And why does the righteous (regenerate) man rejoice under those conditions which cause such misery to the unrighteous (unregenerate) man? It is because, having overcome the evil in himself, he ceases to see evil without. To the good man all things are good, and he utilises everything for the good of the world. To him persecution is not an evil, it is a good. Having acquired insight, knowledge, and power, he, by meeting that persecution in a loving spirit, helps and uplifts his persecutors, and accelerates their spiritual progress, though they themselves know it not at the time. Thus he is filled with unspeakable bliss because he has conquered the forces of evil; because, instead of succumbing to those forces, he has learned how to use and direct them for the good and gain of mankind. He is blessed because he is at one with all men, because he is reconciled to the universe, and has brought himself into harmony with the Cosmic Order.
The following symbol will perhaps help the mind of the reader to more readily grasp what has been explained.
LOVE, LIGHT, AND LIFE
KNOWLEDGE
A
S
P
I
R
A
T
I
O
N
PASSION
AFFLICTION
D
E
S
I
R
E
IGNORANCE
LUST, DARKNESS AND DEATH
There is at first the underworld of lust, darkness, and death which is associated with ignorance ; rooted in this is the foot of the cross? desire; in the body of the cross, desire branches out into two arms? the right (active or positive) are, passion, being equalised and balanced by the left (passive or negative) arm of affliction; uniting these, and rising out of them at the head of the cross, is aspiration; here, wounded and bleeding, rests the thorn-crowned head, of humanity; at the end of this, and right at the summit of the cross, is knowledge, which, while being at the apex of the self-life, is the base of the Truth-life ; and above rises the heavenly world of Love, Light, and Life.
In this supremely beautiful world the regenerate man lives, even while living on this earth. He has reached Nirvana, the Kingdom of Heaven. He has taken up his cross, and there is no more sin and sufferings desire and passion and affliction are passed away. Harmony is restored, and all is bliss and peace.
The cross is the symbol of pain. Desire is painful, passion is painful, affliction is painful, and.
aspiration is painful; this is why these things are symbolised by a cross which has two pairs of conflicting poles. Affliction is the harmonising and purifying element in passion; aspiration is the harmonising and purifying element in desire. Where the one is, the other must be also. Take away the one, and the other disappears. Suffering, or affliction, is necessary to counteract passion; aspiration, or prayer, is necessary to purge away desire; but for the regenerate man all these things are ended; he has-risen into a new life and a new order of things?the consciousness of purity; lacking nothing and being at one with all things, he does not need to pray for anything; redeemed and reconciled, contented and ill peace, he finds nothing in the universe to hate or fear, and his is both the duty and the power to work without ceasing for the present good and the ultimate salvation of mankind.
2. Temptation
I know that sorrow follows passion; know
That grief and emptiness and heartache wait
Upon all earthly joys; so am I sad ;
Yet Truth must be, and being, can be found;
And though I am in sorrow, this I know?
I shall be glad when I have found the Truth.
