The Theosophical Teachings in a Few Words
John Garrigues
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An Editorial Note:
The following excerpts can be found in the volume
“From the Book of Images”, which was written by John
Garrigues and published under the pseudonym of Dhan Gargya
by The Cunningham Press, in Los Angeles, CA, USA, 192 pp., 1947.
The page number of each quotation is given in parenthesis at its end.
(CCA)
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* The pure Soul dispenses love and justice equally, home and abroad. (p. 179)
* The Wise think not in terms of high success nor of dire failure. The Wise think not in terms of Time, but of the Soul. (p. 163)
* A calm and tranquil mind can meet all needs of others and all experiences, as blessings given and as knowledge gained. (p. 163)
* The Self cannot be found outside the self.[1] But a wise man beholds the Self within. Like a child, like a sage, he sees the Self in all things and all things in the Self. There is no other religion than this. (p. 120)
* How shall a man (…) determine the true teacher and the true teaching? By one’s self determining to be true. (…) By oneself being true in this world of deception, the self is transported to the world of truth. Without moving is the traveling upon this path. (pp. 120-121)
* There is no relation of life and no duty in it which will not yield thee knowledge. First observe, then learn, then teach by example; by precept teach when thou hast found thy duty towards all men, the humble as the great, in every duty. Only so is a beginning made to bring all the world to duty. (pp. 150-151)
* …This I know: that when a man hath put all desires for himself away from his heart; when he hath ceased to expect and demand save that is freely given; when he hath ceased suspicions and complaints, as well as refutation of any criticism given of himself: he then comes to know the principles of harmony in his own soul, from which there runs to all an accord and a symphony. Others may not hear; but he has concern only that the right word be spoken by him. Others may not feel in response to the generous love that thrills his own soul; others may not see the signs of one who is free from desire and anger and self-defense; but his clear unfaltering purpose will bless them none the less; his steadfast benevolence, though it chafe the worser part of them, will someday stir their better part, and a better course be taken for that his true life gave assurance of it. (pp. 162-163)
* Firmly must thou think of the miseries of the men of earth. This will carry thee whole through the five veils of the intermediate spheres. Firmly must thy heart be fixed in devotion to alleviate the miseries of the men of earth. This will enable the gods to send down nourishment for the men of earth. Steadfastly must thy mind remain fixed in concentration upon the immortal in the midst of unenduring things. Thus shalt thou find the way back to the assemblage of the gods from the dark sphere of earth. [And the disciple answers:] I take the vow of the highest service possible to be rendered to the men of earth. (p. 114)
* All worlds are knit together in one bond. A common path, ascending and descending, is the path of the Pilgrimage. Those who follow the path of service enter upon the ascent of the path. It is steep and winds up-hill all the way. In the beginning its pleasure is as poison, but in the end like the waters of life, for it is the path of knowledge of the three worlds. It begins in service without requital. If pursued it leads to service requited by words. If pursued it leads to service requited by gratitude on the part of those who need no service. If pursued further, service accompanied by gratitude from those who need no service leads to love for those who have this gratitude. Love and further service lead to the station of the vow. Thereafter, if pursued, service to all men in gratitude and love for those who sustain the three worlds without thought of recompense, leads to the end of the path, which is the bliss of Emancipation. (p. 69)
* …It is only the foolish man who places his faith and trust in persons, however near or fair. Can it be thou would cherish but a mask in place of the Man himself, in place of the Soul that discards one mask but to assume other? Human nature [in its outer aspects] is not to be trusted: this the Wise of all ages know. (p.152)
NOTE:
[1] In other words, the higher self or spiritual soul, whose substance is universal, cannot be found outside the lower self. (CCA)
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The above article is reproduced from the October 2015 edition of “The Aquarian Theosophist”, pp. 5-6.
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On the role of the esoteric movement in the ethical awakening of mankind during the 21st century, see the book “The Fire and Light of Theosophical Literature”, by Carlos Cardoso Aveline.
Published in 2013 by The Aquarian Theosophist, the volume has 255 pages and can be obtained through Amazon Books.
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