Text of Resolutions passed by the General Council of the Theosophical Society

Freedom of Thought As the Theosophical Society has spread far and wide over the world, and as members of all religions have become members of it without surrendering the special dogmas, teachings and beliefs of their re- spective faiths, it is thought desirable to emphasize the fact that there is no doctrine, no opinion, by whomsoever taught or held, that is in any way binding on any member of the Society, none which any member is not free to accept or reject. Approval of its three Objects is the sole condition of membership. No teacher, or writer, from H. P. Blavatsky onwards, has any authority to impose his or her teachings or opinions on members. Every member has an equal right to follow any school of thought, but has no right to force the choice on any other. Neither a candidate for any office nor any voter can be rendered ineligible to stand or to vote, because of any opinion held, or because of membership in any school of thought. Opinions or beliefs neither bestow privileges nor inflict penalties. The Members of the General Council earnestly request every member of the Theosophical Society to maintain, defend and act upon these fundamental principles of the Society, and also fearlessly to exercise the right of liberty of thought and of expression thereof, within the limits of courtesy and consideration for others. Freedom of the Society The Theosophical Society, while cooperating with all other bodies whose aims and activities make such cooperation possible, is and must remain an organization entirely independent of them, not committed to any objects save its own, and intent on developing its own work on the broadest and most inclusive lines, so as to move towards its own goal as indicated in and by the pursuit of those objects and that Divine Wisdom which in the abstract is implicit in the title ‘The Theosophical Society’. Since Universal Brotherhood and the Wisdom are undefined and unlimited, and since there is complete freedom for each and every member of the Society in thought and action, the Society seeks ever to maintain its own distinctive and unique character by remaining free of affiliation or identification with any other organization.

2 THE THEOSOPHIST

VOL. 138 NO. 10 JULY 2017

CONTENTS

Coming to Wisdom and the Process of Aging 5 Tim Boyd Cosmocentrism in the Theosophical World View 10 Deepa Padhi Transience, Immortality, and Inspiration 14 Wayne Gatfield The Glorious Future of Man 17 Bhupendra R. Vora Letter to Carl H. Hartmann 24 Damodar K. Mavalankar Annie Besant’s Public Service in India 27 N. C. Ramanujachary Karma and Rebirth 32 K. Jaishree Theosophical Work around the World (& World Congress Registration) 37 International Directory 42

Editor: Mr Tim Boyd

NOTE: Articles for publication in The Theosophist should be sent to:

Cover: Warli tribal painting is an ancient Indian art form found north of Mumbai, Maharashtra. It honors Nature and can be traced as far back as 3,000 BC. Since then, it has crossed many borders ______This journal is the official organ of the President, founded by H. P. Blavatsky, 1879. The Theosophical Society is responsible only for official notices appearing in this journal.

3 THE THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY Founded 17 November 1875 President: Mr Tim Boyd Vice-President: Dr Deepa Padhi Secretary: Ms Marja Artamaa Treasurer: Mr K. Narasimha Rao Headquarters: ADYAR, CHENNAI (MADRAS) 600 020, INDIA Vice-President: [email protected] Secretary: [email protected] Treasurer: [email protected] Adyar Library and Research Centre: [email protected] Theosophical Publishing House: [email protected] // www.adyarbooks.com Editorial Office: [email protected], Website: http://www.ts-adyar.org

The Theosophical Society is composed of students, belonging to any religion in the world or to none, who are united by their approval of the Society’s Objects, by their wish to remove religious antagonisms and to draw together men of goodwill, whatsoever their religious opinions, and by their desire to study religious truths and to share the results of their studies with others. Their bond of union is not the profession of a common belief, but a common search and aspiration for Truth. They hold that Truth should be sought by study, by reflection, by purity of life, by devotion to high ideals, and they regard Truth as a prize to be striven for, not as a dogma to be imposed by authority. They consider that belief should be the result of individual study or intuition, and not its antecedent, and should rest on knowledge, not on assertion. They extend tolerance to all, even to the intolerant, not as a privilege they bestow but as a duty they perform, and they seek to remove ignorance, not punish it. They see every religion as an expression of the Divine Wisdom and prefer its study to its condemnation, and its practice to proselytism. Peace is their watchword, as Truth is their aim. Theosophy is the body of truths which forms the basis of all religions, and which cannot be claimed as the exclusive possession of any. It offers a philosophy which renders life intelligible, and which demonstrates the justice and the love which guide its evolution. It puts death in its rightful place, as a recurring incident in an endless life, opening the gateway to a fuller and more radiant existence. It restores to the world the Science of the Spirit, teaching man to know the Spirit as himself and the mind and body as his servants. It illuminates the scriptures and doctrines of religions by unveiling their hidden meanings, and thus justifying them at the bar of intelligence, as they are ever justified in the eyes of intuition. Members of the Theosophical Society study these truths, and theosophists endeavour to live them. Everyone willing to study, to be tolerant, to aim high, and to work perseveringly, is welcomed as a member, and it rests with the member to become a true theosophist.

4 The Theosophist Coming to Wisdom and the Process of Aging Coming to Wisdom and the Process of Aging

TIM BOYD

LET us consider something that we all ful mind, and that which has matured. If have some interest in — the process of we examine more closely, we realize that aging, inherent in Nature. Everything has the experiences we accumulate over the an apparent beginning when it appears course of a lifetime tend to be of certain in this world, a process through which it types. There are sensations that affect goes, and then it seemingly disappears our bodies, which are repeated over and from this world. It is one of the great mys- over again during the course of a lifetime. teries that faces humanity in our thinking We “gain experience” in the world of about our place in this universe. It is also sensations. We also have all sorts of emo- one of the subjects to which the great tional encounters over the course of a life- minds throughout history have given time and our emotional nature becomes their attention. It is central to an under- experienced in the ways of that world of standing of the deeper subject of wisdom. feelings. Then there is the constant stream We are all engaged in this process. and cycling of thoughts through our minds. There are many popular sayings com- Our interaction with this world of paring youth with age, but it seems that sensation, emotion, and thought builds one of the distinguishing features between up the body of our experience, which we the person who is young and one who is then point to as “knowledge”. In normal deemed older, is the factor of experience. terms the person who is said to be “know- Activity is the hallmark of youth, but ex- ledgeable” is experienced in the ways of perience comes with age. This seems to these three worlds of the personality. This be a distinguishing factor. level of experience has great value. In There is a humorous expression that At the Feet of the Master there are four “good judgment comes from experi- qualifications, the first of which is dis- ence, but experience comes from bad crimination. The body of experience and judgment”. One of the facts of life is that knowledge which comes with age is the the nature of youth is, being uninformed basis for our recognition of that which is about the ways of the world. That level of good, better, and best. The discrimina- experience is what is generally regarded tory capacities of the mind draw from this as the separating factor between the youth- body of knowledge.

July 2017 The Theosophist 5 Coming to Wisdom and the Process of Aging When we talk about wisdom — and what prajñâ is, it is referred to in different “Theosophy” is the Ageless Wisdom — ways. In Tibetan Buddhism there is a long is that the same as knowledge of any mantra, or sutra, that is recommended to kind? This is a question that we should be recited and meditated upon, called the come back to again and again, to ask Prajñâ-pâramitâ Sutra, or the sutra on ourselves: What is real knowledge, and the wisdom perfection. That sutra is a what is wisdom? The traditions that have description given by Avalokiteºvara, who attempted to enlighten us on this sub- had the experience of the wisdom-mind, ject describe wisdom in different ways. trying to communicate it to ªâriputra — A valid teacher who is experienced in another disciple of the Buddha. the realm of wisdom will always offer Avalokiteºvara attempts a description the caveat that the best that can be done of wisdom in this mantra, which is both is for some words to be given. The attempt fascinating and powerful in its potential has been made over time to use language for realization. The way in which wisdom and symbol to dress up that which is is described is completely in terms of beyond sensation, beyond emotion, be- negation, that is, only described as what yond thought, and necessarily beyond it is not. The view of the Prajñâ-pâramitâ words, so that we can perceive some- Sutra is that wisdom cannot be defined thing of the outline of this profound, yet or named, it can only be indicated by invisible wisdom. stripping away that which it is not. In There are many words that have been the Sutra there is a masterful stripping used to describe wisdom. In contem- away of everything that would hide a true porary English language we might call perception of wisdom from us. wisdom “the perception of reality” — In speaking to ªâriputra, Avalokiteºvara a reality which extends beyond our five says: “This is the original character of senses and encompasses the soul nature. everything. It is not born, it is not an- In our traditional Theosophical literature nihilated, it is not tainted, it is not pure. It we think in terms of buddhi, and the does not increase, it does not decrease. vehicle capable of experiencing buddhi . . . In wisdom there is no eye, no ear, no we speak of as buddhi-manas — the illu- nose, no body, no mind, no ignorance, mined mind, or wisdom-mind. also no ending of ignorance.” If this does In The Voice of the Silence, and in not strain our mind, what does? Every- Buddhist practice, there is the concept of thing that our normal perception can grasp perfections, or pâramitâ-s. In Buddhist is not wisdom. This is one approach to teachings there are six or ten pâramitâ-s. try to communicate the nature, the value, In The Voice of the Silence H. P. Blavatsky and to bring about the experience of (HPB) enumerated seven. The final one wisdom. This is the via negativa, the path that is listed is the perfection of wisdom, that leads to wisdom through negation. prajñâ. In the attempts to communicate There are other ways of describing

6 The Theosophist Vol. 138.10 Coming to Wisdom and the Process of Aging wisdom. Socrates was regarded as the One, undivided, can do all things, and wisest man alive in his time. Although “resting in herself she makes all things he was exceedingly knowledgeable, new”. This is poetry, but also beauty, and highly sought after for his know- truth, and power. In Oneness, she is ledge, he was recognized as wise because everywhere present. As he expressed it: he would tell whoever would ask that “She mightily goes from one end of the “I know one thing, that I know nothing”. universe to the other, and sweetly orders His perception that wisdom is compo- all things.” This is wisdom from the per- sed of nothing — no-thing — made him spective of Solomon, a presentation of a wise man. the via positiva. Neither the via negativa There is a book in the Bible called nor the via positiva is correct. Each is “The Book of Wisdom” or “The Wisdom partial, but both of them are attempts to of Solomon”. In that short book King point us in the direction of what is des- Solomon describes his view of wisdom cribed as a hidden treasure within each and how he came to it. It is an often over- one of us. If we had to travel to distant looked esoteric description. It is a very lands to find these particular treasures, different description from the via neg- the teachings would be pointless. ativa approach of the Prajñâ-pâramitâ There are countless sayings that re- Sutra. It is given in positive, or assertive, peat some aspect of the idea that “with terms and personifies wisdom as femi- age, comes wisdom”. It is a very popular nine, as “she” or “her”. One of the reasons expression that we might have even said Solomon was regarded as the wisest of ourselves: “Youth for activity, age for men was that when he became king of wisdom.” But is that saying true? Does his people he was told by God to make the process of adding another year add any wish, and it would be granted. some increment of wisdom? I doubt it! A normal king would have wished to One of the things we notice is that when extend his kingdom, or to have riches the wise describe this wisdom, it is as beyond any man who had lived. Instead, something which is hidden; it is veiled. his wish was: “Grant me wisdom and It is not discovered. We do not find it, understanding.” He recognized that all and we certainly do not create it. It is ever other virtues followed from these two. present, but unseen, although its activity In this book Solomon describes wis- and potential are constantly available. dom in beautiful and poetic ways. He What is the veiling process that hides says we should seek her like people seek wisdom from our perception and our after silver and gold, and search for her experience? In our present human stage as a hidden treasure. He says that wisdom of development, the greatest veiling agent is “more moving than motion”, and “she to our perception of Truth or Wisdom passes through all things because of her is desire, and our deep involvement in purity”. He added that wisdom, being the desiring process. HPB and others

July 2017 The Theosophist 7 Coming to Wisdom and the Process of Aging described the major focus of the human gage. So ambition, desire for sensation, mind at our stage as the mind of desire, and so on, die out with old age. But, again, kâma-manas. We are in a continual pro- to “die out” is not the same as to “kill out”. cess of repeating desires. One involves the effect of the focused The capacity for our senses to pursue will, the other is simply due to the pas- the many desires of the senses — taste, sage of time. The will that is focused over sight, touch, smell, and hearing — dimin- the course of many lifetimes has the ishes with time, with age. In a sense, the capacity to kill out, to kill the root of the capacity to give expression to the desiring various kinds of desires that bloom life mind diminishes just by virtue of living in after life. In the case of any plant that this world long enough. Of course, there dies in the autumn, its roots become is nothing virtuous in that process; it is strengthened during the winter, and it just a fact. One may appear to be virtuous comes back with renewed fervor in the simply because with age our capacity to spring. “Kill out” is an admonition to one express our desires diminishes. But this who would be a disciple. is appearance only, not reality. We have the three Theosophical clas- Part I of Light on the Path gives three sics: At the Feet of the Master, The Voice different classes of instructions. If these of the Silence, and Light on the Path. The three are pursued, it leads to experiencing last one is spoken of as the advanced the wisdom-mind. In the words of this course in the sense that it is not written booklet, we will then be able to look for for those who are trying to find their way and see the blooming of the flower of to the Path, nor for those who are trying the soul, which takes place when the to cultivate certain qualities along the storm has become silent. But attention to Path. Plainly written at the beginning, these three classes of instructions comes it is intended for all disciples who find first, beginning with killing out certain themselves firmly rooted, committed in ranges of desire — ambition, desire for this way, then it will be a book that can sensation, for growth, for life, and so on. speak to them. In the absence of that The next set of instructions are about commitment it might be interesting, cultivating desire — for things that are informative, but not useful. intangible, inexpressible in normal ways. Damodar Mavalankar, in some of his Then come the instructions about seek- writings during the course of his brief ing out the way. But “kill out” is the first time here with us, put the nature of the category. spiritual path in very succinct terms. In the process of aging, the death of He said that a complete description of some of the things that Light on the Path spiritual progress is this: “Check your advises us to kill out occurs in the natural desires, learn to control your mind. This course of things. They die out naturally is the foundation of all spiritual pro- from the death of one’s capacity to en- gress.” In the Mahatma Letters much

8 The Theosophist Vol. 138.10 Coming to Wisdom and the Process of Aging profound knowledge and many indi- a letter to A. O. Hume, advising him not cations toward wisdom are given. They to allow the mind to become disturbed. are so numerous that it is easy to overlook That is part of the work, and it occurs many of them. One of those indications through checking the emotions, learning that can actually be a practice for us to to control the mind. the extent that we can remember it and Another quote to close with, and to try to apply it, is: “It is upon the serene ponder over, relates to the unruffled mind and placid surface of the unruffled mind — the capacity for it to be impressed that the visions gathered from the in- from the invisible, and be expressed in visible find a representation in the visible the visible: “It is in the dead of night that world.” This advice was being given in Krishna is born.” ²

There lives a Master in the hearts of men [who] Maketh their deeds by subtle pulling-strings, Dance to what tune HE will. With all thy soul Trust Him, and take Him for thy succour...! Bhagavadgita Chapter 18, verses 61–62

July 2017 The Theosophist 9 Cosmocentrism in the Theosophical World View Cosmocentrism in the Theosophical World View

DEEPA PADHI

AS evident today, humanity is passing cosmocentric — based on the Ethics of through a crisis of an unprecedented the Cosmos, the Whole, a deep under- nature. Despite the glorious advancement standing of which is of utmost importance in science and technology, which brought and relevance today. It consists of three us more prosperity and comfort in the fundamental propositions: physical domain, we are utterly impover- 1. The universe and all that exists ished within. The crisis has its origin not within it are one interrelated and inter- in the outer nature but in the very psyche dependent whole. of humankind, and it is of its own making. 2. Every existential being — from It is because of our erroneous vision atom to galaxy — is rooted in the same about ourselves and the world around us. life-creating Reality. This Reality is all- This psychic crisis today is an expression pervasive, but it can never be summed of a spiritual void that has overtaken up in its parts, since it transcends all its humanity and resulted in a frantic bid to expressions. It reveals itself in the pur- serve human interests at the cost of non- poseful, ordered and meaningful pro- humans and Nature. A change in the cesses of Nature as well as in the deepest perception of our world view is urgently recesses of the mind and spirit. needed to save us from self-extinction 3. Recognition of the unique value of arising out of our own arrogance and every living being expresses itself in ignorance. What is important is our reverence for life, compassion for all, mindset and psychic hardware (our basic sympathy with the need of individuals traits within). We need to bring about to find truth for themselves, and respect a transformation in our psychic core, for every religious tradition. The ways shedding the rust and dross accumu- in which these ideals become realities in lated over it for so many lives. individual life are both the privileged At this critical point of time, Theo- choice and the responsible act of every sophy provides a world view which is human being.

Dr Deepa Padhi is international Vice-President of the Theosophical Society, Adyar, and President of the Theosophical Order of Service, Odisha Region, India.

10 The Theosophist Vol. 138.10 Cosmocentrism in the Theosophical World View Theosophy teaches that there is an spiritual standpoint, man is expected to eternal order that is both immanent and rise above separateness to realize the unity transcendent, which humans can neither underlying the diversity. The seers spell make nor break. Man is only a part of the out the necessity of extending fellowship cosmic order which runs by its own dy- to all other beings such as four-legged, namics. The cosmocentric vision of the six-legged, winged, rooted, flowing and Theosophical world view finds its most so on, even to the so-called inanimates, eloquent expression in the Universal because every created thing and being Prayer composed by the great Theo- partake in the same essence. sophist Dr Annie Besant: The cosmocentric ethics is grounded on the ultimate reality which is of the O Hidden Life, vibrant in every atom; nature of pure consciousness that is all O Hidden Light, shining in every creature; pervasive. It is the pan-consciousness O Hidden Love, embracing all in oneness; immanent in every particular. All crea- May each who feels himself as one tion, from subatomic particles to galaxies, with Thee, from bacteria to human beings, are ex- Know he is therefore one with every other. pressions of one, infinite cosmic con- Life connotes the universal continuum. sciousness. Human beings who consider It has as varied expressions as there are themselves limited and separated from forms and grades of existence. each other and distinct from Nature are The life which constitutes the essence actually parts of a greater whole and in- of all biotic species is also vibrant in tegrally related with the rest of creation. every particle of the universe. Theo- This vision also finds its substan- sophy rejects the idea of sharp division tiation in Vedanta metaphysics, which between living and non-living, animate upholds that it is One consciousness or inanimate. H. P. Blavatsky observes: manifesting through the myriads of en- tities within the universe, living or non- Occultism does not accept anything in- living. Sarvam khalvidam brahma — organic in the Kosmos. The expression everything in the universe is Brahman employed by science, “inorganic sub- (the absolute pure consciousness) — stance”, means simply that the latent life says Chandogya Upanishad. In the three slumbering in the molecules of so-called canonical texts of Hinduism (Upanishads, “inert matter” is incognizable. ALL IS Bhagavadgitâ, and Brahma Sutras) cos- LIFE, and every atom of even mineral dust mocentric unity is strongly held as the is a LIFE, though beyond our compre- basic truth. Aham brahmâsmi, I am the hension and perception ...(The Secret Whole (absolute consciousness), is the Doctrine, vol. 1, p. 248) goal of human evolution and the birthright In whichever part of the world we live, of every human being on the earth. The we share the same nature. From the opening verse of Iºâvâsya Upanishad

July 2017 The Theosophist 11 Cosmocentrism in the Theosophical World View suggests a new vision embracing the universe as a dynamic web of interre- whole universe, the cosmos: iºâvâsyam- lated events where no properties of any idam sarvam yat kiñcha jagatyâm jagat, part of the web are fundamental. All the meaning the one supreme consciousness properties of a part follow from the pro- envelops all things (animate and so-called perties of the other parts, so everything inanimate) of this phenomenal universe. must be defined in terms of every- The same idea is expressed by Lama thing else. Anagarika Govinda, a Buddhist and The Theosophical world view also be- ardent theosophist: lieves that in the state of Nature (cosmos) the parts (animate and inanimate) stand The Buddha does not believe in an inde- interrelated, interdependent, and inte- pendent or separately existing external grated to the whole at the same time. The world, into whose dynamic forces he relationships among the animate and the could insert himself. The external world so-called inanimate are characterized by and his inner world are for him only two coexistence and interdependence. Even sides of the same fabric, in which the predatory relationships which appear to threads of all events, of all forms of con- be aggressive, are actually beneficial for sciousness and of their objects, are woven both species. We breed and breathe, live into an inseparable net of endless, mutually and die in synchrony. Every creature that conditioned relations. exists, does indeed have utility value in (Foundations of Tibetan Mysticism, p. 93) the ever-flowing stream of creation. Noth- The idea of the oneness of the universe ing is useless or unimportant in Nature. pervading all is not a mystical fantasy but Even those creatures which we, on a scientific fact, as it finds its support in account of our limited understanding, quantum physics. The fundamental unity consider as harmful, have a purpose in underlying the manifest world is called the cosmic plan. Instead of destroy- by David Bohm “the implicate order”. ing them and their habitat, we must try According to Bohm: to create a congenial environment for their preservation with proper safeguards In the external world of space and time, so that they do not do any harm to the things and events may indeed appear to human species. be separate or discrete, but beneath the surface, in the implicate order or fre- The Milky Way is vast from one end to quency realm, all things and events are the other; an ant is a very small creature; spacelessly, timelessly, intrinsically one but the role of both of them in maintaining and undivided. the balance of the universe is equal. If even (David Bohm, Wholeness and one ant meets a premature death, it will disturb the balance of the entire Cosmos. the Implicate Order, p. 208) Therefore, nothing is unimportant, not Bohm presented a cosmology of the even an ant. (New Vision-New World).

12 The Theosophist Vol. 138.10 Cosmocentrism in the Theosophical World View Biologist Edward O. Wilson very aptly feel all creatures as part of themselves. called the invertebrates “the little things This state of Buddhic consciousness that run the world’’. The truth behind this has been aptly expressed in Talks on the is that we need these little creatures, as Path of Occultism, vol. III: they constitute our life support system. When the disciple reaches this stage his Without them the human society cannot consciousness has become part of the life survive. We are all interdependent. of the world. If he thinks of himself as The sum total of all creations is the “I” it is as part of that “I” in which all other cosmic order. This includes the sun as “I”s also exist. Now there is for him well as a blade of grass or a tiny insect — nothing which is outside or separate from all belong to one cosmic family and as himself; he identifies himself with the each has intrinsic value it deserves rev- one great life in whatever stage it may be, erence, compassion and sympathy. whenever it is in need of help. He entirely The first principle of cosmic connect- loses the sense, which is so common in edness places the aim of human life as the world, of some people being outside; the realization of the divine ground of all he is in all and with all. being. Instead of viewing matter as the base of existence, the new cosmocentric This cosmocentric view which the value system accepts the cosmic con- Theosophical world view provides will sciousness as the transcendent ground of definitely have profound consequences all reality because instead of domination, on our consciousness and behaviour. it inspires love and compassion; instead The realization that we are integral parts of separateness, it guides us to the real- of the whole universe or cosmos, may ization of the Oneness. Like the Saint Sai change our attitude towards our environ- Baba of Shirdi (India), who saw a horse ment and ecosystem. Who will destroy being whipped and felt the lashes falling the ecosystem, the flora, and fauna, if he on his own back, who wept out of com- realizes that he is a part of it? passion when a stone slab fell down and The only hope for the future lies in broke into pieces, our deep harmony with a change, a fundamental transforma- all, animate and inanimate, will spring tion in our thoughts, perceptions, values from our unity with the very source of and, most importantly, actions. As C.W. all beings. In fact, for those who have Leadbeater reveals, “We are to grow as realized the Whole, the One, everything the flower grows. Why? Because the seems so good that they treat everything flower grows unselfishly, absolutely with love and reverence. They are in- altruistically ... Its entire growth is capable of harming others, exploiting not for itself, but for other plants yet the weak, or ravaging a forest, as they to come.’’ ²

July 2017 The Theosophist 13 Transience, Immortality, and Inspiration Transience, Immortality, and Inspiration

WAYNE GATFIELD

A great deal of Buddhist philosophy inherent immortality then it may lead to centres on the transient nature of life in depression and a constant fear of the its many forms. Indeed this teaching future and what is inevitable. This real- permeates Eastern culture, especially in ization can be extremely disquieting to China and Japan. The cherry blossom is most of us. regarded as an example of something that Through our studies of Theosophy is both beautiful and yet fleeting. A term and other genuine spiritual teachings we used in Japan is mono no aware which are enabled to become cognizant of the signifies the beauty and sadness in this true meaning of life and also to develop transience. Awareness of the transience our intuitions so that we have a direct of all things heightens appreciation of perception of our immortal nature. Many their beauty, and evokes a gentle sadness great teachers have come to us, motivated at their passing. We ourselves are just a by compassion, to make us aware that blink in the eye of eternity as regards our we are in reality spiritual beings and that personal self. Life in itself is permanent, “death will not touch us at all”. The rest whereas its countless forms are like we have to do for ourselves, no one else bubbles in a stream. Even this planet is can do it for us. The idea that some so, in the context of universal life. saviour can wipe out our sins or take our Most people tend not to dwell on this karma away is unlikely to be true. It is brief life we have, they shut it out with much more wonderful to realize that so many distractions and imagine that Christ is not a man but our own higher they are to live forever in their present Self and that there is no limit to the ex- body. Awakening to the fact of their pansion of our consciousness. We have mortality is too painful for the average a mind to embrace the universe and once man or woman to come to terms with. we understand the true nature of “self- Indeed if this awakening is not backed reliance” there is no need to lean on any up by an increasing awareness of our external teacher. The fact that there are

Mr Wayne Gatfield is President of Bolton Lodge, English Section of the Theosophical Society, and a National Lecturer.

14 The Theosophist Vol. 138.10 Transience, Immortality, and Inspiration those who watch over us as we would resurrect the Spirit crucified in him by his someone less fortunate or a child in our own terrestrial passions, and buried deep care is comforting but they would never in the “sepulchre” of his sinful flesh; he interfere in our decisions, we have to who has the strength to roll back the stone make our own mistakes and learn to of matter from the door of his own inner overcome suffering ourselves. However sanctuary, he has the risen Christ in him. they will be there to inspire us at times The life of one reacts on the life of and plant ideas in our minds that we are all and if we purify and harmonize our free to choose or reject as we see fit. natures we affect all those around us. We At a certain stage of our progress we may can also not “sin” and suffer the effects be taken in hand by one of these teachers, of sin alone. Sin is a difficult concept, as but even then we will not become their it has different meanings in different puppets and will still be allowed total cultures around the world. The one un- freedom. We can choose how much of pardonable sin is to deny the Spirit in us, their advice we take on board and this to fail to recognise the potential of our will mark the degree of our progress. In true Self and the fact that we are not many cases when a guru is mentioned in transient beings at all but Divine Beings. spiritual literature it refers to the greatest The task at hand is to overcome the guru, our higher Self. It is often mistaken selfishness in our nature and realize the for a human teacher, the bond is to be oneness of all things so that we can begin made between ourselves and our higher to think and act compassionately for the Self with the human guru as intermediary good of all. and a representative of the Divinity that Any “virtue” that we acquire arises we all share. from the dissolving of this “great dire Everything lesser than the higher Self heresy of separateness that weans us is fallible, we should place our reliance from the rest”. Man-made, moral rules on our Divine Nature and that alone. have little impact on someone fixed on It is our inspiration and Light. Krishna, the spiritual path, because only those speaking as the higher Self, says in the things that help them to overcome this Bhagavadgitâ: “I am the Lord, the Wit- feeling of separateness matters to them ness, the Resting Place, the Asylum and in the final analysis. Therefore they wish the Friend.” It is the guiding star that we to dispense with anything that shackles follow until the Christ spirit is born in us. the mind to earthly attachments. As H. P. Blavatsky writes in her article Many modern systems of “spiritual” “The Esoteric Character of the Gospels”: thought attempt to justify the acceptance Christ — the true esoteric SAVIOUR — and acquirement of material possessions is no man, but the DIVINE PRINCIPLE in and also indulgence in a hedonistic life- every human being. He who strives to style, often inventing clever ways of

July 2017 The Theosophist 15 Transience, Immortality, and Inspiration making it all seem part of the process. They lift us to another realm and infuse us with forget that such things are substitutes for an appreciation of beauty and love. The the satisfaction felt when one awakens source of this inspiration is beyond any to one’s true nature. When this happens kind of designation but we must be thank- all desire for the things of the world ful to those who try to translate this into gradually fades, so that although we something that gives us the wings to fly are in the world we are not of it. We still into our own heaven and comprehend continue to live our life but we now have something that words, sounds and images no inclination to accumulate any posses- cannot. They are the interpreters and sions. We accept whatever comes our for this we must be forever grateful. way, but we have ceased actively search- HPB writes: ing. This is because we have found with- ... once that a student abandons the old in us that peace and contentment that and trodden highway of routine, and enters we vainly sought outside. Outer things upon the solitary path of independent are transient; what we have within us is thought — Godward — he is a Theo- eternal and immortal. sophist, an original thinker, a seeker after Inspiration usually comes to us spo- the eternal truth with “an inspiration of his radically in the early stages. If genuine, own” to solve the universal problems. it is the whisperings of our higher Self in (Collected Writings, vol. II, p. 102) us giving us a glimpse of what lies behind the veils our lower minds create. If we There comes a time when interpreters are a poet, artist, musician or writer we are no longer needed and we become may be able to interpret these insights aware, through true inspiration, of our into words or sounds or pictures; pale Immortality. Then life and death become reflections of the original but still able to as dreams. There is only the ETERNAL give others a hint of something more NOW. All feelings of transience have dis- precious than the mediocre, everyday appeared like the mist before the morning life. We are all aware of the effects of sun and the realization of our deathless truly beautiful music, poetry or art. They spiritual nature is firmly established. ²

To know, is to know that you know nothing. That is the meaning of true knowledge. Socrates

16 The Theosophist Vol. 138.10 The Glorious Future of Man The Glorious Future of Man

BHUPENDRA R. VORA

MADAME H. P. Blavatsky (HPB) has space. The occult doctrine proposes that written much in her great work, The consciousness evolves through various Secret Doctrine, about the evolution kingdoms of life before emerging in the of man, in the volume on “Anthropo- human kingdom, where the individu- genesis”. The occult doctrine as enun- alized soul evolves under the workings ciated in The Secret Doctrine elaborates of the laws of Reincarnation and Karma. the process of evolution of the Earth This philosophy postulates that the chain. It leads to the end of the cycle human evolution progresses through vast on planet Earth at the completion of its periods of time, with the soul taking many evolutionary journey. She traces the pro- incarnations through seven root races and gress of human consciousness through the many sub-races, in order to fully unfold earlier root races up to the present fifth its divine potential in the manifested root race, and projects it into the coming world. The descent of spirit into matter has root races. The Earth is the fourth globe reached its grossest level during the pre- (planet) of the fourth round of the fourth sent fourth root race. With the advent of chain. In the Earth Chain the life wave the fifth root race, the ascent towards has already been round the chain of globes greater spirituality will commence and three times. spirit will begin to dominate matter over With regard to this subject HPB states a vast period of time. in the third Fundamental Proposition in The development of the emotional the Proem, that there is a fundamental body was the work set out for the fourth identity of all souls with the Universal root race, and the fifth root race has for Oversoul; and that there is an obligatory its task the development of the mind prin- pilgrimage for every soul through the ciple. In the coming root races the further Cycle of Incarnation in accordance with stages of progress will be those of the the Laws of Nature. According to this buddhic and atmic principles of man. This principle human beings are embarked on progress takes place over millions of the evolutionary journey through time and years. The spark of consciousness that

Mr Bhupendra R. Vora is former General Secretary of the Theosophical Society in East and Central Africa, now living in England.

July 2017 The Theosophist 17 The Glorious Future of Man embarked on the journey of necessity, “Plato and Confucius were fifth-round returns to its source at the end of its jour- men and our Lord a sixth-round man . .. ney after having attained to manifested and not even Gautama Buddha’s son was perfection as a fully enlightened being. anything but a fourth-round man.” (Letter This is the glory that awaits human beings No. 66, The Mahatma Letters, chron. ed.). at the end of the cycle of “necessity”. This means that these beings were very In The Masters and the Path, C. W. far ahead in evolution in comparison to Leadbeater writes about the various sta- the rest of humanity. ges of development or initiations through The Mahatma refers to the astounding which the aspirant on the spiritual path heights to which a great being like the goes through before emerging as a ful- Lord Buddha has reached. This places ly evolved Master of the Wisdom, or him millions of years ahead of the rest Mahatma. The esoteric traditions of the of humankind. Other great souls like many faiths also refer to these initiations Socrates, Plato, and Confucius impressed and the fetters of delusion, greed, anger, their mark on history through their con- and so on, that need to be overcome at tributions to world thought and were each step of the way whilst progressing also far ahead in the evolutionary pro- on the path of enlightenment. In ancient cess. Throughout the annals of history times there were many mystery schools there have been many such men and in Egypt, Greece, and other parts of the women who have stood out above their world that prepared aspirants for the fellow human beings for their exceptional higher divine life. In Greece, for instance, achievements in various fields of human the mystery school of Pythagoras was endeavour. Their contributions in the well known for its esoteric teachings. In fields of science, philosophy, arts, and India the tradition was for the neophytes spiritual disciplines have left indelible to go to the hermitages of the enlightened marks on human development through sages to seek wisdom. the centuries. Even though the present stage of the In the field of art, great sculptors and average member of the human race is far painters like Michelangelo seemed to be from the point of full development of the divinely inspired when creating master- mind principle, there have been many pieces of sculpture like the “Pieta” or men who have attained this and far higher “David”. His inspired paintings of the levels in comparison to their fellow human Apostles, amongst the many other works beings on the evolutionary journey. These of art in the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican, Light Bearers of human evolution can be reveal an extraordinary mind. Was it identified throughout the ages. In The inspiration from without or the divinity Mahatma Letters the Mahatma KH refers within that inspired him to create this to such beings and the levels of their heavenly art! It is said that he was pri- evolutionary development. He states: marily a sculptor who was pressured into

18 The Theosophist Vol. 138.10 The Glorious Future of Man undertaking the paintings that continue theory of gravity. In The Mahatma to awe all those who set their eyes on Letters the Mahatma KH, quoting the these life-like creations. What is it within Vedantic philosophy, states: “âtmânam the human consciousness that leads to âtmanâ paºya”, meaning: “To know itself such stupendous heights of perfection! even as a shining light, requires no light In the ancient world the arts and sciences to make itself perceived.” Within human were regarded as divine gifts of the gods. beings is the power lying dormant that Similarly, in the field of music the needs to be awakened so it may rise to compositions of the great composer its full potential. It does not need any light Beethoven reveal a genius far above that external to itself. The advice is rightly of many other composers. Did he bring given: “Be a lamp unto yourself.” his genius from a former life where it The examples of these extraordi- had been flowering over many lives! nary humans suggest that within man is When we see the works of great masters the potential to rise to great heights of like Michelangelo, Beethoven, and many achievement in the fields of material and others in the various arts, they evidently spiritual sciences. Nature intends for the reflect an intelligence that is far above human consciousness to evolve through that of the average human being. During many incarnations to higher and higher the Mughal Emperor Akbar’s reign in India levels of unfoldment to its full divine there was a great music master named potential. In the poetic compositions of Tansen. Such was his mastery that he great poets like W. B. Yeats, William could create moods of joy and sorrow Blake, and Rabindranath Tagore you may through the singing of râgas. It is said see the divinity within rising towards its that he could light candles and make it full glory. It is said that the writings of rain with the recitation of those râgas. Shakespeare were inspired by a Master Such was the divinity of his composi- of the Wisdom. All these men rose to tions when played, that angelic beings in their positions through sustained efforts the higher planes, like the gandharvas, during many incarnations. responded to them. In Gods in Exile (pp. 13–14) J. J. van In the field of science an Isaac Newton der Leeuw writes: or an Albert Einstein perceived in Nature Man is essentially divine; as a son of God the workings of some law or the other that he partakes of the nature of his Father and others were not able to see. It is said that shares his Godhead. Man’s ... true home Isaac Newton saw an apple falling to the is therefore the world of the Divine; there ground and started reflecting. “Why we live and move and have our being “from should the apple always descend per- eternity to eternity”. In his own world the pendicular to the ground,” thought he, Ego of man has his own activities and “why should it not go sideways or up- lives a life of joy and splendour beyond wards?” Thus came into formulation his all earthly conception. There is, however,

July 2017 The Theosophist 19 The Glorious Future of Man

one lesson or experience which he cannot mentary on the story at the end of this learn in his own world, but for which he book, states that all aspirants on the occult has to put forth his consciousness into path have to go through trials and dif- the worlds of outer manifestation where ficulties of life in order to conquer the there is manifoldness and the antithesis lower aspects of their nature and let the of “I” and “not-I”. It is there alone that, divine within them flower to its fullest through the medi-um of bodies composed light and glory. The lower aspects of their of the matter of these outer worlds, the nature that need to be conquered are en- Ego can gain self-consciousness, that is umerated as desire (kâma), anger (krodha), to say, consciousness of himself as a sep- greed (lobha), ignorance (moha), arro- arate individual. gance (mada) and jealousy (mâtsarya). The priest, in the story of the ancient When consciousness enters into the Egyptian faith in Mabel Collins’ The Idyll human body, it is placed under the charge of the White Lotus (bk 2, ch. 8), declares of the five senses and the six emotions to the neophyte: enumerated above. The human soul has its own intuition to guide it, but its Hear me, my brother, there are three truths lower nature will not allow it to listen to which are absolute, and which cannot be its voice of reason. In the Bhagavadgitâ lost, but yet may remain silent for lack of Lord Krishna refers to this struggle speech: between the lower and higher aspects of The soul of man is immortal, and its future human nature in a dialogue with his is the future of a thing whose growth and disciple Arjuna: splendour has no limit. Let man uplift the self (ego) by the SELF; The principle which gives life dwells in let the self not be self-degraded (cast down). us and without us, is undying and eternally Indeed, the SELF is the friend of the self; and also the SELF is the self’s enemy. beneficent, is not heard or seen, or smelt, but is perceived by the man who desires For him whose self (ego) has been con- perception. quered by the SELF (soul), the SELF is the friend of the self; but verily, the SELF Each man is his own absolute lawgiver, behaves as an enemy, toward the self that the dispenser of glory or gloom to himself; is not subdued. the decreer of his life, his reward, his (ch. 6, verses 5–6) punishment. The physical ego, the active conscious- These truths, which are as great as is life ness in man, should uplift its body- itself, are as simple as the simplest mind identified self into unity with the soul, its of man. Feed the hungry with them. true nature; it should not allow itself to Swami T. Subba Row, writing his com- remain mired in the lowly delusive strata

20 The Theosophist Vol. 138.10 The Glorious Future of Man of the senses and material entanglement. exaltation of the human being, but in that In Masters and the Path C. W. Lead- of his becoming one with a great Order. beater elaborates on the ascent back to The first fetter that is to be dealt with Godhead through various spiritual steps is delusion (sakkâyaditthi), of the “I am described as initiations, when the neo- I” consciousness that is connected with phyte casts off the fetters that bind him the personality. It is the delusion about to the world of matter. Buddhist scriptures the true nature of man. The strong iden- describe these fetters as: tification with the personality (body, mind, intellect principle) prevents the 1. Delusion of one’s individuality or self aspirant from the realization of the unity (sakkâyaditthi) of life. At a higher stage of development 2. Doubt as to God’s plan (Evolution) and the identification with the individuality is the Laws of Nature (vichikicchâ) to be abandoned to lead to greater unity 3. Reliance upon rites and ceremonies with the Divine Life. It is a process of (silabbataparâmâsa) successively dropping the veils that hide 4. Sensuality (kâmarâga) man’s true divine nature and to the real- 5. Anger or hatred (patigha) ization that he is one with brahman. 6. Desire for life in the world of forms The next fetter to be broken is that of (ruparâga) vichikicchâ, which has been defined as 7. Desire for life in the world of no forms doubt about the doctrines of Karma and (aruparâga) Reincarnation and of the efficacy of the 8. Pride (mâna) method of attaining the highest good by 9. Irritability (uddhaccha) the path of enlightenment. This does not 10. Ignorance (avijja) mean a blind acceptance of the principles The preparation for the higher life that have been enunciated, but a reasoned must commence with the development consideration of the Laws of Evolution. of character, purification of life, and One of the qualities that an aspirant is ex- devotion to service, that is so strongly pected to cultivate as defined in At the emphasized in At the Feet of the Master. Feet of the Master is faith or ºraddhâ; It is not self-glorification or the desire this is different from blind faith in rituals for personal progress that should be the and superstitions, which is in itself a fet- motivating factor. When this realization ter. At this stage the aspirant arrives at comes the soul puts aside selfish interests absolute certainty, based upon either first- and works for universal good, drawing hand knowledge or upon reason, that the the attention of the great beings who are occult teaching upon these points is true. the elder brothers of humankind. The first He realizes God’s plan for the evolution step of preparation is that of a sotâpanna, of the immortal life through perishing meaning one who has entered the stream. forms and is convinced that it is wonder- The importance of Initiation is not in the ful and beneficent in every part.

July 2017 The Theosophist 21 The Glorious Future of Man The third fetter is known as silabbata- (patigha). The aspirant must attain to parâmâsa or superstition. All erroneous that state where anger or hatred has no beliefs and dependence upon outward possibility of arising in the mind. When rites and ceremonies for purification of an inner state of balance is realized, the the self are considered a fetter. Religious aspirant is influenced neither by attrac- traditions do offer aids in the form of tions (râga) or repulsions (dvesha). When prayers, pilgrimages, fasts and other these two fetters are cast off, the disciple observances that help but do no more becomes an Arhat and is then on the path than that. We must find deliverance within to great glory in terms of spiritual pro- ourselves through personal efforts at self- gress. The initiate rises into a condition purification and the gaining of wisdom. of ecstasy in which it is possible to have When aspirants have overcome the limi- glimpses of the higher planes. In the tations of these three fetters they are in a descriptions attempted by some of the position to receive the second initiation Christian saints and Hindu yogis this state or reach that state of progress. By that of divine ecstasy is mentioned. St Teresa time they have no illusion about their real speaks of such experiences, as does St Self and know the outer vestures of the John and St Francis of Assisi. physical, astral, and mental bodies for The higher initiations require the what they are; instruments for acquir- casting away of the remaining five fetters: ing experiences of the material world. desire for life in the worlds of form and They have no doubts about the plan of no forms, pride, irritability, and igno- evolution and the operation of the laws rance. It is noteworthy that ignorance of Karma and Reincarnation and are (avijja) in some form remains to be over- certain that within themselves deliverance come by initiates even at their advanced must be sought. In Buddhist terminology stage of progress. It indicates that the the person has become a sakadâgâmi, learning process continues albeit at an one who incarnates just once more. advanced level. The fourth fetter is that of sensuality In its descent into matter the soul takes (kâmarâga) or attachment to the enjoy- on sheaths of consciousness in succes- ment of the senses. Aspirants must free sively denser planes until it dons the themselves from the possibility of being physical vesture where lies the field of enslaved by external things. In the Katha action. The influence of materiality is Upanishad the wise sage describes the strong and the soul falls under the influ- state of the undisciplined mind, that lets ence of delusion (mâyâ) about the real the senses run hither and thither, like wild nature of things. In the interaction be- horses. But they obey the rein like trained tween spirit and matter the soul evolves horses when a person has discrimination to perfection by gaining experience in the and the mind is one-pointed. manifested world and casts off the fetters The fifth fetter is anger or hatred that bind it to the cycle of death and birth.

22 The Theosophist Vol. 138.10 The Glorious Future of Man The veils of mâyâ, the illusions of the beings we have accounts of their previous physical world, no longer have a hold lives and the struggles that they went over it. The ascent back to the Godhead through to attain to the state of wisdom. unfolds its consciousness at higher and In particular, Buddhist scriptures write higher levels of existence. The person about the many former lives of the Lord rises from being an aspirant to being an Buddha, where he consistently served enlightened Mahatma. others in a spirit of compassion and love, In The Masters and the Path, C. W. to the extent that compassion, love and Leadbeater writes about the stages of selflessness became ingrained in his na- initiation and the possibilities that open ture. He attained to the state of a Buddha before the initiate in the service of the in his last life in India and became the One Universal Life. The picture that Great Teacher of humanity. unfolds before the initiate is that of a However the glory does not end there. grand universal scheme of evolution The steps on the path of initiates lead where endless vistas open before him. higher and higher to the heart of the solar Theosophical teachings mention the system and beyond. The consciousness seven rays along which humans pro- of an advanced being rises to envelop that gress in accordance with their natural of a planet, a solar system, and on and on. inclinations. The progress of the initiate The spark of the Divine having left the takes place along one of the rays and bosom of the Father, or Universal Spirit, eventually may lead him to be a Master returns after its obligatory journey of the Wisdom heading one of the Rays. with the realization that it is brahman. The Masters of the Wisdom were once The declaration aham brahmâsmi or ordinary human beings like us, but rose “I am brahman” is one that comes with to stupendous heights of spiritual progress the realization of its divine state and not through their determined efforts over through a mere intellectual understanding many lives. For many of these glorious of its nature. ²

A spoon cannot taste of the food it carries. Likewise, a foolish man cannot understand the wise man's wisdom, even if he associates with a Sage. Dalai Lama

July 2017 The Theosophist 23 Letter to Carl H. Hartmann Letter to Carl H. Hartmann

DAMODAR K. MAVALANKAR

Carl H. Hartmann, Esq., FTS devoted seekers of truth. Many are the Range Nursery, Toowoomba, men, my friend, who take exoteric rites Queensland, Australia and formularies to be truths, and they Adyar, Madras, suppose that whatever is written in any 8 January, 1883 religious book is to be understood and My Dear Sir and Brother, practised literally. I duly received your favours dated 4th And to be able to perceive the hid- and 9th September, 1882. I trust you will den truth there is but one way, viz., by kindly excuse me for not writing to you, physical, moral, intellectual, and spiritual but I was so busy that I have now created development and purification, so as to time, so to say, to answer you. As you strengthen the intuitive faculties as will must have learnt from the December enable them to penetrate at once to the Theosophist and the January no., we substance. You speak about abstinence, arrived here from Bombay on the 19th but remember the article “The Elixir of ultimo; much of our time was therefore Life” in the March and April Nos. of The taken up in preparing for the removal Theosophist (Vol. III) well and study it and then settling ourselves in our new carefully. It is no use to fast so long as home. We are not yet quite settled but you feel the necessity of eating. The whole we have begun business already. As groundwork of spiritual progress then regards books, etc., you wanted, I enclose comes to this: check your desires and learn an official letter of accounts. to control your mind. And if you will I requested the Indian correspondent think over it a little you will find the ra- of Mr P——, to allow him to show to tionale of the philosophy. The desires and you his letters, and he tells me that he the passions are, so to say, chains (real objected only to Mr P. showing them to magnetic chains) which bind down the strangers. He only desired that Mr P. mind to these earthly, carnal enjoyments, should first have his doubts cleared and and appetites. And he who wishes to rise then show all the correspondence to superior to the Mâyâ which pervades brothers like you — who are earnest and this world must do so by breaking those

Damodar K. Mavalankar (1857–?) was an Indian Theosophist and a chela of Mahatma Koot Hoomi. Reprinted from The Theosophist, December 1908.

24 The Theosophist Vol. 138.10 Letter to Carl H. Hartmann adamantine chains which hold him a prehension of the hitherto unknown prisoner in this transient world. When laws of Nature, and a better knowledge these chains are once snapped, the cloud of the humanity which surrounds them. will be gradually swept away from off Modern science even has found out that your inner sight, and your vision will be after each seven years the body of a man clear to perceive the truth. This is the is entirely changed. You will thus per- grand secret of accomplishing the end; ceive that for the body to be changed so but although said in these few words, completely within seven years, the pro- it embodies a grand philosophy which cess must be going on gradually all the unfolds gradually to him who rightly time, and the new body that is thus formed follows the path. No Guru will ever come is entirely of the man’s own making, for to you; pretenders you may find many, this process of the emission and the but a real Master we must approach and attraction of atoms is going on all the time. force our own way to. If by our irresist- If therefore, knowing this secret, the man ible and strong willpower, our indomit- controls his desires and passions all the able courage, and our moral purity, we time, so that he will emit from himself are determined, and set about to work in those atoms that are not suited for his the right direction hinted at above, we progress, at the same time giving them a cannot but force our way to a Guru, who good tendency so that they may not prove cannot refuse taking us as pupils. Re- a nuisance to others, and if he attracts member that the purer and more spiritual only those atoms which are suited to his the man, the more sensitive is his heart progress, then the body he will have to all pure attractions. If we therefore by formed will be entirely his own creation, our iron Will force our way, we touch and he can use it in any way he likes. the chord which cannot help taking For the completion of this process seven us to the proper channel. For a clearer years are necessary. You will thus see comprehension of what I mean, I cannot why the probationary period is fixed for do better than refer you to the article, seven years. It is no arbitrary rule, but the “How a chelâ found his Guru”, in The necessary condition exacted by Nature Theosophist for December 1882, and itself. This is the reason also why the my footnotes thereon. You are now too neophyte has always to guard self against far advanced in age to be able to become self; i.e., he must watch all the time his a practical occultist. According to our desires and passions, so as to prevent Indian Rules, a chelâ is accepted for them from attracting atoms unsuited to practical occultism either at the second spiritual progress. When, therefore, the or third cycle of his age at the latest. This third cycle of a man’s age is past, his is no whim or caprice on the part of the vitality is, in the first place, expended in venerated Masters; all their rules and directions opposed to spiritual progress; laws are based upon a thorough com- in the second place, his mind has been

July 2017 The Theosophist 25 Letter to Carl H. Hartmann wont to run into channels which are in- blame none but ourselves. Utilize this life consistent with psychical development of yours, then, for securing a happy and from which it is extremely difficult future. By the means pointed out to you to turn it into correct grooves. Hence already, prepare yourself to perceive the chelâs are admitted and brought up from truths which are not given to all to com- their young age. You yourself know the prehend, and gain as much mastery as proverb that you can bend a young plant you can over the theoretical side, assisted but not an old tree. Perhaps you will say by psychical development. This you that if chelâs have to force their way to cannot achieve better than by realizing the Masters, how can children (for under the grandeur and the intellectual emi- twenty-one they cannot be properly called nence of the leading idea of our society, men) be expected to do what advanced viz., Universal Brotherhood of Humanity. persons find so difficult? Here, then, my The various theosophical publications friend, remember that no one becomes must by this time have given you a glimpse an adept in one life. Before a person of the fact that this idea is the first step can have the privilege of being admitted on the ladder leading to the attainment as a chelâ even, he has to pass through a of that most difficult of all accomplish- succession of lives, and prepare himself ments — Nirvâna. If you will thoroughly theoretically for the task. I do not know comprehend the germs of philosophy but that according to western notions this contained in that one idea, you cannot may sound very strange; but, neverthe- but try your best to promote and pro- less, it is a fact. The man has to study pagate it as far and wide as possible. theoretically first, and develop within Remember that humanity is but a part of himself this germ of adeptship, before he Nature, and to attain Nirvâna one must can ever hope to approach the Secret identify himself with Nature and through Sanctuary in any capacity. Here then is humanity to thus merge into universal the chance for you to live the life, and pre- totality; this you will see can be done only pare yourself for a future rebirth under by a thorough comprehension and proper more favourable and advantageous con- study of the sublime idea of Brotherhood. ditions and circumstances. Keep always There lies the path then — identify your- in mind that a man spins his own web in which he entangles himself, and if these self with Nature through humanity, by meshes press hard upon him they are all means of the development of an unselfish of his own making. The law of Karma — philanthropic feeling and fitting acts and that Immutable Force of Nature — which thus mend you own future. governs the universe, is strict and just, With best wishes and as Justice cannot but be strict and severe, kind fraternal regards, and if we allow ourselves to be swayed Ever yours sincerely, by undesirable influences, we have to Damodar K. Mavalankar

26 The Theosophist Vol. 138.10 Annie Besant’s Public Service in India Annie Besant’s Public Service in India

N. C. RAMANUJACHARY

DR Annie Besant (1847–1933) made 5. The Commonweal and New India her home in India from 1893, when she periodicals, and pamphlets on Home Rule. first landed, and went on to stay for four 6. Her presidentship of the Indian decades although she was visiting other National Congress in 1917 and tours on countries on lecture tours and admini- political work. strative work occasionally. She lived in 7. Her Home-Rule Movement (Hind Varanasi till 1907, and moved to Chennai Swaraj) in 1916. (Adyar) when she succeeded Col H. S. 8. Her Commonwealth Bill (1915) — Olcott as president of the Theosophical tours to British Parliament. Society. For her long services in various 9. The Entrance of M. K. Gandhi on fields of Indian renaissance, she is con- the scene. sidered one of the builders of modern 10. Her withdrawal from active public India. work and death in 1933; a great deal of The following specific points of Annie unfinished agendas. Besant’s work in the public arena need Annie Besant basically differed with attention: the programs of non-cooperation and 1. Her being prompted by Madame satyagraha of M. K. Gandhi; and also the H. P. Blavatsky to work for India. student participation in politics. Most of 2. Her own experience during 1893– the social unrests in post-independent 1907 in Varanasi and tours in India. India are aggrievedly relegated to the 3. Her audience with Sanat Kumara negligence to this caution. and Agastya, the Indian rishis, and her As already mentioned, Annie Besant direct plunge into the social and public came to India in 1893 and made it her areas. second home. Her concern for the Indian 4. Her Wake Up India Lecture series, situation was remarkable even before her in 1913, several social reform efforts, and arrival here, as can be seen in her essay joining the Indian National Congress. “A Bird’s-Eye View of India’s Past as

Dr N. C. Ramanujachary is a long-term member of the Indian Section, a former National Lecturer, and a renowned author in the Telugu language.

July 2017 The Theosophist 27 Annie Besant’s Public Service in India the Foundation for India’s Future” (1915). Commonweal to popularize her ideas of The kind of India she had in mind can national reform in India and in England. be visualized from the following extract: She waited until 1916 for the formation of the Home Rule Movement giving a fair The India I love and revere and fain see chance to the Indian National Congress. living among the nations, is not an India The then Government of India wanted to westernized, rent with struggles of poli- stop her work for the “political inde- tical parties, heated with the fire of poli- pendence of the country” and interned tical passions, with a people ignorant and her for three months in 1916. Her ideal degraded, while those who might have was a “Commonwealth of Free Nations”, raised them are fighting for the loaves and and India to play a prominent role fishes of political triumph. The India to therein. She formed a National Con- which I belong in faith and heart is a vention with elected members of the civilization in which spiritual knowledge legislature and earnest seekers of was accorded highest title of honour and independence to make the Common- in which the people reverenced and sought wealth Bill. This convention can easily after spiritual truths. To help in turning be likened to the Constituent Assembly it into another Great Britain or another (for drafting the new Constitution of Germany is an ambition that does not India), which India established after allure me. Therefore the India that I would obtaining political independence in 1947. give my life to help in building is an India Besant brought together the differing learned in the ancient philosophy, pulsing sections led by Bal Gangadhar Tilak and with an ancient religion, an India to which Gopal Krishna Gokhale and paved the all other lands should look for spiritual way for one national movement. She life —where the life of all should be endeavoured to bring together the spirit materially simple but intellectually noble of unity among the Hindus and Muslims. and spiritually sublime. She was a strict disciplinarian and worked She took up active political work in within the constitution. She did not ap- 1913 and organized a band of TS workers prove of the non-cooperation and civil the same year. The pledge the members disobedience policies of Gandhi; and took was: seriously warned the people of the perils such actions would bring about in the I promise to promote union among the future. But she did not meet with the workers in the fields of spiritual, edu- concurrence of the general public. Many cational, social, and political progress, political analysts and leaders have agreed under the headship and direction of the with her and lament what happened, for Indian National Congress. the “evils” of civil disobedience are the When the Congress hesitated to do the causes for the unrest we have today, where work, she started the weekly paper The more personal issues are termed national

28 The Theosophist Vol. 138.10 Annie Besant’s Public Service in India issues and objectives are achieved by Her presidential address to the Indian ransom. She stood firmly for national National Congress delivered in December patriotism within the frame of inter- 1917 at Calcutta, after detailing many national culture. However she was badly factors of history and current affairs, misunderstood by the general public and concludes with the following aspiration: slowly her “convincing policies” made After a history of millennia, stretching far her lose her political influence. Bipin back, out of the ken of mortal eyes; having Chandra Pal was clear enough when he lived with, but not died with, the mighty said: “In those exciting days, we did not civilizations of the past; having seen them stop to calmly consider the real psy- rise and flourish and decay, until only their chology of her policy. We did not even sepulchres remained, buried deep in the impartially examine the facts of the case. earth’s crusts; having wrought, and tri- Her attitude and action in this matter was umphed, and suffered, and having survived strictly correct and constitutional.” all changes unbroken; India, who has been Her New India (daily newspaper) verily the crucified among nations, now writings and editorials need to be studied stands on this her resurrection morning, the very carefully, as the issues they deal with Immortal, the Glorious, the Ever-young; are still alive and prevailing today. and India shall soon be seen, proud and Her addresses titled Wake Up India self-reliant, strong and free, the radiant (a plea for Social Reform), delivered in Splendour of Asia, as the Light and the 1913 and dedicated to “the motherland”, Benediction of the World. deal with the following topics and a re- reading would bring new light into focus, In her lecture on “Indian Awakening” even now: foreign travel; child-marriage Besant says: and its results; our duty to the depressed In the past, I have sometimes traced to you, classes; Indian industries as related to the steps of India’s descent; how from the self-government; mass education and the time of her great spirituality, when the life education of Indian girls; the colour bar of the spirit was seen as the sun in the in England, the colonies and India; and heavens, how from that time downwards, the passing of the caste system. with the decay of spirituality went also the The literature she produced on political decay of desirable things. There came the issues and topics run to as many as one lessening of the spiritual life, then the hundred (as listed out in The Theosophist, decay of the original side of intellectual October 1947) and these are besides thought, of creative intelligence, and those on philosophy, religion, culture, only when those had gone far down into social reforms, and so on. Her prominent the twilight, came the slow decay of mate- books on political history are: How India rial prosperity. Wrought for Freedom (1915) and Lectures on Political Science (1919). She is consistently bent upon the opinion

July 2017 The Theosophist 29 Annie Besant’s Public Service in India that India’s awakening cannot be com- She is, as already stated, considered plete until the nation is rejuvenated with to be a builder of modern India. She made the spiritual/intuitional glory she earlier a lot of pioneering effort in the fields of had. Awakening necessarily includes social service/reform and political re- all facets of spirit down to social sphere organization. The following events she of activity. She continues: initiated speak for themselves: 1900: Delivered her first lecture on Trust to life, to the living spirit. We were social reform. not there to guide the life, when it made 1908: Established the Theosophical the glorious past. Life can be trusted, for it Order of Service, Sons of India, and is divinely guided, and all we have to do is Daughters of India Movements. to cooperate with it. That is the idea you 1912: Founded the Order of Theo- must have above all things — be full of sophical Sannyasis. hope and full of courage. 1913: Formed a small group of Her thoughts on “non-cooperation” youngsters which eventually developed are clear and she was against such a to be named the Order of Brothers of movement because (1) it is revolutionary, Service in 1917. (2) it stirs up hatred between government 1914: Started the weekly journal of and people, setting up the people against national reform The Commonweal. The the government, and (3) it strikes at the same year she started New India (daily foundation of society which is based on newspaper) which continued publica- cooperation and can only exist through tion for fifteen years. Started the YMIA continued cooperation. and donated the Gokhale Hall in George Annie Besant was against the idea of Town, Chennai, formerly Madras, to be students being thrown into political a centre of free speech. conflicts. She says: 1917: Formed the Women’s Indian Association in Adyar which developed They may ruin their whole lives in a surge to national stature as All-India Women’s of excitement and in their manhood bit- Conference (at Poona in 1927 and at terly reproach those who took advant Lahore in 1931). -age of their inexperience — there can be 1920: Stood firm against the non- no wise politics without thought before- cooperation plan of Gandhi. Here she hand. People who shout first and think was supported by five members only and afterwards make a mob, they do not make hooted out by thousands. This event a political party; and that is the thing that made her courageous enough to say: We the boy does. Train your boys to think first are nearer the threshold of independence, and then to form opinions, not to call out now that people are bold enough to outwit first and then wonder what they have been a foreigner. (Not exact words). shouting for — that is bad moral training. 1921: Started the Political Club in

30 The Theosophist Vol. 138.10 Annie Besant’s Public Service in India Madras, which paved the way for the well an Indian renaissance; and, as I effort to draft a constitution for India. She often iterate, there is a need to present ultimately took the Commonwealth of an authentic and well-documented India Bill to London for presentation record of her work. This alone will before the Parliament. bring up the rightness of her views and 1928: On invitation, she wrote a their currency in the unruly atmosphere statement for the World Peace Union. in which the country is now deeply Annie Besant did attempt in full and submerged. ²

Compassion

Usually, our concept of compassion or love refers to the feeling of closeness we have with our friends and loved ones. Sometimes compassion also carries a sense of pity. This is wrong; any love or compassion which entails looking down on the other is not genuine compassion. To be genuine, compassion must be based on respect for the other, and on the realization that others have the right to be happy and overcome suffering, just as much as you. On this basis, since you can see that others are suffering, you develop a genuine sense of concern for them.

H.H. The XIVth Dalai Lama

July 2017 The Theosophist 31 Karma and Rebirth Karma and Rebirth

K. JAISHREE

KARMA means action, work, or deeds; This concept describes a “reciprocal”, it also refers to the principle of cau- or “two-way”, relationship between one’s sality, where the intent and actions self and others that involves both sides of an individual influence his or her equally and mutually. This is also a form future. Good intent and good deeds of karma. contribute to future happiness, while In Hinduism, according to the Vedas, bad intent and bad deeds contribute if we sow goodness, we reap goodness; to future suffering. Karma is closely if we sow evil, we reap evil. Karma refers associated with the idea of rebirth in to the totality of our actions and their con- some schools of Asian religions. Dif- comitant reactions in this and previous ferent religions have dealt with karma lives, all of which determine our future. from different perspectives. Let us con- The conquest of karma lies in intelligent sider what the five major religions have action and dispassionate reaction. Not all to say about karma. karmas rebound immediately. Some Although the word “karma” is not accumulate and return unexpectedly in used in Christianity, the Bible says: “As this or other lifetimes. We are said to you sow, so shall you reap”. This means produce karma in four ways, through that one will face the consequences of (1) thoughts, (2) words, (3) actions that one’s own actions — which is karma. we perform ourselves, and (4) actions Islam has its ethic of reciprocity, or others perform under our instructions. the Golden Rule, that essentially states Everything that we have ever thought, either of the following: spoken, done, or caused to happen is • We should treat others as we would karma, as is also what we think, speak, like others to treat us. (The positive form or do this very moment. Hindu scriptures of the Golden Rule.) divide karma into three kinds: • We should not treat others in ways (1) Accumulated karma (sanchita that we would not like to be treated. (The karma). It would be impossible to expe- negative form of the Golden Rule, or the rience and endure all karmas in one Silver Rule.) lifetime. From this stock of accumu-

Ms K. Jaishree is a long-term resident-member of the TS in Adyar. She oversees the Adyar Archives.

32 The Theosophist Vol. 138.10 Karma and Rebirth lated karma, a handful is taken out to erally means “action” or “doing”. In the serve one lifetime, and this handful of Buddhist view, karmic results are not actions, which have begun to bear fruit, considered to be a “judgement” imposed and which will be exhausted only on by a God or other all-powerful being; their fruit being enjoyed and not other- rather, these results are considered to be wise, is known as (2) prârabdha (com- the outcome of a natural process. Con- menced) karma, which is the portion of temporary Buddhist teacher Khandro accumulated karma that has “ripened” Rinpoche explains: and appears as particular problems in the Buddhism is a non-theistic philosophy. present life. We do not believe in a creator but in the (3) Kriyamâna karma (karma in the causes and conditions that create certain making) is everything that we produce circumstances that then come to fruition. in the current life. Kriyamâna karma This is called karma. It has nothing to do flows into sanchita karma and shapes our with judgement. .. . In fact, one karmic future. Only in human life can we change cause can have many fruitions, all of which our destiny. After death we lose kriyâºakti can cause thousands more creations. Just (ability to act) and are thus unable to as a handful of seed can ripen into a full generate kriyamâna karma, until we field of grain, a small amount of karma are reborn in another human body. can generate limitless effects. Actions performed consciously are (This Precious Life, Shambhala, p. 95) weighed more heavily than those done unconsciously. On this basis some be- In the Buddhist view, the relationship lieve that only human beings who can between a single action and its results is distinguish right from wrong can do dependent upon a nearly infinite number kriyamâna karma. Therefore animals of subsidiary causes and conditions; thus, and young children are considered in- the ability to precisely predict the results capable of creating new karma. for any single action is considered to be Tulsidas, a Hindu saint, said: “Our beyond the comprehension of ordinary destiny was shaped long before the body beings. According to the Buddhist tra- came into being.” As long as the stock of dition, it was only at the time of his sanchita karma lasts, a part of it continues enlightenment that the Buddha gained a to be taken out as prarabdha karma for complete understanding of the workings being enjoyed in one lifetime, leading of karma. Thus, it is taught that only to the cycle of birth and death. A jivâ one who has reached the state of the (soul) cannot attain moksha (libera- Buddha (referred to as omniscience) tion) from the cycle of birth and death, would be able to precisely predict the until the accumulated sanchita karma outcome of specific actions. Indeed, the is completely exhausted. Buddha indicated that worrying over the Karma is a Buddhist term that lit- precise results of specific actions is a

July 2017 The Theosophist 33 Karma and Rebirth counterproductive exercise that will only through austerities and purity of conduct. increase one’s suffering or anxiety. He identified this type of worrying as one of The Law of Order, Opportunity, and the four imponderables. Spiritual Dynamics Nevertheless, the Buddha emphasized Order pervades the manifested uni- the importance of understanding the verse because everything exists accord- nature of karma on a general level. He ing to the laws of Nature, which operate taught that wholesome actions (free from in the material realm as well as in the attachment, aversion, and ignorance) lead subtler fields of thought and feeling. to happiness and eventually to liberation; Karma is the law of spiritual dynamics and unwholesome actions (based on at- related to every act in daily life. It implies tachment, aversion, and ignorance) lead the entire cycle of a cause and its effects. to suffering. Developing a genuine, ex- Ralph Waldo Emerson called it the “law periential understanding of karma on of compensation”. Every thought, desire, this level is considered to be an essential or action affects in some measure the aspect of the Buddhist path. equilibrium of the universe. Once its In Jainism, karma is the basic prin- harmony has been disturbed, it seeks to ciple within an overarching psycho- return to balance, seeking to restore equi- cosmology. Human moral actions form librium, which is what we call karma. the basis of the transmigration of the soul According to H. P. Blavatsky, karma (jivâ). The soul is constrained to a cycle is “the ultimate law of the universe, the of rebirth, trapped within the temporal source, origin, and fount of all other laws world (samsâra), until it finally achieves which exist throughout Nature. It is the liberation (moksha). Liberation is achieved unerring law which adjusts effect to by following a path of purification. cause, on the physical, mental, and spir- Jains cite inequalities and suffering itual planes of being.” It “adjusts wisely, as evidence for the existence of karma. intelligently, and equitably each effect The Jain theory explains the karmic pro- to its cause”. All laws of science and cess by specifying the various causes of morality are expressions of this ten- karmic influx (âsrava) and bondage dency to restore harmony, which we (bandha), placing equal emphasis on call karma. deeds themselves, and the intentions behind those deeds. It attaches great We Choose Our Destiny responsibility to individual actions, and We ourselves create our own future eliminates any reliance on some sup- by our choices each minute. By ignorant posed existence of divine grace or re- action, we find ourselves involved in tribution. The Jain doctrine also holds selfish deeds, feelings, and thoughts. that it is possible for us to both modify But death does not settle old scores. our karma, and obtain release from it, We carry over effects from one life to

34 The Theosophist Vol. 138.10 Karma and Rebirth the next and must expect to meet the binding us to the objects of desire. We consequences of our past. may judge the wisdom of our desires by Each of us is born with an inherited experiencing their results. Through the character in an environment and family fruits of unwise desires, we learn to focus that seem either to help or block our on higher ones and finally to be free from progress. In reality, all circumstances are all desire. Through the happiness enjoyed opportunities for us, for they are the from wise desires, we become illumined natural results of our past living and are and eventually learn to be happy in all stepping stones for our future growth. circumstances. Our destiny is not imposed upon us. We Desire also makes opportunities. Once make it as we daily weave the threads of this principle is realized, we will under- our future. stand that to have opportunities of any Karma is the law that dynamically particular kind in the future, we need only adjusts effects to causes. It is the law of cultivate desire along that line and put harmony or equilibrium that balances that desire into action now. all things. But it is also the law of op- portunity, which allows us to change Mental Action our present behaviour for a better fu- The third force is that of thought. The ture. We have made ourselves what we force generated by thinking increases our are. And we can remake ourselves. ability to think clearly. Devoting some time every day to thinking deliberately Physical Action in Daily Life and in a controlled way will increase the If our actions bring happiness to power of our mind as an instrument. others, we will sooner or later find our- Thoughts are things, quite literally. They selves in a fortunate environment, with are modifications of the mental energy an increased opportunity for spreading that is all around us. happiness and goodwill. If, on the other Many thoughts are strongly associated hand, we cause pain to others by our with emotion and therefore bring the actions or our failure to act, we will find thinker into contact with other persons, ourselves eventually in unhappy sur- in relationships that are either pleas- roundings until we learn, by experience, ant or unpleasant. What we greatly a greater wisdom in living. The law of love comes upon us. Similarly, what we karma itself is impersonal, neither good greatly fear also comes upon us. We nor bad. make both of these happen. Knowing that we become what we Emotional Action think, we can deliberately set ourselves The force generated on the emotional to think of qualities we desire to develop. level is that of desire or feeling. To pur- Bit by bit, the moulding power of thought sue desire aids in our development by creates these qualities. The process is

July 2017 The Theosophist 35 Karma and Rebirth as natural and reliable as developing the seeds of our future, and we carry with muscles by exercising. us the rich harvest of many past sowings. If the harvest seems to be poor and un- The Necessity of Reincarnation fruitful, it can be improved by planting Obviously harmony and equilibrium better seeds. We are never without the are not always achieved in one lifetime. opportunity to plant again, to sow the That is why we are reborn — not just to seeds of love, kindness, and generosity, experience life again, but to become that we may reap the harvest of wisdom, harmonious beings. The cycles of reincar- understanding, and peace. The beauty and nation provide the necessary extension majesty of the law of karma are summed in time for the law of karma to operate. Motives and deeds are both important, up in these words by Mabel Collins: and each has its own consequences. We are each our own absolute lawgiver, Deeds react upon the environment, but the dispenser of glory or gloom to our- motives reacts on character. When faced selves; the decreer of our life, our reward, with an unpleasant karmic result, we must our punishment. seek to meet it constructively and to (The Idyll of the White Lotus) modify it, remembering that it is really an opportunity to build new qualities of Desire to sow no seed for your own character. Courage and serenity in meet- harvesting; desire only to sow that seed ing misfortune, and a persistent effort to the fruit of which shall feed the world. eradicate all feeling of ill will and re- (Light on the Path) sentment towards those who seem to be As human beings we are in a position responsible for our unhappiness, will do to do something about our destiny by much to improve both our present and doing the right thing at the right time. our future. Through positive actions, pure thoughts, Possible Opportunities and Changes prayer, mantras and meditation, we can Sometimes we have an opportunity resolve the influence of karma in the that we think is impossible for us to take. present life and turn our destiny for the But it would not be there unless karmic better. We also have the opportunity to law had brought it to us as a result of our speed up our spiritual progress through past desire and effort. Such opportunities right motive, thoughts, speech and ac- should be seized bravely. tions. Our only obstacles are our lack of Often the result of karma is not seen knowledge and clarity. immediately. It is like a seed that lies Unkindness yields spoiled fruits, pâpa dormant, seemingly dead. But eventually (sin), and good deeds bring forth sweet it sprouts, matures, and the harvest is fruits, punya (virtue). As one acts, so does reaped. In the fertile soil of our physical, one become: one becomes virtuous by vir- emotional, and mental natures, we plant tuous action, and evil by evil action. ²

36 The Theosophist Vol. 138.10 Theosophical Work around the World Theosophical Work around the World

Ireland former guest speaker on a number of oc- The 12th All-Ireland Convention took casions, Bhupendra Vora, Bernice Croft, place at Clayton Hotel, Dublin on 27 May and many dear heads of Theosophical 2017. The event was well supported with units across the globe. This created a very members hailing from the north and special atmosphere and served to remind south of Ireland, from both Belfast and the group of their special bond and mag- Phoenix Lodges. netic link with Theosophical brothers and They were pleased to have as their sisters worldwide. guest speaker, Gerard Brennan, President Fellow officers were thanked for their of the Indo-Pacific Federation and a long- continuous support and sterling work in term member of the Australian Section, both Belfast and Dublin Lodges. who is also affiliated with the TS in The following officers of the Regional Ireland. He delivered a most inspiring Association were elected and some re- talk, augmented by a symbolic Power- elected: Organizing Secretary, Marie Point presentation on “The Journey of Harkness (Belfast Lodge), Assistant the Wild Swans”, which resonated deeply Organizing Secretary, Catherine Lenehan with the Irish psyche. The sense of one- (Phoenix Lodge, Dublin) and Treasurer, ness and lovely energy in the room Paul Johnston (Belfast Lodge). during this occasion was palpable. Following refreshments and a chat, Before the speaker’s talk, there was the Organizing Secretary formally intro- a short business meeting which began duced Mr Brennan, who then proceeded by lighting the candle and some Adyar with his presentation. Following a brief incense, followed by a few moments’ question-and-answer session, he was silence. The Invocation by Annie Besant, very warmly thanked for having shared “May Those who are the embodiment of his unique wisdom with the group and Love Immortal” was also recited, invok- was presented with an Irish memento. ing the blessings of the Holy Ones before Before leaving, group photographs of beginning the proceedings. those present were taken. All had felt a There followed the reading of all the special blessing and upliftment on the heart-warming and much appreciated entire day’s activities. greetings, including from the Inter- The day after the Convention, Mr national President, Tim Boyd, the Presi- Brennan was accompanied to the ancient dent of the Australian Section, Linda megalithic remains at Newgrange in Oliveira, the Chairperson of the Euro- County Louth. It was an amazing day pean Federation, Tran-Thi-Kim-Dieu, with a picnic and visits to Dowth and to

July 2017 The Theosophist 37 Theosophical Work around the World the ancient Hill of Tara, where all the in these hotels have free entrance to a Irish kings were crowned. The wonder- museum behind the park, called the Sun ful uplifting Convention and the happy Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall, also day after, steeped in Irish history, were known as Wan Qing Yuan, formerly the certainly etched in their memories. Sun Yat Sen Villa, a two-storey colonial style building. Sun Yat Sen (1866–1925), 142nd International Convention was the founding father of the Republic The next International Convention of China, who visited Singapore nine will take place from 31 December 2017 times between 1900 and 1911. The mu- to 5 January 2018, and will be on the seum is a fitting tribute to the intriguing theme “From Teachings to Insight: The life and times of this Chinese leader, Altruistic Heart”. It will be webcast for honouring his revolutionary efforts and the fourth time, since Tim Boyd became activities in South-East Asia. international President. The Registration Form that follows on The Registration Form, including the page 41 includes hotel accommodation rates, will be published in the August issue and other rates so that you may start and on our website. We are looking for- planning to attend this special event. ward to a harmonious and profound ex- perience together. The General Council News from the theosophical world meeting will take place on 30 December During the first half of 2017 the TS and will continue on 6 January. issued several Charters for new Lodges: The Presidential Agency of Bangladesh 11th World Congress has two new Lodges in Dhaka: “Pro- As announced in the March issue, Active” and “Kazi Nazrul Islam”; the below we have additional information Belgian Section in Antwerp has a new about the next World Congress of the TS Lodge, “Open Paradigma”; and the Indo- Adyar to be held in Singapore from the nesian Section has two new Lodges in morning of 4 August until 9 August 2018, Jakarta: “Blavatsky” and “Saraswati”. at the Ramada and Days Hotels com- The Regional Association of the plex. (Arrival on 3 August is included in Theosophical Society in Norway has a the hotel package.) new Organizing Secretary, Mr Andreas Directly after the World Congress, the Isberg, suceeding Mr Saleh Noshie; and 4th TOS International Conference will the Theosophical Agency in Switzerland take place at the same venue from the has a newly appointed Presidential Re- afternoon of August 9 until August 11. presentative, Mr Andrea Biasca-Caroni, Between the Ramada and Days Hotels follow-ing Mrs Eliane Gaillard’s twelve is located Zhongshan Park. All who stay years of valuable service. ²

38 The Theosophist Vol. 138.10 Theosophical Work around the World

Members attending the 12th All-Ireland Convention, including Marie Harkness (front row, 2nd from right), Organizing Secretary of the TS in Ireland, and guest speaker Gerard Brennan (on her right), President of the Indo-Pacific Federation and long-term member of the Australian Section

The 11th World Congress organizing team in Singapore (from l. to r.): Chong Sanne, Presidential Representative of the TS in East and South-East Asia; Lily Chong, Hon. Secretary, Singapore Lodge (SL); Marja Artamaa, International Secretary; Serena Lee, Hon. Librarian (SL); Nancy Yeo, Hon. Treasurer (SL); K. C. Tang, Vice-President (SL); and Joseph Lam, Hon. Accountant (SL)

July 2017 The Theosophist 39 Theosophical Work around the World

Ramada and Days Hotels complex in the Novena district of Singapore, venue of the 11th World Congress of the TS Adyar

Zhongshan Park, located between the Ramada and Days Hotels in Singapore, with the Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall Museum in the background

40 The Theosophist Vol. 138.10 11th World Congress & 4th TOS International Conference Registration Form Name (as in passport): ______Address: ______Section/Lodge: ______Nationality: ______Sex: Male/Female Passport No: ______Passport Date of Expiry:______Email address: ______Mobile Tel: ______Check all the applicable boxes below: World Congress Accommodation Days Hotel Ramada Hotel (6 nights from 3 to 9 Aug 2018) (((()((((() Twin-Sharing SGD$1,165 SGD$1,306 Single Occupancy SGD$1,589 SGD$1,801 Includes congress fee, three meals from 4th to 8th, and breakfast on 9th

Twin-Sharing, Preferred Roommate: ______

TOS Conference Accommodation Days Hotel Ramada Hotel (2 nights from 9 to 11 Aug 2018) (((()((((() Twin-Sharing SGD$365 SGD$412 Single Occupancy SGD$506 SGD$577 Includes conference fee, three meals from 9th to 10th, and breakfast on 11th Twin-Sharing, Preferred Roommate: ______ Extended Stay before or after event (indicate dates): ______Payment in Singapore Currency (SGD) by bank wire transfer only (no credit card). Bank wire transfer to be made to the following account. All applicable bank charges must be prepaid by the remitter. To save on minimum bank charges, consolidate payments by Section/Lodge. Bank Name: Citibank Singapore Limited Bank Address: Capital Square Branch, 23 Church Street #01-01, Singapore 0494814 Account name: Singapore Lodge Theosophical Society Account No.: 0-303060-006 SWIFT: CITISGSGGCB Payment must be made before 04.04.2018. In case of cancellation before the deadline, payment will be refunded, except for SGD$100. After 04.04.2018 there will be no refund of any amount. Attendance will be confirmed when Registration Form has been received with note about the payment made. Registration will be on a first come, first served basis as the venue has limited capacity. For information or for mailing the Registration form, please contact: <[email protected]>

July 2017 The Theosophist 41 .gr [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] info@theosophicalsociety [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Email address [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] gentina Ar eosófica African Theosophist eosófica Chilena est eozófia eosofi eozofija eosofía en Le Lotus Bleu Ilisos Gangleri T Adyar T T Le Lotus Bleu Selección T Revista T T Theosofi Newsletter The Theosophical Light The Indian Theosophist Magazine Sophia The Light Bearer The South African Theosophist The W Theosophy in Australia Theosofie Adyar … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2194 hlkreis . ü Alto) s (1405) Aire 09, indsor E W Abajo, W aranasi 221 010 V estlands, ve., , Apartado 23 00926 02/ R A W T ironkatu 7 C 2, Fin 00170, , BC t., 106 71-Athens V , 2 Cuadras A Accra, Ghana Arcos no. 43, Entrada Principal Agueda 1652 Les Chalet Col venue, No. 03-04 ancouver venue Centre, Singapore 387 603 A V . 39, 93138 Lappersdorf A ška ulica 24, 10000 Zagreb oukourestiou S Theosophical Society V Helsinki San Juan Puerto Rico Estacion Central, Santiago Bagmari Road, Kolkata 700 054 UK BT52 1T Desa Purwodadi, Kecamatan 67163 Pasuruan, Jawa Timur CEP 70200-630 Brasilia (DF) North 1 Cuadra al Sur 1 Cuadra al Sur, Distrito 2, Managua, Nicaragua Sims Nairobi, Kenya eosofinen Seura, 4 Square Rapp, 75007 Paris Hauptstr PO Box 1257 Ingolfsstraeti 22, 121 Reykjavik T 25 50 Gloucester Place, London W1U 8EA H-1085 Budapest, Horánszky u. 27. fsz. 10 Calle Santa Apartado de Correos 6365, La Habana 10600 Carrera 6, # 56-40, Bogotá (Chapinero Apartado 8-6710-1000, San José Kraji Place des Gueux 8, B1000 Brussels Casilla 11 Sucursal Paseo Estacion, Pje. Florencio Balcarce 71, Buenos 97 Mountsandel Road, Coleraine, SGAS Quadra 603, N. 20, Dsn. Parelegi no. 21, R PO Box 14525. 00800, 540 Sims B/4-3, Iswarchandra Nibas, 68/1, Pasaje Jauregui No. 2255, La Paz The # 12-1475 Deep Cove Rd. Address Reparto Los PO Box 720, Level 2, 162 Goulburn St., Surry Hills, NSW 2010 9 Ronean, 38 Princesses Oberbaumgarten 25, 4204 Haibach im M … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … I N T E R A O L D C Y

Sandoval de , etc. Rios š an Osta epe A. Fariñas Piña V T Guillermina Antonio Martinez Pradeep H. Gohil Albert Schichl Mrs Jeannine (Nano) Leguay Mrs Manuela Kaulich Mr Kristinn Ágúst Fridfinnsson Mrs Mirva Jaatinen Mrs Eirini Kefaloudi Mr Mrs Jenny Baker Mr Szabari Janos Mrs Magaly Polanco Ms Barbara Mr Ms Maria Orlich Mrs Nada Mrs Sabine Mr Cesar Ortega Ortiz Mrs Marie Harkness Mr Marcos L. B. de Resende Mr Widyatmoko Mr Narendra M. Shah Mr Chong Sanne Mr B. L. Bhattacharya Mrs Mrs Maryse DeCoste General Secretary Mrs Ligia Gutierrez Simpson Mr Esteban Langlois Mr John Osmond Boakye Mrs Linda Oliveira Mr Jack Hartmann Mr … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … est p W Central * Central France Germany Iceland Finland Greece India England Hungary † Dominican Rep. † Croatia Cuba Colombia † Costa Rica † Belgium Chile * Ireland * Brazil Indonesia Section Africa, East and Asia, East and Bangladesh † Bolivia Canada * America, Argentina Southeast † Africa, Australia Africa, South Austria * ate 1899 1902 1921 1907 1928 1891 1888 1907 1987 2007 1905 1937 1997 1911 1920 1919 1920 1912 D 1947 1920 1990 2013 1965 1924 1929 1956 1895 1909 1912

42 The Theosophist Vol. 138.10 .in.ua .org.nz [email protected] np@theosophy [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] org@theosophy [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] imbr [email protected] har enie eosofia [email protected] pr eosófico isdom Africa. Email: idlös V eosoficheskoe Obozr eozofska Misel TheoSophia Theosofia (The Theosophical Review) The Sri Lanka Theosophist T Sophia Sophia Heraldo T The Karachi Theosophist T Osiris The Lotus Circles T Svitoch The Quest Or Rivista Italiana di T The Philippine Theosophist Búsqueda 70200-630 – Brazil. Email: Australia Email: … … … … . … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … . Lodge attached to Adyar p , CEP indsor E 2194, South W 1018 treets, Örebro Auckland 1022 , 14 A. Jinnah Road, abacalera T venue, A Amsterdam Asunción . 06030 Adeta region Ascona VM o, 10 B, 1150-202 Lisboa eyseer Services Company 76, ã ve. Orlando, Florida, treet, Concord, 2137, Sydney T v fica de Portugal, A , 48, S-702 29 treet, Epsom, ê ó Abidjan 23 Amorín 1085, ., BP äg , Manila , 85-87 alldoreix(Spain) ork , LL61 6NX UK eos Est , Moscow ficer Apto. 122 – Caracas .T icenza Presidential Agency , 572, 1621, V Y é T † V . Florentino and Iba S . 3924, Adda, Brynsiencyn, Llanfairpwll, A.R.T all d’or Miss Trân-Thi-Kim-Diêu, 67 Rue des Pommiers, F-45000 Orleans, France. Email: .O. Box 2431, Doha V Mytischi Anglesey P San Juan, Puerto Rico 00936-1766 B. P Piso 12, Casilla de Correos 1553, Montevideo 08197 - Maththegoda Slomškova 35, 1000 Ljubljana 36100 Rua Jos . ia Collina 19, 6612 iale Quintino Sella, 83/E, v Republica de Portugal 152, Breña, Lima 5 opougon, 23 Rue Princesse olsraat 154, 1074 eozofsko Društvo v Sloveniji, 18, Belvedere S T Ignacio Mariscal 126, Col. Bryn Mexicana, Mexico, D.F 2-C/60, Maththegoda Housing Scheme, Sociedade 159-52, Novomytischinsky prospekt, Y Ulriksborgveien 10, 1533 Moss Romualda a Socarrás, Edif. de Oro Apartado 36-1766 Correo General. Crewing Of Av Kalle Posts v 32803-1838, USA Quezon City Jamshed Memorial Hall, M. opp. Radio Pakistan, Karachi 28 Great King Street, Edinburgh, EH3 6QH T V Office 3, 7-A Zhylianska St., Kiev 01033 PO Box 270, Wheaton, IL 60187-0270 S.O., PO Box 9114, Ramat-Gan, Israel 5219002 1606 New Javier Barrios V A Carandayty Corner P … … … … … … … … … … … . … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … Chairman: g ocieties: Mrs Isis M. B. Resende, SGAS 603 conj. E s/n. Brasilia-DF Mr Jack Hartmann, 9 Ronean, 38 Princess Mr Gerard Brennan, 42 Melbourne S Regional Association orra Buron * esident: T orstermans Pr esident: V Pr Chairman: Angels Ana Maria Coelho de Sousa

Alexey Besputin Antonio Castillo Abraham Oron Antonio Girardi Andreas Mikael Isber Andrea Biasca-Caroni Mr John Mr Wim Leys Mr Enrique Sanchez Mrs Julie Cunningham Mr M. B. Dassanayake Mrs Mr Mr Pierre-Magloire Kouahoh Mr Mrs Nelly Nouel Mr Lijo Joseph Mrs Magaly Polanco Mrs Ing-Britt Wiklund Mrs Mr Stuart Trotter Mrs Blanka Blaj Borštnar Mr Mrs Svitlana Gavrylenko Mr Tim Boyd Mr Kouma Dakey Mr Mr Carl Metzger Mrs Ema Ma. de Souza Leal Mr Mr Julio Pomar Calderón Mr Mr Rosel Doval-Santos … … … … … … … … … … ……… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … p p Theosophical Federation: p p Theosophical Federation: Theosophical Federation: to the date of formation ales * enezuela † ogo * New Zealand Netherlands, The Mexico W Sri Lanka † Portugal Russia † Ivory Coast * Norway * V Pakistan † Puerto Rico † Sweden Spain Paraguay Israel Orlando Qatar Scotland * Slovenia * Switzerland † Ukraine * USA T Uruguay * Italy Peru † Philippines, The -American ate refers Indo-Pacific Inter The Council of the European Federation National S Pan-African D 1896 1897 1919 1922 1926 1921 2013 1997 1913 1925 1948 1925 1895 1921 1925 1954 1935 2012 1910 1992 1910 2013 1886 1997 1925 1902 1924 1933

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44 The Theosophist Vol. 138.10 INTRODUCTORY BOOKS ON THEOSOPHY

BASIC THEOSOPHY Geoffrey Hodson An authoritative compendium of Theosophy which gives practical advice on how to live Theosophy for one’s own happiness and well-being. The value of this book lies in its simplicity and applicability to everyday life.

LIFE — YOUR GREAT ADVENTURE Eunice and Felix Layton This book presents the essential ideas and the timeless laws of the Ancient Wisdom — taught by the wise of all nations and ages — to provide a more complete understanding of contemporaneous twenty-first century life. Basic human questions are addressed in a practical way, granting readers peace of heart and mind.

AN OUTLINE OF THEOSOPHY C. W. Leadbeater This little book offers a valuable introduction to the theosophical philosophy. It is conveniently divided into chapters on important topics, which makes for easy reference. It offers beginners a useful foundation for their studies and may provide a helpful framework for those holding introductory classes on theosophical teachings.

A TEXTBOOK OF THEOSOPHY C. W. Leadbeater An ideal primer for the student of Theosophy, this book presents a concise and clear description of the evolution of human beings and the solar system, and describes the divine inner nature of each of us.

THEOSOPHY, THE DIVINE WISDOM N. Sri Ram The author in his two essays stresses the need for understanding the inward significance of forms and phenomena we are confronted with. He writes of life, consciousness, and spirit veiled in matter and form.

For catalogue, enquiries and orders, write to: THE THEOSOPHICAL PUBLISHING HOUSE 1, Besant Avenue, Adyar, Chennai - 600 020, India Tel: (+91-44) 2491-1338; Book Shop: (+91-44) 2446-3442 Twitter: twitter.com/tphindia // E-mail: [email protected] Websites: ts-adyar.org & adyarbooks.com Online Bookstore: Amazon.in: Seller - TPH Adyar Facebook: facebook.com/tphadyar // WhatsApp: (+91) 86103-65836

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