Q. Does not the Fohatic impress of the Divine Thought apply to a later stage of differentiation?

A. Fohat, as a distinct force or entity, is a later development. "Fohatic" is an adjective and may be used in a more wide sense; Fohat, as a substantive, or Entity, springs from a Fohatic attribute of the Logos. Electricity cannot be generated from that which does not contain an electric principle or element. The divine principle is eternal, the gods are periodical. Fohat is the Sakti or force of the divine mind; Brahmâ and Fohat are both aspects of the divine mind.

Q. Is it not the intention in the Commentaries to this Stanza to convey some idea of the subject by speaking of correspondences in a much later stage of evolution?

A. Exactly so; it has several times been stated that the Commentaries on the First Volume are almost entirely concerned with the evolution of the solar system only. The beauty and wisdom of the Stanzas consist in this, that they may be interpreted on seven different planes, the last reflecting, by the universal law of correspondences and analogy, in its most differentiated, gross and physical aspect, the process which takes place on the first or purely spiritual plane. I may state here once for all that the first Stanzas treat of the awakening from Pralaya and are not concerned with the Solar system alone, while Vol. Il. deals only with our Earth.

Q. Can you say what is the real meaning of the word Fohat? A. The word is a Turanian compound and its meanings are various. In China Pho, or Fo, is the word for "animal soul", the vital Nephesh or the breath of life. Some say that it is derived from the Sanscrit "Bhu", meaning existence, or rather the essence of existence. Now Swayambhu means Brahmâ and Man at the same time. It means self-existence and self-existing, that which is everlasting, the eternal breath. If Sat is the potentiality of Being, Pho is the potency of Being. The meaning, however, entirely depends upon the position of the accent. Again, Fohat is related to Mahat. It is the reflection of the Universal Mind, the synthesis of the "Seven" and the intelligences of the seven creative Builders, or, as we call them, Cosmocratores. Hence, as you will understand, life and electricity are one in our philosophy. They say life is electricity, and if so, then the One Life is the essence and root of all the electric and magnetic phenomena on this manifested plane. Q. How is it that Horus and the other "Son-Gods" are said to be born "through an immaculate Mother"?

A. On the first plane of differentiation there is no sex-to use the term for convenience' sake-but both sexes exist potentially in primordial matter. Matter is the root of the word "mother" and therefore female; but there are two kinds of matter. The undifferentiated, primordial matter is not fecundated by some act in space and time, fertility and productiveness being inherent

in it. Therefore that which emanates or is born out of that inherent virtue is not born from, but through, it. In other words, that virtue or quality is the sole cause that this something manifests through its vehicle; whereas on the physical plane, Mothermatter is not the active cause but the passive means and instrument of an independent cause.

In the Christian doctrine of the Immaculate Conception-a materializing of the metaphysical and spiritual conception-the mother is first fecundated by the Holy Ghost and the Child born from, and not through, her. "From" implies that there is a limited and conditioned source to start from, the act having to take place in Space and Time. "Through" is applicable to Eternity and Infinity as well as to the Finite. The Great Breath thrills through Space, which is boundless, and is in, not from, eternity.

Q. How does the Triangle become the Square, and the Square the six-faced Cube?

A. In occult and Pythagorean geometry the Tetrad is said to combine within itself all the materials from which Kosmos is produced. The Point or One, extends to a Line-the Two; a Line to a Superficies, Three; and the Superficies, Triad or Triangle, is converted into a Solid, the Tetrad or Four, by the point being placed over it. Kabalistically Kether, or Sephira, the Point, emanates Chochmah and Binah, which two, are the synonym of Mahat, in the Hindu Purânas, and this Triad, descending into matter, produces the Tetragrammaton, Tetraktys, as also the lower Tetrad. This number contains both the productive and produced numbers. The Duad doubled makes a Tetrad and the Tetrad doubled forms a Hebdomad. From another point of view it is the Spirit, Will, and Intellect animating the four lower principles.

Q. Then how does the Square become the six-faced Cube? A. The Square becomes the Cube when each point of the triangle becomes dual, male or female. The Pythagoreans said "Once One, Twice Two, and there ariseth a Tetrad, having on its top the highest Unit; it becomes a Pyramid whose base is a plane Tetrad; divine light resting on it, makes the abstract Cube."

The surface of the Cube is composed of six squares, and the Cube unfolded gives the Cross, or the vertical Four, barred by the horizontal Three; the six thus making Seven, the seven principles or the Pythagorean seven properties in man. See the excellent explanation given of this in Mr. R. Skinner's Source of Measures.

"Thus is repeated on earth the mystery enacted, according to the Seers, on the divine plane. The 'Son' of the immaculate Celestial Virgin (or the undifferentiated cosmic protyle-Matter in its infinitude) is born again on Earth as the son of the terrestrial Eve our mother Earth, and becomes Humanity as a total-past, present and future-for Jehovah or Jod-He-Vau-He is androgyne, or both male and female. Above, the 'Son' is the whole Kosmos ; below, he is Mankind. The Triad or Triangle becomes the Tetrak

tys, the sacred Pythagorean number, the perfect Square and sixfaced Cube on Earth. The Macroprosopus (the Great Face) is now Microprosopus (The Lesser Face); or, as the Kabalists have it, the Ancient of Days' descending on Adam Kadmon whom he uses as his vehicle to manifest through, gets transformed into Tetragrammaton. It is now in the lap of Maya, the Great Illusion, and between itself and the Reality has the Astral Light, the great deceiver of man's limited senses, unless Knowledge through Paramarthasatya comes to the rescue.'

*

That is to say, the Logos becomes a Tetragrammaton; the Triangle, or the Three becomes the Four.

Q. Is the Astral Light used here in the sense of Maya?

A. Certainly. It is explained further on in the Secret Doctrine that practically there are only four planes belonging to the planetary chains. The three higher planes are absolutely Arupa and outside our comprehension.

Q. Then the Tetraktys is entirely different from Tetragrammaton?

A. The Tetraktys by which the Pythagoreans swore, was not the Tetragrammaton, but on the contrary, the higher or superior Tetraktys. In the opening chapters of Genesis we have a clue to the discovery of this lower Tetragrammaton. We there find Adam, Eve, and Jehovah who becomes Cain. The further extension of Humanity is symbolised in Abel, as the human conception of the higher. Abel is the daughter and not the son of Eve, and symbolises the separation of the sexes; while the murder of Abel is symbolical of marriage. The still more human conception is found at the end of the fourth Chapter, when speaking of Seth, to whom was born a son, Enos, after which men began-not, as translated in Genesis, to "call upon the Lord"-but to be called Jod-HeVah, meaning males and females.

The Tetragrammaton, therefore, is simply Malkuth; when the bridegroom comes to the bride on Earth, then it becomes Humanity. The seven lower Sephiroth must all be passed through, the Tetragrammaton becoming more and more material. The Astral Plane lies between the Tetraktys and Tetragrammaton.

Q. Tetraktys appears to be used here in two entirely different senses?

A. The true Pythagorean Tetraktys was the Tetraktys of the invisible Monad, which produces the first Point, the second and the third and then retires into the darkness and everlasting silence; in other words the Tetraktys is the first Logos. Taken from the plane of matter, it is among other things, the lower Quaternary, the man of flesh or matter.

(To be continued.)

*Vol. 1, p. 60.

M

FROM THE BOOK OF IMAGES

ANY were those who joined the company of the Master, drawn by the universal force of the Rishis. They knew not why they came, but gave themselves diverse reasons, each according to his own nature. Some traveled but a little way. These were they in whom the inner forces took the downward path of idle curiosity, channeled deep by much seeing and little understanding.

These went away laughing. "This is no Master. He is but a fountain of dry sayings. He utters no novel things. All that he says can be read in old scrolls. Why follow a mere parchment?" Idle and vain their reasons for coming. Idle and vain their reasons for going. Nor did any of them perceive that not sifting they were sifted.

Others of keen desires followed longer. These said within themselves, "How can we tell? Perchance this is in very truth a Master. A man of subtlety can perceive that his words are but masks for the unwary. If we follow patiently perchance we may see wonders, and ourselves, by attention, learn how to perform marvels which will bring us a great repute."

Giving themselves credit for deep wisdom they pressed close, but when they saw that daityas were not commanded, when neither suras nor asuras were summoned, they murmured among themselves. When they saw of a surety that the work of the hands was done by the hands, and the work of the feet by the feet, and no visible effects wrought by invisible means, they reviled this Teacher of man.

"We have not been deceived, but being open and fair-minded, we have put this Guru on trial and have patiently attended. It is known to us that when great Teachers come they bear marks and show works of distinguishment. He has not shown us the dead in their golden carapaces. He has not opened the door of communication with the Pitris. He has not walked on the waters of the past wherein are reflected our lives that have been. It is a sin to waste one's time with those who do naught but repeat and recite the sayings that were taught us as children. We cannot encourage these vain repetitions. But we are not discouraged. We believe in wisdom and will seek elsewhere, and when we have found the great Teacher we will know him, for he will recognize us." So these followers of keen desires turned aside into other paths, searching for other Gurus who would bear marks and show works of distinguishment according to their nature.

Brahmins came, fertile with questions. They were deeply versed in the shastras and conversant with the dialectics of the eight schools, knowing all that had been taught, and needing not to refer to the scriptures, so learned were they. For a space they

were greatly impressed, for this Guru listened to their disputations with attention. But their questions were asked of each other, each desirous to manifest his great lore; each ready to prove that the others were grievous in error and understood not the true interpretation of the Upanishads. They discoursed of Brahman, of Purusha and of the Prakriti. But when they fell silent at last, this Master spoke to them kindly and said of Brahman, of Purusha and of Mulaprakriti, "Wisdom is the realization, That thou art."

Then these Brahmins withdrew from the presence of the Master, feeling contaminated by listening to one utter blasphemies, claiming that he was Brahman, Purusha and Mulaprakriti.

"What," said they to each other, "will become of the divine institution of castes if men are deluded by these follies concerning the Supreme Brahma? This is a Nastika who makes of himself the Deity. This is no true Guru, but a false saint possessed by an evil spirit which makes mock of holy things. From our youth we have lived the most pure lives, yet we do not esteem ourselves so highly as this. This man does not recite mantra, he mixes with sudras, pariahs and wanderers. He goes not to the temple, he performs not the rites of purification, he follows not the ordinances of Manu, but speaks of holy things and the mysteries as though they were the heritage of all mankind."

Came also rich vaishyas desirous of trafficking in speech with the Guru, and offering rich offerings for a sign. But when the Master gave no sign, and when the Master taught that those who had much should seek to enrich their exchanges by giving much. for little, and should not weigh the hand in measures sold to the poor, these merchants perceived that their standing was not recognized, and returned to their booths.

"Why give heed to every wandering faquir who goes naked through the land? Rishis of great renown in elder days were pleased to incarnate in vaishya guise. A true Teacher would purify the religion that is extant among men, separating the spurious from the true. But this man's sayings would reduce all merchants to penury and no merchandise could be had. We should descend in caste and become sudras. A true Guru would show us the way to mount to the caste of kshattriyas, or even in our case become Brahmins. True wisdom would have accepted our offer and shown us a sign, and being thus supported this man would have become known as a great Teacher and all would have prospered."

In time even those who had been longest in the company of the Master grew weary of the journey, or were disturbed by the defections of those who came, who listened, who departed on their several ways.

"Have we not adhered steadfastly for a long time to the company of this Guru? Have we not asked many questions concern