12 -- THE FIVE ELEMENTS OF THE ANCIENTS
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41. This disintegrated condition of atom was the fire element of the ancients. The other four elements also were not the crude and rudimentary forms of matter, as they are commonly understood to be, but were the four other conditions of matter, viz., solid, liquid, gaseous, and ethereal. Thus the five elements of the ancients represent the five conditions of matter in a highly scientific series.
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13 -- SPIRIT, THE PRIME FORCE
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42. We now commence an examination of the spirit-force. Applying the process of elimination of media, which has already been applied to the forces of nature, to the spirit-force, et us ascertain as to what happens to the latter force.
For this purpose, an examination of the conditions, which take place at the time of death and that of trance or coma, etc., appears to be suitable, as in the case of death there is a complete elimination of the physical body, and in the other case, the physical form is inoperative.
43. The ordinary characteristics of the spirit, as observable by us, are :-
- intelligence
- feelings of pain and pleasure, which are parts of the sensory action by which perception takes place and which gives rise to volition and motor action in many instances.
- thoughts and other subjective phenomena,
- vital energy, which causes that process of assimilation that results in the construction of the physical frame.
44. Now, all these characteristics are possessed by disembodied spirits when they manifest themselves as guardian spirits, ghosts, hobgoblins, etc. The same remarks apply to the case of trance. Over and above these characteristics, the emanation or the cessation of the functions of the physical medium results in spirits being endowed with higher powers of senses, foresight, access to a plane which is different from the planes of the three dimensions, etc. This leads to the irresistible conclusion that, contrary to the case of natural forces, the entire functions of the spirit-force remain unaltered by the elimination of media.
From what we have stated above, it should not be inferred that all spirits on their death are relegated to the species of disembodied spirits. We shall later on dwell at length upon the conditions which take place at the time of death (vide Part III, Art. 114), and explain the laws which determine the future states of spirit entities of the innumerable classes found in creation. The object of our argument is merely to show that the elimination of the lower media of spirit does not produce a change in the inherent functions of the spirit-force. On the contrary, such an elimination adds to their potentiality.
45. We have already stated in Article 9, that mind is an instrument through which the spirit performs its subjective functions. It is, accordingly, also one of its media of action. Later on we shall show (vide Article 21), how the spirit-force can perform its inherent functions without the aid of mind. Meanwhile, it will serve our purpose to push our argument a step further, and to state that at each step of elimination of the media that surround the spirit, its inherent functions manifest themselves in a highly increased progression, and that eventually the spirit-force comes out unalloyed at the source of prime energy, intelligence, and bliss.
46. If this reasoning is correct, the inference is that all the forces of nature are dependent upon the spirit-force for their existence. The accuracy of our argument is corroborated by an observation of the process of germination and development of animal and vegetable seeds. SO long as the spirit-force is present, the various forces and the elements of nature act in harmony and are helpful to the growth and sustenance of the body, but the moment the spirit makes its exit, a contrary state supervenes, and the same forces and elements act for disintegration and eventually go back into their old condition.
47. If this be true in the case of a spirit-entity, a fortiori, it holds good in the case of the Universal Source of SPirit who is the True Supreme Creator. The entire creation has been brought into the condition of cosmos by the impact and action of His spiritual currents and the immutable and all-wise laws have been fixed for the sustenance and economy of the creation by the same cause.
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