Am I my brother’s keeper?

Rudi Jansma and Nivard Vas

This question is taken from the Old Testament of the Bible, book of Genesis, iv, 9. Cain kills his brother Abel and when God asks him where is his brother? He answers with a question, “I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper”? We cannot confirm the validity of the story from the Bible and have chosen to deal with the question in the following manner. Firstly not to take the Bible as a guideline, but to deal with the question, “Am I my brother’s keeper”? Trying to understand the human reasoning that gets so angry, in the case of Cain, that this anger can lead to the murder of a fellow human being. Then explaining from a theosophical stand point who are our brothers. Closing with duty, what is our duty and how should we practice it.

Since coming in contact with theosophy, life has taken on a new meaning for me. I have found that Nature has many questions for us and that we don’t have any answers. Some times seemingly difficult questions have been answered since I have studied the ancient wisdom- religion. The present question, “Am I my brother’s keeper”, is such an example. Is there an answer to this? Helping an injured man, or drowning person is only a humanitarian act. For starters, most people would do that without a second thought. But does this mean we are our brother’s keeper?
If you borrowed money, or ran yourself into a huge debt, or even robbed a bank.
Am I responsible for those actions? Do I pay off your bad debt's... ?
Is it my responsibility to get you out of Jail... ?
The key to these questions is the free will. And the secret is compassion. Just as we have patience and understanding with children, so should we have compassion for our fellow human beings. Keeper means guardian.

We humans are still ignorant of our true selves. The question of death is an example. The fact that we are afraid of death is proof of our ignorance of who we really are. Luckily we are not afraid of sleeping as we are of death. We are a duality or bi-polarity of Consciousness (energy) and body (matter). The ancient Wisdom-Religion has brought down to us the seven principles in man.

These divisions of man are found in various forms in the oldest religions of the world. But we must bear in mind that each grade in the constitution of man is a bi-polarity, a carrier of consciousness. We see that man is not one entity, but is composed of a number of complete entities! Each of these is a living, growing thing, with its own life, yet subservient to the main stream of consciousness that we call the man. From atom to kosmos, p, 33. We are naturally composed of a brotherhood of entities, and so is everything else in Nature.

Fundamentalists tell us to “believe and be saved” before it is too late, using the prediction from the Bible in the Book of Revelations. These warnings should not be taken lightly, we humans as a species are destructing and poisoning Natures kingdoms and we will have to pay the consequence for it. “Sow an act and reap a habit; sow a habit and reap a character; sow a character and reap a destiny.” But like every living being in the Universe we are subject to birth and death, and rebirth in a new form. Our present civilization will eventually disappear after fulfilling its life cycle. The dying of an old cycle is followed in time by the emergence of a new one: the earth comes forth fresh and without blemish, and a new humanity arises. To light a thousand lamps, p., 158.

Today the winds of change are altering the course we are used to. One of them is our habits. We have become too attached to our habits and we use our animalistic tendencies to settle disputes, fighting and killing. Animals fight and kill to protect their territory, harem or whatever. We humans are far more evolved than the animals. We have the faculty of reason which is lying around not being used to its full extent. Cain answers Gods question, where is your brother, with a question, “Am I my brothers keeper”? We too should ask this question in our modern society. History has shown us that man hasn’t learnt to solve his problems by reasoning even though he has the reasoning capacity. We see it all around us wars are still the way we try to solve our affairs. On the individual scale we are all shocked at this deed, when a teacher gets shot dead by an angry student. But when we manufacture weapons for death we call that employment for the masses. All around us we see the changing of the guard concerning our values and standards. There is much senseless violence, society has changed immensely and it will continue to change at an ever increasing pace in the future. What theosophy has taught me is to keep values and standards anchored in ethics and moral codes that have been passed down to us from the ancients.

What happened with Cain, happens on a daily basis to most of us. I for one admit to letting myself being taken up with feelings of anger and irritation. For example, someone does something to me that irritates me, instead of letting go of these feelings and thoughts, I indulge them, letting them gather in force tremendously and the next thing I know, I can’t remember what irritated me but do have an intense feeling of dislike for the person that trigged these feelings. Cain must have been very upset with his brother, a typical human feeling. He let his anger get out of control and ended up killing his brother.

Well what is the solution for situations when one becomes angry? The Buddha says be “Friendly and benevolent.” I would suggest trying to develop thoughts of love to those that have made us angry. I admit that it is easy to say and hard to practise, because at the moment of becoming angry or irritated, we seem to lose control. To get back into control can be a stumbling block. I have come to realize that by trying love we can radically change our approach. When you love someone, you’ll never want to hurt them. Why is there evil? Without it there would be nothing at all. Evil is the unavoidable by-product of the process of origination. Consciousness is only possible with the duality of subject and object. The root of all evil is duality, separation, and objectification. The essence of all goodness is the urge to resolve duality into unity, which we experience as love. Love is what overcomes all separateness and unites us to the Mystery which is Love itself.

Perfection is not expected nor is it possible but it is unfair to judge too harshly those who earnestly strive to give spiritual and moral aid to their fellow beings. Nevertheless, we have the right to expect those who profess to teach words of truth and compassion are trustworthy in their practise of altruistic thinking and doing. What we all need is a clearer knowledge of ourselves plus a healthy dose of scepticism — not cynicism, but intelligent scepticism. The word is from the Greek skeptikos, “thoughtful, reflective.” We need to be reminded that the essence of our being is immortal and that each of us has not only the inborn capacity and the will but also the obligation to “save” ourselves — that is, to liberate our souls from the fetter of selfish desire. To light a thousand lamps, p., 168.

Who are our brothers in relation to ourselves? Firstly we all have two parents, who in turn also have two parents, making that four grandparents. Over a period of three generations we have links with eight other people our great grand-parents. The number rises over 10 generations to 1024, and over 20 generations to over a million. If we go back 30 generations, we find the number of ancestors we have to be a billion. Taking a figure of 25 years for each generation we get a total of 750 years for only 30 generations. If we go back a little further in time, in less than a thousand years every human easily embraces the entire population of our planet. This points to a much greater degree of connectedness than we might have realized. Compassion in the Secret Doctrine.

Brotherhood. Human beings, in common with all other entities in the universe, are inseparable members of a spiritual unity; and the illusion of eternally separate selves, is due to an ignorance of fundamental facts in nature. "If the action of one reacts on the lives of all, and this is the true scientific idea, then it is only by all men becoming brothers and all women sisters, and by all practising in their daily lives true brotherhood and true sisterhood, that the real human solidarity, which lies at the root of the elevation of the race, can ever be attained" The Key to Theosophy 234.

“If there is a developed immortal spirit in man, it must be in everything else, at least in a latent or germinal state, and it can only be a question of time for each of these germs to become fully developed.” Isis, I, 330. Brother applies to all things and beings, it is a universal word. It is not only the male sibling of the same father and mother, or for that matter of the same race, religion, profession, trade, or organization as another man, but all that’s in the Universe.
All entities, regardless of kind are sevenfold entities, so that we can no longer distinguish between ‘simple’ and ‘complex’ forms of life.

The Theosophical Society has always insisted on the formation of a nucleus of a universal brotherhood as its prime objective; and the teachings which it spreads are aids secondary to this purpose. As one of Blavatsky's teachers wrote: "The Chiefs want a 'Brotherhood of Humanity,' a real Universal Fraternity started; an institution which would make itself known throughout the world and arrest the attention of the highest minds" (ML 24). Again, "It is he alone who has the love of humanity at heart, who is capable of grasping thoroughly the idea of a regenerating practical Brotherhood who is entitled to the possession of our secrets. He alone, such a man — will never misuse his powers, as there will be no fear that he should turn them to selfish ends" (ML 252).

Brotherhood: the way of the heart. We are our brother’s keeper? If anything is anchored in a theosophical way of life, then this is it. Our society, the Dutch society, has changed enormously in recent years. From the sixteen million people that live in the Netherlands, there is a division into two groups, autochthon (indigenous) and allochthonous (immigrants). We live in the Netherlands where this split threatens the idea of brotherhood. There is a great deal that has happened in the last decades affecting our feeling of safety, making it the paramount discussion of our society.
Look deep into your hearts and ask the question how can I be my brother’s keeper, when senseless violence is becoming prevalent and people have become insecure and unsafe. Human nature looks for a scapegoat and has found it in a small group of immigrants who were not satisfactory accepted into Dutch society to have any brotherly feelings. Brotherhood IS the way of the heart, there is no doubt about that. How can we realize this?

Through duty, dharma in (Sanskrit) we mean, “We are at a critical period in our evolution, where the light energies are in direct contest with dark forces — not only on the national and international scene, but within our own natures. Unless we begin now, individually and collectively, to rely on our own inner strength, we will have little to draw upon in future crises. This isn’t the time to lean on great leaders; it isn’t the time to wait for a messenger. If we feel that the odds are overwhelmingly against our steadfast efforts to hold the torch of hope, let us recall Mother Teresa. When asked how she could bear up under the enormity of suffering she witnessed daily, without any possibility of her stemming the tide appreciably, she replied: One and one and one: I look only at the child or old man or woman I am tending; if I thought of the millions and millions who need my help I could do nothing.”

The ancient Wisdom-Religion as given to us by the Masters of Wisdom and their messenger in recent times, H.P. Blavatsky teaches that there is not the slightest chance or possibility that a genuine theosophist can become a-social. All religions or religious philosophies have a tendency to arouse a certain cast of human intelligence, a desire to separate themselves off from the rest of mankind. Feeling the need of personal advancement on the road of spiritual and intellectual progress quite apart from one’s duty to one’s fellow-man. When this mistake occurs, then we have the phenomenon of monastic and the conventual existence, which grew to be so important in the early medieval history of Christianity.

It is true by separating oneself from the world one can be free to a certain extent from temptation, and make a kind of spiritual progress; but this is purely selfish progress, in the end defeating its very object. True theosophy does not approve of this; it shows us that we are all brothers, members of the human family, we have intimate karmic responsibilities, and that the proper way to live a theosophical life is to live in the world but not to be of the world. To do one’s duty to family and country and by one’s fellow men throughout the world, by so doing we get inner spiritual growth. We should not flee from temptation, it is our duty to overcome and conquer it and not run away. The quickest way to spiritual progress is by using every faculty we have in accordance with the highest ethical principles, and with a feeling of deep interest in the welfare of our fellow-men, compassion for the sufferings and troubles of our fellow human beings.

It would be bad for the real inner man to remain outside of society. Every man is an individual unit in human society, and has a duty to human society. Although there does come a time for every individual to follow the path of discipleship; but this path of seclusion is only until he has reached the point where the disciple becomes a Master of life. After that he should more than ever become a servant of the law of Compassion, devoting his whole life to awakening the spiritual consciousness of his fellow-men.

This training of the disciple is a ‘lonely’ path like the student of a University who has a difficult examination to pass. He secludes himself to get freedom from anxiety and distractions until he has mastered the tests before him. When he has taken his degree he comes back into the world to do his duty by his fellow-men — at least he should do.”

To sum up what we discussed. Firstly trying to answer the question am I my brothers keeper? Then we dealt with our ignorance, which has made us blind to the fact that the human race is one brotherhood. Selfishness has led us astray from our true goal of living in harmony with our fellow men. Today we see the results of our selfishness, senseless violence. When we become angry we should try to control this by showing love. Secondly brotherhood is a fact of nature, trying to separate ourselves from our fellow men, is following the path of evil or black magic. Thirdly duty to our fellow human beings cannot be taken lightly. Compassion is the Law of Laws in the Universe, Love is the basis on what the Universe is founded.

In conclusion, "every human being has within him the power to do what is required: privately and unnoticed to follow the lead of his higher self. But we have to persevere in this practise; above all we have to trust unreservedly in the potency of our inner light to illumine our lives. If each of us heeds its guidance, in time we will have become an imbodiment of compassion, understanding, knowledge and helpfulness — and yet, paradoxically we will have achieved the greatest boon of all, we will have become as “nothing in the eyes of the world.” In this manner we will strengthen the light-impulses that are gaining in number and momentum, and by so doing fortify the compassionate labours of those who work unceasingly for all nations and for the unborn and who are, even now readying the way for the dawn of a brighter age”.

Sources: To light a thousand lamps,
Studies in Occult Philosophy,
Broederschap IS de weg van het hart.
Isis Unveiled. vol I,
The Key to Theosophy,
From Atom to Kosmos,
The Mahatma letters to Sinnett.

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