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THE SECRET DOCTRINE.
barriers, for—they can never do so. In this respect, Science, Theology,
and even Spiritualism show little more wisdom than the ostrich, when
it hides its head in the sand at its feet, feeling sure that there can be
thus nothing beyond its own point of observation and the limited area
occupied by its foolish head.
As the only works now extant upon the subject under consideration,
within reach of the profane of the Western "civilized" races, are the
above-mentioned Hermetic Books, or rather Hermetic Fragments, we
may contrast them in the present case with the teachings of Esoteric
Philosophy. To quote for this purpose from any other would be useless,
since the public knows nothing of the Chaldean works, which
are translated into Arabic and preserved by some Sufi Initiates. Therefore
the " Definitions of Asclepios," as lately compiled and glossed by
Dr. Anna Kingsford, F.T.S., some of which sayings are in remarkable
agreement with the Eastern Esoteric Doctrine, have to be resorted to
for comparison. Though not a few passages bear a strong impression
of some later Christian hand, yet on the whole the characteristics of
the Genii and Gods are those of Eastern teachings, although concerning
other things there are passages which differ widely in our doctrines.
As to the Genii, the Hermetic philosophers called Theoi (Gods), Genii
and Daimones, those Entities whom we call Devas (Gods), Dhyan Chohans,
Chitkala (the Kwan-Yin, of the Buddhists), and various other
names. The Daimones are—in the Socratic sense, and even in the
Oriental and Eatin theological sense—the guardian spirits of the
human race; "those who dwell in the neighbourhood of the immortals,
and thence watch over human affairs," as Hermes has it. In
Esoteric parlance, they are called Chitkala, some of which are those
who have furnished man wdth his fourth and fifth Principles from
their own essence, and others the so-called Pitris. This will be explained
when we come to the production of the complete ma^i. The
root of the name is Chit, "that by which the consequences of acts and
species of knowledge are selected for the use of the soul," or conscience,
the inner voice in man. With the Yogins, Chit is a synonym
of Mah'at, the first and divine Intellect; but in Esoteric Philosophy'
Mahat is 'the root of Chit, its germ; and Chit is a quality of Manas
in conjunction with Buddhi, a quality that attracts to itself by spiritual
afl&nity a Chitkala, when it develops sufi&ciently in man. This is why
it is said that Chit is a voice acquiring mystic life and becoming
Kwan-Yin.