For page numbers in this post, the version of God Speaks used is the online edition, which is the same as the current 1997 in print edition. It is abbreviated GS.
Meher Baba begins his explanation of the spiritual hierarchy on p. 254 of his major book God Speaks. The explanation there begins with a graph in which are laid out the precise numbers of two types of God-realized incarnate human beings on earth in a complete cycle, which is approximately 700-1400 years.
The only two types of such human beings he lists (the Perfect Masters and Majzoobs) are the types that pertain to the hierarchy. However, two things should be noted about the graph, and thus why I have chosen to begin further down in Baba's discussion and then return to these God-realized ones in the hierarchy in a second post (Part II).
This graph is rather straightforward.
But there are a few things to mention.
The 3 Majzoobs who are in the hierarchy are its “sleeping or inactive” partners (GS 254). Remember that, though on the 7th plane, a Majzoob cannot help others directly, does not use his infinite power, knowledge and bliss that he experiences, as a Perfect Master does, and he is unaware of the world. Majzoobs are in state VIII (GS 184), and only experience Self or God (but not the Illusion). Thus they have no direct participation in the affairs of the Universe. However, these 3, so long as they retain their body, are counted in the hierarchy and have an indirect function they are not conscious of.
Also note that aside from the 8 God-realized incarnate human beings on earth in the hierarchy (5 Perfect Masters and 3 Majzoobs), there are also 48 other God-realized human beings who are not in the functioning spiritual hierarchy. The other 48 are neither Perfect Masters nor are they Majzoobs, yet they are God-realized. They consist of those in the Divine Junction (Salik-Majzoobs and Majzoob-Saliks who alternate between Majzoob and Salik), the Kamils, and the Akmals. These will be gone over in more detail in Part II, along with what they are called in other traditions so one can better find all discussion on them in God Speaks which sometimes refers to them by their other names. With the 8 in the hierarchy, these additional 48, who are also on earth at all times, bring the number of God-realized human beings on earth to 56.
I should mention that a few people have thought the 7000 members of the hierarchy represent all the incarnate people on earth who are on the planes. This is not so. There are many, many others (many masts not in the hierarchy, as well as yogis, pirs and sants who are salik and not masts).
That is enough. In Part II, Baba's statements about God-realized human beings over an entire cycle will be gone over. There we will focus exclusively on God-realized Ones – those in the hierarchy, those not, the various types, and so forth.
Meher Baba begins his explanation of the spiritual hierarchy on p. 254 of his major book God Speaks. The explanation there begins with a graph in which are laid out the precise numbers of two types of God-realized incarnate human beings on earth in a complete cycle, which is approximately 700-1400 years.
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| Graph from God Speaks to be returned to in Part II |
- Not all of these God-realized human beings named in the first graph are included in the hierarchy. It is explained which are and which are not on page 255.
- The two types in the graph do not exhaust all the types of God-realized incarnate human beings (which we will describe in Part II).
So setting these complications aside for now, here we simply begin with the 7000 members of the functioning spiritual hierarchy in any particular moment – in all times and in all ages. The graph that gives these numbers in the 7000 is on page 256.
The hierarchy on earth in human form
Before beginning, I think it's important to understand one point right off the bat. Baba is unambiguous that all of the 7000 members of the spiritual hierarchy are on the earth in human form.
Now for the chart. Briefly, there are 7000 incarnate human beings in the spiritual hierarchy on earth at all times and in all ages. When the period is of the Avatar, the Avatar brings this number to 7001. The following is a screen-shot from God Speaks p. 256.
Before beginning, I think it's important to understand one point right off the bat. Baba is unambiguous that all of the 7000 members of the spiritual hierarchy are on the earth in human form.
He clarified that Earth was the only planet where the process of involution occurred – that only on Earth do human beings experience the planes of spiritual consciousness. And he further explained that not only were the five Perfect Masters on Earth, but the entire seven thousand member spiritual hierarchy of saints and advanced souls. At this time, such esoteric points were not public knowledge. (Lord Meher, p. 619)Why the Earth is so important is a subject for a later post, and that in itself is an interesting topic.
Now for the chart. Briefly, there are 7000 incarnate human beings in the spiritual hierarchy on earth at all times and in all ages. When the period is of the Avatar, the Avatar brings this number to 7001. The following is a screen-shot from God Speaks p. 256.
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| Spiritual Hierarchy |
But there are a few things to mention.
The 3 Majzoobs who are in the hierarchy are its “sleeping or inactive” partners (GS 254). Remember that, though on the 7th plane, a Majzoob cannot help others directly, does not use his infinite power, knowledge and bliss that he experiences, as a Perfect Master does, and he is unaware of the world. Majzoobs are in state VIII (GS 184), and only experience Self or God (but not the Illusion). Thus they have no direct participation in the affairs of the Universe. However, these 3, so long as they retain their body, are counted in the hierarchy and have an indirect function they are not conscious of.
Also note that aside from the 8 God-realized incarnate human beings on earth in the hierarchy (5 Perfect Masters and 3 Majzoobs), there are also 48 other God-realized human beings who are not in the functioning spiritual hierarchy. The other 48 are neither Perfect Masters nor are they Majzoobs, yet they are God-realized. They consist of those in the Divine Junction (Salik-Majzoobs and Majzoob-Saliks who alternate between Majzoob and Salik), the Kamils, and the Akmals. These will be gone over in more detail in Part II, along with what they are called in other traditions so one can better find all discussion on them in God Speaks which sometimes refers to them by their other names. With the 8 in the hierarchy, these additional 48, who are also on earth at all times, bring the number of God-realized human beings on earth to 56.
I should mention that a few people have thought the 7000 members of the hierarchy represent all the incarnate people on earth who are on the planes. This is not so. There are many, many others (many masts not in the hierarchy, as well as yogis, pirs and sants who are salik and not masts).
That is enough. In Part II, Baba's statements about God-realized human beings over an entire cycle will be gone over. There we will focus exclusively on God-realized Ones – those in the hierarchy, those not, the various types, and so forth.
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