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. 7 APRIL 2018 CONTENTS Thoughts on the History and Influence of the TS 5 Tim Boyd Tamil: The Glory of India —I 8 Lokesh Chandra Theosophy and Apollonius of Tyana 14 Antonio Girardi Theosophy: A Unifying Platform in the Modern World 19 Svitlana Gavrylenko Three Truths and One Dharma — I 24 Fernando A. de Torrijos The Miracle of “Water” 29 Pradeep Talwalker The Pursuit of Wisdom 35 N. Sri Ram Fragments of the Ageless Wisdom 39 International Directory 40 Editor: Mr Tim Boyd NOTE: Articles for publication in The Theosophist should be sent to: <[email protected]> Cover: A sculpture of the Buddha (the Enlightened One), having attained the highest degree of Wisdom, breaking through the bondage of personality and senses. ____________________________________________________________________ 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: Ms 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 Vol. 139.7, April 2018 Thoughts on the History and Influence of the TS Thoughts on the History and Influence of the TS TIM BOYD ON this occasion of the Theosophical headquarters for this, at that time, young Society’s 142nd international Convention, movement. it is good to look back and remember where Most of you are aware of the three we have come from. The Theosophical objects of the TS, which have formed the Society (TS) was founded in 1875 in New direction for our efforts during the life- York City, although now we find its head- time of this organization. The first one quarters here in Adyar, Chennai, India. being the focus on unity, oneness; in the The TS flourished in New York for a language of the Objects: “To form a time and it was in 1878 that the decision nucleus of the Universal Brotherhood of was made to move its fledgling operations Humanity.” It was in this setting that the to India. deeply religious background of the Indian At that time, this country was in a very subcontinent was confirmed and con- different situation than it is now. It was tinually affirmed by our founders. In the when the British Raj and colonial powers face of all opposition from the evangelical were dominant. This was a very odd place sorts of church influences, the beauty, for the TS — whose primary object is to purity, and profundity of those religions form a brotherhood of humanity regard- that have been rooted in this nation, were less of caste, race, religion, or any of spoken to, defended, and explained in those things which tend to divide us — to greater depths. This was the foundation. locate itself in a colonial situation. It is fascinating that the Theosophical Colonialism is a strange thing in that Society, founded in New York, in the it requires superior and inferior people. United States, was only really able to The religions of India were viewed from spread into the world when it came to the colonial perspective as not measuring India; and spread it did. The global up. So an education system was estab- culture, as we know it today, has been lished to enforce a change in a basically profoundly influenced by this, always more than 5,000-year-old religious struc- very small, body. The politics of India in ture. It is remarkable that it is in this setting particular, the growing contemporary that the Society flourished. In 1882 Adyar movements of spirituality around the was determined to be the international world, the educational systems, science, Vol. 139.7, April 2018 The Theosophist 5 Thoughts on the History and Influence of the TS arts, have all found exemplary members human society and life as we know it. of this organization, bringing forth these In the arts there are countless people ideas and moving the global culture that we can point to; but the modern art further and further ahead. movement in particular owes and recog- At the time of the TS’s founding in nizes a debt to this Theosophical move- 1875, one of the original founders, and ment, with such people as Wassily also its first President, Col H. S. Olcott, Kandinsky, Piet Mondrian, Paul Gauguin gave an inaugural speech. One of the — all members of this organization. The things that he said was: “In the future, early work on thought forms has come to when open-minded historians write about be integrated into the very basis of the the history of the religious ideas of this contemporary and modern art movement.