The Rudolf Steiner Archive

14. Subjective — Objective Dharma in Karma

[ 1 ] What awakens merely subjectively on a plane can act on that plane, but cannot perceive it. The mineral has awakened—subjectively on the physical plane.

[ 2 ] Whatever arises subjectively and objectively on a given plane can act and be perceived on that plane.

[ 3 ] Man has awakened:

on the physical plane—subjectively and objectively
on the astral plane—subjectively
on the mental plane—subjectively

[ 4 ] The physical plane exists for human beings only because they have awakened to it, both subjectively and objectively.

[ 5 ] If he awakens objectively on the astral plane, then the entire world of desire will have just as objective an existence as the entire physical world does now.

[ 6 ] If he awakens objectively on the mental plane, then everything that is now merely a world of thoughts will become a substantial, objective world.

[ 7 ] Human development consists of the three worlds successively and alternately becoming objective.

1. The physical world, objectively: physical existence
2. The astral world, objectively: existence in Kamaloka
3. The mental world, objectively: existence in Devachan

Earth: physical, astral, Manas
Devachan: mental, Budhi, Atma

[ 8 ] Development consists in the continuous transformation of the subjective into the objective, or of the law into reality. Dharma into karma.

Function translated into form.
The hand is the result of work.
The eye is the result of light.

Function is existence conceived in action.
Development through progress means: Dharma
Through its activity, it draws from its environment the organs for its future.

[ 9 ] Karma is Dharma entwined with matter.

[ 10 ] Karma is manifest Dharma and must take effect because it contains within itself the unmanifest part of Dharma.

[ 11 ] Dharma is, at the same time, being beyond being.

[ 12 ] Self-knowledge means recognizing the level of one’s being in the true sense; then self-knowledge serves the Dharma.

[ 13 ] Self-knowledge is the recognition of the degree of imperfection in each person.

[ 14 ] Following the law in the spirit of true self-knowledge is Dharma.

[ 15 ] Dharma takes on the form of matter and is active within matter.

Father: Transcendence
Mother: The evolving being
Son: That which comes into being from Being through Transcendence.

[ 16 ] Dharma is the creative principle; it is the continuous intervention of the Transcendent into existence. Karma is Dharma entangled in matter. Karma must continue to spur action until it has become Dharma.

[ 17 ] Ideal: The state of a being who has revealed their entire Dharma and thereby burned away their karma.

[ 18 ] Nirvana. Nirvana is the absence of karma, because the entire Dharma has been revealed.