List of Pharaohs:
Spiritual - Theosophy
Dictionary on
Principles Principles A beginning, foundation, source, or essence from which things proceed; principles are thus the fundamental essences out of which and from which all things are and exist, usually enumerated as seven in theosophical writings. These kosmic principles, corresponding to the seven planes of the kosmos -- the seven basic types of consciousness-substance of which the universe is formed -- are manifested in the human being, so that we speak of the seven human principles, copies in the small of the seven principles of the universe. The seven human principles are not a confederation of distinct entities, for man himself is essentially a unit, a monad, expressing his potentialities through a series of vehicles or vestures. The seven principles severally exist as aspects of human consciousness. Whether kosmic or human, they are usually divided into a higher triad and a lower quaternary, these being the numbers of the spiritual and material side of nature respectively. The higher triad is atman, buddhi, and manas (or, more correctly expressed, atman, atma-buddhi, and atma-buddhi-manas); the quaternary was originally given as kama-rupa, prana, linga-sarira, and sthula-sarira. In a later enumeration sthula-sarira was omitted from the list as not being a principle in itself but the vehicle of the other principles, and the quaternary was made up by adding the lower aspect of manas. The septenate may also be regarded as a higher and lower triad united by manas, which can attach itself to either and in our present stage of evolution is oscillating between the two. Since these seven rudimentary principles are omnipresent, they give rise to subordinate septenates within the larger septenates, so that each principle is itself subdivided into seven, repeating nature's fundamental structure indefinitely. This becomes clearer when we bear in mind that the universe in all its parts is composed of monads, and that every monad in manifestation expresses itself as a septenate. Though principles and elements are essentially the same, it is convenient to make a distinction whereby the term principle is used for the force or spirit aspect, and element for the vehicular aspect; the principle being the inner, and the element the outer aspect, flowing forth from the principle as its vital vehicle or clothing. Basically, these human principles are the original essences or elements in the constitution of any entity, macrocosmic or microcosmic, when these elements or essences are integrated into a unit by the power inherent in the essential self of such an entity. Thus there are principles of a cosmos or universe, of a sun, a globe, a man, beast, plant, mineral and of an elemental. All religions and philosophies in all times have taught, albeit after various manners, that man or world or any other being is much more than the physical body. The physical bodies or vehicles are but the outer shells or carriers of inward invisible, ethereal, and spiritual potencies or essences. In attempting to define the various parts of which our being is composed, many methods of dividing the human constitution have been adopted by different schools following different ways. The theosophic system is a division into seven principles or ultimate elements or essences; and everything within the cosmos is built of the same fundamental spiritual essence or substance and after the same general pattern. Other systems of division are possible, for instance the Christian threefold division of spirit, soul, and body. But the septenary classification is the most ancient one, and it is the common inheritance of all the esoteric schools "left to the sages of the Fifth Root-Race by the great Siddhas [Nirmanakayas] of the Fourth" (SD 2:636). The following table (cf SD 2:596, ET 952-4) shows the analogy between the seven human aspects and the cosmic aspects: Human Aspects ------- Cosmic Aspects 1. Atman Spirit, Essential Self ----- Unmanifested Logos, Essential Self ----- Paramatman Cosmic Monad, Self 2. Buddhi Spiritual Soul ----- Universal Ideation, Second Logos ----- Alaya, Adi-Buddhi, 3. Manas (Mind) Human Soul ----- Universal Intelligence, Third Logos ----- Mahat Cosmic Mind 4. Kama (Desire) Animal Soul ----- Cosmic Energy (Chaotic) ----- Cosmic Kama Womb of Fohat 5. Prana Life-essence Vitality----- Cosmic Life-Essence or Energy ------ Cosmic Jiva 6. Linga-sarira Model-body ----- Astral Ideation, reflecting terrestrial things ----- Cosmic Ether Astral Light 7. Sthula-sarira Physical body ----- Cosmos Physical universe ----- Sthura- or Sthula-sarira In this classification atman is enumerated first of the human principles in order to convey the idea that all the other six principles emanate or unroll forth from it. Thus buddhi is emanated first and two portions of the scroll are unrolled, to adopt a Christian metaphor; then from buddhi is emanated manas (the other four principles being still infolded) and three portions of the scroll are unrolled; then from manas is emanated kama -- and so forth until all seven principles are unfolded. The ancient Persians also had a sevenfold division of man's aspects (Theos 4:21): English ----- Avestic ----- Sanskrit 1. Physical Body -----Tanwas (bones) ----- Sthula-sarira 2. Model-body ----- Keherpas (aerial form), Persian kaleb ----- Linga-sarira 3. Life-Essence ----- Ushtanas (vital heat) ----- Prana 4. Desire Principle ----- Tevishis (conscious will) ----- Kama-manas 5. Mind (Human Soul) ----- Baodhas (perception through senses) ----- Manas 6. Spiritual Soul ----- Urvanem (Soul), Persian rawan ----- Buddhi 7. Universal Spirit ----- Fravashem or Farohar (Spirit) ----- Atman In the ancient Chinese I Ching a seven fold classification is also given; and Gerald Massey stated that the Egyptian text often mention "seven souls of the Pharaoh," which he enumerated as follows (with Blavatsky's correction in SD 2:632): English ----- Chinese ----- Egyptian 1. Physical Body ----- Kwei ----- Kha soul of blood 2. Model-body ----- Kwei shan vial soul ----- Khaba, the shade covering soul 3. Life Essence ----- Shan vital principle ----- Ba soul of breath 4. Desire Principle ----- Zhing or Zing Essence of Will ----- Akhu, intelligence soul of perception 5. Mind ----- Pho ------ Seb ancestral soul 6. Spiritual Soul ----- Khi ----- Putah, first intellectual father intellectual soul 7. Universal Spirit ----- Hwun pure spirit ----- Atmu divine or eternal soul Lao-tzu in his Tao-Teh-Ching mentions five principles, pure spirit and the body being taken for granted therein (Key 117). Adapting the classification of Egyptologist Franz Lambert who tabulated a Qabbalistic classification alongside a hieroglyphic division: Sanskrit ----- Qabbalah ----- Hieroglyphics 1. Sthula-sarira ----- Guph ----- Chat elementary body 2. Linga-sarira ----- Nephesh ----- Ka astral body, Evestrum, Sidereal Man 3. Prana ----- Khoah hag-Guph ----- Anch vital force Archaeus, Mumia 4. Kama ----- Ruah ------ Hati animal soul // Ab heart, feeling 5. Manas ----- Neshamah ----- Bai intellectual soul, intelligence 6. Buddhi ----- Hayyah ------ Cheybi spiritual soul 7. Atman ----- Yehidah ----- Chu divine spirit The classification usually met with in the Qabbalah is a fourfold division: 1) neshamah, the most spiritual principle, the breath of being; 2) ruah, the spiritual soul; 3) nephesh, the vital soul; and 4) guph, the physical vehicle. A sevenfold classification is stated to have been taught by the Gnostics, presented in the Pistis Sophia. "The Inner Man is similarly made up of four constituents, but these are supplied by the rebellious AEons of the Spheres, being the Power -- a particle of the Divine light ('Divinae particula aurae') yet left in themselves; the Soul (the fifth) 'formed out of the tears of their eyes, and the sweat of their torments; . . . The Counterfeit of the Spirit (seemingly answering to our Conscience), (the sixth); and lastly the [Greek moira], Fate (Karmic Ego), whose business it is to lead the man to the end appointed for him . . .' -- the seventh!" (SD 2:604-5). The Pymander of Hermes states that the self is clothed with 1) the blissful garment of conscious selfhood; 2) the garment of knowing or reason; 3) the garment of fancy, etc., spoken of as the soul; 4) the garment of life or breath; and 5) the gross body. The Vedantic classification commonly uses a sixfold division, while other systems employed by the Brahmins, especially the Taraka-Raja-Yogins, is fourfold: Theosophical ----- Vedantic ----- Taraka-Raja-Yoga 1. Sthula-sarira ----- Annamaya-kosa ----- Sthulopadhi 2. Linga-sarira ----- Pranamaya-kosa ------ " 3. Prana ----- " ------ " 4. Kama 5. Manas . . . a) volitions, feelings ----- Manomaya-kosa ----- Sukshmopadhi . . . b) vijnana ----- Vijnanamaya-kosa ----- " 6. Buddhi ----- Anandamaya-kosa ----- Karanopadhi 7. Atman ----- Atman ----- Atman The ancient Greek writers had their own terms for the aspects of the universe or of man, besides the familiar nous and psyche: Theosophical ----- Greek ----- Roman 1. Sthula-sarira ----- Soma ----- Corpus 2. Linga-sarira ----- Phantasma or Phasma ----- Simulacrum or Imago 3. Prana ----- Bios ----- Anima 4. Kama-manas ----- Thymos ----- Animus 5. Higher Manas ----- Phren ----- ) 6. Buddhi-manas ----- Nous ----- Mens 7. Atman ----- Pneuma ----- Spiritus In the human constitution the archaic Latins discovered almost as many different spiritual, psychic, and astral elements as the ancient Hindus did. Thus, for instance, there was in man the genius (called in women the juno), closely corresponding to the manasaputric element or higher manas; and when a man died the genius sought its own sphere. The other parts of the human constitution consisted of a member of the manes and a member of the lares, which two were probably closely identic with the lower human ego and the higher human ego; furthermore after the death of the man there appeared the lemur corresponding to the kama-rupa, shade, or specter; and the larva, which seems to have been identical with the lemur but with even less of the nobler human element in it; so that the lemur may be considered the kama-rupa in its early stages, and the larva when more greatly disintegrated. The physical body of course was considered simply to fall to pieces and to render its elements to the earth which gave it. In the Scandinavian Eddas, Ask and Embla were two ash trees, and by means of the gifts bestowed upon them human beings were produced. Another system of classification used in theosophical thought is the considering of the human constitution as composed of monads. The following table gives the monads and their relation to the principles. See also FOURFOLD CLASSIFICATION (See also: Principles, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)
|