When Sanat Kumara offered to enter into the office of the Lord of the World, the Lords of Karma, who represent the Cosmic Law governing the affairs of the planet Earth and the evolution of its humanity, gave to him the full and absolute authority over the life and progress of the sons of men. 

Because these Lords of Love had offered the Cosmic Law their own auras of Light to meet the requirements of the Law that the Earth contribute some Light to the Solar System, or else be dissolved from the chain, it became immediately evident that some means of training must be effected in order to teach the children of men how to expand their own Spark of Divinity, and in time become Lords of the Flame and illumine their planet without the help of other Stars. 

Sanat Kumara and his Council in Shamballa, to prepare for this day, established a great Spiritual Order of God Beings, known as the Great White Brotherhood, whose duty and service was to interest, teach, guide and protect the children of Earth, and eventually draw them into the Brotherhood and let them assume the offices and responsibilities originally held by the volunteer beings from more highly evolved worlds. 

Through the medium of their own great love and radiation, this Brotherhood began to awaken the Spiritual Light in the souls of a few of the race. These lifestreams began to stir in their soul sleep and respond to the Presence and Flame of Sanat Kumara's Love. From among the great mass of sleepers, they began to reach upward in consciousness, and the Masters, reaching down, effected the first meeting between Earth and the Heavenly Selves. The first two souls, thus responding, were in much later lives to become the Lord Gautama Buddha and the Lord Maitreya. They were the first who applied from the ranks of Earth's children for membership in the Council of Shamballa and asked for training and assistance to prepare themselves to join in the great work of becoming Light Bearers to the world of men. 

How great was the rejoicing at Shamballa, when these two fresh, eager spirits, responding to the Presence of Love, had proved the wisdom and sacrifice of the Lords of the Flame worthwhile, for where two had come, more surely would follow. And so it has been, until thousands now are entered on the Roll of the Cosmic Council and the Earth's children have assumed most of the offices formerly held by Beings from Other Spheres. One day the Kumaras, themselves, will find that Earth's children have released them from their self-appointed exile, and they may go, as they came, in gentle and most patient love. 

From the time that Lord Buddha and Lord Maitreya presented themselves before the great Sanat Kumara, called by the reason of the length of his service 'The Ancient of Days', until the time that they could assume their Cosmic Office as World Teachers. Century after century of self-discipline, self-denial and self-mastery stretched relentlessly down the scroll of time, with the two brothers incarnating again and again, passing through every experience that the Cosmic Council felt would build into their Souls the strength, the constancy, the love required that they might fulfill Their Cosmic Role with credit and with certainty of victory. 

As Lord Buddha himself so beautifully wrote of his long and weary way: 

Many a house of life

Hath held me - seeking ever he who wrought

These prisons of the senses, sorrow fraught;

Sore was my ceaseless strife! 

But now,

Thou builder of this Tabernacle thou!

I know thee! Never shall thou build again,

These walls of pain, 

Nor raise the roof-tree of deceits, nor lay

Fresh rafters on the clay;

Broken thy house is, and the ridge-pole split!

Delusion fashioned it!

Safe pass I thence - deliverance to obtain.

Lord Buddha