The Right Amount of Diversity, in
a Philosophical School of Thought
Carlos Cardoso Aveline
* The true joy of life has nothing to do with being self-indulgent.
* A lasting contentment results from personal austerity. Voluntary simplicity widens one’s horizon and produces a happiness that emerges from within. By abstaining from blind actions, we begin to see the source of bliss. Om, shanti.
* What is the difference between knowledge and opinion? Epistemology is the study of the nature of real knowledge and the examination of its foundations and validity. Every theosophist has to deal with the epistemological challenge.
* Many think that spiritual knowledge can be transmitted by words. It can’t. Words – id est, the right kind of words – can only help expand one’s horizon so that one gets to understand things in a better way.
* In esoteric philosophy, knowledge comes to him who dedicates his lifetime to a noble Cause and humbly tries to help Mankind in cooperation with other pilgrims. It is by altruistic action and humble, anonymous deeds that one solves therefore the epistemological problem and gets to real wisdom. And that makes one feel small, and makes one feel happy to be small.
* Real knowledge will come not just “because we want it”. It will come to us because Knowledge is necessary to those who want to help mankind. And it will come naturally – of its own, so to say. Such is the law. [1]
* Reading much from good books and even from rare books; doing hard research with the best sources available, and building one’s own modest library, are decisive factors. Yet practical action, daily self-observation and the alchemy of one’s intentions are the most decisive elements in the learning process along the Path.
* The ignorance of the mind is easy to heal: the important thing is to develop the wisdom of the heart.
The Living Process of Consensus
* In a group of honest persons, consensus regarding general principles and fundamental ideas is both desirable and necessary. However, the common ground must be open to a critical examination. Such questioning, if sincere, will not serve as a tool in any short-term struggle for power.
* As long as the search for truth is more important than corporative cohesion, the blind aspects of consensus will not pose a serious threat to the spiritual value of group activity.
* A living and valuable consensus is able to question itself and may even come to a worthy end, leading to respectful dissent where at least some fundamental tenets are still common to all parts.
* A degree of diversity in a philosophical school of thought is a most invigorating factor. It avoids dogmatism, reduces the problem of personal vanity, and stimulates research as a creative and revealing process.
NOTE:
[1] See the article “Opinion, Research and Knowledge”.
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“Thoughts Along the Road – 58” was published as an independent text on 23 March 2022. An initial version of it, with no indication as to the name of the author, is part of “The Aquarian Theosophist”, May 2020 edition, pp. 14-15.
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See other writings of Carlos Cardoso Aveline.
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