Selections from the Agni Yoga Series
Presented before the Agni Yoga Society, April 15, 2014
1. The organization of the community first of all foresees equality. Admit any form of inequality and at once you come up against the perniciousness of privilege. The fact of inequality creates a seesaw—the greater rise of one creates a still greater rise of another. The only way to avoid an unsettling of the pillars is by maintaining equality.
Cynics may be found who will say, “Let them sway freely, the more energy will there be in space.” The remark is not devoid of sense, but indeed the common work is so much in need of solicitude that a true economy of forces must be adopted. The most economical principle is equality, which destroys privilege and cupidity. Community, 165
2. Community—cooperation—is the sole rational means of human living together.
He who wishes to devote himself to the true community acts in agreement with the fundamentals of Existence.
The conscious community excludes two enemies of society; precisely inequality and heirdom. And inequality leads to tyranny. Heirdom is a compromise, and it brings in corruption of the foundations. Needed is clarity of construction, a dislike of conventionalities, and faith in children as a symbol of the progress of mankind. Community, 200
3. You will encounter two types of opponents of equal rights—one, an admirer of the rule of the harem, who says that age-old customs should not be disturbed; the other, indignant at the past, will demand supremacy for herself in everything. Both will be remote from evolution. It is impermissible to drag past offenses into the future. It is impermissible also to preserve the ossification of an outworn way of life.
It is impermissible to erect obstacles to free cognition. Affirmation of true equality of rights might better be called full rights. The obligations attending the recognition of full equality will liberate life from coarse customs, from foul speech, from falsehood, from dusty routine. But the new evolution must be begun early in life if thoughts about it have not flashed out independently.
One may perceive that at present there are many women who perfectly understand the significance of full rights. They may be relied upon throughout the world. Aum, 417
4. Urusvati knows that every appeal for the renewal of life must address the needs of women and the young. Some people think that both of these aspects of life are secure, and are developing successfully, but in reality the position of woman and the education of the young are not at all in a satisfactory condition. Only a small number of women can assume equal rights in the conditions of life, and in most schools the foundations of a sound life are not taught. Evolution cannot proceed successfully when two pillars of support have not yet been made secure. It should not be thought that evolution proceeds under any conditions; it can be obstructed, and much precious energy will be wasted. Supermundane IV, 700
5. In interpreting the attitude of the Teacher toward earthly riches, it is important to know that He advised giving up possessions only when they were dragging down the spiritually weak ones. He did not reject earthly riches, for how can one deny what already exists? He taught that it is essential to find a sensible attitude toward all that exists in life. Indeed, the Teacher did not want to see uniform poverty. He used to emphasize that even people of small means should cultivate pure joy, without envy of wealthy neighbors.
The Teacher shared the company of both rich and poor and in each case was equally kind and ready to help. Indeed, it is the rich who are sometimes most in need of help. Supermundane I, 162
6. There is a story about a physician in ancient times who treated people of different castes with equal attention, and because of this noble attitude the people wanted to stone him. When asked if he would also apply the same care to people of other nations, he answered that everyone should be treated alike, and he was forbidden to practice medicine at all.
Such examples belong to past centuries, but even today one can see similar acts of ignorance. The right remedy should be sought for such superstition and savagery. Such divisions once had a practical purpose, but it was outlived long ago, and today cannot be considered rational.
Only science can help by proving that caste systems are unscientific. But science can help only if it is combined with a right understanding of the Subtle World.… The work of all scientific fields should be directed to an understanding of it, but instead of seeking knowledge, people attempt to obstruct every new possibility. Supermundane II, 274
7. Urusvati knows how difficult it is to achieve harmony of consciousness. We do not speak here about the leveling of all consciousnesses, because, owing to cosmic multiformity, equality does not exist. Because nothing is repeated, the harmony of all parts is essential. It is difficult to imagine what complicated methods would have to be applied to try to equalize consciousnesses. One person may already be approaching the summit, while another has not even reached the foot of the mountain! Truly, in their thinking they have nothing in common. If you give them equal knowledge, for one it will be insufficient, and for the other too much, confusing him and even causing him to betray.
The Teacher must often ponder what the student can assimilate without harm. It is better to leave things unsaid than to say too much and create circumstances that lead to betrayal. Understanding all the varieties suitable for harmonization embodies the essence of wisdom. Supermundane I, 211
8. A sensitive physician will prescribe a patient's favorite foods; the same is done when a preferred substance is indicated for the success of an experiment. Even the simplest man has an inner sense of what is especially close to him, and remarkable experiments could be performed comparing the different substances that are especially suitable for each organism. It can be shown that man himself senses what is best for him. But everything superficial must be eliminated, or drunkards will insist that only alcohol is good for them!...
In all things the fundamentals of individuality must be recognized, especially at present. People try to equalize and generalize everything, but nature reveals individuality in every phenomenon. When one understands the generosity of this principle, the evolutionary process in nature, in which the value of individuality can be seen in everything, comes easily to mind….
The Thinker used to say, “Every man has his own inimitable way.” Supermundane II, 444
9. The Thinker used to say, “The will directed to good gains victory. Both the simple stonecutter and the great architect serve equally to build the temple.” Supermundane III, 563
10. Urusvati knows that a leader must be like a solicitous gardener. Usually, one pays more attention to safeguarding one’s most beautiful plants, but the simple ones can be of equal value and usefulness and must be cared for too. The ignorant can trample upon them and think of them as weeds. So also through the whole of life one should pay particular attention to recognizing the value of those modest, unnoticed workers, out of whose ranks can come the best co-workers. One should not regret their lack of knowledge, for it is they who can bypass the middle-level intellectual knowledge and strive toward the higher spiritual knowledge. Supermundane III, 628
11. Some may be unable to reconcile the idea of equality with that of Hierarchy. Equality lies in the potentiality of spirit that all possess. Hierarchy is based on the uniqueness of one's accumulated experience. Therefore it is just to say that a complex of knowledge will be the gate of Hierarchy. Mark the expression “complex,” because narrow specialization cannot define the breadth of a Hierarch. Agni Yoga, 94
12. It is… quite true that “equality in an absolute sense cannot be realized and that the Hierarchic Principle is a natural attribute of society.” Hierarchy is a cosmic law, and this very same cosmic foundation affirms the equality of each monad, as far as the growth of its individuality is concerned. Therefore, state laws, in order to serve the vital interests, should reflect cosmic laws. Thus, every born citizen of this or that country, due to his birthright, becomes potentially eligible for all rights, i.e., as it is said in the United States of America, “every citizen of America may become its President.” Indeed, this right must be safeguarded. But as you know, the citizens of many countries are deprived of that very kind of equality. Thus, all have an equal birthright, but all are not equal according to their abilities. And this inequality is not only goal-fitting but also just, for abilities are achieved by personal labor and personal efforts during countless millennia. And this inequality ceases to be inequality and comes under the guiding law of hierarchy. The tormenting problem of the equality and inequality of people could be dissolved if the law of reincarnation were to become accessible to the consciousness of the masses. An outstanding public figure, Michael Roberts, I believe, once said, “If the members of the Cabinet were convinced that after death they would be reincarnated in families that live in the poorest quarters of London, social reforms would have been initiated with astonishing haste.” One may add that many other things would also have been changed. Letters of Helena Roerich II, 10 September 1938
13. You say, “I know that the spiritual leadership is essential, but I also know that the pyramid must be built from the bottom…. The foundation of the pyramid should be built upon the sound principles of a renewed democracy, and people should be brought up on this…. Only in this way will the nations that are prepared be able to react to the spiritual leadership. Only if there is a foundation can there be a summit of synthesis to the pyramid.” Here…, I do not quite follow you. You seem to affirm the Hierarchic leadership, but at the same time you think that first of all the foundation of the understanding of this leadership must be laid, and that only then, after this, can the Hierarchic structure or leadership be accepted. But how can people build the foundation and continue with the construction if a certain guidance is not given them? Each building is erected according to the plan of an architect, and the plain workers lay the stones of the foundation, without knowing the whole plan of the architect. Verily, many workers participate in this task, from the lowest to the highest, but they all fulfil the plan of the creator. Without the Hierarchic Principle the “earth dwellers,” as you call them, will verily build, again and again, not a pyramid of synthesis but rather a Tower of Babel. Letters of Helena Roerich I, 8 March 1935
14. From the enclosure sent by you, a reader might come to the conclusion that someone is against the great ideas of liberty, equality, and brotherhood—ideas which alone keep humanity alive! But if these leading ideas were to be put aside because they seem utopian, as it were, then it would be better for humanity to cease to exist as soon as possible. Unless these ideas are carried in the heart, humanity will sink into unheard-of crimes and depravity, and will slowly disintegrate and perish from the calamities engendered by them. If these ideas are utopian, then all Teachings of Life are utopian in like measure. Letters of Helena Roerich II, 10 September 1938