Anthroposophy founder Rudolph Steiner posited that there are two main opposing forces of evil which vi for control mankind: Ahriman and Lucifer. Ahriman represents a pull towards materialism and ultimately using science and technology to supercede the soul of man. Lucifer on the on the other hand pulls toward egoism, self-absorbed idealism and the selfish desire for spiritual/supernatural power. Throughout different ages, the influence of one power is usually stronger than the other. Obviously the present age is viewed as being heavily influenced by Ahriman. I do not want to get too hung up on the Judeo-Christian names, for these forces are considered to be universal by Steiner, but I was just wondering if there is a similar paradigm in buddhism or taoism.


"The Spirits of Adversity

One cannot think of evil as an absolute. What is good in one place and at one time may be bad in another or at a different time. Just as it would be wrong to give adult food to a baby and vice versa, so an influence may be good or bad according to circumstances. This principle must be understood in trying to understand the two forces mentioned.

Neither can evil be understood in isolation. It is necessary to look at the whole evolution of man.

In earlier times of world history the faculties of the human mind were different from those of today. Humanity had less connection with the material world and possessed the possibility of perceiving the spiritual. Men were aware of the existence of the spiritual world and of spiritual beings, which can now only be experienced by those who have developed spiritual vision. These higher beings are the artisans of the cosmos. They created the solar system, Earth and man but in so doing they also furthered their own development. Like man, they evolve, but in evolution there is always the possibility of defection or falling behind. In order to provide man with the resistance that he needed for his progress, certain beings gave up their normal development and thus remained at an earlier stage or 'backward'. They continued, however, to influence mankind but their influence was now out of time and out of place and therefore apparently adverse in its results.

As already explained, in order to be 'free' humanity had to be given a choice and it was the task of the spirits of adversity to provide this. In a sense it was a sacrifice on their part. They influenced man but, because of their own development, the impulse they gave was different from what it would have been had they followed their normal evolution. In giving man powers they gave him the possibility of furthering their own ends in establishing their own kingdoms. Thus man received gifts but with them the opportunity of falling into error.

In Chapter 1, the various stages of the development of the Earth and of man were described. With regard to man we must recall that the human spirit as a spiritual being has not always inhabited a physical body. It was the intention of the good Gods that he should do this at a certain stage but Lucifer intervened and man came to know the physical world earlier than planned. This is described in the story of the Fall.

At present we live in the so-called post-Atlantean epoch. Before this was the Atlantean period (geographically in the region of the Atlantic Ocean), and before that, Lemuria (Indian Ocean). The Fall took place in the middle of Lemurian times. Up to that time the Earth had existed in a much more fluidic state than at present. Then it began to solidify. The soul and spirit part of man had been much less connected with the physical organism, which was still flexible and mobile. The bony structure had not consolidated itself. Now, however, the physical hardened in line with Earth development and a closer association took place between man's physical and spiritual organizations and man became a being who trod the solid earth, i.e. he was driven from Paradise.

This was brought about by the Luciferic beings in their own interest. If man could be given his own powers of understanding, i.e. if he could be cut off from divine guidance, knowing good and evil, then he might choose the latter and their own power would be greatly enhanced. Moreover, if the human being developed an intellectual capacity this would provide the Luciferic forces with an instrument by means of which they could further their own evolution.

It is difficult to visualize this process but one could think of it possibly as something akin to mind-reading. Having remained behind in their evolution, the Luciferic beings were lacking in certain faculties through which they might have participated directly in world events, but they could do this via the human being if his mind were suitably attuned. They therefore awakened in man a consciousness of the material world and a consciousness of the self. (This is expressed in the biblical words 'and they saw that they were naked'.) The human being became aware of the outer as well as the inner world and thus acquired the faculty of being able to differentiate between them. This meant that he experienced an elementary feeling of self-consciousness.

But the Luciferic influence had another result. Due to the retarded development of the Luciferic beings certain impulses were given to man at an inappropriate time. These affected his astral body, the seat of passions and desires. With the consciousness of self he could turn these in a selfish direction. He became capable of egoism and self-seeking. With the consciousness of the physical world came the possibility of experiencing disease, physical pain and death, as detailed in Genesis.

In a certain sense one could draw a parallel with individual human development. The child has a sense of individuality, an ego, but he is not in command of himself and can be swayed by all sorts of impulses and events. He gradually learns to exercise discretion and self-control as he matures. In the same way, humanity received the ego but needed time to reach the stage of adulthood.

It is by no means correct to speak of pure evil in connection with the Luciferic influence. Lucifer gave great gifts to mankind. Only when they are misused do they become evil. If man were still divinely led there could be no feeling of self, no choice, no freedom.

The name Lucifer means 'Light-bearer' and it is to the Luciferic powers that man owes all that can be accomplished through the human intellect. They brought the world of intellectual thought into Earth evolution. They gave man initiative, enthusiasm, freedom, and with these the possibility of doing evil. Lucifer's aim is to dominate man and this becomes possible if man chooses the wrong path.

At a much earlier stage of cosmic history other beings had fallen behind in their development. Historically they were first named in the Persian epoch when Zarathustra taught of the struggle taking place between the powers of light and the powers of darkness, i.e. Ahura-Mazdao against Ahriman. In post-Atlantean times the Persian age is the second of the great periods of civilization and it was the time when men's attention was directed towards the Earth. It was therefore a period when it was easier for Ahriman to infiltrate his influence. We have to understand the Ahrimanic forces as being the opposite to the Luciferic. They are the forces which lead to substantiality, to consolidation. When man became aware of the physical world through Lucifer, a great opportunity was offered to Ahriman. This was to persuade man that the physical is the only reality, an illusion from which the modern world suffers today.

Through Lucifer the human being achieved a certain independence. He became subject to influences of both the inner and the outer world and thus capable of error.

The influence of the spirits of adversity makes itself felt in various ways. At different times the one is more predominant than the other.

In the Lemurian epoch the Luciferic beings were very active. They inspired certain leaders of humanity and even incarnated and appeared as teachers themselves. Since freedom is connected with differentiation and diversity, they took an interest in speech. Originally there was one universal language but the Luciferic leaders brought it about that differences developed and hence different languages. Lucifer gave the first impulses to science and art, to thought and the memory of thought. Although contact with material things mean consciousness of them, it was not Lucifer's intention that men should immerse themselves in them. Rather was it his aim that, having awakened through contact with them, men should abandon earthly matters in favour of a sphere aloof from the Earth, a sphere where he would be the ruler.

Today the Luciferic influence is to be found in all that leads men away from reality and all that appeals to man 's pride, ambition and self-aggrandizement. It is present when the mind discards reality and lives in an airy-fairy imaginative world, when it sets up wonderful programmes for the betterment of mankind without reckoning with human nature. It is present in idle talk. Luciferic influence brings about disregard and disinterest in one's fellow men; only what the self feels and thinks is considered right.

On the positive side, it is due to Lucifer that we have a self-awareness and the possibility of forming great ideas and hypotheses. Through this faculty the mind is stimulated to discover things which it might otherwise not find out. Luciferic influence leads away from naturalism and the commonplace in art.

In the present epoch of world development it is the Ahrimanic forces which are prevalent. For the sake of his evolution man had to acquire knowledge of earthly matters, but in so far as the Earth is material, this is Ahriman's realm. We cannot avoid it but the path is beset with temptations.

Ahriman would persuade man that the material world is the only world, but there is no divine element at all, that man can create a worldly paradise. We observe the result of his persuasive efforts in that spiritual life is dominated by economics and politics. It is due to his influence that the mechanistic concept of the universe has been adopted and the idea that the welfare of humanity depends only on material and economic well-being. This has spread to education when only what is materially useful is advocated as subject matter.

Whatever the merits of certain inventions, they show the face of Ahriman. Under such headings one could consider all sorts of mechanisms but in particular such appliances as television, radio, cinema and the thousand and one things dependent on electricity. It is by no means a condemnation of their use if one points to negative aspects. One effect is that they encourage passivity; they dull the consciousness so that the will is weakened and the ego retreats, making way for outside influences to insinuate themselves. One might rightly ask whether there is a connection here with mass hysteria. If the ego is not awake there can arise the phenomenon of obsession and one has only to look at recent events both in Europe and elsewhere to pose the question as to whether demonic beings have not taken possession of certain personalities.

Ahriman is known as the father of lies. But lies and deceit do not always appear in their own colours. In fact they are most effective when they appear in the guise of truth and in modern times we can find plenty of examples. For instance, knowledge that is based only on material concepts is only half true. The fact that it is considered the whole truth is deceit. The facts may be true in themselves, yet in the greater context they are false. It is an illusion to think that matter is the sole reality. It is a serious error to think that if one understands one aspect of the world to the exclusion of others one has the whole truth.

Untruth can appear in various forms. What might be considered a trivial example is in the writing of references where only the positive is stated — admittedly a dilemma for the writer — but untruth nonetheless. As for the statements by politicians...

Similarly there is untruth in statistics, for which there is a modern craze. In the first place, figures are probably gathered for a particular aim and there is thus bias from the start. But in any case, figures can be interpreted in many ways. Different party or secretarian opinions can be proved with equal validity. The same applies to advertisements.

Just as Lucifer can stimulate enthusiasm, which can develop to extremes, Ahriman, at the other pole, induces apathy towards spiritual matters — hence a lack of interest, tediousness, superficial understanding, learning and working merely for a livelihood. He would keep intellectual knowledge in a compartment by itself without reference to the human being.

Thinking, under Ahrimanic influence, considers only the physical. It produces cleverness without conscience and leads to moral deficiencies. If the human being has evolved from dust alone, what is he? Does it matter if thousands are annihilated? Atom bombs? Extermination camps? Or if man is just a higher animal, is it not natural that he should have animal instincts? And if he gives vent to these, what is it but nature taking her course?

Alternatively, the human being is considered as a highly complex machine; but a machine has no morality. Does it matter then if man is dehumanized, depersonalized and treated as something of an automaton?

The fact that truth or a good impulse can be inverted into the opposite has already been mentioned. Let us look at the idea of brotherly love and what happens in the name of brotherly love.

No one will argue that it is not a desirable ideal but, in a modern context, what happens now in the name of brotherliness? An individual who does not wish to conform to someone else's idea finds himself isolated or rejected. On a wider scale imposed state socialism is on the same level as compelling a man to say his prayers. Self-determination of nations based on folk-culture may be an impressive idea but where does this lead? Wars, rivalries, sanctions, nationalism, racialism, chauvinism — the very opposite of brotherly love.

Historically the influence of the Luciferic and Ahrimanic forces alternates in intensity, yet Lucifer and Ahriman work together. Where one is effective the other is able to follow. The one prepares the way for the other. An example is in the matter of language. The earlier Luciferic impulse towards diversity, which was essential at the time in the interests of individual development, has now become hardened and diversity has become dissension. Another instance is that Lucifer leads man to the physical world, then Ahriman tries to persuade him that that is all there is. Whoever suffers from Luciferic inspired delusions with regard to self-importance will find Ahriman ready to provide wealth and resources to make the delusion reality, to achieve power and glory in the material world. On the other hand, one who has amassed material goods can easily be tempted to indulge in feelings of pride and self-importance.

An excellent example of the working of the two forces is found in our present mode of life. Much work which has to be accomplished is of a dull, soul-destroying, routine nature. Perhaps the assembly line is the best example although office routine might run in a close second. The human being seeks an escape and finds relaxation in matters that take him out of himself — in alcohol, in drugs, in questionable distractions.

***

To summarise: those influences which would entice man to flee the Earth and over-emphasize himself are due to Lucifer. Among the effects on his soul we could list passion, fanaticism, pride, self-indulgence, pseudo-occultism. On his physical body the result is fever. Ahriman's influence is towards the world of matter, to encourage intellectual thinking without the relationship to the human being, towards rigidity, production of formulae, technology. On the body the result is manifest in all forms of hardening and calcification."

http://www.anthroposophy.org.uk/book/chapter6.html

If anyone is interested there is a massive library of Steiner works' online for free:

http://www.rsarchive.org/

I've often thought that when mystics/prophets see an outer battle of two opposing forces they might be just externalizing what going on in their heads. The two sides of the brain often war with each other and we can sometimes project our inner processes onto the outer world.

Very Ahrimanic answer Darin . Actually you are probably at least partially correct. Man is a microcosm after all. The thing that I find interesting about this is that it is a duality of opposing evil forces.

I see now. Actually, with Buddhist cultivation, the only evil is that made of one's own mind. That means even the evil acts put upon someone...all of that wsa created in their mind, and not from only one lifetime.

The evil forces are only expressions of that made through mind, and they may come in manners like demons, or other beings. There is the name for the manner of evil, and it is called Mara. But evil forces even oppose themselves due to a greater feeling of superiority.

Write more later.. :-)

Peace and Blessings,
Lin

I remember reading the Screwtape Letters and one of the devils better ideas was to put it about that he doesn't exist.

Lin, very interesting perspective. Can't wait for "later"