Theosophy

[Bodhicitta]

There are three truths which are absolute, and which cannot be lost, but yet may remain silent for lack of speech.

The soul of man is immortal, and its future is the future of a thing whose growth and splendor has no limit.

The principle which gives life dwells in us, and without us, is undying and eternally beneficent, is not heard or seen or smelt, but is perceived by the man who desires perception.

Each man is his own absolute lawgiver, the dispenser of glory or gloom to himself; the decreer of his life, his reward, his punishment.

These truths, which are as great as is life itself, are as simple as the simplest mind of man. Feed the hungry with them.

From The Idyll of the White Lotus

[Michael Sternbach]

That's pretty good.

[Bodhicitta]

As is the short novel it is part of; set in ancient Egypt with black magicians, temple neophytes and such.

 

If one does read the novel, a good commentary on the deeper meaning is:

 

"Comments on the Idyll of the White Lotus" by T. Subba Rao

 

Online at several places.

Edited March 25, 2016 by Bodhicitta

[Nungali]

If it is supposed to be based on ancient Egyptian stuff ... the 'truths' about the soul might need adjusting. 

[Nungali]

actually the other two aint ancient Egyptian either . 

 

Sounds more like some religious theosophical take on ancient Egyptian spirituality  ... pre Budge even !

[Bodhicitta]

The law of laws of the universe is self-forgetfulness, not concentration of attention upon one’s personal freedom, not even upon your individuality. The primal law of the universe is living unto all things, not the doctrine that each must live for himself in order to develop for himself the spiritual powers within. The latter is true enough as a bald and imperfect statement; but it is also misleading, dangerous, unwise, and therefore unholy as a statement of esoteric training, unless properly qualified — always qualified with the accompanying doctrine: Give up thy life if thou wouldst find it. Live to benefit mankind, for this is the first step. If you will have the sun, then leave the earth and its clouds.

 

Purucker, Golden Precepts

Edited April 3, 2016 by Bodhicitta

[Bodhicitta]

When a man acts harmoniously, he acts in accordance with the universal scheme and law; and harmony in consciousness and thought and therefore in action is what men understand by the term ethics. Ethics are not a convention; morals are not a convention; they are rooted in the harmony, in the central laws, of being; they are based on the very structural harmony of the universe.

This instinct of ethics thus springs from within your inner constitution. It comes forth from your spiritual being recognizing harmony, order, the stateliness and majesty of beauty — beauty in thought, beauty in aspiration and feeling, beauty in action.

Purucker, Golden Precepts

[Bodhicitta]

David Pratt's compilation of theosophical quotes about sex:

 

http://davidpratt.info/sexquo.htm

[Bodhicitta]

A newsletter from the Friends of Theosophical Archives, with much of historical interest regarding Theosophy.

 

http://hypatia.gr/fota/index.php/newsletter

 

They are also on Facebook.

Edited June 30, 2016 by Bodhicitta

[Bodhicitta]

The TS Pasadena now has both volumes of References to Blavatsky's The Secret Doctrine online; they are a big help in understanding many passages:

 

http://www.theosociety.org/pasadena/sdrefs/sdrefs-hp.htm

[Bodhicitta]

Do not seek for truth in any place except in the faculty which cognizes truth which is your inmost self, for it alone can cognize truth.

 

It is the active brain-mind, filled with thoughts of the day, filled with desires of the hour, filled with the prejudices and opinions which are so transitory — and which more than anything else this active brain-mind is afflicted with — which prevent your visioning of the truth, prevent your obtaining the vision sublime.

 

Purucker, Golden Precepts

[Bodhicitta]

The 2016 International Theosophical Conference goes from 11 to 14 August, here is the Program and readings related to it and the Study Circles:

http://itcconferencesantabarbara.org

Edited July 16, 2016 by Bodhicitta

[Bodhicitta]

David Reigle's 31 July blog post on fundamentals of Dzyan book (basis of The Secret Doctrine) is profound and requires some meditation:

 

http://prajnaquest.fr/blog/

Edited August 2, 2016 by Bodhicitta

[Bodhicitta]

 

The 2016 International Theosophical Conference goes from 11 to 14 August, here is the Program and readings related to it and the Study Circles:

http://itcconferencesantabarbara.org

 

 

 

There is video of the presentations, some live through Sunday 14 Aug., but all are recorded and available at Livestream for some days or longer...

 

http://livestream.com/blavatskyhouse

Edited August 13, 2016 by Bodhicitta

[Bodhicitta]

Altruism is the keynote of Theosophy and the cure for all ills; this it is which the real Founders of the Theosophical Society promote as its first object—UNIVERSAL BROTHERHOOD.

Thus even if only in name a body of Altruists, the Theosophical Society has to fight all who under its cover seek to obtain magical powers to use for their own selfish ends and to the hurt of others.

 

Blavatsky in Collected Writings XI:164

[Bodhicitta]

The 2016 International Theosophy Conference in Santa Barbara, is just about over.  Here are the videotaped session that Livestream will keep for a time:

 

http://livestream.com/blavatskyhouse

[Bodhicitta]

Theosophical Society Pasadena has made many of their HTML books into free PDF e-books; over 60 it appears!

http://www.theosociety.org/pasadena/ts/tup-ebooks.htm

Edited September 18, 2016 by Bodhicitta

[Bodhicitta]

Making use of the new PDF version of Damodar's book, here is a June 1881 letter to William Q. Judge. The triangle of dots does not display, but it stands for the Adept who met with Damodar.

 

My dear Judge

I will now begin where I stopped last. I told you there about my being at a certain place where they have their Council. After that I saw [triangle of dots] twice or thrice alone on the same business and very rarely he said to me a few words of encouragement and good advice as to how I should go on. Happy were those moments when alone at midnight we thus had conversation! Nothing or no body to disturb us! We were to ourselves during that time. Once he took me to some other place in Ceylon. In that particular village, H. P. B., Col. Olcott and myself were the only three persons that stopped one night, the rest of our party having gone to a further place. We were all busy there initiating people and forming a branch of our Society till about 12 in the night. H.P. B. and Col. Olcott went to bed at about one.

 

As we had to stay in the village only one night we had got down in the Rest House where comfortable accommodation can be had only for two travellers. I had therefore to lay down in an arm-chair in the dining room. I had scarcely locked from inside the door of the room and laid myself in the chair than I heard a faint knock at the door. It was repeated twice before I had time enough to reach the door. I opened it and what a great joy I felt when I saw [triangle of dots] again! In a very low whisper he ordered me to dress myself and to follow him. At the back door of the Rest House is the Sea. I followed him as he commanded me to do.

He brought me to the back door of the place and we walked about three quarters of an
hour by the seashore. Then we turned in the direction of the sea. All around there was water except the place we were walking upon which was quite dry!! He was walking in front and I was following him. We thus walked for about seven minutes when we came to a spot that looked like a small island. On the top of the building was a triangular light. From a distance, a person standing on the seashore would think it to be an isolated spot which is covered all over by green bushes. There is only one entrance to go inside. And no one can find it out unless the occupant wishes the person to find the way.

After we reached the Island we had to go round about for about five minutes before we came in front of the actual building. There is a little garden in front we found one of the Brothers sitting. I had seen him before in the Council Room and it is to him that this place belongs. [triangle of dots] seated himself near him and I stood before them. We were there for about half an hour. I was shown a part of the place. How very pleasant it is! And inside this place he has a sort of a small room where the body remains when the Spirit moves about. What a charming, delightful spot that is! What a nice smell of roses and various sorts of flowers! I wish I were permitted to visit that place again if I should go to Ceylon another time.

The half hour was finished and the time for our leaving the place was near. The master
of the place whose name I do not know, placed his blessing hand over my head and and I marched off again. We came back near the door of the room wherein I was to sleep and he suddenly disappeared there on the spot. And following his example as a true disciple I too will now disappear abruptly until the next mail when I shall resume the subject.

Yours very truly & Sincerely

DAMODAR K. MAVALANKAR

Edited December 29, 2016 by Bodhicitta

[Bodhicitta]

Interesting new issue of Lucifer on duties & rights for this lifetime and future ones.

 

http://www.blavatskyhouse.org/pdf/Lucifer-EN-No1-2016.pdf

Edited November 8, 2016 by Bodhicitta

[Bodhicitta]

Today is the date of the Winter Solstice for 2016; a sacred time of spiritual initiation. Here is G. de Purucker on the inner events:

http://www.theosophy-nw.org/theosnw/seasons/4s-gdpw.htm

[Bodhicitta]

"Esotericism, pure and simple, speaks of no personal God; therefore are we considered as Atheists. But, in reality, Occult Philosophy, as a whole, is based absolutely on the ubiquitous presence of God, the Absolute Deity; and if IT Itself is not speculated upon, as being too sacred and yet incomprehensible as a Unit to the finite intellect, yet the entire Philosophy is based upon Its Divine Powers as being the Source of all that breathes and lives and has existence. 

In every ancient Religion the ONE was demonstrated by the many. In Egypt and India, in Chaldæ and Phœnicia, and finally in Greece, the ideas about Deity were expressed by multiples of three, five and seven; and also by eight, nine and twelve great Gods, which symbolized the powers and properties of the One and Only Deity. This was related to that infinite subdivision by irregular and odd numbers to which the metaphysics of these nations subjected their ONE DIVINITY.

Thus constituted, the cycle of the Gods has all the qualities and attributes of the ONE SUPREME AND UNKNOWABLE; for in this collection of divine Personalities, or rather of Symbols personified, dwells the ONE GOD, the GOD ONE, that God which, in India, is said to have no Second."

Blavatsky in Esoteric Instructions pp. 99-100

[Orion]

It's like any system... the originators had insight and were probably psychic. Then the message got spread out to the world of mundanes and it got turned into systems.

[Bodhicitta]

The tendency of modern civilization is a reaction towards animalism, towards a development of those

qualities which conduce to the success in life of man as an animal in the struggle for animal existence.

Theosophy seeks to develop the human nature in man in addition to the animal, and at the sacrifice of the

superfluous animality which modern life and materialistic teachings have developed to a degree which is

abnormal for the human being at this stage of his progress.

 

Men cannot all be Occultists, but they can all be Theosophists. Many who have never heard of the Society are

Theosophists without knowing it themselves; for the essence of Theosophy is the perfect harmonizing of the

divine with the human in man, the adjustment of his god-like qualities and aspirations, and their sway over

the terrestrial or animal passions in him. Kindness, absence of every ill feeling or selfishness, charity,

goodwill to all beings, and perfect justice to others as to oneself, are its chief features. He who teaches

Theosophy preaches the gospel of goodwill; and the converse of this is true also — he who preaches the

gospel of goodwill, teaches Theosophy.

 

 

1888 Letter of Blavatsky

[Bodhicitta]

 

There are strange and wonderful things in the world, which only the blindness and egoism of men prevent them from seeing and learning about, and indeed knowing at first hand. There is no bar to knowledge so great as that of the conviction that a thing does not exist.

 

G. de Purucker

[Bodhicitta]

 

We learn through our faults. Sorrow, pain, and suffering, are

our best teachers; and let me say here: Do not seek to be ‘good’;

seek to be impersonal, and you will be good automatically, unconsciously.

The man who seeks to be ‘good’ is exercising one kind

of spiritual selfishness; for, in the first place, he seeks something

for himself. It is better to be good than to be bad; but the royal

road, the highway to the mountain-tops, is impersonality; for the

truly and spiritually impersonal man never does an evil deed. If

he did so he would be very personal. The impersonal man never

does a selfish deed. If he did so he would be very personal, very

selfish. If the impersonal man were to turn a deaf ear to a cry for

help: turn a deaf ear to the pleadings of compassion and pity: he

would be very personal. His impersonality would be but a garment,

a mask, a mockery.

But he whose vision is clear, whose heart is at peace, whose

mind is tranquil, seeks neither for good nor for evil; for his whole

heart is set on the supernal light within, the supreme spiritual

guide.

 

G. de Purucker