Let it not be supposed that, in thus unfolding a little more of the wonders of Divine Truth by pushing our investigations to the very farthest point at present possible to us, we in any way alter or modify all that has been written in theosophical books of the shape and const.i.tution of the physical atom, and of the wonderful and orderly arrangements by which it is grouped into the various chemical molecules; all this remains entirely unaffected.
Nor is any change introduced as regards the three outpourings from the LOGOS, and the marvellous facility with which the matter of the various planes is by them moulded into forms for the service of the evolving life.
But if we wish to have a right view of the realities underlying manifestation in this universe, we must to a considerable extent reverse the ordinary conception as to what this matter essentially is. Instead of thinking of its ultimate const.i.tuents as solid specks floating in a void, we must realise that it is the apparent void itself which is solid, and that the specks are but bubbles on it. That fact once grasped, all the rest remains as before. The relative position of what we have hitherto called matter and force is still for us the same as ever; it is only that, on closer examination, both of these conceptions prove to be variants of force, the one ensouling combinations of the other, and the real "matter,"
koilon, is seen to be something which has. .h.i.therto been altogether outside our scheme of thought.
In view of this marvellous distribution of Himself in "s.p.a.ce," the familiar concept of the "sacrifice of the LOGOS" takes on a new depth and splendour; this is His "dying in matter," His "perpetual sacrifice," and it may be the very glory of the LOGOS that He can sacrifice Himself to the uttermost by thus permeating and making Himself one with that portion of koilon which He chooses as the field of His universe.
What koilon is, what its origin, whether it is itself changed by the Divine Breath which is poured into it--does "Dark s.p.a.ce" thus become "Bright s.p.a.ce" at the beginning of a manifestation?--these are questions to which we cannot at present even indicate answers. Perchance an intelligent study of the great Scriptures of the world may yield replies.
NOTES
[1] See footnote in next Chapter.
[2] The drawings of the elements were done by two Theosophical artists, Herr Hecker and Mrs. Kirby, whom we sincerely thank; the diagrams, showing the details of the construction of each "element," we owe to the most painstaking labour of Mr. Jinarajadasa, without whose aid it would have been impossible for us to have presented clearly and definitely the complicated arrangements by which the chemical elements are built up. We have also to thank him for a number of most useful notes, implying much careful research, which are incorporated in the present series, and without which we could not have written these papers.
[3] The atomic sub-plane.
[4] The astral plane.
[5] Known to Theosophists as Fohat, the force of which all the physical plane forces--electricities--are differentiations.
[6] When Fohat "digs holes in s.p.a.ce."
[7] The first life-wave, the work of the third Logos.
[8] A maya, truly.
[9] By a certain action of the will, known to students, it is possible to make such a s.p.a.ce by pressing back and walling off the matter of s.p.a.ce.
[10] Again the astral world.
[11] Each spirilla is animated by the life-force of a plane, and four are at present normally active, one for each round. Their activity in an individual may be prematurely forced by yoga practice.
[12] "The ten numbers of the sun. These are called Dis--in reality s.p.a.ce--the forces spread in s.p.a.ce, three of which are contained in the Sun"s Atman, or seventh principle, and seven are the rays shot out by the Sun." The atom is a sun in miniature in its own universe of the inconceivably minute. Each of the seven whorls is connected with one of the Planetary Logoi, so that each Planetary Logos has a direct influence playing on the very matter of which all things are constructed. It may be supposed that the three, conveying electricity, a differentiation of Fohat, are related to the Solar Logoi.
[13] The action of electricity opens up ground of large extent, and cannot be dealt with here. Does it act on the atoms themselves, or on molecules, or sometimes on one and sometimes on the other? In soft iron, for instance, are the internal arrangements of the chemical atom forcibly distorted, and do they elastically return to their original relations when released? and in steel is the distortion permanent? In all the diagrams the heart-shaped body, exaggerated to show the depression caused by the inflow and the point caused by the outflow, is a single atom.
[14] These sub-planes are familiar to the Theosophist as gaseous, etheric, super-etheric, sub-atomic, atomic; or as Gas, Ether 4, Ether 3, Ether 2, Ether 1.
[15] It must be remembered that the diagrams represent three-dimensional objects, and the atoms are not all on a plane, necessarily.
[16] That is, the surrounding magnetic fields strike on each other.
[17] The fifth member of this group was not sought for.
[18] This, with references which appear later (pp. 32, 33, 50, etc.), relates to articles which appeared in the _Theosophist_, 1908.
[19] Since writing the above I have noticed, in the _London, Edinburgh and Dublin Philosophical Magazine and Journal of Science_, conducted by Dr.
John Joly and Mr. William Francis, in an article ent.i.tled "Evolution and Devolution of the Elements," the statement that it is probable that in "the nebulous state of matter there are four substances, the first two being unknown upon earth, the third being hydrogen and the fourth ... helium. It also seems probable that ... hydrogen, the two unknown elements, and helium are the four original elements from which all the other elements form. To distinguish them from the others we will term them protons." This is suggestive as regards hydrogen, but does not help us with regard to oxygen and nitrogen.
[20] Theosophists call them Nature-Spirits, and often use the mediaeval term Elementals. Beings concerned with the elements truly are they, even with chemical elements.
[21] Quoted in "The Secret Doctrine." H.P. Blavatsky, i, 309.