III. The field of

elementai, mineral, vegetable, animal, and normal human J evolution. The two highest planes may be con- ceived of as existing before the solar system is formed, and we may imagine the highest, the Adi, as consisting of so much of the matter of space — symbolised by points — as the Logos has marked out to form the material basis of the system He is about to produce. As a workman chooses out the material he is going to shape into his product, so does the Logos choose the material and the place for His universe. Similarly we may imagine the Anupadaka — symbolised by lines — as con- sisting of this same matter, modified by His individual life, coloured, to use a significant metaphor, by His all-ensouling Consciousness, and thus differing in some way from the corresponding plane in another solar system. We are told that the supreme facts of this preparatory work may be further imaged forth in symbols ; of these we are given two
INTRODUCTION. 5
one of which images the triple nifestation of the Logic Conscious- ne% the other [he triple change in mauer corresponding to the triple Life — the life and form aspects of the three Login. Wc may place them side by side, as simultaneous happenings : Life Form
Adi
it. Anup&daka
I K. Al
-©-
'e have here, under Life, the primeval in the centre of the Circle, the Logos as One within the self-imposed cndrcling sphere of subtlest matter, in which He has enclosed Himself for the purpose of manifestation, of shining forth ffom the Darkness. At once the question arises : Why three Logoi ? Though we touch here on the deepest question of metaphysics, to expound which even inadequately requires a volume, we must indicate the answer, to be wrought out by close thinking. In the analysis of all that exists, we come to the great generalisation :
6 A STUDY IN CONSCIOUSNESS.
**A11 is separable into *I' and * Not 1/ the ' Self ' and the * Not-Self.* Every separate thing is summed up under one or other of the headings, Self or Not- Self There is nothing which cannot be placed under one of them. Self is Life, Consciousness ; Not - Self is Matter, Form." Here, then, we have a duality. But the Twain are not two separate things isolated and unrelated ; there is a con- tinual Relation between them, a continual approach and withdrawal, an identification and a repudiation ; this inter-play shows itself as the ever-changing universe. Thus we have a Trinity, not a Duality — the Self, the Not-Self, and the Relation between them. All is here summed up, all things and all relations, actual and possible, and hence Three, neither more nor less, is the foundation of all universes in their totality, and of each universe in particular.' This fundamental fact imposes on a Logos a triplicity of manifestation in
' The student should carefully study Bhagavin DAs* Science of Peace^ in which the metaphysical questions involved are expounded with rare acumen and felicity.
IWTBOPUCTION.
a M^ar system, and hence the One, the Point, going forth in three directions to tbe circumference of the Circle of Matter aod returning on Itself, manifests a difiicrcnt aspect at each place of contact ■ith the Circle — the three fundamental expressions of Consciousness : or Will, Wadom, and Activity — the divine Triad or Trinity.' For the Universal Sklk, the PnU>'^-4lni4. the "Inner-Self," thinking of the Not-Self, identifies Himself with it. Jwr eby sharing with it His Being ; this is kdivine Activity, Sat. Existence lent to I Non-existent, the Universal Mind. Self, realising Himself, is Wisdom. Chit, the principle of preservation. The Saj, withdrawing Himself from the Not- in His own pure nature, is Bliss,
iwa, n'ttdooi, and Love " is anulhei ■ «ny of Mprening thiit tripliciiy ; buE this tnmo out .Activity, and duplicates Love, unless Lovi! be taken u itt equivalent, since Love Is essentially tarn. U'wdom and Lore soctn to mc to be the MSK a»pecl of contciousneu ; iliat which manifests aborK as Wtsdooi, the realisation ol Unity, manifests in the world of form aa I.ovc, the attractive force I about Unity in a world of scpanted
Ananda, free from form. Every Logos of a universe repeats this universal Self- Consciousness : in His Activity. He is the creative Mind, KriyS— corresponding to the universal Sat — the BrahmS of the Hindu, the Holy Spirit of the Christian, the Chochmah of the Kabbalist. In His Wisdom, He is the preserving ordering Reason. JnSna — corresponding to the universal Chit — the Vishnu of the Hindu, the Son of the Christian, the Binah of the Kabbalist. In His Bliss, He is the Dissolver of forms, the Will, Ichchhi — corresponding to the universal Ananda — the Shiva of the Hindu, the Father of the Christian, the Kepher of the Kabbalist. Thus appear in every universe the three Logoi, the three Beings who create, pre- serve, and destroy Their universe, each showing forth predominantly in His function in the universe one ruling Aspect, to which the other two are subordinate, though of course ever-present. Hence every manifested God is spoken of as a Trinity. The joining of these three Aspects, or phases of manifestation, at their outer j 'points of contact with the
INTRODUCTION. 9
circle, g^ves the basic Triangle of contact with Matter, which, with the three Triangles made with the lines traced by the Point, thus yields the divine Tetractys, sometimes called the Kosmic Quaternary, the three divine Aspects in contact with Matter, ready to create. These, in their totality, are the OversouP of the kosmos that is to be.
Under Form we may first glance at the effects of these Aspects as responded to from the side of Matter. These are not, of course, due to the Locos of a system, but are the correspondences in universal Matter with the Aspects of the universal Self. The Aspect of Bliss, or Will, imposes on Matter the quality of Inertia — Tamas, the power of resistance, stability, quietude. The Aspect of Activity gives to Matter its responsiveness to action — Rajas, mobility. The Aspect of Wisdom gives it Rhythm — Satva. vibration, harmony. It is by the aid of Matter thus prepared that the Aspects of Logic Consciousness can manifest themselves as Beings.
' Emerson.
lO STUDY IN CONSCIOUSNESS.
The Logos — not yet a first, since there is yet no second — is seen as a Point irradiating a sphere of Matter, drawn round Him as the field of the future universe, Bashing with unimaginable splendour, a true Mountain of Light, as Manu has it, but Light invisible save on the spiritual planes. This great sphere has been spoken of as primary Substance : it is the SELF-conditioned Logos, inseparate at every point with the Matter He has appropriated for His universe, ere He draws Himself a little apart from it in the second manifestation ; it is the sphere of SELF-conditioning Will, which is to lead to the creative Activity : ** I am This," when the ** This," the Not-Self, is cognised. The Point, speaking symbolically — in order to make the suggestion of Form as seen from the side of appearances — vibrates between centre and circumference, thus making the Line which marks the drawing apart of Spirit and Matter,'
' It is well to remember here that this " drawing apart " is in consciousness only ; the idea of Spirit is separated from the idea of matter. In the universe of phenomena, there is no Spirit unconditioned by
nmiODUCTioN. 1 1
ring cognition possible, and thus ■ating the Form for the second le Being we call the Second , symbolically the Line, or Diameter of the Circle. It is said of this in mystic l^irase : " Thou art My Son : this day have I begotten Thee ; "' this relation of Father and Son within the unity of the Divine Existence, of the first and Second Logoi. belongs, of course, to the Day of Manifestation, the life-period of a universe. It is this begetting of the Son. this appearance of the Second Logos, the Wisdom, which is marked in the world of Form by the differentiation, the drawing apart, of Spirit and Matter, the two poles between which is spun the web of a universe ; the separation, as it were. of the neutral inactive Electricity^ which may symbolise the First Logos — -into the dual form of positive and negative — symbolising the Second — thus making the unmanifest manifest. This separation
BwUcr. no tniaUlc*! [witiclc ur nutlet uninrotmed bf Sfiim. All Toniu are conscious ; xW L-onscious-
' FtaJmi. ii. 7.
12 STUDY IN CONSCIOUSNESS.
within the First Logos is vividly imaged for us in the preparation for cell-multi- plication that we may study on the physical plane, wherein we see the pro- cesses that lead up to the appearance of a dividing wall, whereby the one cell becomes two. For all that happens down here is but the reflexion in gross matter of the happenings on higher planes, and we may often find a crutch for our halting imagination in our studies of physical development. **As above, so below." The physical is the reflexion of the spiritual.
Then the Point, with Line revolving with it, vibrates at right angles to the former vibration, and thus is formed the Cross, still within the Circle, the Cross which thus " proceedeth from the Father and the Son," the symbol of the Third Logos, the Creative Mind, the divine Activity now ready to manifest as Creator. Then He manifests Himself as the Active Cross, or Svastika, the first of the Logoi to manifest outside the two highest planes, though the third stage of the divine Unfolding.
introduction. 13^
Life Form
Adi
iL Anup&daka
e
ill. Atmic A^
§ 2. Origination of Monads.
But before considering the creative Activity of the Third Logos, we must note the origination of the Monads, or Units of Consciousness, for whose evolu- tion in matter the field of a universe is to be prepared. We shall return to their fuller consideration in Chapter H. The myriads of such Units who are to be developed in that coming universe are generated within the divine Life, as germ- cells in organisms, before the field for their evolution is formed. Of this forthgiving it is written : ** That willed : I shall multiply and be born ; "' and the Many arise in the One by that act of Will.
' ChkAmdogy^ni^hat VI. iL 3.
14 STUDY IN CONSCIOUSNESS.
Will has its two aspects of attraction and repulsion, of inbreathing and out- breathing, and when the repulsion-aspect energises there is separation, driving apart
This multiplication within the One by the action of Will marks the place of origin — the first Logos, the undivided Lord, the Eternal Father. These are the sparks of the Supreme Fire, the ** divine Fragments,"' named generally " Monads." A Monad is a fragment of the divine Life, separated off as an indi- vidual entity by rarest film of matter, matter so rare that, while it gives a separate form to each, it offers no obstacle to the free inter-communication of a life thus incased with the surround- ing similar lives. The life of the Monads is thus of the First Logos, and is there- fore of triple aspect. Consciousness exist- ing as Will, Wisdom, and Activity ; this life takes form on the plane of divine Manifestation, the second, or AnupSdaka, Sons of the Father even as is the Second Logos, but younger Sons, with
' Light an the Path,
The Log fcsu
P
IKTRODUCTIOK. 1 5
none of their divine powers capxible of acting in matter denser than that of their own planes : while He, with ages of evolution behind Him. stands ready ID exercise His divine powers, "the First-bom among many brethren."' Fitly they dwell on the Anupadaka plane, the roots of their life in the Adi, as yet without vehicles in which they can express themselves, awaiting the day of "manifestation of the Sons of God."' TTjcrc they remain while the Third Logos begins the external work of mani- festation, the shaping of the objective rvcrse. He is going to put forth life into matter, to fashion it into materials fitted for the building of ihc vehicles which the Monads need for their evolution. But he will not be merged in His work; for. vast as that work iicemis to us, to Him it is but a little thing ; " Having pervaded this whole universe with a portion of Myself, 1 remain."' That marvellous Indi- viduality is not lost, and only a portion
' BkagavadGifi. x. 41.
i6
STUDY IN CONSCIOUSNESS.
thereof suffices for the life of a kosmos. The Logos, the Oversold, remains, the God of His universe.
STUDY IN CONSCIOUSNESS.