THE THEOSOPHIST VOL. 133 NO. 2 NOVEMBER 2011 CONTENTS Buddhist Teachings on Relationships 3 Radha Burnier Live the Life and You Will Come to the Wisdom 8 Mary Anderson Coordination of Science and Human Values 14 C. A. Shinde Some Difficulties of the Inner Life — II 19 Annie Besant The Roots of Modern Theosophy 25 Pablo D. Sender The Life-Path of a Theosophist 32 Vinayak Pandya Theosophical Work around the World 37 International Directory 38 Editor: Mrs Radha Burnier NOTE: Articles for publication in The Theosophist should be sent to the Editorial Office. Cover Picture: Gate at the Headquarters Hall — by Richard Dvorak Official organ of the President, founded by H. P. Blavatsky, 1879. The Theosophical Society is responsible only for official notices appearing in this magazine. 1 THE THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY Founded 17 November 1875 President: Mrs Radha Burnier Vice-President: Mrs Linda Oliveira Secretary: Mrs Kusum Satapathy Treasurer: Miss Keshwar Dastur Headquarters: ADYAR, CHENNAI (MADRAS) 600 020, INDIA Secretary: [email protected] Treasury: [email protected] Adyar Library and Research Centre: [email protected] Theosophical Publishing House: [email protected] & [email protected] Fax: (+91-44) 2490-1399 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. 2 Buddhist Teachings on Relationships Buddhist Teachings on Relationships RADHA BURNIER THE Buddhist Temple here at Adyar support them if necessary, and cherish was constructed at the suggestion of the their memory. Even an ignorant parent Mahatma KH who even sent a little sketch has done something good. to indicate what kind of shrine it should Then we come to pupils and teachers. be. The full project was the result of The pupil must learn well; he must have Brother Jinarâjadâsa’s deep interest in it. the attitude of learning. This is sadly It was he, who as Vice-President, and as lacking in many schools, and teachers are deputy for Dr Besant got the plan made, discussing what to do about it; students the structure put up, brought the original are also not ready to heed the advice of Bodhi tree branch from Ceylon (Sri teachers. But the teacher, like the parent, Lanka) and planted it there. must train the student in righteousness, in We are told that the Buddha gave what is good or not good, which may useful and helpful teaching to a cultivator cover a whole range of life, from looking who said: ‘I cannot understand the pro- after the physical body to nourishing the found things that you talk about, please soul. It is the duty of the teacher to en- teach me something simple.’ The advice courage students in all that they do which which followed about relationships is is good, and let them develop their facul- suggestive. We can all brood over and ties and their talents. We need not take explore the essentials of relationship. the Buddha’s words literally, because we Krishnaji said life is relationship, for we have biological parents, because there are are all the time related. others who are like parents. There are It is obviously the responsibility of the people who have helped us to learn, who parent to help the child (maybe a grand- are not necessarily teachers in the strict child, an adopted child) to be virtuous, to sense of the term. Even small children at set an example, and to take opportunities times help us to learn because they look of pointing out what is right and wrong. at things so innocently. How to avoid moral pitfalls of life must Then we come to the relationship be included as part of the education which between husband and wife, and one of the the parent should give to the child. Then, important things to notice is that the the child, the son or daughter, must take husband must respect his wife. Perhaps care of the parents, give them due respect, that was lacking in India in those days, as November 2011 3 The Theosophist it is now. A good man must respect his advice; it extends one’s relationship a wife, cherish her, be faithful to her and so great deal because it is not only one’s own on, and see that she is honoured and not family but the families of one’s friends looked down upon. When a husband whose welfare and prosperity we must makes disparaging comments about his have at heart. wife in front of the servants, for example, As Annie Besant said, more than once, he does the opposite. And the wife must progress in realizing unity through atti- run a well-ordered house, be thrifty as a tudes of affection and responsibility start housekeeper, have a very hospitable on a small scale as the individual evolves. attitude to friends and kinsmen and be So to begin with one should have the right generally a support, and of course, chaste. feelings, perform right actions in relation Now we come to the other three types to one’s family and one’s friends. Then of relationships the Buddha dealt with; for the capacity for affection, for responsi- example, the relationship between friends bility, for caring, grows. The whole world and close companions. They must act as becomes one’s family, and everyone is a true friends, friends who seek the welfare friend. This is generally a question with of a companion. This is not just physical even non-personal problems. As a com- welfare, helping him to invest his money munity can face great problems because or something like that. If the friend per- of foolish ideas and foolish actions, we haps has false notions, it is necessary, see that there is much left for every indi- gently, affectionately, to point it out and vidual to take care of. The kind of apathy not say ‘he is a friend and I support him which exists nowadays must be reduced, in everything whether it is right or wrong’. where nobody bothers what is happening This does not mean that we go round to society as a whole. Although this advice interfering or presuming that we alone was given to a simple man, in very simple know what is right. Advice must be taken terms, on pondering over it, we can realize with common sense. Also it means the that there are much larger implications need to share with friends, in prosperity which we must learn for ourselves. or poverty, be generous, discuss and Then there are relationships between receive help. Help must be given cour- masters and servants. In our present-day teously, acting as one does to a true equal. society, so complex in comparison with Friends should watch what is happening the kind which existed in earlier times, to each other, because a person may when there are many countries where sometimes be off his guard, may be there are no servants, it does not mean that unaware of what he or she does, and this category of relationship does not exist. through that kind of inattention be acting It can be said to include those who are foolishly. A true friend should be watch- supposed to be superior, dealing with so- ing and help the other not to get into called subordinates. To those who have difficulties. The Buddha’s advice is good power over others, economic or political 4 Vol.