The Masters and the Path by C. W. Leadbeater Table of Contents Foreword ............................................................................... viii Part I The Masters............................................................ 1 C H A P T E R 1 The Existence of the Masters ............. 2 General Considerations......................................................... 2 The Testimony of the Religions ............................................ 4 Recent Evidence.................................................................... 5 Personal Experience .............................................................. 7 The Evolution of Life............................................................ 9 Superhuman Life ................................................................ 13 The Brotherhood of Adepts ................................................ 14 The Powers of the Adept..................................................... 15 C H A P T E R 2 The Physical Bodies of the Masters16 Their Appearance................................................................ 16 A Ravine In Tibet ............................................................... 17 The House of the Master Kuthumi ..................................... 22 The Master’s Activities........................................................ 24 Other Houses...................................................................... 27 The First Ray Adepts .......................................................... 27 The Second Ray Adepts ...................................................... 31 The Other Rays .................................................................. 32 Perfect Physical Vehicles ..................................................... 34 Borrowed Vehicles .............................................................. 36 Part II The Pupils........................................................... 39 Contents iii C H A P T E R 3 The Way to the Master.................... 40 The Entrance to the Path .................................................... 40 The Magnitude of the Task................................................. 41 The Importance of Work.................................................... 43 The Ancient Rules .............................................................. 44 At the Feet of the Master..................................................... 50 The Disciple’s Attitude ....................................................... 53 The Three Doors ................................................................ 54 The Master’s Work ............................................................. 55 Making the Link ................................................................. 57 None Is Overlooked............................................................ 58 The Responsibility of the Teacher....................................... 61 Wrong Ideas ....................................................................... 63 The Effect of Meditation .................................................... 64 Common Hindrances ......................................................... 65 Devotion Must Be Complete .............................................. 69 C H A P T E R 4 Probation......................................... 71 The Living Image................................................................ 71 Younger Probationers.......................................................... 73 Effect of Cruelty to Children .............................................. 74 The Master of Children ...................................................... 77 Entering Upon Probation ................................................... 78 Advice from the Master....................................................... 80 Become as Little Children ................................................... 83 Effects of Irritability............................................................ 84 Selfishness........................................................................... 85 Worry................................................................................. 86 Laughter ............................................................................. 87 Idle Words.......................................................................... 88 Forms Made by Speech ....................................................... 89 Fuss .................................................................................... 93 The Value of Association .................................................... 93 C H A P T E R 5 Acceptance....................................... 96 Account of an Acceptance ................................................... 96 iv Contents Union with the Master........................................................ 97 The Attitude of the Disciple.............................................. 100 The Distribution of Force................................................. 101 The Transmission of Messages .......................................... 104 Sensitiveness, Mediumship and Psychic Powers................. 105 Messages from Adepts....................................................... 111 The Personal Equation...................................................... 114 Testing Thought............................................................... 117 Relaxation......................................................................... 119 Calm and Balance ............................................................. 119 The Dark Powers.............................................................. 122 The Certainty of Success................................................... 126 C H A P T E R 6 Other Presentations ....................... 128 The Masters and the Brotherhood..................................... 128 Four Ways to the Path ...................................................... 130 The Buddhist Classification .............................................. 131 Hindu Yoga ...................................................................... 133 Mantras ............................................................................ 137 The Effect of Faith............................................................ 137 Association of Thought..................................................... 139 Angelic Cooperation ......................................................... 140 The Effect of Repetition.................................................... 141 Blessings ........................................................................... 142 The Power of Sound ......................................................... 144 The Requirements Never Change ..................................... 153 Part III The Great Initiations ....................................... 155 C H A P T E R 7 The First Initiation ........................ 156 The One Initiator ............................................................. 156 The Brotherhood .............................................................. 157 Failures ............................................................................. 160 Account of a First Initiation.............................................. 162 The Length of the Ceremony............................................ 170 Sonship............................................................................. 171 The Level of Initiation ...................................................... 173 Contents v The Present Opportunity.................................................. 175 Young Initiates.................................................................. 176 The Initiate Brother to All ................................................ 178 C H A P T E R 8 The Ego......................................... 180 The Birth of the Ego......................................................... 180 The Monad and the Ego ................................................... 182 Communication with the Personality................................ 183 In His Own World ........................................................... 184 His Interest in the Personality ........................................... 186 The Attitude of the Personality ......................................... 188 Realization of Unity.......................................................... 190 C H A P T E R 9 The Second and Third Initiations.. 193 The First Three Fetters ..................................................... 193 Subdivisions of the Steps................................................... 195 Account of a Second Initiation.......................................... 196 Mental Development ........................................................ 203 The Danger-Point............................................................. 204 The Third Initiation ......................................................... 206 The Fourth and Fifth Fetters............................................. 207 C H A P T E R 1 0 The Higher Initiations............... 209 The Arhat ......................................................................... 209 Christian Symbology......................................................... 209 Nirvana............................................................................. 213 The Work of the Arhat ..................................................... 221 The Fifth Initiation........................................................... 222 Beyond Adeptship............................................................. 223 The Seven Paths................................................................ 225 Part IV The Hierarchy.................................................