Chutuktu

Tibetan chu-tu-bcu or khutughtu, meaning "precious one" or "jewel." The term denotes a high spiritual eminence and is often translated as "living Buddha." It signifies a being of profound spiritual attainment who has transcended the cycle of ordinary rebirth.

An incarnation of Buddha or of some Bodhisattva, as believed in Tibet, where there are generally five manifesting and two secret Chutuktus among the high Lamas. Chyuta (8k.). Means, "the fallen" into generation, as a Kabbalist would say; the oi)posite of achyuta, something which is not subject to change or differentiation ; said of deity. Circle. There are several "Circles" with mystic adjectives attached to them. Thus we have: (1) the "Decussated or Perfect Circle" of Plato, who shows it decussated in the form of the letter X; (2) the "Circle-dance" of tlie Amazons, round a Priapic image, tlie same as the dance of the Gopis around the Sun (Krishna), tlie shepherdesses representing the signs of the Zodiac; (3) the "Circle of Necessity" of 3,000 years of the Egyptians and of the Occultists, the duration of the cycle between rebirths or reincarnations being from 1,000 to 3,000 years on the average. Tliis will be treated under the term "Rebirth" or "Reincarnation ' '. Clairaudience. The faculty, wliether innate or acquired by occult training, of hearing all that is said at whatever distance. Clairvoyance. The faculty of seeing with the inner eye or spiritual sight. As ]iow used it is a loose and lii|)i)ant term, eml)racing under its meaning a happy guess due to natural slircwdness or intuition, and also that faculty which was so remarkably exercised by Jacob Boehme and Swedenborg. Real clairvoyance means the faculty of seeing through the densest matter (the latter disappearing at the will and before the spiritual eye of the Seer), and irresjx'ctivc of tim('( past, present and future) or distance. Clemens Alexandrinus. A Church Father and a voluminous writer, wlio had been a Neo-Platonist and a disciple of Ammonius Saccas. He lived between the second and the third centuries of our era, at Alexandria. Cock. A very occult biivl. much a])pi"cciate(l in aiu-ient augury and symbolism. According to the Zohar, the cock crows three times before the death of a per.son ; and in R

In the vast repository of spiritual traditions, the Tibetan concept of the Chutuktu offers a compelling vision of enlightened engagement. It is more than mere spiritual achievement; it is a commitment to the ongoing work of liberation, a testament to the profound interconnectedness of all beings. Mircea Eliade, in his exploration of the sacred, often highlighted the archetype of the mediator, the one who bridges the earthly and the divine, the temporal and the eternal. The Chutuktu embodies this archetype with exceptional clarity.

Unlike an ascetic who might seek solitary transcendence, the Chutuktu is understood to be a conscious reincarnation, a deliberate return to the cycle of existence. This act, rooted in the Mahayana Buddhist ideal of the Bodhisattva, is driven by boundless compassion (karuna). It is the choice to forgo final nirvana until all other sentient beings are liberated. The Tibetan system for identifying these reincarnated masters, often through rigorous spiritual and divinatory practices, underscores the belief that such beings carry a unique spiritual potency and wisdom.

The term itself, "precious one," hints at the immense value placed upon these individuals, not as rulers or political figures, but as living embodiments of the Dharma, the teachings of the Buddha. They are seen as conduits of spiritual authority, capable of transmitting profound insights and guiding disciples through the intricate paths of spiritual development. The lineage of Chutuktus, therefore, becomes a living tradition, a continuous stream of enlightened presence in the world.

The modern seeker, often grappling with a sense of fragmentation and the search for meaning, can find resonance in the Chutuktu's example. It suggests that true spiritual progress is not solely an inward journey of personal salvation but also an outward expression of service and compassion. The willingness to re-enter the world, with all its complexities and challenges, to offer guidance and alleviate suffering, speaks to a holistic understanding of enlightenment, one that embraces both transcendence and immanence. It is a powerful reminder that the highest wisdom is often found in the deepest empathy and the most selfless action.