case the Law not the Being, is the Absolute, for it is the causer, and controller, and mover, and reason of the universe.
It is true that some of the philosophers and teachers try to explain away this fact, by saying that "Being and Law" are One. But this is no solution, for even if that be admitted, then the Law within the Being is the Efficient Reason and Causer of Action, and the rest of the Being is controlled, acted upon and moved by the Law within it. The whole idea of Being must be discarded in considering the Absolute. The Absolute is, and can be, only Law. For in all conceptions, The Law is, and must be, seen to be the Ultimate Cause of all activity. The advocates of Absolute Being, object that they are unable to conceive of Law without a Lawgiving Being. But, considering this answer, we soon see that in order for the Lawgiving Being to proceed to give or promulgate Law, it must be moved by some inner law, desire, want, or will of its own nature—and that simply pushes back the question one step further. Try as we may, we cannot escape the conviction that Law is the First, and Last Cause—the Beginning and the Ending—the Efficient Reason of All-Things. Law is not a Being—not a Mind—not a Spirit—not a Thing—It is Law, and naught else. We must accept It as Absolute Power, and as the Aphorisms present It to us. Beyond this we cannot go. Examine the Aphorisms carefully, and you will find that they agree fully with the highest reports of your reason, and in no way run contrary to it.
APHORISM IV. The Law is the Efficient Reason of All-Things, and is the Supreme Power and Causer of the Cosmos.
In this Aphorism is stated plainly and clearly the truth that The Law is the Supreme Power of the Cosmos, and the Causer thereof. The term "Efficient Reason" conveys the entire truth regarding the creation of or evolution of the Cosmos. Let us consider the definition of the two words composing the term, in order to see the meaning still more clearly:
Efficient: "Causing or producing effects or results; acting as the cause of effects; a prime mover; actively operative; etc."
Reason: "An efficient cause; a final cause; explanation; that which explains or accounts for anything; motive of action; etc."
The Cosmos is explainable only by The Law. Without The Law there could be no Cosmos. The Law is the cause of the Cosmos, and of every manifestation within it. The very word "Cosmos" is derived from the Greek word meaning: "the universe as governed by law." Not only the Arcane Teaching, but modern science states as its first axiom: "The Cosmos is Governed by Law." To those who prefer the idea of an anthropomorphic Being, or a World-Spirit, as the Absolute, we have to say that, unfortunately for their idea, the facts of the Cosmos are all against them—Law is everywhere seen to be dominant and sovereign, even in its relative manifestations. We cannot escape it, and should not desire to; and will not desire to, when we understand its meaning. The explanation of this must wait until its proper place in these lessons is reached. Enough for the present to state that in all human ideas of Law there is to be found the correlated ideas of Justice and Equity. Know then that this relative idea, when transformed to the absolute plane, results in the identification of Absolute Justice and Absolute Equity, with the Absolute Law. Could mortal ask more? Has he aught to fear of Absolute Equity and Justice? Can he not postulate in the Absolute all the highest conceptions of Fair Play that he finds in himself? The Cosmos is Governed by Law!
Lesson III. Infinity of Nothingness.
WE NOW invite you to consider the correlative principle of Truth, in which is set forth the Infinity of Nothingness—Chaos—the Unmanifest; from which, under The Law, emerges Everything—the Cosmos—the Manifest. We have informed you that The Law is not a Pantheistic Being, either breaking Itself into bits, or parts, in order to create Universes; neither does It imagine, mentally create, dream, or meditate into existence a false and fictitious Universe "all in its mind," as pseudo-occultism and pessimistic philosophies would have you believe. Listen to the Aphorism:
APHORISM V. "Other than The Law, there is but Infinity, which is Nothingness. But in that Infinity of Nothingness, there is Unmanifest, the Latency, Possibility, Futurity, Potentiality, and Promise of Manifest Everythingness. It is the Chaos from which, under The Law, emerges the Cosmos. It is the Womb of the Cosmos."
Postponing for the moment the consideration of the distinction between the Absolute and Infinity, which is uncommon in ordinary modern thought, we wish to call your attention to the fact that Infinity is not designated as "Not," or as partaking of "not-ness," but is spoken of as "Nothingness," which is a state of Nothing. In the Arcane Teaching the words: "Nothing" and "Nothingness," signify "No-Thing," and "No-Thingness," respectively. This may seem like metaphysical hair-splitting, but it is not. Not having common words to express uncommon ideas, philosophers must needs split common words into shades of meaning and significance, or else remain silent with their thoughts unexpressed. In order to understand "No-Thingness," and a "No-Thing," you must understand the meaning of the word "Thing" to which these words are opposed. A "Thing" is "whatever exists as a separate object of sense or thought," in the sense of being and having apparent qualities which can be thought of in terms of sense-perception, such as size, shape, form, etc.—something connected directly or indirectly with physical appearance—something of the relative universe—something having a correspondence in experience. And No-thingness must be the opposite of Thingness.
Therefore the Aphorism practically says that Infinity is a "Latency" that is No-Thing in reality, but yet has an existence of some kind, at least potentially. It can contain naught actually apparent to the senses; naught that can be experienced; naught that can be sensed; naught that can be thought of by the intellect, nor pictured in the imagination—in short, nothing that is capable of inducing a mental image in your mind. And yet it exists (if the word can be used) as a state or condition in which all is in Latency, Possibility, Futurity, Potentiality, and Promise. In short, it is The Unmanifest containing All Manifestation within it in latency, possibility and futurity, awaiting the force of The Law to bid it conceive, produce, and bring forth Being. We shall learn about this Infinite Nothingness shortly, in connection with another Aphorism. Enough for the present to realize the words of the Aphorism before us, which informs us that other than The Law there is Not, with the exception of the Infinity of Nothingness which exists in latency. Other than The Law, there is Not in the absolute sense.
Philosophies and schools of metaphysics have generally confused the meaning of the two terms "absolute" and "relative," and have used them as identical in meaning. The Arcane Teaching makes a sharp distinction between the two terms, however—not a difference based upon a metaphysical hair-splitting tendency, but because there are two entirely different ideas which must be expressed in these two words, and, in spite of the customs of the metaphysicians the distinction must be made. We do not wish to lead you into an extended metaphysical discussion, but we think that you should be taught to make this important distinction in the true meaning of these terms.
The term "absolute," in its true sense and essential meaning, implies an apartness; separation; independence; self-existence; self-sufficiency; supreme; unfettered; free. The "essence of the essence" of its meaning is to be found in the words "free, independent, self-sufficient." And when used in connection with the word "law," it represents the Supreme Power, depending upon no other power; its own sovereign; and the ruler of all else, without restriction. This conception we have in The Absolute Law, which is the Independent, Free, Sovereign Lord of All.
The term "infinite" has an entirely different meaning, in its true sense, although the philosophers and metaphysicians often add to it the attributes of the Absolute, which is a mistake. The word "infinite" in its true sense and essential meaning, implies a state of boundlessness; limitlessness; not circumscribed; as to time, space, variety, possibilities, combination, shape, form, etc. Its essence may be understood by referring to the words from which it sprung, i. e.,
