THE THEOSOPHIST

VOL. 129 NO. 8 MAY 2008

CONTENTS

On the Watch-Tower 283 Radha Burnier Peace of Mind — The Only Permanent Remedy 288 Samdhong Rinpoche Firmness and Flexibility 291 Surendra Narayan White Lotus Day and Its Meaning 294 John Algeo Expanding our Centre of Consciousness 298 Pablo Sender Shigatze: Former Hermitage of the Masters 304 Alistair Coombs Ethics of Compassion 307 Martin Hausenberg Archaic Buddhism 310 N. Yagnesvara Sastry Books of Interest 316 Theosophical Work around the World 317 International Directory 318

Editor: Mrs Radha Burnier

NOTE: Articles for publication in The Theosophist should be sent to the Editorial Office. Cover: A Tibetan stupa at Lake Manasarovar, near Mt. Kailas (far left) — Alistair Coombs

Official organ of the President, founded by H. P. Blavatsky, 1879. The Theosophical Society is responsible only for official notices appearing in this magazine. On the Watch-Tower

RADHA BURNIER

Preparing for Meditation be remembered, the practice of discrim- There are certain words — ‘God’, for ex- ination and non-attachment or desire- ample — which mean different things lessness is included. to different people, and the meaning A Master of the Wisdom, although which they give them may be trivial or he thought highly enough of Alfred P. profound. Thus, the word ‘meditation’ Sinnett to carry on a long correspondence may have serious or superficial con- with him, still did not accept him as a notations depending on who is speak- disciple, and never gave him a higher ing of it. But in every school which rank than that of a lay-chela. Even when has taken meditation seriously there has the candidate was allowed to become a been a period of preliminary preparation disciple he was put through a further followed by properly supervised prac- long period of training during which he tice. It is only while this preparatory was tested on different levels and in work is in progress that meditation can many ways. Every kind of temptation safely begin. faced the aspirant in this stage; not only For learning meditation is not a ques- had he to withstand trials from without, tion of spending fifteen minutes or half but more subtle temptations that arose an hour every day. That may have its from within the mind itself, every nook place and its usefulness; but we are called and corner of which was subjected to on to work in a more sustained way in the closest scrutiny. To be faced with relation to all the activities in which we temptation in this sense means to be are engaged, all the attitudes which exist faced with oneself. inside the mind, and the pursuits in which Is there any aim in meditation? The the mind engages itself, and which can meditator may of course have an aim, distort the relationships and make real and if he has, then he is in the same perception impossible. In the Vedântic situation as one who never thinks of it. tradition it has been said that a person He wants to achieve, he wants to acquire cannot find a master nor can he learn something, he wants something to add to the secret teachings with regard to self- himself. The desire to ‘become’ is, as we development until he is properly pre- shall see, the whole problem. pared. This preliminary work is described It may be that we cannot say what in At the Feet of the Master, where, it will the aim of the meditation is. Perhaps we

May 2008 283 The Theosophist can say that the end of meditation is tion may be said to be an awakening out illumination, unity, harmony, the ‘peace of what appears to us as reality into a new that passeth understanding’, the aware- level or dimension of reality. Madame ness or realization of immortality. Blavatsky says that progress is through a Meditation — or the attempt to medi- series of awakenings. But at each stage tate — may become a self-centred ac- there is the possibility we may enter- tivity, a new kind of ambition unrelated tain the illusion that we have now at last to the rest of life. So a person who is reached reality, that what we have ex- indifferent to life, to its meaning, and perienced is synonymous with what is. its value, and simply says ‘I want to A little awakening gives tremendous get somewhere through my meditation, satisfaction; it can also boost the ego. I want to achieve illumination’, merely People have had moments of upliftment imprisons himself in a narrow state of when they felt themselves raised above isolation. For meditation is an awakening their normal existence, and then they went to the whole meaning of life; it is a on living on the memory of it. ‘I had this progressive movement through different experience. It was so wonderful! My levels of significance. kundalini must have risen.’ They may Many have other ideas about medi- even feel that they are ready to teach tation. Sometimes one would like some everybody else through their advanced quick and easy way, some mechanical knowledge. The mind continues to dwell method, somebody to give detailed in- in that past experience because at the time structions — ‘First you do this. Second, it was rather inspiring; it gave a sense of you do that’ — because then we can release. And it gives the illusion that at live undisturbed in our dream-life. We last one has arrived. can remain in our comfortable dark- So we must not fall into the illusion ness and yet feel that we are advancing that what we experience is synonymous towards the light. If this is what you want, with Truth. The awakening has to go on then by all means do it — there is nothing to deeper and deeper levels of under- against it, but not if you want to take the standing and significance. whole thing more seriously. There is a story about a recluse who A number of aids to meditation have used to meditate in a small room. There been urged by various teachers — the use were many rats scampering around and of sound, the use of an image or form, the disturbing him, so he got a cat and tied it use of colour or light, breath-control — to the leg of his bed, and that gave him and aspirants have used them for years the quietness that he required. So he together, and arrived nowhere because the meditated and lived there for many years means become the end. and acquired a reputation for holiness. This is why it is so very important to Afterwards, his followers laid it down understand what meditation is. Medita- as his rule that if you want to meditate

284 Vol. 129.8 On the Watch-Tower successfully you must first of all tie a prepared to look into these questions in cat to the leg of your bed! This is what depth if we are to find out what lies below happens very often — something which the surface. So the mind gathers its energy was of help for a time becomes the and retains it when necessary, and with it, most important factor in the minds of it can probe and find a greater light. the inexperienced. The means become the end. What do we Pioneer? The yoga tradition details the work to In the old days there were many in the be done in preparation for meditation: Theosophical Society who believed that Âsana and Prânâyâma (certain types of the members of the TS had a pioneering exercises and breathing); Yama, Niyama role. Some knew that this was not a ques- and Pratyâhâra — all of which have the tion of remaining where one is, or doing effect of establishing a state of clarity what everybody else does; nor was it a and calmness in the mind which, in turn, matter of wearing clothes which other leads to the ending of ambition, greed, people did not wear, or living a special the desire for pleasure, and the attachment kind of life. We are speaking about the and emotions allied with these. Only attitude of members of the TS, who are then are we able to come to meditate very serious about their lives, which must properly, which they say consists of move forward and not remain in the rut Dhâranâ and Dhyâna. into which most people fall. Now, the word ‘dhâran⒠conveys Humanity deteriorates as time pro- much more than simple concentration. ceeds, unless people begin to think afresh. It literally means ‘holding’, perhaps the A tendency to lose character and the holding of energy since during its practice humanitarian impulse which began with there is no leakage of energy through all great ideas, can deteriorate. Pioneering extraneous thoughts. As our desires fade means moving forward to be what man away there is less loss of this energy, and has not known before. This idea was focussing of the mind becomes possible. strong in the Theosophical Society, and Meditation is not, in the sense in which there is no limit to this, because people we have been considering it, something can join those who are ahead, provided which can be taught to another. Humanity they think in terms of what humanity can cannot evolve by magic means or by be, and are themselves ready to move in illumined saviours doing the work for it. that direction. There is no such thing as ‘Meditation in Some of the things that we think of now ten easy lessons’. We must use our energy are all right up to a point, but our and find out for ourselves, and in this relationship with Nature and with the rest ‘work’ there is no place for self-will; the of creation is not. At present we have work is not just one more pursuit or almost no relations with other creatures; ambition to be fulfilled. We must be we think that man is separate and superior,

May 2008 285 The Theosophist and that everything else exists for him or encouraged in accordance with our to use. This is wrong from the wider point fancies, we may have no relationship with of view, because all things are linked it! But if we wait and wonder we will see together in unity. The bacteria which we everywhere around something like a think of as having little value are as closely miracle; the earth, the sky, the stars, the linked to us as are the great beings who movement of the great planetary beings, have proceeded beyond. To have that in everything is a miracle. There are a few the background of consciousness is to be who study this, but if we cannot study a Theosophist; otherwise one is not. That more, can we then look and wonder at the state is very necessary for pioneering: to great things that Nature accomplishes? be one with Nature, to be aware of the Then we can look at ourselves. What wonderful variety it produces. We may is the individual in creation? Everything destroy everything on earth at a great rate, is individual, the insect as well as the and put an end to its vast processes. On human being. Each will grow into some- the other hand, we can treat everything thing beautiful, wonderful, and glorious, with respect, even the smallest creature as the Bhagavadgitâ says. All that has as well as those great beings who have been created is beautiful and wonderful proceeded further than we have. when understood, and the individual has In the Sikh religion one of the things to grow in that direction, not grow in com- that is taught is the state of wonder. petence, in money or in fame. There is Do we feel it sometimes, we can ask inside ourselves a possibility of knowing ourselves; or get so used to everything, what we are, not only in the ordinary way including the marvel that enables all but spiritually, for spiritually we can grow creatures to acquire new tendencies and into a being we have not been before. new possibilities around us, that there is One of the important things in the no wish to act? Each one of these is a spiritual life is to abandon the concept of model, even if it does not appear to be so. oneself. This is very difficult. It is based Take a little insect, which seems alone on first of all on the physical body. But that this earth. Those who examine its life and is not of importance, being a temporary its constitution are in a state of wonder, thing. But what am I really? To discover like A.O. Wilson, who has written about this is part of our work as members of the ants. The ant may seem like a non-entity Theosophical Society. to us. We kill them with insecticides So we have spoken about two things, and think nothing of it. But the ant is to know the universe with the heart, not a wonderful creature, and Nature does just know it intellectually, like reading wonderful things with small objects. in an encyclopedia how many kinds of What is our relationship with Nature, spiders there are; and to think we under- if we have a relationship at all? If we stand more of the universe and of Nature. think that Nature has to be repressed, But if we can feel that here is something

286 Vol. 129.8 On the Watch-Tower created by a power that we cannot really We think that every little thing is im- understand at present, and to look at portant, but actually, whether we do it with wonder, with no other feeling something is not so important; the cap- intervening in the mind, the spirit of acity to do the right thing in the right wonder wipes away the other thoughts. way is important. So can we look with wonder at even Many people thought of a future civil- simple things, a plant growing out of the ization very personally and therefore it earth, and so on? became a subject to be laughed at. But The future is something which we can- we are all citizens of a future civiliza- not imagine, but we have to stretch our tion. It will include different types, because minds to think of the future, not only of they have certain common features. The ourselves, but of all life. Perhaps there people will be much more conscious was something comic, but also something of the absence of time, like a flower very valuable in the Theosophical concern opening up. which existed about the future civiliza- Can one say a flower is at its best when tion and about man’s place in it. For it is a bud, when it is growing, when it is example, in that civilization hardly any opening, or when it is completely open? time is spent in cooking. If you think of That is what it means to be awake to the the present day, we are absorbed to a large fact that we are living in a world which extent in food: cooking, going to res- is beautiful, glorious, and wonderful, taurants, finding different things to eat, awake to growth into great beauty, into and so on. But the new individual is not qualities which belong to the spiritual interested in that, he is interested only in rather than the material side. keeping his body in good condition. On reading The Mahatma Letters we The implication of that is what the cannot help knowing that time does not human being can do if he were really free mean the same thing to Them at all. of this activity in daily life. He has much Time is really illusion. There is a vast more time to think, to take pleasure in the field beyond what we know and can see vast arena of Nature, to allow his own in the here and now of the physical world. consciousness to flower. In future civil- The mind of the human being is capable izations which Leadbeater describes — of breaking out of such limitations. That we need not worry about how far it is true is what Theosophy really leads us to. It — this element is important, and people is a view of things which takes a person will have much more freedom, physically beyond what he knows, to a different field, and inwardly; and when we have that and this is part of the pioneering that kind of freedom what shall we be doing? Theosophists are expected to take up, It is difficult to think of it now because our whole attitude towards life being so much of our life is engaged in physical that of people who are opening like a things, which have little importance. bud to become ² a blossom.

May 2008 287 The Theosophist Peace of Mind — the Only Permanent Remedy

SAMDHONG RINPOCHE

Q: Does peace in the world — between anger, and other negative emotions, nations and between people — have wars, fighting, and violence cannot something to do with peace of mind? be stopped. Peace of mind is the only And how do we attain this inner peace? permanent remedy to all kinds of con- flict, but how we can achieve it is a SR: If we look at history more carefully, complex question. ninety-five per-cent of the time humanity All religious traditions talk about the has remained at peace and five per cent method, system, or way to achieve peace of the time wars have occurred. Histor- of mind. From the Buddhist viewpoint, ians and today’s journalists look for the root cause of all negative emotions something unusual; usual things are not is ignorance of the Reality or Truth. Un- noticed. When journalists are being less ignorance is eradicated, we cannot trained, they are taught that a dog biting eradicate negative emotions. They can be a man is not news, because it is com- suppressed or reduced for some time, but mon. A man biting a dog — that is real they will return unless we eradicate their news! In the history of nations wars are root cause, or ignorance of oneself and of occasional and unusual, unnatural for others. We greatly misunderstand the self. humanity. Therefore historians have We impose the self as an independent written more about them. entity existing out of its own nature, and Of course, all conflicts are manifest- we do not understand the concept of ations of inner conflict. This is now interdependent origination. Everything accepted even by the United Nations, is built up through an interdependent although they claim to be very secular. process, which gives us the appearance They do not accept any kind of spiritu- of a self and, not knowing this, we take ality or religious way of thinking, but the self to be an independent entity, dif- they also say that wars begin in the ferent from others, resulting in selfish- human mind. Unless we eradicate hate, ness and self-promoting egoism.

Ven. Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche, Prime Minister of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile, was Director of the Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies, Sarnath, Varanasi, and is a life member of the TS. Questions by Ms Trân-Thi-Kim-Diêu at the European Congress of the TS in Helsinki, 16 July 2007.

288 Vol. 129.8 Peace of Mind — the Only Permanent Remedy How can we know the self ? This re- are there, my eye-consciousness can have quires a twofold practice: discipline and direct contact with the beauty of the concentration — through these two, wis- flowers and there is no distortion — this dom can awaken. Our mind is scattered is direct perception; I can see it. But among outer objects and not able to con- thought interferes with a name, an image: centrate or look inwards. Therefore we this is a red flower, this is called a flower, need a really concentrated mind, and to or in the other languages it is called so achieve it we need outer discipline: how and so — this is red, this is yellow, this to behave, how to eat, how to sleep, and is big, this is small — all kinds of other how to relate with others. This discipline things come with thought. The con- is also called ºila, which will help the sciousness connected with the flowers mind to calm down. Concentrated medita- is flowing, moving; the flowers are tion, or samâdhi and analytical medita- changing from moment to moment; con- tion, or vipassanâ, can come about through sciousness is changing from moment unceasing practice. After practice, the to moment, but thought is attached to meditative mind can concentrate on one the past. object for any length of time. Then things Once we perceive a flower, imme- will be seen without distortion, as they diately an image emerges in the mind; are: ‘Thou art that’, or suchness. At that then if our eyes are shut or the flower is moment, seeing the self is dissolving the removed, we still carry that image. The self. When we see the self, there will not image is not the flower, the name is not be an independent entity called ‘self ’, and the flower, but thought mixes up or then all the negative emotions are dis- confuses the image with the reality; and solved, eradicated, and peace of mind can that image prevents us from having pure, be achieved. real relationship with others. We have affection, love for a friend, but we are un- Q: Understanding seems to be the basis able to see that friend as he or she really of harmony. Can you tell us what is the is. We have an image of the friend in our nature of understanding? mind and we love that image; or we hate someone we do not know, but we make SR: The nature of understanding is to see an image in our mind of that person and things as they exist. Seeing things should hate him or her. not be interfered with or overpowered by So we are not able to communicate. the thought process. Our mind is deeply Someone says something and we listen conditioned by the process of thought, and understand according to our limi- which prevents us from seeing the thing tations or conditioning. We are not able as it is. Thought comes with an image, a to listen without the interference of name; it does not touch the thing, the entity thought and our imagination, images, at which we are looking. Beautiful flowers words, names, and so on. Krishnamurti

May 2008 289 The Theosophist used to say: ‘Can you listen, can you see?’ a free mind without any prejudices or It is an important question. We are not preconceptions — just an objective, free able to listen to the other person’s words. mind — we will be able to understand. When we hear something, we imme- Q: Is the personal self able to listen and diately interpret it according to our own understand? conditioning. Once that conditioning is set aside, we will be able to listen to and SR: Each personal self will be able to understand others, but this is not easy. listen and understand, if the person is The whole spiritual process consists in not under the influence of prejudices removing the thought process and re- or a conditioned mind. If the mind is establishing direct contact with the sub- open and unconditioned, then it will be ject. When we are able to remove our able to listen. Prejudices are very subtle. own thought limitations, listen to others, It is difficult to recognize prejudices and see their position, we will have real and conditioning — they may stem from understanding. society, education, information, one’s At the gross level, if nothing is said own experiences. Each day we are go- about conditioning or something nega- ing through so much which is causing tive, or ignorance or something similar, deep impressions or conditioning in the even if we talk in ordinary language, mind. But one must understand that con- we have many presumptions and pre- ditioning, come out of it, listen with a free judices. Even one statement can be mind, and then one will be able to really interpreted in many different ways; one understand. That is a prerequisite, and sentence may be interpreted or under- is also possible with some practice. We stood differently by people from various can put everything aside, all memories, countries according to their own par- all knowledge, all thoughts, and with an ticular needs or selfish ends. With such absolutely open and fresh mind we can prejudices and misconceptions, under- listen, see, feel, and at that moment we standing is very difficult. When we have can have real understanding. ²

You must first understand your own consciousness; you must understand what you are, and you can understand what you are only by being aware, which is to see yourself in the mirror of relationship, and you cannot see yourself as you are if you condemn what you see. J. Krishnamurti

290 Vol. 129.8 Firmness and Flexibility

SURENDRA NARAYAN

THERE is a sentence in At the Feet of petitive national and international markets the Master which advises us to be firm and, incidentally, also provides employ- as a rock where right and wrong are ment for the poor. Others consider it concerned, but to yield always to others selfish exploitation and harmful to the in things which do not matter. integrated healthful growth of children. Pondering over this distinction be- The words ‘good’ and ‘bad’ or ‘evil’ tween right and wrong, one notices that have also been used in the same sense as the notion of right and wrong has varied ‘right’ and ‘wrong’. It may be relevant from the past to the present, country to in this context to refer here to a state- country, religion to religion, community ment in Aldous Huxley’s The Perennial to community, even from caste to caste. Philosophy: Not very long ago, a widow used some- Good is the separate self ’s conformity to, times to immolate herself on the funeral and finally annihilation in, the divine pyre of her husband in certain parts of Ground . . . ; evil, the intensification of India and that was considered right and separateness, the refusal to know that the holy, but not so in other parts and not so Ground exists. now anywhere. The law also now pro- hibits it. Many wars in the Middle Ages And then, significantly it adds: were called ‘holy wars’. Even in our times these wrong states of mind are . . . ab- wars have not abated and are considered solutely incompatible with that unitive right by the aggressor country or group knowledge of the divine Ground, which of countries and wrong by many others. is the supreme Good. And the latest is ‘terrorism’. Some of those perpetrating it consider it absolutely right At the root of knowing what is right and a service to God, religion, or country. and what is wrong lies the perception of The rest of the world calls it barbaric and the oneness of all life. Teachers have totally wrong. Child labour is another reminded us time and again about the practice considered right by those who em- need for the perception of the truth that ploy children because it cuts production all life is one. In the Bible a beautiful costs, enables goods to be sold in com- sentence runs thus:

Mr Surendra Narayan was for many years international Vice-President of the Theosophical Society.

May 2008 291 The Theosophist

For as we have many members in one said: ‘My heart yearns to do what is body, and all members have not the right and to be a blessing unto my fel- same office: So we, being many, are lows. Must I give up my wealth and my one body in Christ, and every one mem- business enterprises and like you go bers one of another. (Rom., 12:4-5) into homelessness in order to attain the bliss of a religious life?’ The Bud- Using a different idiom, J. Krishnamurti dha replied: once said: The bliss of a religious life is attain- It is all one movement — the stars, the able by everyone; but he who cleaves to heavens, the moon, the sun: one tre- wealth had better cast it away than al- mendous energy. Our energy is very low his heart to be poisoned by it; but limited. Can that limitation be broken he who does not cleave to wealth, and down and we be part of that enormous possessing riches uses them rightly, will movement of life? I call this goodness. be a blessing unto his fellows. It is not And an enlightened Sufi addressing the life and wealth and power that enslave Supreme said: I went into the garden, men, but the clinging to life, wealth, looked at each and every flower there- and power. in, and noticed that each had the same Let us now dwell on the advice ‘to yield colour and the same fragrance as Thou. always to others in things which do not Perception of this oneness of all life matter’. One has often noticed much comes as we observe carefully, watch, unpleasantness and even quarrels in and try to understand the nature of life, families because the parents do not like events, and relationships from a deeper it when the children discard some of the level of consciousness, beyond the ‘self ’ old traditions or customs, such as mar- — the ‘me’ and the ‘mine’. A growing per- riages being arranged only by the parents ception of this oneness begins to wash or elders in the family, or girls having to out selfishness and separativeness, at- go only to girls’ schools. Differences tachment to things which give pleasure sometimes arise between parents and to oneself in utter disregard of what children about the way children dress, happens to others, and thus leads one to about the subjects they choose for study realize what is right and what is wrong in school or college and about their in thought, word, and deed. careers in life — whether to follow the All this does not mean leaving the profession of the father or take a different workaday world and retiring into se- line of work. Not very long ago in India clusion. A well-known teaching of the in many families a proposal for widow re- Buddha may bear repetition here. Once, marriage or marrying outside the caste Anâthapindika, a man of unmeasured used to create an earthquake measur- wealth, approached the Buddha and ing 6 to 7 on the Richter Scale! The

292 Vol. 129.8 Firmness and Flexibility advice given in all such matters is ‘to be strive in reality to feel himself one with always gentle and kindly, reasonable his fellow-workers. It is not a dull agree- and accommodating, leaving to others ment on intellectual questions, or an im- the same full liberty which you need possible unanimity as to all details of for yourself ’. work that is needed, but a true, hearty, Also, looking at the ways work is earnest devotion to our cause which will carried on even in charitable and phil- lead each to help his brother to the utmost anthropic institutions, one often notices of his power to work for that cause, that differences arise in things which whether or not we agree as to the exact do not really matter. It would be well to method of carrying on that work. refer to advice given in this regard by Madame Blavatsky to the members of And she added in another Message: the Theosophical Society in America, Self-watchfulness is never more neces- who had assembled for their annual sary than when a personal wish to lead, Convention. She wrote: and wounded vanity, dress themselves The Masters require only that each shall in peacocks’ feathers of devotion and do his best, and, above all, that each shall altruistic work. ²

All the texts say that in order to gain liberation one should render the mind quiescent; therefore their conclusive teaching is that the mind should be rendered quiescent; once this has been understood there is no need for endless reading. In order to quieten the mind one has only to inquire within oneself what one’s Self is; how could this search be done in books? One should know one’s Self with one’s own eye of wisdom. The Self is within the five sheaths; but books are outside them. Since the Self has to be inquired into by discarding the five sheaths, it is futile to search for it in books. There will come a time when one will have to forget all that one has learned.

Ramana Maharshi

May 2008 293 The Theosophist White Lotus Day and Its Meaning

JOHN ALGEO

WHITE Lotus Day is a date on the and (extracts from) the Bhagavadgitâ’; calendar, but it is also a holy time. and since it is meet that her surviving colleagues should keep green the mem- A Commemorative Date ory of her services to humanity and her As a May 8th date on the calendar, devoted love for our Society, the under- White Lotus Day commemorates the signed suggests that the anniversary be passing of H.P. Blavatsky out of the known among us as White Lotus Day, sorrows, pains, and tribulations of this and makes the following official order world to a state of greater Life, Light, and recommendation: and Love. The anniversary of HPB’s death ‘1. At noon, on 8 May 1892, and on the was named by her Theosophical Twin, same day in each succeeding year, there Henry S. Olcott. The Colonel records will be held a commemorative meeting the origin of the commemoration in Old at the Headquarters, at which extracts Diary Leaves (IV.26, pp. 452-4): from the before-mentioned works will be read and brief addresses made by the As we have been celebrating the an- Chairman of the meeting and others who niversary of HPB’s death now for eight may volunteer. years, and as, undoubtedly, the ceremony will be continued, it may be as well to ‘2. A dole of food will be given in her put on record the Executive Notice of 17 name to the poor fishermen of Adyar and April 1892, which led to the observance their families. of the event. It was worded as follows: ‘3. The flag will be half-masted from sunrise until sunset, and the Convention ‘In her last Will, H. P. Blavatsky ex- Hall decorated with White Lotus flowers. pressed the wish that yearly, on the anniversary of her death, some of her ‘4. Members living outside Madras can friends ‘should assemble at the Head- arrange for their food by applying to the quarters of the Theosophical Society Recording Secretary at least one week and read a chapter of The Light of Asia in advance.

Dr John Algeo is international Vice-President of the TS and Professor Emeritus at the University of Georgia, USA, with many academic distinctions to his credit.

294 Vol. 129.8 White Lotus Day and Its Meaning

‘5. The undersigned recommends to all with organized religion, divinity, devout- Sections and Branches throughout the ness, and piety. But in the case of this world to meet annually on the anniversary word, as with many another, it is useful to day, and, in some simple, unsectarian, pay attention to its etymology. The term yet dignified way, avoiding all slavish ‘etymology’ comes from Greek, in which adulation and empty compliments, ex- it means literally ‘the study of what is press the general feeling of loving regard true’. So what is true about ‘holy’? for her who brought us the chart of the The English word ‘holy’ comes from climbing Path which leads to the summits a root from which come also the words of Knowledge.’ ‘hale’, ‘hallow’, ‘heal’, ‘health’, ‘healthy’, ‘whole’, and ‘wholesome’. Physical, emo- Copies of this were sent at once to the tional, mental, and spiritual well-being London and New York Headquarters, are all interconnected; and they all de- thence it spread to the Branches, and pend on our being unified within our- now I presume each of our hundreds of selves and united with the goodness of Branches throughout the world annually the universe. That is also the point of renews the recollections of the character Yoga. ‘Yoga’, which is directly related to and services of HPB. the English word ‘yoke’ and indirectly That is what the date on the calendar (through Latin ‘jungere’) to ‘join’, means means. It is a time of commemora- literally ‘union’. To be holy is to have tion, when Theosophists all around the achieved the aim of Yoga, to be whole world remember H.P. Blavatsky and and united within oneself and with the her accomplishments, her character great Life of the cosmos. and services. The White Lotus is a symbol, above all else, of wholeness, of unity. The lotus A Holy Time flower carries a symbolic message in In what sense, however, might we also Hinduism, Buddhism, Egyptian religion, regard White Lotus Day as a ‘holy time’? and elsewhere around the world. Be- That way of looking at the event is not cause the lotus is traditionally depicted directly associated with HPB herself. as having eight petals, it represents the The Colonel was especially anxious that eight major compass directions and thus the Society avoid any ‘hero-worship’ with the totality or wholeness of space, eight respect to either of the Founders or being the number of cosmic balance. anyone else. Rather, ‘holiness’ is asso- There are eight spokes in the Buddhist ciated with the symbolic meaning of the Wheel of the Law, representing the Noble White Lotus and with a proper under- Eightfold Path, and eight trigrams in the standing of what ‘holy’ means. Chinese I Ching. The Gnostic ogdoad, or Let us first consider the latter point. group of eight, consists of eight divine Our ordinary sense of ‘holy’ connects it beings or aeons. In Shintoism, there are

May 2008 295 The Theosophist said to be eight world sages. All of these of emotion. The blossom of the lotus groups of eight, like the lotus itself, opens in the fresh air of mentality. And represent wholeness and universality. that blossom looks towards the fiery In Hinduism, Vishnu sleeps upon the sunlight of spiritual inspiration that ra- coiled body of the serpent of eternity, diates down upon it. floating on the cosmic ocean. From his Thus the lotus is a symbol of holy navel grows a lotus plant, whose flower wholeness, of the yogic union that produces the god Brahmâ, who creates combines all aspects of our being in a new world. The Buddha and the harmonious oneness. Lotus blossoms Bodhisattva-s sit upon lotus blossoms. are said to be pink or blue or white. Pink The Buddhist mantra mani padme, ‘the and blue lotuses represent, respectively, Jewel in the Lotus’, represents the union the sun and the moon, that is, all com- of opposites: the lotus flower being plementary polarities. But just as white transitory and delicate, whereas the light combines and unifies all colours, diamond jewel is lasting and the hard- so the White Lotus is a fitting symbol of est of substances. That mantra is also the ultimate unified wholeness of all life. a profound insight, for we discover the eternal and real in the bosom of the Time and Holiness temporal and illusionary. Nirvâna and White Lotus Day itself can be seen samsâra are one and the same. Uni- as a representation of the unification versality is here; forever is now. of dualities. In Egyptian symbolism, the lotus is On the one hand, as a commemora- said to represent sexuality. But sexuality tion of HPB’s life and accomplishments is simply the most intimate and best- on the anniversary of her death, White known manifestation of the cosmic Lotus Day represents time and imper- principle of polarity. Everything in the fection. HPB was a great woman. But she universe comes into being as a result of was human, and all human beings are the interaction of the polar opposites, imperfect until they achieve the state of the duality of samsâra. The lotus thus seventh-round evolution. Colonel Olcott represents creativity, life and death, emphasized two things: that HPB was birth and rebirth, the promise of renewal a flawed and imperfect human being and of continuation. and that she was a great teacher and Most famously, perhaps, the lotus admirable exponent of the way to holi- represents our life in the four human ness, that is, the way to Unity of Being. worlds: the physical, the emotional, the On the other hand, as a symbol of mental, and the spiritual. The roots of that very Unity of Being to which HPB the lotus are in the boggy, physical mire pointed the way, White Lotus Day rep- at the bottom of the pond. The stem of resents the eternal and perfection. The the lotus rises through the surging waters White Lotus symbolizes the holiness or

296 Vol. 129.8 White Lotus Day and Its Meaning wholeness that is the aim of human can open ourselves to its warmth; we can evolution to achieve. Like the lotus absorb its energy. flower, we are rooted in physicality, So on White Lotus Day, let us by all often a very murky, grubby condition. means remember and respect that great Like that flower, we need to extend soul, H. P. Blavatsky. But let us also ourselves upwards, with a resolute, firm absorb the lesson of the White Lotus stalk through emotional waters to blos- into our inmost being. Let us strive, as som in the pure intellectual air of un- she did, to unify the opposites, to become derstanding. We cannot yet actually reach what all of us are destined to be — the blazing sun of spirituality, but we whole and ² holy.

Ah! Blessed Lord! Oh, Deliverer, Forgive this feeble script, which doth Thee wrong, Measuring with little wit thy lofty Love. Ah! Lover! Brother! Guide! Lamp of the Law, I take my refuge in thy name and Thee! I take my refuge in thy Law of Good! I take my refuge in thy Order! OM! The Dew is on the lotus! — rise Great Sun! And lift my leaf and mix me with the wave. Om mani padme hum, the Sunrise comes! The dewdrop slips into the shining Sea!

Sir Edwin Arnold, The Light of Asia

May 2008 297 The Theosophist Expanding Our Centre of Consciousness

PABLO D. SENDER

ALTHOUGH almost every spiritual is, the ability to intuit the unity of all tradition speaks of the divine nature in life. In like manner, HPB said that ‘spiritu- human beings, humanity is involved in ality is not what we understand by the suffering, brutality, and selfishness. Why words “virtue” and “goodness”. It is the are we in such a sorrowful condition? Is power of perceiving formless, spiritual there any way out? Eastern philosophies essences’,1 without being deluded by the as well as modern Theosophy say the gross aspect of the manifested world. origin of our present state is avidyâ, Most of us deeply feel we are just our ignorance, and that only the perception personality, that is, the ‘me’, the one that of Truth will set us free. Avidyâ is not is now reading, perceiving. We do not ignorance of common knowledge; rather, have actual consciousness of the unity of it is a lack of perception of who we really life; we have not developed ‘the power are, and what our relationship with the of perceiving the formless’. In our wak- Universe is. Therefore the ultimate rem- ing consciousness we only perceive the edy for our innate illness is viveka, or outer shell of the world through our five spiritual discernment. This qualifica- physical senses, which are very limited. tion is defined in many ways, but all of Besides, we perceive it in terms of the them are different expressions of the inner (me) and the outer (the other). same essential idea: the discrimination Our perception is confined to what is between the Real and the unreal. Thus happening in ‘me’ at the personal level. it is especially related to our faculty We usually cannot feel in ourselves of perception. what is going on inside another person Viveka has different aspects, as ex- or being. Therefore, naturally, selfish- pressed in At the Feet of the Master, and ness arises, because we directly ex- its development has various stages, but we perience our individual necessities, will focus particularly on the development our pain, pleasure, hopes, and only in an of a capacity defined by Dr Annie Besant indirect way do we realize other people’s as being the essence of spirituality, that feelings. That limitation is the very cause

Dr Pablo D. Sender is a young Theosophist from Argentina who actively propagates the Theosophical view of life among the young.

298 Vol. 129.8 Expanding Our Centre of Consciousness of our suffering, since we become iden- The psychological approach tified with something that is fragile, When considering this subject from small, separated, transient, and incom- a Theosophical point of view, we find plete. Theosophical teachings, however, two approaches: the psychological and postulate that our real identity is eternal, the occult. They are complementary, and, whole, unconditioned. If we could per- to use HPB’s words, would lead us to gain ceive this, the problems born of our ‘a clear perception of the unity of the identification with the limited ‘I’ would one energy operating in the manifested automatically vanish. But is it possible to Cosmos’. We will begin by exploring the perceive in an unbounded way? psychological approach, which is espe- Many mystics in different cultures cially meant to remove obstacles, before and times had the experience that con- building a different kind of perception. sciousness is ubiquitous. This experience In order to have access to that complete was described by J. Krishnamurti (JK) perception, we have to discover first why in the following words: it is that our consciousness works in such a limited way. In a talk with some friends, There was a man mending the road; that JK refers to this: man was myself; the pickaxe he held was myself; the very stone which he was Wait, Sir, I am all that, the past and the breaking up was a part of me; the tender present and the projected future; I am born blade of grass was my very being, and the in India with all the culture of 5,000 years. tree beside the man was myself. I also could That is all my point. That is what I call feel and think like the roadmender and consciousness . . . when you say you are a I could feel the wind passing through the Hindu and I am a Muslim; when there is tree, and the little ant on the blade of grass focalization through identification, there I could feel. The birds, the dust, and the is then choice.3 very noise were a part of me. ...I was in According to Theosophical teachings, everything, or rather everything was in me, our real consciousness, that which endures inanimate and animate, the moun-tain, the life after life, is beyond the personal mind, worm and all breathing things.2 emotions and physical body. In every new Thus we know, through the experience life it builds those vehicles for its expres- of the mystics, that the working of this sion in the lower realms. But then that extraordinary spiritual perception is a consciousness is limited by them during possibility for human consciousness; that incarnation. In fact, the focalization of the we can perceive in a holistic way, feeling unbounded original consciousness, limit- as if we were part of every living creature ing its capacity to perceive from a wider and even of every so-called ‘non-living perspective, is due to the identification thing’. Let us examine, then, how we can with the personality. In her article on have access to that kind of perception. ‘Morality and Pantheism’, HPB wrote:

May 2008 299 The Theosophist

The starting point of the ‘pantheistic’ (we never, never looked at the whole carpet. use the word for want of a better one) I have never moved away from this . . . system of morality is a clear perception And I do not know how to remove my of the unity of the one energy operating eyes and look at the whole carpet.5 in the manifested Cosmos . . . The prin- cipal obstacle to the realization of this We know, in theory, that our personal oneness is the inborn habit of man of consciousness is only a fragmentary always placing himself at the centre of expression of a greater whole, the the Universe. Whatever a man might act, Individuality, or Higher Ego, but we are think or feel, the irrepressible ‘I’ is sure unable to realize that. We feel that we to be the central figure. This, as will are this person; that this is our name, appear, on the slightest consideration, our age, work, features, etc. We do not is that which prevents every individual know how to perceive in a different way, from filling his proper sphere in exist- and there is a force that keeps our ence, where he only is exactly in place perception limited to that narrow field and no other individual is.4 during our daily life. What is it? JK dwelt on this at length: Thus the main problem seems to be the ‘inborn habit’ of identifying our- What is it that prevents total perception selves with our limited, temporary, per- of this vast, complex, existence? . . . sonal vehicles of consciousness, with When I enter the room, one object catches the centre ‘I’. This personal consciousness my eye. The lovely bedspread, and I of ours was formed in the infant as a casually look at other things . . . the rest result of the impact of impressions from recedes, becomes very vague . . . Why has the outer world upon the brain. Since perception focused on that? . . . I see this then, that limited mind became the main whole field of life only in terms of means of perception during our wak- pursuing pleasure . . . Does that prevent ing consciousness. We are used to per- total perception? . . . How can the mind ceiving through it; we do not know see the whole of the field when there is anything else. As JK states: only the search for pleasure? . . . What is the factor of pleasure? . . . Pleasure is What is the problem? I have been seeing always personal. . . So, as long as the only this fragment (pointing to a portion mind is pursuing pleasure as the ‘me’, how of the carpet) . . . My whole life has been can I see this whole thing? I must un- spent in observing the fragment. You come derstand pleasure, not suppress it, not along and say this is part of the whole, deny it. So, it is important to see the whole, this would not exist if the other did not not the particular.6 exist. But I cannot take my eyes off this fragment. I agree that this can only exist Pleasure is a sensation born in that because of the whole carpet but I have limited centre of consciousness, the

300 Vol. 129.8 Expanding Our Centre of Consciousness complex body-mind. And as long as our cases, study has to be the first step be- consciousness is pursuing sensation, it will cause it points out the direction. But if be bound to work through the personality. there is no real willingness to live ac- Damodar K. Mavalankar, one of the most cording to it, this knowledge is of little prominent characters among early Theo- use. In this connection HPB wrote: sophists, wrote: Knowledge or jñâna is divided into two The desires and passions are, so to say, classes . . . — paroksha and aparoksha. chains (real magnetic chains) which bind The former kind of knowledge consists down the mind to these earthly carnal in intellectual assent to a stated prop- enjoyments and appetites. And he who osition, the latter in the actual realization wishes to rise superior to the Mâyâ which of it. . . . From the study of the sacred pervades this world must do so by break- philosophy, . . . paroksha, knowledge (or ing those adamantine chains which hold shall we say belief ?) in the unity of him a prisoner in this transient world.7 existence is derived, but without the practice of morality that knowledge Thus, we should examine ourselves cannot be converted into the highest kind and ask: How are we living? Are we of knowledge or aparoksha-jñâna.... mostly seeking personal pleasure in the It availeth naught to intellectually grasp different activities in which we take part? the notion of your being everything Is our daily attitude one of self-protection, and Brahman, if it is not realized in self-justification, and so on, trying not to practical acts of life . . . . You cannot be disturbed? If it is so, we are constantly be one with ALL, unless all your acts, strengthening the fragmentation of con- thoughts, and feelings synchronize with sciousness that is the ‘me’, keeping our the onward march of Nature.9 consciousness in the prison of personal sensation. It is not that we have to refuse That is why real spiritual knowledge pleasure as if it were sinful. If it comes, does not come merely through study, but we experience it, in the same way as we through an integral way of life that also experience unpleasant things. Both are includes meditation, self-knowledge, and part of life. But the fact that we are seek- an unselfish attitude. If we are serious ing for some kind of pleasure in almost about it, we should train our conscious- every situation means that bodily sen- ness daily to live beyond that centre of sations have a great influence on our con- pleasure that is the ‘me’. sciousness. That is why, as we read in Practical Occultism, ‘The first great basic The occultist approach delusion you have to get over is the iden- We have seen that, according to HPB, tification of yourself with the physical ‘The principal obstacle to the realization body’.8 Unfortunately, it is not just a ques- of this oneness is the inborn habit of tion of studying or talking about it. In most man of always placing himself at the

May 2008 301 The Theosophist centre of the Universe.’ Let us ponder over that moves around, ‘our’ body being just these words from an occultist’s pers- one of those objects. Or we could sit on a pective. The problem here is that we are bench in a park and try to feel we are conditioned by the sense of being that everywhere, or that our existence has centre ‘where we only are exactly in neither beginning nor form. Then we place’. As stated before, consciousness is should gradually incorporate that abstract not necessarily limited by space or form, feeling into our daily routine. but it is able to become aware of what is There is another interesting exercise taking place in other expressions of the suggested by C.W. Leadbeater: One Life. Since it is not habituated to During meditation one may try to think perceive beyond the personal centre, our of the Supreme Self in everything and practice should involve an attempt to everything in it. Try to understand how decentralize our consciousness, thus the self is endeavouring to express itself getting used to expanding it for a wider through the form. One method of practice perception. How do we do that? for this is to try to identify your con- The practice of HPB’s Diagram of sciousness with that of various creatures, Meditation is very useful in this en- such as a fly, an ant, or a tree. Try to see deavour.10 The whole Diagram is designed and feel things as they see and feel them, to help us break the identification with our until as you pass inwards all consciousness lower consciousness. The subject of this of the tree or the insect falls away, and the Diagram is too vast to be thoroughly life of the LOGOS appears.11 discussed here and we will explore it in a future article, but we can refer to one Here Leadbeater points out two im- portion of it. HPB suggests that we should portant things. The first is: ‘During gradually habituate our consciousness meditation try to think of the Supreme to perceive in a non-centred way, trying Self in everything and everything in it’, to live with a ‘Perpetual Presence in which is another aspect of HPB’s medi- imagination in all Space and Time’. ‘From tation just mentioned. And second, he this’, she adds, ‘originates a substratum of advises us to identify ourselves with the memory of universality.’ This means that lower forms of life. Again, it is not an we should try to limit the focalization of easy exercise because it involves enter- consciousness to the spot where we are in ing into a new realm, but we can find space and time. It is not an easy thing to some interesting hints in the words of do, but the very effort in that direction JK, who has also suggested a similar develops the capacity to habituate our experiment: consciousness to perceive in a different It seems to me that one of our greatest way. We can use whatever strategy we difficulties is to see for ourselves, really, find useful. When walking, for example, clearly, not only outward things but we could try to feel that we are everything inward life. . . . Have you ever experi-

302 Vol. 129.8 Expanding Our Centre of Consciousness

mented with looking at an objective thing consciousness. All of these exercises like a tree without any of the associations, may be tested by oneself in a spirit of any of the knowledge you have acquired investigation. They will gradually develop about it, without any words forming a the power of perception that is latent in screen between you and the tree and every one of us. Undoubtedly, when this preventing you from seeing it as it kind of spiritual discernment awakens, actually is? Try it and see what actually an important transformation will take takes place when you observe the tree place. As Leadbeater said after describ- with all your being, with the totality of ing his exercise: your energy. In that intensity you will find that there is no observer at all; there is When we know quite certainly that we only attention.12 are part of a whole, we do not so much mind where this particular fragment of To succeed in this kind of exercise, we it may be, or through what experiences have to be able to silence our personal it may be passing.13 ²

References

1. H. P. Blavatsky, Collected Writings (CW) 12, ‘Gems from the East’, p. 451. 2. Mary Lutyens, Life and Death of Krishnamurti, p. 42. 3. J. Krishnamurti, Tradition and Revolution, Dialogue 27: ‘Intelligence and the Instrument’, Bombay, 15 February 1971. 4. HPB, CW 5, ‘Morality and Pantheism’, pp. 336-7. 5. JK, Tradition and Revolution, Dialogue 18: ‘Energy and Fragmentation’. 6. idem. 7. Sven Eek (Comp.), Damodar and the Pioneers of the Theosophical Society, ‘Letter from Damodar to Carl H. Hartmann’, p. 304. 8. HPB, Practical Occultism, ‘Some Suggestions for Daily Life’. 9. HPB, CW 5, ‘Morality and Pantheism’, p. 337. 10. HPB, The Theosophist, May 2003, ‘Diagram of Meditation’, pp. 308-9. 11. The Inner Life, ‘Meditation’. 12. JK, Freedom from the Known, ch. 11. 13. loc. cit.

When the Self is found, when a man realizes, however imperfectly, his unity with the Supreme, when he begins really to break the bonds of the heart, then it is that, seeking liberation, he becomes intent upon the welfare of the world. Annie Besant

May 2008 303 The Theosophist Shigatze: Former Hermitage of the Masters

ALISTAIR COOMBS

SHIGATZE is Tibet’s second largest Tashilhunpo, meaning ‘heap of pros- town after Lhasa, with a population that perity’, was founded by a student of currently numbers around 70,000. Much Tsonkhapa, Gedun Drup (1391-1478), like Lhasa, since the 1960’s the town has who is considered to have been the first become a sprawling Chinatown with an Dalai Lama. He had a dream in which array of gambling dens, brothels, loud Paldan Lhamo instructed him to establish bars, and grimy noodle restaurants; an un- the institution to help propagate the savoury upcrop of vice. A short distance Dharma in the region. Paldan Lhamo, out of the town, however, one is sharply who is the Protectress of Tibet, is the reminded of the awe-inspiring grandeur Buddhist form of the Hindu goddess of the valley in which the town lies, a Kâli, she who wrathfully destroys op- paradisiacal landscape that has reson- ponents of the Dharma. Tashilhunpo and ated wonder and mystery to so many. the development of Lamaism were thus Shigatze is situated by the tributaries inspired by this visionary encounter. of the Tsangpo (Brahmaputra) river. The The fifth Dalai Lama created a con- alluvial plain in which it lies is one of vention that would later become a source the most fertile in Tibet. Shigatze, which of tension within Lamaism. Out of grati- is a Chinese transliteration of its Tibetan tude and reverence, he conferred on name, means ‘place of fertile soil’. The the Abbot of Tashilhunpo, who was his town has historically always been an teacher, the title of Tashi, or Panchen, important trading post between Tibet Lama. From then on the Tashi and Dalai and Nepal, second only to Lhasa. The Lamas began to be regarded as different city also holds an important place in aspects of the Buddha. The Dalai Lama religious history within Tibetan Bud- was perceived as an emanation of dhism in connection with the Tashilhunpo Chenrezig and held temporal dominion monastery, situated west of the town, over kingship and the state based at the nestling by a mountain named Drolmari, Potala at Lhasa, while the Tashi Lama, ‘Tara’s mountain’. based at Tashilhunpo, was perceived as

Mr Alistair Coombs is a member of the TS in England and a student of Buddhism. This article is based on a trip he took to Tibet in 2004.

304 Vol. 129.8 Shigatze: Former Hermitage of the Masters an emanation of Amitâbha, the parent ies on seven secret Tibetan Buddhist Buddha of Chenrezig, and so held a high- works known as Kiu-te. There also exist er position, being responsible for spiritual thirty-five exoteric volumes of Kiu-te governance and affairs. which contribute to the religious lit- Students of Theosophy will be aware erature of most monastic institutions that Shigatze holds an important position throughout Tibet, volumes not exclusive in Theosophical history, as the Masters, to Tashilhunpo: while never describing themselves as Strictly speaking, those thirty-five books Tibetan in their communications, were at ought to be termed ‘The Popularized one point said to be based there. HPB pro- Version’ of The Secret Doctrine, full of vides testimony of having visited Shigatze myths, blinds and errors; the fourteen herself. Even though the question of her volumes of Commentaries, on the other ever entering Tibet is one hotly debated, hand — with their translations, annota- it is irrelevant today, given the content and tions, and an ample glossary of Occult widespread influence of the Theosophical terms, worked out from one small archaic exposition of Buddhist teachings: folio, the Book of the Secret Wisdom of I have lived at different periods in Little the World — contain a digest of all the Tibet as in Great Tibet, and these com- Occult Sciences. These, it appears, are kept bined periods form more than seven secret and apart, in the charge of the Teshu years. Yet, I have never stated either Lama of Shigatze. (SD, vol. V, p. 389) verbally or over my signature that I had A significant member of the Kiu-te passed seven consecutive years in a corpus is the popular Kâlachakra Tantra, convent. What I have said, and repeat or the ‘wheel of time’ teaching. This now, is that I have stopped in Lamaistic emerged in Tibet during the year 1026 convents; that I have visited Tzi-gadze, AD and was possibly introduced from the Tashi-Lhünpo territory and its neigh- India. The teaching, comprising works bourhood, and that I have been further on meditation, astrology, and the original in, and in such places of Tibet as have myth of Sham- never been visited by any other Euro- bhala, is consid- pean. (CW, vol. VI, p. 272) ered by many One can only infer that Theosophy’s Buddhists as the important connection with Shigatze was highest teaching also significantly linked to the sources of the Mahâyâna. of The Secret Doctrine stored there. The For a period, Book of Dzyan, from which the Stanzas Tashilhunpo was are drawn, and on which The Secret the major centre Doctrine is an expanded commentary, is of Kâlachakra the first volume of fourteen commentar- studies in Tibet. Kâlachakra design

May 2008 305 The Theosophist Even though Shigatze has recently, ous other precious and semi-precious at least in its physical aspect, fallen by stones. There is a circuit around its the wayside and no longer resembles twelve-feet high lotus throne where the idyllic peaceful town as described by clockwise circumambulation can be several pre-invasion accounts, the mon- made around the image. The expression astery now houses something that stops wrought on its face by craftsmen is one not far short of a minor World Wonder. of inexpressible wisdom and compas- Last century a Maitreya Chapel was sion, with its meditative eyes truly ap- constructed at Tashilhunpo to preserve pearing to gaze out upon something not a colossal statue of the future Buddha of this world. Maitreya, Jampa Buddha in Tibetan. This monument at Tashilhunpo mon- The statue, constructed over a period of astery makes one think of the intense nine years, is the largest seated bronze spiritual activity of which Shigatze was Maitreya Buddha in the world. It reaches once a vital centre in previous centuries, almost eighty-six feet in height and is not to mention the more recent ‘pre- gilded all over by some six-hundred cipitations of light’ that occurred there, pounds of gold, sumptuously bedecked now crystallized for all to see in The with jade, coral, diamonds, and numer- Mahatma Letters. ²

Occult Science is a jealous mistress and allows not a shadow of self- indulgence; and it is ‘fatal’ not only to the ordinary course of married life but even to flesh and wine drinking. I am afraid that the archeologists of the seventh round, when digging out and unearthing the future Pompeii of Punjab — Simla, one day, instead of finding the precious relics of the Theosophical ‘Eclectic’, will fish out but some petrified or vitreous remains of the ‘sumptuary allowance’. Such is the latest prophecy current at Shigatze.

KH, Mahatma Letter No. 18/62

306 Vol. 129.8 Ethics of Compassion

MARTIN HAUSENBERG

ETHICS and compassion are such growth may come about on one con- demanding subjects that it would be bet- dition only, which is that, in tandem ter if a lama, who truly embodies those with increasing knowledge, we raise the qualities, would speak about them. standards of our own ethical behaviour. Nevertheless, ethics and compassion The more we set ethical demands for touch all of us, because the happiness of ourselves, the more compassionate we human life depends on them. Those become. Compassion and ethics are interested in spiritual growth aspire to linked with each other: an unethical per- develop these qualities in themselves. son cannot act compassionately in a But even though a person is not interested wider sense and, on the other hand, a in spiritual growth, ethics and compassion person who respects the laws of com- still touch him, because they are qual- passion is ethical at the same time. ities that bring happiness to everyone’s We Theosophists usually have a fairly life regardless of spiritual aspirations. A good theoretical understanding about a compassionate person brings happiness compassionate way of life, but we rather to everyone who comes into contact with give lectures on some other subject. If him and, similarly, if a person is not compassion becomes the topic of our compassionate, he will constantly cause speech, we may feel a certain inner suffering to people around him. emptiness. It is important to pay attention As Theosophists, we are often interest- to this honestly. Compassion is not merely ed in complicated metaphysical phenom- a word — it is a centre of spiritual power. ena, the secrets of Nature, the origin of When we utter the word ‘compassion’ it the universe and so on. Those are un- is like a vibrating mirror which exposes doubtedly important areas of study, which our true nature; it reveals whether some- increase our knowledge and widen our thing is vibrating within us at the same world view. However, if we only em- level, or whether compassion is merely phasize knowledge, there will be no inner like any other word to us. This shows change in us. That is why wise teachers that the idea of compassion does not have always emphasized that spiritual remove inner emptiness. Unfortunately,

Mr Martin Hausenberg, a young member of the Theosophical Society in Estonia, is very interested in these questions.

May 2008 307 The Theosophist I am exactly in this same situation. My of looking at this: we can honestly look at idea of compassion is also theoretical. our character and ask if I really wanted I know how important an unselfish atti- to have this person as my friend.’ These tude and work is, but in practice the pursuit are very painful questions, are they not? of my own happiness and personal gain There is a possibility for change in often wins. It is not easy to get rid of these, every moment, if we only have the will but I do believe that all those who con- and the power to use those moments. Let tinue the inner battle against selfishness us imagine that I have been given twenty throughout their lives, will eventually minutes for a speech and you have been overcome all obstacles, turning theoretic- given twenty minutes to listen. I have to al values into a practical way of life. think how and what I would say if these When we meet wise teachers, it is were the last twenty minutes of my life. like a sort of stroke inspiring us, but then Would I have a somewhat different the winds of the world soon blow our at- tone and power in my words if I thought tention elsewhere. That is why the great there would be no opportunity to correct wise teachers have always taught that them afterwards, and that they would be every day we should remind ourselves my last words? Similarly, the listeners of what is truly valuable and permanent. would have the same possibility to really There are many things that take our time, concentrate, if they thought that this attention, and interest, but at the time of would be the last opportunity for them to death these things have no true value or hear the dharma. The same applies to significance. It would be worthwhile to speaking in everyday life. The ability to try, for example, the following exercise: speak is very self-evident to us and we ‘Close your eyes and imagine that you use it in saying both good and bad things. are dead. Then look back at your life as However, not everyone has this ability, a bystander. You can see it as a chain of and we can also lose it suddenly. So events, decisions and emotions. Now from every time we say something it would the other side of death we can see how we be worthwhile to ask ourselves: Would have moulded our character. Our life had I say these words, if they were my last, love and compassion in it, but also hatred, since life could end at any time, as easily envy, and indifference/negligence. Now, as a tree-branch breaks! being dead, we have to be honest and We often think that compassion means confess to ourselves what kind of emotions doing some kind of great Bodhisattva- and pursuits have been victorious during deeds, which I cannot do — they are so our life — whether it was compassion or removed from me still. But this is not the pursuit of our own interests, useless true at all. Even overcoming our own chores, or spiritual practices. This is how laziness can be a greatly compassionate we can find out what is the guiding force act, since laziness is often preventing us in our action. There is also another way from doing many small but valuable

308 Vol. 129.8 Ethics of Compassion spiritual deeds and chores. For example, suffering to others. Lodge gatherings and public lectures are All the great sages have considered always a possibility to practise compas- compassion and ethics as signs of true sion. If we participate in the meetings spirituality. This has been expressed with the motive of gaining knowledge in a very deep and simple way by a for ourselves, that is good, but this is not great Tibetan teacher — Patrol Rinpoche. a compassionate motive. If the purpose I would like to conclude with his words: of our participation is to develop the Even someone who can fly like a bird, common level of thought and to support travel under the earth like a mouse, pass Lodge work, this is already compassion through rocks unimpeded, leave imprints in practice. of his hands and feet on rocks, someone In Tibetan Buddhism, the idea of who has unlimited clairvoyance and can compassion is often linked with the word perform all kinds of miracle — if such a bodhichitta, which is usually translated person has no bodhichitta, he can only be as the ‘mind of enlightenment’. I think a tirthika, or possessed by some power- that compassion is necessarily a part of ful demon. He might at first attract some the enlightened mind. When a strong naive innocents who will be impressed and and unwavering decision to reach en- bring offerings. But in the long run he will lightenment some day awakens in us, only bring ruin upon himself and others. there is already strong compassion in it, On the other hand, a person who possesses because it means that we will no longer true bodhichitta, even without having any cause suffering to living beings. If this other quality, will benefit whoever comes decision is real, it means that we are will- into contact with him or her. (Words of ing to suffer ourselves rather than to cause My Perfect Teacher, p. 257) ²

O mendicants! Just as the snow-white vassika, The jasmine, putting forth fresh blooms today, Sheds down the withered blooms of yesterday, So shed ye lust and hate. . . . Rouse thou the self by self, by self examine self: Thus guarded by the self, and with thy mind Intent and watchful, thus, O mendicant, Thou shalt live happily. . . . Lo, ye! a mendicant, though young he be, that strives To grasp the teaching of the Awakened One, Lights up the world, as, from a cloud released, The moon lights up the night. Dhammapada, vv. 376-81

May 2008 309 The Theosophist Archaic Buddhism

N. YAGNESVARA SASTRY

THE title ‘Archaic Buddhism’ suggests the Majjhima Nikâya is called ‘The Lion’s that what passes for Buddhism today Roar’. The Anguttara Nikâya even expli- may not be what the Buddha taught. That citly says: ‘A Lion, monks, that is the name a change has indeed come over Bud- for the Tathâgata.’ 2 dhism is explicit from a statement of Though Aºoka introduced symbology, the Buddha that his religion will be pure he avoided the human form, as if to for ‘just five hundred years’.1 There is suggest that the Buddha was no person. archeological evidence also to indicate a In the second century BC also, the Buddha change in Buddhism. About the 1st cen- image was avoided. He was often repre- tury AD, image worship, which had been sented by an empty seat under a tree with avoided for over five hundred years, worshippers before it, as depicted in entered Buddhism, though on the fringes what are known as the Barhut sculptures of India it had appeared earlier. in the Calcutta Museum. The same prac- The Chinese philosopher Wei Lang tice continued in India proper, during the states that the Buddha is not a person, first century BC, as shown in the Sanchi but the universal Spirit, even as God is, remains. as taught by Jesus to the woman of There is more evidence also of a Samaria; and that the Buddha saw ‘no change in Buddhism. In the Majjhima difference between himself and other Nikâya (Bâlapanditasutta), evil-doers things’. The early Buddhists seem to have are said to suffer in hell for a period acted on this view in assiduously turning amounting almost to eternity, and the from image worship. Buddhist hell is as gruesome as any The first step in narrowing the con- other hell. The Buddha could not have ception of the Buddha was probably taken preached such a doctrine. in the third century BC when the Emperor The necessity has arisen to excavate Aºoka represented the Teacher as a Lion. archaic Buddhism from the debris of ages. The Buddha was long known as the Lion The teachings of the Buddha, judging of the ªâkya race. One of the sermons in from a few samples, are too valuable to

Reprinted from The Theosophist, June & July 1968. Mr Sastry was Superintendent of the Garden Department for many years and had a wide knowledge of Indian iconography and archeology.

310 Vol. 129.8 Archaic Buddhism be neglected. They must be of special devotion is in the Anguttara which says: value to many Theosophists, for a great Monks, as compared with orders and Adept is said to have written that Colonel companies, the Order of a Tathâgata’s Olcott, ‘who works but to revive Bud- disciples is reckoned best . . . . Worthy of dhism, may be regarded as one who honour are they, worthy of reverence, labours in the true path of Theosophy’.3 worthy of offerings, worthy of salutations Buddhism has been equated with with clasped hands — a field of merit Theosophy. unsurpassed for the world.5 It is futile, however, to accept whatever is pleasing as Archaic Buddhism and At this stage an important issue has to reject the rest. Personal wishes and be decided. Why tear up and group the inclinations will have to be put aside and teachings as monastical, devotional, and the excavation has to be done according analytical and accept one as ‘archaic’? to certain logical principles. One prin- Why cannot Archaic Buddhism be a blend ciple consists of sorting out the teachings of all features? A difficulty in making into various groups according to their such a blend is in deciding what should tenor — monastical, devotional, or analy- be accepted or rejected. For instance, is it tical — and then deciding what could be necessary for priests to wear yellow robes? the original teaching. If they can eat whatever is given to There are misogynist passages in the them — they are expected to — why can- Buddhist books which have the mark of not they wear whatever is presented? Is medieval monasticism. With this may be it wrong for a Bhikkhu to eat two meals, collated passages lauding the use of robes if he is moderate? Must he avoid art made from rags or prescribing meditation programmes as repeatedly prescribed? on corpses, etc. These have a common Such questions cannot be answered with- trait. Another set of passages, revealing out much wisdom. the feature of faith and ardent devotion, As regards devotion also, difficult could be classified as devotional. A third questions arise. What is true devotion? group could consist of teachings which How is it to be distinguished from vari- are pure, and appeal to the intelligence. ous forms of frenzy, hysteria, or self- As a sample of devotional Buddhism stimulation? How is it that all over the may be cited teachings stressing the need world persons are found feeling ‘devotion’ for faith in the Buddha as the ‘Exalted One, to almost anything? To answer these ques- arahant, wholly awake, abounding in tions also much wisdom is necessary. wisdom and righteousness, the well-farer, Wisdom, therefore, is the primary way, the world-knower, the incomparable tamer and all other ways can come as offshoots of tameable men, the teacher of deva-s of wisdom. No doubt, the Bhagavadgitâ and men.’ 4 states that all ways lead to the same goal, Another passage sharing the mark of but it does not say that all ways are of

May 2008 311 The Theosophist equal merit. Besides, the very expression putta was repeated to one Badiya, a ‘Buddhism’ means the way of wisdom or Licchavi, almost in the same language. jñâna-mârga. It is necessary to explain why identical The jñâna-mârga has been much heard language is often found in Buddhist books of, but every teacher of jñâna-mârga, expounding the same idea. It is probably so called, takes some important funda- because shorthand did not exist and, when mentals for granted and proceeds there- the Buddha preached, the sermon was on, whereas it is the fundamentals that written down or memorized after many are most difficult to find and of which the consultations, and to save labour, the greatest care has to be taken. In other same formulas were used when the subject words, true jñâna-mârga does not exist was the same. today, except perhaps in the Theosophical The doctrine of self-dependence seems Society, if its second and third Objects to have been central to the Buddha’s phil- are strictly construed. osophy. So much so that the disciples The Buddha was a teacher of the began to imitate the Master. For instance, jñâna-mârga in the truest sense. He a monk, Nandaka, gave the same teach- insisted on faith only regarding certain ings to one Sâlha.7 Ânanda repeated it to ethical fundamentals, not philosophical a householder. The Buddha was the first fundamentals. Archaic Buddhism can be great teacher to give the Magna Carta of woven round the principle: ‘Be ye lamps freedom to spiritual aspirants. unto yourself and depend on no external This emphasis on self-reliance in authority.’6 As if to stress this point, he spiritual matters is akin to the Buddha’s stated also the reverse: that person views on metaphysical speculations. He would thus go furthest who depended discouraged these on two grounds. Firstly, on himself. the world is in such a sorrowful state that In the address to the Kâlâma-s of man needs to establish peace within him- Kesaputta, the Buddha states that one self and the world by the simplest and the should not accept religious teachings most direct means. Secondly, all religious because of hoary tradition or with the beliefs are largely influenced by one’s thought, ‘one must revere a recluse’. personal ‘wishes’ and ‘inclinations’ and Though the ‘wise’ should also be con- have no validity. In the Sutta Nipâta sidered, the essential is that ‘you know of (Dutthaka Sutta), the Buddha asks: ‘How yourself ’. Apparently, it does not matter can one who is “led by wishes and pos- if mistakes are made. Man learns even sessed by his inclinations” overcome through mistakes provided they are his his views?’ mistakes and not those of his Guru. This For discovering the ‘Truths’ for one- teaching matches the other one on self- self, the Buddha gave four meditations. dependence. The first meditation based on ‘discursive This advice to the Kâlâma-s of Kesa- thinking’ is the simplest, but even for this

312 Vol. 129.8 Archaic Buddhism the Buddha prescribed certain ethical centrated’.14 These teachings about medi- qualifications. The first meditation is im- tation reveal great psychological depth possible, says he, save as one gives up and have features of a modern mind in hankerings, ill will, sloth, flurry, and the best sense of the term, which the doubt!8 The other meditations seem to Buddha had, though he taught in the be degrees in the attenuation of the ‘I’. 5th century BC, and may be accepted as The question may arise as to why archaic Buddhism. ethical qualifications are necessary even The advice of the Buddha to those who for ‘discursive thinking’. It must be be- cannot experience this spontaneous hap- cause of the subconscious which always piness and concentration is significant. deflects the thought. The subconscious is He said: ‘Whoever cannot obtain at stilled only when certain ethical qualifi- will, easily and without difficulty ... cations are there. The same idea underlies this happiness’, 15 should be reconciled the observation of Madame Blavatsky that to his crude happiness. Struggles ‘for it is possible for one to kneel in a church becoming or not becoming such or so’16 and say ‘Thy will be done, not mine’ and are not conducive to ‘detachment’. It is ‘send up waves of willpower for selfish necessary to grow ‘as the flower grows, or unholy purposes!’ 9 unconsciously,’ for ‘spiritual aspiration’ Ramakrishna Paramahamsa must have could be ‘intensely selfish’17 as observed had the subconscious in mind when he by ‘an adept’. laughed at the meditation group of his As regards ceremonials, the Buddhist friend Keshab Chandra Sen. The group scriptures deal with them profusely. In reminded Ramakrishna of some monkeys Abhidhammatha Sangaha (translation by ‘looking the very picture of innocence,’ 10 Maung Tin) ‘mere rite and ritualism’ is though planning some devastation. Of stated to be a fetter (p.172). The word course, he attributed no conscious in- ‘mere’ may indicate that the Buddha sincerity to anyone. opposed only an exclusive reliance on As for the second meditation, it is ritual. In the same book, on the very next based on ‘concentration’, but this word page, the ‘practice of rite and ritual’ is has a special meaning in Buddhism, shown as a fetter and the word ‘mere’ for Ânanda says that this concentration is omitted. In the Anguttara Nikâya, it ‘is not controlled by conscious effort’.11 is ‘wrong handling of habit and rite’ In other words, it has to be spontaneous. that is said to be a hindrance. In the The Buddha also says, ‘the restraint that Digha Nikâya, ‘trust in the efficiency of prevails is not a conscious restraint’.12 ceremonials’ is declared to be one of the The next question is how such effort- bonds and there is no distinction between less concentration can come. Such con- ‘wrong handling’ and right handling. centration comes from ‘happiness’ says the The Lives of Alcyone contains an inter- Buddha.13 The ‘mind of the happy is con- esting observation which throws some

May 2008 313 The Theosophist light on this issue. In the thirteenth life, in the Buddhist approach to the ‘soul’, Alcyone was the grandson, it is said, of but to appreciate it, a passage in the the Lord Maitreya and is reported to have Bhagavadgitâ needs to be noted. It says: asked: ‘Why have we no temples here, As a man casting off worn-out garments, grandfather?’ The Lord Maitreya replied: taketh new ones, so the dweller in We have no temples because our wise the body, casting off worn-out bodies forefathers have taught us that God is entereth into others that are new . . . everywhere, and that we need not set apart unthinkable, immutable he is called.18 one time or one place more than another If it is conceded that the soul is in which to serve Him, because our love ‘unthinkable’, the Buddhist position be- to Him should always be in our hearts, so comes strong. How can it be said of an that every grove, or field, or house is to ‘unthinkable’ principle that each person us a temple of His service, and every day has one, that it grows, that some are bigger, a holy day upon which to do Him honour. that they reincarnate, etc.? We think that the trees and the sky which To the Buddhist, anything that the He has made are grander than any human mind can think of is not the soul, not even work and so we make them the pillars and the ‘higher mind’. It is only the lower the roof of our temple. (pp. 187-8) mind that prescribes behaviour for the According to another passage Alcyone higher mind and adjudges it. The ‘higher lived in India in the 5th century BC, and mind’ is thus in the grip of the lower was ordained as a Buddhist by the Buddha mind and at best there is only the higher himself. In the 7th century AD Alcyone part of the lower mind, or vinnâna, which again became a Buddhist, and the ordin- is not the soul. ation ceremony now is described thus: The Buddha was astonished at the con- cern of many people for their ‘unthink- It was very different in its ornate form able’ soul. He said that it was like being from the simple yet most impressive in love with somebody whom nobody ceremony by which the Lord Buddha knows. Says the Digha Nikâya: Himself had received him in his previous birth. Then he had simply bowed before Just as if a man should say, ‘How I long the Lord, had answered some searching for, how I love the most beautiful woman questions and made some promises . . . . in the land!’ That was the custom of the Lord, but this People should ask him: ‘Well! good time, the whole affair had become an friend! this most beautiful woman in the elaborate ritual. land whom you love and long for, do you It may be assumed that the Buddha know whether that beautiful woman is a permitted simple rituals like the one noble lady, or of priestly rank, or of the described. trader class, or of menial birth?’ A modern mind is again revealed And when so asked, he should answer: ‘No.’

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And people should ask him: ‘Well! good humane, and independent. Yet he was friend! this most beautiful woman in the remarkably humble. Once when several land whom you love and long for, do you Brâhman-s went to him with gifts of know what her name is, or her family homage, he requested them to go back and name, or whether she be tall or short or of told his attendant: ‘I have naught to do medium height; whether she be dark or with homage, Nâgita, nor has homage brunette, or golden in colour; or in what aught to do with me.’20 He was not for village or town or city she dwells?’ Buddham Saranam Gacchâmi’ (I take refuge in the Buddha). But it is difficult And when so asked, he should answer: not to pay homage to a Teacher who 19 ‘No.’ rejects homage. It is difficult not to fol- The Buddha was apparently capable low Him who wants no following. of much humour, besides being profound, BUDDHAM SARANAM GACCHÂMI ²

References

1. Anguttara Nikâya, VIII.6.51. 2. ibid., V.10.99. 3. Letters from the Masters of the Wisdom, 1st series, pp. 2-3. 4. Anguttara Nikâya, IX.3.27. 5. ibid., IV.4.34. 6. Mahâparinibbâna Sutta. 7. Anguttara Nikâya, III.7.66. 8. ibid., VI.7.73. 9. The Key to Theosophy, ch. V. 10. Prophet of the New India, Romain Rolland, p. 122. 11. Anguttara Nikâya, lX.4. 37. 12. ibid., V.3.27. 13. ibid., X.1.1. 14. ibid., XI.11.12. 15. ibid., V.3.30. 16. Majjhima Nikâya, Horner’s translation, 1959, p. 157. 17. The Mahatma Letters to A. P. Sinnett, 1924 ed., p. 360. 18. Bhagavadgitâ, II.22.25. 19. Potthapada Sutta. 20. Anguttara Nikâya, VIII.9.86.

May 2008 315 The Theosophist Books of Interest

THE LOST LAND OF LEMURIA: The second incarnation was the Fabulous Geographies, Catastrophic Theosophical one, when Madame H.P. Histories, by Sumathi Ramaswamy, Blavatsky and others in the 1880s used University of California Press, Berkeley the term ‘Lemuria’ for the continent of and Los Angeles, California, 2004, the third root race (the first fully physical pp. xvii + 334. one), located in the Pacific Ocean. That Scholars are increasingly recognizing concept was subsequently expanded by the influence of Theosophy on modern other writers, supplying specific des- thought. The author of this book is an criptions of the land and its inhabitants. Associate Professor of History at the The concept was taken up by various New University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Age writers and further imaginatively specializing in Tamil studies. She traces elaborated, often to fatuousness. the history of the Lemurian concept The third incarnation is the one that through three incarnations. most interests Prof. Ramaswamy. It was The first incarnation was a scientific the adoption in 1903 of Lemuria by Tamil hypothesis to explain the distribution of nationalists as the primeval homeland certain animals, specifically the lemurs, of the Tamils. They renamed it Kumari- arboreal mammals now found chiefly in nâdu ‘virgin territory’ or Kumarikkandam Madagascar but earlier more widespread ‘virgin continent’ and (following Haeckel) from Africa to India. In 1864 an English supposed it to be the source for the world’s zoologist, Philip Lutley Sclater, published population, thus making ‘Tamil speakers a scientific article in which he used the . . . ipso facto, the most ancient peoples name ‘Lemuria’ for a hypothetical con- of the world and the ancestors of all of tinent once existing in what is now the humanity’. The nostalgic loss of that Indian Ocean by which the lemurs and homeland is emotionally charged. This other life forms spread over a wide third incarnation is founded on the two geographical area. A few years later, a earlier ones and developed, significant- German biologist, Ernst Haeckel, pro- ly, in the region of the Theosophical posed that Lemuria was the cradle of the Society’s international headquarters in human race. south India. MORTON DILKES

Lemuria. A modern term first used by some naturalists, and now adopted by Theosophists, to indicate a continent that, according to the Secret Doctrine of the East, preceded Atlantis. H. P. Blavatsky

316 Vol. 129.8 Theosophical Work around the World

Indian Headquarters building is being renovated as funds are A Study Camp organized by the received. At Siddhartha Study Centre Indian Section at Varanasi from 24 – 29 and Dhaka Lodge, regular study classes March was attended by members from are held. The latter publishes news and Orissa, Bengal, and Bihar, with some articles in both English and Bangla news- members mainly from Delhi. The subject papers, publicizing Theosophical work. for study was Freedom from the Known In the three Lodges of the Chittagong by J. Krishnamurti. Prof. P. Krishna, for- region, work was disrupted last year due mer Head of the Physics Department, to natural disasters, but members are try- Benares Hindu University, and now head ing to hold regular meetings. In Bangla- of the Krishnamurti Centre in Varanasi, desh, many members subscribe to The gave talks every morning, while the inter- Theosophist. Bro. B. L. Bhattacharya, national President, Mrs Radha Burnier, of Kolkatta is very helpful. He sends out also lectured in the afternoons. Both the monthly Bulletin in Bangla, the re- lectures were followed by questions and gional language, to all members. answers and discussions. On the last day, In Malaysia, only Selangor Lodge is Prof. Krishna and the President held a functioning, holding study classes and public discussion which was much ap- public lectures. Some members attended preciated. On the whole, the Camp proved the School of the Wisdom at Adyar to be interesting, covering many aspects in both 2007 and 2008. In Yangon of the subject. (Rangoon), Lodge meetings have ceased due to Government restrictions. Singapore Lodge and Southeast Asia Singapore Lodge has been active for Russian Translations many years and has a membership of Mr Konstantin Zaitzev, of the 336. Recently, Pedro Oliveira, Matius Moscow Theosophical group, reports Ali and others lectured there. that two important Theosophical works There are seven Lodges functioning in have been published for the first time Bangladesh. Comilla Lodge (founded in in Russian: Occult Chemistry by Annie 1889) has the largest number of mem- Besant and C.W. Leadbeater, and bers, 42, some of whom meet weekly. Its The Hidden Side of Things by C.W. library is open daily, and the very old Leadbeater. ²

The result of what a man is or does is held not to be dissipated into many separate streams, but to be concentrated together in the formation of one new sentient being, but the same in its essence, its being, its doing, its Karma. A. P. Sinnett, Esoteric Buddhism

May 2008 317