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Advanced Course in Yogi Philosophy and Oriental Occultism388
Dharma claims to set in order this apparent confusion. It recognizes each
view as a partially correct one—parts of the whole truth—but too weak
and incomplete when standing alone. It reconciles the conflicting schools
by taking the materials that are found in each, and using them to build a
complete system. Or, rather, it finds a complete structure erected, in the
order of the Universe, and sees that each school of thinkers is looking at
but one of its pillars, mistaking its favored pillar for the sole support of the
structure, the other two being hidden from sight by reason of the particular
point of view of the observer. And this teaching of Dharma is much needed
at this time by the Western people who are in a state of great mental and
spiritual confusion on the subject of morality and conduct. They are divided
between (1) those who rely on revelation, and who disregard it in practice
because it is not “practical”—these people really advocate revelation as
modified by experience and custom; (2), Those who claim to rely on intuition
and conscience, but who feel that they are resting on an insecure foundation,
and who really live on custom and “the law of the land,” modified by their
“feelings”; and, (3) those who rely on pure reason, modified by the existing
laws, and influenced greatly by the impulses which come to them from the
higher regions of the mind, notwithstanding that they deny these same
higher states of mentality. Let us hope that a study of Dharma will help to
straighten out matters for some of us. Of course, this little lesson is merely a
hint of the truths of Dharma, but we trust that it may help some to adjust the
matter in their minds, and make it easier for them to get their moral bearings,
and to take advantage of the truths that are pouring in on them from the
three sides of life. Let us now see what Dharma has to offer.
In our brief consideration of the subject, we must ask the student to give
us the “Open Mind.” That is, be willing to lay aside, for the moment, his
preconceived ideas and theories, and to listen to our teachings without
prejudice, as far as possible, without being unduly influenced by his
previously entertained theories. We do not ask him to accept our teachings
unless they appeal to his reason and intuition, but we do ask him to give