THE COSMIC LEGENDS OF THE EAST: The Mysteries of Ancient Manuscripts

Lodge

Prologue

Traveller, the friend! You begin to discover the paths to Cosmos, to the Infinity. You are going to come into spaciousness of Cosmic distances. Maybe you will try to master cosmic heights. All of that is destined for you and you will be faced with that. Let's recall the precepts of the ancient ones: having prepared for a long journey let's sit in silence. Before stepping into the great future let's recall our past and comprehend the present. Let's think together about those things which were spoken about by the wisdom of nations on the language of the legends. May be this knowledge will be useful on the Path.

ANCIENT LEGENDS

Created by the Wisdom of the Great Souls through Innumerable Epochs.

The knowledge about Cosmos is slowly accumulated by humanity. Through many centuries man discovers the laws of nature, the cosmic laws. Even when a man did not yet know anything about these laws, they had been existing. And now there are laws which are not discovered yet. The things that we already know are our knowledge. The things that we do not know yet are the mystery for us. But what is still a mystery for us is the knowledge for somebody else. There are Beings who know more than us. And to know something means to think about it. Thus the thoughts are created and they independently live in the space. The space is filled with the images of Truth. People call them the ideas. The invaluable treasures of the spirit soar high in the space. Only few people will understand the miraculous significance of a living spatial thought. But each Spatial thought can be man's possession. The sparks of knowledge can reveal all the mysteries of existence. Those, who can strain one's psychic energy in the rhythm of the spatial energies, will accept treasures into consciousness. Thus the spatial thought becomes the Voice of Silence for such people. A scientist calls it the intuition, a poet calls it the inspiration, an anchorite calls it the illumination. Concealed manifestations of Cosmos shine to the eye of the searching one. The one, who managed to tune oneself to the cosmic note, could listen to the Voice of Silence. Amid the monotony of conventionalities only a few sense the reality of Cosmos. Only in the Nature one can contemplate the Infinity where everything is possible. That is why throughout the history of humanity, anchorites, the Saint ones, devotees went away to the mountains, deserts woods… Amid the glimmer of stars they have been listening to the mysteries of the cosmic thought. For many centuries keen people listened to the Voice of Silence. Thus they got to know many cosmic mysteries. Some of them wrote down those mysteries in the sacred books, others passed them orally as a Revelation. The things heard from them were passed to people on the world language of symbols. Thus the legends were created.

Seven Great Mysteries of Cosmos.

The First Mystery Days and Nights of Brahma

If you like to look at the starry sky, If it attracts you with its harmony And amazes you with its immensity. It means that the living heart is beating in your chest. It means that it will be able to respond. To the sacred words about the life of Cosmos Listen to what the legend says about the. Infinity, Eternity and Rythmicity of The Great Being of the Universe. Since times immemorial people have looked at the starry sky reverentially, admiring the glimmer of innumerable worlds. Man was amazed by the grandeur of Cosmos since the very beginning of his presence on the Earth. Especially in solitude of the immense desert or amid the conglomeration of gigantic mountains man unintentionally plunges into the thoughts of immensibility of the Universe, infinity of the Cosmic space. Human mind has been astonished by that Infinity. But also it could not imagine Cosmos being limited. Assuming the existence of the limit of space somewhere, another question arises immediately: what is beyond that limit? If it is not the space then what is it? Every time the human mind has to admit that Cosmos cannot have any limits. Cosmic space infinitely stretches on all sides. Man's limited mind is not able to comprehend the infinity fully. Thus the cosmic Infinity stays as inconceivable, a fearful concept which makes the mind of a man dumb. The thought of Infinity of Cosmos in space involuntarily evokes the thought of its Eternity in time. Thus the most ancient of the ancient questions arose: was there a beginning of the Universe sometime ago? Will there ever be an end of it some day? Or does all of that exist from Eternity? And will it stay the same forever? The man agonizingly wanted to know something about that. He wanted to discover the mystery of the origin of the worlds, the mystery of cosmic eternity. And people went away to the deserts and mountains. They became the anchorites, so nobody could prevent them from concentration over the questions of Being. And they were thinking and thinking. Cosmic mysteries started to reveal themselves before them. Strained, concentrated, constant thinking of those, who renounced the enjoyments of ordinary life for the sake of cognition of Cosmic mysteries, attracted the spatial thought They started to hear the Voice of Silence: ... there was the time when Nought was. The hymns of Rig-Veda, one of the most ancient literary monuments, narrates about that time: Nor Ought nor Nought existed; yon bright sky Was not, nor heaven's broad roof outstretched above. What covered all? What sheltered? What concealed? Was it the water's fathomless abyss? There was not death—yet there was nought immortal, There was no confine betwixt day and night; The only One breathed breathless by itself, Other than It there nothing since has been. Darkness there was, and all at first was veiled. In gloom profound — an ocean without light A fragment from a more ancient source tells us about the same thing: Nought was. Darkness alone filled the boundless all. Time was not, for it lay asleep in the infinite bosom of duration. Universal mind was not, for there were no beings to contain it. There was neither silence nor sound; for there were not ears to sense it. Nought was save ceaseless eternal breath, which knows itself not. Alone the one form of existence stretched boundless, infinite, causeless, in dreamless sleep; and life pulsated unconscious in universal space. These two fragments of the most ancient imprinted thought speak about the same time when Cosmos did not exist yet, when Nor Ought nor Nought existed. It means that time ago there was the beginning of the Universe. And if there was the beginning then the end must be too. Everything that is born must die. And if there was the time when there was no Cosmos, then the time will come when Cosmos will not be again. Legends assert that Cosmos is born into being, exists for a definite limited period and then again dissolves into Non-existence. In narration's of ancient India the period of existence of Cosmos is called the Age of Brahma or the Great Manvantara. This is a period which in our years requires fifteen figures to express it. And though Cosmos exists for a period of so unimaginably long time that it seems neverending, nevertheless this time is limited. Our Universe is not eternal. 'The Great Eternity of Non-existence, Maha (Great) Pralaya, that is the world dissolution, lasts for the same period of time. Then Universe springs into new Cosmic life, new age of Brahma. Thus continues the interchange of great periods of Life and Death of Cosmos, with no beginning and end. The Universe is eternal in the alternating cycles of Being and Non-existence! It is periodical in unceasing manifestation and disappearance of the Worlds—it is eternal in a whole. The number of Manvantaras is infinite—there has never been a first Manvantara nor will there ever be a last Manvantara. The Great Cosmos manifests to life and dissolves into non-existence quite in the same way as a human being, the microcosm, who is born and dies. The analogy is complete here and it applies further. As man experiences small death'' falling asleep in the evening and awakening in the morning, there are also the Nights'' of the Universe when all the living beings die. But the world does not disappear, it stays dormant. And in the morning everything returns to life again. This recurrence of periods of sleep and awakening in Cosmos can be compared with the change of winter and summer in nature. In terminology of the ancient Hindu philosophy the period of Cosmic activity of the Universe, when Cosmos is awake, when all the existing is living, is called the Day of Brahma or Small Manvantara. And the time when Cosmos is asleep, when everything in the Universe is resting is called the Night of Brahma or Small Pralaya. It is said that the duration of the Day of Brahma is more than four milliards of years. The Night of Brahma lasts for the same period of time. 360 Days of Brahma and 360 Nights of Brahma constitute one year of Brahma. And hundred years of Brahma make the Age of Brahma already known to us. Such is the calculation of the cosmic calendar! The alteration of activity and passivity in Cosmos is reflected in periodicity of all manifestations of Nature. One can discriminate Manvantaras and Pralayas in everything. From the smallest phenomena up to the change of the worlds one can see this majestic law. It operates in the beating of a heart, in the rhythm of breathing. Sleep and awakening, change of day and night as well as the phases of the Moon and season change are subject to that law as well. Birth, life and death of all the living eternally repeats. Nature as well as the whole Cosmos manifests itself in the eternal change, eternal rhythm, Man and the Universe as a whole—everything in Cosmos has its periods of activity and rest, or life and death. Amid the milky way of the stars birth and death of the worlds eternally follow each other in regular succession of the solemn procession of the Cosmic Law. Thus narrates the legend of the First Mystery of Cosmos—the great cosmic rhythm of Being and Non-existence. Beyond the Cosmos You've cognized the mystery of the great Cosmic rhythm. Now you know about the eternal change of the Universal Cycles. You want to know more about that. Precisely what fixes the duration of those periods? What gives the impulse to the recurring births of Cosmos out? Of Non-existence? Listen to what the legend will tell you about that. In the ancient Hindu book Vishnu-Purana there is such a fragment: ...there was neither day nor night, neither heaven nor earth, neither darkness nor light. There was nought except for One, unapprehensible by the mental faculties, or That, who is Parabrahman. Let's also recall the fragments from the first legend that say about The only One breathed breathless by itself and about Ceaseless eternal breath, which knows itself not. These fragments say that during Mahapralaya when all the existing dissolves into Non-existence, nevertheless something indissoluble continues to exist. This is the Great Cosmic Principle, Causeless Cause of Being. After Mahapralaya it will evoke new manifestation of the Universe. It reminds the process when the fire dies out or dissolves into Non-existence though there stays the principle of fire. This principle makes possible the repeating manifestation of fire, provoking it out into being. This great Divine Principle or the Law is called Parabrahman in the legends: That which lies beyond Brahman or Cosmos. This One and Infinite Principle exists from all eternity, and in regular and harmonious successions, is either passive or active. Upon inaugurating an active period an expansion of this Divine Principle occurs. And the visible universe is the ultimate result of the long chain of cosmical forces thus progressively set in motion. In like manner; when the passive condition is resumed, a contraction of the Divine Principle takes place, and the previous work of creation is gradually and progressively undone. Another ancient book thus say s about the same thing: An outbreathing of the 'unknown essence' produces the world, and an inhalation causes it to disappear. This process has been going on from all eternity, and our present universe is but one of an infinite series, which had no beginning and will have no end. That majestic Cause of all the existing was taken as a principle of the Universe by the legends of antiquity. All ancient peoples worshipped that One Divine Principle under different names corresponding to each nation and country. This is how one of the hymns to the Absolute — Parabrahman — glorifies this great concept: Thou art one, the beginning of all numbers, and the foundation of all edifices; Thou art One and in the secret of Thy unity the wisest of men are lost, because they know it not. Thou art one and Thy Unity is never diminished, never extended, and cannot be changed. Thou art one but not as an element of numeration; for Thy Unity admits not of multiplication, change or form. Thou art existent; but the understanding and vision of mortals cannot attain to Thy existence, nor determine for Thee the. Where, the How and the Why. Thou art existent, but in Thyself alone, there being none other that can exist with Thee. Thou art existent, before all time and without place. Thou art existent, and Thy existence is so profound and secret that none can penetrate and discover Thy secrecy. Thou art living, but within no time that can be fixed or known; Thou art living, but not by a spirit or a soul, for Thou art thyself, the Soul of all Souls! In all legends and hymns it is pointed that an Omnipresent, Eternal, Boundless, and Immutable Principle transcends the power of human conception and could only be dwarfed by any human expression or similitude. Therefore it is considered that any reasoning about That is impossible. Thus Socrates invariably refused to argue upon the mystery of universal being. The Absolute is the Infinity; therefore any judgements about That will inevitably be but a limitation of It. Grandeur and beauty of Infinity do not fit in our limited imagination or terms. They must stay in the limits of the Ineffable. The Cause of Cosmos stays the Greatest Mystery forever inconceivable. We can conceive but different aspects and manifestations of the Absolute, this eternally invisible Soul of Cosmos. Through all the legends Parabrahman or the Absolute is pure philosophical concept—the principle, the law upon which Being and Non-existence of Cosmos are based. But servants of religions personified that philosophical concept, having transformed it into the idea of One God, the Creator of earth and heaven. Through such belittling this great concept was reduced to god—the personality, to the Lord of the Universe. And this personal god has a certain character: He gets angry, punishes, rewards. But he can be propitiated especially if certain sacrifices are made to his servants.... Yes, such a god" is not known by the ancient legends. Thus narrates the legend about the Second Mystery of Cosmos— Eternal and Immutable Principle of the Universe.

The Third Mystery - The Builder of the Universe

You already have a notion of Parabrahman. You know what gives an impulse to the beginning of each new Manvantara. But how Cosmos is born after Mahapralaya? Whether it arises all by itself without any outside assistance. Or somebody creates it, builds it? Listen to what the legends say about it. ...Cosmic night is ending. Eternal and Inviolable law which produces the interchange of great periods of Activity and Rest of the Universe, gives an impulse to awakening of Cosmos into life. The day of new Manvantara is breaking. How does the Great generation of Life start? When the time came the First Cause of Cosmos arises out of the Unknown and Inconceivable Absolute—Parabrahman. Causeless Cause of Cosmos. That First Cause is the Divine Being called Logos. It first arises to being. The word Logos is taken from the ancient Greek philosophy. It expresses the idea of the ancient legend: Logos is the first word resounding from the Silence. This first sound by which the whole Universe is created. This Vibration or motion of the Divine Energy is simultaneously the light, for Light is the motion of Matter. It means also the Divine Thought that imitates the longest process of creation of the Universe. Then other Great Beings appear—those who completed their human evolution in last Manvantara on some planet in some solar system. Those Beings are the so called Planetary Spirits, the Creators of Worlds. With the beginning of new Manvantara these powerful spirits become the closest collaborators of the Cosmic Logos. Thus, manifested Logos starts to lead the whole Hierarchy of conscious Divine Forces—spiritual, reasonable beings. In this hierarchy every Being has its distinct task in the ruling of the visible Cosmos during its existence. The hierarchical Principle is a cosmic law. It is the leading principle in Cosmos because each Universe, World or Planet has its own Hierarch. There is always a Higher Spiritual Being taking upon himself the responsibility for a planet for the whole Manvantara. And he stays at the head of his high Brothers. Before working over its Universe, Logos creates a project of the whole system of the Universe, the way it must be from the very beginning to its end. He creates it on the plan of the Divine Thought. He creates all prototypes of forces and forms, emotions and intuition. He determines how and through what stages each of those should be realized in the evolutionary scheme of His system. Thus before the origin of the Universe all its wholeness is contained in the Universal Mind of Logos. It exists in Him as an idea—everything that shapes into objective life during all the following process of construction. All these prototypes, being the fruits of the preceding worlds serve, as crops for the future world. Among numerous Hierarchies of the Creative Forces subordinated to Logos there are great assemblies of Builders. They build all forms according to the ideas staying in the treasury of Logos—the Universal Mind. Thus, these builders build or rather rebuild even system after the Night. Logos is a creator of the Universe in the sense implied when one speaks of an Architect as the Creator of an edifice, whereas that Architect has never touched one stone of it, but while furnishing the plan, left all the manual labour for the masons. Ancient cosmogonical narrations of the East say that after Pralaya the Universe is built very slowly, gradually, for many hundreds of millions of years. Crowds of reasonable beings, from the great Divine Architects to ordinary masons, are working over the creation of Cosmos. Who can calculate how many periods of time took the formation of our small Earth alone? Wouldn't that creation last for hundreds of millions of years for our planet only? Thus narrates the legend of the Third Mystery of Cosmos—about the Great Hierarchy of the Creative Forces of the Universe.

The Fourth Mystery - The Creation of Cosmic Matter

You already know that with the dawn of Manvantara begins the