Text of Resolutions passed by the General Council of the Theosophical Society
Freedom of Thought As the Theosophical Society has spread far and wide over the world, and as members of all religions have become members of it without surrendering the special dogmas, teachings and beliefs of their re- spective faiths, it is thought desirable to emphasize the fact that there is no doctrine, no opinion, by whomsoever taught or held, that is in any way binding on any member of the Society, none which any member is not free to accept or reject. Approval of its three Objects is the sole condition of membership. No teacher, or writer, from H. P. Blavatsky onwards, has any authority to impose his or her teachings or opinions on members. Every member has an equal right to follow any school of thought, but has no right to force the choice on any other. Neither a candidate for any office nor any voter can be rendered ineligible to stand or to vote, because of any opinion held, or because of membership in any school of thought. Opinions or beliefs neither bestow privileges nor inflict penalties. The Members of the General Council earnestly request every member of the Theosophical Society to maintain, defend and act upon these fundamental principles of the Society, and also fearlessly to exercise the right of liberty of thought and of expression thereof, within the limits of courtesy and consideration for others. Freedom of the Society The Theosophical Society, while cooperating with all other bodies whose aims and activities make such cooperation possible, is and must remain an organization entirely independent of them, not committed to any objects save its own, and intent on developing its own work on the broadest and most inclusive lines, so as to move towards its own goal as indicated in and by the pursuit of those objects and that Divine Wisdom which in the abstract is implicit in the title ‘The Theosophical Society’. Since Universal Brotherhood and the Wisdom are undefined and unlimited, and since there is complete freedom for each and every member of the Society in thought and action, the Society seeks ever to maintain its own distinctive and unique character by remaining free of affiliation or identification with any other organization.
VOL. 141 NO. 1 OCTOBER 2019
CONTENTS
The Essence of Annie Besant 5 Tim Boyd Are You Not Saying What the Buddha Said? — II 9 Dialogue with J. Krishnamurti and Buddhist Scholars Gandhi on Theosophy and the Global Civilization of Tomorrow — I 15 James Tepfer The Providential Higher Spiritual Path 22 William Wilson Quinn Animal Rights: A Scientific and Spiritual View —I 29 Michiel Haas William Quan Judge 34 Eneida Carbonell Theosophical Work around the World 37 International Directory 40
Editor: Mr Tim Boyd
NOTE: Articles for publication in The Theosophist should be sent to:
Cover: Annie Besant (1.10.1847—20.9.1933), an Anglo-Irish orator, writer, and social rights activist, was the second international President of the Theosophical Society based in Adyar from 1907 to 1933. — Photograph colorized by Mr Dan Doolin ______This journal is the official organ of the President, founded by H. P. Blavatsky, 1879. The Theosophical Society is responsible only for official notices appearing in this journal.
3 THE THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY Founded 17 November 1875 President: Mr Tim Boyd Vice-President: Dr Deepa Padhi Secretary: Ms Marja Artamaa Treasurer: Ms Nancy Secrest Headquarters: ADYAR, CHENNAI (MADRAS) 600 020, INDIA Vice-President: [email protected] Secretary: [email protected] Treasurer: [email protected] Adyar Library and Research Centre: [email protected] Theosophical Publishing House: [email protected] // www.adyarbooks.com Editorial Office: [email protected], Website: http://www.ts-adyar.org
The Theosophical Society is composed of students, belonging to any religion in the world or to none, who are united by their approval of the Society’s Objects, by their wish to remove religious antagonisms and to draw together men of goodwill, whatsoever their religious opinions, and by their desire to study religious truths and to share the results of their studies with others. Their bond of union is not the profession of a common belief, but a common search and aspiration for Truth. They hold that Truth should be sought by study, by reflection, by purity of life, by devotion to high ideals, and they regard Truth as a prize to be striven for, not as a dogma to be imposed by authority. They consider that belief should be the result of individual study or intuition, and not its antecedent, and should rest on knowledge, not on assertion. They extend tolerance to all, even to the intolerant, not as a privilege they bestow but as a duty they perform, and they seek to remove ignorance, not punish it. They see every religion as an expression of the Divine Wisdom and prefer its study to its condemnation, and its practice to proselytism. Peace is their watchword, as Truth is their aim. Theosophy is the body of truths which forms the basis of all religions, and which cannot be claimed as the exclusive possession of any. It offers a philosophy which renders life intelligible, and which demonstrates the justice and the love which guide its evolution. It puts death in its rightful place, as a recurring incident in an endless life, opening the gateway to a fuller and more radiant existence. It restores to the world the Science of the Spirit, teaching man to know the Spirit as himself and the mind and body as his servants. It illuminates the scriptures and doctrines of religions by unveiling their hidden meanings, and thus justifying them at the bar of intelligence, as they are ever justified in the eyes of intuition. Members of the Theosophical Society study these truths, and theosophists endeavour to live them. Everyone willing to study, to be tolerant, to aim high, and to work perseveringly, is welcomed as a member, and it rests with the member to become a true theosophist.
4 The Theosophist Vol. 141.1, October 2019 The Essence of Annie Besant The Essence of Annie Besant (Talk given at the TS Adyar, Chennai, on 1 October 2018)
TIM BOYD
IT has been 171 years today since Annie the factors that contributed to her great- Besant was born, and it is significant that ness was the fact that she had the a person’s memory continues in the way opportunity to experience life from its that Besant’s has. Most of us try to live a very bottom to its very heights. She was good life, treat each other well, and make not a person who had the advantage of an impact on this world in the ways which wealth or power simply by virtue of the we can. But for most of us, once our household into which she was born. Her children and grandchildren have moved greatness became established because on, our name fades away. The works that of the way she was able to meet and we have done during our time here on transcend many losses in her life. Earth, although they have their impact, are We think of her as a champion of mostly forgotten. It is the characteristic many causes. At her memorial service of great people that their lives matter in that was held at Adyar when she died in ways that extend far beyond the time that 1933, the person who became the next they have lived among us. Such is the President of the Theosophical Society, case with Annie Besant. George Arundale, had an opportunity to Although we know she has had an im- speak about her. He had worked closely pact that has spread quite far, because with her for 30 years, had even been in- today we are speaking in India, we tend terned with her when she was detained to focus on the great benefit that she was in a hill house due to her agitation for to this nation. In fact, the great benefit that India’s independence. The characteristic she was in making it possible for there to of Annie Besant that he dwelt on in his even be such a thing as the nation of India eulogy was her nature as a “warrior”. is undisputed. But her time in India only She was without a doubt someone who began in the second half of her life. fought, but what did she fight for? The woman that we came to know as In terms of the history, as we read the great Annie Besant had her begin- it in India particularly, she fought for nings as “little Annie”, the daughter of an independent Indian nation. She was Irish parents, born in England. One of an organizer at heart. In England she
Vol. 141.1, October 2019 The Theosophist 5 The Essence of Annie Besant organized people to strike for the pro- Besant’s vision was already fully formed. tection of children against the abuse of She believed that the people who came their rights as workers, and the freedom to lead the new India had to be people of speech to publish books that expand of character, whose thought had been people’s minds but others would try to developed, who were willing to act and censor. She fought and suffered for these serve on behalf of this new forming nation. rights, but she also thrived in her efforts So she organized, planned, and provided to secure them for all. So in India we think a place for this training to take root. of her as a warrior for a new nation. But Knowing that institutions outlive in- how did she wage that war? How was dividuals, she founded many — the Boy that battle conducted? How was it won? Scouts, educational institutions at all lev- We are fortunate in today’s program els across India — not just for male edu- because some of the outcomes of Annie cation, but women’s schools and colleges. Besant’s vision are included in our pro- In recent American history there was gram, honoring her life. One strong ele- another great warrior for human rights, ment of her vision was that women in from a similar mold to Annie Besant — a India required a voice. That the con- gentleman by the name of Martin Luther ditions of women in India must be not King. He made many profound statements only appreciated, but must be heard from during his too brief life. One of them that the mouths of those very women and applies to the life of Annie Besant was: solved with the participation of women. “The ultimate measure of a person is not So where there was a condition where where they stand in moments of comfort that was not the case, what did she do? and convenience, but where they stand in She got together with other prominent times of challenge and controversy.” women in India and formed the Women’s Annie Besant’s record speaks for itself, Indian Association (WIA) to advocate she was a person who did not just put her for women’s empowerment. One of our ideas out into the public for consideration, speakers today will be the current but she put herself, her body in harm’s President of the WIA, formed 101 years way for the causes she believed in. All of ago, and still alive and strong. it was given, and especially in time of Another speaker today is the result of challenge and controversy. During her Annie Besant’s organizing strategies in lifetime she had many people who became fighting the battle for truth in India: the dear and devoted friends, also those who Young Men’s Indian Association (YMIA). became bitter enemies. Her enemies may Annie Besant founded and donated pro- have questioned her opinions, they may perty to the YMIA as a place intended to have differed with her in terms of her ideas, train and develop the leaders for the but in terms of the person, the Truth, of independent Indian nation which at that the integrity of her character, nowhere will time was yet to come, but which in you hear or read about anyone who ever
6 The Theosophist Vol. 141.1, October 2019 The Essence of Annie Besant doubted them. Having lived a life of 85 was a sense of a profound stillness that years, that is remarkable. She fought with she carried in the midst of battle. many, but never on a personal basis, always Besant described herself as “a daughter in the name of something higher, the Truth. of India”. She was very clear that India Annie Besant died in 1933, and so in was her motherland: her work and her the world today there is not a person left ashes are here. But at this point of still- who had a meaningful relationship with ness, from which she was able to do the her. I consider myself very fortunate work and to project these ideas and move- that along the way I have had the op- ment into the world, she was not a child portunity to meet and talk with some of any particular nation. Her repeatedly people who, though young at the time, affirmed view was that humanity is one: actually spoke with her and worked with not divided, not separated, but one. The her. All of their reports were consistent fact that she found herself in India meant with the written histories. that her work was done to promote the Someone I considered as a good Oneness within the context of India. friend was a former President of the She felt that India should be the mod- Theosophical Society in America, Dora el, because here as in no other place was Kunz. She died in her 90s in 1999. Her there a diversity of so many religions, husband had been the personal secretary all in one nation. It also had diversity of to Annie Besant and Dora herself had people, and if India could realize a mea- numerous occasions to not just be in her sure of mutual respect and understand- presence but to dialogue and work with ing, it would be a model that could her. So from time to time some im- spread into the world. But her vision pressions of Annie Besant would come was and always had been universal. It out from Dora. One of the things that is this vision that allowed her to pen a she said is worth mentioning. beautiful prayer, the Invocation to Unity, Dora said that Besant was continually or Universal Prayer. engaged on many different levels with This prayer is most expressive of her projects and people around the world. inner state. It is not a meditation, but it is She was a constant focus for the atten- subject for a meditation. The words and tion, energies, plans, and movements of meaning that come from and lead to that others. But Dora said the impression that point of stillness are worth considering. she would come away with, having been If we are seeking to find the essence of around Besant through all these different this great woman, there are many places experiences, was that always when one we can find it. We will see traces of it in was in her presence there was the sense her political life, in her social activity, of a profound stillness. In the midst of this in her embrace of religion. But the place intensive activity, all the battles going on, in which we will see the true essence, the primary thing one came away with and experience it most deeply, is in her
Vol. 141.1, October 2019 The Theosophist 7 The Essence of Annie Besant Universal Prayer. In many ways it is a ourselves forms a barrier to the shining distillation of her life, work, thought, and of the hidden Light. more so, her stillness. “O hidden Love, embracing all in “O hidden Life, vibrant in every atom.” Oneness.” This is the root, that behind Every atom, and we do not even have to the Life, behind the Light, is a Love that talk about every person, is inhabited by embraces all things in Oneness. Our an ever-present life to which we have closest understanding of the meaning of somehow managed to blind ourselves, Oneness comes to us in those moments an all-embracing hidden life. of genuine love we experience for another, “O hidden Light, shining in every for a nation, for those great ones who creature.” Light, by its very nature, dif- model and teach the power of love, for fuses itself, it is necessarily everywhere. humanity as a whole. There is a light to which we are blinded “May each who feels themselves as one by the separations that we embrace of with Thee”, one with the Life, the Light, religion, race, nationality, gender, and so the Love, may they “Know they are on. The list is unfortunately very long. therefore one with every other”. This is Each of the identities to which we attach the essence of Annie Besant. 3
In 1889 I had a book given to me to review, written by H. P. Blavatsky, and known as The Secret Doctrine. I was given it to review, as a book the reviewers of the paper did not care to tackle, and it was thought I might do something with it, as I was considered more or less mad on the subjects of which it treated. I accepted the task, I read the book, and I knew that I had found the clue that I had been seeking. I then asked for an introduction to the writer of that book, feeling that the one who had written it would be able to show me something at least of a path along which I might travel with some hope of finding out more than I knew of life and mind. I met her for the first time in that year. Before very long I placed myself under her tuition, and there is nothing in the whole of my life for which I am one tithe so grateful as the apparent accident that threw her book into my hands, and the resolution taken by myself that I would know the writer of that book. Annie Besant “1875–1891: A Fragment of Autobiography” Adyar Pamphlets No. 84
8 The Theosophist Vol. 141.1, October 2019 Are You Not Saying What the Buddha Said? — II Are You Not Saying What the Buddha Said? — II
J. KRISHNAMURTI (In dialogue with Buddhist scholars Walpola Rahula and Irmgard Schloegl, with Professor David Bohm and Giddu Narayan)
Krishnamurti: Now, how is a man or K: That doesn’t help me. You are saying woman, a human being, to break this that you have learned that. pattern [of psychological progress or IS: I have learned it, but I have done so evolution] without bringing in time? in the same way as one learns to play the You understand my question? piano, rather than in the way of studying Walpola Rahula: Yes, it is only by seeing. a subject. K: No, I can’t see if I am caught in this K: Again, playing the piano, which means blasted ugliness of progress. You say it is practice. So what are we talking about at only by seeing, and I say I can’t see. the end of all this? WR: Then you can’t. Giddu Narayan: There seems to be a difficulty here. Knowledge has a certain K: No, but I want to inquire into it, sir. fascination, a certain power, one accumu- That is, why have we given “progress”, in lates knowledge, whether it is Buddhist quotes, such psychological importance? or scientific, and it gives you a peculiar Irmgard Schloegl: I am not a scholar but sense of freedom, though it is not free- a practitioner. For me personally as a dom — it is more in the realm of con- Westerner, as a one-time scientist, I have ventional freedom. And after years of found the most satisfactory answer in the study one finds it very difficult to get out Buddhist teaching that I blind myself, I of this, because for twenty or so years am my own obstacle. As long as I, with you arrive at this point and value it, but it all my bundle of conditioning, am here, I hasn’t got the quality of what you might cannot see and act. There seems to be a call truth. The difficulty with all practice possibility . .. seems to be that when you practise you
J. Krishnamurti (1895-1986) was one of the great spiritual teachers of the 20th century. From e-book: Can Humanity Change? — J. Krishnamurti in Dialogue with Buddhists, ed. David Skitt, 2003. Reprinted by arrangement with Shambhala Publications, Inc., Boulder, CO, USA.
Vol. 141.1, October 2019 The Theosophist 9 Are You Not Saying What the Buddha Said? — II achieve something; and the achievement beings have done, which is to movefrom is of the conventional-reality type — it has the biological to the psychological, and got a certain power, a certain fascination, there they have invented this idea that capacity, maybe a certain clarity. eventually you will come to the godhead WR: Because of that you get attached to or enlightenment, reach Brahman or it. whatever, nirvana or paradise, or hell. If you see the falseness of that, actually, GN: Yes, and to break away from it is not theoretically, then it is finished. much more difficult than for a beginner who has not got these things, who may WR: Absolutely, that is what I have been see something more directly than a man saying all the time. who has a great deal of acquired wisdom. K: Why should I then acquire know- WR: That depends on the individual; you ledge of scriptures, of this or that, can’t generalize. psychologically? K: If I may point out, one can generalize WR: There is no reason. as a principle. But let us come back to K: Then why do I read the Buddha? where we were. We are all caught in this WR: As I have said, we are all conditioned. idea of progress, of attainment, right? David Bohm: Could I ask a question: Do WR: We had just come to an agreement you accept that we are all conditioned? on that point, that humanity accepts the fact K: Dr Bohm asks: Do we all accept that that progress is a gradual evolution. As we are conditioned? you said, they accept it as true biologically WR: I don’t know whether you accept and can prove it there; so they apply the it or not, I accept it. To be in time is to same theory to the psychological area. We be conditioned. agreed that that is the human position. DB: Well, what I mean to say is this: I think K: Is that position the truth? I have ac- that Krishnaji has said, at least in some of cepted that there is progress in the sense our discussions, that he was not deeply con- of biological evolution and have then ditioned in the beginning, and therefore gradually transferred that to psycho- had a certain insight that would not be logical existence. Now, is that the truth? common. Is that fair? WR: Now I see what you are questioning. K: Please, don’t refer to me — I may be I don’t think it is the truth. a biological freak, so leave me out of it. K: Therefore I abandon the whole idea What we are trying to discuss, sir, is this: of discipline. Can we admit the truth that psycho- WR: I should have said there is no logically there is no movement for- question of abandoning it. If you abandon ward — the truth of it, not the idea of it? it consciously . .. You understand? K: No, sir, just a minute. I see what human WR: I understand.
10 The Theosophist Vol. 141.1, October 2019 Are You Not Saying What the Buddha Said? — II K: The truth of it, not “I accept the idea WR: Of course, I should say that there of it”, the idea is not the truth. So do we are people who see that. as human beings see the truth or falseness K: But does that help in this matter? of what we have done? I mean there may or there may not be. WR: You mean, human beings generally? DB: The only point I am trying to make K: The whole world. is that if we say that we are all conditioned, WR: No, they don’t see it. then I think there is nothing else to do K: Therefore when you tell them, “Get but some kind of disciplined or gradual more knowledge, read this, read that, approach. That is, you begin with your scriptures, what the Buddha said, what conditioning. Christ said”, if he existed at all, and so K: Not necessarily. I don’t see that. on, they are full of this accumulative DB: Well, let’s try to pursue this. That’s the instinct that will help them to jump or way I take the implication of Dr Rahula’s propel themselves into heaven. question that if we all begin conditioned . . . DB: When we say we are all conditioned, K: Which we are. how do we know that we are all condi- DB: Then what can we do for the next step? tioned? That is really what I wanted to say. WR: There is nothing called “the next step”. K: Yes, his point is, sir, are all human DB: How can we be free of the con- beings conditioned? ditioning as we do whatever we do? WR: That is a very complicated question. WR: The freedom from conditioning is As far as our society is concerned, all are to see. conditioned. There can’t be anybody who DB: Well, the same question: How do we is not conditioned, because he is within see? time. But what we are talking about is the realization of truth, which has no time, WR: Of course many people have tried which is unconditioned. various ways. DB: What I wanted to emphasize is that if K: No, there are not various ways. The we say we are all conditioned, there could moment you say “a way”, you have be two ways of responding to that. One already conditioned it. way could be to accumulate knowledge WR: That is what I say. And you are also about our conditioning, to say we observe conditioning by your talks, they are also the common human experience, we can conditioning. Trying to uncondition the look at people and see that they are mind is also conditioning it. generally conditioned. The other way K: No, I question that statement, whether would be to say, “Do we see in a more what K. is talking about conditions the direct way that we are all conditioned?” mind — the mind being the brain, That’s what I was trying to get at. thoughts, feelings, the whole human psy-
Vol. 141.1, October 2019 The Theosophist 11 Are You Not Saying What the Buddha Said? — II chological existence. I doubt it, question WR: Human beings are caught in this. it. If I may suggest, we are going off from K: Yes, it is a fact, isn’t it, that there is the central issue. biological progress, from a little tree to a WR: The question is how to see — is gigantic tree, from baby to boyhood and that it? to adolescence. Now have we moved with K: No, sir, no. Not “how”, there is no that mentality, with that idea, with that fact, “how”. First let us see this simple fact: into the psychological field, and assumed Do I, as a human being, see that I am as a fact that we progress there, which is a representative of all humanity? — I am false movement? I wonder if I am making a human being, and therefore I represent myself clear. all humanity. Right? DB: Are you saying that this is part of IS: In an individual way. the conditioning? K: No, as a human being, I represent you, K: No, leave the conditioning aside for the whole world, because I suffer, I go the moment. I don’t want to enter into that. through agony and so on, so does every But why have we applied the fact of human being. So do I, as a human being, biological growth to the psychological see the false step human beings have taken field? It is a fact that we have, but why by moving from the biological to the have we done this? psychological with the same mentality? IS: I want to become something. There, biologically, there is progress, from K: Which is, you want satisfaction, safety, the little to the big and so on, from the certainty, a sense of achievement. wheel to the jet. As a human being, do I IS: And it is in the wanting. see the mischief that human beings have created by moving from there to this? Do K: So why doesn’t a human being see what I see it, as I see this table? Or do I say, he has done — actually, not theoretically? “Yes, I accept the theory of it, the idea of IS: An ordinary human being. it”, and then we are lost. And the theory, K: You, I, X, Y. the idea, is therefore knowledge. IS: I do not like to see it, I fear it. IS: If I see it as I see this table, then it is K: Therefore you are living in an illusion. no longer a theory. IS: Naturally. K: It is then a fact. But the moment you move away from the fact, it becomes idea, K: Why? knowledge, and the pursuit of that. You IS: I want to be something that I fear at move further away from the fact. I don’t the same time not to see. That is why. know if I am making myself clear. K: No, madam, when you see what you WR: Yes, I guess that is so. have done, there is no fear. K: What is so? Human beings moving IS: But the fact is that I usually do not away? see it.
12 The Theosophist Vol. 141.1, October 2019 Are You Not Saying What the Buddha Said? — II K: Why don’t you see it? the world, what is their future? Are you IS: I suspect because of fear. I don’t know asking that? why. WR: Don’t you agree that you can explain K: You are entering into quite a different to a criminal like that the wrongness of field when you talk of fear. I would just his behavior? Because he understands like to inquire why human beings have what you have said, either because of his done this, played this game for millennia. own thinking or because of your personal Why this living in this false structure, and influence or whatever, he transforms then people come along and say be un- himself, he changes. selfish, be this and all the rest of it —why? K: I am not sure, sir, whether you can talk IS: All of us have a very strong irrational to a criminal, in the orthodox sense of that side in us. word, at all. K: I am questioning all this, because WR: That I don’t know. we are living not with facts but with ideas K: You can pacify him, you know, give and knowledge. him a reward and this and that, but an WR: Certainly. actual criminally minded man, will he K: The fact is that biologically there is ever listen to any sanity? The terrorist — evolution, and psychologically there is will he listen to you, to your sanity? Of not. And so we give importance to know- course not. ledge, ideas, theories, philosophy, and WR: That you can’t say. I don’t know, all the rest of it. I am not at all positive about it. But until WR: You don’t see at all that there can I have more proof, I can’t say that. be a certain development, an evolution, K: I have no proof either, but you can see even psychologically? what is happening. K: No. WR: What is happening is that there are WR: But take a man with a bad criminal terrorists, and we don’t know whether any record who lies, steals, and so on — you of them have transformed themselves into can explain to him certain very funda- good men. We have no proof. mental, elementary things, and he changes, K: You see, that is my whole point — the in the conventional sense, into a better bad man evolving into the good man. man, no longer stealing, no longer telling WR: In the popular and the conventional lies or wanting to kill others. sense, that certainly happens, one can’t K: A terrorist, for example. deny that. WR: A man like that can change. K: Yes, we know that, we have dozens K: Are you saying, sir, a man who is evil, of examples. “evil” in quotes, like the terrorists around WR: Don’t we accept that at all?
Vol. 141.1, October 2019 The Theosophist 13 Are You Not Saying What the Buddha Said? — II K: No, wait a minute, sir. A bad man who GN: We might put it this way. At the tells lies, is cruel and so on, probably conventional level the bad man becomes one day he realizes it is an ugly business the good man. I think we would call that and says, “I’ll change and become good”, “psychological progress”. That’s some- but that is not goodness. Goodness is not thing we do, the human mind does. born out of badness. K: Of course, you are wearing yellow and WR: Certainly not. I am wearing brown, we have the op- K: Therefore the “bad man”, in quotes, can posites of night and day, man and woman, never become the good man, non-quotes. and so on. But is there an opposite of Goodness is not the opposite of the bad. fear? Is there an opposite of goodness? Is WR: At that level it is. love the opposite of hate? The opposite, which means duality. K: At any level. WR: I don’t agree. (To be continued)
More is the treasure of the Law than gems; Sweeter than comb its sweetness; its delights Delightful past compare. Thereby to live Hear the Five Rules aright: Kill not — for Pity's sake — and lest ye slay The meanest thing upon its upward way. Give freely and receive, but take from none By greed, or force or fraud, what is his own. Bear not false witness, slander not, nor lie; Truth is the speech of inward purity. Shun drugs and drinks which work the wit abuse; Clear minds, clean bodies, need no Soma juice. Touch not thy neighbor's wife, neither commit Sins of the flesh unlawful and unfit. Sir Edwin Arnold, The Light of Asia
14 The Theosophist Vol. 141.1, October 2019 Gandhi on Theosophy and the Global Civilization of Tomorrow — I Gandhi on Theosophy and the Global Civilization of Tomorrow — I
JAMES TEPFER
Invocation pointers toward the emerging global Common be your prayer; civilization of the future. However, the Common be your goal; richer, wider prospects and possibilities Common be your purpose; of the dawning Aquarian Age have been Common be your deliberation. nurtured by many seminal articles penned by H. P. Blavatsky (HPB) as well as by Common be your wishes, that most insightful of all books on the Your hearts in concord, prospects of a “universal civilization”, Your intentions in concord, Parapolitics: Toward the City of Man, Perfect be the union amongst you. also by Iyer. Rig Veda1 Before turning to the substance of my Dedication talk, I would like to add that it is especially Let me begin by honoring the ancient a privilege to present this talk on the sacred and noble practice of saluting those who soil of Aryavarta, on the very site which have made this talk possible. I have drawn was consecrated by the dynamic presence inspiration for Gandhi’s connection with of HPB, that great and compassionate Theosophy principally from Gandhi’s own initiate. It was HPB, as we know, who made writings and from Louis Fischer’s spar- Adyar holy, as she dedicated it to the global kling and insightful biography, The Life Work of the spiritually wise and magna- of Mahatma Gandhi. I have also immensely nimous Brotherhood of Bodhisattvas. benefited from the brilliant and profound To its immense credit, the Theosophical elucidation of Gandhian thought by Society (TS), Adyar, has nobly weathered Raghavan Iyer in his book, The Moral and all the trials and tribulations of its past and Political Thought of Mahatma Gandhi. might yet fulfill the prophetic declaration Lastly, I have drawn from a variety of from “The Great Master’s [Mahachohan’s] contemporary sources for meaningful Letter” that the TS is to be the cornerstone
Dr James E. Tepfer is an associate of the United Lodge of Theosophists in Santa Barbara, California, USA. Public Lecture given at the International Convention of the TS, Adyar, Chennai, India, on 2 January 2019. See:
Vol. 141.1, October 2019 The Theosophist 15 Gandhi on Theosophy and the Global Civilization of Tomorrow — I of the religions of the future. Considering public as well as private. Finally, and these profound facts, what more auspi- most significantly for man, Truth is em- cious place to discuss Gandhi, Theosophy, bodied in the world as the Law of Inter- and global civilization than here in Adyar, dependence. This is the scientific basis at this gathering of students of Theo- of morality, sacred and secular. sophia from across the globe? Non-violence is action free of the urge or impulse to do harm, to act out of malice. About Gandhi It is rooted in the mind and heart of Mohandas K. Gandhi was the most the actor. It is the deliberate negation of eminent social revolutionary of the self-assertion, of pushiness, of arrogance, twentieth century and perhaps one of the and of the desire to exploit others. Non- many paradigms of the Aquarian man or violence ultimately releases some degree woman of the coming centuries. No doubt, of unconditional love towards one’s friends Albert Einstein spoke for peoples across and one’s enemies alike. It involves the the globe when he said: “Generations to conscious ability to reduce one’s ego to a come will scarce believe that such a one zero. It is, as one contemporary thinker as this, ever, in flesh and blood, walked put it, the science of “un-selfing the mind”. upon this Earth.”2 From a theosophical perspective, we Gandhi’s benign influence has been might say that non-violence is the con- global, spanning geography and gen- scious negation of the demonic will, of erations alike. He was the forerunner and atavistic Atlantean pride, and of the willful inspiration to a Nelson Mandela in South misuse of higher creative powers. If this Africa, a Martin Luther and Coretta Scott is so, then non-violent, egoless action is King in America, a Vaclav Havel of that moral conduct that honors perceived Czechoslovakia and, of course, the intre- truths by negating the personalizing will pid Malala of Pakistan. Each of these and releasing the latent, Gangetic waters exemplary individuals has, in turn, be- of pure love. come an inspirational prototype in our Intrinsic to Gandhi’s theory and practice own time and will undoubtedly continue of non-violence is that of “creative suf- to affect generations to come. fering”. Voluntary suffering is a necessary As a thinker and a committed social ingredient of all non-violent truth-acts and reformer, Gandhi held that truth, non- especially so when it comes to dealing with violence and creative suffering are equally seemingly intractable social and insti- vital to universal human uplift. Truth, to tutional injustices. Self-suffering is really Gandhi, is at the core of our being and the alchemical hyphen that connects truth of all existence. Truth involves the whole and non-violence. Suffering ignites the mor- person and encompasses thought, word, al chemistry that releases the light within and deed. Truth, to be truth, is also truth and the energy within unconditional relevant to every sphere of human life, love. This is intrinsic to the life of the un-
16 The Theosophist Vol. 141.1, October 2019 Gandhi on Theosophy and the Global Civilization of Tomorrow — I daunted and benevolent social reformer. ever, he was not allowed to study medicine Gandhi, as we know, was an unusual because of the practice of vivisection. individual with many admirable qualities. Nonetheless, his compassionate, healing As an earnest thinker, he was principled, impulse still found moments of sponta- lucid, and insightful. As a karma-yogin, neous expression throughout his life. his actions were purposeful and discrimi- This healing impulse also motivated nating. As a bhakti-yogin, he was a lover him to enter into forbidden areas of plague of God and man and, most especially, a on at least two occasions in order to tend lover of God-in-man. He was also honest to the desperate and the dying. He also to a fault, full of love for friends and voluntarily took into his home lepers and strangers alike and was blessed with abun- people with various maladies. He formed dant good humor. With respect to the an ambulance corps during two wars in latter quality, Gandhi was once asked by South Africa and together with his am- a British journalist if he had not felt bulance crew risked his life to relieve the scantily dressed when meeting King miseries of wounded soldiers on both George at Buckingham Palace. After all, sides of the battle. All in all, Gandhi’s persisted the journalist, Gandhi had only supple mind was obedient to his com- worn a dhoti and a shawl to the occasion. passionate, oceanic heart. The latter was, Gandhi smiled and retorted that he did not in fact, the source of his moral genius. feel awkward at all since his majesty had on enough clothes for both of them. Gandhi and Theosophy Gandhi could also take a joke at his There was a golden current of theo- own expense. Louis Fischer, his best bio- sophical influence that continually sus- grapher, visited Gandhi in 1942 and again tained the spiritual arc of Gandhi’s life. in 1946. On his second visit, Gandhi humor- That fertile current entered his life in ously remarked that Fischer must find him November of 1889 at the age of twenty in as unhandsome now as he had four years London and continued as a vibrant, tem- ago. Fischer, with a twinkle in his eye, im- pering influence until the very day of his mediately said that he would never dare assassination in 1948. The seminal to disagree with a great man. Gandhi laughed “theosophical moment” that occurred loudly and walked arm in arm with Fischer in London was when Gandhi met two to his simple dwelling in the ashram. theosophists who introduced him to the Beyond all his admirable traits there Bhagavadgitâ and, most significantly, was a deeper more profound quality in took him to a meeting of the Blavatsky Gandhi that is often overlooked — his de- Lodge. There he met HPB and Annie sire to heal. Gandhi’s fervent wish as a young Besant. (He had, by the way, read Annie man was not to be a lawyer or a social re- Besant’s book on why she became a former or a national leader. His heart’s theosophist and he was very impressed by wish was to be a doctor — a healer. How- the reasons she gave for her conversion.)
Vol. 141.1, October 2019 The Theosophist 17 Gandhi on Theosophy and the Global Civilization of Tomorrow — I As a result of Gandhi’s personal en- official member of the Johannesburg counter with HPB as well as the encour- Lodge, he did give a series of talks agement of theosophical friends, he there on the major religions of India. studied The Key to Theosophy. Among Gandhi’s personal association with other things, Gandhi’s study of The Key theosophists continued in India from 1915 made him keenly aware of the philo- until his death in 1948. He interacted sophical richness and spiritual potency frequently with theosophists in the pursuit of Hinduism. It helped him to see through of Indian independence and often col- the many criticisms of Christian mis- laborated with B. P. Wadia, an eminent sionaries and eventually led him to declare theosophist, an original coworker of that philosophical Hinduism was the Annie Besant, and the founder of the religion that spoke to him the most deeply. first Labor Union in India. We are told more about young Gandhi Gandhi freely acknowledged the histor- and his first encounter with Theosophy ical fact that one of the cofounders of the in London from P. Nayyar, Gandhi’s Indian National Congress was a theo- personal secretary in his later years. Nayyar sophist. He later repeated his recognition tells us in his biography on Gandhi that: of Theosophy’s seminal contribution to “He [Gandhi] read Mme Blavatsky’s The the Indian independence movement : “In Secret Doctrine, and on March 26, 1891, the beginning, the top Indian National was enrolled as an associate member of Congress leaders were theosophists.”4 the Blavatsky Lodge.”3 The cumulative In a wider sense, we might say that effect of Gandhi’s fortuitous encounter Gandhi implicitly embraced the “Three with HPB and his subsequent study of Objects” of the theosophical movement theosophical teachings is that it helped (but with reservations about the Third him to spiritually self-ignite; it kindled and Object). As we know, the First Object fed what became an all-consuming fire of of the theosophical movement is to form spiritual aspiration, an ardent search to the nucleus of a universal Brotherhood experience God-consciousness. of Humanity, without distinction of race, Later, in South Africa, Gandhi con- creed, sex, caste, or color. Gandhi’s whole tinued his study of the Gitâ and of selected adult life could be seen as an attempt theosophical writings. In his private li- to embody the living spirit of this aim. brary in Durban could be found the works It was the root inspiration of his fertile of HPB, Leo Tolstoy, and other eminent spiritual life and of his numerous “exper- writers on spiritual ideas. Gandhi also had iments with truth”. Brotherhood was the a deep interest in Esoteric Christianity as universal constant in his solution to the well as in Raja Yoga. In addition, he complex algebra of the religious, commu- contributed to the activities of the TS in nal issues that plagued India, which the Southern Africa, Johannesburg Lodge. British government so cleverly exploited. While he apparently never became an As Indian independence neared in the
18 The Theosophist Vol. 141.1, October 2019 Gandhi on Theosophy and the Global Civilization of Tomorrow — I late 1940s, and violent disagreements in- surprising then that since Truth alone is tensified between Muslim and Hindu God, Gandhi believed fundamentally in Congressmen, Gandhi saw his hopes for the following: a politically unified India wane. In an [I believe in] the religion which transcends interview in June of 1946 with Louis Hinduism, which changes one’s very Fischer, Gandhi lamented the patent smug- nature, which binds one indissolubly to ness of many Hindus toward Muslim the truth within, and which continually members of the Indian National Con- purifies. It is the permanent element in gress. He equally lamented the devolution human nature which counts no cost too of the Muslim belief in the brotherhood great in order to find full expression and of man into the brotherhood of Muslims which leaves the soul utterly restless until only. In light of this sad, dual realization, it has found itself.6 Gandhi made the following unequivocal declaration to Fischer: “Theosophy is This notion of an inborn “transcendent- the teaching of Madame Blavatsky ... religion” — rooted in Nature and man — Theosophy is the brotherhood of man.”5 was dialectically compatible with, and Gandhi was, in effect, making it clear supportive of, a diversity of religious teach- that HPB was the true teacher of Theo- ings. Like the full moon simultaneously sophy and that its essential message of mirrored in many different lakes, each brotherhood was what both Hindu and authentic religious teaching reflects some Muslim proponents were sorely lacking in portion of Absolute Truth. This calls for practice. In the end, the lack of brother- more than mere tolerance. It calls for an hood in the Indian National Congress led abiding reverence for the world’s multiple to the devastating division of a unified religious teachings and a willingness to Aryavarta, or ancient India, into the separate search for underlying truths beneath nation states of Pakistan and India. constricting dogmas and rituals. The Second Object of the theo- It is not surprising then, that Gandhi sophical movement is to encourage the admired the universal and universalizing comparative study of ancient religions, spirit of Theosophy. This appreciation was philosophies, and sciences. Gandhi was a aptly and simply expressed in his “Fore- Hindu — initially by birth, but ultimately word” to the book, The Brotherhood of by choice. He was also an ardent student Religions, penned by the Theosophist of the world’s major religions. Since he Sophia Wadia. He says: “An understanding came to recognize that each religious of and respect for the great faiths of the tradition embodies a profound set of world is the (very) foundation of true spiritual truths, he declared that “Truth Theosophy.”7 In this respect, Gandhi also alone is God”. This statement parallels noted that true religion not only transcends the Theosophical motto taken from all formal religions — including Hinduism the Maharaja of Benares: “There is no — but also unifies them without destroy- religion higher than Truth.” It is not ing their fundamental, discrete integrity.
Vol. 141.1, October 2019 The Theosophist 19 Gandhi on Theosophy and the Global Civilization of Tomorrow — I This dialectical outlook is compatible with of God nor a result of the meeting of mere true Theosophia, is it not? blind forces. We do not know all the laws The Third Object of the modern of God (karma) nor their workings.”10 Theosophical Movement is to investigate While Gandhi recognized the reality the hidden laws of Nature and the creative of occult powers, he felt that it was often powers latent in man. Gandhi recognized an unhealthy diversion for mystics, these subtler dimensions of Nature and Hindus, and theosophists to focus on humanity. To quote from his auto- hidden and as yet undeveloped psychic biography: “[W]e are children of one and powers. Like Saint Paul, Gandhi believed the same Creator, and as such the divine that boundless charity was a far greater powers within us are infinite.”8 possession than the development of Gandhi also deeply believed in karma psychic powers. Gandhi’s concern, as we and reincarnation. Furthermore, he recog- know, echoes a serious point made nized that the moral law was impersonal, in “The Great Master’s Letter” in which subtle, and many-layered. In the human the aim of universal brotherhood is kingdom, this meant that karma works fervently upheld and the fascination principally through the agency of the with occult powers strongly criticized. As mind. To Gandhi, the highest creative the Great Master unequivocally states: faculty in man was pure thought, and that “. .. perish rather the TS with both its faculty was regulated by the impersonal, hapless Founders, than that we should subtle, and multi-layered law of karma. permit it to become no better than an acad- His belief in the karma-generating power emy of magic, and a hall of Occultism!”11 of thought sometimes created peculiar prob- In the last issue of Gandhi’s journal, lems for him. Take, for example, his re- Harijan, ironically published on the very action to the Bihar earthquake of 1934; day of his assassination on 30 January after the earthquake, Gandhi publicly com- 1948, Gandhi wrote the following: mented that, in his view, the earthquake was caused by the sin of untouchability There are many admirable works in practiced by most caste Hindus. Well, as theosophical literature which one may you might expect, many rationalists, scien- read with the greatest profit; but it appears tists, and friends were thunderstruck and to me that too much stress has been laid dismayed by this statement. So was Gan- upon . .. intellectual studies, upon the dhi’s close friend, Rabindranath Tagore. develop-ment of occult powers, and that In fact, Tagore publicly chastised Gandhi the central idea of Theosophy — the and stated: “Physical catastrophes have their brotherhood of man and the moral growth 12 inevitable and exclusive origin in certain of man — has been lost sight of. combinations of physical facts.”9 Gandhi’s In the final analysis, Gandhi believed retort to Tagore and his critics alike was: that the identity of all life with God and “To me, the earthquake was no caprice the derivative principle of brotherhood
20 The Theosophist Vol. 141.1, October 2019 Gandhi on Theosophy and the Global Civilization of Tomorrow — I were the keys to the fullest possible life For three hours he (Gandhi) was sifted and for all. This is certainly compatible with cross-examined. ... It was a reasonably the presiding and moving spirit of Theo- exacting ordeal, yet not for a moment was sophia, Divine Wisdom. he rattled or at a loss. The conviction came But, a final word before turning to the to me, that not since Socrates has the world global civilization of tomorrow. What seen his equal for absolute self-control and about Gandhi’s “inner voice”? Like the composure; and once or twice, putting my- self in the place of men who had to con- Greek philosopher and revolutionary, Soc- front that invincible calm and imperturb- rates, Gandhi seems to have had an “inner ability, I thought I understood why the voice” which guided him at certain critical Athenians made the “martyr-sophist” drink points in his life. Unlike Socrates, whose hemlock. Like Socrates, he has a “daemon”. inner voice prevented him from doing a And when the “daemon” has spoken, he is particular thing, Gandhi’s inner voice com- as unmoved by argument as by danger.13 manded him to do a particular thing. Gan- Now, how do we look at Gandhi’s dhi claimed to have always followed the “daemon” or inner voice? What frame- positive guidance he received. Take, for work of understanding do we adopt here? instance, Gandhi’s meeting with a select I think that it is perfectly reasonable to group of eminent dons at Oxford in 1931. regard Gandhi’s inner voice as a higher The friendly gathering soon became an bodhisattvic influence. If so, that further intense intellectual interrogation of Gandhi’s places him within the vast, nourishing views on independence. Professor Johnson, current of the theosophical movement, of who attended the meeting, describes “the the Army of the Voice. battle of wits” in the following way: (To be continued)
Endnotes 1944, “Foreword”, p. 3. 1. As quoted in: Raghavan Iyer (ed.), The Jewel in 8. M. K. Gandhi, The Story of My Experiments with the Lotus, Concord Grove Press, 1983, facing page. Truth, Beacon Press, 1957, (6th printing), p. 276.) 2. Albert Einstein and Otto Nathan, Einstein on 9. Sabyasachi Bhattacharya (ed.), The Mahatma Peace, Random House, 1981. (Read out by the and the Poet: Letters and Debates between Gandhi eminent American broadcaster, Edward R. Murrow, and Tagore, 1915–1941, National Book Trust, 1st ed., on the occasion of Gandhi’s funeral in New Delhi.) 1997; see review by Venu Govindu at website “India Together”, May 2003. See
Vol. 141.1, October 2019 The Theosophist 21 The Providential Higher Spiritual Path The Providential Higher Spiritual Path
WILLIAM WILSON QUINN
Introduction events on our terrestrial plane — how- The English word “providence”, and ever unfair or random they may seem — its adjectival form “providential”, both to be fully explained and rationalized stem from the verb “to provide”. While simply as God’s will. But for those this noun and adjective are used in mul- wayfarers who tread the rigorous higher tiple ways in literature of the English- spiritual path of probation and chelaship speaking world, in theological discourse under an Adept, or who hope to, the rele- “Providence” has a special meaning. vance of providence is more immediate In particular, Providence or one of its and profound. synonyms appears regularly in religions “Divine Providence” of organized that do not have a developed doctrine religions may be viewed as a construct, based on the principle which in Sanskrit a theological apotropaic to ward off un- is rendered Karma. In those religions, certainty and angst. But providence for especially the Abrahamic religions of wayfarers on the higher spiritual path is Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, pro- actual and real, and often manifests as vidence is generally understood as the opportunities and protections provided preordained plan of the one God, or to chelas by their Gurus. The difference through this plan what God provides to between these two forms of providence, everyone — to all humankind. Under this and the precise operation of that provi- doctrine, whatever benign or malign oc- dence of Adept to chela, is the subject currence befalls an individual is due to we shall explore. or the result of this preordained plan — Within the exoteric framework of the the outcome of Providence. Abrahamic religions, Providence is both For many devout adherents of exo- a central belief and one that applies to teric religions, the cosmic scheme of all — to everyone — pursuant to their divine Providence is essentially one of shared theological notions that all of intellectual security or comfort. This is humankind are children of the one God because it allows all phenomena and who, as their Father, is protector and
Dr William Wilson Quinn is a long-term member of the TS in America, having served as Editor of their journal and Associate Editor of TPH (Wheaton). He has degrees in Divinity and the Humanities.
22 The Theosophist Vol. 141.1, October 2019 The Providential Higher Spiritual Path provider. Moses Mendelssohn, among analysis that will be discussed shortly, the greatest Jewish thinkers of the En- H. P. Blavatsky (HPB) conveyed dual lightenment, wrote that “Essentially, perspectives of Providence in her the religion of the Israelites encompas- writings — unfavorable and favorable. ses only three central principles: God, However, her perspective on the Karmic Providence, and legislation.”1 In Chris- doctrine was constant, and her insightful tianity, while the term “Providence” is not contrasts and comparison of Karma to found in the scriptures per se, thus al- Providence helps resolve their apparent lowing a conclusion that it is more a contradistinction. dogmatic than a strictly theological pre- cept, Providence is nonetheless tho- Abrahamic Providence roughly infused in the New Testament HPB was usually unequivocal in her and its pastoral exegesis. The meaning distaste for the reliance of those of the of Matthew 10:29–30 is clear: “Are not Abrahamic religions — Christian clerics two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one mostly being the subject of her disfavor of them shall not fall on the ground — on the concept of Providence as God’s without your Father. But the very hairs of preordained plan. Speaking of Christian your head are all numbered.” And in clergymen generally, she wrote that “The Islam, the idea of Providence (kismat) is clergy, by teaching the helplessness of so central to its doctrine that it occurs in man, his utter dependence on Providence, a universal and frequent expression of and the doctrine of atonement, have conversational speech as inshâ’Allâh, crushed in their faithful followers every being Arabic for “God willing” and pre- atom of self-reliance and self-respect.”2 dicated upon preordination and the be- While this statement speaks of some results lief that nothing happens unless God has of mindless reliance on divine Providence, willed it. through several specific complaints HPB In what may at first appear as a con- explained what she believed ultimately tradistinction to the Providence of the generated this errant concept of Providence Abrahamic religions stand the religions leading to such reliance, or “dependence”, of Hinduism and Buddhism, whose to use her term. views of the provision of all things The first such complaint regarding are based in the law of Karma. In these reliance on the notion of Providence was Eastern religions, adherents accept that that it is too easy an excuse — or worse, whatever benign or malign occurrence a sacerdotal prohibition — for avoiding befalls an individual is the result of his any meaningful inquiry into the universal or her past actions (karma) in this or in laws of Nature and the powers latent in previous lives, and not due to the auto- human beings. With few exceptions, HPB mation of a preordained deific plan. believed that virtually all of Nature and Omitting momentarily the Adept-to-chela the universe could be comprehended and
Vol. 141.1, October 2019 The Theosophist 23 The Providential Higher Spiritual Path understood by human beings as they She answers her own question: “It is pure progressed spiritually, were introduced sentimentality alone, with selfish pride to theosophia, and began to access sacred and human conceit to help it, that can intelligence. She complained that: evolve such theories to account for every exceptional occurrence.”4 HPB force- What and wherefore the “intelligence” fully adds: “Karma, and our inner, uncon- then? — God being intelligence itself, scious (so far as our physical senses go) and the soul his agent likewise intelli- prevision can alone explain such cases gent. Whence the imperfection, the evil, of unexpected escapes.” the failures of Nature? Who is respon- Further, she objected to the meta- sible for all this? Or shall we be answered physical error of divine Providence as by Christian occultists as we have an explanation or reason for various hitherto been by their orthodox brethren: phenomena, and the hypocrisy it instiga- “the ways of Providence are mysterious ted when used by clergymen. She cited 3 and it is a sin to question them”? published objections by clerics to rail- Another of HPB’s complaints about the roads because God did not intend for dependence on Providence by the devout human beings to travel at such speeds; was that it is often generated by to the advent of telegraphs as the “tempt- “sentimentality” and “human conceit”, the ing of Providence”; and to the intro- latter being a reference to an intellectual duction of anesthetics for women in conceit that believes humans capable of childbirth. This last objection sorely ir- constructing a cogent thesis that both ritated her, given one theologian’s stated ignores and conflicts with a core law of rationale that it was “an impious attempt the universe — the law of compensation. to escape from the curse denounced In addressing one of her correspondents against all women in Genesis, 3:16.” who invoked divine Providence to ex- She immediately added: plain such “miraculous” events as ap- . . . those same Bishops do not hesitate to parent inexplicable survivals in mass meddle with the work of Providence when tragedies, she bluntly asks: the “heathen” are concerned. Surely if . . . why is it, that to every such one case Providence hath so decreed that women of miraculous escape, there are 10,000 should be left to suffer for the sin of Eve, then it must have also willed that a man, cases where human beings are left to perish born a heathen should be left one as — brutally and stupidly without any seeming preordained.5 fault on their part, their death being often the starting point of the most disastrous Providence and Karma subsequent results, and this with no There was, however, another side of providence, no spirit interfering to stop the HPB’s utilization of the term “provi- merciless hand of blind fate? dence” that might be called favorable, and
24 The Theosophist Vol. 141.1, October 2019 The Providential Higher Spiritual Path it contained both neutral and positive Power, personified and anthropomor- usage of the term. She would occa- phized in its various aspects, Karma is sionally abandon her disfavor of the a highly philosophical truth, a most term and use it in a neutral sense, as in divine noble expression of the primitive the following: intuition of man concerning Deity.”7 But notwithstanding these differences of retrib- You will observe that, in this is contained utive “power” and “truth”, HPB nonethe- the transition from the Infinite to the Finite less aligns Nemesis here with karma. This . . . the proceeding of Heterogeneity from alignment is brought to crystal clarity in Homogeneity or Multifariousness from another express statement by her on Unity — of matter or form from pure Nemesis and karma: Intelligence or Principle without form — the operation of pure intelligence upon Karma-Nemesis is the synonym of PRO- matter, and this in spite of the infinite VIDENCE, minus design, goodness, and gulf between them — the relationship of every other finite attribute and qualifi- Creator to Creature or Creations, so as to cation, so unphilosophically attributed to be able to exercise supervision on what the latter. An Occultist or a philosopher we call Providence or law, or Order.6 will not speak of the goodness or cruelty of Providence; but, identifying it with In this “neutral” usage above, HPB Karma-Nemesis, he will teach that never- comes close to making providence theless it guards the good and watches over synonymous with the “law or order” of them in this, as in future lives; and that it Karma. In this regard, we find that she punishes the evildoer — aye, even to his occasionally ventured from her unfavor- seventh rebirth . . . For the only decree of able usage of the word “providence” by Karma — an eternal and immutable de- affirmatively aligning it — favorably — cree — is absolute Harmony in the world with the Greek goddess Nemesis. This of matter as it is in the world of Spirit.8 alignment is significant because it can be described as HPB’s positive usage of the With this grudging allowance of term providence, at least when combined providence, as personified by Nemesis with the powers of Nemesis. and synonymized with karma, we are The daughter of Nyx and Erebus (some- finally able to discern HPB’s dichoto- times Oceanus), Nemesis was the mythic mous and somewhat complicated per- goddess of divine retribution, alternately ception of the term. There is, however, referred to as the goddess of proportion, little evidence in their writings that HPB’s and poetically described as the “daughter teachers, the Adepts, shared the same of Justice”. Her name derives from the antipathy for the term “providence”, or Greek némein, meaning “to give what is even had ambivalent views of the term, due”. HPB wrote: “In short, while Nemesis which we can glean from the infrequent is a mythological, exoteric goddess, or — compared to her — appearance the
Vol. 141.1, October 2019 The Theosophist 25 The Providential Higher Spiritual Path term has in their writings. The Adept Koot duces a principle that KH explains in Hoomi (KH), for example, wrote that “If greater detail. Regarding the providential you ask a learned Buddhist priest, what is nature of their work, KH asks, and Karma? — he will tell you that Karma is answers, in his first letter to A. O. Hume: what a Christian might call Providence (in How could your world collect proofs of a certain sense only) and a Mahomedan the doings of men [Adepts] who have sedu- Kismet, fate, or destiny (again in one lously kept closed every possible door of sense).”9 approach by which the inquisitive could The same matter-of-fact use of pro- spy upon them? ... What they have done vidence is also found in a letter from the they know; all those outside their circle Adept Serapis Bey to Henry Olcott, in could perceive was results, the causes of which this Adept refers to HPB — in which were masked from view. To account pointed though unintended irony — as for these results, men have in different herself a “providence”. He tells Olcott that ages invented theories of the interposition Her [HPB’s] letter to thee and thy own of “Gods”, special providences, fates, knowledge of human heart must inspire and the benign or hostile influences of thee, O Brother, with the words best adap- the stars. There never was a time within or ted for this plan. . . . how dangerous for before the so-called historical period when her will be the achievement of her duty and our [Adept] predecessors were not mould- how likely to expect for both of you to lose ing events and “making history”, the facts a sister and a — Providence on earth.10 of which were subsequently and invari- ably distorted by “historians” to suit con- Those who truly appreciate the extra- temporary prejudices.12 ordinary work HPB did for humanity, and the awful sacrifices she endured to It is clear from this statement that within do so, can also fully appreciate what the the global realm of providence, the Adept declared — that HPB was herself Adepts play a larger, more universal role a providence, providing to us in clear than most realize. However, our purpose modern English outstanding restate- here is not to explore this universal role ments of the immemorial truths of the of providence or oversight of humanity philosophia perennis. that the Adepts undertake, but rather what specific oversight, or providence, the Providence for Chelas of Adepts Adepts employ for the benefit of their “For the Occultist,” wrote HPB, “this chelas. enigma of the unequal favor of Karma or Before any chela can benefit from the Providence is unriddled by the Secret instruction or providence of an Adept as Doctrine.”11 This terse quote observes his or her guru, that chela must effective- a profound truth that is meaningful on ly “leave home”. This ancient principle, several levels, with which HPB intro- found in both Buddhism and Hinduism,
26 The Theosophist Vol. 141.1, October 2019 The Providential Higher Spiritual Path has both a gradual and immediate appli- This type of help would normally cation. In Buddhism, a “home-leaver” is apply to senior chelas like Djual Khool, similar to a “stream-enterer”: one who and to junior ones like Damodar Mava- abandons the mundane world and enters lankar, both of whom were “accepted” the stream that flows to release from the and had in fact “left home” in the physical wheel of death and rebirth (nirvâna). or immediate sense14 and came to live in Among the best paradigms of a home- the Himalayas under the direct tutelage leaver is found in the Shôbôgenzô, the of the Adepts. However, this type of help massive work of the 13th century Zen would not normally apply to proba- master Dogen, who devoted an entire tioners, given KH’s statement that “until chapter to Shukke (“On Leaving Home a chela has passed that period [proba- Life Behind”). In Hinduism, a correspond- tion], we leave him to fight out his battles ing principle is found in sannyâsa, the as best he may; and have to do so oc- fourth of the “âºramas”, from the ºrama casionally with higher and initiated chelas Upanishad. In this stage of life, the such as HPB, once they are allowed to sannyâsi sets out alone with alms bowl in work in the world, that all of us more hand, without any belongings, with no or less avoid.”15 home or family, to seek final truth and Authentic wayfarers on the higher possibly the attainment of liberation. spiritual path are typically in the process For the traditional Buddhist or Hindu of leaving home. This often begins as an devotee, these are choices that rely en- incremental dissociation from those prac- tirely on the dictates of Karma-Nemesis tices and associations that bind them — (providence). It is to leap into freefall. as attachments — to their mundane lives, Virtually the same can be said for the and so hinder their spiritual progress. Once wayfarer who seeks to become a proba- they arrive at the precincts of chela-ship, tioner or a chela under an Adept of the these are they for whom KH wrote: “You Order of which Morya, KH, and others will always get what you need as you shall belong. In that endeavor, karma is always deserve them [instructions], but no more the overriding context within which their than you deserve or are able to assimilate.” 16 providence occurs. KH asserted: Such instructions, which are also a mani- festation of providence, are accessible to Since every one of us is the creator and wayfarers whose 6th principle (buddhi) producer of the causes that lead to such has acquired the necessary resonance to or some other results, we have to reap apprehend them. but what we have sown. Our chelas are helped but when they are innocent of the “Abandon All and Come to Us” causes that lead them into trouble; when “Let those who really desire to learn such causes are generated by foreign, abandon all and come to us, instead of outside influences.13 asking or expecting us to go to them.”17
Vol. 141.1, October 2019 The Theosophist 27 The Providential Higher Spiritual Path So wrote KH, consistent with the vener- to the benefit of humanity, especially so able principle of the need for wayfarers in times of pandemic fear and despair, on the higher spiritual path to leave when the need for willing soldiers is so home — to choose to abandon all, to dire in the escalating global struggle be- labor full time for the spiritual enlighten- tween darkness and Light. ment of humanity, and to have faith in KH advises all considering this choice both the operation of Karma-Nemesis and to believe that “You will not be un- the Adepts that they will be provided for watched and uncared for, but you have upon making this choice. This decision to attract, not to repel us and our usually consists of personal and pain- chelas.”18 Within the context of chela- ful sacrifices, whether the leaving is ship, attracting the attention of the Adepts incremental or all at once. is achieved only by being resolutely The choice to abandon all and leave strong and fearless, and steadily living a home, most often a departure from that life of intuition, selflessness, purity, and which is familiar and comprises one’s compassion. And after that attraction comfort zone, is unsettling and frighten- is successful, being “watched and cared ing — a volitional dive into the unknown for” becomes the special providence of pertaining to the basics of emotional and Adept to chela, alive in the words of even physical survival. But the guiding Serapis Bey: “We keep watch over our star is that this choice ultimately inures faithful soldiers.”19 3 Endnotes 1. Williams, Jay G., Judaism, Wheaton, Illinois: Reprint, Compiled by C. Jinarâjadâsa, Adyar: Quest Books, 1980, p. 158. TPH, 2002, p. 35. 2. Blavatsky, H. P., Isis Unveiled, II, Facsimile 11. H. P. Blavatsky Collected Writings, XIV, p. 396. Ed., Point Loma, CA: Theosophical University 12. The Mahatma Letters to A. P. Sinnett, p. 473. Press, p. 374. 13. Ibid., p. 294. 3. ______, H. P. Blavatsky Collected Writings, 14. Djual Khool’s nickname was “the dis- Vol. VI, Adyar: Theosophical Publishing House inherited” because he was disinherited by his (TPH), 1954, p. 180. family when he became a chela of KH. Damodar 4. Ibid., p. 140. suffered a similar familial fate, for a similar 5. ______, Vol. IV, p. 501. reason. 6. ______, Vol. VI, p. 320–321. 15. The Mahatma Letters to A. P. Sinnett, p. 299. 7. Blavatsky H. P. The Secret Doctrine, Vol. II, 16. Letters from the Masters of the Wisdom, Facsimile Ed., Los Angeles: The Theosophy I, 7th Ed., Compiled by C. Jinarâjadâ,Adyar: Company, p. 305, fn. TPH, 2011,p. 75. 8. ______, Vol. I, p. 643. 17. The Mahatma Letters to A. P. Sinnett, p. 73. 9. The Mahatma Letters to A. P. Sinnett (chron.), 18. Mrs. Holloway and the Mahatmas, Compiled Arranged & ed. by Vicente Hao Chin, Jr., Quezon and ed. by Daniel H. Caldwell, Blavatsky Study City, Philippines: TPH, 1993, p. 198. Center, 2012, p. 123. 10. Letters from the Masters of the Wisdom, II, 4th 19. Letters from the Masters of the Wisdom, II, p. 11.
28 The Theosophist Vol. 141.1, October 2019 Animal Rights: A Scientific and Spiritual View — I Animals Are Spiritual Beings Animal Rights: A Scientific and Spiritual View — I
MICHIEL HAAS
Introduction The Qur’an is also clear about this. Over three articles I intend to provide “It is He who has made you successors an overview of how we treat animals and upon the Earth.” (Qur’an 35:39). But still, how things could be done differently. He is clear that this responsibility is not In our society animals are used as an ef- unconditional. For those who fail to meet ficient production tool, in a way that is the conditions that limit this responsi- no longer in line with the latest scienti- bility, the following applies: “Then we fic view that animals are conscious to return him to the lowest of the low.” ( varying degrees, have feelings, and can Qur’an 95:5). In short, although the suffer pain. sacred books make man ruler of the animals on Earth, those books are equally Should we use animals? clear that such responsibility comes with Who gives us the right to use animals duties. It certainly looks like today’s as a production tool and often not treat society disregards those duties. them as living beings with feelings? Is that a biblical right? God said: “Rule over the Do animals have feelings? fish of the sea and the birds of the air and Today, most scientists agree that all over every living creature that moves on vertebrates, mammals, birds, reptiles, am- the ground” (Genesis 1:28). But does it phibians, and fish, are aware to varying give us a licence to treat animals badly? degrees, have feelings, and can suffer pain. No, definitely not. God even gave the Until recently, they thought differently. Israelites laws for the welfare of animals. “Those who cannot speak, feel no pain” They had to get plenty of rest and food, — for a long time, this was the consensus to be assisted when in need, and to be in the scientific world. Until the 1980s, protected from injury (Exodus 23:4–5; doctors operated on babies who could Deuteronomy 22:10; 25:4). not speak without using anesthesia!
Mr Michiel Haas, a long-term member of the TS Adyar and an architect, switched to consulting for decades and then to professor of sustainable architecture with emphasis on climate change at TU-Delft. Then, he became interested in animal rights and a holistic view of Nature. He is active in the Adyar renovation project.
Vol. 141.1, October 2019 The Theosophist 29 Animal Rights: A Scientific and Spiritual View — I Fortunately, we now know better. Ani- breed characteristics. For science this mals do not talk, but they do suffer just was still a difficult point to acknowledge. as much. Animal suffering is affecting Biologists have long ignored such indi- us more and more. Yet the awareness of vidual variation in behaviour. In their the way in which animals suffer, because eyes, behaviour was flexible and the of us, is sadly very limited. differences between individuals were The vast majority of animal species accidental deviations. The now retired have neural warning mechanisms that behavioural physiologist from Groningen, are known by the general term “noci- the Netherlands, Jaap Koolhaas, was one ception” (pain sensing). This ensures that of the first to oppose this. He studied they are sensitive to what can damage or social behaviour in mice and rats and kill them. When they are scared, the noticed that there were major differences heartbeat of vertebrates increases. They between individuals. “Some animals al- have brain structures that resemble our ways behave more aggressively, are more limbic system, the areas that control emo- curious and braver than their counter- tions. Their behaviour and their brain parts,” he recalls. structure are proof that animals have Jaap’s colleague, Ton Groothuis, chair- consciousness. This means they feel pain. man of the Behavioural Biology depart- According to current scientific know- ment at the University of Groningen, mostly ledge, two groups of animals meet these studied great tits, which are passerine criteria: vertebrates and squids. birds, and he thinks that knowledge of the The fact that animals can grieve and hormonal and brain activity that drives therefore also have emotions is known behaviour is not sufficient to explain it. about elephants. Monkeys, whales, killer But what would they call those individual whales, giraffes, ducks and a whole host differences in their publications? Social of other species, from farm animals to styles? Behavioural syndromes? Or just pets, also show mourning behaviour. In “personality”? They settled for the latter. the summer of 2018, the grief of a killer “Everyone immediately understands what whale, that kept her baby on the surface that means”, Groothuis explains. “More- for seventeen days and made a 1,500- over, the choice was also strategic: ‘indi- mile journey with her dead offspring, vidual differences’ does not appeal to the became widely known. Then she let go imagination, but ‘personality’ does.” and began to hunt for food again with In his inaugural address in February the group in which she lived. 2019, as extraordinary professor of Animal Personality at Wageningen University & Do animals have personalities? Research in the Netherlands, Prof. Kees For people with pets it is a well-known van Oers outlined how we can treat animals fact: cats, dogs, and horses have their own better if we know their personality. The personality, while they do have the same personality of people largely determines
30 The Theosophist Vol. 141.1, October 2019 Animal Rights: A Scientific and Spiritual View — I their happiness, health, and success. And deeper layer of life. A soul knows joy of because personality is so essential in life and happiness, but also fear and pain. humans, the legitimate question arises: The American Stephen H. Webb, why should that not apply to animals? former professor of religious sciences, Piek Stor, a Dutch medium who com- said that heaven is a “restored paradise” municates with animals via telepathy, where, like Adam and Eve, humans and from ants and ticks to elephants and animals live in harmony with each other. cows, knows well the many different Webb, author of On God and Dogs: a personalities among animals, and says Christian Theology of Compassion for we can learn a lot from animals. There Animals, invoked statements from Old are very wise animals amongst them, wis- Testament prophets such as Amos, Eze- dom that is also valuable to us humans. kiel, and Micah. According to the theo- An example of the wisdom of a parrot: logian, every good relationship between humans and pets is a reflection of the Animals have a range of feelings. People situation in the afterlife. “All animals often deal with it so bluntly. The world go to God.” needs to know about this form of commu- Hinduism and Buddhism regard the nication. Tell people about us. ... We animal world, from the big four-legged want to be heard. Listen to animals! Peo- friend to the tiny insect, as their “younger ple do not have the exclusive right to speak. brothers”. H. P. Blavatsky writes in her (Piek Stor, In the Silence article “Have Animals Souls?” (The Theo- You Hear Everything) sophist, January 1886): Do animals have a soul? Verily when the world feels convinced — In Judaism, people believe that animals and it cannot avoid coming one day to such have souls. However, many Christians a conviction — that animals are creatures do not believe this. Yet there are clear in- as eternal as we ourselves, vivisection and dications in the Bible that animals have other permanent tortures, daily inflicted on a soul. the poor brutes, will, after calling forth an And God said, “Let the land produce outburst of maledictions and threats from living creatures according to their kinds: society generally, force all Governments the livestock, the creatures that move to put an end to those barbarous and shame- along the ground, and the wild animals, ful practices. each according to its kind. And it was According to Rudolf Steiner, the founder so.” (Genesis 1:24). of the Anthroposophical Society, there is Unfortunately, the idea that animals an important difference between humans do not have a soul has often led to many and animals. Man has an individual ego, forms of animal abuse. The soul is seen in while this does not apply to animals. Judaism as a secret of God and reveals the Members of a (non-human) animal species
Vol. 141.1, October 2019 The Theosophist 31 Animal Rights: A Scientific and Spiritual View — I all share the same collective ego. In that ther. A modern Tibetan Buddhist would sense there is therefore no soul for each probably say that one’s mother is unlikely animal individually, because an animal to reincarnate as a worm. These Tibetan has no self of its own. However, both an actions are symbolic to illustrate how we animal and a human have an astral body. should feel compassion for all living Animal communicator Piek Stor, men- things and treat them like our beloved tioned earlier, fully supports the theo- family. It also questions whether our sophical vision in a very nuanced way. In souls climb an evolutionary ladder across her conversations with the animals, the many species. latter usually indicate that they are part of Craig Hamilton-Parker is a well-known a group and that there is a spokesperson British psychic medium. He shows clair- that represents the group soul. But that voyance on television in England and the does not apply to all animals, there are United States, and is the author of many absolutely real individuals present, for books about paranormal and dream in- example when she talks to a lion or a terpretation. In his article “What Hap- bison or an elephant, but also the cat and pens to Animals When They Die?” he the dog are often true individuals, who are writes the following: only connected to the group soul by a My spirit guide has told us about what long line. She also sees a big distinction happens to animals when they die. They between species. Ants are busy and very say that animals do not all survive as indi- aware. A tick is hardly aware and only vidual identities after death. Some merge wants to suck and then drop down, and to what he calls a “group consciousness”. then wait and start over again — so, a very Their spirits return to a collective aware- low level of consciousness. ness for that particular species and from this pool of awareness different animal Can animals reincarnate? souls are born. It is only when an animal Radha Burnier, international President becomes self-aware that its soul continues of the Theosophical Society for 33 years, after death and starts the long process of was very concerned about animal wel- climbing the evolutionary ladder towards fare, but she had no trouble killing a human and angelic consciousness. mosquito. “They reincarnate quickly”, was her explanation. This image is confirmed by many other The Tibetans were in the habit of mediums. sifting the ground before a temple was Because there is hardly any scientific built so that no living creature, not even a research into reincarnation in animals, we worm, would be harmed. The Tibetans have to get our information mainly from believed that souls can reincarnate in mediums. A wonderful story about a any living form and that a worm in a dog’s reincarnation comes from the book previous life could have been one’s mo- Pets Have Souls Too by Jenny Smedley,
32 The Theosophist Vol. 141.1, October 2019 Animal Rights: A Scientific and Spiritual View — I an English reincarnation therapist. In the home after the holiday. And here comes book she tells the story of Teacup, a small the moment where we could almost speak and ugly mutt with a naughty character. of evidence of reincarnation. The man The dog was part of the family; she sat at made a cup of tea for his wife in the after- the table in her own chair and had a very noon and came out of the kitchen with bad habit. She loved custard-cream cookies the cup and two custard-cream cookies. and would do anything to get one. So, she Like a bolt of lightning, the dog shot off would sneak up from behind the chair and the seat next to her, clutching the cookies whip the cookie out of your hand at the in his mouth, and disappeared behind the speed of a thieving seagull and eat it. couch to enjoy it. But one day Teacup died, leaving a big gap in her owners’ hearts. They did not Conclusion want to get another dog because it felt A large number of scientists have like they would be betraying her. A few come to the conclusion that all vertebrates, years later the couple went on holiday to mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and a deserted area in the Lake District, where fish, are conscious to varying degrees, they had been going on holiday for years. have feelings, and can suffer pain. From One day they heard a scratching at the a spiritual perspective there appears to door and found a beautiful fur ball outside be a strong suggestion that animals have the door, wanting to go inside. The woman a soul, often a group soul, but there are opened the door and the dog ran inside certainly animals that have already been and jumped on a chair at the table and sat individualised. And there are clear indi- down opposite the man who was still cations of reincarnation of animals, as sitting at the table for breakfast as if she appears from conversations with these had always done that. animals by animal communicators. All The owners asked around the neigh- this knowledge should have consequen- bourhood if anyone knew this dog, but ces in our dealings with animals. no one had lost a dog, so they took him (To be continued)
Life is as precious to us as it is for an animal. An animal is as loving, caring, and kind to her children as we are. She might not be able to tell us but she can express it through her eyes and expressions. She feels joy and happiness. She is helpless in our cruel hands and vulnerable to our vicious greed. Let us be kind to animals. Let us learn to feel their pain. Dr Debasish Mridha, Physician Michigan Advanced Neurology Center, USA
Vol. 141.1, October 2019 The Theosophist 33 William Quan Judge William Quan Judge
ENEIDA CARBONELL
THE entity called William Quan Judge refusing to assimilate glimpses of the truth became cofounder of the Theosophical that these founders proposed to introduce. Society (TS) along with Helena Petrovna HPB was the elected entity of the Blavatsky (HPB) and Colonel Henry White Brotherhood (“white” implying Steel Olcott on 17 November 1875, the purity, not color), or Himalayan Brother- day chosen to form this Society with 14 hood, for the transmission of the Ageless other persons who did not remain firm Wisdom teachings. All her life unfolded in this endeavor like the first three. in such a way that the necessary requi- This is the reason why Olcott clarifies sites toward this end could be achieved, in his book, Old Diary Leaves: History of but this would require a firm and legiti- the Theosophical Society, that 17 Novem- mate support for the work. So They chose ber was merely the date of formation of a courageous North American, Col H. S. the TS, because its founding could only Olcott. The encounter was carefully pre- be realized on a stable foundation, the pared and took place at the Eddy Farm, result of several years of work and ab- located in the city of Chittenden, in negation. The TS, which actually has an Vermont, United States. This encounter, enormous scope, could only be formed which began with ordinary situations of initially as a Society for occult inves- life, would seal a true friendship, accom- tigations animated by a Mr George Felt, panied by an unwavering purpose for who was presenting a series of lectures them both. on Egyptology. It was also indispensable to have an The great purpose was not glimpsed advanced disciple who could understand, with clarity, but its internal founders realize, and disseminate the offered teach- did know what was the scope of this ings, and the first person who presented founding. They needed egos sufficiently himself in the scene with these magni- evolved for this delicate task who could ficent qualities was known as William withstand the blows of a world which Quan Judge. According to his biography, was, at that time, completely superstiious, he was of Irish origin, born in Dublin on low -ranking materialistic or spiritualistic, 13 April 1851, but it is well known that at
Mrs Eneida Carbonell, originally from Cuba, is a long-standing member of España Lodge, American Section of the TS. Translated from her book, Reflexiones Teosóficas, 2012.
34 The Theosophist Vol. 141.1, October 2019 William Quan Judge the age of seven, when he was declared Coulombs couple. But, faced with such as having no vital signs, suddenly, to the adversity, he showed his internal strength, astonishment of all present, he came back tirelessly working, writing theosophical to life with a personality completely dif- articles for his journal, The Path, and ferent from his usual one, to which all valuable books such as The Ocean of his relatives had to adapt themselves. Theosophy, Letters that Have Helped Me, From that moment onward Judge dis- and others. All this he did in the short played knowledge that he had never been free time allowed by his profession as taught, and would inquire into topics attorney, given that since 1872, when he completely foreign to his previous per- finished his legal studies, he had always sonality: now he was a tireless reader, been active in his commercial law career. revealing a fondness for books dealing As mentioned earlier, Judge was dis- with mesmerism, phrenology, religion, seminating Theosophy in America com- magic, Rosicrucianism, the Book of pletely alone, since his two principal Revelation, and so on. This is perhaps cofounders relocated to India in Decem- why, when HPB met him, she may have ber 1878. The process of attracting other recognized in him the entity that lived in people to join him in the theosophical Judge during meetings that were held work was very slow, as theosophical in Tibet while she was living there. activity was almost nil. But he persevered If we observe the development of in maintaining a close link with HPB by the life of this entity in the body of Judge, correspondence and some or other trip we see that it was directed toward a tre- abroad that he took in order to meet her. mendous spiritual strengthening. This was When he finally succeeded in esta- because, in the first place, his physical blishing a theosophical center in New body never fully recovered since the York City, and the work there increased day that it was declared lifeless, show- considerably, he abandoned his profes- ing a very fragile constitution. At an early sion and dedicated himself entirely to age he lost the support of his mother, who Theosophy, travelling to different states transitioned, and when he was an ado- in North America, disseminating these lescent, Judge’s father disincarnated. teachings. In this work many helpers Later he got married, and at a young joined him, who became his fans and age his only daughter also lost her life, followers. He also travelled to South which was followed by the collapse of America, where he contracted an illness his marriage. which further debilitated his already When he joined the theosophical ranks, fragile condition. it was his duty to defend the cause of Theo- In July 1894 Judge traveled to sophy in America for a long time, com- London to have a private meeting with pletely by himself, and this was during the several theosophists who doubted the period in which HPB was defamed by the authenticity of a letter that he said he
Vol. 141.1, October 2019 The Theosophist 35 William Quan Judge had received from the Masters of the This development affected Judge, but, Wisdom. In that meeting, those present as he had sufficient internal strength, concluded that the letter in question he did not react negatively. However, easily seemed not to have originated his sympathizers did react, provoking from the Masters, but they agreed to the first division between theosophists, keep the matter among themselves. in which Judge did not participate. Soon Yet the next day one of those who at- his physical health collapsed, and on tended the private meeting published 21 March 1896 he abandoned the phys- in the Westminster Gazette a satirical se- ical plane at the age of forty-five, leav- ries of articles referring to the conclusion ing behind an immense theosophical reached at that meeting, making public work in America and many admirers what had been agreed to be kept private. to this day. 3
The ancients celebrated four holy seasons: the winter solstice, the spring equinox, the summer solstice, and the autumnal equinox. First comes the Great Birth, the winter — the birth of the sun when he first begins to reassume his powers of light, when his journey to the South is over, and he begins to retrace his journey back to the North. And then comes Adolescence at the spring equinox, when the laws of life and light begin magically to work on the Earth. Trees burgeon, flowers spring forth, Nature begins to sing with the new elements of life coursing through her veins. And in the summertime comes the Great Temptation, or the great trial which a man always undergoes in maturity and full power of his strength, determining whether he goes up or down; for in the summertime likewise the fruits are ready for the harvest. Grain has been cut and stored. Nature is rich and powerful, overflowing with her exuberance of vitality. And then comes the fourth sacred season, that of the autumn equinox, when the sun, as it were, seems to take leave of the northern regions and pursues his journey southward. The days shorten, the nights lengthen, chills come upon the Earth, the leaves fall, the sap retreats from twig, leaf, branch, and stock, into the roots. Rest comes and peace. And this was called the season of the Great Passing. G. de Purucker Studies in Occult Philosophy
36 The Theosophist Vol. 141.1, October 2019 Theosophical Work around the World Theosophical Work around the World
USA — Online School of Theosophy is used for education in business, non- Modern society imposes an extremely profit, government, and communities hectic life and long working hours on a around the world. vast number of people, so many coun- The OST presents, in a systematic tries are steadily witnessing falling way, the wealth of theosophical teachings rates of volunteerism and engagement available. The courses are built on multi- with community organizations.1 The media resources (videos, audios, texts, Theosophical Society (TS) is of course and more) that TS members and sym- not immune to this trend, which poses pathizers are able to enjoy in the comfort a challenge to finding new and appro- of their home at any time. priate ways of bringing theosophical A typical course is composed of a teachings to an increasingly busy popula- series of “units”, consisting of the fol- tion. When looking at how educational lowing elements: organizations are responding to the cur- 1) A video recording by an esteemed rent conditions, we see that the main theosophical teacher. strategy is the development of online 2) A reading assignment (an article or learning, also known as “e-learning”. chapter from a book), to supplement the This new modality is booming, and is information shared in the video. currently considered to be the future of 3) A series of quizzes (True/False, education by those in market research.2 Multiple Choice, Fill in the Blank, Drag Therefore, the Theosophical Society and Drop activities, and more) where in America and the Krotona Institute students are able to self-evaluate their of Theosophy (KIT), with the generous understanding. support of the Kern Foundation, are 4) A proposed exercise of medita- collaborating to develop a new Online tive inquiry. School of Theosophy (OST) under the 5) Additional resources in the form direction of Dr Pablo Sender, residing at of articles, audios, and videos, to help KIT. The OST is a learning portal that of- deepen the exploration of the subject. fers theosophical courses on “Moodle” Since the OST is hosted online, it can — a sleek online platform designed to offer courses by teachers from all over enhance the learning experience, which the world, allowing students to take ad-
1
Vol. 141.1, October 2019 The Theosophist 37 Theosophical Work around the World vantage of the best resources that the TS in Adyar (Chennai, India, 1882), The has to offer internationally, regardless of Manor (Sydney, Australia, 1911), and where they live. Additionally, the material the Krotona Institute of Theosophy (Ojai, provided in these courses can become an California, 1924), each represent-ing important resource to aid the work of different aspects of the work. theosophical groups. In 1988 a formal relationship with The development of content is under- Adyar was created between the Naarden way. At present, an 8-unit beginners’ Centre and the President of the TS, who course, “Introduction to Theosophy”, also became President of the Centre, and four 4-unit courses for intermediate strengthening its role as the European students are available. home of the TS. Further, the General On
38 The Theosophist Vol. 141.1, October 2019 Theosophical Work around the World Convention-related Announcements need to be sent, like registrations, no The announcements below from later than 1 December 2019. the international Secretary, Ms Marja Another choice available is to attend a Artamaa, may be of interest to those retreat at the Krishnamurti Foun- planning to attend the upcoming 144th dation Centre in Rajghat, Varanasi, from International Convention to be held 24 to 30 December, about which you this time at the Headquarters of the Indian may ask for details when you submit the Section in Varanasi, not Adyar, from 31 Convention registration form. December 2019 to 5 January 2020: Note that the International Youth The last date for registering to at- Convention (ages 18–45) takes place at tend the Convention in Varanasi is 30 Adyar, the TS International Headquar- November 2019. Those attending will ters, from 27 to 29 December 2019. Last have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to day to register is 15 December 2019. explore the spiritual capital of India, In summary, the list of events is as follows: Varanasi (formerly Benares, or Kasi), on ♦ 24–30.12.2019 = International Retreat the banks of the river Ganga (Ganges) at KFI, Rajghat, Varanasi. by attending an excursion preceding the ♦ 27–29.12.2019 = International Youth International Convention, on either 29 Convention at Adyar. or 30 December 2019. These are ♦ identical full-day excursions to sacred 29.12.2019 = Excursion to sacred places places at and near Varanasi. You may in Varanasi. register for either one of those two days ♦ 30.12.2019 = Excursion to sacred places for Rs. 2,500, which does not include food in Varanasi. during the excursion, nor is it included in ♦ 31.12.2019–5.1.2020 = International the Convention package. Payments Convention in Varanasi. 3
A good thought is perpetuated as an active beneficent power; an evil one as a maleficent demon. And so man is continually peopling his current in space with a world of his own, crowded with the offsprings of his fancies, desires, impulses, and passions, a current which reacts upon any sensitive and/or nervous organisation which comes in contact with it in proportion to its dynamic intensity. The Buddhist calls this his “skandha,” the Hindu gives it the name of “karma”; the Adept evolves these shapes consciously, other men throw them off unconsciously. KH to A. O. Hume 1 Nov. 1880
Vol. 141.1, October 2019 The Theosophist 39 mail.com @g [email protected] .of [email protected] [email protected] sociedadteosoficachile Email address [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] tsfr [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] gentina Ar eosófica African Theosophist eosófica Chilena est eozofija eozófia eosofi eosofía en Selección T Le Lotus Bleu Theosofi Le Lotus Bleu Revista T T Newsletter The Indian Theosophist The Theosophical Light Gangleri Magazine T Sophia T Adyar Ilisos The Light Bearer T The South African Theosophist Theosophy in Australia The W Theosofie Adyar … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … A hlkreis ü s (1405) Auckland é ve, 09, A W ADOR estlands, , Kamachha, V 02/ R W T .Lothbury SAL t., 106 71-Athens ironkatu 7 C 2, Fin 00170, , BC V , EL ve, cnr A venue, No. 03-04 ves. 12–14, S.E. San Jos ancouver venue Centre, Singapore 387 603 A A V A oukourestiou S treatley aranasi 221 010 Theosophical Society V Estacion Central, Santiago Bagmari Road, Kolkata 700 054 Helsinki Desa Purwodadi, Kecamatan 67163 Pasuruan, Jawa Timur V CEP 70200-630 Brasilia (DF) North San Juan Puerto Rico Apartado 23 00926 Mejia, Poligono, E-7 Mejicanos, San Salvador Sims Nairobi, Kenya Park, Johannesburg PO Box 91523 eosofinen Seura, Calle 38, Carrera 6, # 56-40, Bogotá (Chapinero Alto) Place des Gueux 8, B1000 Brussels 4 Square Rapp, 75007 Paris Casilla 11 Sucursal Paseo Estacion, Siget 11, 10000 Zagreb, Republic of Croatia Pje. Florencio Balcarce 71, Buenos Aire 97 Mountsandel Road, Coleraine, UK BT52 1T PO Box 1257 Ingolfsstraeti 22, 121 Reykjavik Dsn. Parelegi no. 21, R PO Box 14525. 00800, 540 Sims B/4-3, Iswarchandra Nibas, 68/1, Pasaje Jauregui No. 2255, La Paz SGAS Quadra 603, N. 20, The Hauptstr. 39, 93138 Lappersdorf Address # 12-1475 Deep Cove Rd. T 25 H-1085 Budapest, Horánszky u. 27. fsz. 10 50 Gloucester Place, London W1U 8EA Calle Santa Agueda 1652 Les Chalet Col Apartado de Correos 6365, La Habana 10600 Colonia Universitaria Norte, Calle Julio Level 2, 162 Goulburn St., Surry Hills, NSW 2010 31 S Oberbaumgarten 25, 4204 Haibach im M PO Box 720, Accra, Ghana … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … I N T E R A O L D C Y
rez é , etc. an Osta . Fernández P V uononvirta V Aguayo V ictor Sonia Montecinos Rojas Darko Majstorovic Jón Ellert Benediktsson Pradeep H. Gohil V Mrs Ligia Montiel Mr Carlos Mr Antonio Martinez Mrs Sabine Mrs Jeannine (Nano) Leguay Mr Mr Mrs Marie Harkness Mr Mr Widyatmoko Mr Mr Narendra M. Shah Mr Chong Sanne Mr B. L. Bhattacharya Mrs Mrs Manuela Kaulich General Secretary Mrs Maryse DeCoste Dr Alexandros Bousoulengas Mr Janos Szabari Mr Janne Mrs Jenny Baker Mr Sergio Carvalho de Moraes,Jr Mrs Magaly Polanco Mr Esteban Langlois Mrs Beatriz Elisena Mrs Linda Oliveira Mr Desmond Chapman Mr Albert Schichl Mr John Osmond Boakye … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … Martinez Pozas … … … … … … … … est p W Central * Central Costa Rica † Cuba Colombia † Croatia Belgium France Chile * Ireland * Iceland Brazil Indonesia India Section Africa, East and Asia, East and Bangladesh † Bolivia Germany Canada * Greece Hungary † Finland England Dominican Rep. † Argentina Southeast † America, Australia Africa, South Africa, Austria * ate 891 928 1997 1905 1937 2007 1911 1899 1920 1919 1921 1920 1912 1 D 1947 1920 1990 2013 1965 1902 1924 1 1907 1907 1888 1987 1929 1895 1909 1956 1912
40 The Theosophist Vol. 141.1, October 2019 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] imbr enie eosofia [email protected] [email protected] pr eosófico isdom Africa. Email: idlös V eosoficheskoe Obozr eozofska Misel TheoSophia Theosofia The Sri Lanka Theosophist Sophia (The Theosophical Review) Sophia Rivista Italiana di T Heraldo T T The Quest T The Philippine Theosophist Or Circles T Svitoch The Lotus Osiris The Karachi Theosophist Búsqueda 70200-630 – Brazil. Email: Australia Email: … … … … … … … … … … . … … … … … … … … … , , CEP Lodge attached to Adyar p 1018 indsor E 2194, South treets, W , 14 abacalera T Amsterdam Stockholm . 06030 region venue, Ascona, CH-6612 Adeta A o, 10 B, 1150-202 Lisboa VM eyseer Services Company ã ve. Orlando, Florida, treet, Concord, 2137, Sydney 76, v T fica de Portugal, A , ê ó Abidjan 23 ., BP alldoreix(Spain) , 85-87 ork , Manila , LL61 6NX UK eos Est , Moscow V icenza ficer .T Y é T V Presidential Agency . Florentino and Iba S † . 3924, all d’or A.R.T .O. Box 2431, Doha V Miss Trân-Thi-Kim-Diêu, 67 Rue des Pommiers, F-45000 Orleans, France. Email: B. P 08197 - Casilla de Correos 1553, Montevideo Piso 12, Apto. 122 – Caracas Anglesey 36100 Rua Jos San Juan, Puerto Rico 00936-1766 Mytischi P . iale Quintino Sella, 83/E, ia Collina 19, 6612 v Republica de Portugal 152, Breña, Lima 5 opougon, 23 Rue Princesse olsraat 154, 1074 Ulriksborgveien 10, 1533 Moss 18, Belvedere Street, Epsom, Auckland 1051 Ignacio Mariscal 126, Col. T Mexicana, Mexico, D.F 146 Anderson Rd, Dehiwala, Y Javier Barrios Amorín 1085, Romualda a Socarrás, Edif. de Oro Bryn Adda, Brynsiencyn, Llanfairpwll, V S.O., opp. Radio Pakistan, Karachi 74200 Sociedade Av Apartado 36-1766 Correo General. PO Box 270, Wheaton, IL 60187-0270 32803-1838, USA Quezon City Corner P 159-52, Novomytischinsky prospekt, PO Box 9114, Ramat-Gan, Israel 5219002 Crewing Of 28 Great King Street, Edinburgh, EH3 6QH Kajuhova UI 9, 3000 Celje Karla Plan 5 B, 11460 V Office 3, 7-A Zhylianska St., Kiev 01033 1606 New Jamshed Memorial Hall, M. A. Jinnah Road, Carandayty 572, 1621, Asunción A … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … . … … … … … … … … Chairman: om Davis, 9 Ronean, 38 Princess T ocieties: Mrs Isis M. B. Resende, SGAS 603 conj. E s/n. Brasilia-DF Mr Mr Gerard Brennan, 42 Melbourne S anigasekera Regional Association orra Buron * esident: orales W T T Pr orstermans esident: V Pr A. L. Chairman: Angels
Carlos Guerra Mr Andreas Mikael Isberg Mr John Mr Enrique Sanchez Mr Wim Leys Mr D. Mr Pierre-Magloire Kouahoh Mrs Ema Ma. de Souza Leal Mrs Nelly Nouel Mrs Julie Cunningham Mr Antonio Girardi Mr Kouma Dakey Mr Mrs Mrs Magaly Polanco Mr Charlton Romero Mr Alexey Besputin Mr Abraham Oron Mr Lijo Joseph Mr Stuart Trotter Mrs Irena Primc Mrs Birgitta Skarbo Mr Andrea Biasca-Caroni Mrs Svitlana Gavrylenko Mr Carl Metzger Mrs Isabel Dr Barbara B. Hebert Mr Julio Pomar Calderón … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …… … … … … … … … … … … … … … p p Theosophical Federation: p p Theosophical Federation: Theosophical Federation: to the date of formation ales * enezuela † ogo * Norway * New Zealand Mexico Netherlands, The Sri Lanka † Ivory Coast * Uruguay * V W Italy T Paraguay Portugal Spain Puerto Rico † Pakistan † Philippines, The Russia † Israel Orlando Qatar Scotland * Slovenia * Sweden Switzerland † Ukraine * USA Peru † -American ate refers 1913 1896 1919 1897 1926 The Council of the European Federation National S Inter D 1997 Indo-Pacific Pan-African 1925 1925 1922 1902 1997 1925 1921 1921 1925 1948 1933 2013 1954 1935 2012 1910 1992 1895 1910 2013 1886 1924
Vol. 141.1, October 2019 The Theosophist 41 . Air $ 20 $ 20 Mail YEARS 5 - - 100 Mail Theosophical Society `` `` ` Surface The TS, at the $ 5 Air $ 5 $ 10 $ 45 AR NEWSLETTER Mail ADY , Chennai (TS), - - ANNUAL AR, CHENNAI 600 020, INDIA TES -- 25 Mail A ` Adyar Surface , R ADY
) . Gopalan, ‘Chit Sabha’, V (`) (`) (`) (`) (`) 13
15 --- Air Mail 20 $ 70 $ 1 $ 170 UPEE YEARS R 5 - - - Theosophical Society 450 Mail AND September ` Surface The TS, and Printed by Mr PUBLISHING HOUSE, .org/magazines.html> - : US $ $ 15 $ 25 $ 35 Air Mail , Chennai (Madras) 600 020, India, on behalf of the President, THE THEOSOPHIST ` Surface THEOSOPHICAL venue, A THE im Boyd, ‘Olcott Bungalow’, UBSCRIPTIONS : T S Africa. The Theosophist Y Australia, aiwan, South Edited by Mr T Some issues of Published by Mr S. Harihara Raghavan, ‘Arundale’, TS, Besant Garden, COUNTR America. Asian countries and America, Japan, Please send the Subscription to asanta Press, V Russia, Poland, Eastern Europe, and CIS (former USSR States), Central and South India All other North New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Korea, European Union and other Non-Eastern European countries; the Middle East, and Pacific Islands. 42 The Theosophist Vol. 141.1, October 2019 RECENT REPRINTS KUNDALINI — AN OCCULT EXPERIENCE George S. Arundale One effect of kundalini is to intensify the sense of unity. The author describes his personal observation that one can feed kundalini by the manner of one’s living — physical, emotional, mental, and beyond. One can help others when one has discovered how to help oneself. FORTHCOMING REPRINTS CLAIRVOYANCE C. W. Leadbeater The author explores the nature of clairvoyance, partial and full clairvoyance as well as clairvoyance in space and time, plus methods of development. The style of presentation is simple and objective. THE CHAKRAS C. W. Leadbeater The chakras, subtle organs in the body channelling psychic energies and vital forces, serve as a link between the physical, psychic, and superphysical states of consciousness. They are likened to many-petalled flowers and wheel-like vortices, appearing in vivid colours like blazing, coruscating whirlpools, and their nature and functions are described here with colour illustrations. BOOKS ON DEVOTION THE DOCTRINE OF THE HEART A Compilation with a Foreword by Annie Besant These are mainly extracts from letters received by Annie Besant from Indian friends. They contain thoughts that have been found helpful, and worth sharing with others. They are intended for those who seek to learn to separate head-learning from soul-wisdom and to live the higher life. For catalogue, enquiries, and orders, write to: THE THEOSOPHICAL PUBLISHING HOUSE 1, Besant Avenue, Adyar, Chennai - 600 020, India Tel: (+91-44) 2491-1338; Book Shop: (+91-44) 2446-3442 Twitter: twitter.com/tphindia // E-mail: [email protected] Websites: ts-adyar.org & adyarbooks.com Online Bookstore: amazon.in: Seller - TPH Adyar Facebook: facebook.com/tphadyar // WhatsApp: (+91) 86103-65836 43