THE THEOSOPHIST
VOL. 134 NO. 8 MAY 2013
CONTENTS
Beauty and Goodness 3 Radha Burnier The Future is Now 7 P. Krishna The Eternal Now 15 Marcos Resende The Study of The Secret Doctrine 19 Mary Anderson Work for the Common Cause 25 H. P. Blavatsky Core Teachings of Buddhism 26 Binay Krishna Why Be Vegetarian 32 Jan Jelle Keppler; Vimal Balachander Theosophical Work around the World 36 International Directory 38
Editor: Mrs Radha Burnier
NOTE: Articles for publication in The Theosophist should be sent to the Editorial Office. Cover: A squirrel sips nectar from a Cork Tree flower — www.ts.adyar.org
Official organ of the President, founded by H. P. Blavatsky, 1879. The Theosophical Society is responsible only for official notices appearing in this magazine.
1 THE THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY Founded 17 November 1875 President: Mrs Radha Burnier Vice-President: Mr M. P. Singhal Secretary: Mrs Kusum Satapathy Treasurer: Mr T. S. Jambunathan Headquarters: ADYAR, CHENNAI (MADRAS) 600 020, INDIA Secretary: [email protected] Treasury: [email protected] 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 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.
2 Beauty and Goodness Beauty and Goodness
RADHA BURNIER
IN Plato’s works, Socrates is described innocence in a child as art. Art is the arti- as teaching the disciples by questioning ficial creation of man as opposed to the them as to the meaning of words of fund- works and wonders of nature. amental importance, like love and beauty. In the museums of the world, many As definitions were offered, he critically curious works find a place among objects examined them and pointed out the of art — patches of colour jumbled up, a fallacies in the conceptions leading to the caricature of the human figure with an eye definitions. Such a method and critical in the stomach, or a nose at the back of evaluation was also adopted by the Buddha the head, and works of so-called sculpture and other teachers of ancient times. which are incomprehensibly unattractive Most of us, if we were asked to do so, to all except the few. There is also music would find it difficult to define such words which sounds like noise, or shatters the as beauty and goodness, so as to take nerves. A modern poet remarked: in the depth of implication and the true He fiddles with the works of God import of the terms. But an attempt along And makes them look uncommon odd. this direction can be extremely rewarding, enabling us to journey into fields of thought In many of these cases, one may find till now unknown and into a validity of an exhibition of ingenuity or skill and experience which brooks no contradiction, the desire for intellectual or emotional for it is only meditative experience of the stimulation, resulting in ugliness, not quality in question which makes it possible beauty. A true work of art may show to give a true definition. extraordinary skill, but in addition it has We will briefly try to examine what is to arise from a state of mind which is aware art and what is the place of beauty in it. of beauty and is able to communicate it to One could say that ordinarily art refers to others. Where the quality of beauty is creations by man intended to be beautiful. lacking, although there may be intellectual It is obvious that all that is beautiful is not or moral satisfaction, the pleasure of the art, for we do not refer to natural beauties emotions, the fulfilment of self-expression such as the trees and the flowers, the sky or anything else, the activity or creation and the stars, or the beauty of character is not art. in a human being or the loveliness of Poetry has been described as ‘lyrical
May 2013 3 The Theosophist intuition’ — lyrical because it is imbued delight of the branches which droop and with feeling. Vâlmiki, the first among poise deliciously in midair. We extend poets in the Sanskrit tradition, was able equally to lifeless things these feelings to create his magnificent work of art, the which lend them meaning. And by such epic Râmâyana, when he was moved by feelings we transform the inert masses of a strong feeling for the sorrow of a bird a building into so many limbs of a living which had lost its mate. The at-one-ment body, a body experiencing inner strains he experienced with the bird led him into which we transport back into ourselves. a meditation out of which resulted the (Lotze) poem which has inspired and still inspires So the artist has the capacity to feel millions of people all over India. Such an from the inside. But as we all know, he outflow of sympathetic feeling can exist can do this without being a thinker, for even the inanimate things of Nature. without understanding what he does, and It is possible in some way to enter into the without manifesting a virtue he portrays. very being of things. He may sing of a courageous soul in To imagine things as they are for inspiring tones although ‘he may not be themselves is tantamount to imagining endowed with great practical courage; he what they would be if they had an obscure may even betray signs of timidity and consciousness of their own existence. cowardice’; but for the time being he feels Now we have only one way of thus the dignity of courage. imagining things from inside, and that is, This ‘lyrical intuition’ or feeling of one- to put ourselves inside them. (Souriau) ness is a limited form of goodness. It exists adulterated with a desire for fame or im- The possibility of putting ourselves mortality, envy and jealousy, instability ‘inside’ things and feeling as they do, is and insensitivity, and other traits com- not limited to creatures which are akin monly found in artists. The artistic to us, that is, other human beings. Even temperament is well known to be volatile birds which sing in flight may seem akin and uncontrolled. It is also a curious thing to us, or a tree which grows and expands, that an artist who sees and creates beauty enjoys the warmth of the sun or is buffeted in a particular object or field can be totally by a storm. But it is possible to enter into incapable of responding to beauty in other the inward being even of a rock or stone, things or in another field. He can be quite or the earth as it receives rain after a insensitive to the charm of Nature. Even parched day. within a particular field, whether it be We [can] project ourselves not merely into that of music, painting, or any other art, the forms of the tree, identifying our life his response may be limited to a form or with that of the slender shoots which swell style to which he is accustomed. and stretch forth, feeling in our soul the We have to conclude that art arises out
4 Vol. 134.8 Beauty and Goodness of seeing the truth of a thing from the the One Beauty is envisaged as satisfied inside, but it is also the product of a con- by the production of entities other than ditioned consciousness. The conditioned ourselves, there is imperfection, said Plato, mind circumscribes or limits itself by for the desire which impels such pro- identification with various experiences ductions is rooted in the pleasures of the and experience-born desires. It is there- circumscribed self. ‘Pleasure is the greatest fore selective in its approach to things, of impostors’, to quote Plato again. The rejecting or ignoring some things, liking beauty that is known and created by the and embracing other things, or, in other conditioned and limited mind, that chooses words, reacting for or against according the objects with which it unites itself, to the desires of the senses. has necessarily a perishable quality. The But neither the virtue of goodness nor goodness such a mind knows is also the quality of beauty, in the highest sense, limited to the moments of lyrical intuition. are selective. Plotinus said that virtue exists It is ‘Beauty that is appended to folly’, to in the soul when the soul tends to unity. quote Blake. Shelley also spoke of this: But the quality of Beauty as such, not merely confined to the products of Let us recollect our sensations as children. art, is uncircumscribed and universal in . . . We less habitually distinguished all nature. Ruskin said that it stands related that we saw and felt from ourselves. They to all things: seemed as it were to constitute one mass (or whole). There are some persons who The new virtue which constitutes a thing in this respect are always children . . . beautiful is a certain cosmic quality, or, a [they] feel as if their nature were resolved power to suggest relation to the whole into the surrounding universe or as if the world, and so lift the object out of a piti- surrounding universe were resolved into ful individuality. . . . All beauty points their being. at identity. Such a childlike purity of conscious- So Beauty may be described as the pas- ness that does not create barriers around sage out of the limitations of individuality, itself, separating itself from others, is alone out of the selectiveness of a conditioned capable of realizing the universal and en- self into the vastness of universal sym- during quality of Beauty. Separateness is pathy. Beauty is, therefore, liberty and to circumscribe oneself. The circumscribed love. It is to be free of the captivation of mind can only see circumscribed beauty. the senses and sense objects, and the lure It desires, as Plato said, to express or im- of all perishable things. In such liberty, mortalize itself in many ways, by leaving which is true sympathy for all, not for behind artistic or intellectual progeny, some selected objects only, there is the poems, songs or the constitutions of States. goodness which may be called love, which But as long as the desire to attain does not choose; it embraces all.
May 2013 5 The Theosophist
For love and beauty and delight musical harmony, the blending of colours, There is no death, nor change; their might the balance of forms, but he must not be Exceeds our organs, which endure under the lure of these perishable forms, No light, being themselves obscure. or confine himself to them. (Shelley) ‘The good we get from art . . . is what Heaven-born, the soul a heavenward we become through it,’ said Oscar Wilde. course must hold; He who does not love beauty in all things Beyond the visible world she soars to seek does not love it at all. The realization (For what delights the sense is false and of beauty in all things is itself goodness, weak); for it is the knowing of a universal truth. Ideal Form, the universal mould. So Beauty is the constant companion The wise man, I affirm, can find no rest of goodness. In that which perishes: nor will he lend ‘The search for beauty is inseparable His heart to aught that doth on time depend. from a life of purity, self-control and (Michelangelo) tenderness’, to quote Mr C. Jinarâjadâsa. He who would know beauty may study (Printed earlier in 1970)
Prophets of Nature, we to them will speak A lasting inspiration, sanctified By reason, blest by faith: what we have loved, Others will love, and we will teach them how; Instruct them how the mind of man becomes A thousand times more beautiful than the earth On which he dwells, above this frame of things (Which, ’mid all revolution in the hopes And fears of men, doth still remain unchanged) In beauty exalted, as it is itself Of quality and fabric more divine. William Wordsworth The Prelude, Bk. XIV, 11.444–54
6 Vol. 134.8 The Future is Now The Future is Now
P. KRISHNA
WE could divide the world as a whole the development would be different, but into two parts: the material world which it would be governed by the same laws. is studied by science and the inner world Science maintains that these laws are of our consciousness which is mostly universal, they are eternal and on the basis beyond science at present. If we look at of these assumptions they are able to trace the material world of space, time, matter the entire development of the universe. It and energy, which is studied in detail by is not yet completely accepted in all its science, we certainly find that there is details but the broad framework is reason- tremendous order throughout the uni- ably certain, because it explains and even verse, that definite causes produce definite predicts so many observed facts correctly. effects and these are governed by very There are of course situations in which definite laws. So, whatever may be the there are multiple forces operating and present condition, the future development then it becomes difficult to predict what of it is dictated by those laws and the only will happen in the future but that does not place where there is some uncertainty is mean that the laws break down or that the in the subatomic world of elementary present does not shape the future. particles. The extent to which they deviate Einstein says: ‘Everything is deter- from certainty is also defined by science. mined by forces over which we have no Most of the time we are not dealing with control; it is determined for the insects as subatomic particles, except in specialized well as the stars, human beings, vegetables laboratory experiments, so the laws are or cosmic dust. We all dance to a mys- fairly deterministic. terious tune intoned from a distance by Scientists have worked out most of an invisible Pied Piper.’ I think it is not these laws, physical, chemical and biologic- entirely true of human beings. I think al, governing both inanimate and animate Einstein did not take into account the matter. They are able to explain to a large human consciousness, because if that was extent the behaviour of the bodies of also all predetermined, then there would plants, animals and also human beings. If be no such thing as morality or immorality you start with different initial conditions or right or wrong. If a tiger kills another Prof. P. Krishna is an Educationist and International Lecturer. Talk delivered at the international Convention, Adyar, in December 2012.
May 2013 7 The Theosophist animal it is just governed by its other evidence cannot be refuted. So there is instincts and there is no decision on its evolution in knowledge, there is evolution part. In the case of human beings the in the material world and there is bio- instincts have become tendencies. That is logical evolution over long periods of time. why when a dog barks at us we do not feel Is that so also in our psyche? Is the insulted, but when your boss barks at you, psychological state of a human being you jolly well feel insulted! This brings today significantly different from that of us to the question? is there such a thing as the primitive man or the man of, say, a free will or not? Is there some freedom thousand years ago? They were forming given to a human being or do the laws of groups, they had attachments, they had Physics, Chemistry and Biology com- ambitions, they had desires, they had fear, pletely determine, not only our body but authority, and domination, and all of which also our thoughts, our decisions and is still there in human consciousness. After our behaviour? a thousand years have passed, what we The scientists themselves are saying desire now may be different from what that if the carbon dioxide level in the we desired then, our groups may be now atmosphere goes beyond a certain limit, around big nations and not around tribes the consequent global warming will have or clans, but we are still divided into groups. such proportions that the polar caps will Each human being is still attached to his melt, the seas will get flooded; and there own group, working for the prosperity and will be a major ecological catastrophe if betterment of that group and willing to we continue to live the way we are living exploit other groups for that purpose. at present. They have even predicted the Universal brotherhood has remained a date by which this will happen. Therefore noble idea propounded thousands of years they are urging that we should give up ago but it has not become a fact. So it fossil fuels and stop contributing more seems that psychologically we have not carbon dioxide to the atmosphere by grown; there has been very little, if at using alternative sources of energy. all any, psychological evolution. Certain So while biological evolution is a fact forms of manifestation of the ego or and material evolution also seems to be a extreme forms of selfishness may have fact, is it true also of our consciousness disappeared; colonialism and military and psyche? We need to examine that in occupation of other nations has more or greater detail. The scientists are studying less disappeared; but violence, war, rioting, biological evolution. They have been able crime, are very much there. Constantly the to date the origin of different species and governments and the United Nations and the period for which these have existed other organizations are at pains trying and described these developments in time. to control the manifestation of this psy- Biological evolution is supported by the chological state. That means whatever is study of fossils found in rocks and that our psychological state causes certain
8 Vol. 134.8 The Future is Now things in society to happen; those things India.’ Diogenes again asked: ‘And what do not change in society. So there are will you do after that?’ So Alexander said: certain areas in which there has been ‘I will conquer China.’ ‘What will you do hardly any development with time. after that?’ ‘Well, then may be I will come Let us take a few examples. If we look back home.’ So Diogenes asked him: around ourselves we find that every ‘What prevents you from doing that now?’ human being has access to certain things, Like Alexander, we are also ambitious. a certain amount of knowledge, of Our society is promoting ambition, com- relationships, of money and so on, and petitiveness, and all the consequences of beyond that are things which he does not desire. When we have desire for some- have. Every one of us is standing on a thing which we do not have and are line; on this side of the line are the things working ambitiously to get it, then either that he has access to, and beyond that are we will get it or we will not be able to get things that he does not have access to. it. If we are not able to get it, that will Every human being is making a great produce frustration, a state of depression. effort to push that line and bring another If we are able to fulfil our desire there is object into this side of the line so that it temporarily a sense of achievement which becomes available for his pleasure or feeds the ego. Then there follows a period convenience. But that is what he was of stagnation, of low energy, because the doing also ten years ago. So, psycho- desire is gone and it was energizing logically, the whole of humanity seems you. This is so until a new desire is born to be in the same state: discontented with which then energizes you. And this cycle what we have and seeking something repeats itself! which we do not have. The unmarried Watch that in yourself and all the man is looking for a wife and the married people around you, and you will see that man is probably wanting to get rid of his! this is the normal human state. So all the So the object of desire varies, but desire consequences of desire and ambition have is still there. been there, from the time of Alexander till Before starting out on his conquest of today! Therefore, in those respects, society the world, Alexander went to Diogenes, has not changed. Groupism, fighting, who was known to be a very wise man in war, building armaments for defence, Greece, to take his blessings. He said: ‘I all that which arises out of the psy- am venturing out into the world and will chological state of dividing ‘we people’ begin with the conquest of Iran and the from ‘other people’, continues. Middle East.’ So Diogenes asked him: We have not understood on what basis ‘What will you do after that?’ Alexander our mind defines who ‘we’ are and who said: ‘Well, after that I will conquer ‘they’ are. Why do certain differences turn Afghanistan.’ ‘What will you do after that?’ into a division and create hatred, whereas and Alexander replied: ‘I will conquer other differences are perceived only as
May 2013 9 The Theosophist differences. For example we have not a mutation which is not a time process. had a war between tall people and short What does that mean? It means there is people, at least not so far. We are not that causation in consciousness which does stupid! But we have had war between one not change gradually with time. All these religious group and another, between one negative emotions, like selfishness, national group and another, and so on. competitiveness, rivalry, enmity, hatred, Human beings have not been able to anger, jealousy, sorrow, etc., result from understand this psychological process certain illusions in our mind and unless which converts differences into division those illusions are ended they will not go and which therefore destroys brotherhood. away. This is what the Buddha pointed Because when you hate somebody and out more than two thousand years ago. you feel he is your rival you cannot feel He gave three psychological laws like the brotherly towards him. We may talk of scientists have the three laws of Newton. universal brotherhood but so long as the The first law is that ‘sorrow exists’. mind is not free of this identification with This is a statement of an observed fact. the ‘me’ and the ‘mine’, brotherhood will If we look at human consciousness we never become a fact. Indeed it has never observe that there is a lot of psychological become a fact; it has remained an objective suffering which human beings go through. even in the Theosophical Society. Simply The second law says, it has cause: ig- believing in it does not make it into norance as illusion is the cause of sorrow. a reality. The third law was the result of his own So, are we psychologically, inwardly, experiments and learning. He said the in our consciousness, significantly dif- cause can be eliminated. It is because the ferent from the man of one thousand years cause lies in illusion that it can be ago? It does not appear to be so. In that eliminated. If it were an organic cause, it sense, psychologically the future is now. cannot be eliminated. You cannot get rid Because if we are psychologically the of bodily pain which is a biological same as the man of a thousand years reaction built into the body; but emotional, ago, then another ten thousand years psychological suffering, is born out of can go by and if we survive, we will con- illusion and can therefore be ended. tinue to be the same. For the same reasons Illusion has no existence in nature; for which we have not changed in one therefore it is not governed by the laws of thousand years we will not be able to nature. It is something constructed by change in the next thousand. human thought and imagination. Only the This means time does not help to human consciousness is capable of that; change the psychological state of a human the animal is not capable of it. That is why being. In that sense the future is now and you do not find animals creating war; you we cannot depend on time for change. do not find a tiger decimating other species Transformation of consciousness requires and destroying them.
10 Vol. 134.8 The Future is Now Illusion can be ended by discerning means sensing the danger directly and not what is true and what is false. That is why through argument or agreement. Truth at Theosophy says, ‘Truth is the highest the level of ideation is just mental pro- religion’: ‘Truth’ as a perception, not the perty; property can be accumulated but idea of the truth or the knowledge of the it does not transform consciousness. Real- truth which is easy to get. You can read ization of the truth means it becomes real Buddha’s book and books written on the for you and is no longer an idea. That is Buddha and become a Professor of Bud- actually the essence of the religious quest dhist philosophy, but that will not trans- which is the quest for wisdom, as distinct form your consciousness. The Professor from the quest for knowledge. There is of Buddhist philosophy has the same very little wisdom in a mind that lives with consciousness as you and I. He has sor- all kinds of illusions, for it is living in an row, he has fear, anxiety, and he has imaginary world of its own creation and ambition; his psychological state is not is not really in contact with the real world different from that of others. What was of Nature. different about Jesus or the Buddha was Let us examine the nature of these that they actually underwent a transform- illusions in order to see the truth of this. ation of consciousness. For that, what is One finds there is the immense problem necessary is not just agreement with an of female foeticide; people are killing the idea or an opinion but an actual percep- female child either before it is born or tion, like when we perceive the danger of soon after it is born. Why are the females fire or the danger of a truck coming disappearing, producing an imbalance towards us. Then you do not need any which will eventually have disastrous argument to move away from it! consequences? Men will not find women Mr C. W. Leadbeater wrote an article to marry and that will lead to all kinds of saying no engineer ever makes a model violence, which has already started to or a plan which assumes that water will happen. What are the illusions behind all flow up the hill because he is so clear that this? If you examine it, you will find that the model would not work; it will break we have all kinds of false notions in our down. But when we listen to religious society just because we have accepted discourses we find people making all them without questioning. We accept that kinds of noble statements when their life because everybody around us believes shows they live just the contrary. That in it. An Indian thinks his children must means it is not clear to them; they are just marry only within his caste; and that it is indulging in ideation, in conceptualization his responsibility to get his daughters at the level of thought. It will not become married within the caste and the latest by an actuality until they perceive the truth the age of twenty-five. In his caste he may of it for themselves. The religious quest have to pay a large amount of dowry in is for coming upon that realization, which order to get a husband for his daughter.
May 2013 11 The Theosophist Because he accepts all these notions he works very hard to collect a dowry for his feels that the birth of a daughter is a great child because he thinks that is good for burden on him whereas the birth of a son her. This is the nature of illusion: that the is an asset as he will look after the whole man who is in illusion is not aware that he family in the future. The son will belong is in illusion. to his own family, whereas the girl will So all this fear and injustice and sorrow go away to another family after marriage. arises just out of illusions in the mind. All these appear to him to be facts though That is an example of what the Buddha they are just constructs of the human mind taught: that we are the authors of our own without any reality in Nature. Therefore, sorrow. We think that the sorrow comes they are all illusions. to us from outside. We have not learnt to Somebody introduced casteism in look at ourselves and ask ourselves why India, perhaps five thousand years ago. It this sorrow has come, from what illusion is mentioned even in the Gitâ. It may not in our mind? Illusion means I am taking have been in the form it has today but something to be true when it is not true, what is now in society is the reality; what not a fact in nature. Or I am giving tre- it was before five thousands years, we mendous importance to something which do not know and it is no use speculating is not really important. about that. The fact is this is how it is But the man in illusion is not aware that functioning now and it is creating a lot of he is in illusion. That man is you and me. discrimination, injustice and cruelty. So, We may be able to see the illusion of can we not free ourselves from it? It is somebody else but that does not mean that just something attributed to the child when we do not have illusion. Just as that man it is born; it has no existence in Nature. who is giving a dowry for his daughter When it is born, it is just a human child: and endangering his child, is not aware that it is neither Brâhmana nor ªudra nor he is in illusion, you and I are also not Christian nor Hindu; all these are imposed aware of the illusions we have — unless upon the child by society and our mind we examine our own feelings, watch from accepts all this. Therefore an Indian feels where they arise and if it is a negative bound by all this. It is because of this he feeling arising out of an illusion, we end is killing his own daughters. If only we that illusion. That is the real Theosophical realize that we do not have to accept all quest. Otherwise, we are not free. You this, we can break through this as it is false. may believe in universal brotherhood, you But the average man is not aware that all may believe in this or you may believe in these illusions in his mind are actually the that, what difference does it make? cause behind the killing of his own child. I will give you a question to think The natural instinct which even an animal about: if a man is selfish, violent, greedy has is to protect the child, to love the child, and hateful, what difference does it make not to endanger the child. In fact man whether he is a Hindu, a Muslim, a
12 Vol. 134.8 The Future is Now Christian, a Buddhist or an atheist? And part of life because we have not examined if a man is wise, kind and generous, non- seriously the consequences of it and do violent, large-hearted, compassionate, not know whether things can be done what difference does it make whether without ambition and desire, just for the he is a Hindu, a Muslim, a Christian, a love of it. So the mind continues with these Buddhist or an atheist? So why do we illusions and therefore all the divisions and give such tremendous importance to the other consequences continue in society affiliation of a human being? and there is no fundamental change. In I read an interesting parable. It reveals that sense, the future is now. The only way how this kind of classification of human it can actually change both in our personal beings into different religions and different life and therefore in our society is if we castes, produces absurd conclusions. Jesus erased these illusions from our mind; but Christ had never seen a football match so the difficulty is that we are not aware of he asked Saint Peter: ‘Can you take me to our illusions. Those illusions which we see a football match?’ St Peter said: ‘Yes know to be illusions do not create dis- sir, I will arrange it.’ And he took him to order: fairy tales, for example. We know see a football match in Ireland, where the that they are not true and when you know team of the Catholics was playing a match they are only imaginary, you can indulge against the Protestants. Jesus started in them for fun. Similarly you can have watching the game and felt very interested fine poetry and metaphors and all such as he had never seen a game of soccer or imaginary things, so long as you do not football before. After a little while the mistake them for reality. If you mistake Catholics made the first goal and he felt them for reality it becomes an illusion and very excited and said, ‘Hurrah!’, threw his creates disorder in the consciousness. As cap in the air and clapped to show his Theosophists it is important for us to delight. Then the game began again and come upon a learning mind which dis- again he watched it with great interest and cerns what is true from what is false. That this time it was the Protestants who made means whenever I experience a negative a goal. Again he was very excited, said, emotion, whether it is sorrow, fear, jeal- ‘Hurrah!’, clapped and threw his hat up in ousy, anger or hatred, I could ask myself: the air. Seeing this, a man sitting behind ‘Krishna, where did that come from, where him was puzzled by his behaviour. He am I approaching life wrongly? What touched Jesus on his shoulder and said, illusion in my mind has given rise to this ‘Just a minute sir, which side are you on?’ negative emotion?’ Jesus said, ‘I am not on any side, I am just It is not so important to get rid of the enjoying the game!’ So the man said: ‘Ah! external cause as it is to end the inner caus- An atheist!’ ation in our psyche. We have been trained We continue with these divisions, with to deal always with the external cause and ambitions and desires, as an inevitable therefore the inner causation continues.
May 2013 13 The Theosophist The inner learning is far more important communities end? It has not ended in the as it frees us for ever. The sorrow is not last sixty-five years; the situation remains looked upon as a great misfortune but as exactly the same. Every time the conflict an opportunity to learn about myself. flares up, the United Nations goes there I am the author of my own sorrow, and to create some dialogue, make some com- therefore I alone can undo it. It is arising promise, but each time the compromise from my own thinking, my own assump- breaks down. Surely there is a deeper tions and if I discover the consequences causation behind it and as long as we do of it the illusion breaks and therefore there not get rid of that causation the effect will is the possibility of a real change. This continue to arise. The fact is that there is change will not happen with time; it does no great difference between the Arab and not happen gradually. Either you have the Jew. They think so because their perceived the truth or you have not religion, their beliefs, their attachments, perceived the truth. One does not come their food habits and so on, are different. upon twenty percent of the truth, and then But these are very superficial things; deep fifty percent, and gradually rise to hundred down they have much in common. They percent, like going spirally up a hill. Truth have the same instincts, the same prob- enters the mind like a sudden revelation, lems of desire, jealousy, ambition, fear a deep perception, which creates a muta- and sorrow because they are both human tion in consciousness; when that happens beings. They feel very different only you are set free. The problem ends, so because they give tremendous importance there is no need of trying to control it. We to these superficial differences, and that need to control the problem only so long is an illusion. as it is still arising, which means the cause The Buddha taught that the truth is that has not been eliminated. the other man is yourself. If it does not So, wars in the world exist because appear so, it is because the mind is caught their cause has not been eliminated. Look in all these illusions which divide us and at the situation in the Middle East between as long as those illusions persist there is the Arabs and the Jews. The Arabs tell no change in the psychological state, there their children that Jews are our enemy and is no psychological evolution; therefore the Jews tell their children that the Arabs the future is now. There is real change only are their enemy. When the old people die when we perceive for ourselves what is true the children are infected with this enmity and what is false. That is why the quest for right from birth. So how will that division truth is the highest religion and the learn- due to the hatred between these two ing mind is the real religious mind. ²
To finish the moment, to find the journey’s end in every step of the road, to live the greatest number of good hours, is wisdom. Ralph Waldo Emerson
14 Vol. 134.8 The Eternal Now The Eternal Now
MARCOS RESENDE
IT is always a great joy to be present world is created, maintained and de- at the International Convention, breath- stroyed through time. Nothing survives ing the spiritual atmosphere in Adyar that is related to time; even the planet — and living moments of communion and according to Theosophical literature — fellowship with brothers and sisters from once its cycle has ended, is finite. For all over the world. external accomplishments in life, we need The theme of this Convention, ‘The time. I plant today to harvest tomorrow, Present shapes the Future’, is a call to which I will be able to do if I am still alive action and makes us reflect on how we in this physical dimension. If I want to live and act. The topic, ‘The Eternal Now’, build a house, I need time. If I want to is fundamentally important for us to under- learn a new language, I also devote time stand time and its implications, which is for this purpose. This is the chronological vital to spiritual transformation and the need time that, according to Krishnamurti, is a to act now. fact and, therefore, we should organize our In general, we are slaves of time. Our material life in accordance with it. life, in most cases, faces outwards, to the But in the world of consciousness, in fulfilment of external commitments and the spiritual world, does time exist? Master challenges. From the moment we wake KH, in The Mahatma Letters, says that up until the time we go to sleep, we live ‘no effort is ever lost’ and that ‘to the in a perpetual coming-to-be, in search of occultist there is no past, present or future, fulfilment, satisfaction and success in but an Eternal Now’. The assertion that the material world. When we realize that ‘no effort is ever lost’ is a call to action, in material things matter, at best, to this life the Eternal Now. only, we begin to seek the spiritual life as Understanding time, not just intel- something that supposedly would be more lectually, but in its deeper reality, which lasting. We often use for this search the consists in the mode of manifestation of same concrete mind, which is usually the Universe, is something profoundly acquisitive and a slave of time. transformative. Does time exist? Life in the material The only time in which life can be
Mr Marcos Resende is General Secretary of the Brazilian Section of the TS. Talk delivered at the international Convention, Adyar, in December 2012.
May 2013 15 The Theosophist manifested is the active present. A time spiritually, the ends do not justify the use machine, which would allow us to go to of incorrect means for the achievement of the past or to the future, interfering in external goals. events beyond the present moment, only For the spiritual life, in which the exists in fiction. Clairvoyants’ searches becoming is a misleading illusion, whether allow access to the Universal Mind, to the I move towards either liberation or slavery âkâºic records or to what the Logos de- also depends on what I do now, on the signs for its manifestation, but there is intensity of my interest in discovering no way to express life out of the present the truth at every moment, seeing things moment. Life is always now. Therefore, as they are and not as they are projected action must be now. by thought. Human beings in the twentieth and Attention means to be awake now. twenty-first centuries have been devel- Travelling in thought is carelessness, dis- oping the concrete mind to a point which traction and lack of tuning, of perceiving generates fantastic technology, but have the Sacred that is always here and now. not been able to, through time, solve When it is said that external life is their own problems, physical or psycho- Mâyâ, or illusion, this means that the logical, such as those relating to poverty material reality is always transitory, and suffering. consisting of a testing ground for the This same concrete mental capacity, manifestation and awakening of the con- misused and misunderstood, has stolen sciousness. Therefore, how we do things from the human being the sense of the and how we react to events, in most cases, Sacred, which can only be perceived in is much more important than the results the active present, now. that we can obtain in the material world. Thought creates tomorrow and yester- In external life, which is transitory, we are day, but life is now. Yesterday exists only always building castles of sand that, with as memory or as physical or psycho- the passage of time, are naturally shattered. logical results of actions taken. As already But if we devote our energy, in the active said, everything in the physical world is present, only to the achievement of ex- done and is destroyed through time and ternal goals, we are moving towards the there is no way not to suffer the effects of slavery and attachment to things that are past actions. But in the world of Freed by nature transitory. They will be undone Consciousness, time does not exist, but at any time, either by the movement of only the Eternal Now. life, or by the forced abandonment of all The present shapes the future. This is external things occasioned by death. the theme of our Convention. For material We must understand that life consists achievements, this is an absolute truth, in the Eternal manifesting itself in the that should be carefully considered in re- transitory. Both are within us and in lation to others, because ethically and everything. Knowing how to distinguish
16 Vol. 134.8 The Eternal Now between what is eternal and what is and guided by the heart, where buddhi transitory is a synonym for wisdom. The manifests itself. For the heart to flourish, manifestation of the Eternal always occurs we need much care, attention and affec- in the Eternal Now. tion towards all things and all beings. If, by realizing the transitory nature of We must realize how narrow our intel- everything that is external, we devote our lect is. Without the light of buddhi, it tends energies to free inquiry and a search for naturally to coldness, to self-interest and the truth, in the little things in life, in to egocentrism. It is important for prac- relationships, as well as in trying to tical life, but totally inappropriate for the understand the deepest mysteries of spiritual life, serving merely for its ex- the universe, we create conditions which pression and the faithful execution of its shape a future of freedom, growth, ful- designs. Love can only come to us when filment and happiness. there is an absence of time, when our We must know ourselves, at every consciousness is no longer caught in the moment, so we can understand that which mesh of thought. has no form or substance and cannot be Learning is endless and always takes fully expressed by any name, but which place in the active present, and not as the gives meaning to life, making us feel accumulation of information or know- deeply tuned and touched by the feeling ledge, but through the revelation of all the of the Sacred, which is, at the same time, nuances and idiosyncrasies of our psycho- love, wisdom, peace and harmony, here logical being which, when exposed to and now. impartial observation, reveals itself to be When we learn to live in the now, we irrelevant and insignificant. This simple take a great weight off our backs and we observation of life, of ourselves, of people start to allow life to flow naturally, with and relationships, without any kind of wisdom and harmony. Life is always judgement, serenely reveals the nature of much wiser than us, and our action, in the things and brings Wisdom. Eternal Now, must be attuned to the Our presence in the world is a dive in- Universal Will. We need to trust in Life to matter. We are well aware that we are so we can be useful instruments of passing by here to learn and to perform Universal Consciousness, surrendering good works, whether physical, intellectual ourselves to it. or spiritual, while being directed to the How to do this tuning? How to sub- next, to the whole. We must act in the ordinate our personal will to the Universal present in order to produce works not for Will? This demands submitting our think- ourselves, but as a beneficial legacy for ing to the heart. future generations. The Theosophical The intellect, the creator of duality, is Society itself, for example, is a precious not able to give the suitable musical note heritage that we have received from the or tune to the action if it is not inspired Masters and brothers who worked in the
May 2013 17 The Theosophist past, not only for our benefit, but primar- feather in the hands of the whole. ily as an opportunity for service. We must Let us wake up, brothers, life is now, act in order to pass it on to future gene- always now. At this very moment, we can rations as a living and healthy institution, put aside all that is personal and subject which can bring together people with an to time, and offer ourselves in com- open mind and a pure heart, so that those munion, as a group of people of goodwill, who come can go even further, doing who want to subordinate their small per- more extensive and comprehensive work sonal lives to the universal will. At this for the benefit of mankind. If we do not present moment, which is sacred, we can act now, decisively in this direction, channel the high blessings derived from probably there will be a strong tendency the ultimate source of energy and pour towards the crystallization of our institu- them into the world, with all our love and tion, which can lose the capacity to be an sincere wishes that all beings may regen- important instrument in favour of evolution. erate, recovering the awareness that they Our mission, however, does not consist are cups to receive the divine life, which solely of achievements. The discovery of is the same in everything and everyone. the Sacred, here and now, presupposes the Internally united, let us be this centre perception that we, personally, are noth- of power, love and peace, which purifies ing. The feeling of self-importance is the and elevates our personal lives, and let us most futile and misleading illusion of all. be channels for the world’s unconditional But only from the perception of this feeling love poured out by the Holy Beings who and its insignificance, can arise a deep live for the benefit of humanity. humility for being nothing, but a light Peace to all beings. ²
If we once realize that behind the changing marks of Time the Eternal is hidden then however alien or even repellent the Spirit of the Age may at first sight seem to be, we shall accept it as the present revelation of the One, and seek to learn its meaning instead of fighting against it as a foe. Annie Besant
18 Vol. 134.8 The Study of The Secret Doctrine The Study of The Secret Doctrine
MARY ANDERSON
THE study of Mme Blavatsky’s Secret him, but there is really no Microcosm or Doctrine is by no means easy. Ianthe Macrocosm but ONE EXISTENCE. Hoskins, who was a well-known theo- (d) The Hermetic Axiom: ‘As is the sophist and an excellent teacher, gave Inner, so is the Outer; as is the Great, so is many suggestions in her booklet, the Small; as it is above, so it is below; Foundations of Esoteric Philosophy, there is but ONE LIFE AND LAW, and he which may help beginners — and others. that worketh it is ONE.’ Nothing is high She quotes extensively, sometimes in . . . [or] low in the Divine Economy.2 abridged form, from The Secret Doctrine as well as citing in full the notes of one of III. ‘THREE FUNDAMENTAL PROPOS- Mme Blavatsky’s students, Commander ITIONS’ (with which the student should Bowen (The Secret Doctrine and its be familiar before undertaking the study Study). I shall in part quote and in part try of The Secret Doctrine): to summarize some of these quotations or 1. ‘An Omnipotent, Eternal, Boundless their contents. and Immutable PRINCIPLE, on which all speculation is impossible’, since it is I. ‘ONE FUNDAMENTAL LAW’ stresses the beyond the reach of thought, ‘unthinkable unity of the inmost nature of everything and unspeakable’, the Rootless Root of all and every being.1 that was, is or will be. This principle has two aspects: Absolute Abstract Space II. ‘FOUR BASIC IDEAS’: (subjectivity) and Absolute Abstract (a) ‘The fundamental unity of all ex- Motion (Unconditioned Consciousness) istence.’ There is only one being, which — the Great Breath. has two aspects: positive (consciousness) This is Absolute Being and Non- and negative (substance or matter). Being, the One Reality, the unmanifested (b) ‘There is no dead matter.’ Every Logos. single atom is alive. 2. ‘The Eternity of the Universe in toto (c) ‘Man is the microcosm’, all the as a boundless plane, periodically “the hierarchies of the Heavens being within playground of numberless Universes
Miss Mary Anderson is a former internationl Vice-President of the Theosophical Society and has lectured widely in several languages. 2013 marks the 125th anniversary of The Secret Doctrine.
May 2013 19 The Theosophist incessantly manifesting and disap- ical Cause . . . the omnipresent Reality, pearing”.’ The law of periodicity . . . ebb impersonal, because it contains all and and flow . . . day and night, life and death, everything. . . . It is latent in every atom sleeping and waking, etc. in the universe, and is the universe itself.’ 3. ‘The fundamental identity of all 3. ‘The universe is the periodical Souls with the Universal Over-Soul . . . manifestation of this unknown Absolute and the obligatory pilgrimage for every Essence . . . neither Spirit nor Matter, but Soul — a spark of the former — through both. . . . One in reality, yet two [in the Cycle of Incarnation . . . in accord- manifestation].’ ance with cyclic and karmic law . . .’ 4. ‘The universe, with everything in it, passing through every elemental form . . . is called MÂYÂ, because all is temporary ‘ascending . . . from the lowest to the therein, from the ephemeral life of a fire- highest Manas, from mineral and plant, fly to that of the sun. Compared to the up to the holiest Archangel . . . The pivotal eternal immutability of the ONE . . . the doctrine of the Esoteric Philosophy admits universe . . . must be necessarily, in the no privileges or special gifts in man, save mind of a philosopher, no better than a those won by his own Ego through per- will-o’-the-wisp. Yet the Universe is real sonal effort and merit . . . ’3 enough to the conscious beings in it, which are as unreal as it is itself.’ IV. ‘SUMMING UP — SIX NUMBERED 5. ‘Everything in the universe . . . is ITEMS’ (to follow the study of the Three CONSCIOUS . . . with a consciousness of Fundamental Propositions) its own kind . . . There is no such thing as 1. ‘The Secret Doctrine is the accumu- . . . “dead” . . . matter . . .’ lated Wisdom of the Ages . . . recorded 6. ‘The universe is worked and guided, on a few pages of geometrical signs and from within outwards. As above, so it is glyphs . . . an uninterrupted record, below; as in heaven, so on earth; and man, covering thousands of generation of seers, the microcosm and miniature copy of the whose respective experiences were made macrocosm, is the living witness to this to test and verify the traditions . . . of the Universal Law . . . The whole Cosmos is teachings of higher and exalted Beings guided, controlled and animated by . . . How did they do so? . . . by checking, almost endless series of Hierarchies of testing, and verifying . . . the traditions of sentient Beings . . . devoid of the feeling old . . . No vision of one Adept was of personality . . . “perfected” . . . “They accepted till it was checked and confirmed have no individuality”. . . . are conscious by the visions . . . of other Adepts, and by of no . . . distinct separateness . . .’ centuries of experience.’ ‘Every so-called spirit is either a 2. ‘The fundamental law in that sys- disembodied or a future man. As from the tem . . . is the One Homogeneous Divine highest Archangel . . . down to the last SUBSTANCE-PRINCIPLE, the One Rad- conscious “Builder” (the inferior class of
20 Vol. 134.8 The Study of The Secret Doctrine Spiritual Entities), all such are men, having the collective Host (Demiurgos), nor any lived aeons ago . . . so the inferior . . . of the working Powers individually, are Elementals are all future men . . . a Spirit proper subjects for divine honours or endowed with intelligence . . . must have worship. All are entitled to the grateful been a man . . .’ reverence of humanity . . . man ought to ‘The whole order of Nature evinces a be ever striving to help the divine evo- progressive march towards a higher life’.4 lution of Ideas, by becoming to the best of his ability a co-worker with Nature . . . V. ‘FIVE PROVEN FACTS’: The ever unknowable and incognizable 1. ‘The Secret Doctrine [i.e. Theo- Kârana alone, the Causeless Cause of all sophy] teaches no Atheism, except in the causes, should have its shrine and altar sense [of] the Sanskrit word nâstika, a on the holy and ever untrodden ground of rejection of idols, including every anthro- our heart — invisible, intangible, unmen- pomorphic god [i.e., God in the image tioned, save through the “still small voice” of man]. In this sense every occultist is of our spiritual consciousness. Those who a Nâstika. worship before it ought to do so in the 2. ‘It [the Secret Doctrine] admits a silence and the sanctified solitude of their Logos, or a collective “Creator” of the Souls, making their Spirit the sole medi- Universe; a Demiurgos [artificer], in the ator between them and the Universal sense implied when one speaks of an Spirit, their good actions the only priests, architect as the “creator” of an edifice, and their sinful intentions the only visible whereas that architect has never touched and objective sacrificial victims to the one stone of it, but, furnishing the plan, Presence.’ has left all the manual labour to the 4. ‘Matter is eternal . . . [the] physical masons; in our case the plan was furnished basis, for the One Infinite Universal Mind. by the Ideation of the universe, and the . . . there is no inorganic or “dead” matter constructive labour was left to the Hosts in Nature . . . the material of the world is of intelligent Powers and Forces. But that in its essence eternal, but . . . before . . . Demiurgos is no personal Deity – i.e., an “becoming”, it is in a passive . . . condition.’ imperfect, extra-cosmic God, but only an 5. ‘The universe was evolved out of its aggregate of . . . (certain divine) forces.’ ideal plan . . . in the unconsciousness of 3. The Dhyân-Chohans [Lords of . . . Parabrahman. . . . [cf.] the “Ideas” of Light, cf. archangels] are . . . composed Plato . . . an infinite and eternal Energy, of (a) the irrational brute energy inherent from which all things proceed . . .’5 in matter, and (b) the intelligent Soul, or cosmic Consciousness, which directs and VI. THE SECRET DOCTRINE: CONCLU- guides that energy, and which is the SION Dhyân Chohanic Thought reflecting the Evolution in general, events, mankind, Ideation of the Universal Mind . . . neither and everything else in Nature, proceeds
May 2013 21 The Theosophist in cycles. We have spoken of seven Races, years, they will launch into preparations five of which have nearly completed their for the seventh sub-race; until, in con- earthly career . . . Every Root-Race, with sequence of cataclysms — the first series its sub-races . . . was entirely distinct from of those which must one day destroy its preceding and succeeding race. This Europe . . . the Sixth Root-Race will will be objected to . . . that man descends have appeared. . . . The Fifth will overlap from the same unknown ancestor as the the Sixth Race for many hundreds of ape . . . is logically impossible . . . The millenniums . . . just as the Fourth over- Secret Doctrine . . . confronts the purely lapped our Âryan race, and the Third had speculative hypotheses of modern overlapped the Atlanteans.’ Science, based upon the experience and ‘The final cataclysm will be preceded exact observations of barely a few by many smaller submersions and de- centuries, with the unbroken tradition and structions both by wave and volcanic fires records of its Sanctuaries. . . . there will be no more Americans . . . ‘Our general proposition will not be no more, in fact, than Europeans; for they accepted. It will be said that whatever will now have become a new race, and forms man has passed through in the long many new nations. Yet the Fifth will not prehistoric Past, there are no more die, but survive for a while: overlapping changes for him . . . in the future. Hence the new Race . . . [becoming] transformed our Sixth and Seventh Root-Races are with it . . . the Sixth [Root-Race] will be fictions. . . . How do you know? Your rapidly growing out of its bond of matter, experience is limited to a few thousand and even of flesh. years, to less than a day in the whole age ‘Thus it is the mankind of the New of Humanity . . . Meanwhile, such is the world — one by far the senior of our Old prophecy of the Secret Books and their one . . . whose mission and Karma it is, to no uncertain statements: Since the begin- sow the seeds for a forthcoming, grander ning of the Atlantean Race many million and far more glorious Race than any of years have passed, yet we find the last of those we know of at present. The Cycles the Atlanteans . . . mixed up with the of Matter will be succeeded by Cycles of Âryan element, 11,000 years ago. This Spirituality and a fully developed mind shows the enormous overlapping of one . . . the majority of the future mankind race over the race which succeeds it . . . will be composed of glorious Adepts . . .’6 Even now . . . the new Race and Races are preparing to be formed . . . In America VII THE SECRET DOCTRINE and its . . . the transformation . . . has already Study (Notes by Commander Bowen): silently commenced . . . the germs of the ‘The Secret Doctrine is only quite a Sixth sub-race . . . that race which must small fragment of the Esoteric Doctrine succeed to the present European or fifth . . . as much as can be received by the sub-race . . . After this, in about 25,000 World during this coming century. “The
22 Vol. 134.8 The Study of The Secret Doctrine
World” means Man living in the Person- TOWARDS THE TRUTH. . . . See in study al Nature . . . She [HPB] implies un- a means of exercising and developing the mistakably that another may well find mind never touched by other studies. knowledge in it which she does not ‘Let the mind hold fast . . . to the possess herself. . . . She is telling us following ideas: without a doubt not to anchor ourselves ‘(a) THE FUNDAMENAL UNITY OF ALL to her as the final authority, nor to anyone EXISTENCE . . . different from . . . a nation else, but to depend altogether on our own or an army . . . united . . . The teaching is widening perceptions. . . . that existence is ONE THING, not any ‘Reading the SD page by page as one collection of things . . . Fundamentally, reads any other book (she says) will only there is ONE BEING . . . [that] has two end in confusion. The first thing to do, aspects, positive [Spirit or CONSCIOUS- even if it takes years, is to get some grasp NESS] and negative [SUBSTANCE]. . . of the “Three Fundamental Principles” This Being is the Absolute . . . there is . . . Follow that up by study of the . . . nothing outside it. It is ALL-BEING . . . Summing Up to vol. I. Then . . . the ONE EXISTENCE . . . REALITY.’ Preliminary Notes and the Conclusion Commander Bowen said this is difficult (vol. II). to grasp. HPB: ‘Theosophy is for those ‘There is no such thing as a future who can think, or . . . drive themselves to “coming” of race. “There is neither think, not [for] mental sluggards.’ COMING nor PASSING, but eternal ‘The Atom, the Man, the God . . . are BECOMING” . . . The Fourth Root Race is each separately as well as collectively . . . still alive. So are the Third and Second Absolute Being . . . This idea must be held and . . . First . . . Their manifestations . . . in the background of the mind to form the are present . . . So likewise the Sixth . . . basis for every conception . . . from [the] and the Seventh, and even people of the study . . . the idea of SEPARATION super- coming ROUNDS. . . . from even the Sixth venes, and the study loses its value. . . Sub-Race . . . She hinted at “dangers and ‘(b) The second idea to hold fast to is delusions” coming through ideas that the THERE IS NO DEAD MATTER. Every last New Race had dawned definitely on the atom is alive . . . every atom of substance World. . . . the duration of a Sub-Race . . . [is] itself a LIFE. . . . coincides with that of the Sidereal Year ‘(c) Man is the MICROCOSM . . . all . . . about 25,000 years. the Hierarchies of the Heavens exist within ‘She says: “If one imagines that one is him. But . . . there is neither Macrocosm going to get a satisfactory picture of the nor Microcosm but ONE EXISTENCE. constitution of the Universe from the SD, ‘(d) The Great Hermetic Axiom [see one will get only confusion from its above, II(d)].’7 study. It is not meant to give any such This is a fatiguing mental exercise — final verdict on existence, but to LEAD calling for ‘the carving out of “new brain
May 2013 23 The Theosophist paths”. . . . If forced injudiciously it may But one must work on. No picture can do serious physical harm to the brain. This represent the Truth. The mind and its . . . is . . . Jñâna Yoga.’ Mental pictures pictures will be transcended and the learner form but then grow dull and are discarded. enters ‘the World of NO FORM’. ²
References 4. Idem., pp. 29–38. 1. Foundations of Esoteric Philosophy, The 5. Idem., pp. 41–45. Theosophical Publishing House, Adyar, 2005, p. 9. 6. The Secret Doctrine, TPH, Adyar, 7th edn., 3rd 2. Idem., pp. 13–15. Reprint, 2010, II. 443–46. 3. Idem., pp. 19–24. 7. Foundations of Esoteric Philosophy, pp. 76–83.
The higher nature in man always seeks for something which transcends itself and yet is its deepest truth; which claims all its sacrifice, yet makes this sacrifice its own recompense. This is man’s dharma, man’s religion, and man’s self is the vessel which is to carry this sacrifice to the altar. Rabindranath Tagore
24 Vol. 134.8 Work for the Common Cause (Extract from HPB’s message to the American Section, 1889)
H. P. BLAVATSKY
MANY are the energetic members of the sectarianism they took up in the early Theosophical Society who wish to work Christian Church: ‘I am of Paul, I of and work hard. But the price of their Apollos’, and let us profit by the warning. assistance is that all the work must be done Theosophy is essentially unsectarian, and in their way and not in anyone else’s way. work for it forms the entrance to the Inner And if this is not carried out they sink back life. But none can enter there save the man into apathy or leave the Society entirely, himself in the highest and truest spirit of loudly declaring that they are the only true Brotherhood, and any other attempt at Theosophists. Or, if they remain, they entrance will either be futile or he will lie endeavour to exalt their own method of blasted at the threshold. working at the expense of all other earnest But Karma will reconcile all our workers. This is fact, but it is not Theo- differences of opinion. A strict account of sophy. There can be no other end to it our actual work will be taken and the than that the growth of the Society will ‘wages’ earned will be recorded to our soon be split up into various sects. credit. But as strict an account will be Is this prospect one to look forward taken of the work which anyone, by to for the Theosophical Society? Is this indulging in personal grievances, may ‘Separateness’ consonant with the united have hindered his neighbours from doing. Altruism of Universal Brotherhood? Is Think you it is a light thing to hinder the this the teaching of our noble MASTERS? force of the Theosophical Society, as Brothers and Sisters, it is in your hands represented in the person of any of its to decide whether it shall be realized or leaders, from doing its appointed work? not. You work and work hard. But to work So surely as there is a Karmic power properly in our Great Cause it is necessary behind the Society will that power exact to forget all personal differences of the account for its hindrance, and he is a opinion as to how the work is to be carried rash and ignorant man who opposes his on. Let each of us work in his own way puny self to it in the execution of its and not endeavour to force our ideas of appointed task. work upon our neighbours. Remember Thus, then, ‘Union is Strength’; and for how the Initiate Paul warned his every reason private differences must be correspondents against the attitude of sunk in united work for our Great Cause.
May 2013 25 The Theosophist Core Teachings of Buddhism
BINAY KRISHNA
‘THAT we the devoted followers of that causing the next, which in turn, causes the spirit incarnate of absolute self-sacrifice, next. If one takes the example of an apple: of philanthropy, divine kindness, as of for a few days it remains quite similar in all the highest virtues attainable on appearance, then over time, it ripens and this earth of sorrows, the man of men, eventually, it will be totally decomposed Gautama Buddha, should ever allow the and cease to be an apple; and it becomes TS to represent the embodiment of difficult to claim that there is an underlying selfishness, the refuge of the few, no apple possessing the quality and char- thought of them for the many, is a strange acteristics of an apple. idea, my brother’, thus wrote The The same transient characteristic is Mahachohan, about whom it is said that applicable to ourselves also. We live the future lies before him like an open momentarily. Each moment causes our page (C. Jinarâjadâsa, Letters from the next moment of existence, a process that Masters of the Wisdom, First Series). Such proceeds from day to day, year to year, an eloquent statement by the Mahachohan and maybe from lifetime to lifetime. This should carry great significance to us is true of the environment as well. The Theosophists to study and emulate the seventh century Buddhist logician, teachings in our life. Dharmakirti, stated that ‘all phenomena Buddhism can be distinguished from arising from causes and conditions are other traditions and philosophical schools naturally impermanent’. This suggests by four ‘seals’. These are the marks or that whatever has come into being due to characteristics of Buddhism. the aggregation of various causes and The first of these states that all con- conditions is by its very nature subject ditioned things are impermanent and to change. transient. This we know intimately as The causes and conditions of our own we watch ourselves grow older. Imper- existence go back to the moment of birth, manence is not limited to the eventual and further back, to the moment of wearing out and disintegration of things. conception. It is at conception that our It is, or can be, subtler than this. Things physical bodies are caused to form by the exist only momentarily, each moment union of our father’s semen and our Mr Binay Krishna is a member of the Indian Section, living in Patna.
26 Vol. 134.8 Core Teachings of Buddhism mother’s egg. The very substances from divine Altruism, and finally lead to the which our body is formed are impure in alleviation of human suffering.’ themselves. What is our body but the Craving causes us to wish for more and quintessence of a thousand generations more. We subsequently are reborn in a of evolution of sperm and ovum! These situation of need and dissatisfaction. come together in the lower regions, Aversion diminishes our patience and between intestines full of excrement and increases our tendency to anger. Similarly, the bladder full of urine, bound up in the our affliction of pride and jealousy un- darkness of the womb. The body grows dermines our peace of mind and causes for nine months, bound and constricted unhappiness. These have dominated our all around. We lie as though strapped in a actions over infinite past lives. Our con- tight leather bag experiencing intense heat ditioned existence is therefore, according when our mother eats or drinks hot food to Buddhism, in our thoughts, contamin- and intense cold when she eats or drinks ated by afflictive emotions. As long as cold food, and we shiver. If she moves we are under the influence of these emo- suddenly we feel that someone is beating tions, we are not free and our existence is us with a stick. The mother also experi- in suffering. ences much suffering at this time. Towards Soon after attaining enlightenment, the end of her pregnancy she feels that Gautama Buddha taught about suffer- she is about to burst. At the time of actual ing. He identified suffering as divided delivery, her suffering is so intense that into three levels. The first and most im- she wails in unbearable pain. mediately evident level is mental and Nagarjuna writes in Precious Garland physical pain. The second, a subtler level, that if we do not use the unworthy body is that which is created not by painful as a boat for spiritual development, this is sensation, but by pleasurable ones. what it is — a useless sack of blood, pus, Pleasures cause suffering because they excrement and bones. eventually cease, leaving us anxious for The root cause of unenlightened exist- more. But the most important level of ence is our grasping at a sense of self. The suffering is the third which pervades the Buddhist views of self-grasping ignorance whole of our lives. It is linked to the is an essential subject, as Buddhism un- second characteristic of Buddhism: All derstands its removal to be the way to our contaminated phenomena, all things that true peace and happiness. Master KH exist, are bound up in the nature of echoes the same idea: ‘It is esoteric philo- suffering. The third of the four char- sophy alone, the spiritual and psychic acteristics or seals of Buddhism is that all blending of man with nature that, by phenomena are devoid of selfhood. What revealing fundamental truths, can bring is meant by selfhood and the lack of it? that much desired mediate state between All component things, be they air, stone, the two extremes of human Egotism and or living creatures, are impermanent; they
May 2013 27 The Theosophist are in the nature of suffering, and all concentration and ethical self-discipline. phenomena are selfless. Our ignorance of Any desire to pursue a spiritual path the selfless nature of all that exists is the of inner transformation will arise only fundamental cause of our unenlightened when we realize the miserable state we are existence. It is in this selfless nature of in. The Buddha, therefore, initially taught all, that we have the potential for ending the first Noble Truth, establishing suf- our miserable existence. The force of fering as the actual state of our existence. wisdom, cultivated gradually, enables us The second Noble Truth explains the to diminish and eventually eliminate our origin of our suffering. Our misery is fundamental ignorance that grasps at a caused by afflictive emotions, provoking sense of self. The cultivation of wisdom us to behave selfishly. Our self-centred will bring about a state beyond sorrow — acts, in turn, cause non-virtuous behaviour ‘Nirvâna’, in Sanskrit. The fourth char- that causes misery. The third Noble Truth acteristic of Buddhism is that Nirvâna is that the Buddha taught is that all suffering true peace. ends when we bring about a cessation of According to Buddhism there is no its causes. To bring about any change in personal enduring self. The mind is essen- such habitual behaviour demands a pro- tially pure and luminous. The afflictive cess of training over many years. In the thoughts and emotions that pollute our fourth Noble Truth, the Buddha taught everyday surface self cannot touch the the way we must engage in the training essential mind. Being adventitious, these leading to liberation from samsâra. pollutions are removable. Buddhist prac- The Buddha actually taught the four tice is aimed primarily at cultivating the Noble Truths from three different per- antidotes to these afflictive thoughts and spectives. He identified the individual emotions. The technique employed to do truths: this is meditation, in order to transcend ordinary goodness, which is tinged with This is the truth of suffering; grasping. By replacing the mundane level These are true origins (of suffering); of goodness with transcendental wisdom, This is true cessation (of suffering); one is able to cut the root of all compulsive This is the true path to cessation. samsâric conduct and enter into the In the second set of statements, the blissful serenity of Nirvâna. Buddha established a system by which The force that cuts off the inborn the knowledge of the Four Noble Truths process of grasping at true existence is can be implemented in one’s practice. the higher training in wisdom. This is the He stated: most important method in the quest for eternal liberation. To stabilize the higher Suffering to be recognized, training in wisdom one should culti- Its origin eliminated; vate higher training in meditative Cessation must be actualized.
28 Vol. 134.8 Core Teachings of Buddhism The third set of statements reflects the it evidently does not exist independently, ultimate nature of the Four Noble Truths: as that designation depends upon the their emptiness of any inherent existence. basis of its designation. If something A more practical interpretation might be possesses a dependent nature, then it that the Buddha was presenting the cannot exist independently, as depend- consequences of our implementing the ence and independence are mutually four Noble Truths. By internalizing the exclusive. Hence the concept of ‘me’ is knowledge of the Four Noble Truths we not independently or inherently exist- can overcome suffering to the extent it is ent; given that something is dependently no more; we can eliminate the origin of existent contradicts its existing independ- suffering so that there is nothing to ently. Similarly, in viewing ourselves, we eliminate; we can actualize cessation so must recognize that ‘I’ exist merely in that there is no cessation; and we can dependence of a self to the mental and cultivate the path so there is no longer a physical parts that are the basis of the path to cultivate. The Buddha stated: identification of ‘me’. Emptiness is a quality of all pheno- Although suffering is to be recognized, mena. As Nagarjuna states: ‘There are no there is no suffering to recognize; phenomena that are not dependently ori- Although its origin is to be overcome, there ginated; there is nothing that is not empty.’ is no origin to overcome; Once we understand emptiness in the Although cessation must be actualized, there sense of dependent origination — and is no cessation to actualize; dependent designation in particular — we Although the path must be cultivated, there know that things exist by mere desig- is no path to cultivate. nation and labelling. A table is labelled J. Krishnamurti’s statement, ‘Truth is a as being in dependence upon its base of pathless land’, has become a cliché. But designation: the parts are not the table. he has raised more questions than he ever They are the basis upon which we identify showed the way, causing considerable something as ‘table’. There is no inhe- confusion to those who could understand rently existent table among the parts. If and emulate his teachings. The statement we search among the parts — the table of the Blessed One, ‘Although the path top, its side, legs — we will not turn up must be cultivated, there is no path to an identifiable table hidden among those cultivate’, has the question and answer for parts. Also, the idea of our table turning the wayfarer on the path of holiness. up separately from those parts is absurd. Nagarjuna demonstrated that the How can a table exist devoid of any parts? concept of ‘me’ is to be understood as The ‘unfindability’ of the table is a merely a label designated to the collection quality that applies to all other things as of parts — physical and mental — that well. We can look for the car in its parts, make me up. If something is designated, the house among the parts, and we will
May 2013 29 The Theosophist find no car or house. The status of pheno- and the whole. Ultimately we come to the mena is their emptiness. This is not concept of dependent designation that has emptiness in the sense of an empty room; earlier been discussed. it is the emptiness of any findable quality We recognize that just as something of roomness among the parts that make can only be identified as an effect in up the room. respect to its cause, the reverse is also true. As Nagarjuna states in his A cause can only be identified as a cause Commentary on the Awakening Mind, if in respect of its effect. How could some- we understand all phenomena to be thing be a cause if it were not the cause of empty, the relationship of cause and effect an effect? Its causal identity is therefore — Karma and its fruits — becomes dependent on its subsequent effect. tenable. This is indeed a great wonder, Though a cause cannot be the effect more wondrous than the most wonderful; of itself, nevertheless it is necessarily the more amazing than the most amazing. effect of cause other than itself. The sprout In understanding emptiness in terms of is the effect of its causal seed while also dependent origination, we can establish being the cause of the future tree. This the functionality of things. We can rec- demonstrates that no cause is an absolute ognize the relationship between cause and cause, in and of itself. Nothing has the their effects to be interdependent and slightest inherent quality of being either a therefore necessarily independent of each cause or an effect, as this would prohibit other. If something were to possess an the cause being anything but cause, or inherent objective existence, it would effect being anything but an effect. become a self-enclosed reality that would Taking the example of a wooden chair, prohibit it from interacting with other one can understand that because of the phenomena. Hence it is this lack of tree out of which it is made, its existence inherent existence — this emptiness — is dependent on the tree. The tree, how- that enables a thing to function, to be ever, cannot be said to depend on the chair. produced, to produce, and to interact with Taking a further step, today’s chair other things. The principle of dependent results from the chair of yesterday; it also origination — pratitya-samutpâda — is causes the chair of tomorrow. Hence a defining characteristic of Buddhist today’s chair is not inherently a resultant philosophy. There are different levels of chair. It is only dependently so, designated understanding of pratitya-samutpâda, so in dependence upon its being the effect beginning with the dependence of things of the causal chair of the earlier one, just and events on their causes and conditions. as it needs the chair in future to be a causal All Buddhists accept this level, which only chair. The concept of emptiness as a mere applies to conditioned things. Next is the designation enables us to understand understanding of dependent origination in better and in a deeper way the dependent respect to the relationship between parts relationship between things and their parts.
30 Vol. 134.8 Core Teachings of Buddhism As we develop insight into emptiness these notions for months and years, as a mere designation, it enables us to eventually we shall perceive others to be better understand the dependence rela- more important than ourselves. When tionship between things and their parts. we are praised, there is danger of pride This will deepen our understanding of and self-inflation. Let us avoid conceit emptiness. We must purify the motive for in success; instead let us use the oppor- perusing the wisdom aspect of the path to tunity to ensure our commitment to others. enlightenment. Wisdom alone will not When faced with adversity, let us con- lead to the ultimate state of Buddhahood. sider the countless incidents of suffering For traversing the Path, the wayfarer in similar circumstances. The following has to avoid excessive attention to life- inspiring quotation is from ªântideva’s styles, and balance rather the spiritual Guide to the Bodhisattva Way of Life: concern with worldly responsibilities, mind training on the disadvantages of For as long as space remains, self-cherishing and the advantages of As long as sentient beings remain, working for the well-being of others. By May I too remain calmly scrutinizing and contemplating To dispel their misery.
Smaller than the smallest, greater than the greatest, this Self forever dwells within the hearts of all. When a man is free from desire, his mind and senses purified, he beholds the glory of the Self and is without sorrow. Though seated, he travels far; though at rest, he moves all things. Who but the purest of the pure can realize this Effulgent Being, who is joy and who is beyond joy. Formless is he, though inhabiting form. In the midst of the fleeting he abides forever. All-pervading and supreme is the Self. The wise man, knowing him in his true nature, transcends all grief. Katha Upanishad, I.2.20–22
May 2013 31 The Theosophist Why Be Vegetarian
THIS statement occupies the minds of are vegans, who do not eat even roots, many people who have begun the journey potatoes, carrots or entire plants, but often of enlarging their consciousness into the use milk. world of truth and spirituality. When one becomes a vegetarian, it can The way in which the statement is be from birth or from any later stage in formulated is from the point of view of life. For those who are born vegetarians, the vegetarian. It invites self-reflection. the question usually does not arise. Those Explanations have to be given about the who become vegetarian later in life can motives of one who lives on a vegetar- have different reasons for becoming so. ian diet. If it is for economic reasons, the question This statement could have been for- is not really important in the context of mulated in another way: ‘Why not to be this article, which is written in the scope vegetarian’. It would then be posed by the of the theme of the School of the Wisdom non-vegetarian, who has not yet seen on ‘The Art of Living’ — although, in sufficient reasons to change his habits of certain extremely rare cases of chosen meat eating. poverty the vegetarian diet would have to Vegetarianism exists in many differ- be considered as to be willingly included ent forms. The most common is that in in the life resulting from the choice of which vegetarians do not eat meat or poverty. fishery products. There are many lacto- One person became vegetarian be- vegetarians who use milk products, and cause he was infertile and his physician ovo-vegetarians who use eggs, as well as advised him a vegetarian diet in order to non-meat-eating vegetarians who eat fish. have children. Others, like athletes and These last three categories can be seen as persons who practise competitive sports, preliminary phases before one becomes a become vegetarian because they know vegetarian. Most vegetarians though will that their results will become better. continue to use milk products. However, in most cases the vegetarian Those vegetarians who do not eat diet is caused by the fact that, at a certain animal products, including milk products moment in life, the person becomes and honey, are called vegans. The Jains conscious of moral values like respect for Presentations made at the School of the Wisdom, Adyar, 2012. Mr Jan Jelle Keppler is the General Secretary of the Belgian Section of the TS. Mrs Vimal Balachander is a member of the Indian Section.
32 Vol. 134.8 Why Be Vegetarian the life of sentient beings and the non- Prince Rakoczi, was never seen eating violence principle. In Indian philosophy in public. this last principle is called ahimsâ. The For our common fellow-men who Yogatattvopanishad states, that of the become vegetarians, the question ‘Why Yama-s (interdictions) and the Ni-yama-s become and remain vegetarian?’ is really (obligations) there are only two that are a question of conscience and conscious- important, one being ahimsâ and the ness. When a child becomes aware of how other a dietary rule, which says that if animals suffer when they are hunted and the yogi after having made progress, caught, or when they are kept in captivity wants to become really successful, he and abused for the pleasure of man, it can should eat only cooked wheat, green gram easily develop an aversion for meat and and rice. This is one of the most extreme fish. Many children even have such an vegan diets. aversion by nature. The Gnostics were vegetarians and It is sufficient to take a school class to most of them even vegans. Also the visit a slaughterhouse or preferably show Nazarenes, who did not cut their hair them a movie about such a terrible place and lived an ascetic life in the Middle to turn a number of them into vegetarians. East during the time of Jesus Christ, were There is one convincing, economic vegetarians. Jesus was a Nazarene, and argument, which states that to produce if he was born, it was not in Nazareth, but the same quantity of animal protein as in Bethlehem. vegetable protein the agricultural surface Buddhists often follow a vegetarian needed is eight times bigger. Thus if the diet. Jewish dietary rules say that if the whole world would become vegetarian, Jew visits a place and wants to eat meat, and estimating that for different reasons meat can be eaten, but the rules and half of the world population is already conditions, which are then imposed, are eating no meat or almost no meat, four so strict, that it would be easier to follow and a half times more, or over 30 bil- a vegetarian diet. The Baha’is believe lion people, could be fed with the same that in the future, man will live on a agricultural surface, which now feeds vegetarian diet. Roman Catholics used 7.5 billion. to follow the rule of not eating meat A vegetarian lifestyle is more peace- on Fridays. ful, not only because of the ahimsâ or There seem to be several thousands non-violent effect spreading out into the of people who have stopped eating al- world, but also because the vegetarian together, or who eat only very little and becomes more apt for developing his still survive physically, because they have individual spiritual consciousness. The developed their higher faculties and are more vegetarians there are, the more capable of transmuting energies from spiritualized will become the conscious- higher planes to the physical world. ness of humanity as a whole. Saint-Germain, the European Master or According to the Ancient Wisdom
May 2013 33 The Theosophist tradition, the animal kingdom will become The most important reason, however, the human kingdom during the next is the altruistic one. A person who is on a planetary chain, while the vegetable vegetarian diet can more easily purify his kingdom will become the animal king- emotional and mental life and thus arrive dom. The brotherhood of man is, in the at enlarging his consciousness into the light of this knowledge, a much wider realms of higher moral values and ideas; truth, which has to and can be experi- for example, brotherhood, humanity, love, enced. Once this truth has become an harmony, charity, altruism, patience, experienced and empirical reality, the indifference to pain and pleasure, strength vegetarian has no doubt about the fact that to be faithful to the truth and living the he does not want to consume his own One Life self-consciously, not for one- flesh and blood. self, but for the world, with which he According to medical science the experiences himself to be identical. vegan diet is a healthy diet and even better One should eat moderately what is for one’s physical condition than a non- served, choosing with appetite, and keep vegetarian diet. Many illnesses are in mind that what comes out of the mouth connected to the overconsumption of has more importance than what goes animal products. into it. JAN JELLE KEPPLER
MAN is an evolving being. The first from the animal world, and we see many primordial man probably needed to parallels between them and us — their survive by hunting and killing animals. mothering instincts, their brotherly nature, As man became domesticated, he started their lack of greed and most importantly, raising cattle and poultry for his especially in domestic pets, their love. All consumption along with farming and this makes one hesitate to kill. agriculture. As time passed, he invented At one time, a brutal man would be superior methods of cultivation and called an animal. Today, people may say, developed a wide variety of grains, rice ‘He is worse than an animal’. An animal and vegetable produce. seems to be quite human-like in its limited With the passage of time, man now has instinctual and emotional level. a choice to give up eating animal flesh We have adequate reason for vege- completely, as the fruits of the vegetable tarianism, purely out of compassion for kingdom are more than sufficient. How- our younger brethren. However, for an ever, the taste and flavours of various evolutionary scientist or a theosophist, meats attract man too much to give them the reason for vegetarianism is more up entirely. profound. To give up something which is Nature enthusiasts film real-life scenes delicious because it comes from the pain
34 Vol. 134.8 Why Be Vegetarian of another being is a conscious, controlled reap. If you ignore the pain of the animal decision. world, are you not also closing yourself Man has to be able to rein in his mind to the true appreciation of their great inner and bodily needs. This is one of the fun- beauty? Can you escape from the karma damentals for his growth. To become free, of causing these innocents pain? In what he needs to bind himself with some rules. way is a poultry farmer different from a The freedom which he will then achieve ‘gulag’ in charge? will be so full of joy, that no amount of If you ask yourself these questions, tasty meat can match it. This awareness you may think of giving up meat and of an achievable future goal of a superior become a vegetarian. But another thought brain fabric should attract a man towards may bother you: ‘What difference will it vegetarianism. make if I alone give up meat? I am just a If you believe you can progress even drop in the ocean — so many millions if your palate causes ‘some’ pain to unim- consume this.’ portant creatures, you may have to do But remember that Jesus, Ramana and some rethinking. All philosophies and ªankarâchârya were also drops in an religions emphasize the law of adjustment ocean. Do not underestimate your own or Karma — as you sow, so shall you influence. VIMAL BALACHANDER
The man who ranges himself on the side of evolution realizes the wickedness of destroying life. He knows that, just as he is here in this physical body in order that he may learn the lessons of this plane, so is the animal occupying his body for the same reason, that through it he may gain experience at his lower stage. He knows that the life behind the animal is the Divine Life, that all life in the world is divine. The animals therefore are truly our brothers, even though they may be younger brothers, and we can have no sort of right to take their lives for the gratification of our perverted tastes — no right to cause them untold agony and suffering merely to satisfy our degraded and detestable lusts. C. W. Leadbeater
May 2013 35 The Theosophist Theosophical Work around the World
Adyar presented by the TS. The radio station is Mrs Radha Burnier, the international a municipal one (Radio Municipal L.V.18) President of the TS, inaugurated the and therefore free of cost. The programme South India Theosophical Conference, was started in 1973 after a visit by the then which is held every year in Adyar during international President, John Coats, who the Easter weekend. About two hundred gave the members constructive ideas on delegates attended this year’s Conference, how to make the TS known. The topics the ninetieth one, from 29 to 31 March. explored are generally connected with The theme of the Conference, ‘The Secret human values, practical suggestions on Doctrine — A Synthesis of Science, how to try to improve ourselves, or world Religion and Philosophy’, was in keeping events which give us pause to reflect. The with the 125th anniversary of the book. day after Pope Francis I was elected in Mr S. Sundaram, the General Secretary Rome, for example, the members spoke of the Section, gave the Welcome on the radio programme about the qual- Address, and several speakers of the ities he demonstrates: simplicity, austerity Indian Section gave inspiring talks over and a commitment to the service of all, the three days. Mrs Burnier gave hints in especially the needy. A major source of her Inaugural Talk about how to study the texts for the radio broadcast is the ‘On book. In her Closing Address, she further the Watch-Tower’ editorials from The elaborated that the Secret Doctrine is so Theosophist. As the team blew out forty called because there is something secret lighted candles, it thought of the many in Life; this, she said, cannot be taught. members as well as all the staff members However much one may try to understand of the radio station itself, who have the book through the brain, it is the heart contributed to the programme over the alone that may touch upon this Secret. One decades. must raise oneself from the preoccupations of the mind and find the Beauty, Wisdom India and Truth that is hidden in everything, in In March 2013 Mr M. P. Singhal, the the outer and inner world. international Vice-President, visited North India, where he gave a talk at Mayfair Argentina Lodge, Kolkata, that was attended by over In March, TS members in San Rafael, thirty members. He also inaugurated the Argentina, celebrated forty years of newly formed Azad Lodge which is broadcasting The Art of Learning, a twice- situated about 70 km from Kolkata in a weekly radio programme of ten minutes rural Muslim locality. The TOS has been
36 Vol. 134.8 Theosophical Work around the World very active in this region for several University, the Institute of Advanced years. Mr Singhal also discussed ways to Studies, Krishnamurti Foundation India strengthen the Theosophy–Science group and the TS. The audience was comprised with Prof. P. Krishna in Varanasi, and of a large number of intellectuals from visited Lodges at Lucknow, Kanpur and different spheres of life. The talks touched Delhi, and gave talks, one of which was nearly every aspect of the subject and entitled ‘Insights into the Teachings of TS gave a deep insight into the complex Literature’. theme of the Conference. Welcoming the On a separate visit to North India, Bro. gathering on 15 March, Mr S. Sundaram, C. A. Shinde, National Lecturer of the the General Secretary of the Indian Indian Section, conducted a three-day Section, said that ethics is a branch of Study Camp on ‘Meditation and the Spir- Philosophy that studies the nature of right itual Life’ at Gorakhpur. It was attended and wrong and of moral judgement. by about one hundred members of the Quoting saints and philosophers, he felt U. P. Federation and local intellectuals that regeneration can take place only from Gorakhpur University. He also gave when the mind functions in awareness, and Public Talks in Lucknow and Allahabad, underlined the need to have a proper and and in some places in the state of Bihar. harmonious blend of hand, head and heart Bro. S. Harihara Raghavan, General or soul-force in order to make a complete Manager at the international Headquar- human being. The question was raised as ters, Adyar, was the Chief Guest at the to what kind of humanistic frame of mind Kerala Theosophical Federation North is needed to produce an ethical environ- Zone Conference, held at Gauthama ment and how the TS can play a role in Lodge, Cannanore. He said in his inau- bringing out a more just society. gural address that it is important for the Theosophical Society to maintain its own East and Central Africa identity in its special role of regenerating The 46th Convention of the East and humanity. An exhibition of Theosophical Central African Section of the Theo- books was arranged during the Conference. sophical Society will be held in Nairobi, The Indian Section organized a Kenya, from Friday, 17 May to Sunday, Conference on ‘Ethical Globalization’ at 19 May 2013. The theme of the Con- the Section Headquarters in Varanasi on vention will be Moral Values and Integrity 15 and 16 March. It was addressed by a in Modern Society. number of learned speakers representing The Convention will combine with the or having experience with various organ- fiftieth anniversary of the existence of izations and institutions, including the the Nairobi Lodge estate. The Section re- Gandhian Institute of Studies, Vidya quests messages of good will to mark the Ashram, the Ramakrishna Mission, the occasion, for publication in a special issue Banaras Hindu University, Jadavpur of their magazine, The Theosophical Light.
May 2013 37 [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 address [email protected] Theosofi The Indian Theosophist Gangleri Teozófia Ilisos Adyar The Light Bearer Chilena Revista Teosófica Selección Teosófica Sophia Le Lotus Bleu Teosofi Le Lotus Bleu The West African Theosophist The West Theosofie Adyar Teozofija The Theosophical Light The South African Theosophist Theosophy in Australia Magazine Teosofía en Argentina en Teosofía Rosario … ška ulica 24, 10000 Zagreb … oukourestiou St., 106 71-Athensoukourestiou St., … Jakarta 11410, Timur UK BT52 ITA Co. Londonderry, CEP 70200-630 Brasilia (DF) Boisbriand QC., J7H 1K7 Estacion Central, Santiago Barrio Palermo, Bogotá Helsinki Aptdo. 23, San Juan, PR 00926, USA Managua, Nicaragua Adyar, Chennai 600 020, India Ronean, 38 Princesses Ave., Windsor E. 2194Windsor Ave., Ronean, 38 Princesses … eosofinen Seura, Vironkatu 7 C 2, Fin 00170,Vironkatu eosofinen Seura, … The Theosophical Society, Varanasi 221 010Varanasi Theosophical Society, The … Oberbaumgarten 25, 4204 Haibach im Mühlkreis … The Theosophical Society Address … Santiago 257 — 2000, … I N T E R A O L D C Y
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40 The birth of the Buddha is often celebrated for an entire month in the Buddhist calendar, and Vaisakh Poornima marks his day of birth. Coinciding with Vaisakh Poornima, we offer the following books to read and to gift: BUDDHISM Annie Besant THE BUDDHIST CATECHISM H. S. Olcott BUDDHIST MEDITATION Samdhong Rinpoche BUDDHIST STORIES F. L. Woodward CHRIST AND BUDDHA — And Other Sketches for Children C. Jinarajadasa DHAMMAPADA — Holy Text of the Buddhists (English Translation Only) C. Kunhan Raja THE GOLDEN RULES OF BUDDHISM H. S. Olcott THE SMALLER BUDDHIST CATECHISM C. W. Leadbeater (trans. C. Jinarajadasa)
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