Fall 2006 Discipleship and Initiation: The Three Stages and Seven Steps to Hierarchy and Beyond (Part II) Temple Richmond Summary However, a literal immolation of the fleshly self is not actually characteristic of passage he nature of the spiritual path has been through the Fourth Gate, proof of which may Td iscussed in the books of Alice Bailey by be gathered from the fact that the Tibetan has the Tibetan Master Djwhal Khul in terms of stated that he preferred the term “Renuncia- discipleship and initiation. It is therefore im- tion” as a name for this initiation.2 Thus, rather perative that these terms be well understood. than the torture of the physical vehicle, this To this end, this essay surveys definitions of initiation more essentially concerns a great the terms “disciple” and “initiate” offered by psychospiritual relinquishment or renuncia- the Tibetan. Each is explained in practical tion,3 the nature of which involves the release terms which may be applied by the seeker. of any attachments to personality life4 and a Next, the three stages of discipleship are enu- resultant complete freedom from any aspect of merated and explained, these being the Paths desire.5 The Tibetan has stated that the essen- of Probation, Discipleship, and Initiation. Fi- tial teaching of the Buddha regarding detach- nally, the seven initiations available on planet ment from the transitory elements of life has Earth are described in detail, including the indicated the way toward the Fourth or Renun- names for each, the nature of ray energies en- ciation Initiation.6 countered, the resultant psychospiritual issues, the centers concerned, the marks of recogni- On the more esoteric side of things, the Re- tion, and the numbers of persons thus quali- nunciation Initiation involves three major spiritual movements—release of the energy fied, all according to the published books of 7 Alice Bailey. Full footnote information is pro- contained within the causal body, attainment of consciousness upon the buddhic plane,8 and vided throughout. This is Part II of a two-part 9 article. solid linkage with the monad, thus conferring knowledge of the Planetary Logos and its plans The Fourth or Renunciation and the institution of the spiritual will where 10 Initiation desire once reigned. Each of these three shall now be explained. ometimes referred to as the Crucifixion Up until the time of the Fourth Initiation, the Initiation, the Fourth Initiation signifies a S egoic lotus or causal body on the higher sub- dramatic abstraction of energy and connection planes of the mental plane functions as the from without the three planes of human en- deavor and the transfer of attention and focus into the planes above the mental plane. It is this dramatic and permanent disidentification About the Author with the formerly familiar vestures of con- M. Temple Richmond is an internationally recog- sciousness which has earned this step on the nized authority on esoteric teachings and author of path the rather ominous sounding moniker, the milestone book Sirius. She recently founded Crucifixion,1 with its inevitable and unfortu- the StarLight Ashram, an online discussion group nate connotations of physical mortification in dedicated to the study of esoteric astrology: the extreme. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/StarLightAshram. Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly, 2006. 27 The Esoteric Quarterly source of spiritual inspiration and literally as Logos. This resonance perhaps comes into he heart center of monadic life.11 However, as play on the basis of a fundamental correspon- the Fourth Gate is neared, there begins a proc- dence. The Planetary Logos of our scheme is, ess which will ultimately change the situation like the Fourth Degree Initiate and the fourth drastically. The light content of the causal or buddhic plane, fundamentally connected body reaches such a volume and intensity due with a fourth position among the seven, and is to the wisdom accumulated that the energy even slated to take the equivalent of the Fourth within the egoic lotus grows beyond what can Initiation at its own level of being.17 In a fur- be contained. At the moment of the Fourth ther reference to the factor of fourness, it is Initiation, the accumulated energy bursts forth also said that the Fourth Initiation not only re- into incandescence and escapes from the veals the nature of the Planetary Logos, but bounds of the causal vehicle, surging upward also that it places the initiate in contact with in vibrational levels to be absorbed into the the Four Avatars of the Planetary Logos.18 monadic point.12 This is the destruction or Thus, attainment of buddhic consciousness at conflagration of the egoic lotus or causal body the Fourth Initiation brings the initiate into so frequently mentioned by the Tibetan, and vibrational contact with the Planetary Logos, which is unequivocally characteristic of the whose karma has been said to be concealed by Fourth or Renunciation Initiation.13 The causal the higher manasic and lower buddhic levels.19 vehicle itself therefore constitutes one of the This is a way of saying that the nature and essential factors renounced or released at this purposes of the Planetary Logos can only be initiation, as all attachment to accumulated contacted and scrutinized after consciousness personal past life experience is discarded, has passed through the matter of the higher though some remembrance of the past once mental subplanes and has penetrated into the stored in the causal body is transferred into buddhic levels. Thus, the higher mental and higher levels.14 lower buddhic subplanes constitute the vesti- Thus, at the Fourth Initiation, attachment and bule leading into the inner sanctum of con- connection with the causal vehicle and its ves- sciousness connected with the nature, plans, tures on the three planes of personality en- and purposes of our Planetary Logos. This is deavor are forever severed. In exchange, the why the attainment of consciousness upon the consciousness of the initiate is raised and buddhic plane is, as the Tibetan has said, syn- transferred to the fourth or buddhic plane, onymous with awareness of the Planetary Lo- which plane becomes the permanent seat of gos. focus until a later initiation.15 It is just this Yet another factor which serves to increase transfer of consciousness to the buddhic plane linkage with the Planetary Logos comes into which determines the status of the Fourth Ini- effect with this initiation. It is that of centering tiation. Attainment of consciousness on the within monadic awareness, the accomplish- buddhic plane immediately opens the way to ment of which is fundamentally linked with the contact with the Planetary Logos, which fact Fourth Initiation,20 at which time the initiate is was brought forth plainly by the Tibetan Mas- placed in touch with his monadic group, a cen- ter, who stated, “When a man has attained the ter in the body of the Planetary Logos.21 Once consciousness of the buddhic plane, he has this is done, conformity to the Will Aspect as raised his consciousness to that of the Heav- embodied in the monad is estimated by the enly Man in whose body he is a cell. This is initiate as the only desirable objective, as the achieved at the fourth initiation, the liberating Tibetan has stated.22 initiation.”16 Further, the Will Aspect indicates to the initi- Since the Heavenly Man to whom the Tibetan ate “…some definite, active undertaking which referred in that passage is our Planetary Logos, embodies that aspect of the Will of God which the meaning is clear: consciousness of the it is his peculiar function to appropriate and buddhic plane facilitates connection with the 23 emanations and inner being of the Planetary make possible of expression.” In other words, through the monad and its inherent con- 28 Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly, 2006 Fall 2006 tact with the Planetary Logos, there is made would adequately describe the attainment to be plain to the initiate a definite action that he or made. In fact, the Tibetan even stated that the she can take to advance the objectives of the Fourth Degree initiate after taking this initia- Planetary Logos. This revelation appears in tion may actually return to the familiar world the form of a specific project, the carrying out of human endeavor and use the physical body 27 of which is required for the full outworking of as the medium of service, appearing just as the effects encountered at the Fourth Initiation. before, which statement suggests that Fourth With the completion of such a project, no other Degree initiates may be found in varying cir- desires may be allowed to interfere, for the cumstances. Fourth Degree initiate must demonstrate that Hence, a more mediated understanding of the he or she has moved well past the point at term “renunciation” is in order in regard to the which personal desires figure into to major Fourth Initiation. It may be more accurate to decisions in any prominent way.24 Thus, the say that this renunciation hinges not upon a initiate at this point is still challenged to prove repudiation of the material world in which his or her ability to move loved ones and worldly forward along the indi- conventions are sternly cated line of service, and resolutely cast though the outcome is [R]enunciation hinges not aside, but rather upon hardly in any real doubt. upon a repudiation of the an inner, subjective, and entirely private happen- Thus, the picture from the material world in which ing caused by the adop- esoteric angle reveals that loved ones and worldly con- tion of points of view the Fourth Degree initiate held whether they hap- is advancing through the ventions are sternly and pen to facilitate the planes of consciousness resolutely cast aside, but comforts of life or not.