In Anticipation of Maitreya Buddha Coming – II

In the first half of the twentieth century the great Tibetan Buddhist guru, Tomo Géshé Rimpoché, started preparing the space for the coming of the new Buddha – Maitreya.  According to the Buddhist tradition, the enlightenment of the expected Maitreya-Buddha (whose human incarnation will reflect the qualities of the Dhyani-Buddha Amoghasiddhi) will reveal the new cosmic-spiritual order of the Universe. In doing so, he will shape the enlightenment of human beings for thousands of years to come. Thus, Tomo Géshé, in anticipation of the rebirth of the Eternal Truths of the Dharma and of the Coming One, Maitreya-Buddha,…erected statues of Maitreya in many other places and made the followers of the Buddha-Dharma conscious of the fact that it was not sufficient to bask in the glories of the past, but that one must take active part in the shaping of the future, and thus make it possible for the coming Buddha to appear in this world by preparing our minds for his reception.  (Lama Anagarika Govinda, The Way of the White Clouds, Rider & Co., London, 1984, p. 9)

The purpose of the Zodiac-Mandala of the Heavenly Jerusalem is to start our preparation for the Enlightenment of the Coming new Buddha – Maitreya as well! So, let me continue the description of the characteristics of the new initiation of Maitreya Buddha in order to prepare our consciousness for his Coming! In the previous Post I described briefly the View of Earthly Life in the initiations at the cardinal points of the Mandala. Now I will continue with such characteristics as Character and Direction of Transcendence and Element. In the third Post of this series, I will introduce other three important characteristics – Symbol of Initiation, Spiritual Colour and Ultimate Reality.

Character and direction of transcendence

It is amazing how the directions of the paths leading towards initiation (or in other words, the transcendence to the higher states of consciousness) differ in the various spiritual traditions. The character and direction of transcendence depends on the cosmic-spiritual season and the view of earthly life. Accordingly, the type of transcendence determines the spiritual practices for each tradition.

In the Hindu path, the person must overcome the limiting boundaries of maya (the cosmic illusion) and penetrate to the true reality of Being – the all-embracing Divine Light.  Therefore, the transcendence is vertical and upward.  The liberated human consciousness must be able to perceive only the creative Divine Light rather than the manifested material world of forms. This process of dissolving all forms into the reality of Light makes the transcendence extraverted.

The Buddhist path turns within, to the intimate mechanisms of the human mind – i.e. the transcendence is introverted. Because samsära and nirväna are one,  we don’t need to go anywhere else, but simply to overcome our ignorance. We are in the same reality, but we have to change our attitude towards it – so the transcendence is ‘horizontal’ and ‘introverted’.

The Christian path shows the way to the reality of the Kingdom of God. We have to ascend upward from the material life to the higher spiritual worlds (the transcendence is vertical, ascending upward).  In order to achieve this goal, however, we have to go deeply within ourselves and to activate the Divine Love within (so the transcendence is introverted).

The path of the Master Beinsa Douno’s spiritual school is one of externalisation of the spiritual laws, methods and principles in our daily life. In the epoch of the cosmic Spring the spiritual disciples are supposed to awaken their Souls and then, with blossoming Souls, to live in the material world as in a joyful spiritual school.  So, the transcendence is extraverted because the disciples emerge from the subjective, psychological dimensions of life and direct their attention to the external world. It is ‘horizontal’ because the disciples seek the spirituality in the field of the earthly life, in the inexhaustible richness of concrete forms, relationships and social structures.

The type of transcendence in the initiation of the Holy Spirit, as an emanation from Metatron is vertical, but descending downward, and extraverted. The initiation of the Holy Spirit inspires human beings to connect with the spiritual aspect of all things and to start working for the enlightenment of the whole earthly life. In this respect, their spiritual practice is extraverted (from the inner to the outer). It has a vertical direction, but orientated downwards, because the purpose is to bring the reality of the Kingdom of God down on Earth (compare with the Hindu path which is vertical and extraverted as well, but ascending upward trying to rise above maya, the cosmic illusion).

We can summarise that on the horizontal axis of the Mandala the transcendence is always horizontal, due to the balance between spirit and matter, but either introverted or extraverted in accordance with the process of involution (during the spiritual Autumn) or evolution (during the spiritual Spring). On the vertical axis the transcendence is always vertical, but ascending upward or descending downward, either introverted or extraverted in accordance with the process of ‘subjectification’ or ‘objectification’. The transcendence in the Hindu initiation and in the initiation of the Holy Spirit is both vertical and extraverted, but they differ in direction – ascending upward or descending   downward.   This comes as  a result of the difference between the beginning of the process of involution (as is the case of Hindu tradition) and the end of the process of earthly evolution (which results in the initiation of the Holy Spirit).

The type of transcendence is a very important characteristic of every spiritual Path. It helps us to understand the Paths much better and to compare the aims and spiritual practices of the various traditions. In our epoch we are witnessing much discussion and argument between the followers of different spiritual Paths. But, of course, there is no reason for polemics because the different traditions simply realise different types of transcendence in accordance with the spiritual seasons and lead ultimately to the same Divine Origin of Creation.  At the same time, what a wonderful opportunity for humankind to experience the whole bouquet of spiritual Paths, each one with its exquisite and unique fragrance.

 Element

The five Elements (including ether), in relation to the five initiations at the cardinal points of the Zodiac-Mandala, have a deep ‘alchemical’ significance.  In the context of the present Mandala, human consciousness has two levels of functioning: the level of ordinary human consciousness and the level of cosmic consciousness after illumination. Each Element symbolises the type of transition from ordinary consciousness to the cosmic consciousness of the particular initiation. Thus, the Elements are the focus of contemplation (in the context of all other characteristics of the initiation) in order to achieve the desired change of consciousness.

Ether as the Element in the Babaji initiation symbolises the completely enlightened human consciousness which freely enjoys the spiritual essence of Creation. This consciousness is on such an elevated level of spiritual illumination, that a person easily overcomes the limitations of the material world and sees the true reality of Light.  Hence, the perception of the true reality as Light – beyond time, space and matter – where all living creatures dissolve without losing their individuality, is symbolised mythologically by Ether.

The Element Water in the Buddhist initiation is a symbol of the mirror-like transparent essence of human mind which, when freed from the lust for life, becomes still, unrippled, calm, clear and reflects the true reality. Then human consciousness merges with the impersonal, undifferentiated universal consciousness, which is the original absolute essence of existence, and as a result, attains the state of Nirväna. It is this transformation of consciousness which, freed from egocentric drive and false identifications, reveals its true universal nature as an impersonal phenomenon. So, as we come to understand the symbolism of the Element Water in the Buddhist initiation, we have to try to experience this calmness and tranquillity of the mind.

In Christianity Earth as a mythological Element symbolises the crystallisation of the ego in the dense material world. Some metaphysical qualities of the Element Earth are matter, restriction, density, hardness, division, individualisation and as such the Element Earth is a symbol for the great alchemy of Love. By pursuing the path of self-sacrifice, suffering and love, Christ showed the way of  melting the ‘ego-stone’ in the human heart, liberating the human spirit and enlightening the dark side of the human nature. So, as an Element, Earth relates to the Christ initiation as a symbol of hardening the Ego and the birth of the Soul within the human being.

The Element Air in the initiation of the Master Beinsa Douno represents the expansion of human consciousness during the evolutionary process in the cosmic Spring and its new birth into the spiritual worlds. Air is a symbol of departure from the narrow confines of earthly existence and an entry into the great cosmic-spiritual life. Air as a mythological Element is an expression of the dynamic, all permeating Divine nature of the Soul who, as a spiritual being, merges with myriads of other creatures in the Universe without losing its individuality.

Fire as a mythological Element of the initiation of the Holy Spirit symbolises the creative nature of the Divine Spirit.  It represents the activation of the sacred fire, Kundalini, within the human being which enlightens the whole of Creation and sustains the flame of immortality. The creative Fire of the Holy Spirit will transform humankind and the Earth with all kingdoms of life on it.