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Advanced Course in Yogi Philosophy and Oriental Occultism378
that many things that have been called “right” are “right” only from the same
reason. He looks around him and sees that right and wrong seem to differ
with latitude and longitude, and that the conceptions of right and wrong
vary with the ages and constantly are changing; being modified, improved
upon, or rejected. This being the case, the student is apt to be puzzled
regarding a code of ethics—he has lost his old landmarks and standards,
and finds himself puzzled to determine with what to measure right and
wrong. On one side he hears the old doctrines of this or that mere matter
of form of observance, dogmatic and unreasonable, which his soul rejects
as outgrown and inadequate for its present needs. On the other hand, he
hears the new doctrine of “All is Good” being preached vigorously, often
by those who have not the slightest conception of the real meaning of the
words—and this new doctrine is not satisfactory to the average student,
for his conscience tells him that certain courses of conduct are “right” and
others “wrong” (although often he is not able to tell just why he so considers
them). And so the student is apt to become quite puzzled.
To add to his confusion, he recognizes the fact that what may seem “right”
to him, is utterly incomprehensible to some men of his acquaintance who
are not so far advanced spiritually—they are not able to grasp his high
standard and ideals. He also notices that some of the things that, even to him,
seem the natural and right things for these undeveloped men to do (that is,
seem better than other things they have been doing) would be “wrong” for
him, the advanced man, to do, because they would mean going backward.
Among other things, he sees these undeveloped men being influenced to
“right” doing, and deterred from “wrong” doing, by promises of reward and
threats of punishment, which appear most unworthy and selfish to those
who believe in doing right for right’s sake. And yet, he is forced to see that
these people apparently need some such artificial stimulus and deterrent,
for they are incapable of grasping the higher ideals of ethics.
These, and countless other questions, arise to perplex the student, and
to make him feel that the old foundations have slipped from under his feet,