The Supreme Doctrine - neo-alchemist

THE MECHANISM OF ANXIETY
progressively approach the highest consciousness—'objective', 'cosmic' or
'absolute' consciousness.
This is a theoretical attitude radically opposed to that which Zen
doctrine holds. According to this doctrine man does not lack this real
consciousness and this real will, he lacks nothing whatever; he has in himself
everything that he needs; he has, from all eternity, the 'nature of Buddha'. He
needs absolutely nothing in order that his temporal machine may be
controlled directly by the Absolute Principle, that is by his own Creative
Principle, in order that he may be free. He can be compared with a machine
which lacks not the smallest part in order that it should function absolutely
perfectly. But the state of man at his birth comprises a certain modality of
development which, as we shall see, entails a hiatus, a non-union which
divides his mechanism into two separate parts, soma and psyche. In the
absence of this union man does not enjoy the prerogatives of his absolute
essence which is nevertheless entirely his own. One would be wrong in
suggesting that this lack of union is a lack of some thing; the machine is
complete, perfect in its smallest details, no part is missing which it should be
necessary to manufacture and install in order to make it work properly; it is
necessary only to establish a connexion between the two parts that are not
joined. Leaving this mechanical comparison for a chemical analogy, let us
say that no substance is lacking among the substances necessary for the
desired reaction; everything is there; but a contact has to be established in
order to set off the reaction. Or again, following another comparison of Zen,
there is in man a block of ice to which absolutely nothing is lacking for it to
take on the nature of water; but heat has to be generated so that this ice may
melt and thus enjoy all the properties of water.
This conception necessarily entails the instantaneous, lightning-like
character of man's realisation. Either there is not union between the two parts
of man, and then he does not enjoy his divine essence; or the direct contact is
re-established, and there is no reason, since absolutely nothing is lacking,
why man should not be instantaneously established in the enjoyment of his
divine essence. The inner work which results in the establishment of this
direct contact, but not the deliverance itself, is long and difficult, and so,
progressive. In the course of this progressive preparation man brings himself
nearer chronologically to his future liberty, but he does not enjoy an atom of
this liberty until the moment at which he will have it in its entirety; all that he
has in the course of his work is a diminution of his suffering in not being free.
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