Tilak of Tibet Reveals Life's Purpose, by Ann Hackett [1944], at sacred-texts.com
In the peaceful Kashmir Valley, a son was born to a poor fruit grower and his wife. The June morning that the infant, Tilak, opened his eyes, was full of prophecy and deeper purpose. The year 950 A. D. proved eventful for India, China and Tibet.
When a soul, carrying a message, again becomes encompassed in a fleshy garment, the tidings are passed from flower to tree and to waving grass. These silent sentinels of hidden things sent forth added perfume to the Valley of Kashmir.
The mountain birds winged from great heights and dropped to the warm land below. Their flight was a portent. The wild animals in the woods became quiet. The wild life, reclining on shaded banks, seemed with half-closed eyes to peer across quiet pools, as though wrapped with expectancy.
Standing by the sleeping babe was a Buddhist Priest. He had come to bless the infant boy, and in the sleeping presence of the tiny mortal found himself blessed.
On the exposed palm of the child a cross could be seen, under the forefinger, and on the right hand.
The Buddhist Priest spread the word far and wide that a Teacher had taken birth among mortal men.
The baby grew to boyhood. He seemed to draw his very sustenance from the forming things. His boyish fingers sensed the secret hidden in the buds of fairest flowers. His feet pressed the earth as though to reveal a path long hidden. The soft south wind clung to his tunic and veritably it seemed to sail, carrying him to uncharted seas.
The dark and serious eyes of the youth absorbed all that passed before him, retaining what he saw in the recesses of a growing understanding. He seemed to know that life's panorama is retained in no other way.
To Tilak the rivers and quiet pools were the tears of lives past. That which apparently decays was to him but a preparation for greater beauty.
Tilak lived not on the surface of things, but ever sought to peer beneath the mirror.
Day to Tilak became the dream; night the living.
As a pupil he taught more than he was taught.
His sandals often graced the tiled floor of the Temple. Often would he sit in front of raised altar.
[paragraph continues] As the rays of the rising sun slanted through Temple window and brightened his yellow mantle, his body appeared as though carved from finest substance. It was then his soul was seeking heavenly news.
The animals that roam in the forest of ignorance became as vapor to Tilak. Lust, hatred, anger and fear, knew him not. These animals of baser moments found no place within him to dwell. It is only that which is welcome that remains. Lust, hate, anger and fear ever leave by the same gate through which they enter. They ever shun friendliness, and at its approach hurriedly depart. Man is friendly to that he knows, and when man is friendly he does not hate.
Tilak's heart had taught him that anything that must be carried in the earthly hand perishes quickly, and leaves but the dust of its former shape. Memory alone retains the shape. Why seek those things that perish?
It was thus that Tilak approached his Teacher.
In the open garden, behind his father's simple cottage, the Teacher came.
It was evening. A wayward bird sought its nest. The mountain appeared as a purple sentinel. The closing flowers sighed as they relaxed in slumber, sending forth the evening's essence. Cautiously the moon peered over rocky crag, and then as though satisfied slipped quickly to midheaven.
"I have come, Tilak," said the Teacher.
"I am ready," replied Tilak.
Side by side Teacher and pupil walked out of the garden and onto the highway that led to the mountain.
As though by prearrangement with that long past Tilak became the Keeper of the Chamber of the Great Potential.
The Chamber of the Great Potential was spherical. It had been carved out of the mountainside, and represented earthly life.
As every human being is an equal distance from all that is good and beneficent, so with the earthly planet; all points are equal to the heavens.
Within his cavern Chamber Tilak worked and found his being.
Daily he tended the fires of higher resolve; night brought him recompense.
Sitting before a table in the Chamber of the Great Potential, Tilak wrote on parchment leaves:
All individuals living in earthly conditions have two bodies: the temporary physical body that is used during
earthly life, and the permanent finer body that is used after physical death; and that is used before physical birth. The physical body is limited in power, the finer body is unlimited in power.
The physical body is a counterpart of the finer body. The powers used in the physical body are but the powers of the finer body greatly reduced in potency.
For long periods the individual places all dependence upon the physical body, and the conditions surrounding it. Ultimately the individual believes that he can control many physical conditions. When he apparently is successful he is pleased, and when he apparently is not successful he is displeased.
It is not until the individual learns that the physical plane is but the plane of effects that the individual seeks the cause for these effects.
The search for the cause gradually pushes the individual's activities into the higher parts of his being.
Untrained physical senses often mislead the individual. The physical senses report their findings to the mind. The mind, after analyzing the various findings, endeavors to establish definite mental concepts—concepts that will contain a degree of permanency. Thus the mind often seeks guidance and listens to moral promptings.
When an individual is living entirely an earthly life clairvoyance and clairaudience would serve him but
little. It is only when the individual attempts to solve the enigmas of existence that more subtle powers are needed.
Communication of mind with mind is always operative. Seldom, however, is the sender or recipient of a message aware of what is taking place. Such an awareness requires rigid training.
All the powers of the finer body can be used by the individual while the individual is still physically clothed.
Everything in the physical life is gauged by time. Physical time is gauged by the movement of the earth on its axis, and the movement of the earth around the sun. Earthly events seem to follow one another by a natural sequence.
The finer body depends not upon earthly time. It transcends such time, and can cognize earthly events that have been, and earthly events that are to come.
In earthly life the individual is a dependent. All objects in earth life on which the individual places dependence are ever mutable and changing. The individual possesses nothing in earth life. Even the particles of the physical body that the individual uses he possesses not. How can the individual claim possession of any earthly object when such object was in the earthly state before the individual's physical birth? To use and leave is the law of the physical life.
Every physical life requires adjustments.
Every individual brings to a physical life definite tendencies. These tendencies prompt many of the earthly actions. These Tendencies are the individual's heritage. All individuals have group tendencies, as well as individualistic tendencies. The group tendencies are shared with all other individuals. These group tendencies are the prompting to worship, the desire for play, and the search for love. The specific individualistic tendencies are those that draw an individual to a given work, occupation or profession. These individualistic tendencies are independent of environment or heredity.
During a physical life an individual is called upon to make decisions. These decisions regulate conduct and the association with other individuals. A choice between two actions is often determined by tendency. Thus an individual's earthly life is determined in great part by his tendencies. Following tendency is not always the better way.
A tendency is built up through a series of physical lives, and is constructed of those things that the individual found satisfactory in the search for a wider understanding. Tendencies are gradually changed when the individual finds that they do not serve that more elevated condition sought.
It is only when the individual assumes full responsibility for all thoughts, feelings and acts that the individual realizes definite laws are operating in physical conditions.
When an individual takes birth in physical life everything appears to be waiting; the physical body, its construction, coloring and outline, the individual's parents, the early environment; in fact, everything appears waiting and prepared for him.
All these things found at physical birth cannot be changed by the individual. The individual cannot add height to his physical body, nor change the coloring of hair or skin; the parents cannot be changed, nor the early environment. As these things are determined, they are determined for the benefit of the individual.
During the longest physical life the individual meets but few other individuals, therefore those individuals that enter his earthly life have a purpose there and are the individual's teachers.
As the earthly life does not contain enough to satisfy a growing mind, the mind will ultimately turn from objective life and will seek a fuller state of being elsewhere. It is the inability of the earthly life to absorb all of the powers of mind that brings dissatisfaction; for nothing can bring peace to the mind that is impermanent.
Whatever an individual thinks, feels or does becomes part of the individual's self-consciousness. If an individual thinks and feels poorly, can the self-consciousness be contented? As every individual moves and has his being in self-consciousness it behooves all individuals to elevate the self-consciousness as quickly as possible. No other individual can, in any degree, change the self-consciousness of another individual. The individual's self-consciousness must live from and of itself. If self-consciousness lives poorly, it will be poor and extremely limited.
THERE IS NO POWER IN THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE THAT CAN CHANGE OR MODIFY SELF-CONSCIOUSNESS BUT ITSELF.
Whatever disturbs self-consciousness, self-consciousness has so permitted to disturb. What are some of the things self-consciousness seeks? Kindness, charity and understanding are three of them. How can self-consciousness obtain these things? By one way only—BY USING THEM. Self-consciousness often through its grosser vehicle, the physical body, tries every other method first. All other methods fail, and always will fail. What self-consciousness uses It Is while it so uses.
There is nothing in the universe that functions mysteriously. Everything functions according to Just
and Beneficent Law. If a thing appears mysterious it is because self-consciousness wants it to appear so. Many individuals apparently thrive in the shallow pool of mystery. The lethargic state of mystery cannot long hold the individual. The individual's subtle, finer body will protest.
All natural life is magic, for natural life, as a mirror, reflects a finer life. Magic means mirror. Everyone in daily life uses magic. An individual's understanding of earthly events and conditions is his magic.
If the individual's interpretation of earthly things is from his finer body, if an individual has the realization that the earthly body is but a reflection of the finer body, the individual is using a higher form of magic. In using such a higher form of magic the individual often accomplishes things that appear to others as miraculous. Every human being is endowed with an earthly body and a finer body. His use of these bodies determines his magical powers.
Tilak's meditation closed with these thoughts: "'Wherever an individual finds himself is where the individual should be. Around the individual lies his work. In his work will be found his inspiration. Inspiration will lead to impersonal service for others. To
point the better way of life to others is a great work. It is the final earthly aim of all.
"First to prepare, then to receive, and then to share. It is only that which is shared that expands and grows. Innumerable earthly lives are required for the preparation; many more earthly lives for the reception; and added earthly lives for the giving. This is the Great Trinity—Preparing, Receiving, and Giving. To this trinity all lives should be dedicated."