Vol138no10 Jul2017

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: <[email protected]> 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.

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