THE THEOSOPHIST VOL. 130 NO. 9 JUNE 2009 CONTENTS On the Watch-Tower 323 Radha Burnier Right Action is Creation without Attachment 327 Ricardo Lindemann The Religion of the Artist 332 C. Jinarajadasa Studies in The Voice of the Silence, 17 341 John Algeo Fragments of the Ageless Wisdom 348 Comments on Viveka-chudamani 349 Sundari Siddhartha Brother Raja Our Fourth President 353 A TS Member Theosophical Work around the World 357 International Directory 358 Editor: Mrs Radha Burnier NOTE: Articles for publication in The Theosophist should be sent to the Editorial Office. Cover: C. Jinarajadasa, fourth President of the Theosophical Society Adyar Archives Official organ of the President, founded by H. P. Blavatsky, 1879. The Theosophical Society is responsible only for official notices appearing in this magazine. On the Watch-Tower RADHA BURNIER Seeing is an Art When we observe fully which we It is necessary to look at ordinary do very rarely or perhaps not at all the things with new eyes. When we look mind is no more present and working. properly, ordinary things cease to be Then the person comes into fuller con- ordinary. This is part of art, but it can be sciousness of what is around him and practised even by people who cannot before him. The beauty which is every- draw, paint or do the many things that where is known. The object of beauty is people who are called artists do. This is not important in the same way, because one of the main points in the article on art everything becomes part of the one beauty (printed later in this issue) written by our which encompasses all things. Alas, we former President Mr Jinarâjadâsa. He do not generally see beauty, feel it in our points out that everyone can experience heart and lose ourselves in it. Beauty beauty, sense of proportion and so forth, surrounds all things, and is all things. If as a real artist does, but to do this he must only we could sense it even for a short learn to look. Then he can see better and time, at that moment the world becomes better than at present. other than what it is normally it is part There is a story told of a religious leader of the Divine Existence. who gave talks. Perhaps many readers may Relationship is not usually real. It find this story familiar, but all the same it seems real to us at the moment, which contains a great truth. It is said that the moment may stretch over a whole life- teacher, before he began his talk, heard a time or into several lifetimes. We imagine bird who sang from the window sill, and that our image-making brings the real the many others who sat in the hall to hear to us, but truth is not made of images. It him, heard the song. The teacher did not is known in an inner state of silence begin his talk, but listened with full and of relinquishment of self, of which attention. When the singing ended, he we do not know yet. But we can know said: Todays teaching is over; the sermon it from perception from a distance. Self- is finished, and you can go home. This is abandonment is silence, the silence the heart of real teaching: to let the within. There may be sounds around us, listeners hear fully with all their heart and some uplifting, some penetrating into the being, and not only with a part of the mind. heart, and some which are superficial and June 2009 323 The Theosophist not real. Self-abandonment means the goodwill and so forth. This is the ordinary deep silence which one experiences meaning which many people accept, within, whatever may be the outer but it can also mean a deep and un- conditions. breakable bond which in the beginning We cannot know truth in reality or we call brotherhood (or if you like by beauty or love, which are ever present some other word). Brotherhood is dif- everywhere, simply because we come to ferent from what we are usually attracted know these words. We think we know to when we speak of this quality. We when we do, but the words can be ex- have to learn to look at it in a different tremely misleading. Beauty, for example, way, to understand its real meaning. The is used in connection with what a person universal brotherhood, that is one of the imagines for the moment; it is a small objects of the Theosophical Society, self-centred feeling. For the time being a stated as a preliminary to many other slight expansion makes it seem as if things, is at a certain level, but it can grow there is a great opening of consciousness. into something which comes from the That is the magic of these immortal immortal nature of life. If we know this qualities of beauty, truth, love, wisdom, we are indeed blessed. etc. They exist in a timeless state beyond Perhaps when we really know what all measurement, but they deceive people Brotherhood means we learn to perceive into thinking that they know what the the universal and divine spirit every- words mean. But the vast vista is looked where. It is one of those words conveying at from the spiritual point of view only by to each person what may be the next step those who have reached a state of deep spiritually from where he is. The meaning inner felicity; those who have seen the known from different aspects, includes vista have eyes to see. truth, knowledge, immortality, deep joy, As we learn to see more and more, our the eternal, etc. These are all terms eyes, both the outer eyes and much more which arise out of a real knowledge of the inner eyes, have to be made sensitive. brotherhood. The word brotherhood can mean many Brotherhood is not something which things depending on who uses the word. we come to know only by caring for It seems like an ordinary word, and may life in certain objects. It is a universal mean only comradeship and goodwill term. This is part of a relationship, for towards the people one knows. But when example, which can be felt for the stone. people in general are included, it can C.W. Leadbeater writes about the feel- convey something much deeper and more ing that was created in those who were real to others. It can lead to spiritual sensitive to a particular rock. Uncon- understanding, which is love. scious though they were, a brotherhood We generally mean by love a sense developed between them; the stone and of comfort, security and friendship, the person began to have a new feeling 324 Vol. 130.9 On the Watch-Tower when looking at each other. So brother- The amusements often become a form hood can exist comprehending everything, of torture for other creatures, but man stone or rock, leaves or trees, birds or does not care. All this is recognized as fish, human beings, as well as non- futile and leading nowhere from the human beings and many other things spiritual point of view when he moves which we cannot mention here. on spiritually. The few who are spiritually inclined Vaisâkha Full Moon at least in theory, though not wholly, The month of May usually brings the realize that these amusements and other full moon of Vaisâkha to delight the activities pulling the human being to hearts of people. But it is more than a the earth are of little value. The Buddha delightful happening. It is for many and other truly advanced people demon- Buddhists, significant in a very special strated this in their own lives, and brought way. Vaisâkha was the Buddhas entry to those who had eyes to see a new vision into the realm of higher life and he was of what man could be. Human beings the first human being (it was said), to have can become more than human in the experienced this wonderful state. But it ordinary sense of the term. People like is open to all human beings. He remains the Buddha were glorious examples of in touch with humanity to a certain extent, what the destiny of man in the future will and once a year sends out his blessing on be. All this is implied in the rising of the full moon of the month of Vaisâkha. the full moon on the day of Vaisâkha It is important that human beings and much more. should begin to recognize that they are at The Buddha had of course through the beginning of a grand journey which many lives shed all the animalistic is enlightenment. They are not at the end tendencies and wishes of the human as most people are inclined to believe. being. Such a pure heart and mind are The average human being passes through needed by those who would follow the life as best as he can. There are many path and reach that stage even now, false ideas, conclusions and temptations which all people must reach when the which hold him down at the human level. New Age really begins. Many are led Half of him is still at the semi-animal the false way by merely speaking of a stage, which means wanting the pleasures New Age, but it is a reality to those who of the physical world and nothing more. prepare themselves by leaving behind Man has of course extended the idea of those tendencies, craving and other pleasure to all kinds of activities and mental and moral habits which belong things, which the lesser creatures are to the pre-human stage.