FIVE YEARS OF THEOSOPHY. MYSTICAL, PHILOSOPHICAL, THEOSOPHICAL, HISTORICAL AND SCIENTIFIC ESSAYS Selected from “The Theosophist” A FACSIMILE OF THE ORIGINAL EDITION OF LONDON : REEVES AND TURNER 196 STRAND, W.C. 1885 THE THEOSOPHY COMPANY LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A. 1980 1 CONTENTS. MYSTICAL Chapter 1 The “Elixir Of Life” –..................................................................................... 5 Chapter 2 Is The Desire To “Live” Selfish? ..................................................................... 26 Chapter 3 Contemplation.............................................................................................. 30 Chapter 4 Chelas and Lay Chelas................................................................................ 37 Chapter 5 Ancient Opinions upon Psychic Bodies ................................................... 44 Chapter 6 Shamanism and Witchcraft ........................................................................ 56 Chapter 7 Mahatmas and Chelas................................................................................. 62 Chapter 8 The Brahmanical Thread ............................................................................ 64 Chapter 9 Reading In A Sealed Envelope .................................................................. 66 Chapter 10 The Twelve Signs Of The Zodiac............................................................. 69 Chapter 11 The Sishal And Bhukailas Yogis.............................................................. 80 PHILOSOPHICAL ........................................................................................................... 82 Chapter 12 True And False Personality..................................................................... 82 Chapter 13 Chastity ....................................................................................................... 93 Chapter 14 Zoroastrianism On The Septenary Constitution Of Man .................... 97 Chapter 15 Brahmanism on The Sevenfold Principle In Man............................... 104 Chapter 16 Septenary Division In Different Indian Systems................................. 124 Chapter 17 The Septenary Principle In Esotericism............................................... 126 Chapter 18 Personal And Impersonal God .............................................................. 133 Chapter 19 Prakriti and Parusha................................................................................ 140 Chapter 20 Occult Study ............................................................................................. 147 Chapter 21 Some Inquiries Suggested By Mr. Sinnett’s ‘ Esoteric Buddhism” .. 153 Chapter 22 Sakya Muni’s Place In History............................................................... 236 Chapter 23 Inscriptions Discovered By General A. Cunningham.................................. 251 Chapter 24 Was Writing Known Before Panini? ..................................................... 267 THEOSOPHICAL .......................................................................................................... 280 Chapter 25 What Is Theosophy?..................................................................................... 280 Chapter 26 How A “Chela” Found His “Guru”...................................................... 288 Chapter 27 The Sages Of The Himavat..................................................................... 295 Chapter 28 The Himalayan Brothers—Do They Exist? .......................................... 298 Chapter 29 Interview With A Mahatma ................................................................... 305 Chapter 30 The Secret Doctrine.................................................................................. 307 HISTORICAL................................................................................................................. 313 Chapter 31 The Puranas On The Dynasty Of The Moryas And On Koothoomi 313 Chapter 32 The Theory Of Cycles.............................................................................. 316 SCIENTIFIC................................................................................................................... 323 Chapter 33 Odorigen And Jiva................................................................................... 323 Chapter 34 Introversion Of Mental Vision............................................................... 334 2 Chapter 35 “Precipitation” ......................................................................................... 337 Chapter 36 “How Shall We Sleep?” .......................................................................... 339 Chapter 37 Transmigration Of The Life‐Atoms ...................................................... 345 Chapter 38 “Om,” And Its Practical Significance.................................................... 352 PAGE The “Elixir Of’ Life” . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 Is Tile Desire To “Live ” Selfish?. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 33 Contemplation . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 40 Chelas And Lay Chelas. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 50 Ancient Opinions Upon Psychic Bodies . .. .. .. .. .. .. 61 The Nilgiri Sannyasis . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 72 Witchcraft On The Nilgiris . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ... .. 76 Shamanism And Witchcraft Amongst The Kolarian Tribes. 82 Mahatmas And Chelas. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 92 The Brahmanical Thread . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..96 Reading In A Sealed Envelope . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .99 The Twelve Signs Of’ The Zodiac. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 103 The Sishal And Bhukailas Yogis ...... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 119 Philosophical True And False Personality. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 122 Chastity. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ...139 Zoroastrianism On The Septenary Constitution Of Man . .. .. .. .144 Brahmanism On The Sevenfold Principle In Man . .. .. .. .. .. 153 The Septenary Principle In Esotericism. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 187 Personal And Impersonal God. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .198 Prakriti And Parusha . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .210 Morality And Pantheism . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .212 Occult Study. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 221 Some Inquiries Suggested By Mr. Sinnettʹs “Esoteric Buddhism. ... 230 Sakya Muni’s Place In History. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 365 Inscriptions Discovered By General A. Cunningham. .. .. .. .. …….... 389 Discrimination Of Spirit And Not‐Spirit . .. .. .. .. .. .. ….... .394 Was Writing Known Before Panini? . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ….. .408 3 Theosophical. What Is Theosophy?. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 429 H0w A “Chela” Found His “Guru” . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 443 The Sages Of The Himavat . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..455 The Himalayan Brothers—Do They Exist ? . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .459 Interview With A Mahatma . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .470 The Secret Doctrine. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 473 Historical The Puranas On The Dynasty Of The Moryas And On Koothoomi . .. .. ...482 The Theory Of Cycles. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 485 Scientific Odorigen And Jiva. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ...496 Introvers10n Of Mental Vision . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..514 “Precipitation” . 518 “How Shall We Sleep?” . ..522 Transmigrat1on Of The Life Atoms . 531 “Om” And Its Practical, Significance . 540 4 Chapter 1 The “Elixir Of Life” – ‐‐‐‐====ooo000ooo====‐‐‐‐‐ From a Chela’s* Diary. by G— M—, F.T.S. And Enoch walked with the Elohim, and the Elohim took him.”—GENESIS. Introduction The curious information—for whatsoever else the world may think of it, it will doubtless be acknowledged to be that—contained in the article that follows, merits a few words of introduction. The details given in it on the subject of what has always been considered as one of the darkest and most strictly guarded of the mysteries of the initiation into occultism—from the days of the Rishis until those of the Theosophical Society—came to the knowledge of the author in a way that would seem to the ordinary run of Europeans strange and supernatural. He himself, however, we may assure the reader, is a most thorough disbeliever in the Supernatural, though he has learned too much to limit the capabilities of the natural as some do. ———————————————————— * A. Chela is the pupil and disciple of an initiated Guru or Master.—ED. 2 —————————————————— FIVE YEARS OF THEOSOPHY. Further, he has to make the following confession of his own belief. It will be apparent, from a careful perusal of the facts, that if the matter be really as stated therein, the author cannot himself be an adept of high grade, as the article in such a case would never have been written. Nor does he pretend to be one. He is, or rather was, for a few years an humble Chela. Hence, the converse must consequently be also true, that as regards the higher stages of the mystery he can have no personal experience, but speaks of it only as a close observer left to his own surmises—and no more. He may, therefore, boldly state that during, and notwithstanding, his unfortunately rather too short stay with some adepts, he has by actual experiment and observation verified some of the less transcendental or incipient parts of the “Course.” And, though it will be impossible for him to give positive testimony as to what lies beyond, he may yet mention that all his own course of study, training and experience, long, severe and dangerous as it has