Vol139no02 Nov2017
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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. 139 NO. 2 NOVEMBER 2017 CONTENTS 170th Anniversary of Annie Besant’s Birth 5 Tim Boyd Review of The Secret Doctrine by Madame H. P. Blavatsky 13 Annie Besant From Definitions to Insight 18 Marja Artamaa The Concept of God in the Mahatma Letters 21 Vicente Hao Chin Jr. Theosophy: The Unifying Link Between Mind and Heart 29 Antonio Girardi Living in Truth 34 Ali Ritsema Theosophical Work Around the World 41 International Directory 42 Editor: Mr Tim Boyd NOTE: Articles for publication in The Theosophist should be sent to: <[email protected]> Cover: Bas-relief sculpture from interior of the Jyotir-alaya (Temple of Light) of the Bharata Samaja on the TS Adyar campus — Suresh Jayadev, photographer ____________________________________________________________________ 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 Acting Treasurer: Mrs Nancy Secrest Headquarters: ADYAR, CHENNAI (MADRAS) 600 020, INDIA Vice-President: [email protected] Secretary: [email protected] Treasurer: [email protected] Adyar Library and Research Centre: [email protected] Theosophical Publishing House: [email protected] // www.adyarbooks.com Editorial Office: [email protected], Website: http://www.ts-adyar.org The Theosophical Society is composed of students, belonging to any religion in the world or to none, who are united by their approval of the Society’s Objects, by their wish to remove religious antagonisms and to draw together men of goodwill, whatsoever their religious opinions, and by their desire to study religious truths and to share the results of their studies with others. Their bond of union is not the profession of a common belief, but a common search and aspiration for Truth. They hold that Truth should be sought by study, by reflection, by purity of life, by devotion to high ideals, and they regard Truth as a prize to be striven for, not as a dogma to be imposed by authority. They consider that belief should be the result of individual study or intuition, and not its antecedent, and should rest on knowledge, not on assertion. They extend tolerance to all, even to the intolerant, not as a privilege they bestow but as a duty they perform, and they seek to remove ignorance, not punish it. They see every religion as an expression of the Divine Wisdom and prefer its study to its condemnation, and its practice to proselytism. Peace is their watchword, as Truth is their aim. Theosophy is the body of truths which forms the basis of all religions, and which cannot be claimed as the exclusive possession of any. It offers a philosophy which renders life intelligible, and which demonstrates the justice and the love which guide its evolution. It puts death in its rightful place, as a recurring incident in an endless life, opening the gateway to a fuller and more radiant existence. It restores to the world the Science of the Spirit, teaching man to know the Spirit as himself and the mind and body as his servants. It illuminates the scriptures and doctrines of religions by unveiling their hidden meanings, and thus justifying them at the bar of intelligence, as they are ever justified in the eyes of intuition. Members of the Theosophical Society study these truths, and theosophists endeavour to live them. Everyone willing to study, to be tolerant, to aim high, and to work perseveringly, is welcomed as a member, and it rests with the member to become a true theosophist. 4 The Theosophist 170th Anniversary of Annie Besant’s Birth 170th Anniversary of Annie Besant’s Birth TIM BOYD ANNIE Besant lived a life that exhibited the heart and soul of a movement for the true greatness. As with all such people independence of India, and the founder there are many directions from which we of the Home Rule movement — the first can approach a discussion of her life. organization within the growing inde- If we were to only consider the second pendence movement to clearly call for half of her life, the time that she spent in India’s self-rule. Two years ago I was in- India, we would be faced with having to vited to be chief guest for an organization comment on the many things that she did, which was celebrating its centenary, also not only in India, but for India. She was founded by Annie Besant: the Young not only an activist and visionary, but she Men’s Indian Association, which was was also an institution builder. Far in specifically founded to prepare India’s advance of the nation’s independence, she young men for leadership in the coming anticipated and then created institutions nation. She was one of the founding mem- suited to the dawning national life. All bers of the Women’s India Association, across the country she founded numerous which also celebrated its centenary earlier educational institutions, from colleges this year. The President of India joined and universities to the primary and us here to celebrate that occasion. secondary level. Not the least of these In area after area, Arts Leagues, civic was the Central Hindu College, which associations, the Boy Scouts, which pre- went on to become the Banaras Hindu viously did not exist in India, she fought University. The College was her creation to bring necessary structures to a newly- because of her profound commitment forming India. to education, and not just education as One hundred years ago, in 1917, one it was being offered during her time, of the things that marked not only her but a system that also included the educa- personal history, but also the history of tion of women. She was an educationist this nation, was that she was arrested and at heart. interned. The arrest took place because She also founded a weekly newspaper, during the course of World War I, many The Commonweal, and purchased a of the other Indian politicians involved in daily, New India, which she used as an the freedom movement felt that it was organ for Indian independence. She was appropriate to call a truce during the November 2017 The Theosophist 5 170th Anniversary of Annie Besant’s Birth critical time when England was at war, beyond our stature in the purity of their that all should come together and support motives and in the greatness of their England in its time of need. Her idea was being. For all of the remarkable heights that it was not the time to step back from to which Annie Besant climbed, even this movement toward India’s rightful more remarkable are the depths from independence from colonial misgover- which she climbed. nment, but that “England’s need is India’s Nothing about Annie Besant’s birth or opportunity”. So rather than retreat, she upbringing destined her for the roles that accelerated her attacks, speeches, and she eventually played, not only in India, writings against colonial rule. Her motto but throughout her life in the world. Few was: “You strike while the iron is hot, and among us will found a university or you make the iron hot by striking.” All newspaper, or start national organizations this caused her to be arrested by the that live for more than one hundred years.