THE THEOSOPHIST VOL. 131 NO. 1 OCTOBER 2009 CONTENTS On the Watch-Tower 3 Radha Burnier Theosophy for a New Generation of Inquirers 7 Colin Price An Emerging World View 12 Shirley J. Nicholson What is Theosophy? 15 H. P. Blavatsky Theosophy for a New Generation of Enquirers 23 Surendra Narayan The Eternal Values of the Divine Wisdom 28 Bhupendra R. Vora The Theosophist: Past is Prologue 32 John Algeo Fragments of the Ageless Wisdom 37 The Theosophical Society for a New Generation of Enquirers 38 Dara Tatray Back to Blavatsky will Fossilize Theosophy Forwards with Blavatsky will Vitalize Theosophy 43 Edi D. Bilimoria Statement by Members Assembled in Brasilia, July 2009 51 International Directory 54 Editor: Mrs Radha Burnier NOTE: Articles for publication in The Theosophist should be sent to the Editorial Office. Cover: H. P. Blavatsky. Montage including cover of The Theosophist, 1882 Adyar Archives Official organ of the President, founded by H. P. Blavatsky, 1879. The Theosophical Society is responsible only for official notices appearing in this magazine. THE THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY Founded 17 November 1875 President: Mrs Radha Burnier Vice-President: Mrs Linda Oliveira Secretary: Mrs Kusum Satapathy Treasurer: Miss Keshwar Dastur Headquarters: ADYAR, CHENNAI (MADRAS) 600 020, INDIA Emails: Below Secretary: [email protected] Treasury: [email protected] Fax: (+91-44) 2446-3464 Adyar Library and Research Centre: [email protected] Theosophical Publishing House: [email protected] & [email protected] Fax: (+91-44) 2490-1399 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 Societys 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. ² On the Watch-Tower RADHA BURNIER Life as a Whole makes all the difference between the Theosophy, it is said, has two sides to Theosophist and one who has no ac- it. One caters to people who are concerned quaintance at all with a view of life which about how to deal with the small problems comprehends not only this life, but life that come up in life. These are worrying as a whole, including the prospects which to the minds of those who regard what he will have to face under different matters in the immediate as of great, if not conditions in other lives. utmost, importance. They have in mind Life as a whole includes what we might some solutions or attitudes which make regard as non-existent or frightening or a the problems loom larger than they are relief, depending on the level which we in fact. Then there is a smaller group of have reached at present. To those who are real enquirers who look at these problems, not frightened, intuition can point to the big or small, in the light of questions which nature of the larger life which includes refer to life in its depth. This larger view both the one we are about to leave, and of life is more difficult, of course, to hitherto unknown beauties which we will accept and adopt. None of us can be sure delve into as we proceed on the journey. that we are taking into account everything First of all there may be an awareness that that needs to be considered. But by looking all life is undivided. Many problems in at small things in a large perspective there this life are created by imagining that it is gradually come into the mind matters that the only life; or we imagine that we shall really pertain to life as a whole. be pleasantly settled in a beautiful land So, the generation of enquirers whom which we had not imagined earlier. But we have to deal with is not really com- the idea of moving on may not affect the posed of only one type of person. There minds of many people. When they do, are those who are far-sighted and regard they perceive little glimpses of the real the questions which come up in one life nature of existence. in the perspective of a larger existence, When there is no division in the mind and there are those who consider the between this and another life and living is problems of this life, isolated from an a flow not stagnation from one set extensive experience of this and other of circumstances to another, then life conditions in which we have to live. This becomes different. The eyes begin to see October 2009 3 The Theosophist in a different way. It is then only that we The Category of Mental Knowledge realize the most important truth of The other category of people know Theosophy that there is but one life; there about some truths mentally and may is no division between this and another even believe in them to an extent. But they life, between this and other seemingly revert back to the mundane existence different versions and so forth. This is the much of the time and completely forget real beginning of knowledge to know what they know mentally at other times. that we are non-different from everything To these people Theosophy is a philo- else. The little beetle, the birds that fly in sophy known intellectually, but not the air, fishes which play and live in water, really. They do accept that there can be all kinds of animals, and ourselves form a change of consciousness which can part of one life. The distortion caused by make life different, but they do not division into numerous or innumerable experience it; they only know about it. parts, which affects the outlook of people When we speak about a Theosophist, who live the ordinary life is more than we sometimes mean one who belongs to a distortion. It is like a dream, very real at this category or to the other, so there is the moment but which will disappear in confusion. A Theosophist is really one no time if right action is taken. who has a deep conviction of other This is the difference that takes place worlds and does not have to be told about when our life is seen as a part of the whole. them. When he speaks to an enquirer, it And this difference is one of conscious- is something of which he knows and so ness, not a difference in what we see. It is he communicates, not something which said that the enlightened person sees he has heard and talks about. So when the life which is in front of us as we speak to an enquirer, do we speak embodying the most beautiful truth of the with a clear voice or with much know- sacredness of things. This is one of the ledge of a mental kind not the real well-known statements from sources Knowledge which makes a person which we cannot perceive at present, but different, even if he is aware of it partly, of which we may gain glimpses. not wholly. This is the question which we The new vision may change and have to ask ourselves. reappear but it will make much difference The more we have of real Knowledge to the person who experiences the new the more effective can our contact be state of consciousness. The whole under- with those who do not know. This is standing of life will be different when he not a matter of explaining better, of becomes aware of the unity of it. saying things which would appeal, and Compared to this, all other knowing is so forth.