armic stream! he cannot undo the past$ he cannot destroy it$ but so 1ar as its e11ects are still in the 1uture he can modi1y them or re2erse them$ by the ne/ 1orces he brin*s to bear as causes ta0in* part in their production. -n all this he is merely utili4in* the la/$ and he /or0s /ith the certainty o1 the scientist$ /ho balances one 1orce a*ainst another and$ unable to destroy a unit o1 ener*y$ can yet ma0e a body mo2e as he /ill by a calculation o1 an*les and o1 mo2ements. 'imilarly Karma may be accelerated or delayed$ and thus a*ain /ill under*o modi1ication by the action o1 the surroundin*s amid /hich it is /or0ed out. [Page +6] &et us put the same thin* a*ain a little di11erently$ 1or the conception is an important and a 1ruit1ul one. As 0no/led*e *ro/s$ it becomes easier and easier to *et rid o1 the Karma o1 the past. -nasmuch as causes /hich are /or0in* out to their accomplishment$ all come /ithin the si*ht o1 the 'oul /hich is approachin* its liberation$ as it loo0s bac0 o2er past li2es$ as it *lances do/n the 2ista o1 centuries alon* /hich it has been slo/ly climbin*$ it is able to see there the /ay in /hich its bonds /ere made$ the causes /hich it set in motionG it is able to see ho/ many o1 those causes ha2e /or0ed themsel2es out and are e(hausted$ ho/ many o1 those causes are still /or0in* themsel2es out. -t is able not only to loo0 bac0/ards but also to loo0 1or/ards and see the e11ects these causes /ill produce! so that$ *lancin* in 1ront$ the e11ects that /ill be produced are seen$ and *lancin* behind$ the causes that /ill brin* about these e11ects are also 2isible. There is no di11iculty in the supposition that 6ust as you 1ind in ordinary physical nature that 0no/led*e o1 certain la/s enables us to predict a result$ and to see the la/ that brin*s that result about$ so /e can trans1er this idea on to a hi*her plane$ and can ima*ine a condition o1 the de2eloped soul$ in /hich it is able to see the 0armic causes that it has set *oin* behind [Page +7] it$ and also the 0armic e11ects throu*h /hich it has to /or0 in the 1uture. .ith such a 0no/led*e o1 causes$ and a 2ision o1 their /or0in* out$ it is possible to introduce 1resh causes to neutrali4e these e11ects$ and by utili4in* the la/$ and by relyin* absolutely on its unchan*in* and un2aryin* character$ and by a care1ul calculation o1 the 1orce set *oin*$ to ma0e the e11ects in the 1uture those /hich /e desire. That is a mere matter o1 calculation. 'uppose 2ibrations o1 hatred ha2e been set *oin* in the past$ /e can deliberately set to /or0 to Huench these 2ibrations$ and to pre2ent their /or0in* out into the present and 1uture$ by settin* up a*ainst them 2ibrations o1 lo2e. Qust in the same /ay as /e can ta0e a /a2e o1 sound$ and then a second /a2e$ and settin* the t/o *oin* one sli*htly a1ter the other$ so that the 2ibrations o1 the denser part o1 the one shall correspond to the rarer part o1 the other$ and thus out o1 sounds /e can ma0e silence by inter1erence$ so in the hi*her re*ions it is possible by lo2e and hate 2ibrations$ used by 0no/led*e and controlled by /ill$ to brin* 0armic causes to an endin* and so to reach eHuilibrium$ /hich is another /ord 1or liberation. That 0no/led*e is beyond the reach o1 the enormous ma6ority. .hat the ma6ority can do is this$ i1 they [Page +8] choose to utili4e the 'cience o1 the 'oul$ they may ta0e the e2idence o1 e(perts on this sub6ect$ they may ta0e the moral )a*e :8

Karma by Annie Besant

percepts o1 the *reat reli*ious Teachers o1 the /orld$ and by obedience to these precepts @ to /hich their intuition responds althou*h they may not understand the method o1 their /or0in* @ they may e11ect in the doin* that /hich also may be e11ected by distinct and deliberate 0no/led*e. 'o de2otion and obedience to a Teacher may /or0 to/ards liberation as 0no/led*e mi*ht other/ise do. Applyin* these principles in e2ery direction the student /ill be*in to reali4e ho/ man is handicapped by i*norance$ and ho/ *reat is the part played by 0no/led*e in human e2olution. Men dri1t because they do not 0no/! they are helpless because they are blind! the man /ho /ould 1inish his course more rapidly than /ill the common mass o1 men$ /ho /ould lea2e the sloth1ul cro/d behind ABCas the racer lea2es the hac0ABD$ he needs /isdom as /ell as lo2e$ 0no/led*e as /ell as de2otion. There is no need 1or him to /ear out slo/ly the lin0s o1 chains 1or*ed lon* a*o! he can 1ile them s/i1tly throu*h$ and be rid o1 them as e11ecti2ely as thou*h they slo/ly rusted a/ay to set him 1ree. [Page 69]

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Karma by Annie Besant 11. THE C"EA(I 5 $F KARMA

Karma brin*s us e2er bac0 to rebirth$ binds us to the /heel o1 births and deaths. =ood Karma dra*s us bac0 as relentlessly as bad$ and the chain /hich is /rou*ht out o1 our 2irtues holds as 1irmly and as closely as that 1or*ed 1rom our 2ices. +o/ then shall the /ea2in* o1 the chain be put an end to$ since man must thin0 and 1eel as lon* as he li2es$ and thou*hts and 1eelin*s are e2er *eneratin* KarmaN The ans/er to this is the *reat lesson o1 the $hagavad *ita$ the lesson tau*ht to the /arrior prince. Neither to hermit nor to student /as that lesson *i2en$ but to the /arrior stri2in* 1or 2ictory$ the prince immersed in the duties o1 his state. Not in action but in desire$ not in action but in attachment to its 1ruit$ lies the bindin* 1orce o1 action. An action is per1ormed /ith desire to en6oy its 1ruit$ a course is adopted /ith desire to obtain its results! the 'oul is e(pectant and Nature must reply to it$ it has demanded and Nature must a/ard. To e2ery cause is bound its e11ect$ to e2ery action its 1ruit$ and desire is the cord that lin0s them to*ether$ the thread that runs bet/een. -1 this could be burned up the conne(ion /ould cease$ and /hen all the bonds o1 the heart [Page 61] are bro0en the 'oul is 1ree. Karma can then no lon*er hold it! Karma can then no lon*er bind it! the /heel o1 cause and e11ect may continue to turn$ but the soul has become the &iberated &i1e. .ithout attachment$ constantly per1orm action /hich is duty$ 1or per1ormin* action /ithout attachment$ man 2erily reacheth the 'upreme.[$hagavad *ita, iii$ 19] To per1orm this Karma59o*a @ 9o*a o1 action @ as it is called$ man must per1orm e2ery action merely as duty$ doin* all in harmony /ith the &a/. 'ee0in* to con1orm to the &a/ on any plane o1 bein* on /hich$ he is busied$ he aims at becomin* a 1orce /or0in* /ith the ?i2ine .ill 1or e2olution$ and yields a per1ect obedience in e2ery phase o1 his acti2ity. Thus all his actions parta0e o1 the nature o1 sacri1ice$ and are o11ered 1or the turnin* o1 the .heel o1 the &a/$ not 1or any 1ruit that they may brin*! the action is per1ormed as duty$ the 1ruit is 6oy1ully *i2en 1or the helpin* o1 men! he has no concern /ith it$ it belon*s to the &a/$ and to the &a/ he lea2es it 1or distribution. And so /e readG .hose /or0s are all 1ree 1rom the mouldin* o1 desire$ /hose actions are burned up by the 1ire o1 /isdom$ he is called a 'a*e by the spiritually /ise. [Page 62] +a2in* abandoned all attachment to the 1ruit o1 action$ al/ays content$ see0in* re1u*e in none$ althou*h doin* actions$ he is not doin* anythin*. Free 1rom desire$ his thou*hts controlled by the 'E&F$ ha2in* abandoned all attachment$ per1ormin* action by the body alone$ he doth not commit sin. ,ontent /ith /hatsoe2er he recei2eth$ 1ree 1rom the pairs o1 opposites$ /ithout en2y$ balanced in success and 1ailure thou*h he hath acted he is not bound! For /ith attachment dead$ harmonious$ his thou*hts established in /isdom$ his /or0s$ )a*e <%

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sacri1ices$ all his actions melt a/ay.[$hagavad *ita, i2 195:<] Body and mind /or0 out their 1ull acti2ities! /ith the body all bodily action is per1ormed$ /ith the mind all mental! but the 'E&F remains serene$ untroubled$ lendin* not o1 its eternal essence to 1or*e the chains o1 time. 8i*ht action is ne2er ne*lected$ but is 1aith1ully per1ormed to the limit o1 the a2ailable po/er$ renunciation o1 attachment to the 1ruit not implyin* any sloth or carelessness in actin*G As the i*norant act 1rom attachment to action$ " BhIrata$ so should the /ise act /ithout attachment$ desirin* the maintenance o1 man0ind. &et no /ise man unsettle the mind o1 i*norant people attached to actionG but actin* in harmony K/ith MeL let him render all action attracti2e. ["#id.$ iii$ : 5:>] The man /ho reaches this state o1 inaction in actionABD$ has learned the secret o1 the ceasin* o1 KarmaG lie destroys by 0no/led*e the action he has *enerated [Page 6&] in the past$ he burns up the action o1 the present by de2otion. Then it is that he attains the state spo0en o1 by ABCQohn the di2ineABD in +evelation$ in /hich the man *oeth no more out o1 the Temple. For the 'oul *oes out o1 the Temple many and many a time into the plains o1 li1e$ but the time arri2es /hen he becomes a pillar$ ABCa pillar in the Temple o1 my =odABD! that Temple is the uni2erse o1 liberated 'ouls$ and only those /ho are bound to nothin* 1or themsel2es can be bound to e2eryone in the name o1 the "ne &i1e. These bonds o1 desire then$ o1 personal desire$ nay o1 indi2idual desire$ must be bro0en. .e can see ho/ the brea0in* /ill be*in! and here comes in a mista0e /hich many youn* students are apt to 1all into$ a mista0e so natural and easy that it is constantly occurrin*. .e do not brea0 the ABCbonds o1 the heartABD by tryin* to 0ill the heart. .e do not brea0 the bonds o1 desire by tryin* to turn oursel2es into stones or pieces o1 metal unable to 1eel. The disciple becomes more sensiti2e$ and not less so$ as he nears his liberation$ he becomes more tender and not more hard! 1or the per1ect ABCdisciple /ho is as the MasterABD is the one /ho ans/ers to e2ery thrill in the outside uni2erse$ /ho is touched by and responds to e2erythin*$ /ho 1eels and ans/ers to e2erythin*$ /ho 6ust because he desires [Page 6'] nothin* 1or himsel1 is able to *i2e e2erythin* to all$ 'uch a one cannot be held by Karma$ he 1or*es no bonds to bind the 'oul. As the disciple becomes more and more a channel o1 ?i2ine &i1e to the /orld$ he as0s nothin* sa2e to be a channel$ /ith /ider and /ider bed alon* /hich the *reat &i1e may 1lo/G his only /ish is that he may become a lar*er 2essel$ /ith less o1 obstacle in himsel1 to hinder the out/ard pourin* o1 the &i1e! /or0in* 1or nothin* sa2e to be o1 ser2ice$ that is the li1e o1 discipleship$ in /hich the bonds that bind are bro0en. But there is one bond that brea0s not e2er$ the bond o1 that real unity /hich is no bond$ 1or it cannot be distin*uished as separate$ that /hich unites the "ne to the All$ the disciple to the Master$ the Master to +is disciple! the ?i2ine &i1e /hich dra/s us e2er on/ards and up/ards$ but binds us not to the /heel o1 birth and death. .e are dra/n bac0 to earth @ 1irst by desire 1or /hat /e en6oy there$ then by hi*her and hi*her desires /hich still ha2e earth 1or their re*ion o1 1ul1ilment @ 1or spiritual 0no/led*e$ spiritual *ro/th$ spiritual de2otion. .hat is it$ /hen all is accomplished$ that still binds the Masters to the /orld o1 men N Not anythin* that the /orld can o11er Them. There is no 0no/led*e on earth They ha2e not! there is no po/er [Page 6*] on earth that They /ield not! there is no 1urther e(perience that mi*ht enrich Their li2es! there is nothin* that the /orld can *i2e Them$ that can dra/ Them bac0 to birth. And yet They come$ because a di2ine compulsion that is 1rom /ithin and 1rom /ithout sends Them to the earth @ )a*e <1

Karma by Annie Besant

/hich other/ise They mi*ht lea2e 1or e2er @ to help Their brethren$ to labour century a1ter century$ millennium a1ter millennium$ 1or the 6oy and ser2ice that ma0e Their lo2e and peace ine11able /ith nothin* that the earth can *i2e Them$ sa2e the 6oy o1 seein* other 'ouls *ro/in* into Their li0eness$ be*innin* to share /ith them the conscious li1e o1 =od.

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Karma by Annie Besant 12. C$""ECTI!E KARMA

The *atherin* to*ether o1 'ouls into *roups$ 1ormin* 1amilies$ castes$ nations$ races$ introduces a ne/ element o1 perple(ity into 0armic results$ and it is here that room is 1ound 1or /hat are called ABCaccidentsABD$ as /ell as 1or the ad6ustments continually bein* made by the &ords o1 Karma. -t appears that /hile nothin* can be1all a man that is not ABCin his KarmaABD as an indi2idual$ ad2anta*e may be ta0en o1$ say$ a national or a seismic catastrophe to enable him to /or0 o11 a piece o1 bad Karma /hich /ould not normally ha2e 1allen into the li1e5span throu*h /hich he is passin*! it appears @ - can only spea0 hereon speculati2ely$ not ha2in* de1inite 0no/led*e on this point @ as thou*h sudden death could not stri0e o11 a man3s body unless he o/ed such a death to the &a/$ no matter into /hat /hirl o1 catastrophic disaster he may be hurled! he /ould be /hat is called ABCmiraculously preser2edABD amid the death and ruin that s/ept a/ay his nei*hbours$ and emer*e unharmed 1rom tempest or 1iery outbrea0. But i1 he o/ed a li1e$ and /ere dra/n by his national or 1amily Karma /ithin the area o1 such a disturbance$ then$ althou*h such sudden death had not been /o2en into his etheric double 1or that special li1e$ no acti2e inter1erence mi*ht be made 1or his preser2ation! special care /ould be ta0en o1 him a1ter/ards that he mi*ht not su11er unduly 1rom his sudden! snatchin* out o1 earth5li1e$ but he /ould be allo/ed to pay his debt on the arisin* o1 such an opportunity$ brou*ht /ithin his reach by the /ider s/eep o1 the &a/$ by the collecti2e Karma that in2ol2es him. 'imilarly$ bene1its may accrue to him by this indirect action o1 the &a/$ as /hen he belon*s to a nation that is en6oyin* the 1ruit o1 some *ood national Karma! and he may thus recei2e some debt o/ed to him by Nature$ payment o1 /hich /ould not ha2e 1allen /ithin [Page 66] his present lot had only his indi2idual Karma been concerned. A man3s birth in a particular nation is in1luenced by certain *eneral principles o1 e2olution as /ell as by his immediate characteristics. The 'oul in its slo/ de2elopment has not only to pass throu*h the se2en 8oot 8aces o1 a *lobe K- deal /ith the normal e2olution o1 humanityL$ but also throu*h the sub5races. This necessity imposes certain conditions$ to /hich the indi2idual Karma must adapt itsel1$ and a nation belon*in* to the sub5race throu*h /hich the 'oul has to pass /ill o11er the area /ithin /hich the more special conditions needed must be 1ound. .here lon* series o1 incarnations ha2e been 1ollo/ed$ it has been 1ound that some indi2iduals pro*ress 1rom sub5race to sub5race 2ery re*ularly$ /hereas others are more erratic$ ta0in* repeated incarnations perhaps in one sub5race. .ithin the limits o1 the sub5race$ the indi2idual characteristics o1 the man /ill dra/ him to/ards one nation or another$ and /e may notice dominant national characteristics re5emer*in* on the sta*e o1 history en #loc a1ter the normal inter2al o1 1i1teen hundred years! thus cro/ds o1 8omans reincarnate as En*lishmen$ the enterprisin*$ coloni4in*$ conHuerin*$ imperial instincts reappearin* as national attributes. A man in /hom such national [Page 67] characteristics /ere stron*ly mar0ed$ and /hose time 1or rebirth had come$ /ould be dra1ted into the En*lish nation by his Karma and /ould then share the national destiny 1or *ood or 1or e2il$ so 1ar as that destiny a11ected the 1ate o1 an indi2idual. The 1amily tie is naturally o1 a more personal character than is the national$ and those /ho /ea2e bonds o1 close a11ection in one li1e tend to be dra/n to*ether a*ain as members o1 the same 1amily. 'ometimes these ties recur 2ery persistently li1e a1ter li1e$ and the destinies o1 t/o indi2iduals are 2ery intimately inter/o2en in successi2e incarnations. 'ometimes$ in conseHuence o1 the di11erent len*ths o1 the ?e2achans necessitated by di11erences o1 intellectual and spiritual acti2ity durin* the earth5li2es spent )a*e <<

Karma by Annie Besant

to*ether @ members o1 a 1amily may be scattered and may not meet a*ain until a1ter se2eral incarnations. 'pea0in* *enerally$ the more close the tie in the hi*her re*ions o1 li1e$ the *reater the li0elihood o1 rebirth in a 1amily *roup. +ere a*ain the Karma o1 the indi2idual is a11ected by the inter5 lin0ed Karmas o1 his 1amily$ and he may en6oy or su11er throu*h these in a /ay not inherent in his o/n li1e5Karma$ and so recei2e or pay 0armic debts$ out5o15date$ as /e may say. 'o 1ar as the personality is concerned$ this seems to brin* /ith it a [Page 68] certain balancin* up or compensation in KIma5&o0a and ?e2achan$ in order that complete 6ustice may be done e2en to the 1leetin* personality. The /or0in* out in detail o1 collecti2e Karma /ould carry us 1ar beyond the limits o1 such an elementary /or0 as the present and 1ar beyond the 0no/led*e o1 the /riter! only these 1ra*mentary hints can at present be o11ered to the student. For precise understandin* a lon* study o1 indi2idual cases /ould be necessary$ traced throu*h many thousands o1 years. 'peculation on these matters is idle! it is patient obser2ation that is needed. There is$ ho/e2er$ one other aspect o1 collecti2e Karma on /hich some /ord may 1itly be said! the relation bet/een men3s thou*hts and deeds and the aspects o1 e(ternal nature. "n this obscure sub6ect Mme. Bla2ats0y has the 1ollo/in*G Follo/in* )lato$ Aristotle e(plained that the term VWXYZ[\] EelementsF /as understood only as meanin* the incorporeal principles placed at each o1 the 1our *reat di2isions o1 our cosmical /orld$ to super2ise them. Thus$ no more than ,hristians do )a*ans adore and worship the Elements and the Kima*inaryL cardinal points$ but the ABC=odsABD that respecti2ely rule o2er them. For the ,hurch$ there are t/o 0inds o1 'idereal Bein*s$ An*els and ?e2ils. For the Kabalist and "ccultist there is one class$ and neither "ccultist nor Kabalist ma0es any di11erence bet/een the ABC8ectors o1 li*htABD and the ABC8ectores TenebrarumABD$ or ,osmocratores$ /hom the 8oman ,hurch ima*ines and disco2ers in the ABC8ectors o1 &i*htABD$ as soon as any one o1 them is called by another name than the one she addresses him by. -t is not the 8ector$ or MahIrI6ah$ /ho punishes or re/ards$ /ith [Page 79] or /ithout ABC=od3sABD permission or order$ but man himsel1 @ his deeds$ or Karma attractin* indi2idually and collecti2ely Kas in the case o1 /hole nations sometimesL e2ery 0ind o1 e2il and calamity. .e produce )auses$ and these a/a0en the correspondin* po/ers in the 'idereal .orld$ /hich are ma*netically and irresistibly attracted to @ and react upon @ those /ho produce such causes! /hether such persons are practically the e2il5doers$ or$ simply ABCthin0ersABD /ho brood mischie1. For thou*ht is matter$ /e are tau*ht by Modern 'cience! and ABCe2ery particle o1 the e(istin* matter must be a re*ister o1 all that has happenedABD$ as Messers. Qe2ons and Babba*e in their 'rinciples of cience tell the pro1ane. Modern 'cience is e2ery day dra/n more into the maelstrom o1 "ccultismG unconsciously$ no doubt$ still 2ery sensibly. ABCThou*ht is matterABDG not$ o1 course$ ho/e2er$ in the sense o1 the =erman Materialist Moleschott$ /ho assures us that ABCthou*ht is the mo2ement o1 matterABD @ a statement o1 almost unparalleled absurdity. Mental states and bodily states are utterly contrasted as such. But that does not a11ect the position that e2ery thou*ht$ in addition to its physical accompaniment Kbrain5chan*eL$ e(hibits an ob6ecti2e @ thou*h to us supersensuously ob6ecti2e @ aspect on the astral plane.[The ecret !octrine,7olume 1$ )a*es 148$ 149]

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Karma by Annie Besant

-t seems that /hen men *enerate a lar*e number o1 mali*nant Thou*ht51orms o1 a destructi2e character$ and /hen these con*re*ate in hu*e masses on the Astral )lane$ their ener*y may be$ and is$ precipitated on the physical plane$ stirrin* up /ars$ re2olutions$ and social disturbances and uphea2als o1 e2ery 0ind$ 1allin* as collecti2e Karma on their pro*enitors and e11ectin* /idespread ruin. Thus then$ collecti2ely also Man is the master o1 his destiny$ and his /orld is moulded by his creati2e action. [Page
71]

Epidemics o1 crime and disease$ cycles o1 accidents$ ha2e a similar e(planation. Thou*ht51orms o1 an*er aid in the perpetration o1 a murder! these Elementals are nourished by the crime$ and the results o1 the crime @ the hatred and the re2en*e1ul thou*hts o1 those /ho lo2ed the 2ictim$ the 1ierce resentment o1 the criminal$ his ba11led 1ury /hen 2iolently sent out o1 the /orld @ still 1urther rein1orce their host /ith many mali*nant 1orms! these a*ain 1rom the astral plane impel an e2il man to 1resh crime$ and a*ain the circle o1 ne/ impulses is trodden$ and /e ha2e an epidemic o1 2iolent deeds. ?iseases spread$ and the thou*hts o1 1ear /hich 1ollo/ their pro*ress act directly as stren*theners o1 the po/er o1 the disease! ma*netic disturbances are set up and propa*ated$ and react on the ma*netic spheres o1 people /ithin the a11ected area. -n e2ery direction$ in endless 1ashions$ do man3s e2il thou*hts play ha2oc$ as he /ho should ha2e been a di2ine co5builder in the ;ni2erse uses his creati2e po/er to destroy.

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Karma by Annie Besant 1&. C$ C")(I$

'uch is an outline o1 the *reat &a/ o1 Karma and o1 its /or0in*s$ by a 0no/led*e o1 /hich a man may [Page 72] accelerate his e2olution$ by the utili4ation o1 /hich a man may 1ree himsel1 1rom bonda*e$ and become$ lon* ere his race has trodden its course$ one o1 the +elpers and 'a2iours o1 the .orld. A deep and steady con2iction o1 the truth o1 this &a/ *i2es to li1e an immo2able serenity and a per1ect 1earlessnessG nothin* can touch us that /e ha2e not /rou*ht$ nothin* can in6ure us that /e ha2e not merited. And as e2erythin* that /e ha2e so/n must ripen into har2est in due season$ and must be reaped$ it is idle to lament o2er the reapin* /hen it is pain1ul! it may as /ell be done no/ as at any 1uture time$ since it cannot be e2aded$ and$ once done$ it cannot return to trouble us a*ain. )ain1ul Karma may there1ore /ell be 1aced /ith a 6oy1ul heart$ as a thin* to be *ladly /or0ed throu*h and done /ith! it is better to ha2e it behind us than be1ore us$ and e2ery debt paid lea2es us /ith less to pay. .ould that the /orld 0ne/ and could 1eel the stren*th that comes 1rom this restin* on the &a/. ;n1ortunately to most in the .estern /orld it is a mere chimera$ and e2en amon* Theosophists belie1 in Karma is more an intellectual assent than a li2in* and 1ruit1ul con2iction in the li*ht o1 /hich the li1e is li2ed. The stren*th o1 a belie1$ says )ro1essor Bain$ is measured by its in1luence on conduct$ and [Page 7&] belie1 in Karma ou*ht to ma0e the li1e pure$ stron*$ serene and *lad. "nly our o/n deeds can hinder us! only our o/n /ill can 1etter us. "nce let men reco*ni4e this truth$ and the hour o1 their liberation has struc0. Nature cannot ensla2e the 'oul that by .isdom has *ained )o/er$ and uses both in &o2e.

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