Fall 2008

The Hymn of the Pearl

Zachary F. Lansdowne

Summary Aramaic language, and seventy-five surviving

manuscripts written in Greek. These surviving

T he Hymn of the Pearl, which is part of the

Acts of Thomas, is a story about a prince
who is sent to retrieve a precious pearl, forgets
manuscripts differ, however, as to which epi-
sodes they include. It happens that only one
surviving Syriac manuscript and only one sur-
his mission, but eventually returns with the viving Greek manuscript contain the Hymn of
pearl. Due to the story’s symbolic nature, the Pearl. Wilhelm Schneemelcher, a profes-
modern scholars substantially disagree about sor of early church history, writes, “Recent
its interpretation. We give a theosophical in- research is agreed that… the Syriac version
terpretation, based primarily on the works of should here be given the preference.”2 The
Alice A. Bailey, and show that this story is an Syriac Hymn is preferable, because it contains
allegory of the spiritual journey. several verses that are missing from the Greek
Hymn, and because the Greek Hymn can be
Background shown to have substantial errors of copying.

S aint Judas Thomas was one of the twelve

Apostles of Jesus. The apocryphal Acts of
Thomas, thought to be written during the sec-
Moreover, historian of religion Harold At-
tridge provides textual evidence showing that
the Acts was originally composed in Syriac.3
ond or third century, recounts the adventures
of Thomas during his evangelistic mission to Even though its meaning is obscure, readers
India. At one point in the Acts, Thomas is often find the Hymn of the Pearl to be an ap-
thrown into prison and we read, “And when he pealing story and glean various messages from
had prayed and sat down, Judas began to chant it. Hans Jonas, a professor of philosophy,
this hymn: The Hymn of Judas Thomas the writes: “The immediate charm of this tale is
Apostle in the Country of the Indians.” This such that it affects the reader prior to all analy-
hymn is generally known, however, by the sis of meaning. The mystery of its message
various names given to it by modern scholars, speaks with its own force, which almost seems
including the Hymn of the Soul, Hymn of the to dispense with the need for detailed interpre-
Robe of Glory, Song of the Pearl, and espe- tation.”4 The Acts of Thomas contains a sec-
cially Hymn of the Pearl. ond famous hymn, often called the Hymn of
the Bride, for which we give our commentary
The author of the Hymn of the Pearl is un- in a companion article. These two hymns are
known, and there is no historical information closely related and may have been composed
about the circumstances of its composition. by the same author.
The Hymn bears some resemblances to the
Parable of the Pearl (Matthew 13:45-46) and
the Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-
32), but it also has many figures, dramatic About the Author
turns, and transformations that are unusual.
Owing to its symbolic nature, Bentley Layton, Zachary Lansdowne, Ph.D., who served as Presi-
a professor of religious studies, says, “modern dent of the Theosophical Society in Boston, has
scholars have substantially disagreed on the been a frequent contributor to the Quarterly. His
book: The Revelation of Saint John, which provides
interpretation of [the Hymn of the Pearl].”1 a verse-by-verse analysis of the entire Revelation,
There are six surviving manuscripts of the Acts was reviewed in the Fall 2006 issue.
of Thomas written in Syriac, an Eastern

Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly, 2008. 21

The Esoteric Quarterly

In what follows, we use G. R. S. Mead’s Eng- Master, responsible for him; the Father’s
lish translation of the Syriac Hymn of the Kingdom is the Chohan’s Ashram; and the
Pearl,5 and give a theosophical interpretation House of the Kingdom is the portion of the
based primarily on the works of Alice A. Bai- Ashram that resides on the inner side of life,
ley. We show that this story is an allegory of removed from outer, or physical, manifesta-
the spiritual journey, and that it starts with the tion.
interlude between incarnations, on the inner
The above passage refers to the Prince’s “Par-
side of life, and then describes the subsequent
ents.” In addition to the Father, we take the
incarnation.
Mother as symbolizing the soul, which is the
source of divine wisdom within a human be-
Interlude between Incarnations ing, because the Bible speaks of divine wis-
When, a quite little child, I was dwelling dom as though it were feminine. In fact, “wis-
In the House of my Father’s Kingdom, dom” in Proverbs 1:20, 8:1, and 9:1-5 could be
And in the wealth and the glories regarded as a feminine deity, rather than a
Of my Up-bringers I was delighting, mere personification of the attribute of wis-
From the East, our Home, my Parents dom. Bailey also says that “the two Masters
Forth-sent me with journey-provision. with whom they [disciples] are concerned” are
Indeed from the wealth of our Treasure, “their own inner God and their personal Mas-
They bound up for me a load. ter.”8 The above passage says that the Parents
Large was it, yet was it so light are in the “East.” The east is the direction
That all alone I could bear it. from which rising sunlight comes, so it sym-
Gold from the Land of Gilan, bolizes the direction from which inner light
Silver from Gazak the Great, comes. For example, Ezekiel 43:2 states,
Chalcedonies of India, “And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel
Iris-hued [Opals?] from Kushan. came from the way of the east.”
They girt me with Adamant [also]
The Prince describes himself as “a quite little
That hath power to cut even iron.
child,” meaning that he did not become spiri-
tually mature during his previous incarnations,
T he concept of the spiritual kingdom is the
key to understanding this first passage. In
addition to the familiar mineral, vegetable,
and so he is about to go on a “journey,” refer-
ring to another incarnation. The Prince pre-
animal, and human kingdoms of nature, there pares for his journey by gathering a load, about
is said to be a fifth, or spiritual, kingdom that which he says, “Large was it, yet was it so
consists of perfected human beings and in- light That all alone I could bear it.” We take
cludes the saints and sages of all major relig- this load to be the substance and qualities of
ions. The spiritual kingdom is called the “Hi- his future bodies of manifestation: gold sym-
erarchy” in theosophy and the “kingdom of bolizing the substance of his future mental
heaven” in Matthew 11:11.6 According to the- body, to indicate that it will be able to register
osophy, the spiritual kingdom has seven pre- intuitions from the soul, because gold is the
siding officers called “Chohans,” which is a most malleable and ductile metal; silver sym-
Tibetan word that simply means “Lords.” For bolizing the substance of his future emotional
example, Bailey writes, “The seven major cen- body, to indicate that it will be able to reflect
tres or Ashrams within the Hierarchy are each the love, peace, and joy of the soul, because
presided over by Masters of Chohan rank.”7 Bailey speaks of “silver, a great reflector”;9
These seven Chohans may be the same as the adamant symbolizing the substance of his fu-
seven officers mentioned in Ezekiel 9:1-2. ture physical body, to indicate that it will be
able to overcome the trials of physical life,
The Hymn is narrated from a first-person per- because adamant “hath power to cut even
spective by a Prince who has been dwelling in iron”; and gemstones symbolizing the wisdom
the House of his Father’s Kingdom. Our point that he will carry with him, to indicate that it
of view is that the Prince is a disciple on the will be able to bring nobility and refinement to
spiritual journey; his Father is the Chohan, or

22 Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly, 2008

 Fall 2008

his thoughts, feelings, and activities, because The key to understanding this passage is the
the Bible speaks of wisdom as though it were a concept of the causal body, for which Bailey
type of precious stone (Job 28:18-19). In this gives this explanation: “The content of the
context, as defined by Bailey, “wisdom… is causal body is the accumulation by slow and
the interpreted result of long experience.”10 gradual process of the good in each life,” and
“It is relatively permanent and lasts throughout
Throughout our commentary, we shall empha-
the long cycle of incarnations.”12 With each
size that the Prince’s experiences are not
new incarnation the Prince gains a new per-
unique but depict events that everyone will
sonality, consisting of the mental, emotional,
encounter on their own spiritual journey. For
and physical bodies, but his causal body per-
example, Bailey indicates that everyone, be-
sists throughout the cycle of incarnations, stor-
fore returning to physical life, goes through the
ing the lessons, or principles of wisdom,
process that has just been described for the
learned during each
Prince: “the man: Pre-
incarnation. The gem-
pares for physical incar-
stones, which are part
nation again. Sounds his The Prince describes himself of the load that the
own true note into the
substance of the three
as “a quite little child,” Prince will take into his
meaning that he did not be- future incarnation,
worlds… Gathers to-
symbolize the lessons
gether the needed sub- come spiritually mature dur- that he has already
stance to form his future
bodies of manifestation. ing his previous incarnations, learned during his past
and so he is about to go on a incarnations. Matthew
Colours them with the
6:20 states, “But lay up
qualities and character- “journey,” referring to an- for yourselves treasures
istics he has already
achieved through other incarnation. The in heaven,” in which we
interpret “treasures” as
life-experience… Prince prepares for his jour- denoting the lessons
Makes a deliberate ney by gathering a load, learned from physical
choice of those who will
about which he says, “Large life and “heaven” as
provide him with the
needed dense physical was it, yet was it so light That denoting body.
the causal
covering, and then
awaits the moment of
all alone I could bear it.” We Bailey continues, “The
incarnation.” 11 take this load to be the sub- specific gravity of the
My Glorious Robe stance and qualities of his fu- causal body fixes the
moment of emancipa-
they took off me ture bodies of manifesta- tion and marks the time
Which in their love
they had wrought me,
tion… when the work of beau-
tifying and building is
And my Purple Man-
completed,”13 and “the
tle [also]
man who has no further use for experience in
Which was woven to match with my stature.
the three worlds [has] learnt the needed lessons
And with me They [then] made a compact;
in the school of life.”14 Comparing these two
In my heart wrote it, not to forget it:
quotations shows that the work of building the
“If thou goest down into Egypt,
causal body is completed only when all needed
And thence thou bring’st the one Pearl—
lessons have been learned. A natural pearl is
[The Pearl] that lies in the Sea,
created by an oyster as a response to an irri-
Hard by the loud-breathing Serpent,—
tant, such as a grain of sand, so it is a symbol
[Then] shalt Thou put on thy Robe
of something valuable that is created through
And thy Mantle that goeth upon it,
suffering. In the above passage, we take the
And with thy Brother, Our Second,
“one Pearl” as denoting the needed lessons that
Shalt thou be Heir in our Kingdom.”
are still missing from the Prince’s causal body

Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly, 2008. 23

The Esoteric Quarterly

and that can be learned only through the suf- hides the truth behind the fogs and mists of
fering of another incarnation. feeling and emotional reaction.”17
In the above passage, the causal body is sym- The “Serpent” is also mentioned, but to what
bolized by the purple Mantle, “Which was does it refer? Revelation 20:2 equates the Ser-
woven to match with my stature,” because the pent to both “Satan” and the “Devil.” The
size of the causal body reflects the Prince’s original Hebrew word for Satan means “adver-
spiritual stature. The soul is symbolized by the sary,” which is the translation used in Numbers
glorious Robe, “Which in their love they had 22:22. Luke 4:13 speaks of the “Devil” as a
wrought me,” because the spiritual qualities tempter—not a power or person, but an imper-
displayed by the soul are the ones needed by sonal source of evil offering temptation. Bai-
the Prince. Accordingly, the Prince wearing ley says that our goal is “liberation from maya
the Mantle symbolizes that his consciousness or illusion,”18 and “the world is full of illu-
is polarized within the causal body, which is sions.”19 Accordingly, the Serpent symbolizes
the definition of causal consciousness. The illusion, because illusion is the adversary that
Prince wearing the Robe symbolizes that he is we face on the spiritual journey, and it is a
contacting the soul’s attitude and awareness, tempter in the sense that it exists in the world
which is the definition of sharing in soul con- around us but does not have any power over us
sciousness. Bailey speaks of the causal body unless we accept its false beliefs. Bailey says
as “the spiritual body of the soul,”15 which is that “water is the symbol of the emotional na-
consistent with the Prince wearing the Mantle ture.” 20 This association leads us to interpret
over the Robe. the Serpent dwelling in the sea as meaning that
illusion affects us through our emotional na-
The Prince had been wearing both garments,
ture.
showing that he had gained causal conscious-
ness and shared in soul consciousness during The Prince receives the following conditional
the interlude between incarnations. He loses prediction: If he goes down into Egypt and
both garments, however, signifying that he retrieves the Pearl, which is guarded by the
loses both types of consciousness before re- Serpent in the sea, then he will regain his Man-
turning to physical life. Bailey indicates that tle and Robe and will be an heir in his Parents’
everyone, during the interlude, will go through Kingdom. In other words, if the Prince goes
the same experiences: “physical plane exis- down into glamour and learns sufficient new
tence comes to an end and all returns within lessons from the illusions in his emotional na-
the causal consciousness”; “On the inner side, ture, then he will regain causal consciousness,
men know that . . . they consequently face two share in soul consciousness, and participate as
great experiences: 1. A moment (long or short, an initiate in the life of his Chohan’s Ashram.
according to the attained point in evolution)
The Prince’s “Brother” is also mentioned as
wherein contact will be made with the soul or
part of this prediction. This Brother does not
with the solar angel. 2. After that contact, a
incarnate with the Prince but stays behind, and
relatively violent reorientation to earth life
yet he will be a joint heir with the Prince. We
takes place.”16
take this Brother to be another symbol for the
“Egypt,” mentioned in the above passage, is a Prince’s causal body, because that body re-
symbol of bondage, because Egypt kept the mains on the inner side of life and yet will be a
Israelites in bondage (Exodus 1:13-14). One joint heir with the Prince when it becomes in-
possibility is that “Egypt” represents physical tegrated with him.
embodiment. Later in the Hymn, however, the
The Prince receives this prediction from his
Prince will share in soul consciousness while
Parents, who symbolize his Chohan and soul.
in physical embodiment, showing that the
Similarly, Bailey says that everyone, just prior
physical body, by itself, is not bondage. Our
to their next incarnation, receives a prediction
point of view is that “Egypt” represents emo-
from the soul during the moment of soul con-
tional bondage, for which Bailey uses the term
tact: “he becomes immediately aware of the
“glamour”: “Glamour, in its turn, veils and

24 Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly, 2008

 Fall 2008

future, for prediction is an asset of the soul “reached the Land of Babel, And entered the
consciousness and in this the man temporarily walls of Sarbug.” The Hebrew word Babel
shares.”21 The Prince says that his Parents “In means confusion (Genesis 11:9), and so it
my heart wrote it, not to forget it.” This phrase represents the mind prior to spiritual illumina-
echoes Jeremiah 31:33: “saith the LORD, I tion. Walls symbolize division and separation.
will put my law in their inward parts, and write The “walls of Sarbug” are inside the “Land of
it in their hearts.” The conditional part of the Babel”; the Prince’s entering those walls indi-
Prince’s prediction provides his spiritual mis- cates that he shifts his polarization into his
sion. Bailey indicates that everyone, during mental body and then mentally divides and
their incarnation, retains a memory of their separates himself from other people.
spiritual mission, and that “It is for each [indi-
Bailey gives a similar description of childhood
vidual] to find out.”22
and adolescent development: “During this
[first] period, the man is polarised in his physi-
Childhood and Adolescence cal body and is learning to be controlled by his
I left the East and went down desire body, the body of feeling or of emo-
With two Couriers [with me]; tion… This period parallels that of the child
For the way was hard and dangerous, from one to seven years… The second period
For I was young to tread it. covers a point in development when the polari-
I traversed the borders of Maishan, sation is largely in the emotional body and
The mart of the Eastern merchants, when lower mind desire is being developed…
And I reached the Land of Babel, This period is an analogous one to that in the
And entered the walls of Sarbug. life of a child from seven to fourteen years…
Down further I went into Egypt; Now, on entering the third period, comes the
And from me parted my escorts. most vital point in the development of the man,
that in which mind is developing and the polar-
T he Prince states, “I left the East and went
down With two Couriers [with me].” In
other words, the Prince leaves the inner side of
ising life shifts to the mental unit… This pe-
riod corresponds to that between the ages four-
teen and twenty-eight.”24
life and is born into the physical world with the
aid of his two physical parents, symbolized by Next, the Prince says, “I went into Egypt.” By
the “two Couriers.” Bailey writes concerning thinking that he is divided and separated from
parents: “Esoteric students would do well to other people, the Prince goes into glamour, or
remember that parents only donate the dense emotional bondage, which is symbolized by
physical body. They contribute naught else Egypt. The above passage ends with the
save a body of a particular quality and nature phrase, “And from me parted my escorts.”
which will provide the needed vehicle of con- The Prince leaves his physical parents, indicat-
tact with the environment demanded by the ing that he has reached physical maturity.
incarnating soul.”23
Glamour
The Prince continues, “the way was hard and
dangerous, For I was young to tread it.” This Straightway I went to the Serpent;
sentence is interpreted to mean: the Prince’s Near to his lodging I settled,
early childhood is hard and dangerous, for he To take away my Pearl
is polarized in his physical body. During late While he should sleep and should slumber.
childhood, the Prince “traversed the borders of Lone was I there, yea, all lonely;
Maishan, The mart of the Eastern merchants.” To my fellow-lodgers a stranger.
Marishan represents the emotional body, be- However I saw there a noble,
cause both merchants and feelings are con- From out of the Dawn-land my kinsman,
cerned with the value of things. The Prince’s A young man fair and well favoured,
traversing the borders of Maishan indicates Son of Grandees; he came and he joined me.
that he shifts his polarization into his emo- I made him my chosen companion,
tional body. During adolescence, the Prince A comrade, for sharing my wares with.

Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly, 2008. 25

The Esoteric Quarterly

He warned me against the Egyptians, In the last sentence, the Prince dresses like the
‘Gainst mixing with the unclean ones. Egyptians so that they might not guess that he
For I had clothed me as they were, is a stranger and rouse the Serpent against him.
That they might not guess I had come This sentence is referring to the Prince’s sub-
From afar to take off the Pearl, conscious nature, which contains his sup-
And so rouse the Serpent against me. pressed feelings and memories, which in turn
are based on illusion. Bailey says, “The sub-
I n the first sentence, the Prince remembers
his spiritual mission: “Straightway I went to
the Serpent; Near to his lodging I settled, To
conscious nature… can be stirred up until it
becomes a boiling cauldron, causing much dis-
tress.”28 The Prince wants to appear like other
take away my Pearl While he should sleep and members of his community, because he is
should slumber.” The Serpent symbolizes illu- afraid that they might judge him for being
sion, and an earlier passage indicates that the strange or different, which would rouse his
Serpent’s “lodging” is the sea, which in turn own suppressed feeling of inferiority against
symbolizes the emotional nature. The notion him. Moreover, his desire to feel superior is a
that illusion lies within the emotional nature is compensation for his underlying feeling of in-
consistent with Bailey’s statement that “the feriority.29
Problem of Glamour is found when the mental
illusion is intensified by desire.”25 Thus, the But from some occasion or other
first sentence has this meaning: the Prince be- They learned I was not of their country.
gins to examine his emotional nature, so that With their wiles they made my acquaint-
he can extract new lessons from his illusions. ance;
Yea, they gave me their victuals to eat.
The author Robert Perry defines a special rela- I forgot that I was a King’s son,
tionship to be “a relationship based on the pur- And became a slave to their king.
suit of specialness, in which we try to have a I forgot all concerning the Pearl
special or exclusive interaction with a special For which my Parents had sent me;
person so that we can feel more special.”26 And from the weight of their victuals
The above passage describes a special relation- I sank down into a deep sleep.
ship: the Prince’s partner is special, because he
is “a young man fair and well favoured, Son of The Prince says, “But from some occasion or
Grandees”; the relationship is exclusive, be- other They learned I was not of their country.
cause the Prince says, “he joined me. I made With their wiles they made my acquaintance.”
him my chosen companion, A comrade, for In other words, the Prince feels that other peo-
sharing my wares with”; and the Prince gains ple are conspiring against him with malevolent
the feeling of being superior to, or more spe- intentions. He is not aware that his mistrust is
cial than, the “unclean” Egyptians. due to his seeing himself in them, as Bailey
explains: “we see in others what is in us, even
The Egyptians symbolize people who are im- when it is not there at all or to the same ex-
mersed in glamour, because Egypt symbolizes tent.”30
glamour. The Prince calls certain members of
his community “Egyptians,” indicating that he The Prince continues, “Yea, they gave me their
recognizes glamour in them, but his feeling of victuals to eat.” Victuals symbolize individual
being superior to them shows that he does not glamours, or emotional reactions, because
recognize glamour in himself. Bailey says, victuals can mean “that which supports human
“At present, many of you do not recognise life,” and glamours support egotistical life.
glamour when it meets you, and envelops Thus, the Prince’s statement has this meaning:
you… It might be stated, however, that glam- the surrounding community transmits their
our can always be found where there exists… glamours to him and he internalizes them. Bai-
any sense of superiority or separative ten- ley describes this conditioning process: “It
dency.”27 Thus, the Prince’s feeling of superi- might almost be said that the astral body of a
ority also shows that he is immersed in glam- person comes into being as a part of the gen-
our. eral world glamour; it is difficult for him to

26 Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly, 2008

 Fall 2008

differentiate between his own astral body and Who is called in the Bible ‘The Ancient of
the glamours which affect and sway and sub- Days,’ and in the Hindu Scriptures the First
merge him.”31 Here, the term “astral” is a Kumara, He, Sanat Kumara it is, Who from
synonym for emotional. His throne . . . presides over the Lodge of Mas-
ters.”34 Bailey describes the Lord of the World
The Prince also says, “I forgot that I was a
as the overlord of the seven Chohans and of
King’s son, And became a slave to their king.”
certain other officers, including the Manu, Bo-
II Corinthians 4:4 makes a related statement:
dhisattva, and Mahachohan.35
“the god of this world hath blinded the minds
of them which believe not.” The effect of illu- Consequently, Parthia is taken as symbolizing
sion is to blind human minds, so the “god of the Hierarchy, and the officials in Parthia as
this world” must be the same as illusion, which symbolizing the officials in Bailey’s descrip-
is also the king of the Egyptians and is symbol- tion of the Hierarchy: “King of Kings” refers
ized by the Serpent. Thus, the Prince forgets to the Lord of the World, “Kings” to the seven
that he is a disciple of a Chohan and becomes a Chohans, “Chieftains” to the Manu, Bodhi-
slave to illusion. He must be suffering, be- sattva, and Mahachohan, and “Princes” to the
cause Bailey writes, “Wrong identification is lower ranking members of the Hierarchy. The
the cause of pain and leads to suffering, dis- above passage describes the decision to send a
tress and various effects.”32 message to the Prince as incorporating the
united purpose, combined planning, and con-
Due to his acquired glamours, the Prince sinks
centrated energy of all the “Kings and Chief-
down into emotional polarization, which is
tains of Parthia.” Bailey also speaks of “the
symbolized by “a deep sleep.” While he re-
united purpose, the combined planning and the
mains polarized within his emotional body, he
concentrated energy of the Hierarchy.”36
forgets his spiritual mission. Bailey makes a
similar point: “as long as the polarisation is “From Us—King of Kings, thy Father,
purely physical or purely emotional, no need And thy Mother, Queen of the Dawn-land,
for meditation is ever felt.”33 And from Our Second, thy Brother—
To thee, Son, down in Egypt, Our Greeting!
The Message Up and arise from thy sleep,
Give ear to the words of Our Letter!
All this that now was befalling,
Remember that thou art a King’s son;
My Parents perceived and were anxious.
See whom thou hast served in thy slavedom.
It was then proclaimed in our Kingdom,
Bethink thyself of the Pearl
That all should speed to our Gate—
For which thou didst journey to Egypt.
Kings and Chieftains of Parthia,
Remember thy Glorious Robe,
And of the East all the Princes.
Thy Splendid Mantle remember,
And this is the counsel they came to:
To put on and wear as adornment,
I should not be left down in Egypt.
When thy Name may be read in the Book of
And for me they wrote out a Letter;
the Heroes,
And to it each Noble his Name set:
And with Our Successor, thy Brother,
Thou mayest be Heir in Our Kingdom.”
P artha, which is mentioned in the above
passage, was an Iranian civilization that
intermittently controlled Mesopotamia be-
The first sentence is misleading, because it
appears to indicate that the Prince’s Father is
tween about 150 B.C. and 224 A.D. The Par- the King of Kings. In the final passage of the
thian king styled himself as “king of kings,” Hymn, however, both the Prince and his Father
because, in addition to his own kingdom, he are seen by the King of Kings, showing that
was the overlord of many vassal kings, who in the Father is simply a King, but not the King of
turn ruled over smaller kingdoms, provinces, Kings. The rest of the Hymn, including the
and city-states. The Hierarchy is said to have a next passage, consistently refers to the Father
similar governmental structure. Bailey writes, as a King. Thus, we consider that an ancient
“The Lord of the World, the One Initiator, He scribe made a copying mistake by writing

Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly, 2008. 27

The Esoteric Quarterly

“King of Kings” instead of simply “King” in It flew and alighted beside me,
this sentence. And turned into speech altogether.
At its voice and the sound of its winging,
The above passage gives the content of the
I waked and arose from my deep sleep.
message that will be telepathically impressed
Unto me I took it and kissed it;
upon the mind of the Prince. Much of the
I loosed its seal and I read it.
message is to remind the Prince of the predic-
E’en as it stood in my heart writ,
tion that was written in his heart during the
The words of my Letter were written.
interlude before the present incarnation. The
phrase “up and arise from thy sleep” tells the The Chohan transmits the message telepathi-
Prince to shift his polarization from his emo- cally to the Prince, as indicated by the phrase,
tional body to his mental body. Bailey gives “It flew and alighted beside me, And turned
similar instruction: “the emotional body should into speech altogether.” According to Bailey,
be controlled from the mental plane, and when three kinds of telepathy are possible: instinc-
the polarisation has been transferred into the tual, mental, and intuitional.40 The above pas-
mental body through forms of meditation and sage provides two clues showing that the Cho-
intensity of purpose and of will, then the emo- han uses intuitional telepathy. First, the trans-
tional becomes quiescent and receptive.”37 mission is designed to avoid “the Children of
Babel, the wicked, The tyrannical Daimons of
The above passage mentions the “Book of the
Sarbug.” Earlier, Babel and Sarbug were iden-
Heroes,” but to what does that refer? Bailey
tified with the confused and separative think-
writes, “The Masters have Their Halls of Re-
ing of the mind. The transmission is able to
cords, with a system of tabulation incompre-
avoid these mental distortions, so it must not
hensible to us owing to its magnitude and its
be mental telepathy. Second, the transmission
necessary intricacies, wherein these charts are
“flew in the form of the Eagle,” which is “the
kept.”38 We take the Book of the Heroes to be
king-bird.” Intuitional telepathy uses a higher,
a table of initiates contained within the Halls
or more spiritual, medium than do the other
of Records.
kinds of telepathy, so intuitional telepathy
According to Bailey, every disciple of a Mas- must be the kind being used.
ter can expect to receive a similar message:
The Chohan seals the message up “with His
“Forget not that the method of work of the Hi-
Right Hand.” The right hand is a symbol of
erarchy is that of impression upon the minds of
power, as in Psalms 60:5. In other words, the
Their disciples, of telepathic work carried on
Chohan uses his power to convert the earlier
with the Master as broadcaster and the disciple
message into an intuition, which he then
as the recipient of impression and of energy.
transmits. The Prince receives the intuition as
This reception of impression and energy has a
a flash of inspiration. The phrase “I waked
dual effect: 1. It brings into activity the latent
and arose from my deep sleep” means that the
seeds of action and of habits (good or bad),
Prince shifts his polarization from his emo-
thus producing revelation, purification, en-
tional to his mental body. The phrase “I loosed
richment and usefulness. 2. It vitalises and gal-
its seal and I read it” means that the Prince
vanises the personality into a right relation to
converts the flash of inspiration into under-
the soul, to the environment, and to human-
standing. Bailey provides this explanation:
ity.”39
“The understanding may be defined as the fac-
My Letter was [surely] a Letter ulty of the Thinker in Time to appropriate
The King had sealed up with His Right knowledge as the foundation for wisdom, that
Hand, which enables him to adapt the things of form
‘Gainst the Children of Babel, the wicked, to the life of the spirit, and to take the flashes
The tyrannical Daimons of Sarbug. of inspiration that come to him… and link
It flew in the form of the Eagle, them to the facts.”41
Of all the winged tribes the king-bird;

28 Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly, 2008

 Fall 2008

that the man is conditioned by right thinking

The Pearl under the impulse or the illumination of the
I remembered that I was a King’s son, soul.” 44
And my rank did long for its nature.
Second, he expresses the nature of his causal
I bethought me again of the Pearl,
body. Bailey speaks of “a lop-sided causal
For which I was sent down to Egypt.
body… full of great gulfs and gaps where vir-
And I began [then] to charm him,
tues should be,” 45 which implies that virtues
The terrible loud-breathing Serpent.
are built into the causal body, and says that
I lulled him to sleep and to slumber,
“humility and pure motives… are the out-
Chanting o’er him the Name of my Father,
standing hallmarks of the disciple.”46 The
The Name of our Second, [my Brother],
Prince is an advanced disciple, so his causal
And [Name] of my Mother, the East-Queen.
body is marked by the virtue of humility,
And [thereon] I snatched up the Pearl,
which means that it contains the meta-lesson
And turned to the House of my Father.
that its other lessons do not provide depend-
able guidance. This meta-lesson is described
T he Prince remembers that he is a disciple
of a Chohan, and wants to express his
spiritual status outwardly. He thinks again
by Proverbs 3:5 as, “lean not unto thine own
understanding.” Thus, just before examining
about his spiritual mission of learning new les- his feelings, the Prince realizes that overcom-
sons—the Pearl—from his emotional reac- ing an illusion requires a fresh intuition rather
tions; and he resumes his effort to subdue the than relying on ideas learned in the past. Bai-
Serpent, symbolizing the illusions that control ley also says, “It is the soul itself which dispels
his life. illusion, through the use of the faculty of the
intuition.”47
To subdue the Serpent, the Prince chants the
Names of his Father, Brother, and Mother. Third, he expresses the nature of the soul. This
The Bible often uses a personal name as an nature is detachment, because Bailey speaks of
indication of the bearer’s nature. For example, “the soul, detached and undeluded.”48 Thus, to
I Samuel 25:25 states: “for as his name is, so is evoke a fresh intuition, the Prince examines his
he.” A change in the personal name often in- feelings with a detached attitude, as though he
dicates a change in the person, such as the were looking at them from the high vantage
change from Abram to Abraham (Genesis point of the soul, so that there is no resistance,
17:5). In Revelation, “name” can be consis- justifications, and excuses. Bailey also says,
tently interpreted as “nature.”42 Similarly, in “the task of the disciple is to become con-
the above passage, the “Name” of a figure is sciously aware—like a detached onlooking
interpreted as representing that figure’s nature, Observer—of these energies and their express-
or essential character. Hence, to overcome ing qualities as they function within himself.”49
illusion, the Prince expresses the natures of his An illusion, or false belief, has power only as
Chohan, causal body, and soul in that order. long as it is believed. When an illusion is rec-
First, he expresses the nature of his Chohan. ognized to be what it is, it loses its power—it
This nature is illumination, because Bailey goes to sleep. By using the foregoing ap-
refers to the spiritual kingdom as the “Hierar- proach, the Prince lulls the Serpent to sleep,
chy of Illumined Minds.”43 Thus, before ex- which means that he has intuitions that his illu-
amining his feelings, the Prince practices sions are illusions. After having these intui-
meditation to illumine his mind. Bailey ex- tions, the Prince snatches up the Pearl, which
plains, “The patient (if I might so call him) is means that he learns the lessons that are in the
taught to take his eyes, and consequently his midst of the illusions. Bailey makes a similar
attention, away from himself, his feelings, his point: “Learn the meaning of illusion, and in
complexes and his fixed ideas and undesirable its midst locate the golden thread of truth.”50
thoughts, and to focus them upon the soul, the The new lessons are in the form of abstract
divine Reality within the form… This eventu- principles of wisdom. Bailey describes two
ally regenerates the mental or thought life, so

Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly, 2008. 29

The Esoteric Quarterly

sets of principles that eventually everyone will individual glamour, or emotional reaction, be-
learn: “The first set of principles is learnt by cause Egypt symbolizes glamour as a whole.
the man through grasping, and the subsequent Multiple garments are typically stripped off
disaster that results from that seizure. He one at a time, so this metaphor suggests that
stole, he suffered the penalty and he stole no multiple glamours should also be stripped off
more. The principle was wrought into him by one at a time. Indeed, Bailey recommends
pain and he learnt that only that which was his such a practice: “I would suggest that no aspi-
by right and not by seizure could be enjoyed… rant attempt to tackle the problem of glamour
The second set of principles is learnt through as a whole or seek to dissipate all the glamours
renunciation and service. A man looks away to which he is susceptible… He should choose
(having learnt first principles) from the things the glamour that is the most apparent and the
of the personality and in service learns the most hindering at any given time (and there is
power of love in its occult significance. He always one) and for its dissipation he should
spends and consequently receives; he lives the work conscientiously.”53
life of renunciation and the wealth of the heav-
The Prince also says, “To the way that I came I
ens pours in on him.”51
betook me, To the Light of our Home, to the
Next, the Prince turns to “the House of my Fa- Dawn-land.” The Prince is traveling on what is
ther,” which means that he intends to raise his sometimes called “the path of return,” because
consciousness to that of his Chohan’s Ashram he seeks to retrace his earlier steps back to his
on the inner side of life. Bailey also gives the point of origin, while undoing his earlier mis-
instruction of “raising your consciousness and takes. Bailey also mentions this path: “the
coming as close to the Hierarchy as possi- path of return to the Centre… must parallel the
ble.”52 path of outgoing.”54
Next, the Prince says that he is being guided
Inner Purification by “My Letter that had aroused me,” which is
Their filthy and unclean garments now shining “on fabric of silk, in letters of
I stripped off and left in their country. red.” In effect, the letter has become a search-
To the way that I came I betook me, light. Bailey writes, “The searchlight of the
To the Light of our Home, to the Dawn- soul reveals faults in character, limitations in
land. expression and inadequacies in conduct. These
On the road I found [there] before me must be intelligently corrected.”55 Accord-
My Letter that had aroused me— ingly, we take this letter as the searchlight of
As with its voice it had roused me, the soul, the fabric of silk as the mental and
So now with its light it did lead me— emotional bodies, and the red letters as inner
On fabric of silk, in letters of red [?], faults that need to be corrected. In particular,
With shining appearance before me [?], this searchlight highlights the Prince’s separa-
Encouraging me with its guidance, tive beliefs (Sarbug), confusion (Babel-land),
With its love it was drawing me onward. and false values (Maishan the Great).
I went forth; through Sarbug I passed;
I left Babel-land on my left hand; The Mantle and Robe
And I reached unto Maishan the Great,
My Glorious Robe that I’d stripped off,
The meeting-place of the merchants,
And my Mantle with which it was covered,
That lieth hard by the Sea-shore.
Down from the Heights of Hyrcania,
Thither my Parents did send me,
T he Prince says, “Their filthy and unclean
garments I stripped off and left in their
country.” Clothing symbolizes the nature of
By the hands of their Treasure-dispensers
Who trustworthy were with it trusted.
the wearer, as shown in Zechariah 3:4: “Be- Without my recalling its fashion,—
hold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from In the House of my Father my childhood had
thee, and I will clothe thee with change of rai- left it,—
ment.” An Egyptian garment symbolizes an At once, as soon as I saw it,

30 Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly, 2008

 Fall 2008

The Glory looked like my own self. one else, who could be anyone. Through this
I saw it in all of me, technique, in Bailey’s language, “he passes
And saw me all in [all of] it,— from one sense of unity to a sense of dual-
That we were twain in distinction, ity.”56 Here, “unity” refers to complete identi-
And yet again one in one likeness. fication with the lower self, and “duality” to
I saw, too, the Treasurers also, the awareness of having both higher and lower
Who unto me had down-brought it, selves.
Were twain [and yet] of one likeness;
The Prince says, “The Glory looked like my
For one Sign of the King was upon them—
own self. I saw it in all of me, And saw me all
Who through them restored me the Glory,
in [all of] it.” In other words, after seeing the
The Pledge of my Kingship [?].
higher self within someone else, the Prince
sees it within himself, sees that it operates
L et us consider the meaning of the symbols
in the first sentence of this passage. Hyr-
cania was an ancient kingdom located south of
through his lower self, and identifies himself
with it. The Prince realizes “That we were
the Caspian Sea. The Parthian kings report- twain in distinction, And yet again one in one
edly used a Hyrcanian town as their summer likeness.” In other words, he realizes that his
residence. As discussed higher and lower
earlier, the Parthian selves can be distin-
kings symbolize the The Prince and his Father go guished from each
Chohans, so Hyrcania other, yet form one
symbolizes the inner
to the “Court of the King of whole individual.
side of life. The Treas- Kings,” and the Prince takes The key to understand-
ure-dispensers “Were with him his Pearl. In other ing this passage is to
twain [and yet] of one notice the following:
likeness,” suggesting words, the Prince and his
whatever the Prince
that they symbolize the Chohan go to what is some- sees in someone else,
higher and lower selves times called the “courts of he later sees in himself.
of some individual. The The Treasure-
higher self consists of Heaven,” and the Prince uses dispenser, in whom the
the soul operating the new lessons in his causal Prince senses the
through the causal body—symbolized by the higher self, is called
body, and it is symbol-
ized by the Robe cov- Pearl—to demonstrate that he this name because that
individual is able to
ered by the Mantle. is ready for initiation. give a wonderful treas-
The lower self is the ure to the Prince,
personality, consisting namely, the awareness
of the mental, emotional, and physical bodies. of the Prince’s own higher self. A Course in
Hands symbolize ability or power, as in Miracles (ACIM) makes the same point:
Joshua 4:24. “When you meet anyone, remember it is a holy
Next, let us consider the meaning of the first encounter. As you see him you will see your-
sentence: the Prince’s higher self, even though self. As you treat him you will treat yourself.
it belongs to the inner side of life, is becoming As you think of him you will think of yourself.
more apparent to him through his application Never forget this, for in him you will find
of his Chohan’s and soul’s instructions, by the yourself or lose yourself. Whenever two Sons
ability of another individual’s higher and lower of God meet, they are given another chance at
selves that, when perceived by the Prince, can salvation. Do not leave anyone without giving
be trusted to make the Prince’s higher self salvation to him and receiving it yourself.”57
more evident. The Prince must be practicing Near the end of the above passage, the Prince
the Technique of Duality, which is the effort to sees the “one Sign of the King” upon the two
perceive the higher and lower selves of some- selves of the Treasure-dispenser. The “King”

Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly, 2008. 31

The Esoteric Quarterly

represents the Chohan, so the “Sign of the For whom I was reared with my Father;
King” represents the Chohan’s nature, which is I too have felt in myself
illumination. Having “one” sign upon both How that with his works waxed my stature.”
selves suggests that the sign passes from one
The Robe is described as “all-bespangled With
self to the other. Accordingly, the Prince per-
sparkling splendour of colours.” Bailey says
ceives that the soul’s illumination already ex-
“that colours are the expressions of force or
ists within the Treasure-dispenser’s higher self
quality,”59 so we may think of the colors in the
and will eventually pass to that individual’s
Robe in a similar manner. Bailey also says that
lower self. The Prince must now be practicing
“the will of your soul… is the Will of God,”60
the more advanced Technique of Charity,
and that “the divine prototypal will” has the
which is described by ACIM as follows: “Char-
following “seven ray aspects”: “Ray I.—The
ity is a way of perceiving the perfection of an-
will to initiate. Ray II.—The will to unify. Ray
other even if you cannot perceive it in your-
III.—The will to evolve. Ray IV.—The will to
self. . . . Charity is a way of looking at another
harmonise or relate. Ray V.—The will to act.
as if he had already gone far beyond his actual
Ray VI.—The will to cause. Ray VII.—The
accomplishments in time.”58
will to express.”61 The Robe symbolizes the
The final words in the above passage are: soul, so the various colors in the Robe are
“Who through them restored me the Glory, taken as the expressions by the soul of the
The Pledge of my Kingship.” By first perceiv- seven ray aspects of divine will. A similar in-
ing the soul’s illumination within the Treasure- terpretation can be given for the rainbows
dispenser, the Prince is able to perceive it in mentioned in Revelation (4:3, 10:1, and 21:19-
himself, which restores his own inner perfec- 20).62
tion, or kingship, to his awareness. In contrast,
Moreover, the Robe had been completed so
an earlier passage described the Prince’s spe-
that “With adamantine jewels All of its seams
cial relationship, perhaps with the same indi-
were off-fastened.” Adamantine means un-
vidual, which immersed him further into glam-
breakable or unyielding, so the Robe is invul-
our. This difference in how the Prince relates
nerable, like a suit of armor, and anyone wear-
to other people demonstrates the spiritual
ing it cannot be hurt or injured. Ephesians 6:11
growth that occurred between the two pas-
says, “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye
sages.
may be able to stand against the wiles of the
The Glorious Robe all-bespangled devil.” Thus, the Robe might be the same
With sparkling splendour of colours: symbol as the “whole armour of God.”
With Gold and also with Beryls,
Another feature of the Robe is that “the King
Chalcedonies, iris-hued [Opals?],
of Kings’ Image Was depicted entirely all o’er
With Sards of varying colours.
it.” The King of Kings refers to the Lord of
To match its grandeur [?], moreover, it had
the World, or Sanat Kumara, who in turn
been completed:
represents the Presence of Deity for our planet,
With adamantine jewels
as Bailey explains: “All the qualities, the love
All of its seams were off-fastened.
and the purpose of a supreme Entity, referred
[Moreover] the King of Kings’ Image
to in The New Testament as the ‘Unknown
Was depicted entirely all o’er it;
God,’ are focussed in Sanat Kumara.”63 The
And as with Sapphires above
above passage indicates that the Prince per-
Was it wrought in a motley of colour.
ceives the Presence of Deity within his vision
I saw that moreover all o’er it
of the soul, because the Robe symbolizes the
The motions of Gnosis abounding;
soul. The Prince must now be practicing the
I saw it further was making
even more advanced Technique of the Pres-
Ready as though for to speak.
ence, which is described by Bailey as the
I heard the sound of its Music
“definite and sustained effort to sense the Pres-
Which it whispered as it descended [?]:
ence throughout the Universe in all forms.”64
“Behold him the active in deeds!

32 Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly, 2008

 Fall 2008

The Prince perceives “The motions of Gnosis ness, as Bailey explains: “It is by meditation,
abounding” all over the Robe. Gnosis is the or the reaching from the concrete to the ab-
Greek word that is often translated as knowl- stract, that the causal consciousness is entered,
edge. Bailey explains how intuitive knowl- and man—during this final period—becomes
edge comes from the soul: “The intuition is in the Higher self and not the Personality.”68
reality only the appreciation by the mind of
Next, the Prince says, “And I stretched myself
some factor in creation, some law of manifes-
forth to receive it.” The Prince’s effort to per-
tation and some aspect of truth, known by the
ceive the Presence of Deity invokes soul con-
soul.”65
sciousness, as Bailey also explains: “The flick-
The Prince hears the Robe say: “Behold him ering soul light in the personal self has enabled
the active in deeds! For whom I was reared the disciple to see the vision of the soul and in
with my Father.” In other words, the Prince’s that light to reach union with the soul, even if
spiritual evolution fulfills the purpose for only temporarily. Now the greater light of the
which the soul was produced by Spirit. Bailey soul becomes focussed like a radiant sun and it
makes similar points: “the soul is the perceiv- reveals in its turn a still more stupendous vi-
ing entity produced through the union of Fa- sion—that of the Presence.”69
ther-Spirit and Mother-Matter”; “the soul is the
The Prince concludes, “With its beauty of col-
force of evolution itself.”66 The Prince also
our I decked me, And my Mantle of sparkling
hears the Robe say: “I too have felt in myself
colours I wrapped entirely all o’er me.” The
How that with his works waxed my stature.”
Prince shares in soul consciousness, symbol-
In other words, the Prince’s spiritual evolution
ized by wearing the Robe, and has causal con-
enables the higher aspects of the soul to be
sciousness, symbolized by wearing the Mantle,
expressed. Bailey makes a similar point: “The
so he regains both types of consciousness that
soul, though constituting one great total, is,
he had during the interlude prior to his present
however, limited in its expression by the na-
incarnation.
ture and quality of the form in which it is
found.”67 The Mental Plane
And [now] with its Kingly motions
I clothed me therewith, and ascended
Was it pouring itself out towards me,
To the Gate of Greeting and Homage.
And made haste in the hands of its Givers,
I bowed my head and did homage
That I might [take and] receive it.
To the Glory of Him who had sent it,
And me, too, my love urged forward
Whose commands I [now] had accom-
To run for to meet it, to take it.
plished,
And I stretched myself forth to receive it;
And who had, too, done what He’d prom-
With its beauty of colour I decked me,
ised.
And my Mantle of sparkling colours
[And there] at the Gate of His House-sons
I wrapped entirely all o’er me.
I mingled myself with His Princes;
The Prince says, “And [now] with its Kingly For He had received me with gladness,
motions Was it pouring itself out towards me, And I was with Him in His Kingdom;
And made haste in the hands of its Givers, To whom the whole of His Servants
That I might [take and] receive it.” The Prince With sweet-sounding voices sing praises.
continues to perceive the following: the higher
self within the Treasure-dispenser, the soul
within the higher self, and the Presence of De- E ven though the Prince is still incarnate on
the physical plane, the rest of the Hymn is
concerned with events that occur on the mental
ity within the soul. He then says, “And me,
too, my love urged forward To run for to meet plane, which is symbolized by “the Gate of
it, to take it.” The Prince is moving toward the Greeting and Homage.” Bailey says, “we are
soul, because each successive perception en- considering facts which are substantial and real
tails a more refined use of abstract thought, on the mental plane—the plane on which all
and so he eventually enters causal conscious- the major initiations take place—but which are

Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly, 2008. 33

The Esoteric Quarterly

not materialised on the physical plane, and are new lessons in his causal body—symbolized
not physical plane phenomena. The link be- by the Pearl—to demonstrate that he is ready
tween the two planes exists in the continuity of for initiation. Indeed, according to Bailey,
consciousness which the initiate will have de- everyone who is to be initiated must “demon-
veloped, and which will enable him to bring strate eventually ‘within the courts of Heaven’
through to the physical brain, occurrences and and at the place of initiation, the nature of their
happenings upon the subjective planes of high calling; they will prove to all who can
life.”70 grasp the significance of the demonstration
that they have only ‘become again in full ex-
In the first sentence, the Prince says, “I clothed
pression what they have always been.’”75
me therewith, and ascended To the Gate of
Greeting and Homage.” In other words, the The final phrase of the Hymn says, “Should
Prince, while his physical body is asleep, as- with him be seen by our King.” In other
cends to the mental plane with the same con- words, the Prince and Chohan plan to see their
sciousness and sense of awareness that he had King, who is the King of Kings—namely,
attained on the physical plane. Bailey gives Sanat Kumara, the Lord of the World. The
this explanation: “In his sleeping hours he [the Prince is about to take at least the third initia-
aspirant] has developed a field of active ser- tion, because Bailey says, “the initiate does not
vice and of learning… But people are apt to see Him [Sanat Kumara] face to face until the
forget that every night, in the hours of sleep, third initiation.”76 On the other hand, the ear-
we die to the physical plane and are alive and lier narration showed that the Prince’s most
functioning elsewhere.”71 advanced discipline was the Technique of the
The Prince says, “I bowed my head and did Presence, through the application of which,
homage to the Glory of Him who had sent it.” according to Bailey, “he becomes initiate and
In other words, the Prince is grateful to his the third initiation becomes possible as an im-
Chohan for the instruction that he had re- mediate goal.”77 Our conclusion is that the
ceived. ACIM describes this situation: “For Prince is about to take the third initiation.
the joy of teaching is in the learner, who offers Consequently, he has reached a significant
it to the teacher in gratitude, and shares it with milestone, because, as Bailey says, “the third
him.”72 initiation is regarded by the Hierarchy as the
first major initiation, and that the first and sec-
The Prince also says, “I mingled myself with ond initiations are initiations of the Thresh-
His Princes; For He had received me with old.”78
gladness, And I was with Him in His King-
dom.” That is, the Prince mingles with various Bailey also writes: “The Lord of the World, the
associates of his Chohan, is received by his Ancient of Days, the ineffable Ruler Himself
Chohan, and is with his Chohan in the latter’s administers the third initiation. Why has this
Ashram. Bailey describes a similar situation: become possible? Because now the fully con-
“Disciples are taught in groups in the Master’s secrated physical body can safely bear the vi-
ashram, or classroom, at night, if in incarna- brations of the two other bodies when they re-
tion.”73 turn to its shelter from the Presence of the
KING; because now the purified astral and
He had promised that with him to the Court controlled mental can safely stand before that
Of the King of Kings I should speed, KING.”79 Here, the physical body is asleep
And taking with me my Pearl while the emotional (or astral) and mental bod-
Should with him be seen by our King. ies “stand” before the hierophant. According
The Prince and his Father go to the “Court of to this quotation, the Prince will be aware of a
the King of Kings,” and the Prince takes with change in his emotional and mental bodies,
him his Pearl. In other words, the Prince and due to his initiation, after he becomes awake
his Chohan go to what is sometimes called the again on the physical plane.
“courts of Heaven,”74 and the Prince uses the

34 Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly, 2008

 Fall 2008

Conclusions
7
A. A. Bailey, The Externalisation of the Hierar-
A lthough modern scholars substantially
disagree about how the Hymn of the Pearl
is to be interpreted, they generally agree on 8
chy (1957; reprint; New York: Lucis Publishing
Company, 1976), p. 527.
A. A. Bailey, Initiation, Human and Solar
this point: Its interpretation ought to be based (1922; reprint; New York: Lucis Publishing
on ideas or philosophies—such as Hellenistic Company, 1974), p. 81.
myths, Gnosticism, Manichaeanism, or other 9
A. A. Bailey, A Treatise on Cosmic Fire (1925;
works associated with St. Thomas—that ex- reprint; New York: Lucis Publishing Company,
isted at the time of its composition—perhaps 1973), p. 1221.
10
the second or third century. On the other hand, A. A. Bailey, Glamour: A World Problem
our interpretation of the Hymn is based mainly (1950; reprint; New York: Lucis Publishing
on the books of Alice A. Bailey, which were Company, 1973), p. 191.
11
A. A. Bailey, Esoteric Healing (1953; reprint;
written in the twentieth century. How can our
New York: Lucis Publishing Company, 1978),
approach be justified? p. 495.
12
Bailey, like the Prince in the Hymn, believed A. A. Bailey, Letters on Occult Meditation
that she was in contact with the spiritual king- (1922; reprint; New York: Lucis Publishing
dom, or Hierarchy, and was directly inspired Company, 1974), pp. 32, 352.
13
Ibid., p. 31.
by them.80 If it is true that there is a spiritual 14
A. A. Bailey, The Light of the Soul (1927; re-
Hierarchy, then the anonymous author of the print; Lucis Publishing Company, 1978), p. 204.
Hymn might have been directly or indirectly 15
A. A. Bailey, A Treatise on White Magic (1934;
inspired by them as well. In fact, if the Hymn reprint; New York: Lucis Publishing Company,
is what it purports to be—an account of some- 1979), p. 247.
16
one’s experiences narrated from a first-person Bailey, Esoteric Healing, pp. 415, 495.
17
perspective—then its author was in contact Bailey, Glamour, p. 241.
18
with the Hierarchy and was directly inspired Bailey, The Light of the Soul, p. 398.
19
by them. Thus, one explanation as to why Bailey, Glamour, p. 184.
20
there is such a close compatibility between Bailey, A Treatise on White Magic, p. 250.
21
Bailey, Esoteric Healing, p. 497.
Bailey’s material and the Hymn is that both 22
Bailey, Letters on Occult Meditation, p. 108.
may have been inspired by the same source. 23
Bailey, Esoteric Healing, pp. 495-496.
24
Bailey, Letters on Occult Meditation, pp. 24-26.
25
Bailey, Glamour, p. 21.
26
R. Perry, A Course Glossary (West Sedona, AZ:
1
B. Layton, The Gnostic Scriptures (New York: The Circle of Atonement, 1996), p. 74.
27
Doubleday, 1987), p. 367. Bailey, Glamour, pp. 38, 84.
28
2
W. Schneemelcher (ed.), New Testament Apoc- A. A. Bailey, Esoteric Psychology, vol. II
rypha, vol. II (Philadelphia: The Westminster (1942; reprint; New York: Lucis Publishing
Press, 1965), p. 433. Company, 1981), p. 440.
29
3
H. Attridge, “The Original Language of the A. Adler, Understanding Human Nature (1927;
Acts of Thomas” in H. Attridge et al., Of reprint; New York: Fawcett Premier, 1954), p.
Scribes and Scrolls (Lanham, MD: University 67, found “the awakening desire for recognition
Press of America, 1990), pp. 241-250. developing itself under the concomitant influ-
4
H. Jonas, The Gnostic Religion (1958; revised; ence of the sense of inferiority, with its purpose
Boston: Beacon Press, 1963), p. 116. the attainment of a goal in which the individual
5
G. R. S. Mead, The Hymn of the Robe of Glory is seemingly superior to his environment.”
30
(1908; reprint; San Diego: The Book Tree, A. A. Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age, vol.
2005). Internet: I (1944; reprint; New York: Lucis Publishing
http://www.gnosis.org/library/grs-mead/grsm_r Company, 1976), p. 729.
31
obeofglory.htm. Bailey, Glamour, p. 72.
32
6
All biblical verses are from the King James Bailey, Esoteric Healing, p. 347.
33
Version. Bailey, Letters on Occult Meditation, pp. 9-10.
34
Bailey, Initiation, Human and Solar, p. 106.
35
Ibid., p. 49.

Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly, 2008. 35

The Esoteric Quarterly

36 68
A. A. Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age, vol. Bailey, Letters on Occult Meditation, p. 28.
69
II (1955; reprint. New York: Lucis Publishing Bailey, Glamour, p. 180.
70
Company, 1972), p. 105. Bailey, Initiation, Human and Solar, p. 100.
37 71
Bailey, Letters on Occult Meditation, p. 98. Bailey, A Treatise on White Magic, pp. 301,
38
Bailey, Initiation, Human and Solar, p. 68. 494.
39 72
A. A. Bailey, Telepathy and the Etheric Vehicle ACIM, vol. I, p. 336.
73
(1950; reprint; New York: Lucis Publishing Bailey, Initiation, Human and Solar, p. 69.
74
Company, 1975), p. 40. The “courts of Heaven” are occasionally cited
40
Ibid., p. 14. in Christian literature. For example, Dante
41
Bailey, Initiation, Human and Solar, p. 12. Alighieri, The Divine Comedy (The Paradiso,
42
A Commentary on the Book of the Revelation Canto XXX), writes, “I saw Both of the Courts
Based on a Study of Twenty-Four Psychic Dis- of Heaven made manifest.” In addition, the
courses by Edgar Cayce (1945; reprint; Virginia Catholic “Litany of Saint Scholastica” includes
Beach, VA: A.R.E. Press, 1969), p. 141; Z. F. the exhortation: “St. Scholastica, who didst en-
Lansdowne, The Revelation of St. John (York ter the courts of Heaven in the form of a dove,
Beach, ME: Red Wheel/Weiser, 2006), p. 14. Pray for us.” A Methodist Hymnal includes the
43
Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age, vol. I, p. verse: “CHRIST is our corner-stone, On him
24; Esoteric Psychology, vol. II, p. 691. alone we build; With his true saints alone The
44
Bailey, Esoteric Healing, p. 119. courts of heaven are filled.”
45 75
Bailey, Letters on Occult Meditation, p. 134. Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age, vol. II, p.
46
Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age, vol. II, p. 387.
76
88. Bailey, Initiation, Human and Solar, p. 107.
47 77
Bailey, Glamour, p. 83. Bailey, Glamour, p. 171.
48 78
Bailey, Esoteric Psychology, vol. II, p. 433. Bailey, The Rays and the Initiations, p. 41.
49 79
A. A. Bailey, Esoteric Astrology (1951; reprint; Bailey, Initiation, Human and Solar, p. 88.
80
New York: Lucis Publishing Company, 1979), A. A. Bailey, The Unfinished Autobiography
p. 414. (1951; reprint; New York: Lucis Publishing
50
Bailey, A Treatise on White Magic, p. 473. Company, 1987), pp. 162-168.
51
Ibid., p. 117.
52
Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age, vol. I, p.
469.
53
Bailey, Glamour, pp. 214-215.
54
A. A. Bailey, Education in the New Age (1954;
reprint; New York: Lucis Publishing Company,
1974), p. 148.
55
Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age, vol. I, p.
727.
56
Bailey, A Treatise on White Magic, p. 375.
57
A Course in Miracles (ACIM) (second edition;
Glen Ellen, CA: Foundation for Inner Peace,
1992), vol. I, p. 142.
58
ACIM, vol. I, p. 27.
59
Bailey, Letters on Occult Meditation, p. 228.
60
Bailey, Discipleship in the New Age, vol. I, p.
391.
61
Bailey, Esoteric Astrology, p. 605.
62
Lansdowne, The Revelation of St. John, pp. 38,
85, 192.
63
A. A. Bailey, The Rays and the Initiations
(1960; reprint; New York: Lucis Publishing
Company, 1976), p. 367.
64
Bailey, Glamour, p. 180.
65
Bailey, A Treatise on White Magic, p. 15.
66
Ibid., pp. 35, 36.
67
Ibid., p. 39.

36 Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly, 2008