Adyar Pamphlets

Creating Character

No. 205, 206 & 207

Creating Character
by: Annie Besant and C.W. Leadbeater
Published in the !00"s #heosophical Publishing $ouse, Adyar, Chennai %&adras' (ndia #he #heosophist )**ice, Adyar, &adras. (ndia THE BUILDING OF CHA ACTE (N beginning this lecture, ( +ant as a preliminary step to +arn you +ith regard to the ,uali*ications +ith +hich ( am dealing, and the line o* thought and o* action +hich +ill be *ollo+ed by those +ho are in the mystical position that ( call -(n the )uter Court-.%A stage on the Path that leads to the &asters o* .isdom' #he position o* an aspirant +ho had reached that Court is /ery di**erent *rom the position e/en o* the good and /irtuous and religious man, +ho has not thoroughly seen the goal +hich is be*ore him, +ho has not thoroughly reali0ed the magnitude o* his tas1. And ( +ant to remind you that in the +hole o* this in +hich ( am s1etching the ,uali*ications o* those +ho come into the Court, ( am dealing +ith e/erything *rom this standpoint o* a deliberate !"age #$ sel*2training to+ards an aim that is de*initely recogni0ed3 and more than that, that ( by no means mean in spea1ing o* these ,uali*ications that they are completely achie/ed +hile the aspirant still remains in the )uter Court o* the #emple. $e begins, as it +ere, the ma1ing o* the character, he reali0es to some e4tent +hat he ought to be, and he stri/es more or less e**ecti/ely to become that +hich he aspires to achie/e. (t is not that the de*inite puri*ication, or the complete control o* the thoughts, or the per*ect building o* the character, or the entire transmutation o* the lo+er into the higher 5 it is not that all these must be accomplished ere he can stand on the threshold o* the #emple3 he is really employed +hilst in the )uter Court in dra+ing as it +ere the *oundations o* his buildings, in s1etching out care*ully and *airly *ully the outlines o* that edi*ice +hich he hopes to carry to per*ection. #he +or1ing out o* all these lines, the building on this *oundation, the raising o* the +alls higher and higher, the placing o* the cro+ning stone *inally upon the +or1 5 that is done rather +ithin the #emple than +ithout it, a*ter the eyes ha/e !"age %$ been opened, not +hile they are still partially blinded and the aspirant is in the )uter Court. 6ut +hat ( do +ant you to understand is that the plan is s1etched, that the plan is recogni0ed3 that nothing less than this 5 /ery much more may come in the course o* the ages 5 that nothing less than this is the goal that the candidate sets be*ore himsel* *or the reaching3 so that ho+e/er great may seem the aspirations, ho+e/er magni*icent may seem the outline +hich is to be *illed in, that outline is to be de*initely recogni0ed in the )uter Court, although not to be *illed in in detail, and ho+e/er lo+ly may be the achie/ements o* the present they are none the less the de*inite *oundations on +hich the glorious achie/ements o* the *uture are to be based. And ( say this thus e4plicitly, although it be a repetition, because it +as suggested to me that in ma1ing so +ide a scope *or the )uter Court, in tracing so /ast an outline, it might come on some o* my hearers +ith a sense o* discouragement i* not o* despair3 so that it is +ell that all should understand that +hile the beginnings are traced they may still be only the beginnings, and that a*ter the threshold is !"age &$ crossed, there are still many li/es in *ront in +hich these beginnings may be carried to *ul*illment, and this plan o* the architect ser/es as basis *or the *inished edi*ice. #a1ing then that as a thing to be understood, let me remind you o* the building o* the character, +hich is to be a distinct and a positi/e building +hich this candidate in the )uter Court +ill set be*ore himsel*3 +e ha/e seen already that he is to ha/e been in past li/es a /irtuous and a religious man, that is, that he +ill ha/e already reali0ed that nothing o* absolute /ice must ha/e its place in him, that nothing o* e/il must be permitted to remain3 that i* any seed o* /ice remain, it, must at once be *lung +ithout, that i* any tendencies to+ards positi/e e/il are still there, they must be completely Page

Adyar Pamphlets

Creating Character

No. 205, 206 & 207

and entirely rooted out. $ere in this Court there can be at least no compromise +ith e/il, here there can be at least no paltering +ith that +hich is not right and pure and good. .hile there may still be *ailures in the achie/ement o* the right, there is most de*initely no contented remaining in the +rong3 that has had the bac1 o* the aspirant de*initely turned upon it, !"age '$ and all the grosser part o* the nature +ill already ha/e been eliminated, all the rougher part o* the inner struggle +ill ha/e been *inished. (nto the Court o* the #emple utterly unhe+n stones cannot be brought *or the building3 the he+ing must ha/e been going on during many pre/ious li/es, much +or1 must ha/e been done upon the characters be*ore they become *it to be built at all e/en in the )uter Court o* such a #emple. And this rough2he+ing o* the character is supposed to lie behind us3 +e are dealing +ith the building o* the positi/e /irtues, and /irtues o* an e4ceedingly high and noble type3 /irtues +hich are not those simply that are recogni0ed as necessary in the +orld, but *ar rather those +hich the aspirant desires to achie/e in order that he may be2 come one o* the $elpers and the 7a/iours o* the +orld, those characteristics that go to ma1e up one o* the +orld"s 8edeemers, one o* the pioneers o* the *irst2*ruits o* man1ind. #he *irst thing perhaps that +ill stri1e us, in this building o* character by one +ho is in the )uter Court, is its e4ceedingly deliberate nature. (t is not a thing o* *its and !"age ($ starts, it is not a casual building and lea/ing o**, it is not an e**ort in this direction one day and in another direction tomorro+, it is not a running about see1ing *or aims, it is not a turning about loo1ing *or a purpose3 the +hole o* this at least is de*initely done, the purpose is recogni0ed and the aim is 1no+n. And the building is a deliberate building, as by one +ho 1no+s that he has time, and that nothing in Nature can be lost3 a deliberate building +hich begins +ith the materials ready to hand, +hich begins +ith the character as it is recogni0ed to e4ist, +hich loo1s, as +e shall see, ,uietly at all its strength and at all its +ea1nesses, and sets to +or1 to impro/e the one and to remedy the other3 a deliberate building to+ards a de*inite aim, a car/ing in permanent material o* a statue o* +hich the mould has already been made. And so the *irst thing that +ill be noticed in these candidates in the )uter Court is this de*initeness o* purpose and this deliberateness o* action. #he man 1no+s that he +ill carry e/erything on that he ma1es3 that *rom li*e to li*e he +ill ta1e +ith him the treasures !"age )$ that he has accumulated3 that i* he *inds a de*iciency and only partly *ills it up, still it is *illed up to that e4tent, that part o* the +or1 is done3 that i* he ma1es *or himsel* a po+er, that po+er is his *or e/ermore, a part o* the 7oul ne/er to be ta1en a+ay *rom it, +o/en into the te4ture o* the indi/idual, not again e/er to be separated *rom him. And he builds +ith this deliberate purpose +hich has its root in 1no+ledge, recogni0ing the 9a+ that underlies e/ery aspect o* Nature. 8eali0ing that that 9a+ is changeless, 1no+ing that he may trust it +ith uttermost and completest *aith, he calls upon the 9a+ and 1no+s that the 9a+ +ill ans+er, he appeals to the 9a+ and is con*ident that the 9a+ +ill :udge. #here is in him then no trace o* +a/ering, no shado+ o* doubting3 he gi/es out that +hich must needs bring to him his har/est, and e/ery seed that he so+s, he so+s +ith this absolute certainty that the seed +ill bear *ruit a*ter its 1ind, that that and none other +ill come bac1 to him in *uture days. 7o there is naught o* hurry in his +or1, naught o* impatience in his labour3 i* the *ruit be not ripe, he can +ait *or the !"age *$ gathering3 i* the seed be not ready, he can +ait *or the gro+ing. $e 1no+s that this 9a+ to +hich he has gi/en himsel* is at once changeless and good3 that the 9a+ +ill bring all in its appointed time, and that the appointed time is best *or him and *or the +orld. And so, as ( said, he starts +ith his a/ailable material, content +ith it because it is +hat the 9a+ brings him *rom his past3 content +ith it, because it is that +ith +hich he has to +or1, that and nothing else3 and +hether *ull or scanty, +hether poor and small or rich and great, he ta1es it and begins to +or1 +ith it, 1no+ing that ho+e/er scanty it be there is no limit to the +ealth to +hich it may be increased, and 1no+ing that ho+e/er small it may bul1 today, there is no limit to the /astness to +hich it may gro+ in the years +hich lie in *ront. $e 1no+s that he must succeed3 not a ,uestion o* possibility but o* certitude, not a ,uestion o* Page 2

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Creating Character

No. 205, 206 & 207

chance but o* de*inite reality. #he 9a+ must gi/e bac1 the e,ui/alent o* that +hich he gi/es, and e/en i* he gi/e but little, that little +ill come bac1 to him, and *rom that he +ill build in the *uture, adding al+ays !"age +$ something to the store, standing a little higher +ith each achie/ement, +ith each ne+ accomplishment. Already +e 1no+ something o* the +ay in +hich he +ill build3 +e 1no+ that he +ill begin +ith right thought. ;lse+here %A 7tudy in Consciousness, by Annie 6esant or #hought Po+er< (ts Control and Culture, by Annie 6esant ' +e ha/e studied this control o* the thoughts, +hich is necessary in order that the right may be chosen, and the +rong may be re:ected. .or1ing steadily at that thought2control and 1no+ing its conditions, understanding the la+s, by +hich thoughts are generated and by +hich thoughts act in the +orld and react upon their generator, he is no+ in a condition de*initely to choose right thought *or the building o* his character. And this stage o* right thin1ing +ill be one o* the early steps that he +ill ta1e +hile he is tra/ersing the )uter Court. =irst o* all because his right thin1ing a**ects others 5 and all those +ho are thus candidates *or the #emple ha/e their primary moti/e in the ser/ice o* others 5 so that, in the choosing o* his thought, in the selection o* the thoughts that he either !"age ,-$ generates or permits to come +ithin his consciousness, his *irst moti/e *or such choice +ill be the e**ect that these thoughts +ill ha/e upon others, not in the *irst place the e**ect they +ill ha/e upon himsel*3 *or abo/e and beyond all else he is ,uali*ying *or ser/ice, and there*ore as he chooses the thoughts to +hich he +ill bend his energy, he calculates their action on the outer +orld 5 ho+ *ar they +ill +or1 *or helping, ho+ *ar they +ill +or1 *or strengthening, ho+ *ar they +ill +or1 *or puri*ying3 and into the great stream o* thoughts that he 1no+s must go out *rom his consciousness, understanding ho+ that stream is +or1ing, he +ill send the thoughts that are use*ul to others, +ith the deliberate purpose o* this ser/ing, +ith the deliberate ob:ect o* this helping o* the +orld. And ne4t he +ill consider the nature o* the thoughts as they a**ect himsel*, as they react upon him to ma1e his character, a thing that in a *e+ moments +e shall see is o* the most /ital importance, *or here indeed is the instrument by +hich the character +ill be built3 and not only as they react upon his character, but also as, in ma1ing that character, they !"age ,,$ turn it into a magnet *or other thoughts, so that he, acting as a *ocus *or high and noble thoughts 5 not no+, +e may hope, *or thoughts that are acti/ely in:urious 5 +ill deliberately ma1e his consciousness a magnet *or e/erything that is good, so that all that is e/il may die as it stri1es against him, and all that is good may *lo+ into his consciousness to gain there *resh nourishment, to gain there *resh strength and *resh energy3 that the good thoughts o* others coming to him may go out +ith ne+ li*e2impulse gi/en to them, and that he may act not only as a source o* help by the thoughts he generates, but as a channel o* helping by the thoughts that he recei/es, that he re/i/i*ies, and that he transmits. And these +ill go to the ma1ing o* character, so that at the beginning o* the building this right thin1ing +ill be one dominant in*luence in his mind, and he +ill constantly be +atching his thoughts, scrutini0ing them +ith the most :ealous care, in order that into this sanctuary o* the consciousness nothing may come +hich +ill o**end, *or unless this be guarded all else is le*t open to the enemy. (t is the /ery citadel o* the !"age ,#$ castle3 at the same time it is the gate+ay through +hich e/erything enters in. And then he +ill learn in this building o* character 5 perhaps he has already learned 5 to guard his speech3 *or right speech, to begin +ith, must be true, scrupulously and accurately true, not +ith the commonplace truth*ulness o* the +orld, though that be not a thing to be despised, but o* that scrupulous and strict truth*ulness +hich is necessary abo/e all to the student o* )ccultism 5 truth o* obser/ation, truth o* recording, truth o* thin1ing, truth o* spea1ing, truth o* acting3 *or +here there is not this see1ing Page >

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Creating Character

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a*ter truth and this strenuous determination to become true, there is no possibility o* )ccultism +hich is aught but a danger, there is no possibility o* anything but *all, deep and terrible, in proportion to the height to +hich the student may ha/e climbed. =or this ,uality o* truth in the )ccultist is at once his guide and his shield< his guide, in that it gi/es him the insight +hich enables him to choose the true road *rom the *alse, the right hand path *rom the le*t3 and his shield, in that only as he is co/ered +ith this shield o* truth, can all the delusions and the glamours !"age ,%$ o* the planes through +hich he passes *all harmless. =or it is in the practice o* truth in thought, in speech, and in act, that there gradually +a1es up that spiritual insight +hich pierces through e/ery /eil o* illusion, and against +hich there can be in Nature no possibility o* setting up a success*ul deception. ;/ery+here /eils are spread, e/ery+here in the +orld o* illusion this deceit*ulness o* appearances is to be *ound, until the spiritual insight can pierce through the +hole o* them +ith unchanging and direct /ision. #here is no such thing as the de/elopment o* spiritual insight, sa/e as truth is *ollo+ed in the character, as truth is culti/ated in the intellect, as truth is de/eloped in the conscience3 +ithout this nothing, but *ailure, +ithout this nothing but ine/itable blunder and mista1e. #he speech *irst o* all, then, +ill be true, and ne4t it +ill be gentle. =or truth and gentleness are not in opposition, as too o*ten +e are inclined to thin1, and speech loses nothing o* its truth by being per*ect in its gentleness and per*ect also in its courtesy and its compassion. #he more true it is the more gentle it needs must be, *or at the /ery heart !"age ,&$ o* all things is truth and also compassion3 there*ore the speech that re*lects the innermost essence o* the ?ni/erse can neither causelessly +ound any li/ing being, nor be *alse +ith the slightest shado+ o* suspicion. #rue and gentle then the speech must be, true and gentle and courteous3 that is said to be the austerity o* speech, the true penance and sacri*ice o* speech +hich is o**ered up by e/ery aspirant. And then out o* the right spea1ing and the right thin1ing, ine/itably must *lo+ right acting3 that, as an outcome, must be the result o* this *lo+ing *orth *rom the source. =or action is only the mani*estation o* that +hich is +ithin, and +here the thought is pure, +here the speech is true and right, there the action must ine/itably be noble3 out o* such s+eet source the +ater can only be s+eet in the *lo+ing, out o* the heart and the brain that ha/e been puri*ied necessarily the action must be right and good. And that is the three*old cord by +hich the aspirant is bound ali1e to humanity and to his &aster3 the three*old cord +hich, in some great religions, stands as type o* this per*ect sel*2control3 sel*2control in thought, in speech and in action 5 that is !"age ,'$ the triple cord +hich binds the man to ser/ice that is per*ect in its character, +hich binds the disciple to the *eet o* his &aster3 the three*old cord +hich may not easily be bro1en. .hen all this is reali0ed, and the beginning o* it attempted, this candidate o* ours +ill begin a /ery de*inite method o* practice in his building o* the character, and *irst he +ill *orm +hat is called an -(deal-. 9et us ha/e clearly in the mind +hat +e mean +hen +e use this +ord -(deal-. #he mind +or1ing +ithin itsel* builds an internal image, +hich is made as the mind gro+s in strength out o* much that it dra+s *rom the outer +orld3 but although it dra+s the materials *rom the outer +orld, the idea is the result o* the internal action o* the mind upon the materials. An idea is at its highest an abstract thing, and i* +e reali0e ho+ the abstract idea is *ormed in the mere brain2consciousness, +e shall then ha/e a /ery clear /ie+ o* +hat is meant by an ideal3 a little enlargement o* the idea +ill gi/e us e4actly +hat +e re,uire. 9et me ta1e the ancient illustration, an abstract idea o* a triangle. #he idea o* a triangle may be gained at *irst by the brain2consciousness !"age ,($ +or1ing in the child through a study o* many *orms +hich he is told are triangles. $e +ill notice that they are o* many di**erent shapes, that they are made up o* lines +hich go in /ery di**erent directions. $e +ill *ind 5 +hen he loo1s at them separately and +ith this brain2 consciousness o* the child 5 he +ill *ind them e4ceedingly di**erent, so that loo1ing at them at *irst he +ill see them as many *igures, and +ill not recogni0e certain underlying unities +hich gi/e them all the same Page @

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Creating Character

No. 205, 206 & 207

name. 6ut as he goes on+ard in his thin1ing he +ill gradually learn that there are certain de*inite conceptions +hich underlie this one conception o* the triangle3 that it al+ays has three lines and no more3 that it al+ays has three angles and no more3 that these three angles put together ha/e al+ays a certain de*inite /alue, and that the three lines, called the sides o* the triangle, bear certain relations to each other, and so on. All these di**erent conceptions he +ill gain as he studies, and the mind, +or1ing upon the +hole o* these, e4tracts *rom them +hat is called an abstract idea o* a triangle, +hich has no particular si0e, and no particular shape, and no particular angles ta1en separately. !"age ,)$ And this abstract idea is made up by the +or1ing o* the mind on all the many concrete *orms, so *ar as the brain2 consciousness is concerned. .hat greater idea this may be the re*lection o*, ( am not no+ considering3 but it is thus that in the brain +hat is called an abstract idea is built, +hich has neither colour nor shape nor any special characteristic o* any one *orm, and +hich unites +ithin itsel* that +hich ma1es the many *orms o* it a unity. And so +hen +e build an ideal it is an idea o* this abstract 1ind, it is the +or1 o* the image2building *aculty o* the mind, +hich dra+s out the essence o* all the di**erent ideas that it has gained o* great /irtues 5 o* that +hich is beauti*ul, o* that +hich is true, o* that +hich is harmonious, o* that +hich is compassionate, o* that +hich is in e/ery sense satis*ying to the aspirations o* the mind, o* the heart. =rom all these di**erent ideas, as they ha/e been seen limited in mani*estation, the essence is e4tracted, and then the mind constructs and thro+s out+ards a /ast heroic *igure in +hich e/erything is carried to per*ection3 in +hich e/erything touches its highest and most !"age ,*$ complete e4pression3 in +hich +e no longer deal +ith the things that are true, but +ith truth3 no longer +ith the things that are beauti*ul, but +ith beauty3 no longer +ith the things that are strong, but +ith strength3 no longer +ith the things that are tender, but +ith tenderness3 no longer +ith the beings +ho are lo/ing, but +ith lo/e3 and this per*ect *igure 5 mighty and harmonious in all its proportions, grander than anything +e ha/e seen, only not grander than that +hich in rare moments o* inspiration the 7pirit has cast do+n+ards into the mind 5 that ideal o* per*ection it is +hich the aspirant ma1es *or himsel* as per*ect as he is able to concei/e it, 1no+ing all the time that his most per*ect dreaming is but the *aintest shado+ o* the reality +hence this re*lection has come. =or in the +orld o* the 8eal, there e4ists in li/ing light that +hich do+n here he sees, as it +ere, in *aint re*lection o* colour, hanging high in the hea/ens o/er the sno+y mountains o* human aspiration3 it is still only the shado+ o* the 8eality +hence it has been re*lected, all that the human soul may image o* the per*ect, o* the sublime, o* the ultimate All that !"age ,+$ +e see1. #his ideal he *orms is still imper*ect, *or it must needs be soA 6ut, ho+e/er imper*ect it may be, none the less *or him it is the ideal according to +hich his character is to be built. 6ut +hy ma1e an idealB #hose o* you +ho ha/e gone so *ar +ith me in the +or1ing o* thought +ill 1no+ +hy an ideal is necessary. 9et me ta1e t+o sentences, one *rom a great $indu 7cripture and the other *rom a Christian, to sho+ you ho+ (nitiates spea1 o* the same *acts, no matter in +hat tongue they tal1, no matter to +hat ci/ili0ation their +ords may be addressed. (t is +ritten in one o* the most mystical o* the ?panishads, the ChhCndogya< -&an is a creature o* re*lection3 +hat he re*lects upon, that he becomes3 there*ore re*lect upon 6rahman.- %op. cit., (ll, 4i/, ' And many thousand years a*ter+ards another great #eacher, one o* the builders o* Christianity, +rote e4actly the same thought put into other +ords< -6ut +e all, +ith open *ace beholding as in a glass the glory o* the 9ord, are changed into the same image *rom glory to glory.- !2 Corr., >, D' $ !"age #-$ 6eholding as in a glass< *or the mind is a mirror and images are cast upon it and are re*lected, and the 7oul that in the mirror o* the mind beholds the glory o* the 9ord is changed into that same image *rom glory to glory. 7o that +hether you ta1e the $indu spea1er or the Christian, +hether you read the scripture o* the (ndian or the scripture o* the .estern 7age, still the same teaching o* the 6rotherhood comes out to you 5 that you must ha/e the ideal be*ore you in order that you may re*lect it, and that that on +hich the mind is constantly d+elling +ill ine/itably be that +hich the man shall become.

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Adyar Pamphlets

Creating Character

No. 205, 206 & 207

And ho+ shall the building to+ards the ideal be made B =or that is the ,uestion that +e must no+ consider. 6y contemplation< de*initely, +ith *ull purpose, choosing his time and not permitting himsel* to be sha1en *rom it, this aspirant +ho is disciplining his o+n character +ill contemplate day by day the ideal that he has built. $e +ill *i4 his mind upon it, and constantly re*lect it in his consciousness. Eay by day he +ill go o/er its outline, day by day he +ill d+ell !"age #,$ upon it in thought, and, as he contemplates, ine/itably +ithin him +ill rise up that re/erence and that a+e +hich are +orship, the great trans*orming po+er by +hich the man becomes that +hich he adores, and this contemplation +ill essentially be the contemplation o* re/erence and o* aspiration. And as he contemplates, the rays o* the Ei/ine (deal +ill shine do+n upon him, and the aspiration up+ards +ill open the +indo+s o* the 7oul to recei/e them3 so that they shall illuminate him *rom +ithin, and then cast a light +ithout, the ideal shining e/er abo/e and +ithin him, and mar1ing out the path along +hich his *eet must tread. And in order that he may thus contemplate, he must train himsel* in concentration3 the mind is not to be scattered, as our minds so o*ten are. .e ha/e to learn to *i4 it, and to *i4 it steadily, and this is a thing that +e should be +or1ing at continually, +or1ing at in all the common things o* li*e, doing one thing at a time until the mind ans+ers obediently to the impulse, and doing it +ith the concentrated energy +hich bends the +hole mind to+ards a single point. No matter that many !"age ##$ things that you ha/e to do are tri/ial3 it is the +ay o* doing them, and not the things that are done, that ma1es the training +hich results in discipleship 5 not the particular 1ind o* +or1 that you ha/e to do in the +orld, but the +ay that you do it, the mind that you bring to it, the *orces +ith +hich you e4ecute it, the training that you gain *rom it. And it matters not +hat the li*e may be, that li*e +ill ser/e *or the purpose o* the training3 *or ho+e/er tri/ial may be the particular +or1 in +hich you are engaged at the moment, you can use it as a training2ground *or the mind, and by your concentration you may be ma1ing your mind one2pointed, no matter +hat *or the moment may be the point to +hich it is directed. =or remember, +hen once you ha/e gained the *aculty, then you can choose the ob:ect3 +hen once the mind is de*initely in your hand, so that you can turn it hither and thither as you +ill, then you can choose *or yoursel* the end to +hich it shall be directed. 6ut you may :ust as +ell practise and gain the control in little things as in great3 in *act, /ery much better, because the little things are around us e/ery !"age #%$ day, +hereas the great things come but seldom. .hen the great thing comes, the +hole mind arouses itsel* to meet it3 +hen the great thing comes, the +hole attention is *i4ed upon it3 +hen the great thing comes, e/ery energy is called to play upon it, so that you may bear yoursel* +ell +hen the mighty tas1 is to be accomplished. 6ut the real /alue o* the 7oul is tested more in the little things +here there is nothing to arouse attention, nothing in any sense to gain applause, +here the man is deliberately +or1ing *or the end that he has chosen, and is using e/erything around him in order that he may discipline himsel*. #hat sel*2discipline is the 1ey o* the +hole. Fuide your li*e by some plan3 ma1e to yoursel* certain rules into +hich your li*e shall *lo+3 and +hen you ha/e made them, 1eep to them, and alter them only as deliberately as at *irst you *ormed them. #a1e so simple a thing 5 *or the body has to be brought under control 5 ta1e so simple a thing as a de*inite rule o* rising in the morning3 *i4 the time that you *eel is best *or your +or1, *or your place in your household, and +hen you ha/e *i4ed it, 1eep to it. Eo not permit the !"age #&$ body at the moment to choose its o+n time, but train it in that instant and automatic obedience +hich ma1es it a use*ul ser/ant o* the mind. And i* you *ind a*ter practising *or some time that you ha/e chosen badly, then change3 do not be rigid because you are stri/ing to strengthen your +ill3 be ready to change +hat does not +or1 +ell3 but change it at your o+n time and +ith per*ect deliberation3 do not change it because on the impulse o* the moment passion or bodily desire or emotion may be ruling3 do not change it at the demand o* the lo+er nature that has to be disciplined, but change it i* you *ind that you ha/e badly chosen. =or ne/er in ruling your o+n li*e must you ma1e your rule a hindrance to those around you, or choose +ays o* sel*2discipline that aggra/ate or interrupt others instead o* simply training yoursel*. #he ne4t stage, +hen all this has been clearly recogni0ed as the +ay in +hich the character is to be built, Page 6

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+ill be to study the character itsel*3 *or you are to +or1 +ith 1no+ledge and not blindly. Gou +ill perhaps, i* you are +ise, in :udging your character, !"age #'$ ta1e some o* the things that great men ha/e put be*ore you as outlining a character +hich +ill lead you to the Fate o* the #emple. Gou might ta1e, *or instance, such a tracing as is gi/en in the si4teenth discourse in the Bhagavad-Gita, by 7ri Hrishna to Ar:una, +here he is telling Ar:una +hat should be the ,ualities +hich build up the di/ine character. Gou might ta1e that as sho+ing you the ,ualities at +hich you should aim in building yoursel*, and as mar1ing out *or you that +hich you desire gradually to e/ol/e. And i* you ta1e it as it is s1etched in the si4teenth discourse, you *ind a list o* ,ualities, e/ery one o* +hich might +ell ser/e as part o* your constant thought and endea/our, remembering that the character is built *irst by the contemplation o* the /irtue, and then by the +or1ing out o* that /irtue +hich has become part o* the thought into the speech and the action in daily li*e. And the list runs 5 ho+e/er great it is, +e ha/e time enough be*ore us to *ill it in 5 -=ear2lessness, Purity o* $eart, 7tead*astness in the Goga o* .isdom, Almsgi/ing, 7el*2restraint and 7acri*ice, and 7tudy o* the 7astras, !"age #($ Austerity and 7traight*or+ardness, $armlessness, #ruth, Absence o* .rath, 8enunciation, Peace*ulness, Absence o* Calumny, Compassion to 9i/ing 6eings, ?nco/etousness, &ildness, &odesty, Absence o* =ic1leness, 6oldness, =orgi/eness, =ortitude, ?prightness, Amity, Absence o* Pride 5 these become his +ho is born +ith the di/ine ,ualities.- Not all are his at once, but become his, and are made in the building o* the character. And you +ill *ind, i* you read these at your leisure and +ith care, that you can group them together under /ery de*inite heads, and that each o* these may be practised, at *irst o* course /ery imper*ectly but still steadily, and day by day 5 +ith ne/er a *eeling o* discouragement at the lac1 o* achie/ement, but only +ith :oy in recognition o* the goal, and 1no+ing that each step is the step to+ards an end +hich shall be achie/ed. And notice ho+ through them run the golden threads o* unsel*ishness, o* lo/e, o* harmlessness3 see ho+ courage and strength and endurance *ind also their place, so that you get an e4,uisite balance o* character, a character that is at once strong and tender, !"age #)$ that is at once sel*2reliant and compassionate, that is at once a helper o* the +ea1 and in itsel* strong and unmo/ed, that is *ull o* de/otion and *ull o* harmlessness, that is *ull o* sel*2discipline and there*ore o* harmony. 9et us suppose you accept that to some e4tent as ideal *or the guidance o* daily thin1ing, and you begin to +or1 it out3 let us consider a point that is o*ten *ound in connection +ith this e**ort, +hich is o*ten *ound in summing up many /irtues together, and +hich is much misunderstood3 pausing a moment upon it, let us see ho+ the building o* character to+ards this /irtue +ill be carried on. (t is a name +hich is strange in ;nglish ears< it is indi**erence3 and sometimes it is +or1ed out in detail as indi**erence to pleasure and pain, indi**erence to cold and heat, indi**erence to blame and applause, indi**erence to desire and a/ersion, and so on3 +hat does it really mean B =irst o* all, it means that sense o* proportion +hich must come into the li*e o* one +ho has gained a glimpse o* the 8eal amid the *leeting, o* the permanent amid the transitory3 *or +hen once the greatness o* the goal has been !"age #*$ recogni0ed, +hen once the numberless li/es ha/e been reali0ed, +hen once the aspirant has understood all the length o* time that lies in *ront o* him, all the /astness o* the tas1 that he is going to achie/e, all the grandeur o* the possibilities that lie still un/eiled be*ore him3 +hen he has caught some glimpse o* the 8eal, then all the things o* one *leeting li*e must ta1e their place in proportion to the +hole. And +hen a trouble comes, that trouble +ill no longer bul1 so largely as it did +hen one li*e +as all that he reali0ed, *or he +ill begin to understand that he has been through many troubles be*ore, and has come out the stronger and the more peace*ul *or the passage. And +hen :oy comes, he +ill 1no+ that he has been through many :oys be*ore, and has learned their lessons also, and has *ound amid other things that they are transitory and so +hen a :oy comes or a pain, he +ill ta1e it, not *ailing to *eel it, *eeling it really *ar more 1eenly than the ordinary man o* the +orld can *eel, but *eeling it in its true place and at its true +orth, and gi/ing it only its real /alue in the !"age #+$ great scheme o* li*e. 7o that as he gro+s in this indi**erence, it is not that he becomes less capable o* *eeling, *or he is e/er becoming more sensiti/e to e/ery thrill o* the +orld +ithin and o* the +orld +ithout 5 inasmuch as he Page 7

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has become more harmonious +ith the All, he must become more responsi/e to e/ery shade o* harmony that is therein 5 but that none o* these may a/ail to sha1e him, that none o* these may a/ail to change him, that none o* these may touch his serenity, that none o* these may cast a shado+ on his calm. =or he himsel* is rooted +here storms are not, he himsel* is grounded +here changes ha/e no place, and +hile he may *eel, he can ne/er be altered by them3 they ta1e their right place in li*e, they bear their proper proportion to the +hole span o* e4istence o* the 7oul. #hat indi**erence, that true and real indi**erence +hich means strength, ho+ shall that de/elop B =irst, by this daily thin1ing on +hat it means, and +or1ing it out bit by bit until you thoroughly understand it, and +or1ing out detail a*ter detail, so that you 1no+ e4actly +hat you mean by it. And then +hen you go !"age %-$ out into the +orld o* men, by practising it in your daily li*e3 practising, not by hardening yoursel* but by ma1ing yoursel* responsi/e, not by ma1ing round yoursel* a shell that thro+s e/erything o**, but by ma1ing yoursel* ans+er to e/erything that comes *rom +ithout3 at the same time 1eeping an inner balance +hich re*uses to /ary +hile the change is *elt right through. A hard and a di**icult lesson, but a lesson that has so much in it o* hope and o* :oy and o* 1eener and more /i/id li*e, that i* that +ere all it +ere +orth +hile to practise it. =or, as the 7oul *eels itsel* gro+ing too strong to be sha1en, and yet *eels e/ery thrill that comes *rom +ithout, it has a sense o* +ider li*e, it has a sense o* *uller harmony, it has a sense o* e/er2increasing consciousness, o* e/er2gro+ing oneness +ith that o* +hich it is part. And as the *eeling o* isolation gradually melts a+ay there *lo+s into it the :oy +hich d+ells at the heart o* things, and e/en that +hich to the ordinary man is pain*ul loses to the disciple its ,uality o* pain3 *or he *eels it, as it +ere, as part o* the ?ni/ersal 9i*e, as a syllable +hich is spo1en out o* this /ast language o* &ani*estation, and !"age %,$ he can learn its meaning +ithout any agony at his o+n heart, *or the peace +hich gro+s out o* this +idening 1no+ledge *ar o/erbears to him, and changes, as it +ere, his attitude to+ards e/erything in the outer +orld +hich men 1no+ as pain and loss. #hus thin1ing and thus practising, you +ill *ind this sense gro+ +ithin you, this sense o* calm and o* strength and o* serenity, so that you +ill *eel as though you +ere in a place o* peace, no matter +hat the storm in the outer +orld, and you +ill see and *eel the storm and yet not be sha1en by it. #his peace is the *irst2*ruits o* the 7piritual 9i*e, +hich sho+s itsel* *irst in this sense o* peace and then in that o* :oy, and ma1es the li*e o* the disciple a gro+th +hich is e/er up+ards and in+ards to the heart +hich is 9o/e. And out o* this there gro+s the sense o* sel*2control, that the 7el* +ithin is stronger than the changes +ithout, and +hile it is +illing to respond, it re*uses to be altered by the contacts *rom +ithout. And then *rom the sel*2control and *rom the indi**erence there comes that po+er o* hating none, on +hich so much stress is laid in all the building o* character laid do+n *or the !"age %#$ aspirant +ho +ould become the disciple. Nothing is to be hated, e/erything is to be brought +ithin the circle o* 9o/e, no matter ho+ out+ardly repulsi/e, no matter ho+ out+ardly antagonistic, no matter ho+ out+ardly repugnant3 the heart o* all is 9i*e and 9o/e, and there*ore this aspirant +ho is learning his lessons can shut nothing out *rom the circle o* compassion3 e/erything is ta1en +ithin it according to its o+n po+er o* *eeling, and he is the *riend o* e/ery li/ing thing, the lo/er o* all that li/es and *eels. And as he is thus building these stones into his character he becomes *earless3 *earless, because hating nothing there is nothing that has po+er to harm. (n:ury *rom +ithout is but the reaction o* aggression *rom +ithin3 because +e are the enemies o* others they in their turn are our enemies, and because +e go out into the +orld as in:urers, there*ore li/ing things in:ure us in turn. .e, +ho ought to be the lo/ers o* all li/ing things, go out as destroyers, as tyrants, as haters, grasping the +orld *or tyranny and not *or education, as though man"s +or1 here +ere not to educate his younger brethren and lead them up+ards !"age %%$ by all tenderness and all compassion3 +e go out and +e tyranni0e o/er others, +hether they be human or brute, so long as they are +ea1er than oursel/es3 and by their +ea1ness +e too o*ten measure Page D

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our tyranny, and by their helplessness too o*ten the burden that +e lay upon them. And then +e +onder that li/ing things *ly *rom us 5 that as +e go out into the +orld +e are met +ith dread *rom the +ea1, and +ith hatred *rom the strong3 and +e 1no+ not in our blindness that all the hatred *rom the outer +orld is the re*lection o* the e/il that is in oursel/es, and that to the heart o* lo/e there is nothing that is hate*ul, and there*ore nothing that can in:ure. #he man that has lo/e can +al1 unharmed through the :ungle, can +al1 untouched through the ca/e o* the carni/orous brute, or ta1e in his hands the serpent3 *or there is nothing that has message o* hate to the heart that has in it only lo/e, and the lo/e that radiates to the +orld around us, that dra+s all things in to ser/e and not to in:ure, dra+s all things in to lo/e and not to hate. And so at the *eet o* the Gogi the tiger +ill roll in *riendship, and so to the *eet o* the !"age %&$ saint the +ildest +ill bring their young *or shelter and *or helping, and all li/ing things +ill come to the man +ho lo/es, *or they are all the o**spring o* the Ei/ine, and the Ei/ine is 9o/e, and +hen that is made per*ect in man it dra+s all things in+ards to itsel*. 7o then +e learn gradually and slo+ly to +al1 *earlessly in the +orld, *earlessly e/en though things may still in:ure3 *or +e 1no+ i* +e are hurt that +e are only paying the debt o* an e/il past, and that *or e/ery debt that is paid there is less against us, as it +ere, in the credit boo1 o* Nature. And *earless too, because +e learn to 1no+, and *ear springs *rom doubt as +ell as *rom hatred3 the man +ho 1no+s has passed beyond doubt, and +al1s +ith *oot un*earing +here it may tread, *or it treads on solid ground alone, and there are no pit*alls in its +ay. And out o* this gro+s a *irm and unsha1en +ill, a +ill that is based on 1no+ledge, and a +ill that gro+s con*ident through lo/e. And as the aspirant is crossing the Court o* the )uter #emple, his step becomes *irmer, and his course becomes more direct, unsha1en in its purpose and gro+ing in its !"age %'$ strength3 his character begins to sho+ itsel* out in de*inite outline, clear, distinct, and *irm, the 7oul gro+ing on+ards to maturity. And then comes the absence o* desire, the gradual getting rid o* all those desires that tie us to the lo+er +orld, the gradual +or1ing out o* all those longings +hich in the li/es that lie behind us +e *ound had no satis*action *or the 7oul, the gradual casting aside o* all the *etters that tie us do+n to earth, the gradual elimination o* the personal desire, and the sel*2identi*ication +ith the +hole. =or this one +ho is gro+ing is not going to be tied to rebirth by any bonds that belong to the earth3 men come bac1 to the earth because they are held there, tied by these lin1s o* desire that bind them to the +heel o* births and o* deaths3 but this man +e are studying is going to be *ree3 this man +ho is going to be *ree must brea1 these lin1s o* desire *or himsel*3 there is only one thing that +ill bind him, only one thing that +ill dra+ him bac1 to birth, and that is the lo/e o* his *ello+s, the desire o* ser/ice. $e is not bound to the +heel, *or he is *ree, but he may come bac1 and turn the +heel once more *or !"age %($ the sa1e o* those +ho still are bound upon it, and +hom he +ill stand beside until the bonds o* all 7ouls are bro1en. (n his *reeing he brea1s the bonds o* compulsion, and so he learns a per*ect unsel*ishness, learns that +hat is good *or all is that +hich he is see1ing, and that +hat ser/es the All is that +hich alone he desires to achie/e. And then he learns sel*2reliance3 this one +ho is gro+ing to+ards the 9ight, learns to be strong in order that he may help, learns to rely upon the 7el* +hich is the 7el* o* all, +ith +hich he is gro+ing to identi*y himsel*. #here is a thing that he has to *ace, upon +hich ( must say a +ord, *or it is perchance one o* the hardest o* his trials +hile he is +or1ing in this )uter Court. .hen he entered that Court, 1no+ing and seeing the mighty :oy beyond, he turned his bac1 on much that ma1es li*e glad to his *ello+s3 but there is a time that comes sometimes, there is a time that no+ and then descends upon the 7oul, +hen, as it +ere, he has sprung out+ards into a /oid +here no hand seems to grasp his o+n, and +here there is dar1ness around him, and nothing on +hich his *eet !"age %)$ may rest. #here are times +hich come in these stages o* the 7oul"s gro+th +hen there is nothing le*t on earth +hich can satis*y, there is nothing le*t on earth +hich can *ill, +hen the *riendships o* old ha/e lost some o* their touch, and the delights o* earth ha/e lost all Page !

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their sa/our, +hen the hands in *ront, though they are holding us, are not yet *elt, +hen the roc1 beneath our *eet, though our *eet are planted upon it, is not yet understood as changeless and immo/able, +hen by the /eil o* illusion the 7oul is co/ered thic1ly, and it thin1s itsel* *orsa1en and 1no+s nothing o* help that it can *ind. (t is the /oid into +hich e/ery aspirant in turn has plunged3 it is the /oid that e/ery disciple has crossed. .hen it ya+ns be*ore the 7oul, the 7oul dra+s bac13 +hen it opens up dar1 and seemingly bottomless, he +ho stands upon the brin1 shrin1s bac1 in *ear3 and yet he need not *ear. Plunge on+ards into the /oid, and you shall *ind it *ullA 7pring *or+ard into the dar1ness and you shall *ind a roc1 beneath your *eetA 9et go the hands that hold you bac1, and mightier $ands in *ront +ill clasp your o+n and dra+ you on+ards, and they !"age %*$ are $ands that +ill ne/er lea/e you. #he earthly grasp +ill sometimes loosen, the *riend"s hand +ill unclasp your o+n and lea/e it empty, but the =riends +ho are on the other side ne/er let go, no matter ho+ the +orld may change. Fo out then boldly into the dar1ness and into the loneliness, and you shall *ind the loneliness is the uttermost o* delusions, and the dar1ness is a light +hich none may lose again in li*e. #hat trial, once *aced, is *ound again to be a great delusion3 and the disciple +ho dares to plunge *inds himsel* on the other side. #hus the building o* character goes on, and +ill go on *or li/es to come, nobler and nobler as each li*e is ended, mightier and mightier as each step is ta1en. #hese *oundations +hich +e ha/e been laying are only the *oundations o* the building ( ha/e hinted at, and i* the achie/ement seem mighty, it is because al+ays in the mind o* the architect the building is complete, and e/en +hen the ground plan is a2 s1etching, his imagination sees the completed edi*ice, and he 1no+s +hereto he builds. And the end B AhA 5 the ending o* that building o* character our tongues not yet can !"age %+$ s1etchA No paint2brush +hich is dipped only in earth"s dull colours can limn anything o* the beauty o* that per*ect ideal to+ards +hich +e hope to, nay, to+ards +hich +e 1no+ +e shall, e/entually rise. $a/e you e/er caught a glimpse o* it in silent moments B $a/e you e/er seen a re*lection o* it +hen the earth +as still and +hen the hea/en +as calm B $a/e you e/er had a glimpse o* those Ei/ine =aces that li/e and mo/e 5 #hose that +ere men and no+ are more than men, superhuman in #heir grandeur3 man as he shall be though not as he is, sa/e in the innermost Courts o* the #empleB (* you ha/e e/er caught a glimpse in your stillest moments, then you need no +ords o* mine to tell you3 you 1no+ o* the compassion +hich at *irst seems the +hole o* the being, so radiant in its per*ection, so glorious in its di/inity3 the tenderness +hich is so mighty that it can stoop to the lo+est as +ell as transcend the highest, +hich recogni0es the *eeblest e**ort, as +ell as the mightiest achie/ement3 nay, +hich is tenderer to the *eeble than to the mighty, because the *eeble most needs the helping o* the sympathy +hich ne/er changes !"age &-$ the lo/e +hich only seems not to be di/ine because it is so absolutely human, and in +hich +e reali0e that man and Fod are one. And then beyond the tenderness, the strength 5 the strength that nothing can change, the strength +hich has in it the ,uality o* the *oundations o* the ?ni/erse, on +hich all +orlds might build, and yet it +ould not sha1e, strength so in*inite :oined +ith compassion so boundless. $o+ can these ,ualities be in one 6eing and harmoni0e +ith such absolute per*ectionB And then the radiance o* the :oy 5 the :oy that has con,uered, the :oy that +ould ha/e all others share its beatitude, the radiant sunshine that 1no+s no shado+, the glory o* the con,uest +hich tells that all shall +in, the :oy in the eyes that see beyond the sorro+, and that e/en in loo1ing at pain 1no+ that the end is peace. #enderness and strength and :oy and uttermost peace 5 peace +ithout a ru**le, serenity that naught can touch< such is the glimpse +hich you may ha/e caught o* the Ei/ine, such is the glimpse o* the ideal that one day +e shall become. And i* +e dare to raise our eyes so high, it is because #heir *eet !"age &,$ still tread the earth +here our *eet are treading. #hey ha/e risen high abo/e us3 none the less stand #hey beside #heir brothers, and i* #hey transcend us it is not that #hey ha/e le*t us, although on e/ery side #hey are beyond us3 *or all humanity d+ells in the heart o* the &aster, and +here humanity is, +e, its children, may Page 0

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dare to reali0e +e d+ell. ANN(; 6;7AN#

Creating Character

No. 205, 206 & 207

HOW TO BUILD CHA ACTE #$; /ery idea implied in the building o* character is a ne+ one to many people. #hey usually thin1 and spea1 o* a man as born +ith a certain character and practically incapable o* changing it. #hey sometimes thin1 o* a man"s character ha/ing been altered by great sorro+ or su**ering, as in truth it o*ten is3 but comparati/ely *e+ people seem to reali0e that it is a thing that they can ta1e in hand and mould *or themsel/es 5 a thing at +hich they can steadily +or1 +ith the certainty o* obtaining good results. Get it is true that a man may change himsel* intelligently and /oluntarily, and may ma1e o* himsel* practically +hat he +ill +ithin /ery +ide limits. 6ut naturally this is hard +or1. #he man"s character, as it stands no+, is the result o* his o+n pre/ious actions and thoughts. Gou +ho are *amiliar +ith the idea !"age &%$ o* reincarnation, +ith the thought that this li*e is only one day in the *ar larger li*e, +ill recogni0e that this day must depend upon all other days, and that the man is no+ +hat he has made himsel* by antecedent de/elopment. 6ut he has li/ed through many li/es, and that means that he has been many thousands o* years in training himsel* to be +hat he is, e/en though such training has been unconscious on his part and +ithout any de*inite aim. $e has there*ore established +ithin himsel* many decided habits. .e all 1no+ ho+ di**icult it is to con,uer habit 5 ho+ almost impossible it is to get rid o* e/en some small physical tric1 o* manner +hen once it has become a part o* oursel/es. 8easoning *rom small things to larger ones, +e may readily reali0e that +hen a man has certain habits +hich ha/e been steadily strengthening themsel/es *or thousands o* years, it is a serious tas1 *or him to try to chec1 their momentum and to re/erse the currents. #hese lines o* thought and *eeling are +elded into the man, and they sho+ as ,ualities +hich seem to be deeply ingrained in him. No+ that he has yielded to them through all !"age &&$ that length o* time it seems *rom the +orldly point o* /ie+ impossible *or him to resist them, yet it is by no means impossible *rom the point o* /ie+ o* the occultists. (*, *or e4ample, the man has +hat +e call an irritable character, that is because he has yielded himsel* to *eelings o* that nature in pre/ious li/es 5 because he has not de/eloped +ithin himsel* the /irtue o* sel*2 control (* a man has a narro+, mean, and grasping character, it is because he has not learnt the opposite /irtues o* generosity and unsel*ishness. 7o it is all the +ay through3 the man o* open mind and genial heart has built into himsel* these /irtues during the ages that ha/e passed o/er his head. .e are e4actly +hat +e ha/e made oursel/es. Get +e ha/e become +hat +e are +ithout any special e**ort o* thought or o* intention. (n those li/es that are past +e ha/e gro+n +ithout setting any de*inite ob:ect be*ore us, and +e ha/e allo+ed oursel/es to be to a great e4tent the creatures o* our surroundings and circumstances. (n some cases +e may ha/e intentionally *ormed oursel/es upon the model o* someone !"age &'$ +hom +e admired, and that person may ha/e in*luenced our li/es largely *or a time. 6ut ob/iously this hero o* ours, +hom +e ha/e copied, may ha/e had bad ,ualities as +ell as good ones3 and at these earlier stages it is little li1ely that +e had the discrimination to choose only the good and to re*use the e/il. 7o +e may probably ha/e reproduced in oursel/es his undesirable ,ualities as +ell as those +hich +ere +orthy o* imitation. Gou may see that this is so i* you +atch the actions o* children in the present day, *or Page

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*rom them +e may learn much as to the probable actions o* the child2nature o* our unde/eloped souls in the past. Gou may see ho+ sometimes a boy concei/es a /iolent hero2+orship *or some older person, and tries to model himsel* upon him. 7uppose, *or e4ample, that the ob:ect o* his adoration is some old sailor +ho can tell him +onder*ul stories o* ad/enture on stormy seas and in *ar distant lands. .hat the boy admires is the courage and endurance o* the man, and he respects him *or the e4perience and the 1no+ledge +hich he has ac,uired in his +anderings. $e cannot immediately reproduce the courage, the !"age &($ endurance, or the e4perience3 but he can, and he does *orth+ith, copy the out+ard traits o* his sailor2*riend, and so he +ill *aith*ully imitate the curious nautical e4pressions, the tobacco2che+ing and the rolling gait. &uch in the same +ay +e also may ha/e been hero2+orshippers in days and li/es gone by, and +e may ha/e set up many an unpleasant habit in mimicry o* some sa/age chie*tain +hose boast*ul bra/ery e4torted our admiration. (t is probable, ho+e/er, that this idea Io* de*initely ta1ing our sel/es in hand *or the sa1e o* impro/ementJ has occurred to *e+ o* us be*ore this li*e. #here is no ,uestion that to uproot old bad habits and to replace them by good ones means a great deal o* trouble and a great deal o* arduous sel*2control. (t is a serious tas1, and the ordinary man has no 1no+ledge o* any moti/e su**iciently po+er*ul to induce him to attempt it. (n the absence o* this ade,uate moti/e, he does not see +hy he should put himsel* to so much and such serious trouble. $e probably thin1s o* himsel* as a good *ello+ on the +hole, though possibly +ith one or t+o amiable +ea1nesses3 !"age &)$ but he re*lects that e/ery one has his +ea1nesses, and that those o* many other people are much +orse than any +hich he obser/es in himsel*. 7o he lets himsel* dri*t along +ithout ma1ing any e**ort. 6e*ore such a man can be e4pected to re/erse his old habits, and set to +or1 pain*ully to *orm ne+ ones, he must *irst reali0e the necessity o* a change o* standpoint, and must obtain a +ider /ie+ o* li*e as a +hole. #he ordinary man o* the +orld is *ran1ly, cynically sel*ish. ( do not mean that he is intentionally cruel, or that he is de/oid o* good *eelings3 on the contrary, he may o*ten ha/e good and generous impulses. 6ut his li*e on the +hole is certainly a sel*2centred li*e3 his o+n personality is the pi/ot round +hich the ma:ority o* his thought re/ol/es3 he :udges e/erything instantly and instincti/ely by the +ay in +hich it happens to a**ect him personally. ;ither he is absorbed in the pursuit o* +ealth, and blind to the higher side o* things and to the spiritual li*e, or else his chie* ob:ect in e4istence appears to be the physical en:oyment o* the moment. !"age &*$ THE A.E AGE I E/"ON/IBLE FACULT0

#o see that this is so, +e ha/e only to loo1 round us at the men +hom +e meet e/ery day, or to listen to the con/ersations +hich are going on in the streets or the rail+ay carriages. (n nine cases out o* ten +e shall notice that the people are tal1ing either about money, or amusements, or gossip. #heir one idea in li*e seems to be +hat they call -ha/ing a good time-, or, as they *re,uently put it in still coarser and more ob:ectionable language, -ha/ing lots o* *un- 5 as though this +ere the end and the ob:ect o* the e4istence o* a reasonable being, a li/ing spar1 made in the Ei/ine (mageA ( ha/e been much struc1 +ith this 5 that the only idea +hich many people seem to connect +ith li*e is that o* the sensuous pleasure o* the moment 5 :ust amusement and nothing else. #hat seems to be all that they are able to comprehend, and it appears to be a su**icient reason *or not ha/ing /isited a certain place to say that there is no -*unto be had there. ( ha/e o*ten heard a similar remar1 made in =rance3 there !"age &+$ also s'amuser bien seems to be the great duty +hich is recogni0ed by the ma:ority, and it has passed into a *igure o* ordinary speech, so that a man +ill o*ten +rite to another, -( hope you are amusing yoursel* +ell- 5 as though the Page 2

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pleasure o* the moment +ere the only important business. #o listen to the con/ersation o* these men and +omen o* the present age one +ould suppose them to be the mere insects o* a day, +ith no sense o* duty, o* responsibility, or o* seriousness3 they ha/e not in the least reali0ed themsel/es as immortal souls +ho are here *or a purpose, and ha/e a de*inite e/olution be*ore them3 and so their li*e is one o* shallo+ ignorance and giggling /acuity. #he only li*e they seem to 1no+ is the li*e o* the moment, and in this +ay they lo+er themsel/es to the le/el o* the least intelligent o* the animals about them. &an has been de*ined as a thin1ing animal, but it seems e/ident that as yet that de*inition applies only to part o* the race. ( thin1 +e must admit that to one or other o* these t+o classes 5 the money2hunters, or the pleasure2hunters 5 belong the ma:ority o* the people o* our !"age '-$ occidental races, and that those +hose principal thoughts in li*e are duty and the pursuit o* spiritual de/elopment are only a small minority. #here are many o* them +ho ha/e a recognition o* duty in connection +ith their business, and they consider that e/erything else must yield to that 5 e/en their personal pleasure. Gou +ill hear a man say, -( should li1e to do this, but ( ha/e my business +hich re,uires attention3 ( cannot a**ord to lose time *rom my business-. 7o that e/en the idea o* personal pleasure becomes subsidiary to that o* business. #his is at least some+hat o* an impro/ement, though it is o*ten sadly o/erdone, and you +ill *ind many people to +hom this idea o* business has in its turn become a 1ind o* god +hich they +orship. #hey are in a condition o* ab:ect sla/ery to it, and they ne/er can let themsel/es escape *rom its in*luence e/en *or a moment. #hey bring it home +ith them, they are +holly in/ol/ed +ith it, and they e/en dream o* it at night3 so that they sacri*ice e/erything to this &oloch o* business, and they cannot be said to ha/e time *or any !"age ',$ true li*e at all. (t +ill be seen that though there is here a da+ning conception o* duty it is still only upon the physical plane, and their thought is still limited to the a**airs o* the day. )nly in the case o* a small number +ill it be *ound that this idea is dominated by a light *rom higher planes3 rarely indeed has the man a glimpse o* +ider hori0on. #his concentration o* attention upon the physical li*e o* the passing day seems to be a characteristic o* our present race, o* the great so2called ci/ili0ation +hich at present e4ists both in ;urope and in America. )b/iously the man +ho +ishes to do anything de*inite in the +ay o* character2building must *irst o* all change this standpoint, *or other+ise he has no ade,uate moti/e *or underta1ing so se/ere a tas1. CON.E /ION (n religious circles this change o* standpoint is called con/ersion3 and i* it +ere *reed *rom the some+hat unpleasant canting associations +ith +hich it is ordinarily surrounded, this +ould be a good +ord to e4press e4actly +hat happens to the man. .e 1no+ that in 9atin !"age '#$ verto means -to turn-, and con signi*ies -together +ith-, so con/ersion is the point at +hich the man turns *rom *ollo+ing sel*ish ends and *ighting against the great stream o* di/ine e/olution, and hence*orth begins to understand his position and to mo/e along +ith that stream. (n the $indu religion they call this same change by the name o* viveka, or -discrimination-, because +hen that comes to a man it means that he has learnt to see the relati/e /alue o* ob:ects and to distinguish to some e4tent bet+een the real and the unreal, so that he is able to percei/e that the higher things only are those +hich are +orthy o* his attention. (n the 6uddhist religion another name is gi/en to this change 5 mano-dvaravarjana, or -the opening o* the doors o* the mind-. #he man"s mind has in reality opened its doors3 discrimination has a+a1ened +ithin it and its o+ner has brought it to bear upon the problems o* li*e. #he man +ho is +rapped up in pleasure has not yet opened his mind at all3 he is not thin1ing about li*e in any serious +ay, but is immersed in the lo+er Page >

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currents. #he business man has de/eloped the desire *or.ac,uisition, and is !"age '%$ bending all his energies into action *or that purpose3 but his mind also has not yet opened to understand the realities o* a higher li*e. #his opening o* the doors, this discrimination, this con/ersion, means the reali0ation that the things +hich are seen upon the physical plane are temporal and o* little importance as compared +ith these other things +hich are unseen and eternal. (t is precisely that +hich is spo1en o* in the 6ible, +hen +e are told< -7et your a**ection on things abo/e and not on things o* the earth ... *or the things +hich are seen are temporal, but the things +hich are not seen are eternal-. #his does not mean that a man must gi/e up his ordinary daily li*e, or must abandon his business or his duties in order to become +hat is commonly called a pious or a de/out man3 but it does mean that he should learn intelligently to appreciate other things besides those +hich are immediately ob/ious upon the physical plane. .e all o* us at di**erent stages ha/e to learn to do this3 +e ha/e to learn to +iden our hori0on. As little children, *or e4ample, +e appreciate only those things +hich are near !"age '&$ to us, and +e are unable to loo1 *ar ahead in time, or to plan much *or the *uture. 6ut as +e gro+ older +e learn by e4perience that it is sometimes necessary *or us to gi/e up the pleasures o* the moment in order that +e may gain something in the *uture +hich shall be better and greater. (n the *irst place this is usually to gain something still *or oursel/es3 *or it is only by degrees that the true unsel*ishness da+ns. (n many cases the little child +ould spend the +hole o* his time in play i* he +ere allo+ed to do so, and it is a matter o* regret to him that restrictions are imposed upon him and that he is compelled to learn. Get +e uni/ersally recogni0e that the child should learn, because +e 1no+ +hat the child as yet does not 5 that that learning +ill *it him to ta1e his place in li*e, and to ha/e a *uller and more use*ul career than +ould be possible *or him i* instead o* learning he de/oted himsel* entirely to the :oys o* the moment. Get +e +ho thus en*orce this learning upon the child are oursel/es doing the same thing *or +hich +e blame the little one, +hen +e regard the matter *rom a some+hat higher !"age ''$ standpoint. .e also are +or1ing *or the moment 5 *or the moment o* this one li*e, and +e *ail to reali0e that there is something in*initely grander and higher and happier +ithin reach i* +e only understood it. .e are +or1ing *or this one day only, and not *or the *uture +hich +ill be eternal. #he moment a man becomes con/inced o* this higher li*e and o* the eternal *uture 5 as soon as he reali0es that he has his part to play in that, naturally his common sense asserts itsel*, and he says to himsel*< -(* that be so, ob/iously these material things are o* comparati/ely little account, and instead o* +asting the +hole o* my time ( must be learning to prepare mysel* *or this greater li*e in the *uture. #here at once is the ade,uate moti/e +hose lac1 +e pre/iously deplored3 there is the incenti/e to learn to build the character, in order to *it onesel* *or that other and higher li*e. "U ITANI/1 ( thin1 that Puritanism, +hich has played such a prominent part in the history both o* !"age '($ ;ngland and o* America, arose chie*ly as a reaction against that /ie+ o* li*e o* +hich ( +as spea1ing :ust no+ 5 the mere li/ing *or the careless sel*ish en:oyment o* the moment. ( belie/e that Puritanism +as in itsel* largely a protest against that, and in so *ar as it emphasi0es the reality o* the higher li*e, and the necessity o* paying attention to it, it had good in it. #rue, it also did much harm 5 more harm than good on the +hole, because it did this terrible thing, that it made people identi*y religion +ith sourness and Page @

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sadness. (t made people thin1 that to be good one must be miserable3 it degraded and all but destroyed the idea o* the lo/ing =ather. (t blasphemed Fod by telling horrible and +ic1ed *alsehoods +ith regard to $im3 it misrepresented $im as a stern and cruel :udge, a monster, instead o* a =ather *ull o* lo/e and compassion3 and in doing this it +arped and distorted Anglo27a4on Christianity, and set a stamp upon it *rom +hich it has not e/en yet reco/ered. Perhaps the reason o* this may be that it made a common mista1e 5 that it con*used cause and e**ect. (t is true that a man +ho !"age ')$ has learned to appreciate the higher :oys o* the spiritual li*e cares little *or those o* the ordinary physical e4istence. #hat is not because he has lost his capacity *or :oy, but because he has no+ reali0ed something so much *uller and +ider, that by comparison +ith it the lo+er delight has ceased to seem :oy at all. .hen the boy comes to be a man he has outgro+n his childish toys, yet he is capable o* other and much greater pleasures than those could e/er ha/e gi/en him. Kust so the man +ho rises in e/olution, so that instead o* mere sel*ish delights he comes to appreciate the *ar greater :oy o* unsel*ish +or1, +ill *ind that his ordinary pleasures are no longer satis*ying to him and seem to him no longer +orth the trouble o* pursuit. #his is because he has reached a higher standpoint and gained a +ider hori0on3 but the result upon the physical plane gi/es the impression that he has ceased to be interested in the lo+er physical pleasures. .e must not, ho+e/er, con*use the cause +ith the e**ect as the un*ortunate Puritans did, and suppose that by turning our bac1s !"age '*$ upon the :oys o* the physical plane +e there*ore instantly become the more highly e/ol/ed men +ith the +ider outloo1. (t is true that because the young man has de/eloped he no longer cares *or in*antile pleasures3 it +ould not be true that the in*ant by re*using the delights appropriate to his age +ould thereby become an adult. (t is +ell, then, that +e should reali0e clearly that it is emphatically a *alse and *oolish doctrine that to be good men must be miserable. ;4actly3 the re/erse is the truth, *or Fod means man to be happy, and it is certainly his duty to be so3 *or a man +ho is unhappy radiates depression all round him, and thus ma1es li*e harder *or his *ello+ men. THE AWA2ENING $o+ then does a man come to ma1e this great e**ort o* trying to build his character, trying to ma1e something o* himsel*B #he sa*est and the most satis*actory path is that +hich +e ha/e :ust indicated. #he man comes to +ider 1no+ledge, he comes to understand that there is a grander and !"age '+$ higher li*e3 he sees that there is a great scheme, and that man is part o* that scheme. 7eeing that, and appreciating to some e4tent the splendour and the glory o* the plan, he +ishes to become an intelligent part o* it 5 he +ishes to ta1e his place in it, no longer merely as a stra+ s+ept along by a storm, but rather as one +ho understands and desires to ta1e his share in the mighty di/ine +or1 that is being done. #here are others +hose a+a1ening comes along a di**erent line 5 the line o* de/otion, rather than o* 1no+ledge. #hey are strongly attracted either by a high ideal or by some lo*ty personality3 their lo/e and admiration are e4cited, and *or the sa1e o* that ideal, *or the sa1e o* that personality, they ma1e strenuous endea/ours to de/elop themsel/es. .hen this de/otion is inspired by the glimpse o* a splendid ideal it is indeed a glorious thing, and its action is practically indistinguishable *rom that o* spiritual 1no+ledge. .hen the de/otion is to a person it is o*ten hardly less beauti*ul, though then there is a certain element o* danger arising *rom the *act that the ob:ect !"age (-$ o* this intense a**ection is human and must there*ore possess imper*ections. 7ometimes it happens that the de/otee comes Page 5

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suddenly upon one o* these imper*ections, and recei/es there*rom a rude shoc1 +hich may tend to diminish or di/ert the de/otion. #he high ideal can ne/er *ail the man +ho trusts it3 the person may al+ays do so to some e4tent or in some respect, and conse,uently there is less security in the de/otion to a teacher. .e in #he #heosophical 7ociety ha/e had some e4perience in this direction, *or among our students there are many +ho approach the truth by this road o* de/otion. .hen the de/otion is to #heosophy, all goes +ell3 their enthusiasm gro+s e/er more and more brilliant as they learn more o* the truth3 and no matter ho+ *ar they penetrate, or +hich o* its many sides they in/estigate, they can ne/er be disappointed. 6ut +hen the de/otion has been not to #heosophy or to the great &asters +ho ga/e it to the +orld, but to some one o* their instruments on the physical plane, +e ha/e *ound that its basis is less secure. &any entered the 7ociety and too1 up its !"age (,$ studies on the strength o* a personal de/otion to its great *ounder, &adame 6la/ats1y. #hose +ho 1ne+ her most intimately, those +ho came nearest to understanding that +onder*ul many2sided indi/iduality, ne/er lost their *aith in her, nor their deep heart*elt a**ection and de/otion *or her3 but others +ho 1ne+ less o* her +ere perturbed +hen they read or heard o* +ild accusations brought against her, or +hen they sa+ the un*a/ourable report o* a learned 7ociety concerning her. #hen it o*ten happened that because their *aith had been based upon the personality Iand upon one +hich they did not understand' they *ound themsel/es altogether o/erthro+n, and abandoned the study o* #heosophy *or this incarnation. 7uch action is ob/iously utterly irrational, *or e/en i* all the absurd stories circulated about &adame 6la/ats1y had been true, the mighty doctrines o* #heosophy still remain the same, and its system is still unassailable3 but the emotional person does not reason, and so +hen the pre:udices o* these good people +ere shoc1ed or their *eelings +ere hurt, they abandoned the 7ociety in a rage, not reali0ing that they +ere !"age (#$ themsel/es the only su**erers through their *olly. Ee/otion is a splendid *orce3 yet +ithout an intelligent comprehension o* that to +hich the de/otion is *elt, it has o*ten led people terribly +rong. 6ut i* the man clearly grasps the mighty di/ine scheme o* e/olution, and *eels his de/otion called *orth by that, then all is +ell +ith him, *or that cannot *ail him, and the more he 1no+s o* it the deeper his de/otion +ill become and the more thoroughly +ill he identi*y himsel* +ith it. #here is no *ear o* close in/estigation there, *or *uller 1no+ledge means deeper adoration, greater +onder, pro*ounder lo/e. =or these reasons it is best *or the man to *eel his de/otion *or the ideals rather than *or personalities, ho+e/er lo*ty these may be. 6est o* all is it that he should base himsel* upon reason and *act, and argue *rom +hat is +ell 1no+n scienti*ically to the things not yet 1no+n in the outer +orld. $is in*erences may sometimes be +rong, but he reali0es that possibility, and is al+ays ready to change them i* good reason can be sho+n to him. Any such alterations in detail cannot a**ect the basis !"age (%$ upon +hich his system rests, since that is not accepted upon blind *aith, but stands on the secure plat*orm o* reason and o* common sense. $e 1no+s that the mighty scheme o* e/olution e4ists, although as yet our 1no+ledge o* it is imper*ect3 he 1no+s that he is put here *or a purpose, and that he ought to be trying to do his share in the +or1 o* the +orld. $o+ then can he begin to *it himsel* to ta1e that share B #here comes in the ,uestion o* the building o* character. A man sees himsel* to be *it or un*it as the case may be3 to be *it in certain +ays perhaps, but much hampered in others by characteristics +hich he possesses. #here at once is an ade,uate moti/e *or him to ta1e himsel* in hand, +hen he reali0es that his li*e is not *or this short and *leeting period only, but *or all eternity, +hen he sees that the conditions o* the *uture days o* this +ider li*e +ill be modi*ied by his actions no+. $e recogni0es that he must so train Page 6

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himsel* as to be able to do this noble +or1 +hich he sees opening up be*ore him 5 that he must not +aste his time in idleness or *olly, because i* he does he cannot sustain the part destined !"age (&$ *or him. $e must learn, he must educate and de/elop himsel* in /arious +ays in order that he may not *ail in his ability to bear his share in the *uture that a+aits us, in the glory that shall be re/ealed. As to the stages in +hich this can be done, perhaps, +e can hardly do better than listen to the +ords o* one o* the mightiest o* the earth"s #eachers. Gou +ill remember that men as1ed the 9ord 6uddha to state the +hole o* his mar/ellous doctrine in one single /erse3 and that he replied in these memorable +ords< -Cease to do e/il3 learn to do +ell3 cleanse your o+n heart3 this is the teaching o* the 6uddhas-. 9et us ta1e up the building o* character along the lines indicated by the golden +ords o* the great (ndian Prince, and see ho+ thoroughly his single sentence co/ers the +or1 o* many li/es. /ABBA "A"A//A A2A ANA1 -Cease to do e/il.-9et us loo1 at oursel/es care*ully and thought*ully, e4amine oursel/es and see +hat there is in us that stands in our +ay, that pre/ents us *rom being per*ect !"age ('$ characters. .e 1no+ the goal that is set be*ore us3 +e +ho ha/e read the #heosophical boo1s 1no+ +hat is +ritten there o* the great &asters o* .isdom 5 o* those men +ho are almost more than men, and o* their glory, po+er, compassion, and +isdom. #here is no mystery as to the ,uali*ications o* the adept3 the steps o* the path o* holiness are *ully described in our boo1s, +ith the ,ualities +hich belong to each o* them. .hat the &asters are, +hat the 6uddha +as, +hat the Christ +as, that +e must all some day become3 +e may there*ore set be*ore oursel/es +hat is 1no+n o* these e4alted characters, and putting oursel/es in comparison +ith them +e shall see at once in ho+ many +ays +e *all lamentably short o* that grand ideal. 9amentably, yet not hopelessly, *or these great &asters assure us that they ha/e risen *rom the ran1s in +hich +e are no+ toiling, and that as they are no+ so +e shall be in the *uture3 and +hether that *uture be near or distant is a matter +hich is entirely in our o+n hands, and rests upon our o+n e4ertions.
!"age (($

#he attempt to compare oursel/es +ith these per*ect men +ill at once re/eal to us the e4istence o* many *aults and *ailings in oursel/es +hich ha/e long ago disappeared *rom them. #hus +e commence our e**ort to obey the command o* the 6uddha, -Cease to do e/il-, by setting to +or1 to eradicate these undesirable ,ualities. .e ha/e not *ar to loo1 *or them. 9et us ta1e, *or e4ample, the ,uality o* irritability 5 a /ery common *ailing in a ci/ili0ation such as ours, in +hich there is such a constant rush and +hirl, and so much o* ner/ous o/erstrain. $ere is a prominent e/il +hich must certainly be cast out. A man o*ten thin1s o* himsel* as ha/ing been born +ith a highly2strung ner/ous organism, and there*ore unable to help *eeling things more 1eenly than other people3 and so he e4presses this additional sensiti/eness by irritability. #hat is the mista1e +hich he ma1es. (t may be true that he is 1eenly sensiti/e3 as the race de/elops many people are becoming so. Get the *act remains that the man himsel* should remain master o* his /ehicles and not allo+ himsel* to be s+ept a+ay by the storm o* passion. !"age ()$

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#his irritability is seen by the clair/oyant as liability to disturbance in the astral body. #his astral body is a /ehicle +ith +hich the man has clothed himsel* in order that he may learn through it and act through it. (t cannot there*ore *ul*il its purpose unless he has it thoroughly under control. As the (ndian boo1s tell us, these passions and desires are li1e horses 5 in order to be use*ul to us they must be under the control o* the mind +ho is the dri/er3 and this dri/er himsel* must also be ready to obey the slightest order +hich comes *rom the true man +ho sits in the chariot directing the mo/ement o* these his ser/ants. =or the man to allo+ himsel* to be s+ayed or s+ept *rom his base by his passions and emotions, is to allo+ his horses to run a+ay +ith him and to carry him +hither they +ill instead o* +hither he +ill. (t is *or us to say +hether +e +ill allo+ oursel/es to be mastered in this undigni*ied manner by these *eelings +hich should be our ser/ants. .e ha/e the right and the po+er to say that this shall not be, and that these !"age (*$ unruly horses shall be brought under control. (t may be true that *or a long time +e ha/e allo+ed them to ha/e their o+n +ay until to yield to them instead o* dominating them has become a *i4ed habit. Get to learn to manage them is the *irst step in the up+ard path3 there can be no ,uestion that it +ill ha/e to be ta1en, and the sooner it is ta1en the easier it +ill be. (t can ne/er be too late to begin, and it is ob/ious that each time that the man yields himsel* ma1es it a little more di**icult *or him to resume the control later. #he irritable man constantly *inds himsel* succumb2 ing to small annoyances, and under their in*luence saying and doing +hat a*ter+ards he bitterly regrets. 7trong though his resol/e may be, again and again the old habit asserts itsel*, and he *inds that he has said or done something under its in*luence be*ore Ias he +ould put itJ he has had time to thin1. 7till i* he continues to ma1e a determined e**ort at control, he +ill e/entually reach a stage +hen he is able to chec1 himsel* in the /ery utterance o* a hasty +ord, and to turn aside the current o* his annoyance +hen it is at !"age (+$ its strongest. =rom that to the stage +here he +ill chec1 himsel* before he utters that +ord is not a long step, and +hen that has been gained he is near the *inal /ictory. #hen he has con,uered the out+ard e4pression o* the *eeling o* irritation3 and a*ter that he +ill not *ind it di**icult to a/oid the *eeling altogether. .hen that has been once done a de*inite step has been gained, *or the ,uality o* irritability has been +eeded out, and it has been replaced by the ,uality o* patience as a permanent possession, +hich the man +ill carry on +ith him into all his *uture births. CONCEIT AND " E3UDICE &en ha/e many *ailings +hich they hardly notice, yet i* they care*ully e4amine and :udge themsel/es by su**iciently high standards they cannot help percei/ing +here they *all short. )ne o* the commonest o* all *ailings is sel*2conceit. (t is so natural *or a man to +ish to thin1 +ell o* himsel*, to emphasi0e in his mind those points in +hich he considers he e4cels, and to attach undue importance !"age )-$ to them, and at the same time to slur o/er almost +ithout thought the many other points in +hich he *alls short o* other men. #his sel*2conceit is a ,uality +hich needs to be care*ully +atched and steadily suppressed +hene/er it sho+s its head, *or it is not only one o* the commonest o* all, but it is one o* the most di**icult to master3 +hen con,uered in one direction it reappears under some ne+ guise in another. (t is subtle and *ar2reaching, and it disguises itsel* +ith great success3 yet until it is eradicated but little progress is possible. Another +eed +hich must be relentlessly torn up is pre:udice. 7o o*ten +e are e4ceedingly intolerant o* Page D

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any ne+ idea, o* any other belie* than our o+n3 +e are set and *irm and dogmatic along certain lines, and un+illing to listen to truth. =or e4ample, +e ha/e our pre:udices as to +hat +e call morality, based e4clusi/ely upon con/entional ideas3 any suggestion +hich contra/enes these, no matter ho+ reasonable it may be, gi/es us such a shoc1 that +e lose our heads altogether, and become rabid and *ull o* hatred, bitter and persecuting in our opposition !"age ),$ to it. &any a man +ho thin1s himsel* *ree *rom intolerance because he has no special religious belie* is :ust as dogmatic along his o+n materialistic lines as the +orst religious *anatic could be. )*ten a scienti*ic man regards religion o* all 1inds +ith easy tolerance, considering it as something only *it *or +omen and children. $e loo1s do+n +ith amused superiority upon the horror +ith +hich one religious sect regards the opinions o* another, and +onders +hy they should ma1e so much *uss about a matter +hich can hardly be o* serious importance one +ay or the other3 and yet at the same time he has certain *i4ed ideas +ith regard to science, about +hich he is :ust as bigoted as are his religious *riends in their dogmas. (t does not occur to him that there is a bigotry outside o* religion, and that in science, as +ell as in *aith, a man"s mind must al+ays remain open to the ad/ent o* ne+ truth, e/en though that truth may o/erthro+ many o* his o+n preconcei/ed ideas. )*ten this /ice or pre:udice is a subtle mani*estation o* that sel*2conceit to +hich ( pre/iously re*erred3 the set o* ideas +hich !"age )#$ the man has adopted are his ideas and *or that reason they must be treated +ith respect, and anything +hich tends to con*lict +ith them cannot be entertained *or a moment, because to recei/e it +ould be to admit that he may ha/e been mista1en. &any a man has +ithin him pettinesses, meanness, narro+ness o* mind, the e4istence o* +hich he has not suspected3 yet these ,ualities +ill mani*est themsel/es +hen circumstances arise +hich call them into action. )*ten, e/en +hen a man sees the mani*estation o* some such undesirable ,uality +ithin himsel*, he to some e4tent e4cuses it by saying that it is a*ter all natural. 6ut +hat do +e mean by this +ord natural B 7imply that the ma:ority o* man1ind +ould be li1ely under similar circumstances to display such a ,uality, and so the man in +hom it mani*ests is an a/erage man. Get +e should remember that i* +e are trying to ta1e oursel/es in hand and to build our character to+ards the high ideal +hich +e ha/e set be*ore us, +e are aiming to raise oursel/es above the a/erage man, so that +hat is natural *or him +ill not be su**icient in the !"age )%$ higher li*e +hich +e are no+ endea/ouring to li/e. .e must rise abo/e that +hich is natural *or the a/erage o* the race, and +e must bring oursel/es into a condition in +hich only that +hich is right and good and true shall be the natural course *or us. .e must eradicate the e/il, and replace it by good, so that it is the e4pression o* the latter +hich +ill instincti/ely sho+ itsel* +hen +e act +ithout premeditation. (* +e are trying to reali0e the higher li*e, trying to ma1e oursel/es a channel through +hich the di/ine *orce may pour out upon our *ello+ men, then that +hich is natural as yet *or the ma:ority +ill be un+orthy o* our higher aspirations. #here*ore +e must not e4cuse *aults and *ailings in oursel/es because they are natural, but +e must set to +or1 to ma1e that natural to us +hich +e desire to ha/e +ithin us3 and this de/elopment also is entirely +ithin our o+n hands. 2U/ALA//A U"A/A1"ADA 7ometimes the easiest +ay to carry out the *irst command -Cease to do e/il- is to commence by trying to obey the second one !"age )&$ -9earn to do +ell-. (* +e +ish to con,uer an e/il habit, it is sometimes easier and better *or us to ma1e strenuous e**orts to de/elop +ithin oursel/es the opposite /irtue. .hat are the ,ualities +hich are most necessary *or us B (* +e can e4amine the matter +ithout pre:udice +e shall *ind that /ery many o* those +hich go to ma1e the per*ect man are as yet sadly lac1ing in us. #a1e *irst the /ery important ,uality o* sel*2control. #he ma:ority o* us are certainly de*icient in this respect, and Page !

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this *act sho+s itsel* in a do0en +ays. #he irritability o* +hich ( spo1e pre/iously is one o* the commonest *orms in +hich lac1 o* sel*2control sho+s itsel*. #here are other and coarser passions, such as the desire o* the drun1ard or o* the sensualist, +hich most o* us ha/e already learned to control, or perhaps +e ha/e eliminated them *rom our natures in pre/ious li/es. 6ut i* any relics o* such coarser passions still remain +ith us in the *orm o* gluttony or sensuality, our *irst step must be to bring such desires under the dominion o* the +ill. (n such cases as this the necessity is ob/ious to e/ery one3 but our lac1 o* sel*2control may !"age )'$ sho+ itsel* in other +ays +hich +e do not so readily percei/e. .hen some trouble, some sorro+ or su**ering comes to a man, he o*ten allo+s himsel* to be greatly +orried or pro*oundly depressed by it. (nstead o* maintaining his attitude o* calmness and serenity, he identi*ies himsel* +ith the lo+er /ehicle, and allo+s himsel* to be s+ept a+ay. $e must learn to ta1e a *irm stand 5 to say to himsel*< -#hese *orces *rom +ithout are playing upon my lo+er /ehicles, a**ecting perhaps my physical body or my astral body, but (, the 7oul, the true &an, stand abo/e all these things3 ( remain untroubled, and ( +ill not allo+ mysel* to be disturbed or mo/ed by them.THE FOOLI/HNE// OF TA2ING OFFENCE Another instance +hich is pain*ully common is the +ay in +hich a man ta1es o**ence at something +hich another says or does. (* you thin1 o* it this also sho+s a strange lac1, not only o* sel*2control, but o* common sense. .hat the other man says or does cannot ma1e any di**erence to you. (* he has said something that has hurt your *eelings, you !"age )($ may be sure that in nine cases out o* ten he has not meant it to be o**ensi/e3 +hy then should you allo+ yoursel* to be disturbed about the matter B ;/en in the rare cases +here a, remar1 is intentionally rude or spite*ul 5 +here a man has said something purposely to +ound another 5 ho+ *oolish it is *or that other to allo+ himsel* to *eel hurtA (* the man had an e/il intention in +hat he said, he is much to be pitied, since +e 1no+ that under the la+ o* di/ine :ustice he +ill certainly su**er *or his *oolishness. .hat he has said need in no +ay a**ect you3 i* a man stri1es a blo+ on the physical plane, it is no doubt desirable *or you to de*end yoursel* against its repetition, because there is a de*inite in:ury3 but in the case o* the irritating +ord no e**ect +hate/er is really produced. A blo+ +hich stri1es your physical body is a perceptible impact *rom outside3 the irritating +ord does not in any +ay in:ure you, e4cept in so *ar as you may choose to ta1e it up and in:ure yoursel* by brooding o/er it or allo+ing yoursel* to be +ounded in your *eelings. .hat are the +ords o* another, that you should let your serenity be disturbed by themB #hey !"age ))$ are merely a /ibration in the atmosphere3 i* it had not happened that you heard them, or heard o* them, +ould they ha/e a**ected you B (* not, then it is ob/iously not the +ords that ha/e in:ured you, but the *act that you heard them. 7o i* you allo+ yoursel* to care about +hat a man has said, it is you +ho are responsible *or the disturbance created in your astral body, and not he. #he man has done and can do nothing that can harm you3 i* you *eel hurt and in:ured and thereby ma1e yoursel* a great deal o* trouble, you ha/e only yoursel* to than1 *or it. (* a disturbance arises +ithin your astral body in re*erence to +hat he has said, that is merely because you ha/e not yet gained control o/er that body3 you ha/e not yet de/eloped the calmness +hich enables you to loo1 do+n as a soul upon all this and go on your +ay and attend to your o+n +or1 +ithout ta1ing the slightest notice o* *oolish or spite*ul remar1s made by other men. (* you +ill attain this calmness and serenity, you +ill *ind that your li*e is in*initely happier than be*ore. ( do not put that be*ore you as the reason *or +hich you should see1 !"age )*$ this de/elopment3 it is a good reason truly, yet there is another and higher reason in the *act that +e ha/e +or1 to do *or our *ello+ men Page 20

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and that +e cannot be *it to do it unless +e are calm and serene. (t is al+ays best that +e should 1eep be*ore oursel/es this highest o* all reasons *or sel*2de/elopment 5 that unless +e e/ol/e oursel/es +e cannot be a *it and per*ect channel *or the di/ine po+er and strength. #hat should be our moti/e in our e**ort3 yet the *act remains that the result o* this e**ort +ill be greatly increased happiness in our +or1. #he man +ho culti/ates calmness and serenity soon *inds the :oyousness o* the di/ine li*e per/ading the +hole o* his e4istence. #o the clair/oyant +ho can obser/e the higher bodies the change in such a man is remar1able and beauti*ul to see. THE E.IL OF UNNECE//A 0 AGITATION #he a/erage man is usually a centre o* agitated /ibration3 he is constantly in a condition o* +orry or trouble about something, or in a condition o* deep depression, or else he is unduly e4cited in the endea/our to grasp !"age )+$ something. =or one reason or another he is al+ays in a state o* unnecessary agitation, generally about the merest tri*le. Although he ne/er thin1s o* it, he is all the +hile in*luencing other people around him by this condition o* his astral body. $e is communicating these /ibrations and this agitation to the un*ortunate people +ho are near him3 and it is :ust because millions o* people are thus unnecessarily agitated by all sorts o* *oolish desires and *eelings that it is so di**icult *or the sensiti/e person to li/e in a great city or to go into any large cro+d o* his *ello+ men. An e4amination o* the illustration o* the e**ect o* the /arious emotions as sho+n in Man Visible and Invisible +ill at once enable us to reali0e that a man in such a condition o* agitation must be causing great disturbance in the astral +orld about him, and +e shall see that others +ho happen to be in his neighbourhood cannot remain una**ected by the in*luence +hich pours out *rom him. #he man +ho gi/es +ay to passion is sending out +a/es o* passion3 the man +ho allo+s himsel* to *all into a condition o* deep depression is radiating in all !"age *-$ directions +a/es o* depression3 so that each o* these men is ma1ing li*e harder *or all those +ho are so un*ortunate as to be near him. (n modern li*e e/ery man has little circumstances +hich +orry him, +hich tend to stir up irritability +ithin him3 e/ery man has sooner or later some cause *or +orry and *or depression3 and +hene/er any one o* us yields to either o* these *eelings the /ibrations +hich +e send out assuredly tend to accentuate the di**iculties o* all our neighbours. 7uch /ibrations ma1e it harder *or those about us to resist the ne4t accession o* irritability or depression +hich may come to them3 i* there are germs o* these ,ualities in them, the /ibrations +hich +e ha/e so +rongly allo+ed oursel/es to send *orth may a+a1en these germs +hen other+ise they +ould ha/e lain dormant. No man has a right to commit this crime o* thro+ing obstacles in the +ay o* his *ello+ men3 no man has a right to yield himsel* to depression or to gi/e +ay to anger 5 not only because these things are e/il *or him and +rong in themsel/es, but because they do harm to those around him. !"age *,$ )n the other hand, i* +e culti/ate +ithin oursel/es serenity, calmness, and :oyousness, +e ma1e li*e lighter instead o* dar1er *or all those into +hose presence +e come3 +e spread about us soothing /ibrations, +e ma1e it easier *or our neighbours to resist +orry or trouble or annoyance, and thus +e help to li*t the burdens *rom all those +ho are about us, although +e may say ne/er a +ord to themA ;/ery one is the better because +e are calm and strong, because +e ha/e reali0ed the duty o* the soul. $ere, then, are some use*ul ,ualities +hich +e may see1 to build into oursel/es 5 the ,ualities o* sel*2control, happiness, and calmness. 9et us learn that it is our duty to be happy, because Fod means man to be happy. #here*ore it is that the man must not let himsel* be s+ept o** his *eet by the +a/es o* thought and *eeling about him, but must stand *irm as a to+er to +hich others may cling +ho are still a**ected by these Page 2

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+a/es. 7o shall di/ine strength *lo+ through him to those others, and they too shall be rescued *rom the stormy ocean o* li*e, and brought into the ha/en +here they +ould be.!"age *#$ COU AGE AND E/OLUTION

)ther /irtues +hich +e should build into oursel/es are courage and determination. #here are many men in the +orld +ho ha/e an iron determination +ithin them about certain things 5 a resolution that nothing can sha1e. #hey ha/e resol/ed to ma1e money, and they +ill do it 5 honestly, i* possible, but at any rate they +ill ma1e it3 and these men usually succeed to a greater or less e4tent. .e +ho are students o* a higher li*e thin1 o* them as narro+ in their outloo1, as understanding but little o* +hat li*e really is. #hat is true, yet +e should remember that they are at least li/ing up in practice to +hat they understand. #he one thing o* +hich they *eel certain is that money is a great good, and that they intend to ha/e plenty o* it3 and they are thro+ing their +hole strength into that e**ort. .e ha/e con/inced oursel/es that there is something higher in the +orld than the gaining o* money, that there is a /aster and a grander li*e, the smallest glimpse o* +hich is +orth more than all mere earthly gain. (* +e are as thoroughly !"age *%$ con/inced o* the beauty o* the higher li*e as is the +orldly man o* the desirability o* ma1ing money, +e shall thro+ oursel/es into the pursuit o* that higher li*e +ith e4actly the same resolution and enthusiasm +ith +hich he thro+s himsel* into the pursuit o* gold. $e neglects no possibility, he +ill ta1e in*inite pains to ,uali*y himsel* to pursue his ob:ect better3 may not +e o*ten learn a lesson *rom him as to the one2 pointedness and the untiring energy +ith +hich he de/otes himsel* to his ob:ect B #rue, the ob:ect itsel* is an illusion, and +hen he gains it he o*ten *inds it to be o* but little /alue a*ter all3 yet the ,ualities +hich he has de/eloped in that struggle cannot but be /aluable to him +hen the higher light da+ns upon him and he is able to turn his talents to a better use. (n this de/elopment o* resolution the study o* #heosophy greatly helps us. #he #heosophist reali0es pro*oundly the in*inity o* +or1 in the direction o* sel*2de/elopment +hich lies be*ore him3 yet he can ne/er be depressed, as the +ordly man sometimes is, by the *eeling that he is no+ gro+ing old, that his time is short, and that he cannot hope !"age *&$ to attain his end be*ore death puts a period to his e**ort. #he student o* occultism recogni0es that he has eternity be*ore him *or his +or1, and that in that eternity he can ma1e himsel* e4actly +hat he desires to be. #here is nothing that can pre/ent him. $e *inds around him many limitations +hich he has made *or himsel* in pre/ious li/es3 yet +ith eternity be*ore him all these limitations +ill be transcended, his end +ill be accomplished, his goal +ill be attained. #here are many people +ho are an4ious to 1no+ +hat the *uture has in store *or them 5 so many that large numbers o* s+indlers li/e upon this desire. Any astrologer or clair/oyant +ho thin1s he can predict the *uture is certain to ha/e immense numbers o* clients3 e/en the /eriest charlatan seems to be able to ma1e a li/ing by a mere pretence to the occult arts or to pre/ision. Get in truth no one need trouble himsel* in the slightest degree about his *uture, *or it +ill be e4actly +hat he intends that it shall be. #he student o* occultism does not see1 to 1no+ +hat the *uture has in store *or him3 he says rather< -( intend to do this or that3 ( 1no+ +hat !"age *'$ my *uture de/elopment +ill be, because ( 1no+ +hat ( intend to ma1e it. #here may be many obstacles in my +ay, put there by my o+n pre/ious actions3 ( do not 1no+ ho+ many there are, or in +hat *orm they may come3 ( do not e/en care to 1no+. .hate/er they may be, my resolution is unsha1en3 +hether it be in this li*e or in *uture li/es, ( shall mould my e4istence as ( li1e3 and in 1no+ing that, ( 1no+ all that ( care to 1no+ o* that +hich lies be*ore me.- .hen the man reali0es the di/ine po+er +hich resides +ithin him he cares little *or out+ard circumstances3 he decides upon +hat he +ill do3 he de/otes his energy to it and he carries it through3 he says to himsel*< -#his shall be Page 22

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Creating Character

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done3 ho+ long it +ill ta1e matters nothing, but ( +ill do it.- (t +ill be seen there*ore that courage and determination are /irtues +hich are emphatically necessary *or the student o* occultism. THE G EATE/T NEED OF ALL &ost o* all man needs to de/elop the ,uality o* unsel*ishness3 *or man as +e *ind him at !"age *($ present is by nature terribly sel*ish. (n saying that, +e are not casting blame upon him *or his past3 +e are trying to remind him that there lies be*ore him a *uture. #he #heosophist understands +hy this *ault o* sel*ishness should be so common among men, *or he reali0es +hat has been the birth and the gro+th o* the soul in man. $e 1no+s that the indi/idual +as slo+ly, gradually *ormed through ages o* e/olution, and conse,uently that the indi/iduality is /ery strongly mar1ed in man. #he soul as a centre o* strength has gro+n up +ithin the +alls o* sel*, and +ithout these protecting +alls the man could not ha/e been +hat he no+ is. 6ut no+ he has reached the stage +here the po+er*ul centre is de*initely established, and conse,uently he has to brea1 do+n this sca**olding o* sel*ish thought +hich surrounds him. #his shell +as a necessity, no doubt, *or the *ormation o* the centre3 but no+ that the centre is *ormed the shell must be bro1en a+ay, because +hile it e4ists it pre/ents the centre *rom doing its duty, and *rom carrying out the +or1 *or +hich it +as *ormed. #he man has become a sun, *rom +hich the di/ine !"age *)$ po+er should radiate upon all those around him, and this radiation cannot be until the +alls o* sel*ishness ha/e been bro1en do+n. (t is not +onder*ul that it should be hard *or man to do this, *or in getting rid o* sel*ishness he is con,uering a habit +hich he has spent many ages in *orming. (t had its use and its place in these earlier stages3 as one o* the &asters o* .isdom once put it< -#he la+ o* the sur/i/al o* the *ittest is the la+ o* e/olution *or the brute3 but the la+ o* intelligent sel*2sacri*ice is the la+ o* de/elopment *or man.- 7o it comes that man needs to transcend +hat +as *ormerly his nature and to build into himsel* the ,uality o* unsel*ishness, the ,uality o* lo/e, so that he may learn gladly to sacri*ice +hat seems his personal interest *or the good o* humanity as a +hole. 9et us be+are that +e do not misunderstand this. ( do not mean by that any de/elopment o* cheap sentimentalism. &en +ho are ne+ to this study sometimes thin1 that it is e4pected o* them that they shall attain to the le/el o* lo/ing all their brethren ali1e. #hat is an impossibility e/en i* it +ere desirable3 and to see that this is so +e ha/e only to turn to the !"age **$ e4ample o* the highest o* men. 8emember that it is related o* Kesus himsel* that he had his belo/ed disciple 7t. Kohn, and o* the 6uddha that he +as more closely attached to the disciple Ananda than to many others +ho possessed greater po+ers and higher ad/ancement. (t is not demanded o* us, it is not intended, that +e should ha/e the same *eeling o* a**ection to+ards all. (t is true that such a**ection as +e no+ *eel to+ards those +ho are nearest and dearest to us, +e shall presently come to *eel *or all our brother2men3 but +hen that time comes our a**ection *or those +hom +e lo/e best +ill ha/e become something in*initely greater than it is no+. (t +ill mean that our po+er o* a**ection has gro+n enormously, but not that it has ceased to be stronger in one case than it is in another 5 not that all the +orld has become the same to us, .hat is important *or us no+ is that +e should regard all man1ind, not +ith hostility, but in that *riendly attitude +hich is +atching *or an opportunity to ser/e. .hen +e *eel deep a**ection or gratitude to+ards some person +e +atch constantly *or an opportunity !"age *+$ to do some little thing *or him to sho+ our gratitude, our respect, our a**ection, or our re/erence. 9et us adopt that attitude o* ready help*ulness Page 2>

Adyar Pamphlets

Creating Character

No. 205, 206 & 207

to+ards all man1ind3 let us be al+ays prepared to do +hate/er comes to our hand 5 e/er +atching *or an opportunity to ser/e our *ello+ men, and let us regard e/ery contact +ith another man as an opportunity o* being use*ul to him in some +ay or other. (n that +ay +e shall learn to build into our character these important /irtues o* lo/e and unsel*ishness. /4NGLE51INDEDNE// Another necessary ,uality is that o* single2mindedness. .e must learn that the great ob:ect o* our li/es is to ma1e oursel/es a channel *or the di/ine *orce, and that that ob:ect there*ore must al+ays be the determining *actor in any decision that +e ma1e. .hen t+o paths open be*ore us, instead o* stopping to consider +hich o* these t+o +ould be best *or us indi/idually, +e must learn to thin1 rather +hich is the noblest, +hich is the most use*ul, +hich +ill bring most good !"age +-$ to other men. .hen in business or in social li*e +e ta1e some step +hich appears ad/antageous *or us +e should as1 oursel/es in all sincerity, -Can this thing, +hich seems as though it +ould bring good to me, do some harm to some one else B Am ( ma1ing an apparent gain at the cost o* a loss to some other man B (* that be so ( +ill ha/e none o* it3 ( +ill not enter upon any such course o* action. =or that cannot be right *or me +hich brings harm to my brothers3 ( must ne/er raise mysel* by trampling do+n others.- #hus +e must learn in e/erything to ma1e the highest our criterion, and steadily little by little to build these /irtues into oursel/es. #he process may be a slo+ one, but the result is sure. /ACHITTA "A I0ODA"ANA1 Nor must +e *orget the third line o* the 6uddha"s /erse< -Cleanse your o+n heart-. 6egin +ith your thoughts3 1eep them high and unsel*ish, and your actions +ill *ollo+ along the same line. .hat is re,uired is intelligent adaptation to the conditions o* the true li*e. $ere on the physical plane +e ha/e !"age +,$ to li/e in accordance +ith the la+s o* the plane. =or e4ample, there are certain la+s o* hygiene, and the intelligent man adapts himsel* care*ully to them, 1no+ing that i* he does not his li*e +ill be an imper*ect one and *ull o* physical su**ering. ;/ery cultured man 1no+s that to be the merest common sense3 yet +e see daily ho+ di**icult it is to induce the ignorant and uneducated to comply +ith these natural la+s. .e +ho ha/e learnt them adapt oursel/es to them as a matter o* course, and +e reali0e that i* +e did not do so +e should be acting *oolishly, and i* +e su**ered *rom such action +e should ha/e only oursel/es to blame. .e +ho are students o* occultism ha/e through our studies learnt much o* the conditions o* a higher and grander li*e. .e ha/e learnt that :ust as there are certain physical la+s +hich must be obeyed i* the physical li*e is to be li/ed healthily and happily, so there are the moral la+s o* this higher and +ider li*e, +hich it is also necessary to obey i* +e +ish to ma1e that li*e happy and use*ul. $a/ing learnt these Ka+s, +e must use intelligence and common sense in li/ing according to them. (t is +ith a !"age +#$ /ie+ o* adapting oursel/es to them that +e +atch, oursel/es +ith re*erence to these ,ualities o* +hich +e ha/e spo1en. #he +ise man ta1es them one at a time, and e4amines himsel* care*ully +ith re*erence to the ,uality +hich he has chosen, to see +here he is lac1ing in it. $e thin1s be*orehand o* opportunities *or displaying that ,uality, yet he is al+ays ready to ta1e other une4pected opportunities +hen he *inds them opening up be*ore him. $e 1eeps that ,uality, as it +ere, in the bac1 o* his mind al+ays, and tries perse/eringly *rom day to day, and e/ery moment o* the day, to li/e up to his highest conception o* it. (* he thus 1eeps it steadily be*ore him, he +ill soon *ind a great change coming o/er him3 and +hen he Page 2@

Adyar Pamphlets

Creating Character

No. 205, 206 & 207

*eels that he has thoroughly grounded himsel* in that, so that its practice has become a habit and a matter o* instinct +ith him, he ta1es up another ,uality and +or1s in the same +ay +ith that. NO 1O BID INT O/"ECTION #hat is the method o* procedure, yet +e must be care*ul in adopting it not to *all into a !"age +%$ common error. .e may remember that the 6uddha ad/ises his disciples to *ollo+ the middle path in e/erything, +arning them that e4tremes in either direction are in/ariably dangerous. #hat is true in this case also. #he ordinary man o* the +orld is asleep in regard to the +hole o* this ,uestion o* the culti/ation o* character3 its necessity has ne/er da+ned abo/e his hori0on, and he is blan1ly ignorant +ith regard to it. #hat is one e4treme, and the +orst o* all. #he other e4treme is to be *ound in the constant morbid introspection in +hich some o* the best people indulge. #hey are so constantly mourning o/er their *aults and *ailings that they ha/e no time to be use*ul to their *ello+ men3 and so they cause themsel/es unnecessary sorro+ and +aste much strength and e**ort +hile ma1ing but little real progress. A little child +ho has a piece o* garden *or himsel* is sometimes so eager to see ho+ his seeds are gro+ing that he digs them up be*ore they ha/e really started in order to e4amine them again, and so e**ectually pre/ents them *rom springing at all. 7ome good people seem to be :ust as impatient as is !"age +&$ such a child3 they are constantly pulling themsel/es up by the roots to see ho+ they are gro+ing spiritually, and in this +ay they hinder all real ad/ancement. 7el*2e4amination and sel*21no+ledge are necessary3 but morbid introspection is abo/e all things to be a/oided. )*ten it has its root in a subtle *orm o* sel*2conceit 5 an e4aggerated opinion o* one"s importance. A man should set his *ace in the right direction3 he should note his *aults and *ailings, and stri/e to get rid o* them3 he should note the good ,ualities in +hich he is lac1ing, and endea/our to de/elop them +ithin himsel*. 6ut +hen he has *ormed this *irm resol/e, and in doing his best to carry it into e**ect, he can +ell a**ord to *orget himsel* *or the time in the ser/ice o* his *ello+ men. (* he +ill but thro+ himsel* into earnest unsel*ish +or1, in the /ery act o* doing that +or1 he +ill de/elop many use*ul ,ualities. $a/ing controlled the mind and the senses, let him thin1 o*ten o* the highest ideals that he 1no+s3 let him thin1 +hat the &asters are, +hat the 6uddha is, +hat the Christ is, and let him try to mould his li*e to+ards theirs3 let him +or1 al+ays +ith !"age +'$ this end in /ie+, and let him try to raise himsel* to+ards -the measure o* the stature o* the *ullness o* the Christ-. 8emember that he told us, -6e ye per*ect, as your =ather in hea/en is per*ect.- 8emember also that he +ould ne/er ha/e uttered those +ords i* it had not been possible *or man to *ul*il that command. Per*ection is possible *or us because immortality is a *act3 +e ha/e all eternity be*ore us in +hich to +or1, and yet +e ha/e no time to lose3 *or the sooner +e begin to li/e the li*e o* the Christ, the sooner +e shall be in a position to do the +or1 o* the Christ, and to range oursel/es among the sa/iours and the helpers o* the +orld. C. .. 9;AE6;A#;8

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