Eighth Initiation – The Buddhahood

" The eighth initiation is the level of the Buddha."

At this level also, according to C.W. Leadbeater, are The Three Pratyeka Buddhas (the task of these three Buddhas is to focus the Seven Rays from Sanat Kumara through Djwal Khul to the chohans of the Seven Rays). Unlike Buddha, the three Pratyeka Buddhas do not interact with the human race except for fulfilling their function of focusing the seven rays.

Alice A. Bailey stated that communication among beings at this level is entirely by telepathy. According to Theosophist Alfred Percy Sinnett, beings at this level can freely roam both in interplanetary space and in nearby interstellar space in full consciousness while physically remaining in their celestialized bodies and carrying on normal activities such as communicating with other beings. In order for beings at this level to be able to do this, it would have been necessary for them to have activated their transpersonal chakras. Benjamin Creme and Elizabeth Clare Prophet have stated that beings at this level can teleport as far as the star Sirius.

This makes four beings at this level, according to traditional Theosophy.

In the Ascended Master Teachings, it is believed that on January 1, 1956, Buddha advanced from the 8th level to the 9th level, becoming co-equal with Sanat Kumara.

The three Pratyeka Buddhas have not been mentioned so far in any of the Ascended Master Teachings. Elizabeth Clare Prophet described and quoted from Buddhist sources on the Five Dhyani Buddhas of mainstream Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism. They focus the five inner rays which together with the seven more external rays focused by the Chohans comprise the twelve rays.