The key to the Mystery of Buddha and that of other Adepts lies in the correct understanding of the reflections in man of the Seven Principles or Powers in Nature, physically; and of the Seven Hierarchies of Being, intellectually and spiritually. The Seven Principles are the manifestation of One Indivisible Spirit, but only at the end of the Manvantara, when the seven merge once again into Absolute Unity, uncreated and impartite. The purified Egotistical Principle, the astral and personal ego of an Adept, though merging with its Highest Ego (Atma-Buddhi) may, for purposes of universal mercy and benevolence, separate itself from its divine Monad as to lead, on this plane of illusion and temporary being, a distinct independent conscious life of its own, under a borrowed illusive shape, thus serving at one and the same time a double purpose: the exhaustion of its own individual Karma, and the saving of millions of human beings less favoured than itself from the effects of mental blindness. Disembodied consciousness is not an effect, but a cause. Such consciousness is a ray of the all-pervading, limitless Flame, the reflections of which alone can differentiate. And, as such, consciousness is ubiquitous: it can be neither localized nor centred on any particular subject. Its effects alone are felt in the region of matter, but consciousness in itself remains the highest quality of the sentient spiritual principle within, the Divine Soul, and does not belong to the plane of materiality. After the death of the physical man, if he be an Initiate, his human consciousness is transformed into the independent Principle itself and, therefore, the former personal ego becomes pure and impersonal consciousness, untainted by any ego. The Bodhisattva becomes a Buddha (Enlightened) and a Nirvani through personal effort and merit, after having had to undergo all the hardships of every other neophyte — not by virtue of a divine birth, as thought by some. It was only the reaching of Nirvana while still living in the body on this earth, that was due to his having been in previous births high on the Path of Inner Wisdom. Once a man delivers himself from the snare of separateness, merging his self in the Universal Self, spiritual powers hitherto dormant in him are awakened, mysteries in invisible Nature are unveiled to him, and he becomes a Dhyani-Buddha — divine Flame and free Will in man. Then, as a Dhyani-Buddha himself, he can create mind-born Bodhisattvas. Twenty years after His outward death, Tathagata in His immense love and mercy for erring and ignorant humanity, refused Parinirvana in order that He might continue to help men on earth. Vajrasattva is the regent or chief of the Dhyani-Chohans or Dhyani-Buddhas, the Supreme Buddha; personal, yet never manifesting objectively. He is the “One without Beginning or End,” in short, the Logos of Buddhism. Vajrasattva is also Vajradhara, or Dorjechang. The two are one, and over them is the Supreme Unmanifested and Universal Wisdom that has no name. As two-in-one, They are the Power that subdues and conquers evil from the beginning, allowing it to reign only over willing subjects on earth, and having no power over those who despise and hate it. This dual personage has the same role assigned to it in canonical and dogmatic Tibetan Buddhism, as have Jehovah and the Archangel Mikael, the Metatron of the Jewish Kabbalists — which is an absurdity. The Roman Catholics identify Christ with Mikael, who is also his ferouer, or “face,” mystically. This is precisely the position of Vajrasattva in Northern Buddhism. For the latter, in His Higher Ego as Dorjechang, is never manifested, except to the seven Dhyani-Chohans, the primeval Builders. Esoterically, He is the Spirit of the Seven collectively, and Their highest principle or Atman. Metatron is the Greek Αγγελος (Messenger), or Great Teacher. Mikael fights Satan, the Dragon, and conquers him and his Angels. The War in Heaven of the Christian legend is based upon bad angels having discovered the magical wisdom of the good ones, and the mystery of the Tree of Life. Let anyone read simply the exoteric accounts in the Hindu and Buddhist Pantheons — the latter version being taken from the former — and he will find both resting on the same primeval, archaic allegory from the Secret Doctrine. At whatever age one puts off his outward body by free will, at precisely that age will he be made to die a violent death against his will in his next rebirth. Who, then, was punished by Karma? Karma cannot act unjustly. There is some terrible mystery involved in this story, one that no uninitiated intellect can ever unravel. Shankaracharya died at thirty-two years of age, or rather disappeared from the sight of his disciples, as the legend goes. All is darkness and mystery in it, for it is evidently written but for those who are already instructed. Lord Buddha lived one hundred years in reality though, having reached Nirvana in his eightieth year, he was regarded as one dead to the world of the living. It is not lawful to say any more, for the time has not yet come when nations are prepared to hear the whole truth. It will be sufficient to know that while Gautama Buddha remains merged in Nirvana ever since his death, Gautama Shakyamuni may have had to reincarnate — His dual inner personality being one of the greatest mysteries of Esoteric psychism. Karma exercises its sway over the Adept as much as over any other man. “Gods” can escape it as little as simple mortals. Karma is absolute justice and infallible in its selections. Thus Buddha’s first reincarnation was produced by Karma, and it led Him higher than ever; the two following were “out of pity” and [ . . . ]

A survey of the contents and authenticity of “The Secret Doctrine, Volume III,” as published in 1897.

The key to mystery of Jesus is hidden in the paronomasia of Chrēstos and Christos. Still the learned Egyptologist passes over in silence the real and profound meaning of the two appellations. The Talmud and the Masters of Wisdom affirm that Jesus ben Pandira was the historical Christ, who had lived a century earlier, in the fourth year of the reign of Alexander Jannaeus, King of Judea. An Initiate, who had succeeded in merging his spiritual being into the glorious state of Buddhi-Manas, may be regarded as a Christos after his last and supreme initiation, just as he was called Chrēstos before that. Carnalising the Christ-principle is an absurdity and a blasphemy. Theosophists will never accept a “Christ made Flesh,” or an anthropomorphic God, still less a “Shepherd” in the person of a Pope. However, a man of flesh assuming the Christ-condition temporarily is a matter-of-fact on the plane of matter, and a subjective reality in the spiritual realm, which is the proper habitat of he divine soul. We fully agree with our esteemed friend that the suppression and perversion of esoteric facts in the gospels is not so mischievously done as to prevent the Occultist from reading between the lines.

Anaxagoras believed that since the spiritual prototypes of all things are differentiations of Father Æther, the One Element, all things are essentially the same. The learned astronomer explained openly that which was taught by Pythagoras secretly, regarding the movements of the planets, the eclipses of the sun and moon, etc. He also taught the theory of Chaos, on the principle that “nothing comes from nothing.” Like all great philosophers, Anaxagoras expounded the doctrine of parallel evolution, of spirit and matter. And like Pythagoras, Plato, and Socrates, he too was persecuted by his compatriots, for free speech was not tolerated in the birthplace of “democracy.” The rabble revelled in exacting far harsher punishment on their Spiritual Teachers, than Karma metes out to those who break the vow of silence.

Tsong-kha-pa, the founder of the Gelug-pa Order of Tibetan Buddhism, was an incarnation of Amita-Buddha Himself. He was not, as is alleged by Parsi scholars, an incarnation of one of the celestial Dhyanis, or the five heavenly Buddhas, said to have been created by Shakyamuni after he had risen to Nirvana. He was an incarnation of Amita-Buddha Himself. Tsong-kha-pa gave the signs, whereby the presence of one of the twenty-five Bodhisattvas, or of the Celestial Buddhas in a human body, might be recognized. He also strictly forbade necromancy. This led to a split amongst the Lamas, and the malcontents allied themselves with the aboriginal Böns against the reformed Lamaism. It is curious to note the great importance given by European Orientalists to the Dalai Lamas of Lhasa, and their utter ignorance as to the Tda-shu (Teshu) Lamas, while it is the latter who began the hierarchical series of Buddha-incarnations, for they are the de facto “popes” in Tibet. The works of the Orientalists are full of the direct landmarks of Arhats, possessed of thaumaturgic powers — but these are spoken of with unconcealed scorn. If, after the beginning of persecution against Buddhism, the Arhats were no more heard of in India, it was because, their vows prohibiting retaliation, they had to leave the country and seek solitude and security in China, Tibet, Japan, and elsewhere. It was a historical rehearsal of the dramas that were enacted centuries later in Christendom. Whosoever among those Initiates of the Supreme Degree revealed to a profane a single one of the Truths, even the smallest of the secrets entrusted to him, had to die; and he who received the confidence, was also put to death. Yet this secrecy and this profound mystery are indeed disheartening, since the Initiates of India and Tibet alone could thoroughly dissipate the thick mists hanging over the history of Occultism, and force its claims to be recognized. Among the commandments of Tsong-kha-pa there is one that enjoins the Arhats to make an attempt to enlighten the world, including the “white barbarians,” every century, at a certain period of the cycle. Up to the present day none of these attempts has been very successful. Failure has followed failure.