Note on Rule 1.—­Ambition is the first curse:  the great tempter of the man who is rising above his fellows.  It is the simplest form of looking for reward.  Men of intelligence and power are led away from their higher possibilities by it continually.  Yet it is a necessary teacher.  Its results turn to dust and ashes in the mouth; like death and estrangement it shows the man at last that to work for self is to work for disappointment.  But though this first rule seems so simple and easy, do not quickly pass it by.  For these vices of the ordinary man pass through a subtle transformation and reappear with changed aspect in the heart of the disciple.  It is easy to say, I will not be ambitious:  it is not so easy to say, when the Master reads my heart he will find it clean utterly.  The pure artist who works for the love of his work is sometimes more firmly planted on the right road than the occultist, who fancies he has removed his interest from self, but who has in reality only enlarged the limits of experience and desire, and transferred his interest to the things which concern his larger span of life.  The same principle applies to the other two seemingly simple rules.  Linger over them and do not let yourself be easily deceived by your own heart.  For now, at the threshold, a mistake can be corrected.  But carry it on with you and it will grow and come to fruition, or else you must suffer bitterly in its destruction.

Note on Rule 5.—­Do not fancy you can stand aside from the bad man or the foolish man.  They are yourself, though in a less degree than your friend or your master.  But if you allow the idea of separateness from any evil thing or person to grow up within you, by so doing you create Karma, which will bind you to that thing or person till your soul recognises that it cannot be isolated.  Remember that the sin and shame of the world are your sin and shame; for you are a part of it; your Karma is inextricably interwoven with the great Karma.  And before you can attain knowledge you must have passed through all places, foul and clean alike.  Therefore, remember that the soiled garment you shrink from touching may have been yours yesterday, may be yours tomorrow.  And if you turn with horror from it, when it is flung upon your shoulders, it will cling the more closely to you.  The self-righteous man makes for himself a bed of mire.  Abstain because it is right to abstain—­not that yourself shall be kept clean.

Note on Rule 17.—­These four words seem, perhaps, too slight to stand alone.  The disciple may say, Should I study these thoughts at all did I not seek out the way?  Yet do not pass on hastily.  Pause and consider awhile.  Is it the way you desire, or is it that there is a dim perspective in your visions of great heights to be scaled by yourself, of a great future for you to compass?  Be warned.  The way is to be sought for its own sake, not with regard to your feet that shall tread it.