The Equinox (Volume III, Number I)

THE EQUINOX There is a further terrible confusion between the personal progress of the man, and his progress in relation to his in- carnations. It cannot be too clearly understood that these things are altogether different. Blavatsky’s attempt to mix up Hin- duism and Buddhism is productive of constant friction. The first Path in Dhyana has nothing whatever to do with being a Srotapatti. It is perfectly clear that you could be Master of all the eight Jhanas with no more hope of be- coming a Srotapatti than a Pwe-dancer. However, this is an extremely poetical description of what happens on the seventh Path. ‘You must notice that there is a certain amount of con- fusion between the Paths and the Portals at the end of them. Apparently one does not reach the seventh Gate till the end of the treatise. “A Master of the Day” is said to refer to the Manvantara, but it is also an obvious phrase where day is equivalent to Sun. 75. He standeth now like a white pillar to the west, upon whose face the rising Sun of thought eternal poureth forth its first most glorious waves. His mind, like a becalmed and boundless ocean, spreadeth out in shoreless space. He holdeth life and death in his strong hand. It is interesting to notice that he is stillin the West. This is the penultimate stage. He is really now practically iden- tical with Mayan himself. He has met and conquered the maker of illusion, become one with him, and his difficulty will then be so to complete that work, that it shall be centred on itself, and leave no seed that may subsequently germinate and destroy all that has been accomplished. 120