We must today take up our first point for it is only as we lay the foundation aright that the superstructure measures up to requirements. [302]

1. The One Fundamental School

One point that it will here be necessary to emphasize is that the Brotherhood of Light, as represented by the Himalayan Masters, has its other representatives elsewhere who all carry out specific work under proper and adequate supervision. Too apt are the Theosophists to think that they alone are the repositories of the wisdom religion. Not so is the fact. At this particular moment (with the aim in view of the development and tendering of opportunity to the fifth subrace) the Himalayan Brotherhood is the main channel of effort, power and light. But the work with other races proceeds simultaneously and numerous other projects, all emanating from the central office at Shamballa, are paralleling the Himalayan work. Get this clearly in mind, for the point is important. The Himalayan School and Lodge is the one that principally concerns the occident and the only school without any exception that should control the work and output of the occult students in the West. It brooks no rival nor contemporary work with its pupils, not for the [303] sake of its own teachers but to ensure the safety of its pupils. Danger lurks in the path of the occult student and the Himalayan adepts know adequately how to protect their pupils, provided those pupils stay within the periphery of Their united auras, and wander not out to other schools. All true occult schools demand this of their pupils, and all true Masters expect Their pupils to refrain from taking other occult instructions at the same time as they are receiving it from Them. They say not: "Our method is the only right and true method." They say: "When receiving instructions from Us it is the part of wisdom and the line of safety to refrain from occult training in another school or under another Master." Should a pupil desire so to do he is perfectly free to seek out other schools and teachers, but he must first break his connection with the old.

The one fundamental school may be recognized by certain outstanding characteristics:

• By the basic character of the truths taught as embodied in the following postulates:

1. The unity of all life.
2. The graded steps of development as recognized in man, and by the graded steps of its curriculum, which lead a man from one expansion of consciousness to another until he has reached that which we call perfection.
3. The relationship between the microcosm and the macrocosm and its sevenfold application.
4. The method of this development and the place of the microcosm within the macrocosm as revealed through the study of the periodicity of all manifestation and the basic law of cause and effect.

• By the emphasis laid on character building and spiritual development as a foundation for the development of [304] all the faculties inherent in the microcosm.
• By the requirement, demanded of all affiliated pupils without exception, that the life of inner unfoldment and development should be paralleled by a life of exoteric service.
• By the graded expansions of consciousness that are the result of the imparted training; these lead a man on from step to step till he contacts his higher self, his Master, his egoic group, the First Initiator, the One Paramount Initiator, until he has contacted the Lord of his Ray and has entered into the bosom of his "Father Which is in Heaven".

These are the outstanding features that are descriptive of the one true fundamental School.

This fundamental school has three main branches and a fourth that is in process of forming and which will make the four branches of this fourth round. These branches are as follows:

1. The Trans-Himalayan Branch.
2. The Southern India Branch (these are Aryan Branches).
3. A Branch that works with the fourth root-race and has two fourth root-race adepts at its head.
4. A Branch in process of forming that will have its headquarters in the occident at some place not yet disclosed. It has for its main object the instructing of those connected with the coming sixth root-race.

These branches are and will be closely inter-allied and will work in the closest cooperation, being all focused and under the control of the Chohan at Shamballa. The heads of each of the four branches communicate with each other frequently and are really like the faculty of one stupendous university, the four schools being like the [305] various major departments of the foundations - like subsidiary colleges. The aim of all is the evolution of the race, the object of all is to lead all to the point of standing before the One Initiator, the methods employed are fundamentally the same, though varying in detail, due to the racial characteristics of the races and types dealt with, and the fact that certain schools work paramountly with one ray and others with another.

• The Trans-Himalayan school has its adepts as known to you, and others Whose Names are not known.
• The southern Indian school has special work with the deva evolution, and with the second and third subraces of the Aryan race.
• The Himalayan school works with the first, fourth and fifth subraces.
• The fourth root-race branch works under the Manu of that race and his brother of the Teaching Ray. Their headquarters are in China.
• The Master R. - and one of the English Masters are concerning Themselves with the gradual founding of the fourth branch of the school, with the assistance of the Master Hilarion.