Alaya and Paramartha

“Alaya is literally the ‘Soul of the World’ or Anima Mundi, the ‘Over-soul’ of Emerson, and according to esoteric teaching it changes periodically its nature.” —Blavatksy, The Secret Doctrine

Alaya is in itself eternal and immutable; however, it suffers tremendous changes during the mahamanvantaric manifestation. 

“...the Yogacharyas (of the Mahayana school) say that Alaya is the personification of the [illuminating] Voidness, and yet Alaya (Nyingpo and Tsang in Tibetan) is the basis of every visible and invisible thing [the seven cosmos]…” —Blavatksy, The Secret Doctrine

When the mind is quiet and in a profound silence, then the soul escapes in order to immerse itself within the great Alaya of the universe. Many years ago, during meditation, I experienced this truth. Unfortunately, in that epoch I had not yet dissolved the pluralized “I.” Therefore, terror damaged my experience. I definitively felt myself being lost within the void of the Buddhist annihilation, the infinite ocean of incomprehensible light beyond the body, the affections, and the mind. This was a radical oblivion from myself. Thus, the consciousness, freed from its egoic condition, was lost as a drop within the sea… That void seemed to become more profound… a frightful abyss… I ceased to exist… I felt myself becoming worlds, flowers, birds, fish, radiant suns, a humble plant and gigantic tree, an insignificant insect which endures only for a summer afternoon, and a rebel eagle… That ocean of my Being continued extending itself even more; the non-personification seemed to become more and more profound…! Not even the memory of my human form remained. I was the whole thing and nothingness at one time. One step more and what would become of me? Oh, what a terror…! Thus, that ocean of my Being continued to frightfully extend itself…

So then, what about my beloved individuality…? It is obvious that it was also condemned to death…

Suddenly, feeling terror! horror! panic! fear…! I felt myself withdrawing within myself and I lost the ecstasy, I returned as Aladdin’s genie back into the bottle! I entered into time, I remained bottled up within the ego. Wretched Mephistopheles, the unfortunate one was cowardly trembling. This is how Satan is.

It is obvious that the disgraceful one made me lose my Buddhist Satori, the Samadhi.

“[Alaya], though it is eternal and immutable in its essence, it reflects itself in every object of the universe ‘like the moon in clear tranquil water.’” —Blavatksy, The Secret Doctrine

Let us now talk about Paramartha. 

“...the Yogacharyas interpret the [Sanskrit] term [at their own whim] as [in their opinion it is] that which is also dependent upon other things (paratantra).” —Blavatksy, The Secret Doctrine

Everybody is free to think as he wishes.

“The Madhyamikas say that Paramartha is limited to Paranishpanna or absolute perfection.” —Blavatksy, The Secret Doctrine

It is unquestionable that the Yogacharyas believe and sustain that in this valley of Samsara there is only Samvritisatya (relative truth).

It is indubitable that the Madhyamikas teach the existence of Paramarthasatya (absolute truth).

“No [Gnostic] arhat, oh mendicants, can reach absolute knowledge [Paramartha] before he becomes one with Paranirvana. Parikalpita and Paratantra are his two great enemies.” (Aphorisms of the Bodhisattvas).

“Parikalpita (in Tibetan Kun-ttag) is [vain] error, made by those [who are fascinated in this valley of tears, wretched people with egoic consciousness, unfortunate people who adore their “I.”]...” —Blavatksy, The Secret Doctrine

Paratantra is the phenomenalistic world. 

Woe to those who do not know how to discover the causes of existence!

A relatively long time ago, while being in profound meditation, I was a witness to something unusual. Indeed, I saw with mystical astonishment two adepts who, after having achieved a complete identification with Paranirvana, attained the final liberation. These two, attired with their tunics of white linen and their heads covered with a mantle of immaculate whiteness that reached until their feet, entered within the Abstract Absolute Space. Frankly, since I still have not lost my capacity for astonishment, I felt myself amazed, bewildered. Thus, with wonderment, I accompanied them until the Ring Pass Not (the gate of the universe)…

I saw them penetrate into the Uncreated Light of the Absolute filled with infinite humbleness and veneration.They passed far beyond the gods and humans. They became Paramarthasatyas. Nevertheless, they submerged themselves within “That” as simple apprentices… This is because successive mystical exaltations also exist within the Absolute, which are far beyond any comprehension for us.