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^. 


THE 


THEOSOPHIST, 


A  MAGAZINE  OF 


i|wi|l«l  ]^litl0$tfitl(a*  i^tu  '^ttttmn  1 4tmltt$m 


CONDUCTED    BY 


H.  S.  OLCOTT. 


VOL  XXII. 


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MADRAS: 
PUBLISHED  BY  TETE  PROPRIETORS,  ADYAR. 

MCMI. 


V      J 


813011  ' 


I  i.k^ 


•  • 


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•  •    • 

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•  «•  •  • 

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•  ,•  ••••  •••  •• 


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INDEX. 


Page, 
Ancient  Astronomy'  ...    29 

Astronomy  ...    88 

Astral  Picture*  An  ...    46 

Ancient  Theories  as  to  the 

origin  of  the  World  ...  355,  405 
Awakening  of  the  Self,  The  ...  371 
"Astrological  Warnings'*  681,  750 


Blue  Light  and  Vegetation   . 
Brotherhood  in  the  Bible 
Brotherhood    as   taught  bv 
the  Buddha 

Consciousness 
Conquest  of  the  Flesh 
Conquering  of  the  Five  Ene- 
mies 


Fire-Temple  in  its  Esoteric 

Aspect,  The 
Folklore  and  Stone- Worship. 


Ill 
596 

744 

415 
137 


435 
226 


Glimpses   of    Theosophical 
Christianity  ...  9,  74,  657,  714 

"Great Year"   of  the  Anc- 
ientSy  and  our  Present  Minor 
Manvantara  ...  214,  292 

Hermes  Trismegistus  ..    81 

Hindu  Morality  as  outlined 
in  the  "  Mah»h4rata*'...  472, 533 

International  P^chical  In- 
stitute, The  ...  30 f 
Into  a  Larger  Roc«n        ...  346,  399 
Industry  as  Pofming  Char- 
acter                                  ...  155 


Jivachintamani 


King.  The 

Kingsford,    Anna,    Lessons 
from  the  Life  of 


...  620,  665 
421 


Logos,  The 
old  of  the 


,ne 


Life  Beyond,  on  the  Thresh- 


466 

45 


721 
372 


Life  Portraits 

Life  Portrait,  A 

Lessons  From    the  Life  of 

Anna  Kingsford  ...  466,  528 

Lunar     Influence    on  the 

Animal  World  ...  224 

Logos,  The  ...    45 

Larger  Room,  Into  a  ...  346,  399 


Tage. 

More  of  tMme.  Mongruel's 
Clairvoyance  and  Prophe- 
cies ...  285 

Matter  and  its  Higher  Phases 

487,  547 
Modem  Italian  Stone- Wor- 
ship and  Folklore  ...  226 
Max  Miiller,  The  late             ...  162 
Means  of  Spiritual  Growth    ...  746 

New  Thought,  What  the, 
Stands  for  ...  590 

Old  Diary  Leaves.     1,  65,  129,  193, 

257»  321, 385,  449.  514,  577,  641, 705 
Obstacles  to    Spiritual  Progress. 

265,  329.  393 

Prof.  Buchanan's  Prophecies  114 
Potentiality  of  the  Will  ...  231 
Poseidonis  ..  432 

Personality,  Temporary  nature 

of  our  ...  480 

President- Founder's  American 

Tour,  The  ...  691 

Rima  Gita.  302,  364,  425,  493,  554, 

606,  670,  729 
Renunciation  ...  499>  540 

Rebirth  ...  585r  651 

Signs  of  the  Times,  The  ...  104 
Sanydsin,  The  ...  171 

Skanda  Purana  ...  175 

Study  of  Theosophy,  The  .  .  279 
Socialism  and  Theosophy.  616,  687 
Sickness  and    fts    Cure   by 

Witchcraft  ..599 

Spiritual  Growth,  Means  of  ...  746 

Theosophical  Society,  The  ...  22 
Theosophy  and  Socialism      ...   37> 

r3,  203,  273 
^ the 

Mode  of  Motion  ...  337 

Temporary  Nature    of  Our 

Personality,  The  ...  480 

Theosophy  and  Church  Mem- 
bership ...  486 
Theosophy  In  All  Lands  ...  51, 117, 

178,  241,   307,  373,  437,   501,  564, 

625,  693,  754 
Theosophy  ...  279 

Universal  Brotherhood    ...  144,210 


11 


INDEX. 


Fage. 
Unseen  World,  The  ...  458,  520 


Virasra 


...  151 


Visit  to  Vaisali,  Notes  on  a   ...  164 

What  the  New  Thought 
stands  for  ...  590 

REVIEWS. 

Aitareya  Upanishad,  English 

Translation  of  the  ...    54 

Astrology  for  all  ...  247 

Ancient   Ideals   in    Modem 
Life  ...  568 

Buddhist  Catechism  in  Bur- 
mese, The  ...  184 
Brahma  Sutra  (Marathi)        „,  376 


Colour  Cure,  The 
Charaka  Samhita 

Death— and  After 

Eusapia's  Phenomena 
Essai  Sur  L' Evolution   Hu 
maine 


...  569 

...  441 

...  504 

...  183 

...  374 


Feelings,  Music  and  Ges- 
ture, The  ...  181 

Fragments  of  a  Faith  For- 
gotten ...  695 

Gopali  Tapini  and  Krishno- 
panishads.  The  ...  185 

Karma  :  Works  and  Wisdom...    54 

Lest  we  Forget  ...  312 

Meditations,  A  series  of         ...  248 

O.  D.  L.,  Thesecond  series  of...    53 
Obstacles  to  Spiritual   Pro- 
gress ...  630 

Philosopher,  The  Unknown  ...  756 
Prince  Ukhtomsky  on  Tibe- 
tan    Buddhism   and    Col. 
Olcott'sWork  ...    54 

Rules  for  Daily  Life 


...  120 
...  376 


Sadhana  Sangraha 
Sanskrit  Literature,  New 

Work  on  „.  121 

Song  of  Life  ...  697 

Tibetan  Buddhism  and  Col. 
Olcott's     Work,      Prince 
Ukhtomsky  on  „.    54 

Two  Triopian  Inscriptions    ...  248 


Tales  of  Tennalirama  ...  248 

To  Those  who  Suffer  ...  311 

The  Taittiriya  Upanishad  ...  375 

Two  Undiscovered  Planets  ...  631 

Unitarian  Movement  in  Ja* 

pan.  The  ...  247 

Uttarama  Charita  ...  441 

Unseen  World,  The  ...  631 

Valmika  Ram&yana  in  Ta- 
mil  Prose  ...  504 

Wisdom  of  the  Ages  ...  439 

CUTTINGS  AND  COMMENTS. 

Adyar  Library,  Additions  to 
the  ...    62 

A  Valuable  gift  to  the  Adyar 
Librar>'  ...  254 

Antiquity  of  the  Alphabet, 
New  light  on  the  ...  634 

Azamgarh  Well,  The  ...  767 

Books  of  our  Movement,  The...  255 
Bright  Outlook,  A  ...  381 

Branches,  New  T.  S.  ...  254 

Blavatsky,  The  Character  of 
Mme.  ...  252 

Confucius,  The  Tomb  of        ...  188 
Concert,  A  silent  ...  379 

Caves  in    Crete,   The    Dis- 
covery of  ...  189 
Chinese  and  *•  No  quarter,'* 

The  ...    64 

Crows  and  Cholera  ...  189 

Consecration  of  Thought       ...  189 

Countess  Cannavaro,  Return 

to  America  of  the  ...  189 


Dead  still  live,  The 
Descriptive  list,  A 


...  635 
...  636 


Erratum  ...  254 

Evaporation  of  lakes.  The     ...  192 
Ella  Wheeler    Wilcox,    The 
Creed  of  ...  445 

Fruit  acids  as  Germicides  ...  192 
Fing-shui,  The  mystical  ...  62 
Fire- walkers  in  many  lands  ...  507 
Fast  and  its  sequel,  A  re- 
markable ...  632 
Famine  Gifts  from  Chinese 

and  Criminals                      ...  61 

Fifty  years  without  food        ...  762 


Gita  in  England,  The 
God's  work,  Doing 


...    5^ 
...  5" 


Heredity  and  Divine  Will      ...  126 


INDEX. 


Ill 


Fage, 
Hindu  Lad^  without  food,  A...  255 
Hydrophobia,    A  sure  cure 

for  ...  443 

Heavy  burden  of  a  Crown, 

The  ...     64 

Hindu  Revival,  Origins  of  the,.  445 

Idolatry  Explained  . . .  446 

Indian  Mirror  and  the  Rev. 

Mr.  Vance  ...  766 

Infant  Prodigies  summarily 

explained  ...  315 

International  Vegetarian  Con- 
gress ...  766 
Indian  Sir  Boyle  Roach,  An  ...  317 
Inner  Guru,  The  ...  512 
Instantaneous    Healing    as  a 
result  of  Prayer  ...  763 


Japanese  Buddhism,   Ad- 
vancing 


62 


King,  or  Beggar  ...    60 

King's  son   and  the  Craven, 

The  ...  576 

Karma  as  a  Patent  Medicine...  314 

Mr.  Noble  on  the  Missionary...  60 
Mystery  of  the  Moon,  The  ...  379 
Model  Ruler,  A  ...  128 

MarA,  The  rule  of  ...  507 

Max  Miiller*s  views  on  the 
causes  of  the  Chinese  trou- 
bles ...  318 
Modem  Education                  ...  700 
Milton's  last  Poem                  ...  701 

Nineteenth  Century  Before 

and  After,  The  ...  444 

Novel  Action,  A  ver>'  . .    700  ' 

Occult  Arithmetic  ...  446 

Originsof  the  Hindu  Revival..  445 

President- Founder,  The  ...  62 
Pariah  Pupils  of  the  Olcott 

Free  School  ...  254 

Poetry,  Different  Classes  of  ...  320 
President     in    the     United 

States,  The  ...  573 

President,  The  life  work  of 

our  ...  506 

President-Founder  and    the 

ill-fated  Steamer,  The  ...  507 
Pope  and  the  "Evil  Eye," 

The  ...    59 

Prickly  Heat,  cause  and  cure 

of  ...  702 

Pali  and  Sanskrit  ...  7^^ 


Respectable  Sins 


...  640 


Vage. 

Religious  Revivals  among 
the  Negroes  ...  317 

Reform  started  by  the  Cen- 
tral Hindu  College,  A         ...  314 

Reincarnation,  An  Opinion 
adverse  to  ...  768 

Solar  Motor,  The  wonderful  ...  576 
Songs  of  Indian  Beggars  ...  127 
Spirit  children  in  Kama  Loka. . .  188 
Sorcerer,  A  great  Malabar  ...  190 
Society's  Strange  Supersti- 
tions ...  384 
Sense  of  smell,  The  ...  509 
Successful  Hypnotism  over  a 

Telephone  Wire  ...  639 

Snow  on  the  Moon  ?  Is  there...  703 
Sun-spots    and  changes    of 
Tempeiature  ...  767 

Theosophic     Ideal  in    the 

Churches  ...  126 

The  Spark  of  Virtue  in  the 

Human  Soul  ...  763 

Timely  aid   from  a  Higher 

Plane  ...  765 

Thought  about  an  Idol,  A  ...  446 
Technical  Training  for  In- 
dian Youth  ...  381 
yraining  the  Mind  ...  507 
Trust  Rewarded  ...  511 
The  work  of  the  Theosophi- 

cal  Society  ...  572 

Theosophical  I^ibrary,  A         ...  638 
The  lost  art  of  Tempering 
Copper  ...  639 

Views  of  the  Chinese  Minis- 
ter ...  128 

Visit  of  their  Excellencies, 
the  Viceroy  and  Governor- 
General  of  India  and  I^ady 
Curzon,  to  Adyar  ...  255 

Viceroy  and  the  "  Memory 
Man,"  The  ...  315 

''  Veil  of  Isis  "  or  *'  Isis  Un- 
veiled." ...  318 

Views  on  the  causes  of  the 
Chinese  troubles.  Max 
Muller's  ...  318 

Women  Missionaries  and  the 

Chinese  crisis  ...  447 

Wonderful  Solar  Motor,  The...  576 
Work  of  the    Theosophical 

Society,  The  ...  572 

Wireless-  Signaling    under 

Water  ...  637 

Why  Bibles  are  in  demand 

in  China  ...  762 

X-ray  as  a  cure  for  Cancer    ...  318 


IV 


Index. 


SUPPLEMENT. 


Adyar  Library,  ii,  iii,  v,  xvii,  xix, 
xxi,  XXV,  xxxiii,  xxxv,  xxxviii 
Annual  Elections  at  Buenos 

Aires  ...  xii 

Anniversary  at  N.  York,  Our 

Twenty-fifth  ...  xiv 

American  Branches  ..  xxi,  xxvii 
Appeal,  An  ...  xxxi 

Advice,  Mrs.  Besant's  ...  vi 

Adyar,  Serious  losses  at        ...  xiii 

Branches,  New.  iv,  xvi,  xvii,  xviii, 
XX,  XXV,  xxvii,  xxxi,  xxxvi 

Branches,    Circular    to    the 
South  Indian  ...  iv 

Bodhini,  Transfer  of  the  . . .  v 

Benares  Convention  and 
Adyar  Meetings  ...  xiii 

Buddhist  Catechism  in  Bur- 
mese ...  xiii,  xvi 

Back    Numbers    of    Theoso- 
fhist,  wanted  ...  xvi 

Branch  dissolved,  European 
Section  ...xviii 

Branches,  American  ...  xxi,  xxvii, 

xxxvi 

Correction,  A  ...  xxxvii 

Central  Hindu  College  Anni- 
versary . .    xi 
Col.  Olcotts  Next  Tour          .!.  xii 
Christian  Missions  in  India.,  xxxv 
Col.  Olcott's  Farewell  Mes- 
sage                                 ...  xxxvi 


Executive  Notices 


1,  vu 


Financial  Statement,  monthly,  iii, 
xi,  XV,  xvii,  xix,  xxii,  xxvi,  xxx, 

xxxiv,  xxxv 


Gadgil,  Death  of  Mr. 


Ill 


Generous  Gift  for  the  starving, 

A  ...    xiii 

Grand  Lama,  The  ...  xvi 

Gillard,  M.,  Death  of  ...  xxiv 

Hargrove,  Mr.,  in  South  Af- 
rica ...  xii 


Indian  Branches 


XXV 


Maha-Bodhi    Literary    Sec- 
tion ..  xxxvii 

**  Man  and  his  Bodies  *'  in 
Tamil  ...  xxix 


Notice 


XV 


Old  Diary  Leaves,  The  New 
Series  of  ...  iv 

Oriental  Literary  Institu- 
tion, CoBJeeveram,  The...  xxviii 

President's  Tour,  Echoes  of 
the  ...  ii 

Pariah  Schools  . . .  xiv,  xviii 

President's  Tour.       xii,  xix,  xxiii, 

xxvi,  xxx,  xxxv 

President- Founder's  Tour 
Fund  ...  XV 

Prizes  for  Essays  on  Caste.. xxxvii 

Rai  Bahadur,  R.  Sooria  Rao 
Naidu  ...  xvi 

Smallest  Book  in  the  World, 
The  ...  xxxiv 

Tardy  Confession,  A  ...  xxxii 

*  *  Temple, ' '  The  Ruined  ...  xii 

Theosophist^    Back    Num- 
bers wanted  ...  xvi 

White  Lotus  Day  at  Adyar.  xxvii 
Worthy  of  Emulation  ...  xxxii 
West  Coast  Spectator y  The  ...  xviii 


THE     THEOSOPHIST. 


VOL.  XXII.,  NO.  1,  OCTOBER  1900. 


THERE  IS  NO  RELIGION  HIGHER  THAN  TRUTH. 

{Family  motto  of  the  Maharajahs  of  Benares^ 


N^^a^^X^X^X*     ^>. 


1 


01T>  DIARY  LEAVES* 
Fourth  Sekirs,  Chapter  XII. 

T  was  so  cold  going  down  the  Red  Sea  that  the  men  wore  their 
overcoats  and  the  ladies  their  furs  as  far  as  Aden.  To  those 
who  have  only  seen  the  sea  in- the  h6t  season,  when  the  air  is  like 
the  draught  of  a  furnace  and  t])e  people  on  the  ship  gasp  for  breath, 
this  will  sound  strange,  yet  it  is  true.  We  had  as  passengers  the 
Siamese  Ambassador  and  family  with  whom  I  made  pleasant 
acquaintance :  there  were  also  three  members  of  the  Japanese 
Imperial  Commission  at  the  French  Exposition,  who  knew  of  me 
and  were  extremely  friendly.  A  sad  case  occurred  on  the  ninth 
day  out.  A  poor  young  French  conscript,  bound  for  Cochin- China 
to  join  his  regiment,  died  of  star\'ation,  his  grief  for  leaving  home 
being,  for  some  cause  or  other,  so  poignant  that  he  had  long  refused 
to  eat  and  at  last  succumbed  on  the  day  mentioned.  He  was 
buried  on  the  morrow  in  a  sea  as  clear  and  azure  as  a  sapphire  of 
purest  water,  but  the  forms  observed  revolted  me,  who  had  seen 
numbers  of  similar  functions  on  British  ships.  There  was  no  appear- 
ance of  interest  on  the  faces  of  the  crew,  some  masses  were  mumbled 
by  a  passenger  priest,  the  boatswain  blew  a  shrill  blast  on  his  pipe, 
the  coflSned  corpse,  with  a  shot  at  its  feet  and  auger-holes  bored  in 
the  rough  box,  was  pitched  through  a  port,  and  the  ship  sails  on. 
But  the  poor  boy  piou^piotis  heart  had  broken. 

After  passing  Aden  the  temperature  rose  and  the  punkahs  were 
set  a  swinging  in  the  saloons,  for  the  warm  hand  of  Mother  India 
was  now  stretched  out  to  us  with,   to  me,  a  welcome  thrill.    I  had 


*  Three   volumes,   in  series    of  thirly  chapters,    tracing  the  history  of  the 
Theosophical    Society  from    its  beginning's    at   New  York,  have  appeared  in  the 
ThMwpKi^f^  and  the  first  volume  is  Hvailable  in  book  form,  price,  cloth,  Rs.  3-8-0, 
or  paper,  Rs.  2-3-0. 


The  Theosophist.  [October 


* 


now  to  face  another  year  of  Indian  work  and  under  pleasanter 
circumstances  than  when  the  lyondon  friction  was  grinding  our 
wheels  of  action. 

We  reached  Colombo  on  the  i6th  January,  at  9-30  p.m.,  and  I 
went  ashore  to  notify  our  people  in  Maliban  Street  and  telegraph  to 
Adyar,  but  our  formal  landing  was  made  the  next  morning.  I  in- 
stalled Fawcett  at  our  headquarters  and  then  took  the  Japanese 
Commissioners  to  see  our  College  and  the  busy  headquarters,  after 
which  I  bade  good-bye  to  the  Siamese  Ambassador,  and  other  new^ 
friends. 

One  of  our  very  best  and  most  beloved  Buddhist  Colleagues, 
A.  P.  Dharma  Gunawardene,  Muhandiram,  lay  dying.  He  was  in 
his  8oth  year,  was  President  of  the  Colombo  (Buddhist)  T.S.,  chief 
Dyakaya  (lay  supporter)  of  the  High  Priest  Sumangala's  College, 
and  might  be  called  the  father  of  that  institution.  Respected  by  the 
whole  Buddhist  public,  honorable  in  all  his  doings,  successful  in 
business,  simple  as  a  child  and  generous  in  all  works  of  philan- 
thropy, the  progress  of  his  disease  was  watched  with  deep  concern. 
The  foundation  of  our  Sinhalese  journal,  the  Sandaresa,  and  our 
flourishing  printing  works  is  due  to  his  having  headed  the  subscrip- 
tion-list with  the  sum  of  Rs,  500.  r  He  died  while  I  was  in  the 
Island  and  two  days  later  his  body  was  cremated.  Three 
thousand  persons  walked  behind  t|ie  hearse,  and  a  sea  of  heads 
could  be  seen  from  the  pyre,-  a  towering  structure  of  sandal  and 
other  woods,  12x10  feet  in  size.  Sumangala  Thero,  with  about 
seventy-five  other  monks,  the  chief  mourners,  Mr,  Fawcett,  Mr. 
Powell  and  I  stood  close  to  it.  Sumangala  deputed  his  pupil, 
Gnassira  Thero,  a  very  eloquent  young  monk,  to  pronounce  the 
funeral  discourse  on  his  behalf  and  to  give  Pansil;  after  which, 
standing  on  the  pyre  itself,  I  spoke  on  behalf  of  the  Society,  and 
then  the  son  of  the  deceased  set  fire  to  the  pile,  according  to  im- 
memorial custom. 

The  relations  between  the  Sinhalese  Buddhists  and  Tamil 
Hindus  in  Ceylon  are  so  friendly,  that  the  Hon.  P.  Ramanathan, 
M.ir.c,  the  accepted  leader  of  the  latter  community,  had  several 
conferences  with  me  about  the  feasibility  of  founding  a  Hindu-Bud- 
dhist College  for  the  benefit  of  the  two  nationalities.  We  consulted 
our  friends  respectively  and  were  inclined  to  think  it  might  be  done, 
but,  after  all,  the  project  failed  to  gain  the  necessary  support.  Mr. 
Ramanathan  and  I  were  also  of  one  mind  about  starting  a  crema- 
torium, which  would  be  a  real  blessing  to  the  whole  public,  and 
this  is  a  thing  for  the  future,  when  a  less  busy  man  than  I,  and  a 
resident,  can  devote  his  time  to  the  business.  The  Hindus  of 
Ceylon  follow  the  ancestral  fashion  of  burning  their  dead,  but  the 
Sinhalese,  save  in  the  cases  of  their  bhikkus  and  the  feudatory 
chiefs  of  Kandy,  have  forgotten  that  it  was  formerly  considered  a 


1906.]  Old  Diary  Leaves.  3 

disgrace  to  bury  the  corpse  of  any  but  a  verj'  low  caste  person,  and 
stick  to  burial  for  lack  of  somebody  to  arouse  their  attention  to  the 
immense  advantages  of  cremation. 

At  this  time  Mr.  Charles  Francis  Powell,  F.T.S.,  was  serving  vvith 
us  at  Adyar  and  on  tour  in  Ceylon  and  Southern  India.  I  found  him 
in  Ceylon,  but  anxious  to  get  back  among  the  Indian  Branches.  He 
had  been  doing  excellent  work  in  the  Island,  visiting  schools, 
starting  new  ones,  giving  lectures  in  villages  and  founding  new 
Branches  of  our  Society,  to  the  number  of  seven.  He  was  the  son 
of  a  Philadelphia  millionaire,  who  must  have  been  ver>'  eccentric, 
for  in  his  will  he  left  Charles  the  mere  sum  of  3  lo.  The  son  had 
ser\'ed  well  and  faithfully  in  a  Volunteer  regiment  during  the 
Rebellion,  and  later,  after  various,  vicissitudes  and  changes  of  em- 
ployment had  found  himself  in  California,  where  he  was  attracted 
into  our  Society.  Possessing  a  most  energetic  and  enthusiastic 
temperament,  he  determined  to  come  out  and  offer  himself  to  me 
in  any  capacity  I  might  choose  for  him.  I  set  him  to  the  work 
above  described  and  the  result  justified  my  estimate  of  his  worth. 
With  myself  and  Fawcett,  he  now  visited  several  of  our  schools  for 
boys  and  girls,  before  crossing  over  to  India  on  the  27th  (January) 
in  compliance  with  an  Executive  Notice,  dated  21st  Jaiiuaty  in 
which  I  commended  him  to  the  affectionate  regards  of  our  Indian 
members  and  thanked  him  for  his  work  in  Ceylon.  In  an  address 
published  by  himself  at  ColomBo  on  the  same  day,  he  said :  "  Absence 
from  India  has  shown  how  stt6ng  a  love  liats  sprung  up  in  m}'-  heart 
for  the  land  of  my  adoption  and  for  her  sons,  and  how  much  a  life 
ill  that  land  means  to  me.  That  we  may  be  permitted  to  journey 
on  together  to  the  goal  of  all  our  hopes,  is  my  earnest  prayer." 
The  goal  was,  of  course,  the  attainment  of  spiritual  knowledge. 
He  w^as  welcomed  by  the  Hindus  with  open  arms  and  all  seemed  to 
promise  foi:  him  and  for  them  a  loving  relationship  that  would  last 
for  many  years.  True  he  was  living  a  life  of  extreme  asceticism, 
taking  far  less  food  than  he  ought,  and  that  of  the  simplest  kind— a 
couple  of  handfuls  of  Wheat,  some  curds,  a  few  fruits,  and  iea  as  a 
beverage-^but  when  we  shook  hands  on  his  steamer  at  parting 
I  thought  he  looked  as  strong  and  tough  a  man  as  I  had  seen 
for  a  long  time.  At  Ambasamudram  or  some  other  village 
he  had  had  his  horoscope  compiled  by  a  good  astrologer,  and 
it  prophesied  that  he  would  live  to  be  90,  but  alas  !  ten  days 
later  he  was  dead.  I  shall  come  to  that  presentl\\  Meanwhile,  I 
went  on  with  my  Ceylon  work  as  usual,  finding  plenty  to  occupy 
my  time.  H.  E.  the  Governor,  Sir  Arthur  Gordon,  hearing  of  my 
return  to  the  Island,  wrote  and  asked  me  to  come  and  see  him.  I 
found  a  very  kind  reception  awaiting  me.  His  Excellency  wished 
to  know  whether  I  could  not  manage  to  secure  from  Japan  a  large 
number  of  immigrants  of  the  cultivator  and  mechanic  class,  to  take 
up  the  extensive  tracts  of  public  lands  which  the  repair  of  the  huge 


4  The  Theosophist.  [October 

irrigating  tanks  of  the  interior  of  the  Island  would  restore  to  their 
ancient  fertility.  He  thought  that,  with  their  industrious  and  sober 
habits  Japanese  would  become  most  valuable  residents,  while  the 
identity  of  their  religious  creeds  with  that  of  the  Sinhalese  Buddhists 
would  remove  all  cause  of  fear  as  to  conflicts  between  the  two  races. 
It  was  a  statesmanlike  and  far-seeing  scheme,  and  I  did  what  I 
could  in  Japan  to  bring  it  about,  but  although  the  pressure  of  popu- 
lation there  was  considerable  and  they  were  looking  out  for  countries 
in  which  to  colonise,  the  tenns  offered  by  Ceylon  were  not  so  good 
as  those  tendered  to  the  Japanese  Government  by  Australia,  Mexico 
and  some  other  Governments.  So  I  left  the  matter  there  for  further 
consideration.  The  Governor  and  I  also  had  some  talk  about  the 
Buddhist  Temporalities  Bill,  which  was  one  of  the  subjects  of  my 
conferences  with  I^ord  Derby  at  the  Colonial  OflBce  in  1884. 

As  I  had  become  tired  of  the  misrepresentations  of  Western 
scholars  of  the  contents  of  Southern  Buddhism,  I  profited  by  the 
presence  of  so  able  a  metaphysician  as  Mr.  Fawcett  to  arrange  a 
discussion  between  him  and  Sumangala  Thero,  which  should 
furnish  an  authoritative  exposition  of  the  teachings  of  the  Buddha, 
as  understood  by  the  Southern  church  and  expounded  in  its  version 
of  the  Abhidhama.  The  services  of  the  ablest  lay  Pali  scholar  of 
Ceylon,  the  late  Wijesinhe  Mudaliyar,  Government  Translator  of  the 
'*  Mahavansa,'*  were  obtained  and  Mr.  Fawcett  himself  wrote  the 
report  of  the  discussion  for  the  number  of  the  Theosophist  for  March 
1890,  to  which  the  reader  may  profitably  refer.  Having  my  doubts, 
however,  whether  the  views  of  the  High  Priest  had  been  altogether 
exactly  reported,  I  have  submitted  the  article  to  him  for  comment 
before  summarising  its  points  for  the  present  chapter  of  "Old  Diary 
Leaves."  A  very  wise  precaution  it  was,  as  the  High  Priest  upset 
the  greater  part  of  the  structure  which  Fawcett  built  upon  the  very 
erroneous  interpretation  of  Mr.  Wijesinhe.  We  now  have  what 
may  be  taken  as  an  authoritative  declaration  of  the  contents  of 
Southern  Buddhism  as  the  High  Priest  understands  it — always 
provided  that  his  views  have  not  been  again  misreported.  He  is 
conceded  to  be  the  most  erudite  monk  in  the  Southetn  Division 
of  the  buddhistic  Sangha.  The  interpreter  this  time  wad  Mr.  D.  B. 
Jyatilake,  Assistant  Principal  of  Ananda  (Buddhist)  College, 
Colombo,  and  Editor  of  the  Buddhist  magazine. 

Mr.  Fawcett  begins  by  saying  that  •*  there  are  two  co-existent 
but  mutually  dependent  principles  underlying  cosmic  evolution. 

"  The  first  is  Nama,  which  may  be  said  to  correspond  in  a  general  way  to 
the  concept '  spirit,'  that  is  to  say,  to  a  formless  sabjective  reality  which  botli 
transdends,  and  yet  lies  at  the  root  oF,  consciousness.  Nama  is,  in  fine,  the 
impersonal  spirit  of  the  Universe,  while  Rnpa  denotes  the  objective  basis, 
whence  spring  the  varied  differentiations  of  matter.  Consciousness  or 
Thought  (ve^flana)  supervenes  when  a  ray  of  Nama  is  conditioned  in  a 
material  basis.    There  is  then  no   consciousness  possible  without  Nama  aud 


1900.]  Old  Diary  Leaves.  S 

Rupa  co-operating-* the  former  as  the  source  of  the  ray,  whicft  becomee  c-on- 
scioQs,  tbe  latter  as  the  vehicle  in  which  that  procew  of  becoming  is  alone 
possible," 

We  here  see  the  bias  in  favor  of  the  doctrine  taught  in  the 
esoteric  school  of  the  East,  which  was  so  strong  as  to  make  the 
author  run  away  with  an  imperfectly  grasped  rendering  of  Suman- 
gala's  views,  for  which,  as  I  now  understand  the  latter  to  say,  Mr. 
Wijesinhe  was  primarily  responsible.  The  High  Priest  disputes 
these  assumptions  as  the  Abhidhama  Nama  is  only  a  collective 
name  for  the  four  immaterial  skandAas,  of  which  consciousness 
(vignana)  forms  one.  It  is  therefore  inaccurate  to  .say  that  Nama 
"both  transcends  and  yet  lies  at  the  root  of  consciousness."  There 
can  be  no  other  distinction  drawn  between  Nama  and  Vignana  than 
that  which  exists  between  a  whole  and  its  part. 

Nama  and  Rupa  occur  together  and  in  regard  to  their  inter- 
dependence the  High  Priest  furnished  an  illustration  even  more 
striking  than  the  one  given  by  Mr.  Fawcett,  and  borrowed  from  Hindu 
philosophy.  He  compared  their  relation  to  the  co-operation  existing 
between  two  men,  one  born  a  cripple  and  the  other  blind.  The 
cripple  seated  on  the  shoulders  of  the  blind  man  directs  the  course 
which  the  latter  should  take. 

After  disposing,  as  he  thought,  of  the  question  of  the  relative 
functions  of  the  supposed  twp  factors  in  cosmic  evolution,  Mr, 
Fawcett  passes  on  to  the  question  of  Nirvana.     He  says  : 

**  On  tiiis  moot  issue  we  found  ourselves,  like  Milton's  diletlanti  demon 
philosophers  in  Hell — 

"  In  wandering  mazes  lost :  — " 
the  cause  of   which  deadlock   was   subsequently  apparent    when,    in    au 
answer   to  a  not   too  premature   inquiry,    the  High  Priest  expressed   his 
opinion  to  the  effect  that  the  laws   of  thought   do  not  apply  to  the  problem. 
The  Brahmanical  idea  of  the  absorption  of  the  ego  into  the  Universal  Spirit 
was,  however,  he  declared,  fallacious,  as  any  such  coalescence  involved  the 
idea  of  Cause  and    Effect  obtaining  in   Nirvana — a   state    pre-eminently 
agankaihaj  that  is  to  sayi  not  subject  to  the  law  of  Causality.  .  He  then  pro- 
ceeded to  deny  the  existence  of  any  form    of  doosbiousn^ss,  whether  personal 
or  that  of  coalesced  Dhyanic  entities,  in  Nirvana  s  rejecting  the  most  rare* 
fied  notion  of  the  survival  of  any  consciously  acquired  memories  in  that 
state.    Subsequently,   however,  he  gave  the  lie    to  the  annihilationists  by 
admitting  that  this  state  was  comprehensible  to   the  intuition  of  the  Arhat 
who  has  attained  to  the  4th  degree  of  Dhyana  or  mystic  development,  and 
furthermore  that  the  'true  self,'  t.e.,  the  tranecendental  mbject,  actually  enter- 
ed  Nirvana,    The  obscurity  in  which  this  avowal  was  veiled  might  be  judged 
from  the  fact  that,  according  to  him,  the  refined  phase  assumed  by  the  ego 
on  the  confines  of  Nirvana  cannot  be  described  as  one  of  either  consciousness 
or  unconsciousness ;  the  problem  as  to  its    condition  being  thus  altogether 
removed  from  the   sphei*e  of   intellectual    rosearch.    Ordinary    empirical 
tbonght  works  piecemeal  by  establishing  unreal  relations  between  ideas,  and 
is  hence  incompetent  to  seise  upon  the  mystery." 

I  have  italicised  the  sentence  to  which  Sumangala  Thero   took 


6  *rhe  Theosophist.  [October 

decided  objection.  This  objection  is  of  course  the  logical  outcome  of 
the  previous  one,  which  implies  that  in  the  constitution  of  the  being 
there  is  nothing  beyond  or  behind  the  five  skandhas.  The  High 
Priest  would  not,  however,  proceed  to  discuss  the  nature  of  Nirvana 
which,  he  said,  was  beyond  the  comprehension  'of  the  ordinary 
mortal.  To  be  candid,  I  must  say  that  I  did  not  like  this  attempt 
to  waive  aside  the  profoundest  of  all  problems  in  Buddhistic  meta- 
physics. If  the  state  of  Nirvana  is  something  only  comprehensible 
by  an  Arhat  then  why  should  it  be  discussed  at  all  by  any  less 
spiritually  evolved  intelligence ;  and  why  waste  time  on  so  confess- 
edly obscure  a  teaching  ?  It  seemed  to  me  too  much  like  the 
hushing-up  policy  adopted  towards  me  by  my  elders  when  my  j'outh- 
ful  mind  naturally  sought  for  an  explanation  of  the  evident  short- 
comings and  inconsistencies  in  their  theological  dogmas.  "  These 
are  mysteries  which  God  does  not  mean  us  to  penetrate."  The 
High  Priest  put  me  off  at  this  latest  interview  as  he  did  Fawcett 
in  that  of  1890,  and  the  question  is  left  as  obscure  as  ever.  Nirvana, 
he  said,  is  a  condition  of  perfect  beatitude.  •*  Ver>'  well,"  I  replied, 
'*  but  who  can  experience  it  if  the  dissolution  of  the  Four  Skandhas 
is  synonomous  with  the  extinction  of  the  Arhat  ?  He  exists  no 
longer,  then  how  can  he  distinguish  the  beatitude  from  his  previous 
miseries  during  his  course  of  evolution  ?  According  to  this  defini- 
tion of  yours,  he  is  only  first  to  reacji  the  goal  of  annihilation,"  Su- 
mangala  Thero  is  titular  High  Priestof  Adam's  Peak,  so  I  asked  him 
if  he  had  ever  been  to  the  summit.  He  had.  **  A  man  jumping  off 
the  verge  of  the  narrow  platform  would  be  dashed  to  pieces  at  the 
foot  of  the  precipice,  would  he  not?"  He  would.  "  Then,"  said  I, 
"  the  Arhat  seems  to  be  a  man  who  could  run  ahead  of  the  others 
and  be  the  first  to  take  the  fatal  leap  ?  "  The  venerable  High  Priest 
good-naturedly  laughed  and  said  we  would  not  go  farther  in  that 
discussion,  so  I  changed  the  subject,  but  as  unconvinced  as  ever 
that  we  had  probed  the  secret  of  the  Buddha's  teaching. 

From  the  above  It  \vill  be  clear  that  the  High  Priest  is  not 
prepared  to  accept  in  their  entiretj'^  the  conclusions  arrived  at  by 
Mr.  Fawcett.  He  would  not  admit  the  reality  of  an  overshadowing 
soul  or  self,  Which  transcends  consciousness.  The  wisdom  of  an 
Arhat  is  only  a  higher  form  of  consciousness.  In  regard  to  the 
apparent  difficulty  of  linking  one  life  to  another,  in  the  opinion  of 
the  High  Priest,  no  such  difficulty  existed^  as  there  was  no  break 
between  the  consciousness  of  the  death-moment  and  the  conscious- 
ness of  the  moment  of  birth  in  the  next  life.  The  law  of  cause  and 
effect  held  good  in  this  connection  in  the  same  way  as  it  did  in  the 
case  of  two  successive  consciousnesses  in  this  life  itself.  Herein  he 
but  repeated  the  parallel  between  the  linked  consciousnesses  and 
moral  responsibility  for  actions,  in  a  man  of  10,  20,  30,  40,  50,  70  or 
any  other  epoch  in  his  life,  the  person  being  always  the  same  maker 
and  worker-out  of  previous   Karma,  although  physiologically  his 


1900.]  Old  Diary  Leaves.  7 

body  may  have  been  completely  made  over  and  over  in  the  processes 
of  growth,  and  the  beings  of  the  present,  the  anterior,  and  the 
succeeding  births,  which  he  gave  me  long  ago  when  I  was  prepar- 
ing the  Second  Edition  of  the  *'  Buddhist  Catechism."  It  was  this 
explanation  which  threw  a  bright  light  upon  the  whole  puzzle  of 
the  responsibility  of  a  man  for  what  had  been  done  by  him  in  his 
next  preceding  birth,  and  led  me  to  define  for  the  first  time  in 
Buddhistic  exegesis  the  distinction  between  the  **  Personality  "  and 
the  "  Individuality.'*  I  am  glad  to  have  again  drawn  from  him 
this  most  important  teaching.  This  point  conceded,  the  intelligent 
reader  may  decide  for  himself  the  likelihood  or  unlikelihood  of  so 
persistent  a  consciousness  becoming  extinguished  at  the  moment 
when  the  being  reaches  the  goal  of  all  his  strivings — ,  escape  from  the 
miseries  of  rebirth. 

On  the  29th  Fawcett  took  Pansil  publicly  from  the  High  Priest 
at  our  Hall  and  made  an  address.  The  High  Priest  and  I  also 
addressed  the  great  crowd  which  had  assembled  to  witness  the 
ceremony.  Mr.  Fawcett  and  I  sailed  for  Madras  in  the  French 
steamer,  on  the  2nd  February,  and  got  to  Adyar  on  the  5th,  thus 
finishing  a  twelvemonth  of  distant  journeyings,  of  which  I  had 
made  29,000  miles  by  sea.  Mr.  Jun  Sawano,  Doctor  of  Agriculture 
and  Agricultural  Chemistry,  and  Mr.  Enri  Hiyashi,  sent  by  the 
Japanese  Government  as  Special  Commissioners  to  report  upon  the 
best  methods  of  tobacco  raising,  curing  and  manufecture,  and  rice 
and  cinchona  cultivation,  in  India,' "6atne  tWth  me,  having  accepted 
my  invitation  to  put  up  with  us  at  headquarters.  I  introduced  them 
in  the  proper  quarters  and  they  were  invited  to  a  ball  at  Government 
House  and  given  every  necessary  facility  for  collecting  the  desired  in- 
formation. Dr.  Sawano  was  a  trained  scientist  and  graduate  of  Ciren- 
cester Agricultural  College,  while  Mr.  Hiyashi  was  just  a  noted  practi- 
cal farmer,  of  excellent  repute  in  every  respect.  Thus  the  Japanese 
Government  showed  its  habitual  wonderful  foresight  in  so  constitu- 
ting the  Commission  that  the  facts  brought  back  should  be  of  the 
most  practical  value  as  a  guide  for  its  own  treatment  of  the  cultiva- 
tors and  manufacturers  of  Japan,  What  wonder  that  such  rapid  and 
complete  success  has  crowned  its  efforts  to  raise  the  people  to  a 
high  place  among  the  nations,  when  this  same  wise  policy  has  been 
pursued  throughout  since  Perry's  mailed  fist  battered  in  the  doon> 
of  her  exclusiveness.  Dr.  Sawano  told  me  that  his  Government 
was  in  the  habit  of  engaging  very  successful  farmers  to  go  about  in 
the  slack  season  and  explain  to  other  cultivators,  in  different  dis- 
tricts, the  best  way  to  raise  the  crops  for  which  they  themselves 
had  earned  the  greatest  credit.  Was  ever  a  wiser  course  pursued, 
have  we  anything  to  show  to  equal  it  ?  It  was  for  this  reason  that 
Mr.  Hiyashi  was  sent  to  India  in  company  with  his  erudite  colleague  ; 
practical  and  scientific  farming  experience  equally  contributing  to 
make  the  commission  useful  in  its  results, 


8  The  Theosophist.  [October 

Just  a  week  after  my  return  to  Adyar  I  got  the  news  of  Powell's 
death  from  my  old  friend  V.  Cooppoosawmy  Iyer,  then  District 
MunsifT  of  Ambasamudram,  in  the  Tinnevelly  District.  From  his 
official  report  and  private  letters  I  compile  the  touching  incidents 
of  the  decease  of  our  regretted  colleague.*  The  first  news  we  had 
of  the  event  was  in  a  telegram  from  Mr.  Cooppoosawmy  :  **  Brother 
Powell  died  peacefully,  ten  hours  ago,  of  bilious  diarrhcea.'*  India 
is  the  land  of  surprises,  no  doubt,  but  this  was  one  we  were  ill 
prepared  for.  I  could  hardly  realise  it,  and  I  felt  very  much  like 
blaming  our  Ambasamudram  colleagues  for  keeping  back  from  me 
the  fact  of  his  illness,  but  Cooppoosawmy  had  a  good  excuse.  He 
wrote : 

**  As  he  said  it  was  owin^  to  excess  of  bile  in  his  system  and  as  he  did 
not  wish  that  wc  should  alarm  yon  by  informing  jou  of  his  illness,  and  we 
ourselves  had  no  reasons  to  fear  any  fatal  termination,  we  did  not  write  to 
Headquarters  about  the  matter.  He  continued  in  much  the  same  state  from 
Tuesday  to  Friday  last  His  physical  wants  were  as  carefully  attended  to  by 
us  as  was  possible  under  the  circumstaneea.  Yesterdaj*  we  all  thought  him 
in  a  fair  way  to  recovery;  and  from  his  calling  for  and  taking  a  reasonable 
quantity  of  food,  we  thought  he  had  no  mure  than  weakness  to  contend 
against.'' 

He  further  reported  as  follows : 

"  Last  night,  at  a  few  minutes  after  8  o'clock,  Mr.  Powell  called  for  and 
took  a  small  dose  of  medicine,  which  seemed  to  do  him  good.  He  then  threw 
himself  on  his  couch,  and  while  he  was  telling  the  Civil  Apothecary,  our 
Brother  C*  Parthasarathy  Naidu,  who  had  carefully  attended  him  during  his 
illness  of  the  past  few  days,  how  to  make  fur  him  a  vegetable  soup,  the  palm 
of  his  left  hand  was  seen  to  tremble.  His  eyes  and  mouth  opened.  There 
were  two  or  three  hard  breathings  accompanied  by  a  low  moan  or  sigh,  and 
that  proved  to  be  the  last  of  his  life,  though  none  of  us  could  or  would  be- 
lieve it.  We  thought  him  merely  in  a  state  of  trance,  but  ore  long  we  found 
he  had  drawn  his  Isst  breath.  Neither  he  nor  any  of  us  suspectcil  he  was  so 
near  hU  death.  Thus  quietly  and  without  a  pang  did  a  good  soul  put  off  its 
mortal  coil.  There  was  no  distortion  whatever  in  the  face.  On  the  contrary, 
there  was  an  air  of  serene  calm  which  made  a  deep  impression  on  us  all. 

*•  In  the  course  of  general  conversation  we  had  learnt  that  he  w^ished  to 
die  in  India  and  to  have  his  body  cremated. 

"  All  who  have  come  into  relations  with  Mr.  Powell  grieve  for  his  un- 
timely end.  It  would  have  been  well  if  be  had  been  spared  a  few  years  loncrcr 
to  continue  his  good  work  for  the  cause  of  Humanity  in  general  and  that  of 
the  Theosophical  Society  in  particular.  We  all  found  in  his  daily  exemplary 
life  H  good  practical  lesson  in  Theosophy.  This  is  the  first  Branch  founded 
by  him  in  India.  He  used  to  call  it  his  '  first-born.*  His  persona]  influence 
upon  all  the  members  has  been  so  powerful  that  it  is  sure  to  continue 
throughout  life." 

My  permission  having  been  given   by  telegraph,  the  cremation 


*  Cf.  Theosophist,  Vol.  XI.,  p.  333: 


1900.J  Glimpses  of  Theosophical  Christianity.  9 

was  duly  performed  in  the  Hindu  fashion  on  the  evening  of  the  9th, 
and  Mr.  P.  R.  Venkatarama  Iyer  gave  me  the  following  particulars  : — 

*'The  body  was  washed  and  clothed  in  his  usual  dress,  Mr,  Parthasarathy 
Naidu  assisting  us  greatly  in  this.  About  thirty  Brahmins — members  and 
rion- members  of  our  Branch — assembled  in  the  Heading  Room,  where  the 
body  was  lying.  Persons  oiTered  their  services  10  can*}'  the  cc^rpse  on  a  cot 
t^>  the  burning-ground,  thus  showing  hnw  universally  Mr.  Powell  was  liked 
and  i*e8pected  here.  The  Taluq  Magistrate  and  other  respectable  Brahmins 
walked  in  the  procession,  thus  giving  the  event  almost  the  character  of  a 
Brahmin  ceremony.  As  he  had  asked  for  pomegranates  and  cooked  vege- 
t>ible  food  Kve  minutes  before  his  death,  these  articles,  duly  prepared,  were 
placed  beside  the  body  on  the  pyre,  agreeably  to  our  custom  to  scrupulously 
gratify  the  last  yearning  desire  of  the  dying  person,  and  thus  prevent  any 
unsatisfied  lK>dily  desire  to  follow  the  astral  man  after  death.  The  crema- 
tion was  scrupulously  effected,  and  this  morning  (February  10th)  the  Civil 
Apothecary  himself  gathered  together  the  ashes  and  uneonsumed  portions 
uF  bones;  tiie  former  to  be  sent  to  you  for  disposal,  the  latter  being  put  into 
an  earthen  jar,  and  buried  under  the  channel  of  the  sacred  river  Tambra- 
parniy  as  is  the  custom  among  Brahmins<.'* 

Mr.  Coopoosawmy  added  in  a  subsequent  letter  that  it  was  the 
intention  of  the  Branch  to  plant  a  teak  or  some  other  tree  on  the 
spot  where  the  cremation  took  place,  so  as  to  secure  it  from  possible 
pollution  in  the  future.  The  Branch  had  also,  at  a  special  meeting, 
adopted  Resolutions  expressive  of  their  love  for  Mr.  Powell  and 
regret  for  his  loss,  and  requesting  to  be  furnished  with  a  photograph 
or  other  portrait  of  him  to  be  hung  upon  the  wall  of  their  meeting- 
hall.  In  a  word,  these  Hindu  gentlemen  did  everything  possible  to 
testify  their  regard  for  our  lamented  colleague,  and  gave  him  the 
highest  marks  of  respect  which  their  religion  prescribes.  Needless 
to  say  how  deeply  grateful  all  of  us  at  Headquarters  were  for  this 
touching  kindness. 

H.  S.  Olcott. 


GLIMPSES  OF  THEOSOPHICAL  CHRISTIANITY. 

The  Ethics  of  Christianity. 

{b)   The  Law  of  Karvia. 

TO  return  now  to  the  broad  statement  of  the  I^aw  of  Karma,  we 
have  seen  that  certain  passages  appear  to  teach  it  in  its 
simplest  form,  viz.,  that  the  suffering  for  wrong-doing,  whether  that 
be  the  result  of  ignorance  or  of  deliberate  choice,  cannot  he  avoided, 
but  must  be  borne  until  the  force  generated  by  the  wrong  coniniil- 
ted,  has  expended  itself.  We  have  so  far  been  looking  at  the 
subject  from  the  point  of  view  of  suffering,  regarding  Karma  main- 
ly as  a  means  of  retribution  and  education,  and  as  being  administer- 
ed by  the  Gods  to  the  individual  in  order  that  the  necessary  lessons 
may  be  learned.    For,  as  we  have  seen,  it  is  they  who  are  guiding  the 

2 


10  The  Theosophisl.  [October 

evolution  of  man,  "  They  are  always  trying  to  drive  the  world  the 
best  way.  The  world  is  making  a  long  journey,  and  there  are  many 
side-roads  off  the  main  track.    We  call  the  main  track  *  evolution.' 

The  Gods  drive  the  world  along  the  trunk  road  of  evolution, 

but  men  often  want  to  turn  down  side-roads  that  look  pleasant. 
But  the  Gods  have  dug  ditches  and  put  up  sign-posts  along  the 
main  road,  and  when  men  wilfully  tr>'  to  leave  it,  they  fall  into  the 
ditches  and  knock  up  against  the  posts,  and  then  we  say  the}'  are 
suffering  pain  and  trouble."  •  Ay,  and  even  though,  as  often 
happens,  they  succeed  in  crossing  the  ditches  and  entering  the 
side- roads,  they  find  these  are  not  so  pleasant  as  at  first  appeared, 
but  are  full  of  pit-falls  into  which  they  keep  falling,  and  the  path 
becomes  hard  and  ston}^  and  thorns  pierce  the  feet,  until  at  length 
the  wanderers  wish  they  had  not  strayed,  and  set  to  work  to  return 
to  the  main  road.  And  so  "  these  pains  and  troubles  are  the  very 
best  things  that  can  happen  to  them,  for  if  the  Gods  had  not  made 
the  wrong  ways  full  of  pain,  men  would  wander  away  and  lose 
themselves."  t 

Another  aspect  of  the  I^aw  is  associated  with  the  relation  of  one 
individual  to  another.  For  it  is  often  through  our  relations  with 
others  that  we  gain  our  experience  ;  it  is  through  them  that  come 
not  only  the  "  occasions  of  stumbling,"  but  also  the  actual  sufferings 
that  are  the  result  of  wrong.  If  we  regard  every  individual  as,  so 
to  speak,  a  centre  of  force  from  which  \4brations  are  going 
forth  in  all  directions,  we  shall  see  that,  just  as  in  Nature  every 
force  \n\l  ultimately  return  to  its  source,  whatever  transforma- 
tions it  may  in  the  meantime  have  passed  through,  so  in  human 
life  the  forces  that  go  forth  from  the  individual  will  ultimately, 
either  in  this  incarnation  or  in  a  future  one,  return  upon  him.  If 
he  is  a  centre  of  harmony,  spreading  peace  and  happiness  all 
around,  then  from  and  through  others  will  come  back  to  him  equal 
peace  and  harmony.  If  he  is  a  centre  of  discord,  stirring  up  strife, 
giving  utterance  to  unkind  criticisms  and  judgments  of  others, 
spreading  sorrow  and  trouble,  then  also  upon  him  will  return  equal 
pain  and  disharmonj-.  To  express  it  briefly  and  generally,  the 
attitude  of  others  to  us  will  be  a  reflection  of  ours  to  them,  what- 
ever that  may  be. 

Seeking  in  the  teachings  of  Christ  for  this  view  of  Karma,  we 
find  many  suggestive  passages: — "Judge  not,  that  ye  be  not 
judged  ;  for  with  what  judgment  3'e  judge,  ye  shall  be  judged  ;  and 
with  what  measure  ye  mete,  it  shall  be  measured  unto  you."  (Matt. 
VII.,  1,2;  Mark,  IV.,  24 ;  Luke,  VI.,  37-38).  **  All  things  whatsoever 
ye  would  that  men  should  do  unto  you,  even  so  do  ye  also  unto 
them  ;  for  this  is  the  law  and  the  prophets."    (Matt.,  VII.,  12 ;  Luke, 


•  **  Story  of  the  Great  War,"  A.  Besant,  pp.  16,  17. 
t  /bidt  loc.  cit^ 


1900.]  Glimpses  of  "f  heosophical  Christianity.  11 

VI.,  31).  Now  while  these  passages  are  a  clear  statement  of  the  I^aw 
of  Karma,  it  will  be  noted  that  the  form  in  which  they  are  expressed 
is  rather  that  of  a  command,  with  a  condition  attached,  suggestive 
of  reward  and  punishment.  We  find  similar  suggestion  of  reward 
and  punishment  in  many  other  passages.  For  instance,  the 
"  Beatitudes  "  have  each  a  condition  attached  stating  the  result 
of  the  virtue  named.  In  some  it  is  true  the  reward  is  of  a  purely 
spiritual  character ;  but  in  others  it  is  less  so.  *'  Blessed  are  they 
that  mourn  ;  for  they  shall  be  comforted.    Blessed   are  the  meek  ; 

for  they  shall  inherit  the  earth Blessed  are  the  merciful ;  for 

they  shall  obtain  mercy."  (Matt.  V.,  4-5-7).  Or  again,  when  Jesus 
had  cured  the  man  at  the  pool  of  Bethesda,  He  told  him  to  go  and 
"  sin  no  more,  lest  a  worse  thing  befall  thee."  (John,  V.,  14).  These 
and  similar  passages  have  sometimes  been  taken  as  an  indica- 
tion that  the  teaching  of  Jesus  was  of  not  a  very  high  standard  ; 
and  they  have  even  been  thought  by  some  to  show  that  Jesus 
Himself  was  not  an  advanced  teacher.  But  it  must  be  re- 
membered that  He  came  to  a  people  who  had  been  following 
a  code  of  religious  law  in  which  reward  and  punishment  had  been 
much  emphasised,  and  He  needed  to  lead  them  forward  from  the 
point  at  which  the}''  already  stood.  Also,  much  of  His  teaching 
was  specially  intended  for  the  multitudes,  who  are  not,  as  a  rule, 
even  yet  advanced  enough  to  have  risen  entirely  beyond  a  personal 
motive  for  morality.  But  Jesus  does  not  confine  Himself  to  this 
motive ;  He  rather  strives  to  lead  men  from  the  lower  to  the 
higher.  And  so  we  find  a  great  many  passages  emphasising  the 
fact  that  the  spiritual  is  of  more  importance  than  the  material,  and 
therefore  teaching  His  followers  to  seek  for  a  spiritual  rather  than 
a  material  reward.  **  Work  not  for  the  meat  which  perisheth,  but 
for  the  meat  which  abideth  unto  eternal  life,  which  the  Son  of  man 
shall  give  unto  you."  (John,  VI,,  27).  ''Take  heed  that  ye  d6  not 
your  righteousness  before  men,  to  be  seen  of  them  ;  else  ye  have  no 
reward  \vith  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven.  When  therefore  thou 
doest  alms,  sound  not  a  trumpet  before  thee,  as  the  hypocrites  do  in 
the  synagogues  and  in  the  streets,  that  they  may  have  glory  of  men. 
Verily  I  s^y  unto  you,  they  have  received  their  reward.  But  when 
thou  doest  alms,  let  not  thy  left  hand  know  what  thy  right  hand 
doeth,  that  thine  alms  may  be  in  secret ;  and  thy  Father 
which  seeth  in  secret  shall  recompense  thee,"  etc.  (Matt.,  VI.,  1-6, 
16-18)."  "  Lay  not  up  for  yourselves  treasures  upon  earth,  where 
moth  and  rust  doth  consume,  and  where  thieves  break  through  and 

steal ;  but  lay  up  for  yourselves  treasures  in  heaven for  where 

thy  treasure  is,  there  will  thy  heart  be  also,"  (Matt.,  VI.,  19-21 ;  cf. 
Luke,  XII.,  33-34).  "  Keep  yourselves  from  all  covetousness,  for  a 
man's  life  consisteth  not  in  the  abundance  of  the  things  which  he 
possesseth."  (Luke,  XII.,  15).  **  If  any  man  would  come  after  me, 
let  him  deny  himself  and  take  up  his  cross  and  follow  nic.    For 


^. 


THE 


THEOSOPHIST, 


<|mt|tol  1 1 


A  MAGAZINE  OF 

mkt*  ^«t  1 

Aittmu  1  l^tmltbm 

CONDUCTED   BY 

H.  S.  OLCC 

>i  r. 

.                4                «■•                               •"." 

VOL  XXI 

*  M  <      >      i         fc 


MADRAS: 
PUBLISHED  BY  THE  PROPRIETORS,  ADYAR. 

MCMI, 


16  The  Theosophist.  [October 

is  taught  to  hold  all  his  powers  entirely  for  the  service  of  the  world 
and  the  sharing  of  the  lower  consciousness  in  the  knowledge  of  the 
higher  is  for  the  most  part  determined   by  the  needs  of  the  work  i» 
which  the  disciple  is   engaged.     It  is   necessary  that  the  disciple 
should  have  the  full  use  of  his  vehicles  of  consciousness  on  the  higher 
planes,  as  much  of  his  work  can  only  be  accomplished  in  them  ;  but 
the  conveying  of  a  knowledge  of  that  work  to  the  physical  vehicle, 
which  is  in  no  way  concerned  with  it,  is  a  matter  of  no  importance 
and  the  conveyance  or  non-conveyance  is  generally  determined  by 
the  effect  that  the  one  course  or  the  other  would  have   on    the   effi- 
ciency of  his  work  on  the  physical  plane.    The  .strain  on   the  phy- 
sical body  when  the   higher  consciousness  compels  it   to   vibrate 
responsively  is  very  great  at  the  present  stage  of  evolution  and  unless 
the  external  circumstances  are  favourable,  this  strain  is  apt  to  cause 
nerv'ous  disturbance,  hypersensitiveness  with  its  attendant  evils."  * 
'*  In  the  physical  body  there  are  nervous  centres,   little  groups  of 
nervous  cells,  and  both  impacts  from   without  and  impulses  from 
the  brain  pass  through   these  centres.    If  one  of  these  is  out  of 
order  then  at  once  disturbances  arise  and  physical  consciousness 
is  disturbed."t  **  There  are  analogous  centres  in  the  astral  body,  the 
chakras  and  the  nerv^ous  sy.stem  is  linked  to  the  chakras  in  the 
astral  body  chiefly  through  what  is  called  the  sympathetic  sy.stem. 
There  are  certain  nervous  cells  of  a  peculiar  kind  in  that  system,  of 
which  modern  science  does  not  say  much,   be3'ond  giving  the  forms 
and  contents,  and  these  are  the  links  between  consciousness  in  the 
physical  body  and  in  the  airtral  body.    As  evolution  proceeds  these 
linksare  vivified  by  the  will,  setting  free  and  guiding  the  '•  serpent  fire," 
called  Kundalini  in  Indian  books ;  as  it  wakes  up  it  gives  the  man  the 
power  to  leave  the  physical  body  at  will,  for  as  it  is  led  from  chakram 
to  chakram  it  disengages  the  astral  from  the  physical  and  sets  it  free.  J 
Then  without  break  of  consciousness,    without  any  chasm  of  blank- 
ness  separating  one  world  from  the  other,  a  man  is  able  to  pass  out 
of  the  ph3^sical  body  into  the   invisible  world  and  is  able  to  work 
there  in  full  consciousness  and  to  bring  back  all  knowledge  of  the 
work  that  he  has  there  accomplished.    The  preparatory  .stage  for 
the  direct  action  that  liberates  Kundalini  is  the  training  and  puri- 
fying of  the  vehicles,  for  if  this  be  not  thoroughly  accomplished  the 
fire  is  a  destructive  in.stead  of  a  vivifying  energy.    That  is  why  so 
much  stress  is  laid  on   purification  as  a  necessary   preliminary  for 
all  true  yoga. 

Similarly  links  are  evolved  between  the  astral  and  the  mind 
l>odies  and  when  these  links  between  the  physical,  astral,  and  mental 
bodies  are  developed  into  functional  activity  the  Ivgo  while  in 
his  physical  body  may  impress  on  the  physical  brain  the  conscious- 

*  *'  Ancient  Wisdom,"  pp.  297-298. 

t  "  Man  and  his  Bodies,"  by  A.  Besant,  p.  104. 

J"  Evolution  of  Life  and  Form,"  p.  147  and  **The  Path  of  Discipleship,**  p.  102. 


1900.]  Consciousness.  17 

ness  of  his  astral  and  mental  bodies  ;  further  he  learns,  as  already 
stated,  to  separate  one  vehicle  from  another,  to  leave  and  re-enter 
the  physical  body  at  will  as  we  unconsciously  leave  it  during  sleep, 
and  to  link,  on  re-entering  it,  his  experiences  on  the  astral  and 
mental  planes  with  his  brain  consciousness. 

Ere  this  stage  is  fully  attained  we  may,  while  in  our  physical 
body»  get  glimpses  of  astral  consciousness,  experiences  of  clairvoy- 
ance and  clairaudience,  or  some  impression  may  be  made  from  the 
astral  plane  during  sleep  by  means  of  vivid  and  coherent  dreams. 
These  are  preliminary  stages  .showing  that  the» different  vehicles  of 
consciousness  are  beginning  to  come  under  control.  There  is  how- 
ever a  low  fonn  of  etheric  and  astral  sight  to  be  met  with  among 
savage  tribes  and  even  among  animals  and  it  is  necessary  to  make  a 
distinction  **  between  the  higher  and  lower  forms  of  clairvoyance 
depending  on  the  use  of  different  organs."  **  In  the  process  of  evo- 
lution the  sympathetic  nervous  system  was  first  developed  and 
it  is  through  this  system  that  all  the  lower  forms  of  clair- 
voyance manifest  themselves.  This  fact  is  important  as  ex- 
plaining the  coincident  clairvoyance  of  many  animals,  especially 
horses,  dogs  and  cats  and  also  that  of  the  numerous  untrained  psy- 
chics who  are  to  be  met  with  both  among  the  less  advanced  races  of 
mankind  and  among  undeveloped  people  among  ourselves.  Such 
sporadic  and  uncontrolled  vision  may  be  an  indication  of  a 
less  devoloped  Manas  and  tends  back  to  the  animal  type.  As 
the  Ego  grows  in  intellect  and  gets  more  fully  in  control 
of  his  vehicles,  his  influence  is  exerted  on  the  cerebro-spinal 
nervous  system  and  through  that,  and  not  through  the  ganglia 
of  the  sympathetic  system,  the  higher  clairvoyance  is  obtained.  In 
Hatha  Yoga,  attempts  are  made  to  bring  the  sympathetic  system 
under  control  of  the  will,  working  through  the  medulla  oblongata, 
and  this  sometimes  results  in  producing  low  forms  of  clairvoyance, 
owing  to  the  possibility  of  response  to  lower  astral  vibrations  in  the 
astral  matter  of  the  nervous  ganglia  of  that  system ;  but  this  is 
working  from  below,  is  often  injurious  and  always  impermanent 
and  uncertain  in  results.  It  is  in  fact  a  reversion  to  the  type  of 
animal  clairvoyance  and  not  a  development  of  higher  vision.  He 
who  would  develop  real  occult  powers  must  purify,  develop  and 
improve  his  physical  brain,  increasing  its  sensitiveness  to  higher 
\dbrations,  which  depends  on  the  presence  of  the  finer  ethers. 
In  the  lower  forms  of  clairvoyance  there  is  an  entire  absence  of  the 
"  sacred  fire  "  which  characterises  the  higher.  In  the  lower  form,  the 
whole  astral  body  is  set  vibrating,  in  the  higher  only  the  chakras— 
which  correspond  to  the  cerebro-spinal  chakras  in  the  physical 
body — are  directly  impulsed  by  the  will." 

The  organs  in  the  brain  on  which  the  higher  clairvoyance 
depends  afe  the  Pituitary  body  and  the  Pineal  gland.  **  These 
organs  are  composed  of  matter  in  its  gaseous,  liquid  and  solid  states, 

3 


18  The  Theosophist.  [October 

and  the  chief  difiference  between  the  organs  of  diflferent  people 
(observable  by  etheric  and  astral  sight)  is  a  diflFerence  as  to  the 
coarseness  or  fineness  of  the  particles.  The  primary  thing  there- 
fore, for  the  student  to  do,  is  to  clear  up  the  organs  in  the  way 
insisted  upon  for  the  purification  of  the  body  generally,  in  order 
to  include  more  particles  of  etheric  maXter  and,  pari  passu,  to  change 
and  purify  the  astral  and  manasic  particles.;  an  increased  sensitive- 
ness to  vibrations  from  higher  planes  follows  as  a  matter  of  course 
and  through  the  pituitary  body  these  vibrations  reach  the  grey 
matter  of  the  brain.'** 

"  Drunkenness  and  fever  produce  illusions  of  sight  and  hearing 
by  the  action  of  the  Pituitary  Body  ;  this  body  is  sometimes  so 
affected  by  drunkenness  that  it  is  paralysed."t 

"  The  Buddhic  consciousness  has  also  its  physical  seat  in  the 
body,  the  heart  being  the  centre  of  spiritual  consciousness  as  the 
brain  is  the  centre  of  intellectual  consciousness.  But  this  conscious- 
ness cannot  be  guided  by  a  person  nor  its  energy  be  directed  by 
him  until  he  is  at  one  with  Buddhi-Manas  ;  until  then  it  guides  him 
if  it  can.  Hence  the  pangs  of  remorse,  the  prickings  of  conscience ; 
they  come  from  the  heart  not  from  the  head." 

"The  brain  may  be  positive  or  negative  to  the  heart  according 
to  the  predominence  of  the  one  or  other  centre.  If  the  heart  can 
be  made  positive  to  the  brain  and  impress  the  brain,  the  spiritual 
consciousness  would  reach  the  lower  consciousness.  That  is  why, 
for  the  development  of  the  highest  clairvoyance,  quiet  meditation 
on  some  lofty  spiritual  ideal  is  enjoined,  in  which  the  con- 
sciousness is  centred  in  the  heart,  while  the  brain  is  rendered 
passive  not  initiating  thoughts ;  but  ready  to  catch  impres- 
sions that  may  reach  it  from  the  spiritual  plane  through 
the  heart."  J  The  capacity  to  impress  the  **  memory  of  the  heart," 
which  includes  all  our  past  incarnations,  on  the  brain,  so  that  it 
becomes  part  of  its  consciousness,  is  the  opening  of  the  Third  Eye, 
the  Eye  of  Siva  (Pineal  Gland).  There  is  a  connection  between 
the  Pituitary  Body  and  the  Pineal  Gland  and  when  a  man  is  in  his 
normal  condition,  an  adept  can  see  the  golden  aura  pulsating  in 
both  the  centres,  like  the  pulsation  of  the  heart,  which  never  ceases 
throughout  life.  This  motion,  however,  under  the  abnormal  con- 
dition of  effort  to  develop  clairvoyant  faculties,  becomes  intensified, 
and  the  aura  takes  on  a  stronger  vibratory  or  swinging  action. 
The  arc  of  the  pulsation  of  the  Pituitary  Body  mounts  upward,  more 
and  more,  until,  just  as  when  the  electric  current  strikes  some  soh'd 
object,  the  current  finally  strikes  the  Pineal  Gland,  and  the  dormant 
organ  is  awakened  and  set  all  glowing  with  the  pure  akashic  fire. 
This  is  the  psycho-physiological  illustration   of  two  organs  on   the 

*  Theosophist,  Vol.  XIX,  pp.  439.440.  » 

t  "Secret  Doctrine,"  Vol.  Ill,  p.  548. 
t  **  Secret  Doctrine,"  Vol.  Ill,  pp.  582-3. 


1900.]  Consciousness.  Id 

physical  plane,  which  are,  respectively,  the  concrete  symbols  of  the 
metaphysical  concepts  called  Manas  and  Buddhi.  The  latter,  in 
order  to  become  conscious  on  this  plane,  needs  the  more  differ- 
entiated fire  of  Manas  ;  but  "  once  the  sixth  sense  has  awakened 
the  seventh,"  the  light  which  radiates  from  this  seventh  sense 
illumines  the  fields  of  infinitude.  For  a  brief  space  of  time  man 
becomes  omniscient ;  the  Past  and  the  Future,  Space  and  Time,  dis- 
appear and  become  for  him  the  Present.  If  an  adept,  he  will  store  the 
knowledge  he  thus  gains  in  his  physical  memory,  and  nothing,  save 
the  crime  of  indulging  in  Black  Magic  can  obliterate  the  remem- 
brance of  it.  If  only  a  Chela  (Disciple),  portions  alone  of  the  whole 
truth  will  impress  themselves  on  his  memory  and  he  will  have 
to  repeat  the  process  for  years,  never  allowing  one  speck  of  impurity 
to  stain  him  mentally  or  physically,  before  he  becomes  a  fully  initi- 
ated Adept," 

The  Pituitary  Body  stands  to  the  Pineal  Gland  as  Manas 
stands  to  Buddhi  and  by  the  action  of  these  two  bodies  whose  func- 
tions are  as  yet  unknown  to  science,  the  action  of  Buddhi-Manas  is 
rendered  possible  on  the  physical  plane.  **  The  Pineal  Gland  is 
that  which  the  Eastern  Occultist  calls  Devaksha,  the  '  Divine  Eye.' 
To  this  day  it  is  the  qhief  organ  of  spirituality  in  the  human  brain^ 
the  seat  of  genius,  the  magical  *  Sesame '  uttered  by  the  purified 
will  of  the  Mystic,  which  opens  all  the  avenues  of  truth  for  him  who 
knows  how  to  use  it."*  Such,  in  brief  outline,  are  the  evolving 
stages  of  consciousness,  which  culminate  in  the  perfect  man  in  the 
expansion  of  his  consciousness  into  the  consciousness  of  the  Logos, 
in  other  words,  in  omniscience  so  far  as  our  solar  sj'^stem  is  concern- 
ed. Through  countless  incarnations  the  life — which  we  must 
remember  is  **  the  seed  of  Deity,  with  every  power  involved  with- 
in it  and  capable  by  its  evolution  of  becoming  the  image  of  the 
supreme " — expands  and  grows,  gathering  experience  by  means 
of  its  bodies,  and  through  which  it  is  enabled  to  come  into  contact 
with  all  the  planes  of  matter,  and  which  at  the  same  time  limit 
and  protect  it,  as  long  as  limitation  and  protection  are  necessary 
for  its  growth.  The  limitations  are  due  to  our  ignorance  and  vanish 
when  ignorance  gives  place  to  knowledge.  "  As  on  the  physical,  so 
on  every  other  plane,  knowledge  gives  power  ;  the  ignorant  man 
stumbles  helplessly  along,  striking  himself  against  the  immutable 
laws  of  nature  and  seeing  his  efforts  fail,  while  the  man  of  know- 
ledge walks  steadily  forward,  foreseeing,  causing,  preventing,  adjust- 
ing and  bringing  about  that  at  which  he  aims,  not  because  he  is  lucky, 
but  because  he  understands.  The  one  is  the  toy,  the  slave  of  nature, 
whirled  along  by  her  forces,  the  other  is  her  master,  using  her 
energies  to  carry  him  onward  in  the  direction  chosen  by  his  will."  f 

i 

•  "  Secret  Doctrine,"    Vol.  Ill,  p.  506. 
t  "  Ancient  Wibdoiii,"  p.  323. 


iO  The  Theosophist.  [October 

Evolution  proceeds  from  unity  to  diversity  (or  separateiiess) 
and  back  to  unity.  The  separateness  is  most  marked  on  the  physi- 
cal plane,  gradually  diminishes  as  we  ascend  from  plane  to  plane 
into  finer  and  finer  matter,  until  when  we  reach  the  Buddhic  and 
Nirvanic  planes,  the  self  is  no  longer  restrained  in  the  vehicles  of 
that  finest  matter,  but  realises  in  full  consciousness  the  union  with 
all  other  Selves.  As  the  Divine  attributes,  perfect  knowledge,  per- 
fect love  and  perfect  power,  develop  through  the  highest  vehicles 
of  the  man  nearing  the  end  of  evolution,  the  Self  which  had  been 
sent  forth  as  a  mere  seed  of  the  Divine  life  "  becomes  a  strong  self- 
conscious  centre,  able  to  expand  into  the  consciousness  of  God  and 
to  live  without  limiting  circumference  (without  the  protecting  shell 
of  the  Causal  body)  in  those  ineffable  vibrations  which,  encountered 
to-day,  would  but  paralyse  and  make  us  unconscious." 

lust  as  the  I<ogos  is  an  eternal  centre  of  consciousness  existing 
in  the  bosom  of  Parabrahman,  so  the  perfected  life  is  an  eternal 
centre  of  consciousness  in  the  Logos  and  "the  building  of  such 
self-conscious,  eternal  centres  is  a  purpose  of  life-evolution."  *'  In 
them  the  essence  of  Individuality  is  united  with  non-separateness  ; 
they  include  all  other  consciousnesses,  yet  persist  as  separate  centres ; 
they  have  transcended  all  limitations  of  matter  of  embodied  exist- 
ence, but  may  voluntarily  incarnate  again  when  there  is  need  for 
their  aid,  developing  vehicle  after  vehicle  by  gathering  the  A'k^sha 
until  the  whole  of  the  human  series  is  builded  for  use,  but  none  of 
them  is  a  prison  for  limitation."  **  Thus  are  formed  those  who  are 
the  co-workers  of  I'svara  in  the  helping  of  humanity,  the  liberated 
souls  who  remain  until  the  end  of  the  age  in  order  to  lift  humanity 
more  rapidly  on  its  upward  climb."  * 

"  To  the  perfect  consciousness  of  the  Master,  the  whole  world 
IS  one  vast  evolving  whole  and  His  place  in  it  is  that  of  a  Helper  of 
evolution.  He  is  able  to  identify  Himself  with  any  step  &nd  at  that 
step  to  give  the  help  needed.  He  helps  the  Elementary  kingdoms 
to  evolve  downwards,  and  each  in  its  own  way,  the  evolution  of 
the  minerals,  vegetables,  animals  and  man,  and  He  helps  them  all  as 
Himself.  For  the  glory  of  His  life  is  that  all  is  Himself  and  yet 
He  can  aid  all,  in  the  very  helping  realising  as  Himself  that  which 
He  aids."  t 

If  we  are  asked  for  proofs  of  the  existence  of  these  higher 
states  of  consciousness  with  their  wondrous  possibilities,  the  reply 
is  that  absolute  proof  can  only  be  obtained  through  self-exertion, 
through  the  development  in  ourselves  of  the  necessary  faculties  and 
it  must  be  admitted  that  for  the  majority  of  mankind  such  proof  is, 
at  their  present  stage  of  evolution,  either  wholly  excluded  or  only 
partially  possible.  There  is  however  no  lack  of  second-hand  evi- 
— — — • = ' "  ■      ^ 

*  "Evolution  of  Life  and  Form,"  p.  152. 
•J-  "  Man  and  His  Bodies,'*  p.  1 14. 


1900.]  Consciousness.  21 

dence  which  should  convince  the  unbiassed  enquirer  that  he  is  face 
to  face  with  problems  worthy  of  his  greatest  effoits  to  solve  them. 
Let  him  tuni  to  the  testimony  of  the  great  Teachers,  the  world's 
Saviours,  who  here  from  time  to  time  come  forth  invested  with  Di- 
vine powers  and  apparently  miraculous  gifts,  in  reality  the  natural 
and  inevitable  result  of  their  perfect  consciousness  and  control  over 
all  natural  iorces  ;  let  him  study  the  writings  and  records  of  the 
great  mystics  of  all  times  ;  the  action  of  dream -consciousness,  the 
phenomena  of  h3rpnotism  and  mesmerism,  the  excitation  of  consci- 
ousness sometimes  preceding  death  ("  drowning  men,  brought  back 
to  waking  consciousness,  have  testified  to  having  seen  as  in  a  pic- 
ture, the  whole  of  their  past  lives  **),  thought-transference,  clairvoy- 
ance, clairaudience,  psychometry,  mediumship,  somnambulism  ;  or 
again  the  "  state  of  consciousness  experienced  by  men  of  great 
genius,  transcending  the  normal  and  setting  at  nought  its  limits  of 
time.  Men  like  Mozart  and  Tennyson  bear  witness  to  this  state 
from  which  Mozart  brought  back  some  of  his  noblest  inspirations."* 
If  trouble  is  taken  there  will  be  no  difficulty  in  accumulating  re- 
liable evidence  and  though  it  may  in  many  cases  relate  to  compar- 
atively low  states  of  superphysical  consciousness,  as  is  generally 
the  case  with  untrained  psychics,  the  earnest  enquirer  will  not  be 
slow  to  see  that  between  these  early  imperfect  stages  and  perfect 
consciousness  (omniscience)  the  difference  is  only  one  of  degree 
and  of  evolution.  If  he  can  next  satisfy  himself  that  the  outline 
of  evolution  and  consciousness  traced  for  tus  through  Theosophical 
teachings  is  coherent,  reasonable  and  logical,  giving  a  rational  ex- 
planation of  many  otherwise  puzzling  phenomena,  he  may  accept 
it  intellectually  and  thus  place  himself  in  the  best  possible  atti- 
tude of  mind  for  beginning  the  conscious  development  of  his  higher 
faculties  which  will  in  time  give  him  absolute  proof.  The  means  here 
have  already  been  hinted  at,  but  we  cannot  do  better  than  conclude 
with  a  quotation  from  Mrs.  Besant's  "  Ancient  Wisdom,"  pp.  300-301, 
in  which  they  are  described  most  clearly  as  follows  :  "  The  student 
must  begin  by  practising  extreme  temperance  in  all  things,  cultiva- 
ting an  equable  and  serene  state  of  mind ;  his  life  must  be  clean 
and  his  thoughts  pure,  his  body  held  in  strict  subjection  to  the 
soul,  and  his  mind  trained  to  occupy  itself  with  noble  and  lofty 
themes ;  he  must  habitually  practise  compassion,  sympathy,  help- 
fulness to  others,  with  indifference  to  troubles  and  pleasures  affect- 
ing himself,  and  he  must  cultivate  courage,  steadfastness  and  devo- 
tion. In  fact  he  must  live  the  religion  and  ethics  which  other 
people  for  the  most  part  only  talk.  Having  by  persevering  practice 
learned  to  control  his  mind  to  some  extent,  so  that  he  is  able  to 
keep  it  fixed  on  one  line  of  thought  for  some  little  time,  he  must 
begin  its  more  rigid  training  by  a  daily  practice  of  concentra- 
tion on  some  difficult  or  abstract  subject,  or  on  some    lofty  object 

•  Vide  Mrs.  Besant's  "Some  Problems  ot  Life"— *  The  existence  of  the  Soul.* 


22  The  Theosophist.  [October 

of  devotion  ;  this  concentration  means  the  firm  fixing  of  the  mind 
on  one  single  point,  without  wandering,  and  without  yielding  to 
any  distractions  caused  by  external  objects,  by  the  activity  of  the 
senses,  or  by  that  of  the  mind  itself.  It  must  be  braced  up  to  an 
unswerving  steadiness  and  fixity,  until  gradually  it  will  learn  so  to 
withdraw  its  attention  from  the  outer  world  and  from  the  body  that 
the  senses  will  remain  quiet  and  still  while  the  mind  is  intensely 
alive,  with  all  its  energies  drawn  inwards  to  be  launched  at  a  single 
point  of  thought,  the  highest  to  which  it  can  attain.  When  it  is 
able  to  hold  itself  thus  with  comparative  ease,  it  is  ready  for  a 
further  step,  and  by  a  strong  but  calm  effort  of  the  will  it  can  throw 
itself  beyond  the  highest  thought  it  can  reach  while  working  in  the 
physical  brain,  and  in  that  effort  it  will  rise  to  and  unite  itself  with 
the  higher  consciousness  and  find  itself  free  of  the  body.  When 
this  is  done  there  is  no  sense  of  sleep  or  dream  nor  any  loss  ot 
consciousness ;  the  man  finds  himself  outside  his  body,  but  as 
though  he  had  merely  slipped  off  a  weighty  incumbrance,  not  as 
though  he  had  lost  any  part  of  himself;  he  is  not  really  '  disembo- 
died,' but  has  lisen  out  of  his  gross  body  *  in  a  body  of  light/  which 
obeys  his  slightest  thought  and  serves  as  a  beautiful  and  perfect 
instrument  for  carrying  out  his  will.  In  this  he  is  free  of  the  subtle 
worlds,  but  will  need  to  train  his  faculties  long  and  carefully  for 
reliable  work  under  the  new  conditions. 

**  Freedom  from  the  body  may  be  obtained  in  other  ways :  by 
the  rapt  intensity  of  devotion  or  by  special  methods  that  may  be 
imparted  by  a  great  Teacher  to  his  disciple.  Whatever  the  way,  the 
end  is  the  same— the  setting  free  of  the  soul  in  full  consciousness, 
able  to  examine  its  new  surroundings  in  regions  beyond  the  tread- 
ing of  the  man  of  flesh.  At  will  it  can  return  to  the  body  and  re- 
enter it,  and  under  these  circumstances  it  can  impress  on  the 
brain -mind,  and  thus  retain  while  in  the  body,  the  memory  of  the 
experiences  it  has  undergone." 

A.   SCHWARZ. 


TBE  THEOSOPHICAL  SOCIETY. 

ON  Saturday,  the  17th  November  1900,  A.D.,  the  Theosophical 
Society  will  complete  the  first  five  and  twenty  years  of  its 
existence,  and  will  enter  upon  a  period  of  manhood  which,  judging 
from  the  past,  gives  token  of  a  future  more  glorious  than  that  of  its 
childhood.  The  Society  has  now  spread  itself  all  over  the  globe, 
represented  by  its  ever-increasing  number  which  is  composed  of 
members  of  diverse  faiths  and  various  calibres  ;  a  few,  who  have 
grasped  Theosophy  in  theory  and  practice,  who  have  learned  and 
realized  within  themselves  that  it  leads  to  the  be-all  and  end-all  of 
human  life :  some,  heroic,  self-sacrificing  and  noble  to  the  backbone  ; 
many,  anxious  to  know  the  secrets  of  the  Eternal  I^ife  but  still  be- 


1900.]  The  Theosophical  Society.  23 

smeared  with  the  taint  of  worldliness ;  others,  half-hearted  and  diffi- 
dent, having  but  a  hazy  notion  of  the  truthfulness  and  practicabil- 
ity of  the  teachings  of  the  Society — now  warm,  now  cold,  tamasic 
and  rajasic  by  turns — but  never  mustering  courage  sufficient  to  put 
them  into  practice,  in  their  every-day  life.  During  the  quarter 
century  of  its  existence,  it  has  taught  itself  much  that  will  be  worth 
remembering  and  profiting  by,  much  that  is  of  great  import  and 
much  that  is  pregnant  with  salutary  instructions.  Conscious  of  the 
great  responsibility  which  the  Society  has  taken  upon  itself  to  infil- 
trate spirituality  into  the  Aryan  race  and  to  intimately  weld  the 
spiritual  thought  of  the  East  to  the  material  activity  of  the  West ; 
with  the  constant  naemory  of  the  hard  struggles  it  has  had  to  wage 
against  the  heavy  odds  of  materialism,  (all  honour  to  that  one  gifted 
soul  that  led  the  way),  often  discouraged  and  browbeaten,  but  ever 
triumphant,  bearing  in  mind  the  lessons  learned  at  the  expense  of 
much  energy  and  fervour  that  its  mission  lies  in  "  persuasion  sweet " 
and  gentle  words  coupled  with  the  inherent  merit  of  its  time- 
honoured  wisdom,  it  behoves  every  member  who  has  any  connec- 
tion with  the  Society,  nominal  or  real,  to  try  his  utmost  to  let  no 
occasion  pass  without  adding  his  or  her  own  mite  for  its  welfare. 
It  will  be  quite  enough  for  those  who  are  unable  to  lend  an  active 
co-operation,  to  avoid  doing  anything  which  is  subversive  of  its  inter- 
ests, to  be  passive  spectators  of  its  rise  rather  than  active  mischief- 
makers.  As  said  above,  the  Society  has  a  mighty  task  before  it,  a  task 
of  world-wide  importance,  and  they  who  instead  of  helping  it  become 
in  any  way  instrumental  in  retarding  its  progress,  are  not  injuring 
the  weal  of  the  Society,  but — for  the  matter  of  that — of  humanity  at 
large,  because  there  may  be  bodies  corporate  throughout  the  world, 
which  espouse  the  cause  of  a  certain  portion  of  mankind,  but  it  is 
the  proud  privilege  of  the  Theosophical  Society  alone  that  it 
opens  its  doors  to  every  son  of  Adam  in  both  the  hemispheres  ; 
aye  !  it  has  gone  further  and  laid  upon  itself  the  task  of  protecting 
the  dumb  animals  from  the  butcher's  knife  and  the  horrors  of  the 
vivisection  room.  The  seed  of  the  Society  is  put  in  the  fructifying 
soil  of  compassion,  and  the  Asvatiha  that  will  sprout  forth  from  it 
will  be  large  enough  to  hold  every  form,  sentient  and  insentient, 
within  its  cooling  shade.  It  is  but  reasonable  to  suppose  that  from 
the  nature  of  the  lofty  ideals  of  spiritual  development  which  each 
member  is  called  upon  to  set  before  himself,  as  well  as  on  account 
of  the  almost  unending  hard  work  of  effiacing  the  lower  self  in  which 
the  cup  of  patience  has  to  be  sipped  to  its  last  dregs,  the  growth  of 
the  Society  will  be  necessarily  slow  ;  though  outside  its  pale,  there 
are  many  thinkers  of  the  day  who  have  found  much  that  is  nutri- 
tious and  invigorating  to  their  minds  in  the  now  fast-multiplying 
literature  of  Theosophy,  Theosophy  is  both  science  and  religion ;  it 
is  the  art  of  living  on  earth  with  eyes  fixed  on  heaven,  and  it  is  the 
philosophy  of  Facing  Death  with  imperturbable  calm  ;  it  holds  the 


24  The  Theosophist.  [Qotober 

secret  of  making  a  man  live  in  the  world  without  being  polluted  by 
worldliness ;  it  reads  the  mysteries  of  the  excarnate  and  incarnate 
lives  of  man,  and  imparts  to  him  the  wisdom  nursed  in  purity 
which  ushers  him  finally  into  the  Kingdom  of  God  where  peace 
reigneth  supreme.  Theosophy  builds  and  ennobles  man  physical- 
ly, intellectually  and  spiritually.  Apart  from  the  stereotyped  require- 
ments of  similar  institutions  in  former  periods  of  the  world,  the 
Society  has  brought  a  message  to  its  votaries  to  make  the  most  of 
their  lives  whilst  they  are  living  in  the  midst  of  the  din  of  Samsara. 
Was  not  the  **  Song  Celestial  "  the  outcome  of  the  deafening  uproar 
of  armies  on  the  field^of  KOrDkshetrA  ?  A  few  were  not  distracted 
by  the  passing  shadows  of  life ;  their  best  energies  were  not  divert- 
ed from  the  One  Reality  which  knows  no  change  and  which  is 
beyond  time  and  space.  It  is  given  to  a  few,  but  to  a  very  few, 
to  appreciate  at  its  proper  worth,  in  this  age  of  the  decline  of  Divine 
wisdom,  the  honour  of  belonging  to  the  Society.  Generations  to 
come  will  properly  estimate  the  merits  of  the  Founders  of  the 
Society,  and  will  justify  their  selection  from  out  of  millions,  by 
reason  of  their  aptitude  for  the  holy  work  of  the  holy  Masters.  The 
hour  was  for  the  men,  and  the  men  were  for  the  hour. 

It  would  be  certainly  strengthening  the  Society  if  in  future  its 
doors  were  to  be  thrown  open  only  to  those  who  have  in  them  some 
inherent  stuiF  for  the  self-discipline  and  perseverance  which  the 
Higher  Life  requires  from  each  aspirant.  Number  should  be  no 
motive  with  us.  If  each  of  the  570  existing  branches  were  to  give 
but  one  single  member,  one  who  has  identified  himself  with  Theo- 
sophy and  who  is  living  Theosophy,  the  world  would  gain  immensely 
in  spiritual  regeneration.  Even  57  honest  ** salts"  in  our  ranks 
would  restore  to  the  Aryan  race  its  long-lost  heritage  of  Wisdom. 
Our  need  at  this  hour  is  dead  earnestness  on  the  part  of  our  mem- 
bers, and  vital  solidarity  in  the  Society  as  a  whole,  for  as  the  latter 
aspires  to  the  unification  of  humanity,  each  member  must  coipe  pre- 
pared and  grounded  in  the  Doctrine  of  Love  which  maketh  mankind 
one.  Before  a  member  is  taken  into  a  branch  he  ought  to  be  given 
the  chance  of  attending  its  meetings  for,  at  least,  six  consecutive 
months,  and  should  he  after  the  lapse  of  that  period  be  certified  by 
the  President  or  Secretary  as  having  read  the  primary  literature  in 
the  manuals  and  having  made  himself  acquainted  with  an  ordinary 
knowledge  of  the  two  essential  principles  of  Theosophy— Karma 
and  Reincarnation — and  be  brought  into  the  folds  of  the  Society, 
such  a  member,  in  nine  cases  out  of  ten,  would  prove  himself  a 
practical  worker,  and  would  cause  no  after  regrets.  The  husks  must 
be  winnowed  from  the  grains,  and  the  purer  the  quality  of  grains, 
the  better  would  be  the  flour  for  the  ambrosial  bread  of  Theosophy- 
We  want  workers,  honest  self-sacrificing  workers,  each  to  the  best 
of  his  powers  and  abilities.  Thanks  to  the  cyclic  law  there  are 
such  workers  now  amongst  us,  and  their  number  is  increasing.    The 


1900.]  ThoTheosophlcal  Society.  25 

rule  which  has  hitherto  obtained  in  most  of  the  Indian  Branches  is, 
that  on  the  merest  expression  of  a  wish  on  the  part  of  an  outsider, 
to  be  a  member,  he  is  allowed  to  affix  the  three  letters,  F.T.S.,  to 
his  name — no  matter  how  world-wide  his  ignorance  of  Theosophy 
may  be— after  an  attempt  to  utter  some  flaccid  expressions  about  the 
three  objects,  without  the  slightest  consideration  of  the  grave  res- 
ponsibility that  member  was  incurring  by  joining  the  Society,  or 
without  any  exposition  of  his  duty  to  himself,  to  his  family,  to  his 
community,  and  last  not  least,  to  humanity  at  large.    Too  wary  we 
cannot  be  in  the  choice  of  our   members.     The  blood  that  is  to  be 
infused  into  the  body  of  the  Society  must  be  pure,  healthy  and 
nourishing.    It  will  be  argued  perhaps  that  such  a  rigorous  mode  of 
choosing  will  close  the  avenues  of  the  Society  to  the  outside  world, 
but  it  matters  little  if  there  be  not  a  single  member  admitted  for  the 
next  ten  years.    We  are  already,  considering  the  nature  of  the  task 
we  have  before  us,  a  very  large  number ;  our  literature  has  been  the 
mute  messenger  of  our  teachings,  it  has  given  its  tinge  to  the 
thought  of  the  day.    Man's  mind  has  awakened  to  the  gravity 
of  his  life ;  the  very  atmosphere  we  breathe  is  surcharged  with 
the  thoughts  of  religious  revival,   as  witness  how  in  India  we 
have  now  the    Arya    Samajists,  the    Sanatan^   Dhanna   Sabhas, 
Hindu  revivalists  everywhere  in    Bengal,  the  followers  of  Lord 
Gauranga  with    His   Bhakti   propaganda,   and   the   admirers   of 
Sri  Ramakrishna  carrying  their    Ved&nta  in  company  with  Mr. 
Vircband    Ghandi    with   his   Jainism,    beyond   the    waters  of  the 
Atlantic.    The  educated  portion  of  mankind,  both  in  the  Bast  and 
West,  have  taken  very  seriously  to  the  search  of  the  inscrutable. 
When  the  great  Law  of  Rhythm,  which  now  makes  for  light,  and 
now  for  darkness,  has  ushered  in  the  period  of  light,  in  the  advent 
of  the  Theosophical  ^  Society,  men  will  be  intuitively,  so  to  speak, 
brought  to  their  senses  and  the  race  is  assured  of  a  moral  and  spiri'^ 
tual  advance.    Let  us,  therefore,  begin  at  the  very  beginning,  and 
be  careful  of  the  materials'  with  which  we  build  our  Society,    It  is 
very    desirable    that   we   should    show  to  the  outside  world  that 
Theosophy  is  not  the  dream    of  a  visionary  or  the  soap-bubble  of  a 
metaphysical  speculator.    It  is  as    conclusive  and  exact  as  mathe- 
matics itself^  its  purifying  powers   are  akin  to  those  of  water,  while 
underneath  lies  the  panacea  for  all  the  ills  that  human  flesh  is  heir 
to,  provided  a  man  has  made  up  his  mind  to  lead  the  life.     With 
this  end  in  view  when  we  fortify  our  ranks  with  monads  that  have  a 
spiritual  heritage  of  karma  with  them,  and  with  the  certainty  of  their 
example  spreading   fast,  around  and  about  them,  there  is  every 
chance  that  the  Society  will  not  only    gain  in  strength  but  that  it 
will  command  a  very  high  place  in  the  esteem  and  respect  of  the 
worid.    One  Christ  has  millions  of  followers,  and  one  Buddha  calls 
one-third  of  humanity  His  own. 

Zt  would  be  well  here  to  pause  for  a  moment  to  answer  some  of 

4 


^e  The  Theosophiat.  [Octojier 

■the  doubts  which  experience  has  proved  to  stand  in  the  way  of  many 
who  are  already  in  the  Society.  The  questions  which  one  hear$ 
constantly  are : — 

(i)    Whether  flesh  eating  is  in  any  way  a  hindrance  to  the 
Theosophic  life : 

(2)    Can  a  man  advance  in  the  Higher  Wfe  while  in  the 
married  state  ? 

There  are  few  numbers  of  the    VdAan,  iht  Prasnofiara  or  the 
American  Forum  (now  extinct)  which  do  not  contain  enquiries  of  the 
same  kind  or  of  an    analogous  nature,  but  had  the  querists  known 
their  own  minds,  there  would  not  have  arisen  the  necessity  for  them. 
As  regards  the  use  of  animal  food  various  attempts  have  been  made 
to  prove  that  a  mixed  diet,  vegetable  and  flesh,  is  preferable  in  a 
country  like  England ;  that  the  food  question  should  be  no  question 
of  anxiety  with  a  Theosophist,  on  the  plea    that  not  that  which 
goeth  into  the  mouth  defileth  it  so  much  as  that  which  cometh  out 
of  it.    This  question  seems  to  be  hydra-headed,  and  there  seems  to 
be  no  likelihood  of  one  hearing  the  last  of  it.    The  best  way  of 
answering  it  is  to  ask  the  questioner  himself  whether  he  wants  to 
rise  to  the  topmost  rung  of  spirituality  or  is  content  to  take  one  of 
the  lower ;  the  answer  must  be  commensurate  with  his  own  moral 
strength  and  his  own   singleness  of  purpose.    Should  he  decide  on 
the  first  course,  by  all  means  flesh  is  to  be  strictly  eschewed ;  for 
how  can  an  aspirant  reach  the  Highest,  unless  and  until  he  has 
developed  within  himself  the  essential  attribute  of  the  Highest,  viz., 
compassion  for  all  that  lives.    When  the  owner  of  a  body  stands  in 
the  need  of  another  body  for  his  sustenance,  he  cannot  be  said  to 
be  suflSciently  conscious  of  the  nature  of  evolution,  much  less  of  his 
own  Dharma  towards  those  which  stand   below  him  in  evolution. 
The  aim  of  human  life  is  to  give  aid  to  the  animal  life  by  sympathy 
and  help,  and  not  to  destroy  the  latter  for  its  own  pampering.    It  is 
selfishness  pure  and  simple.    Again,  if  the  questioner  is  an   easy- 
going man,  and  is  hot  in  a  hurry  to  square  up  past  accounts,   and 
wants  rather  to  creep  at  ant's  pace  than  fly  with  the  wings  of  a 
bird,  there  is  no  harm  in  his  taking  flesh  or  whatever  he  pleases. 
The  answer  will  depend  upon  the  stuff*  of  which  the  questioner  is 
made,  his  karmic  associations,  his  inherent  power  of  growth  from 
within,   and  above  all  his  own   sincerity  and  fixity  of  aim.    There 
can  be  no  categorical  reply  in  a  matter  like  this.     He   can  best 
answer  himself,  for  is  he  not  his  own  best  judge  and  examiner  ? 

The  utility  of  meeting  the  second  query  about  the  married  life 
is  much  the  same  as  that  of  the  first.  No  condition  of  life,  favour- 
able or  unfavourable,  good  or  bad,  selfish  or  selfless,  should  ever 
stand  in  the  way  of  spirituality,  if  there  be  the  substratum  of  Will, 
if  the  force  of  character  to  win  at  any  cost,  be  the  guiding  motive 
of  one's  life.    The  first  axiom  of  occultism  is,  contentment  with  the 


IdOO.]  The  Theosophical  Society.  27 

surroundings  one  finds  himself  in.  To  have  a  woman  by  one's  side 
who  is  the  solace  and  comfort  of  one's  heart ;  to  transmute  the  warm 
admiration  and  likings  of  youth,  through  her  and  by  her,  for  a  purer 
and  nobler  love ;  to  see  in  the  union  of  two  bodies  with  synchronous 
heart  beats,  the  union  of  spirit  and  matter,  for  the  greater  glory  of 
God ;  to  evolve  unity  in  diversity  ;  to  realize  the  oneness  of  A'tma 
by  extinguishing  the  idea  of  sex ;  these  are  the  lessons  which  the 
wedded  life  has  to  teach  to  the  occultist.  Never  have  the  sages  of 
old  considered  the  matrimonial  tie  a  bar  to  spiritual  attainment. 
Yagnavalkya  was  a  married  man,  so  was  the  sage  of  Kapila- 
vastu.  Zoroaster  had  seen  the  bliss  of  the  double  life,  and  even 
Avatars  like  Rama  and  Krishna  were  not  above  it.  With  such 
precedents  before  him  why  should  a  member  of  the  Theosophical 
Society  feel  any  scruples  for  his  married  life  as  a  deterrent  on  the 
higher  path.  Why  does  he  not  see  in  his  partner  a  pilgrim  bound 
for  the  same  goal  ?  Why  does  he  not  see  in  her  the  God  whom  he 
seeks  and  whom  he  pants  to  know  ?  It  is  the  motive  with  which  we 
do  a  thing  that  makes  or  mars  us.  Husband  and  wife  at  peace  with 
each  other  in  their  fraij  personalities,  and  indissolubly  wedded  in 
the  Eternal  Sat  have  in  them  higher  consciousness  of  the  spiritual 
life  than  a  Sanyasi  without  the  cares  of  the  world  and  without  the 
god-making  opportunities  of  a  Grihastha.  There  are  not  a  few. 
persons  who  have  a  strange  notion  in  their  mind,  of  entering  the 
path,  either  when  they  are  sufficiently  advanced  in  life,  or  when  they 
are  free  from  the  troubles  of  earning  a  livelihood,  or  from  the  yoke 
of  the  married  life.  Such  persons  labour  under  a  delusion,  and  are 
very  much  in  the  same  predicament  as  the  man  who  wanted  a  bath 
in  the  sea  but  would  wait  till  it  was  waveless.  Begin  your  work 
just  at  the  point  where  you  now  stand.  Welcome  any  condition  of 
life  3'our  karma  has  drawn  around  you.  The  condition  you  hanker 
after  will  come,  and  is  sure  to  come,  when  the  time  comes  for  your 
deserving  it.  Take  life  as  you  find  it,  and  mould  it  by  Will  to  any 
cast  that  suits  you,  for  are  you  not  a  potential  God  ? 

One  great  difficulty  which  a  member,  who  is  anxious  to  do  some- 
thing  practical  in  his  life  with  a  view  to  come  by  the  powers  latent 
within  him,  meets  is  the  struggle  with  his  lower  mind.  He  is  called 
upon  to  part  company  with  his  former  habits  of  thought  and  to 
separate  from  desires  which  at  one  time  sat  so  near  his  heart.  In  the 
place  of  the  old  associations  he  is  told  to  select  a  high  model  for 
himself  and  strive  as  best  he  may,  with  unswerving  resolve,  to  rise 
up  to  it.  His  model  is,  to  be  godly  enough  though  human,  and 
human  enough  though  godly.  It  is  at  this  point  that  there  has  been 
so  much  contention,  and  not  seldom  questions  are  asked  whether  the 
Theosophical  Society  advocates  worship  of  the  Sahakara  type  or 
the  Nirdkara.  The  matter  of  fact  is  that  the  Society  as  such  has 
never  given  its  opinion  upon  any  kind  of  worship  or  upon  any  sub- 
ject beyond  th«  bare  mention  of  the  three  objects.    The  Society  has 


id  the  Theosophist.  [Octob^i^ 

no  tenets  and  no  rituals  to  call  its  own.    As  to  the  subject  before 
us,  great  advantage  would  result  if  each  member  were  to  follow  his 
own  path  according  to  his  own  idiosyncrasy  :  no  hard  and  fast  rules 
can  be  laid  down  in  a  republic  of  conscience  where  the  followers  of 
all  the  leading  faiths  of  the  world  have   found  a  platform  broad 
enough  for  their  assemblage.    But  at  the  same  time  the  truth  cannot 
be  ignored  that  before  we  step  into  the  interior  of  a  house  we  must 
have  first  passed  through  its  portico.    Before  we  can  succeed  in  our 
endeavour  to  make  our  consciousness  one  with  the  formless  (Arupa) 
planes  of  existence  we  must  have  mastered  the  planes  which  are 
swarming  with  forms.    Before  any  definite  appreciation  of  the  sub- 
jective side  of  life  can  dawn  upon  us  we  must  have  grasped  the 
idea  of  its  objective  side.    It  is  always  in  the  best  interest  of  the 
Society  to  allow  every  member  to    use  his  own  discretion  and  his 
own  judgment,  on  the  principle  that    each  man  is  to  himself  the 
Path  and  is  his  own  lawgiver.    The  Society  can  count  upon  its 
solidarity  and  its  freedom  from  popedom  so  long  as  each  of  its 
members   abstains  from  thrusting  his  own   hobbies  upon  others. 
Toleration  of  the  views  of  others  should  b^  the  religion  of  every 
member  of  the  Theosophical  Society. 

There  are  whispers  which  one  hears  now  and  again,  that  in  the 
time  ofour  late  revered  Teacher,  H.P.B.,  the  Society  and  its  teachings 
were  more  or  less  tinctured  with  Buddhistic  ideas,  while  now,  when 
her  mantle  has  fallen  on  the  worthy  shoulders  of  Annie  Besant,  the 
general  tendency  is  towards  Hindu  ideals  and  Hindu  spiritual 
philosophy.  When  we  take  into  consideration  the  fact  that 
Hinduism  is  the  oldest  surviving  faith  of  the  globe,  and  that  as 
such  it  contains  within  its  essence  much  that  partakes  of  occultism 
in  the  true  sense  of  the  word,  and  when  we  take  into  account  that 
Buddhism  and  Hinduism  are  but  branches  of  the  same  spiritual 
Trunk,  nobody  will  find  much  to  take  exception  to  in  the  broad- 
mindness  of  the  two  leaders  who  have  found  so  much  congenial  to 
Theosophy  in  the  respective  faiths  they  have  professed.  Who 
knows,  perhaps  the  next  leader  may  preach  Theosophy  with  a 
marked  colouring  of  the  teachings  of  the  Prophet  of  Nazareth  ? 
Madame  Blavatsky  was  first  a  Theosophist  and  then  a  Buddhist ; 
even  so  Mrs.  Besant  is  more  a  Theosophist  than  a  Hindu.  Theo^ 
sophy,  for  each,  has  percolated  through  her  chosen  faith.  The  force 
of  Karmic  agency  works  on  all  the  planes  of  life,  physical,  intellec- 
tual and  spiritual. 

If  the  work  of  the  Society  during  the  past  twenty-five  years  is 
to  be  judged  by  the  results  achieved,  the  palm  of  superiority,  without 
any  hesitation,  must  be  awarded  to  the  West,  where  much  has  been 
done  for  the  spread  of  Theosophy  by  intellectual  activity.  But 
with  all  this,  Europe  needs  much  for  the  growth  of  spirituality  in 
the  direction  of  Devotion.  The  East  has  lagged  behind  as  usual, 
'  surely  there  is  much  room  for  improvement,  albeit  spiritual 


1900.}  Ancient  Astronomy.  2d 

knowledge  be  her  heirloom  from  time  immemorial.  Activity  is 
still  at  the  zero  point,  and  if  the  East  is  anxious  to  retrieve  her  past 
glories  she  must  stir  herself,  betimes,  and  do  something  substantial 
in  strengthening  the  hands  of  the  white  Yogis  who  are  doing  their 
best  to  spread  Theosophy  throughout  the  globe.  May  the  heart  of 
the  East  and  the  head  of  the  West  unite  for  the  spiritual  regeneration 
of  the  race.    Amen  ! 

Jehangir  Sorabji. 


ANCIEUT  ASTRONOMY. 

IN  a  paper  addressed  to  Theosophists,  who  for  the  most  part  appear 
to  spend  so  much  of  their  time  and  energies  in  the  examination 
of  abstract  questions  of  religion,  ethics,  and  psychology,  it  may  at 
first  sight  appear  somewhat  beside  the  mark  to  offer  arguments  in 
favour  of  that  which,  however  it  may  formerly  have  been  wrapped 
in  mystic  guise,  is  almost  purely  a  mathematical  science. 

But  it  must  never  be  forgotten  that  the  pursuance  of  a  tendency 
to  make  religious  and  semi-religious  questions  of  all  others  the  most 
important,  which  has  so  long  been  the  world's  habit,  must  not  be 
allowed  to  be  carried  on  to  the  exclusion  of  philosophy  and  science, 
even  in  the  remotest  degree ;  while  so  large  a  portion  of  the  troubles 
of  the  later  centuries  are  known  to  have  originated  from  the  attempt 
to  do  so.  Moreover,  Theosophists  of  all  others  should  see  to  this  ; 
because  a  very  large  portion  of  the  labours  of  H.  P.  B.  were  devoted 
to  the  effort  to  prove  that  the  philosophies  and  sciences  of  former 
ages  were  as  important  in  their  way  as  are  those  of  the  present 
time,  if  not  in  some  respects  still  more  so. 

In  the  reaction  against  the  dominance  of  religious  thought 
as  formerly  understood,  the  tendency  of  the  present  age  appears  to 
be  so  strongly  set  in  the  direction  of  exalting  its  own  scientific 
acquirements  at  the  expense  of  the  knowledge  which  was  reached 
in  former  times,  that  we  should  be  very  careful  how  we  accept  such 
a  position ;  and  thereby,  perhaps,  in  a  large  measure  blind  ourselves 
to  a  great  mass  of  information  which  otherwise  we  may  stand  the 
chance  of  having  to  re-acquire  with  much  labour — perhaps  only  to 
find  that  it  has  all  been  done  before.  Again ;  the  students  of  Theo- 
sophy claim  as  the  basis  of  their  platform,  that  its  principles  are 
founded  upon  a  body  of  ancient  religion,  philosophy,  and  science, 
which  is  still  in  existence,  if  not  quite  manifestly  extant ;  while 
their  opponents,  who  have  not  come  in  contact  with  this,  challenge 
them  to  produce  any  proofs  that  there  ever  was  any  such  foundation. 
Therefore,  whatever  may  tend  to  substantiate  the  claims  that  are 
thus  put  forward  by  Theosophists,  must  be  very  well  worth  their 
attention  and  research. 


3d  the  Theosophist.  [Octobei* 

More  than  this ;  for  H,  P.  B.  has  iu  her  works  beeu  at  much 
labour  to  demonstrate  that  the  science  which  is  to-day  regarded  as 
the  most  exact,  was  also  in  former  days  possessed  of  attainments 
now  lost ;  and  thus  she  has  endeavoured  to  show  that  ancient 
Astronomy  was  a  science  as  great  as  its  modern  development.  To 
this  end  she  cites  Bailly,  *  an  astronomer  of  the  last  century,  who 
was  convinced  of  the  same  thing,  and  held  that  the  scraps  of 
Astronomical  science  which  have  come  down  to  us  from  antique 
times  were  but  the  remains  and  debris  of  a  once  perfect 
system,  in  which  hypothesis  H.  P.  B.  strongly  supports  him. 
She  endeavoured  to  gather  together  whatever  relics  might  tend  to 
prove  that  Astronomy  was  once  as  great  a  science  as  it  is  now  ; 
and  whatever  further  evidence  in  that  direction  may  become 
available,  that  it  is  our  duty  to  produce,  as  she  would  have  done  in 
the  same  circumstances. 

On  the  other  hand,  all  modern  authors  who  treat  from  the 
purely  scientific  standpoint,  seem  to  be  agreed  that  whatever  was 
known  of  the  science  of  the  heavens  in  the  days  of  Egyptian, 
Chaldean,  Greek,  and  Roman  culture  and  supremacy  in  the  arts,  was 
only  of  the  most  rudimentary  nature ;  and  consequently  that  the 
hypotheses  of  Bailly  and  others,  including  the  views  held  by 
Theosophists,  are  mythical  in  the  extreme.f  So  sure  are  they  on 
this  head,  and  that  purely  modern  Jcnowledge  is  the  only  thing  of 
value,  J  that  they  apparentl}'  do  not  think  it  worth  anyone's  while 
to  examine  our  data  and  proofs,  but  dismiss  the  whole  without  any 
consideration.  Our  scientists  have  hitherto  been  content  to  take  the 
superficial  aspect  of  Astronomy  as  depicted  for  them  by  the  historians 
who  have  incidentally  dealt  with  it  as  they  found  it  among  the  early 
Egyptians,  Chaldeans,  and  other  nations,  together  with  such  repre- 
sentations of  it  as  have  been  left  us  by  the  later  Alexandrian  School, 
as  a  reliable  basis  for  their  estimates  of  its  value  and  attainments. 
But  possibly  this  is  very  much  the  same  as  though  the  savants  of 
some  2,000  years  hence  were  to  judge  of  our  own  attainments  by  the 
accounts  which  maybe  transmitted  through  such  of  our  present 
writers  as  only  casually  touch  upon  Astronomy ;  and  not  being  con- 
versant with  its  details,  are  content  to  pass  it  over  in  a  merely 
superficial  manner.  Necessarily  these  would  not  present  any  fair 
picture  of  the  science  as  it  exists  at  the  present  day ;  and  though  we 
might  also  suppose  some  of  our  popular  hand-books  of  it,  to  survive 
and  serve  as  evidence,  just  as  Ptolemy's  Almagest  has  done  from  the 
past,  yet  the  result  would  not  be  much  better  than  a  caricature  of 
the  facts  as  we  know  them  at  present. 

But  the  science  of  ancient  days  is   in  still  worse  case  ;  for  as  it 
seems  to  have  been  the   property  or  heritage  of  a  long  line  of  ini* 

?  x.^'^''^^  PS*'^?"®'"  y?l'  ^^  PP-  7"»  722-730 ;  n.,  563, 657, 784-785. 

t  Milner's  "  Gallery  of  Nature,"  p.  5. 

J  Cf.  Olcott's  "  Old  Diary  Leaves,"  p.  223, 


1900.]  Ancient  Astronomy.  31 

tiates  and  heirophants,  it  was  a  thing  jealously  guarded,  and  hidden 
under  an  investiture  of  secrecy  such  as  we  do  not  now  find  practised. 
So  that  such  small  portions  of  it  as  were  permitted  to  appear  to  the 
external  world,  were  for  the  most  part  disguised  under  fictitious  ap- 
pearances, exaggerated  numbers  *  and  many  other  devices  where- 
by their  value  was  obscured.  This  would  not,  however,  prevent  the 
more  rudimentary  discoveries  coming  to  light ;  because  they  are  such 
as  may  be  made  by  any  person  who  is  capable  of  noting  the  obvious 
phenomena  of  the  heavens,  and  they  do  not  require  special  apparatus 
or  educational  facilities  for  their  elucidation.  They  would  according- 
ly, sooner  or  later,  become  a  part  of  the  curriculum  of  the  common 
schools,  and  therefore  be  known  to  ever>'  one  who  was  at  all  well 
informed.  Hence  their  appearance  among  the  educated  writers  of 
twenty  centuries  back. 

Such  rudiments  were,  the  discovery  of  the  number  of  days  which 
constituted  a  solar  year — at  first  a  matter  of  secrecy  t  but  after- 
wards well  known*  The  lunar  cycle  of  nineteen  years  was  another 
of  these  simple  elements  early  discovered,  and  which  brought  great 
honour  to  at  least  one  of  those  who  publicly  proclaimed  it,  J  what- 
ever it  may  have  done  for  those  who  had  discovered  it  so  long 
beforeiS  And  yet,  simple  as  this  cycle  is,  and  well  known  as  it  must 
have  been  to  many  of  old,  our  modern  writers,  out  of  the  plenitude 
of  their  ignorance  and  conceit,  have  looked  upon  it  as  the  greatest 
attainment  of  ancient  science !  ||  A  somewhat  more  recondite,  but 
still  simple  cycle,  was  that  known  as  the  Chaldean  Saros  or  Plinian 
period,  by  means  of  which  it  was  possible  to  predict  the  return  of 
lunar  eclipses  in  a  similar  manner  to  that  in  which  the  new  and  full 
moon  were  known  so  simply  by  the  aid  of  the  Metonic  cycle,  and 
which  was  of  nearly  the  same  length.  It  appears  to  have  been 
generally  known  throughout  the  ancient  world ;  though  perhaps,  by 
those  who  used  it,  it  was  not  too  well  understood.  Indeed,  so  little 
were  the  generality  of  mankind  acquainted  with  the  real  principles 
of  Astronomy,  that  but  very  few  could  explain  even  these  simple 
calculations,  much  less  go  deeper  into  its  arcana  and  discoveries ; 
though  many  must  have  perceived  that  much  was  yet  hidden  which 
the  future  was  bound  to  reveaL  This  must  have  been  as  perceptible 
to  others  as  it  was  to  Seneca  the  philosopher,  who  remarked  that 
"The  time  will  come  when  posterity  will  be  surprised  that  we  could 
be  ignorant  of  things,  the  knowledge  of  which  might  have  been  so 
easily  acquired  *  •  ...... " 

What  wonder  then,  if  our  modern  scientists,  prepossessed  with 
an  idea  as  to  the  general  ignorance  of  the  ancients,  and  not  as  a  rule 


*  Cf.  Higgin's  "  Anacalypsis,"  Vol.  I.,  Ch.  ii.,  p.  248  ;  &  Ch.  iii.,p.  280. 

tCf,  Lewis'  "  Historical  Survey  of  the  Astronomy  of  the  Ancients,"  p.  267. 

iSee  Lardner's  "Museum  of  Science  and  Art,"  Vol.  V.,  pp.  157,  158. 

§  The  Burmese  seem  to  have  known  it  much  earlier. 

il  Library  of  Useful  Knowledge,  1834,  Vol.  III.,  article/^Histor^  of  Astronomy.' 

*•  Natural  Questions. 


32  The  Theosophist.  [October 

euquiriiig  di^eply  into  these  matters,  should  conclude  that ''Upon 
the  whole,  we  have  reason  to  suppose  that  the  Astronomy  of  the 
ancient  Oriental  nations  made  no  advances  beyond  that  tolerably 
exact  knowledge  of  the  mean  motions  of  the  sun  and  moon  which 
the  purposes  of  agriculture  required  ;  that  it  chiefly  dealt  with  the 
simple  observation  of  eclipses,  occultations,  and  the  rising  and  set- 
ting of  principal  stars,  which  was  the  work  of  a  priesthood  who 
made  it  subservient  to  the  consolidation  of  their  superstition,"  ♦ 
and  so  on  ;  with  an  abundant  satisfaction  and  unanimity  which  may 
yet  receive  many  rude  shocks  as  discovery  progresses,  and  things 
are  better  understood. 

So  completely  blinded  have  modern  writers  been  by  this  sort  of 
thing,  that  it  is  wonderful  how  little  penetration  they  exhibit ;  and 
what  small  heed  they  have  taken  of  the  fact  that  old  records  which 
possibly  emanated  from  arcane  sources  have  to  be  examined  in  a  dif- 
ferent way  from  that  which  suits  the  mere  accounts  of  battles  and 
sieges,  the  rise  and  fall  of  governments,  and  the  rest  of  the  materials 
which  usually  make  up  history.  An  example  of  this  may  be  seen  in 
the  first  case  of  ancient  astronomical  data  to  be  here  dealt  with. 

"  Diogenes  Laertius  informs  us  that,  according  to  the  report  of 
the  Egyptians,  48,863  years  had  elapsed  from  the  time  of  ViUcan  to 
that  of  Alexander  the  Great ;  and  that  during  this  period  there  had 
been  373  eclipses  of  the  Sun  and  832  eclipses  of  the  Moon."t 

Now  that  great  statesman  and  writer  on  Astronomy,  Sir  G.  C. 
Lewis,  in  discussing  the  above  extract,  says  it  "  assumes  that  an 
eclipse  ot  the  Sun  took  place  once  in  every  131  years,  and  an  eclipse 
of  the  Moon  once  in  every  58  years ;  "  J  which  being  contrary  to 
facts,  he  confidently  asserts,  upon  the  strength  of  this  most  super- 
ficial and  unworthy  investigation,  that  "  the  statement  as  to  the 
eclipses  is  as  fabulous  as  the  rest ;  it  has  no  claim  to  be  considered 
as  possessing  any  astronomical  value,  or  as  being  the  result  of  ac- 
tual obser\'ation  and  contemporary  registration.*'  §  So,  like  most 
similar  writers,  Sir  G.  C.  I^ewis  makes  the  gross  mistake  of  reading 
the  above  extract  from  Diogenes  l^iertius  literally ;  and  in  conse- 
quence of  this  error  he  rejects  the  record  in  a  way  which  reflects  but 
little  credit  upon  his  judgment.  We  might  have  thought  that  his 
training  as  a  statesman  and  a  diplomatist  would  have  made  him 
more  cautious  how  he  gave  so  definite  a  pronouncement  upon  such 
premises ;  for  his  own  further  words  upon  the  subject  should  have 
made  him  more  careful. 

For  he  proceeds  to  inform  us  that  "  It  is  indeed  intimated  that 
the  Egyptian  priests  regarded  their  astronomical  science  as  an  esoter- 
ic and  mysterious  doctrine,  and  that  they  disclosed  it  to  curious 


•  Milner's  '*  Gallery  of  Nature,"  loc.  cit. 
t  Diogenes  Laertius  in  "  Proemia." 
t  Lewis.  Op.  cit.,  p.  245,  note. 
§Ib. 


lOOO.]  Ancient  Astronomy.  33 

strangers  with  reluctance.*  • . . .  Similar  statements  are  made  with 
respect  to  Assyrian  Astronomy.f  "  He  further  remarks  that"  Eudox* 

us, according  to  Proclus. ..stated  that  the  Egyptians  designated  a 

monih  by  the  appellation  oiyear^'X  The  ancient  Egyptians  are,  more- 
over, stated  by  some  of  the  late  chronographers  "  to  have  given  the 
appellation  of  a^'^ar  even  to  a  day."  §  Lewis  is  puzzled  over  these 
statements  of  ancient  authors,  ||  though  he  takes  no  trouble  to  under* 
stand  them.  But  a  writer  who  could  make  such  foolish  remarks  as 
those  he  has  written  concerning  the  possibility  of  Columbus  having 
calculated  an  eclipse  of  the  moon,**  cannot  be  expected  to  display 
much  penetration  or  assiduity  in  the  task  of  unravelling  the  inten* 
tional  mystifications  resorted  to  by  the  astute  Egyptian  and  Chal- 
dean priests. 

But  although  so  learned  an  authority  has  failed  to  understand 
this  Chaldeo-Eg3'ptian  problem,  it  by  no  means  follows  that  it  is 
altogether  impossible  to  arrive  at  its  true  meaning ;  but  in  the 
attempt  to  accomplish  this,  we  must  first  notice  a  further  quotation 
from  the  ancients.  The  Aristotelian  commentator,  Simplicius  (who 
wrote  in  the  sixth  centur}*),  says  that  the  Babylonians  had  a  period 
of  1,440,000  3'ears ;  ft  and  this,  when  taken  in  connection  with  the 
48,863  *J  3'ears  "  of  Diogenes  Laertius,  and  the  information  as  to  the 
Kgj-ptians  and  others  having  purposely  confounded  years,  months 
and  days,  leads  to  a  curious  discovery  which  appears  to  throw  some 
light  on  the  matter  we  are  dealing  with.  For  if  we  suppose  the 
Chaldean  period  cited  by  Simplicius  represents  days  in  place  of  years, 
whilst  the  Eg>'ptiau  period  quoted  by  Laertius  refers  to  months  in  a 
similar  way,  we  shall  find  that  both  are  respectively  equal  to  ju.st 
4,000  Eg>'ptian  years  of  360  days  each — or  at  least  they  are  so  if  we 
substitute  48,763  for  48,863  ;  a  diflference  very  easily  ascribable  to  a 
copj-ist's  error,  and  by  no  means  a  singular  instance  of  such.J J 

Therefore  we  see  what  the  Egyptian  priests  meant  by  the 
period  which  had  elapsed  between  "  the  time  of  Vulcan  "  and  the 
arrival  of  Alexander  in  their  country — that  it  was  just  4,000  of  their 
years,  which  are  nearly  3,942  and  a  half  of,  our  calendar  or  Julian 
years. 

The  time  given  by  the  Egyptians  and  Laertius  being  thus  sat- 
isfactorily disposed  of,  we  may  next  consider  the  number  of  eclipses ; 
which,  according  to  them,  are  in  all  just  1205.    This   we  shall  find 

•.Cf.  Sirabo,  XVII.,  i.,  §  29  ;  Martianus  Capella  viii.,  §  812.  ~" 

t  See  Plato,  "  Empinom,"  7,  p.  987. 

X  Proc.  in  Plato's     **  Timaeus,"  p.  31F;  referrinjj  to  the  passage  p.  22B. 

§Soe  the  '' Anonj'mi Chfx>iiologica*'  prefixed  to"MaIaius,"  p.  21,  and  "Malaius" 
U,  lb.  II.,  p.  i.,  23, ed.  Bonn.  Sviidas  in  'Hnioif.    "Chron.  Pasch."    Vol.  I.,  p.   i.,    81 
H.  Bonn.  ''        * 

!.  Vide  Op.  cit.,  p.  33. 

*•  lb.,  p.  224. 

ft  Simplicius  *'  Schol.  aU  Aristot.  de  Ccelo,"  p.  475b,  ed.  Brandis. 

JJ  As  happens  in   the   Ciceronian  period  quoted  by  Ashmand  in  tr.  of  the 
"  Tetrabiblos,'*    as     XH.,    m.  dcccmv;    and    by     Lewis   ^nd    others    as    XII 

M,  DCCCCLIV; 

5 


34  The  Theosophist.  [October 

exposes  another  part  of  the  puzzle  we  are  dealing  with,  which  is  iit 
every  way  a  remarkable  one ;  and  perhaps  one  of  the  strangest 
relics  of  the  kind  of  conundrums  set  before  the  uninitiated  by  the 
ancient  temple-priests,  which  is  known  to  have  descended  to  our 
times.  If  we  could  suppose  that  a  record  was  kept  of  all  the  eclipses 
of  the  sun  and  moon  which  were  visible  at  some  given  spot  upon 
the  earth's  surface  (the  sky  being  supposed  to  remain  unclouded), 
for  a  given  period  of  time,  that  record  would  show  a  very  different 
number  to  that  which  would  result  if  the  observers  could  see  from 
the  centre  of  the  earth  instead  of  from  a  point  on  its  surface.  By  the 
aid  of  our  modern  tables,  we  can  compute  exactly  what  would  be  the 
respective  numbers,  and  therefore  how  many  ought  to  have  been 
seen  at  a  given  place  in  Egypt  within  a  limited  period  ;  and  the 
first  thing  which  strikes  us  upon  making  the  attempt,  is  that  the 
number  of  eclipses  mentioned  is  not  nearly  large  enough  for  the 
given  time — in  fact  it  is  not  more  than  a  quarter  of  what  would  be 
required.  Evidently,  then,  there  is  something  more  intended  to 
be  understood  than  what  we  have  already  discovered  ;  and  what 
it  is  we  shall  presently  see. 

In  pursuing  the  enquiry,  we  may  note  that  it  used  to  be  the 
custom  to  omit  all  eclipses  which  w^ere  of  very  small  magnitude, 
and  therefore  inconspicuous  ;  and  this  magnitude  would  be  larger 
in  the  case  of  solar  than  of  lunar  eclipses,  because  no  one  looks  at 
the  sun,  as  a  rule,  unless  there  is  something  very  likely  to  attract 
attention.  Let  us  therefore  fix  the  limit  at  one  digit  for  solar 
eclipses,  and  half  a  digit  for  lunar ;  omitting  also  every  eclipse 
w^hich  ended  within  a  quarter  of  an  hour  after  the  rising,  or  began 
within  the  same  time  before  the  setting.  Had  no  such  reduction 
been  made,  and  the  time  been  one  thousand  of  our  calendar  or 
Julian  years,  the -number  of  eclipses  would  have  been  1,432,  as  may 
be  seen  elsewhere ;  *  and  if  reduced  as  above,  1,214.  Hence,  as 
the  numbers  reported  by  the  Eg>'ptians  are  not  widely  different 
from  this,  it  thereby  appears  that  as  regarded  the  eclipses,  the  time 
was  something  less  than  a  thousand  years. 

Now,  among  that  strange  nation  there  is  said  to  have  been  a 
cycle  in  use  which  has  been  called  the  Sothiac  or  Canicular  period, 
from  its  supposed  relation  to  Sothis  or  the  Dog-star ;  and  this  c^xle, 
consisting  of  1,461  days,  was  called  by  some  the  greater  year  of  the 
sun.t  This  wa§  because  it  is  the  least  period  which  will  return  his 
place  in  the  Zodiac  with  a  near  approach  to  accuracy,  and  at  the 
same  time  accommodate  the  leap-years.  Dividing,  then,  the  time 
already  found,  or  the  Chaldean  period  of  1,440,000  days,  by  the  Cani- 
cular period  of  1,461  days,  the  quotient  is  98563;  this  being  the 
corresponding  number  of  Sothiac  cycles.  But  the  number  of  calendar 
3'ears  in  a  quarter  of  the  time  is  also   985*63  ;  and  this  agreement  at 


*  Journal  of  the  Brit.  Astron.  Assoc,  Vol.  VI.,  No.  2,  p.  492. 
t  Columella,  *'  De  Re  Rust."iii.,  6. 


1900.]  Ancient  Astronomy.  35 

once  provides  the  key  which  unravels  the  remaining  part  of  the 
mystery.  For  the  greater  years  of  the  sun,  as  concerned  the  eclipses, 
they  substituted  the  less  ;  and  this  has  proved  one  of  the  most 
effectual  blinds  they  could  have  adopted,  having  foiled  all  enquiry 
until  now. 

Proceeding,  then,  by  strict  averages  and  the  rule  of  proportion, 
as  i,ooo  years  are  to  1,214  eclipses,  so  are  985-63  years  to  1,203  ;  and 
as  the  Kg>'ptians  made  the  number  1,205,  and  there  are  certain 
irregularities  which  may  slightly  alter  the  true  number,  it  follows 
that  they  must  have  obser\'ed  and  calculated  with  an  accuracy  which 
is  simply  amazing  ;  for  it  is  not  in  any  measure  inferior  to  the  best 
results  obtainable  in  modern  times,  and  with  all  the  advantages  we 
at  present  have. 

But  though  the  total  number  of  eclipses  reported  has  thus 
been  found  so  accurate,  possibly  their  relative  numbers— 373  of  the 
sun  and  832  of  the  moon — may  be  less  so.  And  it  is  just  here  that 
certain  more  careful  or  less  prejudiced  astronomers  than  Sir  G.  C. 
Lewis  have  reached  an  unea.sy  suspicion  that  this  old  fragment  of 
andent  lore  covers  more  knowledge  than  may  appear  at  the  first 
glance.  One  writer  remarks,  "  But  it  is  very  singular  that  this  is  the 
proportion  of  the  solar  to  the  lunar  eclipses  visible  above  a  given 
horizon  within  a  given  time  ;  and  such  a  coincidence  certainly  cannot 
be  accidaitair  *  And  more  especially  may  we  believe  this  to  be  the 
case  when  we  remember  that,  as  Seneca  informs  us,t  Conon,  the 
contemporary  of  Archimedes,  had  collected  all  the  eclipses  of  the  sun 
preserved  in  Egypt ;  and  Aristotle  %  mentions  the  Babylonians  and 
Eg>'ptians  as  having  recorded  a  great  number  of  credible  observations. 
Tlierefore  we  feel  no  surprise  when  we  ascertain  upon  calculation, 
that  the  number  of  solar  eclipses  are  just  373,  while  the  lunar  are 
830 — two  facts  which  amply  demonstrate  that  the  Egyptians  reduced 
the  eclipses  in  the  way  we  have  supposed  ;  since  othenvise  the  pro- 
portion would  be  considerably  different. 

Such,  then,  was  the  mystery  of  the  numbers  quoted  by  Diog- 
genes  I^aertius  from  the  priests  of  old  Egypt,  and  it  is  one  which, 
whether  it  found  any  interpreters  in  ancient  times  or  not,  has  most 
effectuafly  served  to  baffle  the  modern  wiseacres  who,  like  the  great 
authority  we  have  cited  so  often,  did  not  hesitate  to  brand  as  mere 
fiction  and  mendacious  humbug  on  the  part  of  the  ancients,  all  that 
such  modern  brains  could  not  understand !  From  which  example  it 
appears  that  the  dead  and  gone  priest  of  ancient  Egj'pt  is  still  able  to 
puzzle  the  scientist  of  modern  I/jndon,  in  the  latter's  most  perfect 
line  of  knowledge.  Our  scientists  are  fond  of  denying  that  there  was 
any  Astronomy  worthy  of  the  name,  even  so  recently  as  2,000  years 
ago  ;  but  if  we  reflect  upon  the  time  which    would  be   necessary   in 

•  Lib.  of  Useful  Kii.,  '•  Xat.  Phil.,"  ed.  1834,  art.,  "Hist,  of  Ast.,"  p.  15.  ~ 
t  **  Quest.  Nat."  lib.  vii.,  c.  3. 
;**DcCoek>,"  lib.  ii.,  c.  12. 


36  'ifhe  Theosophlitt.  [October 

order  to  perfect  the  science  sufficiently  to  reach  the  accurate 
results  here  given,  it  will  appear  that  its  cultivation  must  have 
extended  backwards  for  an  enormous  period,  as  the  next  followng 
instance  will  show  that  it  did. 

Among  all  the  ancient  world  there  was  a  traditional  belief  to 
the  effect  that,  in  some  great  period  of  time  after  the  creation,  there 
would  come  an  end  to  the  earth  ;  and  then  all  things  would  begin 
again  as  they  had  originally  been,  in  the  time  which  they  called  the 
Golden  Age.  They  thought  that  this  enormous  period  was  a  cycle 
in  which  the  sun,  the  moon,  and  all  the  stars  and  planets  would 
return  again  to  the  places  they  had  originally  held  in  the  sky  ;  which 
meant  that  it  was  the  time  in  which  they  went  through  all  their  vari- 
ous aspects  to  the  earth  and  to  each  other.  This  was,  according  to 
the  ancients,  the  lifetime  of  the  earth ;  or  if  not  that,  then  the  period 
in  which  it  would  undergo  a  complete  renewal,  and  all  things 
would  recur  again.  And  they  had  figured  to  themselves,  under 
various  disguises,  what  would  then  take  place — how  that,  on  the  Great 
Day,  all  the  separate  gods  would  be  merged  into  the  one  great  Deity, 
the  Jupiter  Ammon  of  the  old  Greeks  and  Egyptians  ;  alter  which 
the  goddess  Astrsa  would  again  descend  upon  the  earth,  and  the 
Golden  Age  would  begin  afresh. 

And  volumes  have  been  written  to  show  how  the  great  cen- 
tral Deity  of  the  ancients  was  personified  by  the  sun  ;  and  how  the 
planets  were  named  after  the  lesser  gods  whom  they  visibly  re- 
presented ;  while  the  constellation  which  we  call  Virgo  was  the  type 
of  the  goddess  Astraea,  and  perhaps  the  Virgin  of  the  Christian 
churches.  Now  there  are  certain  dates,  ascertainable  by  calculation, 
when  the  constellation  Virgo,  and  the  sun  and  all  the  planets,  are 
found  together  in  the  same  part  of  the  heavens.  And  when  that 
takes  place,  it  appears  as  though  the  stars  and  planets  are  swallowed 
Up  in  the  lighfof  the  sun,  so  that  they  become,  for  the  time,  invisible, 
tt  is  as  thoitgh  the  minor  gods  were  all  merged  in  the  one  great 
Deity. 

It  was  anciently  believed  that  this  position  of  the  sky  had  once 
beett  known  to  occur  ;  but  none  of  our  scientists  have  thought  it 
worth  their  while  to  examine  the  circumstance— for  they  n^ver  sup- 
posed it  was  anything  more  than  a  mere  romance  or  myth.  It  is  an 
ancient  writer  named  Martianus  Capella  who  tells  us  of  it,  and  before 
him  it  was  written  by  Plutarch,  who  lived  in  Rome  during  the  first 
century  after  Christ.  These  both  tell  us  that  the  science  of 
Astronomy  had  been  secretly  studied  for  40,000  years  before  it  was 
made  known  to  the  rest  of  the  world  ;  ♦  and  that  it  was  in  Egypt 
that  all  this  had  taken  place.  They  tell  us  that  there  was  a  great 
festival  once  held  to  commemorate  the  rare  position  of  the  sun  and 
the  stars  and  planets  here  described,  and  that  it  took  place  some 
40,000  years  ago. 

•  Martianus,  Chap,  viii.,  §  81a,  ed»  Kopp,  and  "  Sec.  Doc./*  Vol.  11.,  p.  829,  n.  e. 


1900.]  ThBosophy  and  Socialism.  37 

Of  course  it  will  immediately  be  said  that  if  such  a  jK)sitioM  of 
the  heavens  had  ever  occurred,  the  ancients  in  the  time  of  Plutarch 
could  know  it  only  by  a  back-reckoning  or  retro-calculation  ;  but  if 
this  be  granted,  then  it  becomes  certain  that  their  machinery  of 
calculation  and  knowledge  of  practical  Astronomy  were  as  accurate 
as  our  own — which  is  the  very  point  we  contend  for.  But,  so  far  as 
our  scientists  are  aware,  in  the  time  of  Plutarch,  and  from  then  up  to 
about  a  century  since,  there  were  no  means  available  to  the  ancient 
world  whereby  such  a  calculation  could  have  been  made  ;  simpl>' 
because,  so  far  as  our  scientists  are  aware,  practical  Astronomy  was 
not  then  in  a  state  to  permit  of  any  such  thing  being  done. 

Moreover,  if  by  the  term  a// the  planets,  we  are  to  mean  the 
inclusion  of  those  two  which,  so  far  as  we  have  hitherto  been  aware, 
were  unknown  to  the  ancients — ^and  thus  put  into  the  calculation 
Uranus  and  Neptune,  which  were  only  discovered  by  us  within  the 
last  I20  years — the  result  will  look  still  more  extraordinary,  not  to  say 
impossible  for  our  scientists  to  accept.  Indeed,  without  the  un- 
deniable proof,  they  would  scarcely  treat  such  a  matter  seriousl)*, 
and  might  refuse  to  examine  it  at  all. 

And  yet,  if  we  resort  to  the  latest  astronomical  tables  and 
ephemerides,  the  results  of  all  the  improvements  which  Astronomy 
has  undergone  up  to  this  present  day,  we  shall  reach  a  conclusion 
which  is  remarkable  in  the  extreme.  For  if  by  these  means  we 
calculate  backwards  for  39,833  years  ixom  this  present  year,  A.  J.  C, 
1900,  we  shall  find  that  on  the  day  of  the  mean  vernal  equinox — the 
23rd  of  March — the  whole  of  the  planets,  including  Uranus  and 
Neptune,  were  grouped  closeh'  about  the  sun.  And  that  the  whole 
of  them,  with  the  equinox  itself,  were  included  in  the  stars  of  the 
constellation  Virgo ;  exactly  as  the  ancient  historj',  tradition,  or 
whatever  it  might  be  called,  has  stated  or  implied.* 

{To  be  concluded,) 

SAMUKt  StUART. 


MMkBaaa^M 


rnEOSOPHY  AND  SOCIALISM. 

THOSE  who  have  but  a  superficial  knowledge  of  Theosophy  often 
find  it  diflScult  to  understand  how  it  is  that  theosophists  are 
not  socialists,  for  apparently  to  them  one  of  the  principal  aims  of 
Theosophy  is  to  inculcate  the  teaching  of  the  brotherhood  of  man, 
which  demands  the  exercise  of  the  greatest  possible  unselfishness 
in  all  our  actiofas  and  in  all  dealings  with  our  fellows ;  and  if  such  a 
teaching  be  adopted,  of  ifAveb^en  attempt  to  carry  it  out  as  a  prin- 
ciple, we  surely  must  be  socialists,  and  really  subscribe  to  socialis- 
tic ideals  ;  and  to  an  enquirer  into  Theosophy,  especially  if  he  be  a 


**-* 


>i«*aaai»< 


•  Scc/#ttr.  0/  the  British  Astronomical  Associatton^  Vol.  IX»,  No.  10,  p.  433. 


38  The  Theosophist.  [October 

socialist,  if  you  advocate  the  necessity  of  conditions  that  are  practi- 
cally opposed  to  all  that  the  socialist  strives  for,  and  justify  them, 
Theosophy  no  doubt  presents  contradictions  which  surpass  his 
comprehension,  and  which  may  induce  him  to  leave  it  alone. 

This  is  rather  unfortunate,  and  what  I  would  like  to  do  now  is  to 
properly  define  the  position  of  Theosophy  with  regard  to  Socialism. 

At  the  outset  then  let  it  be  clearly  understood  that  there  is 
nothing  in  Theosophy  opposed  to  Socialism  as  far  as  its  aims  are 
concerned,  and  that  Theosophy  approves  of  the  socialist,  and  ap- 
plauds his  good  w^ork ;  but  Theosophy  points  out  to  the  socialist 
certain  factors  which  he  fails  to  take  sufficiently  into  account,  and 
which  if  realized  would  not  cause  him  to  relax  his  endeavours  for 
the  welfare  of  society,  but  reveal  to  him  the  urgency  of  altering  his 
attitude,  causing  him  to  divert  his  useful  power  and  energy  into 
other  and  more  profitable  channels  for  the  ultimate  attainment  of 
his  long-looked  for  result. 

Now  we  all  hear  of  Socialism,  and  no  doubt  we  all  talk  of  it, 
but  do  we  all  know^  what  it  is  ?  My  first  duty  is  to  try  to  put  before 
you  a  very  brief  exposition  of  what  it  means,  and  w*hat  are  its  ideals. 
This  is  necessary  in  order  to  treat  the  subject  fully  and  fairly,  and  to 
enable  others  to,  who  think  differently  from  us  ;  pointing  out  where 
they  think  we  are  in  error,  asvve  take  the  liberty  of  pointing  out  to 
them  where  we  consider  they  are  wrong  in  criticising  our  philosophy ; 
and  in  this  way  the  two  different  modes  of  thought  become  more 
mutually  interesting  and  instructive. 

Socialism  is  the  exact  reverse  of  Individualism.  Socialism  de- 
mands the  same  rights  and  pri\nleges  for  one  man  as  for  another ; 
it  does  not  mean  by  this  that  all  men  are  equal — it  recognises  that 
there  must  be  differences— but  that  all  men  should  have  equal  op- 
portunities, which  it  contends  they  are  not  favored  with  under  our 
present  social  S3'Stem.  To  achieve  this  happier  condition  of 
things  socialists  hold  that  the  state  should  be  the  owner  of 
nearly  all  property— not  that  private  ow^nership  should  be  en- 
tirely abolished,  but  that  it  should  be  done  away  with  in 
connection  with  those  things  on  which  the  people  are  dependent 
for  the  necessaries  of  life,  and  which  afford  the  means  of  productive 
labour.  There  is  thus  a  distinction  made  between  social  property 
and  personal  property,  *•  Socialism  being  the  theory  which  declares 
that  there  shall  be  no  private  property  in  the  materials  which  are 
necessary  for  the  production  of  wealth."  This  contention  applies 
to  what  are  termed  raw  and  wrought  materials  ;  the  difference 
between  the  two  being  this  :  the  raw  material  is  that  which  nature 
provides,  such  as  the  land  and  the  mineral  wealth  in  the  land  ;  the 
wrought  material  is  that  raw  material  converted  into  man's  use  by 
the  skill  and  labour  he  employs  upon  it.  To  elucidate  the  meaning 
vf  this  we  might  take  an   instance   that  is  given  of  a  marsh  that, 


1900.]  Theosophy  and  Socialism.  39 

as  it  stands,  as  nature  gives  it,  may  be  regarded  as  raw  material ; 
but  if  it  be  drained  and  cultivated  its  value  is  greatly  enhanced,  and 
it  can  therefore  come  under  the  designation  of  wrought  material. 

What  I  have  said  shows  the  necessity  of  the  land  being  national- 
ized ;  and  under  the  new  system,  great  monoplies,  such  as  min- 
ing and  the  railwaj-s,  should  be  resumed  by  the  state  and  deliberately 
taken  out  of  the  hands  of  private  individuals,  as  also  life  and  fire 
insurance,  the  lighting  of  cities,  tramways,  water-supply,  etc.,  etc. 
The  capital  produced  from  all  these  enterprises  and  works  should,  in 
the  hands  of  the  state,  be  owned  collectively  by  the  community  or  by 
the  society.  Of  course  the  capitalist  is  regarded  as  a  more  or  less 
useless  member  of  societ}-,  and  his  light  would  be  extinguished — 
that  is  to  say,  he  would  be  deprived  of  his  wealth,  which  would  be 
taken  over  by  the  state,  and  would  probably  receive  a  comparatively 
small  annuity  by  way  of  compensation. 

The  present  competition  we  now  experience  would  be  replaced 
by  co-operation,  it  being  held  that  free  competition  is  impossible 
where  capitalists  and  monopolists  flourish,  and  freedom  of  contract 
between  those  favored  with  wealth  and  the  proletariat  being  out 
of  the  question  when  the  latter  have  to  more  or  less  accept  the  form- 
er's terms,  compelled  thereto  by  the  absolute  necessity  of  securing 
the  means  of  subsistence.  And  the  state  as  the  holder  of  the  wealth 
would  be  able  to  find  work  for  all  at  a  satisfactory  wage ;  there 
would  be  no  one  amassing  huge  priv^ate  fortunes  ;  no  aristocracy 
living  in  idleness,  luxury  and  uselessness,  emplo^-ing  their  wealth 
merel^*^  as  it  suited  them,  and  not  providing  an  outlet  for  labour. 
This  would  largely  tend  to  abolish  poverty  and  there  would  be 
afforded  that  liberty  which  is  essential  for  true  progress,  because 
then  the  people  generally  would  have  greater  leisure  and  more  com- 
forts, and  would  be  given  the  opportunity  of  acquiring  better  educa- 
tion, enabling  each  one  to  develop  according  to  whatever  powers  he 
may  possess  within  himself,  which,  under  the  individualistic 
society  of  our  da}- ,  is  held  to  be  impossible. 

To  one  who  is  not  a  socialist  it  would  seem  that  the 
state  would  **  do  everything  and  interfere  with  everything,*' 
but  it  is  said  that  this  is  not  so  ;  that  **  there  would  be  an  organiza- 
tion elected  by  the  people,  responsible  to  the  people,  removable  by 
the  people,  which  should  administer  for  the  general  good  the  mate- 
rial for  the  production  of  wealth  in  the  country.  But  such  a  state, 
or  rather  the  executive  of  such  a  state,  would  be  nothing  mor^  than 
a  body  or  bodies  of  officers  elected  by  the  people,  much  as  your 
Municipalities  are  now  elected  to  discharge  certain  functions  for 
the  benefit  of  the  towns  or  business  they  administer." 

At  the  present  time  socialists  are  only  putting  forward  what 
they  wish  to  bring  about,  and  their  aim  now  is  to  educate  the  mass 
of  the  people  up  to  their  way  of  thinking,  and  then  when   they  are 


40  The  Theosophigt.  [October 

in  the  majority,  to  revolutionize  society  on  their  particular  lines  ; 
they  do  not  go  so  far  as  yet  (and  wisely  so)  as  to  exactly  say  by  what 
processes  or  by  what  methods  they  will  alter  the  existing  state  of 
things,  but  content  themselves  with  waiting  until  such  time  (and 
they  do  not  expect  that  time  is  so  very  far  distant)  as  they  are  in  a 
position  to  give  effect  to  their  ideas,  and  then  the}'  will  talk  about 
how  to  give  them  practical  shape. 

Now  what  I  like  about  Socialism  is  what  I  consider  is  its 
optimism,  for  socialists  necessarily  must  be  imbued  with  an  ex- 
ceptionally strong  belief  in  the  right  adjustment  of  things  if 
people  generally  could  only  be  brought  to  their  way  of  thinking  ; 
and  while  we  can  all  cordially  approve  of  their  ideals,  and  with 
them  wish  to  carr>'  those  ideals  into  effect,  we  recognise  that  their 
realization  by  t4ie  mass — that  is  by  society — cannot  be.  In  saying 
that,  I  am  speaking  as  a  student  of  Theosophy  ;  of  that  philosophy 
which  leads  us  into  the  depths  of  knowledge  concerning  the 
evolution  of  each  individual  member  of  society,  and  thereby  directly 
rev^eals  to  us  the  futility  of  placing  that  faith  in  human  nature  as  do 
the  socialists. 

Socialism  proclaims  the  conditions  that  must  be  secured  if  we 
are  to  have  universal  contentment  and  happiness,  and  expresses 
its  conviction  that  all  that  is  required  is  to  induce  the  mass  of 
humanity  to  agree  to  that— to  be  as  firmly  convinced  of  it  as  it  is  it- 
self— to  at  once  ameliorate  the  lot  of  mankind.  This  profound  con\nc- 
tion,  this  profound  belief,  has  to  do  it,  and  human  nature  seems  to 
be  too  much,  if  not  altogether,  overlooked;  and  to  show  how 
even  the  socialists  themselves — ardent  and  true  as  they  may  be  in  all 
they  strive  for — are  unfit  for  their  ideal  state,  I  might  mention  that 
in  a  reliable  work  I  have  just  been  reading  on  Socialism,  in  reply 
to  a  question  as  to  how  capitalists  and  others  were  to  be  deprived  of 
their  possessions,  the  socialist  replied  that  those  possessions  would 
either  have  to  be  seized  or  paid  for  ;  it  is  difficult  to  know  how  they 
could  be  paid  tor,  but  that  is  not  the  point.  The  point  is  that  the 
socialist,  apparently,  is  prepared  to  commit  an  act  of  violence 
(namely,  the  seizure  of  what  another  owns)  in  order  to  give  effect 
to  his  scheme.  **  It  may  be  argued  that  the  wealthy  man  may  not 
have  earned  his  wealth,  and  may  have  inherited  it,  and  it  therefore 
is  not  rightly  his  but  belongs  to  all ;  even  then  the  act  seems  hardly 
right."  We,  however,  also  have  it  distinctly  stated  that  in  the 
case  where  the  wealthy  man  has  amassed  his  wealth  by  his  own 
exertions  and  toil,  the  socialist  would  take  away  his  wealth,  but 
as  he  had  worked  for  it,  would  allow  him  a  small  annuity  as 
compensation.  Now,  whether  we  approve  of  this  or  not  it  does  not 
perhaps  much  matter,  l)ut  the  fact  that  this  seizure  would  have 
to  be  made  and  the  fact  that  those  who  would  do  the  seizing  not 
only  are  capable  of  committing    that  act  of  violence,  but  regard 


1900.]  Theosophy  and  Socialism.  41 

those  whom  they  would  thus  deprive  of  their  possessions  as 
thiev^es  and  robbers  (at  least  so  they  are  characterized)  seem  to  be 
clear  indications  of  the  further  fact  that  neither  of  them  (that  is 
the  socialist  and  the  so-called  wealthy  robber)  are  yet  fit  to  be 
members  of  a  society  tliat,  to  be  permanent  and  generally  contented, 
requires  as  an  absolute  essential  to  its  success,  that  harmonj''  shall 
exist  by  virtue  of  the  higher  development  of  our  lower  human 
nature ;  and,  to  carry  the  argument  to  its  logical  conclusion,  does  it 
not  stand  to  reason  that  if  the  majority  (what  we  will  call  the 
masses)  deprived  the  classes  of  rights  and  privileges  and  posses- 
sions which  they  had  always  held  in  enjoj^ment,  the  society  would 
naturallj"  form  itself  into  two  factions,  and  seething  discontent 
would  remain  instead  of  being  eradicated. 

It  may  be  contended  that  this  discontented  minority  would  in 
time  come  to  conform  to  the  general  rules  of  the  new  societ5%  and 
therefore  harmony  would  come  in  time  when  under  the  new  social 
arrangements  everything  was  found  to  work  as  smoothly  and 
satisfactorily  as  contemplated.  Exaggerated  optimism  dies  ;  but  we 
are  told  that  socialists  do  not  overlook  the  weaknesses  of  human 
nature,  and  that  they  advocate  Socialism  because  they  do  not  take 
an  optmistic  view  of  it.  They  acknowledge  man's  inherent  selfish- 
ness, and  they  maintain  that  their  aim  is  to  take  from  him  the  possi- 
bility of  living  upon  his  brother  by  making  him  work  for  anything 
he  may  desire  to  have ;  **  and  therefore  to  do  away  with  the  oppor- 
tunities of  the  living  on  other  persons  which  human  selfishness, 
wealth  and  greed  will  most  certainly  take  advantage  of."  Accord- 
ing to  this  doctrine,  then,  man  is  to  be  so  kept  out  of  temptation  that 
these  vicious  propensities  cannot  find  expression.  Then  comes  the 
question,  if  he  has  to  go  along  in  that  way  without  practically  any 
separate  struggling  or  overcoming  on  his  part,  in  the  first  place 
why  did  not  God  create  man  perfect  at  once,  and  in  the  second 
place  how  is  it  that  nature  has  so  fashioned  this  world  that  apparent- 
ly inequality  and  struggling  are  the  principal  and  most  prominent 
features  of  all  her  handiwork  ? 

The  individual  has  to  be  taken  into  account,  and  the  individual 
must  have  scope  for  growth.  The  socialist  may  reply  that  his 
state  will  afford  that  scope  ;  but  that,  as  I  have  already  indi- 
cated, is  open  to  question  and  I  do  not  see  how  it  would,  because 
Socialism  requires  too  much  of  the  state  and  too  little  of  the  indi- 
vidtml ;  the  individual  has  to  suppress  himself  for  the  benefit  of  the 
whole*  It  is  of  no  use  for  the  socialist  to  argue  that  each  member  of 
the  society  has  to  work  ;  he  has  to  work  but  the  state  finds  the  work 
for  him  ;  it  feeds  and  nurses  him  ;  he  is  not  thrown  on  his  own 
resources  ;  his  individuality  cannot  grow  because  he  has  nothing  to 
compete  against,  for  bj^  means  of  co-operation  he  would  lean  upon 
others  and  they  would  leain  upon  him  ;  there  can  be  no  self-depen- 
dence in  that. 
6 


42  The  Theosophist.  [October 

Further  than  that,  if  Socialism  could  not  find  work  for  all,  it 
would  have  to  feed  the  hungry,  and  the  chances  are  that  in  those 
•times  many  would  come  to  loaf  on  the  state  instead  of  struggling  to 
look  for  something  on  their  own  account.  This  may  seem  an  exag- 
gerated view,  but  we  must  bear  in  mind  that  if  the  state  is  not  to 
feed  the  worthless  and  the  hungry,  you  must  take  steps  to  deal  with 
the  question  of  population.  Some  socialists  (I  believe  not  all)  admit 
that  as  a  problem  which  would  have  to  be  faced.  It  cannot  very 
well  be  met  by  law  for  what  law  could  possibly  insist  on  parents 
having  so  many  children*  and  no  more  ;  j^et  something  would 
have  to  be  done,  and  if,  as  we  are  told,  •*  Socialists  will  be  forced  to 
understand  that  children  are  a  burden  on  the  community,"  another 
very  telling  blow  is  struck  at  individual  growth  and  development, 
because  in  that  case  parental  control  and  responsibility  would  be 
wanting,  and  to  relieve  parents  of  their  sacred  obligations  with 
respect  to  their  offspring  would,  to  my  mind,  tend  to  bring  about 
a  calamitous  state  of  things.  It  is  no  doubt  the  parents  in  the 
family  and  the  family  in  the  state  that  make  for  the  greatness  of  a 
nation. 

The  theosophist  sees  this  flaw  in  the  socialistic  scheme  and 
objects  to  it,  because  while  he  may  admit  that  a  very  large  percent- 
age of  the  distress  of  the  world  may  be  due  to  the  improv- 
idence of  parents  with  regard  to  the  size  of  their  families, 
his  philosophy  points  directly  to  the  sure  and  certain  danger  that 
must  result  from  endeavouring  to  deal  with  that  all  important 
matter  by  a  legal  enactment.  It  can  only  be  successfully 
dealt  with  by  the  individuals  themselves.  If  they  have  free-will, 
if  they  are  free  agents,  this  must  be  so,  and  anything  that  has  a 
tendency  to  prevent  a  man  from  acting  as  a  free  agent  must  be 
wrong.  The  population  question  therefore  can  only  be  settled  by 
the  people  themselves  individually,  and  if  under  our  present  system 
more  children  come  into  the  world  than  can  be  properly  provided 
for  and  reared,  how  much  more  would  this  evil  be  intensified  if  par- 
ental responsibility  is  not  to  be  recognised  as  we  recognise  it  now  } 

From  the  theosophical  standpoint  such  a  condition  which 
would  lead  to  the  destruction  of  the  family  and  the  family  life,  is 
impossible  of  realization,  because  our  knowledge  tells  us  that 
some  of  the  very  best  experience  that  each  one  of  us  as  individ- 
uals acquires,  is  in  that  particular  direction ;  and  it  is  what  I  might 
call  an  institution  of  nature  or  of  God  whereby  Egos,  on  the  theory 
of  re-incarnation,  again  come  into  direct  and  special  relationship 
with  those  with  whom  they  have  been  in  close  contact  before,  whom 
they  have  loved  before  or  may  have  had  other  experiences  with 
which  necessitated  their  coming  together  to  develop  in  them  those 
faculties  of  mind  and  qualities  of  character  which  are  the  outcome 
of  friendship  and  love  on  the  one  hand  and  of  hatred  and  the  want 
of  fellowship  on  the  other.    Without  the  existence  of  the  family 


190D.]  Thdosophy  and  Socialism.  43 

these  souls  might  come  into  the  world  and  not  have  the  opportunity 
of  meeting  together  in  any  exceptional  way  and  recognising  each 
other — as  often  they  do  by  sudden   mutual  attraction  or  antipathy. 

By  meansof  the  family,  then,  old  causes  set  up  in  previous  lives 
can  be  and  are  adjusted  between  its  members,  and  it  is  an  institu- 
tion that  can  never  be  done  without,  and  in  the  light  of  Theosophy 
it  is  regarded  as  a  sacred  institution,  which  must  exist  because 
nature,  as  I  have  just  shown,  says  it  must.  Thus  any  proposition 
that  would  take  children  out  of  the  family  by  making  their  main- 
tenance the  duty  of  the  state,  the  theosophist  must  scout  as  pre- 
posterous. 

We  can  sympathise  with  the  socialist  when  he  declaims  against 
the  evils  of  over-competition,  and  admit  those  evils,  agreeing  that 
if  co-operation  could  be  properly  carried  out,  apparently  much 
miser>'  and  distress  would  be  mitigated  ;  but  what  does  Theosophy 
prove  to  us  even  more  than  modern  science  (and  that  is  convincing 
enough) :  that  we  are  in  a  world  the  conditions  of  which  render 
competition  absolutely  necessary'  and  aiford  but  little  scope  for  co- 
operation—I mean  the  wholesale  co  operation  required  by  the 
socialist ;  and  then  that  co-operation  would  be  something  enforced 
by  the  state  ;  it  would  not  necessarily  be  the  spontaneous,  volun- 
tary' expression  of  the  nature  of  men  ;  it  would  rather  be  something 
to  which  they  would  have  to  conform  by  a  written  law,  and 
therefore  would  not  work,  as  is  exemplified  in  the  socialist's  decla- 
ration that  **  the  percentage  of  profits  should  be  fixed  by  laAv." 

The  struggle  for  existence,  natural  selection— laws  immutable  I 
Can  we  bring  our  intelligence  to  bear  in  such  a  way  as  to  practically 
counteract  the  effect  of  these  laws  on  ourselves,  if  we  cannot  do 
anything  to  ameliorate  the  condition  of  the  lower  creatures  ?  Two 
replies  come  to  that  question.  One  from  the  socialist  who,  in  effect, 
says  that,  given  equal  chances,  equal  opportunities,  one  man  the 
same  rights  and  privileges  as  another,  every  one  all  the  while 
recognising  that  no  one  is  in  any  way  entitled  to  more  than  another, 
then  in  that  state  of  mutual  help  among  the  members  of  such  a 
society,  the  savage  law  of  the  survival  of  the  fittest  can  no  longer 
apply  to  man — not  at  any  rate  as  it  has  been  doing  for  so  long  in 
the  history  of  humanity. 

The  other  reply  from  Theosophy  is  equally  emphatic  in  largely 
agreeing  with  the  socialist,  but  it  is  more  cautious,  and  adds  to  its 
declaration  the  fact  that  nature's  processes  cannot  be  turned  from 
their  course ;  that  any  human  arrangement,  which  must  be  arbi- 
trary, may  produce  different  conditions,  and  may  work  satisfactorily 
according  to  human  ideas  of  what  is  right  and  proper  ;  but  those 
conditions  cannot  last ;  and  if  they  did  there  would  be  an  end  to 
human  progress.  Why  ?  Because  it  is  now  proved  beyond  all  cavil 
that  progress  is  the  result   of  evolution,  and  you  cannot  possibly 


44  The  Theosophtst.  [Ootobei" 

have  evolution  and  equality,  the  one  simply  contradicts  the  other, 
point  blank,  though  it  is  only  fair  to  say  that  socialists  claim  that 
they  are  socialists  because  they  are  evolutionists.  They  '*  see  that 
society  is  evoWng  in  the  direction  of  socigjjsm,  and  that  the 
tendency  of  the  most  radical  legislation  is  to  prouiQte  the  growth 
of  socialism."  That  I  do  not  dispute— in  fact  I  admit  that  many 
reforms,  which  are  claimed  to  be  socialistic,  have  of  late  j-ears  come 
into  operation  ;  but  what  must  be  borne  in  mind  is  the  development 
of  the  individual  in  the  state,  and  if  conditions  now  exist  which  I 
say  are  claimed  as  socialistic  then  it  must  also  be  remembered  that 
it  is  not  Socialism  that  has  given  those  conditions,  but  our  present 
day  Indi\4dualism  ;  and  the  contention  further  is  that  under  whole- 
sale Socialism  undiluted  by  Individualism,  and  what  seems  to  be  its 
enormities,  the  members  of  society  would  remain  stationary  and 
unprogressive. 

We  must  understand  that  society  is  made  up  of  units— units  of 
men,  that  is,  bodies  containing  souls,  those  "  souls  though  eternal 
in  their  essence  being  of  diflferent  ages  in  their  individuality  "  ;  and 
if  that  be  so,  and  if,  as  Herbert  Spencer  most  wisely  declares,  "  the 
character  of  the  aggregate  (that  is  of  the  society)  is  determined  by 
the  characters  of  the  units  (that  is  of  the  individuals),"  each 
individual  having  to  develop  his  individuality  in  his  own  particular 
way,  there  can  be  no  possible  chance  in  this  world  of  anything  but 
inequality,  and  what  may  seem,  looking  at  the  outside  of  things, 
general  injustice. 

I  quote  this  from  Spencer's  fine  work  on  Sociology  :  **  cardinal 
traits  in  societies  are  determined  by  cardinal  wants  in  man  "  ;  just  so, 
and  if  the  society  is  selfish  and  corrupt  it  is  because  the  units  of 
men  composing  that  society  are  selfish  and  corrupt  in  their  own 
individual  natures. 

Following  that  I  quote  Mrs.  Besant's  statement  that  **  we  have 
learned  that  a  man  must  not  use  his  muscles  to  plunder  his 
neighbor  ;  we  have  yet  to  learn  that  he  must  not  use  his  brains  to 
that  same  ^d."  Quite  true;  and  how  long  has  it  taken  man  to 
learn  that  the  physically  weaker  are  not  to  be  robbed  by  the 
physically  stronger  ?  Even  now  it  is  not  the  whole  of  a  civilized 
society  that  has  learned  that  first  lesson — indeed  a  very  large 
minority  would  still  wrest  from  the  remainder  all  its  possessions 
were  it  not  restrained  by  force ;  and  as  long,  and  even  longer,  will  it 
take  man  to  learn  that  his  brain  should  be  used  for  a  nobler  purpose 
than  taking  advantage  of  his  fellows  ;  and,  as  in  the  case  of  the 
physical  development,  all  the  members  of  society  will  not  reach  that 
level  at  once,  there  being  a  general  current  of  evolution  from  the 
lowest  to  the  highest,  and  that  evolutionary  progress  is  made  by 
each  individual  separately,  step  by  step,  stage  by  stage ;  it  is  a 
development  going  on  within  the  man  himself :  and  this  principle 
on  which  nature  works  prevents  there  being  a  universal  state  of 


1900.3  The  Logos.  -45 

equality  or  harmony,  or  indeed  anything  approaching  it.  Some 
must  always  be  ahead  of  others,  and  those  in  front,  the  noblest 
and  the  best,  compfising  the  flower  of  humanity  (that  is  speaking 
comparatively),  who  should  always  constitute  the  rulers  by  virtue  of 
their  superior  mental  and  moral  power,  must  ever  be  in  the  minority. 

A.  E.  Wkbb. 
( To  be  concluded,^ 


THE  LOGOS. 
*•  Who  by  searching  can  find  out  God  ?  '* 

Oh  mortal,  think  not  with  thy  puny  mind, 

Engrossed  with  trifles  of  this  lower  world, 

Thou  canst  conceive  the  Universe  of  God, 

Or  fathom  that  which  is  unfathomable, 

Soar  to  those  mighty  heights,  or  reach  the  depths 

Where  He  abides,  Creator  of  the  spheres. 

Alone  in  glorious  majesty  He  reigns, 

Nor  will  He  brook  the   foolish,  prying  gaze 

Of  him  who  questions,  with  no  higher  aim 

Than  just  to  satisfy  a  curious  mood — 

The  wka^  and  wAo  He  is,  and  whence  we  came, 

And  why  and  Aow  He  made  this  world  of  ours — 

From  such  an  one  He  hides  his  gifacious  £ace. 

Envelopes  it  in  MSya's  filmy  veil, 

And  bids  him  wait ;  he  is  not  ready  yet, 

Or  worthy  to  receive  the  hidden  truths 

Of  that  which  is  unknowable.  Divine  ; 

But  if  with  reverent  awe  and  humble  mind 

Ye  seek  an  entrance  to  His  Outer  Court, 

And  fain  would  learn  things  now  beyond  thy  ken, 

Pause — search  into  the  depths  of  thine  own  self. 

And  purify  thy  body,  heart  and  s6uT, 

Lest  haply  aught  of  evil  linger  there : 

Pass  in  review  thy  thoughts,  intents,  desires— 

TAese  purify.    Allow  no  thought  of  self 

To  sully  that  which  otherwise  were  pure  ; 

•Tis  only  noble  aims  for  others'  sake — 

Fair  *'  charity" — that  can  unlock  the  gate 

Of  this  sweet  paradise.    And  would'st  thou  pass 

Beyond  and  further  penetrate — the  key 

That  next  will  be  required  is,  **  harmony 

In  word  and  act"  ;  a  fair  and  beauteous  one 

Is  this  ;  it  opens  wide  the  hearts  of  men 

And  angels,  and  it  smooths  thy  ^onward  way. 

To  work  wtiA  Nature's  laws  is  best,  thou'lt  find, 


46  the  theosophist.  [October 

But  she  is  coy,  and  does  not  willingly 

Betray  her  secrets.    To  discover  these 

And  help  thee  bear  the  innumerably  trials 

That  must  assail  thee  if  thou  tread 'st  the  Path, 

Thou    needest    "  patience/^  that   sweet    grace    that 

nought 
Upon  this  earth  can  ruffle ;  but  alas !  I  fear 
'Twill  take  us  long  to  gain  such  master}-, 
And  oft  the  key  will  drop  from  out  our  grasp  ; 
**  Indifp'rence  "  then,  to  pleasure  and  to  pain  ; 
The  seeing  each  in  each  and  Truth  in  all, 
Thou  next  should'st  seek ;  and  if  thou   would'st  not 

fail 
In  this  thy  quest  for  wisdom  and  for  truth, 
Use  thou  these  various  keys  with  dauntless  force. 
"  ViRVA,"  the  Energy  that  fights  its  way 
To  TRUTH  through  every  obstacle  and  snare, 
Shall  aid  thee  on  thy  way  to  overcome ; 
And  when  these  battles  thou  hast  fairly  won. 
And  stand  as  victor,  thou  shalt  worthy  be 
To  seek  those  other,  higher  steps  which  lead 
Unto  that  state  where  all  shall  be  revealed — 
What  now  no  voice  can  utter,  now  no  eye 
Can  see — then,  earnest  student,  in  due  time 
Thy  God  shall  manifest  himself  in  thee. 

**  In  that  day  ye  shall  know  that  I  am  in  My  Father,  and  ye  in 
Me  and  I  in  you." 

Om  mani  padme  hum. 

E.J.  B. 


A}i  ASTRAL  PICTURE. 

[In  a  recent  issue  of  the  Afadras  Mail  (Stpt.  ist)  a  contributor 
narrates  with  lucid  and  startling  vividness,  the  strange  story 
which  we  copy  hereunder — thinking  it  will  be  found  interesting  to 
psychic  students.  It  may  have  been  in  the  main  an  astral  picture 
which  was,  owing  to  the  peculiar  circumstances  of  the  situation, 
made  visible ;  yet  this  hypothesis  will  hardly  cover  all  the  weird 
incidents  of  this  strange  experience.  However,  the  reader  may  solve 
the  problem  to  suit  himself,  t/he  can.    Ed.] 

NOT  twenty  miles  from  a  well-knoAvn  military  cantonment  in 
Southern  India  there  stands  a  lofty  hill,  starting  up  from  the 
mid.st  of  dense,  heavy  jungle  which  extends  for  miles,  and  clothes  the 
sides  of  the  hill  itself,  with  the  exception  of  the  last  hundred  feet 
below  the  actual  summit,  which  is  grey,  precipitous  rock,  and  can 
only  be  ascended  at  one  or  two  points.    All  round  the  Cantonment 


1900.]  An  Astral  Picture.  47 

at  var3'ing  distances  from  it,  rise  similar  hills,  sOme  in  the  midst  of 
jungle,  and  a  few,  generally  overlooking  villages,  surrounded  by 
cultivation.  Many  of  them  are  crowned  with  the  ruins  of  old  forts 
which  would  be  most  interesting  to  an  antiquary.  That  they  are 
very  old  indeed  is  proved  by  the  fact  that  even  from  educated  natives 
who  know  who  their  great-great-grandfathers  were,  no  authentic 
information  as  to  their  origin  can  be  obtained,  lot  a  vague  sort  of 
way  I  have  been  told  that  they  are  relics  left  by  old  Maharatta 
chieftains  who  used  to  terrorise  the  surrounding  country,  swooping 
down  on  crops  and  villages  as  a  hawk  swoops  on  a  farm3'ard,  and 
retreating  like  birds  of  prey  to  their  eyries  to  count  plunder  and 
prisoners  at  their  leisure.  Many  a  story  of  hidden  wealth  and  blood- 
curdling cruelty  I  have  listened  to  from  aged  shikaris,  when  smoking 
the  pipe  of  peace  round  the  camp  fire  at  night.  Btit  as  these  stories 
have  been  handed  down  from  father  to  son  for  half  a  score  of  genera- 
tions, and  as  the  strong  point  of  the  present  generation  of  ver>'  many 
Indian  shikaris  is  not  truthfulness,  I  paid  but  little  heed  to  them. 
I  have  now,  however,  modified  my  views.  I  have  always  been  a 
rolling  stone,  and  I  fancy  I  shall  be  so  more  or  less  until  I  die. 
There  are  some  men  in  whose  veins  the  blood  of  prehistoric  ancestors, 
who  grubbed  in  the  forest  for  roots,  is  [still  .strong,  and  to  such  men 
the  monotony  and  staid  respectability  of  four  walls  is  an  abomina- 
tion. And  I  heartily  sympathise  with  them.  My  happiest  days  and 
my  most  restful  nights  have  been  spent  under  the  open  sky  of 
heaven,  and,  except  for  a  very  few  native  retainers,  alone. 

On  a  certain  day,  some  ten  years  ago,  I  was  on  a  shikar  trip  in 
the  vicinity  of  the  hill  above  mentioned.  I  was  quite  alone  save  for 
one  ancient  shikari,  who  had  been  strongly  recominended  to  me  by 
the  military  garrison  of  the  neighbouring  station^  and  though  native 
beaters  accompanied  me  during  the  day  they  retired  to  their  villages 
at  night.  On  the  evening  with  which  this  story  is  concerned  I  finish- 
ed my  last  beat  right  under  the  particular  hill  which  I  now  picture  to 
myself  with  a  shuddering  horror.  Sport  had  been  good,  and  I  was 
thoroughly  tired  out.  Thinking  to  save  myself  the  tramp  back  to  camp, 
I  asked  theshikari.whether  it  would  not  be  possible  to  spend  thenight 
in  the  old  fort  on  the  summit — my  camp  was  only  about  three 
miles  away,  so  that.commissariat  arrangements  were  a  simple  matter. 
The  old  fellow  jabbered  away  for  .some  time  to  the  headman  of  a 
neighbouring  village,  and  then  turned  to  me  and  interpreted.  It 
was  not  well,  he  said,  for  the  Presence  to  remain  on  the  hill  all 
night.  Doubtless  the  Heaven-born  was  wear}%  but  the  headman 
had  informed  him  that  evil  spirits  haunted  the  fort  on  the  hill-top» 
and  should  the  light  of  the  Presence  gratify  no  more  his  humble 
eyes,  he  would  assuredly  die.  The  Presence  replied  that,  provided 
there  was  good  water  to  be  obtained  in  the  vicinity,  he  cared  not  a 
cowrie  for  all  the  evil  spirits  of  the  Hindu  demonology,  and  being 
informed  that  drinkable  water  would  {tnirabilc  dicin)  be  found  on 


48  The  Theosophist.  [October 

the  top  of  the  hill,  he  despatched  runners  to  camp  for  provisions,  and 
ascended  the  hill,  accompanied,  under  protest,  by  the  old  shikari. 

Arrived  at  the  summit,  a  few  worn  and  crumbling  steps  led 
through  a  crumbling  archway  on  to  the  actual  top  of  the  hill.  It 
was  a  flat  space  of  perhaps  50  or  60  yards  long  b}-  30  or  40  broad, 
and  was  entirely  surrounded  by  a  marvellously  thick,  although 
roughly  built,  ^vall.  One  or  two  passages  and  gateways  of  the 
ancient  stronghold  were  still  standing,  but  of  late  the  place  had 
evidently  been  used  as  a  shrine,  and  a  small  image  of  the  goddess 
Kali  confronted  me  in  all  its  bideousness,  as  I  turned  off  into  a 
narrow  passage  to  the  left.  Returning  after  some  minutes,  and 
walking  out  on  to  the  small  flat  tableland  of  the  summit,  I  was  sur- 
prised to  see  a  .well-built  reservoir,  about  forty  feet  square  \vith 
stone  steps  leading  down  the  side.  Descending  the  steps  and  tast- 
ing the  water,  it  seemed  to  me  perfectly  fresh  and  pure,  although 
it  struck  me  as  most  singtilar  that  so  powerful  a  spring  should  be  in 
evidence  at  the  top  of  an  almost  vertical  hill,  for  the  sides  were 
very  steep.  Having  inspected  the  old  ruins  narrowly,  I  made  up 
my  mind  to  spend  the  night  in  the  passage  to  the  left  of  the  entrance, 
and  proceeded  to  wait  as  patiently  as  might  be  for  provisions. 
These  .soon  came  and  after  dinner  I  smoked  a  pipe  while  sitting  on 
the  edge  of  the  wall  and  looking  down  a  sheer  precipice  of  a  hun- 
dred feet,  and  out  on  the  waves  of  mighty  forest  stretching  beneath 
me  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach.  The  short  Indian  twilight  rapidly 
merged  into  night,  but  just  as  it  was  growing  really  dark  a  silvery 
radiance  spread  gently  over  the  horizon  of  tree  tops,  and  an  almost 
full  moon  rose.  So  peaceful  was  the  scene,  and  so  sweet  the  breath 
of  the  night  air,  pleasantlj^  cool  at  that  height,  that  I  sank  into  a 
reverie  which  lasted  longer  than  my  pipe.  Rousing  myself  with  a 
start,  T  glanced  towards  the  fire,  about  which  the  shikari  and  a 
couple  of  coolies  liad  been  crouching  an  hour  before.  They  were 
not  to  be  seen,  and  although  I  walked  all  over  the  old  fort  and 
shouted  loudly  I  could  get  no  answer.  They  had  evidently  deserted 
me,  their  superstitious  dread  having  outweighed  their  fears  of 
castigation.  Vowing  that  there  should  be  a  dire  reckoning  on  the 
morrow,  I  proceeded  to  make  my  lonely  vigil  as  comfortable  as 
circumstances  would  permit.  The  situation  was  peculiar  and  even 
somewhat  eerie,  but  not  alarming.  The  neighbouring  jungle  held 
no  tigers  so  far  as  I  knew,  even  panthers  were  scarce,  and  dacoits 
were  unheard  of.  My  nerves  were  strong,  and  I  had  a  flask  of 
whiskey  in  my  tiffin  basket  which  had  been  left  behind  bj'  mj' 
perfidious  retainers.  So,  after  another  pipe  and  a  final  peg,  I  lay 
down  with  Kali's  image  for  my  bed-head,  and  was  soon  asleep. 

How  long  I  slept  I  do  not  know,  but  I  woke  suddenly,  and  with 
all  my  faculties  at  once  upon  the  alert.  It  seemed  to  me  that  I  had 
been  awakened  by  a  sound  of  some  sort,  though  of  what  description 
I  cottld  not  say,  and  I  listened  intently.  For  some  moments  nothing 


1900.3  An  Astral  Picture.  40 

reached  my  ears  but  the  buzz  of  a  few  high-flying  mosquitoes  and 
the  faint  rustle  of  the  nigbt  breeze,  and  I  was  upon  the  point  of 
sinking  back  on  my  blanket  when  I  distinctly  heard  a  voice  speak- 
ing not  twenty  yards  from  where  I  lay.  I  marvelled  greatly  what 
manner  of  human  beings  would  seek  such  a  placie  at  such  an  hour, 
and,  sooth  to  say,  my  loneliness  and  the  antiquity  of  my  surround- 
ings caused  the  shikari's  evil  spirits  to  recur  somewhat  persistently 
to  my  mind.  Pulling  myself  together,  however,  I  again  listened, 
and  a  second  voice  replied  to  the  first.  Peering  cautiously  forth  I 
looked  in  the  direction  of  the  sounds.  The  moon  was  now  high  in 
the  heavens,  objects  were  almost  as  clearly  defined  as  by  daylight, 
and  this  is  what  I  saw*  Two  men  were  standing  upon  the  parapet 
of  the  crumbling  wall,  and  conversing  in  low  tones.  The  language 
used  was  some  ancient  dialect  of  Hindustani,  and  I  could  not 
understand  much  that  was  said,  but  I  gathered  enough  to  learn 
that  they  w^ere  discussing  a  recent  raid  on  a  neighbouring  village. 
Each  man  was  armed  with  a  sword  and  a  rough  description  of  lance, 
and,  so  far  as  I  could  understand,  the  affray  referred  to  had  occurred 
on  the  previous  day. 

Now  raids  and  dacoities  were  things  that  had  been  unknown  in 
the  district  for  years,  and,  as  I  looked  and  listened,  a  feeling  crept 
over  me  that  the  scene  I  was  watching  was  very  uncanny.  IV/ia/ 
in  the  name  of  the  gods  were  these  men  ?  They  were  unlike  an3' 
that  I  had  ever  seen  in  India,  being  fairer  and  of  a  finer  build  than 
either  the  Mahratta  or  the  Hindu  of  to-day.  Their  black  hair  hung  in 
wild  elf-locks  round  their  evil  faces,  and  their  bearing  was  that  of 
irregular  soldiery.  Petrified  with  astonishment,  I  lay  scarcely  daring  to 
breathe,  and  trying  to  a.ssure  myself  that  I  was  dreaming  and  should 
soon  wake.  But  even  as  I  argued  with  myself,  down  the  old  passage 
came  the  tramp  of  feet,  and  half-a-dozen  more  men,  similar  in  appear- 
ance to  the  first  I  had  seen,  rapidly  approached.  I  strove  to  spring  up 
and  shout,  but  my  tongue  clove  to  my  palate,  and  I  felt  as  though  a 
heavy  weight  were  pressing  me  down.  The  men  drew  near — now 
they  were  upon  me— and,  expecting  each  moment  to  be  discovered 
aiKl  seized,  /saw  them  pass  straight  aver  me  as  I  lay  upon  my  blanket, 
and  felt  nothing  !  The  horror  of  the  moment  surpassed  anything 
that  I  have  experienced  before  or  since,  and  I  fainted.  Coming  to 
myself  after  a  time— how  long  I  know  not — I  saw  a  knot  of  men  clus- 
tered together  on  the  parapet  of  the  wall  at  a  point  where  it  widened 
out,  and  became  in  fact  a  sort  of  platform.  On  the  ground  beside 
the  men  lay  a  huddled  heap  which  I  quickly  made  out  to  be  cap- 
tives, both  men  and  women,  bound  and  helpless.  Those  in  charge 
of  them  were  evidently  awaiting  something  or  spmeone,  and,  as  I 
looked,  the  e^^pected  occurred,  and  the  arrival  took  place.  From 
an  opposite  passage  came  a  stunted  human  form,  which  proceeded 
shamblingly  towards  the  group  assembled  on  the  platform.  As  it 
did  so,  all  around  made  obeisance, x^nd  a  rough  sort, of  wooden  seat 

7 


50  The  Theosophist.  [October 

was  brought  forward.  The  new  comer  dropped  into  it,  turning 
squarely  towards  me  in  doing  so,  and  never  so  long  as  I  live,  shall 
I  forget  that  face.  It  was  not  that  the  man  was  old,  was  ugly,  was 
deformed,  though  he  was  all  these  ;  it  was  the  hideous  cruelty, 
sensuality,  greed,  hate  and  every  other  evil  passion  which  stamped 
those  devilish  features.  The  thick  sensual  lips,  the  huge  beast-like 
ears,  the  cruel  sneering  eyes,  the  leering  ghoulish  expression,  and, 
finally,  the  very  evident  fact  that  the  man  had  been  either  de- 
signedly, or  by  accident,  twisted  almost  out  of  semblance  to  the 
human  shape,  made  up  a  personality  of  horror  which  could  have 
shamed  that  of  a  fiend. 

A  woman  was  dragged  forward  from  the  huddled  up  heap  and 
placed  before  the  deformed  thing  on  the  seat.  Gold  ornaments 
shone  on  her  neck  and  arms,  and  these  were  stripped  off,  evidently 
by  order  of  the  chief.  After  a  few  questions,  which  were  answered 
tremblingly  bj'  the  captive,  she  was  put  aside,  and  a  male  prisoner 
took  her  place.  With  scarcely  a  glance  of  the  man,  the  horrible 
monstrosity  in  the  judgment  seat  waved  a  hand,  and  with  my  hair 
rising  on  my  head  I  beheld  the  poor  wretch  hurled  from  the  plat- 
form over  the  precipice.  I  tell  you,  I  distinctly  heard  the  despair- 
ing shriek  and  the  crash  of  the  body  as  it  struck  the  rocks  a  hundred 
feet  below.  Captive  after  captive  was  now  brought  forward,  and 
despoiled,  the  women  being  placed  on  one  side  of,  and  the  men 
hurled  over,  the  cliff.  Eventually,  however,  a  young  and  peculiarly 
beautiful  girl  was  dragged  out.  She  was  evidently  of  some  local 
rank,  her  bearing  was  superior,  and  the  jewels  upon  her  face  and 
neck  gleamed  brightly  in  the  moonlight.  To  this  girl  the  horror  in 
the  seat  addressed  many  remarks,  in  a  grunting,  guttural  tone,  she 
answering  with  evident  abhorrence  and  dread.  Her  interlocutor 
seemed  gradually  to  work  himself  into  a  violent  passion,  for, 
suddenly  springing  from  his  seat,  he  appeared  about  to  rush  upon 
her,  but,  changing  his  mind,  gave  a  sharp  order  to  his  men  and  sat 
down  again.  Instantly  the  gleaming  gems  were  torn  from  the  girl's 
person,  and  she  herself  was  hurried  towards  the  brink  of  the  abyss. 
Paralysed  with  horror,  and  weak  from  my  fainting  fit,  I  had  so  far 
lain  a  passive  spectator  of  the  scene,  my  dread  of  something  super- 
natural half-forgotten  in  my  rapt  amazement  at  what  was  appa- 
rently taking  place  before  my  eyes.  But  at  the  sight  of  that  lovely 
girl  forced  shrieking  and  struggling  towards  the  giddy  edge, 
mechanically,  and  hardly  knowing  what  I  did,  I  lifted  my  express 
rifle  w^hich  lay  beside  me,  and  fired  full  at  the  chest  of  the  beast-like 
form  in  the  seat.  As  I  did  so,  a  cloud  passed  over  the  face  of  the 
moon,  and  there  was  a  howl  like  that  of  a  wounded  wild  beast,  while 
the  ail*  about  me  seemed  full  of  rushing  wings  and  evil  cries.*  Once 
more  I  lost  consciousness,  and  knew  no  more  until  I  found  mjrselt 

*  This  is  the  weakest  point   in   the  story  :  no  amount  of  rifle  bullets  could 
make  a  phs^ntom  man  of  a  phantom  picture  howl  like  that.— O. 


19000  Theosophy  in  aU  Ldnds.  51 

in  an  improvised  litter  and,  weak  as  a  child,  being  borne  rapidly 
towards  the  nearest  station,  by  natives  under  the  orders  of  my  hor- 
rified old  shikari.  They  had  found  me  burning  with  fever  and  in 
mad  delirium  when  they  returned,  conscience-stricken,  to  the  hill  in 
the  morning. 

Explanation  I  have  none.  As  to  whether  the  spirits  of  the  old 
Mahratta  murderers  are  condemned  to  enact  again  their  deeds  of 
wickedness  in  the  scenes  which  were  defiled  by  them,  or  whether 
the  whole  affair  was  the  phantasy  of  the  delirium  of  malarial  fever,  I 
do  not  express  an  opinion,  although  I  own  a  very  decided  one.  But 
I  have  been  accustomed  to  consider  myself  almost  fever  proof,  and 
I  have  never  had  malaria  since.  And  I  reiterate  that  the  world 
does  not  hold  wealth  enough  to  tempt  me  to  spend  another  night 
alone  in  that  fearful  spot. 

B.  A.  B. 


ITbeosopbi?  in  ail  lant^e. 


EUROPE. 

London,  August  31st,  1900. 

Even  tiie  most  ardent  Theosophist  finds  that  a  holiday  in  August  is  by  no 
means  undesirable  and  members  have  beien  scattered  far  and  wide  during 
the  last  few  weeks.  The  Library  at  Headquarters  has  been  closed  and  the 
Section  rooms  almost  deserted,  but  our  chiefest  worker*  Mrs.  Besant,  although 
securing  a  few  days'  holiday,  has  been  lecturiug  in  the  North  of  England  and 
twice  in  London  during  the  month. 

The  North  of  England  Federation  Conference  took  place  at  Harrogate  on 
August  11th,  and  there  was  a  large  gathering  of  members  over  which  Mrs- 
Besant  presided.  Mr.  Leadbeater  was  also  present  and  quite  a  number  o£ 
London  theosophists  who  enjoyed  a  country  holiday  and  some  specially  fine 
lectures  into  the  bargain.  Mrs.  Besant  lectured  on  Friday  evening  to 
members  only,  and  after  the  Conference  on  SSaturday,  also  to  members,  both 
addresses  being  of  great  value  and  marked  by  earnest  imprcssivcness  which 
will  be  long  remembered  by  those  privileged  to  hear  them. 

On  Sunday  afternoon  there  was  a  very  large  assembly  in  the  Spa  Concert 
Hall  to  hear  Mrs*  Besant  on  the  subject,  ^'  Whence  come  Beligious  ?  *'  The 
lecture  wad  a  great  success  and  large  numbers  of  visitors  to  Harrogate 
which  is  a  fashionable  inland  watering  place,  must  have  carried  away  to 
different  parts  of  the  country  impressions  of  Theosophical  teachings  which  are 
bound  CO  be  productive  of  good.  A  lecture  in  the  evening  at  the  same  place 
on  *'  Ancient  and  Modern  Science  *' — the  substance  of  which  is  to  be  repro- 
duced in  the  September  and  October  issues  of  the  Theosophical  Revieio — was 
also  well  attended  and  the  local  branch  disposed  of  a  large  quantity  of 
literature,  always  evidence  of  seriously  awakened  interest. 

A  very  successful  group  photograph  was  taken  of  the  members  attending 
ihe  Conference,  a  local  photographer  distinguished  himself  by  making  the 
.exposures  at  5-30  f,m.  and  having  largo  mounted  proofs  in  the  Secretary's 
handB  before  8  o'clock  the  si^me  evening. 


52  The  TheoBophist.  [Octolier 

From  Harrogate  Mrs.  Besaiit  went  to  Middiesboro'  where  ber  leclare  oa 
'*  Thoagbt- Power  "  was  greeted  with  marked  enthusiasm  by  the  Urgest  audi- 
ence which  that  furnace-encircled  town  has  yet  accorded  to  Theosopby.  The 
nest  place  to  be  visited  was  Leeds  which  responded  warmly  to  a  lecture  on 
the  "  Beality  of  Brotherhood."  Then  the  neighbouring  City  of  Bradford  crowd- 
ed one  of  its  largest  public  halls  to  hear  a  discourse  on  the  *'  Reality  of  the 
Unseen  Universe."  The  chair  was  taken  by  the  city  analyst  and  some  of  the 
best  known  people  in  the  neighbourhood  were  to  be  seen  amongst  the  audience. 
In  the  afternoon  Mrs.  Besant  met  some  30  or  40  interested  inquirers  under  the 
auspices  of  Mrs.  Firth  and  the  Misses  Spink  and  in  the  following  week  Mr. 
Leadbeater  lectured  to  a  good  audience  for  the  Athene  Lodge,  and  it  is  expect- 
ed that  the  result  will  be  favourably  felt  by  the  local  workers. 

Last  Sunday  Mrs.  Besant  lectured  on  the  '*  G-enesis  of  Religiong,''  in 
London,  and  she  is  to  conclude  her  public  work  in  England  for  this  seuon  by 
speaking  on  *'  Peace  Amid  War»,'*  next  Sunday  evening.  Three  days  later 
she  leaves  US  once  more  and  is  to  travel  by  the  **  Peninsular  "  from  Marseilles. 
To  say  that  no  sorrow  of  parting  mingles  with  the  universal  good  wishes  for 
a  happy  voyage  and  successful  work  elsewhere  would  be  untrue  ;  but  reali- 
sing how  much  light  and  encouragement  we  have  received  from  our  summer 
visitant,  we  are  glad  for  our  brothers  elsewhere  to  share  the  blessing,  and 
having  learnt  much,  we  have  much  to  put  in  practice ;  for,  after  all,  in  the 
relation  between  teacher  and  taught  there  is  not  much  chance  of  success  un- 
less the  pupil  shows  at  least  a  portion  of  the  teacher's  energy. 

This  month  we  have  also  bidden  farewell  to  the  President- Founder  whose 
cheery  presence  and  cordial  friendliness  have  made  him  many  well-wishers  in 
the  various  countries  he  has  visited.  Long  may  he  live  to  preside  over  the 
destinies  of  the  T.  S.  and  make  a  physical  symbol  of  the  world-wide  unity  of 
the  brotherhood  it  professes. 

There  are  various  plans  on  foot  for  an  active  campaign  of  winter  work 
in  London,  but  nothing  has  as  yet  materialised  sufficiently  to  be  made  the 
subject  of  a  paragraph  in  this  letter. 

We  are  to  lose  for  a  short  time  the  many  lecturing  services  of  Mr.  Lead- 
beater who  shortly  sails  for  America  where  he  has  already  numerous  friends 
among  the  readers  of  his  books.  We  hope  that  his  visit  will  be  fraught  with 
much  beneBt  to  the  cause  of  Theosopby  in  the  States.  Our  faithful  co- 
workers in  the  West  need  and  deserve  all  the  help  that  can  be  given  in  their 
staunch  and  plucky  struggle  with  the  disruptive  forces  which  have  alwa3r« 
been  more  active  on  their  side  the  ''great  waters/'  Oar  good  wisbes  go  with 
the  new  worker  who  is  going  among  them; 

Of  the  world  outside  there  is  only  too  much  excitement  and  rumour 
afloat,  but  with  that  it  needs  not  that  we  concern  ourselves  too  closely ;  we 
have  our  work  to  go  steadily  forward  with,  and  it  must  be  done  **  though  the 
heavens  fall." 

The  September  issue  of  Knowledge,  which  is  just  to  hand,  contains  an  inter* 
esting  article  on  High  speed  Telegraphy.  Apparatus  has  recently  been 
thoroughly  tested  which  will  transmit  and  automatically  record,  telegraphic 
messages  at  the  enormons  rate  of  1,600  words  a  minute  over  a  distance  of 
400  miles  (the  test  circuit)— which  is  a  great  deal  faster  than  the  most  ttiptd 
talker  could  speak  them.  Bit  by  bit  the  possibilities  of  electric  energy  are 
being  unfolded  and  yet  electricity,  we  have  bee  u  told,  is  bat  one  of  the  coarse 


l900.j  Reviews.  53 

manifestations  of  the  force  which  the  spirit  in  man  may  learn  to  control  on 
higher  planes.  A.  B.  C. 


NEW  ZEALAND. 

A  Presbyterian  minister  recently  lectured  in  Auckland  on  *  The  Three 
Ix>ta8  €rems  of  Buddhism.'  Having  been  formerly  a  missionary  in  Japan,  he 
admitted  having  come  under  the  **  spell  of  the  East "  and  his  lecture  in  con- 
sequence was  sympathetic  and  even  enthusiastic.  He  also  spoke  of  the  pu- 
rity of  the  motives  and  the  teachings  of  those  *  Esoteric  Buddhists/  Col. 
Oloott  and  Mrs.  Besant,  and  altogether  showed  himself  extremely  tolerant  and 
broadminded.  But  the  good  effect  that  might  have  followed  was  completely 
spoiled  by  a  sermon  he  delivered  shortly  afterwards  in  which  he  stated  that 
although  he  knew  that  bloodshed,  slaughter,  and  war  must  inevitably  follow, 
the  Christian  missions  must  be  kept  going,  for  the  usual  Church  reasons. 
The  local  comic  paper  caricatured  him  in  consequence,  with  a  bible  in  one 
hand  and  a  pistol  in  the  other.  The  sermon  was  full  of  the  most  blatant 
English  *  jingoism.' 

A  very  enjoyable  *  Social '  was  held  in  the  Auckland  Branch  rooms  on 
July  19,  over  a  hundred  guests  being  present.  A  good  programme  was  gone 
through,  consisting  of  addresses  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Draflfin,  music,  vocal  and  in* 
struiaental  by  Mrs.  and  Miss  Judson,  Readings  and  Thought-reading.  All 
present  thoroughly  enjoyed  themselves^  It  is  hoped  that  it  will  be  possible  to 
hold  these  meetings  regularly. 

An  afternoon  meeting  for  ladies  has  been  started  in  Wellington.  The 
first 'was  held  on  July  9th  and  was  fairly  well  attended.  The  public  meetings 
in  Wellington  have  been  splendidly  attended  of  late. 

The  following  lectures  of  interest  have  been  delivered  throughout  the 
Section  :— 

Auckland  ...  **  The  Mystic  Vision"  ...  Mr.  S.Stuart. 

Christchurch  ...  "  The  Bbagavad Gita  "  Mk.  J.  B.  Wither. 

Dunedin  ...  **  God  and  the  Gods  "  ...  Mr.  A .W.  M itRAis. 

Wellington  ...  *' Buddhism  *'  ...  Mk.  W.  S.  Short. 


1?eview0. 


THE  SECOND  SERIES  OP  "  0.  D.  L." 

The  Tfaeosophical  Publishing  Society,  London,  have  in  press  and  will 
publish  for  the  Winter  season,  the  second  volume  of  Colonel  Olcott's 
fascisating  personal  sketches  of  the  rise  and  progress  of  our  Society,  which 
be  has  been  publishing  since  1892  under  the  title  of  "  Old  Diary  Leaves.'* 
The  first  volume  brought  the  historical  narrative  down  to  the  time  when 
the  two  Founders  left  New  York  for  Bombay ;  the  second  one  covers  the 
period  from  that  date  down  to  his  Indian  tour  of  1883,  when  he  was  doing 
hia  ihotisatids  of  psychopathic  healings,  to  the  amaeeinent  of  the  onlookers. 
The  volume  will  contain  thirty  chapters,  and  be  illustrated  by  engravings 
from  tiie  charming  original  photographs  taken  at  Adyar  by  Messrs.  Nicholas 
and  Co.,  and  shown  by  Colonel  Olcott  to  our  colleagues  in  Europe  through- 
out his  recent  tour.  The  price  will  probably  be  the  same  as  for  Vol.  I,  but 
this  will  be  announced  when  the  Manager  is  ready  to  book  orders. 


54  The  Theosophist.  [October 

KARMA:  WORKS  AND  WISDOM.* 
Mr.  diaries  Johnston,  who  wields  one  of  the  most  fascinating  pens 
which  are  concerned  in  the  spread  of  theosophical  teaching,  is  the  author  of 
the  monograph  on  **  Karma  '*  which  htis  been  published  by  the  Metaphysical 
Publishing  Co.,  and  which  has  already  attained  a  good  circulation.  In  the 
first  of  the  seven  chapters  which  the  book  contains,  the  author  traces  the 
history  and  development  o£  the  idea  which  the  word  Karma  conveys.  **  Its 
earliest  meaning  was  '  the  ritual  law ' — the  complete  ceremonial  which  grew  out 
of  the  Vedic  religion.'*  **  At  present  we  need  not  concern  ourselves  with  the 
details  of  this  ritual  law ;  it  is  enough  that,  growing  up  as  precedent  and 
tradition  out  of  the  superstitions  not  less  than  the  true  and  healthy  instincts 
of  Vedic  times,  it  wove  itself  into  a  vast,  all-embracing  system,  touching  and 
regulating  every  act  of  life,  determining  for  each  man  beforehand  what 
might  and  what  might  not  lawfully  be  done."  At  the  same  time  another  idea 
prevailed — that  taught  by  the  Kshattriyas,  the  warrior  kings— which  led  them 
to  study  and  search  for  the  inner  meaning  of  things.  "  '  Follow  the  law,'  said 
the  Brahman,  *you  will  gain  the  rewards  of  the  law.' "  **  *  Follow  the  life  of 
the  self,  as  it  expresses  itself  in  your  heart  and  will,'  said  the  Kshattriya,  ^  and 
you  will  become  possessed  of  the  power  and  being  of  the  self**  '*  The  process 
of  fusion  of  the  Brahmanical  and  Kshattriya  ideas  is  traced,  and  the  result — 
the  third  and  modern  idea  of  Karma — is  stated.  Many  quotations  from  the 
Upanishads  and  from  the  Git4,  as  also  from  the  later  Yedanta,  are  educed 
which  tend  to  prove  the  statements  made.  The  last  chapter  is  devoted  to  a 
discussion  of  the  subject  from  the  theosophical  standpoint.  As  in  other 
works,  so  in  this  book  Mr.  Johnston  contends  for  the  superior  dignity  of 
the  Kshattriya  ever  the  Brahman  caste.  A  point  in  which  he  is  at  issue  with 
al\  those  who  believe  in  the  current  classification  of  the  caste  system. 

N.  E.  W. 


THE  ENGLISH  TRANSLATION  OF  THE  AITAREYA  UPANISHAD 
WITH  Shi'  Sankara'chaIita's  Bha'shya,  by  H.  M.  Bhadkamkak,  b.a. 

We  gladly  welcome  this  translation  of  the  Aitareya  Upanishad  which  be- 
gins with  a  short  introduction  by  the  translator,  wherein  he  briefly  describes 
the  position  of  the  Upanishnd  in  the  Aitareya  Aranyaka.  The  translation 
seems  to  be  fairly  accurate  and  literal.  The  special  feature  of  it  is  the  fact 
that  the  views  of  the  objector  and  the  Sidhantin  are  clearly  set  forth  in 
different  paragraphs,  with  occasional  footnotes  where  the  passage  seems  to  be 
obscure.  It  is  however  to  be  regretted  that  the  Sanskrit  passages  are  omitted 
in  the  printing  of  the  translation ;  the  book  is  otherwise  neatly  gotten  up. 
The  translation  is  the  prize  Essay  of  the  "  Sujiia  Gokulji  Zala  Vedanta 
Prize." 

N.  H. 


PRINCE  UKHTOMSKY  ON  TIBETAN  BUDDHISM  AND 

COLONEL  OLCOTT'S  WORK. 

The  illustrious  Russian  gentleman,  at  once  diplomat,  scholar  and  lour- 
nalist,  who  served  as  Private  Secretary  to  the  present  Czar  of  Russia  in  hin 
tour  around  the  world  and  who  is  one  of  the  must  learned  men  of  the  day  in 

•  Price,  paper,  Re«  1-2. 


1900.]  ileviews.  95 

Buddhistic  literatare,  has  contributed  a  Preface  to  the  work  just  published* 
by  Dr,  Aiberfc  Griinwedel  at  Leipzig,  from  which  our  learned  young  colleague, 
Herr  J.  Van  Manen,  F*  T.  S.,  of  Amsterdam  has  translated  the  following 
extracts: 

"The  moment  is  now  not  distant  when  the  Buddhist  world  in  its  manifold 
subdivisions  will  wake  from  its  dream  and  link  itself  together  as  one  organic 
whole. 

"The  illustrious  American,  Colonel  Olcott,  as  President  of  the  Theosophical 
Society,  has  for  years  energetically  followed  the  plan  of  finding  the  links  of 
the  spiritual  chain  which  binds  together  the  countries  in  which  Buddha  is 
honoured  as  a  God  [sic].  He  travelled  over  xVsia,  made  himself  acquainted  with 
the  leading  native  Priests,  and  then  composed  a  kind  of  creed  for  the  Buddhists 
of  the  whole  world.  All  things  unessential  and  conventional,  all  things 
narrowly  national  and  purely  casual  therein  were  put  aside.  Buddhism  is 
ever  ready  to  accept  and  assimilate  into  the  forms  of  its  cult  all  possible 
other  forms  and  even  rites,  if  they  do  not  influence  its  central  idea :  the 
conception  of  the  *  divine  Teacher  '  and  the  ways,  shown  by  Him,  which  lead 
unto  self-perfection,  in  connection  with  the  bidding  of  the  Master  to  gradual- 
ly acquaint  all  beings  with  the  *  Doctrine  *  by  the  following  of  which  they  can 
finally  free  themselves  from  rebirth  and  the  sufferings  connected  with  it. 
Only  the  essential  part  of  the  *  Doctrine '  should  be  accepted  as  to  this 
creed.  So,  gradually  it  will  become  possible  to  explain  much  of  the  great 
body  of  religious  characteristics  of  Asia,  and  the  forms  of  belief  of  hundreds 
of  millions  of  people  will  make  themselves  visible,  from  the  heart  of  the 
period  in  which  they  were  founded,  in  which  their  propagation  moved  the 
people,  and  the  veil  will  be  lifted. 

"  In  Japan,  Burma,  Chittagong  and  Ceylon  Colonel  Olcott's  platform 
of  the  Fourteen  Fundamental  Propositions  has  already  been  accepted.  It  re- 
mains to  be  seen  how  far  Colonel  Olcott's  efforts  in  connection  with  the 
soHditication  of  the  spiritual  ties  between  the  Buddhist  peoples  in  Indo-China, 
in  Central  China,  in  Corea  and  in  Tibet  will  work.  As  far  as  I  could  find  out 
in  conversation  with  the  Indo-Chinese  Laos  they  are  Buddhists,  but  pro- 
bably stand  nearer  to  Lamaism  than  to  the  Ceylonese  or  Siamese-Burmese 
form.  Evidences,  it  seems  to  me,  as  to  that  are  not  wanting.  They  erect  and 
honour  'Obos,*  i.e.,  heaps  of  stones  on  heights,  with  the  purpose  of  making 
offerings  in  those  places  to  the  genii  while  travelling  through  the  district. 
They  execute  movements  exactly  like  the  Tibetan  and  Mongolian  magic* 
dancers,  on  certain  occasion — when  their  bonzes  disguise  themselves  as  terri- 
fying deities,  to  banish  the  spirits  of  evil.  Every  family  aspires  to  devote  to 
the  priesthood  at  least  one  boy  ;  the  clergy  have  the  right  to  dispose  of  their 
private  property,  and  the  most  learned  monks  seem  to  the  people  as  true 
incarnations  of  the  all-perfect  higher  beings  (of  the  Buddhas),  etc. 

"The  connection  of  the  followers  of  Sukyamnni  in  Ceylon  with  their 
fellow-religionists  in  the  Far  East  has  been  existing  since  the  most  ancient 
times.  The  relation  existed  not  only  by  sea  but  also  by  land.  Many  Ceylonese 
went  on  pilgrimage  across  the  Himalayas  to  China  and   brought  to  the  '  Sons 


*  Mythologie  des  Baddhisnius  in  Tibet  and  der  Mougolei.  Fiihrer  duroh  die 
LamaiBtisehe  Sammlnng  dea  Fursten  E.  Uchtomsky,  von  Albert  Griinwedel,  Dr. 
Phil.  If  it  einem  einleitendera  vorwort  des  Fursten  K.  Uchtomsky  und  188  Abhil- 
dungen.    Leipzig,  F.  A.  Brockhans  1900. 


M  The  Theosophiat.  tO<^*«*^»' 

of  Heaven '  the  most  rare  amethysts,  sapphires,  and  rubies,  and  the  most 
beautiful  images  of  the  'Divine  Teacher.*  Sometimes  ten  years  were 
needed  for  such  a  journey." 

**  The  middle-ages  strengthened  this  consciousness  of  the  inner  oneness 
between  the  countries,  politically  stmnge  to  each  other,  in  which  the  worship 
of  Buddha  flourished.  What  holds  good  for  Tibet,  also  holds  good  for  Mongolia, 
foronrBurats  andKalmuks;  the  ideas  of  the  convinced  co-workers  of  the 
deceased  Madame  Blavatsky  find  sympathy  and  attention  also  there," 

A  proof  of  the  above  having  been  shown  to  Col.  Occotfc,  he  takes  exception 
tx)  the  Prince's  remark  that  in  orthodox  Southern  Buddhism  Sakyamuni  is 
worshipped  as  God.  He  also  challenges  the  statement  that  Ceylon  Buddhists 
have  been  on  the  footing  of  a  mutual  religious  understanding  with  their  co- 
religionists of  the  Northern  School :  the  High  Priest  Snmangala  in  accrediting 
(/ol.  Olcott  to  the  Japanese  Sangha,  expressly  made  the  point  that  they  were 
not  so  related  but  should  be. 

W.  A.  E. 


MAGAZINES. 

Septeml^er  Theo9ophical  Review  opens  with  an  article  by  Dr.  Wells,  on 
"  Forgotten  English  Mystics,"  showing  that  the  truth  shines  forth  through 
various  channels  and  in  all  aj^es.  Next  we  find  a  brief  but  noble  ideal  of 
**  The  Mission  of  Theosophy,"  as  given  by  G.  H.  Liander.  "  Human  Evolve- 
ment,"  by  Alexander  Fnllerton,  is  an  essay  which  Tbeosophists  will  do  well 
tx3  read  with  care,  and  reflect  upon. .  Mrs.  Cooper-Oakley*s  paper  on  *'  The 
*  Wisdom'  Tradition  in  the  Italian  Renaissance "  is  concluded.  ]n  ''The 
Bardic  Asoent  of  Man,"  by  Mrs.  Hooper,  the  author  in  alluding  to  the 
abstruse  nature  of  some  of  the  Bardic  statements  says,  that  even  if  they  are 
not  comprehensible  by  all  *' the  fact  remains  that  statements  which  indicate 
the  existence  of  a  coherent  theory  and  system,  touching  the  birth  and  evolu- 
tion of  animal  and  human  souls,  are  to  be  found  in  the  traditions  and 
literatures  of  widely  separated  nations,"  and  she  thinks,  further,  that  the 
truth  in  thei^e  mystical  statements,  **  though  it  may  at  present  evade  us,  will 
be  unveiled  at  last,"  A  beautiful  sample  of  "Indian  Hymnology"  is  given 
in  "Ravanas  Hymn  to  Siva,"  by  A  Hindu  Student.  In  her  article  on 
•'  Ancient  and  Modern  Science,"  Mrs.  Besant,  in  explaining  the  difference 
between  the  two,  says  :  **  When  the  modern  scientist  reaches  the  limits  of  his 
powers  of  observation,  he  proceeds  to  enlarge  those  limits  by  devising  new 
instruments  of  increased  delicacy ;  when  the  ancient  scientist  reached  the 
limits  of  his  powers  of  observation,  he  proceeded  to  enlarge  them  by  evolving 
new  capacities  within  himself.  Where  the  one  shapes  matter  into  fresh 
forms,  makes  a  more  delicate  balance,  a  finer  lens,  the  other  forced  spirit 
to  unfold  new  powers,  and  called  on  the  Self  to  put  forth  increased  ener- 
gies." MrR.  Duncan  contributes  a  very  interesting  paper  on  "  New  England 
Dawn  and  Keltic  Twilight '';  in  which  the  sweet  character  of  one  of  the 
noblest  lovers  of  nature  who  ever  trod  her  verdant  fields  and  listened  to  her 
inner  voice,  Henry  D.  Thoreau,  is  shown  by  numerous  quotations  from  his 
published  writings,  as  well  as  by  the  sympathetic  words  of  his  personal 
friend  and  co-worker,  Emerson.  In  the  second  part  of  this  paper,  the  "  Poems 
and  Essays  "  of  Mr.  W.  B.  Yeats  are  laid  under  contribution.  The  author  of 
the  paper  says  of  them  :  **  We  find  in  them  the  love  of  nature,  not  only  for 


1900,]  Reviews.  57 

her  own  sBke,  with  a  minute  and  affectionate  observance  of  her  remoter 
charms ;  bat  we  also  find  a  gracious  belief  in,  and  love  for,  her  elemental 
spirits — the  faerie  folk  *  *  •  *  "  In  the  concluding  portion  of  Mr.  Lead- 
beater's  valuable  articlCj  **  Some  Misconceptions  about  Death,"  some  import- 
ant points  are  discussed*  Miss  Taylor's  "  True  Story "  narrates  a  brief 
moment  of  experience  in  which  the  consciousness  functions  on  a  higher  plane. 
•*  Dead  or  Living  ?  "  is  a  short  poem  by  Mrs.  Williams. 

Theosophy  in  AvslraUma  lias  for  its  principal  articles  in  the  August  issue, 
first,  "  Sin  and  the  Atonement,"  by  F.  E.  Allum  (a  paper  read  before  the  Perth 
Branch  of  the  T.  8.) ;  then  follow,  "  Some  Misconceptions  of  the  Theosophic 
Teachings,"  by  R.  B. ;  /*  Theosopby  as  a  Guide  in  Life,"  which  embodies  the 
text  of  one  of  the  Australian  propaganda  leaflets  ;  and  **  Is  Theosopby  a 
Superstition,"  (a  reply  by  H.  B.  H.,  to  an  article  which  appeared  in  the 
Pre$byterian  and  AtMiralian  JVifncfa),  Among  other  matter  we  notice  some 
interesting  answers  to  questions. 

Revue  Theaophiqite  Franraiae,  The  August  number  brings  the  Review 
half  way  through  its  eleventh  year  of  publication  and  under  the  editorship 
of  Commandant  Courmes  its  interest  is  fully  maintained  and  its  circulation 
increases.  It  is  found  useful  as  an  aid  in  propaganda,  its  articles  being  of  a 
character  to  excite  the  interest  of  intelligent  enquirers.  In  noticing  the 
London  Convention  of  the  European  Section  the  Editor  warmly  acknowledges 
the  brotherly  reception  which  was  given  the  delegates  of  the  French  Section 
who  were  present  at  the  meeting.  He  says :  "  All  received  from  our  English 
broiherR  a  most  cordial  welcome,  and  bring  back  with  them  the  liveliest 
recollections  of  the  fine  Theosophical  meetings  which  were  held  during  the 
course  of  the  Convention.*'  The  number  contains  translations  of  Mrs.  Besant, 
Mr.  Leadbeater,  Col,  Olcott,  Dr.  Hartmann,Mr.  Keightley,  and  original  notes 
and  articles  by  Commandant  Courmes,  Dr.  Pascal  and  others. 

Teoiofia,  The  August  number  of  our  Italian  organ  opens  with  an  article 
by  SignoraCalvari,  the  charming  wife  of  the  Editor,  upon  "  The  Earth  and 
Humanity,"  and  the  rest  of  the  number  is  filled  up  with  translations  and  brief 
reports  of  the  Theosophical  Conventions  in  Europe.  Membersof  the  Society 
passing  through  Rome  should  take  note  of  the  fact  that  at  No.  72,  viA 
8.  Nicolo  da  Tolentino,  our  branch  has  a  convenient  headquarters  and  a 
Theosophical  library,  which  is  open  daily  between  the  hours  of  10  and  6. 

Sophia,  Neither  political  disturbances  nor  social  obstructions  prevent 
the  regular  appearance  of  our  excellent  Spanish  magazine.  Its  pages  are,  au 
usual,  mainly  filled  with  translations  from  our  leading  writers,  but  that 
most  learned  colleague,  Senor  Soria  y  Mata  contributes  an  article  in  French 
on  the  Pythagorean  theory  of  evolution,  with  special  reference  to  the  genesis 
of  the  elements. 

Philadelphia,  This  South  American  repi'esentative  is  one  of  the  most 
attractive  of  our  publications  and  at  the  same  time  admirably  calculated  to 
arouse  the  interest  of  the  public  to  which  it  appeals.  The  quality  of  its 
paper  and  pnnting,  also,  do  great  credit  to  the  printing  offices  of  Buenos 
Aires,  being,  in  fact,  better  than  we  are  able  to  turn  out  at  Madras.  The  June 
number  completes  the  second  volume.  We  hope  it  may  be  followed  by  many 
others  as  good. 

Theosophia,  Amsterdam.  There  is  a  stamp  of  originality  on  our  Dutch 
contemporary  which  is  much  more  inarked  than  that  on  most  of  our  other 

8 


58  The  Theosophist.  [October 

theosophical  magasines  in  foreign  languages.  At  the  Amsterdam  head- 
quarters we  have  a  group  of  strong  original  thinkers  and  their  theosophy  is 
intensely  lived  out  in  their  daily  lives.  In  fact,  one  may  say  that  worldly 
questions  occupy  but  a  small  portion  of  their  waking  hours.  It  could  hardly 
be  otherwise  when  they  have  before  them  such  an  example  of  sturdy*  fervent, 
over-mastering  theosophical  spirit  in  the  person  of  Madam  Meulemann  and 
of  unselfish  effort  as  her  senior  colleagues  show  to  her  junior  ones,  including 
those  bright  geniuses  Herron  van  Manen,  Hallo  and  Boissevain,  The 
August  number  seems  to  be  a  very  interesting  one  and  the  mogazine  presents 
every  appearance  of  prosperity. 

In  the  Theosophic  Gleaner^  which  is  just  entering  upon  its  tenth  year, 
with  some  improvements  in  type  and  general  appearance,  P.  H.  Mehta 
contributes  the  opening  article,  entitled  "  The  *  I  ' ;  "  1).  D.  Writer  furnishes 
an  essay  on  "  Our  Progressive  Age  ";  there  are  several  important  reprints 
and  a  sympathetic  note  on  the  President-Founder's  recent  tour  in  Europe. 

In  the  Arya  Bala  Bodhini  we  find  another  instalment  of  Pandit  Bhavani 
Shaukar*s  *"  Religious  Talks  with  Hindu  Boys,"  a  continuation  of  the  in- 
structive essay  on  "Hindu  Ethics/'  and  other  matters  of  interest. 

Acknowledged  with  thanks :  Tlie  Vcihan,  L*  Initiation,  Modem  AatrO' 
logy.  Light,  LotushliiUien,  The  Ideal  Revitvj,  Notes  and  Queries,  The  Theosophic 
Messenger,  Mind,  The  Lani}),  The  Phrenological  Jourrialy  Tlie  New  Century,  TJie 
Philosophical  Journal,  Banner  of  Light,  Temple  of  Health,  Harbinger  of  Light, 
Omega,  Tl^e  Prasnottara,  Brahmavadin,  The  Light  oj  the  East,  Prabuddha 
BMrata,  Tlie  Brahmacharin,  The  Light  of  Truth ^  Indian  Jourtial  of  Education, 
TlieDawn,  Tlie  Light  of  Truth. 


CUTTINGS  AND  COMMENTS. 

"  Thoughts,  like  the  pollen  of  flowers,  leave  one  brain  and  fascen   to  another.*' 

A  Liverpool  paper  writes  as  follows  about  the 
The  Gxtd   in     class  in  Bhagavad   Gita,    which   Mr.  J.  H.    Duffell, 
Enpriand.       F.T.S.,  conducts  with  success  in  that  city  : 

Some  curiosity  was  doubtless  aroused  by  an  invitation 
published  a  few  days  ago  in  the  advertisement  columns  of  the  Mail,  to  study 
the  Bhagavad  Gita.  Probably  the  majority  of  people  who  noticed  it,  are 
still  wondering  vaguely  what  it  meant.  It  may  be  of  interest  to  explain  that 
this  work,  the  name  of  which  indicates  a  Revelation  from  the  Deity,  is  a 
metaphysical  poem,  which  is  interwoven  as  an  episode  in  MahAbharata,  one 
of  the  two  great  epic  poems  of  ancient  India.  It  deals  with  the  feuds  between 
two  great  Hindoo  houses,  and  in  it  is  revealed  a  complete  system  of  religious 
philosophy.  Needless  to  say,  the  work  is  regarded  with  great  reverence  by 
the  peoples  of  India*  A  gentleman,  who  is  one  of  the  leaders  of  the  local 
branch  of  the  Theosophical  Society  and  whose  name  is  connected  with  the 
trade  of  the  city,  has  undertaken  the  task  of  making  "this  ancient  master- 
piece of  Oriental  Wisdom,"  as  it  is  described,  known  to  all  students  who  are 
curious  on  the  subject.  He  has  been  so  far  successful  as  to  find  more  than 
a  dozen  enthusiasts  ready  to  take  up  the  study,  and  accordingly  a  class,  which 
will  meet  on  alternate  Saturdays,  has  been  formed  for  reading  and  instruc- 
tion in  Bhagavad  Gtt&. 

#*# 


1900.]  Cuttings  and  Comments.  59 

The  Roman  Herald  speaks  as  follows  about  Babu 

Indian    Phi-    J,  C.  Chatterji's  lectures  at  Rome.  It  will  particularly 

losop/iy  af       interest  our  Indian   readers  to  know  wnat  is   said 

Rome,  about  the  rapid  spread  of  Indian  thought  throughout 

the  West— thanks  to  the  agency  of  our  Society  : 
*'Tlie  lectures,  which  have  been  ^iven  this  season  by  the  learned  Indian 
Brahmin,  Mr.  J.  C.  Ghatterji,  at  the  University  of  Eome,  have  attracted  an 
appreciative  audience.  It  is  impossible  to  describe  the  impression  which  one 
receives  from  these  lectures,  which  deal  with  the  greatest  problems  of  human 
thought  embodied  in  the  philosophy  of  the  East  and  more  particularly  that  of 
India,  the  seat  of  the  most  daring  theories  ever  hazarded  by  man  to  explain 
his  origin,  the  essence  of  his  visible  and  invisible  surroundings,  his  mission 
in  the  world,  and  his  ultimate  fate^  The  philosophy  of  India  is  spreading 
very  rapidly  all  over  the  World,  overthrowing  the  barriers  which  ignorance 
has  built  to  prevent  the  expansion  and  diffusion  of  human  thought. 

*  * 

'*  An  amusing  message  from  the  Rome  correspond- 
The  Popeand    ent  of  the  Daily  Mail  states  that  many  superstitious 
the  '*  Evil       Italians  are  discovering  curious  coincidences  between 
Eye,^''  the  two  jubilees  of  the   Holy    Years— 1825  and  1900, 

In  1825  bubonic  plague  made  fearful  ravages  in  many 
countries,  calamities  happened  far  and  wide,  the  crops  in  Italy  failed 
almost  completely,  and  a  terrible  famine  followed.  Superstitious 
people  attributed  all  these  dismal  events  to  the  jubilee,  and  the 
same  belief  is  widely  held  in  Italy  with  regard  to  tne  calamities  of 
the  present  year.  In  the  southern  provinces  particularly,  and  also 
in  Rome,  they  are  set  down  10  the  **  jettatura  *' or  evil  eye  of  the 
Pope,  which  is  held  responsible  for  the  murder  of  King  Humbert, 
the  bad  crops,  the  epidemics  of  sickness,  and  the  war  in  China.  The 
recent  railway  accident  in  which  seventeen  persons  were  killed  and 
a  hundred  injured  occurred  at  Castel  Giubbileo,  in  the  Roman  Cam- 
pagua.  Giubbileo  signifies  jubilee,  and  the  name  was  given  to  the 
place  in  1825  because  the  pilgrims  assembled  there  to  journey  to 
Rome.  Out  of  ever>'  hundred  Italians  at  least  ninety-five  believe 
in  the  "  jettatura."  This  superstition  has  many  times  given  rise  to 
rebellion,  attended  with  great  bloodshed,  and  no  surprise  need  be 
felt  if  a  fresh  national  calamity  precipitates  an  alarming  outbreak  in 
Italy.  It  is  singular  that  even  the  Clericals,  including  the  mass  of 
ecclesiastics,  believe  in  the  Pope's  **  jettatura."  Pius  IX.  gained  a 
sinister  reputation  in  this  respect,  and  the  same  belief  attaches,  but 
in  much  greater  measure,  to  Leo  XIII.  The  "jettatura  "  is  guarded 
against  by  the  wearing  of  amulets,  usually  of  silver  in  the  form  of 
an  antelope  horn,  a  hand  with  two  fingers  doubled  down,  a  key  with 
a  heart  in  its  handle,  a  crescent  moon  with  a  face  in  it,  or  a  sprig 
of  me." 

The  above  which  appeared  in  a  recent  issue  of  the  Wesiminsler 
Budget  shows  how  widespread  is  the  belief  in  the  power,  said  to  be 
possessed  by  certain  people,  of  producing  dire  results  by  a  mere 
glance  of  the  eyes.  In  fact  so  important  is  this  singular  faith,  in 
public  estimation,  that  a  large,  illustrated  work  of  470  pages  royal 
octavo,*  was  published  in  I/>ndon  in  1895,  which  gives  an  historical 
account  of  this  belief  which,  though  largely  superstitious,  can  not,  by 
theosophists,  be  considered  wholly  so,  when  we  take  into  account 
the  power  of  thought,  and  the  agency  of  the  elementals.  In  con- 
firmation of  the  statement  made  in  the  previous  extract,  regarding 
Pope  Pius  IX.  we  read,  in  the  book  just  referred  to  (p.  24),  that  the 

•  "  The  Evil  Eye,"  by  F,  T.  Elworthy, 


feO  The  Th6osophist.  [October 

way  to  prevent  the  evil  results  which  are  liable  to  ensue  from  the 
glance  of  they^//<z/^r^  is,  to  "point  two  fingers  at  him.  Pope  Pio 
Nono  was  supposed  to  be  ^jetiatore,  and  the  most  devout  Catholics, 
whilst  asking  his  blessing,  used  to  point  two  fingers  at  him."  On 
p.  6,  numerous  references  to  passages  in  the  Bible  are  given,  and  we 
find  the  same  subject  mentioned  in  **  Isis  Unveiled  "  (Vol.  I.,  p.  380). 
Those  who  are  interested  in  the  historical  phase  of  this  faith,  will 
find  abundant  information  in  Mr.  Elworthy*s  work  above  named. 

*  * 

The  following   item,   which   we  clip  from  the 
King  Arya  Bala  Bodhini  shows  that  there  is  one  class  of 

or  beggars  which  are  not  usually  called  such  : 

Beggar,  ••  a  great  king  once  went  into  a  forest  and   there  met  a 

sage.  He  talked  with  the  sage  a  little  and  was  much 
pleased  with  his  purity ,  and  wisdom.  The  king  then  desired  the  sage  to 
accept  a  present  from  }iim.  The  sage  refused,  saying :  '  The  fruits  of  the 
forest  are  enough  food  for  mc ;  the  pure  streams  of  water  give  me  enough 
drink;  the  barks  of  trees  sufficiently  clothe  me;  and  the  caves  of  the 
mountains  provide  me  with  an  ample  shelter."  The  king  entreated  him  with 
great  reverence  to  take  a  present  from  him  if  only  to  bless  him.  The  sage  at 
last  agreed  and  went  with  the  king  to  his  palace.  Before  offering  the  gift  to 
the  sage,  the  king  repeated  his  prayers,  saying,  '  Lord,  i^ive  me  more  wealth  ; 
Lord,  give  me  more  children ;  Lord,  give  me  more  territory ;  Lord,  keep  my 
body  in  better  health,'  and  so  on.  Before  the  king  had  finished  his  prayer, 
the  sage  had  got  up  and  walked  away  from  the  room  quietly.  At  this  the 
king  became  perplexed  and  began  to  follow  him,  crying  aloud,  *Sir,  you 
are  leaving  me  without  taking  any  presents.'  The  sage  turned  round  and 
said,  '*  Beggar,  I  do  not  beg  of  beggars.  You  are  a  beggar  yourself,  and  how 
can  you  give  me  anything?  I  am  no  fool  to  think  of  taking  from  a  beggar 
like  you.  Do  not  follow  me  but  depart.  You  have  no  real  love  for  God. 
Your  love  is  sordid  and  pretended,  I  cannot  accept  anything  at  the  hands  of 
so  base  a  creature.' '' 

* 
*  # 

The  Hindu  copies   from  the    Church   Gazette  a 

Mr.  Noble       drastic  criticism  on  the  average  Indian  Missionar>' 

on  the  which  is  even  more  severe  than  anything  which  has 

Missionary,      been  written  about  his  class  by  Theosophists.    Mr. 

Noble  may  be  prejudiced,  yet  he  writes  for  a  most 
Orthodox  organ  and,  presumably,  with  the  approval  of  its  Editor 
who,  if  he  had  thought  the  criticism  unfair,  might  easily  have  re- 
fused it  a  place  in  his  journal.  Certainly  it  is  the  fact  that  with 
rare  exceptions,  the  missionary  sent  out  by  Western  evangelising 
Societies  is  very  ignorant  of  the  Eastern  religions  which  he  comes 
to  upset,  and  makes  himself  a  subject  of  jest  to  the  intellectual  Asia- 
tics whom  he  hopes  to  convert  to  his  own  beliefs.  That  he  has 
'*  earnestness  "  is  far  from  enough  equipment  for  his  hopeless  task, 
for  the  Indians  are  not  at  all  likely  to  paralyze  their  brains  and  put 
aside  their  educational  acquirements  to  descend  to  the  low  intel- 
lectual and  scholastic  level  on  which  alone  the  missionary  depicted 
by  Mr.  Noble  is  able  to  work.  Long  ago  the  Universities  of  Ox- 
ford and  Cambridge  realised  this  and  sent  out  each  its  special 
mission.  A  missionary  now  on  his  way  back  to  Japan  from  leave, 
admitted  to  the  writer  that  he  was  not  acquainted  with  the  tenets 
of  Buddhism  I    Says  the  Hitidu  : 

The  Christian  missionary  has  lately  been  very  much  in  evidence,  and 
though,  in  many  cases,  he  has  proved  himself  a  friend  in  need  and  a  friend 
in  deed,  he  has  occasiotoally,  by  the  excess  of  his    proselytising  zeal  and  his 


1900.]  Cuttings  and  Comments.  61 

proneness  to  swell  the  iiiuks  of  *  riue '  couverts,  got  much  into  bad  odour. 
Mr.  Noble,  writing  in  the  Church  Ga^eUe,  sums  up  the  Indian  missionary  in 
qaite  a  heartlessly  brutal  style.  He  writes: — "  Althouj^h  India  is  known  to 
be  a  nation  of  intellectuals,  jet  we  do  not  always  take  sufficient  care  to  send 
out  only  cultured  men.  OFten  we  send  out  men  who  have  not  received  any 
philosophical  training,  who  have  learnt  little  or  no  Greek  and  have  therefore 
no  appreciation  of  the  old  Greek  mythology,  and  who  very  often  have  earnest- 
ness as  tlieir  only  qualification.  These  men  expound  Christianity  in  such  a 
crude  manner  that  the  natives  who  are  very  subtle  of  argument,  at  once 
perceive  the  uttier  childishness  of  it  all.  I  will  give  an  instance.  A  certain 
American  Presbyterian  missionary  worked  very  hard  to  gain  converts  to  his 

religion,  but  in  vain.     A  native  said  to  me,  *  You   know     Mr.  B is  a  good 

man,  but  an  ntter  fool :  he  says  he  will  drink  wine  with  the  Lord  in  Heaven.' 

This  native  went  on  to  say  that  poor  Mr.  B could  not    see    how  absurd 

it  was  to  ascribe  to  God  a  body,  and  at  the  same  time  omnipresence.  Thus 
do  oar  evangelical  missionaries  make  themselves  the  laughing-stock  of  the 
natives.  But  there  is  worse  still  to  tell.  It  would  be  imagined  that  these  mis- 
sionaries would  go  amongst  their  hearers  in  a  spirit  of  humility,  and  not  of  ar- 
rogance. Oh  dear  no!  They  go  as  Englishmen,  as  a  conquering  race,  and 
treat  the  Hindus  as  the  vanquished  foe.  Is  it  anj-  wonder  that  between  this 
and  the  fact  that  they  see  the  mission  flourishing  financially  when  it  receives 
nothing  from  converts,  they  conclude  that  the  missions  are  promoted  by  the 
Government?  The  result  of  all  this  is,  that  only  the  scum  of  the  Hindus  be- 
come Christians,  and  they  only  serve  purposes  of  their  own,  so  much  so  that 
tlie  phrase,  'There  are  no  native  Christians  about/  has  come  to  mean  that 
you  are  quite  safe  fi-om  burglary.  When  there  are  so  many  people  to  which 
it  would  be  good  to  send  missions,  such  as  Central  Africa,  etc.,  does  it  not 
seem  a  pity  to  waste  so  much  money  to  try  to  gain  converts  from  a  religion 
whose  ethical  teaching  is  much  the  same  as  our  own  P  " 

The  **  Executive  Chairman  of  the  Committee   of 
f amine  Gifts    One  Hundred,"  referred  to  hereunder,  writes  to  the 
from  Editor  of  the  Banner  of  Light  (published   in  Boston, 

Cki7iese  and     U.  S.  A.)  as  follows :  — 

Criminals,  Among  the  contributions  received  by  the  treasury  of  the 

New  York  Committee  of  One  Hundred  on  India  Famine  Re- 
lief, are  two  which  deserve  special  mention.  In  the  early  part  of  the  present 
month,  the  Chinese  in  attendance  at  the  Reformed  Presbyterian  Mission, 
Oakland,  California,  undertook  to  earn  money  for  the  sufferers  in  India. 
They  were,  for  the  most  part,  the  better  class  of  house  servants,  temporarily 
out  of  employment,  to  whom  even  small  sums  were  of  considerable  consequence* 
One  of  them  was  skilled  in  the  repairing  of  cane*seated  chairs.  Accordingly, 
they  asked  their  Mission  teacher  for  a  letter  of  commendation,  and  went 
courageously  through  the  streets  of  Oakland  soliciting  work.  The  result  was 
a  remittance  of  $10'50  for  the  famine  sufferers. 

Somewhat  later  in  the  month,  inmates  of  the  Ohio  Penitentiary  at 
Golumbos,  united  a  purely  free-will  offering  for  famine-stricken  India.  Out 
of  pittances  usually  hoarded  for  personal  indulgence,  they  contributed  528*00 
forwarding  the  same  to  the  Committee  of  One  Hundred. 

That,  in  the  former  case,  the  despised,  isolated  stranger  in  a  stmnge  land 
should  show  such  profound  and  practical  sympathy  with  far-off  India's 
distress;  and  that,  in  the  latter  case,  those  whose  wrong  doing  had  fixed  such 
an  awful  barrier  between  them  and  the  outside  world,  should  self-denyingly 
unite  for  the  rescue  of  the  starving  in  distant  India,  is  glorious  proof  of*  a 
common  humanity.'*  It  signifies  that  the  capability  of  generous  sentiment  is 
always  in  all  hearts,  and  that  ennobling  good-will  can  survive  all  adverse 
infi  aence. 

In  each  instance,  along  with  the  thanks  of  the  Committee,  was  returned 
the  assurance  that  the  gifts  would  be  cabled  to  India,  Avithout  expense  to  the 
fund;  that  each  dollar  would  give  a  day's  food  to  from  thirty  to  fifty  hungry 
person?!  or  buy  three  native  blankets  far  the  almost  naked,  or,  with  from  one 


62  the  Theosophist.  [October 

to  two  dollars  more,  aid  an  impoveribhed   peasant   farmer  in  re-seeding  bis 
fields. 

Since  no  essential  amelioration  of  the  famine  situation  can  possibly  come 
until  tlie  harvests  ♦  *  ♦  *  arc  gathered,  it  were  well  that  the  cases  which  I 
have  cited  should  inspire  all  of  us  to  continued  and  generous  gifts. 

The  increase   of  activity  among   the  Buddhists 
Japajiese        in   Japan  is  noted  by  The  Globe  (London).     It  says  : 

Btiddhism  There  are  Buddhist  Schools  all  over  the  empire,  which 

Advancing.       are  giving    assistance    to  the  common    people  in    general 

education  on  a  scale  of  fees  much  more  liberal  than,  that  of 
the  Government  Schools  and  Colleges  ♦  *  •  It  will  readily  be  seen  that  with 
the  imperial  favor  shown  the  Hongwan  ji  sect  of  Buddhism,  acd  the  broadness 
of  its  creed,  the  Christian  missionaries  have  in  it  a  foe  to  be  feared*  if  it 
devotes  itself  and  its  ample  revenue  to  the  elevation  of  the  masses,  and  it 
seems  to  be  doing  this  in  the  establishing  of  schools  for  all  classes,  hospitals, 
and  kindred  institutions  of  a  charitable  nature.  Another  evidence  of  militant- 
ism  is  that  the  Buddhist  priests  are  paying  more  attention  to  the  study  of 
their  religion  thnn  ever  before. 

Commenting  on  the  above  The  Theosophical  Reviezo  says  :  The 
President-Founder's  work  in  Japan  is  bearing  fruit,  as  did  his 
similar  work  in  Ceylon,  and  along  the  same  lines.  Buddhism  has 
found,  in  modern  days  no  better  helper. 

Besides  the  books  and   manuscripts   elsewhere 

Additions       acknowledged,   the  library  collection  of  curios  has 

to  the  been  increased  by   the  addition  of  the  artistically 

Adyar         carved  bronze  bowl  presented  to  the  President-Found- 

LibrafV'        er  at  Amsterdam  by  the  Vahana  Lodge,  of  which  the 

sculptor,  Herr  Olio,  is  a  member.  Minute  figures  of 
the  friendly  elemental  spirits  known  to  the  Scandianvians  have 
been  presented  by  Herr  von  Krogh,  of  Copenhagen,  and  a  similar 
one  of  the  elfin  race  called  by  the  Germans  Heinzelmanchen, 
procured  by  Col.  Olcott  at  Leipzig. 

In    noticing    Col.     Olcott's    recent    labors    in 
**  The  Europe,  The  Theosophical  Review  says : 

President'  jjis  European  tour  has   been  of  the  most   satisfactory 

Founder y        description,  and  the  many   Lodges   he  has   visited  speak 

warmly  of  his  genial  courtesy  and  of  the  help  they  have  re- 
ceived by  coming  into  touch  with  his  fervent  loyalty  to  the  movement  he  has 
served  for  a  quarter  of  a  century,  and  in  which  his  heart  and  life  are  bound 
up.  Ne3ct  year  he  is  to  visit  North  and  South  America,  and  much  good  is 
hoped  for  as  the  result  of  liis  extended  tour  in  the  Western  hemisphere. 
May  he  keep  good  health  and  enjoy  long  life  to  continue  his  faithful  service 
to  the  Theosophical  Society.  There  is  only  one  President-Founder,  and 
we  would  all  like  to  keep  him  with  us  as  long  as  we  can.  He  is  the  proof  of 
the  continuity,  and  the  symbol  of  the  unity  of  the  Society,  and  none  else  can 
fill  his  place. 


All  nations  have  more  or  less  faith  in  powers  un- 
The  mystical  seen,  but  the  beliefs  of  Eastern  peoples  tend  toward 
**  Feng'Shnir    the  occult  in  a  very  marked  degree.    The  following 

extracts  from  an  article  entitled,  "A  Mysterious 
Chinese  Creed/'  which  appeared  in  a  recent  issue  of  the  Madras 
Maily  helps  to  illustrate  this  fact : 


1900.]  Cuttings  and  Comments.  63 

"  If  an  anbhoritj  on  the  manners  and  oustoms  of  the  Chinese  nation  was 
asked  what  he  considered  to  be  the  mainspring  of  the  thought  and  action  of 
this  people,  he  woald  undoubtedly  answer  Feng-shui  or,  as  some  writers  put 
it,  Fnng-shui.  It  is  also  known  as  the  science  of  Te-le,  This  exti-aordinary 
creed  has  intertwined  itself  thoroughly  into  the  religions  of  Chins,  and  especially 
with  that  of  Taoism,  so  that  it  is  now  practically  impossible  to  separate  the 
fundamental  principles  of  these  faiths  from  the  parasitic  growths  so  firmly 
engrafted  upon  them.  The  intense  conservatism  of  the  almond-eyed  children 
of  the  Flowery  Land,  and  their  deep-rooted  hatred  of  all  foreigners  and  their 
ways  and  works,  are  all  owing  to  the  univei'sally  pervading  influence  of  feng- 
aJiui,  The  naraeof  this  rnling  influence  on  the  lives  and  customs  of  the 
Chinese  nation  explains  the  nature  of  this  most  extraordinary  creed,  which 
without  undue  exaggeration  can  truthfully  bo  described  as  one  of  the  most 
fearful  and  wonderful  that  erer  cast  the  dark  shadow  of  superstition  upon 
the  human  race.  The  name  is  composed  of  two  words,  feng,  i.e.,  wind,  sym- 
bolical of  that  which  cannot  be  seen,  and  shui,  i  e.,  water,  emblematic  of  that 
which  cannot  be  gras])ed.  Fearsome  and  marvellous  indeed  is  the  belief  in 
the  mystic  power  of  the /cn<jf-8/nft,  the  influence  exercised  b}'  spirits  over  the 
fortunes  of  mankind. 

It  is  entirely  owing  to/ei^-a/tia  that  the  Chinese  are  as  careful  as  they 
arc  in  all  matters  connected  with  the  burial  of  the  dead,  for  spirits  are 
crocfaety  beings  to  deal  with,  and  if  the  resting-place  provided  for  a  dead 
man^s  bones  does  not  suit  his  fancy,  then  woe  betide  his  family  till  the 
injured  ghost  is  more  comfortably  housed.  If  a  family  seems  to  suffer  from 
a  prolonged  run  of  ill-luck,  especially  just  after  the  burial  of  one  of  its 
members,  certain  of  the  corpse  s  bones  are  promptly  disinterred,  and  placed 
above  ground,  generally  in  the  shadow  of  a  rock,  to  await  re-biirial  until  a 
propitious  spot  for  a  grave  can  l)e  found  by  one  of  the  numerans  professors 
of  the  art  of/e}t^-«/»ni.  In  the  case  of  a  rich  man,  his  bones  often  remain 
aboTO  ground  for  yp4ir8,  whilst  his  family  has  to  pay  heavily  for  the  investi- 
gations undertaken  on  behalf  of  the  unquiet  spirit.  " 

The  poor  man's  remains  rest  in  peace,  usually,  as  the  coffers 
of  the  priesthood  are  not  apt  to  be  filled  from  such  a  source. 

"Towers  and  pagodas  are  universally  believed  in  as  infallible  means  for 
turning  evil  spirits  out  of  a  direct  course,  and  thereby  minimising  their 
power  for  harm.  The  Chinese  name  for  such  towers  and  pagodas  is  iasc,  but 
when  the  buildings,  as  often  happens,  are  erected  to  the  memory  of  learned 
and  great  men.  they  are  known  as Toor-/angr,  or  halls  of  ancestors.  The}'  are 
invariably  built  in  such  forms  as  to  attract  all  propitious  currents  and  good 
spirits,  and  to  turn  aside  the  powers  of  evil.  Few  Europeans  perhaps  know 
that  pagodas  are  all  built  in  connection  with  some  object  of  feng-shni.  Thus, 
in  most  parts  of  China,  but  especially  in  and  about  Canton,  are  numerous 
Toofj'iang^  which  are  easily  distinguished  from  other  pagodas  by  their  pecu- 
liar architecture;  it  is  fully  believed  that  they  attract  portions  of  propitious 
currents,  and  help  to  increase  the  general  intelligence  of  the  population. 
Unfortunately,  the  results  of  the  influence  of  these  towers  are  not  as  apparent 
to  outsiders  at  any  rate,  as  they  might  be. 

Feng'shui  is  indeed  responsible  for  all  the  multitudinous  superstitions 
of  the  Chinese  race.  Of  course,  it  is  well  known  that  Chinese  boats  of  all 
kinds  have  an  eye  painted  on  the  prow,  in  accordance  with  the  principle  of 
"  No  got  eye,  how  can  see?  No  can  see,  how  can  go.^  "  Notwithstanding  this. 
it  is  difficult  to  realise  that  the  belief  in  the  visionary  power  of  this  painted 
optic  is  so  great  that  a  Chinaman  will  hastily  cover  it  up  should  a  corpse 
come  floating  down  the  stream,  lest  the  boat  should  take  fright  from  the 
unpropitious  sight,  and  evH  befall  the  passengers. 

We  Europeans  pride  ourselves  on  our  enlightenment  and  freedom  from 
the  trammels  of  superstitions  such  as  these,  yet  despite  our  vaunticd  superior- 
ity we  too  steadfastly  adhere  to  a  custom  which  is  solely  originated  by  Feng- 
shui.  The  custom  is  that  of  throwing  rice  on  a  newly-married  pair.  It  is  an 
ancient  Chinese  belief  that  the  demons  of  the  air,  who  are  always  on  the  look- 
out to  injure  mortals,  have  a  peculiarly  cannibalistic  love  for  the  flesh  of  a 
newly-married  pair.    Rice,  however,  they  prefer  even    to  lovers.     JSo,  at  the 


64  The  Theosophist.  [October 

critical  moment,  which  was  just  when  the  young  couple  left  the  bridal  palan- 
quiu,  it  became  the  eastern  to  scatter  rice  to  divert  the  attention  and  appeti* 
ties  of  the  demons  from  their  human  prey.  The  custom  of  Ihrowinfi:  an  old 
shoe  after  a  newly-wedded  pair,  also  originated*  it  is  believed,  in  the  Chinese 
Empire,  where  women  leave  their  shoes  at  the  shrine  of  Kwang'yin,  Queen 
of  Heaven,  when  preferring  a  request  to  her. 

Such  are  a  few  of  the  bonds  imposed  by  Feng-skui  upon  the  Chinese 
people,  and  whilst  they  remain  in  such  trammels  it  is  not  to  be  wondered  at 
that  civilisation  makef«  such  pitifully  slow  progress  amongst  them." 

B. 

#  # 

Her  Royal  Highness,  the  Duchess  of  Argj'll,  has 
The  heavy       an  album  in  which   this  question  appears  :    **  Whom 
Burden         do  you  envy  ?  *'  In  reply  to  this,  the  Prince  of  Wales 
of  a  has  written  : 

Cro7i'n,  »*  The  man  I  envy   is  tlie  man  who  can  feel  slightly  un- 

well without  it  being  mentioned  all  over  Europe  that  B.R.H. 
is  '  seriously  indisposed/  the  man  who  can  have  his  dinner  w^ithont  the 
whole  world  knowing  that  H.R..PI.  is  eating  heartily,  the  man  who  can 
attend  a  race-meeting  without  it  being  said  that  H.R.H.  is  '  betting  heavily ' ; 
in  short,  the  man  I  envy  is  the  man  who  knows  that  he  belongs  to  himself 
and  his  family,  and  has  not  the  eyes  of  the  whole  universe  watching  and 
contorting  his  every  movement." 

The  reply  of  the  venerable  Emperor  of  Au.stria  is  : 
"  1  envy  every  man  who  is  not  an  Emperor.** 

The  character  of  the  young  Czar  of  Russia  is  shown  in  his  repl)' 
which  is  as  follows  : 

**  1  envy  with  a  great  envy  any  person  who  has  not  to  bear  the  cares  of  a 
mighty  kingdom  ;  wlio  has  not  to  feel  the  sorrows  of  a  suffering  people.'* 

How  strikingly  this  illustrates  the  fact  so  strougly  emphasized 
in  all  Eastern  religions — that  riches,  pomp,  power  and  external 
surroundings  can  never,  and  were  never  designed  to,  satisfy  the 
soul's  longing. 

*  * 

It  is  stated  in  the  lyondon   Standard  (see  report 

The  Chinese     of  Lieutenant  Von  Krohn),  that  Admiral  Seymour's 

and  column  distinguished    themselves   by  the  massacre 

''Noqnartery     of  the  Chinese  wounded,   giving  no  quarter.    The 

Lieutenant's  statement  is  this : 

**  It  is  scarcely  possible  to  take  prisoners,  as  the  Chinese  are  not  civilised 
enough  for  such  a  mode  of  warfare.  During  the  Sej^mour  Expedition  the 
troops  were  compelled  to  bayonet  all  the  wounded,  as  they  could  not  look 
after  them  ;  and  a  wonnded  Chinaman  will  attempt  to  kill  any  European  as 
long  as  he  can  still  raise  a  liand.  At  first  they  sent  the  wounded  Boxers  to 
the  hospitals  at  Tientsin,  but  they  soon  found  this  was  a  mistake  and  the 
order  was  given  to  kill  all  Chinese  still  capable  of  fightins^,  not  to  spare  the 
wounded,  and  to  take  no  prisoners.  The  Boxers  frequently  removed  their 
red  badges,  and  tried  to  conceal  their  participation  in  the  fight,  bnt  this  was 
soon  found  out." 

And  is  this  the  plane  to  which  the  Christian  civilization  of  the 
present  day  has  descended  ?  Is  not  the  Theosophical  ideal  better 
than  this  ? 


n  ' 


THE     THEOSOPHIST. 


f  1  i  ' •• , I  \ . ,■     \ 


VOL.  XXII.,  NO.  2,  NOVEMBER  1900. 


THERE  IS  NO  RELIGION  HIGHER  THAN  TRUTH. 

{Fatnily  motto  of  the  Maharajahs  of  BefiaresJ] 


*.*t_*-»^-  *^*-*y 


OLD  DIARY  LEAVES* 
Fourth  Seriks,  Chapter  XIII. 

(Year  1890O 

it  S  my  older  friends  know,  I  was  from  1854  to  i860  almost  entire- 
xJL  ly  absorbed  in  the  study  and  practice  of  scientific  agriculture. 
The  taste  for  it  has  never  left  me,  and  on  two  or  three  different  occa- 
sions the  Government  of  Madras  has  availed  of  my  experience  in 
these  matters.  A  few  days  after  the  events  described  in  the  preced- 
ing chapter  I  went  to  Salem,  an  ancient  town  in  Madras  Presidency, 
to  serve  as  a  judge  of  agricultural  implements  and  machinery,  by 
request  of  Government,  and  the  Japanese  Commissioners  joined  me 
there,  after  a  short  tour  of  inspection  of  farms  on  which  they  were 
accompanied  by  an  expert  deputed  by  the  Department  of  Land  Re- 
cords and  Agriculture.  Tents  had  been  pitch^  for  us  within  the 
Railway  Station  compound,  and  we  were  supplied  with  meals  at  the 
restaurant  at  Government  expense,  I  gave  one  lecture  on  "  Agri- 
culture," at  the  show  grounds,  with  Mr.  Clogstoun,  Director  of  the 
above-named  Department,  in  the  chair,  but  I  refused  several  invita- 
tions to  give  public  addresses  on  Theosophy  as,  for  the  moment,  I 
was  a  sort  of  Government  officer  and  did  not  think  it  right  to  mix  up 
tdy  Jirivate  cohderns  iii  "feligion  ftttd  meidi)bysics  with  my  teinjiiraiy 
public  duties.  It  would  have  been  in  bad  t^te,  as  I  told  my  friends, 
the  Indians,  but  I  was  quite  ready  to  come  to  Salem  for  their  special 
benefit  later  on,  if  they  wanted  me.  On  the  third  day  I  returned  to 
Madras  and  took  up  current  work.  Dr.  Sawano  and  Mr.  Higashi, 
having  finished  their  inquiries,  left  for  Japan  on  the  24th  February. 


-*^ 


*  Three  volumes,  in  series  of  thirty  chapters,  tracin|t  the  history  of  the 
Tbeosophical  Society  from  its  beg^iiinitigfs  at  New  York,  have  appeared  in  the 
Thetmophitt^  and  the  first  volume  is  available  in  book  form.  Price,  cloth,  Rs,  3-8-0, 
or  paper,  Rs.  2-3-0. '  .Vol.  II.  is  in  press  and  will  shortly  apipear. 


66  The  Theosophist.  [November 

Dr.  Sawano  wrote  i;ne  later  that  after  his  return  the  Japanese  govern- 
ment kept  him  busy  lecturing  upon  scientific  agricultural  topics, 
with  illustrations  based  upon  his  observations  in  Europe,  America 
and  India.  In  his  letter  to  me  he  says :  **  Your  name  has  appeared 
in  nearly  all  the  Japanese  papers,  in  connection  with  your  kind 
treatment  of  our  Commission  and  the  help  you  gave  us  to  gather 
useful  information  in  India.  Many  Japanese  who  yearn  after  you, 
come  and  ask  me  about  the  present  condition  of  your  Theosophical 
Society,  and  of  your  health.  Some  eagerly  desire  to  go  *  to  tndia 
and  study  under  you,  and  some  without  private  means  would  be 
only  too  glad  to  perform  any  service  in  your  house  or  on  the  place, 
only  to  be  with  you  and  able  to  devote  part  of  their  time  to  acquir- 
ing knowledge/' 

A  queer  creature  of  a  Hatha  Yogi,  who  leaped  about  like 
a  kangaroo  and  made  himself  otherwise  ridiculous,  walked  12 
miles  to  see  me  on  the  2nd  March.  He  said  he  had  clairvoyantly 
seen  me  at  a  certain  temple  the  night  before  and  his  goddess  had 
ordered  him  to  pay  me  a  visit  for  his  spiritual  good.  The  only 
phenomenon  which  he  exhibited  was  to  make  fall  from  the  air  a 
number  of  limes,  which  he  presented  to  me.  I  can't  say  how  much 
the  visit  profited  him  but  certainly  it  did  not  seem  to  have  much 
effect  on  me,  beyond  making  me  realise  once  more  how  foolish  it  was 
for  men  to  undergo  so  long  and  severe  a  training  to  so  little  purpose. 
He  gets  a  certain  small  amount  of  wonder-working  power — not  an 
hundredth  part  of  H.  P.  B.'s  ;  some  thought-reading  power,  some 
troublesome  elementals  dangling  about  him,  and  that  is  all !  He 
violated  the  good  old  rule  not  to  prophesy  unless  you  know,  by 
predicting  to  Mr.  Harte  and  Ananda,  whom  I  sent  to  see  him  the 
next  day,  that  within  six  years  I  should  certainly  be  able  to  perform 
great  miracles.  The  only  miracle  that  happened  within  that  time 
was  the  salvation  of  the  Society  from  harm  when  Mr.  Judge  seceded, 
along  with  the  American  section  :  but  that  was  not  of  the  sort  he 
had  in  mind,  though  a  very  good  and  substantial  performance. 
Ananda,  however,  was  so  much  impressed  by  the  Swami  that 
he  stopped  away  from  Adyar  two  days,  and  brought  me  on 
his  return  a  paita,  or  Brahminical  thread,  phenomenally  produced 
for  my  benefit,  some  flowers  which  had  been  showered  on  his  head 
out  of  space,  and  a  number  of  stoqes  of  the  wonders  he  had  seen. 
The  same  Yogi  paid  a  second  visit  to  headquarters  on  the  9th  and 
did  some  phenomena  in  the  Portrait  Room  of  the  Library.  An 
orange,  some  limes,  and  twenty-five  rupees  in  money  were  apparent- 
ly showered  about  us,  and  my  gold-pen  was  transported  from  my 
writing-table  upstairs  to  the  Picture  Room  :  a  plate  of  broken 
stones  and  pottery  was  also  converted  into  biscuits.  But  the  affeir 
smelt  of  trickery,  as  the  man  insisted  on  being  left  alone  to  **  do 
Bhakti  Puja"  before  we  were  admitted,  and  his  movements  were  not 
at  all  satisfactory.    The  money  I  gave  back  to  him,  as  I  fcU  tl»t  it 


■>  •  .• 


1900.]  Old  Diary  Leaves.  67 

had  been  lent  him  for  the  trick  by  one  of  the  persons  who  accom- 
panied him. 

In  answer  to  an  article  of  mine  in  the  March  Theosophist  ask- 
ing who  would  come  forward  and  help  in  the  Indian  work,  Mr. 
C.  Kotayya,  F.  T.  S.  of  Nellore,  volunteered  his  services  and  I  accept- 
ed them  and  made  him  a  travelling  Inspector  of  Branches. 

Dr.  Daly  at  last  arrived  from  Ceylon,  on  the  13th  April,,  and 
Harte,  Fawcett  and  I  talked  with  him  for  hours  and  hours  ;  in  fact, 
almost  all  the  night. 

As  it  was  finally  decided  that  he  should  be  put  to  work  in 
Ceylon,  in  the  capacity  of  my  personal  representiative,  I  spent  a  good 
deal  of  time    with  Dr.  Daly  explaining  my  plans.    Among  these 
was  the  establishment  of  a  woman's  journal,  to  be  the  property  of 
and  edited  by  the  ladies  of  the  Ceylon  Women's  Educational  Society, 
and  to  have  for  title  Sinhala  Stree^  or   The  Sinhalese  Woman  :  the 
journal  was  to  concern  itself  with  all  the  domestic,  moral  and  religious 
questions  which  should  come  into  the  life  of  a  mother  of  a  family. 
As  Dr.  Daly  had  had  much  to  do  with  journalism  it  was  included  in 
my  plan  that  he  should  have  the  general  supervision  of  the  editorial 
work  of  the  proposed  journal.  My  first,  idea  in  inviting  him  to  come 
to  the  East  and  help  me  was  to  have  him  act  as    sub-editor    of  the 
Theosophist  and  during  my  absence  do  a  good   part  of  the  more  im- 
portant correspondence.    But  as  he  was  evidently  unfit  for  this  sort 
of  work,  and  as  the  Buddhists  wanted  him  in  Ceylon,  and.  he  was 
nothing  loth,  I  issued  an  official  Notice   assigning  him  for  duty  to 
Ceylon  and  giving  him  a  delegation  of  my  supervisory  authority. 
This  Notice  was  dated  25th  May,  1890.    I  heard  nothing  more  about 
the  journal  in  question  for  some  time,  but  at  last  it  was  reported  to 
me  that  he  had  called  a  meeting  of  the  Women's  Educational 
Society  to  broach  the  idea  of  the  journal,  and  an  issue  of  the  Times  of 
Ceylon  in  the  month  of  July  reported  the   meeting  and  said  that  the 
intention  was  to  call  it  The  Sanghamitta;  adding  that "  Colonel  Olcott 
as  Chief  Adviser  of  the  Women's  Society  has  full  sympathy  with  the 
proposed  venture  and  has  promised  his   aid."    Considering  that  I 
drafted  the  whole  scheme  from  beginning  to  end  and  added  my  per- 
sonal pecuniary  guarantee  for  the  expenses  of  the  first  year,  the 
above  statement  reads  rather  mildly.    The  fact  is  that  Dr.  Daly  put 
forth  the  scheme  as  his  own,  and  even   went  so  far  as  to  inake  the 
condition  that  the  ownership  of  the  paper  should  be  vested  in  him, 
as  that  of  the  Theosophist  is  in  me.    Of  course  when  I  heard  that,  I 
immediately  withdrew  from  the  scheme.     It  is  a  pity  that  it  could 
not  have  been  carried  out,  for  I  think  that  it  would  have  been  a  suc- 
cess and  a  very  great  aid  to  the  cause  of  female  education. 

Excellent  news  came  now  from  Japan  about  the  development  of 
the  Women's  League^movement,  which  had  been  one  of  the  results  of 
my  tour.    Mr.  M.  Oka,  the  Manager,  wrote  that  it  was  indeed  wonder* 


<^8  Irhe  Theosophist.  [November 

ful  to  see  what  the  Japanese  Buddhists  had  done  within  the  half-year 
since  my  visit  and  as  a  consequence  of  it.  The  Ladies'  Association 
for  "producing  g6od  mothers,  educated  sisters,  and  cultivated 
daughters,"  had  started  on  a  career  of  surprising  prosperity.  "  We 
have  already  induced  2  Princesses,  5  Marchionesses,  5  Countesses, 
8  Viscountesses,  7  Baronesses  and  many  famous  Buddhist  priests, 
celebrated  scholars,  &c.,  &c.,  to  become  honorary  members,  while 
ordinary  members  are  increasing  in  number  daily/*  He  asked  mc 
to  become  an  Honorary  Member,  and  Dharmapala  also.  "A  month 
later  he  again  wrot^  with  enthusiasm,  saying  that  the  membership 
had  increased  by  1,000  within  the  month,  and  that  the  Princess 
Buushu,  aunt  of  H.  M.  the  Emperor,  had  accepted  the  Presidency : 
a  journal  had  been  established  and  the  outlook  was  most  promising. 

Another  very  important  proof  of  the  permanent  effect  of  my 
tour  in  Japan  is  given  in  a  letter  from  one  of  the  most  distinguished 
priests  in  the  Japanese  Empire,  Odsu  Letsunen,  San,  Chief  Officer 
of  the  Western  Hongwanji,  Kyoto,  who  said  that  the  fact  that  I  had 
**  greatly  aroused  the  feelings  of  the  people  at  large  was  beyond 
any  dispute."  But  the  striking  point  of  the  letter  is  that  it  breathes 
the  very  spirit  of  international  Buddhistic  tolerance  and  sympathy,  to 
arouse  which  was  the  object  of  my  mission.  Mr.  Odsu  expresses 
the  hope  that  the  inconsequential  differences  of  sects  in  and  between 
the  Mahayana  and  Hinayana,  the  northern  and  southern  schools  of 
Buddhism,  "  may  henceforth  be  subordinated  to  the  primary  object 
of  promoting  the  spread  of  Buddhism  throughout  the  world." 

On  the  28th  April,  a  public  meeting  of  theTheosophical  Society 
for  the  purpose  of  introducing  Messrs.  Fawcett  and  Daly  to  the 
Indians,  was  held  at  Pachiappa's  Hall,  Madras.  An  enthusiastic 
crowd  attended  and  the  speakers  were  received  most  warmly. 

An  atmosphere  of  unrest  had  been  created  at  the  headquarters 
by  the  unfriendly  agitation  which  followed  after  the  London  troubles 
and  the  withdrawal  of  Subba  Row  and  his  two  English  followers 
from  the  Society :  one  other  feature  being  the  fomenting  of  unjust 
prejudice  against  Ananda,  by  certain  persons  who  did  not  like  his 
ways.  Up  to  that  time  the  business  of  the  Theosophist  had  been 
conducted  in  the  same  large  room  where  that  of  the  Society  had 
been  carried  on,  but  it  became  unpleasant  for  both  him  and  me,  so 
rilttiEld'ttp  the  Western  riverside  bungalow  at  my  own  expense  and 
removed  the  magazine  and  bookshop  there,  after  the  usual  purifica- 
tory ceremony  had  been  performed  by  Brahmin  priests  in  the  ancient 
fashion.*  And  there  it  has  been  kept  until  the  present  day.  So 
disagreeable  was  the  sullen   hostility  at  one  time  that  I  actually 

*  So  old  a  mesmerist  as  I  could  never  be  blind  to  the  possible  efficacy  of  any 
well  conducted  ceremony,  by  the  priest  or  lay  exorcist  of  any  religion  or  school  of 
occultism  whatsoever,  however  small  mij^ht  be  my  belief  in  the  interference  of 
superhuman  entities  for  the  profit  of  any  given  faith.  So,  with  benevolent  tolerance 
I  let  whoever  likes  make  whatever  puja  he  chooses,  from  the  Brahmin  to  the 
Yakkada  and  the  ignorant  /ishemen  of  the  Adyar  River,  my  friends  and  proteg^* 


1900.]  Old  Diary  Leaves.  ^p 

fanned  a  plan  to  remove  the  business  to  quarters  in  town.  As  for 
casting  off  the  faithful  Manager,  that  never  entered  my  head.  As  a 
Master  once  wrote  to  Mr.  Sinnett,  **  Ingratitude  is  not  among  our 
vices." 

Our  evenings  have  always  been  pleasantly  spent  in  dry  weather 
on  the  pavement-like  terrace  roof  of  the  main|building  where,  on 
moonlit  or  starlit  nights,  we  have  the  glory  of  the.  heavens  to  look 
«t'  and  the  ocean  breezes  to  cool  us,  I  haye  visited  many  lands, 
But  recall  no  more  beautiful  view  than  that  upon  which  the  eye 
rests  from  that  terrace,  whether  by  daylight,  starlight  or  moonlight. 
Sometimes  we  only  talk,  sometimes  one  reads  and  the  others 
listen.  Often  on  such  occasions,  in  the  months  of  the  Western 
winter  season,  do  we  speak  of  our  families  and  friei^ds,  especially  of 
our  theosophical  colleagues,  and  wish  they  could  float  over  us,  as  the 
Arahats  are  described  in  the  *'  Mahavansa  "  as  having  done,  and 
see  and  compare  with  their  own  climatic  miseries  the  delights  of  our 
physical  surroundings.  In  those  May  days  of  1890  we  used  to  thus 
gather  together  and  the  new-comers,  with  their  varied  knowledge 
of  literature  and  men,  contributed  greatly  to  the  pleasure  and  profit 
of  the  little  gatherings.  Mr.  Harte  wrote  for  the  Theosophist  a  series 
of  witty  and  comical  articles  under  the  title  **  Chats  on  the  Roof," 
(spelt  without  the  h^  in  the  galley-proof  of  the  Hindu  compositor !) 
the  discontinuance  of  which  was  much  regretted  by  some  of  our 
readers. 

The  late  Mr.  S.  E.  Gopalacharlu,  nephew  and  adopted  son  of 
the  regretted  Pandit  Bhashyacharya,  now  took  up  the  appointment  of 
Treasurer  of  the  Society,  which  I  had  tendered  him.  What  a  pity 
that  neither  of  us  foresaw  what  would  be  the  tragical  outcome  of 
the  connection ! 

When  the  late  King  of  Kandy  was  deposed  by  the  British  army 
in  the  year  18 17,  he  and  his  family  were  exiled  to  Southern  India 
and  the  survivors  and  their  descendants  are  stijl  there.  The  pre- 
sent male  representative  known  as  lyaga  Sinhala  Raja,  or  the 
Prince  of  Kandy,  came  at  this  time  in  great  distress  of  mind  and 
besought  my  good  offices  to  get  from  Government  some  relief  for 
his  miseries.  It  appears  that,  as  in  the  case  of  all  these  deposed 
royalties,  the  original  pension  from  Government  goes  on  diminish- 
ing with  the  death  of  the  chief  exile  and  the  natural  increase  in  the 
families  sharing  the  botinty;  A'i'  thfe^r  linagrifie  Vtigti  royat st&te tfeiF^ 
bids  them  to  work  for  their  living  like  ordinary  honest  folk^  and  as 
their  pride  leads  them  to  try  to  keep  up  somie  show  of  the  old 
grandeur,  the  time  comes  at  last  when  their  respective  incomes  shnnjk 
into  bare  pittances  and,  as  this  young  man  told  me,  the  domestic 
attendants  and  their  families  come  at  every  meal  time  and  sit  around 
like  dogs  waiting  for  a  bone  while  the  impoverished  master  partakes 
of  his  meagre  meal.  The  picture  which  he  drew  made  me  feel  that 
if  I  should  ever  have  the  bad  luck  to  be  a  vanquished  king  I  should 


76  The  Theosophist.  [Novembet 

adopt  the  old  Rajput  custom  of  killing  myself  and  family,  rather 
than  go  into  exile  as  a  pensioner  of  the  victor.  This  young  Prince 
had  had  the  moral  courage  to  set  the  good  example  of  preparing 
himself  for  civil  emplo3nnent  under  the  Indian  Government,  and  was 
then  holding  the  small  appointment  of  Sub-Registrar  in  a  taluk  of 
the  Tinnevelly  District,  and  was  drawing  a  small  salary ;  but,  as  he 
said,  this  was  rather  an  aggravation  than  otherwise,  for  it  was  barely 
enough  to  give  himself  and  family  food,  and  his  feelings  were  always 
worked  upon  by  seeing  these  wretched  dependants  watching  every 
mouthful  he  ate.  He  was  a  nice  young  fellow  and  I  gladly  helped 
him  with  advice  as  to  what  he  should  do. 

On  the  3rd  of  June,  I  visited  T.  Subba  Row  at  his  request,  and 
mesmerized  him.  He  was  in  a  dreadful  state,  his  body  covered  with 
boils  and  blisters  from  crown  to  sole,  as  the  result  of  blood-poisoning 
from  some  mysterious  cause.  He  could  not  find  it  in  anything  that 
he  had  eaten  or  drank  and  so  concluded  that  it  must  be  due  to  the 
malevolent  action  of  elementals,  whose  animosity  he  had  aroused  by 
some  ceremonies  he  had  performed  for  the  benefit  of  his  wife.  This 
was  my  own  impression,  for  I  felt  the  uncanny  influence  about  him 
as  soon  as  I  approached.  Knowing  him  for  the  learned  occultist  that 
he  was,  a  person  highly  appreciated  by  H.P.B.,  and  the  author  of  a 
course  of  superb  lectures  on  the  Bhagavad  Gita,  I  was  inexpressibly 
shocked  to  see  him  in  such  a  physical  state.  Although  my  mes- 
meric treatment  of  him  did  not  save  his  life,  it  gave  him  so  much 
strength  that  he  was  able  to  be  moved  to  another  house,  and  when 
I  saw  him  ten  days  later  he  seemed  convalescent,  the  improvement 
dating,  as  he  told  me,  from  the  date  of  the  treatment.  The  change 
for  the  better  was,  however,  only  temporary,  for  he  died  during  the 
night  of  the  24th  of  the  same  month  and  was  cremated  at  nine  on 
the  following  morning.  From  members  of  his  family  I  obtained 
some  interesting  particulars.  At  noon  on  the  24th  he  told  those 
about  him  that  his  Guru  called  him  to  come,  he  was  going  to  die, 
he  was  now  about  beginning  his  t&pas  (mystical  invocations)  and  he 
did  not  wish  to  be  disturbed.  From  that  time  on  he  spoke  to  no 
one.  From  the  obituary  notice  which  I  wrote  for  the  July  Theosophist^ 
I  quote  a  few  paragraphs  about  this  great  luminary  of  Indian  con- 
temporary thought : 

'*  Between  Sabba  Bow,  H.  P.  Blavatsky,  Damodar  and  myself  there 
wtrs'aclose  frrendBfaip.  He  tvu^  chiefly  instrtimental  in  having  us  invited  to 
visit  Madras  in  1882,  and  in  inducing  us  to  choose  this  city  as  the  permanent 
Headquarters  of  the  Theosophical  Hociety.  Subba  Bow  was  in  confidential 
understanding  with  us  about  Damodar's  mystical  pilgrimage  towards  the 
north,  and  more  than  a  year  after  the  latter  crossed  into  Tibet,  he  wrote  him 
about  himself  and  liis  plans.  Subba  Bow  told  me  of  this  long  ago,  and 
reverted  to  the  subject  the  other  day  nt  one  of  my  visits  to  his  sick-bed.  A 
dispute-*-due  in  a  measure  to  third  parties— which  widened  into  a  breach, 
arose  between  H,  P.  B.  and  himself  about  certain  philosophioal  questions,  but 
to  the  lost  he  spoke  of  her,  to  us  and  to  his  family,  in  the  old  friendly  way. 


1900.]  Old  Diary  Leaves.  71 

.  •  .  .  •  .  . ''  It  is  remarked  above  tb^t  T.  Subba  Bow  gave  no  early 
signs  of  possessing  mystical  knowledge :  even  Sir  T.  Madhava  Row  did  not 
sunpeet  it  in  him  while  he  was  serving  nnder  him  at  B<^roda.  jL  particularly 
questioned  his  mother  on  this  point,  and  she  told  me  that  her  son  first  talked 
metaphysics  after  forming  a  connection  with  the  Founders  of  the  Theosophical 
Society  :  a  connection  which  began  with  a  correspondence  between  himself 
and  H.  P.  B.  and  Damodar,  and  became  personal  after  our  meeting  him,  in 
1882,  at  Madras.  It  was  as  though  a  storehouse  of  occult  experience,  long 
forgotten,  had  been  suddenly  opened  to  him ;  recollections  of  his  last  preceding 
birth  came  in  upon  him :  he  recognized  his  Guru,  and  thenceforward  held 
interoonrse  with  him  and  other  Mahatmas ;  with  some,  personally,  at  our 
Headquarters,  with  others  elsewhere  and  by  correspondence.  He  told  his 
mother  that  H.  P.  B.  was  a  great  Yogi,  and  that  he  bad  seen  many  strange 
phenomena  in  her  presence.  His  stored  up  knowledge  of  Sanskrit  literature 
came  back  to  him,  and  his  brother-in-law  told  me  that  if  you  would  recite  any 
verse  of  6it4,  Brahma-Sntras  or  Upanishads,  he  could  at  once  tell  you 
whence  it  was  taken  and  in  what  connection  employed." 

I  cannot  remember  how  many  similar  cases  have  come  under 
my  notice  in  my  visits  among  our  Branches,  but  they  are  very 
numerous.  Almost  invariably  one  finds  that  those  members  who 
are  most  active  and  always  to  be  counted  on  for  unwavering  fidelity 
to  the  Society,  declare  that  they  have  had  this  awakening  of  the 
Higher  Self  and  this  uncovering,  or  unveiling,  of  the  long-hidden 
block  of  occult  knowledge. 

There  being  an  annular  eclipse  of  the  sun  on  the  17th,  every 
orthodox  Hindu  had  to  bathe  in  the  sea.  Mr.  Harte  and  I  went  to 
see  the  crowd,  which  was  dense  and  joyous.  The  surf  was  splen- 
did, and  the  scene  one  of  the  greatest  animation.  Imagine  several 
thousand  brown-skinned  Hindus,  scantily  clad  in  their  white  cloths, 
jumping  about  in  the  waves  in  pleasant  excitement,  hailing  each 
other  with  joyous  shouts,  leaping  over  the  small  surf,  sometimes 
splashing  and  ducking  each  other;  other  thousands  standing  or 
sitting  on  the  sands,  adding  their  shouts  to  the  din,  and  out  beyond 
the  bathers  the  great  rollers  curling  over  and  booming :  overhead, 
the  partly  obscured  sun,  a  mystery  to  the  ignorant  and  the  source 
of  an  impurity  which  must  be  washed  off  in  the  briny  water.  This 
took  place  along  the  shore-front  of  Triplicaneand  Mylapore,  villages 
included  within  the  modern  Madras  municipality.  I  have  seen 
nowhere  in  the  world  a  Jj^iarina  to  jgaatch  that  of  Madras,  though  Sir 
M.  E.  Grant-DuflF,  who  had  it  laid  out  when  he  was  Governor,  tells 
us  that  he  copied  it  from  one  in  Italy,  which  had  given  him  great 
delight.  Along  the  sea-shore,  from  the  Cooum  River  to  the 
village  of  St.  Thom6,  a  distance  of  some  four  miles,  stretches  this 
delightful  drive  and  promenade.  On  the  side  of  the  sea,  a  broad 
gravelled  sidewalk  with  stone  curbing,  then  a  broad,  noble  avenue 
with  the  road-surface  as  smooth  as  a  floor,  and  inside  that  a  tanned 
bridle-path  for  equestrians.  The  Marina  is  the  sundown  resort  of 
the  Madrasts,  who  come  there  in  their  carriages  and  enjoy  the 


72  The  Theosophist.  [Novexnber 

delicious  sea  breeze  which  almost  invariably  comes  in  from  the 
ocean,  bringing  life  and  refreshment  on  its  wings. 

I  was  busy  in  those  days  revising  the  **  Buddhist  Catechism  " 
for  one  of  its  many  new  editions,  amending  and  adding  to  the  con- 
tents, as  its  hold  on  the  Sinhalese  people  grew  stronger  and  I  felt 
that  it  was  getting  beyond  the  power  of  reactionary  priests  to  pre- 
vent my  telling  the  people  what  ought  to  be  expected  of  the  wearers 
of  the  yellow  robes.  When  I  published  the  33d  Edition,  three 
years  ago,  I  supposed  that^I  should  have  no  more  amendments  to 
make,  but  now  that  the  34th  Edition  will  soon  be  called  for,  I  find 
that  further  improvements  are  possible.  My  desire  is  to  leave  it  at 
my  death  a  perfect  compendium  of  the  contents  of  Southern 
Buddhism. 

On  the  27th  (June)  I  had  a  visitor  from  Madura,  from  whom  I 
had  the  satisfaction  of  hearing  that  three  of  the  cases  of  paralysis 
which  I  had  psychopathically  treated  in  1883,  had  proved  permanent 
cures,  and  that  after  an  interval  of  seven  j'ears  my  patients  were  as 
well  as  they  had  ever  been  in  their  lives.  One  of  these  cases  I 
remembered  very  well  and  have  described  it  in  my  narrative  of  my 
tour  of  1883.  It  was  that  of  a  young  man  who  came  to  me  one  day 
as  I  was  about  sitting  down  to  my  meal,  and  asked  me  to  cure  his 
paralysed  left  hand,  which  was  then  useless  to  him.  I  took  the 
hand  between  my  two,  and  after  holding  it  a  couple  of  minutes  and 
reciting  a  certain  mantram  which  I  used,  made  sweeping  passes 
from  the  shoulder  to  the  finger-tips,  some  additional  ones  around 
the  wrist  and  hand,  and  with  a  final  pass  declared  the  cure  com- 
pleted. Immediately  the  patient  felt  in  his  hand  a  rush  of  blood, 
from  having  been  without  feeling,  it  suddenly  grew  supersensitive, 
he  could  move  his  fingers  and  wrist  naturally,  and  he  ran  away 
home  to  tell  the  wonder.    Then  I  went  on  with  my  dinner. 

In  the  first  week  of  July  I  went  to  Trichinopoly  to  preside  at  a 
public  meeting  on  behalf  of  the  Hindu  Noble's  College,  and  while 
there  gave  two  lectures,  and  a  brief  address  at  the  famous  Temple 
of  Ganesha,  on  the  summit  of  the  great  rock,  one  of  the  most 
picturesque  landmarks  conceivable,  and  seen  by  every  railway 
traveller  passing  through  Southern  India. 

The  reader  will  easily  understand  the  stress  and  strain  that  was 
put  upon  me  at  this  time  by  the  eccentric  behaviour  of  H.  P.  B.  in 
herself  interfering  and  allowing  her  friends  to  interfere,  in  the 
practical  management  of  Society  afiairs,  a  department  which,  as 
Master  K.  H.  had  distinctly  written,  was  my  own  special  province. 
In  a  previous  chapter  I  have  mentioned  her  revolutionary  threat 
that  she  would  break  up  the  Society  unless  I  endorsed  their  action 
in  reorganizing  the  movement  in  Europe  with  her  as  permanent 
President  ;  but  to  make  the  thing  perfectly  clear,  since  the  case 
embodies  a  most  vital  principle,  I  will  enter  a  little  into  detail.  On 
the|8th  of  July  I  received  her  letter,  backed  by  some  of  her  friends, 


1900.]  Old  Diary  Leaves-  73 

demanding  the  above  mentioned  change  and  accompanying  it  with 
the  alternative  threat.  On  the  29th  of  the  same  month  I  received 
an  official  copy  of  a  Resolution,  which  had  been  passed  by  the  then 
existing  British  Section,  without  having  reported  their  wishes  to  me 
or  asked  my  consent.  The  Tkeosophist  for  August  had  been  printed, 
except  the  Supplement,  which  was  then  on  the  press.  On  receipt 
of  the  interesting  revolutionary  document  in  question  I  drove  to 
our  printers,  stopped  the  press,  ordered  destroyed  350  copies  of  the 
Supplement  already  run  ofiF,  and  inserted  thi^  Executive  Notice : 

"The  following  Resolution  of  the  Council  of  the  British  Section 
of  July  2nd,  1890,  is  hereby  cancelled,  as  contrary  to  the  Constitution 
and  By-laws  of  the  Theosophical  Society,  a  usurpation  of  the  Presi- 
dential prerogative,  and  beyond  the  competence,  of  any  Section  or 
other  fragment  of  the  Society  to  enact. 

Adyar,  2^tkjuly^  1890.  H.  S.  Owott,  P.  T.  S. 

Extract  from  Minutes  of  the  British  Section  T,  S. 

"  At  a  meeting  of  the  Council  of  the  British  Section  held  on 
July  2nd,  1890,  at  17,  Lansdowne  Road,  London,  W.,  summoned  for 
the  special  purpose  of  considering  the  advisability  of  vesting  per- 
manently the  Presidential  authority  for  the  whole  of  Europe  in  H.  P. 
Blavatsky,  it  was  unanimously  resolved  that  this  should  be  done 
from  this  date,  and  that  the  British  Section  should  unite  herewith 
with  the  Continental  Lodges  for  this  purpose,  and  that  the  Head- 
quarters of  the  Society  in  London  should  in  future  be  the  Head- 
quarters for  all  administrative  purposes  for  the  whole  of  Europe. 

W.  R.  Oi,D, 
General  Secretary.'* 

Who  wonders  that,  after  the  note  in  my  diary,  mentioning  what 
I  had  done,  I  added :  '*  That  may  mean  a  split,  but  it  does  not  mean 
that  I  shall  be  a  slave,"  What  charming  autocracy !  Not  one  word 
about  the  provisions  of  the  Society's  Constitution,  the  lawful 
methods  to  follow,  or  the  necessity  of  referring  the  matter,  to  the 
President ;  nothing  but  just  revolt.  It  only  made  my  own  duty  the 
plainer.  I  must  be  tnie  to  my  trust  even  though  it  had  to  come  to 
a  break  between  H.  P.  B.  and  myself ;  for  though  we  had  to  be 
loyal  to  each -other,  we  both  owed  a  superior  loyalty  to  Those  who 
had  chosen  us  out  of  our  generation  to  do  this  mighty  service  to 
mankind  as  part  of  Their  comprehensive  scheme. 

I  leave  this  on  record  for  the  benefit  of  my  successor,  that 
he  may  know  that,  if  he  would  be  the  real  guardian  and  father 
of  the  Society,  he  must  be  ready,  at  a  crisis  like  this,  to  act  so 
as  to  defend  its  Constitution  at  all  costs.  But  this  will  require 
more  than  mere  courage,  that  far  greater  thing,  faith  ;  faith  in  the 
inevitable  success  of  one's  cause,  faith  in  the  correctness  of  one's 


74  The  Theosophist.  [November 

judgment,  above  all,  faith  that,  under  the  guidance  of  the  Great 
Ones  no  petty  cabals,  conspiracies,  or  unwise  schemes  can  possibly 
stand  against  the  divine  impulse  that  gathers  behind  one  whose 
only  ambition  is  the  performance  of  duty. 

H.  S.  OwoTT. 


GLIMPSES  OF  THEOSOPHICAL  CHRISTIANITY* 

'  •    •     •  '  .  *  .■ ' 

Thk  Ethics  of  Christianity. 

f'cj   The  Forgiveness  of  Sins, 

{Continued  from  page  15.) 

FROM  what  has  been  said  as  to  the  Law  of  Karma  as  taught  by 
Christ,  it  is  evident  that  the  crude  view  of  forgiveness  held  by 
some  professing  Christians  wnll  have  to  be  discarded  ;  I  refer,  of 
course,  to  the  view  that  God  is  displeased,  or  even  angry,  with  man 
on  account  of  his  sins,  but  that  through  the  mediation  of  Christ  He 
is  induced  to  lay  aside  His  wrath,  and  to  excuse  man  from  suffering 
the  consequences  of  sin.  It  is  hardly  worth  while  to  discuss  the  rea- 
sonableness or  otherwise  of  this  view,  for  the  day  is  happily  almost 
past  when  thinking  Christians  could  ascribe  to  God  an  attitude  and 
a  course  of  action  which  they  would  regard  as  showing,  even  in  a  hu- 
man parent,  a  somewhat  undeveloped  parental  love.  The  associa- 
tion of  displeasure  and  of  the  deliberate  infliction  oi  arbitrary  punish- 
ment, with  a  Being  who  is  perfect  love  and  perfect  wisdom  is  surely 
impossible  ;  while  it  is  equally  impossible  to  conceive  of  such  a  Being 
relieving  man  from  suffering  the  natural  consequences  of  sin, 
seeing  that  it  is  only  by  their  means  that  the  necessary  lessons 
can  be  learned,  and  purification  attained.  We  must  therefore 
seek  for  some  other  meaning  in  the  sayings  of  Christ  as  to 
forgiveness.  And  in  doing  this  we  have  to  remember,  as  be- 
fore, .that  He  was  dealing  with  a  people  who  had  been  trained 
for  centuries  under  a  rigid  ecclesiastical  law,  and  whose  concep- 
tion of  God  was  still,  to  say  the  least,  very  human.  One  of  the 
aims  of  Christ  was  to  lead  them  to  a  higher  conception  of  God  ; 
thus  His  teaching  would  naturally  be  couched  in  terms  that  would 
appeal  to  their  present  somewhat  crude  ideas,  and  those  ideas  would 
akOr  doubtless,  influence  considerably  the  form  in  which  His  sayings 
would  be  reproduced.  When  read  in  the  light  of  Theosophical 
thought,  however,  His  teachings  are  suflBciently  explicit. 

The  most  striking  passage,  and  that  which  casts  the  most  light 
on  the  subject,  is  the  following :  *'  If  ye  forgive  men  their  trespasses, 
your  heavenly  Father  will  also  forgive  you.  But  if  ye  forgive  not 
men  their  trespasses,  neither  will  your  Father  forgive  your  tres- 
passes." (Matt.  VI,  14, 15  ;  Mark  XI,  25, 26).  With  this  we  may  compare 

*  The  instalment  of  these  *  Glimpses,*  which  appeared  in  the  October  number, 
9ho4l(l  have  be^n  marked  thus :  Continued  from  page  541,  Vol.  XXI, 


1906.]  Glimpses  of  Theosophical  Christianity.  75 

• 

the  parable  of  the  servant  who,  though  at  first  forgiven  by  his  lord, 
afterwards  refused  to  forgive  his  fellow-servant,  and  thus  brought  on 
himself  after  all,  the  full  exaction  of  his  own  debt.  (Matt.  XVIII, 
21,  35  ;  cf.  Luke  XVII,  3,  4).  Here  then  is  the  condition  of  for- 
giveness ;  not  belief  in  Christ,  not  acceptance  of  Him  as  the 
Saviour,  not  even  repentance  and  turning  away  from  the  sin  of  the 
past ;  but,  probably  to  most,  the  hardest  condition  of  all,  forgiveness 
of  our  fellows,  without  which  even  repentance  would  seem  to  be 
unavailing.  The  cause  for  this  we  shall  find  to  lie  in  the  very  nature 
of  sin  itself,  and  therefore  of  its  consequences.  For,  since  man  is 
the  seed  of  the  Divine  Life  and  since  the  aim  of  his  evolution  is  that 
that  seed  shall  grow  into  the  perfect  tree,  everything  which  hinders 
evolution  will  be  evil,  and  sin  will  be  any  action  on  man's  part  by 
which  he  retards  the  growth  of  the  divinity  within,  which  is  himself. 
Now,  we  are  taught  that  in  the  earlier  stages  of  evolution,  separate- 
ness  is  the  law  of  progress ;  that  a  strong  individuality  can  be  built 
up  only  by  means  of  separateness,  and  thus  at  those  stages  separate- 
ness  or  selfishness  is  right.  But  Christ  was  trying  to  lead  men  to  a 
higher  stage  than  this,  placing  before  them  the  ideal  towards  which 
they  should  begin  to  strive.  And  we  must  remember  that  the  devel- 
opment of  separateness  produces  a  temporary  obscuration  of  the 
Divine  life,  of  which  the  essential  characteristic  is  unity.  Thus, 
when  the  strength  of  the  individuality  has  been  built  up,  the  next 
stage  is  the  gradual  realisation  of  unity.  So,  from  the  point  of  view 
of  Christ's  teaching,  sin  will  be  that  which  tends  to  prevent  unity  ; 
in  other  words,  it  will  be  the  carrying  of  separateness  into  a  later 
stage  than  that  to  which  it  naturally  belongs ;  the  practice  of  selfish- 
ness after  man  has  begun  to  realise  that  altruism,  which  will  lead 
to  unity,  is  the  higher  law  of  his  being.  Separateness  from  other 
selves  will  imply  separateness  from  that  Divine  life  of  which  each  of 
them  is,  so  to  speak,  a  partial  manifestation  ;  and  thus  all  sin  will 
build  up  a  barrier  that  separates  the  sinner  from  God,  But  the 
barrier  is  entirely  on  the  part  of  the  sinner.  There  is  no  change  in 
God  ;  He  is  ever  pouring  out  His  intense  love  on  everything  that 
exists.  **  He  maketh  His  sun  to  rise  on  the  evil  and  the  good,  and 
sendeth  rain  on  the  just  and  the  unjust."  (Matt.  V,  45).  As  Bruno 
once  put  it :  "  The  human  soul  has  windows,  and  it  can  shut  those 
windows  close.  The  sun  outside  is  shining,  the  light  is  there 
tmchanging ;  open  the  windows  and  the  light  of  the  sun  streams 
in."*  So  are  we  ever  bathed  in  the  sunshine  of  God's  love,  but  by 
our  sin  we  shut  ourselves  in  from  it ;  and  then,  being  unable  to 
see  it,  we  say  in  our  foolish  arrogance  that  He  is  wroth  with  us, 
and  has  turned  Himself  away  from  us  I  Blind  that  we  are,  not  to 
see  that  it  is  only  we  who  have  turned  our  backs  upon  Him  ! 

Now  the  failure  to  forgive  those  who   have  sinned  against  us 

will  do  more  than  aught  else  to  perpetuate  this   barrier  we  have 

>  I — — - — — — — '        ■  « 

•  **  Ksoteric  (^bristiantty/'    Lecture  lU.,  A.  Besant,  p.  17, 


1f6  The  Theosophist.  fNovemi>er 

built  up ;  for  failure  to  forgive  implies  alienation  and  separateness 
from  our  fellows.  As  long  as  that  cause  of  separateness  remains,  it 
is  of  but  little  use  for  us  to  repent  and  turn  away  from  all  other 
sins ;  we  shall  still  be  shut  out  from  the  sunlight  of  God's  love.  But 
let  us  combine  with  our  repentance  and  our  efforts  towards  reforma- 
tion, a  tender  and  loving  forgiveness  of  all  who  have  injured,  or  are 
still  injuring  us,  and  then  we  shall  find  the  barrier  is  broken  down, 
the  warmth  and  light  of  His  love  again  streams  upon  us,  and  we 
feel  we  are  forgiven.  It  seems  to  us  that  He  has  changed ;  in 
reality  the  only  change  is  in  us.  Still  the  suffering  that  is  the  result 
of  our  wrong-doing  will  have  to  be  suffered  till  it  is  exhausted  ;  but 
all  the  sting  and  bitterness  of  it  will  have  gone,  now  that  we  have 
again  become  conscious  of  God's  love  ;  and  we  shall  cheerfully  and 
gladly  take  the  pain  and  learn  from  it  all  that  it  has  to  teach.  We 
can  now  understand  why,  in  some  of  our  Theosophical  writings,  it 
has  been  said  that  there  is  no  forgiveness  of  sins.  In  the  ordinary 
acceptation  of  the  term  there  is  none.  God  cannot  forgive  us,  simply 
because  He  has  no  need  to  do  so,  having  never  changed  towards  us. 

There  are  some  passages,  however,  which  are  less  explicit  than 
this,  and  which  seem  to  imply  still  more  clearly  that  there  is  some 
action  of  forgiveness  on  God's  part  or  on  Christ's.  For  instance,  on 
one  occasion,  when  Christ  healed  a  paralytic,  He  also  told  him 
that  his  sins  were  forgiven  ;  and,  in  answer  to  the  objections  of  the 
Jews,  spoke  of  the  *  Son  of  Man  '  having  "  power  on  earth  to  forgive 
sins  "  ;  so  too  with  the  woman  who  anointed  His  feet  in  the  house  of 
Simon  the  Pharisee  ;  and  His  prayer  on  the  cross  was  :  **  Father, 
forgive  them,  for  they  know  not  what  they  do."  (See  Matt.  IX,  2, 6  ; 
Luke  VII,  36  et  seq,  ;  Luke  XXIII,  34).  We  cannot  of  course  hope 
to  find  the  full  meaning  of  all  the  sayings  of  Christ,  unless  we  can 
know  whether  His  utterances  have  been  accurately  recorded ;  which, 
with  our  present  knowledge  of  early  Christianity,  is  impossible.  In 
the  meantime,  some  thoughts  are  suggested  by  these  passages,  that 
may  be  useful. 

One  as  far  advanced  as  Christ,  would  be  able  to  see  the  Karma 
of  the  individual  He  was  dealing  with,  and  would  thus  know  wheth* 
er  the  Karmic  effect  showing  itself  in  the  form  of  sickness  or  bodi* 
ly  afliction  had  yet  exhausted  itself,  and  would  also  be  able  to  see 
what  was  the  attitude  of  mind  of  the  one  He  wished  to  heal.  The 
very  fact  of  His  performing  a  cure  would  indeed  be  an  indication 
that  that  particular  Karma  was  on  the  point  of  exhaustion ;  for, 
though  we  can  readily  conceive  it  possible  that  Christ  could  by  the 
exercise  of  spirittial power  remove  sickness  even  before  this  was  so, 
yet  even  He  could  not  avert  Karmic  effects,  and  thus  they  would 
simply  be  driven  inwards  to  work  out  in  some  other  form  which 
might  be  far  worse.  He  therefore  would  not  heal  unless  Karma 
permitted  it,  for  He,  being  wise,  would  not  lay  Himself  open  to 
the  charge  of  performing  a  mistaken  kindness,  as  one  is  inclined  at 


ldOO»]  Glimpses  of  Theosophical  Christianity.  i*7 

times  to  think  some  of  oar  modem  healers  do,  when  they  resort  to 
forces  other  than  physical.  And  it  has  been  suggested  that  His  mean- 
ing in  saying  "  Thy  sins  are  forgiven   thee,"   was  simply  a  state- 
ment of  the  fact  that  this  Karma  was  exhausted.    But  it  seems  more 
likely  that  the  meaning  lies  deeper  than  this,  and  that  possibly  He 
saw  that  there  was  in  this  paralytic  the  change   in  the  attitude  of 
mind,  the  effort  to  break  down  the  barrier   of  separateness,  which 
constitutes  forgiveness.    Or  again,  the  very  presence  of  Christ  may 
have  atotised  in  him  the  devotion  and  worship  which   are  often 
the  first  steps  towards  the  attainment  of  forgiveness.    This  seems 
especially   to  be  so   in  the  second  case  quoted.     For  there  is  no 
force  so  strong  to  inspire  in  us  the  desire  for  union  with  the  Divine, 
as  that  of  love  and  reverence  for  one  higher  than  ourselves.    As  it  is 
said  in  the  Bhagavad-GitA  :   "  Even  if  the  most  sinful  worship  Me, 
with  undivided  heart,  he  too  must  be  accounted  righteous,   for  he 
hath  rightly  resolved ;  speedily  he  becometh  dutiful  and  goeth  to  eter- 
nal peace,"  «    It  is  love  and  reverence  of  that  sort  which,  more  than 
aught  else,  makes  man  conscious  of  his   real  self,  the  God  within. 
And  this  thought  leads  us  to  a  yet   deeper  one.    We   have  so 
far  thought  of  God  as  if  He  were  outside    of   man,   influencing 
him  from  without ;  and  to  our  limited  consciousness  this  must 
appear  to  be  so,  for  that  which  is    limited  cannot   feel  itself  to 
be  one  with  the  all-consciousness.    But  we    must  not  forget  that 
this  separation  is  illusory  ;  that  in  reality  God  is  /«  His  universe,  is 
its  very  life  and  heart,  suffering  and  rejoicing  in  and  with  it  ;  and 
that  when  we  speak  of  a  barrier  separating  us  from  God  as  if  He 
were  distinct  from  us,  this  is  but  a  concession  to  our  finite  intellect, 
and  it  is  in  reality  ourown  Divine  Self  from  which  we  are  separated* 
We  have  already  seen  how  great  a   difference  there  is  between  the 
wrong-doing  that  arises  from  ignorance,  and  that  where  there  is 
knowledge  ;  and  we  can  readily  understand  that  the  separation  is  far 
less  in  the  former  case.    There  we  find  a  negative,  rather  than  a 
positive  barrier  ;  one  which  it  requires  only  further  knowledge  to 
remove  and  which  will  therefore  be  broken  down,  at  least  in  part,  as 
the  God  within,  the  true  Father  in  Heaven,  draws  us  nearer  to 
Himself.    Then  we  can  see  what  is  the  meaning  of  Christ's  prayer 
on  the  cross — not  so  much  a  petition  as  a  statement  of  an  eternal 
truth,  as  Christ's  prayers  usually  are.    The  Father,  the  Self  within 
each  one  of  these  persecutors,  will  forgive  them,  will  ever  strive  to 
drawthem  nearer  to  Himself,  for  it  is  in  ignorance  they  sin,   and 
wheir  they  imderstand  more  clearly,  they  will  be  ready  to  turn  and 
see&Him. 

In  all  its  different  aspects,  then,  forgiveness  is  not  an  excusing 
from  the  results  of  sin,  not  a  remission  of  punishment,  but  a  bring- 
ing-into  unity,  a  reconciliation  where  before  there  was  separation* 
It  will  at  once  be  seen  that  from  its  very  nature,  this  will  involve  an 

•  «  Bha|ravad-Gita/'  i«,  ^d,  ^4. 


78  f  he  Theosophist.  [Novembe]^ 

eflfort  to  become  free  from  the  tendency  to  sin  ;  and  we  have  in  this 
connection  two  very  suggestive  parables.  Students  of  Theosophy 
are  familiar  with  the  teaching  that  the  best  way  to  eradicate  a  vice  is 
to  cultivate  the  opposite  virtue,  and  that  a  mere  negative  morality  is 
apt  to  defeat  its  own  end.  Evolution  cannot  stand  still,  and  if  we 
try  to  eradicate  a  fault  without  putting  something  else  in  its  place, 
we  shall  only  find  that  we  soon  fall  back  into  the  fault.  The  simplest 
and  most  striking  illustration  of  this  is  perhaps  the  control  of 
thought.  We  may  recognise  that  a  certain  line  of  thought  is  harmful; 
or  if  not  actually  harmful,  is  at  least  useless,  and  thus  involves  a 
waste  of  energy.  We  therefore  resolve  to  give  it  up,  but  we  are  likely 
to  fail  utterly  unless  we  take  some  definite  new  line  of  thought  to 
replace  the  old.  Otherwise,  the  mind  being  left  to  find  new  channels 
of  activity  as  best  it  may,  it  will  continually  run  back  into  its  old 
ones,  we  shall  meet  with  repeated  failures  in  our  eflForts,  and  it  is 
probable  that  the  old  habit  will  become  stronger,  and  more  and  more 
troublesome.  We  shall  make  far  more  rapid  progress  by  expending 
all  our  energy  in  willing  to  think  along  the  new  line,  than  by  ex- 
pending it  in  willing  not  to  think  along  the  old  one.  This  is  very 
forcibly  expressed  in  the  parable  of  the  man  out  of  whom  an  unclean 
spirit  has  come.  It  wanders  about,  seeking  rest  and  finding  none, 
until  at  last  it  returns  to  its  old  house.  But  finding  it  empty,  swept, 
and  garnished,  it  **  taketh  seven  other  spirits  more  evil  than  itself 
and  they  enter  in  and  dwell  there.  And  the  last  state  of  that  man  is 
worse  than  the  first."  (Matt.  XII,  43,  46).  When  we  apply  to  this  the 
further  teaching  as  to  the  creation  of  thought-elementals,  and  desire- 
elementals,  the  parable  acquires  still  more  force,  for  we  know  that 
these  creations  of  ours  sometimes  acquire  so  strong  a  vitality,  and 
such  persistence,  that  they  may  be  not  altogether  unfitly  described 
as  evil  spirits. 

The  second  parable  illustrates  a  different  aspect  of  the  subject. 
It  is  that  of  the  tares  and  the  wheat,  which  describes  how  the 
husbandman,  on  finding  that  an  enemy  had  sown  tares  amidst  his 
wheat,  ordered  that  both  should  be  allowed  to  grow  together  till  the 
harvest,  and  then  separated,  lest  in  rooting  out  the  young  tares,  the 
wheat  also  should  be  pulled  up.  (Matt.  XIII,  24,  30).  This  no  doubt 
refers  primarily  to  that  separation  of  the  sheep  from  the  goats  already 
referred  to,  the  separation  at  the  critical  point  in  a  cycle  of  evolution, 
of  those  who  are  not  advanced  enough  to  go  forward,  from  those  who 
are  able  to  pass  on.  But  it  seems  as  if  it  had  reference  also  to  the 
growth  of  the  individual,  and  the  danger  of  trying  to  root  out  faults 
and  failings  before  the  virtues  have  grown  strong.  For  this  might 
lead  to  leaving  the  house  empty  for  a  time,  which  would  pro- 
bably cause  the  last  state  to  be  worse  than  the  first.  A  wise 
teacher  does  not  always  point  out  to  his  pupil  the  faults  that  are 
as  yet  only  in  a  very  early  stage.  He  strives  to  correct  the  more 
serious  ones^  but  above  aU  to  build  up  a  strong  character  of  vittuei 


1900.]  Glimpses  of  Theosophlcal  Christianity.  7Q 

leaving  the  less  developed  faults  unnoticed  for  the  present.  Indeed 
it  is  doubtful  if  at  this  stage  the  pupil  would  recognise  them  as  faults 
at  all.  They  need  first  to  reach  some  degree  of  maturity  ;  then  the 
suffering  they  bring  will  open  his  eyes  to  them ;  but  in  the  mean- 
time he  will  have  built  up  virtues  in  other  directions  that  will  make 
him  better  able  to  deal  with  the  faults.  A  similar  idea  is  suggested 
by  a  passage  in  "  Light  on  the  Path '' :  "  Seek  in  the  heart  the 
source  of  evil  and  expunge  it.  It  lives  fruitfully  in  the  heart  of  the 
devoted  disciple  as  well  as  in  the  heart  of  the  man  of  desire.  Only 
the  strong  can  kill  it  out.     TAe  weak  must  wait   for  its  growth^ 

Us  fruition^  its  death Live  neither  in  the  present  nor  in   the 

future,  but  in  the  eternal.  This  giant  weed  cannot  flower  there ; 
this  blot  upon  existence  is  wiped  out  by  the  very  atmosphere  of 
eternal  thought.*'  In  other  words,  let  us  not  allow  the  mind  to 
dwell  on  our  faults,  but  fix  it  on  the  Higher  Self,  thus  stimulating 
all  that  is  divine  in  us,  and  in  time  this  thought  will  do  much  towards 
starving  out  all  our  failings,  either  while  yet  comparatively  undeveU 
oped,  or  else  when  they  have  attained  maturity. 

There  is,  however,  one  sin  that  is  said  by  Christ  to  be  unpardon- 
able. "  Every  sin  and  blasphemy  shall  be  forgiven  unto  men ;  but  the 
blasphemy  against  the  spirit  shall  not  be  forgiven.  And  whosoever 
shall  speak  a  word  against  the  Son  of  Man,  it  shall  be  forgiven  him  ; 
but  whosoever  shall  speak  against  the  Holy  Spirit,  it  shall  not  be 
forgiven  him,  neither  in  this  world  [or  age]  nor  in  that  which  is  to 
come,"  (Matt.  XH,  31,32  :  Mark  III,  28,  29).  With  this  passage  we 
may  perhaps  compare  the  following :  **  Be  not  afraid  of  them 
which  kill  the  body,  but  are  not  able  to  kill  the  soul ;  but  rather 
fear  Him  which  is  able  to  destroy  both  soul  and  body  in  hell." 
(Matt.  X,  28  ;  Luke  XII,  45).  There  are  various  views  as  to  what  is 
meant  by  the  unpardonable  sin.  In  the  light  of  Theosophical 
teachings  it  seems  to  be  connected  with  what  is  sometimes  spoken 
of  as  the  "death  of  the  soul.*'  We  are  told  that  if,  life  after  life,  evil 
is  deliberately  chosen  instead  of  good,  a  point  may  at  last  be  reached 
when  the  ego,  unable  any  longer  to  utilise  the  personality  with 
which  it  is  associated,  and  recognising  that  there  is  no  hope  of 
drawing  it  back  from  its  persistent  pursuit  of  evil,  withdraws  from 
it  during  physical  life.  The  continuity  of  the  existence  on  the 
three  lower  planes  being  thus  broken,  there  appears  to  be  no  longer 
any  link  to  draw  the  ego  back  to  incarnation,  and  we  are  told  that 
its  evolution  is  thus  checked.  The  personality,  on  the  other  hand, 
has  acquired  a  strong  vitality,  the  result  of  the  Lower  Manasic 
consciousness  having  been,  life  after  life,  completely  centred  in 
it,  and  therefore,  we  are  told,  it  may  persist  for  some  consider- 
able time,  soulless,  deprived  of  the  control  of  the  ego,  and 
thus  strong  in  wickedness ;  until  at  length  it  is  completely  dis- 
integrated. To  quote  from  Mr.  Leadbeater:  **  The  crucible  of  the 
^eonian  fire  [is]  a  fate  reserved  solely  for  those  personalities  which 


80  The  Theosophlst.  [November 

have  been  definitely  severed  from  their  egos.  These  unhappy  enti- 
ties (if  entities  they  may  still  be  called)  pass  into  the  eighth  sphere, 
and  are  there  resolved  into  their  constituent  elements,  which  are 
then  ready  for  the  use  of  worthier  egos  in  a  future  Manvantara. 
This  may  not  inaptly  be  described  as  falling  into  seonian  fire ;  but 
this  could  happen  only  to  lost  personalities— never  to  indivi- 
dualities."* 

This  is  the  nearest  approach  we  can  find  to  the  eternal  hell  of 
the  cruder  orthodox  Christianity ;  and  it  reminds  one  of  a  passage  in 
the  Bhagavad-GitS,  where  Sri  Krishna  is  describing  **  Ssuric  men," 
of  whom  he  speaks  as  **  ruined  selves,  of  small  Buddfai,  of  fierce 
deeds,"  who  "  come  forth  as  enemies  for  the  destruction  of  the 
world."    "  Surrendering  themselves  to  insatiable  desires,  possessed 

with  vanity,  conceit  and  arrogance giving   themselves  over  to 

unmeasured  thought  whose  end  is  death,  regarding  the  gratification 
of  desires  as  the  highest,  feeling  sure  that  this  is  all bewilder- 
ed by  numerous  thoughts. . .  .addicted  to  the  gratification  of  desire, 

they  fall  downwards  into  a  foul  hell Cast  into  an  Ssuric  womb, 

deluded,  birth  after  birth,  attaining  not  to  Me,  they  sink  into  the 
lowest  depths."  ("Bhagavad-GitS,"  XVI,  7—21).  The  unpar- 
donable sin,  then,  is  the  deliberate  and  repeated  choice  of  evil,  when 
the  evil  is  known  and  recognised  ;  the  persistent  refusal  to  listen 
to  the  voice  of  the  Higher  Self,  the  true  Spirit  of  man.  This  may 
fitly  be  described  as  blasphemy  against  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  it  can 
be  easily  understood  that  it  may  produce  such  intensity  of  separate-' 
ness  that  there  is  no  hope  of  any  future  eflFort  to  seek  unity  with 
the  Father,  The  only  possibility  remaining  is  therefore  disinte- 
gration and  entire  destruction  of  the  personality,  the  elements  of 
which  it  was  composed  alone  remaining.  Such  cases,  however,  we 
may  suppose  would  be  rare  and  exceptional ;  and,  excluding  them, 
we  have  the  assurance  of  final  forgiveness  for  all ;  that  is,  of  ultimate 
reunion  with  that  Divine  Life  whence  all  have  come. 

{To  be  continued,) 


J^mmm^m^t^ 


**^  Christian  Cree4,"    pp.  108,  109. 


?l 


HERMES  TRISMEGISTUS. 

HERMES  Trismegistus  is  a  most  untraceable  personage;  he 
says  but  very  little  indeed  of  himself,  and  what  others  say  of 
him  it  is  almost  impossible  to  piece  together  intelligibly.  He  speaks 
of  what  is  commonly  called  the  first  Hermes  as  '  my  ancestor  whose 
name  I  bear'  [p.  i68],  and  in  relation  to  his  own  works  he  says 
[p.  199],  "they  will  read  my  mysterious  writings,  dividing  them 
into  two  portions ;  the  one  will  be  kept  (in  the  sacred  archives),  the 
others  will  be  engraved  on  columned  obelisks,  being  such  as  may 
prove  bf  utility  to  mankind."  Then  comes  a  curious  statement  in 
the  third  Book,  from  Isis  to  her  son  Horus,  and  following  close 
upon  the  above  citation,  that  instructed  by  Hermes,  "  they  (not 
specifying  whom  the  pronoun  represents)  wrote  on  hidden  columns 
that  the  air  is  full  of  demons."  It  goes  on  to  say  that  ///n',  instructed 
by  Hermes  in  the  secret  laws  of  God,  have  been  the  sole  preceptors 
of  men  (as  if  the  Egyptian  priesthood  were  the  f/tey  referred  to), 
teaching  them  the  arts,  sciences,  and  polity  of  life  ;  that  they  an- 
nounced the  sympathetic  ties  which  the  Creator  has  established 
between  heaven  and  earth,  and  this  led  to  the  religious  mysteries  of 
initiation.  Menard  in  his  introductory  discourse  saj-s  that  the 
commentators  lead  you  sometimes  to  think  that  he  is  a  god  and  at 
other  times  [p.  xxxv.]  a  man.  The  Greek  Hermes  played  so  many 
parts  and  had  so  many  aspects  that  he  got  mixed  up  with  several  of 
the  Egyptian  deities.  This  confusion  men  have  tried  to  escape,  by 
assuming  several  persons  bearing  the  name  of  Hermes.  The  first 
was  named  Thoth.  A  second  came  after  the  deluge,  and  this 
appears  to  be  the  one  uSually  designated  as  Trismegistus.  Thoth 
has  the  credit  of  having  inscribed  Sieles  or  columns  with  the  princi- 
ples of  the  sciences.  These  Trismegistus  is  supposed  to  have 
translated  into  Greek.  Creuzer  [Bk.  viii,  139]  calls  him  the  founder 
of  rites  and  of  the  book  of  books.  The  books  being  the  stone 
columns  inscribed. 

Students  of  Oriental  Mythology  trace  a  strong  analogy  between 
Hermes  and  Ganesa,  the  councillor  of  Siva.  Paulin  and  Jones  note 
that  he  is  Janus,  for  Ganesa  has  often  two  heads  [149].  Janus  is 
Saturn,  and  yet  Creuzer  considers  him  a  type  of  Silenus.  We 
chronicle  this  to  show  the  confusion  that  besets  the  study.  It  may 
be  curious,  but  clear  it  can  hardly  be  made.  It  does  not  terminate 
even  here  for  there  is  a  clue  to  connect  it  with  Krishna,  as  admitted 
to  the  glory  of  Vishnu. 

Menard  [p.  xxxvi.]  quotes  Jamblicus  who  relates  as  an  ancient 
tradition,  common  to  all  the  priests,  that  Hermes  presides  over 
speech  and  true  science.    It  is  on  this  account  that  the  Egj'ptians 

3 


40  The  Theosophtst.  [October 

in  the  majority,  to  revolutionize  society  on  their  particular  lines  ; 
they  do  not  go  so  far  as  yet  (and  wisely  so)  as  to  exactly  say  by  what 
processes  or  by  what  methods  they  will  alter  the  existing  state  of 
things,  but  content  themselves  with  waiting  until  such  time  (and 
they  do  not  expect  that  time  is  so  very  far  distant)  as  they  are  in  a 
position  to  give  effect  to  their  ideas,  and  then  they  will  talk  about 
how  to  give  them  practical  shape. 

Now  what  I  like  about  Socialism  is  what  I  consider  is  its 
optimism,  for  socialists  necessarily  must  be  imbued  with  an  ex- 
ceptionall}'  strong  belief  in  the  right  adjustment  of  things  if 
people  generally  could  only  be  brought  to  their  way  of  thinking  ; 
and  while  we  can  all  cordially  approve  of  their  ideals,  and  with 
them  wish  to  carry  those  ideals  into  effect,  we  recognise  that  their 
realization  bj'  the  mass — that  is  by  .society — cannot  be.  In  saying 
that,  I  am  speaking  as  a  student  of  Theosophy  ;  of  that  philosophy 
which  leads  us  into  the  depths  of  knowledge  concerning  the 
evolution  of  each  individual  member  of  society,  and  thereby  directly 
r^wals  to  us  the  futility  of  placing  that  faith  in  human  nature  as  d(» 
tlie  socialists. 

Socialism  proclaims  the  conditions  that  must  be  secured  if  we 
are  to  have  universal  contentment  and  happiness,  and  expresses 
its  conviction  that  all  that  is  required  is  to  induce  the  mass  of 
humanity  to  agree  to  that— to  be  as  firmly  convinced  of  it  as  it  is  it* 
^;elf— to  at  once  ameliorate  the  lot  of  mankind.  This  profound  con\nc- 
tion,  this  profound  belief,  has  to  do  it,  and  human  nature  seems  to 
be  too  much,  if  not  altogether,  overlooked;  and  to  show  how 
even  the  socialists  themselves — ardent  and  true  as  they  may  be  in  all 
they  strive  for— are  unfit  for  their  ideal  state,  I  might  mention  that 
in  a  reliable  work  I  have  just  been  reading  on  Socialism,  in  reply 
to  a  question  as  to  how  capitalists  and  others  were  to  be  deprived  of 
their  possessions,  the  socialist  replied  that  those  possessions  would 
either  have  to  be  seized  or  paid  for  ;  it  is  difficult  to  know  how  they 
could  be  paid  ior,  but  that  is  not  the  point.  The  point  is  that  the 
socialist,  apparently,  is  prepared  to  commit  an  act  of  violence 
(namely,  the  seizure  of  what  another  owns)  in  order  to  give  effect 
to  his  scheme.  **  It  may  l^e  argued  that  the  wealthy  man  may  not 
have  earned  his  wealth,  and  may  have  ipherited  it,  and  it  therefore 
is  not  rightly  his  but  belongs  to  all ;  even  then  the  act  seems  hardly 
right."  We,  however,  also  have  it  distinctly  stated  that  in  the 
case  where  the  wealthy  man  has  amassed  bis  wealth  by  his  own 
exertions  and  toil,  the  socialist  would  take  away  his  wealth,  but 
as  he  had  worked  for  it,  would  allow  him  a  small  annuity  as 
compensation.  Now,  whether  we  approve  of  this  or  not  it  does  not 
perhaps  much  matter,  but  the  fact  that  this  seizure  would  have 
to  be  made  and  the  fact  that  those  who  would  do  the  seizing  not 
only  are  capable  of  committing    that  act  of  violence,  but  regard 


1900.]  Theosophy  and  Socialism.  41 

those  whom  they  would  thus  deprive  of  their  possessions  as 
thie\'es  and  robbers  (at  least  so  they  are  characterized)  seem  to  be 
clear  indications  of  the  further  fact  that  neither  of  them  (that  is 
the  socialist  and  the  so-called  wealthy  robber)  are  yet  fit  to  be 
members  of  a  society  that,  to  be  permanent  and  generally  contented, 
requires  as  an  absolute  essential  to  its  success,  that  harmon)^  shall 
exist  by  virtue  of  the  higher  development  of  our  lower  human 
nature ;  and,  to  carry  the  argument  to  its  logical  conclusion,  does  it 
not  stand  to  reason  that  if  the  majority  (what  we  will  call  the 
masses)  deprived  the  classes  of  rights  and  privileges  and  posses- 
sions which  they  had  always  held  in  enjoyment,  the  society  would 
naturally  form  itself  into  two  factions,  and  seething  discontent 
would  remain  instead  of  being  eradicated. 

It  may  be  contended  that  this  discontented  minority  would  in 
time  come  to  conform  to  the  general  rules  of  the  new  society,  and 
therefore  harmony  would  come  in  time  when  under  the  new  social 
arrangements  ever>'thing  was  found  to  work  as  smoothly  and 
satisfactorily  as  contemplated.  Exaggerated  optimism  dies  ;  but  we 
are  told  that  socialists  do  not  overlook  the  weaknesses  of  human 
nature,  and  that  they  advocate  Socialism  because  they  do  not  take 
an  optmi.stic  view  of  it.  They  acknowledge  man's  inherent  selfish- 
ness, and  they  maintain  that  their  aim  is  to  take  from  him  the  possi- 
bility of  living  upon  his  brother  by  making  him  work  for  anything 
he  may  desire  to  have ;  *'  and  therefore  to  do  away  with  the  oppor- 
tunities of  the  living  on  other  persons  which  human  selfishness, 
wealth  and  greed  will  most  certainly  take  advantage  of."  Accord- 
ing to  this  doctrine,  then,  man  is  to  be  so  kept  out  of  temptation  that 
these  vicious  propensities  cannot  find  expression.  Then  comes  the 
question,  if  he  has  to  go  along  in  that  way  without  practically  any 
separate  struggling  or  overcoming  on  his  part,  in  the  first  place 
why  did  not  God  create  man  perfect  at  once,  and  in  the  second 
place  how  is  it  that  nature  has  so  fashioned  this  world  that  apparent- 
ly inequality  and  struggling  are  the  principal  and  most  prominent 
features  of  all  her  handiwork  ? 

The  individual  has  to  be  taken  into  account,  and  the  individual 
must  have  scope  for  growth.  The  socialist  may  reply  that  his 
state  will  aflTord  that  scope  ;  but  that,  as  I  have  already  indi- 
cated, is  open  to  question  and  I  do  not  see  how  it  would,  because 
Socialism  requires  too  much  of  the  state  and  too  little  of  the  indi- 
vidnal ;  the  individual  has  to  suppress  himself  for  the  benefit  of  the 
whole.  It  is  of  no  use  for  the  socialist  to  argue  that  each  member  of 
the  society  has  to  work  ;  he  has  to  work  but  the  state  finds  the  work 
for  him  ;  it  feeds  and  nurses  him  ;  he  is  not  thrown  on  his  own 
resources  ;  his  individuality  cannot  grow  because  he  has  nothing  to 
compete  against,  for  b5^  means  of  co-operation  he  would  lean  upon 
others  and  they  would  leain  upon  him  ;  there  can  be  no  self-depen- 
dence in  that. 
6 


42  The  Theosophist.  [October 

Further  than  that,  if  Socialism  could  not  find  work  for  all,  it 
would  have  to  feed  the  hungry,  and  the  chances  are  that  in  those 
times  many  would  come  to  loaf  on  the  state  instead  of  struggling  to 
look  for  something  on  their  own  account.  This  may  seem  an  exag- 
gerated view,  but  we  must  bear  in  mind  that  if  the  state  is  not  to 
feed  the  worthless  and  the  hungry,  you  must  take  steps  to  deal  with 
the  question  of  population.  Some  socialists  (I  believe  not  all)  admit 
that  as  a  problem  which  would  have  to  be  faced.  It  cannot  very 
well  be  met  by  law  for  what  law  could  possibly  insist  on  parents 
having  so  many  children''  and  no  more  ;  yet  something  would 
have  to  be  done,  and  if,  as  we  are  told,  **  Socialists  will  be  forced  to 
understand  that  children  are  a  burden  on  the  communit}',"  another 
very  telling  blow  is  struck  at  individual  growth  and  development, 
because  in  that  case  parental  control  and  responsibility  would  be 
wanting,  and  to  relieve  parents  of  their  sacred  obligations  with 
respect  to  their  ofiFspring  would,  to  my  mind,  tend  to  bring  about 
a  calamitous  state  of  things.  It  is  no  doubt  the  parents  in  the 
family  and  the  family  in  the  state  that  make  for  the  greatness  of  a 
nation. 

The  theosophist  sees  this  flaw  in  the  socialistic  scheme  and 
objects  to  it,  because  while  he  may  admit  that  a  very  large  percent- 
age of  the  distress  of  the  world  may  be  due  to  the  improv- 
idence of  parents  with  regard  to  the  size  of  their  families, 
his  philosophy  points  directly  to  the  sure  and  certain  danger  that 
must  result  from  endeavouring  to  deal  with  that  all  important 
matter  by  a  legal  enactment.  It  can  only  be  successfully 
dealt  with  by  the  individuals  themselves.  If  they  have  free-will, 
if  they  are  free  agents,  this  must  be  so,  and  anything  that  has  a 
tendency  to  prevent  a  man  from  acting  as  a  free  agent  must  be 
wrong.  The  population  question  therefore  can  only  be  settled  by 
the  people  themselves  individually,  and  if  under  our  present  system 
more  children  come  into  the  world  than  can  be  properly  provided 
for  and  reared,  how  much  more  would  this  evil  be  intensified  if  par- 
ental responsibility  is  not  to  be  recognised  as  we  recognise  it  now  ? 

From  the  theosophical  standpoint  such  a  condition  which 
would  lead  to  the  destruction  of  the  family  and  the  family  life,  is 
impossible  of  realization,  because  our  knowledge  tells  us  that 
some  of  the  very  best  experience  that  each  one  of  us  as  individ- 
uals acquires^  is  in  that  particular  direction  ;  and  it  is  what  I  might 
call  an  institution  of  nature  or  of  God  whereby  Egos,  on  the  theory 
of  re-incarnation,  again  come  into  direct  and  special  relationship 
with  those  with  whom  they  have  been  in  close  contact  before,  whom 
they  have  loved  before  or  may  have  had  other  experiences  with 
which  necessitated  their  coming  together  to  develop  in  them  those 
faculties  of  mind  and  qualities  of  character  which  are  the  outcome 
of  friendship  and  love  on  the  one  hand  and  of  hatred  and  the  want 
of  fellowship  on  the  other.    Without  the  existence  of  the  family 


IdOO.]  Thdosophy  and  Socialism.  4^ 

these  souls  might  come  into  the  world  and  not  have  the  opportunity 
of  meeting  together  in  any  exceptional  way  and  recognising  each 
other — ^as  often  they  do  by  sudden   mutual  attraction  or  antipath}'. 

By  meansof  the  family,  then,  old  causes  set  up  in  previous  lives 
can  be  and  are  adjusted  between  its  members,  and  it  is  an  institu- 
tion that  can  never  be  done  without,  and  in  the  light  of  Theosopby 
it  is  regarded  as  a  sacred  institution,  which  must  exist  because 
nature,  as  I  have  just  shown,  says  it  must.  Thus  any  proposition 
that  would  take  children  out  of  the  family  by  making  their  main- 
tenance the  duty  of  the  state,  the  theosophist  must  scout  as  pre- 
posterous. 

We  can  sympathise  with  the  socialist  when  he  declaims  against 
the  evils  of  over-competition,  and  admit  those  evils,  agreeing  that 
if  co-operation  could  be  properly  carried  out,  apparently  much 
miser>'  and  distress  would  be  mitigated  ;  but  what  does  Theosophy 
prove  to  us  even  more  than  modern  science  (and  that  is  convincing 
enough) :  that  we  are  in  a  world  the  conditions  of  which  render 
competition  absolutely  necessary  and  afford  but  little  scope  for  co- 
operation—I mean  the  wholesale  co- operation  required  by  the 
socialist ;  and  then  that  co-operation  would  be  something  enforced 
by  the  state  ;  it  would  not  necessarily  be  the  spontaneous,  volun- 
tary expression  of  the  nature  of  men  ;  it  would  rather  be  something 
to  which  they  would  have  to  conform  by  a  written  law,  and 
therefore  would  not  work,  as  is  exemplified  in  the  socialist's  decla- 
ration that  **  the  percentage  of  profits  should  be  fixed  by  law." 

The  struggle  for  existence,  natural  selection— laws  immutable  I 
Can  we  bring  our  intelligence  to  bear  in  such  a  way  as  to  practicall>- 
counteract  the  effect  of  these  laws  on  ourselves,  if  we  cannot  do 
anything  to  ameliorate  the  condition  of  the  lower  creatures  ?  Two 
replies  come  to  that  question.  One  from  the  socialist  who,  in  effect, 
says  that,  given  equal  chances,  equal  opportunities,  one  man  the 
same  rights  and  privileges  as  another,  every  one  all  the  while 
recognising  that  no  one  is  in  any  way  entitled  to  more  than  another, 
then  in  that  state  of  mutual  help  among  the  members  of  such  a 
society,  the  savage  law  of  the  survival  of  the  fittest  can  no  longer 
apply  to  man — not  at  any  rate  as  it  has  been  doing  for  so  long  in 
the  history  of  humanity. 

The  other  reply  from  Theosophy  is  equally  emphatic  in  largely 
agreeing  with  the  socialist,  but  it  is  more  cautious,  and  adds  to  its 
declaration  the  fact  that  nature's  processes  cannot  be  turned  from 
their  course ;  that  any  human  arrangement,  which  must  be  arbi- 
trary, may  produce  different  conditions,  and  may  work  satisfactorily 
according  to  human  ideas  of  what  is  right  and  proper  ;  but  those 
conditions  cannot  last ;  and  if  they  did  there  would  be  an  end  to 
human  progress.  Why  ?  Because  it  is  now  proved  beyond  all  cavil 
that  progress  is  the  result   of  evolution,  and  you  cannot  possibly 


44  The  Theosophist.  [Ootokei^ 

have  evolution  and  equality,  the  one  simply  contradicts  the  other, 
point  blank,  though  it  is  only  fair  to  say  that  socialists  claim  that 
they  are  socialists  because  they  are  evolutionists.  They  "  see  that 
society  is  evolving  in  the  direction  of  socialism,  and  that  the 
tendency  of  the  most  radical  legislation  is  to  proniQte  the  growth 
of  socialism."  That  I  do  not  dispute— in  fact  I  admit  that  many 
reforms,  which  are  claimed  to  be  socialistic,  have  of  late  years  come 
into  operation  ;  but  what  must  be  borne  in  mind  is  the  development 
of  the  individual  in  the  state,  and  if  conditions  now  exist  which  I 
say  are  claimed  as  socialistic  then  it  must  also  be  remembered  that 
it  is  not  Socialism  that  has  given  those  conditions,  but  our  present 
day  Indi\4dualism  ;  and  the  contention  further  is  that  under  whole- 
sale Socialism  undiluted  by  Individualism,  and  what  seems  to  be  its 
enormities,  the  members  of  society  would  remain  stationary  and 
unprogressive. 

We  must  understand  that  society  is  made  up  of  units— units  of 
men,  that  is,  bodies  containing  souls,  those  "  souls  though  eternal 
in  their  essence  being  of  different  ages  in  their  individuality  "  ;  and 
if  that  be  so,  and  if,  as  Herbert  Spencer  most  wisely  declares,  "  the 
character  of  the  aggregate  (that  is  of  the  society)  is  determined  by 
the  characters  of  the  units  (that  is  of  the  individuals),"  each 
individual  having  to  develop  his  individuality  in  his  own  particular 
way,  there  can  be  no  possible  chance  in  this  world  of  anything  but 
inequality,  and  what  may  seem,  looking  at  the  outside  of  things, 
general  injustice. 

I  quote  this  from  Spencer's  fine  work  on  Sociolog>'  :  '*  cardinal 
traits  in  societies  are  determined  by  cardinal  wants  in  man  "  ;  just  so, 
and  if  the  society  is  selfish  and  corrupt  it  is  because  the  units  of 
men  composing  that  society  are  selfish  and  corrupt  in  their  own 
individual  natures. 

Following  that  I  quote  Mrs.  Besant's  statement  that  **  we  have 
learned  that  a  man  must  not  use  his  muscles  to  plunder  his 
neighbor ;  we  have  yet  to  learn  that  he  must  not  use  his  brains  to 
that  same  ^d."  Quite  true ;  and  how  long  has  it  taken  man  to 
learn  that  the  physically  weaker  are  not  to  be  robbed  by  the 
physically  stronger  ?  Even  now  it  is  not  the  whole  of  a  civilized 
society  that  has  learned  that  first  lesson — indeed  a  very  large 
minority  would  still  wrest  from  the  remainder  all  its  possessions 
were  it  not  restrained  by  force ;  and  as  long,  and  even  longer,  will  it 
take  man  to  learn  that  his  brain  should  be  used  for  a  nobler  purpose 
than  taking  advantage  of  his  fellows  ;  and,  as  in  the  case  of  the 
physical  development,  all  the  members  of  society  will  not  reach  that 
level  at  once,  there  being  a  general  current  of  evolution  from  the 
lowest  to  the  highest,  and  that  evolutionary  progress  is  made  by 
each  individual  separately,  step  by  step,  stage  by  stage ;  it  is  a 
development  going  on  within  the  man  himself ;  and  this  principle 
on  which  nature  works  prevents  there  being  a  universal  state  of 


1900.3  The  Logos.  46 

eqtiality  or  harmony,  or  indeed  anything  approaching  it.  Some 
must  always  be  ahead  of  others,  and  those  in  front,  the  noblest 
and  the  best,  comprising  the  flower  of  humanity  (that  is  speaking 
comparatively),  who  should  always  constitute  the  rulers  by  virtue  of 
their  siiperior  mental  and  moral  power,  must  ever  be  in  the  minority. 

A.  E.  Webb. 
{To  be  concluded.) 


THE  LOGOS. 
**  Who  by  searching  can  find  out  God  ?  '* 

Oh  mortal,  think  not  with  thy  puny  mind. 

Engrossed  with  trifles  of  this  lower  world, 

Thou  canst  conceive  the  Universe  of  God, 

Or  fathom  that  which  is  unfathomable, 

Soar  to  those  mighty  heights,  or  reach  the  depths 

Where  He  abides,  Creator  of  the  spheres. 

Alone  in  glorious  majesty  He  reigns. 

Nor  will  He  brook  the   foolish,  prying  gaze 

Of  him  who  questions,  with  no  higher  aim 

Than  just  to  satisfy  a  curious  mood — 

The  what  and  wAp  He  is,  and  whence  we  came, 

And  u'Ajf  and  kow  He  made  this  world  of  ours — 

From  such  an  one  He  hides  his  gracious  face, 

Envelopes  it  in  MSya*s  filmy  veil. 

And  bids  him  wait ;  he  is  not  ready  yet, 

Or  worthy  to  receive  the  hidden  truths 

Of  that  which  is  unknowable.  Divine  ; 

But  if  with  reverent  awe  and  humble  mind 

Ye  seek  an  entrance  to  His  Outer  Court, 

And  fain  would  learn  things  now  beyond  thy  ken, 

Pause — search  into  the  depths  of  thine  own  self. 

And  purify  thy  body,  heart  and  soul, 

Lest  haply  aught  of  evil  linger  there : 

Pass  in  review  thy  thoughts,  intents,  desires — 

These  purify.    Allow  no  thought  of  self 

To  sully  that  which  otherwise  were  pure ; 

'Tis  only  noble  aims  for  others^  sake — 

Fair  "  charity  " — that  can  unlock  the  gate 

Of  this  sweet  paradise.    And  would'st  thou  pass 

Beyond  and  further  penetrate — the  key 

That  next  will  be  required  is,  **  harmony 

In  word  and  act"  ;  a  fair  and  beauteous  one 

Is  this  ;  it  opens  wide  the  hearts  of  men 

And  angels,  and  it  smooths  thy^onward  way. 

To  work  with  Nature's  laws  is  best,  thou'lt  find, 


46  the  f  heosopkist.  [Octobex' 

But  she  is  coy,  and  does  not  willingly 

Betray  her  secrets.    To  discover  these 

And  help  thee  bear  the  innumerably  trials 

That  must  assail  thee  if  thou  tread'st  the  Path, 

Thou    needest    "  patience/ '  that   sweet    grace    that 

nought 
Upon  this  earth  can  ruffle ;  but  alas !  I  fear 
'Twill  take  us  long  to  gain  such  mastery, 
And  oft  the  key  will  drop  from  out  our  grasp  ; 
"  Indifp'renck  "  then,  to  pleasure  and  to  pain  ; 
The  seeing  each  in  each  and  Truth  in  all. 
Thou  next  should'st  seek ;  and  if  thou   would'st  not 

fail 
In  this  thy  quest  for  wisdom  and  for  truth, 
Use  thou  these  various  keys  with  dauntless  force. 
**  ViRVA,"  the  Energ>'  that  fights  its  way 
To  TRUTH  through  every  obstacle  and  snare, 
Shall  aid  thee  on  thy  way  to  overcome ; 
And  when  these  battles  thou  hast  fairly  won. 
And  stand  as  victor,  thou  shalt  worthy  be 
To  seek  those  other,  higher  steps  which  lead 
Unto  that  state  where  all  shall  be  revealed — 
What  now  no  voice  can  utter,  now  no  eye 
Can  see — then,  earnest  student,  in  due  time 
Thy  God  shall  manifest  himself  in  thee. 

**  In  that  day  ye  shall  know  that  I  am  in  My  Father,  and  ye  in 
Me  and  I  in  you.'* 

Om  mami  padmk  hum. 

E.J.  B. 


Alf  ASTRAL  PICTURE. 

[In  a  recent  issue  of  the  Madras  Mail  (Sept.  rst)  a  contributor 
narrates  with  lucid  and  startling  vividness,  the  strange  story 
which  we  copy  hereunder— thinking  it  will  be  found  interesting  to 
psychic  students.  It  may  have  been  in  the  main  an  astral  picture 
which  was,  owing  to  the  peculiar  circumstances  of  the  situation, 
made  visible ;  yet  this  hypothesis  will  hardly  cover  all  the  weird 
incidents  of  this  strange  experience.  However,  the  reader  may  solve 
the  problem  to  suit  himself,  i/he  can.    Ed.] 

NOT  twenty  miles  from  a  well-known  military  cantonment  in 
Southern  India  there  stands  a  lofty  hill,  starting  up  from  the 
midst  of  dense,  heavy  jungle  which  extends  for  miles,  and  clothes  the 
sides  of  the  hill  itself,  with  the  exception  of  the  last  hundred  feet 
below  the  actual  summit,  which  is  grey,  precipitous  rock,  and  can 
only  be  ascended  at  one  or  two  points.    All  round  the  Cantonment 


1900.]  An  Astral  Picture.  47 

at  varying  distances  from  it,  rise  similar  hills,  some  in  the  midst  of 
jungle,  and  a  few,  generally  overlooking  villages,  surrounded  by 
cultivation.  Many  of  them  are  crowned  with  the  ruins  of  old  forts 
which  would  be  most  interesting  to  an  antiquary.  That  they  are 
very  old  indeed  is  proved  by  the  fact  that  even  from  educated  natives 
who  know  who  their  great-great-grandfathers  were,  no  authentic 
information  as  to  their  origin  can  be  obtained,  ki  a  vague  sort  of 
way  I  have  been  told  that  they  are  relics  left  by  old  Maharatta 
chieftains  who  used  to  terrorise  the  surrounding  country,  swooping 
down  on  crops  and  villages  as  a  hawk  swoops  on  a  farmyard,  and 
retreating  like  birds  of  prey  to  their  eyries  to  count  plunder  and 
prisoners  at  their  leisure.  Many  a  story  of  hidden  wealth  and  blood- 
curdling cruelty  I  have  listened  to  from  aged  shikaris,  when  smoking 
the  pipe  of  peace  round  the  camp  fire  at  night.  But  as  these  stories 
have  been  handed  down  from  father  to  son  for  half  a  score  of  genera- 
tions, and  as  the  strong  point  of  the  present  generation  of  very  many 
Indian  shikaris  is  not  truthfulness,  I  paid  but  little  heed  to  them. 
I  have  now,  however,  modified  my  views.  I  have  always  been  a 
rolling  stone,  and  I  fancy  I  shall  be  so  more  or  less  until  I  die. 
There  are  some  men  in  whose  veins  the  blood  of  prehistoric  ancestors, 
who  grubbed  in  the  forest  for  roots,  is  [still  strong,  and  to  such  men 
the  monotony  and  staid  respectability  of  four  walls  is  an  abomina- 
tion. And  I  heartily  sympathise  with  them.  My  happiest  days  and 
ray  most  restful  nights  have  been  spent  under  the  open  sky  of 
heaven,  and,  except  for  a  very  few  native  retainers,  alone. 

On  a  certain  day,  some  ten  years  ago,  I  was  on  a  shikar  trip  in 
the  vicinity  of  the  hill  above  mentioned.  I  was  quite  alone  save  for 
one  ancient  shikari,  who  had  been  strongly  recommended  to  me  by 
the  military  garrison  of  the  neighbouring  station^  and  though  native 
beaters  accompanied  me  during  the  day  they  retired  to  their  villages 
at  night.  On  the  evening  with  which  this  story  is  concerned  I  finish- 
ed my  last  beat  right  under  the  particular  hill  which  I  now  picture  to 
myself  with  a  shuddering  horror.  Sport  had  been  good,  and  I  was 
thoroughly  tired  out.  Thinking  to  save  myself  the  tramp  back  to  camp, 
I  asked  theshikari .whether  it  would  not  be  possible  to  spend  thenight 
in  the  old  fort  on  the  summit — my  camp  was  only  about  three 
miles  away,  so  that  commissariat  arrangements  were  a  simple  matter. 
The  old  fellow  jabbered  away  for  some  time  to  the  headman  of  a 
neighbouring  village,  and  then  turned  to  me  and  interpreted.  It 
was  not  well,  he  said,  for  the  Presence  to  remain  on  the  hill  all 
night.  Doubtless  the  Heaven -born  was  wear>%  but  the  headman 
had  informed  him  that  evil  spirits  haunted  the  fort  on  the  hill-top, 
and  should  the  light  of  the  Presence  gratify  no  more  his  humble 
eyes,  he  would  assuredly  die.  The  Presence  replied  that,  provided 
there  was  good  water  to  be  obtained  in  the  vicinity,  he  cared  not  a 
cowrie  for  all  the  evil  spirits  of  the  Hindu  demonology,  and  being 
informed  that  drinkable  water  would  {miraMe  dicin)  be  found  on 


48  The  Theosophist.  [October 

the  top  of  thehil],  he  despatched  runners  to  camp  for  provisions,  and 
ascended  the  hill,  accompanied,  under  protest,  by  the  old  shikari. 

Arrived  at  the  summit,  a  few  worn  and  crumbling  steps  led 
through  a  crumbling  archwa}''  on  to  the  actual  top  of  the  hill.  It 
was  a  flat  space  of  perhaps  50  or  60  yards  long  bj'  30  or  40  broad, 
and  was  entirely  surrounded  by  a  marvellously  thick,  although 
roughly  built,  ^vall.  One  or  two  passages  and  gateways  of  the 
ancient  stronghold  were  still  standing,  but  of  late  the  place  had 
evidently  been  used  as  a  shrine,  and  a  small  image  of  the  goddess 
Kali  confronted  me  in  all  its  hideousness,  as  I  turned  off  into  a 
narrow  passage  to  the  left.  Returning  after  some  minutes,  and 
walking  out  on  to  the  small  flat  tableland  of  the  summit,  I  was  sur- 
prised to  see  a  .well-built  reser\'oir,  about  forty  feet  square  with 
stone  steps  leading  down  the  side.  Descending  the  steps  and  tast- 
ing the  water,  it  seemed  to  me  perfectly  fresh  and  pure,  although 
it  struck  me  as  most  singular  that  so  powerful  a  spring  should  be  in 
evidence  at  the  top  of  an  almost  vertical  hill,  for  the  sides  were 
very  steep.  Having  inspected  the  old  ruins  narrowly,  I  made  up 
my  mind  to  spend  the  night  in  the  passage  to  the  left  of  the  entrance, 
and  proceeded  to  wait  as  patiently  as  might  be  for  provisions. 
These  soon  came  and  after  dinner  I  smoked  a  pipe  while  sitting  on 
the  edge  of  the  wall  and  looking  down  a  sheer  precipice  of  a  hun- 
dred feet,  and  out  on  the  waves  of  mighty  forest  stretching  beneath 
me  as  far  as  the  eyt  could  reach.  The  short  Indian  twilight  rapidly 
merged  into  night,  but  just  as  it  was  growing  really  dark  a  silverj'^ 
radiance  spread  gently  over  the  horizon  of  tree  tops,  and  an  almost 
full  moon  rose.  So  peaceful  was  the  scene,  and  so  sweet  the  breath 
of  the  night  air,  pleasantly  cool  at  that  height,  that  I  sank  into  a 
reverie  which  lasted  longer  than  mj'  pipe.  Rousing  myself  with  a 
start,  I  glanced  towards  the  fire,  about  which  the  shikari  and  a 
couple  of  coolies  had  been  crouching  an  hour  before.  They  were 
not  to  be  seen,  and  although  I  walked  all  over  the  old  fort  and 
shouted  loudly  I  could  get  no  answer.  They  had  evidently  deserted 
me,  their  superstitious  dread  having  outweighed  their  fears  of 
castigation.  Vowing  that  there  should  be  a  dire  reckoning  on  the 
morrow,  I  proceeded  to  make  ray  lonely  vigil  as  comfortable  as 
circumstances  would  permit.  The  situation  was  peculiar  and  even 
somewhat  eerie,  but  not  alarming.  The  neighbouring  jungle  held 
no  tigers  so  far  as  I  knew,  even  panthers  were  scarce,  and  dacoits 
were  unheard  of.  My  nerves  were  strong,  and  I  had  a  flask  of 
whiskey  in  my  tiffin  basket  which  had  been  left  behind  bj'  my 
perfidious  retainers.  So,  after  another  pipe  and  a  final  peg,  I  lay 
down  with  Kali's  image  for  my  bed-head,  and  was  soon  asleep. 

How  long  I  slept  I  do  not  know,  but  I  woke  suddenl)%  and  with 
all  my  faculties  at  once  upon  the  alert.  It  seemed  to  me  that  I  had 
been  awakened  by  a  sound  of  some  sort,  though  of  what  description 
I  could  not  say,  and  I  listened  intently.  For  some  moments  nothing 


1900.]  An  A&iral  Picture.  49 

reached  my  ears  but  the  buzz  of  a  few  high-flying  mosquitoes  and 
the  faint  rustle  of  the  night  breeze,  and  I  was  upon  the  point  of 
sinking  back  on  my  blanket  when  I  distinctly  heard  a  voice  speak- 
ing not  twenty  yards  from  where  I  lay.  I  marvelled  greatly  what 
manner  of  human  beings  would  seek  such  a  place  at  such  an  hotir, 
and,  sooth  to  say,  my  loneliness  and  the  antiquity  of  my  surround- 
ings caused  the  shikari's  evil  spirits  to  recur  somewhat  persistently 
to  my  mind.  Pulling  myself  together,  however,  I  again  listened, 
and  a  second  voice  replied  to  the  first.  Peering  cautiously  forth  I 
looked  in  the  direction  of  the  sounds.  The  moon  was  now  high  in 
the  heavens,  objects  were  almost  as  clearly  defined  as  by  daylight, 
and  this  is  what  I  .saw.  Two  men  were  standing  upon  the  parapet 
of  the  crumbling  wall,  and  conversing  in  low  tones.  The  language 
used  was  some  ancient  dialect  of  Hindustani,  snxd  I  could  not 
understand  much  that  was  said,  but  I  gathered  enough  to  learn 
that  they  were  discussing  a  recent  raid  on  a  neighbouring  village. 
Kach  man  was  armed  with  a  sword  and  a  rough  description  of  lance, 
and,  so  far  as  I  could  understand,  the  affray  referred  to  had  occurred 
on  the  previous  day. 

Now  raids  and  dacoities  were  things  that  had  been  unknown  in 
the  district  for  years,  and,  as  I  looked  and  listened,  a  feeling  crept 
over,  me  that  the  scene  I  was  watching  was  very  uncanny.  WAaf 
in  the  name  of  the  gods  were  these  men  ?  They  were  unlike  an}' 
that  I  had  ever  seen  in  India,  being  fi^ixer  and  of  a  finer  build  than 
either  the  Mahratta  or  the  Hindu  of  to-day.  Their  black  hair  hung  in 
wild  elf-locks  round  their  evil  faces,  and  their  bearing  was  that  of 
irregular  soldier>'.  Petrified  with  astonishment,  I  lay  scarcely  daring  to 
breathe,  and  tr>ing  to  a.ssure  myself  that  I  was  dreaming  and  should 
soon  wake.  But  even  as  I  argued  with  my.self,  down  the  old  passage 
came  the  tramp  of  feet,  and  half-a-dozen  more  men,  similar  in  appear- 
ance to  the  first  I  had  seen,  rapidly  approached.  I  strove  to  spring  up 
and  shout,  but  my  tongue  clove  to  my  palate,  and  I  felt  as  though  a 
hea\'y  weight  were  pressing  me  down.  The  men  drew  near— now 
they  were  upon  me— and,  expecting  each  moment  to  be  discovered 
and  seized,  /saw  iheni  pass  straight  over  me  as  I  lay  upon  my  blanket^ 
a^idfelt  nothing  /  The  horror  of  the  moment  surpassed  anything 
that  I  have  experienced  before  or  since,  and  I  fainted.  Coming  to 
myself  after  a  time— how  long  I  know  not— I  saw  a  knot  of  men  clus- 
tered together  on  the  parapet  of  the  wall  at  a  point  where  it  widened 
out,  and  became  in  fact  a  sort  of  platform.  On  the  ground  beside 
the  men  lay  a  huddled  heap  which  I  quickly  made  out  to  be  cap- 
tives, both  men  ^nd  women,  bound  and  helpless.  Those  in  charge 
of  them  were  evidently  awaiting  something  or  spmeone,  and,  as  I 
looked,  the  e;?pected  occurred,  and  the  arrival  took  place.  From 
an  opposite  passage  came  a  stunted  human  form,  which  proceeded 
shamblingly  towards  the  group  assembled  on  the  platform.  As  it 
did  so,  all  around  made  obeisance,  .and  a  rough  sort  of  wooden  seat 

7 


\ 

^ 


50  The  Theosophist.  [October 

was  brought  forward.  The  new  comer  dropped  into  it,  turning 
squarely  towards  me  in  doing  so,  and  never  so  long  as  I  live,  shall 
I  forget  that  face.  It  was  not  that  the  man  was  old,  was  ugly,  wisis 
deformed,  though  he  was  all  these  ;  it  was  the  hideous  cruelty, 
sensuality,  greed,  hate  and  every  other  evil  passion  which  stamped 
those  devilish  features.  The  thick  sensual  lips,  the  huge  beast-like 
ears,  the  cruel  sneering  eyes,  the  leering  ghoulish  expression,  and, 
finally,  the  very  evident  fact  that  the  man  had  been  either  de- 
signedly, or  by  accident,  twisted  almost  out  of  semblance  to  the 
human  shape,  made  up  a  personality  of  horror  which  could  have 
shamed  that  of  a  fiend. 

A  woman  was  dragged  forward  from  the  huddled  up  heap  and 
placed  before  the  deformed  thing  on  the  seat.  Gold  ornaments 
shone  on  her  neck  and  arms,  and  these  were  stripped  off,  evidently 
by  order  of  the  chief.  After  a  few  questions,  which  were  answered 
tremblingly  by  the  captive,  she  was  put  aside,  and  a  male  prisoner 
took  her  place.  With  scarcely  a  glance  of  the  man,  the  horrible 
monstrosity  in  the  judgment  seat  waved  a  hand,  and  with  my  hair 
rising  on  my  head  I  beheld  the  poor  wretch  hurled  from  the  plat- 
form over  the  precipice.  I  tell  you,  I  distinctly  heard  the  despair- 
ing shriek  and  the  crash  of  the  body  as  it  struck  the  rocks  a  hundred 
feet  below.  Captive  after  captive  was  now  brought  forward,  and 
despoiled,  the  women  being  placed  on  one  side  of,  and  the  men 
hurled  over,  the  cliff.  Eventually,  however,  a  young  and  peculiarly 
beautiful  girl  was  dragged  out.  She  was  e\idently  of  some  local 
rank,  her  bearing  was  superior,  and  the  jewels  upon  her  face  and 
neck  gleamed  brightly  in  the  moonlight.  To  this  girl  the  horror  in 
the  seat  addressed  many  remarks,  in  a  grunting,  guttural  tone,  she 
answering  with  evident  abhorrence  and  dread.  Her  interlocutor 
seemed  gradually  to  work  himself  into  a  violent  passion,  for, 
suddenly  springing  from  his  seat,  he  appeared  about  to  rush  upon 
her,  but,  changing  his  mind,  gave  a  sharp  order  to  his  men  and  sat 
down  again.  Instantly  the  gleaming  gems  were  torn  from  the  girl's 
person,  and  she  herself  was  hurried  towards  the  brink  of  the  abyss. 
Paralysed  with  horror,  and  weak  from  my  fainting  fit,  I  had  so  far 
lain  a  passive  spectator  of  the  scene,  my  dread  of  something  super- 
natural half-forgotten  in  my  rapt  amazement  at  what  was  appa- 
rently taking  place  before  my  eyes.  But  at  the  sight  of  that  lovely 
girl  forced  shrieking  and  struggling  towards  the  giddy  edge, 
mechanically,  and  hardly  knowing  what  I  did,  I  lifted  my  express 
rifle  w^hich  lay  beside  me,  and  fired  full  at  the  chest  of  the  beast-like 
form  in  the  seat.  As  I  did  so,  a  cloud  passed  over  the  face  of  the 
moon,  and  there  was  a  howl  like  that  of  a  wounded  wild  beast,  while 
the  air  about  me  seemed  full  of  rushing  wings  and  evil  cries.*  Once 
more  I  lost  consciousness,  and  knew  no  more  until  I  found  myselt 

•  This  is   the   weakest   point   in   the  story  :  no  amount  of  rifle  bullets  could 
make  a  phantom  man  of  a  phantom  picture  howl  like  that.— ^O. 


1906.]  Theosophy  in  aU  Ldxlds.  51 

in  an  improvised  litter  and,  weak  as  a  child,  being  borne  rapidly 
towards  the  nearest  station,  by  natives  under  the  orders  of  my  hor- 
rified old  shikari.  They  had  found  me  burning  with  fever  and  in 
mad  delirium  when  they  returned,  conscience-stricken,  to  the  hill  in 
the  morning. 

Explanation  I  have  none.  As  to  whether  the  spirits  of  the  old 
Mahratta  murderers  are  condemned  to  enact  again  their  deeds  of 
wickedness  in  the  scenes  which  were  defiled  by  them,  or  whether 
the  whole  affair  was  the  phantasy  of  the  delirium  of  malarial  fever,  I 
do  not  express  an  opinion,  although  I  own  a  very  decided  one.  But 
I  have  been  accustomed  to  consider  myself  almost  fever  proof,  and 
I  have  never  had  malaria  since.  And  I  reiterate  that  the  world 
does  not  hold  wealth  enough  to  tempt  me  to  spend  another  night 
alone  in  that  fearful  spot. 

B.  A.  B. 


^bco$opbi?  in  HU  lanba. 


EUROPE. 

London,  Attrguat  31st y  1900. 

Even  the  most  ardent  Theosophist  finds  that  a  holiday  in  August  is  by  no 
means  undesirable  and  members  have  bcten  scattered  far  and  wide  dating 
the  last  few  weeks.  The  Library  at-  Headquarters  has  been  closed  and  the 
Section  rooms  almost  deserted,  but  our  chief  est  worker}  Mrs.  Besant,  although 
securing  a  few  days'  holiday,  has  been  lecturing  in  the  North  of  England  and 
twice  in  London  daring  the  month. 

The  N6rth  of  England  Federation  C'onference  took  place  at  Harrogate  on 
August  11th,  and  there  was  a  large  gathering  of  members  over  which  Mrs- 
fiesant  presided.  Mr.  Leadbeater  was  also  present  and  quite  a  number  of 
London  theosophists  who  enjoyed  a  country  holiday  and  some  specially  fine 
lectures  into  the  bargain.  Mrs.  Besant  lectured  on  Friday  evening  to 
members  only,  and  after  the  Conference  on  {Saturday,  also  to  members,  both 
addresses  being  of  great  value  and  marked  by  earnest  imprcssivcness  which 
will  be  long  remembered  by  those  privileged  to  hear  them. 

On  Sunday  afternoon  there  was  a  very  large  assembly  in  the  Spa  Concert 
Hall  to  hearMrs.  Besant  on  the  subject,  *'  Whence  come  Religions  ?  "  The 
lecture  was  a  great  success  and  large  numbers  of  visitors  to  Harrogate 
which  is  a  fashionable  inland  watering  place,  must  have  carried  away  to 
different  parts  of  the  country  impressions  of  Theosophical  teachings  which  are 
bound  to  be  productive  of  good.  A  lecture  in  the  evening  at  the  same  place 
on  **  Ancient  and  Modern  Science  " — the  substance  of  which  is  to  be  repro- 
duced in  the  September  and  October  issues  of  the  Theosophical  Bevieio — was 
also  well  attended  and  the  local  branch  disposed  of  a  large  quantity  of 
literature,  always  evidence  of  seriously  awakened  interest. 

A  very  successful  group  photograph  was  taken  of  the  members  attcndiitf^ 
ihe  Conference,  a  local  photographer  distinguished  himself  by  making  tlie 
.ejcposurcs  at  5-30  f.3X.  and  having  largo  mounted  proofs  in  tho  Secretary's 
hands  before  8  o'clock  the  same  evening. 


52  The  Theofiophist.  [Ooioter 

From  Harrogate  Mrs.  Besaiit  vvent  to  Middlesboro'  where  her  lectare  on 
*'  Thought-Power  "  was  greeted  with  marked  enthusiasm  by  the  largest  audi- 
ence which  that  furnace-encircled  town  has  yet  accorded  to  Theosophy.  The 
next  place  to  be  visited  was  Leeds  which  responded  warmly  to  a  lecture  on 
the  "  Reality  of  Brotherhood/'  Then  the  neighbouring  City  of  Bradford  crowd- 
ed one  of  its  largest  public  halls  to  hear  a  discourse  on  the  ''  Reality  of  the 
Unseen  Universe."  The  chair  was  taken  by  the  city  analyst  and  some  of  the 
best  known  people  in  the  neighbourhood  were  to  be  seen  amongst  the  audience. 
In  the  afternoon  Mrs.  Besant  met  some  30  or  40  interested  inquirers  under  the 
auspices  of  Mrs.  Firth  and  the  Misses  Spink  and  in  the  following  week  Mr. 
Leadbeater  lectured  to  a  good  audience  for  the  Athene  Lodge,  and  it  is  expect- 
ed that  the  result  will  be  favourably  felt  by  the  local  workers. 

Last  Sunday  Mrs.  Besant  lectured  on  the  '*  Genesis  of  Religions,**  in 
London,  and  she  is  to  conclude  her  public  work  in  England  for  this  season  by 
speaking  on  "  Peace  Amid  Wars,"  next  Sunday  evening.  Three  days  laber 
she  leaves  us  once  more  and  is  to  travel  by  the  ^'  Peninsular  "  from  Marseilles. 
To  say  that  no  sorrow  of  parting  mingles  with  the  universal  good  wishes  for 
a  happy  voyage  and  successful  work  elsewhere  would  be  untrue  ;  but  reali- 
sing how  much  light  and  encouragement  we  have  received  from  our  summer 
visitant,  we  are  glad  for  our  brothers  elsewhere  to  share  the  blessing,  and 
having  learnt  muchi  we  have  much  to  put  in  practice ;  for,  after  all,  in  the 
relation  between  teacher  and  taught  there  is  not  much  chance  of  success  un- 
less the  pupil  shows  at  least  a  portion  of  the  teacher's  energy. 

This  month  we  have  also  bidden  farewell  to  the  President- Founder  whose 
cheery  presence  and  cordial  friendliness  have  made  him  many  well-wishers  in 
the  various  countries  he  has  visited.  Long  may  he  live  to  preside  over  the 
destinies  of  the  T.  S.  and  make  a  physical  symbol  of  the  world-wide  unity  of 
the  brotherhood  it  professes. 

There  are  various  plans  on  foot  for  an  active  campaign  of  winter  work 
in  London,  but  nothing  has  as  yet  materialised  sufficiently  to  be  made  the 
subject  of  a  paragraph  in  this  letter. 

We  are  to  lose  for  a  short  time  the  many  lecturing  services  of  Mr.  Lead- 
beater who  shortly  sails  for  America  where  he  has  already  numerous  friends 
among  the  readers  of  his  books.  We  hope  that  his  visit  will  be  fraught  with 
much  beneQt  to  the  cause  of  Theosophy  in  the  States.  Our  faithful  co- 
workers in  the  West  need  and  deserve  all  the  help  that  can  be  given  in  their 
staunch  and  plucky  struggle  with  the  disruptive  forces  which  have  always 
been  more  active  on  their  side  the  ''great  waters."  Our  good  wishes  go  with 
the  new  worker  who  is  going  among  them; 

Of  the  world  outside  there  is  only  too  much  excitement  and  rumour 
afloat,  but  with  that  it  needs  not  that  we  concern  ourselves  too  closely ;  we 
have  our  work  to  go  steadily  forward  with,  and  it  must  be  done  **  though  the 
heavens  fall." 

The  September  issue  of  Knowledge,  which  is  just  to  hand,  contains  an  inter* 
eating  article  on  High  speed  Telegraphy.  Apparatus  has  recently  been 
thoroughly  tested  which  will  transmit  and  automatically  record,  telegraphic 
messages  at  the  enormous  rate  of  1,600  words  a  minute  over  a  distance  of 
400  miles  (the  test  circuit)— 'which  is  a  great  deal  faster  than  the  most  rapid 
talker  could  speak  them.  Bit  by  bit  the  possibilities  of  electric  energy  are 
being  unfolded  and  yet  electricity,  we  have  bee  u  told,  is  but  one  of  the  coarse 


1900.]  Reviews.  53 

maaifestaiioDs  of  the  force  which  the  spirit  in  man  may  learn  to  control  on 
higher  planes.  A.  B.  C. 


NEW  ZEALAND. 

A  Presbyterian  minister  recently  lectured  in  Auckland  on  *  The  Three 
Lotas  Gems  of  Buddhism.'  Having  been  formerly  a  missionary  in  Japan,  he 
admitted  having  come  under  the  **  spell  of  the  East "  and  his  lecture  in  con- 
sequence was  sympathetic  and  even  enthusiastic.  He  also  spoke  of  the  pu- 
rity of  the  motives  and  the  teachings  of  those  *  Esoteric  Buddhists,'  Col. 
Olcott  and  Mrs.  Besant,  aod  altogether  showed  himself  extremely  tolerant  and 
broadminded.  But  the  good  effect  that  might  have  followed  was  completely 
spoiled  by  a  sermon  he  delivered  shortly  afterwards  in  which  he  stated  that 
although  he  knew  that  bloodshed,  slaughter,  and  war  must  inevitably  follow, 
the  Christian  missions  must  be  kept  going,  for  the  usual  Church  reasons. 
The  local  coroio  paper  caricatured  him  in  consequence,  with  a  bible  in  one 
hand  ami  a  pistol  in  the  other.  The  sermon  was  full  of  the  most  blatant 
English  *  jingoism.' 

A  very  enjoyable  '  Social '  was  held  in  the  Auckland  Branch  rooms  on 
July  19,  over  a  hundred  guests  being  present.  A  good  programme  wae  gone 
through,  consisting  of  addresses  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Draffin,  music,  vocal  and  in- 
strumental by  Mrs.  and  Miss  Judson,  B>eadings  and  Thought-reading.  All 
present  thoroughly  enjoyed  themselves.  It  is  hoped  that  it  will  be  possible  to 
hold  these  meetings  regularly. 

An  afternoon  meeting  for  ladies  has  been  started  in  Wellington.  The 
first 'was  hold  on  July  9th  and  was  fairly  well  attended.  The  public  meetings 
in  Wellington  have  been  splendidly  attended  of  late. 

The  following  lectures  of  interest  have  been  delivered  throughout  the 
Section  :— 

Auckland  ...  "The  Mystic  Vision"  ...  Mr.  S.  Stuart. 

Christchurch  ...  "  The  Bhagavad Gita  "  Mk.  J.  B.  Withbr. 

Duuedin  ...  '*  God  and  the  Gods  "  ...  Mr.  A.W.  lid  aura  is. 

Wellington  ...  "Buddhism"  ...  Mr.  W.  S.  Short. 


IReviewd. 


THE  SECOND  SERIES  OF  "  0.  D.  L." 

The  Tbeosophical  Publishing  Society,  London,  have  in  press  and  will 
publish  for  the  Winter  season,  the  second  volume  of  Colonel  Olcott's 
faacioating  personal  sketches  of  the  rise  and  progress  of  our  Society,  which 
he  has  been  publishing  since  1892  under  the  title  of  "  Old  Diary  Leaves.'* 
The  first  volume  brought  the  historical  narrative  down  to  the  time  when 
the  two  Founders  left  New  York  for  Bombay ;  the  second  one  covers  the 
period  from  that  date  dowii  to  his  Indian  tour  of  1883,  when  he  was  doing 
his  thotisabds  of  psychopathic  healings,  to  the  aniasement  of  the  onlookers. 
The  volume  will  contain  thirty  chapters,  and  be  illustrated  by  engravings 
from  the  charming  original  photographs  taken  at  Adyar  by  Messrs.  Nicholas 
and  Co.,  and  shown  by  Colonel  Olcott  to  our  colleagues  in  Europe  through- 
out his  recent  tour.  The  price  will  probably  be  the  same  as  for  Vol.  I,  but 
this  will  be  announced  when  the  Manager  is  ready  to  book  orders. 


54  The  Theosophist.  [October 

KARMA:  WOKKS  AND  WISDOM.* 
Mr.  Charles  Johnston,  who  wields  one  of  the  most  fascinating  pens 
which  are  concerned  in  the  spread  of  theosophical  teaching,  is  the  author  of 
the  monograph  on  **  Karma  '*  which  hns  been  published  by  the  Metaphysical 
Publishing  Co.,  and  which  has  already  attained  a  good  circulation.  In  the 
first  of  the  seven  cliapters  which  the  book  contains,  the  author  traces  the 
history  and  development  of  the  idea  which  the  word  Karma  conveys.  **  Its 
earliest  meaning  was  *  the  ritual  law ' — the  complete  ceremonial  which  grew  out 
of  the  Vedic  religion."  **  At  present  we  need  not  concern  ourselves  with  the 
details  of  this  ritual  law ;  it  is  enough  that,  growing  up  as  precedent  and 
tradition  out  of  the  superstitions  not  less  than  the  true  and  healthy  instincts 
of  Vedic  times,  it  wove  itself  into  a  vast,  all-embracing  system,  touching  ti,nd 
regulating  every  act  of  life,  determining  for  each  man  beforehand  what 
might  and  what  might  not  lawfully  be  done."  At  the  same  time  another  idea 
prevailed — that  taught  by  the  Kshattriyas,  the  warrior  kings^ which  led  them 
to  study  and  search  for  the  inner  meaning  of  things.  **  *  Follow  the  law/  said 
the  Brahman,  *  you  will  gain  the  rewards  of  the  law.*  "  *'  *  Follow  the  life  of 
the  self,  as  it  expresses  itself  in  your  heart  and  will/  said  the  Kshattriyai  *  and 
you  will  become  possessed  of  the  power  and  being  of  the  self.*  "  The  process 
of  fusion  of  the  Brahmanical  and  Kshattriya  ideas  is  traced,  and  the  result — 
the  third  and  modern  idea  of  Karma — is  stated.  Many  quotations  from  the 
Upanishads  and  from  the  Git&y  as  also  from  the  later  Yedanta,  are  educed 
which  tend  to  prove  the  statements  made.  The  last  chapter  is  devoted  to  a 
discussion  of  the  subject  from  the  theosophical  standpoint.  As  in  other 
works,  so  in  this  book  Mr.  Johnston  contends  for  the  superior  dignity  of 
the  Kshattriya  ever  the  Brahman  caste.  A  point  in  which  he  is  at  issue  with 
al\  those  who  believe  in  the  current  classification  of  the  caste  system. 

N.  E.  W. 


THE  ENGLISH  TRANSLATION  OF  THE  AITAREYA  UPANISHAD 
WITH  Sri'  Sankara'chahta's  Bha'shya,  by  H.  M.  Bhadkamcak,  b.a. 

We  gladly  welcome  this  translation  of  the  Aitareya  Upanishad  which  be- 
gins with  a  short  introduction  by  the  translator,  wherein  he  briefly  describes 
the  position  of  the  CJpanishnd  in  the  Aitareya  Aranyaka.  The  translation 
seems  to  be  fairly  accurate  and  literal.  The  special  feature  of  it  is  the  fact 
that  the  views  of  the  objector  and  the  Sidhantin  are  clearly  set  forth  in 
different  paragraphs,  with  occasional  footnotes  where  the  passage  seems  to  be 
obscure.  It  is  however  to  be  regretted  that  the  Sanskrit  passages  are  omitted 
in  the  printing  of  the  translation ;  the  book  is  otherwise  neatly  gotten  up. 
The  translation  is  the  prize  Essay  of  the  *'  Sujua  Gokuiji  Zala  Vedanta 
Prize/' 

N.  H. 


PRINCE  UKHTOMSKY  ON  TIBETAN  BUDDHISM  AND 

COLONEL  OLCOTT'S  WORK. 

The  illustrious  Russian  gentleman,  at  once  diplomat,  scholar  and  jour- 
nalist, who  served  as  Private  Secretary  to  the  present  Cii^ar  of  Russia  in  his 

tour  around  the  world  and  who  is  one  of  the  most  learned  men  of  the  day  in 

■  I   —  ■  ■■  -  ■    ...»   I     .     I      I         ■  I  , 

•  Price,  paper,  Re»  1-2, 


1900.}  Reviews.  95 

Buddhistic  literatare,  has  contributed  a  Preface  to  the  work  just  published* 
by  Dr«  Albert  Griiuwcdel  at  Leipzig,  from  which  our  learned  young  colleague, 
Herr  J.  Van  Manen,  F«  T.  S.,  of  Amsterdam  has  translated  the  following 
extracts: 

**The  moment  is  now  not  distant  when  the  Buddhist  world  in  its  manifold 
subdivisions  will  wake  from  its  dream  and  link  itself  together  as  one  organic 
whole. 

"The  illustrious  American,  Colonel  Olcott,  as  President  of  the  Tlieosophical 
Society,  has  for  years  energetically  followed  the  plan  of  finding  the  links  of 
the  spiritual  chain  which  binds  together  the  countries  in  which  Buddha  is 
honoured  as  a  God  [sic].  He  travelled  over  Asia,  made  himself  acquainted  with 
the  leading  native  Priests,  and  then  composed  a  kind  of  creed  for  the  Buddhists 
of  the  whole  world.  All  things  unessential  and  conventional,  all  things 
narrowly  national  and  purely  casual  therein  were  put  aside.  Buddhism  is 
ever  ready  to  accept  and  assimilate  into  the  forms  of  its  cult  all  possible 
other  forma  and  even  rites,  if  they  do  not  influence  its  central  idea :  the 
conception  of  the '  divine  Teacher  '  and  the  ways,  shown  by  Him,  which  lead 
unto  self-perfection,  in  connection  with  the  bidding  of  the  Master  to  gradual- 
ly acquaint  all  beings  with  the  *  Doctrine  *  by  the  following  of  which  they  can 
finally  free  themselves  from  rebirth  and  the  sufferings  connected  with  it. 
Only  the  essential  part  of  the  *  Doctrine  *  should  be  accepted  as  to  this 
creed.  So,  gradually  it  will  become  possible  to  explain  much  of  the  great 
body  of  religious  characteristics  of  Asia,  and  the  forms  of  belief  of  hundreds 
of  millions  of  people  will  make  themselves  visible,  from  the  heart  of  the 
period  in  which  they  were  founded,  in  which  their  propagation  moved  the 
people,  and  the  veil  will  be  lifted. 

"In  Japan,  Burma,  Chittagong and  Cejlon  Colonel  Olcott's  platform 
of  the  Fourteen  Fundamental  Propositions  has  already  been  accepted.  It  re- 
mains to  be  seen  how  far  Colonel  Olcott's  efforts  in  connection  with  the 
solidification  of  the  spiritual  ties  between  the  Buddhist  peoples  in  Indo-China, 
in  Central  China,  in  Corea  and  in  Tibet  will  work.  As  far  as  I  could  find  out 
in  conversation  with  the  Indo-Chinese  Laos  they  are  Buddhists,  but  pro- 
bably stand  nearer  to  Lamaism  than  to  the  Ceylonese  or  Siamese-Burmese 
form.  Evidences,  it  seems  to  me,  as  to  that  are  not  wanting.  They  erect  and 
honour  'Obos,*  i.e.,  heaps  of  stones  on  heights,  with  the  purpose  of  making 
ofiferings  in  those  places  to  the  genii  while  travelling  through  the  district. 
They  execute  movements  exactly  like  the  Tibetan  and  Mongolian  magic- 
dancers,  on  certain  occasion — when  their  bonzes  disguise  themselves  as  terri- 
fying deities,  to  banish  the  spirits  of  evil.  Every  family  aspires  to  devote  to 
the  priesthood  at  least  one  bo}' ;  the  clergy  have  the  right  to  dispose  of  their 
private  property,  and  the  most  learned  monks  seem  to  the  people  as  true 
incarnations  of  the  all-perfect  higher  beings  (of  the  Buddhas),  etc. 

•*Tlie  connection   of  the  followers  of  Sakyamuni  in  Ceylon  with   their 

fellow-religionists  in  the  Far  East  has  been  existing  since  the  most  ancient 

times.  The  relation  existed  not  only  by  sea  but  also  by  land.     Many  Ceylonese 

went  on  pilgrimage  across  the  Himalayas  to  China  and   brought  to  the  '  Sons 

■  — — ^ ^ 

*  Mythologie  des  Baddhisnius  in  Tibet  and  der  Mongolei.  Fiihrer  duroh  die 
Lamaistische  Sammlnng  des  Fiirsten  G.  Uchtomsky,  von  Albert  (Triinwedel,  Dr. 
Pbil.  Mit  einem  einleitenders  vorwort  des  Fiirsten  K.  Uchtomsky  nnd  188  Abbil- 
dangen.    Leipzig,  F.  A,  Brockhans  1900. 


56  The  Theoaophl3t.  [Octc^idr 

of  Heaven '  the  most  rare  amethysts,  sapphirea,  and  rubies,  and  the  roost 
beautiful  images  of  the  'Divine  Teacher.'  Sometimes  tea  years  were 
needed  for  sucli  a  journey.*' 

"  The  middle-ages  strengthened  this  consciousness  of  the  inner  oneness 
between  the  countries,  politically  sti*ange  to  each  other,  in  which  the  worship 
x)f  Buddha  flourished.  What  holds  good  for  Tibet,  also  holds  good  for  Mongolia, 
for  our  Burats  andKalmuks;  the  ideas  of  the  convinced  co-workers  of  the 
deceased  Madame  Blavatsky  And  sympathy  and  attention  also  there." 

A  proof  of  the  above  having  been  shown  to  Col.  Occott,  he  takes  exception 
to  the  Princess  remark  that  in  orthodox  Southern  Buddhism  Sakyamuni  is 
worshipped  as  God.  He  also  challenges  the  statement  that  Ceylon  Baddhists 
have  been  on  the  footing  of  a  mutual  religious  understanding  with  their  co- 
religionists of  the  Northern  School :  the  High  Priest  Sumangala  in  accrediting 
('ol.  Olcott  to  the  Japanese  Sangha,  expressly  made  the  point  that  they  were 
not  so  related  but  should  be. 

W.  A.  E. 


MAGAZINES. 

September  Theoaophical  Rsvieuo  opens  with  an  article  by  Dr.  Wells,  on 
"  Forgotten  English  Mystics,"  showing  that  the  truth  shines  forth  throngh 
various  channels  and  in  aliases.  Next  we  find  a  brief  but  noble  ideal  of 
"  The  Mission  of  Theosophy,"  as  given  by  G.  H.  Liander.  "  Human  Evolve- 
ment,"  by  Alexander  Fnllerton,  is  an  es^ay  which  Tbcosophists  will  do  well 
to  read  with  care,  and  reflect  upon. .  Mrs.  Cooper-Oakley's  paper  on  ''  The 
*  Wisdom '  Tradition  in  the  Italian  Renaissance  "  is  concluded.  In  "  The 
Bardic  Ascent  of  Man,"  by  Mrs.  Hooper,  the  author  in  alluding  to  the 
ahstrnse  nature  of  some  of  the  Bardic  statements  says,  that  even  if  they  are 
not  comprehensible  by  all  "  the  fact  remains  that  statements  which  indicate 
the  existence  of  a  coherent  theory  and  system,  touching  the  birth  and  evolu- 
tion of  animal  and  human  souls,  are  to  be  found  in  the  traditions  and 
literatures  of  widely  separated  nations,"  and  she  thinks,  further,  that  the 
truth  in  the^e  mystical  statements,  "  though  it  may  at  present  evade  us,  will 
be  unveiled  at  last,"  A  beautiful  sample  of  "Indian  Hymnology"  is  given 
in  "Havana's  Hymn  to  Siva,"  by  A  Hindu  Student.  In  her  article  on 
•*  Ancient  and  Modorn  Science,"  Mrs.  Besant,  in  explaining  the  difference 
between  the  two,  says  :  **  When  the  modern  scientist  reaches  the  limits  of  his 
powers  of  observation,  he  proceeds  to  enlarge  those  limits  by  devising  new 
instruments  of  increased  delicacy ;  when  the  ancient  scientist  reached  the 
limits  of  his  powers  oE  observation,  he  proceeded  to  enlarge  them  by  evolving 
new  capacities  within  himself.  Where  the  one  shapes  matter  into  fresh 
forms,  makes  a  more  delicate  balance,  a  finer  lens,  the  other  forced  spirit 
to  unfold  new  powers,  and  called  on  the  Self  to  put  forth  increased  ener- 
gies." Mrs.  Duncan  contributes  a  very  interesting  paper  on  **  New  England 
Dawn  and  Keltic  Twilight  ";  in  which  the  sweet  character  of  one  of  the 
noblest  lovers  of  nature  who  ever  trod  her  verdant  fields  and  listened  to  her 
inner  voice,  Henry  D.  Thorean,  is  shown  by  numerous  quotations  from  his 
published  writings,  as  well  as  by  the  sympathetic  words  of  his  personal 
friend  and  co-worker,  Emerson.  In  the  second  part  of  this  paper,  the  "  Poems 
and  Essays  "  of  Mr.  W.  B.  Yeats  are  laid  under  contribution.  The  author  of 
the  paper  says  of  them  :  '*  We  find  in  them  the  love  of  nature,  not  only  for 


19OO0  Reviews.  57 

her  own  sake^  with  a  minute  and  affectionate  observance  of  her  remoter 
charms ;  bat  we  also  find  a  gracious  belief  in,  and  love  for,  her  elemental 
spirits — ^the  faerie  folk  ******  In  the  concluding  portion  of  Mr.  Lead- 
beater's  valuable  article,  *'  Some  Misconceptions  about  Death/'  some  import- 
ant points  are  discussed*  Miss  Taylor's  "  True  Story "  narrates  a  brief 
moment  of  experience  in  which  the  consciousness  functions  on  a  higher  plane. 
••  Dead  or  Living  ?  "  is  a  short  poem  by  Mrs.  Williams. 

Theosophy  in  Avslralaaia  has  for  its  principal  articles  in  the  August  issue, 
first,  •*  Sin  and  the  Atonement,"  by  F.  E.  Allum  (a  paper  read  before  the  Perth 
Branch  of  the  T.  S.) ;  then  follow,  *'  Some  Misconceptions  of  the  Theosophic 
Teachings,"  by  R.  B. ;  /' Theosophy  as  a  Guide  in  Life,"  which  embodies  the 
text  of  one  of  the  Australian  propaganda  leaflets  ;  and  **  Is  Theosophy  a 
Superstition/*  (a  reply  by  H.  B.  H.,  to  an  article  which  appeared  in  the 
Presbyterian  and  Australian  Wiinesa).  Among  other  matter  we  notice  some 
interesting  answers  to  questions. 

Revue  Thaaophique  Franraiae.  The  August  number  brings  the  Review 
half  way  through  its  eleventh  year  of  publication  and  under  the  editorship 
of  Commandant  Courmes  its  interest  is  fully  maintained  and  its  circulation 
increases.  It  is  found  useful  as  an  aid  in  propaganda,  its  articles  being  of  a 
character  to  excite  the  interest  of  intelligent  enquirers.  In  noticing  the 
London  Convention  of  the  European  Section  the  Editor  warmly  acknowledges 
the  brotherly  reception  which  was  given  tlie  delegates  of  the  French  Section 
who  were  present  at  the  meeting.  He  says :  "  All  received  from  our  English 
brothers  a  most  cordial  welcome,  and  bring  back  with  them  the  livelie.^t 
recollections  of  the  fine  Theosophical  meetings  which  were  hold  during  the 
course  of  the  Convention.*'  The  number  contains  translations  of  Mrs.  Besant, 
Mr.  Leadbeater,  Col.  Olcott,  Dr.  Hartmann,  Mr.  Keightley,  and  original  notes 
and  articles  by  Commandant  Courmes,  Dr.  Pascal  and  others. 

Teosofia.  The  August  number  of  our  Italian  organ  opens  with  an  article 
by  SignoraCalvari,  the  charming  wife  of  the  Editor,  upon  "  The  Earth  and 
Humanity,'*  and  the  rest  of  the  number  is  filled  up  with  translations  and  brief 
reports  of  the  Theosophical  Conventions  in  Europe.  Members  of  the  Society 
passing  through  Rome  should  take  note  of  the  fact  that  at  No.  72,  vitl 
S.  Nicolo  da  Tolentino,  our  branch  has  a  convenient  headquarters  and  a 
Theosophical  library,  which  is  open  daily  between  the  hours  of  10  and  6. 

Sophia,  Neither  political  disturbances  nor  social  obstructions  prevent 
the  regular  appearance  of  our  excellent  Spanish  magazine.  Its  pages  are,  bb 
usnal,  mainly  filled  with  translations  from  our  leading  writers,  but  that 
most  learned  colleague,  Senor  Soria  y  Mata  contributes  an  article  in  French 
on  the  Pythagorean  theory  of  evolution,  with  special  reference  to  the  genesis 
of  the  elements. 

Philadelphia.  This  South  American  representative  is  one  of  the  most 
attractive  of  our  publications  and  at  the  same  time  admirably  calculated  to 
arouse  the  interest  of  the  public  to  which  it  appeals.  The  quality  of  its 
paper  and  printing,  also,  do  great  credit  to  the  printing  offices  of  Buenos 
Aires,  being,  in  fact,  better  than  we  are  able  to  turn  out  at  Madras.  The  June 
number  completes  the  second  volume.  We  hope  it  may  be  followed  by  many 
others  as  good. 

Theosophia,  Amsterdam.  There  is  a  stamp  of  originality  on  our  Dutch 
contemporary  which  is  much  more  marked  than  that  on  most  of  our  other 

B 


58  The  Theosophist.  [October 

theosophical  magazines  in  foreign  languages.  At  the  Amsterdam  head- 
quarters we  have  a  group  of  strong  original  thinkers  and  their  theosophy  is 
intensely  lived  out  in  their  daily  lives.  In  fact,  one  may  say  that  worldly 
questions  occupy  but  a  small  portion  of  their  waking  hours.  It  could  hardly 
be  otherwise  when  they  have  before  them  such  an  example  of  sturdy,  fervent, 
over-mastering  theosophical  spirit  in  the  person  of  Madam  Meulemann  and 
of  unselfish  effort  as  her  senior  colleagues  show  to  her  junior  ones,  including 
those  bright  geniuses  Herron  van  Manen,  Hallo  and  Boissevain,  The 
August  number  seems  to  be  a  very  interesting  one  and  the  magazine  presents 
every  appearance  of  prosperity. 

In  tlie  Theosophic  Gleaner,  which  is  just  entering  upon  its  tenth  year, 
with  some  improvements  in  type  and  general  appearance,  P.  H.  Mehta 
contributes  the  opening  article,  entitled  "The  *I  ';  "  D.  D.  Writer  furnishes 
an  essay  on  "  Our  Progressive  Age  ";  there  are  several  important  reprints 
und  a  sympathetic  note  on  the  President-Founder's  recent  tour  in  Europe. 

In  the  Arya  Bala  Bodhini  we  find  another  instalment  of  Pandit  Bhavani 
Shankar's  *'  Beligious  Talks  with  Hindu  Boys,"  a  continuation  of  the  in- 
structive essay  on  "Hindu  Ethics/'  and  other  matters  of  interest. 

Acknowledged  with  thanks :  TJie  F«/ian,  U  Iniliaiion,  Modem  Astro- 
logy.  Light,  LotushliiUien,  The  Ideal  Review,  Notes  and  Qtieries,  The  Tlieosophic 
Messenger,  Mind,  The  Lamp,  The  Phreiwlogical  Jourruil,  Tlie  Nero  Century,  TJie 
Philosophical  Journal,  Banner  of  Light,  Temple  of  Health,  Harbinger  of  Light, 
Omega,  The  Prasnottara,  Brahmavadin,  The  Light  of  the  East,  Prabtuidha 
Blidrata,  Tlie  Brahmacharin,  The  Light  of  Truth,  Indian  Jour^ial  of  Education, 
TlieDawn,  TJie  Light  of  Truth. 


CUTTINGS  AND  COMMENTS. 

"  Thoughts,  like  the  pollen  of  flowers,  leave  one  brain  and  fasten   to  another." 

A  Liverpool  paper  writes  as  follows  about  the 
The  Gitd   171     class  in  Bhagavad   Gitfi,    which   Mr.  J.  H.    DnfTeli, 
England.       F.T.S.,  conducts  with  success  in  that  city  : 

Some  curiosity  was  donbtless  aroused  by  an  invitation 
published  a  few  days  ago  in  the  advertisement  columns  of  the  Mail,  to  study 
the  Bhagavad  Gita.  Probably  the  majority  of  people  who  noticed  it,  are 
still  wondering  vaguely  what  it  meant.  It  may  be  of  interest  to  explain  that 
this  work,  the  name  of  which  indicates  a  Revelation  from  the  Deity,  is  a 
metaphysical  poem,  which  is  interwoven  as  an  episode  in  Mahilbharata,  one 
of  the  two  great  epic  poems  of  ancient  India.  It  deals  with  the  feuds  between 
two  great  Hindoo  houses,  and  in  it  is  revealed  a  complete  system  of  religions 
philosophy.  Needless  to  say,  the  work  is  regarded  with  great  reverence  by 
the  peoples  of  India*  A  gentleman,  who  is  one  of  the  leaders  of  the  local 
branch  of  the  Theosophical  Society  and  whose  name  is  connected  with  the 
trade  of  the  city,  has  undertaken  the  task  of  making  "this  ancient  master- 
piece of  Oriental  Wisdom,"  as  it  is  described,  known  to  all  students  who  are 
curious  on  the  subject.  He  has  been  so  far  successful  as  to  find  more  than 
a  dozen  enthusiasts  ready  to  take  up  the  study,  and  accordingly  a  class,  which 
will  meet  on  alternate  Saturdays,  has  been  formed  for  reading  and  instruc 
tion  in  Bhagavad  Gtt&. 

*  # 


19O0,]  Cuttings  and  Comments.  59 

The  Rotnan  Herald  speaks  as  follows  about  Babu 

Indian    Phi-    J.  C.  Chatterji*s  lectures  at  Rome.  It  will  particularly 

losophy  ai       interest  our  Indian   readers  to  know  what  is   said 

Rome,  about  the  rapid  spread  of  Indian  thought  throughout 

the  West— thanks  to  the  agency  of  our  Society  : 
"  The  lectures,  which  have  been  ^iven  this  season  by  the  learned  Indian 
Brahmin,  Mr.  J.  C.  Chatterji,  at  the  University  of  Rome,  have  attracted  an 
apprecialive  audience.  It  is  impossible  to  describe  the  impression  which  one 
receives  from  these  lectures,  which  deal  with  the  greatest  problems  of  human 
thought  embodied  in  the  philosophy  of  the  East  and  more  particularly  that  of 
India,  the  seat  of  the  most  daring  theories  ever  hazarded  by  man  to  explain 
his  origin,  the  essence  of  his  visible  and  invisible  surroundings,  his  mission 
in  the  world,  and  his  ultimate  fate^  The  philosophy  o£  India  is  spreading 
very  rapidly  all  over  the  World,  overthrowing  the  barriers  which  ignorance 
has  built  to  prevent  the  expansion  and  diffusion  of  human  thought. 

**  An  amusing  message  from  the  Rome  correspond - 
The  Popeand    ent  of  the  Daily  Mail  states  that  many  superstitious 
the  "  Evil       Italians  are  discovering  curious  coincidences  between 
Eye,^^  the  two  jubilees  of  the   Holy    Years — 1825  and  1900, 

In  1825  bubonic  plague  made  fearful  ravages  in  many 
countries,  calamities  happened  far  and  wide,  the  crops  in  Italy  failed 
almost  completely,  and  a  terrible  famine  followed.  Superstitious 
people  attributed  all  these  dismal  events  to  the  iubilee,  and  the 
same  belief  is  \^'idely  held  in  Italy  with  regard  to  tne  calamities  of 
the  present  year.  In  the  southern  provinces  particularl}',  and  also 
in  Rome,  they  are  set  down  to  the  **jettatura  "  or  evil  eye  of  the 
Pope,  which  is  held  responsible  for  the  murder  of  King  Humbert, 
the  bad  crops,  the  epidemics  of  sickness,  and  the  war  in  China.  The 
recent  railway  accident  in  which  seventeen  persons  were  killed  and 
a  hundred  injured  occurred  at  Castel  Giubbileo,  in  the  Roman  Cam- 
pagua.  Giubbileo  signifies  jubilee,  and  the  name  was  given  to  the 
place  in  1825  because  the  pilgrims  assembled  there  to  journey  to 
Rome.  Out  of  ever>'  hundred  Italians  at  least  ninety-five  believe 
in  the  **  jettatura."  This  superstition  has  many  times  given  rise  to 
rebellion,  attended  with  great  bloodshed,  and  no  surprise  need  be 
felt  if  a  fresh  national  calamity  precipitates  an  alarming  outbreak  in 
Italy.  It  is  singular  that  even  the  Clericals,  including  the  mass  of 
ecclesiastics,  believe  in  the  Pope's  **  jettatura."  Pius  IX.  gained  a 
sinister  reputation  in  this  respect,  and  the  same  belief  attaches,  but 
in  much  greater  measure,  to  Leo  XIII.  The  "jettatura  "  is  guarded 
against  by  the  wearing  of  amulets,  usually  of  silver  in  the  form  of 
an  antelope  horn,  a  hand  with  two  fingers  doubled  down,  a  key  with 
a  heart  in  its  handle,  a  crescent  moon  with  a  face  in  it,  or  a  sprig 
of  rue." 

The  above  which  appeared  in  a  recent  issue  of  the  Westminster 
Budget  shows  how  widespread  is  the  belief  in  the  power,  said  to  be 
possessed  by  certain  people,  of  producing  dire  results  by  a  mere 
glance  of  the  eyes^  In  fact  so  important  is  this  singular  faith,  in 
public  estimation,  that  a  large,  illustrated  work  of  470  pages  royal 
octavo,*  was  published  in  I/^ndon  in  1895,  which  gives  an  historical 
account  of  this  belief  which,  though  largely  superstitious,  can  not,  by 
theosophists,  be  considered  wholly  so,  when  we  take  into  account 
the  power  of  thought,  and  the  agency  of  the  elementals.  In  con- 
firmation of  the  statement  made  in  the  previous  extract,  regarding 
Pope  Pius  IX.  we  read,  in  the  book  just  referred  to  (p.  24),  that  the 

""""  ♦  "  The  Evil  Eye,"  by  F,  T.  Elworth^  ' 


feo  The  Th^osophist.  [October 

way  to  prevent  the  evil  results  which  are  liable  to  ensue  from  the 
glance  of  theyW/a^^r^  is,  to  "point  two  fingers  at  him.  Pope  Pio 
Nono  was  supposed  to  be  2ijettatore,  and  the  most  devout  Catholics, 
whilst  asking  his  blessing,  used  to  point  two  fingers  at  him."  On 
p.  6,  numerous  references  to  passages  in  the  Bible  are  given,  and  we 
find  the  same  subject  mentioned  in  **  Isis  Unveiled  "  (Vol.  I.,  p.  380). 
Those  who  are  interested  in  the  historical  phase  of  this  faitli,  will 
find  abundant  information  in  Mr.  Elworthj^'s  work  above  named. 

*  * 

The  following  item,   which   we  clip  from  the 
King  Arya  Bala  Bodhmi  shows  that  there  is  one  class  of 

or  beggars  which  are  not  usually  called  such  : 

Beggar.  »»  a.  great  king  once  went  into  a  forest  and   there  met  a 

sage.  He  talked  with  the  sage  a  little  and  was  much 
pleased  with  his  purity  and  wisdom.  The  king  then  desired  the  sage  to 
accept  a  present  from  )fiim.  The  sage  refused,  saying :  '  The  fruits  of  the 
forest  are  enough  food  for  me ;  the  pure  streams  of  wat.er  give  me  enough 
drink;  the  barks  of  trees  sufficiently  clothe  me;  and  the  caves  of  the 
mountains  provide  me  with  an  ample  shelter."  The  king  entreated  him  with 
great  reverence  to  take  a  present  from  him  if  only  to  ble.ss  him.  The  sage  at 
last  agreed  and  went  with  the  king  to  his  palace.  Betore  olferiug  the  gift  to 
the  sage,  the  king  repeated  his  prayers,  saying,  *  Lord,  give  me  more  wealth  ; 
Lord,  give  me  more  children ;  Lord,  give  me  more  territory ;  Lord,  keep  my 
body  in  better  healthjV and  so  on.  Before  the  king  had  finished  his  prayer, 
the  sage  had  got  up  and  walked  away  from  the  room  quietly.  At  this  the 
king  became  perplexed  and  began  to  follow  him,  crying  aloud,  '  Sir,  you 
are  leaving  me  without  taking  any  presents.'  The  sage  turned  round  and 
said,  *'  Beggar,  I  do  not  beg  of  beggars.  You  are  a  beggar  yourself,  and  how 
can  you  give  me  anything  ?  I  am  no  fool  to  think  of  taking  from  a  beggar 
like  you.  Do  not  follow  me  but  depart.  You  have  no  real  love  for  Gkxl. 
Your  love  is  sordid  and  pretended,  I  cannot  accept  anything  at  the  hands  of 
so  base  a  creature.' " 

The  Hindu  copies  from  the    Church   Gazette  a 

Mr,  Noble       drastic  criticism  on  the  average  Indian  Missionary 

on  the  which  is  even  more  severe  than  anything  which  has 

Missiotiary,      been  written  about  his  class  by  Theosophists,    Mr. 

Noble  may  be  prejudiced,  yet  he  writes  for  a  most 
Orthodox  organ  and,  presumably,  with  the  approval  of  its  Editor 
who,  if  he  had  thought  the  criticism  unfair,  might  easily  have  re- 
fused it  a  place  in  his  journal.  Certainly  it  is  the  fact  that  with 
rare  exceptions,  the  missionary  sent  out  by  Western  evangelising 
Societies  is  very  ignorant  of  the  Eastern  religions  which  he  comes 
to  upset,  and  makes  himself  a  subject  of  jest  to  the  intellectual  Asia- 
tics whom  he  hopes  to  convert  to  his  own  beliefs.  That  he  has 
'*  earnestness  "  is  far  from  enough  equipment  for  his  hopeless  task, 
for  the  Indians  are  not  at  all  likely  to  paralyze  their  brains  and  put 
aside  their  educational  acquirements  to  descend  to  the  low  intel- 
lectual and  scholastic  level  on  which  alone  the  missionary  depicted 
by  Mr.  Noble  is  able  to  work.  lyong  ago  the  Universities  of  Ox- 
ford and  Cambridge  realised  this  and  sent  out  each  its  special 
mission.  A  missionary  now  on  his  way  back  to  Japan  from  leave, 
admitted  to  the  writer  that  he  was  not  acquainted  with  the  tenets 
of  Buddhism  !    Says  the  Hi^idu  : 

The  Christian  missionary  has  lately  been  very  much  in  evidence,  and 
though,  in  many  cases,  he  has  proved  himself  a  friend  in  need  and  a  friend 
]n  deed,  he  hae  occasiotiaUy,  by  the  excess  of  his    proselytising  zeal  and  hia 


1900.]  Cuttings  and  Comments.  61 

prooeness  to  swell  the  I'anks  of  '  rice '  couveris,  gob  much  into  bad  odour. 
Mr.  Noble,  writing  in  the  Church  Ga::etie,  sums  up  the  Indian  missionary  in 
quite  a  heartlessly  brutal  style.  He  writes  : — "  Although  India  is  known  to 
be  a  nation  of  intellectuals,  jet  we  do  not  always  take  sufficient  care  to  send 
out  only  cultured  men.  Often  wc  send  out  men  who  have  not  received  any 
philosophical  training,  who  have  learnt  little  or  no  Greek  and  have  therefore 
no  appreciation  of  the  old  Greek  mythology,  and  who  very  often  have  earnest- 
ness as  their  only  qualification.  These  men  expound  Christianity  in  such  a 
crude  manner  that  the  natives  who  are  very  subtle  of  argument,  at  once 
perceive  the  utt«r  childishness  of  it  all.  I  will  give  an  instance,  A  certain 
American  Presbyterian  missionary  worked  very  hard  to  gain  converts  to  his 

religion,  but  in  vain.     A  native  said  to  me,  *  You   know     Mr.  B is  a  good 

man,  but  an  ntter  fool :  he  says  he  will  drink  wine  with  the  Lord  in  Heaven.' 

This  native  went  on  to  say  that  poor  Mr.  B could  not    see    how  absurd 

it  was  to  ascribe  to  God  a  body,  and  at  the  same  time  omnipresence.  Thus 
do  our  evangelical  missionaries  make  themselves  the  laughing-stock  of  the 
natives.  But  there  is  worse  still  to  tell.  It  would  be  imagined  that  these  mis- 
sionaries would  go  amongst  theirhearersina  spirit  of  humility,  and  not  of  ar- 
rogance. Oh  dear  no!  They  go  as  Englishmen,  as  a  conquering  race,  and 
treat  the  Hindus  as  the  vanquished  foe.  Is  it  any  wonder  that  between  this 
and  the  fact  that  they  see  the  mission  flourishing  financially  when  it  receives 
nothing  from  converts,  they  conclude  that  the  missions  are  promoted  by  the 
Government?  The  result  of  all  this  is»  that  only  the  scum  of  the  Hindus  be- 
come Christians,  and  tlicy  only  serve  purposes  of  their  own,  so  much  so  that 
the  phrase,  '  There  are  no  native  Christians  about,'  has  come  to  mean  that 
you  are  quite  safe  from  burglary.  When  there  are  so  many  people  to  which 
it  would  be  good  to  send  missions,  such  as  Central  Africa,  etc.,  does  it  not 
seem  a  pity  to  waste  so  much  money  to  try  to  gain  converts  from  a  religion 
whose  ethical  teaching  is  much  the  same  as  our  own  ?  " 

m 
*  # 

The  "  Executive  Chairman  of  the  Committee   of 
Famine  Gifts    One  Hundred,"  referred  to  hereunder,  writes  to  the 
froffi  Editor  of  the  Batmer  of  Light  (published  in  Boston, 

Chi7i€se  ajid     U.  S.  A.)  as  follows  :  — 

Criminals.  Among  the  contributions  received  by  the  treasury  of  the 

New  York  Committee  of  One  Hundred  on  India  Famine  Re- 
lief, are  two  which  deserve  special  mention.  In  the  early  part  of  the  present 
month,  the  Chinese  in  attendance  nt  the  Reformed  Presbyterian  Mission, 
Oakland,  California,  undertook  to  earn  money  for  the  sufferers  in  India. 
They  w^ere,  for  the  most  part,  the  better  class  of  house  servants,  temporarily 
ouf<  of  employment,  to  whom  even  small  sums  were  of  considerable  consequence. 
One  of  them  was  skilled  in  the  repairing  of  cane-seated  chairs.  Accordingly, 
they  asked  their  Mission  teacher  for  a  letter  of  commendation,  and  went 
courageonsly  through  the  streets  of  Oakland  soliciting  work.  The  result  was 
a  remittance  of  $I0'50  for  the  famine  sufferers. 

Somewhat  later  in  the  month,  inmates  of  the  Ohio  Penitentiary  at 
Colambas,  united  a  pui-ely  free-will  offering  for  famine-stricken  India.  Out 
of  pittances  usually  hoarded  for  personal  indulgence,  they  contributed  328*00 
forwarding  the  same  to  the  Committee  of  One  Hundred. 

That,  in  the  former  case,  the  despised,  isolated  stranger  in  a  strange  land 
should  show  such  profound  and  practical  sympathy  with  far-off  India's 
distress;  and  that,  in  the  latter  case,  those  whose  wrong  doing  had  fixed  such 
an  awful  barrier  between  them  and  the  outside  world,  should  self-denyingly 
unite  for  the  rescue  of  the  starving  in  distant  India,  is  glorious  proof  of  **  a 
common  humanity."  It  signifies  that  the  capability  of  generous  sentiment  is 
always  in  all  hearts,  and  that  ennobling  good- will  can  survive  all  adverse 
influence. 

In  each  instance,  along  with  the  thanks  of  the  Committee,  was  returned 
the  assurance  that  the  gifts  would  be  cabled  to  Tndin,  without  expense  to  the 
fund;  that  each  dollar  would  give  a  day's  food  to  from  thirty  to  fifty  hungry 
persons,  or  buy  three  native  blankets  for  the  almost  naked,  or,  with  from  one 


62  The  Theosophist.  [October 

to  two  dollars  more,  aid  an  impoverished   peasant   farmer  in   re-seeding  his 
Holds. 

Since  no  CHscntial  amelioration  of  the  famine  situation  can  possibly  come 
until  the  harvests  *  *  *  *  arc  gathered,  it  were  well  that  the  cases  which  I 
have  cited  should  inspire  all  of  us  to  continued  and  generous  gift?. 

« 

The  increase   of  activity  among   the  Buddhists 
Japaneac        in   Japan  is  noted  by  The  Glebe  (London).     It  says  : 

Buddhism  There  are  Buddhist  Schools  all  over  the  empire,  which 

Advajicifig.       are  giving    assistance    to  the  common    people  in    general 

education  on  a  bcale  of  fees  much  more  liberal  than  that  of 
the  Government  Schools  and  Colleges  *  ♦  *  It  will  readily  be  seen  that  with 
the  imperial  favor  shown  the  Hongwanji  sect  of  Buddhism,  and  the  broadnesb 
of  its  creed,  the  Christian  missionaries  have  in  it  a  foe  to  be  feared,  if  it 
devotes  itself  and  its  ample  revenue  to  the  elevation  of  the  masses,  and  it 
seems  to  be  doing  this  in  the  establishing  of  schools  for  all  classes,  hospitals, 
and  kindred  institutions  of  a  charitable  nature.  Another  evidence  of  militant' 
ism  is  that  the  Buddhist  priests  are  paying  more  attention  to  the  study  of 
their  religion  tlmn  ever  before. 

Commenting  on  the  above  The  Theosophical  Review  says  :  The 
President-Founder's  work  in  Japan  is  bearing  fruit,  as  did  his 
similar  work  in  Ceylon,  and  along  the  same  lines.  Buddhism  has 
found,  in  modern  days  no  better  helper. 

Besides  the  books  and   manuscripts   elsewhere 

Additions       acknowledged,   the   library  collection  of  curios  has 

to  the  been  increased  by   the  addition   of  the  artistically 

Adyar         carved  bronze  bowl  presented  to  the  President- Found- 

Librajy.        er  at  Amsterdam  by  the  Vahana  Lodge,  of  which  the 

sculptor,  Herr  Olio,  is  a  member.  Minute  figures  of 
the  friendly  elemental  spirits  known  to  the  Scandianvians  have 
been  presented  by  Herr  von  Krogh,  of  Copenhagen,  and  a  similar 
one  of  the  elfin  race  called  by  the  Germans  Heinzelmanchen, 
procured  by  Col.  Olcott  at  I^eipzig. 

#*# 

In    noticing    Col,    Olcott's    recent    labors    in 
"  The  Europe,  The  Theosophical  Revietv  says  : 

President'  His  European  tour  has  been  of  the  most   satisfactory 

rounder.  description,  and  the  many   Lodges   he  has   visited  speak 

Avarmly  of  his  genial  courtesy  and  of  the  help  they  have  re- 
ceived by  coming  into  touch  with  his  fervent  loyalty  to  the  movement  he  has 
served  for  a  quarter  of  a  century,  and  in  which  his  heart  and  life  are  bound 
up.  Next  year  he  is  to  visit  North  and  South  America,  and  much  good  is 
hoped  for  as  the  result  of  his  extended  tour  in  the  Western  hemisphere. 
May  he  keep  good  health  and  enjoy  long  life  to  continue  his  faithful  service 
to  the  Theosophical  Society.  There  is  only  one  President- Founder,  and 
■we  would  all  like  to  keep  him  with  us  as  long  as  we  can.  He  is  the  proof  of 
the  continuity,  and  the  symbol  of  the  unity  of  the  Society,  and  none  else  can 
fill  his  place. 


#  # 


All  nations  have  more  or  less  faith  in  powers  un- 
The  viystical  seen,  but  the  beliefs  of  Kasteni  peoples  tend  toward 
*•  Faig'Shuir    the  occult  in  a  very  marked  degree.    The  following 

extracts  from  an  article  entitled,  "A  Mysterious 
Chinese  Creed,"  which  appeared  in  a  recent  issue  of  the  Madras 
Mail^  helps  to  illustrate  this  fact ; 


1900.]  Cuttings  and  Comments.  63 

'*  If  an  anthoritj  on  the  manners  and  castoms  of  the  Chinese  nation  was 
asked  what  he  considered  to  be  the  mainspring  of  the  thought  and  action  of 
this  people,  he  woald  undoubtedly  answer  Femf-ahui  or,  as  some  writers  put 
it,  Fung-shui,  It  is  also  known  as  the  science  of  Te-le.  This  extraordinary 
creed  has  intertwined  itself  thoroughly  into  the  religions  of  China,  and  especially 
with  that  of  Taoism,  so  that  it  is  now  practically  impossible  to  separate  the 
fundamental  principles  of  these  faiths  from  the  parasitic  growths  so  firmly 
engrafted  upon  them.  The  intense  conservatism  of  the  almond-eyed  children 
of  the  Flowery  Land,  and  their  deep- rooted  hatred  of  all  foreigners  and  their 
ways  and  works,  are  all  owing  to  the  universally  pervading  influence  of  feng- 
shui.  The  naraeof  this  ruling  influence  on  the  lives  and  customs  of  the 
Chinese  nation  explains  the  nature  of  this  most  extraordinary  creed,  which 
without  imdue  exaggeration  can  truthfully  be  described  as  one  of  the  roost 
fearful  and  wonderful  that  e^er  cast  the  dark  shadow  of  superstition  upon 
the  human  race.  The  name  is  composed  of  two  words,  feng,  i.e.,  wind,  sym- 
bolical of  that  which  cannot  be  seen,  and  shui,  ie.,  water,  emblematic  of  that 
which  cannot  be  grasi>ed.  Fearsome  and  marvellous  indeed  is  the  belief  in 
the  mystic  power  of  the /0n|3f-«/*tfi,  the  influence  exercised  bj'  spirits  over  the 
fortunes  of  mankind. 

It  is  entirely  owing  to  feng-ahui  that  the  Chinese  are  as  careful  as  they 
arc  in  all  matters  connected  with  the  burial  of  the  dead,  for  spirits  are 
crochety  beings  to  deal  with,  and  if  the  resting-place  provided  for  a  dead 
man^s  bones  does  not  suit  bis  fancy,  then  woe  betide  his  family  till  the 
injured  ghost  is  more  comfortably  housed.  If  a  family  seems  to  suffer  from 
a  prolonged  run  of  ill-luck,  especially  jui^t  after  the  burial  of  one  of  its 
members,  certain  of  the  corpse's  bones  are  promptly  disinterred,  and  placed 
above  ground,  generally  in  the  shadow  of  a  rock,  to  await  re-burial  until  a 
propitious  spot  for  a  grave  can  be  found  by  one  of  the  numeTOus  professors 
of  the  art  oifeng'Shni,  In  the  case  of  a  rich  man,  his  bones  often  remain 
above  ground  for  years,  whilst  his  family  has  to  pay  heavily  for  the  investi- 
gations undertaken  on  behalf  of  the  unquiet  spirit.  " 

The  poor  man's  remains  rest  in  peace,  usually,  as  the  coffers 
of  the  pnesthood  are  not  apt  to  be  filled  from  such  a  source. 

"Towers  and  pagodas  are  universally  believed  in  as  infallible  means  for 
turning  evil  spirits  out  of  a  direct  course,  and  thereby  minimising  their 
power  for  harm.  The  Chinese  name  for  such  towers  and  pagodas  is  /r««,  but 
when  the  buildings,  as  often  happens,  are  erected  to  the  memory  of  learned 
and  great  men,  they  are  known  s.^Toov-larig^  or  halls  of  ancestors.  They  are 
invariably  built  in  such  forms  as  to  attract  all  propitious  currents  and  good 
spirits^  and  to  turn  aside  the  powers  of  evil.  Few  Europeans  perhaps  know 
that  pagodas  arc  all  built  in  connection  with  some  object  of  feng-shni.  Thus, 
in  most  parts  of  China,  but  especially  in  and  about  Canton,  are  numerous 
TooV'tang,  which  are  easily  distinguished  from  other  pagodas  by  their  pecu- 
liar architecture;  it  is  fully  believed  that  they  attract  portions  of  propitious 
currents, and  help  to  increase  the  general  intelligence  of  the  population. 
Unfortunately,  the  results  of  the  influence  of  these  towers  are  not  as  apparent 
to  outsiders  at  any  rate,  as  they  might  be. 

i^en^-s/mi  is.  indeed  responsible  for  all  the  multitudinous  superstitions 
of  the  (yhinese  race.  Of  course,  it  is  well  known  that  Chinese  boats  of  all 
kinds  have  an  eye  painted  on  the  prow,  in  accordance  with  the  principle  of 
**  No  got  eye,  how  can  see?  No  can  see,  how  can  go ?  "  Notwithstanding  this, 
it  is  difficult  to  realise  that  the  belief  in  the  visionary  power  of  this  painted 
optic  is  so  great  that  a  Chinaman  will  hastily  cover  it  up  should  a  corpse 
come  floating  down  the  stream,  lest  the  boat  should  take  fright  from  the 
unpropitious  sight,  and  evil  befall  the  passengers. 

We  Europeans  pride  ourselves  on  our  enlightenment  and  freedom  from 
the  trammels  of  superstitions  such  as  these,  yet  despite  our  vaunt>ed  superior- 
ity we  too  steadfastly  adhere  to  a  custom  which  is  solely  originated  by  Feng- 
8hui,  The  custom  is  that  of  throwing  rice  on  a  newly-married  pair.  It  is  an 
ancient  Chinese  belief  that  the  demons  of  the  air,  who  are  always  on  the  look- 
oat  to  injure  mortals,  have  a  peculiarly  cannibalistic  love  for  the  flesh  of  a 
newly-married  pair.    Rice,  however,  they  prefer  even    to  lovers.     So,  at  the 


64  The  Theosophist.  [October 

critical  moment,  which  was  just  when  the  young  couple  left  the  bridal  palan- 
quiu,  it  became  the  custom  to  scatter  rice  to  divert  the  attention  and  appeti- 
ties  of  the  demons  from  their  human  prey.  The  custom  o£  throwing  an  old 
shoe  after  a  newly-wedded  pair,  also  originated*  it  is  believed,  in  the  Chinese 
Empire,  where  women  leave  their  shoes  at  the  shrine  of  Kwang-yin,  Queen 
of  Heaven,  when  preferring  a  request  to  her. 

Such  are  a  few  of  the  bonds  imposed  by  Feng-skui  upon  the  Chinese 
people,  and  whilst  they  remain  in  such  trammels  it  is  not  to  be  wondered  at 
that  civilisation  makes  such  pitifully  slow  progress  amongst  them." 

B. 

Her  Royal  Highness,  the  Duchess  of  Arg\'ll,  has 
T/je  heavy       an  album  in  which   this  question  appears :    **  Whom 
Burden         do  30U  envy  ?  "  In  reply  to  this,  the  Prince  of  Wales 
of  a  has  written  : 

Cro7V7i.  **  The  man  I  envy   is  the  man  who  can   fc^l  slightly   un- 

well without  it  being  mentioned  all  over  Europe  that  H.R.H. 
is  'seriously  indisposed/  the  man  who  can  have  his  dinner  without  the 
whole  world  knowing  that  H.R.H.  is  eating  heartily,  the  roan  who  can 
attend  a  race-meeting  without  it  being  said  tliat  H.R.H.  is  '  betting  heavily ' ; 
in  short,  the  man  I  envy  is  the  man  who  knows  that  he  belongs  to  himself 
and  his  family,  and  has  not  the  eyes  of  the  whole  universe  watching  and 
contorting  his  every  movement." 

The  reply  of  the  venerable  Emperor  of  Austria  is  : 

'*  1  envy  every  man  who  is  not  an  Emperor.** 

The  character  of  the  young  Czar  of  Russia  is  shown  in  his  replj- 
which  is  as  follows  : 

**  1  envy  with  a  great  envy  any  person  who  has  not  to  bear  the  cares  of  a 
mighty  kingdom  ;  who  has  not  to  feel  the  sorrows  of  a  suffering  people.*' 

How  strikingly  this  illustrates  the  fact  so  strougly  emphasized 
in  all  Eastern  religions — that  riches,  pomp,  power  and  external 
surroundings  can  never,  and  were  never  designed  to,  satisfy  the 
soul's  longing. 

m  « 

It  is  stated  in  the  lyondon   Standard  (see  report 

The  ChJ7iese     of  Lieutenant  Von  Krohn),  that  Admiral  Seymour's 

and  column  distinguished    themselves  by  the  massacre 

''Noqnartery    of  the   Chinese  w^ounded,   giving  no  quarter.    The 

Lieutenant's  statement  is  this : 

'*  It  is  scarcely  possible  to  take  prisoners,  as  the  Chinese  are  not  civilised 
enough  for  such  a  mode  of  warfare.  During  the  Seymour  Expedition  the 
troops  were  compelled  to  bayonet  ail  the  wounded,  as  they  could  not  look 
after  them  ;  and  a  wounded  Chinaman  will  attempt  to  kill  any  European  as 
long  as  he  can  still  raise  a  liand.  At  first  they  sent  the  wounded  Boxers  to 
the  hospitals  at  Tientsin,  but  they  soon  found  this  was  a  mistake  and  the 
order  was  given  to  kill  all  Chinese  still  capable  of  fighting?,  not  to  spare  the 
wounded,  and  to  take  no  prisoners.  The  Boxers  frequently  removed  their 
red  badges,  and  tried  to  conceal  their  participation  in  the  fight,  but  this  was 
soon  found  out." 

And  is  this  the  plane  to  which  the  Christian  civilization  of  the 
present  day  has  descended  ?  Is  not  the  Theosophical  ideal  better 
than  this  ? 


THE     THEOSOPHIST. 


r\  m 


VOL  XXII.,  NO.  2,  NOVEMBER  1900. 


THERE  IS  NO  RELIGION  HIGHER  THAN  TRUTH, 

{Family  motto  of  the  Maharajahs  of  Benares!] 


OLD  DIARY  LEAVES* 
Fourth  Sekirs,  Chapter  XIII. 

(Year  1890.) 

ii  S  my  older  friends  know,  I  was  from  1854  to  i860  almost  entire- 
J\^  ly  absorbed  in  the  study  and  practice  of  scientific  agriculture. 
The  taste  for  it  has  never  left  me,  and  on  two  or  three  different  occa* 
sions  the  Government  of  Madras  has  availed  of  my  experience  in 
these  matters.  A  few  days  after  the  events  described  in  the  preced- 
ing chapter  I  went  to  Salem,  an  ancient  town  in  Madras  Presidency, 
to  serve  as  a  judge  of  agricultural  implements  and  machinery,  by 
request  of  Government,  and  the  Japanese  Commissioners  joined  me 
there,  after  a  short  tour  of  inspection  of  farms  on  which  they  were 
accompanied  by  an  expert  deputed  by  the  Department  of  Land  Re* 
cords  and  Agriculture.  Tents  had  been  pitched  for  us  within  the 
Railway  Station  compound,  and  we  were  supplied  with  meals  at  the 
restaurant  at  Government  expense.  I  gave  one  lecture  on  "  Agri- 
culture," at  the  show  grounds,  with  Mr.  Clogstoun,  Director  of  the 
above-named  Department,  in  the  chair,  but  I  refused  several  invita- 
tions to  give  public  addresses  on  Theosophy  as,  for  the  moment,  I 
was  a  sort  of  Government  officer  and  did  not  think  it  rijg:ht  to  mix  up 
*"'  "tny  pt^vate  cobciirtis  in  reli^on  imd  mel[&(>hy?)ics  with  my  tempbraiy 
public  duties.  It  would  have  been  in  bad  taste,  as  I  told  my  friends, 
the  Indians,  but  I  was  quite  ready  to  come  to  Salem  for  their  special 
benefit  later  on,  if  they  wanted  me.  On  the  third  day  I  returned  to 
Madras  and  took  up  current  work.  Dr.  Sawano  and  Mr.  Higashi, 
having  finished  their  inquiries,  left  for  Japan  on  the  24th  February. 

*  Three  volumes,  in  series  of  thirty  chapters,  tracin|t  the  history  of  tlie 
Theosophical  Society  from  its  beg^iimingrs  at  New  York,  have  appeared  in  the 
Th€oiiofhi9t^  and  the  first  volume  is  available  in  book  form.  Price,  cloth,  Rs.  3-8-0, 
or  paper,  Rs»  2*3-0.    VoJ.  II.  is  in  press  and  will. Portly  appear. 


66  The  TheosophlBt.  [November 

Dr.  Sawano  wrote  ^ne  later  that  after  his  return  the  Japanese  govern- 
ment kept  him  busy  lecturing  upon  scientific  agricultural  topics, 
with  illustrations  based  upon  his  observations  in  Europe,  America 
and  India.  In  his  letter  to  me  he  says :  *'  Your  name  has  appeared 
in  nearly  all  the  Japanese  papers,  in  connection  with  your  kind 
treatment  of  our  Commission  and  the  help  you  gave  xis  to  gather 
useful  information  in  India.  Many  Japanese  who  yearn  after  you, 
come  and  ask  me  about  the  present  condition  of  your  Theosophical 
Society,  and  of  your  health.  iSome  eagerly  desire  to  go  *  to  tn^ia 
and  study  under  you,  and  some  without  private  means  would  be 
only  too  glad  to  perform  any  service  in  your  house  or  on  the  place, 
only  to  be  with  you  and  able  to  devote  part  of  their  time  to  acquir- 
ing knowledge." 

A  queer  creature  of  a  Hatha  Yogi,  who  leaped  about  like 
a  kangaroo  and  made  himself  otherwise  ridiculous,  walked  12 
miles  to  see  me  on  the  2nd  March.  He  said  he  had  clairvoyantly 
seen  me  at  a  certain  temple  the  night  before  and  his  goddess  had 
ordered  him  to  pay  me  a  visit  for  his  spiritual  good.  The  only 
phenomenon  which  he  exhibited  was  to  make  fall  from  the  air  a 
number  of  limes,  which  he  presented  to  me.  I  can't  say  how  much 
the  visit  profited  him  but  certainly  it  did  not  seem  to  have  much 
eflFect  on  me,  beyond  making  me  realise  once  more  how  foolish  it  was 
for  men  to  undergo  so  long  and  severe  a  training  to  so  little  purpose. 
He  gets  a  certain  small  amount  of  wonder-working  power — not  an 
hundredth  part  of  H.  P.  B.'s  ;  some  thought-reading  power,  some 
troublesome  elementals  dangling  about  him,  and  that  is  all !  He 
violated  the  good  old  rule  not  to  prophesy  unless  you  know,  by 
predicting  to  Mr.  Harte  and  Ananda,  whom  I  sent  to  see  him  the 
next  day,  that  within  six  years  I  should  certainly  be  able  to  perform 
great  miracles.  The  only  miracle  that  happened  within  that  time 
was  the  salvation  of  the  Society  from  harm  when  Mr.  Judge  seceded, 
along  with  the  American  section  :  but  that  was  not  of  the  sort  he 
had  in  mind,  though  a  very  good  and  substantial  performance. 
Ananda,  however,  was  so  much  impressed  by  the  Swami  that 
he  stopped  away  from  Adyar  two  days,  and  brought  me  on 
his  return  a  poita,  or  Brahminical  thread,  phenomenally  produced 
for  my  benefit,  some  flowers  which  had  been  showered  on  his  head 
out  of  space,  and  a  number  of  stories  of  the  wonders  he  had  seen. 
The  same  Yogi  paid  a  second  visit  to  headquarters  on  the  9th  and 
did  some  phenomena  in  the  Portrait  Room  of  the  Library.  An 
orange,  some  limes,  and  twenty-five  rupees  in  money  were  apparent- 
ly showered  about  us,  and  my  gold-pen  was  transported  from  my 
writing-table  upstairs  to  the  Picture  Room  :  a  plate  of  broken 
stones  and  pottery  was  also  converted  into  biscuits.  But  the  afiair 
smelt  of  trickery,  as  the  man  insisted  on  being  left  alone  to  "  do 
Bhakti  Puja"  before  we  were  admitted,  and  his  movements  were  not 
gt  all  satisfactory.    The  money  I  gave  back  to  him,  as  I  felt  that  it 


19OO0  Old  Diary  Leaves.  67 

had  been  lent  him  for  the  trick  by  one  of  the  persons  who  accom- 
panied him. 

In  answer  to  an  article  of  mine  in  the  March  Ttuosophist  ask- 
ing who  would  come  forward  and  help  in  the  Indian  work,  Mr. 
C.  Kotay^'-a,  F.  T.  S.  of  Nellore,  volunteered  his  services  and  I  accept- 
ed them  and  made  him  a  travelling  Inspector  of  Branches. 

Dr.  Daly  at  last  arrived  from  Ceylon,  on  the  13th  April,^  and 
Harte,  Fawcett  and  I  talked  with  him  for  hours  and  hours  ;  in  fact, 
almost  all  the  night. 

As  it  was  finally  decided  that  he  should  be  put  to  work  in 
Ceylon,  in  the  capacity  of  my  personal  representative,  I  spent  a  good 
deal  of  time   with  Dr.  Daly  explaining  my  plans.    Among  these 
was  the  establishment  of  a  woman's  journal,  to  be  the  property  of 
and  edited  by  the  ladies  of  the  Ceylon  Women's  Educational  Society, 
and  to  have  for  title  Sinhala  Stree,  or   The  Sinhalese  Woman  :  the 
journal  was  to  concern  itself  with  all  the  domestic,  moral  and  religious 
questions  which  should  come  into  the  life  of  a   mother  of  a  family. 
As  Dr.  Daly  had  had  much  to  do  with  journalism  it  was  included  in 
my  plan  that  he  should  have  the  general  supervision  of  the  editorial 
work  of  the  proposed  journal.  My  first  idea  in  inviting  him  to  come 
to  the  East  and  help  me  was  to  have  him  act  as    sub-editor    of  the 
Theosophist  and  during  my  absence  do  a  good   part  of  the  more  im- 
portant correspondence.     But  as  he  was  evidently  unfit  for  this  sort 
of  work,  and  as  the  Buddhists  wanted  him  in  Ceylon,  and.  he  was 
nothing  loth,  I  issued  an  official  Notice    assigning  him  for  duty  to 
Cej'lon  and  giving  him  a  delegation  of  my  supervisory  authority. 
This  Notice  was  dated  25th  May,  1890.    I  heard  nothing  more  about 
the  journal  in  question  for  some  time,  but  at  last  it  was  reported  to 
me  that  he  had  called  a   meeting  of  the  Women's  Educational 
Society  to  broach  the  idea  of  the  journal,  and  an  issue  of  ^^Times  of 
Ceylon  in  the  month  of  July  reported  the   meeting  and  said  that  the 
intention  was  to  call  it  The  Sanghamitla  ;  adding  that "  Colonel  Olcott 
as  Chief  Adviser  of  the  Women's  Society  has  full  sympathy  with  the 
proposed  venture  and  has  promised  his   aid."    Considering  that  I 
drafted  the  whole  scheme  from  beginning  to  end  and  added  my  per- 
sonal pecuniary  guarantee  for  the  expenses  of  the  first  year,  the 
above  statement  reads  rather  mildly.    The  fact  is  that  Dr.  Daly  put 
forth  the  scheme  as  his  own,  and  even    went  so  far  as  to  make  the 
condition  that  the  ownership  of  the  paper  should  be  «'^/^^m  )iti», 
as  that  of  the  Theosophist  is  in  me.    Of  course  when  I  heard  that,  I 
immediately  withdrew  from  the  scheme.     It  is  a  pity  that  it  could 
not  have  been  carried  out,  for  I  think  that  it  would  have  been  a  suc- 
cess and  a  very  great  aid  to  the  cause  of  female  education. 

Excellent  news  came  now  from  Japan  about  the  development  of 
the  Women's  League^movement,  which  had  been  one  of  the  results  of 
my  tour.    Mr.  M.  Oka,  the  Manager,  wrote  that  it  was  indeed  wonder* 


<^8  ^he  Theosophist.  [November 

fill  to  see  what  the  Japanese  Buddhists  had  done  within  the  half-year 
since  my  visit  and  as  a  consequence  of  it.  The  Ladies'  Association 
for  "producing  good  mothers,  educated  sisters,  and  cultivated 
daughters,"  had  started  on  a  career  of  surprising  prosperity.  "  We 
have  already  induced  2  Princesses,  5  Marchionesses,  5  Countesses, 
8  Viscountesses,  7  Baronesses  and  many  famous  Buddhist  priests, 
celebrated  scholars,  &c.,  &c.,  to  become  honorary  members,  while 
ordinary  members  are  increasing  in  number  daily.'*  He  asked  me 
to  become  an  Honorary  Member,  and  liharmapala  also.  "A  month 
later  he  again  wrote  with  enthusiasm,  saying  that  the  membership 
had  increased  by  1,000  within  the  month,  and  that  the  Princess 
Bunshu,  aunt  of  H.  M.  the  Emperor,  had  accepted  the  Presidency: 
a  journal  had  been  established  and  the  outlook  was  most  promising. 

Another  very  important  proof  of  the  permanent  effect  of  my 
tour  in  Japan  is  given  in  a  letter  from  one  of  the  most  distinguished 
priests  in  the  Japanese  Empire,  Odsu  Letsunen,  San,  Chief  Officer 
of  the  Western  Hongwanji,  Kyoto,  who  said  that  the  fact  that  I  had 
"  greatly  aroused  the  feelings  of  the  people  at  large  was  beyond 
any  dispute."  But  the  striking  point  of  the  letter  is  that  it  breathes 
the  very  spirit  of  international  Buddhistic  tolerance  and  sympathy,  to 
arouse  which  was  the  object  of  my  mission.  Mr.  Odsu  expresses 
the  hope  that  the  inconsequential  differences  of  sects  in  and  between 
the  Mahayana  and  Hinayana,  the  northern  and  southern  schools  of 
Buddhism,  **  may  henceforth  be  subordinated  to  the  primary  object 
of  promoting  the  spread  of  Buddhism  throughout  the  world." 

On  the  28th  April,  a  public  meeting  of  the  Theosophical  Society 
for  the  purpose  of  introducing  Messrs.  Fawcett  and  Daly  to  the 
Indians,  was  held  at  Pachiappa's  Hall,  Madras.  An  enthusiastic 
crowd  attended  and  the  speakers  were  received  most  warmly. 

An  atmosphere  of  unrest  had  been  created  at  the  headquarters 
by  the  unfriendly  agitation  which  followed  after  the  London  troubles 
and  the  withdrawal  of  Subba  Row  and  his  two  English  followers 
from  the  Society  :  one  other  feature  being  the  fomenting  of  unjust 
prejudice  agiainst  Ananda,  by  certain  persons  who  did  not  like  his 
ways.  Up  to  that  time  the  business  of  the  Theosophist  had  been 
conducted  in  the  same  large  room  where  that  of  the  Society  had 
been  carried  on,  but  it  became  unpleasant  for  both  him  and  me,  so 
r  Attld'ttp  the  Western  riverside  bungalow  at  my  own  expense  and 
removed  the  magazine  and  bookshop  there,  after  the  usual  purifica- 
tory ceremony  had  been  performed  by  Brahmin  priests  in  the  ancient 
fashion.*  And  there  it  has  been  kept  until  the  present  day.  So 
disagreeable  was  the  sullen   hostility  at  one  time  that  I  actually 

*  So  old  a  mesmerist  as  I  could  never  be  blind  to  the  possible  efficacy  of  any 
well  conducted  ceremony,  by  the  priest  or  lay  exorcist  of  any  religion  or  school  of 
occultism'  whatsoever,  however  small  mig^ht  be  my  belief  in  the  interference  of 
superhuman  entities  for  the  profit  of  any  given  faith.  So,  with  benevolent  tolerance 
I  let  whoever  likes  make  whatever  puja  he  chooses,  from  the  Brahmin  to  the 
Yakkada  and  the  ignorant  /ishemaen  of  the  Adyar  River,  my  friends  and  proteges. 


4MO.]  Old  Diary  Leaves.  $d 

formed  a  plan  to  remove  the  business  to  quarters  in  town.  As  fpr 
casting  off  the  faithful  Manager,  that  never  entered  my  head.  As  a 
Master  once  wrote  to  Mr.  Sinnett,  **  Ingratitude  is  not  among  our 
vices." 

Our  evenings  have  always  been  pleasantly  spent  in  dry  weather 
^n  the  pavement-like  terrace  roof  of  the  main^building  where,  on 
moonlit  or  starlit  nights,  we  have  the  glory  of  the,  heavens  to  look 
4«t  and  "the  ocean  breezes  to  cool  us,  I  haye  visited  many  lands, 
Biit  recall  no  mofe  beautiful  view  than  that  upon  which  tlie  eye 
rests  from  that  terrace,  whether  by  daylight,  stajrlight  or  moonlight. 
Sometimes  we  only  talk,  sometimes  one  reads  and  the  others 
listen.  Often  on  such  occasions,  in  the  months  of  the  Western 
winter  season,  do  we  speak  of  our  families  and  friends,  especially  of 
oar  theosophical  colleagues,  and  wish  they  could  float  over  us,  as  the 
Arahats  are  described  in  the  *'  Mahavansa  "  as  having  done,  and 
see  and  compare  with  their  own  climatic  miseries  the  delights  of  our 
physical  surroundings.  In  those  May  days  of  1890  we  used  to  thus 
gather  together  and  the  new-comers,  with  their  varied  knowledge 
of  literature  and  men,  contributed  greatly  to  the  pleasure  and  profit 
of  the  little  gatherings.  Mr.  Harte  wrote  for  the  Theosophist  a  series 
of  witty  and  comical  articles  under  the  title  **  Chats  on  the  Roof," 
(spelt  without  the  A,  in  the  galley-proof  of  the  Hindu  compositor !) 
the  discontinuance  of  which  was  much  regretted  by  some  of  our 
readers. 

The  late  Mr.  S.  B*  Gopalacharlu,  nephew  and  adopted  son  of 
the  regretted  Pandit  Bhashyacharya,  now  took  up  the  appointment  of 
Treasurer  of  the  Society,  which  I  had  tendered  him.  What  a  pity 
that  neither  of  us  foresaw  what  would  be  the  tragical  outcome  of 
the  connection ! 

■ 

When  the  late  King  of  Kandy  was  deposed  by  the  British  army 
in  the  year  1817,  he  and  his  family  were  exiled  to  Southern  India 
and  the  survivors  and  their  descendants  are  still  there.  The  pre- 
sent male  representative  known  as  lyaga  Sinhala  Raja,  or  the 
Prince  of  Kandy,  came  at  this  time  in  great  distress  of  mind  and 
besought  my  good  oflSces  to  get  from  Government  some  relief  for  . 
his  miseries.  It  appears  that,  as  in  the  case  of  all  these  deposed 
royalties,  the  original  pension  from  Government  goes  on  diminish* 
in^  with  the  death  of  the  chief  exile  and  the  natural  increase  in  the 
families  sharing  ihe  botliity.  ' Ai  th^liliagillft  V&Si  roJ^^alratl^teAiT^ 
bids  them  to  work  for  their  living  like  ordinary  honest  folk,  and  as 
their  pride  leads  them  to  tr>'  to  keep  up  somie  show  of  the  old 
grandeur,  the  time  comes  at  last  when  their  respective  incomes  shrinJc 
into  bare  pittances  and,  as  this  young  man  told  me,  the  domestic 
attendants  and  their  families  come  at  ever>'  meal  time  and  sit  around 
like  dogs  waiting  for  a  bone  while  the  impoverished  master  partakes 
of  his  meagre  meal.  The  picture  which  he  drew  made  me  feel  that 
if  I  should  ever  have  the  bad  luck  to  be  a  vanquished  king  I  should 


70  The  Theosophist.  [Novembet 

adopt  the  old  Rajput  custom  of  killing  myself  and  family,  rather 
than  go  into  exile  as  a  pensioner  of  the  victor.  This  young  Prince 
had  had  the  moral  courage  to  set  the  good  example  of  preparing 
himself  for  civil  employment  under  the  Indian  Government,  and  was 
then  holding  the  small  appointment  of  Sub-Registrar  in  a  taluk  of 
the  Tinnevelly  District,  and  was  drawing  a  small  salary  ;  but,  as  he 
said,  this  was  rather  an  aggravation  than  otherwise,  for  it  was  barely 
enough  to  give  himself  and  family  food,  and  his  feelings  were  always 
worked  upon  by  seeing  these  wretched  dependants  watching  ever\^ 
mouthful  he  ate.  He  was  a  nice  young  fellow  and  I  gladly  helped 
him  with  advice  as  to  what  he  should  do. 

On  the  3rd  of  June,  I  visited  T.  Subba  Row  at  his  request,  and 
mesmerized  him.  He  was  in  a  dreadful  slate,  his  body  covered  with 
boils  and  blisters  from  crown  to  sole,  as  the  result  of  blood-poisoning 
from  some  m3rsterious  cause.  He  could  not  find  it  in  anything  that 
he  had  eaten  or  drank  and  so  concluded  that  it  must  be  due  to  the 
malevolent  action  of  elementals,  whose  animosity  he  had  aroused  by 
some  ceremonies  he  had  performed  for  the  benefit  of  his  wife.  This 
was  my  own  impression,  for  I  felt  the  uncanny  influence  about  him 
as  soon  as  I  approached.  Knowing  him  for  the  learned  occultist  that 
he  was,  a  person  highly  appreciated  by  H.P.B.,  and  the  author  of  a 
cotu'se  of  superb  lectures  on  the  Bhagavad  Gitl^,  I  was  inexpressibly 
shocked  to  see  him  in  such  a  physical  state.  Although  my  mes- 
meric treatment  of  him  did  not  save  his  life,  it  gave  him  so  much 
strength  that  he  was  able  to  be  moved  to  another  house,  and  when 

'  I  saw  him  ten  days  later  he  seemed  convalescent,  the  improvement 
dating,  as  he  told  me,  from  the  date  of  the  treatment.  The  change 
for  the  better  was,  however,  only  temporary,  for  he  died  during  the 
night  of  the  24th  of  the  same  month  and  was  cremated  at  nine  on 
the  following  morning.  From  members  of  his  family  I  obtained 
some  interesting  particulars.  At  noon  on  the  24th  he  told  those 
about  him  that  his  Guru  called  him  to  come,  he  was  going  to  die, 
he  was  now  about  beginning  his  tdpas  (mystical  invocations)  and  he 
did  not  wish  to  be  disturbed.    From  that  time  on  he  spoke  to  no 

.  one.  From  the  obituary  notice  which  I  wrote  for  the  July  Theosophist^ 
I  quote  a  few  paragraphs  about  this  great  luminary  of  Indian  con- 
temporary thought : 

**  Between  8 abba  Bow,  H.  P.  Blavatsky,  Damodar  and  myself  there 
WB:s'a  elofte  Iriendsfaip.  He  wad  chiefly  instrti mental  in  having  us  invited  to 
visit  Madras  in  1882,  and  in  inducing  us  to  choose  this  city  as  the  permanent 
Headquarters  of  the  Theosophical  Hociety.  Subba  Bow  was  in  confidential 
understanding  with  us  about  Damodar's  mystical  pilgrimage  towards  the 
north,  and  more  than  a  year  after  the  latter  crossed  into  Tibet,  he  wrote  him 
about  himself  and  his  plans.  Subba  Bow  told  me  of  this  long  ago,  and 
reverted  to  the  subject  the  other  day  nt  one  of  my  visits  to  hia  sick-bed.  A 
dispute-^-due  in  a  measure  to  third  parties— which  widened  into  a  breach, 
arose  between  H,  P.  B.  and  himself  about  certain  philosophical  questions,  but 
to  the  last  he  spoke  of  hor,  to  us  and  to  his  family,  in  the  old  friendly  way. 


1900.]  Old  Diary  Leaves.  71 

^  It  is  remarked  abov^  tbat  T.  Subba  Bow  gave  no  early 

signs  of  possessing  mystical  knowledge :  even  Sir  T.  tfadhava  Row  did  not 
suspect  it  in  him  whUe  he  was  serving  under  him  at  Paroda.  X  particularly 
questioned  his  mother  on  this  point,  and  she  told  me  that  her  son  first  talked 
metaphysics  after  forming  a  connection  with  the  Founders  of  the  Theosophical 
Society :  a  connection  which  began  with  a  correspondence  between  himself 
and  H.  P.  B.  and  Daraodar,  and  became  personal  after  our  meeting  him,  in 
1882,  at  Madras.  It  was  as  though  a  storebouse  of  occult  experience,  long 
forgotten,  had  been  suddenly  opened  to  him  ;  recollections  of  his  last  preceding 
birth  came  in  upon  him :  he  recognized  his  Garn,  and  thenceforward  held 
intercourse  with  him  and  other  Mahatmas ;  with  some,  personally,  at  our 
Headquarters,  with  others  elsewhere  and  by  correspondence.  He  told  his 
mother  that  H.  P.  B.  was  a  great  Yogi»  and  that  he  had  seen  many  strange 
phenomena  in  her  presence.  His  stored  up  knowledge  o£  Sanskrit  literature 
came  back  to  him,  and  his  brother-in-law  told  me  that  if  you  would  recite  any 
verse  of  Git&,  Brahma-Satras  or  Upanishads,  he  could  at  once  tell  you 
whence  it  was  taken  and  in  what  connection  employed.** 

I  cannot  remember  how  many  similar  cases  have  come  under 
my  notice  in  my  visits  among  our  Branches,  but  they  are  very 
numerous.  Almost  invariably  one  finds  that  those  members  who 
are  most  active  and  always  to  be  counted  on  for  unwavering  fidelity 
to  the  Society,  declare  that  they  have  had  this  awakening  of  the 
Higher  Self  and  this  uncovering,  or  unveiling,  of  the  long-hidden 
block  of  occult  knowledge. 

There  being  an  annular  eclipse  of  the  sun  on  the  17th,  every 
orthodox  Hindu  had  to  bathe  in  the  sea.  Mr.  Harte  and  I  went  to 
see  the  crowd,  which  was  dense  and  joyous.  The  surf  was  splen- 
did, and  the  scene  one  of  the  greatest  animation.  Imagine  several 
thousand  brown-skinned  Hindus,  scantily  clad  in  their  white  cloths, 
jumping  about  in  the  waves  in  pleasant  excitement,  hailing  each 
other  with  joyous  shouts,  leaping  over  the  small  surf,  sometimes 
splashing  and  ducking  each  other ;  other  thousands  standing  or 
sitting  on  the  sands,  adding  their  shouts  to  the  din,  and  out  beyond 
the  bathers  the  great  rollers  curling  over  and  booming :  overhead, 
the  partly  obscured  sun,  a  mystery  to  the  ignorant  and  the  source 
of  an  impurity  which  must  be  washed  off  in  the  briny  water.  This 
took  place  along  the  shore-front  of  Triplicaneand  Mylapore,  villages 
included  within  the  modern  Madras  municipality.  I  have  seen 
nowhere  in  the  world  a  Marina  to  match  that,  of  Madras,  tbpugh^ir 
M.  E.  Grant-Duflf,  who  had  it  laid  out  when  he  was  Governor,  tells 
us  that  he  copied  it  from  one  in  Italy,  which  had  given  him  great 
delight  Along  the  sea-shore,  from  the  Cooum  River  to  the 
village  of  St.  Thom6,  a  distance  of  some  four  miles,  stretches  this 
delightful  drive  and  promenade.  On  the  side  of  the  sea,  a  broad 
gravelled  sidewalk  with  stone  curbing,  then  a  broad,  noble  avenue 
with  the  road-surface  as  smooth  as  a  floor,  and  inside  that  a  tanned 
bridle-path  for  equestrians.  The  Marina  is  the  sundown  resort  of 
the  Madrasis,  who  come  there  in  their  carriages  and  enjoy  the 


72  The  Theosophist.  [November 

delicious  sea  breeze  which  almost  invariably  comes  in  from  the 
ocean,  bringing  life  and  refreshment  on  its  wings. 

I  was  busy  in  those  days  revising  the  "  Buddhist  Catechism  " 
for  one  of  its  many  new  editions,  amending  and  adding  to  the  con- 
tents, as  its  hold  on  the  Sinhalese  people  grew  stronger  and  I  felt 
that  it  was  getting  beyond  the  power  of  reactionary  priests  to  pre- 
vent my  telling  the  people  what  ought  to  be  expected  of  the  wearers 
of  the  yellow  robes.  When  I  published  the  33d  Edition,  three 
years  ago,  I  supposed  that^I  should  have  no  more  amendments  to 
make,  but  now  that  the  34th  Edition  will  soon  be  called  for,  I  find 
that  further  improvements  are  possible.  My  desire  is  to  leave  it  at 
my  death  a  perfect  compendium  of  the  contents  of  Southern 
Buddhism. 

On  the  27th  (June)  I  had  a  visitor  from  Madura,  from  whom  I 
had  the  satisfaction  of  hearing  that  three  of  the  cases  of  paralysis 
which  I  had  psychopathically  treated  in  1883,  had  proved  permanent 
cures,  and  that  after  an  interval  of  seven  j'ears  my  patients  were  as 
well  as  they  had  ever  been  in  their  lives.  One  of  these  cases  I 
remembered  very  well  and  have  described  it  in  my  narrative  of  my 
tour  of  1883.  It  was  that  of  a  young  man  who  came  to  me  one  day 
as  I  was  about  sitting  down  to  my  meal,  and  asked  me  to  cure  his 
paralysed  left  hand,  which  was  then  useless  to  him.  I  took  the 
hand  between  my  two,  and  after  holding  it  a  couple  of  minutes  and 
reciting  a  certain  mantram  which  I  used,  made  sweeping  passes 
from  the  shoulder  to  the  finger-tips,  some  additional  ones  around 
the  wrist  and  hand,  and  with  a  final  pass  declared  the  cure  com- 
pleted. Immediately  the  patient  felt  in  his  hand  a  rush  of  blood, 
from  having  been  without  feeling,  it  suddenly  grew  supersensitive, 
he  could  move  his  fingers  and  wrist  naturally,  and  he  ran  away 
home  to  tell  the  wonder.    Then  I  went  on  with  my  dinner. 

In  the  first  week  of  July  I  went  to  Trichinopoly  to  preside  at  a 
public  meeting  on  behalf  of  the  Hindu  Noble's  College,  and  while 
there  gave  two  lectures,  and  a  brief  address  at  the  famous  Temple 
of  Ganesha,  on  the  summit  of  the  great  rock,  one  of  the  most 
picturesque  landmarks  conceivable,  and  seen  by  every  railway 
traveller  passing  through  Southern  India. 

The  reader  will  easily  understand  the  stress  and  strain  that  was 
put  upon  me  at  this  time  by  the  eccentric  behaviour  of  H.  ?•  B.  in 
herself  interfering  and  allowing  her  friends  to  interfere,  in  the 
practical  management  of  Society  affairs,  a  department  which,  as 
Master  K.  H.  had  distinctly  written,  was  my  own  special  province. 
In  a  previous  chapter  I  have  mentioned  her  revolutionary  threat 
that  she  would  break  up  the  Society  unless  I  endorsed  their  action 
in  reorganizing  the  movement  in  Europe  with  her  as  permanent 
President ;  but  to  make  the  thing  perfectly  clear,  since  the  case 
embodies  a  most  vital  principle,  I  will  enter  a  little  into  detail.  On 
the^Sth  of  July  I  received  her  letter,  backed  by  some  of  her  friends. 


1900.]  Old  Diary  Leaves.  73 

demanding  the  above  mentioned  change  and  accompanying  it  with 
the  alternative  threat.  On  the  29th  of  the  same  month  I  received 
an  official  copy  of  a  Resolution,  which  had  been  passed  by  the  then 
existing  British  Section,  without  having  reported  their  wishes  to  me 
or  asked  my  consent.  The  Theosophist  for  August  had  been  printed, 
except  the  Supplement,  which  was  then  on  the  press.  On  receipt 
of  the  interesting  revolutionary  document  in  question  I  drove  to 
OUT  printers,  stopped  the  press,  ordered  destroyed  350  copies  of  the 
Supplement  already  run  oflF,  and  inserted  thi^  Executive  Notice : 

*•  The  following  Resolution  of  the  Council  of  the  British  Section 
of  July  2nd,  i8go,  is  hereby  cancelled,  as  contrary  to  the  Constitution 
and  By-laws  of  the  Theosophical  Society,  a  usurpation  of  the  Presi- 
dential prerogative,  and  beyond  the  competence  of  any  Section  or 
other  fragment  of  the  Society  to  enact. 

Adyar,  2^thjuly,  1890.  H.  S.  Owott,  P.  T.  S. 

Extract  from  Minnies  of  the  British  Section  T,  S. 

"  At  a  meeting  of  the  Council  of  the  British  Section  held  on 
July  2nd,  1890,  at  17,  Lansdowne  Road,  lyondon,  W.,  summoned  for 
the  special  purpose  of  considering  the  advisability  of  vesting  per* 
manently  the  Presidential  authority  for  the  whole  of  Europe  in  H.  P. 
Blavatsky,  it  was  unanimously  resolved  that  this  should  be  done 
from  this  date,  and  that  the  British  Section  should  unite  herewith 
with  the  Continental  lodges  for  this  purpose,  and  that  the  Head- 
quarters of  the  Society  in  London  should  in  future  be  the  Head- 
quarters for  all  administrative  purposes  for  the  whole  of  Europe. 

W.  R.  Old, 
General  Secretary'* 

Who  wonders  that,  after  the  note  in  my  diary,  mentioning  what 
I  had  done,  I  added :  '*  That  may  mean  a  split,  but  it  does  not  mean 
that  I  shall  be  a  slave,"  What  charming  autocracy !  Not  one  word 
about  the  provisions  of  the  Society's  Constitution,  the  lawful 
methods  to  follow,  or  the  necessity  of  referring  the  matter,  to  the 
President ;  nothing  but  just  revolt.  It  only  made  my  own  duty  the 
plainer.  I  must  be  true  to  my  trust  even  though  it  had  to  come  to 
a  break  between  H.  P,  B.  and  myself ;  for  though  we  had  to  be. 
loyal  to  each  other,  we  both  owed  a  superior  loyalty  to  Those  who 
had  chosen  v&  out  of  our  generation  to  do  this  mighty  service  to 
mankind  as  part  of  Their  comprehensive  scheme. 

I  leave  this  on  record  for  the  benefit  of  my  successor,  that 
he  may  know  that,  if  he  would  be  the  real  guardian  and  father 
of  the  Society,  he  must  be  ready,  at  a  crisis  like  this,  to  act  so 
as  to  defend  its  Constitution  at  all  costs.  But  this  will  require 
more  than  mere  courage,  that  far  greater  thing,  faith  ;  faith  in  the 
inevitable  success  of  one's  cause,  faith  in  the  correctness  of  one's 

8 


74  The  Theosophist.  [November 

judgment,  above  all,  faith  that,  under  the  guidance  of  the  Great 
Ones  no  petty  cabals,  conspiracies,  or  unwise  schemes  can  possibly 
stand  against  the  divine  impulse  that  gathers  behind  one  whose 
only  ambition  is  the  performance  of  duty, 

H.  S.  OWOTT. 


GLIMPSES  OF  THEOSOPHICAL  CHRISTIANITY* 

Thk  P>hics  of  Christianity. 

/"cj  The  Forgiveness  of  Svts, 

{Continued  from  page  15.) 

FROM  what  has  been  said  as  to  the  Law  of  Karma  as  taught  by 
Christ,  it  is  evident  that  the  crude  view  of  forgiveness  held  by 
some  professing  Christians  will  have  to  be  discarded  ;  I  refer,  of 
course,  to  the  view  that  God  is  displeased,  or  even  angry,  with  man 
on  account  of  his  sins,  but  that  through  the  mediation  of  Christ  He 
is  induced  to  lay  aside  His  wrath,  and  to  excuse  man  from  suffering 
the  consequences  of  sin.  It  is  hardly  worth  while  to  discuss  the  rea- 
sonableness or  otherwise  of  this  ^dew,  for  the  day  is  happily  almost 
past  when  thinking  Christians  could  ascribe  to  God  an  attitude  and 
a  course  of  action  which  they  would  regard  as  showing,  even  in  a  hu- 
man parent,  a  somewhat  undeveloped  parental  love.  The  associa- 
tion of  displeasure  and  of  the  deliberate  infliction  oi  arbitrary  punish^ 
ment,  with  a  Being  who  is  perfect  love  and  perfect  wisdom  is  surely 
impossible  ;  while  it  is  equally  impossible  to  conceive  of  such  a  Being 
relieving  man  from  suffering  the  natural  consequences  of  sin, 
seeing  that  it  is  only  by  their  means  that  the  necessary  lessons 
can  be  learned,  and  purification  attained.  We  must  therefore 
seek  for  some  other  meaning  in  the  sayings  of  Christ  as  to 
forgiveness.  And  in  doing  this  we  have  to  remember,  as  be- 
fore, .that  He  was  dealing  with  a  people  who  had  been  trained 
for  centuries  under  a  rigid  ecclesiastical  law,  and  whose  concep- 
tion of  God  was  still,  to  say  the  least,  very  human.  One  of  the 
aims  of  Christ  was  to  lead  them  to  a  higher  conception  of  God  ; 
thus  His  teaching  would  naturally  be  couched  in  terms  that  would 
appeal  to  their  present  somewhat  crude  ideas,  and  those  ideas  woidd 
also,  doubtless,  influence  considerably  the  form  in  which  His  sayings 
would  be  reproduced.  When  read  in  the  light  of  Theosophical 
thought,  however.  His  teachings  are  suflSciently  explicit. 

The  most  striking  passage,  and  that  which  casts  the  most  light 
on  the  subject,  is  the  following :  "  If  ye  forgive  men  their  trespasses, 
your  heavenly  Father  will  also  forgive  you.  But  if  ye  forgive  not 
men  their  trespasses,  neither  will  your  Father  forgive  your  tres- 
passes." (Matt.  VI,  14, 15;  Mark  XI,  25,26).  With  this  we  may  compare 

•  The  instalment  of  these  *  Glimpses,'  which  appeared  in  the  October  number, 
sboitld  have  be^n  marked  tl)us :  Continued  from  page  541,  Vol.  XXI, 


1900.]  Glimpses  of  Theosophical  Christianity.  75 

• 

the  parable  of  the  servant  who,  though  at  first  forgiven  by  his  lord, 
afterwards  refused  to  forgive  his  fellow-servant,  and  thus  brought  on 
himself  after  all,  the  full  exaction  of  his  own  debt.  (Matt.  XVIII, 
21,  35  ;  cf.  Luke  XVII,  3,  4).  Here  then  is  the  condition  of  for- 
giveness ;  not  belief  in  Christ,  not  acceptance  of  Him  as  the 
Saviour,  not  even  repentance  and  turning  away  from  the  sin  of  the 
past ;  but,  probably  to  most,  the  hardest  condition  of  all,  forgiveness 
of  our  fellows,  without  which  even  repentance  would  seem  to  be 
unavailing.  The  cause  for  this  we  shall  find  to  lie  in  the  very  nature 
of  sin  itself,  and  therefore  of  its  consequences.  For,  since  man  is 
the  seed  of  the  Divine  lyife  and  since  the  aim  of  his  evolution  is  that 
that  seed  shall  grow  into  the  perfect  tree,  everything  which  hinders 
evolution  will  be  evil,  and  sin  will  be  any  action  on  man's  part  by 
which  he  retards  the  growth  of  the  divinity  within,  which  is  himself. 
Now,  we  are  taught  that  in  the  earlier  stages  of  evolution,  separate- 
ness  is  the  law  of  progress ;  that  a  strong  individuality  can  be  built 
up  only  by  means  of  separateness,  and  thus  at  those  stages  separate- 
ness  or  selfishness  is  right.  But  Christ  was  trying  to  lead  men  to  a 
higher  stage  than  this,  placing  before  them  the  ideal  towards  which 
they  should  begin  to  strive.  And  we  must  remember  that  the  devel- 
opment of  separateness  produces  a  temporary  obscuration  of  the 
Divine  life,  of  which  the  essential  characteristic  is  unity.  Thus, 
when  the  strength  of  the  individuality  has  been  built  up,  the  next 
stage  is  the  gradual  realisation  of  unity.  So,  from  the  point  of  view 
of  Christ's  teaching,  sin  will  be  that  which  tends  to  prevent  unity  ; 
in  other  words,  it  will  be  the  carrying  of  separateness  into  a  later 
stage  than  that  to  which  it  naturally  belongs ;  the  practice  of  selfish- 
ness after  man  has  begun  to  realise  that  altruism,  which  will  lead 
to  unity,  is  the  higher  law  of  his  being.  Separateness  from  other 
selves  will  imply  separateness  from  that  Divine  life  of  which  each  of 
them  is,  so  to  speak,  a  partial  manifestation  ;  and  thus  all  sin  will 
build  up  a  barrier  that  separates  the  sinner  from  God,  But  the 
barrier  is  entirely  on  the  part  of  the  sinner.  There  is  no  change  in 
God  ;  He  is  ever  pouring  out  His  intense  love  on  everything  that 
exists.  "  He  maketh  His  sun  to  rise  on  the  evil  and  the  good,  and 
sendeth  rain  on  the  just  and  the  unjust."  (Matt.  V,  45).  As  Bruno 
once  put  it :  *'  The  human  soul  has  windows,  and  it  can  shut  those 
windows  close.  The  sun  outside  is  shining,  the  light  is  there 
unchanging ;  open  the  windows  and  the  light  of  the  sun  streams 
in.'**  So  are  we  ever  bathed  in  the  sunshine  of  God's  love,  but  by 
our  sin  we  shut  ourselves  in  from  it ;  and  then,  being  unable  to 
see  it,  we  say  in  our  foolish  arrogance  that  He  is  wroth  with  us, 
and  has  turned  Himself  away  from  us  !  Blind  that  we  are,  not  to 
see  that  it  is  only  we  who  have  turned  our  backs  upon  Him  ! 

Now  the  failure  to  forgive  those  who   have  sinned  against  us 
will  do  more  than  aught  else  to  perpetuate  this  barrier  we  have 

•  *' Esoteric  Cbristiaaity/'    Lecture  UJ.,  A,  Besaot,  p.  17, 


76  The  Theosophist.  tNoveml^er 

built  up ;  for  failure  to  forgive  implies  alienation  and  separateness 
from  our  fellows.  As  long  as  that  cause  of  separateness  remains,  it 
is  of  but  little  use  for  us  to  repent  and  turn  away  from  all  other 
sins ;  we  shall  still  be  shut  out  from  the  sunlight  of  God's  love.  But 
let  us  combine  with  our  repentance  and  our  efforts  towards  reforma- 
tion, a  tender  and  loving  forgiveness  of  all  who  have  injured,  or  are 
still  injuring  us,  and  then  we  shall  find  the  barrier  is  broken  down, 
the  warmth  and  light  of  His  love  again  streams  upon  us,  and  we 
feel  we  are  forgiven-  It  seems  to  us  that  He  has  changed ;  iu 
reality  the  only  change  is  in  us.  Still  the  sufiering  that  is  the  result 
of  our  wrong-doing  will  have  to  be  suffered  till  it  is  exhausted  ;  but 
all  the  sting  and  bitterness  of  it  will  have  gone,  now  that  we  have 
again  become  conscious  of  God's  love  ;  and  we  shall  cheerfully  and 
gladly  take  the  pain  and  learn  from  it  all  that  it  has  to  teach.  We 
can  now  understand  why,  in  some  of  our  Theosophical  writings,  it 
has  been  said  that  there  is  no  forgiveness  of  sins.  In  the  ordinary 
acceptation  of  the  term  there  is  none.  God  cannot  forgive  us,  simply 
because  He  has  no  rued  to  do  so,  having  never  changed  towards  us. 

There  are  some  passages,  however,  which  are  less  explicit  than 
this,  and  which  seem  to  imply  still  more  clearly  that  there  is  some 
action  of  forgiveness  on  God's  part  or  on  Christ's.  For  instance,  on 
one  occasion,  when  Christ  healed  a  paralytic,  He  also  told  him 
that  his  sins  were  forgiven  ;  and,  in  answer  to  the  objections  of  the 
Jews,  spoke  of  the  *  Son  of  Man  '  having  "  power  on  earth  to  forgive 
sins  "  ;  so  too  with  the  woman  who  anointed  His  feet  in  the  house  of 
Simon  the  Pharisee  ;  and  His  prayer  on  the  cross  was  :  **  Father, 
forgive  them,  for  they  know  not  what  they  do."  (See  Matt.  IX,  2, 6  ; 
Luke  VII,  36  et  seq, ;  Luke  XXIII,  34).  We  cannot  of  course  hope 
to  find  the  full  meaning  of  all  the  sayings  of  Christ,  unless  we  can 
know  whether  His  utterances  have  been  accurately  recorded ;  which, 
with  our  present  knowledge  of  early  Christianity,  is  impossible.  In 
the  meantime,  some  thoughts  are  suggested  by  these  passages,  that 
may  be  useful. 

One  as  far  advanced  as  Christ,  would  be  able  to  see  the  Karma 
of  the  individual  He  was  dealing  with,  and  would  thus  know  wheth* 
er  the  Karmic  effect  showing  itself  in  the  form  of  sickness  or  bodi* 
ly  affliction  had  yet  exhausted  itself,  and  would  also  be  able  to  see 
what  was  the  attitude  of  mind  of  the  one  He  wished  to  heal.  The 
very  fact  of  His  performing  a  cure  would  indeed  bean  indication 
that  that  particular  Karma  was  on  the  point  of  exhaustion ;  for, 
though  we  can  readily  conceive  it  possible  that  Christ  could  dy  the 
exercise  of  spirittial power  remove  sickness  even  before  this  was  so, 
yet  even  He  could  not  avert  Karmic  effects,  and  thus  they  would 
simply  be  driven  inwards  to  work  out  in  some  other  form  which 
might  be  far  worse.  He  therefore  would  not  heal  unless  Karma 
permitted  it,  for  He,  being  wise,  would  not  lay  Himself  open  to 
the  charge  of  performing  a  mistaken  kindness^  as  one  is  inclined  at 


IdOO*]  Glimpses  of  Theosophical  Christianity.  *7i 

times  to  think  some  of  oar  modem  healers  do,  when  they  resort  to 
forces  other  than  physical.  And  it  has  been  suggested  that  His  mean- 
ing in  saying  "  Thy  sins  are  forgiven   thee,"   was  simply  a  state- 
ment of  the  fact  that  ikis  Karma  was  exhausted.    But  it  seems  more 
likely  that  the  meaning  lies  deeper  than  this,  and  that  possibly  He 
saw  that  there  was  in  this  paralytic  the  change  in  the  attitude  of 
mind,  the  effort  to  break  down  the  barrier   of  separateness,  which 
constitntes  forgiveness.    Or  again,  the  very  presence  of  Christ  may 
have  aroused  in  him  the  devotion  and  worship  which   are  often 
the  first  steps  towards  the  attainment  of  forgiveness.    This  seems 
especially  to  be  so   in  the  second  case  quoted.     For  there  is  no 
force  so  strong  to  inspire  in  us  the  desire  for  union  with  the  Divine, 
9S  that  of  love  and  reverence  for  one  higher  than  ourselves.    As  it  is 
said  in  the  Bhagavad-Gitil :   ''  Even  if  the  most  sinful  worship  Me, 
with  undivided  heart,  he  too  must  be  accounted  righteous,   for  he 
hath  rightly  resolved ;  speedily  he  becometh  dutiful  and  goeth  to  eter- 
nal peace."  •    It  is  love  and  reverence  of  that  sort  which,  more  than 
aught  else,  makes  man  conscious  of  his   real  self,  the  God  within. 
And  this  thought  leads  us  to  a  yet   deeper  one.    We   have  so 
far  thought  of  God  as  if  He  were  outside    of  man,   influencing 
him  from  without ;  and  to  our  limited  consciousness  this  must 
appear  to  be  so,  for  that  which  is    limited  cannot   feel  itself  to 
be  one  with  the  all-consciousness.    But  we   must  not  forget  that 
this  separation  is  illusory  ;  that  in  reality  God  is  ift  His  universe,  is 
its  very  life  and  heart,  suffering  and  rejoicing  in  and  with  it  ;  and 
that  when  we  speak  of  a  barrier  separating  us  from  God  as  if  He 
were  distinct  from  us,  this  is  but  a  concession  to  our  finite  intellect, 
and  it  is  in  reality  ourown  Divine  Self  from  which  we  are  separated* 
We  have  already  seen  how  great  a   difference  there  is  between  the 
wrong-doing  that  arises  from  ignorance,  and  that  where  there  is 
knowledge  ;  and  we  can  readily  understand  that  the  separation  is  far 
less  in  the  former  case.    There  we  find  a  negative,  rather  than  a 
positive  barrier  ;  one  which  it  requires  only  further  knowledge  to 
remove  and  which  will  therefore  be  broken  down,  at  least  in  part,  as 
the  God   within,  the  true  Father  in  Heaven,  draws  us  nearer  to 
Himself,    Then  we  can  see  what  is  the  meaning  of  Christ's  prayer 
on  the  cross — not  so  much  a  petition  as  a  statement  of  an  eternal 
truth,  as  Christ's  prayers  usually  are.    The  Father,  the  Self  within 
each  one  of  these  persecutors,  will  forgive  them,  will  ever  strive  to 
drowthem  nearer  to  Himself,  for  it  is  in  ignorance  they  sin,   and 
wfaeff  they  understand  more  clearly,  they  will  be  ready  to  turn  and 
seAHim. 

In  aU  its  different  aspects,  then,  forgiveness  is  not  an  excusing 
from  the  results  of  sin,  not  a  remission  of  punishment,  but  a  bring- 
ing^into  nnity,  a  reconciliation  where  before  there  was  separation. 
It  will  at  once  be  seen  that  from  its  very  nature,  this  will  involve  an 

•  "  flhagavad-Gita/'  U,  ;Jd,  ^U  ' 


78  "file  Theosophlst.  [November 

effort  to  become  free  from  the  tendency  to  sin  ;  and  we  have  in  this 
connection  two  very  suggestive  parables.  Students  of  Theosophy 
are  familiar  with  the  teaching  that  the  best  way  to  eradicate  a  vice  is 
to  cultivate  the  opposite  virtue,  and  that  a  mere  negative  morality  is 
apt  to  defeat  its  own  end.  Evolution  cannot  stand  still,  and  if  we 
try  to  eradicate  a  fault  without  putting  something  else  in  its  place, 
we  shall  only  find  that  we  soon  fall  back  into  the  fault.  The  simplest 
and  most  striking  illustration  of  this  is  perhaps  the  control  of 
thought.  We  may  recognise  that  a  certain  line  of  thought  is  harmful; 
or  if  not  actually  harmful,  is  at  least  useless,  and  thus  involves  a 
waste  of  energy.  We  therefore  resolve  to  give  it  up,  but  we  are  likely 
to  fail  utterly  unless  we  take  some  definite  new  line  of  thought  to 
replace  the  old.  Otherwise,  the  mind  being  left  to  find  new  channels 
of  activity  as  best  it  may,  it  will  continually  run  back  into  its  old 
ones,  we  shall  meet  with  repeated  failures  in  our  efforts,  and  it  is 
probable  that  the  old  habit  will  become  stronger,  and  more  and  more 
troublesome.  We  shall  make  far  more  rapid  progress  by  expending 
all  our  energy  in  willing  to  think  along  the  new  line,  than  by  ex- 
pending it  in  willing  not  to  think  along  the  old  one.  This  is  very 
forcibly  expressed  in  the  parable  of  the  man  out  of  whom  an  unclean 
spirit  has  come.  It  wanders  about,  seeking  rest  and  finding  none, 
until  at  last  it  returns  to  its  old  house.  But  finding  it  empty,  swept, 
and  garnished,  it  "  taketh  seven  other  spirits  more  evil  than  itself 
and  they  enter  in  and  dwell  there.  And  the  last  state  of  that  man  is 
worse  than  the  first."  (Matt.  XII,  43,  46).  When  we  apply  to  this  the 
further  teaching  as  to  the  creation  of  thought-elementals,  and  desire- 
elementals,  the  parable  acquires  still  more  force,  for  we  know  that 
these  creations  of  ours  sometimes  acquire  so  strong  a  vitality,  and 
such  persistence,  that  they  may  be  not  altogether  unfitly  described 
as  evil  spirits. 

The  second  parable  illustrates  a  different  aspect  of  the  subject. 
It  is  that  of  the  tares  and  the  wheat,  which  describes  how  the 
husbandman,  on  finding  that  an  enemy  had  sown  tares  amidst  his 
wheat,  ordered  that  both  should  be  allowed  to  grow  together  till  the 
harvest,  and  then  separated,  lest  in  rooting  out  the  young  tares,  the 
wheat  also  should  be  pulled  up.  (Matt.  XIII,  24,  30).  This  no  doubt 
refers  primarily  to  that  separation  of  the  sheep  from  the  goats  already 
referred  to,  the  separation  at  the  critical  point  in  a  cycle  of  evolution, 
of  those  who  are  not  advanced  enough  to  go  forward,  from  those  who 
are  able  to  pass  on.  But  it  seems  as  if  it  had  reference  also  to  the 
growth  of  the  individual,  and  the  danger  of  tr3dng  to  root  out  faults 
and  failings  before  the  virtues  have  grown  strong.  For  this  might 
lead  to  leaving  the  house  empty  for  a  time,  which  would  pro- 
bably cause  the  last  state  to  be  worse  than  the  first.  A  wise 
teacher  does  not  always  point  out  to  his  pupil  the  faults  that  are 
as  yet  only  in  a  very  early  stage.  He  strives  to  correct  the  more 
{serious  ones,  but  above  all  to  build  up  a  strong  character  of  virtue, 


1900.]  Glimpses  of  Theosophlcal  Christianity.  79 

leaving  the  less  developed  faults  unnoticed  for  the  present.  Indeed 
it  is  doubtful  if  at  this  stage  the  pupil  would  recognise  them  as  faults 
at  all.  They  need  first  to  reach  some  degree  of  maturity  ;  then  the 
suffering  they  bring  will  open  his  eyes  to  them ;  but  in  the  mean- 
time he  will  have  built  up  virtues  in  other  directions  that  will  make 
him  better  able  to  deal  with  the  faults.  A  similar  idea  is  suggested 
by  a  passage  in  "  Light  on  the  Path "  :  "  Seek  in  the  heart  the 
source  of  evil  and  expunge  it.  It  lives  fruitfully  in  the  heart  of  the 
devoted  disciple  as  well  as  in  the  heart  of  the  man  of  desire.  Only 
the  strong  can  kill  it  out.     The  weak  muU  wait   for  its  growth. 

Us  fruition,  its  death Live  neither  in  the  present  nor  in  the 

future,  but  in  the  eternal.  This  giant  weed  cannot  flower  there ; 
this  blot  upon  existence  is  wiped  out  by  the  very  atmosphere  of 
eternal  thought."  In  other  words,  let  us  not  allow  the  mind  to 
dwell  on  our  faults,  but  fix  it  on  the  Higher  Self,  thus  stimulating 
all  that  is  divine  in  us,  and  in  time  this  thought  will  do  much  towards 
starving  out  all  our  failings,  either  while  yet  comparatively  undevel- 
oped, or  else  when  they  have  attained  maturity. 

There  is,  however,  one  sin  that  is  said  by  Christ  to  be  unpardon- 
able. "  Every  sin  and  blasphemy  shall  be  forgiven  unto  men ;  but  the 
blasphemy  against  the  spirit  shall  not  be  forgiven.  And  whosoever 
shall  speak  a  word  against  the  Son  of  Man,  it  shall  be  forgiven  him  ; 
but  whosoever  shall  speak  against  the  Holy  Spirit,  it  shall  not  be 
forgiven  him,  neither  in  this  world  [or  age]  nor  in  that  which  is  to 
come."  (Matt.  XH,  31, 32  :  Mark  III,  28,  29).  With  this  passage  we 
may  perhaps  compare  the  following :  **  Be  not  afraid  of  them 
which  kill  the  body,  but  are  not  able  to  kill  the  soul ;  but  rather 
fear  Him  which  is  able  to  destroy  both  soul  and  body  in  hell." 
(Matt.  X,  28  ;  Luke  XII,  45).  There  are  various  views  as  to  what  is 
meant  by  the  unpardonable  sin.  In  the  light  of  Theosophical 
teachings  it  seems  to  be  connected  with  what  is  sometimes  spoken 
of  as  the  "death  of  the  soul."  We  are  told  that  if,  life  after  life,  evil 
is  deliberately  chosen  instead  of  good,  a  point  may  at  last  be  reached 
when  the  ego,  unable  any  longer  to  utilise  the  personality  with 
which  it  is  associated,  and  recognising  that  there  is  no  hope  of 
drawing  it  back  from  its  persistent  pursuit  of  evil,  withdraws  from 
it  during  physical  life.  The  continuity  of  the  existence  on  the 
three  lower  planes  being  thus  broken,  there  appears  to  be  no  longer 
any  link  to  draw  the  ego  back  to  incarnation,  and  we  are  told  that 
its  evolution  is  thus  checked.  The  personality,  on  the  other  hand, 
has  acquired  a  strong  vitality,  the  result  of  the  Lower  MSnasic 
consciousness  having  been,  life  after  life,  completely  centred  in 
it,  and  therefore,  we  are  told,  it  may  persist  for  some  consider- 
able time,  soulless,  deprived  of  the  control  of  the  ego,  and 
thus  strong  in  wickedness ;  until  at  length  it  is  completely  dis- 
integrated. To  quote  from  Mr.  Leadbeater:  "  The  crucible  of  the 
yeoman  fire  [is]  a  fate  reserved  solely  for  those  personalities  which 


80  The  Theosophist.  [November 

have  been  definitely  severed  from  their  egos.  These  unhappy  enti- 
ties (if  entities  they  may  still  be  called)  pass  into  the  eighth  sphere, 
and  are  there  resolved  into  their  constituent  elements,  which  are 
then  ready  for  the  use  of  worthier  egos  in  a  future  Manvantara. 
This  may  not  inaptly  be  described  as  falling  into  asonian  fire ;  but 

this  could  happen  only  to  lost  personalities — never  to  indivi* 

dualities."* 

This  is  the  nearest  approach  we  can  find  to  the  eternal  hell  of 
the  cruder  orthodox  Christianity ;  and  it  reminds  one  of  a  passage  in 
the  Bhagavad-GitS,  where  Sri  Krishna  is  describing  "Ssuric  men/* 
of  whom  he  speaks  as  "  ruined  selves,  of  small  Buddfai,  of  fierce 
deeds,"  who  "  come  forth  as  enemies  for  the  destruction  of  the 
world."    "  Surrendering  themselves  to  insatiable  desires,  possessed 

with  vanity,  conceit  and  arrogance giving   themselves  over  to 

unmeasured  thought  whose  end  is  death,  regarding  the  gratification 
of  desires  as  the  highest,  feeling  sure  that  this  is  all bewilder- 
ed by  numerous  thoughts. . .  .addicted  to  the  gratification  of  desire, 

they  fall  downwards  into  a  foul  hell Cast  into  an  Ssuric  womb, 

deluded,  birth  after  birth,  attaining  not  to  Me,  they  sink  into  the 
lowest  depths."  ("  Bhagavad-GitS,"  XVI,  7—21).  The  unpar- 
donable sin,  then,  is  the  deliberate  and  repeated  choice  of  evil,  when 
the  evil  is  known  and  recognised  ;  the  persistent  refusal  to  listeit 
to  the  voice  of  the  Higher  Self,  the  true  Spirit  of  man.  This  may 
fitly  be  described  as  blasphemy  against  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  it  can 
be  easily  understood  that  it  may  produce  such  intensity  of  separate^ 
ness  that  there  is  no  hope  of  any  future  effort  to  seek  unity  with 
the  Father.  The  only  possibility  remaining  is  therefore  disinte- 
gration and  entire  destruction  of  the  personality,  the  elements  of 
which  it  was  composed  alone  remaining.  Such  cases,  however,  we 
may  suppose  would  be  rare  and  exceptional ;  and,  excluding  them, 
we  have  the  assurance  of  final  forgiveness  for  all ;  that  is,  of  ultimate 
reunion  with  that  Divine  Wfe  whence  all  have  come. 

I<ii<iAN  JSpgrr. 
{To  be  contimud,) 


**^Christmn  Cree4,"    pp.  108,  109. 


§1 


HERMES  TRISMEGISTUS, 

HERMES  Trismegistus  is  a  most  untraceable  personage ;  he 
saj'^s  but  very  little  indeed  of  himself,  and  what  others  say  of 
him  it  is  almost  impossible  to  piece  together  intelligibl}^  He  speaks 
of  what  is  commonly  called  the  first  Hermes  as  *  my  ancestor  whose 
name  I  bear*  [p.  i68],  and  in  relation  to  his  own  works  he  says 
[p.  199],  "they  will  read  my  mysterious  writings,  dividing  them 
into  two  portions;  the  one  will  be  kept  (in  the  sacred  archives),  the 
others  will  be  engraved  on  columned  obelisks,  being  such  as  may 
prove  bf  utility  to  mankind."  Then  comes  a  curious  statement  in 
the  third  Book,  from  Isis  to  her  son  Horus,  and  following  close 
upon  the  above  citation,  that  instructed  by  Hermes,  "  they  (not 
specifying  whom  the  pronoun  represents)  wrote  on  hidden  columns 
that  the  air  is  full  of  demons."  It  goes  on  to  say  that  Mn',  instructed 
by  Hermes  in  the  secret  laws  of  God,  have  been  the  sole  preceptors 
of  men  (as  if  the  Egyptian  priesthood  were  the  f/iey  referred  to), 
teaching  them  the  arts,  sciences,  and  polity  of  life  ;  that  they  an- 
nounced the  sympathetic  ties  which  the  Creator  has  established 
between  heaven  and  earth,  and  this  led  to  the  religious  mysteries  of 
initiation.  Menard  in  his  introductory  discourse  sajs  that  the 
commentators  lead  you  sometimes  to  think  that  he  is  a  god  and  at 
other  times  [p.  xxxv.]  a  man.  The  Greek  Hermes  plaj'ed  so  many 
parts  and  had  so  many  aspects  that  he  got  mixed  up  with  several  of 
the  Egyptian  deities.  This  confusion  men  have  tried  to  escape,  by 
assttming  several  persons  bearing  the  name  of  Hermes.  The  first 
was  named  Thoth.  A  second  came  after  the  deluge,  and  this 
appears  to  be  the  one  uSually  designated  as  Trismegistus.  Thoth 
has  the  credit  of  having  inscribed  Sie/es  or  columns  with  the  princi- 
ples of  the  sciences.  These  Trismegistus  is  supposed  to  have 
translated  into  Greek.  Creuzer  [Bk.  viii,  139]  calls  him  the  founder 
of  rites  and  of  the  book  of  books.  The  books  being  the  stone 
columns  inscribed. 

Students  of  Oriental  Mythology  trace  a  strong  analogy  between 
Hermes  and  Ganesa,  the  councillor  of  Siva.  Paulin  and  Jones  note 
that  he  is  Janus,  for  Ganesa  has  often  two  heads  [149].  Janus  is 
Saturn,  and  yet  Creuzer  considers  him  a  type  of  Silenus.  We 
chronicle  this  to  show  the  confusion  that  besets  the  study.  It  may 
be  curious,  but  clear  it  can  hardly  be  made.  It  does  not  terminate 
even  here  for  there  is  a  clue  to  connect  it  with  Krishna,  as  admitted 
to  the  glory  of  Vishnu. 

Menard  [p.  xxxvi.]  quotes  Jamblicus  who  relates  as  an  ancient 
txadition,  common  to  all  the  priests,  that  Hermes  presides  over 
speech  and  true  science.    It  is  on  this  account  that  the  Egyptians 

3 


8S5  The  TheosophUt.  [Noveml)er 

put  all  discoveries  under  his  name.  Now  he  attributes  20,000  works 
to  Hermes,  and  this  leads  to  the  inference  that  the  Sacerdotal  College 
suppressed  all  the  names  of  discoverers,  and  set  them  down  for 
the  sake  of  reverence,  to  the  tutelar  deity.  As  already  noted,  these 
columns  were  obelisks  before  papyrus  had  been  utilised  in  making 
books.* 

Jublouski  makes  Thoth  mean  column,  in  Eg>'ptian  [Panth. 
^gypt.  iii.  177]. 

Suidas  [i.  859]  calls  him  a  learned  Egyptian,  who  flourished 
before  Pharaoh.  If  so  he  preceded  Moses.  He  was  called  Tris- 
megistus.  Suidas  believes  it  to  be  so,  because  he  taught  that  in  the 
Trinity  there  was  but  one  Deity.  Gyraldus  interprets  the  triple 
meaning  as  Philosopher,  Priest  and  King.  Plato  makes  it  to  have 
been  customary  in  Egypt  to  choose  priests  from  the  philosophers, 
and  kings  from  the  priesthood.  But  all  this  helps  us  very  little  as 
to  what  we  want  in  fixing  a  personal  fact  or  two  against  the  name 
of  Hermes. 

He  is  said  to  have  discovered  the  philosopher's  stone.  Some 
of  his  *  Fragments  *  are  given  in  the  "  Stromata,"  of  Clemens 
Alexaudrinus,  but  I  cannot  refer  to  the  book  to  see  if  they  are 
the  same  as  the  Fragments  from  Stoboeas,  etc.,  that  Menard  gives 
at  the  end  of  his  volume.  Milton  names  him  in  the  Penseroso  [line  88] 
as  *  Thrice  great  Hermes. '  From  Stanley's  "  Hist.  Philosophy  " 
we  learn  that  Eugubinus  shows  Plato  to  have  borrowed  his  mystical 
philosophy  from  Trismegistus.  This  may  be  only  guess-work  by  a 
man  who  knew  Plato  had  studied  in  Egypt.  It  is  quite  as  likely 
that  Plato  took  it  from  Pythagoras.  Aristobalus  asserts  that  Plato 
follows  Jewish  law  in  many  things  and  that  he  knew  of  Moses,  for 
Moses  was  translated  before  Alexander's  time — a  bibliographical 
piece  of  history  that  I  think  most  doubtful.  A  few  ideas  might 
have  been  circulating  from  the  Pentateucb,  but  it  was  not  rendered 
into  Greek  before  them,  or  if  it  were  there  is  no  record  of  it. 
Josephus  however  insists  that  Plato  chiefly  followed  Moses,  and 
Numenius,  playing  on  an  old  catch  of  words,  asks  *  What  is  Plato,  but 
Moses  speaking  Greek  ? ' 

D'Herbelot  gives  us  some  interesting  though  rather  vague  infor- 
mation on  the  subject.  He  mentions  the  **  Asrar  Hermes,"  or  secrets 
of  Hermes,  as  an  abridgment  of  the  works  of  Trismegistus.  He 
calls  it  a  supposititious  book,  but  one  that  nevertheless  bearsimpress- 
ed  upon  it  manifest  signs  of  a  great  antiquity.  I  think  we  shall 
find  this  to  be  the  final  verdict,  when  we  have  gathered  together 
all  that  we  can  upon  the  subject.  He  says  that  there  is  a  similar 
book  also  on  the  Koran,  named  "  Azrar  al  Tanzil."  Half-a-dozen 
copyists,  Jew.  Mahomedan  and  Christian,  may  have  interpolated 
somewhat,    but  if  it  still  carry  with  it  an  impress  of  antiquit>%  it 


•  Another  point  to  Kirther  distract  attention   is  the   columns  of  Seth  that 
Josephus  mentions.    Possibly  Seth  is  a  version  of  Hermes  too,  or  Hermes  of  him. 


1900.]  Hermes  Trismegistus.  83 

must  have  an  intrinsic  value,  and  so  be  worthy  of  serious  attention. 
The  Arabic  title  D'Herbelot  gives  as  **  Asrar  Kelam  Hef  mes''  [p.  450]. 
It  treats  of  the  great  conjunctions  of  the  planets,  and  their  effects 
{i,e.,  of  astrology).  Its  title  claims  it  as  the  work  of  the  second 
Hermes,  called  by  Greeks,  Trismegistus,  and  by  the  Chaldeans, 
Douvanai.  He  remarks  that  this  Hermes  might  serve  well  to 
represent  the  patriarch  Joseph,  whom  the  £g3rptians  were  wont  to 
call  Psonihom  Phanes  or  saviour  of  the  world. 

An  Arab  tradition  runs  that  the  first  Hermes  lived  about  a 
thousand  years  after  Adam,  and  he  was  called  Edris  or  Enoch. 
The  Chaldeans  called  him  Douvanai,  as  we  have  said  above, 
D'Herbelot  in  one  place  interprets  this  to  mean  *  The  Saviour  of 
Men,'  and  in  another  *  The  Great  Master.*  The  second  Hermes  ap- 
peared at  the  third  thousand,  and  he  was  called  the  second  Douvanai« 
This  one  the  Arabs  style  Al  Molhaleth  al  hecfnat,  or  thrice  great  in 
science,  thus  identifying  him  with  the  Trismegistus  of  the  Greeks. 

Abulfaragius  records  three  of  the  name  of  Hermes.  The  Saboeans 
have  a  tradition  that  Edris  or  Euoch  learned  astronomy  and  religious 
rites  from  Seth,  the  son  of  Adam.  He  being  mentioned  in  a  book 
falsely  attributed  to  Adam.  This  first  Hermes,  they  say  in  the  East, 
was  the  incidental  cause  of  idolatry.  Inasmuch  as  Asclepiades,  his 
disciple,  erected  to  him  a  statue  after  his  death,  and  kept  so  assiduous^ 
ly  to  it  that  he  was  thought  to  worship  it.  From  all  this,  by  perpetual 
repetitions,  and  interchanging  the  characteristics  from  one  to  another, 
such  a  confusion  is  gradually  set  up  that  it  becomes  nearly  impossi- 
ble to  arrive  at  any  distinct  conclusion. 

Cicero,  to  mend  matters,  makes  five  Mercuries,  and  says  that 
the  fourth  of  them  was  born  of  the  Nile.  He  was  too  sacred  to  be 
named,  being  one  of  the  number  of  the  Kabiri.  But  classical  author- 
ity has  not  yet  very  clearly  established  who  the  Kabiri  were. 
Sanchoniathon  makes  Hermes  minister  to  an  early  King  of  Egypt 
just  as  Diodorus  make  the  first  Thoth  the  minister  to  Osiris. 
This  Thoth  some  have  found  to  be  Adam,  Enoch  or  Joseph ; 
some  others  have  set  him  down  as  Moses.  Jones  thinks  him  the 
same  as  Ganesa,  others  connect  with  Krishna,  Siva,  Saturn,  Janus 
and  the  Kabiri.  A  being  that  can  be  thus  personated  must  be  more 
nearly  akin  to  the  god  Proteus  than  to  anything  in  the  shape  of  a 
human  being,  so  that  a  life  of  Hermes  may  be  dismissed  as  a  thing 
out  of  all  hope  of  accomplishment.  Still  the  writer  of  the  book 
itself  writes  as  a  man,  a  grandson,  as  he  tells  us,  of  the  foregone 
Hermes,  a  revealer  and  a  recipient  of  revelation  descended  from  on 
hig^. .  We  shall  take  him  at  that,  and  deal  with  what  we  find  in  the 
work  lie  has  left  behind  him,  as  a  book  containing  many  primeval 
thoughts  that  must  be  genuine  in  the  main,  let  the  interpolations  of 
forgers,  Jew  and  Christian,  have  been  what  they  may. 
•  Amongst  the  fine  things  that  may  be  found  in  this  book  of 
Herm^  is  a  prayer  to  the  Almighty^  [p.  i6]  wherein  he  says  i 


54  The  Theosophist.  [NoVeinber 

"  Receive  the  verbal  sacrifice  of  the  heart  and  soul,  that  arises  to- 
wards Thee,  Thou  great  unutterable  One,  whom  silence  alone  can 
name."  This  instruction  takes  the  form  somewhat  of  an  Irish  bull, 
but  for  all  that,  it  is  one  of  those  great  utterances  that  can  only  be 
reached  b^'  contradictory  and  solecistic  expression.  On  a  Icfwer 
platform  indeed,  but  in  the  same  way,  Shakespeare  says  :  "  Silence 
is  the  perfectest  herald  of  joy,"  for  where  you  feel  most  the 
tongue  is  mutest,  just  as  the  presence  of  Philip  struck  Demosthenes 
dumb.  If  a  king's  countenance  could  so  strike  an  orator  as  to 
check  his  flood  of  vocables,  what  utterance  can  we  hope  to  find 
when  finite  mortality  is  brought  before  the  luminous  and  eternal 
essence  from  which  all  things  take  their  rise  ? 

On  the  same  theme  Proclus  enlarges  in  his  grand  apparatus 
of  words  thus  : 

"The  unity  of  unities  is  more  ineffable  than  all  silence,  and 
more  unknown  than  all  existence.  Holy  in  unholy,  and  bidden 
from  us  behind  the  intelligible  Gods." 

We  could  wish  to  propose  this  Unknown  God  to  the  notice  of  our 
theologians  as  possibly  representing  that  deity  to  whom  the  cele- 
brated altar  at  Athens  was  dedicated.  Perhaps  not  in  ignorance, 
nor  in  excess  of  superstition,  as  we  in  arrogance  commonly  suppose, 
but  as  a  refinement  of  their  highest  minds  when  endeavouring  to 
penetrate  into  the  Adyta  of  the  Most  High,  If  so  it  would  be  a  hint 
of  greater  brevity,  but  of  equal  reach  with  Milton's  famous  strain  : 

"  God  is  light, 
And  never  but  in  unapproached  liij:ht 
Dwells  from  eternity." 

On  these  curious  utterances,  and  the  facts  they  stiuid  for,  rests  the 
validity  of  any  deductions  from  them,  on  the  vital  though  scarcely 
recognised  axiom  that  denial  asserts  more,  and  more  broadly,  than 
mere  direct  assertion  can,  however  positive.  In  confirmation  take 
this  powerful  remark  by  Hermes  [p.  48] :  •*  Death  has  no  existence, 
the  word  mortal  is  void  of  sense,  it  is  nothing  other  than  immortal 
shorn  of  its  first  syllable."  Finite  and  infinite  yield  the  same  result ; 
also  material  and  immaterial*  The  negative  widens  or  elevates  the 
representation. 

In  juxtaposition,  almost,  with  this  sublimely  archaic  orison  we 
come  upon  the  following  sentence  :  *'  If  God  have  an  essence  [p. 
81]— a  point  that  He  alone  can  exactly  settle  •  •  •  "  Now  there  is 
something  modern  and  offensive  in  this*  It  is  almost  as  dog-£siced 
and  impudently  blasphemous  as  some  of  Fichte's  German  utteiances 
to  his  students.  Its  sneering,  irreverent  familiarity  disgusts.  We 
certainly  in  these  two  passages  confront  two  authorships.  The 
man  who  wrote  the  praj^er  could  never  so  express  himself  upon  the 
divine  essence. 

Casaubou,  quite  satisfied  himself  that  Ma/ Hermes  was  a  forgety ; 
fi  falsifier  had  done  it,  some  Christian,  semi»Cbri$tian  or  Jew.    The 


1906;}  Hermes  Trlsmegistus.  35 

triple  suggestion,  as  I  take  it,  goes  far  to  contradict  itself.  History 
does  not  show  that  anything  of  the  sort  occurred.  Is  a  whim  of 
Casaubon's  to  pass  for  an  historical  fact  in  the  future?  .  He  dubs 
the  book  a  forgery,  but  the  book  remains  to  speak  for  itself.  Casau- 
bon  was  not  critic  enough  to  see  that  a  forger  must  be  ver>'  gifted  to 
pnHhice  archaic  thoughts  that  shall  ring  true  cathedral  chimesas  from 
an  €Ad  belfry.  He  found  the  oracular  utterance,  "  it  is  a  forgery," 
easier  &r  than  to  sift  the  old  things  from  the  new  and  point  out — 
there  is  truth,  and  here  discrepancy.  All  the  best  heads  have 
admitted  that  much  is  ancient.  If  that  be  so,  there  is  value.  Find 
it  if  you  can,  and  let  the  rest  go  by. 

Casaubon  has  done  mischief.  Wherever  Hermes  is  now  quoted 
it «  always  accompanied  with  the  slur  of  being .  spurious  upon 
it.  I^psius,  a  very  efficient  bookman,  has  stated  that  he  regards  the 
teaching  of  Hermes  as  being  very  Mosaical  [  Abs.  Bk.  72].  If  so  it 
must  be  ancient  enough.  A  Jew  of  Alexandria  might  seize  the  idea, 
but  not  the  manner  with  it.  Augustine  tells  us  that  he  came  after 
Moses,  and  that  whatever  is  at  all  credible  in  him  he  borrowed  from 
Moses.  Probably  Augustine  knew  very  little  about  it,  and  took  for 
granted  what  flattered  Hebrew  vanity.  But  Hermes  is  Egyptian,  and 
if  it  was  from  the  Egyptians  that  Moses  had  all  his  learning,  surely 
an  Egyptian  might  also  have  had  some  learning  too.  History  talks 
of  a  second  Hermes  and  he  would  be  about  contemporary  with  Moses 
or  a  little  prior  to  him,  so  it  would  be  quite  possible  for  both  to  have 
drunk  at  the  same  fountain.  But  any  of  these  suppositions  implies 
great  antiquity,  and  inevitably  some  value.  Diodorus  Siculus  says  he 
was  the  equal  of  Moses,  and  held  in  the  highest  honour  in  Egypt. 

Augustine  again  furnishes  an  odd  pedigree  of  the  man,  saying 
Atlas,  the  great  astrologer,  was  contemporary  with  Moses,  that 
Prometheus  was  his  brother,  who  was  maternal  uncle  to  Hermes 
Major,  whose  nephew  was  our  Trismegistus.  All  this  may  not 
be  perfectly  correct,  but  it  goes  to  establish  in  an  historico- 
mythological  way,  that  there  were  two  great  Egyptians  of  the 
name  of  Hermes.  Jamblicus  declares  Trismegistus  to  have 
written  a  thousand  books  and  that  he  found  many  of  his  letters.* 
If  there  were  any  such  books  and  letters  some  of  them  might  come 
into  the  hands  of  the  Gnostics,  the  Hellenists  of  Alexandria,  Jews 
like  Philo  and  of  such  sects  as  the  Essenes.  We  are  left  to  surmise 
that  though  some  parts  may  have  been  tampered  with,  a  large 
proportion  of  genuine  matter,  far  the  larger  proportion,  has  come 
down  to  us  in  the  fragments  that  remain.  It  is  carrying  critical 
scepticism  to  madness  to  discard  all  because  some  of  this  has  beea 

tampered  with« 

^— ^.»i»»— ^~™^-»i^^-"— I  1 1  — — «-»i— »»— »—       II  ■  I        I     III   ^— — —  ■  I  — i^^^^— ^>«» 

*  This  is  hard  to  reconcile  with  what  we  have  ah-eady  learnt  that  his  bookd 
^ere  stone  columns,  that  a  column  was  Thoth,  and  Thoth  was  Hermes.  In  this 
paragraph  they  change  it  to  books  and  even  letters.  We  can  but  present  the  reader 
tvith  things  as  they  come  to  us,  and  he  must  be  content  with  that^  and  jud^e  the 
rest  for  himself. 


M  Ifhe  Theosophist.  [November 

Kusebius  quotes  Trismegislus'  book,  "De  Origine  Mundi," saying 
that  it  was  inscribed  on  ''  columns,  lest  it  perish  by  inundations  of 
the  Nile."  He  adds  that  he  saw  the  columns  still  remaining  in  his 
own  day.  Lactantius  calls  Hermes  very  ancient  and  most  learned, 
and  that  was  the  opinion  of  most  of  the  Fathers.  They  perhaps 
were  not  very  strictly  critical,  and  would  in  good  faith  accept  consid- 
erable interpolation  :  but  even  that  is  nearer  to  common  sense  than 
a  wholesale  condemnation.  Johnson  did  this  very  thing  with 
Macpherson's  Ossian.  But  any  one  can  now  see — if  he  take  no  side 
—through  the  modern  Sawney  and  his  **  thistle  down  " — ^a  grand 
figure  of  a  mountain-bard,  from  very  far  back,  looming  in  Ossian 
through  the  wreathing  mists  of  barren  Caledonia. 

We  already  have  said  Plato  is  thought  to  have  borrowed  his 
mystic  philosophy  from  this  book.  If  proved  it  would  guarantee 
the  antiquity  of  much  of  it.*  We  may  rest  quite  assured  when  we 
meet  with  grandeur,  that  it  was  not  put  there  by  an  interpolator,  and 
if  so,  that  in  Hermes  we  are  reading  words  not  put  together  this  side 
of  the  birth  of  Christ. 

This  broad  view  remains  quite  uninterfered  with  by  interpola- 
tions such  as  we  note  in  the  allusion  to  Phidias  by  name,  and  so 
forth.  It  is  a  pity  that  meddlers  cannot  leave  things  alone.  But  the 
course  for  us  to  take  is  simple  enough :  when  we  come  upon  a  foolish 
thing  we  can  pass  it  by,  and  hasten  on  our  way  to  the  next  fine 
thought  that  presents  itself  for  study. 

Forger  or  no  forger,  archaic  or  Alexandrian  Gnostic,  Jew, 
Hellenist  or  Christian,  we  have  in  Hermes,  a  philosophical  accepter 
and  exponent  of  the  doctrine  of  the  unity  of  the  Supreme  Being,  shot 
in  with  the  other  two  primary  colours  in  the  rainbow  of  the  Trinity. 
He  is  in  harmony  with  the  Chaldean  oracles  (also  spurious  accord- 
ing to  latter  day  criticism),  with  the  oriental  Trinities,  with  the 
teaching  of  Pythagoras,  the  philosophy  of  Plato  and  the  expositions 
of  Proclus  and  Orpheus  (the  last  named  being  another  spurio).  So 
we  attain  sublimity  what  care  we  whence?  •That  we  do  attain  it 
the  following  "  Mystic  Hymn  "  may  be  accepted  as  proof. 

It  reminds  one  of  the  cxlviii*  Psalm,  of  the  beautiful  BenedU 
cite,\  of  Prudentius,  and  Milton's  grand  sequence  to  them  all  in 
Adam's  morning  prayen 

''  His  praise  ye  winds,  that  from  four  quarters  blow^ 
Breathe  soft  or  loud,  &c.'* 

■ 

Oragaiu  that  mighty  dithyrauib  of  Heraclides,  "2?<rZ^^r(?,"  cited 
by  Wetslein,  that  runs  somewhat  thus  * 


*  D'Herbelot  designates  the  book  of  Hermes  as  supposititious  [p.  140]  and 
adds,  "  Mais  qui  ne  iaisse  pas  de  marquer  une  grande  ancienneU*** 

t  In  this  lovely  Canticle  of  praise  calling?  upon  the  works  of  the  Lord  in  all 
the  earth— ** Bless  5'e  the  Lord,  praise  him  and  magnify  him  forever" — in 
enumerating  the  series  of  the  wonderlul  things  of  beauty  in  nature^  it  is  remarkable 
(bat  vbere  is  no  mention  made  in  it  of  the  rainbow. 


1900.}  The  Signs  of  the  Times.  109 

hard  saying  for  the  other  races,  but  there  can  be  no  possibility  of 
doubt  but  that  in  the  future,  the  world  and  the  fullness  thereof  will 
be  the  heritage  of  the  Anglo-Teutonic  races. 

"  Thud  the  Americans  have  become   in  only  three  centuries  a 

•  primary  race/^w  tern,  before  becoming  a  race  apart,  and  strongly 
separated  from  all  other  now  existing  races.  They  are,  in  short,  the 
germs  of  the  sixth  sub-race,  and  in  some  few  hundred  years  more, 
will  become  most  decidedly  the  pioneers  of  that  race  which  must 
succeed  to  the  present  European,  or  fifth  sub-race,  in  all  its  new 
characteristics.  After  this,  in  about  25,000  years,  they  will  launch 
out  into  preparations  for  the  seventh  sub-race ;  until,  in  consequence 
of  cataclysms — the  first  series  of  those  which  must  one  day  desttoy 
Europe,  and  still  later  the  whole  Aryan  Race  (and  thus  afiect  both 
Americas),  as  also  most  of  the  lands  directly  connected  with 
the  confines  of  our  Continent  and  Isles-— the  Sixth  Root  Race 
will  have  appeared  on  the  stage  of  our  round. 

When  shall  this  be  ?  AH  we  know  is,  that  it  will  silently  come 
into  existence  ;  so  silently,  indeed,  that  for  long  milleniums  shall 
its  pioneers — the  peculiar  children  who  will  grow  into  peculiar  men 
and  women — be  regarded  as  anomalous  lusus  fiatura^  abnormal 
oddities  physically  and  mentally." 

Here  T  must  make  one  more  digression,  and  quote  from  an 
article  by  Madame  Blavatsky — which  throws  a  further  light  on  this 
last  paragraph — in  the  Theosophist,  "  Premature  and  Phenomenal 
Growths,"  Vol.  V.,  page  60. 

"  Now,  what  the  occultists  say  is  this ;  humanity  is  on  the 
descending  pathway  of  its  cycle.  The  rear  guard  of  tlie  Fifth  Race 
is  crossing  slowly  the  apex  of  its  evolution  and  will  soon  find  itself 
having  passed  the  turning  point.  And  as  the  descent  is  always 
more  rapid  than  the  ascent,  men  of  the  new  coming  (the  6th)  race 
are  beginning  to  drop  in  occasionally.  Such  children,  regarded  in 
our  days  by  ofiicial  science  as  exceptional  monstrosities,  are  simply 
the  pioneers  of  that  race.  There  is  a  prophecy  in  certain  old 
Asiatic  books,  couched  in  the  following  terms,  the  sense  of  which 
we  may  make  clearer  by  adding  to  it  a  few  words  in  brackets — 

•  And  as  the  fourth  (race)  was  composed  of  red -yellow  which  faded 
into  brown-white  (bodies),  so  the  fifth  (race)  will  fade  out  into 
white-brown  (the  white  races  becoming  gradually  darker).  The 
sixth  and  seventh  (race)  Mannshi  (men)  will  be  born  adults ;  and 
will  know  of  no  old  age,  though  their  years  will  be  many.  As  tho 
Ar/Va,  Treta^  Dvapara,  and  Kali  (ages)  have  been  each  decreasing 
in  excellence  (physical  as  well  as  moral),  so  the  ascending — Dvapara^ 
Trc/a,  and  Kriia  will  be  increasing  in  every  excellence.  As  the 
life  of  man  lasted  400  (years  in  the  first  or  Kttla  Yuga)^  yxy  (years 
in  Treta),  200  (years  in  Dvapara),  and  100  (in  the  present  Kali  age) ; 
so  in  the  next  (the  6th  race,  the  natural  age  of  man)  will  be  (gradual- 
ly increased  to)  200,  then  300  and  400  (in  the  last  two  Yugas)'    Thus 


88  The  Theo3ophist,  [November 

Hear  from  the  heart's  core  the  accent  of  my  heart  of  hearts. 
It  chants  Thee,  Thou  universal  One,  who  mov'st  in  us— our  ;life* 
Ray  out  in  light  upon  us  the  spirit  we  cannot  see* 
Twas  wisdom  raying  made  thy  Word  spring  forth, 
Thou  art  God ;  and  man,  Thy  servant,  heralds  things  are  thus, 
across  creation's  space,  through  fire,  air,  earth  and  the  wide  waters, 
salted,  of  the  ebbing  sea. 

I  find  Thy  blessing  wrapt  in  eternity ;  and  what  I  seek  I  get,  out 
of  thy  Wisdom. 

It  is  by  Thy  good  will,  full  well  I  know,  that  I  have  hymned  out 
now  this  benediction  to  Thy  Majesty." 

I  think  we  may  stop  short  'here,  having  given  already  quite 
enough  to  show  that  Hermes  Trismegistus  is  worthy  of  his  prodig* 
ious  celebrity  through  all  antiquity,  from  Moses  until  now.  Be  he 
false  scribbler,  as  Casaubon  says,  or  Hermes  the  mercury  of  Egypt, 
with  Roman  Cicero,  the  **  Thrice  Great  Hermes  "  of  the  Penseroso  ; 
thrice  great  he  is,  whatever  critics  say. 

Match  me  that  "  Hymn."  What  care  we  who  wrote  it?  There  it 
is.  Paley  the  other  day  told  us  Pindar  could  not  write.  We  are  fairly 
sure  he  could  note  music,  and  to  write  Greek  was  easier  far;  but  no 
matter ;  somebod}'- wrote  Pindar,  and  that  must  do  for  us.  If  Bacon 
wrote  Shakespeare,  that  will  not  make  Hamlet  bad  reading.  If  a 
forger  did  fabricate  the  "  Mystic  Hymn,"  the  swindle  is  set  down  in 
phrasing  most  commendable.  The  pity  only  is  there  are  not  more 
forgers  who  can  turn  out  supposititious  work  as  good. 

C.  A.  Ward. 


ASTRONOMY. 
\  Concluded  from  /^.  37.] 

IT  cannot  be  supposed  that  this  position  of  the  heavens  (referred 
to  at  the  close  of  the  previous  article)  is  one  which,  often  recur- 
ring, can  have  taken  place  within  what  we  have  been  in  the  habit 
of  calling  historic  times,  and  then  the  date  been  thrown  back  a  few 
cycles,  as  we  might  do  with  last  month's  new  moon,  because  this 
great  position  does  not  recur  except  in  a  very  long  period  of  time. 
On  an  average  it  does  not  return  again  until  something  like  129,200 
years,  more  or  less  ;  so  that  there  cannot  have  been  more  than  one 
such  occurrence  in  the  last  40,000  years ;  nor  will  it  return  again 
until  some  90,000  years  hence.  But  when  the  time  of  an  historical 
event  is  fixed  by  its  having  taken  place  near  the  time  when  there 
was  noted  an  eclipse  of  the  sun  or  moon,  that  date  is  held  by  chronol- 
ogists  to  be  indisputable  ;  and  therefore  if  such  proof  is  of  value, 
how  much  more  certain  must  this  one  be,  when  it  involves  not  only 
all  the  planets,  but  also  a  large  group  of  the  stars  ?    It  is  found  by 


1900.]  Astronomy!  69 

the  aid  of  that  knowledge  alid  those  niimbelrd  which  to-day  repre. 
sent  the  result  of  the  united  labours  of  the  men  of  science  for  the 
last  2,000  years  past ;  and  to  deny  it  would  be  to  discard  those 
labours  as  useless. 

Bunsen,  in  his  history  of  Eg>'pt,  remarks  that  the  said  history 
goes  back  at  least  20,000  years ;  and  if  we  may'  accept  the  conclu- 
sions deduced  from  the  planispheres  of  Sais,  Denderah,  and  similar 
sources,  there  must  have  been  observations  made  in  Egypt  for  at 
least  three  precessional  periods,  or  more  than  77,000  years.  So  that 
it  would  not  be  unreasonable  to  suppose  that  the  story  of  Plutarch 
and  Martianus  Capella  might  be  true,  even  if  we  had  not  the  calcu- 
lation of  the  great  conjunction  they  speak  of,  to  prove  it. 

The  poetical  fancy  of  the  ancients  depicted  all  these  things  in 
types,  symbols,  and  pictures,  which  have  endured  long  after  their 
original  significance  has  been  forgotten  by  the  world.  And  so  we 
have  the  well  known  representation  of  the  Celestial  Virgin,  the 
Astrean  Maid,  clothed  in  the  sunrays,  bedecked  with  the  stars, 
having  the  crescent  moon  beneath  her  feet,*  and  supposed  to 
represent  the  "  Mary  "  of  the  churches. 

Mysterious  Egypt !  Though  her  people  are  only  the  mummies 
of  our  museums — though  her  empire  has  departed,  and  little  else  be- 
yond  the  ruins  of  her  vast  temples  are  left,  yet  can  she  show  that 
our  science  of  to-day  miay  be  only  a  return  to  that  which  she  once 
possessed,  and  that  all  our  labours  are  perchance  but  a  re-travelling 
of  the  path  which  her  sages  have  trodden  so  long  ago ! 

We  may  now  take  some  further  instances  of  ancient  astronom- 
ical science,  this  time  from  the  Chaldeans— a  people  who  were 
perhaps  more  celebrated  in  this  direction  than  the  Egyptians ;  at 
least  in  the  later  period  •  of  ancient  history.  In  discussing  their 
achievements,  we  shall  have  occasion  to  refer  to  the  Bible  ;  because 
of  the  intercourse  which  existed  between  the  Chaldeans  and  the 
Jews,  and  the  consequent  knowledge  of  the  former  which  is  dis- 
played in  the  Hebrew  religious  books.  The  most  celebrated  frag- 
ment of  Chaldean  science  we  have,  is  that  known  as  the  Saros  ;  a 
period- of  6,585  days  and  odd  hours  and  minutes,  in  which  time  any 
given  eclipse,  once  observed,  is  seen  to  return  again — more  particu- 
larly in  the  case  of  a  lunar  eclipse.  That  is,  if  there  were  an 
eclipse  of  the  moon  on  this  particular  evening,  then  after  a  lapse  of 
eighteen  years  and  ten  or  eleven  days  it  would  again  be  visible ;  as 
anyone  may  see  who  makes  the  trial.f 

In  dealing  with  the  Saros,  it  is  evident  that  the  Chaldeans  pro- 
ceeded  upon  a  somewhat  different  method,  to  that  adopted  by  the 
Egyptians  in  the  instances  cited  from  them.  The  latter  dealt 
with  the  eclipses  visible  above  the  sensible  or  visible  horizon 
of  some  special  place,  and  their  results  might  possibly  have  been 

^— ^  ■  ■  — — -^ ■ _— ^ ^   ■   ■■     ■      ■  ■  mmt/^m^^ammmmm^m^^^^i^ 

•  Cf.  •'  Azoth,  or  the  Star  of  the  East,"  p.  81  ;•  and  Rev.  xii,  1. 
t  See  **  Ferf^uson's  Astronomy,*'  Vol.  i,  ch.  xviii,  par.  320, 

4 


90  The  Theosophlst.  [Novembaf 

matter  of  observation  only;  but  the  Chaldeans  dealt  with  the 
eclipses  as  referred  to  the  whole  surface  of  the  earth,  and  therefore 
such  results  of  theirs  as  we  have,  must  have  been  solely  the  out- 
come of  calculation.  But  this  seems  to  have  been  wonderfully 
accurate ;  indeed,  so  much  so  as  to  i'ender  it  almost  a  question 
whether  their  work  or  ours  contained  the  less  amount  of  error. 
They,  however,  would  appear  to  have  used  either  slightly  greater 
diameters  for  the  sun  and  moon,  or  else  a  lesser  inclination  of  the 
moon's  orbit  than  we  do ;  and  we  find  the  same  is  the  case  in  regard 
to  the  luni-solar  tables  of  Hipparchus,  if  we  reconstruct  them  from 
the  data  gleaned  from  Ptolemy— and  it  is  known  that  these  tables 
were  founded  upon  Chaldean  elements  and  observations,  as  Rolemy 
says.  Then,  again,  in  analysing  the  Chaldean  results,  we  find  they 
omitted  all  eclipses  under  half  a  digit,  both  of  the  sun  and  moon  ; 
whereas  the  Egyptians  made  their  limit,  as  already  shown,  half  a 
digit  for  the  moon  and  one  digit  for  the  sun.  These  things  pre- 
mised, we  may  proceed. 

In  the  Book  of  Daniel  there  is  mention  made  of  some  period 
which  is  vaguely  describedas  "  a  time  andtimesahd  half  a  time,"  * 
which  has  been  understood  to  mean  360,  twice  360,  and  half  360  added 
together,  making  1,260  in  all ;  and  if  this  be^  considered  as  days,  f  it 
is  the  same  as  the  "  forty  and  two  months  "  of  the  Book  of  Revela- 
tions. J  Whatever  meanings  may  have  been  attached  to  these  pecu- 
liar numbers,  they  will  certainly  bear  an  astronomical  significance  ; 
and  this  in  one  of  its  aspects  was  connected  with  the  Saros. 
This  cycle  consists  of  18*0296  Julian  years ;  in  which,  according  to 
the  Chaldeans,  there  would  occur  69885  eclipses  visible  in  various 
parts  of  the  earth  ;  and  it  may  be  noted  that  if  we  multiply  the  time 
by  the  eclipses,  we  have  1,260  as  the  result.  Or,  (which  is  the  same 
thing)  if  we  multiply  the  Saros  by  itself,  we  have  325*066  years,  and 
it  will  be  found  that  in  this  time  there  are  1,260  eclipses  ;  the  number 
of  these  in  the  sqtiare  of  the  Chaldean  period  being  necessarily  the 
same  as  if  we  multiplied  the  short  period  itself  by  the  eclipses  it 
contains. 

Though  these  conclusions  appear  sufficiently  remarkable,  they 
by  no  means  exhaust  the  powers  of  these  curious  numbers ;  for  if, 
in  view  of  the  manifold  meanings  attached  to  them,  we  suppose 
them  to  refer  also  to  years,§  we  reach  further  accurate  results.  The 
year  as  it  was  originally  used  by  the  Chaldeans  was  the  same  as 
that  of  the .  Egyptians,  or  360  days.||  And  we  find  that  the  differ- 
ence  between  1,260  of  these,  and  the  same  number  of  Julian  or 
calendar  years,  is  so  nearly  224  lunar  synodic  months,  that  it  is  found 
to  be  only  some  three  and  a  half  hours,  or  little  more  than  half  the 


*  Daniel,  vii,  25,  and  xii,  7. 

t  See  Keneally,  '*  Book  of  God,"  p.  571,  and  note  38. 
X  Rev.,  xiii,  5. 

§  Ezek.,  iv,  5,  6  ;  and  Numb»,  xiv,  34. 
Lewis,  Op.  cil.,  p.  267. 


1900.]  Astronomy.  dl 

error  of  the  celebrated  Callyppic  cyde,  which  the  Greeks  supposed 
to  be  such  an  improvement  upon  that  of  Meton.  Or  again;  if  we 
take  the  difference  between  1,260  calendar  years  and  15,584  luna- 
tions,  we  find  it  is  to  the  nearest  whole  day  the  same  as  that  between 
the  Julian  and  tropical  years  in  the  same  time.  Therefore  the 
liumber  1,260  is  one  which  equates  the  Egyptian,  Julian,  and  tropical 
years  with  the  mean  lunation ;  and  does  so  with  as  much  accuracy 
as  any  similar  cycle  we  could  now  devise,  while  immensely 
superior  to  any  which  were  made  by  the  later  Greek  astronomers. 

If  all  this  is  not  sufficiently  strange,  we  may  go  a  little  further ; 
and  then  we  shall  find  that  three  times  1,260  days,  or  3,780,  are  as 
nearly  as  possible  128  mean  lunations.  But  if  instead  of  days  we 
put  years,  we  discover  that  3,780  Julian  years  are  so  nearly  46,753 
lunations,  that  the  error  is  but  one  day.  If  we  go  into  fractious  the 
agreement  is  still  more  exact,  since  we  find  377992  days  and 3779*84 
years  ;  and  the  correspondence  of  the  month  and  year  is  just  as 
curious.  For  if  we  put  the  223  Synodic  months  which  make  up  the 
Saros  to  represent  that  many  lunar  years,  we  find  that  both  these 
cycles  begin  and  end  with  eclipses — according  to  the  Hermetic 
maxim,  that  the  greater  is  the  same  as  the  less.  Hence,  perhaps, 
the  ancient  measure  of  a  day  for  a  year;  and  modern  astrologers, 
who  are  the  present-day  representatives  of  the  Chaldeans,  still 
reckon  a  day  or  a  month  for  a  year  in  their  calculations  as  to  the 
time  of  events.* 

The  foregoing  may  be  sufficient  to  show  that  the  Chaldeans 
were  by  no  means  inferior  to  the  Egyptians  in  regard  to  astronom- 
ical science,  and  that  both  may  have  possessed  much  more  of  it 
than  our  modem  writers  have  credited  to  them.  But  though  the 
people  of  Egypt  and  Chaldea  are  among  the  oldest  of  the  nations,  it 
is  to  India  we  must  go  if  we  wish  to  find  a  still  more  ancient  race 
and  science. 

In  that  strange  land,  where  are  found  the  oldest  books  as  yet 
known  to  exist,  they  may  yet  be  found  to  have  a  chronology  which 
represents  the  cycles  into  which  are  divided  not  merely  the  history 
of  India  itself,  but  also  of  the  whole  world  ;  and  possibly  of  other 
worlds  which  preceded  it.  If  rightly  understood,  it  may  afford  the 
key  to  mysteries  in  science  as  yet  unthought  of ;  and  may,  among 
other  things,  serve  to  measure  the  geological  periods  which 
our  science  at  present  hesitates  to  figure  out  with  anything  like 
precision. 

It  is  maintained  by  theosophical  writers  that  the  science  of  the 
Hindus  is  derived  from  the  Fourth  Race,  or  that  which  was  the  dom- 
inant portion  of  humanity  in  the  time  of  the  Atlantean  continent. 
If  that  was  so,  it  is  to  the  Atlanteans  we  owe  the  present  divisions  of 
time  and  arc ;  since  we  find  so  many  of  the  Indian  and  other  mea- 
sures are  dependent  upon  the  figure  six  and  its  multiples.    Thus 

•  Placidu3»)  *<  Primum  Mobile/'  pp.  24-26,  Cooper's  tr^nslatioa*  ^ 


92  *rhe  Theosophist.  [November 

we  arrive  at  tbe  number  of  seconds  and  minutes  in  an  hour  ;  and  the 
Chinese  cyclic  periods  are  mostly  multiples  of  60.  But  it  seems  as 
though  the  origin  of  Astronomy  in  India  should  be  looked  for  at 
a  time  even  earlier  than  that  of  the  Atlanteaii  civilisation  ;  for  near 
the  city  of  Benares  there  are  certain  astronomical  instruments  cut 
out  of  the  solid  rock  of  a  mountain.  It  is  said  that  the  Brahmins  of 
the  present  day  do  not  know  the  use  of  these  instalments,  which 
aXe  of  great  size,  and  according  to  tradition,  of  most  remote  anti- 
quity ;  ♦  in  fact,  they  are  ascribed  to  the  antediluvians.  Biit  these 
people,  in  the  sense  here  to  be  understood,  are  those  of  I^muria  or 
the  Third  Race,t  who  preceded  the  Atlanteans  and  the  deluges 
which  destroyed  them. 

Yet  though  the  instruments  thus  found  in  India  appear  to  be  of 
such  great  antiquity,  and  indicate  that  in  that  country  Astronomj'^ 
must  have  reached  a  large  measure  of  perfection,  perhaps  millions 
of  years  ago,  they  do  not  constitute  all  the  available  evidence ;  for  the 
Brahmanical  literature  which  touches  upon  the  subject  seems  also 
to  be  very  old,  though  perhaps  less  so  than  the  instruments  in  ques- 
tion. Thus,  it  is  a  curious  fact  that  the  names  of  the  cycles  which 
the  Hindus  make  use  of,  appear  to  be^derived  from  Chinese  Tartar}'.  J 
Bailly  endeavours  to  prove  that  some  of  the  most  celebrated  astronom- 
ical theorems  and  data  now  in  use  in  India,  must  originally  have 
come  from  somewhere  about  the  latitudes  of  40  and  45  degrees 
north.  This  would  mean  that  they  came  from  northern  Thibet — 
that  land  of  mystery,  in  which  very  celebrated  colleges  of  learned 
nl^n  are  said  to  have  been  anciently  established,  and  where,  as  at 
Nagracut  fend  in  Cashmere,  veiy  considerable  treasures  of  Sanskrit 
literature  are  supposed  to  be  deposited,  and  are  not  yet  within  reach 
of  rBuropean  examination.  So,  Mr.  Hastings,  who  is  without  doubt  a 
valuable  witness,  informed  the  Orientalist,  Maurice,  that  an 
immemorial  tradition  prevailed  ,at  Benares,  to  the  eflFectthat  all  the 
learning  of  India  came  from   this  northern  countr>%§ 

In  this  connection  we  are  reminded  that  Pythagoras  is  said  to 
have  received  his  astronomical  knowledge  from  Northern  India,  and 
possibly  about  this  region  to  which  the  Hindu  tradition  points  as 
the  seat  of  this  and  other  ancient  learning.  ||  All  the  fragments 
of  Astronomy  which  we  have  from  the  Greek  and  Babylonian 
astronomers,  and  those  who,  like  Pythagoras  and  others,  received 
their  knowledge  from  the  East,  go  to  indicate  the  fact,  past  all 
dispute,  that  at  some  remote  period  there  were  mathematicians  and 
astronomers  who  knew  that  the  sun  was  in  the  centre  of  the 
■planetary  system  ;  and  that  the  earth  was  itself  a  planet,  revolving 
about  that  central  fire. 


•  Cf.  "  Celtic  Druids,"  by  Godfrey  Higgins,  ch.  Vj  sec.  iv,  p.  156. 

t  **  Secret  Doctrine,"  Vol.    iii. 

J  Higgins,  Op.  ci^.,  ch.  vi,  sec.  wtiv. 

§  CV.  Higgins^  Op,  cit.,  ch.  xi,  p.  46,  and  also  ^JoJ, 

j  Laertius,  lib.  viii*,  cU:  3* 


1900.]  Astronomy.  93 

The  Babyloniatts  are  said  to  have  calculated,  or  at  least  eodeav- 
cured  to  compute,  thejretuni  of  comets,  which,  they  supposed  to 
move  in  elliptic  orbits  immensely  elongated,  and  having  the  sun  in 
one  of  their  foci,  as  we  are  now  aware  is  actually  the  case  *  The 
Greeks,  following  the^e  "ancient  mathematicians  '—as  they  called 
them— t  estimated  the  earth's  distance  from  the  sun  at  8oo,oop,ooo 
Olympic  stadia ;  and  this  it  appears  may  be  within  so  near  a  fraction 
of  the  truth,  that  they  must  have  ascertained  the  sun's  parallax  by  a 
method  not  only  much,  more  perfect  than  that  of  Hipparchus,  but 
very  little  inferior  in  its  exactness  to  those  which  we  now  employ 
for  the  same  purpose.  They  could  scarcely  have  made  a  mere  guess 
when,  according  to  Hipparchus,  they  fixed  the  moon^s  distance  from 
the  earth  at  fifty-nine  semi -diameters  of  the  latter  ;  since  this,  while 
greater  than  the  present  value,  is  so  near  it  that  in  very  ancient 
times  it  may,  so  far  as  modern  theory  indicates,  have  been  true. 

So,  likewise,  they  appear  to  have  measured  the  circumference 
of  our  globe  with  such  great  accuracy,  that  their  calculation  di£fered 
only  by  a  few  feet  from  that  made  by  our  modern  geometricians,  who 
vary  quite  as  much  from  each  other  as  they  do  from  the  ancient 
determinations.  They  also  held  that  the  moon,  as  well  as  the 
planets,  were  worlds  like  our  own,  and  that  the  surface  of  the  moon 
was  diversified  by  moim tains,  valleys  and  seas — which  latter  must 
at  some  time  have  existed  upon  it;  as  the  mountains  and  valleys  do 
now.  And  by  what  precedes,  it  will  appear  that  they  knew  of  the 
existence  of  more  than  one  planet  beyond  the  orbit  of  Saturn,  and 
some  definitely  state  the  fact,:J;  as  well  as  the  existence  of  others, 
making  sixteen  in  all.  §  These  things  make  it  more  and  more 
certain  that  what  has  come  down  to  our  time  from  Babylon,  Greece, 
and  Eg3'pt,  were  but  the  ruins  of  a  once  mighty  edifice  of  science 
which  the  philosophers  of  Greece  were  endeavouring  to  reconstruct  j 
and  amongst  which  Pythagoras  found  those  beautiful  remains  which 
he  brought  from  the  Orient.!! 

And  although  the  later  Greeks  ridiculed  the  Pythagoreans  for 
maintaining  the  doctrine  that  the  comets  moved  in  hyperbolic 
curves,  and  approached  the  sun  as  nearly  as  Mercury,  yfct  we  now 
Imow  that  the  Pythagoreans  were  right.  At  every  step  which 
science  makes,  we  may  perceive  that  Pythagoras  possessed  a  degree 
of  knowledge  vastly  superior  to  that  of  many  of  his  successors  ;  sq 
that  it  may  in  most  respects  have  been  nearly,  if  not  quite,  equal  to 
that  of  modern  times.  How  far  this  ancient  knowledge  of  Astronomy 
may  have  extended,  we  may  never  be  able  to  discover ;  but  the  more 
enquire,  the  more  extensive  do  we  find  it— and  consequently  the 


•  ApoUonius  Myndius^  in  **  Nat.  Pbil."  loc.  previously  cit, 
f  Ptolemy  so  calls  them  in  the  *^  Almagest." 

J  Wilson^  •*  Lost  Solar  System  of  the  Ancients  Discovered,"  Vol.  ii,  p.  288  and 
elaewberc* 

J  For  this  and  other  information  see  "Celtic  Druids,**  ch.  ii,  sec.  xvi.  and  Sii* 
W»DniRifnond  on  "The  Zodiacs.'*  1  »  1  • 

II  Higgitts,  Op.  cit.,  cbi  ii|  sec,  xviti,  p,  5^* 


94  The  Theosophist.  [November 

more  is  our  opinion  improved  as  to  the  great  value  of  the  knowledge 
held  by  those  Eastern  sages  from  whom  he  is  said  to  have  obtained 
it. 

All  history  appears  to  show  that  it  was  in  the  East  that  the 
devotees  of  science,  whether  occult  or  manifest,  sought  their  instruc- 
tors ;  and  that  there  was  a  general  consensus  of  opinion  as  to  the 
value  of  the  learning  which  was  to  be  obtained  there  by  all  who  were 
adventurous  enough  to  seek  it,  and  had  the  good  fortune  to  possess 
the  necessary  qualifications  for  admission  to  the  schools  where  it 
was  to  be  taught.  Pythagoras  is  a  notable  instance  of  this ;  and  his 
experiences  as  he  wandered  through  Egypt,  Syria,  and  other 
Eastern  countries,  prove  how  difficult  it  was  to  obtain  access  to  the 
mass  of  knowledge  which  was  held  in  secret  by  the  more  advanced 
among  the  priesthood,  or  whoever  had  charge  of  it.*  That  they  did 
possess  it,  and  that  he  ultimately  obtained  access  to  their  penetralia 
of  wisdom,  is  proved  by  that  which  he  afterwards  taught  in  Greece 
and  elsewhere. 

If  the  statements  so  definitely  made  bj' modern  Theosophists 
are  to  be  accepted,  we  must  believe  that  the  same  sources  of  infor- 
mation are  still  available.  And  though  much  of  that  which,  in  the 
time  of  Pythagoras  and  earlier,  was  sought  with  so  much  labour, 
privation,  and  pain,  has  in  the  course  of  evolution  now  become  the 
property  of  the  everyday  world,  yet,  unless  we  had  possessed  the 
little  which  those  early  discoverers  have  handed  down  to  us,  this 
might  not  yet  have  been  the  case  to  anjrthing  like  the  extent  that  it 
is.  Modern  Astronomy  is  infinitely  indebted  to  the  ancient 
remains,  and  to  our  own  scientists  these  have  been  precious  beyond 
compare.  Na}-,  it  we  had  anything  like  a  complete  body  of  obser- 
vations taken  at  intervals  for  several  thousand  years  back,  the 
modern  science  would  thereby  receive  a  degree  of  perfection  so 
much  greater  than  is  at  present  to  be  attained,  that  the  diflerence 
would  be  simply  enormous. 

It  therefore  behooves  all  modern  enquirers  to  make  the  very 
most  of  eyery  scrap  of  ancient  science  they  can  reach ;  and  not,  like 
Sir  G.  C.  Lewns  and  others  of  his  school,  treat  them  with  contempt 
as  things  not  only  valueless  in  themselves,  but  from  which  nothing 
is  to  be  learned.  On  the  contrary,  let  us  endeavour  so  far  to  perfect 
ourselves  in  all  the  needful  conditions,  as  that  we  all,  like  Pytha- 
goras and  the  other  initiates  of  old,  may  be  considered  fit  to  act  as 
the  intermediaries  through  whom  there  may  be  given  out  to  the 
world  a  further  quantity  of  that  ancient  lore  which  is  at  present 
stored  away  in  the  libraries  of  the  Adepts,  whether  north  of  the 
Himalayas  or  elsewhere.  Then  we  shall  be  put  in  possession  of 
the  secret  science  of  the  old  Atlanteans  ;  the  knowledge  which^  is 
attributed  to  NSrada  and  AsuramSya,  the  primeval  astronomers  td 
^ ■  »    ■  I  ■  t  ■  ■'  ■ ■■III.      ■  ■   ^f  f^ 

*  Clemciib  Alex.,  "  Stromata,"  lib.  ij  joi. 


1900.]  Astronomy.  95 

whom  all  the  science  of  India  is  imputed  :  and  then  will  open  out 
to  us  a  new  aspect  of  many  things,  as  well  as  the  long-lost  arcana 
of  Ancient  Astronomy. 

Samuei*  Stuart. 


[The  author  of  the  foregoing  paper  has  presented  some  very 
interesting  matter  for  the  consideration  of  modern  scientists.  We 
fully  concur  with  his  views  as  expressed  to  us  in  the  following 
private  note  which  we  venture  to  publish  : 

"The  crux  of  the  whole  affair  is  in  the  fact  that  people  will 
not  be  inclined  to  admit  that  a  tradition  could  last  forty  thousand 
years,  or  that  humanity  capable  of  transmitting  such  an  observation 
existed  so  long  ago ;  or  that  there  was  any  science  of  Astronomy 
then.  But  it  is  an  indubitable  fact  that  the  positions  given  actually 
occurred  at  the  given  date ;  and  as  they  would  be  invisible  on  ac- 
count of  the  sun's  proximity,  they  were  the  result,  either  of  prior 
and  subsequent  observation  at  the  time,  or  else  the  outcome  of  accu- 
rate calculations  made  we  don't  know  when.  And  as  to  this,  we  do 
not  know  of  any  means  in  the  possession  of  the  ancient  world  by 
which  it  could  have  been  done ;  so  that  there  was  a  concealed 
science  of  very  ancient  date,  capable  of  computing  the  places  of  the 
planets  with  great  correctness — in  fact  an  Occult  Astronomy  which 
is  quite  hidden  from  the  ordinary  historians  of  the  science. 

How  Plutarch  came  to  know  of  this  tradition  I  am  not  aware  ; 
but  as  he  was  an  initiate  of  the  Dionysian  Mysteries,  he  may  have 
been  more  or  less  in  the  way  of  picking  up  scraps  of  information 
not  generally  accessible  to  outsiders— at  all  events  his  information 
seems  to  have  been  correct,  no  matter  where  he  got  it  from." 

On  p.  35,  October  Theosophisi^  after  the  paragraph  ending  with 
the  words,  "proportion  would  be  considerably  different,"  there 
should  have  been  a  reference  to  the  following,  as  a  foot-note : 
"  See  my  paper  on  this  subject  in  thit  Journal  of  the  British  Astronom- 
ical  Assodatiofty  March,  1900,  p.  216."  The  foot-note  came  too 
late  for  insertion  in  our  October  issue. — Ed.  Note.] 


96 


s  ^ 


1 


THEOSOFHY  AND  SOCIALISM. 

\^Concl7ided  front  page  45.] 

N   Mr.  Leadbeater*s  recent  contributions  to  the  "  Theosophical 

Review,"  he  describes  very  carefully  and  clearly  the  atate 
of  things  that  existed  in  the  civilization  of  ancient  Peru,  which 
flourished  I  think  some  11,000  years  before  Christ.  This 
knowledge  we  are  given  to  understand  was  obtained  by  himself  and 
other  investigators  connected  with  our  Society,  by  occult  means, 
and  whether  you  agree  that  it  is  a  true  account  of  this  ancient 
civilization  as  obtained  from  the  Skashic  records,  or  whether  you 
choose  to  regard  it  as  a  pure  fabrication,  does  not  much  matter  for 
ray  purpose.  For  the  sake  of  argument  let  us  accept  what  he 
narrates  as  being  true. 

The  writer  commences  his  account  by  mentioning  that  he,  with 
other  investigators,  was  engaged  in  tracing  the  different  live«  of 
some  of  those  with  whom  they  are  acquainted,  and  one  of  them  they 
had  traced  to  the  life  he  (or  she)  lived  in  this  great  Peruvian  Empire, 
to  which  he  refers  in  the  following  words  : 

*•  Naturally  the  sight  of  a  state  in  which  most  of  the  social 

problems  seemed  to  have  been  solved attracted  our  attention 

iramediately This  little  leaf  out  of  the  world's  true  history  — 

this  glimpse  at  just  one  picture  in  nature's  vast  galleries — reveals 
to  us  what  might  well  seem  an  ideal  state  compared  to  anything 
which  exists  at  the  present  day ;  and  part  of  its  interest  to  us 
consists  in  the  fact  that  all  the  results  at  which  our  modern  social 
reformers  are  aiming  were  already  fully  achieved  there,  but  achieved 
by  methods  diametrically  opposed  to  most  that  are  beinjg  suggested 
now.  The  people  were  peaceful  and  prosperous  ;  no  such  thing  as 
poverty  was  known,  and  there  was  practically  no  crime  ;  no  single 
person  had  cause  for  discontent,  for  every  one  had  an  opening  for 
his  genius,  if  he  had  any,  and  he  chose  for  himself  his  profession  or 
line  of  activity,  whatever  it  might  be.  In  no  case  was  work  too  hard 
or  too  heavy  placed  upon  any  man  ;  every  one  had  plenty  of  spare 
time  to  give  to  any  desired  accomplishment  or  occupation  ;  educa- 
tion was  full,  free  and  eflicient,  and  the  sick  and  aged  were  perfectly 
and  even  luxuriously  cared  for  ;  and  yet  the  whole  of  this  wonder- 
fully elaborate  system  for  the  promotion  of  physical  well-being  was 
carried  out,  and  so  far  as  we  can  see  could  only  have  been  carried 
out,  under  an  autocracy  which  was  one  of  the  most  absolute  that 
the  world  has  ever  known." 

After  describing  the  personal  appearance  of  the  Peruvians  the 
narrator  points  out  that  the  key-note  of  this  splendid  governmental 
system  was  responsibility.    "  The  King  had  absolute  power  certainly. 


1900.]  Theosophy  and  Socialism.  97 

but  he  had  also  the  absolute  responsibility  for  everything ;  aud  he  had 
been  trained  from  his  earliest  years  to  understand  that  if  anywhere 
in  his  vast  empire  an  avoidable  evil  of  any  kind  existed,  if  a  man 
willing  to  work  could  not  get  the  kind  of  work  that  suited  him,  if 
even  a  child  was  ill  and  could  not  get  proper  attention,  this  was 
a  slur  upon  his  administration,  a  blot  upon  his  reign,  *a  stain  upon 
his  personal  honor.  He  had  a  large  governing  class  to  assist  him 
in  his  labors,  and  he  subdivided  the  whole  huge  nation  in  the  most 
elaborate  and  systematic  manner  under  its  care.  First  of  all  the 
empire  was  divided  into  provinces,  over  each  of  which  was  a  kind 
of  officer ;  under  them  again  were  what  we  might  call  I/)rd-I^ieuten- 
ants  of  counties,  and  under  them  again  Governors  of  cities  or 
of  smaller  districts,  every  one  of  these  being  directly  responsible 
to  the  man  next  above  him  in  rank,  for  the  well-being  of  every 
person  in  his  division.  This  sub-division  of  responsibility  went  oq 
until  we  came  to  a  kind  of  Centurion — an  official  who  had  a 
hundred  families  in  his  care,  for  whom  he  was  absolutely  responsi-* 
ble.  This  was  the  lowest  member  of  the  governing  class,  but  he 
on  his  part  seems  usually  to  have  aided  himself  in  his  work  by 
appointing  some  one  to  every  tenth  household,  as  a  kind  of  volun- 
tary assistant  to  bring  him  the  more  instant  news  of  anything  that 
was  needed  or  of  anything  that  went  wrong.  If  any  one  of  thi^ 
elaborate  network  of  officials  neglected  any  part  of  his  work,  a  word 
to  his  next  superior  would  bring  down  instant  investigation,  for 
that  superior's  own  honor  was  involved  in  the  perfect  contentment 
and  well-being  of  everyone  within  his  jurisdiction ;  and  this  sleep- 
less vigilance  by  the  performance  of  public  duty  was  enforced  not 
so  mudi  by  law  but  by  the  universal  feeling  among  the  governing 
class — a  feeling  akin  to  that  honor  of  a  gentleman,  which  force  is  so 
far  stronger  than  the  command  of  any  mere  outer  law  could  ever  be, 
because  it  is  in  truth  the  working  of  a  higher  law  from  within— the 
dictation  of  the  awakening  ego  to  its  personality  on  some  subject 
which  it  knows," 

"  From  this  state  of  a£fairs — so  remote  from  anything  now  existing 
as  to  be  barely  conceivable  to  us— arose  another  f^ct  almost  as- 
difficult  to  realize.  There  were  practically  no  laws  in  old  Peru,  and, 
consequently  no  prisons  ;  indeed  our  system  of  punishments  and 
penalties  would  have  appeared  absolutely  unreasonable  to  the 
nation  of  which  we  are  thinking.  There  was  only  one  form  of 
punishment— that  of  exile." 

After  giving  further  details  respecting  the  dealing  with  disputes 
which  were  adjudged  apparently  by  what  we  would  call  arbitrators, 
and  explaining  the  visitations  made  periodically  by  the  Governor, 
himself  to  every  part  of  his  empire,  to  constantly  assure  himself  of 
the  good  government  of  the  people,  their  land  system  is  referred  to, 

"  Every  town  or  village  had  assigned  to  it  for  cultivation  a  certain 
amount  of  such  arable  land  as  lay  around  it— an    amount  strictly 

5 


OT  The  Theosophist.  [November 

apportioned  to  the  number  of  its  inhabitants.  Among  those  in- 
habitants were  in  every  case  a  large  number  of  workers  who  were 
appointed  to  till  that  land — what  we  may  call  the  laboring  class,  in 
fact-^not  that  all  the  others  did  not  labor  also,  but  that  these  were  set 
apart  for  this  particular  kind  of  work." 

"  The  land  assigned  for  cultivation  to  any  given  \nllage  was 
first  of  all  divided  into  two  halves,  which  we  will  call  the  private 
land  and  the  public  land.  Both  these  halves  had  to  be  cultivated 
by  laborers,  the  private  land  for  their  own  individual  benefit  and 
support,  and  the  public  land  for  the  good  of  the  community," 

Thus  we  see  there  was  what  was  called  **  private  land "  and 
"  public  land."  With  regard  to  the  private  land  it  is  said  that  that  was 
divided  among  the  inhabitants  with  the  most  scrupulous  fairness. 
lEach  year  after  the  harvest  had  been  gathered  in,  a  certain  definite 
amount  of  land  was  apportioned  to  every  adult,  whether  man  or 
woman,  though  all  the  cultivation  was  done  by  the  men.  Thus 
a  married  man  without  children  would  have  twice  as  much  as  a 
single  man  ;  a  widower  with  say  two  adult  unmarried  daughters 
would  have  three  times  as  much  as  a  single  man,  but  when  one  of 
those  daughters  married,  her  portion  would  go  with  her — ^that  is,  it 
would  be  taken  from  her  father  and  given  to  her  husband.  For 
every  child  born  to  the  couple  a  small  additional  assignment  would 
be  made  to  them,  the  amount  increasing  as  the  children  grew  older  ; 
the  intention  of  course  being  that  each  family  should  always  have 
what  was  necessary  for  its  support.  A  man  could  do  absolutely 
what  he  chose  with  his  land,  except  leave  it  uncultivated.  Some 
crop  or  other  he  must  make  it  produce,  but  as  long  as  he  made  his 
living  out  of  it  the  rest  was  his  own  affair.  At  the  same  time  the  best 
advice  of  the  experts  was  always  at  his  service  for  the  asking, 
so  that  he  could  not  plead  ignorance  if  his  selection  proved 
unsuitable.  A  man  not  belonging  to  our  technical  *  laboring  class ' 
— that  is,  a  man  who  was  making  his  living  in  some  other  way — could 
either  cultivate  his  plot  in  his  leisure  time  or  employ  a  member 
of  that  class  to  do  it  for  him  in  addition  to  his  own  work;  but 
in  this  latter  case  the  produce  of  the  land  belonged  not  to  the 
original  assignee,  but  to  the  man  who  had  done  the  work.  The 
fact  that  in  this  way  one  labouring  man  could,  and  frequently  quite 
voluntarily  did,  perform  two  men's  work,  is  another  proof  that 
the  fixed  amount  of  labor  was  in  reality  an    extremely  light  task." 

**  The  public  land  was  itself  divided  into  two  equal  parts,  each 
of  which  therefore  represented  a  quarter  of  the  whole  arable  land  of 
the  country,  one  of  which  was  called  the  land  of  the  King,  the 
other  the  land  of  the  >Sun  ;  and  the  law  was  that  the  land  of  the 
Sun  must  first  be  tilled  before  any  man  turned  a  sod  of  his  own 
private  laud  ;  when  that  was  done  each  man  was  expected  to  culti- 
vate his  own  piece  of  land,  and  only  after  all  the  rest  of  the  work 
Wfis  safely  over  was  he  required  to  do  his  share  towards  tilling  th^ 


1900.]  Theosophy  and  Socialism.  99 

land  of  the  King ;  so  that  if  unexpected  bad  weather  delayed  the 
harvest  the  loss  would  f^ll  first  upon  the  King,  and,  except  in  an 
exceedingly  inclement  season,  could  scarcely  affect  the  people's 
private  share,  while  that  of  the  Sun  would  be  safe-guarded  in  almost 
any  possible  contingency  short  of  absolute  failure  of  the  crops." 

By  the  arrangement  in  this  and  in  all  other  directions  "  a 
quarter  of  the  entire  wealth  of  the  country  went  directly  into  the 
hands  of  the  King,  and  on  him  devolved  the  responsibility  of  keeping 
up  all  the  machinery  of  Government ;  the  salaries  of  the  whole 
official  class  were  paid  by  him  and  also  all  their  expenses,  and  out 
of  that  revenue  he  executed  all  the  great  public  works  of  the  Empire, 
whatever  they  might  be.  He  had  to  build  and  keep  filled  vast 
granaries  established  at  intervals  throughout  the  empire,  so  that 
there  would  always  be  stored  two  years  provision  for  the  entire 
nation  in  case  of  famine  or  in  case  the  rainy  season  failed  ;  and  lastly 
he  had  to  maintain  his  army  out  of  this  wealth,  but  this  army  was 
employed  for  other  purposes  besides  fighting." 

The  education  of  the  people  was  entrusted  to  the  priests  of  the 
Sun  who  kept  up  their  splendid  temples  of  the  Sun  all  over  the 
land,  and  in  such  a  state  of  magnificence  ''which  has  never  since 
been  approached  anywhere-  on  earth.  They  gave  free  education  to 
the  entire  youth  of  the  Empire,  male  and  female — not  merely  an  ele- 
mentary education,  but  a  technical  training  that  carried  them 
steadily  through  years  of  close  application  up  to  the  age  of  twenty^ 

and  sojnetimes  considerably  beyond They  took 

absolute  charge  of  the  sick  people.  I  do  not  mean  that  they  were 
the  physicians  of  the  period,  though  that  they  were  also.  I  mean 
that  the  moment  a  man,  woman  or  child  fell  ill  in  any  way»  he  at 
once  came  under  the  charge  of  the  priests,  or,  as  they  more  grace- 
fully put  it,  became  the  guests  of  the  Sun.  The  sick  person  was 
immediately  and  entirely  absolved  from  all  his  duties  to  the  state, 
and  until  his  recover^-,  not  only  the  necessary  medicine,  but  also 
his  food,  was  supplied  to  him  free  of  all  charge,  from  the  nearest. 
temple  of  the  Sun,  while  in  any  serious  case  he  was  usually  taken  to 
that  temple  as  to  a  hospital,  in  order  to  receive  more  careful  nursing* 
If  the  sick  man  was  the  bread  winner  of  the  family,  his  wife  and 
children  also  became  "  guests  of  the  Sun  "  until  he    recovered  , . . . 

The  entire  populati&n  over  the  age  of  forty-five  (except 

the  official  class)  were  also  *  guests  of  the  Sun,'  It  was  considered  that 
a  man  who  had  worked  for  twenty-five  years  from  the  age  of  twenty 
(when  he  was  first  expected  to  begin  to  take  his  share  of  the  burdens 
of  the  state)  had  earned  rest  and  comfort  for  the  remainder  of  his 
life,  whatever  that  might  be.  Consequently  every  person,  when  he 
(or  she)  attained  the  age  of  forty-five,  might,  if  he  wished,  attach  him- 
self to  one  of  the  temples  and  live  a  kind  of  monastic  life  of  study ; 
or  if  he  preferred  stiU  to  reside  with  his  relatives  as  before,  he  might 
4o^sO|  and- might  employ  his  leisure  as.  he  would.    But  in  any  case 

81S011 


100  The  Theosophist.  [Noveznbei' 

he  was  absolved  from  all  work  for  the  state,  and  his  maintenance 
was  provided  by  the  priesthood  of  the  Sun»  Of  course  he  was  in  no 
way  prohibited  from  continuing  to  work  in  any  way  that  he  wished, 
and  as  a  matter  of  fact  most  men  preferred  to  occupy  themselves  in 

some  way,  even  though  it  were  but  with  a  hobby 

What  was  achieved  by  this  strange  system  of  long  ago,  then,  was 
this :  for  every  man  and  woman  a  thorough  education  was  assured, 
with  every  opportunity  for  the  development  of  any  special  talent  he 
or  she  might  possess ;  then  followed  twenty-five  years  of  work — 
steady  indeed,  but  never  either  unsuitable  in  character  or  over- 
whelming in  amount — and  after  that  a  life  of  assured  comfort  and 
leisure  in  which  the  man  was  absolutely  free  from  any  sort  of  care 
or  anxiety.  Some,  of  course,  were  poorer  than  others,  but  "vvrhat  we 
now  call  poverty  was  unknown,  and  destitution  was  impossible, 
while  Jin  addition  to  this,  crime  was  practically  non-existent. 
Small  wonder  that  exile  from  that  state  was  considered  the  direst 
earthly  punishment,  and  that  the  barbaric  tribes  on  its  borders 
became  absorbed  into  it  as  soon  as  they  could  be  brought  to  under- 
stand its  system." 

This  is  a  description  of  a  state  of  civilization  reached,  thousands 
of  years  before  the  advent  of  Christ ;  and  the  first  thought  that  comes 
into  one's  mind  after  listening  to  it  is,  no  doubt,  that  which  causes 
him  to  inquire  if  we  have  not  retrogressed  instead  of  having  pro- 
gressed since  that  very  happy  period.  If  things  were  so  well  ordered 
then,  if  absolute  harmony  could  then  prevail,  why  not  now? 
Many  might  be  inclined  to  arrive  at  the  conclusion  that  the  people 
in  those  times  must  have  been  far  more  highly  developed  than  they 
are  at  the  present  time,  to  achieve  such  a  result,  for  apparently  it 
is  impossible  with  us.  But  that  is  not  so.  It  is  because  humanity 
is  older  and  has  got  past  the  mere  infant  stage  when  it  had  to  be 
led  and  guarded  against  its  own  weakness,  that  we  have  come 
to  our  present  condition ;  because  we  are  now  going  practically  by 
ourselves,  are  now  dependent  upon  ourselves,  which  they  were  not, 
in  the  great  Peruvian  civilization  referred  to,  for  we  are  distinctly 
told  that  the  Kings  that  ruled  those  people,  if  not  Adepts  them- 
selves (that  is  Divine  Rulers),  were  Initiates  or  at  least  their 
disciples,  and  it  was  these  Greater  Ones  who  became  the  "  natural 
rulers  and  guides  of  child  humanity.**  As  humanity  grew,  and  as  souls 
incarnating  from  time  to  time  became  stronger  and  stronger, 
forming  higher  (individual  units  of  ^the  difierent  civilizations  in 
which  they  kept  appearing,  these  higher  rulers  had  to  disappear^ 
not  because  they  did  not  want  to  still  guide  and  help  humanity,  but 
because  of  the  divine  law  which  is  emphatically  impressed  on  all 
the  processes  of  nature  in  and  about  us.  So  long  as  we  had  them  to 
lean  vLpon,  so  long  would  we  not  strike  out  boldly  for  ourselves,  and 
become  (self«dependent,  individualized  beings*  There  is  only  bne^ 
way  possible  to  acquire  knowledge  and  strength  of  character,  ktki 


l90O.]  Theosophy  and  Socialism.  101 

that  is  by  the  disharmony  that  arises  from  What  we  might  tail  evil 
or  unfavorable  conditions— frdm  the  necessities  Which  spring  from 
them.  A  man  to  become  proof  against  temptation  must  becotne  not 
merely  negatively  virtuous  but  positively  virtuous  ;  he  must  not 
only  be  permitted  to  see,  tinder  somebody's  guardianship,  the  baser 
{brms  of  evil,  but  he  must  be  put  in  the  midst  o^  that  evil,  and  all 
its  turmoiir  and  be  left  there  to  fight  against  it  cOUtageously  by 
himself.  1  do  not  say  he  \wll  not  be  helped,  btrt  it  Will  be  a  silefrt 
unseen  help  that  will  be  accorded  him,  though  his  impression  all  the 
While  may  be  that  he  is  battling  With  no  one  at  hand. 

Thtis  it  Would  not  do  to  permit  the  andent  Peruvian  to  f emaitf 
in  his  quiet  home  of  peace  and  harmony  forever ;  the  law  of  ^dlU' 
tion  forbade  it,  and  after  he  had  developed  sufficient  charac^tet  h« 
was  btought  into  incarnation  in  succeeding  civilisations  where  hef 
had  to  experience  dfcumstaUces  absolutdy  the  revefse  of  Whut  ht 
enjoyed  when  on  earth  prevlou^y,  and  I  hate  no  doubt  that  at  the 
st^e  of  evolutionary  d6velo|^€int  which  we  have  reached  we  hav(i 
all  gotfe  through  it  ourselves  before. 

It  Will  dottbtless  be  argtted  that,  according  to  the  descriptkni 
jftdt  given,  it  was  possible  for  each  matt  in  Peru  to  devekrp  his  own 
ittdhfiduality,  inasmuch  as  duringa  good  part  of  his  life-timehe  was  at 
Uberty  to  work  at  whatever  he  chose.  If  you  consider  that  We  only 
appear  o»  this  earthy  in  this  physical  body,  once,  and  do  not 
IMV^  to  appear  here  again,  I  suppose  that  argument  will  be  sati»* 
&6toffy  to  those  who  take  that  particular  view ;  but  Theoso^phists 
hold  that  we  are  bom  and  re-bom  o^er  and  over  again  on  this  eartfc 
fov  the  ^Scpress  purpose  of  individualizing  not  only  cmr  characters 
bvt  also  our  consdotssness,  and  if  that  is  what  has  to  be  done  (and 
the  arguments  and  evidence  in  religion  and  philosophy  in  fAvcnt  of 
it  afe  simply  overwhelming),  then,  to  one  who  takes  that  view,- 
^(Sif^tions  of  unending  harmony,  free  from  struggle  and  misery,  afe 
nsifttesd  for  the  work  that  nature  wishes  to  accomplish  oi  this 
plane  of  existence.  The  physical  plane  is  only  a  sehOcd  and  tmin-. 
ifig  groend,  and  heaven,  or  paradise,  is  to  be  sottght  elsewhere. 

It  i*  perfectly  true  that  if  we  educate  public  6piniori  we  ^afi 
itmedy  many  existing  social  evils,  and  that  is  What  is  being  d<56e, 
and  what  ias  been  done  for  the  past  fifty  yeart  or  mol^e,  but  if  Will 
never  bring  abbUt  a  huge  social  millenium,  for  a^  evblutidri  is  afi 
established  feet,  as  egos  afe  growing  and  gaining  thdr  e^erietfee* 
throttgfa  the  lowest  forms  up  to  the  highest,  and  aS  that  is  cotftldtt-  ^ 
ottsly  going  off.  We  must  always  have  with  tfs  th6^e  that  afe  back-^ 
ward  in  theif  gitowth,  and  they  must  always  comprijie  at  lea^  the 
half  of  humanity,  who  constitute  the  poof  WhicbChri^  *iysWe  Wilt 
rfway«  ha^  with  us. 

fiS&side^,  to  fefer  again  t6  the  Utopian  dvilizatidnf  of  tfie  ^t^ ' 
there  is  no  analogy  between  that  state  and  ours,  because  as  things 
afe  M^  constituted  it  is  impossible  to  secuf e  a  form  6f  gb^fnment 


102  The  Theosophist.  [November 

that  has  for  its  basis  actual  wisdom.  As  I  have  already  shown,  to 
bring  our  social  institutions,  customs  and  manners  into  line,  as  would 
be  essential  to  establish  the  new  order  desired,  we  would  have  to  be 
more  law-ridden  than  we  are  now,  and  at  present  there  is  an  outcry 
against  the  interminable  laws  which  hamper  our  actions  and  living. 
It  may  be  contended  that  the  force  of  public  opinion,  educated  so 
as  to  make  sweating,  for  instance,  as  great  a  crime  as  mtftrder,  would 
prevent  the  necessity  of  those  enactments  such  as,  say,  the  Factories 
Act ;  but  then,  is  the  Factories  Act  an  unmixed  blessing  i  It  does 
not  seem  to  be»  when  it  requires  that  the  unskilled  and  less  capable 
workman  shall  obtain  as  much  remuneration  as  his  more  skilled 
and  more  capable  confrere  ;  the  result  of  the  operation  of  such  a 
law  must  mean  that  those  who  are  the  least  capable  must  give 
place  to  those  better  equipped  than  themselves,  and  thus  find 
greater  difficulty  iu  securing  employment  than  ever. 

So  with  the  law  that  makes  eight  hours  labor  per  day  sufficient. 
That  is  quite  right ;  no  one  can  object  to  that ;  but  will  not  the 
number  of  hours  sooner  or  later  be  reduced  to  six  ?  Already  we 
hear  suggestions  to  that  effect,  and  I  am  inclined  to  think  that  that 
will  come  in  time,  because  the  power  is  in  the  hands  of  the  people^ 
and  what  they  want  they  will  have  ;  and  so  much  the  better  would 
it  be,  if  the  people  could  be  trusted  to  utilize  their  extra  leisure  to 
their  own  mutual  intellectual  and  moral  benefit  and  improvement 
as  they  did  in  ancient  Peru.  Why  should  they  not  do  so,  it  may  be 
asked  ?  If  so  much  less  toil  was  good  in  ancient  Peru  why  not,  now  f 
Because  apparently  in  ancient  Peru  there  was  no  gambling,  no 
hotels,  no  horse-radng,  no  football,  and  none  of  the  many  other  pas- 
times, also  vices,  pleasant  and  otherwise,  to  engage  and  monopolise 
their  attention.  Further  than  that,  it  is  evident  they  were  not  with- 
out a  true  and  rational  religion,  and  generally,  were  also  well  looked 
after  by  their  wise  rulers,  and  practically  they  did  what  they  were 
told.  Tell  the  democratic  free-bom  Briton  to  do  what  he  is  told,  and 
you  know  what  reply  to  expect. 

Therefore,  as  our  human  laws  are  anything  but  flawless,  they 
cannot  be  permanent,  inasmuch  as  they  are  given  by  the  exigencies 
of  external  pressure^  and  not  by  the  wisdom  that  is  derived  from . 
spiritual  insight  into  the  truer  order  of  things.    Some  may  say  that, 
this  is  a  mere  phrase,  but  it  is  not,  and  if  you  wish  me  to  plainly  say 
what  I  mean  I  will  instance  my  meaning  by  asserting  that  the  divine 
order  of  things  is  diametrically  opposed  to  that  present  order  of  things 
which  tries  to  establish  the  principle  of  the  greatest  good  for  the . 
greatest  number,  by  the  coercion  of  the  minority  to  the  will  of  the 
majority — in    short,  majority-rule.    Majority-rule  means  that  the 
body  governs  the  head  ;  had  there  not  been  the  superior  wisdom 
of  the  ruling  Kings  to  govern  ancient  Peru  that  model  state  would 
never  have  existed. 

This  statement  of  the  position,  I  consider  most  accurately  sums 


1900.]  Theosophy  and  Socialism.  103 

itup':  "This  IS  a  time  of  transition,  like  that  of  early  manhood; 
and  humanity  is  like  a  young  man  (or  woman)  who  thinks  that  he  can 
set  everything  right  in  a  moment,  that  the  wisdom  of  the  ages  is  as 
nothing  beside  his  keen  insight,  that  only  the  sloth  and  stupidity 
of  his  elders  stand  in  the  way  of  the  abolition  of  every  abuse,  and 
the  righting  of  every  wrong.  Everybody  else  has  failed,  but  he 
will  succeed,  he  will  solve  in  a  moment  the  problems  of  ages  and  in 
a  few  years  the  world  will  be  happy.  So  the  surging  democracies  of 
modem  days  are  very  young  ;  one  moment  all  will  be  right  if  we  get 
rid  of  a  king  ;  next  moment  all  is  saved  if  an  established  church  be 
crushed  ;  yet  again,  happiness  is  secured,  if  capitalists  be  destroyed. 
All  superficial  enough  truly,  as  we  see,  as  experience  ripens  and  wie 
recognise  that  our  diflSculties  are  rooted  in  the  lack  of  development 
in  our  own  natures.  Yet  may  it  not  be  that  through  these  very  strug- 
gles, these  shiftings  of  power,  these  experiments  in  government, 
these  failures  of  the  ignorant,  the  experience  may  be  gained  which 
shall  again  place  the  hand  of  the  wisest  on  the  helm  of  the  state  and 
make  virtue,  self-sacrifice,  and  high  intelligence  indispensable  con- 
ditions for  ruling  ?  Passengers  do  not  take  turns  on  the  bridge  of 
the  ship  to  navigate  the  ocean  ;  the  skilled  workman  does  not 
entrust  his  delicate  machine  to  the  loafer  ;  the  crossing  sweeper 
is  not  called  in  to  perform  a  delicate  surgical  operation ;  and  it 
may  be  that  by  failure  and  by  social  revolutions,  if  by  no  other  way, 
we  may  learn  that  the  guiding  of  a  nation,  political  and  econom- 
ical, is  not  best  done  by  the  ignorant  or  even  by  amateurs,  but 
demands  the  highest  qualities  of  head  and  heart." 

Now  in  the  emphatic  way  in  which  I  have  been  expressing  these 
ideas  some  may  come  to  the  conclusion  that  Theosophy  thinks 
more  of  the  individual  than  of  humanity  in  the  aggregate,  and  that  I 
contradict  the  motto  of  the  Society,  which  is,  "  to  form  a  nucleus 
of  the  UniversaJ  Brotherhood  of  Humanity,  without  distinction  of 
race,  creed,  sex,  caste  or  color."  That  would  be  an  erroneous  im- 
pression, because  I  do  not  deny  the  good  work  of  the  Socialist  in  his 
endeavours  for  the  betterment  of  all ;  on  the  contrary  I  do  admit, 
and  have  already  admitted,  that  he  is  doing  excellent  and  invaluable' 
service.  My  sole  endeavour  has  been  to  prove  how  truly  impossible 
it  is  for  him  to  realise  his  exalted  ideals  ;  and  by  rationalizing  our 
ideas  on  this  all-important  question,  to  do,  each  of  us,  our  best,  indivi- 
dually and  also  collectively,  by  reform  associations  and  societies, 
for  our  fellows,  without  becoming  despondent,  which  might  cause  us, 
in  time,  to  relinquish  our  good  work,  despairing  of  even  doing  away 
with  what  we  consider  injustice  and  inequality ;  and  further  cause 
us,  not  only  to  abuse  others  who  happen  to  think  differently 
from  us,  and  to  point  at  them  because  they  may  be  placed  in  other 
conditions  of  life  (such  as,  say,  the  capitalists),  saddling  them  with  the 
causeof  all  that  is,  in  our  poor  wisdom,  so  terribly  out  of  joint. 
Above  all,  let  us  try  to  avoid  sinking  into  that  most  objectionable 


104  The  Theosopbi^t.  [Novmi)|^ 

oqiQ4i^^  pf  P^^i^^ff^  wlljipli  is  (ever  r^dy  U>  4epl^e  tbat  ^);ipg5 
}})P<l9fu  are  sq  b^tr^rously  au4  atrociously  wrpQg  t^^  t^Y  pould 
2U)t  h^,  ^ad  perl^ps  have  not  beet),  wQr^e,  w^ea  ^y  oni$  w)ip  Ul^ 
tQ  ^u4y  fapt3  and  statistics,  and  works  of  reliable  waters,  c^l&AQt 
l^^lp  re^i^ing  tbe  great  advance  that  has  taken  place  in  eyery  dir^^;- 
jti^i; — in  art^  in  literature,  in  science,  in  philpsopbyi  and  in  philan- 
tl^rpphy  and  general  humanitariat^ism. 

Thepsophy  egjoins  on  those  who  ei^ter  its  fold  t}i&  nec/^^sity  of 
liQselQsh  l^oor  in  some  shape  or  form  iT^  the  interests  of  others, 
eitl^er  in  ireUgipi;  or  in  connection  with  a^y  other  Qu>vemet|t  w?M^£ 
its  adherent  feels  he  can  be  of  the  most  use ;  and  doing  that,  it  tells 
him  in  one  bregth  to  be  patient,  and  it;  the  ne^t  wiy  he  s}3.ou)d 
be  patient,  by  loyally  doing  hi^  duty,  and  giving  up  expecting  tl|e 
re^lizatiojx  of  the  impossible;  an4  ^^  it  instructs  him  ^^  to 
TYh^t  are  his  duties,  it  at  the  same  time  instructs  him 
t|;at  if  he  performs  those  duties  faithfully  he  need  not  b^ 
co^c^rned  about  his  ** rights" — in  other  words,  that  if  we 
were  lyorking  on  a  wise  principle  instead  of  a  fallacious  one 
(which  will  have  to  be  not  arbitrarily  altered,  but  outgrow^)  thep^ 
wpuld  need  to  be  no  recognition  of  mate's  '*  rights "  ;  mei^  would 
merely  have  to  recognise  their  duties  to  those  who  they  know  to  ^ 
superior  to  themselves  as  well  as  to  those  who  are  equal  to  themselves, 
and  that  is  a  consummation  that  cannot  be  expected  from  this  demo* 
critically  irreligious  ^ge.  When  we  arrive  at  this  higher  stage  if^ 
our  development  in  centuries  to  come  (if  humanity  ever  does  so — ]E 
mean  humanity  as  a  whole — ^separately,  one  by  one,  we  will  all  ^ttair^ 
to  this  stage),  then  the  sublime  and  beautiful  dream  of  the  Socialist 
will  undoubtedly  become  an  accomplished  fact, 

A.  E.  Wkbb. 


TffE  SfGNS  OF  THE  TIMES. 
[Concluded from  Vol.  XXI,  p.  755.] 

TJIQUQH  vice  is  not  e^^actly  virtue,  ai^d  virtue  vice,  stiU  ftS  we 
progress  UP  thelopg  ladder  of  time,  we  are  apt  to  find  tl)#t  our 
aupient  virtues  bea|:  a  close  approximation  to  vices,  in  cpusequ^up^ 
of  diftuged  cou4itipns  gradually  brought  about  in  vast  periods  gf 
time.  A^9^S  ^^  Pattaks,  a  mountain  tribe  in  the  interior  Qf  tlie 
vast  island  of  Sum^^tra,  the  virtuous  son  is  expected  by  pul^UP 
opinion  to  kill  ^ud  eat  his  aged  pareuts^  to  save  them  from  tfaj^ 
lUis^ries  of  old  age.  One  of  tlxe  teachings  of  Jesuitisin  in  Spaiu  wf|^ 
that  the  pjous  son,  if  he  suspected  his  parents  of  heresy,  should 
denounce  them  to  the  luquisition,  who  would  see  to  the  salvation  of 
their  souls  by  the  l^urning  of  their  bpdies.  A^  the  present  time  the 
three  props  of  spcial  life  throughout  the  world  ^re,  religioUi  ps^tript- 
i§m,  and  marriage.    Necessary  as  these  three  human  institutions 


1900.]  The  Signs  of  the  Times.  105 

are,  at  the  present  stage  of  the  world's  progress,  still  they  retard  the 
advance  of  humanity,*  and  so  in  a  future  day  will  be  classed  as  vices. 
The  bigot  will  hate,  and  if  possible,  persecute,  all  those  of  another 
belief.  The  patriot,  in  the  supposed  interests  of  his  native  country, 
will  want  to  conquer  or  weaken  all  rival  nations,  regardless  of  the 
miseries  thereby  brought  about.  The  model  citizen,  devoted  to 
his  family,  will  expend  all  his  love,  devotion,  and  solicitude,  upon 
his  own  relations,  and  remain  comparatively  indifferent  to  the  griefs 
and  sorrows  of  strangers.  As  regards  Religion,  and  the  evils  attend- 
ant thereon,  Theosophy  supplies  the  antidote.  As  Mrs.  Besant 
says,  in  "The  Inner  Purpose  of  the  Theosophical  Society"  :  **  That, 
then,  our  work.  The  unity  of  every  faith  that  loves  God  and  serves 
man  ;  that  is  the  message  which  comes  to  the  world  as  the  inner 
purpose  of  the  theosophical  movement :  to  draw  all  faiths  together, 
to  see  them  all  as  sisters,  not  as  rivals,  to  join  all  religions  in  one 
golden  chain  of  divine  love  and  human  service.  That  is  the  pur- 
pose of  our  movement  all  the  world  over — to  reverence  and  ser\'e 
religion  wherever  we  find  it,  and  to  pierce  through  the  varieties  of 
the  outer  faith  to  unity  of  the  hidden  life." 

Patriotism  and  war  are  inseparable ;  but  the  era  of  war  seems 
coming  to  a  close  through  increased  knowledge  and  scientific  dis- 
coveries. In  former  days  when  the  world  was  divided  into  an  innu- 
merable number  of  petty  states  war  was  an  everyday  occurrence. 
Nowadays  the  world  is  gradually  consolidating  into  a  small  num- 
ber of  huge  states,  and  what  small  kingdoms  there  are  merely  exist 
on  sufferance.  It  is  quite  possible  that,  in  another  hundred  years  or 
so,  we  may  see  the  world  divided  into  two  portions ;  the  Slavs  ruling 
the  old  world,  Europe,  Asia,  and  Africa ;  the  Anglo-Saxons  ruling  the 
new  world,  America  and  Australia.  When  this  comes  about,  war 
will  have  become  an  impossibilit3%  and  patriotism  will  have  taken 
on  an  entirely  new  meaning*  In  our  theosophical  literature  we 
are  told  that  the  Anglo -Teutonic  races  succeeded  the  Celts  as  the 
fifth  sub- race  dominating  the  world  ;  while  the  sixth  and  seventh 
sub-races  will  subsequently  appear  on  North  and  South  America. 
Are  we  to  understand  from  this  that  the  great  Slavonic  race  is  a 
portion  of  the  Anglo-Teutonic  sub-race  ?  This  is  a  point  of  some 
considerable  importance  ;  and  if  we  were  but  once  told  that  English, 
Germans,  Scandinavians,  and  Russians,  are  all  brothers  by  blood, 
in  the  great  Anglo-Teutonic  family  of  nations,  it  would  do  much  to 
bring  about  a  more  .fraternal  feeling  in  the  future  between  the 
nations  to  whom  the  destinies  of  considerable  portions  of  the  world 
will  be  entrusted  during  the  coming  centur}'. 

The  nineteenth  century  has  been  the  age  of  steam,  the  twen- 
tieth century  will  be  the  age  of  electricity.    Great  social  changes 

*  Perhaps  the  writer  of  the  foregoing"  did  not  express  his  thought  as  he  intend- 
ed. If,  as  he  says,  these  *  props'  are  **  necessary  •  •  •  at  the  present  stage  of 
the  world's  progress,'*  how  can  they  be  truly  said  to  "  retard  the  advi^nce  of 
humanity  ?  "—Ed.  Note. 


106  The  Theosophist.  [Novembtr 

are  impending ;  let  us  hope  that  we  shall  see  a  return  from  tfce  b^ 
towns  to  the  country.   Last  year  i2,ooo  recruits  from  MaiicJl«it«r 
presented  themselves  for  enlistment,  and  of  this  number  no  less  tlian 
9,000,  were  rejected.    This  proves  the  great  evil  of  the  present  con- 
gestion of  the  great  cities  ;  for  the  physical  standard  of  the  British 
army  is  by  no  means  a  high  one.    In  the  matter  of  social  changes 
the  West  will  again  have  to  come  to  the  East  to  learn.    Theosophy 
teaches  us  that  man,  now  unisexual,  was  once  bisexual,  and  will 
become  asexual.    Under  present  social  conditions  it  is  difficult  for 
either  men  or  women,  unless  they  are  wealthy,   to  live  celibate 
from    choice  ;   and    until    celibacy   becomes   the   rule,    and    not 
the  exception,  the  world  will  never  really  improve.    Almost  all  the 
evils  that  now  afflict  the  world  are  due  to  the  abuse  of  sexuality,  as 
Madame  Blavatsky  so  often  reiterated.    If  the  social  system  of  the 
future  is  to  be  put  on  a  proper  footing  it  must  be  modelled  on  tha^ 
which  has  existed  from  untold  ages  on  the  South* West  Coast  of 
India,  the  matriarchal  joint  family  of  Malabar.    So  beneficial  and 
powerful    has  the   Taravadan  proved,     that  even  those  bigoted 
Mahomedan  fanatics,  the  Moplahs,  have  conformed  to  it.    What 
then  we  want  for  the  regeneration  of  the  .social  system  of  the  West, 
so  as  to  abolish  poverty  and  promote  celibacy,  is,  the  joint  matriar- 
chal family,  consisting  of  hundreds  of  members  living  under  one 
roof,  and  forming  one  community,  both  manufacturing  and  agri- 
cultural.   Marriage  would  cease  to  exist,  for  all  the  communit>' 
would  be  blood  relations,  living  like  the  angels  of  God,  ''  ueithe)- 
marrying,  [nor  giving  in  marriage."    *    ♦    ♦    ♦    In  Travancoie, 
the  heir  to  the  throne  is  the  Rajah*s  sister's  son,  and  not  his  own. 
Socialism  is  bound  to  come,  and  if  it  come  in  any  other  form  than 
the  matriarchal  joint  family,  it  will  come  as  a  curse  instead  of  a.s 
a  blessing.    What  will  most  probably  hasten  the  advent  of  socialism 
is  that  by  chemical  discoveries,  in  the  near  future,  silver   and  gold 
will  become  as  abundant  as  iron  or  copper.    And  the  same  as  re- 
gards the  precious  stones.    Millionaires  and  capitalists  will  cease 
to  exist,  and  the  only  currency  will  be  Government  paper.    Under 
such  conditions  Government  must  organise  all  labour  within  the 
state,  and  must  become  the  universal  provider. 

We  know  that  before  the  birth  of  Christ  the  then  known  world 
was  brought  under  the  dominion  of  Rome,  so  that  the  Gospel  might 
be  preached  to  ever>'  nation.  We  are  seeing  the  same  thing  now, 
but  on  a  much  grander  scale.  Steam  and  electricity  have  shortened 
time  and  distance  and  brought  all  the  countries  of  the  earth  into  the 
comity  of  nations.  The  last  fifty  years  has  seen  the  vast  unknown 
continent  of  Africa  divided  up  among  the  nations  of  Europe.  Light 
has  been  thrown  into  all  the  dark  places  of  the  earth.  China  is  now 
sharing  the  fate  of  Africa.  Everywhere  the  audax  Japeti  genus  are 
making  ready  the  whole  earth  to  welcome  the  advent  of  the  great 
religious  teacher  of  the  twentieth  century.    English  has  become 


>90O.]  The  ^iigns  of  the  Times.  Idt 

afanost  an  anivenial  language ;  and  in  a  few  years,  in  place  of  an 
ittBumerable  multiplicity  of  tongues,  some  half  a  dozen  languages 
only  will  be  spoken  in  this  world.  When  all  the  nations  of  the 
earth  speak  but  one  tongue  then  at  length  will  the  millenium  have 
become  a  possibility.  Truly  has  Daniel  prophesied  of  this  present 
time  :  "  Many  shall  run  to  and  fro,  and  knowledge  shall  be  in* 
creased.*'  And  again  :  '*  Blessed  is  he  that  waiteth,  and  cometh 
to  the  thousand,  three  hundred,  and  five  and  thirty  days," 
that  is,  to  the  year  1957  (622  +  1335),  the  date  of  the  Second 
Advent.  The  immense  strides  that  science  has  made,  the 
great  and  universal  increase  of  knowledge,  the  study  of  compara- 
tive religion,  the  wide  dififusion  of  free  thought,  agnosticism  and 
heterodoxy,  have  shaken  the  world's  faith  in  its  orthodox  religious, 
and  have  set  mankind  yearning  for  a  new  revelation  and  another 
Divine  Teacher.  It  may  be  asked,  "  Whence  will  He  come  ?  "  Like 
His  predecessors,  from  the  East. 

There  are  two  quatrains  of  Nostradamus  that  evidently  refer 
*  to  Him  ;  and  roughly  translated  they  are  as  follows  : — "  At  the  revo- 
lution of  the  great  number  seven  He  will  appear  at  the  time  of  the 
observances  of  the  great  sacrifices,  not  distant  from  the  grand  age 
of  the  Millenium,  which  they  shall  enter  when  they  arise  from  their 
tombs.  However  much  expected  he  shall  never  return  to  Europe : 
he  will  appear  in  Asia,  one  of  the  line  descended  from  the  Great 
Hermes  :  especially  will  the  kings  of  the  East  believe  in  Him." 
(No».  974,  975).  The  revolution  of  the  great  number  seven  I  take 
to  mean  7  x  7  x  4  x  10,  th^  year  i960,  equivalent  to  the  year  1957  of 
Danieh  In  connexion  with  this  may  be  read  the  curious  Latin 
prophecy  of  Jean  lyichtenberger  :  *'  Vcftiet  aqui/a  a  parte  ofuniaii^ 
aits  suis  super  solem  eviensis^  cum  magna  multitudine pullorum  suorum 
in  adjutorium  filii  hominis — •  •  ♦  Caput  mundi  (Papacy)  ertt  in 
terra  destructum.  Tunc  fiiius  hominis  tra^isiens  aquaSy  portabit  sig-^ 
num  mirabile  ad  terram  pnymisionis  (America),  Et  fiiius  hominis^  et 
aquila,  prevalebunt,  et  pc^  erit  in  tot 0  or  be  terrarum  et  copia  frugum 
(MiUenrum)."  The  translation  of  this  will  be  found  on  page  37, 
Vol.  XIX.,  Theosophist,  October  1897,  '*  Modern  Prophecies,"  Ac- 
cording tx)  the  prophecies  of  St.  Malachi  there  are  ttfn  Popes  to 
follow  Leo  XIII,  and  then  arrives  the  Second  Advent.  Haifa 
century  may  easily  see  ten  Popes.  Albu-Mazar,  the  great  Ara- 
bian Astrologer  of  Bagdad,  under  the  Caliphs,  gives  the  duration  of 
modem  Christianity  at  1,500  years^  which,  counting  from  its  modern 
founder,  the  sainted  murderer,  Constantine,  would  show  its  disappear- 
ance in  the  twentieth  century. 

The  present  is  a  critical  period  in  the  history  of  the  world.  On 
the  American  continent  have  been  successfully  transplanted  from 
Europe  the  g^rms  of  the  future  sixth  and  seventh  sub-races.  The 
twentieth  century  should  see  the  first  appearance,  in  a  rudimentary 
form,  of  the  great  Southern  coutiueut  destined  for  the  Sixth  Race, 


l08  The  Theosophist.  [Novembet 

But  the  main  continent  itself  will  not  emerge  from  ocean's  floor 
till  the  destruction  of  the  greater  portion  of  Europe,  Asia,  and 
Africa.  Probably  it  will  extend  East  and  West  from  the  Southern 
portion  of  South  America.  As  the  seeds  of  the  coming  race  are 
usually  taken  from  the  fifth  sub- race  of  the  preceding  race,  so  it  is 
quite  possible  that  the  great  religious  saviour  of  the  Twentieth  Cen- 
tury may  not  only  be  a  Divine  Avatir,  but  also  a  Seed  Manu."  The 
germs  of  our  present  great  Fifth  Race  were  taken  by  the  last "  Seed 
Manu,"  from  Ireland  (Aryaland),  the  **  Sacred  Island,"  and  still 
known  as  the  **  Isle  of  Saints."  Its  intense  interest  and  importance 
must  be  my  excuse  for  quoting  much  from  the  "  Secret  Doctrine," 
which  relates  to  the  coming  future  of  her  humanity. 

**  It  is  simply  knowledge  and  mathematically  correct  computa- 
tions which  enable  the  *  Wise  Men  of  the  East '  to  foretell,  for 
instance,  that  England  is  on  the  eve  of  such  another  catastrophe, 
France  nearing  such  a  point  of  her  cycle,  and  Europe  in  general 
y  j  ,  threatened  with,  or  rather,  on  the  eve  of,  a  cataclysm,  which  her 
//  '^  own  cycle  of  racial  Kanna  has  led  her  to."  It  is  to  be  hoped  that 
when  these  cataclysms  appear  they  will  lead  to  the  disappearance 
of  Rome,  Jerusalem,  Mecca,  Medina,  and  many  of  the  so-called 
holy  places  in  India,  as  all  these  are  at  present  more  or  less  moral 
cesspools,  and  prevent  the  spiritual  development  of  humanity. 

**  Since  the  beginning  of  the  Atlantean  Race  many  million  years 
have  passed,  yet  we  find  the  last  of  the  Atlanteans  still  mixed  up 
with  the  Aryan  element  ii,ooo  years  ago.  This  shows  the  enor- 
mous overlapping  of  one  race  over  the  race  which  succeeds  it, 
though  in  characters  and  external  type  the  elder  loses  its  charac- 
teristics, and  assumes  the  new  features  of  the  younger  race.  This 
is  proved  in  all  the  formations  of  mixed  human  races.  Now, 
occult  philosophy  teaches  that  even  now,  under  our  ver>'  eyes,  the 
new  race  and  races  are  preparing  to  be  formed,  and  that  it  is  in 
America  that  the  transformation  \^ill  take  place,  and  has  already 
silently  commenced. 

Pure  Anglo-Saxons  hardly  300  years  ago,  the  Americans  of 
the  United  States  have  already  become  a  nation  apart,  and,  owing  to 
a  strong  admixture  of  various  nationalities,  and  intermarriage, 
almost  a  race  sui  generis^  not  only  mentally,  but  also  physically." 

I  here  make  a  small  digression.  Dr.  Barrows,  in  his  series  of 
lectures  in  Madras,  a  few  years  ago,  quoted  from  John  Fiske,  the 
American  historian,  that  "  the  day  is  at  hand  when  four-fifths  of  the 
human  race  will  trace  their  pedigrees  to  English  fore-fathers,  as 
four -fifths  of  the  population  of  the  United  States  trace  their  pedigree 
to-day."  This  statement  was  received  with  much  incredulity  in 
India,  but  in  the  main  it  is  true.  As  the  Aryan  (5th)  Root  Race 
was  evolved  from  the  (5th)  Semitic  sub-race  of  the  Atlantean  (4th) 
Root  Race,  so  the  future  Sixth  Root  Race  will  evolve  from  the  (5th) 
Teutonic  (Auglo)  sub-race  of  the  Aryan  Root  Race.    It  may  be  a 


190O0  The  Signs  of  the  times.  109 

hard  sa3ring  for  the  other  races,  but  there  can  be  no  possibility  of 
doubt  but  that  in  the  future,  the  world  and  the  fullness  thereof  will 
be  the  heritage  of  the  Anglo-Teutonic  races. 

**  Thus  the  Americans  have  become   in  only  three  centuries  a 

*  primary'  race/  pro  tetn,  before  becoming  a  race  apart,  and  strongly 
separated  from  all  other  now  existing  races.  They  are,  in  short,  the 
germs  of  the  sixth  sub-race,  and  in  some  few  hundred  years  more, 
will  become  most  decidedly  the  pioneers  of  that  race  which  must 
succeed  to  the  present  European,  or  fifth  sub-race,  in  all  its  new 
characteristics.  After  this,  in  about  25,000  years,  they  will  launch 
out  into  preparations  for  the  seventh  sub- race ;  until,  in  consequence 
of  cataclysms — the  first  series  of  those  which  must  one  day  desttoy 
Europe,  and  still  later  the  whole  Aryan  Race  (and  thus  affect  both 
Americas),  as  also  most  of  the  lands  directly  connected  with 
the  confines  of  our  Continent  and  Isles—the  Sixth  Root  Race 
will  have  appeared  on  the  stage  of  our  round. 

When  shall  this  be  ?  AH  we  know  is,  that  it  will  silently  come 
into  existence  ;  so  silentl}^  indeed,  that  for  long  milleniums  shall 
its  pioneers — ^the  peculiar  children  who  will  grow  into  peculiar  men 
and  women — ^be  regarded  as  anomalous  histis  fiatura,  abnormal 
oddities  physically  and  mentally." 

Here  I  must  make  one  more  digression,  and  quote  from  an 
article  by  Madame  Blavatsky — which  throws  a  further  light  on  this 
last  paragraph — in  the  Theosophist,  **  Premature  and  Phenomenal 
Growths,"  Vol.  V.,  page  60. 

"  Now,  what  the  occultists  say  is  this ;  humanity  is  on  the 
descending  pathway  of  its  cycle.  The  rear  guard  of  the  Fifth  Race 
is  crossing  slowly  the  apex  of  its  evolution  and  will  soon  find  itself 
having  passed  the  turning  point.  And  as  the  descent  is  always 
more  rapid  than  the  ascent,  men  of  the  new  coming  (the  6th)  race 
are  beginning  to  drop  in  occasionally.  Such  children,  regarded  in 
our  days  by  official  science  as  exceptional  monstrosities,  are  simply 
the  pioneers  of  that  race.  There  is  a  prophecy  in  certain  old 
Asiatic  books,  couched  in  the  following  terms,  the  sense  of  which 
we  may  make  clearer  by  adding  to  it  a  few  words  in  brackets— 

*  And  as  the  fourth  (race)  was  composed  of  red -yellow  which  faded 
into  brown-white  (bodies),  so  the  fifth  (race)  will  fade  out  into 
white-brown  (the  white  races  becoming  gradually  darker).  The 
sixth  and  seventh  (race)  A/a?iuski  (men)  will  be  born  adults ;  and 
will  know  of  no  old  age,  though  their  years  will  be  many.  As  th# 
A>//a,  7/r/tf,  Dvapara,  and  J^aii  (ages)  have  been  each  decreasing 
in  excellence  (physical  as  well  as  moral),  so  the  ascending — Dvapara^ 
Trcta^  and  Ktiia  will  be  increasing  in  every  excellence.  As  the 
life  of  man  lasted  400  (years  in  the  first  or  Ktiia  Yuga)^  300  (years 
in  Tretd),  200  (years  in  Dvapara),  and  100  (in  the  present  Kali  age) ; 
so  in  the  next  (the  6th  race,  the  natural  age  of  man)  will  be  (gradual- 
ly increased  to)  200,  then  300  and  400  (in  the  last  two  Yugasy    Thu5 


no  The  Theosopbist.  [Novetttlwf 

■ 

we  fiud  from  the  above  that  the  characteristics  of  the  race,  that  will 
follow  oors,  are— a  darker  skin,  shortened  period  of  infancy  and  oM 
age,  or  in  other  words,  a  growth  and  development  that  in  the  present 
age  (to  the  profane)  appears  quite  miraculous.'' 

Lest  we  should  be  in  too  great  a  hurry  to  anticipate,  it  should  be 
borne  in  mind,  that  we  have,  so  far,  only  passed  through  an  infini- 

tesjnial   fraction  {^)  of  the  Kali  Yuga,   5,000  years  only  out  of 

427,000  3-ears.    To  conclude  : 

"  Then  as  they  increase,  and  their  numbers  become,  with  ev€r3' 
age,  greater,  one  day  they  will  awake  to  find  themselves  in  a 
minority.  It  is  the  present  men  who  will  then  begin  to  be  regarded 
as  exceptional  mongrels,  until  these  die  out,  in  their  turn,  in  civiliz- 
ed lands,  perhaps  millions  of  years  hence.  The  Fifth  will  overlap 
the  Sixth  Race  for  many  hundreds  of  mitleniums,  changing  with  it 
slower  than  its  new  successor,  still  changing  in  stature,  general 
physique,  and  mentality,  just  as  the  Fourth  overlapped  our  Aryan 
Race,  and  the  Third  had  overlapped  the  Atlanteaus.  This  process  of 
preparation  for  the  Sixth  Great  Race  must  last  throughout  the  whole 
Sixth  and  Seventh  sub- races.  But  the  last  remnants  of  the  Fifth 
continent  will  not  disappear  until  some  time  after  the  birth  of  the 
new  race,  when  another  and  new  dwelling  place,  the  Sixth  conti- 
nent, will  have  appeared  above  the  waters  on  the  face  of  the  globe,  so 
as  to  receive  the  new  stranger.  To  it  also  will  emigrate  and  settle,  all 
those  who  shall  be  fortunate  enough  to  escape  the  general  disaster. 
When  this  shall  be — as  just  said — it  is  not  for  the  writer  to  know. 
Only,  as  nature  no  more  proceeds  by  sudden  jumps  and  starts,  than 
man  changes  suddenly  from  a  child  into  a  mature  man,  the  final  cata- 
clysm will  be  preceded  by  many  smaller  submersions  and  destruc- 
tions, both  by  wave  and  volcanic  fires.  The  exultant  pulse  will 
beat  high  in  the  heart  of  the  race  now  in  the  American  zone,  but 
there  will  be  no  more  Americans  when  the  Sixth  Race  commences  ; 
no  more,  in  fact,  than  Europeans  ;  for  they  will  now  have  become 
a  new  race,  and  many  new  nations. 

Mankind  will  not  grow  again  into  giant  bodies  as  in  the  case 
of  the  lycmurians  and  the  Atlanteans  ;  because  while  the  evolution 
of  the  Fourth  Race  led  the  latter  down  to  the  very  bottom  of 
materiality  in  its  physical  development,  the  present  race  is  on  its 
ascending  arc ;  and  the  Sixth  will  be  rapidly  growing  out  of  its 
bonds  of  matter,  and  even  of  flesh.  Thus  it  is  the  mankind  of  the 
new  world — one  by  far  the  senior  of  our  old  one,  a  fact  men  had  also 
forgotten— of  Patala  (the  Antipodes,  or  the  Nether  World,  as  America 
is  called  in  India),  whose  mission  and  Karma  it  is,  to  sow  the  seeds 
for  a  forthcoming,  grander,  and  far  more  glorious  race  than  any 
of  those  we  know  at  present.  The  cycles  of  matter  will  be  suc- 
ceeded by  cycles  of  spirituality  and  a  fully  developed  mind.  On 
the  law  of  parallel  history  and  races  the  majority  of  the  future  man- 
kind will  be  cumpobcd  of  glorious  Adepts." 

^  Thomas  Bakon. 


lU 


BLUE  LIGHT  AND  VEGETATION. 

IN  the  June  number  of  Pearson* s  Magazine  appears  an  article  by 
G.  Clarke  Nuttall,  B.Sc,  on   •*  Plant  Growing  and  Coloured 
Light,"   which    is    based  upon    a    series    of  experiments   which 
M.  Flammarion,  the  French  astronomer,  assisted  by  M.  Mathieu, 
has  been  carr>nng  on  at  the  Paris  Observatory  grounds  since   1894. 
The  article  is  illustrated  with  photographs  showing  the  comparative 
growth  of  sensitive-plants  {Mimosa),  strobilantbes,  little  oak  trees, 
crassula,  and  lettuces,  under  exposures  to  blue,  green,   white  and 
red  lights  respectively.    The  differences  would  be  almost  incredible 
but  for  the  positive  proofs  contained  in   the  photographs  from 
nature.     Passing  over  details,  the  result  proves  that  the  red  ray 
seemed  to  be  powerfully  stimulative  to  vegetation,  while  blue  light 
appeared  not  to  kill  the  plants  but  to  deprive  them  entirely  of  vital 
energy :  plants  in  forcing-houses  roofed  entirely  with  blue  glass 
were  found,  at  the  end  of  a  season,  to    be  scarcely  any  taller  than 
they  were  when  the  experiment  began.  With  the  mimosas,  gerani- 
ums, pansies,  strawberries,  lettuces  and  many  other  plants,  *'  invari- 
ably the  influence  of  the  blue  light  was  to  induce  a  kind  of  stupor 
or  sleep,  while  the  red  light  stimulated  to  very  unusual  growth ; 
the  exceptional  growth*  however,  often  showed  a  lack  of  sturdiness, 
as  compared  with  normally-grown  plants." 

M.  Flammarion  began  his  experiment  by  erecting  four 
small  green-houses.  One  he  had  glazed  with  red  glass,  a  second 
with  green,  a  third  with  dark  blue,  and  the  fourth  with  ordinary' 
clear  white  glass.  He  would  have  preferred  violet  to  blue  but 
could  not  get  the  right  shade.  We  here  quote  from  Mr.  Nuttall's 
article  : 

"  When  bis  ^asshonees  were  ready  he  took  a  number  of  seedlings  of  a 
cartaio  plant-<*the  Sensitive  Plant  (Mimosa)  was  chosen  on  account  of  its 
great  swieitiveaess  to  external  stimuli — all  the  seedlings  of  uniform  age  and 
development,  and  some  of  these  were  planted  in  each  of  the  four  little  glass- 
hoosea.  Tfaey  were  then  left  free  to  grow  in  their  own  way  for  three  months, 
and  when  that  time  was  up  they  were  closely  examined  and  compared.  It 
was  than  found  that  the  moat  eitraordioary  divergence  of  action  was  exhibited 
by  the  plants  in  the  different  glasshouses. 

The  plants  in  the  ordinary  conservatory  had  grown  in  a  normal  manner, 
and  had  attained  a  height  of  nearly  four  inches,  those  in  the  Une  glasshoose 
bad  not  made  the  slightest  improvement,  they  wera  precisely  as  they  had  been 
planted  three  months  before  ;  in  fact,  tliey  can  best  be  described  as  plants  in 
a  trance.  They  were  alive  and  seemingly  quite  healthy,  but  absolutely  unde- 
vdoped  3  as  they  had  been  planted  so  they  remained ;  to  all  appeai*ance  they 
might  have  fallen  asleep  on  the  day  of  t^ieir  entry  into  bluenessi  and  never 
iutfe  awidcMied  to  set  aboat  growing. 


112  The  Theosophist.  [November 

lo  the  green  glasshouse  the  plants  had  shown  a  large  amonot  of  energy, 
and  had  pushed  up  to  a  height  half  as  great  again  as  that  attained  by  those 
in  the  ordinary  conservatory.  There  was  no  doubt  that  the  atmosphere  of 
green  had  stimulated  their  growth  upwards,  though,  on  the  other  hand,  they 
were  not  so  well  developed  or  so  bushy  as  the  others. 

But  it  was  in  the  red  glasshouse  that  the  most  striking  results  were 
apparent.  In  this  the  seedlings  had  simply  leapt  into  stature  ;  they  were 
four  times  as  tall  as  their  contemporaries  of  normal  growth,  and  they  were 
actually  more  than  fifteen  times  the  size  of  the  little  plants  which  had  slept 
in  the  blue  light.    Moreover,  they  alone  of  all  the  seedlings  had  flowered. 

Their  sensitiveness,  too,  had  increased  amazingly,  for  at  the  slightest 
breath  they  shut  their  leaves,  and  drooped  their  branches ;  they  did  not  need 
a  direct  stimulus  as  they  would  have  done  in  their  normal  state,  for  they  had 
become  altogether  hyper-sensitive.  In  some  mysterious  way  their  develop- 
ment in  every  direction  had  been  quickened  and  increased  by  the  red  rays  of 
light. 

In  marked  contrast  to  this  hypersensitivene^s  was  the  condition  of  the 
dwarf  plants  grown  in  the  blue  light,  for  they  had  lost  whatever  sensitive- 
ness they  had  once  possessed  and  had  become  absolutely  insensitive  to  ex- 
ternal stimuli.  Therefore  it  will  be  seen  that  their  comparison  to  a  person 
in  a  trance  becomes  even  more  emphatic." 

Of  course,  the  first  thought  of  the  intelligent  reader  will  be  to 
mentally  compare  these  results  with  those  obtained  by  Major- 
General  Pleasonton,  some  thirty  years  earlier,  and  reported  in  his 
book,  "  Blue  and  Sun  Lights."  With  him  the  effect  of  a  mitigated 
blue  light,  from  one  row  of  blue  panes  to  seven  of  clear  glass,  was  to 
increase  the  wood-growth  and  fruitage  to  an  extraordinary,  not  to 
say  miraculous,  extent.  The  following  taken  from  his  book,  bears 
out  this  statement  : 

•'In  the  early  part  of  September,  1861,  Mr.  Robert  Binot,  .Sr.,  a  noted 
Roedsman  and  distinguished  horticulturist  from  whom  I  had  procured  the 
vines,  having  heard  of  their  wonderful  growth,  visited  the  grapery.  On 
entering  it  he  seemed  to  be  lost  in  amazement  at  what  ho  saw ;  after  examining 
it  very  carefully,  turning  to  me,  he  said, '  General !  I  have  been  cultivating 
plants  and  vines  of  various  kinds  for  the  last  forty  years ;  I  have  seen  some 
of  the  best  vineries  and  conservatories  in  England  and  Scotland,  but  I 
have  never  seen  anything  like  this  growth.'  He  then  measured  some  of  the 
vines  and  found  them  forty-five  feet  in  length,  and  an  inch  in  diameter  at  the 
distance  of  one  foot  abov|3  the  ground ;  and  these  dimensions  were  the  growth 
of  only  five  months !  " 

In  the  Autumn  of  the  next  year  the  fruitage  from  these  vines 
was  simply  marvellous. 

General  Pleasonton  shows  not  only  that  the  combined  blue  and 
sunlights  cause  this  phenomenal  plant  growth,  but  also  that  they 
had  an  almost  equally  strange  power  in  causing  the  growth  of 
animals.  A  litter  of  pigs  separated  into  two  groups,  of  which  one  was 
subjected  to  ordinary  sunlight,  and  the  other  to  blue  and  sunlight, 
showed  at  the  end  of  four  months,  the  following  results  respectively : 
The  total  weight  of  the  pigs  under  the  violet  glass,  at  the  start,  was 


1900.]  Blue  JLlght  and  Vegetation,  Ud 

167I  lbs.  The  weight  of  the  others  aggregated  203  lbs.  When  the 
time  had  expired  it  was  found  that  the  pigs  under  the  violet  glass 
had  gained  12  pounds  more  than  those  under  the  common  clear 
glass.  In  this  experiment  the  violet  •  and  common  glass  were  in 
equal  proportions. 

It  is  ta  be  noted  that  while  General  Pleasonton  used  in  his 
greenhouses  blue  and  plain  glass  panes,  Mons.  Flammarion's  blue 
house  had  an  entirely  blue  roof,  and  it  will  be  well  worth  the  great 
astronomer's  while,  to  repeat  General  Pleasonton's  experiments, 
and  then  compare  results  with  tho,se  obtained  in  the  other  glass- 
houses where  he  uses  red,  green,  and  white  lights.  It  would  also 
add  largely  to  the  value  of  his  researches  if  he  would  compare 
results  under  red  and  white,  and  green  and  white  glass  roofs,  with 
those  he  has  already  got  at  the  Observatory  of  Juvisy, 

Having  noticed  that  his  blue  glasshouse  was  much  the  darkest 
and  coldest  of  the  four,  further  experiments  were  instituted  "  to 
obtain  results  with  colour  only,**  and  by  a  judicious  use  of  screens, 
the  rooms  were  all  brought  to  the  same  temperature  and  the  same 
degree  of  luminosity,  but  *'  the  results  were  practically  the  same  as 
before." 

Experiments  in  growing  plants  under  each  of  the  separate 
colours  were  made  at  the  recent  Paris  Exposition,  but  no  report  of 
the  results  has  reached  us  yet,  though  it  is  looked  forward  to  with 
no  small  degree  of  interest. 

From  the  foregoing  statements  it  maj"-  reasonably  be  inferred 
that  the  modern  system  of  Chromopathy,  which  utilizes,  therapeu* 
tically,  the  various  colours  obtained  from  the  sun's  rays,  in  modify, 
ing  the  vital  actiAdties  of  the  human  body,  has  a  firm  foundation 
in  nature  ;  and  furthermore,  the  efficacy  of  red  rays  in  cases  of  low 
vitality  and  hypochondriasis,  and  of  blue  light  in  violent  insanity, 
fevers  and  all  inflammatory  conditions,  has  been  proven  by  the 
medical  fraternity,  in  many  instances. 

H.  S.  Olcott, 


•  General  Pleasonton  explains  In  a    prefatory  note,  that  what  he  has  called 
violet  is  really  a  mazarine  blue. 


114  ,^ 


PROF.  BUCHANAN'S  PROPHECIES  PARTLY  FULFILLED. 

THE  awful  catastrophe  which  recently  overwhelmed  the  city  of 
Galveston,  Texas,  has  sent  a  thrill  of  horror  throughout  the 
<^lvilized  world.  It  is  estimated  that  about  10,000  lives  were  lost,  and 
the  destruction  of  property  was  immense.  More  than  1,000  vessels 
were  wrecked,  and  some  were  carried  into  and  over  the  city.  The 
mad  rushing  of  the  mountainous  sea-waves,  the  terrific  howling 
of  the  hurricane,  the  crash  of  falling  buildings,  the  shrieks  of 
the  stricken  populace,  and  the  furious  downpour  of  rain,  combined 
to  make  a  scene  of  horror  indescribable,  almost  unimaginable. 
The  sufiferings  endured  by  the  inhabitants  of  the  doomed  city 
can  never  be  told.  Nor  was  the  devastation  confined  to  Galveston 
alone.    It  spread  far  and  wide  in  the  surrounding  regions. 

It  does  not  seem  clear  whether  this  dire  visitation  was  entirely 
the  result  of  the  hurricane  or  whether  tidal  waves  caused  by  subma- 
rine upheavals,  combined  to  pile  up  the  sea,  and  force  it  inland.  In 
addition  to  this,  a  fierce  land  wind  had  for  some  time  been  blowing 
(as  if  the  ocean  hurricane  were  not  enough),  and  at  last  the  waters  of 
the  bay,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  city,  were  forced  into  the  streets 
to  meet  the  engulphing  waves  of  the  sea. 

Of  course,  the  hurricane  signals  of  the  Weather  Bureau  were 
duly  given,  but  who  could  anticipate  the  amount  of  the  destructive 
force  which  was  so  rapidly  approaching  the  doomed  city.  Accord* 
ing  to  the  reports  of  the  Weather  Bureau,  the  storm  first  appeared 
south  by  east  of  San  Domingo  ;  thence  it  travelled  north-east,  pass- 
ing through  Kingston,  Jamaica,  and  turning  due  north,  crqssed 
Cuba  and  reached  the  peninsula  of  Florida.  After  traversing  the 
coast  as  far  as  Tampa  it  made  a  sharp  turn  to  the  westward,  and 
started  in  a  straight  course  for  Galveston. 

Our  old  subscribers  doubtless  remember  the  opening  article 
which  was  published  in  the  Theosophisty  Dec,  1890,  entitled,  "  A 
Prophecy  of  Cataclysms."  It  referred  to  the  singular  and  startling 
prophecies  of  Prof.  J.  R.  Buchanan,  which  had  just  been  published 
in  the  Arena^  an  American  magazine.  Colonel  Olcott,  in  his  Theo- 
sophist  article,  comments  on  the  rare  courage  displayed  by  his  friend, 
the  late  Dr.  Buchanan,  in  putting  his  warnings  on  record  more  than 
twenty  years  **  before  the  time  which  he  fixes  for  the  fulfilment  of  his 
prophecies.'*  The  Doctor  seems  to  have  been  at  fault,  however,  in  his 
calculation  of  time,  concerning  the  event  we  are  considering.  After 
alluding  to  the  **  calamitous  period  "  which  he  saw  was  fast  ap- 
proaching, he  says :  **The  twentieth  century  will  be  ushered  in  with 
increasing  agitation  and  discontent.  ♦♦#♦■'  He  speaks  ofth^in- 


1900.]  Prof.  Buchanan's  I^rophecies  Partly  Fulfilled.  115 

creasing  strife  that  will  occur  between  capital  and  labour,  wars  in 
Europe  and  wars  in  America,  ttf  the  further  troubles  that  will  grow 
out  of  the  race  question  in  the  latter  country,  of  the  waning  power 
of  the  Church  and  the  approaching  freedom  of  woman.  Further  on, 
spealdng  of  physical  disturbances  he  continues : 

"  It  18  safe  to  say  ibat  our  Atlantic  coast  is  doomed  !  Whenever  I  am  on 
ibe  Atlantic  border  a  strong  foreboding  comes  over  me  that  onr  conntrymen 
lifing  there  only  a  few  feet  above  the  ocean  level  are  in  a  perilous  position.  A 
tidal  wave  might  destroy  the  entire  population  of  onr  coast,  and  a  sligbt 
tinking  of  the  sbofe  woald  be  still  more  fatal  *  •  • '' 

"  Svery  seaboard  city  soatb  of  New  England,  that  is  not  more  than  fifty 
feet  above  the  sea  level  of  the  Atlantic  coast,  is  destined  to  a  destrnotive  oon« 
vnlsioo*  Galvestion,  New  Orleans,  Mobile,  St.  Augustine,  Savannah,  and 
Gharlesion  are  doomed.  Bichmond,  Baltimore,  Washington,  Philadelphia, 
Newark^  Jersey  City,  and  New  York  will  suffer  in  various  degrees  in  propor- 
tion as  they  approximate  the  sea  level.,  Brooklyn  will  suffer  less,  but  the 
deatmction  at  New  York  and  Jersey  city  will  be  the  grandest  horror.*' 

*'  The  coavulsion  will  probably  begin  on  the  Pacific  coast,  and  perhaps 
extend  in  the  Pacific  toward  the  Sandwich  Islands.  The  shock  will  be 
terrible^  with  great  loss  of  life,  extending  from  British  Columbia  down  along 
the  coast  of  Mexico,  but  the  conformation  of  the  Pacific  coast  will  make  its 
grand  tidal  Have  far  less  destructive  than  on  the  Atlantic  shore.  Neverthe- 
less it  will  be  t»iIamitou8.  Lower  California  will  suffer  severely  along  the 
ooast^    San  Di^  and  Coron&do  will  suffer  severely,  especially  the  latter.  *\ 

**The  destruction  of  cities  which  I  anticipate,  seems  to  be  twenty-four 
years  ahead— it  m%^  bn  twenty-three.  It  will  be  suddton  and  brief,  all  within 
an  hour  aod  notfaf.  from  noon.  Starting  from  the  Pacific  coast,  as  already 
described,  it  will  sltike  southwards— a  mighty  tidal  wave  and  earthquake 
shock  will  develop  inthe  Gatf  of  Mexico  and  Caribbean  Sea.  *  *  *" 

**  To  those  who  have  faith  in  my  judgment,  especially  the  readers  of  my 
works,  I  would  say  do  not  remaiu  more  than  fifteen  years  on  the  lowlahds 
of  the  Atlantic  coast,  south  of  New  England.  Keep  fully  five  years  between 
yourself  and  the  great  calamity,  to  be  absolutely  safe." 

It  seems  sometliing  more  than  mere  coincidence,  that  the  veuy 
firsi  on  the  list  of  the  cities  that  he  styles  "  doomed  "  is  Galveston ! 
Although  this  recent  storm- wave  is  not  reported  to  have  originated 
on  the  Pacific  coast,  it  did  travel  along  the  "  Gulf  of  Mexico  and 
Caribbean  Sea,"  as  he  predicted. 

He  further  speaks  of  the  destruction  of  the  European  monar- 
chies, the  inroads  of  the  sea  on  the  Mediterranean  coasts  and  the 
washing  out  of  the  bed  of  the  Suez  Canal. 

Colonel  Olcott  thinks  (as  stated  in  the  TheosophUt  article  to 
which  reference  has  been  made)  that  Prof.  Buchanan  had  studied 
the  charts  and  tables  of  the  foremost  seismologists  of  the  world, 
and  says  of  him  that 

"His  mind  is,  therefore,  full  of  ^tragraph  pictures  of  earthquakes  and 
tidal-w»re«,  Toleanic  eruptions  and  other  geographical  cataclysms.  If  he 
Were  bis  own  psychometeri  scarcely  any  one  would  venture  to  believe  that  he 


116  The  The<5sophist.  [November 

could,  however  much  he  might  wish  it,  get  true,  unadulterated  psychometrical 
visions  of  coming  catastrophes.  But  I  beliere  the  fact  to  be* that  his  revela- 
tions come  to  him  second-handf  through  the  exqnisitely  sensitive  souUfaculty 
of  his  estimable  wife." 

He  further  thinks  that  it  might  be  quite  possible,  owing  to  her 
sensitiveness,  that  she  **  has  seen  what  Prof.  Buchanan  forced  her  to 
see,"  and  says  furthers 

"  Qrant  that  ho  has  made  a  uumber  of  veriEed  prophecies,  the  case  is 
still  left  81^6  judtce:  the  science  of  Psychoraetry  has  not  as  yet  won  its  place 
in  the  category  of '  exact'  sciences,  and  every  fresh  prophecy  must  be  examined 
as  though  new  ground  were  being  broken  in  this  department  of  psychical 
research." 

At  the  close  of  his  article,  Colonel  Olcott  begs  his  readers  to 
turnto  **Five  years  ofTheosophy"  (p.  388),  and  read  the  follow- 
ing, as  there  recorded : 

"  We  are  at  the  end  of  a  cycle — geological  and  other —and  at  the  beginning 
of  another.  Cataclysm  is  to  follow  cataclysm.  Tho  pent-up  forces  are  bursting 
out  in  many  quarters;  and  not  only  will  men  be  swallowed  up  or  slain  by 
thousands,  '  new '  land  appear  and '  old  '  subside,  volcanic  eruptions  and  tidal- ' 
waves  appall,  but  secrets  of  an  unsuspected  past  will  be  uncovered,  to  the  dismay 
of  Vfestern  science.  We  are  not  emulous  of  the  prophet's  honours:  but  still, 
let  this  stand  as  a  prophecy/' 

He  then  finishes  with  these  words  : 

"The  above  is  a  reprint  from  the  Theosophht  (Vol.  V,  43)  for 
November  1883,  and  therefore  antedates  by  seven  years  Dr.  Bucha- 
nan's Areata  article. 

Is  it  possible  that  it  was  this  which  set  him  to  studying  the 
earthquake  maps,  and  proximately  caused  the  transfer  of  certain 
mind  pictures  of  coming  terrestrial  disturbances  to  a  psychometer's 
brain  ?  It  may  or  may  not  be  ;  in  either  case  it  matters  little  for, 
as  above  stated,  Psychometry  has  not  yet  displayed  all  its  magnifi- 
cent-potentialities." 

In  view  of  the  momentous  events  which  have  been  transpiring 
during  the  present  year,  the  wars  in  China  and  South  Africa,  the 
unrest  in  America,  and  the  numerous  disasters  on  land  and  sea,  we 
may  well  conclude  that  the  prophecies  of  Prof.  Buchanan,  H.  P.  B. 
and  others,  relating  to  the  issues  of  the  closing  century  are  begin- 
ning to  be  fulfilled.  There  is  a  law  of  periodicity  which  not  only 
*'  marks  the  seasons  in  their  annual  round,"  and  determines  all 
the  movements  of  the  heavenly  bodies,  but  also  is  manifest,  to  a 
considerable  extent,  in  social  and  political  upheavals  and  geo- 
graphical cataclysms.  Whether  the  other  cities,  designated  by 
Dr.  Buchanan  as  '  doomed/  will  meet  with  a  fate  as  disastrous  as 
that  which  has  recently  overtaken  unhappy  Galveston  remains  to 
be  seen  ;  but  that  these  warnings  are  something  other  than  meire 
.  idle  breams  is  quite  apparent. 

W,  A.  ENGWSHt 


■•«ai*«N4 


lir 


tTbeoaopbi?  in  BU  Xan^0. 


EUROPE. 

London,  September  2Sihy  1900. 

The  summer  is  drawing  to  a  close  with  a  September  of  most  glorionsly 
-fine  weather  which  has  induced  many  Londoners  to  prolong  their  holida3'8 
and  so  contributed  to  the  continued  quietness  of  the  T.  S.  Headquarters. 
The  holiday  problem  is  a  rather  difficult  one,  for  just  when  the  busiest 
workers  are  8cattered*fcr  rest  and  change,  and  our  lecturers  cease  to  be  heard 
in  Hall  or  Lodge,  we  are  sure  to  have  a  number  of  country  or  foreign 
visitors  who  come  thirsting  for  lectures  and  meetings  and  look  terribly  dis- 
appointed when  they  learn  that  there  is  nothing  going  on  which  they  can 
attend.  Yet  we  must  have  holidays  sometimes,  only  it  is  a  pity  that  town 
and  country  make  holiday  together.  The  gratitude  of  the  numerous  "  strays  " 
would  be  sure  to  await  the  theosophic  genius  who  could  invent  a  system  of 
perpetual  lectures,  onlv  I'm  afraid  a  *  penny-ia-the-slot '  phonograph  won't 
do] 

But  we  shall  soon  be  again  in  full  swing*  The  Blavatsky  Lodge  opened 
its  doors  on  Thursday  last,  and  our  Vice-President  discoursed  on  two  very 
interesting  ''Hermes  Fragments,"  to  a  good  assemblage  of  members.  Other 
Lodges  are  also  getting  to  work,  and  Mr.  Bertram  Keightley  lectuves  to- 
night at  the  West  London  Branch,  before  sailing  for  India  early  in  the 
coming  week. 

On  the  fifth  of  the  month  we  bade  '  Goodbye '  to  Mrs.  Besaut  who  travelled 
by  the  '  Peninsular,'  leaving  behind  her  the  memories  of  many  most  inspiring 
lectures  and  much  invaluable  teaching.  A  large  crowd  of  members  gathered 
at  the  station  to  say  f  nrewellt  and  we  are  awaiting  news  of  the  safe  termi- 
nation of  a  voyage  which  the  elements  seem  to  have  conspired  to  render 
pleasanter  than  usual,  if  one  may  judge  from  conditions  here. 

This  week  we  have  parted  from  another  member  who  has  left  many 
friends  in  the  country  where  he  has  spent  the  last  eleven  years  of  his  life. 
This  is  Mr.  Jinarajadasa  who  has  just  completed  his  English  education  by 
taking  a  Cambridge  degree,  and  has  returned  to  Ceylon  to  take  up  work 
among  the  Buddhists  of  his^  own  country. 

Next  week  Mr.  Leadbeater  sails  for  America  where  his  first  visit  will 
be  eagerly  anticipated,  and  where  a  warm  welcome  is  sure  to  await  him  from 
the  readers  of  his  books. 

A  quite  unexpected  change  of  officials  is  just  announced.  Our  GenernL 
Secretary,  the  Hon.  Otway  Cuffe;  who  is  so  deservedly  popular  all  over  our 
Section,  is  compelled,  for  entirely  personal  reasons,  to  leave  London  and 
take  up  residence  in  Ireland,  and  under  these  circumstances  he  is  no  longer 
able  to  fulfil  his  obligations. tQ  the  European  Section,  T.  8.  While  his  resigna* 
lion  wiU  be  received  with  general  regret,  the  announcement  that  the  Ezeontive 
iCimncil  bas  prevailed  upon  Dr.  Wells  to  take  np  the  work;  will  be«nre  to  ^ 


11^  The  Theosophist.  [November 

warmlj  appreciated.  Dr.  Wells  is  known  far  and  wide  by  his  writings,  so 
he  is  snre  to  find  many  ready-made  friends  all  over  the  Section.  He  will  be 
greeted  by  hearty  wishes  for  tbe  future,  and  Mr.  Caffe,  by  no  lees  cordial 
thanks  for  the  past. 

The  scientific  world  hae  had  its  Annual  festival  this  month,  Bradford 
having  been  the  scene  of  the  gathering  of  the  British  Association  for  the 
advancement  of  Science.  One  can  imagine  that  *  H*  P.  B»'  would  have  chuck- 
led over  the  President's  opening  address,  recapitulating  as  it  did  the  long 
list  of  broken  and  thrown-away  theories  with  wbioh  the  century's  path  of 
scientific  progress  is  strewn.  But  ever  and  ever  we  note  that  it  is  in  the 
•direction  of  the  teachings  of  Occult  Science  that  the  science  of  the  day  ia 
tending.  Sir  William  Turner  dealt  with  biology  and  the  growth  of  know- 
ledge  with  regard  to  the '  cell,' so  long  regarded  as  the  '  ultimate '  of  life,  as  th^ 
atom  of  the  chemist  has  been  regarded  as  the  '  ultimate'  of  matter.  Both 
these  '  ultimates '  are  dethroned  by  later  investigatioqs  and  in  the  recent 
words  of  a  foreign  biologist,  "  the  cell  can  no  longer  be  considered  as  one,  but 
rather  as  a  complicated  machine,  the  working  of  which  is  for  the  most  part 
dependent  on  eusymes  [contents  of  the  cell  of  the  nature  of  ferments]  whioh. 
however  numerous  and  varied  may  be  the  processes  in  which  they  are 
-engaged,  all  follow  and  obey  the  universal  law  of  adaptation,  and  aU  cod« 
tribute  to  the  welfare  and  protection  of  the  organism."  2^o  reader  of  tbe 
'*  Secret  Doctrine  "  will  read  the  discovery  with  any  surprise  :  of  course  the 
•*  Lives  '•  "  follow  and  obey  the  law." 

In  the  section  devoted  to  Mathematical  and  Phyaical  Science  the  address 
of  Dr.  Larmor  was  received  with  profound  interest,  and  all  of  oourse  tended 
in  the  direction  of  a  dynamical  foundation  for  the  atomic  theory  of  matter. 
The  address  was  technical  and  long,  but  the  following  sentence  ia  sufficient 
to.shpw  that  it  was  of  interest  to  all  students  of  Theosophy.  '*  As  all  indica* 
tions  point  to  the  molecule  being  a  system  in  a  state  of  intrinsic  motion,  like 
a  vortex  ring,  or  a  stellar  system  in  astronomy,  we  must  consider  these 
radiating  vibrations  to  take  place  round  a  steady  state  of  motion  which  does 
not  itself  radiate,  not  around  a  state  of  restJ^  (Italics  mine).  Precisely:  but 
theosophists  did  not  have  to  wait  for  Dr.  Larmor  to  tell  them  how,  tattva 
within  tattva  and  sub-tattva  within  sub- tattva,  tbe  endless  complications  of 
vibrations  evolve  the  matter  of  the  physical  plane.  May  be  the  '*  Evolution 
of  Life  and  Form  "  could  teach  something  to  the  President  of  Section 'A  of 
the  British  Association,  if  he  would  only  read  it. 

A.  B.C. 


tlfETflEELANDS  SECTION. 

Ahsteadaic,  Bepimnher  2Sth^  1900. 

The  winter  activities  in  Holland  have  begun  with  such  vigour  and  vital* 
Ity  that  we  need  not  search  with  great  difficulty  bo  find  things  of  interest  for 
the  Theo9ophi9t  oolumn  of  notes  and  news. '  The  last  time  I  wrote,  I  left  o£E  a;t 
the  departure  of  Colonel  Olcott  from  our  midst,  but  since  then  we  at  least 
•  numberofns— met  himagaim  After  visitmg  Germany  he  came  back  to 
-▲nMterdam**4n  chance  wonld  have  it  on  a  Tuesday^  our  lecture*day— 4o 
fetdi  Miss  Mitcbell,  who  had  stayed,  meantime,  st  the  Amsterdam  SmuU 
«parter0i  ftnd  to  go  with  her  to  Farit  ia  order  to  attend  the  OoDgress  timrai 


1900.]  Theosophy  in  All  Land8«  llfl 

Of  ecmrtie  the  Oolimel  was  seised  at  onoe  and  pressed  to  deliver  a  leottire,  t<rhtclk 
he  did,  stoicallj.  Ke  spoke  to  the  Lodge  on  "  Devotion  in  the  Thedsophical 
Society/*  and  this  splendid  oration  made  a  great  impression  on  his  hearer^. 
It  is  printed  in  foil  i|^  thi%iponth'8  Theoaophia,  Afterwards  the  responsible 
people  bethought  theoiselvetf' that  they  had  made  somewhat  of  a  martyr  of 
oar  dear  President,  he  having  ImA  ten  hoars'  travelling  behind  him  and 
jaother  ten  hours  for  the  next  early  morning,  Bnt,  Allah  Akbarl  who 
protects  against  the  decrees  of  fate  P 

Not  a  few  of  our  members  then  met  him  again  in  Paris  presiding  over 
thevBiysttcoessfnl  Congress,  and  in  London  daring  the  European  Convention« 
We  hope  Tery  mnch  to  have  him  with  us  again  next  year,  -  ^^ 

Mr.  Leadbeater's  visft  to  Holland  has  provided  us— ^as  written  before-^ 
with  some  ten  splendid  articles  on  Theosophy,  whicti  were  taken  down  in 
short-hand  by  Mr.  Hallo.  One  of  these,  entitled  "  De  Oade  Mydferien  "  (The 
Old  Mysteries)  was  reprinted  separately  in  pamphlet  form  and  has  drawn 
no  small  amount  of  attention.  Also  a  Dutch  translation  of  Mrs.  Besant's 
''Man  and  his  Bodies '*  has  been  published,  the  translator  being  Mr.  Van 
Manen.  Six  manuals  have  now  appeared  in  Dutch.  In  the  way  of  literature, 
the  spiritual  tendencies  of  our  times  are  distincdy  marked  by  the  publication 
of  a  number  of  books  along  our  lines.  Holland  is  a  country  of  much  reading, 
and  so  it  is  small  matter  of  surprise  that  Mr.  Fielding^s  admirable  "  Soul  of 
a  People  "  (Buddhism  in  Burma)  has  already  appeared  in  Dutch  and  that  just 
now  a  third  edition  of  a  Dutch  translation  of  Edwin  Arnold's  "Light  of 
Asifli "  is  to  be  published.  The  influence  of  our  movement,  as  resulting  in 
the  above  facts,  is  clearly  shown  by  the  dates  of  the  three  editions  of  the 
latter  bo(^;  these  are  1888, 1895  and   1900— an  eloquent  fact  it  seems  to  me. 

The  summer  with  its  hot  days  has  brought  two  months  of  rest  for  the 
sianagersof  the  Section's  activities  and  affairs,  but  in  September  the  general 
Movement  had  begun  anew  with  double  force  and  important  beginnings. 
Mrs.  Mnysken  and  Mr.  Bos  have  established  a  new  Centre  at  Utrecht, 
snd  have  commenced  our  work  in  one  of  the  three  Episcopal  sects  in  Holland. 
Utrecht  is  also  one  of  the  four  Dutch  University -towns,  so  there  is  a  great 
field  of  labour  in  that  place. 

Another  fact  of  importance  is  that  the  Rotterdam  Lodge  has  acquired 
premises  of  its  own.  One  of  its  members  who  is  a  housebuilder  has  erected  a 
house  of  which  the  groundfloor  is  constructdd  as  a  hall  for  T.  S.  Meetings, 
besides  containing  some  small  office  rooms,  etc.  The  upper  stories  have 
been  rented  by  members  of  the  Society  as  their  private  rooms.  The  official  and 
solemn  opening  of  this  Hall  took  place  on  September  24th,  Mr.  Fricke,  the 
General  Secretary,  being  in  the  chair,  and  a  great  number  of  members  from 
all  parts  of  the  country  attending.  It  was  a  fine  evening,  harmonious,  joyous, 
and  a  visible  testimony  as  to  the  strength  snd  unity  of  the  Section. 

The  public  lectures  Which  have  opened  the  winter  campaign  have  been  by 
Urs.  Menleman,  at  the  Hague»  on  **  The  Parp<vse  of  Theosophy,*'  and  by  Mr; 
Johan  van  Manen,  at  Amsterdam,  on  "The  moral  value  of  the  Idea  of 
Seincamation." 

The  Amsterdam  Lodge  has  taken  a  useful  measure  in  order  to  oombine 
the  demands  of  propaganda  as  well  as  those  of  study.  Its  first  two  lectures  of 
the  month  will  be  open  for  members  of  the  Society  only,  so  as  to  be  able  to  go 
deeper  into  our  subject  than  when  non-members  are  present.  The  last  lecture 


.120  The  Theosophist.  [Noirember 

of  ever  J  month  is  given  in  a  public  hall  and;  is  devoted  solely  to  propa- 
ganda, whereas  the  lectarea  between  these  are  of  a  semi- popular  character 
and  will  be  open  to  a  restricted  number  of  bearers  of  introduction  cards* 

The  y4hana  Lodge  at  Amsterdam  has  great  plans  for  the  near  futoie, 
but  of  this  I  will  be  able  to  say  more  in  my  next  letter.  The  Amsterdam 
Lotus  Circle  had  its.  annual  festive  day  on  August  29th,  under  guidance  of 
Mrs.  Perk,  the  head  of  the  Dutch  division  of  the  Golden  Chain  Movement. 
The  Sectional  Beference  Library  has  reached  the  modest  but  increaaiog 
number  of  200  works. 

From  the  Dutch  Lidies  we  continue  to  hear  good  news.  Mr.  Yan  Asperen 
vsn  der  Velde,  at.Semarang,  who  lately  joined  the  Society,  and  who  ia  a 
printer  and  publisher  by  profession,  has  offered  us  valuable  assistance.  He 
re-printed  a  pilmphlet  on  "  Theosophy  and  the  Theosophical  Society,"  and 
sent  it  throughout  the  Indies.  He  also  will  act  as  the  Dutch-Indian  agent 
for  the  Dutch  Theosophical  Publishing  Society.  At  Batavia  there  is  a  small 
but  earnest  circle  of  members  of  our  Society  and  students  of  our  Philosophy. 
Of  them  we  hope  much  for  the  spread  of  our  ideas  in  these  Colonies, 


NEW  ZEALAND  SECTION.   ' 

September  1900. 

There  is  nothing  of  special  importance  to  report  from  New  Zealand  this 
month.  The  attendance  at  the  public  meetings  throughout  the  Section  still 
continues  satisfactory,  classes  are  fairly  well-attended,  and  new  members 
are  added  from  time  to  time.  The  whole  activity  is  in  a  very  healthy  con« 
dition.  The  circulation  of  the  New  Zealand  TheoeophicaJL  Magaeine  is  steadily 
increasing;  the  September  issue  was  entirely  sold  out  within  a  week  of  publica- 
tion- Mrs.  Draffin  lectured  in  Auckland  on  **  The  Cause  of  Sorrow  and  Evil," 
to  a  very  large  audience;  Mr.  F.  Davidson  on  "  Hawaiki,  the  Ancient  Home 
of  the  Maori";  in  Cbristchurch,  Mr.  J.  Rhodes  on  'SSome  Misconceptions 
about  Death  " ;  in  Dunediu,  Mr.  A.  W.  Maurais  on  "  The  Arbiter  of  Destiny," 
and  Miss  Christie  on  "  Burden  Bearing." 


1?CViCW6* 


BULES  FOR  DAILY  LIFE.* 
By  a.  Siva  Row. 

This  most  useful  little  pamphlet,  of  98  pages,  is  »  compilation  of  choioe 
extracts  from  the  works  of  Mrs.  Bezant,  Mr.  Leadbeater,  Mr.  Sinnett,  and 
from  other  sources,  comprising  rules  for  personal  activities,  mental,  moral 
and  spiritual  culture,  and  character  building.  We  think  no  member  of  the 
T,  S.  would,  after  examining  it,  wish  to  be  without  it.  Tlie  price  is  six 
annas,  but  it  would  be  difficult  to  estimate  its  wortli.  It  may  be  ordered  from 
TJie  TJieoeophist  Office. 


^  Thompson  &  Co^  Madras^ 


1000.]  Heviews.  121 

A  NEW  WOEK  ON  SANSKRIT  LITERATURE:* 

"It  is  undoubtedly  a  surprising  fact 'that  down  to  the  present  timo 
no  history  of  Sanskrit  literature  as  a  whole  has  been  written  in  English.'* 
This  sentence  taken  from  his  preface,  makes  Professor  Macdonell's  new 
*' Sanskrit  Literature  "  (Heineman,  London,  68.)  all  the  more  welcome,  both 
to  students  of  Indian  thought  and  to  those  who,  not  professing  to  be  students, 
are  still  interested  in  the  story  of  the  evolution  of  Indian  ideas  and  customs. 
Hitherto,  the  best  sources  of  knowledge  on  the  history  of  Sanskrit  literature 
have  been  Professor  Max  Miiller's  work  on  the  Yedic  period  and  Professor 
Weber's  Berlin  lectures,  delivered  in  1851,  and  afterwards  published  in 
Trubner's  Oriental  Series  ;  but  for  many  years  the  former  of  these  books  has 
been  out  of  print,  and  the  latter,  owing  to  its  acadeniioal  style,  has  never 
appealed  to  the  general  reader.  Professor  Macdonell's  latest  yolume,  however, 

is worthy  of  praise.    On  nearly  every  page,  as  might  be  expected, 

there  appear  indications  of  original  research  and  critical  acumen,  wbilo  the 
style  of  the  book  is  such  as  to  make  it  eminently  interesting  and  readable. 
The  author  is  known  already  by  his  Sanskrit  Grammar  and  by  his  contribu- 
tions to  the  Joumcd  of  the  Royal  Asiatic  Society,  but  principally  by  his 
authoritative  work  "  Vedic  Mythology,''  in  Biihler's  *•  Encyclopedia  of  Indo- 
Aryan  Research  "  brought  out  in  Strasburg  in  1897.  For  the  future,  the 
study  of  that  book  and  of  the  book  under  review  must  be  made  to  go  together 
by  all  who  would  understand  the  origin  and  growth  of  the  social  and  intel* 
leetual  life  of  the  people  of  India. 

In  Chapter  I,  we  have'a  sketch  of  the  progress  made  in  Sanskrit  studies 
since  the  days  of  Sir  William  Jones.  Mention  is  made  of  Colebrooke  and 
Franz  Bopp,  of  Rudolf  Roth,  Max  Miiller  and  Oeorge  Bahler,  of  Adalbert 

Knhn,  Dr.  Bob tlingk,  "  the  Nestor  of  Indianists,'*  and  others 

The  results  of  an  immense  amount  of  work  by  men  of  great  genius  and 
wonderfnl  patience  are  stated  in  the  following  words  :— 

**  In  the  coarse  of  a  century  the  whole  range  of  Sanskrit  literature,  which  In 
quantity  exceeds  that  of  Greece  and  Borne  pat  together,  has  been  explored.  The 
great  balk  of  it  has  been  edited  and  most  of  its  valuable  prodactions  have  been 
translated  by  competent  hands.  The  detailed  investigations  in  every  department  of 
Sanskrit  literature  are  now  so  nameroos,  that  a  comprehensive  work  embodying  the 
remilts  of  all  these  researches  has  become  a  necessity.  An  eooyolopssdia  covering 
the  whole  domain  of  Indo- Aryan  antiquity  has  accordingly  been  planned  on  a  more 
extensive  scale  than  that  of  any  similar  nndertakin^,  and  is  now  being  pablished  at 
Btrasbarg,  in  parts,  oontribnted  to  by  thirty  specialists  of  various  nationalities." 

Two  hundred  and  fifty  pages  are  given  to  a  detailed  study  of  the  litera- 
ture of  the  Yedic  period,  which  forms  the  first  part  of  the  book,  the  second 
part  being  occupied  with  a  survey  of  the  (so-called)  classical  period,  in  which 
the  great  epic  poems  and  dramas  were  produced.  One  of  the  most  instruc- 
tive sections  is  that  wherein  it  is  demonstrated  that  the  Rigveda,  the  oldest 
literary  achievement  in  the  world,  is  the  work  of  many  hands,  in  many  differ* 

ent  periods  of  time 

Indeed,  it  is  in  the  chronological  disposition  of  the  various  portions  of 
Vedic  literature  and  in  the  discovery  of  the  composite  character  of  its  docu- 
ments, that  the  great  work  of  the  first  part  of  the  book  lies.  The  reader  is 
now  more  able  to  estimate  the  value  of  a  Vedic  quotation,  being  able  to  assign 

*  These  extracts  are  taken  from  a  Review  which  appeared  in  the  Madras  Uaii 
of  October  2nd.    The  foot-notes  are  ours.— p;d.  note, 

8 


122  Tlie  Theosophist.  [November 

ib  to  ila  relative  period  in  history  and  to  avoid  the Jconstrnction  of  a  theory 
of  Hindu  doctrine  that  depends  npon  the  mistaken  notion  that  every  oitation 
from  the  Yedas  is  equally  appropriate  and  conclusive.  In  this  particular 
Professor  Macdonell's  work  forms  a  suitable  counterpart  to  Professor  ICaz 
Miiller's  ''  Six  Systems  of  Indian  Philosophy/'  where  quotations  are  made 
without  any  indication  being  given  of  their  respective  positions  in  the 
"  chronological  strata  "  above  mentioned. 

In  the  chapter  which  deals  with  the  mythology  of  the  Yedas,  the  tnetbods 
of  the  author's  earlier  book  are  followed,  except  that,  instead  of  index 
references  only,  we  have  in  several  cases  the  quotations  given  inemt^neo,  which, 
from  the  standpoint  of  thecirdinary  reader,  adds  much  to  the  attractivenees 
of  the  book.  For  example,  in  praise  of  the  greatness  of  Indra  we  have  the 
following,  which  well  represents  the  rhythm  of  the  original  ^— 

Who  made  the  widespread  earth,  when  quaking,  steadfast  ? 
Who  broaght  to  rest  the  agitated  mountains  ? 
Who  measnred  out  air's  intermediate  spaoes  ? 
Who  gave  the  sky  support  ?  He,  men,  is  lodra : 
Heaven  and  earth  themseWes  bow  down  before  Him ; 
Before  His  might  the  very  mountains  tremble. 
Who,  known  as  Soma-drinker,  armed  with  lightning. 
Is  wielder  of  the  bolt  F  He,  men,  is  Indra. 

We  must  also  reproduce  two  stanzas  from  a  magnificent  hymn  to  Dawn, 
which  are  worth  quoting  as  an  example  of  the  imagery  to  be  found  in  some  of 
these  early  poems : — 

Bright  leader  of  glad  sounds,  she  shines  effulgent : 
Widely  she  has  unclosed  for  us  her  portals. 
Arousing  all  the  world,  ahe  shows  us  riches : 
Dawn  has  awakened  every  living  creature. 
There  Heaven's  Danghter  has  appeared  before  as, 
The  maiden  flashing  in  her  brilliant  garments  ; 
Then  sovereign  lady  of  all  earthly  treasure, 
Auspioious  DawD,  flash  here  to-day  npon  ns. 

It  is  then  shown  how  the  rudiments  of  Indian  philosophy  began  to  appear 
in  speculations  on  the  abode  of  departed  spirits.  Incidentally  it  is  pointed 
out  that  Yama  is  not  yet  a  god  of  death,  that  Yishnu  and  Siva  are  unknown 
as  important  deities,  and  that  the  Yedic  idea  of  final  bliss  is  something  very 
different  from  that  afterwards  set  forth  in  YedAnta  literature.  It  must  never 
be  forgotten  that  although  India,  in  modern  times,  is  pessimistio  above  all 
other  countries,  and  this  largely  becaase  of  the  acceptance  of  a  certain 
philosophic  doctrine,  her  ancient  literature  possesses  the  very  embodiment 
of  a  healthy  and  truer  optimism.  The  ordinary  life  of  ancient  times  is 
interestingly  reviewed  in  Chapter  YI,  while  in  Chapter  Yll,  the  features 
which' distinguish  the  later  Yedas  from  the  Ric,  are  clearly  delineated.  Two 
quotations  show  the  attitude  of  our  author  on  two  important  questions.  Irt 
the  exposition  of  the  Ysjur  Yeda  we  read : — 

"  In  the  Bigveda  the  object  of  devotion  was  the  gods,  for  the  power  of  bestowing 
benefits  on  mankind  was  believed  to  lie  in  their  hands  alone,  while  the  saorifioe  was 
only  a  means  of  infloenoing  their  will  in  favour  of  the  oCFerer.  In  the  Yajor  Yeda 
the  sacrifice  itself  has  become  the  centre  of  thought  and  desire,  its  correct  perform^ 


1900.]  Reviews.  123 

aace  in  every  detail  beiug  all  important.    Its  power  is  now  so    great  that  it  not 
merely  inflnencea  but  compels  the  gods  to  do  the  will  of  the  ofiiciating  priest."*^ 

And  in  the  portion  that  deuls  with  the  Atharva  Yeda  we  have  the 
f  oiloinng  :«* 

**  The  ▼erdiot  of  the  law  treatises  on  the  whole  is,  that  tm  incantations  of  rarions 
kinds  are  injnrions,  the  Atharva  Veda  is  inferior  and  its  praotioes  impare.t 

This  inferiority  is  directly  expressed  in  the  Dharma  SMra  of  Apastamba.  The 
most  influential  Brahmins  of  Southern  India  still  refuse  to  accept  the  authority  of 
the  fourth  Yeda  and  deny  its  genuineness*"  t 

In  an  important  chapter  the  Brlihmanas  are  described,  after  which  the 
development  of  speculative  ideas  through  these  treatises,  to  the  succeeding 
XJpanishads,  is  carefully  traced.  We  were  interested  in  noticing  a  new  ety- 
mology in  connection  with  the  Mundaka  Upanishad.  Professor  Max  Miiller 
appears  to  acoept  the  opinion  of  native  scholiasts  that  it  is  the  **  Shaving 
Upaniafaad,"  beoanse  its  doctrine  cuts  o£E  the  errors  of  the  mind,  like  a  rafeor ; 
whereas  Profeasor  Macdonell  now  says  that  it  derives  its  name  from  beipg 
the  Upanishad  of  an  aasooiation  of  ascetics  who  shaved  their  heads,  kfi  did 
Buddhist  monks  at  a  late  time. 

In  the  later  chapters  of  the  work  we  notice  that  the  theory,  preferred  by 
Professor  Max  Mtlller  and  others,  that  the  S^tra  period  began  about  the  time 
of  the  rise  of  Buddhism,  is  accepted  {  that  Holtzmann's  recent  arguments 
for  the  date  of  the  Mah&bh&rata  are  entirely  rejected  and  the  date  of  the 
poem  is  put  back  several  centuries ;  that  the  doctrine  of  transmigration  is 
said  to  be  not  Indo* Aryan  at  all,  but  borrowed  from  the  aborigines ;  that 
ProfasDor  Weber's  assumption  of  Greek  influence  in  the  story  of  the 
Bftasftyana  is  held  to  be  without  foundation  i  but  Buddhism  and  Jainism 
are  stated  to  be  based  on  the  S&nkhya  system  of  philosophy^  and  that, 
aaiong  .fiuropeaa  philosophers,  Pythagoras  and  the  Gnostics  are  said 
to  have  been  influenced,  in  no  small  degree  by  the  speenlations  of 
India.  Chapter  XV,  is  given  to  a  summary  of  philosophy  proper,  and 
is  of  so  scrappy  a  character  that  it  would  have  been  better  left  out  of 
the  book.  The  attempt  to  condense  into  one  chapter  systems  of  such 
magnitade  as  those  epitomised  in  the  Shad  Darsanas  of  India,  is  about  as 
profitable  a  task  as  the  proverbial  search  for  a  horn  on  the  head  of  a  hare. 
Chapter  XV,  is,  comparatively,  a  failure  $  besides  being  defective,  in  its 
omiaaions,  it  is  misleading  in  some  of  its  assertions.  This  section  excepted, 
Piofemor  MacdoneH's  *'  Sanskrit  Literature  "  is  a  book  to  be  carefully  and 
profitaMy  studied.    We  heartily  recommend  it  to  our  readers. 

Exigencies  of  space  prevent  our  reference  to  other  topics  that  we  had 
noted  for  observation,  but  the  general  esLcellence  of  one  rather  long  passage 
that  bears  upon  the  Etudy  of  Sanskrit  must  be  our  apology  for  its  full 
quotation,  with  the  added  remark  that  in  our  opinion  it  bears  with  equal 
pertinence  upon  the  study  of  all  things  Indian : 

"  It  is  impossible  even  for  the  Sanskrit  scholar  who  has  not  lived  in  India,  to 
appreciabe  fully  the  merits  of  this  later  poetry,  much  more  so  for  those  who  can 


•  This  shows  the  progress  of  spirituality.  The  author  (MaodoneU)  means  the 
reverse,  perhaps  ? 

t  Undoubtedly  seme  of  the  incantations  are  impure*  Bat  every  Yeda  ooutains 
some  such :  the  Atharva  Veda  contains  lofty  hymns  also. 

{This  is  because  they  are  ignorant  of  the  existence  of  the  Atharva  Yeda  studied 
.in  Western  and  North. Westex'n  India.  They  even  hold  that  the  Atharva  Yeda 
hu  become  quite  eztinotr-which  is  a  piece  of  ignoranoe^ 


124  The  't'heosophist.  [Noveinbdr 

only  become  acqnaiiited  with  it  in  translations.  For,  in  the  first  place,  the  metres, 
artificial  and  elaboraite  thongh  they  are,  have  a  beaoty  of  their  own  which  cannot  be 
reproduced  in  other  langnages.  Again,  to  understand  it  thorooghly^  the  reader 
must  have  seen  the  tropical  plains  and  forests  of  Hindustan  steeped  in  intense  sun- 
light or  bathed  in  brilliant  moonlight ;  he  must  have  viewed  the  silent  ascetic  seated 
at  the  foot  of  the  sacred  fig-tree ;  he  must  have  experienced  the  feelings  inspired  by 
the  approach  of  the  monsoon :  he  must  have  watched  beast  and  bird  disporting 
themselves  in  tank  and  river :  he  must  know  the  varying  aspects  of  Nature  in  the 
different  seasons  ;  in  short  he  must  be  acquainted  with  all  the  sights  and  sounds  of 
an  Indian  landscapCy  the  mere  allu^on  to  one  of  which  may  call  np  some  familiar 
scene  or  touch  some  chord  of  sentiment.  Otherwise,  for  instance,  the  mango  tree, 
the  red  Asoka,  the  orange  Kadamba,  the  various  creepers,  the  different  kinds  of 
lotus,  the  mention  of  each  of  which  should  convey  a  vivid  picture,  are  but  empty 
names.  Without  a  knowledge,  moreover,  of  the  habits,  modes  of  thought,  and 
traditions  of  the  people,  much  must  remain  meaningless.  But  those  who  are  properly 
equipped  can  see  many  beauties  in  classical  Sanskrit  poetry  which  are  entirely  lost 
to  others.  Thus  a  distinguished  scholar  known  to  the  present  writer  has  entered  so 
fully  into  the  spirit  of  that  poetry,  that  he  is  unable  to  derive  pleasure  from  any 
other." 


MAGAZINES. 

The  Theoaophical  Bevieio  (October)  opecs  with  Mrs.  Haig's  traDslation 
from  the  Swedish,  *•  On  Pre- existence,"  by  Viktor  Bydberg.  "  A  Child's 
Tragedy,"  by  Eremita,  thomgb  vividly  picturing  the  first,  acute  sorrows  of 
the  child-heart,  scarcely  reaches  the  realm  of  *  tragiedy.'  Under  "  Indian 
Hymnology  "  we  find  the  stately  **  Hymn  to  Dnrga,"  well  rendered.  Miss 
Hardca^tle's  '*  Counsels  of  Perfection;"  though  in  the  main  excellent,  contain 
6ome  which  are  difficult  of  assimilation,  for  , instance :  ''That  trhiohianot 
eternal  is  nothing,  and  ought  to  be  accounted  as  nothing."  This  needs 
considerable  modification.  Are  we  to  utterly  ignore  all  the  divine  manifes- 
tations throughout  Nature ?  If  so,  what  a  waste  of  design !  "  The.Secret  of 
Evolution,"  by  Mrs.  Besant,  should  be  re-published  in  pamphlet  form.  The 
noble  truths  contained  therein  deserve  to  be  widely  circulated.  The  advant- 
ages and  disadvantages  of  "  Society  and  Solitude  as  Means  for  Training 
Character,"  at  different  stages  of  evolution,  are  portrayed  by  Mrs.  Corbett. 
W.  J*  John  writes,  in  his  usual  laconic  and  logical  style,  on  "  The  Beasonable- 
ness  of  Beincarnation,"  and  C.  S.  P.  gives  the  religious  aspect  of  "  The 
Teachings  of  Tolstoi."  Mrs.  Hooper  notes  some  singular  and  significant 
features  in  connection  with  ••Druidio  Amulets  and  other  Symbols.*' 
•*The  wise  m«3n  of  the  Chilkats,'*  by  H.  H.  P.,  describes  some  of  the 
traditional  history,  religious  faith  and  psychic  practices  of  the  ''wise 
men "  of  one  of  the  tribes  of  the  North  American  Indians.  "  The 
Pioneer  of  tlie  Abhidhamma  in  English,"  is  a  recent  translation  from  the  Pali, 
by  Mrs.  Caroline  Rhys  Davids,  m.a.  It  is  a  *  Buddhist  Manual  of  Psychologi- 
cal  Ethics,'  and  Mr.  J.  C.  Chatterji,  in  his  review  notice,  recommends  the 
work,  as  a  •*  valuable  addition  to  Buddhistic  literature  in   English,     •    •    • 

In  Theowphy  in  Australasia  (September),  F.  G.  G.  Hynes  gives  "A  Birds* 
Eye  Viei^  of  the  Theosophical  Movement,"  which  is  significant  and  instructive. 
We  hope  it  will  be  continued.  "  Theosophy  and  Civilisation;'  by  W,  A. 
Mayers,  is  an  introductory  paper  which  promises  well. 


IMO.]  Reviews.  1^5 

The  N.  Z.  TheoiophicaL  MagaxvM  for  September  has  been  enlarged  and  is 
working  with  a  hearty  good«will  to  meet  the  needs  of  its  sabsoribers^  The 
opening  article,  ''Atlantis,  the  Lost  Continent,"  by  S.  Stnart,  is  in  his  usual 
scholarly  and  scientific  vein.  Mrs.  Draffin  giires  an  interesting  '*  Allegory," 
Marion  Judson  writes  a  valuable  article  on  **  Thought  as  a  Factor  in  the 
Making  of  Gharacter,"  there  is  another  instalment  of  "  The  Mission  of  Mr» 
Narana»'*  by  Q.  E.  D.,  a  contribution  in  the  Children's  Column  on  "  Prince 
Koh-i-noor,"  and  other  matter. 

The  2%«M0|)Ate  G2eaiMr  (October)  opens  with  an  article  on  *' Manas,"  by 
p.  H.  Mehta.  "Nirvana  Without  Intermediate  Planes,"  by  R.  M.  Mohedji,  is 
continued,  and  there  are  some  choice,  selections  from  our  other  T.  8.  Ma« 
gasines. 

The  VahaW9  answers  to  questions  are  always  very  interesting. 

The  Theoeophic  Messenger  for  September  (San  Francisco)  publishes  the 
**  National  Committee  Letter,*'  which  gives  some  details  of  a  valuable  plan  for 
indexing  our  T.  S.  literature.  It  is  proposed  to  have  a  Card  ludex  at  the 
Chicago  Headquarters,  to  bring  out  the  work  by  instalments  in  the  Messenger^ 
and  afterwards  to  re-publish  it  in  book  form.  If  this  plan  in  carried  out,  it 
will  be  of  great  use  to  students. 

The  Qolden  Cham  is  a  magazine  published  monthly,  at  the  same  office 
as  the  preceding,  "  in  the  interest  of  children  and  young  people  of  every  land, 
for  the  purpose  of  linking  them  together  in  the  bonds  of  love  foir  each  other 
and  of  kindness  for  every  living  thing  " — ^a  noble  work. 

T^  Phrenological  Journal  is  always  a  welcome  visitor  at  our  office.  The 
September  issue  contains  portraits  of  the  nominees  for  President  and  Vice- 
President,  who  will  soon  be  voted  for  by  the  two  leading  political  parties  in 
America,  along  with  their  chief  characteristics.  The  annual  assembly  of  the 
American  Institute  of  Phrenology  was  convened  on  September  5th.  Its 
Gorricnlum  embraces  general  Anthropology,  Phrenology,  Anatomy,  Physiology, 
Psychology,  Physiognomy,  Hygiene,  Heredity,  Ethnology  and  Oratory.  The 
foregoing  will  include  among  other  subjects,  Temperaments,  Mental  Thera- 
peutics, Human  Magnetism.  Psycho-Physiology  and  Brain  Disordenb  The 
Institnte  is  highly  recommended  by  prominent  men. 

Acknowledged  with  thanks:  Light,  Review  of  BeviewSt  L*  Initiationi 
Loiue  Bluthenf  Mind^  The  Ideal  Review,  Notes  and  Queries,  Immortaiity^ 
The  Lamp,  The  New  Century,  Banner  of  Light,  Harbinger  qf  Light,  HeaMh 
(formerly  Omega),  Temple  of  Health,  The  Light  of  tJie  East,  Thei  Light  of  Trtdh, 
The  BudcUUst,  The  Frasnottara,  The  Brahmavddin,  Frabuddha  BMrata,  The 
Brohmackarin,   Malva-Bodhi  Journal^  Davsn,  hidian  Journal  of  Education* 

Our  other  non-English  T.  S.  Exchanges  have  not  arrived. 


Hi 


CUTTINGS  AND  COMMENTS. 

"  Thoughts,  like  the  pollen  of  flo>yers,  leave  one  brain  and  fasten  to  another." 

Rev.  Washington    Gladden,   D.D.,  contributes 
Theosophic      to  The  Christian  World  an  article  on  "  The  Duty  of 
ideas  in  the      l/oving  Ourselves/'  in  which  he  says  : 

Churches,  Which,  now,  of  these  eelves^-the  animal  self,  whose  law 

is  exolusion,  or  the  spiritual  self,  whose  law  is  fellowship 
and  co-operation — is  the  real  haman  self  P  Not  one  of  ns  would  have  an^ 
difficulty  in  answering  that  question.  A  true  and  genaine  self-love,  then,  n 
the  love  that  chooses  the  good  of  the  higher  self  in  preference  to  the  lower. 
And  that  kind  of  self-love  identifies  us  with  our  fellows,  and  makes  it  im- 
possible for  us  to  prosper  by  despoiling  them  or  disregarding  their  welfare. 

No  one  can  doubt  that  a  true  self-realisation  does  involve  the  perfection 
of  this  higher  part  of  our  nature  by  which  we  are  united  in  intercist  and 
affection  with  our  fellow-men.  And  there  is  no  danger  whatever  that  we 
shall  love  the  superior  self,  the  real  self,  too  well,  since  that  self  finds  ittt 
happiness  in  the  happiness  of  others,  and  its  perfection  in  their  welfare. 
Indeed  we  may  say  that  the  trouble  with  the  man  whom  we  call  selfishi  is 
that  he  is  deficient  in  self-love.  He  does  not  love  himself  nearly  as  much  as 
he  ought.  His  real  self,  his  manhood,  his  character,  is  not  dear -to  him. 
What  his  heart  is  set  upon  is  not  the  interests  and  possessions  which  make 
him  a  man,  but  rather  those  by  which  he  is  allied  to  the  inferior  realm,  the 
things  of  flesh  and  sense — money,  place,  power — the  kinds  of  goods  to  which 
the  law  of  exclusion  applies.  Such  selfishness  inevitably  dwarfe  and 
degrades  him.  If  a  man  had  any  intelligent  regard  for  himself,  he  would 
not  be  a  sulfish  man. 

The  duty  of  loving  ourselves  is,  therefore,  as  nearly  essential  and  f undik- 
mental  as  anything  can  be  in  character.  In  the  true  understandiDg  of  it,  it 
is  a  deeply  religious  obligation. 

The  true  self-love  can  no  more  be  separated  from  neighbonr-Iove  than 
light  from  colour,  or  extension  from  space.  No  man  can  love  himself,  in  the 
highest  and  truest  sense,  without  loving  his  neighbour,  and  no  one  can  lore 
his  neighbour  as  he  ought  to  love  him  without  loving  himself. 

The  above  is  very  good  Theosophic  teaching,  even  though 
coming  from  a  D.D. 

Those  who  are  always  inclined  to  mourn  over 

Heredity        and  fear  their  hereiditary  ills  may  gather  a  few  grains 

and  of  hope  and  comfort  from  the  following  pqem  by 

Divine   Will,    Ella  Wheeler  iWilcox,  which  appeared  in  the  Neiv 

York  Press  : 

'  There  is  no  thing  we  cannot  overcome  ;  ^ 

Say  not  thy  evil  instinct  is  inherited 
Or  that  some  trait  inborn  makes  thy  whoielife  forlorn, 
And  calls  down  punishment  that  is  not  merited* 

Back  of  thy  parents  and  grandparents  lies 
The  Great  Eternal  Will !  That,  too,  is  thine 
Inheritance  :  strong,  beautiful,  divine, 

Sure  lever  of  success  for  one  who  tries* 

Pry  up  thy  fault  with  this  great  lever — will  I 

However  deeply  bedded  in  propensity. 
However  firmly  set,  I  tell  thee,  firmer  yet 

JLs  that  vast  power  that  comes  from  truth's  immensity^ 


1900.]  Cuttings  and  Comments.  ^^'^ 

Tbon  art  a  part  of  this  strange  world,  I  say  ] 

Its  forces  lie  within  thee,  stronger  far 

Than  all  thy  mortal  sins  and  frailties  are. 
Believe  thyself  divine  and  watch  and  pray. 

There  is  no  noble  height  thoa  canst  not  climb  ; 

All  triumph 8  may  be  thine  in  time's  fnturity, 
If»  whatsoe'er  thy  fault,  thou  do8t  not  faint  or  halt, 

Bot  lean  upon  the  sti^  of  Grod's  security, 

Earth  has  no  olaim  the  soul  cannot  contest, 

Know  thyself  part  of  the  Eternal  Source  ; 

Then  naught  can  stand  before  thy  spirit's  foroe. 
The  soul's  Divine  Inheritance  is  best, 

•% 

The  lessons  to  be  learned  from  the'songs  of  the 

Sons^  of       Indian  beggar  were  admirably  portrayed  in  a  lecture 

Inaian         delivered  a  short  time  ago  at  Trevandrum,   by  Mr. 

Beggars.         M.  Ratnaswami  Iyer,  the  Dewan   Peishkar  of  that 

place.  We  subjoin  a  short  extract  from  a  translation 
of  the  lecture  which  appeared  m  the  Madras  Mail.  Speaking  of  the 
aenthnents  which  these  familiar  songs  embod}*,-  he  said : 

Tliose  who  attentively  listen  to  such  philosophic  songs  are  reminded  at 
once  of  the  fsJse  glamour  of  the  Maya  intoxication  which  has  been  absorbing 
Ihem  all  along  and  are  led  up  to  think  of  the  ways  of  liberation  from  it  and 
attaining  salvation.    Is  the  beggar  who  helps  such  a  turn  upwards  in  as,  un- 
worthy  of  the  return  we  give  ?  But  nobody  should  allow  himself  to  be  allur- 
ed into  the  delusion  that  the  beggar  who  sings  philosophy  is  a  philosoi)her  or 
sage  himself.    Those  of  the  class  who  put  on  such  a  guise  are  mostly  impos- 
tors.   It  is  necessary  to  be  forewarned  of  this  and  not  to  be  deceived.  ^  Of 
such  famnbags,  who  put  on  only  ceremonial  or  outward  forms  of  purity,  with- 
out attaining  intrinsic  or  inward  purity,  it  has  been  well  said  : — *^  Their  cold 
bath  in  early  morning  is  only  like  that  of  the  bird  which  dips  into  water  for  the 
sake  of  the  fish  in  it ;  there  is  hardly  any  more  good   in  their  rubbing  the 
body  with  white  holy  ashes  than  in  the  white  powder  temporarily  put    on  by 
ftie  water  pampkin ;  there  is  no  more  good  in  their  load\ng  all  their  body 
with  lituZAraXesAam  beads  than  in  the  Elavu  (cotton)  tree  bearing  ever  so 
many  unripe  fruits ;  the  rows  after  rows  of  Na7nam%  or  holy  marks  they  put 
on  by  the  aoaen,  look  only  like  the  outstretched  feathers  of  the  white  crane 
pouncing  on  and  swallowing  fish;  there  is  no  good  in  their  stampiag  them  * 
selvea  with  MudhraB  or  seal-marks  like  those  of  a  PakaUud ;  or  putting  on 
Qofi  or  nmdal-marks  like  so  many  ripe  bamboo  leaves ;  there  is  no  use  in  their 
merely  throwing  away  heavenwards  in  supplications  (sandhya  vandanams) 
water  by  the  hand,  like  the  elephant's  proboscis  throwing  away  water  heaven* 
wards  to  quench  its  own  thirst  $  there  is  no  use  in  their  merely  croaking  away 
daily  like  the  frog  on  a  dark  rainy  night,  holy  songs  such  as  Thevaram  and 
'ndravaimozhi ;  their  walking  round  temples  ever  so  often  like  oxen  constant- 
ly taming  round  the  oil  mill  is  of  itself, no  good  ;  there  is  no  use  in  their 
simply  eating  roots,  bulbs  and  fruits,  like  the  cow  grazing  on  herbs  in  the 
forest ;  or  living  long  on  air  only  like  the  ser|)ent ;  or  barely  neglecting  the 
body  and  treating  it  like  a  dry  fuel  stick  exposed  to  wind  and  sun  ;  or  only 
lying  unmoved  in  one  place  like  a  motionless  boa  constrictor ;  or  merely  bear* 
ing  cold  and  heat  like  the  branch  of  a  tree  exposed  to  rain,  dew  and  sun  ;  or 
Bitting  seemingly  absorbed  in  grave  contemplation  with  the  body  motionless 
like  a  heavy  stone  ;  or  spending  days  together  in  the  midst  of  five  fires,  like  a 
blacksmith  seated  without  feeling,  near  a  furnace  ;  or  performing  Tapas  or 
penance,  lying  head  downwards  like  the  bat  hanging  suspended  on  its  legs  in 
the  midst  of  the  foliage  in  a  tree  ;  or  lying  concealed  in  a  cave  like  the  mouse 
living  in  its  burrowed  hole;  or  being  silent  without  food  or  sleep,  like  a  wooden 
doll  which  can  neither  talk  nor  move  ;  or  rearing  thick  knots  of  hair  on  the 
head, like  ropes  of  roots  falling  down  from  the  banyan  tree! "    None  of  these 
forms  by  themselves  will  do.    Practical  wisdom  alone  will  avail.    I  appreciate 
— not  the  beggar— but  his  stock  of  philosophic  song?,  and  would  reward  him 
gnly  for  exhibition  of  that  stock. 


IZ9  The  Theosophlst.  [November 

The  highly  educated  and  gentlemanly  Chinese 
Views  of       Minister  to  the  Court  of  St.  James,  was  recently  asked 
the  Chinese      his  opinion  of  the  crisis  in  his  country.    In  the 
Mhiister.       course  of  his  reply  he  said : 

•  The  Boxer  movemenfc,  as  we  know  it  to*day,  is  really  a 
fasion  of  many  seoret  societies  incibed  to  oommon  action  by  the  excesses  of 
missionary  zeal.  The  Chinese  are  not  savages ;  they  are  possessed  of  a 
philosophy  which  inspired  Gomte,  and  which  is  the  basis  of  positivism.  The 
missionaries  of  cultare,  like  Dr.  Temple  or  Dr.  Creigton,  remain  at  home, 
and  yon  send  men  whose  zeal  ontrnns  their  discretion.  The  converts  are 
recruited  from  the  lowest  strata  of  the  Chinese  millions ;  they  are  snbsidised 
to  the  extent  of  three  dollars  per  month,  and  their  avarice  is  fostered  by  the 
missionaries  interfering  in  the  contemptible  squabbles  between  the  convert 
and  the  non-convert,  and  encouraging  law-suits,  which  generally  do  not  result 
unfavourably  for  the  convert,  thanks  to  the  influence  of  the  missionary.  The 
only  effective  means  for  the  dispersal  of  secret  societies  for  all  time  and  the 
stamping-out  of  the  germs  of  future  risings  is  the  removal,  or  at  least  tbe 
restriction,  of  the  functions  of  the  missionary. 

His  Excellency,  in  replying  to  a  remark  of  his  interviewer,  said, 
further : 

Did  Jesus,  or  St.  Paul,  or  St.  Peter  seek  the  Consul  or  the  oonclosive 
argument  of  the  gunboat,  or  outrage  a  nation's  feelings  by  sending  girls  of 
nineteen  to  teach  the  truths  of  life  to  men  and  women  of  forty  P  And  yon 
offer  premiums  to  crime  by  sending  them  to  places  far  from  the  coast  where 
foreigners  are  unknown. 

Again,  in  alluding  to  the  artistic  quality  of  literature  he  re- 
marked : 

The  educated  Chinese  are  of  an  inquiring  turn  of  mind,  and  they  turn 
to  the  Bible  in  order  to  realise  Western  manners  and  modes  of  thought,  and 
are  shocked  at  its  graceless  composition  and  inelegant  phraseology. 

With  a  view  to  relieve  the  suffierings  of  his  people 
A  Model       His  Highness  the  Thakore  Saheb  of  Morvi  has  under- 
Ruler.  taken  works  of  varied  importance  in  his  State.    A 

sum  of  about  rupees  three  lakhs  has  been  set  apart 
for  sinking  and  repairing  new  and  old  wells.  Every  facility,  in 
addition  to  pecuniary  help,  is  rendered  to  cultivators  in  doing  this, 
and  any  one  now  going  over  the  agricultural  area  in  the  State  will 
scarcely  find  a  field  without  a  well.  What  is  most  fortunate  is  the 
fact  that  the  task  of  getting  these  wells  dug  is  not  thrown  upon 
cultivators'  shoulders,  but  the  State  bears  the  labourers'  expenses. 
The  cultivation  of  the  State  will  be  much  benefited  in  future  years. 
The  Thakore  Saheb  has  not  limited  himself  to  providing  wells  for 
the  cultivators,  but  seeds  have  b'een  furnished  to  them  for  sowing 
operations.  Food  grains  have  been  imported  from  different  parts 
of  Northern  India  and  have  been  stored  up  in  the  Patel's  house  at 
Morvi. 


THE     THEOSOPHIST. 

(Founded  in  1879.) 


VOL.  XXII.,  NO.  3,  DECEMBER  1900. 


"THERE  IS  NO  RELIGION  HIGHER  THAN  TRUTH." 

[Famijy  motio  of  the  Maharajahs  of  Befiare$,'\ 

OLD  DIARY  LEAVES* 

Fourth  Series,  Chapter  XIV. 
(Year  1890.) 

1  A  VAILED  myself  of  the  presence  at  headquarters  of  Mr.  E.  D. 
Fawcett  to  get  up  a  course  of  lectures  on  the  different  schools 
of  Philosophy,  which  he  should  afterwards  bring  out  in  book  form 
under  the  title  of  "  The  Power  Behind  the  Universe."  This  young 
man,  then  of  twenty-four  j^ears,  has  a  brain  which  is  remarkably 
adapted  to  the  study  of  metaphysics  and  philosophy,  and  I  have 
noted  in  my  Diary  that  I  was  profoundly  impressed  with  his  intellec- 
tual ability  on  reading  the  manuscript  of  his  first  lecture.  It  was  a 
summary  analysis  of  the  whole  series  of  modem  metaphysicians, 
eighteen  in  number,  from  Descartes  to  von  Hartmann.  Yet  at  the 
same  time,  as  his  more  recent  contributions  to  the  London  maga- 
zines show,  his  mind  is  capable  of  flights  into  the  realm  of  pure 
imagination,  and  he  is  very  ingenious  in  inventing  thrilling  situa- 
tions for  the  entanglement  of  the  personages  of  his  story. 

His  first  lecture  was  given  in  our  hall  at  Adyar  on  the  19th  of 
July.  The  room  looked  g^nd  with  its  decking  of  palm^fronds,  flags, 
lights  and  a  large  picture  of  Sarasvati,  the  Indian  Minerva,  suspended 
over  the  speaker's  platform.  Every  seat  was  occupied  and  the 
audience,  which  was  mainly  composed  of  University  graduates 
and  College  undergraduates,  was  as  intellectual  an  one  as  any 
speaker  could  wish  to  address.  To  us  who  know  the  Hindus  it 
is  hardly  credible  how  little  is  known  of  this  side  of  their  character 
by  their  official  superiors;  the  majority  of  military  and  civilian 

•  Three  volumes,  in  series  of  thirty  chapters,  tracinjf  the  history  of  the 
Tbeosophical  Society  from  its  beg^innin^s  at  New  York,  Iiave  appeared  in  the 
Tfceofop^Mf,  and  the  first  volume  is  .available  in  book  form.  Price,  cloth,  Rs.  3-8-0, 
or  paper,  Rs.  2-3-0.  Vol.  II.  beautifully  illustrated  with  viewsj  of  Adyar^  has  just 
appeared.    Price,  cloth,  Rs.  5.  .  .  " 


130  The  Theosophist.  [December 

British  officials  return  home,  sometimes  after  thirty-odd  years'  resi- 
dence in  this  country,  with  no  other  impression  of  the  Hindus  than 
that  which  they  have  derived  in  their  superficial  relations  with  them 
in  public  offices,  or  from  their  exasperating  experience  with  their 
sycophantic,  usually  illiterate  and  often  intemperate  domestic  ser- 
vants. How  could  they  possibly  expect  to  be  on  terms  of  good  under- 
standing with  high-caste  men  {t,e,,  gentlemen)  whom  they  treat  in 
official  intercourse  with  unconcealed  disdain,  commonly  classifying 
them  as  "  niggers,"  without  caring  at  all  whether  it  comes  to  the 
insulted  gentlemen's  ears  or  not  ?  It  is  inexpressibly  sad  to  me  to 
see  this  awful  waste  of  good  opportunity  to  bind  the  Indian  Empire 
to  the  British  Throne  with  silken  bands  of  love,  which  are  beyond 
comparison  stronger  than  all  the  steel  links  that  can  be  forged  out 
of  swords  and  bayonets.  At  the  present  writing  we  are  blessed  with 
a  Viceroy,  Lord  Curzon  of  KeddleSton,  who  has  shown  a  tact  more 
exquisite  than  any  of  his  predecessors  within  the  past  twenty  years, 
and  I  feel  sure  that  he  will  leave  behind  him,  on  returning  to 
England,  a  better  feeling  than  has  prevailed  for  many  years.  Politics, 
however,  are  not  my  concern,  and  I  have  only  been  tempted  into' this 
digression  because  of  my  own  love  for  the  Hindus  and  my  sympathy 
in  all  their  troubles. 

The  second  lecture  of  the  weekly  course  was  one  by  Dr.  Daly,  on 
**  Clairvoyance,"  which  I  read  from  the  manuscript  in  his  absence* 
and  it  was  printed  in  the  Theosophist.  The  third  and  subsequent  ones 
were  delivered  at  **  Keman  Castle,"  the  residence  of  Mr.  Biligiri  Iyen- 
gar, on  the  Marina,  as  we  found  that  the  distance  of  Adyar  was  in- 
convenient to  the  class  of  men  who  wished  to  hear  the  course.  Two 
of  the  lectures  I  gave  myself,  and  Mr.  Harte  gave  one  on  "  The  Re- 
ligion of  the  Future." 

Among  the  many  tokens  of  affection  which  I  have  received  from 
the  Hindus  was  a  proposal  which  came  to  me  in  August  from  Babu 
Shishir  K.  Ghose,  of  Calcutta,  informing  me  that  a  scheme  was  afoot 
for  getting  up  an  Indian  National  Testimonial  to  me,  in  the  form  of 
a  subscription  to  ensure  my  future  comfort.  I  declined  it,  of  course, 
as  my  modest  income  from  the  magazine  was  quite  enough  to  supply 
all  my  wants.  The  offer  was,  however,  most  gratifying.  I  notice  in 
my  Diary  that  the  same  proposal  was  made  in  a  highly  appreciative 
leading  article  in  the  Indian  Mirror  of  the  21st  August. 

There  was  what  the  "  cuUud  pusson  "  calls  **  a  heap  of  trouble  "  in 
our  theosophical  groups  at  Paris,  at  this  time.  Dr.  G.  Encausse, 
better  known  by  his  literary  sobriquet  of  **  Papus,"  seemed  disposed  to 
play  the  part  of  an  Ahriman  in  any  organization  in  which  he  was  not 
supreme  director,  and  fell  out  with  his  French  colleagues,  seceded 
from  our  branch,  made  another  one  called  the  "  Sphynx,"  and  then 
asked  me  for  a  charter.  A  file  of  rather  acrimonious  correspondence 
was  sent  me  and  by  the  same  mail  came  one  from  the  unquiet  gen- 
tleman himself,  giving  me  direful  threats  if  I  should  decide  to  stand 


1900.]  Old  Diary  Leaves.  131 

by  H.P.B.  in  tlie  current  quarrel.  She  was  driving  me  almost 
to  desperation  at  about  that  time,  even  to  the  extent  of  sending  out 
Mr.  Keightley  to  India  with  a  sort  of  letter-of-marque,  apparently  in* 
tended  to  destroy  the  prestige  of  Adyar  and  concentrate  all  exoteric, 
as  well  as  esoteric,  authority  in  London.  Fortunately  for  all  con-> 
cemed,  he  showed  this  document  to  one  of  our  strongest  Indian  mem* 
bers,  who  begged  him  not  to  show  it  to  another  person,  for  it  certain* 
ly  would  give  a  death-blow  to  H.P.B.'s  influence  in  India.  This  was 
the  prickly  side  of  my  dear  "  chum."  Yet  I  wrote  by  the  returning 
mail,  a  letter  to  **  Papus  '\which  left  him,  at  least,  in  no  doubt  as  to 
the  unswerving  loyalty  which  I  felt  for  her  who  had  shown  me  the 
way  in  which  to  climb  towards  the  Higher  Self,  He  inserted  in  his 
magazine  at  one  time,  a  dastardly  attack  on  the  characters  of  H.P.B, 
and  Mrs.  Besant,  for  which  that  loyal  friend,  the  late  M.  Arnould, 
sent  him  his  seconds ;  but  in  that  case,  at  least,  the  offender  declined 
a  meeting.  I  also  refused  the  charter  and  since  that  time  the  Society 
has  not  had  the  honour  of  counting  him  among  its  members  ;  quite 
the  contrary— it  expelled  him.  Some  years  later,  during  one  of  my 
visits  to  Paris,  he  sent  me  an  invitation  to  witness  some  most  inter* 
esting  hypnotic  experiments  at  the  Hospital  of  La  Charity,  at  the 
same  time  holding  out  the  palm-branch.  Much  as  I  wished  to  see 
Dr.  IfUys'  experiments,  I  had  to  decline  renewal  of  our  personal  re- 
lations until  he  had  made  in  his  magazine  the  amende  honorable  to- 
wards my  two  dear  colleagues  and  friends. 

I  have  noted  throughout  the  summer  months  of  that  year  that 
gifts,  ranging  from  ;^ioo  to  £^,  for  the  support  of  headquarters, 
came  in  from  Europe  and  America  ;  by  one  mail  I  received  three. 
It  is  strange  how  this  thing  has  been  going  on  from  the  beginning 
down  to  the  present  day ;  my  wants  for  the  Society,  whether  great  or 
small,  are  invariably  covered  by  timely  remittances.  If  I  had  no 
other  assurance  of  the  over-looking  sympathy  of  the  Great  Ones,  I 
should  be  dull,  indeed,  not  to  recognise  it  in  these  beneficent  prompt- 
ings to  those  who  can  afford  to  give  what  is  needed.  In  this,  as  I 
have  elsewhere  observed,  my  experience  coincides  with  that  of  all 
unselfish  workers  for  the  public  good. 

It  was  in  1890  that  H.P.B.  and  her  staff  settled  in  the 
since  famous  headquarters,  19,  Avenue  Road,  St.  John's  Wood, 
London,  and  it  was  here  that  in  the  following  year  she  died.  As 
the  property  has  passed  out  of  our  hands  within  the  past  twelvemonth, 
it  may  be  as  well  to  devote  a  paragraph  to  a  description  of  it.  It  was  a 
large  house,  standing  in  its  own  grounds,  which  formed  a  pleasant 
garden  with  bits  of  lawn,  shrubbery  and  a  few  tall  trees.  Mount- 
ing the  front  steps  one  entered  a  vestibule  and  short  hall  from  each 
aide  of  which  doors  opened  into  rooms.  The  front  one  on  the 
left  was  H.P.B.'s  working-room  and  her  small  bedchamber 
adjoined  it.  Prom  this  inner  room  a  short  passage  led  into  a 
jather  spacious  chamber  which  was  built  for  and  occupied  by 


132  iThe  T'heosophist.  [Dec^mbef 

the  Esoteric  Section.  To  the  right  of  the  hall  on  entering  was  an 
artistically  furnished  dining-room,  which  was  also  used  for  the  recep- 
tion of  visitors.  Back  of  this  was  a  small  room,  then  used  as  a 
general  work-room,  afterwards  occupied  by  Mr.  Leadbeater  as  his  bed- 
chamber. A  door  cut  through  the  West  wall  of  the  dining-room  gave 
access  to  the  new  Hall  of  the  Blavatsky  I,odge  ;  while  one  cut  in  the 
East  wall  of  H.P.B.'s  room  led  into  the  office  of  the  General 
Secretary  of  the  European  Section.  The  upper  stories  of  the  house 
were  sleeping  apartments.  The  meeting-hall  of  the  Blavatsky 
lyodge  was  of  corrugated  iron,  the  walls  and  ceiling  sheathed 
with  unpainted  wood.  Mr.  R.  Machell,  the  artist,  had  covered 
the  two  sloping  halves  of  the  ceiling  with  the  symbolic  representa- 
tions of  six  great  religions  and  of  the  zodiacal  signs.  At  the  South 
end  was  a  low  platform  for  the  presiding  officer  and  the  lecturer  of 
the  evening.  The  Hall  had  a  seating  capacity  of  about  two  hundred. 
On  the  opening  night  thexoom  was  crammed  and  many  were  unable 
to  gain  admission.  The  speakers  were  Mrs.  Besant,  Mr.  Sinnett,  a 
Mrs.  Woolff  (of  America),  and  Mr.  Keightley.  H.P.B.  was  present 
but  said  nothing  on  account  of  the  critical  state  of  her  health. 

H.P.B.'s  work-room  was  crammed  with  furniture  and  on 
the  walls  hung  a  large  number  of  photographs  of  her  personal 
friends  and  of  members  of  the  Esoteric  Section.  Her  large  writing- 
desk  faced  a  bay-window  through  which  she  could  see  the  front 
grass-plot  and  trees,  while  the  view  of  the  street  was  shut  out  by  a 
high  brick  wall.  Avenue  Road  was  a  veritable  bee-hive  of  workers, 
with  no  place  for  drones,  ,  H.P.B.  herself  setting  the  example 
of  tireless  literary  drudger}-,  while  her  strong  auric  influence 
enwrapped  and  stimulated  all  about  her.  This  very  high-pressure 
of  work  naturally  tended  to  destroy  the  feeling  of  geniality  and 
welcome  which  members  and  enquirers  visiting  London  had 
every  reason  to  hope  to  find  at  the  social  centre  of  the  European 
Section,  and  which  could  always  be  found  at  Adyar  and  in  New 
York,  when  H.P.B.  had  fewer  cares  oppressing  her  mind.  I  have 
heard  many  complaints  on  this  score  and  have  known  of  some 
persons  who  had  intended  joining  us,  but  were  chilled  into  a  change 
of  mind.  Under  all  the  circumstances  I  cannot  say  that  I 
;egret  that  the  residential  headquarters  have  been  given  up. 

On  the  2ist  September,  a  telegram  from  Colombo  informed  me 
of  the  death  by  apoplexy  ofMegittuwatte,  the  incomparable  Buddhist 
priest-orator.  Among  Sinhalese  Buddhists  he  had  not  his  equal  as  a 
public  speaker.  He  played  upon  his  audience  as  though  they  were 
some  musical  instrument  which  responded  to  his  lightest  touch.  But 
he  was  not  a  morally  strong  man,  and  his  behaviour  towards  me  was 
most  reprehensible  after  he  saw  that  I  would  not  give  over  to  his 
control  the  National  Fund  that  I  had  raised  for  the  support  of  Buddhist 
schools  and  other  propaganda  jagencies,  and  had  vested  in  Boards  of 
Trustees  at  Colombo  and  Galle.  He  built,  out  of  funds  coUected  by 


1900.]  Old  t)iary  Leaved.  133 

himself  in  lecturing  tours,  the  Temple  in  the  Mutwal  ward  of  Colombo, 
which  most  steamer  passengers  are  taken  to  see  by  the  local  guides. 
Since  his  death  it  has  fallen  greatly  in  public  esteem,  and  has  about 
as  much  of  the  aroma  of  religion  about  it  as  a  railway  restaurant ! 
And  so  passes  from  sight,  and  already  almost  from  memory,  a  man 
who  a  quarter-century  ago  was  one  of  the  most  influential  monks  in 
the  Island. 

I  have  often  remarked  that  the  self-same  lecture  on  Theosophy, 
provided  that  its  broad  outlines  are  given,  and  the  temptation  to 
wander  into  the  side  paths  of  details  be  avoided,  seems  to  be  recog- 
nized by  people  of  various  religions  as  in  each  case  a  presentation  of 
the  fundamentals  of  their  particular  religion.    I  have  remarked  this 
before,  but  it  again  forces  itself  upon  my  mind  in  reading  the  entry 
for  28th  September,  in  my  Diary.      On  that  day  I  went  to  a  Mussal- 
man  meeting  at  Pachiappa's  Hall  to  hear  a  Maulvi  lecture  on  **  Sal- 
vation/*   It  was,  I  think,  my  first  attendance  at  a  meeting  of  this 
community  in  Madras,  and  I  expected  nothing  else  than  to  quietly 
seat  myself  near  the  door,  so  that  if  the    lecture  should  prove  un- 
interesting  I  could  slip  out  without  being  noticed.  But  the  moment  I 
crossed  the  threshold  I  was  surrounded  by  Mahommedan  gentlemen 
who  received  me  with  great  cordiality  and  straightway  had  me  elect? 
ed  as  chairman  of  the  meeting !  Protests  were  useless  ;  in  vain  I  de- 
clared that  I  was  not  a  Mahommedan  but  a  Theosophist  and  a 
Buddhist :  they  said  that  they  had  heard  me  lecture  and  I  was  as 
good  a  Mahommedan  as  any  of  them.    So  I  took  the  chair  and  after 
a  few  preliminary  remarks,  which  were  received  with  great  friendli- 
ness, invited  the  lecturer,  Maulvi  Hassan  AH,  the  well-known  IJf  uslim 
missionary^  to  address  the  audience.      He  was  an  eloquent  speaker 
and  a  fervent  religionist,  and  his.  discourse  was  listened  to  with 
every  mark  of  approval  by  his  auditors.     Two  days  later,  he  called 
at  Adyar  and  strongly  urged  me  to  publicly  declare  myself  a  Mahom- 
medan as  I  **  was  undoubtedly  one  at  heart "  ;  he  only  asked  that 
I  should  go  on  lecturing  just  as  I  had  all  along  I  On  my  refusal  '*  he 
went  away  sorrowful."    He  is  since  dead.  ^ 

I  received,  about  this  time,  an  urgent  request  from  Colombo  to 
preside  at  the  opening  of  the  Sanghamitta  Girls'  High  School,  by  the 
Women's  Educational  Society  of  Ceylon.  The  invitation  urged 
it  upon  me  as  a  duty,  since  it  was  the  first  school  of  the  kind 
ever  opened  in  the  Island,  and  the  direct  outcome  of  my  own 
efforts.  I  went,  and  the  function  came  off  on  the  i8th  October 
and  was  a  brilliant  success.  Great  enthusiasm  was  shown  and  the 
sum  of  Rs.  1,000  was  subscribed  in  aid  of  the  school.  In  view  of 
its  historical  importance  I  may  mention  that  the  speakers  were 
the  High-Priest  Sumangala,  the  learned  Pandit  Batuwantudawe, 
I^.  Wijesinha  Mudaliar,  Mr.  A.  E.  Buultjens,  b.a.  (Cantab.),  Dr.  Daly* 
Mrs.  Weerakoon,  Babu  K.  C.  Chowdry  and  myself. 

As  my  visit  to  Ceylon  extended  over  a  Jew  days,  I  was,  as  usual, 


134  The  Theosophisi.  [X^ecembei^ 

kept  busy  with  visits  and  lectures ;  I  also  opened  a  Boys*  school 
near  Kotte,  distributed  prizes  at  the  Boys'  English  High  School,  the 
one  founded  by  Mr.  I^eadbeater,  and  was  gratified  to  find  that  the 
Government  School  Inspector  had  given  it  credit  for  ninety  per  cent, 
of  passes ;  a  figure  high  above  the  Indian  average,  yet  still  five  per 
cent,  less  than  that  obtained  at  last  season's  examination  of  the 
Pariah  children  in  the  Olcott  Free  School,  Urur  ;  thanks  to  Miss 
.  Palmer's  most  able  management.  I  also  presided  at  the  anniversary 
of  our  Colombo  Branch  and  at  the  annual  dinner,  where  invariably 
the  best  of  feeling  prevails. 

Meanwhile,  before  leaving  home  for  Ceylon,  I  had  written  to 
H.P.B.  my  intention  to  retire  from  the  Presidentship  and  to  give 
her  the  entire  executive,  as  well  as  spiritual,  management,  which 
she  seemed  anxious  to  acquire :  I  reminded  her  that  our  pioneering 
work  was  practically  finished,  and  she  could  easily  find  half  a  dozen 
better  educated  and  more  yielding  men  than  myself  to  help  her 
continue  the  movement.    My  intention  was  also  communicated  to 
a  number  of  our  leading  men,  both  of  the  East  and  West.    I  was  so 
much  in  earnest  that  I  wrote  to  Ootacamund  to  ascertain  what  was 
the  best  season  for  me  to  begin  building  a  cottage  which  I  intended 
for  my  old-age  retreat — and  where  this  very  chapter  is  being  written. 
Protests  came  pouring  in  from  all  sides  and  a  number  of  my 
correspondents  announced  that  they  should  leave  the  Society  unless 
I  consented  to  remain.    H.P.B.  cabled   Keightley  that  she  would 
not  allow  him  to  read  to  the  Convention  a  friendly  farewell  address 
to  myself,  which  he  had  drafted  and  sent  her  a  copy  of  for  approval ; 
she  said  that  the  Masters  disapproved  of  my  resignation,  and  by  the 
next  mail  she  wrote  him  a  positive  order  to  return  at  once,  if  I  should 
retire  ;  threatening    to  herself  withdraw  and  dismember  the  T,S. 
By  the  next  week's  mail,  which  reached  me  on  the  last  day  of  the 
year,  she  offered  to  make  any  sacrifice  to  keep  me  in  office.    As,  in 
any  case,  the  ruin  of  the  Society  was  prophesied  by  so  many  of  my 
most  valued  friends,  I  consented  to  continue    in    office   for   the 
present^  and  my  announcement  of  this  decision  provoked  a  storm 
of  applause  at  the  Convention,  when  my  Annual  Address  was  read. 
In  notifying  H.P.B.  of  my  suspended  resignation,  I  told  her  that 
my  continuance  in  office^  would  depend  upon  her  readiness  to  alter 
the  form  of  obligation  which   candidates  for  the  E.S.  were  then 
taking.    It  was  worded  so  as  to  exact  the  promise  of  perfect  obedi- 
ence to  her  in  all  their  relations  with  the  T.  S. ;  in  short,  giving  her 
quasi*dictatorial  powers  and  quite  nullifying  the  basis  of  membership 
upon  which  the  movement  had  been  built  up,  and  which  left  each 
member  the  most  absolute  freedom  of  conscience  and  action.  I  was 
very  pleased  when  she  adopted  my  suggestion  and  altered  the  in- 
discreet pledge  to  its  present  unobjectionable  form.    Had  we  been 
together,  the  mistake  would  not  have  been  made. 

I  left  Ceylon  on  the  ayth  of  October  for  Tuticorin,  wheuce  1  went 


1900.]  Old  Dlapy  Leaves.  135 

on  toTinnevelly.  Mr.  Keightley  met  me  here  and  together  we  made 
a  tour  in  Southern  India,  which  took  us  to  Ambasamudram, 
Popanassum  Temple  and  Falls,  the  hill  called  Agastya  Rishi's 
Peak,  Padumadi,  Madura,  Tanjore  and  Kumbakonam,  whence  we 
returned  to  Adyar  on  the  loth  of  November.  Our  visit  to  the  first- 
named  place  was  very  interesting.  We  were  put  up  in  the  Albert  Hall, 
a  new  building  for  the  local  library  and  public  meetings,  the  erection 
of  which  was  chiefly  due  to  the  enterprise  of  our  local  Branch, 
headed  by  Mr.  V.  Cooppooswamy  Iyer.  In  the  large  room  hangs  a 
tasteful  brass  Memorial  Tablet  to  perpetuate  the  memory  of  my  col* 
league*  Mr.  Powell,  who  was  greatly  beloved  in  that  place.  On 
the  evening  after  our  arrival  we  had  the  real  pleasure  of  hearing 
a  recitation  of  Puranas  in  the  ancient  style,  by  an  actor-pandit ; 
there  was  a  musical  accompaniment  on  Indian  instruments  by  a 
very  good  band.  One  can  imagine  what  a  gratification  it  would 
be  to  European  Sanskritists  if,  at  one  of  their  Oriental  Con- 
gresses, they  could  hear  the  sonorous  slokas  of  the  Aryan  Scrip- 
tures recited  so  beautifully  as  they  were  by  this  orator  on  the 
above  occasion.  On  the  way  to  the  Rishi's  Peak  we  halted  at 
the  Banatitham  Palls  and  slept  in  the  Forest  Officer's  bungalow  at 
Mundantoray  ;  and  although  there  were  no  doors  to  keep  out  the 
cold  air,  no  furniture,  swarming  mosquitos  to  be  counted  by  the 
cubic  inch,  and  rumours  of  elephants  and  tigers  being  near,  we  slept 
the  sleep  of  the  weary.  The  next  morning  we  were  ferried  across  a 
river  on  a  platform-boat  worked  by  a  wire  cable  overhead.  ^At 
Popanassum  we  were  the  reverse  of  pleased  by  the  appearance  of  the 
dandy  ascetic  in  charge  of  the  Temple.  His  style  will  give,  the 
reader  some  idea  of  the  stage  of  his  spiritual  development.  He  was 
a  sleek  and  sensual  person,  wearing  on  his  head,  coronet-fashion,  a 
string  of  large  mdraksAa  beads,  had  gold  earrings,  around  his  neck 
a  large  gold  talisman-case,  or  /az^iV,  and  about  his  body  the  usual 
orange  cloth.  One  would  as  soon  expect  a  fat  sloth  like  that  to 
help  one  to  MoksAa  as  one  of  the  similar-looking  spiritual  shep- 
herds of  our  Western  sects,  who  fatten  on  the  gifts  and  tithes  of 
credulous  laymen.  At  Tinnevelly  I  got  a  young  cocoanut  from  the 
tree  which  was  planted  in  the  Temple  compound  in  i88i,bya 
Committee  of  Colombo  Buddhists  and  myself.  So  the  Hindus  had 
noi  torn  up  our  "  Tree  of  Brotherly  Love"  as  our  loving  friends, 
the  Missionaries,  had  widely  reported ! 

Shortly  before  the  meeting  of  the  Convention,  a  Committee  of 
Burmese  Buddhists  notified  nie  that  they  had  raised  Rs.  20,000  for 
a  propaganda  mission  to  Europe,  of  which  they  wanted  me  to  be 
the  leader  and  to  start  in  February ;  all  my  expenses  to  be  paid. 
Feeling  that  the  time  was  not  ripe,  and  foreseeing  the  uselessness 
of  taking  a  Committee,  with  probably  a  very  limited  knowledge  of 
EngUsh,  to  argue  the  claims  of  their  religion  with  the  ablest 
scholars  of  Europe,  I  declined. 


136  The  Theosophist  [December 

In  the  month  of  December  I  suggested  to  the  late  Mr.  Tookaram 
Tatya,  of  Bombay,  a  scheme  to  transfer  the  Adyar  property  to  the 
Adyar  Library  and  have  him   endow  it  with  the  sum  of  Rs.  50,000, 
which  he  had  long  told  me  he  intended  to  give  the  Society.    My 
reasons  were  that  by  so  doing  we  should  give  the  Library  a  perma- 
nent existence  after  my  death  and  despite  all  chances  and  changes  ; 
the  Society  to  retain  free  of  rent  as  much  room  in   the  house  and 
grounds    as  might  be  needed  for  headquarters  business.    Even  now, 
after  the  lapse  often  years,  I  think  the  idea  a  good  one,  for  the  Library 
is  tenfold  more  valuable  to-day  than  it  was  then,  and  if  we  should 
enlarge  it,  as  proposed,  into  an  Oriental  Institute,  increase  the  staff 
of  pandits,  organise  series  of  lectures  on  the  different  schools  of 
philosophy  and  religion,  and  need  class-rooms,  then  it  would  be 
indispensable  that  the  library  should  be  put  above  and  beyond  all 
possible  contingencies  which  could  be  anticipated.    This  could  be 
accomplished  by  the  plan  above  suggested.    The  Society  has  to  face 
one  serious  contingency,  viz,^    that  my  successor  might  find   it 
impossible  to  leave  his  country — ^supposing  him  to  be  a  Western  man 
— and  take  up  residence  at  Adyar,  where  the  temperature  is  that  of 
the  Tropics,  and  where  life  is  so  tranquil  as  to  be  maddening  to  one 
whose  nerves  have  been  always  jangling  in  the  hurly-burly  of  a 
Western  city  :  for  particulars,  enquire  of  Mr.  FuUerton.    No  large 
Society  could  ask  for  a  better  executive  headquarters  than  ours  ;  it 
offers  ever3rthing  to  make  a  scholar's  life  pleasant  and  its  surround- 
ings one  might  almost  call  enchanting.    When  H.P.B.  and  I  first 
saw  it,  it  filled  her  with  enthusiasm,  and  her  love  of  it  endured  to  the 
last,.    Then   there  is  our  collection  of   books,  comprising    more 
than  twelve  thousand  volumes  and  constantly  growing ;  more  than 
700    new    manuscripts    have    been    added  i/vithin   the   past  two 
months.    If  my   successor  could   not,  or  would  not,   live  at  Adyar, 
what  would  be  done  but  break  up  this  executive  and  spiritual  centre 
of  the  movement  which  has  cost  so  many  years  of  loving  labour,  and 
become  the  strong  nucleus  of  the  noble  aspirations  of  the  Pounders 
of  the  Society  and  their  working  colleagues  ?     H.P.B.  expressed  in 
her  Will  a  wish  that  her  ashes  should  be  brought  here,  and  if  it  be 
true  that  she  has  taken  with  her  into  the  Beyond  her  interest  in  the 
movement,  surely  it  would  give  her  pain  to  see  our  beloved  home 
sold  to  strangers  and  our  library  shipped  away  to  a  distant  place.    I 
am  glad  that  the  occasion  is  offered  by  the  record  in  my  Diary  to 
bring  this  matter  to  the  attention  of  my  colleagues,  and  I  sincerely 
hope  that  the  ^ay  will  present  itself  to  settle  this   question  to  the 
best  advantage  of  our  Society. 

The  delegates  for  that  year's  Convention  began  to  arrive  on  the 
23rd  December,  the  attendance  on  the  opening  day  was  rather  large 
and  the  proceedings  were  unusually  interesting.  A  large  delegation 
attended  from  the  Bombay  Presidency  ;  Mr.  Fawcett  gave  three 
lectures  on  Herbert  Spencer,  Dr.  Daly  spoke  on  Technical  Schools, 


1900.]  The  Conquering  of  the  Five  Enemies.  137 

and  Mr.  Keightley  on  Theosophy  in  the  West.  On  the  28th— the 
second  day— we  constitutionally  organized  the  Indian  Section,  which 
I  had  provisionally  formed  sometime  before,  and  Mr.  Keightley  was 
confirmed  as  General  Secretary.  There  were  lectures  by  Fawcett, 
Keightley,  Nilakanta  Sastri,  Subramania  Swami,  C.  Kottaya  and 
Pandit  Gopi  Nath,  of  Lahore.  The  anniversary  celebration,  on  the 
29th,  was  a  great  success  as  usual,  and  there  were  nine  speakers. 
By  the  31st  the  house  was  cleared  of  all  visitors  and  we  were  left  to 
take  up  the  usual  daily  routine,  and  so  we  come  to  the  last  page  of 
the  year's  Diary,  where  I  have  written  "  Good-bye  1890!  " 

H.  S.  Olcott. 


THE  CONQUERING  OF  THE  FIVE  ENEMIES. 

MAN'S  chief  enemies  have  been  enumerated  as  five — Lust,  Anger, 
Greed,  Envy  and  Vanity — but  we  may  deal  with  them  as  three 
for  envy  and  vanity  are  only  subtle  forms  of  greed. 

For  the  sake  of  convenience,  we  will  place  these  enemies  upon 
the  planes  where  they  seem  to  be  most  active,  leaving  aside  those 
subtleties  that  show  their  interrelated  workings  on  all  planes. 
Beginning  with  the  lowest,  or  physical  plane,  we  will  place  lust  at 
its  lowest  pole,  and  at  its  opposite  pole  place  mother-love.  I  use 
the  compound  word  mother-love,  disconnecting  it  from  any  idea  of 
sex,  because  it  is  the  one  term  that  expresses  the  highest  quality  of 
love.  I  might  say  father-mother  love  or  androgynous  love  but 
mother-love  is  a  familiar  t>'pe  of  the  love  of  which  I  speak  and 
brings  at  once  a  concrete  image  to  the  mind.  Now  I  will  ask  you 
to  remember  that  I  am  not  speaking  of  any  arbitrary  poles  but  only 
of  convenient  focusing  centres  of  human  sensation,  emotion  and 
reason.  On  the  astral  plane,  we  will  place  anger  at  the  lowest  pole, 
amiability  at  the  highest ;  on  the  mental  plane,  greed  at  the  lowest 
pole,  generosity  at  the  highest,  or,  if  we  use  other  synonyms  at 
these  last  two  poles,  selfishness  and  unselfishness,  separateness  and 
oneness. 

We  have  been  told,  both  by  ancient  and  modern  science,  that 
al!  forces  may  be  traced  to  one  force  or,  in  other  words,  that  there  is 
only  one  force,  which  working  in  different  vehicles  gives  the  illusion 
of  many  kinds  offeree;  that  heat  and  light,  electricity,  magnetism, 
etc.,  may  be  transmuted  one  into  the  other,  they  are  one  and  the 
same  at  their  root.  And  it  is  so  with  the  forces  that  we  call  lust, 
anger,  greed  ;  they  are  but  one  force  working  in  different  channels 
and,  knowing  this,  the  best  way  to  conquer  the  enemies  is  to  turn 
the  force  into  channels  that  we  recognize  as  good. 

Let  us  for  a  moment  liken  our  one  force  to  water  running 
through  a  garden  hose.    A  gardener  will  use  this  hose  to  spray  his 
plants,  to  sprinkle  all  their  Jeayes ;  he  knows  just  the  amount  of 
2 


138  The  Theosophist.  [December 

\/vater  that  each  plant  needs,  his  violets  can  stand  more  than  his 
primroses,  his  ferns  more  than  his  geraniums,  his  orchids  will  need 
scarcely  any.  He  will  let  the  water  run  freely  at  the  base  of  the 
lilac  bushes,  let  it  form  in  great  puddles  around  the  chestnut  trees ; 
the  water  mixing  with  the  earth  at  the  foot  of  the  chestnut  tree  will 
not  look  as  pure  as  the  drops  on  the  primrose  and  the  violet  but  we 
have  seen  that  it  was  the  same  water.  Suppose,  then,  that  an  igno- 
rant person,  a  child,  undertakes  to  water  this  same  garden.  He 
turns  the  hose  full-force  on  the  delicate  plants  and  their  blossoms 
fall,  their  roots  are  washed  up ;  then  he  barely  sprinkles  the  lilac 
bushes  and  they  droop,  while  the  chestnut  trees  are  left  so  dry  that 
their  leaves  wither  and  drop  oflF.  So  it  is  with  this  one  great  force 
working  on  the  different  planes,  it  may  be  used  wisely  or  unwisely, 
and  we  must  learn  to  direct  it  so  that  it  will  work  beneficially,  not 
destructively. 

Refined  minds  are  prone  to  look  upon  lust  as  the  worst  of  the 
enemies  and  to  turn  with  horror  from  the  scenes  in  which  force  in 
this  form  revels,  but  they  little  know  that,  ugly,  loathsome  as  it  seems, 
in  all  its  brutal  strength,  it  is  not  nearly  so  powerful  for  harm  as  are 
the  more  subtle  enemies  of  the  higher  planes.  We  who  have  studied 
the  planes  know  that  sin  first  arises  in  the  mind,  a  thought  gives 
rise  to  an  emotion,  an  emotion  to  an  act ;  man  cannot  get  below  an 
act,  the  physical  plane  is  the  outer  wall  and  the  wave  striking  here 
must  dissipate  or  roll  back  upon  itself.  Now  the  wave  that  started 
from  the  mental  plane  has  run  its  course  when  it  reaches  the  physi- 
cal, and  according  to  the  mental  impetus  given  it,  will  be  the  force 
with  which  it  strikes.  So  when  we  see  a  wave  of  lust  striking  with 
destructive  force,  let  us  pause  and  reflect  that  the  beginning  of  that 
wave  was  a  little  thought,  just  such  a  little  thought  as  might  arise  in 
our  own  minds,  a  little  thought  that  was  fortified  by  other  little 
thoughts  until  it  became  an  irresistible  power.  Then  we  will  realize 
the  importance  of  keeping  our  minds  pure  and  we  will  look  with  less 
condemnation  on  our  younger  brothers.  The  gross  act  of  one  of 
these  younger  brothers  may  represent  the  final  move  in  a  particular 
line  of  Karma,  while  our  own  small  thought  may  be  the  germ  of 
something  that  will  end  in  a  far  more  loathsome  act.  Acts  are  but 
the  servants  of  thoughts ;  let  us  remember  it. 

And  "  I^et  him  who  standeth  take  heed  lest  he  fall !  "  We  may 
think  ourselves  pure,  we  may  guard  our  thoughts  and  our  actions, 
but  we  do  not  know  what  karmic  chains  we  have  forged  in  the  past, 
and,  some  unsuspecting  day,  we  may  meet  some  one  to  whom  we 
are  bouhd  by  one  of  these  links,  and,  without  a  word  of  warning,  the 
animal  nature  will  be  aroused  and  we  will  be  dismayed  by  the  vibra- 
tions of  the  rejected  enemy.  And  now  what  are  we  going  to  do  to 
conquer  this  enemy  ?  Turn  the  force  into  a  higher  channel.  Send  it 
surging  back  to  its  higher  pole.  We  must  not  forget  that,  however 
hateful  the  thought  may  be,  lust  is  a  phase  of  love,  the  lowest  phase, 


1900.]  The  Gonc[uering  of  the  Five  Enemies.  139 

and  we  must  proceed  to  purify  it.  We  have  been  told  that  it  is  easier 
to  purify  than  to  create  love,  and  so,  instead  of  trying  to  stamp  out, 
we  must  try  to  purify.  The  highest  love  that  we  can  think  of  on 
any  plane  is  maternal  love,  our  minds  can  rise  to  no  higher  con- 
ception ;  if  we  rise  at  once  to  the  highest  symbol  in  the  universe, 
the  sun,  we  see  it  pouring  out  its  vivifying  force  on  its  children 
throughout  all  the  kingdoms.  And  on  the  physical  plane,  demon- 
strative mother-love  is  the  opposite  pole  of  lust.  Dealing  with  the 
physical  plane  only,  we  see  all  dispassionate  love  taking  this  form* 
Our  loved  one,  be  it  father,  mother,  brother,  sister,  husband,  wife, 
child  or  friend,  becomes  to  us  an  object  to  protect,  to  care  for,  and 
as  soon  as  we  have  an  object  to  care  for,  it  becomes  to  us  as  a  little 
child.  The  best  proof  that  I  can  give  you  is,  that  love  words  itself 
in  diminutives  when  addressing  the  loved  one  ;  you  may  notice  this 
in  all  the  relationships  of  life. 

In  the  words  of  a  great  teacher,  **  The  power  to  love  gives  the 
right  to  love."  There  is  no  bar  to  pure  love,  and  we  have  the  right 
to  love  anyone  ;  that  one's  ties  to  another  make  no  difference  what- 
ever, our  only  care  need  be  to  keep  the  love  pure.  A  great  deal  of 
trouble  in  life  is  caused  by  misguided  love.  A  man  falls  in  love  with 
a  woman  who  is  legally  tied  to  another  man  and,  vice  versd^  a  man 
or  woman  offers  love  where  it  is  not  wanted  ;  sin,  sorrow,  heart-break 
are  the  results.  How  they  struggle  and  suffer  !  some  trying  to  force 
their  way,  others  trying  to  forget,  and  neither  method  bringing 
peace.  Now  we  must  cease  to  struggle,  we  must  not  try  to  forget, 
but  we  must  purify.  No  bond,  no  tie  can  deprive  mother-love  of 
its  right ;  this  is  the  one  love  that  may  encircle  the  entire  list  of 
human  relationships  and  no  one  has  the  right  to  question  it,  to  put 
up  bars  against  it.  Therefore,  when  force  is  raging  in  the  channel 
of  lust,  we  must  open  up  the  channel  of  mother-love  and  let  the 
strength  of  the  current  have  full  play.  Suppose  desire  does  go  out 
to  one  who  is  tied  to  another  and  the  untrained  mind  cannot  master 
it  ?  To  try  to  check  the  force  would  be  like  stopping  up  outlets  for 
steam  in  a  boiling  kettle  ;  the  result  would  be  injury  to  the  vehicle 
in  which  the  force  is  restrained,  just  as  the  kettle  explodes  if  the 
steam  is  shut  in.  Then  let  us  turn  the  force  into  its  higher  channel 
and  let  it  go  out  freely  whither  it  will.  If  we  are  debarred  from 
giving  physical  expression  to  the  mother-love,  let  us  not  hesitate 
to  mentally  take  the  one  to  whom  it  goes,  in  our  arms,  as  we  would 
a  little  child,  and  hold  that  one  close  to  the  heart,  as  a  mother  holds 
her  child.  In  this  way  we  will  change  the  character  of  the  sensa- 
tion, and  when  we  again  meet  the  object  of  our  former  desire  the  love 
will  be  so  accustomed  to  the  new  channel  that  there  will  be  no  shock, 
no  strain,  no  temptation.  After  awhile  we  will  raise  it  higher  still,  so 
that  it  will  not  clamor  for  demonstration  and,  finally,  we  may  cease 
to  be  troubled  by  thinking  about  this  object  at  all.  I  once  heard  an 
older  student  say,  "  If  you  have  a  trouble,  forget  it  and  it  will  cease 


140  'fhe  Theosophist.  [December 

to  be  a  trouble."  And  that  is  true,  but  only  a  trained  mind  can  soon 
forget  and  in  the  first  agony  of  a  trouble,  it  is  easier  to  turn  its 
force  toward  the  opposite  pole  of  the  plane  on  which  it  is  mani- 
festing than  to  forget.  Then  let  us  remember  to  open  up  the 
higher  channel,  and  the  ugly  enemy  lust  will  be  transmuted  into 
the  beautiful  friend,  mother-love. 

Now,  coming  to  the  astral  or  emotional  plane,  we  have  put  at  the 
lowest  pole,  anger,  at  the  highest,  amiability.  Anger  is  an  emotion 
that  plays  violently  over  the  nerves,  while  amiability  uses  the  same 
conductors  but  moves  gently,  producing  a  pleasurable  effect.  We  are 
now  going  to  see  what  we  can  do  toward  conquering  anger,  and  the 
method  will  be  the  same  as  the  one  used  in  conquering  lust ;  for  when 
we  have  sketched  out  a  plan  for  treating  any  one  of  the  enemies,  it 
may  be  applied  to  all  the  others,  if  we  simply  subject  it  to  the  condi- 
tions of  the  plane  on  which  it  is  to  be  applied.  And  here  let  me  re- 
mind you  that  the  enemies  are  not  labeled  **  bad,"  **  worse,"  **  worst," 
in  the  order  in  which  I  am  treating  them,  in  all  persons.  Their  order 
of  precedence  differs  ;  greed  may  be  worst  in  one,  anger  in  another, 
lust  in  another.  But  now  we  are  going  to  consider  one  in  whom 
anger  is  the  worst  and  see  what  he  may  do  about  it.  Recognizing 
this  as  his  worst  enemy,  this  one  gives  his  particular  attention  to 
its  conquering,  not  forgetting  the  other  enemies  but  giving  them 
secondary  care.  He  begins  by  trying  not  to  answer  back  sharply, 
by  striving  to  keep  silent  under  abuse.  To  keep  silent,  that  is  the 
great  accomplishment !  I  know  of  some  one  whose  worst  enemy 
was  anger  and  who  used  to  hold  her  tongue  between  her  teeth  as  a 
reminder  to  keep  silent.  She  had  to  do  this  so  often  that  it  became 
a  habit  and  in  the  midst  of  most  congenial  surroundings  she  would 
suddenly  realize  that  the  unoffending  member  was  a  captive  between 
her  teeth.  This  is  a  good  way  but  we  wont  flatter  ourselves  that  it 
is  always  successful ;  we  must  sometimes  bite  the  tongue  deep  in 
order  to  remember  that  it  is  not  to  move,  for  under  provocation 
it  darts  out  like  the  fang  of  a  serpent  if  we  for  an  instant  relax 
our  guard. 

The  one  who  is  trying  to  conquer  anger  begins  in  these  small 
ways.  Angry  words  surge  into  his  mind,  he  mentally  throws  them 
aside  and  sends  out  pleasant  thoughts,  or  at  least  he  tries  to.  His 
first  efforts  will  meet  with  terrible  resistance,  for  his  blood  will  boil, 
his  brain  will  throb  under  the  vibrations  of  the  force  raging  in  its 
accustomed  channel,  and  again  and  again  the  force  will  slip  control 
and  burst  out  with  destructive  vigor.  But,  nevertheless,  the  things 
thrown  aside  that  he  might  have  said  mount  up  like  a  great  pile  of 
rubbish  and  he  looks  back  upon  them  with  satisfaction.  Finally, 
perhaps,  he  finds  so  little  to  throw  upon  the  pile  that  he  says  to 
himself,  **  These  kinds  of  things  will  never  trouble  me  again,  the 
enemy  is  conquered  and  I  can  turn  my  attention  to  another  enemy." 
He  is  glad  and  thankful,  perhaps  a  little  proud  over  the  achievement 


1900.]  The  Conquering  of  the  Five  Enemies.  141 

and  sets  himself  to  work  in  another  direction.  And  then  there 
comes  a  test,  one  of  those  tests  that  the  Masters  send  to  try  the 
strength  of  their  servants.  He  is  off  guard,  and  before  he  realizes 
what  is  happening  the  old  enemy  has  blazed  out  and  the  supposed 
conqueror  has  gone  down.  Who,  among  us,  has  not  known  that 
awful  silence  after  the  fall  ?  Who  has  not  sat  down  in  the  midst  of 
the  desolation  of  the  beautiful  shelter  that  he  had  built  for  the  Self 
and  watted  for  the  stroke  to  come  out  of  space  that  would  annihilate 
the  servant  unworthy  of  his  trust  ?  We  all  know  what  it  is.  And 
so  this  one  sits  in  silence  and  desolation,  waiting  for  the  fatal  stroke, 
and  dares  not  look  around.  But  the  stroke  does  not  come  and,  one 
by  one,  rational  thoughts  struggle  into  his  brain.  They  all  seem 
halting  and  feeble  but  he  welcomes  them.  He  says,  "  I  will  arise 
and  live  for  others,  although  I  have  failed  for  myself,"  and  he  gets 
up  and  goes  silently  on  his  way.  And,  strange  to  say,  he  finds  the 
way  easier,  and  when  he  remembers  to  look  to  where  stood  the  pile 
of  cast-away  evils,  behold,  they  are  all  burned;  up ;  the  terrible 
blaze  has  been  only  a  bonfire  of  the  big  pile  and  it  has  disappeared 
forever.  The  wily  enemy  may  come  again  in  other  guise  but  the 
old  forms  have  been  all  burned  up,  they  will  not  trouble  him  more. 
This  is  one  of  the  strange  paradoxes  that  confront  the  student  from 
time  to  time,  the  great  evil  giving  rise  to  great  good. 

It  is  hard,  you  will  say,  to  turn  the  force  from  anger  to  amiabili- 
ty.   When   the  heart  is  palpitating,   when  the  brain  is  whirling, 
when  the  whole  emotional  nature  is  in  rebellion  against  the  attack 
of  another,  it  is  indeed  hard  to  turn  the  force  that  would  punish  the 
ofiender,  into  a  channel  that  will  do  him  good.    But  when  we  have 
once  decided  that  this  is  the  right  thing  to  do,  when  in  our  calm 
moments  we  have  thought  it  over  and  adopted  it  as  a  good  plan, 
we  must  carry  it  out.    In  the  heat  of  the*  trial,  we  must  throw  our- 
selves mentally  on  our  knees  and  send  the  force  in  all  its  strength, 
palpitating,   whirling,   into  the  channel  of  good-will  toward  him 
who  has  angered  us.    It  does  not  make  any  difference  how  far  he 
may  be  in  the  wrong ;  the  farther,  the  more  need  of  that  strong 
current  to  better  him,  for  we  are  working  for  the  betterment  of  those 
who  need  it  and  not  for  those  who  are  strong  in  themselves.    And 
what  are  we  doing  if  we  let  the  angry  current  sweep  on  ?  We    are 
intensifying  the  evil,  for  like  finds  like,  "  birds  of  a  feather  flock  to- 
gether."   The  vibrations  sent  out  by  us  are  in  aSLtiity  with  those 
sent  out  by  the  one  who  angers  us  and,  as  ours  blend  with  his,  the 
force  is  strengthened  in  the  wrong  channel,   and  we  are  to  blame. 
Although  his  may  have  been  the  first  ofiience,  ours  is  the  greater, 
because  we  know  what  effect  is  taking  place  and  he  probably  does 
not.    And  let  us  not  deceive  ourselves  by  thinking  that  we  are  jus- 
tified ;  for  us,  who  are  developing  the  Higher  Manas,  the  higher 
mentality,  there  is  no  such  thing  as  righteous  anger,  there  is  no 
such  thing  as  justifiable  anger.    Anger  may  be  excused  in  those  on 


142  The  Theosophist.  [Decembef 

the  lower  rungs  of  the  ladder  of  evolution  but  not  in  us  who  have 
braced  ourselves  to  climb.  But  there  is  such  a  thing  as  a  righteous 
position,  a  justifiable  stand.  We  need  not  alter  our  position,  we 
need  not  move  from  the  stand  that  we  have  taken,  if  we  have  de- 
cided that  this  is  the  right  one  for  us ;  firmness  does  not  imply 
anger,  we  must  be  firm  but  in  all  gentleness. 

Now  we  are  apt  to  look  upon  ourselves  as  greatly  injured,  as 
martyrs,  when  we  are  made  the  target  of  anger ;  but  if  we  feel  that  way, 
it  is  a  sure  sign  that  we  are  getting  just  what  we  most  need.  If  we 
feel  the  thrusts  of  anger,  our  characters  are  weak  in  just  that  partic- 
ular point  and  need  experience  to  strengthen  them  ;  how  can  they 
ever  be  strengthened  if  we  don't  have  experience  P  We  don't  care 
for  the  angry  words  of  children,  and  we  must  learn  not  to  care  for 
the  angry  words  of  grown-up  children.  We  don't  cease  to  love  and 
guard  the  little  ones  because  they  do  not  appreciate  it,  and  we  must 
not  cease  to  love  and  guard  the  child-souls  that  are  perhaps  given 
into  our  care.  So  that  even  here,  when  we  transform  our  enemy 
anger  into  our  friend  amiability,  we  find  that  we  liave,  under  another 
name,  our  beautiful  friend  mother-love. 

And  now  we  turn  to  the  mental  plane,  the  plane  of  realities,  for 
however  real  the  astral  and  physical  planes  may  seem  they  are  only 
reflections  of  transactions  on  a  higher  plane,  and  a  reflection  can 
never  be  called  real  when  the  original  is  seen.  Strictly  speaking,  we 
cannot  generate  forceon  the  physical  plane  and  so  affect  the  astral, 
we  cannot  generate  force  on  the  astral  and  so  affect  the  mental,  but 
all  force  is  generated  on  the  mental  plane  and  rushes  down  through 
the  astral  and  physical  planes.  So  the  mental  plane  is  the  plane  of 
causes,  of  realities,  and  this  is  why  we  must  give  more  importance 
to  thought  than  to  action,  this  is  why  some  sins  are  only  skin-deep, 
because  they  are  actions  dbne  with  good  motives.  We  have  placed 
greed  at  the  lower  pole  of  the  mental  plane,  generosity  at  the  higher. 
The  word  greed  has  become  so  associated  with  physical  things  that 
one  is  apt  to  forget  the  wide  range  that  it  covers.  Greed  is  selfish- 
ness; and  envy,  pride,  vanity,  ill-will  and  a  score  of  other  enemies  to 
mankind  are  only  minor  phases  of  greed,  of  selfishness. 

One  of  the  most  subtle  forms  of  greed  that  takes  hold  on  us  is 
the  greed  of  time.  We  want  time  for  our  studies,  there  are  books 
upon  books  that  we  want  to  read,  that  we  think  we  must  read  or  be 
ignorant ;  we  want  to  shut  ourselves  away  from  our  kindred  and 
cram  our  minds  with  printed  facts.  We  struggle  to  do  this,  forget- 
ting that  Karma,  the  law  of  justice,  has  placed  us  where  we  are  to 
work,  that  those  into  whose  company  we  have  been  born  are  the 
ones  to  whom  our  nearest  duty  lies.  We  forget  that  there  is  splen- 
did training,  valuable  knowledge  to  be  had  just  where  our  rebellious 
minds  refuse  to  stay  ;  we  forget  that  patience,  sympathy  and  help- 
fulness are  the  first  requirements  of  one  who  is  leading  the  higher 
life  ;  and  above  all,  we  forget  that  the  printed  words  of  other  men, 


lOOO.}  The  Conquering  of  the  Five  Enemies.  143 

however  valuable  they  may  be,  are  not  as  useful  to  our  mental 
development  as  self-initiated  thought.  Fifteen  minutes  of  self- 
initiated  thought,  along  a  steady  line,  will  do  more  toward  our 
real  progress  than  the  superficial  reading  of  fifteen  books.  Remem- 
ber, I  say  superficial  reading,  for  if  we  read  and  reflect  upon 
what  we  have  read  we  are  exercising  our  mental  faculties  to  good 
advantage.  When  we  rebel  against  family  ties  that  call  upon  us 
to  give  up  the  time  for  reading  fifteen  books,  let  us  reflect  that  the 
quiet  fifteen  minutes  that  we  may  have  is  going  to  strengthen  the 
mind  far  more,  because  we  are  going  to  do  our  own  work  and  not 
have  it  done  for  us,  we  are  going  to  exercise  our  own  faculties 
instead  of  reading  how  another  man  has  exercised  his.  It  is  only 
by  exercise  that  we  gain  strength.  If  we  want  to  develop  our 
muscles,  we  exercise  them,  and  we  gain  more  by  moving  our  own 
muscles  than  by  watching  fifteen  men  move  theirs.  The  examples 
of  the  fifteen  men  may  give  us  good  methods  to  follow  but  they  can- 
not give  us  strength.  Then  let  us  remember  when  force  rushes  into 
the  channel  of  greed  to  turn  it  into  the  channel  of  generosity,  Let 
us  not  begrudge  our  time,  our  thoughts,  our  strength,  for  only  as 
we  live  for  others,  do  we  really  live  for  ourselves.  Let  us  send  ont 
a  current  of  generous  help  wherever  we  can  ;  even  if  it  strikes  upon 
a  rock,  its  continued  pressure  may  force  the  rock  to  open,  for  there 
are  little  crevices  in  all  rocks  where  force  may  enter  and  open  up  a 
way  for  the  sunlight. 

There  are  so  many  ways  of  being  mentally  generous,  so  many 
small  ways  that  we  overlook.  We  sooflen  oppose  the  views  of 
others  with  our  own,  thinking  because  we  know  a  few  wide  truths 
that  their  views  are  narrow  and  worthless.  Now  oftentimes  their 
views  are  only  other  phases  of  the  same  truths  that  we  are  trying 
to  force  upon  them,  and,  if  they  are  not,  they  are  opinions  that  are 
perhaps  better  suited  to  their  state  of  mental  development  than 
those  we  ofier.  We  must  learn  to  be  generous  in  this  respect,  to 
commend  good  in  whatever  form  it  is  given,  to  reinforce  it  when 
we  can,  and  to  be  less  greedy  in  wanting  to  have  honour  for  our 
own  way  of  looking  at  things.  We  are  so  ready  to  say,  "Oh 
I  knew  that  long  ago,"  when  someone  voices  a  truth  that  is  new  to 
him,  and  thus  throw  a  damper  on  his  interest  ;  we  have  not 
yet  realized  that  our  duty  is  more  to  sow  than  to  reap,  that  to  see 
the  seed  growing  and  spreading  is  recompense  enough.  We  are  not 
satisfied  with  our  surroundings  and  compare  them  with  those  of 
others ;  we  see  others  ignoring  things  that  we  would  prize,  and  force, 
slyly,  courses  in  the  channel  of  envy.  We  look  upon  self-satisfied 
faces  and  congratulate  ourselves  that  ours  are  not  so ;  we  think 
that  we  see  the  light  of  higher  intellect  in  our  eyes  and  want  others 
to  remark  it,  and  so  we  keep  force  playing  in  the  channel  of  vanity. 
We  have  not  been  accustomed  to  look  upon  these  things  as  serious 
enemies,  and  unnoticed  they  grow   strong.   The  force  working  in 


144  The  TheosophiBt.  [December 

subtle  matter,  if  unchecked,  makes  an  ever-widening  channel,  a 
channel  that  may  broaden  out  into  the  astral  plane  through  all  forms 
6f  passion,  and  on  down  into  the  physical,  to  rage  in  brutal  acts. 

Our  enemies  are  all  akin,  we  might  easily  put  them  all  under 
one  title,  Selfishness.  Selfishness  and  Unselfishness,  these  are  the 
two  great  poles,  Separateness  and  Oneness  are  other  names  for  them. 
We  must  turn  our  one  mighty  force  from  the  pole  of  Selfishness 
and  use  our  strength  of  thought,  our  strength  of  emotion,  our 
strength  of  action  to  send  it  rushing  back  to  the  pole  of  Unselfish- 
ness ;  we  must  think  for  others,  feel  for  others,  act  for  others.  So 
striving,  we  shall  reflect  in  a  small  way  the  work  of  our  highest 
symbol,  the  Sun,  and,  in  loving  care  for  the  children  of  humanity, 
mirror  back  a  small  part  of  the  wondrous  Mother-love  that  guards 
the  Kosmos. 

Annir  C.  McQueen. 


UNIVERSAL  BROTHERHOOD.  * 

WHEN  the  idea  of  Universal  Brotherhood  is  first  submitted  to 
intelligent  people,  it  seems  so  perfectly  natural  that  it  is 
generally  accepted  at  once,  without  even  an  objection,  and  the  remark 
readily  follows  :  "  How  is  it  that  Universal  Brotherhood  has  not 
always  existed,  and  is  not  already  a  reality  ?  "  As  a  matter  of  fact, 
there  are  probably  few  things  that  have  been  more  universally  talked 
of,  and  yet  less  understood  and  practised,  than  Brotherhood.  The 
theoretical  tenet  that  all  men  are — or  ought  to  be— brothers,  is,  it 
is  true,  found,  like  so  many  other  common  ideas,  at  the  basis  of  all 
religions.  But  how  deficient  the  general  practice  has  been,  so  far, 
we  all  know  from  past  history,  it  being  narrowed  down  to  the  family 
or  tribe,  or  at  best  to  the  nation.  And,  strange  to  say,  the  very 
power  that  initiated  the  idea  has  also  been  the  one  to  prevent  its 
realisation,  for  it  seems  undeniable  that  if  Universal  Brotherhood 
has  effectually  been  rendered  impossible  so  far,  this  has  really  been 
the  fault  of  each  religion  in  turn,  through  the  fact  that  each — ^instead 
of  being  merel}'  a  different  glimpse  of  Truth, — has  claimed  to  be  the 
only  true  one,  thereby  leading  to  separateness,  through  each 
holding  its  own  followers  as  better  than  all  other  men,  and  condemn- 
ing unbelievers  to  unbrotherly  chastisement. 

Thus,  the  Jews  had  their  Commandment :  "  Thou  shalt  not 
hate  thy  brother  in  thine  heart,  thou  shalt  in  no  wise  rebuke  thy 
neighbour  and  not  suffer  sin  upon  him,  thou  shall  not  avenge  nor 
bear  any  grudge  against  the  children  of  thy  people,  but  thou  shalt 
love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself"  fl^vit.  XIX,  17-18,  repeated  in  Math. 
XXII,  39) ;  and  certainly,   up  to  the  present   day,  the  Jews  have 


*  An  address  prepared,  by  request,    for   the  inaugfu  ration  of  the  ''Japanese 
Young  Men's  Buddhist  Association  "  of  Honolulu,  June  22,  1900, 


190a:]  Universal  Bi^)lherti6od.  145 

preserted  very  faithfitUy  and  beautifully  the  brotherly  tie  among 
them^lves,  while  thetnOdern  Jewd  are  growiiife  much  more  liberal 
towards  outsiders.  Yet,  ffom  the  very  words  of  this  command'- 
meiit,  the  injunction  to  brotherly  love  "was  thit^  clearly  confined  to 
the  Jews  in  their  bWn  ncition,  and  it  was  made  moreeiiiphatic  still, 
in  its  limitation,  by  the  skiii  covenailt,  which  even'made- necessary 
the  caution :  "  not  to  vex  strangers  staying  in  the  land "  (tev. 
XIX,  33-34).  Consequently  we  all  know  how  very  prbudand  exclu- 
sive, as  w^ll  as  "  stiffnecked  "  the  Jews  were.  They  entirely  lost 
sight  of  the  common  origin  of  all  nations  even  as  given  in  their  own 
scriptiires  (Gen:  X),  and  thiiir  exclusiveiiess  was  so  aggravated  by 
theassumption  that  they  were  a  chosen  people— set  apart — that,  with 
th*fm,  the  Gentiles — i.e.,  all  inen  outride  of  Israel,  not  direct  descend- 
ants from  Abnlham— were  practically -never  considefeid 'as  entitlied 
to  equal  rights  of  brotherhood, '  since  brotherhood  embraced  onl}^ 
the  worshippers  of  the  same  God,  and'  Gentiles  w^r^  "  idolaters," 
z>.,  worshippers  of  different  Gods ;  and  certainly,  from  the  Hebrew 
religious  point  of  view,  thfe  Gentiles  could  never  have  been  intended 
to  be  treated  as  brotheirs,  if  "we  judge  by  the* criiel  injunctions 
against  foreign  idolaters  given  unto  the  Hebrews,  by  that-  "  merci- 
ful'^ tribal  God;— who  had  chosen  theto  as  "  his  t)wn  People,"  the 
'lot  ofhis  own  inheritance  *'  (Dent;  XXXII,  9  ?  Pii;  XXXIII,  12)— 
on  the  many  occasions,  recorded  in  the  OM  Testament,  when  he ' 
"  drove  th^  Canftanite,  the  Hittite,  the  Pizziite,'  the  HiVite  and  the 
Jebudfte"...(Ex.  XXXIV,  ir-13),  destroyed-  their  altars,  killed  th^ 
Prophets  who  dared  tospeaM  in  the  nsftrie  of'oth^  Gods  (Dent. 
XVIir,  20),  and  caused  of  ordered  the  general  slaughter,  not  merely 
of  the  men,  but  of  defenceless  *  women  arid  children-^even  of  the 
cattle  (Deut. '  XIII,  1 5 )— f roni  the  nelghbouriiig  natiari-d  who  did  not 
or  would  not  accept' Jehovah'is  Godhood.  There  certainly  was  no 
Universal  Brotherhood  with  the  "  Almighty  *•  ad  he  is  depicted  in 
the  Bible,  and  therefore  it  is  not  surprising  that  those  neighbours 
should  have  t^taltated^by  carrying  the  Jews  into  captivity,  whenever 
the  occasion  prcssentfed  itself,  thus  making  of  the  Jewish  history  a 
far  froflf  brotherly  picture. 

The  Christians  naturally  inherited,*  in  this  respect,  the  Jewish 
tendencies,  with  their  unbfotherly  exclusiveness  to  all  outside  their 
faith,  as  weH  as  their  dream  of  this  faith  eventually  becoming'  the 
One,  Universal  Religion,  arid  conseqn/^ntly  then,  but  only  then,  the 
centre*  of  d  limited  kind 'of  Universal  Bi-i[Jth6rhoo<\'  "It  shall  come 
to  pass  that  the  tnountains  of  the  Lord's  house  shall  be  established, 
and  all  natibns  shall  flow  into  it"  (Isaiah),... Thus,  Jesus,  however 
subfime  and  divine  hfs  life  and  teachitigs  may  hav^  been,  was  him- 
self a  true  Jew;  the  Messiah  sent  to  his  own  people,  who  accepted 
him-  not. '  Ete  -avt^wedly  came  not  as  a  Universal  Redeemer — bring- 
ing Brdtherh6od  for  all  men  Indiscritninately— but  -only  "  unto  th^ 
lostsheepof  tlie  Horuse  of  Israel  "  (Math.  XV,  24-26),  wherefore  he 
3 


146  The  Theosophist.  [December 

even  hesitated  to  heal  the  girl  of  the  neighboring  coast ;  and  he 
distinctly    told    his   disciples   not  to    **  go  into    the  way  of  the 
Gentiles   and  into   any   city   of  the  Samaritans "  (Math.  X,  5-6), 
**  but  rather  to  the  lost  sheep   of  Israel : "  and   only  when  scorned 
by  his  people,  did  he  announce  that  the  "  kingdom   of  God,"— -and 
the  Brotherhood  connected  with  it,— would  be  taken  away  from  the 
Jews  and  "given  to  a  nation  bringing  forth  the  fruits  thereof* 
(Math.   XXI,  43).     As  John   (I,  11)  plainly  puts  it,   **He    came 
unto  his   own   and  his  own   received  him  not,"  but    "  God  first 
sent  His  son  Jesus  unto  the   seed  of  Abraham  "   (Acts,  III,  26). 
And  it  w^as  only  when  He  and  his  Apostles  had  been  rejected  by 
the  Jews,  that — as  a  kind  of  retaliation — they  turned  to  the  Gentiles 
(Acts,    XIII,  46  ;  XVIII,   6  ;  XXVIII,  28),    who  thus   gained  what 
was  first  intended  exclusively  for  the  Jews,  but  who  would  not  have 
been  attended  to   had   the  Jews  accepted  Jesus.     Moreover,  even 
when  salvation  was  thus  ofiiered  to  the  whole  world,  it  was  promised 
and  is  to-day  promised  only  to  those  who  accepted  the  person  of 
Jesus  and  his  divinity.     Therefore,   it  is  natural   that,  while  among 
Christians,    we  find  a   continual  lip  reference  to  brotherhood — as 
seen  in  Peter's  admonition  to  add*' to   godliness,  brotherly   kind- 
ness, and  to  brotherly  kindness,  charity  "  (II,    Pet.  I,  7,  also  Rotn. 
XII,  10),  yet  all  the  enunciations  of  brotherhood   found  in  the  New 
Testament  are  always  especially  addressed  to  and  intended  exclu- 
sively for  the  followers  of  and  believers  in  Christ.     "  As  I  have  loved 
you,"  said  Jesus  to  his  disciples,  "  so   ye  also   love  one  another  " 
(John  XIII,  34 ;  XV,  12)  ;  and  this  can  be  further   confirmed  by 
other  passages  of  similar  import,   such  as  Peter's  reference  to  the 
"unfeigned  love  of  the  brethren,"   whereby   a  believer   in  Christ 
*'must  love  another   with  a  pure  heart  fervently"   (I,  Pet.  I,  22); 
"  having  compassion   one  of  another,  love  as   brethren,   be  pitiful 
and  courteous  "   (I,  Pet.  Ill,  8)  ;  "  above  all  things,    have  fervent 
charity  among  yourselves"  (therefore  not  towards  all  men  indis- 
criminately,  because,  had  this  been  the  Apostle's  idea,  it  would 
necessarily  have  been  emphatically  expressed   here),    "  and    use 
hospitality  one  to  another" — not  towards  all— "without  grudg- 
ing, "   for    Charity — among  the  believers — "  will   cover  a   multi- 
tude of  sins"    (I,  Pet.  IV,  8-9.).    Talking   of  the   duties  among 
the  followers  of  Christ,  we   read  :  "  Let  brotherly  love  continue  " 
(Heb.    XIII,     i);    "in    lowliness    of   mind,   let    each"  —  among 
the    "  followers     of     the    Spirit  " —  "  esteem   others    better    than 
himself"  (Phil.  11,3),  emphasized  by  the   injunction  to    "honor 
all  men,  but  love  the  brotherhood  "  of  Christ  (I,  Pet.  II,  17).  "  Bear 
3'e  one  another's  burdens,  and  so  fulfil  the  law  of  Christ,"  was   ad- 
dressed by  Paul  and  the  brethren  in   Rome, '  not  as  a  universal 
admonition  but  only  to   the  brethren  in    Galatia  (Gal.  I,  2  ;  II,  2). 
That  the  brotherhood  of  the  early  Christianity,  though  very  beauti- 
ful, was  thus  always  limited  to  the  followers  of  the  same  God — not 


1900.]  Universal  Brotherhood.  147 

extended  to  uubelievers — is  further  marked  by  the  fact  that  "Every 
man  ought  to  teach  his  neighbor  and  every  man  his  brother,  saying : 
"Know  ye  the  Lord  "...Qer.  XXI,  34;  John  VI,  45;  XIV,  26; 
Heb.  Vlli,  2  ;  I,  Thes.  IV,  9,  etc.),  in  other  words,  the  "  Lord  " 
being  that  same  ** jealous"  God,  who  **will  have  no  other 
Gods  before  Him  "  (Is.  XLVI,  9,  Ex.  XX,  3),  and  who  **  charita- 
bly," if  not  exactly  with  brotherly  feeling,  orders  the  death  of  all 
idolaters  (Dent.  XIII,  8  ;  XVII,  5).  But  nowhere  can  we  find  that 
worshippers  of  Baal,  Moloch,  Isis  or  Jupiter  were  also  to  be  treated 
as  brothers,  since  they  were  "surely  to  perish  "  (Deut.  VIII,  19)  ; 
and  nowhere  do  we  find  even  a  hint  at  universal  love  for  all 
beings. 

From  such  teachings  as  those— so  limited  and  exclusive — and 
which  were  very  soon  accentuated  and  further  narrowed  down  by 
the  early  churches,  into  the  distinction  of  the  "sheep  and  the 
goats,"  or  those  of  the  right  and  left  hand,  that  is  to  say  those 
within  the  pale  of  the  church  and  those  without,  the  believers  and 
the  unbelievers,  these  last  being  moral  lepers  to  be  exterminated 
whenever  possible,  it  is  not  surprising  that  true  Universal  Brother- 
hood should  have  absolutely  failed  to  come  out  of  Christianity,  in 
which  the  various  sects — now  amounting  to  nearly  400 — have  ever 
treated,  let  alone  the  unbelievers,  the  Jews  and  the  Heathen,  but 
even  each  other,  under  the  names  of  dissidents  or  heretics,  with 
those  well-known  amenities  of  bloody  wars,  crimes  and  persecutions, 
culminating  in  the  decidedly  unbrotherly  horrors,  tortures  and 
atrocities  of  Calvin  and  of  the  Inquisition,  which  would  still  be  cur- 
rent to  this  day,  had  not  the  power  of  the  Churches  been  broken 
down  by  freethought.* 

There  may  be  brotherhood  among  the  Christians,  at  present, 
but,  in  reality  it  is  purely  a  brotherhood  of  "  Christian  "  views,  not 
even  of  "  Christian  unity.*'  In  the  same  manner  as  we  still  hear  the 
unbrotherly  assumption  that  "  There  is  no  salvation  outside  of  the 
Roman  Catholic  Church,"  so  the  Christian  Brotherhood  is  yet 
still  strictly  limited  to  the  sect,  and  .  through  that,  to  the  nation 
alone,  as  shown  by  the  "brotherly"  (?)  international  jealousies  and 
war  preparations  still  made,  the  world  over,  by  Christian  nations 
against  other  Christian  states.  In  fact,  the  influence  of  this  religious 
exclusivism  reacts  even  on  the  various  modern  benevolent  societies, 
whose  brotherhood  is  ever  limited  to  the  membership  of  each. 
Thus,  Christianity  seems  to  have  brought  our  modern  society 
simply  to  the  rule  of  "  the  survival  of  the  fittest  "  and  to  intense  sel- 


*  The  council  of  Avignon,  in  1209,  enjoined  on  all  Bishops  to  call  upon  the 
Civil  Powers,  to  "exterminate  "  heretics,  and  the  bull  of  Pope  Innocent  III,  threaten- 
ed  any  prince  who  refused  to  exterminate  heretics,  with  excommunication  and 
forfeiture  of  his  realm.  There  was  no  brotherhood  outside  of  the  iron  clad  creed ;  but 
the  men  of  the  Reform  were  just  as  bad,  for  Luther,  Calvin,  Beze,  Knox,  Ridley, 
Craomer  and  ethers  loudly  asked  for  persecution  and  suppression  of  those  they 
deemed  heretics. 


l48  The  Theosopbist.  [Deeraftber 

fishness,  **everyoae  for  himself/- tr>'ing  to  be  "smart  "aiwi  to  "out- 
do his  neighbour."  I^t  us  even  look  with  an  impartial  eye  over 
the  ponderous  but  ill-advised,  costly  and  nearly  useless  work  of  the 
varipus  rival, Foreign. Christian  Missions,  which  has  so  often  been 
a  prolific  cause  of  unbrotherly  wars  ;  let  us  enquire  about  those 
well  meanixtg  and  devoted,  if  generally  ignorant,  missionaries,  who, 
for  centuries  past,  have  given  up  their  lives  to  carry  the 
insufficieucies  of  Christianity  unto  peoples  whose  religions  were 
often  mucli. loftier  and  deeper,  whose  teachings  were  more 
scientific  than  those  stolen  from  the  narrow  and  crude  i  Hebrew 
religious  views.  In  many  of  these  missionaries,  the  prosely- 
ting ardor  is  due  not  so  much  to  a  pure  sentiment  of  real 
universal  brotherhood  and  love,  as  to  a  personal,  seifish  wish 
to  promote  and  secure  their  own  salvation,  by  "redeeming" 
some  of  those  '^benighted  Heathen"  from  the  "eternal  dam- 
nation "  so  mercifully  .promised  to  all  creatures  who  fail  to  be- 
lieve injiehovah  a^dIhis  "  only "  Son.  More  than  this,  still :  we  find 
the  Christian  idea  of  brotherhood  often  unable  to  have  its  full  sway 
even  among  >  followers  of  the  .same  sects  in  the  same  nation  ;  for 
instance,  without,  recalling  the  old  Ghettos  in  which- the  Jews  useil 
to  be  co^fined  in  -Suropeau  towns,  to-day  in  America — that  Christian 
nation  so.  often,  upheld  as  the  model,the  exemplary  one-rdo  we  not 
see  Christians  going  to  the  extent  of  allowing  their  feelings  of 
brotherhood  within  Christianity,  to  be  circumscribed  by  considera- 
tions of^olor  and  cace?  for  certainly  very  few  American  i  Christians 
do  condescend  to  regard  their  Christian  neighbours,  the  Negroes  or 
"colored  people,"  and  the  Red  Indians,  as  brothers,  any  more  than 
they  do  Roman  Catholics.  And  looking  through  the  world  as  a 
whole,  although  misery  and  suffering  will  bring  out  feelings  of 
humanity  and  charity  irrespective  of  sect,  yet  we  cannot  find  any 
more  general  feeling  of  real  brotherhood  between  Protestants  and 
Catholics  or.  Greeks,  than  between  the  Christians  and  the  >Iahom- 
edans,  whose  idea  of  brotherhood  is  also  strictly  limited  to  the 
followers  of  Mahomed,  to  the  exclusion  of  all  "  Infidel  dogs." 

Even  amon^  the  more  refined  religions  of  India,  the  idea  of 
brotherhood  is  confined  to  the  orthodox,  and  among  them  further 
cabined  by  caste  limitations  ;  and  although  fuU  of  compassion  for 
all  living  beings,  yet  no  proud  Brahmin  would  ever  consider  a 
"  Mlechcha  "—a  foreigner — as  a  brother  in  the  full  meaning  of  the 
t^rm. 

It  is  to  Buddhism  that  belongs  the  high  honor  of  being  the  broad'- 
est  of  all  religions,  going  ideally  even  further  than  mere  human 
Universal  Brotherhood,  for  Buddha  attained  Buddhahood  and  sacri- 
ficed himself,  not  merely  to  save  his  own  people,  not  only  to  help 
the  whole  of  Humanity,  but  to  "  remove  the  sorrows  of  all  living 
things"  (Fo-Sho-Hing-Tsan^King,  v.  35)  ;  "  to  save  countless  beings, 
not  omitting  even  the  least  in  his  intention*'  (Phu-yau-King,  2)} 


iMO.]  Universal  Brotherhood.  14d 

**he'was  full  of  compassion  for  every  living  being"  (Saddharma 
Pttndaiika,  III,  143  and  XIII,  45) ;  and  he  said  : 

**  That  Thou  mayst  know 

What  others  will  not, — that  I  loved  Thee  most. 

Because  I  loved  so  well  All  living  Souls, 

Because  my  heart  beats  with  each  throb  of  hearts  that  ache.'' 

(Light  of  Asia,  bk.  4). 

also  adding :  **  all  beings  desire  happiness ;  therefore  to  All  extend 
yoiu'  benevolence  "  (Mahavansa,  XII),  so  that  the  true  man  **  lives 
only  to  be  help  to  others  *'  (Q.  K.  Milinda,  IV,  II,  30) ;  and 
**  showeth  mercy  to  every  sentient  being  "  (ITdanavarga,  XXXI,  44). 
Indeed,  the  peculiar  characteristic  of  Buddhism  is  verily  this 
love— and  consequently  brotherhood — extended  to  all  living  things  : 

**'Thd  birds,  and  beasts,  arid  creeping^  things — *tis  writ— 
H«d  sense  of  Buddha's  vast  embracing  love, 
And  took  the  promise  of  his  pkeous  speech." 

(Light  of  Asia,  bk.  8.) 

for  the  Bttddha  ''has  mercy  even  on  the  meanest  thing" 
(CtlUftgga,  V.  21),  and  is '^a  frieadto  all  creatures  in  the  world*' 
(Saddharma  Pimdarika,  XIII,  59),  *'bent  on  promoting  the  happi- 
ness of  all  created  beings"  (Lalita  Vistara,  VII). 

How  does  tliis  universal  love,  compassion  and  attention,  com- 
pare  with  the  tendencies  of  the  Jehovah  of  the  Jews  and  Christians, 
who  first  destroyed  all  the  creatures  he- had  made,  yea,  *'the  beasts, 
the  creeping  things  and  the  fowls  of  the  air,"  simply  on  account  of 
man's  iniquity  (Gen.  VI,  7  ;  VII,  ^i,  22  and  23)  ?  and  who,  later, 
constantly  prescribed  burnt  and  meat  offerings,  while  atoning  for  the 
sins  of  humanity  through  running  blood,  i.e.,  the  slaughter  of  inno- 
cent cattle  (I,  10,  II ;  Lev.  XVII,  11,)  ?  And  how  can  a  true  Bud- 
dhist look  without  horror  at  Solomon's  holocaust,  so  agreeable  to  the 
Lord  (I,  Kings,  VIII,  63),  when  his  own  Buddha*  tells  that  "  the  prac- 
tice of  Religion  involves,  as  a  first  principle,  a  loving,  compassion- 
ate he^art  for  ALL  creatures"  (Fo-peu-hing-tsih-kiug,  ch.  21)  ?  add- 
ing further  :  "  How  can  any  system-requiring  the  infliction  of  miser>' 
on  other  beings  be  called  a  religious  system  ?. .  .To  seek  a  good  by 
doing  an  evil  is  surely  no  safe  plan  "  (Ibid,  ch.  xx). 

But,  ^part  from  the  compa^ou  and  brotherly  feeling  for  all 
things  which  forbids  a  Buddhist  to  kill  even  the^lowedt  life— and 
probably  on  account  of  that  universal  compassion — another  proud  but 
just  boast  of  Buddhism,  is  that  it  is  the  only  religion  that  has  never 
started  a  religious  war  or  persecution  on  mere  religious  grounds. 
Other  religions  have  made  war  on  and  persecuted  the  Buddhists,  but 
no  Buddhist  state  has  ever  used  armed  force,  fire  and  sword,  to 
proselyte  among  different  believers.  Therefore  the  nearest  approach 
to  true  human  brotherhood  is  found  among  Buddhist  populations, 
though  the  accretions  of  time  have  made  even  them  sadly  fall  short 
of  Buddha's  ideal. 

But  the  world  was  not  ready  when  Buddha  came  to  preach  the 


150  iThe  Theosophist.  [December 

sacred  Dharnia,  and  his  followers  have  remained  a  fraction  only  of 
the  earth's  population.  So  the  dominating  races,  who  needed  a 
harsher  discipline,  had  to  be  left  to  the  tender  mercies  of  the  Jehovis- 
tic  religion  and  of  the  sects  derived  from  it ;  and  thereby  the  lead- 
ing white  and  dark  races,  Christians  or  Mahomedans,  in  spite  of 
their  creeds — or  on  account  of  them — have  utterly  failed  to  realize 
Universal  Brotherhood,  and  will  continue  in  this  failure  so  long  as 
they  persevere  in  their  narrow-minded  religious  exclusivism  and 
their  arrogant  assumption  that  they  alone  are  in  possession  of  the 
Truth  and  of  salvation,  with  a  monopoly  of  divine  revelation.  In 
fact,  the  more  liberal  tendencies  of  the  closing  century  and  the  vari- 
ous late  steps  towards  a  closer  Brotherhood  of  Nations — such  as  the 
Universal  Postal  Union,  the  Parliament  of  Religions  and  the  at- 
tempt at  Universal  International  Arbitration,  whereby  even  "  Hea- 
then Nations"  are  entitled  to  an  equal  footing  with  the  Christian 
states — have  come,  not  through,  but  in  spite  of,  Christian  influence 
and  ruling,  and  as  a  forced  result  of  the  natural  course  of  evolution 
we  call  civilisation,  just  as  the  curse  of  modern  materialism  has  been 
a  reaction  from  and  against  the  narrow  and  illiberal  tendencies  of 
Christian  teachings  and  proselytism. 

However,  we  are  now  nearing  a  period  in  the  world's  existence, 
in  which  a  closer  bond  of  brotherhood  between  all  nations — togeth- 
er with  their  spiritual  enlightenment — will  be  an  indispensable 
factor,  if  Humanity  is  to  progress  for  good.  This  critical  period 
is  the  closing  of  a  waning  cycle  and  the  opening  of  a  new  one, 
which  is  the  important  forerunner  of  the  advent  of  those  na- 
tions of  the  great  sixth  sub- race,  who  will  have  control  of  the  earth 
as  successors  to  those  nations  nbw  existing  and  whose  life-span  is 
nearing  its  end.  Thus,  not  only  **  bitter  will  be,  in  the  twentieth 
century,  the  struggle  between  the  dying  materiality  and  the  growing 
spirituality  of  the  world"  (A.  Besant),  but  we  can  see  at  present,  a 
mighty  wave  of  evolution  bringing  fatally  all  nations  and  peoples 
together,  from  the  West  to  the  East,  sweeping  away  the  laggards 
and  unifying  all  interests  in  a  common  mixing  of  all  the  races  now 
living,  so  that  out  of  this  churning  the  new  nations  may  spring. 
Therefore,  some  realisation  of  real  Universal  Brotherhood,  outside 
of  all  creed  divisions,  is  now  more  necessary  than  it  has  been  for 
centuries  past,  and  some  presentation  of  that  important  idea  must 
be  made  to  reach  people  who  have  failed  to  obtain  it  through  their 
religious  teachings.  So,  while  at  the  end  of  every  century,  some  ade- 
quate effort  is  made  by  the  great,  invisible  Guides  of  Humanity, 
to  help  its  general  progress,  the  special  effort  of  the  nineteenth  cen- 
tury has  been  directed  towards  a  revival  of  this  great  ideal.  Universal 
Brotherhood.  But,  as  nothing  could  be  obtained  or  expected  in 
that  direction  from  the  present  Christianity  and  the  nations  under 
its  sway,  a  special  current,  independent  of  all  sects,  was  started  to 
bring  together  all  the  minds  ready  for  it,  by  the  formation  of  a  pecu- 


1900.]  Yiraga.  151 

liar  Society,  the  great,  international,  truly  cosmopolitan  Tbeosoph- 
ical  Society,  started  under  occult  guidance,  by  a  Russian,  in  Amer- 
ica, the  home  of  the  forthcoming  ruling  race,  and  having  its  head- 
quarters in  India,  with  branches  in  every  part  of  the  world.  The 
essential  object  of  this  Society  is  to  endeavour  "  To  form  a  nucleus  of 
the  Universal  Brotherhood  of  Humanity,  without  distinction  of 
Race,  Creed,  Sex,  Caste,  or  Color."  Nothing  so  broad  and  liberal 
lias  ever  been  presented  to  the  world,  and  strict  adhesion  to  this 
broad  tenet  is  binding  on  all  who  wish  to  join  the  Societj'.  There 
are  also  two  subsidiar}^  *  Objects,'  optional,  which  are  :  **  The  study  of 
comparative  religions,  philosophies  and  sciences  "  and  **  The  inves- 
tigation of  the  powers  latent  in  man  ;  "  but  both  these  objects  are 
intended  merely  as  helps  to  the  understanding  of  the  first,  by  break- 
ing down  all  religious  barriers,  through  proving  the  fundamental 
imity  of  all  religions,  and  by  showing  man  to  be  everywhere  formed 
and  gifted  in  the  same  manner,  as  it  must  be,  if  we  are  really  all 
brothers.  Thus  it  has  come  to  pass  that,  to  this  Theosophical 
Societ)',  man3',  who  would  never  have  thought  of  it,  now  owe  this 
new  ideal  of  a  real  Brotherhood,  as  an  unexpected  revelation,  em-, 
bracing  the  whole  of  Humanity  without  restriction,  and  not  impeded 
by  any  difference — in  religious  or  other  views — and  have  been  en- 
abled to  do  their  share  of  a  devoted  work  towards  its  realization. 

A.  Marques. 
{To  be  concluded). 


VIRA'GA. 


OF  the  many  virtues  that  have  to  be  practised  by  a  3'ogic  aspirant, 
i.e.,  one  iivho  aspires  to  w^ork  his  way  from  darkness  unto  light 
and  realize  the  truths  of  Brahma-VidyA  as  matters  of  first  hand 
knowledge,  Viraga  is  one  of  fundamental  importance.  Truth  and  . 
Viraga  are  the  two  wings  by  the  aid  of  which  the  ego  immersed  in 
matter  may  soar  upwards  to  the  realms  of  spirit. 

Viraga  is  defined  as  dispassion  or  non -attachment  to  sensu- 
ous and  intellectual  objects.  Before  considering  why  this  dispassion 
is  necessary  for  spiritual  evolution,  we  may  consider  what  attach- 
ment really  means  and  what  really  happens  when  a  human  ego  is 
moving  amidst  a  net-work  of  sensuous  or  intellectual  objects.  It 
will  be  remembered  by  those  who  have  read  the  Upanishads,  how  a 
human  ego  is  compared  therein  to  a  spider.  As  a  spider  throws 
out  from  himself  the  fibres  that  make  up  his  net,  and  lives  in  the  net 
surrounded  by  the  fibrous  emanations  of  himself,  likewise  the  human 
ego.  The  ego  is  a  centre  of  life  which  is  surrounded  by  a  sphere  of 
living  substance  and  this  is  constantly  moulded  by  the  ego  accord- 
ing to  the  way  in  which  he  behaves.  If  an  object  appeal  to  the  ego 
aad  if  the  ego  respond  to  the  appeal   sympathetically,   the  living 


152-  The  Theosophiat.  [December 

substance  is  moulded  by  this  sympathy.  The  spider  has  woven  a 
fibre  of  his  net.  The  ego  has  created  a  specialized  groove  for  the 
flow  of  life.  The  groove  is  either  filled  up  or  deepened  by  the 
future  behaviour  of  the  human  being.  These  specialized '  sym- 
pathies working  as  causes  determine  the  nature  of  the  future 
harvest. 

Now  in  this  process  of  the  evolution  of  the  human  soul,  we 
see  two  things  which  are  detrimental  to  spiritual  growth  ;  one  is  the 
specialization  and  hence  contraction  of  the  life  of  the  soul,  the 
other  is  its  downward  swing.  The  contraction  is  a  deadly  enemy  of 
the  divine  element.  The  sun  shines  for  all  and  the  air  is  breath  for 
all.  The  I/)gos  by  His  sacrifice  is  sustaining  all.  He  who  wants  to 
live  in  the  divine  life  that  He  has  poured  forth  must  broaden  his 
sympathy,  must  reflect  the  Divine  in  his  life  action.  He  who  nar- 
rows his  life  evolution  is  involving  himself  in  matter,  not  evolving 
the  divine  life  out  of  matter.*  It  is  hence  plain  that  a  process  of 
broadening  the  sympathy  on  every  side  is  necessary  for  approach- 
ing the  Divine,  even  on  the  plane  of  life  under  consideration.  This 
is  rising  above  love  and  hate,  pleasure  and  pain. 

The  downward  swing  of  the  ego  is  the  other  evil.  Ht)wever 
noble  a  human  soul  may  be  in  its  functioning  on  the  material  planes 
of  being,  it  must  consciously  aspire  upwards.  It  must  definitdl^' 
formulate  to  itself  that  the  noumenal  plane  of  causes  is  superior  to 
the  plane  of  phenomenal  effects.and  must  be  actuated  by  a  genuine 
desire  to  live  in  a  realm  of  realities  in  preference  to  the  realm  of 
appearances,  to  the  cloud  land  of  ever  changing  contours.  If  there 
be  such  a  genuine  wish  in  a  human  soul,  then  such  a  soul  will  func- 
tion on  the  nonnal  planes  of  life,  for  servdce  unto  the  Deity  and  not 
for  service  unto  self.  Service  unto  self  on. the  lower  planes  has  come 
to  be  understood  as  in  reality  disservice,  since  it  impedes  the  prog^ 
ress  of  the  Pilgrim. 

Now  we  get  the  active  aspect  of  the  great  virtue.  It  is  dis- 
sociation of  the  self  from  the  actions  done  on  the  lower  plane  and 
withholding  of  all  personal  sympathy  with  life  on  such  a  plane»' 
so  that  the  inner  life  of  the  self  may.  flow  upwards  and  iiurture  the 
spiritual -growth.  It/  is  transference  of  life  from  a  lower  to  a  higher 
plane.  Viraga  is  defined  in  the  **  Seven  Portals  "  as '*  indifference 
to  pleasure  and  pain,  illusion  rconquered;  truth  alone  perceived:" 
To  conquer  illusion,  what  a  grand  thing  is  implied  in  this' expres- 
sion I  To  explain  this  is  to  explain  what  Buddhahood  tneanS)  but  yet 
som-ething  must  be  said  about  it  when  it  is  attempted  to  understand 
the  virtue  of  Viriga.  Illusion  is  a  distorted  view  of  things,  or  as 
saidioften,  a  view  of  things  as  thej' appear  and  not  as  they  are. 

The  world  illusion  is  called  Mabdmay^  and  this  is  produced 
by  hosts  of  Devas  and  Dhyan  Chohans  working  according  to  the 
laws  of  cosmi<;  evolution.  They  work  according  to  a  gamnt  of 
limitation   known  as  the  •  Nidahasi    Thus  working,  they  sho^v  the 


1900.]  Viraga.  153 

Ou^  I^ife  uuder  diflfereut  aj^piBcU.  From  th/e  standpoint  of  aspect 
there  is  liBi^^ation  but  from  the  standpoint  of  the  Qna  I^ife 
there  is  non/^.  To  takQ  th^  iUnstratioa  w^ich  i?  pften  einp}oye4 
to  repr^aeut  a  CoanEios :  tho  s^ed  of  th^  Cosmos  is  the  spiritual  ray 
dropped  by  the  darkness  ii»tQ  th«  d^Qp  ;  qt  the  pptenti^Uty  of  all 
forms  and  limitations  called  space  or  waters  of  space,  in  the  *'  Secret 
Doctrine."  This  is  the  permanent  seed  for  a  Cosmos  and  all  else 
below  are  in  the  seed  and  only  show  the  potency  thereof.  The  One 
Life  is  known  as  Jiva  in  Sanskrit  and  in  theospphical  writings. 
This  is  A'tma  or  the  A'tmic  pjgne  and  it  contains  all.  It  contains 
all  in  terms  of  life,  not  life  known  as  vibrations,  for  this  is  of  the 
lower  planefi,  but  liJb  as  potential  vibration  or  as  numbers*  This 
statement  is  made  not  as  of  any  profit  to  popple  like  the  writer, 
liecanse  it  is  not  understandable,  but  as  one  of  potwcy. 

Herein  is  the  Up^dhi  of  the  Co^mosr— the  M&yfi  thereof— 
the  principle  that  shows  as  limited  within  the  boundaries  of  a  Cosmos 
the  really  limitless  Jiva,  This  is  the  Brabuw»  enwrapp(¥4  by  MSya, 
spoken  of  in  the  Pur^oas*  Now  Maya,  as  SQi4  already,  is  thepxinci- 
ple  of  limitation.  It  is  the  genius  that  m^y  be  labelled  as  the  many— 
the  opposite  pole  of  the  one.  It  is  the  inertia  state  of  life.  Punng 
Pralayic  intervals  the  many  becomes  one  because  the  life  of  the 
body  called  many  is  drawn  back  into  the  one  germ.  The  circum- 
ference made  up  of  points—drawing  its  breath  from  the  centre,  the 
unknowable  Brahman,  the  gadasiva^falls  to  the  ultiiftate  atoms 
or  disappears  because  the  radii  of  life  are  indrawn  into  the  Saddsiya 
of  the  sacred  a^bes. 

From  the  critical  condition  of  the  One  Wfe  in  the  A'tmic 
pkne,  the  Breath  works  outwards  in  the  Up4dhi  called  MSya  and 
the  imperishable  root  of  the  CoBmos  comes  into  soanifestation.  It  is 
the  Monad-^he  A'tma  Buddhi— the  plank  of  salvation  tp  the  Yogips 
in  search  of  Truth.  The  eternal  abode  of  the  Dhyaa  Cfaofaans  is 
here.  Tkey  are  not  divided  opmpartments  but  are  one  inseparably. 
They  £»rm  one  harmony.  Here  M&y&  has  been  acoeatuated  one 
step  downward.  This  is  the  plaice  of  the  one  in  many,  for  the  One  life 
has  put  forth  seven  aspects  of  itself.  Here  are  the  roots  of  the  Cos- 
mic tree  hidden  on  bigh«  the  tree  itself  swinging  downwards. 

One  more  accentuation  of  the  life  of  Mayd  and  we  get  the  ideal 
Nature.  It  is  the  plane  of  Cosmic  intelligence  and  ideation.  AH 
ane  here  as  prototypes.  They  are  ideal  £orms.  Brahmd  of  the  four 
faces  is  the  lens  through  which  the  rays  of  life  from  the  A'tma  Bud- 
dhic  world  are  transmitted  outwards  to  bring  into  existence  and 
sustain  the  lower  kiikas.  This  is  the  trunk  of  the  tree,  the  im- 
perishable hasie  of  all  later  o&hoots  during  a  Manvantara.  This 
is  th£  abode  oitiiQ  Manasins.  Here  M&y§  has  taken  a  distinct 
aspect.  Jt  has  become  the  body  as  contrasted  with  the  Life  that  in  - 
ibrms  the  body.  The  life  has  become  aound.  The  aoas  of  the 
Brahina  Rishis  recite  the  Veda.  The  Veda  acting  on  Cosmic 
4 


134  The  Theosophist.  [DeceonlMr 

upddhi  electrifies  it  into  forms.  The  first  and  the  seventh  lokas  of 
the  evolving  septenary,  the  first  as  the  seed  and  the  seiienth  as  the 
fruit,  are  on  the  first  layer  of  form.  The  momentum  of  the  life  wave 
pushes  the  matrix  along  a  curve  on  which  are  the  seven  globes,  that 
are  formed  out  of  the  matrix  on  the  four  layers.  The  layers  are  formed 
by  concretions  within  the  concrete.  The  lowest  layer  is  the  layer  of 
Mahfimtyt  where  separation  is  the  law.  But  it  is  all  apparent  separa- 
tion to  one  who  views  from  above,  the  aspect  of  the  One  Life. 

Now  we  see  that  a  vast  congeries  of  illusions  has  to  be  pass- 
ed through  by  the  Pilgrim— the  Human  Ego.  Turn  where  you 
may,  there  is  glamour.  Everything  that  shines  with  an  individual- 
ized being  carries  in  that  shine  the  glamour  of  the  element  of  indi- 
vidualization. One  who  is  attracted  and  lends  himself  to  the  attrac- 
tion creates  a  karma  that  binds  the  soul,  that  calls  it  into  function 
amidst  the  attracting  conditions  so  that  the  soul  may  learn  the 
emptiness  of  the  seeming  full.  It  is  in  reality  a  glamour  that  falls 
on  the  soul  and  that  makes  the  soul  cook  and  eat  on  the  back  of  a 
sea  monster.  The  faculty  of  the  soul  to  sense  the  truth  is  dwarfed 
by  the  glamour.  It  is  dark  where  light  was  expected,  but  the  darkness 
is  the  shadow  of  the  sins  of  the  soul  or  the  glamour  wrought  round 
the  soul  by  the  bonds  between  the  soul  and  the  objects  of  the  external 
worlds. 

From  the  above  it  will  be  seen  how  very  important  it  is  to 
cultivate  the  two  virtues,  Truth  and  Viraga.  It  is  only  the  firm 
determination  to  know  the  truth  and  live  in  it  that  can  carrj'  a 
Yogi  forward.  It  is  the  soul's  essential  life  which  becomes  opera- 
tive when  work  is  done  with  the  weapon  of  Viraga.  It  is  this 
weapon  which  ought  to  be  sharpened  and  applied  to  clear  the 
jungle  of  MSya.  Let  it  not  be  forgotten  that  this  jungle  of  MSysi  is 
a  jungle  only  to  the  advanced  ranks  of  the  evolving  humanity.  It 
is  a  school  to  the  others.  Every  one  who  goes  from  a  class  to  one 
higher  is  bound  to  do  his  best  to  improve  the  lower  class  to  make 
it  more  eflFective,  and  this  can  be  done  in  the  light  of  the  experience 
acquired.  Thus  only  can  service  be  done  to  the  Founder  of  the 
school  with  all  its  classes. 

12.  How  can  VirSga  be  cultivated  is  a  question  which  may  be 
considered  now.  In  this  connection  we  may  bear  in  mind  the 
words  of  Sn-Krishna  in  the  2nd  chapter  of  the  Gita,  about  the  evolu- 
tion of  evil.  He  starts  with  the  plane  of  thought.  Thought  creates 
the  bond  and  the  bond  sets  up  the  kamic  agitation,  as  the  Lord  says. 
Therefore  the  antithesis  must  also  be  generated  on  the  thought 
plane.  Virtues  are  wrought  into  the  soul  by  meditation  over  them 
and  practice.  Where  a  practice  is  begun  without  strength  on  the 
thought  plane,  there  comes  a  collapse.  This  accounts  for  the 
unfortunate,  degradation  of  several  holy  orders.  Thought  being 
set  up,  attempts  ought  to  be  made  to  practice  it,  for  practice  is 
healthy  circvilation  set  up  to  keep  up  and  strengthen  the  thought. 


1900.]  Industry  as  Forming  Character.  155 

Then  the  soul  develops  the  faculty.  The  advantage  of  association 
must  also  be  utilized  whenever  possible.  The  mighty  Lord  of  Truth, 
the  Thathagata— The  Hamsa  enthroned  on  purity— advised  the 
Bhikshus  to  form  themselves  into  groups  for  the  practice  of  the 
Dharma  as  a  remedy  against  the  individual  weakness  of  the  Bhik- 
shus.  This  advice  emanating  from  such  a  supreme  source  ought  to 
be  treasured  up  in  our  hearts. 

A.   NiLAKANTi  SaSTRI, 


INDUSTRY  AS  FORMING  CHARACTER. 
**  Working  to  Live  or  Living  to  Work,'^ 

WHEN  discussions  arise  as  to  the  nature  of  peoples'  occupations 
in  the  world,  we  do  not  go  far  in  the  matter  without  meeting 
from  what  is  generally  termed  "  the  working  population,"  the  home- 
ly statement  that  they  work  to  live.  Personally  I  object  to  the  term 
'working  population,'  as  if  there  were  no  work  being  done  unless  by 
men  and  women  and  boys  and  girls  with  their  sleeves  tucked  up, 
and  muscles  of  arms  or  fingers  in  full  play.  It  would  astonish  some  of 
our  factory  hands  whose  lives  are  full  and  happy  in  the  work  they 
do  in  obedience  to  the  industrial  capacity  within  them,  to  know  how 
dreadfully  hard  some  of  the  idle  drones  of  the  world  work  at  doing 
nothing,  to  all  appearances,  but  really  at  seeking  for  that  which  will 
dispel  the  frightful  sameness  and  boredom  of  a  life  without  any  interest 
in  it ;  innocent  of  any  salt  whatever,  even  the  salt  of  sin  or  sorrow. 
Waiting,  endlessly  waiting,  to. find  the  object  which  is  destined  to  be 
the  next  one  they  are  tp  strive  for  and  reach.  Go  the  round  of  the 
factory  hands  and  they  will  tell  you  that  they  work  to  live,  and  of  course 
on  the  bare  surface  of  things,  this  is  a  manifest  truism — ^without  work- 
ing, the  necessaries  of  life  could  not  be  theirs — and  I  think  it  is  one 
of  the  grandest  evidences  of  the  Divine  wisdom  and  love,  especially 
the  latter,  that  these  same  factory  hands  for  the  most  part  find  plea- 
sure in  their  work,  reach  to  what  self-respect  they  have  through  their 
work,  and  all  without,  again  for  the  most  part,  any  perception  of  the 
grand  fact  1>ehind  it  all,  that  they  also  live  to  work.  I  eky  for  the 
most  part,  but  not  entirely,  for  many  are  the  more  intelligent  of  our 
so-called  industrial  classes,  who  are  now  sufiiciently  *  advanced,'  as  I 
would  call  it,  to  perceive  dimly  that  a  purpose  of  some  kind  is 
behind  the  phenomenal  life  in  which  they  are  bound.  As  yet  how- 
ever there  are  but  few,  and  it  is  for  us  to  whom  the  Ancient  Wisdom 
has  brought  some  unveiling  of  part  of  the  Divine  purpose,  to  make 
these  few  the  many  and  to  carry  to  as  many  hearts  as  possible  the 
invincible  strength  which  comes  with  a  knowledge  that  all  that  is  is 
wise  and  right,  considered  as  a  means  of  growth  into  the  future 
which  awaits  us  in  the  great  beyond. 

If  the  T.S.  as  a   body  properly  carry  out  its  mission  to  the 
whole  of  humanity  it  cannot  leave  out  of  count  the  numerous  organi* 


156  The  ThMsophist.  [DeoAtuber 

zations'seeking  the  betterment  of  the  industrial  population  in  vari- 
ous ways,  and  onr  eflFort  to  take  economical  lines  ought  to  be,  to 
kaven  the  forces  already  at  work  in  their  ranks  with  so  much  of  the 
Truth  of  Thcosophy  as  they  will  be  able  to  stand,  withotit  destroy- 
ing the  peculiar  flavor  which  gives  them  power  over  the  people  they 
seek  to  reach.  It  is  unwise  to  ignore  the  magnitude  of  the  move 
ment  throughout  the  world,  in  the  direction  of  the  levelling  down  of 
the  very  richand  the  levelling  up  of  the  very  poor;  it  runs  through  al- 
most every  countryintheworld,  and,insome,thenumbers  and  import- 
ance of  the  people  in  its  front  ranks  press  the  matter  for  immediate 
solution  upon  the  mott  intelligent  and  quick  sighted  governments 
of  our  time.  To  attempt  to  ignore  it  hds  in  sothe  countries  brought 
dynasties  to  all  end  ;  it  lost  France  to  the  Bourbons  and  Napoleons, 
and  costs  Great  Britain  to-day  the  loyalty  of  Ireland.  The  struggle 
between  capital  and  labour,  wrongly  placed  as  they  are  by  our  Com- 
petitive system  in  opposition  to  each  other,  grouu  every  year  more 
keen,  and  threatens  to  culminate  one  day  in  a  gigantic  upheaval 
of  our  entire  social  fabric.  We  have  no  right  to  feiee  any  prospect 
of  this  kind  With  indifference  or  to  find  refuge  in  the  statement^  how- 
ever oft  repeated  or  true,  that  we  are  not  a  philanthropic  society, 
and  seek  to  put  in  force  higher  energies  than  the  physical,  to  reach 
fot  the  roots  of  human  ills  which  lie  beyond  the  sphere  where 
those  ills  are  operating.  I  quite  agree  that  it  will  be  nti^lcK^ed 
energy  for  the  T.  S.  to  attempt  to  grapple  even  with  the 
problem  of  the  'submerged  truth,'  much  less  to  go  out  to 
battle  with  that  Giant,  *  Socialism,  in  our  Time,'  but  if  any 
success  is  to  attetid  our  efforts  to  carry  the  hope  knd  enconrage- 
ment  of  Theosophy  to  the  people  weary  with  heavy  labour,  we 
must  meet  them  on  the  plane  of  their  every-day  life—offer  them  in 
fact  our  2$pice  of  wisdom  so  that  they  can  take  it  with  the  bread  and 
butter  of  daily  toil.  I  believe  that  many  a  person  Who  feels  aft  interest 
in  our  teachings,  is  turned  from  further  enquiry,  by  lack  of  simplicity 
in  the  presentatiou  made  to  them  of  Theosophy  in  every-day  life,  or 
by  the  selection  made  of  that  particular  side  of  Theosophy  which 
possesses  the  greatest  value  for  them.  We  often  tiH  At  windmills 
and  grind  away  at  an  a^e  that  is  sharp  enough  flU  the  tiffie.  To 
attempt  to  lay  the  higher  ranges  of  Karma  before  a  m&n  whose  life 
and  that  of  those  in  his  artizan'shome  is  made  bitter  to  dim  by  the 
tyranny  of  an  ignorant  employer,  would  be  about  lis  wise  as  to  talk 
of  the  mysteries  of  the  seven  spirits  b^ore  the  Throne  to  the  man 
who  was  only  just  beginning  to  see  £i  possible  Divinity  in  the 
relations  between  the  nature  of  met&ls  Md  light.  Because  we 
cannot  bring  the  higher  raUges  of  the  Karmic  I^w  within  the  reach 
of  the  man  who  sees  in  the  eight  hoar  day  the  cure  for  all  ills,  ot 
the  complete  horizon  of  the  desirable,  is  no  reason  why  we  shouM 
not  get  him  to  see  that  there  is  something  more  behind  the  doing 
of  those  eight  hours*  work  than  the  mere  keeping  of  the  wolf  from 


1900.]  Industry  as  F*orniinig  Character.  157 

the  dooT-*-iu  other  words  to  put  before  him  some  reasonable  argu- 
ments for  snpposing  that  the  totality  of  the  twenty  odd  thousand 
eight  hour  days  of  the  life  leave  something  more  behind  them  than 
a  rote  for  his  sons  and  daughters  at  elections  and  the  honor  and 
glory  perhaps  of  paying  rates  and  taxes  as  holders  of  property. 

Is  it  such  a  desperately  diflScult  thing  to  get  the  average  person 
to  believe  in  their  being  a  purpose  in  life?  Because  the  churches 
do  not  fill,  and  even  were  they  to  be  crammed  would  only  bold  a 
miserable  fraction  of  our  populations  (facts  which  go  to  show  that 
fortns  of  religion  do  not  bold  the  mass  of  the  people),  is  no  argu- 
ment that  there  is  no  perception  of  a  future.  For  myself  I  seem  to 
see  in  the  attitude  of  the  average  person  towards  the  difficulties  of 
eTer>'-day  life  an  unmistakable  confidence  that,  though  he  can  tell 
you  nothing  of  what  future  there  is  beyond  the  bodily  consciousness, 
there  is  somewhere  in  that  *  beyond,'  a  power  that  makes  for  justice 
and  will  one  day  put  all  right  that  now  is  wrong.  It  is  upon  this 
confidence  that  we  should  ^go  to  work  in  pressing  the  laws  of 
Karma  upon  people*s  attention.  For  doing  this  no  church  dogmas 
ever  formulated  can  compete  in  power  with  the  instruments 
furnished  by  Reincarnation  and  Karma.  So  hopelessly  are  they  left 
belnnd  that  ottr  Own  Christian  Creed  will  be  compelled,  as  time  goes 
on,  to  take  them  up  and  teach  them,  or  completely  lose  hold  on  the 
mind  of  mankind,  as  its  capacity  increases.  The  theory  of  the  one 
life  on  earth  may  die  hard,  but  it  is  shottly  going  to  die  as  surely 
as  the  summer  in  September ;  it  cannot  live  beside  the .  greater 
reasonableness  of  the  groxvth  of  the  soul  by  repetition  of  lives. 

Now  if  the  conception  of  this  great  Truth  grows  upon  the 
minds  of  men  at  large  what  does  it  bring  with  it ;  will  it  not 
amount  to  a  recognition  of  the  fact  that  we  live  to  work,  and  do  not 
merely  work  to  live  ?  And  when  this  has  on  all  sides  been 
admitted,  it  is  wonderful  to  reflect  upon  the  mass  of  at  present 
overpowering  problems  which  it  will  not  so  much  have  dealt 
with  aifd  solved  as  removed  out  of  our  path  as  not  ne<sesBaty  now  to  be 
thought  about,  so  much  else  will  have  been  brought  into  the  liofizon 
60  be  considered*  Take  for  instants  thdt  large,  ^nd  to  me  very 
interesting,  section  of  our  people  who  find  themselves  surrounded 
with  darkness  and  difficulty  from  no  apparent  fault  of  theif  own  ; 
those  with  whom  nothing  seems  to  prosper;  loss  of  fortune,  of 
friends,  of  health,  one  after  another  these  things  come  to  them  ;  whole 
lives  are  sometimes  passed  in  one  succession  of  struggles  with  the 
wolves  of  poverty,  ill- health,  or  sorrow,  often  maintained  to  the  very 
last.  And  we  sometimes  see  a  life  going  out  completely  stifled  by  a  sea 
of  trtmbks,  because  no  rift  can  be  seen  in  the  clouds,  because  the  pur- 
pose of  it  all  is  not  made  plain.  Carry  to  such  as  these  the  power  to  see 
that  life  here  is  but  a  gateway  df  probation  to  obtain  a  passport  to 
the  real  existence  free  of  the  body,  and  you  have  given  a  talisman 
that  will  render  tolerable  the  most  trying  circumstances  of  life.    It  is 


158  The  Theosophist.  [Decembtfi' 

because  the  average  person  does  not  look  far  enough  ahead  to  see 
the  purpose  of  life,  but  is  content  to  look  out  of  the  windows  of  the 
soul  only  just  as  far  as  the  little  grass  plot  of  the  present  personalit>% 
ignoring  the  wide  expanse  of  the  ages  that  have  gone  before  and  that 
will  follow  after,  that  all  the  trouble  comes.  It  is  failure  to  realise 
the  great  fact  of  growth  with  the  Spiritual  life.  We  may  profess 
religious  belief  in  a  state  hereafter,  superior  to  the  present,  but  our 
actions  are  almost  entirely  directed  towards  securing  a  satisfactory 
environment  here. 

I  know  it  will  be  said  that  environment  here  is  all  important 
to  most  persons,  since  if  you  deprive  them  of  the  surroundings  which, 
as  it  were,  prop  their  lives  up,  hold  them  together,  they  would 
go  under  in  the  whirling  maelstrom  of  struggle,  and  I  am  quite 
willing  to  concede  that  it  is  important,  up  to  a  certain  stage  ;  but  I 
claim  that  there  comes  a  time  when,  for  the  progress  of  the  soul, 
those  props  have  to  be  one  by  one  knocked  away,  that  the  soul 
may  learn  to  stand  without  them.  For  I  take  it  that  the  majority  of 
at  any  rate  the  Aryan  race,  have  come  to  that  point  where  they  must 
no  longer  regard  the  earthly  life  as  a  hunting  ground  for  the  greatest 
amount  of  pleasure  possible  to  be  secured,  not  merely  to  ourselves, 
but  to  those  about  us.  It  is  a  fine  theosophical  adage,  that  I  must 
ever  seek  to  make  myself  better  and  my  fellow  men  happier,  but  the 
man  who  can  see  to  the  innermost  parts  of  this  will  know  that  the 
happiness  he  can  bring  to  his  fellow  T:an  only  be  real  if  it  minister 
to  his  growth,  only  be  real  if  it  bring  with  it  chastening  elements 
that  make  for  character,  only  be  of  permanent  value  if  it  add 
some  deficient  quality,  or  strengthen  some  weakness  that  wanted 
building  up. 

Would  it  be  possible  for  any  of  us  with  the  great  unfoldment  of 
the  Ancient  "Wisdom  laid  out  before  us,  to  desire  for  any  of  our 
friends  merely  that  kind  of  happiness  which  brings  to  them  a 
perfectly  even  flow  of  days  and  nights,  free  of  all  sorrow  ;  a  social 
domestic  and  political  blue  sky  from  which  all  clouds  are  rigidly  ex- 
cluded ?  Do  I  not  know  that  under  such  a  sky  my  fellow  man's  soul 
must  stagnate  ?  So  must  I  always  desire  that  into  the  blue  horizon 
of  his  life,  as  of  mine,  shall  ever  come  so  much  of  the  cloud  as  will 
bring  the  storm  of  struggle  and  of  growth— so  much  of  it  as  will  ever 
keep  us  both  with  faces  turned  to  the  goal  of  progress  marked 
out  before  us.  Take  for  example  your  deepest  bosom  friend  ;  take 
that  Jonathan  of  your  heart  with  whom  you  link  whatever  future 
you  feel  there  may  be  in  store  for  you  in  the  great  hereafter. 
Would  you  if  you  could,  hedge  him  round  with  that  kind  of  happi* 
ness  which  if  indefinitely  prolonged  would  leave  him  far  behind  in 
the  march  which  the  rest  of  us  all  are  making  towards  the  goal, 
along  a  road  paved  only  with  dijficulties,  with  sorrows,  with  suflFer- 
ing,  nay  with  sin  ?  Will  you  not  rather  feel  that  if  it  is  to  be  possible 
for  you  to  find  him  still  at  your  side  in  that  great  hereafter,  be 


1900.]  Industry  as  Forming  Character.  159 

must  tread  the  thorns  and  the  rough  stones  of  "the  only  road  you 
kaow  as  possible  for  you  ?  Then  if  I  recognise  this  need  for  my  be- 
coming better,  and  that  this  is  the  only  way,  I  must  wish  my  friend 
to  be  also  walking  that  road  in  my  company. 

The  class  amongst  our  community  who  claim  such  immense  im- 
portance for  our  physical  surroundings,  are  almost  always 
found  to  regard  the  question  of  work  from  the  standpoint  of  a 
horrible  necessity  thrust  upon  us  as  a  result  of  the  fact  that  our 
bodies  cannot  subsist  without  so  much  food,  clothing  and  shelter ;  and 
their  attitude  towards  the  Power  whom  they  consider  responsible  for 
such  ordinary  things  is  one  of  distrust  and  fear,  if  not  of  outright 
hate ;  and  from  them  we  hear  the  open  confession  that  they  work  only 
to  live,  often  made  in  such  a  way  as  to  leave  a  flavour  in  the  mouth 
that  compulsion  alone  draws  any  eflFort  from  them,  and  that  without  it 
life  would  be  entirely  free  of  work. 

Now,  apart  altogether  from  the  splendid  purpose,  the  grand 
achievement  our  teachings  show  as  being  behind  our  compulsions 
towards  effort,  what,  let  us  ask,  would  this  world  be  like  without 
any  work  to  do  in  it  ?  From  such  a  world  even  the  idlest  vagabond 
would  soon  pray  to  be  delivered.  It  is  a  well  known  fact  that 
condemned  prisoners  have  pleaded  for  some  work  to  be  given  them. 
The  man  who  regards  work  only  as  a  dread  necessity  for  keeping 
the  wolf  of  want  from  his  door,  loses  more  than  half  the  salt  of  life, 
fails  utterly  to  perceive  the  drift  and  the  power  of  that  magnificent 
inherent  quality,  some  of  which  every  one  of  us  possesses,  for  showing 
forth  some  capacity  for  doing  something.  Some  of  the  very  best 
of  oursocialist  friends  will  tell  us  that  it  is  the  stifling,  by  environment, 
of  this  very  capacity  that  they  are  fighting  against.  On  the  face  of 
it  this  is  a  legitimate  call  to  us  to  help  in  giving  that  capacity  a 
chance,  but  only  on  the  face  of  it,  for,  below  the  surface,  deep  down, 
the  withholding,  the  temporary  curbing,  of  that  capacity  may,  to  the 
agents  of  the  Deity,  who  rule  our  Karma,  be  of  infinitely  greater 
value  for  the  time.  If  the  great  painter.  Turner,  had  been  compelled  to 
make  shoes  for  a  livelihood  the  world  would  have  lost  a  great  artist 
and  the  suppression  of  the  gigantic  talent  of  the  genius  would  have 
been  bitter  to  the  heart  of  the  man  ;  yet  had  it  been  so  ordered  our 
Theosophy  compels  us  to  admit  that  even  so  the  strength  of  that 
genius  must  have  been  added  to  by  other  qualities  the  result  of  that 
suppression,  and  the  outlet  of  that  genius  by  another  channel.  For  no 
genius  can  ever  be  quite  suppressed.  Shut  the  soul  of  Beethoven 
up  within  the  confines  of  a  world  where  no  musical  sounds  were 
ever  known  or  thought  of,  and  the  expression  of  his  genius  would 
be  a  series  of  eternal  harmonies  in  some  form  or  other,  though  he 
never  strike  a  note  or  a  chord. 

The  man  therefore  who  accepts  the  grand  outlines  of  the 
Ancient  Wisdom  stands  compelled  not  only  to  acquiesce  patiently 
when  he  sees  suppression  of  a  talent  resulting  from  the  stern  neces- 


160  The  Theosophist.  [December 

sities  of  life,  but  to  feidognise  in  those  necessities  themselves  a  wise 
provision  for  the  outlet  of  tfae  soul's  Wi<fe  strength  in  another  direc- 
tion. To  me  there  is  nothing  to  be  itforef  admired,  almost  worship- 
ped, than  the  quiet  acceptance  by  most  men  and  women  of  th«  line 
of  life  and  work  lived  out  by  their  environment  right  in  front  of  thedl« 
They  may  feel  that  in  this  and  that  direction  their  talents  wonld 
point  out  a  road  to  a  greater  excellence,  a  greater  distinction,  than 
anything  their  compelled  line  of  life  will  ever  lead  them  to,  yet 
for  the  sake  of  duty,  or  possibly  from  an  inner  perception  that 
the  soul  is  intended  to  endure  and  to  bear,  the  thing  that  is 
given  them  to  do  is  thoroughly  done.  A  very  dear  friend  of 
mine,  in'  writing  to  me  lately,  speaking  of  the  widening  out 
of  our  sj'mpathies  to  all  conditions  of  men  said  :  **  I  find  it  is  so 
easy  to  love  most  people ;  no  matter  what  their  station  in  life,  however 
rich  or  poor,  you  feel  there  is  something  they  are  wrestling  with, 
that  you  know  nothing  about,  and  this  something  ennobles  them  in 
one's  eyes."  For  myself  I  feel  the  utter  truth  of  this ;  it  is  quite  the 
exception  to  meet  with  people  who  altogether  repel,  and  when  met 
with,  I  think,  if  I  anal3'se  well  my  feelings  towards  them,  they  amount 
to  negative  rather  than  positive  qualities;  the  soul  seems  not  to  beat 
work,  to  be  asleep,  or  perhaps,  sad  to  think  as  possible,  in  some  cases 
not  there  at  all.  But  let  there  be  in  any  form  of  it,  evidence  of  the 
activity  of  the  Soul,  of  that  Fighter  wthin,  bravely,  and  (mark  well 
the  word)  man-fully  clearing  his  way  through  the  present  difficulty 
right  in  front  of  him,  and  the  response  of  our  own  souls,  whether  our 
personal  selves  give  expression  to  it  or  not,  must  be  instant  aiid  deep. 

Armed  with  the  beautiful  conception  of  the  capacity  of  the  soul 
of  man  to  gather  strength  and  advancement  out  of^z^fyjetavironment 
it  finds  itself  in— and  my  own  Tlieosophy  boils  down  pretty  well  to 
that — a  man  goes  down  into  the  arena  of  life,  with  a  feeling  that  few 
of  the  struggles  around  him  are  too  bitter  to  bear.  It  will  be  that 
the  heart  will  quiver  with  the  intensity  of  the  effort,  perhaps  with 
the  shame  of  the  defeat,  but  right  in  view  all  the  time  will  be  the 
picture  of  the  soul  of  man  growing  by  the  work  prescribed  for  him 
to  do.  If  to  any  mind  this  seem  to  drag  in  the  danger  of  indiffer- 
ence to  the  sufferings  around  us,  I  reply,  the  fact  that  your  own 
troubles  and  sufferings  are  first  so  regarded  is  the  best  foundation  for 
your  coming  .so  to  regard  those  of  others  ;  the  very  recognition  of 
the  danger  of  indifference  coming  to  you  so,  is  a  sign  of  character 
and  is  a  title  to  the  position  taken  up. 

So  for  my  dearest  friends,  I  would  not  ask  that  they  shoukl  do 
one  whit  less  work  or  wish  to  shorten  their  particular  take  of  bricks  ; 
not  this  so  much  as  that  whatever  call  may  be  made  on  them  shall 
be  within  their  capacity  ;  if  it  should  be  very  narrowly  within  that  ca- 
pacity and  call  for  the  utmost  that  is  in  them,  then  should  I  be  glad 
that  the  soul  is  busy  and  is  not  merely  wasting  time— idly  stretching 
itself  in  the  sunshine.    Of  coarse  I  would  not  ha^'e  it  said  there  is  to 


1900.]  Industry  as  Forming  Character.  161 

be  no  sitting  in  the  sun,  but  only  so  much  of  it  as  the  soul  needs  for 
taking  breath,  as  it  were  ;  as  much  as  will  preserve  the  tone  of  the 
whole  man  and  prevent  any  warping  of  the  nature.  And  so  long  as 
this  is  done,  it  does  not  matter  much  what  the  work  may  be,  so  long 
as  there  is  no  outraging  of  the  soul's  standard  of  right  and  wrong, 
so  long  as  there  is  constantly  in  view  an  ideal  high  enough  to  call  forth 
the  verj-'-  best  there  is  in  the  man.  On  questions  of  national  economy 
it  is  distressing  of  course  to  see  high  capacities  denied  any  outlet  by 
reason  of  the  compulsions  of  poverty.  The  nation's  wealth  is,  on  the 
surface,  so  much  less  because  a  genius  has  to  grind  scissors  for  his 
daily  bread,  but  if  the  menial  occupation  is  used  aright,  the  in- 
crease of  the.  wealth  of  humanity  as  a  whole  is  going  on  all  the  time. 

All  this  being  so,  ought  we  to  seek  too  rapidly  to  alter  the  exist- 
ing order  of  things  ?  I  do  not  mean  to  say  that  we  should  not  seek 
to  abolish  crime  or  to  reform  all  criminals  ;  to  rescue  fallen  women, 
and  the  city  waifs  and  strays.  The  efforts  to  remove  these  blots 
upon  our  national  life  afford  in  themselves  a  splendid  field  of  work, 
wealthiest  of  all  in  that  material  which  the  soul,  hungriest  for  self- 
development,  will  seek  ;  this  is  surely  one  of  the  compensations  for 
the  ills  of  the  present  competitive  system,  and  one  of  the  prices  to  be 
paid  for  our  social  Utopia  whenever  it  may  come,  when  there  shall 
be  no  more  Mary  Magdalenes  and  no  more  prodigal  sons,  will  be 
the  closing  up  of  the  channels  by  which  the  qualities  of  .charity,  pity 
and  compassion  have  built  up  the  Saviours  of  the  world.  To 
me  it  seems  certain  that  the  bulk  of  us  have  yet  to  reach  to  the  foun- 
dations of  these  qualities,  and  if  to  get  at  them  and  make  them  quite 
its  own,  humanity  has  yet  to  offer  in  some  of  its  members,  subjects 
to  be  worked  upon,  it  will  not  be  too  great  a  price  to  pay.  Probably 
we  shall  all  of  us  struggle  to  keep  ourselves  outside  the  circle  of 
those  so  worked  upon.  What  is  more  natural  and  right  than  that  we 
should  avoid  the  role  of  Lazarus,  but  if  there  were  not  a  Lazarus  and 
no  men  falling  among  thieves,  there  would  be  no  Good  Samaritan  and 
no  Abraham's  bosom. 

I  conclude  then  that  work,  whether  ostensibly  for  a  livelihood 
or  a  voluntary  outlet  for  the  soul's  energies,  is  altogether  noble,  and 
that  no  man  should  fear  to  take  up  whatever  share  of  it  is  put  dis- 
tinctly in  his  way  ;  rather  the  one  thing  to  be  feared  is  idleness,  not 
merely  of  the  hands  or  of  the  head,  but  of  the  heart.  For  our  con- 
ception of  work  has  got  to  be  most  catholic,  and  we  have  got  to  see 
that  because  others  are  not  busy  in  the  way  we  understand  business, 
they  may  not  be  idle.  Hands  and  head  may  both  be  very  quiet,  yet 
the  heart  be  busy  with  its  work  of  compassionate  and  pitiful  sym- 
pathy. It  may  seem  strange  to  regard  as  noble  some  of  the  occu- 
pations which  people  follow  for  a  livelihood,  or  some  of  the  methods 
which  men  adopt  who  put  together  great  fortunes.  All  this  is  work 
it  will  be  said,  and  is  this  to  be  endorsed  ?  Of  itself  no  particular 
calling  holds  any  great  nobility  only  as  it  offers  an  outlet  for  the 
5 


162  The  Theoflophist.  [DedemlMr 

growtb  of  character,  and  for  this  the  so-called  basest  trades  offer  the 
richest  fields  for  a  certain  section  of  humanity.  Whatever  anom- 
alies we  seem  to  see  in  life  to-day,  Those  whose  business  it  is  to 
set  us  each  our  take  of  bricks,  understand  quite  thoroughly  what 
they  are  about.  They  know  our  various  differences  of  age,  our 
various  deficiencies  of  character,  and  if  our  present  competitive  S3rs- 
tem  of  wages  and  work  is  destined  to  prevail  for  ages  yet,  it  will  be 
because  They  entirely  approve  of  it  as  being  the  best  for  our 
people  as  they  stand. 

Thus  is  our  Gospel  of  work  a  Gospel  of  content.  Content  not 
with  everything  as  it  is  to-day,  but  with  the  evident  means  placed 
in  our  hands  for  change  as  we  grow  into  better  things.  As  one  to 
whom  this  Gospel  of  content  has  come  through  Theosophy's  Gospel 
of  work  I  am  quite  satisfied  to  leave  the  fixing  of  the  time  when 
poverty  and  want  shall  cease,  with  Those  who  have  our  future  in 
Their  hands. 

W.  G.  John. 


THE  LATE  MAX  MULLER. 

THE  death  of  a  man  like  the  Right  Honorable  F.  Max  Mailer, 
K.  M.,  M.  A.,  lyL-D.,  D.CX.,  late  Privy  Councillor,  is  an 
event  that  cannot  be  passed  over  in  silence  by  any  journal  or  societ>»^ 
which  is  interested  in  the  progress  of  Oriental  Literature.  He 
ranked  among  the  greatest  Western  scholars  of  our  times,  and  his 
genius  has  indelibly  impressed  itself  on  the  page  of  history.  Who 
he  was  in  his  preceding  incarnation  would  be  most  interesting  to 
know.  He  must  at  any  rate  have  been  a  devotee  of  learning,  for 
he  brought  over  with  him  into  the  present  birth,  all  the  capacity, 
the  energy  and  perseverance  needed  to  accomplish  the  great  things 
which  he  did. 

He  was  bom  at  Dessau  on  the  6th  December  1823  and  died 
October  28th,  1900.  His  whole  life,  since  his  i8th  year,  has  been 
one  of  hard  work.  His  father  was  Wilhelm  Muller,  the  German 
poet,  and  he  gave  him  the  most  liberal  education  his  means  allowed. 
He  was  educated  at  the  public  schools  of  Dessau  and  Leipzig,  and 
subsequently  attended  lectures  at  the  Leipzig  and  Berlin  Univer- 
sities, studying  Arabic,  Persian,  Sanskrit.  Comparative  Philology 
and  Philosophy.  From  an  able  notice  in  the  Madras  Mail,  the  fol- 
lowing passages  are  taken,  as  the  present  notice  is  written  away 
from  our  Library  and  its  books  of  reference  : 

"  In  1843  he  took  his  degree,  and  in  the  following  year  published  his 
first  work,  *The  Hitopadesa,'  a  collection  of  Sanskrit  fables.  He  first 
earned  his  liyelibood,  he  tells  us,  by  writing  and  copying  Oriental  mann- 
scripta  for  other  people.  When  still  a  very  young  man  he  began  what  he 
regarded  aa  the  work  of  his  life,  *  the  first  editioo  oi  the  oldest  book  in  ibe 


190O.}  The  Lata  Max  MuUer.  163 

world,  the  Bible  of  India,  the  Veda/  and  for  20  years  <  I  slaved  day  after 
dfty  aad  night  after  night  on  this  book,  and  when  it  was  comploLed  I  had  re- 
ceived as  recompense  for  my  drudgery  no  liigher  pay  than  that  of  the  hum- 
blest clerk  in  the  India  Office/  But  he  accepted  the  position  with  resig- 
uatioQ  and  expressed  his  gratitude  to  his  patrons,  the  Directors  of  the  old 
East  India  Compaoy,  and  '  received  a  most  generous  present  from  the  In« 
dian  Government  at  the  completion  of  my  work.  The  publication  of  the 
Rig  Veda  in  six  large  volumes  was  the  turning  point  of  my  career.  It  made 
me/ 

Max-Mtiller  went  to  Oxford  in  1846  with  the  intention  of  staying  there 
for  a  fortnight  only,  and  he  remained  there  till  the  end  of  his  days,  or  for  56 
years,  and  the  work  in  which  he  revelled—*  I  am  never  so  bappy  as  when  I 
am  at  work' — and  which  be  turned  out  in  snch  profusicm,  will  be  an  nndy« 
ing  record  of  his  vast  literary  and  philological  attainments*  He  was  possess* 
ed  of  a  knowledge  of  no  less  than  15  languages,  which  he  studied  for  scien- 
tific purposes  alone — not  for  speaking  purposes,  which  he  left,  as  he  once 
remarked,  to  couriers  and  ladies'  maids — and  the  uses  to  which  he  put  these 
remarkable  linguistic  attainments  are  to  be  found  in  the  innumerable  books, 
essays  and  other  literary  communications  which  he  published  in  the  course 
of  his  long  and  well  spent  life.  In  1868,  Oxford  University  founded  a  new 
Professorship  of  Comparative  Philology,  and  the  Statute  by  which  it  wits 
established  specially  provided  that  if  Dr.  Max-Miiller  would  accept  the  ap* 
poistment,  no  other  names  need  be  considered.  He  was  accordingly  appoint- 
ed to  fill  this  loorative  office,  and  discharged  the  duties  appertaining  to  it  to 
the  end*  He  had  never  come  into  rivalry  with  an  Englishman,  and  only 
OQce,  in  the  case  of  the  election  to  the  Chair  of  Sanskrit,  engagsd  in  any 
competition  in  which  an  Englishman  had  taken  part.  He  prided  himself  on 
the  fact  that  very  seldom  had  a  feeling  of  jealousy  been  manifested,  and  then 
only  to  a  slight  degree,  on  account  of  his  preferment.  Though  he  had  lived 
for  so  many  years  in  England,  Max-Miiller  died,  as  he  lived, '  German  in 
heart.'  Among  other  notable  features  of  a  long  career  of  usefulness  we  may 
refer  to  the  distinguishing  honour  which  was  accorded  to  him  by  the  late 
Dean  Stanley,  who  invited  him  in  1873  to  deliver  a  lecture  in  'Westminster 
Abbey  on  '  The  Religious  of  the  World,'  a  unique  honour,  as  no  other  lay- 
man has  ever  delivered  an  address  in  that  sacred  place.  Four  years  sgo  he 
was  made  a  member  of  the  Privy  Council,  and  some  time  afterwards  a  Knight 
Commander  of  the  Legion  d'Honnenr.  He  was  also  a  Knight  Comswnder  of 
Uie  Corone  d' Italia  and  of  Albrecht  the  Bear,  and  the  recipient  of  many 
honours  from  learned  societies  in  Great  Britain  and  on  the  Continent.  He 
sever  ceased  work,  and  we  believe  he  was  engaged  upon  a  revision  of  his 
collected  works  and  writing  a  volume  to  be  called  '  My  Friends  in  India,' 
while  his  latest  contribution  to  a  magazine  is  that  on  '  The  Beligions  of 
China,'  the  second  pai:t  of  which  aj>pear8  in  the  current  issue  of  the  Nine^ 
ietnUh  OwiuryJ^ 

It  is  hardly  correct  to  say  that  he  lived  in  harmony  with  his 
contemporary  savants,  for  in  his  time  he  engaged  in  sharp  coutro* 
vtfsies  with  several  of  them  and  sometimes  used  very  harsh  lan- 
guage. There  was  a  bitter  rivalry  between  him  and  the  late  Prof. 
A.D.  Whitney,  of  Yale  University,  another  great  Sanskritist,  and 
it  is  reflected  in  the  books  of  both.  He  was  also  contemptuous 
^en  speakisg  of  Prof.   Sir  Monier- Williams,  whose  Oriental  Insti* 


l64  The  Theosophist.  [Decembeir 

tute  at  Oxford  he  described  to  me  in  personal  conversation  as  "  a 
repository  for  stuffed  elephants."  He  had,  moreover,  for  Mme. 
Blavatsky  a  chronic  aversion,  which  leaked  out  in  some  of  his  later 
books,  lectures  and  magazine  articles.  In  his  last  letter  to  me  he 
declared  that  Orientalists  would  never  permit  themselves  to  listen 
to  her  expositions,-  and  at  our  notable  personal  interview  at  his 
house,  some  years  ago,  he  said  that  we  were  spoiling  all  the  excel- 
lent reputation  we  had  gained  by  what  we  had  done  for  the  revival 
of  Sanskrit  learning,  by  "pandering  to  the  superstitious  folly  of  the 
Hindus  in  pretending  that  there  was  a  secret  doctrine  embodied  in 
their  Scriptures."  This  prejudice  and  narrow-mindedness  was  the 
greatest  impediment  in  his  career.  If  he  had  had  the  open-minded- 
ness  to  admit  that  the  Hindus  knew  the  true  spirit  of  the  heredi- 
tary teachings  of  their  Rishis  and  other  Sages,  he  might  have  im- 
mortalised his  name  in  India  ;  as  it  was,  he  lived  and  died  a  Philol- 
ogist and  Orientalist  of  the  Western  type,  almost  unknown  to  the 
orthodox,  and  derided  by  such  distinctively  Indian  Pandits  as 
Swami  Dyanand  Sarasvati,  who  gave  him  the  nickname  of  **  Moksh 
AfuUer."  Towards  myself  personally  he  was  kind  and  courteous 
in  correspondence,  and  quite  recently  had  promised  to  be  on  the 
look-out  for  a  young  German  Sanskritist  like  Prof.  Thibaut,  to  take 
literary  charge  of  the  Adyar  Library.  The  richest  legacies  which 
he  has  left  to  posterity  are  his  edition  of  the  Rig  Veda  and  his 
splendid  edition  of  "  The  Sacred  Books  of  the  East."  In  what- 
ever light  he  is  studied,  he  appears  to  have  been  one  of  the  most 
remarkable  men  of  our  times. 

H.  S.  O. 


NOTES  ON  A  VISIT  TO  VAISA'LI. 

THE  city  of  Vaisili,  the  capital  of  Videha,  appears  to  have  been 
founded  in  the  prehistoric  period  by  RSja  VisSla.  Rama,  while 
going  to  Mithili  (now  Janakpur)  to  marr>'  SJtal,  passed  this  town 
with  Rishi  VisvSmitra.  At  the  time  of  Gautama  Buddha,  the  Vrijies, 
and  Lichchhavies  were  established  here  as  an  independent  republic 
of  eighteen  nobles,  of  whom  Mah^vira's  father  was  one,  being  con- 
stantly at  war  with  the  kings  of  Magadha—BimbasSra  and  Ajita- 
satru.  Three  years  after  the  death  of  the  Buddha,  Ajatasatru  in- 
vaded and  besieged  Vaisali  from  his  base  at  the  new  fort  of  Pfitaliputra, 
which  had  been  constructed  for  that  purpose.  Sowing  dissensions . 
among  the  chiefs  of  the  town,  the  Rfijgriha  king  easily  conquered 
Vaisali,  from  which  the  Mauryas  fled  away  in  an  eastern  direction. 
AjAtasatru  was  born  of  a  Videha  (VaisAli)  princess ;  therefore  he  was 
known  as  Vaidehi-putra. 

In  6i  A.B.  (482  B.C.),  when    SisunAga.  whose  mother  was  a 


190O.]  Notes  on  a  Visit  to  Vaisali.  165 

Vaisllli  princess,  was  elected  king  by  the  noblesof  Rlljgriha,  who 
put  an  end  to  the  patricide  dynasty  of  AjAtasatru,  he  removed  to 
the  Vriji  town  and  made  it  his  capital.  In  441  B.C.,  the  second 
Buddhistic  council  was  held  here  in  the  V^likS-ArSma.  But  Kal^- 
soka-Nanda,  who  made  Pitaliputra  his  seat  of  Government,  sided 
with  the  heterodox,  who  seceded  from  the  Sthavira  or  orthodox 
party ;  and  thus  the  Mahdsangika  sect  was  brought  into  prominence. 
After  this  event,  Vaisdli  does  not  appear  to  have  played  any  part  in 
the  history  of  Magadha  ;  though  it  continued  to  be  the  headquar- 
ters of  a  local  sect,  called  the  Easterners,  whom,  long  after,  A'r>'a- 
deva,  the  sixteenth  Sthavira,  defeated   in  the  presence  of  the  king. 

But  in  the  history  of  the  Jaina  Church,  Vaisfili  stands  pre-emi- 
nent ;  for,  here,  at  KundagrAma,  Mahdvira  was  born,  attained 
KevalUy  (knowledge,)  and  preached  the  religion  of  Pirsva,  which  he 
reformed  in  the  6th  Century  B.  C*  The  Jainas  were  known 
at  the  time  as  Nirgranthas — those  who  untied  the  knots  of 
worldly  life.  In  the  course  of  ages  the  Jainas  continued  to 
flourish,  and  at  the  time  of  the  visit  of  Hiuen  Tsiang,  when  the 
Buddhistic  community  declined,  the  Nirgranthas  were  prominent 
inhabitants  of  Vais^li  and  its  neighbourhood.  But  now  the  Jainas, 
none  of  whom  live  there,  have  altogether  forgotten  it  as  the  cradle 
of  their  faith  ;  and  no  Orientalist  has  yet  turned  his  attention  to  it  as 
one  of  the  most  promising  fields  for  antiquarian  research,  as  my 
rough  note  shows. 

The  Maha-parinirvana  Sutra  records  the  last  journey  of  Buddha 
from  Rdjgriha  to  Kusinagara,  where  he  died.  After  crossing  the 
Ganges,  just  at  the  west  side  of  the  then  rising  town  of  Pdtaligrdma, 
from  which  fact  the  place  was  known  as  Gautama's  Ferry,  he  halted 
at  Sinsaka  grove,  north  of  the  village  of  Kotigrdma,  probably 
Ghatdra  of  the  present  day ;  and  next  day  in  the  Gunjaka,  a  brick 
rest-house  for  travellers  at  Nddikd,  which  was  a  double  village  on 
the  shore  of  a  large  tank  of  the  same  name.  His  next  place  of  halt 
was  in  the  Vihira  in  the  mango  garden  of  Amrapdii,  which  appears 
to  have  been  situated  on  the  south  of  the  city  of  Vais&li.  Here  he 
admired  the  city,  exclaiming  to  his  favourite  attendant  and  disciple : 
"  How  delightful  a  spot,  Ananda,  is  Vaisdli,  and  the  Udena  Chaitya, 
the  Gautamaka  Chaitya,  the  Sattambaka  Chaitya,  the  Vahuputra 
Chaitya,  the  Sarandada,  and  the  Chapala  Chaitya."  From  Amra* 
Pali's  Vihdra,  he  went  northward  to  the  Kutdgdra  hall,  in  Mahd- 
vana  forest,  and  near  the  Monkey-tank.  From  there,  he  went  to 
Beluvagrdma,  and  spent  his  last  Was  (Varshd  rainy  season)  in  the 
Balukardma  Vih^a  at  the  time  when  there  was  a  famine.  Beluva 
was  a  village  at  the  foot  of  a  hill,  most  probably  the  large  mounds 
in  the  middle  and  west  of  Bakra.  Thence  Gautama  Buddha  return- 
ed to  Vaisdli,  and  calling  in  his  scattered  followers,  preached  to 
them  at  the  Jnyuipura  (Service  Hall),  and  halting  for  the  last  time 

*  He  died  in  B.C.  527. 


\M  the  Theosophist.  [Deoeinber 

at  Chapala  Chaitya,  left  the  city  by  the  western  gate,  and  journeyed 
towards  Kusinagara.  He  visited  the  following  villages  on  the  way  : 
Bhandagrllma,  Hatthigrima,  Ambagrdma,  JambugrSma,  Bhogana- 
gara,  and  Pivd. 

Dulva  III,  of  the  Tibetan  Buddhistic  literature,  records  that  there 
were  three  districts  in  VaisAli.  In  the  first  district,  there  were  7,000 
houses  with  golden  towers  ;  in  the  middle  district  were  14,000  houses 
with  silver  towers  ;  and  in  the  last  were  21,000  with  copper  towers. 
In  these  lived  the  upper,  the  middle  and  the  lower  classes,  accord- 
ing to  their  positions  (RockhilFs  '*  I^fe  of  the  Buddha  "). 

The  Jaina  Kalpa  Sutra,  which  was  written  by  Bhadrabdho,  in 
about  360  B.C.,  mentions,  while  recording  the  Life  of  Mahdvira,  that 
he  was  born  at  Kundagrdma,  resided  at  the  Chaitya  of  Duipal&sa, 
near  KoUdga  (Kollua),  which  was  situated  a  short  distance  north- 
east  of  Vanijagrdma,  the  Beuiya  of  the  present  da3^  Kundapnra 
or  Gama  had  two  portions,  of  which  the  southern  was  inhabited  by 
the  Brahmans  and  the  northern  by  the  Kshattriyas  of  the  Kndtika 
or  NAya  clan,  being  a  large  town  with  interior  and  exterior  portions. 
The  Duipal&sa  consisted  of  a  park  with  a  shrine,  situated  in  the 
Gandavana  of  the  Ndya  clan,  where  MahAvira  renounced  secular 
life.  Jiyasattu  was  Rdj^  of  Viniyagilma ;  while  Siddh&rtha,  the 
father  of  Mah&vira,  was  Raja  of  Kundapura,  being  chief  of  the  N^ya 
clan,  and  residing  at  KolUga,  a  suburb  of  the  city  of  Vaisdli,  of 
which  Kundapura,  now  Bdsukund,  near  Benipur,  and  north-east  of 
the  ruined  fort,  appears  to  be  another.  After  the  attainment  of 
Kevcda^  Mahdvira  remained  at  Vdniyagftma  and  Vaisili  for  twelve 
years.  V4niyag4ma  was  inhabited  by  the  upper,  middle,  and  lower 
classes,  thus  agreeing  with  the  description  of  Vaisdli,  as  quoted  above 
from  the  Tibetan  authority. 

Hiuen  Tsiang  in  637  A.D.,  mentions  four  or  rather  five  groups 
of  monuments  at  Vaisdli,  which,  though  in  ruins  in  his  time,  were 
60  or  70  li.  in  circuit,  (i)  The  citadel,  evidently  that  now  known 
as  Rajah  VisAlkA  gark  was  4  or  5  li.  in  circuit ;  (2)  5  or  6  li.  north- 
west of  the  citadel  was  the  Hinayana  monastery  of  the  Sammatiya 
School,  with  three  Stupas  close  by,  of  which  that  raised  over  the 
relics  of  the  Buddha,  from  Kusinagara,  by  the  king  of  Vaisilli  was 
most  important,  and  which  was  deprived  of  its  contents  by  Asoka 
who  rebuilt  it ;  (3)  3  or  4  li.  north-east  of  this  (2)  was  a  3rd  group 
of  3  Stupas  and  Vimalakirti's  house ;  (4)  3  or  4  It.  north  of  (2)  were 
a  great  number  of  m<muments,  among  which  was  a  St&pa  where  the 
Buddha  looked  at  Vaisdli  for  the  last  time ;  (5)  and  north-west, 
presumably  of  No.  2,  were  the  Asoka  Stupa  and  the  Lion-pillar, 
south  of  which  was  the  Monkey- tank  with  another  Stdpa,  and  a  tem- 
ple on  the  south  and  west.  Besides,  14  or  15  li.  south-east  of  the 
great  city  was  a  Stupa  marking  the  site  where  the  second  synod  of 
the  Buddhists  was  held  in  441  B.  C. 

On  plotting  the  main  ruins  that  H.  Tsiang  saw  in  about  637 


IMO.]  Notea  on  a  Visit  to  Vaisali.  167 

A.D.,  in  a  sketch  map,  I  find  that  General  Cunningham  is  right  in 
his  identifications  of  the  royal  palace  and  the  Monkey-tank  with  its 
neighbouring  monuments ;  they  being  so  prominent  as  to  be  easily 
recognized  by  an3^body.    But  he  did  not  detennine  any  other  site. 

H.  Tsiangadds  that  *'  both  within  and  without  the  city  of  VaisAli. 
and  all  round  it,  the  sacred  vestiges  are  so  numerous  that  it  would 
be  difiicult  to  recount  them  all.  At  every  step,  commanding  sites 
and  old  foundations  are  seen,  which  the  succession  of  seasons  and 
lapse  of  years  have  entirely  destroyed.  The  forests  are  uprooted  ; 
the  shallow  lakes  are  dried  up  and  stinking ;  nought  but  offensive 
remnants  of  decay  can  be  recorded.'*    Beal's   Wesieni    World,  Vol. 

n.  P-  73- 

Fa  Hian,  in  about  400  A.D.,  mentions  the  chief  monuments, 

giving  their  bearings.    He  mentions  the  outer  city,  3  li.  south  of 

which  and  a  little  on  the  west  of  the  road  was  Amrapali's  park. 

Three  II.  north-west  of  the  city  was  the  Stfipa  of  Bows  and  Arrows, 

evidently  the  Bahuputra  Chaitya,  near  which  the  Buddha  announced 

his  Parinirv^na,  and  3  or  4  li.  east  of  which  was  the  Stupa  of  the 

second  Buddhistic  Council.    On  the  north  of  the  city  was  the  Ma- 

hdvana  VihAra,  near  which  was  the  Stupa  of  Ananda.    Fa  Hian  also 

mentions  the  west  gate  of  the  city,  at  a  short  distance  from  which 

and  turning  towards  the  north,  was  the  Stupa  marking  the  spot 

where  the  Buddha  cast  his  last  look  towards  the  great  city. 

In  comparing  the  two  accounts,  I  find  great  diflSculty  in  recon- 
ciling Amrapali's  Vihara  and  the  Stupa  of  the  second  Buddhistic 
Council.  But  the  Preaching  Hall  of  H.  Tsiang  is  evidently  the  MahA- 
vana  Vihara  of  Fa  Hian ;  for  both  are  towards  the  north  of  the  city 
and  have  the  Ananda  Stfipa  close  by,  the  Hinayana  Sangharama 
being  evidently  a  quite  different  structure,  most  probably  within  the 
northern  rampart  of  the  city.  And  Balukarama,  where  the  Buddha 
baited  before  he  departed  for  Kusinagara,  and  Valikarama,  where 
the  second  council  of  the  Buddhists  was  held,  about  100  years  after 
tbe  ParinirvAna,  were  evidently  one  monument,  situated  at  Belu- 
vagrama,  now  represented  by  the  present  village  of  Bakra,  which 
term  most  probably  preserves  Baluka  or  Valika  by  a  slight  change 
of  /  into  r  and  transposition  of  r  from  before  to  after  k.  Buddhagho- 
sha,  in  his  commentar3%  records  that  Baltiva  was  at  the  foot  of  a  hill, 
near  Vaisali.  BakrH  still  possesses  such  a  hill  or  two,  where  the 
Lunift  tribe  now  extracts  saltpetre  from  beneath  earth  mounds. 
Both  Fa  Hian  and  Hiuen  Tsiang  appear  to  have  committed  a  great 
error  in  their  bearings  and  distance  of  this  site,  though  the  former 
is  evidently  nearer  to  truth. 

Taking  the  clue  of  Vana  (forest),  I  began  to  enquire  of  the  vil- 
lagers whether  such  a  name  exists.  I  heard  at  last  that  Madhuvana 
is  the  name  of  a  large  tract  of  land,  south  of  Kolhua  and  the  Mon- 
key-tank, now  known  as  Kund.  It  is  about  two  miles  north-west  of 
Viailgmfa,  and  about  a  mile  north-west  of  the  city  rampart.    Re- 


168  The  Theosophiat.  [December 

membering  that  at  the  time  of  Gautama  Buddha,  there  was  a  great 
forest  of  Sal  on  the  north  of  the  citj%  which,  like  all  forests, 
abounded  with  bees,  I  can  safelj''  identify  Mahavana  with  the 
Madhuvana  of  the  present  day,  which  was  evidently  remembered 
for  its  supplying  the  inhabitants  with  honey  ^Madhu),  most  proba- 
bly in  connection  with  the  Madhu  Stupa,  south  of  the  Markaia  hrada. 
The  monkeys  were  also  said  to  have  supplied  honey  to  the  Buddha 
— another  link  of  evidence  to  the  identification  of  the  site  of  the 
great  forest  (Mahdvana).  Now  as  Kutagara,  the  two-storied  Vihara, 
was  situated  somewhere  near  the  Markaia  hrada  (Monkey- tank), 
I  found  no  difficulty  in  locating  it  on  the  north-east  of  the  lyion- 
pillar,  where  the  field  is  comparatively  high,  and  where  some  years 
ago  the  local  Zemindar  excavated  hundreds  of  cartloads  of  bricks 
which  he  carried  to  Bakra  to  build  his  house.  And  as  about  i,coo 
feet  north  of  the  Asoka  Stupa,  a  very  fine  and  life-size  statue  of 
the  Bodhisattva  was  exhumed  some  twenty  years  ago,  it  most  pro- 
bably shows  the  site  of  the  chapel  of  the  Vihara.  As  to  any  pos- 
sible objection  to  my  reading  N.  W.  for  north,  for  the  hall,  I  would 
repl}*^  that  the  proposed  identification  will  still  show  to  the  north 
of  the  western  part  of  the  city.  Kutagara  being  thus  found,  the 
neighbouring  Stupas,  detailed  by  H.  Tsiang,  require  only  a  little 
search,  for  which  purpose,  however,  I  could  not  find  time  during  my 
short  stay  at  Vaisali. 

Noticing  that  H.  Tsiang  gives  60  or  70  li.  as  the  outer  dimension 
of  the  city,  which  General  Cunningham  and  subsequent  explorers 
overlooked,  I  began  to  enquire  whether  there  still  exist  the  remains 
of  the  ancient  rampart  ;  and  a  Brahmana  at  last  informed  me  that 
the  city,  which  was  Panchakfoshi  (five  kosa),  10  miles  in  extent,  had 
in  the  corners,  temples  of  Chaumukhi  (four-faced)  Mahadeva,  of 
which  two  on  the  S.  E.  and  N.  E.  he  showed  me.  That  on  the 
south-east  corner,  about  half  a  mile  south-east  of  the  present  village 
of  Basarh,  is  now  buried  under  the  embankment  of  a  large  tank, 
which  occupies  this  portion  of  the  ancient  city.  From  this  point 
the  earthen  rampart  extended  west  and  north,  which  can  be  traced 
to  a  considerable  extent.  On  the  south  of  the  village  of  Benipur,  I 
saw  a  large  Chaumukhi  (Chaturmukhi)  Linga  of  Mahadeva,  about 
4  feet  below  the  present  level  of  the  ground.  Since  this  figure  most 
probably  occupied  the  highest  spot  of  the  ground,  or  rampart,  the 
present  level  of  the  fields  shows  how  high  the  country  has  been  rais- 
ed since  Gautama  Buddha  departed.  Tradition  records  that  just  on 
the  north  of  it,  a  river,  Sarasvati  by  name,  used  to  flow  from  N.  W. 
to  S.  E.,  now  represented  by  low  fields.  The  ramparts  from  this 
point  westward  cannot  be  traced,  for  the  fields  are  all  level  and  even. 
Going  about  a  mile  or  more  west  I  saw  another  Chaumukhi  Linga, 
north-east  of  the  village  of  Beniya — which  is  now  enshrined  in  a 
modern  temple. 

I  succeeded  in  tracing  the  western  rampart  on  the  high  em- 


^900.]  Notes  on  a  Visit  to  Vaisali.  169 

bankment,  just  east  of  the  long  tank  of  Ghorhdourh,  the  reminis- 
cence of  the  ancient  race-course.  The  southern  rampart  extended 
to  Dharara.  village,  which  turned  northward  to  join  that  of  Ghorh- 
dourh. At  DhararS,  just  south-west  of  the  corner  of  the  fort,  was  the 
fourth  Chaumiikhi,  which  was  stolen  and  removed  to  Jalalpur 
several  years  ago. 

A  few  hundred  feet  north  of  Benipur  is  the  small  village  of 
Vasu-Kund,  which  presumably  represents  the  ancient  town  of  Kund- 
pura  or  grama,  where  Mah&vira'was  born  in  the  sixth  century  B.  C. 
On  the  north  of  it  is  a  line  of  low  fields  which  show  the  ancient 
channel  of  a  river,  still  remembered  by  the  people  as  Kundwa,  Sk, 
Knnda,  whence  evidently  the  town  was  called  Kundapura. 

The  next  point  to  determine  was  the  position  of  the  Hindyana 
SanghSrama  (Monastery,)  from  which  H.  Tsiang  gives  his  bearings 
and  distances  of  other  monuments.  Now  closely  examining  the 
fields  between  Beniyagrama  and  the  citadel,  I  was  rewarded  with 
detecting  an  elevated  spot,  full  of  broken  bricks,  which  accords  with 
about  3  or  4  li.  (half  a  mile)  north-west  of  the  latter.  It  is  on  the 
north  side  of  the  Kharona  Tank,  and  has  a  rather  commanding  posi- 
tion. The  whole  spot  around  the  tank  is  now  known  as  Vana 
(forest).  The  tract  from  here  to  the  garh  is  now  full  of  water,  and  I 
got  an  impression  that,  in  prehistoric  times,  there  was  a  river  of 
respectable  size  flowing  here  from  west  to  east,  of  which  the  Nala 
N&si  or  Newli,  most  probably  the  river  Vaggamuda  of  the  Buddhis- 
tic literature,  now  considerably  altered  and  reduced  in  its  course,  is 
a  vestige. 

Hearing  of  the  existence  of  a  village  by  the  name  of  Beniya,  in 
the  neighbourhood,  I  at  once  concluded  that  this  must  be  the  Vaniya- 
grama  of  Kalpa-sutra,  compiled  by  Bhadrabahu  in  about  360  B.C.* 
Mah&vira,  the  last  Ttrthankara  of  the  Jainas,  lived  here  as  also  at 
VaisSli  for  twelve  years.  I  began  therefore  to  enquire  whether 
there  is  any  Jaina  statue  or  temple,  and  was  glad  to  hear  that  about 
eight  years  ago,  two  figures  of  Tirthankaras — one  seated,  the  other 
standing — were  exhumed  and  sheltered  in  a  shed,  built  for  the  pur- 
pose. They  were  found,  about  8  feet  below  the  field  level,  about 
1,500  feet  west  of  the  village.  They  were  complete  and  not  broken 
in  the  least,  and  were  very  beautiful  to  look  at.  But  two  years  ago 
they  were  .stolen  one  night,  when  a  Saheb  was  encamped  at  Bakra. 
It  is  a  great  pity  that  this  important  link  of  Jaina  evidence  has  been 
lost  forever.  And  I  feel  it  my  duty  to  emphasise  that  conservation 
of  relics  is  as  important  a  matter  as  that  of  ancient  monuments.  The 
N.  W.  P.  Government  is  particular  about  it  ;  and  the  local  authorities 
keep  such  a  strict  watch,  even  in  the  outlying  jungles  ofBundel- 
khund,  that  no  visitor  dares  to  remove  any  relics.  But  here  in 
Bengal,  I  find  the  reverse  ;  and  in  private  bungalows  and  railway 


•See  **  Sacred  Books  of  the  East,"     Vol.  XXII.,  p.  264,  and  *'  Uvasagadasas," 
p.  169. 

6 


170  The  Theosophist,  [December 

compounds,  I  see  collections  of  ancient  statues  which  ought  to  grace 

a  Museum. 

In  the  B4w&n  temple  are  a  number  of  images,  Brahmanical  and 

Buddhistic,  amongst  which  I  found  a  beautiful  seated  Tirthankara  in 
black  marble,  which  is  said  to  have  been  exhumed  from  the  neigh- 
bouring tank.    It  is  another  relic  of  Jaina  worship  at  Vaisali. 

As  to  Amrap&li*s  Vihara,  I  am  disposed  to  locate  it  at  Dauna- 
gar,  where  is  an  earthen  mound ;  for  the  road  that  Fa  Hian 
mentions,  was  presumbly  that  passing  over  the  ancient  bridge  or 
causeway  communicating  with  the  south  gate  of  the  citadel.  The 
citadel  was  evidently  the  seat  of  the  republic,  where  the  Vriji 
barons  had  their  mansions ;  and  Amarapali,  the  courtesan,  must 
have  occupied  the  most  fashionable  quarter  of  the  city  square  to 
attract  the  rich.  But  I  have  not  yet  found  time  to  examine  minutely 
the  tract,  south  and  west  of  Bas^rh,  to  say  positively  whether  the 
identification  of  the  proposed  site  is  within  a  degree  of  certainty. 

The  hamlet,  known  as  Bodha  tola,  appears  to  be  an  ancient  site, 
probably  that  of  the  Stupa  of  the  last  look  of  the  Buddha.  Here  is  a 
small  mound  now  almost  levelled  by  the  Luniyas  for  the  purpose  of 
extracting  saltpetre.  Luniyas  have  in  fact  taken  possession  of  all  the 
ancient  mounds  in  this  neighbourhood  ;  and  it  is  now  ver>'  difiicult 
to  identify  all  the  monuments  mentioned  by  the  Chinese  pilgrims. 
The  houses  in  those  days  were  mostly  built  as  now,  of  mud ;  the 
remains  therefore  are  of  saline  earth,  now  in  the  possession  of  the 
lyuniyas.  And  even  the  two  earthen  Stupas,  now  known  as  Bhim 
Sen's  Pallas  (baskets),  have  already  been  invaded  by  them,  who 
should  be  at  once  prevented  from  so  doing  ;  for  these  two  most 
probably  represent  some  sites  in  association  with  the  sojourn  of 
the  Buddha. 

Kollu^,  the  KolMga  of  Mahavira's  time,  has  also  a  large  mound 
in  the  eastern  side  of  the  village,  and  a  Bhinda  about  two  furlongs 
north-east  of  it.  But  next  to  Basirh  and  Bakra,  Beniy&  contains 
extensive  mounds ;  and  on  the  south-west  are  two  small  mounds 
close  to  each  other,  which  evidently  represent  some  ancient 
monuments. 

Since  I  could  not  spare  more  than  half  a  day  of  the  three  I  stayed 
at  VaisMi  I  could  not  explore  more  than  what  is  embodied  above. 
But  I  doubt  not  that,  if  more  time  is  devoted  to  the  work,  all  the 
other  monuments  mentioned  by  the  Chinese  pilgrims  and  other 
ancient  records  will  be  found.  Only  a  little  superficial  excava- 
tion will  be  required  here  and  there,  for  the  country  has  been 
considerably  raised.  According  to  local  tradition.  Rajah  Vais&la  in 
the  prehistoric  times  founded  this  town,  whence  it  was  known  as 
VaisSli  (literally,  belonging  to  VaisSla).  Rama  of  Ayodhya,  on  his 
way  from  Harihar  Chhatra  (Kshetra),  visited  it  while  going  to 
Janakpur.  Buddha  admired  the  buildings  and  inhabitants  of  the 
great  city,  near  which,  at  Kundagrama,  Mahavira  was  born   in  the 


190O.]  The  Sanyasin.  171 

6lh  ceutury  B.  C,  and   subsequently  it   became  a   great   centre  of 
Buddhism  and  Jainism  ;  so  it  is  worth  thorough  exploration. 

P.  C.  MUKHKRJI, 

Arckceologistt 


THE  SANYA'SIN. 

OF  the  four  dsramas  or  stages  of  life  that  a  Brahmana  is  expect- 
ed by  the  Hindu  scriptures  to  pass  through,  the  Brahmacharya, 
GrihasiUy  Vanaprastha  and  Sa^iyasa,  the  last  is  the  most  diflScult  to 
achieve.  Sauyasa  consists  in  the  complete  renunciation  by  the 
aspirant  after  wa^/2  or  absolution,  of  the  world,  with  all  its  joys 
and  sorrows,  its  pleasures  and  pains,  its  longings  and  aspirations, 
with  their  concomitant  realisations  and  disappointments.  This, 
as  can  be  readily  seen,  is  by  no  means  an  easy  thing  to  do, 
and  the  three  previous  stages  are  therefore  intended  as  a  prepa- 
ration. As  a  BrahmachSrin,  or  student,  the  Brsthmana  en- 
gages in  the  acquisition  of  learning.  This  done^  he  marries,  be- 
comes a  grihasta,  or  householder,  and  discharges  faithfully  the 
duties  enjoined  on  him  as  son,  husband,  father,  citizen.  Then 
comes  the  further  discipline  of  the  Vanaprastha^  or  the  life  of  the 
recluse  in  the  forest,  with  or  without  wife.  When  the  man  has 
passed  through  the  purifying  and  ennobling  discipline  of  these  three 
stages,  and  when  the  conviction  has  thus  become  borne  in  upon  him 
of  the  transitoriness  and  the  consequent  unreality  of  all  worldly 
things,  and  when  he  has  fully  realised  the  absolute  vanity  of  all 
human  wishes  and  aspirations,  he  enters  upon  the  last  stage  of 
existence,  the  life  of  the  Sanyasin. 

Before  a  person  can  take  to  such  a  mode  of  life,  he  has  to  go 
through  certain  forms  and  ceremonies,  every  one  of  which  is  typical 
of  what  he  is  expected  to  renounce  and  what  he  is  expected  to  take 
up  instead*  The  first  thing  that  an  aspirant  after  the  Sanyasa  dsranta 
has  to  do  is  to  call  in  a  body  of  not  less  than  four  elderly  grihasthas 
and  communicate  to  them  his  wish  to  enter  the  order  of  the  orange 
robe.  Elaborate  rites  of  purification  and  expiation  are  prescribed 
lor  him  which  are  identical  with  the  ceremonies  which  are  laid 
down  in  the  case  of  a  person  on  his  death  bed,  save  for  the  omission 
of  the  kamamantray  which  is  enjoined  to  be  whispered  in  the  ear  of 
a  twice-born  at  the  precise  moment  when  the  spirit  quits  the  body 
and  wings  its  way  above.  Such  ceremonies  are  ordained,  for,  when 
a  person  becomes  a  Sanyasin,  he  is  expected  to  utterly  renounce 
the  world  with  all  its  ties  and  obligations ;  he  becomes  dead  indeed 
to  kinsmen,  friends  and  all.  And  such  purification  alone  can  fit 
him  to  enter  upon  the  fourth  and  the  highest  stage  in  the  life  of  a 
Brihmana.  These  expiatory  rites  performed,  the  would-be  Sanyisin 
next  goes  solemnly  through  the  forms  of  giving  up,  one  after 
another,  his  allegiance  to  the    Uniritics,  or  Dkartna  Sasiras^  the 


i72  The  Theosophist.  [December 

Vedas  (the  Karma  Kanda  or  ritualistic  portion)  and  even  the 
Gdyairi,  which  is  the  essence  of  the  Vedas,  as  being  all  and 
severally  inadequate  to  enable  him  to  perceive  and  realise  the 
perfect  identity  between  his  individual  spirit  and  the  Para- 
brahman  or  the  Universal  Spirit ;  and  takes  refuge  in  the  mystical 
A,  U,  M,/\\\  token  whereof  the  sacred  thread,  or  Yajnopavtia,  is 
snapped  and  thrown  off.  He  then  vows  to  renounce  wife,  son, 
wealth,  etc.,  indeed  everything  that  is  of  a  worldly  nature,  and  in 
token  of  it  divests  himself  of  his  sikhd,  or  lock  of  hair,  and  his 
head  is  completely  shaved.  The  donning  of  the  orange-coloured 
robe,  symbolical  of  his  desire  to  devote  himself  to  the  acquisition  of 
the  knowledge  of  Brahman  (the  Supreme  Self)  ;  the  assumption  of 
the  ascetic's  staff  of  twelve  knots  with  the  handle  a-top  of  them,  and 
the  water  pot — the  former  typifying  that  his  soul  in  the  course  of 
its  evolution  has  passed  through  all  the  twelve  grades  and  now 
aspires  to  absorption  in  the  Absolute,  and  the  latter  emblematical 
of  his  setting  no  greater  store  by  his  physical  body  than  by  that 
vessel  of  clay,  both  of  which  he  regards  with  equal  indifference  and 
unconcern — by  these  the  aspirant  has  now  become  invested  with  all 
the  outward  marks,  but  with  them  alone,  the  mere  trappings,  the 
livery  of  the  ascetic. 

The  best  things  of  this  world,  and  of  the  other  world  for  the 
matter  of  that,  which  would  be  his  reward,  if  he  lived  as  he  ought 
through  the  first  three  stages  and  stopped  there,  have  ceased  to 
possess  any  attraction  for  him,  being  all  of  them  perishable  in  the 
long  run.  He  is  now  fired  with  the  desire  to  seek  the  knowledge  of 
the  Absolute,  that  thereby  he  may  achieve  reunion  with  that  whence 
he  has  come.  That  the  desire  may  bear  fruit,  the  novice,  full  of  this 
lofty  aspiration,  has  to  get  himself  initiated  into  the  knowledge  of 
the  Supreme  Self.  With  this  object  in  view  he  **  goes  forth  from 
his  home  alone,  without  a  companion,  silent  and  regardless  of 
objects  of  desire  and  composed  in  resolution,'*  wanders  about  till  he 
meets  with  a  Sanyasin  competent  to  instruct  him  in  the  knowledge. 
To  him  the  novice  attaches  himself  and  serves  with  that  whole- 
hearted devotion  with  which  the  Brahmacharin,  or  student,  is  bidden 
by  the  ordinances  of  the  scriptures  to  serve  the  gum,  or  preceptor. 
The  Sanyalsin  accepts  the  service,  but  otherwise  seems  to  take  no 
notice  of  the  novice.  But  the  truth  is  far  otherwise.  He  knows 
what  the  novice  has  come  for  and  watches  his  conduct  closely,  to 
satisfy  himself  that  the  new  comer  is  fit  to  receive,  assimilate,  and 
thus  profit  by  the  knowledge  of  the  Supreme  Self  which  he  seeks. 
After  a  rather  prolonged  period  of  such  probationary  service,  during 
the  whole  of  which  he  has  been  under  very  close  observation,  he  is 
taken  notice  of  and  is  asked  why  and  wherefore  he  has  assumed  the 
uniform  of  the  Sanyasin.  His  motives  must  be  looked  into.  The 
sincerity  of  his  professions  must  be  ascertained  bej'ond  all  doubt.  Is 
his  desire  of  dsrama  the  offspring  of  genuine  conviction,  or  is  it  but 


1900.]  The  Sanyasin.  ITS 

the  ephemeral  creation  of  the  mere  impulse  of  a  moment  ?  His 
home  might  have  been  an  unquiet  one  ;  he  might  have  been  un- 
fortunate in  the  choice  of  his  wife ;  his  only  son  might  have  so 
misbehaved  himself  as  to  bring  great  disgrace  upon  the  whole 
family  ;  the  wife  of  his  bosom,  whom  he  loved  as  himself,  or  the 
son  of  his  old  age  upon  whom  he  reckoned  for  the  due  performance 
of  his  funeral  rites,  might  have  been  snatched  away  by  the  cruel 
hand  of  Death  ;  or  he  might  have  been  afflicted  by  one  or  another 
of  the  thousand  and  one  calamities  that  flesh  is  heir  to,  which  filled 
his  mind  for  the  moment  with  utter  disgust  for  the  world  and 
he  might  have  assumed  the  staff  and  the  water-pot  under  that 
momentary  impulse.  It  is  likewise  just  possible  that  it  was  a 
deliberate  step,  but  not  taken' in  that  frame  of  mind  which  ought 
to  mark  a  person  when  he  is  about  to  take  that,  the  most  impor- 
tant, step  in  his  life.  A  person  might,  by  his  own  recklessness 
and  extravagance,  have  reduced  himself  to  insolvency,  or  he 
might  have  committed  some  grave  crime  ;  and  to  escape  the 
unpleasant  consequences  of  such  insolvency  or  crime  he  might 
have  changed  his  dsrama.  For  a  Sanyasin,  according  to  the 
S&stras,  is  a  new  being  altogether,  with  nothing  to  connect 
him  with  his  past  life  and,  therefore,  not  liable  to  be  called  to 
account  for  the  deeds  done  in  his  past  dsramas.  It  is  equally 
possible  that  a  person  might  have  become  a  Sanyasin  under 
compulsion,  as  in  a  case  like  the  following :  A  marriage  has  been 
arranged  to  be  celebrated  on  a  certain  day,  and  if  it  be  not  celebrated 
on  that  particular  day,  it  could  not  be  celebrated  for  a  twelvemonth, 
no  auspicious  day  being  available  in  the  interval.  All  the  preparations 
have  been  made  and  everything  is  ready  for  the  celebration.  But  all 
of  a  sudden  an  old  relation  is  suddenly  taken  seriously  ill  and  hap- 
pens to  be  in  a  critical  condition  about  the  time  appointed  for  the 
celebration.  If  he  should  die,  the  parties  to  the  marriage  will 
come  under  pollution  and  the  marriage  cannot  take  place.  Pressure 
is  therefore  brought  to  bear  on  the  poor  individual,  and  he  is  rushed 
through  the  forms  referred  to  at  the  commencement  of  this  article  ; 
for  a  SanySsin,  being  considered  to  be  civilly  dead,  his  passing 
away  can  cause  pollution  to  none.  The  \nctim,  however,  survives 
and  enforced  Sanyisahood  is  his  lot. 

Great  care  has  to  be  taken  to  find  out  that  the  novice  who  seeks 
initiation  at  the  hands  of  the  SanySsin  belongs  to  none  of  these 
categories.  If  he  should  come  under  one  or  another  of  them  and 
regret  the  hasty  or  enforced  step,  he  is  now  free  to  go  back  to  his 
former  dsrama,  after  the  due  performance  of  certain  prescribed 
penances.  The  difficulties  and  troubles  of  the  Sanyisin's  life 
are  fully  explained  to  him  and  even  magnified,  so  that  when 
the  novice  enters  upon  this,  the  most  exacting,  stage  of  existence 
he  may  do  so  with  his  eyes  wide  open,  with  a  full  sense  of  the 
demands  and  responsibilities  of  that  life.    When  the  novice  ex-» 


174  The  Theosophist.  [December 

presses  himself  resolute,  and  declares  that  he  has  seen  enough  of 
the  world  and  what  it  has  to  offer,  and  that  his  mind  is  made  up 
that  he  will  not  revert  like  the  dog  that  returns  to  its  vomit,  then 
alone  is  the  novice  deemed  fit  for  initiation.  Even  now  the  cere- 
mony of  initiation  cannot  be  immediately  performed.  It  costs  some 
money  to  do  it,  and  both  the  novice  aud  the  SanySsin  being  alike 
without  the  means,  absolute  poverty  being  a  fundamental  rule  of 
their  order,  the  novice  has  to  possess  his  soul  in  patience  until  a 
good  grihasiha  can  be  found  possessing  alike  the  will  and  the  means 
to  advance  the  requisite  sum.  The  rites  are  then  gone  through  as 
prescribed  by  Visvesva^a  smriti^  which  laj^s  down  in  great  detail 
the  rules  of  life  and  conduct  of  this  order.  It  has  been  said  above 
that  a  person  became  dead  in  the  eye  of  the  law  the  moment  he 
assumed  the  outward  symbols  of  the  fourth  order.  Nor  is  this  all. 
He  is  considered  to  have  lost  his  personality  in  the  eye  of  the  world 
also.  He  is  deemed  to  have  taken  a  new  birth.  The  first  rites  of 
initiation  are  thus  the  jaiakartna,  the  ceremonies  performed  in  the 
case  of  a  new  born  child.  Then  follow  those  of  namakarana^  or 
giving  a  name,  the  two  together  answering  roughly  to  baptism 
among  Christians,  which  makes  him  regenerate.  The  novice  now 
receives  a  new  name  different  from  the  one  he  bore  in  the  past.  A 
somewhat  singular  procedure  is  adopted  for  fixing  upon  the  new 
name.  The  novice  is  bidden  to  touch  some  part  of  the  body  of  the 
Sanyasin  who  imparts  the  initiation.  Different  letters  of  the  alpha- 
bet are  assigned  to  the  different  parts  of  the  human  body,  and  the 
letter  assigned  to  that  part  of  the  body  which  is  touched  by  the 
novice  is  made  the  first  letter  of  the  novice's  new  name.  The 
novice  is  then  shaved  afresh,  receives  a  new  staff  and  pot,  together 
with  a  bit  of  cloth  containing  in  crude  needle-work  the  place  and 
date  of  the  initiation  as  well  as  of  the^wrw  who  made  him  an  initiate, 
which  he  must  carefully  preserve  and  ever  carry  about  with  him 
tied  to  the  butt  end  of  the  staff ;  for  this  is  his  diploma  of  initiation 
into  the  mysteries  of  the  order  of  the  orange-coloured  robe,  and 
his  age  is  thereafter  reckoned  from  this  day,  and  the  order  of 
seniority  among  SanySsins  is  determined  by  the  date  of  initiation,  not 
by  the  number  of  years  they  have  lived  since  coming  into  the  world. 
This  novice  then  receives  upadesa^  or  instruction  in  the  funda- 
mental mystic  maiitras  and  the  rules  of  life  and  conduct  that  relate 
to  his  new  and  regenerate  existence.  The  novice  has  now  become  a 
full-blown  Sanydsiu.  He  has,  however,  a  great  deal  to  learn  yet, 
but  he  has  been  fairly  started  on  the  path  of  knowledge  that  is  to 
lead  him  to  mukti^  or  final  absolution. 

There  are  four  kinds  of  Sanyasins,  but  there  is  no  great  dif- 
ference among  them  in  the  matter  of  essentials.  Elaborate  and 
minute  regulations  have  been  laid  down  for  the  mode  of  life  and 
conduct  of  SanySsins.  The  Sanyasins  speak  a  jargon  of  their  own, 
which,  to  the  uninitiated,  is  not  a  little  amusing.     Realising,  as  they 


1900.]  Skanda  Purana,  17B 

are  supposed  to  have  done,  the  utter  absence  of  any  real  connection 
or  even  mere  association  between  the  immortal  spirit,  which  alone 
is,  and  the  phenomenal  physical  body,  they  scrupulously  avoid  the 
current  phraseology  of  the  world,  which  to  them  has  the  serious 
defect  of  mixing  up  and  in  a  manner  identifying  the  two.  They  never 
say,  "  I  go,"  or  "  I  think,"  or  "  I  feel,"  but  "  This  body  goes,"  •*  This 
mind  thinks,"  "This heart  feels  ;"  the  I  being  neither  the  body  nor 
the  mind,  nor  indeed  aught  else  that  is  phenomenal.  Thus  the 
SanySsin  lives,  or  ought  to  live,  his  mode  of  life  a  perpetual  and 
emphatic  protest  against  the  bustle  and  turmoil,  the  hurr>'  and 
anxiet}''  o^.  this  huckstering  and  advertising  age,  with  all  its  rage  for 
material  prosperity  and  worldly  fame.  And  when  the  Saliyasin 
ceases  to  live,  it  is  not  said  of  him  that  he  has  died,  or  even  euphem- 
istically that  his  soul  has  attained  to  heaven — for  even  the  joys  of 
heaven  are,  according  to  the  Hindu  scriptures  perishable  in  the  end 
and  therefore  are  not  his  goal,  but  he  is  said  to  have  "  achieved  " — 
achieved  what  is  most  worthy  of  achievement,  achieved  that  beyond 
which  there  is  nothing  to  achieve,  achieved  the  most  cherished 
object  of  his  desire,  that  for  which  he  renounced  all  else,  and  assu- 
med the  orange  robe,  the  staff  and  the  pot— to  live  and  move  and 
have  his  being  in  the  Eternal  Spirit.  [R.— in  the  Madras  Matl\ 


SKA'NDA  PURA'NA. 

NOT  long  ago  it  was  announced  that  a  very  old  manuscript  of 
the  Skanda  Purana  was  discovered  in  Nepal.    This  MS.  is  said 
to  have  been  written  in  the  eleventh   century   A.D.    It   is  gene- 
rally  admitted  that  the  PurAnas,  as  we  have  them  at  present,  contain 
many  interpolations.    Even  the  R&mdyana  which  is  daily  read,  as  a 
part  of  one's  religious  dutj-,  by  many  millions  of  pious  Hindus,  and 
which  is  ordinarily  incapable  of  interpolations  owing  to  the  beauti- 
ful arrangement  followed  in  its  composition,  does,  it  is  found,  contain 
.such  interpolations.    The  arrangement  followed  in  the  composition 
of  R&mdyana  is  that  the  first  letter  of  every  thousandth  verse   must 
begin  with  one  of  the  letters  of  the  Gayatri  taken  in  their  order.     If 
interpolations  are  rejected  from  the  modern  edition  of  the  Rdmd>'ana 
it  is  to  be  feared  that  we  may  not  get  the  complete  work,    i.e.,  the 
24,000  slokas  in  their  original  form.     With  the  Mahabh^rata  the 
case  is  deplorable.   The  Tirtha  and  Sthala  MdhStmyas  of  every  place 
in  India  are  found  to  have  been  included  in  several  places  in  the 
MahAbhSrata.     When  the  late  lamented  Protap  Chandra  Roy  edited 
his  Mah^bhSrata  he  found  on  collation   that  the  Northern  Indian 
MSB.  contained  the  Tirtha  and  Sthala  M4h^tmyas  of  Northern  India 
and  that  South  Indian  MSB.  likewise  contained  those  of  the  South. 
He  then  rejected  both  sets  of  Tirtha  and  Sthala  MAh&tmyas  impar- 
tially and  brought  out  an  edition  containing  aboixt  80,000  verses. 


IT6  The  Theosophist.  [December 

The  remaining  verses  required  to  make  up  the  lakh  and  a  quarter 
have  not  yet  been  found. 

The  case  of  Brahm^nda  Purfina  (the  i8th  and  the  last  among 
the  Mahapuranas)  which  is  said  to  contain  12,000  verses,  and 
the  Skanda  PurAna  (the  13th  in  the  order  of  Mahapurinas)  which 
is  said  to  contain  81,100*  verses,  is  equally  pitiable.  MSS.  of  these 
two  works,  containing  all  the  verses  in  their  original  form  have  not 
yet  been  discovered.  Orientalists,  it  may  be  said  without  fear  of 
contradiction,  have  not  even  found  out  MSS.  dealing  with  the  full 
contents  of  these  works. 

The  Adyar  Library  deserves  to  be  congratulated  for  having 
secured  an  old  MS.  which  gives  the  contents  in  full  of  the  Skdnda 
Purdna.  We  append  a  list  showing  the  full  contents  of  the  Skauda 
as  found  in  the  MS.  under  reference,  for  the  benefit  of  those  who 
make  researches  into  the  ancient  Sanskrit  literature,  in  the  hope  that 
they  may  some  day  find  a  MS.,  containing  complete  or  scattered 
portions  not  already  discovered,  of  the  SkSnda  Purana,  and  that 
they  may,  with  the  aid  of  this  list,  be  able  to  judge  of  it  the  better. 
The  **  A'nand^srama  '*  of  Poona  has  the  idea  of  publishing  the  Brah- 
mAuda  and  Skdnda  PurAnas,  and  if  any  of  our  readers  or  their  friends 
discover  correct  MSS.  of  these  two  PurAnas,  they  will  kindly  send 
them  to  the  undersigned  who  will  have  them  best  utilised  in  the  edi- 
tion of  these  works  by  the  *'  A'nandAsrama."  By  so  doing  they  will 
render  an  invaluable  service  to  the  cause  of  our  ancient  literature. 

APPENDIX. 

Table  of  contents  of  the  SkSnda  Purana  containing  one  lakh  of 
verses.    This  Purina  is  divided  into  6  books  called  SamhitaLs — 

The  contents  of  each  of  the  above  Samhitds  are  given  below  :— 
1.    Sanaik^imdra  Samhiid  50,000  verses — 

1.  Kahetra  Kbauda. 

2.  Tirtha        do 

3.  K&si  do        printed. 

4.  SahyAdri    do  do 

5.  Himachalado 

(5.  Malay&chala  Khanda.  Sivatatva  Sudhanidhi — printed. 

7.  Vindhyadrido 

8.  Moksha        do 

9.  Prabhasa     do        printed. 

10.  Pnehkara  do  do 

11.  Niigara  do  do 

12.  Narmad4  do  BevS,  M&hatroya — printe.l. 

13.  Srisaila  do  60  chapters. 

14.  Avanti  do  printed. 
16.  Gauri  do 

*  These  figures  are  according:  to  the  computation  of  the  Vishnu  Bhig-avata, 
xi>.,  i3f  4-8.  But  according  to  SOtasamhit^,  I,  i,  19,  the|SkAnda  Purana  is  said  to 
contain  one  lakh  of  verses,  and  this  seems  to  be  more|{acceptable,  as  the  former 
work  forms  part  of  the  latter  and  it  is  also  supported  by^thejist^appended  hereto. 


1900.]  Skanda  Purana.  177 

16.  Kumkshetra  Khanda— printed. 

17.  Ked4ra  do  do 

18.  Haridv&ra      do        M&j&pnri  Khanda— priated. 

19.  Seta  M&h&tmya,  Khanda — printed. 

20.  Kcilika  do 

21.  Yratopakby&na       do 

22.  Nad!  Khanda, 

23.  Dharma  do 
24  Desa  do 
25.  Yarsha      do 

IT.    Suta  Samhiid,    6,000  verses  beautifully  brought  out  by 
the  Andnddsrama,  Poona. 

1.  ^ivam&hatmya  Khanda"^ 

2.  Jn&na  Yosa  do     [      n  •  i.  j 

3.  Mukti  do  r  ^'"'^^- 

4.  Yajnavaibhava        do    J 
III.    Sarikara  Samhiid.        30,000  Terse.s. 

1.  Sivarahasya  Khanda,  13,000  verses — printed. 

2.  Atri  Khanda. 

3.  Uptoghd,ta  Khanda, 

4.  Svara  do 

5.  Granga  Sagara  Khanda. 

6.  Sagara  do 

7.  YedaslLra  do 

8.  Siddhi  do 

9.  Prameya  do 

10.  Uma  do 

11.  Narak&khy&na  do 

12.  Prayaschitta  do 

13.  Karraavip&ka  do 

14.  Danaprasamsa  do 

15.  Kalyana    do  includes  Tambraparni  M&bdrtmya. 

16.  Agastya  Khanda  H&lashya  MUh&tmya  forms  part  of  this. 

lY*       Vaishnava  Samhitd,  comprising  Parvabh&ga  and  IJttarabh&ga»  con- 
taining 300  chapters  and  10,000  verses  (some  say  5,000). 
Y.      Brahma  Samhita.        3,000  verses. 
YI.      Saura  Samhita,  16  chapters.    1,000 ;  total  100,000, 

B.  Ananthakbishna  Sastry. 


178 


Zi:beo0opbi?  in  BU  Xant>$. 


EUROPE. 

London,  October  SUt,  1900. 

With  the  month  of  October  the  winter  season  seems  fully  ushered  in, 
from  the  point  of  view  of  Theosophical  Activities,  althoup;h  the  foliage  still 
lingers  in  the  parks  and  some  bright  sunshiny  days  prolong  the  sensation  o£ 
summer.  At  head-quarters  the  librarian  rejoices  in  a  greater  number  of 
members  using  the  reference  library  and  reading  room  than  has  ever  been  the 
case  before.  The  advantages  of  a  more  central  situation  have  been  marked 
in  no  direction  more  than  in  this. 

The  Blavatsky  Lodge  has  inaugurated  a  course  of  popular  Sunday 
evening  lectures,  in  addition  to  the  regular  Thursday  meetings,  and  the 
attendance  during  the  month  has  shown  that  the  lectures  have  been  apprecia- 
ted, and  the  movement  one  in  the  right  direction.  Another  innovation  i8 
the  devotion  of  one  Thursday  evening  each  month  to  a  social  meeting  for 
members  when  opportunity  is  a£forded  for  interchange  of  ideas  in  a  more 
informal  way  than  is  possible  at  a  lecture,  and  when  members  can  become 
better  acquainted  with  each  other  while  chatting  in  small  groups  or  discussing 
a  cup  of  tea  or  coffee. 

A  fortnightly  practice-discussion  class  has  been  started,  with  the  object 
of  a£Eording  opportunity  for  younger  members  to  practise  the  art  of  express- 
ing their  ideas  in  public.  The  notion  has  been  well  taken  up  and  under  the 
guidance  of  Mrs.  Charles  Mallet,  who  is  specially  fitted  for  this  worki  the 
results  ought  to  be  eminently  satisfactory. 

That  students  shall  be  equipped  with  something  to  say  is  almost  more 
important  than  that  they  should  know  how  to  say  it,  so  for  helping  in  this 
direction  an  evening  study  class  is  to  be  shortly  commenced  under  the 
guidance  of  Mr.-  G.  Dyne,  and  ought  to  be  of  special  value  to  the  yomger 
men  w^ho  have  more  recently  joined  the  T.  S. 

Nor  is  this  all.  The  next  six  Monday  afternoons  are  to  be  devoted  to 
informal  meetings  to  which  visitors  are  specially  invited  for  discussion  and 
questions  on  Theosophy.  Half  a  dozen  different  members  are  severally 
responsible  for  the  appointed  afternoons,  Mr.  Sinnett  taking  the  lead  on 
November  5th,  and  it  is  hoped  that  the  opportunities  will  be  fully  utilised  by 
many  of  those  who  are  attending  the  Sunday  lectures, 

Mr.  Mead  commenced  a  course  of  lectures  early  in  the  month,  covering 
similar  ground  to  that  dealt  within  his  new  book,  and  will  continue  the 
series  during  November.  The  attendances  have  shown  an  increasing  inter- 
est in  the  subject. 

Countess  Wachtmeister  has  been  speaking  in  Birmingham  and  also  in 
Liverpool ;  in  the  latter  city  a  large  new  lodge  room  was  opened  on  the 
occasion  of  her  visit,  which  may,  we  hope,  be  taken  as  an  indication  that 
Theosophy  is  recovering  lost  ground  in    the  great  northern  sea  port. 

London  has  been  badly  disgraced  by  the  riotous  way  in  which  the 
'  pooligan '  element  among  its  population  has  just  welcomed  its  citi^oa 


i 


190O.]  Theosophy  in  all  Lands.  17d 

soldiers  on  their  return  from  South  Africa.  Realising  the  tremendous  influx 
of  unevolved  egos  into  the  population  of  our  city,  which  such  mad,  undisci- 
plined scenes  as  we  have  witnessed  clearly  evidence,  one  no  longer  wonders 
that  the  stern  hand  of  war  should  be  needed  for  their  evolution  and  only 
regrets  that  a  far  larger  proportion  should  not  come  under  the  more  imme- 
diate training  of  a  long  campaign.  As  one  studies  the  special  and  most 
obnoxious  characteristics  of  the  genus  *  Hooligan,'  one  is  almost  forced  to  the 
conclusion  that  we  are  reaping,  in  his  presence  amongst  us,  the  evil  karma 
of  exterminatory  wars  waged  from  time  to  time  by  civilised  against  savage 
man  in  his  own  habitat.  If  civilisation  too  hastily  drives  the  Australian 
aborigine  and  other  little  evolved  people  out  of  incarnation  in  the  regions 
where  they  belong,  what  is  to  prevent  them  pushing  back  into  the  lowest  of 
our  slums  in  London,  Sydney  or  New  York,  when  their  necessarily 
extremely  shore  devachanic  life  is  over?  He  is  a  problem  to  be  dealt  with  in 
all  our  large  centres  of  population  and  nothing  but  Theosophy  will  explain  his 
native  savagery,  or  afford   the  clue  to  his  appearance. 

Almost  as  these  lines  are  written  the  venerable  Professor  Max  Miiller 
passes  into  the  region  where  perhaps  he  will  find  the  truth  of  some  of  those 
teachings  which  he  missed  finding  in  the  Vedas  that  he  nevertheless  revered. 
Hisattitude  towards  the  Theosophical  Society  was  not  uniformly  friendly 
for  he  never  realised  the  work  that  was  being  done  by  it  to  popularise  in  the 
West  those  Eastern  scriptures  which  his  own  labour  was  employed  in  reveal* 
ing.  But  Theosophists  will  prefer  to  recognise  the  good  and  ignore  the 
blemishes  in  a  great  life  which  karma  will  adjust.  Almost  the  last  act  of  that 
life  was  an  endeavour  to  promote  a  better  undersuinding  between  those  two 
great  branches  of  the  Teutonic  race,  the  nation  of  his  birth  and  the  nation  of 
his  adoption,  and  much  can  be  forgiven  to  the  man  who  moves  a  single  barrier 
which  prevents  tlio  mutual  underdtanding  of  G-ermany  and  Great  Britain. 
None  recognise  more  truly  than  theosophists  that  on  the  strengthening  of  these 
race  affinities  depends  so  much,  in  the  near  future  of  the  world. 

Several  new  books  are  issuing  from  the  press.  Mr.  Mead's  large  volume 
is  already  having  a  good  reception.  Our  President-Founder's  history  of  the 
Theosophical  Movement — in  continuation — should  find  a  place  in  every  mem- 
ber'slibrary.  It  will  be  a  most  valuable  book  of  reference  in  years  to  come. 
India  has  contributed  a  study  of  the  "  Science  of  the  Emotions,"  that  is  sure  to 
be  eagerly  read  after  Mrs.  Besant's  most  intensely  interesting  lectures  on  that 
subject  during  the  present  year  and,  previously,  to  the  Blavatsky  Lodge. 

Not  among  strictly  theosophical  works,  but  of  the  greatest  interest  to  theo- 
sophical students,  is  Andrew  Lang's  "  Making  of  Religion  '*  which  we  welcome 
most  cordially  in  its  cheaper  form  (o».  instead  of  J28.  6c?.)  and  a  new  preface 
thrown  into  the  bargain.  Mr.  Lang  has  made  the  nearest  approach  to  a  theo- 
sophical view  of  the  origin  of  religion  of  any  anthropologist  and  his  work  ought 
to  be  familiar  to  students  as  it  abounds  with  useful  arguments. 

Writing  of  anthropology  reminds  me  that  the  Blavatsky  Lodge  has  recent* 
Ij  had  the  pleasure  of  listening  to  a  most  carefully  prepared  paper  by  Mr. 
James  Stirling  of  the  Queensland  Geological  Survey,  and  one  of  our  Australian 
members.  The  subject  was  the  submerged  continent  of  Lemuria,  and  Mr, 
Stirling  testified  in  unqualified  terms  to  the  inspiration  which  he  had  received 
from  the  "  Secret  Doctrine,**  and  showed  how  his  own  researches  enabled 
him  to  appreciate  the  statements  there  set  forth. 

A.  B.  C. 


186  The  Theosophlst.  [Decembei^ 

NEW  ZEALAND. 

October  1900. 

Mrs.  Draffin'B  lectures  to  ladies  still  continue  to  be  very  well  attended. 
During  the  summer  months  they  will  be  discontinued,  to  be  resumed  again 
on  the  approach  of  the  cool  weather.  Mrs.  Richmond  has  begun  a  ladies' 
meeting  in  Wellington,  and  has  also  met  with  pronounced  success.  The 
meetings  are  held  on  the  first  Thursday  of  each  month,  in  the  afternoon, 
in  the  Wellington  Branch  rooms. 

The  increasing  demand  for  our  T.  S.  Magazine  has  led  to  a  larger 
number  being  printed,  and  it  has  also  been  enlarged  four  pages.  A 
special  effort  is  being  made  to  continue  this  during  the  coming  year, 
when  it  is  hoped  that  the  circulation  will  be  s&ill  larger. 

Mrs.  Draffin  has  lectured  in  Auckland  on  "  God's  Angels/'  Mrs. 
Biohmond  in  Wellington  on  "  The  Great  Quest,"  and  Mr.  A.  W.  Maurais 
in  Dunedin  on  ''The  Lord's  Song."  The  attendance  at  the  public  meet- 
ings eontinuea  to  be  very  good. 


BELGIUM. 

Antwerp,  3rd  November  1900. 
Dbak  Col.  Olcott, 

It  is  with  hearts  full  of  love  and  gratitude  that  your  Antwerp  children 
take  the  liberty  of  addressing  you. 

First  of  all|  we  must  state  that  your  short  visit  to  Antwerp,  left  an  im- 
pression that  strengthened  our  energy.  Notwithstanding  our  faults  and 
limitations,  believe  that  our  hearts  remain  fixed  on  the  task.  Great  is  the 
work  that  awaits  ns,  but  great  the  love  oE  those  who  guide  us  to  the  goal* 

Our  Branch-work  goes  on  steadily  and  our  meetings  take  place  at  least 
once  a  week  for  the  study  of  Theosophioal  writings.  We  may  not  forget  to 
say  that  reading  "Old  Diary  Leaves,"  is  really  an  indispensable  work  for 
members  of  the  Theosophical  Society  (and  we  shall  be  highly  pleased  to  get 
the  second  volume,  which  you  spoke  of  in  Antwerp). 

According  to  your  advice,  we  have  adopted  a  set  of  Bules,  and  have  made 
our  meetings  private — but  on  the  other  hand,  we  continue  to  make  our  little 
propaganda  externally.  We  have  also  our  "  Journal  of  Proceedings,"  so 
that  we  are  able  to  look  back  at  what  have  been  our  activities.  These  records 
began  with  your  visit  to  Antwerp.  We  have  also  a  class  for  the  study  of 
English,  80  as  to  prepare  our  members  to  read  English  theosophical  litera- 
ture in  the  original.  The  Branch  receives  the  V&han  and  also  the  Bevue 
Theosophique  FranQaise.  Besides  a  great  number  ot  books,  we  are  very 
busy,  especially  with  the  "  Voice  of  the  Silence"  and  the  *'  Bhagavad  GitA," 
in  order  to  become  practical  and  true  Theosophists  in  heart  and  mind. 

Please  receive  the  best  wishes  and  the  assurance  of  the  profound  eetoem, 
and  love  of  your  Antwerp  children.  Signed  by  Messrs.  Coret,  Sohenok, 
Macloti  and  six  other  members  of  the  Antwerp  Branch. 


Idl 


•Reviews- 


THE  PBELINaS.  MUSIC  AND  GESTURE .♦ 

Colonel  de  Rocbas»  the  Director  of  the  Ecole  Folytecboiqiie,  Paris,  is,  at 
one  and  the  same  time,  a  man  of  high  literary  and  esthetic  cnltnre  and  a 
scientist  with  an  enthnsiastic  desire  for  research  :  be  is,  also,  an  eminent 
pbilologiflt  and  has  received  a  number  of  decorations  for  work  in  that  depart- 
ment.   His  studies  and  experiments  in  practical  Psychology  daring  the  past 
fifteen  years  or  so  have,  however,  done  more  to  give  him  renown  tbroeghont 
the  world  than  either  of  his  previous  activities.    He  has  prodoced  several 
works  upon  hypnotic  research  which  have  become  classics,  and  made  his 
name  quoted  by  all  recent  writers  upon  this  subject.    Colonel  de  Bochas  is, 
first  and  last,  a  scientific  experimenter,  so   that  one  need  not  expect  to  find 
in  bis  books  any  leaning  toward   mysticism,  but  simply  a  mass  of  facts  of 
great  value  to  the  mystic  who  wishes  to  get  more  data  with  regard  to  the 
problem  of  human  consciousness.    The  book  which  he  has   now  kindly  sent 
us  for  the  Adyar  Library,  is  most  important  to  the  artist,   musician,   savant 
and  psychological  specialist.    It  is,  truly,  what  the  French  call   an  edition  de 
luxe,  for  in  paper,  typography  and  illustrations  it  is  a  gem  of   the  printer's 
art.    It  is  a  4to.  of  279  pages,  with  a  Supplement  of  about  a  hundred  more, 
and  a  large  number  of  full  page  and  smaller  illustrations.    The  basis  of  the 
work  is  his  course  of  experiments  with   a   remarkable  hypnotic   sensitive 
named  Lina,  who  was  also  an  artist's  model  by  profession  but,  as  the  Colonel 
assures  us,  a  young  woman   of  blameless  character.     Some    distinguished 
artists  of  the  Opera,  the  Theatre  Fran9ais,  and  the  greater  studios*  besides 
some  of  his  own  scientific  colleagues,  witnessed  and  took  part   in   many   of 
the  experiments.    The   method    of  procedure  employed  was   very  simple. 
Lina  was  found  to  be  hypnotically  sensitive  to  an  extraordinary   degree,  so 
much  so  that,  after  a  while,  Colonel  de  Rochas  became  able   to  put  her  to 
sleep  by  simply  intercepting  her  glance  for  an  instant,  and  to  re-awaken  her 
to  consciousness  by  gazing  on  her  forehead.    "  It  is  an  astonishing  sight," 
says  the  author,  "  to  see  her,  when  in  the  course  of  a  sitting  one  makes  her 
rest  on  bringing  her  back  to  her  normal  state,  conversing  with  the  spectatorn, 
indifferent  to  the  music  that  may  be  playing,  up  to  the  moment  when  I  catch 
her  glance  as  it  passes ;  then  she  rises  suddenly  and  represents,  like  an 
automaton,  the  various  suggestions  conveyed  by  the  music."    Her  sensitive- 
ness to  suggestion  is  so  strange  that  "  Every  variation,  every  hesitation  in 
the  thought  or  language  of  the  suggestioner  is  reflected   in  the  subject  by 
transformations  of  attitude."     She  is  a  sort  of  human  ^olian  harp,  which 
responds  to  every  passing  breath  of  thought.    One  great  actor,   who  tested 
her  for  expressions  in  gesture  to  match  the  sentiments  contained  in    an 
author's  words,  speaks  rapturously  of  the  incalculable  benefit  rendered  to  art 
by  the  employment  of  such  a  sensitive  as  Lina;  another  one  says  that  when 

Lina  was  in  an  attitude  which  exactly  mirrored  the  sentiment  of  a  verse,  he 
■III  ■    ■  I II I  ti..  ■  ■■  I  I II  ->-..  I  I  » 

*  **  Las  Sentimfliits,  la  Mnsiqua  et  le  Goste,"  par  Albert  de  Rocbas.    Orenobie* 
H.  Falqufi  et  F^lix  Perrm.    1900. 


182  The  Theosophist.  [December 

could  make  her  stand  in  that  same  pose,  as  long  as  he  chose,  by  simply 
ceasing  to  read ;  she,  being  again  like  a  musical  instrument  whose  coitls 
cease  ribrating  the  moment  the  player  removes  his  hand.  Madame  Calve, 
the  great  artist,  found  it  possible,  even  when  standing  behind  Lina, 
and  out  of  sight,  to  make  her,  by  simply  reciting  a  piece,  to  beauti- 
fully and  fervently  express  in  gestures  the  meaning  of  the  author.  M. 
Bipert,  the  actor,  in  a  highly  interesting  communication  to  Col.  de, 
Bochas,  says  that  in  Lina,  "under  the  influence  of  hypnotic  handlings 
all  that  goes  to  make  up  her  own  personality  is  momentarily  annihilated ;  she 
is  an  automaton,  admirably  sensitive,  whose  muscles  are  ready  to  play  under 
the  influence  of  the  feelings  which  one  arouses  in  her,  with  an  extraordinary 
intensity  because  tJiere  is  no  longer  in  her  any  obstructive  cause"  This  is  just 
the  terrible  price  that  muse  be  paid  by  the  victim  of  science ;  she  must  be 
changed  from  a  free  personality  into  a  human  automaton,  without  will  of 
her  own  to  make  the  smallest  initiative  act. 

Our  space  forbids  giving  to  this  superb  book  the   lengthy  notice  it 
deserves.     We  must  refer  the  French-knowing  student  to  it  for  a  complete 
idea  of  the  number  and  value  of  Col.  de  Bochas'  researches,  which  covered  the 
ground  of  the  effect  of  musical   vibrations   upon  the  sensitive  human  being, 
as  well  as  that  of  spoken  words.     Col.   de  Bochas  makes   no  pretence  of 
having  discovered  these  laws  of  nature,   for  they  have  been  known  and 
utilised  for  religious  and  therapeutic    purposes    since    the    most    remote 
antiquity.    That  which  entitles  him  to  the  fullest  credit  is  the  thoroughness 
with  which  he  has  made,   and   the  lucidity  with  which  he  has  reported,  his 
experiments.    To  the  class  of  Western   people  who  know  little  more  about 
science  than  they  have  found  in  the  Bible,   one  need  only  point  to  the  story 
of  the  calming  of  King   Saul's  psychical  whirlwinds,  involving  homicidal 
mania,  by  the  harp-playing  of  David.    The  effect  of  the  music  and  recita- 
tives in  the  world's  temples,  churches,  synagogues  and  mosques  is  a  standing 
proof  of  the  reality  of  the  influence  in  question.     Mesmer  employed  music  as 
one  agent  to  provoke,  what  we  now   know   to  have  been  hysterical   crises. 
The  learned  Professor  Ochorowicz,  of  the  Univeraity  of  Leraberg,  tells  us 
("  De  la  Suggestion  Menbale."  Paris,  1887)  on  the  authority  of  the  Austrian 
scientist  Seifert,  that  Mesmer  believed  that  physical   transmission   (of  cur- 
rents) is  aided  by  sound,  and  that   the  sonorous  wave  may   be,    so  to  say, 
charged  with  the  mesmeric  fluid  so  as  to  carry  it  to  a  distance.    He  made  an 
interesting  experiment  to  prove   this.    At   the  castle  of  Baron   Horetzky, 
where  he  treated  many  sick  patients,  it  was  the  custom   for  two  musicians  to 
play  from  time  to  time  on  hunting-horns  in  a  summer-house  in  the  garden.  • 
The  patients  waiting  for  Mesmer's  arrival,   in  a  hall  separated  by  several 
walls  from  the  garden,  loved  to  hear  this  music.     One  day,  when  he  did  not 
arrive  punctually,  Seifert  came  to  the  hall  to  see  him.     He  was  not  there,  but 
Seifert  was  astounded  to  see  that  some  of  the  patients,  instead  of  delighting 
in  the  music  as  usual,  began  to  be  uneasy   and   even   showed  certain  serious 
nervous  disturbances.     "  Seifert  hurried  off  to  find  Mesmer  and  found  him 
in  the  summer-house,   holding  with   his  right  hand  the   outer  edge  of  a  hunt' 
ing-hom  which  the  musician  was   blowing   into.      He   told   him  what  had 
happened ;  Mesmer  smiled  as  he  listened  and  said  that   he    expected  that. 
Then  he  touched  the   instrument  with  his  left  hand  and  finally  let  it  go 
entirely,  saying '  Now,  or  presently,  the    sick  patients  will  beoome  calm.' 
They  returned  to  the  hall  and  found  the  patients  gradually  recovering  from 


1900.]  Heviews.  183 

their  disturbance."  Prof.  Ochorowicz  tells  us  of  an  original  experiment.  A 
certain  Mme.  M.  was  in  the  mesmeric  sleep.  He  played  some  chords  on  the 
piano  which  at  once  cansed  the  sleeper  to  come  out  of  a  paralytic  stupor  and 
shoir  a  feeling  of  pleasure.  "  As  she  never  heard  any  one  but  myself,  I  wished 
to  verify  what  would  be  the  action  of  sound  made  by  another  person.  I  gave 
a  signal  to  Mile.  B,  who  went  to  the  piano  and  played  the  same  chords. 
Mme*  M.  showed  no  sensation.  I  re-commenced ;  she  heard.  Mile.  B.  again 
played  and  very  loudly ;  no  action.  *  Do  you  hear  me  play  P '  said  I  to  the 
somnambulist,  trying  to  lead  her  into  error.  'No,'  said  she,  'I  heard 
nothing.*  "  In  his  great  classical  work  (**  La  Grande  Hysteric  ")  the  learned 
Doctor  Paul  Richer  tells  us  (p.  691),  "music  profoundly  influences  the 
patient  even  to  making  bim  assume  attitudes  which  relate  to  the  various 
sentiments  which  it  expresses.  The  changes  occur  with  astonishing  rapidity. 
One  sees  a  subject,  carried  away  by  dance  music,  suddenly  flinging  herself 
on  her  knees,  with  hands  joined,  her  gaze  towards  heaven,  if  the  orchestra, 
without  inturruption,  plays  a  religions  air.  When  the  music  stops,  the 
catalepsy  returns  in  full  intensity  at  once." 

Before  closing  we  must  cite  one  point  in  the  narrative  of  M. 
Bipert  which  is  highly  suggestive  to  believers  in  thought-transference. 
He  says:  ''I  begin,  then,  to  declaim  the  words  which  she  must  repeat 
[after  me].  As  soon  as  they  leave  my  mouth,  and  sometimes  even  before, 
as  soon  as  my  thought  has  taken  form,  we  have  before  us  a  being  who, 
etc.,  etc."  By  what  crude  theory  of  nervous  palpitation  can  the  mate- 
rialistic pupil  of  Charcot  explain  this  simultaneity  of  mental  action 
between  M.  Ripert  and  Lina  P  And  then  we  have  the  equally  extraordinary 
experience  of  Col.  Olcott  at  the  hypnotic  exhibition  at  Nice,  in  1894,  when  a 
sensitive,  like  Lina,  who  was  showing  in  appropriate  poses  the  sentiment 
conveyed  by  different  passages  of  music  played  on  the  piano,  on  being 
brought  into  rapport  with  him  by  her  mesmeriser,  was  transfixed  in  the 
midst  of  a  difficult  posture  which  could  not  have  been  maintained  for  a 
moment  by  anyone  in  the  waking  state,  and  remained  there  as  though  she  had 
been  a  carved  statue.  In  this  case  no  word  was  spoken,  no  gesture  made,  no 
eye-glance  passed  between  the  two,  for  the  Colonel  bent  his  eyes  on  the 
ground  and  simply  sent  his  thought-current  at  heri  ordering  her  to  stand 
as  she  was.  He  who  knows  the  secret  of  hypnotism  and  mesmerism  has  the 
key  to  all  the  mysteries  of  man,  but  the  secret  will  never  be  unveiled  to  any 
experimentalist  who  does  not  learn  the  laws  of  meiital  action,  individually 
and  reciprocally. 

EUS APIA'S  PHENOMENA.* 

Our  esteemed  colleague,  Baron  de  Fontenay,  has  favoured  us  with  a  copy 
of  his  report  upon  the  famous  stances  at  Montfort  L'Amoury,  at  the  country 
place  of  our  beloved  Mr.  Blech,  whose  Parisian  home  is  the  active  centre  of 
the  new  theosophical  movement  in  the  French  metropolis.  A  committee  of 
scientists  and  amateurs  entirely  qualified  to  deal  with  these  researches — since 
it  included  among  others  Col.  de  Bochas  and  the  astronomer  M.  Camille  Flam- 
marion — ^had  charge  of  the  s6ances  and  every  precaution  was  taken  to  prevent 
deception  on  the  part  of  the  medium.  A  number  of  extraordinary  physical 
phenomena  occurred,  of  which  the  self-levitation  of  the  table  was  one  of  most 

*  A  propos  d'  Ensapia  Paladino,  par  Gnillanme  de  Fontenay,  Paris  Soci^te 
Editions  Scientifiques,  1898. 


\S4  '^^^  Theosophist.  [DeoerOber 

geientiBc  value ;  and  Baron  de  Fontenay's  excellent  report  is  enriohed  by  a 
series  of  flash-ligbt  photographs,  a  picture  of  the  table  as  it  hang  snspended 
in  the  air  giving  ineontestible  proof  of  the  reality  of  this  phenomenon,  which 
<mgbt  to  convince  any  sceptical  scientist  of  the  extreme  value  of  medium- 
istic  phenomena  in  a  study  of  physical  laws.  The  author  appends  to 
his  report  a  lengthy  commentary  upon  the  facts  and  their  bearing 
upon  scientific  hypothesis.  He  maintains  that  the  real  danger  in  psychi- 
cal studies  is.  not  in  the  phenomena  themselves  but  rather  in  the  immensity 
of  the  horizons  which  they  open  up  and  which  must  be  considered. 
He  says  that  this  same  danger  is  presented  by  the  sudden  enlarge- 
ment of  views  which  is  the  result  of  the  study  of  philosophy,  geology, 
astronomy  and  other  scie£ioes — in  which  oceans  of  thought  only  strong  swim-, 
•mers  should  venture.  Another  undesirable  result  of  these  profound  studies 
is  that  they  tend  to  weaken  one's  interest  in  the  common  affairs  and  duties  of 
life,  so  that  the  natural  deduction  is  that  in  threading  these  high  paths  one 
should  keep  a  cool  head  and  not  venture  blindly  into  by-ways  which  may  lead 
to  precipices.  His  book  is  in  part  a  plea  for  the  performance  of  personal 
duty  and  the  strengthening  o(  the  religious  nature  in  oneself.  '*  Do  not 
madly  throw  yourseli  "  says  he  (p.  257),  "  into  the  study  of  these  phenomena. 
Make  rather  of  the  new  ecience  a  diversidu  amid  your  other  fixed  activities. 
You  will  judfle  more  sanely  and  surely  if  yon  bring  to  bear  upon  this  partic- 
ular point  the  general  methods  of  analysis  and  criticism.*'  Here  are  some 
other  sensible  sayings  :  "  Unless  you  are  perfectly  sure  of  the  sharpness  of 
your  intelli|«ence  and  your  judgment,  beware  of  all  that  is  not  of  the  nature 
of  physical  effects.  Bven  these  are  not  always  very  easy  to  criticise.  What 
to  say  then  of  the  others  ?  When  one  is  thorongh  master  of  physical  effects, 
intellectual  phenomena  will  appear  in  a  surprisingly  clear  light.  Be  slow  in 
assertion  but  prompt  at  hypothesis.  It  is  useless  and  puerile  to  shudder 
before  a  new  fact  (of  course  one  proved  and  certain)  and  whine  that  this  is  aa 
inexplicable  fact  and  in  contradiction  with  such  or  such  law.  Remember, 
please,  that  a  law  can  never  prevail  against  a  fact.  If  there  is  apparent,  es- 
sential contradiction,  do  not  hesitate  a  single  moment :  t/te  law  miAst  he  wrong'* 


THE  BUDDHIST  CATECHISM  IN  BURMESE. 

A  gifted  European  F.T.S.,  in  the  Civil  Service,  has  translated  into 
Burmese  and  published  at  Rangoon  a  translation  of  the  33d  Edition  of  the 
Buddhist  Catechism,  this  making  its  34th  Edition  in  all,  and  its  twentieth 
language.  The  Author  has  written  a  special  explanatory  Introduction  to  the 
work  and  added  a  few  new  Questions  and  Answers.  The  Translator,  in  his 
own  Preface,  says :  *^  The  great  utility  to  Burmese  Buddhists  of  a  work 
o£  such  perfect  trustworthiness  as  to  have  been  recommended  twice, 
in  1881  and  1897,  by  the  revered  High  Priest  Hikkaduwe  Sumangala,  of 
Ceylon,' for  use  in  all  Buddhist  schools,  will  be  readily  apparent."  After 
giving  the  Burmese  Buddhists  a  fatherly  reproof  for  their  national  ignorance 
of  the  relative  importance  of  their  community  and  that  of  the  whole  Buddhist 
world,  he  speaks  thus  of  Col.  Olcott's  grasp  of  the  Buddha's  teaching  :  **  His 
profound  knowledge  of  it  is  proved  by  the  fact  that  Councils  of  the  greatest 
priests  of  Burma,  Ceylon  and  Japan  have  unanimously  adopted  his  draft  of 
the  fundamental  basis  of  Buddhism.'*  Persons  wishing  copies  should  apply 
to  the  Rangoon  Branch  of  the  T.S.,  43,  Phayre  Street,  Rangoon. 


1900.]  Reviews.  185 

THE  GOPALA  TAPINT  AND  KEISHNOPANISHADS 

WITH  Three  Commenta&ies.* 

Mr.  Sastry's  edition  of  the  UpaniBhads  under  review  are  the  95th  and  96th 

in  the  order  of  106  Upanishads.    According  to  Sri  E&ma's  teachings  these  108 

Upanishads,  if  properly  studied,  will  enable  us  to  attain  to  Videha  Kaivcdya. 

Most  of  these   Upanishads  have  been  commented  upon  by  reputed  authors. 

All  have  been  commented  upon  by  Appaya  Dikshita  (Junior),  a  living  author. 

The  works  of  this  writer  are  preserved  in  the  Mysore  Government  Library. 

The  translator  has  done  well  in  bringing  to  the  notice  of  the  public,  for  the  first 

time,  the  commentaries  on  these  two  Upanishads,  of  this  living  author  who 

has  written  more  than  three  lakhs  of  grandhas  on  Yed&nta  and  who  is  now 

the  leader  of  the    Anabhavi   Dvaita   school  of  philosophy.    The  other  two 

commentaries  followed  by  the  translator  are  those  of  Nftr&yana  and  Yisvesvara. 

The  translation  is    literal  and  the  style  simple.    The    pamphlet  contains 

63  pages  8vo,  and  will  enable  the  ordinary  reader  to  better  understand  the 

spiritual  value  of  Krishna-Ulas. 

G*  X.  8. 


DIARIES. 

Our  thanks  are  due  to  Messrs.  Thompson  &  Co.,  Publishers,  Broadway, 
Madras,  for  samples  of  their  valuable  "  Minerva "  Diaries  for  1901.  They 
contain  the  various  kinds  of  useful  information  usually  found  in  such  publi- 
cacions,  and  are  issued  in  five  different  styles,  the  two  larger  8x10  iu. 
and  8x13  in.,  being  interleaved  with  blotters.  The  publio  will  find  them 
entirely  satisfactory.    Their  prices  range  from  4  as.  to  Be.  1-4. 

MAGAZINES. 

The  Theoaophiccd  Revietv  for  November  opens  with  an   interesting  stery 

by  Michael  Ward,   entitled,  "The   Bending  of  the  Twig,"   in   which  the 

sufferings  and  persecutions   of  a  lad   gifted  with   clairvoyant  vision   are 

portrayed.     W.  C.  Worsdell  next  points  out  the  parallelism  existing  between 

the  fundamental  principles  of  "Theosopby  and   Modern  Science."    "  On  the 

Way,"  is  a  brief  Biographical   sketch  of   a  young   Swiss   poetess,   Alice  de 

Ghambrier,  whose  nobility  of  character    and  faithful  devotion   to  suffering 

humanity  are  worthy  of  record.  Mr.  Mead   contributes  to  this  issue  "The 

General  Sermon  of  Hermes  the  Thrice- Greatest,"   which  is  mainly  in  the 

form  of  a  dialogue  between  Hermes  and  Asclepius,    "  Modem  Thought  in 

theLi^htof  the  Veddnta,"  is  the  text  of  a  very  valuable  paper,   by  W.  C. 

Worsdell,  which  was  read  before  the  **  Hindu  Association"  in  London,  on  3rd 

December,  1898.     *'  The  C61e  D4  or  Culdees,"  by   Mrs.  Hooper,  is   the  first 

instalment  of  '  a  study  on  the  origins  of  the  early  British  Church.*   Margaret 

8-  Duncan  contributes  a  paper  on   "Taiyumanavai — a  Poet- Philosopher  of 

Southern  India."    Two  of  his  poems—"  God  and  the  Soul,"  and  "The  Life  of 

the  Disciple" — are  given  at  the  close.  Mrs.  Besant  gives  the  Introduction  and 

first  Gbapter  of  on   essay  an  **  Thought-Power,   its   Control   and   Culture," 

which  will  prove  instructive  to  all  who    carefully  read  it.    Miss  Hardcnstle 

writes  on  **  Magic  Lyres  or  Problems  of  Consciousness,*'  and  C.  B.  gives  a 

brief  but  interesting  chapter  of  personal  experience. 

In  TkeoBophy  in  Australasia  for  October,  F.  G.  G,    Hynes   continues  his 

•  Translated  into  English  by  R.  A.  Sastry  of  Adyar  Library  and  published  by 
Lodd  Govindass,  Madras,  with  his  own  introdactioD,  To  be  hadofK.  A.  Sastry, 
Adyar.  Price  per  copy,  Annas  8. 

8 


186  The  Theosophist.  [December 

"  Bird's-eye  view  of  the  Theosophical  Movement,"  showing  what  immense 
benefits  have  come  to  human  souls  through  this  channel.  Mr.  W.  A.  Mayers 
contributes  his  second  paper  on  "  Theosophy  and  Civilisation,"  under  the 
sub-title  of  "  Unity."  Miss  J.  M.  Davies  writes  briefly  on  "  The  Infoldinfi^ 
and  Unfolding  of  Deity.''  ''  The  Medicine  of  the  Future*"  by  Dr.  A.  Marqaes, 
abounds  in  valuable  ideas. 

The  N.  Z.  Theosophical  Magazine  for  October  has  a  very  good  article  on 
"Reincarnation  in  Relation  to  Character  and  Environment,*'  by  Mrs.  E.  Rich- 
mond; an  excellent  poem  on  "Endurance,"  by  Ella  WheeUr  Wilcox;  a 
thoughtful  paper  on  "  War  as  a  Factor  in  Evolution,"  by  H.  Home ;  a  story 
by  the  erudite  S.  Stuart,  entitled,  "  The  Magic  Speculum  " — which  is  to  be 
continued — and  other  matter. 

The  Theoaophic  Gleaner  for  November  opens  with  nn  interesting  lecture 
on  "Two  Undiscovered  Planets,"  by  G.  E.  Sutcliffe.  There  is  another  instal* 
ment  of  "Nirvana  without  Intermediate  Planes,"  followed  by  a  few  selections 
from  our  current  T.  S.  magazines. 

The  Arya  Bala  Bodhini  announces  that  after  the  December  issue  it  will 
be  transferred  to  Benares  and  issued  under  the  personal  management  of  Mrs. 
Besant,  as  the  Hindu  College  Magazine.  The  Table  of  Contents  for  November 
is  above  the  average. 

Jcetme  Theosophique,  The  September  and  October  numbers  of  Com- 
mandant Courmes'  excellent  periodical  are  fully  up  to  the  mark.  Besides 
the  usual  translations  each  number  contains  an  instalment  of  the  translation 
of  the  "  Secret  Doctrine,"  and  a  continued  original  article  by  Dr.  Pascal  on 
"The  Duality  of  the  States  of  Consciousness,"  which  is  a  masterly  treatment 
of  the  subject  by  a  ripe  scholar  and  true  Theosophist.  The  October  number 
opens  with  a  translation  of  the  excellent  paper  read  by  Babu  Gyanendra  Nath 
Chakravarti,  before  the  International  Theosophical  Congress  of  1900,  at  Paris. 
It  is  not  a  little  to  say  that  it  has  lost  nothing  in  the  transfer  to  a  foreign 
language.  Unless  the  paper  has  already  been  appropriated  by  Mr.  Mead,  we 
shall  gratify  our  readers  by  translating  it  back  again  into  English. 

Teosofiak  Tidskrtft  (June  to  September)  opens  with  a  report  of  the  fifth 
annual  Convention  of  the  Scandinavian  Section,  T.  S.,  at  which  the  President- 
Founder  was  present.  This  is  followed  by  "  An  Interview  with  an  Occultist," 
and  "  Devotion  " — these  being  two  papers  which  were  read  at  the  Convention. 
Further  we  find  an  account  of  "  Col.  Olcott's  visit  to  Stockholm,"  by  Pekka 
Ervast,  "The  Appreciation  of  Music  "  (a  translation),  an  article  on  "Our 
Duties,"  a  poem  on  "  The  Spirit  of  Man  and  the  Ocean,"  a  story  entitled 
"  Grief  of  Heart,"  and  "  Theosophical  Activities." 

Sophia  (Madrid).  That  excellent  Theosophist,  Sr.  Manuel  Treviiio,  con- 
tributes an  article  on  the  Egyptian  teaching  on  the  "  Pert  Mem  Hru  "  (the 
coming  of  the  day),  based  upon  a  discourse  of  Mons.  F.  Chabas,  at  the  Inter- 
national Congress  of  Orientalists  of  1873,  at  Paris,  and  upon  other  researches. 
He  tells  us  that  M.  Chabas  compares  it  to  the  Indian  Nirvana,  a  liberation  of 
the  soul  from  the  grosser  sheaths  of  matter.  .  Sr.  Soria  y  Mata  writes  on  the 
"  Form  of  the  Universe,*'  with  his  usual  erudition.  Translations  fill  up  the 
rest  of  the  September  number. 

The  issue  for  October  contains  translations  from  Mr.  Leadbeater  on 
"  Ancient  Chaldea,'*  and  "  The  Beginnings  of  the  Fifth  Race  : "  and  from  Mrs. 
Besanton  "  The  Use  of  Evil."  A  translation  of  *•'  The  Idyll  of  the  White  Lotus" 
oompletes  the  number. 


IdOO.]  Reviews.  16*7 

Philadelphia  (Buenos  Aires).  The  number  for  July,  of  our  instructive  con- 
temporary, opens  with  a  paper  on  **  Materialism  and  Spiritualism  from  the 
TbeosophicAl  point  of|View,'*  in  which  the  author,  Sr,  Alejandro  Sorondo,  Presi- 
dent of  the  Luz  Branch  of  the  T.S.,  handles  the  subject  with  his  usual  grace 
and  scholarship.  One  of  his  editorial  collengues  writes  about  it  enthusiasti- 
cally, Raying  that  "  Sr.  Sorondo  has  erected  a  resplendent  pharos  in  the 
immense  ocean  of  shadows  in  which  are  navigating  the  unhappy 
multitude  who  are  crushed  in  the  great  miseries  of  existence."  Translations 
from  Dn  Prel,  Flammarion  and  others  follow. 

In  the  August  number,  Leopold  Lugones  writes  on  **  Our  Scientific 
Method,*'  Julio  Lermina  on  "The  Literature  of  Occultism,"  Guymiot,  on 
"  Karma  and  Reincarnation,"  Alexander  Wilder  treats  of  some  interesting 
cases  of  "  Projection  of  the  Double,"  and  the  Editor  writes  on  the  "Inter- 
national Theosophic  Congress  "  and  other  subjects. 

In  the  September  number,  besides  translations,  there  is  an  article  on  the 

Pain  of  Death,  considered  in  the  light  of  Theosophy,"  by  Carlos  M.  Collet, 

a  good  sociological  study  by  Seiior  Sorondo  on  the   "  Probable  Tendency  of 

our  (Civilisation,"  and  an  editorial  note  on  the  lecture  of  Sr.  Collet  before 

the  Ananda  Branch  T.  S. 

Teoaofia  (Rome).  Siguora  Calvari  continues  her  interesting  article  on 
''The  Earth  and  Humanity  in  their  Relations  with  the  Solar  System,"  in 
which  she  traces  the  different  currents  of  the  life  of  the  Logos  around  the 
planetary  chains,  and  deals  with  the  subjects  of  manvantaras  and  pralayas. 
There  are,  besides,  translations  from  Mrs.  Bcsant  and  Mr.  Leadbeater.  In  a 
supplement  paragraph,  the  Editor  feels  warranted*  on  behalf  of  the  whole  body 
of  oar  Italian  colleagues,  to  express  to  Mrs.  A.  C.  Lloyd  their  liveliest  sense 
of  gratitude  for  what  she  has  done  within  the  past  four  years,  for  the 
Theosophical  Movement  in  their  country. 

The  October  number  opens  with  the  continued  paper  by  Olga  Calvari,  on 
"The  Earth  and  Humanity,  aiMl  their  relations  with  the  Solar  System*';  this 
is  followed  by  translations  from  Mrs.  Besant's  **  Problems  of  Sociology," 
and  from  Mr.  Leadbeater's  "  Clairvoyance." 

Theoaophia  for  September  contains  translations  from  the  writings  of 
H.  P.  B.  and  A.  P.  Sinnett,  J.  van  Manen's  continued  translation  of  the 
"  Tao-Te-King,"  translations  of  lectures  given  by  C.  W.  Leadbeater  and  Col. 
H.  S.  Olcott,  before  the  Amsterdam  Lodge,  an  article  on  *'  The  Harmony  of 
the  Spheres,"  by  J.  L.  M.  Lauwericks,  also  "  Gems  from  the  East"  and  notes 
on  "  The  Theosophical  Movement." 

In  the  October  number  the  translations  are  continued,  P.  de  Heer  writes 
on  "  Islam  as  a  Popular  Religion  in  Sumatra,"  and  M.  Rassmaker  on 
"  Solitade*  Duty  and  Love«"  There  is  also  a  translation  entitled  "  Dbarma 
and  Karma,"  and  other  matter. 

Acknowledged  with  thanks :  The  Vdlian,  Light,  L'Iniiiaiion,  Review  of 
Reviewa,  Lotus  Bliithent  The  Ideal  Review^  Notes  and  Queries^  Mind,  The 
New  Century,  The  Lamp,  Banner  of  Light,  Harbinger  of  lAghi,  Health, 
Temple  of  Health,  Suggestive  Therapeutics,  The  Psychic  Digest,  The  Brahma- 
vddin.  The  Datp»,  The  Light  of  the  East,  The  Light  of  Tr^Uh,  The  Prasnottara, 
Prdbuddha  Bhdrata,  The  Brahmacltarin,  Mahd-Bodhi  Journal,  Indian  Journal 
<if  Education,  Christian  College  Magazine,The  Indian  Revietv,  and  The  Univer' 
9ity  Maga»ine,  a  College  Journal  published  in  Madras. 


I8d 


CUTTINGS  AND  COMMENTS. 

*'  Thoughts,  like  the  pollen  of  flovvei's,  leave  one  brain  and  fasten  to  another." 

Herr  Ernst  von  Hesse -Wartegg  contributes  to  the 

The  tomb       October  Century  an  interesting  account  of  his  travels 

of  Co7ifucius.    in  the  Chinese  Province  of  Kiao-Chau,  in  the  course 

of  which  he  describes  a  visit  to  the  tomb  of  that  pro- 
found philosopher  Kung-Foo-Tse,  or  Confucius.     He  says : 

"  Passing  through  the  temple,  which  contains  nothing  bat  a  large  table 
of  sacrifice,  of  red  lacquer,  I  entered  the  central  enclosure  and  stood  before 
the  grave  of  Oonfuoius.  Here,  under  an  earthen  raound  probably  fifty  feet 
high  and  one  hundred  and  twenty  feet  in  circumference,  lie  the  ashes  of  the 
Sage,  or,  as  the  inscription  on  the  stone  tablet  in  front  of  it  says :  '  The  roost 
sacred,  the  serene  Sage,  the  venerable  teacher,  the  philosopher  Kung/ 
Twenty-six  centuries  have  elapsed  since  this  mound  was  erected,  thousands 
of  millions  of  sons  of  Han  have  lived  and  died,  and  still  the  teachings  of  the 
great  man  form  the  Bible  of  this  most  numerous  nation  on  earth.  He  has 
impressed  his  religion  and  his  code  of  morals  on  a  third  of  the  entire  popula- 
tion of  the  globe ;  out  all  these  millions,  from  the  long  line  of  emperors  down 
to  the  present  day,  worship  him  not  as  a  god,  but  as  a  man.  They  erected  no 
gorgeous  temples  for  sacred  shrines  over  his  grave,  and  no  relics  of  Gonfucias 
are  worshipped,  like  the  piece  of  ivory  which  in  the  temple  of  Kandy  represents 
the  tooth  of  Buddha,  or  the  hair  from  the  head  of  Mahommed  in  the  Mosque 
of  Kairwan.  Oonfuoius  is  not  a  legendary  figure,  distorted  by  the  liommen- 
taries  of  priests,  but  a  man  like  his  contemporaries  and  their  descendants,  yet 
withal  greater  than  the  deities  for  whom  the  peoples  of  Asia  prostrate  them- 
selves in  the  dust." 


*  « 


A  correspondent  from  Simla  (K.  C.  M.)  writes  as 
Spirit  chiU      follows  : — 

dren  in  Florence  Marry  at  t   in  her    book  entitled  "  There  is  no 

Kama  L oka,      death  "  narrates  certain   facts  in  the  chapter  headed  *' My 

spirit  child,*'  which  seem  to  clash  with  the  Theosophical 
teachings.  The  author  mentions  that  her  child  was  only  10.  days  old  when  it 
died  and  yet  the  child  grew  up  into  a  girl  of  17,  entirely  oured  of  the  bodily 
deformity  with  which  she  was  born  and  buried.  The  child  was  also  expected 
to  grow  up  into  womanhood  in  the  same  spirit  land,  although  no  great  further 
change  in  personal  appearance  was  expected  after  she  had  passed  her  19th 
year. 

In  the  first  place  how  could  the  child  which  had  not  attained  an  age 
when  she  could  Know  any  one  retain  a  very  affectionate  remembrance  of  her 
mother  ?  Secondly,  how  could  she  be  a  denizen  of  the  Kama  Loka  for  a 
considerable  period,  when  her  lower  principles  were  not  developed  during  her 
short  sojourn  on  this  earth?  Thirdly,  how  could  her  astral  form  change  and 
develop  and  also  heal  in  the  Kama  Loka  just  as  if  the  form  was  a  material 
one?  And  lastly,  if  the  perfection  of  an  astral  form  implies  that  it  would  look 
like  one  who  has  not'passed  his  or  her  teens,  why  should  there  be  other  astral 
forms  in  the  spirit  land  which  have  the  appearance  of  old  men  and  women  ? 

The  author  does  not  j?ive  any  explanation  and  has  on  purpose  refrained 
from  advancing  any  theory  on  the  subject.  She  simply  narrates  facts  she  had 
witnessed. 

Can  any  light  be  thrown  on  the  subject  from  the  Theosophical  point  of 
view  ? 

Ed.  Note. — Our  correspondent  puts  the  case  as  clearly  and  sensibly  as  it 
could  have  been  treated.    The  whole  theory  expounded  by  Florence  Marryatt* , 
and  held  to  by  many  Spiritualists,  as  to  the  'posUmori&n^  growth  of  baby 
spirits  and  their  relations  to  living  friends  seems  to  us  sheer  nonsense. 


1900.]  Cuttings  and  Comments.  189 

The  Daily  Mail  publishes  the  following  con- 
Discovery    of   cerning  the  discoveries  made  in   a  cave  which   was 
Caves  in        recently  opened  in   Mount  Dicte,  in   the   island   of 
Crete.  Crete — the  traditional  birthplace  of  Zeus  : 

"  After  blasting  away  the  limestone  blocks  which  ob- 
structed the  mouth  of  the  cave,  Mr.  Hogarth  found  on  entering,  a  quantity  of 
offerings,  chiefly  bronze  weapons  and  terra-cotta  statuettes,  many  of  them 
ornamented  with  the  double  axe,  or  symbol  of  Zeus.  A  lower  cave  was  also 
reached  by  a  shaft  150  ft.  deep,  and  found  to  contain,  in  the  niches  of  the  stalac- 
tites, quantities  of  offerings  of  higher  value  than  those  in  the  cave  above.  In 
view  of  the  fact,  attested  by  countless  references  by  classical  writers,  that 
Crete  was  one  of  the  greateat  centres  of  ancient  worship,  the  finds  of  Mr. 
Evans  and  Mr.  Hogarth  may  be  only  the  prelude  to  discoveries  of  far  greater 
ethnological  importance. 

•  « 

A  correspondent  of  the  Indian  Forester  writes  : 

Crows  and  ««  ^  friend  of  mine  told  me  that  crows  could  by  instinct 

Cholera,  find  oat  if  the  atmosphere  over  a  particular  region  was  un- 
healthy, and  if  so  that  they  would  migrate  to  a  healthier  at- 
mosphere. My  house  is  surrounded  by  a  number  of  trees,  where  these  birds 
are  housed  in  hundreds.  It  so  happened  early  in  April  last  they  commenced 
thinning  out,  till  they  had  disappeared  to  the  last  crow.  Quite  simultane- 
ously with  their  migration,  cholera  broke  out,  and  now  that  cholera  is  fast 
disappearing  the  crows  are  again  mustering  in  their  former  strength." 

•  * 

Consecration  Rev.  George  H.  Hepworth,  of  New  York,  gives 

of  to  the  world  some  very  ennobling  ideas.    The  follow- 

Tkought,         ing  are  a  few  sample  paragraphs : 

Health  and  happiness  are  founded  on  wholesome  thoughts.  The  mind  is 
roaster,  not  the  body.  Think  toward  God  and  you  become  godlike :  think  evil 
and  every  pore  is  a  wide  open  door  through  which  disease  may  enter.  *  *  * 
You  can  never  be  your  best  self,  therefore,  until  you  put  your  thoughts  on 
the  altar  and  consecrate  them  to  the  service  of  God  and  man. 

This  rule  applies  also  to  our  environment.  You  can  be  happy  and  use- 
fal  under  any  circumstances  if  you  fill  them  with  heavenly  purposes.  Greed 
and  envy  and  selfishness  are  the  bane  of  our  human  life.  We  long  for  what 
we  have  not,  and  are  thus  unfitted  to  do  the  best  with  what  we  have.  We 
live  in  a  dream  of  what  we  hope  to  acquire,  and  are  always  restless,  uncomfort- 
able and  discontented.  If  we  could  persuade  ourselves  that  we  can  be  happy 
with  what  surrounds  us,  that  our  mission  is  to  get  as  much  out  of  life  as  is 
possible  instead  of  worrying  because  others  have  more  than  we,  and  so  find- 
ing fault  with  Providence  and  our  ill  luck  and  reaping  the  misery  which  such 
thoughts  always  bring,  we  should  change  the  color  of  our  environment  and 
the  quality  of  our  character.  You  may  be  pretty  sure  that  if  you  cannot  be 
happy  where  you  are  you  cannot  be  happy  anywhere.  Neithei*  wealth  nor 
fame  can  give  you  what  you  want,  for  yon  must  find  it  in  your  sonl  or  not 
find  it  at  all. 

This  ia  Christianity  rightly  understood — to  do  all  you  can  in  whatever 
position  you  occupy  and  to  make  your  little  life  great  with  great  thoughts. 
God  is  the  guest  of  poverty  as  well  as  of  wealth,  and  poverty  with  God  is 
better  than  wealth  without  Him.  The  spirit  of  Christ  is  the  spirit  of  love 
and  contentment,  and  though  you  have  hardships  and  bereavements  they 
melt  away  in  the  presence  of  the  Divine  Lord.  You  bear  them  with  patience, 
and  patience  is  another  word  for  strength.  Perfect  peace  will  come  at  last  to . 
him  who  endures,  and  peace  unlocks  the  doors  of  heaven. 

•  * 

The  unhappy  Countess  Cannavaro  has  lefl  Ceylon 

Return  to  for  her  American  home  after  an  experience  of  three 
America  of  years  of  disappointments,  disillusionment,  strife  and 
iht  Countess  suffering.  Her  lot  has  been  a  sad  one  and  much  sytn- 
Cannavaro.      pathy  vnll  be  felt  for  her  sorrows,  though  no  surprise 

at  the  outcome  of  her  ill-starred  missionary  experi- 


190  The  Theosophlst.  [December 

raent.  It  was  foredoomed  to  failure  from  the  start.  There  was  no 
field  open  for  her,  for  she  was  unfit  by  temperament  to  occupy  one. 
Ceylon  offers  any  amount  of  opportunity  to  the  right  men  and 
women,  as  the  success  of  its  many  schools  and  colleges  proves.  But 
they  have  been  established  by  practical,  common-sense  workers, 
whereas  this  was  not  what  the  poor  Countess  could  be  called.  She 
was  of  a  supersensitive,  hysterical  temperament,  romantic  and  ideal- 
istic. She  ought  never  to  have  been  asked  to  come  to  Ceylon,  and 
the  blame  of  this  disaster  rests  upon  her  equally  impulsive  and 
impracticable  "spiritual  Guru" — as  she  styled  him — H.  Dharma- 
pala.  He  denies  the  impeachment,  she  affirms  it,  so  there  the 
question  hangs.  The  one  thing  certain  is  that  she  sold  or  gave 
a  way  her  personal  property,  went  through  a  ridiculous  ceremony  in 
America,  in  which  Dharmapala  received  herpublicly  as  a  Buddhist 
(to  the  keen  enjoyment  of  the  caustic  American  reporters),  put  on 
a  hybrid  costume,  and  was.  launched  before  the  Ceylon  public  with 
much  reclame.    A  Ceylon  paper  says  : 

The  Countess  still  continues  to  be  a  staunch  Buddhist,  although  not  a 
great  admirer  of  some  of  the  Buddhists  she  has  met  in  Ceylon,  and  no  doubt 
the  lady  who  now  looks  *'  a  spirit  chastened  with  affliction  "  leaves  Ceylon 
much  wiser  than  when  she  first  arrived  in  the  spicy  island.  Her  stay  in 
Ceylon  has  been  full  of  pathetic  interest,  and  no  doubt  will  serve  as  a  warn- 
ing to  all  amateur  religions  propagandists  to  count  the  cost  before  launch- 
ing in  such  missionary  effort. 

Personally  the  Countess  was  a  tall,  handsome  lady  of  engaging 
manners  and  unquestionable  earnestness  ;  it  was  the  fault  of  her 
neurotic  temperament  that  she  did  not  do  great  good  to  the  Sinhalese 
people,  for  if  good  will  had  sufficed,  she  would  have  made  them 
better  than  she  found  them.  Our  kindest  and  most  friendly  good 
wishes  follow  her  to  her  far-distant  land,  and  we  hope  she  will  receive 
every  help  she  needs. 

Stories  like  the  following  one  contributed  by  a 
A  great  correspondent  of  the  Madras  Mail  have  a  distinct 
Malabar  value  of  their  own  because  of  the  light  thrown  on  the 
Sorcerer,        popular  beliefs  of  primitive  Indian  people  about   the 

powers  and  practices  of  dealers  in  Black  Magic.  The 
present  one  is  written,  it  is  true,  in  a  sarcastic  and  incredulous  tone, 
but  that  does  not  lesson  the  interest  of  the  facts  themselves  : 

C.   S.   G.   P.     writes :     It     is,  no   doubt,    the    rai-est   feat   of    human 
perseverance  and  tenacious  strength  of  mind  to  have  propitiated  and  pre^8ed 
into  one*s  personal  service  the   entire  devildom  of  our  planet,  numbering 
4,448  evil  spirits  according  to  Hindu  Devilology.    Yet  this  was  what,  the 
tradition     goes,     Kandath     Eaman     Nair,     of    Mathur    Amsom,    Palghat 
Taluq,  did  about  the  beginning  of   the  eighteenth   century.    In  his   days 
the    whole  of  Malabar  trembled    at  the   very  name  of  Kandath  BAman 
Nair  or,   as    he    is    generally    known,     Kandathar.     The  propitiation  for 
personal   service,  of  a  devil,  is  not  an  easy   matter.     Each    devil  has,  as 
its  own,   a    certain    mantram    or    incantation    of  one   or  more  syllables, 
which  has  to  be  repeated  a  prescribed  number  of  times  over  with  the  fullest 
concentration  of  attention  and  under  several  trying  situations.    This  is  what 
is  called  the  process  of  acquiring  mantrasidhu    In  several  cases,  for  acquiring 
mantrasidhif  the  number  of  times  a  mantram  has  to   be  repeated  runs  up  to 
100,000  and  according  to  the  nature  of  the  spirit,  it  han  to  be  repeated  in 
any  one  or  more  of  the  following  situations,  viz. :  the  solitude  of  a  closed  room, 
a  cremation  ground,  standing  up  to  the  neck  or  fully  immersed  in  water, 
sitting  on  the  uppermost  branch  of  a  banyan  tree  at  dead  of  nif^ht,  &c.  There 
is    yet    another  difficulty.     Some  of   the  spirits   will  try   to  frighten  the 
practitioner  out  of  his  wits,  by  producing  hideous  noises  in  bis  ears,  by 


1900.]  Cuttings  and  Comments.  191 

shaking  the  whole  earth  around  hiro,  by  feigning  to  beat  him  to  powder  with 
an  uprooted  tree,  by  throwing  him  into  a  tank  and  by  all  means  that  lie  in 
their  power.  Woe  be  to  you  if  yoa  get  unnerved  to  the  slightest  possible 
extent,  for  then  surely  yon  will  have  to  spend  the  rest  of  your  days  in  a 
Lunatic  Asylnm.  Mr.  Kandathar  must  have  been  a  more  than  superhuman 
being  to  have  enslaved  the  4,448  devils  under  suoh  circumstances.  If  you 
wanted  to  kill  any  of  your  enemies  secretly*  Kandathar  was  the  man  for  it. 
He  wanted  only  your  enemy's  name  and  nalu  (the  lunar  star  in  which  he  was 
born).  The  wizard  made  a  geometrical  figure  in  a  thin  sheet  of  copper,  on 
which  he  wrote  a  powerful  mantram,  and  your  enemy's  name  and  nalu ;  a  sort 
olpuja  was  offered  to  the  sheet  which  was  then  put  into  a  pot  containing  a 
mixture  of  water,  saffron  and  chunam.  The  pot  was  then  placed  over  a  fire 
and  as  sure  as  anything,  be  the  object  of  the  witchcrat'c  Samson  or  Sandow, 
his  life  fluid  would  decrease  in  proportion  as  the  mixture  decreased  by 
evaporation.  When  the  whole  mixture  disappeared  your  enemy  was  dead. 
Again,  the  girl  you  loved  might  prove  a  little  refractory.  You  had  only  to 
go  to  Kandathar  with,  say,  half  [a  rupee's  weight  of  earth  taken  from  any 
place  touched  by  her  feet.  He  repeated  certain  incantations  over  tl^.e  earth. 
The  next  day  the  girl,  be  she  the  proudest  of  her  sex,  was  yours. 

There  is  an  interesting  tradition  telling  you  how  Kandathar  became  so 
great  a  magician.  The  spirit  known  as  Bhadrakali  is  the  Queen  of  all  these 
4,448  devils.  She  is  the  exclusive  possessor  of  a  granlham  (a  book  of  cadjans) 
containing  the  4,448  manirams  relating  to  these  spirits.  Wherever  a  dead 
body  is  cremated  she  is  bound  to  make  her  attendance  at  the  funeral  ashes  at 
dead  of  night  and  spend  an  hour  of  deep  spiritual  meditation.  Kandathar 
had  knowledge  of  the  exact  place  where  Bhadrakali  would  sit  for  her  medita- 
tion. So  once,  when  a  dead  body  was  cremated  in  his  village,  Kandathar 
carefully  prepared  a  pit  and  got  into  it  before  nightfall,  giving  instruction  to 
his  nahyas  to  cover  it  up  with  planks  and  sod,  leaving  a  small  opening  touch- 
ing the  spot  were  Bhadrakali  would  sit  for  her  meditation.  Bhadrakali,  as 
nsoal,  came  at  dead  of  night,  sat  on  the  prescribed  spot  and  soon  dissolved 
into  her  meditation,  leaving  her  grantham  on  her  lap.  Kandathar  quietly 
put  his  hand  through  the  opening  and  stole  the  grantham.  When  Bhadrakali 
awoke,  she  found  her  granihami  lost.  She  searched  and  searched  in  vain, 
made  several  hideous  noises,  technically  called  asktahasam  (eight  laughs),  for 
several  hours,  but  as  she  was  obliged  to  go  away  before  daybreak  she  went 
away,  vowing  dire  vengeance  on  the  thief  if  ever  she  happened  to  come  across 
him.  In  the  morning  our  hero  came  away  rejoiced  at  his  triumphant 
expedition.  On  reaching  home  the  first  thing  he  did  was  to  prepare  certain 
charms  mentioned  in  the  Bhadrakali's  granthim  and  string  them  up  together 
round  his  waist  so  that  nobody  could  kill  him  so  long  as  the  charms  remained 
on  his  body.  Bhadrakali  discovered  the  thief,  only  after  Kandathar  had  had 
safficient  time  to  prepare  and  wear  all  those  charms.  But  she  was  powerless 
to  do  any  injury  to  him  on  account  of  the  charms  he  always  wore  about  him. 
He  then  began  to  acquire  sidhi  one  by  one  of  all  the  manira/mB  of  the  grantham 
and  in  due  course  of  time  became  the  most  terrible  wizard  in  all  the  world. 
Bhadrakali  herself  was  compelled  to  do  menial  service  to  Kandathar.  She 
was  compelled  to  be  at  his  beck  and  call.  But  she  was  always  watching  her 
opportunity.  One  day  when  the  wizard  was  bathing  in  a  tank,  he  accidentally 
broke  his  string  of  charms  which  fell  into  the  water,  but  before  he  had  time 
to  pick  them  up  and  in  the  twinkling  of  au  eye  Bhadrakali  chopped  off  his 
head  with  her  sword.  There  now  happened  a  strange  phenomenon.  Though 
the  body  fell  senseless,  the  head  began  to  roll  and  roll  about  the  village, 
making  hideous  noises,  knocking  at  the  gates  of  houses  and  frightening  the 
people.  The  village  people,  therefore,  resolved  to  build  a  temple  and 
consecrate  it  to  the  spirit  of  Kandathar.  The  temple  still  exists  and  is 
situated  about  four  miles  south-west  of  Falghat.  The  most  propitious  offer- 
ing to  Kandathar  is  what  is  called  Uwratatuvettal  (killing  sheep  in  a  chain). 
The  person  offering  this  sacrifice  begins  by  killing  a  sheep  at  the  gate  of  his 
house.  As  soon  as  the  head  is  severed  from  the  body,  the  body  is  dragged 
along  so  that  the  blood  spouting  out  may  mark  the  way  by  a  continuous 
length  of  red  line.  Where  the  blood  of  one  sheep  ceases  to  fiow  another  is 
killed  and  treated  in  the  same  way  and  so  on  until  the  whole  distance  from 
the  devotee's  house  to  Kandathar's  temple  is  marked  by  an  uninterrupted 


192  The  Theosophist.  [Decexni>er 

line  of  blood.    Even  to  fchis  day,  people  who  can  afford  it  do  sometimes  ofEer 
this  sacrifice  to  Kandathar. 

A  correspondent  sends  us  the  subjoined  cutting 
Evaporation     relating  to  the  daring   Swedish   explorer,  Dr.  Sveu 
of  Hedin,   who    made  such  adventurous  journeys    in 

Lakes.  Eastern  Turkestan,  Tibet  and  Mongolia,  which  end- 

ed some  two  3^ears  ago : 

He  visited  the  great  sheet  of  water  called  Lob  Nor.  This  he  foand  to 
differ  materially  from  the  maps  and  the  descriptions  of  previous  observers, 
and  he  has  now  examined  it  a  second  time.  Situated  rather  more  than  two 
thousand  feet  above  sea  level,  its  waters  are  fed  by  the  river  Tarim,  bat 
emptied  only  by  evaporation,  for  no  stream  issues  from  it.  Thus  they  should 
be  salt,  but  Dr.  Sven  Hedin  found  them  to  be  fresh.  From  this  he  con- 
cluded that  the  Lake  could  not  have  been  long  in  existence.  The  impossi- 
bility of  reconciling  the  observations  of  his  predecessors  with  what  he  bad 
himself  seen  also  suggested  that  Lob  Nor  was  not  a  permanent  sheet  of  water, 
like  the  Dead  Sea  or  Lake  Balkhash,  but  was  constantly  shifting  its  position, 
the  lake  bed  at  one  time  being  filled  up  by  desiert  sand,  and  forming  again  in 
new  places.  The  correctness  of  his  original  inference  has  now  been  placed 
beyond  doubt.  The  lake  known  to  earlier  observers  has  now  disappeared, 
and  its  dry  bed  is  strewn  with  shells  and  other  organisms  which  had  lived  in 
its  waters.  But  a  system  of  new  lakes  has  been  formed  around  the  old  basin, 
which  Dr.  Sven  Hedin  has  explored  and  mapped.  The  Tarim  Bavin  is  a 
barren  and  dry  land — a  region  of  travelling  waves  of  desert  sand.  All  this 
tract  has  been  drying  up,  probably  continuously,  even  in  historic  times. 
The  same  thing  is  true  of  Western  as  well  as  of  Eastern  Turkestan.  Lake 
Balkhash  is  disappearing  with  comparative  rapidity.  According  to  the 
Bussian  geographers,  its  area  has  been  greatly  reduced  during  the  present 
century,  and  those  who  dwell  by  its  shores  assert  that  its  level  is  lowered  at 
the  rate  of  a  foot  in  every  five  years.  But  the  same  thing  is  true  of  the  Syr 
Daria  and  the  Amu  Daria  and  the  Aral  Sea,  into  which  their  waters  are 
emptied.  In  fact,  the  whole  drainage  basin  of  this  sea  and  of  the  Caspian  is 
undergoing  desiccation,  slow  but  sure.  These  two  seas,  with  many  minor 
salt  lakes,  are  but  pools  left  in  the  deeper  hollows  of  a  great  ocean  by  which 
the  Mediterranean  was  extended  into  the  heart  of  Asia.  There  are  banks  of 
Dead  Sea  shells  where  once  the  waves  were  breaking;  there  are  dry  steppes 
where  once  the  herbage  was  green  and  forests  flourished.  The  fact  is  certain, 
but  the  cause  not  easy  to  discover.  The  climate  must  be  changing,  not  in 
this  or  that  locality,  but  over  a  broad  and  extensive  zone,  which  runs  with 
little  interruption  from  Northern  Africa  to  the  Eastern  end  of  the  Desert  of 
Gobi.  A  similar  change  has  occurred  in  the  New  World.  The  Great  Salt 
Lake  of  Utah  is  but  a  remnant  of  a  vastly  greater  sheet  of  fresh  water  which 
once  sent  a  river  to  the  Pacific. 

An  exchange  has  the  following — useful  if  true  : 
rruit  aaas  j^.  ^^^  ^^^  y^^  generally  known  that  fruit  acids  are  ger- 

^f  ,  niicidal,  but  the  information  is  of  special  value   to  planters 

germicides,      of  tea  gardens.    The  jnice  of  lime  and  lemon  is  as  deadly  to 

cholera  germs  as  corrosive  sublimate,  or  sulphur  fumes,  or 
formaldehyde,  or  any  other  disinfectant.  It  is  so  powerful  a  germicide  that 
if  the  juice  of  one  lime  or  lemon  be  squeezed  into  a  glass  of  water,  that  is 
then  left  standing  ten  or  fifteen  minutes,  the  water  will  be  disinfected.  It 
makes  little  difference  where  the  water  has  been  obtained,  or  whether  it 
has  been  boiled  or  filtered.  This  is  a  fact  worth  knowing,  for  any  one  may 
at  any  time  find  himself  under  circumstances  in  which  it  is  impossible  to  |;;et 
either  boiled  or  filtered  water.  In  such  a  case,  the  juice  of  a  lime  or  lemon 
will  purify  the  water  perfectly. 


THE     THEOSOPHIST. 

(Founded  in  1879.) 


VOL  XXII.,  NO.  4,  JANUARY  1901. 


"THERE  IS  NO  RELIGION  HIGHER  THAN  TRUTH." 

[Family  motto  of  the  Maharajahs  of  Batares.] 


**^^^y^  #>x^^%^ 


OLD  DIARY  LEAVES* 

Fourth  Series,  Chapter  XV. 

(Year  1890.) 

AS  soon  as  I  knew  that  a  Burmese  Buddhist  League  had  raised 
a  large  sum  of  money  to  send  a  preaching  party  to  Europe 
and  that  delegates  were  being  sent  to  Adyar  to  urge  it  upon  me,  I 
telegraphed  for  Sinhalese  and  Japanese  delegates  to  come  from 
Colombo  to  meet  the  Burmese.  Accordingly  two  Japanese  gentle- 
men, Messrs.  Kozen  Gunaratna  and  C.  Tokuzawa,  two  Sinhalese, 
Messrs.  H.  Dhamiapala  and  Hemchandra,  and  two  Burmese, 
*  Messrs.  U.  Hmouay  Tha  Aung  and  Maung  Tha  Dwe,  met  in  com- 
mittee with  me  on  the  8th  of  January  1891.  The  European  mission 
being  put  aside,  I  then  laid  before  them  my  views  and  invited  full 
discussion  ;  which  went  on  day  by  day  until  the  12th,  when  all  points 
of  belief  in  the  Northern  and  Southern  Schools  of  Buddhists  having 
been  compared,  I  drafted  a  platform,  embracing  fourteen  clauses, 
upon  which  all  Buddhist  sects  could  agree  if  disposed  to  promote 
brotherly  feeling  and  mutual  sympathy  between  themselves.  A  fair 
copy  of  this  document  was  signed  by  the  delegates  and  myself. 
Besides  the  nations  above  mentioned,  the  Chittagong  Maghs,  a  Bud- 
dhist  nation  in  Eastern  Bengal,  concurred,  through  a  special  dele- 
gate, acting  as  proxy  for  Babu  Krishna  Chandra  Chowdry,  the  leader 
of  the  Maghs,  who  had  requested  me  by  telegraph  to  appoint  one  for 
him.  Unquestionably  this  was  a  document  of  the  deepest  import- 
ance, for  previously  no  mutual  ground  of  compromise  and  co-opera- 
tion had  been  found  upon  which  the  mighty  forces  of  the  Buddhist 

•  Three  volumes,  in  series  of  thirty  chapters,  traciti}^  the  history^of  the 
Theosophical  Society  from  its  be|^tiinings  at  New  York,  have  appeared  in  the 
The<nophist,  and  tlie  first  volume  i»  available  in  book  fonn.  Price,  cloth,  Rs.  3-8-0, 
or  paper,  Rs.  2-3-0.  Vol.  II.,  beautifully  illustrated  with  views  of  Adyar,  has  just 
t»ecn  received  by  the  Manag^er  Theosophist :  Price,  cloth,  Rs.  5. 


194  The  Theosophist.  [January 

world  could  converge  for  the  spread  of  their  religious  ideas.  The 
platform,  it  is  now  generally  known,  was  adopted  by  the  leaders  of 
the  Northern  and  Southern  sections  of  Buddhism,  and  when  the  time 
comes  for  me  to  report  the  action  upon  it  taken  in  Japan  towards  the 
close  of  the  year,  I  shall  give  its  text  in  full. 

My  programme  for  that  year  opened  with  a  proposed  visit  to 
Australia  for  the  double  purpose  of  enquiring  into  the  circumstances 
of  the  bequest  of  the  Hartmann  estate,  at  Toowoomba,  and  of  visit- 
ing our  Branches  in  the  Colonies.  I  had  intended  to  start  almost 
immediately  after  the  Convention,  but  when  the  Burmese  delegates 
heard  of  this  they  made  me  an  impassioned  appeal  to  visit  first  their 
country.  They  even  went  so  far  as  to  say  that  the  **  whole  nation" 
expected  me.  Upon  mature  reflection  I  decided  to  accept  the  invita- 
tion, as  my  time  was  my  own  throughout  the  year.  The  Convention 
had  asked  me  to  take  a  holiday — the  first  in  the  twelve  years  of  my 
Indian  service — and  I  had  consented  and  put  the  Presidentship  in 
temporary  **  commission,"  giving  over  my  responsibilities  and 
prerogatives  to  Messrs.  Tookaram  Tatya,  Norendro  Nath  Sen,  N. 
D.  Khandalvala  and  W.  Q.  Judge,  to  manage  the  Society  until  I 
should  be  ready  and  willing  to  return  to  duty.  So,  on  the  17th  of 
January,  I  sailed  for  Rangoon  with  the  two  Burmese  delegates.  The 
tour  in  Burma  was  so  very  interesting  that  I  shall  use  portions  of 
the  narrative  which  I  wrote  and  published  at  the  time,  while  the 
events  were  fresh  in  my  memory. 

Those  who  have  followed  my  narrative  throughout,  will   re- 
member the  circumstances  under  which  my  first  visit  to  the  countrj'- 
was  made.    Towards  the  end   of  the  year   1884,  I  received  from  the 
now-deposed  King  Theebaw  an  invitation  to  \4sit  him  at  Mandalaj'* 
to  discuss  Buddhism.     The  intermediary  was  his  Italian  physician. 
Dr.  Barbieri  de  Introini — now  the  President  of  our  revived  branch 
at  Milano,  Italy.     On  the  chance  of  getting  His  Majesty  to  help  the 
Sinhalese  Buddhists  and  to  bring  about  more  intimate  relations  be- 
tween them  and  their  Burmese  co-religionists,  I  accepted,  and   in 
January  1885,  accompanied  by  Mr.  Leadbeater,  went  to  Rangoon.  A 
week  later  I  was  telegraphed  to  return,   as   Mme.  Blavatsky  was 
apparently  dying.     I^eaving  Leadbeater  there,  I  returned  home,  only 
to  find  that  by  one  of  those  almost   miraculous  changes  which 
happened  to  her,  she  was  convalescent,  and  after  a  week  she  let  me  go 
to  Burma.     I  found  that  Mr.  Leadbeater  had  worked  up  so  great  an 
interest    that   almost  immediately  I    was  able  to    organize  three 
Branches.     Meanwhile  the  inquiries  which  I  made  among  Burmans 
as  to  the  King's  character,   so  disgusted  me  with  him  that  I  deter- 
mined not  to  go  to  Mandalay,  and  just  at  this  time  a  cable  from 
Damodar  informed  me  that  H.P.B.  had  had  a  relapse  and  her  recover>' 
was  despaired  of     So  I  immediately  abandoned  the  tour,  returned  to 
Adyar,  and  thus  ended  my  first  visit  to  the  fertile  land  over  which 
the  long  line  of  Alompara  kings  h^d  reigned  in  barbaric  splendour. 


1^1.]  Old  Diary  Leaves.  1^^ 

My  reception   on  this,  my    second   visit,  was  most  enthusiastic 
and  brotherly.     I   was  put  up   in  the  elegant  house  of  a  private 
Burmese  gentleman  and  called  upon  by  many  of  the  Elders  {Lupies) 
of  the  town.     It  was  the  season  of  the  full  moon  and,  as  I  say  in  my 
published  account,   **  To  a  Westerner  it  would  have  been  a  novel 
picture  to  have  seen  us  squatted  on  mats  on  the  flat  roof  of  the  house, 
discussing  the  subtle  problems  of  Buddhistic  metaphysics.     They 
are  a  clever  people,  the  Bumians,  and  as  every  man  of  them  had 
passed  his  term  in  a  kymng   (monastery)  according  to  the  inflexible 
national  custom,  the  questions  they  put  to  me  were  such  as  to  require 
distinct  and  thoughtful  answers."  I  had  made  it  part  of  my  programme 
to  win  the  approval  of  the  leading  priests  of  Burma  for  my  com- 
promise platform,  so,  as  I   found   my  Rangoon  visitors  so  sharp  and^ 
eager,    I  broached    the  subject  and  invited  their  opinions.     The* 
discussion  led  us  far  afield  and  brought  up  the  true  and  false  views  of 
Nir\^ana,  Karma  and  other  vital  questions.     The  discussion  became 
ver\'  animated  and  one  old  lugyne,  a  veteran  wrangler,  whose  furrowed 
face,  sunken  cheeks  and  emaciated  body  showed  the  ascetic  training 
to  which  he  had  long  submitted  himself,  was  particularly  vehement. 
When  a  point  was  raised,  he  went  at  it  as  though  he  would  not  stop 
short  of  the  complete  dismemberment  of  his  gaunt  frame,  and  his 
nervous  gesticulations  and  head-shakings  threw  such    a  tangle  of 
black  shadows  on   the  moonlit  terrace  as  to  produce  a  queer  and 
uncanny     effect.     As    it    turned    out,    he  was    backing     up    my 
positions,  and  it  was  down  the  throats  of  the    others,    not  mine, 
that  he  seemed  ready  to  jump.     "  The  upshot  of  the  two  nights'  talk 
was  that  my  several   propositions  were  found   orthodox  and  accord- 
ing to  the  Tripitikas  :  I  had  no    misdoubts  after    that  as  to  what 
would  happen   in  Mandalay  when  I  should  meet  the  greatest  of  the 
Burmese  monks  in  council." 

On  the  23rd  January  I  left   Rangoon   for   Pantanaw,   an  inland 
town,  situate  on  an    affluent   of  the   Irrawaddy,  in  a  small  double- 
decked  steniwheel  steamboat.    With  me  were  my  Madras  escort  and 
a  large  committee  of  leading  men   of  Pantanaw  headed  by  Moung 
Shway    Hla,   Head  Master  of    the   Government    School  in    that 
place;   a  genial,   courteous  and   kind-hearted    gentleman.    There 
were  no  cabins  nor  saloons  on  the  little  steamboat,  only  the  open  deck 
crowded  in  every  part  with  Burmese  men,  women  and  children  and 
their  personal  belongings,   together  with  a  mixed  cargo  of  sorts, 
including  the  fragrant  71' pee,  a  condiment  made  of  pounded  shrimps 
and  ripened,  by  long  keephig,   up  to  that  acute  point  where  the 
Limburger  cheese,  the  perfected   sauerkrout,  and  the  air-tainting 
garlic  come  into  odoriferous  competition  with  the  verbena  and  the 
tuberose,  to  subdue  man's  olfactory  nerves  to  their  intoxicating 
influences.    To  a  veteran  traveller  like  myself,  the  prospect  of  a 
night's  sleeping  on  a  blanket  on  a  hard  deck,   in  such  a  mixed 
company  and  such  an  atmosphere  of  spoilt  fish,  was  a  trifle — but  one 


l96  The  Theosophist.  [January 

out  of  scores  of  experiences.  So  with  my  Pantanaw  committee-men 
near  by  and  Babula  at  my  side,  I  got  through  the  night  ver>'  com- 
fortably. We  reached  Yandoon  at  8.  30  a.m.,  and  from  thence  went 
on  in  sampans — ^those  buoyant,  easily-oversetting,  two-sterned  boats, 
that  are  rowed  by  one  man  who  stands  to  his  work  and  faces 
forward.  In  such  frail  craft  we  crossed  the  wind-swept  Irrawaddy, 
ascended  Pantanaw  creek,  and  reached  that  place  at  3.  30  p.  m.  At 
the  wharf  the  Buddhist  flag  was  flying  in  welcome,  and  the  chief 
officials  and  elders  of  the  town,  headed  by  Moung  Pe,  the  Extra 
Asst.   Commissioner,  received  me  most  cordially. 

At  Pantanaw  I  was  lodged  in  the  upper  story  of  the  Government 
School  building — ^there  being  scarcely  any  travellers*  rest-houses  as 
yet  in  Burma — and  was  most  kindly  treated.  I  availed  of  some  leisure 
*time  here  to  draft  a  scheme  for  a  National  Buddhist  Society,  with  a 
subsidiary  network  of  township  and  village  societies  to  share  and 
systematise  on  a  national  scale  the  work  of  Buddhistic  revival  and 
propaganda.  On  the  25th,  at  6  a.m.,  I  lectured  at  the  Shwe-moin-din 
Pagoda,  the  most  graceful  in  outlines,  I  think,  that  I  saw  in  all 
Burma.  The  next  day  I  left  Pantanaw  for  Wfikema  in  a  long 
Burmese  boat,  propelled  by  three  rowers,  and  with  a  cabin  (!)  made 
by  arching  across  the  boat  some  mats  (chiks)  of  split  bamboo.  In 
that  blessed  place  I  and  my  party — U.  Hmoay,  Moung  Shway  Hla, 
and  two  servants — ^had  to  stop  for  twenty-two  long  hours,  after  which, 
with  aching  bones,  we  came  to  Wdkema.  We  were  accommodated  in 
a  suite  of  rooms  in  the  Court  House.  At  5  p.m.  I  lectured  to  a  large 
audience,  whose  gay  silken  turbans,  scarves  and  waist-cloths  made 
them  look  perfectlj'^  gorgeous.  Shway  Yeo  (Mr.  J.  G.  Scott),  the 
historian  of  Burma,  says  of  such  a  crowd,  **  wind-stirred  tulip-beds, 
or  a  stirabout  of  rainbows,  or  a  blind  man's  idea  of  a  chromatrope  are 
the  only  suggestions  which  can  be  offered."  At  Wfikema  I  saw  for 
the  first  time  one  of  their  national  marionette-plays,  in  which  are  re- 
presented the  tribulations  and  final  blissful  union  of  a  prince  and 
princess,  children  of  two  kings  who  had  had  other  designs  in  their 
heads  for  the  young  people.  The  play  began  at  10  p.m.  and  was 
kept  up  until  5  o'clock  in  the  morning,  that  witching  hour  when  the 
"  mower  is  heard  whetting  his  sc5^he  "  and  nature  bathes  her  face  in 
dew.  The  village  was  crowded  with  people  come  for  the  raising  of  a 
new  temple,  a  congenial  work  to  which  all  devote  themselves  with 
positive  enthusiasm.  My  stay  here  was  protracted  until  the  30th,  as 
I  had  to  wait  for  a  steamer  to  take  me  back  to  Rangoon.  She  came 
at  last,  and  on  the  **  Syriam,"  a  swift  and  perfectly  appointed  boat  of 
the  Flotilla  Company,  I  made  a  pleasant  night  passage  to  the 
city  which  I  had  left  a  week  before  in  the  little  stem- wheeler.  That 
same  evening  I  took  the  train  for  Mandalay,  and  reached  it  on 
the  ist  February  at  about  the  same  hour.  The  railway  was  in  a 
wretched  condition,  giving  one,  as  poor  Horace  Greeley  said  of  a 
similar  road,  more  exercise  to  the  mile  than  any  other  in  the  world. 


idol.]  Old  I^iary  Leaves.  Id7 

My  head  ached  and  my  bones  were  weary  when  I  came  to  the 
journey's  end,  but,  at  any  rate,  here  I  was  in  Mandalay  at  last. 
And  a  forlorn,  dusty,  comfortless  place  it  is  ;  while,  as  for  Theebaw's 
Palace,  it  is  a  gilded  wooden  barn,  with  not  one  comfortable  room 
inside  where  one  would  care  to  live,  but  with  a  series  of  roofs 
and  towers  that  give  it  a  lovely  architectural  appearance.  Seen 
from  a  little  distance,  the  mass  of  buildings  composing  the  Palace 
are  extremely  pretty,  an  effect  due  to  the  curved  roofs  and 
the  delicately  carved  eaves,  gable-joints,  and  finials,  where  the 
carver  has  succeeded  in  imitating  the  flickering  of  flames  as  rising 
from  the  roofs  under  which  those  sons  of  splendour  and  sources 
of  light,  the  King  and  Princes  dwelt,  like  so  many  Nats  in  a 
Palace  of  Fairyland  ! 

The  brotherly  kindnesses  I  received  at  Mandalay  from  the 
elders  and  others  were  such  as  linger  in  the  memory  for  j-ears. 
Truly  the  Burmese  are  a  loveable  people,  and  a  manly,  self-respect- 
ing, albeit  awfully  lazy  people.  Nothing  delights  them  more 
than  to  bestow  hospitality,  and  all  writers  agree  in  saying  that  with 
noble  and  peasant,  rich  and  poor,  the  same  spirit  prevails.  I  was 
told  that  if  I  had  but  visited  the  capital  in  the  time  of  the  Min-doon- 
min,  the  pious  predecessor  of  Theebaw,  I  should  have  been  treated, 
right  royally,  and  experienced  what  Burmese  hospitality  means. 

The  purpose  of  my  visit  being  known,  I  had  first  to  undergo 
a  close  questioning  by  the  leading  la3rmen  before  my  visit  to  the 
Sangha  Raja  (Royal  High  Priest)  could  be  arranged.  All  doubts 
having  been  removed,  the  meeting  was  fixed  for  1  p.m.,  on  the  3rd 
February,  at  the  Taun-do-Seya-d-Temple,  the  shrine  and  monastery 
where  His  Royal  Holiness — if  that  is  the  proper  title  for  a  King's 
brother  turned  monk — lives  and  ofiiciates. 

The  Sangha  Praja  was  a  venerable  man  of  70  years,  of  an  amiable 
rather  than  strong  countenance,  and  with  the  wrinkles  of  laughter  at 
the  outer  comers  of  his  eyes.  His  head  is  high,  his  forehead 
smooth,  and  one  would  take  him  to  have  his  full  share  of  brains 
packed  together  under  the  skull.  His  orange  robe  was  of  plain 
cotton  cloth  like  that  of  the  poorest  monk  in  the  Council — ^a  cir- 
cumstance which  made  me,  thinking  of  his  royal  blood  and  of  the 
show  he  might  be  expected  to  indulge  in,  recall  the  splendid  silken 
brocades  and  embroideries  of  certain  High  Priests  in  Japan,  who  are 
supposed  to  typify  the  Tath&gatha  himself  in  their  temple  pro- 
cessions, but  who  must  resemble  him  rather  as  Heir  Apparent  of 
Kapilavastu  than  as  the  homeless  ascetic  of  Isipatana.  The  old 
priest  gave  me  a  copy  of  his  portrait  in  which  he  appears  seated  on 
a  gilded  gadi^  but  still  with  his  yellow  cotton  robes  wrapped  around 
him,  leaving  the  right  shoulder  bare. 

The  other  ranking  priests  at  the  Council  were  similarly  enrobed, 
and  I  found  upon  enquiry  of  themselves  that  their  ages  ran  from  70  to 
80  years  each.    Behind  the  chief  priests  knelt  a  number  of  their 


Ids  The  Theosophist.  [January 

subordinate  monks,  and  the  sa7na7ieras,  or  young  postulants,  filled  all 
the  remaining  space  to  the  walls, — right,  left  and  back.  I  and  my 
party  knelt  facing  the  Sangha  Raja,  to  my  right  was  the  ex-Minis- 
ter  of  the  Interior  under  Theebaw,  a  cultured  gentleman  and 
earnest  Buddhist,  who  being  very  conversant  with  French  from  a 
long  residence  in  Paris,  kindly  served  as  my  interpreter :  he  taking 
my  remarks  in  French  and  translating  them  fluently  and  admirably 
into  Burmese.  The  Council  opened  at  i  and  broke  up  only  at  a 
quarter  past  5  o'clock,  by  which  time  my  poor  legs  and  back  were  so 
tired  by  the,  to  me,  unaccustomed  and  strained  position,  that  I  felt 
as  if  I  had  been  run  over  by  a  herd  of  Shan  ponies. 

Before  reporting  the  proceedings  of  the  Council  I  must  say  a 
word  or  two  about  the  room  in  which  we  met.  Like  most  of  the 
monasteries  in  Burma  and  Japan,  this  kyoufig  yf2C&  h\x\\t  of  teak- 
wood.  The  lofty  ceiling  was  supported  on  straight  shafts  of  teak, 
without  flaw  or  blemish,  chosen  for  their  perfection  of  shape  and 
freedom  from  knots  or  flaws.  They  are  painted  or  lacquered  in  Vene- 
tian red,  and  embellished  in  parts  with  girdles  of  gold-leaf  laid  on  in 
graceful  patterns.  Ceiling  and  walls  are  panelled  in  cunning  carpen- 
try' and  the  whole  thickly  covered  with  the  pure  gold  leaf  of  Yunnan 
and  Sou-ch'uen,  whose  rich  tone  gives  a  beautiftil  effect  without  the 
least  gaudiness  or  vulgarity.  The  various  doors  of  the  great  apart- 
ment are  bordered  with  exquisite  specimens  of  the  wood-carver's  art, 
which  in  Bunna  is  carried  to  a  high  pitch  of  perfection.  The  planks 
of  the  floor  are  spread  with  glossy,  strong  and  finely- woven  mats  of 
split  rattan  or  bamboo,  which  come  from  the  jungle-dwellers  of  the 
Sthin  district.  I  think  they  are  the  best  floor  covering  for  the 
tropics  I  have  ever  seen. 

Speaking  of  kneeling,  it  should  be  observed  that  this  is  the 
national  posture  in  all  social  as  well  as  ceremonial  gatherings,  and  in 
daily  life,  as  the  cross-legged  posture  is  in  India.  Like  the  Indians, 
the  Burmans  learn  from  childhood  to  sit  on  their  heels,  in  which  posi- 
tion they  find  themselves  quite  as  comfortable  as  the  European  does 
on  his  chair  or  sofa.  There  were  three  or  four  chairs  put  away  in  a 
corner,  and  if  I  had  been  a  British  official,  I  should,  no  doubt,  have 
been  given  one  and  the  chief  priest  would  have  taken  another. 
But,  considering  me  as  belonging  to  their  own  party  and  religion, 
they  treated  me  in  this  matter  exactly  as  though  I  had  been  a  Bur- 
man  bom,  and  I  took  it  as  meant,  viz.,  as  a  compliment,  and  sacrifi- 
ced my  muscles  to  the  exigencies  of  custom,  as  the  young  damsel  of 
the  West  does  her  feet  and  ribs  to  be  in  the  fashion,  and  calls  up  her 
fortitude  to  seem  to  like  it. 

The  proceedings  of  the  Council  were  opened  by  my  giving  a  suc- 
cinct account  of  the  work  of  the  Theosophical  Society  in  the  field  of 
Buddhistic  exigesis  and  propaganda.  I  told  about  our  labours  in 
Ceylon,  of  the  state  of  religious  affairs  when  we  arrived,  of  the  ob- 
structive and  often  disreputable  tactics  of  the  Missionaries,  and  of 


1901.]  Old  Diary  Leaves.  199 

the  changes  that  our  eleven  years  of  effort  had  wrought.  As  I 
fotind  copies  of  the  Burmese  translation  of  my  Buddhist  Catechism 
in  the  hands  of  persons  present,  I  spoke  of  the  general  adoption 
of  this  little  work'  as  a  text  book  in  the  Ceylon  monasteries  and 
Buddhist  schools.  I  told  them  about  our  Sinhalese  and  English 
journals,  the  Sandaresa  and  the  Buddhist ;  and  about  the  tens  of 
thousands  of  translated  religious  pamphlets  and  tracts  we  had  dis- 
tributed throughout  the  Island.  The  statistics  of  our  Buddhist  boys 
and  girls'  schools  I  laid  before  them.  Then  as  to  Japan,  I  dwelt 
upon  the  various  Buddhist  sects  and  their  metaphysical  views,  des- 
cribed the  temples  and  monasteries,  and  did  full  justice  to  the  noble 
qualities  of  the  Japanese  as  individuals  and  as  a  nation.  I  did  wish 
I  had  had  some  good  photographer  with  his  camera  behind  me  to 
take  a  picture  of  that  group  of  old,  earnest- faced  Burmese  monks,  as 
they  leaned  forward  on  their  hands  or  elbows,  with  mouths  half 
opened,  drinking  in  every  word  that  came  from  my  interpreter's  lips ! 
And  above  all  it  waf  a  sight  to  see  their  faces  where  my  narrative 
gave  them  points  to  laugh  at.  They  share  the  sweet  joviality  of  the 
national  temperament,  and  anything  I  said  which  struck  them  as 
funny  made  them  smile  in  the  most  large  and  liberal  way — anatomi- 
cally speaking. 

From  particulars  I  went  to  universals,  and  put  to  them  very 
plainly  the  question  whether,  as  monks  of  Buddha,  professing  his 
loving  principles  of  universal  human  brotherhood  and  universal 
loving-kindness,  they  would  dare  tell  me  that  they  should  not  make 
an  effort  to  knit  together  the  Buddhists  of  all  nations  and  sects  in  a 
common  relation  of  reciprocal  good- will  and  tolerance  :  and  whether 
they  were  not  ready  to  work  with  me  and  any  other  well-meaning 
person  towards  this  end.  I  told  them  that,  while  undoubtedly  there 
were  very  great  differences  of  belief  between  the  Mahayana  and  Hi- 
nayana  upon  certain  doctrinal  points,  such,  for  instance,  as  Ami- 
tabha  and  the  aids  to  salvation,  yet  there  were  many  points  of  perfect 
agreement,  and  these  should  be  picked  out  and  drafted  into  a  Plat- 
form for  the  whole  Buddhist  world  to  range  itself  upon.  My  inter- 
preter then  read,  section  by  section,  the  Burmese  translation  (made 
by  Moung  Shoung,  of  Rangoon,  and  Moung  Pe,  of  Pantanaw)  of  the 
document  I  had  prepared  as  a  statement  of  *'  Fundamental  Buddhis- 
tic Ideas."  As  each  section  was  adopted,  I  checked  it  off,  and  in  the 
long  run  every  one  was  declared  orthodox  and  acceptable.  I  then 
got  the  Sangha  Raja  to  sign  the  paper  as  **  Accepted  on  behalf  of  the 
Buddhists  of  Burma,"  and  after  him,  in  the  order  of  seniorit}', 
twenty-three  other  ranking  monks  affixed  their  signatures. 

The  first  stage  having  been  passed  in  our  discussion,  I  then  sub- 
mitted to  their  criticism  a  second  document,  consisting  of  a  circular 
letter  from  myself  to  all  Buddhist  High  Priests,  asking  them  to 
co-operate  in  the  formation  of  an  international  committee  of  propa- 
ganda ;  each  Buddhist  n^^tion  to  be  represented  on  the  committee  by 


200  The  Theosophist.  [January 

two  or  more  well-educated  persons  and  each  to  contribute  its  share 
of  the  expenses.  I  admitted  in  this  circular  that  I  knew  the  Bur- 
mese were  quite  ready  to  take  the  entire  work  and  cost  upon  them- 
selves, but  said  that  I  did  not  think  this  fair,  as  in  so  important  a 
work  the  merit  should  in  equity  be  shared  by  all  Buddhist  nations. 
A  brief  discussion,  after  several  careful  readings  of  the  document, 
resulted  in  the  adoption  of  the  principles  sketched  out,  and  the 
Sangha  Raja  signed  and  affixed  his  official  seal  to  the  paper  in  token 
of  his  approval.  After  some  desultory  conversation,  the  expression 
of  very  kind  good-wishes  for  myself,  and  the  declaration  of  all  the 
priests  that  I  had  the  right  to  call  upon  them  for  whatever  help  I 
might  need  at  their  hands,  the  meeting  adjourned. 

That  night  I  slept  the  sleep  of  the  muscle-bruised ;  but  not 
before  receiving  the  congratulations  of  many  callers  upon  the  suc- 
cessful issue  of  my  visit. 

The  next  morning  I  had  my  audience  of  farewell  with  the 
Sangha  Raja  in  his  private  rooms.  I  wish  somebody  who  is  familiar 
with  the  luxurious  apartments  of  Romish  cardinals,  Anglican 
bishops,  and  fashionable  New  York  clergymen,  could  have  seen  this, 
of  a  king's  brother,  as  he  lives.  A  simple  cot,  an  arm-chair,  a 
mat-strewn,  planked  floor,  and  he  kneeling  on  it  in  his  monastic 
robes,  the  value  of  which  would  not  be  above  a  few  rupees.  He  was 
kindness  personified  towards  me,  said  he  hoped  I  would  soon  get 
out  a  new  edition  of  the  Catechism,  and  declared  that  if  I  would 
only  stop  ten  days  longer  at  Mandalay,  the  whole  people  would  be 
roused  to  enthusiasm.  I  could  not  do  this,  my  other  engagements 
forbidding,  so  he  said  that  if  we  must  part  I  might  take  the  assurance 
that  his  blessing  and  best  wishes  and  those  of  the  whole  Burmese 
Sangha  would  follow  me  wherever  I  might  wander.  As  I  was 
leaving,  he  presented  me  with  a  richly-gilded  palm-leaf  MS.  of  a 
portion  of  the  Abidhamma  Pitaka. 

While  at  Mandalay  I  lectured  at  a  splendidly  g^lt  and  archi- 
tecturally lovely  pagoda.  After  my  discourse,  I  was  given  for  the 
Adyar  Library-  a  silver  statuette  of  Buddha,  weighing  about  three 
pounds,  and  three  volumes  of  palm-leaf  MSS.  in  red  lacquer  and 
gold  ;  the  former  by  the  ex- Viceroy  of  the  Shan  States,  the  Khaw- 
gaung-Kyaw,  and  the  latter  by  three  noble  brothers,  Moung  Khin, 
Moung  Pe  and  Moung  Tun  Aung. 

I  visited  the  gorgeous  Arecan  Pagoda,  Maha-Mamuni,  built  by 
the  Arecan  Rajah,  Sanda  Suriya ;  also  Atoo-Mashi-Kaoung-daw-gye, 
the  **  Incomparable  Monastery."  It  well  deserves  its  name,  for 
neither  in  Japan,  nor  Ceylon,  nor  elsewhere,  have  I  seen  anything  to 
match  the  splendour  of  the  room  in  which  sits  the  gigantic  gold- 
plated,  jewel-enriched  statue  of  I/)rd  Buddha.  The  image  is  20  or 
30  feet  high,  solid  and  composed  of  the  ashes  of  silken  garments  burnt 
for  the  purpose  by  pious  Burmese  of  both  sexes.  The  coup  tPimil  of 
the  whole  chamber  is  like  th^t  of  some  djin-built  palace  of  Fairy- 


1901.]  Old  Diary  Leaves.  201 

knd.  Exteriorly,  the  building  is  constructed  in  solid  masonry 
rising  in  terraces  of  lessening  areas,  and  reminding  one  of  the 
p>Tamidal  terraced  pagodas  of  Uxmal  and  Palenque.  I  must 
mention  a  circumstance  in  connection  with  this  ky(mng,  which 
redounds  to  the  credit  of  the  Burmese  Buddhist  monks.  It  Was 
erected  hy  the  great  and  pious  Alompara  Sovereign  Mindoon-Min, 
the  immediate  predecessor  of  King  Theebaw,  and  he  had  given  it 
the  name  it  bears.  He  could  get  no  monk  to  accept  it  as  a  gift  or 
reside  in  it,  because  in  their  belief  the  title  Incomparable  should 
rightly  be  given  to  the  Buddha  alone.  What  do  our  fashionable 
Western  prelates  say  to  that  ?  Yet  this  modesty  and  unselfishness  is 
quite  consistent  with  the  whole  character  of  the  Burmese  Sangha. 
Says  Mr.  Scott,  the  most  authoritative  writer  upon  the  subject,  save 
Bishop  Bigandet,  whose  testimony  agrees  with  his  : 

*' The  tone  of  the  monks  is  undoubtedly  good.  Any  infractions  of 
the  law,  which  is  extraordinarily  complicated,  are  severely  punished  ! 
and  if  a  pohn^gyecy  as  the  monks  are  termed,  were  to  commit  any  flagrant 
sin,  he  would  forthwith  be  turned  out  of  the  monastery  to  the  mercy  of 
the  people,  which  would  not  be  ver>'  conspicuously  lenient.  In  return 
for  tiieir  self-denial  the  monks  are  highly  honoured  by  the  people  .... 
Religion  pervades  Burma  in  a  way  that  is  seen  in  hardly  any  other 
countrj'."* 

I  have  good  warrant,  therefore,  to  expect  great  results  from  the 
auspicious  commencement  of  my  work  in  this  land  of  good  mpnks 
and  pious  people. 

Another  thing  I  visited  at  Mandalay  was  the  Temple  of  the 
Pitakas,  the  Koo-tho-daw.  This  is  one  of  the  most  unique,  and  at 
the  same  time  noble,  monuments  ever  left  behind  him  by  a  sover- 
eign. Its  builder  was  Mindoon-Min,  the  Good.  Imagine  a  central 
pagoda,  enshrining  a  superb  statue  of  I/)rd  Buddha,  and  729  kiosks 
arranged  in  concentric  squares,  around  it — each  of  the  little  shrines 
containing  one  large,  thick,  upstanding  slab  of  white  marble,  engra- 
ved on  the  two  faces  with  portions  of  the  Tripitakas,  in  Pali,  in  the 
Burmese  character.  Beginning  at  a  certain  point  in  the  Inner 
square,  the  slabs  contain  the  text  of  the  Sutta  Pitaka,  running 
on  from  slab  to  slab  in  regular  order  until  that  Pitaka  is  finished. 
Then,  after  a  break,  the  next  slab  takes  up  the  text  of  the  Vinaya 
Pitaka;  and,  finally,  the  outer  rows  of  slabs  give  that  of  the 
Abidhamma  Pitaka,  or  Buddhistic  Metaphysic — the  life  and  soul  of 
the  Buddhistic  religion,  its  enduring  substance  and  Unimpeachable 
reality ;  though  this  fact  seems  to  be  unsuspected  by  nea^-ly  all 
of  our  commentators  and  critics — the  late  Bishop  Bigandet  being  one 
of  the  exceptions. 

This  Koo-thow-daw  version  of  the  Tripitakas  is  regarded  by 
every  one  in  Burma  as  the  .standard  for  accuracy.  Before  commen- 
cing the  work  King  Mindoon-Min  convened  a  Council  of  monks, 


*    *'  Burma  as  tt  was,  as  it  is,  and  as  it  will  be."    London,  1886. 
2 


202  The  Theosophist.  [January 

who  carefully  examined  the  various  palm-leaf  MSS.  available,  and 
out  of  them  selected  and  compiled  the  most  accurate  text  for  the 
King's  use.  Copies  of  these  were  then  handed  over  by  him  to 
the  marble-cutters  for  engraving.  The  project  is  entertained  by 
Moung  Shoung,  F.T.S.,  to  issue  a  cheap  edition  of  this  authentica- 
ted version.  It  would  cost  but  Rs.  15,000  and  he  expects  to  be  able 
to  raise  the  money. 

Setting  my  face  homeward,  I  left  Mandalay  and  its  kind  people 
on  the  4th  February,  many  influential  friends  accompanying 
me  to  the  station  for  a  last  farewell.  Here  I  had  to  bid  good-bye  to 
that  excellent  friend  and  loyal  gentleman,  U.  Hnioay  Tha  Auii, 
who  almost  wept  because  he  could  not  accompany  me  to  Madras,  or 
Australia,  or  the  world's  end.  My  party  was  thus  reduced  to  Moung 
Shway  Hla,  myself  and  two  servants. 

For  the  second  time — the  first  being  in  1885,  as  above  noted — I 
lectured  at  Shway  Daigon  Pagoda  at  Rangoon.  My  audience 
was  large,  influential  and  attentive.  It  cannot  be  .said  that  I  was 
very  complimentary  to  the  priests  or  trustees  of  this  world-known 
shrine.  When  last  in  Rangoon  I  found  the  trustees  collecting  from 
the  public  a  lac  of  rupees  to  pay  for  regilding  the  pagoda.  Certainly 
it  is  a  splendid  structure,  a  jewel  among  religious  edifices, 
but  I  urged  it  upon  the  attention  of  the  trustees  that  a  true  social 
economy  would  dictate  the  raising  of  the  lac  for  publishing  the 
Scriptures  of  their  religion  and  otherwise  promoting  its  interests, 
and  then  a  second  lac  for  the  gilt,  if  they  mu.st  have  it.  This  time,  I 
found  the  gilt  of  1885  badly  worn  off  by  the  weather,  and  the 
trustees  talking  about  going  in  for  another  large  job  of  gilding. 
This  was  too  much  for  my  patience,  so  I  gave  them  some  extremely 
plain  talk,  showing  that  the  first  thing  they  ought  to  do  is  to  raise 
Rs.  15,000  for  publishing  the  Mandalay  stone-registered  Pitakas,  and 
after  that,  a  variety  of  things  before  any  more  gilt  was  laid  on 
their  pagoda. 

At  Rangoon  I  also  had  the  great  good  fortune  of  passing 
an  hour  in  friendly  conversation  with  the  venerable,  and  by-all- 
beloved  Roman  Catholic  Bishop  of  Ava,  Father  Bigandet.  The 
literary  world  knows  him  by  his  "  Legend  of  Gaudama,"  which  is 
included  in  Prof.  Max  Miiller's  Sacred  Books  of  the  East  series. 
I  had  had  the  privilege  of  forming  his  lordship's  acquaint- 
ance in  1885  while  at  Rangoon,  and  would  not  leave  Burma 
this  time  without  once  more  paying  him  my  sincere  homage  as 
a  prelate,  a  scholar,  and  a  man.  I  found  him  physically  feeble, 
somewhat  afflicted  with  trembling  palsy,  so  much  so,  in  fact,  as  to 
make  writing  a  very  irksome  task.  But  his  mind  was  as  clear  and 
strong  as  it  ever  was.  He  told  me  that  the  first  edition  of  his  book 
being  entirely  sold  out,  Messrs.  Triibner  had  received  his  per- 
mission to  reprint  it  at  their  own  risk,  they  to  keep  all  the  profits  to 
themselves.  I  urged  him  to  write  one  more  such  learned,  exhaustive 


1901.]  Theosophy  and  Socialism.  203 

and  impartial  book  as  his  first,  upon  Buddhism.  He  asked  what  sub- 
ject I  would  suggest,  to  which  I  replied,  the  Abidhamma  as 
contrasted  with  modem  philosophic  speculations.  He  smiled  and 
said,  "  You  have  chosen  the  best  of  all,  for  the  Metaphysic  of 
Buddhism  is  its  real  core  and  substance.  In  comparison  with  it,  the 
legendary  stories  of  the  Buddha's  personality  are  nothing  worth 
speaking  of."  But,  with  a  solemn  shade  coming  over  his  kind  and 
intellectual  face,  he  said,  **  It  is  too  late  ;  I  can  write  no  more.  You 
younger  men  must  take  it  upon  yourselves." 

I  felt  great  reluctance  to  part  with  him,  for  he  was  evidently 
failing  fast,  and  at  his  age,  78,  one  cannot  count  upon  future  meetings 
very  far  ahead  ;  but  at  last,  gladly  receiving  his  blessing,  I  left  his 
presence.  Never  to  meet  him  again,  as  it  turned  out.  Wving,  he 
possessed  the  respect  of  all  Burmese  Buddhists  who  knew  of  his 
unselfishness  and  loyalty  to  conscience  ;  and  now  that  he  is  dead,  his 
memory  is  cherished  with  affection. 

H.  S.  O1.COTT. 


THEOSOPHY  AND  SOCIALISM. 
[^Contt7i7i€d  ffvm  page  104.] 

IN  my  last  paper  on  Theosophy  and  Socialism  I  endeavoured  toindi- 
cate  as  clearly  as  possible  the  essential  difference  between  what 
each  lays  down  as  being  necessar>'  before  human  contentment  and 
happiness  can  be  brought  about,  that  essential  difference  being  this  : 
Socialism  considers  that  practically  all  that  is  required  is  to  give 
humanity  the  right  conditions,  and  it  will,  by  virtue  of  our  present 
state  of  intellectual  and  moral  development,  be  able  to  preserve 
those  conditions,  and  really  make  the  most  of  them,  by,  on  the  one 
hand,  some  of  the  members  of  society  (the  majority)  being  educated 
up  to  higher  social  ideals,  voluntarily  accepting  them  and  allowing 
themselves  to  be  guided  by  them  ;  and  on  the  other  hand  by  the 
minority  being  compelled  to  come  into  line,  with  their  fellows,  and 
having  to  act  in  conformity  with  the  established  order  of  the  im- 
proved system  ;  apparently  the  expectation  being,  and  by  Socialists,  I 
take  it  the  promise  given,  that  in  time  the  whole  will  grow  so  much 
in  harmony  as  to  gradually  do  away  with  this  compulsion  necessary 
at  the  commencement  on  the  inauguration  of  these  better  conditions. 
Theosophy,  opposing  that  view,  reveals  the  fact  that  humanity  is 
not  ready  for  these  better  conditions  (perhaps  never  will  be),  and  that 
if  they  were  given  us  to-day  we,  in  a  very  short  space  of  time,  would 
find  ourselves  as  bad  it  not  much  worse  off  than  we  are  as  matters 
stand  at  present.  Why  this  is  so  we  have  to  consider.  When  speak- 
ing on  this  subject  before,  I  mentioned  some  of  the  reasons,  and  I 
now  desire  to  give  others^ 


I . 

I 


i^4  ¥he  Theosophist.  [Januai^y 

Three  questions  present  themselves  to  us  for  answers  before  we 
can  proceed  further.  The  first  question  is  :  Of  what  does  general 
happiness  and  contentment  consist  ?  The  answer  being — the  adminis- 
tration of  justice  and  the  presentation  of  law  and  order.  The  second 
question  then  comes  :  Of  what  does  justice,  law  and  order  consist  ? 
To  which  we  have  only  the  one  reply,  which  is  that  they  consist 
only  of  good  government ;  following  that  comes  the  third  ques- 
tion, viz, :  Of  what  does  good  government  consist  ?  And  it  is  the 
answer  to  this  question  upon  which  I  will  at  once  proceed  to  dilate  ; 
and  in  doing  so  I  believe  I  can  show  convincingly  that  only  by 
acting  on  the  principle  as  taught  in  every  religious  philosophy  con- 
cerning the  government  of  the  universe,  and  by  our  being  able  to 
practically  adopt  that  as  our  model,  can  we  secure  good  goverum«nt'-r- 
I  mean  in  the  sense  and  for  the  purpose  of  which  I  am  now  employing 
that  term. 

To  do  this  I  will  first  appeal  to  those  revelations  of  religious 
philosophy  to  which  I  refer,  and  afterwards  submit  to  you  interesting 
facts  drawn  from  human  experience  and  history,  which  I  consider 
will  be  sufficient  in  themselves  to  prove  that  it  is  by  our  departing 
from  the  revealed  truth  concerning  the  rule  or  the  government  of 
the  universe,  and  by  our  not  faithfully  imitating  that  scheme,  that 
we  become  responsible  for  the  lack  of  good  government  and  the  dis- 
orders that  flow  therefrom. 

An  examination,  which  has  only  been  possible  during  the  last 
quarter  of  a  century,  by  scholars  and  others,  of  the  teachings 
contained  in  the  different  religious  systems  of  the  world,  that  were 
given  forth  at  the  time  of  the  beginnings  of  our  fifth  Aryan  race  in 
India,  and  of  the  traditions  preceding  that  very  ancient  time,  which 
come  from  China,  plainly  impart  to  the  mind  the  knowledge  of  a 
very  far  reaching  truth — that  is,  of  the  divine  order  of  government. 
Without  making  any  quotations  here,  which  I  could  do  if  necessary, 
it  is  clearly  shown  that  from  the  unknowable  existence  of  absolute- 
ness, emanates  the  one  God,  Logos  or  Being  ;  the  outflowing  of  His 
life  provides  the  matter  of  every  plane  of  the  Universe ;  from  Him 
emanates  the  second  Logos,  which  working  in  that  matter  produces 
the  innumerable  forms  of  nature  ;  from  the  second  emanates  the 
third  Logos,  which  is  called  the  universal  creative  mind,  by  which 
the  evolution  of  self-consciousness  becomes  possible. 

This  gives  us  the  emanation  of  the  Trinity  from  the  one  exist- 
ence that  ever  remains  behind  the  three,  and  that  cannot  be  known  ; 
from  this  Trinity  emanate  seven  distinct  hierarchies  of  spiritual  in- 
telligences, which  we  may  more  clearly  discriminate  by  the  seven 
rays  of  the  spectrum — red,  orange,  yellow,  green,  blue,  indigo,  and 
violet ;  at  the  head  of  each  of  these  rays,  which  of  course  repi«seat 
different  lines  of  evolution,  stands  one  supreme  spiritual  intelligence, 
and  along  these  separate  lines  of  evolution  emanate  •*  a  series  of 
ever-descending  triads  showing  the  characteristics  of  the  first  in 


1^1.]  Theosophy  and  Socialism.  ^5 

diminishing  splendour  until  man  is  reached,  who  has  in  him  poten- 
tially the  sum  and  substance  of  the  universe." 

For  the  sake  of  greater  clearness  let  us  regard  these  seven  rays 
from  the  Divine  as  representing  what  are  termed  the  elements  of 
ether,  fire,  air,  water,  earth,  and  two  others  of  which  we  as  yet  know 
nothing,  as  they  are  still  unmanifested — that  is  to  us.  These  ele- 
ments really  consist  of  classes  of  beings,  in  the  process  of  evolution, 
termed  elementals,  "and  they  are  severally  concerned  in  the  carrying 
on  of  the  activities  connected  with  their  own  particular  element ;  they 
are  the  channels  through  which  work  the  divine  energies  in  these 
several  fields,  the  living  expressions  of  the  law  in  each."  As  already 
stated,  at  the  head  of  each  of  these  classes  is  a  great  Being,  the ''  direct- 
ing and  guiding  intelligence  of  the  whole  department  of  nature, 
which  is  administered  and  energised  by  the  class  of  elementals  under 
his  control.  Thus  Agni,  the  fire-god,  is  a  great  spiritual  entity  con- 
cerned with  the  manifestation  of  fire  on  all  the  planes  of  the  universe, 
and  carries  on  his  administration  through  the  hosts  of  fire  ele- 
mentals." 

I  trust  no  one  is  asking  what  has  all  this  got  to  do  with  Social- 
ism— remember  we  are  enquiring  as  to  the  nature  of  good  gov- 
ernment, and  you  may  now  begin  to  see  that  my  line  of  reason- 
ing is  this  :  that  to  solve  that  problem  we  must  endeavour  to  under- 
stand the  scheme  on  which  nature  works  in  all  her  processes,  and 
conclude  then  that  all  that  tends  to  act  in  an  opposite  way  to  that 
scheme  must  yield  unsatisfactory  results.  Well  then,  so  far  as  we 
have  gone,  what  truth  do  we  arrive  at  ?  I  take  it  that  we  have 
found  this  proven  :  that  the  principle  of  nature,  to  secure  harmony, 
requirei^  government  from  the  top*-*froiu  the  head,  a  king^nstead 
of  from  the  bottom*^from  the  body,  the  people. 

New,  hearing  this,  many  may  reply  that  we  have  tried  kingly 
rale,  and  have  found  it  worse  than  the  rule  of  democracy.  With 
that  statement  we  may  agree,  but  we  have  instances  given  us  of 
kingly  rule  where  the  result  has  been  in  the  highest  degree  beneficial 
and  productive  of  a  condition  of  things  bordering  almost  on  perfect 
tttopiAa  harmony  in  every  respect ;  but  we  have  nowhere  records 
approackiug  such  magnificent  results  from  any  democracy  the  world 
lias  yet  tried. 

When  treating  on  this  subject  before,  you  will  remember  the 
short  account  I  gave  of  the  condition  of  things  that  existed  in 
ancient  Peru — sl  civilization  that  was  brought  to  its  then  flourishing 
state  under  sovereign  rule.  Another  instance  we  have  in  ancient 
India  when  the  great  Rishi  rulers  presided  over  the  a&trs  of  men  ; 
and  noting  this,  the  "  caste  system  "  will  probably  present  itself  to 
your  minds — that  system  which  in  this  democratic  age  is  considered 
so  baneful  in  its  effect.  Here  we  are  able  to  get  a  better  grip  of  our 
sttliject  by  making  a  direct  contrast  between  the  past  and  the  pres- 
ent.   As  I  have  indicated,  according  to  the  scheme  of  nature,  by 


206  ^he  Theosophist.  [January 

virtue  of  its  process  of  evolutionary  development,  there  are  myriads 
of  beings  called  into  existence ;  each  being,  by  virtue  of  its  develop- 
ment, has  its  right  place,  and  so  long  as  it  is  in  that  place  it  does  not 
encroach  on  the  domain  or  environment  of  other  beings,  so  there  is 
harmony.  Now  in  the  ancient  caste  system  of  India  the  Rishis  in  the 
government  of  the  people  took  nature  as  their  model — in  other 
words  they  were  guided  by  the  revelations  that  were  handed  to  them 
in  the  religious  philosophy  of  their  spiritual  teachers ;  and  recog- 
nising what  evolution  really  meant — ^that  their  subjects  could  not 
possibly  be  all  equal,  some  being  superior,  some  inferior  to  others,  in 
varying  degrees  of  development,  they  separated  them  into  the  well- 
known  classes,  from  the  highest  to  the  lowest,  of  Brahmans,  Kshat- 
triyas,  Vaisyas,  and  Sudras. 

I  need  not  go  into  details  concerning  the  various  duties  and 
obligations  imposed  upon  each  class,  sufiice  itto  say  that  by  this 
arrangement  every  man  was  in  his  right  place,  and  was  taught  how 
to  diligently  work  out  of  his  particular  sphere  in  order  to  advance 
into  the  class  that  was  next  above  him,  and  by  the  training  from  the 
time  he  was  born,  he  knew  that  the  keynote  of  his  advance  was  the 
right  performance  of  duty  both  to  those  belonging  to  his  own  and  to 
the  other  classes.  The  authority  of  the  king  was  that  to  which  they 
respectfully  and  loyally  submitted,  and  as  the  king  was  guided  by 
wisdom  and  his  administration  was  with  the  divine  law  already 
explained,  so  long  as  that  state  of  things  existed  there  was  no 
friction— on  the  contrary  all  was  peace  and  harmony. 

Contrast  this  with  the  principle  that  democracy  adopts  in  its  rule, 
and  at  once  is  apparent  this  enormous  distinction  between  the  two  : 
that  whereas  the  one  draws  a  clear  line  of  demarcation  between  the 
different  classes  composing  the  units  of  society,  recognising  their 
heterogeneity,  the  other  struggles  by  a  levelling  down  process  to 
reduce  all  these  units  to  a  certain  equality,  recognising  their  homo- 
geneity, so  that  in  time  jack  becomes  as  good  as  his  master  and 
perhaps  a  great  deal  better ;  and  the  very  first  essentials  that  good 
government  requires  of  the  people,  of  voluntary  obedience  to  its 
laws  (I  mean  obedience  imposed  by  the  laws  because  of  their  wisdom 
as  opposed  to  obedience  exacted  by  pains  and  penalties),  and 
profound  respect  for  those  who  administer  them  by  virtue  of  their 
superiority,  are  utterly  wanting. 

This  brings  us  to  our  second  conclusion,  which  is,  that  good 
government  can  only  be  secured  by  the  subordination  of  all  to  a 
master-mind,  and  that  master  mind  must  be  superior  to  all  others 
because  it  is  only  the  great  master-mind  that  either  by  its  immediate 
presence  or  by  the  great  impression  that  it  makes  through  its  works 
after  it  has  gone,  welds  the  shifly  unregulated  mass  into  a 
systematised  whole ;  this  mind,  I  mean,  that  assumes  the  position 
because  of  its  great  superiority,  that  is  dependent  on  nothing  and  no 
one  for  its  exaltation  ;  that  which  cannot  be  obtained  by  democracy 


1901.]  Theosophy  and  Socialism.  267 

because  the  master  mind  demands  allegiance  to  it,  and  will  not  owe 
its  elevation  to  the  votes  of  a  mass  of  ignorant  people  whose  ideals 
must  necessarily  be  so  much  beneath  its  own. 

We  have  seen  the  master-mind  at  work  in  ancient  Peru ;  we 
have  glanced  at  its  working  in  ancient  India,  and  now  we  can  come 
to  comparatively  modern  times  for  illustrations  in  this  direction. 
Whose  mind  was  it  that,  rising  from  the  ranks  by  its  own  inherent 
force,  held  an  entire  nation  at  its  disposal  and  the  whole  continent 
of  Europe  under  its  domination  and  dictation,  crushing,  humiliating, 
devastating  and  destroying  by  the  supreme,  though  basely  directed, 
power  of  its  iron  will  ?  We  all  recognise  Napoleon  Bonaparte ;  but 
that  is  not  now  the  master-mind  I  wish  to  refer  to  for  my  purpose ; 
it  is  that  of  Lycurgus  of  Sparta,  and  if  it  will  not  weary  you  I  will 
place  before  you  a  brief  account  of  his  laws,  and  of  the  effect  of  his 
government  of  Sparta.  I  do  this  because  there  was  so  ver>'  much 
of  his  legislation  on  socialistic  lines  as  you  will  observe. 

When  Lycurgus  was  sought  by  the  Spartans  to  establish  order 
in  their  kingdom  it  was   apparently  in  urgent  need  of  some  one  to 
put  things  right.    At  the  outset  he  did  many  things  we  are  told,  to 
which  reference  need  not  be  made  here,  and  I  will  only  mention 
what  bears  more   directly  on  our  present  subject.     One  of  the  first 
institutions  inaugurated  by  Lycurgus  was  the  creation  of  a  Senate, 
which  numbered   about  thirty  members,  and  the  election  to  it  was 
apparently  on  a  principle  exactly  the  reverse  of  that  on  which  we 
work  now.    With  us  the  parliamentary   contest  means  who  is  the 
"  swiftest  among  the  swift  or  the  strongest  of  the  strong,"  whereas 
with  the  Spartans  the  contest  resolved  itself  into  the  "  wisest  and 
best  among  the  good  and  wise./'    As  was  done  by  the  rulers  of 
ancient  Peru,  Lycurgus  arranged  for  a  new  division  of  the  lands — 
'*  for  he  found  a  prodigious  inequality,  the  city  over-charged  with 
many  indigent  persons  who  had  no  land,  and  the  wealth  centred  in 
the  hands  of  a  few.     Determined  therefore  to  root  out  the  evils  of 
insolence,  envy,  avarice  and  luxur>%  and  those  distempers  of  a  state 
still  more   inveterate  and  fatal — I  mean    poverty  and  riches — he 
persuaded  them  to  cancel  all  former  divisions  of  land,  and  make  new 
ones,  in  such  a  manner  that  they  might  be  perfectly  equal  in  their 
possessions  and  way  of  living.     Hence  if  they  were  ambitious  of 
distinctipn  they  might  seek  it  in  virtue,   as  no  other  difference  was 
left  between  them  but  that  which  arises  from  the  dishonor  of  base 
actions  and  the  praise  of  good  ones.     His  proposal  was  put  into 
practice ;    he  made  lots  for  the  territory-  of  Sparta    which  he  dis- 
tributed among  so  many  citizens,  and  30,000  for  the  inhabitants  of 
the  rest  of  Laconia each  lot  was  capable    of  produ- 
cing (one  year  with  another)  70  bushels  of  grain  for  each  man  and  12 
for  each  woman,  besides  a  quantity  of  oil  and  wine  in  proportion. 
Such  a  provision  they  thought  sufficient  for  health  and  a  goo4  habit 
of  body,  and  they  wanted  nothing  more," 


106  The  Theosopiiist.  [January 

'*  After    this  be  attempted    to   divide  also  the  morables  ttt 
order   to  take   away  all    appearance    of  inequality,  btlt  he  sorni 
perceived  that  they  could  not  bear  to  have  their  goods  directly 
taken  from  them,  and  he  therefore  took  another  method  counter- 
working their  avarice  by  a  stratagem.    First  he  stopped  the  currmcy 
of  the  gold  and  silver  coin  and  ordered  that  they  should  make  use  of 
iron  money  only ;  then  to  a  great  quantity  and  weight  of  this  he 
assigned  but  a  small  value  so  that  to  lay  up  ten  ««/«^(;f  31-10)  a 
whole  room  was  required,  and  to  remove  it  nothing  less  than  a  yoke 
of  oxen.    When  this  became  current  many  kinds  of  injustice  ceased  • 
in  Lacedemonia.    Who  would  steal   or  take  a  bribe,  who  would 
defraud  or  rob,  when  he  could  not  conceal  the  booty,  when  he 
could  neither  be  dignified  by  the  possession  of  it  nor  if  cut  in  pieces 
be  served  by  its  use  ?  In  the  second  place  he  excluded  unprofitable 
and  superfluous  arts — indeed  if  he  had  not  done  this  most  of  them 
would  have  fallen  of  themselves  when  the  new  money  came  in,  as 
the  manufactures  could  not  be  disposed  of— their  iron  coin  would 
not  pass  in  the  rest  of  Greece  but  was  ridiculed  and  despised,  so 
that  the  Spartans  had  no  means  of  purchasing  any  foreign  curios  or 
wares ;  nor  did  any  merchant  ship  unlade  in  their  harbours  ;  there 
were  not  even  to  be  found  in  all  their  country,  sophists,  wandering 
fortune-tellers,  keepers  of  infamous  houses,  or  dealers  in  gold  and 
silver  trinkets,  because  there  was  no  money.    Thus  Ittxuty,  lorittg 
by  degrees  the  means  that  cherished  and  supported  it,  died  away  of 
itself ;  even  those  who  had  great  possessions  had  no  advantage  from 
them,  since  they  could  not  be  displayed  in  public  but  must  lie  uselesis 
in  unregarded  repositories ;  hence  it  was  that  excellent  workmansbip 
was  shown  in  their  useful  and  necessary   furniture— as   beds,  chairs 
and  tables. 

**  Desirous  to  complete  the  conquest  of  luxury  and  exterminate 
the  love  of  riches,  he  introduced  a  third  institution  which  was  wiseh^ 
enough  and  ingeniously  contrived.  This  was  the  use  of  public 
taUes  where  all  were  to  eat  in  common  of  the  same  meat,  and  such 
kinds  of  it  as  were  appointed  by  law ;  at  the  same  time  they  were 

forbidden  to  eat  at  home  upon  expensive  couches  and  tables 

or  to  fatten  like  voracious  animals  in  private,  for  so  not  only 
their  manners  would  be  corrupted  but  their  appetites  disordered ; 
abandoned  to  all  manner  of  sensuality  and  dissoluteness  they  would 
require  long  sleep,  warm  baths,  and  the  same  indulgence  as  in  per- 
petual sickness. 

"  As  for  the  education  of  the  youth,  which  he  looked  upon  as 
the  greatest  and  most  glorious  work  of  a  law-giver,  he  began  with  it 
at  the  very  source,  taking  into  consideration  their  conception  and 
birth  by  regulating  the  marriages." 

Details  are  then  given  showing  how  the  young  women  were 
taught  and  trained,  and  I  do  not  know  that  any  one  would  care  to  have 
us  emulate  the  Spartans  in  that  direction*    The  same  remiirk  applies 


1901.]  Theosophy  and  Socialism.  2C9 

to  the  lan's  relating  to  marriage,  of  which  the  less  said  here  perhaps 
the  better.  Women  evidently  were  not  regarded  too  highly  though 
they  were  well  tre^ed,  and  were  taken  the  greatest  possible  care  of, 
the  idea  being  for  them  to  become  the  mothers  of  men  of  fine  phy- 
sique and  generally  perfect  physical  prowess  ;  and  of  course  what 
naturally  followed  from  that,  was  that  horrible  idea,  which  Lycur- 
gas  held,  that  children  are  not  "so  much  the  property  of  their 
parents  as  of  the  state.  Therefore  he  would  not  have  them  begotten 
by  ordinary  persons,  but  by  the  best  men  in  it.  In  the  first  place  he 
observed  the  vanity  and  absurdity  of  other  nations,  where  people 
studied  to  have  their  horses  and  dogs  of  the  finest  breed  they  could 
procure,"  and  yet  insisted  on  allowing  children  to  be  produced  by 
those  who  were  decrepit  and  infirm — "  as  if  children  when  sprung 
from  a  bad  stock,  and  consequently  good  for  nothing,  were  no  detri- 
ment to  those  to  whom  they  belong  and  who  have  the  trouble  of 
bring^g  them  up,  nor  any  advantage  when  well  descended  and  of  a 
generous  disposition."  These  regulations  it  is  claimed  tended  to 
secure  healthy  offspring,  and  were  consequently  beneficial  to  the 
state  as  it  discouraged  that  licentiousness  of  the  women  which  pre- 
vailed afterwards. 

*'  It  was  not  left  to  the  Neither  to  rear  what  children  he  pleased, 
bttt  be  was  obliged  to  carry  the  child  to  a  place  called  Lesche  to  he 
examined  by  the  most  ancient  men  of  the  tribe  who  were  assem- 
bled there.  If  it  was  strong  and  well-proportioned  they  gave  orders 
for  its  education  and  assigned  it  one  of  the  9,000  shares  of  land ;  but 
if  it  was  weakly  and  deformed  they  ordered  it  to  be  thrown  into  a 
place  called  Apothetae,  which  was  a  deep  cavern  near  the  mountain 
Taygetus,  concluding  that  its  life  could  not  be  of  any  advantage  to 
either  itself  or  to  the  public  since  nature  had  not  given  it  at  first  any 
strength  or  goodness  of  constitution."  The  parents  were  not  allowed 
to  educate  the  children  as  they  pleased,  "  but  as  soon  as  they  were 
seven  years^'old,  Lycurgus  ordered  them  to  be  enrolled  in  companies 
where  they  were  kept  under  the  same  order  and  discipline,  and  had 
their  exercises  and  recreations  in  common. 

*'  As  for  learning  they  had  just  what  was  absolutely  nece$sary, 
all  the  rest  of  their  education  was  calculated  to  make  them  subject  to 
command,  to  endure  labour,  to  fight  and  conquer."  Thus  discipline 
seemed  to  be  a  thing  on  which  the  most  importance  was  laid,  and  it 
"  continued  after  men  had  arrived  at  the  years  of  maturity,  for  no 
man  was  at  liberty  to  live  as  he  pleased.  The  city  being  like  one 
great  camp  where  all  had  their  stated  allowance,  and  knew  their 
puMic  charge,  each  man  concluding  that  he  was  bom  not  for  himself 
but  for  his  country." 

"  Law-suits  were  banished  from  Lacedemonia  with  money.  The 
Spartans  knew  neither  riches  nor  poverty,  but  possessed  an  equal  com- 
petence, and  had  a  cheap  and  easy  way  of  supplying  their  few  wants. 
«•«*••    No  part  of  life  was  left  vacant  and  unimproved,  but 

3 


210  The  Theosophist.  [January 

even  with  their  necessao''  actions,  Lycurgus  interwove  the  praise  of 
virtue  and  the  contempt  of  vice,  and  he  so  filled  the  city  with  living 
examples  that  it  was  next  to  impossible  for  persons  who  had  these 
from  their  infancy  before  their  eyes  not  to  be  drawn  and  formed  to 
honour.  For  the  same  reason  he  would  not  permit  all  that  desired  to 
go  abroad  and  see  other  countries,  lest  they  would  contract  foreign 
manners,  gain  traces  of  a  life  of  little  discipline,  and  of  a  different 
form  of  government ;  he  forbade  strangers  too  to  resort  to  Sparta 
who  could  not  assign  a  good  reason  for  their  coming  ;  not,  as 
Thucydides  says,  out  of  fear  they  should  imitate  the  constitution  of 
that  city,  and  make  improvements  in  virtue,  but  lest  they  should 
teach  his  own  people  some  evil,  for  along  with  foreigners  come  new 
subjects  of  discourse,  new  discourse  produces  new  notions,  and  from 
these  there  necessarily  spring  new  passions  and  desires,  which,  like 
discords  in  music,  would  disturb  the  established  government.  He 
therefore  thought  it  more  expedient  for  the  city  to  keep  out  of  it 
corrupt  customs  and  manners  than  even  to  prevent  the  introduction 
of  a  pestilence." 

**  Before  he  died  lyycurgus  got  his  countrymen  to  take  an  oath  not 
to  depart  from  his  form  of  government,  knowing  it  to  be  beneficent. 
Nor  was  he  deceived  in  his  expectations.  Sparta  continued  superior 
to  the  rest  of  Greece  both  in  its  government  at  home  and  reputation 
abroad  so  long  as  it  retained  the  institutions  of  Lycurgus,  and  this  it 
did  during  the  space  of  500  years  and  the  reign  of  fourteen  successive 
kings,  down  to  Agisthe  son  of  Archidamus.'* 

To  be  concluded, 

A.  S.  Webb. 


UNIVERSAL  BROTHERHOOD. 

[Concluded  from  page  151.] 

THE  Theosophical  Society  and  its  programme  are  based  on  a  study 
of  what  is  called  Theosophy  or  Wisdom  Religion,  which  claims 
the  full  knowledge  of  the  Universe  and  its  laws,  and  which  is  really 
the  essence,  the  basis  of  all  religions,  as  well  as  of  all  human  sciences 
and  knowledge. 

Theosophy  is  not  Buddhism,  because  it  also  embraces  all  the 
other  creeds ;  and  in  the  Theosophical  Society  we  have  members 
belonging  to  every  creed  or  sect  on  Earth,  for  it  must  necessarily  ap- 
peal to  aU  intelligent  thinkers,  who  may  be  liberal  and  open-minded 
enough  to  look  out  for  the  spirit  and  not  be  fettered  by  the  dead-letter 
of  their  respective  religions.  But,  in  the  teachings  of  Buddhism  is 
found  the  nearest  approach  to  the  complete,  lofty  explanations  and 
rulings  of  Theosophy.  **  Of  all  the  religions  extant.  Buddhism  is 
the  one  whose  tenets  are  least  at  variance  with  those  of  the  Great 
Wisdom  Religion  on  which  the  present  teachings  of  Theosophy .  are 


1901.]  Universal  Brotherhood.  2ll 

founded"  (D.  Courmes).  Hence,  there  has  naturally  been,  between 
Members  of  the  T.  S.  and  the  various  Buddhist  churches^  a  closer 
bond  of  union  and  brotherhood  than  between  any  other  less  liberal 
and  less  correct  churches.  Buddhism  is  growing  every  day  more 
popular  and  better  known  in  the  West,  and  the  liberal  student  of 
Buddhism  is  on  the  road  to  a  keener  appreciation  of  Theosophy. 
I  am  not  myself  a  Buddhist,  I  am  only  a  modest  student  of  Theoso- 
phy ;  but  especially  in  this  question  of  brotherhood  I  can  show  that 
the  injunctions  of  both  Theosophy  and  Buddhism  perfectly  agree. 

Theosophy  claims  that,  in  the  same  way  as  all  the  drops  of  water 
originally  come  from  and  ultimately  go  back  to  the  ocean,  all  living 
beings  on  this  Earth  emanate  from,  are  sparks  belonging  to,  a  supe- 
rior, Universal  One  Life,  and  that  they  will  eventually  all  return  unto 
that  One  Life,  what  the  Buddhists  call  Amithaba,  the  "  Loving 
Father  of  all  that  lives"  (Tsing-tu-wan),  **  Our  loving  Father  and 
Father  of  all  that  breathes"  (Manual  of  Shaman),  but  a  Father  who 
Avishes  to  preserve  and  help  his  creatures,  and  make  them  happy, 
not  to  wantonly  destroy  them  at  the  first  angry  mood,  like  the  mas- 
culine Jehovah  depicted  in  the  Bible.  Therefore,  the  relations  of 
all  living  things  ought  to  be  governed  by  the  law  of  brotherhood, 
which  is  love  to  all  and  helpfulness  one  to  another,  for  "  the  pro- 
gress of  all  lives  depends  upon  help  being  freely  given  and  received," 
a  law  unconsciously  expressed  in  the  motto  of  some  Republics : "  One 
for  All,  All  for  One." 

Theosophy  also  asserts  that,  while  "  by  work  mankind  exists," 
as  Buddha  said  (Vasetha  Sutta,  6i),  yet  only  by  working  for  the 
well-being  of  all  (not  for  ourselves  alone)  can  we  secure  the  best 
results  for  our  own  selves,  and  only  by  sacrificing  ourselves  for  the 
good  of  others  can  we  reach  salvation,  because  only  through  brother- 
hood— ^universal  and  without  restriction — are  we  enabled  to  really 
work  in  harmony  with  and  according  to  the  laws  of  the  One  Life,  of 
which  we  all  are  parts.  "  Only  when  each  man  seeks  not  his  own 
mterest,  but  the  interest  of  the  whole  society,  is  he  truly  human  ; 
that  is  the  goal  which  we  are  to  keep  in  sight :  not  the  obtaining  of 
rewards,  nor  the.  escape  from  punishment,  but  this  sublime  and 
perfect  charity"(F.  D.  Maurice).  While  in  this  life,  we  cannot  avoid 
working  for  ourselves,  yet  the  difference  between  brotherly  life  and 
selfishness  is  that,  in  the  first  case,  we  work  for  ourselves  as 
included  in  the  solidarity  of  Humanity,  and  in  the  second,  we  work  for 
oureelves  as  separate,  independent  from  Humanity.  But  herein  lies 
the  great,  common  mistake  or  illusion,  for  whether  selfish  or  selfless, 
we  never  cease  to  be  a  part  of  the  race,  and  we  are  incessantly  bound 
together  by  invisible  threads,  **  so  that  the  actions  of  each  one 
cannot  fail  to  react  upon  and  affect  others."  Thus,  if  we  want  to  do 
our  share  in  the  fulfilment  of  the  Law,  we  have  to  overcome  that 
great  illusioil  and  error  of  "  Separateness  ;"  and  the  greatest  of  all 
rules  for  Humanity— so  often  expressed  by  Buddha  long  before  it 


212  The  Theosophist.  [January 

had  been  repeated  by  Confucius,  by  the  Jew  Hillel  and  by  Jesus — 
is  the  strict  brotherhood  rule  to  "do  unto  others  as  ye  would  that 
others  do  unto  you  "  (IrUke,  VI,  31,  Math.  VII,  12.).  And  this  we 
find,  only  diflferently  worded,  in  the  various  Buddhist  scriptures  : 
"  Then  Buddha  declared  unto  them  the  rule  of  doing  to  others  what 
we  ourselves  like  "  (San-Kioo-yuen-lieu)  ;  or,  "  Hear  ye  all  this 
moral  maxim,  and  having  heard  it  keep  it  well  :  whatever  is  dis- 
pleasing to  yourselves  never  do  to  any  other  "  (Bstan-hgjiir,  v.  123, 
leaf  174) ;  "  Hurt  not  others  with  that  which  pains  yourselves," 
(Udanavarga,  ch.  V,  v.  18)  ;  *'  with  pure  thoughts  and  fulness  of 
love,  do  towards  others  what  you  would  do  for  yourself "  (Lalita 
Vistara,  ch.  V.). 

The  first  sin  was  really  through  selfishness,  which  made  us  do 
what  we  would  not  have  liked  others  to  do  unto  us  ;  thus  selfishness, 
/.<?.,  the  brea<:h  of  the  law  of  Brotherhood,  is  the  root  of  all  evil,  the 
origin  of  all  suffering  and  misery  ;  and  suffering  and  miser3% 
through  the  unavoidable  law  of  Karma,  or  of  Cause  and  Effect,* 
working  through  Reincarnation,  whereby  we  all  meet  again  to  pay 
our  debts,  are  merely  the  natural  penalties  to  re-adjust  sin  and  teach 
us,  by  experience,  to  avoid  its  repetition. 

But  if  selfishness  were  suppressed,  not  only  in  the  family,  but 
among  nations,  it  would  lead  directly  to  the  practice  of  Universal 
Brotherhood;  and  this  practice  in  our  vsurroundings,  social,  national 
and  political,  would  bring  about  the  realisation  of  the  highest  condi- 
tion of  human  and  worldly  harmony,  happiness,  peace  and  content- 
ment throughout  the  earth ;  suffering  would  cease,  because  envy, 
discontent,  strife  and  misery  would  disappear,  and  because  the 
Universal  Brotherhood  would  be  the  putting  into  practice  of  that 
divine  law  of  Compassion,  which  Buddha  showed  us  as  the  loftiest 
attribute  of  the  Deity. 

At  the  present  time,  Universal  Brotherhood  may  be  an  Utopian 
idea,  unrealisable  for  awhile  ;  but,  for  that  very  reason,  it  is  the 
duty  of  every  honest  and  intelligent  man — and  e^ecially  of  ever>- 
Buddhist — ^to  constantly  contribute  his  mite  towards  its  realisation  ; 
and  this  he  can  do,  among  other  ways,  by  gi\nng  a  living  example, 
and  by  helping,  to  his  utmost,  towards  the  formation  in  every 
place,  of  such  nuclei  as  the  Theosophical  Society  is  striving  to 
establish.  Therefore,  both  Theosophy  and  Buddhism  agree  in  this, 
that  whosoever  wishes  to  do  right,  must  hold  this  grand  idea  of 
Universal  Brotherhood  as  a  constant  ideal  to  be  lived  up  to,  and 
fought  for,  in  our  daily  lives,  together  with  the  other  virtues  which 
are  its  natural  and  necessary  concomitants,  vzs,^  modesty,  patience 
and  tolerance  for  all,  disinterestedness  and  readiness  to  help;  we 
must  also  ever  "  watch  our  thoughts  "  and  **  control  our  tongises  " 

*  "  Whatever  a  man  has  done,  whether  virtuous  or  sinful  deeds,   not  one  of 
them  is  of  little  importance,  for  they  all  bear  some  kind   o(  fruit  (UdanavargAi 


1901.]  Universal  Brotherhood.  Il3 

(Dhammapada,  327  and  232),  and  live  "  with  not  a  thought  of  selfish- 
ness or  covetous  desire"  (Fo-sho-hing-tsan-king,  167)  : 
"  Scrupulously  avoiding  all  wicked  actions, 
Reverently  performing  all  virtuous  ones, 
Purifying  your  intention  from  all  selfish  ends, 
Such  is  the  doctrine  of  all  the  Buddhas.*' 

(Siau-chi-kwan). 

Little  can  be  added  to  these  Buddhistic  precepts,  and  the  teach- 
ings, both  of  Buddhism  and  Theosophy,  for  one  who  wishes  to 
practise  brotherhood,  could  probably  be  summed  up  into  something 
as  follows  : 

Treat  everj'  man  as  your  own  brother,  whatever  may  be  the 
colour  of  his  skin,  white  or  black,  yellow  or  brown,  and  whatever  may 
be  his  caste  or  his  religious  views,  or  his  assumption  of  knowing 
more  than  you  ;  in  every  family  there  are  older  and  younger  brothers, 
whose  capacities  and  knowledge  are  different  without  this  interfering 
with  the  brotherhood.  Even  a  criminal  is  a  brother,  and  while  you 
must  guard  against  him,  treat  him  with  compassion  and  forgiveness, 
for,  "  Let  no  one  who  is  asked  for  his  pardon,  withhold  it,"  (Maha- 
vagga,  K.  I.,  ch.  27). 

Treat  every  woman  as  if  she  were  your  own  sweet  sister,  or  as 
if  she  were  your  mother. 

Treat  every  child  exactly  in  the  same  way  as  you  would  like 
others  to  treat  your  children  if  you  had  any,  or  as  you  yourselves 
would  have  liked  to  be  tt^ated  when  you  were  children. 

Then,  "  cultivating  a  pitiful  and  loving  heart"  (Ta-chwang-yan- 
king-lun,  62),  have  compassion  for  all  inferior  lives,  and  never  kill  a 
living  thing,  unless  for  self-protection. 

Inaword,everstrivetosee  ineachlife,  a  soul  like  your  own — 
though  perhaps  less  advanced — and  in  each  man  a  real  brother,  what- 
ever his  colour,  his  countr>%  social  position,  religion  or  notions  may  be. 
If  you  meet  with  no  response  to  your  brotherly  attitude,  or  even  with 
rebuke,  think  of  Buddha's  injunctions  on  compassion  and  forgive- 
ness :  "  We  will  patiently  suffer  threats  and  blows  at  the  hands  of 
foolish  men"  (Saddharma  Pundarika,  XII,  3) "  Let  us  live  hap- 
pily, not  hating  even  those  who  hate  us  ;  in  the  midst  of  those  who 
hate  us,  let  us  dwell  free  from  hatred,  for  hatred  does  not  cease  by 
hatred  at  any  time,  hatred  ceases  by  love — this  is  an  old  law"  (Dham- 
mapada,  197  and  5). 

Thus  make  every  one  respect  your  efforts  at  right  living,  being 
like  the  Buddha  who  ''  by  the  power  of  his  compassion  made  all 
men  friends"  (Attanagalu-Vanja,  v.  11);  and  through  your  high 
ideal  of  Universal  Brotherhood,  force  every  one  that  comes  near  you 
to  admit  that  in  Theosqphy,  or  in  Buddhism— z>.,  in  the  religion 
that  has  made  Japan  what  it  is  and  has  enabled  her  to  take  her 
place  among  the  modem  Powers — there  must  be  something  really 
loftier  than  the  ordinary  teachings  of  the  West. 


Sl4  The  Theosophist.  [Januafy 

Then  it  will  soon  be  discovered  also  that,  in  the  inner  teachings 
of  Theosophy,  something  higher,  more  noble  and  diviner  still  can  be 
found.  The  significant  motto  of  the  Theosophical  Society  is  : 
**  There  is  no  Religion  higher  than  Truth,"  and  the  highest  ambi- 
tion, the  highest  ideal  that  can  be  formulated  by  intelligent  men,  is 
to  strive  after  a  knowledge  of  Truth.  But,  as  Theosophy  boldly 
asserts  and  proves  that,  although  soijie  aspect  of  Truth  is  at  the  basis 
of  every  Religion,  yet  each  religion  contains  but  a  part  of  the  whole 
Truth,  therefore  the  highest  of  all  Brotherhoods — even  when  the 
individuals  fail  to  see  all  things  in  unison — is  that  of  the  honest, 
earnest  seekers  after  Truth.  And  it  is  the  very  best  wish  that  can  be 
formulated  for  any  man,  to  wish  that  he  may  be  one  of  those  imsel- 
fish  and  impartial  seekers. 

A.  MA.RQUKS. 

Our  learned  friend,  Dr.  Marques,  might  have  cited  as  proof  of 
the  majestic  scope  of  the  Buddhistic  teaching,  the  fact  that  it  tells  us 
that  instead  of  human  beings  existing  only  on  this  little  planet  of 
ours,  there  are  numberless  inhabited  worlds  {sakwalaSy  an  indefinite 
number),  that  they  are  at  different  stages  of  cosmic  evolution,  and 
that  their  inhabitants  respectively  coincide  in  development  with 
their  own  evolutionar>-  stage.  Here  we  have  the  spectacle,  grander 
than  that  presented  by  any  other  religious  system,  of  a  vast  and  un- 
countable human  family,  occupying  myriads  of  stellar  orbs  :  and  un- 
like other  religions,  which  are  mostly  based  upon  a  geocentric  idea, 
/.  <?.,  that  our  world's  inhabitants  are  the  only  ones  that  religion  need 
concern  itself  about.  The  Dharma  of  the  Buddha  applies  equall}- 
well  to  all  conceivable  varieties  of  the  human  race.  His  law  of 
brotherly  kindness,  so  simple,  yet  so  majestic,  if  it  could  be  put  into 
practice  would  give  us  the  noble  conception  of  a  state'  of  peace  and 
mutual  sympathy  throughout  the  entire  Cosmos. — Ed. 


rUE  *•  GREAT  YEAR"  OF  THE  ANCIENTS,  AND   OUR   PRESENT 

MINOR  MANVANTARA, 

"  A/aJte  thy  calculations  ^  O  La7ioOy  if  thou  ivouldst  learn  the  correct 
age  of  thy  small  7cheeiy 

FAR  back  in  the  earlier  ages  of  the  world,  long  before  what  is 
called  science  had  yet  made  any  dogmatic  attempts  to  assign 
the  boundaries  of  the  knowledge  which  is  possible  to  man,  either 
that  instinct  which  is  a  ray  of  Intuition,  or  else  the  teachings  of  the 
King-initiates,  had  already  assured  him  that  there  must  be  some  great 
period  which  must  be  as  the  lifetime  of  the  earth.  In  the  writings 
of  the  philosophers  of  Greece  and  Rome  we  find  more  or  less 
vague  speculations  concerning  it — from  the  starry  science  of  Egypt 
and  Chaldea  we  may  derive  traces  of  it — and  in  the  revolutions  of  the 
heavens,  the  periods  of  the  stars,  and  the  motions  of  the  zodiacal 


1901.]  The  "Great  Tear"  of  the  Ancients,  etc.  213 

constellations,  man  tried  to  ascertain  its  value,  and  the  distant  epoch 
when  it  may  have  begun. 

Deep  in  the  adyta  and  the  crypts  of  ancient  temples  was  it 
hidden  away,  after  the  favoured  few  had  come  to  know  its  numbers— 
under  many  forms  and  disguises  was  it  given  out  to  puzzle  the 
students  of  the  mysteries  of  life  and  nature  ;  and  many  were  the 
scattered  fragments  of  its  minor  divisions  which  they  unwittingly 
perpetuated,  thinking  that  in  a  part  they  had  discovered  the  whole. 
But  those  alone  who  had  access  to  the  temple  secrets  could  know 
the  truth  ;  it  was  these  only  who  held  the  keys  which  might  serve  to 
unlock  the  mystery  of  the  original  plan  to  which  those  fragments 
pertained  ;  and  in  regard  to  this  a  jealous  silence  seems  to  have  been 
maintained. 

As  age  after  age  issued  from  the  gateways  of  time,  and  passed 
onward  to  join  the  long  procession  of  the  times  that  are  fled  away, 
so  there  gradually  came  to  be  more  and  more  of  these  scattered  frag- 
ments, more  or  less  known  to  the  external  world.  In  the  apocalyptic 
writings  of  the  religions — in  the  mystic  literature  of  the  occult — 
grafted  into  the  speculations  of  ancient  science,  or  posing  as  the 
lives  or  dates  of  mythic  heroes  and  fabulous  beasts  do  we  find  them ; 
alike  puzzling  the  chronologist,  deceiving  the  devotee,  misleading 
the  scientist,  and  helping  to  confuse  the  students  of  every  school. 
At  times  blossoming  out  into  vast  chronological  schemes  which, 
while  involving  some  of  the  mystic  numbers,  were  far  from  reveal- 
ing the  whole  ;  and  anon  dwindling  down  to  a  few  of  the  figures 
used  in  the  arcana  of  the  semi-initiated  occultist  of  some  isolated 
school,  the  main  idea  was  never  lost ;  and  when  at  last  the  Great 
Lodge  thought  fit  in  a  measure  to  synthesize  the  teachings  as  to 
the  history  of  man  and  the  earth,  and  made  Modem  Theosophy  the 
vehicle  whereby  that  synthesis  was  given  to  the  students  of  the 
present  day,  speculation  was  renewed,  and  fresh  interest  in  the 
Great  Year  and  its  divisions  was  aroused. 

The  key-note  having  thus  in  a  manner  been  given,  it  will 
become  more  or  less  apparent  how  all  nations  and  every  time  have 
possessed  the  same  knowledge ;  and  if  we  will  but  dig  deeply  enough 
into  that  which  has  been  given  to  us,  the  numbers  which  were 
the  secret  knowledge  of  the  past  will  emerge  ;  showing  that  the 
same  system  was  everywhere  the  basis,  howsoever  different  might 
be  the  superstructure.  For  the  time  has  now  arrived  when  so  much 
has  already  been  given  out,  that  probably  the  remainder  will  no 
longer  be  concealed — the  period  in  which  it  was  to  be  confined  to 
the  few  privileged  ones  has  expired,  and  we  may  make  the  utmost 
use  we  can  of  whatever  material  may  be  available.  Let  us  therefore 
endeavour  to  ascertain  what  was  the  length  of  time  which  the 
ancients  actually  assigned  to  the  Great  Year,  for  upon  this  all 
their  minor  cycles  will  depend. 


216  The  Theosophist.  [January 

Six  chief  methods  of  concealment,  or  **  blinds,"  appear  to  have 
been  resorted  to  in  giving  out  values  to  the  external  world,  none  of 
which  are  very  deep  or  elaborate  ;  but  perhaps  for  that  very  reason 
they  were  the  better  suited  to  the  purpose  in  view,  viz.,  to  hide  the 
true  periods  from  the  superficial  but  curious  enquirer,  while  making 
it  clear  to  those  who  might  have  a  little  more  knowledge  : 

(a)  By  giving  an  ambiguous  meaning  to  the  term  **  year," 
and  other  divisions  of  time.* 

(Jf)  Using  such  periods  of  comparatively  short  duration  as 
were  also  astronomical  cycles,  derived  from,  and  perhaps  more  or 
less  well  known  to,  the  exoteric  astronomy  of  the  time  when  they" 
were  given  out  as  representing  the  Great  Year,  etc.  f 

(c)  By  the  addition  or  omission  of  twilight  periods  of  variable 
duration,  suitable  to  make  the  time  required.  J 

(rf)  Through  speaking  of  the  cycles  in  general  under  the 
guise  of  fables  ;  such  as  the  lifetime  of  the  Phoenix,  etc.  § 

(e)  Adding  or  omitting  ciphers,  whereby  the  real  time  was 
grossly  exaggerated  or  curtailed.  || 

(/)  Quoting  numbers  which  required  to  be  multiplied  by 
some  other  numbers,  not  stated.  ** 

Under  these  circumstances  it  is  little  to  be  wondered  that  the 
length  of  the  Annus  Magnus  was  so  successfully  hidden,  and  that  it 
was  a  subject  of  speculation  among  the  Greeks,  Romans,  and  others 
—ft  time  varying  in  different  nations  and  periods,  and  as  Higgins 
says,  a  secret  known  only  to  the  initiated,  ft  But  one  thing  is 
certain ;  and  that  is  the  enormous  time  which  must  be  involved — ^for, 
whether  we  deal  with  the  lifetime  of  the  earth,  or  the  cycle  which 
includes  all  the  periodical  motions  of  the  heavenly  bodies,  this  is 
equally  true.  J{  As  to  the  latter,  even  our  most  correct  modem  cal- 
culations; have  nothing  to  tell  us  about  it,  for  it  exceeds  the  scope  of 
the  most  accurate  data  we  possess. 

The  exoteric  side  of  the  ancient  world,  finding  that  it  was  una- 
ble to  derive  the  Great  Year  from  the  planetary  motions*  but  feeling 
that  it  ought  to  be  ascertainable  from  the  observed  motions  of  the 
heavens,  took  refuge  in  that  great  period  which  comprises  the 
passage  of  all  the  constellations  through  the  equinoctial  point ;  now 


•  See  Lewis,  "  Historical  Survey  of  the  Astronomy  of  the  Ancients^"  p.  32,3163. 

t  Vide  my  '^  Occult  Indications  in  Ancient  Astronomy,"  in  JLuci/tr^  VoK  xiV| 
No,  80,  p.  105. 

t  Massey,  "  Natural  Genesis,"  iii,  32i»2  ;  alsolVVilso'n's  "  Vishnu  Purana,'*  p, 
24  ;  and  '<  Scirja  Siddhanta,''  i,  18. 

§  SirW.  Drummond,  ClassUal  Journal^  Vol.  xv,  pp«  12-13.  ;*'Solim  Polyhistor.'* 
chap.  xxxvi.y  ed.  Salmas  ;  "  Hist.  Nat."  Lib.  x,  chap,  ii.,  and  Afem-Acad,  of  Sciences^ 
An.  1815,  m  a  treatise  by  Larcher. 


I  **  Anaealypsis,"  chap,  iv,  Sect.c)^  and  chap.  vU^  Sect,  iii,  pp.  311^388  of 
Bums's  edition. 

♦«  lb.  chap.  i»,  Sect,  i,  and  v,  pp.  220,248.,  citing  Faber's  "  Pa^an  Idol.,"  Vol. 
ii,  p.  10,  and  *•  SynccMus,"  Vol.  i,  pp.  95-7,  ed,  Bonis  cf.  30,  64.  *'  Celtic  Druids/' 
chap,  vi,  Sect,  xxiv,  p.  244. 

ft  "  Anacal."  chap,  ii,  Sect,  v,  p.  240  ;  and  chap,  iii,  Sect,  ii,  p.  266 

JI  IlKs  p.  2^$y  fjthap.  ii,  fibct.  v,    C.  s.j 


1901.]  The  "  Great  Year  "  of  the  Ancients,  etc.  217 

known  as  the  precessional  period  or  Sidereal  Year.  But  they  were, 
very  uncertain  as  to  the  duration  of  this,  because  the  rate  of  preces- 
sional  motion  was  not  a  matter  well  known  to  the  public  of  that 
time,  whatever  it  might  have  been  to  certain  individuals.  Among 
the  Greeks,  Hipparchus  is  the  one  who  has  left  distinct  records  of 
the  attempts  to  define  it ;  and  according  to  I^wis,  *  he  made  the 
precession  not  more  than  59  seconds,  nor  less  than  36  seconds,  in  a 
year  ;  so  that  the  mean  was  48  seconds.  This  shows  that  Hippar- 
chus understood  one  of  the  above  methods  of  concealing  the  Great 
Year  under  the  number  of  some  smaller  cycle,  though  he  was  not 
aware  of  the  real  period  ;  for  he  must  have  made  the  Sidereal  Year 
either  21,888  or  36,000  common  years. 

There  were  among  the  Ancients  two  very  celebrated  luni-solar 
cyclesof  comparatively  short  duration,  which  have  been  called  the 
great  and  the  lesser  Neros ;  f  and  as  the  first  was  608,  and  the 
last  600  tropical  years,  it  follows  that  Hipparchus  was  uncertain 
whether  to  adopt  608x36=21,888,  or  600x60=36,000  years  as  the 
true  time ;  but  as  these  numbers  would  too  obviously  show  the 
method  of  their  derivation,  he  adopted  an  average  of  the  resulting 
precessional  motion,  and  therefore  a  cycle  of  27,000  years  in  place  of 
28,944  as  he  ought  to  have  done,,  if  he  had  used  the  mean  of  the' 
periods  instead  of  the  arcs.  As  it  was,  he  simply  used  the  nearest 
whole  second  of  the  average  motion,  and  disregarded  the  exact  Side- 
real year  cofresponding  to  the  fractions,  and  this,  while  satisfactorily 
concealing,  the  real  sources  of  his  numbers,  enabled  him  to  pretend 
that  he  had  derived  them  from  the  observations  of  Aristarchus  and 
Timocharis  on  Spica  Virgo  170  years  earlier,  compared  with  his 
own.  { 

The  idea  of  a  great  cosmical  year,  at  the  close  of  which  the 
heavenly  bodies  return  to  their  original  stations,  occurs  in  Plato,  § 
and  is  repeated  by  many  subsequent  authors.  ||  This  period 
has  generally  been  understood  to  refer  to  the  time  occupied  by  the 
equinox  in  its  transit  through  the  constellations,  which  has  accord- 
ingly been  called  the  Platonic  Year  ;  and  this  once  accomplished, 
it  seems  to  have  been  the  opinion  of  the  ancient  world  in  general, 
that  all  things  were  to  begin  anew,  and  the  same  series  to  turn  over 
again.  ♦*  This  they  called  the  restitution  and  regeneration  'of  all 
things ;  when  a  new  world  was  to  beg^n  afresh  ;  and  as  they  thought 
the  stars  were  the  efficient  causes  of  all  that  happens,  the  repetition 
of  their  aspects  and  positions  must  of  necessity  bring  about  the  same 


*  Lewis,  op.  cit.,  p.  213. 

fSee  note  2    above;  also  •*' Celtic    Druids,"  cb.  ii,  Sect,  xiv,  p.  48;  and 
•'Anacal."chap.  iii,  Sect,  ii,  pp.  264,  267. 

J  See  Milner's  "  Gallery  of  Nature,"  p.  10. 

§  Lewis,  Op.  cit.,  p.  283. 

II  See  Martin,  '*  Tim^,"  Tom.  ii,  pp.  78-80,  and  thjs  authors  cited  by  bim. 

•»  Cf.  "  Cbambers's  Dictionary,"  ed.  1747,  art.  "  Platonic." 

4 


218  The  Theosophlst.  [January 

events  in  each  cycle.     Plato  taught  the  renewal  of  the  world  after 
this  great  cycle  was  ended,  and  Cicero  did  the  same.  * 

Dr.  Pritchard  f  has  endeavoured  to  show  that  this  idea  was 
common  to  several  of  the  early  schools  or  sects  of  the  philosophers 
of  ancient  Greece,  and*  that  traces  of  it  are  to  be  found  in  the 
remains  of  Orpheus — but  probably  they  are  in  this  case  somewhat 
ambiguous.  It  seems  to  have  been  a  favorite  doctrine  of  the 
Stoics,  having  been  regarded  as  one  of  the  distinguishing  tenets  of 
that  school ;  and  it  is  to  their  writings  we  are  largely  indebted  for 
what  we  know  of  this  ancient  philosophy.  J  Plutarch,  of  whom 
we  learn  incidentally  that  he  had  been  initiated  in  the  secret  mys- 
teries of  Dionysius,  §  makes  Cleanthes  declare  that  when  the 
Annus  Magnus  closes,  all  things  will  be  resolved  into  the  substance 
of  the  Deity— precisely  the  Eastern  view  of  the  case— and  Seneca 
repeats  the  same  sentiment.  ||  This  doctrine  was  also  affirmed 
by  Chrysippus  and  Zeno,  Numenius,  ♦*  and  Philo  Judaeus.  ft 
Though  they  all  disagree  more  or  less  as  to  the  major  period  and  its 
sub-divisions,  they  are  united  in  regard  to  the  reality  of  it ;  for  the 
Great  Year,  under  all  sorts  of  forms,  appears  to  have  been  known  to 
almost  every  ancient  nation.  Thus  the  Romans  and  the  Etruscans 
had  many  different  numbers  connected  with  it,  but  while  they  had 
either  lost  its  true  value,  or  never  possessed  it,  J  J  yet, .  according  to 
(Suidas,  they  believed  that  all  the  sub-divisions  into  which  they 
separated  the  history  of  the  world  were  aliquot  parts  of  the  one 
greater  period ;  and  the  Druids  probably  did  the  same.  §§ 

Naturally,  where  all  was  involved  in  mystery,  these  minor  divi- 
sions differed  in  various  nations  and  times,  and  different  characteris- 
tics were  assigned  to  them  separately  ;  but  they  had  many  points  in 
common,  because  they  all  pertained  to  the  cosmic  events  secretly 
taught  as  occurring  in  the  Great  Year  itself,  apart  from  all  local  mis- 
understanding of  it.  So  Plato,  who  had  studied  in  Egypt  for  thirteen 
years,  tells  us  in  the  "  Critias  "  that  the  Egyptians  believed  in  the 
occurrence  of  periodical  deluges,  and  that  the  return  of  these  cata- 
clysms depended  upon  the  Great  Year.  And  Plutarch  ||||  describes 
the  Etruscans  as  dividing  the  whole  into  eight  lesser  cycles,  or  so 
man)^  creations,  which  culminated  in  the  eighth.  In  the  Indian 
versions  of  the  same,  we  find  it  described  as  the  period  of  the  Seven 
Rishis— exoterically  the  seven  stars  of  the  Great  Bear,  each  represent- 

•  Concerning?  the  Apoiatasiasis,  see  "HorapoUo,"  ii,  S7  J  »"<*  "  Uni^ 
Hist."  Vol.  I,  p.  64.  Plato,  "  Polit."  p.  37,  apud.  «  Nimrod,"  Vol.  I,  p.  511.  Cicero. 
**  De  Nat.  Deor."  Lib.  ii. 

t "  Anal,  of  Egypt.  Mythol,"  p.  178. 

t  See  Lepsius,  "  De  Physiol.  Stoic",  Dissert.  2. 

§  "Cyclop.  Britt."  sub.  voce. 

II  Seneca,  "  Epist."  ix. 
••  Apud  Euseb.  "  Prep.  Evang,"  Lib.  xv. 
ft "  De  Immortal.  Mundi." 

iX  Vide  Niebuhr,  "  Rom.  Hist."  Vol.  I,  pp.  93  et 'seq.,  and  i6±, 
§§  •*  Univ.  Hist.",  loc.  cit.      .  " 

111  Iiihis«LifeofSull^."  *" 


1901.] 


the  "Great  Year"  of  the  Ancients,  etc.  il9 


inga  man  who  lived  71  or  72  years,  making  500  in  all.  Otherwise, 
the  seven  stars,  performing  their  revolution,  became  seven  celestial 
personages,  in  an  ark  which  voyaged  round  the  heavens  once  in  some 
26,000  years,  and  these  were  fabled  to  be  continually  reborn  as  men^ 
who  lived  to  the  above  ages.  ♦  We  are  here  strongly  reminded  of 
the  grand  series  of  ages  as  to  which  Virgil  sung,  which  began  afresh 
in  the  renewal  of  the  Great  Year ;  wherein  he  says  that  **  there  shall 
•  be  another  ark,  steered  by  another  pilot,  bearing  the  chosen  heroes ; 
there  shall  be  other  wars,  and  great  Achilles  shall  be  sent  once  more 
to  Troy."  f 

In  one  of  the  Arabic  or  Hebrew  versions  it  is  related,  that  the 
primal  pair  (or  Adam  and  Eve)  lived  together  for  500  years  before 
they  ate  of  the  forbidden  fruit.  J  And  in  the  Syrian  myth,  Kabil 
carried  his  brother's  dead  body  during  500  years,  not  knowing  where 
to  deposit  it ;  §  while  according  to  Herodotus,  this  same  period  is 
assigned  as  the  life  of  the  Phoenix— though  many  other  values  have 
been  quoted.  In  the  same  way  we  are  told  that  Noah  was  500  years 
of  age  when  he  begot  Shem,  Ham  and  Japhet ;  and  Enoch  speaks  of 
the  ending  of  such  a  period  "  In  the  500th  year,  and  in  the  seventh 
month,  on  the  fourteenth  day  of  the  month."  || 

According  to  Humboldt,  theJMexicans  asserted  that  four  "  suns  " 
had  existed  before  the  present  one,  all  of  which  were  destroyed, 
together  with  the  race  which  belonged  to  each  ;  making  the  sun  a 
synon)rm  for  a  cycle  of  time,  or  an  age ;  and  in  reckoning  those 
which  were  past,  they  spoke  of  them  as  so  many  suns  which  had 
been  destroyed.  These  represented  four  vast  periods  of  time,  each 
of  which  had  ended  with  its  appropriate  cataclysm ;  but  the  order  in 
which  they  are  quoted — thsXot  earth,  JirCy  air,  and  water-^is  probably 
a  sort  of  blind,  as  Theosophists  will  easily  see.  They  made  the  first, 
second  and  third  to  end  with  conflagration,  earthquake,  and  tempest, 
while  the  fourth  terminated  in  a  universal  deluge.  Their  great 
and  most  important  festival  was  one  at  which  it  was  usual  to  put  a 
man  to  death  on  a  cross — doubtless  representing  the  cross  of  thje 
equinox,  and  reminding  us  of  Plato's  decussated  man  and  also  his 
cross  in  space — ^^  was  celebrated  every  52  years,  and  called  thie 
Toxihnolpilia  or  binding  up  of  the  years,  each  fifty-two  being  one 
sheaf  of  years.  When  the  total  number  of  sheaves  had  thus  been 
gathered  up,  it  was  supposed  the  har\'esting  would  be  completed  i|i 
the  fields  of  time,  and  the  world  would  come  to  an  end ;  but  this 
meant,  in  all  probability,  500  such  sheaves,  ft 

But  this  division  into  four  periods  was  well  known  in  other  coun- 
tries which  had  no  apparent  connection  with  Mexico ;  since  the  same  is 

•  M assey,  "  Nat  Gen."  ii,  323. 

t  Eclogue  iv. 

J  Weif,  "  Legends,"  p.  7. 

S  Mxssey,  Op.  clt.,  Jl,  3^1. 

!|  Herod,  ii,  73  ;  and  Massey,  Op.  cit,  p,  325. 

«  "  S.  D.,"  I,  342,  II,  592,  n,c.  .   ■  .        .        , 

■ft  Massey,  Op.  cit.  328,  329, 


liiO  The  Theosophist.  [Januai'y 

to  be  noted  among  the  Chaldeans.  Berosus  is  reported  to  have  tauglit 
that  when  there  was  a  general  conjunction  of  the  planets  in  Cancer, 
the  Summer  solstice,  the  world  would  be  submerged  by  a  great 
deluge  ;  and  when  the  conjunction  occurred  in  the  opposite  solstice, 
there  would  be  a  great  and  universal  conflagration.*  What 
would  happen  when  the  configuration  took  place  in  the  two  equi- 
noxes we  are  not  informed  ;  but  Pliny  reports  Manilius  as  saying  that 
the  initial  point  of  the  Great  Year  was  attained  at  noon  on  the  day 
when  the  Spring  equinox  entered  the  sign  Aries — so  that  the  middle 
point  must  have  been  meant  to  coincide  with  the  sign  Libra.  So  it 
would  mean  the  turning-point  of  the  Fourth  Round. 

In  India  there  are  also  the  four  ages  of  Iron,  Silver,  Copper,  and 
Gold,  representing  in  one  sense  the  descending  arc  of  the  present 
Manvantara,  and  corresponding  to  the  four  ages  or  suns  of  the 
Mexicans ;  and  it  is  a  noteworthy  fact  that  the  sum  of  the  latter 
makes  only  half  the  precessional  period  as  we  now  understand  it,  and 
therefore  must  be  doubled  to  express  the  whole,  but  has  a  strong 
resemblance  to  other  values  which  are  supposed  to  have  been 
anciently  in  vogue.  The  Mexican  signs  of  the  Zodiac  were  twentj- 
six  in  number,  while  those  of  the  Hindus,  Arabs,  and  Chinese  were 
"twenty-seven  or  twenty-eight,  and  of  the  Egyptians  twelve.  The 
Mexican  twenty-six  would  therefore  correspond  to  two  periods  of 
four  age^,  their  Great  Year  consisting  of  thirteen  signs  in  its 
descending  portion. 

These  various  periods  of  500  years  and  four  ages,  etc.,  were  only 
so  many  covers  for  the  Sidereal  Year  or  precessional  period — ^which 
was  itself  but  a  blind  for  the  vastly  more  extended  Great  Year  or 
Cosmic  Cycle,  the  minor  Manvantara  at  present  current.  Thus  they 
•  all  culminated  in  the  round  number  of  26,000  years,  containing  52 
weeks  of  seven  days  ;  and  each  of  these  days  was  of  71  or  72  years 
duration,  in  which  the  equinox  changed  its  place  among  the  stars  by 
one  degree.  As  the  Sidereal  year  contained  360  such  degrees  or 
days,  so  in  Egypt  there  was  a  sacred  year  of  360  common  daj^-s, 
which  was  never  to  be  altered  ;  for,  as  it  is  related  by  the  Scholiast 
on  the  Aratea  of  Caesar  Germanicus — ^who,  as  Bunsen  remarks, 
evidently  quoted  from  the  books  of  Hermes— the  priests  of  Isis 
were  accustomed  to  conduct  the  Pharaoh  into  the  holy  of  holies 
of  her  temple,  and  there  make  him  take  a  solemn  oath  that  he 
would  never  alter  the  year  of  360  days  and  the  5  epagomenae, 
necessary  to  bring  it  into  accord  with  .the  course  of  the  sun.f 
The  supposed  Great  Year  measured  by  the  360  degrees  in  the 
heavens  dominated  the  reckoning  by  the  year  of  360  days,  and 
necessitated  its  being  adhered  to  after  the  precise  length  of  the  solar 
year  had  become  more  generally  known.}    But  26,000  years  of  360 


iWMa«Mi~a«t. 


•  Seneca,  "  Nat.  queest.,"  111,  29. 
t  Lepsius,  Vol,  ii,  p.  7i» 
J  Chambers's  Diet.,  loc.  cit. 


1901.]  The  "Great  Year"  of  the  Ancients,  etc.  i2i 

days  each  are  130,000  days,  or  25,644  years  of  365  days  ;  while 
Cassini,  some  two  centuries  back,  made  it  24,800  years,  and  Ireverrier, 
in  the  present  one,  25,700,  so  the  Eg5T>tians  were  very  accurate  in 
their  determination.* 

We  may  now  proceed  to  see  what  was  the  real  length  of  the 
Great  Year ;  for  when  once  that  has  been  determined,  and  the 
various  blinds  are  understood,  it  will  be  comparatively  easy  to  see 
how  the  smaller  periods  stand  related  to  it. 

In  the  Secret  Doctrine  and  other  works  we  are  told  that  we 
are  now  slightly  past  the  turning  or  half-way  point  of  the  present 
Manvantara  ;  and  therefore  we  must  infer  that  whatever  number  of 
the  minor  yugas  have  elapsed,  double  that  number  will  very  nearly 
express  the  whole  man vantaric  period  we  are  in  search  of.  Yet  we  are 
also  given  the  exoteric  value  of  the  Mahdyuga,  and  are  always  told 
we  are  at  present  in  the  twenty-eighth,  which  of  course  means  that 
twenty-seven  have  gone  by.  Therefore,  if  we  take  twenty-seven  as 
reaching  to  the  ttu-'ning  point,  there  must  be  fifty-four  in  all.  But 
though  this  appears  to  be  so  far  satisfactor>%  it  at  once  shows  that 
the  exoteric  vfidue  will  not  answer,  as  shown  "by  H.  P.  B.  herself.f 
Still,  as  the  27  yugas  and  the  Chaldean  and  Indian  number  432  are 
so  persistently  referred  to,  the  true  value  of  the  yuga  required  must 
be  in  some  way  involved  in  these  numbers,  as  we  shall  see  it  is. 

If  we  take  Dr.  Schleiden^s  remarks  J  in  this  connection, 
and  recollect  his  assertion  that  the  exoteric  Manvantaras  are  to  be 
taken  in  pairs,  each  such  pair  actually  counting  as  one,  and 
representing  the  descent  and  ascent  of  spirit  and  matter,  we  shall 
obtain  some  further  light.  For,  by  the  arrangement  of  the  Four 
Ages,  it  is  apparent  that  only  the  descending  arc  is  therein  given ; 
and  we  must  accordingly //(?«^/i^jt  in. order  to  have  the  true  value. 
This  is  confirmed  by,  ^n  article  in  the  Theosophisi,  §  which 
intimates  that  the  iron  age,  preceded  by  one  of  copper,  will  also 
be  succeeded  by  the  same — evidently  referring,  not  to  the  common 
MahSynga,  but  to  double  the  period.  Hence,  perhaps,  the  origin  of 
the  eight  ages  of  the  Etruscans;  but  nevertheless  there  will  be  but 
seven;  as  a  part  of  the  whole  is  made  up  of  the  two  sandhis 
or  twilight  times  ;  and  thus  the  respective  ages  retain  their  exoteric 
lengths. 

How  close  we  are  to  the  turning-point  of  the  Manvantara, 
may  easily  be  seen  from  the  account  of  the  rounds  and  races ; 
though  this  method  would  not  answer  if  we  had  an}^  less  time 
to  deal  with  than  half  of  the  whole  ;  because  the  respective  rounds 
are  not  actually  equal  in  duration,  and  some  have  gdps  between 
them.    Assuming  that  all  are  equal,  or  using  the  average — or  that 

the  shorter  balance  the  longer  periods  in  the  descent  (which  is  the 

.'      k — 

*  Coocerning  the  whole  of  this  paragraph,  cf.  Massey,  Op,  cit.,  ii,  321, 326-7. 

1 1.  U.,  Vol.  I,  p.  32. 

X  See  Thecsaphist,  Vol.  XIX,  p.  725. 

J  lb.  Vol.  V,  p.  60, 61. 


222  the  Theosophist.  [Janiiary 

true  state  of  the  case) — ^we  shall  readily  see  that,   taking  forty- 
nine  races  as  the  whole  time  of  the  seven  rounds,  we  are  very  near 
the  middle  point.     For  there  are  three  rounds,  or  twenty-one  races, 
gone  by ;   while  we  are  in   the  fifth   Race  of  the  fourth  Round, 
making  twenty-six  including  the  current  one,  or  twenty-five  passed. 
Therefore,  putting  forty-nine  to  represent  the  Manvantara,  twenty- 
five  parts  are  elapsed :  of  which  twenty-four  and  a  half  woiild  reach 
the  middle-point.     For  the  present,  and  speaking  roughly,  we  may 
suppose  that  the  elapsed  portion  of  the  fifth  Race  of  the  present 
Round  will  correspond  to  the  elapsed  portion  of  the  twenty-eighth 
Mahayuga.    Then  we  should  have — Twenty-seven  Mahayiigas  of 
8,640,000  years  each  . .  233,280,000  years. 

First  Sandhi  or  twilight  period,  . .  216,000       „ 

Satya  or  Golden  Age,  . .  . .       1,728,000 

Treta  or  Silver  Age,  ..  ..  ..      1,296,000 

Dwapara  or  Copper  Age,         . .  . .         864,000       „ 

Kali  or  Iron  Age,       . .  . .  . .  5,000       „ 

Elapsed  to  the  present  year  1900,  237,389,000 

— .,  * 

This,  though  sufficiently  correct  according  to  the  accepted  Kali 
epoch,  is  not  necessarily  accurate.  It  is  enough  to  show  the  gene- 
ral method   of  procedure,  and  w^e  may  next  prove  it  by  another 

means. 

Some  Hindu  calculators  or  chronologists  make  the  age  of  the 

world  3,891,102  years  ;*    which  must  refer  to  the  beginning  of 

the  Christian  Era— for  it  is  1,728,000+  1,296,000  +  864,000+3,102.  The 

nature  of  the  blind  is  seen  thus  : 

The  three  Ages  total       3,888,000  year& 

Multiply  these  by  6  X  10  60 


^-— *— t -mn-    r 


And  we  have  the  27  yugas  as  before,  . .  233,280,000  years- 

Add  the  remaining  Ages,  and  Kali  elapsed,. .      4,109,000       „ 


And  the  present  date  is  the  salne,  . .     237,389,000       „ 

Therefore,  doubling  the  sum  of  the  twent3'-seven  Mahayugas, 
we  have  the  whole  .Manvantara  as  466,560,000  years,  including  all 
sandhis;  and  this  appears  to  be  the  absolute  length  of  the  period 
which  has  so  long  been  concealed  from  the  profane  and  the  curious 
external,  nay,  even  from  most  semi- initiated  occultists,  as  well,  since 
they  were  put  off  with  so  many  blinds  and  concealments,  as  it  will 
next  be  in  order  to  show  was  the  case.  A  remarkable  feature  in  the 
above  is  the  use  made  of  the  number  six,  for  "  The  hexad  or  number 
six  is  considered  by  the  Pythagoreans  a  perfect  and  sacred  number ; 
among  other  reasons,  because  it  divides  the  universe  ifito  Uvo  equal 
parts ''\  and  P>i;hagoras  got  his  knowledge  from  India. 

I  .,  --  —  .  -  -  r     — 

•  "  Atiac."  chap,  iii,  Sect,  ii,  p.  270.        f  ^b-  P-  joo. 


1901.]  The  "  Great  Year  "  of  the  Ancients,  etc.  223 

Going  back  to  the  Roman  world,  we  find  Cicero  speaking  of  the 
Great  Year ;  and  though  he  had  evidently  been  told  something  of  it 
under  one  of  its  blinds,  he  did  not  quite  understand  what  was 
meant.  He  alludes  to  the  time  as  being  completed  on  the  return  of 
the  sun,  moon,  and  the  five  planets  (then  exoterically  known)  to 
some  original  configuration,  "  On  the  mutual  completion  of  the 
spaces  (orbits  or  periods  ?)  of  all  of  them  ;"  and  of  that  revolution  he 
says,  "  as  to  how  long  it  is,  this  is  a  great  question ;  but  (irrespective 
of  this)  the  period  or  revolution  must  be  certain  and  fixed."  Again, 
in  writing  of  Hortensius,  he  says :  "  The  great  real  year  is  when  there 
IS  the  same  position  of  the  heaven  and  constellations  which  will 
recur  when  (the  year)  is  at  its  full ;  and  this  year  contains  12,954  of 
what  we  call  years."  But  in  the  **  Somnium  Scipionis"  his  words 
are,  "  then  when  all  the  signs  and  stars  are  brought  back  to  the 
same  beginning  (starting-point)  you  have  a  complete  year."  It  thus 
appears,  that  of  three  different  cycles  or  periods,  each  was  considered 
hy  Cicero  as  forming  a  great  year,  although  that  which  he  has 
contemplated  in  Scipio's  Dream  is  the  only  one  equivalent  to  the 
entire  return  of  all  the  heavenly  bodies  which  Ptolemy  considered  to 
be  a  matter  of  unattainable  knowledge.  ♦ 

Whatever  may  be  thought  of  the  other  two  periods  which 
Cicero  mentions,  the  one  which  he  speaks  of  as  containing  12,954 
years  of  the  usual  kind  is  evidently  a  piece  of  occult  mystification. 
If  doubled,  it  gives  £t  veiy  near  approximation  to  the  Sidereal  year ; 
and  therefore  was  meant  to  cover  the  Four  Ages  of  the  descending 
arc  of  the  yugas ;  but  it  was  more  than  this,  as  we  may  easily  see. 
Multiply  it  by  the  Chaldean  Sossos,  36,000  (which  was  also  the 
maximum  Sidereal  Year  of  Hipparchus,  or  60  neroses)  and  divide  the 
product  by  2,159  adding  the  quotient  as  the  sum  of  the  two  twilight 
periods — of  which  there  would  be  2>  160  in  the  whole — and  we  at  once 
obtain  the  period  of  the  Minor  Manvantara  already  quoted  from  the 
Indian  numbers,  or  466,560,000  years.  The  number  2,160  is  that  of 
the  years  in  which  the  equinox  remains  in  one  sign,  according  to  the 
celebrated  Indian  Sidereal  Year  of  25,920  common  years,  and  which 
was  adopted  by  Ricciolus  and  others  in  Europe ;  while  each  Sandhi 
would  be  216,000  3''ears,  or  4,320  in  the  whole.  Could  any  inter*- 
pretation  be  more  simple,  or  look  more  feasible  than  this  does  ?  In 
all  these  operations  there  is  nothing  which  so  clearly  points  out 
their  genuineness,  as  the  unfailing  use  of  whole  numbers  in  the 
quantities  used  for  multiplying  and  dividing ;  for  if  fractions  were 
used,  anything  might  be  made  to  fit, 

Samuei,  Stuart?. 
[  To  be  concluded^ 

*  See  Ashmand's  tr.  of  the  "  Tetrabiblos,"  Corr.  et  Add.,  where  M,DCCCI-IV 
IS  put  by  mistake  for  M,DCCCCLIV,  as  all  other  authors  have  it.  Also  "  Tetra- 
bib.''  Bk.  I,  chap,  ii,  p.  8,  (For  the  whole  of  this  translation  I  am  indebted  to 
Mr.  G.  R.S.  Mead)  and  cf«  Cicero,  apud  Tac.  "de  Caus,  Corr."  HI.  16;  and 
"  Solinus,"  c.  33,  13. 


224 


LVNAR  INFLUENCE  ON  THE  ANIMAL  WORLD. 

THE  influence  of  the  Moon  on  the  physical  world  is  very  well 
known.  Among  a  host  of  familiar  occarrences  the  annual 
inundations  of  the  Nile  and  the  Ganges,  and  the  tides  that  occur 
twice  a  month  during  the  Full  Moon  and  New  Moon  days  are  cited  as 
illustrationsof  the  fact.  They  work  good  as  well  as  evil.  They 
fertilise  the  soil  with  loamy  deposits  and  thus  help  to  give  us  our 
staple  food.  They  produce  miasmata  in  the  water-logged  districts 
and  thus  curse  us  with  the  deadly  poison  of  malaria.  But  the 
influence  of  the  Moon  on  the  animal  world  is  less  deleterious,  though 
it  is  none  the  less  mighty.  People  there  are,  among  whom  is  my 
humble  and  obscure  self,  who  have  made  their  systems,  so  to  speak, 
a  sort  of  gauge  to  read  and  register  this  influence.  They  feel  rather 
seedy  and  unwell,  being  full  of  bad  humour,  at  certain  periods  of  a 
fortnight,  when  they  feel  and  know  almost  for  certain  that  the  Full 
or  New  Moon,  as  the  case  may  be,  is  come  or  drawing  near.  Fasting 
or  semi-fasting  or  living  sparingly  on  dry  food  alone  then  be- 
comes a  necessity  as  the  only  remedy.  For  this  reason  experienced 
Ayurvedic  physicians  do  not,  as  a  rule,  aljow  their  patients  who  have 
just  recovered,  their  usual  food  at  or  about  the  time  of  the  Full  or 
New  Moon.  Nor  do  they  allow  the  convalescents  their  bath,  even 
.when  they  have.sufiSciently  regained  their  former  strength.  I^ong^^ 
suflFering  patients  are  found  to  die  at  this  juncture.  Why  ?  It  is  sim- 
ply because  the  "  sinking  vessel  of  theirs  becomes  then  surcharged 
with  an  unusual  amount  of  humour.  Anent  this  question  I  would 
say  that  I  am  not  a  medical  man.  Nor  do  I  possess  any  statistics  of 
the  number  of  persons  djdng  at  night  or  by  day.  But  to  the  best  of 
my  belief  I  say  that  those  dying  at  night  outnumber  those  dying  by 
day.  The  reason  is  obvious.  In  the  absence  of  the  source  of  energy 
— ^the  sun — ^the  nights,  nay,  even  the  times  of  the  rising  and  setting 
sun  are  considered  as  times  of  the  sleshina  or  cold.  Lunar  influ-* 
ence  is  not  lost  sight  of  on  the  birth  of  a  child,  who  is  supposed 
to  be  great  and  good  like  Buddha,  or  the  reverse  like  Robin  Hood 
or  the  once  notorious  queen  of  Ceylon,  according  to  the  ascendant 
constellation  at  the  time  of  birth  on  a  Full  or  New  Moon  day.    . 

Grant  Allen  justly  observes  that  it  is  "  the  utilitarian  instinct  of 
humanity  that  has  caused  so  mi;ch  attention  to  be  paid  to  the  over- 
Jauded  bee"  for  the  sake  of  honey  only,  though  "  the  wasp*s  history 
is  quite  as  interesting."  *  Naturalists  like  him  have  dwelt  upon  its 
intelligence.  It  collects  honey  all  the  day  through,  from  flower  to 
flower,  and  lays  up  its  store  in  honey-comb  and  empties  it  by  the  time 
of  the  Full  or  New  Moon,  guided  as  it  is  by  unerring  instinct.  How 


#  Vide  «  Flashlights  on  Nature,''  p.  178. 


1901.]  Lunar  Influence  on  the  Animal  World.  223 

it  knows  the  approach  of  the  Moon's  phases  is  more  than  I  can  tell. 
People  who  would  get  their  supply  of  honey  from  the  comb,  must 
take  it  with  some  sort  of  poker,  before  these  days,  or  else  it  is  found 
devoid  of  its  contents. 

Formerly  the  Full  Moon  used  to  complete  a  (lunar)  month. 
Hence  the  name  Pumamasi.  There  are  states  still  where  payment 
to  establishments  is  made  on  that  day  and  on  no  other.  It  is  there- 
fore a  day  of  great  rejoicings  among  the  people  living  in  them.  The 
New  Moon  is  set  apart  by  the  Tantrikas  for  the  observance  of  cer- 
tain ceremonies  so  as  to  be  endued  with  rights  and  privileges  that 
they,  alone,  can  aspire  to  by  virtue  of  the  practice,  good  or  bad,  on 
that  especial  day. 

As  a  moth  is  attracted  to  the  flame  of  a  lamp  to  die,  so  shoals 
of  fishes  are  drawn  to  ascend  a  river  and  are  caught  by  the  fishers,  for 
the  table  of  the  piscivorous  section  of  mankind,  on  the  Full  or  New 
Moon  day  and  thereabouts.  The  above  is  a  truism  in  Lower  Bengal 
among  the  fish-eating  Bengali  race. 

We  have  the  words  **  lunatic  "  and  "  lunacy  "  in  English,  derived 
from  luna  which  means  the  Moon.  Dr.  Ogilvie  and  other  lexicog- 
raphers define  a  •  lunatic  '  to  be  **  a  person  affected  by  insanity, 
formerly  supposed  to  be  influenced  or  produced  by  the  Moon  or  by 
its  position  in  its  orbit."  But  in  the  adjectival  use  of  the  term  the 
learned  doctor  signifies:  "Affected  with  a  species  of  insanity," 
etc.  From  this  it  is  clear  that  from  the  specific  we  have  the  generic 
term.  The  poet,  Cowper,  sings  to  the  same  purport.  It  may  now 
be  scouted  as  an  exploded  theory.  But  from  its  once  living  force  in 
the  economy  of  human  nature  we  have  the  present  legacy ;  for 
the  modems  cannot  pretend  to  the  full  and  thorough  knowledge  of 
heaven  and  earth  that  the  ancients  were  masters  of. 

On  the  New  and  Full  Moon  days  not  only  certain  articles  of 
food  and  certain  things  are  forbidden  by  a  prudent  physician,  but 
medicines,  drugs  and  herbs  having  a  medicinal  property  are  also,  as 
their  efficacy  is  supposed  to  be  neutralised  or  to  act  for  bad,  as  the 
case  may  be,  by  the  influence  of  the  Moon.  But  in  case  of  serious 
illness  they  stick  to  the  principle  that  necessity  has  no  law. 

In  the  months  of  August  and  September  when  the  sun,  accord-» 
ing  to  the  Aryan  Astronomy,  is  in  the  Uttarayan  orbit,  the  Hugli 
overflows  its  banks,  and  Calcutta  with  the  adjacent  villages  experi* 
ences  the  deleterious  eff*ects  of  a  high  tide.  It  has  been  observed 
that  the  rise  in  the  river  is  much  greater  at  night  than  by  day ; 
because,  I  opine,  the  influence  of  the  Moon  at  night  is  more  direct 
than  by  day.  It  has  also  been  observed  that  the  New  Moon  has 
greater  influence  on  the  rise  than  is  the  case  under  the  Full  Moon. 
Bunds  and  embankments.are  washed  away  ;  tanks  and  ponds  over- 
flow their  banks,  with  the  fivshes  they  contain  ;  paddy  fields  are 
inundated;  fever  and  bowel-complaints  get  rife.  In  short  the 
consequent  sufferings  of  man  and  animal  can  only  be  realised  by 

5 


226  The  Theosophist.  [January 

those  who  have  had  the  bitter  experience.  Is  not  all  this  traceable 
to  the  influence  of  the  Moon  ?  And  under  this  belief  ploughmen 
do  not  yoke  their  teams  to  plough  the  arable  pieces  of  lattd  on  the 
New  Moon  day  in  particular, 

Nakur  Chandra  Bisvas. 


ii<bj^»^ 


HOTES  ON  MOBSM  ITALIAN  STOHE^WORSSIP  ANS  FOIKIORE.  ♦ 

WttEN  Galba  was  elected  Emperor  by  the  Pfsetotian  Cuards  of 
Rome,  as  a  fit  successor  to  Neronic  iniquities,  Titus  Vespa- 
sianus — in  after  years  sumamed  by  a  grateful  people  *  The 
t)elight  of  Mankind' — ^was  sent  by  his  father  Vespasian  to  congratu- 
late the  newly  elected  Emperor. 

On  his  road  to  Rome,  a  journey  described  by  Stielbo^ius  ad  « 
triumphal  progress  rather  than  the  simple  travel  of  a  private  citizen, 
the  future  Emperor  was  stopped  by  the  report  <yf  public  co«fttfio- 
tions,  and  returned  back  to  Paphos  where  he  consulted  the  Oracle 
of  VenUs  ^s  to  the  success  of  his  voyage  and  itlso  had  luis  ho{>es 
confirflied  Of  Ultiftiately  succeeding  to  the  imperial  purple. 

This  famous  Sanctuary  of  Paphos  was  held  by  the..  «iia?efent 
world  as  having  been  erected  ou  the  very  spot  wh^e  VeftUS,  ^god- 
dess of  I/Ove  and  Beauty,  arose  from  the  bJue  sea  Waves :  ted 
further,  it  contained  a  sacred  statue  of  the  san*e  ^odd^ss  ^icfc  was 
considered  to  be  one  of  the  principal  oracles  -of  atitiqufty. 

Tacitus  in  his  *  Liber,  itid  Capt.  3,  4,  says  ttWit  t*iife  ^^I^J&sat  is 
described  as  not  beiug  modelled  in  a  human  form,  but  was  in  r^^a- 
blance  *  as  a  cone '  and  that  its  origin  was  lost  in  autic[uity.  ^Sim^h*' 
crum  Decs  non  effigii  kuniana,^ 

How  far  the  prophecies  of  this  famous  orfeole  coiocid«d  with  the 

dreams  of  the  ambitious  young  Tribune,  and  how  urnch  t)f  the 

sacred  words  were  verified  by  subsequent  •events,  we  cannot  discover 

at  this  distance  of  time  :  nor  indeed  is  the  jommey  of  Titus  or  the 

Oracle  of  Paphos  in  any  way  related  to  my  subject  save  im  so 

much  as  1  wish  to  lay  stress  on  the  fact  that  about  'the  yeJir  70  »of 

the  Christian  Era,  a  refined  Stone-worship  was  practised  kiy  the 

higher  classes  of  Roman   citizens ;  even  as  in  the  year  1900  of  the 

Christian  Era  a  particular  set  of  the  Italian  peasantry  ^ill  Itoneur 

with  humble,  faithful  worship,   certain  cane-^haped  Btodes,  small  in 

size,  and  demandfrom  their  stone-god,  oracles  and  counsel,  atthough 

now  the  questions  put  concern  the  fate  of  a  sheep,  of  a  Vin^ard,  -of 

a  labourer's  love  aflFair,  and  not  the  fortunes  of  a  Roman  Empire. 

The  worship  oi  cone-shaped,  and  of  dean  or  egg-shaped  stones  was 
pretty  general  in  the  ancient  world,  for  uuder  this  form  the  two 

great  nature  forces  were  veiled. 

-'  -  -  ■  ,        ■  ■  ^      ,  .  ■  . 

•  Enlarged  from  a  paper  read  in  the  3rd  Section  of  the  XHth  Qrii^dtiirCOt)- 
gressy  Rome,  1899. 


1901.]  Notes  on  Modern  Italian  Stone-worship,  etc.  227 

In  the  ancient  Pelasgic  tombs  that  stud  the  coasts  of  southern 
Italy  there  are  always  to  be  found,  together  with  other  and  more 
conventional  oflferings  to  the  spirits  of  the  dead,  a  large  stone 
shaped  like  an  egg  or  bean,  which  stone  has  given  our  rational, 
materialistic  scientists  much  trouble  and  field  for  speculation,  and 
many  ate  the  meanings  placed  to  its  account. 

Rightly  or  wrongly  I  hold  that  these  stones  represent  a  *  Cultus ' 
or  worship  which  belongs  to  entire  humanity  and  has  passed  down 
the  ages,  veiled  but  ever  existent,  and  even  now  to  be  discerned  in 
the  modem  Stone- worship  of  the  Tuscan  peasantry. 

In  the  ruined  cities  of  Mashonaland,  Mr.  Theodore  Bent 
discovered  among  the  ruins  of  Zimbabwe,  representations  of  the 
sacred  birds  of  Cypris,  or  rather  perhaps  the  vultures  of  her  Sidoniaa 
representative,  and  with  these  birds  were  traced  again  the  lines  of 
the  bean  or  egg-shaped  oval,  that  are  present  wherever  the 
Phoenician  reared  his  shrine  ('*  Ruined  Cities  of  Mashonaland,*' 
pages  163-164.). 

Soap-stone  cylinders  were  also  discovered,  decorated  with  rings 
of  knots  exactly  similar  to  Phoenician  objects  found  at  Paphos  in 
Cyprus. 

As  Mr.  Bent  points  out,  there  also  exist  beside  the  vultures  and 
rosettes  and  cone-shaped  emblems,  niany  peculiar  round  blocks  of 
dolorite,  all  of  this  pointing  to  a  religious  veneration  of  certain 
curious  shaped  stones  existing  amongst  the  earlier  inhabitants  of 
these  ruins,  and  he  shows  the  Arabian  connection  or  conquest  of 
later  times. 

In  the  town  of  Talf,  a  great  unformed  stone  block  was  worship- 
ped as  identical  with  the  goddess  Herodotus  calls  Urania,  and  it 
is  possible  that  the  Kaaba  stone  at  Mecca  resembles  the  black 
sdustose  block  which  was  found  at  Zimbabwe. 

Curiously  enough  the  superstition  or  worship  of  Hack  shi- 
ning stones  is  prevalent  among  the  American  Negroes.  Among^ 
other  strange  relics  Mr.  Charles  Godfrey  Inland,  the  eminent  Fqlk- 
lorist  and  Poet,  possesses  a  Voodoo  stone  of  a  shining  black  colour ^ 
which  is  held  in  the  highest  honour  by  all  Voodoo  Sorcerers ;  for  the 
fact  of  its  possession  confers  the  highest  rank  of  their  witchcraft 
upon  the  fortunate  owner. 

This  sacred  stone,  which  is  said  to  deliver  infallible  oracles 
and  to  grant  any  sincere  prayer  or  wish  made  by  its  devotee,  is  of 
a  luminous  black  colour.  It  is  shaped  like  a  bean  and  but  for  its 
colour  closely  resembles  a  brother-stone  in  my  possession  that 
formerly  belonging  to  Mr.  Iceland,  which  was,  and  is  still,  held 
in  great  honour  among  the  Tuscan  peasantry. 

I^normant  in  the  *  Revue  del'histoire  des  Religions '  (Tome 
III,  page  31,)  observes  that  in  the  first  ages  an  unformed  *  dressed  ' 
stone  was  one  of  the  objects  which  served  to  represent  the  Divinity, 
and  offered  a  sensible  sign  for  adoration.    As  I  have  said  be^gre 


2^S  The  Theosophist.  [Jatiuary 

each  tomb  of  the  early  Italian  settlers  contains  a  bean  or  egg- 
shaped  stone  of  peculiar  nature  which  must  have  been  brought 
from  a  great  distance,  and  which  expressed  the  profound  belief 
of  the  old  world  races,  that  even  as  the  egg  contained  an  embryo  of 
higher  being,  so  the  body  of  man  laid  to  rest  in  corruption  had 
served  but  as  a  home  or  vehicle  for  the  construction  of  a  higher 
entity  in  the  scale  of  life. 

Mr.  Wilmot  in  his  *  Monomatapa '  comes  to  the  conclusion 
that  the  builders  of  the  Zimbabwe  in  south-east  Africa,  and  of  the 
Nauraghes  in  Sardinia,  were  Nature-worshippers  of  the  early 
Phoenician  Cult,  when  Stone-worship  was  one  of  the  leading  fea- 
tures of  that  religion  :  also  on  the  authority  of  M.  M.  Perrot  and 
Chipiez,  that  the  Nauraghes  builders  came  from  Libya  and  that 
their  buildings  belong  to  the  Bronze- Age,  or,  as  Mr.  Bent  asserted 
in  his  lecture  before  the  Geographical  Society,  that  the  Zimbabwes 
were  built  in  the  eighth  century  B.  C. 

And  the  bean-shaped  stones  that  are  found  in  tombs  near 
Terracina  in  Italy  and  which  belong  to  the  race  that  has  left  us  the 
citadel  of  Monte  Circeo,  the  bridge  of  Ninfa,  the  tombs  of  Cere,  and 
who  crowned  each  hill  of  the  Volscian  range  with  fortress  and 
monolith,  can  hardly  be  proved  of  any  later  lineage. 

Thus  at  the  last  Oriental  Congress  held  at  Rome  I  was  enabled, 
thanks  to  Mr.  Inland's  help  and  my  own  personal  research,  to  show 
that  there  still  exists  in  Italy  a  band  of  some  few  adherents  to 
the  Old  World  Religion,  together  with  much  legendic  lore  and 
superstition ;  valuable  in  so  much  as  by  careful  examination  of  fAese 
remains,  we  may  be  able  to  retrace  the  actual  path  of  race  migra- 
tion from  the  East,  Westwards  ;  from  the  Tuscan  witch-stone  to  the 
sacred  carved  stones  of  lona  ;  a  road  which  has  left  many  enduring 
landmarks  in  the  mind  of  a  conservative  peasantr}^  For  it  is  possible 
that  these  Italian  stones  are  related  to  th6  worship  of  ancient 
American  peoples  and  are  part  of  the  legacy  of  Atlantis.  The  black 
cock  slaughtered  by  an  Italian  labourer  is  the  direct  descendant 
of  the  Mexican  human  sacrifices,  the  red  painted  stone  an  echo 
of  what  produced  Polynesian  cannibalism. 

The  egg-shaped  grave  of  the  Australian  aborigine,  the  egg  of 
the  Musee  de  Saint  Germain,  cited  by  Mr.  Emile  Soldi  in  his  great 
work,  *  La  Langue  Sacree '  fPage  269^,  the  Prajapati  of  India, 
prove  the  universal  veneration  accorded  to  these  divine  symbols.  It 
is  difficult  to  retrace  each  link  in  the  human  chain  which  binds  us 
all  from  East  to  West,  from  North  to  South  ;  still  here  and  there  a 
sunken  rock,  a  silent  ripple,  tells  us  where  the  ocean  of  time  has 
covered  and  concealed  a  wrecked  religion,  a  lost  civilisation. 

Thus  it  is  in  Italy :  swept  together  by  stress  of  pillage,  of  con- 
quest and  of  victorj'-,  the  remains  of  many  nations,  ofm5rriads  of 
religions,  of  much  false  and  much  true  philosophy,  lie  stored,  wait- 
ing for  the  search-light  of  a  greater  civilisation  tha^i  we  at  present 


1901.]  Notes  on  Modern  Italian  Stone-worship,  etc.  22d 

possess,  to  bind  the  broken  threads  together  and  make  perfect  that 
which  should  never  have  been  mutilated — the  golden  chain  of 
•continuity  in  karmic  wisdom. 

The  stones  held  sacred  by  the  Tuscan  peasantr>'  are  absolutely 
without  carving  or  ornament,  and  must  be  either  of  a  cone-shape,  or 
oval,  like  an  egg  or  bean,  or  else  they  must  resemble  some  part  of 
the  human  frame — such  as  the  heart  or  liver  or  any  other  portion  of 
man's  anatomy. 

The  cone  or  oval  stone  need  not  be  of  any  special  colour, 
'although  they  are  preferred  white,  and  they  must  be  shiny,  either  by 
nature,  by  use,  or  perhaps  by  help  of  a  little  varnish. 

Such  stones  as  resemble  parts  of  the  human  body  are  more 
prized  if  they  are  also  of  the  same  colour  as  the  natural  organ,  such 
as  liver  colour,  or  a  reddish  white  when  in  form  of  a  heart. 

The  rustic  witch  or  wizard  as  soon  as  he  has  secured  his 
stone  will  daub  it  red,  and  afterwards  will  perform  over  it  a  weird 
ceremony  which  varies  according  to  the  whim  of  the 'Stregone.' 
However  there  are  three  points  which  never  vary  and  are  always 
essentially  the  same  in  everj-  ceremony. 

First  comes  the  *  creation,'  *  invocation,*  or  as  they  sometimes 
call  it  *  The  Enchainment,'  '  Incatenazione,'  of  a  mysterious  and  bene- 
ficent being  who  dwells  in  the  stone  and  who  is  called  by  the 
wizard  *  The  Spirit  of  the  Stone.' 

'  Second  comes  the  search  and  discovery  by  the  wizard,  of  the 
ini€  name  of  the  spirit  by  which  he  may  be  summoned,  and  the 
knowledge  of  this  *  true  name  '  is  strictly  confined  to  the  wizard. 
Thus  it  is  useless  to  rob  the  owner  of  his  treasure  unless  you  know 
the  name  of  the  spirit,  and  when  the  stone  is  transferred  to  any 
other  person,  the  name  is  solemnly-  communicated  to  the  new 
master. 

The  third  and  last  ceremony  is  to  discover  the  use  of  the 
stone,  what  illnesses  may  be  cured  by  it,  and  what  this  mysterious 
power  can  do  and  how  it  may  best  be  utilised  by  the  wizard. 

The  stone  is  now  considered  as  a  most  precious  talisman  and 
amulet,  the  home  of  a  divine  being,  and  it  must  necessarily  be 
retained  on  the  person  of  the  wizard,  enclosed  in  a  small  bag  of 
crimson  wool. 

The  rich  peasant  "will  use  the  blood  of  a  black  cock,  and  offer 
up  the  creature  as  a  sacrifice  to  colour  the  stone  in  the  first  part  of 
its  consecration  ;  but  the  poorer  man  will  content  himself  with  a 
daub  of  red  paint  and  a  little  varnish. 

The  medical  powers  of  each  stone  depend  on  the  shape  :  a 
stone  like  the  human  liver  is  an  unfailing  remedy  for  all  liver 

diseases. 

•  This  is  perhaps  a  reminiscence  of  the  medieval  doctrine  taught 
by  Paracelsus,  but  above  all  other  shapes,  the  egg  or  bean-shaped 
stone  is  held  most  powerful. 


230  I'he  Theosophist.  [January 

The  stone  once  consecrated  is  put  directly  to  the  test,  and  if 
successful  the  gratitude  of  the  first  patient  is  sufficient  to  establish 
its  reputation  and  secure  an  easy  livelihood  for  the  fortunate  owner. 

I  have  a  rather  large  specimen  in  my  possession^  oval  in  shape, 
which  for  many  years  was  the  inestimable  treasure  of  a  man  living 
in  the  mountains  near  I^ucca.  Its  special  virtue  was  the  cure  of 
rheumatism,  and  the  peasants  came  twenty  and  thirty  miles  to  vene- 
rate it  and  to  be  cured  of  their  pains. 

You  paid  the  wizard,  were  then  allowed  to  take  the  stone  in 
your  hands  and  pass  it  over  the  parts  affected  with  the  aching  pains, 
then  you  kissed  it  and  restored  it  to  its  owner  who  gabbled  all  the 
time  an  unintelligible  chant,  in  which  he  appealed  to  the  spirit  of 
the  stone  by  his  ime  yiame  to  cure  his  client. 

The  spirits  are  held  to  be  of  either  sex,  that  belonging  to 
my  especial  stone  being  female,  and  her  powers  are  said  to  be 
marvelous. 

I  had  formed  a  small  collection  of  these  *  pietrefatale  '-^^sacred 
stones  *-"and  wishing  to  verify  them  I  showed  my  collection  to  a 
renowned  wizard,  whose  life  is  spent  in  the  Appenines  guarding  his 
flocks  from  wolves  and  eagles. 

It  is  amongst  such  men  that  the  ancient  traditions  are  best  re- 
membered, for  their  life  is  passed  among  the  mountains  and  they  are 
free  from  over-contact  with  our  so-called  civilisation. 

Besides  the  orthodox  Italian  stones,  there  was  an  Egyptian 
amulet  which  naturally  attracted  the  wise  man's  attention.  My 
friend's  means  of  divination  were  two  little  carved  bones  and  from 
time  to  time  he  referred  to  them  for  advice,  singing  his  incantation 
in  a  soft,  modulated  chant. 

He  told  me  the  virtues  of  the  Italian  stones  very  correctly ;  but 
when  he  came  to  my  Egyptian  Amulet  he  was  puzzled  and  tried  his 
chant  three  times  without  success*  *  It  is  foreign  magic,  very 
powerful,  and  of  great  antiquity;  but  my  spirits  are  unable  to 
explain  what  it  is  used  for/  he  said,  and  nothing  would  do  until  I 
changed  this  new  talisman  for  one  of  his  own  little  stone-^gods. 

Among  other  curious  relics  of  former  knowledge  to  be  found 
among  the  Italian  wizards,  is  the  double  name  attributed  by  them 
to  each  nature-spirit  or  god.  One  name  is  almost  literally  Etruscan 
and  is  held  to  be  the  true  name,  to  be  the  property  of  the  wizard 
or  priestly  clan,  and  serves  as  a  means  of  recognition  between  two 
professors  of  rural  magic. 

The  other  name  is  the  one  told  to  the  people  and,  acccwding  to 
the  Italian  wizard,  is  useless  to  compel  divine  aid— r/Adt/  is  only  to  be 
secured  by  the  use  of  *  the  true  name  *  which  is  carcftUly  held  secret 
from  the  profane. 

There  are  many  quaint  customs,  evidently  of  eastern  origin, 
still  lingering  among  the  descendants  of  Etruscan  Augurs ;  some, 
like  the  worship  of  a  mirror,  point  to  Shinto  Rites,  othere,  like  the 


1901.]  Potentiality  of  the  Will.  231 

carefully  guarded  melody  belonging  to  each  incantation  or  invoca- 
tion, seem  related  to  the  mantras  of  India ;  but  by  this  time  I  fear  to 
have  exhausted  the  patience  of  my  readers  and  Jean  only  trust  that 
the  small  harvest  I  have  been  permitted  to  gather  in  the  golden  fields 
of  Italian  traditions,  may  be  supplemented  a  thousand  fold  by  some 
more  able  master  in  the  wisdom  of  our  ancestors.  .   > 

Roma  Listkr,  F.T.S. 

S^us  C^tsi^Uerc  ddla  Sccietd  delle  Tradizione  Nazwiale. 

A^/e.— The  sacred  stones  are  only  used  to  cure^  never  to  injure^ 
afthough  there  is  much  black  magic  practised  in  Italy  the  Stone-* 
\«^)rship  is  never  degraded  for  evil  aims ;  but  it  is  on  the  other  hand 
turned  to  much  p^uniary  advantage  by  the  wizard  or  witch.    R.  L. 

tWhich  is,  itself  black  magic,  being  the  use  of  occult  forces  for 
sdfish  ends.    Ed^l 


TQTMTIAUTY  OF  TBE  WILL. 

AS  the  Universe  is  a  unit5%  one  part  of  it  can  be  read  by  «not3ier, 
tf»d  by  gttsnang  knowledge  in  one  dqwrtment,  we  eioi  ^s/usi 
knowledge  ia  many  departnaents-^-gaxnin^g  knowledge  ia  the  snuJl, 
we  can  also  gain  it  in  the  groat  And  this  troth  (assmnini:  thfit  k  is 
perceived  to  be  a  truth)  is  extremely  valuahle,  otherwise  many  of 
oar  theosophical  investigations  woaid  not  be  entitled  to  count  for 
mope  than  mere  philosoplaical  speculations.  Moreover,  vie  as 
Tiseosophists  pint  forth  nc^hiog  on  authority,  and  tberefeiie  kbdc 
wlnt  is  oOEben  looked  on  elsewhere  as  a  strong  support  and  ev^en  as 
a  g«a»aitee  of  tmth.  Theosophists  may  :generaiUy  believe  in  iSais  or 
that,  or  may  generally  put  forth  this  or  thart  teadsiasg ;  btft  it  must 
again  and  a^in  be  reitcgalgd  that  we  ane  ^ch  free,  asad  indeed  bound 
teftco^t  or&row  osct  whatever  teaching  weniay  think  right  or 
WMttg  lentiMity  as  tkat  teaching  may  appeal  to  tts  on  its  own  Hients, 
and  not  at  all  tecause  of  the  quarter  from  which  rt  may  pFoceed. 

These  remarks  are  made  in  order  that  it  may  not  be  thought 
tbat  any  apparently  arbittary  statement  in  tbis  article  is  rofiMy 
'tegmatic  or  put  &>t^  because  of  any  authority  that  it  m^ybe 
supposed  to  possess. 

The  XJoiverse  is  Hien  'One^its  appescance  is  oliierwise  ;  and 
ibis  is  teeanse  its  xtmty  is  disgnised  imder'  a  snoat  ^^ompkx  ^system 

Uliere  is  but  one  primordial  substanac,  ahitough  no  end  to  the 
nnmber  <i{  «iodifications  and  combinations  of  modifications  of  this 
stdi)6t0nce«*'*what  ore  called  the  chemical  elements  and  the  various 
bodies  composed  of  different  pi'oportions  of  these  elements. 

There  is  but  one  l4fe  and  it  permeates  everything-^^^aithongh 
disguised  tmder  many  modifications. 

There  is  but  one  consciousness  and  it  is  everywhere  immanent, 
afltbocfgfh  app^vently  split  up  into  ixmumerable  sentient  estiiies  .at 


232  The  Theosophlst.  [January 

all  stages  of  progress  and  with  all  kinds  of  degrees  of  limitation  to 
the  sphere  of  their  consciousness. 

There  is  but  one  sense — sensitiveness  to  vibration — although 
the  degrees  and  kinds  and  ranges  of  sensitiveness  are  without  limit. 
There  is  but  one  law  of  ebb  and  flow,  of  action  and  reaction, 
of  construction  and  destruction,  under  which  everjrthing  comes 
into  manifestation  and  goes  out  of  manifestation,  whether  it  be  a 
stone  or  a  plant  or  a  man  or  the  Cosmos  itself.  That  is,  there 
is  but  one  cyclic  law  under  which  all  manifestation  proceeds — 
birth,  life,  death,  resurrection — although  again  this  one  law  is 
disguised  under  all  manner  of  variations.  For  instance,  so  far  a$ 
appearance  goes,  a  living  organism  when  it  dies  decomposes,  but 
a  bit  of  stone  does  not.  That,  however,  is  only  appearance.  In 
reality  the  same  changes  which  bring  about  the  resolution  of  a 
dead  body  into  the  chemical  elements  of  which  it  is  composed,  are 
also  acting  on  the  stone — slowly  but  none  the  less  surely — and 
ultimately  it  crumbles  away  and  disappears,  its  constituents  re- 
incarnating and  helping  to  form  other  rocks.  And  so  in  the  history 
of  the  earth  we  find  that  rocks  have  been  formed,  disintegrated  and 
reformed,  the  same  materials  being  used  over  and  over  again.  And 
that  is  not  a  matter  of  speculation  but  a  ^simple  fact,  know^n  to 
everybody  who  has  given  any  attention  to  geology. 

In  like  manner  there  is  but  one  force,  viz.j  will-force,  and  it  is 
everywhere  immanent  in  matter,  whether  that  matter  happen  to  be 
manifest  as  a  mineral  or  as  the  vehicle  of  a  high  intdligence: 
although  again  this  will  is  so  modified,  differentiated  and  disguised* 
that  we  commonly  only  recognise  it  in  man  and  in  the  animal 
kingdom,  not  recognising  it  at  all  in  the  vegetable  or  mineral, 
because  it  manifests  differently  in  these  kingdoms. 

Now  no  matter  can  be  created  or  annihilated  and  no  energy  can 
be  created  or  annihilated,  and  therefore  of  course  neither  can  will- 
power be  created  or  annihilated.  Indeed  these  three  statements  are 
all  different  aspects  of  the  same  thing  which  is  co^imonly  known 
under  the  name  of  the  law  of  the  conservation  of  energy.  But 
although  the  amount  of  energy  in  the  universe  cannot  be  increased, 
the  arrangement  of  that  energy  can  be  altered — and  such  alteration 
is  being  continually  brought  about,  not  merely  by  the  chemist  in 
his  laboratory  but  by  every  one  of  us,  whether  we  are  aware  of  it  or 
not.  But  the  power  an  individual  possesses  in  the  way  of  concentra- 
tion and  manipulation  of  what  may  be  termed  outside  energy,  is  very 
great  when  he  proceeds  to  do  so  consciously  and  with  that  definite 
object  in  view.  The  uses  and  abuses  to  which  steam,  electricity,  and 
explosives  are  put,  furnish  familiar  and  everyday  instances  of  this. 
And  as  we  find  one  law  underlying  ever5rthing,  and  that  all  things 
are  correlated  and  resolvable  into  one  another,  in  other  words,  that 
everjrthing  is  indeed  one  although  apparently  separate  and  dis- 
tinct, it  is  evident  that  the  energy  within  ourselves,  or  utilised  by 
'urselves,  is  not  separate  from  the  energy  without  or  the  totality  of 


1901.]  Potentiality  of  the  Will.  833 

energ>'.  If  therefore  there  is  capacity  to  increase  the  will-power--- 
and  nobody  denies  this — it  is  hard  to  see  where  a  limit  to  the  power 
of  extension  can  be  fixed.  And  so  we  get  a  first  glimpse  of  what  is 
involved  in  the  potentiality  of  the  will. 

As  we  have  seen  that  underlying  everything  there  is  a  unity  con- 
cealed in  apparent  diversity  and  separateness.  it  is  plain  that  this 
must  apply  also  to  the  will.  Our  own  minds,  our  own  reasoning 
powers  will  tell  us  this,  without  opening  any  book  to  learn  what  any 
one  else  has  to  say  about  it.  Othen^'ise  we  have  failed  to  understand 
what  is  meant  by  a  truth  on  one  plane  being  a  truth  on  all,  and  we  do 
not  )'et  see  what  is  involved  in  the  idea  of  the  unity  of  the  universe, 
without  which  perception  that  unity  is  a  mere  speculation  or  dogma 
and  not  a  supremely  important  fact  capable  of  throwing  a  flood  of  light 
on  the  problem  of  existence.  So  we  must  not  look  for  the  wnll  to 
manifest  itself  always  in  one  particular  way.  The  following  quotation 
from  Schopenhauer,  given  in  "  Isis  Unveiled";(I,  58,),  is  worthy  of 
carefiil  study ;  "  The  tendency  to  gravitation  in  a  stone  is  as  un- 
explainable  as  thought  in  human  brain.  If  matter  can — ^no  one  knows 
why — fall  to  the  ground,  then  it  can  also — no  one  knows  why — 

think As  soon,  even  in  mathematics,  as  we  trespass  beyond  the 

purely  mathematical,  as  soon  as  we  reach  the  inscrutable,  adhe- 
sion, gravitation  and  so  on,  we  are  faced  by  phenomena  which 
are  to   our  senses   as    mysterious   as    the   will    and  thought    in 

man If  you  consider  that  there  is  in  a  humau 

form  some  sort  of  a  spirit^  then  you  are  obliged  to  concede 
the  same  to  a  stone.  If  your  dead,  utterly  passive  matter  can  mani- 
fest a  tendency  toward  gravitation,  or  like  electricity,  attract  and 
repel  and  send  out  sparks — then,  as  well  as  the  brain,  it  can  also 
think.  In  short  every  particle  of  the  so-called  spirit  we  can  replace 
with  an   equivalent  of  matter,  and  every  particle  of  matter  replace 

\Cith  spirit Thus  it  is  not  the  Cartesian  division  of  all 

things  into  matter  and  spirit  that  can  ever  be  found  philpsophically 
exact ;  but  only  if  we  divide  them  into  will  and  ma7iifestation,  which 
form  of  division  has  naught  to  do  with  the  former,  for  it  spiritualizes 
every  thing:  all  that  which  is  in  the  first  instance  real  and  objective 
—body  and  matter — it  transforms  into  a  representation,  and  every 
manifestation  into  will." 

The  mysterious  something  which  holds  the  atoms  of  a  lump  of 
granite  together  is  precisely  that  mysterious  something  which  holds 
the  atoms  of  the  personality  of  a  man  together,  although  in  the  one 
case  we  may  call  it  the  force  of  cohesion,  and  in  the  other  case — the 
caseot  man — ^we  call  it  vital  energy-,  sub-divided  into  a  bundle  of  dif- 
ferent kinds  of  forces,  the  action  of  some  of  which  is  voluntary,  as  in 
the  movement  of  the  limbs  in  walking,  and  the  action  of  some  in- 
voluntar>',  as  in  the  beating  of  the  heart  ;  some  chemical,  as  in  the 
digestion  of  food  and  some  non-chemical,  as  in  the  transmission  of 
energy  through  the  nerve  tubes  of  the  body.    But  this  is  simply  the 

6 


234  ,  The  Theo«ophl8t.  [January 

manifestation  in  man,  the  microcosm,  of  that  differentiation  of  force 
which  is  also  manifest  in  the  macrocosm.  All  the  bundle  of  factors 
which  make  up  what  we  call  man  really  resolve  themselves  into  two, 
viz,,  force  and  matter  as  in  the  case  of  the  stone.  These  two  being  in- 
separable like  the  two  sides  of  a  coin  or  disc.  You  cannot  have  the  one 
without  the  other.  But  "  will "  is  a  better  word  to  use  than  **  force." 
Of  course  in  man  this  force  or  will  has  many  modifications,  which  we 
designate  physical,  chemical,  nervous,  mental,  psychic,  spiritual  and 
so  forth.  If  we  take  away  force  from  the  stone  the  stone  itself  dis- 
appears. In  like  manner  if  we  take  force  or  soul  away  from  man 
the  man  disappears,  and  so  of  everything  manifest  to  the  senses. 

Force  then  is  the  reality  rather  than  dead  matter,  and  there  are 
many  kinds  of  forces.  But  matter  on  the  other  hand  is  simply  a 
mode  or  manifestation  of  force.  On  the  face  of  things  this  does  not 
appear  to  be  the  case.  We  naturally  imagine  force  to  be  some 
intangible  thing  acting  inside  a  tangible  and  inert  casing  which  we 
call  matter,  like  steam  inside  the  pipes  of  a  steam  engine.  But  that 
idea  should  be  got  rid  of,  because  it  is  quite  erroneous.  Steam  truly 
is  a  force,  but  is  material,  and  every  particle  of  metal  in  the  pipes 
and  boiler  of  the  engine  is  also  a  force.  Every  atom  is  kept  near  to 
every  other  atom  by  means  of  a  force,  and  in  their  ultimate  analysis, 
atoms  of  which  the  iron  is  composed  can  only  be  understood  as  so 
many  tiny  centres  of  force.  So  that  steam  rushing  through  the  pipes 
of  an  engine  is  not  force  rushing  through  matter,  but  one  arrange- 
ment of  forces— steam '-rushing  through  another  arrangement  of 
atomic  forces  which  in  their  aggregate  makeup  the  pipes,  etc.,  which 
appear  to  our  senses  to  be  hard  and  motionless  but  which  we  know  in 
reality  to  be  neither  the  one  nor  the  other.  Another  erroneous  idea 
that  should  be  abandoned  is,  that "  force"  is  blind  and  non-intelligent. 
The  reverse  is  the  case.  One  kind  of  force  for  instance  is  known  as 
intellectual  force  and  it  would  be  absurd  to  say  that  intellect  is  noa- 
intelligent.  The  fact  is  that  force  far  from  being  necessarily  un- 
intelligent and  blind  is  on  the  contrary  that  spirit  or  soul  or 
intelligence  or  will  or  whatever  it  may  be  called,  which  per- 
meates every  atom  of  matter.  The  indwelling  spirit  which  holds 
the  atoms  of  a  chip  of  stone  together  or  the  atoms  of  a  living 
organism  together,  is  the  indwelling  spirit  in  each  case,  whether  we 
call  it  cohesion  or  soul.  This  is  what  Schopenhauer  meant  by  saying 
that  a  stone  could  think  if  a  man  could,  and  as  in  the  case  of  steam 
and  the  steam  engine,  so  in  the  case  of  the  body,  it  is  a  mistake  to 
suppose  that  the  soul  or  spirit  is  something  entirely  separate  and 
distinct  from  the  form  which  it  uses  as  an  instrument.  Following 
out  our  reasoning,  it  is  apparent  that  man's  soul  compared  to  his 
body,  is  a  finer  form  of  matter  utilising  a  grosser  as  a  vehicle,  both 
body  and  soul  however  in  their  last  analysis  resolving  themselves 
equally  into  soul  or  spirit,  just  as,  in  the  case  of  the  steam  engine, 
the  steam  rushing  through  its  pipes  is  a  finer  form  of  matter  utilising 


IdOl.]  '        Potentiality  of  the  VJilh  ^3^ 

a  grosser — the  iron — as  a  vehicle,  both  the  steam  and  the  iron  how- 
ever in  their  last  analysis  being  equally —force. 

From  these  considerations  we  begin  to  see  what  a  startling  signi- 
ficance really  underlies  what  is  known  as  the  **  correlation  of  forces." 
And  recollect  this  is  one  of  the  generalisations  of  science  arrived  at 
from  the  scientific  point  of  view  and  quite  independent  of  the  meta- 
physician ;  and  yet  what  does  it  involve  ?  Precisely  this :  the  inter- 
relation and  inter-dependence,  the  convertibility,  and  consequently 
the  actual  identity,  of  everything  in  and  around  us  in  the  universe 
and  consequently  the  literal  unity  of  that  universe.  To  speak  of  the 
correlation  of  force  is  simply  another  way  of  saying  that  all  kinds  of 
forces  are  in  reality  only  one  and  the  same  force  or  spirit  under 
different  conditions,  in  the  same  way  that  ice,  water  and  steam,  or 
the  solid,  liquid  and  gaseous  conditions  of  any  given  body,  are  all 
the  time  the  same  body  under  different  guises — ice  being  not  only 
related  to  water  but  actually  resolvable  into  water — ice  being  conse- 
quently intrinsically  identical  with  water  and  merely  posing  as 
something  apparently  different  for  the  time  being. 

But  the  important  thing  about  this  correlation,  and  what  it  has 
been  introduced  here  to  bring  out,  is  the  logical  conclusion  to  which 
it  points,  VIZ.,  that  a/l  manifestations  are  identical  and  non-separate 
from  one  another,  however  separate  and  different  in  outward  appear- 
ance they  may  be  amongst  themselves.  Now  if  the  will-power  in 
man  were  intrinsically  separate  and  distinct  from  the  outside  world 
and  not  correlative  therewith,  but  merely  something  locked  up 
inside  a  man's  body,  its  potentiality  might  conceivably  be  somewhat 
limited — ^nothing  more,  probably,  than  what  is  ordinarily  understood 
to  be  its  limit,  t\e,,  a  certain  inherent  capacity  each  man  has  to 
improve  his  faculties  to  some  extent.  But  when  it  is  recognised  that 
the  will  of  any  individual  is  not  a  thing  separate  from  the  totality 
of  force  but  identical  therewith,  then  the  case  is  widely  different. 
Each  individual  man  and  woman  is  recognised  to  be  not  only  a  part 
of  the  universe  but  the  universe  itself—or  rather  a  centre  from  which 
the  universe  radiates  out  in  all  directions.  Each  one  of  us  is  in 
touch  with  the  forces  of  the  universe,  if  we  were  but  conscious  of 
it.    We  belong  to  the  Infinite— the-Infinite  belongs  to  us^ 

Will,  then,  regarded  in  its  totality,  is  force,  and  force  permeates 
everything  manifest ;  therefore  it  is  universally  present  not  only 
in  every  particle  of  organic  or  inorganic  substance,  in  every  grain  of 
the  visible  orbs  in  the  heavens,  but  also  present  wherever  matter 
exists,  even  where  that  matter  is  invisible,  such  as  the  etheric 
matter  which  fills  interstellar  space,  the  existence  of  which  science 
has  been  obliged  to  admit  in  order  to  account  for  the  phenomena  of 
light  and  heat.  Regarded  on  the  other  hand  in  its  differentiated 
aspect,  this  omnipresent  force  in  one  of  its  many  forms  is  termed 
"  humam  will-power."  This  will-power  assumes  a  very  different 
meaning  from  what  it  ordinarily  connotes  when  the  foregoing  consid- 


235  The  Theosophist.  [Jafiuai^y 

erations  are  kept  in  mind.  For  instead  of  regarding  it  as  something 
inside  a  man  and  separated  from  his  surroundings  by  his  physical 
body,  we  find  that  it  is  something,  a  power,  which  reaches  to  the 
Confines  of  the  universe,  and  that  it  is  this  boundless  power  and  no 
less  on  which  man  lays  his  hand  and  to  a  certain  small  extent  brings 
to  his  use  when  he  speaks  of  his  will-power.  It  will  be  sufficiently 
obvious  then  that  there  is  here  a  very  tremendous  potentiality, 
always  supposing  that  man  can  avail  himself  of  it  and  in  proportion 
to  the  extent  to  which  he  can  do  so.  Indeed  the  whole  importance 
or  chief  importance  of  the  question,  so  far  as  man  is  concerned,  lies 
in  the  extent  to  which  he  can  control  this  force  ;  but  the  first  step 
necessary  is  to  realise  that  such  force  as  we  do  wield  is  not  some- 
thing belonging  exclusively  to  ourselves  and  which  is  disconnected 
with  other  people  and  the  outside  world,  but  that  each  living 
creature,  as  has  been  pointed  out,  is  a  centre  from  which  the 
universe  radiates  and  that  his  power  over  this  universe  depends 
entirely  on  the  sco^^e  of  his  consciousness  and  realisation  of  this 
fact. 

Taking  cognisance  then  of  the  present  position  to  which  normal 
mankind  have  attained,  and  bearing  in  mind  that  will  is  energj''  and 
that  energy  by  which  the  entire  cosmos  has  been  thrown  into  mani- 
festation and  is  held  in  manifestation  from  second  to  second, 
we  come  face  to  face  with  a  duality  here  as  everywhere  else. 
We  have  force  acting  on  us  from  without — /.r.,  force  which 
manipulates  us — and  w^e  have  force  proceeding  from  ourselves 
to  the  outside  world  and  which  we  manipulate.  Is  the  ratio 
between  these  two  factors  the  same  in  all  creatures  and  things  ? 
It  is  not.  The  mineral  has  no  power  to  react  on  the  universe 
without,  except  by  its  chemical  affinities — yet  it  has  those 
affinities.  The  plant  has  more  power— it  has  organic  life,  and 
consequently  builds  itself  into  an  organic  structure  and  maintains 
that  as  an  organic  whole  for  a  time,  from  whatever  suitable  materials 
it  may  find  at  hand.  It  does  something  more  than  merely  react  on 
the  outside  world  by  chemical  affinity.  But  its  sphere  of  action  and 
of  movement  is  very  limited.  Coming  to  the  animal  kingdom,  we 
find  a  great  change  in  the  ratio  referred  to.  There  is  a  considerable 
enlargement  of  the  sphere  of  consciousness  although  self  conscious- 
ness and  consequently  complete  individuality  has  not  been  reached. 
The  animal  has  not  only,  like  the  plant,  the  power  of  building  up  a 
physical  edifice  for  itself  and  maintaining  it  in  repair,  but  it  carries 
this  edifice  about  from  place  to  place  by  its  own  volition  and  in  that 
way  has  a  much  wider  sphere  of  action.  The  ratio  of  internal  power* 
or  as  we  would  say,  of  will-power,  is  increasing  as  compared  to  the 
outside  power  in  regard  to  which  it  is  passive.  But  still  the  power 
of  the  animal  is  comparatively  nothing  when  pitted  against  outside 
forces ;  yet  its  manipulation  of  force  is  very  great  when  compared 
with  the  plant.    Coming  now  to  man,  we  find  a  much  greater  com- 


'  r 


1901.]  Potentiality  of  the  Will.  237 

maud  of  energy,  a  further  change  in  the  ratio  between  will  acting  on 
him  from  outside  and  will  acting  from  within  himself  on  the  outside 
world.  Now  not  losing  sight  of  the  fact  that  will  is  energy  and  that  no 
energy  can  be  created  or  annihilated,  what  does  tjie  whole  past  histor}'^ 
of  our  globe  and  man's  present  position  on  it  indicate  ?  Plainly  that 
as  consciousness  in  matter  emerges,  that  consciousness  clothes  itself 
in  difierent  embodiments  according  to  its  stage  of  awakenment  (these 
embodiments  being  innumerable)  and  that  that  consciousness  has 
ultimately,  in  the  case  of  modern  man,  become  clothed  with  matter 
of  such  a  texture  and  shape  as  to  constitute  the  symbol  in  matter  of 
that  manifestation  of  self-conscious  and  unconscious  force  which  is 
termed  man,  and  that  what  distinguishes  this  force  or  rather  bundle 
of  forces  which  we  call  a  human  unit,  is  the  amount  of  control  over 
the  forces  of  nature  which  it  has  power  to  exercise  independently,  the 
physical  embodiment  of  any  creature  being  the  exact  material 
symbol  of  the  extent  to  which  the  potentiality  existent  in  all  things 
has  become  an  actuality  in  that  particular  creature.  Thus  it  is  seen 
that  the  whole  history  of  the  past  is  an  object  lesson  showing  clearly 
the  potentiality  of  the  will  and  what  has  already  been  accomplished 
thereby  up  to  our  present  standpoint.  And  as  everything  is  correla- 
ted and  the  idea  of  separateness  therefore  philosophically  an  illusion, 
it  follows  that  the  amount  of  our  ignorance  of  the  outside  world,  the 
extent  to  which  we  do  not  realise  that  our  environment  is  actually 
ourselves,  the  God  withiii^  to  that  extent  we  are  limited  in  our  con- 
sciousness and  limited  in  our  will-power.  But  the  past  teaches  us  not 
only  that  the  individual  organism  has  a  capacity  for  individual 
growth,  but  that  the  dififerent  species  of  organisms  become  iii  their 
turn  changed  ;  shellfish  giving  place  to  more  advanced  fishes,  these 
being  succeeded  by  amphibious  creatures  and  reptiles,  these  by 
birds  and  by  mammals.  And  so,  as  there  is  not  the  slightest 
reason  or  proof  to  the  contrary,  we  must,  looking  to  the  future,  per- 
ceive that  the  individual  organism  or  entity — the  symbol  of  the 
relative  dominance  of  spirit  over  matter — will  continue  to  extend 
its  sphere  of  consciousness,  its  approximation  to  realisation  of  its 
identity  with  the  universe  or  rather  with  Universal  Spirit,  until  it 
becomes  Supreme  Consciousness — God.  Now  these  are  conclusions 
drawn  from  the  evidence  which  scientific  men  have  gathered  to- 
gether not  for  this  purpose,  but  simply  in  the  investigation  of  truth 
on  their  own  lines.  Turning  from  the  deductions  which  science 
and  philosophy  compel  us  .to  make,  it  is  all  the  more  interesting  to 
find  that  this  idea  of  approximation  to  and  final  attainment  to  Deity 
or  at  least  to  the  presence  of  Deity,  is  an  expectation  that  has  always 
been  more  or  less  present  with  religionists,  and  that  long  before 
they  had  the  corroboration  from  the  scientific  side  which  we  now 
possess. 

In  regard  to  the  dictum  that  man  is  potentially   the  Infinite, 
the  writer  is  quite  awafe  that  many  Christians  object  to  this  con*- 


238  The  Theosophist.  [January 

clusiou  as  making  too  much  of  man  so  to  speak  ;  and  to  those  who 
believe  in  an  extra-cosmic,  personal  God  the  conclusion  may  appear 
presumptuous.  But  this  is  owing  entirely  to  a  misconception.  For 
man  is  not,  accordmg  to  this  philosophy,  alone  placed  in  this 
proud  position  :  not  the  humblest  worm  or  insect  that  breathes 
but  has  the  same  potentiality  and  is  likewise  a  centre  from 
which  the  universe  radiates — "  the  centre  is  ever5npvhere,  the 
circumference  is  nowhere."  Besides  we  have  no  intention 
whatever  either  to  make  much  of  ourselves  or  little  of  ourselves. 
Our  intention  is  merely  to  show  what  from  pure  philosophy, 
appears  to  be  the  truth.  If  there  be  any  reason  to  suppose 
that  what  has  been  written  is  not  sound,  by  all  means  let  that 
reason  be  forthcoming.  It  will  be  most  welcome  and  be  accep- 
ted or  thrown  out  of  court  entirely  on  its  own  merits.  For 
before  truth,  according  to  the  motto  of  our  Society,  under  which  we 
have  banded  ourselves  together,  all  things  must  stand  aside :  all 
things  must  fit  themselves  into  truth  as  best  they  may  ;  it  is  not  for 
truth  to  stoop  and  submit  to  that  which  is  inferior — and  SLnything 
which  is  inconsistent  with  truth,  whether  it  be  called  sacred  or 
secular,  is  inferior  to  truth. 

Recurring  to  the  gradual  advancement  and  the  corresponding 
change  of  form  of  the  creatures  which  inhabit  our  globe  from  age  to 
age,  this  question  imperatively  forces  itself  on  us  :  What  does  this 
endless  march  of  the  generations  of  living  organisms  mean  ?  True, 
the  general  trend  has  been  upward,  and  in  the  far  future  it  may  be 
safely  said  that  a  great  height  has  still  to  be  attained,  that  all 
creatures  are  destined  to  pass  the  human  stage  of  will-power,  and 
that  the  human  beings  of  the  present  day  are  destined  to  pass 
on  to  the  Divine.  But  'jWhat  is  it  that  passes  on  ?  Is  it 
conceivable  that  the  long  march  of  life,  from  the  far  distant 
past  in  the  night  of  time,  hundreds  of  millions  of  years  ago, 
down  to  the  present  and  onwards  into  the  eternity  of  the 
future,  is  broken  at  each  generation  ;  that  the  individuals  of  each 
generation  never  were  on  that  march  before,  and  that  at  death  they 
lie  down  never  to  resume  that  march  again,  and  that  the  promised 
land  will  be  gained  not  by  those  who  have  journeyed  to  it,  but 
by  those  who  chance  to  be  born  last,  who  have  the  good  fortune  to 
drop  into  the  last  day's  march,  who  have  come  from  nowhere,  done 
nothing  and  yet  find  themselves  at  the  very  end  of  a  journey  which 
it  has  taken  others  so  much  trouble  to  make  ?  Those  who  believe 
that  each  living  entity  only  lives  one  life  must  have  to  accept  this 
latter  alternative,  which  becomes  the  more  impossible  and  prepos- 
terous the  more  it  is  looked  at.  The  teaching  of  reincarnation  is  the 
other  alternative,  and  it  constitutes  one  of  the  two  great  teachings 
which  are  at  present  so  widely  held  among  Theosophists.  I  have 
not  space  nor  would  it  be  suitable  here  to  go  into  the  pros  and  cv7is  of 
the  reincarnation  theory.    Suffice  it  to  say  that  reincarnation,  so  far 


1901.]  Life  Portraits.  239 

as  the  chemical  elements  are  concerned,  is  a  fact  which  has  long 
been  known  to  ordinary  physical  scientists  under  a  different  name, 
and  moreover  the  existence  of  cyclic  law  is  also  well  known.  Now 
the  unity  of  the  universe  implies  the  universal  application  of  these 
laws  and  hence  involves  reincarnation  of  organisms  as  part  of  the 
regular  programme  which  we  see  so  steadily  adhered  to  elsewhere. 
The  subject  of  reincarnation  has  been  merely  mentioned  here  be- 
cause it  is  necessary  to  look  beyond  the  portals  of  death,  and  a  good 
way  beyond,  to  find  scope  for  the  evolution  of  the  will.  If  we  limit 
man's  existence  to  this  one  life,  then  the  development  of  the  will 
would  necessarily  be  limited  to  that  life  and  a  satisfactory  explana- 
tion of  evolution  would  still  be  wanting. 

A  comprehension  of  the  potentiality  in  man  and  in  all  things, 
also  throws  light  on  the  meaning  of  the  brotherhood  of  man — the 
recognition  of  which  is  the  first  object  of  our  Society.  In  place  of  a 
vague  sentiment  of  the  goody  goody  type,  it  is  perceived  how  all  men 
aye  and  all  creatures,  are  verily  our  brothers,  and  more — ourselves, 
each  entity  being  not  separate  but  merely  a  manifestation  under 
limitation  of  one  and  the  same  Supreme  Power.  And  as  this  at 
first  necessarily  partial  realisation  more  and  more  approximates  to 
perfect  realisation,  so  the  sharp  lives  which  in  man's  ignorance  he 
thinks  divide  the  personal  self  from  the  not-self  become  fainter  and 
fainter  and  ultimately  pass  out  of  sight  altogether,  when  pure  selfless- 
ness is  reached.  Then  "  all  nature's  wordless  voice  in  thousand 
tone  ariseth,  to  proclaim  that  a  Pilgrim  hath  returned  back  from  the 
other  shore — a  new  Arhau  is  bom." 

George  L.  Simpson. 


LIFE  PORTRAITS. 

No.  I. 

Alone  upon  the  Minster  stones  a  mother  knelt. 

The  vaulted  roof  rose  far  above  the  needs  of  men, 

While  through  the  glass  she  saw  the  earth  mist  spread. 

Still  she  prayed  on,  and  raised  her  weeping  ej^es, 

For  none  were  near  to  mark  her  pain-lined  face. 

Then  suddenly  with  scarce  surprise  she  saw 

A  figure  stand  upon  the  steps  in  armour  clad. 

**  Thou  art  too  late,"  oh  guardian  angel !  So, 

Full  fifteen  years  I've  wearied  Heayen  for  thee  ! 

From  sin  to  sin  my  son  has  stooped ;  and  now, 

Why  comest  thou  to  me  ? 

**  I  am  no  angel,  mother  blessed ;  no  claim  is  mine 

To  be  aught  human,  and  still  less,  divine. 

I  am  th'  embodiment  of  all  thy  prayers. 

Their  force  endowed  me  thus  with  deathless  life 


240  The  Theosophist.  [January 

Note  thou  my  sword— 'Tis  tempered  by  thy  faith  : 
This  coat  of  mail  was  by  thy  patience  forged : 
My  very  shield  thy  tears  have  crystallised  ; 
In\nilnerable  it  is ;  mine  armour,  see, 
It  softly  glows  reflecting  thy  pure  love  ! 
Cheer  thee !  I  go  from  hence  to  seek  thy  son 
And  cease  not,  till  I  lead  him  back  to 
Victory  and  God  !  " 


Portrait  No.  II. 

Within  a  darkening  room  a  writer  wrote 

Till  the  lamp  dimmed,  and  all  the  house  grew  chill. 

Still  he  wrote  on— then  paused,  and  his  cramped  hand 

Drooped  nerveless  on  the  page. 

"  'Tis  vain,"  he  murmured,  "  when  my  work,  sent  forth, 

Is  mutilated  by  the  envious  tongues  of  men," 

His  tired  eyes  closed,  and  then  his  bending  head 

Sank  on  his  nerveless  arm. 

A  touch  upon  his  shoulder,  and  his  startled  eyes 

Re-opened  wide  in  wonder ! 

The  dim  room  was  suffused  with  pearly  light 

More  soft  than  break  of  dawn  ! 

It  draped  and  limned  a  form ;  the  face  was  hid, 

But  one  hand  held  a  chaplet  partly  turned. 

**  Who  art  thou,  spirit  ?  speak ! "  the  writer  cried. 

**  Mistake  me  not  for  human,  or  divine ! 

Mortal,  I  am  the  elemental  form 

Created  by  the  motive  of  thy  work  ! 

Write  on  !  I  go  to  steal  into  the  hearts  of  men 

And  pluck  from  the  ungracious  silence  of  their  thought 

Some  cheering  leaves  of  praise. 

I  die  not  when  I  pass. 

Far  on  the  golden  side  of  fuller  life 

Thou  shalt  behold  me  once  again,  and  wear 

The  laurel-wreath  of  fame  this  world  denies." 


Portrait  No.  III. 

From  out  a  spacious  hall,  where  earned  applause 

Bid  fair  to  rend  to  shreds  the  mighty  dome, 

A  master  of  musicians  came  and  passed  thence  home. 

And  then  reaction  like  a  blinding  cloud 

Eclipsed  the  sun  of  triumph,  and  he  cried, 

**  Cut  dono?— they  forget  when  dies  the  sound 

While  all  the  stirring  burst  of  my  poor  strain 


1801.]  Theosophy  In  all  Lands.  Z4l 

Sinks  into  silence  and  is  spent  in  vain." 

Dawn  broke,  but  whence  came  these  ? 

For,  circling  o'er  his  head,  sweet  miniatures 
Of  forms  which  flushed  right  rosily, 
From  smiling  face  to  dainty  tripping  feet, 
Clasped  tiny  hands  and  perfected  a  ring, 
Singing  with  birdlike  voice  in  .harmony  ; 
"  We  live,  great  Master !  conjured  forth  by  thee: 
We  are  thy  brilliant  notes  of  pure-toned  praise  : 
We  vibrate  through  th*  eternal  spheres  : 
We  raise  the  mournful  earth-bound  souls, 
••And  speed  their  flight  towards  heaven. " 

Hope  Hunti^y. 


{Tbeosopbi?  in  all  lanbs. 


EUROPE. 

lyONDON,  November  30///,  1900. 

Activities  of  various  kinds  have  continued  as  usual  during  the  past 
month.  There  have  been  the  usual  lodge  meetings  in  several  centres  in 
London  ;  there  have  been  Sundaj'  evening  meetings  of  a  more  popular 
kind ;  there  have  been  afternoon  receptions  at  Albemarle  St.,  well  attend- 
ed ;  and  the  Blavatsky  Lodge  has  held  another  of  its  conversaziones.  But 
nothing  of  this  really  needs  chronicling,  for  nothing  stands  out  as  of  any 
special  importance,  it  is  only  part  of  the  work  that  should  always  go 
steadily  forward  where  a  number  of  people,  neither  better  nor  worse  than 
the  average,  are  privileged  in  being  allowed  by  Karma  to  stand  before 
the  world  as,  in  some  measure,  the  channel  for  the  outflowing  of  re- 
generative truth. 

From  the  Provinces  the  same  kind  of  reports  come  in  as  to  the 
energies  at  work  in  the  few — very  few — towns  where  Theosophical 
centres  exist.  The  Quarterly  meeting  of  the  Northern  Federation  took 
place  at  Harrogate  as  usual,  and  was  presided  over  by  our  new  General 
Secretary,  Dr.  Wells,  who  took  the  opportunity  to  visit  all  the  principal 
Northern  Lodges,  receiving  a  north  country  welcome  and  making  many 
friends.  Mr.  Moore  paid  a  two  days*  visit  to  Plymouth  to  give  public 
lectures  on  Theosophy,  and  Miss  Ward  made  a  journey  to  Bath  and 
Bristol  for  the  saiQC  purpose.  At  the  former  place  (Bath)  the  Theosoph- 
ical movement  appears  to  be  making  somewhat  better  progress  than 
of  yore. 

.  We  are  drawing  very  near  the  end  of  the  year  and  the  Christmas 
season,  which  is  supposed  to '  be  specially  the  period  for  the  manifes- 
tation of  "  Peace  on  Earth,  Good-will  to  Men,"  finds  us,  alas  1  still  sur- 
rounded by  all  the  elements  of  war,  and  the  campaign  in  South  Africa 
which,  it  was  hoped,  would  terminate  in  June,  is  still  far  from  its  end- 
ing, if  one  may  judge  from  the  reports  one  reads.  In  view  of  the  some- 
what sad  outlook  with  which  the  New  Year  dawns,  I  cannot  do  better 
|han  reproduce  some  of  Mrs.  Besant's  wise  lessons  given  to  us  amid  ajl 

7 


242  The  Theosophist«  [January 

the  clash  of  strife,  when  she  was  with  us  last  summer.  They  are  words 
full  of  helping  for  us  all  and  will  be  gladly  welcomed  by  Theosophists 
in  far  sundered  lands,  for  we  have  all  a  part  to  play  in  the  momentous 
times  in  which  we  live.  In  a  lecture  given  at  the  Queen's  Hall  on  The 
Reality  of  Brotherhood y  our  eloquent  Colleague  reminded  us  that  a  law 
of  nature  is  as  much  vindicated  when  its  continuing  action  destro3^s  that 
which  is  not  in  harmony  with  itself  as  when  obedience  to  its  dictates 
ensures  the  elements  of  success.  So  that  one  of  the  first  things  to  re- 
cognise in  studying  Nature  is  that  we  can  discover  her  laws  as  much  by 
the  failures,  wrecks  that  strew  the  course  of  disregard  of  those  laws,  as 
we  can  trace  than  by  the  happiness,  stability,  permanence  of  all  that  is 
done  in  harmony  with  those  laws.  And  if  that  fact  be  recognised  we 
shall  not  be  disturbed  in  thinking  of  the  Reality  of  Brotherhood  when  we 

notice  that  nation  after  nation  has  utterly  disregarded  it So  far 

the  fact  that  in  history  lack  of  brotherhood  is  seen  everywhere,  need  not 
disturb  us  in  the  acceptance  of  the  law,  and  to-day,  especially,  when  on 
all  sides  we  see  struggle  instead  of  peace,  when  from  all  parts  of  the 
world  there  come  tidings  of  distress  and  combat,  when  the  future  lowers 
more  darkly  than  the  present,  and  the  storm  clouds  are  blacker  than  the 
storm  clouds  over  our  heads  ;  even  in  the  midst  of  the  present  turmoil, 
we  can  see  in  the  whole  of  this,  not  the  failure  of  the  law,  not  any  notion 
that  the  fact  is  not  so,  but  only  that  the  Divine  Providence  that  guides 
evolution  is  forced  into  teaching  men  to  learn  by  sorrow  what  they  will 
not  learn  by  precept ;  to  learn  by  experience  once  more  that  misery  comes 
from  denial  of  brotherhood,  and  that  only  sorrow  and  death  tread  on 
the  heels  of  those  national  sins  which  deny  the  brotherhood  of  nations, 

Then  after  pointing  out  how  differently  a  national  atmosphere 

makes  men  view  the  same  facts,  and  how  inconsistent  it  is  to  call  the 
exclusion  of  the  white  man  from  China  an  act  of  barbarism,  while 
America  and  Australia  both  adopt  measures  for  the  suppression  of 
Chinese  immigration  far  more  severe  than  are  enforced  on  white  men 
in  China,  Mrs.  Besant  continued  :  That  is  a  thing  to  remember  in  the 
rough  days  lying  before  us,  for  every  man  and  woman  who  refuses  to  be 
in  the  popular  fashion,  who  refuses  to  help  swell  the  popular  crj%  who, 
when  he  hears  unjust  judgment,  says  a  word  of  pleading,  every  such 
man  and  woman  helps  to  moderate  public  opinion,  and  each  one  who 
does  it,  does  something  to  check  the  rush  of  hate,  something  to  make  a 
better  feeling  possible.  And  surely  all  who  believe  in  the  realitj-  of 
brotherhood  should  never  soil  their  lips  with  a  harsh  word  against  those 
whom  their  nation  may  be  antagonizing.  I^et  us  keep  peace  in  our 
hearts  even  in  the  midst  of  war,  and  speak  not  with  the  fanaticism  of 
those  who  work  in  favour  of  war,  but  with  the  balanced  judgment  which 
sees  both  sides  of  the  quarrel,  the  justification  on  the  side  of  the  antag- 
onist as  well  as  the  justification  on  our  own  ;  and  so,  giving  this  judg- 
ment, instead  of  the  bitter  words  of  the  partisan,  let  us,  at  least,  who 
believe  in  brotherhood,  contribute  that  to  the  public  opinion  of  our  nation 
during  the  troublous  days  that  lie  ahead.  .  .  .  The  lecturer  then  showed 
how  brotherhood  was  a  reality  on  all  the  planes,  we  coiild  not  get  away 
from  the  results  of  the  constant  interchange  of  particles  between  physi- 
cal, astral  and  mental  bodies.  *'  We  find  that  we  are  affecting  each 
other  by  our  thinking  as  much  as  by  our  emotions  and  our  bodies.  We 
find  our^sejves  botn  into  a  national  thought,   family  thought,   racif^l 


1901.]  Theosophy  in  all  Lands.  243 

tfaottg-ht,  and  the  collective  kinds  of  thought  affect  us  and  influence  our 
individual  thought.  If  you  realise  it,  it  will  help  you  to  be  stronger  and 
calmer,  for  this  question  of  collective  thought  is  of  enormous  practical 
importance  ....  Mrs.  Besant  then  gave  some  illustrations  of 
the  entirely  different  ways  in  which  men  of  different  nations  regarded 
the  same  events  and  said  it  was  our  duty  to  **  try  and  do  away 
with  the  race-coloured  spectacles  through  which  we  were  always 
looking,  and  tr\-  to  siiee  through  those  of  other  people."  "If 
you  do  that  steadily  you  will  make  your  thought  atmosphere 
far  more  colourless  than  it  is  now,  and  if  that  can  be  done  by  man 
after  man,  and  by  woman  after  woman,  in  the  different  nations,  ^*e 
should  gradually  get  an  atmosphere  of  international  thought  that  would 
diminish  our  antagonisms  and  lessen  the  likelihood  of  war  in  the 
future.  You  have  time  to  work.  You  cannot  avoid  war  in  the  present 
and  the  near  future,  but  never  mind,  look  to  the  other  side  of  the^ie 
wars  and  begin  to  build  for  that  which  shall  be  in  the  future.  It  takes 
a  long  time  to  make  an  opinion  ;  a  long  time  to  change  international 

opinion Let  us  begin  to  do  it,  and  by  the  time    the  cycle 

of  wars  is  over,  we  may  be  there  ready  to  outline  the  cycle  of  peace 
that  will  succeed.  Begin  trying  to  make  it  first  in  yourself.  Yom 
cannot  make  it  in  others  till  you  make  it  in  yourselves. . .  Begin  by 
working  at  3'our  own  thought-atmosphere,  and  try  through  that  to 
spread  the  same  idea  of  brotherhood  into  the  thought-atmosphere 
around  you,  and  remember  that  we,  who  happen  to  be  Theosophists, 
have  at  least  this  advantage,  that  we  can  work  with  men  of  every  race, 
every  country,,  in  making  this  international  thought,  for  as  we  have 
members  everywhere  who  recognise  the  brotherhood,  there  is  a  nucleDPs 
in  every  country  from  which  the  brotherhood  thought  can  spread.. . . 
What  is  the  noblest  title  man  can  bear  ?  The  title  that  in  India  was 
given  of  old  to  those  who  recognised  only  the  One  Life,  and  lived  to 
share  it He  is  the  Friend  of  Every  Creature." 

A.  B.  C* 


NETHERLANDS  SECTION. 

Amsterdam,  November  29/^,  1900. 

The  plans  of  the  Vahana-Lodge,   Amsterdam,  alluded  to  in  my 
previous  letter,  have  now  been  carried  out.     They  consist  mainly  of  the 
acquirement  of  their  own  premises.    Two  of  the  members  of  the  I/>dge 
have  combined  to  rent  a  whole  house,  of  which  each  of  them  occupies  a 
fioor ;  the  ground-floor  being  reserved  for  the  Lodge,  and  consisting 
mainly  of  two  rQoms  en  suite,  capable  of  easily  holding  sixty  i)eople. 
These  rooms  are  situated  at  23,  Brederodestraat,  Amsterdam.   On  Octo- 
ber 26th  the  ceremony  of  dedicating  the   new    premises  was    held^ 
Mr.  Fricke  and  all  other  members  of  Headquarters  being   present. 
Many  of  the  members  of  the  Vahana  Lodge  are  artists,  so,  naturally, 
the  new  i)remises  are  decorated,  and  most    artistically    and    daintily. 
Members  from  almost  all  Lodges  and  centres  were  present  and  letters  and 
telegrams  had  been  sent  by  many  others.    Mr.  Fricke,  the  General 
Secretary,  Mr.  C.  de  Bazel,  the  President  of  the  Lodge,  and  Mrs.  Meule- 
loan,  addressed  the  gathering.    It  was  a  pleasant  evening  and    one 


244  The  Theosophist.  [January 

more  link  in  that  solidification  of  our  Section  which  is  of  such  vital 
interest  to  right  growth  and  work  in  the  future.  The  V&hana  I^odge 
is  very  active  and  has  no  less  than  five  weekly  meetings.  Three  of 
these  are  devoted  to  the  teaching  of  branches  of  practical  handicrafts 
along  Theosophical  lines  by  competent  teachers.  This  department 
of  work  comprises  classes  for  drawing,  for  needle- work  and  for  metal- 
work.  This  original  undertaking  has  arisen  from  the  fact  that  many 
members  of  the  Irodge,  who  are  artists  And  artisans  themselves, 
found  that  in  any  line  of  handicraft,  an  application  of  Theosophical 
principles  is  urgently  needed  and  most  useful.  To  demonstrate  this  fact, 
these  classes  were  established.  Now  three  Lodges — out  of  seven — 
possess  their  own  premises. 

Our  Section  is  yet  young,  and  naturally  its  propaganda  attracts 
mostly  people  in  the  prime  of  life  when  the  mind  is  still  open  to  new 
ideas  and  has  not  yet  crystallized  into  set  ways  of  thinking.  So  it  is  but 
liatural  that  we  lose  but  few  of  our  members  by  death,  yet  we  have  to 
chronicle  the  loss  of  two  good  workers.  The  first  was  Ariel  Terwiel,  of 
Rotterdam.  He  was  beloved  by  his  comrades  and  did  much  for  the 
Rotterdam  Lodge  i  n  its  early  days.  The  second  was  Mrs.  G.  P.  L. 
Basting-Meyroos,  a  lady  of  remarkable  gifts,  especially  in  the  musical 
line.  She  was  devoted  to  Theosophy,  body  and  soul,  and  helped  the 
Haarlem  Lodge  in  many  ways. 

A  recent  visitor  at  the  Amsterdam  Headquarters  has  been  Mr.  K. 
Meuleman,  from  Semarang,  Dutch  Indies ;  son  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Meule-* 
man>  who  are  so  well  known  here  and  elsewhere  in  the  movement.  He 
made  a  stay  of  a  few  months  in  Holland,  and  returned  to  the  Indies  the 
other  day  with  the  intention  of  actively  helping  our  cause  over  there.  A8 
a  memento  he  presented  the  residents  of  the  Dutch  Headquarters  with  a 
life*size  splendid  photograph  of  Colonel  Olcott,  now  one  of  the  best 
pictures  we  have  at  Headquarters. 

Still  another  item  of  interest  is  our  celebration  of  the  25th  Anni- 
versary of  the  foundation  of  the  T.  S.   This  festival  was  strictly  reserved 
to  members  of  the  Society  and  about   150  of  them  were  present.    The 
meeting  was  held  in  one  of  the  halls   in   town,   specially  decorated  for 
the  occasion.    Many  members  had  sent  flowers,  objets  (Tart]  and  other 
materials  for  festive  array  and  adornment,  and  the  platform  was  decora- 
ted with  large  portraits    of    H.  P.  B.,   H.  S.  O.   and    Annie    Besant. 
Interesting  remarks  were  made  by  Mr.  Fricke,  the   General  Secretary, 
Mr.  van  Aileron,   Mr.   Hallo,   Mr.   Gazan,  Mrs.  E.   Windust,   Mr.  van 
Dijk,  Mr.  Lauweriks,  Mr.  Johan  van  Manen  and  Mrs.   Meuleman,   and 
during  the  proceedings  a  congratulatory  telegram  was  despatched  to 
Col.  Olcott,  with  much  enthusiasm.  After  the  speeches,  a  delightful 
entertainment  consisting  of  music,  recitations,  etc*  was  held,  at  which 
the  children  of  the  Lotus  circle  were  present,  and  all  our  members  were 
deeply  impressed  with  the   spirit  of   harmony  and  good-will  which 
prevailed.* 

The.public  lectures  of  these  two  months  have  been  by  Mr.  Fricke  at 
kotterdam,  Nijmegen  and  the  Helder  ;  Mr»  Johan  van  Manen  at  The 
Hague  and  Rotterdam  ;  Mr.  Hallo  at  Amsterdam  and  Haarlem  ;  Mr, 
van  Wert  at  the  Helder. 

*Weref;ret  that  lack  of  ipace  prevents  lis  fVom  giving    the  full     report  of 
bia  interesting  gathering*— £a. 


1901.]  Theosophy  in  all  Lands.  245 

Besides  these  Mr.  W.  B.  Fricke  and  Mr.  Johan  van  Manen  made  a 
week's  tour  through  the  two  Northern  provinces,  Groningen  and  Fries- 
land.  In  I^eeuwarden,  Friesland's  capital,  a  nucleus  was  formed,  which 
promises  well  for  the  future.  In  six  days,  six  public  lectures,  two  private 
meetings  and  two  receptions  were  held.  The  papers  gave  good  reports  ; 
a  fair  amount  of  literature  was  sold  ;  some  people  became  members  and 
good  audiences  were  drawn.  We  hope  to  extend  this  work  throughout 
all  Holland. 


NEW  ZEALAND  SECTION. 

The  Fifth  Annual  Convention  of  the  New  Zealand  Section  will  be  held 
in  Auckland  on  December  30  and  31,1900,  and  January  i,  1901.  A  good 
attendance  of  delegates  is  expected,  and  the  Auckland  members,  on  hos- 
pitable thoughts  intent,  have  already  begun  to  make  preparations  for 
entertaining  their  expected  \nsitors.  All  the  indications  point  to  the 
coming  Convention  being  a  particularly  harmonious  and  enthusias- 
tic gathering. 

The  Annual  Meeting  of  the  Auckland  Branch  was  held  on  November 
2.  and  the  Secretary's  Report  spoke  of  the  past  year  being  a  very  busy 
and  useful  one,  and  successful  in  every  particular.  Through  the  gener- 
osity of  some  of  the  members  the  Branch  room  had  been  made  much 
more  attractive  ;  a  fine  book  case,  and  the  hanging  of  pictures  and  cur- 
tains had  given  a  homelike  appearance  to  the  room.  The  library  had 
been  considerably  increased  during  the  year.  The  officers  were  re-elect- 
ed, with  the  exception  of  a  change  in  the  Vice- Presidentship.  President, 
Mr.S.  Stuart ;  Vice-Presidents,  Mrs.  Draffin  and  Mr.  B.  Kent ;  Secretary 
and  Treasurer,  Mr.  W.  Will  (West  St.,  Newton,  Auckland);  Assistant 
Secretary,  Miss  Davidson  ;  Librarian,  Miss  Browne. 

Dr.  Sanders  lectured  in  Auckland  on  **  The  Religion  of  Ancient 
Egypt,"  and  Mr.  S.  Stuart  on  **  The  Work  of  Theosophy."  In  Dunedin 
Mr.  A.  W.  Maurais  on  **  The  Making  of  a  Man."  An  active  band  of 
Dunedin  members  are  working  in  the  country  round  about.  Miss  Chris- 
tie gave  a  lecture  on  "  Theosophy"  in  the  Henley  Public  Hall,  on  Oct.  12, 
Miss  Edger  has  been  paying  a  quiet  visit  to  Auckland,  her  old  home, 
prior  to  her  departure  for  India.  Being  over  simply  for  a  holiday  she 
did  not  lecture,  but  being  present  at  a  Branch  meeting  on  Sunday,  Nov. 
II.  she  spoke  a  few  words  of  encouragement  and  farewell  at  the  close  of 
the  meeting.  She  left  for  Sydney  on  Nov.  12,  Good  wishes  and  kindly 
thoughts  go  with  her  from  New  Zealand. 


ALOHA  BRANCH,  T.  S/ 

HONOtutu,  H.I.  AVjemie/-  6,  1900. 

Afterastay  of  five  months,  our  President,  Dr.  A*  Marques,  has  again 
left  us  to  take  up  his  duties  in  the  Australian  Section.  His  retitm  was  most 
timely,  as  our  Branch  was  moribund  ;  but  he  quickly  revived  it,  and  six 
new  members  have  joined^  so  far,  with  the  prospect  Of  Several  others  join- 
ing shortly,  so  that,  in  spite  of  the  many  losses  sustained  by  the  Branch, 
through  departure^  and  other  causes,  the  menlbership  keeps  Up  to  ^o* 
On  Dr;  Marques*  departure  the  management  was  assumed  by  Mrs*  M4  D* 


246  The  Theosophist.  [January 

Hendricks  of  Minneapolis,  who  has  now  settled  in  Honolulu,  and  she  will 
be  ably  assisted  by  the  Secretary,  Mrs.  E.  M.  Q|iver  Marques,  and  the 
Treasurer,  Miss  N.  Rice,  who  intend  to  continue  t^e  class  work  for  begin- 
ners every  Tuesday  and  the  public  meetings  every  Saturday  evening. 
The  Library,  in  charge  of  Mr.  h.  D.  Merry,  has  b«^n  renovated  and  com- 
pleted, over  ?2oo  having  been  spent  on  it  through  the  liberality  of  kind 
friends  ;  the  onlj*  thing  now  lacking  being  the  completion  of  our  files  of 
the  Theosophist.  Thus  the  Librar>-  will  be  better  fitted  to  meet  the 
requirements  of  the  numerous  tourists  and  new  settlers  who  are  coming 
down,  since  the  Annexation,  many  of  whom  ar^  interested  in  Theos- 
ophy  ;  so  that  our  little  cosmopolitan  branch  in  ipid-ocean,  will  be  able 
to  continue  its  humble  share  in  the  great  work. 

AI.OHA  AiNA. 


ACTIVITY  AT  BOMBAY. 

We  are  \*^xy  pleased  indeed  to  learn  that  our  Parsi  brothers  in  the 
Bombay  Branch  are  showing  great  activity  in  good  works  at  this  time. 
A  Parsi  ladies*  study  class,  conducted  by  Metiers.  Nasarwanji  Framji 
Bilimoria  and  Dadabhai  Dhanjibhai  Jass4v41a,  o|i  Mondays,  and  some  of 
the  leading  Parsi  scholars  of  Bombay,  such  ^  Mr.  K.  R.  Cama  and 
Shamsol  Olma  Ervad  Jivanji  Jamshedji  Mody,  ^re  attending  the  Zoro- 
astrianism  Class,  which  is  becoming  more  and  ifiore  successful.  A  com- 
memorative lecture  on  **  Twenty-five  years  of  TJieosophy"  was  delivered 
on  the  i8th  November  by  Mr.  Gajanam  Bhaskj^r  Vaidya,  B.  A.  We  con- 
gratulate our  colleagues  on  the  good  they  are  (Joingto  their  own  religion. 


ITALY. 


Mrs.  Cooper-Oakley  writes  encouragingly  of  the  work  in  Italj-.  She 
is  settled  for  the  W' inter,  in  a  flat  at  No.  15,  Via  Sommacampagna,  in 
the  Macao  quarter  at  Rome.  A  central  office  has  been  opened,  and  a 
National  Committee  formed.  The  Italifins  are  so  inexperienced  as  a 
people,  in  methodical  conduct  of  business,  and  Theosophy,  as  a  system, 
is  so  new  to  them,  that  Mrs.  Cooper- Oakley,  is  sure  to  find  in  her  way 
many  obstacles  that  will  have  to  be  removed  be  fore  the  movement  can  have 
free  scope  to  spread.  There  is  a  possibility  of  a  Branch  at  Turin,  and 
a  second  one  at  Rome.  A  pamphlet  written  by  Col.  Olcott,  by  request, 
to  explain  our  views  to  the  Italians,  simply  and  succinctly,  was  publish* 
ed  in  November  and  it  was  expected  that  an  Italian  edition  of  the 
•*  Ancient  Wisdom  "  would  appear  in  December:  various  other  books  are 
in  course  of  translation.  Mrs.  Cooper-Oakley  receives  on  Wednesday 
afternoons  and  Saturday  evenings.  She  concludes  her  letter  of  news 
with  the  kindly  expression :  **  This  is  your  Silver  Wedding  to  the 
Theosophical  Society.  May  the  Golden  Wedding  find  you  in  this  same 
body*'— a  wish  in  which  we  aU  join. 


■■* 


247 


1?evieVD6. 


ASTROLOGY  FOR  ALL.* 

Students  of  Astrology  will  welcome  this  new  book  by  Alan  Leo, 
the  well-known  Astrologer  and  President  of  tKe  Astrological  Society,  of 
London.  The  author  is  a  student  of  Esoteric  Philosophy  and  of  the 
Astrology  of  the  Orient  and  combines  with  the  ftiodern  method  of  read- 
ing, something  of  that  of  the  ancient  Eastern  sagt^s.  As  the  purpose  of 
the  work  will  be  best  expressed  by  the  author  himself,  we  quote  the 
following  paragraph  from  the  Introduction  : 

*'  Reason,  thought  and  experience  are  the  basis  upon  which  the 
system  adopted  in  this  work  is  built.  The  ripened  fruit  of  many  years* 
toil  and  practice  are  offered  to  those  who  are  sufficiently  thirsty  for  the 
knowledge  that  Astrology  brings  to  mankind,  and  the  main  object  of 
the  present  publication  is  that  of  satisfying  a  demand  made  by  the  grow- 
ing students  of  Astrology  for  more  light For  the  first  time  since 

the  glorious  days  of  wise  Chaldea,  an  attempt  is  made  in  the  following 
pages  to  place  before  the  world  the  true  Chaldean  system  of  Astrology, 
freed  from  the  limitations  of  bigotr>%  prejudice  and  selfish  motives. 
That  truth  has  been  preserved  in  its  symbology,  and  so  plain  are  its 
symbols  that  he  who  runs  can  read.  The  time  has  come  to  again  reveal 
the  hidden  meaning  concealed  so  long  in  circle,  cross  and  star.  We 
have  commenced  the  task  in  these  pages,  by  removing  some  of  the 
debris  that  has  fallen  around  the  title  during  the  past  ages,  and  one 
desire  alone  prompts  our  writing,  the  desire  to  serve  humanity,  and  give 
to  those  who  possess  an  eager  intellect  and  a  pure  love  of  truth,  some  of 
the  crumbs  that  have  fallen  from  the  table  of  those  wise  occultists 
whom  the  author  is  truly  grateful  to  know  as  teachers.**  Orders  will  be 
received  by  the  Manager,  Theoso^hist  Office.    Price,  Rs.  4. 

N.  E.  W. 


THE  UNITARIAN  MOVEMENT  IN  JAPAN. 

Some  one  of  my  old  friends  in  Japan  has  sent  me  a  very  neatly  and 
artistically  printed  pamphlet  giving  an  account  of  the  rise  and  progress 
of  the  Unitarian  Movement  in  that  countr>%  together  with  portraits  of  the 
Western  clergymen  who  have  led  it,  and  of  ten  representative  Japanese 
converts.  Among  these  latter  are  Mr.  Zenshiro  Noguchi,  the  special  de- 
legate sent  by  a  Society  of  young  Buddhists  at  Kioto  to  invite  and  escort 
me  to  Japan,  and  Mr.  Kinza  Hirai,  a  leading  member  of  that  body.  The 
portraits  are  excellent  and  the  biographical  notices  interesting.  Their 
tone  and  that  of  all  the  autobiographical  memoirs  is  pessimistic  to  some 
extent,  teaching  the  lesson  that  these  young  men  were  led  to  forsake 
their  ancestral  religion  because  of  the  low  state  of  spirituality  and, 
sometimes,  morality,  among  the  Buddhistic  priesthood  of  their  country  : 
from  them  they  could  receive  no  religious  consolation,  from  their  personal 

*  Py  Alan  I-eg.  Londo",  1899. 


\d48  The  Theosophist.  [January 

conduct  no  encourgement  to  follow  in  the  path  of  their  forefathers. 
This  is  the  greatest  danger  which  hangs  over  the  Northern  Buddhist 
Church,  and  over  and  over  again  I  warned  my  audiences  to  beware  of 
the  future,  unless  they  set  themselves  to  work  to  purify  themselves  and 
live  more  up  to  the  ideal  which  was  painted  by  the  Lord  Buddha.  In 
point  of  fact,  there  is  nothing  wanting  in  the  Buddha  Dharma  to 
stimulate  the  highest  aspirations  of  the  human  heart  and  satisfy  the 
yearnings  of  the  cultivated  intelligence.  It  is  the  sin  of  the  priesthood 
alone  which  weakens  the  foundations  of  this  hoary  cult. 


TWO  TRIOPIAN  INSCRIPTIONS. 

Prof.  N.  G.  Giovannopoli,  F.T.S.,  of  Rome,  has  favoured  us  with  his 
pamphlet  on  two  ancient  Greek  inscriptions,  which  he  has  translated  into 
English.  The  first,  on  Herodes  Atticus,  is  from  the  beautiful  hexa- 
meters of  Marcellus  Sidites,  a  Greek  poet  who  flourished  during  the  reig^ 
of  Marcus  Aurelius.  The  second,  on  Anna  Regilla,  wife  of  Herodes,  is 
from  the  same  source.    The  translator's  work  has  been  admirably  done. 


A  SERIES  OF  MEDITATIONS.* 

The  book  before  us  is  another  of  the  publications  of  the  Order  of  the 
White  Rose,  a  Society  for  the  development  of  the  lower  psychic  powers. 
As  far  as  one  can  judge  from  the  different  books  sent  us  for  review,  the 
teachers  of  the  Order  mistake  the  lower  forms  of  clairvoyance  and  clair- 
audience  for  the  high  and  spiritual  faculties  possessed  by  adepts.  Such 
being  the  case,  much  harm  is  done  to  eager  students  who  lack  discrim- 
ination in  these  matters.  This  present  volume  contains  the  substance 
'  of  **  meditations  '*  by  one  of  the  students,  upon  various  topics,  but  there 
seems  to  be  little  of  value  in  it.  All  that  it  contains  can  be  found  in  a 
more  concise  form,  more  clearly  stated,  in  any  of  our  theosophical 
books,  in  Emerson's  ICssays  and  in  many  other  works  by  great  thinkers. 

N.  E.  W. 


TALES  OF  TENNAURAMA. 

Pandit  S.  M.  Natesa  Sastriar,  B.A.,  has  translated  into  English  the 
main  portion  of  the  Telugu  tales  of  the  famous  Court  Jester,  Tennalirama, 
who  lived  in  Southern  India  in  the  sixteenth  cuntury.  The  pamphlet 
(of  forty-six  pages),  contains  seventeen  short,  humorous  stories,  and  has 
been  neatlv  brought  out  by  G.  A.  Natesan  &  Co.,  Madras  ;  price,  As.  8. 


OTHER  PUBLICATIONS  RECEIVED. 

We  have  to  acknowledge  with  thanks  the  receipt  of  the  following  : 
Journal  of  the  International  Psychic  Insfitute,  Vol.  I,  No  i,  for  June  1900  ; 
L'Evangile  Philosophiqne,  par  le  Docteur  Basile  Agapon,  Athens,  1900. 
From  the  Author ;  Les  Apocryphes  Ethiopiens,  Nos.  ix  and  x,  par  Ren^ 
Basset,  Paris,  1900.  From  the  Publisher,  10  Rue  St.  Lazare ;  Les  Enseig- 
nements  Secrets  de  Ma7'tinis  de  Pasqually,  with  a  long  Memoir  on  Mar- 
tin^zism  and  Martinism,  by  Franz  von  Bader.  From  the  Author, 
*'  Forestry  in  Southern  India,"  by  Major  General  H.  R.  Morgan,  F.  T.  S. 


•  By  Erastus  C.  Gaffield. 


1901.]  Reviews.  M9 

"Poems   from  the  Secret  Doctrine ;'   by  I^uisa  Williams,   from  the 
Authoress. 

The  Madras  Government  Museum  "  Bulletin,"  Vol.  Ill,  No.  i,  has 
just  reached  us.  It  is  devoted  to  Anthropology  and  contains  six  plates. 
The  "  Notes  on  some  of  the  people  of  Malabar,"  by  Mr.  F.  Fawcett,  fill 
85  of  the  92  Images  of  the  book,  the  remaining  space  being  occupied  by  a 
short  article  on  the  **  Mala  V4dars  of  Travancore,"  by  Florence  Evans, 
and  by  miscellaneous  notes  by  the  Editor,  Mr.  Edgar  Thurston,  Superin- 
tendent of  the  Museum.  The  tables  of  measurements,  given  by  Mr. 
Fawcett  must  prove  of  special)  use  to  the  Anthropologist,  and  his 
detailed  description  of  the  habits  and  multitudinous  ceremonies  of  the 
Namb^tiri  Brahmins  is  particularly  interesting. 


MAGAZINES. 

In  the  Theosophical  Review  for  December,   Mr.  Worsdell  continues 
his  instructive  paper  upon   **  Theosophy  and  Modem  Science."     One 
particularly  interesting  point  he  treats  of  is  that  of  *'  the  living  crystal," 
and  he  shows  the  progress  of  scientific  thought  towards  a  recognition  of 
a  life  which  operates  as  truly  in  so-called   inorganic  as  in  organic 
matter.     "On  the  Gaining  of  Good- Will  "   is  helpful  to  all  students. 
Mr,  Ward  possesses  the  enviable  faculty   of  being  able  to  hide  his  own 
personal  views  completely  and  of  placing  before  the  reader  vivid  pictures 
of  the  two  extremes,  leaving  him  to  find,  for  himself,  the  middle  path. 
Speaking  of  many  forms  of  that  which  we  call  evil,  he  says  :    "  In  each 
and  all  the  One  L/ife  works  for  good ;  we  dare  not  question  it.    No 
•  righteous  indignation  *  can  be  suffered  if  we  would  gain  good- will,  for 
what  is  righteous  indignation  but  hate  under  a  white  lace  veil  ?   We 
cannot  hate  the  deed,  the  desire,   or  the  tliought  of  a  man  without 
hating  the  man  himself.    That  we  can  do  so  is  a  deadly  self-deception. 
The  thought  is  the  expression   of  the  thinker,     the  impulse  is    the 
expression  of  the  thought,  the  act  is  the  expression  of  the  impulse. 
All  are   one  in  essence,  and  that  essence  is  the  evolving  Life  ;  to 
hate  the  deed  is  to  hate  the  Life."    Mrs.   Hooper  has  another  interest- 
ing essay  upon  the  origins  of  the  early  British   Church.     "Evolution 
in  the  Twentieth  Century"   is  a  prophecy  as  to  the  probable  trend 
of  thought  and  custom   during  the  next  hundred  years,  based  upon 
a  study  of  the  changes  occurring  in  the  latter  half  of  the  present 
century.     "  Lox "   is  a  charming   story  of    a   faithful    dog,    almost 
human  in  his  love  and  devotion  :  perhaps  one  should  say,  more  loving 
than  the  majority  of  men  and  women.     "  The  Sacred  Sermon  of  Hermes 
the  Thrice-Greatest,"  is  a  revelation  of  the  coming  into  manifestation 
of  the  Universe,  and  treats,  in  symbolical  language,  but  in  elementary 
fashion,  of  the  various  stages  of  involution  and  evolution.    Chapter  I,  of 
Mrs.  Besant's  "  Thought- Power,   its  control  and  culture,"   which  ex- 
plains the  nature  of  thought,   is  concluded  and  Chapter  II,  which  deals 
with  the  Thought-Producer,  the  Creator  of  Illusion,  is  begun.     "  Notes 
on  'I^emuria,'"   is    an  erudite  paper    by  James  Stirling,   for  many 
years  Government  Geologist    of  Victoria.     "  A  Story  of  Reincarna- 
tion "is  a  review  of  Mrs.  Campbell   Praed's  new  book,     "As  a  Watch 
in  the  Night."     Mr.  Sinnett  says  that  it  is   "the  most  brilliant  and 
instructive  story  of  Reincarnation  that  has  yet  been  produced."     '<The 
8 


250  The  Theosophist.  [January 

Gateless  Barrier'*  and  **  Ions,  Atoms  and  Electrons  *'  are  both  reviews, 
the  former  of  a  book,  and  the  latter,  of  a  magazine  article.  The  usual 
small  items  of  interest  complete  the  number. 

Revue  Theosophiqiie.  Commandant  Courmes'  magazine  appears 
punctually  and  presents  its  usual  interesting  collection  of  articles.  Dr. 
Pascal,  whose  writings  are  always  instructive,  contributes  an  article 
upon  the  Problem  of  Heredity  according  to  Theosophy,  citing  some  very 
striking  facts  as  to  the  average  brain-volumes  in  different  races,  to  show 
that  national  genius  is  not  dependent  upon  the  cubic  mass  of  brain-sub- 
stance, and  other  historical  facts  about  the  birth  of  geniuses  of  common- 
place parents,  a  phenomenon  which  cannot  be  explained  by  the  materi- 
alistic theory  of  physical  heredity'.  Dr.  C.  de  I^espinois  writes  about  that 
wonderful  Mussalraan  community  of  Morocco,  Algiers  and  Tunis,  called 
the  Aissaoim,  or  followers  of  Jesus,  whose  origin  is  legendary  but  who 
possess  very  strange  psychical  powers.  Throwing  themselves  into  a  sort 
of  epileptic  convulsion,  they  will  eat  serpents,  crush  scorpions  between 
their  teeth  and  chew  up  the  leaves  of  the  thorny  cactus ;  a  red-hot  iron 
they  pass  harmlessly  over  their  tongues  and  fingers  ;  they  thrust  long, 
sharp  needles  through  and  through  their  two  cheeks,  and  suspend 
heav>'  weights  from  similar  irons  passed  through  their  tongues  trans- 
versely ;  they  stand  on  braziers  of  burning  charcoal,  and  stab  them- 
selves in  different  parts  of  the  body  :  not  a  drop  of  blood  following  the 
wounds  and  the  latter  healing  up  within  a  few  minutes,  without  leaving 
a  trace.  These  phenomena  have  all  been  seen  by  the  present  writer,  who 
can  testify  to  their  accuracy.  They  are  among  the  wonders  of  psychical 
science.  Commandant  Courmes  does  well  to  cite  from  a  Spiritualistic 
journal,  the  definition  given  of  Theosophy  and  Theosophists  by  M.  Jules 
Bois,  who,  for  some  time  past,  has  been  figuring  as  a  friend  of  our  move- 
ment, and  actually  lectured  upon  it  at  Paris  in  1896,  in  a  friendly  spirit, 
but  who,  in  the  article  above  referred  to,  shows  himself  to  be  anything 
but  a  friend. 

Teosofia,  Signora  Calvaries  expository  article  on  the  relation  of  the 
Earth  and  Humanity  with  the  Solar  System,  is  continued,  and  the  other 
contents,  with  the  exception  of  a  brief  article  by  the  editor,  on  "  Rays  of 
I^ight,'*  are  made  up  of  translations. 

Sophia,  Madrid.  The  November  number  gives  continuations  of 
translations  of  Mr.  Leadbeater's  "  Ancient  Chaldea,"  and  M.  C.'s 
**  Idyll  of  the  White  Lotus;"  there  is  also  a  Platonic  dialogue  entitled 
"  Crisostomo,"  of  which  the  scene  is  laid  at  Athens,  and  of  which  the 
contents  are  both  interesting  and  instructive. 

Theosophia  for  November  has  translations  from  an  article  by  H.  P.  B., 
which  was  published  in  The  Theosophist,  June,  1881 ;  from  **  Esoteric 
Buddhism,"  from  "  TaoTe  King,"  and  from  the  **  Astral  Plane  ;  "  also 
a  translation  from  the  French,  of  an  article  written  by  Iv6on  C16ry— 
*'  What  is  Theosophy."  "  Incidents  in  the  History  of  the  Theosophical 
Movement  in  Holland  "  is  an  original  contribution,  which  is  followed 
by  **  Gems  from  the  East,"  reviews  and  T.  S.  notes. 

In  Theosophy  ift  A  ustralasia  for  November  we  find  some  appropriate 
notes  on  an  article  which  appeared  in  The  Contemporary  Review  for  Sep- 
tember, under  the  heading  of  **  The  F.vidences  of  Design  in  History."  The 
third  instalment  of  "  A  bird\s-eye  view  of  the  Theosophical  Movement " 
is  next  given,  under  the  sub-title  of  "  I^ooking  Ahead./*   Mr,  Mayers 


1901.]  Reviews.  ^51 

continues  his  *' Theosophy  and  Civilisation,'*  this  contribution  dealing 
especially  with  "  Self-sacrifice."  There  is  also  a  brief  article  by  A.  M.  M., 
on  "  Charity  or  Love." 

The  N,  Z.  Theosophical  Maj^^aztne  for  November  gives  portions  of  a 
lecture  on  **The  Heart  of  Existence,"  by  Agnes  E.  Davidson,  and 
paragraphs  from  a  lecture  on  **The  Measure  of  a  Man,"  by  D.  W.  M. 
Bum,  both  of  which  are  very  good.  Following  this  we  find  an  article  on 
"  Higher  Planes  of  Being  and  Consciousness,"  by  F.  Davidson  ;  a  poem, 
by  D.  W.  M.  Burn  ;  a  continuation  of  Mr.  S.  Stuart's  interesting  article 
on  "The  Magic  Speculum  ;  "  the  "  Children's  Column,"  etc. 

The  Theoso^hic  Messenger.  The  issue  for  November  is  much  en- 
larged and  half  its  pages  are  devoted  to  a  short  history  of  the  Society 
and  sketches  of  the  Founders  and  several  of  the  prominent  members.  It 
is  illustrated  with  portraits,  some  of  them  rather  good  likenesses. 

The  Theosophic  Gleaner.  Among  the  contents  of  the  December 
number  are  "  How  a  Hindu  Tames  his  Mind  ;  "  **  The  Medicines  of  the 
Future  ;  "  *'  An  Electric  Creed  ;  "  "  Does  Intellectuality  lead  to  Wicked- 
ness ?  " 

The  Prasnottara  ior  December  is  occupied  chiefly  with  the  Pro- 
gramme for  the  Twenty-fifth  Annual  Convention  of  the  T.S.,  and  various 
items  concerning  the  arrangements.  There  are,  also,  continuations  of 
the  articles  noticed  in  the  preceding  number. 

Modern  Astrology.  We  have  also  received  the  Christmas  number  of 
Mr.  Alan  L/Co's  magazine,  in  which  the  usually  dry  subject  to  which  it 
is  devoted  is  made  interesting  reading  to  the  lay-reader.  Mr.  Leo  de- 
serves the  success  which  we  are  glad  to  see  his  magazine  has  achieved. 
The  Hindu  Dharma  Shikshakai^  a  four- page  quarto  monthly,  edited 
by  members  of  the  "  Hindu  Boys'  Religious  Association,"  and  published 
at  Cawnpore.  It  will  be  "  sent  gratis  to  all  English-knowing  gentlemen, 
College  students,  and  school-boys  not  below  standard  VIII.,  on  their 
application  to  the  Manager."  Mofussil  applicants  should  send  12  half- 
anna  postage  stamps.  This  seems  to  be  a  worthy  enterprise  and  we 
wish  it  all  success. 

The  Light  of  Truth,  or  Siddhauta  Dipika  (a  Journal  devoted  to  Saiva 
religion)  for  November  1900  has  for  its  frontispiece  a  portrait  of  the 
Rev.  G.  U.  Poi'C,  M.A.,  D.D.,  the  veteran  Tamil  scholar  who  has  recently 
published,  on  his  eightieth  birthday  (24th  April  1900),  his  translation  of 
the  sacred  Tiruvachakam  ;  and  opens  with  the  excellent  translation 
(continued)  of  the  Vedanta- Sutras  with  Sri-Kantha's  Commentary  trans- 
lated by  our  esteemed  brother  A.  Mahadeva  Sastri  of  Mysore.  Following 
this,  is  the  original  (in  Devanagari  character)  of  the  Mrigendra-Agama, 
Chapters  III.  andJV.,  with  their  English  translation,  by  Mr.  M.  Naraya- 
naswami  Aiyar,  B.A.,  b.l.  Much  space  has  been  devoted  to  the  review 
of  a  Tamil  prose  work  called  Padmivati.  There  is  a  small  editorial  on 
Rev.  G.  U.  Pope  followed  by  his  (Dr.  Pope's)  "  Leaves  from  an  old 
Indian's  note-book  "  which  is  very  instructive.  "  The  Suta  Samhita  on 
the  Saiva-Agamas,'*  by  Mr.  M.  Narayanaswami  Aiyar,  *'  the  Problem  of 
Evil,"  by  Mr.  G.  AlakondvilU  (in  continuation  of  his  former  ones  and 
still  to  be  continued)  and  the  word  "  Ayal "  an  article  on  Philology,  by 
Mr.  S.  W.  Kumaraswami  are  noteworthy  articles.  The  Magazine  closes 
with  two  small  reviews. 

The  article  on  **  The  Problem  of  Evil "  is  especially  interesting;as  it 


i52  The  Theosophist.  [January 

abounds  in  useful  quotations.    Mrs.  Besant  is  very  often  quoted  and 
"  The  Seven  Principles  of  Man  "  referred  to. 


O.  K.  S. 


Acknowledged  with  thanks  :  The  Vdhan,  Light,  V Initiation,  Review 
of  Reviews,  Lotusblfithen,  The  Ideal  Review,  Notes  and  Queries,  Mind, 
The  New  Century,  The  Lamf,  The  Forum,  Banner  of  Light,  Harbinger 
of  Light,  Health,  Temple  of  Health,  Suggestive  Therapeutics,  The  Psychic 
Digest,  The  Brahmavddin,  The  Dawn,  The  Light  of  fhe  East,  The  Light 
of  Truth,  Prabuddha  Bhdrata,  The  Brahmacliarin,  Maha-Bodhi  Journal, 
Christian  College  Magazine,  and  The  Iruiian  Review, 


THE  ARYA  BALA  BODHINI 
The  little  monthly  periodical  for  Hindu  boys,  which  has  been 
•arrying  throughout  the  length  and  breadth  of  the  land,  during  the  past 
six  years,  such  currents  of  love  and  good- will  to  the  class  addressed,  has 
just  issued  its  last  number.  Henceforth  it  will  pass  under  the  name  of 
the  Central  Hifzdu  College  Magazine,  be  supervised  by  Mrs.  Besant, 
edited  by  members  of  her  staff,  and  published  at  Benares.  My  best 
wishes  go  with  it,  and  it  will  be  the  cause  of  happiness  to  me,  as  it  also 
will  to  its  staunchest  patron,  the  good  Countess  Wachtraeister,  if  it  shall 
be  made  more  useful  and  more  interesting,  if  that  be  possible,  than  it 
has  been  hitherto.  All  its  friends  and  readers  owe  hearty  thanks  to  its 
devoted  Editor,  M.R.Ry.  S.  V.  Rangaswami  Aiyengar,  B.A.,  F.  T.  S.,  for 
bis  conscientious  performance  of  duty,  and  the  deep  solicitude  he  has 
shown  from  first  to  last  in  the  spiritual  and  moral  welfare  of  his  young 
compatriots.  Though  a  •  Vaishnava  by  family  heredity,  he  has  strictly 
abstained  from  making  the  journal  a  sectarian  organ  ;  a  precedent  which 
I  trust  may  be  followed  by  his  editorial  successor.  The  object  of  our 
theosophical  movement  is  to  strengthen  the  religious  spirit  of  the 
human  family  while  carefully  avoiding  an3^hing  like  taking  part  in 
the  petty  interests,  strifes  and  prejudices  of  warring  religious  groups. 
The  Bodhini  may,  and  ought  to  be,  made  a  powerful  aid  towards  this 
end,  by  giving  the  right  direction  to  the  minds  of  Indian  youth.  Such, 
under  Mrs.  Besant's  watchful  supervision,  will,  I  am  sure,  be  the  aim  and 
I)olicy  henceforth  pursued,  and  so  long  as  it  is,  there  will  be  no  call  for 
the  starting  of  any  rival  periodical. 


CUTTimS  AND  COMMENTS. 

"  Thoughts,  like  the  pollen  of  flowers,  leave  6n6  brain  and  fasteil  to  another.*' 

Here  is  another  pearl  just  brought  up  by  deep 

The  character    soundings  in  the  T.  S.  Archives  of  the   early  days :  a 

of  letter  written  for  the  (I^ndon)  Spiritualist^  but  never 

Mnie.Blavat^    sent,   by  Colonel    Olcott's  beloved    sister,    whose 

sky.  memory  he  cherishes  and  whose  daughter  he  has 

adopted  as  his  own  child.  Mrs.  Mitchell  was  a  woman  who  died  re- 

fretted  and  honoured  by  all  who  ever  met  her ;  one  of  absolutely 
lameless  character  and  a  sincere  Christian.  Her  testimony  to  the 
purity  of  H.  P»  B.*s  private  life  and  the  sincerity  of  her  motives 
possesses  uniqtie  value  for  Mme.  B's  friends  and  disciples,  and  is  made 


1901.]  Cuttings  and  Comments.  ^53 

• 

public  for  their  consolation.  The  slanderer  whose  libels  are  an- 
swered, always  wrote  against  H.  P.  B.  witli  unsparing  malice,  while 
herself  the  mother  of  a  well-known  professional  medium.  If  her 
name  is  now  suppressed,  it  is  because  she  has  long  been  forgotten, 
and  to  bring  her  again  to  the  recollection  of  the  public  would  be 
useless :  she  had  better  be  left  in  the  darkness  to  which  time  always 
banishes  the  uncharitable  and  the  malignant.  These  two  estimable 
women,  H.  P.  B.  and  her  friend,  Mrs.  Mitchell,  are  both  dead  and 
gone,  but  thought  is  imperishable  and  this  tribute  of  affection  is  as 
fresh  and  helpful  as  though  twenty-three  years  had  not  passed  since 
the  lines  were  penned. 

To  THE  Editor  of  the  vSpirituaust. 

If  you  will  permit  me,  I  shall  be  glad  to  say  a  few  words  in  reply  to 

an  article  in  your  paper  of .     .     .     .  written  by  Mrs That  you 

may  understand  the  point  from  which  I  speak,  allow  me  to  say  that  I  am 
neither  Buddhist,  Brahminist,  Theosophist  nor  Spiritualist,  but  simply  a 
communicant  in  the  Presbyterian  Church,  in  which  body  I  was  brought 
up  and  expect  to  die.  I  am  the  sister  of  Col.  H.  S.  Olcott,  a  wife,  and  a 
mother  of  a  family  :  and,  I  may  add,  that  I  am  neither  a  dupe  of,  nor 
"  psych  ologised"  by,  MadameBlavatsky.  But  I  am  a  woman  calling  for 
justice  to  a  woman.  The  Madame  Blavatsky  depicted  by  Mrs.  ...  is 
a  bad,  unprincipled,  wicked  person  ;  a  deceiver  and  a  disseminator  of 
falsehoods ;  a  woman,  in  short,  to  be  shunned  alike  by  the  honest  and 
the  pure.  Different  from  this  disagreeable  personality  is  that  Madame 
Blavatsky  who  wrote  "  Isis  Unveiled  ;"  and  so  unjust  is  the  indictment 
against  her,  that,  for  once  in  my  life,  I  appear  as  a  controversialist,  and 
out  of  the  privac3'  of  my  domestic  life  cry  to  you  for  justice  for  the  slan- 
dered. I  have  enjoyed  the  friendship  of  Madame  Blavatsky  for  some 
three  years  past,  during  a  portion  of  the  time  (as  at  present)  occupying 
an  apartment  with  my  family  under  the  same  roof  with  her.  Couldyou 
believe  that  a  mother  would  have  her  children  housed  with  such  a  mon* 
ster  as  Mrs.  .  .  .  depicts  her  to  be  ?  With  me  she  is  at  all  times 
friendly,  unrestrained  and  familiar  ;  and  I  can  affirm  that  I,  and  I  only, 
have  free  entrance  to  her  rooms  by  day  or  by  night  ;  and  when  in  her 
busiest  moments  everyone  else  is  excluded,  she  permits  me  the  freest 
access  to  her. 

I  find  Madame  Blavatsky  a  true,  honest  woman,  entirely  devoted, 
body  and  soul,  to  what  she  deems  a  sacred  cause  ;  counting  no  sacrifice 
too  great  to  further  it,  and  influencing  all  about  her  to  a  pure,  charitable 
and  good  life.  As  I  have  never  attended  a  seance,  nor  sat  with  a  medium, 
I  am  quite  incapable  of  deciding  between  the  theories  of  the  Spiritualists 
and  their  opponents,  but  you  will  allow  that  I  am  competent  to  speak  as 
a  woman  for  a  woman  when  she  is  so  cruelly  assailea.  Of  the  curious 
and  wonderful  phenomena  that  I  have  seen  produced  by  Madame  Blavat- 
sky without  premeditation  or  preparation,  it  is  not  necessary-  for  me  to 
speak,  as  I  am  not  advertising  a  medium  or  a  juggler ;  but  it  is  necessary 
that  out  of  my  womanly  pity  for  this  much-wronged  lady,  I  should  call 
upon  such  traducers  as  Mrs.  ...  to  drop  innuendoes  and  insinua- 
tions and,  instead  of  hidincr  behind  such  rubbish  as  she  writes,  to  dare  to 
come  out  into  the  light  and  prove  one  of  these  unmitigatedly  false  asper- 
sions against  my  friend It  would  seem  that  the  reckless- 
ness and  bitterness  of  such  calumnies  as  those  which  Mrs.  .... 
hurls  forth,  are  meant  only  to  wound  and  injure,  rather  than  as  devotion 
to  either  Christianity  or  truth.  Do  you  think  it  requires  the  **  credulity 
of  a  foor '  to  believe  in  Madame  Blavatsky  ?  Is  this  not  the  same  Mrs. 
....  through  whose  grown  daughter,  as  medium,  various  materia- 
lised forms  were  made  to  appear  ?  Surely  that  would  seem  to  me,  an 
outsider,  far  more  like  drawing  upon  the  credulity  of  the  world,  than  do 
Madame  Blavatsky's  phenomena.  .  .  As  I  said  before,  she  has  one  aim 
and  object,  the  propagation  of  her  religious  views  ;  and,  while  I  neither 
believe  as  she  does,  nor  expect  to,  I  must  admire  her  devotion  to  her 
causei  her  straightforward  behaviour,  and  her  entire  freedom  from  th« 


voLXXTI 


j„.tis.»edi«  last  W»»        jf.^„,«..  *'  S5i  .t  BeW",, 
rfited  by  oembets  of  »  ^^^  „^  rf  »  J^    „»«'* 

^  ^.  „.re  "*•  "f^-^Sda  ..d  «">"' ^^^g.,,  . .^ , 
d„o«4  Editor,  M.R.Ry.  S.  ^;  \"°|„iy,  .„d  tb.  d«V  • 

rf.o,»  froo  tot  to  last  in  tbe  apmwal  ^„,d„; 

compatriots.  Though  a  Vai»M»"'»  Laiian  o'S'"  ' '. 
abstained  from  making  tbe  jootnal  a  8  .  ^^^cessor. 
I  tni«t  may  bo  followed  ty  bia  ^ditona  ^^^  „iigio»r 
theosophical  movement  ia  to  Stvengtb  ^^y^bing  l'*'^ 
human  family  while  ca.retully  ayoidvng  ^^  y,arribK  ^'' 
the  petty  interests,  strif«;a  afld  prejudices  ^«erlul  ^ 
The  ^»«,y,/  may,  ,„d    OueMW  >>=•  "      „iud9  »«  1"'  -^ 

end,  by  jiving  the  riKh.t  <i\,ectio«  to  tW  »"      j  „,  >. 
underMr,.  Besanfs  Wat^vttl»»I-""°°'Tt  i  ,  *"' "  =• 

pohcy  henceforth  pu,^  ^^   „d  a>>  1«»«  " 


\ 


il^i  ^he  Theosophisi.  [January 

pettj',  belittling  aims  of  those  who  slander  her  without  ever  knowing,  or 
seeing,  the  woman  as  she  is.     ...    I  am,  Sir, 

Yours  faithfully, 

NEW  York,  1878.  Isabella  b.  Mitchell. 

A  Parsi  brother  sends  us  two  ancient  volumes 

A  valuable      supposed  to  be  about  one  hundred  years  old.     One  is 

gift  to  the       a   hand-written   copy    of  the    original  text  of  the 

Adyar  "  Vendidad,  '*   one  of  the  sacred  scriptures  of  the 

Librar}',         Parsis,  written  in  the  Zend  language,  together  wdth 

introductory  prayers,  and  an  illustration  showing  the 
mode  and  arrangement  of  the  paraphernalia  for  performing  the 
sacred  ceremony  while  reciting  the  Vendidad  mathras. 

The  other — also  hand-written — is  a  copy  of  the  original  text  of 
the  **  Yasna,  "  another  of  the  sacred  books  of  the  Parsis,  written  in 
Zend,  together  with  an  introduction  in  old  Gujerati.  Our  sincere 
thanks  are  given  to  our  generous  Parsi  friend,  who  does  not  wish  us 
to  publish  his  name. 

#** 
A  correspondent  of  the  Hindu  writes  : — Aplea- 
Paiiah  sant  gathering  took  place  at  the  T.  S.  Headquarters, 

Pupils  of  tlie  Adyar,  on  Tuesday  morning,  December  nth,  in 
Olcott  Free  connection  with  one  of  the  Pariah  schools  established 
School.  by  Colonel  Olcott.  During  the  past  few  weeks  Miss 
Palmer,  assisted  by  others,  has  been  busy  making 
clothes  for  the  children,  out  of  a  number  of  samples  given  to  Col. 
Olcott  for  the  purpose  by  Mr.  Wrenn,  of  Messrs.  Wrenn,  Bennett 
and  Co.  On  Tuesday  these  were  distributed  to  the  children  of  the 
Olcott.  Free  School,  who  then  assembled  in  the  Hall  at  Adyar, 
dressed  in  their  new  clothes.  Mr.  Wrenn  and  the  Headquarters 
staff  were  present,  and  were  much  impressed  by  the  bright,  intel- 
ligent appearance  of  the  children,  and  their  simple,  courteous  beha- 
viour. They  performed  several  dances  in  a  manner  which  gave 
evidence  of  careful  training  on  the  part  of  the  teachers,  and  of  a 
capacity  on  the  part  of  the  pupils  to  appreciate  time  and  rhythm. 
They  then  sang  a  Tamil  hymn,  and  the  devotional  feeling  with 
which  it  was  rendered  showed  the  high  moral  training  that  the 
pupils  are  receiving.  That  their  intellectual  training  is  all  that 
could  be  desired  is  shown  by  the  results  of  the  recent  Government 
examination,  the  percentage  of  passes  being  considerably  in 
advance  of  the  average  obtained  by  the  various  schools  for  caste 
children ;  while  the  occasion  of  Tuesday's  gathering  proves  that 
their  physical  well-being  is  equally  cared  for. 


* 
»  • 


In  the  report  of  the  examination   recently  held 
Ermtmn.        at  the  Olcott  Free  School  for  Pariahs,  which  appear- 
ed  in   December  Theosophist  Supplement,  a  grave 
error  Of  the  printer  was  overlooked  in   reading  the  proof.     In  the 
4th  standard,  seven  pupils  were  presented  and  severi  passed — not,  as 
stated  in  our  previous  issue,  one  only. 


•% 


Mr.  H.  A.  Wilson,  Assistant  General  Secretary, 

Jt^ew  T.  S^      Australasian     Section,   T.    S.,   informs    us  that  a 

Branches.        charter  was  granted  on   November   12th,  to  James 

Patterson  and  others,  to  form  the  Fremantle  Branch, 
T.  Si,  at  Fremantle,  W.  A.    The  General  Secretary  of  the  European 


1901.]  Cuttings  and  Comments.  255 

Section  reports  that  a  charter  has  been  issued  to  Neil  Black  and 
eleven  others,  to  form  a  Branch  at  Glasgow,  Scotland,  to  be  known 
as  the  Glasgow  Branch. 

•  • 
A  Hindu  A  Hindu  woman  named  Balwant  Gupte,  writes 

Lady  without    the  following  to  the  Native  opuiion  of  Bomoay,  under 
food.  date  of  7th  December  : — 

I  shall  be  highly  obliged  by  your  publishing  the  following  interes- 
ting account  in  your  valuablepaper : — This  morning,  I  with  others,  amone 
whom  was  Mr.  Stewart,  the  Plague  Superintendent  of  the  D  Ward,  had 
been  to  see  the  remarkable  lady,  Bai  Prembai,  at  her  place  in  Kumbhar- 
wada  4th  lane  where  she  lives  with  her  husband  and  her  husband's 
brother,  Rao  Saheb  Mulji  Narayan.  We  were  well  received  by  the  Rao 
Saheb  who  had  made  arrangements  for  our  arrival.  The  lady  was  called 
in.  She  was  at  first  ashamed  to  speak,  but  after  some  time,  in  the  pre- 
sence of  her  mother-in-law,  she  began  to  answer  every  reasonable  ques- 
tion that  was  put  to  her.  She  is  18  years  old  and  was  married  to  Mr. 
Purshotam  Narayan,  a  Halai  lyavana,  when  she  was  only  12.  She  was 
bom  in  Koimbatore.  She  came  to  Bombay  five  years  ago  and  used  to  take 
food  and  drink  for  the  first  three  years.  After  that  she  gradually  began 
to  take  less  amounts  of  food  and  ultimately  ceased  to  eat.  Her  husband 
and  father-in-law  tried  their  best  to  oblige  her  to  take  food  but  she  could 
not.  Now  she  has  no  desire  to  take  either  food  or  drink  and  sup(K)sing 
that  she  had  the  desire,  she  could  not  take  it  on  account  of  the  particular 
structure  of  her  tongue  and  internal  system.  The  most  wonderful  thing 
is  that  she  is  in  her  full  vigour  even  now  and  performs  her  religious  and 
domestic  duties  in  a  marvellous  manner.  She  has  not  to  obey  the  call 
of  nature,  and  it  surprises  one  to  see  her  in  sound  health,  and  this  makes 
one  perfectly  believe  the  fact  that  some  of  the  sages  of  old  used  to  live 
on  air  for  years  together.  She  is  always  gay  and  cheerful  and  produces 
a  feeling  of  respect  and  reverence  in  every  one  who  sees  her,  by  her  god- 
dess-like and  beautiful  appearance  mixed  with  her  holy  manners.  The 
most  wonderful  thing  is  that  she  always  likes  to  sleep  on  a  mat  and 
never  oh  a  bedstead. 


••• 


Mrs.   Besant  in  a  recent  letter  to  Col.   Olcott 

The  books       writes :    "  It  is   improper  that  the  Adyar    Library 

of  our  move-     through  the  Iheosophist  should  not  have  a  copy   of 

ment,  ever>'  book  issued  in  the  movement,"    This  is  strictly 

true,  and  we  hope  that  the  authors  of  all  the  theoso- 

phical  books  which  have  been  published  in  various  languages,  but 

not  yet  sent,  or,  failing  them,  the  publishers,  will  send  copies  for 

permanent  preservation  in  the  Adyar  Library.    We  are  quite  willing 

to  pay  the  cost  of  postage  if  that  should  be  an  obstacle  to  the  sending. 

In  every  case  the  Title  of  a  book  should  be  translated   into   English 

or,  at  least,  transliterated  for  entry  in  the  Catalogue. 


The  subjoined  paragraphs  from  the  Madras  daily 
Vhit  of  their  papers  are  circulated  for  the  information  of  the  friends 
Excellencies,      of  our  Society  : 

the  Vice} oy  rxhe  Madras  Mail.-] 

&  Govanor- 

General  of  "  Their  Excellencies  the  Viceroy  and  Lady  Curzon,  on  their 

India  and         ^^y  ^^  Guindy  yesterday,  by  previous  arrangement  called  at 

Lady  Curzon  ^^^  Theosophicat  Society's  Headquarters  to  see  the  two  sections 
to  Adyar.         of  the  Adyar   Library,  of  which  the  Asiatic  portion  is  already 

one  of  the  richest   in  the  world   in  old   MSS.     The  collection 

includes  more  than  two  hundred  not  to  be  found  in  any  other  public  Library.    No 


256  The  Theosophist.  [January 

fuss  or  ceremony  whatever  was  made  over  the  distinguished  visitors  by  Colonel 
Olcott,  who  received  the  Viceroy  as  an  old  friend  and  Lady  Curzon  as  a  compa- 
triot,  and  informally  introduced  to  them,  with  their  permission,  Dr.  English,  the 
Recording  Secretary,  Mr.  T.  V.  Charlu,  the  Treasurer,  Miss  N.  E.  Weeks,  his 
Private  Secretary,  Miss  Lilian  Edger,  M.A.,  who  has  just  returned  from  the 
Colonies,  Mr.  V.  C  Seshachari  and  the  Pandits  and  Shaslries  of  the  Library. 
It  being  almost  sundown  the  life-sized  statue  of  Mme.  Blavatsky  was  lighted  up, 
and  so  effectively  that  Their  Excellencies  thought  it  marble,  and  were  greatly 
pleased  to  learn  that  its  modeller  wus  a  Hindu  employed  at  the  local  School  of 
Arts.  They  expressed  pleasure,  also,  at  the  splendid  door  and  screen  curvings, 
the  Japanese  religious  pictuics  on  single  grains  of  rice,  the  tiny  figures  of  house- 
fairies,  illustrative  of  Scandinavian  and  Teutonic  folklore,  and,  especially,  th« 
palm  leaf  MSS.  Their  Excellencies  were  shown  the  entry  of  the  Right  Hon'ble 
George  N.  Curzon,  M.  P.'s  name,  written  by  himself,  in  the  old  Visitors'  Book  of 
1889,  and  Lady  Curzon  was  good  enough  to  plant  a  mango  tree  in  a  garden  plot 
in  front  of  the  house,  and  to  express  her  pleasure  in  giving  the  Colonel  this 
itiemento  of  her  visit.  He,  in  return,  presented  her  with  an  old  memorial  ri^  a  coin, 
of  Japan,  made  of  bronze,  which  was  made  from  the  melted  bronze  of  a  monster 
statue  of  Buddha,  or  Daibuisu,  as  it  is  called,  destroyed  in  a  domestic  war  two 
centuries  ago. 

[The  Hindu. '\ 

Yesterday,  at  about  ^  p.m.,  their  Excellencies  Lord  and  '  Lady  Curzon 
accompanied  by  an  Aide-de-Camp  called  at  the  Headquarters  of  the  Theo- 
sophica)  Society,  Adyar.  Colonel  Olcott,  the  President- founder,  received  them 
and  introduced  them  to  the  prominent  Theosophists  who  were  there,  includ- 
ing Miss  Lilian  Edger  who  recently  arrived  from  Australia  to  deliver  the  Adyar 
Lectures  this  year.  The  Oriental  and  Western  Sections  of  the  Library  were 
inspected  and  their  Excellencies  were  charmed  with  the  collection  of  Japanese 
curiosities  which  were  exhibited  in  the  Oriental  Section.  At  the  request  of 
Colonel  Olcott,  Lady  Curzon  planted  a  yo«nig  mango  tree  just  in  front  of  the 
main  building,  to  commemorate  the  Viceregal  visit  to  the  Theosophical  Head- 
quarters. Lord  Curzon*s  signature  in  the  Visitor's  book  made  thirteen  years 
back  was  then  shown  and  the  Colonel  presented  Lady  Curzon  with  a  Japanese 
bronze  coin  m.ade  from  the  bronze  of  a  colossal  statue  of  Buddha,  burnt  in  one 
of  the  revolutionary  wars  of  Japan.  The  coin  was  placed  in  a  neatly  carved 
sandalwood  box  lined  with  satin.  Lord  Curzon,  of  his  own  motion,  then  went 
upstairs  with  the  Colonel  to  see  the  old  room  in  which  he  had  had  a  long  and 
interesting  conversation  with  the  Colonel  when  he  called  at  Adyar  thirteen 
years  back  ;  while  Lady  Curzon  was  engaged  for  some  time  in  talking  Aviih 
Miss  Weeks,  P.  S.,  of  Chicago,  who  has  now  made  Adyar  her  permanent  home. 
Their  Excellencies  made  themselves  quite  at  home  and  the  one  thing  which 
impressed  every  body  was  their  unassuming  manners  and  suave  simplicity. 
After  exchanging  compliments  with  those  present,  the  Viceregal  Party  drove 
to  the  Government  House,  Guindy. 


THE     THEOSOPHIST. 

(Founded  in  1879.) 


VOL.  XXII.,  NO.  5,  FEBRUARY  1901. 


"THERE  IS  NO  RELIGION  HIGHER  THAN  TRUTH." 

{^Family  motto  of  the  Maharajahs  of  Benaresl\ 

OLD  DIARY  LEAVES* 
Fourth  Series,  Chapter  XVI. 

(Year  1891O 

I  REACHED  Madras  on  the  12th  of  February  and  found  awaiting 
me  a  pleasant  surprise  in  the  form  of  a  letter  from  Prof.  Leon  de 
Rosnjs  of  the  Sorbonne,  informing  me  of  my  election  as  Honorarj- 
Member  of  the  Societe  d'Ethnographie,  of  Paris,  in  the  place  of 
Samuel  Birch,  the  renowned  Orientalist,  deceased.  Prof,  de  Rosny 
and  I  had  been  on  friendly  terms  for  several  years,  having  been 
drawn  together  by  our  liking  for  Buddhistic  philosophy.  He  told 
me  once  that  he  used  my  **  Buddhist  Catechism  "  in  his  lectures 
and  had  told  his  pupils  that  they  would  find  more  real  Buddhism  in 
it  than  in  any  of  the  books  published   by  the   Orientalists. 

Four  days  later  I  packed  trunk  and  took  the  steamer  for  Colombo 
en  route  for  Australia.  I  had  to  wait  at  Colombo  from  the  i8th 
Febraar\^  to  the  3rd  March  for  the  Australian  boat,  but  ever>' 
minute  of  my  time  was  occupied.  Among  other  things  accomplished 
was  the  getting  of  my  Fourteen  Propositions,  or  Buddhist  Platform, 
accepted  and  signed  by  Sumangala  and  Subhuti,  the  two  ranking 
high-priests  of  Kandy,  and  enough  more  of  the  principal  bhikshus  to 
give  it  the  imprimatur  of  Sinhalese  Buddhism.  This  answered  for  the 
whole  of  the  Southern  school,  as  the  Buddhism  of  Siam  is  identical 
with  that  of  Burma  and  Ceylon.    At  Wellawatte,  Panadure,  Kandy, 

•  Three  volumes,  in  series  of  thirty  chapters,  tracing  the  history  of  the 
Tbeosopbicral  Society  from  its  beg-inningfs  at  New  York,  have  appeared  in  the 
Tkeo»phist,  and  the  first  volunie  is  available  in  book  form.  Price  cloth,  Rs.  3-8-0, 
or  paper,  Rs.  2-3.0.  Vol.  II.,  beautifully  illustrated  with  views  of  Adyar,  has  just 
been  received  by  the  Manager,  Theosophist :  Price,  cloth,  Rs.  5  ;  paper,  Rs,  3. 


258  The  Theosophist.  [February 

Katugastota,  Dehiwalla  and  other  places,  I  lectured  on  behalf  of  the 
Buddhist  schools,  raising  public  subscriptions  in  some  places,  dis- 
tributing prizes  at  others.  The  Buddhists  of  Arakan,  through  Won- 
dauk  Tha  Dway,  of  Akyab,  telegraphed  me  an  urgent  invitation  to 
visit  their  country  and,  with  the  message,  telegraphed  money  for 
my  expenses,  but  I  was  obliged  to  postpone  the  visit  until  a 
future  occasion. 

At  this  time  an  experiment  was  going  on  to  create  a  Cej'lon 
Section  of  the  T.  S.,  and  I  had  made  Dr.  Daly  General  Secretar}\ 
The  result,  however,  was  thoroughly  unsatisfactory  and  so  I  removed 
him  from  office,  but  experimentally  made  him  General  Manager  of 
Schools.  I  also  issued  an  appeal  to  the  public  for  the  creation  of  a 
Wesak  Fund  to  be  used  for  foreign  propaganda.  I  have  never  been 
able  to  get  the  Sinhalese  interested  in  this  w^ork,  their  whole  sym- 
pathy and  endeavours  being  concentrated  on  the  regulation  of 
Buddhist  affairs  in  their  own  countr>^  The  fact  is,  nowhere  in  the 
East  have  the  people  any  very  clear  idea  of  foreign  countries  and 
nations,  and  rarely  have  I  found  them  in  India  distinguishing  between 
the  white  men  of  diflferent  nationalities,  who  are  classified  under  the 
general  name  of  '*  Europeans  ;  "  even  Americans  are  so  designated. 

There  was  lying  in  Colombo  Harbour  at  that  time  a  Russian 
frigate  on  which  the  Czarewitch,  the  present  Czar,  was  making 
the  tour  of  the  world,  accompanied  by  a  staff  of  eminent  men. 
One  of  these  gentlemen,  during  the  Prince's  Indian  tour,  had 
called  at  Adyar  during  my  absence  in  Burma,  expressed  much  in- 
terest in  Theosophy,  and  bought  some  of  our  books.  I  was  sorry 
to  have  missed  him,  as  also  the  ball  at  Government  House  to 
which  the  new  Governor,  Lord  Wenlock,  had  invited  me  "  To  have 
the  honour  of  Meeting  His  Imperial  Highness  The  Czesarewitch." 
Learning  from  the  Russian  Consul  at  Colombo  that  some  of  the 
Crown  Prince's  staff  would  be  pleased  to  make  my  acquaintance,  I 
went  aboard  the  frigate  and  spent  an  hour  in  delightful  conversation 
with  Prince  Hespere  Oukhtomsky,  Chief  of  the  Departement  des 
Cultes,  in  the  Ministere  de  1'  Interieur,  who  was  acting  as  the 
Prince's  Private  Secretary  on  this  tour,  and  Lieutenant  N.  Crown, 
of  the  Nav3'  Department  at  St.  Petersburg  ;  both  charming  men.  I 
found  myself  particularly  drawn  to  Prince  Oukhtomsky  because  of 
his  intense  interest  in  Buddhism,  which  for  many  years  he  has 
made  a  special  study  among  the  Mongolian  lamaseries.  He  has 
also  given  much  time  to  the  study  of  other  religions.  He  was  good 
enough  to  invite  me  to  make  the  tour  of  the  Buddhist  monasteries 
of  Siberia.  He  asked  me  for  a  copy  of  my  Fourteen  Propositions, 
so  that  he  might  translate  them  and  circulate  them  among  the 
Chief  Priests  of  Buddhism  throughout  the  Empire.  This  he  has 
since  done.j] 

On  the  ist  of  March  Mr.  Richard  Harte  arrived  from  Adyar  on 
his  way  to  England  after  about  three  years'  service  at  headquarters. 


1901.]  Old  Diary  Leaves.  259 

As  above  noted,  I  sailed  for  Australia  on  March  3rd,  on  that 
noble  P.  &  O.  steamer  **  Oceana."  On  the  5th  I  crossed  the  Equa- 
tor for  the  first  time,  but  no  tricks  were  played  by  the  sailors  on  the 
passengers.  The  next  day  I  saw  what  to  me  was  a  marvel,  viz,, 
a  rainbow  lying  horizontally  instead  of  making  the  usual  vertical 
arch.  It  seemed  to  me,  as  I  noted  it,  **  like  a  stiff  rainbow  melted 
down."  The  passage  throughout  was  very  smooth  and  pleasant. 
On  the  I2th,  by  request,  I  lectured  in  the  First  Saloon,  on  "  The 
Essence  of  Buddhism."  The  chair  was  taken  by  Hon.  J.  T. 
Wilshire,  M.  P.,  who  made  a  very  nice  speech  at  the  close.  We 
reached  King  George's  Sound  on  the  13th  and  anchored  off  Albany, 
but  were  quarantined  because  of  the  small-pox  at  Colombo,  and 
were  thus  prevented  from  going  ashore  to  have  a  look  at  the  place. 
Port  Adelaide  was  reached  on  the  17th  and  Melbourne  on  the  i8th. 
At  the  latter  place  I  met  Mrs.  Pickett,  one  of  our  old  members,  at 
whose  house  at  Kew  there  was  a  meeting  of  Theosophists  to  greet  me. 
An  old  fellow-traveller  in  Japan,  Mr.  James  Miller,  of  Melbourne, 
whom  I  had  also  met  in  London,  breakfasted  with  me  at  my  hotel, 
and  I  lunched  with  him  the  same  day. 

We  sailed  on  the  20th  for  Sydney  and  arrived  there  on  the 
23rd  in  the  early  morning.  My  old  acquaintance,  the  Earl  of 
Jersey,  w^as  Governor  of  New  South  Wales  at  this  time,  and  as  I  had 
notified  Lady  Jersey  of  my  coming,  they  both  received  me  with  the 
greatest  kindness.  I  attended  Her  ladyship's  garden-party  that 
same  day  and  dined  at  Government  House  the  next  evening.  A 
more  beautiful  view  than  that  from  this  place  is  hard  to  imagine. 
The  building  is  on  a  gently  sloping  point,  running  out  into  the 
world-famous  Sydney  Harbour,  and  a  panorama  of  exquisite  scenery 
stretches  out  before  the  spectator.  The  old  proverb  was :  *'  See 
Naples  and  die,"  but,  for  my  part,  I  should  rather  substitute  the 
name  Sydney  for  Naples.  Lord  Jersey  was  vastly  amused  over 
an  exchange  of  bantering  notes  in  comic  verse  between  Lady 
Jersey  and  myself,  about  her  joining  our  Society,  which  I 
urged  on  the  score  of  her  intelligent  interest  in  mystical  studies, 
and  she  declined  from  an  instinct  of  that  conservatism  which 
made  her  one  of  the  founders  of  the  **  Primrose  League."  More 
delightful  acquaintances  than  they  I  have  never  met, 

I  had  the  pleasure  of  becoming  acquainted  with  several  Theoso- 
phists and  on  the  25th  sailed  for  Brisbane  on  the  coasting  steamer 
"  Barcoo."  A  note  that  I  made  on  the  attractive  appearance  of  the 
dining  saloon,  which  was  finished  in  light  wood  in  artistic  designs, 
with  white  and  dark  marble  panels,  reminds  me  to  say  that  most  of 
the  steamers  plying  around  the  stormy  coasts  of  Australia,  Tasmania 
and  New  Zealand  give  the  traveller  every  comfort  that  he  could 
wish.  As  for  the  table,  it  merits  every  praise.  My  trip  on  this  boat 
is  worth  mentioning  only  for  one  reason — that  I  met,  as  a  fellow 
passenger,  a  man  who  seemed  to  me  a  sort  of  lusns  natura.  He  was 


260  The  Theosophist.  [Febx'uary 

a  prize-fighter  by  profession  and  a  light-weight  champion,  but  with- 
al as  quiet,  gentlemanlike  a  person  as  one  would  want  to  meet ;  more- 
over, he  was  a  pianist  of  great  merit.  He  played  with  great  feeling 
and  would  sit  there  at  the  instrument  and  let  his  fingers  ramble  over 
the  keys,  bringing  out  sweet  harmonies,  while  his  head  would  be 
thrown  back  and  a  dreamy  expression  come  into  his  eyes,  as  though 
he  were  catching  at  sweet  sounds  in  a  higher  sphere.  I  wish  I  could 
remember  the  interesting  stor>'  of  his  musical  life  that  he  told  me, 
but  as  I  qnly  wrote  in  my  diary  the  words  :  "  Three  months'  inspi- 
ration," it  is  all  gone  from  me.  A  vague  reminiscence  that  there  was 
something  about  his  having  been  overshadowed  by  the  spirit  of 
Harmony,  and  that  this  controlled  him  for  the  space  of  time  indi- 
cated, and  that  the  influence  had  never  wholly  left  him  since,  floats 
before  my  memory.  At  any  rate,  there  he  was  at  the  piano,  impro- 
vising music  while  on  his  way  to  fill  an-  engagement  in  the  prize-ring, 
where  he  would  pummel  another  brute  and  be  pummelled  by  l\im 
until  one  or  both  should  find  themselves  unable  to  "  come  to  the 
scratch."  I  reached  Brisbane  on  the  27th  at  10  a.m.  The  town  is 
one  and  a  half  hours'  sail  up  the  river,  and  one  is  reminded,  by  the 
houses  and  farms  along  the  banks,  far  more  of  America  than  of 
England.  .  It  being  Good  Friday,  every  office  and  shop  was  closed 
and  I  could  see  nobody  on  business,  but  with  the  journalistic  in- 
stinct which  runs  so  strong  in  my  veins,  I  called  at  the  oflSce  of  the 
Observer  and  saw  Mr.  Rose,  a  liberal-minded  Scotchman,  the  sub- 
editor, with  whom  I  at  once  struck  up  a  friendship.  A  paragraph  in 
the  next  morning's  Courier  brought  me  a  flood  of  visitors  all  the  next 
day.  Mr.  Rose  lunched  and  dined  with  me  at  my  hotel,  and  Mr. 
Woodcock,  Chief  Clerk  of  the  Colonial  Secretary's  Office,  a  verj' 
genial  and  pleasant  gentleman,  also  dined  with  me.  I  spent  the  after- 
noon with  Judge  Paul,  of  the  District  Court,  who  has  a  Japanese 
house,  all  the  materials  for  which  were  imported  from  the  Flowery 
Kingdom  and  set  up  by  Japanese  carpenters  imported  for  the  job. 
The  Judge  is  decidedlj^  one  of  the  most  interesting  friends  I  ever 
made,  and  as  we  were  almost  constantly  together  during  my  stay  in 
Brisbane,  my  souvenirs  of  the  visit  are  delightful.  My  introduction 
at  the  Club  brought  me  into  contact  with  many  of  the  cleverest  men 
in  town,  among  them  journalists,  and  so  my  visit  became  town-talk, 
and  when  a  long  interview  with  me  appeared  in  the  Telegraph  it  may 
be  imagined  how  the  stream  of  visitors  at  my  rooms  went  on  increas- 
ing. I  became  acquainted  with  a  couple  of  charming  people,  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Brough,  the  comedians,  whose  acting  I  greatly  enjoyed 
and  both  of  whom  became  members   of  our  Society. 

The  objective  point  of  my  journey  was  Toowoomba,  as  above 
stated,  and  for  this  place  I  left  by  train  on  the  30th  and  reached 
there  after  a  ride  through  pleasant  scenery,  six  hours  later.  M . 
Wm.  Castles,  one  of  the  late  Mr.  Hartmann's  executors,  accom- 
panied me,  and    the  other    one,    Mr.  J.   Roessle,  invited  me    to 


19010  Old  Diary  Leaves.  ^6l 

put  up  with  him  ;  but  as  there  was  friction  between  the  heirs, 
the  executors,  and  Mr.  J.  H.  Watson,  F.T.S.,  Superintendent 
of  the  Hartmann  Nursery,  I  preferred  to  put  up  at  the  Imperial 
Hotel  so  as  to  be  perfectly  impartial.  I  was  delighted  with  the 
situation  of  Toowoomba,  which  has  on  one  side  great  stretches 
of  rolling  meadows  and  on  the  other,  blue  ranges  of  hills.  On 
the  morning  after  my  arrival  I  met  the  Hartmann  family — compri- 
sing his  brother  Hugo,  his  daughter  Helena,  his  sons  Carl  and 
Herrman,  his  two  executors,  and  his  son-in-law,  Mr.  Davis,  hus- 
band of  Helena.  Of  course,  as  they  had  looked  on  me  as  an  enemy, 
as  legatee  of  their  father,  and  had  done  their  best  to  have  the  Will 
broken  without  success,  at  first  they  received  me  with  cold  distrust. 
When,  however,  they  came  to  see  how  little  disposed  I  was  to  deal 
harshly  with  them,  their  ill-temper  gradually  disappeared,  and  at 
the  end  of  the  interview  they  placed  their  interests  unreservedly  in 
my  hands  and  declared  that  they  would  be  satisfied  with  any  parti- 
tion of  the  estate,  or  compromise,  which  I  might  be  willing  to  give. 
Poor  things  !  they  had  been  going  about  the  town  denouncing  their 
father,  complaining  of  their  wrongs,  and  exciting  prejudice  against 
the  Society,  so  that  I  was  convinced  that  it  would  not  have  taken 
much  to  set  the  mob  to  stoning  me  out  of  the  town  or  giving  me  a 
coat  of  tar  and  feathers.  And  yet  I,  and  everybody  else  at  Adyar, 
was  as  innocent  as  the  babe  unborn  of  all  procurement  of,  or  consent 
to,  the  deceased  man's  action,  or  sympathy  with  that  sort  of  thing 
under  any  circumstances.  I  had  had  no  suspicion  that  he  intended 
to  leave  the  Society  a  rupee,  or  that  he  had  rupees  to  bequeath.  If 
he  had  but  hinted  to  me  his  purpose  I  should  have  tried  to  dissuade 
him  from  doing  a  wrong  to  his  family  and  thus  prevent  them  from 
sending  their  maledictions  after  him  into  Kamaloka.  Those  who 
are  interested  in  looking  through  a  full  report  on  this  case,  may  do 
so  by  reading  in  the  Theosophist  for  August  1891,  my  article  on  **  Our 
Australian  Legacy  :  a  Lesson."  A  good  understanding  having  been 
arrived  at  all  around,  I  accepted  the  invitation  of  Mr.  Watson  to 
come  and  take  up  my  residence  with  him  at  "  Hartmann's  Gardens." 
It  is,  or  was,  a  charming  show-place  of  popular  resort,  with  acres 
laid  out  in  ornamental  landscape  gardening,  a  profusion  of  pines, 
palms,  aloes  and  ornamental  and  flowering  shrubs  and  plants,  testify- 
ing to  the  botanical  skill  of  the  deceased  owner.  There  was  an  ex- 
tensive conservatory  full  of  rare  plants,  and  another  attached  to  the 
house,  with  a  lofty  roof  of  wood,  and  a  tower,  or  lantern,  in  the  apex. 
In  this  latter  room  were  cases  of  selected  shells,  corals  and  butter- 
flies, and  jars  of  reptilia,  all  possessing  a  scientific  value,  while  the 
four  walls  were  covered  with  trophies  artistically  composed,  of 
strange  weapons  of  war  and  the  chase,  utensils  of  husbandry,  and 
fishing  nets,  spears  and  tackle,  as  used  by  the  savages  of  New  Guinea. 
The  nursery  property  is  at  the  brow  of  a  ridge,  2,000  feet  above  sea- 
level,  and  from  the  house-front  the  delighted  eye   sweeps  over  a 


^6^  The  Theosophist.  [February 

varied  landscape  of  wild  eucalyptus  and  other  jungle  and  detached 
clearings,  stretching  seventy  miles  away  to  a  range  of  blueish  hills, 
far  beyond  which  lies  Brisbane,  the  capital  of  Queensland.  Enter- 
ing the  nursery  property  from  the  public  road,  one  drives  through  an 
avenue  of  trees  indigenous  to  Oceanea,  and  others  of  tropical  habi- 
tat— such  as  cacti,  aloes  and  palms — until  the  way  is  barred  by  a 
fence  which  encloses  the  ornamental  gardens  and  admits  only  foot- 
passengers.  Beyond  this,  a  grassy  road  as  wide  as  the  entrance 
avenue,  conducts,  in  tortuous  ways,  up  to  the  house  which  is  perfect- 
ly embowered  in  a  grove  of  umbrageous  trees.  The  place  is  famed 
throughout  the  Colony  for  its  beauty  and  known  to  thousands  in 
the  other  Australian  Colonies  as  the  home  of  the  winner  of  several 
hundred  diplomas  and  medals  at  their  various  horticultural  shows. 
Mr.  Hartmann  was  a  tireless  worker  and,  besides  attending  to  his 
business  proper,  kept  up  a  correspondence  with  the  most  eminent 
botanists  and  naturalists,  and  gave  his  name  to  some  new  species  of 
plants  and  insects.  The  Gardens  comprise  forty-two  acres. 
Besides  this  estate,  he  owned  shares  in  productive  mines  and  had  a 
nice  sum  to  his  credit  in  bank.  This  was  the  property  bequeathed 
to  me  for  the  Theosophical  Society,  my  title  to  which  had  been 
declared  perfect,  by  the  highest  judicial  tribunal.  My  readers  will  see, 
doubtless,  in  my  renunciation  of  my  rights  in  favour  of  the  injured 
natural  heirs,  a  practical  lesson  in  what  we  Theosophists  call  altruism. 
At  a  rough  estimate  the  estate  was  then   worth  about  ;^5,ooo. 

In  thinking  it  all  over,  it  seemed  to  me  that  if  I  gave  back  to 
the  family  four-fifths  of  the  estate,  from  which  they  never  expected 
to  derive  a  penny  of  benefit,  and  kept  one-fifth  for  the  Society,  I 
would,  in  some  sort,  be  carrying  out  the  wishes  of  Mr.  Hartmann 
to  give  substantial  help  to  our  cause  ;  it  also  seemed  no  more  than 
right  that  the  cost  of  my  voyage  both  ways  should  be  defrayed  out  of 
the  money  in  bank.  So,  iipon  full  reflection,  I  drafted  and,  at  the 
next  day's  meeting,  laid  before  the  family  the  following  offer : 

**  Range  Nursery,  Toowoomba,  9/A  April y  1891. 

I  make  the  following  offer  to  the  children  and  brothers  of  the 
late  C.  H.  Hartmann  : 

I.  I  will  sell  to  them,  or  to  anybody  they  may  choose  as  their 
attorney,  all  my  right,  title  and  interest  as  P.  T.  S.  in  the  residue  of 
the  estate,  for  the  sum  of  ;^i,ooo  (one  thousand  pounds)  in  cash  ; 
and  a  sum  sufficient  to  cover  the  cost  of  my  travelling  expenses  from 

and  to  India — say  £^3^- 

II.  I  will  execute  any  necessary  legal  paper  to  this  effect,  and 
instruct  the  executors  to  make  over  the  property,  legally  mine,  to 
them  in  my  place. 

III.  If  they  wish  it,  I  will  take  one-half  of  the  ;^i,ooo  in  cash, 
or  three-fourths— as  they  prefer— say  ;^500  or  ^^750— and  loan  the 
remainder  upon  a  primary    mortgage    with    interest  at  six  per 


1901.]  Old  Diary  Leaves.  263 

cent.  (6  ^/o)*  per  annum,  upon  the  Range  Nursery  property  (z'?>., 
42  or  43  acres)  with  the  buildings  and  improvements  as  they 
stand,  but  not  including  the  nursery  or  hot-house  stock.  The  mort- 
gage maybe  left  standing  for  five  years  or  longer,  as  may  be  here- 
after mutually  agreed  upon  between  them  and  myself,  or  successor  in 
office. 

IV.  The  family  must  all  notify  me  of  their  acceptance  of  these 
terms,  and  of  their  desire  that  I  shall  execute  the  transfer-papers  to 
one  or  two  of  their  number  as  representatives  of  all  the  five. 

V.  The  family  must  undertake  to  settle  all  the  legacies  to  in- 
dividuals as  made  in  the  Will. 

VI.  This  offer  to  be  accepted  on  or  before  the  17th  April  in- 
stant. H.  S.  O1.COTT,  P.  T.  S. 

Without  leaving  the  room  the  heirs  accepted  the  offer  with  ex- 
pressions of  warm  gratitude.  The  document  bears  the  following 
endorsement : 

"  We  accept  the  above  offer,  and  request  that  Col.  Olcott  will 
recognize  the  Hon.  Mr.  Isambert,  M.  P.,  of  Brisbane,  as  our  agent 
and  representative.  (Signed)  C.  H.  Hartmann,  H.  H.  Hartmann, 
Helena  Hartmann  Davis.  In  presence  of  F.  Harley  Davis  and  John 
Roessler"  (one  of  the  two  executors  under  the  Will). 

I  quote  this  document  from  the  published  narrative  above  men- 
tioned, as  the  event  is  ten  years  old  and  hundreds  or  thousands  who 
will  read  this  chapter  will  get  from  it  their  first  intimation  of  this  event 
and  its  sequel  which,  I  am  delighted  to  say,  received  the  unanimous 
approval  of  my  colleagues  in  the  Society.  Somewhat  later,  there 
came  a  great  panic  in  Colonial  real-estate  values,  and  so  I  cancelled 
my  claim  for  the  ;^i,ooo  and  gave  over  absolutely  the  whole  estate  to 
the  family,  taking  nothing  out  of  it  save  the  bare  cost  of  my  jour- 
ney, and  a  few  New  Guinea  curios,  worth,  perhaps,  £  5,  which  may 
be  seen  in  the  Adyar  Library. 

I  was  amused  to  see  the  instantaneous  change  of  public  opinion 
towards  the  Society  and  myself  ;  the  heirs  now  went  about  singing 
my  praises  and  the  Australian  press  echoed  the  feeling,  some  saying 
that  I  had  acted  in  a  more  truly  Christian  spirit  than  the  Trustees 
of  a  Scotch  Presbjiierian  Church  who,  being  bequeathed  a  fortune 
of  y^i6,ooo  by  a  fanatical  woman,  refused  to  give  her  pauper  sister 
even  a  small  annuity  to  keep  her  out  of  the  workhouse.  The  first 
effect  at  Toowoomba  was  an  invitation  to  deliver  a  public  lecture  on 
**  Theosophy  and  Buddhism,"  at  which  the  Chairman  was  an  M.  P. 
So  it  happened  in  every  town  which  I  visited.  Even  clergymen  came 
each  time  to  hear  me,  my  rooms  at  the  hotels  were  thronged  with 
ladies  and  gentlemen  of  the  highest  social  position,  anxious  to  question 
me  and  join  the  Society ;  and,  tell  it  not  it  Gath,  Christian  clergymen 
of  orthodox  repute  and  much  influence  joined  the  Society,  whose 
bones  the  missionaries  in  India  have  been  for  years  trying  to  gnaw ! 

*   The  local  bank  rate  was  8^  per  cent. 


264  The  Theosophist.  [February 

When  I  went  to  Australasia  we  had  but  three  weak  branches  in 
that  part  of  the  world— those  at  Melbourne,  Wellington  (New  Zealand) 
and  Hobart  (Tasmania)  ;  the  one  which  Hartmann  tried  to  open  had 
utterly  failed,  and  I  found  the  unused  charter  among  his  papers, 
together  with  a  number  of  diplomas  of  fellowship,  dated  1881,  but 
never  delivered.  When  I  left  the  country  there  were  seven  good 
ones,  among  whose  members  were  thorough-going  mystics  and 
Theosophists,  from  whom  I  then  expected  much  and  who  have  not 
disappointed  me.  Before  leaving  Adelaide,  S.A.,  I  issued,  on  May 
26th,  the  usual  ofiScial  Notice  authorizing  the  formation  of  a  Section. 
I  was  not  fortunate,  as  it  turned  out,  much  to  my  disappointment, 
in  my  nominations  of  the  General  and  Assistant  General  Secretaries ; 
but  in  the  course  of  time  everything  has  been  settled  for  the  best,  and 
we  have  now  in  the  Colonies  a  bodj^  of  men  and  women  who  compare 
favourably  with  the  members  of  any  other  Section   of  the  Society. 

I  had  bespoken  my  passage  from  Sydney  to  New  Zealand,  and 
on  the  9th  of  May  went  to  the  Company's  office  at  2  p.  m.  with  the 
money  for  my  ticket,  but,  it  being  Saturday,  found  it  closed,  and  so 
came  away  again.  I  was  expected  at  Wellington,  Auckland  and 
elsewhere,  and  great  results  were  counted  upon,  among  others  the 
formation  of  new  branches.  The  Tasmanian  friends  had  also 
engaged  a  public  hall  and  arranged  *for  my  accommodation  and  all 
other  details.  The  death  of  H.  P.  B.  changed  my  plans,  made  me 
cancel  the  New  Zealand  and  Tasmanian  programme,  cable  orders  for 
a  London  council,  and  embark  for  "  home  '*  via  Colombo,  on  the 
27th  May,  in  the  S.S.  **  Massilia  " ;  on  board  which  staunch  vessel 
I  lectured,  by  invitation  of  the  passengers  and  at  kind  Captain 
Fraser's  request,  for  the  benefit  of  that  deserving  charity,  the  Mer- 
chant Seamen's  Orphan  Asylum.  The  tickets  were  one  shilling  each, 
and  the  neat  sum  of  ;^4-io-o  was  realised  for  the  object  specified. 
Captain  Fraser  was  good  enough  to  ask  me  to  at  least  take  half  the 
proceeds  for  the  Adyar  Library,  but  I  declined,  as  the  money  had 
not  been  paid  for  that  purpose. 

My  first  intimation  of  H.  P.  B/s  death  was  received  by  me 
'*  telepathically  "  from  herself,  and  this  was  followed  by  a  second 
similar  message.  The  third  I  got  from  one  of  the  reporters  present  at 
my  closing  lecture  in  Sydney,  who  told  me  as  I  was  about  leaving 
the  platform,  that  a  press  message  had  come  from  London  announ- 
cing her  decease.  In  my  Diar>'  entry  for  May  9th,  1891,  I  say  :  "  Had 
an  uneasy  foreboding  of  H.  P.  B.'s  death."  In  that  of  the  following 
day  it  is  written  :  '*  This  morning  I  feel  that  H.  P.  B.  is  dead  :  the 
third  warning."  The  last  entry  for  that  day  says  :  "  Cablegram, 
H.  P.  B.  dead."  Only  those  who  saw  us  together  and  knew  of  the 
close  mystical  tie  between  us,  can  understand  the  sense  of  bereave- 
ment that  came  over  me  upon  receipt  of  the  direful  news. 

H.  S.  Oi^corr, 


265 


OBSTACLES  TO  SPIRITUAL  PROGRESS. 

I.    The  Conditions  of  Progress. 

[The  series  of  lectures  delivered  by  Miss  Edger  at  Adyar  during 
the  recent  Christmas  holidays,  have,  by  request,  been  written  out  for  T/ie 
Tlieosofhist^  and,  while  embodying  in  the  main,  the  ideas  given  forth  in 
the  lectures,  they  should  not  be  regarded  as  an  exact  reproduction  of 
them. — Ed.  note], 

PROBABIyY  all  members  of  the  Theosophical  Society  are  looking 
forward  to  a  time,  whether  distant  or  near,  when  they  will  have 
advanced  along  the  path  of  spiritual  progress  and  will  have  defi- 
nitely taken  up  that  line  of  conduct  and  self-development  which  will 
ultimately  lead  them  to  the  goal  of  human  perfection.  Some  have 
already  advanced  considerably  along  this  path,  others  are  taking 
their  first  steps,  while  to  yet  others  it  is  but  a  possibility  which  lies 
before  them  in  the  future.  This  last  class,  however,  are,  by  the  very 
recognition  of  such  possibility,  beginning  to  prepare  themselves  for 
its  realisation. 

It  is  well,  then,  that  we  should  all  from  time  to  time  pause,  and 
let  our  thoughts  dwell  on  the  difficulties  that  are  likely,  nay  certain, 
to  obstruct  our  progress,  so  that  we  may  understand  how  they  may 
be  met,  and  may  begin  to  develop  in  ourselves  those  qualities  b}'' 
means  of  which  we  shall  be  able  to  surmount  all  obstacles.  This  is 
our  purpose  during  these  three  mornings ;  we  shall  strive  to  under- 
stand and  classify  some  of  the  chief  difficulties  we  shall  meet,  and 
then  consider  how  we  may  best  prepare  ourselves  to  overcome  them. 
We  shall  gather  together  some  of  the  teachings  that  have  been  given 
to  us,  teachings  that  are  as  an  oft-told  tale  to  you  all ;  but  it  may  be 
that  the  setting  will  bring  them  home  with  new  force  to  some  of  us, 
as  we  strive  to  apply  them  to  this  aspect  of  our  practical  life. 

First,  we  must  consider  the  general  principles  of  evolution, 
especially  in  connection  with  humanity,  in  order  to  deduce  from 
them  the  necessary  conditions  of  progress.  Let  us  try  to  carry  our 
thoughts  back  to  the  point  immediately  preceding  the  dawn  of 
manifestation,  when  **  time  was  not,  for  it  lay  asleep  in  the  infinite 
bosom  of  duration  " ;  when  "  darkness  alone  filled  the  boundless  all, 
for  Father,  Mother,  and  Son  were  once  more  one,  and  the  Son  had 
not  awakened  yet  for  the  new  wheel  and  his  pilgrimage  thereon."* 
The  Hindu  Scriptures  describe  how  "This  was  before  soul, 
bearing  the  shape  of  a  man.     Looking  round,  he  beheld  nothing  but 

himself. He  did  thus  not  feel  delight.     ...    He 

was  desirous  of  a  second He  desired  Let  me  have 

a  wife  ;  again,  let  me  be  born ;  again,  let  me  have  wealth  ;  again,  let 


*  "  Stanzas  of  Dzyan,"  I,  2,  5.  (S.  D,  I.,  27,  o.  e,) 
2 


266  The  Theosophist.  [February 

me  perform  work."  *  Or  again,  **  He  (the  supreme  soul)  desired,  let 
me  become  many,  let  me  be  born.  He  performed  tapas  (reflected  on 
the  form  of  the  world  to  be  created).  Having  performed  tapas,  he 
created  all  this  whatsoever.  Having  created  it,  he  even  entered  it."t 
Or  yet  again,   "  Before,  this  was  a  mere  state  of  being,  one  only, 

without  a  second It  willed, '  I  shall  multiply  and  be  bom.' 

It  created  heat That  heat  willed,  *  I  shall  multiply  and  be  bom.' 

It  created  water The  water  willed,  *  I  shall  multiply  and  be 

bom.'    It  created  aliment That  Deity  willed,  *  entering 

these  three  objects  in  the  form  of  life  (JivfttmS)  I  shall  be  manifest 
in  various  names  and  forms.  J  Unity  first :  then,  in  some  way 
that  we  cannot  yet  comprehend,  desire  arose  in  the  One,  and  the 
desire  was  that  the  one  might  become  many.  Then  multiplication  ; 
the  elements  appearing  in  order,  each,  by  the  vital  energy  within 
itself  giving  rise  to  the  succeeding  one.  In  all,  the  life  of  The 
One,  manifesting  as  the  JivatmS ;  but  manifesting  dimly  and 
partially,  for  successive  veils  of  matter  grew  around  the  original 
filmy  forms  of  life,  concealing  more  and  more  the  divinity  within. 
Thus  arose  the  duality  of  the  manifested  universe,  Purusha  and 
Prakriti,  or  to  use  other  words,  the  Self  and  the  Not-Self. 

Let  us  dwell  for  a  few  moments  on  this  duality,  for  if  we   can 
catch  some  glimpse  of  its  meaning,  it  will  help  us  to  understand  our 
further  study.  The  Self  is  the  One  Reality ;  that  which  remains  when 
manifestation  ceases,  when  the  Great  Breath  is  indrawn.  How  then 
can  we  know  the  Self  ?  for  are  we  not  living  in  the  midst  of  mani- 
festation ?  Are  we  not  indeed,  as  far  as  our  present  consciousness  is  con- 
cemedy  a  part  of  the  Not-Self?    Then  all  we  can  know  of  the  Self,  is 
that  it  is  not  anything  of  that  of  which  we  are  conscious.    All  our 
present  consciousness  is  the   consciousness   of  limitation,  of  the 
partial  manifestation  of  the  Reality.     Hence  the  best  efforts  we  can 
make  to  describe  the  Self,  will  at  present  resolve  themselves  into 
saying  *  It  is  not  this,  it  is  not  that. '     And  yet  the  knowledge  of  the 
Self /f  open  to  us,  if  we  will  fit  ourselves  to  receive  it ;  for  the   Not- 
Self  exists  only  by  virtue  of  its  being  a  manifestation  of  the  Self,  and 
though  it  be  true  that  our  present  consciousness  is  that  of  the  Not- 
Self,  yet  in  essence  we  are  the  Self.     If  then  we  penetrate  these  veils 
of  illusion  that  we  call  *  I, '  *  thou,*  and  *  he,*  we  shall  at  last   reach 
the  knowledge  of  the  Self  which   is  one  in  all  beings,   and  shall 
*  know  even  as  we  are  known.*    But  this  means  the  development  of 
the  highest  spiritual  potentialities  that  lie  latent  ^within  us,   and  can 
be  attained  only  by  patient  perseverance,  and  long,  arduous  labour. 
In  the  meantime,  we  can  by  study  of  the  Not-Self,  the  manifestation 
of  the  Self,  learn  enough  to  enable  us  to  fit  ourselves  for  further 


*  Brihad-aranyaka  Upanishad,  I,  4,  i-iii,  xvii. 

t  Taittiriya  Upanishad,  II,  6. 

X  Chandogya  Upanishad,  VI,  2,  i,  iii,  iv;  VI,  3,  fi. 


1001.]  Obstacles  to  Spiritiial  Progress.  267 

knowledge.    It  is  for  this  that  we  shall  do  well  to  study  the  general 
principles  of  evolution. 

It  is  not  necessary  for  us  to  dwell  at  length  on  the  earlier  stages  : 
they  have  been  described  to  us  again  and  again,  and  we  are  all 
familiar  with  the  way  in  which  the  successive  stages  of  conscious- 
ness have  evolved.  Firs-t,  sensation,  developed  by  the  vibrations 
which  struck  against  the  evolving  forms  from  without  and  awakened 
the  most  elementary  of  the  latent  energies  of  the  divine  life  within. 
Then,  as  the  same  vibrations  were  repeated  again  and  again,  the 
dawn  of  memory,  out  of  which  grew  the  germ  of  desire.  In  the 
meantime,  individualisation  was  taking  place,  the  group-soul  or  monad 
of  the  lower  kingdoms  gradually  subdividing  as  evolution  proceeded, 
and  giving  rise  to  the  various  species  and  sub-species.  The  num- 
ber of  forms  animated  by  each  monad  thus  became  smaller  and 
smaller  until  at  last,  we  are  told,  individualisation  was  completed,  and 
certain  monads  were  sufficiently  differentiated  from  the  rest  of  their 
species  to  ensoul  but  a  single  form.  Here  human  evolution  begins, 
when  into  these  advanced  forms  the  germ  of  the  life  of  the  First 
Logos,  the  mighty  Lord  Mah&deva,  was  implanted,  which,  merging 
with  the  monad  that  had  risen  through  the  lower  kingdoms,  the  life 
of  the  Lord  Vishnu,  the  Second  Logos,  gave  birth  to  the  human  in- 
dividual. This,  the  Jivfitma,  we  will,  for  convenience  sake,  call  the 
ego^  reserving  the  term  Self  for  the  One  Reality ;  we  shall  thus  avoid 
the  confusion  we  so  often  find  in  Western  literature,  arising  from 
the  indiscriminate  use  of  the  terms  self  and  mind  to  denote  the  ego. 

Evolution  still  continued,  but  from  this  point  there  was  a 
change.  Hitherto  the  sense  of  separateness  had  not  been  strong ; 
and  the  conflict  in  the  lower  kingdoms  had  been  proportionately 
less  severe.  Now  that  individualisation  had  been  completed  the 
sense  of  separateness  rapidly  increased,  and  conflict  became  far 
more  severe.  The  development  of  the  Manasic  principle  intensified 
the  separateness,  distinctly  marking  off  each  human  individual 
from  every  other.  For  with  its  development  came  also  the  fornia- 
tion  of  the  causal  body,  as  the  fine  matter  of  the  third  plane  was 
drawn  around  the  tender  seed  of  the  Divine  Self.  A  protective  shell 
was  thus  formed,  within  which  the  ego  was  able  to  grow  more 
rapidly.  For  the  experiences  gained  by  contact  with  the  outside 
world  were  now  stored  in  the  causal  body,  and  instead  of  conducing 
to  the  growth  of  the  group  soul  as  a  whole,  became  the  special  and 
exclusive  possession  of  the  indi\'idual.  Thus  while  unity  is  the 
characteristic  of  the  Self,  separateness  is  that  of  the  ego.  And  yet 
the  ego,  being  the  germ  of  the  Self,  implanted  in  matter  to  develop 
complete  self-consciousness,  is  but  temporarily  separated  from  its 
source,  and  must  ultimately  re-unite  with  it,  when  all  its  potentialities 
have  been  developed  by  tasting  of  the  experiences  of  separated  life. 
There  is  a  passage  in  your  sacred  scriptures  which  beautifully 
describes  this  distinction  between  the  Self  and  the  ego.  Two  birds 
are  sitting  on   a  tree.     One  sits  on  the  topmost   branch,  still  and 


268  The  Theosophist.  [Febfuary 

silent,  watching  the  bird  beneath.    The  latter  is  on  the  lower  branches 
of  the  tree,  and  hops  lightly  from  twig  to  twig,  now  up,  now  down, 
tasting  of  the  fruit.    Some  is  sweet,  some  bitter,'and  it  learns  by  ex- 
perience to  choose  the  sweet  and  reject  the  bitter.    After  a  time  it 
finds  that  that  which  grows  on  the  lowest  branches  is  less  sweet  than 
that  on  the  branches  above.    So  it  rises  a  little  higher  in  the  tree,  but 
still  continues  to  taste  and  choose  the  fruit.     Little  by  little,  it  rises 
higher  and  higher,  until  at  length  it  catches  sight  of  the  bird  above. 
It  is  but  a  momentary  glimpse,  but  it  notes  its  radiance  and  beauty, 
and  now,  ever  and  anon,  as  it  tastes  of  the  fruit,  it  pauses  for  a  moment 
to  gaze  up,  seeking  to  catch  another  glimpse  of  its  companion.     But 
the  latter  still  sits  quiet,  silent  and  motionless ;  until  at  last,  as  the 
lower  bird  rises  nearer,   more  quickly  than  before   because  it  now 
longs  to  reach  its  companion,  the  latter  is  aroused  from  its  stillness, 
and  replies  to  the  twittering  beneath  by  a  song,  sweet  in  melody 
and  rich  in  harmony.    Now  the  progress  of  the  lower  bird  is  hast- 
ened, and  though  it  still  lingers,  tasting  of  the   fruit,   and  now  and 
then  even  hops  down  to  a  lower  branch,  yet   it  rises  more  steadily 
than  before,  and  ever>^  time  it  hops  to  a  higher  branch,  the  song 
from  above  swells  out  more  richly  and   sweetly.     At  last  its  desire 
for  the  sweetness  of  the  fruits  is  overcome  by  its  longing  to  reach  the 
bird  above,  and  to  enjoy  its  radiance   and   its  song.    So  it  flies 
straight  to  the  top  of  the  tree,  and  there,  to  its  astonishment,   finds 
that  it  and  its  companion  are  one.    Separateness   is  transcended, 
the  ego,  the  taster  and  enjoyer  of  the  fruits  of  this  transient  exist- 
ence, re-unites  itself  with  the  Self,  the  eternal,  silent  **  witness." 

Turn  to  another  scripture,  and  there  too  we  shall  find  the  teach- 
ing that  separateness  is  the  necessary  condition   of  manifestation 
and  of  growth.  **  From  the  beginning  God  was  a  mysterious  essence, 
treasured  up  in  one  place.     Afterwards  He  wished  to  be  known  and 
have  His  power  felt  by  others  besides  Himself.     So  He  created  this 
universe.    He  then  created  man  (his  soul  or  spirit)  in  His  own  form. 
He    liked    him,    so    pretty    ahd   good    he    was.    He  loved    him, 
and  the  man  loved  Him   in  return  and  praised   Him.    He  would 
not  be  away  from  Him,  and  would  not  like  to  be  confined   in  an 
earthly  body,  a   corporeal    cage,    but    God  promised  to  be  very 
kind  to  him.     He  knew   that  the  value  of  union   could  not  be  so 
well  perceived  as  when  separation  intervened.  So  He  put  him  in  the 
midst  of  a  mysterious  universe,  that  he  might  see  His  works  and  ad- 
mire them  and  praise  Him.     He  assured  him  that  if  he  loved  Him, 
He  would  love  him  ;  if  he  remembered    Him,  He  would   remember 
him  ;  if  he  looked  for  Him,  He  would  be  with  him  ;  if  he  patients- 
bore  the  troubles  that  came  upon  him  for  trial.  He  would  patronise 
him  ;  and  ultimately  when  he  had  become  a  perfect  being.  He  would 
draw  him  back  to  Himself."* 


•  Translated  from  the  Persian  "  Ishkiyah"  quoted  on  p.  89  of"  The  Alchemy 
of  Happiness,"  by  K.  F.  Mirza, 


l901.]  Obstacles  to  Spiritual  Progress.  i69 

In  the  Christian  Scriptures  we  find  a  similar  teaching.  Having 
created  man  in  His  own  image,  God  placed  him  in  a  beautiful  gar- 
den. All  was  happiness  and  peace,  for  man  was  innocent,  so  inno- 
cent that  God  walked  with  him  in  the  garden  in  the  cool  of  the  even- 
ing. But  it  was  the  innocence  of  ignorance ;  man  did  no  wrong,  sim- 
ply because  to  him  there  was  no  wrong  ;  he  had  as  yet  no  know- 
ledge to  discriminate  between  what  we  call  right  and  wrong.  All  he 
knew  was  that  certain  experiences  brought  him  pleasure,  while  others 
brought  him  pain,  and  so,  guided  by  purely  animal  instincts,  he 
avoided  the  painful  and  sought  the  pleasurable.  Had  this  been  all, 
man  might  have  remained  till  now  in  that  beautiful  garden,  as  in- 
nocent, but  also  as  ignorant,  as  he  then  was.  But  the  laws  of  nature 
are  less  simple  than  appears  on  the  surface  and  that  which  gives 
pleasure  is  not  always  right,  nor  is  that  which  gives  pain  always 
wrong.  So  God  told  him  not  to  do  a  certain  thing,  which  on  the 
surface  looked  right,  for  the  doing  of  it  would  bring  pleasure ;  and 
He  told  him  that  if  he  did  it,  he  would  die.  But  man  could  not 
understand  this ;  he  had  done  many  similar  things,  and  had  not  died ; 
surely  God  must  have  made  a  mistake  !  So  he  tried  for  himself,  and, 
so  doing,  disobeyed  God,  and,  do  you  know,  I  think  God  was  glad 
he  </iV/ disobey  ;  for  He,  in  His  infinite  wisdom,  saw  that  it  would  not 
be  good  for  man  to  stay  for  ever  in  that  beautiful  garden,  to  live 
always  free  from  suflFering.  He  knew  man  could  only  grow  wise 
through  experience,  and  He  did  not  create  him  that  he  might  be  His 
mere  plaything  ;  He  intended  him  at  last  to  be  His  co-worker.  His 
companion,  His  beloved,  through  all  ages.  By  that  act  of  disobe- 
dience, man  first  tasted  of  the  fruit  of  that  tree  known  as  the  **  Tree 
of  the  Knowledge  of  Good  and  Evil ;  "  and  thus  he  must  of  necessity 
leave  the  garden  of  innocent,  ignorant  happiness,  and  go  forth  into 
the  world  of  experience  and  suffering.  For  only  by  experience  could 
he  learn  the  laws  that  govern  his  evolution,  only  by  experience  could 
he  learn* to  recognise  the  contacts  which,  though  immediately  plea- 
surable, yet  bring  ultimate  pain  and  are  therefore  wrong.  We  have 
not  even  yet  completely  learned  these  lessons.  Still  we  do  things 
for  the  sake  of  the  immediate  pleasure,  and  this  even  though  our 
past  experience  has  shown  us  that  these  very  things  will  afterwards 
cause  us  pain ;  still  we  choose  what  we  know  to  be  transitory  and 
unreal,  and  reject  the  permanent  and  real.  And  so  for  us  also  ex- 
perience is  necessary  ;  we  also  need  to  live  in  the  world  of  illusion, 
until  our  wisdom  is  complete.  Not  yet  are  we  ready  to  retire  into 
solitude  and  spend  all  our  time  in  meditating  on  Brahman  and 
striving  to  attain  union  with  Him.  The  undeveloped  cannot  unite 
with  the  perfect ;  it  must  develop  first,  and  then  alone  can  union 
take  place.  Development  comes  only  by  experience  and  thus  the 
first  requisite  for  spiritual  progress  is  variety  of  experience.  L<et 
all  of  us  who  are  at  times  tempted  to  withdraw  from  active  life  re- 
member this,  and  be  content  that  this  round  of  Samsara  is  ours 


it70  The  Theoftophlst.  [February 

because  through  it  alone  can  we  grow  aod  reach  the  ead  we  kave  in 
view. 

Do  not  your  own  Scriptures  in  effect  teach  this  ?  Not  till  his 
full  duty  in  the  world  had  been  discharged,  not  till  lie  had  already 
tasted  to  the  full,  of  the  experiences  it  affords,  was  the  Brahmaoa 
permitted  to  withdraw  to  the  forest  attd  live  there  in  solitude, 
devoted  to  religious  practices.  But  we  shall  recur  to  this  point 
later  on  ;  for  the  present  it  will  suffice  to  lay  stress  on  the  importance 
of  variety  of  experience  until  we  reach  the  last  stage  in  our  progress. 

Here  we  may  digress  for  a  moment  to  note  one  important 
principle  connected  with  this  gaining  of  experience ;  a  principle 
well-known  to  us  all,  which  we  shall  need  to  refer  to  later  on. 
Just  as  good  and  evil  are  relative  terms,  so  also  are  pleasure  and 
pain.  All  that  tends  to  progress  is  good  ;  that  which  hinder  it  is 
evil ;  hence  it  is  self-evident  that  what  is  good  at  an  eariy  stage  in 
our  evolution  would  become  evil  to  us  at  a  later  stage.  Analysing 
pleasure  and  pain,  it  seems  to  me  that  the  vibrations  which  are  in 
harmony  with  those  to  which  the  ego  has  already  developed  the 
power  to  respond,  produce  pleasure ;  while  those  that  are  inharmontous 
with  them  produce  pain. 

Pleasure  and  pain  have  also  been  defined  as  the  feelings  of 
expansion  and  contraction  of  the  Self,  respectively.* 

Whichever  of  these  definitions  is  the  correct  one,  the  same  fact 
will  remain  true,  that  what  is  painful  at  an  early  stage  of  progress 
becomes  pleasurable  later  on  ;  while  conversely,  as  we  grow,  wc 
cease  to  take  pleasure  in  the  things  we  liked  before,  and  in  many 
cases  they  become  a  positive  pain  to  us.  This  principle  we  should 
do  well  to  bear  in  mind  whenever  we  are  tempted  to  condemn  or 
even  to  criticise  the  actions  of  others. 

To  return,  we  find  that  experience  can  be  gained  by  the  ego 
only  by  means  of  its  sheaths,  for  it  is  through  them  that  it  is  able 
to  come  in  contact  with  the  outer  world,  and  thus  be  subjected  to 
new  vibrations.  At  present  the  majority  of  us  are  using  only  four 
sheaths,  the  AnnamSyakosha  or  dense  body ;  the  Prfinam^yakosha 
or  etheric  double  ;  the  Manomtyakosha,  inclnding  both  the  astral 
and  mental  bodies ;  and  the  Vijnanamdyakosha  or  causal  body. 
The  Anandamayakosha,  or  Buddhic  body,  has  hardly  begun  to 
develop  yet  in  most  of  us. 

Now  the  use  of  the  sheaths  is  twofold,  first  as  the  insiru- 
nient  of  tlie  ego,  second  as  its  protecting  shell.  As  its  instni- 
ment  they  transmit  to  it  from  the  very  earliest  stages,  the 
vibrations  striking  on  them  from  without,  by  which  its  own  power 
of  vibration  is  aroused  ;  and  at  a  later  stage  they  also  serve  as  the 
means  by  which  the  vibrations  it  initiates  may  pass  out  from  it  to 
the  outer  wodd,  thus  giving  expression  to  the  powers  or  functions 
of  the  ^^o.    These,  as  at  present  developed,  may  be  roughly,  dassi- 

*  See '*  Science  of  the  Emotions*"    BhagavAn   DAs,  pp.  121,122. 


1901.]  Obstacles  to  Spiritual  Progress.  271 

tied  into  Cognition  (which  inclnde:?   Sensation   and   Perception), 
Desire  (wirich  includes  Emotion),   and  Volition    (^iiich  includef» 
action).    The  double    process    referred   to  is    clearly  seen  here. 
For  the    vibrations   coming  from    without    are  received  by  the 
pliysicai  sheath,   and  transmitted  through   the  etheric  and  astral 
to  the  consciousness  of  the    ego,    arousing   in    it  first    what    we 
call   perception,    and    then  the    higher  mental    function    known 
as    cognition.     So    far    the    process    is    inward,    from    without. 
But,  as  we  have  seen  before,  the  memory  of  past  sensations  gives 
rise  to  desire ;  this  is  the  first  effort  of  the  ego  to   go  outwards,  to 
seek  the  repetition   of  the  vibration  it   has   found  pleasurable.    At 
first  it  seeks  it  by  trying  to   come  in   contact  again  with  the  outer 
object  that  has  given   rise  to  the  vibrations,  and  it  is  only  at  a  later 
stage  that  it  becomes  able  to  reproduce  them  within  itself  by  exer- 
cising the  faculty    of  imagination.    Then  alone  is  it  beginning  to 
iniiiate  the  vibrations.     But  in  whatever  way  desire  is  expressed,  it 
gives  rise  to  volition,  which,  if  continued,  must  ultimately  culminate 
in  action,  thus  completing  the  outgoing  energy  of  the  ego.    These 
considerations  at  once   suggest  the  question  of  the  will,   and  espe- 
cially of  its  freedom.     Up  to  this  point  we   may  truly  say    that  the 
will  proper  has  practically  no  existence ;  man  is    guided  by  desire 
alone.     But  when  the  reason   begins  to  act,  and  the   ego  controls 
desire  by  its  consciousness  of  right  and  wrong,  then  the  germ  of  the 
will  begins  to  grow.     By  degrees  the  ego  learns  to  respond  only  to 
the  finer  vibrations,  the  lower  and  coarser  desires  lose  their  hold  on 
it,    purer  desires  take  their  place,  and  the  ego  begins  to  aspire 
towards   the  Self,  instead  of  simply  seeking  its  own  gratification. 
Then  it  seems  that  impulses  begin  to  be  sent  direct  from  the  Self  to 
the  ego  ;  these  fructify  the  genn  of  the  will,  and  what  may  truly  be 
called  t\i^  free-will  develops.    In  other   words,  the  will  of  the  Self 
begins  to  guide  the  life,  instead  of  the  will  of  the  ego ;  conflict    ac- 
companies this  at  first,  but  after  a  time  the  ego  learns  that  it  and 
the  Self  are  really  one ;  it  then   identifies  its  will  with  that  of  the 
Self,  conflict  ceases,  and  complete  free-will  is  attained  when  the  ego 
and  tlie   Self  reunite ;  a  free-will  that  may  henceforth  be  used   in 
helping    others,   in    helping  to    guide  the  evolution  of  a   future 
humanity,  or  in  any    of  the    glorious  possibilities   of  work    that 
open  out  before  the    perfected    man.     Development    and    purifi- 
cation of    all    the    sheaths    then    is  necessary ;    development   so 
that  \hey  may  be  readily  responsive  to  all  vibrations,  not  only  to  im- 
pulses from  without,  but  also  to  those  from  the  reason  first,  and  after- 
wards from  the  Self\   purification,  so  that  they  may  reject  all   the 
vibrations  that  the  Ego  has  done  with,  and  respond  only  to  the  finer 
and  subtler  vibrations  which  alone  the  ego  gives  out  as  it  draws 
nearertand  nearer  to  the  Self.    This  constitutes  the  second  condition 
of  progress. 

The  other  vise  ofthe  sfaoaths  is  as  a  protecting  shell  to  the  ego. 


272  The  Theosophigt.  [February 

This  will  apply  only  to  the  four  lower  sheaths,  and  not  to  the  Auanda- 
mSyakosha.  For  on  the  Buddhic  plane  separateness  is  transcended. 
We  have  seen,  however,  that  before  unity  can  be  attained,  there 
must  be  complete  development  of  the  ego,  and  to  enable  it  to  grow, 
it  must  be  separated  from  all  other  egos,  so  that  it  may  retain  entire- 
ly within  itself  all  the  results  of  its  own  experiences.  Hence  the 
sheath  which,  above  all  others,  is  separative,  is  the  Vignanamiya- 
kosha,  or  causal  body,  for  it  persists  from  incarnation  to  incarnation, 
serving  as  the  storehouse  for  the  experiences  of  the  ego.  Individ- 
uality begins  when  the  causal  body  is  formed,  at  the  beginning  of  the 
human  evolution  ;  the  time  will  come  when  the  causal  body  is  no 
more  needed  and  the  ego,  strong  and  perfect,  is  ready  to  transcend 
separateness,  and  be  one  with  all  being.  But  it  must  first  be  strong, 
else  it  will  not  be  able  to  contribute  anything  to  the  sum  total  of  the 
lives  with  which  it  becomes  one.  Hence  during  the  first  half  of 
human  evolution,  separateness  is  the  law ;  it  is  only  during  the  latter 
half  that  the  effort  is  made  towards  unity.  Let  me  quote,  as  nearly 
as  I  can  from  memorj',  an  illustration  that  was  once  given  to  me  in 
connection  with  this  point.  A  vegetable  cell  as  you  all  know,  consists 
of  a  mass  of  protoplasm  containing  a  nucleus,  which  is  the  centre  of 
its  life,  the  whole  being  surrounded  by  an  enclosing  sphere-wall  of 
denser  matter,  called  the  cell-wall.  The  nucleus  grows  and  develops 
within  the  cell- wall,  and  there  are  some  cells  of  which  the  wall  breaks 
away  as  soon  as  the  nucleus  is  sufficiently'^  developed  for  the  mass  of 
protoplasm  still  to  hold  together  and  continue  to  exist  as  an  independ- 
ent centre  of  life.  The  causal  b^dy  is  like  the  cell- wall,  the 
nucleus  corresponds  to  the  ego ;  and  similarly,  when  the  ego  is  suffi- 
ciently evolved,  the  causal  body  may  break  away.  But  just  as  the 
cell  would  be  unable  to  develop  if  the  wall  broke  away  too  soon,  so 
the  ego  could  not  grow  strong  if  the  causal  body  were  disintegrated 
too  soon.  So  that  the  use  of  separateness  is  to  render  growth 
possible,  and  we  can  therefore  recognise  the  importance  of  building 
up  a  strong  protective  sheath.  This  is  done  partly  by  training  the 
intellect,  partly  by  developing  firmness  and  determination  in  all  de- 
partments of  life.  At  the  same  time  balance  is  required,  else  there 
will  be  the  tendency  to  carry  the  separateness  beyond  the  stage  to 
which  it  properly  belongs.  Thus  the  emotions  must  be  cultivated 
as  well  as  the  intellect,  for  they  form,  as  it  were,  the  foundation  for 
spirituality,  which  has  as  one  of  its  characteristics  the  realisation  of 
unity.  A  careful  study  of  the  emotions  shows  us  this,  for  those  we 
recognise  as  the  purest  and  best  all  aim  at  an  increase  of  harmony 
and  unity  amongst  various  egos.  This,  however,  is  but  the  first 
step  towards  the  development  of  spirituality ;  the  later  steps  are 
taken  when  the  ego  rises  above  all  the  limitations  of  the  four  lower 
sheaths.  Its  energies  will  then  all  be  transmuted  from  separative 
into  unifying  forces,  for  it  will  realise  the  oneness  of  all  that  lives. 
Thus  along  with  this  must  come  a  realisation  of  the  impermanence 
and  unreality  of  the  Not-Self,  an  understanding  of  the  nature  of  the 


2901.]  Theosophy  and  Socialism.  273 

One  Reality,  the  Self,  So  the  third  condition  of  progress  is  the  pre- 
paration for  unity  by  the  cultivation  of  such  of  the  emotions  as  tend 
to  unify,  together  with  the  development  of  the  power  of  discrimi- 
nation between  the  real  and  the  unreal,  the  eternal  and  the  transi- 
tory. 

Bearing  in  mind  these  three  fundamental  conditions  of  progress, 
we  shall  be  able  on  the  two  following  mornings  to  consider  in  detail 
some  of  the  most  serious  obstacles  in  our  way,  and  also  the  qualities 
we  most  require  to  develop. 

LruAN  Edgkr. 


THEOSOPHY  AND  SOCIALISM. 
(Concluded  from  p,  210.) 

NOW  here  we  have  presented  to  us  (see  November  issue — ad- 
ministration of  Lycurgus)  a  form  of  rule  which  undoubtedly 
constitutes  good  government  though  not  government  in  perfection 
as  we  have  seen  it  in  the  other  instances  I  have  given  ;  still  it  is  in 
many  respects  far  better  than  any  form  of  government  we  have  at  the 
present  time.  Well  then,  I  have  laid  down  the  proposition  that  only 
by  good  government  can  we  secure  happiness  and  contentment  among 
the  people.  Was  this  then  the  condition  of  the  people  of  Sparta 
during  the  period  of  which  I  have  been  speaking  ?  Undoubtedly  it 
was.  Making  that  admission  some  may  think  that  I  am  giving  away 
my  case,  and  that  thereby  the  socialist  scores,  because  Sparta  was 
not  only  under  democratic  rule,  but  the  scheme  of  the  socialists  was 
actually  put  into  operation ;  and  indeed  I  will  go  further  in  my  ad- 
mission (to  be  fair  and  truthful  I  must  do  so)  in  frankly  acknowledg- 
ing that  the  socialistic  ideal  was  largely  realized  in  a  very  practical 
way  ;  but  here  is  the  point  that  cannot  be  ignored :  this  ideal  state 
of  the  socialist  was  attained,  and  .by  its  attainment  happiness  and 
contentment  were  the  blessings  it  brought,  but  it  stopped  progress  ; 
and  though  I  may  seem  by  this  to  be  saying  in  other  words  that  good 
government,  assuring  worldly  happiness,  is  inimical  to  progress, 
the  fact  remains  nevertheless.  Whatever  may  lie  before  us  in  the 
future  it  is  impossible  to  say,  but  it  is  I  think  unquestionable  that 
for  humanity,  as  at  present  constituted,  to  make  progress,  that  pro- 
gress can  only  be  achieved  by  virtue  of  the  existence  of,  if  not  bad, 
at  any  rate  inharmonious  conditions — ^in  fact  it  is  the  progress  that 
man  is  making  individually,  that  brings  about  the  disharmony. 

Let  us  keep  to  the  example  I  have  put  before  you.  Lycurgus,  to 
gain  his  desired  end,  saw  that  what  was  at  the  root  of  the  evils  of  the 
state  was  the  unequal  distribution  of  its  natural  wealth :  by  equably 
distributing  this  he  gave  to  all.  Seeing  that  corruption  and  immoral- 
ity were  the  result  of  artificial  wealth,  he  in  a  very  summary  way^ 
entirely  abplished  it  by  putting  a  stop  to  the  currency  of  the.  gold 

3 


274  The  Theosophlst.  [February 

and  silver  coin,  replacing  it  with  iron  money  which  could  not  very 
well  be  accumulated,  and  which  was  of  no  value  outside  his  own 
country.  What  was  the  immediate  result  ?  Apparently  the  eradica- 
tion of  much  vice  from  among  the  people,  and  its  attendant  com- 
panion, luxury ;  but  he  at  the  same  time  killed  all  commerce  and  all 
art,  and  everything  in  the  shape  of  industry ;  ships  from  neighbour- 
ing countries  at  once  ceased  calling  there,  for  there  was  no  importa- 
tion of  merchandise  or  exchange  of  commodities  ;  foreigners  even 
were  shut  out  from  intercourse  with  the  people,  or  they  were  only 
permitted  there  under  certain  rigid  restrictions  so  that  there  was 
absolutely  no  scope  for  mental  or  intellectual  development  afforded 
the  people,  and  they  virtually  had  no  need  of  either  arts  or  sciences, 
and  the  only  outlet  they  had  for  their  energies  was  of  a  purely 
physical  and  moral  nature  ;  because  we  have  now  learned  that  it  is 
the  competition  between  different  states  in  the  way  of  commerce  and 
industrial  enterprise  that  improves  the  national  character  intellec- 
tually considered,  as  well  as  the  social  status  of  the  people ;  just 
as  the  spirit  of  rivalry  exhibited  between  private  commercial  firms 
(manufactures)  is  responsible  for  the  increased  skill  and  expertness 
on  the  part  of  the  artisans  ;  and  it  is  the  growth  of  carefully  fostered 
industries,  established  by  the  above  mentioned  competition,  that 
brings  with  it  the  necessity  for  technical  schools,  and  tor  the  better 
education  of  the  people  generally  so  that  they  can  be  more  highly 
equipped,  not  to  run  away  from  their  competitors,  as  I<ycurgus  al- 
lowed, but  to  meet  them  on  level  terms. 

Under  these  conditions  people  grow  stronger,  self-reliant,  and 
albeit  they  may  not  be  so  moral  as  the  Spartans  came  to  be  (which 
in  their  particular  environment  perhaps  was  not  so  much  to  boast 
about),  moral  improvement  must  come  in  time.  First  of  all  they  must 
be  men  who  are  fit  to  walk  the  world  as  Britons  are  to-day,  who  can 
hold  their  own  no  matter  under  what  conditions  they  may  be 
placed  or  in  what  foreign  country.  The  Spartans,  on  the  contrary, 
though  they  were  disciplined  to  endure  all  the  physical  stress  that 
could  be  placed  upon  them,  were  all  the  while  reared  like  a  lot  of 
hot-house  plants,  and  their  much  boasted  virtue  turned  out  at  last 
to  be  only  morality  of  a  purely  negative  description,  for  what  does 
the  historian  tell  us  ?  Why  this  :  that  **  when  the  lyacedemonians, 
instead  of  keeping  to  their  law-giver's  injunction,  only  to  defend  their 
own  country  and  to  make  no  conquests,  carried  their  victorious  arms 
over  all  Greece  into  Asia  itself,  then  foreign  gold  and  foreign  man- 
ners came  into  Sparta,  corrupted  the  simplicity  of  its  institutions, 
and  at  last  overturned  that  republic."  So  long  therefore  as  the  hot- 
house arrangement  lasted,  so  long  did  the  hot-house  plants  survive 
and  flourish,  but  the  very  first  frigid  blast  that  came  along,  to  the 
full  force  of  which  they  were  exposed,  it  not  merely  withered  but 
actually  destroyed  them. 

Lycurgus  acte4  on  the  socialistic    theory  that  practically  ^ 


1901.]  Theosophy  and  Socialism.  275 

man's  soul  is  not  his  own,  but  belongs  to  his  country  to  do  with  it 
as  the  country's  rulers,  whoever  they  may  happen  to  be,  think  fit ; 
and  therefore  if  those  rulers  considered  that  a  soul  bom  in  that 
country  would  become,  for  certain  reasons,  an  undesirable  member 
of  the  state,  they  took  the  life  of  its  body.  You  will  remember,  in 
my  last  paper  on  this  subject  I  declared  that  socialists  in  their 
new  social  state  would  have  to  cope  with  the  population  question, 
and  could  not  shirk  it,  as  the  majority  of  modem  socialists  seem  to 
desire  to  do.  That  question  must  ever  stare  them  in  the  face  like  a 
spectre ;  it  did  in  I^ycurgus'case,  and  he  met  it,  how  ?  By  infanticide ! 
For  the  sake  of  assuring  happiness  and  contentment  among  his 
people  he  devised  a  scheme  of  deliberate  murder.  Regarding  every- 
thing from  the  physical  standpoint  (as  I  claim  socialists  do  and 
which  Theosophy  protests  against),  Lycurgus  saw  absolutely  no  use 
for  the  existence  of  children  which  revealed  in  their  infancy 
physical  weakness.  Theosophy  with  its  teachings  of  karma  and 
reincarnation  and  successive  re-births  on  earth,  throws  such  a  flood 
of  light  in  explaining  the  reason  and  the  necessity  for  souls  incarna- 
ting in  imperfect  or  weak  physical  forms,  that  no  theosophist  could 
possibly  contemplate  with  equanimity  that  frightful  scheme  we  are 
now  considering,  which  was  put  into  operation  respecting  the 
physically  weaker  members  of  humanity. 

It  is  also  right  to  here  draw  attention  to  the  position  of  the 
family  in  Sparta.  In  this  respect  Lycurgus  acted  like  a  true  socialist, 
for,  as  I  have  previously  shown,  the  socialist  demands  that  the  child 
should  be  the  child  of  the  state,  and  in  Sparta  the  children  as  they 
grew  were  taken  from  the  parents  and  educated  not  in  the  way  the 
parents  thought  fit  and  under  their  own  special  control,  but  in  the 
way  that  the  state  had  decreed  that  they  should  be  taught  and  edu- 
cated ;  consequently  the  family  life  of  Sparta  was  practically  nil, 
the  only  function  of  parents  then  become  that  of  child-begetters, 
and  all  the  holy  and  nobler  feelings  engendered  by  the  presence  of 
children  in  a  home  were  unknown  in  the  Spartan's  life. 

One  may  be  inclined  to  wonder  how  it  was  that  Sparta  main- 
tained her  supremacy  and  her  identity  for  so  long  as  she  did,  if  the 
methods  of  government,  in  the  respects  I  have  been  criticising, 
were  so  wrong.  Of  course  I  have  only  been  dealing  with  some  of 
the  methods — ^those  that  are  socialistic  in  their  effect.  There  were  also 
laws  put  into  operation  by  I^ycurgus  which  were 'essentially  individ- 
ualistic, and  those  were  what  proved  so  beneficial,  and  contributed  to 
the  prolonged  prosperity  of  Sparta.  In  the  first  place,  the  Senate, 
which  had  the  administration  of  the  laws,  was  composed  only  of  those 
who  were  of  mature  years,  and  who  were  considered  the  wisest  and 
best  men  in  the  state,  by  virtue  of  their  deeds  and  the  goodness  of 
their  lives.  Every  Spartan^  from  the  time  he  could  stand  on  his  legs 
Until  after  he  had  reached  manhood,  had  to  pass  through  a  thorough 
disciplinary  s)^stem,  which  produced  in  him  not  only  true  obedience 


i76  The  fheosophist.  [Februai^ 

but  respect  for  his  elders  and  reverence  of  God,  for  Lycurgus  did  not 
neglect  God ;  and  what  no  doubt  must  also  have  contributed  to  the 
Spartan's  greatness  was  his  abstemiousness  and  his  regular  living, 
so  conducive  to  health  and  the  purity  of  physical  life. 

Therefore,  while  we  see  a  great  deal  of  wisdom  in  the  Spartan 
laws,  there  were  also  a  great  many  the  reverse  of  wise,  and  plainly  it 
was  those  that  were  devoid  of  this  element  of  wisdom  that  proved 
Sparta's  weakness.  There  are  human  laws  which  necessarily  cannot 
be  permanent  and  it  was  to  such  laws  that  I  referred  in  my  last 
paper  when  I  said  "  that  nature's  processes  cannot  be  turned  from 
their  course  ;  that  any  human  arrangement,  which  must  be  arbitrary, 
may  produce  conditions,  and  may  work  satisfactorily  according  to 
human  ideas  of  what  is  right  and  proper,  but  those  conditions 
cannot  last ;  and  if  they  did  there  would  be  an  end  to  human  prog- 
ress." The  experience  of  Sparta  I  contend  shows  this  state- 
ment of  the  position  to  be  true,  and  if  it  be  true  of  the  Spartans  it  is 
true  of  the  human  laws  that  socialists  would  foist  upon  us  to  better 
the  state  of  society  to-day. 

Let  us  have  humanitarian  efforts  as  much  as  we  can  get,  for  that 
will  not  oppose  progress,  but  when  good-intentioned,  well-meaning 
people  crystallise  what  to  their  way  of  thinking  is  the  true  solu- 
tion of  all  human  woes,  into  a  law  for  all  to  be  held  bound  by,  then 
the  tendency  is  to  clog  the  wheels  of  progress  ;  better  by  far  to 
achieve  that  progress  at  the  expense  of  worldly  happiness  and 
contentment  than  to  secure  happiness  and  contentment  at  the  ex- 
pense of  progress.  Socialists  may  declare  in  reply  that  even  if 
progress  had  to  be  sacrificed  to  the  attainment  of  universal  happi- 
ness (though  I  am  sure  they  would  not  admit  that  that  state  of  things 
would  be  possible)  then  it  would  be  better  to  make  the  sacrifice ; 
but  that  is  because  they  are  not  theosophists,  who  look  to  causes  as 
well  as  effects,  who  study  other  planes  of  existence  besides  that  of 
the  merely  physical  which,  though  not  the  least  important,  is  only  a 
state  in  the  evolutionary  path  that  is  being  taken  by  humanity. 

According  to  my  view  then,  really  good  government  apparently 
blocks  progress,  and  so  we  realize  with  Pope  that  "  whatever  is  id 
right  ;'*  and  does  this  practically  mean  that  no  matter  what  we  do  we 
will  never  be  able  to  secure  such  a  more  perfected  form  of  govern- 
ment as  will  have  the  effect  of  so  ameliorating  humanity's  condition 
as  to  abolish  poverty,  misery  and  crime  ?  I  contend  that  it  does, 
and  I  have  the  strongest  argument  on  my  side,  which  is  the  fact 
that  ever  since  humanity  has  been  striving  to  govern  itself,  with 
only  its  limited  powers  to  guide  it,  the  different  forms  of  rule  that  it 
has  from  time  to  time  established  throughout  the  past  ages  have 
been  crude  and  imperfect,  resulting  in  effects  which  good  govern- 
ment would  prevent,  and  therefore  spoiling  man's  chances  of  learning 
by  experience ;  because  these  effects  (call  them  bad  effects,  if  you 
will)  afford  material  for  men's  minds  to  work  upon,  presenting 


1901.]  Theosophy  and  Socialism.  tl*li 

problems  for  them  to  reason  on  for  solution,  acting  as  a  spur 
to  the  reason  and  the  thought ;  but  the  beautiful  harmony,  the 
resultant  of  good  government,  would  necessarily  rob  man  of  these 
opportunities,  and  then  iwith  practically  nothing  to  grapple  with,  to 
battle  against,  to  overcome,  he  would  simply  stagnate — in  sooth  such 
a  state  of  affairs,  to  one  who  reasons  on  philosophical  lines,  judging 
from  our  present  view  point,  is  positively  unthinkable. 

Thus,  as  I  say,  we  have  always  had  wrong  government  in  the 
past,  and  is  not  the  position  the  same  in  our  day  ?  Worse  than  that, 
does  not  everything  indicate  that,  instead  of  getting   nearer  to  a 
proper  method  of  good  government,  we  are  receding  further  from  it  ? 
If  there  were  a  strong  minded  democrat  present  he  would  pro- 
bably hurl  execrations  at  me  for  what  he  would  call  my  callousness, 
charging  me  perhaps  with  a  desire  to  leave  things  as  they  are,  be- 
cause,   apparently,  I  am  well  housed,  well  fed,  and  in  more  or  less 
comfortable  circumstances,  and  can  afford  to  talk  in  this   glibly 
philosophical  way,  while  there  are  thousands  of  my  fellows  suffering 
from  misery,  from  want  and  from  shame,  the  pangs  of  which  he 
could  depict  with  blood-curdling  vividness  ;  but,  as  said  before,  I 
am  not  contending  against  the  necessity  and  supreme  usefulness  of 
the  work  of  the  philanthropist,  and  every  form  of  charitable  organi- 
sation ;  they  have  my  sincere  support  and  advocacy ;  but  what  does 
make  one — ^who  is  serious  and  thoughful,  and  who  feels  sympathy 
for  his  fellows — impatient,  is  the  utter  disregard  that  is  shown,  by 
those  who  seek  to  legislate  for  society,  to  the    most  obvious  truths 
of  nature  and  to  the  experience  of  human  life,  past  as  well  as  present ; 
and  this  feeling  is  deepened  when  superficial  observation  suffices  to 
convince  us  that  these  declaimers  against  every  human  ill— these 
loud-mouthed  reformers — are  as  a  rule  actuated  more  by  the  desire 
for  popularity,  prompted  by  personal  ambition,  and  so  they  trade  on 
these  empty  cries  which  appeal  so  patently  to  the  ignorant  mass, 
and  robe  themselves  in  a  halo  of  self-glorification  ;  and  it  is  these 
shallow  nuisances,  which  only  an  adult  suffrage  democracy  would 
endure,  that  render  dumb  the  wiser  counsels  of  wiser  minds. 

What  humanity  wants  is  not  an  arbitrary  human  law  to  abolish 
this  or  that  evil,  this  or  that  injustice,  but  a  genuine  religious  philos* 
ophy  that  can  be  assimilated  by  the  poorly  informed  as  well  as  by 
the  learned ;  that  will  instil  into  the  minds  of  the  people  the  meaning 
of  all  that  they  have  to  undergo  in  a  state  of  being  that  admits  of 
no  equality  and  no  universal  harmony  or  contentment  or  anything 
approaching  it.  This  is  the  only  remedy,  and  it  is  a  true  remedy, 
for  let  a  man  be  ever  so  poor  and  suffer  ever  so  much,  if  it  be  possible 
to  appeal  to  his  reason  by  presenting  to  his  understanding  a  correct 
solution  of  his  unfortunate  lot,  revealing  what  we  now  so  clearly 
realise,  that  the  ^physical  world  is  only  one  of  the  planes  of  his 
existence,  of  his  long  pilgrimage,  and  that  for  the  few  years  that  he 
is  suffering  here  there  are  undoubtedly  many,  many  more  in  which 


278  The  Theoaophist.  [February 

he  will  have  compensating  bliss  and  happiness  ere  he  comes  back  to 
this  physical  abode  ;  and  show  him,  according  to  the  principles  of 
evolutionary  development,  that  these    experiences,  harsh  as  they 
appear,  are  after  all  aids  to  his  own  development,  and  are  of  his  own 
creation,  and  that  all  have  to  pass  through  the  same  milling ;  clinch 
these  teachings,  as  no  doubt  we  can  now  do,  by  arguments  drawn  from 
not  only  religious  traditions  and  scriptures,  but  from  the  world's  philos- 
ophies (ancient  and  modern)  and  from  science,  and  the  spreading  of 
such  truths  must  provide  that  interior  light,  comfort  and  consolation 
in  the  individual,  which  alone  yields  happiness  ;  in  short  I  say  that 
this  is  the  only  sort  of  happiness  he  will  ever  get.     By  acting  other- 
wise, by  striving  to  appease  all  ills  by  physical  means,  we  merely 
reach  the  external  side  of  the  man,  and  perhaps  but  change  the 
outward  sufiFering  from  one  aspect  to  another,   ministering  only  to 
worldly  needs  which  produce  no  lasting  benefit,  and  if  it  be  not 
lasting  then  it  is  not  right ;  and  if  you  say  that  the  teaching  of 
these  philosophical  truths  and  ideas  is  impossible,  and  that  they 
will  not  be  accepted  by  the  mass,  I  am  convinced  that  so  long  as 
we  so  utterly  disregard  God's  intention,  and  the  verities  that  are 
only  hidden  in  the  recesses  of  nature  because  of  the  necessity  of  the 
earnest  seeking,  then  the  world's  misery  and  degradation  must 
continue,  and  it  will  continue  until  the  Deity  is  re-established  in 
the  minds  and  hearts  of  men,  and  true  religion  with  all  its  esoteric 
sublimity  and  beauty,  is  installed  in  its  proper  place  as  the  one  and 
only  guiding  light  of  humanity  ;  so  I  will  conclude  by  positively 
affirming  that  no  amount  of  legislative  tinkering  to  cope  with  the  evils 
of  society,  even  though  we  assume  that  that  legislation  is  prompted 
by  motives  for  human  good  alone,  can  make  much  impression  where 
materialism  is  rampant  and  reverence  mere  pretence — in  short,  in 
my  opinion,  we  are  presented  with  the  pathetic  spectacle  of  humanity 
in  the  form  of  Democracy  trying  to  show  God  that  he  can  be  dis- 
pensed with,  and  apparently  God  composedly  waiting  to  see  how  long 
it  will  take  man  to  awaken  from  his  sad  delusion.    Of  his  own 
choice  he  refuses  the  gifts  of  heaven,  and  like  a  cheerful  idiot  he 
goes  on  his  way  dividing  his  time  'twixt  cursing  and  rejoicing ;  at 
the  same  time  theosophists  if  they  diligently  study  their  philosophy, 
and  carefully  think,  can  see  that  all  this  is  as  necessary  as  it  may 
seem  deplorable ;  its  imperious  injunction  being  to  those  who  thus 
see  and  understand,  to  struggle  to  assist  wherever  they  can  give 
assistance  in  the  ordinary  way,  and  to  make  the  greatest  possible 
use  of  their  time  in  fitting  themselves  to  become,  as  is  specially 
laid   down,  true  helpers  of  humanity  when  the  whole  of  the  energy 
they  put  into  the  work  will  be  effective  and  not  be  lost  through  the 
misdirection  of  ignorance. 

A.  E.  W«BB. 


279 


THE  STUDY  OF  THE0S0PH7. 

IT  may  be  said  in  a  general  way  that  the  study  of  Theosophy  is 
mainly  like  the  study  of  anything  else.  Much  the  same  mental 
qualities  are  required,  there  is  not  any  difference  in  the  nature  of  the 
assiduity  and  care  needful,  and  the  main  principles  which  regulate 
all  intellectual  processes  do  not  differ.  There  are,  indeed,  some 
peculiarities  which  differentiate  this  study  from  others,  and  these  I 
shall  take  up  later  on« 

Every  study,  no  matter  what  the  topic,  pre-supposes  for  its  suc- 
cessfol  conduct  certain  requisites.    The  main  are  these  : — 

(a)  There  must  be  clear  assurance  as  to  the  reality  of  the  sub- 
ject studied.  So  long  as  there  is  any  doubt  as  to  such  reality,  the 
process  is  rather  an  investigation  than  a  study.  Each  new  subject  in 
science  or  philosophy  passes  through  this  stage,  until  it  has  vindi- 
cated its  right  to  a  place  in  the  temple  of  realities  ;  and  those  who  are 
interested  have  first  to  determine  whether  it  is  genuine.  But  in  no 
case  can  any  man  devote  himself  to  real  study  of  a  subject  until  he  is 
certain  that  the  subject  is  not  a  chimera  or  a  fancy  or  a  curious  in- 
vention, but  is  a  genuine  fact.  No  one,  for  example,  could  serious- 
ly study  astronomy  without  full  belief  that  there  exists  a  system  of 
planetary  worlds,  and  that  there  are  certain  connections  and  influen- 
ces among  them.  No  one  can  seriously  study  chemistry  if  he  has 
doubt  as  to  the  existence  of  elements  and  of  the  laws  regulating  their 
combination.  Similarly  in  regard  to  every  other  subject  coming 
within  the  range  of  studious  attention. 

(i)  Another  obvious  requisite  to  study  of  any  kind  is  belief  in 
the  capacity  of  teachers.  If  it  is  suspected  that  the  subject  is  without 
the  range  of  human  powers,  or  that  the  professors  of  it  do  not  under- 
stand its  contents,  the  study  could  never  be  more  than  half-hearted 
and  dubious.  There  certainly  is  not  involved  the  idea  that  the  teach- 
ers must  be  infallible  or  that  their  teaching  can  never  thereafter  be 
modified,  but  some  degree  of  knowledge  must  be  conceded  or  it  will 
be  idle  to  take  the  position  of  pupil. 

(r)  Another  indispensable  requisite  to  successful  study  is  open- 
ness of  mind.  No  matter  what  the  topic,  if  one  comes  to  it  with  fixed 
prepossessions,  with  the  assumption  that  facts  must  all  lie  along  one 
line  or  within  certain  definite  channels,  a  large  part  ot  necessary 
information  is  barred  out.  The  inevitable  effect  of  antecedent  pre- 
possessions is  to  vitiate  the  very  nature  of  study,  for  it  practically 
asserts  that  nothing  can  be  true  except  what  the  student  in  advance 
believes  to  be  possible.  But  if  he  already  know  so  much  as  to 
be  able  to  correctly  prescribe  the  limits  within  which  truth  must  be 
found,  he  must  have  reached  the  point  when  study  is  superfluous, 
truth  having  been  acquired,    The  necessary  condition  to  any  study 


280  The  Theosophist.  [February 

worth  the  name  is  that  the  mind  should  be  open  on  all  sides  to  the 
influx  of  light,  that  there  be  no  prejudices  or  prepossessions  which 
are  not  removable  under  the  influence  of  further  fact,  and  that  all 
truth  is  to  be  welcomed,  no  matter  how  much  it  may  conflict  with 
previous  habit  or  previous  belief. 

(rf)  There  must  be  energy.  Real  study  is  not  a  casual  or  super- 
ficial matter,  taken  up  at  odd  times  and  when  there  is  nothing  better 
to  do,  and  conducted  with  but  partial  zeal :  to  have  any  real  worth 
it  must  be  pursued  with  as  much  thoroughness  and  devotion  as  is 
any  secular  pursuit,  for  in  neither  case  will  good  fruits  come  from 
an  imperfectly  cultured  field. 

(e)  I  need  not  go  over  all  the  other  requisites  to  sound  effort 
in  study.  You  will  easily  see  that  they  consist  of  such  qualities  as 
thoroughness,  the  leaving  in  the  rear  of  no  unsettled  point,  the  mas- 
tery of  each  step  as  it  is  taken,  persistence  of  application,  and  all 
those  other  obvious  qualities  without  which  there  can  be  no  hopeful 
results.  It  is  in  the  combination  of  such  as  I  have  mentioned  that 
men  attain  to  real  knowledge  of  any  topic,  and  they  will  do  so  in  the 
case  of  Theosophy  only  so  far  as  these  requisites  are  met. 

There  are,  as  I  have  said,  certain  peculiarities  in  Theosophy 
which  differentiate  to  some  extent  the  study  of  it  from  the  study  of 
other  topics.  They  grow  out  of  its  unlikeness  to  other  studies  as 
pursued  in  this  hemisphere,  and  must  consequently  be  recognized  if 
true  progress  is  to  be  made.  I  think  you  will  find  them  to  be  four 
in  number. 

(a)  Theosophy  is  a  universal,  all-comprehensive  scheme,  being 
a  iiniversal  science,  a  universal  philosophy,  and  a  universal  religion. 
Any  system  which  undertakes  to  expound  the  Cosmos  must  be  thus 
universal,  for  the  Cosmos  has  and  can  have  but  one  true,  consistent 
interpretation.  This  has  not,  however,  been  usually  perceived  in  our 
longitude  ;  and  science,  philosophy,  and  religion  have  been  treated 
as  independent  topics,  not  merely  unrelated,  but  in  some  cases 
actually  opposed.  Yet  evidently  facts,  the  interpretation  of  facts, 
and  the  relation  of  facts  to  the  Head  of  the  Cosmos  must  all  be  in 
unison  and  with  incessant  interpenetration.  To  treat  them  as  wholly 
separated  is  much  like  treating  anatomy,  physiology,  and  nervous 
function  as  three  distinct  entities  and  not  parts  of  one.  Hence  it  is 
that  a  student  of  Theosophy  needs  to  reverse  the  prevalent  concep- 
tion of  his  era,  and  to  understand  that  Theosophy,  science,  philoso- 
phy, and  religion  are  a  merely  convenient  analysis  of  the  Cosmos, 
not  to  be  handled  as  separate  and  distinct,  but  ever  to  be  viewed  in 
their  union  and  correlation.  Hence  at  once  a  differentiation 
between  Theosophy  and  the  conventional  thought. 

(^)  And  then  comes  a  most  important  matter.  Until  a  very  few 
years  ago,  when  researches  in  hypnotism  and  allied  topics  opened 
up  explorations  in  super-physical  realms,  the  pursuit  of  knowledge 
was  wholly  through  experimental  research  conducted  by  the  phj'sical 


IMl.]  The  Study  of  Theosophy.  281 

senses.  Even  now  an  enormously  large  proportion  of  scientific 
investigation  does  not  pretend  to  get  beyond  the  region  of  matter 
or  to  have  any  facilities  or  possibilities  of  so  doing.  And  yet  the  re- 
gion of  ph3rsics  is  the  least  important  of  all  regions,  as  well  as  the 
smallest,  and  the  realm  of  the  unseen  is  the  realm  of  real  fact,  of  in- 
comparably larger  range  and  of  vastly  deeper  interest.  This  realm, 
almost  wholly  inaccessible  to  ordinary  science,  is  precisely  the  realm 
which  Theosophy  emphasizes  and  the  contents  of  which  it  more  or 
less  expounds.  But  evidently  the  contents  of  the  unseen  region  can 
only  be  expounded  by  those  who  know  them,  know  them  by  the  use 
of  trained  faculties  which  permit  such  entrance  and  exploration, 
faculties  only  becoming  serviceable  through  evolution  and  training. 
It  therefore  follows  that  the  most  important  of  all  truths,  truths  re- 
lating to  the  physically  unseen  universe,  to  the  character  of  life  be- 
yond death,  and  to  the  source  and  nature  and  effects  of  such  forces 
and  laws  as  are  only  in  part  manifested  on  a  physical  plane,  come  to 
us  as  revelations — revelations,  that  is,  in  the  sense  of  being  disclo- 
sures from  those  who  know,  to  those  who  doj  not  know.  It  is  quite 
true  that  this  knowledge  will  be  attained  by  all  of  us  in  the  progress 
of  evolution,  but  at  this  stage  we  are  unable  to  attain  it  and  can  only 
receive  it.  Theosophy,  therefore,  differs  from  all  pther  studies  in 
this  longitude,  inasmuch  as  it  insists  upon  the  predominant  value  of 
the  unseen,  upon  the  essentiality  of  a  knowledge  thereof  to  any  ade- 
quate conception  of  the  universe,  and  upon  the  fact  that  as  yet  such 
knowledge  must  be  communicated  to  most  of  mankind  by  the  few 
who  have  acquired  it  themselves.  Now  unless  one  is  prepared  to 
admit  the  reality  of  the  unseen,  its  exploration  by  such  as  have 
developed  the  necessary  faculties,  and  our  reliance  at  present  upon 
their  testimony,  it  is  vain  for  him  to  attempt  anything  like  real  study 
of  Theosophj'.  No  very  great  amount  of  faith  is  needed  to  concede 
such  evident  propositions,  and  certainly  no  active  credulity  what- 
ever, but  such  faith  as  is  necessary  is  indispensable.  He  who  regards 
the  unseen  as  doubtful,  who  will  not  believe  that  any  one  can  know 
more  thereof  than  he  does,  and  who  will  accept  no  evidence  except 
such  as  he  can  at  this  stage  acquire  for  himself,  is  at  the  out- 
set debarred  from  progress.  This  is  not  a  hardship,  much  less  is  it 
a  piece  of  bigotry ;  it  is  simply  an  assertion  of  the  obvious  truth 
that  a  man  who  does  not  and  cannot  know  a  particular  thing  must 
either  go  without  the  knowledge  or  accept  it  from  some  one  who  has 
it.  And  here  again,  the  study  of  Theosophy  differentiates  itself  from 
other  study  in  postulating  the  existence  of  a  class  of  knowers  and 
teachers  not  included  in  the  repertoire  of  other  philosophies. 

(r)  A  third  distinction  is  in  the  nature  of  an  evolutionary 
revelation.  Undoubtedly  every  science  and  every  philosophy  be- 
come more  enlarged  and  more  correct  with  time.  Early  mistakes 
are  corrected,  more  fact  is  secured,  greater  range  of  principle 
accrues,  interrelations  are  more  fully  perceived  and  more  fully 
4 


262  The  Theosophist.  [Februai^ 

operative,    and    finer     adjustments    are    eflfected.      In  all    these 
processes  of  enlarging  knowledge  and  diminishing  error,  Theosophy 
entirely  resembles    other    philosophies.      Yet    there  would  seem 
to  be  antecedently    probable  a  diflFerent  state  of  things.    As  the 
truths    not    attainable    by    ordinary    students  are    of  necessity 
communicated  by  extraordinary  ones,  and  as  the  latter  really  know 
and  do  not  only  surmise,   one  would  naturally  expect  that    the 
exposition  given  would  be  perfect  from  the  beginning.    This  is  not 
at  all  the  fact.    Any  careful  observer  can   see  that  there  has  been 
much  change    in    theosophical   teachings    during  the  fifteen    or 
twenty  years  they  have  been  going  on.     It  is  not   only  that  they 
have  become  fuller,  it  is  that   certain  early  presentations  were  un- 
doubtedly inaccurate  and  have  been  superseded  by  later  ones.     One 
of  the  best  illustrations  is  the  matter  of  the  Astral  Body.     Mr.  Sin- 
nett's  first  works  spoke  of  but  one,  and  even   there  misapplied  the 
name.     As  the  whole  subject  of  the  sheaths  of  the   Principles  was 
better  understood,   and  as  more  was  told    either  by  authorized 
teachers  or  by  developing  pupils,  more  and  more  was   said  of  the 
super-physical  bodies,  of  the  several  ones  required  for  functioning  on 
different  planes,  of  the  difference  between  them,  and  of  the  accurate 
terminology  used  in  indicating  them.     In  fact,  this  steadily  increas- 
ing exposition  of  the  Astral  Bodies  was  used  years  ago  by  a  bitter  ene- 
my of  Theosophy  as  one  of  the  proofs  of  its  purely  fictitious  character. 
And  yet  it  is  really  a  proof  of  the  reverse,   for  it  goes  to  show  that 
the  evolution  of  theosophic  knowledge   is  precisely  analogous   to 
evolution  elsewhere ;  that  is  to  say,  it  is  not  a  mass  of  truth  plumped 
out  on  the  world  in  a  mass,   but  drops  out,  so  to  speak,  little  by 
little,  as  those  who  acquire  the  knowledge,  whether  through  tuition 
or  exploration,  find  themselves    able    to   impart  it.    Even  now, 
although  our  knowledge  in  Theosophy  is  vastly  enlarged  and  is 
vastly  more  correct,  we  must  not  assume  that  our  present  concep- 
tions are  final,  or  that  no  modification   will   occur  in  the   course  of 
time.    All  present  knowledge    is    partial,    even  provisional,   for 
we  have  not  yet  the  faculties  which     make  precision   possible, 
and  we  must  expect  change  in    conception   even  as  we  expect 
change  in  faculty.    Another  differentiation,    then,  I  should  say, 
between  the  study  of  Theosophy  and  the    study  of  other  topics 
is   that,    while    we    might    expect    immediate  accuracy    because 
of  higher  authority,  we    do    not    get  it,    the  reason   being  that 
while  the  authority  is  real  the  methods  are  similar.    There  is  there- 
fore no  presumption  against  Theosophy  because   its  disclosures 
undergo  modification  as  time  goes  on,   even  though  the  original 
teachers  are  thoroughly  informed.    They  have  to  communicate  the 
teaching  through   pupils ;  the  pupils,   because  pupils,  are  liable  to 
misapprehension ;  and  the  pupils,  as  they  advance,  correct  the  mis- 
takes they  have  first  made. 

(d)    A  fourth  peculiarity  in  the  study  of  Theosophjr  necessarily 


1901.]  The  Study  of  Theosophy.  ^83 

grows  out  of  a  distinctive  feature  in  Theosophy  itself.  Theosophy 
is  a  system  which  is  radically  and  at  every  point  wholly  different 
from  the  conventional  theory  of  the  world  of  men  and  things.  It  is 
based  upon  an  altogether  unlike  conception,  and  in  almost  every 
respect  it  contradicts  all  that  we  have  been  accustomed  to  believe 
of  the  universe,  of  this  particular  earth,  of  the  history  of  humanity, 
of  the  method  of  individual  treatment,  and  of  the  whole  training  and 
destiny  of  humanity.  In  doctrine  it  is  strange  at  every  point. 
Inevitably,  therefore,  there  must  be  perpetual  surprises  as  the  stu- 
dent advances  onward.  So  utterly  unlike  the  conventional  theory 
is  the  theosophical  philosophy  that  it  is  perhaps  hardly 
going  too  far  to  say  that  a  student  might  very  well  assume  at  the 
outset  that  he  is  more  likely  to  be  right  if  he  holds  to  the 
very  opposite  from  doctrine  hitherto  supposed  true.  At  all 
events,  the  whole  conception  is  quite  unlike,  and  usually 
antagonistic  to,  the  beliefs  hitherto  held.  Now  if  at  every 
fresh  step  he  feel  dismay  or  incredulity  at  the  new  thoughts 
presented,  he  will  be  in  a  perpetual  state  of  combat  and  even  resent- 
ment, and  for  this  reason  he  will  save  himself  needless  trouble  and 
mental  worry  if  he  start  out  with  the  clear  understanding  that 
Theosophy  does  not  pretend  to  echo  popular  notions  or  to  in  any 
way  embody  the  theories  of  the  universe  and  of  mankind  which  for 
so  long  held  sway  in  the  West.  There  is  a  very  important  matter 
to  be  noticed  at  this  point.  The  supposition  that  any  fresh 
thought  inconsistent  with  existing  ones  is  to  be  met  with  sus- 
picion or  resentment  is  essentially  childish.  When  I  was  about 
six  or  seven  years  old  I  was  given  a  book  for  children  contain- 
ing, among  other  things,  an  account  of  diamonds.  One  state- 
ment was  that  diamonds  were  used  in  cutting  glass.  I  had  never 
heard  of  this,  and  my  annoyance  at  encountering  a  statement  un- 
heard of  and  so  strange  aroused  in  me  not  only  denial  but  bitterness. 
Almost  in  tears,  I  wrathfuUy  wrote  on  the  margin  of  the  book, 
"  They  are  not  used  for  cutting  glass  at  all."  It  was  an  outburst  of 
ignorance  and  wounded  pride,  a  thoroughly  childish  performance. 
But  exactly  the  same  thing  is  found  in  adults  who  promptly  resent 
new  thought  as  necessarily  wrong,  and  do  not  attempt  to  examine 
it  in  the  light  of  evidence  or  to  treat  it  from  any  other  point  of  view 
than  its  relation  to  their  own  prejudice  and  their  own  want  of  know- 
ledge. When  we  find  a  man  angrily  denouncing  statements  as  to 
the  truth  of  which  he  knows  nothing  and  the  evidence  for  which  he 
has  not  investigated,  we  may  instantly  recognize  the  same  condition 
of  mind  which  led  to  my  writing,  '*  They  are  not  used  in  cutting 
glass  at  all."  And  plenty  of  such  doctrinal  surprises  will  meet  the 
student  as  he  goes  along.  It  must  be  so.  Theosophy  gives  a  dif- 
ferent account  of  the  evolution  of  the  universe,  of  the  peopling  of 
different  planes  of  existence  with  appropriate  entities,  the  filling  up 
with  grades  of  intelligence  the  incalculable  abyss  between  Divinity 


^B4  The  Theosophist.  [February 

and  animalcules,  the  whole  method  and  purpose  of  human  incarna- 
tions and  reincarnations,  and  the  true  method  and  conduct  of 
human  life.  New  facts  spring  up  at  every  step,  new  problems  arrive 
with  each  advance,  astonishing  revelations  perpetually  occur,  and 
continual  enlargement  and  enlightenment  await  the  pilgrim.  Hence 
his  true  frame  of  mind  is  the  assumption  that  the  old  thought 
must  be  both  inadequate  and  wrong,  and  that  the  presumption  of 
right  belongs  to  all  the  new  thought  as  it  appears. 

What,  then,  may  one  say  in  conclusion  about  the  study  of  Theo- 
sophy  ?   I  take  it  that  most  men  go  into  Theosophy  through  having 
perceived  instinctively  the  truth  of  some  one  or  other  doctrine  which 
they  have  encountered.    This  is  most  apt  to  be  the  case  with  Karma 
or  Reincarnation,  doctrines  which  so  immediately  commend  them- 
selves to  reason  and  the  moral  sense.    They  are  perceived  to  throw 
vast  light  on  the  structure  of  the   universe,   and  their  inherent 
excellence  creates  presumption  in  favour  of  the  rest  of  the  system. 
Usually  at  that  initial  stage  many  other    doctrines   appear  improba- 
ble if  not  erroneous,  for  the   mind  has  not  yet  habituated  itself 
to  so  radically   changed  an   attitude.    But  as  reading  continues, 
and  as  more  light  is  thereby  thrown  on  the  suspected  doctrines, 
they  begin  to  appear  more   rational,  and   as  the  student's  grasp 
on  philosophy  becomes  larger  and  firmer  the  suspected  doctrine 
becomes  first  probable  and  then  demonstrated.   Yet  of  course  as  still 
new  ones  come  into  view,  they  are  for  a  time  open  to  doubt,  and  later 
on  take  their  place  as  accepted  and  welcomed.  Even  then,  however, 
there  arc  some  difficulties  which  may  not  be  solved.  Sometimes  state- 
ments palpably  erroneous  are  made  by  writers  whose  unquestion- 
able attainments  might  seem   to  place  them  beyond  the  reach 
of  error,  and  the  question   arises    whether  a  person  at  fault  in 
one  respect  may  not  be  so  in  all.     Of  course  such  a  supposition  is 
illogical,  it  is  even  childish,  for  the  obvious  answer  is  that  infal- 
libility  is  the  prerogative  only   of  omniscience,  and  omniscience 
has  not  yet  been  vouchsafed  to  human  beings.    If  this  consideration 
is  not  recognized,  and  if  the  tendency  to  suspicion  is  deliberately 
encouraged,  the    mind  in  time  becomes  not  only  embittered  but 
diseased,  and  then  it  loses  its  discriminating  power  and  its  faculty  of 
just  reasoning.    But  observe  in  this  matter  a  most  important  point. 
There  is  in  Theosophy  the  most  earnest,  the  most  urgent,  the  most 
insistent  doctrine  that  no  man  is  to  accept  as  true  what  he  does  not 
believe  to  be  true,  that  he  is  not  to  substitute  authority  for  convic- 
tion, and  that  he  can  never  be  expected  or  even  allowed  to  force  hiu 
own  convictions  or  suppress  his  own  doubts.    Fairness,  abscdute 
unreserve,  the  fullest  recognition  of  every  fact  in  the  region  of  either 
doubt  or  certainty,  the  frankest  treatment  of  all  difficulties  and  all 
improbabilities ;  in  short,  the  most  unqualified  and  unreserved  hand-* 
ling  of  every  topic  and  every  point  in  it ;  all  this  is  tirged  by  Theo- 
sophy.   Why  ?  Simply  because  it  is  the  embodiment  of  comston 


1901.]    More  of  Mme.  Mongruel's  Clairvoyance  and  Prophecies.       286 

sense.  Common  sense  never  exacts  intellectual  slavery  or  puppet- 
like submission  to  superiors ;  it  does  not  discountenance  manly 
independence,  it  proclaims  it.  Of  course  this  is  a  very  different 
thing  from  mere  habitual  fault  finding,  from  the  supposition  that 
independence  is  shown  by  querulou^ness  or  systematic  disbelief. 
Such  a  condition  is  not  only  unreasonable,  it  is  unhealthy ;  and 
disease  is  by  no  means  a  condition  to  sound  mental  action. 

As  the  student  of  Theosophy  progresses,  as  more  and  more  pro- 
blems are  solved,  more  and  more  facts  secured,  more  and  more  truth 
perceived,  there  naturally  comes  about  an  assurance  as  to  the  future 
which  is  founded  on  the  experience  of  the  past.  As  a  traveller  as- 
cends a  mountain  be  not  only  rises  above  the  fog  and  miasma  of  the 
plain,  he  not  only  rises  into  clearer  light  and  healthier  air,  he  ac- 
quires an  increasingly  widening  vision,  of  range  of  sight  over  larger 
territory  and  more  varied  landscape.  As  the  sincere  student  of 
Theosophy  learns  additional  facts,  broadens  his  conception  of  the 
universe  and  its  laws,  finds  his  doubts  appeased  and  his  problems 
solved,  he  will  unquestionably  become  more  and  more  in  S5rmpathy 
with  the  grand  philosophy  every  disclosure  of  which  is  a  contribu- 
tion to  his  intellect  and  a  solace  to  his  soul ;  and  not  only  will  he  re- 
joice in  the  possession  of  more  truth,  more  help,  and  more  hope,  but 
will  look  with  ever  clearer  eyes  to  the  ultimate  goal  which  the  whole 
philosophy  foretells  for  him,  and  will  anticipate  with  satisfaction, 
perhaps  with  joy,  that  distant  day  when  he  shall  know  even  as  also 
he  is  known. 

Al^KXAND^R  FULUBRTON. 


MORE  OF  MME.  MONGRVEVS  CLAIRVOYANCE  AND 

PROPHECIES. 

[Mr.  W.  T.  Stead  has  been  so  very  obliging  as  to  send,  in  compliance 
with  Col.  Olcott's  request,  a  copy  of  the  extremely  interesting  descrip* 
tion  contributed  by  him  to  the  JVew  York  Journal  (issue  of  9th  September) 
of  his  visit  to  the  famous  "  French  Seeress  '*  (vide  Theoso^htst  for 
December  1896)  and  his  experimentation  with  her  clairvoyant  faculty* 
No  theosophist  visiting  Paris,  who  can  afford  to  pay  her  consultation 
fee,  should  miss  seeing  her  for,  in  the  Colonel's  opinion,  she  is  the  most 
accurate  seeress  of  the  kind  whom  he  has  encountered.  She  knows 
nothing  whatever  of  Theosophy  or  the  different  planes  of  consciousness, 
which  makes  her  revelations  all  the  more  interesting.  She  has  been 
known  for  more  than  fifty  years  in  her  professional  capacity,  and  her 
good  faith  cannot  be  doubted. — Ed.  Theosophist.'] 

MME.  MONGRUEL,  the  famous  seeress  of  modern  Europe,  re* 
sides  at  6  rue  Chaussee  d'Antin.  She  is  now  an  old  lady  of 
three  score  years  and  ten,  whose  reputation  as  clairvoyanteandpro* 
phetsss  dates  back  from  before  the  days  of  the  Second  Empire.  She 
predicted  the  advent  of  Napoleon  III,  which  perhaps  did  not  require 
very  great  prophetic  instinct ;  but  from  that  time  to  this  she  has  hit 


iSd  The  Theosophist.  [February 

off  with  extraordinary  prophetic  accuracy  the  events  which  were  to 
the  rest  of  the  world  hidden  in  the  mist  of  futurity.  Mme.  Mon- 
gruel  makes  no  pretensions  to  any  supernatural  powers,  neither 
does  she  claim  to  be  inspired  by  the  Archangel  Gabriel,  after  the 
fashion  of  a  famous  compatriot  of  hers.  I  do  not  know  that  she  is 
a  spiritualist  in  the  ordinary  sense  of  the  word.  In  her  normal 
state  she  is  a  normal  lady,  living  in  elegantly  furnished  apartments 
surrounded  by  autograph  tributes  from  two  generations  of  French- 
men. But  she  becomes  quite  another  person  when  in  a  trance. 
She  is  very  easily  thrown  into  a  trance.  Any  person  with  a  strong 
will  can  bring  about  this  condition  in  which  Mme.  Mongruel  whom 
you  have  been  talking  to  a  few  minutes  before,  disappears.  In 
other  words,  she  goes  to  sleep,  and  when  she  opens  her  eyes  a  few 
moments  later,  you  find  you  are  addressing  quite  another  personal- 
ity, or  it  may  be  stratum  of  her  old  personality,  who  is  addressed  as 
"  la  Dormeuse." 

I^a  Dormeuse  speaks  with  Mme.  Mongruel's  voice,  but  she 
makes  statements  of  which  not  only  has  Mme.  Mongruel  no  know- 
ledge but  which  are  often  diametrically  opposed  to  the  information 
which  Mme.  Mongruel  believes.  When  the  trance  is  over  and  la 
Dormeuse  takes  her  departure,  Mme.  Mongruel  has  no  remembrance 
of  anything  which  la  Dormeuse  said  through  her  lips.  This,  of 
course,  is  the  ordinary  condition  of  those  who  see  visions  while  in 
trance,  nor  is  there  anything  novel  in  her  condition  to  call  for  re- 
mark. The  interest  in  Mme.  Mongruel,  however,  lies  in  the  fact 
that  when  la  Dormeuse  is  in  possession  of  Mme.  MongruePs  bodj^ 
she  is  able  to  see  much  that  is  hidden  from  the  eyes  of  ordinary 
mortals.  My  attention  was  first  drawn  to  her  by  the  astonishing 
success  which  she  achieved  in  the  case  of  the  Marquis  de  Maures. 
About  four  years  ago  this  French  Marquis  at  the  head  of  a  small 
caravan,  departed  on  an  expedition  into  the  interior  of  Northern 
Africa.  After  a  time  all  news  ceased,  and  rumours  began  to  circulate 
as  to  his  fate.  A  friend  of  mine  went  with  the  reporter  of  the 
Gatdois  newspaper  to  see  Mme.  Mongruel,  and  took  with  him  a 
belt  which  the  Marquis  had  been  in  the  habit  of  wearing.  When 
Mme.  Mongruel  entered  into  the  trance  condition,  my  friend  gave 
her  the  belt,  told  her  nothing  but  that  it  belonged  to  a  friend  of  his 
who  had  not  been  heard  of  for  some  time,  and  he  wished  to  know 
whether  she  could  give  him  any  information  as  to  his  safety  or 
otherwise.  La  Dormeuse  began  by  describing  the  personal  appear* 
ance  of  the  Marquis,  and  then  said  that  she  must  cross  the  seas,  and 
go  into  a  far  country  where  it  was  very  hot.  She  then  described  the 
owner  of  the  belt  as  riding  a  horse  at  the  head  of  a  small  caravan 
across  a  very  hot  country,  towards  a  ravine.  She  became  very  ex- 
cited, and  cried  out  to  him  anxiously  not  to  advance  to  the  ravine, 
as  there  were  dark  featured  men  who  were  in  ambush  behind  the 
ravine,  who  would  inevitably  attack  him.    It  was  just  as  if  she   was 


1901.}   More  of  Mme.  MongrueVs  Clairvoyance  and  Prophecies.       28T 

watching  the  advance  of  a  caravan  photographed  for  •  the  cinemato- 
graph. Her  attempt  to  stay  the  party  did  not,  of  course,  arrest  their 
progress,  and  she  then  described  their  entry  into  the  defile,  the  sudden 
attack  from  the  ambushed  foe,  and  the  result  of  the  battle.  She  des- 
cribed how  the  Marquis  fell,  the  number  of  his  wounds,  and  the  whole 
scene.  Her  description  was  published  in  the  Gaulois  of  23rd  June, 
at  a  time  when  no  one  in  Paris  knew  anj'thing  of  what  had  befallen 
the  Marquis.  Ten  days  later,  intelligence  arrived  from  Tunis  in  a 
special  telegram  to  the  Figaro^  which  described  the  whole  catas- 
trophe in  terms  which  were  practically  the  same  as  those  used  by 
Mme.  Mongruel  days  before.  Hence  when  the  news  arrived  of  the 
alleged  massacre  of  the  I^egations  in  Peking,  it  occurred  to  me 
that  it  would  be  an  admirable  opportunity  to  test  the  clairvoyant 
faculties  of  Mme.  Mongruel  by  ascertaining  whether  she  could  give 
any  information  on  the  subject  which  preoccupied  public  attention. 

A  diflSculty,  however,  arose.  As  a  bloodhound  needs  some  trace, 
so  a  clairvoyant  requires  some  article  which  has  belonged  to  or 
been  touched  by  some  of  the  persons  concerned  ;  and  although  one 
of  my  friends  is  the  second  in  command  at  one  of  the  Foreign 
Hmbassies,  I  had  nothing  belonging  to  him  in  my  possession  in 
Paris.  However,  I  thought  it  would  be  interesting  to  see  what  she 
could  do  without  any  trace,  so  cutting  out  the  names  of  the  Minis- 
ters who  had,  it  was  believed,  been  massacred,  although  no  adequate 
intelligence  had  been  received,  I  folded  the  shred  of  newspaper 
so  that  the  names  could  not  be  seen,  and  hied  me  to  the  Delphic 
cave. 

Mme.  Mongruel  did  not  know  who  I  was.  I  took  with  me  an 
interpreter,  so  that  we  had  two  witnesses  to  everything  she  said.  I 
explained  that  I  was  anxious  about  some  friends  of  mine  ;  that  I 
wished  to  see  whether  she  could  tell  me  anything  about  them.  She 
asked  at  once  for  some  article  which  had  been  in  contact  with  any 
of  them.  I  said  I  had  nothing  of  the  kind,  but  that  I  could  give  her 
the  names  on  the  folded  shred  of  newspaper,  and  she  should  try 
what  she  could  do.  This  was  on  July  7th.  She  said  it  was  very 
difficult,  but  that  she  would  try  what  she  could  do.  She  took  the 
newspaper  cutting  in  her  hand,  and  rolled  it  over  and  over  in  her 
palm,  but  never  opened  it,  nor  looked  to  see  who  were  those  named. 
She  began  : — 

"  These  people  are  in  great  trouble.  This  takes  me  a  long  way 
ofiF,  over  many  seas,  and  lands,  to  a  very  hot  country.  The  people 
there  are  of  all  colours.  I  think  it  is  China.  There  is  great  con- 
fusion and  bloodshed,  but  I  cannot  distinguish  clearly  what  is  going 


on." 


"  Tell  me,"  I  said,  "  whether  they  are  alive  or  dead." 
*•  They  are  alive,"  she  said,  "  but  they  may  be  killed  at  any 
moment.    I  cannot  tell  you  more,  unless  you  can  get  me  some  arti- 
cle which  belongs  to  them." 


28S  The  Theo8ophist«  [Febrnmry 

So  I  departed  aud  tried  to  find  some  one  who  could  give  me  the 
necessary  trace.  After  being  thwarted  in  many  directicms,  I  found 
Count  Cassini,  who  gave  me  three  small  shreds  of  yellow  silk»  which 
he  was  good  enough  to  cnt  off  from  the  fringed  tassel  of  a  beautiful, 
carved,  ivory  scent^box,  which  had  been  given  him  by  the  present 
Emperor  of  China." 

I  went  back  to  Mme.  Mongruel,  on  31st  July,  and  after  she  had 
been  thrown  into  a  trance,  said  I  wished  for  some  more  information 
concerning  the  people  about  whom  I  had  enquired  at  the  previous 
sitting. 

**  Then  I  go  to  the  Transvaal  or  to  China,"  she  said. 

**  Yes,"  I  said,  *'  but  here  is  something  that  comes  from  the  place 
where  they  are." 

I  gave  her  the  tiny  shreds  of  silk,  and  she  said  : 

**  This  takes  me  to  China.  Again  I  see  a  scene  of  great  con-r 
fusion  and  of  bloodshed.  There  are  many  people  killed,  both 
women  and  children." 

At  that  time,  I  may  premise,  the  telegrams  had  been  published 
from  Shanghai,  which  described  with  details  how  the  Emperor  had 
been  jpoisoned  and  the  Empress  was  mad,  and  Tuan  was  reigning  as 
Emperor  in  his  stead.  The  shred  of  silk  came  from  the  tassel  given 
to  Count  Cassini  when  he  was  Russian  Ambassador  in  Peking,  by 
the  young  Emperor.  I  asked  whether  she  could  see  to  whom  the 
silk  belonged.    She  said  at  once  : 

*'  This  has  belonged  to  some  one  who  was  in  possession  of 
authority  in  the  midst  of  this  trouble.  He  is  a  young  man  ;  who  is 
in  a  great  position.  He  is  in  a  way  responsible  for  what  is  going  on, 
and  yet  he  is  not  the  chief  agent." 

**  Can  you  describe  him  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Yes,"  she  said.  "  His  countenance  is  as  if  it  were  sunburnt^ 
very  brown,  and  he  has  black  eyes  with  very  black  eyebrows,  and 
very  black  hair." 

I  said,  '*  Do  3'ou  think  he  is  a  European  or  Chinese  ?" 

''  I  could  not  say,"  she  said.  *'  I  should  think  he  is  a  European, 
but  his  skin  is  so  bronzed  that  it  is  difficult  to  say." 

Then  I  said  "  Can  you  tell  me  whether  he  is  alive  or  dead  ?  " 

**  He  is  alive,"  she  said.  '*  He  seemed  to  be  dead,  but  he  was 
not  dead,  and  he  is  now  alive,  but  he  is  not  responsible  for  the 
massacres  that  are  going  on.  I  see  another  one  much  darker  than 
he,  who  is  like  a  demon.  He  wears  very  little  clothes,  and  he  is 
crjdng  kill,  kill,  kill.  It  is  very  curious,"  she  said,  **  although  he 
is  causing  all  these  horrors  he  does  not  think  he  is  doing  wrong. 
On  the  contrary,  he  thinks  he  is  doing  a  noble  action  for  the  good 
of  his  countr>\" 

Then  I  said :    *'  Can  you  see  whether  the  ambassadors  are  dead 
or  alive  ?" 

"  They  are  alive,"  she  replied.    **  All  round  them  is  confusion 


1901.]  More  of  Mme.  Mongruel's  Clairvoyance  and  Prophecies.       289 

and  treachery,  but  they  are  kept  in  the  hollow  of  bis  band   as  host- 
ages.   They  are  not  dead." 

Sbe  then  went  on  to  describe  what  she  saw  as  the  outcome  of 
the  war,  but  this  I  will  leave  over  for  the  present. 

After  some  delay,  I  succeeded  in  obtaining  from  Father  Endea- 
vourer  Clark,  of  tbe  Christian  Endeavour  Convention,  the  letter  of 
safe  conduct  which  he  received  from  the  Russian  Ambassador  at 
Peking,  and  a  card  of  the  American  Minister.  By  this  time  it  was 
universally  believed  that  all  the  ministers  had  been  killed.  A  long 
telegram  from  Shanghai  which  reached  Europe  on  i6th  July,  had 
described  how  every  European  had  been  massacred  with  all  imagin- 
able atrocities  by  the  Chinese  Imperial  troops  and  Boxers;  Mme. 
Mongruel  was  just  going  to  bed  when  I  called,  and  she  was  very 
tired  and  rather  demurred  to  trying  a  sitting  that  night.  Biit  in 
deference  to  my  entreaties,  she  consented  to  see  what  she  could  geti 
As  soon  as  she  went  into  a  trance,  without  touching  the  letters  or 
tbe  card,  she  said  : 

"  I  see  the  British  Ambassador.  He  is  in  command.  He  is 
still  alive,  and  his  wife  and  children  :  but  he  is  in  great  perplex- 
ity and  alarm.  He  does  not  know  but  that  at  any  moment  the 
place  may  be  rushed  by  the  Chinese,  and  he  has  a  weapon  close  to' 
his  right  hand  with  which  he  is  determined  that  should  the  Chinese 
break  into  the  IvCgation,  he  will  shoot  first  his  wife  and  then  his 
two  children.    He  has  firmly  made  up  his  mind  to  do  this." 

"  Do  you  see  his  wife  ?  "  I  said. 

••  Yes,"  she  said,  "  she  is  very  calm,  and  is  not  so  anxious 
as  her  husband.  In  fact,  it  is  very  curious,  but  she  is  miicK 
more  afraid  of  him  than  she  is  of  the  Chinese,  for  she  thinks 
it  is  quite  possible  that  some  false  alarm  might  come,  and  he 
might  take  their  lives  to  save  them  from  tortures,  which  might  not 
really  be  imminent.  She  is  a  lady  who  has  had  much  trouble,  but 
she  is  sustained  by  a  consciousness  of  the  presence  of  people  who 
have  passed  out  of  this  life.  I  see  a  man  and  three  children  who 
seem  -very  near  to  her,  and  who  support  her  in  the  midst  of  her 
trouble." 

At  that  time  I  may  say  I  was  not  aware,  although  the  interpre- 
ter who' accompanied  me  was,  of  the  fact  that  I^dy  Macdonald's  pre- 
vious husband  and  three  .children  had  died  of  cholera  when  ^hey 
were  in  Persia.  Then  I  gave  la  Dormeuse  first  the  Russian  Ambas- 
sador's letter,  and  then  the  American  Minister's  card.  Neither  of 
them  seemed  to  add  in  any  way  to  her  knowledge.    She  said  : 

"  No,  these  people  are  in  the  first  place.  They  are  both  behind 
the  British  Ambassador.  He  is  in  the  front.  They  are  under  his 
roof.    It  is  the  British  Ambassador  whom  the  Chinese  most  hate." 

Then  I  said  :    **  Are  any  of  them  dead  ?  " 

•«  No,*' she  said,  "none  of  those  in  the  legation.    There  are 
many  dead,  but  not  ambassadors.    There  has  been  great   fighting 
5 


290  The  Thaosophiat.  [February 

but  now  it  is  not  so  bad.  The  order  was  given  to  kill  all,  but  they 
hesitated,  and  then  another  order  was  given  to  spare  their  lives, 
but  keep  them  safe  as  hostages.  All  round  them  there  are  Chinese 
troops,  who  are  very  treacherous,  who  do  not  know  why  they  have 
been  ordered  to  spare  their  lives  and  who  are  waiting  every  minute 
for  the  order  to  finish  the  massacre." 

"  Are  they  suflfering  from  want  of  food  ?  "  I  asked. 

**  No,"  she  said,  '*  they  have  plenty  of  food*  As  they  have  to 
be  spared,  they  are  not  to  be  starved  to  death." 

Then  I  asked  :  *'  Will  the  order  ever  be  given  for  them  to  b^ 
killed  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  she  said,  "  it  will  be  given,  but  it  will  not  be  executed. 
At  least,  I  do  not  see  any  of  them  dead." 

"  Can  you  look  more  closely,"  I  said,  **  and  tell  me  how  it  is 
that  they  will  not  be  killed  ? " 

"  The  co-allies,"  she  said,  "  will  advance  upon  Peking.  They 
will  reach  the  city,  and  they  will  attack,  and  when  they  begin 
the  attack,  the  order  will  be  given  to  kill  the  ambassadors,  but  at 
that  moment  when  the  Chinese  troops  are  about  to  attack  the 
legations,  a  sudden  panic  seizes  them,  and  they  fly,  and  the 
ambassadors  appear  to  be  saved.  At  least,  I  see  none  of  them 
dead.  It  is  curious,"  she  said,  as  she  seemed  to  peer  into  the  dis- 
tance, "  that  there  are  no  Germans  in  the  co^allies*  army  that  is 
attacking  Peking.  They  must  be  in  some  other  part  of  the  field. 
They  are  valiant  warriors,  and  they  will  achieve  great  victories, 
but  I  do  not  see  them  in  Peking.  There  are  English  and  Russians 
and  French,  these  I  see,  but  no  Germans.  I  do  not  know  how 
that  is." 

It  was  not  until  several  days  after  that  the  news  reached  Europe 
that  all  the  ambassadors  were  safe,  and  that  in  the  composite  army 
which  had  been  to  the  relief  of  Peking  there  was  no  German  con- 
tingent. 

When  la  Dormeuse  disappeared,  and  Mme.  Mongruel  reappear- 
ed, she  asked  anxiously  what  la  Dormeuse  had  said.  I  told  her 
that  la  Dormeuse  had  given  us  very  good  news,  and  she  said  that 
the  ambassadors  were  all  alive  and  would  not  be  killed. 

**  I  don't  believe  a  word  of  it,"  said  Mme,  Mongruel.  "  I  am 
quite  sure  that  they  are  dead.    Don't  you  think  so  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  I  said,  *'  I  should  have  thought  so  if  la  Dormeuse  had 
not  said  the  opposite,  but  she  was  right  at  the  previous  seances, 
when  we  were  wrong,  and  she  may  be  right  again." 

"  It  is  very  curious,"  she  said.     "  You  must  wait  and  see." 

Now  to  revert  to  the  seance  of  31st  July.  After  Mme.  Mon- 
gruel had  described  the  scene  of  confusion  and  bloodshed  at  Pe- 
king, I  asked  her  whether  she  could  see  anything  as  to  the  future. 

"  Yes,"  she  said,  "  there  is  going  to  be  a  very  great  war  with 
jjiuch  bloodshedt" 


M 


Idbl.]   More  of  Mme.  Mongruel's  Clairvoyance  and  Prophecies.       291 

"Really!"  I  said.     "When?^' 
It  has  already  begun,"  she  said.     "  This  is  the  first  act." 
Tell  me,"  I  said,  **  how  it  will  come  about." 

"  The  allied  army,"  she  said,  "  will  fight,  and  will  beat  the 
Chinese.  They  will  beat  China  terribly,  but  they  will  not  destroy 
her  altogether.  They  will  pardon  her.  Russia  and  Germany  will 
take  pieces,  but  they  will  leave  China  still  standing  as  an  Empire. 
The  time  will  come,  perhaps  at  the  end  of  a  year,  when  the  Japanese 
will  retire,  very  well  pleased  with  themselves,  and  they  will  take 
no  more  part  in  the  war  against  China.  Then  you  will  think  that 
there  is  going  to  be  peace,  but  there  will  not  be  peace,  for  the  war 
which  has  begun  in  the  East  will  begin  again  in  the  West  of  China, 
and  this  time  the  Turks  will  be  in  and  the  fate  of  Constantinople  will 
be  decided.  It  will  be  a  great  war,  and  terrible.  I  do  not  like  to 
look,"  she  said,  *'  it  is  too  awful,  for  it  is  a  war  all  round  the  world. 
Ah,  my  poor  France,"  she  said,  "  I  will  not  look  further ;  I  cannot 
bear  to  see." 

"Why?"  I  said. 

"  No,"  she  said,  **  I  dare  not  look." 

"  Then,"  I  said,  **  tell  me  about  my  country,  England." 

"  England  will  suffer  terribly,"  she  said,  "  in  money,  in  terri- 
tory, in  men  and  prestige,  and  at  one  time  in  the  war  she  will  be  so 
nearly  beaten  that  she  will  think  of  retiring  from  the  fight.  But 
she  will  rally  her  forces,  and  begin  fighting  again,  and  in  the  end 
will  come  off  victorious ;  but  not  without  great  losses.  Russia  also 
will  suffer  terribly,  even  moi^e  than  England.  Germany  will  suffer 
severely,  but  she  will  gain  most  from  the  war  of  all." 

"  Will  the  United  "States  be  in  it,"  I  asked. 

"  Yes,"  she  said,  '•  but  they  will  not  suffer.  They  will  make 
others  suffer." 

•'And  the  other  Powers,"  I  asked. 

'*  They  will  all  be  in,  but  in  a  smaller  way.  Austria  will  take 
fi  larger  part  in  the  war  in  some  months  than  she  is  doing  now,  but 
Italy  will  always  take  a  small  part,  and.  it  will  not  concern  her  so 
fflttch.    But  Prance,  poor  France,"  she  said. 

More  than  that  I  could  not  get  out  of  her. 

She  expected  the  war  would  not  end  for  two  years.  At  first 
she  said  twelve  months,  but  at  the  second  sitting  she  said  twelve 
months  for  the  war  in  China  and  another  twelve  months  following 
on  for  the  universal  war,  which  is  to  break  out  and  '*  involve  both 
hemispheres  in  ruin." 

Of  course  you  cannot  argue  with  a  prophetess.  You  can  only 
disbelieve  her  if  you  like.  But  it  is  worth  noting  that  last  De- 
cember Mme.  Mongruel,  when  consulted  concerning  the  Transvaal 
war,  predicted  the  outbreak  of  a  war  in  China  and  expressed  her 
astonishment  that  the  Powers  whom  she  expected  to  be  fighting 
amongst  themselves  would  be  all  fighting  against  China.    That  isy 


292  the  theo&ophisi.  [Februal'y 

on  record  and  was  printed  on  December  15th  last  in  a  Paris  paper, 
VEcko  de  VAu'dela  et  cCIci-baSy  now  lying  before  me.  Of  course 
a  person  may  prophecy  rightly  once  or  twice  or  thrice,  and  be 
entirely  out  of  it  the  fourth  time,  but  Mme.  Mongruel's  previous 
successes  and  especially  her  persistent  assertion  that  the  ambassa* 
dors  were  alive  when  she  herself  and  both  her  visitors  were  cou-t 
yinced  they  were  dead,  together  with  this  prophecy  in  December, 
justify  some  degree  of  uneasiness  as  to  whether  or  not  the  battle  of 
Armageddon  may  not  be  nearer  to  us  than  anyone  has  ventured  to 
believe. 

W.  T.  Stkajd. 


THE  GREAT  YEAR  OF  THE  ANCIENTS,  AND  OUR 
PRESENT  MINOR  MANY  ANT AR  A. 

[Conciuded/rom  p.  22^'] 

"Make  thy  calculations,  O  Lanoo,  if  thou  wouldst  learn  the  correct 
age  of  thy  small  wheel. '  * 

TT /"E  have  seen  how  the  numbers  27,  28,  and  432  are  to  be  under- 
YV  stood  in  the  Hindu  calculations — the  next  instance  will  point 
out  where  their  other  celebrated  factor,  71,  comes  in.  Among'  the 
exoteric  Hindu  chronological  schemes  it  figures  as  the  number  of 
yugas  in  the  Manvantara ;  and  this  appears  to  be  the  fact—but  not 
as  it  has  been  usually  understood.  Francois  Arago*  says  that 
among  other  values  assigned  to  the  Great  Year,  some  made  it 
6,570,000  jrears.  Let  us  suppose  this  to  be  one  of  the  values  assigned 
to  the  yugas;  multiplying  it  by  71,  and  dividing  the  product  by 
5,i83»  add  the  quotient  as  above.  Immediately  the  Manvantara 
springs  into  view,  and  we  see  that  the  sum  of  the  sandhis  will  go 
into  it  5184  times  without  a  remainder — that  is,  43ix  12  ;  whicTi  for 
single  sandhis  would  be  432x24,  each  being,  according  to  this 
scheme,  45,000  years.  It  must  be  rememhered  that  we  are  not 
dealing  with  any  absolute  value  of  the  twilight  periodsV  but  only 
with'Such  as  were  used  for  purposes  of  concealment  and  niysfery; 
as  explained  in  note  (^).       • 

Some  writers  have  been  deceived  through  a  false  appearance  of 
astronomical  calculation  having  been  given  to  numbers  which  were 
really  meant  to  express  the  Great  Year  in  a  veiled  form  of  mannen 
Thus  we  are  told  that  **  From  observations  taken  during  the  preces* 
sion  through  several  degrees,  the  Hindus  were  first  induced  t6 
suppose  that  the  precession  took  place  at  the  rate  of  sixty  years  iii 

a  degree,  or  1,800  in  a  Zodiacal  sign And  Sir  W.  Jones  in* 

forms  us,  from  an  examination  of  their  periods,  that  this  Vras  the 
fete  at  which  they  reckoned."  But  we  are  alsp  told  that  "  the  Hindu* 

took  ten  signs  of  the  Zodiac,  or  ten  times  ....  the  preces* 

sional  years  in  a  sign,    ....thus  making  their  Neros  yeairfen 


■o*.*^* 


•  *•  Pop.  Astron,'*  Vol.  II,  p.  771,  Longman's  ed.  18581 


ldOl.3  The  Great  Year  of  the  Ancients,  etc.  2d3 

periods,  to  answer  to  the  ten  signs ;"  and  thus  obtained  a  period  of 
18,000  years,  or  the  half  of  what  Syncellus  and  Abydenus  tell  us  the 
Chaldeans- used;^  and  the  same  as  the  Great  Year  of  the  Mexi- 
cans. It  is  true  the  time  was  18,000 — not  that  the  equinox  took  that 
long  to  run  through  the  constellations,  but  that  in  the  period  thus 
obscurely  pointed  out,  there  were  that  many  Sidereal  years  of  the 
Indian  value  25,9^ ;  for  this  at  once  quotes  the  whole. value  of  the 
Manvantara.  It  was  all  very  simple  ;  but  the  astute  Sir  W.  Jones 
and  his  admirers  and  followers  did  not  see  through  it— while  the 
initiated  doubtless  laughed  in  their  sleeves. 

■  The  next  instance  is  one  where  the  twilights,  used  as  a  blind, 
are  to  be  subtracted ;  and  in  this  case  we  reach  what  was  concealed 
under  the  many  fables  wherein  500  years  figure  as  the  primary  num- 
bers, and  26,000  as  the.  apparent  valtie  of  the  Great  Year  ;  but  which 
was  not  the  time  really  meant.  Divide  the  26,000  by  325,  subtract  the 
^otient  from  it,  and  at  once  we  see  that  the  Hindu  18,000  preces- 
sional  periods  were  meant.  Moreover,  if  325  is  the  sum  of  the  dupli- 
cated  sandhis  which  it  would  contain,  there  were,  of  course,  650  in 
aU ;  and  this  last  nitmber  is  itself  one  of  those  quoted  as  the  life  of 
tl|e  Phcenix,  and  therefore  may  next  be  dealt  with. 

We  find  this  number  among  the  British  Druids ;  and  the  most- 
extraordinary  peculiarity  which  their  architectural  remains,  known 
as  the  Druidical  Circles,  possess,  is  that  of  their  agreement  in  the 
number  of  the  stones  of  which  they  consist,  with  the  ancient  astro- 
nomical cycles.  The  remains  of  the  Circle  at  Abury  make  a  total  of 
650  stones,  and  from  the  manner  of  the  arrangement  of  this  and 
other  similar  circles,  the  nitmbers  are  not  accidental.f  Some** 
times  the  ancients  gave  their  astronomical  cycles  in  full,  and  at 
others  they  simply  gave  some ,  number  which  was  an  aliquot  part  of 
them  j  and  this  number  650  appears  to  be  an  instance  of  the  latter 
-^in  which  case  it  ought  to  be  650.38,  and  sixteen  multiples  of  it  are 
very  exactly  524  synodic  periods  of  Jupiter  and  Saturn.  But  36 
periods  of  650  years  are  23,400,  which  appears  to  have  been  one  of 
the  ancient  values  assigned  to  the  precessional  period.  Multiply  it 
by  20,000,  divide  the  product  by  325  as  in  the  last  instance,  and  sub- 
tract the  quotient ;  then  the  primary  number  again  emerges.  More* 
over,  the  single  sandhis  will  be  650  in  the  whole,  and  their  duplica* 
ted  amount  is  the  same  as  the  number  of  minutes  in  a  thousand 
days— a  sort  of  arrangement  the  ancients  seem  to  have  beenparticu* 
larly  partial  to.       -     • 

Another  value  of  the  Phoenix  Period  was  654  years;  J  no 
doubt  adopted  because  it  is  a  luni«solar  cycle  which  returns  the  new 
moon  to  the  sa.me  day  pi  the  month  according  to  the  Julian  calendar, 
with  great  accuracy.    But  forty  of  these  periods  make  one  of  the 

•  "  Anacal,*'  Vol.  I,  chap,  ii,  Sect,  v,  pp.  234,  235,  239.  ■ 

t  "Celtic Druids,"  chap,  vi,  Sect,  xiii.,  pp.  239-241  j  and  *^Anacal."pp.  238*9, 

J  Cf.  Suidab. 


i§4'  'I'he  I'heosophist.  tF*ebruai*y 

ancient  equinoctial  cycles  ;  and  if  this  be  multiplied  by  i8,coo,  the 
product  divided  by  109,  and  the  quotient  subtracted,  we  have  the 
Manvantara  as  usual.  And  in  this  instance  the  Hindu  and  Chaldean 
number  4,320,000  is  the  sum  of  the  duplicated  twilights  ;  showing  a 
very  good  reason  why  654  was  used. 

Again  ;  there  is  a  Julian  luni-solar  cycle  of  540  years,  which 
has  also  been  used  in  a  similar  way  *  and  called  the  life  of  the 
Phcenix,  as  usual.  But  forty-eight  of  these  make  the  exact  Hindu 
Sidereal  year,  25,920 ;  which  multiplied  by  18,000  gives  the  required 
sum»  as  already  seen. 

Nonnus  says  that  the  Great  Year  is  456  common  years  f  in 
length,  which  must  have  arisen  from  the  fact  that  such  is  the 
number  of  Julian  years  in  one  of  the  shorter  cycles  which  return  the 
five  planets  to  a  conjunction  with  the  sun.  Now  60  of  these  are 
27>3^  years,  or  the  precessional  time  according  to  Hipparchtis ;  which 
multiplied  by  17,000,  the  product  divided  by  323,  and  the  quotient 
added,  gives  the  usual  result.  The  two  sandhis  make  the  same  num- 
ber as  in  the  case  of  the  Druids.  We  reach  the  same  conclusion  if 
we  adopt  the  very  celebrated  cycle  called  the  Great  Neros,  which  is 
608  years  ;  since  45  of  these  make  27,360  years.  The  same  number 
of  the  lesser  Neronic  cycles  make  27,000  years ;  which  have  only  to 
be  multiplied  by  17,280  (or  4,320x4)  to  produce  the  hidden  num- 
bers so  long  and  successfully  guarded,  but  so  easily  found. 

Claudian  and  Lactantius  made  the  life  of  the  *'  Marvellous  Bird'* 
a  thousand  years,  J  probably  because  they  thought  the  five  hun- 
dred given  by  Herodotus  too  short— but  they  evidently  did  not 
understand  the  nature  of  the  blinds  that  were  intended  ;  as  their 
rendering  would  have  made  only  twenty  six  weeks  in  the  year,  when 
fifty-two  were  meant  to  be  understood.  Macrobius  makes  the  time 
iySoo  years  ;  §  probably  being  quite  unaware  of  the  veiled  allu- 
don  to  the  cycle  of  human  reincarnation  which  the  Phcenix  in  this 
case  symbolised— and  which,  by  the  Hermetic  maxim,  is  analogous 
to  the  Manvantara,  or  the  greater  cycle  in  which  rebirth  must  take 
place  on  another  planet  instead  of  this  one.  So  the  Master  said,  as 
Colonel  Olcott  reports,||  that  egos  come  from  other  planets  to 
this  earth,  and  are  reborn  in  other  globes.  Arid  i,50ox  12  gives 
18,000  ;  which,  translated  as  Hindu  Sidereal  years,  gives  the  time  iu 
which  this  must  take  place. 

The  Egyptian  "  Circle  of  Necessity*'  is  another  instance  of  the 
same  kind  of  concealment ;  and  we  have  only  to  multiply  it  by  six 
to  see  the  fact — because  18,000  results.  The  number  3,000  was  most 
likely  chosen  because  it  was  the  fourth  part  of  12,000— which,  ill 
Egyptian  years  of  360  days,  made  4,320,000  days  ;  and  were  conceived 

*  Pliny,' X,  2  ;  Sotiiius,  c,  33,  la. 

+  **  Aiiacal,"  p,  240. 

t^Lepsius,  p.  181. 

§'^Comm.  "  Somn.  Scip,"  ii.  ir,  11. 

;,  "  Old  Diary  Leaves,"  ch.  xvii,  p.  279,  ed.  1895. 


1901.]  The  Great  Year  of  the  Ancients,  etc.  295 

to  be  an  exact  multiple  of  the  mean  lunation,  146,2^9  of  it  being 
contained  therein.  This  period  played  an  important  part  elsewhere, 
as  we  shall  see.  But  if  we  put  3,000  days  in  place  of  that  many  years, 
we  have  4,320,000  minutes ;  so  that  the  reason  for  the  division  by 
iour  is  sufficiently  apparent. 

Another  instance  of  substituting  a  day  for  a  year,  et  vice  versa,  is 
seen  in  the  application  of  the  Egyptian  Canicular  period,  feigned  to 
represent  the  cycle  which  returned  the  heliacal  rising  of  Sirius  ;  but 
it  would  only  do  this  twice  without  serious  erron*  Tacitus  makes- 
it  1,461  years  ;  f  which  it  was,  according  to  the  rural  year  of  the 
Egyptians ;  but  Columella,  transferring  the  numbers  to  the  calcula- 
tion of  the  sun's  place  in  the  ecliptic,  makes  it  1,461  days.  J  Syn- 
cellus,  however,  records  a  cycle  of  twenty-five  of  these  periods  ;  § 
which  amounts  to  36,525  years,  the  same  as  the  number  of  days  in 
a  Julian  century.  The  reason  is  further  seen  if  we  multiply  this 
by  1,280,  divide  the  result  by  487,  and  subtract  the  quotient ;  for  then 
we  obtain  the  constant  as  before. 

The  Pythagoreans  particularly  venerated  the  number  six,  and 
we  find  that  the  longer  cyclic  periods  which  depended  upon  this 
number  have  played  a  conspicuous  part  in  the  exoteric  cosmogonies 
connected  with  the  various  religious  cults.  This  has  been  so  much 
the  case,  that  even  now  we  find,  as  has  been  the  case  through  modern 
times,  the  Christian  churches  have  a  lingering  belief  that  the  destin- 
ed span  of  the  world*s  lifetime  is  6,000  years.  So  it  may  be — if  mul- 
tiplied  by  77,760  ;  but  of  that  they  are  unaware.  But  the  idea  of  the 
6,000  years  is  much  more  ancient  than  the  Christian  religion  ;  for  it 
has  been  affirmed  that  "  the  Jews,  as  well  as  Plato,  maintained  that 
the  world  would  be  destroyed  at  the  end  of  6,000  years  ;  and  then 
the  day  of  judgment  would  come  ;  manifestly  the  Jewish  and  Chris- 
tian Millenium.^ll  Others,  such  as  the  Etruscans,  made  the  time 
12,000  years  ;  and  with  some  faint  inkling  of  the  true  order  of  things 
they  supposed  this  to  be  divided  into  two  parts,  which  in  a  manner 
corresponded  to  the  descending  and  ascending  portions  of  the  Man- 
vantara.  In  India  the  same  sort  of  thing  is  found ;  for  the  ''  Surya 
Siddhanta  "  supposes  the  precessional  period  to  be  24,000  years  ;  but 
all  these  numbers  are  simply  difierent  versions  of  the  same  num- 
bers, and  all  of  them  are  aliquot  parts  of  the  concealed  value — of 
which  no  one  who  was  not  initiated  could  say  how  many  went  to  the 
whole. 

Berosus,  the  Chaldean  priest,  presents  us  with  another  version 
of  the  period  built  upon  the  number  six;  and  he  makes  it  6,660 — 
plainly  the  same  as  the  "number  of  the  beast"  which  millenarians 


*"Nat.    Phil."  in  •*  Lib.  of  Us.  Kn.,"  Vol.  Ill,  art.  **  Hist  of  Astron,"  ed. 
1S34. 

t  Tacitus,  **  Ann."  vi,  28. 

t  ''  De  Re  Rust,"  iii.  6. 

§  Vol.  I,  pp.  95.7,  ed.  Bonn ;  cf.  30,  64. 

,i  For  a  number  of  authorities,  see  the  "  Anacal,"  pp.  27i-a75 ;  28^1  283,  293. 


296  The  TheoBophiat.  [February 

are  so  fond  of  ascribing  to  the  Antichrist,  but  of  which  they  have 
very  little  understanding.  Berosus  says  the  Saros  is  6,660  days,  * 
but  he  evidently  did  not  wish  us  to  see  that  he  had  only  given  us, 
under  a  common  Chaldean  name  for  a  cycle,  the  half  of  451  lunations, 
to  the  nearest  whole  day.  The  desire  to  bafiSe  enquirers,  and  to 
make  use  of  well-known  mystic  numbers,  could  easily  be  accommo- 
dated in  this  way,  if  the  operator  was  a  practical  astronomer-r-as  the 
Chaldean  priests  were  ;  and  the  enquirer  who  penetrated  the 
.  blind  that  far,  has  generally  thought  himself  in  possession  of  the 
whole  secret.  But  if  we  put  years  instead  of  days,  four  periods  of 
6,660  years  make  an  equinoctial  precessional  cycle  ;  which  being 
inultiplied  by  17,280  (or  the  Chaldean  4,320  x  4)  and  divided  by  74, 
the  quotient  added  to  the  product  gives  the  inevitable  Manvantaric 
time — as  well  known  to  the  Assyrian  initiates  as  to  those  of  India 
and  ever}'  other  land. 

That  the  Assyrians  were  familiar  with  it,  is  easily  seen  from  the 
statement  that  they  had  **  preserved  the  records  of  seven- and-twenty 
myriads  of  years"  ;  for  each  of  these  **  myriads'*  must  have  been 
8,640,000  years — and  thus  twent3'-seven  of  them  would  mean  the  half- 
manvantara.f 

The  Hebrews  have"  preserved  some  of  the  Chaldean  numbers 
which  bear  out  the  above  ;  for  "  there  are  twelve  hoursin  the  day,'* 
says  the  Mishna,  **  and  it  is  during  these  that  creation  is  accom- 
plished." "  The  dodecahedron  lies  concealed  in  the  perfect  cube" 
say  the  kabalists  ;  but  if,  for  the  dodecahedron,  we  siibstitute  a 
twelve-sided  plane  figure  inscribed  in  a  circle,  the  points  of  contact 
would  divide  the  circle  into  12  parts,  like  the  Zodiac.  Now  in  the 
latter  there  are  360  degrees  ;  and  the  **  perfect  cube"  of  this  number 
is  46,656,000—and  if  we  multiply  this  by  10,  the  **  number  of  comple- 
tion," we  have  the  Manvantara.  The  "  twelve  hours  of  the  day'* 
are  again  in  the  dwarfed  copy,  the  faint,  yet  faithful  echo  of  primitive 
wisdom.  They  are  like  the  12,000  divine  years  of  the  gods,  a  cyclic 
blind.  Every  day  of  Brahma  has  fourteen  Manus,  which  the 
Hebrew  kabalists  (following,  however,  in  this,  the  Chaldeans)  have 
disguised  into  twelve  "  hours."  And  the  mystic  meaning  of  this  is; 
that  the  twelve  thousand  divine  years  represent  the  four  great  Ages, 
or  sub-rounds  of  the  present  globe  ;  symbolised  in  the  exoteric 
Mahayuga.  Beginning  with  what  may  be  relatively  called  the 
metaphysical  and  the  supra-human,  these  end  in  the  physical  and 
purely  human ;  as  seen  in  the  most  material  development  of  the 
world  andof  man — the  turning-point  of  the  present  globe.  As  H.P.B. 
says :  "  Kastern  philosophy  can  give  the  number  of  mortal  years  that, 
run  along  the  line  of  spiritual  and  physical  evolution  of  the 
seen  and  the  unseen,  if  western  science  fails  to  do  so."{ 

*  lb.,  p.  485 ;  cf.  363. 

t  lb.,  p.  239. 
.:.^  S.  0.|  1^440,  n.  e,       ,    .  ' 


IfiOl.}  The  Great  Year  of  the  Ancients,  etc.  297 

I^t  tts  see  how  all  this  works  :— 
The  twelve  hours  or  years,  multiplied  by  i,ooo  are       12,000  years, 
of  which  are,  by  Hindu  measure,  in  common  years  360 


>9 


The  **  day"  will  then  be,  in  the  same  years  4,320,000 

To  which  add  the  night  corresponding  thereto  4,320,000 

And  we  have  the  minor  yuga,  which  is  8,640,000 

Multipl3dng  this  by  27,  we  have  the  period  of  the  descent 
to  the  turning-point  of  the  Manvantara— and  this,  so  far  as  the 
present  globe  is  concerned,  is  the  "number  of  mortal  years" 
referred  to  by  H.  P.  B. 

The  serpent  has  always  been  regarded  as  a  s5'mbol,  and  in  this 
way  made  use  of  by  the  Jewish  initiates,  who  in  the  Zohar  tell  us  it 
is  manifested  every  thousand  days.*  When  we  are  told  of  **  the 
serpent  which  runs  with  370  leaps,"  it  means  that  in  the  cycle 
or  period  to  which  the  symbol  refers  there  are  that  many  of  some. 
known  periods  of  time ;  which,  as  usual  in  these  cases,  may 
be  understood  in  more  than  one  way.  If  we  took  it  to  mean 
the  span  of  human  life  as  the  Jews  understood  it,t  we  should 
have  70x370,  which  makes  25,900;  and  most  exoteric  students 
would  stop  at  this,  thinking  they  had,  as  usual,  derived  the  whole 
meaning  when  they  had  unearthed  the  sidereal  year';  but  it  is  not 
so.  For  there  is  the  mysterious  number  1,260,  quoted  by  their 
writers,  and  others,J  which  appears  to  enter  into  the  explanation, 
and  in  this  way  :  Take  it  to  represent  one  leap  of  the  serpent,  of 
which  370  go  to  the  day ;  and  the  latter  then  becomes  466,200,  and 
a  thousand  of  these  divided  by  1,295,  increased  by  the  quotient  as 
twilights,  produces  exactly  the  number  which,  as  usual,  we  shotdd 
expect  to  find.  And  as  there  are  thus  2,592  sandhis  in  the  whole 
period,  the  inclusion  of  the  precession  year  is  not  a  bad  index  there- 
to ;  since  one-tenth  of  it  gives  their  number  at  once ;  and  it  also  tells 
us  that  whoever  wrote  the  Zohar  had  also  an  excellent  knowledge 
of  the  Hindu  and  Chaldean  numbers.  The  twilights  between  them 
make  1,000  Hindu  divine  years  ;  and  the  serpent  symbol,  when 
drawn  with  its  tail  in  its  mouth,  is  an  excellent  representation 
of  the  Great  Vear.§  If  we  divide  the  25,920  by  36,  subtract  the 
quotient,  and  take  half  the  remainder,  we  have  1,260  as  the  result ; 
but  this  number  is  a  Chaldean  astronomical  factor  of  very  great 
interest,  independently  of  Jewish  or  Christian  bearings. 

There  is  an  obscure  passage  in  the  "  Secret  Doctrine"  ||  deal- 

•  "  Zohar,"  i,  16.  ' 

4i  **  Psalms  **  xc   10. 

t  ••  Daniel,"  vii.'  35,  and  xii,  7  ;  also   "  Ezek.,"  i^,  5,  6 ;  "  Numb."  xiv,  34  j 
"  Rev."  xiii,  5,  and  Keneally, "  Book  of  God,"  p.  571,  and  note  38  tbeiein. 
§  Cf.  S.  D.,  II,  pp.  530,  531,  n.e, 
II  S.  D.  1.,  160  nje. 

6 


298  The  Theosophist.  [Febmary 

ing  with  the  Egyptian  rites,  which  seems  to  intimate  that  the  human 
monad  can  as  a  rule  obtain  liberation  only  after  the  complete 
number  of  its  incarnations  has  been  worked  through ;  and  we  are 
told  that  this  '*  Osirification"  must  require  3,000  cycles  of  existences. 
Let-US  suppose  that,  as  one  existence  means  a  single  life-cycle,  so  a 
cycle  of  these  means  a  hundred  reincarnations  ;  and  we  shall  then 
obtain  more  light  on  the  matter.  From  the  466,  560,000  years  deduct 
its  twenty-seventh  part,  or  17,280,000,  and  then  divide  by  3,000— the 
quotient  will  be  149,760  years  ;  and  this,  as  one  hundred  life-cycles, 
will  be  1497.6  to  each — a  number  much  more  accurate  than  may  at  first 
sight  appear,  but  roundly  quoted  at  1,500.  Of  course  the  illustra- 
tion is  drawn  from  the  time  of  rebirth  as  it  has  been  within 
the  historical  period ;  but  as  the  **  Secret  Doctrine  "  is  written  for 
present  humanity,  the  illustration  is  quite  sufficient. 

The  foregoing  may  serve  to  show  how  many  and  various  were 
the  disguises  under  which  were  hidden  the  Great  Year,  as  each 
separate  teacher  found  himself  obliged  to  vary  his  means  of 
expression  to  suit  the  knowledge  or  the  preconceptions  of  those 
whom  he  attempted  to  instruct ;  and  it  may  serve  to  indicate  that 
the  method  of  teaching,  in  past  times  as  at  present,  was  not  by 
retailing  the  cut-and-dried  facts  of  cosmogony,  but  rather  by 
placing  before  the  neoph3^e  a  series  of  numbers  drawn  from 
the  current  knowledge  of  his  time,  and  leaving  him  to  accept  them 
blindly,  or  to  avail  himself  of  the  teaching  of  his  intuitive  faculty 
by  piercing  the  outward  veil  thus  employed.  If  he  did  the  latter, 
his  reward  would  be  proportionately  great  in  the  acquisition  of  fur- 
ther knowledge  ;  but,  as  the  result  shows,  he  was  bound  not  to  re- 
veal what  he  thus  learnt,  until  the  time  should  come  for  doing  so. 
In  the  past  these  restrictions  were  much  more  severe  than  they  now 
are,  for  when  the  sum  of  all  available  knowledge  was  in  the  posses- 
sion of  the  priesthood,  matters  of  the  most  ordinary  science  were 
enveloped  in  secrecy ;  and  this  became  so  much  the  custom,  that  it 
became  the  rule  in  all  handicrafts  as  well ;  and  was  so  until  a  very 
recent  period. 

But  that  the  exact  duration  of  the  Great  Year  was  accurately 
known,  cannot  reasonably  be  doubted,  if  we  are  to  accept  the 
majority  of  the  statements  made  in  theosophical  works.  As  Mr. 
Sinnett  saysof  a  much  longer  period,  "  the  whole  duration  of  the 
system  is  as  ceitainly  limited  in  time,  be  it  remembered,  as   the 

life  of  a  single  man The  life  of  a  man is  a  terminable  period, 

and  the  life  of  a  world-system  leads  up  to  a  final  consummation. 
The  vast  periods  of  time  concerned  in  the  life  of  a  world-system, 
dazzle. the  imagination  as  a  rule,  but  still  they  are  measurable ; 
they  are  divided  Into  sub-periods  of  various  kinds,  and  these  have  a 
definite  number."  And  he  elsewhere  points  out  that  **  everything 
comesMn  its  appointed  time  and  place  in  the  evolution  of  rounds, 
otherwise  it  would  be  impossible  for  the  best  seer  to  calculate  the 


19(U.]  The  Great  Te&r  of  the  Ancients,  etc.  299 

exact  hour  and  year  when  such  cataclysms  great  and  small  have  to 
occur.  All  an  Adept  could  do  would  be  to  predict  an  approxi- 
mate time,  whereas  now  events  that  result  in  great  geological  changes 
may  be  predicted  with  as  mathematical  a  certainty  as  eclipses 
and  other  revolutions  in  space."  *  Therefore  the  exact  period 
of  the  duration  of  the  present  world  as  a  sphere  of  action  for  human* 
ity  must  be  perfectly  well  known  ;  for  otherwise  such  calculations 
could  no  more  be  made  than  we  could  calculate  eclipses  without 
an  accurate  knowledge  of  the  moon's  synodic  period.  If  the  whole 
duration  of  the  world's  active  history  were  not  correctly  known, 
those  of  the  miuor  cycles  into  which  it  is  divided  would  at  the  best 
only  be  approximate,  and  the  sort  of  computation  Mr.  Sinnett 
speaks  of  would  be  impossible. 

Nor  are  we  necessarily  to  suppose  that  insufficient  data  have 
been  given  out,  and  that  we  are  thereby  debarred  from  learning 
these  numbers  ;  for  the  *•  Secret  Doctrine"  is  written  in  such  a  man- 
ner that  no  one  can  set  a  definite  limit  to  the  knowledge  that  may 
be  acquired  from  it.  The  writer  of  the  Stanzas  of  Dzyan  says, 
•'  Make  thy  calculations,  O  Lanoo,  if  thou  wouldst  learn  the  correct 
age  of  thy  small  wheel.  Its  fourth  spoke  is  our  mother."  f  This 
would  be  sheer  mockery  if  the  data  were  not  available,  for  then  no 
such  calculations  could  possibly  be  made  ;  and  therefore  they  must  be 
to  be  found  if  we  will  make  the  efforts  necessary  to  obtain  them.  And 
the  correct  age  of  the  •'  small  wheel "  can  hardly  be  anything  else 
than  the  elapsed  portion  of  the  present  Manvfintara — its  **  fourth 
spoke"  being  the  fourth  sub-round,  in  which  we  are  now  living. 
Therefore  we  need  not  despair  of  ultimately  obtaining  the  knowledge 
so  long  desired,  and  in  no  very  long  period  hence;  for  the  first 
step  is  already  taken  if  we  have  correctly  determined  the  length 
of  the  Great  Year. 

The  mystery  that  involves  the  numbers  which  regulate  the 
evolution  of  the  Cosmos  has  ever  given  to  them  the  strongest 
attraction  for  the  students  of  things  occult ;  and  though  many 
a  persevering  investigator  has  been  compelled  to  give  up  his 
self-imposed  task  in  consequence  of  the  difficulties  which  it  pre- 
sented, yet  were  all  the  numbers  thus  sought  perfectly  well 
known  to  the  hierophants  whose  home  ApoUonius  and  others 
found  in  the  far  East— nay,  perhaps  these  very  numbers  were  but  the 
merest  rudiments  which  were  placed  before  their  least  advanced 
students,  once  these  had  shown  themselves  -worthy  of  instruction. 
For  in  the  Orient  has  ever  lain  the  grand  respository  of  mystic  lore 
and  occult  knowledge ;  and  beneath  the  graceful  fronds  of  the  palm 
trees  which  wave  in  the  scent-laden  breeze  that  plays  among  the 


•  "  Es.  Buddhism,"  pp.  58,  59,  72,  73,  6th  ed. 
t  "  S.  D„"  i,  64  n.e. 


d06  The  Theoaophiflt.  [FebruHry 

rains  of  forgotten  empires,  many  a  traveller  from  the  benighted 
West  has,  in  the  past  time,  learned  secrets  which  ma^-  have  become 
the  light  of  science,  and  illuminated  the  pathways  which  led  to 
some  of  our  most  noble  achievements. 

Thanks  to  the  great  Masters  of  the  eastern  school  if  now,  in 
the  last  part  of  the  nineteenth  century,  the  Western  world  has  been 
permitted  to  receive  so  great  a  measure  of  that  Light  of  all  Time,  as 
may  enable  even  those  who  are  but  taking  their  earliest  steps  on 
the  pathway  of  the  Solemn  Lore,  to  learn  what  has  so  long  been 
withheld  from  some  of  the  wisest  of  the  men  of  the  external  world  ; 
and  thus,  among  a  host  of  more  valuable  things,  may  learn  some* 
what  of  the  cycles,  the  periods,  and  the  aeons  which  divide  the  Maya 
called  time  ;  which  is  spread  over  the  vistas  of  the  past,  and  leads 
onward  to  a  future  all  glorious  with  a  knowledge  that  is,  so  far  as  we 
are  concerned,  yet  to  be. 

Students  of  the  mysteries  of  all  the  ages — ^you  who  in  daily 
thought,  as  in  the  vigil  of  the  lonely  hours  of  the  night,  have  so 
long  pondered  over  these  things — to  you  it  may  be  given  to  reap 
the  fruit  of  the  thoughts  of  all  those  who  have  so  long  laboured, 
perhaps  perishing  by  the  way  ;  and  in  the  great  blaze  of  the  flame 
their  aspirations  helped  to  kindle  you  may  learn  things  of  which  the 
numbers  herein  partly  described  are  but  as  the  first  feeble  efforts  of 
the  child  when  compared  with  the  accomplishments  of  the  Sage. 
That  so  it  may  be  must  be  the  wish  of  every  earnest  student ;  and 
into  such  hands  may  the  continuance  of  the  task  be  given,  with  the 
certainty  of  ultimate  success. 

Samu^i,  StuarT- 

{Note.'^If  the  foregoing,  which  are  simply  a  few  leaves  from  a 
note-book,  shall  prove  of  suflBcient  interest  to  the  readers  of  the 
Theosophisty  it  is  not  improbable  that  they  maybe  followed  by  others 
going  somewhat  deeper  into  the  subject  of  the  rounds,  cycles,  &c., 
which  have  so  long  claimed  attention  from  readers  of  the  "  Secret 
Doctrine  "  and  other  similar  works.  These  articles,  if  they  appear, 
will  do  so  under  various  headings,  and  at  such  intervals  as  may  be 
found  expedient ;  but  as  they  may  only  interest  comparatively  few, 
no  definite  promises  can  at  present  be  given. — S.S.) 


doi 


THE  INTERNATIONAL  PSYCHICAL  INSTITUTE. 

I  HAVE  great  pleasure  in  announcing  the  organisation  of  a  new 
body  entitled  the  "  International  Society  of  the  Psychical  In- 
stitute," at  Paris,  by  a  meeting  representative  of  the  most  distinguish- 
ed men  of  the  day  who  are  interested  in  the  study  of  Psychological 
Science.  Should  the  principles  laid  down  in  its  Programme  be  lived 
up  to,  it  cannot  fail  of  rendering  most  valuable  service  to  the  cause 
of  the  study  of  the  sciences  which  deal  with  mind,  with  the  laws  of 
human  thought,  and  the  relation  of  mind  to  body.  In  a  temperate 
and  able  introductory  statement  by  Dr.  Pierre  Janet,  in  Vol.  i,  No.  i 
of  the /aumai  of  the  Society,  he  says  : 

**  It  is  evident  that  it  is  pre-eminently  the  science  of  mind 
which,  more  than  any  other,  is  capable  of  satisfying  the  restless 
curiosity  of  our  age.  Doubtless  it  is  improbable  that  any  one 
sdcace  will  ever  explain  completely  the  problems  of  our  origin  and 
destiny,  but,  nevertheless,  no  other  science  approaches  these  insolu- 
ble questions  so  closely  as  that  of  the  mind.  We  see  the  evidence 
of  this  in  the  ardent  interest  aroused  by  certain  phenomena  which 
are  really  psychological  facts,  such  as  those  of  the  splitting  up 
(did(mblemenij  of  consciousness,  mental  suggestion,  telepathy, 
telekinesis,  lucidity,  and  mediumship.  These  facts  have  indisputa- 
bly seized  upon  the  attention  of  many  thinking  men  because  they 
appear  to  pertain  to  the  profoundest  faculties  of  the  mind.  The 
impartial  study  of  these  phenomena  will  evidently  add  to  our  under- 
standing of  human  nature,  whatever  the  solution  reached  may  be. 
Psychology  approaches  more  nearly  to  the  problems  of  Philosophy 
and  Religion  than  any  other  science.  While  this  fact  constitutes 
the  chief  difficulty  in  its  study,  yet  it  is  the  very  thing  that  enhances 
its  interest." 

While  in  Paris,  recently,  I  was  told  that  a  very  large  sum  of  money 
had  been  subscribed  towards  the  foundation  of  the  Institute ;  and  the 
names  of  the  International  Council  of  Organisation,  the  Executive 
Committee,  the  Executive  Officers  and  the  Committee  of  Patrons, 
are  those  which,  for  the  most  part,  are  the  most  illustrious  among 
our  contemporaries.  I  have  gladly  accepted  an  invitation  to  ac- 
quire membership  and  shall  be  pleased  to  forward  to  the  General 
Secretly  the  names  of  gentlemen  who  are  desirous  of  doing  like- 
wise. The  Annual  subscription  is  twenty  francs,  or,  say,  fifteen 
shilliogs  sterling.  The/(72<r;ea/ will  be  issued  in  English  as  well  as 
French.  The  Society's  objects  are  thus  succinctly  described  by 
Professor  Janet : 


302  The  Theosophist.  [February 

According  to  circumstances,  and  to  the  development  attained  by 
the  Society  establishing  it,  this  Institute  will  pursue  the  following 
aims  : 

1.  To  collect  in  a  library  and  museum  all  books,  works,  publica- 
tions, apparatus,  etc.,  relating  to  psychical  science. 

2.  To  place  at  the  disposal  of  researchers,  either  as  gifts  or  as  loans, 
according  to  circumstances,  such  books  and  instruments  necessary  for 
their  studies  as  the  Institute  may  be  able  to  acquire. 

3.  To  supply  assistance  to  any  laboratory  or  to  any  investigators, 
working  singly  or  unitedly,  who  can  show  they  require  that  assistance 
for  a  publication  or  for  a  research  of  recognised  interest.  This  function, 
which  has  been  fulfilled  so  usefully  by  the  "  Soci6t6  pour  Tavancement 
des  Sciences"  in  relation  to  the  physical  sciences,  must  also  be  dis- 
charged by  the  new  Institute  in  relation  to  mental  science. 

4.  To  encourage  study  and  research  with  regard  to  such  phenom- 
ena as  may  be  considered  of  sufficient  importance. 

5.  To  organise  lectures  and  courses  of  instruction  upon  the  differ- 
ent branches  of  psychical  science. 

6.  To  organise,  as  far  as  means  will  allow,  permanent  laboratories 
and  a  clinic,  where  such  researches  as  may  be  considered  desirable  will 
be  pursued  by  certain  of  the  members. 

7.  To  publish  the  **  Annales  de  Tlnstitut  Psychique  International 
de  Paris,'*  which  will  comprise  a  summaty  of  the  work  in  which  mem** 
bers  of  the  Institute  have  taken  part,  and  which  may  be  of  a  character 
to  contribute  to  the  progress  of  the  science." 

I  hope  that  success  may  attend  upon  the  movement. 

H.  S.  O. 


RA'MA  GrTA\ 
Introductory. 

WE  learn  from  the  Ramayana  and  other  works  that  S'ri  Rama 
was  a  perfect  model  of  humanity.  He  taught  both  by 
precept  and  example  and  was  equally  balanced  in  everjrthing. 
Rama  has  been  rightly  compared  by  an  old  author  to  a  piece  of 
sandal-wood,  because  we  know  that  all  its  particles  smell 
equally  sweet.  Where  is  to  be  seen  a  more  moral  and  spiritual  king 
than  Rtma  whose  life  was  as  examplary  in  filial  and  fraternal  affec- 
tions as  in  love  for  the  people  he  ruled  over,  and  where  is  to  be  seen 
a  more  staunch  and  devoted  follower  and  a  more  deserving  chda 
than  Hanumanwho  was  taught  this  precious  Gitt  which  is  the 
most  advanced  of  the  teachings  on  the  practical  Science  of 
Soul.  The  one  noteworthy  feature  of  the  teachings  of  S'ri  R&ma  is 
that  he  advocates,  throughout,  the  idea  of  a  universal  religion,  not 
in  theory  alone  but  in  practice  also. 

RSma  GitS,  consisting  of  one  thousand  verses,  forms  part  of  the 
second  or  the  UpSsana  KSnda  of  TatvasSrSyana  an  invaluable 
Itihasa  now  published  for  the  first  time  in  Telugu  characters. 
From  a  close  perusal  of  it  we  find,  that  the  108  Upanishads  are 
classified  in  that  work,  under  three  heads,  z^wr.— (i)  those  pertaining 


1901.}  Rama  GiU.  303 

to  JnSna,  (2)  those  referring  to  UpSsana  and  (3)  those  treating  of 
karma.  The  first  or  the  Jn&nakSnda  contains  numerous  disquisitions 
on  those  Upanishads  that  fall  under  the  first  head.  The  second  or 
the  Updsanakanda,  and  the  third  or  the  Karmakinda,  contain  likewise 
lengthy  discussions  on  those  Upanishads  that  respectively  fall  under 
the  second  and  third  heads.  Tatvasariyana  gives  thus  a  very  ex- 
haustive treatment  of  all  the  108  Upanishads  comprising  the  whole 
range  of  the  Vedanta.  Each  Klinda  is  divided  into  4  pSdas  of  25 
chapters  each.  The  whole  work  thus  consists  of  24,000  slokas  and 
300  chapters.  The  great  Appaya  Dikshita,  the  commentator  of  a 
portion  of  this  work,  speaks  of  its  merits  in  the  following  terms  :— 

"  What  benefit  are  the  learned  going  to  derive  from  other  Sistras 
when  they  have  completely  mastered  Vasishtha's  Tatvasardyana— a  rare 
work  in  this  age  of  Kali— treating  exhaustively  of  Vedinta  alone,  con- 
taining as  many  thousands  of  Slokas  as  there  are  letters  in  the  Gdyatri, 
consisting  of  three  K&ndas  written  in  a  lucid  and  simple  style,  explain- 
ing all  the  sacred  and  secret  meanings  and  thereby  setting  right 
heterodox  notions  and  exposing  the  fallacies  and  errors  of  unsound 
doctrines.'* 

From  very  ancient  times  several  commentaries  are  said  to  have 
been  written  on  the  Brahma«sutras  by  several  great  men.  The 
followers  of  some  of  the  later  commentators  are  known  as  Dvaitius, 
Vi^istSdvaitins,  6uddhfidvaitins,  6ivMvaitins,  Advaitins,  &c. 

There  is  yet  another  system  of  VedSnta.  It  is  called  the 
Annbhav£tdvaita  or  the  practical  system  of  Advaita.  This  system 
has  its  PrasthSnatraya  based  on  the  authoritative  interpreta- 
tions given  to  the  Vyasa  Sutras  and  the  Upanishads  in  the  Tatva- 
sanlyana.  Besides  having  its  own  Prasthanatraya  this  school  of 
Vedknta  has  a  very  large  and  hitherto  unpublished  literature  worthy 
of  being  carefully  studied  by  men  of  culture.  The  votaries  of 
this  system  seen  here  and  there  in  Southern  India,  follow  the 
S'riuta-sSnkhya  and  Yoga  in  their  highly  developed  forms. 
These  Sslnkhya  and  Yoga  systems  are  very  elaborately  treated 
of  in  their  literature;  The  AnubhavSdvaitins  have  for  their 
highest  authorities  (i)  the  S'rutis,  i,  e.,  the  108  Upanishads  with  their 
commentaries,  (2)  the  three  K&nd&s  of  TatvasSrayaua,  in  the  first  of 
which  is  contained  the  VySsa-Sutra-Vritti  and  in  the  second  of 
which  is  contained  the  Rima  Git4  and  (3)  the  teachings  of  ancient 
Rishis  di£Fiised  in  several  other  works.  Besides  they  have  equal  re- 
gard for  the  Karma,  the  Jnana,  the  Bhakti,  and  the  Yoga  Margas. 
According  to  their  teachings  even  Jivanmuktas  of  the  highest  type, 
as  long  as  they  live,  should  observe  the  VarnasramSchiras  and 
perform  the  nitya-karmas ;  have  faith  or  Bhakti  on  the  Nirguna- 
Brahman;  constantly  meditate  on  the  teachings  of  the  108  Upani- 
shads and  practise  Atma-yoga.  They  prefer  the  Grihastha  or  the 
second  A  'srama  to  the  SanySsa  or  the  fourth  A'  srama.  They  have  faith 
in  the  teachings    of  the  Rishis  only  but  not  in  those  of  others. 


d04  The  Theosophist.  [FebiU«*y 

Some  of  the  most  important  MSS.  belonging  to  the  AmtbfaavSdvaita 
system  are  preserved  in  the  Government  Oriental  Library,   Mysore. 

VySsa-Sutra-Vritti  is  a  dialogue  between  DakshinSmurti 
and  BrahmS,  contained  in  the  first  17  chapters  of  the  second  P^da 
of  the  first  k^nda  of  TatvasSrayana  and  is  commented  upon  by  the 
famous  Appaya  Dikshita,  the  author  of  J04  works.  This  commen- 
tary is  known  by  the  name  of  Adhikaranakanchuka  and  con- 
cludes with  the  following  observations  : 

"  Many  works  treating  of  the  S'aiva  and  Vaishnava  doctrines 
and  many  others  treating  of  the  Advaita  system,  have  beea  written 
by  me— all  of  them  from  the  standpoint  of  the  respective  sects. 
But  this  work  alone  is  written  by  me  for  spiritual  benefit,  because  it 
contains  all  the  secrets  of  the  Self." 

RSma  Giti  bears  the  same  relation  to  Tatvasfirayana  as  Bhaga- 
vad  Gita  bears  to  Mahfibharata  and  comprises  i8  chapters  whose 
contents  in  brief  are  given  below. 

Those  who  are  unacquainted  with  Sanskrit,  especially  the 
western  readers  will,  no  doubt,  find  it  difficult  to  understand  the 
technical  terms  that  occur  in  the  contents  as  well  as  in  the  body 
of  the  work,  but  their  difficulty  will  be  partly  removed  by  constant 
perusal  and  partly  by  the  aid  of  footnotes  that  will  be  given  in  thjeix- 
appropriate  places. 

Contents. 

Chaptbr  I  contains  a  graphic  description  of  the  royal  seat  of  Rima 

in  his  garden  at  AyodhyS  and  of  his  Samtdhi,  or  highest 
mode  of  meditation. 
„         II  says  that  Hanuman,  who  was  given  a  private  audience, 
requested  RUma    to  enlighten  him  on    the  highest 
Vedantic  truths.      Then  RIma    enumerates  the  108 
Upanishads  as  the  chief  texts  dealing  with  the  Ve- 
dinta  exhaustively. 
„      III  contains  the  arguments  establishing  the  imperative  ne- 
cessity of  DhySna  or  meditation,  after  acquiring  a  know- 
ledge of  the  Existent-Intelligent- Bliss   and  Eten;Mil 
Brahman. 
IV  deals  with  Jivanmukti. 

V  „         Videhamukti.  .     . 

VI  „  Vaaan^kshaya,  etc. 

VII  „         Saptabhumikas,  or  the  seven  grades  of  spiri- 

tual progress  and  their  uses. 
„  VIII  „  the  nature  of  six  Sam^dhis. 

„      IX  „  the  importance  of  the  Varn&sramdch&ras  and 

the  extreme  necessity  of  observing  them 
until  death. 
„      X         „         the  Sanchita,  the  A-g&mi  and  the  Pr&rabdha 

Kar    iS. 


1901.]  Rama  Gila.  •  305 

• 

Chapter  XI  deals  with  the  three-fold  division  of  the  Karinins,  the 

Bhaktas,  the  Jndnins  and  the  Yogins. 
„      XII        „         a  description  of  Sri  lUma's  Vis'varnpa. 

XIII  „         the  sub-divisions  of  Pranava  into  256  Matras. 

XIV  „  the  MahavSkyas. 

XV  Navachakras  such  as  MulfidhSra,  etc. 
XVI  contains  arguments  to  prove  that  the  Eight  Siddhis 

are  to  be  condemned  as  retarding  Kaivalya 
mukti. 

XVI  deals  with  the  16  Vidj^Ss  such  as  SatyavidyS,  Dahara- 

vidya,  etc.  These  Vidyls  are  also  described 
in  full  and  classified  under  Saguna  and  Nir- 
guna  heads. 

XVIII  summarises  the  contents  of  the  previous  17  Chapters. 


RA'MA  GI'TA'. 

CHAPTI5R  I. 

Sri  Gunimurti  said  :  I  am  extremely  delighted  to  narrate  to 
you  the  most  wonderful  and  divine  RSma  GitS,  hear,  O,  Brahman  f 
with  an  attentive  mind.  ^i\ 

The  beautiful  city  of  Ayodhya  possessed  of  all  the  necessary  re- 
quisites and  surpassing  the  very  abode  of  Brahman,  is  as  celebrated 
as  Vaikuntha.  ^2) 

Therein  shines  the  excellent  royal  garden  bright  with  all  the 
seasons  (of  the  year),  filled  with  all  the  trees  and  frequented  by  all 
the  birds  ;  /,\ 

Adorned  with  beautiful  ponds,  wells  and  tanks,  and  capable  of 
allaying  all  sorrows  and  bestowing  all  bliss.  (4) 

In  the  centre  of  it  shines,  with  the  splendour  of  a  crore  of  suns, 
a  hall  adorned  with  precious  stones,  supported  by  the  chief  gods  in 
the  shape  of  many  golden  columns ;  (c) 

Whose  shafts  shine  with  the  Sruti  texts  in  the  shape  of  diamonds, 
with  which  they  are  set ;  and  whose  cornices,  likewise,  blaze  with 
the  grand  letters  (of  the  alphabet)  in  the  shape  of  strings  of  pearls 
overhanging  their  tops,  /5% 

The  bases  (of  the  columns)  set  with  Vaidurya*  represent  the 
multitudes  of  Maharshis  (great  sages),  while  the  well-adomed  arches 
and  Kadalif  trees  represent  the  PurSnas  and  Smritis.  (7) 

Likewise  the  broad  mirrors  represent  the  different  kinds  of 
Vidyast.  The  (ceiling  of  the)  hall  is  decorated  with  silken  and 
other  superior  tapestries  representing  the  MahSmantras  (great 
Mantras  or  incantations)  ;  /gx 

"'  '       " '  

•  VaidArya— one  of  the  nine  kinds  of  precious   stones.     It  is   of  a  dark-blue 
t  Kftdalt—a  superior  kind  of  plantain  tree. 

7 


905  Thfl  Theosophist,  [February 

• 

With  various  kinds  of  pictufes  representing  tranquillity,  Rclf-re- 
Htraint  and  other  good  qualities;  and  with  Malati,  (Jasminum  grandi- 
florum)   Mallika  (Jasminum  Zambac)  and  As'oka*  flowers,  represent- 
ing dars'aua,  f  S'ravana  I  and  other  S&dhanas  § ;  (9) 

And  supplied,  with  sandal-paste,  ||  Agaru-unguent  and  camphor 
in  the  shape  of  S&nkhya,  Yoga  and  Sam&dhi  respectively;  with 
varietiesof  fruits  and  flowers  in  the  shape  of  chid&nanda  (intelli- 
gence-bliss) and  other  vrittis  (modifications)  ;  (10) 

With  betel-holders  (containing  betel-leaves,  areca-nuts,  spices, 
etc.,  ready  made  for  use),  cloves,  etc.,  in  the  shape  of  high  devotional 
feelings  ;  with  several  golden  vessels  in  the  shape  of  NishkSma** 
Karmas;  (11) 

With  varieties  of  incense  and  ceremonial  lights  in  the  shape  of 
Svadhaand  SvShaft  oflFerings  ;  with  various  golden  seats  in  the 
shape  of  superior  Yantras  {J ;  (12) 

Also  with  various  kinds  of  music  in  the  shape  of  the  eightfold 
Yoga  ;  with  tastefiil  dishes  of  food  (of  six  kinds  of  taste)  in  the  shape 
of  ambrosial  A'tmic  bliss  ;  (13) 

And  with  various  other  requisites  that  can  only  be  seen  by  means 
of  penance  performed  in  several  previous  births  and  that  are  incapa- 
ble of  even  being  thought  of  by  the  mind  of  ViSvakarma  (the  celes- 
tial architect).  (14) 

In  the  centre  of  such  a  hall,  the  like  of  which  will  not  be  found 
anywhere  in  the  14  worlds  or  in  any  of  the  past,  present  or  future 
periods  of  time,  shines  the  excellent  and  great  royal  seat  of  gold 
adorned  with  strings  of  diamonds,  vaiduryas  and  pearls.         (15-16) 

It  (the  royal  seat)  is  ever  shining  there  because  of  its  being 
(occasionally)  occupied  by  S'ri  Slma  who  is  attended  by  SitS, 
BhSrata,  S'atrughna  and  Lakshmana ;  (17) 

And  praised  by  Brahma  and  Saraswati,  Sanaka  and  other  sages, 
Vasishtha  and  other  Rishis,  Suka  and  other  devotees  and  several 
other  great  sages.  (18) 

He  (S'ri  RSma)  would  sometimes  give  instructions  in  the  Vedas 
to  those  disciples  who  are  desirous  of  Vedic  study ;  sometimes  give 
lessons  in  logic,  grammar  and  the  supplemental  S'istras  ;  (19) 


*  Asoka — a  kind  of  tree  which  yields  red  flowers* 

t  Darlana  (coj^nising  of  the  individual  self  or  pratyag4tma)  ;  the  first  of  the 
foar  S&dhanas  insisted  upon  as  the  means  by  which  one  ought  to  reaUse  practical- 
ly the  teachings  of  the  Ved^nta.*  The  three  other  S&dbanas  areS^ravana,  Manana 
and  Nididhy&sana. 

X  S^ravana  :  After  one  perceives,  through  meditation,  the  individual  self,  he 
should  hear  from  the  Guru  about  the  identity  of  that  setf  and  the  universal  self. 
This  is  ^ravana. 

§  Sildhana  :  means  of  attainment.  Theoretical  Ved&nta  has  four  other 
S4dhanas  different  from  these. 

II  AgAru  is  a  kind  of  tree  like  the  sandal. 

**  NishkAma-karmas  :  acts  done  without  any  motive  or  without  any  desire  for 
their  fruits. 

ft  Svadha  is  what  is  offered  to  the  Pitris  by  means  of  water.  SvAha  is  what  is 
offered  to  the  Devas  by  oblations  given  through  fire. 

Xt  Yantras  arc  different  diagrams  used  in  both  white  and  black  Magic, 


i©01.}"  T^heosophy  in  all  Lands.  30? 

And  would  sometimes  initiate  those  who  are  highly  advanced, 
into  the  secret  meanings  taught  by  the  Vedanta,  at  times  be  im- 
mersed in  communion  with  his  ski.k,  and  at  other  times  be  bent 
upon  enjoying  A'tmic  bliss.  (20) 

G.  Krishna  Sastri. 

{To  de  continued,) 

(Tbeoeopbi^  in  all  XanOa. 

EUROPE. 

London,  Jannary  1st,  1901- 

The  month  of  December  does  not  usually  ofTer  anything  very  stri- 
king for  the  chronicler  to  record  in  connection  with  theosophical  circles. 
The  usual  meetings    are  continued  till  just  before. Christmas  Day  and' 
then  there  is  a  break  which  continues  till  the  second  week  in  the  New 
Year.    Our  centre  of  theosophic  activity  is  at  midsummer,  and  perhaps 
we  have  to  some  extent  lost    touch    with  the  feeling  ;that    makes 
Christmas  the  great  festival  of  the  year,  or  at  any  rate  with  the  way  in' 
which  that  festival  is  celebrated  in  our  modern  days.    Or  it  may  be  that' 
our  hearts  are  turning  Eastward  where  our  Indian  brothers  are  holding 
Christmas  festival  amid  all  that  is  most  unlike  Christmas  to  the  Teu- 
tonic mind ;  anyhow  we  hear  of  lectures  and  meetings  galore  at  Benares 
in  the  North,  and  Adyar,  in  the  South,  and  we  wait  for  the  printed 
reports  which  are  to  give  us  some  flavour  of  the  good  things  that  the 
Annual  Convention  brings  to  our  favoured  friends  who  are  privileged  to 
hear  them  at  first  hand. 

All  our  papers  have  been  filled  with  the  "  End  of  the  Century  "  and 
the  '^  New  Century,"  and  all  the  well  known  people  have  been 
called  upon  to  express  their  opinions  upon  the  condition  of  affairs 
and  the  prospects  for  the  future.  And  the  opinions  are  widely 
different  as  may  be  imagined,  and  vary  from  deepest  pessimism  to 
highest  optimism  and  all  the  shades  between.  But  there  does  seem  a 
verystrongfeelingabroad  that  "the  times  are  out  of  joint,"  that  very 
serious  and  fer  reaching  events  maybe  close  upon  us,  and  all  this  is 
quite  in  accord  with  what  our  theosophical  leaders  and  teachers  have 
indicated  long  ago.  Surely  we  theosophists  have  important  work  to  do 
in  helping  to  guide  aright  the  inner  forces  which  play  so  great  a  part 
and  are  so  little  understood  in  the  world  of  men.  Here  is  the  ending  of 
an  article  •  from  one  of  the  most  largely  circulated  daily  papers.  It 
breathes  a  right  spirit  and  it  would  be  wejl  if  a  tithe  of  the  readers  of 
that  paper  began  to  live  out  in  thought  and  action  the  ideal  of  national 
unity  and  calm  strength  in  danger  of  which  it  speaks  :— 

We  are  entering  stormy  seas,  and  the  time  may  be  near  when  we  shaU  liave 
to  6ght  in  very  truth  for  cur  life,  "  'neath  novel  stars  beside  a  brink  unknown." 
Some  there  arc  who  question  whetlier  England  will  survive  that  terrible  conflict. 
If  we  are  worthy  of  our  great  place  in  the  world  we  shall  boldly  face  the  question 
aad  not  Wink  it  because  it  is  unpalatable.  The  poet  may  sing  that  God  will  not 
turn  His  foce  away.  Irom 

The  race  that  strove  to  rule  His  earth 
With  equal  laws  unbought': 
Who  bore  for  Truth  the  pangs  of  birth, 
And  brake  the  bonds  of  Thought, 


^S  The  f  heosophist.  [Februa^ 

Yet  it  is  not  always  the  case  that  noble  aims  and  generous  service  to  mankind  can 
redeem  a  race  from  overthrow.  Athens  fell,  who  was  the  .civiliser  of  the  world,  be- 
c^iuse  her  parties  quarrelled  among  themselves  and  because  she  failed  to  realise 
the  all-importance  of  armed  strength.  But  if  we  are  true  to  ourselves,  if  we  sink 
party  in  the  nation's  cause  and  see  that  the  cause  is  just ;  if,  above  all,  we  are  in 
earnest  and  make  sare  that  our  statesmen  are  in  earnest,  we  have  nothing  to  fear. 
Trials  may  come  ;  we  may  have  hours  of  sorrow  and  danger  ;  but  the  nation,  the 
Empire,  and  the  great  ideals  with  which  they  have  been  identified  in  the  past 
MU  survive. 

And  so,  in  the  words  of  the  greatest  of  Anglo-Saxon  statesmen,  "  with  malice 
towards  none  ;  with  charity  for  all ;  with  firmness  in  the  right,  as  God  gives  us 
to  see  the  right,  let  us  strive  to  finish  the  work  we  are  in,"  and  go  forward  into 
the  new  century  determined  to  do  our  duty  to  God  and  to  our  country. 

Some  such  words  as  these  might  well  apply  to  our  work  within,  the 

Theosophical  Society.  If  we  are  true  to  ourselves  and  sink  personalities 

in  the  Society's  cause  then,  and  only  then,  have  we  nothing  to  fear. 

«  «  «  «  « 

Various  attractive  programmes  are  already  in  circulation  for  the 

r 

New  Year,  and  it  is  pleasant  to  see  that  several  new  speakers  are  inclu- 
ded in  the  lists  of  lecturers,  so  that  while  our  best  and  oldest  workers  are 
•somewhat  scattered  over  the  globe,  the  younger  members  are  coining 
forward  to  stop,  if  not  to  fill,  the  gaps  which  their  absence  makes  in  the 
]»nks  of  the  '  efifectives.' 

A.  B.  C. 


NEW  ZEALAND. 

The  annual  meeting  of  the  Wellington  Branch  was  held  on  Nor.  14* 
The  Secretary  rei>orted  a  year  of  steady  and  earnest  work,  a  very  satis* 
factory  year,  showing  real  signs  of  progress  and  showing  also  that  there 
is  true  vitality  in  the  Branch  and  that  it  is  not  merely  a  name  but  a 
centre  of  that  work  which  is  the  greatest  in  the  world,  the  holding  up  of 
the  ideal  on  which  the  coming  race  is  to  be  moulded.  The  officers  were 
for  the  most  part  re-elected,  as  follows  :— President,  Mrs.  Richmond  ; 
Vice-Presidents,  Messrs.  Short  and  Ellison  ;  Secretary,  Mrs  Girdlestone 
(94  Constable  St.,  Wellington) ;  Treasurer,  Miss  Richmond  ;  Librarian^ 
Mrs.  Short. 

Dr.  Marques  made  a  three  weeks'  stay  in  Auckland  on  his  way  froni 
Honolulu  to  Sydney,  during  which  time  he  gave  four  lectures.  Hi«  \isit 
and  lectures  have  awakened  a  large  amount  of  fresh  interest  in  theoaoph-* 
ical  studies  in  Auckland,  $ind  will  b^  long  rememhered  by/thooe  wh^ 
had  the  pleasure  of  hearing  him.  Beginning  on  Sunday^  Nov*  25,  he 
lectured  on  "  The  Idea  of  Deity,  in  the  light  of  Religion,  AsU-oaoiuy 
and  Theosophy."  On  the  following  Sunday  his  subject  was  ''Sound 
Forms,'*  and  a  continuation  of  it  was  given  on  Friday,  Dec«  7,  undeir 
the  title  of  "Light,  Sound  and  Colour."  On  Dec.  9,  he  lectured  on 
*'  The  Human  Aura."  All  these  lectures  attracted  large  and  int^ested 
audiences,  and  were  fairly  well  reported  in  the  press. .  Various  social 
meetings  at  members*  houses  were  also  held  in  honour  of  the  distill* 
guished  visitor,  who  left  for  Sydney  on  Dec.  10,  carrying  vdth  him 
the  good  wishes  and  affectionate  esteem  of  all  who  met  him« 


IdOl.  j  i  Theosophy  in  all  Lands.  36d 

'    Mr*  W,  Will  gave  an  interesting  lecture  on  Nov.  18,  in  Auckland 
ibllowuig  note  on  **  The  Indian  System  of  Yoga/' 

ITAI.Y 

Our  energetic  worker,  Mrs.  Uoyd,  sends  us,  by  request,  the  on 
the  movement  in  Italy. -Ed. 

Four  years  ago  there  was  not  one  active  Theosophical  I^odge  in. 
Italy,  although  there  were  a  few  isolated  theosophists  in  different  places 
and  a  dead  branch  at  Milan.  At  Rome  there  was  an  English  lady,  a 
member  of  the  Society,  who,  with  the  ever  generous  help  of  the 
Countess  Wachtmeister  had  started  an  excellent  theosophical  library-, 
and  who  oflfered,  not  a  salary,  but  money  for  the  journey  from  I^ondon 
to  any  one  who  would  devote  his  life  to  its  care  and  superintendence. 

From  that  small  beginning  by  Mrs.  Williams,  with  the  blessing  of 
the  Masters,  Theosophy  has  readily  taken  a  firm  hold  of  earnest  Italian 
hearts  that  were  longing,  waiting,  praying  for  an  opportunity  of  hearing 
its  noble  truths.  And  this  is  no  mere  figure  of  speech,  for  one  of  the 
first  three  who  became  members,  had  been  waiting  and  hoping  for  eight 
years  before  he  could  find  any  help.  For.nearly  as  long  I  think  the  pre- 
sent President  of  the  Rome  I^odge,  Signor  Aureli,  his  intimate  friend, 
had  cherished  the  same  aspiration. 

Both  gentlemen  could  read  French,  and  had  studied  eagerly  each 
issue  of  Lo^ns  Bleu.  The  Secretary  of  the  branch  (who  is  also  a  Secre- 
tary of  the  Italian  Parliament,)  had  borrowed  from  Mrs.  Williams  the 
*'  Key  to  Theosophy,"  by  H.  P.  B.,  and  his  heart  was  also  set  on  fire  ; 
probably  old  memories  were  revived  in  all  these  who  were  first  ready  to 
brave  scorn  from  their  fellow  citizens,  and  the  enmity  of  the  great  Roman 
Church,  in  order  to  bring  the  light  of  the  Ancient  Wisdom  again  to  the 
city  where  300  years  before,  Giordano  Bruno,  the  intrepid  martyr,  had  ' 
been  burnt  alive  in  the  Flower  Market,  by  the  Inquisition  of  the  Roman 
Chui^h,  for  boldly  proclaiming  its  truths.  His  keen  intellect,  sharpen- 
ed by  eager  study,  in  the  quiet  monastic  life,  refused  to  allow  him  to 
swallow  whole  the  "  Infallible  Doctrines,"  so  called,  which  should  have 
sufficed  for  his  daily  mental  food.  And  now  this  handful  of  theosophi- 
cal stwlents,  soon  joined  by  Captain  Boggiani  (who  represented  Italy 
2X.  the  late  Paris  Congress)  and  other  earnest  members,  formed  in  Feb* 
ruary  1897  the  first  nucleus  of  the  Rome  I/odge,  the  seven  necessary  to 
obtain  the  Charter  from  the  President-Founder.  On  the  8th  of  May  in 
that  year,  the  I^ibrarian  purchased  a  few  white  flowers,  and  spent  the 
day  in  thought  of  H.  Pi  B.  and  of  those  to  whom  she  gave  her  life  and 
W0Hc.  -Ort  White  IvOtu»  Day  in  the  following  year,  the  much  larger. 
Library  and  room  was  filled  with  enthusiastic  members  and  enquirers 
bringing  masses  of  lovely  flowers.  Now  still  larger  rooms  are  occupied 
by  the  lodge,  arid  **  Theosophical  Society,"  in  golden  letters,  marks  the 
entrance  in  the  Via  San  Nicolo  da  Tolentino.  Since  that  titne  the 
movement  has  been  progressing  steadily  and  meetings  are  held  regular^ 
ly,  and  classes  for  study  are  organised  and  in  full  working  order;  Last ' 
Winter  vefy  great  help  was  given  by  a  series  of  lectures  from  Mr.  J.  C, 
Chotterji,  who  gave  a  course  of  lectures  in  the  University  of  Rome, 
arousing  deep  interest  and  enthusiasm  for  the  Eastern  Philosophy  ahd^ 
Religion.    He  lectured  also^  later  on,  in  St.  Mark's  at  Venice,  famous 


310  the  Theosophist.  [February 

for  the  sake  of  Savonarolo,  whose  name  is  probably  known  to  yon  all. 
As  a  rule,  the  Italians  are  materialists,  and  the  masses  of  the  people  are 
careless  alike  of  religion  and  morality  ;  the  more  thoughtful  have  been 
attempting  to  account  for  the  puzzles  of  life,  by  means  of  Spiritualism  ; 
thus  nearly  all  who  came  into  Theosophy  came  through  Spiritualism-  - 
not  being  able  to  account  rationally  for  its  undoubted  and  unaccountable 
phenomena. 

Hitherto  the  Church  has  waited,  pretending  the  sleep  of  indifference, 
as  a  cat  dallies  with  a  mouse,  ready  to  pounce  when  opporttmity  ofiers. 
But  national  thought  has  gone  forward  since  Bruno  suffered  for  believing- 
and  preaching  a  lyOgos  one  with  this  Universe,  and  I  do  not  think  our 
brothers  at  Rome  are  much  afraid,  although  many  difficulties  and  much 
opposition  will  doubtless  be  thrown  in  their  way  ;  for  the  Church  is  still 
very  powerful — and  is  more  bigoted  and  narrow  in  Naples  than  in  Rome, 
In  1899  and  1900,  lodges  were  constituted  at  Florence  and  at  Naples, 
in  both  of  which  cities  Theosophical  lyibraries  are  established.    The  old 
lodge  at  Milan  is  revived  and  re-established,  so  it  is  hoped  that  by 
the  end  of  1901  the  Italian  Section  of  the  T.  S.  may  be  firmly  establish- 
ed and  ready  to  welcome  the  President- Founder  on  his  return  from  his 
tour  round  the  world.    Mrs.  Annie  Besant  lectured  at  Rome  in  the 
large  hall  in  the  Piazza  del  Popolo  in  1898.     Teosofiay  the  organ  of  the 
Society  is  now  about  to  enter  upon  its  fourth  year  of  life,  doing  its  quiet 
work  of  preserving  the  Life  Blood  of  theosophical  teachings  far  sind 
wide  through  the  country,   in  its  own  musical  language.    Much  £^ood 
translation  is  thus  available  to  the  Italian  public  from  our  principal 
theosophical  writers,    and  before  long  I  hope  the  translation  of  the 
•' Secret  Doctrine"  will  be  undertaken.    The  President-Founder  visited 
Rome  in  March  1900,  and  had  a  very  enthusiastic  and  affectionate  wet* 
come,  conversing  with  the  brothers  and  lecturing  in  the  French  lan- 
guage.   A  most  happy  and   pleasing  impression  of  his  visit   was  left 
behind  and  the  lodge  will  welcome  his  next  visit  with  joyful  anticipation* 
Mrs.  Besant  visited  Rome  in  April  and  gave  several  lectures^  f^vate 
meetings  and  interviews^  leaving  the  lodge  much  strengthened  for  future 
work. 

The  President-Founder,  after  staying  for  some  days  at  Rome  with 
Mrs.  Cooper- Oakley  who  is  now  taking  charge  of  the  work  of  the  Society 
In  organising  the  Section,  went  on  to  Florence  for  four  days,  and  finally 
spent  a  week  in  Milan  with  Mrs.  lA)uisa  Williams,  who  had  left  Rome 
after  a  residence  of  eight  winters.  Then  he  re-visited  the  dead  branch 
at  Milan,  granting  it  a  new  charter  under  the  same  President  as  beifore, 
Dr.  Barbiefi.  Altogether  the  outlook  for  Italy  is  most  reassuring,  ajid 
hopeful,  and  especially  as  the  theosophical  literature  is  translated  and 
spread  abroad  by  the  various  centres,  the  loyal  and  patriotic  example  of 
the  mother  lodge  of  Rome  will  be  a  source  of  strength  for  all  its  Italian 
children  ;  for  Rome  is  the  centre  of  occultism  in  the  West,  as  Mrs.  Besavt 
said  in  the  first  public  theosophical  lecture  delivered  there  in  the  19th 
century. 

Let  us  hope  that  the  Italian  Section  will  be  ready  by  the  time  of  the 
President- Founder*s  return  journey,  to  take  its  place  amongst  the  other 
ftutouomous  Sections  of  the  Theosophical  Society,  in  l^urope. 

A.  C.  lftOYI>. 


3U 


1{evi€W«t 


TO  THOSE  WHO  SUFFER.* 

This  small  work  is  quite  an  appreciable  addition  to  French  thee* 
BOphical  literature  and  will  prove  helpful  to  those  who  peruse  its  pages. 
All  through  it  the  reader  feels  that  **  a  soul  who  has  also  suffered  speaks  to 
him"  with  the  burning  desire  to  alleviate  his  anguish,  to  bring  him  a 
little  hope,  to  cause  a  consoling  ray  to  shine  in  his  darkness.  Before 
speaking  of  the  **  aim  of  suflfering,"  the  writer  enters  on  a  **  litany  of 
individual  griefs  and  sorrows,"  that  is  ver>'  touching,  the  language  very 
poetical.  Mile.  Blech  proceeds  to  showthat  suffering  is  only  the  inevitable 
result  of  the  violation  of  the  divine  I^w,  the  consequence  of  our  actions. 
Then  she  explains  that  Theosophy  is  not  a  new  religion,  does  not  even 
pretend  to  be  a  religion  at  all,  that  it  has  existed  in  all  times,  that  it  is  not 
antagonistic  to  the  actual  religions ;  b\it  on  thecontrar>'  tries  to  unite  them 
all,  to  widen  their  horizon  and  to  reconcile  them  with  science,  coming 
towards  them  open  handed,  rich  in  knowledge  which  is  ever  growing. 
The  Law  of  Evolution,  or  Reincarnation  and  Karma,  is  next  very  clear- 
ly  explained — ^how  the  Infant  Soul  slowly  mounts  the  rungs  of  the  ladder 
until  it  has  reached  the  sublime  heights  of  Divinity.  Universal  Brother- 
hood has  in  this  ascent  to  be  considered  as  an  unbroken  chain,  of  which 
each  human  being  is  a  link.  Death  is  shown  as  possessing  no  terrors 
for  the  theosophist.  The  seven  principles  of  man  are  next  explained. 
Then  the  writer  passes  on  to  describe  the  Divine  Self,  the  God  in  us. 

In  the  description  of  the  astral  plane  and  the  stay  there  of  the 
departed  ones.  Mile.  Blech  says  very  sympathetically  :  **  O  my  brothers 
and  sisters,  you  who  are  weeping  over  beloved  ones,  have  the  strength  to 
bid  silence  to  your  grief,  which  is  not  only  fruitless  but  selfish,  since  it 
retards  the  progress  of  the  dear  ones.  Do  not  make  them  come  down  to 
you  ;  but  rise  up  to  them.  I/ive  nobly,  purely  ;  you  could  not  do  them 
any  greater  service,  etc."  The  life  in  the  mental  world  or  heaven,  as  it 
is  called,  is  next  taken  into  consideration,  then  the  two  paths  ;  Christ ; 
the  Universal  Religion.  In  speaking  about  the  different  religions  the 
author  says  regretfully  :  ''  It  is  sad  to  say,  but,  of  all  the  religions,  none, 
almost,  is  so  disdainful  of  the  others,  so  jealous  of  its  exclusive  autho- 
rity as  our  Christian  religion.  She  alone  is  blessed  by  God,  approved 
by  God  ;  she  alone  proclaims  the  Truth ;  she  alone  leads  to  salvation. 
However,  Christianity  is  only  one  of  the  aspects  of  this  pure  diamond, 
which  is  Truth." 

In  the  closing  pages  it  is  shown  how  the  two  paths,  of  trial  and 
suffering,  lead  the  souls,  whose  sorrows  were  so  vividly  depicted  in  the 
Htany  of  individual  griefs  and  sorrows,  **  through  the  Law  of  Evolution, 
to  final  Liberation,  to  supreme  Happiness." 

In  the  whole  book  there  are  no  Sanskrit  words  used,  which  so  often 
stagger  the  enquirer.  The  expressions  are  clear  and  simple ;  a  vein  of 
sympathy  runs  through  the  entire  work. 

C.  K. 

•  By  Mile .  Aim^  Blech,  President  of  L'Essor  Branch  T.  S.,  Paris. 


312  The  Theosophist.  [February 

''IvEST  WK  FORGET." 

Mr,  Stead's '*  Review  of  Reviews  Annual,'*  for  1901,  is  an  uncom- 
monly attractive  **  Keepsake  from  the  Nineteenth  Century."  It  contains 
more  than  two  hundred  and  fifty  portraits  and  sketches  which  will  serve 
•to  keep  alive  in  our  memories  those  who  have  helped  to  mould  the 
thought  and  action  of  humanity  during  the  past  one  hundred  years — 
poets,  philosophers,  writers,  statesmen,  teachers,  potentates,  warriors, 
scientists,  reformers,  explorers,  musicians — ^representatives  of  the 
world's  knowledge  and  power,  a  truly  valuable  galaxy  which,  together 
with  the  summary  of  chief  events,  makes  the  work  a  "  Keepsake  "  such 
as  one  will  seldom  find. 

We  have  also  received  the  "FOURTH  ANNTJAI.  REPORT  of  the 
Hindu  Religious  Union,  Trichinopoly.*'  This  Institution  is  doing 
very  useful  work,  and  we  heartily  commend  the  Hindu  Girls'  School 
which  is  connected  with  it,  to  the  patronage  of  the  public. 

**VELAPURI,  or  a   PEEP   INTO   THE  PAST  OF  VELLORE,"    by   T.  S. 

Kumaraswami  Aiyar,  B.A.,  l.T.,  is  a  historical  pamphlet  which  will  be 
found  interesting  to  residents  in  that  locality. 

Journal  of  the  China  Branch  of  the  Royal  Asiafk  Society,  vol.  XXIX, 
New  Series,  No.  i,  contains  over  600  pages  and  is  wholly  devoted  to  a 
description  of  the  materia  medica  of  the  ancient  Chinese. 

'*  Consciousness,"  by  A.  Schwarz,  is  a  reprint  of  the  three  valuable 
papers  under  that  head  which  were  recently  published  in  the  Theosophist 
Those  who  have  Mr.  Schwarz's  previous  pamphlet,    "The  Relation  of 
Man  to  God,**  will  want  to  possess  this  later  one.    The  price  of  each  is 
only  three  annas. 


MAGAZINES. 

The  Theosophical  Review  for  January  opens  with  an  article  on  "  Yoga 
Vasishta,**  by  Bhagavan  Das  (**  Hindu  Student,")  w^ho  sums  up  the 
main  truths  of  this  scripture  thus  : 

1.  **  The  intelligence  must  be  exercised  freelj-.  Nothing  is  to  be 
taken  on  blind  faith.'* 

2.  **  It  emphasises  the  fact  that  a  true  apprehension  of  man's 
ultimate  nature  and  of  the  source  of  all  being,  is  not  possible  until  the 
student  turns  to  his  task  with  his  whole  heart.** 

3.  **  The  mind  of  man  is  the  cause  alike  of  bondage  and  of  libera- 
tion.** 

4.  **  All  exists  everywhere  and  always." 

5.  "The  ultimate  essence  of  all  this  Universe  is  one  Indivisible 
Consciousness.** 

The  ethics  of  the  scripture  are,  in  brief,  that  if  we  choose  to  act 
aright,  good  will  result ;  if  otherwise,  evil  will  follow.  In  Mr.  Wors- 
dell's  article  on  "  Theosophy  and  Modem  Science"  (which  is  conclu- 
ded), some  remarkable  facts  relating  to  the  persistence  of  life  in  plants 
and  seeds  are  noted,  facts  which  chemistry'  and  biology  are  yet  unable 
to  explain.  A  Russian  next  writes  of  **A  Coming  Race,'*  of  which 
Siberian  exiles  are  the  forerunners.  James  Stirling  concludes  his  in- 
teresting *'  Notes  on  Lemuria,  and  A.  A.  I/,  gives  "  Reasons  for  believ- 
ing Francis  Bacon  a  Rosicriician.**    Mrs,   Besant's  highly   interesting 


1901.]  Revieivs.  313 

essay  on  "Thought- Power,  its  Control  and  Culture  "  is  continued — ^the 
two  portions  in  this  issue  treating  of  "  The  building  and  evolution  of 
the  Ji^ental  Body/*  and  "Thought-Transference."  Mr.  Mead  gives  us  a 
tianslation  of  another  of  the  sermons  of  "  Hermes,  the  Thrice-greatest, 
unto  his  own  son  Tat,"  relating  to  the  "  unmanifest "  and  the  "  mani- 
fest "  Deity.  **  A  Glimpse  into  the  Hereafter,"  by  Simeon  Linden,  re- 
counts some  \'ivid  experiences  on  the  astral  plane,  while  under  the 
influence  of  chloroform,  during  a  surgical  operation.  **  The  house  of 
Mr.  Mellicent,  by  Michael  Wood,  is  a  well-told  story  conveying  a  useful 
lesson.  "  The  Border- Land  of  History  "  touches  upon  the  recent  arch- 
aeological discoveries  in  Egypt  and  Greece.  Miss  Hardcastle's  '*  Life 
Ledgers  of  Stray  Mystics,"  is  a  sombre  article  givingvery  brief  glimpses 
of  pessimistic  characters. 

In  Theosofhy  in  Australasia,  for  December,  W.  G.  John  has  a 
thoughtful  article  on  "The  Ancient  Wisdom"  (which  does Jnot  here 
mean  Mrs.  Besant's  book  of  that  name).  "  Why  I  believe  in  Theosophy," 
is  a  good  subject  which  is  briefly  dealt  with  by  E.  C.  T.  "  Christmas 
Thoughts,"  hy  K.  Castle,  is  a  good  article  in  the  right  time  and  place. 
"Indifference,"  by  Miss  Davies  contains  useful  suggestions,  and  Miss 
Edger's '*  New  Year  Thoughts"  are  appropriate  and  helpful.  There  is 
also  a  poem  on  "  The  First  Man." 

The  N,  Z,  Theosophical  Magazine  for  Januaryxomes  to  us  in  a  new 
and  appropriate  dress,  as  a  twentj'  page  periodical  with  hopes  of  further 
enlargement.  After  the  "  New  Year's  Greeting"  and  the  items  under 
the  heading  of  "  Far  and  Near,"  we  notice  a  short  paper  by  Dr.  Marques 
in  which  he  takes  fifteen  statements  current  in  the  orthodox  Christian 
teachings  and  places  them  in  strong  contrast  with  the  common  teachings 
of  Theosophy  on  the  same  points.  This  would  make  a  useful  leaflet. 
**  The  Influence  of  Music  on  the  Inner  Nature"  will  be  read  with  inter- 
est by  those  who  love  the  harmonic  art.  "  Lectures  in  Brief"  consist  of 
several  detached  paragraphs  contributed  by  D.  W.  M.  Burn.  "  A  Visit 
to  Ghost  Land"  is  an  interesting  narration  by  F.  M.  Parr.  The 
"Children's  Column"  and  other  matters  complete  the  number. 

Rewe  Thioso^hique,  The  contents  of  the  December  number  are  very 
interesting.  Among  them  are  the  address  of  Mr.  Leadbeater  at  the 
White  Lotus  Day  meeting  in  Paris ;  Extracts  from  the  "  Doctrine  of  the 
Heart" ;  an  article  by  Dr.  Pascal  upon  the  inequalties  of  conditions  among 
men,  and  a  further  portion  of  the  translation  of  Mr.  Leadbeater' s 
"Clairvoyance."  Other  essays,  reviews  and  the  usual  monthly  instal- 
ment of  the  "  Secret  Doctrine"  fill  the  remainder  of  the  pages. 

l^heosopkia.  The  Sectional  Organ  of  our  Dutch  brothers  presents  its 
usual  interesting  table  of  contents.  The  translation  of  articles  from  the 
pen  of  H.  P.  B.  still  coiitinues,  that  contained  in  the  December  number 
being  "  An  Answer  to  our  Critics,"  from  the  Tkeosopkist  for  July,  1881. 
Following  are  a  further  portion  of  the  translation  of  "  Esoteric  Buddhism ;" 
•'  The  Fourth  Dimension,"  a  lecture  given  in  Amsterdam  by  Mr.  Lead- 
beater ;  "Buddhism  and  Christianity;"  "Gems  from  the  East;" 
and  Notes  on  the  theosophical  movement. 

Sophia y  Madrid.    The  December  number  opens  with  a  translation  of 
Mrs,  Besant's  "  Spiritual  Darkness."    "  Ancient  Chaldea"  is  concluded 

3 


314  The  Theosophist.  [February 

and  "  The  Idyll  of  the  White  I^otus"  is  continued,  together  with  "  Sug- 
gestive Thoughts  of  Notable  Men/* 

In  the  first  number  of  the  Central  Hindu  College  Magazine^  Mrs. 
Besant  writes  concerning  the  "  Order  of  the  Golden  Chain  **  which  has 
been  started  in  the  United  States,  and  suggests  that  Hindu  children  also 
join  the  "Order  "  and  become  "  friends'of  all  creatures."  The  promise 
which  the  children  have  to  repeat  every  morning,  was  published  in  .the 
Theoso;phist  of  October  1899,  p.  59.  It  cannot  fail  to  benefit  all  who 
repeat  it  daily.  Bertram  Keightley  has  something  to  say  about 
**  School-boy  Ideals,*'  J.  C.  Chatterjee  has  an  article  on  **  Pilgrimage," 
Mrs.  A.  C.  Lloyd  contributes  the  first  instalment  of  a  story,  and  there 
are  "  Science  Jottings  "  and  other  matters  which  make  up  an  interesting 
number  for  Hindu  youth. 

Acknowledged  with  thanks :  The  Vdhan,  Theosophic  Messenger,  The 
Golden  Chain,  The  Prasnottara,  Review  of  Reviews,  Light,  The  Ideal 
Review,  Mind,  Banner  of  Light,  The  New  Century,  Phrenological 
Journal,  Harbinger  of  Light,  Health,  L' Initiation,  LotusblUthen,  Forum, 
The  Arena,  The  Light  of  the  East,  The  Light  of  Truth,  7 he  Brahma- 
charin.  The  Brahmavddin,  The  Maha-Bodhi  Journal,  Dawn,  Indian 
Journal  of  Education . 


CUTTINGS  AND  COMMENTS. 

'^  Thoughts,  like  the  pollen  of  flowers,  leave  one  brain  and  fasten  to  another/^ 

In   Mrs.   Besant*s   recent  Convention   lectures, 
A  reform       delivered  at  Benares,  she  alluded  to  certain  reforms 
started  by  the    which  she  deemed  eminently  necessary  for  the  pro- 
Central         gress  and  elevation  of  India,  and  especially  recom- 
Hindu  mended  that  marriage  be  delayed   until  after  the 

College,         completion  of  student-life,  as  was  the  custom  always 
in  ancient  India.     The  Advocate  (Lucknow),  in  refer- 
ring to  this  matter  says : 

The  Managing  Committee  of  the  (Central  Hindu)  College  has  taken 
the  first  step  in  this  direction,  by  refusing  admission  to  the  Middle  Divi- 
sion of  the  School,  on  and  after  March  ist,  to  any  married  boy.  It  is 
hoped  in  a  few  years  to  extend  this  rule  to  the  Upper  School  also.  Many 
fathers  will  welcome  this  return  to  ancient  ways,  as  helping  them  to 
resist  the  pressure  put  upon  them  to  marry  their  sons  at  a  ruinously 
early  aj^e.  The  English  monitorial  system  is  also  to  be  partially  intro- 
duced in  the  School,  and  is  already  working  in  the  Boarding  House. 


*  • 


There  is  a  most  amusing  paragraph  in  the  New 

Karma         Zealand  Magazine,  our  local  organ,  about  the  action 

as  a  of  the  Custom  House  authorities  as  regards  our  lite- 

Patent  Medi-     rature.     It  seems  that  the  T.  S.  bookshop  had  import- 

cine,  ed,  among  other    theosophical  works,   a  bundle    of 

Mr.  Fullerton's  excellent  leaflet,  Karma  as  a  cure  for 

trouble.    The  Customs  Appraisers,  scenting  a  possible  attempt  to 

evade  lawful  payments,  demanded  of  our  people  the  duty  on  "  patent 

medicine  circulars,"  for  which  this   moral  essaj'-  was  mistaken  ! 

Mr.  Draffin,  after  this,  ought  to  give  a  course  of  lectures  for  Customs 

employees    only,   admission  free.     Our  Bombay    Branch  had  an 

equally  comical   experience.    In  a  lyondon  invoice  for  our  book 

ordered  by  them,  was  an  item  of  a  certain  number  of  binding-covers 


i901.]  Cuttings  and  Comments.  315 

for  binding  the  Bhagavad  Gita.  They  were  described  in  brief  as 
*•  Gita  covers."  The  Customs  Officers  notified  our  friends  that  there 
would  be  duty  to  pay  on  **  the  lot  of  musical  instruments, "  the  Gitt 
having  been  mistaken  by  them  for  **  guitar,"  in  all  probability  ! 


It  is  quite  amusing  to  notice  how  people  will 
Infant  read  into  a  paragraph  their  own  preconceived  opinions, 

prodigies        as,  for  instance,  the   following  which  appeared   in  a 
summarily       recent  issue  of  The  Harbinger  of  Light : 

explained.  it  will  not  surprise  such  of  our  readers  as  are  con- 

versant with  the  only  rational  explanation  of  the  pheno- 
menon of  infant  precocity,  to  learn  that  instances  of  the  kind  are  becom* 
ing  more  frequent  year  by  year ;  and,  we  may  add,  *'  from  information 
received,"  they  will  become  increasingly  prevalent  during  the  first 
quarter  of  the  approaching  century.  We  have  already  called  attention 
to  three  or  four  juvenile  prodigies,  including  little  Fritz  Miiller,  a  native 
of  this  colony,  and  Le  Messager,  of  Iviege,  makes  the  following  additions 
to  the  list : — 

1.  Willie  G win,  the  son  of  a  well  known  medical  practitioner  in 
New  Orleans,  a^ed  five  years y  has  just  received  a  medical  diploma,  from 
the  University  in  tnat  city  ;  and  his  examiners  have  declared  him  to  be 
the  most  learned  osteologist  who  has  come  under  their  notice. 

2.  Dennis  Mahan,  of  Montana,  now  nine  years  of  a^e,  was  only  six 
when  he  commenced  his  career  as  a  public  preacher,  ana  continues  to 
astonish  his  hearers  by  his  profound  knowledge  of  the  Scriptures,  and 
by  the  eloquence  of  his  pulpit  discourses. 

3.  George  Steuber,  aged  thirteen^  is  already  a  civil  engineer  of  high 

repute. 

4.  Harry  Dugan,  who  is  not  yet  ten,  is  one  of  the  most  successful 
commercial  travellers  in  the  United  States. 

5.  In  Germany,  Henri  Weber,  who  is  rising  seven,  is  a  musician 
who  has  already  composed  many  remarkable  sonatas  and  fugues,  and  is 
now  engaged  upon  an  opera,  which  is  expected  to  astonish  the  musical 
world. 

6.  Vittorio  Righetti,  an  Italian  sculptor,  ten  years  of  age,  has  exe- 
cuted a  Madonna  and  Child,  which  is  pronounced  to  border  on  the  sub- 
lime in  art.    Needless  to  add,  they  are  all  mediums. 

We  beg  to  ask  if  genius  can  only  be  explained  by  the  theory  of 
mediumship.  Is  it  not  possible  for  an  ego  in  the  flesh  to  manifest 
as  much  talent  as  one  who  is  excarnate  ?  The  theory,  or  rather  the 
feet,  of  reincarnation — for  many  people  distinctly  remember  events 
which  happened  in  a  previous  life — certainly  affords  an  explanation 
of  juvenile  precocity  which  is  fully  as  reasonable  as  that  of  medium- 
ship,  in  our  humble  opinion. 


The  Pioneej's   special  correspondent  with  the 
The  Viceroy     Viceregal  party,   sends  to  his  paper   the  following 
and  the         account  of  the  performance  of  an  Ashtavadani  in  the 
*'  Memory       presence  of  the  Viceroy,  which  we  copy  because  the 
Ma7i.  "         extraordinary  culture  of  the  memory  which  is  attain- 
ed in  India  is  a  fact   of  very  great  scientific  value 
for  all  students  of  Practical  Psychology : 

•*  To  amuse  the  Viceregal  party  in  the  kheddah  camp  at  Kakenkote 
after  dinner,  a  *  memory  man '  was  brought  in— the  same  who  in  his 
time  has  similarly  entertained  and  astonished  L,ord  Elgin,  Lord  Lans- 
downe  and  numerous  other  lesser  magnates.  He  is  a  Brahmin,  and  his 
peculiar  talent  is  that  he  never  forgets  anything  once  written  on  the 
Ublets  of  his  mind.  Asa  test,  Lord  and  Lady  Curzon,  Major  Baring 
and  Mr.  Lawrence,  acting  on  the  performer's  suggestion,  each  thought 
pf  a  sentence — they  were  allowed  the  choice  of  any  language— and 


316  The  Theosophist*  [F6l»niai*y 

uttered  it  aloud  once  only.    To  make  the  ordeal  more  confusing-  each  of 
the  quartette  gave  only  one  word  at  a  time,  and  this  in  regular  turns  : 
it  might,  they  thought,  have  been  comparatively  easy  for  the  performer 
to  commit  to  memory  a  complete  sentence  spoken  right  off.     By  way  of 
still  further  increasing  the  severity  of  the  test  wie    words  of  each 
sentence  were  given  not  in  their  proper  order,  but  mixedh'.     Thus, 
Lord  Curzon  would  begin  with  his  fourth  word,   Lady  Curzon  with  her 
second  word,  Major  Baring  with  his  ninth  word,  and  Mr.  Lawrence  with 
his  twelfth  word,  and  so  on,  until  all  the  words  were  exhausted.     Lord 
Curzon's  sentence  happened  to  be  a  Greek   quotation.    Lady  Curzon 
and  Major  Baring  gave  hardly  less  difficult  lines  from  the  nonsense 
verses  of  Lewis  Carroll  in  '  Alice  in  Wonderland,*  the  former  about  the 
*Jabberwock'   and  the  latter  about  the   'Slithy  Tove.*   Mr.  Lawrence 
gave   an   ordinary  English  sentence.    Sandwiched    between  all   this. 
Colonel  Robertson  in  regular  turn   with  the  others  read  out  string's  of 
figures,  which  the  performer  was  required  to  remember  and  eventually 
to  add  up  in  his  mind  ;  the  whole  preceded  by  a  square  root  problem 
in  nine  figures,  also  to  be  worked  out  mentally.     Immediately  tne  word 
sentences  had  been  completed  the  performer  without  hesitation  repeated 
them,  not  in  the  mixed  order  in  which  the  words  had  been  dnbbled 
out,  but  each  sentence  separately  and  with  correct  consecutiveness. 
Lord  Curzon  marvelled  at  getting  back  again  the  jumbled  words  of 
his  Greek  quotation  in  their  proper  order,    and  api)lauded  the   per- 
former heartily.    The  three  others  were  not  less  satisfied,   especially 
when  the  performer,  without   delay,  concluded  by  giving  the  correct 
answers  to  the  big  addition  sum  and  to  the  elongated  square  root  problem. 
*  How  is  it  done?'   everybody  asked.     *In   a  very   simple   manner,' 
replied  the  memorj''  man.     '  I   first  of  all  enquired  how  many  words 
there  were  in  each  of  the  four  sentences.     Then  I  drew  four  horizontal 
lines  in  my  mind  and  divided  each  line  into  parts  according  to  the  num- 
ber of  words  in  each  particular  sentence.    Then  when  I  got  a  word  and 
was  told  it  was  the  sixth  word  of  the  second  sentence,  I  mentally  wrote 
in  the  sixth  space  of  the  second  line.     When   all  the  blank  spaces  had 
thus  been  properly  filled  in  it  was  the  easiest  thing  in  the  world  to  read 
the  words  off.    The  same  with  the   figures.     I  have  a  mental  vision  of 
the  whole  thing,  just  as  if  I  had  actually  written   it  all   out  on  paper.' 
This  explanation  maj^,  perhaps,  enable  would-be  imitators  to  give  per- 
formances."    *  There  is  nothing  to  do,'  says  the  memory  man,   *  but  to 
imagine  that  a  tablet  exists  inside  your  brain,  and  to  proceed  to  write 
things  upon  it.    Once  you  have  succeeded  in  inscribing  an}'-  test  words 
on  the  tablet,  you  will  find  it  quite  easy  to  read  what  you  have  written.' 
After  the  memory  man  had  further  exhibited  his  powers  by  rejieating 
some  French  and  German  test  sentences  which  had  been  given  to  him 
in  the  time  of  Lord  Elgin   and  Lord   Lansdowne,   he  departed,    full  of 
pride  at  having  astounded  by  his  wonderful  ffift,  one  more  Vicero3'  of 
India — and  forgetfully  leaving  his  walking-stick  behind." 

In  published  original  notes  on  these  Indian  Memory  experts, 
the  present  writer  has  explained  that  they  could  only  do 
their  feats  by  the  cultivation  of  this  **  Visualising"  habit,  a  suspicion 
that  was  confirmed,  in  conversation,  by  the  Brahmin  who 
exhibited  his  power  at  our  Adyar  Convention  of  1899.  In  his 
"  Inquiries  into  Human  Faculty "  [Macmillan  &  Co.,  1883],  that 
true  scientific  genius,  Francis  Galton,  touches  upon  this  question, 
and  in  a  circular  sent  by  him  to  a  considerable  number  of  persons, 
the  following  question  (No.  10,  p.  379)  occurs :  "  Numerals  aiid 
dates.— hx^  these  invariably  associated  in  your  mind  with  any 
particular  mental  imagery,  whether  of  written  or  printed  figures, 
diagrams  or  colours  ?  '*  In  the  explanatory  diagrams  at  the  end  of 
the  book  are  shown  over  sixty  different  examples  of  number  forms, 
which  present  themselves  mentally  to  different  persons  when  think- 
ing of  given  numbers.  The  diversity  is  striking  and  full  of  interest. 
It  would  also  seem  that  this  visualising  faculty  is  sometimes  heredi- 


IdOl.]  Cuttings  and  Comments.  317 

tary  in  a  family,  as  Mr.  Galton  shows  in  one  Plate  four  cases  where 
the  Number-forms  in  the  same  family  are  alike  ;  and  in  another 
three  instances  where  the  Number-forms  in  the  same  family  are 
unlike  :  all  marking  hereditary  tendency  in  the  two  families.  The 
Viceroy  seems  to  have  failed  to  ask  the  Ashtavadani  whether  the 
practice  of  his  mnemonic  faculty  tends  towards  cerebral  exhaustion, 
but  such  is  the  fact,  according  to  the  admissions  made  to  the 
writer  by  specialists  who  had  been  forced  to  give  up  their  exhibitions. 

« 

As  the   Theosophist  is  known  to  be  a  patron  of 

An    In-        Oriental  Literature,  its  Editors  may  be  permitted  to 

dian  Sir       copy  into  its  pages  the  following  delightful  bit  of 

Boyle  Roach,    eloquence,  from  the  pleading  of  an   Indian    Vakil, 

which  they  find  in  the  Madras  Mail  of  a  recent  date. 
If,  by  some  chance,    our  learned  colleague  Mr,  Mead  should  see 
this  one  number  of  our  magazine,  he  at  least  will  enjoy  reading  so 
clever  a  product  of  the  human  mind. 
It  runs  as  follows  : — 

'*  My  learned  friend  \*'ith  mere  wind  from  a  tea-pot  thinks  to  brow- 
beat me  from  my  legs.  But  this  is  mere  gorilla  {sic)  warfare.  I  stand 
under  the  shoes  of  viy  client,  and  only  seek  to  place  my  bone  of  con- 
tention clearly  in  your  honour's  eye.  My  learned  friend  vainly  runs 
amuck  upon  the  sheet  anchors  of  my  case.  Your  honour  will  be  pleased 
enough  to  observe  that  my  client  is  a  widow,  a  poor  chap  with  one  post- 
mortem son.  A  widow  of  this  country,  your  honour  will  be  pleased  to 
obser\^e,  is  not  like  a  widow  of  your  honour's  country'.  A  widow  of  this 
country  is  not  able  to  eat  more  than  one  meal  a  day,  or  to  wear  clean 
clothes,  or  to  look  after  a  man.  So  my  poor  client  fiad  not  such  physic 
{sic)  or  mind  as  to  be  able  to  assault  the  lusty  complainant.  Yet  she 
tas  (been)  deprived  of  some  of  her  more  valuable  leather,  the  leather  of 
her  nose.  My  learned  friend  has  thrown  only  an  argument  ad  hominy 
[sic)  upon  my  teeth,  that  my  client's  witnesses  are  only  her  own  rela- 
tions. But  they  are  not  near  relations.  Their  relationship  is  only 
homcepathic.  So  the  misty  arguments  of  ni}-  learned  friend  will  not 
hold  water.  Then  my  learned  friend  has  said  that  there  is  on  the  side 
of  his  client  a  respectable  witness,  viz.,  a  pleader,  and  since  this  witness 
is  independent  so  he  should  be  believed.  But  your  honour,  with  your 
honour's  vast  experience,  is  pleased  enough  to  observe  that  truthfulness 
is  not  so  plentiful  as  blackberries  in  this  country.  And  I  am  sorrj'  to 
say,  though  this  witness  is  a  man,  of  my  own  feathers,  that  there  are  in 
my  profession  black  sheep  of  every  complexion,  and  some  of  them  do  not 
always  speak  gospel  truth.  Until  the  witness  explains  what  has  become 
of  my  client's  nose  leather  he  cannot  be  believed.  He  cannot  be  allow- 
ed to  raise  a  castle  in  the  air  by  beating  upon  a  bush.  So,  trusting  in 
that  administration  of  British  justice  upon  which  the  sun  never  sits,  I 
close  my  case." 


♦% 


The  writer  of  the  following  paragraph,  which   is 
Religiotis      circulating  through  the  press,  is  quite  right  in  saying 
revivals        that  one  who  has  ever  seen  a  religious   meeting  ol 
afnofig  the     Negroes  in  a  time  of  **  revival"   can  never  forget  it. 
Negroes,        Nowhere  can  there  be  found  better  proofs  of  the  patho- 
logical identity  between  the  hysterical  '*  crisis,"  and  the 
"  descent  of  the  Holy  Spirit."    Grotesque  and  comical  as  are  the 
antics  of  the  black  converts,  they  also  have  an  aspect  of  neurotic  dis- 
equilibrium which  is  very  saddening.  Says  the  writer  in  question  : — 

•*  Religious  revival  among  the  Negroes  in  the  Southern  States  of 
America  is  always  the  forerunner  of  a  mighty  season  of  rejoicing  and  a 
great  exhibition  of  *  the  victory  over  the  world,  the  flesh,  and  the  devil.' 


3l6  The  Theosophist.  [retamaary 

No  protracted  meeting  ever  closed  without  the  members  of  the  Churcli 
enjoying  the  most  refreshing  showers  of  grace,  and  bringing  what  had 
been  hardened  sinners  *  into  the  fold.'  And  after  the  revival  comes 
the  baptism  of  the  reclaimed.  The  mourners  flock  to  the  altar,  fall  in  a 
trance,  and  have  the  most  wonderful  things  to  relate  of  visions  seen  and 
music  heard  when  the  spirit  was,  presumably,  separated  from  the  body. 
Some  cannot  sleep  at  night  for  hearing  the  hoofs  and  horns  of  old  Satan 
as  he  paws  the  floor  or  trails  his  long  tail  over  the  walls  and  shorts  like  a 
filth  sweating  behemoth.  Various  weird  and  uncanny  confessions  are 
made.  None  have  found  consolation  without  having  first  gone  through 
the  shadow  of  death-like  trances,  wherein  they  dream  dreams  and  see 
visions.  One  never  forgets  the  scenes  enacted  at  a  great  revival  meet- 
ing of  Southern  Negroes.'' 

* 

Col.  Olcott  has  fished  out  from   the  archives  of 
"  The  Veil    1878,  a  letter  from  Mr.  J.  W.  Bouton,  of  New  York, 
of  his"  or       the  publisher  of  "  Isis  Unveiled,"  to  H,  P.  B.,  showing 
*'  isis  Unveil-    how  the  title  of  her  first   book  was  changed  from 
€cl.''  *'  The  Veil  of  Isis,"  to  the  present  one.     In  this  con- 

nection the  reader  should  observe  how  the  head- 
line— **  The  Veil  of  Isis — "  runs  through  all  the  pages  of  Vol.  i,  and 
the  other  through  the  pages  of  Vol.  2.    The  letter  is  as  follows  : — 

**  New  York, 

May  StA,  1877. 

Dear  Madame  Bi.avatsky, 

Our  mutual  friend  Sotheran  called  upon  me  yesterday  and 
during  our  conversation  suggested  something  which,  considering  its 
source,  is  really  worth  considering.  It  appears  there  has  been 
another  and  a  very  good  book  published  in  England,  under  the 
title  of  "  The  Veil  of  Isis."  Now,  as  you  are  aware,  it  is  a  very  awk- 
ward affair  to  publish  our  book  under  the  same  title  as  one  previ- 
ously issued,  and  when  we  come  to  advertise,  the  public  may  well 
suppose  it  to  be  the  same  thing,  and  pass  it  by.  Another  matter — 
the  other  book  is  undoubtedly  copyrighted  in  England,  under  the 
title  aforesaid,  and  consequently^  it  will  put  a  stop  to  the  sale  of  our 
book  entirely,  in  England,  as  it  would  be  an  infringement  of  copy- 
right. Strange  as  it  ma}'^  appear,  the  idea  struck  Sotheran  and  mj'^- 
self,  simultaneously,  that  it  would  be  better  to  change  our  title  a 
little,  and  we  both  hit  upon  exactly  the  same  one,  viz,,  **  Isis  Un- 
veiled," which,  it  seems  to  me  is,  in  many  respects,  much  better  than 
the  other  title,  for  in  itself  it  has  a  distinctive  meaning,  which  the 
other  has  not.  *  *  *  • 

Sincerely   your  friend, 
J.  W.  Bouton." 

A  copy  of  the  original  work,  **  The  Veil  of  Isis "  is  in  the 
Adyar  Library,  and  is  a  very  interesting  work,  its  sub-title  being 
**  The  Mysteries  of  the  Druids."  It  contains  250  pages,  was  written 
by  W.  Winwood  Reade,  and  published  by  Charles  J.  Skeet,  London, 
in  1861. 


#  # 


T/i€  Hiiidu   of  December  4th  summarises  the 

Max  MUll€7's    views  of  Professor  Max   Miiller  as  given  in  a  recent 

views  on  the     issue  of  the  Nineteenth  Century,  under  the  head   of 

cause  of  the      **  Buddhism  and  Christianity  m  China." 

Chinese  trou-  The  earlier  Buddhist  Missionaries  entered  China 

bles,  more  than  200  years  before  the  Christian  era,  but  it 

was  not  until  about  65  A.  D.  that  Buddhism  secured 


1901.]  Cuttings  and  Comments.  319 

the  patronage  of  the  Emperor,  and  manj'  converts  were  to  be  found 
throughont  the  country.  About  700  years  later  the  Christian  Mission- 
aries became  very  active,  and  the  two  religions  dwelt  side  by  side 
in  harmony,  the  similarity  of  their  teachings  being  quite  apparent. 
The  Christian  Missionaries  met  with  great  success  and  matters 
were  progressing  smoothly  until,  in  the  Sixteenth  Century,  the  Pope 
determined  to  prevent  his  priests  from  mingling  with  the  Chinese 
in  their  religious  rites  and  ceremonies  and  protested  against  their 
forms  of  worship.  He  also  claimed  special  protection  for  Christian 
converts.  This  action  of  the  Pope  was  the  death  blow  to  Missionary 
success  among  the  Catholic  Christians.  We  take  the  following  from 
the  Editor's  summary  : — 

From  religion  the  question  drifted  into  politics  and  disaster  was 
the  immediate  result.  Of  the  subsequent  history  of  other  missions  we 
need  make  no  mention,  for  thev  are  more  or  less  well-known.  But  the 
fundamental  mistake  which  Europe  has  made  in  China  is  the  investing 
the  Missionaries  with  a  c[uasi- political  function  which  was  always  re- 
garded by  the  Chinese  with  a  feeling  of  deep  resentment.  If  Bud,dhism 
and  Christianity  at  one  time  lived  side  by  side  on  intimate  terms,  what 
then,  in  later  years,  could  have  made  Christianity  so  repulsive  to  the 
generality  of  the  Chinese  ?  The  Chinese  are  as  a  race  very  tolerant  in 
their  views  and  ^-et  Christian  blood  has  been  shed  more  than  once  in  a 
manner  that  strikes  the  world  dumb. 

Professor  Max  Miiller  strikes  the  key-note  when  he  dates  the  down- 
fall of  Christianity  in  the  country  with  the  time  when  the  Christian 
Missionary,  not  content  with  his  pastoral  work,  claimed  a  political  pro- 
tection over  his  converts  and  when  Europe  made  the  Missionary's  cause 
a  pretext  for  political  expansion.  This  is  the  view  which  we  have  taken 
from  the  very  commencement  of  the  troubles  in  China,  and  we  hope 
that  a  pronouncement  from  such  a  high  authority  will  open  the  eyes  of 
Europe  to  the  gravity  of  the  Missionary  question  in  foreign  lands. 

As  Professor  Max  Miiller  says,  in  his  article  in  the  Cejitury  : — 

**  After  our  late  experiences  it  must  be  quite  clear  that  it  is  more 
than  doubtful  whether  Christian  Missionaries  should  be  sent  or  even 
allowed  to  go  to  countries,  the  Governments  of  which  object  to  their 
presence." 

This  is  the  opinion  of  many  of  the  best  statesmen  in  Europe 
and  other  countries.     In  conclusion  the  Hindu  says  : 

If  a  country  would  not  have  a  particular  religion  preached  to  the 
people  in  a  manner  not  calculated  to  convince  them  or  evoke  their  sym- 
pathy, well  may  they  demand  that  such  efforts  offensive  to  them  should 
cease  in  their  midst.  If  the  position  is  reversed,  the  question  raised  by 
Professor  Max  Miiller  becomes  convincingly  clear.  Suppose  a  band  of 
Mahomedan  priests  going  to  England  and  preaching,  on  Sundays,  before 
St.  Paul's  Cathedral,  the  religion  of  their  Prophet,  and  crying  down  in 
scathinfi^  terms  the  Gospel  and  personality  of  Christ.  The  consequences 
of  this  tool-hardy  enterprise  need  not  be  stated.  But  if  such  efforts  were 
supported  by  a  K)reign  Power  the  situation  in  China  and  the  feelines  of 
the  Chinese  and  their  Government  can  be  understood  in  the  light  of 
what  the  Englishmen  and  their  Government  would  feel.  To  the  Chris- 
tianity of  Christ,  preached  and  practised  in  the  true  light  of  the  Gosjjel, 
no  civilised  nation  would  object.  It  is  the  militant  Christianity  which 
would  prevail  at  the  point  of  the  sword  ;  the  foolish,  misdirected  zeal  of 
enthusiasts  and  the  political  consequences  thereof  that  have  fomented 
all  the  trouble  in  China  as  they  threaten  to  foment  in  other  countries  as 
well,  and  we  trust  that  the  decided  opinion  of  the  Professor,  almost  his 
parting  advice,  will  be  taken  to  heart  by  the  politicians  of  the  West," 


320  The  Theosophist.  [February 

Poetry   has    been    defined   as    an    expression  of 

Different        **  beautiful  thoughts  in  musical    words,"  but  often 

classes  of      the  ideas  seem  to  have  been  omitted^VThe  subjoined 

poetry.         shows  that  we  do  occasionally  find  something  entirely 

different   from  those  sickly  sentimental  ditties   and 

namby  pamby  jingles  of  moonshine  and  ethereal  nothingness,  that 

too  often  mar  the  surface  of  white  paper,   irritate  editorial  nerves 

and  are  sometimes  styled  poetry  : 

THE  CREEDS  TO  BE. 

Our  thoughts  are  molding  unseen  spheres, 

And  like  a  blessing  or  a  curse, 
They  thunder  down  the  formless  years, 

And  ring  throughout  the  universe. 
We  build  our  future  by  the  shape 

Of  our  desires,  and  not  by  acts. 
There  is  no  pathway  of  escape  ; 

No  priest-made  creed  can  alter  facts. 

Salvation  is  not  begged  or  bought. 

Too  long  this  selfish  hope  sufficed  ; 
Too  long  man  reeked  with  lawless  thought, 

And  leaned  upon  a  tortured  Christ. 
Like  shriveled  leaves  these  worn-out  creeds 

Are  dropping  from  religion's  tree. 
The  world  begins  to  know  its  needs, 

And  souls  are  cr>'ing  to  be  free. 

Free  from  the  load  of  fear  and  grief 

Man  fashionf  d  in  an  ignorant  age  ; 
Free  from  the  ache  of  unbelief 

He  fled  to  in  rebellious  rage. 
No  church  can  bind  him  to  the  things 

That  fed  the  first  crude  souls  evoh^ed  ; 
But  mounting  up  on  daring  wings 

He  questions  mysteries  long  unsolved. 

Above  the  chant  of  priests,  above 

The  blatant  tongue  of  braying  doubt, 
He  hears  the  still,  small  voice  of  Love, 

Which  sends  its  simple  message  out. 
And  dearer,  sweeter,  day  by  day. 

Its  mandate  echoes  from  the  skies  : 
•'  Go  roll  the  stone  of  self  away 

And  let  the  ChrivSt  within  thee  rise." 

Ella  Wheeler  Wilcox. 


THE     THEOSOPHIST 

(Founded  in  1879.) 


VOL.  XXII.,  NO.  6,  MARCH  1901. 


"THERE  IS  NO  RELIGION  HIGHER  THAN  TRUTH." 

{Family  motto  of  the  Maharajahs  of  Benares^ 

OIL  DIARY  LEAVES* 

Fourth  Series,  Chapter  XVII. 
(Year  1891.) 

1  CANNOT  turn  my  back  upon  the. Colonies  without  mentioning  a 
few  more  of  the  notable  acquaintances  I  made,  besides  those  men- 
tioned in  the  last  chapter.  First,  then,  Mr.  A.  Meston,  of  Chelmer, 
near  Brisbane,  a  well-known  litteratei^r.  He  was  a  Magistrate,  an 
ex- member  of  the  Queensland  legislature,  was  leader  of  the  Govern- 
ment Scientific  Exploring  Expedition  of  1889,  and  an  author  and 
journalist  of  wide  reputation.  A  sumptuously  illustrated  work  on  the 
British  acquisition  of  Australia,  which  came  under  my  notice,  had 
filled  me  with  a  horror  of  the  devilish  cruelty  and  merciless  extirpa- 
tion of  the  dark  races  by  the  conquering  whites,  and  in  intro- 
ducing to  our  readers  an  article  contributed  to  the  Theosophist  by 
Mr.  Meston,t  on  the  subject  of  the  Aboriginals,  or  so-called 
Black-fellows,  I  said  that  they  were  being  treated  **  with  the 
same  concomitants  of  ferocity,  selfishness  and  faithlessness 
as  darken  the  history  of  Mexican  and  Peruvian  conquests  by 
the  Spaniards.  From  what  I  have  learned  on  the  spot,  from 
living  witnesses  and  current  histories,  I  am  inclined  to 
believe  that  my  own  Anglo-Saxon  race  is  as  devilishly  cruel 
upon  occasions  as  any  Semetic,  Latin,  or  Tartar  race  ever 
was."  The  historical  work  above  mentioned  gave  among  its  illus- 
trations a  picture  of  armed  white  men  hunting  black- fellows  in  and 
out  of  a  stone-quarry  as  if  they  were  so  many  goats    or   monkeys ; 

•  Three  volumes,  in  series  of  Ithlrly  chapters,  tracing  the  history  of  the 
Theosophical  Society  from  its  beginningfs  at  New  York,  have  appeared  in  the 
Theosophisty  and  two  volumes  are  available  in  book  form.  Price,  Vol.  I.,  cloth, 
Rs.  3-8«o,  or  paper,  Rs.  2-3-0.  Vol.  II.,  beautifully  illustrated  with  views  of  Adyar, 
has  just  been  received  by  the  Mana§^er,  Theosophist  i  price,  cloth,  Rs.  5,  paper, 
Rs.  3-8-0. 

t  "  Relig^ious  and  Other  Notes  on  Queensland  Aboriginals,**  Theosophist,  for 
July  1891,  p.  &)§. 


322  The  Theosophist.  [March 

and  one  could  see  in  one  place  murdered  victims  who  had  fallen, 
and  in  another,  other  poor  wretches  brought  down  by  gunshots 
from  the  steep  walls  of  the  quarry,  up  which  they  were  scrambling 
for  their  lives,  by  their  "  civilized  "  pursuers.  It  was  when  my 
blood  was  boiling  with  indignation  from  this  cause  that  I  met  Mr. 
Meston,  who  was  recognized  as  the  best-informed  authority  on  the 
subject  of  the  religions,  languages,  manners  and  customs,  and  ethni- 
cal traits  of  the  black  people.  His  article  in  the  Theosophist  embodies 
more  information  on  these  subjects  than  any  other  publication  made 
up  to  that  time ;  I  recommend  my  readers  to  refer  to  it.  It  appears 
that  there  are  many  tribes  and  almost  every  one  with  its  own  dialect — 
in  Queensland,  alone,  there  are  perhaps  fifty.  Mr.  Meston  described 
them  to  me  as  a  light-hearted,  laughter-loving  people,  with  a  keen 
sense  of  the  ludicrous,  excellent  judges  of  character,  and  having 
astonishing  powers  of  mimicry  and  caricature.  '*  Some  of  them,"  he 
says,  "  are  born  low-comedians,  and  if  trained  as  such  would  excite 
shrieks  of  laughter  in  any  theatre  in  the  world.  They  imitate  the 
cries  and  movements  of  birds  and  animals  with  surprising  fidelity. 
Some  are  capable  of  sincere  gratitude,  possess  keen  sensibilities,  and 
can  be  faithful  even  unto  death.  Many  are  ungrateful,  treacherous,  re- 
vengeful, and  as  cruel  as  the  grave  ;  but  exactly  the  same  verdict 
may  be  passed  on  all  civilized  races  of  men.  Human  nature  is  the 
same  in  I/>ndon  as  in  the  tropical  jungles  or  western  plains  of  i  Aus- 
tralia, in  New  York  as  in  equatorial  Africa.  In  fact,  the  great  cities 
of  the  old  world  can  show  human  specimens  far  baser  and  more  de- 
graded than  any  Australian  savages.  The  race  would  be  noble, 
indeed,  in  comparison  with  the  ruffianism  of  Paris  and  the  scum  of 
London." 

The  other  day  Renter  published  an  interview  with  the  Rev.  S. 
E.  Meech,  the  first  refugee  Missionary  to  reach  England  from  China 
since  the  recent  dreadful  massacres.  Mr.  Meech  tells  us  that  the 
Boxers,  finding  seventy  Catholic  Christians  at  Larshuy,  hiding  in  a 
pit,  threw  in  fuel  and  literally  burnt  them  alive.  Christendom 
stands  aghast  at  these  horrors  as  it  does,  equally,  at  every  similar 
tale  of  non-Christian  savagery  ;  but  after  a  few  lip  protests  it  seems 
always  willing  to  throw  a  veil  of  oblivion  over  identical  acts  of  piti- 
less cruelty  towards  a  dark  race  on  the  part  of  the  representatives  of 
Christianity.  The  last  survivor  of  the  slaughtered  Aboriginals  of 
Tasmania  died  but  a  fewjyears  ago,  and  desolation  has  everywhere 
followed  in  the  track  of  the  white  man's  relations  with  the  poor, 
usually  helpless  tribes  whose  countries  they  wish  to  steal  under  the 
hypocritical  pretext  of  **  promoting  civilization."  Does  any  one 
remember  the  story  of  the  stormings  of  Badajoz  and  Ciudad  Rodrigo 
by  the  British?  In  1858  I  lived  two  months  in  the  Tower  of  I/)ndon 
with  one  of  Wellington's  veterans,  who  wore  the  medals  of  the 
Forlorn  Hope  given  to  the  storming  parties  on  those  two  occasions, 
^nd  he  told  me  the  sickening  details  of  the  brutal  cruelty  shown 


1901.]  Old  Diary  Leaves.  323 

when  those  places  were  captured.  But  why  go  back  so  far  when 
similar  black  pages  have  been  written  ever  since  in  the  world's 
military  history  ?  We  have  seen  what  the  Boxers  did  to  the  Catho- 
lic Christians  ;  on  the  other  side,  the  correspondent  of  the  Times  a 
Neuchwang  tells  us  in  his  letter  of  the  13th  of  August  last,  that  the 
Russians  butchered  from  1,500  to  2,000  fugitives  indiscriminately, 
and  says  that  **  outside  the  walls,  men,  women,  and  children  were 
killed,  and  from  all  sides  came  reliable  reports  of  violation  of  women. 

There  is  no  possible  doubt  about  the  truth  of  these  reports The 

soldiers,  both  Infantry  and  Cossacks  have  been  allowed  to  do  what 
they  liked  for  some  days."  Furthermore,  the  N.  Y.  Eve^iing  Post  of 
Sept.  2ist,  publishes  an  account  by  Mr.  Wright,  of  Oberlin  College, 
Ohio,  giving  details  of  the  alleged  massacres  bj'^  Russians  in  Man- 
churia. The  peaceful  inhabitants  of  Blagovestchensk,  numbering 
from  3,000  to  4,000  **  were  expelled  in  great  haste,  and,  being  forced 
upon  rafts  entirely  inadequate  to  the  passage  of  such  numbers,  they 
were  mostly  drowned  in  attempting  to  cross  the  river.  The  stream 
was  fairly  black  with  bodies  for  three  days  after."  So  that  Mr. 
Meston  was  right  in  saying  that  the  race  of  the  poor  Black-fellows 
would  come  out  nobly  in  the  comparison  of  all  the  evil  things  they 
had  done  with  the  ruffianism  of  us,  Whites.  My  interesting  con- 
versations with  that  gentleman  were  held  in  Brisbane  and  out  at  his 
country-place. 

Two  points  struck  me  forcibly  in  his  narrative.  It  is  the  custom 
of  the  Southern  tribes,  when  a  man  dies,  to  tie  his  hands  and  feet 
together,  sling  the  corpse  on  a  pole  and  carry  it  oiF  to  the  grave. 
It  was  there  placed  in  a  sitting  posture  in  a  hole  about  five  feet 
deep,  covered  by  sticks  and  bushes,  overlaid  with  mould  crumbled 
to  the  fineness  of  flour,  and  all  crevices  carefully  closed  to  keep  the 
ghost,  or  "  Wurum"  from  escaping.  He  also,  but  another  informant 
more  fully  (Honorable  W.  O.  Hodgkinson),  told  me  that 
for  three  days  and  nights  the  tribesmen  carefully  scruti- 
nize the  loose  mould  over  the  corpse  for  marks  of  a  track  or 
tracks  of  an  animate  creature — be  it  bird,  insect  or  beast — as  from 
them  may  he  known  what  sorcerer  has  compassed  the  death  of  the 
supposed  victim  and  in  which  direction  to  look  for  him.  It  interest- 
ed me  much  to  hear  this  because,  in  his  "  Travels  in  Peru,"  Dr. 
Tschuddi  relates  that  among  the  Peruvian  Indians  it  is  the  custom 
to  shut  up  a  corpse  in  the  hut,  after  sprinkling  the  floor  with  wood- 
ashes,  and  then  watch  and  wail  outside  until  morning.  The  door  is 
then  opened  and,yh?w  bird  tracks  or  those  of  animals  or  insects  seen  in 
iht  asheSy  the  state  of  the  defunct  is  ascertained.  How  remarkable 
a  coincidence  that  this  mode  of  divination  should  be  common  to  two 
dark  races  separated  by  the  diameter  of  the  Earth,  The  other  point 
which  I  noted  was  the  Black- fellows'  use  of  the  rock-crystal  as  a 
divining-stone  and  the  way  in  which  it  is  carried  by  the  wearer. 
Mr.  Meston  told  me  a  legend  of  theirs  that  the  tribes  of  the  Russell 


324  The  Theosophist.  [March 

River  had  been  long  engaged  in  deadly  warfare,  and  so  many  of  the 
young  men  were  being  killed  that  all  the  women  assembled  and 
united  in  a  pathetic  appeal  to  the  souls  of  their  ancestors  for  help. 
Then  there  came  down  from  the  stars  the  beautiful  spirit  of  an  old 
chief  called  Moiominda,  who  appeared  in  a  gigantic  shape,  and  in  a 
voice  of  thunder  that  made  the  mountains  tremble  called  the  hostile 
tribes  together  and  ordered  them  to  make  peace.  This  being  con- 
sented to,  **the  might}''  Spirit  called  up  the  oldest  man  from  each 
tribe,  and  advised  them  all  night  on  the  top  of  Chooreechillam,  and 
gave  each  one  a  magnificent  rock-cr>^stal,  containing  the  light  and 
wisdom  of  the  stars ^  and  departed  in  the  morning  to  the  Pleiades, 
leaving  the  tribes  at  peace  from  that  day  to  the  present  time. 

*'The  rock-crystal  is  regarded  as  a  mysterious  power  by  many 
Australian  tribes.  With  some  it  is  always  in  the  possession  of  the 
oldest  man,  who  never  allows  it  to  be  seen  by  the  women  or  the 
young  men.  I  have  seen  famous  chiefs  wearing  the  crystal  rolled 
up  in  the  hair  on  the  back  of  the  head,  or  concealed  under  the  arm, 
attached  to  a  string  round  the  7iecky  Now  if  the  reader  will  turn  to 
**  Isis  Unveilled,"  II,  626,  he  will  see  what  Madame  Blavatsky  says 
about  a  carnelian  divining-stone  in  her  possession  and  its  unexpected 
aind  favourable  effect  upon  a  Shaman  to  conduct  her  through  Thibet. 
She  says :  "  Every  Shaman  has  such  a  talisman,  which  he  wears 
attached  to  a  stringy  and  carries  under  his  left  arm,''  How  the  magi- 
cal powers  of  the  stone  worn  by  the  Shaman  were  proved,  she  tells 
in  a  most  picturesque  narrative,  well  worth  the  reading. 

I  have  just  barely  mentioned  above,  Mr.  Justice  G.  W.  Paul,  of 
the  District  Court  of  Brisbane,  but  he  is  worthy  of  much  more  notice 
than  that.  Judge  Paul  is— for  happily  he  still  lives— one  of  the  most 
brilliant  counsellors  and  erudite  judges  in  all  the  Colonies.  The 
tie  of  the  friendship  which  sprang  up  between  us  had,  however, 
nothing  to  do  with  our  common  profession,  but  it  was  based  origin- 
ally upon  our  common  interest  in  spiritual  philosophy  and  practical 
psychical  research.  When  I  met  him  he  had  been  for  many  years, 
like  myself,  studying  these  problems,  and  while  at  London  on  a 
vacation,  had  become  intimate  with  the  family  of  Florrie  Cook,  Mr. 
Crookes*  medium.  The  stories  he  told  me  of  the  wonders  he 
had  seen  in  the  privacy  of  the  domestic  circle  were  even  more 
wonderful  than  any  which  I  have  seen  reported  in  connection 
with  the  mediumship  of  Miss  Cook.  The  Judge  had,  also, 
made  many  most  successful  experiments  with  mesmeric  subjects. 
I  could  well  believe  all  he  told  me  because  of  his  strong  person- 
al magnetism.  The  evening  when  he  went  with  me  to  my 
lecture  at  Centennial  Hall  some  Sinhalese  were  present,  so,  by  re- 
quest of  the  audience,  I  gave  them  "  Pansil."  To  the  several  clergy- 
men present  this  incident  was  especially  interesting. 

My  return  journey  from  Brisbane  to  Sydney  was  made  by  rail, 
which  gave  me  the  chance  of  seeing  the  back  country  of  the  two 


1901.]  Old  Diary  Leaves.  32B 

Colonies.  I  was  much  struck  with  its  resemblance  to  the  rural 
districts  of  the  Western  States  of  America,  in  the  appearance  of  the 
buildings,  the  fencing,  the  slovenly  cultivation  and  the  appearance 
of  the  people  whom  we  saw  clustered  at  the  railway  stations.  At 
Sydney  I  met  a  gentleman,  a  successful  young  physician,  whom  I 
mention  because  he  was  a  type  of  a  certain  class  whom  every  public 
man  is  continually  meeting.  I  withold  his  name  because  I  shall 
have  to  speak  of  him  in  terms  not  quite  complimentar}-.  He  had 
become  interested,  it  seems,  in  Theosophy  and  when  my  name  was 
mentioned  to  him  at  our  introduction,  he  seemed  ready  to  explode, 
almost,  with  enthusiasm.  He  counted  as  precious  every  minute  he 
could  snatch  from  his  professional  engagements  to  spend  in  my 
company  ;  went  about  with  me,  especially  to  the  theatre,  and  took 
me  every  night  to  his  house  for  supper,  keeping  me  up  to  chat  until 
the  small  hours  of  the  morning  :  I  never  met  a  more  enthusiastic 
candidate  for  membership  in  our  Society.  Out  of  the  crowds  of 
visitors  who  called  at  my  hotel,  I  had  no  great  difficulty  in  getting 
members,  nor  in  forming  the  Sydney  T.  S,  My  fervent  friend  was 
unanimously  elected  President,  and  I  left  the  place  with  rosy  hopes 
of  the  benefits  that  would  accrue  from  the  acquisition  of  this  ideal 
President.  But  he  was  a  Roman  Catholic  and  a  considerable  share 
of  his  practice  came  from  the  patronage  of  the  Bishop.  He,  hearing 
of  the  monstrously  heretical  action  of  his  protege,  in  joining  a  society 
which  was  anathema  maranatha,  gave  him  very  clearly  to  understand 
that  he  would  have  to  choose  between  the  loss  of  his  practice  or 
loyalty  to  his  new  connection.  Alas  !  our  colleague's  courage  was 
not  equal  to  the  strain,  he  swallowed  all  his  fine  professions,  resigned 
office,  and  from  that  time  to  this — if  he  be  still  living — buried  his 
theosophical  aspirations  in  the  cesspool  of  self-interest.  Many  cases 
like  this  have  combined  to  make  me  very  suspicious  of  over-protes- 
tations of  new  members,  and  exaggerated  declarations  of  affection 
for  myself  and  other  leaders  of  our  movement.  In  Bulwer's  play  of 
Richelieu,  the  great  Cardinal,  standing  and  looking  after  his  familiar 
agent,  Joseph,  who  had  just  left  the  room  with  a  profound  obeisance, 
says,  in  a  thrilling  aside,  "  He  bowed  too  low.''  How  often  and  often 
have  H.P.B.  and  I,  after  some  unusually  gushing  visitor  had  depart- 
ed, said  as  much  as  this  to  each  other.  Though  no  words  would 
pass  between  us,  my  eyes  would  sometimes  put  to  her  Hamlet's 
question  :  *'  Madam,  how  like  you  this  play  ?"  and  her  responsive 
look  would  suggest  the  Queen's  reply :  •*  The  lady  doth  protect  too 
much,  methinks."  Fortunately  for  the  welfare  of  our  Sj'dney  Branch 
it  contained  members,  like  Mr.  George  Peell  and  some  others,  who 
were  made  of  entirely  different  stuff,  and  in  whose  hands  it  has  been 
carried  on  from  that  time  to  this  on  the  footing  of  a  working  body, 
and  has  exercised  much  influence  on  contemporar}'^  thought  in  that 
part  of  the  world. 

I  was  fortunate  enough  to  meet  some  of  the  leading  statesmen  of 


326  The  Theosophist.  [Harch 

different  Colonies  whose  names  have  figured  largely  in  the  recent 
Federation  movement,  such  as  Sir  Samuel  Griffith,  Hon.  Mr. 
Barton,  Sir  George  R.  Dibbs,  Alfred  Deakin,  Hon,  John  Woods 
and  others.  Two  or  three  of  them  occupied  the  chair  at  my 
lectures,  and  my  conversations  with  them,  both  upon  occult 
and  political  matters  were  highly  interesting  ;  they  have  enabled  me 
to  follow  recent  events  with  intelligent  understanding  of  the  under- 
current of  Colonial  feeling. 

On  the  17th  May,  at  Melbourne,  I  enjoyed  the  rare  pleasure 
of  hearing  a  Christian  clerg>'^man,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Buchanan,  in  preach- 
ing to  an  audience  of  1,500  people  on  "  Buddhism  and  Christian- 
ity, "  praise  our  Society.  Well,  I  thought,  the  old  saying  is  true — 
wonders  will  never  cease. 

From  Sydney  to  Melbourne,  and  Melbourne  to  Adelaide,  as 
from  Brisbane  to  Sydney,  I  travelled  by  rail,  so  that  I  may  say 
that  I  have  had  a  very  fair  chance  of  seeing  the  country.  No 
sleeping-berth  being  available  in  the  train  from  Sydney  to  Adelaide^ 
on  account  of  a  crowd  going  to  the  races,  I  passed  one  of  the 
most  miserable  nights  in  my  life  in  a  compartment  crowded  with 
horse-jockeys  and  book-makers.  In  the  abstract,  it  was  worth 
while  having  experience  with  those  animals  on  two  legs,  but  the 
knowledge  was  gained  at  the  expense  of  a  whole  night  in  an  atmos- 
phere of  pipe-smoke,  whiskey  fumes,  profanity  and  vulgar  language, 
the  like  of  which  I  never  heard  before :  may  I  never  have  it 
again. 

The  notable  person  at  Adelaide,  for  whose  sake  this  paragraph 
is  written,  was  Mr.  N.  A.  Knox,  who  was  a  man  extremely  worth 
knowing.  He  was  one  of  the  most  influential  men  in  the  Colony,  a 
member  of,  I  think,  the  oldest  law-firm  of  Adelaide,  prominent  in  the 
local  Club,  and  the  owner  of  a  beautiful  place  at  Bumside,  a  suburb 
of  Adelaide.  Both  he  and  his  gifted  wife  are  leading  spirits  in  the 
local  Branch  which  I  formed  during  the  visit  in  question.  Miss 
Pickett,  the  devoted  daughter  of  Mrs.  Elise  Pickett,  of  Melbourne, 
had  volunteered  to  go  to  Colombo  and  take  charge  of  our  Sanghamitta 
School,  and  her  steamer  touched  at  Adelaide  on  the  second  day 
after  my  arrival  there.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Knox  and  I  went  by  rail 
to  Largs  Bay  and  thence  by  steam  launch  to  her  steamer  to  visit 
her,  but  she  had  gone  ashore  and  we  missed  her.  Mr.  Knox, 
finding  that  she  was  travelling  third-class  from  motives  of  economy, 
and  appreciating  this  proof  of  devotion  and  self-sacrifice  on  the 
part  of  a  refined  young  lady,  with  characteristic  generosity  paid  the 
difference  and  had  her  transferred  into  the  second-class  saloon. 
This  is  one  of  those  unconsidered  trifles  which  indicate  the 
character  of  a  man  as  clearly  as  any  amount  of  panegyric. 

My  work  in  Australia  being  finished  I  embarked  on  the  27th 
May  for  Colombo  on  the  P.  &  O.  s.s.  ••  Massilia,"  as  above  noted, 
and  was  warmly  welcomed  by  Capt.    Fraser,  the  commander,  whom 


1901.]  Old  Diary  Leaves.  327 

I  had  met  at  dinner  at  Government  House,  Sydney,  and  who  took 
me  to  his  own  table.  Barring  the  lecture  on  Theosophy,  already 
mentioned,  the  voyage  homew^ard  was  pleasant  and  uneventful.  We 
reached  Colombo  on  the  loth  of  June,  and  our  steamer,  leaving 
Adelaide  two  days  later  than  Miss  Pickett's,  anchored  in  Colombo 
Harbour  a  few  hours  earlier ;  so  that  I  was  able  to  go  on  board  her 
boat  with  a  committee  of  Sinhalese  ladies,  bring  her  ashore,  and 
escort  her  to  Tichborne  Hall,  the  school  building.  Mr.  Keightley, 
happening  to  be  in  Colombo  at  the  time,  was  also  present  and 
I  made  an  address  of  welcome  on  behalf  of  the  Womens*  Educa- 
tion Society.  Calling  up  Mrs.  Weerakoon,  the  President,  I 
had  her  take  Miss  Pickett  by  the  hand,  give  her  a  sisterly  welcome 
and  acknowledge  her  as  Principal.  The  hall  was  decorated 
with  the  taste  for  which  the  Sinhalese  are  conspicuous  and 
Miss  Pickett  was  charmed  with  her  first  view  of  her  new 
home.  The  next  morning  I  took  Miss  Pickett  to  see  the 
High- Priest  and  his  College  ;  and  as  she  was  willing  and  anxious  to 
become  a  Buddhist,  the  High- Priest  and  I  arranged  for  a  public 
meeting  at  our  Hall  the  next  evening,  for  her  to  take  Pansil.  The 
room  was  packed  to  suffocation  and  there  was  a  roar  of  applause  after 
she  had  gone  through  with  the  simple  ceremony.  By  request,  I 
lectured  on  the  Buddhistic  incidents  of  my  Australian  tour.  The 
creation  of  a  Blavatsky  Scholarship  Fund,  for  the  education  of 
Buddhist  girls  being  suggested,  I  took  subscriptions  to  the  amount 
of  Rs.  500  towards  it,  but  the  idea  was  never  carried  out.  On  the 
following  day  a  Garden  Party  in  honour  of  Miss  Pickett  was  given  at 
the  Sanghamitta  School.  At  this  time  Dr.  Daly  was  showing  the  worst 
side  of  his  nature,  and  he  had  grossly  insulted  the  faithful  Sinhalese 
Committee,  who  had  been  working  so  hard  with  me  during  the  pre- 
vious ten  years.  The  situation  was  altogether  very  strained,  and  when 
I  left  for  Marseilles  with  Mr.  Keightley,  on  the  French  steamer,  on 
the  15th  of  June,  the  feeling  was  very  bitter  on  both  sides. 

The  homeward  voyage  was  smooth  and  without  notable  incident : 
we  reached  Marseilles  on  the  2nd  July,  Paris  on  the  3rd,  and  London 
on  the  4th,  where  I  arrived  at  6  p.m.  W.  Q.  Judge,  who  had  come 
over  from  New  York  in  response  to  my  telegram,  met  me  and  took  me 
to  the  headquarters  at  19,  Avenue  Road,  where  I  had  an  affectionate 
greeting  from  Mrs.  Besant  and  the  other  residents  of  the  house.  Mrs. 
B.  and  I  visited  the  bed-room  of  H.  P.  B.,  and  after  a  time  of  solemn 
meditation,  pledged  ourselves  to  be  true  to  the  Cause  and  to  each 
other.  The  death  of  my  co- Founder  had  left  me  as  the  recognized 
sole  centre  of  the  movement,  and  it  seemed  as  if  the  hearts  of  all  our 
best  workers  warmed  towards  me  more  than  they  had  ever  done 

before. 

A  general  Convention  of  our  Branches  in  Europe  having  been 
called  for  the  9th  of  July,  the  Delegates  from  Sweden  reported 
themselves  on  the  6th,  and  others  from  different  countries,  including 


328  The  Theosophlat.  [March 

Great  Britain  and  Ireland,  kept  coming,  up  to  the  time  of  opening. 
I  have  noted  in  my  entry  for  the  8th  of  July  a  domestic  incident 
which  I  think  worth  registering  here,  because  it  is  so  illustrative  of 
the  spirit  of  devotion  to  our  Society  which  has  been  showing  itself 
at  intervals  throughout  our  whole  corporate  history.    Although  it 
poured  in  torrents  on  the  day  in  question,  a  number  of  ladies  and 
gentlemen,  one  or  two,  I   believe,  of  noble  birth,  gathered  together 
at  Avenue  Road  and  shelled  peas  by  the  bushel,  scraped  bushels  of 
potatoes  and  other  vegetables,  and  did  a  lot  of  miscellaneous  house- 
work  in  preparation  for  the  entertainment  of  Delegates  in  a  large 
marquee  erected  in  the  garden.    There  were  grave  literary  men  and 
women,  artists,  members  of  the  learned  professions  and   others  of 
dignified   social  position,  cheerfully  undertaking  this  menial  work 
for  the  sake  of  the  Society  which  they  loved.    On  that  same  evening, 
by  request,  I  gave  personal   reminiscences  of  H.P.B.  to  an  informal 
meeting  of  Delegates ;  and  the  questions  put  to  me  elicited  an  amount 
of  detail  about  the  private  life,    habits  and  opinions  of  our  dear, 
never-to-be-replaced,  Helena  Petrovua.     It  touched  me  to  see  the 
evidences  of  her  strong  hold  upon  the  aflfections  of  all  who  had  been 
associated  with  her.    Smarting,  as  I  was,  from  a  bereavement  which 
was  to  me  inexpressibly  greater  than  it  could  have  been  to  any  of 
the  others  who  had  been  less   mixed  up  in  her  life  than  I,  their 
evidently  sincere   grief  strongly  excited  my  emotions.    It  was  only 
now,   when  I  stood  in  her  London  home,  where  we  had  passed 
many  pleasant  hours  together,  during  my  visits  to  London,  and  saw 
myself  surrounded  by  the  objects  she  had  left  on  her  desk,   the 
latest  books  that  she  had  been   reading,  the  big  chair  she  had  sat  in 
and  the  dresses  she  had  worn,   that  I   felt  the  full    sense  of  our 
irreparable  loss.    Although  I  had   known  for  years  that  she  would 
die  before  me,  yet  I  never  expected  that  she  would  leave  me  so 
abruptly  without  passing  over  to  me  certain  secrets  which  she   told 
me  she  must  give  me  before  she  could  go.     So  it  seemed  almost   as 
though  there  was  some  mistake,  and  that,  instead  of  having  gone  on 
the  long  journey  to  the  higher  sphere,  she  must  have  just  taken 
temporary  leave  of  us  with   the  intention  of  coming  back  to  have 
those  last  words  with  me  and  then  get  her  final  release.    I  even  ex- 
pected that  she  would   come  to  my  bedside  that  night,   but   my 
slumbers  were  not  interrupted.     And  so  I  braced  myself  up  to  carry 
the  heavy  burden  that  had  fallen  upon  my  shoulders,  and  do  my 
best  to  keep  the  vital  power  unweakened  within  the  body  of  the 
Society  which  we  two  had  built  up  together. 

H.  S.  O1.COTT. 


329 


OBSTACLES  TO  SPIRITUAL  PROGRESS* 
II.    The  Chief  Obstacles  Expi^ained. 

[As  hardly  any  notes  were  made  of  the  second  and  third  lectures, 
these  had  to  be  written  out  from  memory,  and  are  incomplete. — Ed.  note]. 

TT  /"E  have  seen  what  are  the  three  main  conditions  for  progress  ; 
VV  and  from  their  nature  it  is  clear  that  they  are  necessar}'  for 
those  who  are  still  living  in  the  world  with  perhaps  but  little  thought 
of  following  a  spiritual  life,  as  well  as  for  those  who  have  definitely 
set  out  on  the  spiritual  path.  In  the  earlier  stages  the  foundation 
must  be  laid  for  the  final  superstructure,  and  though  the  details 
change  as  we  advance,  yet  the  main  principles  are  the  same  right 
through.  This  morning  we  have  to  examine  some  of  the  obstacles 
that  lie  in  our  way,  and  if  possible  to  classify  them  so  that  we  may 
be  the  better  able  to  deal  with  them.  And  if  it  may  seem  that  their 
number,  their  subtlety,  their  universality  is  such  as  to  discourage  us, 
then  we  should  bear  in  mind  that  the  divinity  within  us  is  all-power- 
ful, that  there  is  no  obstacle  which  it  cannot  overcome.  Not  only 
so,  but  these  very  obstacles  which  stand  in  our  way  to-day  are  the 
same  that  the  sages  and  saints  ot  the  past  have  had  to  meet.  They 
have  surmounted  them,  and  in  their  success  we  find  the  guarantee 
that  we  also  shall  ultimately  succeed ;  for  the  same  life  that  is  in 
them  is  also  in  us. 

We  shall  find  that  the  classification  follows  the  same  general 
lines  as  that  of  the  conditions  for  progress.  Beginning,  then,  with 
the  simplest  and  least  subtle,  we  find  that  one  great  hindrance  to 
progress  is  lack  of  development,  and  lack  of  purity  of  our  sheaths. 
This  may  not  directly  touch  the  Ego,  for  the  sheaths  are  but  tem- 
porary instruments,  and  the  lower  ones  last  but  a  single  life-period. 
But  no  workman,  however  skilful,  can  do  effective  work,  if  his  tools 
aud  instruments  are  out  of  order ;  and  similarly  the  Ego  can 
neither  grow  nor  work  well  unless  its  instruments  are  fairly  per- 
fect and  responsive  to  its  touch.  Thus  it  becomes  a  part  of  our 
duty,  of  our  religion  even,  to  see  that  our  sheaths  are  well  develop- 
ed. A  strong,  healthy  body,  well  exercised  in  all  its  parts  and 
muscles,  is  one  of  the  least  diflScult  things  to  attain  ;  and  requires 
little  more  than  obedience  to  natural  laws,  and  the  following  out  of 
simple  and  wholesome  rules  of  life.  True,  it  may  be  that  our 
karmic  limitations  will  stand  in  our  way  here,  and  weakness  and 
suflfering  may  be  needed  by  the  Ego  for  other  purposes ;  but  that 
does  not  alter  our  duty.  Whatever  our  past  Karma  may  be,  our 
present  duty  is  to  make  the  best  physical  conditions  we  can  at  the 
present,  knowing  that  then  we  shall  be  doing  all  in  our  power,  and 
that  our  physical  tool  will  be  as  perfect  for  our  use  as  our  past 

*  Lectures  delivered  by  Miss  Edger  at  Adyar,  Dec.  1900, 


330  The  Theosophist.  [March 

makes  possible.  Purity  of  body  comes  next,  and  on  this  it  should 
hardly  be  necessary  to  dwell  in  India,  for  the  traditions  of  the  past 
have  so  impressed  this  lesson.  Purity  of  food,  purity  of  life  are 
not  only  fully  appreciated,  but  the  method  of  attaining  them  has  been 
reduced  to  a  science.  So  that  here,  of  all  countries,  there  is  the  least 
excuse  if  men  hamper  themselves  with  the  burden  of  an  impure 
body. 

But  when  we  come  to  the  other  sheaths,  our  task  is  more  diffi- 
cult. Impurity  of  desire  and  of  thought,  want  of  control  of  the  mind 
rise  up,  great  barriers  in  our  way.  For  how  can  we  hope  to  fix  our 
whole  thought  on  Isvara  and  become  one  with  Him,  who  is  all 
purity,  so  long  as  we  are  indulging  in  impure  thought,  and  are  de- 
siring things  that  belong  only  to  this  passing  existence,  things  that 
we  have  already  learned  to  recognise  as  unworthy  of  the  divine 
essence  that  is  ourselves.  How  can  we  hope  to  keep  our  mind  for 
ever  steadily  centred  in  the  Supreme,  when  we  cannot  yet  keep  it 
centred  for  even  an  hour  or  so  on  some  subject  of  study  we  want  to 
follow  out.  "  For  Manas  is  verily  restless,  O  Krishna  ;  it  is  impetu- 
ous, strong  and  difficult  to  bend  ;  I  deem  it  as  hard  to  curb  as  the 
wind."*  It  may  be  a  matter  of  little  moment  at  present  that  ^we 
should  keep  our  attention  fixed  on  the  matters  we  are  engaged  in 
for  they  are  for  the  most  part  mere  bubbles  of  air  that  burst  and 
leave  no  trace  behind.  But  we  are  building  for  the  future,  and  as 
we  grow  we  shall  have  to  concern  ourselves  with  matters  that  are 
of  paramount  importance  in  themselves,  and  then  the  inability  to 
concentrate  the  attention  will  drag  us  to  our  ruin.  Thus  it  becomes 
essential  that  we  should  now  and  here  check  the  restlessness  of  the 
mind.  The  development  of  all  our  mental  powers  must  accompany 
the  cultivation  of  concentration,  and  both  ends  are  reached  by 
steady,  methodical  study.  Here  we  must  guard  against  the  mis- 
take of  thinking  that  certain  subjects  of  study  are  useless ;  a  mistake 
that  is  frequently  made  by  young  students.  Not  only  is  every  branch 
of  study  useful  as  a  means  of  training  one  faculty  or  another  of  the 
mind,  but  it  is  also  of  the  greatest  value  in  itself,  because  it  has  its 
correspondence  on  a  higher  plane.  Take  mathematics  as  an  illustra- 
tion, a  subject  that  by  some  is  regarded  as  dry,  uninteresting,  and  per- 
haps of  little  value.  But  the  very  basis  of  mathematics  is  the  science 
and  relation  of  numbers,  and  if  we  study  it  on  right  lines  it  will  (^>en 
up  to  us  that  inner  relation  of  numbers  which  lies  at  the  root  of 
manifestation.  Number,  we  are  taught,  underlies  all  form;  it 
underlies  colour,  sound,  all  the  various  manifestations  of  the 
One  Life ;  if  then  we  understand  the  science  of  numbers,  we 
shall  have  taken  the  first  step  towards  understanding  the  ver>' 
basis  of  manifestation  itself.  Along  with  it  must  go  the  study 
of  the  various  manifestations  of  number — music,  art,  geometry, 
the  various  branches  of  natural  science.    Similarly    every  sub- 


•  3basravad.Gtt&,  VI.  34. 


■w.^^ 


1901.]  Obstacles  to  Spiritual  Progress.  331 

ject  of  study  has  its  correlatiou  on  higher  planes,  and  leads  us 
nearer  to  an  understanding  of  the  very  essence  of  being.  Every 
branch  of  knowledge,  being  a  part  of  the  truth,  is  a  partial  expres- 
sion of  the  Supreme  ;  unity  with  the  Supreme  will  open  up  to  us 
knowledge  of  all  His  expressions  of  Himself ;  but  the  earlier  steps 
towards  the  attainment  of  that  unity  lie  in  the  endeavour  to  under- 
stand all  we  can  of  these  partial  expressions.  Restlessness  of  mind, 
then,  and  failure  to  develop  our  mental  faculties,  must  be  guarded 
against  as  well  as  the  more  obvious  failings  of  impurity  in  thought 
and  desire. 

The  next  group  of  hindrances  is  associated  with  the  failure  to 
discriminate  between  the  real  and  the  unreal.  The  most  obvious 
of  these  are  all  the  various  forms  of  self-indulgence,  which  spring 
out  of  the  identification  of  ourselves  with  our  sheaths  instead  of 
with  the  Ego.  This  is  an  inevitable  result  of  the  natural  course  of 
evolution,  our  consciousness  being  first  developed  through  and  in 
the  sheaths,  beginning  with  the  densest.  Thus  we  first  identify  our- 
selves with  the  physical  sheath,  and  physical  pleasures  in  the  earlier 
stages  appear  to  bring  us  the  greatest  happiness.  After  repeated 
experiences  of  their  transitory  nature  they  begin  to  pall  on  us,  and 
then  we  identify  ourselves  with  the  astral  sheath  and  find  our  plea- 
sure in  the  play  of  the  emotions  ;  while  the  next  step  is  to  identify 
ourselves  with  the  mental  sheath,  and  find  our  sole  happiness  in  in- 
tellectual pleasures.  As  in  all  matters  of  right  and  Wrong,  each 
step  is  an  advance  on  the  one  befdre,  and  only  becomes  a  hindrance 
when  we  are  ready  to  take  the  succeeding  one.  It  is  distinctly 
better  to  take  a  keen  delight  in  the  pleasures  of  the  senses  than  to 
feel  that  indifiBerence  to  them  which  arises  from  ignorance  of  their 
powers  ;  for  through  that  very  keen  delight  will  ultimately  come  the 
knowledge  of  their  real  nature.  But  when  once  we  have  begun  to 
realise  that  they  belong  to  the  least  permanent  of  our  sheaths,  then 
that  delight,  if  indulged,  becomes  a  hindrance.  The  time  has  then 
eome  for  us  to  seek  our  pleasure  higher,  and  to  indulge  our  love  of  the 
beautiful)  of  music,  of  art.  Still  it  is  a  form  of  self-indulgencfe,  subtle 
abd  refintd  though  it  be ;  even  intellectual  pleasures  may  become  so, 
atid  may  be  an  even  more  dangerous  hindrance  than  sensuality. 
Thus  we  need  to  bring  other  influences  to  bear  on  these  matters. 
First  wc  shall  seek  to  find  that  in  the  Ego,  which  corresponds  with 
this  enjoyment  in  the  sheath.  Take  the  love  of  the  beautiful.  At 
first  we  need  to  be  surrounded  by  beautiful  objects  ;  we  see  and  feel 
the  poetry  of  nature  ;  the  humming  of  the  birds  and  insects  around 
us,  the  brilliance  and  fragrance  of  the  flowers,  the  ripple  of  the 
waves  on  the  sea-shore,  the  play  of  form  and  colour  under  the  skilful 
fingers  of  the  artist,  all  these  bring  us  that  keenness  of  delight  asso- 
ciated with  the  artistic  nature.  But  presently  we  find  that  they  in 
themselves  have  no  power  to  give  us  delight ;  that  we  may  be  sur- 
rounded by  all  objects  of  delight,  yet  feel  none ;  that,  on  the  other 


332  The  Theosophist.  [March 

hand,  the  objects  may  be  absent  and  yet  the  delight  be  keener  than 
ever.  And  so  we  learn  that  the  real  source  of  artistic  pleasure  is  in 
the  Ego  ;  that  there  is  something  there  which  responds  to  these  ex- 
ternal stimuli,  and  that  it  is  the  response,  not  the  stimulus,  which 
gives  us  delight.  At  last  we  find  that  this  response  may  be  initia- 
ted from  within,  independently  of  the  external  stimulus,  and  then  it 
matters  not  what  our  surroundings  may  be ;  we  may  live  in  the 
midst  of  squalor  and  ugliness,  and  yet  may  be  surrounded  on  all 
sides  by  forms  of  beauty ;  our  very  soul  may  be  full  of  the  music  and 
art  of  nature  herself.  This  is  the  first  step  towards  overcoming  this 
obstacle  of  self-indulgence,  for  it  is  the  first  step  inward  from  the 
sheath  to  the  Ego.  But  it  is  only  the  first,  and  but  a  short  one  ;  the 
next  is  taken  when  we  begin  to  realise  that  all  beauty  exists  for  the 
sake  of  all,  not  for  the  sake  of  the  individual.  Then  we  begin  to  create 
forms  and  sounds  of  beauty  and  shed  them  all  around  us  that  others 
may  feel  and  enjoy  them,  and  be  purified  and  elevated  by  them. 
And  so  in  the  place  of  self-indulgence  on  every  plane^  there  comes 
the  exercising  of  all  the  powers  of  enjoyment  and  appreciation  we 
have  developed,  for  the  increasing  of  the  happiness  of  others  along 
with  our  own,  instead  of  for  the  mere  gratification  of  the  separated 
self.  Thus  out  of  the  very  understanding  of  the  nature  of  this 
obstacle  may  spring  its  cure. 

It  is  hardly  necessary  to  specialise  the  various  forms  of  self-indul- 
gence— gluttony,  voluptuousness,  greed,  covetousness,  lust,  meanness ; 
they  are  all  closely  related  to  one  another,  all  have  their  root  in  our 
mistaking  the  unreal  for  the  real,  and  all  re-appear  in  more  and  more 
subtle  forms  as  we  rise  from  plane  to  plane.  But  there  is  one  kind 
of  self-indulgence  that  is  not  always  recognized  as  such.  It  is 
discontent)  one  of  the  subtlest  and  most  dangerous  of  this  group  of 
hindrances.  Discontent  with  our  surroundings,  discontent  with  the 
associations  of  our  present  life,  discontent  with  our  opportunities, 
and,  subtlest  of  all,  discontent  with  otirselves.  It  saps  our  very  life- 
blood  ;  we  are  ever  wasting  our  energy  in  thinking  of  what  we 
would  do  were  things  as  we  would  wish,  of  how  much  better  we 
would  be  were  our  opportunities  greater,  instead  of  utilising  to  the 
very  best  advantage  the  little  opportunity  we  have.  Nothing  can  be 
more  illusory,  nothing  more  full  of  vself-deception.  It  is  not  our  sur- 
roundings that  keep  us  back,  it  is  not  for  lack  of  opportunity  that 
we  stand  still.  Again  and  again  can  we  observe  both  in  our  own 
lives  and  in  those  of  others,  how  we  think  it  is  some  difficult  circum- 
stance that  prevents  us  from  doing  a  certain  thing  we  know  we 
ought  to  do.  We  say  to  ourselves,  **  I  cannot  do  this  yet ;  if  only  this 
difficulty  were  removed,  then  I  could  work.  I  could  progress." 
Presently  the  difficulty  is  removed,  but  the  progress  is  not  made. 
No,  it  is  in  ourselves  that  all  hindrances  He,  not  in  our  surroundings ; 
if  we  really  believed  in  the  Law  of  Karma,  we  should  know  this, 
we  should  know  that  our  surroundings,  whatever  they  may  be,  are 


1901.]  Obstaclei^  to  Spiritual  Progress.  333 

exactly  what  are  most  needed  for  the  growth  of  the  Ego,  and  so  far 
fix)m  feeling  discontent,  we  should  rejoice  and  glory  in  the  very  diffi- 
culties that  beset  our  way.  Similary  we  should  be  contented  with 
ourselves,  knowing  that  what  we  are  is  the  measure  of  the  growth  of 
the  Ego,  and  therefore  that  it  is  in  reality  what  we  most  need  to  be  at 
this  particular  point  in  our  evolution.  It  is  vanity  and  selfishness  that 
make  us  discontented,  though  we  too  often  mistake  these  for  modesty. 
But  true  modesty  does  not  look  inward  to  the  personality ;  it  looks  out 
into  the  self,  and  there  loses  itself  in  the  joy  of  the  Self.  That  which 
looks  inward,  whether  with  complacence  or  with  depreciation,  is 
still  vanity,  and  only  leads  to  the  misery  of  either  pride  or  discon- 
tent. Let  us  no  longer  deceive  ourselves  then  ;  let  us  cease  to  think 
of  what  we  are,  and  of  what  we  would  wish  to  do  if  we  could,  and 
spend  all  our  energy  simply  in  being  and  doing.  Emerson,  a  true 
Theosophist  in  thought,  though  not  in  name,  expresses  the  same 
idea  when  he  says  :— "  Why  should  we  make  it  a  point  with  our 
false  modesty,  to  disparage  that  man  we  are,  and  that  form  of  being 
assigned  to  us  ?  A  good  man  is  contented.  I  love  and  honour 
Epaminondas,  but  I  do  not  wish  to  be  Epaminondas.  I  hold  it  more 
just  to  love  the  world  of  this  hour  than  the  world  of  his  hour.  Nor 
can  you,  if  I  am  true,  excite  me  to  the  least  uneasiness  by  saying 
*  He  acted,  and  thou  sittest  still.'  I  see  action  to  be  good  when  the 
need  is,  and  sitting  still  to  be  also  good.  Epaminondas,  if  he  was 
the  man  I  take  him  for,  would  have  sat  still  with  joy  and  peace  if 
bis  lot  had  been  mine.     Heaven  is  large,  and  aifords  space  for  all 

modes  of  love  and  fortitude action   and  inaction  are  alike  to 

the  true.  One  piece  of  the  tree  is  cut  for  a  weathercock,  and  one 
for  the  sleeper  of  a  bridge ;  the  virtue  of  the  wood  is  apparent  in 
both.  I  desire  not  to  disgrace  the  soul.  The  fact  that  I  am  here 
certainly  shows  me  that  the  soul  had  need  of  an  organ  here.  Shall 
I  not  assume  the  post  ?  Shall  I  skulk  and  dodge  and  duck  with 
my  unseasonable  apologies  and  vain  modesty,  and  imagine  my  being 
here  impertinent,  less  pertinent  than  Epaminondas  or  Homer  being 

tbere,  and  that  the  soul  did  not  know  its  own  needs  ? I  will  not 

meanly  decline  the  immensity  of  good  because  I  have  heard  that 
it  has  come  to  others  in  another  shape."* 

Another  aspect  of  this  group  of  failings  is  untruthfulness.  It 
begins  in  that  common  form  of  untruthfulness  which  will  tell 
a  lie  for  the  sake  of  some  material  benefit,  but  this  form,  by  its 
very  barefacedness,  is  comparatively  easy  to  overcome  ;  it  brings 
its  own  punishment  in  its  train.  More  subtle  and  correspond- 
ingly more  dangerous  is  the  untruthfulness  which  prompts  to 
flattery.  The  desire  to  gain  some  benefit  or  avoid  some  mis- 
fortune is  again  the  prompting  motive,  but  it  is  often  excused 
on  the  ground  that  it  is  done  with  the  object   of  pleasing  the 


•  * 


'Emerson's  Twenty  Essays"  (Bohn's   Cheap  Series),  p.  69, 


334  the  Theosophist.  [Man^ 

one  to  whom  it  is  addressed.  No  greater  mistake  could  be  made. 
Flattery  is  the  worst  compliment  that  can  be  paid  to  any  one» 
for  only  the  very  foolish  or  the  very  small-minded  are  pleased 
by  it ;  others  value  it  at  its  true  worth,  and  think  less,  not 
more,  of  those  who  condescend  to  employ  it.  When  a  nation 
begins  to  fall  a  prey  to  it,  then  it  is  as  though  a  canker-worm  were 
eating  out  its  very  heart ;  self-respect  dies,  falsehood  ^reads  through 
every  department  of  the  national  life,  and  unless  it  be  checked,  the 
nation  must  surely  die.  Think  of  this,  Hindus — ^you  who  at  times 
are  tempted  to  flatter  the  **  ruling  race  "—of  whom  it  has  been  said, 
whether  truthfully  or  not  I  leave  you  to  judge,  that  flattery  is  be- 
coming one  of  the  national  vices ;  think  of  it,  and  remember  that  it 
will  defeat  its  own  end,  at  the  same  time  that  it  will  sap  your  energy, 
and  lower  your  position  in  the  scale  of  nations.  Truth  through  and 
through  is  absolutely  necessary  if  we  would  grow  in  spirituality,  for 
the  very  essence  of  the  Supreme  is  truth,  and  how  can  we  come 
near  His  heart  unless  we  also  are  true.  It  is  not  enough  to  speak 
the  truth,  it  is  not  enough  to  act  the  truth,  we  must  be  true  to  the 
very  core  of  our  being,  so  that  never  a  false  note  is  given  out. 

Closely  connected  with  this  group  of  obstacles  is  another  that 
has  for  its  fundamental  characteristic  the  love  of  separateness.  For 
the  identification  of  ourselves  with  the  sheaths  belongs  to  the  stage 
when  separateness  is  the  law  of  evolution  ;  it  is  thus,  so  to  speak,  the 
subjective  side  of  that  of  which  th^  objective  side  appears  in  all  the 
failings  that  are  generally  grouped  together  as  the  selfish  propensi- 
ties. Indifference  to  the  welfare  of  others,  fault-finding  and  slander, 
suspicion,  resentment,  anger,  revenge,  envy,  jealousy,  malice,  hate, 
cruelty,  all  these  are  well  recognised,  and  need  no  comment.  There 
is,  however,  one  somewhat  subtler  form  on  which  we  may  dwell— 
the  attitude  that  is  sometimes  adopted  by  the  elder  members 
of  the  human  family  towards  their  younger  brothers.  Every 
nation  has  its  **  submerged  tenth,"  coUvSisting  of  those  whose  Karma 
has  brought  them  into  surroundings  of  poverty  and  distress.  They 
are  outside  the  pale  of  the  nation,  for  their  tastes  are  unrefined,  they 
have  little  or  no  education,  their  standard  of  morality  is  low,  they 
too  often  live  in  an  atmosphere  of  coarseness  and  crime.  So  their 
more  fortunate  brothers  avoid  and  scorn  them  ;  they  draw  their 
skirts  aside  that  they  may  not  be  polluted  by  the  touch  of  degrada- 
tion, and  by  this  very  act  they  widen  the  gulf  that  yawns  between 
them,  and  intensify  the  sense  of  separateness.  Such  is  not  the  spirit 
of  brotherhood  ;  the  elder  brother  of  a  family  does  not  draw  aside 
from  his  little  brother  because  in  his  foolish  ignorance  he  sits  in  the 
dirt  and  makes  mud  pies  ;  he  rather  lifts  him  outof  the  dirt  and 
washes  his  face,  and  gives  him  something  better  to  amuse  himself 
with.  Surely  we,  who  pride  ourselves  on  our  better  birth,  our  greater 
refinement,  our  more  highly-developed  intellect,  or  possibly  our 
better  caste  or  higher  social  oosition,  should  act  likewise,  should  lift 


10O1.3  Obstacles  to  Spiritual  Progress.  335 

our  younger  brothers  out  of  the  mire  of  degradation  and  show  th^m 
some  better  way  of  amusing  themselves.  It  has  be^n  4on^.  In  many 
nations,  some  of  the  more  fortunate  have  given  of  their  energy  and 
their  wealth  to  raise  these  less  developed  souls,  and  have  found  that, 
undeveloped  as  they  are,  they  are  still  susceptible  to  both  intellectual 
and  moral  training,  and  the  results  fully  repay  the  eiforts  that  have 
been  made.  In  India  too  the  experiment  has  been  tried  and  has 
shown  signs  of  success.  The  greater  then  is  our  responsibility  if  we 
neglect  this  duty  that  lies  right  at  our  doors.  Never  shall  we  rise 
into  union  with  the  Father  of  all  that  lives,  until  we  have  learned 
how  to  draw  the  rest  of  His  children  nearer  to  Him,  for  we  should 
remen^ber  that  "  God  has  need  for  a/i  His  children,  and  not  oxly 
for  those  who  climb  near  His  feet."* 

This  failing  takes  another  form  as  we  advance.  We  rise  above 
the  mere  personality ;  the  ordinary  selfish  propensities  lose  their 
power  over  us,  for  the  objects  with  which  they  are  associated  have 
ceased  to  attract  us.  We  are  indeed  travelling  along  the  path  of 
spirituality,  and  are  beginning  to  acquire  knowledge  faculties  that 
do  not  belong  to  the  earlier  stages.  Then  comes  one  of  the  most 
subtle  ot  the  dangers  we  have  to  meet.  If  in  the  earlier  stages  we 
have  cultivated  the  sense  of  separateness,  if  we  have  sought  know- 
ledge and  power  because  we  wanted  them  for  ourselves,  here  we 
shall  be  assailed  by  spiritual  pride.  We  shall  be  tempted  to  try  to 
retain  our  knowledge  and  power  for  ourselves,  to  look  down  on 
those  whom  we  judge  to  be  less  advanced  than  ourselves.  "  I  am 
better  than  thou,"  will  be  our  thought ;  **  I  have  powers  that  thou 
hast  not,  I  am  singled  out  from  the  rest  of  humanity  by  my  know- 
ledge, by  my  spirituality  ;  I  will  jealously  guard  it,  and  keep  it  to 
myself,  lest  it  should  become  the  common  property  of  all,  and  then 
I  shall  lose  my  position  of  distinction."  And  so  we  wrap  ourselves 
up  in  a  thick  cloak  of  pride  and  conceit,  and  sit  in  solitary  state  on 
a  pinnacle  of  our  own  building.  The  fact  that  advancing  spiritual- 
ity increases  our  sensitiveness  only  adds  to  our  danger.  As  we 
grow,  we  begin  to  reject  the  coarser  vibrations,  and  if  we  come  in 
contact  with  them  we  feel  ill  at  ease  and  shrink  back  into  ourselves, 
excusing  ourselves  on  the  ground  that  we  are  now  ''  so  sensitive  " 
that  we  cannot  bear  them.  Our  sensitiveness  is  as  nothing  compared 
with  that  of  the  great  Saviours  of  the  world,  yet  t^ey  were  able  to  bear 
to  come  in  contact  with  sinning,  suffering  humanity,  and  to  give 
freely  of  Their  own  sweetness  and  purity  I  Our  sensitiveness  is  less 
than  nothing,  compared  with  that  of  f  svara  Himself,  yet  He  not  only 
comes  in  contact  with  sin  and  suffering  but  He  is  actually  there  in 
the  very  heart  of  humanity,  suffering  with  the  pain  of  every  being 
that  suffers.  There  is  no  pain  that  is  not  His  pain,  and  shall  we, 
in  our  arrogant  conceit,  shrink  back  from  the  suffering  of  others. 


t  l^ectur^  i^t  St.  Ja,9ies  's  Ha^.  A,  P^^sant. 


336  The  Theosophist.  [March 

because,  forsooth,  it  grates  on  our  fancied  purity !  Fools  that  we 
are,  not  to  see  that  every  shrinking  back  into  ourselves  carries 
us  a  step  farther  away  from  the  I/)rd.  Sensitiveness,  in  the  ma- 
jority of  cases,  is  only  a  less  ugly  name  for  selfishness  and 
pride.  And  that  pinnacle  of  isolation  on  which  we  are  tempted  to 
seat  ourselves  will  only  lead  us  to  our  destruction,  for  it  has 
no  strength  above,  and  its  foundation  is  rotten.  I^t  us  rather 
look  upwards  to  the  heights  that  still  lie  beyond  ;  they  are  immea- 
surable, while  those  we  have  already  scaled  are  infinitesimally  small. 
It  is  only  those  who  are  looking  downwards  that  can  be  either 
proud  or  over-sensitive.  Those  whose  gaze  is  ever  fixed  upwards 
must  be  full  of  the  sweetness  of  humility,  and  of  that  patient 
tenderness  that  would  seek  to  draw  all  beings  to  itself,  and  to  draw 
those  that  are  most  tainted  with  sin  the  nearest  to  the  heart,  for 
they  most  need  the  sheltering  protection  of  love. 

Yet  one  more  group  of  obstacles  remains  to  be  considered,  that 
which  springs  out  of  a  shrinking  from  the  experience  of  new  vibra- 
tions. All  forms  of  indolence  and  cowardice  fall  under  this  head, 
including  that  mental  indolence  which  is  at  the  root  of  prejudice 
and  narrowness  of  belief.  We  need  not  dwell  on  these  failings, 
for  they  are  obvious  and  easily  recognised.  It  is  perfectly  self- 
evident  that  if  we  are  to  grow  and  develop  we  must  come  into 
contact  with  all  manner  of  new  experiences  ;  we  must  keep  the  mind 
open  to  receive  new  thought  and  knowledge,  and  must  be  willing 
to  learn  truth  from  all  sources.  Creeds  and  dogmas  are  not  without 
their  use ;  they  serve  to  formulate  our  present  beliefs  and  make 
them  more  definite  and  real  to  us.  They  are  the  measure  of  our 
present  growth,  and  the  absence  of  a  creed  is  usually  a  sign  that  we 
have  not  exercised  suflScient  independent  thought  to  be  able  to  claim 
that  we  believe  anything  at  all.  But  a  creed  must  not  be  allowed  to 
become  a  limitation  or  a  cause  of  bondage.  It  needs  unlimited 
elasticity  so  that  as  we  grow  it  may  expand,  until  when  its  limit  of 
elasticity  is  reached  it  breaks  away,  and  a  new  and  broader  creed  is 
formulated  in  its  place.  If  on  the  other  hand  we  allow  ourselves 
to  be  bound  down  by  our  creeds,  then  we  are  cramped  and  checked 
in  our  growth,  and  fall  a  prey  to  the  worst  forms  of  prejudice  and 
narrowness. 

Sometimes,  however,  indolence  conceals  itself  under  another 
name,  and  passes  under  the  garb  of  desire  for  asceticism  and  retire- 
ment from  the  world.  It  is  true  that  there  is  a  point  in  the  develop- 
ment of  every  soul  when  retirement  from  the  world  is  not  only 
beneficial,  but  even  necessary.  But  this  is  when  we  have  exhausted 
experience,  when  the  world  has  no  longer  anything  to  give  or  to 
teach  us.  Then  it  is  right  and  well  that  we  should  withdraw  for  a 
time  into  ourselves,  for  we  are  ready  to  become  one  with  the  self; 
and  in  solitude  we  shall  be  able  to  gather  in  greater  strength  to 
give  out  afterwards  for  the  helping  of  others,    But  we  must  be  on 


1901.]  A  Tentative  Conception  of  the  Mode  of  Motion.  337 

our  guard  against  seeking  this  retirement  before  we  are  yet  read}' 
for  it ;  for  then  it  will  tend  only  to  increase  our  separateness  and 
make  us  less  able  to  work  for  humanity.  The  world  is  the  best 
school-house  for  learning  sympathy  and  tenderness  ;  those  who  will 
not  learn  it  there  are  hardly  likely  to  do  so  in  the  jungle.  So  let  us 
first  cultivate  love,  for  we  shall  find  that  love  is  the  beginning,  the 
middle,  and  the  end  of  spiritual  progress. 

"  Here  in  the  heart  of  the  world, 

Here  in  the  noise  and  the  din, 
Here  where  our  spirits  are  hurled 

To  battle  with  sorrow  and  sin  ; 
This  is  the  place  and  the  spot 

For  knowledge  of  infinite  things  ; 
This  is  the  kingdom  where  thought 

Can  conquer  the  prowess  of  kings. 

Earth  is  one  chamber  of  heaven  ; 

Death  is  no  grander  than  birth  ; 
Joy  in  the  life  that  was  given, 

Strive  for  perfection  on  earth. 
Here  in  the  tumult  and  roar, 

Show  what  it  is  to  be  calm  ; 
Show  how  the  spirit  can  soar 

And  bring  back  its  healing  and  balm. 

Stand  not  aloof  nor  apart ; 

Plunge  in  the  thick  of  the  fight. 
There  in  the  street  and  the  mart, 

That  is  the  place  to  do  right ; 
Not  in  some  cloister  or  cave, 

Not  in  some  kingdom  above  : 
Here  on  this  side  of  the  grave, 

Here  we  should  labour  and  love 


»»• 


UUAN  EDGER. 


A  TENTATIVE  CONCEPTION  OF  THE  MODE  OF  MOTION 

'  AND  TRANSFKRRNCR  OP  KNKKGV  THROUGH  SPACR, 
MORE  ESPECIALI.Y  OF  WGHT  AND  HEAT. 

Introductory  Remarks. 

ONE  of  the  almost  universally  accepted  axioms  in  the  scientific 
world  at  present  appears  to  be  that  everything  material  is  in  con- 
stant vibrator>'  motion,  that  is,  atomically,  although  such  motion  be 
not  perceptible  by  our  senses  or  apparatus.  From  this  it  follows, 
that  the  changes  of  state  from  the  solid  to  liquid  and  from  this  to 
the  gaseous  are  due  to  change  of  rate  and  amplitude,  at  least  in  the 
simpler   inorganic  matter,  producing  definite  effects   at  definite 

*  By  Ella  Wheeler  Wilcox.  Quoted  in  Lights  September,  1900. 
3 


33d  The  TheoBophist.  [March 

stages  of  the  upward  or  downward  curve.    The  most  general  mode 
of  this  vibratory  motion  we  call  Heat. 

The  higher  the  rate  of  vibration,  the  more  widely  separated  be- 
come the  centres  of  the  molecules  and  atoms,  the  more  expanded 
in  general  become  solids  and  liquids,  and  the  more  compressible 
become  all  gases — ^by  mechanical  means.  This  seems  to  show  that 
interstitial  spaces  exist  between  the  proximal  and  ultimate  units, 
which  separate  them  from  each  other,  and  as  effectually  as  the 
spaces  between  stars,  suns  and  planets,  only  so  minute  that  the 
rhythmic  expansions  and  contractions  occupy  nearly  all  the  inter- 
spaces of  the  former,  that  is,  at  the  maxima  of  the  adjoining  atoms, 
&c.,  if  they  were  synchronous.  As,  however,  they  necessarily  act 
alternately,  that  is,  the  maximum  of  expansion  of  one  coinciding 
with  the  minimum  of  contraction  of  its  neighbour,  they  are,  if  homo- 
geneous, enabled  to  retain  their  places  relatively  and  to  remain  per- 
manently in  each  other's  sphere  of  influence  or,  if  otherwise  they  be 
heterogenous,  they  can  gradually  change  positions  and  relieve  ex- 
ternal and  internal  stress  till  equilibrium  be  attained,  thus  produ- 
cing the  phenomena  of  metamorphism. 

Similar  phenomena  as  underpressure,  take  place  spontaneously' 
when  the  temperature  sinks,  i,e.,  vibratory  energy  becomes  reduced. 
Gases  become  liquids,  liquids  become  solids,  and  solids  contract  in 
volume  at  specific  rates  as  temperature  diminishes. 

Reasoning  from  such  known  facts,  the  conclusion  appears  to  be 
irresistible,  that  at  the  cosmic  zero  point  of  temperature  everything 
must  assume  its  greatest  density,  combined  with  the  smallest  possi- 
ble volume,  become  absolutely  homogeneous  in  structure  and  its 
atoms  incapable  of  becoming  separated  by  ordinary  vibratory  motion, 
7.  ^.,  dead  in  the  fullest  sense.  For,  no  longer  able  to  respond  to 
the  vibrations  of  other  atoms  approaching  such  matter,  nor  to  re- 
ceive renewed  energy  from  them  in  any  form  excepting  gravitational 
impulses,  such  **  dead"  substance — whether  atomic,  molecular, 
or  aggregates  of  such — would  be  compelled  to  obey  the  laws  of 
gravity  absolutely  and  join  the  next  largest  mass  of  matter  without 
fail,  there  to  become  slowly  revivified. 

As  no  such  *'  dead"  substance  is  as  yet  known  (it  would,  per- 
haps, be  the  one  to  catch  and  hold  the  other),  and  it  being  scarcely 
likely  to  be  found  in  a  hurry,  we  may  safely  assume  :  (i)  That  then 
the  vibratory  atomic  energy  is  only  lost  superficially,  even  in  atoms, 
and  preserved  centrally  (like  a  spring  coiled  up  to  the  utmost)  and 
fixed  there  by  the  rigid  setting  of  the  peripheral  surface  until  the 
original  energy  be  restored  by  some  superior  external  force,  and  :  (2) 
That  no  terrestrial  substance  exists  which  can  maintain  independ- 
ent vibratory  (atomic)  motion  at  or  bej'ond  the  interplanetary  zero 
point,  i^e.y  escape  from  the  gravitational  attraction  of  the  Earth, 
whatever  its  vibratory  velocity  might  be,  at  or  near  her  surface. 

Thus  far  modern  scientific  research  seems  to  have  proved  the 


« 

1901.]  A  Tentative  Conception  of  the  Mode  of  Motion.  339 

correctness  of  these  assumptions,  for  not  only  does  the  most  ener- 
getically A-ibrating  terrestrial  substance,  Hydrogen,  become  solid 
some  12°  C.  above  the  (for  us)  cosmic  zero  point,  but  all  specific 
gravities  increase  with  decrease  of  volume  and  temperature,  that  is, 
vibratory  energy  and  volume  diminish  simultaneously  and  reach 
the  possible  minimum  long  before  the  Earth's  limit  of  gravitational 
attraction  is  reached,  consequently  none  can  get  away  spontaneously. 
The  questions  now  present  themselves  : — What  are  Energy,  Vi- 
bration and  Temperature  ?  How  are  they  communicated  (a)  from 
atom  to  atom  and  {d)  through  atomless  space  ?  And  how  may  this 
be  conceived  to  take  place  in  all  directions  at  any  distance  ? 


To  transfer  energy  or  force  from  one  field  of  activity  to  another, 
some  medium  and  a  mode  of  conveyance  are  required. 

As  mediums  we  have  Ether,  Gases,  I^iquids  and  Solids  ;  as 
modes,  vibrations  at  various  rates,  and,  presumably,  rhythm  and 
curve-forms. 

Some  forms  of  energy  pass  readily  through  ethereal  space  and 
without  the  aid  of  any  matter  known  on  Earth ;  such  are  Wght, 
Magnetism,  and  Gravitation.  For  these  the  hypothetical  "  Ether" 
has  been  assumed,  which  may  be  defined  as  unpolarised  matter  in  a 
state  of  super-gaseous  tenuity  It  is  not  directly  demonstrable, 
because  no  substance  is  known  capable  of  retaining  and  imprison* 
ing  this  Ether,  for  even  the  densest  metals  appear  to  be  as  penne* 
able  by  it  as  a  sieve  is  by  water  or  a  brick  by  gases. 

All  the  other  forms  of  energy  besides  the  three  named,  re- 
quire the  intermediation  of  solids,  liquids  and  gases  for  their  trans 
lation,  t.e.y  conduction  ;  such  are  Sound,  Heat,  Electricit>'  and 
Chemical  Affinity,  the  last  only  acting  at  contact  of  the  molecules 
and  atoms,  unless  some  other  transmitting  force  be  brought  into 
play. 

It  is  a  well-known  fact  that  all  the  above  forms  of  energy  become 
interchangeable  by  suitable  arrangements,  that  is,  one  kind  of  vibra- 
tion can  be  transformed  into  some  other  kind,  excepting  gravitation, 
which — ^although  it  can  be  employed  to  produce  the  others— is  it- 
self only  feebly  and  restrictedly  reproduced  by  magnetism. 

The  rates  of  velocity  of  most  forms  of  .energy  have  been  either 
determined  by  experiment,  like  those  of  light  and  magnetism  of  the 
ethereal  forces,  and  of  sound,  heat  and  electricity  of  the  material,  or 
are  inferred,  as  those  of  chemical  affinity  ;  gravitation  alone  appears 
to  act  instantaneously  throughout  space,  and  at  a  definite  inten- 
sity proportional  to  masses  and  their  distance  from  each  other* 

The  form  of  vibratory  motion  is  usually  represented  as  undula- 
tory,  or  wave-like,  but  scarcely  quite  correctly ;  **  waves"  moving 
only  in  one  plane,  i.e.,  bi-laterally,  while  vibratory  motion  takes 
place  in  all  planes  at  right  angles  to  the  direction  of  the  force,  such 
OS  light  or  heat,  the  maxima  of  exertion  lying  apparently  at  right 


346  ^he  Theosophist.  [Maich 

angles  to  each  other  also,  unless  polarised,  and  then  bi-lateral.  The 
mode  of  transference  is  conceived  to  consist  in  the  impetus  the 
atoms  receive  at  the  starting  point,  propelling  them  till  they  meet 
others  to  which  they  impart  their  load  of  force,  and  then  return  to 
receive  another,  thus  continuing  in  to-and-fro  motion  as  long  as 
energy  is  generated. 

The  distance  thus  traversed  by  each  force-atom  is  called  Us 
length  offreepath^  and  the  intensity  is  gauged  by  the  number  of  the 
atoms  moving  and  colliding  in  the  same  direction,  besides  their 
initial  velocity.  The  Hydrogen  atom,  the  swiftest  of  all,  is  said  to 
travel  at  a  rate  of  more  than  a  mile  per  second  (Is  this  a  survival  of 
the  Emission  Theory  ?). 

However  practically  correct  this  may  appear,  it  seems  difficult 
to  conceive  how — in  this  wise— real  undulatory  movement  can  l:>e 
produced  in  all  planes  at  right  angles  to  the  direction,  and  at  all 
distances  commensurate  with  the  units  of  vibration  (of  light  for 
example),  as  all  the  atomic  motions  would  be  straight  lines  and  not 
wave4ike  in  any  direction.  That,  in  striking  in  air  such  an  arrest- 
ing medium  as  a  tight  string  or  elastic  membrane,  a  fluid  surface, 
etc.,  the  colliding  atoms  could  readily  engender  undulatory  motion, 
is  quite  true,  yet  this  is  not  the  question,  but  how  it— the  force 
**  atom" — moves  itself,  so  as  to  impart  motion  to  others  tiot  in  the  sanu 
line  of  movement,  and  to  explain  reflection,  refraction,  polarisation  and 
conversion  into  specifically  difierent  forces,  and  equally  at  all  points 
of  the  ever  widening  periphery,  is  the  problem  presenting  itself. 

The  only  form  in  which  I  can  image  or  picture  to  myself  this 
abstract  action  is  by  conceiving  the  atomic  energy  to  move  from  the 
initial  to  the  final  stage  of  its  free-path  (wave-length)  not  in  a 
straight  course,  but  in  a  spiral,  screw-like  way,  and  this  spiral  not 
in  a  cylindrical  form,  but  in  that  of  some  definite  conic  section,  ot>., 
elliptic,  ellipsoidal,  spherical,  etc.,  varying  from  the  most  extended 
ellipse  down  to  a  disc-like,  compressed,  oblate  spheroidal  path. 

Assuming  further  that  every  atom  (ethereal  as  well  as  material) 
can  adopt  any  of  these  forms  of  motion  according  to  requirements, 
paucity  or  abundance  of  similar  or  dissimilar  substance  within  its 
reach  (besides  perfect  elasticity),  it  appears  to  become  (at  least 
plausibly)  feasible,  that  transmission  and  transformation  of  energy 
can  take  place  in  accordance  with  observed  phenomena ;  for  in  this 
way  the  atom  could  not  only  transmit  just  the  force  it  received  in  a 
straight  line  (centrally),  but  could  transfer  a  portion  laterally  to 
others  which  it  just  touched  outside  its  direct  path,  and  this  just  in 
due  proportion  as  the  periphery  increases  from  the  centre  with  the 
distance,  and  yet  each  retain  its  position  absolutely  in  space,  or 
change  it  slowly  or  rapidly  as  required  by  the  various  forces  it 
encounters. 

If  we  assume  that  the  units  of  the  various  states  of  matter  differ 
^erely  in  tension,  it  becomes  comprehensible,  it  seems  to  me,  that. 


liMl.)  A  Tentative  Conception  of  the  Mode  of  Motion.  341 

if  the  energised  atom  meets  many  others  in  or  near  its  course,  its 
free  path  is  not  only  curtailed,  but  that  its  energy  it  gradually  dis- 
tributed in  all  directions  and  in  proportion  to  the  distance  from  the 
kinetic  source,  and  the  tension  {viz,^  number  and  nearness)  of  the 
spixals  traversed. 

To  elucidate  this  still  further,  let  us  picture  a  spring  of  the  form 
indicated,  viz.,  wound  spirally  so  as  to  assume  a  spherical  form  when 
inactive  ;  its  extremities  would  then  form  the  poles  of  the  atomic 
sphere  (but  without  polarity  until  excitation),  one  acting  as  the  re- 
ceiver of  the  kinetic  impulse,  the  other  as  the  transmitter. 

As  an  aid  to  conception  the  poles  may  be  conceived  as  forming 
hemispherical  knobs  of  greater  thickness  than  the  spring  of  which 
they  form  the  terminals,  while  the  spring  itself  is  much  stouter  near 
them  than  elsewhere,  gradually  tapering  to  the  middle,  where  it  is 
extremely  thin,  but  throughout  its  length  perfectly  elastic.  Thus, 
when  the  spiral  is  extended,  the  latitudinal  dimensions  of  the  neu- 
tral spherical  form  decrease  proportionally  with  the  extension,  form- 
ing more  or  less  elongated  ellipses,  and  with  compression  this  in- 
creases also  proportionally  to  compressed,  oblate  spheroids,  etc. 
Every  extended  atom,  so  to  speak,  would  have  a  contracted  one  at 
either  extremity. 

Under  such  circumstances  a  lofigitudinal  sectiofi  (if  it  could  be 
made  visible)  of  a  series  of  such  atomic  motions  while  in  activity, 
would  necessarily  present  the  aspect  of  undulations ;  the  depressions 
representing  the  extensions,  and  the  elevations  the  contractions.  A 
transverse  section  at  any  point,  however,  would  show  a  circular 
aspect,  the  dimensions  changing  in  the  form  of  alternate  contraction 
and  expansion  (like  those  of  a  muscle  fibre)  and  always  at  right 
angles  to  the  direction  of  the  force,  just  as  observed,  while  at  the 
same  time  rotating  more  or  less  rapidly  transversely  to  the  direction. 

Conceiving  then  :  (a)  The  ether  of  space  as  composed  of 
such  spirally  gyrating,  impolarised  atoms,  of  exceeding  minute- 
ness, and,  though  in  touch  with  each  other,  yet  without  ten- 
sion :  (b)  The  gases  consisting  of  similar  atoms  more  compress- 
ed and  linked  into  simple  large  chain-rings :  (c)  This  condition 
augmented  enormously  in  liquids  and  solids,  we  can  mentally 
image  the  mode — ^faintly  and  crudely  approximate,  it  is  true — of  the 
propagation  of  force  or  energy  without  dislocation  of  atoms  and 
molecules  (absolutely  almost  as  to  the  ether ;  up  to  certain  stages  in 
the  case  of  matter),  and  how  everything  perceptible  may  consist  of 
the  same  fundamental  substance,  yet  all  compounds  remain  distinct 
and  vibrate  in  unison  or  harmoniously  (condition  of  existence),  until 
some  excessive  vibratory  strain  breaks  their  inertia  of  cohesion. 

To  initiate  the  propagation  of  (any)  energy,  it  is  required,  that 
the  units  of  the  transmitting  medium  be  possessed  of,  or  capable  of 
acquiring,  polarity  (positive  and  negative  ;  plus  and  minus). 

This  is  conceivable  as  being  the  residuary  tmexpended   force 


342  The  Theosophlst.  [March 

acting  towards  or  away  from  the  kinetic  centre  or  source  of  energy, 
or  as  the  tension  resulting  from  unequal  centrifugal  or  centripetal 
expulsion  or  attraction. 

As  polarity  of  similar  sign  repels  and  of  dissimilar  attracts,  we 
may  conceive  the  ethereal  atoms  to  be  so  arranged  that  their  poles  of 
equal  signatory'  capacity  face  each  other,  while  foi  material  ones  the 
opposite  arrangement  would  more  or  less  perfectly  prevail. 

Then,  to  initiate  motive  force,  all  that  would  be  required, 
would  be  to  invert  by  some  **  impulse  "  a  single  atotn  or  molectile 
successively,  /.^.,  rotate  the  same.  This  initial  **  impulse"  or  force, 
ad  absfractOj  I  shall  not  discuss  here. 

At  the  instant  different  poles  face  each  other  the  attractive  and 
repellent  qualities  would  come  into  play,  excite  the  same  in  the 
neighbouring  ones,  cause  them  to  act  similarly,  and  thus  set  up  or 
intensify  vibration  as  alternate  rotary  contraction  and  expansion. 
The  pole  or  poles,  which  receive  the  impact,  would  gain  double  or 
increased  force,  fly  off  in  the  line  of  greatest  intensity,  convey  a  part 
to  other  poles  in  direct  line  and  part  to  the  laterally  adjoining  ones 
in  their  spiral  course ;  in  delivering  it,  they  would  acquire  the  oppo- 
site force  in  return,  sending  them  back  to  their  starting  point  for 
another  *'  load,''  and  so  on  as  long  as  the  perturbation  at  the  centre 
continued.  The  original  energy  of  the  first  disturbed  atom,  and 
every  succeeding  one  in  turn,  being  in  part  communicated  to  others 
undisturbed  by  the  central  one  (directly),  as  the  periphery  of  the 
sphere  of  actions  widens  out,  the  kinetic  energy  decreases  propor- 
tionally with  the  distance  (the  amount  remaining  the  same  nominal- 
ly), as  to  its  intensity  at  any  one  point. 

If  the  atomic  spiral  be  much  compressed  (already  in  tension), 
or  disposed  in  variously  directed  chain-groups  of  dissimilar  tension, 
as  in  the  various  liquid  and  solid  bodies,  the  rate  of  transmission 
will  necessarily  vary  in  exact  proportion  to  the  difficulties  due  to 
the  complexity  of  the  structure  of  the  conducting  medium,  which  is 
precisely  what  is  observed  ;  the  dense  metals,  etc.,  of  simpler  struc- 
ture transmitting  heat,  sound,  electricity,  etc.,  much  more  readily 
than  looser  or  more  complex  aggregates  of  solid  matter. 

Again  atomic  spirals  of  the  same  or  similar  size,  tension,  form  or 
structure  would  transmit  or  conduct  imparted  energy  readily  to 
each  other,  but  the  passage  of  energy  to  dissimilar  chains  will  be 
much  slower  and  difl&cult  in  proportion  to  such  dissimilarity,  hence 
only  energy  of  exceedingly  high  tension,  such  as  light,  would  be 
capable  of  being  transmitted,  when  set  up  in  dense  media,  through 
that  most  tenuous  medium,  the  Ether  ;  for  the  latter  would  prove  as 
impassable  a  barrier  for  coarser  and  slower,  because  less  intense, 
vibrations,  as  a  hay-stack  would  be  for  those  set  up  by  the  Wow  of  a 
hammer.  Forms  of  energy  thus  limited  to  material  media  are 
mechanical  concussion,  etc.,  sound,  heat  and  electricity  ;  the  first 
three  being  conducted  throughout  the  whole  mass,  the  last  only 


1001.]  A  Tentative  Conception  of  the  Mode  of  Motion.  343 

superficially  in  solid  aggregates,  but  atomically  in  liquids  and  gases, 
it  seems  to  me.  The  passage  of  electricity  through  inches  or  feet 
of  vacuum  tubes  appears  to  be  more  apparent  than  real,  consist- 
ing of  (at  least  partly)  the  propelling  of  streams  of  solid  atoms  from 
pole  to  pole,  and  partly  of  being  converted  into  light  of  extreme 
intensity,  reconverted  at  the  opposite  poles  into  electric  energ)-. 

In  cases  when  such  *•  limited"  forms  of  force  appear  to  be  re- 
ceived directly  through  space,  they  need  really  not  to  be  so  trans- 
mitted, but  are  received  locally  by  the  transmutation  of  some  ethe- 
real force,  chiefly  light,  through  being  arrested  by  the  indicating 
solid  and  liquid  substance  of  the  apparatus  used,  be  it  instrument 
or  living  body,  which  more  or  less  perfectly  converts  the  exceed- 
ingly rapid  ethereal  vibrations  into  the  very  much  slower  ones  of 
its  own  substance,  called  heat.  Gases  as  a  rule  intercept  or 
arrest  only  a  very  inconsiderable  amount  of  light,  etc.  They  can 
only  become  heated  to  the  same  extent,  and  therefore  can  only 
conduct  such  energy  at  the  same  rate,  i.e.,  extremely  slowly 
from  atom  to  atom.  This  takes  place  as  is  well  known,  in  propor- 
tion to  the  tenuity  of  the  gases.  Being  only  able  to  secure  so  little 
for  themselves,  when  not  supplemented  constantly,  by  means  of 
convection,  from  heated  solids  or  liquids,  their  vibratory  activity  is 
finally  reduced  to  their  own  capacity  at  the  confines  of,  say,  the 
atmosphere. 

This  being  insufficient  to  maintain  the  gaseous  state,  for  even 
Hydrogen  has  lately  been  proved  to  lose  it  12^  C.  above  the  tem- 
perature of  space  (cosmic  zero),  they  are  constrained  to  assume  the 
liquid  and  solid  forms,  in  which  cohesion  and  mutual  support  (vis- 
cosity) is  lost,  and  are  thus  compelled  to  yield  to  the  bondage  of 
gravitation,  returning  whence  they  came  as  atomic  dust  in  slow 
descent,  until  again  meeting  with  higher  temperatures,  i.e.,  vibratory 
energy,  they  become  re- vitalised  thereby. 

It  seems  highly  probable  to  me,  that  the  extreme  limits  of  our 
atmosphere  may  be  largely  or  wholly  occupied  by  such  atomic  dust 
of  **  frozen"  gases,  which,  being  whirled  by  the  rotatory  motion  of 
the  Earth  equatorially,  collects  more  prominently  at  the  poles,  and 
here  may  not  only  produce  the  excessive  cold,  but  also  originate 
the  auroral  displays  so  enigmatical,  hitherto,  to  man  (and  around  the 
Sun,  the  Zodiacal  Light  ring  ?). 

It  has  been  said  (by  M.  Ponton,  I  think)  that  finally  all  forms 
of  energy  are  dissipated  as  "  low  heat"  in  space.  But  I  think  this  is 
not  so  \ '*  dissipation,*'  if  such  exist  at  all,  taking  only  form  in  the 
place  of  light  of  still  higher  vibratory  intensities,  all  lower  forms 
being  absolutely  confined  to  the  solid,  etc.,  masses  on  which  they  are 
manifested. 

When  vibratory  impulses  are  started,  they  may  either  remain 
at  the  same  intensity,  increase,  or  diminish  till  again  all  motion 
ceases.  In  all  cases  heat  is  generated  within  all  material  substance. 


344  The  Theosophist.  [March 

If  the  vibratory  motion  gain  in  velocity  and  intensity,  temperature 
rises  until  light  is  produced  in  the  sequence  of  the  spectrum.  In. 
tensity  further  augmented  is  manifested  as  producing  chemical  ac- 
tivity until  finally  it  becomes  totally  imperceptible  by  man's  ordi- 
nary faculties.  Until  the  incandescent  stage  is  reached  energy 
remains  confined  to  the  Earth  and  the  matter  composing  it.  What 
then  becomes  of  the  vibrations  set  up,  say,  in  a  hot,  isolated  ball  ? 

If  in  air,  or  in  contact  with  liquid  or  solid  matter,  they  are  com- 
municated to  these,  until  equilibrium  is  established  ;  if  in  ether 
(vacuum),  the  vibrations,  being  unable  to  communicate  their  motion 
further  (unless  incandescent),  return  upon  themselves,  become 
centripetal,  as  it  were  ;  they  are  reduced  by  interferential  action  and 
become  finally  latent  by  the  counter-balancing  action  of  pressure 
(gravitation  in  embryo)  and  contraction.  As  volume  increases  in 
proportion  to  intensity  of  vibratory  motion,  so  it  must  decrease 
by  its  reduction  and  as  the  three  states  of  matter  are  dependent  on 
certain  limits  of  vibration,  so  all  matter  not  dissociable  into  ether 
must  become  solid,  when  its  vibratory  motion  in  other  states  is  re- 
duced below  the  rate  which  enabled  it  to  assume  that  state,  viz.^ 
liquid  or  gaseous.  As  a  necessary  corollary  it  appears  to  follow,  that 
no  particle  of  any  gas,  no  matter  what  its  specific  gravity  or  "  initial 
velocity"  be,  if  it  become  liquefied  or  solidified,  at  or  above  the 
temperature  of  space  ( — 274** C.)  it  cannot  quit  the  Earth,  or  other 
planet,  or  the  Sun,  unless  it  receive  an  additional  emissive  im- 
petus to  carry  the  solid  particles  beyond  the  gravitational  attraction 
of  these. 

Evidence  that  no  low  vibratory  energy  can  be  transmitted  by 
ether  and  through  space  appears  to  be  afforded  by  (i)  mechanical 
concussion,  (2)  sound,  (3)  absence  of  external  heat  by  electric 
incandescent  lamps,  (4)  probably  the  production  of  intense  light  in 
glow  worms,  etc.,  which  necessarily  must  be  accompanied  by  pro- 
portionately intense  heat  at  its  point  of  origination  and  only  prevent- 
ed from  injuring  the  delicate  internal  parts  of  these  organisms  if  it 
be  produced  in  a  vacuum  cell — the  presumable  prototype  of  our 
incandescent  lamps. 

By  the  foregoing  remarks  I  have  tried  briefly  to  elucidate  a 
conception  of  the  mode  of  vibratory  motion  which  appears  to  me  to 
explain  more  simply  and  logically,  and  according  to  known  laws  of 
nature,  the  various  phenomena  touched  upon.  Although  the  ex- 
position is  necessarily  fragmentary  and  incomplete,  it  may  serve  as 
an  impulse  to  abler  minds  to  think  the  matter  over,  find  where  the 
theory  clashes  with  disregarded  physical  laws,  or  how  the  multi- 
tude of  observed  facts  fit  into  the  frame,  and  if  not,  why  not  ? 


It  remains  to  say  a  few  words  regarding  refraction,  reflection, 
and  polarisation.  To  explain  fully  would  require  much  time  and 
space ;  I  shall  therefore  merely  indicate  how  the  action  of  spirally 


1901.]  A  Tentative  Conception  of  the  Mode  of  Motion.  345 

g3rrating  atomic  vibrations  are  conceived.  Assuming  the  greatest 
extension  of  one  set  of  atoms  to  be  synchronous  with  the  maximum 
contraction  of  the  adjoining  ones  at  either  extremity  in  the  line  of 
force,  it  will  be  seen  that  to  find  room  for  all,  the  maximum  contrac- 
tions cannot  lie  opposite  each  other,  or  in  the  same  plane  at  right 
angles,  but  above  or  below  by  at  least  their  short  diameter,  thus 
forming  oblique  lines  to  the  direction,  i.em,  the  crests  of  adjoining 
undulations  would  not  arrive  simultaneously,  but  successively  at  a 
definite  rate,  providing  conditions  for  the  simultaneous  existence 
of  slightly  or  harmoniously  different  wave-lengths  side  by  side,  and 
their  instantaneous  replacement  by  others.  It  would  explain,  I 
think,  the  unequal  refractfon  of  lenses,  at  least  to  some  extent,  over 
and  above  that  derived  from  the  rectilineal  difference  of  wave-length 
(by  the  bye,  this  is  a  very  misleading  term),  and  also  the  difficulty 
(perhaps  the  impossibilit}'')  of  combining  all  rays  into  one  focus  on 
a  plane,  excepting  suppression  of  all  lateral  ones. 

When  the  gyrating  atom  strikes  an  inclined  plane  of  a  solid  or 
liquid  substance,  one  side  necessarily  strikes  it  soooer  than  the 
opposite  side,  the  spiral  becomes  compressed  and  the  motion  divert- 
ed by  elastic  repulsion.  As  only  one  quadrant  is  affected,  very  little 
energy,  say  light,  is  lost  up  to  certain  angular  inclinations,  unless 
the  substance  be  very  opaque  an  1  at  the  same  time  so  porous  as  to 
permit  almost  unobstructed  penetration  to  some  depth.  The 
reflected  light  under  the  above  conditions  would  be  very  little  affect- 
ed and  the  (more  or  less)  perfectly  reflecting  substance  also.  At 
high  angles  an  increasing  portion  ot  the  vibrating  energy  is  arrested 
and  absorbed  by  causing  the  substance  to  vibrate  (expand),  while 
the  remainder  is  thrown  back  in  the  corresponding  opposite  direction 
as  it  were,  with  renewed  vigour  and  little  changed  except  in 
brightness.  The  bi-axial  nature  of  polarised  light  is  too  well 
known  to  need  explanation.  We  may  conceive  it  as  the  conse- 
quence of  the  gyrating  force  moving  alternately  in  two  main  direc- 
tions at  right  angles  to  each  other,  viz,^  either  parallel  Tvith,  or 
vertical  to  the  reflecting  (or  polarising)  plane,  besides  all  the  more 
or  less  obliterated  gradations  between  them. 

The  vertically  acting  part  would  strike  the  plane  most  energetic- 
ally, and  become  partly  absorbed  and  partly  reflected.  In  opaque 
substances,  vibrations  (heat)  would  be  generated  or  induced  ;  by 
translucent  ones  it  would  be  mostly  refracted,  passing  through  their 
atomic  meshes  either  in  one  or  two  directions,  owing  to  colliding 
with  the  atoms  earlier  or  later. 

The  parallel  moving  moiety  of  energy,  on  the  contrary,  will  be 
much  less  affected  and  become  more  or  less  perfectly  reflected  or 
dispersed  in  the  new  direction  according  to  the  nature  of  the  reflecting 
substance. 

Let  me  briefly  summarise  the  main  points  in  conclusion,  (i) 
Dense  (solid)  media  are  most  fit  to  be  acted  on  by  all  forms  of 

4 


346  The  Theosophist.  [March 

vibratory  force  and  to  conduct  all  slower  vibrations  in  proportion  to 
their  densities. 

(2)  Ether,  as  the  most  tenuous  medium,  can  onlj''  transmit  the 
most  rapid  vibration,  starting  with  the  ultra  red  and,  therefore, 
cannot  be  excited  by  slower  ones. 

(3)  Heat  cannot  be  conducted  or  transmitted  by  the  ether 
directly,  as  the  latter  cannot  be  warmed,  but  is  the  result  of  slower 
vibrations  of  matter  set  up  by  the  rapid  etheric  ones. 

(4)  To  explain  the  uniform  distribution  of  etheric  energy  through- 
out space  from  any  centre,  it  is  required  to  assume  that  the  atom 
acts  in  the  form  of  a  spherical,  spiral  spring,  and  the  transmission  of 
its  energy  by  alternate  extension  and  contraction  taking  place  in  a 
spiral  direction  transverse  to  the  line  of  path. 

(5)  In  meeting  an  inclined  plane  the  gyratic  atomic  energy  is 
divided  into  two  oblate  .spheriods,  one  parallel,  the  other  at  right 
angles  to  that  plane,  their  shorter  axes  being  probably  proportionate 
to  the  angle  of  incidence. 

(6)  No  medium  incapable  of  arresting  sufficient  etheric  energy 
(light)  to  maintain  its  own  vibratory  energy  as  a  gas  by  transmuting 
it  into  heat  can  quit  the  gravitational  attraction  of  our  Barth,  but 
must  cease  to  remain  gaseous  and  solidify  in  the  form  of  atomic  or 
molecular  dust,  and  return  towards  the  centre  of  gravity  until  its 
energy  is  revived  by  coming  in  contact  with  others  more  intensely 
vibrating  (convection). 

(7)  The  limits  of  the  terrestrial  atmosphere  cannot  be  formed  by 
ultra -attenuated  air  but  by  a  zone  of  dust-like,  solid  particles  of 
frozen  gases,  which  can  give  rise  to  auroral  displays  and  other 
phenomena  outside  the  gaseous  atmosphere,  for  example  the  corus- 
cation of  meteors,  cirrus  clouds,  etc. 

J.  G.  O.  Tkpper. 


INTO  A  LARGER  ROOM* 

IN  thinking,  one  evening,  over  the  broader  views  of  life  which  the 
teachings  of  Theosophy  have  given  to  me,  it  seemed  that  I  saw 
my  life  previous  to  hearing  of  Theosophy,  as  though  it  had  been  lived 
in  a  small  dark  room,  hemmed  in  on  all  sides  by  mysteries  and  diflS- 
culties  which  it  was  **  wrong ''  to  try  to  search  into,  because  any- 
thing savouring  of  dotibt  was  **  wrong  '* — a  life  which,  as  I  then 
thought,  came  out  of  the  void  of  darkness,  the  soul  specially  created 
at  the  birth  of  the  body,  with  the  prospect,  after  living  on  the  earth 
a  few  short  years,  of  spending  an  eternity  of  joy  or  woe.  My  view 
of  life  in  this  small  room  was  necessarily  verj'  restricted  and  out  of 
proportion,  though  at  the  same  time  I  had  one  great  advantage,  one 
priceless  beam  from  the  Infinite  Ocean  of  Wght,  and  that  was,  that 

•  A  paper  read  at  one  of  the  weekly  public  meetings  at  Harrog^ate,  Engfland, 


1901.]  Into  a  Larger  Room.  347 

tbeidea  of  God,  to  me  was  always  that  of  a  loving,  tender,  and  withal 
just,  Heavenly  Father,  never  that  of  a  stern  exacting  Judge,  so  my 
little  room,  though  small,  was  not  altogether  uncomfortable.  By 
and  by  this  beam  of  light  showed  me  that  a  loving  Father,  a  God  of 
Wisdom  could  never  create  souls,  send  them  to  this  earth  fresh,  ig- 
norant and  unsullied,  and  then  for  sins  committed  in  the  body  (often 
through  ignorance  and  unholy  surroundings)  condemn  them  to  an 
eternity  of  woe  hereaftei.  That,  I  saw,  would  be  more  like  the 
pastime  of  a  demon  of  darkness  than  the  work  of  a  God  of  Iright  and 
Love — and  so  the  beam  of  light  grew  stronger,  and  I  began  to 
realize  in  the  words  of  the  poet :  — 

'*  That  nothing  walks  with  aimless  feet, 

That  not  one  life  shall  be  destroyed, 

Or  cast  as  rubbish  to  the  void. 
When  God  hath  made  the  pile  complete. 
I  stretch  lame  hands  of  faith,  and  grope, 

And  gather  dust  and  chaff,  and  call 

To  what  I  feel  is  Lord  of  all, 

And  faintly  trust  the  larger  hope." 
And  so  this  larger  hope  gradually  broke  down  one  part  of  the 
walls  of  my  little  room,   and  prepared  the  way  for  the  transference 
altogether  from  this  small  room  into  the  freer  air,  the  fuller  light,  the 
larger  room  of  Theosophy. 

There  are  also  limitations  here,  truly,  but  in  this  fuller  light 
we  can  see  that  they  are  limitations  and  not  iron  walls ;  that  we 
ourselves  built  them  and  that  we  ourselves  can  hew  them  down, 
and  need  not  be  afraid  that  we  are  somehow  committing  some  un- 
known wrong  by  attempting  to  hew  them  down.  The  windows  of 
our  soul  can  be  ever  open  to  the  light  of  the  Sun  of  Truth,  without 
fear  of  what  its  light  may  reveal — the  significant  motto  of  the  Theo- 
sophical  Society  being,  **  There  is  no  religion  higher  than  Truth." 
Thinking  on  lines  like  this,  it  seemed  to  me  that  an  evening 
might  well  be  spent  in  comparing  the  ideas  of  God,  of  man,  of  the 
Universe,  taken  by  the  orthodox  Christian  and  the  Christian  Theo- 
sophist,  and  I  think  some  of  you,  at  any  rate,  will  agree  with  me  in 
thinking  that  the  Christian  Theosophist  has  the  wider  outlook,  the 
freer  air,  the  larger  room  in  which  to  dwell.  I  may  as  well  start  as 
near  the  beginning  as  I  can,  pausing  now  and  then  to  put  the  two 
views  side  by  side,  that  we  may  compare  them  easily.  I  suppose  it 
is  still  the  ofihodox  doctrine  that  this  world  was  created  by  God  out 
of  nothing.  Some,  I  believe,  though  their  number  is  rapidly  de- 
creasing, still  maintain  that  it  is  only  about  6,000  years  since  what 
they  call  the  Creation  took  place,  and  that  that  Creation  was  ac- 
complished in  seven  days,  that  man  was  made  perfect  and  in  the  image 
and  likeness  of  God.  I  should  like  to  stop  here  and  to  go  carefully 
into  the  esoteric  meaning  of  this  Bible  story,  but  it  is  out  of  my  scope 
to-aig^t.    I  might  just  say  that  if  we  were  to  read  age  for  day  \\^ 


348  The  TheosophUt.  [March 

should  find  very  little  to  object  to.  I  need  not  say  much  about  the 
orthodox  way  of  viewing  things,  for  that  is  well-known  to  all  of 
us,  and  I  think,  nay  I  am  sure,  that  broader  views  are  rapidly  spread- 
ing all  over  the  Christian  Church,  and  that  the  theory  of  Evolution 
is  found  not  to  be  so  entirely  antagonistic  to  Christianity  as  it  used 
to  be  thought ;  though  there  are  still  some  who  look  upon  it  with 
distrust.  Only  the  other  day  I  heard  of  a  Christian  lady  who  said 
she  disapproved  of  Theosophy  partly  because  such  stress  was  laid 
upon  Evolution  which  was  **  such  a  very  ivrong  and  misleading 
theory." 

Now  I  propose,  as  briefly  as  is  consistent  with  clearness,  to  lay 
before  you  something  of  the theosophic  teaching  regarding  the  Evolu- 
tion of  the  world  audits  inhabitants.  It  is  a  big  subject,  and  au 
extremely  fascinating  one,  and  I  fear  I  cannot  do  it  an3'thing  like 
justice,  for  my  knowledge  is  extremely  limited,  and  only  second- 
hand. And  here  I  may  as  well  say,  that  I  can  offer  you  no  ptoofs  as 
to  the  truth  of  the  theories  I  am  laying  before  you^-ueither  can  you 
oflFer  me  any  proofs  (which  I  should  be  willing  to  accept)  of  the 
literal  truth  of  the  Bible  story  of  the  Creation — or  for  the  speculations 
of  science  regarding  human  origins.  It  is  too  long  ago — whether  we 
reckon  it  by  millions  of  years  of  development,  or  whether  we  prefer  to 
think  of  it  as  taking  place  6,000  years  ago— it  is  too  far  back  in  the 
ages  of  the  past  for  either  you  or  me  to  be  able  to  offer  each  other 
first-hand  satisfactory  proofs.  All  we  can  do  is  to  have  the  theories 
before  us,  and  see  which,  in  our  judgment,  is  the  most  likely  to  be 
nearest  the  truth.  If  the  Orthodox  theory  appeals  most  strongly  to 
us,  then  accept  that,  and  wait  for  further  light.  If  the  ordinar}* 
theory  of  evolution  appeals  most  strongly  to  our  reason  ;  then  by  all 
means  accept  that  as  the  true  one,  and  again  wait  for  further  light. 
If  the  Theosophic  theory  of  the  Evolution  of  man  appeals  most  to  us 
as  most  likely  to  be  nearer  the  truth,  then  accept  that  and  work 
with  it,  and  again,  wait  for  further  light — for  to  none  of  us  has  the 
final  word  yet  been  spoken. 

My  authority  fpr  the  statements,  many  of  which  will,  I  daresay, 
appear  to  you  strange  and  far  fetched,  is  the  word  of  certain 
students  of  occultism  who  have  by  rigid  training  so  developed 
faculties  which  are  latent  in  all  of  us,  that  they  are  able  for  them- 
selves, to  turn  the  long  forgotten  pages  of  this  old  world's  histor>', 
and  read  therein  (in  the  book  of  Nature's  memory  which  faithfully 
records  every  minutest  circumstance)  the  records  of  the  past,  re- 
cords more  interesting  and  wonderful  than  any  fairy  tale  that  was 
ever  written.  But,  you  say,  how  do  you  know  it  is  not  all  a  piece 
of  imagination  ?  As  a  matter  of  fact  I  donH  know.  How  do  you 
know  that  the  Bible  story  is  not  all  a  piece  of  imagination  ?  How 
do  you  know  that  our  scientists  have  not  pieced  together  a  wonder- 
ful set  of  imaginings  and  labelled  them  facts  ?  You  don't  know ; 
but  you  consider  them  truthful  men  with  an  honourable  reputation 


1901.]  Into  a  Larger  Room.  349 

to  sustain,  and  as  many  of  their  accounts  **  seem  consistent  '*  and  are 
corroborated  by  other  scientists,  you,  being  an  ordinary  person  with  a 
multiplicity  of  ordinary  daily  duties,  having  neither  the  time  nor  the 
ability  to  prove  each  scientific  fact  for  yourself,  are  content  to  accept 
what  the  scientists  teach  as  a  reasonable  working  hypothesis  ;  and 
that  is  all  we  students  of  Theosophy  do.  We  accept  the  statements 
(if  they  appeal  to  us)  of  those  who  are  far  ahead  of  us  in  knowledge 
and  wisdom,  as  reasonable  working  hypotheses,  until  such  time  as 
we  are  able  to  make  the  researches  for  ourselves,  and  prove  whether 
or  not  "  these  things  are  so."  This  band  of  occult  students  to  which 
I  referred  a  moment  ago,  does  not  give  out  any  piece  of  fresh 
knowledge  until  it  has  been  corroborated  again  and  again — the 
utmost  care  is  taken  to  check  each  statement,  and  not  until  it 
has  been  checked  and  re-checked  is  the  new  piece  of  knowledge 
suffered  to  go  beyond  themselves.  They  have  paid  the  price  in  years 
of  patient  and  rigid  self-discipline ;  the  same  means  are  open  to  us 
with  the  promise  of  the  same  powers  as  a  result,  but  we  must  not 
complain  that  we  cannot  wield  the  powers  if  we  will  not  trouble  to 
take  the  means  for  bringing  about  that  result. 

We  learn  then,  that,  so  far  from  man  suddenly  springing  into 
being  fully  formed  and  perfect,  only  about  6,000  years  ago,  his  origin 
dates  backySir  anterior  to  that.  Man's  growth  has  been  a  slow  one. 
So  far,  the  Darwinian  theory  of  Evolution,  which  is  a  portion  of  the 
truth,  is  one  with  ours.  But  the  theosophic  concept  goes  further 
and  says,  that  "  the  Evolution  of  man  is  not  a  process  carried  out  on 
this  planet  alone.  It  is  a  result  to  which  many  worlds  in  different 
conditions  of  material  and  spiritual  development  have  contributed." 
Far,  far  away  back,  at  the  time  of  the  birth-hour,  our  Kosmos,  the 
Ix>gos  of  our  system,  manifested  Himself,  in  His  sevenfold  character, 
as  the  Ofu  Life,  and  all  subsequent  divisions  in  their  descending 
order  reproduce  this  seven-keyed  scale.  Thus  we  learn  that  our 
earth  is  one  of  a  chain  of  seven  globes  which  together  is  called  the 
Earth  Chain,  round  which  chain  the  life- wave  from  the  Logos  cycles 
seven  times. 

Let  me  draw  your  attention  to  this   diagram,  which  is  a  typical 
arrangement  of  the  globes  of  our  system.    Globes  A  and  G  you 

Arupa  aO        gO    Archetypal 

Rupa  bO        ^O    Creative 

Astral  cQ        ^O    Formative 

Physical  dQ  Physical 

will  see  are  on  the  higher  or  formless  levels  of  the  mental  plane* 
On  Globe  A  appear  the  archetypes  of  all  that  is  to  be  in  the 
worlds  of  form.  Globes  B  and  F  are  still  on  the  mental  plane 
but  on  the  lower  or  intellectual  or  creative  level ;  Globes  C 
and  E  are  on  the  astral  or  formative  plane  :  and  Globe  D,  our 
Earth,  the  middle  and  turning  point,  is  on  the  physical,  the 
most  material  of  all.      But  before  going  on  with   this,   I  must 


350  The  Theosophist.  [March 

say,  that  as  there  are  seven  great  cycles  of  life,  or  "  Rounds  "  as  they 
are  technically  termed,  bringing  these  seven  globes  into  successive 
periods  of  activity,  so  there  are  seven  chains  of  worlds  (of  which  this 
Earth  Chain  is  the  Fourth).    When   the   evolution    is  completed 
on  one  chain,  that  is,  when   the  life  wave  has  circled   seven  times 
round,  and  the  entities  who  inhabit  it  have  reached  the  highest  level 
they  can  ;  then  that  chain  of  globes  gradually  dies  and  disintegrates, 
and  the  next  gradually  evolves  to  take  its  place.    The  last  of  such 
chains  is  called  the  Lunar  Chain — when  the  Moon  occupied  a  corres- 
ponding  position  to    our  Earth,  and    was    the  fourth   and   most 
material  of  the  seven   globes.    At  the  time  of  the  completion  of  the 
Lunar  Chain  some  of  the  most  spiritually  advanced   and  mentally 
cultivated  of  the   humanity    of  to-day  had  succeeded  in  emerging 
from  the  animal  kingdom  and   had  formed  a  causal  or  mind   body, 
which  was  the  goal  of  our  Lunar  Evolution.    They  were   the  most 
advanced  and  they,  we  are  told,  did  not  incarnate  on  the  Earth  Chain 
till  the  rest  had  also  reached  the  human  level ;  so  the  rough  work 
on  this  Chain  was  done  by  those   who  were  further  back,   so   to 
speak,   and  by  further  back  I  do  not    mean  less  good,  only  less 
advanced.    We  do  not  call  the  child  at  the  kindergarten  less  good 
than  the  youth  in  the  highest  form  in   his  college  ;  we  only  say,  the 
child  is  younger  and  has  not  had  time  to  learn  very  much  yet,    but 
when  he  is  old  enough  he  too  will  go  to  college  and  probably  reach 
the  highest  form  ;  so  it  is  not  a  question  of  goodness  and  badness 
but    a    question    of    age.       In     the    outpouring    of    life     from 
the    Logos,     some     must    necessarily     have     an     earlier    start 
than  others,  but  there  is  no  unfairness  in  this  for  all  have  equal 
chances.    Now  let  us  see  how  it  fared  with  those  who  had  not  yet 
formed  a  mind  body,  or  who  had  barely  attained  self-consciousness 
when  the  Lunar  Evolution  was  completed.    We  must  now  imagine 
the  life  impulse  coming  over  from  the  Lunar  to    the  Earth  Chain, 
and  this  life  impulse  may  be  divided  into  seven  great  classes  repre- 
senting the  diflferent  kingdoms,  viz,,  human,  animal,  vegetable,  min- 
eral, and  the  three  elemental  kingdoms.    In  the  First  *'  Round"  this 
group  of  entities,  whose  fortunes  we  are  for  the  moment  following, 
andwho  had  barely  attained  self- consciousness,  manifest  in  all  these 
kingdoms,  beginning  on  Globe  A  where  the  lowest  of  the  three  ele- 
mental kingdoms  first  appears,  and  unlike  the  usual  course  of  proce- 
dure, this  group  of  entities  manifests  in  the  forms  of  this  lowest  king- 
dom, ih^y  prepare  the  f Of  tns  for  the  grade  next  below  them,  and  as  they 
pass  on  to  the  next  elemental  kingdom,  they  leave  their  forms  for 
this  lower  grade  (that  is  the  undiflFerentiated  animal  monadic  essence) 
which  is  then  arriving  from  the  Lunar  Chain  and  thus   this  group 
passes  through  all  the  kingdoms  on  Globe  A — elemental,  mineral, 
vegetable,  animal,  re-attaining  the  human   kingdom   at  the  end  of 
their  stay  there.    All  this  is  gone  through  in  this  archetypal  globe— a 
forecast  of  all  that  is  to  follow.    On  the  next  globe— Globe  B— the 


1901.]  Into  a  Larger  Room.  351 

same  process  is  again  gone  through,  this  group  of  entities  pre- 
paring the  forms,  and  the  hosts  just  behind  following  on,  and  so  on 
through  the  successive  globes.  On  the  descending  arc  the  Life  ex- 
presses itself  oil  the  evolving  forms — on  the  ascending  arc  it  express- 
es itself  iArough  the  forms  as  their  inner  ruler.  Thus  when  Globe 
G  is  reached,  the  Monad  or  ensouling  life  inhabits  and  uses  as  its 
vehicles  the  archetypal  forms  of  Globe  A. 

At  the  end  of  this  First  Round,  these  entities  whom  we  are  con- 
sidering,  do  not    manifest  any  more  in  the  lower  kingdoms,  but 
retain  their  humanity  through  the  rest  of  the  Evolution  in  this  Earth 
Chain.    It  is  not,  as  one  might  at  first  glance  think,  a  going  back, 
and  then  cycling  through  these  lower  kingdoms,  for  the  Earth  Chain 
even  at  its  lowest  levels  is  in  advance  of  the  Lunar  Chain,   and  so, 
though  it  may  seem  a  retrogression  it  is  like  a  spiral  turning  back  on 
a  higher  level  each  time.    I  must  not  stop  to  go  into  further  details 
about  these  earlier  Rounds  ;  suffice  it  to  say  that  each  one  has  its  own 
special  work.     That  of  the  First    Round  was  bringing  down   the 
archetjrpal  forms  of  the  mineral  world,  to  be  further  and  further 
elaborated  till  they  reached  their  densest  state  in  the  middle  of  the 
Fourth  Round.    The  great  work  of  the  Second  Round  was  that  of 
bringing  down  the  archetypal  forms   of  the  vegetable  world,  which 
will  reach  their  fullest  development  in  the  Fifth  Round.     The  great 
work  of  the  Third  Round  was  bringing  down  the  archetypal  forms  of 
the  animal  world,  which  in  their  turn  will   reach  their  perfection  in 
the  Sixth  Round.    On  this  (the  Third)  Round,  the  group  of  entities 
whose  progress  we  have  been  following  become  more   definitely 
hmnan  in  form,  and   when  they  reach  Globe  D  they  begin  to  stand 
upright,  and  in   appearance  are  ape-like  and  covered  \\ith  hairj' 
bristles.    At  this  stage  also  some  of  those  more  advanced  entities 
whom  I  compared  to  a  youth  at  college  here  fall  into  line  again,  and 
take  the  lead  in  human  evolution.    The  great  work  of  the  Fourth 
Round  (the  one  in  which  we  now  are)  is  that  of  bringing  to  Globe 
A  the  archetypal  forms  of  humanity  which  will  reach  their  perfection 
at  the  end  of  the  Seventh  Round.    This  (the  Fourth)  Round  is  as 
distinctively  human  as   its    predecessors  were  respectively  animal, 
vegetable,  and    mineral,  and  is  therefore  the  most  interesting  to 
us.    Also,   being  the  middle   or  turning  point  in    the  Chain  of 
Worlds,  it  is  a  most  important  one,  and  we  see  a  somewhat  different 
line  taken.     I  must,  but  very  shortly,  run  over  its  histor}%  but  will 
confine   myself  to  Globe   D,  our  Earth.    The  difference  we  see  is 
this,  that  while  the  animal,  vegetable  and  mineral  kingdoms  pursue 
their  normal  course  of  development,  humanity  runs  over  again  in 
rapid  succession   the  various  stages  through   which  it  has  passed 
since  the  beginning  of  the  Earth  Chain. 

Seven  great  Races  of  men  follow  each  other — Root  Races  they 
are  called.  "  The  First  Root  Race  were  gigantic  and  ethereal  phan- 
toms, more  spiritual  thjtn  intellectual. 


352  The  Theoaophist.  [liaroh 

"The  Second  Root  Race  are  described  as  psycho- spiritual 
within,  and  ethero-physical  without,  and  repeated  the  type  of 
the  inhabitants  of  the  same  planet  in  the  Second  Round.  The 
Tkvd  Race — Lemurians  they  are  called — ^began  with  ethero- 
physical  bodies  but  very  soon  acquired  material  bodies  with 
bones  and  physical  organs.  During  the  Fourth — or  Atlantean 
Race,  the  nadir  of  materiality  was  reached,  and  we,  the  Aryans 
of  the  Fifth  Race,  are  now  slowly  emerging  from  it."*  During 
the  Third  and  the  beginning  of  the  Fourth  Race,  the  remainder  of 
the  furthest  advanced  entities  from  the  Lunar  Chain  again  joined 
the  evolutionary  stream  ;  and  also  humanity  received  incalculable 
help  from  a  third  great  outpouring  of  life  from  the  Logos  of  the 
system  which  made  animal  man  truly  human,  and  which  gave  him 
that  wonderful  "spark"  of  m&nas  or  mind  which  enables  him  to 
embrace  the  Universe.  At  this  time  also  exalted  Beings  from 
another  planetary  chain,  much  further  advanced  than  our  own,  came 
among  us,  and  took  up  their  abode  on  earth  as  Divine  Teachers  to 
the  infant  humanity,  some  incarnating,  and  some  acting  as  chan- 
nels for  this  third  great  outpouring.  Thus,  by  many  and  slow  stages 
covering  millions  and  millions  of  years — man  evolved  through  the 
lower  forms  of  life  until  his  body  was  a  fit  tabernacle  ready  to 
receive  this  finishing  touch  from  the  Lord  of  Life,  and  man  was 
many  the  image  and  reflection  of  God,  partaking  of  the  triple  nature 
of  the  Logos  himself,  clothed  upon  with  bodies  belonging  to  the 
mental,  astral,  and  physical  planes,  and  "  now  are  we  the  Sons  of 
God,  and  it  doth  not  yet  appear  what  we  shall  be  "  but  we 
know  that  as  there  is  an  unthinkable  distance  behind  us,  the 
toilsome  steeps  of  which  we  have  slowly  climbed — so  there  is  an 
immense  sweep  upwards  before  us,  height  beyond  height  to  climb* 
stage  after  stage  to  reach,  until  in  unimaginable  glory  we  shall 
"  enter  into  the  joy  of  our  Lord."  And  the  beauty  of  it  is,  it 
is  not  for  ourselves  alone  that  we  can  thus  confidently  look 
forward  with  joy  and  hope.  The  whole  creation  takes  on  a  fuller 
and  deeper  meaning  and  purpose  ;  where  we  have  been,  others 
behind  us  now  are  ;  the  life  that  is  manifesting  in  the  animal  king- 
dom now,  will  form  the  humanity  of  the  next  chain  of  worlds,  and 
it  may  be  our  privilege  to  be  their  Helpers  and  Instructors.  The 
life  now  manifesting  in  the  vegetable  kingdom,  in  the  stately  trees 
so  full  of  beauty  and  of  whispering  life  ever  steadily  pointing  up- 
wards, the  exquisite  beauty  of  the  flowers  growing  in  such  lovely  un- 
consciousness, will  not  always  remain  so  fettered,  but  will  roam  freer 
in  the  animal  kingdom.  The  life,  which  to  us  almost  seems  no  life, 
which  is  locked  up  in  the  stones,  will  one  day  burst  forth  into  fruit 
and  flower  and  tree— and  all  steadily  tending  man-wards,  God- wards. 
Doesn't  this  seem  to  give  a  fuller  meaning  to  life  ?  It  makes  the  life 
of  the  lower  forms  of  Evolution  worth  living— nothing  is  lost,  nothing 

*  *•  The  Lunar  Pitris.  "   Messrs.  A,  P.  Smnett  and  W,  Scott  Elliot, 


IdOI.]  Into  a  ILar^ger  Room.  353 

is  of  "  no  account,"  everything  works  steadily  on  in  an 
orderly,  rational,  rhythmical  measnre.  ^ons  upon  aeons  it 
takes,  age  after  age,  to  accomplish  this  mighty  task  ;  but  the 
Supreme  I^ife  works  on  with  the  patience  of  eternity,  until  the 
numberless  germs  of  Itself  which  were  hidden  in  the  depths  of 
matter,  working  through  kingdom  after  kingdom,  ever  pressing 
outward  and  upwatdy  breaking  through  form  after  form  as  each 
grew  too  small  for  the  expanding  Life,  until  these  germs  develope 
self-consciousness,  indi\nduality,  and  shall  finally  re-attain  full 
union  with  the  Supreme  Life.  And  so,  ever  onward,  ever  upward, 
with  an  ever-increasing  expansion  of  consciousness,  shall  we 
unite  ourselves  with  the  Divine  Will  working  in  us,  and,  in 
the  fulness  of  the  ages  shall  we  return  "  with  exceeding  joy** — 
"  bringing  our  sheaves "  of  experience  with  us.  Verily,  this 
seems  to  me  a  **  larger  room"  to  dwell  in  and  to  rejoice  in,  and  to  go 
back  to  the  old  idea  of  the  creation  of  all  things,  4004  B.C.,  would  feel 
to  me  very  stifling. 

Now  I  must  take  up  another  idea,  and  compare  it  with  present 
day  Christian  Theology — or  rather  it  is  more  an  amplification  of  one 
of  the  foregoing  details  than  another  separate  idea.  I  will  give  the 
ordinary  view  first.  We  are  taught  from  childhood  that  when  a  child 
is  bom  into  the  world,  God  creates  for  it  a  soul,  a  fresh,  unsullied, 
spotless  soul,  "  fresh  from  the  hands  of  its  Maker,"  is  an  expression 
xre  often  hear  ;  that  this  soul  is  like  a  blank  piece  of  paper  waiting 
to  be  written  on  in  the  hard  school  of  life.  And  so  the  child  grows ; 
any  naughtiness  it  shows  is  accounted  for  by  heredity,  and  also  by  a 
bnodle  of  **  original  sin  "  which  was  left  as  a  legacy  for  all  succeeding 
generations  by  our  first  parents,  Adam  and  Eve.  We  will  imagine 
the  case  of  two  children.  The  first  child  we  will  say  is  born  into  a 
family  where  everything  helps  it  to  be  good  and  pure  and  true  and 
noble  ;  all  its  surroundings  are  healthy,  it  is  born  with  a  fine  brain 
capacity,  bom  to  command,  it  grows  up  under  kindly  tuition  and  wise 
nile,  and  developes  into  a  healthy  and  noble  manhood  ;  all  the  in- 
stincts clean  and  pure,  the  whole  force  of  the  man's  nature  thrown  on 
the  side  of  goodness.  He  lives  nobly  and  well,  and  dies  in  an  hon- 
oured old  age.  His  body  returns  to  the  dust,  and  his  soul  goes  to 
enjoy  the  rewards  of  a  good  and  noble  life  in  an  unending  eternity  of 
bliss. 

Our  second  child  is  badly  handicapped  from  the  first,  born  of 
immoral,  drunken  parents,  the  pure  soul  has  to  contend  with  a  crimi- 
nal brain,  criminal  tendencies,  evil  surroundings  ;  nothing  appa- 
rently to  help  its  upward  flight,  ever3'thing  to  drag  it  down- 
wards. It  grows  up  into  a  hardenedcriminal,  and  dies  in  misery 
and  poverty.  The  body  returns  to  dust,  but  the  soul— -where  is  that  ? 
Is  it  possible  it  can  be  condemned  to  eternal  punishment  for 
sins  committed  here,  which  its  physical  body  and  its  environ- 
ment almost  compelled  it  to  commit  ?  What  chance  did  this  man 
5 


354  The  Theosophist.  [lytarch 

have  to  live  a  clean,  noble  life?  What  chance  has  he  had  to 
follow  the  high  ideal  of  a  servant  of  the  Christ  ?  And  is  he  to 
suffer  an  eternity  of  punishment  for  ever  and  for  ever,  for  sins,  "how- 
ever black,  committed  during  a  few  short  years  of  earth-life  ?  How 
do  our  Christian  friends  get  out  of  the  horror  of  this  infamous  in- 
justice !  If  every  soul  starts  fresh  in  this  life,  and  at  the  end  of  one 
short  life  is  condemned  to  an  eternity  of  bliss  or  an  eternity  of  woe, 
then,  in  the  name  of  all  that  is  just  and  fair,  all  should  start  equal, 
with  equal  chances,  with  equally  good  surroundings,  with  equallj- 
good  physical  bodies.  What  merit  is  there  in  the  first  child  being 
good  and  growing  up  into  a  good,  useful  man  when  everything  was 
in  his  favour  from  the  first,  and  why  should  he  meet  with  an  eternal 
reward  for  what  he  couldn't  help?  And  what  disgrace  is  there  in 
the  last  child  being  bad,  and  growing  up  vicious  and  evil,  when 
everything  surrounding  him  tended  to  drag  him  down ;  and  should 
he  be  punished  eternally  for  what  he  couldn't  help  ?  What  answer 
do  we  meet  with  to  these  questions  ?  We  are  baffled,  and  told  we 
must  not  enquire  too  closely  into  mysteries  we  cannot  understand. 
Again  another  mystery  confronts  us.  Two  children  are  bom 
into  one  home  ;  they  each  have  the  same  loving,  watchful  care,  the 
same  parents  guard  them,  the  same  environment  surrounds  them — 
and  yet,  one  grows  up  an  ornament  to  the  Church  and  to  Society, 
and  the  other  is  spoken  of  as  the  **  black  sheep,"  the  prodigal.  If 
both  had  the  same  blank  paper  souls  at  birth,  surely  the  same 
causes  working  on  each  would  produce  similar  results. 

Those  of  you  who  have  children  and  have  carefully  watched 
them,  can  you  really  believe  that  they  do  not  bring  tjieir 
characters  with  them  at  birth,  and  show  their  little  distinctive 
traits  very  quickly  too.  Have  we  not  all,  at  one  time  or  another,  had 
our  souls  wrung  with  the  apparently  terrible  injustice  in  the  world, 
and  have  been  tempted  to  cry  **  Doth  God  care  ?"  or  "  Is  there  a  God 
at  all,  for  if  there  were  would  He  permit  such  injustice  to  go  on  in 
His  world  ?"  The  cries  of  the  wounded  and  the  oppressed  have  come 
like  a  wail  of  woe  in  our  ears,  the  moans  and  tears  of  the  af9icted 
and  suffering  have  seemed  to  blot  out  heaven's  sunshine  and  to 
destroy  the  harmonies  of  nature !  Is  man  nothing  but  a  toy,  a  play- 
thing driven  hither  and  thither,  with  no  voice,  or  very  little  in  the 
weaving  of  his  destiny  ?  What  is  the  meaning  of  it !  IVhy  should 
he  be  thus  thrown  from  the  purity  of  the  hands  of  God  into  the 
maelstrom  of  this  life  to  take  his  chance  of  being  tossed  to  pieces, 
bruised,  broken,  soiled  and  eternally  damned — or,  of  being  saved, 
and  eternally  rewarded  !  Surely  life  is  not  worth  living  if  the  God 
we  trust  in  is  nothing  but  a  God  of  caprice,  or  malicious  cruelty,  or 
if  life  is  nothing  but  a  huge  lottery  in  which  we  just  have  to  take  our 
chance.  From  whence  do  we  come — whither  do  we  tend  ?  Is  there 
an  answer  to  this  riddle?  Yes,  there  is,  and  Theosophy  gives  it. 
It  is  no  new  teaching  either,  it  is  as  old  as  religion  itself ;  only  the 


190L]  Ancient  Theories  as  to  the  Origin  of  the  World.  35S 

Christian  Religion  has  from  some  cause  or  other  lost  this  key 
which  unlocks  so  many  of  the  mysteries  of  life  ;  and  we  of  the  West 
have  had  to  wait  until  our  Brothers  in  the  East  have  restored  to  us 
this  ancient  teaching — and  some  of  us  have  so  utterly  and  entirely 
forgotten  it,  that  when  we  hear  of  it  now,  we  say — "  What  imagina- 
tions these  people  have,  to  be  sure  " — and  are  inclined  to  relegate 
it  to  the  realm  of  fantasy,  without  giving  it  the  consideration  which 
is  its  due.  What  then  is  this  ancient  teaching  ?  What  this  golden 
key  ?    It  is  the  twin  doctrines  of  Karma  and  Reincarnation. 

"  The  Books  say  well  my  Brothers  !  each  man's  life 

The  outcome  of  his  former  living  is  ; 

The  bygone  wrongs  bring  forth  sorrows  and  woes, 

The  bygone  right  breeds  bliss. 

That  which  ye  sow,  ye  reap.     See  yonder  fields ; 

The  sesamum  was  sesamum,  the  corn  was  corn, 

The  Silence  and  the  Darkness  knew  ! 

So  is  a  man's  fate  born." 

EuzABBTH  W.  Bki.1.. 
(  7'o  be  concluded, ) 


ANCIENT  THEORIES  AS  TO  THE  ORIGIN  OF  THE  WORLD. 

'^pHE  subject  which  it  is  proposed  to  deal  with  in  the  present 
1  paper,  is  one  which  we  can  only  comment  upon  so  far  as  a 
very  limited  degree  of  knowledge  may  permit ;  but  at  the  same 
time  it  is  one  that  from  the  most  ancient  times  has  been  treated  of 
more  or  less  by  almost  every  scheme  of  philosophy  and  religion. 
Indeed,  it  seems  as  if  the  attempt  to  deal  with  it  has  been  coeval 
with  the  origin  of  thought  itself ;  for  ever  since  the  investigations 
undertaken  by  mankind  have  been  in  any  degree  directed  toward 
the  attempt  to  arrive  at  an  understanding  of  Nature  and  natural 
law,  so  long  do  we  find  there  would  seem  to  have  been  attempts 
made  to  account  for  the  origin  of  the  world  ;  and  in  this  enquiry 
there  are  inextricably  bound  up  similar  atteHnpts  in  regard  to  the 
Cosmos  and  man.  To  form  some  connected  theory  as  to  these 
things,  and  what  will  be  their  ultimate  destiny— in  fact,  to  account 
for  the  world  of  nature  which  we  see  about  us,  describe  how  it  came 
into  being,  and  what,  in  the  course  of  time,  will  be  its  ending,  has 
been  one  of  the  oldest  attempts  made  by  man. 

These  questions  would  appear  to  be  possessed  of  some  internal 
charm  or  attraction  for  the  mind,  which  renders  attempts  at  their 
solution  almost  universal.  As  soon  as  humanity  begins  to  aspire  to 
any  sort  of  knowledge,  whether  under  the  aspects  of  philosophy  or 
religion,  and  to  set  apart  the  pursuit  of  these  things  as  an  aim  to  be 
followed  up  independently  of  the  mere  outward  necessities  of  life, 
SO  soon  do  we  find  that  there  is  some  scheme  propounded  which 


356  The  Theosophist.  [March 

will  in  a  manner  satisfy  the  mind  as  to  the  beginning  and  possible 
endingof  the  world  of  forms  and  appearances  in  which  we  live.  It 
is  much  as  if,  taking  hnman  consciousness  as  a  whole,  there  were 
some  imperious  internal  monitor  which,  enforcing  a  recognition  of 
the  idea  that  all  things  visible  and  tangible  to  the  senses  are,  like 
their  organs  of  perception,  mutable  and  limited,  leads  to  the  con- 
viction that  all  external  nature  is  subject  to  a  similar  mutability— 
that  the  world,  like  man,  is  the  thing  of  Time  and  of  Circumstance, 
and  therefore  perishable  or  without  the  possibility  of  etenial  dura- 
tion in  a  physical  form. 

And  this  analogy  between  the  finite  and  the  apparently  infinite 
— between  Man  and  the  Universe — by  which  the  greater  is  judged 
to  correspond  to  the  less,  has  been  thought  to  be  the  key-note  which 
may  enable  us  to  understand  all  the  ancient  systems ;  and  the  one 
upon  which,  in  all  their  variations,  they  itltimatelj'  depend.  Of  the 
most  ancient  origin,  this  principle  is  remarkable  for  its  recrudes- 
cence in  modem  times  among  the  scientific  circles  of  the  present  day : 
and  it  is  advocated  by  Dr.  Draper  as  the  central  one  in  dealing  with 
all  such  problems.*  As  man,  who  in  his  physical  body  is  the  crea- 
ture ot  Time,  of  Event,  and  of  Circumstance,  comes  into  being,  passes 
through  all  his  stages  of  development  and  of  activity,  showing  only 
one  eternal  principle.  Consciousness ^  and,  in  the  ultimate,  passes  away 
and  is  no  more;  even  so  does  the  world,  as  it  presents  itself  to  the 
thinker,  have  an  origin  in  time,  run  a  course  guided  by  some  unseen 
energy  which  causes  the  exhibition  of  its  many  interdependent  phe- 
nomena ;  and  so,  by  parity  of  reasoning,  it  must  in  the  finality  die 
away  and  pass  out  of  objective  existence. 

Read  by  the  aid  of  this  key,  the  many  "  myths  "  of  the  ancient 
time,  whether  as  seen  in  the  apparently  incongnious  jumble  of  non- 
sensical tales  exhibited  by  the  m>i:holog>'  of  savage  tribes  and  un- 
civilised races,  or  the  more  refined  allegories  and  attempted  expla- 
nations made  by  those  further  advanced  in  the  scale  of  progress — all 
l3ecom€  comprehensible,  and  all  alike  point  to  the  same  root  idea ; 
proving  that  the  intuitions  of  all  nationalities,  as  exhibited  in  their 
earliest  attempts  at  cosmogonic  theories,  are  radically  the  same; 
however  coloured  and  varied  by  local  circumstances. 

With  the  more  highly  civilised  races,  the  ideas  thus  presented 
are  much  the  more  elaborate  and  diffiise ;  seeking  to  correlate 
that  which  is  the  current  science  of  the  time,  with  the  speculations 
of  the  learned  in  regard  to  things  metaphysical  and  religious. 
Indeed,  it  seems  but  natural  that  the  knowledge  of  physics,  or  the 
science  of  natural  things,  should  gradually  ascend  towards  that  of 
metaphysics  or  the  science  of  mind  and  spirituality ;  for  as  the 
material  surroundings  of  man  are  the  first  things  which  present  them- 
selves for  consideration,  so  his  deductions  therefrom  lead,  iwAen 
considered  analogically,  towards  the  causes  which  are  presumed  to 

*  "  Intellectual  Development  of  Europe,"  Vol.  I.,  Ch.  i. 


IdM.]  Ancient  theories  as  to  the  Origin  of  the  World.  357 

lie  behind  the  mere  otttward  appearance.     lyooked  at   in  this  light, 
the  world  itself  must  have  had  a  canse ;  and  the  study  as  to  that  cause 
and  its  bearings  has  been  mostly  the  work  of  our  religious  systems. 
So  we  find  that   most  religious  books  begin,   like  Genesis  in 
the  Christian  Bible,  with  an  account  of  the  "  Creation  of  the  World  ;" 
and  thereafter  deal  with  things  concerning  spiritual  science  or  other 
super-mundane  considerations,   in  a  manner  more  or  less  in  con- 
fonmty  with  the   degree  of  progress  in  knowledge  made  by  those 
peoples  among  whom  the   books  in  question  are  found  ;  or  through 
whose  hands  (and  consequent  modifications)  they  may  have  passed. 
If  we  deal  with   such   works  only— or  what  are  generally  called 
"Sacred  Writings,"  we  usually  find  it   asserted  that  there  is  more 
than  one  way  in  which  they  are  to  be  read  ;  and  this  goes  to  confirm 
the  idea  that  the  Universe  was  looked  upon  as  a  thing  of  which  man 
was  the  type.     For  man  may  be  considered  only  as  the  mere  animal 
form,  corresponding  to  the  bare  letter  of  the  *'  Word  ;  "  or  he  may  be 
exsinitned  esoterically,   in   regard  to  his  more   recondite  spiritual 
natme  ;  and  these  two  methods,  though  bound  up  by  analogies,  are  not 
inseparable.    In  regard  to  the  books,  we  have  first  the  letter  of  the 
account,  as  it  may  for  instance  be  seen  in  the  Book  of  Genesis ;  where 
a  narrative  is  given  which  was  adapted  for  the  comprehension  of 
those  to  whom  it  was  more  especially  addressed,*  giving  a  general 
outline  of  the  Creation  as  it  seemed  that  it  might  have  occurred,  from 
the  standpoint  of  those  who  believed  in  a  personal,  anthropomorphic 
God.    Then,  if  we  are  to  believe  those  who  have  studied  the  matter 
further  than  the  bare  letter  tells  us,  there  seems  to  be  an  alle- 
goricat  rendering  of  the  text,  t  meaning  very  much  more  than  at 
first  sight  appears ;  and  this  allegorical   rendering  further  merges 
into  a  kabalistical  or  magical   reading,  in  which  those  who  may 
ol]ject  to  the  mere  literal  wording  find  a  rendering  much  more  to 
their  satisfaction— J  and  so  on,  perhaps  to  a  number  of  other  me- 
thods.   All  the  **  Bibles"  of  the   ancient  nations  seem  to  be  con- 
structed upon  these  principles  more  or  less ;  for  (even  if  they  had 
no  more  recondite  source  and  object)  it  would  doubtless  be  essen- 
tial that  works  whose  writers  sought  to  obtain  the   reverence  and 
support  of  all  classes,  should  not  carry  all  their  meaning  upon  the 
surface— lest,  on  the  one  hand,  they  should  excite  the  enmity  of 
the  ignorant,  and  of  those  whose  prejudices  are  inversely  propor- 
tional to  their  knowledge  ;  and  on  the  other,  should  meet  with  con- 
tempt from  the  learned,  who  would  too  soon  exhaust  the   surface 
meaning  which  the  works  might  bear  to  them. 

These  things  should  always  be  recollected  when  we  are  looking 
among  the  religious  writings  of  the  ancients  for  their  ideas   as  to 

•  Cf.  Plotinus,  as  quoted   in    "  Int.   Dev.  of  Europe,"  Vol.  I.,  Ch.   viil.,  ed*   of 

t  Sc  says  Maitnonides,  wlto  deems   the  dead-lelter   readiugr  sl  great  error. 
t«S.D."  VoL  I.,  pp.  284.5,   3^3f  338,  340-»;an«>    Vol.  II,   pp.  133,  J*?©,  S") 
568^,  789-  901  n-e* 


35S  The  Theosophist.  [Maxx^h 

world-origin  and  the  details  of  the  creation  ;  and  as  such  books, 
owing  to  the  veneration  in  which  they  have  been  held  by  the  mas- 
ses, are  the  ones  which  are  in  general  the  longest  preserved  and  the 
least  subject  to  wholesale  destruction  at  the  hands  of  the  nations 
where  they  seem  to  have  originated,  so  it  is  to  them  we  have  chiefly 
to  look  in  a  search  for  material  dealing  with  our  subject. 

But  we  are  by  no  means  confined  to  works  of  a  religious  nature 
for  such  information,  for  there  is  another  class  of  literature  more 
or  less  available,  viz.,  the  philosophical  wTitings  which  have  come 
down  to  us  from  former  times.  And  these,  though  far  less  numerous 
than  the  religious  works,  have  still  survived  in  some  measure  ;  but, 
as  they  claimed  no  **  divine  "  source,  and  so  were  not  hedged  round 
and  consequently  protected  by  superstitious  feelings,  (and  thus,  too 
often,  came  to  be  looked  upon  as  profane,  and  opposed  to  religion) 
they  have  very  generally  met  with  swift  destruction  at  the  hands  of 
priestly  ignorance  and  popular  hatred. 

For  we  must  ever  recognise  the  fact  that  whatever  knowledge 
transcends  the  current  attainments  of  the  time  is  by  that  much  in- 
credible  to  the  majority;  and  as  the  lower  aspects  of  the  human 
mind  cannot  brook  to  be  outstripped  in  any  way,  its  jealousy  is 
speedily  converted  from  simple  incredulity  into  active  opposition  ; 
and  wheii  this  is  fanned  into  collective  manifestation  by  the  fears 
which  lie  behind  religious  superstition,  there  are  no  lengths  to 
which  it  will  not  go  in  the  way  of  destruction  of  the  objects  of  its 
aversion.  So  it  comes  about  that  the  writings  of  the  philosophers— 
that  is,  of  those  who  pursued  the  acquisition  of  knowledge  purely 
for  its  own  sake — have,  alas,  too  often  perished  ;  while  those  of  their 
irreconcilable  enemies,  that  class  of  priestly  impostors  whose  aim 
was  not  knowledge  so  much  as  power,  have  in  greater  measure  sur- 
vived. So  would  the  **  Book  of  Mormon  "  stand  a  better  chance  than 
the  works  of  Newton  ;  but  setting  aside  any  spurious  matter,  scho- 
lars are  apparently  agreed  that  the  religious  works  are  by  far  the 
most  antique.  And  as,  in  the  earliest  times,  it  may  have  been  that 
there  was  no  real  distinction  between  philosopher  and  priest,  so  we 
may  often  find  the  ideas  of  the  former  concealed  under  a  religious 
garb  ;  which  thus  assured  them,  in  later  and  more  debased  times, 
that  protection  which  superstition  affords. 

Taking,  however,  the  purely  philosophic  works  of  the  ancients 
so  far  as  they  are  now  extant,  those  of  the  early  Greek  schools,  and 
such  as  followed  them  in  later  times,  were  until  quite  recently 
considered  by  European  scholars  as  the  standard  authorities  con- 
cerning old  ideas  about  the  origin  of  the  world.  At  the  time  when 
these  schools  flourished,  the  public  mind  had  in  some  measure 
begun  to  free  itself  from  merely  superstitious  trammels  ;  and  there- 
fore the  ineradicable  impulse  of  the  human  mind  to  enquire  into 
natural  things,  began  to  flow  in  a  large  measure  unchecked.  But 
as  might  be  reasonably  expected,  the  result  was  at  first  a  strange 


1901.]  Ancient  Theories  as  to  the  Origin  of  the  "World.  359 

jumble  of  ideas — a  mixture  of  shallow  scientific  notions,  natural  in- 
tuitions, crude  arguments,  and  scraps  of  perverted  esoteric 
knowledge  which  had  been  enigmatically  given  out  by  those  who 
were  more  or  less  initiated  into  that  occult  philosophy  which  flows 
silently  onward  through  all  the  ages,  and  only  appears  upon  the 
surface  of  the  stream  of  time  at  those  points  in  the  historj'^  of  our 
race,  where  cyclic  law  permits  of  its  outward  manifestation. 

It  is  therefore  fitting  that  we  should  begin  by  a  brief  examina- 
tion of  Greek  ideas  upon  this  subject ;  for  in  so  doing  we  shall  keep 
more  nearly  to  the  rule  of  analogy  by  which  externals  claim  first 
attention.  We  can  afterwards  look  at  deeper  sources  ;  or  such  as,  in 
due  order,  have  only  come  to  light  at  a  later  time — in  pursuance, 
perhaps,  of  that  longer  cyclic  periodicity  which  pertains  to  their 
more  recondite  and  occult  nature. 

As  we  might  expect  to  find,  the  most   characteristic  feature   of 
the  Greek  speculations  was  their  almost  exclusive  foundation  upon 
merely  physical   suggestions  ;  and  upon  a  very  shallow  observation 
of  these,  they  seem  to   have  made  one  of  the  first   objects  of  their 
attempts,  the  determination  of  the  origin  and  nature  of  the  world  in 
which  they  lived.    The  principal  basis  upon  which  they  rested  their 
conclusions  was  thus  in  reality  unsubstantial,  however   seemingly 
certain  ;  because  it  necessarily  included  all  the  errors  which   arose 
from  imperfect  and  erroneous  observations  of  natural  phenomena. 
For  these  reasons  they  mostly  regarded  the  earth  as  being  a  flat 
surface,  on  which  the  sky  was  sustained  like  a    dome ;  and   there- 
fore supposed  this  terrestrial  plane  to  be  of  but  small  extent.    With 
superficial  and  childish  simplicity,   they  adopted  accordingly  the 
notions  that  up  and  down,   or  above  and  below,   were  the  primary 
directions   in  space  ;  and  that  there  were  but  four  elements— Fire, 
Air,  Water,  and  Earth — of  which  the  world  was  made  up.    They 
noted  that  earth  will  sink  to  the  bottom  of  water,  that  water  will  fall 
through  air,  and  that  it  is  the  nature  of  fire  to  ascend.    With  such 
views,  the  general  arrangement  of  the  earth  as  a  flat  surface  agreed  ; 
because   they  found  the  earth  was  below  all — that  the  water  was 
supported  upon  it,  while  the  air  was  above   both.     So,  too,  the  heat 
which   came  from  that  higher  region  where  the  Sun  was,   seemed 
indubitably   to  point  to  the    existence    of  a    region  of  fire    above 
all  the  rest.    Therefore  in  their    succeeding  investigations,  their 
starting-point  lay  in  material  concepts  which  depended  wholly  upon 
first  impressions  received  by  the  senses  ;  and  whatever  conclusions 
thej'  might  arrive  at,   the  correctness  of  such  conclusions  must 
necessarily  turn  or  depend  upon  the  accuracy  of  their  fundamental 
ideas. 

In  seeking  an  explanation  as  to  the  formation  of  the  world, 
they  supposed  a  preponderance  of  one  of  the  four  elements  over  the 
other  three  ;  but  they  naturally  differed  as  to  which  was  the  original 
forerunner  of  the  others  in  power— since  with  one  teacher  the  pri- 


MO  The  Th«osophict.  [Mafch 

mordial  element  was  water ;  with  another  fire  or  air,  and  so  on.  * 
By  supposing  that  the  other  three  originated  in  some  way  from  the 
first  one — ^an  idea  doubtless  derived  from  the  Oriental  theory  of 
emanations — they  accounted  for  the  origin  of  the  elements,  and  then 
by  various  trains  of  specious  argument,  they  deduced  the  phenome- 
nal world  from  the  several  combinations  of  the  elements.  Thus, 
Anaximenes  held  that  rarefaction  and  condensation  were  the  active 
principles  in  the  construction  of  the  world — ^that  air,  when  suflScient- 
ly  rarefied,  became  fire,  and  more  condensed,  became  water ;  appeal- 
ing for  evidence  of  this  to  the  production  of  clouds  and  rain  out  of  the 
atmosphere  when  cold  prevailed,  and  their  absence  when  heat  was 
the  predominant  quality  and  the  air  more  rarefied.  So  he  held  that 
as  water  evidently  came  from  the  air,  and  that  by  condensation,  even 
into  solid  hail  and  ice,  so  the  solid  earth  had,  by  some  similar  pro- 
cess, originally  come  from  water  ;  all  else  being  produced  from  vari- 
ous modifications  and  interactions  of  these,  t  Thus  it  was  that 
Anaximenes  undertook,  from  an  assumed  primitive  substance,  to 
show  how,  by  observation  and  experiment,  others  may  arise  from  it 
and  further  transformations  may  occur.  J 

His  theory,  thus  roughly  outlined,  may  be  taken  as  the  earliest 
European  forerunner  and  prototype  of  the  materialistic  philosophy 
of  the  nineteenth  century ;  for  our  present-day  physicists  likewise 
attempt  to  account  for  the  formation  of  the  world  upon  purely  physi- 
cal hypotheses,  which  only  differ  from  that  of  Anaximenes  in  so  far 
as  they  are  based  upon  a  more  extended  and  refined  observation  of 
natural  things,  and  a  more  complex  knowledge  of  their  interaction. 
Both  Anaximenes  and  his  modern  successors  held  that  matter  was 
everything  ;  and  the  lapse  of  2,400  years  has  only  made  this  mnch 
difference — that  by  added  complexit}',  the  physical  hypothesis  has 
only  succeeded  in  further  obscuring  the  fact  that  it  does  no^  account 
for  the  grand  evolution  of  the  Universe,  but  only  for  some  secondary- 
effects  belonging  thereto. 

But  even  in  the  time  of  Anaximenes,  just  as  we  find  at  present, 
the  unsatisfactory-  nature  of  that  theory  was  perceived  ;  because  it 
made  matter  the  principle  which  evolved  Consciousness,  instead  of 
making  Consciousness  the  thing  which  moulds  plastic  matter.  And 
accordingly  we  find,  that  in  the  hands  of  Diogenes  of  Apollonia,  the 
theor>'  of  Anaximenes  received  a  further  extension,  and  one  which 
from  a  purely  physical  basis,  made  it  into  a  psychological  one.  For 
while  Diogenes  asserted,  as  his  predecessor  had  done,  that  all  things 
originate  from  one,  he  made  this  "  One  **  an  essence  rather  than  a 
substance ;  and  said  that  it  was  one  which,  while  undergoing  continual 
changes — and  thus  becoming  different  at  different  times — yet  ulti- 
mately returns  back  again  to  its  original  state.  Here,  then,  was  another 

•  Draper,  Op.  cit.^  p.  104. 

t  lb.  Vol.  I.,  Ch.  iv,  p.  102.  Cf.  "I.U."  Vol.  I,  pp.  51,  133. 

X  Draper^  O^.  Ck«,  p.  99. 


1901.}         Ancient  Theories  as  to  the  Origin  of  the  World.  361 

step  towards  the  Emanation  theory.  He  therefore  regarded  the  earth  as 
a  living  being,  which  by  virtue  of  innate  consciousness,  spontaneously 
evolves  or  has  its  birth  or  beginning,  gradually  transforms  itself, 
and  will  accordingly  have  an  ending.  And  as,  with  Anaximenes, 
he  held  that  air  was  the  original  substance  or  essence,  it  followed 
that  this  air  must  be  eternal,  imperishable,  and  also  endowed  with 
consciousness  as  the  principle  which  brought  about  its  changes  into 
solid  bodies  and  living  things  which  are  endowed  with  a  part  of  its 
own  nature.  This  he  argued,  because  without  reason  or  some  such 
aspect  of  Consciousness,  it  would  be  impossible  for  all  to  be  arranged 
so  duly  and  proportionally  as  that  everything  should  maintain  its 
fitting  meamre — ^Winter  and  Summer,  night  and  day,  rain  and  wind^ 
and  fair  weather,  and  whatever  object  we  consider,  will  be  found  to 
have  been  ordered  in  the  best  and  most  beautiful  manner  possible. 
Bat,  as  he  further  says,  *'  that  which  has  such  knowledge  is  that 
which  men  call  air ;  it  is  it  that  regulates  and  governs  all-— and 
hence  it  is  the  use  of  air  to  pervade  all,  and  to  dispose  all,  and  to  be 
iu  all ;  for  there  is  nothing  that  has  not  part  of  it/'* 

Thus  crudely  did  Diogenes  endeavour  to  amend  the  faults  of 
Anaximenes,  and  to  express,  as  far  as  his  knowledge  of  nature  went, 
the  existence  of  that  simple,  yet  universal  and  invariable  Law  which 
governs  endlessly  varying  phenomena ;  and  did  but  vagpiely  per- 
ceive that  it  is  a  more  noble  view  of  the  government  of  this  world 
to  impute  its  order  to  a  penetrating  primitive  wisdom,  which  could 
foresee  consequences  throughout  a  future  eternity,  and  provide  for 
them  in  the  original  plan  at  the  outset,  as  Dr.  Draper  expresses  it,  f 
than  to  admit  either  the  fortuitous,  hap-hazard,  materialistic 
theory  of  Anaximenes,  or  the  religious  idea  of  a  capricious  Deity 
and  the  perpetual  intervention  of  misunderstood  spiritual  agencies 
for  the  purpose  of  carrying  on  the  world. 

In  these  vague  ideas  of  Anaximenes  and  Apollonius,  as  we 
shall  further  see,  there  are  to  be  recognised  the  traces  of  a  much 
older  and  more  perfect  system  of  cosmogony ;  though  they  are 
little  recognisable  under  the  forms  in  which  the  popular  ignorance 
of  that  time  endeavoured  to  clothe  them.  They  seem  to  have  arisen 
in  some  measure  from  scattered  hints  of  esoteric  science,  rudely 
blended  into  systematic  form  by  means  of  the  popular  ideas  of  Geog- 
raphy  and  other  branches  of  knowledge— in  which  the  Greeks  were 
far  behind  the  nations  from  whom  .  they  too  oflen  borrowed  what 
they  did  not  understand ;  and  then,  dressing  this  in  surroundings 
appropriate  to  their  own  ignorance,  endeavoured  to  pose  therewith 
as  the  originators — for  there  was  no  vainer  nation  in  early  Europe 
than  these  same  Greeks.:^ 

But  those  who,  through  travel  and  other  advantages,  were  more 
enlightened,  were  not  in  such  haste  to  rush  into  dogmatic  asser- 

* —  

*  lb.  pp.  99,  loo. 

t  lb.  pp.  IOC,  loi. 

:  Higgtns,  "  Celtic  Druids." 

6 


.    .   .  The  Theoaophigt.  [March 

tious  and  imperfect  theories  concerning  world-origin  or  any  .other 
matter  connected  therewith  ;  and  so,  seeing  that  so  little  informa- 
.tion  was  available  upon  purely  natural  science,  tried  to  direct  the 
.attention.of. their,  countrymen  into  channels  better  suited  to  their 
.peculiar  genius.  They  pointed  out  that  the  proper  study  of  mankind 
was  Man  ;  and  that  when  such  a  subject  had  been  exhausted,  there 
would  probably  remain  nothing  to  learn  as  to  the  constitution  and 
origin  of. the  Cosmos;  since  the  one  subject,  by  analogy  and 
otherwise,  included  the  other.  We  see  exactly  the  same  thing 
happening  at  the  present  day  ;  for,  since  physical  science,  attempting 
to  transcend  its  available  data  and  present  powers,  has  landed  us 
in  a  sea  of  contradictory  theories  and  uncertainties  as  tb  the  begin- 
nings of  the  earth  and  the  other  bodies  of  our  Solar  System,* 
there  have  come  forward  certain  people  who,  discarding  these 
contradictions  and  vagaries,  have  endeavoured  to  reach  the  solution 
of  this  and  many  other  problems  by  a  route  quite  different  from  that 
hitherto  perceived  or  attempted  in  this  century. 

In  ancient  Greece,  the  people  who  made  the  same  attempts 
pointed  out  that  the  only  certain  and   incontrovertible  data  for  the 
basis  oiall  knowledge,  were  to  be  found  in  man's  own  nature ;  and 
that  within  the  recesses  of  his  mind  and  consciousness  there  lay  not 
only  a  deep  mine  of  knowledge,  but  also  the  touch-stone  of  all  truth. 
It  was  as  though  they  had  caught  at  least  a  glimpse  of  the  fact  that, 
as  the  human  Ego  had  persisted  since  the  foundations  of  the  world, 
it  must  contain  the  history  of  the  earth   within  its  own  experience. 
But,  dealing  only  with  the  intellectual  plane,   they  proceeded  to 
demonstrate  how  certain  it  was  that  the  two  sides  of  any  triangle, 
being  added  together,  must  always  exceed  the  third  side  in  quantity ; 
and  as  the  abstractions  of  Geometrj',  being  purely  mental  products, 
were  yet  the  only  absolutely  true   results  yet  obtained,  therefore 
only  through  the  medium  of  inward  meditation  and  contemplation  was 
the  actual  truth  of  things  to  be  deduced,    whether  from  natural 
phenomena  or  otherwise.    As  the  mind,  by  its  evolution  of  Geome- 
try, had  thus  successfully  mastered  the  conditions  of  space  and  of 
form  in  one  direction,  so  might  it  also  do  in  regard  to  those  of  time 
and  of  substance  (or  matter)  in  another.    And  here  they  proceeded 
to  show  how  number  and   ha^-mony  were  the  key-notes  and  funda- 
mental bases  of  all  things,  and  were,  in  fact,  involved  in  Geometry 
itself ;  and  must  be  the  guides  and  ruling  powers  in  the  modifications 
of  plastic  matter— and  thus  provide  the  most  recondite  and  abstruse 
basis  of  all    things,  the  earth  included,  which  had    ever   been 

devised,  t 

And  in  truth,  such  principles  yet  remain  the  only  means  which 

most  philosophers  employ ;  for  without  the  Calculus,  physical  sci- 
ence were  an  utter  impossibility,  and  scarce  any  of  our  present-day 

■ 

•  *«  S.D,"  II,  pp.  67,  74-6.  ii.e. 
t  Cf.  "  S.D.,"  1, 674,  &  II.,  49^  n.e, 


1901.]  Ancient  Theories  as  to  the  Origin  of  the  World.  36^ 

knowledge  would  be  capable,  of  record  or  expression.  What  should 
we  know  of  Chemistry,  if  we  had  not  weight  and  measure,  and  could 
not  number  the  proportions  in  which  the  atoms  attract  each  other, 
and  in  which  they  combine  ?  Where  would  be  our  Astronomy,  if 
we  had  not  suitable  figures  to  measure  our  periods  and  distances, 
and  in  which  to  express  our  results  ?  In  short,  what  progress  would 
be  possible  in  anything,  if  we  were  without  the  elements  of  Num- 
ber, Weight  and  Measure  ?  Do  we  seek  to  understand  Music,  we 
must  number  its  vibratory  notes  ;  and  if  we  investigate  optics, 
the  band  of  colours  into  which  white  light  can  be  resolved  is  only 
to  be  expressed  by  the  numbers  which  stand  for  the  vibrations  in 
the  ether,  per  uiiit  of  time,  which  denote  the  effect  of  certain  rays 
upon  the  retina  of  the  eye.  Such,  at  least,  are  the  obvious  and 
demonstrable  applications  of  the  principle  of  numbers  by  which 
physical  science  has  ascertained  the  properties  of  natural  things 
upon  the  outward  plane  ;  and  were  the  same  principles  recognised  in 
the  manner  that  they  are  by  Occultism,  how  vastly  more  might  be 
known  than  at  present  appears  ?  We  may,  later,  find  that  such  an 
application  of  numbers  and  of  harmonious  proportions  would  unveil 
to  us  the  true  origin  of  the  Cosmos  and  of  Matter,  explaining  the  true 
method  and  manner  of  its  evolution,  with  all  the  changes  to  which  it 
is  subject ;  as  well  as  the  destinies  which  yet  await  its  future 
course.* 

But  that  most  active  nation  of  South-eastern  Europe,  some  of 
whose  cosmic  specifications  we  have  been  tracing,  was  but  a  very 
insignificant  part  of  the  ancient  world  ;  and  also  one  which,  when  it 
began  to  exhibit  its  most  intellectual  or  advanced  stage,  was  also, 
in  common  with  its  neighbours,  verging  towards  its  decline,  if  not 
approaching  the  closing  years  of  its  cycle  of  activity  for  the  time- 
being.  Hence  it  did  not  produce  those  astonishing  results  which 
have  since  been  reached  by  the  pursuit  of  the  same  methods  in  mo- 
dern nations,  and  their  greater  elaboration  in  our  own  time — when 
we  have  in  our  turn  produced  theories  as  to  the  origin  of  the  World, 
only  to  explode  them  in  succession,  much  as  the  old  Greeks  did. 

Samuiji,  Stuart. 

{To  be  concluded.) 


•  Cf.  "S.D.,'>  S.  V.  Number,  «cc. 


36a 


THE  RA'MA  GlTA\ 

Chapter  I. 
(  Continued  front  p.  307 .) 

HE  illuminates  every  day : — ^the  golden  crown  set  with  diamonds, 
vaiduryas,  emeralds,  sapphires,  etc.,  by  His  head ;  .(21) 

The  pair  of  pendants  that  are  as  brilliant  as  the  sun  and  moon, 
by  His  ears ;  the  pair  of  golden  bracelets,  by  His  upper  arms ;      (22) 

The  sets  of  rings,  by  His  fine  fingers  ;  the  garlands  of  large- 
sized  pearls,  by  His  neck  and  breast ;  •  (23) 

The  soft  silken  cloth,  by  His  waist,  thighs  and  knees ;  and  the 
pair  of  anklets,  by  His  feet  resembling  the  fresh  lotus.  (24) 

Even  there,  the  lotus-navelled  Sri  Rama,  the  Lord  of  the 
Universe,  bearing  in  His  hands  the  Conch-shell,  the  Discus  and 
the  Club,*  went  into  communion  with  His  Ski.f.  (25) 

The  Lord  who  is  never  lonely  on  account  of  worldly  and 
spiritual  matters  that  ever  engage  His  attention  now  withdrew  His 
mind  into  loneliness.  (26) 

Thereupon  Brahma  and  others  as  well  as  Lakshmana  and  others 
who  understood  the  inclinations  of  others,  quietly  withdrew  there* 
from,  and  all,  except  Hanuman  and  the  Gate-keeper,  went  out.    (27) 

Then  Ravana*s  enemy  (Rama)  seated  as  He  was  in  the  Fadml- 
sanat  posture  withdrew  all  His  senses  from  their  (respective) 
oyccts ;  (28) 

Firmly  fixed  His  mind  on  that  NirgunaJ  Brahman  which  is 
declared  in  all  the  VedSntas  and  which  is  unconditioned  and  un- 
decaying  and  which  is  the  concentrated  Sat-Chit- Ananda  (Kxistence- 

.  Intelligence-Bliss) ;  {29) 

..  I  ■  ..    ■  I     . .  ■  ■  <.i    ■■■■ I.  I  -.   .. .      ■■  ■■■■■■  ■  I  ■   I  ■  ■ 

*  The  conch-shell,  the  discus  and  the  club  respectively  represent  the  Aban« 
kAra,  the  Manas  and  the  Buddhi. 

t  Padm&sana :  one  of  the  four  principal  postures  in  Yoga.  In  Ch.  I,  Verse  45, 
of  Hatha  Pradipika  it  is  described  thus  x — Place  the  right  heel  at  the  root  of  the 
left  thigh  and  the  left  heel  at  the  root  of  the  right,  cross  the  hands  behind  the 
back  and  take  hold  of  the  toes,  the  right  toe  with  the  right  hand  and  the  left  toe 
with  the  left 

X  Nirguna  Brahman  1  Ved&ntas  treat  of  Brahman  as  Saguna  (having  attrf* 
btttes),  Nirguna  (having  negative  attributes)  and  NirgunAttta  (having  no  attri* 
bates}. 

Saguna  has  personal  form  and  is  endued  with  all  conceivable  good  qualities* 

Nirguna  has  no  personal  form  and  has  no  attributes  except  Sat  (Existence), 
Chit  (Intelligence)  and  AnAnda  (Bliss)  as  opposed  to  anrita  (nomexbtenceX  Jada 
(noO'inteUigence)  and  duhkha  (non^bliss). 

Ntrganftttta  is  attributeless  and  is  unknowable. 


1901.]  the  Rama  Gita.  36^ 

And  then  by  readily  entering  into  Nirvikalpa  SamSdhi  ♦  (He) 
immersed  Himself  in  that  Ocean  of  undivided  Bliss ;  (30) 

Where  nothing  else  is  seen,  nothing  else  is  heard  and  nothing 
else  is  known  except  the  Supreme  Blissful  ski.f.  (31) 

Then  RSma  with  all  His  organs  delighted  b}'  the  enjoyment  of 
that  Bliss,  came  out  of  His  Samidhi,  being  induced  to  do  so  by  the 
germs  of  consciousness  pertaining  to  His  function  of  preserving  the 
Universe.  (32) 

Thereupon  Vayu's  son  Hanuman,  of  great  intellect,  knowing 
that  Rama  has  come  out  of  Samadhi,  approached  Him  with  joined 
hands ;  (33) 

And  with  a  downcast  face  indicating  modesty,  prostrated  at 
his  feet  like  a  tree  felled  to  the  ground,  and  worshipped  Him,  in  the 
manner  ordained,  with  arghya  (oblation),  pMya  (water  to  wash  the 
feet)  and  all  the  rest.  (34) 

Then,  having,  with  devotion  and  attentiveness,  pleased  RSma, 
Who  was  intent  upon  teaching  spiritual  truths,  Hanumdn,  with 
words  soft  and  clear,  addressed  Him  with  much  concern  :  (35) 

O,  RSma !  Thou  art  the  Supreme  Sei*f  Whose  form  is  made  up 
of  Existence,  Intelligence  and  Bliss.  Thou  alone  art  the  cause  of 
creation,  preservation  and  destruction  of  all  beings.  (36) 

This  much  I  have  ordinarily  understood  by  Thy  grace  and  by 
the  supreme  virtue  of  my  having  served  Thee,  but  I  am  now  afflicted 
because  of  my  not  having  got  a  thorough  knowledge  (of  the  Ski.f). 

(37) 
The  more  I  think  of  Samsdra  (the  unending  chain  of  cause  and 

effect)  the  more  sorrowful  I  become.   Even  then,  through  my  desire 

for  comfort,  I  have  been  caught  in  it  like  a  fish  by  a  hook.  (;^S) 

I/)  I  I  cannot,  even  in  imagination,  get  over  to  the  other  shore  of 


*  Nirvikalpa  SamAdhi :  One  of  the  six  grades  of  SamAdhis  known  as 
Drisy&nuviddha,  Sfabd&nuviddha,  Nissankalpa,  Nirvikalpa,  Nirvrittika  and 
Nirv&sana. 

SaniAdbi,  to  quote  from  the  Theosophical  glossiary, — "  is  a  state  of  ecstatic 
and  coinplete  trance.  The  term  comes  from  the  words  Sam-Adha, '  Self-possesston*' 
He  who  possesses  this  power  is  able  to  exercise  an  absolute  control  over  all  his 
faculties,  physical  or  mental ;  it  is  the  highest  state  of  yoga." 

The  Saraswatt  rahasya  (the  io6th .  Upanishad)  says :  Of  the  five  factors, 
I.  Existence,  2.  Intelligence,  3.  Bliss,  4.  Name,  5.  Form,  the  first  three 
pertain  to  Brahman  and  the  next  two  to  the  Universe.  Discarding  names  and 
forms,  one  should  rest  in  Sat-Chit*Ananda  (Brahman).  This  is  done  by  the  help 
of  the  aforesaid  SamAdhis* 

In  DrifyAnuviddha  Sam&dhi  (where  all  forms  are  discarded)  the  aspiratit 
realises  Brahman  as  the  Universal  Light  without  noticing  the  various  forms  with 
which  different  objects  appear  to  the  eyes.  He  notices  the  subject  alone  every 
where  and  that  as  Supreme  Light. 

In  SfabdAnuviddha  Samidhi  (where  names  are  discarded)^  the  aspirant  over* 
comes  tn  his  aind  the  differences  caused  by  names* 

In  Nissankalpa  SamAdhi  he  gets  the  mind  freed  from  sankalpas  (pondertngs 
or  desires),  in  Nirvikalpa  the  mind  is  freed  from  Vikalpa  or  doubt^  in  Nirvrittika 
it  is  frMNi  from  its  Vnttis  or  •  modifications  and  in  ff irvAsana  it  is  freed  from 
Vlsanas  or  impressions* 


3^6  The  fheosophist.  [March 

this  Samsara.    The  body  is  ever  the  abode  of  diseases  and  the  six 
kinds  of  changes*  are  its  attributes.  (39) 

Even  with  a  body  similar  to  steel,  how  can  one  attain  to  perfec- 
tion ?  Our  happiness  is  never  in  the  body,  my  opinion  is  that  it  is 
elsewhere.  (4^) 

O,  Ocean  of  kindness!  This  personal  form  of  Thine  that 
Thou,  the  Omniscient  and  the  Omnipotent,  hast,  of  Thine  own  accord, 
assumed  through  Thy  MSyS  ;  (41) 

For  the  welfare  of  all  the  worlds  and  for  the  purification  of  the 
minds  of  those  that  have  no  desire,  should  be  meditated  upon,  even 
by  the  most  learned,  within  the  cavity  of  the  lotus-like  heart.     (42) 

By  the  highest  virtues  of  my  past  birth  this  personal  form  of 
Thine  has  been  made  visible  to  my  eyes.  The  other,  impersonal 
one — not  visible  to  the  naked  eyes,  (43) 

Devoid  of  any  form,  like  unto  the  all -pervading  ether,  the  most 
supreme  light,  the  well-known,  the  ever  pure,  the  Omniscient,  the 
eternal,  (44) 

The  ever  free  and  the  imperishable  one  called  the  Param&tman 
(the  Supreme  Self  of  all)— is  that  which  I  wish  to  know,  if  Thou  host 
kindness  for  me.  (45) 

If  I  deserve  to  be  instructed  in  this  and  if  it  will  not  be  tiresome 
to  Thee  to  spend  Thy  words,  I  beseech  Thee,  O,  Lord  !  to  impart 
the  same  to  me  for  the  realisation  of  my  SeItF.  (46) 

Thus  in  the  glorious  Upanishad  of  Ra'MA  Gl'TA',  the 
secret  meaning  of  the  Vedas,  embodied  in  the  second 
Pdda  of  the  Upslsana  Kinda  of  Tatvasardyana,  reads  the 
first  chapter  enitled : 

The  Description  op  ayodhya  Mantapa>  etc. 


CHAPTER  II. 
Sri  Rama  said : 

Well  done  O,  Maruti !  thou  hast,  O,  wise  one  1  done  well  in  ask- 
ing Me  about  that  which  is  beneficial  to  the  world.  This  path  of 
salvation  from  SamsSra  is  wonderful.  (i) 

O,  Conquerer  of  foes  !  thou  hast,  for  the  most  part,  learnt  from 
Me  the  meanings  of  the  Vedas.  Even  then  I  am  very  much 
delighted  to  tell  thee  now  exhaustively.  (2) 

There  is  none  else  equally  deserving  with  thee  to  be  taught  the 
Science  of  Brahman.  What  am  I  to  do  with  the  secrets  if  I  do  not 
give  them  to  thee  i  (2) 

Besides  thee  I  do  not  know  of  any  one  who  is  the  source  of  My 
pleasure  in  this  world.  Come  near  Me,  My  hand  wishes  to  feel 
thy  body ! (4) 

•  The  six  kinds  of  changes  that  the  bodyjs  subjected  to  are :  conception,  birlfa , 
^h,  maturity,  decay  and  death. 


^901.]  The  Rama  Gita.. 


367 


So  saj-ing  the  chief  of  the  Raghu  family  passed  His  hand  over 
HanumSn  from  head  to  foot  and  began  to  teach  the  spiritual 
truths.  ^^^ 

That  which  is  devoid  of  hunger,  etc.,  of  caste  distinctions  such 
as  Brahmana,  Kshatriya,  etc.,  of  such  evils  as  sins,  etc. ;  that  which  is 
motionless,  full  and  one  without  a  second  ;  (6) 

That  which  is  beyond  the  three  states*  (of  consciousness),  that 
which  is  devoid  of  the  five  sheaths,t  that  which  is  intelligence 
alone,  the  Brahinan,  the  most  subtle,  and  the  Supreme  one  devoid 
of  qualities,  (7) 

Is  alone  My  real  and  wonderful  form  and  it  is  firmly  established 
in  all  the  eternal  VedSntas.  (8) 

Thou  canst  not  properly  understand  it  from  any  texts  other 
than  the  Vedantas.  Among  S'rutis,  Smritis  and  Pur^nas,  the  most 
authoritative  are  the  S'rutis.  (9) 

Therefore,  O  son  of  Anjana !  thou,  who  art  desirous  of  getting 
thyself  freed  from  SamsSra,  shalt  forthwith  apply  to  the  study  of 
Vedantas  for  the  better  understanding  of  My  true  nature.  (10) 

The  Upanishad,  the  visible  manifestation  of  the  Goddess  of 
Wisdom,  is  pregnant  with  all  spiritual  truths  and  there  is  no  secret 
which  is  unknown  to  her.  (11) 

O,  son  of  Pavana !  thou,  who  art  scorched  by  SamsSra,  shalt 
approach  her  even  as  a  child  that  is  hungry  approaches  its  mother, 
and  in  conformity  with  her  teachings,  thou  shalt  question  Me 
regarding  My  nature.  (12) 

Hanuman  said : 

Tell  me,  O,  chief  of  the  Raghu  family !  which  are  the  VedSntas 
and  where  are  they  embodied  ?  O,  Rima !  How  many  are  the  Vedas  ? 
and  O,  Raghava  !  how  many  are  their  branches  ?  (13) 

Kindly  tell  me  accurately,  how  many  Upanishads  are  there  in 
them,  by  a  knowledge  of  whose  meaning  I  will  be  freed  from  the 
bondage  of  Samsars^.  ( 14) 

Sri  RSma  said  : 

O,  HanumSn  !  I  shall  tell  you  the  position  of  the  Vedfintas, 
hear  straight  on.  From  Me  the  Vishnu,  Vedas  with  their  supple- 
ments, came  out  as  my  out-going  breaths.  (15) 

The  VedSnta  is  firmly  established  in  the  Veda  even  as  the  oil 
in  the  sesamum  seed.  The  Vedas,  divided  as  they  are  into  Rigveda, 
etc.,  are  four  in  number.  (16) 

Many  are  the  branches  of  the  Vedas  and  many  are  the 
Upanishads  of  those  branches.  The  branches  of  the  Rigveda  are 
twenty-one  in  number.  (17) 


*  The  three  states  of  Consciousness  are  1.  J&grat  or  waking-,  2.  Svapna  or 
dreaining,*and  3.  Sushiipti  or  dreamless  sleep. 

■":  t  The  five  sheaths  iare,  the  Annamaya,   the   Prilnaraaya,  the  Manomayi4»  thf 
Vijnanamaya  and  the  ^oandamaya. 


36S  The  Theosopfaist.  [llflioh 

O,  Son  of  Marut !  the  branches  of  the  Yajurveda  are  nine  and 
one  hundred  in  number.  O,  scorcher  of  enemies  !  One  thousand 
branches  have  come  out  of  Sfima  Veda.  (i8) 

0,  Hanum&n !  The  branches  of  the  Atharvaveda  are  fifty  in 
number.    It  is  said  that  for  each  branch  there  is  an  Upanishad.  (19) 

He  that  studies  one  Rik  or  verse  of  one  of  these  Upanishads, 
with  great  devotion  for  me,  that  man  attains  to  the  salvation  called 
SS5aijya*  (becoming  one  with  Me)  which  is  difficult  of  attainment.(2o) 

Although  that  salvation  called  SSyujya  is  far  superior  to  the 
three  lower  ones  called  SSlokya,  f  SSrupya  J  and  SSmipya,  §  yet  it 
is  excelled  by  the  fifth  state  called  the  Kaivalya  mukti.  ||  (21) 

Hanuman  said : 

By  what  means  can  I  attain  to  this  Kaivalya  mukti  with  which 
one  can  avoid  falling  again  into  the  well  of  this  SamsSra  ?  (22) 

Sri  Bama  said : 

(The  Ten  Upanishads.) 

1.  Is'a,  2.  Kena,  3  Katha*(valli),  4.  Pras'na,  5.  Munda,  6.  M&n- 
dukya,  7.  Taittiriya,  8.  Aitareya,  9.  Chh&ndog^'a,  and  10.  Brihadi- 
ranyaka ;  (23) 

(The  Thirty-two  Upanishads.) 

II.  Brahma,  12.  Kaivalya,  13.  JSbaia,  14.  S'vetas'va-(tara),  15. 
Hamsa,  16.  A'runi-(ka),  17.  Garbha,  18.  N&r&yana,  19.  (Parama)- 
Hamsa,  20.  {Amrita)-Bindu,  21.  (Amrita)-Nada,  22.  (Atharva> 
Sira,  23.  (Atharva)-S'ikha  ;  (24) 

24.  MaitrSyani,  25.  Kaushitaki,  26.  Brihajj&bila,  27.  (Nri- 
simha)-TSpini,  28.  KSlfignirudra,  29.  Maitreyi,  30.  Subfila.  31. 
Kshuri  (ka),  and  32.    Mantrika ;  (25) 

(The  Hundred  and  Eight  Upanishads.) 

33.  SarvasSra,  34.  NirSlamba,  35.  (Suka)-Rahasya,  36.  Vajra- 
suchika,  37.  Tejo-(Bindu),  38.  Nada-(Bindu),  39.  Dhy&na-(Bindu), 
40.  (Brahma)-VidyS,  41.  Yogatatva,  42.  Atmabodhaka  ;  (26) 

43.  (Narada)-Parivrajaka,  44.  Tris'ikhi-(Brahmana).  45.  Sita, 
46.  (Yoga)-ChudS-(Mani),  47.  Nirvana,  48.  Mandala-(Br&hmana), 
49.  Dakshina-(Murti),  50.  Sarabha,  51.  Skanda,  52.  Mahanardyana, 
53.  Advaya-(Tftraka)  ;  .(27) 

*  SAyujya  :  The  worshipper  is  said  to  attain  Sayujya  when  he  becomes  one 
with  the  Deity  worshipped  by  him. 

t  SAlokya  :    when  he  attains  the  abode  of  that  Deity. 

X  S&riipya  :     when  he  is  blessed  with  a  form  like  that  of  the  Deity. 

§  S4mtpya  :  when  he  is  blessed  to  remain  near,  or  by  the  side  of,   the  Deity. 

II  Kaivalya  mukti,  or  freedom  to  remain  in  Self-HOOD  :  One  is  said  to  attain 
Kaivalya  when  be  is  able  to  merge  his  human  Self  into  the  Divine  Self  and  that 
again  into  the  Universal  Self.  This  Kaivalya  mukti  is  of  two  kinds,  Vf#.,  Jivan- 
mukti  and  Videhamukti,  which  will  be  explained  hereafter.  As  the  terms 
S&vujya,  &.C.,  refer  to  the  results  of  Saguna  worship  so  does  the  term  Kaivalya 
refer  to  the  result  of  Nirguna  worship. 


1901.]  The  Rama  Glta.  369 

54.  (RSma)-Raliasya,  55.  RSmatapana,  56.  VSsudeva,  57.  Mud- 
gala,  58.  S^andilya,  59.  Paingala,  60.  Bikshu-(ka),  61.  Maha,62.  SSri- 
raka,  63.  (Yoga)-Sikha ;  (28) 

64.  Turyttita,  65.  SanySsa,  66.  (Paramahamsa)-Parivrajaka, 
67.  Akshamfilika,  68.  Avyakta-(Nrisimha),  69.  EkSkshara,  70.  (Anna)- 
Purna,  71.  Surya,  72.  Akshi-(ka),  73.  Adhyatma,  74.  Kundika-(khya) ; 

(29) 
75.    S4vitri,  76.  Atma,  77.  PSs'upata,  78.  Parabrahma,  79.  Avar 

dhutaka,  80.  TripurStapana,  81.  Devi,  82,  Tripura,  83.  Katha,  84.  EhsLr 

vana ;  (30) 

85.  (Rudra)-Hridaya,  86.  (Yoga)-Kundali,  87.  Bhasma-Qabala), 
88.  Rudr&ksha,  89.  Gaiia-(pati),  90.  Dars'ana,  91.  TSrasara,  92.  Maha- 
vSkya,  93.  l^anchabrahma,  94.  (Prana>Agnihotra;  (31) 

95.  Gopaiatftpini,  96.  Krishna,  97.  Yajnavalkya,  98.  VarS- 
haka,  99.  S'Styayana,  100.  Hayagriva,  loi.  DattStreya,  102.  GSruda; 

(32) 

103.  KalKsantarana),  104.  JSbala,  105.  Saubhagya-(Lakshmi), 
106.  (Saraswati)-Rahasya,  107.  (Bahv)-Richa,  and  108.     Muktika ; 

Thus  (I  have  enumerated)  the  One  Hundred  and  Eight  (Upani^ 
shads)  that  destroy  the  three  states  of  existence.  (33) 

Here,  the  one  Upanishad  MSndukya*  alone  is  enough  to  secure, 
by  degrees,  the  Kaivalyamukti.  F'ailing  to  secure  it  thereby,  study 
the  Ten  Upanishads.  (34) 

Thereby  obtaining  an  indirect  knowledge  of  Me,  thou  shaljt 
reach  the  abode  of  Brahma  and  from  there  the  supreme  Vaikuntha 
wherefrom  thou  shalt  be  completely  freed  along  with  me.  (35) 

If  thou  desirest  Jivanmukti  (liberation  while  in  life)  on  account 
of  thy  dread  for  the  agonies,  etc.,  ielt  during  the  dissolution  of  this 
body,  thou  shalt  then  study  the  Thirty-twof  Upanishads  for  the  sakp 
of  direct  cognition  of  the  SEI.F.  (36) 

If,  even  as  a  Jivanmukta,  thou  shouldst  desire  for  Videhamukti 
(liberation  from  the  trammels  of  bodily  existence  while  in  the  body) 
on  account  of  the  effects,  whether  real  or  apparent,  of  Prarabdha 
Karma,  thou  shalt  then  study  the  Hundred  and  EightJ  Upanir 
shads.  (37) 

*  MAndiikya  g^ives  hints  on  Atmopisana  or  meditation  on  the  Self.  The 
Monosyllable  Om  is  said  to  be  made  up  of  a  +  u  +  m  +  ardham&tra.  The 
Jivitnia  or  the  human  soul  should  meditate  upon  this  Pranava  and  thereby  per- 
ceive the  Pratyagatma  or  divine  Self  within.  Then  he  should  identify  himself 
with  It  which  stands  in  the  same  relation  to  the  Universal  Self  21s  the  spark  is  to 
the  fire.  If  he  fail  to  realise  this  by  the  study  of  Mtlnd^kya,  he  is  asked  to  apply 
himself  to  the  study  of  the  Ten  Upanishads  for  ParokshajnAna  or  indirect  cogni- 
tion. 

f  Upanishads  numbers  1 1  to  32  {vide  verses  24  and  25  supra'*  are  techni- 
cally known  as  "  the  Thirty-iwo",  Nos.  i  to  10  {vide  verse  23)  being  likewise 
known  as  "  the  Ten". 

t-  Upanishads  numbers  33  to  108  {vide  verses  26  to  33  supra)  are  techni- 
cally known  as  the  "  Hundred  and  Eight".  t 

By  studying  the  Ten  Upanishads  one  attains  Kramamukti  (S&lokya  and  the 
rest).  By  studying  the  Thirty-hvo  Upant^hads^  one  attains  JtvanmuH  and  by 
%\}X&fin^,\JbA  Hundred  and  Eighty  one  ^iX^ms  Videhamukti^ 

7 


370  The  Theo^phist.  [March 

Although  this,  body  apparently  exists,  yet.  vvh^M  the  effect  of 
Pr&rabdha  ceases,  Videha  Kaivalya  is  attained.  There  is  no  doubt 
about  it.  .      .  (3^) 

Because  of  the  one  thousand  one  hundred  and  eighty  Upani* 
shads,  tii^  Hundred  and  Eight  are  more  important  than  even  the 
Ten  or  the  Thirty-two  ;  (39) 

And  because,  by  bestowing  on  men  wisdom  and  dispassion, 
Ihey  destroy  the  three  }ii\yAs  of  VSsanas  (mental  impressions),  they 
should  be  studied  with  t^eir  respective  S'antis  (peace  chantings)  at 
the  beginning  and  end  df  each  of  them.  (40) 

To  the  twice-born  men  who  are  already  initiated  into  the 
Yedas,  Vidyas  and  Vows,  and  who  study  the  Hundred  and  Bight  after 
having  received  them  direct  from  the  mouth  of  the  teacHer ;        (41) 

To  such,  the  spiritual  knowledge,  of  its  own  accord,  shine*  forth 
like  the  Sun  and  they,  no  doubt,  become  (virtually)  bodiless  even 
though  they  are  (apparently)  possessed  of  bodies.  (42) 

To  him,  who  solicits  a  boon,  may  be  given  country  or  wealth  to 
his  heart's  content,  but  to  everyone  cannot  be  taught  this  Hundred 
and  Eight.  (43) 

To,  an  athiest,  an  ungrateful  one,  one  who  is  bent  upon  evil- 
doings,  also  to  one  who  has  no  devotion  for  Me,  and  to  him  who  is 
led  away  by  pitfalls  in  his  studies  of  S'&stras ;  (44) 

And  to  one  who  is  devoid  of  devotion  to  his  teacher,  this 
(Hundred  and  Eight)  should  never  be  taught.  But,  O,  Son  of  Marut ! 
to  the  devoted  disciple  and  to  the  dutiful  son,  (45) 

And  to  one  who  is  My  devotee,  one  who  is  endued  with  good 
qualities,  who  is  born  of  good  parents  and  who  has  a  good  intellect, 
must,  after  due  examination,  be  taught  the  Hundred  and  Eight 
(Upanishads).  (46) 

He  who  studies  or  teaches  and  he  who  hears  or  recites  (the 
Hundred  and  Eight),  no  doubt  reaches  Me  when  the  body  due  to 
Prdrabdha  falls.  (47) 

O,  Son  of  Pavana !  what  is  taught  by  Me  to  thee  who  art  my 
disciple,  destroys  all  classes  of  sins,  by  merely  hearing  (it)  once.  (48) 

Those  who  study  knowingly  or  unknowingly  this  secret  science 
of  One  Hundred  and  Eight  Upanishads  promulgated  by  me  are 
liberated  from  the  bonds  of  SamsSra.  (49) 

The  Spiritual  Science  approached  the  Brahmana  and  said  to 
him  :  '*  Gviard  me,  I  am  thy  treasure.  Do  not  make  me  over  to 
one  who  is  envious  or  crooked-minded,  nor  to  a  rogue.  So  guarded 
my  virtue  endures."  (50) 

The  teacher  should  impart  this  science  of  devotion  to  the  Self, 
given  out  by  Vishnu,  to  him  who  is  versed  in  the  Vedas,  who  is 
diligent,  and  intelligent,  and  who  keeps  up  the  vow  of  Brahma* 
charya,  after  duly  testing  him.    .  {51) 

Thus  in  the  glorious  Upanishad  of  Ra'ma  Gl*TA\  the 
secret  meauing  of  the  Vedas,  embodied  i^  the  second 


IdOl/J  the  Awakening  of  the  Self,  37t 

Pdda  of  the  Upasana  Xanda  of  Tatvasarayana,  reads 
the  second  chapter  entitled : 

THE    CONSIDKRATiON    OF    THE    ESSENCE    OF    SCftlPTUML 

AUTHORITIES- 

G.  Krishna  Sastry, 
[  To  be  contimiedJ\ 


THE  A  WAKENING  OF  THE  SELF. 

THIS  self  is  not  the  little  personal  self  known  as  Mrs,  A.  of 
Mr.  B. 

The  true  Self ;  the  Higher  Self  is  the  heir  of  all  the  ages,  and 
its  awakening  is  the  sense  of  blissful  rest  in  which  the  tired  pil- 
grim, after  long  wanderings,  begins  to  get  a  glimpse  of  its  true  home« 

No  more  change,  sorrow  or  trouble ;  no  more  disappointed 
hopes  and  broken  friendships  ;  we  have  found  peace,  we  have  passed 
from  the  little  personal  life,  to  awake  into  the  Higher  consciousness. 

The  climb  may  have  been  difficult  and  we  only  as  yet  have  got 
a  glimpse,  but  that  glimpse  is  very  sweet  and  satisfying.  Others 
may  have  entered  into  fuller  possession  of  their  heritage  and  become 
Path-Finders,  making  of  themselves  a  way  for  others.  "I  am  the 
Way,  the  Truth  and  the  Life,"  said  Jesus  ;  but  the  humblest  soul  to 
whom  this  awakening  has  come  is  as  it  were  "  shut  up  in  measure- 
less content."  The  seers  of  old  saw  this  condition  as  a  refuge  from 
the  heat  and  a  covert  from  the  storm  ;  as  the  shadow  of  a  great 
rock  on  a  weary  land. 

Jesus  spoke  of  it  as  a  shutting  of  the  door  on  the  outside  tur- 
bulence, for  communion  with  the  Father  in  secret — our  own  Higher 
Self— and  great  are  the  rewards  of  this  communion  ;  power  flows  into 
our  mortal  weakness,  the  changelessness  of  a  love  divine  consoles 
us  for  the  instability  of  earthly  friendships. 

It  says  in  Kathopanishad  :  **  When  once  he  knows  himself  mid 
bodies  bodiless,  amid  the  infirm  firm,  great  and  widespread,  the 
wise  has  no  more  grief.  He  is  not  born  nor  dies,  he  ever  unslain 
remains  though  the  body  be  slain.  This  Self  is  not  attainable  by 
explanation,  nor  by  mental  grasp,  nor  can  one  whose  mind  is  not  at 
peace  gain  that  Self  by  knowledge  merely." 

In  finding  our  true  and  Higher  Self  we  find  God — and  in  find- 
ing Him,  we  find  our  true  relationship  to  all  that  exists.  In  no  other 
way  is  the  highest  altruism  possible. 

If  we  fail  in  this  one  sacred  quest,  our  efforts,  philanthropic, 
social  and  reformatory,  must  be  measurably  abortive.  Here  alone 
is  the  source  of  all  true  power.  Why  ?  Because  we  have  touched 
the  source  of  all  power,  "  I  am  in  the  Father  and  the  Father  in  me  "  * 
and  when  the  disciples,  questioning,  asked  Him  to  show  them  the 
Father,  He  said :  "  Have  I  been  so  long  time  with  you  and  yet  have 
ye  not  known  me  ? " 


372  The  YheosopKist.  [i^arcli 

It  will  be  no  extra  cosmic  God,  adored  with  temples  and  gems 
and  gold,  that  will  be  man's  highest  conception  of  the  divine  in  the 
coming  future,  but  the  God  of  Humanity,  and  our  sacrificial  altar 
will  be  service. 

EUZABETH  HUGHKS. 


A  LIFE  PORTRAIT. 

An  Artist  stood  with  folded  arms 

While  on  the  floor  his  palette  lay 

Broken  in  twain. 

Against  the  wall  his  picture  leaned — 

Grand  work  in  desperate  travail  born 

To  teach  it's  lesson  to  a  needy  world  ! 

Sent  forth  in  all  the  glow  of  hope ; 

Sent, — and  returned,  because,  forsooth. 

There  was  no  space  to  spare 

For  unknown  names  upon  the  **  line !" 

**  Why  live  ?  still  less, — why  starve  ?  he  cried  ! 

And  drew  a  loaded  pistol  from  it's  case  ! 

"  Hold !  "  said  a  voice !  "  Who  speaks  ?  "  he  asked, 

Pausing  in  act  to  fire. 

**I  am  the  genius  that  thy  brush  hath  limned 

The  elemental  outgrowth  of  thy  work, 

Strong,  puie,  and  deathless  !  Turn,  Behold !  " 

Swift  to  the  Painter's  glance  there  sprang 

The  subject  of  his  toil,  instinct  with  life. 

His  pictured  figures  smiled  and  with  raised  hands 

Signed  towards  a  vista  of  far-reaching  homes, 

Where  each  one  treasured  on  its  private  walls 

His  master-piece ! 

A  crash  !  The  dull  thud  of  a  weighty  fall  ! 
It  was  the  pistol  flung  without  ;  while  lo  f 
Hope-strengthened  fingers  had  resumed  the  brush, 
And  patient  hands  toiled  on  I 

Hope  Huntwy. 


4^m^ 


1901.]  37^ 


I£beo0opbi?  in  BU  Xan^e. 


NEW  ZEALAND. 

The  Fifth  Annual  Convention  of  the  New  Zealand  Section  was  held 
in  Auckland  on  December  30  and  31,  and  Januar>'  1,1901,  all  the  Branches 
being  represented,  Mr.  S,  Stuart  presided  and  in  his  opening  ad- 
dress called  upon  members  to  be  earnest  in  their  endeavours  to  make 
the  work  of  the  Society  a  success. 

The  General  Secretary's  report  showed  that  though  but  a  slight 
increase  in  numbers  had  taken  place  during  the  year,  much  good  work 
had  been  done  by  the  Branches,  both  in  study  and  in  public  work.  The 
great  need  of  the  Section  was  to  send  lecturers  into  all  parts  of  the  coun- 
try, in  response  to  inquiries.  There  had  been  a  good  sale  and  distri- 
bution of  literature,  and  by  this  means  the  teachings  were  spreading. 
The  New  Zealand  Theosofhical  Magazine  had  been  a  great  success  in 
this  respect, 

Dr.  C.  W.  Sanders  w^as  re-elected  General  Secretary  and  Mr.  F. 
Davidson,  Assistant. 

The  business  discussed  dealt  mainly  with  means  and  methods  of 
propaganda.  Funds  will  be  raised  to  send  local  lecturers  into  new  dis-. 
tricts  ;  and  to  obtain  lecturers  from  other  sections.  The  recent  exten- 
sion of  the  territorial  limits  of  New  Zealand  extends  the  sphere  of  the 
Section's  influence,  and  steps  will  be  taken  to  spread  the  teachings  in 
the  Pacific  Islands.  The  necessity  for  greater  social  intercourse  among 
members  and  sympathisers  also  claimed  attention  ;  and  various  methods 
of  study  were  discussed. 

A  public  meeting  in  connection  with  the  Convention  was  held  and 
addresses  were  given  by  the  following  delegates  :  Miss  Christie  (Dune- 
din)  on  **  The  Theosophical  Society  ;  "  Mrs.  Richmond  (Wellington) 
"  Karma  and  Reincarnation  ;  "  D.W.M.  Burn,  M.  A.  (Dunedin)  '*  Theo- 
sophy  and  Science."  During  the  evening  various  musical  selections 
were  performed,  and  the  meeting  was  a  crowded  and  very  successful 
one. 

For  the  rest  of  the  week,  picnics  and  garden  parties  were  the  order 
of  the  day.  The  Convention  is  one  of  the  most  successful  that  has  been 
held.  Some  of  the  delegates  still  remain  in  Auckland,  and  have  been 
lecturing  at  the  Sunday  evening  public  meetings  to  crowded  audiences. 

The  Christchurch  Branch  held  its  annual  meeting  recently  and 
reports  a  successful  yean  The  following  are  the  officers  for  the  ensuing 
year.  President,  J.  Bigg  Wither  (re-elected) ;  Vice-Presidents,  Mrs, 
Pattrick,  and  J.  P.  Cooper ;  Secretary.  J.  R.  Rodes  (187  High  St.  Christr 
church  (re-elected)  ;  Librarian,  Miss  Pattrick. 

During  the  holidays  Branch  classes  have  been  suspended  ;  public 
meetings^  however,  continue  as  usual. 


sr4 


"tlC^iCVOB. 


ESSAI  SUR  DEVOLUTION  HUMAINE. 
RESURRECTION  DES  CORPS— REINCARNATIONS  DE  L'AME/ 

Instead  of  giving  us  a  revised,  second  edition  of  his  essaj' :  **  Rein- 
carnation, ses  preuves  morales,  philosophiques  et  Scientifiques,**  1895 
(Paris,  Librairie  de  I'Art  Independant),  Doctor  Pascal,  the  learned 
General  Secretary  of  the  French  Section,  presents  us  with  a  substantial 
book  of  338  pages,  which  is  well  adapted  to  the  needs  of  the  French 
speaking  members  and  enquirers  and  is  sure  to  be  welcomed  by  them.  all. 
In  the  foreword  the  author  tells  us  that  he  is  going  to  treat  the  subject 
by  dividing  it  in  the  following  four  chapters  :  First,  *'  The  Soul  and  the 
Bodies,'*  second,  **  Reincarnation  and  Ethics,"  third,  '*  Reincarnation  and 
Science,"  fourth,  **  Reincarnation  and  the  Religious  and  Philosophical 
Agreement  of  the  Centuries."  Doctor  Pascal  gives  in  the  first  chapter 
some  verjMuteresting  information  regarding  the  manifestations  of  the 
higher  consciousness,  gathered  from  a  great  many  differehl  sources. 

The  second  chapter  under  its  different  divisions  of:  "Why  then 
Suffering?"  "The  problem  of  the  Inequality  of  the  Conditions;" 
"  Objection  ;  "  "  The  law  of  Causality  ;"  gives  us  an  idea  of  the  general 
evolution,  which  is  completed  by  a  short  sketch  of  the  law  of  Karma  and 
its  worTkings.  •  In  the  closing  words  of  the  chapter,  Doctor  Pascal  de- 
scribes this  law  so  beautifully  thus  :  "  Karma,  the  Divine  Will  in  action, 
is  Love  as  well  as  Justice,  Wisdom  as  well  as  Power;  and  no  one  must 
dread  it.  If  it  treat  us  harshly  sometimes,  if  it  lead  us  back  unceasing- 
ly upon  the  way  when  our  folly  leads  us  astray,  it  measures  its  force  to 
mir  weakness,  its  delicate  balance  poises  the  load  to  the  resistance  of  our 
shoulders,  and  when,  in  great  anguish,  in  terrible  crises,  the  human 
fiber  is  going  to  give  way,  it  (Kanna)  suddenly  lifts  the  weight,  gives 
the  soul  a  moment's  breathing-time  and  only  replaces  the  burden  wlien 
she  has  taken  breath." 

in  the  first  part  of  the  third  chapter  the  cyclic  mark  and  the  aim  of 
evolution  are  more  especially  brought  to  our  notice.  The  author  de- 
scribes the  position  which  the  Christian  Churches  take  with  regard  to 
human  evolution,  in  the  following  words:  "These  Churches  deny 
evolution.  They  say  :  a  single  body,  a  single  state  of  development  for 
each  being.  For  the  inferior  kingdoms  nothingness  before  birth, 
Modiiflgliess  after  death,  whatever  hiay  be  the  fate  of  the  beings  in  the 
short  life  which  is  imposed  on  them  ;  for  man,*  a  single  body  for  which 
God  creates  a  single  soul,  to  which  he  gives  a  single  incarnation  upon  a 
aixigle  pfenet— the  earth." 

More  than  one-third  of  the  book  is  taken  up  by  the  last  chapter,  in 
which  the  sacred  writings  of  India,  Egypt  and  Chaldea,  the  teachings  of 
the  Druids  and   the  ancient  Grfeeks,   the    Old  and  New  Testaments; 

♦  By  Doctor  Th.  Pascal.  (Paris  5  Publications  Theosophiques,  10,  rue  Saiot 
Lazare;  190 1.    Prices  Frs,  50.) 


1901.]   .  Heviewsr.  375 

Xeoplatonists*  ChrifitianvS  of  the  primitive  Church  and  modern  philos-*. 
ophers,  are  all  called  upon  to  bear  witness  to  the  reasonableness  of  the. 
teachings  of  apd  the  belief  in  rebirth. 

This  wctrk  can  well  be  recommended  to  every  one,  even  though  there 
might  be  some  minor  points  we  would  not  fully  endorse. 

C.  K. 


THE  TAITTIRIYA  UPANISHAD  WITH  COMMENTARIES/ 

...  By  A.   MAHA'DEVA  SA'STRI,  B.A. 

This  is  the  third  instalment  of  Mr.  Mahideva  S^dstriar's  translation 
into  English  of  tfye  Taittiriya  Upanishad  with  the  Commentaries  of 
S'ankara,  Sures'vara  and  S^yana.  Parts  I.  and  II.  of  this  translation  were 
published  in  1899  and  1900,  respectively,  and  were  reviewed  in  this 
Journal  on  page  571  of  Vol.  XXI.  There  the  learned  reviewer  has  re- 
marked that  the  "  translation  is  faultlessly  accurate  and  very  happy 
in  expression.**  This  is  true  of  Part  III.  also  and  we  can  confidently 
assert  that  whatever  proceeds  from  the  pen  of  our  learned  S'^triar 
will  be  thoroughly  reliable,  as  we  know  him  to  be  a  conscientious 
worker  who  never  undertakes  any  literary  work  for  mere  pecuniary 
considerations. 

In  reviewing  Parts  I.  and  II.,  the  reviewer  has  also  said  that  "  the 
general  get-up  of  the  book  is  very  neat  and  attractive  and  leaves  nothing 
to  be  desired.*'  This  might  be  true  with  regard  to  the  get-up  alone,  but 
comparing  these  three  parts  with  his  former  publications,  one  cannot 
desist  from  complaining  about  the  printing  and  the  general  arrange- 
ment therein  followed.  The  author's  table  of  transliteration  adopted 
solely  for  the  purpose  of  suiting  the  printer's  convenience— we  mean  the 
use  of  italics  for  accented  letters — is  not  everywhere  followed.  The 
author,  no  doubt,  in  the  last  para,  of  his  preface  attached  to  the  second 
part  of  this  series,  refers  to  the  arrangement  he  has  followed  ;  but  even 
that  arrangement  seems  to  be  defective  inasmuch  as  readers  will  not. 
easily  be  able  to  distinguish  one  commentary  from  another  by  the  use 
of  the  letters  ^.,  S.  etc.,  and  by  drawing  their  attention  to  Small  Pica, 
Long  Primer,  etc.  Every  reader  cannot  be  expected  to  be  able  to  dis-. 
tinguish  the  paras,  setup  in  Small  Pica  from  those  set  up  in  I^ong  Primer. 
The  author  would  have  done  better  if  he  had  given  the  names  "  S'an- 
kata/'  '*Sures'wara,"  &c.,  at  the  beginning  or  end  of  each  commentary. 
Part  II.  is  divided  into  eleven  lessons ,  whereas  Part  III.  is  divided|into 
fifteen  chapters. 

Now  as  to  the  contents :— These  fifteen  chapters  comprise  the  major 
portion  of  Book  II.  of  this  Upanishad,  coming  up  to  the  second  Mantra 
of  thesixth  Anuvaka  of  Anandavalli.  This  much  is  evidently  covered 
by  the  sub-section  ''A."  styled  the  **  Brahma  Vidya  expounded,"  pub- 
lished in  this  part.  The  first  eleven  chapters  comprise  the  first  Anuvdka 
and  a  portion  of  the  second.  Chapter  XII.  embraces  the  remaining 
portion  of  the  second  Anuvdkaand  a  portion  of  the  third.  Ch.  XIII., 
the  remaining  portion  of  Anuvika  III.  and  a  portion  of  Anuvaka  IV.  Ch. 
XIV.,  the  remaining  portion  of  Anuvdka  IV.  and  a  portion  of  Anuv&ka  V., 

■  ■  ■*■»         I.  -I  I         ■■■■■^■■■  ■■—  ■--  ■■■  ■         ■■■-  —■■■■.■ —  —       -      -■        — ■      ■  '      ■  ■         ■   —  ■»  --—       ^^^^m^^m^m^^^^^^ 

*  To  be  had  of  theaulhon  Pri  e,  Part  I.,  Annas  8  ;   Part  II.,  Re.  i-S-o  ;   Part 
Illr,  Rst  2. 


376  The  Theosophist.  [liCaseli 

and  Ch.  XV.  embraces  the  remaining  portion  of  Anuvaka  V.  and  a  por« 
tion  of  Anuv^ka  VI. 

The  sub-section  "  B  "  of  Book  II.  and  the  remaining  portion  of  this 
Upanishad  will  most  probably  appear  in  Part  IV.  to  be  published  here- 
after. 

The  book  is  not  altogether  free  from  misprints,  but  the  price  of 
each  part  is  fixed  at  a  very  reasonable  rate  and  considering  the  trouble 
that  one  has  to  undergo  in  such  an  undertaking,  we  are  even  prepared 
to  say  that  the  prices  are  fixed  at  the  lowest  possible  rate. 

O.  IC.  s. 


BRAHMA  SU^TRA  (MARATHI). 

The  first  four  aphorisms  of  the  Brahma  Sutras  of  S'ri  Veda  Vyasa 
together  with  the  commentaries  thereon  of  S'ri  S'ankara  are  translated 
into  Marathi  and  published  in  book  form  by  our  brother  Rao  Bahadur 
Dadoba  Sakharam,  President  of  the  Malegaon  Branch  T.  S. 

We  believe  that  this  publication  is  the  first  of  its  kind  and  we  gladly 
welcome  it.  We  understand  from  the  preface  that  the  sale-proceeds  of 
this  book  will  go  to  the  Central  Hindu  College  Fund.  The  price  of  this 
book  which  contains  90  octavo  pages,  is  only  four  annas  and  it  can  be  had 
of  the  publisher.  We  recommend  the  work  to  all  those  who  can  under- 
stand Marathi  and  to  all  those  who  wish  to  contribute  their  mite  to  the 
Central  Hindu  College  Fund. 

G.  K.  S. 


Sddhana-Sangraha,  a  Sanskrit-Hindi  work  of  216  pp.,  demy 
octavo,  compiled  bj^  a  Bhumihar  Brahman  (a  member  of  the  T.  S.)  and 
published  by  B.  Govind  Sahaya,  Mukhtar,  (a  member  of  the  Branch  T, 
S.,  MuzafFarpur)  is  a  very  useful  publication. 

It  is  divided  into  three  parts  and  contains  an  introduction  and  an 
appendix.  The  first  part  treats  of  Karma  and  Dharma.  The  second 
deals  with  Karma- Yoga,  Abhyisa-Yoga,  Jnana-Yoga  and  Bhakti-Yoga. 
The  third  is  devoted  to  an  article  on  **  The  Guru  and  the  Chela,"  and 
another  on '*  Rjljavidya-Diksha." 

The  author  has,  in  his  compilation,  closely  followed  the  teachings 
of  Mrs.  Besant  and  Pandit  Bhavdni  »^ankara.  The  apx)endix  contains 
the  necessary  information  regarding  'the  Theosophical  Society  and  the 
Central  Hindu  College,  Benares. 

This  compilation  sets  a  good  example  to  other  Indian  members  of 
the  T.  S.  Such  vernacular  publications  alone  can  carry  Theosophy  un- 
tainted to  the  masses.  Besides,  they  will  enable  the  less  advanced  to 
better  understand  the  spirit  of  the  teachings  of  Theosophy.  We  hope 
that  those  of  our  brothers  who  are  capable  of  bringing  out  similar 
publications  in  the  different  vernaculars  will  profit  by  the  example. 

The  price  of  Sadhana-Sangraha  is  one  rupee  per  copy  and  the  book 
can  be  had  of  Raghunandan  Prasad  Sinha  Sarma,  F.  T.  S.,  Secy., 
Muzaffarpur  T.  S.,  P.  O.,  Siloiit,  District  Muzaffarpur. 

G.  K.  S. 


1901.]  Reviews.  377 

MAGAZINES. 

The  Theosophical Review,  for  February,  opens  with  Mrs.  Hooper's  his 
torical  essay,  "TheC^le  D6  or  Culdees/'  another  of  her  studies  in  the 
"Origins  of  the  early  British  Church/'  '*A  dialogue,"  by  S.E.C., 
promises  to  open  up  some  rich  veins  in  religious  philosophy.  It  is  to  be 
continued.  Mrs.  Judson,  in  her  first  instalment  of  *'  Theosophical  Teach- 
ings in  the  writings  of  John  Ruskin,*'  quotes  some  very  pithy  extracts 
from  the  great  author,  one  of  which  is  this :  ''  I  know  few  Christians 
ao  convinced  of  the  splendour  of  the  rooms  in  their  Father's  house  as 
to  be  happier  when  their  friends  are  called  to  those  mansions  than  they 
would  have  been  if  the  Queen  had  sent  for  them  to  live  at  court ;  nor 
has  the  Church's  most  ardent ''  desire  to  depart  and  be  with  Christ," 
ever  cured  it  of  the  singular  habit  of  putting  on  mourning  for  every 
person  summoned  to  such  departure."  In '' The  Gospel  of  Buddha 
accoivlingto  Ashvaghosha,"  Mr.  Mead  reviews  a  recent  English  transla* 
tion  of  a  Chinese  version  (from  the  original  Sanskrit)  of  '*  Ashvagho** 
sha's  Discourse  on  the  Awakening  of  Faith  in  the  Mahdy&na."  The 
translator,  Mr.  Teitaro  Suzuki,  deems  this  work  highly  important,  and 
says  it  is  the  "  first  attempt  at  systematising  the  fundamental  thoughts 
of  the  Mah&ytoa  Buddhism."  Mr.  Mead  says  of  the  translation :  *'  It  is 
certainly  the  most  interesting  work  of  this  nature  which  we  have  read  ; 
and  though  it  is  sectarian  it  is  nevertheless  highly  instructive." 
Another  instalment  of  Mrs.  Besant's  ''  Thought- Power,  its  Control  ami 
Culture,"  is  given  in  this  issue.  Other  articles  are,  "  The  Midewiwin 
or  Sacred  Medicine  Society  of  the  Ojibwas,"  by  H.  H.  P. ;  '*The  Saint 
and  the  Outlaw,"  by  Michael  Wood — a  well  written  story  conveying  a 
very  importaatt  lesson  ;  ''  Among  the  Mystics  of  IslAm,"  by  Miss  Hard^ 
castle ;  "A  Christ-Dream  and  other  Dream-Fragments"  (which  issemi^ 
prophetic)  by  G.  R.  S.  M. ;  and  *'  Nil  of  Sor,"  by  a  Russian. 

The  Theosophk  Gleaner ^  for  January,  opens  with  Mr.  Sutclifife's  in- 
teresting lecture  on  *'  Sun-spot  Periodicity  ;"  this  is  followed  by  an^hei* 
lecture  by  Gajanan  Bhaskar  Vaidya,  B.A.,  entitled  "  Twenty-five  years 
of  Theosophy" — both  lectures  having  been  delivered  before  the  Bombay 
Branch  T.S.  Several  instructive  selections,,  with  '*  Notes  and  News," 
complete  the  number. 

In  The  Central  Hindu  College  Magazine,  for  February,  we  find  some 
reaarks  on  the  **  Pur^as ;"  a  brief  explanation  by  B.  Keightley,  of  "The 
Monitorial  System"  as  practised  in  the  English  schools ;  a  highly  useful 
paper  on  Bralimacharya,  by  Mrs.  Besant ;  the  second  instalment  of  Mrs. 
Uoyd's  very  interesting  story,  **  That  lyittle  Owl,  Bumes  ;"  "  Science 
Jottings,"  and  various  matters  of  interest  relating  to  the  College. 

Theosophy  in  Australasia,  for  January,  opens  with  a  review  of"  The 
Situation"  of  the  T.S.,  by  the  General  Secretary  of  the  Section,  Dr.  A. 
Maiques.  Dr.  G.  E.  Bailey  contributes  an  interesting  and  unique  article 
on  "  The  Joys  and  Sorrows  of  the  Atom.  *  *  *  *  Chance  or  Accident, ' '  is  next 
discussed,,  following  which  is  an  account  of  the  proceedings  of  the  Sixtli 
Annual  Convention  of  the  Australasian  Section,  T.S.,  and  an  important 
paper  on  "  The  Relation  of  Forgiveness  of  Sin  to  Karmic  Retribution," 
which  is  quite  suggestive. 

Revue  TMosophigue, — The  January  issue  of  the  magazine  edited  by 
oqr  French  brothers  is  a  very  interesting  number.    Among  the  contents 

8 


378  The  Theosophist.  [March 

we  note  an  article  by  Mrs.  Bcsant  dealing  with  the  true  basis  of  Brother- 
hood. Then  follow  "Clairvoyance,'*  by  C.  W.  Leadbeater  (trans.); 
*•  Extracts  from  *  The  Doctrine  of  the  Heart  ; '  "  "The  Theosophy  of 
Tolstoi."  Other  items  of  interest,  together  with  a  further  instalment 
pf  the  translation  of  the  "Secret  Doctrine,"  complete  the  number. 

Theosophia,  Amsterdam.  The  January  number  opens  with  a  transla- 
tion of  '  The  claims  of  Occultism,"  by  H.  P.  B.,  published  in  the  Theo. 
sophist  for  Scutember,  1881.  It  is  followed  by  "  a  Note  .on  Kliphas  L^xd.*' 
also  by  H.  P.  B.,  and  printed  in  the  Theosophist  for  October,  1881.  Then 
follow  portions  of  "Esoteric  Buddhism;"  "Tao  Te  King ";  a  lecture 
given  by  Mr.  Leadbeater  at  the  Amsterdam  Lodge  entitled  "  On  the 
Use  and  Development  of  the  Astral  Body ;  "  "  Siva,  Vishnu  and  Brahm^, 
the  Hindu  Trinity,"  by  J.  W.  Boissevain  ;  "  Gems  from  the  East"  and 
notes  on  the  theosophical  movement. 

Teosofia,  Rome.  The  December  issue  contains  "  The  Theosophical 
Society  and  Theosophy,"  by  the  President- Founder  ;  a  continuation  of  the 
essay  by  Signora  Calvari ;  "  Clairvoyance,"  by  C.  W.  Leadbeater  ;  "Re- 
incarnation," by  Dr.  Pascal,  and  the  smaller  items  of  interest.  The  Janu- 
ary number  opens  with  a  further  portion  of  the  essay  of  Signora  Cal- 
vari, and  there  follow :  " Clair\'oyance ;"  "  Reincarnation  ;"  "a  letter 
from  Benares,"  by  Mrs.  Lloyd  ;  book  notices,  and  notes  on  the  theoso- 
phical movement. 

Teosofisk  Tidskrift, — The  double  number  of  the  organ  of  the  Swedish 
Section  of  the  T.  S.,  for  October  and  November,  opens  with  an  essay  on 
"The  Twenty-fifth  Anniversary  of  the  Theosophical  Society,"  by  A.  K., 
followed  by  :  "  The  Nature  of  Theosophical  Proofs,"  by  Annie  Besant. 
We  wish  we  could  give  a  complete  table  of  contents,  but  our  knowledge 
of  Swedish  is  much  too  limited  for  us  to  do  so.  We  notice,  however, 
that  the  Rules  of  the  Swedish  Section  T.  S.  are  printed  in  this  number. 

Philadelphia,  Buenos  Aires.  The  double  number,  for  October  and 
November,  1900,  contains  a  long  list  of  interesting  vsubjects,  and  among 
the  names  of  contributors  we  notice  those  of  several  well-known  writers 
on  Theosophy,  together  with  several  not  so  familiar  to  the  English- 
speaking  members. 

Sophia,  Madrid.  With  the  opening  of  its  ninth  year,  our  old  friend 
Sophia  comes  out  in  a  new  dress,  the  color  of  the  cover  being  changed 
and  its  size  reduced  to  that  of  the  ordinary  magazine.  The  editorial 
upon  the  beginning  of  its  new  year  of  life,  with  which  the  issue  opens, 
is  followed  by  the  translation  of  Mrs.  Besant's  discourse  at  the  Tentli 
Annual  Convention  of  the  European  Section  and  by  other  interesting 
essays. 

The  Indian  Review, — With  the  current  issue,  February,  the  publica- 
tion of  a  series  of  articles  touching  upon  the  state  and  progress  in 
educational  and  political  conditions  during  the  reign  of  the  late  Queen - 
Empress  Victoria,  is  begun.  The  essays  will  be  by  well-known 
persons,  Europeans  and  Hindus  and  will  be  well  worth  reading. 

Acknowledged  with  thanks  :  The  Vdhan,  T/ie  Prasnottara,  The 
Theosophic  Messenger,  The  Golden  Chain,  Light,  The  Metaphysical 
Magazine,  (which  reverts  to  its  former  and  more  desirable  title,  dropping 
that  of  The  Ideal  Review),  Review  of  Revic%vs,  Mifid,  Banner  of  Light, 
The  New  Century,  Phrenological  Journal,  The  Arena,  Health,  Harbin- 
ger  of  Light,  The  pprum,  The  Light  of  the  East,   The  Light  of  Truth, 


1901.]  Cuttings  and  Comments.  379 

The  Brahmavddin^  The  Brahmac/tartn,  Dawn^  journal  of  the  Mahd^ 
Rodhi  Society,  Indian  Journal  of  Education^  Notes  and  Queries,  also  thfe 
Catalogue  of  the  Theosophical  Lending  Library,  28.  Albemarle  St., 
London,  W.  ;  and  the  Report  of  the  Madura  Theosophical  Society  for 
the  year  1900,  which  gives  certain  particulars  concerning  the  erection 
of  their  new  hall  for  Branch  meetings. 


CUTTINGS  AND  COMMENTS. 

"  Thoughts,  like  the  pollen  of  flowers,  leave  one  brain  and  fasten  to  another.**" 

In  a  book   called  *'  Things  Japanese,*'  by   Mr. 
A  Sile7it        Basel  Hall  Chamberlain,  Professor  of  Japanese  in  the 
Concert.         Imperial  University  of  Tokyo,  there  is  an  article  on 
Music  in  which  conies  the  following  account  of  mys- 
terious Silent  Music,  said  to  be  performed  at  some  Shinto  festivals : 

"  The  perfection  of  Japanese  classical  music  may  be  heard  at  Tokyo 
from  the  Band  of  Court  musicians  attached  to  the  Bureau  of  Rites. 
Ha\ing  said  that  it  may  be  heard,  we  hasten  to  add  that  it  cannot  be 
heard  often  by  ordinary  mortals.  The  easiest  way  to  get  a  hearing  of 
it  is  to  attend  one  of  the  concerts  given  by  the  Musical  Society  of  Japan 
(an  association  founded  in  1886  for  the  cultivation  alike  of  Japanese  and 
European  music)  at  which  the  Court  Musicians  occasionally  perform. 
K  more  curious  ceremony  still  is  the  perfonnance  by  these  same  musi- 
cians, at  certain  Shinto  festivals,  of  a  silent  concert.  Both  stringed  and 
wind  instruments  are  used  in  this  concert.  But  it  is  held  that  the  sanc- 
tity of  the  occasion  would  be  profaned,  were  any  sound  to  fall  on  un- 
worthy ears.  Therefore,  though  all  the  motions  of  ylaying  are  gone 
through,  no  strains  are  actually  emitted  !  This  is  but  one  among  many 
instances  of  the  strange  vagaries  of  the  Japanese  musical  art,  and  of  the 
"extreme  esoteric  secrecy  in  which  the  families  hereditarily  entrusted 
with  the  handing  down  of  that  art,  enshroud  their  knowledge.** 

In  a  foot-note  to  the  above,  there  is  this  further  explsination  : 
"The  existence  of  these  silent  concerts  was  set  in  doubt  by  a 
critic  of  the  first  edition  of  this  work.  Never  having  heard,  or  rather 
seen,  any  ourselves,  we  describe  them  on  the  authority  of  Mr. 
Tsawa,  who,  in  a  private  communication  on  the  subject,  reminds  us 
that  such  esoteric  m3-steries  would  not  willingly  be  allvded  to  by 
their  old-^ fashioned  possessors,  least  of  all  in  reply  to  the  scientific 
enquiries  of  a  foreigner,  and  that  the  very  explanations  given — 
supposing  any  to  be  given— would  probably  be  couched  in  ambiguous 
language." 

Mr.  Tsawa  is  described  as  "  the  greatest  Japanese  authority  on 


music." 


«  * 


Dr.  L.  J.  van  Marter,  of  Toledo,  Ohio,  U.S.  A., 

734^  Myste-    claims  to  have  made  very  important  discoveries  in 

ry  of  the        regard  to  the  condition  of  the  Moon's  surface,  and 

Maoti.  writes    the    following  to    the  Editor    of  the   Inter 

Ocean  : 

• 

My  offering  to  the  twentieth  century  is  the  discovery  of  glaciers  on 
the  moon  ;  the  discovery  of  the  method  of  telling  bv  an  anan'sis  of  the 
light-reflex  J  what  substance  that  light  is  reflected  on ;  the  discovery 
that  the  moon  is  covered  with  snow  and  ice  ;  the  discovery  that  when  a 
planet  is  in  its  glacial  epoch  the  lowest  areas,  which  become  ocean 
oottom  after  the  ice  melts,  are  the  places  where  vegetable  and  animal 
life  first  appear  ;  the  discovery  that  air  free  from  moisture  does  not  re- 
fract light,  and  that  vapor  is  the  cause  of  light's  refracting ;  the  discov* 


«360  '  The  Theosophist.  [ludtarch 

•ery  that  what  have  been  called  extinct  volcanoes  on  the  moon  are  ice 
nvounds  and  ice  cups  ;  the  discovery  of  how  they  were  formed  ;  the  dis- 
cc/ery  of  why  no  clouds  of  rain  or  snow  obscure  the  face  of  the  moon, 
mountains,  etc. 

Scientists  claim  that  a  body  on  the  moon  would  weigh  onl}'  one- 
sixth  as  much  as  it  would  on  the  earth.  I  have  discovered  evidence  to 
rebut  that  statement,  but  will  not  enter  into  that  question  in  this  article. 
Reflectoscopy  (I  coin  the  word  and  discover  the  science)  is  the 
science  of  determining  what  the  substance  is  that  is  being  reflected  on, 
by  an  analysis  of  the  quality  and  character  of  the  light-reflex.  This  is 
an  entirely  different  thing  from  spectrum  analysis^  which  determines 
what  elements  are  bein^  burned  in  the  flame  by  the  lines  in  the  spec- 
trum.    I  have  practical  ideas  for  the  construction  of  a  reflexoscope. 

An  analysis  of  the  moon*s  light-reflex  proves  that  the  moon  is  cover- 
ed with  snow  and  ice.  As  an  ocultist  diagnoses  atrophy  of  the  optic 
nerve  by  the  guality  of  its  light-reflex  alone,  so  I  diagnose  snow  as  the 
cause  of  the  light-reflex  from  the  moon,  and  confirm  my  diagnosis  by 
accounting  for  all  phenomena,  topography,  absence  of  clouds,  pure 
whiteness  of  highlands,  poles,  and  mountains,  darkened  whiteness  of 
lowlands,  absence  of  lakes,  oceans,  and  rivers,  and  explain  the  presence 
.of  the  crater-like  formations,  the  darkened  areas,  the  absolute  clearness 
of  the  moon's  atmosphere,  and  the  fact  that  none  of  the  so-called  vol- 
canoes are  active. 

The  absolute  clearness  of  the  moon's  atmosphere,  lack  of  clouds  of 
rain  or  snow,  is  because  watery  vapor  is  chilled  and  condenses  before  it 
can  get  away  from  the  valleys.  This  also  explains  the  crater-like  for- 
m^itions,  which  are  ice-cups  and  ice-mounds.  In  the  low  and  sheltered 
valleys  it  is  warmer  than  on  the  surrounding  highlands  ;  vapor  rises, 
but  because  of  the  intense  cold  cannot  rise  and  float  away  far,  but  is 
43oon  condensed.  This  process  repeated  over  and  over  results  in  the 
circular  mounds. 

The  moon  being  almost  entirely  covered  with  snow  and  ice,  the  sun 
cannot  vaporize  sufficient  water  for  the  formation  of  clouds,  and  this 
explains  the  absence  of  clouds  on  the  moon.  The  li^ht-reflex  from  the 
moon's  mountains,  poles  and  highlands  is  pure  white,  non-luminous, 
gloomy,  sepulchral,  non-glistening,  lusterless,  dead,  cold.  This  describes 
the  analysis  of  the  moon's  light  as  seen  through  the  telescope. 

From  the  moon's  equatorial  lowlands  there  is  the  same  qualit}'  of 
light,  only  somewhat  darkened.  This  is  e\4dence  of  struggling  vegeta- 
tion. Lava,  igneous  rock,  meteoric  metal,  barren  mountains  or  volcanoes 
do  not  give  a  pure  white  reflex.  Snowclad  mountains  do,  and  so  do  the 
ice  mounds  on  the  moon. 

Sailors  in  the  tropics  sleeping  on  deck  in  the  moonlight  get  a  disease 
of  the  eyes  that  in  all  respects  is  the  same  as  snowblindness.  Thus  does 
all  evidence  and  logical  analysis  harmonise  with  my  deductions.  The 
darkened  areas  are  located  equatorially,  and  are  lowlands.  The  high- 
lands, mountains,  and  poles  are  pure  white.  The  substance  that 
produces  this  pure  white  reflex  could  not  be  in  the  form  of  sand  or  dust, 
because  it  is  not  in  the  lowlands.  What  pure  white  substance  would 
give  a  dark  dust  ?  The  real  mountains  on  the  moon,  with  shapes  exactly 
like  mountains,  give  a  pure  white  reflex. 

The  darkened  areas  are  surrounded  by  impasing  glaciers  from  all 
sides,  which  are  pure  white  down  to  the  very  ice  clins,  where  they  end. 
The  absurdities  of  the  volcanic  theory  are  that  there  is  no  known 
substance  volcanic  in  origin  that  will  produce  a  pure  white  reflex ;  it 
assumes  absence  of  water,  and  without  water  or  crystallisation  the  rock 
would  crumble  to  dust,  and  the  moon's  sharp  clean-cut  outlines  would 
have  been  rounded  by  time's  corroding  action.  There  is  no  known 
metal  giving  a  pure  white  reflex. 

The  fact  that  large  bodies  cool  slowly,  doubly  so  in  the  absence  of 
water  as  a  cooling  agent,  and  the  fact  that  none  of  the  moon's  so-called 
volcanoes  are  active,  proves  that  they  are  cool ;  countless  ag<es  have 
elapsed  since  their  formation.  Yet  their  large  size,  from  twenty  to  fiffy 
miles  across  the  crater,  would  indicate  instant  chilling,  because  if 
gradual  cooling  occurred  there  would  be  intermittent  renewal  of  volcanic 


1901.]  Cuttings  and  Comments.  381 

action,  and  the  large  craters  would  be  obliterated  by  superimposed 
conical  peaks. 

The  ice  cups  and  ice  mounds  on  the  moon  could  not  be  volcanoes, 
because  the  crater  is  too  big— the  crater  is.  also  too  low — because  of 
their  shape  and  because  of  their  color. 

Real  volcanoes  are  conical  peaks  with  small  cups  at  the  apex.  The 
ice  CUPS  are  not  conical.    They  are  circular  and  mound-shaped. 

Tne  moon  is  in  its  glacial  epoch.  The  glacial  epoch  on  the  earth, 
geology  states,  was  when  man  first  appeared.  The  stone  age  of  man 
came  with  the  mamoth,  cave-bear,  rhinoceros,  elk,  etc. 

The  Doctor's  contribution  opens  up  a  novel  and  decidedly 
interesting  theory  concerning  the  condition  of  the  moon— one  that 
must  attract  the  attention  of  scientists.  Of  one  thing  we  can  rest 
assured,  it  will  receive  its  due  share  of  criticism, 

*  « 

The  Indian  Minor  has  the  following  in  regard  to 
Technical       the  manner  in  which  the   Hindus  are   meeting  the 
training  for     problem  of  perpetuating  the  Queen's  memory  : 
Indianyouth.  The  Hindus  of  I^ahore  in  meeting  assembled  have 

resolved  to  raise  the  sum  of  one  lac  and  a  half  of  rupees 
for  founding  scholarships  to  enable  Hindu  youths  to  receive  instruction 
in  industrial  and  technical  training  in  India  or  abroad,  by  way  of  per- 
petuating the  late  Queen's  memory.  Five  per  cent,  of  the  collections 
would  go  to  the  National  Memorial  in  Calcutta.  The  scheme  is  an 
excellent  one,  and  it  is  bound  to  prove  a  glorious  success.  And  we  are 
glad  that  whilst  deciding  on  the  aforesaid  local  memorial,  the  Hindus  of 
Lahcxre  did  not  forget  the  claims  of  the  National  Memorial  on  their 
consideration. 

The  subject  of  establishing  a  Technical  Institute  in  India  is 
being  agitated  in  different  places  as  one  of  the  means  of  providing  a 
fitting  memorial  to  the  memor}'  of  the  late  Queen.  This  is  a  move 
in  the  right  direction. 

Dr.  Frank  Hamlin   Blackmarr  of  Chicago  has 

X-ray  as  a      had  excellent  success  in  treating  a  bad  case  of  Cancer, 

cure  for        by  applying  X-rays  to  the  patient,   ten    to  fifteen 

Cancer,         minutes  daily,  for  a  term   of  five  weeks.     Ou  the 

fourth  day  the  odour  nearl}'  ceased  ;  after  that  the 

ulcer  healed  rapidly  until  **  the  surface  became  sound,  clean  and 

smooth."    Of  course  the  patient  is  exceedingly   happy,  as  he  has 

reason  to  be.    We  have  not  room  to  publish   the  man's  affidavit 

which  appeared  in  the  Inter  Ocean.    Dr.  Blackmarr  does  not  claim 

to  be  the  first  physician  to  apply  this  method  of  treatment  for  the 

cute  of  Cancer,  but  this  case  was  an  exceptionally  severe  one,  and 

will  attract  much  attention. 

•  * 

The  following  which  we  republish  from  Li^ht 
•*  A  BriM      (London),  contains  truths  eminently  practical,  which 
Outlook''       we  commend  to  all  readers  : — 

The  new  psychology  recognises  that  man  is  more 
than  a  thought-machine  which  works  as  it  must.  It  insists  upon  his 
ability  to  control  his  thoughts— to  reject  some  and  select  others  ;  to 
ori^nate  and  direct  his  thoughts  ;  to  change  his  view  point,  his  mental 
attitude  ;  to  call  upon  his  higher  self  and  employ  his  soul-powers  in 
the  work  of  self-cultivation  and  self-expression. 

This  new  point  of  view  enables  the  pessimist  to  discover  the  good 
which  can  be  evolved  from  the  existing  state  of  things  ;  to  find  the  use 
and  beauty  in  experiences  and  environments  which  previously  seemed 
useless  and  repulsive.    It  awakens  afresh  in  the  heart  of  the  weary  and 


362  The  Theosophist.  [March 

heavy- laden ed  the  determination  to  conquer  self  and  combat  circum- 
stances and  make  them  serve  the  purpose  and  supply  the  need  of  the 
growing  soul.  The  idea  that  the  mind,  when  active  and  attuned,  can 
relate  itself  to,  and  draw^upon,  the  Infinite  Power,  and  make  its  own 
conditions,  is  one  that  is  fraught  with  untold  blessings.  It  works  in  the 
sad  and  despondent  such  a  change  of  feeling  as  to  be  a  positive  revela- 
tion of  self  and  soul  and  strength  to  struggling  and  dispirited  pilgrims 
on  the  Way  of  Life.  The  difference  between  the  mental  conditions 
indicated  by  '  I  can't.'  /  I  fear  I  can  never  succeed,'  and  the  buoyant 
affirmative  attitude  presented  in  *  I  can,  and  I  will,'  is  one  which  makes 
all  the  difference  between  failure  and  success — ^between  hope  and  despair 
— between  heaven  and  hell. 

If  it  is  true  that  we  see  ^vhat  we  look  for  and  find  what  we  seek — 
that  the  mind  is  its  own  heaven  or  hell — then  whatever  stimulates  us  to 
self-mastery,  self-possession,  self-reliance,  works  for  us  a  revolution. 
When  we  realise  that  we  are  not  merely  creatures  of  circumstances  but 
centres  of  spirit  energy;  that  we  should  be  active,  positive,  forceful, 
purposeful,  and  confident  (having  faith,  and  faithful  to  our  convictions) 
and  thus  become  masters  of  our  selves  and  our  circumstances — con- 
scious of  happy  and  vigorous  life,  thrilling  with  the  Joy  of  being,  of 
doing,  and  of  becoming — then,  and  not  till  then,  can  we  realise  our 
divine  possibilities,  our  at-one-ment  with  the  Supreme  and  the  gladness 
and  glory  of  living.  We  must  educe  and  use  our  spiritual  governing 
powers.  We  must  direct  our  thoughts  and  grow  conscious  in  our  awak- 
ened soul  of  the  *  well  of  water  (power)  that  springeth  up  (within  us) 
unto  everlasting  life.'  Our  faith  in  God  must  extend  to  and  include  faith 
in  ourselves— and  of  necessity  in  others.  We  must  enter  into  and  pre- 
serve the  state  of  spiritual-mindedness  which  alone  can  enable  us  to 
mHintain  the  calm,  serene,  and  naturally  gentle  yet  affirmative  attitude 
wherein  wisdom  is  displayed,  enabling  us  to  walk  in  her  paths  of  plea- 
santness and  peace. 

Taking  for  his  text  the  passage  in  Romans,  *  For  to  be  carnally  minded 
is  death  ;  but  to  be  spiritually  minded  is  life  and  peace,*  the  Rev. 
Geo.  H.  Hepworth,  writing  in  the  Neiv  York  Sunday  Herald,  recently 
said: — 

*  The  mind  of  man  is  the  sentinel  on  guard  at  head-quarters,  and  its 
business  is  to  allow  no  thought  to  pass  which  can  prove  injurious  to  body 
or  soul.  It  is  as  much  our  dut}'  to  see  that  this  sentinel  prevents  any 
ill-feeling  from  entering  the  heart  as  it  is  for  the  picket  on  nis  station  to 
sound  the  alarm  on  the  approach  of  an  enemy.  An  evil  thought  is  often 
worse  than  the  thrust  of  a  bayonet,  and  should  be  challenged  as  soon  as 
its  footfall  is  heard.  That  challenge  should  be  peremptory,  and  a  halt 
called  the  moment  its  presence  is  felt.  There  is  not  a  man  in  the  world 
who  can  afford  to  compromise  with  a  bad  habit,  even  though  it  promises 
a  thousand  innocent  pleasures,  for  if  allowed  to  enter  the  soul  it  "will 
weaken  the  will  and  corrupt  the  better  nature.  It  is  necessary  to  keep 
a  careful  watch  over  one's  self,  and  to  be  a  loyal  soldier  when  envy  or 
avarice  or  unprincipled  greed  attempts  to  cajole  us  into  surrender.  For 
that  matter,  it  is  more  imperative  to  resent  and  repel  such  encroach- 
ments than  it  is  for  the  picket  to  keep  ears  and  eyes  open  when  danger 
lurks  in  the  darkness. 

'  It  is  a  mistake  to  suppose  that  we  cannot  control  our  thoughts. 
That  is  the  assertion  of  an  obsolete  psychology.  It  is  one  of  the  old- 
fashioned  beliefs  which  we  ought  to  have  long  since  outgrown.  It  has 
no  place  in  the  new  philosophy  of  life,  which  in  this  better  age  is  coming 
closer  and  closer  to  the  life  of  Christ.  It  is  not  only  possible  to  control 
our  thoughts,  but  it  is  the  prime  condition  of  spiritual  success.  Your 
mind— that  is  to  say,  your  out-look — decides  the  health  of  your  body 
and  the  use  you  make  of  experience,  and  you,  the  immortal  man,  can 
issue  instructions  to  your  mind  just  as  a  general  issues  an  order  to  his 
staff;  and  as  the  staff  considers  such  orders  final,  so  the  mind  will  obey 
when  you  give  your  command  with  imperative  emphasis.  You  yourself 
are  independent,  you  yourself  are  commander-in-chief,  and  your 
thoughts  are  your  servants. 


1901.]  Cuttings  and  Comments.  M3 

/  Until  5'ou  realise  that  fact  ^ou  are  not  even  on  the  threshold  of  the 
divine  life.  So  long  as  you  believe  your  thoughts  can  run  riot,  that  you 
cannot  restrain  their  excesses  and  are  not  responsible  for  them,  so  long 
the^iritual  victory  is  jeopardised,  just  as  the  issue  of  a  battle  is  jeopar- 
disecf  when  the  general  loses  control  of  his  troops.  But  when  you  are 
master  and  know  how  to  enforce  discipline,  your  troops  swing  into  line, 
face  the  foe  and  win  the  day. 

'  Your  prime  duty,  therefore,  is  to  be  optimistic  ;  to  feci  that  heaven 
is  on  3'our  side,  that  earth  can  do  you  no  harm,  and  that  both  life  and 
death  are  a  ladder  up  which  to  climb  to  the  stars. 

*  Grumbling  at  fate  results  in  discontent  and  inability  to  make  the 
best  of  circumstances.  To  look  on  the  dark  side  of  an  event  is  to  grope 
in  a  starless  night,  perhaps  to  lose  one\s  way  utterly,  and  to  invite  the 
very  disaster  which  you  aread.  To  feel  that  you  cannot  be  insecure  so 
long  as  you  and  God  go  together  is  to  lighten  j'our  load,  to  broaden 
your  shoulders,  and  to  wrest  a  possible  good  from  the  grasp  of  a  seeming 
evil.  There  is  more  strength  and  more  virtue  in  a  smile  than  in  a 
frown,  and  a  heart  with  the  good  cheer  of  faith  in  it  is  better  than  a 
heart  of  lead.  There  can  be  no  religion  unless  that  kind  of  faith  is  laid 
as  its  chief  comer-stone.  No  matter  what  happens,  then,  never  lose 
either  your  courage  or  your  belief  that  in  the  end  you  will  come  from  the 
fight  with  your  shield,  and  not  on  it. 

*  The  New  Testament  doctrine  consists  of  courage,  to-day,  to-mor- 
row, and  always.  With  a  high  thought  as  your  viewpoint  you  can  see 
over  the  petty  troubles  to  which  you  give  so  much  importance  ;  you  are 
above  the  fog,  with  the  clear  blue  over  your  head.  Even  if  sickness  is 
your  present  lot  the  health  of  the  soul  is  not  impaired.  And  though 
death  be  not  far  away  and  its  so-called  shadows  are  on  your  path,  God 
is  there,  Christ  is  there,  and  a  better  world  is  there  in  full  sight. 

*  Courage,  therefore  ;  the  courage  that  is  founded  on  an  unfaltering 
faith  in  the  omnipotent  hand  which  is  leading  you  through  the  night 
into  the  eternal  day.' 

The  following  lines  by  Ella  Wheeler  Wilcox  are  exceedingly  appro- 
priate to  the  above  stimulating  and  encouraging  discourse.  Both  the 
sermon  and  the  poem  ring^with  the  clarion  cdl  to  victory 


IT     • 


Here  in  the  heart  of  the  world, 

Here  in  the  noise  and  the  din, 
Here  where  our  spirits  are  hurled 

To  battle  with  sorrow  nnd  ^in  ; 
This  is  the  pkice  and  the  spot 

For  knowledge  of  infinite  thi.nti^s  ; 
This  is  the  kingdom  where  thought 

Can  conquer  the  prowtf:*^  of  king^'• 

|Earth  is  one  chamber  of  heaven 

Death  is  no  grander  than  birth  ; 
Joy  in  the  life  that  was  gi\en  ; 

Strive  for  perfection  on  earth. 
Here  in  the  tumult  and  roar, 

Show  what  it  is  to  be  calm ; 
Show  how  the  spirit  can  soar 

And^bring  back  its  healing  and  balm. 

Stand  not  aloof  nor  apart  ; 

Plunge  in  the  thick  of  the  fi^ht. 
There  in  the  street  and  the  mart, 

That  is  the  pl;ice  to  do  right ; 
Not  in  some  cloister  or  cnve, 

Not  in  some  kiii>>dom  above  ; 
Here  on  this  side  of  the  jj rave, 

Here  we  should  labour  and  iovet 


»% 


384  The  Theosophlgt.  [March 

**  One  of  the  strangest  phases  of  the  close  of  the 

Society  $        nineteenth  century,**  says  a  writer  in  the  Free  Lance, 

strange        "is  the  extraordinaty  revival  of  the  belief  in  witchcraft, 

Superstitions,    charms,    omens    and    other  forms   of  superstition, 

which  most  people  imagined  were  long  ago  exploded 
by  the  advance  of  science  and  knowledge.  Curiously  .  enou|^,  a 
very  large  percentage  of  the  upholders  of  these  strange  ideas  move 
in  the  smartest  of  smart  society,  and  yet  form  the  best  paying  clients 
of  the  fashionable  wizards  who  swarm  in  the  West  End.  Who  would 
imagine,  for  instance,  that  several  very  fashionable  women  msdce  a 
practice  of  carrying  about  with  them  a  small  portion  of  a  rope  which 
has  been  used  by  the  executioner  in  the  performance  of  his  terrible 
trade,  for  the  purpose  of  bringing  them  luck  ?  This  is,  strange  to 
say,  a  very  common  custom  amongst  high-bom  dames.    Another 

*  mascot'   is  supposed  to  be  the  nib  of  a  pen  that  has  signed  a  re- 

Erieve  for  a  murderer.  Great  singers,  in  particular,  value  these  nibs 
eyond  even  their  famous  jewels.  So  greatly  do  they  crave  for 
'  lucky  reprieve  pens*  that  Her  Majesty  invariably  keeps  a  collec- 
tion of  these  relics  by  her,  to  bestow  on  famous  opera  singers  after 

*  command'  performances  at  Windsor  or  Balmoral.  Madame  Patti 
and  Madame  Albini  have  both  been  presented  with  '  reprieve  pens' 
by  the  Queen.  Madame  Albini  has  had  hers  mounted  as  a  broodi, 
and  Madame  Patti — somehow  people  will  not  refer  to  her  by  her 
title — makes  it  a  rule  to  always  keep  her  *  reprieve'  pen  on  her 
person  when  travelling." 

This  whole  phenomenon  of  the  hankering  of  the  public  for  oc- 
cult knowledge  is  an  eflfect  of  the  discussion  of  the  ancient  teachings 
about  God,  Nature,  man,  the  human  and  animal  souls,  the  super  and 
sub-human  races,  and  the  working  out  of  the  process  of  evolution.  In 
this  agitation  of  thought  the  Theosophical  Society  has  been  a  chief 
factor.  The  pursuit  of  wizards  and  fortune-tellers,  of  readers  of  stafs, 
coffee-grounds,  palms,  birth-marks  and  the  whole  detail  of  the 
Indian  Samudrika  science  ;  this  running  after  mediums,  clairvoyants, 
psychometers.  Christian  Scientists  (!)  and  thought  readers  is  the  in- 
stinctive impulse  to  pry  into  the  mystical  and  look  behind  the  pep- 
lu7n  of  Isis.  It  is  the  mark  of  ignorant  curiosity,  in  all  cases  where 
the  enquirer  is  not  a  student  of  science,  taking  up  the  quest  without 
the  least  personal  concern  as  to  the  result.  Harm  may  undoubtedly 
be  done  by  this  cult  of  the  uncanny,  but  th^  good  outweighs  the  bad, 
since  every  occult  fict  learned  tends  to  the  recognition  of  the  imma- 
nence in  Nature  of  universal  Power  and  Intelligence  and  so  to  the 
growth  of  religious  feeling. 


THE     THEOSOPHIST. 

(Founded  in  1879.) 


VOL  XXII,  NO.  7,  APRIL  1901. 


"THERE  IS  NO  RELIGION  HIGHER  THAN  TRUTH." 

[Family  motto  of  the  Maharajah^  of  Benares^ 


OLD  DIARY  LEAVES,^ 

Fourth  Skriks,  Chapter  XVIII. 

(Year  1891.) 

THE  meeting  of  the  European  Branches  on  July  9  and  10,  men- 
tioned in  the  last  chapter,  was  an  important  event  in  our 
history  as  it  was  the  first  Annual  Convention  that  we  had  held  in 
Europe.  At  that  time,  it  will  be  remembered,  we  had  in  Europe 
two  Sections,  viz.,  the  British  Section  and  the  tentative  European 
Section  that  H.  P.  B.  had  irregularly  formed  and  which  was  after- 
wards oflScially  ratified.  In  the  latter  were  included  the  I^ondon 
Lodge,  Ionian  T.S.,  Vienna  lyodge,  Swedish  T.S.,  Dutch-Belgian 
Branch,  Le  Lotus,  our  French  Branch,  and  the  Spanish  group  of 
Madrid,  from  which  Senor  Xifre  came  as  delegate.  Miss  Emily 
Kislingbury  was  Treasurer,  and  Mr.  G.R.S.  Mead,  General  Secretary. 
In  the  British  Section  there  were  eleven  branches,  viz,^  the  Blavatsky, 
Scottish,  Dublin,  Newcastle,  Bradford,  Liverpool,  Birmingham, 
West  of  England,  Brighton,  Brixton,  andChiswick:  the  Treasurer 
was  Mr.  F.  L.  Gardner ;  the  General  Secretary',  Mr.  W.  R.  Old.  All 
the  above  took  part  in  the  Convention. 

The  meeting  was  held  in  the  Hall  of  the  Blavatsky  Lodge,  in 
Avenue  Road.  I  took  the  Chair  and  appointed  Mr.  Mead,  Secre- 
taiy,  and  Mr.  Old,  Assistant  Secretary  of  the  Convention.  Mrs. 
Besant  then  rose  and,  addressing  the  Delegates,  first,  and  then 
myself,  bade  me  welcome  in  words  so  sweet,  so  characteristic  of  her 

*  Three  volumes,  in  series  of  thirty  chapters,  tracing  the  history  of  the 
Tbeosopbical  Society  from  its  beg'inning's  at  New  York,  have  appeared  in  the 
Theosophisi,  and  two  volumes  are  available  in  book  form.  Price,  Vol.  I.,  cloth, 
Rs.  3-8-0,  or  paper,  Rs.  2-3-0.  Vol.  II.,  beautifully  illustrated  with  views  of  Adyar, 
his  just  been  received  by  the  Manager,  Theosophist :  price,  cloth,  Rs«5;  paper, 
Rs.  3-8-a, 


386  The  Theosophist.  [April 

own  loving  temperament,  that  I  cannot  refrain   from  quoting  them 
here.    She  said : 

"It  is  at  once  my  duty  and  privilege,  as  President  of  the 
Blavatsky  Lodge,  the  largest  in  the  British  dominions,  to  voice  the 
welcome  of  the  Delegates  and  members  of  this  Convention,  to  the 
President- Founder.  It  is  not  necessary  for  me  to  remind  you  of 
the  past  services  he  has  rendered  the  cause  to  which  his  life  has  been 
dedicated.  Chosen  by  the  Masters  as  President  for  life  of  the 
Theosophical  Society,  associated  with  their  messenger,  H.  P.  B., 
bound  together  by  every  tie  that  can  bind,  no  words  we  can  utter, 
no  thought  we  can  think,  can  add  anything  to  the  loyalty  which 
every  member  must  feel  to  our  President.  We  welcome  him  with 
added  warmth,  because  of  the  promptitude  with  which,  on  receiving 
the  notice  of  H.  P.  B.'s  departure,  he  has  come  from  Australia, 
where  he  had  gone  to  recover  the  health  lost  in  the  service  of  the 
cause.  He  came  across  the  ocean  without  delay,  in  order  that  by 
his  presence  he  might  strengthen  and  encourage  us  here  in  Europe, 
that  every  one  may  go  promptly  forward  in  the  work.  And  in 
bidding  you,  Mr.  President,  welcome  to  this  Convention,  we  can 
assure  you  of  our  steadfast  loyalty  to  the  cause,  you  who  are  the 
only  one  who  represents  the  mission  from  the  Masters  themselves. 
We  are  met  hereto-day  to  carry  on  the  work  of  H.  P.  B.,  and  the 
only  way  to  carry  on  her  work,  and  to  strengthen  the  Society,  will 
be  by  loyalty  and  faithfulness  to  the  cause  for  Vhich  she  died,  the 
only  cause  worth  living  for  and  dying  for  in  this  world." 

The  full  report  of  the  Convention  appeared  in  the  Theosophist 
for  September,  189 1,  but  as  a  whole  decade  has  passed,  it  has,  of 
course,  been  forgotten  even  by  the  readers  of  our  magazine,  and,  as 
the  book  into  which  these  pages  are  destined  to  pass  will  come  into 
the  hands  of  hundreds  who  have  never  known  about  this  historical 
meeting,  I  take  the  advice  of  friends  and  reproduce  here  the  sub- 
stance of  my  Address  to  the  Convention.  I  do  this  the  more  readily 
because  there  are  certain  views  expressed  in  it  which  ought  to  be 
widely  known  in  the  best  interests  of  our  Society.  I  quote,  there- 
fore, as  follows : 

**  Brothers  and  Sisiers,—Whtn  I  try  to  concentrate  my  thoughts 
to  speak  to  you,  I  find  a  very  great  difficulty  in  translating  them  into 
words,  because  my  heart  is  so  oppressed  by  the  grief  that  has  fallen 
upon  us,  by  the  presence  of  this  empty  chair,  by  the  memories  of 
seventeen  years  of  intimate  association,  that  the  tongue  refuses  its  office, 
and  I  can  only  leave  you  to  infer  what  my  feelings  are  on  coming  to 

meet  you  here It  was  not  until  I  came  to  this  spot  that  I  realised 

that  H.  P.  B.  was  dead.  We  had,  for  the  last  few  years,  been  working 
apart.  I  had  not  been  accustomed,  as  before,  to  see  her  every  day  and 
hour,  and  therefore  I  did  not  realise  the  fact  that  she  was  gone,  until  I 
came  here  and  saw  her  empty  room,  and  felt  that  we  had  indeed  been 
*-^caved.  I  passed  some  time  alone  in  her  room,  and  I  received  there 
\X  was  necessary  for  my  guidance  in  the  future ;  I  may  simply  say, 


1901.]  Old  Diary  Leaves.  387 

in  one  word,  the  gist  of  it  was  that  I  should  continue  the  work  as  though 

nothing  whatever  had  happened,  and  I  have  been   delighted  beyond 

measure  to  see  that  this  spirit  has  been   imparted  to  her  late  associates, 

and  that  they  have  become  inspired  by  her  zeal,  to  that  extent  that, 

while  their  hearts  have  been  wrenched  by  this  blow,  their  courage  has 

never  faltered  for  a  moment,  nor  has  there  been  the  least  vacillation  nor 

the  least  intimation  that  they  were  ready  to  abandon  the  work  in  which 

she  had  enlisted  them.    Now,  for  the  first  time,  I  feel  ready  and  willing 

to  die.   It  has  been  the  great  anxiety  of  my  life  since  we  left  New  York 

for  India,  lest  I  might  die  in  the  various  exposures  to  which  I  have  been 

subjected,  and  thus  leave  the  movement  before  it  had  gained  vitality  to 

goon.  '  If  H.  P.  B.  and  I  should  die,"  it  has  been  said  by  the  Hindus 

everywhere,  **  the  thing  would  collapse."  Now  her  death  has  shown  that 

it  will  not  collapse,  and  therefore  I  feel  much  more  fearless  than  I  have 

been  heretofore  as  to  exposing  myself  in  different  parts  of  the  world.  I 

feel  now  that  this  movement  has  acquired  an  individuality  of  its  own, 

and  that  nothing  in  the  world  can  drag  it  down.    I  have  had  recently 

in  Australia  the  most  striking  proof  of  the  existence  throughout  the 

world  of  this  yearning  after  the  Secret  Doctrine,  after  mysticism,  after 

the  truths  to  be  obtained  by  Soul  Development.     I  found  ever3rwhere 

throughout  Australia,  latent  inclination,  potency  in  this  direction,  which 

only  requires  an  excuse  to  manifest  itself.    I  found  it  in   Great  Britain, 

and  Mr.  Judge  has  found  it  in  America,  so  that  now  I  feel  satisfied  that 

though  the  most  of  us  who  are  engaged  in  this  work  as  leaders   should 

die,  the  movement  itself  is  an  entity,  has  its  own  vitality  and  will  keep 

on.    How  it  shall  keep  on  is  a  question  for  us  to  consider.    We  have 

heretofore  had  within  easy  reach  a  teacher  who,  like  an  inexhaustible 

well  of  fresh  water,   could  be  drawn  upon  at  any  time  that  we  were 

thirsting  for  information.    This  has  been  an  advantage  in  one  way,  but 

a  great  detriment  in  another.    The  very  inaccessibility  of  the  Masters 

is  an  advantage  to  all  those  who  wish  to  acquire  knowledge,  because  in 

the  effort  to  come  near  them,  to  get  any  communion  with  them,   one 

insensibly  prepares  in  himself  the  conditions  of  spiritual  growth,  and  it 

is  when  we  are  thrown  upon  our  own  resources  that  we  are  enabled  to 

bring  out  the  powers  latent  in  our  characters.     I  consider  that  H.P.B. 

has  died  at  the  right  moment.    She  has  left  work  unfinished,  it  is  true, 

but  she  has  also  done  work  which  is  quite  sufficient,   if  we  make  use  of 

it  properly,  to  supply  us  for  many  years  to  come  with  the  help  that  we 

need  in  Theosophical  progress.    She  has  not  gone  away  and  left   us 

absolutely  without  unpublished  remains ;  on  the  contrary,  she  has  left  a 

large  body  of  them,  and  in  the  custody  of  her  chosen  depository,  Mrs. 

Besant,  who,  in  the  proper  way  and  at  the  proper  moment,  will  give 

them  out  to  the  world.    But  I  maintain  that  even  though  not  another 

book  had  been  written  save  **  Isis  Unveiled,"  that  would  have  been 

enough  for  the  earnest  student.    I  may  say  that  my  Theosophical 

education  has  been  obtained  almost  entirely  from  that  book  ;  for  my 

life  has  been  so  busy  of  late  years  that  I  have  had  no  time  for  reading. 

1  cannot  read  anything  serious  when  I  am  travelling,  and  at  home  my 

mind  is  so  overwhelmed  with  the  anxieties  of  my  official  position  that  I 

have  no  time  and  no  inclination  to  sit  down  and  meditate  and  read  ;  so 

that  of  what  I  know  about  Theosophy  and  Theosophical  matters,  a  large 

part  has  been  obtained  through  ''  Isis  Unveiled,"  in  the  composition  o^ 


388  l^he  Theosophist.  [April 

which  I  was  engaged  with  her  for  about  two  years.  Our  effort  should 
be  to  spread  everywhere  among  our  sympathisers  the  belief  that  each 
one  must  work  out  his  own  salvation,  that  there  can  be  no  progress 
whatever  without  effort,  and  that  nothing  is  so  pernicious,  nothing  is  so 
weakening,  as  the  encouragement  of  the  spirit  of  dependence  upon 
another,  upon  another's  wisdom,  upon  another's  righteousness.  It  is  a 
most  pernicious  thing  and  paralyses  all  effort.  Now  a  method  that  is 
pursued  in  schools  of  Yoga  in  India  and  in  Tibet  is  this :  the  Master 
gives  at  first  no  encouragement  whatever  to  the  would-be  pupil,  perhaps 
he  will  not  even  look  at  him,  and  frequently  persons  attach  themselves 
to  a  Yogi  as  chelas,  despite  his  trying  to  drive  them  away,  perhaps  with 
blows,  or,  at  any  rate,  despite  their  being  apparently  scorned  and  put 
upon  in  every  possible  way  by  the  Yogi.  They  perform  most  menial 
offices,  sweeping  the  floors,  making  the  fires,  and  everj^hing  of  the 
kind,  while  perhaps  the  Yogi  will  reward  them  with  indifference  for 
months  or  years.  If  the  aspirant  is  really  desirous  of  obtaining  the 
truth,  he  is  not  discouraged  by  any  of  these  rebuffs.  A  time  finally 
comes  when,  having  tested  him  sufficiently,  the  Master  may  turn  to  him 
and  set  his  foot  on  the  path  by  giving  him  the  first  hint.  Then  he  waits 
to  see  how  he  will  profit  by  that  hint,  and  the  rapidity  of  his  subsequent 
progress  depends  entirely  upon  his  own  behaviour.  But  we  may  say  we 
have  been  far  better  off  than  that.  We  have  had  H.P.B.  with  us  as  an 
active  worker  for  the  last  sixteen  years,  during  which  time  she  has 
given  out  in  various  channels,  in  the  Theosophist,  in  Lucifer,  her  books, 
and  her  conversation,  a  great  volume  of  esoteric  teaching,  and  hundreds 
of  hints,  which,  if  taken,  understood,  and  followed  up,  will  enable  any 
one  of  us  to  make  decided  progress  in  our  Theosophical  direction. 

"  I  have  been  for  a  number  of  years  holding  Conventions  of  Dele- 
gates representing  the  Society.  On  tHese  walls  you  see  photographs  of 
some  of  those  Conventions.  This  is  the  first  one  that  has  been  held  in 
Europe.  You  are  behind  America,  where  they  have  been  having  splen- 
did Conventions  for  several  years  past.  But  everything  must  have  a 
beginning  and  this  is  the  beginning  in  Europe.  We  have  a  fair  re- 
presentation of  our  movement  in  different  parts  of  Europe,  but  nothing 
like  as  full  an  one  as  will  come  after  this  initiative  has  been  under- 
stood and  followed  up.  At  the  threshold  of  the  work  we  have  every 
promise  before  us  of  an  immense  extension  of  our  movement.  We  have 
every  reason  to  be  satisfied  with  the  outlook.  When  we  consider  the 
enormous  reactionary  influences  at  work  in  different  i)arts  of  Christen- 
dom ;  when  we  consider  the  progress  of  vicious  tendencies  and  of  materi- 
alistic opinions  in  European  countries ;  when  we  look  at  the  distri- 
bution of  our  literature  and  see  how  devoted  i)ersons  in  different  coun- 
tries, like  our  splendid  Spanish  group,  are  rendering  the  works  into 
their  vernaculars  and  are  circulating  them  in  their  countries,  and  see 
what  results  we  are  obtaining,  I  think  my  observation  is  correct,  that  we 
have  great  reason  to  be  satisfied  with  the  outlook.  I  wish  that  every 
delegate  in  this  Convention  representing  any  country  might  take  to 
heart  to  avoid  as  a  pestilence  the  feeling  of  local  pride  or  local  exclu- 
siveness.  With  political  divisions  we  have  nothing  to  do  ;  with  distinc- 
tions of  rank  and  caste  and  creed  we  have  nothing  to  do«  Ours  is  a 
common,  neutral  ground,  where  the  standard  of  respect  is  the  standard 
of  a  ptmfied  humanity.    Our  ideals  are  higher  than  those  of  time 


lOOl.]  Old  Diary  Leaves.  38d 

serving  commtmities.  We  have  no  king,  no  emperor,  no  president,  no 
dictator,  here  in  our  spiritual  life.  We  welcome  everybody  who  is  eager 
after  the  truth  to  a  seat  beside  us  on  the  bench,  on  the  sole  condition 
that  he  or  she  will  help  us  in  our  studies,  and  will  receive  in  a  kindly 
and  brotherly  spirit  any  help  that  we .  are  ready  and  able  to  give.  We 
should  therefore  know  no  England,  no  Scotland,  no  France,  no 
Gennan3%  no  Sweden,  no  Spain,  no  Italy.  These  are  geographical 
abstractions.  For  us  the  terms  do  not  exist  in  our  Theosophical  con- 
sciousness. We  have  Swedish  brothers,  and  German  brothers,  and 
French  brothers,  and  Spanish,  and  English,  Irish,  Welsh,  and  so  forth  ; 
as  brothers  we  know  them,  as  brothers  we  are  bound  to  them,  and  in 
every  way  ;  so  that  in  your  work  in  your  different  countries  you  should 
try  to  imbue  your  fellows  with  the  feeling  that  this  is  a  union  that  has 
no  regard  to  geographical  or  national  boundaries  or  limitations,  and  that 
the  first  step  in  the  development  of  the  Theosophist  is  generous 
altruism,  forgetfulness  of  self,  the  destruction  and  breaking-down  of 
the  barriers  of  personal  prejudice,  an  expanding  heart,  an  expanding 
soul,  so  as  to  unite  oneself  with  all  peoples  and  all  the  races  of  tlie 
world  in  trying  to  realise  uix)n  earth  that  Kingdom  of  Heaven  which 
was  spoken  of  in  the  Bible,  and  which  means  this  universal  brotherhood 
of  the  advanced  and  perfected  humanity  which  has  preceded  us  in  the 
march  of  cosmic  evolution.  And  now,  not  to  detain  you  longer,  I  wel- 
come you  with  a  full  heart  and  an  outstretched  hand  to  this  family 
meeting  of  the  Theosophical  Society. 

"  I  wish  you  to  feel  that  this  is  a  section  of  the  General  Council  of 
the  Society,  that  you  represent  the  dignity  and  the  majesty  of  the 
Society,  and  that  your  interest  is  as  deep  in  the  things  that  are  transpir- 
ing in  the  American  Section,  and  in  the  Indian  Section,  and  in  Ceylon 
and  other  Sections,  as  it  is  in  what  is  merely  transpiring  within  the 
geographical  boundaries  which  are  represented  in  your  respective 
branches.  I  hope  the  spirit  of  amity  may  dwell  in  this  meeting ;  that 
we  may  feel  that  we  are  in  the  presence  of  the  Great  Ones  whose 
thoughts  take  in  what  is  transpiring  at  any  distance  as  easily  as  what  is 
transpiring  near  by,  and  also  that  we  are  imbued,  surrounded,  by  the 
influence  of  my  dear  colleague  and  your  revered  teacher,  who  has  left 
us  for  a  while  to  return  under  another  form,  and  under  more  favourable 
conditions." 

Resolutions  in  honour  of  H.P.B,  were  oflFered  by  the  Countess 
Wachtmeister,  seconded  by  Senor.  Xifre,  and  carried  by  acclama- 
tion. Mr.  W.  Q.  Judge  offered  resolutions  for  the  creation  of  an 
"  H.  P.  B.  Memorial  Fund,"  which  were  seconded  by  Mrs.  Besant  in 
an  eloquent  speech,  and  supported  by  Mr.  B.  Keightley  in  a  fervent 
address.  The  resolutions  were  carried  unanimously.  I  then  read  a 
letter  to  the  Convention  suggesting  a  partition  of  the  ashes  of 
H.  P.  B.'s  body,  recommending  that  one  portion  each  should  be  given 
to  Adyar,  London,  and  New  York.  I  recalled  the  fact  that  this  plan 
had  been  followed  in  the  disposal  of  the  ashes  of  Gautama  Buddha 
and  other  sacred  personages.  The  Theosophical  career  of  H.  P.  B., 
I  said,  had  been  divided  into  three  stages,  viz,,  New  York,  India  and 
Londott^^its  cradle,  altar  and  tomb.  I  did  not  overlook  that  it  had 


390  The  Theosophist.  [April 

always  been  understood  between  us  that  the  one  of  us  two  who  sur- 
vived should  bury  the  other's  ashes  at  Adyar.  I  was  moved  to  this 
plan  of  the  partition  because  I  could  plainly  see  that  if  I  took  all  the 
ashes  back  with  me,  feelings  of  resentment  would  be  excited.  In 
fact,  I  noticed  that,  in  seconding  the  motion  of  Mrs.  Besant  for  the 
acceptance  of  the  proposal,  Mr.  Judge  said  that  **it  was  a  question 
of  justice,  and  if  any  other  arrangement  had  been  adopted,  though 
he  himself  personally  would  have  made  no  claim,  he  felt  sure  that 
the  American  Section  would  have  done  so."  Of  course,  the  oflfer  was 
at  once  accepted. 

The  Countess  Wachtmeister  transmitted  an  offer  from  the  great 
Swedish  sculptor,  Sven  Bengtsson,  to  make  an  artistic  urn  as  a 
repository  for  the  share  of  the  ashes  apportioned  to  London.  Natu- 
rally, the  offer  was  gratefully  and  enthusiastically  accepted,  and  I 
appointed  an  art  committee  to  examine  designs  and  settle  prelimi- 
naries, with  the  artist  as  a  member. 

The  keynote  of  harmony  having  been  struck,  the  proceedings  of 
the  two  days*  sessions  were  interesting  and  cordial  throughout.  Mr. 
Mead  gave  a  masterlj'^  survey  of  the  Theosophical  outlook  in  Europe, 
which  he  declared  to  be  highly  encouraging.  Results  have  proved 
his  prognostic  to  have  been  fully  warranted,  for  the  movement  has 
spread  and  strengthened  to  an  extent  not  then  dreamed  of. 

The  uselessness  of  having  two  Sections  to  cover  in  a  great  part 
the  same  territor3%  was  so  apparent  that  an  arrangement  was  come  to 
to  dissolve  the  British  Section  and  further  strengthen  and  consolidate 
the  European  Section.  To  carry  this  legally  into  effect,  I  issued  on 
the  17th  of  July,  atI/>ndon,  an  Executive  Notice,  officially  recognis- 
ing the  latter,  ordering  the  issue  of  a  Charter  to  Mr.  Mead  and 
associates  of  the  Executive  Committee,  and  officially  ratifying  the 
unanimous  vote  of  the  British  Section  to  dissolve  its  organization. 
The  European  Section  was  instructed  to  take  over  the  records, 
liabilities  and  assets  of  the  British  Section  as  from  the  i  ith  of  July. 
Mr.  Mead  was  unanimously  confirmed  by  the  Convention  as  General 
Secretary-. 

I  had  just  refused,  in  Brisbane,  the  bequest  of  one  fortune,  and 
now  another  was  offered  me.  At  a  Garden  Party  at  Avenue  Road,  a 
French-Swiss  member,  M.  C.  Parmelin,  F.T.S.,  a  resident  of  Havre, 
until  then  a  stranger  to  me,  took  me  aside  and  asked  me  to  accept 
his  small  fortune  of  Fes.  30,000  in  cash  for  the  Society.  He  explained 
that  he  had  no  use  for  the  money  and  wanted  to  do  something  practi- 
cal to  help  on  a  movement  in  which  he  felt  the  deepest  interest ; 
especially  he  wished  to  aid  the  work  in  France.  In  answer  to  my 
questions  respecting  himself,  he  told  me  that  he  was  a  bachelor,  with 
no  desire  or  intention  to  marry ;  that  his  salary  as  a  bank  employee 
was  ample  for  all  his  wants ;  and  that  on  the  death  of  his  mother  he 
would  inherit  another  handsome  sum.  In  reply,  I  pointed  out  to  him 
that  it  was  unwise  for  him  to  strip  himself  of  all  his  reserve  capital. 


1001.]  Old  Diary  Leaves.  ^  391 

for,  in  case  of  serious  illness,  he  might  lose  his  employment  and  find 
himself  in  want ;  but  as  he  had  the  prospect  of  an  inheritance  and 
also  of  the  continuance  of  his  income  from  his  salary,  and  as  I 
recognized  the  right  of  every  member  of  the  Society  to  give  as  freely 
as  I  did  myself,  I  would  accept  half  of  the  sum  offered ;  leaving  him 
the  other  half  to  use  in  case  of  necessity,  with  the  understanding 
that  when  his  inheritance  fell  in,  he  could,  if  he  chose,  give  me  the  other 
half.  But  for  the  sake  of  a  permanent  record  I  requested  him  to  put 
the  offer,  as  modified,  in  writing.  This  he  did  the  same  day.  I  then 
called  Mrs.  Besant  and  Mr.  Mead  into  a  consultation  with  M. 
Parmelin,  and  we  came  to  the  following  agreement : — (i)  The  offer 
should  be  accepted  ;  (2)  The  money  should  be  lodged  in  bank  in 
the  names  of  Mrs.  Besant,  Mr.  Mead  and  the  donor  himself;  my 
determination  being  that  he  should  give  his  signature  with  that  of  the 
others,  on  every  cheque  drawn,  so  that  all  disbursements  should  be 
made  with  his  knowledge  and  consent ;  (3)  That,  as  his  wish  was 
to  help  the  movement,  generally,  as  well  as  particularly  the  French 
portion  of  it,  the  sum  of  ;^ioo  each  should  be  given  to  Adyar, 
I^ndon  and  New  York  head-quarters  for  general  purposes,  and  that 
the  remainder  should  be  used  in  aid  of  the  operations  in  France. 
This  being  agreed  to,  I  received,  ten  days  later,  through  Mrs. 
Besant,  the  ;^ioo  for  Adyar,  and  it  will  be  found  in  the  Treasurer's 
Report  for  February,  as  assigned  to  the  Library  Fund.  I  have  given 
the  foregoing  details  about  this  aflFair  for  two  reasons — one,  that  so 
well-intentioned  an  act  of  beneficence  should  be  recorded  in  our 
history,  and  the  other,  because,  later  on,  the  donor  seemed  to  have 
changed  his  mind  about  it  to  some  extent  and  to  be  disposed  to  cast 
imputations  against  us  three  persons  who  were — as  the  above  facts 
prove— only  striving  out  best  to  carry  out  his  own  wishes  and  apply 
his  gifts  to  the  very  purposes  he  had  himself  designated.  Fortu- 
nately, I  had  induced  him  to  put  into  writing  the  offer  first  made  to 
me  verbally  ;  a  precaution  born  of  long  experience  in  the  study  of 
human  nature,  and  one  which  I  strongly  recommend  for  adoption  by 
all  my  present  and  future  colleagues. 

I  was  extremely  shocked  on  receiving  news  from  Colombo  of 
the  accidental  death  by  drowning,  of  our  dear  Miss  Pickett,  only  ten 
days  after  I  had  installed  her  as  Principal  of  the  Sanghamitta  School. 
It  appears  that  she  was  subject  to  occasional  attacks  of  somnambu- 
lism and  that  she  rose  in  the  night,  passed  noiselesssly  out  of  the 
house,  wandered  over  the  lawn,  and  fell  into  a  well  which  was  only 
protected  by  a  low  parapet  wall.  It  was  a  very  sad  and  tragical  case. 
She  had  left  Australia  with  her  mother's  blessing ;  her  new  home 
was  a  beautiful  one  ;  she  began  her  work  with  zeal,  and  as  far  as  we 
knew,  was  in  vigorous  health  ;  her  reception  had  been  so  warm  as 
to  fill  her  heart  with  joy  ;  there  was  even  a  strong  probability  of  her 
mother's  joining  her  very  soon,  and  I  had  given  half  the  price  of  the 
passage  ticket.    There  was  no  apparent  cloud  on  the  horizon  of  her 


392  Th*  Theoflophist.  [April 

young  life,  while  the  future  opened  out  before  her  a  smiling  prospect. 
The  day  after  the  accident  seven  thousand  persons  came  to  see  the 
drowned  body,  and  in  a  long,  sad,  strange  procession,  all  clad  in 
white  garments,  they  followed  it  to  the  Cemetery,  where  Mrs. 
Weerakoon,  the  President  of  the  W.  E.  S.,  lighted  her  funeral  pyre. 
I  have,  at  the  mother's  request,  the  sacred  ashes  in  my  custody. 

So  serious  an  event  as  the  death  of  Madame  Blavatsky  could  not 
occur  without  exciting  in  timid  minds  throughout  the  world  of 
Theosophy,  apprehensions  as  to  its  probable  effect  upon  our  move- 
ment. At  this  critical  moment  it  behoved  me  to  step  forward  and 
lay  down  the  policy  which  would  be  pursued.  We  have  seen  that  ?a 
stupid  notion  prevailed  to  some  extent  that  the  death  of  one  or  both 
of  the  Founders  would  mean  the  destruction  of  the  Society.  I  dealt 
with  this  in  the  address  above  copied  into  this  narrative,  and 
to  reach  the  many  who  would  not  be  likely  to  read  the  Convention 
proceedings,  I  issued  at  London,  on  the  27th  July,  the  following 
Executive  Notice : — 

**  As  the  survivor  of  the  two  principal  Founders  of  the  Theoso^ 
phical  Society,  I  am  called  upon  to  state  officially  the  lines  upon 
which  its  work  will  be  prosecuted.     I  therefore  give  notice — 

1.  That  there  will  be  no  change  in  the  general  policy,  the 
three  declared  objects  of  the  Society  being  strictly  followed  out,  and 
nothing  permitted  which  would  cpnflict  with  the  same  in  any  respect. 

2.  The  Society,  as  such,  will  be  kept  as  neutral  as  heretofore, 
and  as  the  Constitution  provides,  with  respect  to  religious  dogmas 
and  sectarian  ideas ;  helping  all  who  ask  our  aid  to  understand 
and  live  up  to  their  best  religious  ideals,  and  pledging  itself  to  no 
one  more  than  another. 

3.  The  untrammeled  right  of  private  judgment  and  the  abso- 
lute equality  of  members  in  the  Society,  regardless  of  their  differ- 
ences in  sex,  race,  color  or  creed,  is  re-affirmed  and  guaranteed 
as  heretofore. 

4.  No  pledges  will  be  exacted  as  a  condition  of  acquiring  or 
retaining  fellowship  save  as  provided  in  the  Constitution. 

5.  A  policy  of  open  frankness,  integrity  and  altruism  will  be 
scrupulously  followed  in  all  the  Society's  dealings  with  its  members 
and  the  public. 

6.  Every  reasonable  effort  will  be  made  to  encourage  members 
to  practically  prove  by  their  private  lives  and  conversation,  the 
sincerity  of  their  Theosophical  profession. 

7.  The  principle  of  autonomous  government  in  Sections  and 
Branches,  within  the  lines  of  the  Constitution,  and  of  non-inter- 
ference by  Head-quarters,  save  extreme  cases,  will  be  loyally  ob- 
served." 

Any  officer  of  a  Branch,  or  other  person,  concerned  in  the 
management  of  any  portion  of  the  Society's  activity  who  will  keep 


1901.]  Obstacles  to  Spiritual  Progress.  393 

strictly  within  the  lines  placed  in  the  above  Notice,  will  not  go  far 
wrong  nor  compromise  the  Society  in  the  eyes  of  the  public. 

H.  S*  Oi^corr. 


OBSTACLES  TO  SPIRITUAL  PROGRESS.'' 
III.    Thk  Surmounting  op  the  Obstacles. 

[As  hardly  any  notes  were  made  of  the  second  and  third  lectures, 
these  had  to  be  written  out  from  memory,  and  are  incomplete. — Ed.  note]. 

IN  considering  the  obstacles  to  our  progress,  we  have  also,  in  some 
cases,  seen  in  what  way  they  can  be  surmounted.  But  there  are 
certain  broad  principles  that  we  shall  find  generally  applicable, 
which  we  must  consider  this  morning.  All  failings  have  two  sides, 
a  positive  and  a  negative.  From  the  negative  aspect  they  arise  from 
the  lack  of  development  of  some  quality  in  the  Ego.  From  the  posi- 
tive side  they  constitute  a  habit  of  the  personality,  or,  in  other  words, 
a  tendency  in  one  of  our  sheaths  to  vibrate  in  a  particular  way,  as  a 
response  to  external  stimulus  ;  or  simply  moved  from  within  by  a 
kind  of  automatic  action  of  the  matter.  We  must  remember  that 
there  is  no  such  thing  as  dead  matter.  Not  only  are  our  sheaths 
used  by  the  Ego  as  its  instruments,  but  the  matter  of  them  is  itself 
ensouled  by  a  lower  life,  on  its  way  downwards  in  search  of  physical 
experience.  We  have  to  deal  with  the  evolution  of  this  life  in  a 
more  or  less  direct  way,  as  well  as  with  our  own,  and  if  we  remem- 
ber its  existence  we  shall  better  understand  the  origin  and  force  of 
habit.  Take  then  any  special  failing,  say  resentment  for  injuries 
received,  and  look  at  it  from  this  two- fold  point  of  view.  The  lack  of 
development  in  the  Ego  is  usually  partly  a  want  of  knowledge  and 
partly  an  absence  of  some  quality.  In  this  particular  case  it  is 
knowledge  of  the  Law  of  Karma  that  is  wanting.  We  say  we  believe 
in  this  law,  but  our  actions  continually  belie  us  and  show  that  it  is 
but  a  lip-belief  For  if  we  truly  believed  it,  we  should  know  that 
nothing  could  happen  to  us  except  what  is  the  outcome  of  our  past 
evolution,  and  therefore  what  is  most  needed  for  our  future.  Then 
there  could  be  no  room  for  resentment,  and  we  should  regard  all 
who  injure  us  as  being  simply  the  means  whereby  the  law  of  our 
growth  is  working.  True,  they  are,  by  the  infliction  of  the  injury, 
standing  in  the  way  of  their  own  evolution  ;  they  are  doing  wrong, 
speaking  from  that  point  of  view  which  sees  things  from  below 
instead  of  from  above,  But  that  is  no  business  of  ours  ;  their  own 
evolution  is  their  concern,  not  ours,  so  it  is  not  worth  while  to  waste 
our  energy  thinking  of  their  wrong-doing.  This,  however,  is  not 
sufficient ;  it  would  lead  simply  to  a  kind  of  negative  morality.  If, 
however,  the  quality  of  love  is  developed,  we  shall  substitute  for 
resentment  an  active  helping  of  those  who  have  wronged  us.    We 

*  Lectures  delivered  by  Mis    Edger  at  Adyar,  Dec.  1900^ 


394  The  Theosophist,  [Aprl» 

shall  see  in  them  the  divinitj'  that  is  striving,  thongh  in  this  partic- 
ular case  failing  to  express  itself,  and  our  love  for  it  will  quite  over- 
balance any  thought  of  our  own  suiFering.  We  shall  therefore  seek 
opportunities  both  in  thought  and  in  action  to  help  them.  Resent- 
ment is  therefore  the  result  of  imperfect  knowledge  of  the  I^w  of 
Karma,  and  of  the  lack  of  development  of  love  in  the  Ego!  But  in 
its  outer  expression  it  is  accompanied  by  impatience,  irritation,  and 
at  times  evfen  malice.  Now  these  produce  certain  vibrations  in  the 
astral,  or  kamic,  sheath,  which  at  a  certain  stage  in  our  growth  we 
feel  to  be  pleasant  It  is  not  the  Self  that  finds  them  pleasant,  it  is 
not  even  the  Ego,  it  is  that  lower  life  that  is  ensouling  the  astral 
sheath  ;  but  as  long  as  we  identify  ourselves  with  our  sheaths,  we 
are  reallj'  appropriating  to  ourselves  the  consciousness  of  that  lower 
life.  It  therefore  seeks  the  repetition  of  these  vibrations,  and  the 
oftener  we  have  yielded  to  the  feelings  of  resentment,  the  stronger  is 
the  tendency  to  repetition.  Thus  there  is  set  up  a  strong  habit  in 
the  sheath,  or  to  speak  more  accurately,  a  strong  desire  in  the  life 
ensouling  it,  which  constitutes  the  active  side  of  the  failing.  We 
can  similarly  analyse  every  failing,  and  we  shall  find  that  all  are 
negative  so  far  as  the  Ego  is  concerned,  positive  only  with  regard  to 
the  sheath.  The  Self  is  of  course  untouched  by  them,  but  as  the 
development  of  the  Ego  must  precede  the  realisation  of  the  Self,  we 
can  for  the  present  confine  our  attention  to  the  Ego  and  its  sheaths. 

Now  the  first  step  towards  overcoming  a  failing  is  to  ignore  its 
existence.  We  all  know  the  enormous  power  of  thought  ;  we  know 
how  merely  to  think  of  a  thing  is,  under  certain  conditions,  enough 
to  bring  it  into  actual  existence.  The  effect  of  fear  when  an  epidemic 
is  raging  is  well  known  ;  and  instances  have  been  cited  of  a  pain 
being  produced  in  any  given  part  of  the  body  by  intently  thinking 
it  to  be  there.  The  vibrations  of  thought  are  reflected  downwards 
from  the  mental  plane  and  awaken  corresponding  vibrations  in  the 
matter  of  the  lower  planes.  These  will  act  in  the  sheaths  belonging 
to  those  planes,  and  will  also  build  up  thought-forms  of  a  corres- 
ponding character  which  attach  themselves  to  their  creators,  and 
playing  aroimd  them  tend  to  reproduce  themselves.  Thus  to  think 
on  a  fault  tends  to  strengthen  and  intensify  it,  and  cause  its  more 
frequent  repetition  ;  and  this  even  if  the  thinking  is  done  with  regret 
and  desire  to  improve.  Far  better  is  it  not  to  think  at  all  of  the 
faults  we  wish  to  cure,  until  they  obtrude  themselves  on  our  notice  ; 
and  even  then  to  turn  our  thoughts  resolutely  away,  and  fix  them 
elsewhere.  By  thus  ignoring  them,  we  starve  them  out ;  whereas,  by 
dwelling  on  them  with  desire  we  reinforce  them,  and  by  dwelling  on 
them  witk  regret  we  reinforce  them  to  a  less  degree  by  the  thought- 
vibrations,  and  also  arouse,  as.  it  were,  an  antagonistic  force  in  the 
lower  life  ensouling  the  astral  sheath,  which  will  rise  up  against  us 
and  make  our  task  the  more  difficult.  I  happened  to  come  across 
the  following  lines,  which  very  aptly  illustrate  this  point,  though 


1901.]  Obstacles  to  Spiritual  Progress.  395 

their  applicatiou  is  somewhat  diifereiit.     I  do   not  know  who  is  the 
author. 

"  I  was  climbing  up  a  mountain  path, 

With  many  things  to  do  ; 
Important  business  of  my  own 

And  other  people's  too  ; 
When  I  ran  against  a  prejitdice 

That  quite  shut  off  the  view. 

My  work  was  such  as  couldn't  wait, 

My  path  quite  clearly  showed  ; 
My  strength  and  time  were  limited, 

I  carried  quite  a  load, 
And  there  that  hulking //ryV/^/za' 

Sat,  al>  across  the  road. 

So  I  spoke  to  him  politely, 

Kor  he  was  huge  and  high  ; 
I  begged  that  he  would  move  a  bit 

And  let  me  travel  hy. 
He  smiled,  but  as  for  moving, 

He  didn't  even  try. 

So  then  I  reasoned  quietly 

With  that  colossal  mule  ; 
M}'  time  was  short,  no  other  path, 

The  mountain  winds  were  cool. 
I  argued  like  a  Solomon 

He  sat  there  like  a  fool. 

And  then  I  begged  him  on  my  knees— 

I  might  be  kneeling  still 
If  so  I  hoped  to  move  that  mass 

Of  ob»stinate  ill-will  ; 
As  well  implore  the  monument 

To  vacate  Bunker  Hill. 

So  I  sat  before  him  helpless 

In  an  ecstasy  of  woe  ; 
The  mountain  mists  were  rising  fast, 

The  sun  was  sinking  low  ; 
When  a  sudden  inspiration  came, 

As  sudden  winds  do  blow. 

I  took  my  hat,  I  took  my  stick, 

My  load  I  settled  fair— 
I  approached  that  awful  incubus 

With  an  absent-minded  air   - 
And  /  walked  directly  through  him 

As  if  he  wasn't  there. '* 

vSo  should  we  do  with  all  our  failings,  and  we  shall  then  find 
that  they  are  not  so  real  or  so  difficult  to  surmount  as  we  had 
thought.    We  shall  find  that  they  do  not  touch  the  Self,  and  that 


3^6  The  TheoSophist.      '  [April 

they  touch  the  Ego  only  indirectly  and  negatively,  and  we 
are  surely  not  going  to  allow  the  habits  contracted  in  our  sheaths 
to  stand  in  the  way  of  our  development !  But  we  must  see  to  it  that 
the  ignoring  of  our  faults  is  not  a  mere  passive  attitude  on  our  part, 
but  an  active  going  straight  through  the  failings,  doing  as  we  would 
if  they  did  not  exist.  And  this  means  the  practising  of  the  virtues 
that  are  their  opposites;  a  steady,  persistent  practice,  carried  on 
regardless  of  diflSculty  or  disinclination.  In  other  words,  we  should 
asstime  the  virtues  that  we  have  not,  should  act  as  though  we  ac- 
tually had  them ;  and  then  in  time  we  shall  find  that  we  have  them. 
In  this  way  we  bring  out  into  activity  the  latent  powers  of  the  Ego, 
and  thus  render  impossible  any  resuscitation  of  the  faults  we  have 
starved  out. 

The  power  of  thought  we  can  also  bring  to  bear  on  this ;  stri- 
ving by  thought  as  well  as  by  action  to  build  up  virtues.  The 
contemplation  with  reverence  and  love  of  those  great  ones  who  have 
possessed  the  virtues  we  need  ;  the  study  of  their  lives  ;  the  study 
of  the  way  in  which  our  own  lives  would  be  changed  if  we  culti- 
vated these  virtues  :  all  this  will  help  us  greatly  if  we  carrj'-  our 
thought  as  far  as  possible  into  practice.  We  may  frame  a  few  rules 
to  guide  our  daily  conduct,  and  thus  set  ourselves  seriously  to  the 
task  of  building  character.  And  then  from  time  to  time  we  should 
pause,  and  review  our  lives,  to  see  how  far  we  have  been  faithful  in 
the  carrying  out  of  our  rules,  and  how  far  they  may  need  modifica- 
tion as  we  progress.  These  pauses  are  the  mile-  stones  of  our  lives, 
and  are  valuable  as  marking  stages  in  our  growth.  To  quote  from 
Emerson :  "  The  epochs  of  our  life  are  not  in  the  visible  facts  of 
our  choice  of  a  calling,  our  marriage,  our  acquisition  of  an  ofSce, 
and  the  like,  but  in  a  silent  thought  by  the  wayside  as  we  walk  ;  in 
a  thought  which  revises  our  entire  manner  of  life,  and  says  : — 'Thus 
hast  thou  done,  but  it  were  better  thus.'  And  all  our  after  years, 
like  menials,  serve  and  wait  on  this,  and,  according  to  their  ability, 
execute  its  will.  This  revisal,  or  correction,  is  a  constant  force, 
which,  as  a  tendency,  reaches  through  our  lifetime."* 

Steady  concentration  and  control  of  thought,  patient  methodi- 
cal study,  as  a  means  of  developing  mental  faculties,  and  building 
up  the  mental  sheath,  we  have  already  spoken  of.  It  is  a  training 
which  will  occupy  us  year  after  year,  incarnation  after  incar- 
nation, and  one  that  we  have  seen  to  be  absolutely  necessar>\  The 
acquirement  of  it  will  react  on  our  eflForts  to  build  up  virtues,  giving 
our  thoughts  greater  force  and  intensity. 

These  principles  are  applicable  to  the  obstacles  we  have  to  sur- 
mount in  ourselves,  to  all  the  lower  qualities  that  need  to  be  over- 
come, and  the  higher  ones  that  need  to  be  developed.  If  carried 
out  in  their  entirety,  they  will  ultimately  lead  to  the  complete 
development  of  the  Ego,  and  the  building  up  of  pure  and  readily 

•  "  Emerson's  Essays,*'  p.  68, 


idOl.]  Obstacles  to  Spiritual  Progress.  dgt 

responsive  sheaths,  that  will  reject  all  lower  vibrations  and  respond 
only  to  those  chosen  by  the  developed  Ego.     But  we  have  also  to 
deal  with  the  obstacles  connected  with  our  attitude  to  others,  and 
here  we  have  a  different  principle  to  apph'.    What  we  are  to  aim  at 
is  first  the  desiie  for  union^  and  secondly  the  realisation  of  imity. 
The  first  will  spring    from  the  careful   cultivation  of  the  emotions, 
and  the  transmuting  of  the  energy  of  the  separative  emotions  into 
that    of  the  attractive  ones.    The  second  will  come  from  a  true 
understanding  of  the  essential  nature  of  man  and  of  the  working  of 
the  law  of  evolution.     For  that  will  satisfy  us  that  every  other   indi- 
vidual is  exactly  what  the  law  of  his  own  being  requires  him  to  be. 
We  are  tempted  to  condemn  ;  yet  the  very  thing  we  would  condemn 
is  the  means,  and  the  only  possible  means,  whereby  the  God  in  him 
is  becoming  able  to  manifest.    We  think  our  brother  is  sunk  in  sin  ; 
but  his  sin  is  the  one  experience  which  at  his  present  stage  is  able 
to  carry  him  a  step  forward.    We  must  remember  that  in  going  for- 
ward, we  may  at  times  have  to  go  downward.    The   path   up  a 
mountain  does  not  lead  upwards  all  the  time  ;  as  each  of  the  out- 
l>'iiig  peaks  is  reached,   it  may  descend  into  a  valley,  but  it  is  only 
to  lead  up  its  other  side  to  a  higher  peak  beyond  ;  and  so  we  are 
travelling  forwards  just  as  much  when  we  are  descending  into  the 
valley  as  when  we  are  rising  on  the  other  side.    Just  so  is  it  in  our 
evolution  ;  many  and  many  a  time  do  we  have  to  go  down,  even  into 
the  ver>'  depths,  but  only  to  rise  out  of  them   again   stronger  and 
purer.     If  we  realised  this,  we  should  never  criticise,  never  blame, 
never  find  fault ;  we   should   only  be  patient  and   love.     In   the 
Theosophical  Reviav  for  December  1900  is  an   article  by   Dr.  Ward 
which  bears  on  this  very  point.     He  says  :—***  Therefore  we    are 
justified,  the  writer  thinks,  in  following  our  intuition,  and  accepting 

the  principle  that  the  One  I^ife  works  for  good  in  all  that  lives In 

its  light  we  see  that  every  creature,  even  the  most  obscene  or  ugly,  is 
living  rightly  in  its  way,  after  the  law  of  its  own  nature,  while  it  is 
evolving  its  several  powers  by  struggling  for  life  as  best  it  can...  The 
man-eating  tiger  has  acquired  an  inconvenient  taste,  and  has  to  be 
hunted  down,  but  by  this  his  intelligence  is  stimulated,  and  so  the 
I^ife  in  him  evolves.    The  microbes  of  disease  purge  the  human 

stock,  and  bring  a  nemesis  on  dirt  and  darkness We  can  have 

good-will  even  to  these  forms  of  the  One  Life,  If  we  look  imper- 
sonally into  the  hearts  of  men,  and  listen  there  to  the  Song  of  Life, 
we  shall  hear  a  different  melody  in  each.  Each  is  right  in  his  place, 
each  pursues  his  idea  of  happiness,  and  in  pursuing  grows.  One 
standing  on  a  peak  of  progress  aspires  towards  Nirvana ;  another 
struggling  in  the  mire  of  animality  longs  for  alcohol.  Both  are 
right  according  to  their  stage.  The  less  evolved  has  a  long  and 
weary  path  to  tread  ;   need  we  make  it  harder  by  the  weight  of  our 

displeasure  ?    He  will  not  listen  to  our  admonitions,  or  heed  our 

g   ■  ■  «  ■■—■■■■....  ... 

*  Pp«  309  et  seq. 


398  The  Theosophist.  [ApriJ 

warniugs When  such  a  man  does  heed  a  warning,  it  is  because 

he  has  already  suffered,  and  when  we  speak  his  inner  self  consents: 
we  sirapl}'  re-establish  in  liis  present  brain  the  idea  which  hard 
experience  had  fashioned  in  a  former  life.    So  it  is  well  to  warn, 

but  idle  to  lament  or  censure  a  lack  of  heed If  we  know  this 

indulgence  to  be  foul,  it  is  because  we  have  experienced  the  pain  it 
brings.  Who  then  are  we,  to  cast  a  stone  at  drunkards,  or  any 
other  miserable  sinners  ?  We  see  in  them  the  One  Ufe  working, 
and  can  have  good -will,  and  banish  from  our  speech  such  words  as 
low,  degraded,  vile,  ever  on  the  lips  of  the  self-righteous." 

Yet  another  step  must  we  take  to  attain  our  end.  It  is  not 
enough  to  develope  the  Ego,  it  is  not  enough  to  cultivate  love  and 
understanding  towards  all  that  lives,  we  must  attain  the  realisation 
of  the  unity  of  the  Ego  and  the  Self  before  all  the  obstacles  that  bar 
our  way  can  be  surmounted.  Of  the  direct  methods  whereby  this 
can  be  attained  we  need  not  speak,  for  they  belong  to  the  later 
stages  of  the  path  and  do  not  concern  us  yet.  But  there  are  prelim- 
inary steps  to  be  taken  w-hich  belong  to  the  earlier  stages  equally 
with  the  later.  Prayer,  meditation,  devotion  to  the  Lord,  these  will 
open  the  consciousness  to  receive  the  direct  radiation  of  the  self. 
For  the  love  of  the  Lord  is  ever  around  us.  He  ever  watches  over 
His  true  worshippers  and  guides  them  to  himself.  Not  once  alone 
did  He  come  upon  earth  to  manifest  the  Supreme ;  "  Whenever  there 
is  decay  of  Dharma,  O  Bharata,  and  there  is  exaltation  of  Adharma, 
then  I  myself  come  forth ;  for  the  protection  of  the  good,  for  the 
destruction  of  evil-doers,  for  the  sake  of  firmly  establishing  Dhamia 
I  am  born  from  age  to  age'\*  And  even  though  in  manifested  form 
He  may  not  appear,  yet  He  is  ever  present  in  the  hearts  of  His  wor- 
shippers. "  He  who  seeth  me  everywhere,  and  seeth  everything  in 
Me,  of  him  will  I  never  lose  hold,  and  he  shall  never  lose  hold  of 
Me.  He  who,  established  in  unity,  worshippeth  Me,  abiding  in  all 
beings,  that  Yogi  liveth  in  Me,  whatever  his  mode  of  living.f  Strong 
in  our  trust  in  His  love  and  help  we  can  go  forward,  knowing  that  He 
will  never  desert  us.  Confidence  in  the  power  of  the  Self  within, 
confidence  in  the  love  and  Help  of  the  Guru-deva  who  will  reveal 
Himself  to  us  when  we  are  ready  to  know  Him,  confidence  in  the 
never-failing  grace  of  the  Lord,  this  is  the  power  that  wdll  raise  us 
above  all  w^eakness  and  limitation,  and  bring  us  into  His  presence, 
where  we  shall  realise  that  it  is  His  life  that  is  throughout  the 
universe,  and  that  is  the  Self  within  every  form. 

LiUAN  Edgek. 


^^•.^mm^. 


*  Bhagavad-GitA,  IV,  7,  8. 
t  Bhagavad-GitA,  VI.  30,  31. 


399 


INTO  A  LARGER  ROOM. 
{Cmcluded frovi  p,  355). 

AS  I  tried  to  point  out,  earlier  in  my  paper,  man  was  not  bom 
yesterday,  td  pass  away  to-morrow.  He  has  a  long,  long  past 
behind  him,  and  an  infinite  future  before  him.  We  have  slowly,  very 
slowly,  evolved  to  where  we  stand  now.  Millions  of  years  has  it  taken 
—for  "  The  mills  of  God  grind  slowly,**  but  an  Infinite  Patience,  an 
Infinite  Love,  surrounds  and  overshadows  us.  A  Patience  and  a 
Love  which  would  have  all  the  children  of  men  nothing  short  of 
perfection,  nothing  short  of  Union  with  Itself;  a  Patience  and  a  Love 
which  enfolds  the  most  backward  of  the  race,  because  the  youngest, 
as  well  as  the  most  Godlike,  the  Elder  Brothers  of  our  humanity. 
WTio  can  look  at  the  savage  races,  some  of  them  with  scarcely  the 
semblance  of  a  soul,  scarcely  able  to  see  the  difierence  between  good 
and  ill,  and  compare  them  with  the  most  morally,  intellectually, 
and  spiritually  advanced  nten  we  know,  and  not  be  aware  of  the  most 
amazing  difference  between  them  ?  Yet,  it  is  a  difference  not  in  kind 
but  in  degree  ;  it  is  a  question  of  time  and  growth,  and  we  can  find 
the  links  in  different  people  uniting  the  savage  at  one  end  of  the  line 
\nth  the  moral  and  intellectual  giant  at  the  other.  But  if  one  life 
only  was  all  that  was  permitted  to  men,  what  chance  would  the 
savage  have  of  ever  attaining  the  heights  of  his  elder  brother,  and  it 
there  was  no  evolution  of  souls  as  well  as  of  bodies,  then  should  we 
injustice  say  that  the  world  is  unfairly  divided,  and  that  there  is 
something  decidedly  lacking  in  the  scheme  of  man's  groTvth. 

But  to  leave  the  different  races,  and  come  to  men  and  women 
around  us.  Is  it  only  by  chance  then,  that  some  are  born  with  every 
thing  around  them  healthy  and  clean,  and  some  are  born  in  misery, 
poverty  and  filth  ?  Is  it  only  by  chance  that  some  have  naturally 
healthy  and  strong  physical  bodies,  while  others  have  to  contend 
with  ill-health  and  deformity  all  their  lives  ?  Is  it  only  by  chance 
that  some  are  naturall}'^  loving  and  kind  and  gentle,  while  others  are 
naturally  cruel  and  selfish  ?  Is  it  all  a  matter  of  mere  chance,  is  it  all 
even  due  only  to  het^itj^  ?  Our  religious  friends  would  say,  **  It 
is  the  will  of  God."  Yes,  granted  ;  but  the  will  of  a  Power  outside  us, 
arbitrarily  imposed  on  us  and  affecting  us  so  vitally  and  so  unfairly, 
"  banning  one  to  uttermost  misery,  blessing  another  to  loftiest  pos- 
sibilities*' makes  us  feel  that,  as  has  been  said,  "  Then  a  wailing 
and  helpless  humanity,  in  the  grip  of  a  fathomless  Injustice,  can  but 
shudder  and  submit,  but  must  cease  to  speak  of  Justice  or  of  Love  as 
being  attributes  of  the  Deity  it  worships."  *  And  if  it  is  only  by 
chance,  only  the  result  of  the  blind  forces  of  nature  to  which  we  are 

*  See  "  Reincarnation,"  Mis.  Besant, 


400  The  Theosophist.  [April 

bound  to  submit,  thrown  into  our  lots  helpless,  then  must  we  feel  a 
helpless  resentment  against  this  monstrous  injustice.  But  is  it  indeed 
so  ?  We  Theosophists  sa}-,  No,  It  is  not  chance.  God  is  hi  finite  Justice. 
Man  is  the  maker  of  his  own  Destiny,  the  weaver  of  the  web  in 
which  he  finds  himself,  the  builder  of  his  own  prison  house,  of  his 
own  palace,  whichever  he  feels  it  to  be.  Man's  pilgrimage  is  a  long 
one  as  I  have  said  before  ;  he  has  travelled  already  a  long,  long 
journey,  and  in  that  journey  he  has  set  in  motion  many  causes  w^hich 
he  has  not  yet  had  time  to  work  out — he  has  sown  much  seed  which 
he  has  not  yet  reaped,  and  *'  whatsoever  a  man  soweth,  that  shall  he 
reap.'*  We  do  not  come  to  our  respective  places  by  accident,  neither 
did  we  come  into  this  world  30,  50,  60  years  ago  with  blank  paper 
souls;  **  Man's  life  the  outcome  of  his  former  living  is."  The  child 
who  is  born  with  fine  intellectual  capacities,  to  whom  everything 
seems  to  come  easy,  has  had  to  work  for  it  in  past  lives.  He  is  not 
an  abnormal  creation,  a  special  favourite  of  God  ;  he  is  now  reaping 
the  reward  of  patient  industry  in  the  past,  of  opportunities  seized 
and  made  the  most  of  The  knowledge  that  seems  to  come  so  easy 
to  him  now,  does  so  because  in  the  past  he  has  gone  over  the  same 
ground  repeatedly  and  he  has  made  it  so  much  his  own  that  be  has 
built  it  into  his  very  self,  and  he  brings  it  back  as  intuitional  capa- 
cities. His  healthy  environment  is  his,  not  by  special  gift,  but 
because  he  has,  by  his  past  acts,  contracted  a  debt  from  nature  which 
nature  invariably  pays  ;  the  devoted  friends  by  whom  he  is  sur- 
rounded, and  who  are  willing  to,lay  down  their  lives  for  him  are  his, 
because  in  the  past  he  has  forged  between  himself  and  them,  strong 
links  of  unselfish  love  which  cannot  be  broken. 

The  child  who  is  born  with  a  **  criminal  brain"  with  everything 
around  him  unholy,  and  imlovely,  to  whom  it  is  far  easier  to  go  wrong 
than  right,  is  in  such  a  state,  because  in  his  past  he  has  persistently 
chosen  darkness  rather  than  light,  he  has  persistently  yielded  to  evil 
thoughts  and  selfish  acts,  he  has  persistently  chosen  the  evil  way,  and 
so  has  built  for  himself  this  terrible  prison  house ;  but  his  case  is  not 
hopeless,  even  though  he  dies  in  his  sins.  He  may  probably  go  on 
treading  the  downward  path  for  more  than  one  life,  but  the  time  will 
come,  must  come,  when  he  realises  through  and  through,  that  the  way 
of  transgressor  is  hard,  that  sin  is  hateful  and  unlovely,  and  reso- 
lutely turning  his  back  on  the  darkness  he  will  begin  to  grope  for  the 
light,  he  will  begin  to  resist  evil  thoughts  and  selfish  actions,  and  his 
feet  will  slowly  and  painfully  climb  the  steep  road  he  so  easily  ran 
down ;  for  the  most  hardened  sinner,  the  most  repulsive  of  our  fellow- 
men,  has  hidden  deep  within  him,  lying  latent,  the  bright  jewel  of  the 
germ  of  the  Christ  life,  and  this  is  bound  in  the  long  run  to  be  trium- 
phant. 

I  should  like  to  g^ve  an  extract  here  from  Mrs.  Besant\s  Manual 
on  **  Reincarnation  " — she  says  :  "  Infant  precocity  demands  some 
explanation  at  the  hands  of  science.    Why  can  a  Mozart  at  four,  show 


1901.J  Into  a  Larger  Room.  401 

knowledge  in  which  none  has  trained  him  ?  Not  only  taste  for  melody 
but  instinctive  ability  to  produce  settings  for  melodies  given  him, 
settings  the  which  break  none  of  the  complicated  laws  of  harmony  that 
the  musician  has  to  learn  by  patient  study.  He  was  born  of  a  musical 
family.  Surely  ;  otherwise  it  is  hard  to  see  how  the  delicate  phys- 
ical apparatus  necessar>'  for  the  manifestation  of  his  transcendent 
genius  could  have  been  provided  ;  but  if  his  family  gave  him  the 
5(enius  as  well  as  the  phj'sical  machinerj-  for  its  manifestation,  one 
wonld  like  to  know  why  so  man}-  shared  in  the  possession  of  the 
physical  musical  apparatus,  while  none  save  he  showed  the  power 
that  welled  up  in  the  symphonies,  the  sonatas,  the  operas,  the 
masses,  that  flowed  in  jewelled  cascades  from  that  exhaustless 
source.  How  could  effect  so  mighty  flow  from  cause  so  inade- 
quate, for  among  all  the  Mozart  family  there  was  only  one  Mozart. 
And  many  another  case  might  be  quoted  in  which  the  child  outran 
its  teachers,  doing  with  ease  what  they  had  accomplished  with  toil, 
and  quickly  doing  what  they  could  in  nowise  accomplish. 
Infant  precocity  is  but  a  form  of  manifestation  of  genius,  and 
genius  itself  needs  explanation.  Whence  comes  it,  harder  to  trace 
than  the  track  of  birds  in  the  air  ?  A  Plato,  a  Dante,  a  Bruno,  a 
Shakespeare,  a  Newton  ;  whence  are  they,  these  radiant  children 
of  Humanity  ?  They  spring  from  mediocre  families  whose  very 
obscurity  is  the  definite  proof  that  they  possess  but  average  abili- 
ties. A  child  is  born,  loved,  caressed,  punished,  educated,  like  all 
the  others  ;  suddenly  the  young  eagle  soars  aloft  to  the  stm  from 
the  house-sparrow's  nest  beneath  the  eaves,  and  the  beat  of  his 
wings  shakes  the  ver>'  air.  Did  such  a  thing  happen  on  the  phys- 
ical plane,  we  should  not  murmur,  *  Heredity,  and  a  curious 
case  of  reversion  ; '  we  should  seek  the  parent  eagle,  not  trace  the 
genealogy  of  the  sparrow.  And  so,  when  the  strong  Ego  stoopSto 
the  mediocre  family,  we  must  seek  in  that  Ego  the  cause  of  the 
genius,  not  look  for  it  in  the  family  genealogy. 

"  Will  anyone  venture  to  explain  by  heredity  the  birth  into  the 
world,  of  a  great  moral  genius,  a  Lao-Tse,  a  Buddha,  a  Zarathustra, 
a  Jesus  ?  Is  the  Divine  Root  whence  spring  these  blossoms  of 
humanity  to  be  dug  for  in  the  physical  ancestr>',  the  sources  of  their 
gracious  lives  in  the  small  well  of  commonplace  humanity? 
Whence  brought  they  their  untaught  wisdom,  their  spiritual  insight^ 
their  knowledge  of  human  sorrows  and  human  needs  ?  Men  have 
been  so  dazzled  by  their  teaching  that  they  have  dreamed  it  a 
revelation  from  a  supernatural  Deity,  while  it  is  the  ripened  fruit 
of  hundreds  of  human  lives.  Those  who  reject  the  supernatural 
Deity  must  either  accept  Reincarnation  or  accept  the  insolubility 
of  the  problem  of  their  origin.  If  heredity  can  produce  Buddhas 
and  Christs,  it  might  well  give  us  more  of  them.  Again  Reincar- 
nation explains  to  us  the  extraordinarj'^  contrasts  between  people's 
aspirations  and  their   capacities.    **  We  find  an  eager  mind  impris- 

3 


402  The  Theosophist.  [April 

oned  in  a  most  inefficient  bod}-,  and  we  know  it  is  hampered  now 
by  its  sloth  in  utilising  capacities  in  a  previous  life.  We  find 
another  yearning  after  the  very  loftiest  attainments,  struggling  with 
pathetic  eagerness  to  grasp  the  subtlest  conceptions,  while  it 
lamentably  fails  to  assimilate  the  most  elementary  and  fundamental 
ideas  of  the  philosophy  it  would  master,  or  to  fulfil  the  humble 
requirements  of  a  fairly  unselfish  and  useful  life.  We  recognise 
that  in  the  past,  opportunities  have  been  wasted,  possibilities  of 
great  attainments  disregarded  or  wilfull}'  rejected,  so  that  now  the 
Ego's  upward  path  is  hindered  and  his  strength  is  crippled,  and 
the  soul  yearns  with  pitiful  and  hopeless  eagerness  for  knowledge, 
not  denied  it  by  anj'^  outside  power,  but  unattainable  because  it 
cannot  see  it,  though  it  lies  at  its  verv'  feet/' 

I  know  there  are  numbers  of  objections  which  may  be  raised  to 
Reincarnation,  such  as — "  If  we  have  been  here  so  often  before,  why 
don't  w^e  remember  our  past  lives  ?"  and  the  old  answ^er  must  be 
given.  The  physical  brain  does  not  reincarnate,  that  belongs  to  one 
life  only,  it  was  bom  in  time  and  ends  in  time,  but  through  this  brain 
the  True  Man  works,  incarnation  after  incarnation  iThe  personality 
John  Smith  does  7iot  reincarnate  ;  the  individualit}'  informing  John 
Smith,  the  Immortal  Thinker,  does.  The  character  w^ith  w^hich  John 
Smith  came  into  the  world  to-day  has  been  wrought  out  by  this  in- 
dwelling Ego,  which  is  the  True  Man,  in  many  a  past  life,  in  many 
lands,  under  many  civilisations,  and  when  John  Smith  dies,  as  we  call 
it,  that  is,  when  the  True  Man  throws  off  his  outermost  covering,  that 
character  endures  and  is  the  richer  or  the  poorer,  the  nobler  or  the 
baser,  for  its  last  tenancy  in  the  body  of  John  Smith.  But  if  the  brain 
cannot  remember,  the  Tnie  Man  does  remember,  and  his  memor}'  acts 
as  intuition  and  conscience.  A  highly  developed  man  has  not  to 
leant  that  it  is  wrong  to  tell  lies,  he  k?ioxcs  it  without  telling  ;  he  has 
not  to  learn  that  it  is  wrong  to  steal,  he  kno7cs  it  without  having  to  go 
through  the  unpleasant  experience  this  time  of  being  put  in  prison 
for  theft  ;  he  has  not  to  learn  that  it  is  right  to  be  kind,  and  loving, 
and  unselfish  ;  he  knows  it,  it  is  the  fruit  of  his  past.  But  John 
Smith  can  so  train  himself  that  he,  in  his  present  life,  can  recover 
memory  of  his  past  lives,  and  to  do  this,  he  has  to  unite  his  con- 
sciousness with  his  real  Self,  and  to  live  in  the  consciousness  that  he 
is  not  body,  he  is  not  only  John  Smith,  but  he  is  that  Immortal 
Thinker  which  is  temporarily  inhabiting  the  body  of  John  Smith. 
He  must  realise  his  true  Self,  not  as  something  outside  of  him,  but 
as  himself,  and  his  personality  as  the  external  organs  with  which  he 
works.  The  work  is  slow  and  difficult,  but  it  can  be  accomplished  : 
by  and  bye,  flashes  from  the  past  will  illumine  his  lower  consciousness, 
and  these  will  grow  until  he  realises  fully  his  heritage,  and  henceforth 
his  life  will  be  lived  for  Eternity  and  not  for  fleeting  Time.  Have  I 
proved  my  point,  at  all,  that  Reincarnation  unlocks  many  of  life's  rid- 
dles ?  At  any  rate,  the  conviction  that  /  have  lived  on  this  earth  many, 


1901.]  Into  a  Larger  Room.  403 

many  times,  ill  many  bodies  under  widely  differing  conditions,  learn- 
ing many  a  lesson,  sowing  and  reaping,  forging  links  of  love  which 
are  stronger  than  death  ;  and  that  I  shall  inhabit  many  more  bodies, 
learning,  incarnation  after  incarnation,  something  more  of  the  length 
and  breadth  and  height  and  dej)th  of  that  love  which  passes  know- 
ledge, coming  back  again  and  again  to  earth  until  all  its  lessons  have 
been  learnt,  climbing  ever  higher  and  higher  up  the  steeps  which  lead 
to  union  with  God,  to  perfect  wisdom — this  seems  to  me  a  "  larger 
room''  than  the  "  one  life  only"  theor}-. 

There  is  another  point  I  should  like  to  say  a  few  words  about, 
which  shows  the  greater  hopefulness  given  by  living  in  this  "  larger 
room."  We  all  of  us  know,  some  by  painful  experience,  some  by 
seeing  it  in  our  friends,  some  by  reading  about  it,  of  the  terrible 
heart-break  it  is  to  a  parent  when  a  dearly  loved  child  goes  far  astray, 
"  goes  wrong,"  as  we  say ;  when  advice  and  warning  and  pleadings 
are  of  no  avail,  and  the  child  (who  always  remains  a  child  to  the 
parent,  whatever  his  age)  plunges  into  vice  and  evil  living.  How 
many  and  many  a  parent  has  gone  to  his  grave  sorrowing  over  the 
evil  course  his  dear  one  has  taken— sorrowing  too  over  the  fearful 
retribution  which  he  fears  will  befall  his  loved  one  when  he 
loo  steps  from  time  into  Iijternity  ;  thinking  in  his  blindnes, 
that  he,  poor  erring  mortal,  loves  his  child  with  a  more  enduring 
love  than  the  Almighty  Father  of  us  all.  No,  my  friends,  if 
such  sorrow  falls  to  you  or  me,  let  us  look  a  little  deeper,  a 
little  further.  Your  child  was  God's  child  before  he  was  yours, 
he  is  God's  child  now,  for  the  Spirit  of  God  is  in  him  as  much 
as  in  you  ;  the  Spirit  of  God  is  in  him  teachinjg^  him  a  much 
needed  lesson  which  if  he  will  not  learn  by  gentleness  he  nntst 
learn  by  pain  and  suffering.  There  is  something  which  is  hindering 
his  evolution,  this  desire  for  self- gratification,  and  he  must  learn  at  all 
costs  to  eradicate  this  desire,  so  that  he  can  go  on  to  perfection.  There- 
fore take  comfort,  when  you  have  done  all  that  you  can  for  your  child, 
and  he  still  pays  no  heed  to  your  voice,  do  not  be  over  much  cast 
down  ;  he  is  enjojdng  "  the  pleasures  of  sin  for  a  season,'*  but  the 
time  will  come  when  these  pleasures  will  begin  to  clog  and  he  w411  turn 
his  face  homewards  ;  and  slowly  and  painfully  in  the  fire  of  his  agony 
he  will  learn  his  lesson,  the  lesson  he  was  not  willing  to  learn  before. 
The  way  may  be  long,  it  may  not  be  accomplished  in  one  life-time, 
but  be  of  good  cheer,  he  7cill  win  home  at  last,  for  an  Infinite  Patience, 
an  Infinite  Compassion  watches  over  him,  stronger  than  ever  yours 
could  be;  and  this  Infinite  Compassion  which  is  i7i  your  child  as  well 
as  around  him  will  not  be  satisfied  until  rt?^//' child  as  well  as  ever}^ 
other  son  of  man  is  perfect  even  as  the  Father  in  heaven  is  perfect.* 

Now  I  have  only  time  to  take  up  one  more  point,  though  there 
are  many  others  waiting  to  come  to  the  front.    Some  of  you  may  be 

*  Sec  "  Dharma,"  page  36.     Mrs.  Besant. 


404  The  Theosophist.  [April 

thinking— "  lu  this  scheme  of  Evolution  of  yours,  where  does  the 
Christ  come  in,  the  Saviour  of  men  ?  It  seems  as  though  all  was  left 
to  the  man  himself."  Yes,  and  to  a  certain  extent  this  is  so,  man  has 
to  work  out  his  own  salvation,  he  has  to  realize  that  he  is  the  Maker 
of  his  own  Destiny,  and  that  no  outside  Saviour  can  either  save  him 
from  his  sins,  or  bear  the  punishment  of  his  wrong  doing  for  him.  How 
can  he  learn  his  lesson,  if  after  doing  wrong  he  slinks  away  and  lets 
some  one  else  bear  his  punishment,  the  punishment  that  would  be 
a  salutary  discipline  for  him  !  No,  it  is  not  an  outside  Saviour  wre 
need,  we  must  bear  our  own  burdens,  and  we  cannot  dodge  the  conse- 
quences of  wrong.  But  there  is  a  very  real  w-ay  in  which  Jesus  the 
Christ,  the  Divine  Man,  is  a  Saviour  of  Humanity,  and  a  Theosophist 
would  be  the  very  last  to  deny  it,  for  the  teaching  of  the  possibility 
of  attaining  Divine  Manhood  is  a  fundamental  element  of  our  philo»- 
oph}'.  But  one  diflference  between  the  teachings  of  Theosophy  and 
the  teachings  of  orthodox  Christianity  is,  that  we  do  not  limit  this 
attaining  and  Divine  Manhood  to  one,  to  Jesus  ;  but  affirm  that  other 
great  Teachers  have  also  attained  to  the  level  of  the  Christ ;  and 
surely  this  is  not  derogatory  to  our  Master,  who  was  **  meek  and 
lowly  in  heart,"  and  who  said  even  to  His  disciples—**  Ye  also  are 
Sons  of  God."  I  do  not  intend  to  go  fully  into  this  question  now, 
it  would  take  far  too  long.  But  this  I  may  say,  that  when  a  soul 
attains  to  the  heights  of  perfection  of  Renunciation  to  which  the 
Christ  attained,  all  humanity  rises  with  Him,  a  little  nearer  to  tji» 
goal ;  all  humanity  feels  afresh  the  thrill  of  prophetic  hope ;  the  hope, 
iiay  the  certainty,  **  that  where  He  is,  there  shall  also  His  servants 
be."  And  also,  this  attaining  of  Divine  Manhood  to  which  Jesus 
Christ  attained, 'means  also  the  attaining  of  that  Divine  and  perfect 
Compassion  which  ivill  not,  and  which  cannot  accept  the  bliss  of 
liberation  to  which  He  has  earned  a  right,  until  all  His  younger 
brothers  and  sisters  shall  stand  w*here  He  stands,  and  shall  eater 
with  Him  into  unutterable  bliss,  into  higher  and  even  higher 
fields  of  service.  For  this  cause  will  He  remain  within  reach  of 
those  who  seek  help  and  spiritual  guidance  through  Him,  and 
He  is /?  «/y  and  ;ra//y  ever  near  His  people,  blessing  us  with  His 
Divine  Presence,  stimulating  us  to  further  effort  to  realise  for 
ourselves  the  need  of  an  indwelling  Christ,  the  Christ  who  must 
be  born  in  us,  who  is  in  us  now,  who  has  been  in  us  all  the  time, 
tliough  mayhap  we  have  not  known  it.  But  once  we  have  recog- 
nised it,  let  us  foster  that  Holy  Presence,  let  us  strive  to  unite  our 
lower  consciousness  with  It,  so  that  in  the  future,  our  whole  lives 
shall  be  moulded  by  Him.  And  this  will  not  be  losing  our  individu- 
ality, it  will  be  gaifiingii,  our  Evolution  will  proceed  more  rapidly, 
for  the  goal  that  is  set  before  us  now  is  Union  with  God.  **  Now 
are  we  the  sons  of  God,"  even  as  Jesus  the  Christ  was  Son  of  God- 
again  the  difference  is  not  in  kind  but  in  degree,  vast  as  the  difference 
is  between   us  and  Him.    In  us  the  Christ  principle  (the  spiritual 


i901.]  Ancient  Theories  as  to  the  Origin  of  the  World.  405 

part  of  our  nature)  is  lying  almost  dormant,  almost  hidden  by  the 
lower  personality,  which  personality  is  not  the  real  yow  and  me.  In 
Jesus  and  Buddha,  and  other  Great  Souls,  the  Christ  principle  is 
triumphant,  all-conquering,  having  transmuted  the  lower  into  the 
higher,  and  brought  all  things  into  subjection.  And  so  the  Chris- 
tian Theosophist  may  again  rejoice  in  the  **  larger  room."  We  have 
7tai^  by  thus  enlarging  our  borders,  lost  our  Christ,  but  we  see  Him  in 
all  around  us.  We  may  still  love,  and  follow  and  serve  Jesus  as  our 
Lord,  and  Master,  and  Friend,  and  Elder  Brother,  seeing  in  Him 
notamiracle,  but  the  inevitable  result  of  lives  of  patient  and  earnest 
and  rigid  discipline  and  self-sacrifice  ;  seeing  in  Him  the  promise 
and  foretaste  of  what  we  also  may  become,  and  in  the  becoming  shall 
raise  the  whole  race  one  step  higher,  and  thus  be  really  Sa\aours 
and  Helpers  of  mankind. 

.    The  pilgrimage  of  the  Soul  is  a  long,  long  one  :  from  the  mire  of 
materiality  to  the  bosom  of  the  Father.     **  And  does  the  path   wind 
uphill  all  the  way  ?**     **  Yes,  to  the  very  end/' 
But,  the  end  crowns  all ! 

EUZABKTH    W.    BKItI,. 


•     ANCIENT  THEORIES  AS  TO  THE  ORIGIN  OF  THE  WORLD. 

{Concluded from p  363.] 

WE  may  therefore  take  a  step  further  backward  in  time,  and  a 
glance  at  an  adjacent  nation  or  people  from  whom  the 
Greeks  borrowed  some  of  the  knowledge  upon  which  their  own  more 
evanescent  structures  were  raised.  The  most  important,  in  order 
of  distance,  were  the  people  of  Chaldea,  Babylonia,  and  Assyria* 
about  whom  we  are  told  that  its  priesthood,  who  were  the  learned 
class  and  the  conser\'ators  of  knowledge,  regarded  it  as  an  especially 
mysterious  charge,  and  hence  surrounded  its  acquisition  with  many 
difficulties.  Like  most  priesthoods,  they  had  for  the  multitude  an 
outward  religion  or  external  rites,  together  with  a  pantheon  of  gods, 
while  for  themselves  there  was  a  different  \new,  or  esoteric  side  to 
their  teachings.  *  This  it  is  naturally  not  very  easy  to  trace,  unless 
we  resort  to  those  further  developments  of  our  human  powers  which 
are  the  object  of  occult  training,  and  this  has  to  some  extent  been 
done ;  f  but  what  little  we  can  percieve  of  it  vShows  that  it  formed 
a  by  no  means  inconsiderable  part  of  that  which  was  travestied  by 
tbe  Greeks,  and  that  their  ideas  as  to  the  creation,  like  those  given 
in  Genesis,  were  largely  indebted  to  Babylonian  sources. 

The  Chaldeans  do  not  seem  to  have  looked  for  the  origin  of  all 
things  in  any  such  primitive  elements  as  fire,  air,  or  water,  as  the 
Greeks  did  in  their  phase  of  materialism,   but  rather  looked  behind 

•  Cf.  **  Anacalypsis,"  (Burns's  ed.)  Vol.  I.  p.  458. 

t  See  Mr.  Leadbeater's  articles  on  "  Ancient   Chaldea/'   in    Tkeos,  Beviese^ 
Vd.  XXV.  No.  150,  p.  553  et.  seq. 


406  The  Theosophist.  [April 

these  things,  aud  sought  some  original  source  whence  even  the  Four 
Elements  had  themselves  originally  sprung,  and  which  they  would 
seem  to  have  symbolised  as  Lights  and  accompanied  by  Conscious- 
ness. For,  if  we  may  believe  Cedrenus,  this  was  their  idea,  since 
he  says  that  "  the  Chaldeans  adored  light ;  that  they  called  it 
intellectual  light",  and  that  they  described  it,  or  rather  sj^nibolised 
it,  by  certain  letters  forming  a  word,  *  which  **  Word"  they  regarded 
as  the  first  of  all  manifested  things,  and  so  sacred  that  it  was  never 
pronounced— at  least  not  in  the  hearing  of  the  people,  f  We  may, 
however,  here  perceive  a  connection  with  the  Logos  of  the  Alexandri- 
an Greeks,  and  with  the  Sacred  word  of  the  Hindus. 

We  may  see  another  version  of  this  in  the  Gospel  according  to 
St.  John,  where  he  speaks  of  that  tt^(?;fl^  which  was  from  the  begin- 
ning, and  of  the  God  who  is  Light.  J  Doubtless  these  references  are, 
in  one  at  least  of  their  aspects,  to  the  One  White  Light  which  is  the 
synthesis  of  the  three  primary  colours,  the  expression  of  the  A,  U,  M, 
and  the  origin  of  the  Seven  Rays  which  express  Cosmic  differentia- 
tion, and  together  make  up  the  Manifest  Logos.  So,  likewise,  the 
Magi  ol  Persia,  and  the  Manicheans,  all  describe  their  Deity  as  l>e- 
ing  an  eternal,  intelligent,  and  perfectly  pure  Light,  the  origin  of 
all  things.  The  Manicheans,  who  WTre  a  Christian  Sect,  said  that 
Christ  was  the  son  of  the  Light  Eternal ;  while  the  writings  of  the 
Church  fathers  all  speak  of  God  as  being  a  sublime  Light.  § 

The  philosophy  which  included  this  concept  ot  Deity  was  thus 
by  no  means  peculiar  to  the  Chaldeans ;  and  in  its  general  outlines 
it  taught  not  only  that  there  was  this  Original  Light,  but  that  matter 
was  eternal,  and  that  it  was  .subject  to  endless  changes  and  modi- 
fications, taking  on  manifold  aspects.  Over  all  these  there  presided 
that  limitless  Intelligence  which,  when  the  world  began  to  emerge 
gradually  from  this  chaos  of  matter,  was  the  source  whence  came 
the  life  and  intelligence  exhibited  both  by  man  and  the  whole 
creation,  more  or  less.  During  the  existence  of  the  world,  ever>'- 
thing  in  it  underwent  a  perpetual  change ;  for  as  its  basis  was 
eternal,  no  real  destruction  of  anything  took  place,  but  only  trans- 
mutations of  substance  under  the  control  of  intelligence.  At  the 
endof  its  appointed  period,  the  world  was  destined  to  be  reduced 
once  more  to  its  primeval  chaos,  and  the  agent  of  its  dissolution 
was  exoterically  understood  to  be  either  a  flood  of  water  or  a  vast 
fire.  Later,  when  the  traditions  of  local  deluges  and  cataclysms  be- 
came confounded  with  the  cosmogonic  myths,  these  events  were 
spoken  of  as  taking  place  alternately  in  periods  which  were 
translated  into  the  notion  of  six  thousand  or  twelve  thousand  solar 
years.  |;    Naturally,  when  the  earth  perished,  so  did  the  whole  of 

*  Cf.  "  Atiacalypsis",  ed.  cit.,  p.  460. 

t  Vide  Parkhurst,  as  cUud  in  "  Anacatypsis'^  p«  461* 

X  John,  V,  i,  et  seq. 

§  See  Dtiputs,  **  On  the  origin  of  All  Religions*',  vol.  til.)  p.105,  4to  ed. 

jl  See  my  article  on  the  •'  Great  Year  of  the  Ancients"  in  this  Journal. 


1901.]         Ancient  Theories  as  to  the  Origin  of  the  World.  407 

mankind  ;  but  as  the  intelligence  of  all  was  necessaril}'  of  the  same 
eternal  nature  as  that  from  which  it  originally  emanated,  so  it  could 
not  perish,  but  returned  once  more  to  its  source.  * 

This  system,  thus  briefly  outlined  and  reduced  to  its  simplest 
form,  is  scarcely  to  be  found  so  described  among  any  of  the  religions 
or  philosophies  of  the  ancient  nations  bordering  upon  the  Medi- 
terranean, and  which  composed  the  ancient  states  of  which  we  have 
the  most  plentiful  records  ;  but,  concealed  under  many  and  various 
fonns,  it  is  common  to  them  all — as  in  fact  it  is  to  ever>'^  other 
nation  and  peoples  in  all  times.  The  researches  of  philologists, 
antiquarians,  and  archaeologists,  together  with  the  teachings  of 
modern  Theosophy,  have  brought  it  gradually  to  light ;  and  though 
they  have  as  yet  only  done  so  in  an  imperfect  or  partial  manner,  yet 
the  overwhelming  mass  of  evidence  they  have  produced  is  amply 
sufficient  to  show  that  the  same  system  lay  at  the  root  of  all  the 
religions  and  mythologies  of  classic  times,  and  is  the  primary^  idea 
underlying  all  the  stories  of  the  Creation,  however  diversified  in 
detail,  or  variously  concealed. 

And  since  the  world  of  2400  years  back  consisted  for  the  most 
part  of  nations  which  were  already  past  the  zenith  of  their  power,  and 
therefore  declining,  and  as  scarcely  any  of  them  presented  examples 
of  their  religious  and  philosophical  sj'-stems  even  approximately  free 
from  admixture  of  ideas  not  originally  their  own,  so  all  we  have  of 
that  time  is  vague  and  confused,  and  it  becomes  a  work  of  enormous 
labour  to  sift  out  and  separate  all  the  component  parts  of  their 
Cosmic  theories  and  other  religious  and  quasi-scientific  data.  But 
the  task  is  not  either  hopeless  or  impossible ;  and  it  has  been  ren- 
dered ver\^  much  easier  by  what  has  come  to  light  regarding  the 
philosophy  and  the  religion  of  a  people  which,  like  those  of  Egypt, 
seems  far  to  transcend  in  antiquity  all  the  others.  It  is  in  India 
that  we  find  the  typical  system  of  religious  philosophy  from  which 
all  the  others  seem  to  have  originally  drawn  their  primitive  ideas, 
and  which  were  afterwards  modified  to  suit  local  circumstances  and 
racial  peculiarities ;  or,  like  our  own  Christian  systems,  became 
gradually  so  altered  and  blended  with  others,  as  to  present  com- 
paratively little  of  the  original  plan. 

In  this  original  Indian  system,  as  portrayed  for  us  by  modern 
Theosophy,  we  find  a  grandeur  of  conception  and  a  magnificence  of 
outline  and  general  arrangement  which  is  but  faintly  and  poorly 
reproduced  in  the  others.  Where  the  European  cosmogonies  speak 
of  a  few  thousand  years  at  most,  the  Hindus  portion  out  their  limit- 
less eternity  into  cycles  which,  each  of  them,  embrace  millions  of 
years ;  and  instead  of  devoting  the  utmost  stretch  of  the  imagination 
to  the  formation  and  history  of  our  little  earth  and  its  creatures, 
they  deal  with  myriads  of  worlds  and  with  infinite  space.  The  most 
abstruse  systems  of  the  Chaldeans   and   others  seem,  as  already 

•  Cf.  "  Anacalypsis",  i,  385. 


408  The  Theosophiet.  [April 

noticed,  to  have  been  related  to  that  of  India  ;  but  as  presented  by 
the  early  writers  who  professed  to  have  some  knowledge  of  them, 
their  most  recondite  conceptions  of  the  Universe  were  but  a  secon- 
dary phase  of  the  Indian,  and  the  contents  of  their  religious  books 
reached  not  nearly  so  far  into  the  origin  and  source  of  things  as  did 
the  Vedas,  the  Puranas,  and  the  Upanishads  of  Hindustan* 

To  present  anything  like  a  complete  review  of  the  Indian 
system  of  cosmogony  in  a  paper  like  this  would  be  an  impossibility, 
as  weighty  volumes  would  not  suffice  to  deal  with  it  exhaustively. 
But  it  is  not  difficult  to  give  such  a  sketch  as  may  convey  an 
idea  of  it. 

Of  the  Absolute,  or  that  from  which  everything  is  conceived 
originally  to  have  come,  no  account  can  be  given  ;  since  everj-thing 
that  might  be  postulated  concerning  it  as  an  attribute,  would  only 
pertain  to  some  lower  emanation.  It  is  consequently  to  these  that 
belong  the  three  indestructible  and  periodically-manifested  prin- 
ciples of  the  visible  Cosmos,  known  as  Mahat,  Fohat  and  Prakriti. 
In  English  we  may  call  these  Consciousness,  or  abstract  Mind, 
Force  or  Energy,  and  Matter  or  Substance.  *  The  primary  or  lead- 
ing principle  is  abstract  consciousness,  considered  as  an  entity  by 
itself,  and  quite  apart  from  any  of  that  a^://V>;^  of  Consciousness  which 
we  look  upon  as  the  **  workings  of  the  mind  ;"  but  in  no  case  is  it 
to  be  considered  as  existing  without  some  aspect  of  matter  and 
force  ;  although  this  **  matter*'  is  of  so  ethereal  a  nature  that  it  far 
transcends  in  that  respect  any  ideas  which  Europeans  have  been 
used  to  attach  to  their  concepts  of  it.  Naturally,  then,  force  is  to  be 
looked  at  as  the  intermediate  between  Consciousness  and  matter ; 
and  as  the  means  b}'  which  Consciousness  moulds  the  primal  sub- 
stance into  forms. 

The  Hindus  then  picture  to  themselves  this  Consciousness  as 
exhibiting  alternate  periods  of  activity  and  passivity,  or  of  work  and 
rest.  Its  period  of  activity  they  consider  to  be  the  time  of  the 
existence  of  the  natural  world  of  objective  forms — by  which  they 
understand  not  only  our  particular  world,  but  also  ever>'  other.  And 
by  the  period  of  rest,  they  suppose  a  time  when  the  visible  world  is 
resolved  back  into  its  components,  and  ceases  to  exist  upon  the 
manifest  plane.  As  water,  and  even  the  most  tenuous  gas,  is  made 
up  of  an  infinity  of  minute  atoms,  so  also  the  sum-total  of  Conscious- 
ness for  any  given  Cosmogonic  scheme  is  made  up  of  an  immense 
number  of  lesser  parts  ;  and  these,  like  the  atoms  in  water,  may 
merge  into  the  whole  without  losing  their  individuality. 

As  to  force,  the  Hindus  consider  it  to  be  the  sum  of  all  force 
in  the  same  way  as  above  described  ;  and  that  its  various  appear- 
ances are  simply  the  results  of  various  rates  of  vibration,  and 
carried  on  in  different  directions.  During  the  period  of  rest,  when 
Consciousness  is  relatively  inactive,   force  is  represented  by  very 

*  Vide  "  Keincaroation/'  by  Jerome  Anderson,  M.D.,  Ch.  I. 


1901.]         Ancient  Theories  as  to  the  Origin  of  the  World.  409 

mifiute  vibrations  in  some  one  direction  through  the  immensity  of 
space  and  matter ;  but  as  soon  as  consciousness  becomes  active,  the 
rate  and  direction  of  vibration  is  changed  thereby,  and  formless 
matter  begins  at  once  to  undergo  corresponding  changes,  and  to 
separate  into  the  nuclei  of  suns  and  worlds.  When  that  takes 
place,  the  result  has  been  very  aptly  illustrated  in  the  .  following 
manner :  "  Imagine  a  large  vessel  or  receptacle  filled  with  a  solution 
of  some  salt,  to  the  saturation  point  when  heated  to  loo  degrees.  As 
long  as  this  temperature  is  maintained  the  solution  is  perfectly 
transparent.  No  one  would  suspect  any  solid  material  hidden  in 
its  crj'stal  clearness.  But  now  let  the  rate  of  vibration  be  changed 
.in  the  fluid  ;  let  the  temperature  fall  to,  say,  60  degrees,  and  out 
of  that  which  was  before  so  clear,  crystallises  a  solid  mass  which 
renders  the  whole  translucent  solution  opaque  ;  or  it  may  so  change 
its  molecular  relations  as  to  become  a  solid."  *  Not  only,  then,  will 
a  change  of  vibration  cause  the  appearance  of  solid  forms  out  of  the 
invisible  and  formless,  but  we  may  note  that  at  one  rate  of  vibration 
we  have  darkness  ;  but  if  the  vibratory  force  be  gradually  increased 
we  have  light  and  colour.  So,  vibratory  force  acting  through  the 
ether  of  space  in  a  certain  ratio,  will  produce  the  colour  green  ;  and 
if  the  rate  be  increased  up  to  a  certain  point,  we  cease  to  have  green 
any  Icwager,  and  have  blue  or  violet  in  its  place.  If  the  vibrations  be 
made  slower  instead  of  more  rapid,  we  may  obtain  yellow,  orange, 
or  red  as  their  result.  Conceive,  then,  that  the  solution  in  the  vessel 
and  its  suspended  salt,  be  taken  as  representing  space  and  the  ethereal 
matter  which  it  contains ;  and  that  the  whole  is  kept  in  an  ethereal 
state,  and  in  darkness,  by  the  prevalence  of  a  certain  peculiar 
rate  of  vibration  ;  then  you  will  have  an  idea  of  the  state  of  things 
which  exists  during  the  MahS-Pralaya  or  Night  of  Brahma,  when 
all  is  at  rest  When  the  appointed  moment  arrives,  the  sleeping 
consciousness  begins  to  awaken,  so  to  speak  ;  that  is,  in  the  experi- 
ment we  have  supposed,  the  human  agency  comes  in  and  causes  an 
altered  rate  by  changing  the  temperature.  And  then  the  state  of 
things  in  the  Universe  or  Cosmos,  like  that  in  our  imaginarj^ 
vessel,  begins  to  change ;  and  from  the  total  absence  of  every- 
thing— from  the  seemingly  dark  and  empty  void  of  space— there 
begin  to  emerge  light,  and  form,  and  colour ;  and  so  the 
hitherto  apparently  inert  consciousness,  following  a  similar  change, 
begins  to  take  up  its  separate  activity  within  those  forms, 
as  in  ever>'  atom  which  composes  them.  In  some  it  manifests 
itself  only  as  that  power  of  cohesion  by  which  the  particles  of  a 
stone  hold  together,  in  others  it  appears  as  cohesion  and  life,  as  in 
the  plant,  while  in  others  it  manifests  as  in  animals,  and  yet 
higher ;  and  in  a  further  awakened  stage,  as  all  these  with  the 
added  intelligence  of  man. 

But  all  this  is  not  to  be  conceived  of  as  taking  place  in  a 

*  lb.  Ch.  iii.,  p.  48,  od.  1894. 


410  The  Theosophist,  [April 

« 

moment,  or  that  the  origin  of  a  world,  thus  accounted  for,  is  the 
product  of  an  hour,  a  day,  or  a  year — or,  indeed,  of  any  portion  of 
time  concievable  by  our  limited  mentality.  Rather  are  we  to 
suppose  the  lapse  of  unnumbered  millions  of  years  since  that  far- 
distant  epoch  when  the  Consciousness  in  our  particular  Cosmos 
began  to  awaken,  and  thereby  to  cause  that  movement  in  the  illimi- 
table ocean  of  primordial  matter  which  the  writer  of  Genesis  may 
be  supposed  to  refer  to  under  the  words,  "  The  spirit  of  God  moved 
upon  the  face  of  the  waters  ;  and  God  said,  *  I^et  there  be  light,'  and 
there  was  light." 

The  process  of  world-formation,  like  all  great  Cosmic  processes, 
is  one  of  extreme  slowness  ;  its  commencement  being  altogether 
imperceptible,  as  viewed  from  the  standpoint  of  our  senses.  For  it 
may  be  taken  as  a  fixed  principle  in  Hindu  philosophy,  that  some 
aspect  of  thought  is  the  primal  source  of  every  outward  and  visible 
form ;  as  it  is  also  ot  very  many  others  which,  though  altogether 
subjective  to  us  at  present,  are  not  the  less  potent  factors  in  the 
life  of  Nature.  Therefore  the  Hindus  hold  that  the  world  or  the 
Universe — for  in  both  the  same  rule  follows — must  exist  at  first  only 
as  the  merest  idea  in  the  Consciousness  of  the  lyOgos  or  creative 
centre. 

Some  faint  idea  of  this  process  may  be  gained  by  outlining 
what  takes  place  in  the  human  mind  in  regard  to  anything  which 
we  propose  to  do  or  to  create.  At  first  there  is  only  a  dawning 
notion  of  doing  that  which  is  proposed ;  we  have  not  planned  out 
what  is  to  be  done,  but  have  a  sort  of  vague  mind-picture  on  the 
subject,  and  one  which  will  have  to  undergo,  before  the  object  is 
completed,  perhaps  very  many  modifications  and  alterations,  as  our 
consciousness  more  fully  takes  in  the  necessities  of  the  situation. 
We  thus  carry  the  outline  in  our  minds  for  a  time,  and  by  degrees 
it  takes  form  and  consistency,  and  we  begin  to  work  out  and 
arrange  the  details  to  some  extent — ultimately  coming  to  put  the 
thing  in  execution,  as  we  may  say,  upon  the  material  plane.  But 
there  is  this  difference  between  our  own  mental'  and  manual  process- 
es and  those  engaged  in  the  Cosmic  formation,  that  in  our  case,  one 
mind  plans  and  carries  out  the  whole ;  as  when  an  artist  first 
conceives  the  idea  of  painting  a  picture,  then  proceeds  to  map  out 
a  general  sketch,  and  afterwards  puts  in  his  detail  and  finishes  his 
colouring,  ultimately  turning  out  the  complete  work  of  his  own  brain 
and  hands.  Now  in  the  case  of  a  world,  this  analogy,  although  it 
may  be  generally  looked  upon  as  holding  good  throughout,  yet  is 
likewise  apt  to  give  a  somewhat  false  idea ;  for  if  rigorously  ad- 
hered to,  it  would  give  us  a  material  world  formed  by  a  Deity  who 
only  differed  from  man  in  being  a  few  sizes  larger,  and  making  a 
huge  world  and  its  contents  instead  of  painting  a  picture — a  very 
false  idea  altogether,  but  one  which,  nevertheless,  has  long  been 
held  by  Western  Orthodox  religionists,    The  Indian  view  of  the 


1901.]  Ancient  Theories  as  to  the  Origin  of  the  World.  411 

case  is,  however,  diflferent ;  for  while  it  may  postulate  an  idealistic 
theory  analogous  to  that  pertaining  to  the  artist,  it  conceives  of  the 
after  processes  as  being  carried  out  through  an  enormous  period  of 
time  by  myriads  of  entities,  all  acting  together,  so  far  as  any  partic* 
ular  Cosmic  scheme  is  concerned ;  and  their  collective  consciousness 
derived  from,  and  eventually  returning  to,  the  Deity  itself.  For  the 
sum-total  of  that  vast  Consciousness  being  supposed  originally, 
during  the  time  of  rest  and  of  darkness — the  g^eat  Pralaya — to  be  as 
one  united  whole,  made  up,  like  our  fluids  and  gases,  of  separate 
but  indistinguishable  atoms,  when  the  active  or  waking  period 
])egius,  is  gradually  subdivided  into  many.  These  separated  parts^ 
in  their  ultimate  difierentiation,  fonn  the  conscious  entities  of  our 
world  ;  and  they  carry  on  its  evolution  in  common  with  what  have 
])een  called  the  "  blind  forces  of  Nature" — but  which,  in  reality,  are 
likewise  the  expression  of  Omniscient  Mind,  and  take  directions 
dictated  by  what  we  may  call  the  cumulative  thought-forms  of  all 
the  active  functioning  of  Consciousness  on  earth. 

Thus  this  theor\'  furnishes  us  with  a  consistent  view  of  the 
Universe  as  based  upon  Consciousness  as  the  primary  factor.  It 
shows  us  worlds  coming  into  existence,  at  first  as  the  faintest 
of  nebulous  images,  or  rather,  as  no  images  at  all  capable  of 
being  perceived  by  such  senses  as  ours,  and  only  of  a  sort  we 
might  possibly  see  if  provided  with  the  highest  phases  of  that 
peculiar  vision  which  we  call  psychic  or  clairvoyant.  If  we  imagine 
a  number  of  such  ethereal  forms  gradually  growing  into  denser 
masses  or  nuclei  at  their  centres,  and  the  whole  spreading  out  over 
thousands  of  millions  of  miles,  we  should  then  have  something 
which  might  appear,  to  a  far-off  observer,  not  unlike  those  cloudy 
and  seemingly  vapourous  masses  which  we  now  see  in  the  heavens  : 
and  which,  under  such  names  as  the  Magellan  Clouds  and  the  Great 
Nebula  in  Orion,  have  so  long  been  objects  of  the  most  intense 
interest  to  our  astronomers  and  physicists. 

Then,  as  the  stream  of  time  flows  on,  we  have  these  masses 
gradually  condensing  more  and  more,  and  thus  forming  systems  of 
worlds,  which  in  turn  become  the  theatre  for  the  functioning  of 
life-germs  and  their  innumerable  corresponding  forms,  all  of  which 
go  through  analogous  processes  of  evolution.  For  the  Theosophical 
view  of  these  things  is,  that  all  the  differentiated  units  of  Conscious- 
ness first  begin  their  life  career  under  that  aspect  which  we  call  the 
mineral  kingdom ;  then  as  the  vegetable,  and  so  on  up  to  the  highest 
the  forms  as  gradually  evolving  into  more  complex  varieties ;  and 
like  the  worlds  they  inhabit,  at  first  ethereal  and  vapoury,  but 
afterwards  becoming  more  solid. 

At  last,  after  millions  of  years  uncounted,  the  world  reaches 
its  most  dense  form,  where  all  the  creatures  upon  it  have  reached 
Iheirmost  perfect  external  aspects ;  and  then,  after  seeming,  like  the 
Sun  at  the  solstices,  to  stand  still  for  a  time,  the  whole  begins  to  go 


412  The  Theosophist.  [April 

through  a  reverse  process,  its  matter  becoming  more  aiid  more  ethe- 
real. And  as  the  former  part  of  the  process  is  called,  for  the  whole 
Cosmos,  the  ''  Descent  into  Matter,"  or  the  Outbreathing  of  the 
Great  Breath ;  so  the  latter,  or  the  etherealising  process,  is  called  the 
**  Ascent  towards  Spirit,"  or  the  Inbreathing.  When  this  is  com- 
X^leted,  the  whole  system  of  worlds  has  gradually  been  resolved  back 
again  into  that  ocean  of  cosmic  matter  from  which  it  originated  ; 
and  all  its  separate  units  of  consciousness  become  re-absorbed  into 
That  whence  they  came. 

Such,  then,  is  a  rough  and  bare  outline  of  Hindu  andTheosoph- 
ital  views  upon  the  subject  of  Cosmogenesis  ;  but  these  extend  into 
the  most  elaborate  details,  and  account  for  all  the  varied  phenomena 
of  life  and  Nature.  So  large  is  the  subject,  and  so  abstruse  in  its 
minutiae,  that  the  study  of  a  small  part  of  it  is  suflScient  for  a  life- 
time. 

As  thus  briefly  delineated,    it  will  be    seen  that    the  system 
described  appears  to  be  the  basis  upon  which  were  founded  the 
others  which,  so  far  as  we  can   judge,  were  in  vogue  among    the 
Mediterranean  nations    some  two  to  three  thousand  years  ago.     In 
them  we  see  the  same  views  as  to  the  emanation  of  all  things  from 
the  One  ;  and  sometimes,  also,  that  they  will  all  ultimately  be  resol- 
ved back  into  that  from  which  they  came.     With  this  there  is  also 
found  the  idea  that  such  changes  are  periodic  ;  but  in  place  of  the 
millions  of  ages  of  the  Indian  scheme,  these  cycles  are  reduced   to 
a  paltry  few  thousand  years.    The  notions  of  Anaximeues  and  of 
Diogenes  that  all  came  from  air  or  water,  is  only  a  misunderstanding 
of  the  Hindu  primal  matter,  often  alluded  to  as  the  "  Waters  of 
Space,"  which  term,  as  we  have  seen,  is  even  referred  to  in  the  Bible ;  * 
and  what  took  place  in  regard  to  it  is  followed  by  the  appearance  of 
light,  which  latter,  as  the  first  of  all  visible  things  on  the  plane  of 
manifestation,  became  the  Deity  or  its  symbol,  among  the  Chaldeans 
and  many  other  ancient  nations.    Not  infrequently— and  in  fact, 
universally  according  to  some  scholars— the  Sun  was  adopted  as  the 
objective  symbol  of  this  light,  and  the  ignorant  accordingly  made 
of  the  Sun  their  God— -gradually  arranging  their  religious  systems  in 
accordance  therewith— and  so  all  their  festivals,  when  closely  exam- 
ined, point  to  the  Sun  as  the  Deity  w^hom  they  worshipped. 

But  in  reality  this  was  only  the  external  aspect  of  the  religions 
of  the  Egyptians,  Chaldeans,  Persians,  Mexicans,  and  other  ancient 
nations ;  for  though  the  lower  order  of  their  priesthoods  may  not 
have  known  any  better,  and  the  people  (as  they  mostly  do  in 
England  to-day)  were  content  to  accept  these  outward  phases,  and 
with  them  to  accept  also  the  corresponding  absurd  theories  or 
dogmas  as  to  the  origin  of  the  world  and  the  nature  of  Deity,  3ret 
there  would  always  seem  to  have  been  some  few  who  had  pierced 
these  external  veils.  For,  as  there  is  so  strong  a  resemblance  be- 
tween all  these  religious  and   cosmogonic  theories,   when   seen 


1901.]  Ancient  Theories  as  to  the  Origin  of  the  World.  413 

stripped  of  mere  national  and  geographical  variations,  and  they  all 
show  traces  of  derivation  from  the  Hindu  system  or  its  original,  so 
their  highest  initiates  must  all  of  them  have  been  acquainted 
therewith  ;  and  therefore  the  foundation  of  all  religious  systems,  as 
of  all  stories  and  myths  about  the  Creation,  was  originally  the  same. 

To  reach  this,  analj-^sis  has  to  be  carried  back  through  successive 
stages ;  and  it  has  been  shown  that  the  further  we  go  back  in  time, 
the  more  does  the  system  become  perfect  and  homogeneous  ;  so  that 
the  Hindu  excels  the  Greek  and  Eg\'ptain  on  account  of  its  greater 
aiitiquit>'^— as  if  we  thereby  got  nearer  to  the  primal  source,  and  so 
gradually  got  rid  of  the  erroneous  and  fantastic  additions  which  had 
accumulated,  in  the  course  of  ages,  around  the  original  scheme. 
Such  would,  so  far  as  the  teachings  of  occultism  go,  appear  to  be 
the  fact ;  for  the  widespread  nature  of  the  knowledge— reaching  from 
Americaonthe  one  side,  to  India  on  the  other— seems  topointto  a  more 
central  country  than  either  of  these,  as  the  one  whence  it  first  came. 
And  in  point  of  fact,  we  are  told  of  a  civilisation  more  ancient  than 
any  we  can  at  present  recognise ;  and  are  referred  for  the  origin  of 
all  these  mythological  narratives  to  a  nation  long  lost — to  a  country 
sunk  ages  since  beneath  the  waves— in  short,  to  that  lost  Atlantis 
which,  to  our  Western  scholars,  has  seemed  only  as  the  unsubstantial 
fabric  of  a  vision.  From  it  flowed  the  Indian,  the  Egyptain,  and  the 
American  civilisations  of  the  past ;  and  all  these  streams,  with  their 
myths,  religions,  arts,  and  sciences,  find  their  fountain-head  in  the 
vanished  continent  of  which  the  Eg5^in  priests  spoke  to  Solon,  and 
of  the  disappearance  of  whose  last  remnant  Plato  speaks. 

And  our  modern  science,  in  its  more  or  less  contradictor}-  notions 
as  to  the  origin  of  the  World,  is,  like  the  very  basis  of  the  theory  of 
emanations,  showing  a  tendency  after  its  long  excursions  into  other 
regions,  to  approximate  more  and  more  to  this  old  original.  It  is 
not  much  more  than  a  century  since  our  philosophers,  bound  in 
the  shackles  of  a  cast-iron  theolog}-,  could  be  brought  to  recognise 
uo  longer  existence  for  the  earth  than  some  seven  thousand  years  ;  * 
but  now  they  have  extended  it  to  many  hundreds  of  thousands,  not  to 
say  as  many  millions  ;  for  though  they  are  by  no  means  agreed  about 
its  age,  and  one  here  and  there  shows  a  tendency  to  revert  to  the 
old  errors,  yet  the  majority  are  convinced  by  the  revelations  of 
Geology  and  Astronomy,  that  it  must  be  an  inconceivable  time 
since  our  earth  began  to  form.  So,  also,  they  recognise  an  approach 
to  the  Oriental  theory  of  emanations  in  regard  to  its  formation  ;  for 
they  are  of  opinion  that  our  world,  and  indeed  all  the  planets,  were 
in  the  first  instance  a  part  of  the  body  of  the  Sun— and  that  the  whole 
was  originally  a  nebulous  and  cloudy  mass,  which  had  condensed 
gradually  from  the  transparent  ether  of  infinite  space.  They  even 
go  so  far  as  to  theorise  about  the  ultimate  extinction  of  suns  and 


•  Sir  W.  Jones,  in  his  "CEdipus  Judaicus",  and  "  On  the  Zodiacs",  cited  in 
Hisgios's  "Celtic  dnilds",  ch.  IV.,  sec  XXV.,  pp.  147.8. 


414  The  Theosophist.  [April 

worlds,  and  their  consequent  resolution  once  more  into  that  from 
which  they  came— so  that  the  cycle  of  ideas  seems  almost  completed, 
and  the  theory  started  millions  of  years  ago  in  the  lost  world 
beneath  the  Atlantic  Ocean  is  once  more  coming  into  fashion, 
and  again  we  are  demonstrating  the  truth  of  the  old  adage,  that 
'*  There  is  no  new  thing  under  the  Sun  !**  There  is  at  present,  how- 
ever, one  great  point  of  divergence  between  the  modern  and  ancient 
views,  one  already  pointed  out,  viz.y  that  the  ancients  looked  upon 
Consciousness  as  the  leading  element  in  nature,  and  therefore  inde- 
structible ;  whereas  modern  science  mostly  deems  it  but  a  product  of 
matter,  and  that  the  parts  of  it  which  function  in  them  cease  wth  every 
organism  that  dies.  Such  a  theory  seems  more  diflBcult  of  acceptance 
than  that  of  former  times  ;  and  leaves  so  many  gaps  to  be  filled,  we 
kuow  not  how,  that  it  is  gradually  losing  ground  with  the  majority 
of  thinkers,  for  all  schemes  of  life  and  nature  would  appear  to  be 
against  it.  The  proof  that  the  ancient  hypothesis  is  the  true  one 
will  come  by  degrees ;  it  is  developing  now,  in  each  new  discover}' 
of  the  biologist  and  the  psychologist ;  and  eventually  it  must  recover 
its  ground,  and  the  continuity  of  life  and  consciousness  be  recognis- 
ed as  the  only  true  basis  of  all  philosophy.  It  is,  however,  only 
among  the  rising  school  of  experimental  philosophers,  such  as  Prof. 
Oliver  Lodge,  that  we  must  look  for  this  change  to  come  about ;  for 
those  of  the  more  conservative  cla^  can  scarcely,  to  judge  by 
historic  instances,  be  expected  to  change  their  cherished  views. 
Conversions  of  that  sort  are  not  common ;  for  opinions,  like  men 
and  worlds,  follow  a  process  of  gradual  evolution,  and  ideas  which 
are  new  to  the  age*  commonly  have  to  do  battle  with  a  foolish  pride 
which  is  entrenched  behind  barriers  of  prejudice  ;  and  will  never 
go  back  from  an  opinion  once  publicly  avowed.  All  these 
obstructions  give  way,  like  the  rocks,  only  to  the  hand  of  time  and 
the  force  of  those  mighty  cyclic  currents  of  public  thought  which 
have  swept  away  so  many  shams,  and  will  yet  sweep  away  so  man} 
more.  And  wh^n  the  last  barrier  is  surmounted — when  the  un- 
broken continuity  of  the  human  Ego,  independent  of  its  temporary 
bodies,  has  been  admitted  and  accepted,  as  it  surely  will  be — then 
will  the  public  thought  recognise  the  true  hypothesis  as  to  the 
Origifl  of  the  World. 

Samuei,  Stuart. 


^m 


^10 


CONQUEST  OF  THE  FLESH. 

[''  When  shall  I  have  solid  peace,  peace  secure  and  undisturbed, 
peace  within  and  peace  without,  peace  every  way  assured  ?  "*] 

THEY  say,  in  Shiraz  there  was  a  physician  to  whom  one  morning 
there  came  a  decrepit  old  man  complaining  bitterly  of  pain  and 
disease  all  over  the  body. 

Patient. — **  My  tongue  stammers  and  refuses  to  give  expression 
to  what  I  do  think." 

Physician, — **  My  friend,  this  is  on  account  of  old  age." 

Patient. — "  I  pass  my  nights  very  uncomfortably  and  am  subject 
to  hideous  dreams." 

Physician. — **  This  too  is  on  account  of  old  age." 

Patient, — *'  My  sense  of  hearing  is  impaired  and  my  eyes  have 
grown  very  dim." 

Physician, — **  Old  age  is  responsible  for  both  these  infirmities 
of  yours,  my  good  man." 

Patient. — "  I  often  get  out  of  temper  and  quarrel  with  my  wife 
and  children  at  home." 

Physician. — '*  This  is  a  sure  sign  of  old  age  having  you  in  ite 
clutches." 

Patient. — **  I  cannot  shake  oiF  my  melancholy,'and  vague  anxie* 
ties  weigh  heavily  on  my  head." 

Physician. — "  Of  a  truth,  old  age  and  anxiety  are  inseparable." 

The  patient  could  not  stand  the  doctor's  replies  any  further. 
He  was  beside  himself  with  anger,  at«receiving  the  same  answer  to 
enquiries  about  his  ailments,  and  rushed  forward  with  uplifted 
stick  to  beat  him.  The  votary  of  Galen,  nothing  daunted,  once 
more  coolly  said :  "  This,  too,  my  dear  good  man,  is  due  to  your  old 

age." 

Exactly  in  the  same  way  a  man  who  has  stepped  out  of  the 
common  path  of  evolution,  trodden  by  myriads  without  a  definite 
aim  of  life  before  them,  and  without  the  means  of  shaping  their  own 
destiny  by  the  force  of  their  will-power,  will  tell  the  neophyte  that 
the  difiiculties  experienced  in  the  struggles  after  the  Higher  Life, 
in  the  oft-recurring  despondencies  which  create  desolation  in  the 
heart,  bereft  of  one  single  ray  of  hope  to  shed  its  dim  light  in  the 
gloom  of  the  wearied  and  worried  soul,  are  mainly  attributable  to 
the  love  of  the  lower  personality  ;  to  that  Medusa  of  self  which 
freezes  the  A'tmic  nectar  flowing  deep  within  us  for  our  eternal  bliss. 
When  an  attempt  is  made  to  regulate  the  mind,  when  a  desire  is 
felt  to  be  left  alone  and  at  peace  with  the  inner  Self,  when  an  earnest 
endeavour  is  made  to  suppress  a  rising  burst  of  anger,  when  a 

*  Imitation  of  Christ. 


419  The  The9Sophist.  [April 

fervent  prayer  is  being  sent  forth  from  the  deepest  depths  of  the 
heart  for  the  weal  of  the  human  race,  when  some  impulse  for  doing 
good  to  an  unknown  being  rules  the  mind,  when  in  the  rarest  and 
fewest  moments  of  life  an  inmost  gush  of  longing  wells  up  in  the 
heart  to  be  atone  with  our  Divinity,  there  rises  up  the  ubiquitous 
lower  self  to  hurl  us  back  from  our  lofty  motives.  It  is  hard,  very 
hard  indeed,  to  give  to  those  who  have  not  tasted  the  pangs  one  has 
to  experience  in  parting  with  the  glamour  of  personality,  the  only 
reality  that  exists  for  the  mass  of  mankind,  the  mirage  of  illusion  in 
the  trackless  desert  of  vain  hopes  and  unfulfilled  desires,  where  the 
pilgrimage  of  life  is  invariably  attended  with  sorrow  and  care,  and 
where  death  is  courted  but  is  loathed  wlien  it  doth  appear,  any  idea 
of  the  tearing  away  of  the  old  ties  which  have  hitherto  gladdened 
and  buoyed  us  up.  A  habit,  deep-seated,  that  has  entered  into  the 
vitals  of  life,  would  cost  more  anguish  to  dispel  from  its  old  abode, 
past  resuscitation,  than  would  tearing  out  the  eye  from  its  socket, 
and  would  call  for  our  best  energies  and  require  a  will  wound 
up  to  the  highest  pitch  for  that  purpose.  The  fight  with  the  lower 
nature,  at  one  stage,  seems  eternal  and  endless.  It  is  a  well- 
known  fact  that  the  human  will  is  a  tower  of  strength.  In  the  dark 
labyrinth  of  the  chela's  life  the  only  staff  which  will  enable  him  to 
thread  through  intricate  by-ways,  now  stumbling,  now  foundering,  the 
feet  heavy  with  weeds  and  thorns  that  stick  to  him  from  an  unlevel- 
led  past,  is  his  will,  God's  own  gift  to  man.  But  the  growth  and 
development  of  the  will  has  an  indissoluble  tie  with  karmic  antece- 
dents. The  soul  of  each  hails  from  an  immemorial  past ;  it  is  big 
with  an  eventful  tale,  the  smothering  embers  waiting  to  be  thrown 
into  blaze.  The  Adjusters  of  Life  know  no  mercy  and  show  no 
favour;  strict  undeviatiug  justice  is  the  order  of  the  day  with  them. 
A  perfect  blank  in  the  karmic  ledger  is  a  work  of  ages.  The  strength 
of  the  will  depends  more  or  less  upon  the  strength  of  a  good  herit- 
age of  karma,  but  if  the  past  is  irremediable,  the  future  has  to  be 
secured  against  a  recurrence  of  unfavourable  circumstances,  and  it 
would  ceruinly  be  in  the  interest  of  man's  spiritual  advancement  to 
make  provisions  which  would  better  serve  that  purpose.  Weak  or 
strong,  in  circumstances  adverse  or  favourable,  no  matter  how 
situated  and  where  located,  in  every  position  and  in  any  condition 
of  life,  a  decided  step  taken  for  the  improvement  of  the  lower  self  is 
a  passport  of  victory  in  this  battlefield  of  MSy^,  whether  the  victor}- 
is  timed  to  come  in  the  present  life  or  at  some  period  of  eternity 
which  looms  in  our  front.  Time  is  of  no  question,  space  is  imma- 
terial, personality  is  meaningless  in  the  task  of  evolution  where 
limitations  have  to  be  abandoned  and  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven  is  to 
be  gained  ])y  the  sheer  force  of  moral  and  saintly  achievements. 
What  mortal  pen  and  what  human  words  can  describe  the  infinite 
potentialities  of  life  that  await  him  who  has  learned  the  secret  of 
conquering  the  flesh,     involution  is  meant  for  victory  over  the 


1901.]  Conquest  of  the  Flesh.  417 

powers  of  Darkness  with  which  outward  nature  swarms  ;  it  is  the 
identification  of  an  Ggo  with  all  and  ever>i;hing  that  pertains  to  the 
l4ght  or  Bfiitlgence  of  God.  If  victory  were  not  certain  where  will 
was  exercised  in  the  right  direction,  there  would  have  been  hardly 
any  nse  for  the  self>imposed  task  of  the  lyogos  in  suffering  manvan- 
taric  privations  in  churning  out  one  single  individualised  Manas  to 
be  like  Himself,  out  of  the  seemingly  endless  struggles  between  spirit 
and  matter.  The  mind  has  to  achieve  victory  over  matter,  and  spirit 
has  to  rise  above  mind  and  matter.  Mind  and  matter  once  brought 
under  subjugation,  the  progress  of  Spirit  is  assured  and  ceaseless. 
Its  capacities  widen  and  expand,  its  sphere  becomes  one  with  the 
All,  and  the  spark  of  the  Flame  becomes  Flame  of  the  Flame. 

The  object  of  each  personality  worn  by  the  Ego  is  to  revive  self- 
consciousness,  and  this  can  best  be  done  by  whole-hearted  devoted- 
ness  to  the  task  of  growing  the  /^ija  of  Sat,  (the  seed  of  eternal 
existence)  within  us.  The  whole  process  of  man's  Divinity  is  a 
question  of  growth,  a  growth  akin  to  that  of  a  tree  but  on  a  grander 
and  nobler  scale,  extending  over  unnumbered  periods  of  time.  Since 
the  Theosophical  Society  is  a  body  whose  first  and  foremost  object 
is  universal  brotherhood,  a  brotherhood  which  consists  in  commu- 
nity of  thoughts  and  aspirations  calculated  to  lift  up  humanity  in 
the  scale  of  Evolution,  and  as  each  member  is  supposed  to  nourish  it 
by  circulating  thoughts  which  are  best  meant  to  further  this  object, 
an  attempt  is  here  made  to  put  together,  for  what  they  are  worth,  a 
few  helpful  bints  found  of  some  utility  and  service  for  the  suppres- 
sion of  the  lower  self.  Each  human  body  is,  as  the  Nazarene  Sage 
said,  a  veritable  temple  of  God  ;  let  us  consecrate  it  from  now,  that 
at  some  future  date  the  **  Ancient  of  Days'*  may  make  therein  His 
holy  abode. 

HELP  I. 
Nature,  the  visible  garment  of  the  invisible  God,  is   governed 
by  Law  which  the  Ineflfable  has  thought  out  in  unerring  wisdom  for 
the  guidance  of  all  her  kingdoms  during  a  period  of  cosmic  activity. 
The  one  J^aw  a;i  it  descended  from  the  higher  planes  to  the  lower 
was  varied  to  adapt  it  to  its  new  surroundings,  and  what  was  one 
Law  in  the  Mab^-paranirvanic  plane  became  multiplied  in  reaching 
our  densest  physical  plane.    But  in  the  aspects  which   the  lyaw 
wears  on  the  planes  of  increasing  densities  there  are  inherent  the 
characteristics  of  the  source  from  which  they  have  emanated,  name- 
ly, invariability  and  constancy  ;  thus  down  here  below,  we  have  the 
representatives  of  the  one  Law  in  the  rotation  of  the  seasons,  the 
rhythmic  functions  of  large  bodies  of  water,  the  cyclic  progressions 
of  heavenly  bodies,  the  instinctive  operations  in  the  animal  world, 
the  almost  automatic  energy  displayed  in  the  vegetable  kingdom,  in 
heat,  light,  magnetism  and  other  finer  forces  of  Nature  bearing  the 
hall  mark  of  the  One  Divine  Mind.   From  the  One  Mind  started  the 
One  Law,  and  as  the  latter  went  forth  building  the  universe,  it  dealt 
5 


4l8  The  Theosophiat.  [April 

out  its  law  of  itnchaiigeableiiess  to  its  manifold  variations,  which  is 
so  essentially  necessary  for  the  sustenance  of  Life  on  all  the  seven 
planes  of  cosmos.  The  One  Mind,  in  fact,  transformed  itself  into 
the  One  Law,  and  all  manifestations  from  the  highest  to  the  lowest 
are  upheld  with  a  precision  and  exactitude  very  rarely  met  with  in 
human  concerns.  The  pervasion  of  the  Law  of  Ood  in  the  phenom- 
ena of  the  world,  gives  positive  assurance  of  its  perfect  freedom 
from  irregularity  and  shortcomings.  The  Cosmic  Law  generated 
by  the  Cosmic  Mind  works  for  all,  works  for  all  forms  that  are 
being  constantly  combined  and  permuted  for  the  uprising  of  the 
Life  with  whicli  they  all  are  quick.  Turning  to  man,  the  highest 
product  of  Nature,  highest  because  bearing  within  himself  the  direct 
emanation  of  the  Cosmic  Mind,  we  see  that  his  manasic  gift  is  not 
allowed  to  reproduce  its  original  by  his  not  being  a  law  unto  himself. 
Man's  mind  and  his  Higher  Self  are  the  replica  of  the  One  Mind 
and  the  One  Law  which  are  the  reflections  of  the  ALL  in  the  uni- 
verse. **  The  inward  man  is  much  weighed  down  in  this  world  by 
the  needs  of  the  flesh."  Intense  as  is  the  attraction,  in  this  partic- 
ular cycle  of  time,  of  matter  over  mind,  on  account  of  the  imperfect 
cognition  of  the  true  value  and  utility  of  the  latter  in  the  search  of 
the  invisible,  man  has  not  yet  succeeded  in  making  a  difference  be- 
tween his  mind-born  world,  responsive  to  his  ow^n  limited  visions, 
and  the  world  supported  and  sustained  by  the  One  Mind  and  the 
One  Law.  When  in  imitation  of  the  One  Law  man  lives  for  all  and 
when  he  sees  and  realises  in  others  his  own  self,  without  the  conflict 
of  personal  interests,  in  him  dawns  the  consciousness  of  the  unify- 
ing energy  of  that  Law  which  w^e  commonly  know  as  Love.  **  He 
doeth  much  that  loveth  much. "  As  far  as  human  language  goes,  no 
expression  has  hitherto  been  found  to  describe  the  mystery  of  Peace 
and  Union  which  is  at  the  bottom  of  that  Divine  Word.  It  is  the 
eXYncdX  pie7iU7fi  in  which  human  emotions  and  thoughts  fu.se  imper- 
ceptibly into  one  another,  and  assume  the  stupendous  proportions 
of  what  is  known  in  occult  parlance  as  Absolute  Space.  Love  is  the 
one  Scripture  which  is  sacred  to  the  whole  of  Humanity ;  man  bap- 
ti.sed  with  the  holy  water  of  Love  forgets  to  live  for  himself.  He 
who  has  learned  to  live  in  Love,  which  means  in  other  words,  living 
in  and/^;  the  One  Law,  lives  neither  in  the  present  nor  in  the 
future,  but  in  the  eternal.  For  him  the  giant  weed  of  personality 
does  not  exist,  for  it  has  been  wiped  out  by  the  very  atmosphere  of 
Eternal  Love.  But  higher  even  than  the  Law  and  Love  is  the  Di- 
vine Life.  Law  and  Love  exist  but  for  Life.  To  know  the  Path  is 
to  become  the  Path  :  to  know  Law  and  Love  is  to  become  Life. 
Here  .sorrow  ceaseth  and  parting  is  a  word  unknown.  Let  us  be  a 
triumvirate  of  Law,  Love  and  Life. 

HELP  11. 
One  sure  and  certain  method  of  making  progress  o\\  the  Path  is 


1901.]  Conquest  of  the  Flesh.  4l9 

the  Strict  av'oidaiice  of  passing  judgment  on  others.  Man  fails  iu 
divine  purpose  when  he  is  more  anxious  to  see  faults  in  others  than 
iu  himself.  Ifa  man  had  the  knowledge  that  what  he  was  doing 
was  an  evil,  he  would  surely,  with  rare  exceptions,  withhold  him- 
self  from  it.  Most  men  act  from,  their  own  standpoint  of  right, 
under  the  impulse  of  their  own  estimate  of  what  is  beneficial  to 
themselves  at  their  own  stage  of  Evolution.  The  present  low  spiritu- 
ality of  mankind  is  greatly  attributable  to  scathing  remarks,  wanton 
raillery,  trenchant  criticism  and  a  regrettable  impudence  in  taking 
the  Law  of  Karma  in  hand.  The  mote  outgrows  the  sunbeam — for 
its  own  certain  woe.  Advantageous  from  many  sides  will  be  the 
moral  temperament  of  a  man  who  has  patience  and  charity  enough 
for  his  frail  brothers ;  who  has  learned  the  secret  of  growth  in 
tolerance  even  where  censure  is  deserved.  The  Great  Life  denies  not 
shelter  and  sustenance  to  the  most  depraved ;  the  follies  and  vices 
of  millions  have  been  hid  in  its  spacious  bosom  ;  can  we  not,  w^ho 
aspire  so  high,  be  tolerant  of  a  few  failings  of  our  brother  pilgrims  ? 
charity  in  thought  is  a  rare  attainment ;  it  makes  the  soul  grow. 
See  the  Divine  Life  ever>'where  and  drown  the  perishable  forms 
therein.  Be  like  the  eye  that  has  the  gift  of  sight  but  not  of  speech. 
When  we  do  not  speak  ill  of  others  (which  speaking  is  a  sure  symp- 
tom of  the  exaltation  of  our  frail  personalities  over  those  of  others) 
we  lose  much  of  the  lower  self,  and  we  increase  within  us  the  love  of 
human  beings.  The  pioneer  of  spirituality,  self-forgetfulness,  is  holi- 
ness. Since  thought  builds,  every  unkind  thought  builds  a  hideous 
tabernacle  for  the  thinker,  and  he  who  wants  to  be  free  from  forms 
and  to  ally  himself  with  the  Life,  finds  his  plans  frustrated  and  his 
hopes  unrealised.  In  silence  of  words,  in  silence  of  desires,  and  in 
silence  of  thoughts  man  knows  Divine  Wisdom,  and  becomes  finally 
divine. 

HELP  III. 

The  Sloka  of  the  Gita  in  which  Sri  Krishna  tells  Arjuna  to 
shut  up  the  Manas  in  the  heart  with  all  the  senses  brought  to  a  lull 
(Gita,  VIII.,  12),  sounds  the  keynote  of  occultism.  It  istheart  of  arts 
of  the  Yogi.  It  contains  in  but  a  few  simple  words  the  gist  of  his 
best  thought  and  best  efiFort  from  the  time  of  Patanjali  and  Pythag- 
oras down  to  our  own  days.  Above  all,  it  teaches  the  dissolution 
of  form  in  the  perennial  Fountain  of  Life.  By  slow  process,  men 
learn  how  to  rise  "  on  stepping-stones  of  their  dead  selves  to  higher 
things."  It  is  of  great  importance  for  the  candidate  of  the  Higher 
Life  to  try  every  morning  to  separate  his  Self  from  his  not-Self,  his 
coat  of  flesh  from  him  who  wears  it.  His  Manas  must  be  trained 
to  the  harmony  of  one  single  thought-tune,  union  with  the  Self,  and 
his  heart  must  be  the  nursery  of  but  one  emotion.  Love.  The 
Manas  of  him  who  is  equipped  with  one  thought  dives  deep  in  the 
profundities  of  his  heart  whence  wells  up  the  Life  of  the  Logos,  the 
Heart  of  the  Cosmos  and  the    Heart  of  ever>'thing    with  which 


420  Tlie  Theosophist.  [April 

Cosmos  is  big.  The  heart  and  the  head  are  the  Wonders  of  the 
world.  In  their  true  reading  lies  the  salvation  of  each  human 
entity.  Spiritual  philosophy  requires  that  each  must  be  read  dis- 
tinctly and  separatel)%  and  each  is  intended  in  the  wisdom  of  the 
Eternal  Being  for  a  definite  end.  Mere  thread  without  the  needle, 
or  the  needle  without  the  thread,  will  fail  of  its  purpose;  and  so  it 
is  with  the  head  without  the  heart,  or  the  heart  without  the  head. 
Eternal  I^ife  is  to  be  sought  with  the  help  of  both  tliese  ;  their  har- 
monious utility  leads  to  Wisdom  and  Peace.  In  them  one  reads  tlie 
inexhaustible  sermon  of  Nature  ;  wh>'  myriads  of  forms  ^ere  bttilt 
for  One  I^ife  ;  how  One  I^ife  reaches  perfection  thttMi^h  myrttKlB  of 
forms.  A  healthy  fusion  of  man's  ethical  and  intellectual  parts,  in 
the  service  of  **  the  Great  Orphan,*'  annihilates  the  distance  between 
him  and  his  Maker.  ,A  heart  bathed  in  the  White  effalg«lice  of 
purity  is  the  throne- room  of  the  Supretfie  King  ;  a  head  terniisbed 
with  knowledge  of  Law,  Love  and  Life  is  the  badge  of  Hte 
Sovereignty. 

HELP  IV. 

The  Student  of  Life  must  select,  according  to  his  own  tempera- 
ment, every  day,  a  sentence  like  one  of  the  few  mentioned  betow. 
Each  day  he  vitcst  live  a  sentence.  At  his  office-desk,  walking,  eating 
or  doing  any  function  of  life,  he  must  ruminate  tipon  that  one 
thought  only.  Such  a  practice,  in  the  long  nin,  tends  mtich  to  tbe 
inner  growth. 

1.  "  Live  more  in  the  mind  than  in  the  body." 

2.  **  A  pure  man  is  God's  image." 

3.  "  Be  lover  of  all  that  lives," 

4.  **  Give  rest  to  the  restless." 

5.  **  Use  temporal  things  and  desire  eternal." 

6.  **  Concentration  alone  conquers." 

7.  **  Love  makes  wise." 

S.     **  Be  thou  the  friend  of  silence  and  she  shall  bless  thee 

with  her  crown  of  Peace." 
9.    **  It  is  the  life  we  live  that  tells." 

10.  "  To  lose  self  is  to  find  God," 

11.  "  Keep  thy  heart  with  diligence,  for  out  ^f  it  are  tJie  issttes 

of  life." 

12.  "  Ask  in  faith  ;  wait  in  peace." 

13.  "  Keep  thine  own  flesh  under  yoke." 

HELP  V. 

Weave  wreaths  of  holy  thoughts  for  the  Lotus  Feet  of  the  Divine 
I/)rd,  so  that  purity  and  peace  be  your  guides  in  life. 

Jl^HANGIR  SoiU^l. 


Hi 


N 


THE  KING^ 

OW  that  we  have  a  new  King  and  Kniperor,  and  tliat  the  coro- 
natkni  of  His  Majesty  is  likely  to  take  place  soou,  it  %viU  uot  be 
inappiiipiiate — indeed  it  would  be  very  interesting— to  see  with 
what  solemnity  the  inauguration  of  a  king  used  to  be  celebmted 
by  the  Hindus  in  ancient  times,  aud  with  what  great  respect  and 
ievei«ice  the  Hindus  are  iustructed  iu  the  sacred  books  to  look 
ti|iQiB  a  kaaag  at  all  times. 

The  formulA  of  coronation  is  given  in  full  detail  in  tjie  Aitareya 
Bralmia»a,  which  constitutes  a  portion  of  the  Hindu  Scriptures,  aud 
the  fisflowing  particulars  are  taken  from  Book  VIII.,  Chapters  II.  and 
III.  of  the  said  sacred  W'ork  : 

*•  The  officiating  priest  shall  say  to  his  attendants/*  bring  four 
kinds  of  wood ;  Nyagrodha,  Udwmbara,  Aswattha  atid  Plakslia/' 
Among  the  trees,  t^  Nyagrodha  is  the  Kshatra  (martial  power). 
By  bringing  Nyagrodha  wood,  the  priest  confers  itpon  the  kiug, 
the  Kshatra.  Tlhe  Udunibara  representing  enjo>T»ent,  the  A*wat- 
tha  representing  universal  ^sovereignty,  a-nd  Plaksha  represoiitiiig 
iadependeuce,  and  freedom -of  the  rule  of  another  king,  the  priest 
by  haviug  these  four  kinds  of  wood  brought  to  the  spot,  makes  tbe 
king  participate  in  all  these  <}ualrties.  Next  the  priest  shall  order  to 
bring  four  kinds  -of  grain — namely,  rice  with  small  grains,  rioe  with 
l^rge  grains,  ha^Aey  and  grain  called  priyangu.  For  a-mong^  the 
heibs,  rice  witih  small  grain  represents  tlie  Kshatra,  and  by  bring- 
ing sprouts  of  such  ^rain  fhe  priest  confers  tihe  K^atra  (poswcr) 
npon  the  Tdng.  Hice  with  large  grains  represeiits  nniversal  •soT«r- 
cignty.  Therefore  by  bringiirg  sprouts  of  suc%i  grain  to  the  spet 
flie  priest  is  supposed  to  confer  universal  so\«ereignty  tipen  the 
tmg.  The  Priyangu  among  the  herbs  represents  enjoytneiit  of 
p1ea»en<e  ;  so  that  by  bringing  their  sprouts  to  the  spot,  the  priest 
confers  enjoymenttipon  the  king.  And  barley  represents  the  «kill 
of  a  mffitary  commander ;  and  l>y  Swinging  their  sprouts  to  the 
ptece  thfe  priest  confers  such  skill  itpon  the  king. 

**  Then  Aey  luring  for  the  king  a  throne^seat  made  of  Uduaiibara 
wood,  a  ladle  made  of  the  same  wood,  and  an  Udumbara  'branch. 
And  then  tkey  mix  the  grains  and  sprouts,  etc.,  ^vith  'Curds,  b0ne^% 
darSed  butter,  and  rain-^ater  fallen  during  sunshine.  The  iieason 
Asct^Sie  tteoue*8eat,  the  ladle  and  the  >hranoh  being  of  the  'Udunvbara 
is  hoGsma^  the  U4unfbara  represents  "vigour  and  a  nonliving 
dtfbstflBce.  As  Xo  <«»rds,  Jioney  and  melted  il>ntter,  they  represent 
Ae  essence  in  tbe*walers  and  herbs.    And  -as  to  the  Tain-^wafeer 

mm^,mmmm  ■    I ■  I  ■  I  I  I      ■        I   .  I  ■■  ■ —<— ^ 

•  Read  before  the  AdJ^af  Lodge  by  P.  Sreenevas  l^ow,  retired  Jud^e. 


422  The  Theosophist.  t April 

fallen  during  sunshine  it  represents  the  splendour  and  lustre  of  sanc- 
tity." 

Then  a  tiger-skin  is  spread  on  the  throne  in  such  a  manner  that 
the  hairs  come  outside,  and  that  part  which  covered  the  neck  is 
turned  eastward ;  for  the  tiger  is  the  Ksliatri3'a  (power)  among  the 
beasts  in  the  forest. 

After  this,  the  Priest  consecrates  the  throne  by  means  of  pre- 
scribed rites,  and  pours  the  above-mentioned  liquids  and  herbs  over 
the  king's  head,  and  places  the  Udumbara  branch  also  on  the 
King's  head,  repeating  the  following  Mantras :  *'  With  these  liquids 
which  are  most  happy,  which  cure  everything,  and  which  increase 
the  royal  power,  the  immortal  Prajapati  sprinkled  ludra.  Soma, 
Yama,  and  Manu ;  and  with  the  same  I  sprinkle  thee.  Be  thou  the 
ruler  over  kings  in  this  world.  Thy  illustrious  mother  bore  thee  as 
the  great  universal  ruler  over  great  men.  Yea,  the  blessed  mother 
has  borne  thee  !*' 

On  being  thus  anointed  the  king  takes  his  seat  on  the  throne, 
approaching  it  from  behind,  turning  his  face  eastwards,  kneels  down 
with  crossed  legs,  so  that  his  right  knee  touches  the  floor,  and 
invokes  the  blessings  of  the  Deities. 

He  then  makes  suitable  presents  to  the  priests,  and  they  all 
proclaim  :  **  The  Kshatra  is  born  !  the  Kshatra  is  born  !  the  supreme 
master  of  the  world  is  born  !  the  devourer  of  the  hostilities  is  bom ; 
the  reverencer  of  Brahma  is  born ;  the  protector  of  religion  is 
born." — So  much  for  the  coronation  ceremony. 

The  high  privileges  and  obligations  of  the  king  so  inaugurated 
are  thus  described  by  Manu,  the  great,  famous  ancient  Hindu  law- 
giver, God,  says  the  said  sage,  created  a  king,  for  the  protection  of 
the  world,  as  without  a  king  the  world  would  tremble  everywhere ; 
that  therefore  the  king,  though  a  child,  should  not  be  despised  as 
being  a  mere  human  being ;  for  he  is  a  divinity  in  human  form : 
thus  he  should  maintain  the  dignity  of  his  high  office,  and  preser\'e 
his  kingdom  against  foreign  aggression,  whenever  he  is  challenged 
by  other  kings  of  equal,  greater  or  less  power ;  that  when  a 
country  is  conquered,  every  consideration  should  be  shown  to  the 
innocent  people  of  that  country  and  that  their  laAvs  and  manners 
ought  to  be  respected  ;  that  the  king  shall  levy  yearly  tributes 
and  taxes  from  the  subordinate  princes  and  traders ;  taking 
care  however  not  to  cut  ofFhis  own  root  as  well  as  that  of  the  people, 
by  covetousness  ;  that  he  should  be  just,  honest  and  truthful ;  and 
inflict  proper  punishments  and  bestow  proper  rewards ;  that  he 
should  appoint  a  minister  to  guide  in  spiritual  matters,  and  several 
well-tried  and  skilful  ministers  to  help  him  in  worldly  affairs  ;  and 
that  he  should  personally  visit  the  chief  places  and  chief  offices,  and 
satisfy  himself  that  the  people  are  Well-protected*  In  a  word  the 
spirit  of  the  Divine  Sage  Mann's  advice  and  exhortations  is  that  the 
sovereign's  affection  for  his  subjects  should  arise  not  as  a  compeusa- 


1901.]  The  King.  4^3 

tion  for  the  various  benefits  he  derives  from  them,  but  that  it  should 
flow  spontaneously  from  pure  love,  for  no  other  reason  than  that 
Providence  has  placed  them  under  his  care  and  protection,  and 
that  neglect  or  ill-treatment  of  them  would  be  a  violation  of  thet 
most  sacred  dutj' ;  and  that  similarly  the  love  and  loyalty  of  the 
subjects  for  their  king  ought  not  to  result  from  the  fear  of  the  con- 
sequences of  a  contrary  action,  but  from  a  pure  sense  of  sacred  duty 
and  genuine  respect  for  their  Lord  on  Earth.  So  in  conclusion,  the 
divine  sage  compares  the  relation  that  ought  to  exist  between 
the  Ruler  and  the  ruled  as  that  between  a  father  and  son  (Manu, 
Ch.  VII.,  etc.). 

Here  it  may  not  be  out  of  place  to  copy  two  hj'^mns  of  the 
Atharva  Veda,  as  being  the  most  appropriate  to  the  subjects  above 
dealt  with. 

Book  XIX.,  Hymn  xxiv.  of  the  Atharv^a  Veda  (published  in  the 
Pandit,  New  Series,  Vol.  XVIII.)  runs  as  follows : — 

1.  Do  ye,  O  Brahmamanaspati !  invest  for  royal  sway,  this  man, 
with  that  w^herewith  the  Deities  invested   Savitar  the  God. 

2.  Invest  this  Indra  for  long  life  ;  invest  him  for  great  princely 
power. 

That  I  may  lead  him  on  to  eld  ;  that  he  may  watch  his  princedom 
long, 

3.  Invest  this  Soma  for  long  life ;  invest  him  for  great  hearing 
power. 

That  I  may  lead  him  on  to  eld  ;  that  he  may  watch  o'er  hearing 
long. 

4.  For  us,  surround  him  ;  cover  him  with  splendour  ;  give  him 
long  life,  and  death  when  age  removes  him. 

This  garment  has  Brahaspati  presented  to  Soma,  to  the  king, 
to  wrap  about  him. 

5.  Advance  to  good  old  age  ;  endue  the  mantle.  Be  Thou  our 
heifers'   guard  from  imprecation. 

Live  thou  a  hundred  full  and  plenteous  autumns,  and  wrap  thee 
in  prosperity  of  riches. 

6.  Thou  for  our  weal  hast  clothed  thee  in  this  garment ;  Thou 
hast  become  our  cow's  sure  guard  from  curses. 

Live  thou  a  hundred  full  and  plenteous  autumns ;  thou  living, 
fair  thyself,  shalt  deal  forth  treasures. 

7.  In  every  need,  in  every  fray,  we  call  thee,  as  friends,  to  suc- 
cour us,  Indra  the  mightiest  of  all. 

8.  Gold-coloured,  undecaying,  blest  with  heroes,  dwell ;  dying 
in  old  age,  with  children  round  thee. 

This  is  the .  spoken-word  of  Agni,  Soma,  Brihaspati,  Savitar 
and  Indra. 

Next,  Book  iv.  Hymn  xxii.  of  the  same  sacred  work  (published 
in  the  Paftdit  New  Series  Vol,  XVI.)  contains  the  following 
blessings : — 


424  The  Theosophist.  lAptxl 

1.  Exalt  and  strengthen  this  my  Prince,  O  Indra,  make  him 
sole  lord  and  leader  of  the  people. 

Scatter  his  foes,  deliver  all  his  rivals  into  his  hand  in  straggles 
for  precedence. 

2.  Give  him  a  share  in  village,  kine,  and  horses,  and  leave  his 
enemy  without  a  portion. 

Let  him  as  King  be  "head  and  chief  of  prince.s.  Give  up  to  him, 
O  Indra,  every  foeman. 

3.  Let  him  be  treasure-lord  of  goodly  treaisure ;  let  him  as 
King  be  master  of  the  people. 

Grant  unto  him  great  power  and  might,  O  Indra,  and  strip  his 
enemy  of  strength  and  vigour. 

4.  Like  milch-kine  yielding  milk  for  warm  libations,  pour,  0 
Heaven  and  earth,  on  him  full  many  a  blessing. 

May  he  as  King  be  Indra's  well-beloved,  the  darling  of  the 
kine,  the  plants  and  cattle. 

(5)  I  join  in  league  with  thee  victorious  Indra,  with  whom  men 
conquer  and  are  never  defeated. 

He  shall  make  thee  the  folk's  sole  Lord  and  leader,  shall  make 
thee  highest  of  all  human    rulers. 

(6)  Supreme  art  thou ;  beneath  thee  are  thy  ri\'als,  and  all,  0 
King,  who  were  thine  adversaries. 

Sole  lord  and  leader,  and  allied  with  Indra,  bring,  conqueror, 
thy  foeman*s  goods  and  treasures. 

(7)  Consume  with  lion-aspect,  all  their  hamlets ;  with  tiger- 
aspect  drive  away  thy  foemen. 

Sole  lord  and  leader,  and  allied  with  Indra,  seize,  conqueror, 
thine  enemies'  possessions." 

From  the  foregoing  summary  we  elicit  three  important  facts, 
vi'z.j  that  in  the  bygone  days  of  old  India,  the  king's  coronation 
ceremony  involved  a  religious  element  without  which  nothing  can 
prosper  ;  that  kin^s  had  a  real  affection  for  their  people  ;  and  that 
the  people  reciprocated  it  by  their  love  and  loyalty  to  the  sovereign. 
Need  we  say  that  those  three  happy  circumstances  are  not  absent, 
but  are  most  prominently  present,  even  at  the  present  day  ?  For, 
firstly,  the  ceremony  of  coronation  to  be  soon  held  in  England  wiU 
certainly  involve  a  religious  element.  Secondly,  our  new  Emperor 
has  already  pledged  himself  faithfully  to  walk  in  the  footsteps  of  his 
most  lamented,  august  mother,  who  was  really  like  a  mother  to  all 
her  subjects.  And  thirdly,  the  people  of  India  who  have  always  been 
actuated  by  loyalty  to  the  British  throne  and  an  ardent  desire  for  its 
permanency,  have  on  this  occasion  specially  come  forward  most 
spontaneously  to  give  expression  to  their  genuine  affection  and 
loyalty  for  their  new  King  and  Emperor,  His  Majesty,  Edward  VII. 

God  save  the  King  ! 

P.  S. 


425 


THE  RA'MA  GVTA\ 
Chaptkr  III. 
S^ConHnued  from  page  371.] 

Hanuniau  said  : 

OI/)rd  !  O,  Consort  of  JSnaki  !*  the  doctrine,  verily,  of  Advaitins 
,    is  that  because  Jiva  had  no  origin,  it  is  impossible  that  he  can 
be  an  effect.  (i) 

If  he  had  origin  he  must  also  have  dissolution.  If  he  be  dis- 
solved he  cannot  attain  the  state  of  being  Brahman.  Then  (in  that 
case)  the  displeasure  of  the  S'rutis  that  declare  unit}'',  is  inevitably 
incurred.  (2) 

In  case  duality  is  established  there  will  always  be  fear  on  the 
path  of  transmigratory  life  and  death.  Besides  this,  even  the  well- 
known  fearlessness  (on  account  of  their  having  become  one  with 
Brahman)  of  Janaka  and  others  will  be  set  at  naught.  (3) 

Yajnavalkya  t  and  other  SchSryas  are  well-known  Advaita- 
Brahma-Vadins  (/.  ^.,  those  who  uphold  the  doctrine  of  absolute 
identity).  Not  even  the  slightest  idea  of  an5''thing  being  separate 
from  It,  is  found  in  this  (Advaita)  S'astra.  (4) 

O,  Illustrious  one  !  O,  Ocean  of  kindness  !  there  is  none  else  in 
this  world  who  is  competent  to  tell  me  whether  this  (what  is  stated 
in  the  foregoing  four  verses)  is  correct  or  incorrect.  {5) 

S'ri  Rama  said  : 

That  which  admits  the  union  of  Jiva  and  Brahman,  even  though 
they  are  the  effect  and  the  cause,  is  what  is  known  as  the  doctrine 
of  the  Advaitins  and  this  (their  very  doctrine)  itself  presupposes 
the  origin  of  Ji  vas.  (6) 

If  the  origin  of  Jiva  is  not  admitted  its  dissolution  also  becomes 
impossible.  If  there  be  no  dissolution,  duality  must  ever  prevail. 
Then,  in  that  case  too,  the  displeasure  of  the  S'rutis  that  declare 
unitj',  must  certainly  be  incurred.  (7) 

Jiva  is  of  a  two-fold  nature,  its  dissolution  too  is  two- fold,  hear 
(from  Me)  how  the  two-fold  Jiva  is  dissolved.  This  Jiva  (/•  ^.,  the 
lower-self)  who  is  directly  denoted   by  the  word  '  thou  *  (in   the 

*  Janaka,  the  royal  sag^c  known  also  as  Videha  (/.  «.,  bodiless)  on  account 
of  his  havinj^  attained  complete  emancipation  in  that  life,  was  the  foster-father  of 
Siitl.  Hence  she  is  called  JAnakt.  Rilma  is  addressed  as  the  "  consort  of  Jin&ki,'* 
for  the  reason  that  Hani\mft.n  evidently  doubted  that  R&ma's  doctrine  was  oppos* 
ed  to  that  of  Janaka,  one  of  the  hig-hesl  authorities  in  spiritual  science. 

t  Yiljnavalkya  was  the  teacher  of  Janaka,  Brahad^ranyaka  Upanishad  con- 
tains many  oi  his  teachings. 

6 


426  The  Theosophlst.  [April 

phrase,  "  That  thou  art")*  is  subject  to  traiisniigratorj-  life,  and  has 
bodies.  (8) 

The  dissolution  of  this  Jiva  (lower-selt)  who  is  born  of  ignor- 
ance and  who  is  to  the  internal  modifications  as  heat  is  to  the  heated 
iron  ball,  is  brought  about  just  in  the  same  manner  as  that  of  other 
productions  (vikritis).  f  (9) 

The  other  Qiva)  who  is  indirectly  denoted  by  the  word  *  thou ' 
(in  *  That  thou  art ')  is  devoid  of  transmigratory  life,  is  the  witness 
of  the  lower-self,  the  conscious  entity  in  man,  the  Kutastha  known 
as  PratyagStman  (the  spiritual  Monad)  and  who  is  the  type  of 
ParamStman.  (10) 

He  (that  Pratyagatman  or  Higher-self)  who  comes  out  of  Brah- 
ma vidya  (the  Universal  Super-Consciousness)  like  the  spark  from 
the  fire,  is  destroyed  by  merging  him  into  that  Brahman,  the 
Absolute  concentrated  Intelligence,  the  First  Principle  or  His  (Pra- 
tyagatman's)  matrix,  so  to  speak.  (11) 

That  from  which  the  BhutasJ  (denoting  either  the  undifferentia- 
ted elements  or  the  Jivas)  have  their  being.  That  by  which  they  are 
supported.  That  unto  which  they  return,  verily  that  Absolute  Brah- 
man alone  should  be  known  by  those  who  desire  liberation.  (12) 

To  what  does  the  word  *  Bhutas  '  (mentioned  in  the  last  verse) 
refer  ?  Does  it  refer  to  the  Jivas  or  to  the  undifferentiated  ele- 
ments such  as  Ether,  etc.,  or  to  the  worlds  produced  from  the 
differentiated  elements  ?  It  does  not  refer  to  the  last  (of  these  three) 


*  The  word  *  thou'  in  the  phrase  "  That  thou  art"  (or  Tat-tvani-asi,  which  is 
one  of  the  Mah4v4kyAs)  by  which  identity  is  taught  by  the  spiritual  teacher, 
refers  to  the  two>fold  individual  self,  vis;  the  lower-self  and  the  Higher-self 
respectively  known  as  Jiv&tman  and  Pratyagtltman.  The  reference  here  is  to  the 
lower-self  and  not  to  the  Hig^her-self.  The  word  *  That'  in  this  phrase,  likewise, 
refers  to  the  Universal  Self  which  is  also  two-fold,  rtz.,  nvura  and  ParaniHtman. 
Just  as  Jtva  is  the  individual  lower-self,  so  is  fsvara  said  to  he  the  vniversai 
lower-self. 

t  Prakriti  is  the  matter  of  which  ever>'  substance  is  primarily  or  secondarily 
composed  or  it  is  the  productive  principle  of  a  secondary  substance  or  production. 
This  subsequent  production  is  termed  Vikriti,  which  is  merely  a  modification  of  a 
state  of  being,  a  new  development  or  form  of  something  previously  extant. 

X  In  the  Dakshin&miirti-Vritti,  a  gloss  on  the  Brahma  S{itras,  we  find  that  the 
second  and  the  third  Siktras  are  thus  interpreted  in  one  verse : — 

By  knowing  that  First  Cause— which  is  devoid  of  attributes,  from  whence  is 
the  origin,  etc*,  of  this  Jiva  who  is  the  cause  of  the  Kalpaka  tree  that  produces 
this  Universe  and  its  Lord,  and  which  is  also  the  source  of  S&stia  (iv.,  Rik,  etc.)— 
is  one  freed  from  the  fear  of  transmigratory  life,  without  delay. 

Appaya  Dtkshita  in  his  commentary  on  this  verse  says  : — 

That  Brahman  which  has  no  other  distinguishing  marks  except  such  negative 
attributes  as  Existence,  Intelligence,  and  Bliss,  as  Apposed  to  Non-existence,  Non- 
intelligence,  and  Non-bliss,  is  the  source  from  which  Jtvas  come  out  like  sparks 
from  nre. 

This  Jtva  by  his  Avidya,  creates  the  Kalpaka  tree  of  Jagat  and  fSwara— the 
effect  and  the  cause — because  he  is  possessed  of  creative  and  other  functions. 

\^Note\  Hvara,  according  to  this  sys-tem  of  VedAnta,  is  cnly  a  very  highly 
advanced  Jtva  limited  by  M&yil.  Jiva  who  is  said  to  create  Jagat  and  Hvara, 
cannot  be  the  ordinary  Jtva  or  the  lower-self  which  is  limited  bv  AvidyA.  Pra- 
ty&gAtman  or  the  Higher  Self  being  born  of  Brahma-VidyA  or  the  Universal  Super- 
Consctousnets  must  be  the  cause  of  such  creation  ;  Jiva  or  the  lower- self,  being 
a  reflection  of  PratyagAtman.] 


l&Ol.]  the  Aama  Ciitil.  ^i^t 

because  iu  this  (Nirguua  Brahman)   is  found  only  negative  attri- 
butes. ( 13) 

The  source  of  all  Jivas  is  Nirguua  Brahman  and  not  any  other. 
It  is  also  the  source  of  the  undifferentiated  elements  but  it  is  never 
the  source  of  Jagat  or  Universe.  (14) 

He  who  is  known  as  the  cause  of  the  Universe  and  who  is  called 
(I's'a)  the  Lord,  that  Saguna  Brahman  is,  verily,  the  instrumental 
cause  of  the  Universe  and  the  differentiated  elements.  (15) 

The  material  cause  (of  the  Universe  and  the  gross  elements) 
is  MayS  consisting  of  the  sentient  and  the  non-sentient.  Therefore 
the  consideration  of  the  effect,  the  cause,  and  the  I^ord,  of  the  Uni- 
verse is  of  no  use  here  (in  this  science  of  A'tman).  (16) 

The  summnm  bomim  is  attained  by  contemplating  upon  Jiva 
and  Brahman  in  the  light  of  the  science  of  Self  (or  AdhyStma  (S'Ss- 
tra)  coupled  with  the  strength  of  the  benevolent  teacher's  kind- 
ness. (17) 

The  instrumental  cause  of  Jiva  (the  lower-selQ  who  becomes  an 
effect,  is  Nirguua  Brahman  and  the  material  cause  whereby  this 
Jiva  is  clothed  in  a  dense  material  garb  which  shuts  him  out  of 
Light,  is  Avidya.  (18) 

By  meditating  in  this  life,  for  the  purpose  of  purifying  the  mind- 
stuff,  upon  the  consort  of  Uma,  who  is  the  lyord  of  all  the  worlds,  who 
is  Omniscient  and  who  ia  limited  by  Maya,  one  reaches,  afterwards, 
the  source  of  all  Jivas  ^/,r.,  the  Nirguua  Brahtnan),  (19) 

The  Source  of  all  beings  is  of  Its  own  nature  capable  of  being 
known  and  then  meditated  upon.  Those  who  desire  for  Kaivalya- 
moksha  must,  therefore,  first  know  It.  (20) 

And  then  by  always  intently  meditating,  without  any  idea  of 
difference,  upon  that  Nirguna  Brahman  which  is  ever  full,  they  (/.r., 
those  who  aspire  for  Kaivalya)  certainly  attain  what  they  have 
desired.  *  (21) 

One  who  aspires  to  rise  to  self-devotion  should  think  on  the 
lines  of  thought  suggested  by  A'rambha-vada.*  Whereas,  he  who 
practises  self-devotion  should  intently  reflect  on  the  lines  of  thought 

suggested  by  Parinama-vada.f  (22) 

■  ' ■         ■   ■-  .   ■  ■-,,,■■--■■, -  —  .    .    « 

*  T2ie  Arambha  v4da  is  the  theory  of  Nayyayikas,  Vaiseshikas  and  Mitn4cn- 
sakas,  according  to  which  an  effect  which  was  not,  is  produced  through  thea<:tivity 
of  the  causes  which  are.  For  example :  Theeifect  or  KArya,  pot,  had  no  ante* 
cedent  existence  before  the  potter  and  other  causes  produced  it. 

The  student  should  first  contemplate  and  grasp  the  cause  as  existinpf  apart 
from  its  effects ;  He  would  then  constantly  see  by  inseparable  relation,  the 
cause  in  the  effect. 

t  Parinftma-v&da  or  the  theory  of  evolution  is  followed  by  the  S4nkhyAs,  the 
Pitanjad&s  and  some  of  the  followers  of  the  Paur&nic  and  T4ntric  schools  of 
Vediota.  According  to  it,  just  as  a  tree  existed  potentially  in  a  seed  before  the 
cause  that  brought  the  tree  into  existence  came  into  operation,  the  effected  Uni-' 
verse  existed  before  as  real  though  in  a  subtle  invisible  form  and  was  rendered 
manifest  through  the  activity  of  a  cause* 

Having  contemplated  the  cause  as  reflected  in  the  effect,  Uic  effect  must  be; 
entirely  dismissed  (from  the  niiud).  When  ibis  is  done,  the  cause  will  cease  to  b^ 


428  The  Tiieosophist.  [April 

Verily,  in  the  case  of  one  who  has  well   advanced   (in   abstract 
meditation),  the  Vivarta-vada*  as  a  matter  of  fact,  becomes  appli- 
cable in  his  case.    But  he  who  merely  prattles  with  it,   undergoes 
self-degradation.    Such  a  one  (ultimately)  kills  his  Sei.f.  (23) 

The  Vivarta-vSda  which  draws  its  illustrations  from  such  ex- 
amples as  "  the  serpent  in  a  rope,"  "  the  thief  in  a  pillar,"  "  the  son 
of  a  barren  woman,"  etc.,  is  not  at  all  suitable  to  the  aspirant  who 
desires  to  get  himself  freed  from  Samsara.  (24) 

But  this  excellent  ParinSma-vada  which  mainly  draws  its  illus- 
trations from  such  examples  as  "  the  beetle  and  the  insect,"t  "  the 
curd  and  the  milk,"  **the  pot  and  the  earth,"  etc.,  is  certainly  most 
acceptable  to  him.  (25) 

By  constantly  meditating,  in  seclusion,  upon  the  identity  of  the 
Sblf  and  the  Brahman,  and  by  remaining  with  the  mere  conscious- 
ness of  having  united  the  Sklp  with  the  Brahman,  one  becomes  no 
doubt  free.  (26) 

Jndna  (knowledge)  is  said  to  be  of  two  kinds  (Svariipa), 
external  or  objective  and  (Vritti)  internal  or  subjective.  Of  the 
two,  the  first  relates  to  the  True,  Infinite,  and  Blissful  Nirguna 
Brahman.  (27) 

And  the  other  (the  subjective  knowledge)  relates  to  the  undi- 
vided spiritual  essence  of  A'tnian,  called  the  Pure-existence.  This 
(latter)  knowledge  is  subdivided  into  two,  vis,,  the  Paroksha  (indirect) 
and  Aparoksha  (direct).  (28) 

By  the  first  (indirect  knowledge),  liberation  comes  in  due  course 
at  the  time  of  the  dissolution  of  the  world  of  BrahmS  (the  creator). 
By  the  second  (direct  cognition),  Kaivalya  is  here  attained  when 
Pr&rabdha  is  exhausted.  (29 ) 

such,  and  what  will  remain  will  be  the  Ever-eKistent,  Ever-oonscious,  All-perva- 
ding  indescribable  Brahman. 

A  man  becomes  tbat  on  which  he  resolutely  and  persistently  thinks.  This 
we  infer  from  the  ordinary  illustiation  of  the  beetle  and  the  insect,  explained 
later  on« 

*  The  Vivarta-vAda  or  the  theory  of  transcendental  illusion  is  that  adopted 
by  certain  schools  of  Vedantins.  The  Advaita  school  of  Vedintins  who  are  other- 
wise known  as  the  MAy4v&dins  maintain  that  the  self-luminous  and  perfectly 
blissful  Brahman  which  is  one  only  without  a  second,  by  mistake,  through  its  own 
power  of  MAyft,  appears  as  the  whole  world.  They  teach  non-distinction  or 
identity  of  cause  and  effect. 

f  The  following  is  found  in  Webster's  Dictionary  in  connection  with  his 
definition  of  an  insect :  "  Insects  leave  the  e^^  as  caterpillars  or  grubs,  which  are 
called  larves.  The  hi^^her  insects  undereo  a  metamorphosis  in  which  the  larve 
incloses  itself  in  a  cocoon  or  shell  and  is  then  called  the  chrysalis  or  pufia.  After 
remainin)^  torpid  in  this  shell  for  a  time,  it  breaks  forth  as  the  perfect  winged  in< 
sect  or  imago." 

Almost  the  same  idea  is  conveyed  by  the  example  of  "  the  beetle  and  the 
insect,"  of  which,  according  to  tradition,  the  following  is  the  illustration :  The 
beetle  takes  hold  of  an  insect  and  when  it  is  alive  puts  it  into  a  hole  of  clay 
specially  prepared,  and  blocks  up  the  opening.  The  insect  thinks  in  its  dark 
prison,  of  the  beetle  and  beetle  alone,  remains  there  till  the  beetle,  returning  at  its 
proper  time,  removes  the  clay  and  with  a  sting  awakens  the  insect  which  immedi- 
ately flies  out  another  beetle  incarnate. 


1901.]  The  Rama  Gita.  429 

And  verily,  Jivanmukti  too  is  attained  even  in  this  life.  Hence 
thou  (HanumSn)  shalt  always  reflect  upon  Brahman,  after  having 
got  yourself  entirely  rid  of  KSraa  (desire;,  etc.  (30) 

That  which  is  termed  Nirgtina  Brahman  is  of  two  kinds.  The 
one  called  Salakshana  having  negative  attributes  is,  indeed,  capable 
of  being  meditated  upon,  and  the  other  called  Alakshana  having  no 
attributes  is  beyond  meditation  (/.^.,  incapable  of  being  meditated 
upon).  (31) 

And  the  first  (of  the  two  mentioned  in  the  last  verse),  on  ac- 
count of  its  three  padas  known  as  existence,  etc.,  is  said  to  be  of 
three  kinds.  Hence  It  is  (termed)  the  Eternal  and  Immortal  Three- 
footed  Brahman,  having  only  Svagata-bheda*  (z.c,  the  differences  in 
its  own  parts).  (32) 

The  wise  man  who,  having  seated  himself  in  some  posture,  con- 
centrates his  Buddhi  there  (in  that  immortal  Triad  or  Tripad  Brah- 
man), obtains  union  with  It  without  the  slightest  difference.        (33) 

The  differences,  known  as  Sajatiyaf  and  VijatiyaJ  which  exist 
in  the  case  of  the  Jivas  as  well  as  the  Jagat,  do  not  exist  in  the  case 
of  the  Supreme  Brahman  of  Triple  nature.  (34) 

If  there  be  no  Svagata-bheda  or  the  difference  in  its  parts,  the 
subject  (Brahman)  becomes  incapable  of  being  meditated  upon. 
Surely,  without  meditation,  Moksha  can  never  be  obtained  by  Jivas 
who  are  subject  to  Samsara,  (35) 

In  this  state  of  bondage,  there  is  difference  between  Jivatman 
and  Paramatman.  In  the  liberated  state  there  is  non-difference  and 
in  the  state  transcending  Moksha,  there  is  no  difference  at  all.    (36) 

Moksha  is  attained  by  meditating  upon  Nirguna  Brahman,  on 
account  of  its  having  negative  attributes  (Existence,  Intelligence, 
and  Bliss)  which  are  antagonistic  to  bondage  (made  up  of  Non- 
existence, Non-intelligence,  and  Non-bliss).  But  S'ruti  says  that 
there  is  no  such  remedial  or  antagonistic  attributes  in  the  Attribute- 
less  One  called  the  NirgunStita.  (37) 

The  Brahmanas  who  have  reached  the  other  shore  of  S'nttis,  say 
that  men  whose  (Chitta)  mind-stuff  is  drowned  in  that  ocean  of 
Undivided  Blissful  Essence  will  attain  Videha  Mukti.  (38) 

He  is  called  Videha  (bodiless)  who  has  succeeded  in  Sam&dhi 
Yoga ;  who  has  got  rid  of  the  impressions  relating  to  matters  world- 
ly, etc.,  from  his  mind ;  who  is  actionless  ;  and  who  is  free  from  men- 
tal modifications  of  any  kind.  (39) 

There  are  six  kinds  of  Samadhis  (abstract  meditations)  leading 

to  trance,  such  as  Dris'yanuviddha  and  (five)  others.    The  wise 

-  -  -      -  ■ 

*  The  differences  existlnj^  between  the  stem,  the  branches,  the  leaves,  the 
flowers,  the  fruits,  etc.,  of  one  and  the  same  tree,  is  known  as  Svagata-bheda. 

t  Although  there  is  no  difference  amonj^  the  Jtvas  when  considered  as  be* 
longing  to  the  same  species,  yet  there  is  much  difference  when  they  are  consider, 
ed  as  men  and  women.    This  eicample  illustrates  Saj4ttya-bheda. 

X  In  the  case- of  the  Jag^at  or  the  Universe,  there  ^ill  be  difference   between 
any  two  things.    Take  for  example,  si   granite   stone  and  a  tree  ;  these   two  are' 
unlike  in  every  respect*    This  difference  is  known  as  Vtjatiya«bheda. 


430  The  Theosophist.  [April 

man  ought  to  realise  by  concentrated  meditation,  all  of  them  one 
after  the  other,  just  like  a  leech  which  takes  firm  hold  of  one  blade 
of  grass  before  it  leaves  its  hold  on  the  one  behind  it.  (40) 

Those  sinful  men  who  are  devoid  of  Samadhis,  who  are 
boastful  of  their  knowledge  of  Vedanta  texts  and  who  are  ever  beiit 
upon  doing  what  they  like,  (such  men)  go  to  the  infernal  regions. 

(41) 
How  can  a  man  who  has  not  killed  his  mind,  get  himself  freed 

from  Samsara  and  how  can  he  kill   his  mind   (while  he  is)  in  this 

world,  if  he  is  devoid  of  Samadhis  ?  (42) 

He  who  views  Samadhi  in  the  light  of  an  injunction  and  con- 
siders it  similar  to  Karma,  will  never  be  freed  from  Samsara  even 
after  millions  of  Kalpas.  (43) 

Rules  of  injunction,  etc.,  are  said  to  be  equally  applicable  to  both 
Jnana  and  Yoga.  If  so  how  is  it  that  Jnana  alone  does  not  come 
under  an  injunction  ?  (44) 

The  first  requisite  for  Moksha  is  the  knowledge  derived  from 
Vedanta  passages,  and  the  last  requisite  is  Yoga  ;  therefore,  apply 
thyself  to  the  practice  of  Yoga.  (45) 

And  Yoga  is  said  to  be  of  two  kinds  known  as  Sabheda  (admit- 
ting of  difference)  and  Abheda  (admitting  of  no  difference).  Again 
the  first  is  said  to  be  of  several  kinds  known  as  Hatha  Yoga,  Raja 
Yoga,  etc.  (46) 

Abheda  Yoga,  the  one  now"  under  consideration,  is  of  one  kind 
only.  It  aims  at  the  identity  of  Jiva  and  Brahman,  its  distinguish- 
ing feature  being  Samadhi  which  is  the  chief  requisite  for  Mok- 
sha. (47} 

And  because  the  scripture  itself  insists  upon  the  joining  of  this 
{i.e.,  the  individual  Sklf)  with  That  (/.^.  the  Universal  Sei^f),  he  who 
is  devoid  of  Yoga  does  not  attain  Moksha  by  Jnana  alone.  (48) 

The  wise  man  who  is  endowed  with  Vairagya,  and  who  is  ever 
given  up  to  the  practice  of  Yoga,  does  not,  at  any  time,  fear  for  any 
miseries  other  than  those  of  Samsara,  difficult  of  being  got  over.  (49) 

The  Jnani  who,  by  practising  this  best  Yoga,  has  got  himself 
freed  from  all  impurities,  attains  the  highest  happiness,  he  beinjj 
freed  from  MSya  and  its  binding  effects.  (50) 

The  great  Yogin  who  has  realised  the  identity  of  the  Sei^f  and  the 
Brahman  whose  movements  are  regulated  by  his  well-brokeu 
Indriyas  (organs)  and  who  is  free  from  the  agitations  of  his  mind- 
stuff,  attains  immediate  liberation*  (5O 

The  Yoga  which  is"  now  stated  (by  Me)  and  which  is  finally 
established  by  authoritative  VedSntic  intrepretations,  is,  by  the  wise, 
termed  the  highest  Upisana.  (52) 

The  S'ruti  says  *!  meditate  upon  that  eternal  Peace  (Brahman) 
which  is  the  Source,  &c.,  (of  Jivas)"  and  intense  meditation  on  the 
idea  of  non-difference,  all  the  more  strengthens  the  identity  (of  Seli- 
and  Brahman).  (53) 


1901.J  The  Rama  Gita.  431 

Even  though  one  is  proficient  in  all  S'astras,  if  he  be  devoid  of 
Upasana,  he  will  never  be  able  to  overcome  the  confusions  of  his 
iniud-stuff.  (54) 

If  Saguna  Brahman  (having  different  forms  and  various  attri- 
butes) be  meditated  upon  with  desire  or  motive,  it  secures  all  kinds  of 
enjoyments  for  men.  But  when  the  same  is  meditated  upon  with 
no  desire  whatever,  it  purifies  the  mind.  Such  is  the  settled  meaning 
oftheS'Sstras.  '  (55) 

And  the  Upasana  (meditation)  of  the  individual  Higher-self  (t\e,, 
the  Pratyagatman)  who  is  devoid  of  attributes  and  who  is  of  very 
small  size  equal  to  a  hair's  end,  the  thumb,  or  the  sharp  end  of 
(wild)  paddy  grain,  will  also  purify  the  mind.  (56) 

But  meditating  upon  the  Universal  Sat-Chit-Ananda-Nirgiuia 
Brahman  is  the  highest  of  all.  This  Upasana  which  consists  of 
meditation  upon  the  identity  conveyed  in  the  phrase  "  I  am  Brah- 
man," becomes  the  cause  of  immediate  liberation.  (57) 

By  rightly  understanding  the  meanings  of  the  Mahavakyas  one 
will  be  confirmed  in  his  conviction  that  every  other  thing  is  unreal. 
After  being  thus  confirmed  in  his  convictions,  let  liim  meditate 
always  upon  That   alone  for  his  liberation!  (58) 

If  without  Upasana  any  one  will  attain  liberation  by  mere  JnSna 
alone,  then,  verily,  without  the  bride,  will  the  marriage,  of  the  bride- 
groom, take  place.  (59) 

That  b\'  which  the  lower-self,  on  account  of  its  identit3^  is 
seated  near,  or  brought  into  close  proximity  with,  the  Higher-self,  is 
called  Upasana  (Upa,  near  and  asana,  seat)  which  kills  all  human 
afflictions.  (60) 

The  highest  and  undecaying  happiness  is  attained  by  all,  only 
by  applying  themselves  to  that  meditation  which,  through  non- 
difference  or  perfect  identity  brings  to  the  devotee,  full  super-con- 
sciousness. (61) 

How  can  men  who  whirl  round  this  Samsara,  on  account  of  their 
mistaking  this  body  for  the  Sklk,  get  themselves  freed  from  such 
whirling,  without  that  UpSsana  which  teaches  the  identity  of  the 
Skt^f  and  Brahman.  (62) 

He  alone  becomes  a  Brahmavid  or  knower  of  Brahman  who  has, 
by  constant  communion,  obtained  that  Spiritual  knowledge  or  full 
Super-consciousness  (mentioned  in  verse  No.  61,  stipra)  caUed  Samvit, 
which  alone  is  the  independent  witness  of  Jiva  and  I's'a.  (63) 

Samvit  alone  is  Paraaakti  or  the  Supreme  and  Universal  Super- 
consciousness  and  that  alone  is  Nirguna  Brahman.  The  one  above  it 
(termed  Nirgundtita)  cannot  be  comprehended  by  word  or  mind.  (64) 

That  (Nirgunatita)  is  devoid  of  attributes,  indescribable,  devoid 
of  forms,  and  can  only  be  named.    The  teacher  cannot   be  question- 


432  The  Thoosophist.  [April 

ed  regarding  That  (Nirgunatita)  and  the  S'ruti  says,  "  Don't  question 
any  more  than  That  (Nirguna).'*  (65) 

Thus  in  the  glorious  Upanishad  of  Ra'ma  Gi'TA,  the 
secret  meaning  of  the  Vedas,  emhodied  in  the  second 
Pdda  of  the  Up^sana  Kdnda  of  Tatvasarayana,  reads  the 
third  Chapter,  entitled  : 

THE    CONSIDERATION    OF    JNANA    YOGA. 

Translated  by  G.  Krishna  Sastri. 
( To  be  conihiMed,) 


POSEIDOmS. 
No.  II. 

IN  my  previous  article  on  this  subject*  I  submitted  to  the  readers  of 
the  Theosophist  my  conjecture  that  the  *'  Arthurian  "  legends  had 
-their  origin  in  the  *  lost  Atlantis  * ;  and  that  the  latter  passages  of 
the  **  Prophecies  of  Merlin  "  clearly  express  the  feelings  of  intense 
horror  experienced  by  '*  the  author,  on  beholding  the  awful  catas- 
trophe to  his  country,  of  which  he  had  been  an  unwilling  and  terri- 
fied witness." 

There  is  a  passage  in  that  article  (part  of  my  quotation  from 
Plato's  **Tim9eus")  which  is  perhaps  somewhat  obscure;  and  of 
which  I  think  it  as  well  to  offer  a  few  words  of  explanation. 
After  stating  that  the  Atlantean  islands  had  suddenly  disappeared 
beneath  the  waves,  the  "Timaeus"  continues,  **  whence  even  now 
that  sea  is  neither  navigable  nor  to  be  traced  out ;  being  blocked  up 
by  the  great  depth  of  mud  which  the  subsiding  lands  produced." 

For  a  great  length  of  time  afler  the  subsidence  of  so  large  an 
area  of  country  as  the  *  lost  Atlantis '  must  have  occupied,  the  depth 
of  the  ocean  over  what  had  been  dry  land  would  be  very  moderate. 
After  the  first  sudden  ebullition  of  volcanic  activity  had  destroyed  the 
land,  the  ground  would  continue  to  sink  only  very  slowly  ;  and  there 
must  have  been  a  continuation  of  intense  volcanic  activit5%  accom- 
panied by  severe  earthquakes  beneath  the  ocean  for  a  long  time. 
It  is  supposed  by  many  people  that  as  the  dry  land  on  any  part  of  the 
globe  sinks,  other  land  is  elevated  elsewhere  ;  but  of  course  we  have 
no  difficulty  about  finding  compensation  for  the  sunken  Atlantis. 
Iceland  and  Greenland  are  but  of  very  recent  upheaval,  and  Nature 
may  have  taken  further  compensation  in  the  Antarctic  regions  or 
elsewhere  ;  the  whereabouts  is  only  of  trifling  importance. 

Supposing,  after  the  land  had  disappeared,  the  depth  of  the 
water  at  the  shallowest  places  was  from  three  to  four  fathoms.  This 
depth  of  water  would  be  so  affected  by  the  tides  and  by  storms  that 
any  attempt  to  explore  the  scene  of  the  catastrophe  would  have 
been  not  merely  fruitless,  it  could  not  have  failed  to  be  disastrous. 
"The  great  depth  of  mud"  absolutely  precluded  navigation  ;   any 

^  *  Sec  Vol.  XXI.,  p.  528.  "'"'"  " 


1901.]  Poseidonis.  433 

vessel  becoming  entangled  in  those  shoals  was  doomed  to  total  loss 
and  destruction,  neither  ship  nor  crew  could  ever  return  to  the 
tranquil  waters  of  the  mediterranean.  This  could  not  fail  to  be  so, 
and  there  is  no  need  of  a  Platonic  record  to  inform  us  that,  after 
a  few  fruitless  attempts  to  discover  whether  any  part  of 
Poseidonis  still  remained  above  water,  enabling  any  of  their 
old  enemies  to  escape  from  the  fury  of  the  elements,  finding 
the  very  sea  itself  opposed  to  their  curiosity,  the  seamen  of 
those  old  days  would  conclude  that  the  Atlantic  was  no  longer 
na\-igable  and  would  cease  to  venture  outside  the  Pillars  of  Hercules. 
The  subsidence  of  the  ocean  bed  would  be  very  gradual,  and  for 
many  centuries  after  it  had  sunk  to  its  present  depth,  the  Atlantic 
would  retain  the  character  of  being  dangerous  **  on  account  of  the 
great  depth  of  mud."  Until  the  rise  of  the  Phoenician  nation  we 
may  rest  satisfied  that  the  Atlantic  ocean  was  avoided  by  mariners. 

Besides  the  Platonic  story  of  Atlantis,  and  the  inscriptions 
concerning  it  which  Dr.  le  Plongeon  has  deciphered  in  Yucatan, 
there  is  a  further  record  of  the  **  great  catastrophe  "  which  has  been 
in  the  hands  of  Western  readers  for  many  centuries  ;  and  which  they 
have  read,  and  in  most  instances  believed  implicitly,  without  in  the 
least  understanding  it. 

There  are  few  literatures  of  ancient  or  even  of  comparatively 
modem  civilizations,  which  do  not  contain  allusions  to  a  Deluge, 
which— through  its  causes  being  enveloped  in  myster}-,  and  its  conse- 
quences being  the  most  terrible  and  far-reaching  of  disasters-— came 
to  be  regarded  as  punishment  of  the  sins  of  humanity  by  offended 
Omnipotence. 

The  "  Deluge-myth"  whose  story  is  most  familiar  to  Western 
readers  is  that  of  Noah,  which  is  described  \n  such  graphic  terms 
in  the  book  of  *' Genesis."  But  although  the  storj'  of  that  catas- 
trophe, as  told  in  "Genesis,"  has  been  supported  for  ages  by  the 
"Church"— many  professed  "  Christians"  regarding  disbelief  in  an 
universal  Deluge  less  than  five  thou.sand  years  ago  as  tantamount  to 
deliberate  profession  of  Atheism— Nature  gives  us  no  reason  for 
supposing  that  the  whole  of  the  world  has  been  subjected  to  a  flood 
so  deep  as  to  cover  even  the  highest  mountains  to  a  depth  of  twenty- 
five  feet,  and  so  destroy  all  living  creatures  from  the  face  of  the 
earth,  excepting  the  favoured  few  who  were  permitted  to  take 
refuge  in  that  venerable  **  Ocean  Greyhound,"  the  Ark.  For  the 
world  to  be  so  drowned  it  would  be  necessary  for  an  enormous 
quantity  of  water  (a  quantity  scarcely  imaginable)  to  be  transported 
from  some  other  planet,  or  to  be  specially  created  for  the  purpose ; 
and  to  restore  the  globe  to  the  condition  in  which  we  are  familiar 
with  it,  this  water  would  have  to  return  whence  it  came,  or  be 
annihilated  as  miraculously  as  it  was  created. 

But  the  earth  bears  upon  its  surface  no  record  of  such  a  stupend- 
ous catastrophe,  and  therefore  we  have  to  look  about  for  somQ 

7 


ii-y      ^  r 


NOTICE. 


I 


1 


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1901.]  The  Fire-Temple  in  its  Esoteric  Aspect.  435 

Merlin  or  of  such  few  other  Atlanteans  as  had  managed  to  reach  the 
coasts  of  America,  Ireland,  or  Iberia,  and  believing  these  to  be  the 
sole  sur\'ivors  of  the  cataclysm — would  regard  them  as  special 
favourites  of  Providence ;  and  would  perhaps  even  while  these 
heroes  lived  (certainly  after  death  had  claimed  them),  worship  them 
as  gods,  or  venerate  them  as  prophets  or  magicians.  And  the  story 
of  this  n^arvellous  escape  from  the  wrath  of  Omnipotence  would, 
in  an  unliterary  age— like  the  Arthurian  legend,  and  the  Prophecies 
of  Merlin— in  the  course  of  a  very  few  generations,  receive  local 
colouring,  hence  the  reference  to  the  "  Mountain  of  Ararat ;"  and 
with  it  would,  in  course  of  time,  be  incorporated  other  legends  the 
origins  of  which  need  not  be  traced  here,  such  as  those  qf  the  Ark, 
the  Raven,  and  the  Dove.  And  by  and  bye,  many  centuries  perhaps 
after  the  original  heroes  had  departed  this  life,  a  bard  arose  who 
translated  the  legend  into  the  realms  of  fancy,  and  crystallising  it 
into  poetry,  transmitted  the  story  to  us  in  the  form  with  which  we 
are  familiar. 

Here  I  must  leave  further  consideration  of  this  interesting 
subject  for  the  present.  Perhaps  on  a  future  occasion  I  ma}'  have 
an  opportunity  of  discussing  some  of  the  Atlantean  records  which 
have  been  unearthed  in  Central  America. 

W.  H.  TBIM3I.K. 


THE  FIRE'TEMPLE  IN  ITS  ESOTERIC  ASPECT. 

THE  fire-temple  of  the  Zoroastrian  is  one  of  the  noblest  religious 
institutes  which  the  human  mind  has  devised  to  conunuue 
with  the  Ineffable.  To  enter  it  brings  in  a  host  of  holy  associations 
of  the  lyight  within  and  the  Light  without.  In  the  adytum,  in  a 
silver  or  brass  censer  on  a  marble  stand  is  enthroned  the  sacred  Fire, 
fed  day  and  night  by  sandalwood,  ever  pointing  upwards,  lifting  the 
soul  of  the  worshipper  to  those  regions  where  the  One  Fire  hath  its 
home,  and  where  it  burneth  in  undying  glory  for  the  maintenance 
of  the  Kosmos.  The  brilliant  sparks  which  shoot  forth  in  all  direc- 
tions from  the  tongue  of  the  Same  are  symbolic  of  the  human 
monads  that  have  become  separated  from  the  Logos,  the  great  flame 
of  Life.  On  the  groundsel  of  the  room  where  the  fire  burns — to  the 
Zoroastrian  the  very  emblem  of  the  creator,  the  crown  of  purity,  the 
dispeller  of  darkness,  the  uplifter  of  the  Eternal  Life  in*  man— are 
laid  many  a  prayerful  head  that  bows  low  to  the  visible  effulgence 
of  the  God  invisible,  Atro  Ahurc  Mazadao  Poothra.  Fire,  the  Son  of 
God,  is  God  here  below,  the  representative  of  His  Father,  the  giver 
of  bliss,  the  benefactor  of  mankind,  and  the  Light  and  Life  of  the 
Universe. 

But  what  is  most  remarkable  is  the  consecration  of  the  Fire  to 
which  so  many  pour  forth  their  deep  aspirations,  even  in  these  days 
of  spiritual  decline,  to  see  their  Ahura  Mazda  therein.    The  firm 


-436  the  Theosophist.  [April 

faith  of  the  followers  of  the  Bactrian  sage  is  that  He  was  the  Light- 
bearer  of  Heaven,  that  His  message  was  Light,  and  that  they  all 
are,  in  the  longnin,  destined  to  be  children  of  Light ;  for  of  all  the 
elements,  Fire  is  the  only  one  which  ever  points  upwards,  and  He 
who  brought  Fire  from  Heaven  drove  moral  and  spiritual  darkness 
out  of  the  world.  When  anew  fire-temple  is  to  be  built,  prepa- 
rations are  made  months  before,  to  collect  fire  from  all  quarters,  from 
artisans  and  from  all  classes  of  human  beings.  Fire  is  to  be  taken 
from  the  hearths  of  the  king  and  the  beggar ;  from  those  of  the 
mason,  the  black-smith,  the  potter,  the  carpenter,  the  goldsmith,  of 
the  S'udra  castes  ;  not  to  mention  the  fire  produced  from  the  flint. 
Fire  from  the  funeral  pyre,  and  from  a  tree  set  ablaze  in  the  jungle 
by  a  lightning  flash  are  also  impressed  into  service.  It  is  very 
curious  and  instructive  to  mark  the  various  sources  from  which  fire 
is  brought  in  and  accumulated  for  reverence  and  worship  by  the 
followers  of  the  Prophet  of  Purity.  But  the  lesson  which  these 
various  fires  interblended  into  One  luminous  Whole,  has  to  impart, 
lies  in  the  fact  that  the  One  Life  is  to  be  worshipped,  throughout  the 
universe,  though  it  may  be  hid  in  many  forms.  It  may  not  be 
amiss  to  mention  here  that  the  collections  of  fire  from  all  the  natural 
divisions  of  human  beings  is  typical  of  the  myriad  states  of  conscious- 
ness, which  all  spring  from  one  Source,  and  are  meant  to  be 
identical  with  it.  The  limited  consciousnesses  are  to  be  turned  into 
All  Self-consciousness,  and  this  has  to  be  done  by  totalling  them  all 
up  in  one  form  as  it  is  represented  in  the  fire-temple.  The  united 
fires  in  the  censer,  figure  the  Logos,  the  central  consciousness  of  the 
Universe  ;  and  what  the  worshipper  is  enjoined  to  pay  adoration  to,  is 
to  the  one  unlimited  consciousness  in  order  that  he  may  be  one 
therewith. 

Oriental  faiths  live  in  their  temples  ;  each  temple  was  meant  to 
remind  the  devotee  that  he  is  standing  there  in  the  very  presence 
of  a  living  God.  The  Parsee  fire-temple  is  no  exception  to  the 
general  rule. 

"  He  that  hath  ears  to  hear  let  him  hear." 

ZOROASTRIAN. 


437 


Sbeoeopbi?  in  all  lanba. 


EUROPE. 

lyONDON,  February  2W1,  1901. 

The  passing  of  the  Great  Queen  was  the  one  thought  in  the  minds 
of  English  men  and  women  during  the  early  days  of  the  month  which 
has  just  passed.  Never  in  the  world's  history  has  such  a  wave  of  emotion 
swept  through  every  continent  and  island  as  during  the  weeks  that  have 
jnst  gone  by.  We  have  witnessed  something  unique  in  the  world's  long 
story,  and,  to  the  eyes  of  those  to  w-honi  the  realms  of  feeling  become 
objective,  the  sight  of  a  world's  emotion  concentrated  on  one  passing  ego 
must  surely  have  been  a  never-to-be-forgotten  experience.  The  thought 
that  will  shape  itself  in  the  mind  of  ever>'  theosophist  will  be  a  strong 
desire  that  the  mighty  surge  of  feeling  may  be  utilised  for  the  world's 
uplifting,  and  the  greatest,  grandest  tribute  that  could  await  the  queenly 
soul  which  has  passed  out  of  physical  ken,  would  be  the  recognition 
from  the  region  of  clearer  vision  where  she  rests  that  both  her  life  and 
the  manner  of  her  leaving  it  had  tended  to  "  make  the  peoples  one." 
Next  to  the  consciousness  that  the  very  air  was  vibrant  with  a  strong 
emotion — as  when  on  February  the  first  and  second,  the  funeral  rites  of 
the  Empress  Queen  were  performed — was  the  recognition  of  the  fact  that 
the  Teutonic  race  was  being  drawn  into  closer  sympathy  in  its  several 
branches,  by  reason  of  the  family  bond  which  linked  its  rulers  in  a  com- 
mon sorrow.  Whatever  happens  in  the  world's  near  future  to  strain 
the  relationships  between  the  Anglo-Saxon  and  the  German  speaking 
branches  of  the  one  great  race,  one  cannot  but  feel  that  events  must 
shape  themselves  differently  from  what  they  might  have  done  had  not 
this  flood  of  common  feeling  hewn  out  channels  which  it  maj'  well  be 
that  the  Great  Ones  who  watch  the  destinies  of  men  can  utilise  for  the 
welfare  of  the  future.  Such  hope,  at  least,  we  must  all  cherish,  and 
strive  to  keep  alight  the  torch  of  amity  which  sympathy  has  kindled. 
As  time  passes  and  history  is  being  written  all  around  us  we  may  be- 
gin to  understand  if  we  will  but  open  wide  our  eyes,  the  inner  purpose 
of  that  Theosophical  Movement  which,  alas,  so  many  have  confounded 
with  pseudo-occultism  or  personal  salvation. 

As  to  the  outer  form  of  the  Movement,  here,  in  England,  all  goes 
pretty  much  as  usual.  Regular  meetings  of  lodges,  extra  classes  for 
special  studies,  afternoons  for  inquirers,  and  all  the  rest  of  it.  Mr. 
Herbert  Burrows  has  just  completed  a  series  of  four  popular  Sunday 
evening  lectures  at  Albemarle  St.  Each  lecture  has  been  crowded  and 
Mr.  Burrows  has  lectured  in  his  clear  and  forcible  fashion  with  which 
we  were  formerly  so  familiar  and  all  glad  to  meet  again. 

Mr.  Dyne  has  conducted  a  series  of  six  Wednesday  evening  classes 
having  for  their  object  the  illustration  of  theosophical  teachings  by 
modem  scientific  research.    The  instruction  given  has  been  most  helpful 


4dd  The  Theosophist.  [April 

to  many  and  greatly  appreciated.    The  success  of  the  classes  indicates 
how  much  might  be  accomplished  by  further  work  along  this  line. 

A  member  of  the  London  Lodge  has  succeeded  in  starting  a  class  for 
the  study  of  Theosophy  at  one  of  the  best  known  of  the  Women's  Social 
Clubs,  and  the  Vice-President  of  the  T.  S.  has  just  lectured  to  the 
members  of  the  "  Pioneer,"   one  of  the  earliest  and  most  progressive  of 

these  clubs. 

Conferences  of  the  North  of  England  and  South- Western  Federations 
of  T.  S.  Lodges  have  been  held  during  the  month.  The  first  was  visit- 
ed by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Mead  as  representatives  of  our  Sectional  Head- 
quarters, and  the  second  by  Dr.  Wells. 

Mr.  iMead  has  been  giving  a  course  of  lectures  on  Tuesday  after- 
noons during  February,  on  "  The  Gnosis  according  to  its  Friends.**  The 
attendance  has  been  good  and  indicates  that  interest  is  being  awakened 
in  the  branch  of  theosophical  investigation  with  which  Mr.  Mead  is 
speciall}'  concerned 

Generally  speaking,  indeed,  there  seems  no  reason  to  complain  that 
attention  is  not  being  given  to  the  subjects  with  which  we  deal  at  our 
meetings,  for  one  has  only  to  glance  casually  through  a  pile  of  news- 
papers and  magazines  to  see  how  in  every  direction  more  respectful 
treatment  is  being  meted  out  to  the  things  commonly  called  *'  occult" 
than  was  ever  the  case  in  past  years.  It  is  true  we  still  find  the  *  silly' 
and  would-be  *  smart '  paragraph,  but  not  nearly  so  often  as  formerly. 
As  for  the  world  of  science,  under  the  leadership  of  a  very  few  real 
investigators  it  is  making  gigantic  strides  in  our  direction  and  seems 
destined  to  prove  occult  truths  up  to  the  hilt  in  a  fashion  little  contem- 
plated by  its  present  rank  and  file,  and  not  half  sufficiently  realised  by 
theosophists  themselves.  An  enormous  amount  of  work  has  been  done  for 
us,  anji  yet  the  labour  of  synthesizing  the  results  of  recent  investiga- 
tions with  the  priceless  treasures  of  the  ancient  wisdom  is  attempted  by 
the  very  few  who  have  realised  that  only  by  opening  our  eyes  wide  on 
the  visible  shall  we  become  able  to  know  the  invisible,  as  the  Talmud 
insisted  centuries  ago. 

A.  B.  C. 


NEW  ZEALAND. 

The  Annual  Meeting  of  the  Dunedin  Brancli  was  held  on  February 
6th,  and  the  following  officers  were  elected  for  the  ensuing  year:-- 
Presidept— Mr.  G.  Richardson.  Secretary— Mr.  A.  W.  Manrais  (Address, 
Ravensboume,  Dunedin).  Vice-Presidents— Misses  Christie  and  Burton. 
Treasurer— Miss  Stone.    Librarian— Miss  Dalziel. 

During  the  holiday  season  classes  have  been  susi^ended,  but  axe  now 
resuming  work. 

The  Dunedin  delegates  to  the  Convention  made  quite  a  stay  in 
Auckland  and  gave  several  lectures  ;  Miss  Christie  also  lectured  in  Wel- 
lington on  her  way  home. 

Mrs.  Draffin  lectured  in  Auckland  on  February  3rd,  her  subject  being, 
"  Has  man  a  Soul  ?  **  Mr.  S.  Stuart  on  February  loth,  "  on  Telepathy.*' 
:Music,  singing,  and  readings' have  been  added  to  the  lectures  at  tiie  Auck- 
land Branch  public  meetings  and  this  has  proved  xx>pular,  the  infietings 
being  crowded. 


1901.]  Reviews.  439 

Mrs.  Richmond  lectured  in  Wellington *on  **  How  our  Ideals  become 
Fads,"  and  Mr.  A.  W.  Maurais  in  Dunedin  on  "  The  Kvolution  of 
Theolog}'/* 


AMERICAN  NOTKS. 

Letters  from  Chicago  and  New  York  tell  us  of  the  very  successful 
tour  made  by  Mr.  I^eadbeater  and  of  the  renewed  activities,  especially 
in  study,  consequent  upon  it.  The  members  of  the  Chicago  Branch  are 
contemplating  the  preparation  of  a  general  index  to  Theosophical  books, 
other  branches  and  members  at  large  being  asked  to  aid  in  the  work. 
Mr.  F.  E.  Titus,  of  Toronto,  is  visiting  the  branches  in  the  Central 
States.  Dr.  Mary  Weeks  Burnett  spent  some  months  in  the  East, 
working  in  New  York  Cit}',  Boston,  Philadelphia  and  Washington.  Mrs. 
Kate  Bufiington  Davis  was  to  travel  to  the  Pacific  Coast,  probablj* 
arriving  at  San  Francisco  about  the  time  Colonel  Olcott  reached  there 
from  Honolulu. 


Keviewd 


WTSDOM  OF   THE  AGES.' 

This  is  one  of  the  latest  works  from  the  spiritualistic  press,  and 
claims  to  have  emanated  from  an  ego  who  lived  in  Central  America,  at 
some  period  in  the  distant  past.  The  teachings  have  an  elevated  tone, 
are  far  above  the  average  grade  of  spiritualistic  literature,  and  some  of 
the  chapters  are  clearly  theosophical  in  character  ;  for  instance  we 
find  on  page  15,  the  following  : 

"Infinite  possibilities  slumber  in  every '  human  soul.  These  are 
wrought  out  through  many  incarnations. 

Ye  may  have  already  trod  the  dust  of  many  worlds. 

But  he  of  little  faith  -says  :  '  If  this  be  true  why  do  I  not  recall  pre- 
vious embodiments  ?* 

In  answer,  Zertoulem  w^ould  say  :  Many  do  dinil}'  see  as  in  a  glass 
the  faint  shadows  of  past  experiences.  But  life  holds  within  itself  the 
results  of  all  experiences. 

It  is  wise  to  assert  what  the  spirit  perceives  ;  and  he  who  is  readj' 
to  receive  will  accept. 

The  prophet  speaks  for  all  men — ^but  all  men  are  not  yet  ready  to 
receive  his  words. 

Be  patient  if  the  world  receive  not  thy  message ;  if  it  be  of  the  spirit, 
thou  canst  afford  to  bide  thy  time,  for  sooner  or  later  the  world  will 
listen  for  thy  voice." 

And  on  page  74  we  read  : 

**  Think  not  that  all  the  knowledge  repeated  through  illuminated 
ones  was  acquired  either  in  one  embodiment,  or  while  attached  to  one 

world. 

Spirit  calls  no  world  home,  but  has  been  a  traveller  from  remotest 
time  along  an  infinite  journey. 

•  Automatically  transcribed  by  George  A.  Fuller,  M.  D.,  Biinncr  of  Light 
Pttblishing  Co.,  Boston,  Price,  Rs.  3. 


440  The  Theosophist.  [April 

Yet  caprice  and  fancy  play  no  part  in  these  wanderings. 

Law  controls  al!  things,  and  order  reigns  throughout  all  universes. 

The  life  that  is  is  willed  to  be  by  Higher  Powers. 

What  if  some  say :  This  is  the  only  life,  the  first  and  last  incarnation. 

Do  not  stop  to  dispute  with  them.  Thou  canst  not  make  them  see 
as  thou  seest. 

Wait,  and  they  will  grow  to  th j'  thought. 

But  keep  not  thy  thought  to  thyself.  Utter  it  in  world  language 
and  it  shall  vibrate  on  and  through  the  world  until  all  prejudice  shall 
be  overcome,  and  souls  shall  become  responsive  to  its  harmonious  notes. 

Study  thine  own  soul,  ponder  well  its  lessons,  before  thou  art  ready 
to  accept  the  lessons  that  others  may  offer. 

If  thou  art  illuminated,  thou  wilt  assimilate  the  food  thy  soul  needs. 

Give  raiment,  material  food  and  shelter  to  the  physical  bod}',  but 
give  the  soul  unmeasured  love  and  knowledge." 

The  chapter  on  Silence  contains  valuable  thoughts.  We  quote  a  few 
paragraphs  from  page  58  : 

*'  In  the  Silence  geniuses  are  born  ?  Out  of  the  infinite  depths  of 
Silence  proceeds  all  that  is. 

When  I  walk  with  thee,  Oh,  soul,  into  the  Silence,  awe  and  reverence 
abide  with  me. 

For  that  which  is  formless,  uncreated,  ready  for  the  Master,  fills  me 
with  awe. 

Stand  I  thus  in  the  Silence  in  the  presence  of  depths  abj'smal  and 
fronting  unmeasurable  Heights. 

The  waters  from  the  great  Depths  surround  me.  Plunge,  Oh,  soul, 
beneath  the  might}'  surging  waves,  and  come  up  out  of  them  purified. 

Cleave  with  thy  wings.  Oh,  soul,  the  ethers  that  encircle  the 
Heights,  and  be  glorified  by  the  light  that  glows  and  plaj'S  forever  above 
their  summits. 

Into  the  Silence  and  commune  with  self  ;  find  there  thy  mission 
in  the  world.  • 

There  let  the  message  come  to  thee  that  thou  shalt  give  unto  those 
who  have  become  seekers  after  the  light. 

Into  the  Silence,  Oh,  soul,  and  there  find  the  glowing  pathway  of 
the  spirit. ' ' 

The  foregoing  extracts  illustrate  the  general  character  of  the  book. 
It  is  divided  into  fifty  chapters  averaging  more  than  four  pages  each. 
The  publishers  have  done  their  work  creditabl}-. 

The  symbol  of  the  five  pointed  star,  however,  as  printed  on  the  cover, 
represents  black  magic,  the  two  "  horns  of  evil  "  being  at  the  top.  Had 
it  been  inverted — one  point  only  being  above  and  in  the  centre,  to  repre- 
sent the  upward -reaching  fiame  of  spirit — it  would  have  had  an  entirely 
different  and  much  more  desirable  signification.  The  entire  figure,  as 
it  stands,  is  a  curious  medley  of  symbols.  It  is  more  usual  to  see  the 
Tan  within  an  interlaced  double  triangle,  and  the  circle,  representing 
eternity,  surrounding  the  whole. 

W.  A.  E. 


1901.]  Reviews.  441 

UTTARARAMA  CHARITA. 

We  are  glad  to  announce  the  receipt  of  a  new  translation  in  prose  of 
Uttararteia  Charita  of  Bhavabhiiti  by  Mr.  T.  K.  B^lasubramania  Aiyer, 
B.A.  This  drama  as  is  well  known  is  one  of  the  best  in  Sanskrit  litera- 
ture, it  being  the  opinion  of  some  that  it  even  surpasses  the  best  produc- 
tions of  the  renowned  Kdlid^sa.  The  translator  has  prefixed  to  his 
little  volume  an  introduction  containing  short  explanations  of  some  of 
the  principal  terms  of  dramaturgy,  notes  on  the  author's  life,  the  nature 
and  the  argument  of  the  play,  and  character  sketches  of  some  of 
the  principal  dramatis  personae.  He  has  also  appended  at  the  end  a 
short  epitome  of  the  story  as  it  appears  in  the  R&m&yana.  The  transla- 
tion may  be  thought  somewhat  too  close,  but  we  confidently  hope  that 
it  will  prove  useful  to  students. 


CHARAKA  SAMHITA. 

We  are  in  receipt  of  parts  XXI.  XXII.  and  XXIII.  of  the  Knglish 
translation  of  Charaka  Samhita,  the  well  known  work  on  Hindu  Medical 
Science,  published  by  Mr.  A.  C.  Kaviratna.  The  contents  of  these  three 
parts  will  prove  highly  interesting  to  the  general  reader  who  desires  to 
obtain  an  insight  into  the  nature  of  the  speculations  indulged  in  by  the 
Hindu  philosophers  of  old  upon  isuch  questions  as  the  origin  of  Life,  the 
nature  of  the  Soul  or  Self  and  its  connection  with  the  external 
universe.  Many  philosophical  observations  of  deep  interest  occur  in 
these  pages  and  a  student  of  Sankhya  philosophy  will  profit  much  by 
reading  these  parts  in  particular. 

It  is  highly  desirable  that  such    useful  publications  should  be  free 

from  such  typographical   mistakes  as  are  found  here  and  there  in  the 

book. 

G.  K.  S. 


MAGAZINES. 

In  The  Theosophical  Revie^v  for  March,  we  find  among  the  Watch- 
Tower  items,  a  protest  against  the  assumption  by  individuals,  of  the 
right  to  state  what  Theosophists  believe.  As  the  utmost  freedom  of 
belief  is  tolerated,  and  is  one  of  the  fundamental  principles  of  our 
Society,  the  protest  is  a  very  proj-er  one.  The  interesting  dialogue,  b\' 
S.  K.  C,  is  concluded.  **  The  Vengeance  of  Pasht"  is  a  brief  romance, 
by  Miss  Falkner.  In  **  The  Sayings  of  an  Indian  vSage,*'  A.  H.  Ward 
gives  a  short  review  of  the  late  Professor  Max  Miiller's  work,  **  Rama 
Krishna;  His  Life  and  Sayings,"  and  quotes  a  few  pages  of  these 
Sayings.*  *'  Planes  of  Consciousness,'*  by  Dr.  F.  S.  Pitt-Taylor, 
though  a  short  article,  abounds  in  suggestiveness.  Mrs.  Haig  writes  on 
"  Runes  and  Odin's  Rune  Song,"  and  Mrs.  Duddington,  on  *'  Tennyson's 
'In  Memoriam.'  "  •*  What  a  Theosophist  Believes,"  by  Dr.  A.  A.  W^ells, 
is  a  very  interesting  paper,  and  Mrs.  Besant's  "  Thought- Power,  its 
Control  and  Culture,"  contains  more  really  valuable  information  than 
can  be  found  in  all  the  systems  of  mnemonics  extant,  '*  The  Marvellous 
Adventures  of  Michael  Quanne,"  by  Michael  Wood,  will  appeal  to  lovers 
of  the  marvellous,  and '' A  True  Incident,"  by  A.  M,  F.  C,   illustrates 

8 


ft 
tt 
tt 


442  The  Theosophist.  [April 

the  dangers  which  may  result  from  placing  oneself  on  too  close  terms 
of  intimacy  with  the  dwellers  of  the  unseen  realms. 

Theosophy  in  Australasia  (February)  contains  Mr.  Studd's 
continued  article  on  **  Chance  or  Accident,"  one  by  W.  G.  John,  on 
Imperialism,''  and  a  paper  by  Dr.  Marques,  the  General  Secretary,  on 
Archaeological  Corroborations'' — all  valuable  contributions.  Under 
Questions  and  Answers,"  E.  Gregory  has  a  few  stirring  paragraphs 
on  "The  Fourth  Dimension,"  a  theory  which  he  sees  no  earthly  (or 
heavenly)  reason  for  accepting. 

The  Theosophic  Gleaner  for  February  contains  Mr.  Sutcliffe's 
lecture  on  **  A  Law  of  Repulsion,"  and  Mr.  Khandalvala's,  on  **  Moses 
and  his  Mission,"  an  article  on  *'  Vedant,"  republished  from  **  The  Ideal 
Review y*'  and  a  report  of  the  Benares  Convention  of  the  T.  S. 

The  N,  Z,  Theosophical  Magazine  for  February  contains  an 
article  by  Alexander  FuUerton,  on  **  Unity  and  Union  ;"  brief  papers 
on  **  The  Successive  Lives  of  the  Soul,"  and  "On  Taking  Life  as  it 
Comes,"  and  a  report  of  the  recent  Convention  of  the  N.  Z.  Section, 
T.  S.  The  Magazine  as  now  enlarged  and  improved  makes  a  very  credit- 
able Sectional  Organ. 

Revue  Ih^sofhique,  The  February  issue  of  the  magazine  of  our 
esteemed  brother,  Commandant  Courmes,  contains  much  of  interest. 
The  opening  essay  is  from  the  pen  of  Mrs.  Besant,  the  other  chief 
articles  being  by  Mr.  Leadbeater  and  Dr.  Pascal.  Small  items  and  re- 
views, with  a  further  portion  of  the  translation  of  the  "  Secret  Doc- 
trine," complete  the  number. 

Theosqphia.  The  February  number  contains  two  translations  of 
articles  by  H.  P.  B.,  originally  printed  in  the  Theosophist ;  continuations 
of  "  Esoteric  Buddhism"  and  "  Tao  te  King  ;"  "  What  Theosophy  does 
for  us,"  a  lecture  delivered  by  Mr.  Leadbeater  at  the  Hague  ;  "  Lox," 
from  Theosophical  Review ;  **  Buddhism  and  Christianity"  (trans.) ;  "Gems 
from  the  East ;"  Book  Reviews  and  Notes  on  the  Theosophical  movement. 

Teosofia,  Rome.  The  article  by  Signora  Calvari  is  continued  in  the 
February  issue.  It  is  followed  by  translations  of  "  Problems  of  Ethics," 
by  Mrs.  Beasant ;  **  Reincarnation,"  by  Dr.  Pascal ;  **  Clairvoyance," 
by  Mr.  Leadbeater,  and  notices  of  the  movement — ^altogether  an  inter- 
esting number. 

Philadelphia,  Buenos  Ai]*es.  The  December  issue  of  the  organ  of 
our  South  American  brothers  is  quite  up  to  the  standard  of  former 
ones  and  presents  several  articles  which  are  profitable  reading. 

Sophia,  Madrid.  The  February  number  is  received,  but  our  limited 
knowledge  of  Spanish  prevents  us  from  giving  the  contents  in  full. 

The  Central  Hindu  College  Magazine  for  March  commences  a 
series  of  articles  entitled,  "  In  Defence  of  Hindusm."  The  instalment  in 
this  issue  is  on  "Idolatry."  **That  little  owl  Burnes"— Mrs.  Lloyd's 
story— is  very  interesting.  Among  other  matters,  those  in  the  educa- 
tional vein  are,  "On  Loci,"  "  Science  jottings"  and  "A  Talk  with  a 
Lead  Pencil." 

Acknowledged  with  thanks  :  The  Vdhan,  The  Theosophic  Messenger, 
The  Golden  Chain,  Light,  The  Banner  of  Light,  The  Harbinger  of  Light. 
The  Prasnottara,  The  Review  of  Reviews,  The  Metaphysical  Magazine, 
Mind,  The  New  Century,  The  Phrenological  Journal,  The  Arena,  Health, 


igoi.]  Cuttings  and  Comments.  ^AA 

Uedtra  Mtdicine.  The  Light  of  Truth,  The  Light  of  the  Hast.  Daxvit, 
The  Indian  fournal  of  Education,  The  Brahmavddin,  The  Brahma- 
chdrin.  Notes  and  (Queries,  The  Buddhist,  Journal  of  the  Mahd-Bodhi 
Society  ;  also  the  following  pamphlets :  "  The  Second  Annual  Report  of 
the  Central  Hindu  College,"  which  contains,  among  other  matter,  the 
speeches  of  Mrs.  Besant  and  Dr.  Richardson,  delivered  at  the  Second 
Anniversary  meeting  of  the  College  ;  "  The  Solar  System  ;  Roots  and 
Powers,"  reprinted  from  Notes  and  Queries  ;  and  "  The  National  Move- 
ment in  Modern  Europe"  -a  lecture  delivered  by  K.  Sundararama 
Aiyar,  m.a.,  Kumbakonam. 

CUTTINGS  AND  COMMENTS. 

"  Tbouglils,  liki!  ilic  pollen  of  llowuri,  leave  one  brain  and  faslcn  lo  another." 

To  the  Editor,  Thcosophist  :  —May  I  trouble  yoii 
A  sun  cure      to   kindly  find   a  corner,   amongst   "  Cuttings  and 
/or  Comments,"  for  the  following  reputed  cure  for  Hy- 

Hydropkobia.    drophobia?     It  was  communicated  to  me  by  an   ac- 
quaintance who  himself  had  it  from  a  "  Sanyasi"  or 
Hindu  a.scetic.     He  has  used  it  a  good  many  times,  and  in   no  case, 
so  far  as  he  is  aware,  has  it  ever  proved  a  failure.  To  my  own  know- 
ledge,  four  individuals  on  whom  he  tried  it  are  still  alive  and  well, 
although  they  were  bitten,  some  ten,  and  others  fourteen   years  ago, 
by  dogs  which  were 
unmistakably      rabid 
and      which     subse- 
quently bit  other  men 
and  animals  who  died 
from  the  effects  of  the 
bite. 

The  remedy  em- 
ployed is  the  leaf  of  a 
variety  of  Acacia, 
known  in  the  Deccan 
by  the  Hindustani 
name  of  Dewand 
Babool.  It  grows  wild, 
and  is  tolerably  com- 
mon. I  enclose  a 
rough  pen-and-ink 
sketch,  showing  the 
fruit,  leaves,  and  flow- 
ers of  the  tree.  The 
fruit  is  a  sort  of  bean  ; 
not  untikea  good  sized 
green  chilly,  in  size, 
shape  and  colour.  The 
flower  is  a  mere  ball 
or  button  of  down  of  a 
lemon  yellow  colour  * 
The  leaves  somewhat 
resemble  those  of  the 
ordinary    Mimosa     or 

sensitive  plant,  which  will   I   think,  enable  you   to   recognise   it 
*  tOur  artist  hat  represented  daisies  instead  of  balls  oi  down. — Ed.] 


444  The  Theosophist.  [April 

when  you  see  it.  I  should  like  to  give  you  a  better  drawing  in 
water  colours,  but  the  materials  are  not  handy.  The  plant  is 
perhaps  figured  in  Roxburgh's  **  Flora  Indica,"  or  Wright's  *•  Icones 
Plantarum/*  but  I  have  not  those  works  to  refer  to. 

The  mode  of  administering  the  remedy  is  as  follows :— Take 
several  handfuls  of  the  leaves  ;  grind  them  up,  and  give  the  patient 
the  juice  extracted  therefrom  to  drink  as  soon  as  possible  after  he 
has  been  bitten.  This  should  be  done  for  three  mornings  in  suc- 
cession ;  the  diet  during  those  three  days  being  restricted  to  plain 
bread  (unleavened)  or  boiled  rice  and  curds.  After  that,  the 
patient  may  resume  his  usual  food.  After  swallowing  the  remedy, 
the  patient  will  suffer  somewhat  from  nausea,  but  this  need  not 
cause  alarm,  and  will  soon  pass  away.  I  have  addressed  you  on  this 
subject  in  the  hope  that  the  publication  of  this  remedy  in  the 
Theosophist  may  result  in  its  being  given  a  wider  trial  with  a  view  to 
establishing  its  efficacy  or  otherwise. 

P.  J.  G. 

* 

Prof.  F.  E.  Dolbear  of  the  United  States,  gives 

The  the  following  interesting  summary  of  the  century's 

Nineteefith       progress,  for  which  we  are  indebted  to  an  American 

Century,         contemporary,  and  to  which  we  have  contributed  our 

Befote  and      mite: — 

Aftef .  I .     *'  This  centur}-  received  from  its  predecessors  the 

horse.    We  bequeath  the  bicycle,  the  locomotive  and  the 
automobile. 

2.  We  received  the  goosequill ;   we  bequeath  the  fountain  pen  and 
typewriter. 

3.  We  received  the  scythe  ;  we  bequeath  the  mowing  machine. 

4.  We  received  the  sickle  ;  we  bequeath  the  harvester. 

5.  We  received  the  hand   printing  press  ;  we  bequeath  the    Hoe 
C3'linder  press. 

6.  We  received  Johnson's  dictionary  ;  we  bequeath  the  Century 
dictionary. 

7.  We  received  the  painter's  brush  ;   we   bequeath  lithography,  the 
camera  and  colour  photographv. 

8.  We  received  the  hand  loom  ;  we  bequeath  the  cotton  and  woollen 
factor}'. 

9.'  We  received  e^unpowder  ;  we  bequeath  nitro-glycerine. 

10.    We    received  twenty-three  chemical  elements ;    we  bequeath 
eighty. 

•    II.    We  received  the  tallow  dip  ;  we  bequeath  the  arc  light  and  the 
Standard  Oil  Company. 

12.  We  received  the  galvanic  batterj- ;  we  bequeath  the  dynamo. 

13.  We  received  the  flint  lock  ;  we  bequeath  automatic  maxims. 

14.  We  received  the  sailing  ship ;  we  bequeath  the  steamship. 

15.  We    received  the   battleship  Constitution  ;    we  bequeath  the 
Oregon. 

16.  We  received  the  beacon  signal  fire  ;  we  bequeath  the  telephone 
and  wireless  telej^raph}'. 

17.  We  received  leather  fire-buckets  ;  we  bequeath  the  steam  fire- 
engine. 

18.  We  received   wood  and  stones  for  structures  ;  we  bequeath 
twenty-storied  steel  buildings. 

19.  We  received  the  stairway  ;    we  bequeath  the  elevator. 

20.  We  received  ordinary  light  ;  we  bequeath  the  Roentgen  ray^. 

21.  We  received    the    weather    unannounced  ;    we    bequeath  the 
weather  bureau . 

22.  We  received  unalleviable  pain  ;  we  bequeath  chloroform,  ether 
and  cocaine . 


1901.]  CuUiqgs  and  Comments.  445 

23.  We  received  the  average  dui-ation  of  life  of  thirty  years  ;  we 
bequeatli  forty  years." 

As  it  needs  one  to  fill  out  the  last  dozen,  we  beg  to  add  the 
following  to  Professor  Dolbear's  .summary  : 

24.  We  received  the  theological  distortions  contained  in  the 
five  points  of  Calvinism,  and  the  bitter  antagonism  existing  between 
religious  sects ;  we  bequeath  the  Three  Objects  of  the  Theosophical 
Societ>%  and  the  doctrine  of  the  fundamental  unity  of  all  religions 
ami  all  races. 

A  correspondent  wrote  to  Ella   W^heeler  Wilcox 
The  Cued H     asking  her  to  define  her  creed.     The  following  is  re- 
Ella  Wheeler    ported  as  her  reply : 

Wilcox,  *  My  creed  is,  do  as  you   would  be  done  by,  every 

day  of  every  week  of  every  year.  This  includes  our  re- 
lations with  home,  societj',  and  the  masses  of  people  encountered  in  the 
daily  walks  of  life.  The  simplicity  of  this  creed  renders  it  exceedingly 
difficult  to  follow.  .  .  My  religion  teaches  me  that  it  is  demanded  of 
us  to  be  of  constant  assistance  to  one  another  in  small  ways,  but  that  it 
is  wrong  to  afifiume  another's  entire  burden  or  to  attempt  to  take  all  the 
difficulties  from  his  path.  That  interferes  with  his  development.  It  is 
for  u«  to  cheer,  stimulate  and  encourage,  but  not  to  do  the  work  given 
to  another  to  perform. 

*  I  believe  that  every  act  of  yours  and  mine  affects  all  humanit\'. 
There  is  no  such  thing  as  a  separate  life.  We  are  all  one.  If  j'ou  send 
out  thoughts  of  despondency,  hatred  and  envy,  if  you  plan  revenge  or 
suicide,  you  are  interfering  with  the  harmonj'  of  the  universe,  besides 
imnting  certain  misfortune  to  yourself.  If  you  think  love,  hope,  and 
helpfulness,  you  are  aiding  the' cause  ofuuiversal  happiness  and  success. 

'  Thottglrts  are  things,  full  of  electric   force,   and  they  go  forth  and 

produce  tiieir  own  kind.     I  believe  that  God  is  infinite  wisdom,  and  that 

evil  isonlv  blind  ignorance.' 

* 

The  Editor  of  the  Indian  Mirror,  in  a  recent 
Origins  of  editorial,  refers  to  the  causes  which  have  induced  the 
the  Hindu      present  wide-spread  revival  of  Hinduism  and  says  : 

revival.  it  is,  indeed,  a  mysterious  dispensation  of  Providence 

that  brought  India  under  the  sway  of  Britain.  The 
advent  of  the  British  to  India  had  been  prophesied  of  old  in  our  sacred 
books.  They  have  been  a  potent  instrument  for  good  in  this  countp', 
whatever  may  have  been  the  effects  of  the  material  civilisation  which 
they  have  brought  here  in  their  train.  They  have  laid  bare  to  our  ^aze 
the  priceless  truths  abounding  in  our  ancient  philosophy  and  religion, 
and  created  in  us  a  spirit  of  enquiry  and  research,  so  that  following 
their  example,  we  ourselves  have  at  last  begun  to  explore  the  store- 
houses of  tne  past.  Professor  Max  Miiller  revealed  to  Enelish-speaking 
Indians  the  treasures  that  lay  hid  in  the  sacred  books  of  the  East,  and 
they  cherish  his  name,  and  are  anxious  to  perpetuate  his  memory.  Those 
of  us  who  have  been  close  observers  of  the  march  of  events  in  India 
during  the  last  twenty-five  years,  cannot  but  have  been  struck  with  the 
fact  that  the  Hindu  religious  revival  which  has  strongly  set  in,  in  this 
country,  and  which  is  even  acknowledged  by  the  Christian  missionaries 
themselves,  is  due  to  Professor  Max  Miiller,  and  to  the  work  of  the 
Theosophical  Society,  and  the  writings  and  speeches  of  Colonel  Olcott, 
Mrs.  Besant  and  other  European  leaders  of  that  Society.  Non-Hindus 
have  become  Hindus,  those  whose  faith  in  their  religion  used  once  to 
waver  have  rallied  round  it,  swarms  of  books  on  Hindu  religion  and 
philosophy  issue  daily  from  the  Press,  societies  and  associations  for  the 
study  and  cultivation  of  India's  ancient  religion  stud  the  country  from 
end  to  end,  and  Anglo-Sanskrit  Schools  for  bringing  up  boys  and  ^irls 
iu  the  faith  of  their  fathers  are  the  order  of  the  day. 


446  'I^he  Theos6phist.  [Api^il 

We  cheerfully  comply   with   the  request  of  a 
./    thought    correspondent  who  sends  the  following,  asking  that 
about  we  lay  it  before  our  readers  : — 

an  idol,  "  a  thought  while  reading  '  Avataras*  this  momitig 

after  meditation,  struck  me  as  regards  idol  worship.  Why 
is  it  enjoined  and  what  does  it  typify  ?  A  stone  idol  gives  us  an  idea  of 
our  early  stage  at  which  we  were  as  rough  and  unhewn  as  a  solid  piece 
of  stone!!  Just  as  a  statue  or  idol  is  chiselled  out  of  it  and  then  becomes 
worthy  of  worship  and  place  in  our  hearts,  so  we  have  to  chisel  out  the 
divine  from  the  brute  in  us.  Before  the  sculjJtor's  mental  eyes  ever 
stands  the  model,  vseeing  which,  he  labours  to  strike  off  a  piece  here  and  a 
piece  there  to  give  vSymmetry  to  the  stone  ;  so  shall  we  ever  hold  before 
our  inner  e3^es  the  ideal  of  the  Guni-deva,  to  eradicate  impurities  and 
then  to  mould  ourselves  into  His  purity  and  blessedness." 

«  • 
Our  esteemed  contributor,  Jehangir  Sorabji,   of 
Occult  Hyderabad,  Deccan,  sends  us  the  following  interest- 

Arithvictic.       ing  item  : — 

The  Court  of  Akbar  was  ever  alive  with  the 
presence  of  spiritual  magnates,  coming  from  various  parts  of  India, 
Persia,  China  and  even  from  Europe.  Side  by  side  with  the 
Moulavis  of  Islam,  there  sat  before  him  venerable  Rishis,  Parsi 
Dasturs,  and  Buddhist  Bhikshiis.  Gifted  with  most  liberal  views 
about  God  and  the  after  life,  and  earnestly  studious  to  know  the 
best  in  every  religion  other  than  his  own,  he  welcomed  all  enquirers 
after  Truth  with  a  broad  mind  and'  an  open  heart.  In  India, 
religious  toleration  lived  and  died  with  Akbar.  Tulsi  Das,  the 
great  devotee  of  Sri  Rama,  was  once  invited  to  the  Court,  and 
Akbar  in  a  conversazione  requested  him  to  inform  the  assembly  of 
his  own  conception  of  God,  and  whether  He  was  in  the  world  or 
out  of  the  world.  Tulsi  said  that  his  ^  (Rfima)  was  both  intracos- 
mic  and  extracosmic.  Being  asked  to  give  proof  of  what  he  spoke, 
the  devotee  asked  the  king  (''l*^)  to  give  the  number  of  letters 
in  his  name.  On  being  informed  that  it  consisted  of  4  letters,  he 
was  told  to  multiply  4  by  4,  adding  5  to  the  result.  The  result,  21. 
was  then  doubled  and  then  divided  by  8.  This  manipulation  of 
figures  left  2  as  remainder,  typical  of  two  letters  in  the  word  ^T*?. 
Akbar  may  rule  over  India  or  over  the  globe,  after  him  ^'I  only 
will  remain  ;  and  Akbar  was  Akbar,  because  Tiilsi's  V^  was  in 
him. 

The  other  courtiers  who  were  present  tried  the  figures  with 
their  own  names  consisting  of  5,  6,  7  or  8  letters,  with  a  similar 
result  thus, 

5x4=20:  20+5=25:  25  +  25  =  50:  V-  Remainder,  2. 

6x4=24:  24+5  =  29:  29  +  29=58:  V:  Remainder,  2. 

7  X  4=28 :  28  +  5  =  33  :  33  +  33  =  66  :  •/  •  Remainder,  2- 

8x4  =  32:  32  +  5=37:  37+37'=74:  \^  :  Remainder,  2. 

Mrs.    Besant,   in  presenting  some    views  con- 
Idolatry  ex-    cerning  **  Idolatry,"   in   the   Central  Hindu  College 
plained.         MagazifU,  says  in  relation  to   the  practice  of  repre- 
senting some  material  form  of  Deity  for  worsnip. 
that  it  is  so  "  universal  and  persistent,  we  may  be  sure  that  some 
fact  in   nature   is  its  root,  and  that  it  should  be  understood,   and 
purified  if  necessar>',  not  destroyed.     In  fact,  it  cannot  be  destroyed, 
and,  if  its  forni  be  shattered,  it  takes  to  itself  a  new  one. 

The  fact  at  the  root  of  idolatry  is  that  the  limited  mind  of  man 
cannot  grasp,  cannot  understand,  the  unlimited  Brahman,  the  one 


1901.]  Cuttings  and  Comments.  447 

Infinite  Existence."  After  referring  to  the  different  attributes  of 
Deity  which  certain  idols  or  images  represent  to  the  mind  of  the 
worshipper,  she  says  the  Deity  may  be  worshipped  in  any  material 
symbol.  *'  A  tree,  a  stone,  may  serve  as  a  physical  representative 
of  God.  If  a  man  worship  a  tree  or  a  stone,  as  itself,  he  is  ignorant ; 
if  he  worship  God  in  the  tree  or  stone,  he  is  wise  and  worships 
rightly.  It  IS  idolatrj'  in  the  bad  sense  to  worship  a  form  instead  of 
the  indwelling  Life  ;  it  is  idolatry  in  the  good  sense  to  worship  God 
in  everything,  and  love  Him  in  all  objects."  In  reference  to  the 
mental  images  we  form,  of  the  Divine,  she  says  :  **  But  these 
mental  idols  are  often  more  dangerous  than  the  physical,  for  no 
man  can  confound  the  physical  image  with  God,  whereas  many  do 
dimly  fancy  that  their  mental  conception  of  God,  is  God.'' 

« 

Mr.  Julian  Ralph,  who  has  travelled  extensively 
Woniai        in  China,  and  has  become  intimately  acquainted  both 
Missionaries     with  the  missionaries  and  the  most  broad-minded  of 
and  the         the  natives,  was  urged  by  an  experienced  missionary 
Chinese        to  give  his  views  to  the  public.     He  at  first  declined, 
crisis.  but  at  a    later  date,  reconsidered  the   matter,   and 

wrote  an  important  article  to  the  Daily  Mail 
(London).  He  says  the  first  trouble  began  with  the  general  antag- 
onism toward  missionaries,  though  the  interference  of  foreign 
governments  in  Chinese  affairs  brought  the  troubles  to  a  head. 
After  disposing  with  what  he  term^  some  **  irrational  "  criticisms  of 
missionaries,  he  presents  the  other  side  of  the  question,  and  hopes 
the  churches  in  the  West  will  ponder  it  well,  as  it  has  the  sanction 
of  some  of  the  oldest  and  most  experienced  missionaries,  one  of 
whom  is  the  husband  of  a  Chinese  lady.  The  following  are  his  chief 
statements : — 

**  First  of  all,  men  too  often  volunteer  as  missionaries  to  satisfy  their 
own  needs  instead  of  being  carefully  vselected  to  satisfy  the  needs  of  the 
Chinese.  In  America  the  men  who  are  sent  out  as  missionaries  are  too 
frequently  persons  who  have  failed  in  other  walks  and  who  take  to  this 
work  as  a  last  resoit,  as  a  certain  means  to  get  an  income,  and  because 
they  thus  cease  to  shift  for  themselves  and  have  a  Church  or  rich  society 
to  lean  upon.  I  do  not  criticise  the  men  for  this  ;  it  is  the  system  that 
is  at  fault. 

THE  WRONG  SORT   OF    MEN. 

"  On  the  ship  bound  for  China  I  was  struck  by  the  mediocre  mental 
character  of  too  many  of  the  men.  They  were  often  villagers  and  men  of 
the  narrowest  horizon.  It  was  these  who  declared  what  they  would  do 
and  have  and  would  not  have  when  they  reached  their  stations  as  if  the 
Christianising  of  an  ancient,  a  polished,  and  a  highly  cultivated  race 
was  to  be  carried  out  by  a  word  of  command  instead  of  by  the  most 
sage,  deft,  tactful,  and  sympathetic  means.  '  I'll  have  no  convert  who 
permits  his  wife  to  cramp  her  feet,'  said  one,  and  that  fairly  illustrates 
the  mental  attitude  towards  their  work,  of  too  many  whom  I  met.  Small 
feet,  concubinage,  even  the  reverent  regard  of  all  good  Chinamen  for 
their  ancestors  were  to  be  instantly  discountenanced,  before  the  true 
modes  of  life  and  worship  were  established  in  their  places. 

*'  When  I  travelled  m  China  I  found  that  the  ablest  and  broadest 
Chinamen  could  not  understand  or  justify  the  behaviour  of  our  mission- 
aries—proper as  it  was,  to  our  way  of  thinking.  If  these  able  Chinamen 
were  confounded  by  what  they  saw,  it  is  easy  to  understand  the  source 
of  the  hostility  of  the  peasantry.  In  China  a  woman  never  may  reveal 
the  outlines  of  her  body.  To  do  so  is  indecent  beyond  the  excesses  of 
the  most  dissolute  of  the  sex.  Innocent  and  beautiful  statues  of  the  nude 
are  viewed  with  disgust  in  China.  The  ladies  cover  even  their  hands  ; 
their  faces  may  only  be  seen  with  difl5culty  through  the  lattice  shades 


448  The  Theosophist.  [April 

of  their  sedan  chairs.  The  poorefst  wonieiv,  who  work  out  of  doors,  re- 
veal only  their  hands  and  faces.  Fancy,  then,  the  effect  upon  the 
Chinese  of  seeing  the  wives  and  sisters  of  the  missionaries  dressed  as  they 
would  appear  at  home,  in  garments  which  closely  follow  the  lines  of 
the  bust  and  hips. 

NO  WOMEN  MISSIONARIES  SHOULD  GO. 

"And,  now,  as  to  the  relations  of  the  sexes.  Women  of  good  repute 
keep  indoors  —are  kept  in  if  you  please.  The  missionary  women  roam 
freely  about  as  they  will.  Kissing  is  regarded  as  a  vicious  and  an  un- 
speafeable  act,  yet  our  missionary  women  kiss  their  husbands  and  bro- 
thers in  the  streets  when  they  meet  .after  being  parted  for  a  time.  In 
China,  when  a  bride  is  about  to  be  carried  in  her  '  flowery*  (her  bridal 
chair)  to  the  bridegroom's  house,  she  has  to  be  borne  to  the  chair  by  her 
father.  No  other  male  relative  has  ever  touched  even  her  hand  for  years, 
not  since  she  was  an  infant  and  played  with  her  brother.  If  she  has  no 
father,  a  brother  or  an  uncle  may  take  the  liberty  and  perform  the  office 
of  lifting  her  and  carrying  her  away- -because  it  could  not  be  imagined 
that  any  girl  would  leave  her  home  and  people  of  her  own  free  wU. 
even  to  be  married. 

'•  When  people  have  such  notions  and  customs  what  do  j'ou  suppose 
they  think  upon  seeing  our  men  and  women  shaking  hands,  walking 
arm-in-arm,  helping  each  other  over  muddv  roads,  and  fondling  or 
handling  one  another  as  our  husbands  and  wives  are  free  and  rieht  in 
doing  ?  From  what  I  saw  and  heard  I  drew  the  conclusion  that  no 
women  should  be  sent  or  should  go  with  our  missionaries  to  China.  It 
is  the  women  who  innocently  cause  a  ^reat  fraction  of  the  mischief.  If 
any  women  are  permitted  to  go  to  China  they  should  only  be  such  as 
understand  Chinese  etiquette,  customs,  and  prejudices,  and  mean  to 
defer  to  them." 

"  You  are  absolutely  right,"  said  the  able  missionary  with  whom  I 
spoke  and  whose  wife  was  a  Chinese  woman.  "  Now,  what  about  the 
men  ?" 

"  Men,"  I  replied,  *'  should  not  be  sent  merely  because  they  are  will- 
ing to  go.  The  men  who  are  sent  should  be  of  exceptional  and  peculiar 
ability,  for  I  know  of  no  more  delicate  and  difficult  task  than  reall3' 
Christianising  I  mean  genuinely  Christianising  the  Chinese.  The 
missionaries  should  be  men  born  with  tact,  sympath}',  and  consideration 
for  those  around  them.  They  should  be  very  broad-minded,  and  should 
approach  the  Chinese  with  respect  for  their  great  qualities  and  wonder- 
ful history  and  achievements.  The}'  are  by  no  means  a  decayed  or 
stagnant  race  like  the  people  of  India.  They  are  still  intellectual,  quick, 
and  shrewd  ;  and  as  they  are  the  most  polite,  formal,  and  ceremonious 
people  on  earth,  the  missionaries  shoula  be  able  to  blend  their  manners 
with  those  of  their  neighbours.  They  should  learn  the  language  (both 
written  and  spoken),  master  the  religion,  and  know  as  much  as  possible 
of  the  history  and  traditions  of  the  people,  in  order  to  discuss  intel- 
ligently everj-  new  principle  they  advocate. 

"  But  as  I  said  in  the  first  sentence,  our  missionaries  should  be  sent 
to  meet  the  needs  of  the  Chinese,  and  not  to  satisfy  their  own  needs. 
Such  men  will  know  how  to  talk  viith  men  of  the  governing  classes  (now 
seldom  approached)  and  how  to  manage,  or  perhaps  to  leave  alone  the 
care  of  the  children— which  latter  work  is  almost  as  productive  of  mis- 
understanding and  trouble  as  the  presence  of  the  missionary-  women." 


THE     THEOSOPHIST. 

(Founded  in  1879.) 


VOL.  XXII,  NO.  8,  MAY  1901. 


"THERE  IS  NO  RELIGION   HIGHER  THAN   TRUTH." 

[Fami/y  vwlto  of  the  Maharajahs  of  Baiares.'] 


OLD  DIARY  LEAVES* 
Fourth  Series,  Chapter  XIX. 

(Year  1891.) 

ON  the  20th  (Jul)')  Mr.  Harte  brought  to  see  me  a  distinguished 
Hindu  gentleman  who  expressed  so  much  interest  in  my  life- 
work  as  to  surprise  me  ;  he  went  so  far  as  to  entreat  me  to  either 
write,  or  let  Mr.  Harte  write,  my  biography,  offering  to  advance 
the  whole  cost  of  publication  :  he  said  that  his  compatriots,  at  least, 
would  never  forget  me  for  what  I  had  done  for  them  and  their  coun- 
try, and  that  I  owed  it  to  them  to  put  on  record  the  story  of  m>' 
antecedents  and  different  branches  of  work.  I  thanked  him  sincerely 
for  his  evidence  of  good  feeling,  but  had  to  decline  as,  being  a  firm 
believer  in  the  evolution  of  the  human  entity  through  numberless 
reincarnations,  I  considered  these  vauntings  of  a  single  personality 
as  trash.  As  he,  also,  being  a  Hindu,  was  of  necessity  a  reincarna- 
tionist,  I  bade  him  tell  me,  if  he  could,  the  details  of  either  one  of 
his  past  lives,  among  which  some  must  have  been  very  influential  or 
else  he  could  never  have  evolved  up  to  his  present  degree  of  intellec- 
tual and  moral  strength.  I  asked  him  to  recall  to  mind  the  thousand 
and  one  architectural  monuments  erected  by  sovereigns  of  Indian 
Provinces,  in  their  time  considered  mighty  and  never-to-be-for- 
gotten, but  whose  very  names  and  epochs  are  now  the  subject  of 
mere  conjecture.  He  had  to  confess  the  justness  of  the  position  but 
still  continued  to  importune  me  until  I  gave  him  the  decisive  answer, 

•  Three  volumes,  in  series  (»f  thirty  chapters,  tracing  the  history  of  the 
Theosophical  Society  from  its  beginning's  at  New  York,  have  appeared  in  the 
Theosophist,  and  two  volumes  are  available  in  book  form.  Price,  Vol.  I.,  cloth, 
Rs.  3-8.0,  or  paper,  Rs.  2-3-0.  Vol.  II.,  beautifully  illustrated  with  views  of  Adyar, 
has  just  been  received  by  the  Manager,  Theosophisl :  price,  cloth,  Rs,  5  ;  paper, 
Rs.  3-8-0. 


450  The  Theosophist.  [^ay 

that  I  should  refuse.  What  a  pity  it  is  that  members  of  our 
Society,  pretending  to  familiarity  with  our  literature  and  accepting 
the  theory  of  reincarnation,  cannot  apparently  show  the  least  proof 
of  their  sincerity  :  they  cling  to  and  try  to  exalt  their  pigmy  person- 
alities, and  to  the  end  of  their  daj's  live  within  the  impassable  ring 
of  their  nationalities  and  social  or  caste  prejudices.  Orthodoxy  the)- 
spell  autodoxy. 

Mr.    Judge  and  I,    being  such  old  acquaintances  and,    until 
somewhat  later,  personal  friends,  passed  most  of  our  time  together 
and  discussed  the  situation   in  all  its  aspects.    As   I  have  before 
stated,  he  had  developed  enormously  since  the  early  days  at   New 
York,  when  he  was  a  very  insignificant  party,  both  as  to  character 
and  position  :  his  capacity  only  devoloped  itself  in    1886,     eleven 
years    after    our    meeting.     My     confidence    in     him,     however, 
received  a  severe  shock,  for  he  made  pretenses  of  intimacy  with  the 
Mahatmas,    which    were    absolutely    contradicted    by    the    whole 
drift  of  his  private  letters  to  me  since  we  parted  at  New  York ; 
he  had  been  constantly  importuning  me  to  get  messages  from  them 
and    complaining  of  their  obstinate   silence.     He  even    went  so 
far  as  to    lay    on    my    table,    inside  the  open    cover  of    another 
letter,  a  message  to  me  in  Mahatma  handwriting,  and  then  clumsily 
told  me,  when  he  found   I  had   not   said  anything  about  it,  that 
the  Mahatma  bade  him  tell  me  that  there  was  such  a  note  on  nij- 
table.    The  message  itself,   when   found,   turned  out  to  be  a  pal- 
pable fraud.    A  variety  of  other  things  happening  at  this    same 
time  lowered  him  very  much  in  my  esteem,  and  from  that  time  for 
ward  I  had  no  confidence  in   his  pretended   revelations  and  occult 
commissions.     But  all  this    is  now  a  matter  of  history,   and  has 
been  published  in  connection   with  the  case  instituted  against  him 
later  on.    The  worst  of  his  operations  were  the  deceptions  he 
practiced  upon  that  dear  woman,   Mrs.  Besant,  who  was  one  of  his 
most  fervent  admirers   and  reposed  in  him  a  touching  confidence. 
But  we  shall  come  to  this  in  its  proper  place.    However,    the 
exposure  had  not  yet  come  and  so  we  were  on  the  footing  of  the 
old  friendship.    He  and  I   went  and  bought  two  bronze  vases  and 
divided   H.  P.  B.'s  ashes;   of  which   I  carried   the  Adyar  portion 
with  me  around  the  world,  with  a  notification    on  the  wrapper 
that  in  case  of  my  sudden  death  en  route,  the  package  was  to  be 
forwarded  to  Adyar  by  whomsoever  should  take  charge  of  my  eflFects. 
It  goes  without  saying   that  if  I   had  had   the  least  prevision  of 
the  future  secession  of  the  American  Branches  and  Judge  from  the 
Society,  I  would   not  have  given    him   one  grain   of  the  precious 
dust. 

Mrs.  Besant  and  I  arranged  that  she  should  come  out  and  make 
a  tour  in  India  the  next  season,  and  a  preliminary  notice  was 
issued  by  me  to  that  effect.  This  programme  was,  however, 
cancelled  by  her,  although  her  passage  was  actually  engaged,  on 


196V]  Old  Diary  Leaves.  451 

receipt,  through  Judge,  of  a  bogus  Mahatma  order,  the  particulars 
of  which  are  now  historical.  My  present  conviction  is  that  he  had 
a  double  purpose  in  view,  viz,^  to  keep  Mrs.  Besant  within  easy 
reach,  and  to  prevent  her  from  comparing  notes  with  me  at  Adyar 
about  his  occuU  messages  and  pretensions.  The  tour  was  ultimately 
made  in  the  year  1893-4,  and  will  be  described  in  a  future  chapter. 

During  my   stay  in   London,    I  paid  a   visit  to  a    Working 
Women's  Club  at  Bow,  which  had  been  started  by  H.  P.  B.  with  the 
;^iooo,  given  her  by  a  sympathetic   friend  who  ordered  his  name 
\\'ithheld  and  who  left  to  her  discretion  the  way  in  which  it  should 
be  used  for  the  benefit  of  working  women.     Naturally,   she  con- 
sulted Mrs.  Besant,  having  had  no  experience  whatever  herself  as 
to  the  needs  of  that  class,  and  they  decided  to  use  it  for  the 
founding  of  a  social  club  in  the  heart  of  the  East  gnd.    A  roon^y, 
old-fashioned  house,  just  opposite  the  Church,   was  rented,  plain- 
ly fitted  up,   and  the  good   Mrs.  Lloyd  engaged  as  Matron.     I  was 
very  much  pleased  with  the  appearance  of  thiugs  and  did  my  best 
to  help  make  the  evening  pass  pleasantly  for  the  wprking  girls. 
Miss  Potter,  an  American  elocutionist,   recited  admirably  a  number 
of  pieces,  there  was  piano  playing  and  singing,  an  infor^lal  dance, 
a  epilation,    and,  laying  aside  my   official   dignity  for  the  time, 
I  yielded  to  a  request  of  Mrs.  Lloyd's  and  sang  some  f  rish  songs. 
It  will  surprise  no  one  to  learn  that  this  style  of  music  was  better 
suited  to  the  tastes  and  capacities  of  the  audience  than  the  mQst 
brilliant  pieces  played  on   the  piano.     I  was  greatly  amused  on 
receiving  next  day,  from  the  Matron,  a  note  begging  me  to  send 
her  the  words  of  "  The  low-backed  Car,"  with  the  remark  that  the 
girls  would  give  her  no  peace  until  she  had  written  me.    The 
experimept  of  the  Bow  Club,  albeit  superintended  by  Mrs.  Annie 
Besant  whom  the  working-girls  fairly  worshipped,  proved  a  fail- 
ure in  the  end  and  the  house  had  to  be  closed. 

It  was  thought  best  that  I  should  visit  New  York  and  pass 
through  the  country  to  San  Francisco,  so  as  to  help  to  cheer  up 
our  American  colleagues ;  this,  moreover,  would  give  me  the  chance 
of  ta}ang  counsel  with  the  principal  Japanese  Priests  about  my 
Platlorm  of  the  Fourteen  Principles.  So  this  was  determined  upon 
aud  I  engaged  passage  for  New  York  by  the  Atlantic  greyhound 
'*  New  York,"  for  the  i6th  ot  September.  My  movements  were  closely 
calculated  so  that  I  should  get  back  to  Madras  in  time  to  make  the 
usual  arrangements  for  the  Convention. 

Having  determined  to  gratify  a  long-felt  wish  to  study  at  first- 
hand tlie  theories  and  experiments  of  the  rival  hypnotic  schools  of 
Paris  and  Nancy,  I  crossed  over  with  Mr.  Mead  to  Parig  on  the  last 
day  of  July,  and  we  reached  our  destination  without  any  notable 
incident  on  the  way.  Invitations  to  dinner  from  Lady  Caithness, 
Duc;he9se  de  Pomar,  Madame  Zambaco,  the  Sculptress,  and  another 
l*4y  member  of  the  Society,  awaited  me.    On  the  next  day  I  had 


4^2  T*he  Theosophist.  [May 

the  pleasure  of  visiting  again  Prof.  De  Rosny,  of  the  Sorbonne,  and 
the  honour  of  making  the   acquaintance   of  Eniil    Bumouf,  the 
Sanskritist,  and  brother  of  the  world-renowned  late  Eugene  Burnouf, 
the  master  of  Prof.    Max  Miiller,  from  both  of  whom  Mr.  Mead  and 
I  received  a  most  cordial  welcome.     M,  De  Rosuj*^  has  been  known 
throughout  the  literary  world  for  years  as  a  lecturer  on  and  advocate 
of  Buddhism  ;  he  is  one  ot  the  most  erudite  sinologues  in  the  world. 
At  this  time  the   brilliant,    and  still  handsome,   Countess  of 
Caithness  was  enjoying  excellent  health  and  spirits,  and  was  full  of 
interest  in  the  Theosophical   Society,   of  which  she  had  long  been 
a  member.    We  had  become  great  friends  during  the  visit  of  H.  P.  B. 
and  myself  to  her  favourite  winter  resort,  the  Palais  Tiranty,  Nice, 
and  she  was  always  extremely    cordial  to    me  on  the  occasions  of 
my  visits  to  Paris.    During  the  present  one  she  had  me  to  dinner, 
drove  me  out  to  the  Bois,   invited   friends  to  meet  me,  and  showed 
other  civilities.     To   signify    her  friendship,     she  had  made  for 
me,  in  diamonds  and  rubies,  a  miniature  copy  of  our  Societ5r's  seal, 
arranged  to  wear  in  the  button-hole.    She  was  a  woman  who,  in  her 
youth,  must  have  been  the  great  beaut 3'^  which  tradition  affirms. 
Her  first  husband  was  a  Spanish   Count  and   General,   afterwards 
raised  to  the  dignit}'-  of  Due.     His  family  name  was  Pomar,  and  the 
fruit  which  the  word  represents  was  blazoned  on  his  Coat-of-Arms. 
By  him  she  had  a  son,  now  the  holder  of  the  title,  and  a  young  man 
of  most  agieeable  manners  and   known  in  literature  as  the  author  of 
several   romances.     Some   years    afler  her    husband's  death    she 
married  the  eccentric   Earl   of  Caithness,   representative   of  one  of 
the  most  ancient  families   of  Great  Britain.     He  was  a  great  expert 
in  mechanical  science.     Lady   Caithness'   father  owned  large  sugar 
plantations  and  many  slaves  in   Cuba.     From  all  these  sources  her 
ladyship   inherited,   it   is   said,  a  large  fortune ;    certainly,    if  the 
possession  of  a  splendid   palace  in  Paris,  gorgeously  furnished,  and 
probably  the  finest   diamonds  outside   royal   regalia,  in  Europe,  go 
for  anything,  we   may  well   believe    the  story.     She  had  been  for 
many  years  an  ardent  Spiritualist ;  previously  to  that,  a  deep  student 
of  mesmerism.    The  natural   graduation   from  such  a  preliminary 
course  was  Theosophy,   which    takes   them  both  in  and  explains 
them  as  no  other  school  of  thought   can.     She  was  not  a  woman  of 
fixed  ideas,   but  on  the   contrary,   impulsive  and  changeful.     As 
her  son  had  no  wish  to  marry — at  least,  so  she  told  me — ^she  specu- 
lated  much  as  to  how  she  should  leave    her  fortune,  and  at  the 
time  I  speak  of,  was  balancing  between  a  little  Spiritualist  group 
that  met  at  her  house,  and  that  she  had  christened  the  **  Star  Circle," 
and  our  Society.     Later  on,  she  summoned  Mr.  Mead  and  the 
Countess  Watchmeister  to  help  her  frame  a  Will  bequeathing  us — 
I  believe — the  reversionar>'  interest  of  her  whole  property  upon 
the   death  of  her  son  ;  with   certain    legacies  to  the  medium    or 
mediums  who  had  helped  her  keep  up  the  "  Star  Circle"  meetings. 


IdOl.]  Old  Diary  Leaves.  453 

But  this  was  a  flash  in  the  pan  and,  in  point  of  fact,  she  made 
no  bequest  of  the  kind,  but  her  whole  estate  passed  to  her  son. 
She  left  behind  her  several  books  on  Occult  subjects,  ofwhich 
one,  at  least,  testified  to  her  industry  in  compilation,  l^ike  most 
of  us,  she  had  her  illusions,  but  they  were  harmless,  the  chief  one 
being  that  she  was  a  reincarnation  of  Mary,  Queen  of  Scots.  She 
published  one  brochure  entitled  **  A  night  at  Holyrood,"  in  which 
she  describes  a  meeting  between  her  and  the  spirit  of  the  unfortu- 
nate Queen.  H.  P.  B.,  with  characteristic  frankness,  posed  her 
with  the  question  how  she  could  be  at  one  and  the  same  time  the 
embodied  Lady  Caithness  and  the  disembodied  Mar3\  Her  "  Star 
Circle**  was  held  in  an  exquisite  little  chapel  in  her  Paris  palace, 
built  expressly  for  it.  At  the  place  where  the  altar  usually  is,  was 
a  niche  at  the  bottom  of  which  was  a  really  splendid  picture,  in  full- 
length,  of  Mary,  Queen  of  Scots.  From  gas-jets  masked  behind  the 
side  pillars,  an  admirably  arranged  flood  of  light  was  thrown  upon 
the  picture,  and,  the  chapel  being  in  deep  shadow,  an  effect  of  start- 
ling realism  was  produced :  it  seemed  almost  as  though  Mary  would 
step  out  of  the  canvas  and  advance  to  receive  the  homage  of  her 
adorer. 

Another  old  friend  of  H.P.B/s  and  mine,  of  whom  I  saw  much 
during  my  visit  to  Paris  in  question,  was  the  Countess  Gaston  d' 
Adhemar,  F.T.S.,  a  great  American  beauty,  married  to  the  represen- 
tative of  one  of  the  noblest  families  of  France.  She  was  a  true 
American,  a  warm  lover  of  her  country  and  compatriots.  She  and 
her  sister,  also  married  to  a  French  gentleman,  were  two  of  the 
handsomest  women  I  ever  saw,  but  they  were  not  alike  in  their  love 
of  Occultism  ;  the  Countess,  alone,  took  up  with  Theosophy,  and 
she  proved  her  sincerity  by  editing  and  publishing,  for  a  whole  year, 
a  Theosophical  magazine  called  La  Revue  Thtosophtgue,  which  filled 
the  gap  made  by  the  collapse  of  our  first  French  magazine,  Lc  Lotus. 
In  her  Introduction  the  Directress  explains  the  intention  of  the 
magazine  to  be  :  **  To  make  known  a  science  as  old  as  the  world 
and  yet  new  for  the  West  of  our  day."  It  was  something  really 
remarkable  that  a  lady  of  her  position  should  freely  give  her  name 
as  the  founder  of  such  a  periodical,  and  request  that  all  editorial 
communications  should  be  sent  to  her  to  the  address  of  her  private 
residence. 

My  first  move  in  the  direction  of  hypnotic  research  was  to 
call  on  my  acquaintance,  Dr.  J.  Babinski,  formerly  Prof.  Charcot's 
Chief  of  Clinic,  and  who  had  assisted  at  the  experiments  made  by  his 
master  for  me  at  the  time  of  my  first  visit  to  La  Salpetriere.  We 
had  a  most  interesting  conversation  on  our  favourite  subject.  He 
told  me  that  he  had  made  many  experiments  pointing  towards 
thought  transference ;  but,  by  Charcot's  advice,  he  was  keeping 
them  back.  I  have  a  note,  giving  the  bare  mention  of  two  or  three 
examples  which  he  related.    The  experiment  was  made  with  two 


454  The  Theos^hia^.  [H^y 

hypnotic  sensitives,  o£  whom  on^  was  in  an    upper  room,  the  other 
in  one  beneath  it ;  let  us  call  these,  Numbers  i  and  2.    To  No.  i 
was  given  the  suggestion  that  .she  was  at  the  Jardin  des   Planjtes, 
and  her  attention  was  specially  called  to  the  big  elephant  kept  there : 
patient  No.  2  received  the  same  hypnotic   illusion.    Again,  No.  1 
was,   by  suggestion,   made  speechless  ;  Na  2  also  became  mute. 
Again,  No.  1  was  made  to  see  red  melons  growing  on  a  tree  ;  to  No. 
2  this  illusion  was  gradually  transferred.    Then  th^re  were  illusions 
of  a  flag,  a  staff,  etc.  Unfortunately,  I  only  made  this  bare  miention 
of  these  interesting  facts,    and    the  multiplicity  of  my  mental  im- 
pressions within  the  subsequent  ten  years,  has  quH^  obliterated 
the  memory  of  the  details   necessary  to  give  scientific  value  to  the 
experiments.     He  was  going  his  daily  round  of  visits  to  private 
patients,  and   took  me  along,  leaving   me  in  the  carriage  while  he 
entered  the  houses.  The  way  was  enlivened  by  his  many  anecdotes, 
some  of  them  very  funny.     Here  was  on«i.    Charcot  was  holding 
his  Clinic  one  day  when   a    white-aproned  nurse    came    iu  and 
announcecl   that  a  gentleman  was  waiting  in  the  anteroom  for  an 
interview,  as  he  had  something  very  important   to  communicate. 
The  Professor  said  that  it  was  impossible  for  him  to  leave  the  Clinic 
and  asked  Babinski  to  see  what  was   wanted.    The  latter  found  in 
the  anteroom  a    thick-set,    red-haired   individual,    with  his    coat 
buttoned  up  to  his  neck  and  his  hands  clasped  behind   his  back, 
tramping  up  and  down   and  seemingly  in  a  rather  nervous  state. 
When  the  young  doctor  appeared  he  approached,   bowed   impress- 
ively and  asked    if  he  was  speaking  to  the  great  Dr.   Charcot. 
Babinski  explained  that  he  had  been  sent  to  inquire  as  to  his  busi- 
ness, as  the  Chief  was  too  much  engaged  to  come  out.     **  Then, 
Sir,"  said  the  man,  **  listen  to  me.     I  believe  that  your  school  deny 
the  reality  of  thought-transference ;  but  I,  sir,  can  give  you  a   ^nost 
crushing  proof."     **  Ah,  indeed  ;  that  is  most  important.     Pray  tell 
me  what  it  is,  for  this  is  what  Science  has  been  waiting  for.  "  "  Lis- 
ten, then,  M.  le  Docteur.    My  profession  is  that  of  a  commis  VQyagcur 
(commercial-traveller)  and  my  busiuess  takes  me  usually  to  South 
America.    Between  my  wife  and  myself  exists  the  closest  possible 
sympathy ;  our  hearts  beat  together,  we  share  each  other's  thoughts. 
We  have  acquired  during  the  long  years  of  our  ideal  marriage,  the 
power  of  holding  communion  with  each  other  in  dreams,  howsoever 
far  apart  we  may  be  in  body.    Well,  sir,  on  arriving  home  recently 
after  fifteen  months*  separation,  I  found  that  we  had  an  addition  to 
our  family.    The   hard-headed    Babinski,   being  a  disbeliever   in 
thought-transference,  could  not  prevent  the   shadow  of  a  cloud  of 
doubt  from  passing  over  his   face ;  which,   perceiving,  the   visitor 
exclaimed.     *'  You   seem  to  doubt  me,  sir ;  but   I   can  assure  you 
that  this  is  not  the  first  time  !  "   Dr.  Charcot's    emissar>'  thereupon 
saluted  him  gravely,  said  he  should  certainly  report  this  evidence 
to  the  Chief,  and  dismissed  the  happy  husband. 


1901.]  Old  Diary  Leaves.  455 

Professor  Charcot  being  away  from  Paris  when  the  letter 
announcing  my  intended  visit  came,  he  sent  instructions  to  his  then 
Chtfde  CUniqiu^  Dr.  Georges  Gitinqn,  to  conduct  the  experiments 
for  me  in  the  laboratory.*  My  first  seance  was  on  the  5th  August, 
and  the  female  patient  operated  upon,  a  well-known  sensitive,  whose 
case  has  been  described  in  several  medical  works.  The  experi- 
ments made  were  so  suggestive  and  intrinsically  valuable  that 
they  deserve  a  more  permanent  record  than  can  be  gained  in  the 
pages  of  a  magazine,  and  so  I  shall  again  draw  from  a  back  number 
of  the  Thec^ophisi  portions  of  my  printed  report,  as  I  could  not 
possibly  make  the  natrative  any  clearer  by  re-writing  it.  In 
the  first  day's  experiments,  now  under  discussion,  **  Dr.  Guinon 
produced  the  three  stages  of  Charcot — •  letharg>'/  by  pressure 
upon  the  eyeballs,  *  catalepsy,'  by  simply  lifting  the  e)'elids 
and  exposing  the  pupil  to  the  light,  and  *  somnambulism,'  by 
pressure  on  the  vertex,  or  crown  of  the  head.  Tne  patient  was 
made  to  pass  from  an^  stage  into  another  with  perfect  ease,  and  in 
whatever  oi)ie  she  was,  one  of  the  characteristic  phenomena  described 
above  was  exhibited.  As  Dr.  Guinon,  on  behalf  of  the  Charcot 
school,  denied  the  existence  of  a  mesmeric  fiuid  or  aura,  I  suggested 
to  him  the  experiment  of  making  the  patient  stand  with  her  face 
close  to  the  wall,  then  extending  his  hand  towards  the  nape  of  her 
neck  as  if  it  were  a  magnet  he  held,  and  then  slowly  withdrawing 
it,  at  the  same  time  willing  intensely  that  the  head  should  follow 
his  hand,  as  a  suspended  needle  would  a  magnet.  He  did  so,  and 
some  degree  of  attraction  was  proved.  This,  Dr.  Guinon  thought, 
might  be  due  either  to  ^is  having  made  a  slight  current  of  air  to  pass 
over  the  hysterical  girl's  super-sensitive  skin,  or  she  might  have 
felt  the  animal  heat  of  his  hand.  Either  of  these  might  act  as  a 
suggestion  and  put  the  idea  into  her  head  that  she  was  expected 
to  let  her  back  approach  the  doctor's  hand.  To  meet  this  theory, 
I  suggested  that  her  head  and  shoulders  should  be  covered  with  a 
cloth.  It  was  done,  and  there  were  still  some  signs  of  attraction.! 
I  purposely  abstained  from  making  the  experiment  myself— one 
that  I  have  made  htmdreds  of  times  successfully  in  India — that 
whatever  result  there  was,  might  be  produced  by  Dr.  Guinon's  own 

*  See  Report  in  Thetso^hisi  of  Nov*  1891. 

t  How  nonsensical  it  ao<^  seem  to  see  these  sceptical  scientists,  without 
having  taken  the  trouble  to  make  mesmeric  experiments  and  accumulate  facts, 
dogmatising  about  simple  mesmeric  phenomena  like  this  of  attraction.  Literature 
has  preserved  scores  ot  certificates  by  competent  observers  as  to  the  truth  of  this 
law,  from  the  time  of  Mesmer  onward.  No  one  would  dare  challenge  the  scientific 
status  of  the  late  Professor  Gregory,  of  the  Edinburgh  University,  and  he  tells  us 
that  he  can  vouch  for  the  fact  "  that  a  magnetfscr  can  strongly  affect  a  person 
who  is  not  only  in  another  room,  in  another  house,  or  many  hundred  yards  off,  but 
who  is  utterly  unaware  that  anything  is  to  be  done."  Dr.  Edwin  Lee,  in  his 
admirable  B<^ok  on  "  Animal  Magnetism,  and  Magnetic  Lucid  Somnambulism"  (p. 
54)  says. that  the  attraction  of  the  subject  towards  the  magneriser  makes  him 
"  follow  the  direction  of  the  hand  of  the  magnetiser — even  when  he  is  out  of  sight 
ftf  the  patient— «8  a  piece  of  iron,  fixed  on  a  pivot,  will  folk>w  Ihe  course  of  the 
mai^nct."  *M.  Charpif»nOn,  Rev.  Mr.  Sandy,  Dr.  Oalvert  Holland,  Rev.  C.  H. 
Townsend,  Dr«  EUiotson  and  many  others  confirm  this  statement. 


456  The  Theosophist.  [May 

hand.  I  was  led  to  believe  that  his  absolute  skepticism  as  to  the 
existence  of  such  a  magnetic  or  mesmeric  force  prevented  his 
getting  a  much  more  satisfactory  result,  simply  because  he  created 
no  will-  current.  However,  it  was  a  beginning.  Among  other  ex- 
periments this  day,  Dr.  G.  called  in  a  second  sensitive,  and  placing 
two  chairs  back  to  back  caused  the  two  girls  to  sit  thus  with  their 
heads  close  together,  yet  not  touching,  and  put  them  into  the 
hypnotic  sleep.  A  paralysis  {conUacture)  of  the  right  arm  of  one  of 
them  was  then  artificially  produced  (by  simple  friction  along  the 
muscles  of  the  inside  surface  of  the  arm),  and  a  large  magnet  being 
laid  gently  on  the  table  against  which  both  their  chairs  touched,  the 
paralysis  in  the  first  girl's  arm  gradually  disappeared,  and  the 
same  arm  of  the  second  girl  became  contracted.  This  mysterious 
phenomenon,  the  Charcot  school  says,  is  due  to  the  direct  auric  action 
of  the  magnet ;  for,  when  the  trick  has  been  resorted  to  of  using  a 
wooden  magnet  painted  to  resemble  the  real  one,  or  a  magnet 
made  of  simple  unmagnetised  iron,  the  transfer  does  not  take 
place.  At  least,  it  has  not  at  La  Salpetriere,  though  Dr.  Guinon 
admitted  that  it  had  in  England  and  elsewhere.  Professor  Charcot 
showed  Mr.  Harte  and  myself  this  same  experiment  in  1888,  but 
the  next  day  M.  Robert,  the  celebrated  magnetiser  of  Paris,  did 
the  same  thing  for  us  without  using  any  magnet,  but  merely  his 
meenshaum  cigar-tube.  So  that  it  is  still  a  disputable  question  to 
what  extent,  if  any,  the  magnetic  aura  is  an  active  agent  in  the 
experiment  described.  The  School  of  Nancy  says  it  has  no  effect 
at  all, — it  has  been  tried  an  hundred  times  without  active  result, 
and  the  phenomenon  is  due  to  imconscious  suggestion  and  ex- 
pectancy. 

Another  interesting  experiment  was  shown  me.  One  of  the  girls 
being  .sent  away,  the  other  was  given  a  package  of  letter-envelopes, 
and  told  that  she  would  find  upon  one  of  them  a  fine  portrait  of  Dr. 
Charcot  walking  and  followed  by  his  big  dog.  (While  both  girls 
were  out  of  the  room, I  had  marked  one  of  the  envelopes  in  the  fold  in- 
52V/^  the  flap  with  a  slight  pencil-point  speck.  He  held  this  envelope 
for  an  instant  before  her,and  said  that  this  was  the  one  which  bore  the 
picture.  The  envelope  was  then  returned  to  the  pack  and  all 
shuffled).  She  went  through  the  pack  carefully  yet  rapidly,  and  pre- 
sently selected  one  and  examined  the  imaginar>'  portrait  with  ap- 
parent pleasure,  saying  how  good  was  the  likeness,  and  asking  Dr. 
Guinon  if  it  had  been  taken  by  the  photographer  of  the  Clinique. 
I  asked  her  to  let  me  look  at  it ;  it  was  my  marked  envelope.  She 
was  then  restored  to  her  ordinary  consciousness,  and  the  freshly 
shuffled  pack  given  her  with  the  intimation  that  there  was  a  present 
for  her  in  one  of  the  envelopes.  She  looked  them  over,  uttered  a 
cry  of  pleasure  on  coming  to  one  of  them,  and  when  asked  what 
she  had  found,  said  :  **  MTiy,  a  beautiful  likeness  of  Dr.  Charcot ; 
see  for  yourself."    I  looked  :  //  was  my  marked  envelope.    Thus  un- 


1901.]  Old  Diary  Leaves.  457 

erringly  did  she,  in  full  waking  state,  choose  out  the  envelope  shown 
her,  when  hypnotised,  as  bearing  a  picture,  without  there  being  a 
single  peculiarity  of  spot,  mark,  shape,  dent  or  crease,  so  far  as  my 
eyes  could  detect,  to  show  her  that  this  was  the  right  one.  The 
Charcot  school  says  the  patient  discovers  by  her  hypersensitive  nerves 
of  vision  or  touch,  physical  peculiarities  in  the  envelope  not  visible 
to  normal  vision.  It  may  be,  but  I  do  not  believe  it :  I  think  it  is 
a  species  of  clairvoyance.*  I  suggested  this  experiment  to  Dr.  Gui- 
non :  For  him  to  take  a  package  of  envelopes,  select  out  one,  put 
a  private  mark  inside,  lay  it  on  the  table,  fix  his  attention  powerfully 
upon  it  and  try  to  visualize  to  himself  as  upon  the  paper  some 
simple  object,  say  a  triangle,  a  circle,  a  splash  of  some  colour,  etc.; 
then  to  mix  the  envelope  with  the  rest  of  the  pack,  recall  the  girl  and 
see  if  she  could  pick  it  out.  He  tried  it,  and  failed, — a  fact  tending 
to  substantiate  the  Charcot  theor>%  yet  not  conclusive,  for  similar 
experiments  of  various  kinds  have  been  often  successfully  made  by 
mesmerists — by  myself,  among  others,  and  the  supposition  is 
warranted  that  Dr.  Guinon,  from  lack  of  faith  in  the  possibility  of  the 
thing,  did  not  really  visualize  any  thought-picture  at  all  on  the 
envelope  for  the  sensitive  to  find  there.  The  colour  experiment  I 
tried  once  at  Rangoon  with  Mr.  Duncan,  Superintendent  of  the  Fire 
Department  of  that  town.  He  made  a  sensitive  Hindu  boy  of  his 
sit  near  an  open  door,  with  his  back  to  the  wall,  and  so  that  he 
could  not  see  what  was  going  on  out  in  the  verandah.  He  stood 
before  him  holding  an  opened  handkerchief  in  his  hand.  I  had  in 
mineapaperseller's  sample-book  containing  many  samples  of  various 
coloured  papers.  The  experiment  was  to  see  if,  when  I  showed  Mr. 
Duncan  a  paper  of  a  given  colour,  he  could  make  his  handkerchief 
appear  of  the  same  colour  to  the  subject,  without  his  varying 
his  questions  or  giving  any  other  hint  as  to  what  colour  was 
being  shown  to  him  by  me.  Under  the  conditions  described,  the 
mesmerized  boy  named  colour  after  colour  correctly  ;  thus  proving 
the  transfer  of  thought-images  from  the  operator  to  the  subject. 
It  is  not  unreasonable,  therefore,  to  say  that  the  whole  truth  has  not 
yet  been  reached  at  l,aSalpetriere." 

This  ended  my  first  day's  observations.  I  had  fully  intended 
to  devote  about  two  months  to  the  study  of  practical  hypnotism  in 
the  rival  French  schools,  but  the  engagements  that  came  throng- 
ing upon  me,  prevented  my  giving  more  than  a  bare  week  to  each. 

•  Or,  perhaps,  a  byper-sensitive  perception  of  auras.  A  proof  of  this  tactile 
sense  has  been  obtained  by  most  mesmerisers  by  having  their  subjects  pick  out, 
from  amongst  other  similar  objects,  a  coin,  a  letter  or  any  other  thing  which  has 
been  touched  by  them,  especially  when  the  louch  has  been  made  with  mesmeric 
intent.  Among  other  respectable  authorities  who  have  recorded  this  fact  is  Mr. 
Macpherson  Adams,  who  published  an  account  of  experiments  with  M.  Ricard's 
clairvoyant,  Calixte,  in  The  Medical  Times  for  Oct.  15,  1842.  Calixte  could  select 
a  coin  which  had  been  touched  by  his  magnetiser,  from  several  others.  And  then 
we  know  the  entirely  familiar  experiment  of  having  a  dog  select  a  handkerchief 
or  glove  which  has  been  handled  by  his  master  and  hidden  away  with  other  like 
objects. 


458  The  Theosophist.  [May 

Since  I  rode  on  the  irottoir  loulant  at  the  Paris  Exposition,  it  has 
seemed  to  me  that  it  is  a  kind  of  symbol  of  my  official  life — my 
engagements  ever  moving  forward  under  the  impulsion  of  a  con- 
cealed power,  and  I  borne  along  with  them,  try  as  I  may  to  step 
aside  for  a  res  t.  Well,  that  is  far  better  than  inaction,  for  by 
action  alone  are  the  world's  great  movements  carried  on. 

H.  S.  O1.COTT. 


WE  UHSEElf  WORLD. 

THEOSOPHICAIv  teaching  on  the  subject  of  the  unseen  world  is. 
as  those  who  have  done  me  the  honour  to  attend  previous 
lectures  are  well  aware,  ver>'  much  more  precise  and  definite  than 
that  which  we  usually  receive  from  the  religions  of  this  time  and 
place.  We  hold  that  there  is  an  unseen  world,  that  it  is  around  us 
here  and  now,  and  not  far  away  from  us,  and  that  it  remains  unseen 
simply  because  most  of  us  have  not  yet  developed  the  senses  by 
which  it  can  be  perceived ;  that  for  those  who  have  developed  these 
senses  the  world  is  not  unseen  and  not  unknown,  but  is  entirely 
within  reach,  and  can  be  explored  and  investigated  as  may  be 
desired,  just  precisely  as  any  countrj-  here  on  earth  might  be- 
Vast  parts  of  the  world's  surface  remained  unknown  for  hundreds, 
even  thousands  of  years,  until  explorers  were  found  who  took 
the  trouble  and  had  the  necessary  qualifications  to  investigate 
them.  Pyven  now  there  remain  parts  of  our  world's  surface  of 
which  very  little  is  known.  The  North  Pole  lies  still  beyond  the 
reach  of  man,  though  it  may  not  be  ver>'  long  before  even  that  also  is 
conquered. 

Now,  with  regard  to  these  unseen  worlds,  they  have  not  remain- 
ed unknown  to  all,  any  more  than  many  of  the  remote  places  of  the 
earth  have  really  remained  unknown  from  the  beginning  of  time 
until  now.  There  are  vast  tracts  of  primeval  fofests  still  standing  in, 
for  example.  South  America,  untouched  by  any  recent  exploration, 
untrodden  by  the  foot  of  man  for  perhaps  thousands  of  years  ;  but  long 
before  that  there  were  great  races  to  whom  all  that  country  was  not 
unknown  or  untrodden,  but,  on  the  contrary,  to  whom  it  was  perfect* 
ly  familiar,  for  whom  it  was  a  native  land.  Now,  just  in  the  same 
way  this  "  unknown  world"  is  unknown  only  to  us  here  and  now ; 
it  was  not  unknown  to  the  great  races  of  old,  not  unscien  by  those 
among  them  who  were  more  highly  developed,  the  seers  and  the 
prophets  and  the  teachers.  On  the  contrar>%  you  will  find  a  good  deal 
of  information  about  this  unseen  world  among  the  sacred  writings  of 
the  various  religions,  and  in  many  cases  exactly  what  has  been 
taught  by  Theosophy  is  to  be  found  in  the  ancient  faiths. 

**  A  Lecture  delivered  at  Chicago,   Sunday  Evening,   November  18,  1900,  by 
C.  W.  Leadbeater,  and  published  in  tlic  Progressive  Thinker  of  Chicago. 


igOJ.J  The  Unseen  W^orld.  459 

It  i3  only  here  and  now,  and  especially  among  the  followers  of 
the  religion  which  is  predominant  in  this  part  of  the  world,  that  atiy 
uncertainty  seems  to  have  arisen  with  regard  to  this  unseen  world. 
The  consequence  of  all'the  vague  thought  and  speech  about  it  is  that 
the  world  itself  is  supposed  to  be  vague  and  dim  and  uncertain  also. 
People  feel  that  because  tliey  individually  know  nothing  for  certain 
with  regard  to  this  unseen  world,  therefore  there  is  nothing  certainly 
to  be  known,  and  the  whole  affair  is  misty,  distant  and  unreal. 

Now  I  am  anxious,  if  it  be  possible,  to  put  before  you  the 
Theosophical  teaching  on  this  subject  and  to  try  to  show  you  that  we 
have  every  reason  for  accepting  that  teaching  and  understanding  that 
this  world,  though  at  present  unseen  to  many,  is  by  no  means 
unreal,  but  it  is  in  every  way  as  actual  as  this  which  we  can  all 
touch  ^nd  see  and  hear. 

•  ■  ♦        - 

First,  then,  I  should  like  to  explain  how  this  unseen  world  is 
absolutely  a  continuation  of  what  is  known,  how  the  senses  (latent 
in  all  of  us,  though  developed  only  in  few)  by  which  the  unknown 
world  niay  be  cognized,  are  simply  in  the  first  place  a  development 
of  the  senses  which  you  know.  That  may  perhaps  help  you  to  un- 
derstand the  reality  of  this  unseen  world,  and  that  there  is  no  diffi- 
culty in  our  way  in  accepting  it.  Unfortunately  all  that  most  people 
know  about  it— or  think  they  know— has  been  given  to  them  by  the 
religions,  and  the  religions  have  contrived  to  be  so  thoroughly 
unscientific  in  their  presentment  of  it  that  they  have  simply  cast 
doubt  and  thrown  discredit  upon  the  whole  affair  in  the  minds  of 
thinking  nien ;  so  that  those  among  the  orthodox  who  most  thoroughly 
believe  in  the  unseen  world  now,  those  who  feel  most  certain  that 
they  know  exactly  what  that  unseen  world  contains,  and  what  will  be 
the  fate  of  man  after  death,  are  usually  precisely  the  most  ignorant 
people  of  all.  Now  that  should  not  be  so.  It  should  not  be  for  the 
igixorant,  the  bigoted,  to  feel  certain  about  these  matters.  On  the 
contrary,  the  most  highly  intelligent  and  the  most  scientifically 
trained  men  ought  to  be  best  able  to  grasp  the  evidence  for  the  ex- 
istence of  this  world,  ought  to  be  the  foremost  in  upholding  it  as  a 
truth. 

Let  me  first  say  som,ething  about  the  senses  by  which  this  unseen 
world  is  cognized  and  about  the  constitution  of  the  world  itself, 
because  those  two  subjects  are  very  closely  connected  and  we  cannot 
examine  into  one  without  also  looking  at  the  other. 

You  are  q,uite  aware  that  we  may  have  matter  in  diflferent 
cot^ditiqns.  You  are  also  no  doubt  aware  that  matter  may  be  made 
to  change  its  condition  by  variations  of  pressure  and  of  temperature. 
You  Jcnow  that  we  have  down  here,  three  well-known  states  of  matter, 
the  solid,  liquid  and  gaseous,  and  you  know  that  it  is  the  theory  of 
scientists  that  all  substances  can,  under  proper  variation  of  tempera- 
ture  ar^d  preissure,  ^xist  in  all  these  conditions.  There  are  still,  I  think, 
a  few  svibst^nces  which  chemists  have  not  succeeded  in  reducing  from 


460  ^he  Theosophist.  [May 

one  state  to  another  ;  but  the  theory  universally  held  by  scieutists  is 
that  it  is  after  all  only  a  question  of  temperature  one  way  or  the 
other ;  that  just  as  what  is  ordinarily  water  may  become  ice  at  a  lower 
temperature,  and  may  become  steam  at  a  higher  one,  so  every  solid 
which  we  know  might  become  liquid  or  might  become  gaseous,  g^ven 
proper  conditions  ;  every  liquid  may  be  made  solid  or  gaseous,  every 
gas  might  be  liquefied,  and  even  solidified.  You  know  how  air  itself 
has  been  liquefied,  and  how  some  of  the  other  gases  have  been  reduced 
to  form   even  a  solid  slab. 

Since  that  is  so,  it  is  supposed  that  all  substances  can  in  this  way 
be  changed  from  one  condition  to  another,  either  by  pressure  or 
heat.  Occult  chemistry  shows  us  another  and  higher  condition  than 
the  gaseous,  into  which  also  all  substances  known  to  us  can  be  trans* 
lated  or  transmuted;  so  that  you  may  have,  let  us  say,  hydrogen 
in  an  etheric  condition  as  well  as  gaseous  ;  that  you  may  have  gold 
or  silver  or  any  other  element  either  as  a  solid,  a  liquid  or  a  gas, 
under  sufficient  heat,  and  that  you  may  carry  the  thing  further  and 
reduce  it  to  these  other  higher  states,  to  a  condition  of  matter 
which  we  call  etheric  ;  that  we  are  able  to  do  so  simply  because  that 
which  science  postulates  as  ether  is  found  by  occult  chemistry  to 
be  not  a  homogeneous  body  but  simply  another  state  of  matter,  not 
itself  a  new  kind  of  substance,  but  simply  any  kind  of  matter  reduced 
to  a  particular  state ;  and  just  as  we  have  here  around  us  metals 
which  are  normally  solid  but  can  be  changed  into  the  liquefied  or 
the  gaseous  condition,  so  we  have  a  large  number  of  elements  or 
substances  which  are  normally  etheric— which  are  ordinarily  in  that 
condition,  but  by  special  treatment  of  some  sort  can  be  brought  to 
a  gaseous  condition.  There  is  nothing  at  all  impossible  or  un- 
reasonable about  that.  You  may  see  that  it  might  easily  be  so,  and 
that  there  is  nothing  in  science  to  contradict  it.  Indeed,  ether  is 
an  absolutely  necessary  hypothesis  ;  it  is  only  the  idea  that  it  is  a 
state  of  matter  instead*  of  a  substance  that  is  in  any  way  new  in  what 
I  am  suggesting.  In  the  ordinary  sciences  they  speak  constantly  of 
an  atom  of  oxygen,  an  atom  of  hydrogen,  an  atom  of  any  of  the 
sixty  or  seventy  substances  which  chemists  call  elements,  the  theorj' 
being  that  that  is  an  element  which  cannot  be  further  reduced  ;  that 
each  of  these  elements  has  its  atom,  and  an  atom,  as  you  may  see 
from  its  Greek  derivation,  means  that  which  cannot  be  cut  or  fur- 
ther subdivided.  Occult  science  tells  you  what  many  scientists  have 
frequently  suspected,  that  all  of  these  so-called  elements  are  not  in 
the  true  sense  of  the  word  elements  at  all ;  that  is  to  say,  that  they 
can  all  be  further  subdivided;  that  what  you  call  an  atom  of  oxygen 
or  hydrogen  is  not  an  ultimate  something  and  therefore  in  fact,  not 
an  atom  at  all,  but  a  molecule  which  can  under  certain  circumstances 
be  broken  up  into  atoms.  By  carrying  on  this  breaking  up  process  it 
is  found  that  we  arrive  eventually  at  a  series  of  definite  physical 
atoms  which  are  all  alike ;  that  is  to  say,  there  is    one  substance 


1901.]  The  Unseen  World.  461 

at  the  back  of  all  substance,  and  it  is  simply  the  different  combi- 
nations of  the  ultimate  atoms  which  give  us  what  in  chemistry  are 
called  atoms  of  oxygen,  hydrogen,  gold  or  silver,  platinum,  etc. 
When  they  are  so  broken  up  we  get  l?ack  to  a  series  of  atoms  which 
are  all  identical,  except  that  some  are  positive  and  some  are  nega- 
tive, or  as  we  might  say,  some  male  and  some  female. 

If  that  be  so — and  remember  it  is  not  only  taught  by  occult 
science  but  it  is  strongly  suspected  by  many  scientific  men — then 
there  is  as  yet  no  direct  stumbling  block  before  you.  That  being  so, 
we  shall  at  once  see  all  sorts  of  new  possibilities  in  chemistry.  If 
it  be  true  that  all  substances  have  the  same  basis  and  that  it  is  only 
a  question  of  raising  them  to  a  sufficient  temperature  or  getting 
them  into  a  particular  state  to  prove  this,  then  at  once  we  see  that  a 
change  is  a  possibility  ;  that  we  might  break  up  an  element  and 
then  in  the  reuniting  we  might  join  the  particles  diflferently,  so  that 
absolutely  we  might  change  one  of  our  elements  into  another,  leav- 
ing out  perhaps  in  some  combinations  one  thing,  and  including  some 
that  were  not  there  before.  Undoubtedly  we  might  make  such  chan- 
ges as  this,  and  so  we  see  that  we  are  within  reasonable  distance  of 
showing  the  possibility  of  the  transmutation  theory  of  the  alche- 
mists, who  stated  that  they  made  lead  or  copper  or  other  metals  into 
gold  or  silver  ;  the  thing  is  not  necessarily  an  impossibility  if  that 
theory  be  true,  for  by  reducing  the  lead  or  copper  to  ultimate  atoms 
and  then  making  variations  in  the  combinations  of  those  atoms  they 
may  be  changed  into  different  metals  altogether.  The  idea  is  not 
impossible,  if  we  recognize  this  theory  which  has  been  advanced  as 
a  theory  by  so  many  scientists,  which  is  stated  by  occult  chemistry 
to  be  a  definite  fact. 

We  eventually  get  back,  then,  to  the  ultimate  physical  atom, 
and  we  find  that  it  is  an  atom  as  far  as  the  physical  plane  is  concern* 
ed  ;  we  cannot  break  it  up  any  further  and  still  retain  the  matter 
in  physical  condition  ;  nevertheless  we  can  break  it  up,  only  when 
we  hav^  done  so  the  matter  belongs  to  a  different  realm  altogether. 
You  will  say,  how  can  that  be  ?  We  must  deal  with  the  facts  as  we 
find  them.  That  atom  when  we  break  it  up  becomes  matter  belong- 
ing to  another  world,  to  part  of  this  unseen  world  of  which  I  am 
going  to  speak.  Why  is  it  no  longer  physical  ?  you  will  say.  It  can 
no  longer  be  called  physical  because  it  has  ceased  to  obey  the  laws 
which  all  physical  matter  does  obey  down  here.  It  is  no  longer 
apparently  contractible  by  cold  or  expansible  by  heat.  It  no  longer 
seems  to  obey  the  laws  of  gravity,  although  it  has  what  I  suppose 
we  may  call  a  kind  of  law  of  gravity  of  its  own. 

It  is  very  difficult  indeed  to  put  the  conception  of  the  finer 
matter  of  this  higher  realm  clearly  before  you  ;  in  fact,  I 
might  say  it  is  impossible  to  put  it  fully ;  but  I  do  want  you 
to  get  at  least  this  idea,  that  the  planes  above  this  physical, 
follow  naturally  from  it  and  fit  in  with  it  and  are  not  abruptly 


464  The  Theosopljiist.  [H^Y 

divided  and  entirel3'  diflferent,  so  that  you  ueed  not  do  violence  to 
your  understanding  by  supposing  an  interpretation  of  something  so 
spiritual  as  to  be  in  contradistinction  to  matter,  something  of  which 
you  can  therefore  know  nothing  whatever.  You  have  only  to 
suppose  a  finer  subdivision  of  matter  than  that  with  which  you  are 
familiar,  and  a  very  much  higher  rate  of  vibration  than  any  which 
3'ou  know,  and  you  will  realize  something  of  the  conditions  of  the 
astral  plane,  as  we  call  it. 

We  find,  thei^,  that  above  and  beyopd  this  physical  atom  we 
have  another  series  of  states  of  that  finer  kind  of  matter  which  cor- 
responds  very  fairly  to  the  degrees  of  n^atter  down  here,  solid,  liquid, 
gaseous  and  etheric.  Again  by  pushing  up  the  division  far  enough 
we  have  another  atom,  the  atom  of  that  world.  Of  that  plane,  then, 
the  very  same  thing  is  true  as  of  this  ;  by  further  subdivision  of 
that  astral  atom  we  find  ourselves  in  another  still  higher  and  still 
more  refined  world,  still  composed  of  matter,  but  of  matter  so  ver>', 
ver)*much  higher  that  nothing  that  you  predicate  of  matter  down 
here  would  be  true  of  that  except  its  capability  of  being  subdivided 
into  molecules  and  atoms.  You  see  that  the  idea  gears  on  to  this 
plane,  that  you  are  not  suddenly  obliged  to  leap  from  th,e  physical 
which  you  know — or  think  you  know— into  some  spiritual  region  of 
which  you  can  form  no  reasonable  or  distinct  conception.  It  is  true 
these  other  realms  are  unseen,  but  they  are  not,  therefore,  at  all  in- 
comprehensible when  you  take  them  on  this  line. 

You  are,  of  course,  aware  ths^t  a  great  part  of  even  this  physical 
world  is  not  appreciable  by  our  senses  ;  that  the  whole  of  the  etheric 
part  of  the  world  is  to  us  as  though  it  were  not,  except  for  the  fact 
that  it  carries  vibrations  for  us ;  we  never  see  the  ether  which 
carries  the  vibration  of  light  to  our  eyes  though  we  may  demon- 
strate its  necessity  as  a  hypothesis  to  explain  what  we  find.  Just 
in  the  same  way  vibrations  are  received  from  the  other  and  higher 
matter.  Although  the  ether  cannot  he  seen,  yet  its  eflFects  are  con- 
stantly known  and  felt  by  us  ;  andjustinthe  same  way,  although 
the  astral  matter  and  the  mental  matter  are  not  visible  to  ordinarj- 
sight,  yet  the  vibrations  of  that  matter  affect  man  and  he  is  con- 
scious of  them  in  a  large  number  of  ways  ;  indeed,  some  of  them  he 
habitually  uses. 

In  the  action  of  thought,  for  example,  the  thought  first  sho^i-s 
itself  to  a  clairvoyant  a$  a  vibration  in  the  matter  of  the  mental 
plane.  So  that  w*e  are  constantly  making  some  use  of  the  matter  of 
these  higher  planes,  even  though  we  are  quite  unconscious  of  it.  and 
have  no  idea  of  how  we  do  these  things  or  even  what  we  are  doing. 
Ivvery  time  that  we  think,  we  set  in  motion  a  vibration  on  this 
higher  plane*  Of  course  our  thought  before  it  can  be  effective  on 
the  physical  plane  has  to  be  transferred  from  that  mental  matter 
into  astral  matter,  sets  up  similar  vibrations  in  that,  and  through 
the  astral  matter  it  connects  down  into  the  physical  plane  and 


1901.]  The  Unseen  World.  4«3 

effects  first  the  etheric  matter,  and  only  then,  after  that,  the  denser 
physical  matter,  the  gtey  matter  of  the  brain. 

So  every  time  Xve  think,  we  go  through  a  much  longer  process 
than  we  really  know  ;  just  as  ever>'^  tifne  we  feel  anything  we  go 
through  a  process  of  which  we  think  nothing,  of  which  we  are 
absolutely  ignorant,  in  most  cases.  We  touch  some  substance  and 
we  feel  it  is  hot,  and  we  draw  away  our  hands  instantaneously  from 
it.  Now  we  perhaps  do  not  realise — unless  we  happen  to  have 
studied  the  thing  scientifically — that  it  is  not  our  hand  which  feels 
that,  but  our  brain.  The  nerves  of  the  fingers  simply  convey  a 
telegraphic  message  to  the  brain,  and  then  the  withdrawal  of  the 
hand  or  the  dropping  of  some  object  which  is  hot  is  done  in  response 
to  a  return  telegraphic  message  from  the  brain.  The  nerves 
communicate  the  idea  of  intense  heat  to  the  brain  ;  the  brain  at  once 
telegraphs  back,  drop  the  thing,  let  it  go  ;  and  the  hand  obeys. 
Now  that  process  vSeems  an  instantaneous  thing  ;  but  it  is  not  so ; 
it  has  a  definite  duration  which  can  be  measured  scientifically,  the 
rate  of  its  motion  is  perfectly  well  defined  and  known  to  physiologists. 
Just  in  the  same  way,  thought  appears  to  be  an  instantaneous 
process  ;  but  it  is  not.  Every  thought  has  to  go  through  the  stages 
which  I  have  described.  Every  impression  which  you  receive  in 
the  brain  through  the  senses  has  to  go  up  through  the  various 
grades  of  matter  before  it  reaches  the  real  man,  the  soul,  the  ego 
within. 

I  want  you  to  get  this  idea  at  least  clearlj^  in  your  mind.  I  do 
not  care  whether  you  believe  it  or  not.  The  point  I  want  j'ou  to 
get  is  the  hypothesis  in  your  mind,  so  as  to  see  that  it  is  a  reasonable 
one.  When  you  understand  that  hypothesis,  at  least,  you  will  see 
that  we  are  not  claiming  your  faith  in  a  miracle,  but  rather,  j'our 
investigation  of  a  system,  when  we  put  before  you  the  idea  of  these 
various  planes  or  degrees  of  matter  in  Nature,  making  each  a  world 
in  itself. 

Where  are  these  worlds  ?  They  are  here  round  about  us  all  the 
time,  though  unseen  ;  we  need  only  open  the  senses  which  corres- 
pond to  these  worlds,  and  then  we  shall  be  conscious  of  them,  be- 
cause each  of  them  is  full  of  life  exactly  as  is  this  physical  world 
that  we  know.  Just  as  earth  and  air  and  water  are  always  found  to 
be  full  of  various  forms  of  life,  so  is  the  astral  world ;  so  is  the  mental 
\vorld  full  of  its  own  kind  of  life.  It  has  a  flora  and  fauna  of  its  own, 
and  among  the  inhabitants  of  these  two  stages  of  the  unknown 
world  are  the  whole  vast  host  of  those  whom  we  call  the  dead. 

How  does  man  become  cognizant  of  this  ?  As  I  said,  by  the 
development  of  the  senses  corresponding  to  them.  That  implies — 
and  it  is  true — that  man  has  within  himself  matter  of  all  these  finer 
degrees  ;  that  man  has  not  only  a  physical  body,  but  that  he  has 
also  within  him  that  higher  etheric  type  of  physical  matter,  and 
astral  matter  and  mental   matter,   the  vibration  of  which  is  his 


464  The  Theosophist.  [K^Y 

thought.  That  is  not  at  all  an  unreasonable  thing,  and  if  you  are 
prepared  to  accept  that  as  a  hypothesis,  then  you  will  also  see  that 
a  vibration  of  matter  of  one  of  these  finer  planes  could  communicate 
itself  to  the  corresponding  matter  in  the  man  and  could  reach  the 
ego  within  him  through  that  vehicle,  just  as  vibrations  of  physical 
matter  are  conveyed  to  the  senses  of  the  man  through  his  physical 
organism  down  here.    The  whole  thing  is  precisely  analogous. 

Perhaps  the  easiest  way  to  get  some  idea  of  these  higher  senses 
will  be  to  begin  by  considering  the  senses  that  we  have  now.  You 
will  realize  that  all  sensation  is  a  matter  of  vibration.  H^t,  for 
example ;  what  is  that  but  a  rate  of  vibration  ?  The  light  that  you 
see  ;  what  is  that,  again  ?  A  rate  of  vibration,  and  there  seem  to  be 
infinite  numbers  of  possible  rates  of  vibration  ;  there  is  no  limit 
that  we  can  set,  either  above  or  below,  to  the  possibilities  of  variance 
among  these  different  rates  of  vibration.  Now  out  of  this  infinite 
series  of  possibilities  how  many  can  possibly  reach  us  here  on 
the  physical  plane  ?  A  very,  very  small  number  indeed.  Perhaps 
you  may  never  have  thought  of  that,  but  try  to  realise  that 
it  is  only  a  very  small  set  of  vibrations  of  exceeding  rapidity 
which  appear  to  your  eyes  and  are  recognized  by  you  as  light. 
Anything  which  you  see,  you  see  only  because  it  reflects  the  light 
of  this  very  small  set  of  vibrations  to  your  eye. 

Now  we  know  in  many  ways  that  there  are  other  vibrations 
beyond  those  that  we  see.  For  example,  we  know  it  by  photogra- 
phy. Suppose  you  take  a  bi-sulphide  of  carbon  prism  and  let  a 
ray  of  sunlight  fall  upon  it,  you  will  get  a  beautiful  colored 
spectrum  cast  upon  a  sheet  of  paper  or  a  piece  of  linen  or  anything 
white  that  you  may  use.  It  is  a  very  beautiful  spectrum,  but  only 
a  very  small  one.  Now,  instead  of  putting  there  the  white  sheet 
of  paper  which  reflects  to  you  what  you  see,  suppose  you  were  to 
put  the  .sensitive  plate  of  a  camera  ;  you  would  at  once  get  a  spec- 
trum reproduced  which  is  perhaps  six  times  the  length  of  the 
other  one  that  you  saw.  Your  eye  is  absolutely  blind  to  this  greater 
spectrum,  but  nevertheless  it  is  there. 

Every  scientist  knows  that  there  is  an  immense  extension  of  the 
spectrum  at  the  violet  end — you  can  obtain  photographs  by  actinic 
rays  at  the  ultra-violet  end,  though  you  cannot  see  them,  and  by 
other  experiments  it  can  be  shown  that  there  are  heat  rays  exten- 
ding beyond  the  red  end  of  the  .spectrum. 

If  you  come  down  to  the  other  end  of  this  great  gamut,  to  very 
slow  vibrations,  you  will  fiitd  there  is  a  certain  number  of  exceed- 
ingly slow  vibration.s,  so  slow  as  to  affect  the  heavy  matter  of  the 
atmosphere,  which  .strike  upon  the  tympanum  of  your  ear  and  appear 
to  you  as  a  sound.  There  may  be  and  there  must  be  an  infinity  of 
sounds,  which  are  too  high  or  too  low  for  the  human  ear  to  respond 
to  them,  and  to  all  such  sounds,  of  which  there  mu.st  be  millions 
and  millions,  of  course  the  human  ear  is  absolutely    deaf.    Then 


19ai.]  The  Unseen  ^WTorld.  -*e5 

again,  there  is  the  possibility  of  pro\'ing  that  different  rates  of 
vibration  exist.  If  there  be  vibrations  so  slow  that  they  reach  the 
ear  and  appear  to  us  as  sound,  and  other  exceedingly  rapid  ones 
appear  as  light,  where  are  all  the  others  ?  Assuredly  there  are 
vibrations  of  all  intermediate  rates.  You  can  get  them  as  electrical 
phei^omena  of  various  kinds  ;  you  get  them  as  the  Roentgen  rays. 
In  fact,  the  whole  secret  of  the  Roentgen  rays,  or  the  X-ray  is  simply 
bringing  within  the  capacity  of  your  eye,  within  the  field  of  that 
sense  of  your  vision  a  few  more  rays,  a  few  of  the  finer  rates  of 
vibration,  which  normally  would  be  out  of  your  reach. 

At  any  rate,  you  will  say,  these  known  faculties  are  limited,  they 
have  their  definite  bounds  beyond  which  we  cannot  go.  That  is 
another  mistake.  Now  and  then  you  get  an  abnormal  person  who 
has  the  X-ray  sight  by  nature  and  is  able  to  see  far  more  than 
others  ;  but  3'ou  can  observe  variations  for  yourself  without  going 
as  far  as  that.  I  hardly  suppose  that  you  would  get  much  result 
with  your  bi-sulphide  carbon  prism,  but  if  you  get  a  spectroscope 
that  is  an  arrangement  of  a  series  of  prisms,  its  spectrum  instead  of 
being  an  inch  or  an  inch  and  a  half  long,  will  extend  several  feet, 
.although  it  will  be  very  much  fainter.  Suppose  you  throw  that 
upon  a  huge  sheet  of  white  paper,  and  get  your  friends,  a  number  of 
them,  to  mark  on  that  sheet  of  paper  exactly  how  far  they  can  see 
light,  how  far  the  red  extends,  at  one  end,  or  how  far  the  violet  ex- 
tends at  the  other,  you  will  be  surprised  to  find  that  some  of  your 
friends  can  see  further  at  one  end,  and  some  further  at  the  other. 
You  may  come  upon  some  subjects  who  can  see  a  great  deal  further 
at  both  ends  of  the  spectrum. 

You  might  think  that  it  is  only  a  question  of  keenness  of  sight, 
but  it  is  not  that  in  the  least ;  it  is  a  question  of  sight  which  is  able 
to  respond  to  a  dififerent  series  of  vibrations,  and  of  two  people  the 
keenness  of  whose  sight  is  absolutely  equal,  you  may  find  that  one 
could  exercise  it  only  toward  the  violet  end,  and  the  other  towards 
the  red  end.  The  whole  phenomenon  of  color  blindness  hinges  on 
this  capacity  ;  but  when  you  find  a  person  who  can  see  a  great  deal 
further  at  both  ends  of  this  spectrum,  then  you  have  some  one  who 
is  partially  clairvoyant,  who  can  respond  to  more  vibrations;  and 
that  is  the  secret  of  seeing  so  much  more.  There  may  be  and  there 
are  quantities  of  entities,  quantities  of  objects  about  us  which  do 
not  reflect  rays  of  light  that  we  can  see,  but  which  do  reflect  these 
other  rays  of  rates  of  vibration  which  we  do  not  see;  consequent!}' 
some  of  such  things  can  be  photographed  though  our  eyes  cannot 
s^e  them. 

C.   W.   lyKADBKATEK. 

{To  be  conchidcd.) 


46Q 


LESSONS  FROM  THE  LIFE  OF  ANNA  KINGSFORD* 

TT7HEN  the  Historian  of  the  "Mj^ticsof  the  Nineteenth   Ceii. 

VV  tury*'  comes  to  his  work,  there  will  be  t^vo  books  ofont- 
standing  value  to  his  hand,  which  he  cannot  afford  to  ignofe.  l%e>' 
are,  ''  Old  Diary  Leaves,"  by  Col.  Olcott,  and  "  The  Life  of  Anna 
Kingsford,"  by  Mr.  Edward  Maitland. 

It  has  been  said  that  both  these  books  err  in  being  too  honest 
in  the  tales  they  tell.  No  greater  compliment  could  be  paid  their 
authors,  than  this  crtictsm,  because  both  avowed  their  intentioii 
to  write  such  histories — the  one  of  a  movement,  the  historj'  -oi  the 
Theosophical  Society' ;  and  the  other  of  his  colleague,  and  as  he  far- 
ther declares,  "  The  History  of  a  Soul." 

Our  national  poet,  Burns,  declared  that  he  would  be  better 
appreciated  loo  years  after  his  death.  Mr.  Maitland  claims  the  same 
for  the  united  work  of  himself  and  Dr.  Kingsford.  If  this  kope,  or 
prophecy,  whichever  it  is,  is  half  as  well  fulfilled  as  that  of  Burns, 
then  there  is  a  more  world-wide  appreciation  waiting  the  autlMvs 
of  "  The  Perfect  Way,"  than  the  Scottish  Bard  has  to-day.  The 
appreciation  of  his  memor}'^  and  work,  is  practically  tittiited  to,  and 
emphasized  by,  our  **  brother  Scots,"  in  every  hole  and  comer  of  the 
earth,  with  the  aid  of  such  intelligent  foreigners  ds  they  can  ikyfNEto- 
tise  with  their  own  enthusiasm.  When  once  the  Engtish^s^eaikitrg 
race  begins  to  fully  appreciate  the  life  and  wofk  of  Mrs.  Kidieafanl 
and  Mr.  Maitland,  theirs  will  be  a  wider  audience  than  ever 
honoured  Burns.  Nor  can  it,  by  any  possibility,  be  confined  to 
our  own  nation,  kindred,  and  tongue,  because  as  it  dedls  'vnA  the 
most  sacred  truths  underlying  the  Christian  religion,  sooner  or  hiter, 
all  professing  Christian  peoples  must  come  into  touch  with  it. 

Mr.  W.  Kingsland,  in  the  Theosophical  Review  for  Jaimary  1900 
(p.  444),  remarks  that,  **afew,  comparatively  very  few,  httfflan  egos, 
in  their  great  cycle  of  evolution,  in  their  series  of  reincarnations, 
have  been  drawn  within  its  (Christianity's)  sphere  of  action."  Bat 
if  we  only  take  the  population  of  Christian  countries  to-day,  we  find 
it  is  given  as  four  himdred  and  ninety-seven  milHonsf  {Itesides 
eight  million  Jews)  and  is  not  to  be  ignored.  And  as  there  must 
have  been  several  thousand  millions  receiving  some  kind  of  C^nis- 
tian  teaching  during  the  last  two  thousand  years,  and  man5rmore 

•  Read. before  the   **  Edinburgfh    Lodge,'*    Theosophical   Society,  22nd  May 

f     millions 
Protestant  200 

Roman  Catholic     195 
Qreek  102 

497 


1901>]  Lessons  from  the  Life  of  Anna  Kingsford.  467 

millions  will  come  within  its  influence,  in  years  and  centuries  of 
years  to  come,  the  numbers  are  really  of  considerable  import- 
ance. Teaching,  therefore,  which  is  to  give  light  to  such  numbers, 
must  be  iavaluable,  and  would  be  so,  if  it  gave  light  to  only  one  soul. 
H©w  this  influence  will  work,  remains  to  be  seen,  but  that  it  must 
remove  the  basis  of  the  Christian  religion  from  its  present  tradi- 
tional and  historical  aspect,  to  the  sphere  of  the  mind  and  soul  of  the 
iudjsvidual.  is  certain. 

It  is  interesting  to  note  that  part  of  the  work  Dr.  Kingsford  and 
Mr.  Maitland  claim  to  have  had  in  hand,  is  the  restoration  of  one  of 
the  modes  of  the  mind,  which  has  for  long  been  ignored,  and  when 
not  ignored,  treated  with  scant  courtesy — that  is,  the  intuitive  work- 
ing, which  is  described  as  a  feminine  aspect  of  the  mind,  and 
is  further  described  as  "that  operation  of  the  mind  whereby 
we  are  enabled  to  gain  access  to  the  interior  and  per- 
manent region  of  our  nature,  and  there  to  possess  our- 
selves of  the  knowledge  which,  in  the  long  ages  of  her  past 
existences,  the  soul  has  made  her  own."  For  that  in  us 
which  perceives,  and  permanently  remembers,  is  the  Soul." 

It  is  a  xnatter  of  history  that  woman  has  had  to  take  a  very  in- 
ittgmficant  part  in  the  affairs  of  the  world  till  now.  And  it  is  a 
matter  of  congratulation  to  the  race  in  general,  and  woman  in  par- 
ticular, that  the  movement  which  has  in  recent  years  endeavoured  to 
advance  the  sphere  of  woman's  usefulness,  should  have  had  in  the 
Theosophical  Society  such  able  advocates  as  Madame  Blavatsky,  Dr. 
Anna  Kingsford^  and  Mrs.  Besant.  Their  work  pro\ang  woman 
not  only  able  to  appreciate  the  most  advanced  thought  of  the  day, 
but  to  be  advanced  teachers  of  it.  And  it  is  further  worthy  of 
remark,  that  in  the  history  of  our  Society,  and  kindred  work,  this 
has  been  done  by  the  combined  efforts  of  men  and  women,  working 
togetbjer — such  as  Madame  Blavatsky,  with  Col.  Olcott,  and  Mrs. 
Kingsford  with  Mr.  Maitland.  And  the  unstinted  praise  and  devo- 
tion of  Messrs.  Olcott  and  Maitland,  to  their  colleagues  and  work, 
is  not  the  least  iuteresting  feature  of  these  collaborations. 

Delicate  from  her  infanc}*,  Mrs.  Kingsford  seems  to  have  been  a 
bom  mystic,  ii  ever  there  was  one.  From  her  earliest  days  she  had 
beeu  a  dreamer  of  dreams  and  seer  of  visions,  but  like  other  dream- 
ers wd  seers,  had  to  learn  to  keep  these  experiences  to  herself 
because  hopelessly  misunderstood  by  her  elders.  Children  will  be 
b^er  understood  by  and  bye,  and  it  is  not  the  least  important  work 
of  the  Theosophical  Society,  that  its  studies  help  in  this  direction. 
Thoroughly  con\inced  in  her  own  mind  that  she  had  a  mission  for 
which  she  came  into  the  world,  she  set  herself  to  perfect  and  prepare 
herself  tor  it,  when  the  time  should  come  for  the  work  to  be  done. 

An  early  marriage  with  her  cousin,  Mr.  Kingsford,  gave  her 
an  opportunity  of  going  very  thoroughly  into  the  study  of  Chris- 
tianity, on  the  occasion  of  his  deciding,  after  his  marriage,  to  enter 
the  church.    This  was  a  splendid  preparation  for  the  work  that  lay 


466  The  Theosophist.  C^^V 

before  her,  when  the  revelation  of  the  interpretation  of  the  Scrip- 
tures came  in  due  course.  One  effect  of  these  studies  was  to 
induce  her  to  join  the  communion  of  the  church  of  Rome,  to 
which  it  appears  her  husband  raised  no  objections,  clergyman  of 
the  church  of  England  though  he  was,  or  about  to  become,  by  this 
time.  Then  came  her  studies  at  Paris,  for  her  degree  of  Doctor  of 
Medicine — taken  up  that  she  might  be  in  an  authoritative  position, 
to  talk  on  such  subjects  as  vivisection,  and  vegetarianism,  in  which 
subjects  she  had  an  abiding  interest ;  and  than  whom,  so  far  as  I 
know,  no  one  else  in  her  day  did  more  to  enlist  the  interest  and 
sympathy  of  the  public. 

And  here  it  may  as  well  be  said,  that  one  of  the  most  interesting 
features  in  the  life  of  this  gifted  woman,  is  the  noble  and  unselfish 
character  displayed  by  her  husband,  throughout  the  whole  record 
of  her  history.  More  fortunate  than  some  other  seekers  after  Ttuth, 
in  her  choice  of  a  husband,  his  goodness,  manly  worth,  and  devo- 
tion to  his  wife  has  given  us  a  picture  of  one  of  the  most  unselfish 
men  of  our  times.  And  it  is  pleasant  to  think,  when  we  get  a  glimpse 
of  such  characters  in  history,  that  they  are  but  prominently  broug^ 
before  our  notice,  to  prove  that  there  must  be  other  equally  noble 
and  unselfish  husbands  in  the  world,  although   unknown  to    fame. 

Many  different  kinds  of  students  will  learn  from  the  life  and  work 
of  Dr.  Kingsford,  but  especially  anti-vivisectionists,  vegetarians, 
spiritualists  and  theosophists.  Students  of  Theosophy  will  na- 
turally devote  themselves  principally  to  the  great  work,  the  Inter- 
pretation of  the  Christian  Scriptures,  presented  to  them  in  the  **  Per- 
fect Way,"  and  "  Clothed  with  the  Sun."  The  manner  of  receiving 
these  latter  teachings  (of  which  the  former  is  the  intellectual  pre- 
sentation, and  is  the  combined  work  of  both  Mrs.  Kingsford,  and 
Mr.  Maitland),  will  for  long  be  full  of  interest  and  guidance  to  mys- 
tical students.  Dreams  and  visions,  originally,  are  the  sources  of 
the  instructions,  and  this  in  the  days  when  it  was  considered  a  sign 
of  intelligence  to  jeer  at  .such  things.  Curious,  too,  that  such  should 
be  the  case,  in  countries  that  claim  the  Christian  Scriptures  as  the 
source  of  their  religion  ;  these  being  filled  with  stories  of  dreams 
and  dreamers,  visions  and  seers. 

But  a  considerable  change  has  come  over  the  opinions  of  those 
who  think  they  lead  and  guide  modern  thought,  notably  literary 
men  and  scientists.  To-day  you  can  scarcely  pick  up  a  weekly 
paper,  or  monthly  magazine,  without  coming  across  a  tale,  either  in 
tradition  or  fiction,  dealing  with  the  supernatural — so-called — side  of 
nature,  in  which  dreams  and  visions  play  not  the  least  important 
part. 

All  through  their  work,  and  in  connection  with  the  details  of 
it,  again  and  again,  were  they  guided  how  they  should  act,  in 
dreams,  and  this  mode  of  guidance  never  failed  them.  The  man 
who  will  take  the  trouble  to  read  the  "  Life  of  Anna  Kingsford," 
and  her  *•  Dreams  and  Dream  Stories,"  and  then  declare  that  dreams 


1901.]  Lessons  from  the  Life  of  Anna  Kingsford.  466 

and  visions  are  naught  but  foolishness,  only  presents  the  spectacle 
of  a  person  who  declares  himself  to  be  utterly  incapable  of  appre- 
ciating evidence  of  anything  he  cannot  eat  or  drink.  Not  that  they 
slavishly  followed  all  such  revelations.  Because,  unless  the  teach- 
ing, or  instruction,  would  stand  the  severest  and  most  intelligent 
criticism  it  was  in  certain  cases  rejected.  It  is  not  surprising 
that  there  were  such  cases  ;  the  wonder  is,  they  were  not  more  fre- 
quent. It  will  be  well  for  other  dreamers  to  learn  from  their  experi- 
ences, and  keep  a  well-balanced  mind,  in  dealing  with  such  matters. 
Dreams  and  visions  may  as  often  be  delusive  humbugs  as  divine 
revelations. 

As  already  said,  the  great  work  of  Mrs.  Kingsford  and  Mr. 
Maitland  was  the  mystic  interpretation  of  the  Scriptures — as  said 
in  one  of  her  illuminations  :  **  All  Scriptures,  which  are  the  tnie 
word  of  God,  have  a  dual  interpretation  :  the  Intellectual,  and  the 
Intuitional;  the  Apparent,  and  the  Hidden.  For  nothing  can  come  forth 
from  God,  save  that  which  is  fruitful."  And  that  such  interpreta- 
tion is  not  new  is  proved  by  reference  to  the  Rabbi  Maimonides  who, 
speaking  of  the  book  of  Genesis  says  :  **  We  ought  not  to  take  lit- 
erally that  which  is  written  in  the  story  of  the  creation,  nor  entertain 
the  same  ideas  of  it,  as  are  common  with  the  vulgar.  If  it  were 
otherwise,  our  ancient  sages  would  not  have  taken  so  much  pains  to 
conceal  the  sense,  and  to  keep  before  the  eyes  of  the  uninstructed, 
the  veil  of  allegory  which  conceals  the  truths  it  contains."  And 
as  regards  the  story  of  the  Fall,  it  is  proved  by  reference  to  Sharpens 
work  on  Egypt  that  this  was  no  divine  revelation  to  a  chosen  people, 
as  generally  understood.  He  says  :  **  The  temptation  of  the  woman 
by  the  serpent,  and  of  man  by  the  woman,  the  sacred  tree  of  knowl- 
edge, the  cherubs  guarding  with  flaming  swords  the  door  of  the 
garden,  the  warfare  declared  between  the  woman  and  the  serpent, 
may  all  be  seen  upon  Egyptian  sculptured  monuments."  And  very 
likely  if  on  Egyptian  monuments,  they  will  be  found  on  those 
of  other  and  older  nations.  And  the  key  to  the  interpretation 
of  these  great  mystic  stories,  is  to  be  found  within  ourselves  : 
'*  Within  his  own  microcosmic  system  man  must  look  for  the  true 
Adam,  for  the  real  Tempter,  and  for  the  whole  process  of  the  Fall, 
the  Exile,  the  Incarnation,  the  Ascension,  and  the  coming  of  the 
Holy  Spirit.  And  any  mode  of  interpretation  which  implies  other 
than  this,  is  not  celestial  but  terrene,  and  due  to  that  intrusion  of 
edrthy  elements  into  things  divine,  and  that  conversion  of  the 
inner  into  the  outer,  •  *  or  materialisation  of  the  spiritual,  which 
constitutes  idolatry." 

And  they  are  not  afraid,  as  they  explain  the  closest  scientific 
criticism  of  their  work,  because  they  recognize  that  :  "  In  an  age 
distinguished,  as  is  the  present,  by  all-embracing  research,  exhaust- 
ive analysis,  and  unsparing  criticism,  no  religious  system  can  endure 
unless  it  appeals  to  the  intellectual  as  well  as  the  devotional  side  of 
man's  nature."    But,  "  the  intelligence  appealed  to  is  not  of  the 


476  The  Theosophist.  [Mny 

head  only,  but  also  of  the  heart ;  of  the  moral  couscieuce,  as  w^U  as 
of  the  intellect." 

It  is  impossible  to  enter  into  an  examiuation  iu  detail  of  thi&, 
the  most  important  of  their  work — that  of  interpretation*— and 
attention  is  directed  to  it,  to  show  that  it  had  become  a  necessity 
that  the  world  should  receive  such  teaching.  And  no  oue  can 
doubt  that  it  has  been  received  in  abundance,  who  will  taJbe  the 
trouble  to  read,  if  not  study,  "The  Perfect  Way."  We  are  told  that 
many  times  they  received  revelations  which  were  be}'Oud  tbeii 
understanding  at  the  time  of  reception.  And  oAen  it  appeaxs  as 
if  they  were  left  incomplete,  that  they  might  exercise  their  own 
minds  on  the  subjects. 

On  other  occasions,  the  teaching  regarding  certain  doctrines 
appears  to  have,  for  a  time,  been  purposely  left  inc<M»plete  ;  hut  it 
never  failed  to  give  the  most  complete  satisfaction  when  iifiished. 
If  the  recipients  of  the  new  interpretation  found  it  required  study 
and  careful  consideration  to  be  able  to  fully  appreciate  what  they 
received,  we  need  not  expect  to  benefit  by  their  work,  by  less  cffiwt, 
but  may  be  sure  it  is  likely  to  take  more  on  our  part. 

Two  of  the  great  Truths  with  which  (Air  studies  have 
brought  us  into  touch,  as  explaining  much  concerning  the  mysteiy 
of  our  Being,  and  our  lives,  are  the  Eastern  doctriues  of  Karma  and 
Reincarnation.  These  Truths,  with  most  of  our  writers,  find  a 
necessary  first  place,  owing  to  their  importance,  and  the  undesrstand- 
ing  of  them  being  essential  to  comprehension  in  all  our 
studies.  In  the  "  Perfect  Way,"  the  abruptness  with  which 
these  subjects  are  introduced  is  almost  sitartling— practically 
without  any  argument,  or  detailed  analysis  of  the  problems,  and 
of  their  reasonableness  and  necessity.  But  the  acceptance 
of  these  Truths  is  clearly  stated  to  be  the  basis  of  the  whcde  work. 
If  there  appears  to  be  a  lack  of  detail  in  the  "Perfect  Way,"  the 
want  is  more  than  made  up  in  the  stcwy  of  Mrs.  Kingsford's  Life, 
Because,  if  there  is  one  thing  more  than  another  insisted  upon,  I  do 
not  know  what  it  is  if  not  Karma  and  Reincarnation.  And  interest 
bordering  on  the  romantic  is  introduced  into  the  question  of  Pre- 
existence,  by  the  visions  of  her  past,  that  Mrs,  Kingsford  is  said  to 
have  had ;  it  being  said  that  she  had  been  such  characters  as  Mar)* 
Magdalene,  down  to  Aane  Boleyn,  consort  of  Henry  VIII,  of 
matrimonial  memory — and  many  others  besides.  And  it  is  some- 
what surprising  that  none  of  our  friends  of  the  Theosoj^cal 
Seciety,  who  appear  from  their  writings,  to  be  sufiEiciently  advanced 
to  search  the  records  of  the  past,  for  confirmation  of  former  lives, 
have  not  taken  up  the  history  left  of  the  past  lives  of  Mrs.  Kings- 
ford  and  Mt.  Maitland,  and  confirmed  their  visions,  or  poijated  out 
their  errors,  so  as  to  leave  some  instruction  from  which  later  students 
might  learn.  Sup|>osing  for  a  moment  that  her  idea  is  true,  that  she 
had  been  Mary  Magdalene ;  Faustina,  the  wife  of  the  Kmperor  Mar- 
cus Aurelius  ;  and  other  notable  personages.    Not  the  least  inter- 


\W\n]  Lessons  from  the  Life  of  Anna  Kingsford.  471 

esting^  point  is  to  notice  that  eveii  associateship  with  the  Lord  Jesus 
was  not  able  to  make  a  saint — that  is,  a  Holy  One— of  such  a  person 
as  the  Magdalene,  for  in  her'  career  as  Faustina,  there  appears  to 
have  been  ver>'  little  of  the  saint  about  her.  And  it  also  proves 
that  canonisation,  by  that  branch  of  the  Christian  Church  which 
arrogates  to  itself  that  special  privilege,  is  of  little  value,  and  that 
it  is  not  a  competent  judge  of  saints,  after  all. 

But  the  Life  of  Anna  Kingsford  also  proves,  far  better  than 
does  any  stor}-  about  the  Magdalene,  that  such  a  woman  as  Faustina 
has  in  her,  really  and  truly,  the  potentiality  of  saintship.  But  that 
neither  through  church,  nor  other  ordinances,  nor  gifts  from  heaven, 
but  through  the  long,  .slow  and  often  painful  process  of  evolution, 
by  Reincarnation  and  the  working  out  of  Law,  is  this  attained. 

A  matter  of  great  interest  on  this  subject,  is  the  statement  made 
by  Mr.  Maitland,  that  in  a  conversation  he  and  Mrs.  Kingsford  had 
Willi  Mr.  Siunett,  on  th<e  occasion  of  a  visit  to  England,  after  the 
pttblicatiou  of**  The  Occult  World,"  on  the  subject  of  Reincarnation, 
to  the  effect  that  Mr.  Sinuett  did  not  believe  in  it,  because  he  had 
not  been  taught  the  doctrine  by  his  Master.  This  appears  rather 
eurious,  becau.se  one  would  think  tliat  whether  taught  by  one  whom 
yen  r«ganl  as  a  Master,  or  no,  if  it  were  true,  its  importance  could 
not  fail  to  find  immediate  response  in  our  hearts.  I  don't  see  why 
having  a  teacher  on  any  subject  should  prevent  us  learning  from 
others,  if  teaching  should  come  our  way. 

Is  there  a  single  one  of  the  thousands  of  students  of  **  Esoteric 
Buddhism,"  or  **  the  Growth  of  the  Soul,"  who  believes  the  teachings 
we  find  there  about  Reincarnation,  or  anything  else,  because  Mr. 
Sinnett  tells  us  of  it  ?  For  who  of  us  when  we  first  read  these  works 
knew  Mr.  Sinnett  ?  And  really  the  greatest  compliment  we  can 
pay  this  teacher,  is  to  say  that  we  believe  his  teaching,  because  of 
its  appeal  to  our  intuitive  knowledge  of  Truth,  and  to  no  authority 
beyond  our  reason  and  intelligence.  However,  the  time  came,  as 
prophesied  by  Mr.  Maitland,  when  Mr.  Sinnett  was  taught  the 
doctrine,  and  the  world  owes  him  a  debt  of  gratitude  for  his  lucid 
presentation  of  the  subject. 

As  I  have  said,  our'\spi ritualistic  friends  will  learn  many  lessons 
from  this  work,  and  be  better  able  to  point  them  out  than  I  am. 
But  it  is  made  perfectly  clear,   and  beyond  discussion,  that  un- 

donbtedly  our  friends,  on  occasions,  received  instructions  and  guid- 
ance through  ordinary  spiritualistic  mediums.  They  were  not,  how- 
ever, enconraged  to  visit  them.  Specimens  of  both  the  useful  and 
humonrous  sides,  are  given.  As,  for  example,  when  they  were 
guMed  to  a  publisher  for  their  work,  the  **  Perfect  Way."  And 
also  an  interview^  with  somebody  or  something,  said  to  be  Moses, 
who,  at  this  time  o*  day,  complained  bitterly  of  what  he  called  the 
•'commercial  instinct,"  of  his  brother  Aaron  ;  and  ftirther  added  that 


472  The  Theosophist.  [^^y 

he  *'  had  never  felt  well,"  since  he  had  struck  the  Rock,  instead  of 
speaking  to  it  ! 

I  think  in  one  of  Mr.  Leadbeater's  replies  in  the  "  Vahan,"  to 
questions  about  Invisible  Helpers,  it  was  said  that  that  work  is  now 
allotted  to  human  beings,  though  formerly  done  by  elementals,  under 
higher  guidance.  He  also  deplores  the  lack  of  assistance  in  the 
work.  On  reading  his  remarks,  at  first  it  appeared  to  me  that  men 
and  women  living  on  earth,  alone,  did  this  service  to  humanity. 
But  since  my  last  reading  of  the  "  Life  of  Anna  Kingsford,"  I 
rather  think  I  misunderstood  Mr.  Leadbeater  on  this  subject, 
because  it  now  appears  to  me  that  there  are  certain  grades  of  departed 
souls  who  are  formed  into  groups,  and  are  doing  serviceable  work 
amongst  their  less  advanced  brethren,  and  it  seems  from  certain 
statements,  that  not  once,  but  on  several  occasions,  our  friends  came 
under  such  guidance.  Whether  or  no  we  can  prepare  ourselves  for 
such  work,  I  cannot  say,  but  doubtless  the  more  we  study  natures 
working  on  the  superphj'sical  planes,  and  improve  ourselves  in  such 
knowledge,  while  in  the  body,  the  better  fitted  will  we  be  for  useful- 
ness hereafter,  if  opportunity  offers  in  thatwa3\  The  story  of  spirit- 
ualism clearly  proves  that  people  ignorant  on  earth,  are  equally 
ignorant  after  they  leave  it.  And  if  there  are  circles  that  help  man- 
kind, here  or  hereafter,  there  are  also  other  groups  whose  work 
appears  to  be  more  of  the  nature  of  a  circus  than  anything  else ; 
and  others  whose  mission  appears  to  be  only  to  mislead,  annoy  and 
hinder,  any  progressive  worker. 

Our  theosophic  studies  appear  the  best  preparation  for  useful- 
ness in  this  line,  that  I  have  found. 

A.  P.  Cattanach. 

{To  be  concluded.) 


HINDU  MORALITY, 

As  OUTIJNED  IX  THE   MaHA'bHA'rATA  * 

'•  In  the  Krita  age,  O  Partha,  Krishna  existed  in  the  form  of  Rig-ht- 
eousness  :  In  the  Kali  Yuga  He  came  to  the  earth  in  form  of  unrighl- 
eousne.ss.     Anitshasajia  Parva^  158,   10. 

THE  subject  that  I  want  to  bring  to  your  notice  is  that  of  Hindu 
morality  as  portrayed  in  the  MahabhSrata,  Morality,  as 
distinguished  from  its  opposite,  is  that  part  of  a  man*s  nature  which, 
showing  itself  in  acts  and  conduct,  is  due  to  the  mental  attitude 
moulded  by  religion  and  by  the  results  of  methods  of  thought  formed 
from  religious  teaching  ;  that  which  shows  itself  as  the  ultimate 
downcoming  differentiation  of  religion,  as  that  which  w^ould  appear  on 
the  plane  of  action  to  be  the  manifestation  of  its  parent  source.     It  is 

*  A  paper  read    before   the   Edinburgh  Lodge,  Theosophical   Society,    i8lh 
December,  190c. 


1901.]  Hindu  Morality.  473 

religion  on. the  lowest  plane,  and,  since  on  this  plane  there  appear 
many  different  religions,  therefore  may  there  also  be  different  sys- 
tems of  morality. 

And  with  regard  to  these  different  religions,  you  will  remember 
that  it  has  been  vsaid  that,  *'  no  one  religion  has  a  monopoly  of 
Truth,"*  and  therefore  the  more  we  study  deeply  the  different  philos- 
ophies and  religions  of  the  world  the  nearer  are  we  coming  to  a 
more  perfect  comprehension  of  that  one  Truth  which,  coming  down- 
wards into  the  lower  planes,  differentiates  into  a  variety  of  creeds. 
We  read  in  one  of  the  Upanishadsf  how  the  **  One  without  a  Second," 
That  which  alone  at  first  existed  in,  as  it  were,  an  abstract  or  **  form- 
less" state  of  being,  willed  to  multiply  and,  descending  to  evolve  the 
regions  of  the  universe,  took  form  in  many  different  manifestations, 
each  presenting  but  a  partial  and  limited  aspect  of  the  One  ;  so  that 
an  understanding  of  the  different  systems  of  philosophies  and  reli- 
gions is  necessary  towards  a  perfect  comprehension  of  that  source 
from  which  they  come. 

I  wish  to  bring  to  your  notice  Dharma  or  Morality,  from  the 
Hindu  aspect,  and  although  the  Eastern  ideas  may  be  considerably 
different  when  compared  with  Western  forms  of  teaching,  it  is  in 
this  difference  that  lies  the  value  of  their  study. 

And  first  we  will  consider  the  Mahabharata,  the  book  we  study 
it  from.  This  is  a  great  Hindu  philosophical  and  religious  work, 
and  it  also  contains  a  history  of  things  which  happened  in  India 
5,000  years  ago  when  Sri  Krishna,  who  was  the  incarnation  of 
Vishnu,  lived  on  earth.  It  is  an  encjxiopedia  of  Indian  philosophy, 
religion  and  morality,  and  was  written  by  an  Indian  Sage.  It  tells 
about  the  teachings  of  the  Hindu  great  men  who  lived  at  that  time 
before  the  Kali  Yuga  set  in.  The  Bhagavad  Gita  is  a  part  of  it  and, 
although  the  greater  bulk  of  this  book  may  be  little  known  to  some 
of  you,  I  venture  to  bring  forward  and  to  quote  it  as  an  authority  be- 
cause I  think  we,  as  students  of  Theosoph}',  realising  that  to  us  the 
teaching  is  that  there  is  not  one  true  religion  only,  but  that  all  reli- 
gions are  existing  as  different  aspects  of  the  one  Truth,  will  recog- 
nise that  this  book  is  well  worthy  of  a  deeper  study  when  we  also 
remember  that  it  is  part  of  the  scriptures  of  a  nation  to  whom  some 
of  us  in  the  West  are  so  much  indebted  for  philosophical  and.  reli- 
gious truths. 

First,  taking  up  the  history  contained  in  the  Mahabharata,  we 
read  of  the  heroes  who  lived  in  that  age,  and  of  the  Great  War  which 
was  brought  about  in  which  the  warrior  caste  was  almost  annihilated. 
The  immediate  cause  of  this  war  is  dealt  with  in  the  story  of  the  five 
sons  of  Pandu,  and  of  the  wrongs  they  received  from  the  son  of 
Dhritarashtra  :  there  were  two  brothers  Pandu  and  Dhritarashtra 
and  it  is  about  the  doings  of  their  sons  that  the  story  is  told.    The 

•  "  Evolution  of  Life  and  Form,*'  p.  84. 
t  Chhandogyopanishad,  VI,  2  :  1.2. 

4 


474  The  Theosophist.  [^^y 

sons  of  Paiidu  were  the  five  brothers,  whose  prosperity  and  strength 
were  objects  of  envy  to  Dur>'odana,  the  eldest  sou  of  Idug  Dhrita- 
rashtra.  At  a  game  of  dice,  by  the  unfair  use  of  them,  Duryod&na 
wins  from  Yudhishthirathe  eldest  son  of  Pandu,  his  possessions,  his 
kingdom,  and  even  the  five  brothers  themselves  as  slaves.  Dhrita- 
rashtra  is  very  pleased  at  the  success  of  his  son,  and  Bhima,  one  of 
the  brothers,  never  forgets  his  exultation  over  their  misfortunes  and 
his  former  plots  against  them.  After  the  loss  of  all,  another  stake 
is  proposed,  that  the  losers  shall  go  into  a  13  j-ears*  exile,  while  the 
winners  keep  the  kingdom.  Yudhishthira,  who  by  virtue  of  Kshat- 
triya  custom,  cannot  refuse  a  challenge,  again  stakes  and  again  loses, 
from  unfair  means  employed  against  him.  So  all  the  sons  of  P&ndu 
go  to  the  forest  and  a  long  division  of  the  MahSbharata  is  devoted 
to  their  stay  there  and  the  things  they  learnt  from  the  great  men 
who  visited  them.  At  the  conclusion  of  the  13  years  they  come  back, 
and  are  obliged  to  fight  the  Great  War  for  the  return  of  their  king- 
dom :  and  we  remember  how  in  the  Bhagavad  Oita,  at  the  begin- 
ning of  the  battle,  Arj  una  grows  despondent  when  he  sees  drawn 
up  against  him ,  teachers,  relatives  and  friends,  by  whom  he  would 
rather  be  killed  than  to  slay  them,  and  how,  for  all  that,  he  is  obliged 
to  oppose  them. 

**  For  if  thou  wilt  not  carry  on  this  righteous  warfare,  then, 
casting  aside  thine  own  dharma  and  thine  honour,  thoti  wih 
incur  sin."     {Bhagavad  Gttd,  2,  33.) 

Of  these  five  sons  of  Pandu  we  shall  only  deal  with  the  three 
elder — Yudhishthira  the  eldest,  Bhima  the  mighty  warrior,  Axjuna 
the  favourite  of  Sri  Krishna,  We  will  take  the  histor^*^  of  these 
three  great  men  as  examples  of  Hindu  teaching. 

In  the  matter  of  morality  the  Hindu  nation  is  divided  into  foiu- 
great  classes  or  castes,  and  the  morality  taught  in  the  Mah&bharata 
is  different  for  each  :  for  evolution  and  rebirth  form  part  of  the 
Indian  philosophy,  and  the  inequality  of  men  is  recognised  as  ac- 
cording to  the  stage  which  they  may  have  reached  in  evoltttion  ; 
and  four  different  teachings  of  the  same  religion  are  given,  one  for 
ea<±  caste  :  for  a  line  of  action  suitable  for  a  man  of  high  caste 
would  but  weaken  the  man  who  had  not  reached  that  stage  of  evolu- 
tion. 

'*  Better  one's  own  Dharma  though  faultily  performed,  than  the 
Dharma  of  another  well  discharged  ;  better  death  in  the  discharge 
of  one's  own  Dharma,  the  Dharma  of  another  is  full  of  danger." 
{Bhagavad  GUd,  3,  35.) 

Of  these  four  great  castes  the  lowest  is  that  of  those  whose  duty 
is  servicej: 

**  Action  of  the  nature  of  .service  is  the  S  udra  karma  born  of 
his  own  nature,"  and  faithfulne.ss  to  his  master  under  all  circumstan- 
ces is  laid  down  as  his  law  of  action.  The  one  above  is  that  of  mer- 
chants and  agriculturists  : 


19(ttij  Hindu  Morality.  475 

*•  Plougbiug,  protection  of  cattle  and  trade  are  the  Vaisya 
karma  born  of  his  own  nature"  (Bhagfivad  Gitd,  18,44);  and  their 
duty  which  was  laid  down  for  them  and  by  which  the  object  of  their 
incarnation  was  fulfilled,  was  to  make  money,  and  to  grow  rich,  first 
for  themselves  and  later  for  the  use  of  the  state," 

We  shall  only  deal  with  the  Dharma  of  the  two  higher  castes, 
that  of  the  Kshattriya  or  warrior  caste,  and  that  of  the  Brahmana  or 
Teachers  :  and  we  learn  that  the  indications  for  any  of  these  castes 
are  uot,  in  the  present  age,  altogether  dependent  on  birth  or  social 
poi»tiout  but  upon  the  character  shown  out  by  the  inner  nature. 

In- striking  contrast  to  this  system  of  castes  is  the  common  west- 
em  idea  that  all  men  are  equal,  or  at  least  are  made  equal  by 
wealth,  and  also  the  teachings  in  the  western  scriptures  which  are 
impressed  alike  on  all.  But  one  of  the  most  important  differences 
which  will  be  noticed  and  shown  out  distinctly  when  the  character 
of  the  Kshattriya  is  studied,  is  that  absence  in  the  West,  of  all  teach- 
ing of  firmness,  of  boldness,  of  even  aggressiveness,  in  contrast  to 
which  is  preached  that  forgiveness  and  meekness  of  spirit  which  is 
so  characteristic  of  western  teaching. 

There  we  are  told  and,  mark  you,  this  instruction  is  given  to  the 
whole  people  alike,  that  it  is  not  according  to  ethics  or  religion  to 
resent  any  injury,  but  that  a  meekness  of  spirit  must  be  practised, 
which  is  ready  to  passively  receive  and  allow  all  insult  or  injury.  Jt 
is  very  distinctly  laid  down  that  no  resentful  violence  must  ever  be 
vised  and,  among  many  other  instances  of  this  result^  we  even 
find  a  soldier  in  the  present  war  writing  home,  and  reported — in 
the  newspapers — as  saying  that  he  would  not  incur  the  sin 
of  killing  anyone,  and  so  he  always  aimed  his  rifle  above  the  enemy. 
This  view  is  evidently  not  from  cowardice,  but  as  the  result  of  close 
adherence  to  teaching,  none  other  being  given. 

To  throw  some  light  on  the  inner  nature  of  each  of  these  four 
classes  of  men  and  their  duties,  we  will  study  the  correlation  of  the 
three  gunas  to  the  ca.stes.  These  gunas,  or  energies  of  nature,  are 
the  constituents  of  all  the  matter  side  of  the  universe,  from  physical 
matter,  desire-forms,  thought- energies,  unto  the  Maya  aspect  of 
I'svara,  and  we  are  told  that  the  differentiations  of  this  matter  on 
some  of  the  higher  planes  are  seen  as  different  colours.  The  colour* 
which  is  characteristic  of  the  Kshattriya  caste  is  a  mixture  of  white 
and  red.  We  read  in  one  of  the  Upanishadsf  that  Prakriti  or  matter 
i.s  composed  of  three  colours,  white,  red  and  black  ;  each  colour  stand- 
ing as  characteristic  of  one  of  the  three  gunas ;  white  is  characteristic 
of  Sattva  or  goodness,  red  the  mark  of  Rajas  or  energy,  and 
Mack  the  mark  of  Tamas  or  Inertia.  These  three  gunas  are  those 
attributes  of  goodness,  energy  and  inertia  in  a  very  wide  sense  and 
all  things  are  composed  of  them.  The  lower  castes  are  symbolized 
by  a  preponderance  of  the  Tamasic  colour,  black,  the  sign    of  inac- 

*  Ct*  Shatiti  Parvu  188 :  5.     f  Shvelashvataropantsliad  iV  :   5. 


;».♦ 


4Y6  The  Theosophist.  (May 

tivity  or  inertia  :  the  Vaisya  caste  having  much  of  the  Rajasic  ele- 
ment also  present  with  Tamas,  The  Kshattriya  nature  is  composed 
of  a  preponderance  of  Rajas  and  Sattva,  the  qualities  of  energ}'  and 
goodness  :  while  the  highest  caste,  the  Brahmanas,  is  said  to  be  char- 
acterized by  the  white  colour,  the  sign  of  unmixed  Sattva.  We  can 
apply  this  to  the  fact  that  the  inner  nature  of  every  man  and  his 
place  in  evolution,  would  be  marked  by  the  preponderance  in  his 
inner  nature  of  either  of  these  gunas,  and  that  on  that  plane,  to 
higher  vision,  these  gunas  would  appear  as  colours  in  his  higher 
vehicles  beyond  the  body,  so  that  in  the  future  when,  as  we  read,  the 
functioning  of  the  Manomayakosha  and  even  higher  sheaths  as 
vehicles  of  consciousness,  will  be  a  natural  faculty,  the  separation 
into  castes  will  be  recognized  as  right,  because  of  the  true  insight 
into  the  different  stages  of  evolution.  In  the  present  time  of  Kali 
Yuga  or  age  of  materialism,  from  Karmic  and  evolutionar\^  causes 
it  is  said*  that  things  have  become  mixed,  and  often  we  find  Brah- 
manas serving  those  of  a  lower  caste  :  but  we  must  remember  what 
is  also  taughtf  to  us  that,  wherever  a  man  born  into  a  S'fidra  fami- 
ly, or  occupying  a  low  position  in  the  world,  wherever  such  a  man 
shows  out  the  attributes  of  a  Brahmana,  he  is  a  Brahmana  and  not  a 
S'udra  ;  and  also  that,  whenever  a  high  born  person  acts  according 
to  a  low  standard,  that  man  is  of  low  caste,  no  matter  what  birth  he 
may  boast  of.  By  deeds  one  becomes  a  Brahmana,  and  by  deeds 
one  becomes  a  S'udra,  no  matter  what  may  be  the  social  position  in 
the  world  :  in  former  ages  we  are  told  that  things  were  ordered  har- 
moniously, but  this  is  the  age  of  materialism, 

By  taking  up  the  qualities  of  mind  indicated  by  these  gunas,  we 
can  then  better  understand  the  natures  of  these  classes  of  men :  the 
qualities  are  developed  successively  and  each  has  to  be  purified  as 
it  is  obtained  :  the  attributes  of  these  different  gunas  and  the  char- 
acteristics of  the  actions  inherent  in  them  can  be  studied  from  the 
Bhagavad  GitS4  We  learn  that  the  characteristics  of  Tamas  arc 
inertia,  sloth,  heedlessness,  delusion,  and  for  a  person  in  whom 
Tamas  preponderates,  obedience  and  action  are  laid  down :  obe- 
dience and  service  from  his  lack  of  development,  and  performance 
of  burdensome  work  to  overcome  inertia;  The  attributes  of  Rajas 
are  energy,  restlessness  and  desire,  all  of  which  are  developed,  pro- 
perly directed,  and  later  restrained  by  the  Sattvic  quality  of  self-re- 
straint :  the  marks  of  Sattva  being  serenity,  harmony,  restraint  of 
mind  and  purity,  and  these  follow  the  proper  growth  of  the  former 
qualities. 

We  can  further  see  how  injurious  it  would  l)e  to  teach  a  man  ot 
low  caste,  philosophy  ;  for  the  characteristics  of  the  gunas  or  mate- 
rial of  which  his  mental  body  is  composed  are  said  to  number 
among  them  '*  thinking  of  possibilities,  contradictory  thinking,  mis- 

•  Vana  Parva,  189. 

t  Sbanti  189:  8.     :(  Vana  179,     Chapters  14-17:  18. 


19010  Hindu  Morality.  477 

taking  one  thing  for  another,  seeing  nothing  correctly  :"*  it  would 
be  about  as  unsuitable  as  to  tell  a  man  of  the  Brahmana  nature  to  do 
actions  for  the  sake  of  a  reward,  to  be  a  "  trader  in  virtue." 

And  it  is  also  the  duty  of  these  different  classes  of  men  to  fol- 
low the  duties  of  their  own  caste,  and  a  weakness  to  do  otherwise. 
In  studying  the  morality  of  these  two  higher  castes  we  will  first 
take  that  laid  down  for  the  Kshattriya  or  Warrior  caste,  and  see 
what  is  due  from  them.  I^ater  on  we  will  consider  the  dharma  of 
the  Brahmana.  As  an  example  of  the  Kshattriya  we  will  take 
Bhima,  the  younger  brother  of  Arjuna,  and  study  his  law  of  action 
from  the  Mahabharata,  we  read  that  Bhima  was  a  divine  Kshattriya 
bom  specially  at  that  time  to  aid  the  evolution  of  India  as  a  whole  : 
he  was  a  great  warrior,  and  exerted  his  immense  strength  against 
the  general  evils  threatening  the  nation. 

The  characteristic  of  the  Kshattriya  was  energy,  and  he  utilized 
that  strength  for  protection,  and  in  loyal  defence  of  those  wanting 
help :  in  the  world  he  had  an  active  life  and,  for  himself,  had  to 
develop  his  strength  against  opposition.  All  strength  comes  from 
struggle  and,  without  this  struggle  the  evolution  of  the  man  would  be 
imperfect,  and  be  unable  to  endure  later  development.  A  Kshattriya 
must  be  ambitious,  and  never  be  satisfied  with  his  present  circum- 
stances ;  all  obstacles  must  be  overcome  by  a  right  use  of  force  ;  he 
could  not  live  dependent  upon  sifts  ;  he  must  oppose  himself  to 
everything  contrary  to  right ;  not  seek  the  avoidance  of  pain  ;  he 
mtist  never  refuse  a  challenge,  and  he  must  never  beseech.  We 
read  of  Bhima  throughout  as  a  close  adherent  to  Kshattriya  practice. 
As  a  warrior  following  the  dharma  of  his  caste  we  read  of  him  as 
opposed  to  injustice  and  in  conflict  with  evil. 

His  reproaches  to  his  elder  brother  Yudhishthira,  for  being 
forgiving  in  the  matter  of  the  great  wrongs  done  to  them,  consist  in 
comparing  him  for  his  forgiveness  to  a  man  of  the  higher  caste," 
"  Thou  art  ever  kind  like  unto  a  Brahmana." 

For  the  teaching  to  the  Kshattriya  was  not  always  the  unresist- 
ing endurance  of  evil ;  in  his  life  in  the  world  many  circumstances 
would  arise  in  which  meekness  would  be  against  his  law  of  growth, 
in  which  opposition  to  oppression  is  his  law  of  action  :  and  as  an 
example  of  this  we  find  that  after  the  great  war  and  forcible 
re-capture  of  the  kingdom  by  the  sons  of  PSndu,  in  which  all  who 
had  treated  unjustly  or  deeply  wronged  the  five  brothers  were  slain, 
and  only  their  old  blind  uncle,  king  Dhritarishtra,  was  left, 
Bhima  still  keeps  in  mind  the  terrible  wTongs  offered  to  his  brothers 
and  himself  and,  although  outwardly  obeying  his  elder  brother, 
Yudhishthira,  in  waiting  upon  king  Dhritarashtra  and  serving  him, 
he  does  this  unwillingly,  and  often,  from  bitter  memories  of  repeated 
plots  and  injuries,  breaks  out   into   rejoicings  that  his  strong  arms 


»  S'ankaracharya's  "Crest  Jewel  of  Wisdom",  112-121. 


47d  the  TheosephiBt.  [Mb7 

have  slain  the  sou  of  Dhritarashtra,  and  into  taunts  at  the  old  king 
for  the  part  which  he  had  played. 

Yudhishthira,  the  gentle  eldest  brother,  excuses  Bhima  to  his 
blind  uncle : 

*'  This  Bhima  is  ever  devoted  to  battle,  and  to  Kshattriya 
practices."*  For  it  is  laid  down  that  it  is  the  part  of  a  Kshattriya  to 
war  against  even  relatives  and  teachers  when  they  engage   in  an 

unjust  cause.f 

And  on  this  question  of  forgiveness  we  find  many  examples  in 
the  Hindu  books  :  We  read  of  divine  Kshattriyas  who  were  un- 
touched by  injustice,  as  for  example  in  the  story  of  Rama,  and  also 
when  we  read  about  Yudhishthira.  To  take  the  example  in  the 
**  Ramayana,"  we  find  that  Rama,  who  was  just  about  to  be  crowned 
king,  in  obedience  to  a  promise  to  his  step-motlier,  gives  up  the 
throne  to  his  brother  and  retires  to  the  forest  for  fourteen  years, 
and  he  goes  away  **  not  being  distressed.'* 

In  the  Hindu  books  are  shown  many  similar  examples  of  abso* 
lute  loyalty  to  truth,  obedience  to  parents,  and  devotion,  whick' 
are  characteristic  of  a  different  evolutionary  aspect  and  stag^ 
of  evolution.  The  aspect  of  this  matter  which  is  taken  up  is 
tliat  shown  by  the  character  of  Bhima,  and  that  teaching  which  is 
laid  dovvn  there  as  a  Kshattriya  practice ;  because  I  think  that  an 
understanding  of  that  teaching  will  be  of  much  use  to  us  in  our 
study  of  Dharnia,  in  our  study  of  that  morality  which  helps  forward 
evolution.  For  success  in  the  matter  of  morality  depends  upon  an 
understanding  of  the  different  aspects  of  morality  in  different  cir" 
cumstances  ;  we  are  told  that  right  conduct  is  that  where  a  man' 
does  what  ought  to  be  done  in  view  of  the  occasion  :  when  conduct 
is  suitable  in  one  way  on  one  occasion;  it  may  become  unsuitable 
when  the  occasion  becomes'difFerent ;  therefore  ought  a  man  not 
always  to  follow  the  same  conduct  on  all  occasions.  J 

The  study  of  these  methods  of  conduct  shows  different  charac- 
teristics, but  a  perfect  understanding  of  both  is  necessary  for 
harmonious  evolution. 

And  studying  thus  we  learn  from  this  book  the  underlying 
truth  of  that  teaching  which  is  laid  down  for  those  cased  itlwhtch 
obedience  to  parents  and  superiors  is  contrary  to  the  Kshattri>ti 
dharma.  We  read  that  a  great  debt  is  owed  to  the  parents  for  the 
body  which  has  been  supplied  and  cared  for,  and  we  hear  of  strange 
examples  of  the  discharge  of  this  debt,  of  men  who  fought  in  the 
body  against  their  dearest  friends,  because  that  body  belonged  to 
the  state  which  had  protected  and  nourished  its  growth.  A  debt 
that  is  owed  has  to  be  discharged,  and  we  read  oflen  in  the  Hindu 
books  of  what  is  laid  down  as  right,  being  followed  at  all  costs.     And 

*     •*  Ashramavasika."  Para  13, 
t     '*Shanti  Parva,"  i.  55  :  16. 
J     "  Udyoga  Parva,"  sec.  79. 


1901.]  <Uindu  Morality.  479 

again  we  read  that  the  teacher  is  above  the  parents,  and  that  a 
g^veater  debt  is  owed  to  him,  because  he  nourishes  the  mind,  which 
is  considered  but  as  a  tenant,  and  is  not  identified  with  the  house 
which  has  been  provided.  And,  thirdly,  the  law  of  development  of  the 
intellect  and  mind  is  by  discrimination,  by  comparison,  by  separate- 
ness  :  its  very  life  and  growth  depends  on  its  being  able  to  separate 
and  to  be  separated  ;  to  be  able  to  stand  alone  resting  on  its  own 
streiagth  and  knowledge  of  truth  ;  and  a  tendency  towards  complete 
mental  passiveness  in  this  stage  of  evolution  would  but  make  n 
homogeneity  of  an  incomplete  whole  ;  incomplete,  because  at  first 
there  must  be  the  perfect  building  of  its  separate  parts.  The  fur- 
thest aim  we  have  maj'^  be  the  consciousness  of  unity,  but  the  perfect 
formation  of  its  separate  parts  alone  makes  at  the  end  such  a 
unity  harmonious. 

And  in  this  opposition  to  superiors  which  has  thus  been  laid 
down  as  part*  of  Kshattriya  morality  there  is  no  need  of  malice,  of 
active  resentment  of  personal  injury,  which  has  indeed  only  an 
early  part  in  the  Kshattriya  nature.  For  it  is  told  how  that  Hefore 
the  great  war,Bhima,  foreseeing  the  slaughter  of  the  royal  house  and 
the  destruction  of  the  Kshattriya  caste  in  battle,  begged  for  peace  and 
submission,  to  allow  the  son  of  Dhritarishtra  to  keep  tlie  kingdom, 
although  he  had  wrongfully  won  it  and  now  refused  to  give  it  back  : 
words  as  strange  from  that  warrior,  it  is  said,  as  though  **  fire  had 
become  cold,** or ''as  if  the  hills  had  lost  their  weight,*' but  by 
Kesfaava,  Himself,  is  this  suggestion  put  aside,  and  right  action  is 
taught  to  be  done  without  regard  for  the  consequences.  Nor  was 
there  anger  in  the  heart  of  Kama  when,  unwavering  and  *'  firmly 
devoted  to  truth,**  being  bound  by  his  debt,  he  chose  to  fight  against 
his  brothers  ;  and  we  hear  of  many  other  men  who,  steadfast  to 
truth,  fought  on  the  side  against  their  teachers.  Bound  were  they 
by  the  Kshattriya  law,  to  opposition,  and  without  recognising  per- 
sonalities, must  they  fight  their  best  iu  battle  for  the  sake  of  Dharma. 
And  on  the  point  of  an  unjust  superior  we  have  the  following 
teaching  :  we  find  told  in  the  •*  Story  of  the  Great  War'*  that,  when 
the  sons  of  Pandu  left  for  the  forest,  all  the  people  followed  them 
JErom  the  city,  -desiring  to  stay  with  them  and  not  to  be  ruled  over 
by  the  '*  evil  .minded  son  of  Dhritarashtra.'*  This  was  forbidden  to 
them  by  Yudishthlra,  who  bade  thein  go  back  and  wait  till  the  Pan- 
davas  had  completed  their  years  of  exile,  when  they  would  come 
a^n  to  rule.  The  king  who  ruled  the  people  was  the  king  their 
karma  gave  them,  and  they  could  do  nothing  but  wait  till  the  evil 
kanna  was  exhausted,  and  the  king  removed  ;  and  to  that  helping 
they  must  not  neglect  to  pay  the  duty  owed. 

Thus  we  find  some  teaching  on  this  important  point.  Although 
the  debt  wliich  is  owed  to  the  superior  becomes  very  small,  from  his 
Jiieglect  o^f  teaching  or  .protection,  it  w-ould  be  of  no  gain   to  actively 


•  4( 


3hishma  Partra^''  loB  :  loj, 


4ft0  The  Theosophist.  [May 

rebel  against  the  evil  karma  :  that  must  be  patiently  endured  till  its 
ending,  while  its  lesson  is  learned,  and  everything  that  is  owed  must 
be  paid  ;  but  in  these  cases  where,  as  we  read,  the  blame  first  lies  on 
the  superior,  and  respect,  to  be  owed,  must  be  earned,  the  Kshat- 
triya  dharma  demands  a  complete  mental  independence  and  the 
dignity  of  endurance  under  a  recognised  evil,  the  man  standing  as  a 
separated  self  having  his  separate  judgment.  There  is  no  claim 
on  the  pupil  when  the  teacher  is  ignorant,  and  when  the  superior 
fails  in  his  duty  the  debt  is  but  little  that  the  younger  owes.  And 
this  aspect  of  antagonism  and  separateness  marks  for  us  an 
evolutionary  standpoint. 

M.  A.  C.  Thiri^waix 

[  To  be  conchided.  ] 


THE  TEMPORARY  NATURE  OF  OUR  PERSONALITY. 

I  believe  one  would  be  quite  correct  in  sa^ang  that  the  majority  of 
people  in  the  world,  English-speaking  people  at  any  rate,  arc 
not  religious,  that  is,  although  they  may  nominally  subscribe  to 
some  form  of  creed,  they  do  not  profess  to  put  themselves  to  any 
inconvenience  as  to  complying  with  its  precepts,  and  do  not  feel 
that  it  binds  them  to  any  particular  form  of  self  denial.  Yet  in  spite 
of  this,  it  will  be  quite  another  thing  to  suppose  that  the  average 
person  does  not  entertain  in  some  way,  however  vague,  the  possibi- 
lity of  some  sort  of  future  for  us  when  our  bodies  are  worn  out. 
I  think,  too,  that  it  is  dimly  conceded  by  the  average  person,  to 
himself  if  not  to  other  people,  that  the  character  of  that  future  will 
very  largely  depend  upon  the  question  of  conduct  before  the  body 
is  laid  aside  :  though  possibly  if  twitted  with  regulating  his  actions 
to  others  with  any  view  to  a  future  life,  he  would  probably,  to  keep 
at  peace  with  his  nearest  companions,  repudiate  it  altogether  ;  for  in 
a  man  wliose  friends  and  constant  associates  are  immersed  complete- 
ly in  worldly  matters,  it  would  be  felt  as  an  impertinence  for  him 
not  to  exercise  the  same  freedom  as  themselves.  It  is  felt  that  to 
be  a  thoroughly  '  sensible  '  person  is  to  get  the  largest  amount  of 
pleasure  you  can  out  of  life,  and  not  to  worry  yourself  much  about 
the  person  over  the  way,  who  meets  with  scarcely  any  success,  but 
has  all  along  a  very  bad  time  of  it.  So  long  of  course  as  the  gene- 
rally accepted  conventionalities  are  observed  the  so  called  *  sensible* 
person  is  allowed  very  wide  latitude  in  asserting  the  requirements 
of  his  *  personality  '  before  he  comes  to  be  branded  with  the  mark 
of  selfishness.  The  great  fact  that  the  personal  man  of  even  the 
noblest  on  earth,  has  certain  absolute  needs,  is  laid  hold  of  and 
worked  for  all  it  is  worth,  to  excuse  the  tendency  to  drop  into  this 
and  that  form  of  concession  to  personal  comfort  and  ease,  so  easy  and 
so  natural  to  that  part  of  our  nature  which  loves  to  lie  in  the  sun- 


19W.]  The  Temporary  Nature  of  our  Personality.  481 

shine  and  have  a  good  time.  And  this  concession  to  what  I  might 
term  the  *  nice,  warm,  pussy-cat '  way  of  regarding  the  lower  part 
of  our  nature,  is  responsible  as  it  seems  to  me,  for  such  thorough 
identification  of  each  man  or  woman  as  an  essentially  living  centre 
offeree  and  thought,  with  the  present  form  and  personality.  So 
that  it  has  come  about  that  in  thinking  of  the  future  the  whole  of  it  is 
supposed  to  be  faced  from  the  standpoint  of  the  personality— to  be 
seen  from  its  *  comfortable '  windows  only :  whatever  the  unfold- 
raent  of  the  days  that  are  to  come,  however  various,  however  long- 
lasting,  they  will  all  be  seen  as  through  the  spectacles  of  that  per- 
sonality and  through  that  alone. 

Possibly  the  ease  with  which  the  majority  of  people  drop  into 
this  position,  is  accounted  for  by  limited,  very  limited,  views  as  to 
the  meaning  of  the  word  future :  is  due  to  very  imperfect,   in   fact 
quite  childish,  ideas  of  both  time   and    eternity.     Speaking  person- 
ally I  have  to  admit   that  it  was  only  after  coming  in  contact  with 
T.  S.  literature  that  I  really  took  hold  of  the   grandeur  of  scope  of 
the  grand  Calendar  of  our  Manvantara.     Up  to  that  time  it  had 
uever  occurred  to  me  to  conceive  of  the  breaking  up   of  the   future 
(as  of  the  past)  into  vast  periods  of  time,  each  having  its  own  work 
in  the  Cosmos  to  see  accomplished.     Possibly  I  never  quite  admit- 
ted after  reaching  manhood,  that  I  should    face  the  whole  of  eter- 
nity exactly  as  I  was,  if  called  upon   then  to  quit  this  world  ;  there 
was,  I  seem  to  remember,  a  vague  feeling  that  somehow  this  would 
not  last,  but  that  it  would  give  way  to  something  behind  it,  some- 
thing superior  to  it,    through    which  I  should  be    able  to  reach 
out  to    things    and  experiences    which    the    present    '  I '    was 
quite  unfit  to  lay  hold  of.     But  I  am   sure  that  the  average  of 
the  people  I  mixed  with   who   conceived   of  a  future  after    death 
did  not  give  a  thought  to  the   idea  that  the  vastness  of  eternity 
could  not  be  bottled  up  in  the  narrow  compass  of    any  person- 
ality however  grand  its  totality  of  experience,  however  rich  its  har- 
vest of  acquired  character.    To  the  average  person  of  my  acquain- 
tance it  seemed  quite   satisfactory   to  go  right  through   whatever 
time  was  ahead  of  us,   armed  only  with   the  powers  of  observa-  ' 
tion  that  we  already  possessed  ;  with  the  degree  of  strength  of  char- 
acter alreadj^  developed,  and  protected  only  by  the  virtues  (mostlj' 
very  few)  already  made  our  own ;  that  we  should,  in  fact,  plunge  into 
the  great  sea  of  the  future  to  take  each  his  chance  with  the  stock  in 
tradeof  qualities  he  could  during  life  here  make  his  own.    The 
possibility  of  all  of  this  lying  all  the  time  at  the  door  of  inaccurate 
thought  regarding  time  and  eternity  or,  perhaps  it  would  be  fairer 
tosay,  of  lack  of  any  solid  thinking  at  all  about  it — for  really  one 
may  say  that  on  fairly  going  over  the  ground    it  does  not  seem 
probable  that  the  present  personal  *  I '  should  be  the  medium  through 
which  the  whole  of  eternity  was  to  be  viewed — is  not  considered. 
That  the  personal  equation  is,  in  the  average  person,  a  very 
5 


482  The  T>ieosophist.  C^ay 

important  plank  in  the  platform  of  the  Comsos,  from  that  person's 
point  of  view,  is  quite  true,  and  also  quite  natural,  and  the  thing 
that  is  quite  natural  is  in  a  very  strong  position  ;  but  it  is  a  fact  made 
plain  to  us  by  the  best  thinkers  of  our  race,  that  the  point  of  view 
quite  proper  to  the  average  person,  shows  only  a  small  fragfinent 
of  what  is  possible  to  be  seen  by  the  vision  which  can  transcend 
the  limits  of  the  person  ;  which,  leaving,  as  it  were,  the  little  chamber 
of  the  personal  *  I  *  with  its  one  small  window  and  its  view  in  one 
direction,  goes  out  on  to  the  open  roof  and  looks  round  the  whole 
horizon  and  up  into  the  whole  vault  of  heaven.  The  whole  matter 
is  probably  a  question  of  averages  with  all  of  us  and  possibly  the 
spiritual  age  of  each  one  amongst  us  is  much  denoted  by  our  capa- 
city to  rightl3'  conceive  of  time  and  eternity  and  our  proper  rela- 
tion in  regard  to  both.  I  believe,  however,  that  the  capacity  of 
most  of  us  has  brought  us  to  the  point  where  it  is  no  longer  possible 
to  think  of  our  present  personal  make-up  as  lasting  for  ever,  of  our 
going  through  eternity  precisely  like  the  manor  woman  we  appear 
to  be  to  those  about  us. 

For  let  any  one  ask  himself  after  bravely  taking  the  truest  portrait 
of  hinivSelf  he  is  able  to,  even  giving  himself  the  utmost  credit  for  ever}- 
good  quality  he  possesses,  yet  slurring  over  none  of  the  defects, 
whether  he  would  like  to  face  the  whole  immensity  of  the  future 
always  in  those  clothes.  To  the  very  noblest  man  our  human 
history  has  any  record  of,  this  prospect  would  probably  be  unsatis. 
factory  ;  indeed  the  very  noblest  would  probably  be  the  most  dis- 
satisfied, but  to  the  ordinary  person  the  prospect  of  our  so  facing  the 
ages  to  come  ought  to  be  so  unsatisfactory  as  to  be  quite  unreason- 
able, nay  quite  impossible.  That  for  ever  and  ever  I  shall  have  as 
the  content  of  my  consciousness,  precisely  this  particular  bundle  of 
characteristics  which  now  make  me  up  ;  that  from  everlasting  to  ever- 
lasting, these  peculiar  tendencies,  these  affinities,  these  repulsions, 
these  tastes,  these  weaknesses,  which  I  recognise  as  mine,  shall  follow 
me,  and  that  whatever  comes  to  me  out  of  the  great  future  must  be 
coloured  by  whatever  light  that  bundle  ot  qualities  may  have  given  the 
lamp  of  the  personality — surely  no  vanity  is  so  colossal  as  to  face 
this  prospect,  properly  thought  out,  with  anything  like  com- 
placency. Taking  even  our  very  strongest  points,  those  which 
our  friends  most  readily  accord  to  us,  we  shall  probably  be 
made,  by  their  very  strength,  to  see  that  by  comparison 
with  those  of  others,  they  are  but  poor,  and  so  to  shrink  from 
the  prospect  of  futurity  equipped  with  half-made  qualities  for  our 
best  points,  with  all  the  terrible  hindrance  of  the  other  portion 
of  our  personal  belongings  which  we  have  to  admit  as  our  *  weak- 
nesses,* all  ready  at  hand  to  neutralise  the  effect  which  we  might  other- 
\vise  be  able  to  produce.  Besides,  apart  from  any  questions  of  the 
peculiar  character  of  our  tendencies,  of  strong  points  or  of  weak,  the 
prospect  from  the  standpoint  of  the  very  best  does  not  niuch  im- 


1901.J  The  Temporary  Nature  of  our  Personality.  483 

prove ;  there  is  always  the  limitation  to  that  particular  *  bundle'  made 
up  as  it  can  only  be,  of  that  particular  life's  experience  from  child- 
hood to  the  grave,  and  it  should  not  be  a  satisfactor\'  prospect  for 
any  of  us  to  think  of  going  down  the  ages,  capable  only  of  relating 
together  the  events  that  may  unfold  themselves  to  us,  by  means  of 
the  equipment  contained  within  the  walls  of  any  particular  person- 
ality. To  the  man  whose  mind  has  been  widened  by  the  unfoldments 
regarding  time  and  eternity  contained  in  the  Ancient  Wisdom,  it 
must  become  quite  intolerable  that  he  should  be  called  upon  to  sail 
out  upon  the  ocean  of  eternity  with  such  a  poor  equipment.  It 
is  no  reply  to  say,  as  many  do,  that  the  spiritual  life  will,  as  it  goes 
on,  make  good  all  the  deficiencies  ;  it  only  throws  us  back  into 
vagueness  of  conception  of  the  term  *  spiritual  life,'  and  deprives  us 
of  all  sequential  and  scientific  thought  about  it.  In  view  of  all  the 
plain  facts  regarding  death  in  infancy  and  the  rest  of  it  which  make 
reincarnation  the  only  possible  theory  to  us,  it  is  plain  as  the  sun  in 
heaven,  that  whatever  qualities  we  are  ever  going  to  possess  are 
going  to  be  earnest  here,  or  never  will  be  ours.  This  line  of  argu- 
ment amounts  to  removing  altogether  the  necessity  for  this  earthly 
life,  and  is  in  the  nature  of  a  vote  of  censure  upon  the  Creator  for 
subjecting  us  to  the  pains  and  penalties  of  it  at  all.  Whatever 
degree  we  may  each  of  us  reach  in  the  process  of  self-analysis  and  of 
laying  bare  the  personal  short-comings,  most  of  us  must  early  be 
convinced  that  we  do  come  miserably  short  of  our  ideals,  and  that 
the  permanent  installation  of  any  quality  worth  haung  is  so  ex- 
tremely slow  as  to  make  the  possession  of  all  that  we  feel  we  lack, 
quite  impossible  in  even  a  dozen  of  the  longest  lives,  leaving,  in  fact, 
no  room  for  anything  but  a  continual  series  of  lives  in  which  to  do 
the  task. 

Looking  to  the  lamentable  results  attained  by  most  of  us  in 
effort  to  build  up  character  and  to  the  awful  hotch-potch  we  make  of 
our  lives  sometimes,  it  ought  to  be  with  a  feeling  of  gratitude,  that 
we  remember  that  this  single  life  is  7iot  going  to  be  the  basis  upon 
which  the  great  future  is  to  be  built  up  for  us.  Speaking  personally, 
I  fed  supremely  grateful  in  thinking  that,  anyhow,  thi^  particular 
bundle  of  qualities,  this  profoundl}'  unsatisfactory  mixture  of 
forces  which  make  up  what  I  know  as  myself  in  this  present  life, 
cannot  last  beyond  a  certain  time  ;  that  that,  at  any  rate,  will  be  dis- 
posed of  by  the  fire  of  time,  and  I  can  do  this  quite  without  any 
splenetic  feeling  of  self-debasement  or  the  dust  and  ashes  of  despair- 
ful self-depreciation,  which  is  generally  a  very  cheap  sort  of  ordeal 
in  the  end.  The  facts  are  fairly  and  plainly  in  front  of  us,  regarding 
any  giveu  quality ;  our  several  possessions  of  it  are  exactly  so  and  so, 
whatever  they  may  be,  and  the  fact  that  the  other  ingredients  of 
the  mixture  serve  often  to  greatly  accentuate  and  bring  out  the 
particular  deficiency  therein,  should  make  us  all  the  more  satisfied 
that  the  time  will  come  when  the  ravelled  skein  will  be  untied  and 


484  The  Theosophist.  [May 

straightened  out,  giving  a  chance  to  each  thread  to  weave  itself  into 
a  more  even  web  ;  and  that  this  particular  tangled  knot  of  threads 
will  never  be  offered  to  the  Kosmos  as  the  representation  of  the 
totality  of  my  efforts  therein,  or  of  me  as  a  completed  unit  thereof. 

In  fact  it  seems  to  me  that  the  unsatisfactor>%  uncompleted 
nature  of  our  personalities  being  once  established  to  us  along  this 
line  of  thought,  their  merely  temporary  existence  must  follow  as  a 
matter  of  course.  It  might  be  possible,  perhaps,  to  conceive  of  our 
unit  of  consciousness  as  unrelated  to  any  other  unit  going  before  or 
after  it,  as  deriving  its  general  stamp  of  character  from  the  swelling 
tide  of  progress  borne  in  upon  the  broad  bosom  of  evolution,  but 
even  so  the  idea  of  the  persistence  of  that  unit  as  a  permanent, 
yi«W/^^</ accomplishment  is  quite  impossible.  Whatever  the  office 
and  purpose  in  the  Kosmos  my  own  particular  bundle  and  present 
mingling  of  conflicting  forces  may  be  intended  to  fill,  it  is  clear 
as  daylight  that  the  present  life  will  leave  them  still  as  a  mere 
bundle,  and  still  conflicting,  and  far  from  forming  a  harmonious 
force  fit  for  permanent  place  in  the  kosmical  machiner>'.  Therefore 
am  I  bound  to  regard  myself  as  manifestly  an  uncompleted  article 
in  the  factory  of  time  ;  the  totality  of  myself  up  to  date,  as  a  building, 
the  foundations  of  which  may  be  morally  well  founded,  and  some  of 
the  superstructure  cemented  into  places,  but  the  roof  and  golden  finial 
of  which  are  a  long  way  from  going  up  into  the  wide  vault  of  Infinity 
as  an  architectural  accomplishment  for  the  eyes  of  the  Gods. 

Without  having  got  further  in  our   thinking  o'f  the  purposes  of 
life,  than  the  conception  of  the  one  earthl}''   life   theory  is  able  to 
furnish  us,   I  can  quite   conceive   it  possible  for  any  one  to  remain 
dimly  content  with  his   chances  of  getting  satisfactorily-    through 
eternity  on  the  stock  in  trade  of  the  qualities  he  possesses,  and  honest- 
ly trying  to  make  the  best  of  and  to  improve  them,  with  a  slim  hope 
that  somehow  their  little  weaknesses  will  mysteriously  bud  out,  in 
the  sun  of  a  higher  condition  of  life,  into  strengths.   With  the  eyes 
blind  to  the  facts  of  moving  evolution,  unable  to  see  more  of  the 
methods  of  the  Deity  than  in  the  permanent  coupling  of  the  fruits 
of  one  life  to  an  everlasting  soul,  there  may  be  some  excuse  for 
the  attempt  to  think  out   some  immortality  for  the  personality ; 
but  for  the  man  who  has  come  to  see  the  progressive  methods 
adopted,  and  to  regard   life  as  part  of  that  progression,  to  remain 
content  with  the  prospect  of  immortalising  himself  as  he  is  now,  is 
to  denote  a  degree  of  fatuous  self-complacency   very  hard  to  under- 
stand.    It  is  really  along  the  lines  of  this  plain  putting  to  ourselves 
the  question  whether  we  honestly    would  desire    that  perpetuity 
should  be  given  to  ourselves  as    we  are,   that  we  shall   be  able 
to  reach  absolute   conviction   of  the  need   for  a  series  of  lives  in 
which  to  do  the   needful  building   of  character.     By   no  stretch  of 
imagination  can  we  think  of  even  the  very  best  and  strongest  points 
we  may  have  as   being  perfect,  and  having  to    think  of  these  as 


I901.]  The  Temporary  Nature  of  our  Personality.  485 

strongly  linked  with  what  we  feel  to  be  our  worst  side,  the  average  of 
the  whole  is  brought  so  low  as  to  fonii  an  equipment  for  everlasting 
life  quite  impossible  in  the  mind  of  any  honest  and  candid 
thinker. 

If,  therefore,  we  find  that  the  nature  of  our  personality  is  such 
that  it  is  not  entitled  to  immortality,  what  shall  we  do  to  avoid  the 
opposite  conclusion  that  it  will  be  sure  to  be  obliterated  altogether  , 
forthe  often  miserable  totality  of  it  to  be  wiped  off  the  slate  entirely  ; 
for    undoubtedly  many  lives    do  so    shape    themselves  to  many 
people,  in  despair  at  the  wretched  surroundings  and  the  poverty  ot 
resnlt  of  the  life,  they  are  led  to  wish  that  the  cloud  of  death  could 
come  down  and  cover  it  from  all    men's   eyes.     A  great  deal  is  said 
about  the  poverty  or  richness  of  certain  lives  in  harvest  of  experience 
making  for  permanent  character,  and  the   instances  of  prominent 
characters  in  the  fields  of  politics,  art,  or  philosophy  are  cited  often 
as   rich  in  growth  of  that  material   which    goes  to  make  up  the 
permanent,  immortal,   spiritual  man  ;   but  I  must  question  whether 
some  of  the  lives  which  appear  to  be  such  awful   failures  are  not 
often  the  richest  in  providing  just  the  particular  kind  of  experience 
which  the  soul  wants  at  the  stage   at  which  it   stands,   to   do  the 
greatest  amount  of  growing.     Understand,  I  do   not  advocate  the 
notion  that  it  doesn't  matter  along  what  lines  we  frame  our  lives. 
I  take  it  to  be  the  duty  of  each  of  us  to  go  down  into  the  arena  of 
this  world  resolved  to  use  whatever  talents  we  possess  to  the  utmost 
advantage  in  the  world's  service — apart  from  the  questions  raised  in 
the  minds  of  some  in  connection  with  the  parable  of  the  Ten  Talents. 
It  were  a  needless  waste  of,  energy  not  to  do  so  ;  but  to  suppose  that, 
because  the  nett  result  is  not  what  is  generally  regarded  as  a  success, 
as  the  limited  nature  of  our  understandings  measure  it,  that  the 
harvest  to  the  soul  is  poor,  is  often  an  unwarrantable  assumption.   I 
suppose  none  of  us  would  advocate  a  life  of  dissipation  as  calculated 
to  advance  the  soul  upon  the  Path,  yet  we  have  in  Sydney  Carton  (by 
far  the  most  masterly  sketch  Dickens  has  given   to   the  world),  an 
example  of  a  submerged  soul  spurred  on  by  the  very    depth   of  the 
submergence  to  the  noblest  self-sacrifice  to    be   found  in   English 
literature,  and  to  the  successful  accomplishment  of  an  act  which,  for 
that  soul,  must  be  of  far-reaching  and  immense  importance. 

Hand  in  hand  with  the  conclusion  we  must  come  to  that  the 
personality  cannot  as  a  totality  survive,  there  must  go  the  admission 
that  part  of  it  may  and  must  do  so.  Without  this  other  conclusion 
we  must  be  ready  to  brand  the  Deity  as  a  tyrant  merely  sporting 
with  our  pleasures  and  pains,  or  to  subscribe  with  Wynwood  Read, 
to  the  Martyrdom  of  Man.  That  many  splendid  people  take  the 
latter  course  must  be  conceded,  and  we  can  only  account  for  their 
doing  so  by  lack  of  experience,  as  yet,  along  certain  lines  which  by  and 
bye  will  draw  them  to  a  sense  of  the  Divine  Love  which  governs  all 
our  lives  ;  but  I  think  I  would  almost  prefer  that  they  take  thia 


486  The  Theosophisl.  t^ay 

course,  if  as  the  result  of  careful  and  exact  study  of  the  facts  that  had 
come  to  them,  than  in  a  vague  and  slovenly  way,  to  accept  belief  in 
immortality  clothed  always  in  the  vesture  wrought  entirely  out  of  the 
experiences  of  the  present  personality. 

As  the  slow  building  up  of  the  permanent  body  of  the  soul  is 
the  most  beautiful  fact  in  our  study  of  Theosophy,  so  is  it  the  most 
securely  scientific.  There  are  some  things  in  connection  with  our 
personalities  we  would  not  wish  to  lose,  some  we  feel  the  whole 
world  would  be  the  poorer  were  they  to  perish.  Whenever  this  is  so 
we  need  not  fear;  the  perfection  of  the  machiner>^  is  such  that  Kos- 
niical  Law  will  hold  it  fast  if  it  be  worth  the  holding,  and  if  there 
be  anything  in  the  lives  of  you  and  me  that  is  of  a  kind  to  help  the 
world,  the  world  will  not  be  robbed  of  it.  The  vesture  that  is  to  be 
worn  by  each  of  us  in  the  Great  Hereafter  is  perhaps  slow  in  the 
weaving,  but  it  will  contain  no  imperfect  thread  when  it  is  done ;  the 
contributions  to  it  which  some  ofour  personalities  ma}'  make  maybe 
very  small,  but  we  shall  then  be  perfecth'  satisfied  that  no  part  of 
any  one  of  them  was  lost  that  was  at  all  entitled  to  salvation. 

W.  G.  John. 


THEOSOPHY  AND  CHURCH  MEMBERSHIP, 

NO  more  dangerous  idea  could  be  spread  before  the  public  than 
that  the  Theosophical  Society  is  a  sect  among  sects,  which 
expects  its  members  who  engage  in  its  work  to  sever  their  connec- 
tion with  whatsoever  ancestral  religion  they  may  be  related. 

The  matter  has  been  recently  brought  up  before  the  President- 
Founder  by  a  letter  from  one  of  his  dear  colleagues  in  France ;  a 
lady  who  was  his  hostess  during  his  stay  at  her  town  while  on  his 
last  year's  tour.  She  writes  him  that  she,  and  seven  other  members 
of  her  branch,  have  become  reconciled  to  the  Catholic  Church,  and 
have  resigned  from  the  Theosophical  Society,  and  that  she  now 
finds  herself  full  of  peace  and  joy  :  she  hopes,  however,  that  Colo- 
nel Olcott  will  not  break  the  friendly  tie  between  them  on  this 
account.  Her  step  is  the  result  of  the  new  light  thrown  upon  the 
religious  dogmas  of  her  Church,  for  which  she  feels  grateful  to 
Theosophy. 

Now,  it  is  almost  enough  to  make  one  despair  that  after  its 
twenty-five  years  of  public  teaching  and  explanation  as  to  the  ideas 
it  represents,  our  Society  should  be  so  unjustly  regarded  as  hostile 
to  Christianity  to  the  degree  that  a  member,  whose  love  for  his 
religion  is  suddenly  revived  by  the  help  of  Theosophical  teaching, 
must  of  necessity  resign  membership  in  it. 

In  his  reply  to  his  correspondent  the  President  clearly  shovirs 
her  that  she  has  totally  misunderstood  the  aim  of  the  Society,  if  she 
thinks  that  her  reconciliation  with  her  church  could  possibly  de- 


I90l«  Matter  and  its  Higher  Phases.  487 

stro}'  his  esteem  and  friendship  for  her  ;  that,  on  the  contrary,  the 
v'er)'  reason  of  its  organization  was  first  and  lastly  to  help  awaken 
in  the  hearts  of  the  followers  of  all  the  world-religions  their  love  for 
them,  and  to  help  them  to  get  the  highest  possible  idea  of  human 
perfectibility  to  be  found  in  their  sacred  writings,  and  then  to 
encourage  them  to  strive  after  it.  One  has  only  to  see  how  faith- 
fully the  Society  has  followed  up  this  policy  in  making  the  revivals 
of  Hinduism  in  India,  and  Buddhism  in  Buddhist  countries,  to 
understand  the  foolishness  of  the  step  taken  by  our  French  col- 
leagues. On  any  other  basis  than  this  our  Society  would  be  simply 
one  more  exasperating  sect,  to  bind  the  conscience  and  stifle  the 
inquiries  of  human  beings. 

There-conversion  of  the  eight  French  ladies  to  Christianity  is 
one  of  the  most  valuable  proofs  to  give  at  the  West  of  the  benefi- 
cent influence  which  our  Society  is  having  upon  the  thought  of 
intelligent  people  in  Europe. 


MATTER  AND  ITS  HIGHER  PHASES, 

THE  title  of  this  article  at  once  strikes  the  student  as  opening  up 
a  very  wide  field  of  investigation.  Practicall}^  there  is  no  limit 
to  such  a  field,  for  we  have  in  dealing  with  such  a  subject,  infinitude 
stretching  in  all  directions. 

Now  it  is  not  claimed  that  this  article  deals  with  all  grades  of 
matter,  in  any  complete  or  elaborate  degree,  or  that  it  probes  deepl)- 
into  it,  for  to  do  that  would  need  a  genius.  What  is  aimed  at,  is 
that,  as  simply  as  possible,  a  view  may  be  given  of  the  subject  as  it 
has  appeared  after  a  study  of  it  from  the  theosophical   standpoint. 

Beginning  with  physical  matter  we  see  in  w^hat  a  multitude  of 
varied  forms  it  impinges  upon  our  sense  perceptions  ;  thus  enabling 
us  to  perceive  it  in  innumerabl}'-  different  aspects,  from  the  solid 
rock  up  to  its  gaseous  condition,  through  its  vegetable  and  animal 
aspects.  Tnily  a  marvellous  thing  is  this  matter  which  takes  on 
so  many  varied  forms,  although  its  grandeur  may  not  always  strike  us, 
owing  to  its  continued  presence  :  which  mayhap  gives  to  it  a  degree 
of  the  monotonous. 

So  vast  is  this  realm  of  matter  that  manj'  sciences  have  been 
built  up  in  its  study  ;  each  special  branch  being  quite  content  to 
devote  itself  solely  to  one  particular  view  of  it,  and  the  students  of 
each  of  these  branches  find  that  their  whole  time  and  energy  are 
demanded  if  they  would  master  all  its  mysteries. 

We  have  thus  chemistry,  geolog>%  botany  and  all  the  long 
list  of  sciences  that  deal  with  the  study  of  matter  in  its  various  forms. 

And  when  we  give  even  a  cursory  glance  at  the  immense  bulk 
of  knowledge  that  each  individual  science  has  to  oflFer  us,  we  marvel 


488  The  Theosophist.  [May 

greatly  at  the  shortness  of  life,  /.r„  of  course,  fromithe  orthodox  stand- 
point of  one  earth-life  for  each  man.  Truly  it  is  ridiculous  to  suppose 
that  man,  though  admittedly  the  greatest  product  of  nature,  has  but  to 
play  such  an  insignificant  part  in  the  world's  great  drama,  as  to 
appear  but  once  on  its  spacious  platform,  and  then  sink  back  to 
oblivion.  Man,  the  greatest  of  all  (we  are  told),  lives  but  a  few  short 
years  on  earth,  and  then  leaves  for  ever ;  whilst  the  mount  and  vale. 
the  giant  trees,  the  sand  on  the  shore,  remain  a  thousand  years 
and  more.  Why  should  the  most  important  being  be  snuffed  so 
suddenly  out,  and  such  trivial  things  remain  to  bask  in  the  sunshine 
of  centuries  ?  Truly  is  nature  disjointed  and  unjust,  if  such  things 
are !  But  no,  we  cannot  conceive  that  it  is  so ;  rather  would  we 
believe  that  the  earth  that  so  persistently  continues,  is  but  a  plat- 
form decked  with  nature's  scenery ;  upon  which  the  actors  appear 
and  reappear,  whenever  the  time  has  come  that  they  should  play 
their  allotted  parts. 

If  this  is  so,  man's  insignificance,  when  contrasted  with  this 
bulk  of  knowledge,  disappears ;  for  with  re-incarnation  we  recognise 
man's  true  superiority  over  all  knowledge  and  nature. 

Vast  indeed,  then,  is  the  sum  total  of  the  knowledge  that  accrues 
from  this  study  of  matter  in  its  multitudinous  forms.  The  chemist 
is  concerned  with  the  combining  and  disintegrating  of  matter  ;  and 
he  shows  us  how  matter  maj'  be  changed  in  its  aspects  and  attributes 
by  certain  lines  of  procedure.  It  is  the  chemist  that  enables  us  to  get  a 
conception  of  some  of  the  possibilities  and  potencies  of  it ;  yet  has  he 
to  stop  bewildered  in  the  maze  that  his  investigation  leads  him  into. 
At  first  he  told  us  that  there  were  a  number  of  elements,  simple 
substances  from  which  all  others  were  formed.  One  by  one  he  drop- 
ped calling  a  substance  an  element ;  because  he  found  that,  instead  of 
being  simple,  it  was  compound.  To-day  our  leading  chemists  would 
hesitate  at  saying  that  there  was  more  than  one  element,  from  which 
all  else  had  differentiated. 

So  that  we  are  struck  with  the  many  potentialities  of  matter  ;  for 
though  we  have  solid,  liquid  and  gas,  yet  are  they  all  essentially 
the  same  ;  /,<'.,  they  may  each  be  reduced  to  either  one  or  the  other 
state.  We  know  that  we  can  reduce  most  things  either  wholly  or 
partly  to  either  one  or  other  of  those  conditions. 

Now  what  will  this  line  of  thought  lead  us  to  ?  If  everything 
may  be  reduced  to  exactly  the  same  state— that  is,  to  a  common  ele- 
ment— what  may  we  learn  from  this  ?  In  the  first  place  it  would  un- 
doubtedly strike  most  of  us  that  if  the  latest  hypothesis  is  correct, 
and  there  is  this  simple  element,  that  this  simple  element  must  have 
existed  before  the  world  which  is  built  up  of  its  differentiated  sub- 
stances. We  could  hardly  think  the  reverse  way,  and  suppose  that 
the  world  came  first  ;  and  that  it  was  a  possibility  of  the  matter  of 
the  earth  to  be  reduced  to  a  simple  element. 

This  line  of  reasoning,  which  is  really  a  countiug   backwards, 


1901.]  Matter  and  its  Higher  Phases.  489 

brings  us  back  to  this  one  simple  element  from  which  the  world,  we 
may  infer,  has  originated.  And  what  does  this  convey  to  the  mind  ? 
Here  we  have  a  homogeneous  substance  which,  although  a  unit, 
must  necessarily  contain  in  potentiality  the  whole  world.  We  cannot 
possibly  realise  all  that  this  should  convey  to  the  mind.  A  step  has 
been  taken  where  our  vaunted  reason  fails  to  grasp,  or  to  cognise, 
the  whole  of  the  situation.  Can  intellect  be  possibly  the  highest 
faculty,  when  it  altogether  fails  to  carry  us  beyond  a  certain 
point  ? 

Here  we  have  a  condition  of  matter  that  altogether  eludes  our 
comprehension.  We  are  carried  back  by  our  reason  to  a  supposi- 
tion that  it  is  so,  for  if  the  chemist  were  able  to  continue  to  sub- 
divide his  compounds,  we  can  easily  conceive  that  he  must  ulti- 
mately arrive  at  a  simple  element.  It  would  appear  so  from  the  fact 
that  in  taking  a  number  of  compounds  they  can  all  be  separated 
to  similar  constituents  ;  or  to  put  it  in  others  words,  the  chemist 
is  acquainted  with  a  definite  number  of  so  called  elements  from 
which,  in  diflferent  proportions.  ever3'^thing  else  is  composed. 

It  is  not  at  all  a  stretch  of  imagination  to  suppose  that  even 
what  are  called  elements  are  capable  of  sub-division,  for  we  find 
that  as  most  forms  of  matter  are  manifestly  the  result  of  the 
combinations  of  other  forms,  and  as  this  holds  good  to  such  a  large 
degree,  within  our  knowledge  of  combination,  we  are  not  extrav- 
agant in  supposing  that  this  is  a  Universal  Principle ;  and  that 
it  pertains  to  the  so-called  elements  of  chemistry — and  that  thus 
they  are  likewise  subject  to  the  same  law  ot  combination  and 
hence  are  compound  substances.  By  thus  reasoning  we  are  driven 
right  back  to  the  one  simple  element  j  ust  before  spoken  of. 

In  the  laboratory,  the  chemist  is  able  to  demonstrate  his  steps 
as  he  takes  them  ;  outside  the  laboratory,  hypotheses  can  only  be 
maintained  by  reasoning. 

Now,  necessarily,  the  progress  of  the  chemist,  though  sure,  is 
slow  ;  the  philosopher  being  able  to  leave  far  behind  his  more 
practical  companion  ;  therefore,  if  we  are  to  have  any  understand- 
ing at  all  of  the  future,  we  must  leave  our  more  patient  and 
practical  friend  and  hasten  after  our  more  eager  philosopher.  'Tis 
all  very  well  to  cry  out  **  give  us  proof* — that  is  the  cry  of  the 
practical  man  ;  who  by  thusJdemanding  proof  as  he  goes,  must  needs 
be  left  far  behind  his  more  comprehensive  colleague  who  is  satisfied 
with  the  assistance  that  his  reason  gives  him,  in  his  search  for 
Truth.  These  two  may  be  likened  to  two  men  who  are  going  to 
risk  their  lives  on  a  rope.  The  timid  man  would  not  be  satisfied 
with  the  rope  until  first  of  all  he  had  tested  it  in  some  way  ;  and 
thus  had  proof  of  its  strength.  The  other  man,  by  glancing  at  the 
rope  and  bringing  to  his  mind  previous  experiences  in  regard  to 
the  quality  and  thickness  of  rope  necessary  to  bear  his  weight,  is 
often  (thus  reasoning)  satisfied  ;  and  immediately  trusts  himself  to 
6 


490  The  Theosophist.  [May 

the  rope  and  has  achieved  his  feat — whilst  the  othef  matt  is  left 
experimenting  and  testing  the  rope  by  practical  methods. 

No  doubt  the  *  prove  as  5^011  go'  process  is  sure,  but  its  slowness 
is  apparent ;  the  other  method  of  reasoning  being  preferred  by  the 
eager  student.  So  that  thus  the  philosopher  will  get  far  ahead  of 
his  time,  leaving  the  demonstration  of  his  theories  to  his  more  lag- 
gard companion  ;  and  indeed  without  the  reasoner  the  practical 
man  would  have  absolutely  nothing  to  work  upon. 

In  this  paper  we  will  wander  away  into  the  clouds,  as  the  prac- 
tical man  so  sarcastically  puts  it  ;  and  tread  fast  upon  the  heels  of 
time. 

We  had  reasoned,  that  as  combination  was  apparently  the 
ruling  feature  of  matter,  we  could  reverse  this  ;  and  subdivide  and 
go  on  doing  so,  until  we  had  arrived  at  a  homogenous  substance 
which  wotild  not  permit  of  further  subdivision.  Thus  we  have 
arrived  at  a  hypothesis  of  Theosophy  ;  for  we  are  taught  that  such 
a  substance  exists,  from  which  differentiates  the  matter  which  com- 
poses the  visible  as  well  as  the  invisible  universe.  It  is  the  A'k&sha 
or  w^orld  stuff  from  which  everything  emanates.  Take  a  substance 
and  analyse  it  first  by  practical  methods,  and  then  by  the  philosoph- 
ic. The  practical  method  will  disclose  that  it  is  composed  of 
various  other  substances — acids,  salts,  &c. ;  these  again  are  com- 
posed, say,  of  gases  ;  these  gases  are  composed  of  finer  ones  ;  and  so 
on  until  the  practical  method  is  left  behind.  Then  the  philosophic 
methods  begin,  and  it  is  argued  that  the  gas  is  composed  of  mol- 
ecules, and  the  molecules  of  atoms— and  here  it  is  usual  to  stop,  be- 
cause the  atom  even  is  too  infinitesimal  for  thought  to  dwell  upon. 
Here  we  have  then  arrived  at  a  stage  where  thought,  as  we  know 
it,  is  unable  to  conceive  ;  but  the  question  then  arises— have  we 
really  arrived  at  the  end  of  infinitude  ?  The  question  might  well 
provoke  a  smile  from  those  who  are  u.sed  to  thinking  thus  about 
the  finer  grades  of  matter  ;  and  certainly  many  would  say,  it 
cannot  be,  for  they  would  argue  that  where  thought  ceases  'tis 
there  that  infinity  begins. 

Even  if  at  this  stage  we  have  not  a  thorough  realisation  of  an 
idea  which  certain  words  convey  to  us,  still  we  may  have  ft  Ikint 
perception  that  the  extension  of  matter  does  not  stop  at  the  atom. 
Although  taking.the  atom  as  the  smallest  conceivable  thing,  we 
could  still  argue  that  even  it  was  composed  of  j'et  finer  parts  ;  and 
we  could  also  say  that  as  the  atom  is  to  a  mountain,  so  is  a  com- 
ponent  part  of  the  atom  to  itself. 

To  say  that  an  atom  is  the  smallest  thing  conceivable  by  our 
brain  intellect,  is  true  enough  ;  but  to  assert  that  an  atom  is  the 
smallest  thing  that  can  exist  or  does  exist,  is  not  logical ;  it  is  simply 
placing  the  brain  intellect  as  a  measure  which  may  gauge  every- 
tiiing — as  great  a  piece  of  presumption  as  th^t  same  brain  intellect 
is  capable  of. 


idOl.]  Matter  and  its  Higher  Phases.  491 

Tb«re  is  an  old  axiom  which  says  that  the  finite  cannot  under- 
stand the  infinite. 

That  is  an  axiom  that  no  reasoning  man  will  contradict.  We 
being  finite,  everything  within  our  range  of  perception  and  reason- 
ing, is  necessarily  finite.  From  this  we  gather  that  at  the  very 
outskirts  of  our  dimmest  thinking— at  the  very  verge  of  our  most 
strained  conceptions — there  the  infinite  begins  ;  and  stretches  out 
in  shoreless  space.  Necessarily,  by  our  conceptions  of  finite  and 
infinite,  the  finite  must  be  even  less  to  the  infinite  than  a  grain  of 
sand  to  a  planet.  Yet  even  this  conception  can  hardly  give  an  idea  of 
the  relative  importance  of  the  one  compared  with  the  other  ;  for 
the  foregoing  reasoning  is  necessarily  finite,  therefore  can  convey 
bttt  a  shadow  of  an  idea  of  the  difference  between  them. 

If  this  line  of  reasoning  at  all  indicates  the  nature  of  infinitude, 
then  an  atom  can  be  thought  of  as  composed  of  as  many  parts  as 
there  are  atoms  in  a  planet ;  and  unless  we  are  inclined  to  circum- 
{vcrlbe  the  infinite  by  the  finite,  this  line  of  reasoning  must  be  ad- 
mitted to  be  sound. 

To  say  that  the  reasoning  is  unsound,  simply  because  our  intel- 
lect fails  to  grasp  the  whole  situation,  is  indeed  a  circumscribing  of 
the  infinite,  and  would  show  that  we  were  judging  the  infinite  by 
the  finite. 

Sufficient  has  been  said  on  this  point  to  indicate  the  line  of  rea- 
soning to  be  foll<iwed  ;  for  if  the  arguments  are  correct,  then  we 
have  stretehiiig  from  the  physical  state  of  matter,  finer  and  finer 
states,  which  stretch  out  into  inconceivable  infinitude. 

These  finer  grades  of  matter  are  superior,  not  inferior,  to 
physical ;  and  we  have  in  considering  them  to  cease  judging  them 
from  the  preconceived  notion,  that  this  physical  plane  consciousness 
is  the  highest.  By  a  study  of  the -inner  planes  we  are  soon  con- 
vinced of  the  presumption  of  these  ideas  grown  out  of  the  infinite 
conceit  of  finite  man.  To  further  this  idea  look  around  us;  and 
it  is  ckarly  observed  that  the  more  refined  state  a  class  of  matter  or 
force  is  in,  the  greater  its  power.  Steel,  owing  to  its  refinement,  is 
stronger  than  iron  ;  steam  owing  to  its  refinement  is  more  powerful 
thaii  water ;  gravitation,  one  of  the  mightiest  forces  we  can  conceive 
of,  is  to  us  vrliolly  uncognisable.  It  is  the  same,  throughout  nature, 
the  more  attenuated  a  condition  matter  or  force  is  in,  the  greater  its 
potency.  And  in  considering  these  higher  planes  we  may  expect  that 
the  same  law  holds  good  ;  and  that  instead  of  space  being  an  empty 
void,  it  is  really  a  reservoir  of  the  mightiest  forces,  containing  matter 
eiidowed  with  the  most  surprising  possibilities. 

Tbe  popular  mind  perceives  the  infinite  in  one  direction —for 
example,  the  extension  of  space.  It  also  understands  that  there 
may  be  greater  and  better  worlds  than  this  small  globe  of  ours, 
and  that  the  earth  is  but  a  speck,  a  grain  of  sand,  when  compared 
with  all  those  glorious  planets  that   float   in  space.     This  has  been 


492  The  Theosophlst.  [May 

recognised,  because  there  was  tangible  evidence  by  way  of  the  tele- 
scope ;  and  from  this  the  imagination  and  reason  has  carried  them  to 
the  conclusion  that  there  was  no  end  in  that  direction.  But  on  the 
other  hand,  although  the  microscope  has  given  them  such  a  clear 
insight  and  understanding  of  the  infinitely  small,  yet  has  their 
reason  and  imagination  failed  to  carry  them  to  such  an  extent  in  this 
direction  as  in  the  other. 

We  have  for  such  incalculable  periods  depended  solely  upon 
our  senses  for  our  ideas  concerning  nature,  our  reason  so  far  not 
having  applied  itself  to  such  a  line  of  investigation,  that  we  have 
gradually  but  surely  convinced  ourselves  that  naught  but  what  they 
cognised  could  exist. 

But  let  us  apply  our  reason  to  the  subject,  and  very  soon  such 
elementary  ideas  as  are  produced  by  sense  perception  have  to  be  con- 
sidered as  worthless.  It  is  reason  that  gives  us  a  true  idea  ot  things  ; 
and  we  soon  get  into  the  habit  of  distrusting  our  sense  perceptions 
until  we  have  applied  our  reason  likewise  as  corroborative  evidence- 
Our  reason  very  soon  places  the  senses  in  their  true  position  ;  they 
are  looked  upon  no  longer  as  judges,  but  simply  as  aids  to  judgment ; 
and  where  our  senses  dare  to  intrude  and  say  a  thing  cannot  be, 
because  they  cannot  perceive  it,  we  turn  away  and  ask  the  judg- 
ment of  reason.  The  reason  proclaims  that  the  world  perceived  by 
the  senses  is  but  a  very  small  one — but  a  fractional  division  of  the 
finite  ;  so  that  sense  perception  is  wholly  unreliable  beyond  a  cer- 
tain point.  Reason  then  is  to  be  our  guide  in  this  investigation  of 
nature  ;  the  senses  being  but  aids  at  certain  points. 

We  see  to  what  a  distance  our  reason  will  convey  us,  if  we  but 
choose  to  accept  its  guidance.  There  is  this  point,  though,  to  be 
borne  in  mind  in  speaking  of  reason  ;  it  is  not  in  the  same  stage  of 
development  in  all.  One  man  for  instance  has  not  suflHiciently 
developed  his  reason  to  be  able  to  accept  the  idea  of  a  round  earth ; 
again  another  man  will  hesitate  in  accepting  evolution  as  a  law  in 
Nature,  however  palpable  this  fact  may  be  to  his  more  advanced 
neighbour.  And  so  we  may  travel  up  the  scale  of  reason,  and 
on  every  stage  of  this  scale  we  find  numbers  who  have  halted,  and 
can  proceed  no  further.  Thus  we  may  go  right  up  the  scale  of  reason 
and  note  its  different  stages,  and  the  multitudes  of  people  who  have 
stopped  at  the  stages  and  rest  content. 

And  perhaps  the  last  popular  stage  of  reason  deals  with  the 
physical  atom.  Few  indeed  are  there  who  would  dare  to  reason 
beyond  this  mighty  obstacle. 

Presumption  !  they  would  say  ;  absurd  and  ridiculous  to  sup- 
pose that  there  could  be  a  state  of  matter  more  attenuated  than  this 
atom ! 

To  suggCvSt  that  an  atom  in  its  turn  is  as  complex  a  thing  as  a 
planet,  would  be  such  a  strain  upon  the  reasoning  powers  of  the 
average  man,  as  to  make  him  suppose  you  were  really   mad.     And 


1901.]  The  Rama  Gita.  493 

why  does  this  idea  of  the  physical  atom  as  the  ultimate  of  matter, 
hold  so  strongly  in  the  popular  mind  to-day  ?  If  one  speak  of 
infinitude  as  stretching  shoreless  in  all  directions,  and  then  treat  of 
the  atom  as  the  finest  state  of  matter,  we  have  immediately  a  con- 
tradiction in  terms,  and  no  other  conclusion  can  be  arrived  at,  than 
that  either  there  is  no  such  thing  as  infinitude,  or  the  atom  is  yiot 
the  finest  state  of  matter.  If  infinitude  does  obtain,  then  the  phys- 
ical atom  is  built  up  of  material  finer  still  than  itself;  and  this 
reasoning  will  carry  one  back  and  back  until  one  reaches— the 
unthinkable. 

By  this  line  of  procedure  we  may  logically  reason  back  towards 
the  inconceivable ;  and  the  fact  that  intellect  can  convey  but  a 
shadowy  idea  of  matter  rarer  than  the  atom,  does  not  serve  to  deny 
that  such  states  of  matter  exist. 

By  using  the  same  line  of  argument,  we  may  also  infer  that 
intellect  is  not  the  highest  form  of  consciousness  in  the  realms  of 
infinitude  ;  but  that  will  fall  into   its  place  later  on   in  this  paper. 

F.  M.  Parr. 
i^To  be  concluded,^ 


0, 


THE  RA'MA  GFTA'. 

[Coniiniied/rom  page  432.] 

Chapter  IV. 

HanumSn  said  : 

Chief  of  the  Raghu  race!   How  can  any  question   regarding 
the  established  Truth*  be  prohibited,  when,  by  a  knowledge 
of  it,  Jivanmukti  accrues  to  men  ?  (i) 

S'ri  Rdma  said : 

That  which  is  the  subject  of  enquiry,  etc.,  is  the  True,  Blissful 
Paramitmant  who  is  ever  full,  whose  attribute  is  knowledge  and 
who  is  realised  only  by  direct  cognition.  (2) 

That  supreme  being  which  can  be  reached  by  speech  and  mind 
that  are  pure,  know  that  as  the  middle  Brahman  (and  not  the  Nir- 
gunatita  which  is  beyond  speech  and  mind).  The  S'ruti  also  says 
"  Tell  that  (Nirguna)  to  me."  (3) 

Because  It  is  capable  of  being  taught  (derived)  and  is  even,  pos- 
sessed of  form  (which  form  is  no  other  than  supreme  effulgence),  It 
can  be  known  and  meditated  upon.  The  S'ruti  speaks  of  this  Brah- 
man alone.  (4) 

*  Here  HaniimAn  refers  to  the  Nirgun&tita  Brahman  regarding-  which  it  was 
iiaid,in  the  last  verse  of  the  last  chapter,  that  no  question  should  be  asked. 

fSM  Rilma  says  that  the  first  (/>.,  the  NirgunAttta  Brahman)  is  not  the   sub* 
ject  of  our  enquiry  and  that  the  middle  one  (1.^.,  the  Nirguna  Brahman)  alone  is 
the  subject  of  such  enquiry.     The  third  (i.e.,  the  Saguna  Brahman)  is  not  consider 
ed  in  this  Science  of  Self  for  the  only  reason  that  It  cannot  directly  secure  mukti. 


494  The  Theosophist.  [Ma7 

Because  the  expression  (?>.,  the  scriptaral  passage  beginning 
with)  **  Having  then  reached"  speaks  of  the  attainment  of  the  form- 
less (Brahman)  it  should  not  be  doubted  therefrom  that  the  posses- 
sion of  form  (mentioned  in  the  last  verse)  is  unimportant.  (5) 

That  It  is  the  origin,  etc.,  of  Jivas,  that  It  is  also  the  source  of 
S'fistras  (vedas)  and  that  It  is  the  subject  of  discussion  of  the  con- 
nected S'rutis  (these  characteristics),  are  (to  be  found  only)  in  the 
thing  itself  which  is  chiefly  desired  to  be  known.  (6) 

It  is  very  difficult  to  find  these  characteristics  in  the  foimless 
(Brahman;,  they  do  not  at  all  exist  there.  Hence  it  is  that  the 
author  of  the  ( VedSnta)  Sutras  has  considered  Its  form  or  essential 
properties  (Existence,  Intelligence,  and  Bliss).  (7) 

It  is  well  known  that  Intelligence,  Bliss  and  other  chanurteris- 
tics  which  are  opposed  to  those  of  M&ya  (non^etemal)  and  Avidyi 
(non-intelligent),  belong  to  the  Nirvis'esha  (ue..  Brahman  having 
negative  attributes).  (8) 

It  never  loses  Its  characteristic  negative  attributes,  evta  though 
non-existence  is  discarded.  Anyhow,  such  (characteristics  of  the 
non-existent)  as  are  said  to  have  originated  therefrom,  adhere  to  It 
like  the  pollen  of  flowers.  (9) 

Though  the  non-existent  is  never  separate  from  the  existent,  is 
not  the  existent  different  from  the  non-existent  ?  The  ability  to  dis- 
card the  non-existent  belongs  to  the  existent  alone  and  to  none 
else.  (10) 

O,  wise  one  !  By  the  argument  now  under  consideration  regard- 
ing this  dual  nature,  etc.,  let  it  not  be  supposed  that  the  well-known 
Advaita  doctrine  is  set  aside.    This  does  not  affect  it.  ( n) 

By  this,  the  doctrine  of  Advaita  is  affected  only  apparently,  but 
not  otherwise.  And  where  particular  mention  is  made  of  dualitj',  it 
(the  Advaita)  is  as  much  affected  by  it  as  the  Sun  is  by  thic  fire- 
fly. (12) 

As  that  Advaita- Brahma- Vada  (i.^.,  the  doctrine  of  absolute 
Monism),  which  was  propounded  by  the  older  school  of  Advaitins,* 
merely  imparts  an  indirect  or  theoretical  knowledge,  it  should  be 
considered  as  purvapaksha  or  the  prima  fade  view.  (13) 

*  SAitkar&chArya  was  an  exponent  of  this  older  school  of  AdvaHa.  That  it  is 
only  the  prima  ftuie  view  can  be  proved  by  several  paB^ages  from  Tatva9A«:ftyaita. 
It  should  not  be  argued  that  the  Advaita  propounded  in  this  RAma  GiUL  which 
IS  one  of  the  three  prasthAnas  of  the  AnubhavAdvaita  system,  is  later  than  the 
8^ankara  school.  The  only  possible  inference  tliat  can  be  drawn  from  the 
teachings  of  this  system  which  makes  no  mention  of  S'ankarlchArya,  \h  that 
there  was&n  older  school  of  Advaita  long  before  the  timeof  Vasishthaand  Rdma, 
which  was  set  down  by  them  as  piirvapaksha  or  the  prima  facie  \\&w  aad  tliat, 
conteoiporaneotisly  with  ii,  there  was  in  existence  this;  siddhAnta  paksha  other- 
wise known  as  the  AnubhavAdvaita  system.  Both  the  systems  are,  no  doubt,  as 
old  as  the  Seli\  The  former  or  the  theoretical  side  of  advaita  is  the  prima  fade 
view,  while  the  latter  or  the  practical  side  of  it  is  the  conclusive  proof  of  the  truth 
established  by  the -former.  Time  called  forth  a  S'AiikarAchArya  who  appeared  on 
the  scene  to  give  out  publicly  the  teachings  of  the  theoretical*  school.  Then  time 
was  not  ripe  for  giving  out  these  advanced  teachings  so  publicly.  When  the  pro- 
ffer time  came,  the  Theosophical  Society  appeared  oti  the  stage  to  give  out  por- 
tions of  the  siddhAnlA  paksha  to  the  public.  Hindu  theosophists  will,  therefore, 
profit  much  by  reading  and  digesting  the  three  volumes  of  TatvasArAyana. 


1901.]  The  Rama  Gita.  495 

This  doctrine  which  maintains  two  kinds  of  Brahman  is  .well 
discussed  (and  supported)  by  the  S'rutis.  As  this  leads  to  practical 
knowledge  or  direct  cognition,  it  becomes  the  siddhinta  paksha  or 
final  conclusion  {i,€.,  the  conclusive  proof  of  the  established 
Ttuth).  (14) 

A  clear  knowledge  of  the  identity  oi  Brahman  and  the  (individ- 
ual) Sbi^f  removes  the  false  knowledge  of  erroneously  attributing 
the  qualities  of  the  Self  to  the  body.  He  who  does  not  think  of  his 
body  as  **  I "  becomes  a  Jivanmukta.  (15) 

He  who  does  not  firmly  believe  either  in  the  existence  or  the 
non-exislence  of  the  Universe*  and  he  who  has  the  knowledge  oi 
the  mediator  {i.e.,  the  spiritual  essence  unconnected  with  bodily 
wants  or  passions),  such  a  man  becomes  a  Jivanmukta.  (16) 

He  who  has  personal  experience  of  the  Sei.f  during  his  abstract 
meditation  and  he  who,  after  coming  out  of  that  meditation,  carries 
with  him  (until  he  goes  again  into  such  meditation)  the  knowledge 
of  such  experience,  such  a  man  becomes  a  Jivanmukta.  (17) 

He  who  establishes  himself  above  SSkshi-vrittif  and  below 
Akhandaikarasa-sthiti,}:  becomes  a  Jivanmukta.  (18) 

He  who  has  in  his  mind  the  Akhandakara-vritti§  which  is  full 
of  intelligence,  becomes  a  Jiv&nmukta.  Even  though  he  may  be 
possessed  of  the  mind  stufi"  he  will  be  virtually  devoid  of  it.  (19) 

He  who  directs  his  attention  (after  having  seated  himself  in  the 

*  The  older  Advaitins  hold  that  this  Universe  is  false.  The  Anubhavftdvai- 
tins  hold  that  it  is  neither  false  nor  true.  When  one  is  under  bondag-e  it  is  true 
and  when  he  is  relieved  it  is  false.  It  is,  in  other  words,  true  for  a  sams&rin  and 
false  for  a  Mukta. 

t  S4kshi-vrittt  is  the  result  of  the  second  Sam&dhi  known  as  S^abd&nuviddha« 
It  is  the  meditation  on  the  subjective  Atman  as  the  witness  of  all.  The  idea  that 
the  Self  is  the  witness  and  not  the  doer  is  experienced  in  this  Sam&dhi. 

X  Akhandaikarasa-sthiti  is  the  result  of  the  fourth  Samidhi  known  as  Nissan- 
kalpa,  where  all  thoug-hts  vanish.  The  enjoyment  of  the  one  eternal  pleasure 
arising  from  the  experience  of  the  Universal  Self  is  the  outcome  of  this  Sam&dhi. 

§  Akhandiikara-vritti  is  the  result  mi  the  third  Sam&dhi  called  Nirvikalpa 
where  the  one,  unique,  and  Satchid&nanda  Brahman  is  meditated  upon  as  the  only 
reatity  in  tills  Universe. 

The  three  Sam&dhis  {i.e.,  S'abd&nuviddha,  .  Nirvikalpa,  Nissankalpa)  can 
be  better  illustrated  by  taking  the  example  of  the  two  pieces  of  Arani-wood, 
used  in  kindling  the  sacred  fire  by  attrition.  When  Arani  is  churned,  smoke, 
fire,  ^nd  flame  are  produced.  The  results  of  the  aforesaid  three  Sam&dhis  can 
respectively  be  compared  to  the  above  three  results  produced  by  the  churning  of 
Arani. 

In  Sam4dhi.  or  abstract  meditation,  there  are  different  grades  of  spiritual  pro- 
gress. Some  Upanishads  speak  of  Savikalpa  and  Nirvikalpa.  Savikalpa  is  said 
to  be  of  two  kinds,  via.,  Dri^yAnaviddha  and  S'abd&nuviddha.  These  two  together 
^ith  Nirvikalpa  make  up  three  grades  of  abstract  meditation.  By  dividing  each 
of  these  three  into  the  internal  and  external  we  get  si^  grades  of  SamAdhis. 
According  to  some  books  the  external  Nirvikalpa  is  the  highest. 

But  »rl  RAma  gives  in  ch.  VIII.  a  better  classification,  according  to  which 
there  are  three  Sani^dhts  above  Nirvikalpa  (see  footnote  under  verse  30,  chapter  I.). 
When  one  realises  the  first  three  Sam^dhis,  he  becomes  a  Jtvanmukti  and  when 
he  realises  the  last  three  {Le.y  Nissankalpa,  Nirvrittika,  and  Nirv&sana  Sam&dhis) 
he  becomes  a  Videhamukta.  Reasons  for  desiring  to  attain  Jtvanmukti  and  Vide- 
hamukti  are  to  be  found  in  verses  36  and  37  ot  chapter  II.  There  are  three  obsta- 
cles  to  eadl  of  these  Muktls.  Therefore,  six  grades  of  Sam&dhis  arc  necessary 
(«r  ovbrooming  fhe  nix  kinds  of  obstacles  atid  for  attaining  the  six  grades  of 
spiritual  progress.    The  sixth  grade  leads  to  Nirv&na. 


496  The  Theosophist.  [l^ay 

Self)  to  worldly  aflFairs  like  Karmi,*  Bbaktaf  Yogi  and  Jnani,  such 
a  one  becomes  a  Jivanmukta.  •  (20) 

The  idea  that  I  am  the  body  is  (the  cause  of)  bondage.  The 
idea  that  I  am  always  Brahman  is  (the  cause  of)  emancipation. 
Therefore  the  wise  man  should  consider  himself  as  Brahman.        (21) 

How  could  fear  approach  him  Who,  with  his  best  intellect,  con- 
stantly feels  "  I  am  Brahman  ?  "  The  S'ruti  ever3rwhere  says  that  he 
is  fearless.  (22) 

To  him  who  thinks  that  his  body  is  the  Self,  there  is  fear  every- 
where. Therefore  one  should,  with  all  his  efforts,  reject  the  idea 
that  his  body  is  the  Self.  (23) 

Just  as  crystal  assumes  red  colour  when  brought  into  contact 
with  a  China-rose  even  so  does  A'tman  become  non-intelligent  when 
it  comes  into  contact  with  the  three  (Gunas)  qualities,  etc.  (24) 

Just  as  non-intelligence  is  the  result  of  imposing  upon  the 
Self  the  attributes  of  the  not-self,  even  so  is  non-intelligence  the 
result  of  imposing  upon  the  not-self,  the  attributes  of  the  Self.  (25) 

Just  as  there  is  heat  in  the  fire,  even  so  there  is  chit  (f.^.,  in- 
telligence or  light)  in  the  supreme  SELF.  By  a  knowledge  of  the 
oneness  of  chit  is  immediate  kaivalya  attained.  (26) 

**  I  am  the  undivided  one,  I  am  eternal,  I  am  ever  full  and  non- 
dual,"  whosoever  reflects  thus  will  become  a  Jivanmukta.  (27) 

If  he  does  not  practise  Samadhi,  he  will,  besides  bitterly  ex- 
periencmg  miseries,  be  compelled  to  look  upon  the  Universe  as 
real  until  the  body  due  to  his  prarabdha  falls  (dead).  (28) 

Even  after  fully  destroying  the  idea  of  the  real  existence  of  this 
Universe,  the  idea  of  its  apparent  existence  will  continue  to  remain 
on  account  of  prSrabdha.  (29) 

On  account  of  the  apparent  existence  of  the  body,  etc.,  which 
will  appear  to  him  like  a  burnt  cloth,  J  he  will  have  to  undergo  slight 
temporary  miseries,  but  he  will  never  be  born  again.  (30) 

When  all  the  Sanchita§  and  A'gSmi  Karmas||  leave  their  hold  on 
the  Jivanmukta,  prarabdha**  alone  is  wakeful  in  order  to  produce  its 
effects  on  him.  (31) 

Even  though  he  may  experience  the  pleasures  and  pains 
produced  by  prarabdha,  he  is,  at  all  times,  free  because  his-  kai- 
valya is  not  thereby  hindered.  (32) 

There  is  no  inconsistency  in  saying  that  he  is  mukta  (free)  w^ho 

*  Karmi  :  he  who  works  for  liberation  by  performing  those  karmas  that  are 
recommended  by  the  Vedas. 

t  Bhakta  :  he  who  works  for  liberation  through  devotion. 

X  Even  though  a  cloth  fully  spread  on  glowing  lire  is  burnt,  it  can  be  5seen, 
before  it  is  converted  into  ashes,  like  an  ordinary  cloth  with  its  leng^th  and  breadth 
and  warp  and  woof. 

§  Sanchita  is  the  store  of  past  Karmas,  When  any  part  of  it  begins  to  take 
effect,  it  becomes  pr&rabdha. 

,1  Agkm'i  Karmas  are  those  that  are  done  during  one  pr&rabdha  life. 

••  Pr&rabdha  :  That  Karma  which  has  borne  fruit  and  by  the  effect  of  which 
one  gets  an  embodied  existence. 


1001.]  The  Rama  Gita.  497 

does  not  identify  himself  with  the  transformations  of  his  body,  etc., 
and  who  is  devoid  of  any  changes  in  his  self-consciousness.  (33) 

How  can  he  be  subjected  to  bondage  who  does  not  identify 
himself  with  semen,  blood,  marrow,  bone,  hair,  vein,  nail,  etc., 
(that  make  up  his  gross  body).  (34) 

How  can  that  learned  man  be  subjected  to  bondage  who  does 
not  identify'-  himself  with  the  Karmendriyas  or  the  powers  of  the 
organs  of  action  such  as  speech,  handling,  locomotion,  excretion  and 
secretion.  (35) 

How  can  he  be  subjected  to  bondage,  who  knows  that  he. is  not 
any  of  the  vital  ethers  or  currents  known  as  Prana  (the  upper), 
Apana  (the  lower),  Vyana  (the  distributing),  Udana  (the  projecting) 
and  Samana  (the  equilibrating).  (36) 

How  can  he  be  subjected  to  bondage  who  knows  that  he  is  not 
any  of  the  Upa-pranas  or  the  sub-vital  currents  known  as  Naga  * 
kurma,  krikara,  devadatta  and  dhananjaya.  (37) 

How  can  he  be  subjected  to  bondage  who  knows  that  he  is  not 
any  of  thejnanendriyas,  ix.,  the  powers  of  hearing,  touching,  seeing, 
tasting  and  smelling.  (38) 

How  can  he  be  subjected  to  bondage  to  whom  each  of  the  four 
internal  instruments  of  perception,  viz.^  Manasf,  Buddhi,  Ahankara 
and  Chitta  appears  as  not-Self.  (39) 

How  can  he  be  subjected  to  bondage  to  whom  Avyakta,J  Mahat,§ 
etc.,  Vikshepa  !|  and  A'varana,  each  and  every  one  of  these,  appears 
as  not-Self.  (40) 

How  can  he  be  subjected  to  bondage,  who  knows  that  Brahman 
is  other  than  the  three  states  of  consciousness,  the  three  kinds  of 
Jivas  and  the  three  gunas.  (41) 

How  can  bondage  be  to  him  who  is  possessed  of  that  keen  in- 
telligence whose  only  function  is  the  uninterrupted  discernment  of 
Paramatman  everywhere,  even  when  engaged  in  worldly  affairs.  (42) 

He  alone  is  the  most  elevated  man  in  whom  the  characteristics 
of  tranquillity,  self-restraint,  etc.,  resulting  from  his  knowledge, 
shine  forth  as  if  they  were  born  with  him.  (43) 

•  Naga  is  supposed  to  be  the  cause  of  vomiting,  KArma,  of  opening  and 
closing  of  the  eyes  ;  Krikara,  of  sneezing  :  Devadaita  of  yawning  ;  and  Dhananjaya, 
of  the  swelling  of  the  body. 

t  Manas  is  the  thinking  faculty  whose  function  is  investigation,  Buddhi  is 
the  determinative  faculty  whose  function  is  judgment,  Ahankara  is  the  egotistic 
faculty  whose  function  is  lower  Self-consciousness  and  Chitta  is  the  retentive 
faculty  whose  function  is  to  store  up  experiences. 

X  Avyakta  is  the  primordial  invisible  element  or  productive  principle.  The 
primary  germ  of  Nature. 

§  Mahat  (in  sAnkhya  philosophy)  is  'the  great  principle' — the  intellect 
(  =  Buddhi,  i.e.y  the  second  of  the  twenty-five  Tattvas  produced  from  Pradhftna 
or  M{i]aprakriti  and  irsclf  producing  the  third  principle  of  Ahank&ra,  being 
thus  both  a  Vikriti  and  Prakriti ;  Buddhi,  intellect,  is  called  Mahat  to  distinguish 
it  from  the  Tatva  il/flt«/7^,  mind,  with  which  and  with  AhanMra  it  is  connected 
and  to  both  of  which  it  is  superior). 

;1  Vikshep«i  is  projection.  That  power  of  projection  which  raises  upon  the 
soul  enveloped  by  it  the  appearance  of  the  external  world.  The  power  of  ^djpd, 
the  projective  power  of  ignorance. 

Avarana  is  the  power  of  illusion,  that  which  veils    the  real  nature  of  things. 


498  The  Theosophist.  [May 

He  alone  is  the  most  elevated  man  in  whom  the  characteristics 
of  desire,  anger,  etc.,  resulting  from  ignorance,  do  not  shine,  on 
account  of  their  seeds  having  been  destroyed.  (44) 

He  alone  is  the  most  elevated  man  who  is  not  in  the  least  as- 
tonished by  the  most  wonderful  effects  produced  with  the  aid  of  such 
siddhis  as  anima  (or  the  superhuman  power  of  becoming  as  small 
as  an  atom),  etc.  (45) 

He  alone  is  the  most  elevated  man  who  does  not  even  smile  in 
the  least  on  seeing  the  beautiful  creation,  etc.,  due  to  the  wonderful 
acts  of  the  supreme  lyord  of  the  Universe.  (46) 

He  alone  is  the  most  elevated  man  who  does  not  even  in  his 
dream  desire  for  any  of  the  four  kinds  of  Mukti  known  as  S^okya, 
etc.  (47) 

O,  son  of  Pavana  !  None  is  able  to  describe  the  greatness  of 
Jivanmukta.  Such  is  undoubtedly  his  greatness  that  even 
(the  thousand-tongued)  A'dis'esha  cannot  describe  it.  (48) 

The  attainment  ofjivanmukti  is  very  rare  in  this  world.  It 
overcomes  birth,  kills  all  sorrows,  and  destroys  delusion,  etc.  It 
is  the  one  seed  of  Self-bliss,  and  is  well-known  to  all  the  ymti, 
Smriti  and  Puranic  texts.  (49) 

O,  son  of  Pavana  !  Thou  shalt  very  soon  attain  the  state  of 
Jivanmukti  here  (in  this  world)  by  firmly  fixing  thy  mind  on  that 
Brahman  which  is  Existence,  which  is  full  of  Knowledge,  which  is 
devoid  of  qualities  and  which  ultimately  remains  after  dissolving  all 
the  external  and  internal  modifications.  (50) 

Thus  in  the  glorious  Upanishad  of  Ra'ma  Gi'TA',  the 
secret  meaning  of  the  Vedas,  embodied  in  the  second 
pdda  of  the  Up^sana  Kanda  of  Tatvasarayana,  reads  the 
fourth  Chapter,  entitled  : 

THE  CONSIDERATION  OFJIVANMUKTI. 

Translated  by  G.  Krishna  S'a'stri'. 
(7'<?  be.  conthmed,) 


499 


RENUNCIATION. 

THK  word  reiiuiiciatiou,  or  its  equivalent,  is  one  we  have  been 
accustomed  to,  all  our  lives.  It  is  commonly  associated  with 
religion,  although  not  invariably'.  Like  all  things  religious,  the  idea 
nnderlying  it  has  been  partially  missed— sometimes  almost  missed 
altogether.  A  common  idea  about  renunciation  seems  to  be  some- 
thing like  this  :  that  if  a  man  will  give  up  everything  that  makes 
life  ivorth  living;  he  will  get  in  the  next  world,  as  a  reward  for  his 
abstinence,  a  vastly  greater  amount  of  good  things  than  he  could 
under  the  most  favourable  circumstances  secure  for  himself  here. 
The  funeral  solemnity,  the  sighing  and  groaning  which  are  often 
tiraugfat  to  indicate  the  only  proper  frame  of  mind  of  him  who  would 
be  thoroughly  religious,  are  features  of  this  interpretation  of  the 
idea  with  which  we  are  all  painfully  familiar.  Although,  considered 
an  the  entire  truth,  such  an  interpretation  of  renunciation  is  very 
erode  and  may  seem  laughable,  as  part  of  the  truth,  there  is  after  all 
some  reason  in  it  ;  and  it  is  very  much  better  that  people  should 
have  such  a  notion  about  it  than  none  at  ^^11.  Before  any  one  will 
take  the  trouWe  to  proceed  further  in  any  line,  there  must  be  some- 
thing, w^hen  o»e  comes  to  think  of  it,  which  renders  him  dissatisfied 
with  the  point  at  which  he  at  present  stands,  where  conduct  is  con- 
cerned. We  call  this  something  repentance— and  here  the  sighing  and 
groanisi^,  the  grief  and  tears  are  natural,  though  not  in  themselves 
meritorious.  To  suppose  however  that  the  more  we  steep  ourselves 
in  gloom  and  the  less  we  take  out  of  the  world  in  passing  through 
it,  the  better,  is  where  the  misconception  comes  in.  It  is  dissatisfac- 
tioffi  with  our  present  chaxacter  and  present  standpoint  that  is  the 
essential  thing,  as  indicating  capacity  and  willingness  to  advance. 
Unless  we  exalt  that  present  character,  dissatisfaction  is  of  no  use. 
The  man  who  is  advancing  is  not  dissatisfijed,  but  only  he  who  i$ 
standing  still  or  going  back.  It  is  possible  to  be  satisfied  with 
standing  still.  That  is  a  good  deal  worse  than  being  dissatis&ed  with 
fttandhig  still.  But  to  be  thus  discontent^  is  not  enough.  The 
cause  of  the  discontent  must  be  removed  and  a  start  made  towards 
higher  attainment.  Hence  the  philosopher  learns  from  the  past, 
bat  considers  it  folly  to  grieve  over  it. 

Hitherto,  in  regard  to  such  matters  as  renunciation,  the  devotee, 
in  the.  West  at  all  events,  has  been  told  that  his  sole  duty  is  to  be- 
lieve and  to  act  on  that  belief:  not  to  use  his  reason  or  to  question 
the  priests  or  the  books.  He  must  not  mix  up  philosophy  with  re- 
ligion and  presume  to  think  for  himself.  As  theosophical  students, 
however,  our  position  is  wholly  differcut.  We  have  learned  that 
iMosophy  and  religion  are  by  no  means  to  be  kept  separate  \  be- 


600  The  Theosophisl.  {May 

cause  like  everythiug  else  abstract  or  concrete,  they  are  cor- 
related, are  in  fact  different  aspects  of  the  same  thing  and  to 
be  interpreted  the  one  by  the  other.  We  have  learned  that 
discrimination  is  not  only  one  of  our  highest  privileges  but  one  oi 
the  most  necessary,  and  that  to  cultivate  mere  belief,  far  from  being 
a  meritorious  thing,  is  sheer  folly.  Belief  has  its  place;  but  what 
must  first  be  done  is  to  use  to  their  utmost  the  faculties  with  which 
we  find  ourselves  provided  ;  by  the  aid  of  these,  discriminating  so 
far  as  we  are  able  with  regard  to  the  best  course  to  pursue,  and  then 
to  act  and  act  fully. 

If  we  examine  this  matter  of  renunciation  in  the  lightof  reason, 
refusing  any  longer  to  accept  mere  assertion  and  dogma,  but  making 
investigation  to  see  what  it  really  means,  and  what  sense  there  may 
be  in  it,  if  any,  a   flood   of  light  is  thrown  on   the  whole  question. 
One  thing  discovered  is  how  to  distinguish  between   real  and  false 
renunciation — for  here  as  elsewhere  the  real,  the  partially  real  and 
the  entire  imitation  are  to  be  discerned.    The  imitation  of  renuncia- 
tion occurs  where  giving  up  is  practised  without  any  change  taking 
place  in  the  nature — the  desire  for  that  which  is  given  up  being  as 
strong  as  ever.     A  little  examination  shows  this  to  be  no  renuncia- 
tion at  all,  but  merely  the  appearance  of  it.     And  here  we  have  the 
theosophical  definition   of  the  hypocrite,   which   like  other  such 
definitions  goes  far  deeper  than  popular  conceptions  usually  do. 
So  it  is  said  in  the  Bhagavad   Gita  :    "  He   who,   restraining  the 
organs  of  action  and  sensation,  remains  dwelling  upon   objects    of 
sense,  is  deluded  in  heart  and  is    called  a  hypocrite.    But  he  who, 
having  restrained  the  organs  by  the   mind,    engages   in   devotion 
through  action,  is  superior."  That  is  to  sa3%  every  one  is  a  hypocrite 
to  such  extent  as  his  thoughts  are  not  in  harmony  with  his  actions. 
It  matters  not  what  one  professes  or  does  not  profess.    This  is 
pretty  searching,  but  perfectly  sound.     Having  thoroughly  grasped 
the  meaning  of  this  definition,  we  are  on  the  track  of  the  profound 
significance  underlying  this  common  word  renunciation.    It  is  seen 
that  to  renounce  action  without  renouncing  the   thought  and  the 
desire,  for  money  or  whatever  it  is  we  are  renouncing,  is  merely  to 
whitewash  ourselves,  is  merely  plating  a  base  metal  with   a  perfect 
one  instead  of  transmuting  the  base,  and  with  the  same  result,  that 
the  inferior  metal  will  sooner  or  later  show  itself  on  the  surface.     So 
far  for  the  mere  imitation. 

Applying  this  key  to  convent  and  monastic  life,  it  is  found  that 
in  these  cases,  where  genuine,  there  is  a  real  renunciation,  but  only 
of  a  partial  kind.  There  has  been  a  giving  up  of  even  the  desire 
for  worldly  things,  not  through  overcoming  them,  however,  but  by 
flying  from  them.  But  while  monks  or  nuns  are  out  of  sight  of  the 
world  for  the  time  being,  they  are  untroubled  by  the  enemy,  not 
because  they  have  slain  him  but  merely  because  they  have  got  out  of 
sight  of  him.  Still  they  have  the  necessary  calm  and  leisure  to  enable 


190JU3  Theosophy  in  all  Lands.  501 

them  to  pursue  a  spiritual  life.  This  renunciation  of  theirs  therefore  is 
not  a  mere  semblance.  Nor  on  the  other  hand  is  it  real,  any  more  than 
the  renunciation  of  alcohol  by  the  inebriate  who  allows  himself  to 
be  shut  up  in  an  asylum.  Such  a  man's  abstinence  is  not  a  mere 
pretence.  At  the  same  time  it  is  rightly  held  that,  as  an  end,  such 
abstinence  is  useless.  He  must  come  out  of  those  asylum  walls  and 
do  his  work  in  the  world,  remaining  sober  without  temp- 
tation though  in  the  midst  of  it,  before  he  can  be  said  to  have 
actually  given  up  alcohol.  So  in  the  case  of  these  who  have  fled 
from  the  world  into  the  cells  of  a  monastery  or  convent  :  potentially 
their  desires  for  the  world  are  the  same  as  ever,  though  latent  for  the 
moment  owing  to  the  change  in  their  environment.  If  it  be  neces- 
sary that  the  world  must  be  overcome,  then  clearly  mere  postpone- 
ment of  the  fight  will  not  do.  He  who,  having  rushed  out  of  sight 
of  the  enemy,  talks  of  having  overcome  him,  is  manifestly  deluded. 
His  aspirations  may  be  pure  and  high,  but  he  has  not  yet  learned 
the  destiny  that  is  before  him  and  the  labours  that  must  be  under- 
taken to  accomplish  it.  He  imagines  that  one  day's  march,  i,e,,  one 
earth  life,  constitutes  the  whole  of  his  task— at  least  the  Western 
ascetic  imagines  this.  Of  course  it  is  not  intended  in  the  least  to 
denounce  monastic  life.  It  may  be  often  right  and  proper  as  a  rest 
and  a  preparation  for  further  struggle  with  the  world ;  but  only 
those  ignorant  of  the  meaning  of  evolution  could  suppose  for  a 
moment  that  the  monastic  life  is  a  substitute  for  such  a  struggle. 
It  may  be  thought  that  this  question  is  of  little  practical  interest 
for  mankind  in  general ;  but  it  is  of  the  greatest  practical  importance, 
as  every  one  has  his  monastery  walls,  and  it  is  easy  to  see  how  the 
qttestion  touches  ordinary  daily  life  on  every  side, 

George  L.  Simpson. 
{To  be  concluded,) 


^beodopb\>  in  all  Xant)6. 

London,  March  28///,  1901. 

The  astrologers  have  been  raOvSt  unpleasantly  incorrect  in  their 
prognostications  and  we  are  being  blighted  by  a  most  nipping  Northeast 
wind,  instead  of  enjoying  the  promised  balmy  weather  which  the  end  of 
March  was  to  bring.  So  far  from  Winter  having  changed  to  Spring  with 
the  adveiit  of  quarter  day,  it  has  descended  upon  us  with  renewed 
vigour,  and  even  Theosophical  optimism  is  severely  tried.  However  we 
read  of  the  genial  weather  which  our  brethren  in  the  far  West  enjoy, 
where  our  veteran  President- Founder  and  our  colleagfue,  Mr.  Lead- 
beater,  are  at  work,  and  we  are  glad  that  somebody  is  getting  the 
sunshine,  if  we  are  not.  Luckily,  weather  does  not  blight  any  real 
activities  and  all  the  usual  round  of  meetings  and  lectures  has 
run  its  appointed  course.  Kastertide,  which  is  close  upon  us,  will 
bring  a  short  interval,  and  then  we  shall  be  at  work  again.    Need- 


5o2  ^^e  Theosophist.  [M^iy 

less  to  say  that  Mrs.  Besant's  usual  May  and  June  lectures  will  be 
tremendously  missed,  and  inquiries  pour  in  about  them  from  people  out- 
side the  Theosophical  Society  who  have  grown  accustomed  to  associate 
Sunday  Queen's  Hall  Lectures  with  the  London  Season.  Many  such 
inquirers  anxious  for  spiritual  light  and  help,  do  not  realise  the  world- 
wide nature  of  the  work  that  has  to  be  done  ;  those  who  do  so  realise  it, 
while  feeling  not  the  less  the  loss  of  the  brilliant  expositions  of  Theoso- 
phy  to  which  they  have  been  accustomed,  send  many  wishes  that  their 
loss  may  be  gain  to  the  world's  growth  elsewhere.  Surely  India  will 
practically  show  its  appreciation  of  the  presence  of  so  earnest  a  worker, 
whom  we  in  the  West  shall  so  greatly  miss,  by  evidencing  real  response 
to  her  eloquent  appeals. 

Mr.  Mead's  lectures  on  ••  Gnosticism  "  have  just  concluded.  The 
attendances  have  shown  that  considerable  interest  has  been  aroused  it) 
this  subject.  It  is  also  interesting  to  note  how  very  differently  the 
press,  both  secular  and  religious,  is  now  commenting  on  theosophical 
works.  The  criticisms  on  Mr.  Mead's  **  Fragments  of  a  Faith  Forgotten'* 
have  afforded  ample  proof  of  this. 

Books  like  the  Rev.  Arthur  Chambers'  *'  Man  and  the  Spiritual  world" 
are  likely  to  be  enormously  read  in  certain  Christian  circles ;  and  are 
calculated  to  do  good  work  in  breaking  ground  for  the  future  sowing  of 
theosophic  seed.  The  writer  undertakes  to  prove  from  the  Bible,  that  **  The 
Spiritual  world   interpenetrates  us  and  reaches  to  the  interior  part  of 

our  being It  shows  that  what  is  needed  to  make  a  man  conscious 

of  the  closeness  of  the  Spiritual,  and  to  see  and  hear  that  which  encom* 
passes  him  is  not  the  bringing  of  the  Spiritual' worid  to  him,  or  him  to 
that  world,  but  the  opening  of  the  faculties  of  the  Spiritual  part  in  hiai— 
liis  own  Spirit-body.  To  put  it  in  scientific  language,  it  is  a  case  of 
adaptation  to  environment."  There  is  a  good  deal  more  on  the  aasie- 
lines  which  certainly  ought  to  induce  thought  among  the  readers  to  vt^iom 
Mr.  Chambers  appeals,  and  perhaps  some  of  our  propagandists  might 
find  it  a  useful  book  to  recommend  to  orthodox  friends.  Dr.  George 
Matheson,  the  well  known  non-conformist  blind  preacher,  in  an  article 
contributed  to  the  Sunday  Magazine,  writes  of  the  value  of  the  results 
which  come  from  the  unconscious  working  of  the  mind  during  sleep, 
and  so  the  stream  of  testimony  to  the  power  and  reality-  of  the  *  Unseen  ' 
steadily  grows  in  our  midst. 

A.  B.  C. 


INDIA. 

Miss  Ulian  Bdger,  M.  a.,  has  just  completed  a  long,  arduous  and 
successful  tour  in  the  Punjab  and  Western  Presidency  ;  the  last  place 
visited  being  Bombay,  where  she  spoke  to  large  and  enthusiastic  audi- 
ences, and  great  interest  was  manifested.  She  is  now  enjoying  a 
short  season  of  rest  in  JNirs.  Besant's  quiet  home  in  Benares  City,  before 
jvoceeding  to  I/ahore,  which  vnW  be  her  headquarters  for  some  time 
to  come. 


1901.]  Theosophy  in  all  Lands.  503 

ANOTHKR  LODGE  IN  BOMBAY. 
The  work  of  religious  study  and  revival  undertaken  by  the  Theo- 
sophical  Society  is  progressing,  and  more  devoted  students  are  joining 
the  mav«mexit  daily.  In  Bombay,  the  T.  S.  has  already  had  a  Branch, 
te  "Blavatsky  Lodg«,"  situated  in  the  Fort.  But  the  city  is  so 
extensive  that  many  earnest  people  wishing  to  study  Theosophy  could 
not  attend  the  lecture  meetings,  nor  could  they  go  for  study  or  enquiry 
to  a  distant  place.  Under  these  circumstances,  another  centre  for 
theosophic  study  and  activity  was  needed,  especially  in  the  Native 
quarters  of  the  city,  and  so  some  local  theosophists  applied  for  a  Charter 
and  it  was  granted  them  on  the  2nd  of  March,  1901.  The  New  Lodge  is 
named  "The  Dharmalaya  Theosophical  Society,  Bombaj',"  and  its 
object  is  to  spread  theosophic  teachings  among  a  larger  circle  of  the 
people,  working  to  realise  the  aims  of  the  T.  S.  generally  on  Hindu  lines 
or  Eastern  methods  of  doing  that  kind  of  work.  The  * '  Dharmalaya '  *  was 
opened  on  the  21st  of  March  1901,  it  being  the  Hindu  New  Year's  Da}'. 
The  Secretary  of  the  Branch  is  Mr.  G.  B.  Vaidya,  B.A.,  of  73,  Loharchal 
Street,  Kalb^devi  Post,  Bombay. 


DR.  PASCAL  AT  GENEVA. 

Our  esteemed  friend,  M.  Charles  Blech,  Jr..  Assistant-CVeneral 
Secretary  of  the  French  Section  T.  S.,  reports  that  the  lectures  of  Dr. 
Pascal,  at  Geneva,  on  Theosophj'.  were  a  complete  and  unexpected 
success ;  one  proof  of  this  being  the  violent  attacks  made  on  him  bj-  the 
organs  of  the  bigoted  religious  circles.  The  latter,  of  course,  gave  Dr. 
Pascal  an  excellent  chance  to  reply,  which  he  did  in  his  usual  ma»sterful 
way.  A  copy  is  sent  us  of  the  pamphlet  containing  the  Doctor's  answers 
to  M.  Gaston  Frommel,  whose  criticism  of  Theosophy  had  been  very 
bitter.  The  pamphlet  in  question  has  been  circulated  throughout  the 
\i4M>le  of  Switzerland,  and  public  interest  has  been  so  awakened  that 
there  is  every  prospect  of  our  soon  having  another  Swiss  branch,  or 
branches,  inscribed  on  our  register. 

Thus,  by  its  own  acquired  impetus  does  the  flood  of  theosophical 
influence  s[.r«ad  over  the  entire  world. 


SCANDINAVIAN  SECTION. 

Begin ning,from  January  ist,  1901,  the  Norwegian  Magazine,  Balder, 
is  sent  to  all  Danish  and  Norwegian  members  of  the  Scandinavian 
Section,  instead  of  Teosofisk  Tidskrift.  The  Branch  meetings  in  Stock- 
holm are  to  be  held,  during  1901,  on  Fridays  instead  of  on  Thursdays. 


NEW  ZEALAND  SECTION. 

March  1901. 

Auckland  Branch  decided  to  try  the  experiment  of  introducing  music 
at  its  Sunday  evening-  public  meetings  for  three  months,  and  it  has  been 
so  ver>'  successful  that  in  all  probability  it  will  be  permanently  con- 
tinued. 

Following  is  a  sample  programme  :  Opening  song — in  which  all 
join — words  bj-  Longfellow,  beginning,  *'  All  common  things,  each  day's 
events/*    Reading  :  Poem  by  an  unknown  writer:  Miss  Browne,     Piano 


504  The  Theogophist.  [May 

solo,  •' Melody  in  A  Flat :  "  Miss  Davidson.  T^ecture  :  '*The  Astral 
Plane  : "  MR.  F.  M.  Parr.  Singing :  a  Poem  of  H.  B.  Stowe's,  Questions 
and  Discussion. 

Since  the  introduction  of  this  method  of  conducting  the  meetings, 
they  have  been  extremely  well  attended,  the  hall  being  crowded  each 
night.  It  may  soon  be  necessar}^  to  think   of  moving  into  a  larger  hall. 

Mrs.  Draffin's  Ladies'  meetings  began  again  on  the  first  Friday  in 
March.  The  lecture  was  fairly  well  attended,  but  it  is  rather  early  in 
the  season  :  they  are  more  popular  in  the  cooler  weather. 

Interesting  lectures  have  been  given  in  Wellington  by  Mrs  Rich- 
mond, on  **  Evolution,"  and  Mr.  W.  S.  Short,  on  ''Wealth  and  its  rela- 
tion to  Spirituality." 

Classes  and  meetings  throughout  the  Section  go  on  regularly. 


I?cview9. 

DKATH—AND  AFTER  ?  * 

We  are  glad  to  welcome  the  revised  edition  of  Manual  No.  3.  In. 
revising,  the  author  has  changed  the  old  nomenclature,  used  in  the  early 
days  of  the  Society',  to  that  now  generally  adopted  by  our  writers. 
This  will  greatly  help  the  student  in  his  studies  ;  for  one  of  the  most  tr)-- 
ing  difficulties  he  has  to  contend  with  is  the  hap-hazard  naming  of  the 
principles  and  bodies.  We  find  the  author  has  also  much  strengthened 
some  statements  made  in  the  first  edition,  for  she  now  speaks  from 
knowledge  gained  through  observation  as  well  as  instruction,  while  then 
she  si>oke  merely  as  a  student.  W. 


VALMIKI  RA  MA'YANA  IN  TAMIL  PROSK. 

We  gladly  welcome  the  first  volume  of  the  translation  into  Tamil 
prose,  of  Valmiki  Ramayana,  published  bj*  our  brother  V.  Kalyinar&ma 
Aiyer,  the  well-known  local  book-seller  on  the  Esplanade.  Rftmayana 
is  so  well-known  in  every  Hindu  household  that  it  is  unnecessary  for  us 
to  dwell  upon  its  merits.  The  Hindu  does  not  for  a  moment  doubt  its 
genuine  character.  It  is  to  him  as  important  as  anj'thing  can  be.  The  | 
Brahmanas  cause  a  portion  of  it  to  be  read  at  anniversaries.  It  is  ever}*  ' 
day  read  and  worshipped  bj-  millions  of  Brahmanas  as  a  \ysLrt  of  their 
religious  duty.  Inmost  of  the  Devi  temples  in  Kerala,  R^m^yana  is 
put  on  the  stage  for  not  less  than  seven  days  during  each  year.  Other 
castes  equally  adore  it.  In  villages  and  towns  it  is  daily  read  and  ex- 
plained to  a  number  of  people  who  hear  it  with  sincere  devotion.  It  is 
therefore  a  living  faith.  The  volume  under  review  covers  the  whole  of 
the  first  book  of  Ramayana.  Pandit  Nates'a  S'&stri,  the  translator,  has 
done  his  work  very  excellentl}*.  Two  other  reputed  Tamil  Pandits  have 
revised  the  manuscripts.  The  translation  does  not  appear  to  be  ver\' 
Kteral.  We  compared  .several  passages  with  the  original  Sanskrit  and  find 
that  it  is  a  faithful,  free  translation.  Literal  translations  are  not  always 
happy  and  the  Pandit  has  done  full  ju.stice  to  his  work.  The  book  is 
neatly  printed  on  superior  paper  and  beautifully  bound.  The  translator 
has  added   a  very    useful  and  instructive  preface  to  the  volume.    The 

*  Theosophiral  Publishing  Society.  London,  1901. 


1901.]  Reviews.  505 

general  arrang-ement  and  the  marginal  references  give  a  further  value 
to  the  publication.  We  sincerely  recommend  this  neat  volume  to  the 
Tamil  public  and  wish  the  publisher  every  success. 

O.  K.  S. 


MAGAZINEvS. 

Ill  the  Theosophical  Reviezv  for  April  we  have  as  an  opening  article, 
Mrs.  Judson's  continued  paper  on  "  Theosophical  teachings  in  the 
writings  of  John  Ruskin,"  which  is  a  very  important  one  and  abounds 
in  choice  quotations  from  the  great  writer.  *'  From  the  gates  of  Death,'* 
is  an  impressive  little  story  by  Waen  Warley,  illustrating  the  power  of  a 
mother's  love.  Rev.  S.  Udney  endeavours  to  show  that  Dante  caught 
some  gleams  of  that  Ancient  Wisdom  which  has  been  voiced,  more  or 
less  by  all  great  poets.  Alexander  Fullerton  next  presents  some  elevated 
concepts  as  to  the  methods  of  acquiring  knowledge  in  the  limitless  future 
when  higher  states  of  consciousness  are  unfolded  within  us,  and  sensu- 
ous perceptions  are  superseded  b\'  intuition.  Mrs.  Besant's  continued 
essaj'  on  '*  Thought  Power,  its  Control  and  Culture,"  is,  as  the  previous 
instalments  have  been,  highly  instructive.  In  "  The  Oospels'  own  Ac- 
count of  Themselves,"  Mr.  Mead  reviews  two  valuable  works  which 
have  recently  been  published,*  and  which  show  the  remarkable  progress 
which  has  been  made  during  the  past  century  in  the  field  of  critical  re- 
search, analysis  and  comparison  of  the  Christian  Scriptures — especially 
the  four  Gospels.  The  article  by  A.  H.  Ward,  '*  On  the  Evolution 
of  Consciousness,"  will  be  found  exceptionally  interesting  to  the 
theosophic  student,  and  is  to  be  concluded.  The  illustrative  diagram 
therein  given  is  a  variant  or  further  elaboration  of  that  which  accompa- 
nied the  paper  which  the  same  writer  presented  in  January,  1899,  in 
the  same  magazine,  under  the  title  of  **  The  Ladder  of  Life."  "  The 
Teller  of  Drolls,"  by  Michael  Wood,  is  a  readable  story  which  hints  at 
reincarnation. 

The  March  issue  of  Theosophy  hi  A  ustralasia  completes  its  sixth 
volume,  and  all  its  well-wishers  are  asked  to  help  in  its  support  and,  if 
possible,  in  its  enlargement.  Mr.  Leadbeater's  admirable  lecture  on  "The 
Unseen  World"  is  published  entire." 

The  Theosophic  Gleaner  for  April  opens  with  an  article  on  *'  The  Tw^o 
Great  Force-Currents,"  by  P.  D.  Khandalvala.  Then  follow  selections 
on  "The  Secret  of  Evolution,"  "  T.  S.  Branch  Work,"  **  Churchianity 
and  Ethics,"  '*  Views  on  Zoroastrianism,"  and  *'  Colour  Indications." 

Tcosqfisk  Tidskri/f  (Jdca. — Feb.)  contains  a  continued  translation  of 
"  The  Path  of  Discipleship  ;"  '*  The  Sighing  of  Creatures,"  a  poem  b5' 
E.  J.  Stagnelius  ;  '*  The  Tale  of  Death,"  by  Edward  Sverisson  ;  *'  The 
Tale  of  Life,''  by  George  Ljfingstr6m  ;  "  What  is  Theosophj,"  by  L^on 
C16ry  (trans.) ;  **  The  Masters  of  Truth,"  by  A.  K.  ;  "  Optimism  and  Pes- 
simism," by  Viktor  Rydberg  ;  "■  Truth,"  by  Pekka  Ervast  ;  then  follow 
Questions  and  Answers,  and  T.  S.  Activities. 

Revue  Theosophi que,  for  INIarch,  has  a  translation  of  the  address  of 
the  President- Founder  at  the  Convention  held  in  Benares  in  December 
last.    Also,  a  portion  of  the  translation  of  Dharma  ;  the  second  lecture 

*"The  Encvclopaedia Biblica"'  (London;  A. and C. Black),  and  "A  Dictionary 
of  the  Bible"  (Edinburgh  ;  T.  and  T,  Clark),  are  the  works  referred  to, 

8 


506  The  Theosophist.  [11^7 

b}'  Dr.  Pascal  to  the  University  at  (ieueva  aiicl  a  portion  of  **   Anoietit 
Peru,*'  together  with  the  usual  notes. 

leosojia  (Rome),  for  March,  contains  a  further  portion  of  tke  essay 
by  Signora  Calvari,  together  with  translations  of  portions  of  **  The  Prob- 
lems of  Ethics,"  **  Clairvoyance,"  and  "  Reincarnation,"  by  Dr.  Pascal. 

Sophia,  for  March,  opens  with  the  first  portion  of  Mrs.  Besant's 
"Thought-Power,  its  Control  and  Culture."  The  article  by  D.  Jose 
Melidn  is  concluded  and  there  are  other  es.says  on  subjects  of  interest. 

Philadelphia,  The  January- February  number  has  an  essay  by 
Seuor  Collet  on  the  "Supernatural,"  a  translation  of  Mrs.  Besamt's 
address  before  the  International  Theosophical  Congress  at  Paris ;  trans- 
lations from  the  writings  af  Dr.  Pascal,  Mr.  Sinnett  and  Commandant 
Courmes,  and  original  articles  by  other  writers. 

Theosophia.  The  March  number  has  the  translation  of  the  "  Cireat 
Inquisitor,"  by  H.P.B.,  fonuerly  published  in  the  TheosophisL  Follow- 
ing are  a  further  portion  of  the  translation  of  "  Ksoteric  Buddhism  ;*' 
"  What  is  Magic,"  a  lecture  delivered  by  Mr.  lyCadbeater  to  the  Haarlem 
Lodge;  "  The  Mysteries  of  Mithras,  by  A.  J.  Rotteveel ;  "  Oems  from 
the  Kast"  and  "  The  Theosophical  Movement." 

7he  Light  of  the  East  is  a  well-conducted  Hindu  monthly,  edited  bj* 
S.  C.  Mukhopadhaya.,  M.  A.,  and  published  at  53,  Shambazzar  street, 
Calcutta.  Its  pages  are  always  well  furnished  with  interesting  matter, 
and  the  Editor  strives  to  keep  abreast  with  the  times. 

The  receipt  o{  L^pauisharf  A  rtha  Deepika  -IV.,  Prasnopanishad — ^is 
acknowledged  with  thanks. 

Acknowledged  with  thanksv:  The  Vdhaii,  7 he  Theosophic  Messenger, 
The  Goldeft  Chain,  Light,  The  Baiiucr  of  Light,  The  Harbinger  of  Light, 
The  Prasnottara,  The  Rei*le7v  of  Revmvs,  7 he  Metaphysical  Magazine, 
Mind,  The  Ne7V  Century,  The  Phrenological  Jonrnal,  The  Arena,  Health, 
Modern  Medicine y  Modern  Astrology,  The  Light  of  Truth,  The  Light  of 
the  Kast,  7)a7vn,  The  htdlan  Journal  of  Education,  77//?  Christian  College 
Magazine,  7 he  Brahmavddln,  Ihe  Brahmachdrln,  Notes  and  Queries, 
7  he  Buddhist,  Journal  of  the  Maha  Bod  hi  Society. 


CUTTINGS  AND  COMMENTS. 

"  Thoughts,  like  tlie  pollen  of  flowers,  leavi»  one  brain  and  fasten  to  another." 

The  Safi  Francisco    Chronicle  of   March    loth, 

The  life-ivork    publishes  an  excellent  portrait  from  a  recent  phpto 

of  our  of  Col.  Olcott,  with  views  of  the  T.  S.  Head-quarters 

Presidertt,       at  Adyar,  and  an  interesting  sketch  of  the  work  which 

has  been  done  by  the  veteran  President- Founder  in 
various  parts  of  the  world,  since  the  year  1875.  The  clfisiiig  para- 
graph contains  the  follo'wing  reference  by  the  Coloiiei  tp  his  wn. 
work:  **  We  can  certainly  count  on  returning  to  the  work  ia  Awr 
next  rebirth,  since  we  have  proved  faithful  until  now,  for  the  I/>rds 
of  Karma  need  trained   agents  and  sub-agents   and  will  doubtless 

five  us  the  chance  for  such  further  service  as  our  evolved  capacities 
t  us  to  perfonn.  Thus  were  Mnie.  Blavatsky  and  I  brought 
together  in  this  birth  and  allowed  to  feel  the  old  threads  of  love  and 
loyalty  which  held  us  together  in  many  past  existences.  It  is  thus 
that  all  of  us  will  meet  again  and  take  up  our  work.  Th^  orasent 
conc^rq  is  to  niake  the  foundations  of  our  Socijety  as  deep  ana  strong 


Myi.]  Cuttings  and  Comments.  50*7 

as  those  of  the  pyramids,  so  that,  like  them,  it  may  endure  from  age 
to  age,  a  monitmeut  to  our  fidelity,  a  beacon  for  the  helping  of  the 
world." 

Mrs.  Besant,  in  her  continued  essay  on  "  Thought- 
Tmintjig       Power,  its  Control  and  Culture,"  says,  in  the  Theoso- 
the  phkal  R€vi€7v  for  April : 

Mind,  All  people  who  are  training  their  minds  should  main- 

tain an  attitude  of  steady  watchfulness  with  regard  to 
the  thoughts  that  *'  come  into  the  mind^"  and  should  exercise  towards 
them  a  constant  selection.  The  refusal  to  harbour  evil  thoughts,  their 
prompt  ejection  if  they  effect  an  entry,  the  immediate  replacement  of  an 
evil  thought  by  a  good  one  of  an  opposite  character —this  practice  will  so 
tune  the  mind  that  after  a  time  it  will  act  automatically,  repelling  the 
evvl  of  its  own  accord.  •  *  *  Living,  as  we  all  do.  in  a  continual  current  of 
thoughts,  good  and  evil,  we  need  to  cultivate  the  selective  action  of  the 
mind  so  that  the  good  niav  be  automatically  drawn  in,  the  evil  automat- 
ically repelled. 


*  • 


T^ieosophy   in  Atistralasia  gleans   the  following 
The  from  its  Honolulu  letters  : 

PresidetU'  *•  Thus  the  existence  of  that    modest  little    Aloha 

Fimnder         Branch,  hid  in  the  middle  of  the  Pacific  Ocean,  has  been 
and  t/ie         the  karniic  agent  for  saving  our  President's  life." 

ili'/aled  That  is  certainly  a  nice  way  of  putting  it,  but  we 

Steamer.        do  not  think  the  Lords  of  Karma  would,  in  any  event, 

allow  the  life  of  the  P.  T.  S.  to  be  cut  short,  at  pres- 
ent ;  he  has  too  much  work  to  do  ;  neither  do  wc  think  that  had 
he  been  on  board  the  steamer  which  went  down  so  suddenly,  his 
life  woiiW  have  been  lost,  for  he  is  a  very  ex])crt  swimmer  and  also 
lH>sse}We.s  remarkable  presence  of  mind— though  this  was  undoubted- 
ly a  case  in  which  absence  of  body  was  far  preferable  to  presence  of 
mind. 

The  following  notes   are   taken    from  a  private 
The  rule  of     letter  written  by  a  friend   in   Atistralia,  who  alludes 
Mara*  to  the  community  by  which   he  is   at  present  sur- 

rounded: 

They  won't  see  thev  won't  hear  -they  won't  understand.  They 
resent  any  attempt  to  shift  them  from  the  wwldling's  platform  and  we 
know  that  whilst  resentment  lasts,  nothing  of  real  value  can  enter. 

Is  it  not  appalling  to  look  on  Society  amongst  us,  and  note  the  utter 
snrrender  of  everv-thing  to  the  guidance  and  rule  of  M^ra  t  Yet  the 
knowledge  that  a/l  these  crooked  things  shall  be  made  straight  in 
the  future ;  that  the  discipline  Karma  institutes  and  carries  on  with 
unflinching  hand  ntiisf  have  its  effect— these  reflections  teach  us  to 
regard  with  equanimity  conditions  that  would  otherwise  be  unbearable. 
•  •  •  '        •  • 

The  beauty  of  the  soul  is  produced  like  the  brilliancy  of  the  Diamond, 
by  friction,  and  not  until  the  final  polish  is  administered  can  or  should 
tfie  jewel  be  worn  by  royalty.  Thinking  thus  I  am  content,  and  all 
things  must  move  along  in  the  orderly  \vay,  and  according  to  Divine 
Law. 

**# 

It  seems  that  the  ceremony  of  l**ire- walking' which 

Fire-  Uatk-      is  occasionally  practised  in  India,  and  which   is  such 

ers  in  an  interesting  phenomenon,  to  Westerners  especially, 

itany  lands,     is  by  no  means  unknown    in  various  other  countries. 

It  is   now    believed   to  have   been   practiiied   by  the 


308  ^he  Theosophist.  [lAay 

Fiji  Islanders,  from  time  immemorial,  and  has  been  witnessed  and 
reported  by  English  people  of  undoubted  veracit^^  It  is  common 
in  Japan,  as  will  be  noted  later  on ;  but  the  most  recent  report 
comes  from  Honolulu.  In  January  last,  a  Tahitian  Kahu?ia-  walked 
four  times  over  the  hot  stones,  **  the  fierce,  red  o;low  attesting  to  the 
heated  condition  of  their  under  side."  According  to  the  account  in 
Tlieosophy  in  Atcsiralasia,  **  He  was  clothed  in  a  loose,  white  wrap- 
per, girded  at  the  waist  with  a  rope  of  Ti  Leaves,  a  crown  of  which 
he  also  had  on  his  head,  and  he  held  in  his  hand  a  bunch  of  them, 
with  which  he  thrashed  the  earth  twice,  each  time  before  passing 
over  the  heated  stones,  at  the  same  time  inwardly  invoking  the  fire 
spirits  and  praying  to  *  Hina  Niu,  te  Ahara  Vahine  Niu,  ite  Ahurai, 
the  God,  Goddess  and  Spirits."  Following  is  the  concluding  com- 
ment: **This  shows  that  the  old  Polynesian  sorcerers  also  did 
possess  mysterious  magical  powers  and  secrets,  carefully  handed 
over  through  initiations,  and  which  were  evidently  remains  of  the 
great  magical  knowledge  of  the  Atlanteans." 

More  than  a  year  ago  there  appeared  in  The  Wide  World  maga- 
zine, an  article  which  described  in  detail  one  of  these  thrilling 
performances,  and  the  elaborate  preparatory  rites  enacted  by  the 
priests,  and  was  illustrated  with  fourteen  photogravures — making 
the  whole  description  seem  wonderfully  real.  We  have  space  for 
one  or  two  extracts  from  this  account. 

The  bed  of  charcoal  was  i8  feet  long  by  5  or  6  feet  wide  and 
"  was  a  glowing  red-hot  mass,"  and  the  heat  nearly  scorched  the 
spectators  who  stood  a  little  way  off.  The  court-yard  was  densely 
packed  with  Japanese,  Europeans  and   Americans. 

One  bv  one  the  ascetics  assembled,  all  dressed  in  a  siuele  white 
cotton  klinofio.  At  last  one  of  them  stood  at  the  head  of  the  fierce  and 
glowing  furnace,  his  head  bowed  in  prayer,  and  holding  high  in  both 
hands  an  offering  to  the  god  to  whose  power  they  attributed  the  casting 
out  of  the  spirit  (heat)  of  the  fire  so  that  they  were  enabled  to  pass  over 
unhurt.  A  silence  fell  on  all.  The  watchers  or  spectators,  whether 
sceptical,  curious  or  wondering,  were  breathless. 

A  movement — the  man  strode  forward— step  upon  step  over  the 
18  feet  of  glowing,  scorching  fire.  Not  gingerl}-  or  timidly,  mind  you, 
did  he  tread,  but  with  well-planted,  firm,  and  fearless  feet— thus  did  he 
pass  over.  Not  even  the  smell  of  burning  reached  our  expectant  no.strils, 
though  his  flimsy  white  gown  was  down  to  his  ankles.  Another  and 
another  followed,  making  a  w^ell-worn  path  across  that  marvellous  road 
of  fire.  The  ascetics,  or  priests,  went  over  several  times,  and  then  called 
out  that  they  had  tried  the  fire — ^that  it  had  no  power  to  burn,  and  any- 
one who  liked  might  now  pass  over.  Then  a  strange  thing  happened  ! 
The  Japanese  men,  women,  and  children  around  me  went  down  and 
walked  over  unhurt.  A  continuous  stream  passed  over  the  dull  furnace. 
Their  clothes  were  unsinged  and  their  feet  unhurt,  for  I  myself,  with 
some  of  my  friends,  went  to  examine  them  afterwards.  Some  begged 
me  to  try,  telling  me  that  the  fire  would  make  my  feet  verj-  strong  and 
my  *'  feelings  would  become  good"  (/>.,  comfortable),  were  I  to  do  so. 
Alas  !  I  had  neither  their  faith  nor  their  simplicity,  and  so  I  did  not 
turn  fire-walker. 

The  scene  was  a  remarkable  and  impressive  one,  however  the  fire- 
walking  may  be  accounted  for. 

•  *  «  «  • 

Curiosity  prompted  me  two  days  later  to  visit  the  temple  and  ask 
tlie  High  Priest  for  an  interview.  T  told  him  how  struck  I  had  been 
with  what  I  had  seen,  and  asked  him  if  lie  could  explain  what 
appeared  a  miracle. 


1901.]  Cuttings  and  Comments.  &Od 

'*Toyou,"  he  said,  **  and  the  ordinary  spectator,  it  seems  an 
impossible  thing,  and  you  try  to  account  for  it  by  assuming  some  vulgar 
trick  or  conjuring,  but  to  me  it  is  not  strange. 

'*  We  of  the  Shinshukyo  sect  believe  in  our  god,  and  by  invoking 
him  we  are  enabled  to  pour  boiling  water  over  our  bodies,  to  walk  over 
fire,  and  to  mount  sword-blades  without  sustaining  any  harm." 

"  But,"  I  said,  '*  are  you  and  your  disciples  able  at  anytime  to  walk 
on  iire  without  being  hurt  ?" 

"No,"  he  said,  "  it  is  only  after  long  prayer  and  invocation  that 
we  can  do  so,  and  the  gyoja  (ascetic)  must  try  it  before  an  ordinary 
believer,  to  find  out  if  the  power  has  been   drawn  out  of  the  fire. 

"My  disciples  never  eat  meat,  or  fish — never  drink  any  stimulant 
of  any  kind,  either  wine  or  coffee  or  tea,  nor  do  they  even  touch  strong- 
smelling  vegetables  such  as  onions  or  garlic  ;  and  we  onl}-  eat  twice  a 
day— in  the  morning  and  evening.  We  must  be  clean  in  heart  and 
bodv,  or  we  should  be  burned." 


« 


In  a  recent  issue  of  W\^  Madtas  /)/«//,'*  Yor'' 
"  The  sense  contributes  some  interesting  matter  showing  the 
of  S null '^       possibilities  inherent  in  the  sense  of  smell,  which  can 

be  brought  out  by  cultivation    when    not   already 
developed.     We  copy  the  larger  part  of  the  article. 

"  Oscar  Eve,"  who  writes  in  the  Cornhill  Magazine  for  February,  on 
the  possibility  of  developing  the  nose  in  the  pursuit  of  pleasure,  has  but 
recalled  attention  to  an  exceedingly  interesting  subject  that  has  before 
now  engaged  the  attention  of  European  enquirers  and  observers.  Didron, 
an  eminent  French  archaeologist,  devoted  much  time  and  labour  to  the 
collection  of  literature  bearing  on  the  subject,  and  he  relates  how  a 
Breton  peasant  actually  invented  an  art  of  i)erfumes  and  claimed  to  have 
discovered  the  harmonious  relation  existing  between  different  odours. 
This  peasant  went  to  Paris  with  a  j)erfume  box  of  many  comj)ailments, 
but  when  he  announced  his  intention  of  giving  a  concert  of  perfumes,  he 
was  quickly  taken  for  a  lunatic,  and  he  returned  disappointed  to  Brittan}*, 
to  commune  w^ith  the  flowers  of  his  native  meadows.  In  F)ngland,  the 
c^uestioa  regarding  the  sense  of  smell  has  not  altogether  escaped  atten- 
tion, and  Professor  Michael  F'oster,  writing  on  the  subject,  maintains 
that  the  sense  of  smell  in  the  human  being  is  but  the  feeble  remnant  of  a 
once  powerful  mechanism.  He  also  holds,  along  with  other  biologists, 
that  a  close  connection  exists  between  the  olfactor\'  fibres  and  the  higher 
nervous  centres,  and  cites,  among  other  proofs  in  support  of  the  theory, 
the  well-known  action  of  smells  as  links  of  association,  and  consequent- 
ly as  aids  to  memory.  How  far  it  is  possible  to  develop  our  sense  of 
smell  vooiy  be  judged  from  the  keenness  of  scent  characteristic  of  many 
of  the  lower  animals,  for  instance  the  dog,  in  which  training  and  culti- 
vation of  the  sense  has  produced  really  marvellous  results.  We  may 
also  draw  some  inference,  surely,  of  the  immense  development  which 
the  sense  is  capable  of  from  the  case  of  James  Mitchell,  a  boy  who  had 
been  deaf  and  dumb  and  blind  from  birth.  It  is  related  in  authentic 
medical  w-orkfs  that  Mitchell  was  not  only  able  to  distinguish  people  by 
their  smell,  but  by  means  of  it  could  even  form  fairly  accurate  judgment 
of  their  character.  This  is,  however,  an  instance  of  abnormal  develop- 
ment, and  the  fact  remains  that  Western  races  and  i>eoples  have  for  so 
long  a  time  paid  such  little  attention  not  only  to  the  development,  but 
also  to  the  preservation,  of  the  sense  of  smell,  that  it  is  apprehended  we 
run  the  risk  of  losing  the  attribute  altogether.  vSome  writers  even  go 
the  lengjth  of  maintaining  that  in  the  modern  civilised  man  the  ner\'es 
and  brain  centres  that  subserve  the  sense  of  smell  are  so  poorly  devel- 
oped that  this  sense  remains  to-day  but  the  vestige  of  a  vestige.  It  is 
true,  at  the  same  time,  that  modern  man  is  more  susceptible  of  evil 
smells  than  of  pleasant  odours.  *  ♦  *  , 

Eastern  races  have  always  manifested  a  far  higlier  and  more  delicate 
sense  of  smell  than  Westerners  have  even  dreamed  of,  and  with  some  of 


6\0  The  Theoaophist.  lUm^ 

them  th€  <estltetic  perception  has  gone  far  beyon^i  the  enjoymeBt  of  a 
simple  odour,  and  has  risen  to  a  decided  intellectual  effort  to  distinguish 
one  odour  from  another  even  where  several  odours  have   been   blended 
in  view  to  the  production   of  what  may  be  described  as  a,  compound 
smell.     Take  the  Japanese,  for  instance.     At  least  from  the  loth  century 
they  have  delighted  in  the  luxury  of  what  they  call  an  "  incense  game,*' 
while  the  use  of  incense  in  the  Buddhist  temples  in  Japan  dates  back 
from  as  remote  a  period  as  the  6th  centuiy.     There  is  perhaps    nowhere 
else  in  the  world  so  wonderful  and  aesthetic  a  pastime  as  that  which  had 
been  played  in  Japan  for  centuries  and  was  known  as  '*  incense  arrange- 
ment."    In  an  artistically  constructed  square  box  were  arranged.  Tor 
the  purpose  of  this  game,  in  drawers  and  on  th€  shelves  of  a  tiny   cabi- 
net, a  number  of  little  elaborately   made  implements.     In  the  carbinet 
there  were  also  placed  tiny  little  boxes  containing  folded  bags  of  silk  Of 
gilt  paper  in  which  incense  was  secured.     In  anoUierbox  were    fragxant 
woods  and  charcoal.  The  charcoal,  which  was  always  carefully  prepared, 
would  be  thrown  into  a  brazier  and  lighted  upon  a  smooth  bed  of  ashes. 
The  incense  would  then  be  taken  out  of  its  case  with  a  silver  instrument 
and  placed  upon  a  little  plate  of  mica,    which  would  then  beheld  over 
the  brazier  by  means  of  a  silver  forceps.     On  the  incense   burning,    the 
plate  would  be  left  to  cool  upon  one  of  a  number  of  little  medallions 
standing  in  a  tray  of  lacquer.     All  this  would  be  done  by  the  players  on 
one  side.     At  this  stage,  the  other  players  would  proceed  to  show  their 
acuteness  of  smell  by  placing  counters  in  certain  positions  on  a  chequer 
board.    There  might  be  over  a  hundred  of  these  counters,   each  corres- 
ponding to  a  perfume  burnt.     These  perfumes  would  be  of  va)rtoti«  kinds 
of  incense  and  of  fragrant  woods,  ana  would  be  burnt  alone  or  in  com- 
bination ;  but,  in  any  case,  the  plaj-ers  on  the  other  side  would  be  ex- 
pected to  show  their  recognition  of  the  odours  by  the  correct  choice  of 
the  corresponding  counters.     No  scented    flowers  were  allowed  ill  the 
room  when  this  game  was  being  played,  and  notes  used  to  be  kept  of  tlhc 
progress  of  the  contest  and  of  interesting  points  which  called  for  Special 
observation.     It  is  curious  that  though  the  Japanese  have  in  thiB   gfaane 
shown  their  fondness  for  the  perfumes  of  fragrant  woods  and  resins,  they 
have  never  liestowed   much  attention   on  the  scent  of  flowers.     In  fact, 
they  prefer  the  faint  scent  of  the  blossom  of  the  plum  to  all  Others. 
Another  way  in  which  the  Japs  of  the  olden  days  displayed  their  highly 
iesthetic  sense  of  smell  was  in  their  **  cloves  bath.'*    Cloves,   or  otbftr 
sources  of  perfume,  used  to  be  heated  in  water  over  a  small  brazier,  so 
that  scented  vapour  escaped  into  the  room  and  produced  a  most  pleasing 
olfactory  sensation  among  the  occupants.     It  must  have  been  a  sort  of 
Nirvana  in  itself,  and  it  is  to  be  regretted  that  even  in  Japan  this  aesthet- 
ic sense  of  enjoyment  has  decayed  and  that  the   Japs,  like  the  Wester- 
ners, are  gradually  neglecting  an  intellectual  endowTuent  from    which  it 
is  possible  to  derive  so  much  pure,  wholesome  and  exquisite  pleasitre." 

Other  Eastern  races  besides  the  Japanese  have  from  very  alitient 
times  extracted  vSpecial  gratification  from  a  highly-developed'  sense  of 
smell.  The  ancient  Egyptians  not  only  employed  spices  and  aromatics 
in  the  preparation  of  their  mummies,  but  used  elaborate  compounds  of 
resins,  mvrrh  and  other  fragrant  substances,  wherewith  they  made  the 
incense  tiiat  they  offered  to  their  gods.  The  Jews,  in  addition  to  the  use 
of  incense  for  purposes  of  worship,  employed  perfumes  ver>'  largefy  for 
profane  purposes,  but  they  were  prohibited  from  making  use  of  the  "tem- 
ple incense  in  their  own  houses.  The  vSong  of  Solomon  is  full  of  allusions 
to  myrrh,  frankincense,  spikenard,  saffron,  cinnamon,  calamus  and  "all 
tlie  powders  of  the  merchant."  and  elsewhere  in  the  Bible  we  find  alht- 
.sions  to  the  balm  of  (iilead,  to  the  resin  known  as  olibanum,  and  to  the 
gum  called  bdellium.  Vrom  the  books  of  Leviticus  and  Ivxodus  we  may 
also  gather  what  great  store  the  ancients  of  the  Old  Testament  days  set 
by  the  use  of  perninies  for  ritualistic  purposes.  For  the  smaller '  altar 
in  the  temple  the  priests  were  enjoined  to  take  sweet  spices,  stacte. 
onycha,  galbanum  and  pure  frankincense,  each  of  equal  weight,  and 
make  thereof  a  perfume,  tempered  together,  pure  anci  holy,  to  be  used 
only  for  the  lA)rd.  This  was  for  the  sei-vice  of  the  smaller  altar,  while 
anointing  oil  and  frankincense  were  always  associated  with  the  sacrilices 


IMl.]  Cuttings  and  Comments.  511 

of  burttt  ofTerings  on  the  larger  altars,  the  anointing  oil  being  a  rare  per- 
fume, compounded  of  spice,  myrrh,  sweet  cinnamon,  sweet  calamus, 
cassia  and  olive  oil.  It  was  perhaps  natural  that  these  various  perfumes 
came  subsequently  to  be  used  in  the  ceremonies  of  the  earlier  Christian 
aad  Ocieek  Churches,  and  that  a  great  trade  in  spices  and  resins  and  per- 
fumes went  on  between  those  countries  that  needed  these  religious  com- 
modities and  those  that  were  in  a  position  to  meet  the  demand — India, 
Arabia,  and  Africa  being  among  the  principal  sources  of  supply.  The 
Romans  of  the  days  of  the  Empire  carried  the  love  of  perfumes,  and 
incideittally  the  aesthetic  development  of  the  sense  of  smell,  to  at  least 
as  great  lengths  as  did  the  Egyptians  or  the  Jews,  for  w^e  read  that  they 
laid  it  down  as  the  acme  of  luxury  that  the  legs  shovild  be  washed  with 
an  Egyptian  perfume  taken  from  a  box  of  gold,  the  mouth  and  the  breast 
with  liquor  distilled  from  dates,  the  arms  with  mint,  the  e^'ebrows  and 
hair  with  marjoram  and  the  knees  and  neck  with  thyme  ;  while  the  very 
vessels  from  which  they  drank,  imported  at  great  expense  from  Egypt, 
were  manufactured  from  perfumed  clay  and  turned  out  in  kilns  heated 
ynth  aromatics. 

The  Hindus  have  in  all  times  been  no  less  punctilious  regarding  the 
use  of  incense  and  perfumes  for  temple  ceremonies.  Xo  rite  would  be 
complete  without  its  offerings  of  incense  to  the  gods,  and  no  Brahmin 
ieaiple  but  is  every  morning  heavily  scented  with  the  odour  of  jessamine 
garlands  thrown  round  the  necks  of  the  idols. 

And  the  demon  worshippers  of  India  have  always  believed  that  the 
spirits  of  the  viewless  world  may  be  propitiated  by  the  odours  of  sweet 
perfumes,  which  circumstance  reminds  us  that  Milton  in  "Paradise 
Lost'*  says  that  Satan  was  better  pleased  with  the  odorous  sweets  of 
Paradise  than  Asmodeus  with  '*  the  fishy  fume  that  drove  him,  though 
enamoured,  from  the  spouse  of  Tobit's  son."  ♦  *  ♦  • 

Eastern  peoples  have  cultivated  the  sense  of  smell  to  a  far  greater 
extent  than  the  civilised  races  of  the  West  have  ever  dreamed  of  doing. 
But  e\'en  in  the  East  the  sense  of  smell  has  decayed  considerably,  and  it 
would  not  be  possible  nowadays  to  meet  with  the  same  high  degree  of 
olfactOT\'  acuteness  that  characterised  the  ancients. 

t 
#  * 

From   the  Prison   Afhioi,  published  by  the  pris- 
Tnist  oners  of  the  penitentiary  at    Stillwater,    Minn.,  we 

Rcivarded,       glean  the  following : 

"Among  the  many  acts  of  heroism  during  the  fatal 
flood  in  Galveston,  Texas,  none  is  more  wortliy  of  chronicling  than  the 
faithfulness  of  the  two  hundred  prisoners  who  were  released  upon  parole 
just  before  the  stonn  swept  over  that  cit}'.  Out  of  that  number,  196 
again  reported  to  the  officials.  It  is  presumed  that  the  other  four  met 
their  death  in  the  flood.  This  honorable  action  is  worthy  of  wide  publi- 
city. Credit  is  also  due  to  the  liberal-minded  warden  of  thatin.stitution, 
who  had  implicit  confidence  in  their  devotion  to  duty.  He  preferred, 
trusting  to  their  honor  and  giving  them  a  chance  for'life,  than  seeing 
them  die  like  rats  in  a  trap." 

Facts  like  the  above  increase  one's  faith  in  the  latent  divinity 
in  man. 

Show  me  a  man  who  loves  his  fellows  and  whose 
Doing  (rod's     daily  life  makes  the  world   richer  by  good  deeds  and 
Work,  generous  thoughts,  and  I  will  show  3'ou  a  man  who 

walks  in  the  clear  sun.shine  toward  a  glorious  immor- 
tality. Believe  what  you  will,  but  as  to  your  doing,  let  it  be  God's 
work.  Make  someone's  darkness  bright  with  the  light  of  3'our 
presence  ;  cheer  the  comfortless  with  words  of  encouragement ;  then 
there  will  be  tears  of  grateful  sorrow  when  you  go,  and  a  warm  well 


512  The  Theosophist.  [May 

come  when  yoti  reach  the  other  shore. — Grorgr  H.  Hrpworth.  in 
AWf  VorJi:  Herald.  ' 


*  • 


In  the   **  Wisdom  of  the  Ages,'*  a  book   recently 
77/<r  hi7ier       issued  by  the  Banner  of  Light  Publishing  Co.,  Boston, 
Gfini.  we  find  the   following  laid  down  as  the  prime  law  of 

action  : 

*'  Ever  prove  trite  to  the  light  within  !  "  And  further,  it 
is  said  : 

**\Vhat  the  soul  affirms alone  is  right  for  thee. 

The  acts  of  thy  life  must  conform  to  the  dictations  of  the  interior 
monitor. 

The  external  should  reflect  the  emotions,  the  hopes,  and  the  as- 
pirations of  the  higher  nature. 

When  this  is  so  thou  shalt  stand  near  to  an  immortality  that  is 
freed  from  the  physical  world. 

To-day  thou  art  suffering  the  consequences  of  acts  in  previous 
embodiments.  In  a  great  measure  thou  art  the  maker  of  thine  own 
future. 

All  evil  deeds  must  be  expiated  ;  all  wrongs  must  be  righted, 
for  there  is  no  forgiveness  of  sin. 

Thou  art  both  thine  own  judge  and  executioner. 

Yet  there  is  no  escape  for  thee.  The  judge  will  be  impartial  and 
just,  and  the  executioner  will  see  that  the  sentence  is  duly  carried 
out. 

Then,  is  it  not  wiser  for  thee  to  cease  thy  mad,  impetuous  rush 
through  life,  and  allow  prudence  and  caution  to  exercise  their  be- 
nign inflitences  over  thine  every  act  ? 

Through  the  gateway  of  thy  new  birth  let  not  dark  shadows 
stream  forth  from  the  tombs  of  the  past. 

Instead,  may  the  golden  beams  radiating  from  noble  acts  and 
impulses  make  the  smiles  and  laughter  of  the  newborn,  prophetic  of 
the  incarnation  upon  which  it  is  just  entering." 


* 


THE     THEOSOPHIST. 


(Founded  in  1879.) 


VOL,  XXII,  NO.  9,  JUNE  1901. 


"THERE  IS  NO  RELIGION  HIGHER  THAN  TRUTH." 

\_Family  moiio  of  the  Maharajahs  of  BejiaicsJ] 


OLD  DIARY  LEAVES* 

Fourth  Series,  Chapter  XX. 

(Year  1891.) 

THE  intelligent  reader,  who  ponders  upon  the  experiments  re- 
corded in  the  last  chapter,  and  especially  upon  the  footnote 
about  the  power  of  a  mesmeric  or  hypnotic  sensitive  to  pick  out  a 
given  object  by  her  ability  to  detect  the  aura  of  a  person  impreg- 
nating it,  will  see  how  the  whole  of  the  Salpetriere  house-of-cards 
theory  about  the  selection  being  due  to  the  subject's  exquisite  per- 
ception of  trifling  physical  peculiarities  in  the  texture  of  the  sug- 
gestion-impregnated paper,  crumbles  when  one  realises  that  the 
detection  is  made  by  auric  perception  and  not  by  physical  sight 
or  hearing.  In  fact,  the  recognition  of  the  existence  of  auras  gives 
the  key  to  a  large  group  of  apparent  hypnotic  mysteries.  The  most 
that  can  be  said  in  excuse  for  the  prejudiced  misconceptions  of 
most  scientists  is  that  they  are  ignorant.  On  the  second  morning 
of  my  researches  with  Dr.  Guinon,  the  first  experiments  were  to 
suggest  by  gestures  and  facial  expression,  but  silently,  the  presence 
of  birds,  rats  and  puppies:  a  wavy  motion  of  the  hand  in  the  air 
made  the  girl  see  a  bird ;  the  attitude  of  listening  suggested  its 
singing  and  caused  her  delight ;  proper  manipulation  of  the  fingers 
along  the  floor  made  her  see  a  rat  and  jump  upon  a  chair  to  escape 
it ;  and  an  imaginary  pupp}''  was  placed  in  her  lap  and  she  caressed 
it.  These  are,  of  course,  examples  of  suggestion  without  words.  I 
got  Dr.  Guinon  to  try  again  to  visualise  and  transfer  to  the  sensitive 

•  Three  volumes,  in  series  of  thirty  chapters,  tracing  the  history  of  the 
Theosophical  Society  from  its  beginning's  at  New  York,  have  appeared  in  the 
Ihgosophisif  and  two  volumes  are  available  in  book  form.  Price,  Vol.  I.,  cloth, 
Rs.  3-8-0,  or  paper,  Rs.  2-3-0.  Vol.  II.,  beautifully  illustrated  with  views  of  Adyar, 
has  just  been  received  by  the. Manager,   Theosophist :  price,  cloth,  Ks.  5  ;  paper, 

Rs.  3-8-cS 


514  The  Theosophist.  [June 

a  thought-picture.  Selecting  a  spot  on  the  table  easily  recognisa- 
ble by  a  small  dent  in  the  wood,  I  laid  down  a  bright  coin  and 
asked  the  doctor  to  gaze  at  it  until  he  felt  sure  he  could  retain  the 
image  at  the  spot,  removed  the  coin  and  got  him  to  call  in  one  of 
his  quickest  sensitives,  and  tell  her  that  she  might  take  the  coin 
she  saw  lying  there.  But  she  saw  nothing,  and  though  it  was  tried 
in  various  ways,  the  experiment  was  a  failure. 

*'  Another  day  we   repeated  the  experiment   of  transfer  of  a 
paralysis  from  one  subject   to  the  other,  by  laying  a  magnet  on  the 
table,  back  of  the  second  girl's  shoulder,  but  no  further  explanation 
was  arrived  at.    The  subject  of  metallotherapy  (healing  diseases  by 
employing  the  metal  or  metals  that  are  sympathetic  to  the  patient) 
was  discussed.     Dr.  Guinon  called  in  a  woman  who  could  wear  no 
gold  about   her  person,    because  she    found  it  strongly  antipa- 
thetic to  her  temperament.    She  had  silver  bangles,  and,  I  believe, 
other  ornaments  of  the  same  metal.    We  tested  this  by  applying  to 
her  wrist  a  golden   coin,  concealed  from  her  sight  by  being  held 
in  the  doctor's  hand.     Immediately  contraction   of  the   muscles  of 
the  arm  occurred."   Now  this  again  is  a  subject  of  active  dispute,  not 
only  between  the  rival  hypnotic  schools  of  France,  but  also  between 
distinguished  members  of  the  same  school,  some  maintaining  that 
the   effect  of  different  metals  upon  patients  is  real,  others   that 
it  has  no  foundation  and  is  simply  the  result  of  suggestion.     Dr. 
Albert  Moll,  of  Berlin,    author  of  the  standard  work,   "  Hypno- 
tism," without  inclining  to  either  side,   fairly  holds  the  balance 
between  the  two.     **  Certain  persons,"  he  says,  "  were  supposed  to  be 
influenced  by  particular  metals— copper,   for  example — which  even 
caused  symptoms  of  disease  to  disappear.    The  later  investigations 
on  the  action  of  drugs  at  a  distance  apparently  proved  that  certain 
drugs  in  hermetically  closed  tubes  would,  when  brought  close  to 
human  beings,  act  in  the  same  way  as  if  they  were  swallowed.  Thus, 
strychnine  was  supposed  to  cause  convulsions,  ipecacuanha  vomiting, 
opium  sleep,  alcohol  drunkenness,   etc.     The    experiments   were 
first  made  by  Grocco  in  Italy,  and  Bourru  and  Burot  in  Rochefort. 
They  experimented  with  hypnotised  subjects  and  confirmed  them  ; 
he    even   found  distinctions,   according  as  the  ipecacuanha    was 
applied  to  the  right  or  left  sides, 

**  It  is  known  that  these  experiments  have  been  repeated  in  other 
quarters,  e.g,,  by  Jules  Voisin,  Forel,  Seguin,  and  Laufenauer, 
without  result ;  Luys  brought  the  subject  before  the  French  Acade- 
my of  Medicine,  which  appointed  a  commission  (Brouardel,  Dujar- 
din-Beaumetz,  and  several  others)  to  test  the  question  in  the  pres- 
ence of  Luys ;  they  came  to  a  conclusion  opposed  to  his.  Seelig- 
miiller  has  confuted  the  experiments  in  a  much  better  and  more 
scientific  way,  which  appears  to  me  the  only  proper  one  for  coming 
to  a  decision.  It  consists  of  examining  the  conditions  of  the  experi- 
ments; the  reports  of  commissions  have  uo  particular  value."    H<? 


1901.]  Old  Diary  Leaves.  615 

makes  the  sage  reflection  that  "  when  we  consider  the  history  of 
animal  tiiagnetism  we  see  that  commissions  always  find  what  they 
wish  to  find  ;  the  t^sult  is  always  what  they  expect.  Commissions, 
in  fact,  are  much  influenced  by  auto-suggestion,"  It  was  the 
realisation  of  this  fact  that  made  me  refuse  to  accept  the  decision  of 
the  Committee  of  the  Paris  Academy  of  Medicine,  that  the  action 
of  drugs  at  a  distance  was  an  illusion.  As  a  rule,  one  should  never 
take  the  report  of  any  Committee,  composed,  even  in  part,  of 
sceptical  or  prejudiced  members,  as  fin^l. 

Professor  Perty,  6f  Geneva,  an  extremely  well-known  scientif- 
ic observer,  says  about  this  action  of  metals :  "  The  same  metals 
act  differently  upon  different  somnambulists.  Many  cannot  bear 
iron,  others  gold  or  silver,  but  generally  gold  acts  beneficially  upon 
them,  but  in  many  cases  its  action  is  exciting.  Bochard,  in 
Heilbronn,  could  not  put  a  girl,  eight  years  old,  affected  with  chorea, 
into  the  magnetic  sleep,  when  lie  forgot  to  remove  the  two  gold 
rings  he  Wore  from  his  fingers.  Silver  placed  on  the  region  of  the 
heart  of  Dr.  Haddock's  somnambulist,  Bmma,  demagnetised  her  ; 
Dr.  Haddock  could  not  mesmerise  her  as  long  as  she  had  a  piece  of 
silver  on  her  head.  A  looking-glass  held  before  the  somnambulist 
Feteisen,  gave  rise  to  muscular  contractions,  which  terminated  in 
spasmodic  actions  ;  spasms  were  also  induced  by  her  holding  zinc 
or  iron  in  her  hand.  Silver  had  a  calming  effect ;  copper  produced 
no  result. 

"  The  somnambulist  Kachler,  magnetised  by  'passes*  a  piece  of 
steel,  which  attracted  large  needles,  whereas  before  it  only  attracted 
iron-filirigs.  This  subject  was  so  sensitive  to  the  influence  of 
miileral  magnetism,  that  she  felt  the  presence  of  a  magnetic  needle 
from  afar,  and  could  act  upon  it  with  the  finger,  and  even  by  her 
mere  look  and  will,  according  to  the  statement  of  BShr  and  Kohl- 
schiilter.  From  a  distance  of  half  a  yard,  she  made,  by  a  look,  the 
magnetic  needle  decline  4°  to  the  West,  and  a  like  result  recurred 
three  times  by  the  influence  of  her  mere  will — on  one  occasion  the 
needle  turned  to  7**,  always  Westward.  A  similar  fact  is  confirmed  by 
the  Couptess  R.,  who  approximating  her  breast  to  the  needle  set  it 
in  a  trembling  motion.  Prudence  Bernard,  in  Paris,  by  moving  her 
head  to  and  fro,  made  the  needle  follow  these  movements. 
(Galtgnafifs  Messeiiger,  Oct.  31,  1851).  Count  Szapary  records  a 
similar  phenomenon  as  occurring  in  a  somnambulist." 

Another  day  Dr.  Guinon  attempted  to  show  me  the  transfer  of 
mental  hallucinations  from  one  subject  to  a  second.  It  was  done 
in  this  way.  Girl  No.  i  was  hypnotised  and  put  into  the  stage  of 
"  soJnnambulism,"  in  which,  it  will  be  recollected,  suggestions  are 
easily  made.  The  doctor  then  made  her  think  she  saw  on  the 
table  a  white  bust  of  Prof.  Charcot,  not  with  his  usual  clear-shaven 
face,  but  with  a  heavy  military  mustache.  She  saw  it  clearly  and 
laughed  at  the  astonishing  change  in  ''le  Maitre'si"  appearance,  and 


516  The  Theosophisi.  [Juike 

was  then  plunged  into  a  deeper  state  of  unconsciousness.  Girl  No. 
2  was  called  in,  made  to  sit  with  her  back  to  the  back  of  the  other, 
their  heads  touching,  and  she  was  also  hypnotised.  The  magnet 
was  laid  upon  the  table  between  them.  We  waited  quite  long  enough 
for  results,  but  the  experiment  failed,  the  illusion  was  not  transfer- 
red, and  one  of  the  patients  fell  into  convulsions  (crise  de  neffs\ 
from  which  she  was  speedily  rescued  by  the  doctor's  compressing 
the  region  of  the  ovaries.  We  repeated  the  attraction  experiment,  this 
time  covering  the  subject's  head  and  neck  completely  with  a  bag  of 
thick  linen  to  prevent  any  current  of  air  or  animal  warmth  from  the 
hand  from  affecting  her  skin.  Dr.  Guinon  again  operated.  It 
succeeded  with  the  two  girls  employed,  and  while  it  was  nothing 
in  comparison  with  results  I  have  often  obtained,  there  was  at  least 
enough  to  show  Dn  Guinon  that  the  subject  was  worth  considering 
for  its  bearing  upon  the  problem  of  the  existence  of  a  magnetic 
fluid. 

These  were  all  the  experiments  I  was  able  to  make  under  the  cir- 
cumstances of  the  dead  season,  Prof.  Charcot's  absence  from  town, 
and  the  cessation  of  lectures  and  cliniques.  It  was  not  much,  yet  it 
was  something — a  beginning  of  a  work  which  will  need  time  and 
patience,  and  which  is  well  worth  the  taking  of  any  amount  of 
trouble. 

The  oflSce  or  consulting-room  of  Prof.  Charcot  at  the  Hospital 
is  a  small  one,  between  the  public  waiting-room  and  the  chemical 
laboratory*  The  walls  are  painted  a  dark  colour,  and  completely 
covered  with  engravings  and  sketches  illustrative  of  h3rpnotic 
crises  and  illusions;  The  latter  are  mainly  copies  of  world-famous 
pictures  by  the  Italian  Masters,  representing  incidents  in  the  lives 
of  Saints,  such  as  the  casting  out  of  devils,  all  of  which  effects,  it 
hardly  need  be  said,  are  regarded  by  both  schools  of  Hypnotism 
as  phenomena  of  pure  suggestion.  Placed  in  the  same  categor>' 
are  engravings  representing  the  neuroses  provoked  by  Mesmer 
around  his  famous  baquet,  the  miraculous  cures  effected  upon  pil- 
grims to  the  tomb  of  the  Abbe  Paris,rand  the  wonderful  phenomena 
in  levitation  and  wall-climbing,  of  the  Convulsionaries  of  St.  Medard. 
The  cliniques  of  Charcot  and  Bemheim  daily  produce  hypnotic 
marvels  as  "miraculous"  as  anything  in  the  annals  of  any  of  the 
churches  or  sects. 

This  brings  us  up  to  the  12th  of  August.  Before  starting  for 
Nancy,  to  continue  my  studies,  I  spent  several  days  in  receiv- 
ing and  making  visits.  Among  the  matters  attended  to  was  the 
arrangement  with  Baron  Harden-Hickey,  since  deceased — ^a  de- 
scendant of  one  of  those  chivalric  Irish  refugees  who  took  service  in 
the  French  army,  and  established  new  branches  of  their  Old  Celtic 
families— for  the  bringing  out  of  a  new  French  translation  of  the 
•*  Buddhist  Catechism."  The  first  edition  had  been  translated  from 
the  .14th  English  edition,  but  since   that   time  seventeen   mor« 


190l.]  Old  Diary  Leaves.  felT 

editions  had  appeared,  with  extensive  additions  to  the  text,  and 
as  the  Baron  was  equally  familiar  with  both  languages  and  kindly 
oflFered  to  be  at  the  trouble  of  a  new  translation  and  publication,  I 
was  glad  to  avail  myself  of  the  chance.  I  passed  a  night  at  his 
suburban  residence  at  Chantilly,  and  made  the  acquaintance  of  his 
lovely  young  wife,  formerly  a  Miss  Flagler,  of  New  York.  I  was 
the  more  inclined  to  accept  the  Baron's  obliging  proposal  because 
my  friend,  Commandant  Courmes,  of  the  French  Navy,  was  then  in 
command  of  the  Naval  forces  on  the  coast  of  Africa.  In  this  new 
edition  there  were  twenty-eight  new  questions  and  answers,  covering 
the  Buddhistic  ideas  upon  the  transcendental  powers  of  the  Arahat, 
or  Adept ;  the  fact  of  their  relations  with  individual  temperaments ; 
the  condemnation  by  the  Buddha  of  indiscriminate  exhibition  of 
psychical  phenomena  ;  the  diflference  in  the  degree  of  occult  powers 
possessed  by  his  two  principal  disciples ;  a  definition  of  the  successive 
stages  of  psychical  evolution,  etc.  At  the  Baron's  request,  I  wrote 
an  Introduction  to  this  edition  adapted  to  the  French  tempera* 
ment.  In  the  course  of  this  I  said :  "The  remarkable  success  of 
the  lecture  courses  of  M.  I^eon  de  Rosny,  the  learned  professor  of 
the  Sorbonne,  and  the  constant  and  increasing  demand  for 
Buddhistic  literature  prove,  I  venture  to  think,  that  the  enlightened 
minds  in  France  are  sympathetically  drawn,  amidst  this  crisis  of  the 
ancient  religions,  towards  a  philosophy  which  vaunts  no  master, 
which  encourages  to  perpetual  exercise  of  good  sense,  which 
repudiates  the  supernatural,  which  counsels  tolerance,  which  solves 
the  most  complex  problems  of  life,  which  appeals  to  the  instinct  of 
justice,  which  teaches  the  purest  morality,  which  is  absolutely  in 
accord  with  the  teachings  of  modern  science,  and  which  shows  to 
man  a  superb  ideal. 

"In  the  seventeen  years  in  which  I  have  been  in  contact  with 
Buddhism,  I  have  never  foundit  revolting  to  the  brave  thinker,  to 
the  religious  spirit,  to  the  humanitarian,  nor  antipathetic  to  the  man 
of  science.  It  is  a  diamond  buried  in  a  swamp  of  superstitions.  If 
Eugene  Burnouf,  that  brilliant  luminary  of  contempory  French 
literature,  had  not  been  prematurely  snatched  from  science,  France 
would  certainly  have  taken  the  lead  in  the  movement  of  the 
Buddhistic  renaissance."  As  I  was  then  on  my  way  to  Japan  to 
consult  the  Chief  Priests,  I  could  not  include  in  this  edition  the 
Platform  of  the  Fourteen  Principles. 

I  was  not  fortunate  enough  to  make  the  personal  acquaintance 
of  Burnouf  s  erudite  daughter,  Mme.  Delisle,  whose  husband  was  the 
Director  of  the  Bibliotheque  National,  as  she  was  in  the  country, 
but  she  very  generously  sent  me,  as  a  souvenir,  a  most  excellent 
plaster  medallion  portrait  of  her  great  father,  which,  suitably 
mounted,  now  hangs  in  the  Adyar  library. 

I  reached  Nancy,  the  ancient  Capital  of  Lorraine,  the  country 
where  that  saintly  girl,  Joan  of  Arc,  was  born,  and  where   her 


516  The  Theosophist.  [Juzue 

memory  is  cherished  aud  adored  by  the  whole  population,  on  the  14th 
of  the  month.  Before  describing  the  results  of  my  observations  at 
this  place,  it  will  be  well  if  I  define  as  clearly  and  succinctly  las  pos- 
sible, the  radical  difiFerences  between  the  theories  propounded  by  the 
two  schools  of  Salpetriere  and  Nancy,  I  may  remark  by  way  of 
preface  that  within  the  past  ten  years  the  opinion  of  the  medical 
profession,  as  a  whole,  has  been  inclininp^  towards  the  view  taken  by 
Dr.  Liebault  and  his  colleagues.  I  find  this  to  be  perfectly  natu- 
ral, because  it  is  in  the  nature  of  things  that  the  exhaustive  study  of 
the  theory  of  Evolution  should  lead  us  from  the  observation  of  phj'S- 
ical  phenomena  to  an  inquiry  into  their  origin,  and  this  means  a 
transfer  of  our  studies  to  the  plane  of  spirit,  whence  come  thfe  im- 
pulses which  provoke  manifestation  on  the  -lower  plane  of  existence. 
Briefly,  then,  the  theories  of  the  rival  schools  may  be  stated  ias  fol- 
lows :  **  While  Charcot's  school  regards  the  phenomena  as  of  purely 
physiological  character,  Nancy  maintains  that  they  are  psycholog- 
ical— the  effects,  in  short,  of  mental  suggestion,  whether  conscious- 
ly or  unconsciously  made.  Let  me  make  this  plain.  If  I  say  to  an 
impressible  subject,  **  It  is  a  hot  day,"  the  feeling  of  atmospheric 
heat  is  created  and  the  subject  shows  signs  of  it  in  his  actions  :  this 
is  one  of  the  most  elementary  experiments  of  the  travelling  mesmeric 
exhibitor.  But  dudible  words  are  not  indispensable,  I  need  only 
look  hot,  remove  my  coat,  wipe  my  forehead,  or  otherwise  act  as  per- 
sons do  on  a  warm  Summer  day,  aud  the  subject  will  interpret  to 
himself  the  meaning  of  my  acts,  arid  sympathetically  respond  by 
similar  ones  of  his  own.  A  physician  visits  a  patient  seriously  ill,  say 
of  typhoid  fever ;  he  finds  the  symptoms  discouraging  ;  his  anxiety 
shows  itself  in  his  expression  (unless  he  is  very  experienced  in 
schooling  his  face,  voice  and  bodily  movements)  and,  if  the  patient 
is  looking  at  him  he  reads  his  daiiger  and  grows  worse,  perhaps  dies. 
Thedoctotmay5^m^  encouragingly,»but**  his  looks  belie  his  words," 
as  the  wise  folk-lore  proverb  expresses  it,  and  the  scientific  verdict 
in  his  face  is  read  by  the  invalid  as  though  it  were  writing  on  white 
paper.  This  is  unconscious  suggestion.  Both  Paris  and  Nancy  will 
admit  that ;  but  we  Oriental  psychologists  detect  in  it  the  subtle 
action  of  the  mysterious,  all-potent  factor  of  thought-transference. 
So,  then,  while  Nancy  observes  the  Paris  phenomena  upoii  which 
Charcot  rests  his  theory  of  three  stages  of  hypnotic  action,  the 
**  cataleptic,*'  the  "  lethargic,''  and  the  '*  somnambulic,"  Nancy 
says  they  are  imaginary,  not  really  normal  stages,  and  are  due  to 
conscious  or  unconscious  suggestion  from  the  experimenting  physi- 
cian, whom  they  regard  as  the  pupil  of  a  master  theorist,  who 
first  deceived  himself,  and  then  implanted  his  illusive  hypothesis  in 
the  brains  of  his  followers.  It  is  a  monstrously  broad  question,  this; 
far-reaching,  deep-descending,  almost  all-embracing.  By  this  key, 
the  Nancy  people  say,  one  may  understand  ninety-nine  hundredths 
of  all  collective  social  movements— the  evolution  of  religions,  arts, 


1901.]  Old  Diary  Leaves.  619 

politics,  national  impulses,  social  customs,  tastes  and  habits.  A 
■great  man,  differentiating  from  his  species  under  the  law  of  Evolu- 
tion, and  the  type  and  fore-runner  of  a  later  stage  of  average  human 
development,  thinks  out— let  us  suppose— a  system  of  government, 
finance,  religion  or  morals  ;  he  imbues  with  his  thought  one  or  more 
disciples  ;  they  found  a  party,  a  policy,  or  a  school  which  graduallyi 
by  q>eech,  writing  or  action,  captivates  the  national  mind  ;  one 
generation  transmits  it  to  the  next,  and  so  on  until  (by  suggestion 
becoming  hereditary)  the  original  man's  idea  moulds  the  destinies  of 
races  and  changes  the  aspect  of  human  society.  A  child  born  of  the 
fifth  or  sixth  or  twentieth  generation  who  have  inherited  this — hyp* 
notically  suggested— theory  or  predilection,  is  certain  to  take  it  up 
spontaneously  because  it  is  '*  in  his  blood,"  he  is  heir  to  an  expect- 
ancy (scientifically  speaking),  and  **  does  what  his  forefathers 
did"  without  question.  The  exceptions— the  Protestants  among 
Conservatives,  the  heterodox  among  orthodox,  are  found  in  the 
cases  of  children  who  have  been —  as  we  Ea.stern  psychologists 
say — drawn  by  a  purely  physical  Karma  to  take  their  bodies 
from  a  family  of  this  or  that  race,  while  their  mental  and  spir- 
itual affinities  are  with  another  human  family.  Histor>'^  teems 
with  examples  of  this  differentiation  of  a  child  from  its  family  en- 
vironment. Without  the  help  of  the  above  theory,  the  phenomenon 
is  veiled  in  mystery ;  with  it,  all  becomes  clear.  I  am  thoroughly 
convinced  that  Western  science  will  be  compelled  in  the  near  future 
to  accept  the  ancient  Ea.stern  explanation  of  the  natural  order  of 
things.  We  have  had  more  than  enough  of  talk  about  **  mysterious 
providences,**  and  extra-cosmic  interferences,  we  have  outgrown 
superstitions  because  we  have  conquered  some  of  our  ignorance, 
and  since  we  see  the  daybreak  glimmering  beyond  the  encompass- 
ing hills  of  our  ignorance,  we  will  never  be  satisfied  until  we  have 
climbed  to  where  the  light  can  shine  upon  us.  It  requires  courage, 
still,  to  profess  oneself  an  uncompromising  seeker  after  truth,  but 
the  whole  race  is  moving  in  its  direction,  and  those  who  first  arrive 
will  be  those  who,  by  keeping  alert  through  a  long  and  complicated 
course  of  evolution,  have  gained  the  knowledge  and  the  strength  to 
outstrip  their  contemporaries.  I  am  of  those  who  believe  that  great 
profit  is  to  be  gained  by  the  student  of  Karmic  evolution,  bj'  the 
reading  and  digesting  of  the  *•  Jataka  Tales,  or  Buddhist  Birth 
Stories"  (Jatakatthavannana),  of  which  Prof.  Rhys  Davids  has 
given  us  an  admirable  translation.  At  the  same  time  it  is  the  oldest 
collection  of  folk-stories  in  existence,  so  far  as  at  present  known, 
and  depicts,  with  minute  accuracy  the  social  life  and  customs  and 
popular  beliefs  of  the  common  people  of  Aryan  tribes. 

Our  discussion  having  led  us  so  far  afield,  the  account  of  my 
experiments  and  observations  must  be  deferred  to  the  next  chapter. 

H.  S.  OWOTT. 


620 


THE  UNSEEN  WORLD,'' 
{^Conchided  from  p,  465] 

YOU  all  know  that  spirit  photographs  have  been  taken,  although 
there  is  a  very  great  deal  of  skepticism  iu  connection  with 
them,  because,  as  is  well  known  to  any  photographer,  such  a  thing 
can  very  easily  be  produced  by  a  slight  preliminary  exposure.  There 
are  various  ways  in  which  it  can  be  done  ;  nevertheless,  although 
they  can  be  counterfeited  by  fraud,  there  is  a  very  fair  certainty 
that  some  such  things  have  been  absolutely  shown,  and  it  is  clearly 
obvious  that  that  easily  might  be  so.  The  quite  recent  experiments 
of  Dr.  Baraduc,  of  Paris,  seem  to  show  the  possibility  of  photograph- 
ing thought.  When  last  I  was  there  he  showed  me  a  large  series 
of  photographs  in  which  he  claimed  to  have  succeeded  in  reprodu- 
cing emotions  and  thoughts.  He  had  experimented  in  a  regular 
scientific  way  to  a  very  considerable  extent,  and  although  as  yet  he 
has  not  fully  tabulated  his  results,  yet  he  has  issued  one  or  two 
books  upon  the  subject  with  illustrations.  And  there  it  is,  the  mass 
of  testimony  which  he  has  collected,  for  any  one  who  takes  the 
trouble  to  examine  into  the  thing.  I  think  that  the  names  by 
which  he  ticketed  those  things  were  in  many  cases  inaccurate.  He 
speaks  of  them  as  belonging  to  the  higher  mental  plane,  whereas 
my  own  belief  is  that  all  thoughts  and  feelings  which  can  be 
photographed  must  have  descended  in  their  action  at  least  as  far  as 
etheric  matter  on  the  physical  plane  ;  but  the  diffei^nce  of  his  in- 
terpretation from  my  own  would  in  no  way  vitiate  the  fact  that  he 
has  succeeded  in  photographing  the  invisible.  And  that  is  not  in  the 
least  a  new  idea.  Any  astronomer  will  tell  you  that  millions  of  stars 
are  photographed  which  you  can  never  see  ;  many  which  are  far 
too  faint  ever  to  make  any  impression  even  through  the  strongest 
telescope,  upon  the  retina  of  the  physical  eye,  will  yet  reproduce 
themselves  on  a  photographic  plate  after  long  continued  exposure  ; 
the  theory  being  that  the  constant  repeated  tapping  of  the  vibra- 
tions of  light  from  even  that  infinite  distance  will  make  its  impression 
upon  the  plate,  and  so  by  means  of  photography  we  are  able  to 
become  aware  of  the  existence  of  enormous  universes  which  other- 
wise would  be  far  beyond  our  physical  reach  in  any  kind  of  wa>% 
So  you  see  that  with  regard  to  that  question  of  sight  there  is  no 
definite  limit  beyond  which  human  sight  cannot  go,  above  or  below. 
With  regard  to  hearing,  the  same  thing  is  true.  We  do  not  all 
hear  equally,  and  again  I  do  not  mean  by  that  that  some  oi  us  have 
better  hearing  than  others,  but  that  some  of  us   hear  sounds  which 

*  A  lecture  delivered  at  Chicajg^o,   Sunday   evenings,  November  iStb,  1900,  b^ 
C.  W,  Leadbeater,  and  published  in  the  Progressive  Thinker  of  Chicago. 


)901.]  The  Unseen  World.  521 

the  others  could  under  no  circumstances  hear,  however  loud  they 
might  become.  This,  again,  is  demonstrable.  There  are  various 
nbratory  sounds  caused  by  machinery  which  may  be  carried  to 
such  a  rate  as  to  become  inaudible  ;  they  may  gradus^ly  become 
less  and  less  audible  and  pass  beyond  the  stage  of  audibility,  not 
because  they  have  ceased,  but  because  the  note  has  been  raised 
too  far  for  the  human  ear  to  follow  it.  The  pleasantest  test  I 
know  of,  which  any  of  you  can  apply  in  the  summer  months  if  you 
are  living  in  the  country,  is  the  sound  of  the  squeak  of  the  bat. 
That  is  a  ver>'  razor  edge  of  sound,  a  tiny,  needle-like  cry  like 
the  squeak  of  a  mouse,  only  several  octaves  higher.  It  is  on  the 
ver>'  edge  of  the  possibility  of  human  hearing.  You  may  be  one 
of  the  people  who  can  hear  that,  or  one  of  the  people  who  cannot ; 
but  whichever  5'ou  may  be,  when  you  are  out  walking  with  your 
friends  in  the  country  in  Summer,  you  will  find  some  of  them 
can  hear  this  and  others  cannot.  This  shows  you,  again,  that  there 
is  no  definite  limit,  that  the  human  ear  varies  considerably  in  its 
power  of  responding  to  vibrations. 

If,  then,  we  are  capable  of  responding  only  to  certain  groups 
out  of  the  vast  mass  of  vibrations,  see  what  an  enormous  change 
would  be  produced  if  we  were  able  to  respond  at  all.  The  etheric 
sight  of  which  we  sometimes  speak  is  simply  an  added  power  of 
responding  to  vibrations,  in  the  same  manner  as  the  Roentgen  ray 
scheme  ;  and  you  will  find  that  much  of  the  clairvoyance  on  a  small 
scale,  which  is  done  by  spirits  at  seances,  is  just  exactly  of  that  type. 
They  read  you  some  passage  out  of  a  closed  book ;  they  read  a 
letter  which  is  shut  up  within  a  box.  Your  X-rays  would  enable 
you  to  do  something  very  similar,  not  to  read  a  letter,  perhaps,  but 
it  would  enable  you  to  see  through  material  objects,  to  descry  a 
key  inside  a  locked  box,  or  to  obser\'e  the  bones  of  the  human  body 
through  the  flesh.  All  such  additional  sight  is  simply  obtained  in 
the  way  I  have  described,  by  being  able  to  respond  to  a  larger  set 
of  vibrations. 

Now  carry  that  a  little  further ;  go  beyond  the  mere  vibrations 
of  physical  matter  and  imagine  yourself  able  to  respond  to  the  vibra- 
tions of  astral  matter ;  at  once  another  vast  field  is  open  before  you  : 
atiother  whole  world  is  yours  for  the  winning,  and  you  see 
the  things  of  a  material  plane  still,  but  on  a  higher  level.  You  see 
in  this,  although  there  may  be  much  which  is  unfamiliar,  there  is 
nothing  which  is  obviously  impossible.  It  all  leads  on,  stage  by 
stage,  from  faculties  which  we  already  know  and  use;  and  the  world 
of  matter  of  which  they  are  built  all  follows  step  by  step  from  this 
world  with  which  we  are  so  familiar.  There  is  nothing  irrational 
about  the  conception.  You  can  see  from  what  I  have  said,  how  it 
may  be  that  the  claim  made  by  Theosophy,  and  by  all  those  belong- 
ing to  the  great  religions  of  the  East,  that  it  is  possible  for  man  to 
sense  this  unknown  world  and   tell  you  all  about  it,  may  very 


522  The  Thepaophiat.  [June 

poseibly  be  quite  a  reasonable  one  instead  of  being  a  grotesque  and 
absurd  suggestion  savoring  only  of  charlatanism  or  fraud  as  is  so 
often  supposed.  The  whole  thing  may  be  and  is  perfectly  scientific, 
perfectly  reasonable. 

When  by  the  use  of  such  faculties  man  is  able  to  examine 
this  unseen  world  what  does  he  find  with  regard  to  it  ?    That 
question  I  have  to  some  extent  answered  in  the  lectures    which  I 
have  been  giving  on  "  The  Other  Side  of  Death,"  and  I  shall  have  to 
take  it  up  in  detail  when  I  come  to  speak  of  "  After  Death  States." 
Broadly,  in  order  that  the  scheme,  in  outline,  at  any  rate,  may  be 
before  you,  let  me  say  that  we  find  this  unseen  world  divided  into 
two  stages,  the    astral  world  and  the  mental,  and  these  two  corres- 
pond (not  quite  accurately,  but  in  a  general  way),  to  the  orthodox 
idea  of  Heaven  and  hell ;  or  they  are  rather  Heaven  and  purga- 
tory ;    because   although  it    is   true    that  terrible  suffering   may 
come   to    mankind    under  certain    conditions,  in  the  lower  part 
of  that  astral  plane,    yet  all  suffering    of  any    sort   that   comes 
to  him  will  not  be  of  a  punitive  nature  but  of  a  purgative  nature. 
Suffering  will  always  and  all  the  way  through    be  intended  to 
benefit  the  man.    It  will  be  part  of  the  scheme  which  has  for  its 
object  the  evolution  of  the  man ;  not  some  endless,  meaningless 
punishment  given  through  revenge,  but  only  the  steady  working 
out  of  a  great  law  of  justice,  a  law  which  gives  to  every  man 
exactly  that  which  he  has  deserved  ;  not  as  reward  or  punishment, 
but  simply  as  a  scientific  result.    If  you  put  your  hand  into  the  fire 
and  it  gets  burnt,  you  do  not  say  that  somebody  punished  you  for 
doing  that,  you  say  that  it  is  the  natural  result ;  it  is  a  question  of 
the  rapidity  with   which  the  vibrations  from  the  burning  matter 
have  pierced  your  skin,  and  have  produced  the  various  disintegra- 
tions which  have  taken  place.     It  is  simply  a  natural  result,  and  just 
in  the  same  way  the  suffering  which  follows  evil  is  not  a  punishment 
imposed  from  outside,  but  merely  and  absolutely  the  result  under 
an  unvarying  law,  of  what  the  man  himself  has  done ;  and  so  all  the 
suffering  that  comes  to  him  is  part  of  a  great  scheme  and  intended 
to  purify  and  help  him,  and  will  undoubtedly  bring  about  that  result. 
So  that  the  lower  astral   world    corresponds   very  much    more  to 
purgatory  than  to  the  ordinarj*^  and  most  blasphemous  idea  of  hell. 
There  is  nothing  in  the  whole  universe,  happil}^  which  corresponds 
to  that  idea  in  the  least.    Although  there  is  no  suffering  such  as  has 
been  pictured  for  us  by  the  diseased  mind  and  disordered  imagination 
of  the  mediaeval  monk,  yet  there  may  be  individual  cases  of  suffering 
of  a  very  tenible  character  ;  but  even  that  suffering,  terrible  though 
it  may  be,  is  the  best  thing  for  the  man,  because  only  in  that  way 
can  he  get  rid  of  the  desire  which  has  come  upon  him,  the  evil 
which  he  has  allowed  to  grow  within  him  ;  only  by  that  means  can 
he  cast  this  off  and  take  a  clean  stiart  in  the  next  birth  so  as  to 
^volv^  into  other  and  higher  levels. 


1961.]  The  Unseen  World.  *  523 

And  the  second  part,  or  the  Heaven- World,  is  the  result,  again, 
of  the  man's  actions,  but  of  the  higher  and   nobler  part  of  them. 
There  all  the  spiritual  force  which  he  has  set  in  motion  during  his 
world-life  finds  its  full  result.   In  this  case  also  it  is  merely  a  scientif- 
ic question  of  the  amount  of  energy  poured  out,  for  the  law  of  the 
conservation  of  energy  holds  good  in  all  these  planes  just  as  it  does 
down  here.    A  man's  intensity  of  feeling  for  some  very  high  idea, 
the  intensity  of  the  affection  which  he  pours   out,  whether  it  be  in 
devotion  upon  his  deity,  or  merely  in  love  upon  those  around  him  ; 
whether  it  be  an  exalted  type  of  love  which  includes  all,  which  is 
impersonal  and  arises  above  mere  elements   of  personality  down 
here,  or  whether  it  be  a  less  exalted  type  which  confines  itself  only 
to  one  or  two  upon  whom  it  may  be  fully  lavished ;  all  these  are 
spiritual  forces  at  their  different  stages  and  of  their  different  degrees, 
and  all  represent  energy  poured  out,  which  can  never  bear  its  full 
result  here  on  earth,  because  all  our  highest  thoughts  and  feelings 
are  and  must  be  unrealised  down  here,  as  we  know  perfectly  well. 
None  knows  it  better  than    the  artist  who  tries  to  realize  them — the 
man  or  woman  who  paints  a  picture  hoping  thereby  to  convey  to 
others  what  he  or  she  has  seen  in  a  vision  of  that  higher  world  ; 
none  knows  better  than  such  artist  how  utterly  the  expression  of 
that  thought  fails,   how  the  very  best  that  they    can  do,  the  most 
satisfactory'  reproduction  that  they  make,  falls  infinitely  short  of  the 
reality. 

All  that  being  so,  all  these  higher  ideals  and  aspirations^ 
remain  a  vast  force  stored  up,  which  can  never  be  worked 
out  on  the  physical  plane  or  during  physical  life.  It  is  after  death 
and  it  is  at  the  second  of  those  stages  that  it  is  possible  for  all  these 
forces  to  work  themselves  out.  And  so  there  comes  to  be  a  higher 
unseen  world  of  transcendent  beauty  and  unimaginable  splendour 
which  has  been  called  the  Heaven-World.  Attempts  have  been 
made  to  picture  it,  by  all  religions,  but  they  have  all  fallen  miserably 
short  of  the  truth.  You  have  passages  imaging  Heaven  as  contaiu-> 
ing  gates  of  pearl  and  streets  of  gold  and  seas  of  fire  mingled  with 
glass,  and  trees  which  bear  twelve  manner  of  fruits,  and  jewelry  and 
precious  stones  of  various  sorts ;  all  clumsy  endeavours  representing 
the  highest  and  best  that  the  imagination  of  the  writer  could  attain. 
You  win  find  the  very  same  thing  in  the  Oriental  manuscripts,  the 
same  trees  of  gold  with  fruits  of  various  kinds,  of  precious  stones,  all 
grotesque  and  impossible,  yet  nevertheless  genuine  endeavours  of 
early  writers  to  image  something  beautiful  or  grand  that  they  had 
the  seen. 

We,  in  our  day,  should  dcaw  a  different  picture  of  the  Heaven- 
World.  It  would  be  something  far  more  refined,  more  intellectual 
and  ona  higher  level  altogether,  more  highly  spiritual,  for  those  who 
understand  what  spirituality  means ;  but  still  our  efforts,  although 
to  us  they  might  be  so  much  more  satisfactory,  would  equally  fall 


B24  The  Theosophist.  [Jiina 

short  of  the  reality  of  the  grand  truth  behind.  So  it  remains  true  as 
it  was  written  long  ago  :  "  Eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear  hath  heard, 
neither  has  it  entered  into  the  heart  of  man  to  conceive  the  things 
which  God  hath  prepared  for  them  that  love  him."  But  there  is  a 
happy  difference  ;  it  is  not  only  for  a  faithful  few,  not  only  for  those 
that  love  him,  but  for  all  ;  for  surely  all  must  love  him  as  far  as  they 
know  him.  Still,  there  is  no  limitation.  This  Heaven- World  is  the 
Heaven-World  for  all  who  can  reach  it. 

We  should  say  that  instead  of  some .  men  being  consigned  to 
Heaven  and  some  to  hell,  on  the  contrary,  every  man  must  pass 
through  both  the  states  which  are  typified  by  those  names.  Kver>' 
man  must  pass  through  the  astral  plane  on  his  way  to  the  Heaven- 
World.  Everj"  man  at  the  end  of  his  astral  life  will  attain  that 
Heaven-World,  unless  he  be  a  person  so  entirely  elementary,  so  en- 
tirely degraded  as  never  yet  to  have  had  any  unselfish  thought  or 
feeling.  If  that  be  so,  then  indeed  there  can  be  no  Heaven- World, 
for  him,  because  all  these  selfish  desires  and  feelings  belong  exclu- 
sively to  the  astral  plane  and  they  will  find  their  result  there  on 
that  plane.  There  are  those  who  have  scarcely  anything  which  is 
unselfish  in  their  nature  ;  such  people  also  will  reap  the  reward  of 
whatever  good  they  have  done,  not  in  that  Heaven- World,  but  at  a 
lower  level,  in  the  higher  part  of  the  astral  plane.  As  was  said  long 
ago  about  those  who  prayed  in  public  places  in  order  that  they  might 
be  seen  of  men  :  "  Verily,  I  say  unto  you,  they  have  their  reward." 
As  it  is  with  those  of  high  ideals,  who  do  not  get  all  that  they  desire 
here,  so  it  is  with  those  whose  ideals  are  selfish  ;  they  have  their 
reward  also,  after  death,  in  the  higher  part  of  the  astral  world  ;  they 
will  gain  their  result ;  they  will  find  themselves  surrounded  by  that 
which  they  desired  ;  but  they  will  miss  the  higher  things  which 
they  have  not  desired,  because  as  yet  they  are  not  raised  to  that 
level  ;  still,  all  will  be  happy  in  their  own  way  and  at  their  own 
time.  The  selfish  will  doubtless  suffer  much  on  the  way  to  that 
stage,  but  there  will  be  something  even  for  them,  something  for  all. 
So  you  see  that  this  is  a  less  confined  idea  than  that  of  the  orthodox 
religions.  We  go  somewhat  further,  and  we  are  enabled  to  do  so  be- 
cause the  whole  scheme  is  a  scientific  scheme,  because  there  is  no 
question  of  a  favouritism  that  will  consign  some  people  to  heaven  and 
shut  others  out  of  it. 

All  this  is  no  surmise  ;  it  is  simply  real  truth— truth  based  upon 

careful  observation,  and  capable  of  being  verified  by  those  who  have 

eyes  to  see  upon  these  higher  planes.    Nor  is  this  Heaven-World  a 

mere  land  of  dreams  ;  it  is  full  of  the  most  vivid  reality.    Indeed  it 

is  the  very   plane  of  the  Divine  mind,  which  responds  to  whatever 

call  is  made  upon  it.    So,  if  a  man  has  an  immense  wealth  of  the 

grandest  aspirations,  he  draws   down  a   corresponding  outpouring 

from  above,  but  if  a  man,  on  the  other  hand,  has  only  just  a  little 

gram  or  two  of  anything  unselfish  within  his  nature,  even  that  little 


i901.]  the  Unseen  Woi'ld.  52is 

grain  still  brings  forth  its  appropriate  result.  There  is  no  question 
of  one  entering  in  and  the  other  being  shut  out,  but  each  gains  just 
what  he  is  capable  of  gaining.  That  is  the  essence  ofthe  Heaven - 
World.  Every  man  there  is  happy,  but  necessarily  all  are  not  equally 
liAPpy>  tior  all  happy  in  the  same  way,  but  every  individual  is  happy 
to  the  fullest  extent  of  his  capacity  for  happiness.  The  only  thing 
which  prevents  him  from  going  further  is  that  he  is  unable  to  grasp 
any  more.  Each  vessel  is  filled  to  the  utmost ;  though  some  vessels 
are  small  and  some  are  large,  yet  they  are  all  filled  to  their  respective 
capacities. 

We  must,  I  think,  admit  that  this  is  a  far  more  reasonable  theory 
than  that  held  by  the  orthodox  faiths.  My  intention  to-day  has  been 
not  so  much  to  give  you  details  as  to  the  conditions  of  the  worlds 
beyond  the  grave,  as  to  show  you  they  are  all  part  of  the  same  world  ; 
to  show  you  there  is  no  sudden  break  of  any  kind,  but  that  every- 
thing is  reasonable,  coherent  and  graded  all  the  way  through.  As 
to  their  place,  I  have  told  3'ou  that  these  worlds  are  about  tis  here. 
But,  you  will  say,  how  can  that  be  ?  How  is  it  possible,  the  space 
around  us  being  filled  with  matter,  that  other  matter,  however  fine, 
can  exist  ? 

I  do  not  think  it  will  be  difficult  for  us  to  realise  how  this  may 
be.  It  is  a  well-known  scientific  fact,  that  even  in  the  hardest 
substances  on  earth  no  two  atom's  ever  touch  one  another  ;  always 
every  atom  has  its  field  of  action  and  vibration  ;  every  molecule  has 
its  field  of  vibration,  however  small  ;  consequently  there  is  also 
space  between,  under  any  possible  circumstances.  Every  physical 
atom  is  floating  in  an  astral  sea,  a  sea  of  astral  matter  surrounding 
it,  interpenetrating  every  interstice  of  this  physical  matter.  These 
same  laws  explain  another  phenomenon  of  which  you  have  heard — 
the  passage  of  matter  through  matter  at  spiritualistic  seances*  That 
also  is  done  simply  by  the  method  which  I  have  described.  Matter 
either  in  the  physical  etheric  condition  or  in  the  astral  condi- 
tion, can  pass  with  perfect  ease  through  physical  matter  exactly 
as  though  it  were  not  there,  by  reason  of  this  interpenetration, 
so  that  the  whole  thing  which  seemed  so  difficult  becomes  quite 
simple,  if  you  can  only  grasp  that  idea. 

One  more  word  of  caution  with  regard  to  this  unseen  world. 
Do  not  imagine  that  these  various  stages  or  divisions  of  matter  here 
are  lying  above  one  another  like  the  shelves  of  a  book-case.  Realise 
that  interpenetration  is  perfect  within,  around  and  about  every 
physical  object.  It  is  already  known  that  ether  interpenetrates  most 
physical  substances.  I  should  like,  if  I  could,  to  make  clear  to  you 
the  exceeding  naturalness  of  the  whole  of  this,  and  to  guard  you 
against  the  various  possibilities  of  error  which  come  from  supposing 
that  everything  beyond  the  ph5rsical  is  not  natural,  but  supernatural. 
It  is  not  so  at  alL  It  is  superphysical  if  you  like,  but  not  super- 
natural.   The  whole  scheme   is  one   scheme   and  the  same  laws 


6iB  Yhe  Theosophist.  [Jane 

run  through  it  all.  It  is  true  that  there  is  a  certain  further 
extension  of  these  planes.  If  you  are  dealing  with  this  physical 
earth  of  ours,  you  have  first  a  ball  of  solid  matter  ;  it  is  surrounded 
by  water  to  a  great  extent.  Above  that  you  get  the  air,  because  it  is 
surrounded  by  this  atmosphere;  but  these  three  conditions  of 
matter  alike  are  interpenetrated  by  astral  matter,  only  there  is  this 
difference,  the  astral  matter  being  so  much  more  .  fine  rises  further 
from  the  surface  of  the  earth  than  the  atmosphere  does.  Suppose  it 
were  possible  for  anyone  to  penetrate  beyond  the  atmosphere  of  our 
earth,  he  might  still  for  a  time  be  within  the  astral  plane,  because  the 
astral  plane  extends  further  than  does  the  physical  atmosphere  ;  so 
in  that  sense  it  is  true,  the  astral  plane  rises  higher.  Not  that  it  does 
not  exist  here  and  now,  but  its  extension  is  higher,  and  consequently 
it  makes  a  larger  sphere  than  the  earth. 

The  same  thing  is  true  of  the  mental  plane ;  you  have  finer  mat- 
ter ;  round  about  it  is  interpenetrating  all  the  astral  and  physical 
matter,  and  also  extending  further  from  the  world  than  does  the  astral 
plane.  On  the  other  hand,  when  we  pass  beyond  the  mental  plane,  and 
reach  the  Buddhic,  there  is  no  division  there.    The  same  is  true, 
probably  to  a  still  greater  and  wider  extent   of  other  and  higher 
realms,  but  of  those  we  have  no  time  to  speak  at  present.    They  are 
beyond  the  scope  of  this  lecture.  Those  who  wish  to  understand  the 
higher  planes,  who  wish  to  get  some  idea  of  them  in  detail  should 
study  our  theosophical  literature.  I  should  recommend  them  to  take 
two  of  our  theosophical  Manuals,  the  5th  and  the  6th,  the  "  Astral 
Plane"  and  the  "  Devachanic  Plane."    If  they  take  these  two  and 
carefully  study  them,  they  will  grasp  all  we  at  present  know  of  these 
unseen  worlds,  and  I  can  assure  them  that   they  also  will  find,  as 
the   rest  of  us  have  found,    that    the  whole    of  this    scheme  is  so 
logical,  so  coherent  and  easy  to  grasp,  that  there  will  be  nothing  re- 
pellent about  it,  that  no  mental  gymnastics  will  be  required,  no 
perilous  leaps  over  weak  spots  where  the  ground  of  reason   is  not 
firm,  but  a  steadily    graded  ascent  from   one  stage  to  another  ;  for 
we  do  no  violence  to  the  convictions  of  any  man.    They  will  find 
that  this  system  of  teaching  which  we  put  before  them  is  full  of  the 
same    reasonableness    in  every   direction ;    that    it  is  in    fact  an 
apotheosis  of  common  sense,  as  is  all  occultism  of  which   I  know 
anything.    If  you  find  some  occultism,  so-called,    which  makes 
violent  demands  on  your  faith,  which  suggests  all  sorts  of  curi- 
ous,   ttnnatural   performances,    then    at    once    you    have   strong 
reason  to  suspect  that  occultism,  to  feel  that   it  Is  not  of  the  true 
kind.    In  every  case  that  can  possibly  arise  man  must  apply  his 
reason   and  common  sense,    I  do   not  say  that    there  is    nothing 
except  reason  that  can  aid  you.     I  am  very  well  aware  that  there 
is  a  spiritual  certainty  which  comes  from  behind,  about  which  it  is 
impossible  to  reason  ;    but  please  remember  that  that  comes  only 
(torn  previous  knowledge.    Th^  man  who  arrives  at  that  definite 


1901.]  The  Unseen  World.  527 

intuitive  certainty  has  known  this  fact  beforehand  at  some  time,  or 
something  like  it ;  and  consequently  the  real  man,  the  soul,  the  ego 
above  knows  the  thought,  and  he  is  able  to  impress  upon  the  brain 
the  idea  that  he  knows  it,  although  he  may  not  be  in  the  least  able 
to  impress  all  the  reasons  or  arguments  that  brought  him  to  the 
certainty  of  that  knowledge.  Truly  there  is  something  higher  than 
reason,  yet  reason  is  our  guide  here  and  now,  and  assuredly  any 
scheme  which  asks  you  to  do  violence  to  your  reason  is  a  scheme 
which  you  should  put  aside  and  investigate  very  carefully  before 
you  accept  any  single  fragment  from  such  a  source.  But  we 
make  a  special  point  in  all  that  we  say  in  emphasising  the  fact  that 
blind  faith  of  any  kind  is  a  fetter,  which  binds  man  back  in  the 
spiritual  race.  On  the  contrary,  he  must  throw  aside  blind  faith, 
he  must  learn  that  no  particular  scheme  is  an  infallible  one  ;  that 
truth  is  progressive  ;  that  steadily  we  are  learning  more  and  more ; 
that  he  cannot,  therefore,  be  bound  down  by  revelation  in  his 
knowledge  of  these  matters. 

Theosophy  has  no  dogma  to  offer  you,  no  faith  once  for  all 
delivered  to  the  saints.  We  have  a  certain  block  of  knowledge  to 
lay  before  you  for  your  examination.  We  tell  you  quite  frankly  and 
freely  that  it  is  ever  increasing ;  that  if  you  want  to  follow  our 
thoughts  you  must  get  the  latest  editions  of  our  books,  not  the 
early  ones,  because  in  the  interval  between  any  two  editions,  always 
new  facts  have  been  discovered,  new  suggestions  have  been  brought 
iu,  and  more  and  more  facts  are  included  as  time  goes  on.  So  we 
are  constantly  widening  out  our  belief.  Those  who  object  to  that 
have  failed  to  grasp  the  condition  of  the  problem.  I  know  there  are 
those  who  do  so  object,  wha  would  like  to  have  some  religion 
given  them  which  they  could  learn  and  accept  once  for  all,  as  the}" 
used  to  accept  other  religions.  We  cannot  give  them  this,  because 
the  religion  we  are  teaching  is  scientific  and  is  approached  from  a 
scientific  stand-point.  This  is  the  mission  of  theosophical  work— to 
bring  these  two  great  lines  of  thought  together,  to  show  there  need 
be  no  conflict  between  religion  and  science.  On  the  contrary, 
science  is  the  handmaid  of  religion  and  religion  is  the  highest  of  all 
possible  objects  of  scientific  study. 

That  is  the  theosophical  teaching  on  the  subject.  If  you  will 
take  it  and  follow  it,  surely  your  experience  will  be  the  same  as 
ours,  and  you  will  find,  year  after  year,  it  will  grow  more  interesting 
and  more  fascinating  to  you,  giving  you  more  and  more  satisfaction 
for  your  reason  as  well  as  more  perfect  fulfilment  and  realisation 
of  your  higher  aspirations.  Take  it  up  and  examine  it,  and  I  be- 
lieve that  you  will  never  regret  it ;  that  you  will  find  occasion  to 
the  end  of  your  lives  to  be  thankful  that  you  came  to  a  lecture 
such  as  this  and  first  heard  of  the  great  theme  of  Theosophy,  the 
Wisdom  Religion  of  all  time. 

C.  W.  Leadbeatrr. 


528 


LESSONS  FROM  THE  LIFE  OF  ANNA  KINGSFORD. 

[  Concluded  from  page  472]. 

IT  is  not  surprising  to  find  that  Mrs.  Kingsford  came  in  touch 
with  what  is  known  as  practical  occultism,  and  was  nearly  the 
victim  herself,  of  a  Frenchman,  whom  her  biographer  calls  a  sorcerer. 
How  he  tried  to  gain  influence  over  her,  and  nearly  succeeded,  you 
can  read  for  yourselves,  but  finally  he  appears  to  have  died  rather 
suddenly  ;  probably  the  result  of  working  with  powers  and  forces 
he  was  luiable  to  control.  And  ver>'  well  told  in  the  history,  is  the 
climax,  and  warning  :  "  We  took  it  for  a  warning  for  those  who, 
studying  *  occultism,'  enter  into  relations  with  the  powers  of  the 
astral  and  elemental,  without  having  made  sure  their  hold  on  the 
celestial,  for  they  thereby  render  themselves  accessible  to  the  in- 
fernal." But  it  would  almost  appear  as  if  they  considered  the  warning 
was  only  for  others,  and  not  for  themselves.  For  we  find  later  on, 
Mrs.  Kingsford  had  received  certain  occult  instruction,  which  ena- 
bled her  (or  at  least  she  believed,  enabled  her)  to  injure  others  by 
such  knowledge.  Especially  Dr.  Claude  Bernard,  and  Dr.  Paul  Best, 
whom  she  boasted  of  having  killed  by  occult  powers.  Doubtless 
she  thought  herself  justified  in  her  conduct,  but  it  was  unworthy  of 
her,  and  is  the  one  great  blot  on  her  memory.  Against  the  abuse 
of  such  powers  Mme.  Blavatsky  warned  her  in  these  words  :  "  It  is 
karma  in  the  case  of  every  murdered  man.  Nevertheless  the 
weapon  of  karma,  unless  he  acts  unconsciously,  is  a  murderer  in 
the  sight  of  that  same  karma  that  used  him.  Let  us  work  against 
the  principle  then  (of  vivisection),  not  against  personalities.'* 

Mrs.  Kingsford  endeavours  to  justify  her  conduct  by  saj'ing  : 
**  Attack  the  principles  and  not  the  persons  ;  I  will  tell  5''ou  what 
that  means.  It  means,  whenever  you  see  a  ruffian  brutally  ill- 
treating  a  woman  or  child,  instead  of  rushing  to  the  rescue,  you  are 
to  stand  by  and  do  nothing  but  talk,  or  else  go  home  and  write 
something,  *  attacking  the  principle.'  The  power  to  interfere  and 
save,  imposes  the  duty  to  interfere  and  save  ;  and  as  that  power  has 
been  given  to  me,  I  should  not  be  doing  my  duty  if  I  did  not  exer- 
cise it."  The  mistake  she  makes  here  is,  that  instead  of  using  her 
power  to  save,  she  was  really  using  it  to  destroy.  And  by  the 
same  process  of  reasoning,  knowing  the  teaching  of  Esoteric 
Christianity,  she  should  have  gone  into  church  and  interrupted  the 
service  or  killed  the  Priests  by  her  occult  powers,  because  they 
were  false  teachers,  according  to  her  views.  But  the  former  line 
of  conduct  would,  I  suppose,  have  been  too  vulgar,  and  the  second 
does  not  seem  to  have  occurred  to  her.  It  is  a  mistake  to  suppose 
that  we  have  a  divine  mission  to  become  voluntary  agents  of  the 


1901.]  I«essons  from  the  Life  of  Anna  Kingsford.  520 

law  of  karma,  simply  because  some  evil  has  roused  our  anger  and 
made  us  lose  control  of  our  senses. 

One  is  much  inclined  to  speculate  what  kind  of  "  Professor  of 
Occultism  "  (as  Mr.  Maitland  calls  her  instructor)  she  had,  who  en- 
couraged her  in  such  conduct  and  assisted  her  in  the  work.  Neither 
the  instruction  nor  instructor  could  have  been  very  elevated,  that 
taught  the  pupil  murder  and  guided  her  powers  to  such  an  end« 
The  mere  fact  that  they  wielded  "  occult  powers,"  makes  them  not 
one  whit  less  contemptible  than  the  most  miserable,  ignorant 
moonlighter,  who  ever  killed  his  enemy  from  behind  a  hedge  with 
an  old  blunderbuss.  Having  greater  knowledge,  they  had  only 
greater  guilt.  It  was  into  no  school  devoted  to  the  service  of 
suffering  humanity,  that  her  karma  led  her.  Because,  to  an  en- 
lightened soul,  a  foolish,  ignorant  vivisector  would  be  an  object  of 
as  much  pity  as  the  most  ignorant  savage. 

In  the  vision  she  had  of  the  "  Council  of  Perfection,"  a  discus- 
sion took  place  in  her  presence  as  to  what  constituted  **  perfection." 
The  remark  with  which  it  was  ended  :  '*  Be  ye  merciful,  even  as 
your  Father  is  merciful,"  may  very  well  have  applied  to  herself 
when  dealing  with  the  vivisectors,  although  she  and  Mr.  Maitland 
appear  to  think  it  applied  to  their  mission  in  favour  of  the  animals 
only— a  very  limited  view  to  take.  And  it  was  a  true  warning  to 
all  students  who  tamper  with  occult  powers,  that  she  received,  when 
she  was  told  that  **  a  single  neophyte  could  not  protect  himself" 
against  the  evil  powers.  Nor  can  fifty  equally  ignorant  neophytes, 
dabbling  in  magic  of  a  kind,  protect  themselves  ;  because,  being  all 
more  or  less  equally  ignorant,  they  do  not  really  know  what  they 
are  playing  with.  So,  when  one  knows  what  a  symbol  means,  why 
trouble  more  with  symbols  ? 

What  effect,  if  any,  the  **  Perfect  Way"  vnll  have  upon  the 
teaching  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church,  of  which  she  was  nominally 
a  member,  remains  to  be  seen.  In  her  writings  she  constantly 
claimed  that  this  branch  of  the  Christian  Church  has  the  whole 
truth,  but  that  it  is  hopelessly  materialised.  Institutions  are  like 
indi\dduals,  sometimes  slow  to  move,  and  as  the  dominant  note  in 
Rome's  history,  whether  in  church  or  state,  has  always  been  for 
material,  temporal  power,  it  is  doubtful  if  we  need  look  to  that  in- 
stitution to  take  up  and  spread  for  the  help  of  her  people,  the 
spiritual  truths  which  our  friends  have  left  to  the  world  as  a  legacy. 
More  likely  it  is  that  the  Protestant  communities  will  enter  upon 
the  study,  because  there  is  no  objection  to  their  doing  their  own 
thinking,  whether  they  do  it  or  not.  And,  while  there  is  undoubt- 
edly a  tendency  on  the  part  of  Protestants  to  look  with  suspicion 
upon  anything  pertaining  to  Romish  teaching,  it  will  soon  be  recog- 
nised that  this  new  gospel  of**  Interpretation  "  comes  not  from  Rome, 
but  is,  in  every  detail,  antagonistic  to  all  her  traditions  and  teach- 
ing. And  that  a  member  of  her  communion,  in  spite  of  her  teach- 
ing, and  with  the  help  of  the  merely  material  things  she  got  from  it, 

3 


530  The  Theoiophlflt.  [Jud« 

has  been  enabled,  with  the  assistance  of  the  healthy,  robust  intel- 
lect of  such  a  Protestant  as  Mr.  Maitland,  to  give  the  presentation 
of  Spiritual  Truths,  as  we  have  them  here,  is  a  sign  that  man  has  it 
in  himself  to  reach  the  highest  and  best,  in  spite  of  his  environment 
and  opposing  limitations.  Catholic,  Mrs.  Kingsford  was,  in  having 
a  universal  appreciation  of  what  was  best  and  most  beautiful  in  all 
.religions.  And  she  did  not  fail  to  declare  that,  '*  Buddhism  sur- 
passes Christianity,  in  its  divine  recognition  of  the  universal  right 
to  charity." 

Judging  from  the  controversy  after  her  death,  it  would  appear 
that  the  Church  of  Rome  was  more  anxious  to  claim  her  body,  sl^ 
having  belonged  to  their  denomination,  than  it  is  cap^^ble  of  profit- 
ing by  her  works.  For  the  Priests  declared  that  she  had,  before  her 
death,  rescinded  her  share  in  the  **  Perfect  Way  ;  "  which  statement 
is  a  significant  connnent^r>'  upon  certain  remarks  made  in  the 
Roman  Catholic  Church  papers,  at  the  time,  in  which  they  boasted 
that  the  case  of  Mrs.  Kingsford  proved  that  the  Church  of  Rome  was 
not  the  grave  of  individuality,  as  was  often  asserted — failing  to 
observe  that  if  they  succeeded  in  suppressing  her  work,  they  re- 
moved all  evidence  of  her  ever  having  possessed  any  indi\'iduality 
worth  speaking  about. 

There  is  little  doubt  that  sh&  never  took  the  trouble  to  sever 
her  connection  with  the  church  in  a  formal  manner,  because  of 
her  long  and  weary  illness  and  utter  indiflference  to  it.  A  matter 
of  much  more  interest  is,  why  she  ever  joined  it.  And  ni}-  explan- 
ation is  one  I  have  before  suggested,  in  connection  with  other  insti- 
tutions, and  the  part  they  sometimes  play  in  our  life's  history, 
namely,  that  as  our  bodies  in  each  birth  have  rapidly  to  go  through 
all  the  forms  of  life  they  have  touched  in  the  past,  it  may  be  that  we 
al.so  come  in  touch  with  societies  in  wiiich,  during  some  lines,  we 
may  have  found  interest,  pleasure  or  profit.  And  this  perhaps 
again  and  again,  till  we  can  wean  ourselves  from  their  limitations. 

So  highly  and  rightly  did  Mrs.  Kingsford  and  Mr.  Maitland  value 
their  work,  that  they  **'COuld  not  credit  any  source  short  of  the 
church  invisible,  with  an  interpretation  so  noble,  to  the  church 
visible  ;  "  and  at  the  same  time,  they  claim  that  Christianity  is  the 
highest  expression  of  divine  revelation.  How  they  can  claim  any- 
thing special  for  Christianity,  I  cannot  understand,  in  the  face  of 
their  own  teaching;  seeing  they  recognise  truths  in  other  religions, 
lost  sight  of  by  Christianity.  If  there  is  a  church  invisible  that  re- 
veals aught  (and  one  name  is  perhaps  as  good  as  another  when  we 
speak  of  such  invisible  sources  of  instniction)  it  must  be  a  revelation 
eternal  and  unchangeable  in  its  Truth.  And  the  shape  or  form  its 
revelations  take  to  the  children  of  earth,  must  ever  be  that  which, 
for  the  time  being,  they  can  best  comprehend.  And  not  only  that, 
but  all  must  be  so  akin  to  other  religions,  that  a  soul  that  has  pass- 
ed through  one  form  with  intelligence  and  interest,  will  fiiid  a  con- 


1901.]  Lessons  from  the  Life  of  Anna  Kingsford.  53i 

tiuuatioii  of  help  aud  usefulness,  in  whichever  form  of  religion  it 
may  come  into  touch  with,  in  times  to  come. 

Apart  from  the  spiritualistic  movement  (which  does  not  appear 
to  be  formed  into  an  organized  body),  no  association  has  done  more 
to  draw  together  students  of  mysticism,  than  our  own  Society.  It 
is  not  therefore  surprising  that  Dr,  Kingsford  and  Mr.  Maitlaud 
were  amongst  the  earliest  members  to  join  it  in  England. 

Mrs.  Kingsford  became  the  President  of  the  London  Lodge,  aud  , 
there  is  much  interesting  reading  in  her  "  Life,*'  about  the  Society,  its 
members,  and  their  impressions  of  some  of  thein.     There  seems  to 
have  been  a  tendency  in  the  early  days  of  the  Theosophical  Society, 
in  some  places,  to  insist  upon  acceptance  of  teaching,  when   it   was 
said  to  have  emanated  from  certain   Masters  ;   and  because  of  this 
fact,  Mrs.  Kingsford  as  President  and  Mr.  Maitland  as  one  of  the 
Vice-Presidents  of  the  London  Lodge,  at  once  took  up  the  indepen- 
dent and  healthy  position  of  accepting  or  rejecting  all  teaching  on 
its  merits  only,  irrespective  of  any  kind  of  authority.     This  position 
has  proved  to  be  the  only  correct  one  for  students  of  Theosophy, 
and  to-day  no  one  can  assert  that  the  Society  as  such,  teaches  any- 
thing dogmatically  or   otherwise.  It  exists  as  a  centre  for  study  and 
thought,  now  throughout  the  world  ;  and  has  three  objects  which 
are  mde  enough  to  include  all  earnest  students  of  religions,  philo- 
sophy and  science,   who  are    persuaded   of  the  Brotherhood    of 
Humanitv. 

Dr.  Kingsford  and  Mr.  Maitland  early  recognised  the  vitality 
aud  energj'  of  the  Society  and  its  Founders,  but  seem  to  have  had 
somewhat  mixed  ideas  as  to  its  usefulness  in  connection  with  their 
work.  At  one  time  they  see  in  it  a  vehicle  that  will  help  to  spread 
their  special  teaching.  Next  it  is  hostile,  because,  **  ours  was  the 
restoration  of  true  esoteric  and  spiritual  Chri.stianity  ;  theirs  was  the 
total  subversion  of  Christianity  itself  "—an  utterly  wtong  concep- 
tion. The  teaching  of  Mmc.  Blavatsky  has  been  to  restore  to  all 
religions  and  sciences  their  true  spiritual  basis,  and  to  demonstrate 
that  neither  mankind,  religion,  science  or  philosophy  will  lose  any- 
thing, but  rather  be  immeasurably  the  gainer,  if  these  subjects  are 
treated  from  a  reverent,  scientific  and  fearless  stand-point.  Aud 
how^  Mr.  Maitland  came  to  assert  that,  *'  the  Truth  we  have  is 
far  in  advance  of  anything  the  disciples  of  Mine.  Blavatsky  and  her 
(ktnis  possess,"  it  would  be  difficult  to  say,  because  he  was  not  in  a 
position  to  know  what  these  Gurus  know. 

Ouce  more,  it  is  asserted  that  the  Theosophical  Society  is  *•  an 
association  at  once  powerful  and  hostile''  to  Mrs.  Kingsford  and  Mn 
Maitlaud,  because  of  certain  experiences  they  had  when  visiting 
Mme.  Blavatsky  at  Ostende.  It  seems  strange  that  from  their  own 
experiences  they  could  not  recognise  that  the  influences  which  they 
found  '*  powerful  and  hostile''  to  them,  may  have  been  of  the  same 
nature  to  their  Hostess,  considering  that  her  mission  was  exactly  the 
f^ame  as  theirs— the  restoration  of  Tnttli.    And  that  they  found  the 


532  The  Theosophist.  [June 

influences  particularly  powerful  and  hostile  is  not  a  matter  for  sur- 
prise, as  very  likely  they  were  the  same  which  were  trying  to  hin- 
der Mme.  Blavatsky's  work.  It  takes  strong  influences  to  stop  a 
strong  worker,  and  as  I  consider  Mme.  Blavatsky  was  an  infinitely 
stronger  character  than  either  Dr.  Kingsford  or  Mr.  Maitland,  the 
influences  that  were  trying  to  stop  her  work,  coming  within  the 
sphere  of  the  weaker  workers,  though  equally  earnest,  would 
naturally  be  more  than  usually  distressing  to  them,  although  quite 
'accustomed  to  similar  influences  themselves.  And  if  they  had  been 
sufficiently  confidential  with  Mme.  Blavatsky,  she  could  probably 
have  helped  them  in  the  matter.  Considering  that  H.  P.  B.  made 
no  secret  of  the  fact  that  she  was  a  student  of  Eastern  Mysticism 
and  in  touch  with  Eastern  Masters,  it  is  curious  that  Mr.  Maitland 
should  have  considered  her  work  in  any  way  antagonistic  to  theirs ; 
more  especially  when  we  see  the  instructions  Mrs.  Kingsford  receiv- 
ed regarding  the  important  position  the  East  occupies,  both  as 
regards  Teachers  and  conditions  for  such  studies  as  they  were 
engaged  in.  Indeed  in  one  communication  she  had,  it  appears  as 
if  Mrs.  Kingsford,  and  I  suppose  Mr.  Maitland,  are  of  the  kind  of 
souls  that  evolve  into  Eastern  Adepts  ;  for  she  is  told,  when  she 
beconies  an  Adept  she  will  know  that  certain  facts  she  was  being 
taught  involved  no  contradiction — ^from  which  it  is  evident  she  had 
not  yet  reached  adeptship. 

The  true  explanation  of  their  position  is,  I  think,  that  like  all 
people  with  an  important  mission,  they  became  impressed  with  its 
importance,  to  the  obscuring  of  other  matters  that  might  have  inter- 
fered with  their  work.  This  was  necessary,  and  while  I  do  not 
believe  they  lost  anything  in  their  attitude  towards  the  Theosophi- 
cal  Society  and  its  work,  it  left  them  free  to  do  their  own  work 
with  complete  thoroughness. 

The  Christian  world  does  not  know  under  what  an  obligation  it 
lies  to-day  to  Dr.  Kingsford  and  Mr.  Maitland ;  they  knew  they 
were  working  for  posterity,  and  were  content  to  do  so. 

These  brief  notes  will  have  served  their  purpose  if  they  have 
directed  attention  to  a  valuable  source  of  instruction  to  the  student 
of  Theosophy,  and  they  may  have  helped  to  prove  that  it  will  be 
through  our  Society  that  both  the  life  and  work  of  Dr.  Anna  Kings- 
ford will  be  kept  before  the  world.  And  her  life  and  work  includes 
that  of  Mr.  Edward  Maitland,  one  of  the  most  truly  learned  men 
who  has  lived  in  our  times,  of  a  beautiful  and  unselfish  character, 
filled  with  a  genuine  love  for  his  fellows. 

A.  P.  Cattanach. 


533 


I 


HINDU  MORALITY. 

As  OUTUNKD  IN  THK  MA.HA'BHA'RATA. 

\C<yncliidedfiomp>  480J 

F  you  take  the  first  three  sheaths  of  the  five-fold  classification  of 
man,  the  lowest  of  the  three  is  the  Manomayakosha,  or  sheath  of 
desire ;  that  which,  in  its  external  aspect,  is  developed  by  the  men  of 
the  Fourth  Race,  of  whom  the  evolution  of  the  emotions  and  the 
gratification  of  desires  are  the  characteristics. 

The  characteristic  of  the  Fifth  Race  is  the  attribute  of  the  sheath 
of  intellect,  the  Vignyanamayakosha,  the  qualities  of  antagonism 
of  intellect,  of  discrimination,  of  separateness  ;  and  these  qualities 
must  be  evolved  before  the  uniting  love  of  the  highest  sheath — 
whose  attributes  are  those  of  the  Sixth  Race — can  altogether 
be  realised.  Moreover,  the  period  of  evolution  of  the  present 
age  is  the  evolving  of  the  intellect,  of  men  in  antagonism  to 
each  other,  of  struggle  in  business  and  of  competition  in  which  the 
weaker  are  worked  to  death.  All  this  struggle  and  misery  are 
necessary  for  the  evolving  life  to  build  up  qualities  for  itself.  It  is 
uecessar\*  that  this  quality  of  separateness  should  be  first  evolved 
so  that  there  shall  be  a  strong  centre  ;  a  separate  centre,  which 
shall  be  able  to  grow  and  hold  its  own  when  necessary.*  And  in 
this  matter  of  evolution,  by  studying  the  actions  of  men  we  find  that 
they  are  in  their  nature  proportionate  to  the  preponderating  amount 
of  vitality  and  consciousness  in  each  of  these  sheaths.  Thus  the 
characteristic  of  the  actions  of  the  Fourth  Race,  whose  functioning  of 
consciousness  is  in  this  sheath  of  desire,  is  that  they  cannot  see  the 
good  of  doing  anything  without  a  distinct  return  or  gain  from  their 
action  benefiting  themselves,  and  by  thus  acting  they  follow  the 
Southern  Path.  The  Fifth  Race,  into  which  we  are  said  to  be  evolving, 
whose  functioning  of  consciousness  is  in  the  sheath  of  intellect,  the 
Vignyanamayakosha,  perform  action  as  a  thing  which  ought  to  be 
done  because  it  is  good,  without  attachment  to  the  fruit  of  action, 
even  perhaps  as  a  debt  which  is  discharged,  not  caring  for  a  re- 
ward or  recognition. 

And  the  Sixth  Race  have  for  their  characteristics  in  this  matter, 
complete  non-attachment  to  results  and  devotion  to  Dharma  alont*. 
We  find  first  an  action  is  done  for  the  gain  ;  then  as  what  is  right  to 
be  done,  or  as  a  debt  which  is  paid  ;  and  lastly,  as  a  loyal  sacrifice 
to  that  manifestation  of  the  Supreme  whom  we  read  of  as  the  God  of 
Dharma  ;  f  and  looking  at  these  qualities  of  the  evolving  races,  we 

*   "  Evolution  of  Life  and  Fi)rm  '*   (Annie   Besant)  • 

t  Existing  on  the  highest  planes  and  according  td    the  Hindu  books,  l-eflecl- 
ed  from  them  through  the  lower. 


534  .    The  Theosophisl.  [June 

see  that  the  lower  castes,  from  their  very  nature,  can  be  correlated 
more  nearly  with  that  race  of  whom  the  attainment  of  objects  ot 
desire  and  the  acquirement  of  wealth  form  the  natural  characteristics. 
The  Kshattriya  again  is  typical  of  the  nature  of  the  Fifth  Race  as  the 
type  of  combative  energy  ;  while  the  real  spirituality  of  the  Brah- 
mana  nature  is  characteristic  of  the  consciousness  stirring  in  the 
sheath  of  Bliss. 

Thus  we  see  that  the  Kshattriya  position  is  that  of  a  possibility 
of  a  complete  mental  independence  and  ability  to  stand  alone  ;  a 
position  where  the  tendency  is  towards  antagonism  and  towards 
separateness,  and  yet  from  its  ver}-  nature  must  there  be  the 
payment  of  the  duty  owed. 

And  on  the  subject  of  meekness  we  find  the  whole  matter  gone 
into  at  the  beginning  of  the  '*  Vana  Parva,"  just  after  the  exile  to 
the  woods.  The  teaching  is  given  by  one  of  the  great  Indian  meu, 
and  examples  of  these  teachings  on  different  points  of  morality  form 
a  great  part  of  the  value  of  the  Mahabharata  to  us.  We  will  take 
that  part  of  the  teaching  which  is  given  to  Kshattriyas,  aud  from  the 
context  we  see  that  the  word  * 'forgiveness"  is  used  in  the  sense  also  of 
**  meekness."  One  of  the  great  sages  is  speaking  to  the  five  brothers : 
**  And  Prahlada  said,  '  Know,  O  child,  these  two  truths  with  certain- 
ty ;  that  might  (or  auger)  is  not  alwaj'S  meritorious,  and  forgiveness 

(or  meekness)  is  not  always  meritorious. Therefore  it  is,  O  child. 

that  the  learned  applaud  not  a  constant  habit  of  forgiveness one 

should  put  forth  his  anger  and  show  his  forgiveness  on  proper  occa- 
sions.' '*  And  now  let  us  consider  with  regard  to  this  matter.  By 
tracing  backwards  the  gradual  development  of  the  Kshattriya  nature 
we  find  a  law  of  growth  laid  down  which  pervades  the  whole  of  the 
teaching  to  this  caste  and  by  which  the  Kshattriya  Dharma  can  alone 
be  understood.  The  key-note  of  the  evolution  of  the  Kshattriya  is 
separateness,  to  build  up  a  strong  individual  centre,  and  its  ultimate 
development  is  that  the  nature  shall  be  able  to  hold  its  own 
against  any  force  that  may  be  brought  against  it.  It  must  be  able  to 
stand  alone,  relying  on  itself ;  and  its  whole  development  depends  on 
conflict.  It  must  develop  strength,  and  the  po.SvSibility  of  separateness 
or  weakness  would  result.  He  must  not  refuse  a  challenge.  Thus  the 
prompt  answer  and  opposition  to  oppression  and  persojial  insult  or 
threatening  of  dishonour,  and  for  his  growth  must  he  be  ready  to 
cast  aside  hi?i  body  in  defence  of  that  for  which  alone  he  came  to 
birth  ;  for  in  this  conflict,  if  it  happened  that  his  physical  body  was 
struck  away  in  defence  of  honour  or  in  opposition  to  evil,  he  fulfilled 
the  purpose  of  his  incarnation  and  having  thus  permanently  strength- 
ened his  inner  nature,  another  physical  vehicle  would  be  made  for 
his  use  and  shortly  would  he  come  back  to  birth  once  more  with  in- 
creased strength  and  further  on  his  road  of  evolution.  On  this  grad- 
ual growth   depended  the  elimination  of  personal   anger  :  at  first. 


1901,[  Hindu  Morality.  539 

perhaps,  he  paid  back  insult*  with  more  than  equalinjury,  but  a  fur- 
ther growth  and  clearer  understanding  made  possible  the  precept  ol 

Arjuua,  laid  down  by  him  as  a  Kshattriya  practice  : 

"  Superior  persons,  O  BhSrata,  never  talk  about  the  harsh  words 
that  may  or  may  not  be  uttered  by  inferior  men  ; 

**  Persons  who  have  earned  respect  for  themselves,  even  if  they 
are  able  to  retaliate,  remember  not  the  acts  of  hostility  done  by  their 
enemies."    ["  Sabha  Parva,"  vSect.  72.] 

And  when  personal  anger  had  been  outgrown,  we  find  his 
strength  and  energy  were  called  out  in  opposition  to  all  that  was  evil, 
and  in  the  protection  of  the  weak— and  this  is  the  beginning  of  non- 
separateness  —for  the  sake  of  any  who  appealed  to  him  for  help.  He 
was  there  to  right  an  injustice  and  to  actively  war  against  evil.  For 
discrimination  between  right  and  wrong  was  his  law  of  growth,  and 
in  his  Hfe  in  the  world,  it  is  said,  that  if  he  could  not  find  strength 
to  stand  firm  when  occasion  demanded  he  was  deficient  in  a  quality 
necessary  for  a  man  of  this  caste.  It  was  necessary  for  him  not  to  be 
meek  and  ever  forgiving  nor,  as  far  as  he  could,  to  leave  the  righting 
of  conditions  to  the  workings  of  the  Karniic  Law.  Passiveuess  iu 
him  would  open  the  way  for  the  subsistence  of  evil  and  weakness  in 
his  evolution.  For  **  not  by  inofFensiveness  alone**  is  the  dharma  of 
the  Kshattriya  carried  out,  and  "  He  who  does  not  protect  morality 
when  it  is  being  disregarded  is  himself  a  trespasser  against  morality,'* 
[*'  vShanti  Parva,'*  1 :  33  :  8.] 

And  again  we  find  it  taught  to  Kshattriyas  that  they  anust  not 
beg,  that  they  shall  not  beseech.f  As  the  great  teaching  to  that 
caste  and  as  the  highest  thing  that  they  could  do  was  to  cast  away 
their  bodies  in  battle  as  a  sacrifice  to  Dharma,  we  can  realise  the 
greatness  of  those  men  who  identified  not  the  life  with  the  form. 
Such  teaching  does  not  allow  beseeching  for  merc}^  or  forgiveness 
either  in  active  warfare  or  in  the  understanding  of  religion  :  such 
teaching  and  the  knowledge  of  the  Karmic  Law  would  render  useless 
a  petition  for  mercy  or  '  remission  of  sins' ;  on  the  other  hand,  just 
by  the  certain  knowledge  of  that  law  he  could  work  for  neutralisa- 
tion, and  in  this  building  he  would  depend  on  no  one  but  himself. 
Moreover,  he  is  content  to  rest  on  a  law,  of  which  the  )ueasure  of  its 
u  11  forgiveness  is  the  measure  of  its  reliability  ;  and  he  asks  nothing 
from  it  beyond  that  which  he  is  able  to  take  ;  for  every  action  that 
i.s  done  has  an  equivalent  result — a  law  which  also  acts  on  other 
planes  besides  the.  physical,  and  all  kanna  which  has  not  been  neu- 
tralised is  flung  back  on  the  lower  vehicles  of  A'tma,  who  go  against 
it  *' like  fishes  swimming  against  a  current  of  water."  (**  Shanti 
Parva,"  201.) 

But  again  we  find  it  laid  down:J:  for  the  Kshattriya,  that  he  must 


*  «  Vana  Parva,"  269. 
+  "  Vana  Parva,"  153. 
3:"Shanti  Par«ra"  I.  130  :  29. 


536  The  Theosophist.  [June 

not  live  dependent  upon  destiny  ;  that  is  to  say  that,  with  regard  to 
himself,  it  is  also  not  his  part  to  unresistingly  endure  the  circum- 
stances of  destiny  in  contented  resignation  to  Elarmic  events,  with- 
out exertion  to  change  those  circumstances,  but  he  must  exercise 
and  use  his  strength  by  making  all  efforts  to  neutralise  the 
unfavourable  karma  which  may  have  accumulated,  for  exertion 
is  often  superior  to  the  force  of  karma  ;  and  we  read  again  that 
the  Gods  do  not  protect  men  actively,  as  *'  bj^  taking  up  clubs 
in  their  hands  after  the  manner  of  herdsmen,"*  but  that  they  grant 
intelligence  unto  those  whom  they  wish  to  aid.  Passive  resignation 
to  bad  circumstances  is  not  his  course  of  action  :  in  most  cases  the 
amount  of  his  passive  resignation  to  circumstances  will  be  measured 
bj"  the  overwhelming  eflfect  of  those  circumstances  beyond  the 
strength  of  his  opposed  will. 

But  in  [some  cases  another  course  is  taught.  We  will  take 
from  the  MahabhSratathe  incident  on  the  field  of  battle — that  battle 
in  which  many  divine  Kshattriyas  were  fighting  on  both  sides — of 
the  launching  against  the  army  of  the  Pandavas,  of  a  superhuman 
weapon  which  nothing  could  oppose.  In  this  case  the  orders  were 
given  to  throw  down  all  arms  and  to  stand  neutral  until  the  weapon 
went  by,  as  by  opposition  its  destrojing  power  was  drawn  against 
the  opposer,  and  would  sla}'  him.  Of  course  death  in  such  a  case 
w^ould  be  meritorious  to  the  Kshattriya,  whose  duty  it  is  "  to  fight  in 
utter  recklessness  of  life  itself,"  and  whose  highest  aim  is  to  cast 
aside  his  body,  and  to  pass  to  Swargaf  from  the  field  of  battle,  but  it 
is  thus  also  shown  to  be  good  Kshattriya  practice  to  avoid  need- 
lessly drawing  towards  himself  such  an  overwhelmingly  destructive 
force. 

And  now  we  have  almost  finished  our  study  of  this  brief  out- 
line of  Kshattriya  Dharma.  We  read  that  it  was  a  merit  for  him  to 
die  a  violent  death  in  conflict :  quietness  and  peace  were  not  his 
law  of  growth  :  he  learned  to  cast  away  his  body  for  the  sake  of  au 
idea,  and  to  value  all  as  nothing  in  place  of  Dharma. 

Along  the  keen  edge  of  weapons  ran  the  Kshattriya*s  path  to 
Swarga,  and  he  learned  to  tread  it  fearlessly  ;  even  as  in  later  births 
would  stretch  out  for  his  treading  the  Path  of  Yoga  and  Antaskarana, 
that  ancient  Path  which  is  spoken  of  in  Kathopanishad  as  being 
keen  and  as  difficult  to  travel  on  as  is  the  edge  of  a  razor. 

This  was  the  summit  of  the  Kshattrij^a  Dharma,  and  the  former 
struggles  were  to  enable  him  to  hold  to  it,  not  b}'  mental  passive- 
ness  but  by  developed  strength  ;  for  that  Path  we  learnj  has  to  be 
trodden  alone,  unaided,  at  least  to  lower   consciousness,   and  the 


*  Udyog:ya,  34. 

t  Swarga  is  the  theosophical  Dcvachan  and,  as  spoken  of  in  the  Mah^bha- 
rata,  it  is  a  state  where  the  God  comes  into  actual  vision. 

X  For  an  illustration  of  this  it  is  to  be  remembered  how  that  Sri  Krishna  was 
the  charioteer  of  Arjuna  in  the  battle,  not  fighting  himself ;  while  his  large  army 
was  a  gift  to  Duryodana  to  fipht  on  the  side  of  the  Kurug. 


IWl].  Hindu   Morality.  537 

separated  centre  must  be  strong  enough  to  endure,  and  able  to  hold 
its  own  upon  the  way,  and  for  that  treading  he  must  get  rid  of 
separateness,  of  selfishness,  of  personal  ambition :  this  great  strength 
must  be  used  for  lightening  the  load  of  Humanity,  for  the  enlight- 
ening of  the  ignorant  and  for  the  further  helping  of  the  weak  ;  for 
the  life  and  consciousness  in  him  have  now  widened  out  so  that  any 
burden  of  man  becomes  his  burden,  and  bis  energy  is  used  for  its 
destruction  ;  for  no  longer  is  the  exertion  made  for  self.  The  elim- 
ination of  these  separated  qualities  follows  as  a  natural  result  on 
a  yet  further  consciousness  of  the  unity  of  the  one  life  and  sympa- 
thy with  its  many  forms  ;  and  looking  at  these  attributes  we  find 
that  they  are  the  characteristics  laid  down  for  the  Brahmana  caste, 

II— Thk  Brahmana. 

And  now  we  will  take  up  the  Brahmana  as  we  read  of  them 
as  part  of  the  Hindu  nation.  This  caste  was  composed  of- those 
whose  ability  and  whose  duty  were  essentiall}'  to  instruct,  and  they 
were  the  teachers,  priests,  and  councillors  to  the  nation.  As  they 
were  men  who' were  fitted  by  the  characteristics  of  their  nature  to 
spend  their  lives  in  study  and  teaching,  the  acquisition  of  wealth 
was  not  laid  down  for  them  and  they  were  not  engaged  in  trade,  in 
fact  so  much  were  they  occupied  in  their  own  duties  that  they 
could,  when  in  want  of  anything,  ask  from  the  king  or  any 
wealthy  man,  whatever  was  needed :  they  had  no  large  property 
and  were  accustomed  to  provide  for  their  pupils  by  the  gifts 
which  they  received,  for  teaching  was  not  a  matter  of  buj'ing 
and  selling.  To  the  two  lower  castes  alone  belonged  the  ac- 
quisition of  wealth  and  goods,  but  the  characteristic  of  the 
Brahmana  was  the  study  of  that  knowledge  which  is  called 
Brahmavidya.  His  energy  was  no  longer  engaged  about  the 
body  or  the  desire  nature,  or  even  on  the  lower  planes  of  thought 
in  intellectual  pedantry.  At  the  beginning  of  the  Mundakopanishad 
we  find  a  description  of  these  two  kinds  of  knowledge,  the  higher 
and  the  lower  science  ;  the  lower,  characteristic  of  the  evolution  of 
the  intellect,  of  detailed  knowledge,  of  knowledge  concerning  the 
external  side  of  nature,  of  every  science  concerning  matter,  and 
of  science  after  science  builded  upon  the  minutely  detailed 
appearances  and  characteristics  of  ph5'sical  fonns — all  the  leaves  of 
the  Asvattha  tree,*  the  exact  knowledge  of  every  one  of  which 
would  reveal  only  the  outer  aspect  of  I' s vara,  wearisome  in  their  very 
multiplicity  of  detail — and  again  there  is  described  the  higher 
knowledge,  *'  that  science  by  which  the  Indestructible  Brahma  is 
comprehended,"  who  is  the  very  root  of  the  tree  and  "  the  source  of 
the  elements,"  that  life  which  is  behind  all  manifestation,  and  by 
the  knowledge  of  whom  all  outer  appearances  are  known  and  com- 
prehended. 


*  Bhagavad  Gttft  ;  15,  14. 
4 


538  The  Theosophist.  [June 

The  path  of  that  knowledge,  as  we  read  in  the  Bhagavad  Gita, 
requires  the  ability  to  wield  **  the  unswerving  weapon  of  non- 
attachment  "  to  things  of  the  more  material  planes :  a  non-attach- 
ment and  absence  of  desire  which  is  not  the  result  alone  of  restraint 
of  desire,  though  that  indeed  is  the  beginning  of  it,  but  the  very 
lack  of  similar  material  in  the  nature  so  that  no  response  is  called 
out  by  the  contact  of  the  lower  gunas.  And  on  this  elimina* 
tion  it  is  told  in  the  Mahabharata,  of  KSma  or  desire,  of  how 
it  becomes  subtler  and  subtler,  taking  on  form  after  form,  and 
of  its  motive  becoming  concealed  behind  motive  while  Kama, 
its  prime  mover,  remains  hidden  outside  the  sphere  of  the  mind. 
And  with  this  growth  of  knowledge  the  action  of  the  gunas  is 
recognised  ;  the  play  of  these  "  pairs  of  opposites  "  becomes  objec- 
tive ;  for  the  gunic  material  on  the  planes  of  desire  and  thought  is 
seen  to  be  thfe  true  agent,  and  its  action  in  the  minds  of  men  is 
unde^'stood.  And  although  recognising  the  action  of  these  gunas, 
the  Thinker,  acting  in  the  lower  vehicles  and  engaged  iu  works  on 
these  lower  planes,  acts  in  them  to  the  best  of  his  ability,  striving 
for  success  ;  but  from  his  identification  with  the  Overlord  of  these 
bodies  the  results  of  his  actions  do  not  touch  him  with  personal 
interest.  It  is  his  Dharma  for  him  to  work  in  the  world  and  to 
obtain  a  successful  result  of  his  actions,  but  the  failure  or  success  of 
his  works  belongs  to  the  lower  self. 

And  again  with  the  quality  of  separateness  which  it  is  now  the 
Brahmana's  law  of  growth  to  eliminate,  so  that  it  falls  again  towards 
latency,  it  has  served  its  part  in  the  evolution  of  the  nature  and 
now  another  aspect  is  developed,  the  aspect  of  conscious  unity  of 
all  that  lives.  This  is  first  recognised  by  an  intellectual  under- 
standing of  the  underlying  oneness  of  that  life  from  which  all 
things  come,  and  by  as  much  as  this  becomes  part  of  the  thought 
and  practice,  so  will  the  knowledge  of  unity  become  part  of  the  con- 
sciousness. The  great  requirement  that  the  Theosophical  Society 
demands  from  its  members  is  the  recognition  of  this  Brotherhood, 
of  this  unity  of  life,  at  first  as  an  intellectual  understanding  and 
later  as  a  part  of  the  consciousness:  and  for  a  striking  image  of 
this  teaching  we  will  take  a  verse  from  the  Mundakopanishad. 
There  we  read  that,  **  As  from  a  blazing  fire  in  a  thousand  ways 
similar  sparks  proceed,  so,  O  beloved,  living  souls  of  various  kinds 
are  produced  from  the  indestructible  One,  and  Ihey  also  return  to 

Him.*' 

And  thus  as  from  this  blazing  fire  many  sparks  of  difierent 

magnitudes  leap  forth,  so  from  the  one   life  are  sent   out  different 

lives  of  many  kinds   which,    falling  downwards  into  the  plane 

of  matter,  are  enveloped   in  various  physical  coverings  ;  *  but  the 

life  in  each   is   the    same    in    its    essence,  and  from   the   same 

source,  returning  to  that  source  in  the  course  of  evolution.    The 

"""^  *  "  Building  of  the  Kosmos,"  p.  6<. 


1901.]  Hindu   Morality.  539 

five  sheaths  of  man  are  these  coverings  *  of  the  A'tmS  which 
has  descended  through  the  planes  of  the  universe,  collecting  around 
itself  a  body  from  each  region  through  which  it  passes.  The  life  in 
the  animal  is  the  same  as  that  in  the  man,  though  still  more  con- 
fined by  functioning  through  fewer  vehicles,  and  the  Brahmana  was 
taught  to  protect  it,  recognising  its  source,  and  no  longer  causing 
it  suffering  by  destroying  its  animal  form. 

And  from  this  recognition  and  further  growth  is  the  gradual 
destnictiou  of  Ahamkara,  the  quality  of  egotism,  the  source  of 
separateness,  with  all  those  lower  attributes  of  the  personal  self, 
Rajasic  in  their  nature  ;  for  no  longer  is  that  quality  needed  for 
building  up  the  separated  self.  The  recognition  of  the  unity  of 
these  many  separated  parts  brings  us  a  knowledge  of  the  relationship 
betweea  lower  lives  and  between  the  higher  existences  which  are 
also  manifestations  of  the  one. 

And  in  this  recognition  of  the  participation  of  all  in  the  divine 
nature  there  comes  the  possibility  of  religion,  of  the  service  of  those 
greater  Ones  to  whom  we  are  related.  This  underlying  unity 
when  recognised  on  the  higher  planes  of  the  universe  opens  also  to 
us  a  method  of  building  up  the  whole  ;  for  from  the  self-identifica- 
tion of  the  one  with  the  all,  the  burden  of  all  is  made  a  personal  object, 
and  no  longer  are  these  energies  used  wholly  for  the  separated  self : 
for  on  to  these  planes  where  unity  is  more  nearly  recognised  can 
be  sent  out  forms  and  energies  into  this  one  sea  of  consciousness 
in  which  all  things  are  dwelling,  and  to  which  all  life  responds 
according  to  its  nature  ;  thus  strengthening  and  purifying  the 
universal  mind,  so  that  the  thought  energy,  ensouled  by  the  life 
and  purpose  with  which  it  has  been  sent  out,  may  go  forward  into 
the  minds  of  tbose  to  whom  the  vibrations  of  its  substance  are  akin, 
modified  according  to  the  individual  and  giving  out  its  energy  in 
proportion  to  the  similarity  of  mental  development.  The  very 
motive  of  its  sending  forth  will  ensure  this  certain  result,  for  the 
unreasoning  energy  of  the  thought-nature  will  go  out  into  the  plane 
of  mind  with  the  sole  purpose  of  this  one  fulfilment. 

For  the  Theosophical  teaching!  gives  to  us  a  knowledge  of  the 
conditions  of  thought,  how  that  these  forms  coming  forth  from  the 
mind  of  the  apparently  separated  individual,  go  out  into  this  region 
to  which  all  men  have  access  and  being  themselves  the  very  source 
of  actions,  they  produce  results  according  to  their  natures. 

There  is  a  story|  in  the  Mahabharata  of  great  philosophical 
value  towards  an  understanding  of  the  oneness  with  the  Supreme,  of 
these  separated  forms  in  the  universe.  When  the  five  brothers 
were  living  in  the  forest  there  came  to  visit  them  a  great  Teacher 
with  his  many  pupils,  and  there  arose  a  great  difiiculty  with  regard 


•  •*  The  ancient  Wisdom,"  p.  54. 
t  "  In  the  Outer  Court,"  pp.  45-48. 
J  '*  Vana  Parva,"  261, 


540  The  Theosophist.  [June 

to  food  for  such  a  number.  The  brothers  were  afraid  that  they 
should  be  unable  to  offer  the  Teacher  hospitality,  for  food  in  the 
forest  was  scarce.  In  this  trouble  they  went  to  the  I^ord  Sri 
Krishna,  who  came  at  that  time  to  them,  and  they  asked  Him  what 
they  were  to  do.  Sri  Krishna,  we  have  read,  was  the  incarnated 
Supreme  and,  bereft  of  Him,  there  is  nothing  that  exists  :  He  is  in 
every  form  in  the  universe,  and  He  is  Himself  the  universe  ;  for  all 
this  is  but  the  manifestation  of  His  physical  nature,  His  sthula  sarira. 
We  read  that  He  took  some  of  the  food  they  had,  and  that,  by 
the  satisfying  of  the  hunger  of  Him,  that  one  life  on  whom  the 
universe  is  based,  all  those  separated  lives  dwelling  in  different 
bodies  were  nourished  and,  by  this  action,  all  these  apparently 
separated  parts  of  Himself  were  satisfied. 

For  we  learu  that  all  manifestation  exists  as  the  sheaths  or 
bodies  of  the  one  Vishnu  :  His  physical  nature  then  includes  all 
the  separated  bodies  of  men  and  living  things,  who  thus  live  in  His 
body  even  as  the  many  cells  live  in  a  human  body,  each  being  com- 
plete in  itself  but  forming  part  of  a  greater  whole.  Thus  all  living 
forms  in  the  physical  universe  are  as  separate  cells  in  the  physical 
body  of  Vishnu,  so  that  all  of  this  exists  as  the  Mighty  Being,  of 
many  natures  according  to  His  infinite  variety  of  manifestation, but 
one  ii;  its  totality  ;  and  the  higher  planes  of  difierentiated  life  are 
the  higher  sheaths  of  that  indestructible  One,  in  manifestation,  iu 
whom  live  all  the  worlds  and  all  created  things,  and  from  whom  as 
we  read,  all  things  emanated,  as  back  to  that  one  source  again, 
transcending  the  gunas,  all  things  will  ultimately  go,  to  that  **  One 
without  a  second,"  from  whom  all  things  first  came.* 

M.  A.  C.  Thiriavai^l. 


RENUNCIATION. 
\Concluded  from  p.  501 J 

AND   now,  as  to  real  renunciation.    Here  not  only  have  the  de- 
sires of  the  world  been  renounced,  in  thought  as  well  as  action, 
but  the  world  itself  has  been  met  and  overcome.    The  enemy  has 
not  been  fled  from,  he  has  been  met  and  conquered,  and  instead  of 
being  a  source  of  danger  and  discord,  is  now  a  help  and  co-operator. 
The  apprehension  of  this — the  complete  realisation  of  this  as  a 
truth — is  calculated  to  entirely  change  the  course  of  any  one  who  has 
not  before  understood  it  and  is  really  anxious  to  become  one  of  the 
victors.     For  we  usually,  although  perhaps  unconsciousl}',  consider 
any  great  achievement  only  possible  under  special  circumstances.  We 
excuse  ourselves  for  not  being  generous  because  we  are  not  rich,  and 
so  forth.  Now  it  is  perceived  that  these  very  disadvantageous  circum- 
stances and  surroundings  constitute  the  foe  which  we  are  in  the 

*  In  the  previous  instalment  see  May  Theosophist  p«  477^  last  paragraph,  fifth 
line,  after  the  words  "  example  of  this,"  the  words  "  tendency  towards  opposition  " 
should  have  bcetl  inserted. 


1901.]  Renunciation.  541 

world  to  fight,  and  possibly  in  the  world  for  no  other  reason.  So 
long  as  we  give  way  before  circumstances— 1^/>.,  the  enemy — ^so  long 
mil  he  attack  and  overcome  us,  until  we  arise  in  our  strength,  or 
weakness,  and  instead  of  succumbing  or  merely  getting  out  of  the 
way,  subdue  him  at  all  points.  Not  until  there  is  invulnerability  at 
every  point  (that  is,  under  every  circumstance)  is  the  fight  over  and 
victory  gained. 

A  clear  idea  as  to  what  renunciation  is  and  what  it  is  not,  also 
auswers  completely  a  question  which  naturally  arises  at  a  very  early 
stage  of  meditation,  as  to  whether  renunciation  is  after  all  a  *  right 
thing  to  practise,  and  if  so,  why  ?  Perhaps,  by  the  way,  in  no  respect 
does  the  sincere  seeker  after  truth  and  nothing  but  the  truth,  differ 
from  the  mere  follower  of  a  scientific  or  religious  creed,  than  in  re- 
gard to  the  use  of  this  word  **  why,"  In  the  orthodox  schools  of 
religion  and  science,  the  masses  are  hide-bound  by  preconceived 
ideas,  and  consequently  discourage  investigation— not,  of  course,  all 
investigation,  but  any  investigation  which  threatens  these  precon- 
ceived ideas.  The  orthodox,  both  in  the  ranks  ot  religion  and  science, 
will  doubtless  protest  to  you  that  they  love  and  follow  the  truth — and 
so  they  do,  in  a  way — but  there  are  some  things  they  love  better,  and 
preconceived  ideas  are  amongst  them.  But  Truth  is  a  jealous  god- 
dess and  will  allow  no  preferences,  and  consequently  shuns  those 
who  are  not  entirely  devoted  to  her.  The  sincere  worshipper  of 
Tmth,  however,  far  from  being  beguiled  from  his  allegiance  by  the 
influence  of  preconceived  ideas,  cares  not  a  straw  for  them.  When 
Truth  appears  and  beckons  him  away  from  them,  he  leaves  them 
aud  flies  to  her  without  the  slightest  regret  or  reluctance.  The  pres- 
ence or  absence  of  this  reluctance  is  a  test  of  unalloyed  devotion  to 
Truth,  and  she  detects  any  falsity  very  quickly  and  often  vanishes 
before  a  man  can  tear  himself  away  from  his  false  theories,  under 
whose  spell  he  forthwith  remains,  becoming  more  and  more  reluctant 
to  see  Truth,  until  presently  this  amounts  to  positive  dislike  and 
positive  incapacity,  aud  he  becomes  blind  to  the  clearest  evidence. 
The  theosophist,  on  the  other  hand,  places  nothing  before  Truth — 
popularity,  esteem  of  others,  vested  interests,  preconceived  ideas  or 
anything  else.  Indeed  he  is  as  ready  to  question  old  theories  as 
new  ones  ;  and  he  therefore  finds  that  he  cannot  dispense  with  this 
word  "  why/'  He  must  ask,  and  he  must  learn  or  he  cannot  proceed. 
Of  course  we  may  not  feel  inclined  to  ask  any  question.  Well,  in 
that  case  we  are  not  yet  ready  to  learn  anything  more.  When  we 
are  ready  to  take  a  further  step,  be  very  sure  the  desire  for  informa- 
tion will  possess  us  :  we  shall  demand  an  answer  with  the  whole 
force  of  our  nature — and  get  it. 

Now  the  whole  programme  of  our  work  here,  to  put  it  in  a  nut- 
shell, consists  of  the  attainment  of  self-knowledge,  self-control  and 
self-sacrifice.  Most  of  us  are  probably  convinced  that  this  is  so,  at  all 
events  as  regards  the  first  two  items— self-knowledge  and  self-controL 


«  •  •  > 

342  The  TheosophiSt.  [June 

And  even  a  certain  degree  of  self-sacrifice  all  will  admit  to  be  neces- 
sary to  an  ordinary  civilised  life,  or  even  an  uncivilised  one,  for  that 
matter.  If  this  be  kept  in  mind,  the  true  meaning  of  renunciation 
will  at  once  be  seen,  how  it  is  necessary  and  for  what  purpose 
it  must  be  practised.  For  without  renunciation  there  can  be  no  self- 
control.  And  reflection  will  show  that  as  all  ordinary  people  would 
not  be  ordinary  people  at  all,  but  very  extraordinary  people,  if  they 
did  not  exercise  a  certain  measure  of  self-control ;  so  all  ordinary 
people  must  necessarily,  and  do,  practise  renunciation  to  a  certain 
extent.    The  whole  question  is  one  of  degree. 

Complete  renunciation  is  generally  thought  unwise  and  fanatical. 
To  many  doubtless  this  assertion  would  be  quite  sufficient  and  would 
indeed  seem  axiomatic.  Itseems  sufficient,  and  is  sufficient — for  them, 
but  for  them  only,  and  because  they  are  not  yet  ready  to  go  further. 
The  theosophical  student,  however,  before  adopting  the  view  that 
complete  renunciation,  such  as  that  advocated  in  various  devo- 
tional books,  is  fanatical,  etc.,  would  require  to  know  first  the  reason 
why.  An  investigation  shows  that  such  an  entire  giving  up  of  self 
is  not  a  kind  of  religious  insanity  at  all,  but  that  it  is  only  false  re- 
nunciation, the  appearance  of  renunciation,  that  is  so.  Before  one 
can  renounce  in  a  proper  and  sane  manner,  in  the  sense  in  which 
we  are  at  present  using  that  word,  he  must  be  a  philosopher  and 
thinker,  must  know  what  he  is  about,  must  know  what  renunciation 
really  is.  We  have  already  seen  what  that  is,  as  indicated  in  the 
words  quoted  above,  Next  it  must  be  remembered  that  the  earthly 
pilgrimage  of  man  and  all  things  are  on  an  ascending  scale,  an  evolu- 
tion of  consciousness  and  faculty  ever  expanding  wider  and  soaring 
higher.  This  being  so,  it  is  evident  that  as  the  higher  engrosses 
man's  attention  and  interest,  the  lower  must  lose  it.  If  the  womi 
would  become  the  butterfl}^  it  must  first  seriously  consider  the 
renunciation  of  the  chrysalis  shell,  and  not  only  consider  it,  but  put 
the  renunciation  into  practice.  The  trouble  with  man  is  that  he 
wants  to  carry  his  chrysalis  shell,  vis,,  his  personality,  wdth  him; 
but  this  is  impossible.  It  may  be  right  and  proper  for  a  sheep  to 
pass  all  its  life  eating  its  food;  but  as  the  animal  passes  into  the 
human,  it  is  inevitable  that  the  animal  should  give  place,  to  a 
certain  extent,  to  the  intellectual ;  so  far  all  are  agreed.  All  are  also 
agreed  that  it  would  be  an  advantage  were  this  giving  place,  that  is 
renunciation  of  the  animal,  greater  than  it  is  at  present.  The  only 
difiierence  of  opinion  seems  to  lie  in  the  cause  of  the  present  undesi- 
rable prominence  of  the  vegetative  and  animal  as  compared  with  the 
higher  powers  in  man.  The  religionist,  and  the  unphilosophical  say 
it  is  because  man  is  bad.  The  philosopher  says,  not  so.  Bad  and 
good  are  only  relative  terms,  are  often  interchangeable  and  are  often 
both  applicable  to  the  same  thing.  He  says  the  reason  is  not  be- 
cause the  world  is  bad  and  went  wrong  in  the  making,  like  a  spoiled 
pudding.    For  children,  that  explanation  may  be  good  enough.    For 


1901.]  Renunciation.  543 

people  grown  up  in  mind  as  well  as  body,  it  is  absurd.  No,  the  cause 
of  the  animal  not  having  apparently  given  place  sufficiently  to  the 
human,  is  that  man  is  advancing,  evolving,  and  that  this  impulse 
of  growth,  the  impulse  of  evolution,  the  impulse  to  higher  achieve- 
ment, ever  asserts  itself  by  discontent  in  regard  to  present  achieve* 
ment.  The  present  achievement  is  "  bad "  as  compared  with  the 
achievement  seen  in  the  future,  in  the  ideal ;  but  it  must  also  be  re- 
membered that  the  present  achievement  is  **  good  "  as  compared 
with  the  lower  achievement  of  the  past.  We  only  require  to  go  back 
a  few  centuries  to  find  that  the  people,  for  instance,  who  inhabited 
Europe  were  of  much  rougher  fibre  than  at  present,  and  a  procedure 
in  those  days  was  possible  and  actual  and  commonplace  which 
would  petrify  us  with  horror  now.  It  is  not  intended  to  push  this 
too  far  nor  to  make  too  much  of  ourselves  at  the  expense  of  our 
immediate  forefathers  ;  but  it  will  probably  be  admitted,  if  we  pro- 
ject ourselves  for  a  moment  back  into  an  earlier  point  of  evolution, 
that,  looking  to  the  state  of  affairs  then,  the  present  position  of  man 
may  be  pronounced  good — that  same  position  which  we  now  con- 
sider bad  as  we  compare  it  with  the  far  distant  ideal  of  the  future. 
Philosophically,  it  should  always  be  borne  in  mind  that  these  words 
•*  good  "  and  "  bad,"  as  has  been  said,  are  purely  relative,  and  that 
to  say  that  the  world  is  as  it  is  because  human  beings  are  ''  bad  " 
is  to  speak  nonsense. 

Now  if  we  are  to  get  at  the  real  meaning  of  renunciation,  the 
notion  that  it  is  some  penance  done  for  the  sake  of  penance,  must 
be  discarded.  To  have  any  such  idea  is  entirely  to  misapprehend 
the  subject ;  such  an  opinion  is  certainly  very  common,  but  it  is 
simply  the  usual  misconception  which  is  found  connected  with  the 
superficial  apprehension  of  all  things  religious  and  ethical.  A  little 
thought  will  convince  one  that  it  is  not  suflFering,  it  is  not  penance, 
it  is  not  privation  that  is  the  merit  of  renunciation,  it  is  the  sense 
of  duty  and  the  performance  of  duty.  Renunciation  and  duty  go 
together.  The  creature  who  has  no  sense  of  duty  is  incapable  of 
renunciation.  As  the  sense  of  duty  grows — and  it  grows  gradually 
as  man  advances  in  true  civilisation— so  self-sacrifice  becomes  more 
and  more  extensive.  It  is  at  any  given  stage  of  man's  progress 
taken  so  much  as  a  matter  of  course,  that  unless  we  reflect  we 
are  altogether  unconscious  of  it.  We  are  hedged  round  in  any  state 
of  civilised  societj%  with  limitations  and  restrictions  on  every  hand, 
of  which  we  are  unconscious  because  they  are  so  customary  and 
necessary.  And  observe  this ;  the  more  any  man  or  woman  acts 
not  from  mere  inclination  or  self-interest  but  from  a  sense  of  dut}^ 
the  more  he  or  she  is  admired  and  considered  to  possess  a  noble 
character.  It  might  be  assumed  therefore  that  he  who  would  strive 
for  perfect  nobility  of  character  must  act  always  from  a  sense  of  duty 
and  never  because  of  mere  inclination.  The  inclination  is  merely 
the  survival  of  the  force  which   guided  the  animal  before  it  had  any 


544  'Tho  Theosophist.  [June 

reasoning  faculty.  The  seUvSe  of  duty  or  regard  for  others,  of  doing 
the  right,  with  all  that  that  implies,  is  the  humanity,  the  divinity 
which  is  gradually  replacing  the  animal  in  the  evolving  creature. 
In  proportion  as  man  becomes  rational,  intelligent  and  wise,  the  sense 
of  duty,  of  regard  for  others,  colours  a  greater  and  greater  number  of 
his  actions.  In  proportion  as  he  is  irrational,  non-intelligent, 
foolish,  so  is  he  a  mere  animal,  the  sense  of  duty  is  present  in  fewer 
and  fewer  of  his  actions,  and  it  is  ever  that  which  is  pleasant,  never 
that  which  is  right,  that  he  cares  for.  So  it  is  clear  that  all  human 
beings  who  are  furthest  removed  from  the  irrational  animal — that  is, 
who  are  most  advanced — must  proportionately  renounce  the  con- 
sideration of  the  personal  self  in  their  actions  and  ever  live  accord- 
ing to  duty,  just  as  those  who  are  furthest .  back  and  nearest  the 
animal  will  do  the  reverse.  And  the  animal  having  merely  its 
inclinations  to  guide  it,  is  incapable  of  practising  renunciation  or 
doing  the  right :  it  always  does  what  is, /or  //,  the  right,  but  it  does 
not  know  this.  In  so  far  as  man  advances  out  of  the  animal  stage, 
he  does  not  require  the  impulse  which  was  given  to  guide  the  brure : 
he  replaces  that  bj^  intelligence,  by  knowledge,  by  duty.  He  does 
the  right — whether  it  for  the  moment  be  pleasant  or  painful  to 
himself  does  not  matter.  At  the  present  day  this  line  of  action  is 
only  partly  followed.  This  is  because  men  have  only  performed 
part  of  their  evolutionary  march  from  the  animal  to  the  divine.  And 
so  what  is  considered  the  correct  thing  in  our  century  is,  to  put  in 
practice  renunciation  to  a  certain  conventional  extent,  and  to  a 
certain  extent  onl}- ;  to  regard  any  renunciation  beyond  that  as 
fanatical,  unnecessar}',  extreme,  etc.  For  the  average  citizen  of  the 
world  this  may  be  quite  proper.  But  in  endeavouring  to  look  for- 
ward, in  tr>^ing  to  ascend,  in  studying  the  characters  of  those  who 
have  gone  forward  and  who  do  not  therefore  occupy  the  evolution- 
ar>'  stand-point  that  the  average  citizen  of  the  world  at  present  does, 
we  should  not  commit  the  absurdity  of  supposing  that  our  ideal  man 
could  possibly  occupy  the  position  he  does  and  at  the  same  time  be 
the  sort  of  individual  that  we  find  ourselves ;  that  his  standard 
should  be  the  same  as  that  of  present-day  humanity.  Until  we  are 
quite  sure  that  we  imderstand  his  position,  it  will  be  better  not  to 
sneer  at  his  strange  ideas  of  duty  which  seem  to  take  away  so  much 
that  makes  life  pleasant.  If  we  want  the  things  which  tend  to  the 
aggrandisement  of  the  personal  self,  then  the  spiritual  man  will  be 
out  of  place  as  an  ideal,  as  an  example,  because  he  does  not  profess 
to  gather  those  things  for  himself  or  to  teach  others  how  to  gather 
them.  But  if  we  are  striving  to  understand  and  to  attain  to  a  higher 
evolutionary  level,  the  renunciation  of  the  divine  man  will  not 
surprise  us,  for  it  is  simply  a  reminder  that  so  long  as  the  animal 
and  the  personal  self  have  attractions  for  us,  the  advance  to  the 
divine  and  impersonal  cannot  be  made.  It  is  by  losing  these  at- 
tractions that  renunciation  steadily  increases  its  scope,  till  ultimately, 


1901.]  Renunciation.  545 

to  the  worldly  minded,  all  is  renounced  that  appears  to  make  life 
worth  living.  That  is  needless  to  say,  simply  because  the  worldly 
minded  do  not  see  the  substitute  for  that  which  has  been  renounced. 
Imagine  ourselves  for  a  moment  to  be  incapable  of  perceiving  any 
kind  of  illumination  other  than  that  produced  artificially.  Let  us 
suppose  we  are  observing  attentively  a  man  who  can  see  daylight 
and  who  is  gradually  snuffing  out,  one  by  one,  all  his  candles  because 
of  the  gradual  emergence  of  the  dawn.  He  has  a  reason  for  what 
he  is  doing,  and  when  the  last  of  his  rushlights  is  dispensed  with,  it 
is  because  the  sun  is  now  above  the  horizon.  We,  who  do  not  see 
the  dawn,  think  he  is  gradually  surrounding  himself  with  darkness 
and  consider  his  condition  to  be  miserable  indeed.  This  is  precisely 
what  is  involved  and  what  is  meant  by  renunciation*  The  key  to 
the  whole  .thing  is  the  emergence  of  substitutes  more  worthy 
in  every  respect  for  those  guides,  lower  in  every  respect,  which  are 
discarded  one  by  one  as  the  evolving  entity  rises  higher. 

There  are  a  good  many  different  kinds  of  renunciation,  but  they 
have  all  this  one  factor  in  common,  the  sacrifice  of  the  personal  self. 
There  are,  for  example,  (i)  Renunciation  of  the  sense  appetites. 
Observe,  this  does  not  mean  ceasing  to  gratify  the  senses.  That  is 
of  little  or  no  use.  It  is  renunciation  of  the  appetites  themselves. 
This  gives  self-control,  calmness  of  mind,  and  makes  possible  a 
higher  state  of  consciousness  than  is  common  to  present  humanity, 
(2)  Renunciation  of  self-love.  This  gives  the  death  blow  to  vanity 
and  pride  of  all  sorts,  and  replaces  these  with  true  humility.  (3) 
Renunciation  of  self-will.  That  eliminates  anger  and  discontent  with 
any  lot  or  fate  that  may  befall  us  or  befall  our  friends,  and  also  leads 
to  peace.  Without  adopting  a  laissez  /aire  attitude,  we  nevertheless 
cease  from  judging  and  condemning  others.  (4)  Renunciation  of 
the  fruit  of  action.  This  involves  indifference  to  success  or  failure, 
honour  or  disgrace,  etc.,  and  also  leads  to  calmness  of  mind,  or  peace. 
The  motive  of  action  is  no  longer  success,  and  therefore  success 
causes  no  exultation,  and  failure  is  not  feared.  In  like  manner 
praise  and  abuse,  gratitude  and  ingratitude  are  accepted  with  the 
same  serenity,  not  a  serenity  of  the  surface,  but  a  serenity  which  is 
deep  and  real,  proceeding  from  the  heart.  The  interests  that  the 
man  is  endeavouring  to  promote  are  no  longer  the  interests  of  his 
personality  but  much  wider  and  higher  ones.  The  personality  is 
merely  the  instrument  through  which  he  works.  He  is  therefore  in- 
different to  the  fruits  reaped  by  it.  Nature  works  on  and  the  law, 
he  knows,  is  utterly  just.  So  there  is  no  fretting,  for  the  lesson  has 
at  last  been  learned,  that  there  is  nothing  to  fret  about. 

It  is  a  great  mistake  to  suppose  the  path  of  renunciation  to  be 
a  doleful  one,  involving  a  kind  of  partial  suicide  and  ending  at  best 
in  a  kind  of  insanity,  not  to  say  annihilation.  This  is  how  it  seems 
to  the  man  who  is  not  willing  to  make  the  sacrifice,  just  as  the  ex- 
tinguishing of  the  rushlights  in  our  illustration  would  seem  an  an^ 


546  The  Theosophist.  [Juoe 

nihilation  of  the  light  to  those  who  could  not  perceive  the  sun. 
True  renunciation  is  really  a  following  of  the  better  path,  of  the  best 
path,  and  yields  the  best  results  like  all  obedience  to  the  law,  although 
from  the  stand-point  of  those  who  have  not  made  the  sacrifice  it  may 
look  like  a  crucifixion  and  indeed  is  a  crucifixion.  We  cannot  help 
it  being  a  sacrifice  and  any  given  renunciation  will  always  involve 
this  until  a  region  of  greater  light  is  entered  into.  But  we  will 
not  go  far  wrong  if  it  be  remembered  that  philosophically  and  actu- 
ally this  is  merely  an  appearance,  from  our  backward  stand-point, 
and  that  renunciation  is  not  really  a  giving  up  of  something  good 
with  the  sole  idea  of  inflicting  punishment  on  ourselves.  There  is 
no  more  merit  or  sense  in  that  than  in  any  other  kind  of  self  torture ; 
though  it  is  easy  to  see  how  this  misunderstanding,  like  so  ver}' 
many  others,  has  arisen  in  matters  pertaining  to  the  sphere  of  reli- 
gion. 

To  recapitulate.  Taking  a  bird*s-eye  view  of  the  scheme  of 
evolution,  the  necessity  for  renunciation  can  be  seen  and  what  part 
it  plays  in  that  scheme.  First  of  all  there  are  the  ascending  entities, 
up  to  man,  who  have  no  intellect,  no  knowledge  and  wisdom,  but 
merely  instinct.  The  only  clues  they  have  to  guide  them  are  their 
own  inclinations.  Renunciation  of  any  kind  is  not  possible  for 
them,  nor  is  it  necessary.  The  apparent  exceptions  are  not  real 
ones.  Then  we  come  to  the  emergence  of  the  mind  proper  in  man. 
He  is  able  to  deduce  lines  of  conduct  from  the  assimilations  of  his 
past  experience.  Inclination  is  no  longer  his  sole  guide  and  pain 
his  sole  deterrent,  as  in  the  case  of  animals.  The  possession  of 
mind  carries  with  it  the  sense  of  duty  as  a  guide  and  aid  to  inclina- 
tion. Besides  pain  he  has  the  sense  of  wrong  as  a  deterrent.  He, 
like  the  lower  animals,  has  inclination  and  pain,  but  unlike  them  he 
has  also  the  sense  of  duty,  the  sense  of  right  and  wrong.  Where 
these  conflict  with  inclination  he  has  to  act  contrary  to  inclination, 
in  other  words  to  renounce.  And  we  now  speak  of  man  in  his  most 
savage  state.  As  he  advances  in  wisdom,  duty  and  right  more  and 
more  replace  inclination,  that  is,  renunciation  is  more  and  more 
practised,  until  he  arrives  at  the  condition  of  things  at  the  present 

day. 

Now  if  instead  of  looking  back  we  care  to  look  forward,  the  in- 
evitable  conclusion,  judging  from  the  past,  must  be  that  the  number 
of  actions  performed  for  the  sake  of  duty  will  continue  to  increase 
and  the  number  of  actions  performed  for  the  sake  of  inclination 
\vill  continue  to  decrease.  In  the  perfect  man  nothing  will  be  done 
owing  to  personal  inclination,  and  everything  will  be  done  for  the 
sake  of  duty  or  because  it  is  right.  Attraction  and  repulsion  no 
longer  exist  for  him.  And  such  a  man,  instead  of  being  a  mere 
machine,  is  far  more  loving  and  compassionate  than  we  can  at 
present  even  conceive.  He  is  not  a  lover  of  form,  but  of  the  spirit 
which  forms  enshrine— that  spirit  which  is   one   ^nd  undivided 


1901.]  Matter  and  Us  Higher  Phases.  547 

and  which  is  not  slain  on  the  dispersion  of  the  form.  Therefore 
he  **  mourns  neither  for  the  living  nor  the  dead,"  not  because  he 
has  grown  hard  and  lifeless.  He  has  attained,  not  lo  the  conditioTi  of 
a  living  mummy,  but  to  the  very  opposite — complete  self-knowledge, 
Relf-control,  and  self-renunciation. 

Nor  is  this  matter  one  too  high  for  ordinary  people  and  hence 
a  comparatively  uninteresting  one,  to  be  left  to  more  advanced  men, 
and  so  forth.  As  has  been  seen,  renunciation  commences  neces- 
sarily with  the  very  dawn  of  the  intellect,  with  the  very  beginnings 
of  the  se^se  of  duty.  We  hear  a  good  deal  of  talk  about  initiation. 
Well,  renunciation  comes  before  initiation  and  hence  is  a  much 
more  practical  and  immediate  thing.  To  seek  for  initiation  and 
to  consider  purification  and  exaltation  of  the  character,  the  "  living 
of  the  life,"  to  be  of  quite  secondary  importance,  is  a  very  palpable 
error ;  it  is  in  fact  putting  the  cart  before  the  horse.  If  we  are  not 
interested  in  the  raising  of  the  character — and  very  deeply  interest- 
ed— then  no  amount  of  interest  in  initiation  will  be  of  any  avail. 
And  fortunately  so,  for  initiation,  even  could  it  be  given  under  such 
circumstances,  would  be  anything  but  a  blessing. 

Gkorge  I<.  Simpson, 


MATTER  AND  ITS  HIGHER  PHASES. 

\Conchtded Jrom p.  493] 

THE  point  arrived  at,  thus  far,  is  this  :  that  considering  the  nature 
of  infinitude,  the  physical  atom  cannot  possibly  be  the  last  ex- 
pression or  the  finest  state  of  matter. 

That  admitted,  there  stretch  in  ceaseless  states  beyond,  finer 
and  finer  grades  of  matter.  In  order  to  avoid  confusion  and  give 
clearness  to  the  subject,  it  becomes  necessary  that  certain  divisions 
should  be  marked  off"  in  these  states  of  matter,  and  distinctive  names 
given  to  each;  so  that  in  dealing  with  them  we  may  know  which 
particular  one  is  meant. 

These  states,  in  theosophic  terminology,  are  called  planes  ;  there- 
fore the  plane  on  which,  or  in  which,  we  live,  is  called  the  physical 
plane.  Beyond  this  is  the  astral  ;  and  in  succession  others  such  as 
the  Devachanic,  Buddhic  and  Nirvanic. 

These  are  not  all  the  planes,  but  quite  enough  for  our  present 
consideration. 

Each  of  these  planes  is  ensouled  by  a  consciousness  of  its  own 
particular  nature,  and  if  the  former  argument  has  been  admitted,  i.e., 
of  the  infinite  extension  of  matter,  one  can  hardly  fail  to  admit  the 
idea  of  an  infinite  extension  of  consciousness.  For  example,  let  us 
look  for  an  instant  down  the  scale  pf  matter.    Beginning  with  the 


548  The  Theosophist.  [June 

mineral,    there  is  not  a  great    deal  of  consciousness  manifest  iu  it 
to  the  superficial  observer,   neither  is  there  a  great  deal   of    it 
manifest  in  the  plant,  yet  it  may  be  noticed  in  the  opening  of  the 
flower  to  the  sun  ;  it  is  also  in  a  sense  conscious  of  the  rain.    These 
are  of  course  debatable  matters  which   do  not  touch    the  point  in 
hand,  therefore  we  will  pass  to  the  next  stage— that  of  the  fish.  There 
is  no  doubt  of  fish  consciousness,   it  having  organs  of  perception. 
There  are  the  birds  with  a  more  extended  consciousness,  having 
more  perceptive  faculty  ;  then    the   animal    with  a  still  greater 
extension  ;  until  we   reach  man,  the  supposed   limit.    Then  here 
in  man,   look  at  the   difference    in  degree  of    consciousness  in 
an  Australian   black  and  a  Huxley  or  a  Spencer,  or    any  other 
of  our    great    men.     Does    our    reason    bid    us  stop  here,   and 
assert  that  man  possesses  the    ultimate    of  consciousness  ?    We 
started  low  down  in    the  mineral,  and  noticed  how,    in   rising, 
the  consciousness  expanded    with   every  stage,   until  we  reached 
'man.     Is  the  human  form    the    final   home    of   consciousness? 
Is  man  the  possessor  of  all  consciousness  ?    Is  he  omniscient  ?    If 
that  is  so,  if  man  is  the  apex  and  the  crown  of  evolution,  then  infin- 
itudp  has  no  meaning  at  all  for  us.     If  man  is  finite,  how  can  we 
say  that  he  is  the  highest  form  of  conscious  existence  ?  Huxley  tells 
us  that  it  is  conceivable  to  suppose,  that  above  man  are  grades  of 
intelligences  which  rise  in  ascending   scale  until  a  Single  Intelli- 
gence is  reached.    And  what  other  conclusion  can  we  come  to,  with 
the  idea  of  infinitude  before  us  ?  With  infinitude  goes  the  idea  that 
man  is  but  one  aspect  of  conscious  existence,  with  innumerable 
others  stretching  in  both  directions— some  below,  which  are  manifest ; 
and  others  above,  which   stretch    out  into  the  unknowable.    Now 
why  are  we  called  upon  to  consider  that  consciousness  is    impossi- 
ble in  matter  finer  than  the  ph3''sical  ?    Make  a  study  of  the  brain 
and  its  consciousness,  and  what  do  we  find  ?  Our  anatomists  are  not 
able  to  get  a  clear  understanding  of  consciousness,  simply  because 
they  are  dealing  with  matter  and  force  in  such  attenuated  conditions 
that  they  cannot  grasp  them  in  any  way   whatsoever.    The  brain  is 
the  most  marvellous  piece  of  mechanism   that  we  know  of ;   and 
what  is  more,  this  same  brain  is  partly  composed  of  matter  in  a  very 
attenuated  form,  so  that  consciousness,  the  greatest  phenomenon  we 
know  of,  depends  upon  the  most  refined  order  of  matter,  and  not 
alone  upon  its  dense,  objective  aspect. 

So,  if  we  begin  with  the  dense  tangible  matter,  we  find 
that,  as  we  rise  and  treat  of  the  more  refined,  the  greater  and 
more  marked  are  its  potentialities ;  so,  even  from  .this  plane  we 
see  that  the  greatest  phenomena  are  the  salient  characteristics  of  the 
most  attenuated  matter.  And  why  should  such  a  decided  rule,  that 
obtains  from  the  very  mineral  up  to  brain  consciousness,  cease 
when  it  has  reached  that  point  ?  Might  we  not  expect  that  the 
rule  of**  finer  matter,  greater  powers,  "  continues  beyond  the  brain— 


1901.]  Matter  and  its  Higher  Phases.  549 

and  if  so,  we  would  have,  with  a  brain  composed  of  finer  matter,  a 
wider  consciousness.  What  has  made  man  so  presumptuous  as  to 
suppose  that  only  that  which  he  could  cognise  with  his  limited 
senses  was  real  and  tangible  ?  Here  is  man  with  an  admittedly 
finite  consciousness,  declaring  that  solely  with  a  brain  built  of 
physical  matter,  can  there  be  consciousness.  He  started  first  of  all 
with  the  idea  that  matter  in  its  gross  material  state,  right  up  to  the 
finest  gas,  was  the  only  state  of  matter  that  could  possibly  exist. 
In  the  next  breath  he  speaks  of  infinitude,  yet  denies  infinitude  of 
matter.  And  why  does  he  deny  infinitude  of  matter?  simply 
because  he  cannot  cognise  it,  and  allows  his  intellect  to  be  the  slave 
of  his  perceptive  faculties.  What  tests  does  he  apply  in  his  denun- 
ciation of  higher  or  more  refined  grades  of  matter  than  the  physical  ? 
In  his  early  days  he  denied  the  existence  of  any  thing  which  his 
senses  could  not  perceive ;  which  is  stupid  enough,  even  to  the 
school-boy's  reason.  He  would  deny  that  water  was  teeming  with 
life,  because  he  could  not  perceive  that  life.  Then  he  discovered 
the  microscope  and,  wonder  of  wonders,  he  learned  to  doubt  his 
senseSf^and  give  preference  to  this  microscope^  of  his  ;  and  many  other 
instruments  has  he  discovered,  which  make  liars  of  the  senses. 
And  then  what  was  the  attitude  of  progressing  man  ?  He  began  to 
deny  ever)rthing  that  his  instruments  could  not  convey  to  him,  and 
nought  existed  for  him  which  they  could  not  register.  And  this  is 
even  the  attitude  of  man  now — he  will  not  accept  a  thing,  unless  it 
be  demonstrated  to  him  ;  and  an  hypothesis  being  given  him,  he 
cries  aloud  for  proof.  And  you  will  always  notice  with  what  self- 
complacency  a  man  asks  for  this  proof;  he  is  proud  that  he  is  not 
to  be  "  had  by  chaff" — not  to  be  fooled  into  believing  a  thing,  until 
it  is  proved  to  him.  To  him  it  is  perfectly  justifiable  to  reject  a 
thing  until  it  is  proved ;  and  to  his  mind  it  argues  a  certain  weak- 
ness in  the  one  who  dabbles  in  theories.  And  what  is  the  result  of 
this  line  of  procedure  ?  It  is  simply  that  the  theorist  by  his  efforts 
gains  proof  in  time,  whilst  the  other  gets  it  only  second-hand.  With 
regard  to  most  physical  plane  phenomena,  the  proof  obtained  by  one 
may  be  shown  to  others ;  but  with  the  hypothesis  of  Theosophy  it 
is  not  always  so.  The  theosophist  accepts  the  idea  of  finer  grades 
of  matter  and  an  extended  consciousness,  on  reasonable  evidence 
alone  and  the  knowledge  he  picks  up  in  various  books  ;  and  by  effort 
he  so  develops  himself  that  he  becomes  conscious  of  them ;  and  then 
it  is  proved  to  him.  Such  proof  he  cannot  of  course  give  to 
others,  therefore  the  others  remain  in  their  ignorance.  So  this  is 
the  result  to  the  one  who  persistently  cries  out  for  proof— he  remains 
behind,  whilst  the  more  intelligent  person  accepts  the  reasonable 
h5rpothesis,  and  gets  his  reward.  It  is  only  the  one  who  is  unused 
to  abstract  thinking  that  so  persistently  cries  for  proof,  showing 
that  he  does  not  understand  the  value  and  importance  of  the  reason- 
ing faculty.     Proof  of  a  thing  (except  in  some  experimental  cases  or 


550  The  Theosophist.  [June 

accidental  discoveries)  can  perhaps  never  be  had,  unless  in  the  first 
place  a  chain  of  yet  unproven  reasoning  has  preceded.  Our  reason- 
ing faculties  would  be  of  no  earthly  use  to  us,  if  they  were  simply 
used  to  understand  what  is  already  demonstrated.  These  faculties 
are  the  pioneers  of  progress ;  and  did  they  not  go  in  advance,  in  the 
same  way  as  the  pioneers  of  a  colony,  no  new  fields  of  knowledge 
could  be  opened  up  ;  no  more  would  there  be  new  countries  opened 
up  if  people  hesitated  to  go  to  them  until  it  was  proved  to  them 
that  the  country  was  a  good  and  a  promising  one.  The  proof 
of  that  cannot  be  had,  until  after  several  years  of  trial  and  trust. 
Just  so  with  the  fields  of  research  lying  in  front ;  they  have  to  be 
ploughed  by  the  plough  of  reason ;  and  until  they  are  first  of  all 
tested  in  this  way,  no  proof  of  their  value  is  to  be  obtained. 

Dropping  this  divergence,  w^e  may  now  return  to  our  original 
line  of  reasoning,  and  see  to  what  further  stage  it  may  reach.  We 
had  rested  our  thought  on  man,  and  sought  to  see  what  it  was  that 
made  him  think  he  possessed  the  highest  state  of  consciousness 
on,  or  in  connection  with,  this  earth.  This  is  the  idea  of  man — that 
no  state  of  rational  consciousness  exists,  apart  from  a  physical 
brain.  Now  I  should  like  to  ask  if  that  is  a  demonstrated  fact? 
If  on  the  one  hand  it  is  impossible  to  demonstrate  to  the  ph^^sical 
consciousness,  that  there  is  a  consciousness  beyond  it  (which  is  al- 
most equivalent  to  expecting  the  infinite  to  be  comprehended  by 
the  finite)  ;  still,  on  the  other  hand,  it  is  equally  undemonstrable  that 
physical  brain  consciousness  is  the  highest  or  anything  approaching 
it.  And  this  is  a  theory  held  most  tenaciously  by  the  man  who  so 
loudly  demands  proof  for  all  that  is  presented  to  him. 

Before  a  man  can  conclude  that  there  is  no  finer  grade  of 
matter  than  the  physical,  before  he  can  convince  himself  that  the 
physical  brain  consciousness  is  the  only  one  for  man  to  experience, 
before  he  denies  the  possibility  of  a  brain  being  constituted  of 
matter  more  attenuated  than  the  physical,  and  which  possesses  a 
clearer,  a  wider  consciousness — before  he  can  do  this,  he  must  have 
dwarfed  the  universe  to  the  measure  of  his  own  intellect. 

What  has  originated  the  idea  that  physical  brain  consciousness 
is  the  sole  one  for  man  to  enjoy  ?  Is  it  because  of  its  very  inferiority, 
that  it  cannot  conceive  of  a  stage  beyond  itself?  So  it  would  seem, 
for  the  only  methods  that  this  intellect  has  used,  have  been  its 
senses  and  physical  plane  appliances.  These  failing  to  discover 
anything  beyond  itself,  it  has  been  concluded  that  nought  else  of 
conscious  existence  is.  These,  then,  are  the  only  reasons  why  a 
higher  plane  of  consciousness  is  denied— simply  because  the  appli- 
ances pertaining  to  the  physical  plane  fail  to  discover  anything 
further. 

Is  this  reason  sufficiently  good  for  such  a  denial  of  higher  states 
of  consciousness  ?  One  would  hardly  think  so.  It  isn't  demon- 
strated proof,  and  what  is   more,   is   not  likely  to  be.    Having 


1901.]  Matter  and  its  Higher  t^hases.  651 

seen  that  it  is  impossible  to  disprove  the  existence  of  a  higher  plane 
than  the  physical,  because  it  is  deyond  it,  and  having  also  seen  that 
it  cannot  possibly  be  demonstrated  to  brain  consciousness,  for  the 
same  reason,  it  will  then  be  asked — well,  how  then  are  we  to  become 
cognisant  of  it  ? 

It  must  be  first  of  all  through  the  reason;  for  the  reason — or 
rather  that  which  reasons — belongs  to  this  plane  and  therefore  is  a 
connecting  link  between  these  two  planes. 

Now  the  reasoning  faculty  is  so  limited  by  its  brain  appa- 
ratus,  that  if  it  were  left  to  itself,  many  and  many  a  long  year  it  would 
perhaps  pass,  before  it  could  convey  to  its  brain  consciousness  any 
adequate  idea  of  what  a  higher  plane  is.  And  this  is  the  reason 
why  the  bulk  of  the  knowledge  known  to-daj^  as  Theosophj%  lias 
been  given  out.  The  inductive  method,  which  would  take  millenia 
to  arrive  at  a  complete  chain  of  reasoning,  would  show  that  matter 
in  finer  states  than  the  physical  must  necessarily  exist.  And 
even  then,  when  it  had  done  this,  it  could  not  arrive  at  a  realisa- 
tion of  these  planes  without  further  help.  And  this  is  yet  another 
reason  why  these  higher  planes  are  denied — simply  because  this 
inductive  method  has  not  yet  been  so  developed,  as  to  have  led  up 
to  such  conclusions.  And  many  a  weary  year  (and  may  be  centu- 
ries) would  it  have  occupied  our  philosophers  before  they  had 
developed  their  inductive  reasoning  up  to  this  point.  So  that  here 
lies  the  reason  why  we  should  in  a  measure  lay  aside  this  inductive 
reasoning,  and  take  the  knowledge  that  is  presented  to  us  to-day  as 
Theosophy.  In  the  first  place  we  noticed  how  much  more  rapidly 
the  inductive  reasoner  went  ahead  than  the  practical  man ;  and 
here  we  see  how  much  further  the  man  is  advanced  who  takes 
the  general  Truths  of  Theosophy  and  reasons  from  them  forwaid. 
I  would  not  argue  that  we  should  lay  aside  altogether  this  inductive 
method  of  reasoning,  for  it  has  proved  itself  invaluable  in  the  build- 
ing up  of  philosophy  and  science.  But  it  does  appear  that  if  there  be 
a  stage  of  progress  beyond  the  "  prove  as  you  go  process, "  which  is 
what  we  call  the  philosophic,  then  beyond  the  philosophic  method 
of  inductive  reasoning  is  the  plan  chosen  by  those  intelligences 
behind  the  scenes,  of  placing  a  bulk  of  knowledge  before  mankind 
which  gives  an  impetus  to  thought  that  no  other  line  of  procedure 
could  do.  As  before  said,  if  man  were  left  to  himself  and  his 
unaided  reasoning,  his  progress  would  be  immeasurably  slower  than 
if  he  accepts  the  teaching  given.  Once  the  philosopher  is  in  posses- 
sion of  a  truth  gained  in  this  wise,  he  can  easily  build  up  and  adopt 
his  philosophy  to  this  truth,  still  keeping  to  his  exact  reasoning. 
Now  had  he  not  had  this  exalted  truth  presented  to  him,  it  would 
take  him — well,  in  fact  he  couldn't  reach  it  in  one  life. 

So  that  by  this  giving  out  of  advanced  thought  by  the  Masters, 
the  progress  of  thought  is  hastened  just  as  much    beyond  the 


552  The  Theosophist.  [June 

philosopher,  as  the  philosopher  is  beyond  the  practical,  prove-as- 
you-go  individual. 

The  reason  why  this  teaching  would  appeal  to  some,  is  because 
the  Ego  belongs  to  a  higher  plane  than  the  physical.  In  plenty  of 
cases  this  Ego  is  conscious  of  these  higher  planes,  but  is  not  able 
to  impress  upon  its  physical  brain  the  knowledge  of  them — ^because 
of  the  obtrusive  nature  of  the  physical  plane  which  makes  it  appear 
as  the  only  real  one.  I,et  us  suppose  that  there  was  such  an  Ego, 
which  was  conscious  of  a  higher  plane,  yet  not  able  to  convey  an 
idea  of  it  to  its  brain  consciousness.  Now  unless  this  Ego  were  a 
very  powerful  one,  it  could  not  impress  its  brain  sufficiently  to 
make  it  understand  the  nature  of  a  higher  plane.  The  fault  of 
this  inability  is  mainly  due  to  the  clumsiness  of  the  brain ;  and  we 
all  know  that  we  cannot  get  a  good  tune  from  a  bad  instrument,  no 
matter  how  apt  the  player.  If  this  position  is  grasped,  we  will 
readily  see  that  the  very  best  thing  to  do  would  be  to  attack  the 
brain  in  both  directions  as  it  were ;  by  presenting  to  the  brain  this 
knowledge  through  the  ordinary  channel  by  books,  lectures,  etc., 
and  by  .specially  training  the  brain  itself.  What  is  more,  we  can 
also  readily  perceive  that  certain  Egos  would  immediately  respond 
to  such  teaching — hence  explaining  the  ejaculation  of"  O,  just  w^hat 
I  want,'*  as  expressed  by  so  many  who  come  into  contact  with 
Theo&oph3\  And  this  is  just  the  effect  that  was  looked  for  and  just 
the  eflfect  that  was  meant  to  be  produced. 

Is  there  any  need  of  proof  in  such  a  case?  Those  who  have  had 
the  experience  will  certainly  say  **  no,"  for  what  has  been  done  is 
this — a  closer  connection  has  been  set  up  between  the  Ego  and  its 
brain.  And  when  once  the  Ego  has  impressed  the  braiu  in  that 
way,  a  feeling  of  conviction  goes  with  it. 

There  is  no  call  upon  us  to  stop  reasoning  at  this  point,  because 
we  should  not,  in  most  cases,  be  satisfied  until  we  had  established 
such  conviction  by  the  most  exact  reasoning. 

To  arrive  at  such  a  point  we  have  been  necessitated  to  build 
hypothesis  upon  hypothesis,  until  the  practical  man  would  shudder 
and  talk  of  "  stuflFand  nonsense.*'  But  previously  we  have  dealt  with 
the  practical  man,  and  shown  that  his  position  is  not  that  of  the 
leader  of  progress,  but  of  the  slow  and  sure  follower  in  the  steps  of 
the  philosophers.  So,  cries  for  proof  should  not  alarm  us ;  for 
they  are  simply,  in  the  majority  of  cases,  the  outpourings  of  an  empty 
mind. 

We  may  now  perhaps  advantageously  summarise  the  foregoing, 
bringing  the  separate  lines  of  argument  to  bear  on  one  point. 
First  of  all,  we  dealt  with  the  subdivision  of  matter  until  a  simple 
homogenous  substance  was  reached,  which  might  be  termed  the 
primordial  element.  Then  \^^  began  a  subdivision  of  the  atom.  It 
might  be  objected  here  that  the  atom  is  indivisible  ;  but  that  of 
course  depends  upon  a  definition  of  terms.    By  ati  atom,  I  udder* 


1$01.]  Matter  and  Us  Higher  Phases.  563 

stand  the  smallest  conceivable  physical  object.  If  it  be  said  that 
this  cannot  be  divided  into  other  physical  parts,  we  agree ;  so  that 
from  that  point  it  is  true  that  the  atom  is  indivisible.  But  from  the 
tbeosophical  stand-point  the  physical  atom  is  divisible  into  its 
etheric  and  astral  constituents. 

If  it  be  still  argued  that  the  atom  is  indivisible,  we  may  agree  on 
the  point  that  the  indivisible  atom  may  be  called  A'kash,  which  is 
not  the  physical  atom. 

This  is  altogether  a  matter  of  conception ;  one  man  is  not 
able  to  get  beyond  the  conception  of  a  physical  atom,  whilst 
another  may  do  so  with  ease. 

Some  savages  cannot  count  past  three  or  four,  whilst  another 
man  can  treat  of  millions.  It  is  all  a  matter  of  development— -one  man 
reaching  with  ease  a  conception  that  another  man  staggers  under. 
Dropping  this  side  issue  and  returning.to  our  summary,  we  noted 
that  the  atom  was  reducible  to  its  etheric  and  astral  constituents, 
whilst  these  again  were  reducible  to  A'kash. 

If  this  be  so,  then  we  get  an  understanding  of  why  it  is  that 
chemists  have  not  discovered  the  primordial  element ;  for  by  this  it 
is  seen  that  it  is  far  beyond  the  physical  plane  ;  and  the  chemist  so 
far,  though  postulating  ether,  is  not  at  all  able  to  cognise  it  in  any 
way — and  until  be  is  in  some  way  able  to  grasp  the  etheric,  he,  is  a 
long  way  from  discovering  the  primordial  element. 

Unless  there  were  diflferent  classes  of  atoms — still  atoms  as  re- 
gards size,  yet  diflFering  in  character — unless  this  were  so,  how  could 
we  possibly  have  such  a  differentiated  state  of  things  as  we  have  ? 

If  every  atom  be  identical  with  its  fellow,  could  we  possibly  have 
such  diversity  as  we  have  ?  The  differentiating  process  would  simply 
consist  in  the  atoms  combining  in  different  numbers  ;  for  what  other 
procedure  is  conceivable  ?  And  such  a  course,  it  seems  to  me,  would 
hardly  account  for  the  diversity  we  have  at  present. 

But  if  to  sufficiently  account  for  this  diversity  we  postulate 
atoms,  although  of  the  same  size,  yet  of  different  character  ;  then  we 
would  likewise  have  to  admit  that  such  atoms  are  divisible ; 
because,  for  an  atom  to  manifest  a  different  characteristic,  argues 
a  difference  in  constitution. 

If  the  foregoing  argument  be  sound,  then  we  see  that  it  is  not  in 
the  division  of  substances  that  we  shall  find  the  primordial  element, 
but  verily  in  the  division  of  the  atom ;  for  A'kasha,  the  first  element 
according  to  Theosophy,  is  a  long  way  beyond  the  physical  atom. 

Also,  if  the  foregoing  arguments  be  sound,  how  can  we  consider 
that  which  lies  beyond  our  sense  perceptions  (though  not  beyond 
our  reason)  to  be  unreal — for  here  we  have  a  substance  which,although 
even  beyond  our  complete  comprehension,  yet  contains  potentially 
eyer3rthing.  If  we  have  anything  here,  it  must  be  potentially  there 
in  that  A'kasha — consciousness,  or  anything  else  we  may  think  of. 
And  can  we  convince  ourselves  that  the  sole  attribute  of  this  element 
6 


554  The  Theosophlst.  [June 

is  potentiality?  Must  not  it  also  have  its  active,  its  phenomenal 
aspect  as  well  ?  And  if  so,  must  not  such  phenomena  outweigh  in 
importance  and  reality,  the  phenomena  of  its  manifested  aspect—the 
physical  plane? 

This  primordial  element  could  not  possibly  emanate  a  universe 
with  greater  attributes  than  it  had  itself ;  therefore  we  may  infer 
that  its  attributes  are  at  least  equal  to  those  manifested ;  and  it 
would  not  be  unreasonable  to  infer  that  its  attributes  far  and  away 
outbalance  tliose  of  its  manifested  aspect.  So  that  instead  of  space 
being  an  empty  void,  it  is  of  exceptional  fulness— containing  that 
which  is  beyond  the  ken  of  brain  intellect ;  and  if  we  could  so  raise 
ourselves  in  thought,  we  might  realise  that  the  consciousness  of 
earth,  which  looms  so  largely  to  the  view  of  Western  thought,  is 
really  of  a  very  insignificant  nature  when  compared  with  that 
of  the  conscious  entities  that  exist  in  infinite  space. 

Thus  raising  our  conceptions,  and  realising  that  man's  conscious- 
ness is  truly  finite— an  idea  that  few  seem  to  thoroughly  realise— an 
impetus  will  be  given  to  our  thoughts  and  lives  which  will  usher  in 
a  new  epoch  ;  and  we  shall  strive  to  break  the  bonds  that  bind  us 
to  the  commonplace  things  of  earth,  and  seek  a  realisation  of  that 
consciousness  which  is  the  consciousness  of  the  Gods. 

F.  M.  Parr, 


RA'MA  GFTA'. 

[  Contimied  from  page  498 .  ] 

CHAPTER  V. 

Hanuman  said:  ^ 

O  Holy  one,  Master  of  all  the  worlds  !  O  Ocean  of  knowledge 
of  Vedic  meanings  !  O  S'ri  Rama,  seat  of  pleasure  for  all !  O 
RSghava,  fond  of  devotees !  Having  drunk  enough  through  my  ears, 
of  the  description  of  Jivanmukta,  which  streamed  forth  like  nectar 
from  Thy  lotus-like  face,  I  have,  no  doubt,  become  satiated. 

(I  &  2). 

Even  then,  some  doubt  has  risen  in  my  mind.  When  the  body 
which  is  due  to  PrSrabdha  continues  to  exist,  how  can  Videhamukti 
be  attained  ?  (3) 

Videhamukti  is  attained  by  Jivanmukta  after  his  death.  Dis- 
carding this  well-known  interpretation,  Thou  hast  said  otherwise.(4) 

If  it  be  contended  that  he  is  called  a  Videhamukta  on  account  of 
his  being  devoid  of  the  idea  that  the  body  is  the  Ski^f,  then,  he.  is 
on  a  par  with  Jivanmukta,  as  he  has  no  other  distinguishing  peculi- 

?rity»  (5) 


1901.]  The  kama  Gita.  B6B 

If  it  be  said  that  his  forgetting  the  body  is  the  peculiarity  that 
marks  off  a  Videhamukta,  then,  it  is  but  pronouncing  a  eulogium  on 
him.     He  has  not  attained  the  real  state  of  Videhamukti.  (6) 

When  the  body  of  him  who  either  believes  in  the  illusory 
^nature  of  it  or  who  entirely  forgets  it,  dies  here,  such  death 
itself,  in  my  opinion,Jis  that  (Videhamukti).  (7) 

S'ri  RSma  said  : 

O  Son  of  Marut !  Because  he  forgets  his  body,  he  is  a  Videha- 
mukta  even  when  the  body  which  is  the  effect  of  Prarabdha  contin- 
ues to  exist.  (8) 

O  Hanuman  !  What  I  have  told  you  is  the  real  secret  meaning 
of  all  the  Upanishads  and  it  cannot  be  otherwise.  (9) 

When  the  body  finally  falls  down  (dead),  the  Formless  One  (/.<?., 
the  Nirgunatita  Brahman)  which  is  far  removed  from  bondage  and 
emancipation,  is  then  attained  without  effort.*  (10) 

He  is  called  a  Jivanmukta  who  has  neutralised  the  essential 
nature  of  his  Sa^iipa  Chitta  (i,  <f.,  the  mind  associated  with  forms), 
and  the  only  function  of  whose  mind  is  to  cognise  the  undivided 
Universal  Intelligence  in  the  form  of  supreme  effulgence,  on  account 
of  his  firm  conviction  that  all  other  things  are  illusory.  (11) 

He  is  called  a  Videhamukta  who  has  neutralised  the  essential 
nature  of  his  Arupa  Chitta  (/.^.,  the  mind  unassociated  with  forms), 
and  who  has  identified  himself  with  the  Akhandaikarasa  (/.<?.,  the 
Blissful  Nature  of  the  One  undivided  Universal  Essence)  on  account 
of  his  having  forgotten  everything  else,  (12) 

To  thee  who  art  the  most  deserving  disciple  and  devotee,  and 
who  considers  the  supreme  ParamStman  as  the  seat  of  his  love, 
what !   (to  such  a  one)  shall  I  teach  the  eulogistic  passages  as  true  ? 

(13) 
Thou  shalt  know  that  that  Mukti  which  transcends  Videha- 
mukti, which  is  attained  after  the  fall  of  the  body,  and  which  is  be- 
yond speech  and  mind,  is  not  a  state  (of  consciousness).  (14) 
He     alone  k   Videhamukta  whose    Varnasramich&ras  t  here 
slip  away  from  him  of  their  own  accord,  like  the  flower  that  slips 
4own  from  the  hand  of  the  man  who  is  overtaken  by  sleep.         (15) 
He  alone  is  Videhamukta  who  is  not  affected  by  comfort  or  dis- 
comfort when  his  body  is  worshipped  by  good  people  or  when  it  is 
molested  by  bad  people.                                                                    (16) 

*  Videhamukti  is  said  to  be  of  two  kinds.  Tlie  Gauna  or  secondary,  and  the 
Mukhya  or  chief. 

The  Secondary  Videhamukti  is  attained  when  the  body  exists  and  when  he 
forgets  it  through  the  effect  of  the  three  higher  Sam^dhis,  vut,  the  Nissankalpa, 
Nirvrittika  and  Nirv&sana. 

The  chief  Videhamukti  is  attained  without  any  effort  on  that  account,  when 
the  Prirabdha  body  wears  out  and  falls  dead.  Nirgunfttita  Brahman  which  iis 
beypnd  mind  and  speech,  is  then  alone   reached  by  him. 

t  VarnasVamdchara :  A'chara  or  conduct  pertaining  to  one's  Varnu 
or  Caste  and  A'sWama  or  order  of  religious  life,  viz^  that  of  Brahniachftrin  or  stu** 
dent,  householder,  etc. 


556  f  he  Theosophist.  [June 

That  chief  among  the  Yogins  is  alone  Videhamukta  whose 
behaviour  is  like  that  of  a  child,  an  insane  man,  or  a  ghost  UHs^dcha) 
and  who  is  ever  free  from  all  kinds  of  aiQictions.  (17) 

He  alone  is  Videhamukta  who  is  devoid  of  this  or  that  notion, 
who  is  free  from  egoism,  and  who  has  no  such  idea  as  that  or 
thou*  (18) 

He  alone  is  Videhamukta,  in  whose  mind  there  never  arises 
here  at  any  time,  the  idea  of  separateness  such  as  Brdhmana, 
Kshatriya,  Vais'ya,  and  S'ftdra.  (19) 

That  wise  man  alone  is  Videhamukta  who  like  the  deaf,  the 
dumb,  the  blind,  the  lame  and  the  eunuch,  is  devoid  of  liis  Indriyas 
or  the  powers  of  the  organs.  (20) 

He  aloue  is  Videhamukta,  before  whom  worldly  affairs  never 
shine  (because  he  takes  no  cognisance  of  them)  and  who  is  entirely 
free  from  such  states  of  consciousness  as  the  waking,  etc.  (21) 

That  P&mitman  (or  fully  developed  Sei,f)  is  alone  Videhamukta 
in  whom  the  differences  caused  by  the  seer,  sight  and  the  seen  do 
not  even  rise  in  the  mind.  (22) 

He  alone  is  Videhamukta  of  whom  the  cattle  or  domestic  ani- 
mals, birds,  and  beasts  are  never  afraid  and  who  also,  in  like  man- 
ner, is  never  afraid  of  them.  (23) 

Him  the  senses  do  not  touch  who  has  the  form  of  Akhandai- 
karasa,  who  has  Akhandaikarasa  for  his  food  and  who  is  seated  in 
Akhandaikarasa.t  (24) 

Him  the  wise  worship  whose  only  observance  is  Akhandaika- 
rasa, whose  only  asylum  is  Akhandaikarasa  and  who  is  drowned  in 
Akhandaikarasa.  (25) 

Him  the  VedSntas  proclaim  whose  delight  is  Akhandaikarasa, 
whose  attention  is  always  directed  to  Akhandaikarasa  and  who  is 
dissolved  in  Akhandaikarasa.  (26) 

He  is  said  to  be  established  in  Wisdom,  who  knows  not  even 
an  atom  other  than  Akhandaikarasa  even  for  a  moment.  (27) 

He  is  said  to  be  established  in  Wisdom,  who  i^  never  agitated, 
who  is  extremely  solemn  like  the  waveless  ocean  and  who  is  motion- 
less and  changeless.  (28) 

He  is  said  to  be  established  in  Wisdom,  whose  condition  being 
similar  to  that  of  ajagara  (a  huge  snake  that  can  hardly  move  about) 
is  as  unshakable  as  the  mountain  Meru,  and  who  is  devoid  of  all 
modifications.  (29) 

He  is  said  to  be  established  in  Wisdom  in  whom  the  knowledge 
that  '•  I  am  Videhamukta"  is  never  present  and  who  is  bodiless  even 
though  possessed  of  a  body.  (30) 

•That  or  thou:  The  wofd  *that'  applies  to  Param&tman  and*  thou'  to 
Pratyagitman.  Videhamukta  having  realised  the  identity  of  *  that*  and  *  tfaou\ 
has  no  reason  to  think  any  more  of  them. 

t  Akhandaikarasa  is  the  one  undivided  ebsense  of  the  Universal  Spirit  or  the 
Universal  Blissful  Intelligence. 


190i.]  The  Rama  C^ita.  ^Bi 

Hanuman  said  : 

O  Lord  !  My  obeisance  to  Thee,  O  Chief  of  the  Raghu  race  ! 
pardon  me,  for,  the  more  I  hear,  the  more  questions  I  have  to  ask.  {31) 

My  greatest  doubt  lies  there  where  Thou  hast  said  that  not  even 
au  atom  other  than  Akhandaikarasa  is  known  ( Vide,  Verse  27).  (32) 

Because  the  attainability  spoken  of  by  the  SVuti  refers  to  Hasa 
(i.e.,  the  Universal  Blissful  Essence)  alone,  it  follows  from  it  that 
there  should  be  one  who  obtains  It.  When  there  are  such  differ- 
ences as  (the  obtained),  the  one  who  obtains,  etc.,  how  can  non- 
duality  exist  ?  (33) 

Akhandaikarasa  (1.  c,  the  One  Undivided  Essence  of  BHss)  can 
only  be  spoken  of  in  relation  to,  or  as  contradistinguished  from,  the 
non-bliss  which  is  divided  and  dual  in  its  nature.  Whereas  the 
Absolute  (Nirgunatita)  Brahman  is  well-known  for  Its  independence 
and  neutrality  or  indifference.  (34) 

Nirguna  is  always  identified  with  It  (/.  <?.,  the  Nirgunitita)  and 
is  capable  of  being  discussed.  It  is  by  such  words  as  Akhandaika- 
rasa, etc.,  that  it  becomes  thus  capable  of  being  discussed.  (35) 

Deducibility,  mutability,  perfectibility  and  attainability  are 
characteristics  that  are  never  attributed  to  Brahman  even  by  the 
wise,  (36) 

Therefore,  Videhamukti  is  of  its  own  accord  attained  after 
death  by  Jivanmukta  without  his  efforts.  It  is  never  attained  by 
SamSdhis.  (37) 

As  even  the  condition  of  Jivanmukti  which  is  attained  by  Samfi- 
dhis,  becomes  piirvapaksha  {t.e,  the  prima  facie  view)  and  is  finally 
rejected,  I  am  of  opinion  that  it  is  Saguna  or  qualified.  (38) 

S  ri  Rama  said  : 

The  increase  of  doubts  here,  O  wise  one  !  is  beneficial  to  thee, 
because  thy  conviction  shall  thereby  become  perfect  and  strongcn(39) 

Even  though  thy  questions  be  too  many,  they  shall  not  rouse 
My  anger.  As  declared  by  S'tlltis,  Yijnavalkya  and  others  were  not 
angry  when  such  questions  were  put  to  them.  (40) 

How  can  non-duality  be  affected  if  it  is  taught  that  the  Blissful 
Atmdn  should  be  realised  ?  Whoever  has  seen  increase  of  darkness 
when  the  Sun  is  young,  i.  e.,  not  yet  high  in  the  sky  ?  (41) 

Where  is  to  be  had  a  reliever  of  his  own  accord  without  any 
desire  on  the  part  of  some  one  for  relief  ?  Without  your  desire  to 
obtain  the  Advaitic  relief,  the  Advaita  (of  its  own  accord)  cannot 
relieve  you.  (4a) 

If  indifference  and  other  characteristics  can  thus  be  attributed 
to  Paramatman,  It  must  also  be  capable  of  being  discussed.  It  is 
likewise  attainable  by  means  of  scriptural  passages.  (43) 

That,  of  which  it  was  said,  before,  that  it  is  beyond  mind  and 
speech,  is  incapable  of  being  questioned  by  you,  because  deducibil- 
ity, etc.,  ate  not  there.  (44) 


558  The  Theosophlst.  [June 

As  Nirguna  Brahmaa  has  (Sat-Chit-A'nanda)  form,  there  is  no 
contradiction  in  saying  that  It  can  gradually  be  attained  by  means 
of  Samadhis  recommended  for  the  two  kinds  of  Muktis  (the  Jivan- 
mukti  and  Videhamukti).  (45) 

It  is  improper  to  reject  Jivanmukti  on  the  score  of  its  being 
Saguna,  because  it  is  devoid  of  the  quality  of  Maya  and  because  it 
is  sought  after  by  Mumukshiis  (/.  ^.,  those  who  desire  liberation). 

(46; 

O  MSruti,  proficient  in  thinking  and  reasoning !  calmly  brood 
over  My  teachings  and  then  positively  hold  on  to  them.  (47) 

The  S'rutis  speak  of  Mandavya,  Janaka  and  many  others  who 
have  attained  Videhamukti.  Do  not  therefore  entertain  any  doubt 
regarding  this  matter.  (48) 

By  continuously  meditating  upon  the  Akhandaikarasa-Brah- 
man,  the  mind  is  very  soon  destroyed,  root  and  branch.  (49) 

When  the  Virupa  manas  (i-  e.,  the  mind  that  has  no  form  to 
cognise)  with  the  senses  is  destroyed,  Videhamukti  described 
above  is  attained.  (50) 

Those  that  have  become  entitled  to  Jivanmukti  have  completely 
detached  themselves  from  the  future  eflfects  of  Karma.  Those  that 
have  become  entitled  to  Videhamukti  have  completely  detached 
themselves  from  the  present  effects  of  Karma.  (51) 

We  can  only  offer  our  salutations  to  those  holy  beings  who 
dwell  in  forests  and  mountain  caves,  whose  minds  are  dissolved  in 
that  nectar  of  eternal  knowledge,  and  with  whoseilocks  of  hair  birds 
build  their  nests  over  their  heads.  (52) 

They  have  no  other  form  (besides  the  Formless),  all  their  bonds 
have  burst,  and  they  are  firmly  established  in  the  enjoyment  of 
Self  Buss  pertaining  to  the  Universal  Consciousness.  Verily, 
the  stay  of  these  most  elevated  beings  amongst  us,  even  for  a 
moment,  is  a  very  rare  thing.  (53) 

Among  a  crore  of  persons  there  will  be  one  Mumukshu,  among 
many  such  Mumukshus  there  will  be  one  who  possesses  the  know* 
ledge  of  the  supreme  Self.  Among  many  persons  possessing  such 
knowledge  there  will  be  one  Jivanmukta  and  among  many  such 
Jivanmuktas  there  will  be  one  Videhamukta.  (54) 

Even  the  thousand-faced,  the  four-faced,  the  six-faced,  or  the 
five-faced  (God)*  is  unable  to  know  the  nature  of  Videhamukta's 
SEI.F- Knowledge,  which  is  only  known  to  himself.  (55) 

Thus  in  the  glorious  Upanishad  of  Ra'ma  Gi'TA',  the 
Secret  meaning  of  the  Vedas,  embodied  in  the  second 
^dda  of  the  Upksani  KAnda  of  Tatva  S4rayana,  reads 
the  fifth  Chapter  entitled  : 

_: The    CONSiPCRATION    OF    VIDEHAMUKTI. 

•  God  of  thousaad  faces  is  A'di  S'^ha  ~~*      """"  ^ 

Do      four         Do      BrahmA 
Do      six  Do      Subrahmasya 

Do       five         Do      Paramesvara. 


1901.]  The  Rama  Gita.  5p9 

CHAPTER  VI. 
Hanuman  said  : 

O  Chief  of  the  Raghus!  O  Ocean  of  kindness!  O  Omnis- 
cient One !  By  Thy  grace  I  have  properly  understood  the  essence 
of  all  the  Vedanta.  (x) 

Even  then,  these  my  Indriyas  {i.e.,  the  powers  of  the  organs), 
Ml  upon  the  objects  of  senses  like  bees  that  swiftly  fall  upon  the 
cheek  or  temple  of  an  elephant  in  rut.  (2) 

O  Lord  !  How  shall  my  mind  which  is  attached  to  the  senses, 
be  able  to  attach  itself  to  that  which  is  beyond  the  senses,  is  the 
thought  which  burns  like  fire  within  uie.  (3) 

If  Thou  art  kind  to  me  (be  pleased  to)  tell  me  now,  how  these 
Indriyas  (/.  e.,  the  powers  of  the  organs)  may  be  detached  from  the 
objects  ot  senses.  (4) 

S'ri  R^ma  said  : 

O  Son  of  Marut !  I  shall  tell  thee  what  is  always  practised  by 
great  men  to  bring  about  this  non-attachment.  (5) 

(1)  Annihilation  of  Vasan^s  or  mental  impressions,  (2)  gnosis 
or  thorough  knowledge  of  Ski*f,  and  (3)  dissolution  of  mind,  these 
three  alone,  if  practised  well  and  simultaneously,  will  be  able  to 
overcome  the  (affection  that  the  powers  of  sense-organs  have  to- 
wards  the  objects  of)  senses.  (6) 

If  each  of  them  is  taken  separately  and  practised  one  after 
another,  the  desired  effect  is  never  produced  even  though  such 
practice  may  extend  to  a  very  long  period,  just  as  no  good  result  is 
produced  by  meditating  upon  the  scattered  portions  of  a  mantra 
or  incantation.  (7) 

If  thou  wilt  endeavour  to  cast  off  or  reject  the  vasanas,  thou 
shalt  not  be  able  to  bring  about  their  annihilation  as  long  as  the 
hiind  is  not  completely  neutralised.  (8) 

As  long  as  the  V&sanas  are  not  curbed,  so  long  will  the 
mind  not  become  quiescent,  and  until  the  knowledge  of  Tatva  or 
Truth  is  gained  (by  experience),  how  can  mental  tranquillity  be  ob- 
tained ?  (9) 

And  as  long  as  there  is  no  mental  quiescence  so  long  will  there 
be  no  knowledge  of  Tatva,  and  until  the  VasanSs  are  annihilated, 
how  can  Tatva  be  realised  ?  (10) 

As  long  as  Tatva  is  not  realised  so  long  will  there  be  no  ex- 
tinction of  Vdsanas.  And  as  the  knowledge  of  Tatva,  the  destruc- 
tion of  mind,  and  the  ^annihilation  of  VSsanSs  are  causes  which 
mutually  depend  upon  each  other  and  are  difficult  to  be  conquered 
separatel}^  thou  shalt,  after  abandoning  the  desire  for  enjoyment, 
practise  these  three  simultaneously.  (11  &  12) 


590  The  Theosophist.  [June 

O  MSruti  !  He  who  aspires  for  Videhamukti  must  necessarily 
realise  the  aforesaid  three  sddkanas  or  means,  without  which  it 
can  never  be  attained.  (13) 

Hanumin  said  : 

O  I/)rd  !  In  the  case  of  Jivanmukta  who  sees  the  identity  of 
Brahman  and  his  Self,  there  is  the  cessation  of  all  miseries  and  also 
the  attainment  of  Bliss.  (i^) 

If  these  mighty  material  VSsanfis  or  impressions  be  found  in 
him,  then  he  can  by  no  means  be  said  to  have  attained  here  the 
state  of  (Jivan)  Mukti.  (15) 

His  having  become  perfect  in  knowledge  and  his  having  attain- 
ed the  state  of  non-manas  (/.  c,  the  neutralised  condition  of  his 
mind)  are  well  known.  (Whereas)  the  secular  (or  transmigprator}') 
nature  of  the  ignorant  man  in  this  world  is  clear  enough  from  his 
(active)  mental  condition.  (16) 

O  I/)rd  !  Whoever  is  competent  to  practise  simultaneously  the 
three  (aforesaid)  means  ?  I  think  that  even  the  practice  of  one  of 
them  at  a  time  is  very  rare.  (17) 

S'ri  S.ama  said  : 

The  miseries  pertaining  to  those  Kamias  which  are  known  by 
the  name  of  A'gami  and  Sanchita  and  which  are  distinct  from  Pra- 
rabdha,  have  been  overcome  by  Jivanmukta.  (18) 

His  experience  of  Bliss  is,  no  doubt,  fettered  by  pains,  as  he  is 
subject  to  visible  misfortunes  (due  to  PrSrabdha),  but  in  the  case  of 
Videhamukta,  it  is  unfettered  Bliss  that  is  enjoyed  by  him.  (19) 

The  V&sanils  that  pertain  to  his  Pr&rabdha  (Karma)  are  unlike 
the  original  ones  and  they,  on  no  account,  become  obstacles  to  his 
Jivanmukti.  (20) 

He  (Jivanmukta)  has,  as  well,  attained  the  state  of  complete  vis- 
ion (wherein  he  has  an  accurate  perception  of  the  Universal  Sei*f), 
but  has  not  (gained  by  experience)  that  knowledge  of  being  one 
with  It.  His  Sarupa-Manas  has  been  destroyed,  but  he  has  not 
attained  the  state  of  non-manas  by  destroying  his  Arupa- Manas.  (21) 

Although  you  are  the  son  of  one  who  is  ever  in  motion,  as  you 
are  the  son  of  him  alone  who  is  not  attached  to  any  thing*  it  is  the 
one  like  you  in  this  world  who  is  competent  to  practise  all  the  three 
(aforesaid  means)  simultaneously.  (22) 

O  MSruti  I  Thou  art  not  affected  even  to  the  smallest  degree 
by  the  contagion  of  these  sense-objects.  Hence  I  full}'  believe  that 
the  practice  of  these  three  (means)  is  easy  for  you.  (23) 

As  long  as  these  three  are  not  equally  and  simultaneously  prac- 
tised over  and  over  again,  so  long  will  the  goal  be  never  reached 
even  after  hundreds  of  years.  (24) 

*  Although  Vayu,  the  spirit  presiding"  over  the  winds,  while  blowing^  on  all 
sides,  carries  with  him  the  fragrant  or  offensive  smell,  he  is  never  affected  by  such 
odour,  as  he  does  not  attach  himself  to  anything-.  The  worldly  man  is  therefore 
taught  here  to  copy  the  example  of  Vayu,  the  father  of  HanAmftn. 


1901],  The  Hatna  Gita.  561 

These  three  practised  for  a  long  time,  break,  without  doubt,  the 
strong  knots  of  the  heart,  just  as  when  the  lotus-stalk  is  broken  the 
threads  inside  it  are  also  broken.  (25) 

The  impressions  (that  we  have)  of  this  illusory  world  have  been 
acquired  (by  us)  through  the  experience  of  hundreds  of  past  births. 
They  are  never  destroyed  in  any  other  manner  than  by  a  long 
course  of  Yoga  practice.  (26) 

It  is  only  on  account  of  I/>ka-vasan&  (ideas  gained  from  the- 
world),  S  ^stra-VasanS  (ideas  gained  from  S'Sstra  or  learning),  and 
Deha-v^sana  (ideas  concerning  the  body)  that  knowledge  in  its  real 
state  is  not  gained  by  living  beings.  (27) 

The  multitudes  of  mental  impressions  in  thee  are  of  two  kinds, 
viz.,  the  pure  and  the  impure.  Of  these  two,  if  thou  art  led  by  the 
multitude  of  pure  Vasanas,  then  (being  gradually  led  by  it)  thou 
wilt  soon  attain  My  state.  By  destroying  the  multitude  of  impure 
Vfeanas,  thou  wilt,  instantly,  obtain  unfettered  self-contentment 
(/.r..  Bliss),  (28  &  29) 

O  Hanuman  !  If  the  effect  of  impure  VSsanas  place  thee  under 
diflSculty,  then  it  should  be  overcome  by  thy  effort,  as  such  effect  is 
due  to  thy  past  Karma.  (30) 

The  stream  of  Vasanas  runs  through  pure  and  impure  channels, 
but  its  course  should  be  diverted  by  human  efforts  and  it  must  be 
made  to  flow  through  the  pure  channel.  (31) 

That  (mind)  which  is  filled  with  the  impure  (VasanSs)  should  be 
translated  into  the  pure  (V^sanSs;  alone.  When  they  are  shaken 
and  diverted  from  the  impure  (channel),  they  go  into  the  pure 
(channel).  (32) 

Pretending  as  if  he  were  going  to  satisfy  all  its  demands,  one 
should,  with  all  human  efforts,   fondle  the  child  of  Chitta  (mind- 

stiift).  (33) 

0  Destroyer  of  foes  !  When,  by  the  force  of  practice,  the  im- 
pressions rising  in  the  mind  begin  to  come  out  quickly,  then  shalt 
thou  know  that  thy  practice  has  borne  fruit.  (34) 

Even  in  doubtful  cases,  repeatedly  follow  the  good  Vasanas 
alone.  C)  son  of  Marut  !  there  is  no  hann  in  increasing  the  good 
Vasanas,  (35) 

The  wise  people  know  that  the  mind  is  bound  when  it  is  over- 
powered by  multitudes  of  impure  VSsanas  and  that  it  is  free  when,  by 
the  force  of  pure  Vasanfts,  it  is  released  from  the  impure  ones.    (36) 

0  Valiant  one  !  Strive  for  that  mental  state  in  which  it  is 
devoid  of  all  Vasanas.  VSsanas  become  dissolved  when  perfect  per- 
ception (or  complete  vision)  is  gained  and  when  the  Truth  isreali.sed. 

(37) 
When  by  AkhandakSra  Vritti  and  by  the   two  kinds  {i,e.,  the 

dawning  and  setting)  of  Akbandaikarasa,  the  Vasanas  are  destroyed, 

7 


562  The  Theosophiat.  [June 

then  the  mind  will  also  come  to  a  stand-still,  like  a  lamp  (devoid  of 
oil  and  wick).  {38) 

He  who  gives  up  all  the  Vasanas,  who  becomes  devoid  of  affec- 
tions, and  who  then  establishes  himself  in  Me  whose  form  is  mere 
Intelligence,  (such  a  one)  is  Myself  who  is  made  up  of  Existence, 
Intelligence,  and  Bliss.  (39) 

He  who  has  an  excellent  heart,  and  whose  mind  is  stripped  of 
all  desires  is,  no  doubt,  free,  whether  or  not  he  performs  SamSdhi 
as  well  as  (obligatory  and  other)  Karmas.  (40) 

There  are  four  grades  of  Sadyomuktas  (Z.^.,  those  that  have 
attained  immediate  liberation)  known  by  the  name  of  Brahma-Vid, 
etc.*  Even  though  all  of  them  are  free,  they  have  different  degrees 
of  suffering  as  far  as  their  apparent  miseries  are  concerned.  (41) 

Therefore  the  skilful  and  the  wise  Tman)  ought  to  perform,  in 
their  regular  order,  the  Samadhis  known  as  Nirvikalpa,  etc.f  as  well 
as  also  the  Nityakarmas.  J  (42) 

To  him  whose  mind  is  devoid  of  Vasanas,  no  advantage  accrues 
from  Naishkarmya  (7.^.,  the  salvation  obtained  by  abstraction  in 
opposition  to  that  obtained  by  works)  or  from  karmas,  or  from 
profound  contemplation  or  from  prayers.  (43) 

He  who  knows  the  Sei,k  should  continually  perform  the 
auspicious  Naishkarmya,  etc.  (mentioned  in  the  last  verse),  either  for 
the  sake  of  overcoming  his  apparent  miseries  or  for  the  benefit  of 
the  world.  (44) 

Without  fully  abandoning  the  Vasanas  and  without  (attaining) 
the  attitude  of  silence,  the  supreme  state  cannot  be  reached.  (For 
this  purpose)  reject  the  impure  Vasanas  and  entertain  the  pure 
Vasanas.  (45) 

The  powers  of  the  senses  beginning  with  the  eye,  tend  of  them- 
selves to  their  objects  without,  even  in  the  absence  of  any  Vasana 
to  induce  them  to  act,  whence  it  appears  that  VasanS  is  not  the 
cause.  (46) 

As  the  eye  perceives  space  and  things  presented  in  space,  in  the 


•  The  four  gfrades  of  Sadyumktas,  /.^.,  those  that  have  attained  immediate 
emancipation  are  :  i.  Brahma- Vid,  2.  Brahma-Vid-Vara,  3.  Brahma- Vid-Vartya, 
and  4.  Brahma- Vid- Varishtha.  The  first,  /.^.,  Vid  is  the  knower  of  Brahman  by 
direct  cognition.  The  rest,  f>.,  Vara,  Variya,  and  Varishtha  differ  from  hini 
only  in  degrees  of  comparison.  They  may  respectively  be  said  to  be  superior, 
more  superior  and  most  superior  to  the  first. 

t  The  four  Samadhis,  i.e.,  Nirvikalpa,  Nirssaukalpa,  Nirvrittika,  and  Nirvl^sanl 
refer  respectively  to  the  four  grades  of  Sadyomuktas  mentioned  in  the  last  verse* 

X  Karmas  pertaining  to  VarnAsramins  are  classified  as  Nitya,  Naimiftikn, 
PrAyaschitta,  Kimya  and  Nishiddha. 

Nitya  Karmas  :  Obligatory  daily  rites  such  as  Sandhya  and  five  others. 

Naimittika  :  Occasional  rites  such  as  those  that  are  performed  on  New-Moon 
and  other  days  ;  Sraddha,  etc. 

PrAyaschitta  :  Expiatory  rites  such  as  UpAkarma,  etc. 

KAmya  :  rites  performed  wi I h  motives  for  attaining)  certain  desired  endsj  such 
as  yAga  (sacrifice)  ,etc. 

Nishiddhi^ :  forbidden  rites. 


1901.]  The  Kama  Oita.  663 

couree  of  nature,  and  feels  no  attachment  whatever,  so  should  the 
wise  man  of  firm  intellect  engage  himself  in  actions.  (47) 

O  Maruti !  The  sages  know  the  nature  of  Vasana  or  the  innate 
idea  which  unfolds  the  true  condition  of  the  intellect,  which  is 
conformable  to  that  intellect,  and  which  is  the  chief  source  of  the 
mind.  (48) 

By  constantly  reflecting  upon  things  of  strong  experience, 
comes  into  being  that  extremely  wavering  mind  which  is  the  cause 
of  birth,  old  age,  and  death.  (49) 

On  account  of  VasanS  or  innate  idea,  the  prana  begins  to  vibrate, 
but  not  the  Vasana.  This  vibration  transmitted  to  the  mind-germ 
(i.c,,  the  subjective  mind),  causes  it  to  sprout  (z.c,  objectifies  it).  (50) 

The  tree  of  Chitta  (mind-stuff)  has  two  seeds  ;  the  one  is  the 
vibration  of  prana  and  the  other  is  Vasana.  If  one  of  them  is 
enfeebled,  both  of  them  are  soon  destroyed.  (51) 

Vasana  is  deprived  of  its  activity  by  performing  the  duties  of 
ordinary  life  without  attachment,  by  chasing  out  all  imaginations 
of  worldly  things  from  the  mind,  and  by  never  losing  sight  of  the 
perishable  nature  of  the  bod}-.  (52) 

When  Vasana  is  abandoned,  chitta  (mind-stuff")  becomes  achitta 
(no-mind-stuff),  on  account  of  its  incapability  to  think,  being  then 
always  devoid  of  Vasanas.  (53) 

Then  the  state  of  non- Manas  which  gives  extreme  tranquillity, 
is  reached,  and  Vijnana  (/.^.,  comprehensive  knowledge  or  gnosis) 
which  is  the  cause  of  immediate  emancipation,  then  begins  to  in- 
crease. (54) 

Until  thou  art  able,  with  thy  neutralised  mind,  to  directly 
cognise  the  Supreme  Seat,  thou  shalt  act  according  to  the  dictates  of 
the  spiritual  teacher  and  the  S'astras.  (55) 

Then  after  thoroughly  cognising  the  Truth  by  abstract  medita- 
tion, ripened  or  infused,  thou  shalt,  naturally,  be  able  to  abandon 
even  the  multitude  of  pure  Vasanas.  (56) 

There  are  two  kinds  of  dissolution  of  mind,  viz.,  that  of  Sarupa 
(objective)  and  of  Arupa  (subjective).  In  the  case  of  Jivanmukta, 
the  Sarupa-Manas  and  in  the  case  of  Videhamukta,  the  Arupa-Ma- 
nas,  is  dissolved.  (57) 

O  son  of  Pavana !  Once  more  attentively  hear  the  nature  ol 
that  neutralisation  which  thou  hast  known  as  the  dissohition  of 
Chitta.  (58) 

The  mind  of  Jivanmukta,  being  endowed  with  friendliness  and 
other  qualities  and  being  free  from  future  birth,  no  doubt  attains 
tranquility.  (59) 

The  mind  alone  is  the  root  of  the  tree  of  this  Samsara  which 
has  spread  on  all  sides  its  thousands  of  branches  with  shoots, 
blossoms  and  fruits.  (60) 

That  mind,  I  believe,  is  Sankalpa  alone  and  that  by  the  cessa- 


5Q^  The  "f  heosophist.  [June 

tion  of  Sankalpas  (volitions)  thou  shalt  soon  dry  up  the  mind  in 
suph  a  manner  as  to  dry  up  the  tree  of  Samsara.  (6i) 

The  (fourth)  Samddhi  called  Nissankalpa  which  dries  up  all  the 
Sankalpas  or  volitions  is  the  only  means  by  which  that  (Arupa) 
Manas  can  be  dissolved  by  itself.  (62) 

The  activity  of  the  mind  is  misery,  its  dissolution  is  Bliss.  The 
mind  of  the  knower  is  soon  dissolved,  but  to  the  ignorant,  it  is  like 
fetters.  (63) 

That  Chitta  which  is  devoid  of  Vasanas  is  the  real  knowledge 
of  the  supreme  Jnanins.  That  Chitta  which  is  full  of  Vasanas  is 
easy  to  obtain,  and  is  useless.  (64) 

The  Sapta-bhCtmikas,  or  the  seven  stages  oi  consciousness 
which  are  blissful  and  which  are  taught  by  the  Vedantas,  are  known 
as  S'ubhechha  (the  desire  to  obtain  spiritual  bliss),  etc.  These  seven 
stages  of  consciousness  should  be  realised  one  after  another  by  the 
three  aforesaid  means.  (65) 

The  first  Bhumik&  or  plane  of  consciousness  is  only  reached 
through  the  effect  of  great  virtues  stored  up  in  many  past  births. 
Even  he  who  has  realised  this  first  stage  would  never  be  entangled 
in  this  Samsara,  but  would  remain  unaffected  by  matters  relating  to 
this  mundane  existence.  (66) 

Thus  in  the  glorious  Upanishad  of  Ra'ma  Gi'TA',  the 
secret  meaning  of  the  Vedas,  embodied  in  the  second 
pdda  of  the  Up4san&  Kdnda  of  Tatvas^rayana,  reads 
the  sixth  chapter,  entitled  : 

THE    CONSIDERATION    OF    VA'SNA'KSHAYA.    ETC* 

Translated  by  G.  Krishna  S'a'stri'. 
[  To  be  continued,] 


dbeodopb^  in  alt  UanDd. 


EUROPE. 

I^ONDON,  April  26,  J  901. 

By  one  of  those  freaks  which  lend  the  charm  of  uncertainty  to  the 
English  climate,  London  is  basking  in  something  quite  indistinguish- 
able from  summer-heat.  The  weather-wise  prognosticate  an  early 
return  to  winter  clothing  but  in  the  meantime  we  frizzle  agreeably 
under  an  April  sun.  Work,  however,  goes  on  as  usual  and  the  return  of 
the  London  season  is  indicated  by  the  increasing  number  of  anxious 
inquiries  as  to  when  Mrs.  Besant's  lectures  will  begin— no  less  than  by 
the  radiance  of  the  sun  in  Taurus.  It  goes  without  saying  that  we  are 
all  full  of  regret  when  we  have  to  reply  that  there  will  be  no  Queen's  Hall 
lectures  this  season,  but  we  hope  that  our  present  loss  will  stand  for 
much  future  gain  in  the  days  when  the   thorough  rest  from  travelling 

and  lecturing,  which  we  kopc  our  lecturer  is  going  to  take,  shall  have 

restored  her  to  great  health  and  vigour. 


190L]  Theosophy  in  all  'Lands.  565 

On  the  i8th,  the  Blavatsky  I/odge  opened  its  new  syllabus  with  a 
conversazione  to  which  members  might  invite  visitors.  There  was,  con- 
sequently, a  larger  attendance  than  on  some  previous  occasions,  and 
the  evening  passed  very  quickly  in  a  manner  which  the  promoters  trust 
was  of  use  to  inquirers. 

Last  night  the  lecturer  to  the  Lodge  was  Professor  Romesh  Dutt, 
C.  I.  E.,  his  subject  being  "Life  in  Ancient  India  as  described  in  the 
Indian  Kpics."  The  lecturer  gave  a  brief  introductory  account  of  the 
condition  of  affairs  in  Northern  India  at  the  date  when  he  supposed  the 
events  celebrated  in  the  Ramayana  and  Mahabhd,rata,  took  place.  He 
then  read  from  his  own  metrical  versions  of  these  epics  many  passages 
descriptive  of  scenes  and  events  which  indicated  the  social  and  reli- 
^ous  customs  of  the  period.  Mr.  Dutt  paid  a  high  tribute  to  the  Hindu 
ideal  of  marriage  and  dwelt  especially  on  the  stories  of  Sita  and  Savitri 
as  typifying  the  highest  ideal  of  Indian  womanhood.  In  reply  to  a 
question  put  at  the  close  of  his  lecture,  Professor  Dutt  said  he  thought 
that  originally  all  the  S'udra  caste  were  non- Aryan  people  who  had 
adopted  the  customs  and  religion  of  their  conquerors  without,  however, 
being  allowed  to  participate  in  the  temple  rites  of  the  latter.  This  ex- 
clusiveness  it  was  part  of  the  reformatory  work  of  Gautama  Buddha  to 
sweep  away,  and  although  Buddhism  had  now  no  hold  on  India  proper, 
tlie  good  which  had  been  effected  in  this  direction  by  the  preaching  of 
the  Buddha  had  remained,  and  Aryans  and  non-Aryans  were  alike 
admitted  to  the  full  religious  rites. 

Our  spiritualistic  friends  are  often  reported  to  hold  the  theory  of  re- 
incarnation in  great  aversion,  it  was  therefore  a  pleasant  surprise  to  one 
of  our  members  lecturing  on  this  subject  to  a  spiritualistic  organisation, 
to  find  that  the  presentation  of  our  views  roused  none  of  the  anticipated 
opposition.  On  the  contrary  the  address  was  followed  with  close  atten- 
tion and  the  questions  which  succeeded  it  evidenced  the  fact  that  the 
audience  was  by  no  means  prepared  to  adopt  the  attitude  which  so 
strongly  characterises  one  of  our  contemporaries,  whose  pages  so  fre- 
quently bristle  with  this  question.  Modification  of  extreme  views  on 
this  topic  is  much  to  be  desired  in  the  interest  of  philosophical  and  pro- 
gressive spiritualism. 

Last  Friday  evening  a  lecture  of  immense  interest  to  students  of  the 
"  Secret  Doctrine  "  was  delivered  by  Prof.  J.  J.  Thomson,  at  the  Royal 
Institution  in  Albemarle  St.  The  subject  was  the  sub-division  of  atoms, 
and  among  the  audience  were  more  than  a  dozen  members  of  the 
TheosophicalvSociety  eager  to  hear  what  science  had  to  say  in  confirma- 
tion of  the  teachings  of  occult  physics.  Professor  Thomson's  lecture  was 
largely  occupied  in  going  over  the  ground  made  more  or  less  familiar  by 
his  recent  work  on  "The  Discharge  of  Electricity  through  (tases,'*  and  was 
illustrated  by  numerous  experiments.  Continuing  the  line  of  investiga- 
tion inaugurated  years  ago  by  Sir  Wni.  Crookes,  Prof.  Thomson  has 
satisfied  himself  of  the  existence  of  matter  in  a  much  finer  state  of  sub- 
division than  the  so-called  atom  of  the  chemist.  The  ionisatioii^  as  this 
process  of  sub^division  is  called,  is  effected  by  discharging  an  electric 
current  through  an  exceedingly  high  vacuum.  From  the  Cathode,  of 
negative  pole,  there  proceeds  a  stream  of  these  infinitely  minute  parti- 
cles, negatively  charged  with  electricity,  endoxved  with  a  wondeffuUy 


566  The  TheOsophisi.  [JUne 

penetrative  power.  Closely  associated  with  the  investigations  into  the 
characteristics  of  these  particles  or  ions,  is  all  the  range  of  phenomena 
belonging  to  what  are  known  as  the  Becquerel  Rays,  the  extraordinary 
properties  of  which  have  been  studied  by  M.  Henri  Becquerel,  M.  and 
Mnie.  Curie  and  other  continental  and  English  workers.  These  rays, 
which  are  found  to  proceed  from  the  metal  uranium,  the  newly  dis- 
covered element  radium,  and  some  others,  are  also  due  to  the  discharge 
of  infinitesimal  particles  from  their  surfaces.  Reviving,  as  these  inves- 
tigations do,  memories  of  the  old  corpuscular  theory  of  light,  they 
have  created  much  sensation  in  the  scientific  world,  and  Prof.  Thomson's 
announcement  of  his  belief  that  a  constant  discharge  of  such  particles 
proceeded  from  the  sun,  reaching  and,  as  it  were,  bombarding  the  earth, 
produced  a  profound  impression  on  his  learned  audience.  The  lecturer 
proceeded  to  explain  the  phenomenon  of  the  aurora  borealis  on  this 
hypotliesis,  and  to  add  that  a  return  current  was  in  all  likelihood  pro- 
ceeding from  the  earth  to  the  sun. 

Theosophists  all  the  world  over  may  imagine  with  what  interest  the 
students  of  the  S.  D.  heard  this  scientific  view.  Surely  the  thoughts  of 
all  present  must  have  turned  to  H.  P.  B.'s  teaching  as  to  the  sun  being 
the  heart  of  the  solar  system  and  the  regular  circulation  of  the  vital 
fluid,  the  ebb  and  flow  of  vital  electricity  from  and  to  that  centre  of  the 
svstem*s  life,  all  of  which  is  set  forth  in  section  VIII.  of  **  Secret  Doc- 
trine,"  Vol.  I.  1  wonder  how  many  will  recall  the  prophecy  contained  id 
a  footnote  on  page  68 1  (new  edition)  "Secret  Doctrine/'  Vol.  I.,  which 
reads  : — "  How  true  it  is  [Crooke's  Theory  of  the  Genesis  of  the  Klements] 
will  be  fully  demonstrated  only  on  that  day  when  Mr.  Crooke's  discovery 
of  radiant  matter  will  have  resulted  in  a  further  elucidation  with  regard 
to  the  true  source  of  light,  and  will  have  revolutionised  all  the  present 
speculations.  Further  familiarity  with  the  Northern  streaniers  of  the 
aurora  borealis  may  help  the  recognition  of  this  truth."  Never,  I  think, 
has  prophecy  been  more  truly  justified,  and  it  is  a  privilege  for  a  very 
insignificant  student  of  an  epoch  making  book  to  put  it  thus  on  record. 

A.  B.  C. 

HAWAII. 

l^rivate  advices  from  Honolulu  state  that  from  February  13th  to  19th 
the  members  of  the  isolated  little  Aloha  Branch,  T.S.  were  favored  by 
the  inspiring  presence  of  Colonel  Olcott,  President- Founder  of  the  great 
movement  to  which  they  contribute  their  tiny  particle  of  loyalty. 

The  Rio  de  Janeiro  was  nearly  two  days  late  and  after  leaving  Col. 
Olcott  at  Honolulu,  continued  her  journey  the  following  day,  but  was 
destined  never  to  reach  San  Franciso.  She  struck  on  a  rock  and  sank 
within  ten  minutes,  at  half- past  four  in  the  morning,  February  22nd, 
when  almost  within  sight  of  her  dock. 

Let  us  trust  that  comfort  came  to  many  of  the  doomed  ones,  during 
their  last  minutes  of  life,  from  the  thoughts  and  words  that  lingered  in 
the  vessel's  atmosphere  even  after  Col.  Olcott  had  left  the  steamer. 

A  meeting  for  members  only  was  held  the  same  evening  of  his  arri- 
val, at  Miss  Rice's,  Beretania  street.  Nearly  every  member,  resident  in 
town,  being  present.  All  were  strongly  impressed  by  the  Colonel's 
genialkindliness  and  interest  in  our  welfare  as  a  lodge. 


1901.]  Theosophy  In  all  Lands.  567 

Thursday  the  i4tli,  members  of  the  K,  S,  and  T,  S.  were  met  in, 
formally  at  Mrs,  M,  D.  Hendrick\s  house,  and  Friday  evening  a  Meeting 
for  members  and  their  friends  at  the  residence  of  Mrs.  Kdward  C.  Kowe's 
was  attended  by  such  a  number  of  interested  ones,  that  the  drawing 
room  and  entrance  hall  were  crowded.  During  the  course  of  the  evening 
some  interesting  facts  about  H.  P.  B.  and  the  early  days  of  the  T.iS,  were 
given  those  present. 

Saturday,  at  seven  thirty,  a  lecture  on  the  **  Rise  and  Progress  of 
the  T,  S.**  was  given  in  the  K.  of  P.  hall,  which  was  crowded. 

Sunday,  at  two  p.m.,  the  Buddhist  temple,  on  Fort  St.,  was  packed 
with  an  audience,  composed  of  Europeans  and  Japanese,  to  hear  the 
lecture  on  Buddhism  given  at  the  request  of  the  Y.  M.  B.  A. 

The  eloquent  address,  by  many  considered  the  best  given  by  Col. 
Olcott  during  his  visit  here,  was  admirably  translated  into  Japanese  by 
the  able  editor  of  the  Japanese  newspaper.  The  enthusiasm  was  intense 
and  applause  frequent. 

A  collation  was  served  in  the  lower  hall  at  the  conclusion  of  the 
lecture,  and  an  address  of  welcome  in  English,  as  well  as  one  in  Japanese, 
was  hapinly  responded  to  by  the  lecturer.  A  group  photograph  was 
then  taken  out  of  doors,  having  the  temple  as  a  back-ground. 

Sunday  night  another  Members  *  Meeting  at  Miss  Rice's  home  was 
held,  a  few  words  of  thanks  and  gratitude  for  the  valuable  days  granted 
to  u^,  when  such  along  tour  lay  before  our  dear  President- Founder,  were 
spoken,  and  Miss  Alice  Rice  played  the  pathetic  Hawaiian  song  of  part- 
ing "  Aloha,  oe"     all  joining  in  the  chorus. 

On  Monday  the  Colonel  had  an  inter^'iew  with  Lriliuokalani,  the 
former  queen  of  Hawaii. 

Her  Majesty  attended  the  lecture  on  the  '•  Divine  Art'  of  Healing." 
given  in  Progress  Hall  that  same  evening. 

It  was  a  representative  gathering  of  the  intellectual  members  of  this 
cosmopolitan  little  town's  society.  Clergjanen,  doctors,  lawyers  and 
literarj'  men  attending  and  listening  with  the  greatest  attention  to  the 
account  of  many  marvellous  cures  effected  by  Col.  Olcott  in  India,  and  a 
word  of  warning  was  given  as  to  the  dangers  of  ignorant  use  of  mesmer- 
ism and  hypnotism. 

Before  the  conclusion  of  the  lecture  the  arrival  of  the  S.  S.  Coptic 
was  signalled,  so  the  following  morning  we  parted  from  him,  who  had 
strengthened  us  so  greatly  ;  our  sorrow  being  softened  by  the  thought 
that  he  was  carrying  to  many,  many  thousands  the  J03'  and  peace  im- 
parted to  us. 


568 


Kcview0, 


ANCIENT  IDKALS  IN  MODERN  I,IFE,* 

Whenever  a  crisis  is  reached  in  a  Nation's  history,  some  great  soul 
arises  to  bid  men  to  look  where  they  are  being  led  ;  to  recall  to  their 
minds  ideals  long  forgotten  and  to  point  out  to  them  a  way  to  avert  the 
impending  troubles.  India,  to-day,  stands  in  a  dangerous  position,  be. 
cause  of  the  sudden  transition  from  the  old  customs  to  the  materialistic 
education  which  her  youths  are  now  receiving :  a  position  whose  dangers 
Mrs,  Besant  has  pointed  out  in  her  mavSterful  way  in  the  lectures  deliv. 
ered  last  December,  at  Benares,  during  the  25th  Annual  convention  of 
the  Theosophical  Society.  In  the  *^  foreword  "  vShe  says  :  In  the 
following  lectures  I  have  endeavoured  to  discharge  the  duty  incumbent 
on  the  spiritual  Teacher — however  humble  the  grade— of  holding  up  the 
ideal  to  be  aimed  at,  of  reproving  the  evils  of  the  da}',  of  indicating-  the 
path  along  which  the  Ideal  may  be  approached.  The  task  is  one  beset 
with  difficulties,  but  not  for  that  reason  may  it  be  avoided  ;  cowards 
shrink  back,  appalled  by  obstacles  ;  heroes  overcome  them." 

Mrs.  Besant  points  out  the  ancient  ideals  in  the  four  stages  of  man's 

life ;  those  of  the  temple  and  priest  and  household  Guru  ;  the  real  purpose 

of  the  division  into  castes  and  the  ancient  Hindu  ideal  of  womanhood. 

Over  against  each  she  places  the  abuses  of  the  present  day,  in  all  their 

naked  ugliness.    She  says  :f  "  At  the  dawn  of  the  twentieth  century, 

India  stands  near  the  parting  of  the  w&ys  ;    one  way  leads  downward  to 

death,  the  other  upwards  to  life.  Many  of  her  noblest  children  are  hopeless 

of  her  future,  and  would  let  her  expire  peacefull}'   rather  than  prolong 

the  death -passage  by  remedies  deemed  uselCvSS.     Others,  loving  her  well 

but  ignorantly,   would,  in  the  effort  to  save  her,  cast  aside    to   the 

winds  all  her  traditions  and  seek  by  modem  western  medicines  her  cure 

— but  really  her  death.     Others,  yet  again,  believe  that  before  her  there 

dawns  a  new  era  of  spiritual  life  and  of  material  greatness,   and  would 

seek  to  revive  her  ancient  ideals  and  wed  to  them  all  that  is  best  in 

modem  life.     Of  these  am  I,  who  have  spoken  these  discourses,  as  a  first 

contribution  to  that  end.     For   I   am   a  humble   servant  of  the  great 

masters  who  declared  that  they  would  welcome  any  who  would   aid 

them  in  the  task  of  regenerating  India,  and  I  would  fain  have  a  humble 

share  in  that  mighty  endeavor." 

In  the  "  Afterword  "  Mrs.  Besant  has  summed  up  the  chief  reforms 
proposed,  and  I  cannot  do  better  than  give  them  in  her  own  words. 
They  are  : 

**  I. — A  resolve  not  to  marry  their  sons  before  18  nor  to  allow  the 
marriage  to  be  consummated  before  20 ;  the  first  marriage  (betrothal) 
of  their  daughters  to  be  thrown  as  late  as  possible,  from  11  to  14  and  the 
second  (consummation)  from  14  to  16. 

*  Price,  as.  15. 
t  Foreword* 


lOOl.J  HevlewB.  569 

"2. — To  promote  the  maintenance  of  caste  relations  with  those  who 
have  travelled  abroad,  providing  they  conform  to  Hindu  ways  of  living. 

"3- — To  promote  intermarriage  and  interdining  between  the  sub* 
divisions  of  the  four  castes. 

"4. — Not  to  employ  in  any  ceremony  (where  choice  is  possible)  an 
illiterate  or  immoral  Brahmana, 

"  5-— To  educate  their  daughters  and  to  promote  the  education  of  the 
women  of  their  families. 

*'  6. — Not  to  demand  anj-  money  consideration  for  the  marriage  of 
their  children. 

•*  If  pious  men  in  all  parts  of  India  carried  out  these  reforms  in- 
dividually', a  vast  change  would  be  made  without  divSturbance  or  excite- 
ment, but  they  would  need  to  be  men  of  clear  heads  and  strong  hearts, 
to  meet  and  conquer  the  inevitable  opposition  from  the  ignorant  and 
bigoted.  The  worst  customs  that  prevail  are  comparatively  modern,  but 
they  are  regarded  as  marks  of  orthodoxy  and  so  are  difficult  to  be  put 
aside." 

Every  European  as  well  as  every  Hindu,  who  loves  India  and  has 
her  good  at  heart  will  feel  that  the  reforms  suggested  by  Mrs.  Besant 
are  those  most  urgently  needed,  and  if  these  were  accomplished  the  rest 
would  follow  and  India  again  would  stand  before  the  world,  not  only  as 
the  possessor  of  the  greatest  spiritual  teachings,  but  «as  a  grand  nation, 
fit  to  teach  others  in    their  own  lives,  the  grand  truths  confided  to  her, 

N.  K.  W. 


TlIK  COLOUR  CURE,* 
By  a.  Osbornk  Eavks. 

.  The  writer  of  this  booklet  is  strongly  impressed  with  the  belief  that 
too  many  drugs  arc  taken  into  the  hitman  stomach,  and  wields  his  pen 
vigorously  in  advocacy  of  improved  methods  of  treating  disease,  pro- 
minent among  which  he  pla  c.9  ^le  system  known  as  chromopath\%  and 
to  this  he  devotes  the  first  two  IfC&iptcrs  of  the  w^ork.  He  saj^s  in  his 
Introduction  :  "  The  wise  physician,  knowing  drugs  cannot  creti/e  vig- 
our and  build  up  a  run-down  constitution,  or  eradicate  a  deep  seated 
disease,  prescribes  a  change  of  air  and  rest.'*  In  the  chapter  on  "Auxilia- 
ries to  the  Cure,'*  fresh  air,  cleanliness,  clothing  and  diet  are  briefly 
touched  upon.  In  the  subsequent  chapters,  the  attitude  of  the  mind  as 
directly  related  to  the  cause  and  cure  of  disease  is  dij^itssed,  and  the 
power  of  the  will  is  declared  to  be  well-nigh  supreme.  The  author  em- 
phasises the  importance  of  keeping  a  high  ideal  of  health  constantl^^ 
before  the  mind,  of  realising  that  the  body  is  but  the  sen^ant,  and  of 
determining  that  it  //ir/sf  and  s/ia//  be  health\'  and  whole.  Again  he 
says,  "  Dwell  on  the  idea  of  the  diseased  atoms  flying  off"  into  the  air 
at  your  command,  saying,  at  the  same  time:  *  Disease  germs .  cannot 
remain  in  my  body.'  "  The  following  closing  formulae  may  be  found 
serviceable  : 

**  The  real  man  is  the  will. 
The  body  is  subservient  to  the  will. 
Thoughts  are  things. 
Thought  is  the  body  builder. 
Man  becomes  that  which  he  aspires  to  be." 

*  London  rPfiTlip'  Willby  ;  6,  Henrietta  StVW.  C.Price,  i5.  6</.,net,  ' 

8 


570  The  Theosophlst.  [June 

MACiAZlNK. 

In  the  Theosophical  Revieiv  for  Ma}-,  Mrs.  Besant  continues  her  high- 
ly instructive  essay  on  **  Thought- Power,  its  Control  and  Culture,"  first 
discussing  the  dangers  of  *  Concentration,'  and  afterwards  treating  of 
*  Receptivity'  and  '  Meditation.*  In  '*  True  and  False  Yoga,"  Dr. 
Wells  gives  us  the  conclusions  at  which  he  has  arrived,  after  a  careful 
study  of  the  subject— conclusions  that  savour,  strongly,  of  common  sense 
and  experience.  He  says  :  "  There  cannot  be  perfect  physical  health 
so  long  as  any  portion  of  the  body  is,  as  it  were,  dead  to  the  mind  to 
which  it  belongs,  insensitive  to  the  mind's  orders,  impervious  to  its 
nervous  currents.  And  the  action  and  reaction  are  equal ;  "  the  mental 
functions  being  disturbed  or  even  distorted  by  a  diseased  body. 

*'  Perfect  sympathy  and  control  of  the  body  by  the  mind  mean,  then, 
health,  physical  and  mental ;  as  we  go  higher  and  place  this  whole 
organism  under  similarly  perfect  control  by  the  Higher  Ego  we  have 
moral  health  also."  Mrs.  Judson's  paper  on  '*  Theosophical  teachings 
in  the  writings  of  JohnRuskin"  is  continued.  Miss  E.  M.  Green  treats 
'*  The  Cinderella  M>i;h"  as  an  allegory  ;  the  Prince  being  the  Ego  or 
individual  soul,  and  Cinderella  the  Gnosis,  true  Self- Knowledge,  etc.  A. 
H.  Ward  concludes  his  valuable  paper  on  the  "  Evolution  of  Conscious- 
ness." Mr.  Mead  discusses  "  The  Outer  Evidence  as  to  the  Authorship 
and  Authority  of  the  Gospels,"  with  his  UvSual  abilit}'.  "  From  the  Life 
of  the  Bacilli,"  is  a  somewhat  humorous  apologue  \>y  G.  Syromiatnikoff, 
translated  from  the  Russian  by  Simeon  Linden.  **  The  Life  of  Madame 
Swetchine"  is  a  brief  paper  contributed  by  a  Russian,  concerning  the 
history  of  this  estimable  lady.  **  The  Blind  Dancer,"  by  Michael  Wood, 
is  a  simple  story  from  which  those  who  thoughtlessly  condemn  others 
may  gkan  a  moral.  "  The  Ox)ening  of  the  Century,"  by  Mrs.  Sharpe, 
treats  of  those  deep  and  pure  impulses  of  humanity,  which,  when 
moved  by  a  common  sorrow,  stir  all  hearts,  as  was  strikingly  illustrated 
after  the  death  of  our  beloved  Queen-Em^to^. 

In  Theosojthy  in  Australasia  for  AgJ^;^  we  notice  an  article  on  *'  The 
Sun,  as  the  Source  of  all  Terrestrial  Life;  "  and  the  first  portion  of 
another  by  Alexander  Fullerton  on  "Death  as  viewed  through  Theo- 
soph3%"  both  of  which  are  of  interest. 

The  Theosophic  Gleaner  for  May,  opens  with  a  paper  an  The 
Mysteries  of  Mind  and  Matter,"  by  D.  D.  Writer,  which  is  followed  by 
some  very  interesting  selections. 

The  Vdhan  is  furnished  to  all  who'are  not  members  of  the  European 
Section,  at  2^-.  6^/.  per  annum,  post  free.  The  monthly  answers  to 
questions  are  of  absorbing  interest. 

The  Revue  Th^osophique  for  April  presents  to  its  readers  the  second 
lecture  by  Dr.  Pascal,  at  Geneva ;  "  Dharma,"  by  Mrs.  Besant  (trans.) ;  a 
further  portion  of  "Clairvoyance  ;"  a  few  paragraphs  on  ''Ancient 
Peru;"  together  with  "Questions  and  Answers  "  and  notes  on  the 
Theosophical  movement. 

Sophia,  Madrid.  The  April  number  contains  a  portion  of  Mrs. 
Besant's  "  Thought  Power,  its  Control  and  Culture;"  an  article  on 
"  Homeopathy  and  its  dilutions,"  by  Jos6  Melian.  Other  essays,  notes 
and  reviews  fill  the  remaining  pages. 

Teosofia,    Rome.    The  April    number  opens   with  an  essay   by  the 


1901.]  Reviews.  S7i 

Kditor  on  **  An  Italian  Hermetic  Philosopher  of  the  XVlIth  Centur\'.*' 
"Problems  of  Kthics,"  by  Mrs.  Besant,  is  continued,  as  also  *'  Rein- 
carnation,'* by  Dr.  Pascal. 

Teosojisk  Tidskri/t,  The  March  number  contains  a  portion  of  the 
third  chapter  of  *'  The  Path  of  Discipleship  ;  "  "  The  Saint  and  the 
Outlaw."  by  Michael  Wood  ;  the  first  portion  of  an  essay  by  Pekka 
Krvast.  In  the  issue  for  April,  the  essay  by  Mr.  Krvast  is  continued. 
There  is  a  poem  by  George  Ljungstrom  ;  a  further  portion  of  the  third 
chapter  of  the  "  Path  of  Discipleship  '*  and  notes  on  the  movement. 

The  Arya  is  a  new  magazine,  published  by  Messrs.  Thompson  and 
Co.,  Madras,  and  devoted  to  Aryan  religion,  science,  philosophy  and 
literature.  It  is  to  be  issued  during  the  last  week  of  each  month,  and 
the  first  number  (for  April),  which  claims  the  attention  of  the  public^ 
seems  eminently  worthy  of  it,  judging  from  the  quality  of  the  articles  and 
the  names  of  the  contributors.  There  is  much  to  be  said  on  the  subject 
of  Hindu  religion,  philosophy  and  literature,  as  well  as  science,  and  if 
the  management  of  the  journal  is  in  future  kept  up  to  the  standard  of 
this  initial  number,  the  public  may  well  have  cause  to  be  thankful,  both 
to  its  editors  and  publishers,  for  bringing  out  so  valuable  a  mouth- piece. 

Modern  Astrology  is  bright  and  interesting  as  ever,  and  stands  at 
the  head  of  its  class. 

The  I'niversity  Magazine,  which  was  formerly  published  in  the 
Mofussil  is  now  issued  at  Triplicane,  Madras*  It  is  a  College  Journal 
devoted  to  education,  philosophy  and  science. 

The  Stiidenfs  Friend  is  a  monthly  Journal  of  Kducation  pttblished 
at  Palghat. 

The  your nalo/ the  Queen  Victoria  Indian  Memorial  Fund^  I^o,  r., 
contains  speeches  by  the  Viceroy,  Kditorial,  etc.,  and  is  devoted  wholly 
to  the  interests  of  this  Fund. 

Acknowledged  v/it*i  thanks :  The  Theosophic  Messenger,  The  Golden 
Chain,  Light,  The  Banner  of  Light,  The  Harbinger  of  Light,  Itie 
Prasnottara,  The  Kevieiv  o/J^eriezvs,  The  Metaphysical  Magazine,  Mind^ 
The  Xexv  Century ^  The  Phrenological  Journal,  The  Arena,  Health, 
Modern  Medicine,  The  A'.  X.  Theosophical  Magazine,  The  Light  of  Truth, 
The  Light  of  the  East,  Dawn,  The  Indian  Journal  of  Education,  The 
Christian  College  Magazine,  The  Brahmavddin,  Tfie  Brahmachdrin, 
Notes  and  Queries,  The  Buddhist,  Journal  of  the  Maha  Bodhi  Society, 
Lotus  Blnthen,  L' Initiation,  7 he  Forum,  Prabuddlui  Bhdrata,  The  Indian 
Review, 


The  receipt  of  the  twenty^fourth  fasciculus  of  Ihe  English  transla- 
tion of  the  great  Hindu  medical  work,  *'  Charaka  Samhita "  is 
acknowledged  with  thanks.  This  work  has  been  very  favourably  com^ 
mented  upon  by  the  late  Professor  Max  Miiller,  Sir  Monier  Williams,  and 
numerous  medical  Professors  in  Kurope  and  America.  The  part  before 
us  treats  upon  the  various  topics  relating  to  human  generation,  and 
will  prove  of  special  interest  to  the  medical  fraternity  throughout  the 
world.  It  shows  that  the  Orientals  were  not  deficient  in  knowledge 
concerning  the  different  branches  of  this  highly  important  subject. 


s'ri 


CUTTINGS  AND  COMMENTS, 

'•  Thoughts,  like  the  pollen  of  flowers,  leave  one  brain  and  fasten  to  another.** 

Colonel  H.  S.  Olcott,   President  of  the  Society, 

TAc  work  of    lectured  in  San  Diego,  California,  on  March  29th,  his 

the  Thco'        subject    being  the   **  History  of  the    Theosophical 

sophical         Society."     From  the  San  Diego    Union  we   quote  the 

Society,         following  report  of  the  lecture : — 

The  speaker  was  introduced  b\'  Sidney  Thomas,  as 
the  founder  and  the  President,  since  foundation,  of  the  Yheosophical 
Society.  Col.  Olcott  is  a  pleasing  speaker  and  evidently  a  deep  thmker, 
though  in  giving  a  history  of  the  Theosophical  Society  the  subject  was 
not  particularly  one  for  deep  thought.     He  said  in  part  : 

"There  has  been  so  much  misconception  concerning  the  Theo- 
sophical Society,  and  so  much  that  is  misunderstood,  that  it  is  my  pur- 
pose to  give  simply  an  honest  and  candid  account  of  the  up- building  of 
the  Society  since  its  foundation  in  1875  to  the  present  day.  It  was  bom 
in  a  private  drawing  room  in  New  York  city,  where  a  number  of  us  had 
gone  to  listen  to  an  explanation  by  an  architect,  of  the  Egj^ptian  canon 
of  proportion.  In  the  course  of  his  remarks  he  held  that  the  almost  un- 
couth figures  were  not  mythical  things,  but  that  they  were  actual  forms 
of  things  seen  by  the  spirits  of  the  old  Egyptians.  He  declared  that  he 
could,  or  at  least  he  thought  he  could,  b}*  following  out  some  certain 
formula  which  he  had  discovered  in  Egypt,  translate  or  transform  his 
mind  into  another  or  different  state  so  that  he,  too,  might  see  more  and 
understand  more.  I  had  for  some  time  been  a  student  of  psj'chology 
and  been  greatly  interested  in  studies  of  such  matters,  and  I  proposed 
that  we  form  a  society  for  the  investigation  of  science  and  religion,  the 
society  to  be  entirely  eclectic,  the  friend  of  true  religion  and  the  enemy 
of  atheistic  materialism.  From  my  suggestion  grew  the  present  Theo- 
sophical Society. 

"  The  materialists  were  fond  of  declaring  that  the  mind  was  matter, 
while  the  Paris  experimenters  put  the  matter  thoroughly  to  .  sleep  and 
succeeded  in  sending  the  mind,  or  something,  on  a  more  sensitive  mis- 
sion to  see  further  and  understand  better  than  the  mind  in  the  living 
body  and  tied  down  to  matter  was  capable  of  travelling  and  under- 
standing. Here  was  the  foundation  for  the  belief  that  the  soul  was  an 
entity  after  it  had  passed  the  body. 

"  It  was  with  this  idea  of  getting  a  foundation  for  religion  outside  of 
the  bible,  a  foundation  for  Buddhism,  for  Mohammedanism,  for  I  be- 
lieved that  all  religions,  though  differing  on  the  surface,  were  identical 
at  the  bottom,  and  that  the  bottom  is  that  there  is  something  beyond  tlie 
present  life,  that  there  is  more  to  man  than  the  visible  body  and  the 
finite  mind. 

*'  So  it  was  thatj;he  Society  was  formed.  Its  existence  was  not  su- 
premely successful  at  first.  Many  Spiritualists  came  looking  for  some 
of  the  phenomena  of  the  seance  room  without  its  attendant  proscriptions, 
such  as  darkness  and  persons  present,  but  they  slipped  away  from  the 
society  when  nothing  of  that  kind  was  found.  There  were  several,  how- 
ever, who  were  very  earnest ;  who  were  willing  to  sacrifice  all  that  they 
had,  who  were  willing  to  bear  the  burden.  Among  these  were  Mme. 
Blavatsky  and  myselti  and  William  Q.  Judge  was  of  the  number ;  thouch 
later,  because  of  certain  circumstances,  he  ceased  working  with  the 
original  Society. 

The  speaker  then  told  of  the  extension  of  the  Society,  slowly  at  first, 
then  of  the  movement  of  the  Headquarters  to  Bombay^  and  the  leaving 
of  the  New  York  or  American  branch,  with  W.  Q.  Judge  in  charge ;  of  the 
founding  of  The  Theosofihisf,  and  of  the  gradual  extension  of  the  Society 
from  10  branches  in  1880  to  607  branches,  in  forty-two  diiferent  countries, 


1901.]  Cuttings  and  Commenls.  573 

9 

•*  The  work  we  have  actually  accomplished,"  he  continued,  *'  and  for 
which  due  recognition  has  been  given  us  by  Oriental  powers,  is  this  : 
We  have  re\dved  the  Hindu  religion  and  Sanskrit  literature  in  India. 
We  have  revived  Buddhism  in  Ceylon,  and  given  the  people  of  Cejdon  a 
catechism  of  their  religion,  which  has  been  translated  into  twenty-two 
languages.  We  have  started  in  Ceylon  an  educational  movement  which 
has  already  seen  the  opening  of  200  schools,  in  which  some  25,000  chil- 
dren are  being  educated. 

"  We  have  begun  in  India  an  educational  work  among  the  poor, 
down-trodden  Pariahs,  whose  condition  is  more  lamentable  than  an 
American  mind  can  conceive.  We  have  revived  Buddhism  in  Japan. 
Three  hundred  Japanese  newspapers  have  sprung  up  to  advocate  Bud- 
dhism, as  the  result  of  a  tour  which  I  made  in  that  empire  in  1889,  at  the 
request  of  a  Japanese  commission  sent  to  India  to  invite  me  to  come 
there. 

•'  We  have  effected  a  religious  union  between  the  northern  and 
southern  schools  of  Buddhism,  viz.,  those  of  China,  Thibet,  Japan  and 
Corea  on  one  side,  and  of  Ceylon,  Siam,  Burmah  and  Chittagong  on  the 
other — on  a  platform  of  fourteen  general  propositions  common  to  both 
schools  and  compiled  by  my»self.  Buddhism  is  2,500  years  old,  and  there 
never  before  had  been  the  slightest  union  between  the  north  and  the 
south. 

**  No  sect,  fad,  dogma  or  partisanship  is  recognized  in  our  platform. 
It  has  nothing  to  do  with  the  practice  of  magic  or  sorcer\',  and  the  only 
test  of  membership  is  that  a  man  shall  be  willing  to  treat  his  fellow 
member  with  the  same  tolerance  that  he  expects  to  be  shown  himself. 
This  accounts  for  the  marvellous  success  of  the  movement.  The  Society 
stands  on  a  foundation  of  science.  The  constitution,  like  that  of  the 
United  States,  is  light  as  a  gossamer  film  when  weighing  upon  individual 
liberty,  but  is  strong  as  bands  of  steel  to*  resist  attempts  to  overthrow 
it.      It  stands  like  a  rock,  immovable. 

'*  We  have  had  our  disagreements.  It  could  hardly  be  expected 
that  we  would  not  in  a  society  of  such  extent  among  so  many  people.  It 
is  a  marvel  that  we  have  not  had  more.  The  chief  deflection  was  the 
one  in  this  country  about  five  or  six  years  ago,  when  William  Q.  Judge 
left  the  Society  declaring  that  the  New  York  branch  was  the  head  of 
tlie  Society.  So  good  had  been  his  service  that  he  led  ninety  of  the  102 
branches  in  this  country  to  secede  with  him."  The  speaker  then 
referred  to  a  report  made  by  Mr.  Judge  as  the  head  of  the  American 
branch  of  the  Society,  to  the  Headquarters  in  India,  showing  that  at  the 
time  the  report  was  made  he  did  not  consider  that  the  New  York  office 
was  the  head  of  the  Society,  and  closing  with  some  very  complimentary 
words  for  the  co-workers,  for  the  Society  in  India,  *' Col.  Olcott  and 
Mnie.  H.  P.  Blavatsky."  In  closing,  he  remarked  that  in  view  of  the 
facts  which  were  as  he  had  stated,  it  seemed  rather  ridiculous  to  pick  up 
a  supposed  history  of  the  Theosophical  Society  and  find  his  own  name 
left  entirely  out  oY it." 

San  Diego  is  the  city  where  Mrs.  Tingley  has  established  her 
society.    The  Union  is  to  be  congratulated  011  its  impartial  reports. 


*  1 


From  the  Sau  Francisco   Sunday  Call  we   quote 
The  Pfcsi'     the  following  : 
dent  in  the  -  What  is  a  Mahatma  r" 

United  Stales.  That  is  the  question  Colonel   Olcott,  the   famous 

Theosophic  leader,  was   asked,    and  here  is  his  reply,  in 
which  he  relates  his  many  experiences  with  these  mystic  beings  : 

*' A  Mahatma  is  a  man  who  has  evolved  his  spiritual  nature  and 
supreme  Vill  to  the  point  where  he  is  no  longer  dominated  by  his  lower 
pasj^ions,  or  by  the  constraints  of  the  physical  body.  He  is  absolutely 
pure,  devoid  of  desire— an  exalted  being. 

*'  I  have  met  many  Mahatmas,  perhaps  fourteen  in  all,  in  every  part 
of  the  world.  Sometimes  they  have  appeared  as  Hindus,  in  graceful 
jiative  attire  ;  sometimes  as  Ivuropeans,   in  conventional  modern  dress^ 


574  The  Theosophist.  [June 

I  have  met  them  on  the  crowded  streets  of  London  or  on  the  dreary 
deserts  of  India.  But  wherever  you  meet  them,  whate\'er  laneuage 
they  speak,  there  is  no  mistaking  the  type  of  the  Masters.  The  ai\nne 
glory  shines  in  the  face  of  the  exalted  one,  his  touch  is  a  blessing  in 
itself,  an  all-powerful  magnetism  surrounds  his  presence.  No  one 
who  has  ever  seen  a  Mahatma  can  be  in  doubt  when  they  appear. 

**The  first  Mahatma  I  ever  met  was  in  New  York  when  Mme. 
Blavatsky  and  I  were  working  hard  on  the  preparation  of  that  great 
book,  *  Isis  Unveiled.'  We  were  living  in  a  house  on  Eighth  Avenue 
constructed  on  the  ordinary  plan,  and  certainly  affording  no  facilities 
for  supernatural  jugglery.  Our  evening's  work  finished.  I  had  gone  to 
my  room  and  was  quietly  reading.  I  expected  nothing  unusual,  out  all 
at  once,  as  I  read,  with  my  shoulder  a  little  turned  from  the  door,  there 
came  a  gleam  of  something  white  in  the  right  hand  comer. of  my  right 
eye.  I  turned  my  head,  dropped  my  book  in  astonishment,  and  saw 
towering  above  me  in  his  great  stature  an  Oriental  clad  in  white  gar- 
ments and  wearing  a  headcloth  or  turban  of  amber-striped  fabric,  hand 
embroidered  in  yellow  floss  silk.  Long  raven  hair  hung  from  under  his 
turban  to  the  shoulders  ;  his  black  beard,  parted  vertically  on  the  chin 
in  the  Rajput  fashion,  was  twisted  up  at  the  ends  and  carried  over  the 
ears  ;  his  eyes  were  alive  with  soul  fire  ;  eyes  which  were  at  once  benig- 
nant and  piercing  in  glance ;  the  eyes  of  a  mentor  and  a  judge,  but 
softened  by  the  love  of  a  father  who  gazes  on  a  son  needing  counsel  and 
guidance. 

"  He  was  so  grand  a  man,  so  imbued  with  the  majesty  of  moral 
strength,  so  luminously  spiritual,  so  evidently  above  average  humanity, 
that  I  felt  abashed  in  his  presence,  and  bowed  my  head  and  bent  niy 
knee  as  one  does  before  a  god  or  a  godlike  personage. 

'•  A  hand  was  lightly  laid  on  my  head,  a  sweet  though  strong  voice 
bade  me  be  seated,  and  when  1  raised  my  eyes  the  presence  was  seated 
in  the  other  chair  beyond  the  table. 

"  He  told  me  he  had  come  at  the  crisis  when  I  needed  him  ;  that  my 
actions  had  brought  me  to  this  point ;  that  it  lay  with  me  alone  whether 
he  and  I  should  meet  often  in  this  life  as  co-workers  for  the  good  of 
mankind  ;  that  a  great  work  was  to  be  done  for  humanity,  and  I  had  the 
right  to  share  in  it  if  I  wished  ;  that  a  mysterious  tie,  not  now  to  be  ex* 
plained  to  me,  had  drawn  my  colleague  and  myself  together  ;  a  tie  which 
could  not  be  broken,  however  strained  it  might  be  at  times.  He  told  me 
things  about  Mme.  Blavatsky  which  I  may  not  repeat,  as  well  as  things 
about  myself  that  do  not  concern  third  parties. 

•*  How  long  he  was  there  I  cannot  tell,  it  might  have  been  a 
half-hour  or  an  hour  ;  it  seemed  but  a  minute,  so  little  did  I  take  note  of 
the  flight  of  time.  At  last  he  rose,  I  wondering  at  his  great  height,  and 
observing  the  sort  of  splendor  in  his  countenance— not  an  external 
shining,  out  the  soft  gleam,  as  it  were  of  an  inner  light— that  of  the 
spirit. 

"  Suddenly  the  thought  came  into  my  mind  :  '  What  if  this  be  but 
hallucination  ?  What  if  Madame  Blavatsky  has  cast  a  hypnotic  glamour 
over  me  ?  I  wish  I  had  some  tangible  object  to  prove  to  me  that  he  has 
really  been  here— something  that  I  might  handle  after  he  has  gone.* 
The  Master  smiled  kindly  as  if  reading  my  thought  and  twisted  the 
fehta  from  his  head,  benignantly  saluted  me  in  farewell  and  was  gone : 
his  chair  was  empty  ;  I  was  alone  with  ni}'  emotions.  Not  quite  alone, 
though,  for  on  the  table  lay  the  embroidered  headcloth  ;  a  tangible  and 
enduring  proof  that  I  had  not  been  '  overlooked*  or  psychically  befooled, 
but  had  been  face  to  face  with  one  of  the  elder  brothers  of  humanity, 
one  of  the  Masters  of  our  dull  pupil  race. 

•*  To  run  and  beat  at  jMadame  Blavatsky's  door  and  tell  her  my  ex- 
perience was  the  first  natural  impulse  and  she  was  as  glad  to* hear  my 
story  as  I  was  to  tell  it.  1  returned  to  my  room  to  think  and  the  grey 
morning  found  me  still  thinking  and  resolving.  Out  of  these  thoug^hts 
and  these  resolves  developed  all  my  subsequent  theosophical  activities, 
and  that  loyalty  to  the  Masters  behind  our  movement  which  the  rudest 
^hpcks  and  the  crudest  disillusioning  have  never  shaken.    1  have  been 


1001.]  Cuttings  and  Comments.  575 

blessed  with  meetings  with  this  Master  and  others  since  then.     How- 
ever others  less  fortunate  may  doubt — I  KNOW. 

**  Another  still  more  remarkable  manifestation  occurred  to  me  in 
the  crowded  streets  of  London,  whither  Madame  Blavatsky  and  I  had 
gone  on  our  way  to  India.  We  were  staying  in  the  house  of  Dr.  Billings 
at  Norwood  Park.  One  day  the  doctor  and  I  and  some  other  friends 
had  gone  into  the  city  and  were  making' our  way  along  Cannon  street 
through  a  dense  fog.  Suddenly  in  the  little  circle  of  light  cast  by  a 
gas  lamp  we  came  face  to  face  with  a  tall  gracefully''  dressed  Hindu.  My 
companions  saw  the  strange  presence  also,  but  I  alone  recognized  him 
by  the  light  in  his  face,  as  an  exalted  one.  The  Master  spoke  never  a 
word,  but  merely  bowed  politely  and  vanished  noiselessly  into  the  fog. 

'*  Later  on,  when  I  returned  home,  I  learned  that  the  same  presence 
had  called  at  the  house  and  asked,  in  a  strange  tongue,  for  Madame 
Blavatskty. *  He  held  converse  with  her  for  a  long  time,  and  she  seemed, 
in  some  marvellous  way,  to  have  greatly  strengthened  her  psychical 
powers.  That  evening/at  dinner,  Madame  laughingly  produced  an  ex- 
quisite little  Japanese  teapot  from  under  the  table,  as  a  present  for 
Dr.  Billings.  She  also  presented  another  gentleman  with  a  beautiful 
silver  card  case,  which  he  found  in  his  overcoat  pocket.  The  coat  had 
been  hanging  in  the  hall  all  the  time,  and  Madame  Blavatsky  had  never 
been  near  it.  Later  on,  the  vSame  Mahatma  instructed  us  to  go  to 
Madame  Tussaud*s  wax-works  exhibition  and  look  under  the  feet  of  a 
certain  statue.  We  did  so,  and  found  there  a  letter  giving  us  important 
instructions  as  to  the  work  of  the  Theosophical  Society. 

**\Vhen  we  arrived  in  India  I  saw  still  more  of  the  Masters. 
At  Bombay  a  Hindu  stranger  appeared  and  dictated  a  long  letter 
to  Madame  Blavatsky,  addressed  to  a  friend  in  Paris,  and  giving 
important  instructions  about  the  management  of  certain  society 
affairs.  Another  time,  as  we  were  driving  in  the  park  one  even- 
ing, a  majestic  figure  stopped  our  carriage.  Clad  in  flowing 
Oriental  robes,  he  was  nlainly  visible  in  the  glare  of  the  electric  light. 
After  a  few  kindly  woras  he  disappeared,  leaving  behind  him,  however, 
a  splendid  gold  embroidered  head-covering  or  turban,  of  peculiar  shape 
I  kept  the  turban,  and  it  is  still  one  of  my  most  trea.sured  passessions. 

**  This  circumstance  is  important  as  proving  that  the  Mahatmas  are 
not  mere  illusionary  visions,  conjured  up  bj'  one\s  imagination,  or,  as 
some  suggest,  by  hypnotic  suggestion.  The  clothing  worn  by  them  is 
at  the  moment  absolutely  real ;  it  has  been  transferred  bodily,  along 
with  the  astral  form  of  the  Mahatma,  to  the  sjwt  where  the  appearance 
takes  place.  The  real  or  astral  body  of  the  Mahatma  might  at  the  same 
time  be  asleep  in  far  away  Thibet,  or  anywhere  else,  while  his  double 
appeared  in  tne  park  in  Bombay.  In  this  case,  as  the  turban  was  not 
transferred  back  to  its  owner,  the  Mahatma,  on  awakening  from  his 
trance,  would  find  himself  bareheaded.  Every  particle  of  phj'sical 
matX^sr  surrounding  the  Master  had  been  projected  through  space  and 
returned  again,  with  the  exception  of  the  atoms  which  went  to  make 
up  the  turban.  And  doubtlessly  this  was  left  behind  intentionally,  in 
order  that  our  duller  senses  might  have  proof  of  its  reality. 

**  All  Mahatmas  have  this  power  of  transferring  their  double  or 
astral  body  from  place  to  place ;  they  can  appear  just 'where  thej- are 
most  needed  and  remain  as  long  as  may  be  necessary'  for  the  work  in  hand. 

**  WTien  one  of  the  Masters  has  instructions  to  give,  he  does  not, 
however,  choase  always  to  appear  in  the  astral  presence.  Often  they 
adopt  impersonal  methods  and  merelj-  inspire  one's  brain.  But  at 
crucial  periods,  when  a  vital  decision  is  to  be  arrived  at,  I  often  hear 
voices  speaking  quite  plainly  and  telling  me  the  proper  course  to  pursue. 
I  often  feel  that  1  am  under  the  direct  giiidance  and  instruction  of  the 
Masters. 

"  I  will  show  j'ou  a  practical  illustration  of  the  passage  of  matter 
through  matter.  Here  is  a  gold  ring  which  I  always  carry  with  me.  It 
has  three  small  diamonds  set  in  it  in  the  form  of  an  isosceles  triangle, 
but  when  I  got  it,  it  was  merely  a  plain  gold  hoop.  I  came  into  its 
possession  in  a  very  peculiar  manner.  Long  before  I  knew  Madame 
Blavatsky  I  was  at  a  seance  in  New   York.    I  held  a  rose  in   my  hand 


576  The  Theosophist.  [June 

and  was  told  1)5'  the  medium  to  close  my  fingers  tight!}'  on  it  for  a  feu- 
minutes.  I  did  so,  and  when  I  reoj^ned  them  I  found  this  ring  in  tlic 
centre  of  the  flower.  Needless  to  say  I  treasured  the  ring  and  ever  after 
wore  it  as  a  charm  on  ray  watch-chain.  Some  year's  later,  during 
^ladanie  Blavatsky's  first  tour  through  India,  Mjhen  she  gave  so  many 
wonderful  manifestations  of  psychic  power,  we  were  at  Simla.  I  told 
the  history  of  the  ring  to  a  lady  friend  who  happened  to  be  visiting  us, 
and,  moved  by  feminine  curiosity-,  she  slipped  tne  ring  on  her  finger. 
She  was  about  to  remove  it  again,  when  Madame  Blavatsky  suddenly 
exclaimed:  *No;  don't  do  that,  (xive  me  jour  hand.'  Madame  Blavatsky 
took  the  lady's  hand  between  both  of  hers  and  held  it  tightly  pressed 
for  a  minute  or  so.  When  she  removed  her  grasp  the  ring  was  still 
there,  but  these  three  diamonds  had  been  set  in  it.  This  was  onlv  one 
of  her  marvellous  feats." 


•  • 


We  have  long  held  the  opinion   that  the   rays  of 

The  Wonder-    the  sun  would  eventually  be  utilised,   not  onlj'  as  a 

Jul  Solar        motive  power,  but  also  in  warming  buildings  ;  surplus 

Motor,  heat  being  stored  for  use  during  cloudy  weather. 

The  account  given  hereunder  will   interest  our  readers  and  show 

what  is  being  done  along  one  of  these  lines  in  California  : 

This  apparatus  works  only  to  advantage  in  sunny  lands ;  this  one 
at  the  Ostrich  Farm  pumps  fourteen  hundred  gallons  a  minute,  and  is 
daily  in  operation.  One  man  can  easily  revolve  the  entire  structure 
upon  its  axis.  The  reflector  is  2>Z  feet  6  inches  in  diameter  on  top  and  15 
feet  on  the  bottom;  1788  mirrors  concentrate  the  sunshine  upon  a 
central  point — the  boiler  ;  this  receptacle  is  13  feet  6  inches  in  length 
and  contains  a  hundred  gallons  of  water,  leaving  still  eight  cubic  ftet 
for  steam.  The  contrivance  is  designed  to  resist  a  wind  pressure  of  a 
hundred  miles  an  hour  ;  it  is  entirelv  automatic  and  runs  all  dav  without 
further  attention  ;  steam  pressure  is  controlled  by  means  of  a  safety- 
valve  ;  the  supply  of  water  to  the  boiler  is  furnished  by  an.  automatic 
apparatus  ;  and  indeed  the  steam  passes  from  the  engine  to  the  con- 
denser and  thence  to  the  boiler.  The  machine  was  built  at  Boston,  and 
while  apparently  an  exhibit  upon  a  California  Ostrich  Farm  for  the  edi- 
fication and  interest  of  visitors,  has  a  far  greater  significance,  in  being 
a  step  forward  in  that  indomitable  march  of  human  genius  that  shall  at 
some  future  day  harness  Old  Sol  himself,  radiant  and  powerful  as  he  is, 
to  the  cause  of  mechanical  progress  and  incidental  service  to  humanity. 


«  • 


A  truly  heroic  soul,   having   a  will  of  lofty  aim, 

"  The  Khig's    makes  the  most   of  even  indifferent   opportunities, 

son  and  the      while  the  timid  nature  often  wastes    life   m   longing 

craven^         for  more  perfect   circumstances.    A   little  poem  by 

Edward  Row-land   Sill,    which  one   of  our   exchanges  has  copied, 

teaches  a  useful  lesson  on  this  point : 

This  I  beheld,  or  dreamed  it  in  a  dream  : 

There  spread  a  cloud  of  dust  along  a  plain  ; 

And  underneath  the  cloud,  or  in  it,  raged 

A  furious  battle,  and  men  \elled,  and  swords 

Shocked  upon  swords  and  shields.     A  prince's  banner 

Wavered,  then  staggered  backward,  hemmed  by  foes. 

A  craven  hung  along  the  battle's  edge. 

And  thought,  *  Had  I  a  sword  of  keener  steel — 

That  blue  blade  that  the  king's  son  bears  :— but  this 

Blunt  thing  !'     He  snapt  and  flung  it  from  his  hand, 

And,  lowering,  crept  away  and  left  the  field. 

Then  came  the  king's  son,  wounded,  sore  bestead, 

And  weaponless,  and  saw  the  broken  sword, 

Hilt-buried  in  the  dry  and  trodden  sand. 

And  ran  and  snatched  it,  and  with  battle-shout 

Lifted  afresh  he  hewed  his  cneiii}'  down, 

And  saved  a  great  cause  that  heroic  day. 


■T 


'*? 


* 


THE    THEOSOPHIST 

(Founded  in  1879.) 
VOL.  XXII,  NO.  10,  JUlY  1901. 


"  THERE  IS  NO  RELIGION  HIGHER  THAN  TRUTH." 

{^Family  motto  of  the  Maharajahs  of  Benares.'] 


OLD  DIARY  LEAVES^ 
Fourth  SKRms,  Chaptkr  XXI. 

(Year  1891.)  ,, 

WE  now  come  to  the  experiments.  The  reader  will  please 
observe  that  I  did  my  best  to  keep  the  jndicial  frame  of  mind, 
giving  no  clue  as  to  my  own  beliefs,  and  in  copying  the  account,  I 
ponder  over  each  detail  in  the  light  of  subsequent  experience  with 
the  desire  to  say  nothing  which  shall  be  open  to  adverse  criticism. 
My  first  visit  was  to  the  iFaculte  de  Medicine,  where  I  found  the 
eminent  Professor,  Dr.  H.  JJernheim,  who  received  me  most  courte- 
ously. His  appearance  is  very  attractive,  his  manners  suave  and 
refined.  In  stature  he  is  short,  but  one  forgets  that,  in  looking  at 
his  rosy  face,  kind  and  cheerful  eyes,  and  intellectual  forehead. 
His  voice  is  sympathetic  and  perfectly  attuned  to  his  gestures.  I 
mention  these  personal  details  because  they  have  much  to  do  with 
Dr.  Bernheim's  marvellous  success  as  a  hypnotiser ;  as  I  saw  with 
my  own  eyes.  The  Professor  obligingly  gave  me  two  hours  of  his 
overcrowded  time  that  afternoon,  and  we  discussed  the  issues  be- 
tween his  and  Charcot's  schools.  He  expressed  very  strong  in- 
credulity about  the  reality  of  his  great  rival's  tripartite  hypnotism, 
declaring  that  his  (Charcot's)  hysteriacs  were  all  under  the  control 
of  suggestion.  The  next  morning,  by  appointment,  I  met  him  in 
his  Clinique  at  the  Hopital  Civil,  and  spent  the  entire  morning  in 
the  different  wards,  following  him  from  bed  to  bed,  and  watching 

•  Three  volumes,  in  series  of  thirty  chapters,  tracing  the  history  of  the 
Theosophical  Society  from  its  beginnings  at  New  York,  have  appeared  in  the 
IheosopAi^^'Uiid  two  volumes  are  available  in  book  form.  Price,  Vol.  I.,'cIoth, 
Rs.  3-8-0,  or  paper,  Rs.  2-3-0.  Vol.  II.,  beautifully  illustrated  witb^ views  of  Adyar, 
has  just  beeti  received  by  the  Manager,  Theosophisi :  priQe,  c\oih,  Rs,  $ ;  psiper, 
Rs.  3-8-Q,  I 


y  — <'■■' 


578  The  Theosophlst.  [July 

and  recording  his  hypnotic  treatments  and  demonstrations.  The 
reader  will  kindly  understand  that  Hypnotism  is  used  here  only  as 
an  auxiliary  to  pharmaceutical  and  dietetic  prescriptions,  not  as  a 
substitute.  •  He  was,  of  course,  attended  by  his  chief  subordinate, 
Dr.  Simon,  Chef  de  Clinique,  and  also  by  Dr.  Voirin,  Dr.  Sterne 
and  others — all  skilled  and  erudite  hypnotists,  I  learnt  more  about 
practical  h3rpnotism  from  watching  him  that  one  morning  than  I  had 
from  all  my  book-reading,  and  having  myself  had  to  deal  with  seve- 
ral thousand  Indian  patients  in  the  way  of  therapeutic  suggestion, 
or  mesmeric  healing,  his  looks,  tones  and  gestures  possessed  for  me 
a  world  of  significance.  I  made  up  my  mind  that  he  was  one  of 
the  most  coUvSummate  actors  I  ever  encountered.  While  he  was 
telling  his  patients  that  they  were  this  or  that,  or  would  feel  one  or 
the  other  sensation — ^they  watching  him  closely  every  instant — there 
was  not  a  tone  of  his  voice,  a  change  of  his  countenance,  or  a  move- 
ment of  his  body  which  did  not  seem  to  confirm  the,  sometimes 
preposterous,  ideas  he  suggested,  and  no  patient  looking  at  him 
could  have  had  the  least  suspicion  that  the  Professor  did  not  believe 
what  he  was  telling  him  or  her  to  believe  for  their  good. 

Dr.  Bemheim  first  led  the  way  to  Ward  II,  in  the  men's  de- 
partment. He  comes  to  a  patient,  tells  him  to  look  at  him  for  a 
moment,  tells  him  to  sleep,  the  patient  does  so  ;  he  recalls  him  to 
consciousness,  produces  by  suggestion,  muscular  contraction  with 
insensibility  to  pin-pricks,  and  then  silently  presenting  his  hand  to 
either  side  of  the  head,  to  the  back  and  to  the  forehead,  the  patient's 
head  or  trunk  quickly  inclines  towards  the  operator's  hand,  as  a  sus- 
pended needle  towards  an  approaching  magnet.  Suggestion, 
simple  suggestion  by  gesture — the  Professor  explains. 

In  bed  No.  4  lies  a  patient  not  hitherto  hypnotised.  He  is 
put  to  sleep  almost  immediately,  the  Professor  saying  in  a  low,  per- 
suasive voice,  something  like  the  following :  ''  You  have  pain  now  ? 
Yes  ?  But  it  will  pass  away  ;  see,  it  lessens ;  your  eyes  grow  heavy, 
heavy ;  yes,  they. ..grow.. .heavy. ..and  you  feel  like  sleep...ing.  It  is 
good  for  you  to  sleep... sleep.. «good. ..good.  Now  you  sleep...Do  you 
understand  ?... sleep. ..sleep !"  And  it  is  done :  in  less  than  three 
minutes  he  is  asleep.  The  doctor  tests  him  by  suddenly  lifting  an 
arm  and  letting  go.  If  the  patient  is  not  asleep  he  will  naturally 
keep  the  arm  suspended,  not  knowing  what  the  doctor  wishes  of 
him.  If  asleep,  the  arm  will  fall  heavily  as  soon  as  let  ga  If  the 
eyelid  be  lifted  the  eyeball  is  seen  rolled  upward  and  fixed.  Stick 
a  pin  into  him  anywhere,  he  does  not  feel  it :  he  is  an  inert,  unresist- 
ing carcase  that  you  may  carve  and  cut,  burn  and  pinch,  as  you 
choose,  without  his  knowledge  that  aught  is  transpiring. 

While  we  were  at  this  bed  another  patient,  an  asthmatic  and 
very  sensitive  man,  entered  the  Ward  and  saluted  the  Professor, 
The  latter  simply  said  *'  Sleep  I"  and  there  in  his  tracks,  as  he  stood, 
Ike  fell  into  pbliyiousQess.    Then  the  least  hint  tl^at  he  saw,  felt. 


1901.]  ^li  Diary  Leaves.  57& 

heard  or  tasted,  anything  was  instantaneously  accepted.  The  doctor, 
pointing  to  me,  said  "  You  met  this  gentleman  yesterday  on  the 
Place  Dombasle  and  he  lost  something,"  The  patient  said  yes,  he 
recollected  it  all :  and  thereupon  invented  a  scene  to  fit  the  sugges- 
tion. Glibly,  he  said  I  had  lost  my  purse,  the  Police  were  called, 
be  searched  lor  aod  found  the  purse,  I  had  given  him  two  francs  as 
a  reward,  he  had  spent  the  money  for  liquor,  got  drunk,  was 
engaged  in  a  quarrel,  and  waked  up  this  morning,  somehow,  in  the 
Hospital,  feeling  bad,  with  headache  and  a  bad  taste  in  his  mouth ! 

Dr.  Bemheim  went  to  another  patient,  a  convalescent,  a  person 
of  good  character,  h3rpnotised  him  in  an  instant,  and  told  him  that 
when  he  came  to  himself  again  he  would  watch  until  we  had  gone 
to  the  extreme  end  of  the  Ward,  and  then  cautiously  go  to  another 
man's  bed,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  room,  and  steal  something 
from  him.  Awaking  him,  the  Professor  led  us  on  from  bed  to  bed 
until  we  had  reached  the  end  of  the  Ward,  where  we  stopped  as  if 
engaged  in  looking  at  another  patient,  but  in  reality  keeping  an  eye 
upon  the  one  under  a  suggestion  to  act  criminally.  Thinking  us 
unmindful  of  him,  he  rose,  looked  right  and  left  as  if  to  see  if  the 
coast  were  clear,  swiftly  crossed  to  the  bed  indicated  by  the  doctor, 
stole  some  small  object,  which  he  concealed  in  his  hand,  returned 
to  his  own  bed,  and  thrust  it  under  his  pillow.  The  doctor  then 
returned  and,  putting  on  a  severe  expression,  demanded  what  he 
had  been  doing  over  at  the  opposite  bed  ;  saying  he  was  convinced 
that  he  had  stolen  something,  and  thus  for  the  first  time  had  become 
a  thief.  The  man's  face  flushed,  his  eyes  fell,  but  presently  he  looked 
the  doctor  squarely  in  the  face,  and  denied  that  he  had  taken  any- 
thing. "  Why  do  you  lie  to  me,  my  man  ?  I  saw  you  go  and  take 
something."  The  victim  tried,  but  in  vain,  to  stick  to  the  falsehood, 
and  as  the  doctor  moved  towards  the  bed,  he  anticipated  him,  drew 
the  stolen  object— a  snuft-box— from  beneafh  his  pillow,  and  stood 
looking  like  a  detected  thief.  Being  pressed  to  say  why  he  had 
done  it,  whether  it  was  voluntary  or  because  of  suggestion, 
he  said  he  had  done  it  entirely  of  his  own  accord,  without  the 
doctor's  prompting :  he  had  seen  the  box  lying  there,  fancied  it, 
and  went  and  took  it.  The  doctor  then  re-hypnotised  him,  told 
him  to  forget  the  entire  transaction,  onA  for  bade  him  to  receive  suck  a 
criminal  suggestion  again  from  anybody  whatsoever.  Thus,  the 
doctor  told  me,  he  killed  in  the  germ  any  possible  evil  effect  the 
suggestion  might  otherwise  subsequently  have  had  upon  the  man's 
moral  sense.  Let  my  readers  take  warning  and  invariably  counter* 
act  and  extripate  any  wrong  predisposition  they  may  have  engender* 
ed  by  suggestion  in  a  hypnotised  or  mesmerised  patient's  mind 
while  under  their  control,  Oth<^fwise  they  incur  an  awful  respon* 
sibility. 

In  Bed  No.  14  lay  a  square-built,  pale  complexioned,  blue-^eyed 
man  suffering  from  rheumatic  knee-joint.    The  joint  was  stiff  and 


^80  "the  Theodophisi.  [Juiy 

greatly  swollen,  and  so  painful  that  the  man  could  not  bear  even 
the  weight  of  the  bed-clothes.  He  was  passing  sleepless  nights, 
racked  with  pain.  Within  two  minutes  Professor  Bernheim  had 
thrown  him  into  the  h3rpnotic  lethargy ;  insensible  to  everything, 
he  let  us  touch,  press,  pound  and  raise  his  inflamed  knee.  He  vms 
told  in  few  words  that  the  acute  inflammation  would  begin  to  sub- 
side, the  pain  would  be  gone,  he  could  bear  touching  and  handling 
it,  and  could  bend  and  unbend  the  bad  knee  as  well  as  he  ever  could. 
He  was  awakened,  yawning  as  if  from  sound  natural  sleep,  and 
seeing  us  about  his  bed,  seemed  surprised,  and  looked  inquiringly 
from,  one  to  another  :  evidently  he  had  forgotten  all  that  had  pass- 
ed. '*  And  how  are  you,  my  man  ?"  asked  the  Professor ;  "  how  is 
your  knee)?"  **  Klnee  ?  "  echoed  he,  *'  Why  M.  le  Docteur,  it  is  as 
before,"  **  No,  you  are  mistaken,  my  man  ;  the  pain  is  gone."  The 
patient  thought,  felt  his  knee,-  found  no  pain  there,  and  joyfully 
said  to  the  patient  in  the  next  bed,  "  Vraiment  c'est  partie,  la 
douleur  aigue  ! "  (Really,  the  sharp  pain  is  gone).  "  And  now  you 
can  move  it,"  continued  the  Professor.  "  Impossible,  M.  le  Docteur," 
rejoined  the  sufferer.  Assured  that  he  could  and  ordered  to  try,  he 
very  cautiously  extended  the  foot,  then  more  and  more  until  the 
leg  was  straightened.  He  cried  out  to  all  his  neighbours  to  see  the 
miracle,  and  we  moved  on.  The  whole  thing  had  not  occupied  five 
minutes.  I  saw  the  man  daily  for  a  week  after  that  and  there  was 
no  relapse  and  he  was  rapidly  convalescing. 

The  epileptic  young  man  in  Bed  3  dis  of  Ward  9,  was  the  sub- 
ject of  an  interesting  experiment.  He  was  easily  hypnotised  while 
in  the  act  of  eating  his  dinner,  just  brought  him.  The  doctor  made 
him  keep  on  eating  while  asleep,  and  while  we  stood  by  he  finished 
his  meal  and  the  plate  was  removed.  But  he  kept  on  eating,  "din- 
ing with  Duke  Humphrey,"  as  if  the  plate  and  food  were  still  there. 
After  letting  him  go  on  thus  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  he  was 
awakened  and  at  once  cried  out  for  his  dinner ;  denying  that  he  had 
eaten  it  and  complaining  of  being  so  hungry  that  he  had  cramps  in 
the  stomach.  Though  the  empty  plate  was  shown  him,  he  still 
disbelieved,  and  charged  the  nurse  with  having  stoleij  his  dinner. 
At  last  he  was  again  hypnotised,  told  to  recollect  having  eaten,  re- 
awakened and  then,  when  asked  if  he  was  hungry,  said  he  had  eaten 
quite  enough  and  was  satisfied. 

An  old  man  in  Bed  12  was  hypnotised  and  told  that  yesterday 
he  was  in  Paris  and  had  been  electrified.  It  was  curious  to  watch 
the  development  of  this  suggestion.  He  went  on  to  tell  us  that 
he  had  been  in  Paris  and,  crossing  the  Place  de  la  Concorde,  he 
had  seen  a  man  there  with  an  electrical  apparatus  and  had  taken 
a  shock.  The  memory  of  it  was  so  vivid  that  he  again  grasped  the 
terminal  tubes  of  the  battery,  again  felt  the  current  running 
through  him;  he  writhed  and  twisted  until  he  could  bear  (the 
maya)  no  longer ;  tried,  but  could  not  let  go  the  tubes ;  cried 


19010  Old  Diary  Leaves.  S8l 

out  to  be  released,  was  released,  and  fell  back  in  bed  exhausted, 
with  the  perspiration  oozing  out  all  over  his  forehead  and  wetting 
his  hair.  It  was  reality  itself,  yet  nothing  but  an  illusion,  the  pro- 
duct of  a  suggestion.  For  some  minutes  after  being  awakened,  he 
kept  rubbing  his  arm  and  complaining  of  the  pain  that  had  been 
caused  by  an  electrical  treatment  he  had  undergone.  The  illusion 
was  then  removed  and  he  was  once  more  comfortable. 

In  the  Female  Ward  No.  13  was  a  young  woman  of  24,  a  hys- 
teriac,  who  had  undergone  a  long  course  of  suggestive  therapeutics. 
She  was  a  fidgety  and  quick-tempered  person,  and  in  her  neurotic 
crises  apt  to  be  troublesome  and  rebellious  to  the  House  Surgeon 
when  he  would  try  to  hypnotise  her.  He  had  treated  her  success- 
fully but  had  failed  to  destroy  her  waking  sensitiveness  to  touch 
and  contact  with  a  magnet.  Upon  coming  to  her  bed  Dr.  Bernheim 
hypnotised  her  and  made  the  suggestion  that,  upon  awakening,  she 
would  see  a  pretty  bouquet  of  flowers  on  her  bed.  Being  awakened, 
she  saw  it,  smelt  the  visionary  flowers,  and  went  through  the  motions 
of  putting  the  bouquet  into  the  empty  glass  on  her  bed-table.  Sud- 
denly she  fell  into  a  hysterical  crisis,  whereupon  the  gentle-faced, 
kind-looking  doctor  showed  his  latent  decision  of  character.  The 
more  she  rebelled  against  taking  his  suggestions  the  more  positively 
and  peremptorily  he  repeated  them  ;  the  more  she  thrashed  around 
the  sterner  grew  his  voice  ;  at  last  thewild  rebel  succumbed  and  he 
imposed  upon  her  whatsoever  suggested  idea  he  chose. 

The  young  woman  in  Bed  i,  of  Female  Ward  13,  was  a  most  in- 
teresting subject.  Her  name  we  will  call  Hortense  :  she  was  un- 
married, not  bad  looking,  had  a  sweet  smile,  was  very  sensitive, 
and  evidently  a  young  person  of  unblemished  character.  She  was 
subject  to  gastric  pains  and  insomnia.  At  the  first  word  from  the 
doctor  she  slept  as  calmly  as  a  child.  He  told  her  she  had  taken 
from  the  postman  a  letter  from  her  sister  and,  being  requested  to 
read  it,  went  on  fluently  composing  a  letter  in  German  (she  is  of 
Alsace).  The  doctor  then  suggested  a  basket  of  fine  peaches  ;  she 
saw  them  and  generously  proceeded  to  distribute  them  among  us. 
Then  a  dog  covered  with  mud  was  suggested  ;  she  drew  her  tidy 
skirts  about  her  and  tried  to  drive  it  away.  Then  the  doctor  gave  us 
a  splendid  example  of  the  wonderful  fact  of  "  inhibition."  He  told 
her,  when  hypnotised,  that  upon  awaking  she  would  neither  see 
him,  feel  his  touch,  nor  hear  his  voice  ;  he  should  seem  to  her  as  if 
absent.  Awakened,  Dr.  Simon  asked  her  where  Dr.  Bernheim  was, 
sajdng  that  all  of  us  had  stepped  away  for  a  moment,  leaving  him 
by  her  chair.  She  looked  at  each  one  of  us  in  turn.  Dr.  Bernheim 
among  the  rest,  and  said  she  did  not  know,  he  must  have  gone  into 
the  other  Ward.  "  But  I  am  here,  Hortense,  do  you  not  see  me  ?" 
said  the  doctor  in  a  rather  loud  tone.  She  seemed  deaf  to  his  voice, 
although  he  actually  stood  beside  her,  and  went  on  chatting  with 
i}r.  Simon.    Then  Dr.  Bernheim  bawled  into  her  ear  ;  he  passed 


582  The  Theosophiat.  [iuly 

bis  hand  over  her  face,  pinched  her  ear,  tickled  her  nostril  and  the 
comer  of  her  eye  with  a  feather  ;  then  he  scratched  the  cornea  with 
a  knife-point,  lifted  a  side  of  her  dress  and  pricked  her  on  the  leg 
below  and  above  the  knee,  but  she  showed  no  sign  that  she  either 
saw,  heard  or  felt  what  he  was  doing.  But  when  Dr.  Simon  made  as 
if  he  would  lift  the  other  side  of  her  skirt  to  examine  the  other  limb, 
she  blushed  from  offended  modesty  and  pushed  his  hand  away.  It 
was  most  evident  that  Dr.  Bemheim  had,  for  the  time  being,  been 
obliterated  so  far  as  her  senses  were  concerned.  The  reader  will 
now  understand  the  value  of  the  statement  I  made  in  the  first 
chapter  of  O.  D.  L.,  in  the  Theosophist  fot  March  1892  (foot-note),  on 
the  alleged  sudden  disappearance  of  a  Coptic  adept  from  the  ao& 
whereon  he  was  sitting  in  H.  P.  B.'s  room  at  Cairo.  There  is  no 
difference  whatever  between  that  and  Dr.  Bemheim's  case  as 
regards  the  psychological  principle  involved ;  both  are  examples  of 
'•  inhibition"  of  the  senses  ;  but  there  is  this  difference  in  detail,  that 
our  hypnotist  audibly  speaks  his  command,  while  the  Hastern  adept 
simply  thinks  it. 

But  Hortense  afforded  us  another  and  still  more  serious  bit  of 
instruction.  Dr.  Bernheim  said,  pointing  to  me,  "  Do  you  know  this 
gentleman  ?"  "  No,  Sir,"  she  replied,  •*  I  see  him  now  for  the  first 
time."  The  doctor  told  her  she  was  mistaken  ;  that  she  had  met 
me  in  the  street  the  day  before,  that  I  had  taken  a  fancy  to  have  her 
as  a  mistress,  had  agreed  upon  a  salary  of  Pes.  100  per  month, 
and  had  actually  paid  her  Pes.  25  on  account  of  the  first  month's 
salary.  The  girl's  face  first  expressed  indignation  that  she  should 
be  taken  as  such  a  person  ;  but  she  pondered  over  it  as  though 
testing  the  story  by  memory,  her  face  changed,  a  less  noble  expres- 
sion came  across  it^  she  looked  at  the  doctor  and  myself  attentively 
and  then  said,  •*  Why  certainly ;  how  could  I  have  forgotten  it  ?  It 
all  comes  back  to  me  now."  Saying  so,  she  rose  and  told  me  she  was 
ready.  "  Ready  for  what?"  asked  Dr.  Bemheim.  "To  go  with 
Monsieur."  **  But,  Hortense,  reflect  a  moment  ;  you  cannot  do  that, 
you  are  a  virtuous  girl ;  and  then,  again,  what  will  your  sister  and 
other  relatives  think  ?"  "  I  care  nothing  for  my  family,"  she  petu- 
lantly cried,  ''they  are  nothing  to  me.  The  gentleman  spoke  to  me 
very  kindly  yesterday,  he  offers  me  a  good  salary,  has  paid  me 
something  on  account ;  so  I  shall  go  with  him."  ;*  But  where  ?" 
asked  Dr.  B.  "  Wherever  he  likes,"  she  said.  "  And  do  what  ?" 
"  Whatever  he  wishes."  Saying  nothing,  I  moved  away  towards 
the  door  of  the  Ward,  went  down  the  corridor,  and  descended  two 
or  three  steps  of  the  grand  staircase.  Hortense  followed  at  my  heels 
without  a  word.  I  stopped  on  the  stairs  and  asked  her  where  ^e 
was  going.  "  With  you.  Monsieur,"  she  replied.  "  Ah  I  yes,  now 
I  remember,"  I  said ;  '*  but  first  let  us  return  for  a  moment  as  I  did 
not  bid  Dr.  Bemheim  good-bye."  She  followed  me  back,  Dr.  B.  de- 
hypnotised  her,  ordered  her  to  forget  all  that  had  passed,  and  we 


1901.]  CUd  Diary  Leaves.  583 

went  on  to  another  bedside.  I  saw  her  ou  several  following  days, 
but  she  showed  no  sigBS  of  anything  of  an  unusual  nature  having 
passed  between  us.  I  asked  the  Professor  if  he  really  believed 
that  the  young  woman  would  have  followed  me  to  my  hotel 
and  abandoned  herself  to  me.  He  replied  that  most  certainly 
she  would,  and  cases  of  the  sort  had  already  come  before  the  legal 
tribunals ;  the  moral  nature  was  in  such  cases  completely  paralysed 
for  the  time  being.  The  suggestion  would  utimately  wear  oflf,  but 
meanwhile  the  victim  would  be  absolutely  powerless  to  protect 
herself.  I  commend  the  subject  to  the  attention  of  people,  female  or 
male,  old  or  young,  who  thoughtlessly  permit  themselves  to  be 
hypnotised  by  the  first  comer.  Here  we  have  seen  a  virtuous  girl 
compelled  to  surrender  herself  to  a  strange  man's  pleasure,  and  an 
honest  man  turned  into  a  thief  and  a  liar.  Beware  the  hypnotiser 
whose perfut purity  and  benevolence  of  purpose  and  expefimattal  skill 
are  nol  hnawn  to  you.  There  is  less  risk  in  entering  a  tiger's  den 
unarmed  than  in  exposing  yourself  indiscriminately. 

Proifessor  Bemheim  made  other  experiments  for  me,  but  the 
above  will  suffice  to  show  his  great  skill  and  his  exceeding  kind- 
ness to  his  Indian  visitor.  We  lunched  together  that  day,  and 
his  conversation  was  extremely  interesting  and  instructive,  as  may 
be  imagined.  As  his  plans  were  all  made  to  take  his  family  to 
Switzerland  the  next  morning,  he  could  not  pursue  a  full  course  of 
experiments  with  me  as  he  desired,  but  obligingly  turned  me  over 
to  Drs.  Simon  and  Sterne,  with  whom  I  completed  so  far  as  I  could, 
the  researches  which  led  me  to  Nancy.  They  principally  related 
to  the  problem  of  metallotherapie  (the  alleged  pathological  eflFect  of 
certain  metals  upon  contact  with  the  skin  of  persons  of  different 
temperaments),  and  to  the  action  of  drugs  at  a  distance.  Dr. 
Burcq,  of  Paris,  first  called  the  attention  of  the  Faculty  de  Medicine 
to  the  former  and  gave  it  its  name,  while  Dr.  Luys,  Director  of  La 
Charity  Hospital,   was  the  godfather  of  the  latter. 

In  my  article  upon  the  Salpetri^re  researches  I  reported  a 
single  experiment  made  for  me  by  Dr.  Guinon  upon  a  woman 
in  whom  muscular  contraction  of  the  arm  was  provoked  by 
laying  a  gold  coin  upon  her  wrist :  but  at  Nancy  our  exper- 
iments were  much  more  serious.  I  had  with  me  an  English 
sovereign,  a  silver  i  Franc  piece,  a  copper  sou,  a  silver  | 
Franc,  an  American  (gold)  quarter-eagle,  and  a  sugar  cough-lozenge , 
All  were  wrapped  in  paper,  and,  of  course,  indistinguishable  from 
each  other.  We  tried  them  twice  upon  the  turbulent  hysterical  girl, 
several  times  upon  Hortense,  also  upon  another  female  patient,  and 
upon  a  boy  of  nine  years  :  in  the  Children's  Ward  No.  7  we  tried 
them  both  wrapped  and  uncovered,  and  neither  of  them  produced 
the  least  effect  unless  it  was  suggested  by  the  doctors  that  this  metal 
would  do  so  and  so  and  the  others  something  else.  Upon  suggestion, 
gold  made  one  patient  laugh,   another  weep  ;  silver  made  one  sing, 


584k  The  Theoflophlftt.  [July 

caused  a  blister  on  another,  and  copper,  similarly,  made  one  sneeze, 
another  cough.  In  one  case,  the  patient  being  put  to  sleep,  there 
was  no  effect  either  from  the  coins  or  the  sugar  lozenge,  even  when 
suggestion  was  resorted  to.  the  reason  being-^-as  I  was  told — ^that 
the  patient  had  sunk  so  deep  into  catalepsy  that  even  the  doctor's 
suggestions  did  not  reach  her  inner  consciousness.  With  Hortense, 
the  most  excellent  subject  in  the  Hospital,  no  normal  effect  fol- 
lowed  the  application  of  either  metal,  but  when  she  was  told  that 
the  lozenge  was  gold  and  would  bum  her,  she  instantly  pitched  it 
off  and  began  rubbing  her  arm,  upon  which  a  redness  of  the  skin 
was  observable  at  the  point  of  contact.  In  the  case  of  the  trouble- 
some girl,  she  seemed  at  first  sensitive  to  gold  and  silver  but  in- 
different to  copper,  vihile  they  were  visible  to  her,  but  when  wrapped 
in  paper  and  indistinguishable,  all  proved  equally  inert.  I  varied 
all  these  experiments  many  times,  always  with  the  same  result. 
The  Nancy  school,  as  before  remarked,  ascribe  the  Salp^tri^e  re- 
sults of  this  kind  to  pure  suggestion,  and  of  course  it  would  be  fair 
for  me  to  apply  the  same  rule  to  their  own  tests  :  theit  disbelief  in 
tnetallotherapie  being  as  potential  in  influencing  their  hyimotic  ' 
patients  to  resist  the  action  of  metals,  as  the  contrary  belief  of  Prof. 
Charcot's  school  might  cause  the  hypnotised  patients  to  be  sensitive 
to  metals^  But  how  about  my  own  case  ?  If  an3i;liing,  I  inclined  to 
the  theory  of  Burcq  and  Charcot,  that  metals  do  affect  persons  ;  in 
fact,  I  might  even  go  further  and  say  I  actually  believe  it ;  yet  the 
Nancy  patients,  though  given  over  to  me  to  experiment  upon  as  I 
chose,  and  by  me  tested  and  tried  in  many  ways,  were  not  acted 
upon  by  my  gold,  silver,  or  copper  coins  and  were  powerfully 
effected,  upon  suggestion,  by  the  simple,  inert  tablet  ofsugaf!'! 
leave  it,  therefore,  with  the  Scotch  verdict,  "  not  proven." 

It  will  be  seen  that  the  question  is  a  very  delicate  one,  and  we 
are  very  far  from  having  got  to  the  bottom  of  it.  The  experiments 
at  Nancy  are  interesting  and  important,  but  so  we  may  say  have 
been  the  very  numerous  observations  made  by  different  mesmeric 
experimentalists  on  the  effects  of  metallic  substances  upon  their 
subjects.  It  cannot  be  at  all  certain  that  a  physician  of  the  stand'^' 
ing  of  Dr.  Burcq  can  have  been  utterly  mistaken  as  to  the  influetice 
of  metals  upon  sick  patients  having  been  so  marked  as  to  warrant  his 
reporting  them  to  the  Academy  of  Medicine  as  the  basis  for  a  new 
system  of  therapeutics.  Then,  again,  there  are  many  persons  who, 
on  touching  brass,  taste  its  peculiar  aura  on  their  tongues  ;  fur- 
thermore, what  are  we  to  say  as  to  the  well-known  fact  that  a 
globule  of  mercury  held  in  the  palm  of  the  hand  will  sometimes 
produce  salivation  ?  I^ast  of  all,  there  are  the  delicate  and  malti- 
farious  researches  of  Baron  von  Richenbach,  whose  eminence  as  a 
metallurgical  chemist  is  historical,  and  about  whose  discoveries 
something  will  be  said  in  the  next  chapter. 

'. — ^  P .  S.  OtcoTT 


585 


REBIRTH. 
As  Taught  in  Anciknt  India  and  Bkukved  in  Modern  Europe. 

Oft  in  my  brain  does  that  strange  fancy  roll 
Which  makes  the  present  (while  the  flash  does  last) 
Seem  a  mere  semblance  of  some  unknown  past, 
Mixed  with  such  feelings  as  perplex  the  soul 
Self-questioned  in  her  sleep  :  and  some  have  said 
We  lived,  ere  yet  this  robe  of  flesh  we  wore. 

IN  the  A/^a/ /?^7(?a' of  November  1900  there  is  a  very  able  article 
entitled  "The  Teaching  of  Rebirth  in  India,"  by  Charles  Johnston, 
M.  R.  A.  S.  To  the  student  of  Theosophy  the  essay  is  all  the  more 
interesting  as  it  comes  from  the  pen  of  a  scholar  well  versed  in 
Sanskrit  lore,  while  the  statements  contained  therein  are  on  the 
whole  in  accordance  with  modern  Theosophical  teachings. 

The  writer  introduces  us  to  "  the  oldest  passage  in  all  the  vast 
records  of  India  that  speak  quite  clearly  of  rebirth,"  which  is  found 
in  the  Chfindogya-Upanishad,  V.,  3,  i  (Max  Miiller's  trans.),  where 
we  read: 

Svetaketu  A'runeya  went  to  an  assembly  of  the  PafichSlas. 
PranShana  Gaivali*  said  to  him  : 

"  Boy,  has  your  father  instructed  you  ?  "  **  Yes,  Sir,"  he  replied. 

'*  Do  you  know  to  what  place  men  go  from  here  ?"  "  No,  Sir," 
he  replied. 

'*  Do  you  know  how  they  return  again  ?"  "  No,  Sir,"  he  replied. 

**  Po  you  know  where  the  path  of  Devas  and  the  path  of  the 
fathers  diverge  ?"  "  No,  Sir,"  he  replied. 

"  Do  yon  know  why  that  world  never  becomes  full  ?"  "  No,  Sir,** 
he  replied. 

"  Do  you  know  why,  in  the  fifth  libation,  water  is  called  Man  ?" 
"  No,  Sir,"  he  replied. 

In  the  Brihadaranyaka-Upanishad  (VI.,  ir.,  3,  4)  we  are  told 
that  '*  The  king  then  invited  him  to  stay  and  accept  his  hospitality. 
But  the  boy,  not  caring  for  hospitality,  ran  away,  went  back  to  his 
father  and  said : 

"  Thus  then  you  called  me  formerly  well  instructed  !  *' 

The  father  said  :  "  What  then,   you  sage  ?*' 

The  son  replied :  •*  That  fellow  of  a  RSganya  asked  me  five 
questions,  and  I  did  not  know  one  of  them.*' 

"  What  were  they  ?*'  said  the  father. 

"  These  were  they,**  the  son  replied,  mentioning  the  different 
heads. 


*  The  same  Kshaltriya  sage  who  silenced  the  Brahfpans, 


586  The  Theosophist.  [July 

« 

The  father  said  :  '*  You  know  me,  child,  that  whatever  I  know, 
I  told  you.  But  come,  we  shall  go  thither,  and  dwell  there  as 
students." 

**  You  may  go,  Sir,"  the  son    replied. 

How  plainly  do  these  few  words  indicate  the  young  man's 
disposition  !  It  was  not  knowledge  for  its  own  sake  that  he  wanted, 
it  was  for  the  sake  of  the  glory  or  the  renown  which  he  might 
gain  through  it.  He  was  vexed  with  the  Lord  of  the  PanchSlas, 
because  he  had  exposed  his  ignorance  and  then  had  offered  to 
teach  him.  To  such  a  thing  he  could  not  possibly  condescend  1 
Have  we  never  felt  like  Svetaketu  ? 

The  old  Brahman,  his  lather,  however,  was  of  a  different  tem- 
perament, he  wished  to  learn,  therefore  he,  we  are  told,  **  went  alone 
to  ask  for  wisdom.  The  king  received  him  well,  and  hospitably 
entertained  him  ;  then,  after  the  manner  of  the  *  tempter'  in  all  alle- 
gories of  initiation,  offered  him  a  wish.'* 

**  The  old  man  rejected  the  things  his  fellow  Brahmans  prayed 
for — *  Enough  of  gold  and  cattle  and  horses,  slave-girls,  tapestries 
and  robes  !  But  be  not  ungenerous  of  the  great,  the  endless,  the 
everlasting.*  ** 

**  The  king's  answer  to  this  prayer  for  wisdom  is  lemarkable, 
almost  startling.  He  consents  to  teach  the  old  man  the  way  of 
rebirth  and  of  freedom  from  rebirth  ;  but  adds  this  notable  caution : 
!  Henceforth  be  free  of  offence  towards  us,  thou  and  thy  father's 
fathers,  since  this  wisdom  never  before  dwelt  in  any  Brahman,  but 
was,  in  all  lands,  the  mastery  of  the  warrior  Kshattriya,  alone.' " 

From  these  words  we  learn  that  the  Brahmans,  although  they 
were  supposed  to  have  all  spiritual  knowledge  and  to  be  well 
**  versed  in  the  Vedic  hymns,"  received  their  first  teaching  of  rebirth 
from  the  warrior  race  that  ruled  the  whole  of  northern  India.  We 
might  take  this  also  as  a  kind  of  wamiug  to  ourselves,  to  show  us 
that  it  is  not  always  the  ordained  priesthood  that  can  solve  the 
mysteries  or  impart  the  highest  teachings  of  the  different  religions. 

According  to  Mr.  Johnston's  ideas,  Svetaketu  was  not  only  con- 
ceited, but  uncommonly  stupid  and  unobservant,  as  he  might  have 
guessed  (as  people  now-a-days  like  to  do)  the  answers  to  Ravaha- 
^a*s  questions,  if  he  had  only  listened  carefully.  He  therefore 
**  supplies  the  young  Brahman's  shortcomings  and  turns  the  five 
questions  into  affirmations,  thus  :  These  beings,  the  souls  of  men, 
on  going  forth  from  life,  are  separated  and  go  onward  in  divergent 
directions  ;  souls  come  back  to  this  world  and  enter  it  again,  and 
because  the  souls  of  men  come  back  to  this  world  again,  the  other 
world  is  not  filled  to  overflowing ;  but  the  souls  of  men  do  not 
immediately  come  back  to  re-enter  this  world,  for  we  hear  of  two 
paths,  not  of  this  world,  that  they  approach,  in  the  way  of  the 
fathers  and  the  way  of  the  gods.  It  must  be  at  the  dividing  of 
these  two   ways   that    they  separate  and  pass  on    in   divergent 


1901.]  Rebirth.  687 

directions,  some  to  the  fathers,  the  souls  of  dead  ancestors ;  some  to 
the  gods,  the  shining  immortals/' 

The  Rajput  sage  in  teaching  the  old  Brahman,  explains  first* 
*•  why  in  the  fifth  oblation  water  is  called  man  ;  secondly,  to  what 
place  men  go  after  death,  some  by  the  path  of  the  Devas,  others  by 
the  path  of  the  fathers,  others  again  by  neither  of  these  paths : 
thirdly,  how  they  return,  some  returning  to  Brahman,  others  return- 
ing to  the  earth ;  fourthly,  where  the  paths  of  the  Devas  and 
the  fathers  diverge,  viz.,  when  from  the  half  year  the  path  of  the 
Devas  goes  on  to  the  year,  while  that  of  the  fathers  branches  off  to 
the  world  of  the  fathers  ;  fifthly,  why  that  world,  the  other  world, 
does  never  become  full,  viz.,  *'  because  men  either  go  on  to  Brahman 

or  return  again  to  this  world Birth  is  the  result  of  former  works, 

and  if  former  works  are  altogether  consumed,    there  can  be  no  new 
birth." 

In  the  last  sentence  the  cause  of  rebirth  is  hinted  at. 

Nachiketas  said  (Katha  Up.,  I.,  i.,  6) :  **  Look  back  how  it  was 
with  those  who  came  before  ;  look  forward  how  it  will  be  with  those 
who  come  hereafter.  A  mortal  ripens  like  corn,  like  corn  he  springs 
up  again."  A  little  further  on,  in  the  same  Upanishad  (I.,  3,  7-9)  we 
have  the  following  lines  :  **  He  who  has  no  understanding,  who  is? 
unmindful  and  always  impure,  never  reaches  that  place ;  but  enters 
into  the  round  of  births.  But  he  who  has  understanding,  who  is  mind-' 
ful  and  always  pure,  reaches  that  place,  from  whence  he  is  not  born 
again.  But  he  who  has  understanding  for  his  charioteer,  aiid  who 
holds  the  reins  of  his  mind,  he  reaches  the  end  of  his  journey  and 
that  IS  the  highest  place  of  Vishnu." 

PranShana  further  shows  to  his  hearers  how  there  is  not  only 
immortality  after  death,  but  also  immortality  before  birth — as 
it  stands  to  reason,  if  immortality  is  at  all  admitted.  This  is 
a  factor  that  is  hardly  ever  taken  into  consideration  by  Western 
religious  teachers.  In  his  explanations  of  rebirth  he  therefore 
begins  **  with  the  period  before  birth  when  the  soul  is  getting 
ready  to  enter  the  world."  Mr.  Johnston  reproduces  the.  words 
of  the  Rajput  sage  as  follows:  '*  In  the  great  All,  there  are 
three  manifested  worlds ;  the  divine,  the  mid-world  and  this 
earth.  The  divine  is  as  fire  that  illumines  ;  the  mid- world  of  pas- 
sion is  as  a  fire  that  consumes  ;  this  wholesome  earth  is  as  a  fire 
that  warms.  The  soul  that  is  to  enter  the  gates  of  birth  is  resting 
in  the  divine  world  ;  how  it  came  there  we  shall  shortly  see.  When 
the  time  of  birth  conies  near,  it  dies  out  of  the  divine  world,  to  be 
bom  into  the  world  below,  the  world  of  passion  and  desire,  the 
midway  between  earth  and  heaven." 

•*  W*hen  the  soul  dies  out  of  the  celestial  world,  it  is  reborn  in 
the  mid-world  in  alunar  form  ;  that  is,  a  form  of  waxing  and  waning. 
of  changefulness  and  desire,  that  is  likened  to  a  white  mi.st  gradually 

•    Cbkndogya,  Up.,  V.,  x^s]  ' 


588  The  Theoaophist.  (July 

darkeuiug  to  cloud.    Then  it  gradually  takes  on  the  materiality  of 
the  earth  and  approaches  a  father  and  mother  to  be  bom." 

*•  The  three  worlds  were  likened  to  three  fires ;  the  same  image 
is  applied  to  the  father  and  mother ;  so  that  after  the  offering  of  the 
fifth  fire,  after  the  mother  has  given  birth  to  her  child,  the  *  waters ' 
(the  gradually  materialised  form  already  likened  to  a  mist  condens- 
ing into  cloud)  *  rise  up  and  speak  with  human  voice,'  the  voice  of 
the  new-born  man/' 

**  He  is  born,  he  lives  as  long  as  he  lives,  then  dies."  In  these 
brief  words  the  Rajput  Seer  describes  man's  fate  in  this  world,  be- 
cause he  wants  to  speak  with  greater  fulness  on  the  subject  of 
death,  which  he  seems  to  consider  as  more  important. 

•*  lyight  is  the  Udtna  (out-breathing),  and  therefore  he  whose 
light  has  gone  out  (what  a  fitting  description  of  death)  comes  to  a 
new  birth  with  his  senses  absorbed  in  the  mind.  Whatever  his 
thought  (at  the  time  of,  his  death),  with  that  he  goes  back  to  PrSna, 
and  the  Pr&na,  united  with  light,  together  with  the  self  (the  Jivat- 
mft),  leads  on  to  the  world,  as  deserved."  In  these  words  does  the 
Prasna  Upanishad  (III.,  9-10)  state  not  only  the  simple  teaching  of 
rebirth,  but  there  is  bound  up  in  it  at  the  same  time  the  great  truth 
that  man  is  not  reborn  according  to  chance  or  to  choice ;  but  accord- 
ing to  law,  -as  we  are  also  told  in  Brihadaranyaka  Upanishad,  IV., 
IV,  3  :  '*  And  as  a  caterpillar,  after  having  reached  the  end  of  a  blade 
of  grass,  and  after  having  made  another  approach  (to  another  blade), 
draws  itself  together  towards  it,  thus  does  this  Self,  after  having  thrown 
off  this  body  and  dispelled  all  ignorance,  and  after  making  another 
approach  (to  another  body),  draw  himself  together  towards  it." 

"  And  as  a  goldsmith,  taking  a  piece  of  gold,  turns  it  into 
another  newer  and  more  beautiful  shape,  so  does  this  Self,  after  hav- 
ing thrown  off  this  body  and  dispelled  all  ignorance,  make  unto 
himself  another,  newer  and  more  beautiful  shape,  whether  it  will  be 
like  the  Fathers,  or  like  the  Gandhar\'as,  or  like  the  Devas,  or 
like  PrajSpati,  or  like  Brahman,  or  like  other  beings." 

"  That  Self  is  indeed  Brahman,  consisting  of  knowledge,  mind, 
life,  sight,  hearing,  earth,  water,  wind,  ether,  light  and  no  light,  desire 
and  no  desire,  anger  and  no  anger,  right  or  wrong,  and  all  things.  * 
Now  as  a  man  is  like  this  or  like  that,  according  as  he  acts  and  ac« 
cording  as  he  behaves,  so  will  he  be  : — a  man  of  good  acts  will 
become  good,  a  man  of  bad  acts,  bad.  He  becomes  pure  by  pure 
deeds,  bad  by  bad  deeds. 

*'  And  here  they  say  that  a  person  consists  of  desires.  And  as 
is  his  desire,  so  is  his  will,  and  as  is  his  will,  so  is  his  deed  ;  and 
whatever  deed  he  does,  that  he  will  reap." 

A  few  verses  further  on  we  read  :  "  To  whatever  object  a  man's 
own  merit  is  attached,  to  that  he  goes,  strenuously,  together  with  his 
deed  ;  and  having  obtained  the  end  (the  last  results)  of  whatever 
deed  he  does  here  on  earth,  he  returns  again  from  that  world  (which 


1901.]  Rebirth.  58^ 

is  the  temporary  reward  of  his  deed)  to  this  world  of  action.  So 
much  for  the  man  who  desires.  But  as  to  the  man  who  does  not 
desire,  who,  not  desiring,  freed  from  desires,  is  satisfied  in  his  desires 
or  desires  the  Self  only,  his  vital  spirits  do  not  depart  elsewhere — 
being  Brahman,  he  goes  to  Brahman." 

In  the  Cbandogya  Upanishad,  V.,  x.,  7-9,  it  is  said  : 

*•  Those  whose  conduct  has  been  good,  will  quickly  obtain  some 
good  birth,  the  birth  of  a  Brahmana,  or  a  Kshattriya,  or  a  Vaisya. 
But  those  whose  conduct  has  been  evil,  will  quickly  attain  an  evil 
birth." 

In  many  verses  of  the  Upanishads  we  are  shown  what  is  reborn  ; 
that  it  is  not  this  perishable  body,  but  the  immortal  Self. 

In  the  Bhagavad  Gita  we  find  many  passages  alluding  to  the 
teaching  of  rebirth,  thus  (Dis.  II.,  v.  13,  A.  B.'s  trans.)  :  •*  As  the 
dweller  in  the  body  seeketh  in  the  body,  childhood,  youth  and  old 
age,  so  passeth  he  on  to  another  body ;  and  in  verse  22  :  As  a  man, 
casting  off  worn-out  garments,  taketh  new  ones,  so  the  dweller 
in  the  body,  casting  off  worn-out  bodies,  entereth  into  others  that 
are  new.  For  sure  is  the  death  of  him  that  is  born  and  sure  the 
birth  of  him  that  is  dead  (v.,  27)." 

Further  on  in  the  same  discourse  (v.,  51)  we  read  :  *'  The  sages, 
united  to  Buddhi,  renounce  the  fruit  which  action  yieldeth,  and, 
liberated  from  the  bonds  of  birth,  they  go  to  the  blissful  seat." 

The  blessed  Lord  said  (Dis.  IV.,  v.,  5) :  "  Many  births  have  been 
left  behind  by  Me  and  by  thee,  O  Arjuna.  I  know  them  all,  but  thou 
knowest  not  thine,  Parantapa." 

In  the  sixth  discourse  of  the  Lord's  Song  (v.,  41,  4-5)  we  are 
instructed  in  the  following  words  :  "  Having  attained  to  the  worlds 
of  the  pure  doing,  and  having  dwelt  there  for  eternal  years,  he  who 
fell  from  Yoga  is  reborn  in  a  pure  and  blessed  house ;  or  else  he  is 
bom  into  a  family  of  intelligent  Yogis ;  but  such  a  birth  as  that  is 
hard  to  obtain  in  this  world.  There  he  obtained  the  complete 
yogic  wisdom  belonging  to  his  former  body,  and  then  again  laboureth 
for  perfection,  O  joy  of  the  Kurus!  By  that  former  practice  he  is 
involuntarily  guided.  Only  wishing  to  know  Yoga,  one  goeth 
beyond  the  Brahmic  word  (the  Vedas),  but  the  Yogi,  verily,  la!)our- 
ing  with  assiduity,  purified  from  sin,  fully  perfected  through  mani- 
fold births,  he  treadeth  the  supreme  path." 

•*  He  who  knoweth  this  Purusha  and  Prakriti  and  the  various 
qualities,  in  whatsoever  condition,  he  shall  not  be  born  again," 
we  are  told  in  the  thirteenth  discourse,  v.,  23. 

,  Many  another  passage  referring  to  rebirth  could  be  found  in 
other  sacred  writings  of  the  Ea.st ;  but  we  mil  next  turn  from  them 
to  more  modern  times  and  to  our  Western  literature. 

C.    KOFKL, 
(To  be  concluded*) 


590 


WHA  T  THE  MW  THOUGHT  STANDS  FOR.'' 

WITHIN  the  last  twenty-five  years  two  great  movements, 
thoroughly  idealistic  in  their  tendencies,  have  taken  root  in 
our  own  country  and  are  now  spreading  to  the  uttermost  parts  of 
the  earth.  One  is  known  under  the  name  of  Christian  Science,  and 
was  founded  by  Mary  Baker  Glover  Eddy  ;  the  other,  which  is  now 
popularly  known  as  the  New  Thought  Movement,  had  as  its  first 
great  apostle,  P.  P.  Quimby,  of  Portland,  Me.,  and  later,  Julius  A. 
Dresser,  of  Boston,  and  Dr.  W.  F.  Evans.  Mr.  Dresser  taught  and 
practised  mental  healing,  and  wrote  but  little.  Dr.  Evans  wrote  a 
number  of  books,  the  most  important  being  **  Primitive  Mind  Cure," 

and  •*  Esoteric  Christianity."t 

It  is  not  within  the  scope  of  this  article  to  trace  the  history  of 
these  two  great  movements,  but  rather  to  show  certain  points  where- 
in they  agree  or  disagree.  Fundamentally,  there  are  certain  beliefs 
held  by  them  in  common.  The  New  Thought  devotee  as  well  as  the 
Christian  Scientist,  holds  to  the  thought  of  the  Ofieftess  of  life — ^that 
all  life  is  one  life  ;  that  all  knowledge  is  one — and  that  God  is  omnis- 
cient, omnipotent  and  omnipresent.  Starting  with  this  fundamental 
idea  of  life,it  might  be  thought  by  some  that  the  two  bodies  would 
reach  virtually  the  same  conclusions  ;  but  that  there  is  a  radical 
difference  will  be  clearly  shown  in  the  following  paragraphs. 

Let  it  be  understood,  first  of  all,  that  the  writer  does  not  attempt 
to  discuss  this  subject  in  an  antagonistic  way,  or  from  any  desire  to 
find  fault  with  Christian  Science.  He  recognises  the  fact  that  there 
must  be  great  vitality  in  a  religious  system  that  has  wrought  such 
wonderful  changes  in  the  minds  of  thousands  of  people  in  so  short 
a  time,  and  is  more  than  wdlling  to  give  due  credit  to  its  founder  for 
the  truly  marvellous  work  she  has  accomplished.  There  is  no  desire 
to  be  unjust,  but  merely  to  make  a  plain  statement  of  the  facts  of 
the  case.  The  writer  has  no  thought  of  making  any  attack  on  Mrs. 
Eddy  or  her  followers,  and  concerning  the  points  wherein  he  seems 
to  criticise  will  deal  with  certain  phases  of  their  belief  rather  than 
with  the  work  of  any  individual  ;  for  he  is  in  general  accord  with 
their  affirmative  religion,  or  philosophy,  but  in  direct  opposition  to 
their  philosophy  of  daiial^  which  he  believes  to  be  unchristian.  He 
grants  without  question  the  good  they  have  accomplished  in  heal- 
ing the  sick  and  in  bringing  greater  happiness  and  peace  into  the 
lives  of  others.  He  believes,  however,  that  this  has  been  acconi 
plished,  not  through  any  denial  of  matter,  or  of  sin,   sickne.ss,  and 

*  Reprinted  from  7 he  Arena ^  New  York,  January,  1901. 

t  "  The   Mental  Cure,"  and   "  Mental   Medicine "  are    two  other  importani. 
earlier  works  by  Dr.  Evans  ;  for  sale  at  the  Theosophist  office. 


1901].  What  the  New  Thought  stands  for.  591 

death,  but  through  the  presentation  of  the  affirmative  side   of  their 
religion — the  oneness  of  life  and  the  omnipotence  of  God. 

This  article  is  written  to  make  clear  the  distinction  between  the 
New  Thought  Movement  and  Christian  Science,  as  the  question  is 
so  often  asked  :  In  what  does  the  real  difference  consist  ?  The 
first  great  point  of  divergence  appears  when  Christian  Science 
affirms  the  whole  material  universe  to  be  an  illusion  of 
what  it  terms  **  mortal  mind,"  and  that  through  the  denial  of  matter 
one  realises  one\s  spiritual  origin.  This  is  identical  with  the  posi- 
tion held  by  many  of  the  Hindu  people,  both  of  the  past  and  the 
present  time— that  Maya  (matter)  is  an  illusion  of  mind.  Of  course, 
in  this  denial  of  matter  the  physical  form  of  man  is  also  denied 
aw^y. 

The  New  Thought  believer,  on  the  other  hand,  looks  upon  the 
visible  universe  as  an  expression  of  the  power  of  God.  He  perceives 
that  there  must  be  an  outer  as  well  as  an  inner  ;  that  there  must  be 
effects  as  well  as  causes  ;  that  all  the  great  material  universe  is  the 
visible  word  of  God — God*s  word  becoming  manifest  in  material 
fomi ;  that  the  body  of  man,  to  some  degree,  represents  man's  spirit- 
ual and  mental  life  ;  that  by  the  influx  of  man's  spiritual  conscious- 
ness the  mind  is  renewed,,  and  the  body  strengthened  and  made 
whole.  In  this  conception*  of  the  outer  world,  the  New  Thought 
believer  claims  to  be  in  thorough  accord  with  what  the  great 
Nazarene  taught ;  because,  while  he  said  the  flesh  was  of  no  profit 
in  comparison  with  the  spirit,  yet  he  drew  his  greatest  lessons  from 
external  Nature.  He  said  ;  '*  Consider  the  lilies  of  the  field,  how 
they  grow.""  He  pointed  out  how  God  has  clothed  the  flowers  with 
a  beauty  and  perfection  that  man's  highest  art  cannot  equal.  He 
affirmed  that  God  cared  even  for  the  grass  of  the  field ;  and  King 
David  said  :  '*  Day  unto  day  uttereth  speech,  and  night  unto  night 
showeth  knowledge.  There  is  no  speech  nor  language  where  their 
voice  is  not  heard." 

Christian  Science  denies  away  sin,  sickness,  and  death.  The 
New  Thought  claims  that  all  three  have  an  existence,  but  an  exist- 
ence that  is  overcome,  not  through  any  process  of  denial,  but 
through  the  introduction  of  true  thought  into  the  mind  of  man  ; 
that  to  deny  them  away  is  to  attribute  the  qualities  of  an  entity  to  the 
very  thing  that  is  denied  ;  that,  in  order  to  deny  anything  away, 
it  must  first  be  pictured  in  the  mind  ;  and  that,  instead  of  putting  it 
away,  the  mental  picture  is  thus  perpetuated.  Jesus  recognised 
both  sin  and  disease  when  he  said  :  **  Go,  and  sin  no  more,  lest  a 
worse  thing  befall  thee/'  There  is  nothing  in  his  teachings  to  show 
that  he  ever  denied  away  either  sin  or  disease,  but  much  to  prove 
that  he  recognised  both  as  conditions  that  should  be  overcome  bv 
good. 

Another  point  of  difference  between  Christian  Science  and  the 
New  Thought  Movement  is  the  question  of  individual  freedom—the 


592  The  Theosophist.  fJuly 

Ood-given  right  to  think  and  act  for  one's  self.  Christian  Science 
says,  Read  the  Bible,  and  then  take  "  Science  and  Health"  as  its 
interpreter.  Leave  all  other  sources  of  knowledge  alone,  it  oom- 
niands,  because  all  else  is  the  product  of  "  mortal  mind."  The  New 
Thought  stands  with  the  Apostle  Paul,  when  he  said  :  "  Prove  all 
things  ;  hold  fast  that  which  is  good."  Paul  does  not  concede  the 
right  to  any  one  else  to  do  the  thinking  or  the  proving,  believing 
that  each  mind  must  deal  individually  with  the  problems  of  life  and 
thus  work  out  its  own  salvation. 

Still  another  point  of  disagreement  arises  in  the  founding  of 
church  organisations.  Christian  Science,  with  its  thoroughly 
organised  following,  has  founded  church  after  church.  New 
Thought  people  think  that  we  have  churches  enough  :  that  we  do 
not  need  religions  made  up  of  creeds  and  **  beliefs"  as  urgently  af^ 
we  need  a  religion  based  upon  the  true  worship  of  God — in  spirit 
and  in  truth.  The  real  temple  of  God  is  in  the  human  soul;  the  New 
Thought  Movement,  therefore,  does  not  stand  for  any  ecclesiasti- 
cal or  theological  propaganda.  It  would  bring  to  the  minds  of 
the  people  a  knowledge  of  the  laws  that  regulate  and  control  life 
everywhere  ;  it  would  show  that  through  perfect  conformity  to  the 
inner  laws  of  life  come  perfect  health  and  happiness,  and  that  it  5s 
possible  to  manifest  God's  kingdom  here  and  now. 

When  we  come  to  the  healing  of  disease,  a  radical  difference  is 
found,  in  that  the  Christian  Science  practitioner  denies  away  disease 
and  then  affirms  the  oneness  of  life  and  of  health,  declaring  that 
we  are  to  draw  our  vitality  from  the  one  great  Source ;  while  the 
New  Thought  practitioner  stands  fairly  and  squarely  on  the  affirma- 
//Vr  side  of  life.  No  such  thing  as  denial  enters  the  mind  of  the 
New  Thought  healer  when  he  treats  his  patient.  He  recognises  all 
wrong  mental  conditions— malice,  hatred,  envy,  jealousy,  pride,  sen- 
suality, and  kindred  emotions — as  indications  of  a  lack  of  develop- 
ment, and  perceives  that  with  the  introduction  of  affirmative 
thought  no  direct  denial  is  needed  ;  that  the  affirmation  carries  all 
necessary  denial  within  itself. 

When  the  feeling  of  love  enters  the  life,  the  false  feeling  of  hate 
must  go  out ;  when  the  thought  of  law  and  order  enters  the  mind, 
unlawfulness  and  disorder  can  have  no  place.  The  New  Thought 
healer  affirms  that  all  life  is  one ;  that  in  God  **  we  live  and  move 
and  have  our  being  ;"  that  He  has  given  to  us  all  things — health, 
strength  and  happiness.  Every  thought  given  by  the  healer  is  one 
of  strength,  of  health,  of  beauty  and  loving-kindness  ;  no  disagree- 
able or  unwholesome  thought  goes  forth  to  the  patient,  as  would 
naturally  be  the  case  if  the  mind  of  the  healer  were  engaged  in 
denying  away  mistakes  that  he  hopes  to  overcome.  We  believe 
that  our  thoughts  make  us  what  we  are  ;  that  it  is  indispensably 
necessar>'  to  keep  the  mind  filled  with  clean,  wholesome  thought— 
and  in  so  doing  there  is  no  room  for  contradictory  ideas, 


190LJ  What  the  Ht^  Thought  stands  for.  5M 

To  recapittilate :  Christiait  Science  and  the  New  Tbought  agree 
that  all  life  is  one ;  that  all  intelligence  is  one ;  that  God  is  the  All 
iiiaU« 

And  they  disagree  on  the  following  points :  Christian  Science 
says  that  the  visible  world  is  "  mortal  mind ;"  the  New  Thought 
declares  the  visible  universe  to  be  an  expression  of  God's  handi- 
ffotk.  Christian  Science  asserts  that  sin,  sickness  and  death  have 
no  existence ;  the  New  Thought  a£Einns  that  they  have  an  existence, 
but  their  existence  is  only  limited  and  .  their  destruction  comes 
through  right  thinking  and  hence  through  right  living.  Christian 
Science  stands  for  a  great  religious  sectarian  organisation ;  it  stands 
for  shivery  of  the  individual  to  an  institution— at  least  at  present. 
The  New  Thought  stands  for  a  knowledge  of  spiritual  truth  among 
all  people  and  perfect  freedom  of  the  individual,  in  both  thought 
and  action,  io  live  out  the  life  that  God  intended  him  to  live. 
Christian  Science  stands  for  a  woman  and  a  book ;  the  New  Thought 
Movement  stands  for  God  manifesting  through  the  soul  of  man,  for 
the  eternal  laws  of  creation,  and  for  the  absolute  freedom  of  the 
individual  to  work  out  his  own  salvation.  Christian  Science  stands 
for  a  treatment  of  disease  that  includes  both  a  negative  and  an 
affirmative  philosophy;  the  New  Thought  in  its  treatment  of 
disease  rests  on  the  omnipotence  of  God  as  the  one  and  only  healing 
powei:  of  the  universe,  and  is  therefore  thoroughly  and  solely 
affirmative. 

Qaving  pointed  out  the  distinctions  that  exist  between  the 
two  movements  as  the  writer  sees  them,  let  us  briefly  outline  the 
New  Thought  and  what  it  stands  for,  even  though  it  may  be  neces- 
sary to  repeat  a  few  statements  already  made,  in  order  to  give  a  clear, 
comprehensive  view  of  the  movement.  We  do  not  believe  that  the 
New  Thought  had  its  origin  in  the  mind  of  any  one  particular  per- 
son or  number  of  persons,  but  that  it  is  as  old  as  the  soul  itself.  It 
is  God's  truth  seeking  to  become  manifest  in  the  individual  life* 
We  believe,  however,  that  Jesus  Christ  showed  forth  the  great  yet 
simple  truths  of  life  in  as  clear  and  comprehensive  a  manner  as 
they  -have  ever  been  given  to  the  world.  Yet  we  do  not  believe  that 
be  was  the  only  great  prophet  of  God,  but  that  all  peoples  have  had 
their  prophets— that  Buddha,  Krishna,  Mahommed,  Zoroaster  and 
Confucius  were  prophets  of  God,  and  brought  life  and  understand- 
ing to  the  people. 

The  New  Thought  teaches  the  universality  of  religion  ;  that 
God's  spirit  is  more  or  less  active  in  the  minds  of  all  people,  and 
tliat  each  individual  receives  according  to  his  desires  and  needs ; 
that  there  is  a  natural  evolutionar>'^  process  in  the  life  of  man,  and 
little  by  little  he  is  unfolding  latent  powers  and  possibilities ;  that 
the  ideal  mi^n  already  exists,  but  the  ideal  is  still  seeking  perfect 
expression  ;  that  man  grows  as  naturally  as  does  the  plant  or  the 
tree,  and  that  there  is  law  and  order  from  beginning   to  end  ;   that 

3 


694  The  Th«osophi8t.  [July 

law  is  universal,  and  it  is  through  knowledge  of  liniversal  law  that 
man  brings  his  life  into  oneness  with  the  universal  I^ife — into  a 
condition  of  harmony  wherein  he  expresses  both  health  and  happi- 
ness. 

There  are  different  stages  of  religious  development,  as  there 
are  different  stages  of  physical,  mental  and  spiritual  growth.  On 
one  plane  of  religion,  man  lives  a  purely  sensuous  life  ;  on  anotlier, 
the  mind  becomes  enamored  of  creeds  and  rituals  formulated  by  the 
human  mind  ;  on  a  third,  man  worships  God  in  spirit  and  in  tnitli. 
I  believe  there  is  no  religion  in  the  world  devoid  of  truth — that  the 
truth  it  contains  is  that  which  holds  it  together  ;  that  all  mankind 
are  working  for  a  single  end  ;  that,  although  we  have  differences  in 
the  present,  they  exist  rather  in  form  than  in  spirit,  and  will  grad- 
ually melt  away.  We  would  rejoice  with  all  people  when  they 
rejoice.  In  whatever  way  any  body  of  people  calling  themselves 
Christian  Scientists,  or  by  any  other  name,  bring  greater  happiness 
and  a  higher  and  truer  knowledge  of  life  to  others,  instead  of  finding 
fault,  let  us  gladly  indorse  that  which  they  have  accomplished.  We 
know  that  whatever  good  is  wrought  is  of  the  Spirit  of  God— in  both 
thought  and  work. 

In  defining  the  principles  professed  by  the    New  Thought  fol- 
lowers, we  are  free  to  admit  that  they  do  not   always  adhere  to  their 
highest  ideals  ;  but  exception  should  not  be  taken  to  the  law,  but 
rather  to  the  failure  to  live  up  to  its  requirements.    The  New 
Thought  teaches  that  we  should  live  from  the  centre  of  life  outward ; 
that  "we  should  recognise  the  power  of  God   working  within  us  to 
will  and  to  do.    There  should  be  such  an   outflow  of  faith  and  love 
and  hope  from  the  soul  into  the  mind  of  man    that  his  thought 
would  really  become    transfigured,    his    body    transformed,   and 
God's   kingdom   expressed    "on  ear^h  as  it  is  in  heaven."    We 
believe  that  any  reform   that  shall  ever  come  into  the  world  will 
not  be  through  a  work  that  deals  solely  with  the  external    life,  but 
will    have    its    inception    in    the    heart — in   the  soul  and  life — of 
man ;    that   there    is    no    problem    in    life  that    cannot  be  solved 
through  a   knowledge  of  the  law  of   God — ^as  it  is  written  in  the 
heart  of  man— and  obedience  thereto.     The  New  Thought  stands 
for  a  vital   Christianity  that  goes  to  the   very  heart  of  things  ; 
that  pays  no  attention  to  the  letter  or   the  form,  but  creates  both 
letter  and  form  for  itself  in  perfect  accord  with  the  inner  word. 

We  have,  therefore,  no  desire  to  build  up  any  sectarian  organi- 
sation or  to  tear  down  any  that  now  exists.  We  would  say,  with 
Paul,  that  "  the  unknown  God  whom  ye  ignorantly  worship,  Him 
we  declare  unto  you.**  God — who  is  in  all,  through  all,  and  above 
all — worketh  within  you  to  will  and  to  do.  Having  no  sectarian 
organisation,  yet  offering  the  right  hand  of  fellowship  to  members 
of  all  religious  denominations  ;  having  no  belief  in  creed  or  dogma, 
3'et  recognising  the  full  rights  of  all  who  desire  and    feel   the  need 


1901.]  What  the  JNew  Thought  stands  for.  395 

of  both  :  the  New  Thought  Movement  has  not  come  to  destroy  but 
to  fulfil.  It  has  not  come  to  tear  down,  but  to  build  up  ;  yet  that 
building  will  not  be  made  by  the  hands  of  man,  but  will  abide  in 
the  hearts  of  the  people— wherein  their  minds  will  become  strength- 
ened and  their  bodies  made  whole. 

While  the  movement  is  an  aggressive  one,  it  would  antagonise 
no  J>bdy  of  people.  It  is  aggressive  for  the  fundamental  position 
it  takes,  being  afl&rmative  from  beginning  to  end.  It  affirms  the 
omnipotence,  omniscience,  and  omnipresence  of  God — with  all  that 
these  words  imply.  It  stands  for  a  gospel  of  peace  and  good  will  to 
all  men.  It  is  optimistic  throughout.  It  declares  that  it  is  easier 
for  man  to  be  well  and  happy  than  to  be  the  reverse.  It  is  easier 
to  go  with  the  law  than  to  put  one's  self  in  opposition  to  it.  Losing 
the  idea  of  itself  as  a  sectarian  religion,  it  finds  itself  in  reality  a 
Universal  Religion. 

Chari,ks  Brodih  Patterson. 

[Our  readers  will  have  little  difficulty  in  determining  which  of 
the  two  schools  of  thought  outlined  in  the  foregoing  paper  are  in 
accord  with  the  fundamental  principles  of  Theosophy.  One  school 
accepts  all  Nature  as  a  manifestation  of  God's  handiwork,  presented 
to  us  for  our  instruction :  the  other  denies  the  existence  of  matter, 
and  teaches  that  it  is  merely  an  "  illusion  of  mortal  mind." 

The  **  New  Thought"  recognises  the  reign  of  law  throughout 
Nature,  and  in  the  human  organism,  mental  and  physical,  and  seeks 
to  understand  the  causes  of  disease,  knowing  that  it  results  from 
failure  to  comply  with  these  wholesome  laws,  obedience  to  wliich 
would  insure  health  :  Christian  Science  (so-called)  utterly  ignores 
physiological  law,  and  blindly  denies  that  there  is  any  such  thing 
as  disease. 

One  accepts'  a  Universal  Religion  and  would  investigate  all 
Truth  :  the  tendency  of  the  other  is  *o  limit  Religion  and  Truth  to 
a  sect  and  a  creed,— Ed.  Note.] 


.*^ 


596 


BROTHERHOOD  IN  THE  BIBLE. 

THE  following  collection  of  extracts  from  the  scriptures  of  the  Old 
and  New  Testaments,  shows  that  the  Bible  teaches,  in  most 
emphatic  terms,  the  Divine  doctrine  of  the  Brotherhood  of  Hnmanity 
— ^that  doctrine  which  is  also  the  chief  comer-stone  of  Theosophy . 

The  teachings  of  Jesus  and  His  disciples  are  especially  pro- 
nounced on  this  subject,  and  it  seems  that  in  the  Christian  Scrip- 
tures the  idea  is  put  forth  perhaps  more  prominently,  and  supported 
by  a  greater  mass  of  teaching  than  is  apparent  in  the  scriptures  of 
the  other  great  religions.  The  selections  here  offered  are  by  Ho 
means  all  that  are  contained  in  the  Bible  which  bear  directly  upon 
this  teaching,  but  are  deemed  sufficient  for  the  purpose  of  illustra- 
tion. 


Whosoever  shall  do  the  will  of  my  father  which  is  in  heaven, 
the  same  is  my  brother,  and  sister,  and  mother,  (Matt.,  xii.,  50.) 

Remember  them  that  are  in  bonds  as  bound  with  them ;  and 
them  that  suffer  adversity,  as  being  yourselves  also  in  the  (their) 
body.  (Heb„  xiii,,  3.) 

Are  they  Hebrews  ?  So  ami.  Are  they  Israelites  ?  So  aniL 
Are  they  the  seed  of  Abraham  ?  So  am  I.  (II.  Cor^  xi.,  22.) 

If  there  come  unto  your  assembly  a  man  with  a  gold  ring,  in 
goodly  apparel,  and  there  come  in  also  a  poor  man  in  vile  raiment ; 

And  ye  have  respect  to  him  that  weareth  the  gay  clothing,  and 
say  unto  him,  sit  thou  here  in  a  good  place  ;  and  to  the  poor,  stand 
thou  there,  or  sit  here  under  my  footstool : 

Are  ye  not  then  partial  in  yourselves,  and  are  become  judges  of 
evil  thoughts  ?  (James,  ii.,  2—4.) 

Brethren,  if  a  man  be  overtaken  in  a  fault,  ye  which  are  spiritual, 
restore  such  an  one  in  the  spirit  of  meekness ;  considering  th3rself, 
lest  thou  also  be  tempted.  (Gal.,  vi.,  i.) 

We  then  that  are  strong  ought  to  bear  the  infirmities  of  the 
weak,  and  not  to  please  ourselves.  (Rom.'  xv.,  i.) 

God  is  no  respecter  of  persons : 

But  in  every  nation  he  that  feateth  him,  and  worketh  righteous- 
ness, is  accepted  with  him.  (Acts,  x.,  34 — 35.) 

There  is  neither  Jew  nor  Greek,  there  is  neither  bond  nor  free 
there  is  neither  male  nor  female ;  for  ye  are  all  otlit  in  Christ  Jesus. 
(Gal.,  iii.,  28.) 


1901.]  Brotherhood  in  the  Bible.  697 

Say  not  unto  thy  neighbour,  Go,  and  come  again,  and  to-morrow 
1  will  giye,  when  thou  hast  it  by  thee.  (Prov.,  iii.,  28.) 

See  that  none  render  evil  for  evil  unto  any  man  ;  but  ever 
follow  that  which  is  good,  both  among  yourselves  and  to  all  fneu, 
(I.  Thess.,  v.,  15.) 

When  thou  niakest  a  feast,  call  the  poor,  the  maimed,  the 
lame,  the  blind.  (I^uke,  xiv.,  i^.) 

Be  not  forgetful  to  entertain  strangers :  for  thereby  some  have 
entertained  angels  unawares*  (Heb.,  xiii.,  2.) 

The  stranger  did  not  lodge  in  the  street :  bidt  I  opened  my 
doors  to  the  traveller.  (Job,  xxx.,  32.) 

For  all  the  law  is  fulfilled  in  one  word  :  Thou  shalt  love  thy 
neighbour  as  thyself.  (Gal.,  v.,  14.) 

Those  which  say,  stand  by  thyself,  come  not  near  to  me,  for  I 
am  holier  than  thou ;  these  4ire  a  smoke  in  my  nose,  afire  that  burn- 
eth  all  day.  (Isaiah,  Ixv.,  5.) 

(God)  hath  made  of  one  blood  all  nations  of  men  for  to  dwell  on 
all  the  face  of  the  earth.  (Acts,  xvii.,  26.) 

Be  kindly  afifectioned  one  to  another  with  brotherly  love  ;  in 
honour  preferring  one  another.  (Rom.,  xii.,  10.) 

If  a  bmther  or  sister  be  naked,  and  destitute  of  daily  food,  and 
one  of  you  say  unto  them,  Depart  in  peace,  h^ye  warmed  and  filled  ; 
notwithstanding  ye  give  them  not  those  things  which  are  needful 
to  the  body ;  what  doth  it  profit  ?  (James,  ii.,  15 — 16). 

Bear  ye  one  another's  burdens,  and  so  fulfil  the  law  of  Christ. 
(Gal.,  vi.,  2.) 

Love  your  enemies,  bless  them  that  curse  you,  do  good  to  them 
that  hate  you,  and  pray  for  them  which  despitefully  use  you  and 
persecute  you,  that  ye  maybe  the  children  of  your  Father  which  is  in 
heaven  :  for  he  maketh  the  sun  to  rise  on  the  evil  and  on  the  good, 
and  sendetk  rain  on  the  j-ust  and  on  the  unjust.  (Matt.,  v.,  44 — 45.) 

For  if  ye  love  them  which  love  you,  what  reward  have  ye?  do 
not  even  the  publicans  the  same  ?   (Matt.,  v.,  46.) 

If  a  stranger  sojourn  with  thee  in  your  land,  yc  shall  not  vex 
him :  But  the  stranger  that  dwelleth  with  you  shall  be  unto  you  as 
one  born  among  you,  and  thou  shalt  lov^e  him  as  thyself.  (I^ev., 
xix.,  33—34-) 

Beloved,  let  us  love  one  another :  for  love  is  of  God  ;  and  every 
one  that  loveth  is  born  of  God,  and  knoweth  God.  (I.  John,  iv.,   7.) 

If  a  man  say,  I  love  God  and  hateth  his  brother,  he  is  a  liar  \ 
for  he  that  loveth  not  his  brother  whom  he  hath  seen,  how  can  he 
love  God  whom  he  hath  not  seen  ?  (I.  John,  iv.,  20.) 

As  we  have  many  members  in   one  body  and  all  members 


598  The  Theosophisl.  W^iy 

have  not  the  same  office ;   so  we,  being  many,   are  one  body  in 
Christ,  and  every  one,  members  one  of  another.  (Rom.,  xii.,  4 — 5. 

There  should  be  no  division  in  the  body ;  but  that  the 
members  should  have  the  same  care  one  for  another.  And  whether 
one  member  suffer,  all  the  members  suffer  with  it.  (I.  Cor.,  xii., 
25—26.) 

If  there  be  among  you  a  poor  man  of  one  of  thy  brethren  witbin 
any  of  thy  gates  in  thy  land  which  the  I/)rd  thy  God  giveth  thee, 
thou  shall  not  harden  thine  heart,  nor  shut  thine  hand  from  thy 
poor  brother. 

But  thou  shalt  open  thine  hand  wide  unto  him,  and  shalt  surely 
lend  him  sufficient  for  his  need,  in  that  which  he  wanteth.  (Dent., 
xv„  7-8.) 

The  Lord  make  you  to  increase  and  abound  in  love  one  to- 
ward another,  and  toward  all  men,  (Thess.,  iii.,  12.) 

But  as  touching  brotherly  love  ye  need  not  that  I  write  UiHto 
you :  for  ye  yourselves  are  taught  of  God  to  love  one  anothjer. 
(Thess.,  iv.,  9.) 

Let  us  therefore  follow  after  the  things  which  make  for  peace, 
and  things  wherew-ith  one  may  edify  another.   (Rom.,  xiv.,  19.) 

Finally,  beyc  all  of  one  mind,  having  comp^assion  one  of  anofther. 
love  as  brethren,  be  pitiful,  be  courteous.    (I.  Peter,  iii.,  8.) 

Emma  C.  Ai^uson. 

[We  shall  be  pleased  to  publish  collections  of  texts  from  the 
scriptures  of  other  religions,  bearing  upon  this  subject. — £d.  note.] 


"If  we  sit  down  at  set  of  sun 

And  count  the  things  that  we  have  done, 
And  counting,  j5nd  one  self-denying  act  or  word 

That  eased  the  heart  of  him  who  heard, 
Some  act,  most  kind,  that  fell 

Like  sunshine  where  it  went, 
Then  may  we  count  that  day  well  spent." 

"  But  if,  through  all  the  live-long  day, 

We've  eased  no  heart  by  yea  or  nay, 
If,  through  it  all  we've  done  no  thing 

That  we  can  trace,  that  brought 
The  sunshine  to  a  face, 

No  act,  most  small  that  helped  some  soul 
And  nothing  cost, 

Theii  count  that  day  as  worse  than  lost." 

\^Select€di'\ 


599 


SICKNESS  AND  ITS  CURE  BY  WITCHCRAFT. 

THE  effect  of  English  education  in  India  has  been,  among  other 
things,  to  engender  a  disbelief  in  old  superstitions,  the  power 
of  witchcraft  or  the  happening  of  an  event  directly  traceable  to  the 
employment  of  the  black  arts.  But  I  can  show  from  personal  ex- 
perience that  the  power  of  witchcraft  or  the  ])lack  arts  is  an  article 
of  faith  with  at  least  the  uneducated  Hindus,  and  some  of  the  edu- 
catecl  too  have  had  their  eyes  opened  to  the  real  foundation  for 
such  belief.  I,  too,  used  to  pity  the  folly,  as  it  once  seemed  to  me, 
of  people  who  resort  in  the  first  instance,  to  an  astrologer  instead 
.of  to  a  hospital  or  a  physician,  in  the  case  of  any  sudden  illness,  in 
order  to  ascertain  the  secret  cause  of  it.  The  astrologer  would  cast 
tlie  horoscope  of  the  affected  person  and  on  calculation  by  means 
of  cowrie  shells,  of  the  aspect  of  the  stars,  etc.,  inform  his  applicant 
that  the  person  had  been  either  victimised,  if  it  so  appear  to  him, 
by  the  emploj'ment  of  the  black  arts,  or  fallen  under  the  evil  eye  of 
some  demon  or  spirit,  and  that  the  evil  effect  in  either  case  should 
b^e  exorcised  in  a  particular  manner.  Now  a  necromancer  is  sought 
and  after  an  elaborate  ceremony  performed  in  an  auspicious  hour — 
the  sick  person  being  made  to  take  part  in  it — the  latter  recovers  sooner 
than  ordinary  medical  treatment  could  have  brought  him  round. 

The  services  of  both  the  astrologer  and  the  necromancer  are  in 
gteat  demand  and  were  it  not  a  digression  here  to  speak  of  their 
functions,  it  would  be  iuterestiug  to  state  what  they  are.  It  will 
suffice  however  to  observe  that  the  former,-  particularly  an  expert  of 
that  profession,  can  give  out  with  wonderful  accuracy  and  detail,  the 
incidents  in  a  man^s  career,  from  the  position  of  the  stars  and  the 
calculations  based  on  these  at  time  of  consultation,  and  the  latter  is 
able  to  remove  the  particular  evil  for  which  his  services  are  sought. 
In  stating  in  the  following  lines,  a  case  of  sickness  and  its  cure  by 
means  of  witchcraft,  based  on  the  personal  experience  of  an  intimate 
friend,  some  light  will  be  thrown  on  the  capabilities  of  both. 

About  lo  p.  M.,  on  the  22nd  March,  1898,  a  sharp  pain  quickly 
moving  upward  from  the  navel  to  the  throat,  seized  my  friend,  so 
that  both  breathing  and  speech  were  arrested  for  a  while.  Present- 
ly, on  the  cessation  of  this,  a  shooting  pain  in  the  right  knee-joint 
was  felt.  Some  four  or  five  days  before  this  he  was  complaining 
iirst  of  oppression  in  the  chest  and  latterly  of  pain  in  the 
joints  of  the  lower  limbs  so  that  he  could  with  difficulty  walk 
and  in  ascending  steps  had  to  move  his  limbs  straight  from  the 
hip  joint  instead  of  bending  them  at  the  knee.  Habitually  indiffer- 
ent to  such  ailments,  he  a.scribed  them  to,  possibly,  change  in  the 
weather,  or  to  Sandow's  system  of  exercise  he  had  been  taking  for  the 


600  The  TheoBophlst.  [July 

past  three  months,  and  hoped  the  trouble  would  vanish  of  itself.    A 
few  days  before  he  fell  ill  he  had  travelled  to  another  station  where 
he  had  slight  fever  and  chill,  but  unmindful  of  this,  he  returned  to 
his  station  and,  though  the  illness  grew  worse,  attended  to  his  work, 
only  finding  locomotion  painful.    But  the  very  curious  sensation  on 
the  night  of  the  22nd,  alarmed  him  a  bit.    Barly  next  day  the  nsoal 
hospital  treatment  was  availed  of  but  to  no  purpose.    On  the  con- 
trary the  racking  pain  extended  to  the  left  knee  also  and  both  soon 
swelled  to  a  surprising  extent.    A  reputed  native  physician  being 
at  hand,  approved  treatment  was  begun,  while  the  customary  divine 
intercession  by  particular  prayers,  with  propitiation  of  evil  stars,  etc., 
were  conducted  for  a  stated  period.    My  friend  passed  through  ago- 
nies of  pain  for  over  a  fortnight,  for  movement  of  the  body  by  a 
haii*s  breadth  was  attended  by  prostration.    However,   he  began  in 
twenty  days,  to  recover,  and  like  a  child,  to  learn  locomotion  anew. 
Mindful  of  the  exquisite  pain  he  suffered  and  the  skeleton  condition 
that  he  was  reduced  to,  he  was  cautious  not  to  strain  his  small  stock 
of  new-found  strength  so  as  to  cause  a  relapse.    Suddenly  however 
he  had  a  violent  relapse  eclipsing,  in  acuteness  of  the  pain  endured, 
his  fonner  experience  of  it,  and  which  utterly  shattered  his  riowly 
accumulated  little  stock  of  strength,  and  recovery  seemed  hopeless. 
His  physician  and  care-takers    were  sorely  puzzled  and  could  not 
divine  the  cause  of  the  violent  renewal  of  the  attack.    Just  then  an 
expert  astrogoler  unknown  in  that  station  where  he  had  arrived  but 
the  previous  evening,  was  immediately  summoned  to  my  friend's 
bedside.    He  drew  up  a  horoscope  of  the  day,  ascertained  the  posi- 
tion of  the  stars  in  my  friend's  horoscope  and  stated,  without  being 
questioned,  as  the  first  thing  he  could  tell   from   the  calculations, 
that  my  friend  had  been  made  a   victim  of  the  black  arts  ;  that  as  a 
preliminary  a  brownish  powder  had  been  sprinkled  around  the  chair 
and  table  oh  the  dais  of  his  ofHce  ;  that  ayanha  with  inscription  of 
his  name,  and  the  kind  of  illness  he  should  be  seized  with,  had 
been  buried  near  his   place  of  business  (t,e.,  office)  at  a    spot 
which  he  had  to  cross  or  pass  over,  and  where  water  falls ;  that  the  ill- 
ness  had  been  caused  by  a  particular  person  of  his  own  caste,  sub* 
ordinate  to  him  there ;  that  this  person  lived  in  a  particular  part  of 
the  town,  was  of  such  and  such  a  complexion,  etc.  In  order  to  make 
assurance  doubly  sure  as  to  the  identity  of  this  person,  the  astrologer 
was  questioned  to  give  more  details  which,  by  repeated  calculations, 
he  did,  accurately,  also  giving  incidents   in  my  friend's  past  life  in 
the  station  he  then  served  in,  and  in  the  one  he  left  before  coming 
to  it,  with  circumstantial  and  unerring  details  also  as  to  the  hostile 
attitude  of  this  person  ;  how  he  with  cruel  ungratefulness  dealt  with 
my  friend  who  had  put   him   under  great  obligations ;  so  we  were 
convinced  it  is  no  folly  that  drives  a  good  many  people  to  the  as- 
trologer in  order  to  trace  the  source  ot  the  calamity  that  has  befi&llen 
them.  The  astrologer  was  asked  if  he  could  state  why  whatever  propi- 


1901.]  Sickness  and  its  Cure  by  'Witchcraft.  601 

tiation  that  had  been  made  for  all  known  and  unknown  causes  of 
illness  had  proved  barren  of  results.  He  made  calculations  again  and 
answered  that  the  necromancer  already  employed  being  in  the  hands 
of  the  above  mentioned  person  that  caused  thus  much  harm  to  my 
friend,  had  done  his  work  half-heartedly.  Being  asked  whether  another 
necromancer  whom  he  thought  of  was  a  suitable  person,  he  calcu- 
lated again  and  stated  that  he  was  the  fittest  person  to  be  engaged. 

Accordingly  this  individual  was  sent  for  and,  coming  after 
Bome  days  when  the  illness  in  spite  of  all  treatment  showed  no 
abatement,  he,  as  a  preliminary,  gave  some  ashes  sanctified  by  in- 
cantations he  then  muttered  over  them,  reser\''iiig  the  formal  exor- 
cising ceremony  to  a  later,  and  to  him  more  convenient,  day,  and 
also  for  the.  reason  that  it  should  not  be  hastened  through,  but 
said  that  the  ashes  then  given  would  completeh-  ward  off  the  evil 
and  that  my  friend  was  even  free  to  travel  if  he  liked.  After  this, 
my  friend  regained  health  rapidly,  returned  to  his  work  and  has 
since  been,  as  he  was  before  this  attack,  altogether  free  from 
rheumatism,  in  spite  of  prolonged  exposure  to  rain,  cold  winds  and 
whatever  other  negligence  of  health  in  a  person  ordinarilj-  attacked 
with  rheumatism,  would  certainly  have  caused  a  recrudescence  of 
that  illness. 

Kxactly  fourteen  months  after  the  day  my  friend  had  experien- 
ced the  first  symptoms  of  this  illness  of  appalling  severity,  a  bit  of 
thin  lead  plate  (rather  thick  lead  foil)  47i"x  2"  (inches)  was  unearthed 
by  chance  at  the  foot  and  about  the  middle  of  the  lowest  step 
of  his  office,  ejcactly  where  the  astrologer  prophesied  it  seemed  to 
him  to  have  been  placed.  But,  strangest  of  all,  in  the  inscription  on 
it  there  was  perfect  agreement  between  the  fact  and  the  prophecy  of 
the  astrologer.  I  give  below,  a  copy  of  the  diagram  and  the  inscrip- 
tion on  it,  which  latter  is  in  a  dialect  of  Malayalam,  ^patois  of  the 
palm  tappers.  The  notes  below  the  diagram  explain  the  meaning 
of  the  various  letters  in  it.  The  upper  part  of  the  diagram  is  dedi- 
cated to  Bhadrakali  and  goes  by  the  name  of  the  Smashana  Bhadra- 
kali  yantra.  The  lower  part  is  dedicated  to  Kutichathaya,  a  terrible 
demon  who  is  mainly  worshipped  for  purposes  of  yantras  like  this. 
If  the  \nctim  step  over  this  yantra  but  once,  the  infection  is  caught 
and  the  intended  evil  infused  into  the  system  of  this  doomed  person. 
In  the  present  case  the  shrewd  perpetrator  of  this  wickedness, 
provided  against  the  contingency  of  my  friend  in  crossing  a  step 
about  io  feet  long,  avoiding  to  step  over  the  particular  part  where 
this  yantram  was  buried,  by  sprinkling  the  bewitched,  medicated 
powder  which  must  adhere  to  his  feet  when  he  would  have  to 
walk  over  it  in  reaching  his  seat  beside  the  table  on  the  dais.  This 
double-designed,  astutely  conceived  act  could  not  fail  to  have  the 
desired  result  in  any  case. 

Oniadaya  ovarakk  vtntc  paft  povadikk  yavarikka  paya^i  san'ra- 
thingilekk. 

4 


602 


The  Theosophist. 


[July 


(His   income  shall   diminish.     Go   quick  to  him;   afficthitn: 
afflict  his  whole  body.) 


(Here  the  name 
of  my  friend.) 
O  ya  na  na  ya  thaiyya 
pla  chheda  plavaya  thaiyya 
sa  va  kleera  am. 


/ 

di 

/         (^m 

si 

ga 

f 

eh  a 

ga 

Oni 

ya 

ya 

Om 

pa 
pa 

Kaiinbhaiya  vakka  nee  iluiiam,  beeku  ;  bc$adakamabisha  pait  anikadse. 

(O  kartubhaiya,  stand  by  nie ;  body  shall  swell,  act  like  poison : 
let  this  be  accomplished — ver}-  anxious.) 

The  pranava  Om  requires  no  explanation,  i^a  is  an  abbreviation 
of  "  plavaya,"  which  means  **  to  dr\'  up."C//«  stands  for  **  chhedaya/' 
/.r.,  *•  disintegrate  or  fall  to  pieces."  Asamiis  person,  with  reference 
to  the  name  mentioned  in  the  middle  compartment  to  the  left. 
Krecm  is  the  *  beejakshara'  or  essential  letter  of  a  mantra  repeated  for 
securing  the  patronage  of  Bhadrakali.  Li  stands  for  *  Kali  or  Bhadra- 
kali.'  Rakihe  is  an  abbreviation  of  *  Rakthishvari*  same  as  Bhadra- 
kali. Di  stands  for  *  muthsada  adi,'  /.^.,  change  place|or  be  transfer- 
red. 5/ is  *  siddhaya'  /.^.,  let  this  be  accomplished.  Pais  one  of 
the  letters  of  the^mantra  to  be  repeated  in  worshipping  the  goddess. 
Ga  stands  for  *  granthi/  /.  <?.,  joints  ot  the  body.    The  letters  o,ya. 


1901.]  Sickness  and  its  Cure  by  Witchcraft.  60;i 

na,  etc.,  after  the  name,  form  part  of  the  chief  mantra  to  win  over 
the  goddess.  Akuvada  signifies  what  is  to  be  done  and  has  relation 
to  what  is  entered  in  its  left  compartment.  Shivaya  is  an  abbrevia- 
tion of  *  Kutichataya.'  Ski  is  the  same  as  si,  i,  c,  *  siddhaya' ;  cha 
also  stands  for  *  chala,*  /'.  e,^  move  on. 

The  inscription  at  the  top  and  bottom  indicates  the  motive  of 
my  friend's  enemy.  He  was  anxious  that  my  friend's  income  should 
suffer,  therefore  this  was  done  at  a  time  of  the  year  when  the  maxi- 
mum income  was  to  be  got  and  this  person  could  have  it  for  him- 
self in  vxy  friend's  absence  on  sick  leave.  The  whole  body  was 
afflicted  with  rheumatism,  the  joints  swelled,  then  the  bod\'  lan- 
guished, next  it  dried  up  and  my  friend  became  a  ghostly  skeleton. 
As  designed,  the  joints  almost  disintegrated,  so  that  .^any  sort  of 
voluntary  motion  was  impossible  or  when  attempted  had  to  be  given 
up  on  account  of  the  excruciating  pain.  The  person  who  got  this' 
done  had  long  been  showing  such  hostility  that  the  utmost  in  his 
power  had  been  tried  to  get  my  friend  transferred.  The  truth  of  this 
is  borne  out  by  the  letter  di,  engraved  on  both  parts  of  the  yantra 
with  this  view.  At  any  rate  my  friend  was  prevented  from  attending 
his  office  fcha,  cha,  or  chcUa,  chala,  ix,,  move  ony,  though 
from  the  fact  of  this  illness  he  could  not  leave  the  station. 
The  letters  ga,  ga,  indicate  what  sort  of  illness  he  was  to  suffer 
from ;  one  affecting  the  joints  which  were  to  disintegrate  {cka, 
i.e.,  ckhedayd),  as  is  clearly  and  frequently  mentioned  in  both 
parts  of  the  yantra.  The  unaccountable  sensation  that  alarmed 
my  friend  on  the  night  of  the  22nd  March,  corresponds  with 
the  "  besadakamr  **  act  or  rise  up  like  poison,"  in  the  dedica- 
tion to  Karthubhaiyya.  Again,  there  is  no  mistaking  ray  friend's 
name  (omitted  in  the  above  copy)  inscribed  on  the  plate.  There 
was  no  other  person  of  that  name  in  his  station  or  for  some  miles 
round  about  it.  There  was  no  necessity  or  motive  in  burying  the 
yantram  by  the  foot  of  the  granite  steps  of  his  office,  unless  it  were 
meant  for  my  friend,  and  it  was  placed  there  to  injure  him  only,  so 
that  he  might  be  prevented  from  attending  to  his  work,  and  there- 
fore lose  his  income.  The  sprinkling  of  the  powder  stated  by  the 
astrologer  to  have  occurred,  is  a  fact,  for  my  friend  had  noticed  the 
powder  there  but  could  not  (nor  cared  to)  then  divine  the  reason  of 
it,  for  he  did  not  know  this  aspect  of  the  black  arts,  nor  what  this 
thing  was  there  for.  Thus  the  origin  of  the  unaccountable  attack 
of  rheumatism  became  quite  clear,  and  the  lead  plate  yantram 
which  was  subsequently  found  by  chance,  furnished  additional  ocular 
proof.  Having  accustomed  himself  to,  and  built  up  his  constitution 
by,  physical  exercise  from  his  boyhood,  my  friend  believed  he  would 
not  be  laid  up  with  rheumatism,  if  indeed  with  anything.  Since  his 
recovery  he  has  had  no  relapse,  as  he  had  no  rheumatism  before  this 
forced  illness,  notwithstanding  exposure  to  weather  of  all  sorts  or 
prolonged  bathing  in  cold  water  or  swimming,  which  he  is  fond  of 


604  The  Theosophist.  [July 

and  still  continues.  After  the  evil  of  the  yantram  was  exorcised  his 
cure  was  complete.  That  was  all  that  was  wanted  to  bring  him 
round,  though  I  do  not  mean  to  say  medical  treatment  had  not  any 
effect.  His  recovery  without  the  use  of  any  medicine  would  have 
been  a  phenomenon,  as  to  some  extent,  I  assert,  it  was.  In  this 
world  physical  illnesses  are  to  be  cured  by  physical  remedies, 
else  the  working  ot  God's  laws  would  be  opposed.  While  the 
apparent  evil  is  sought  to  be  removed  by  apparent  means,  the  potent 
cause  not  ordinarily  perceptible  to  human  vision  has  to  be  found 
out  and  proper  remedies  of  an   occult  character  applied  to  it. 

Practice  of  the  black  arts  by  employing  yantras  of  this  kind  (lead 
plate  is  believed  to  have  the  strongest  eflfect)  goes  by  the  name 
of  Vaddeesha  pfayoga  ;  that  b}'  the  use  of  medicated  things  such  as 
the  powder  above  noted,  is  called  Vaddaviata  prayoga.  Instantane- 
ous effects  are  wrought  by  the  latter  process.  An  earthen  or  other 
vessel  coated  or  filled  with  medicine  wickedly  bewitched  ?  by  incan- 
tations is  thrown  on  the  hearth.  As  soon  as  the  vessel  bursts,  the 
person  in  the  house  for  whom  it  was  meant,  suffers  suddenly  from 
what  it  was  intended  he  should  be  attacked  by — frequently  falls  dead. 
A  milder  form  of  such  practice  is  styled  shalyatantra^  and  consists 
in  throwing  a  bewitched  cocoanut  on  any  object.  In  the  case  of  the 
two  former  processes,  blood  oflferings  to  the  deity  or  demon  wor- 
shipped are  made. 

The  evil  of  these  yantras  is  exorcised  by  one  skilled  in  such 
matters,  a  person  generally  of  the  same  profession  as  the  wicked 
author  of  this  yantra,  who  is  able  and  willing  to  do  wrong  for  a  fee, 
and  undo  the  harm,  by  an  elaborate  ceremony.  Diagrams  and  inscrip- 
tions of  different  kinds  calculated  to  counteract  the  effect  which  had 
been  intended  are  car\'ed  on  a  gold  or  silver  foil  (a  gold  one  being 
of  greater  efficacy,  just  as  a  lead  one  is,  in  the  opposite  direction), 
the  titular  deity  of  the  performer  is  worshipped  and  japa,  to  avert 
the  evil,  practised  for  a  larger  or  fewer  number  of  days  according  to 
the  magnitude  of  the  evil  to  be  got  rid  of.  The  engraved  foil  is 
also  worshipped ;  oflferings  of  flowers,  water,  cloths,  &c.,  are  made ; 
sacrificial  fire  lit  up  and  blood  offering  made  by  cutting  a  cock's 
neck  and  pouring  the  blood  in  a  stream  over  a  ball  of  fried  rice 
coloured  red  with  a  solution  of  turmeric  and  chunam,  and  wicks 
lighted  and  waved  before  it.  If  the  performer  be  a  Brahmin  he  gets 
aS'udrato  pour  the  blood  ;  if  one  of  a  lower  caste,  he  does  it  himself 
over  a  ball  of  cooked  rice  coloured  as  before. 

If  my  friend  had  known  that  the  powder,  which  he  noticed  had 
been  sprinkled  on  the  floor  of  the  dais  when  he  went  to  his  office, 
was  designed  to  cause  such  evil,  or  that  it  formed  part  of  the  pro- 
cedure in  the  practice  of  the  black  arts,  his  suspicions  would  have 
been  aroused  to  find  out — if  he  had  not  been  observant  enough,  as 
was  the  case— the  fact  of  the  deposit  of  the  lead  plate  yantram.  At 
foot  of  the  gninite  step  a   shallow  pit  large  enough  for  this  plate    to 


1901.]  Sickness  and  Its  Cure  by  Witchcraft.  60S 

be  buried  had  been  scooped  and  the  plate  covered  with  loose  earth. 
While  the  surface  of  the  ground  all  round  and  along  side  of  it  was 
hard  and  moss-grown,  that  over  this  part  was  bare  of  this  moss- 
growth,  but  had  been  cleverly  covered  up  so  as  not  to  attract  atten- 
tion. If  my  friend  had  possessed  an  observant  faculty,  an  eye  of  a 
Sherlock  Holmes,  he  might  perhaps  have  saved  himself  this  calam- 
ity by  noticing  the  change  in  the  surface  of  the  ground  there, 
which  after  the  lead  foil  was  unearthed,  only  seemed  too  palpable  to 
be  mistaken.  Though  over  fourteen  mouths  had  elapsed  after  its 
deposit  there  and  so  much  rain  had  fallen  over  it,  it  was  in  good 
condition  when  a  conscientious  sweeper,  succeeding  a  very  negli- 
gent one,  had  swept  the  place,  day  after  day  and  clianced 
at  lastto  bring  it  to  light.  Strange  as  it  may  appear,  neither  moss 
nor  grass  grew  over  the  spot — as  though  nature  herself  would  shun 
the  enormity  of  wickedness  perpetrated  there. 

Crafty  persons,  consumed  with  a  desire  for  the  destruction  of 
another,  adopt  this  congenial  mode  of  gratif5dng  their  hearty 
hatred,  which  answers  well  to  their  hellish  designs.  Afraid  of  the 
law,  and  the  course  it  might  take  if  open  violence  is  shown, 
recourse  is  had  to  the  black  aits  by  such  inhuman  persons,  of 
doable  distilled  rascalit} ,  in  order  to  wreak  vengeance  on  their 
enemies.  Thus,  for  the  shameful  ends  of  private  malice  (a  detail  of 
which  is  beside  the  purpose  of  this  paper),  my  innocent  friend  was 
made  a  victim  of  witchcraft.  Fortunately  there  are  persons  skilled 
in  discovering  the  secret  cause  of  an  illness  in  such  •  cases,  and 
others  in  neutralising  the  evil  eifects,  just  as  there  are  those  in 
practising  them.  There  have  been  cases  where  worthy  lives  were 
lost  and  the  cause  was  traced,  but  too  late,  to  this  source.  The 
evil  effect  can  be  made  to  react  on  the  person  that  authorised  it 
who  suffers  in  turn  the  evil  he  meant  for  the  other.  If  he  take 
measures  to  exorcise  it,  it  is  said  to  return  to  the  practitioner  who 
for  his  own  protection  succeeds  as  often  as  not  in  making  it  recoil  on 
the  original  sufferer.  The  wicked  demons  invited  to  such  ungodly 
offices  with  blood  offerings,  cry  for  more  blood  and  in  their  rivalry 
of  power,  goaded  to  its  exhibition  by  the  niajitravadics,  bring  on  the 
min  of  more  families  than  one.  Such  are  the  dreaded  and  dreadful 
effects  of  witchcraft  which,  in  spite  of  a  knowledge  of  the  conse- 
quences, is  resorted  to  by  extremely  wicked,  blood-thirsty  persons, 
in  their  blind,  burning  passion  to  be  avenged  to  their  heart's  con* 
tent,  on  another. 

Injustice  to  my  friend,  who  is  generous  to  a  fault  and  always 
forgiving  and  forgetful  of  injuries,  and  therefore  has  suffered  much 
at  the  hands  of  unscnipulous,  unprincipled  wretches,  I  must  say 
that  he  refused,  though  advised,  to  let  the  evil  effect  recoil  on  the 
perpetrators  of  this  wickedness,  notwithstanding  the  necromancer's 
assurance  of  immunity  from  further  trou!>le  of  this  kind. 

B. 


606 


RA'MA  GrTA\ 

[Cmithvued front  page  564. J 

Chapter  VII. 

Hanuman  said : 

O  lyord  !  Kuower  of  Vedic  Truth  !  I  do  not  know  the  seven 
stages*  which  Thou  deemest  the  most  essential  of  all  the  Tattvas.(i) 

O  Chief  of  the  Raghus  !  O  Ocean  of  kindness  !  Tell  me  this  in 
such  plain  language  as  will  enable  me  to  clearly  understand  the 
seven  stages  in  order  to  accomplish  iny  purpose.  (2) 

S'ri  Rama  said  : 

The  first  stage  of  JnAua  is  said  to  be  S'ubhechhA  (spiritual 
ardour),  the  second  is  VicharanS  (contemplation),  the  third  is 
Tanumdnasi  (attenuation  of  the  mind),  (3) 

The  fourth  is  SatvSpatti  (pacification),  the  next  is  the  one  called 
Asam'sakti  (indifference),  the  sixth  is  PadSrtha  bh^vana  (the  concep- 
tion of  Truth)  and  the  seventh  is  known  as  Turyag^  (the  fourth 
state  of  the  Sei^k).  (4) 

The  desire  accompanied  with  non-attachment,  resulting  frcmi 
repentance  for  one's  own  ignorance  and  leading  to  the  study  of 
S'astra  (the  Science  of  Ski<f)  and  the  company  of  good  people,  is  by 
the  wise  called  S'ubhechha  ('THE  first  stage). t  (5) 

That  practice  of  right  conduct  (accompanied  by  a  constant  flow 
of  good  thought)  born  of  S'astra,  company  of  the  wise,  non-attach- 
ment, and  repeated  application   is  what  is   called  Vicharanid  (thi-; 

SECOND  STAGE).  (6) 

The  daily  wearing  away  to  almost  imperceptable  thinness,  of 
the  deep  attachment  to  objects  of  sense,  under  force  of  ardour  aud 
contemplation,  leads  to  (the  third  stack  called)  attenuation  of  the 
mind.  {7) 

When  the  mind,  being  emptied  of  all  that  belongs  to  the  objec- 
tive, finds  complete  rest  in  the  pure  bliss  ot  vSatva,  through  tht 
practice  of  the  (first)  three  stages,  then  it  is  called   })acification  (thj. 

FOURTH  STAGE).  (^i 

That  condition  which  results  from  the  practice  of  the  (first)  four 
stages,  and  which  being  devoid  of  all  contact  with  the  objective  is 
the  all-wondrous  Satva,  is  called  indifference  (the  fifth  stage).  (9) 

The  absence  of  perception  of  objects,  external  as  well  as  inter- 
nal, in  consequence  of  having   accomplished   the  five  preceding 

*  These  seven  stages  are  mentioned  in  the  fourth  chapter  of  the  Varahopa- 
nishad. 

t  This  is  rather  a  free  translation  of  the  orisrinal  verse.  The  full  sense  could 
be  brought  out  only  by  j>ucli  rendering;-. 


1901.]  The  Rama  Gita.  607 

stages,  and  the  resulting  fusion  of  the  objective  in  the  subjective,  as 
also  the  state  ot  being,  called  to  action  from  the  desire  of  others,  is 
collectively  described  as  the  sixth  stage  called  the  perception  of 
Truth  or.  the  Thing-in-itself.  (io&ii) 

By  the  constant  practice  of  these  six  stages  and  by  giving  up  all 
sense  of  separateness,  the  condition  of  SEi«p-realisation  is  gained. 
This  is  called  the  fourth*  state  of  the  Sei*f  (which  is  the  seventh 
Stage).  (12) 

The  threef  stages  beginning  with  8'ubhechha  (or  ardour),  belong 
to  the  waking  condition,  for  the  world  is  seen  as  it  is,  through  the 
sense  of  separateness,  only  in  that  condition.  (13) 

Duality  having  disappeared  from  before  and  Unity  being  realis- 
ed, those  in  the  fourth  stagej  look  upon  the  world  like  a  dream. §  (14) 

O  Maritti  !  Knowledge  (here)  dissolves  everything  beside  itself, 
even  like  scattered  clouds  in  the  Autumn.  Thou  shalt,  thus  carried 
into  the  fourth  stage,  stand  all  full  of  the  sense  of  Being  alone,  and 
noth  ing  besides,  ( 1 5) 

Ha\4ng  approached  the  fifth  stage  called  sleep,  the  Ascetic 
stands  in  the  sole  consciousness  of  the  Unit,  all  difference  being 
laid  entirel}'  at  rest.  (16) 

Though  pursuing  mental  images  projecting  themselves  without, 
he  is  ever  centered  in  himself  within,  and  appears  as  if  all  sleepy, 
being  wearied  of  the  external.  (17) 

He  whose  mind  is  free  from  impressions,  and  who  has  constant 
practice  of  this  (fifth)  stage  is  led  by  degrees  into  the  sixth  ||  stage 
corresponding  to  deep  sleep  (and  then  into  the  seventh  and  the 
final  stage).  (18) 

*  The  Turiya  or  the  fourth  state  is  reached  by  Jivanmukta  and  TuryAttta  or 
that  which  is  beyond  the  fourth,  is  reached  by  Videhamukta. 

+  CofTpare  Jivanmiikti  Viveka,  ch.  IV. 

The  three  stages  mentioned  are  only  the  means  of  gnosis  and  are  therefore 
not  included  in  Brahma-Vidya  proper  ;  for  in  them  a  sense  even  of  pseudo-reality 
attaches  itself  to  separateness.  These  three  are  therefore  assigned  to  the  waking 
condition.  Then  comes  undoubted  direct  realisation  of  the  unity  of  Self  and 
Brahman,  from  the  contemplation  of  the  sense  of  the  Great  Texts  of  the  Ved&nta  ; 
this  is  the  fourth  stage,  the  result  of  the  first  three,  called  pacification.  One  in 
the  fourth  stage  having  gained  firm  conviction  of  the  real  essence  of  the  Unit 
(Brahman),  clearly  realises  the  illusory  or  impermanent  nature  of  all  name  and 
form  which  go  to  make  up  what  is  known  as  the  world* 

X  Compare  again  Jivanmukti  V^iveka,  ch.  IV. 

The  Ascetic  in  this  fourth  stage  is  known  as  Brahmavid  or  the  knower  of 
Brahman  of  the  first  degree.  The  three  stages  beginning  from  the  fifth  are  only 
degrees  of  the  condition  of  Sadyomukti.  They  arise  in  the  degree  of  peaceful- 
ness  coming  from  constant  practice  of  unconscious  {stticffy  speaking  the  super- 
conscious)  trance.  The  super  conscious  trance  in  the  fifth  stage  may  be  broken  of 
itself.  The  ascetic  in  this  stage  is  known  as  Brahma  Vid-Vara  or  the  knowor  of 
Brahman  belonging  to  the  second  degree.  The  fifth  and  sixth  stages  are  said  to 
correspond  to  sleep  and  def  p  sleep  respectively. 

§  This  stage  may  correspond  todreamyin  consideration  of  the  preceding  stage 
which  answors  to  the  waking. 

(This  verse  in  the  original  reads  thus  : — 

**  Kur%antuibhy&sam  eictsySkm  bhUmyam  samyagvivdsanah. 
Saptami  g{idha  suptyt^hyCi  krama  prtptd  pur&tanSi" 


608  The  Theosophist.  [July 

There  (in  the  seventh  stage),  he  is  neither  Being  nor  Not- 
Being  ;  he  is  above  all  mental  imaginings  such  as  **  V*  and  "  Not 
I"  ;  he  stands  there  extremely  fearless  in  that  Unity.  (19) 

Mumukshus*  (i,e.,)  those  who  strive  for  emancipation)  wander 
over  the  (first)  three  stages  one  after  the  other.  Brahma- vid  is  in  the 
fourth  stage  and  Brahma- vid- vara  is  in  the  fifth  stage.  20) 

Variydn  is  in  the  sixth  stage  and  Varistha  or  he  who  is  the  most 
supreme  among  the  knowers  of  Sklp  is  in  the  seventh  stage.  These 
four  (Brahma- vid,  etc.),  are  termed  Jivanmuktas  by  the  most  exalted 
beings.  (21) 

Videhamukta  is  not  distinct  from  any  of  these  four  (Brahma* vid 
and  the  rest).  The  wise  here,  out  of  respect,  attribute  Videhamukti 
to  Variyan  and  Varishtha  (z.e.,  the  knowers  of  Brahman  who  have 
attained  the  sixth  and  seventh  stages)  on  account  of  their  neglect- 
ing the  body  through  forgetfulness,  and  to  Vid  and  Vara  (/.a,) 
knowers  of  Brahman  who  have  attained  the  fourth  and  fifth  stages) 
on  account  of  their  having  no  ftiture  body.  (22  &  23) 

Hanuman  said  : 

(i)  Ajnana  (ignorance),  (2)  A'varapa  (veil),  (3)  Vikshepa  (projec- 
tion or  extensipn),  (4)  Parokshadhih  (indirect  knowledge),  (5) 
Aparokshamatih  (direct  knowledge),  (6)  S'okamoksha  (release  from 
sorrow),  and  Tripti  (contentment)  are  known  as  the  seven  states. 
O  Chief  of  the  Raghus !  Are  these  seven  states  different  from  the 
aforesaid  seven  stages  or  not  ?  This  is  my  doubt.  (24  &  25) 

Sri  Rama  said : 

Looking  at  the  similarity  of  numbers  do  you  think  that  they  are 
not  different  ?  If  properly  considered  with  the  aid  of  subtle  intellect 
they  will  be  found  to  be  quite  different  from  each  other.  (26) 

Vikshepa  (extension)  is  killed  by  Parakshabuddhi  (indirect 
knowledge),  A'varana  (veil)  by  Aparokshadhih  (direct  knowledge), 
and  Ajn&na  (ignorance)  by  S'okamoksha  (release  from  sorrow). 
The  other  one,  Tripti  (contentment),  then  remains.  (27) 

The  aforesaid  ignorance  cannot  certainly  be  overcome  by  in- 
direct knowledge,  as  Vikshepa  and  Avarana  are  its  roots,  and  as  it 
has  other  impediments  besides.  (28) 

But  in  Jtvanmukti  Viveka  (A'nandAsVania  series,  No,  20,  page  89,  lines  7  and 
8)  the  same  reads  thus  : — 

*'  Kurvannabhyfisam  etasyAm  bhAmikAy&m  vivdsanah, 
Shashthim  gUdha  sushupty&khyam  iratnCU  paMi  bhtimikAm. 

.  The  difference  between  these  two  readings  chiefly  lies  in  this  : 
The  former  holds  that  it  is  the  seventh  stage  that  corresponds  to  deep  sleep, 

while  the  latter  holds  that  it  is  the  sixth  stage. 

The  latter  view  seems  to  be  the  correct  one,  and  'therefore    that   reading  ha« 

been  adopted  here  for  translation. 

*  Munuikshtis  are  said  to  differ  in  degrees  of  intensity  of  desire  for  liberation. 
They  are  of  three  classes,  viz.,  Tivra  (intense),  Ttvratara  (more  intense),  and  Tlixa- 
lani.'i  (most  intense)  mumukshus  .md  they  may  be  said  lo  stand  in  the  first,  second 
and  third  stages  respectively. 


1901.]  The  Rama  GUa.  609 

Is  it  not  reasonable  (to  hold)  that  Vikshepa — which  is  au  eflfect 
and  which  is  therefore  capable  of  being  rejected — should  be  over- 
come by  indirect  knowledge  which  is  aquired  by  S'ravana  {i.e.,  the 
hearing  of  the  discourses  of  the  spiritual  teacher  on  the  Science  of 
Wi^F)  ?  (29) 

The  four  states  beginning  with  indirect  knowledge  are  inclu- 
ded in  the  seven  stages  (ardour,  etc.)  but  not  so  the  three  (states) 
beginning  with  ignorance.  (30) 

O  son  of  Ajnana  !  With  the  aid  of  thy  subtle  intellect,  thou 
shalt  understand  that  the  first  two  out  of  the  aforCvSaid  four  states  are 
like  the  first  three  stages  (Bhumikas)  and  that  the  other  two  (states) 
are  like  the  remaining  four  stages.  (31) 

There  is  S'okamoksha  (or  release  from  sorrow)  in  the  super-con- 
scious trances  of  Jivanmukta  on  account  of  his  kaivalya  {i.e,,  abstrac- 
tion or  becoming  one  with  the  Universal  Self).  Videhamukta  has  full 
contentment  (santriptih)  as  he  never  comes  out  of  his  Samadhi.  (32) 

There  are  seven  other  states,  viz.,  those  of  being  Brahman,  Pra- 
kriti,  and  Purusha,  as  well  as  those  of  being  I's'a,  Avidya,  A'varana,* 
and  the  Jiva  with  Vikftra.  These  seven  states  are  known  to  be 
other  than,  or  different  from,  the  seven  stages  or  Bhumikas.  Give 
up  the  illusion  which  the  similarity  of  their  numbers  may  induce 
one  to  think  that  they  are  one  and  the  same,  (33  &  34) 

Hanumdn  said : 

O  1/Ord !  Tell  me  in  detail  about  the  seven  states  beginning 
with  that  of  being  Brahman.  O  I/)rd  of  Janaki,  T,  Thy  servant, 
wish  to  hear  it.  (35) 

S'ri  Rama  said  : 

The  eternal  science  of  A'  tman  was  acquired  l^y  Me  from  vS'ri 
Vosishtha.  I  am  the  eternal  Brahman  (or  the  state  of  l)eing  Brah- 
man is  mine)  on  account  of  My  ever  existent- intelligent-blissful 
nature  (or  form).  (36) 

Thence  (from  Brahman)  is  the  manifestation  of  Prakriti  having 
in  a  state  oi  equilibrium  the  (three)  qualities  beginning  with  Satva 
(or  purity).  Therein  shines  the  reflection  of  the  Universal  Intelli- 
gence like  the  reflection  in  a  mirror.  (37) 

By  that  reflection  (of  the  Universal  Intelligence)  She  (Prakriti) 
shines  again  three  fold  (/.  ^.,  in  her  threefold  nature).  Through 
inseparable  connection  with  (this)  Prakriti,  the  state  of  being  Puni- 
sha  is  again  mine  (/.  c,  I  have,  in  My  turn,  become  Puru.sha).    (38) 

Verily,  the  Unborn  (Purusha)  is  imaged  in  Maya  whose  in- 
herent quality— the  quality  pre-eminent  in  her — is  S'uddhasatva  or 
genuine  purity.  The  Prakriti  in  whom  Satva  predominates  is 
called  Maya.  (39) 

*  AvidyAvarana  may  be  taken  as  two  words  or  as  a  compound.  In  the  latter 
case  Jiva  and  VikAra  will  have  to  be  taken  as  two  words  to  make  up  the  seven 
states. 


610  The  Theosophist.  [Jiily 

That  MSyS  is  the  self-controlled  limitation  of  the  Omniscient 
I's'vara,  He  has  the  power  of  controlling  MSyfi.  He  is  one  only  and 
Omniscient.  (40) 

Being  endowed  with  Satva,  being  the  collective  aggregate  of  all, 
and  being  the  witness  of  the  Universe,  He  (I's'vara)  is  competent 
to  create  the  universe  or  destroy  it  or  do  otherwise  with  it,         (41) 

He  who  is  termed  I's'vara  having  omniscience  and  other  at- 
tributes is  also  endowed  with  such  names  and  fonns  as  Brahma, 
Vishnu,  S'iva  and  others.  (42) 

MSyS  has  two  powers  viz.,  Vikshepa  and  A'varana,  of  which 
Vikshepa  S'akti  or  the  power  of  extension,  evolves  *  the  entire 
universe  beginning  from  linga  deha  (subtle  body)  down  to  the 
Brahmic  egg.  (43) 

That  other  power  (of  Maya)  is  A'varana  or  immersion  which, 
as  the  cause  of  this  world,  throws,  as  it  were,  the  voil  of  reality  over 
the  unreal  internal  distinction  between  the  object  and  the  subject 
of  knowledge,  as  also  over  the  external  one  between  Brahman  and 
creation.  (44) 

That  shadow  which  shines  in  the  presence  of  A'tman,  the 
witness  (of  all  phenomena  and*  nouraena),  and  which  is  closely 
connected  with  linga  s'arira  (subtle  body),  when  it  interpenetrates 
(physical)  consciousness  (by  the  force  of  A'varana  S'akti),  is  the 
Jiva  of  our  ordinary  life  (/•  e.,  is  for  our  ordinary  intercourse  termed 
Jiva  or  Soul).  (45) 

By  the  force  of  superimposition,  the  Jivatva  (or  the  condition 
of  being  Jiva)  is  attributed  to  the  witness  (/.  C;  the  Kutastha  Pratya- 
gStma)  also.  When  the  A'varana  is  entirely  destroyed  (by  means 
of  dhy^na-yoga),  and  when  their  difference  shines  forth  (or  is 
made  clear),  then  this  illusion  melts  away.  (46) 

Similarly  Brahman  appears  manipulated  into  many  forms  by 
the  force  of  that  power  (A'varana)  which  covers  the  (unreal)  dis- 
tinction between  creation  and  Brahman.  (47) 

Here  also,  by  the  destruction  of  A'varana,  the  distinction  be- 
tween Brahman  and  creation  becomes  so  far  clear,  as  to  enable  us  to 
attribute  all  change  (VikSra),  viz.,  name  and  form,  to  the  latter 
(creation)  and  not  to  the  former  (Brahman).  (48) 

Thus,  O  Hanuman  !  Thou  too  shall  ensure  to  thyself  the  state 
of  being  Brahman  by  constantly  pondering  over  these  seven  states, 
with  thy  keen  intellect.  (49) 

Discarding  those  four  partial  states,  beginning   with  I'sa,  thou 

shalt  obtain  the  (first)  three  full  and  blissful  states   beginning  with 

Brahman.  (50) 

Thus   in  the  glorious  IJpanishad  ofRA'MA  Gi'TA,  the 

secret  meaning  of  the  Vedas,  embodied  in  the  second 

*  This  evolution  may  be  described  as  the  attributing  of  name  and  form  (o 
that  Brahman  which  is  all  existence,  all  knowledge,  and  all  bliss,  like  the  attri- 
buting of  name  and  form,  such  as  foam,  waves,  bubbles,  etc.,  to  the  waters  of  the 
ocean. 


1001.]  Tike  RmabLBL  Gita.  611 

PdAi  of  the  Upasana  Kanda  of  Tatvasar^yana,   reads 
the  seventh  chapter,  entitled  : 

THE    CONSIDERATION    OF    THE    SEVEN    STAGES* 


Chapter  VIII. 

HanumSn  said  : 

O  Lord  !  O  son  of  Das'aratha !  Tell  me  in  detail  that  chief 
SamSdhi  by  which  this  duality  which  flashes  in  my  mind,  will  be 
surely  destroyed.  (i) 

S'ri  Rama  said : 

Existence,  Intelligence,  Love,  Form,  and  Name  are  the  five 
factors  (that  have  to  be  considered  in  this  connection).  The  first 
three  (of  these)  represent  Brahman  and  the  last  two  the  universe.(2) 

Discarding  Name  and  Form  and  being  entirely  devoted  to  Exist- 
ence, Intelligence  and  Bliss,  one  should  ever  practise  abstract  medi- 
tation (Samadhi)  by  concentrating  his  mind  within  or  without.     (3) 

Concentrated  meditation  in  the  heart  is  of  two  kinds — Savi- 
kalpa  (associated  with  thoughts)  and  Nirvikalpa  (unassociated  with 
thoughts).  The  former  again  is  of  t\vo  kinds— Dris'yAnuviddha 
(with  visibles)  and  S'abdanuviddha  (with  names).  (4) 

The  SamSdhi  wherein  the  A'tman  is  meditated  upon  as  the  wit- 
ness of  the  mental  world — the  passions,  desires,  etc.,  arising  in  the 
mind-stuff— is  (known  as)  Dris'ySnuviddha  Savikalpa.  (5) 

The  Samtdhi  wherein  that  Brahman  which  is  Existence- Intelli^ 
gence- Bliss,  which  is  self-illumined,  and  which  is  devoid  of  dual- 
ity is  meditated  upon  as  **  I  am,''  is  (known  as)  S'abdanuviddha 
Savikalpa.  (6) 

In  the  case  of  one  who  overlooks  the  (aforesaid)  Samadhis  call- 
ed Dris'ya  and  S'abda  (the  first  and  second)  on  account  of  his  expe- 
rience of  SKi,K-Bliss,  the  Samadhi  called  Nirvikalpa,  in  which  the 
mind  stands  like  the  jet  of  a  lamp  protected  from  breeze,  is  accom- 
plished. (7) 

On  account  of  the  fact  that  the  mere  Existence  (/.<.,  the  original 
substratum)  alone  remains  after  separating  the  name  and  form  from 
any  object  in  the  outside  world  as  in  the  heart,  this  (Nirvikalpa)  is 
(known  as)  the  first  (super-conscious)  SamSdhi.  (8) 

There  are  three  other  grades*  of  Stabdhibhava  (or  fixity  in 
super-consciousness)  like  the  one  described  before  (in  the  last  fore- 
going verse)  on  account  of  the  enjoyment  of  the  one  eternal  pleasure 

*  The  three  Other  grades  of  super-conscious  SainAdhi  here  referred  to  are 
Nissankalpa,  Nirvrittikai  and  Nirv&sana  (mentioned  in  verse  27  of  this  chapter). 
The  first  is  conscious  mental  Sam&dhi,  the  second  is  the  nominal  conscious  and  the 
third  is  the  super-conscious.  The  last  three  are  only  grades  comparatively  high- 
er than  the  third.  Some  say  (compare  Vftkya  SudhA  verses  22  to  29)  that  the 
first  three  are  internal  and  the  last  three  are  external.  This  notion  is  said  to  be 
erroneous  (vide  verse  29  of  this  chapter).  The  last  four  Samadhis  (Nirvikalpa  to 
Nirv&sand)  deno*ethe  degrees  of  progress  in  super-coiisciousness. 


hi±  The  Theosbplkist.  [Aitt 

arising  from  the  experience  of  the  universal  ParamStmau  (the 
subjective  A'tman  having  already  been  identified  with  it  in  the 
course  of  the  third  Samadhi).  One  should  devote  the  whole  of  his 
time  to  these  six  Samddhis.  (9) 

S'abdSuuviddha  is  otherwise  known  as  Samprajn^ta  (conscious 
ecstatic)  Samadhi.  In  like  manner,  Nirvikalpa  is  otherwise  kno^vn 
as  the  great  AsamprajnSta*  (super-conscious  ecstatic)  SamSdhi.  (10) 

That  continuous  mental  attitude  wherein  runs  the  unbroken 
flow  of  consciousness  *  I  am  Brahman'  devoid  of  all  tinge  of  egoism, 
is  called  SamprajnSta  Samadhi  (conscious  trance),  the  ripened  con- 
dition of  meditation.  (11) 

That  condition  of  the  mind  which  is  free  from  all  modifications 
and  which  enhances  supreme  bliss,  is  (what  is  known  as)  super-con- 
scious ecstatic  trance  (Asamprajn^ta  SamSdhi  which  is)  the  favourite 
of  the  Yogins.  (12) 

That  Samadhi  is  cherished  b}^  the  sages  which  is  devoid  of 
knowledge,  devoid  of  Manas  and  devoid  of  Buddhi,  which  is  of  the 
natureof  Chit  or  Intelligence  (/.t\,  divine  light)  and  which  is  not 
surrounded  or  screened  by  that  Intelligence.  (13) 

It  is  full  above,  full  below,  full  in  the  middle  and  blissful.  This 
is  the  real  Samadhi  the  performance  of  which  is  directly  ordained 
(in  the  scriptures).  (14) 

Some  learned  men  call  this  S'abdanuviddha  (Samsldhi)  by  the 
name  of  Yoga,  others  call  it  Nididhyasana  (or  profound  and  repeat- 
ed meditation),  and  others  again,  call  it  AbhidhySna  (t\e„  profoimd 

thought).  (15) 

0  HauumSn  !  One  calls  it  Updsa?ia  or  religious  meditation  (Lit. 
sitting  bj' the  side  of  God),  another  calls  it  Nisktha  or  devotion, 
another  calls  it  P)  atyaydvritti  or  repeated  religious  contemplaticMi, 
and  some  great  men  call  it  A dkydsa  or  practice  (?>.,  frequent  and 
repeated  meditation).  (16) 

1  am  undivided,  I  am  eternal,  all  full,  non-dual.  I  am  of  the 
form  of  Existence-Intelligence-Bliss.  I  am  the  I^ight  of  lights*  (17) 

I  am  devoid  of  the  three  states  (of  consciousness).  I  am  Tur- 
vatnia  or  the  Sklf  in  the  fourth  state.  I  am  devoid  of  the  three 
bodies  (gross,  subtle,  and  causal),  I  am  the  essence  of  blissful  know- 
ledge. (18) 

I  am  devoid  of  creation,  preservation  and  destruction.  I  am  of 
the  nature  of  concentrated  knowledge.  I  am  of  the  form  ot  ChidS- 
kas'a  or  space  of  knowledge ;  I  am  devoid  of  JadakSs'a  or  space  of 
matter,  etc.  (19) 

I  am  motionless  and  formless,  I  am  devoid  of  ignorance,  etc. 
I  am  devoid  of  impurity,  I  am  the  support  of  all,  and  I  am  devoid 
of  ifear.  (20) 

*The  expression  "  Asamprajnuta  Samadhi''  is  translated  by  some  as  ^'  uncon- 
scious ecstatic  trance."  This  rendering;,  though  literal,  is  questionable.  The 
hiff  her  phase  of  consciousness  is  g-od-consciousness  or  super-con  sciousuesfi  and  not 
unconsciousness. 


IMIO  The  RanuK^ita.  913 

I  am  self-effulgeut  and  the  ocean  of  ambrosial  Sei,f.  I  am 
devoid  of  the  expansion  of  the  universe,  I  am  devoid  of  pairs  of 
opposites,  I  am  the  mere  Shi*f  devoid  of  attributes.  (21) 

I  am  ever  pure,  devoid  of  illusion  and  ever  enlightened.  I  am 
devoid  of  parts,  I  am  ever  free,  devoid  of  desires,  ever  accom- 
plished and  lonely.  (22) 

I  am  void  within,  void  without  like  an  empty  pot  in  the 
sky;  I  am  full  ^vithin,  full  without  like  the  pot  immersed  in  the 
ocean.  (23) 

The  wise  man  who  is  conversant  with  S'abdAnuviddha 
Samddhi  shall,  by  means  of  such  affirmative  and  negative  argu- 
ments, merge  himself  into  Brahman  and  thus  be  fully  liberated.    (24) 

He  who  practises  in  a  lonely  place,  that  abstract  meditation 
which  is  of  the  nature  of  an  injunction,  beginning  with  the  expul- 
sion of  modifications,  will  instantly  obtain  perfect  vision.  (25) 

The  first  Samddhi  which  is  associated  with  visibles  {i.e.,  forms) 
is  easily  realised  and  is  urged  on  the  immature  (/>.,  fit  for  those 
who  are  young  in  knowledge;.  The  second  (Samddhi)  which 
is  associated  with  names  is  difficult  to  be  realised  even  by  the 
learned.  (26) 

The  third  is  Nirvikalpa  (Samadhi  free/rom  thoughts  or  doubts), 
the  next  is  Nissankalpa  (Samadhi  free  from  volitions),  the  fifth  is 
Nirvrittika  (Samadhi  free  from  modifications),  and  .the  sixth  is  that 
which  is  known  as  NirvAsana  (Samadhi  free  from  impressions).  (27) 

These  four  Samddhis  are  very  difficult  to  be  realised  by  ordi 
naty  men.  ,  When  they  are   immersed  in  transitory  pleasures,  how 
could  they  hope  for  increased  Self- Bliss  ?  (28) 

Some  people*  consider  that  the  six-fold  division  (of  Samadhis) 
is  due  to  intenial  and  external  differences.  Such  consideration  is 
quite  improper,  because  of  the  confusion  (that  will  arise)  in  their 
regular  progressive  arrangement.  (29) 

O  MSruti !  I  have  only  briefly  told  you  the  six  SamSdhis. 
Hundreds  of  smaller  Samadhis  generally  lie  hidden  within  them 
alone.  (30) 

Just  in  the  same  manner  as  salt  becomes  one  with  water  by 
contact,  even  so  does  the  Manas  become  one  with  the  A'tman. 
This  union  of  Manas  and  A'tman  is  called  SaniSdhi.  (31) 

That  is  called  Samadhi  wherein  the  mind-stuff,  after  having 
gradually  discarded  the  idea  of  meditater  as  well  as  meditation,  is 
only  cognisant  of  the  thing  meditated  upon,  and  wherein  it  stands 
like  the  jet  of  a  lamp  protected  from  the  slightest  breeze.  (32) 

That  profound  meditation,  as  calm  as  the  waveless  ocean,  upon 
the  native  condition  of  the  Sklf,  after  absorbing  all  the  effects  into 
their  cause,  is  called  SaniMhi.  (33) 

Not  taking  cognizance  of  anything  whatever — not  even  an  atom 
of  any  modification — other  than  one's  own  Sei.f,  and  the  possessing 

*  For  example  the  author  oF  VAkyasudha. 


614  The  TlieiMMyphltft.  [Inly 

of  that  knowledge  which  is  as  firm  as  the  mountain   Mem,  is  ealled 

Samidhi.  (34} 

The  tasting  of  the  nectar  of  SELF-bliss    resulting   from  the 

abstract  meditation    on    the   universal    Intelligence  whose  veil  of 

Ignorance  has  been  removed,  is  called  Samadhi.  (35) 

That  state  in  which  mere  Brahman  alone  remains  as  the  seen. 
after  discarding  i/u  sight  and  ihe  seer^  (that  state)  which  is  devoid  of 
doubts  (Vikalpas),  and  (that  state)  which  is  best  known  to  the  Sei<f 
(alone),  is  called  Samadhi.  (36) 

The  accomplishment  of  the  seer,  the  sight  and  the  seen  (that  are 
changeless)  after  absorbing  the  seer,  the  sight  and  the  seen  that  are 
(only)  modifications,   is  called  Samadhi.  (37) 

That  is  called  Samadhi  wherein  the  Sklf  knows  nothing  else,  sees 
nothing  else,  and  hears  nothing  else  whatever  besides  the  Self.     (38) 

If  those  that  have  mastered  the  meanings  of  all  the  Vedanta- 

tattvas,  do  not  practise  Samadhi  or  abstract  meditation,  (then)  libera 

tion  can   never  be   attained  by  them,   even   though   they  be   great 

persons.  (39) 

Those  that  are  devoid  of  Samadhis,  and  are   boastful  of  their 

knowledge  of  the   realitj,   are  clever  in   deceiving  the  world.    To 

them  is  not  the  higher  path,  (40) 

All  the  ancient  royal-sages  beginning  with  Bhagiratha*  aud 
all  the  Brahmana-sages  beginning  with  Sukaf  have  all  had  recourse 
to  this  SamSdhi.  (41) 

The  Lords  of  the  eight  quarters  beginning  with  Indra,  Brahma. 
Vishnu,  Maheswara.  and  those  important  personages  who  were 
their  partial  Avatars,  have  all  had  recourse  to  this  SamSShi.  (42) 

Brilhmanas,  Kshatriyas,  Vais'yas,  S'udras,  as  well  as  others  that 
have  attained  liberation  in  former  times,  have  all  had  recourse  tu 
this  SaniMhi.  (43) 

The  great  ascetics  who  live  like  a  child,  madman,  ghost,  etc. 
as  well  as  others  who  live  like  (Preta)  a  departed  spirit,  and  (ajagara) 
a  huge  snake,  (these)  resort  to  (or  are  persons  who  practise)  thi^ 
Samadhi.  (44; 

Those  that  are  ever  given  up  to  Samadhi  obtain  the  highest 
Bliss,  (but)  those  that  turn  their  faces  away  from  samadhi,  meet 
with  heaps  of  sorrows  (everywhere).  (45) 

To  the  learned  people,  Samadhi  is  bath,  to  them  Samadhi  is 
prayer,  Samadhi  is  sacrifice,  Samadhi  is  penance.    .  (46) 

O  Maruti !  Thou  shalt,  therefore,  duly  practise  vSamadhi  by 
means  of  profound  meditation  (/.^.,  by  absorbing  all  thought  into 
the  object  of  meditation)  and  thereby  be  ever  tranquil  and  free 
from  desires. (47) 

*  Bhagiratha  was  the  great  grandson  of  Sagara,  a  famous  ¥ing  of  Ihe  Solar 
dynasty.  He  is  said  to  have  performed  a  great  penance  and  brought  down  tht- 
Ganges  from  the  heaven.     His  SamAdhi  is^described  in  the  Yoga  VAsishtha. 

t  S'uka  the  son  of  Veda-Vyd^a  attained  the  Highest  Bliss  very  soon.  He  wa^ 
initiated  into  Brahma- Vidya  by  Parames'wara.  Sukarahasya-Upanishad  giver,  ali 
the  particulars  connected  with  his  initiation,  i»tc. 


1901].  The  Rama  Gita.  615 

What  injunction  or  prohibition  can  there  be  for  him  whose 
Chitta  is  absorbed  in  Samadhi,  who  is  himself  the  Lord  with  no 
master  above  him  ?  And,  consequently,  be  thou  fearless.  (48) 

Like  a  leech  (which  takes  hold  of  one  blade  of  grass  before 
leaving  its  hold  on  another)  thou  shalt,  after  getting  hold  of  Nirvi- 
kalpa  SamSdhi,  give  up  (the  performance  of)  all  the  A's'rama  Karmas, 
as  well  as  devotion,  etc.  (49) 

O  Maruti  I  If  thou  wilt  practise  SamMhi  after  giving  up  (the 
performance  oi)  Karmas,  in  the  manner  not  sanctioned  by  the 
S'astras,  then,  downfall  alone  will  be  its  consequence,  as  he  that  has 
no  (scriptural)  support  (for  his  act)  is  sure  to  meet  with  such 
downfall.  (50) 

What  is  there  to  be  done  by  the  King  of  Gods  or  by  the  I/>rd  of 
creatures  or  bj-  Myself  to  that  supreme  yogin  who  is  ever  given 
up  to  the  practice  of  Nirvikalpa  Samadhi  ?  (51) 

He  that  suspects  the  function  of  the  doer  in  him  who  is  absorbed 
in  the  abstract  meditation  of  the  actionless  Self,  (such  a  one)  will 
never  attain  emancipation  from  (this)  SamsSra  which  is  the  place  of 
function  of  the  doer,  even  after  the  lapse  of  crores  of  Kalpas.      (52) 

O  Hanumdn  ;  Even  though  I  was  a  knower  of  ParamStman,  I 
had,  when  I  was  without  the  bliss  of  SamSdhi,  to  suffer  much  pain 
on  account  of  the  mental  modifications  relating  to  my  function  of 
protecting  the  world.  (53) 

Hence,  for  him  who  is  devoid  of  Samadhi,  it  will  be  ver>' 
difficult  to  cross  this  ocean  of  SamsSra,  even  though  he  knew  all  the 
Sastras  (sciences).  (54) 

Therefore,  seated  in  a  lonely  place,  practise  that  Samadhi  which 
is  taught  under  all  the  heads  of  S'rutis,  which  is  practised  by  the 
most  learned  persons  beginning  with  Rudra,  and  which  dries  up 
the  ocean  of  multitudes  of  sorrows  pertaining  to  Samsara.  (55) 

Having  sufficiently  veiled  all  the  Indriyas  some  people  here 
pretend  as  if  they  are  practising  Samadhi,  Their  mind  will  never 
remain  fixed,  as  it  is  directed  towards  external  objects,  and  as 
Samsara  will  again  appear  to  them  as  before.  (56) 

Hence,  O  destroyer  of  enemies  !  Having  annihilated  desire  and 
other  emotions,  thou  shalt  here  steadily  practise  Samadhi,  There  is 
not  the  least  harm  of  any  kind  anywhere  at  any  time,  in  leaving  off 
the  Karmas  that  are  (unconsciously)  dropped  during  such  steady 
practice.  (57) 

Thus  in  the  glorioiis  Upanishad  of  RA'MA  Gl'TA',  the 
secret  meaning  of  the  Vedas,  embodied  in  the  second 
Padaofihe  Up^sani  Kanda  of  Tatvasarayana,  reads 
the  eighth  chapter,  entitled  : 

THE    CONSIDCRATIGN     OF    SAMADHI. 

Translated  by  G.  Krishna  S'a'stri'. 
[  To  be  conthi7ied\. 


eiQ 


SOCIALISM  AND  THEOSOPHY^ 

THE  question  of  our  social  condition,  is  one  which  should  be 
interesting  to  everybody.  Thoughtful  men  or  women,  no 
matter  in  what  grade  of  society  their  life  is  cast,  if  they  seriously 
consider  the  many  petty  social  tyrannies  to  which  custom  subjects 
them — if  they  are  weak  enough  to  submit— must  often  be  amused 
at  their  positions.  **  Social  customs"  are  more  or  less  wrapped  up 
in  **  social  conditions,"  and  while  the  **  customs"  are  in  our  own 
hands,  to  follow  or  leave  alone,  as  we  think  fit,  the  matter  of 
**  conditions"  is  somewhat  diflFerent. 

Supposing  for  argument's  sake  we  agree  that  all  students  of 
Theosophy  have  souls.  And  as  we  have  not  the  time  to  enter  upon 
a  discussion  as  to  what  constitutes  a  **  soul,"  in  all  its  detail,  let  us 
also  agree  that  it  is  a  principle  in  man  which  constitutes  the  real 
individual,  as  apart  from  his  physical  personality.  I  believe  you 
will  admit,  that  as  far  as  the  most  of  you  know,  you  were  not  aware 
into  what  particular  kind  of  Social  Environment  you  were  entering, 
when  you  took  upon  yourselves  3^our  present  "coats  of  skin." 
Perhaps  some  of  us  may  think  that  if  we  had  known  better  we 
would  have  acted  diflFerentl}^  It  may  be,  biit  it  does  not  follow  we 
would  have  acted  more  wisely.  But  the  ver>'  idea  proves  that  we 
do  think  that  we  could  have  improved  upon  our  present  existinp^ 
conditions.  Still,  all  well-to-do  persons  know  where  they  can  get 
their  supper  if  they  want  an)' ;  also  where  they  will  sleep. 
Again,  where  they  will  find  work  to-morrow  ;  and  consequently, 
where  the)'  will  get  another  supper  and  another  bed — and  so  on 
from  day  to  daj'.  But  we  also  know  that  there  are  thousands  of 
our  i fellows  who  will  not  sup  to-night  nor  will  they  sleep  in  beds, 
and  they  will  find  no  work  on  the  morrow.  These  things  appear 
very  curious  to  a  thoughtful  mind  because,  if  thoughtful,  we  are 
bound  to  believe  that  bountiful  Mother  Earth  has  plenty  in  her 
stores  for  all  her  children. 

Also,  in  looking  round  we  observe  that  in  large  cities— the 
centres  of  industry,  as  they  are  called— we  find  such  curious 
facts  facing  us,  as  skilful  and  willing  workmen,  sometimes,  on 
occasions  of  what  are  called  **  trade  depressions,"  unable  to  get 
work,  and  therefore  a  livelihood.  And  on  enquiring  as  to  the  cause, 
we  learn  that  the  reason  is  "  over-production."  This  if  applied  to 
the  first  line  of  our  necessities,  would  mean  that  a  farmer  might  by 
growing  too  much  in  his  fields,  star\'e  himself  and  family  ! 

Such  facts  as  these — for  facts  they  are — bring  us,  if  we  study 
them,  face  to  face  with  one  of  the   most  interesting  movemeuts  of 

»  Read  before  the  "  Edinburgh  Lodge,"    T.  S.,  December  19th,  1899. 


1901.]  Socialism  and  Theosophy.  617 

our  times— that  known  as  Socialism.  I^t  a  man  be  called  a  Social- 
ist, before  some  people,  and  they  will  get  into  such  a  terror,  that  if 
they  could,  they  would  subscribe  for  and  present  him  with  a  ten 
acre  park,  if  he  would  take  it  and  stay  there.  But  there  are 
many  socialists  about,  and  not  parks  enough  for  all  of  them.  These 
good  people  are  simply  frightened  about,  they  don't  know  what, 
and,  if  they  would  take  a  very  little  trouble  to  study  some  of  the 
problems  that  students  of  Socialism  present  to  us,  they  would  not 
only  not  be  frightened  at  them,  but  after  sifting  the  tares  from  the 
wheat  would  probably  lend  their  sympathy,  even  if  they  had  not 
time  to  give  to  the  cause.  At  any  rate  they  would  no  longer  be 
opponents  to  something  they  did  not  know  anything  about. 

But  we  need  not  be  particularly  surprised  at  the  man  in  the 
street  being  frightened  at  a  name,  when  it  is  true,  as  Kidd  tells 
us  in  **  Social  Evolution,"  that  **  Nothing  is  more  remarkable  than 
the  uncertainty,  hesitation  and  even  bewilderment  with  which  it 
is  regarded,  not  only  by  those  whose  business  lies  with  the  prac- 
tical politics  of  the  current  day,  but  by  some  of  those  who,  from 
the  larger  outlook  of  social  and  historical  science,  might  be  expect- 
ed to  have  formed  some  conception  of  its  nature,  its  proportions 
and  its  meaning." 

Germany,  in  which  the  spirit  of  Socialism  is  strong,  and  ad- 
vanced as  regards  ideas,  is  handicapped  by  her  environment  in 
having  to  keep  up  an  extensive  military  establishment.  America 
it  appears  is  too  new  to  be  able  to  grapple  with  the  problems  at  the 
moment,  but  must  one  day,  in  the  natural  order  of  things,  take  hold 
of  them  with  all  the  strength  of  youth,  when  once  the  experience  of 
a  riper  nation  has  tried  and  proved  the  value  of  it. 

It  is  of  interest  to  us  to  observe  that  Kidd  believes  with  Marx, 
that  in  our  own  country  this  movement  is  proceeding  in  more  regu- 
lar, orderly  and  successful  stages  than  in  any  other.  The  reason 
being  that  this  country  is  riper  for  it,  owing  to  its  development  and 
fsocial  evolution  in  the  past. 

At  one  time  it  was  supposed  that  the  extension  of  the  Franchise 
would  put  into  the  hands  of  the  people  the  power  to  legislate  as 
they  think  wise  and  well. 

For  all  practical  purposes,  every  man  in  these  Islands  is  now  a 
voter,  and  poverty,  idleness  and  crime  are  still  too  prevalent. 

We  are  apt  to  forget  that  growth  is  slow,  and  what  we  are  grow- 
ings to—"  Ye  shall  be  as  gods,  knowing  good  and  ei'il." 

The  many  reforms  in  the  past  years  of  our  history,  have  had  for 
their  end  equal  political  rights  for  all,  and  that  is  where  we  are  just 
now.  At  the  same  time  many  reforms  have  taken  place  which,  with- 
out being  called  "  Socialistic,"  have  been  neither  more  nor  less 
than  social  reforms  of  a  far  advanced  description.    Class  privilege 

6 


618  The  Theosophiat,  [July 

have  been  curtailed  to  an  enormous  extent.  State  appointments 
are  now  open  to  all  who  care  to  strive  for  them,  and  this  has  been 
for  the  benefit  of  the  public  service.  From  the  success  of  such  ex- 
periments, it  is  claimed  that  we  are  more  likely  to  lead  the  van  in 
further  social  improvements.  ]Uet  those  rulers  beware  who  think 
their  nation  cannot  grow  with  the  growth  of  the  aspiration  of  its 
people  towards  a  higher  and  nobler  life  ;  when  this  day  comes,  its 
decay  has  set  in.  And  by  the  same  reasoning  it  follows,  that  when 
a  nation  has  no  aspirations  towards  what  it  believes  to  be  a  better 
and  nobler  order  of  things,  its  decadence  is  assured,  and  soon  it  will 
cease  to  be  a  factor  in  the  history  of  the  world. 

Whether  the  aspirations  of  the  socialist  are  worthy  of  the 
serious  consideration  of  a  people  who  desire  to  move  onward  ?nd 
upward,  and  not  backward  and  downward,  can  only  be  decided  by 
an  examination  of  the  problems  they  place  before  us. 

I  will  not  attempt  to  enter  into  a  detailed  account  of  all  their 
aims  to  day  ;  but  the  broad  outlines  may  be  briefly  stated,  and  cer- 
tain details  examined.  To  put  it  as  broadlj^  as  I  can,  I  do  not  think 
that  I  either  over-state,  or  under-state  the  position,  when  I  say  that 
their  present  objective  point  is,  **  Equal  opportimiiy  for  all  nun  and 
ivonien^ 

And  they  reason,  that  as  all  are  children  of  the  one  mother,  so 
the  state  or  nation  in  which  for  the  time  being  a  man  sojourns, 
should  also  look  upon  her  people  as  her  children,  and  give  to  them 
at  least  the  opportunity  of  being  capable  citizens. 

This  I  think  is  a  fairly  truthful  statement  of  the  position,  and 
not  the  idea  sometimes  wrongly  held  about  socialists,  that  they 
wish  to  upset  all  government  and  to  place  everybody  upon  an  equal 
footing.  People  who  desire  to  do  this,  are  lunatics,  not  socia- 
lists. 

There  are  different  societies,  whose  aims  and  objects  have  to  do 
with  certain  detailed  work  in  this  movement.  lyike  our  own  society 
they  have  certain  objects  in  view,  and  work  towards  them. 

From  the  "  Statement  of  Principles,"  of  the  "  Independent 
Ivabour  Party,"  I  find  they  are  pledged  at  present  to  certain  definite 
measures  which  they  think  ripe  for  legislation. 

Here  are  a  few  of  them ; — 

I.  **  A  maximum  eight-hours  working  day,  a  six-daj-s  working 
week,  with  the  retention  of  all  existing  holidays,  and  I^abour  Day, 
May  ist,  secured  by  law."    . 

There's  nothing  very  new  in  that.  I  believe  Moses  instituted  a 
six-days'  working  week  some  time  ago,  and  as  for  holidays  the 
Jews  were  always  having  them, 

A  masonic  friend  tells  me  that  part  of  their  teaching  is,  that 
the  day  of  24  hours  should  be  divided  into  three  equal  portions  of  8 
hours— namely,  8  hours  for  work,  8  hours  for  recreation  and 
prayer,  and  8  hours  for  sleep. 


I90i.]  Socialism  and  fheo^ophy.  619 

II.  •*  The  provision  of  work  to  all  capable  adult  applicants,  at 
recognised  trades-union  rates,  with  a  statutory  minimum  of  six 
pence  per  hour." 

What  possible  objections  can  there  be,  in  a  well  regulated 
society,  to  providing  work  for  all  willing  workmen,  at  a  living  wage  ? 
The  minimum  claimed  here  appears  to  err  in  modesty. 

III.  **  State  Pensions  for  ever>'  person  over  50  years  of  age, 
and  adequate  provision  for  all  widows,  orphans,  sick  and  disabled 
workers." 

Certain  points  here  might  be  open  to  discussion,  but  I  suppose 
a  reasonable  member  of  this  Party  would  say  it  is  all  open  for  dis- 
cussion ;  in  fact  it  is  discussion  they  ivant,  not  indiflference.  For  ex- 
ample, I  do  not  see  why  a  man  should  not  be  doing  better  work  at 
60  than  he  did  at  25.  Some  widows  without  children  might  be 
able  to  work  for  themselves,  but  not  all.  As  for  the  provision  for 
orphans,  sick  and  disabled  workers,  it  seems  curious  that  in 
Qur  country  it  is  necessary  to  say  that,  after  2000  years  of  Chris- 
tian teaching,  this  matter  is  ripe  for  legislation.  It  only  proves, 
.as  already  said,  how  slowly  we  grow.  We  have  been  told  all  these 
3  ears  by  St.  James,  **  Pure  Religion  and  undefiled  before  God  and 
the  P'ather  is  this :  To  visit  the  Fatherless  and  Widows  in  their 
affliction  and  to  keep  himself  unspotted  from  the  world.  " 

It  may  be  replied  that  this  is  done  now,  and  daily,  by  christians. 
Yes,  if  you  belong  to  some  particular  branch  of  the  Church,  you 
may  get  such  attention  under  the  much  abused  name  of  charity. 
But  this  should  not  be  left  to  the  caprice  of  individuals — often  utterly 
incapable  of  proper  judgment  in  the  matter.  Let  it  be  a  matter  of 
rigbt  and  justice.  And  be  pleased  further  to  observe,  that  St.  James 
does  not  call  this  Christianity,  but  Pure  Religion.  Any  christian, 
therefore,  in  placing  himself  in  opposition  to  such  a  scheme  as 
providing  for  our  widows,  orphans,  sick  and  injured,  is  opposing 
•*  Pure  Religion." 

IV.  *'  Free,  secular,  primary,  secondary,  and  university 
education,  with  free  maintenance  while  at  school  or  university." 

I  mention  this  object,  as  being  interesting,  in  connection  with 
certain  things  I  shall  bring  before  your  notice  later  on. 

V.  "  The  raising  of  the  age  of  child-labour,  with  a  view  to  its 
ultimate  extinction." 

What  possible  objection  any  sane  man  or  woman  can  have 
to  the  legislation  that  will  prevent  little  children  being  compelled  to 
work  when,  had  it  been  their  lot  to  live  in  comfortable  homeS;  they 
would  still  be  in  the  nursery.  Surely  the  sympathy  of  fathers  and 
mothers  need  not  be  appealed  to — nor  to  those  who,  though  neither 
fathers  nor  mothers,  love  children.  And  the  opinion  of  people 
who  do  not  love  them  need  not  be  considered. 

VI.  "  Municipalisation  and  Public  Control  of  Drink  Traffic." 
The  Drink  Traffic  being  one  of  the  most  glaring   evils  in  ovir 


6M  l^he  l*heosophist.  [July 

midst,  we  should  welcome  and  support  the  efforts  of  any  body  of 
men  united  for  such  a  laudable  object  as  its  improvement  by 
control  and  regulation. 

These  are  some  of  the  problems  that  the  socialist  has  set  before 
himself  to  solve.  Who  amongst  us  can  have  any  objections  to 
them  ?    Surely  it  cannot  be  the  student  of  Theosophy. 

R.  T.  Paterson. 
[  To  be  CO  f  id  tided,] 


jrVACHINTA'MANI. 

» 

[  In  order  to  get  ourselves  freed  from  the  miseries  of  existence, 
it  is  indispensable  that  we  should  clearly  understand  the  nature  of 
the  Lower  Self  or  Jiv&tman,  of  the  Higher  Sei.f  or  Pratyagatman, 
and  of  the  Supreme  Self  or  Paramdtman,  and  their  relations  to  the 
surrounding  Tattvas,  in  the  light  of  ancient  teachings. 

The  following  questions  and  answers  will  enable  us  to  understand 
their  nature  and  relation  very  clearly] : 

I.  A  wise  Muniukshu  {i.e.,  an  aspirant  for  Moksha)  even 
after  having  studied  all  the  S'^tras  was  not  able  to  rightly  com- 
prehend the  principle  called  Jiva. 

I/e  t/icf'efore  went  to  a  Kanni  who  was  well  versed  in  the  Vcdas  and 
asked  him  about  it. 

The  Karmi  replied  :  He  who,  occupying  the  in'iide  of  tbe 
body,  suffers  the  pains  and  enjoys  the  pleasures  attached  to  it,  and 
he  who,  leaving  it  at  death,  reaches  heaven,  and  after  enjoying  the 
pleasures  there,  is  born  again  on  this  Earth  as  an  exalted  being,  is 

called  Jiva. 

II.  The  Mumukshu  said  :  I,  too,  know  this.  Please  define  and 

describe  him  if  you  can. 

The  Karmi  replied :  I  know  only  so  much*  All  that  I  have 
studied  is  the  Karma-kSnda  of  the  Vedas. 

III.  The  Mumukshu  then  went  to  a7i  Updsaka  or  devotee  and 
asked  him  to  clear  his  doubt. 

The  devotee  replied  :  He  who,  occupying  the  inside  of  the 
body,  feels  pleasures  and  pains ;  who,  on  reaching  Brahmaloka 
after  death,  is  initiated  by  the  Lord  into  the  secrets  of  MahSvSkyas ; 
and  who  afterwards  attains  that  Kaivalya  which  knows  not  rebirth, 

is  called  Jiva. 

IV.  The  Mumukshu  said  :  I  too  know  this.  Please  define  and 
describe  him  if  you  can. 

The  tJp&saka  replied :  t  cannot  define  and  describe  him.  I 
am  only  experienced  in  the  Mantra-S'dstras. 

Vi  Tk^  Munmkshu  thereHp^  went  to  a  JnAni  and  asked  him  to 
clear  hts  doubts 


1901.]  jivachintamani.  62i 

The  Jnani  replied :  Jiva  is  Brahman  alone.  That  the  Jlva  has 
no  separate  existence  apart  from  Brahman  is  the  well-known 
doctrine  of  the  Advaitins. 

VI.  The  Mumukshu  said  :  What  you  have  now  said  may  be 
trae  of  the  Paramirthika  or  the  real  state.  In  this  VySvahfirika 
or  the  worldly  state,  there  being  duality,  the  nature  of  Jiva  should 
be  known. 

The  JnAni  replied  :  Even  in  the  Vyavaharika  state,  Jiva  cannot 
have  separate  existence.  Still  as  pains  and  pleasures  are  actually 
experienced  by  us,  the  VedSntas  postulate  the  Antahkarana  (in- 
ternal instrument)  called  Buddhi,  as  the  agent  who  feels  pains  and 
pleasures. 

VII.  The  Mumukshu  said  :  Buddhi  is  of  the  nature  of  Jada 
(or  that  which  is  insentient)  and  it  cannot  therefore  experience 
pains  and  pleasures. 

The  Jnani  replied  :  As  a  needle  moves  by  the  influence  of  a 
magnet,  so  does  Buddhi  act  in  the  presence  of  Parabrahman.  Hence 
Buddhi  is  capable  of  feeling  pains  and  pleasures. 

VIII.  The  Mumukshu  said  :  As  Buddhi  is  termed  Karanam 
or  organ,  it  being  one  of  the  Antahkaranas  (or  internal  instru- 
ments), there  should  be  a  Karta  or  doer  as  well. 

The  Jnani  replied  :  By  the  well-known  Abhinna-nimittopSdana- 
karana  vada  (or  the  Advaitic  doctrine  which  holds  the  instru- 
mental and  efficient  causes  to  be  one  and  the  same),  Buddhi  serves  the 
purpose  of  Karanam  (instrument)  as  well  as  Karta  (doer). 

IX.  The  Mumukshu  said  :  In  your  system  there  is  this  defect, 
viz^^  that  you  don't  distinguish  between  karanam  and  karta.  Even 
then  you  admit  an  individual  soul  or  Kutastha  who  is  of  the  nature 
of  the  *  ether  in  the  pot.'  Tell  me  at  least  who  this  Pratyaglltma*  or 
individual  soul  is. 

The  Jn^ni  replied :  This  very  same  individual  soul  is  called 
Parabrahman  or  Paramatman. 

X.  The  Mumukshu  said  :  ParamStman  is  admitted  to  be  all- 
pervading  and  is  of  the  nature  of  Mahakds'a  or  cosmic  ether.  I  did 
not  ask  you  about  that  Paramatman. 

The  Jnani  replied ;  The  Pratyagatman  and  Paramatman  are 
really  one,  the  apparent  difference  being  due  to  UpSdhi  or  limitation 
alone.  The  said  UpSdhi  is  also  no  other  than  ignorance.  When 
ignorance  is  removed  and  the  teaching  of  **  Tat-tvam-asi"  (/.^.,  That 
thou  art)  is  comprehended,  both  become  one  and  the  same. 

XI.  Tlu  Mumukshu  then  thinking  within  himself  that  this  mi" 
intelligible  lip-philosophy  will  not  serve  his  purpose^  went  at  last  to  a 
yogi  and  asked  hint  to  clear  his  doubts ^ 

The  Yogi  replied  as  follows  : 

In  the  Brihad&ranyaka  it  is  said  thus :   "I  think  that  he  who 


*  See  verse  155  df  the  **  Crest.  Jewel  of  Wisdom,"  hy  Sri  SfankaiAchArya.  Thii 
Pratyagitma  is  referred  to  in  that  work  in  several  Other  )fikct^  al9o» 


6^^  the  Theosophist.  [July 

has  known  that  A'tmau,  who  is  the  self-existent  Brahman,  and  who 
is  the  basis  of  the  twenty-five  Tattvas  and  of  the  Chidakasa  (or  the 
space  of  knowledge)  which  is  of  the  nature  of  the  *  ether  in  the  pot/ 
is  freed  from  death. 

XII.  Of  the  above  named  twenty-seven  tattvas  (?>.,  the  25 
Tattvas,  the  26th  ChidSkasa,  and  the  27th  At'ma),  the  first  twenty- 
four  are  mentioned  in  the  Varaha  Upanishad,  and  the  remaining 
three  are  mentioned  in  the  Kathavalli. 

The  VarSha  Upanishad  speaks  of  the  following  twenty-four 
Tattvas: 

The  five  Jnanendriyas, 
The  five  Karmendriyas, 
The  five  Pranas, 
The  five  TanmStras, 
The  four  Antahkaranas. 

XIII.  The  Kathavalli  (Upanishad)  speaks  of  the  twenty-fifth 
and  the  twenty-sixth  Tattvas  (  i,e.,  the  Jivatma  or  the  lower  self,  and 
Pratyagatman  or  the  Higher  Self)  as  follows  : 

"  Those  knowers  of  Brahman  who  have  five  fires  and  who  faftve 
thrice  performed  the  Agnicha3^ana  sacrifice,  speak  of  two  A'tmans 
who  eat  of  the  fruits  of  karmas  pertaining  to  this  body  in  which 
Punya  (the  effect  of  meritorious  deeds)  is  tangible,  who  have  ente^ 
ed  the  cavity  of  the  heart  and  occupied  its  uppermost  sphere,  and 
who  are  like  the  sun -light  and  its  shade." 

[The  five  fires  referred  to  are:  the  three  in  Agnihotra,  the  one 
in  Aupasana  and  the  one  in  Vais'vadeva,— or  the  A'kas'a,  cloud, 
earth,  man,  and  yfom^n— vide  the  Panchfigni*Vidya  menttCMied  is 
Chh&ndogya.] 

XIV.  The  two  A'tmans  are  here  said  to  eat  of  the  fruits  of 
Karmas,  but  only  one  actually  eats.  The  other  that  does  not  taste 
ot  the  fruits  is  included  in  the  act  merely  for  the  sake  of  formaUty. 
This  is  made  clear  in  the  Mundakopanishad  as  follows  .- 

**  Two  birds  of  bright  plumage,  inseparable  mates  of  each  other, 
are  sitting  on  the  self-same  tree.  Of  them,  one  Qiva)  tastefully  eats 
of  the  fruits  of  Karmas  while  the  other  (Pratyag&tman)  sits  majestic 
in  his  own  glory." 

**  When  Purusha  (Jiva)  sees  the  I«ord  (Pratyagfitman)  on  the  same 
tree,  as  one  with  him  (notwithstanding  his  being  separate  £rom  him) 
then  he  grieves,  being  immersed  in  the  body  and  deluded  as  he 
is  for  want  of  a  Lord.  But  when  he  sees  (in  the  manner  taught) 
His  (Pratyag&tman's)  greatness,  his  grief  departs." 

**  When  the  seer  (of  Pratyagitman)  sees  his  cause,  the  Lord  of 
golden  hue,  as  the  Light  of  all  lights  pervading*  the  Cosmos,  the 
Parabrabman,  the  Causeless  C^use,  then  he  (the  learned  man),  strip- 
ping himself  of  his  merits  and  demerits,  and  being  free  firom  stain, 
attains  the  Supreme  Sameness." 


1901.]  aivathintamani.  623 

XV.  On  Iieanng  these  words  of  ih^  yogi,  the  Mumukshu,  greatly 
delighted  at  heart  and  with  tears  of  Joy  in  his  eyes,  fell  prostrate  at  his 
feety  taking  him  for  his  deliverer^  and  with  due  respect  addressed  hint 
thus : 

O  Teacher  of  teachers !  By  your  mellifluous  words,  my  mind 
and  other  Indriyas  have  become  pacified.  I  have  some  more  doubts 
to  be  cleared.    They  are  : 

XVI.  I  understand  that  the  Higher  vSei.k  is  of  golden  hue. 
I  should  like  to  know  his  size  and  abode.  Be  pleased  to  enlighten 
me  in  these  points,  quoting  S'rutis  as  authorities  for  your  statements. 
The  Yogin  replied  thus  : 

Says  Kathavalli  as  follows  : 

"  The  Pratj'-agfttman,  who  is  like  the  flame  free  from  smoke,  is 
the  I/)rd  of  past  and  future,  the  same  is  he  to-day  and  the  vSame  will 
he  be  to-morrow." 

From  the  above  we  understand  the  size  of  Praty^Stman.  In 
certain  other  Upanishads  are  other  sizes  mentioned,  viz,,  short  span, 
the  sharp  end  of  paddy  grain,  the  hair*s  end,  the  star,  the  flame  of 
the  lamp,  the  lightning,  the  sun,  etc.  Some  of  these  sizes  will  apply 
to  the  Pratyag&tmans  of  very  small  creatures  like  ants,  bugs,  etc. 

XVII.  The  same  Kathavalli  also  gives  the  seat  of  Pratyagatman 
in  the  body :  '  * 

*'  The  Pratyagatman  who  is  of  the  size  of  a  thumb,  and  who  is 
the  inner  self,  is  seated  in  the  heart  of  all  persons  or  created  beings. 
One  should  draw  him  forth  fearlessly  from  one's  own  body  as  the 
stalk  is  drawn  from  the  grass  called  mtinja.  Know  him  (Pratya- 
gatman) to  be  pure  and  deathless." 

Although  the  Upanishad  Kathavalli  locates  the  Pratyag&tman 
in  the  heart,  he  can  also  be  in  Muladhara  (the  sacral  plexus)  and 
other  seats  mentioned  in  some  other  Upanishads,  because  they  are 
holy  spiritual  centres. 

XVIII.  Qiiestiofi :  O  Good  teacher  !  because  you  spoke  of  the 
yoga  which  unites  the  Higher  Self  with  Paramatman,  I  was,  hither- 
to, under  the  impression  that  Moksha  is  attained  by  means  of  Jnslna 
yoga.  As  you  now  speak  of  Pratyagatma-dhySnayoga  (/.^.,  the 
process  of  uniting  the  lower  self  with  the  Higher  Sei.f  by  medi- 
tating on  him)  I  doubt  if  you  will  also  recommend  the  suppres- 
sion of  breath  and  the  like,  that  form  part  of  Hatha  yoga.  I  wish 
to  be  enlightened  on  this  point. 

Answer:  Hatha  yoga  is  recommended  to  him  who  is  unable  to 
control  his  mind,  and  not  to  people  of  your  stamp.  Even  then,  in 
the  practice  of  JnSna  yoga  also,  the  Pranas  with  the  mind  and 
other  Indriyas  must  merge  into  Paramatman. 

XIX.  Question  :  1  understand  the  size  and  seat  of  Pratyagat- 
man. I  now  want  to  know  the  size,  the  seat,  and  other  particulars 
of  the  other  (Jivatman). 


•624  The  TheoBophlst.  [^ly 

Answer :  The  seats  of  Jiva  are  mentioned  in  Mundakopanishad 
thus  : 

"  Vis'va  or   Jiva  in  the  waking  stat^   is  seated  in   the  right 

ej'e.    Taijasa  or  Jiva  in  the    dreaming    state    is   seated  in  the 

mind  or,  as  another  S'ruti  says,  in  the  base  of  the  throat,  and  prajna 

or  Jiva  in  a  state  of  deep  sleep   is  seated  in  the  heart.     In  this 

manner  is  Jiva  seated  in  the  body." 

The  S'niti  which  speaks  of  the  A'tman's  "  entering  the  cavity 
of  the  heart"  plainly  says  that,  wherever  Jiva  is,  the  PratyagAtmau 
too  is  there.    It  is  also  said  in  Chhandogya  as  follows  : 

"  The  Purusha  who  is  seen  inside  this  eye  is  said  to  be  the 
A'tman,  the  deathless,  the  fearless,  Brahman." 

When  the  S'ruti  itself  says  so,  we  have  no  room  to  doubt  that 
this  light  of  A'tman  might  perhaps  be  a  portion  of  the  material 
light  which  is  subject  to  change  or  Vikara.  It  is  the  light  that  is 
perceived  by  the  outer  eye  that  is  subject  to  VikSra.  The  light 
perceived  by  the  inner  eye  after  closing  the  outer  eye,  can  only  be 
the  light  of  the  Higher  Sei*f.  I  shall  now  tell  you  about  the  size 
of  Jiva. 

XX.  Jiva  too  has  all  the  diflferent  sizes  that  Pratyagatman  is 
said  to  possess.  In  the  S'vetas'vatara  Upanishad  it  is  said  thus: 
*'  With  the  quality  of  the  Self  and  the  quality  of  the  intellect,  the 
lower  one  also  is  seen  small  even  like  the  point  of  a  goad." 

The  phrase  "  with  the  quality  of  the  Self,"  refers  to  Pratyagat- 
man, and  the  phrase  "  with  the  quality  of  the  intellect  ^'^  refers  to  Jiva. 
These  two  may  be  compared  to  the  sun-light  and  its  shade  or  to  the 
image  and  its  reflection.  Although  the  ordinary  reflection  is  not 
affected  by  wounds  inflicted  by  knife,  etc.,  Jiva,  who  is  a  reflection 
of  Pratj'agdtman  is,  without  doubt,  affected  by  all  kinds  of  ills  that 
the  flesh  is  heir  to,  because  of  his  close  intimacy  with  the  mass  of 
flesh  composing  the  heart. 

XXI.  In  the  Mah^bharata  it  is  stated  as  follows  : 

**  Then  from  the  body  of  Satyavan,  Yama,  the  Lord  of  the 
Manes,  drew  out  forcibly  the  thumb-sized  Purusha  who  came  under 
his  control  and  who  was  tied  down  by  his  noose." 

As  he  was  tied  down  by  Yama's  noose,  this  Purusha  must 
necessarily  be  the  Jiva.  It  is  decided  by  the  S'rutis  that  Pratyag- 
dtman  is  always  free  from  the  effects  of  Karma,  good  or  bad ;  there- 
fore he  cannot  be  tied  down  by  the  noose  of  Yama. 

XXII.  The  Aitareya  Upanishad  says  that  Pratyagdtman 
entered  the  body  through  the  opening  at  the  top  of  the  skull. 
Agreeably  to  this  the  ChhSndogya  Upanishad  says  thus : 

"  Then  entering  along  w4th  the  Jivatman,  he  revealed  names 
and  forms." 

XXIII.  From  the  above  passages  we  clearly  see  that  there  are 
two  A  tmaiis,  viz.^  the  one  who  entered  and  the  other  who  entered 
along  with  him.     The  former  is  the  lower  self  and  the  latter  is  the 


1901.]  Theosophy  in  all  Lands.  625 

Higher  S^lp.  If>  without  this  distinction,  we  hold  with  the  Advai- 
tins,  that  one  A'tman  alone  entered,  then  we  will  have  to  say  that 
Param&tman  is  responsible  for  good  and  bad  karmas.  Will  not  that 
be  a  great  mistake  ?  To  get  over  this  objection,  the  Advaitins  say 
that  the  effects,  such  as  bodies,  etc.,  are  like  the  water  in  the  mirage, 
the  son  of  a  barren  woman,  and  the  silver  in  the  mother-of-pearl. 
This  is  quite  contrary  to  our  experience. 

We  are  therefore  to  clearly  understand  that  above  the  twenty- 
four  Tattvas  is  Jiva,  the  twenty-fifth ;  and  above  that,  is  Pratyagatman, 
the  twenty-sixth ;  and  above  that  again  is  Paramttman,  the  twenty- 
seventh.  , 

Transiated  by  G.  Krishna  S'a'stri', 

(To  be  conchided,) 


ZCbeo0opbi?  in  all  XanDd. 


EUROPK. 

I/ONBON,  May  list,  1901. 

May  has  witnessed  the  usual  activities,  proper  to  the  various  theo- 
sophical  centres  in  full  operation.  The  Northern  Federation  has  held 
its  quarterly  meeting  under  the  chairmanship  of  the  Hon  Otway  Cuffe, 
whom  members  in  North  and  South  alike  have  been  glad  to  welcome 
during  his  recent  brief  visit  to  Yorkshire  and  London. 

The  Sunday  evening  meetings  have  been  well  attended  but  it  is 
deemed  well  to  suspend  them  during  the  Summer  months  and  resume  in 
the  early  Autumn.  The  Monday  gatherings  for  questions  and  discus- 
sions have  also  been  successfully  continued.  The  plan  of  questions 
carried  on  at  these  meetings  has  suggested  to  Mr.  Sinnett,  the  President 
of  the  London  Lodge,  the  adoption  of  a  similar  scheme  for  the  present 
session  of  that  Lodge,  but  the  questions  to  be  dealt  with  are  naturally 
of  a  more  elaborate  character  and  involve  much  fuller  discussion  than 
those  which  usually  crop  up  at  the  mere  public  gatherings.  A  most  in- 
teresting discussion  took  place  on  Saturday  the  25th  instant,  .with  regard 
to  the  bearing  of  recent  archaeological  discovery  in  Eg3T)t  upon  the 
occult  records,  as  set  forth  in  *  The  Story  of  Atlantis'  and  elsewhere. 
Mr.  Bertram  Keightley  opened  the  discussion  by  sketching  the  results 
of  the  work  done  by  Mr.  Flinders- Petrie  and  others,  in  recent  years,  and 
showing  that,  at  the  very  outside,  10,000  years  B.  C.  was  the  most  that 
could  be  reckoned  for  the  beginnings  of  those  Egyptian  civilisations  of 
which  the  carefully  rifled  tombs  of  the  kings  at  Abydos  and  elsewhere 
afford  any  record.  It  was  suggested  that  the  apparent  want  of  harmony 
between  these  results  and  the  statements  of  occultism  on  the  subject  of 
the  vast  antiquity  of  civilisation  in  Egypt,  might  probably  disappear  if 
we  realised  that  as  a  result  of  the  changes  of  land  configuration,  which 
have  occurred  and  which  we  can  study  (from  the  occult  stand-point)  in 
the  series  of  maps  which  accompany  Mr.  Scott  Elliot's  '  Story  of  Atlan- 
tis,' we  are  not  now  dealing  with  exactly  the  same  tract  of  country,    as 

7 


626  The  Theosophist.  ,    [July 

^Syt^»  which  formerlj'  constituted  the  country  thus  referred  to.  For 
instance,  at  one  period  the  land  surface  extended  much  further  North 
and  occupied  what  is  now  the  bed  of  the  Eastern  Mediterranean,  and 
further,  it  is  more  than  probable  that  in  a  Westerly  direction  there  were 
great  cities  where  now  is  only  the  desert  sand  of  Sahara.  Until  extensive 
investigations  are  made  elsewhere  than  in  the  immediate  Nile  valley  it 
does  not  seem  probable  that  traces  of  Egypto-Atlantean  civilisation  will 
be  found. 

Mr.  Sinnett  has  been  dealing  with  this  same  topic  in  one  of  a  series 
of  articles  which  he  is  contributing  to  the  *Sun'— an  evening  paper — every 
week,  under  the  title  '*  Nature's  Mysteries/'  It  is  a  striking  testimony  to 
the  changed  attitude  of  public  opinion,  that  a  popular  daily  paper  is 
devoting  several  columns  to  articles  of  this  sort ;  for  Mr.  Sinnett  does 
not  mince  matters  but  goes  boldly  for  the  materialistic  position  and 
asserts  that  until  science — orthodox  science,  that  is — consents  to  avail 
itself  of  the  resources  of  clairvoyant  research  it  won't  get  much  further 
than  its  present  pOvSition.  In  the  articles  that  have  already  appeared, 
Mr.  Sinnett  has  dealt  in  a  popular  fashion  with  recent  scientific  discov- 
ery in  the  region  of  electricity,  the  jwimordial  atom,  and  the  age  of 
the  earth,  and  in  each  case  he  has  plainly  stated  his  belief  in  the 
reality  of  the  so  called  *' unseen"  and  the  phenomena  of  mesmerism, 
clairvoyance  and  spiritualism. 

A  very  welcome  *  event  of  the  jnonth '  has  been  the  publication  of 
Mrs.  Besant's  last  Christmas  Convention  Lectures.  We  all  look  forward 
to  receiving  these  important  contributions  to  our  literature,  which  have 
become  an  annual  institution.  It  will  be  the  earnest  wish,  of  every 
member  of  the  T.  S.,  that  this  last  series  of  lectures,  specially  addressed 
as  they  are  to  Hindus,  may  bear  that  poetical  fruit  in  the  vast  penin- 
sula which  is  so  obviously  near  the  heart  of  the  writer.  And  it  is 
hardly  less  important  that  they  should  carry  to  the  West  a  better  under- 
standing of,  and  a  wider  sympathy  with,  the  needs  and  'thought  of  the 
East.  In  this  connection  it  is  pleasing  to  note  the  recent  words  of  the 
Secretary  of  State  for  Indian  affairs.  lyord  George  Hamilton,  speaking 
at  a  public  dinner  on  the  a2nd  of  May,  said  with  regard  to  the  future  of 
Great  Britain  and  India  :  '*  They  must  take  what  was  best  of  the  two 
civilisations  and  try  to  blend  them  together,  and  must  not  act  on  the 
notion  that  any  institution,habit,  custom  or  law,  which  might  be  beneficial 
in  Great  Britain,  was  bound  to  be  equally  beneficial  in  India.  They  must 
not  lose  sight  of  the  principle  that  if  British  influence  was  to  be  supreme 
it  could  only  be  secured  on  the  bed  rock  of  Indian  sentiment  and  Indian 
esteem."  It  is  for  a  recognition  of  such  principles  as  these  that  MrSi 
Besant  pleads  in  her  earnest  lectures,  at  last  Convention,  and  in  some 
which  she  delivered  in  Ivondon  last  year. 

The  important  place  which  these  lectures  assign  to  India  in  the  fu- 
ture spiritual  regeneration  of  the  world  reminds  me  of  a  recently  pub- 
lished interview  with  Mr.  Zangwill,  the  celebrated  Jewish  novelist  Hts 
theory  is  that  the  Jews  are  the  people  who  will  be  the  pioneers  of  spirit- 
ual rep^eneration.  This  is  what  he  says :  "I  am  firmly  convinced  that 
the  miss- on  of  the  Jews  is  this :  to  be  a  people  set  on  a  hill — on  Zion's 
1  t;U— whose  social,  political,  agricultural,  and  religious  condition  will 
be  the  moral  beacon-light  of  the  world.  From  the  laws  of  that  commu- 
nity other  nations  will  learn  to  govern  wisely.    From  her  social  condi- 


1901.]  .  Theosophy  in  all  X4ands.  627 

tion  other  nations  will  learn  the  science  of  sociology.  From  her  spiritual 
supremacy  other  nations  will  learn  the  real  meaning  of  religion.  In 
short,  I  believe  the  hope  of  humanity  lies  in  the  development  of  the 
Jewish  race  after  their  return  to  Palestine.*'  So  my  readers  will  per- 
ceive that  neither  the  Theosophical  Society,  nor  regenerated  Hinduism, 
is  to  have  it  all  its  own  way  as  standard  bearer  in  the  spiritual  progress 
of  the  future  ;  but  we  can  welcome  each  and  every  one  who  comes  to 
fight  the  good  fight,  and  may  the  crown  be  to  that  people,  be  it  Hindu, 
Jew  or  Gentile,  who  shall  most  "move  onward,  leading  up  the  golden 
year." 

Mr.  Bertram  Keightley  has  given  two  lectures  this  month  on  topics 
in  Indian  History«-one  to  the  West  lyondon  Lodge  and  one  to  the  Blavat- 
sky  Lodge.  Botli  were  of  great  interest.  In  the  first  •lecture  he  gave  a 
general  sketch  of  the  course  of  events  in  Aryavarta  after  the  breaking 
up  of  the  Kshattriya  caste  at  the  time  of  the  great  war,  and  indicated 
the  lines  of  social  and  religious  evolution  from  the  time  of  the  Buddha 
onwards  to  the  Mahommedan  invasions.  In  the  other  lecture  the  times 
of  Guru  Nanak  were  more  particularly  dealt  with,  and  a  most  interesting 
sketch  given  of  the  life  and  work  of  this  original  founder  of  the  Sikh 
community ;  a  sketch  enlivened  by  several  amusing  anecdotes  from  the 
oldest  extant  biography  of  this  saint  of  Northern  India-^a  document 
which  was  found  by  Professor  Trunipp,  among  the  archives  of  the  India 
Office,  and  by  him  translated  into  English. 

A.  B.  C. 


AUSTRALIA. 

The  Seventh  Annual  Convention  of  the  Australasian  Section,  T.  S., 
was  held  at  Melbourne  on  May  4th,  and  a  good  degree  of  interest  pre- 
vailed. Mr.  H.  W.  Hunt  was  elected  President,  Mr.  H.  A.  Wilson, 
Secretary,  and«Mr.  A.  E.  Webb,  Assistant  Secretary.  The  General 
Secretary,  Dr.  Marques,  who  finds  that  he  "  cannot  get  accustomed  to 
the  Australian  climate,''  has  resigned,  and  Mr.  H.  A.  Wilson  is  now  the 
Acting  General  Secretary.  From  the  report  of  the  retiring  General 
Secretary  we  extract  the  following  paragraphs,  under  the  head  of**  New 
Activities,''  and  recommend  them  to  the  careful  consideration  of  Theos- 
opkista  inlother  countries : 

'*  The  great  difficulty  of  the  work  in  the  Australasian  Section  lies 
in  the  scattering  tendency  and  natural  apathy  of  ordinary  members  (a 
result  of  the  climate  perhaps),  and  the  extra  conservativeness  of  some 
of  our  most  active  workers,  on  whom  the  words  "innovation"  or 
"  improvement "  act  as  a  red  rag  on  a  bull.  Yet  the  present  anaemic 
condition  ought  to  be  corrected,  and  new  activities  ought  to  be  intro- 
duced wherever  possible.  Otherwise,  as  can  be  plainly  seen,  the  workers 
get  into  a  kind  of  rut,  work  devotedly,  but  monotonously,  tire  their 
andiencesi  and  at  the  end  of  their  year's  work  they  seem  to  congratulate 
each  other,  complacently,  and  report  progress  year  after  year,  without 
realisiag  how  much  better  and  more  they  could  have  done  by  varying 
their  methods.  They  get  crystallised,  fossilised  as  it  were  ;  they  do  not 
want  to  ehange  their  ways,  nor  allow  other  members  to  suggest  new 
work ;  so  tha;^  new  members,  with  ideas,  get  sometimes  snubbed  for  their 
UAwelcoiiiezeaL   This  accoants,  probably>  more  especially  for  the  i>ta<i 


628  The  Theosophist.  [Jtuly 

tionary  condition  of  some  of  our  large  Branches,  which,  year  after  year, 
just  about  keep  up  their  membership ;  but  this  alone  shows .  that  there 
is  something  radically  wrong  in  their  system  of  management.  After 
the  first  heat  of  interest  in  a  newly- founded  Branch,  they  gradually 
cease  to  reach  and  interest  the  public,  and  henceforth  their  activities  get 
.confined  to  small  circles  or  cliques.  But  this  is  not  enough.  We  must 
remember  that,  in  Theosophy  more  than  an3^hing  else, we  can  only  live, 
learn,  and  progress  by  service,  by  expansion  to  reach  more  and  more 
people,  by  working  to  give  out,  not  to  learn  in  order  to  keep  knowledge 
in  for  ourselves,  or  to  distribute  it  only  within  jealous  limits. 

Thus  our  members  ought  not  to  rest  contented  in  their  present 
.activities,  but  ought  constantly — every  individual  member,  as  well  as 
every  individual  Branch— to  study  out,  to  invent,  new  ways  of  interest- 
ing and  reaching  the  public,  and  in  this  they  might  usefully  consult 
and  imitate  the  methods  and  the  untiring  search  after  improvement 
which  characterise  the  New  Zealand  and  American  Sections,  and 
even  recently  the  Indian  Section.  In  America,  a  special  group 
of  workers,  tiie  "  National  Committee,"  in  Chicago,  has  been  in- 
stituted for  the  very  purpose  of  gathering  suggestions  for  new 
methods,  new  activities,  and  innovations  ;  and  they  are  doing 
splendid  work  by  ever  stimulating  the  70  or  80  American  Branches. 
But  then,  of  course,  these  are  "  go-ahead  and  wide-awake  people," 
with  no  false  conservatism  about  them.  Conservatism  and  stagnation 
mean  death  to  our  cause,  in  the  same  way  as  a  branch,  which  lives  for 
itself,  gets  anaemic  and  doomed.  Our  motto  ought  to  be :  **  ^ver 
forward,  always  more  work  under  constantly  varied  forms."  Among 
some  innovations  which  I  can  recall  just  now,  I  would  briefly  mention 
.m:eetings  and  lectures  by  delegated  members  to  various  parts  of  a  city 
•so  as  to  reach  different  audiences  ;  special  meetings  for  ladies  ;  effort 
to  find  work  for  every  member,  not  confining  the  life  to  a  form ;  more 
social  gatherings  ;  advertising  the  libraries  and  encouraging  the  lending 
of  our  books  ;  distributing  pamphlets  and  articles  on  railroad  trains  and 
steamers,  which  ought  to  have  boxes  supplied  with  literature  con- 
stantly renewed  ;  visiting  the  prisons,  as  done  in  America ;  and  lastly, 
making  every  effort  to  circulate  an  improved  and  popular  magazine. 

I  would  also  suggest  that  more  cordiality  and  regard  be  shown  to 
visiting  members ;  special  committees  being  appointed,  if  necessary, 
to  attend  to  strangers  and  make  them  feel  *  at  home ; '  otherwise,  in 
some  instances,  there  is  a  chilling  coldness,  which  is  not  intended,  bnt 
which  proves  very  disappointing  to  sti  angers." 

Dr.  Marques  returns  to  Honolulu  and  resumes  work  in  the  Aloha 
Branch  of  which  he  has  long  been  President. 


AMERICA. 

The  Fifteenth  Annual  Convention  of  the  Americ^ui  Section  T.  S., 
tonvened  on  Sunday  morning.  May  26th,  in  the  rooms  of  the  Chicago 
Branch,  with  the  President^Founder  in  the  chair.  Miss  Panlifle  Kelly 
Was  chosen  Secretary  of  Convention.  Reports  and  telegrams  and  lettei3 
of  greeting  from  many  parts  of  the  world  were  read.  The  electkm  of 
officers  resulted  in  the  re-election  of  Alexander  Fulletton  as  General 
Secretary  of  the  American  Section,  and  the  following  £seculive  Cani« 


1061.]  Theosophy  in  all  Lands.  62d 

mittee  was  chosen :  Robert  A.  Burnett,  Chicago ;  Mrs.  Kate  B.  Davis, 
Minneapolis ;  William  J.  Walters,  San  Francisco ;  A.  G.  Horwood, 
Toronto,  Can. ;  Alexander  FuUerton,  New  York.  The  evening  meet- 
ings were  crowded  and  many  persons  were  turned  away.  The  princi- 
pal speakers  were  Col.  Olcott,  Mr.  C.  W.  I^eadbeater  and  Mr.  Fullerton. 

Of  these  meetings  and  the  convention,  Mr.  Fullerton  said  :  "  To  the 
members  this  has  been  a  wonderfully  successful  convention.  The  at- 
tendance at  Col.  Olcott's  lecture  last  night  was  remarkable.  It  was  even 
a  larger  meeting  than  was  accorded  to  Mrs.  Besant  when  she  was  here. 
We  are  all  exceedingly  pleased  with  the  entire  convention  develop- 
ments.*' 

The  closing  paragraphs  of  the  Report  of  the  General  Secretary  of 
the  Section  are  here  given,  as  being  of  general  interest  to  all  earnest 
Theosophists.    Mr.  Fullerton  said  : 

A U  of  us  must  feel  very  deeply  the  singular  aptness  of  the  conditions  under 
wfaich  we  meet  to-day.  Twenty-five  years  ago  the  Theosophical  Society  was 
fiormed  under  the  auspices  of  a  great  organiser  and  a  great  teacher.  The  wise 
and  experienced  bead  which  then  organised  has  ever  since  been  spared  for 
.  leadership,  supervisiofi,  and  guidance,  and  after  a  quarter  of  a  century  of  cease- 
less work  and  service,  comes  once  more  to  the  country  o  his  own  and  the 
Society's  birth,  to  preside  over  the  first  Convention  in  that  20th  century  which  the 
great  teacher  foretold  as  the  time  of  triumph  and  of  a  world-wide  influence  to  the 
Society.  In  that  long. era  he  has  seen  the  Society  expand  till  it  touches  almost 
every  part  of  the  civilised  world,  and  to-day  he  presides,  not  over  a  New  York 
group  of  18  individuals,  but  over  an  American  Section  with  70  odd  Branches  and 
over  1,400  members* 

Nor  is  the  teacher  wanting  to  complete  the  parallel  between  the  formation  of 
the  {Society  in  America  at  the  beginning  of  the  last   quarter  of  the    19th  century 

'and  its  American  meeting  at  the  first  quarter  of  the  20th«  Himself  an  immediate 
pupil  of  H.  P.  B.  and  long  engaged  in  the  same  great  work  of  enlightening  the 
darkness  through  the  human  mind  and  soul,  he  too  is  present  in  the  ripeness  of 
bis  knowledge,  opulent  with  instruction  and  stimulus  and  help.  What  would  not 
be  the  boon  to  us  if  that  teaching  could  be  prolonged  through  the  era  we  are 
entering,  and  what  should  we  not  do  to  ensure   such    a  boon  to  ourselves,  to  the 

.  Section,  and  to  the  great  Cause  of  Theosophy  itself! 

We  Theosophists  feel  as  no   one  else   can,  the   momentousness  of  the  age. 

'Old  creeds  are  crumbling  and  old  systems  are  separating  fast.  Instituted  religion 
has  not  invigorated  the  moral  sense,  or  cured  social  ills,  or  ended  international 
bate.  The  conscience  of  the  intelligent  world,  senses  dimly  the  great  fact  that 
beliefs  which  have  not  renovated  humanity  must  be  erroneous  or  defective  or 
impotent  to  reach  the  heart.  Nineteen  hundred  years  are  long  enough  to  test 
tbe  validity  of  any  scheme  to  transform  the  desert  of  humanity  into  a  garden.  If 
anything  is  to  excite  moral  motive,  satisfy  intellect^  refonn  the  social  order, 
exterminate  cupidity  and  war,  it  must  be  something  which  gives  new  thought, 
new  principle,  new  impulsion,  new  energy.  There  must  be  another  conception  of 
the  Universe,  another  conviction  pressing  upon  the  soul.  And  it  is  precisely 
this  conception,  this  conviction,  which  Theosophy  is  holding  up  before  humanity 
as  the  panacea  for  its  sorrows  and  its  wrongs,  and  which  it  is  the  measureless 

'  privilege  of  the  Theosophical  Society  to  proclaim  and  expound  and  exemplify  till 
its  truth  is  seen  and  its  influence  is  welcomed    to  the  remotest  quarters  of  the 

'globe.  We  often  dwell  with  just  satisfaction  on  what  has  been  already  accom- 
plished. Signs  of  our  success  are  multiplying  in  popular  thought,  in  journalism, 
in  Uteratore.    This  very  meeting  to-day  is  pregnant  with  memories  and   with 

.  prophecy.    But  the  memories  will  be  tnefifective  and  the  prophecy  fail  unless  each 


630  The  Theosophist.  [July 

T.  S.  meinber  is  moved  to  a  profound  resolve  that  he  win  take  his  share 
in  the  perfecting  of  our  work.  What  has  been  done  has  been  done  by  a  feiv. 
Quickness  and  thoroughness  are  only  possible  when  all  partake.  Not  all  can  give 
talent,  culture,  or  time,  but  each  can  give  in  money,  even  if  the  sum  be  small.  If 
everyone  so  deeply  felt  the  value  of  our  mission  as  to  but  sttnl  himself  a  little  that 
it  may  expand,  the  talent  and  the  culture  and  the  time  can  be  procitred|  for  that 
is  the  law  in  mission  work.  Unable  personally  to  contribute  mission  service, 
each  can  contribute  it  vicariously  through  his  purse,  and  thus  propaganda  in 
lectures  and  instruction  and  pamphlets  would  make  glorious  headway  through 
the  land.  Theosophy  would  become  everywhere  known,  and  a  true  spiritual 
philosophy  steadily  supplant  the  dreary  fictions  which  have  not  made  men  wiser 
and  will  never  make  them  better.  The  root  of  human  evil  will  be  sapped,  truth 
will  free  from  mistake  and  wrong,  and  fraternal  sentiment  will  dislodge  all 
thought  of  war.  Tn  the  words  of  H.  P.  B.,  *  The  Society  will  gradually  leaven 
and  permeate  the  great  mass  of  thinking  and  intelligent  people  with  tts  large, 
minded  and  noble  ideas  of  Religion,  Duty,  and  Philanthropy.  *  *  *  It  will  break 
down  racial  and  national  antipathies  and  barriers,  and  will  open  the  way  to  the 
practical  realisation  of  the  Brotherhood  of  all  men.  *  •  •  The  next  impulse 
will  find  a  numerous  and  united  body  of  people  ready  to  welcome  the  new  torch- 
bearer  of  Truth.  He  will  find  the  minds  of  men  prepared  for  his  message,  a 
language  ready  for  him  in  which  to  clothe  the  new  truths  he  brings,  an  organiza- 
tion awaiting  his  arrival.* 

To  prepare  those  minds,  to  furnish  that  language,  to  maintain  that  orgniza- 
tion — these  are  the  privileges  of  us  members  of  the  T.  S.  in  the  years  which  lie 
before  us  in  the  first  three  quarters  of  the  20th  century.  .In  the  last  quarter  the 
new  Teacher  will  appear.  Well  for  us,  for  mankind,  and  for  the  Society  if  he 
finds  the  field  as  he  would  have  it,  and,  after  looking  at  the  progress  made»  and  at 
the  certainty  of  his  culminating  work,  can  exclaim  with  heartiest  satisfaction 
•  Well  done!' 


1?evlcw«. 


OBSTACLKS  TO  SPIRITUAI^  PROGRESS.* 

By  I^iuan  Hdger,  m.  a. 

The  three  lectures  which  were  delivered  by  Miss  Edger  at  Adyar, 
last  December,  on  the  mornings  of  the  27th  28th,  and  29th,  were  by 
request,  written  out  by  her,  from  memory  and  from  a  few  preliminary 
notes,  and  prepared  for  publication  in  the  Theosophist. 

Her  many  friends  in  India  will  be  glad  to  know  that  these  lecturen 
are  now  issued  as  a  pamphlet,  uniform  in  size  with  the  previouis  voktmes 
of  her  lectures,  and  attractive  in  appearance— having  been  very  credita« 
bly  brought  out  by  Messrs.  Thompson  &  Co.,  printers  of  the  Tkeosophisi, 
The  first  lecture  treats  of  the  "  Conditions  of  Progress,"  showing  how 
necessary  is  the  *'  development  and  purification  of  all  the  sheaths  *  *  * 
development,  so  that  they  may  be  readily  responsive  to  all  vibintions ; 
not  only  to  impulses  from  without,  but  also  to  those  from  the  reason 
first,  and  afterwards  from  the  Self\  purification,  so  that  they  may  reject 
all  the  vibrations  that  the  ego  has  done  with,  and  respond  only  to  the 
finer  and  subtler  vibrations  which  alone  the  ego  gives  out  as  it  draT^-s 

nearer  and  nearer  to  the  Self."  The  necessity  for  the  cultivation  of  both 

— ■         —  — 

*  Theosophist  Office  ;  Adyar,  Madras,  Pf ice  8  anaas. 


1901.]  Reviews.  63t 

the  emotions  and  the  intellect  is  also  sbowu,  ''  for  they  form,  as  it  were, 

the  foundation  for  spiritualit3%  which  has  as  one  of  its  characteristics  the 

realisation  of  unity.*' Lastly,  the  importance  of  **the  development  of 

the  x>ower  of  discrimination  between  the  real  and  the  unreal,  the  eternal 

and  the  transitory,"  is  shown.  The  second  lecture  deals  with  some  of 

the  "Chief  Obstacles"  which  hinder  one's  spiritual  x)rogre8S;  and 

lecture  third  considers  the  best  methods  of  ''  Surmounting  the  Obsta* 

cles."  These  lectures  run  in  a  practical  vein,  and  are  in  the  usual  simple 

yet  lucid  and  scholarly  style  which  is  characteristic  of  the  author's 

writings. 

W.  A.  E. 


THE  UNSEEN  WORLD.  * 

This  excellent  lecture  delivered  by  Mr.  C.  W.  Leadbeater,  in  Chi- 
cago, last  November,  has  been,  by  general  request,  republished  from  the 
Theosophisty  and  is  now  available  in  pamphlet  form.  The  arguments 
of  the  lecturer,  in  regard  to  the  different  conditions  which  matter  as- 
sumes, from  its  grosser,  physical  aspect,  so  apparent  to  our  ordinary  sen- 
ses, to  those  finer  grades  of  substance  which  connect,  by  successive  stages 
of  attenuation,  with  the  invisible  planes  which  surround  us,  are  well 
calculated  to  attract  the  attention  of  the  materialistic  scientist,  and  we 
can  heartily  recommend  the  work  to  all  Theosophists,  assuring  them 
that  they  .would  find  it  very  convenient  and  useful  to  hand  to  their  scepti- 
cal friends.  T.  S.  Branches  would  do  well  to  secure  a  few  copies  for  dts- 
tribuiion,  before  the  edition  is  exhausted. 

W.  A.  E. 


TWO  UNDISCOVERED  PLANETS.f 

The  four  astronomical  lectures  delivered  by  G.  E.  Sutcliffe,  Esq., 
before  the  Blavatsky  L6dge  T.  S.,  of  Bombay,  have  been  issued  in  pam- 
phlet form  by  the  author,  and  suitably  illustrated,  the  first  lecture  being 
entitled  as  above.  The  "  Cause  of  Sun-spot  Periodicity  "  is  the  subject 
of  the  second  lecture,  and  some  very  plausible  reasons  are  presented 
which  tend  to  show  that  the  irregularities  of  motion  peculiar  to  Venus  and 
Mercury,  as  well  as  the  periodicity  of  sun«spots,  are  due  to  the  presence 
and  attraction  of  two  hitherto  unknown  planets,  Adonis  and  Vulcan. 
The  third  lecture,  on  ''  A  Law  of  Repulsion,"  points  out  that  ''  the  force 
acting  between  the  planets  and  the  Sun,  and  which  is  the  cause  of  sun-spots, 
is  a  repulsive  force  much  tnore  powerful  than  gravity,  which  acts  along 
the  lime  joining  the  bodies'  * 

The  closing  lecture — *' Eastern  Light  on  Western  Problems" — will 
be  found  particularly  interesting  to  all  students  of  Theosophy. 

W.  A.  E. 

We  have  received  the  Report  of  the  Tenth  Annual  Convention  of  the 
Indian  Section  of  the  Theosophical  Society,  which  was  held.at  Benares  in 
December  last.  '  It  contains  the  speeches  made  at  the  Anniversary  meet- 
ing and  at  the  sessions  of  the  Convention,  together  With  the  Report  of 
the  General  Secretary  of  tlie  Section,  and  other  matter. 


*  Theosophisi  Office  ;  Adyar,  Madras.     Price,  Annas  3. 
t  TheosophUt  Office  ;  Adyar,  Mad/as.    Price,  Re,  i, 


632  The  Theoaophist.  [July 

MAGAZINES. 

The  Theoso^hical  Review  for  June  opens  with  the  introductory  por- 
tion of  an  essay  entitled,  "  Plotinus  on  Love/'  by  Wm.  C.  Ward,  This 
is  followed  by  some  interesting  quotations  from  the  "Writings  of 
Madame  Swetchine,"  by  a  Russian.  "A  vision  of  the  Past,"  by  Freya, 
relates  to  a  thrilling  incident  which  occurred  in  a  former  existence,  and 
was  again  presented  to  the  consciousness  of  receptive  minds.  Mrs.  Jud- 
son's  article,  **  Theosophical  Teachings  in  the  writings  of  John  Ruskin," 
is  concluded.  It  embodies  some  important  ideas  on  education.  Mr, 
Mead  writes  on  "  The  present  position  of  the  Synoptical  Problem,"  in 
continuation  of  the  subjects  dealt  with  by  him  in  the  April  and  May 
issues  of  the  Theosophical  Review.  Chapter  fifth,  of  Mrs.  Besant's 
"  Thought  Power,  its  Control  and  Culture,"  is  devoted  to  the  following 
subjects :  *  The  strengthening  of  Thought- Power  ;*  *  Worry^ts  mean- 
ing and  Eradication  ;*  *  Thinking  and  ceasing  to  Think;'  and  'The 
Secret  of  Peace  of  Mind.*  Michael  Ward  has  a  very  unique  story  en- 
titled, "  The  Fool  and  the  Folk  of  Peace."  "  The  Meaning  of  Mukti," 
is  discussed  in  a  thoughtful  paper  by  Bhagavin  D^s.  "  The  Vengeance 
of  Heaven,"  by  Sylvester  A.  Falkner,  is  an  uncommonly  interesting 
story,  which  throws  much  light  on  what  are  popularly  termed  the  '  mj-s- 
terious  dispensations  of  Providence. ' 

The  Theosophic  Gleaner  for  Juneopens  with  a  vigorous  article  entitled 
'*.Whati8  Evil,"  by  Pestanji  D.  Khandalvala.  ^  Numerous  selections 
from  our  current  T.  S.  literature  follow,  and  the  Supplement  contains 
an  interesting  account  of  the  recent  "White  Lotus  Day"  celebration 
at  the  Blavatsky  I<odge,  Bombay. 

May  Theosophy  in  Australasia  opens  with  a  *  Valedictory*  from  Dr. 
A.  Marques,  General  Secretary  of  the  Australasian  Section,  T.  S. ;  one  of 
the  chief  reasons  for  his  resignation  being  that  he  "cannot  gfet  accus- 
tomed to  the  Australian  climate."  He  will  return  to  Honolulu  followed 
by  the  kind  wishes  of  his  many,  friends  in  the  Section  where  he  has  been 
labouring,  and  take  up  his  accustomed  work  in  the  Aloha  Branch,  of 
which  he  is  President.  The  chief  articles  are,  •'  The  Spiral  Law  in  Nature" 
(a  portion  of  a  lecture  which  Dr.  Marques  delivered  in  Sydney,  with 
stereopticon  illustrations),  and  the  continuation  of  Mr.  FuUerton's  paper 
on  "  Death,  as  viewed  through  Theosophy,"  both  of  which  are  important 
Following  these  are  the  notes  on  the  Seventh  Annual  Convention  of  the 
Australasian  Section,  T.  S.,  which  was  held  in  Melbourne  on  May  4th,  and 
the  excellent  Report  of  the  retiring  General  Secretary,  Dr.  Marques,  who 
makes  some  very  practical  suggestions  in  regard  to  the  future  work  of 
the  Section,  which  we  heartily  commend  and  hope  will  be  acted  upon. 
A  general  condition  of  activity  seems  to  prevail  among  the  majority  of 
the  branches. 

.  T?ie  New  Zealand  Iheosophical  Magazine  gives  the  closing  portion  of 
the  address  delivered  by  Mr.  Leadbeater  in  Buffalo,  last  October,  en- 
titled, **  What  Theosophy  does  for  us."  It  abounds  in  important  ideas. 
A  further  instalment  of  **  Theosophy  applied  to  the  Education  of  Child- 
ren," by  Helen  Thorne,  and  a  **  Lecture  in  Brief,"  by  Eleanor,  are 
both  good.  A  fairy  story,  "The  Blue  Sun-shade,"  is  com^ence4  by 
Auntie  Loo,  in  the  Children's  Column. 


1901.]  Reviews.  633 

The  Central  Hindu  College  Magazine  for  June  has  an  attractive 
table  of  contents,  chief  among  which  are,  **  In  Defence  of  Hinduism," 
"  Raja  and  Ascetic,"  "  The  Royal  Ubrary  at  Nineveh,"  *'  Indian  He- 
roes," •'  The  Oxford  and  Cambridge  Boat-race,"  *'  Story  of  an  Italian 
Hero,"  and  **  Self-Help."  Among  the  contributors  we  notice  the  names 
of  the  Editor— Mrs.  Besant— Mrs.  A.  C.  Lloyd,  Harry  Banbery,  Herbert 
Whyte,  Eveline  Lauder,  and  M.  A.  C.  Thirlwall.  The  magazine  is  ad- 
mirably conducted. 

The  Arya,  for  May,  opens  with  a  very  thoughtful  paper  on  *'  Some 
Evils  of  Modem  Education,"  by  A.  Ramaseshan.  Under  the  heading  of 
"Religious  Teachers  of  India,"  a  further  instalment  of  the  life  of  Sri 
Chaitanya  is  presented  by  Swami  Ramakrishnananda.  A.  G.  Thomas  has 
a  brief  paper  on  *'  Studies  from  early  Greek  Philosophy."  V.  V.  Ramanan 
writes  on  "  The  Small-Pox  Goddess,"  and  an  introductory  article  on  the 
"  Caste  System,"  by  T.  K.  B.,  promises  to  be  of  interest.  Further  we 
find,  "  Portraits  from  Indian  Classics,"  articles  on  "The  Crucifixion," 
and  *' Charity,"  also  a  translation— "Shatpadamanjari  "—and  a  very 
useful  article  on  "  Infant  feeding." 

The  Revue  Th^osophique  for  May  opens  with  the  translation  of  the 
Introduction  to  "  Discourses  on  the  Bhagavad  Giti,"  by  T.  Subba  Row. 
The  final  portion  of  the  first  chapter  of**  Dharma,"  follows.  There  is 
another  portion  of  the  second  lecture  delivered  by  Dr.  Pascal  in  Geneva  ; 
an  article  on  "The  Beautiful,  from  the  stand-point  of  Theosophy ;  "  a 
further  portion  of  "  Ancient  Peru,"  and  notes  on  the  movement  and  re- 
views. 

The  April  number  of  Theosophia  presents  the  continuation  of  H,  P. 
B's  **  The  Great  Inquisitor  ;"  also  a  short  essay  from  her  pen,  a  reprint 
from  the  Theosophist,  entitled  "  Is  it  idle  to  argue  further."  "  Esoteric 
Buddhism"  is  completed  and  "  Tao  te  King,"  continued.  There  is  the 
translation  of  a  lecture  delivered  to  the  Amsterdam  Lodge,  "  Some  mis- 
conceptions about  Death,"  by  Mr.  Leadbeater  ;  "  Some  Occult  Phenom- 
ena in  Java  ;"  and  a  short  note  on  the  fourth  dimension,  that  incom- 
prehensible condition.  Correspondence  and  notes  on  various  matters 
complete  the  number. 

Sophia,  Madrid.  The  May  issue  gives  a  further  portion  of  "  Thought 
Power,  its  Control  and  Culture."  The  article  on  Homoeopathy  is  con- 
tinued* The  translation  of  the  first  lecture  by.  Dr.  Pascal,  in  Geneva,  is 
begun.  There  is  an  essay  on  the  Portuguese  poet,  Authero  de  Quental,  in 
whose  writings  are  traced  evidences  of  theosophic  thought ;  and  a  fur- 
ther portion  of  "  The  Idyll  of  the  White  Lotus." 

Philadelphia,  March-April.  Among  the  subjects  discussed  in  this 
number  are  "  The  true  basis  of  Brotherhood  (trans.) ;  "  **  Cremation,"  by 
Dr.  Hartmann  ;  **  Zola,"  by  Senor  Sorondo  ;  and  the  "  Puranas,"  by  X.  O. 
There  is  an  essay  on  *'  Ancient  Civilisations,"  and  the  translation  of  an 
article  by  H.P.  B.  There  is  a  note  in  regard  to  the  contemplated  visit  of 
the  President-Founder,  to  Argentina. 

Teosofisk  2'idskrift  for  May  continues  the  translation  of  "  The  Path 
of  Discipleship,"  and  has  other  interesting  essays. 

Teosojia,  May.  The  editor's  essay  is  continued  as  are  silso  the 
translations  from  the  writings  of  Mrs.  Besant,  Mr.  Leadbeater  and  Dr. 
Pascal,    Notes  on  the  Theosophic  movement  fill  the  remaining  pages. 

8 


634  The  Theosophist.  [July 

Ackno^edged  with  thanks : 

The  Theosophic  Messenger,  The  Golden  Chain,  Light,  TAe  Banner  of 
Light,  The  Harbinger  of  Light,  2 he  Frasnottara,  The  Review  of  Reviews, 
The  Metaphysical  Magazine,  Mind,  7 he  New  Century,  The  Phrenological 
yourneil,  The  Arena,  Health,  Moder?i  Medicine,  The  Light  of  I^ruth,  The 
Light  of  the  East,  Dawn,  The  Indian  Journal  of  Editcation,  The  Christian 
College  Magazine,  The  Brahmavddin,  Tlie  Brahmachdrin,  Notes  and 
Qtieries,  The  Btiddhist,  Journal  of  the  Malta  Bodhi  Society,  The  Forum, 
Prabuddha  Bhdrata,  Bulletin  de  L' Institut  Fsychologiqm  Inter ndtional. 
Bulletin  de  la  SociitS  D'Ethmgraphie,  Theosophischer  IVegweiser,  The 
Young  Men's  Miscellany, 


CUTTINGS  AND  COMMENTS. 

**  Thoughts,  like  the  pollen  of  flowers,  leave  one  brain  and  fasten  to  another.' 

The  latest  Egyptian  excavations  of  Professor 
New  light  on  Flinders- Petrie  appear  to  throw  new  light  upon  the 
the  anitquiiy    age  of  the  alphabet  and  he  has  recently  announced 

of  the  that  his  discoveries   **  set  back  the  earliest  use  of 

Alphabet.        letters  by  nearly  2000  years."    This  of  course  means 

twenty  centuries  more  of  culture  to  the  ancients 
than  has  been  hitherto  estimated.  According  to  a  cutting  from  an 
American  paper  recently  sent  us,  it  appears  that  Professor  Petrie 
has  placed  before  the  Society  of  the  Anthropological  Institute  of 
Great  Britain,  an  account  of  his  remarkable  findings,  front  which 
the  following  is  gleaned : 

Some  years  ago,  Prof,  Petrie  while  excavating  in  the  period  of  1400 
to  2000  B.  C,  in  Egypt,  first  noticed  signs  *  •  •  of  the  Greek  alpha- 
bet  He  at  that  time  suggested,  as  a  supposition  only,  that  thev  were  an 
eariy  stage  of  the  alphabet.  Before  this  period  it  was  looked  upon  by 
scholars  as  a  matter  of  pure  conjecture  and  the  signs  were  generally 
regarded  as  having  been  derived  from  Egyptian  hieroglyphics.  A  belief 
in  regard  to  the  alphabet  which  has  been  commonly  accepted  up  to  the 
preswit  time  is,  that  the  letters  or  characters  of  the  alphabet  were 
originally  hieroglyphics,  and  in  their  lon^  course  down  to  us  they  passed 
gradually  from  being  the  written  expression  of  an  idea  into  the  written 
expression  each  of  a  single  sound. 

Last  season's  excavations,  however,  conclusively  established  Prof. 
Petrie's  original  belief.  On  uncovering  some  of  the  royal  tombs  dating 
back  to  the  Xllth  dynasty ,  2600  to  3000  B.  C,  he  again  found  large  num- 
hers  of  signs  and  letters  upon  the  pottery  and  other  utensils  in  the  tomb 
chambers.  The  fact  that  the  hieroglyphic  system  was  not  in  the  land 
at  this  period,  removed  the  signs  altogether  from  the  category  of  deterio- 
rated hierogl5T)hs. 

By  a  fortunate  coincidence,  Mr.  Arthur  Evans,  the  well-known  Bri- 
tish archaeologist,  was  at  the  same  time  carrying  on  a  series  of  excavations 
on  the  island  of  Crete  in  the  Mediterranean.  On  the  tablets,  rock  pillars, 
coins  and  other  objects  unearthed  in  the  ancient  remains  of  a  huge  palace 
Mr  Evans  found  a  number  of  identical  signs  and  letters  of  a  pcnod 
about  2000  B.  C.  which  correspond  with  those  dug  up  in  Egypt  by  Prof. 
Petrie  Prof.  Petrie  collected  his  Egyptian  signs  and  letters  and  com- 
pared them  with  those  of  the  Kretan  form  unearthed  by  Mr.  Evans. 
This  resulted  in  the  startling  and  significant  discovery  that  the  letters 
of  the  Kretan  signary  and  those  of  Egypt  were  identical  and  formed  a 
most  reliable  basis  for  estabUshine  the  existence  of  the  alphabet  long 
prior  to  the  date  hitherto  accepted. 

Prof.  Petrie  assumes  that  we  are  now  in  the  presence  of  a  wide- 
spread and  long  lasting  system  of  signs  or  signary  which  was  common  to 


1901.)  Cuttings  and  Comments.  ^35 

the  Mediterranean  from  Spain  to  Egypt.  He  arrives  at  this  conclusion 
as  follows :  As  early  as  5000  B.  C,  some  trade  existed  around  the  Mediter- 
ranean as  proved  bj'  the  imports  into  Egypt.  At  that  time  the  signary 
or  signs  of  the  alphabet  was  probably  in  the  dim  and  uncertain  begin- 
ning of  its  course.  Some  few  signs  have  already  been  found  at  that  age, 
and  these  are  likely  to  have  been  carried,  therefore,  from  land  to  land. 

The  signary  continued  and  developed,  held  together  a  good  deal  by 
intercourse,  but  with  much  variation  in  different  lands.  By  2600  B.  c5, 
it  contained  over  a  hundred  signs  in  Egyptian  form.  Prof.  Petrie  states 
that  the  great  systematisin^  force  which  gave  it  a  unity  unknown  before 
was  the  application  of  the  signs  as  numerals  by  the  Phoenicians.  This 
system  was  entirely  Oriental^  and  even  in  the  late  times  of  coinings  it 
was  scarcely  ever  used  in  Europe.  But  once  having  been  adopted  by  the 
leading  commercial  nations,  the  systematised  order  became  enforced  in 
all  the  Mediterranean  ports.  Prof.  Petrie  concludes  that  the  signs  and 
letters  on  the  pottery  of  2600  to  3000  B.  C,  which  he  uncovered  were  un- 
doubtedly communications  of  spelled-out  words  in  the  early  stages. 
This  forms  a  body  of  signs  with  more  or  less  generally  understood  mean- 
ing. The  change  of  attributing  a  single  letter  value  to  each,  and  only 
using  signs  for  sounds  to  be  built  into  words  is  apparently  a  relatively 
late  outcome  of  the  systematising  due  to  Phoenician  commerce.        ' 


We  copy  from  one  of  our  exchanges,  the  follow* 
The  dead  ing  ghost  story,  which  claims  to  be  very  well  authen- 
still  live.        ticated  : 

Yonkers,  a  prosaic  albeit  pretty  little  town  over- 
looking the  Hudson,  and  adjoining  the  extreme  nqrtherly  limits  of  New 
York,  has  for  some  little  time  past  been  in  a  ferment  of  excitement. 

The  cause  of  this  emotion,  writes  our  New  York  Correspondent,  is 
an  event  which  is  of  great  interest  to  the  Society  for  Psychical  Research.' 
Some  days  ago  a  girl  named  Julia  Murray  died  in  her  own  home  at  Yon- 
kers. Julia,  who  was  a  Catholic,  had,  in  her  life-time,  been  unusually 
religious.  The  bedroom  in  which  her  death  occurred  was  part  of  a  flat 
in  a  very  uninteresting  four-storey  structure,  like  hundreds  of  others, 
and  connected  on  either  side  by  doors  with  other  rooms.  On  the  ni^ht 
following  the  death,  the  body,  resting  not  in  a  coffin  but  on  a  **  cooling 
table,"  above  an  ice  box,  and  covered  with  a  white  sheet,  was  being 
watched  by  several  girl  friends  of  the  deceased.  Ten  or  a  dozen  persons 
seem  to  have  been  within  reach  and  ready  to  relieve  each  other  in  this 
pious  vigil.  At  4  A.  M.  the  only  watcher,  however,  was  a  Miss  Smith, 
who  had  almost  fallen  asleep  from  exhaustion,  when  on  raising  her  head, 
she  was  suddenly  startled  by  a  luminous  appearance  on  the  wall — ^not  of 
the  room  in  which  the  body  lay,  but  of  the  bedroom  next  to  it — in  which 
Julia  had  died.  Gradually  the  luminous  spot  assumed  shape,  and  to  her 
amazement  the  shave  was  that  of  the  deceased,  dressed  in  a  loose  gown 
of  vestal  white,  and  holding  her  hands  crossed  as  they  hung  down  l^fore 
her,  giaafdng  a  rosary.  On  her  head,  which  was  uplifted  as  though  in 
prayer,  was  a  wreath  of  white  flowers.  The  cries  of  Miss  Smith  sum* 
modae<l  several  other  girls,  of  unimpeachable  veracit3%  all  of  whom  de- 
clared that  they  saw  the  vision,  and  are  positive  it  was  the  exact  likeness 
of  Julia  Murray.  Nor  is  this  all.  Three  young  men — ^brothers  and  ac- 
quaintances of  the  deceased — came  into  the  room  in  time  to  see  the 
alleged  apparition,  which,  after  lingering  for  a  few  minutes,  turned 
towards  the  witnesses  of  the  phenomenon  and  gradually  faded  into  dark<> 


Altogether  it  would  seem  that  eighteen  persons  saw  what  they  believe 
to  have  been  the  form  of  Julia.  Their  gooa  faith  seems  above  suspicion, 
and  is  v>ouched  for  by  the  ))arish  priest,  himself  a  man  of  unquestioned 
chsMcter. 

Since  this  ^ttange  eveat,  the  house— situated  at  No.  154,  Ashburtoii 
Avenue^has  been  besieged  by  visiitors,  afnong  them  many  sceptical  re- 
^ortetB,    Scientists  have  carefully  investigated  the  premisesj  AQpiDg  to 


636 


The  Theosophist. 


tJttly 


find  a  natural  explanation  of  the  vision.'*  But  so  far,  they  have  sought 
m  vain  for  facts  that  will  upset  the  supernatural  theory  to  which  the 
mother,  the  friends,  and  the  neighbours  of  the  dead  girl  have  pinned  their 
faith. 


•  • 


They  have  Jollowed  the  national  instinct  for  me- 
A  descriptive    chanical  labour-saving  to  such  an  extreme  in  America 
list  that  they  punch,  through  a  railway  ticket,  the  de- 

scription of  the  passenger's  personal  appearance. 
Thus,  for  example,  was  Col.  Olcott  ••  punched  "  on  his  way  to 
Southern  California : 


Male# 
Female 

Slim 

Medium 

Stouts 

Young 
Middle  age 
Elderly  # 


PBRSONAi,  Description  of  passenger. 

Light  eyes  % 
Dark  eyes 


Light  Hair 
Dark  Hair 
Gray  Hairi 

Mustache  t 
Chin  beard 
Side  beard  ( 
No  beard. 


A  remark- 
able fast  and 
its  sequeL 


A  reporter  of  The  Bombay  Gazette  gives  an  un- 
paralleled account  of  the  prolonged  fast  of  a  young 
Hindu  lady,  a  portion  of  which  we  reproduce  from 
the  columns  of  the  above  named  paper,  adding  there- 
to a  sequel  which  shows  how  easy  it  is  to  be  deceived : 
The  medical  men  of  Bombay  are  exercised  over  the  case  of  a 
young  Hindu  woman  who  is  alleged  to  have  existed  for  over  two 
years  without  either  food  or  drink.  This,  if  true,  eclipses  all  other 
records  of  fasting,  and  the  alleged  marvel  is  all  the  greater  in  that  tiie 
individual,  far  from  being,  a  cataleptic,  goes  about  her  ordinary  house- 
hold avocations,  and  her  physical  appearance  is  no  way  different  from 
that  of  the  average  Hindu  young  lady  who  is  able  to  take  ordinar}' 
nourishment.  The  fasting  lady  is  a  young  woman  of  about  twenty  years 
of  age,  by  name,  Bai  Premabai,  and  she  lives  with  her  husband  and  his 
relatives  o£f  Falkland  Road.  Her  husband  is  the  brother  of  Rao  Saheb 
Mulji  Narayen.  Dr.  A.  P.  Kothare,  who  is  the  medical  adviser  of  the 
family,  states  that  he  first  came  to  know  of  the  girl's  incredible  way  of 
life  aoout  six  months  ago  and  since  then  he  has  been  engaged  in  draw- 
ing the  attention  of  his  medical  brethren  and  others  to  the  case.  It  has 
not  been  easy  to  persuade  them  to  take  an  interest  in  the  extraordinary 
occurrence,  but  it  has  now  been  decided  to  take  steps  to  thoroughly  test 
the  matter.  Although  the  girl  is  alleged  to  have  subsisted  without  food 
or  drink  for  two  years  and  a  half,  attention  was  not  drawn  to  the  matter 
until  Dr.  Kothare  made  it  known ;  because,  says  the  doctor,  Uie  relatives 
tried  to  conceal  the  fact  from  the  public  as  long  as  possible.  They  have, 
however,  spent  a  g^at  deal  of  money  in  trying  to  nave  the  girl  cured, 
for  they  look  upon  her  absence  of  appetite  or  lack  of  desire  to  eat,  as  an 
ailment  requiring  treatment  which,  however,  has  so  far  been 
without  success.  The  girl  herself  was  seen  yesterday  by  a  representa- 
tive of  this  paper.  She  descended  the  stairs  from  an  upper  room  where, 
according  to  the  statements  of  other  members  oCthe  family,  she  had  been 
engaged  in  cookine.  In  her  appearance  there  is  nothing  to.  indicate 
that  she  does  not  t£uce  nourishment.  She  exhibits  none  oi  .the  ordinary 
sig^s  of  starvation.  She  makes  no  complaint  of  illness.  She  simply 
(statesthat  she  can't  eat;  that  she  has  no  appetite.  Neither  by  herself 
fior  by  her  relatives  is  any  pretense  made  or  supernatural  powers.   SO 


190I.]  Cuttings  and  Comments.  637 

far  as  the  relatives  are  concerned  they  declare  that  they  will  pay  one 
thousand  rupees  to  anybody  who  will  make  the  girl  eat. 

The  medical  fraternity  became  greatly  interested  in  this  case 
and  decided,  after  obtaining  the  consent  of  the  woman  and  her 
relatives,  to  remove  her  to  a  separate  bungalow,  where  she  should 
be  cared  for  by  nurses,  day  and  night,  and  strictly  watched,  to  see 
whether  they  could  discover  any  indications  of  her  taking  food  or 
drink.  Soon  after  this  plan  was  put  in  operation,  the  woman 
seemed  ill  at  ease  and  appeared  to  lose  flesh,  day  by  day  ;  and  as 
one  of  the  nurses  was  giving  her  massage  treatment  one  evening, 
a  small  parcel  of  concentrated  food  which  had  been  concealed  under 
the  fasting  woman's  clothing,  became  accidentally  exposed  to 
view  I 

This  seemed  to  settle  the  matter  and  the  watch  was  abandoned. 
But,  as  the  food  package  is  reported  to  have  been  in  "  an  advanced 
stage  of  decomposition,"  and  no  one  saw  her  eating  anything,  there 
is  still  some  mystery  to  be  cleared  up.  Her  friends  and  relatives 
declare  positively  that  for  two  and  a  half  years,  she  has  not  taken 
anything  in  the  shape  of  food  or  drink ;  and  Dr.  Kothare,  her 
physician,  states  that  he  once  gave  her  a  small  particle  of  food, 
•*  which  was  not  only  rejected  by  the  stomach,  but  brought  up  a 
quantity  ot  blood." 

It  is  safe  to  aflirm,  however,  that  even  the  slight  movements 
necessitated  by  respiration,  and  going  from  room  to  room  in  a 
house  occasionally,  cannot  gu  on  without  waste  of  tissue,  and  this 
waste  must,  by  sonte  nieafis,  be  supplied,  if  the  body  be  one  of  flesh 
and  blood.    Can  the  woman  have  been  sufliciently   advanced  to 

live  on  air  alone  ?    ' 

« 

One  of  the  most  recent  scientific  discoveries,  and 

Wireless        one  that  promises  to  be  of  great  practical  utility, 

Signalling      perhaps  greater  than  any  hitherto  known,  as  a  life* 

under  Water,    saving  appliance,  is  that,  by  means  of  which  sounds 

are  readily  transmitted  under  water  so  that  intelligi- 
ble signals  may  be  received  to  warn  steamers  and  other  vessels,  of 
approaching'danger.  At  the  present  stage  of  the  invention,  signals 
may  be  thus  transmitted  twelve  miles  in  aiiy  direction,  without  the 
use  of  wires ;  for  water  is  found  to  be  a  much  more  reliable  medium 
than  air,  for  the  transmission  of  sound. 

The  world  is  indebted  to  Mr.  Arthur  J.  Mundy,  of  Boston,  and 
the  late  Professor  Elisha  Gray,  of  Chicago,  for  bringitig  this 
method  of  wireless  submarine  signalling  to  its  present  stage  of  per- 
fection. Mr.  Mundy  had  given  much  thought  to  this  subject,  and 
had  been  deeply  impressed  by  the  fact  that  about  300  wrecks  occur 
annually  on  the  Bntish  coast  alone,  owing  to  the  dense  fogs  which 
prevail.  He  had  noticed  when  a  boy,  that  if  two  stones  be  struck 
together  under  \vater,  a  surprising  volume  of  sound  is  produced. 
After  mature  deliberation  he  submitted  his  thoughts  to  his  friend. 
Professor  Gray,  of  Chicago,  a  man  thoroughly  versed  in  practical 
acoustics  and,  withal,  an  experienced  engineer,  who  had,  in  1874, 
devised  a  machine  for  sending  musical  tones  by  wire,  and  more 
recently  had  invented  the  t^mewriting  telegraph,  the  automatic 
telegraph  switch,  and  the  telephonic  annunciator,  and  who  is  con- 
sidered by  many  to  have  been  justly  entitled  to  the  honour  of 
inventing  the  telephone.  Thereupon  Professor  Gxay  came  and 
spent  the  season  with  Mr.  Mundy  at  his  summer  residence  on  the 
coast  of  Mas^chttsetts,  and  together  they  laboured  until  the  inven-» 
tion  was  brought  to  tTxe  »tage  of  practicality. 


^36  The  Theoaophist.  [July 

It  has  been  found  that  signals  from  a  submarine  bell  can  be  dis- 
tinctly heard  at  a  distance  of  more  than  a  mile,  simpl}^  by  going  into 
the  hold  of  a  ship,  near  the  keel,  and  listening  with  the  unaided  ear ; 
but  for  Jong  distances,  properly  constructed  receivers  are  required  to 
niagDify  the  sound. 

A  submerged  bell  can  now  be  attached  to  a  buoy  in  the  vidnity 
of  dangerous  rocks  off-shore,  and  an  electrically  swung  clapper  can 
be  connected  by  means  of  wire  and  cable  to  a  station  on  shore  from 
which  signals  can  be  transmitted  at  regular  intervals,  and  any  ap- 
proaching vessel  warned  of  the  hidden  peril.  Future  accidents  like 
that  wjiich  recently  befel  the  ill-fated  steamer  Rio  de  Janeiro,  off 
the  harbour  of  San  Francisco,  can  thu^  be  effectually  prevented. 

Before  Professor  Gray's  death  he  designed  an  improved  receiver 
by  means  of  which  a  navigator  can  tell  at  which  point  of  the  com- 
pass t^e  signal-bell  is  being  sounded,  and  thus,  provided  there  are 
two  or  more  belk,  he  can  determine  his  position,  aided  by  the  chart 

Mr.  Muudy  has  recently  invented  and  patented  a  method  for 
detiermiuiug  the  position  of  a  ship  when  coming  into  a  harbour 
where  a  submerged  signaUbell  is  stationed  on  each  side  of  the 
entrance.  As  sound  travels  at  a  definite  rate  of  speed  under  water, 
the  vessel  would  be  at  the  central  point  between  the  two  if  the  bells 
were  heard  simultaneously  ;  and,  as  the  bells  are  of  different  pitch, 
if  one  having  the  higher  or  lower  tone  were  heard  first,  it  would 
at  once  show  the  ship  to  be  nearer  the  side  of  the  harbour  where 
tliat  bell  is  located  ;  and  by  the  difference  in  time  between  the  bell- 
signalg,  one  could  determine  about  how  far  the  ship  was  from  the 
central  line  between  the  two.  Provided  there  be  a  third  bell,  a 
further  use  of  the  principle  termed  "  acoustic  triangulation'*  can  be 
made. 

Professor  Gray  also  invet^ted  an  improvement  for  the  electrical 
receiver,,  whereby  a  gong  would  be  rung  automatically  on  ship- 
board, following  each  stroke  of  the  signal-hell,  the  sound  of  which 
is  transmitted  through  the  water  to  the  ship. 

Messages  can  be  exchanged  betw^eu  tne  vessels  of  a  squadron, 
even  if  separated  by  a  distance  of  twelve  mH^ — the  letters  of  the 
alphabet  beiu^  numbered. 

The  proximity  of  a  submarine  torpe4o- boat  im\  Qow  be  inst^itly 
detected — ^a  fact  of  great  importance  in  naval  tactics* 

We  desire  to  call  attention  to  the  appeal  for  aid 

A  in  behalf  of  the  "  Theosophical  Section  of  the  ShiUong 

Tiiosofihical     Indian  Club  I^ibrary,"  Assam,  which  is  published  in 

Library.        our  Supplement.    The  library  was  destroyed  by  fire 

in  January  1900,  and  it  is  very  desirable  that  the 
works  of  Mrs.  Besant  and  H.  P.  B.,  and  our  other  Tbeosqphical 
hookis  and  magazines,  should  a£^in  be  represented  in  the  read- 
ing rooms  of  this  club.  It  is  eam^tly  hpped  that  many 
Uberal-mioded  mMibers  of  the  T.  S.  will  respond  10  this  appeal. 

* 

ThQ  loUfmiac'^  ^7  Hontiido  W.  Xhcaaer,  coneeim- 

The  itig  h?9Vty  atid  avt  as  parts  of  the  great  ^  ^iritaai 

**  Spiritmi     W^^U"  fe  wortibk  thinkirig  over : 

Ai(^fiA"  <<  Another  important  phase  of  the  spit>ltuai  ideal  is 

its  cU)§»  ^o»nectiiQ|i  with  the  ideals  of  art,  of  t^uty.   I 

9]|ipha3i^e  tji^if  r^svtiot^AiLp  h^ause  the  tendencgr  of  the  afatitual  acal<|t 

is  to  neglect;  the  art  i4e»l.    Mw  ^  n^  here  ^mfiy  t0  mSA  flMmAW 

by  triumph  over  obstacles^  Ml^^hlKSS  1  ^nd  ^..    It  it  ittiwml^l^  te  ^dH 


1901.]  Cuttings  and  Comments.  639 

in  one  sentence  what  life  is  for.  The  spiritual  enthusiast  is  apt  to  say  it 
is  for  the  nowth  of  the  individual  soul.  But  what  of  the  social  ideal .? 
Is  that  inferior  to  the  ideal  of  individual  perfection  ?  The  scientific  man 
sB^^s  life  is  for  knowledge.  The  philosopher  says  it  is  for  ultimate  truth. 
The  practical  man  comes  forward  with  another  definition.  All  are 
right.  Life  is  for  all  of  these  ends,  and  many  more.  That  man's  life 
would  be  narrow  indeed  who  should  insist  upon  developing  his  charac- 
ter every  moment.  Around  us  is  the  fair  world  of  nature^  where  each 
may  behold  a  phase  of  beautv  never  seen  before ;  and  so  life  is  also  for 
expression.  It  is  not  rounded  out  and  beautiful  unless  we  dcfvelop 
within  ourselves  and  express  to  others  that  which  corresponds  to  the 
external  harmonies  of  nature  and  human  societv." 


A  special  dispatch  from  Seattle  to  the  San 
The  hst  art  Finncisco  Chronicle^  under  date  of  March  i8th,  says  : 
oftempaivg  ^rs.  Carrie  Renstrom  and  her  two  softs,  G.  A.  Ren- 

copper.  Strom  and  R.  S.  Anderson  of  this  city,  claim  to  have  dis- 

covered the  lost  art  of  tempering  copper  to  a  fineness  and 
strength  superior  to  the  finest  steel.  Mrs.  Renstrom  says  that  the  secret 
belongs  to  herself  and  her  two  sons  and  she  has  several  knives  Which 
bear  an  edc^e  fine  and  hard  enough  to  cut  polished  iron.  They  have 
also  manutactured  a  copper  trolley  wheel  which  they  have  offered  to 
the  Seattle  Electric  Company  for  a  practical  test.  The  ordinary  wheels 
used  by  the  company  usually  wear  out  in  about  five  weeks.  An  ordinary 
file  used  on  the  copf)er  wheel  fails  to  make  the  slightest  impression. 

Anderson,  who  is  a  son  of  Mrs.  Renstrom  by  a  former  marriage,  to« 
day  made  a  statement  about  the  discovery.  He  says  that  some  years  ago« 
when  they  lived  near  Darrington,  in  Snohomish  county,  he  began  ex- 
perimenting with  copper.  He  tried  to  temper  it,  beine  somewhat  of  a 
metallurgist,  but  failed.  After  one  or  two  unsuccessful  attempts,  Mrs* 
Renstrom  joined  him  in  his  labors.  She  made  an  attempt  and  won  greater 
success.  He  says  that  all  three  of  them  then  took  up  the  matter.  He 
adds  that  his  brother,  George  Renstrom,  tempered  a  copper  knife  by  the 
secret  process,  and  that  it  would  cut  the  ^^face  of  a  fiat-iron.  Andetson 
to-da^  exhibited  a  chisel  which  he  had  cast  in  a  local  foundry.  He  says 
he  Will  subject  it  to  the  secret  process,  and  that  with  it  he  will  then  oe 
able  to  cut  through  the  best  armor  steel  used  in  a  battle-ship. 

Anderson  is  about  27  years  of  age.  He  served  in  Uie  Spanish- 
American  war  with  Company  M.  First  Washington  Volunteiers, 


From  the  San  Francisco  Call  we  quote  the  follow- 
Successful      ing  interesting  item  : 

Hypnotism  ^  ^^^^  of  hypnotising  by  long  distance  telephone 

over  a  tele-      ^^s  performed  successfully  in  Pueblo  and  Denver  last 

phone  wire.      night  by  J.  Edward  Hilts  of  Cleveland,  Ohio,  and  Fred. 

H.  Stoufer  of  Pueblo.  Alonzo  Coons,  who  has  frequently 
been  operated  upon  before,  took  his  seat  at  a  table  in  a  Pueblo  oflice, 
with  the  receiver  held  fast  to  his  ear  by  a  steel  spring,  such  as  is  used 
in  telephone  exchanges.  Dr.  Hilts  spoke  into  the  microphone  in  Den- 
ver and  his  voice  was  carried  to  the  subject  120  miles  away.  A  tele- 
graph operator  in  the  room  with  Coons  kept  the  hypnotist  posted  with 
bulletins  on  the  subject's  condition. 

In  a  short  time  Coons  was  under  the  operator's  infiuence,  and  at  the 
hypnotist's  suggestion  ate  a  bit  of  potato,  snuffed  ammonia  and  per- 
formed several  of  the  common  tests  to  the  genuineness  of  the  trance. 

Mr.  Stoufer  performed  a  similar  experiment  on  J.  H.  Johnson,  a 
subiect  in  Denver.  The  same  tests  used  on  Coons  were  used  on  Johnson 
with  success.  Both  subjects  became  rigid  in  the  cataleptic  state,  and 
doctors  examined  the  eyeballs  of  each  and  found  them  not  at  all  sensi- 
tive, 


640  The  Theosophist.  [July 

Subscribers  to  the    Theosophist^  who    are   not 

Respectable      supposed  to  have  '  evil  tempers/   may   nevertiieless 

Sins.  be  glad  of  an  opportunity  of  showing  Uiese  few 

parapjaphs,  which  we  copy  from  the  Sunday  Maga- 

ziite^  to  some  acquaintance  who  may  stand  in  need  of  self-discipline : 

People  with  evil  tempers  of  various  kinds  are  curiously  unconcerned, 
and  even  seem  to  have  a  certain  satisfaction  in  their  infirmity.  Thty 
will  tell  aloud  i^vith  much  cheerfulness,  that  they  have  a  bit  of  a  temper 
and  they  allowed  so-and-so  to  feel  the  rough  side  of  their  tongue  ;  while 
Uiey  might  as  well  have  exiplained  that  they  did  not  pretend  to  have  the 
manners  of  civilisation,  and  that  when  a  passenger  trod  accidentally  on 
their  feet  they  promptly  turned  and  kicked  him  on  the  shins.  Others 
will  boast  that  they  will  not  be  trampled  on  by  any  person,  and  that 
they  know  what  is  due  to  themselves  ;  and  never  see  how  undignified 
and  how  small  minded  is  this  whining  about  one*s  feelings  and  one's 
position.  .  And  although  a  revengeful  man  can  as  a  rulehmd  his  peace, 
oecause  he  is  much  stronger  than  those  who  blaze  and  fume,  yet  he  will 
at  a  rare  time  let  you  know  that  none  has  ever  injured  him  without 
repenting  the  deed,  and  he  does  not  imagine  that  the  gleam  in  his  eye 
and  the  malignant  tone  in  his  voice  suggest  nothing  else  than  the  spirit 
of  evil. 

There  are  three  reasons  why  one  ought  to  control  his  temper,  and  the 
first  is  self-respect.  When  one  loses  command  of  himself  and  throws 
the  reins  upon  the  neck  of  passion,  he  may  have  for  the  moment  a 
certain  enjoyment  in  the  license,  but  there  must  snrely  come  a  reaction 
of  regret.  When  he  is  calm  again  and  the  fit  has  passed  awa^,  ever}- 
serious  person  must  be  ashamed  of  what  he  said  and  what  he  did,  of  the 
manner  in  which  he  gave  himself  away,  and  the  exhibition  he  made  of 
himself.  He  has  acted  like  a  fretful,  peevish  child,  and  has  for  the  time 
forfeited  his  title  to  manhood  and  the  place  of  a  man. 

And  we  not  only  do  injustice  to  ourselves  by  these  stormy  moods,  but 
we  are  certain  to  do  injury  to  our  neighbours.  If  a  fiery  tempered 
woman  only  realised  what  a  centre  of  disturbances  she  is  in  society,  and 
what  a  terror  to  her  family  ;  how  anxiously  her  husband  watches  the 
first  signs  of  tempest,  and  how  careful  he  is  not  to  provoke  them  ;  how 
much  of  the  pleasure  of  life  he  loses  through  the  uncertainty  of  his 
domestic  life  ;  who  knows  not  what  an  hour  may  bring  forth  ;  and  how 
he  is  pitied  by  his  friends  who  understand  the  excuses  and  subterfuges 
with  which  he  has  to  cover  the  domestic  situation  ;  one  dares  to  believe 
that  the  most  headstrong  and  undisciplined  woman  would  tidce  a 
thoueht  and  make  an  effort  at  self-restramt.  Strangers  envy  the  hus- 
band of  some  beautiful  and  clever  woman,  but  his  nerves  may  be  giving 
way  because  he  is  living  from  day  to  day  upon  the  slope  of  a  volcano, 
and  never  knows  when  the  burning  lava  may  pour  through  the  gardens 
and  the  vineyards.  Beyond  the  protected  circle  of  the  home,  where 
strife  has  to  be  hidden  and  wounded  hearts  must  make  no  sign,  tempests 
of  temper  carrj' devastation  on  every  side.  Half  a  dozen  mad  words 
may  break  up  a  friendship  forever,  may  render  a  useful  fellowship  in 
good  works  impossible,  may  discount  many  years'  consistent  example 
of  godliness,  may  wound,  nearly  unto  death,  some  modest,  tender  soul. 
A  passionate  person  is  as  great  a  menace  to  society  as  a  gunpowder 
magazine  to  a  district,  and  no  power  can  limit  the  area  of  explosion. 


»if. 


THE    THEOSOPHIST. 


(Founded  in  1879.) 


VOL.  XXII.,  NO.  11,  AUGUST  1901. 


"THERE  IS  NO  RELIGION  HIGHER  THAN  TRUTH." 

{^Family  motto  of  the  Maharajahs  of  Benares.'} 


w 


OLD  DIARY  LEAVES* 

Fourth  Sbriks,  Chapter  XXII. 
(Year  1891.) 
7E  now  pass  on  to  the  question  of  the  action  of  drugs  at  a  dis- 


tance. The  experiment  with  bottled  drugs  I  could  not  try, 
because  the  matter  had  been  deferred  to  my  last  day  at  Nancy,  the 
experimental  bottles  in  the  Hospital  Laboratory  were  empty,  and  I 
could  not  wait  over  to  get  them  filled.  But  from  the  entire  staflf, 
including  Dr.  Bernheim,  I  heard  that  they  had  thoroughly  tested 
the  matter  many  times  and  found  that  the  drug  action  under  such 
circumstances  was  due  to  suggestion.  An  apothecary  in  Nancy,  had 
repeated  Dr.  lyiiys'  experiment  over  and  over  again,  until  he  became 
perfectly  convinced  that  that  eminent  savant's  theory  that  drugs 
would  affect  persons  from  a  distance,  was  correct.  He  then  asked 
Dr.  Bernheim  to  try  the  experiment  for  himself.  The  Professor  took 
eight  vials  of  dark  brown  glass,  so  opaqtce  as  not  to  be  seen  throughy 
and  filled  them  with  scammony,  emetics,  strychnine,  a  salivant,  etc., 
and  one  with  plain  distilled  water ;  the  vials  beiiig  numbered,  but  not 
marked  so  that  either  of  the  experimentalists  could  know  the  contents-, 
they  were  also  hermetically  sealed.  Not  one  produced  its  proper 
symptoms  in  a  patient.  After  giving  five  hours  to  the  tests,  at  last 
both  the  Professor  and  the  apothecary  were  satisfied  that  whatever 
action  there  was  had  been  provoked  by  suggestion  alone.     Bern- 

•  Three  volumes,  in  series  of  thirty  chapters,  tracing;  the  history  of  the 
Theosophical  Society  from  its  beginning's  at  New  York,  have  appeared  in  the 
Theowphisty  and  two  volumes  are  available  in  book  form.  Price,  Vol.  1.,  cloth, 
Rs.  ^-8-0,  or  paper,  Rs.  2-3-0.  Vol.  II.,  beautifully  illustrated  with  views  of  Adyar, 
has  juHt  been  received  by  the  Manager,  Theoaophist :  price,  clolh,  Rs.  5  ;  paper, 
Ks.  3-8*o. 


542  T'^®  Theosophisi.  [August 

heim  tells  me  he  has  repeated  all  Charcot's  published  experimeuts, 
with  contradictory  results.  Among  other  things,  he  has  produced  a 
blister  artificially  by  hypnotic  suggestion,  and  by  suggestion  prevent- 
ed a  real  fly-blister  from  blistering  ;  while  upon  the  same  patient,  at 
the  same  time,  another  blister  made  exactly  like  the  other  and  of 
identical  materials,  blistered  the  skin,  upon  suggestion. 

Again  I  say  that  I  do  not  consider  the  case  closed,  for  the  evidence 
is  not  all  in.  Some  years  ago,  as  I  have  related  in  an  early  chapter, 
I  assisted  at  some  experiments  made  in  New  York  City,  by  Prof. 
J.  R.  Buchanan,  in  the  psychometrical  perception  of  the  properties 
of  dry  drugs  wrapped  in  paper  on  which  were  no  *  external  distin- 
guishing marks.  The  tests  were  made  in  the  presence  of  a  num- 
ber of  newspaper  reporters  and  others.  There  were  equal  quanti- 
ties of  such  dififering  substances  as  tartaric  acid,  opium,  ginger, 
quinine,  soda  carbonate,  salt,  cayenne  pepper,  black  pepper,  sugar, 
etc.,  all  in  powders,  and  all  done  up  as  powders  are  prepared  by  the 
apothecar>'.  About  eight  or  ten  of  the  company,  if  my  memor)- 
serves,  were  selected  for  the  experiments.  The  packages  were 
put  into  a  hat,  shaken  up  and  passed  around  to  the  experimenters, 
who  each  drew  out  one.  They  were  then  bidden  to  hold  them 
in  the  palms  of  their  closed  hands,  make  them.selves  passive,  have 
no  preconceptions  and  .see  if  they  could  tell  what  was  in  the 
packages.  The  majority  failed,  but  two  of  the  number  succeeded 
with  their  packages  and  also  with  others  successively  given  them 
to  hold.  One,  young  man,  of  about  twenty-five  years  of  age, 
rapidly  distinguished  the  substance  under  his  observation,  and 
the  correctness  of  his  impressions  was  verified  by  opening  the 
papers  and  examining  the  contents.  Then,  again,  if  I  am  not 
mistaken,  we  ought  to  regard  as  a  higher  form  of  this  same 
faculty,  that  intuitive  power  which  is  possessed  by  many  clair- 
voyants, of  seeing  what  remedy,  chemical,  vegetable  or  other,  is 
a  specific  for  the  malady  which  she  also  clairvoyantly  detects  in  the 
patient.  If  we  do  not  postulate  the  existence  of  auras  throughout 
all  the  kingdoms  of  nature,  we  could  hardly  understand  on  any  com- 
mon sense  hypothesis,  the  different  phenomena  above  enumerated  ; 
whereas,  conceding  the  auras  and  also  a  certain  condition  of  nerve- 
sensitiveness  to  them  in  the  individual,  the  mystery  is  explained. 
We  may  supplement  these  observations  with  a  reference  to  Von  Reich- 
enbach.  His  renowned  and  classical  workiappeared  in  English  trans- 
lations in  1850,  one  edition  having  been  brought  out  by  the  late  Dr. 
Gregory,  Professor  of  Chemistry  at  the  University  of  Edinburgh,  the 
other  by  the  famous  pioneer  of  mesmerism,  Dr.  Ashbumer. 
Von  Reichenbach  was  one  of  the  greatest  chemists  of  his  day,  the 
discoverer  of  glycerine  and  creosote,  and  renowned  for  his  mettal- 
lurgical  researches.  His  announcement  of  his  discovery  of  a  new 
and  potent  force  of  nature,  which  he  called  Odyle,  drew  upon  him 
the  malevolent  attacks  of  contemporaries  whose  envy  and  malice 


1901.]  Old  Diary  Leaves.  643 

were  aroused  by  the  grandeur  of  his  success.  Not  even  yet,  after 
fifty  years*  interval,  has  justice  been  done  to  him :  but.  karma  can 
wait.  The  chief  point  in  his  discovery  was  that  there  exists  in 
nature  a  force  which  is  neither  electricity  nor  magnetism,  but  has. 
nevertheless,  polarities  like  them  ;  it  flows  at  right  angles  with  the 
electric  current,  impregnates  the  whole  globe,  aflFects  all  the  different 
kingdoms  of  nature,  and  extends  throughout  space,  every  celestial 
orb  being,  apparently,  like  our  Earth>  a  focal  centre  of  it.  The 
Baron  made  experiments  for  years  with  a  number  of  persons  of 
both  sexes  and  different  social  conditions,  some  invalids,  others  in 
robust  health,  which  showed  that  this  force,  when  associated  with 
crystals  and  other  bodies — the  human  body  included — has  lumi- 
nosity as  well  as  polarity.  He  divided  the  positives  and  nega- 
tives in  groups,  the  reading  of  which  is  very  instructive ;  the 
odylo- negatives  gave  the  sensitives  a  feeling  of  warmth,  the 
odylo-positives,  one  of  cold.  The  reader  will  find  the  classifica- 
tion on  pages  177-9  of  Dr.  Gregory's  translation.  To  the  touch 
''  almost  all  metals  ielt  warm  to  the  hand,  but  all,  also,  yielded  the 
emanations  which  the  patient  called  cool  air.  In  the  order  of  their 
energy  they  were  nearly  thus  :  chromium,  osmium,  nickel,  iridium, 
lead,  tin,  cadmium,  zinc,  titanium,  mercury,  palladium,  copper, 
silver,  gold,  iron,  platinum.  A  thin  copper  plate,  of  nearly  eight 
hundred  square  inches,  placed  near  and  opposite  to  the  bed  of  the 
patient,  caused  the  sensation  of  a  lively  current  of  fresh,  cool  air, 
which  by  degrees  seemed  to  penetrate  the  whole  bed.  and  was  ver)- 
agreeable  to  the  patient.  A  zinc  plate,  of  the  same  size,  produced  a 
similar  effect,  but  not  so  powerfully.  Plates  of  lead  and  iron  were 
still  weaker."  When  the  surface  of  a  mirror  was  turned  towards 
the  patient,  the  effect  was  marked.  "The  radiation  from  the 
polished  metal  through  the  glass,  diffused  that  ethereal  and  delight- 
ful coolness  described  in  section  182,  as  proceeding  from  sulphur  and 
gypsum,  also  through  glass.  She  felt  her  whole  person,  from  head 
to  foot,  pervaded  by  a  pleasurable  sense  of  comfort."  But  the 
crushing  fact  for  the  opponents  of  the  theory  that  substances  can  act 
at  a  distance  i3»  that  the  Baron  was  able  to  conduct  the  emanations 
of  metals  through  wires  to  distances  of  more  than  100  feet.  For 
example  (op.  cit.  p.  150),  '*  Mile.  Reichel  felt  the  sulphur  to  diffuse 
coolness  at  124  feet.  Astonished  at  this,  I  tried  a  copper  plate  of 
more  than  4  square  feet.  It  diffused  warmth  to  the  distance  of  94 
feet. 

A  plate  of  iron,  6  feet  square,  was  felt  warm   at  146  feet. 
Thin  lead  foil,  of  the  same  size,  at  75 

Tin  foil,  at  70 

Zinc  plate,  at  64 

Silver  paper  (genuine)  of  one  square  foot,       at  24 
Gold  paper  (genuine)  of  3  square  feet,  at  67-5  ,, 

An  electrophorus  plate,  16  inches  in  diameter,  at  98    „ 


»» 

19 
>> 
f» 


644  The  Theosophist.  [August 

A  mirror  of  about  10-5  square  feet,  at  106  feet 

A  small  bottle  of  oxygen  gas,  at   19     „ 

**  A  number  of  other  substances,  such  as  brass  utensils,  porcelain 
vessels,  glass,  surfaces  of  stone,  coloured  paper,  60  boards  of  wood, 
linen,  open  or  shut  doors,  lustres  suspended  from  the  roof,  trees, 
human  beings,  horses,  dogs,  cats  approaching  her,  pools  of  water, 
especially  after  having  been  long  exposed  to  sunshine ;  in  short,  all 
and  every  thing  of  a  material  nature  acted  on  her,  diffusing  in 
some  cases  warmth,  in  others  coolness ;  and  many  things  acted  so 
strongly  as  to  attract  her  attention  and  annoy  her ;  others  so  feebly, 
that,  becoming  accustomed  to  them,  she  no  longer  regarded  them." 
From  the  foregoing  results  he  deduced  a  general  principle, 
which  he  formulates  in  the  following  words  : 

''  All  solid  bodies  in  contact  with  persons  sufficiently  sensitive, 
excite  peculiar  feelings,  diflfering  in  degree  according  to  their  chem* 
ical  nature  ;  these  sensations  are  chiefly  those  of  an  apparent 
change  of  temperature,  such  as  cool,  tepid,  or  warm,  with  which  a 
pleasant  or  a  disagreeable  sensation  keeps  pace,  more  or  less  uni- 
formly. Lastly,  these  reactions  are  in  all  respects  similar  to  those 
produced  by  the  force  of  magnets,  crystals,  the  human  hand,  etc." 

And  now,  to  avoid  prolixity,  I  shall  conclude  with  a  few  words 
about  the  discoverer  of  "  the  therapeutic  suggestion"  the  future  of 
which  seems  so  full  of  promise  as  a  remedial  agency  to  the  human 
race.   This  public  benefactor  is  a  French  physician  named  Ambroise 
August  I^iebault,  a  native  of  Favieres,  in  the  Department  of  Meurthe 
et  Moselle.    He  was  born  September  16,  1823,  and  was  the  twelflh 
child  of  his  parents,  who  were  cultivators.    They  wanted  him  to  be 
a  priest  and  he  was  put  to  study  with  that  object,  but  he  felt   it  was 
not  his  proper  vocation,  and  took  up  the  study  of  medicine  and,  in 
due  course,  won  the  degree  of  Bachalier  es  I^ttres  (our  B.  A.)  ;  that 
of  Doctor  of  Medicine  he  took  in  1 851,  at  Strasbourg.    The  French 
Academy  Committee's  Report  of  1829,  on  Animal  Magnetism,  inter, 
ested  him  much,  and  he  tested  the  theory  by  many  practical  ex- 
periments.   I^ter,  the  Report  by  the  great  surgeon,  Velpeau,  to  the 
French  Academy,  upon  the  subject  of  Braidism,  «>.,  Hj^notism, 
caused  him  to  continue  hi'slresearches  with  additional  ardour,  and  th^ 
resulted  in  his  discovery  of  Therapeutic  Suggestion  (the  healing  of 
disease  by  suggestion),  which  has  made  his  name  known  through- 
out the  medical  world.    He  was  obliged  to  go  on  very  cautiously  in 
the  dissemination  of  his  theory,  on  account  of  the  prejudiced    oppo- 
sition of  the  profession,  and  at  last  removed,  in  1864,  to  Nancy  where 
he  hoped  to  find  a  freer  scope  and  less  dogmatic    intolerance.    But 
he  was  disappointed,  for  the  Faculty  of  the  College  would  not  even 
listen  to  him  or  look  at  his  experiments,  regarding  him  as  a  crack- 
brained  innovator.    They  would  even  have  persecuted  him  as  a 
charlatan  if  he  had  not  confined  his  hypnotic  treatments  to  the  poor* 
er  classes  and  cured  their  diseases  without  money  and  without  price. 


1901.]  Old  Diary  Leaves.  64S 

When  I  tell  the  reader  that  this  sort  of  thing  went  on  for  eighteen 
years,  he  ever  playing  the  part  of  public  benefactor,  and  his  proud 
colleagues  standing  aloof,  Bernheim  included,  it  will  be  seen  how 
loyal  Li^bault  was  to  his  discovered  truth,  how  persistent  in  altruis- 
tic well-doing.  The  Faculty  were  unanimous  in  the  assertion  that 
he  was  crazy  because  he  took  no  fees  from  the  sick  poor  who  crowd- 
ed his  consultation-room  !  But  the  tide  turned  at  last :  after  he  had 
hypnotised  ten  thousand  patients  and  produced  an  infinity  of  cures, 
some  of  almost  a  miraculous  character,  a  friend  of  Prof.  Bemheim's 
personally  testified  to  the  latter  to  what  he  had  seen  in  Liebault's 
clinigue,  and  Dr.  B.,  still  over  cautious,  came,  saw,  tested,  re-tested, 
managed  patients  in  his  own  way,  tried  some  in  the  Hospital,  was 
successful  and,  with  the  moral  courage  which  characterises 
great  souls,  stepped  forth  as  the  disciple,  defender  and  inter- 
preter of  the  patient,  generous  little  Nancy  doctor  of  the 
Rue-Gregoire.  Of  course,  he  brought  over  in  time  all  the  rest  of 
the  Faculty  of  Medicine,  and  non-medical  men,  like  Prof.  Liegois 
and  others  whose  names  are  now  celebrated,  and  the  Nancy 
school  of  therapeutic  suggestion  became  a  fact  and  Bernheim  its 
prophet.  From  the  first,  its  chief  antagonist  was  the  Charcot 
school  of  La  Salpetriere,  which  includes  some  very  clever  and  world- 
renowned  advocates,  and  so  the  whole  profession  is  now  ranged  in 
two  parties  and  bitter  controversy  rages  all  along  the  line. 

Almost  like  a  pilgrim  before  a  shrine,  I  knocked  one  day  at  the 
heavy  wooden  gate  in  the  wall  that  encloses  Dr.  Li^bault's  house 
and  garden.  Presently  it  was  opened,  and  there  stood  before  me, 
courteously  bowing,  an  elderly  gentleman,  with  shortish,  grizzled 
hair  and  full  beard,  a  straight  nose,  firm  mouth,  serious  and  deter- 
mined expression,  and  a  full,  broad  forehead,  well  rounded  out 
in  the  superior  region,  that,  phrenologically  speaking,  of  the 
intellectual  faculties.  I  presented  my  card  and  mentioned  my 
name,  whereupon  the  old  gentleman  grasped  my  hand  with  warmth, 
declared  that  he  knew  me  well  through  mutual  friends,  and  bade 
me  enter.  It  was  a  small  garden,  with  gravelled  walks,  and  thickly 
planted  with  flowering  bushes  and  fruit  and  shade  trees.  A  turn 
towards  the  right  brought  us  to  the  house  and,  as  the  weather  was 
fine,  we  sat  outside  in  garden  seats.  After  the  usual  exchange  of 
courtesies,  we  engaged  in  a  lengthy  conversation  about  hypnotism 
and  cognate  subjects,  which  was  most  interesting.  He  introduced 
me  to  his  wife  and  daughter,  the  latter  a  sweet  girl,  evidently  the 
apple  of  his  eye.  They  kept  me  to  dinner,  and  the  doctor  showed 
me  with  honest  pride,  a  splendid  bronze  statue,  by  Mercie,  of 
"  David  slaying  Goliath,"  which  had  been  presented  to  him  on  the 
25th  May,  1890,  by  a  number  of  eminent  physicians  of  diflferent 
lands,  on  the  occasion  of  his  formal  retirement  from  practice. 
They  had  flocked  to  Nancy  from  their  various  distant  lands,  to  offer 
their  homage  to  the  veteran  psychologist,  had  given   him    a  pttblic 


MO  The  Theosophist.  [August 

banquet,  and  placed  in  his  hands  an  album  filled  with  their  signed 
photographs.  These  tardy  honours  had  not  spoilt  the  old  man  in 
the  least ;  he  was  as  modest  and  gentle  as  possible  in  speaking  of 
them  and  of  his  realised  triumph,  in  old  age,  over  the  bigoted  pro- 
fessional prejudice  against  which  he  had  had  to  fight  his  way  for 
twenty  long  years.  I  jokingly  told  him  that  the  artist,  Mercie,  had 
well  symbolized  in  his  bronze,  the  doctor's  battle  and  victor>'  over 
Ignorance.  I  have  met  great  men  in  my  time  but  never  one  who 
wore  his  greatness  more  humbly  and  unpretentiously  than  Dr. 
Leibault.  I  have  a  list  of  the  contributors  to  this  testimonial, 
numbering  sixty-one  names,  all  well  known,  many  eminent  in  the 
medical  profession,  in  Germany,  Austria,  Belgium,  Brazil,  Canada, 
Spain,  the  United  States,  France,  Great  Britain,  Holland,  Italy 
Russia,  Sweden  and  Switzerland.  The  Rciyue  de  I ' HypnotisnUy  for 
Jiine  1891,  contains  a  full  report  of  the  banquet  and  the  moving 
speeches  of  Mr.  M.  Dumontpallier,  of  Paris,  Van  Rentergbem,  of 
Amsterdam,  and  Dr.  Liebault's  response.  Dr.  Van  Renterghem 
voiced  a  great  fact  in  saying : 

**  It  has  often  happened,  too  often,  alas  ! — as  history  shows— 
that  the  pioneers,  the  workers  of  the  first  hour,  have  had  as  their 
sole  reward  for  all  their  efforts  and  sacrifices,  only  contempt  and 
outrage.  The  instances  are  rare  and  may  be  counted,  where  such 
admirable  lives  have  at  length  been  crowned  with  honour  and 
glory.  But  such'  a  rare  fact  is  here  produced  and,  remember- 
ing the  injustice  with  which  humanity  has  so  often  made  its  bene- 
factors to  suffer,  we  feel  happy  indeed  to  be  in  the  way  of  re- 
pairing the  injustice  of  which  one  public  benefactor  has  been  the 
victim  during  long  years.  The^more  so  since  the  injustice  has  been 
borne  in  the  noblest  manner.  Most  frequently,  great  souls,  ignored, 
let  themselves  fall  into  despair  and  misanthropy.  But  let  us  testify 
frankly  that  one  cannot  imagine  to  himself  a  man  less  bitter,  less 
misanthropic,  than  the  venerated  M.  Liebault.  Alexander  Von 
Humboldt  said  that  the  first  condition  of  genius  is  patience^  You 
will  concur  with  me  that  in  this  respect  M.  Liebault  has  surpassed 
all  the  geniuses  of  his  time.*' 

I  quote  this  as  corroborative  of  my  estimate  of  this  dear  altruist, 
in  whose  company  I  passed  delightful  hours  during  my  visit. 

When  we  come  to  look  at  it,  every  one  of  us  practises  sugges- 
tion every  day  of  our  lives  :  as  parents,  giving  children  our  rules  of 
conduct ;  as  business  men,  persuading  each  other  as  our  interests 
prompt ;  as  lawyers,  persuading  jurymen  and  judges  ;  as  preachers, 
winning  over  people  to  our  sects  and  as  priests  keeping  them  in 
the  straight  paths  of  our  doxies  ;  the  physician  cures  his  patient  by 
suggesting  hopes  of  recovery  and  the  eflScacy  of  medicines  ;  the  flag 
in  the  forefront  of  battle  is  a  suggestion  that  the  nation  honours  its 
braves ;  the  lover  suggests  domestic  bliss  to  his  sweetheart  ;  and  so 
on  throughout  the  whole  tangle  of  human  relations.  Finally,  by  the 


1901.3  Old  Diary  Leaves.  647 

practice  of  Yoga  we  teach  ourselves  to  suggest  to  ourselves  self-control 
and  the  development  of  latent  spiritual  potentialities.  From  birth  to 
death,  the  whole  family  of  mankind  are  acting  and  reacting  upon  each 
other  by  interchange  of  thought,  called  psychical  suggestion,  and  by 
interblending  of  auras  resulting  in  sympathetic  mutual  relations  : 
the  ideal  outcome  of  which  should  be,  in  that  far-distant  day  when 
humanity  shall  have  progressed,  the  establishment  of  a  reign  of 
good-will  on  earth  and  a  loving  brotherhood  of  nations.  And  the 
modern  discoverer  of  this  power,  which  the  good  may  use  like  gods, 
beneficently,  and  the  bad  like  demons,  with  infernal  selfishness,  was 
Dr.  I^iebault,  founder  of  the  Nancy  school  of  hypnotism. 

I  left  Nancy  on  the  21st  August,  for  Spa,  via  I/)ngwy  and  Lux- 
embourg. Through  the  stupidity  of  the  railway  ofiicials  I  had  to 
make  a  detour  of  fifty  leagues  and  so  pass  the  battlefield  of  Mar  le 
Due,  where  there  was  a  desperate  struggle  between  the  French  and 
Germans  in  1870 ;  slept  at  Luxembourg,  and  reached  Spa  before 
noon  on  the  next  day.  The  occasion  of  my  visit  was  to  meet  an 
American  lady,  a  very  earnest  member  of  our  Society.  It  certainly 
gives  a  serious  man  a  profound  contempt  for  high  society  to  see  its 
representatives  wasting  their  time  in  the  inane  amusements  of  the 
gambling-rooms  at  these  fashionable  watering-places.  Fancy  a  lot 
of  full-grown,  presumably  intelligent,  men  and  women  crowding 
around  a  long  table  on  which  a  number  of  tiny  toy  horses,  with 
tiny  jockeys  astride  them,  moved  by  mechanism  and  running  races 
towards  a  goal — at  best,  a  pastime  for  children — working  themselves 
up  into  a  state  of  excitement  and  betting  large  sums  as  to  which 
little  horse  will  get  in  first!  The.  spectator  of  such  a  scene  can 
hardly  help  reflecting  what  a  pitiful  waste  of  time  this  is,  and  how 
blind  to  the  real  dignity  of  their  humanity  must  these  well-dressed 
idlers  be.  As  though  the  supply  of  soul-stuif  had  run  short  just  be- 
fore they  were  being  made  ! 

To  a  travelling  American,  the  sight  of  a  king  is  always  interest- 
ing, and  so  I  was  gratified  to  see  and  exchange  salutes  with  the  tall, 
handsome,  soldierly-looking  King  of  Belgium,  who  walked  about, 
with  his  wife  and  daughter,  amid  the  crowds,  with  perfect  freedom. 

I  found  on  reaching  London  most  of  the  staff  of  Headquarters 
away  on  their  holidays.  But  Mrs.  Besant  was  there  and  I  had  the 
opportunity  of  hearing  her  give  a  splendid  lecture  at  the  Blavat- 
sky  Lodge,  on  "  East  and  West  :  the  Future  of  the  T.  S."  On  the 
28th  I  went  to  Canterbury  to  see  my  dear  old  friend,  Stainton 
Moses,  the  most  brilliant  of  the  writers  on  Spiritualism,  so  well- 
known  as  **  M.  A.  (Oxon)."  No  two  men  could  have  been  more 
drawn  to  each  other  than  he  and  I  ;  our  friendship,  begun  through 
correspondence,  while  I  was  still  at  New  York,  had  continued  un- 
shaken throughout  all  changes  and  frictions  between  our  respective 
parties,  the  Spiritualists  and  Theosophists.  The  recollection 
of  this  visit  to   Canterbury  is  one  of  my  pleasantest  memories, 


948  The  Theosophist.  [Augost 

because  of  the  delightful  hours  we  passed  together  in  wanderiDgs 
about  the  ancient  town  and  in  the  Cathedral,  and  in  affectionate 
talk.  I  can  see  before  me  now  the  picture  of  him,  standing  on  the 
railway  platform,  watching  my  receding  train  and  waving  his 
hand  in  a  farewell  that  was  doomed  to  be  eternal.  That  is,  so 
for  as  this  incarnation  is  concerned. 

Returning  to  London,  I  escorted  Mrs.  Besant  to  the  "  Hall  of 
Science,"    to  hear  her  farewell  address  to  the  Secularists.    With 
a  curious  incapacity  for  introspection,   the  leaders  of  that  party 
had  passed  a  vote  that  she  should   not  be  allowed   to  lecture  any 
more  on  Theosophy  if  she  wished  to   continue  to  speak  from  the 
Secularist    platform.    The  poor    creatures  did  not  see  that  they 
were  virtually  setting  up  a  new   orthodoxy — that  of  Disbelief— and 
arrogating  to  themselves  disciplinary  authority  over  the  pretended 
Free  Thinkers  of  their  party.  Annie  Besant  had  given  to  that  move- 
ment nearly  all  its  culture  and  idealism,  had  thrown  over  its  crude 
iconoclasm  the  iridescent  veil  of  her  own  refinement  and  eloquence : 
Mr.  Bradlaugh  was  their  Hercules,  and   embodiment  of  strength, 
she  their  Hypatia,  embodiment  of  culture  aind   winsome  eloquence. 
They  could  afford  to  lose  her  least  of  all,  and  yet  they  were  too  blind 
to  see  that  the  inevitable  result  of  their  meditated  tyranny  would  he 
to  drive  her  out  of  their  association  into  Theosophy,  where  independ- 
ence of  action   and  thought   is  not  only  tolerated,   but   enjoined. 
I  sat  on  the  platform  with  her,  looking  over  the   large  audience  oi 
intelligent  faces,   and   felt  very   sorr>'  to  think  that  these  useful 
pioneers  of  a  new  era  of  religious  activity  were  so  foolishly  losing 
their  best  friend.  Mrs.  Besant's'address  vibrated  with  pathos  as  she 
defined  the  false  position  in  which  they  sought  to  place  her,  and  the 
imperative  necessity  that  she  should  be  true  to  the  basic  principle 
of  their  party  by  keeping   perfect   liberty  of  action   in   matters  of 
conscience.     Evidently,   a  deep   impression   was   made  upon  the 
majority,  and  I  judged  from  the   applause,  that  if  a  poll  of  opin- 
ions had  been  taken,  she  would  have  been  asked  to  abide  with  the 
old  friends,  with  whom  she  had   battled   so  many    years  against 
popular  superstition  and  bigoted   prejudice.     But  the  critical   mo- 
ment was  allowed  to  pass,  since  there  was  tio  one  in  the  hall  brave 
enough  to  rise  and  make  the  necessary  motion  ;  and  so   she  and  I 
passed  out  into  the  street  and,   in   the   carriage  on  the  way  home, 
exchanged  sympathetic   views  as   to  the  future   of  the  Secularist 
party. 

From  the  fact  that  the  address  was  published  in  full  in  the 
Daily  Chronicle,  and  commented  upon  by,  virtually,  the  whole 
British  press,  I  am  able  to  give  a  few  extracts  to  show  the  general 
drift  of  her  argument.  She  said  that  it  was  upon  February  28th. 
1875,  that  she  had  stood  for  the  first  time  on  that  platform  and 
spoken   to   a-  Freethought    audience.     She   had   written  for  the 


1901.]  Old  Diary  Leaves.  649 

Natiojial Refon}ierMvA^x  the  pseudonym  of  **  Ajax/'  a  name  which  she 
had  chosen  because  the  words  which  were  said  to  have  broken  from 
the  lips  of  that  mighty  hero,  when  the  darkness  came  down  on  him 
and  his  army,  were  :  **  Light,  more  light."  And  then  she  uttered 
this  noble  sentiment :  **  It  is  that  cry  of  light  \vhich  has  been  the 
kejTiote  of  my  own  intellectual  life.  It  was,  and  is  so — wherever 
the  light  may  lead  me,  through  whatever  difficulties."  She  elo- 
quently referred  to  the  profound  friendship  which  had  existed  be- 
tween Mr.  Bradlaugh  and  herself,  and  said  that  if  there  was  one 
thing  above  all  others  which  Charles  Bradlaugh  did,  it  was  to  keep 
the  Freethought  platform  free  from  any  narrowness  of  doctrine  or 
belief.  She  recalled  the  stormy  days  of  1875-6,  when  their  windows 
were  broken,  stones  were  thrown  at  them,  and  they  walked  the 
streets  to  and  from  the  hall  through  brandished  sticks.  She  said 
that  she  had  broken  with  Christianity  in  1872,  and  broke  with  it  once 
and  for  all ;  she  had  nothing  to  unsay,  nothing  to  undo,  nothing  to 
retract,  as  regards  her  position  then  and  now  ;  she  stood  on  the 
same  ground  as  heretofore,  and  in  passing  into  the  newer  light  of 
Theosophy,  her  return  to  Christiaaiity  had  **  become  even  more  im- 
possible than  in  any  older  days  of  the  National  Secular  Society." 
She  sharply  distinguished  from  each  other  two  very  different  schools 
of  materialism ;  one  which  '*  cares  nothing  for  man,  but  only  for  itself, 
which  seeks  onl^'  personal  gain,  and  cares  only  for  the  moment. 
**  With  that  materialism  neither  I  nor  those  with  whom  I  had  worked 
had  anything  in  common.  (Cheers).  That  is  the  materialism  which 
destroys  the  glory  of  human  life,  a  materialism  which  can  only  be 
held  by  the  degraded  ;  never  a  materialism  preached  from  this  plat- 
form, or  the  training  schools  which  have  known  many  of  the  noblest 
intellects  and  purest  hearts.  To  the  materialism  of  such  men  as 
Clifford  and  Charles  Bradlaugh,  I  have  no  sort  of  reproach  to  speak, 
and  never  shall.  (Cheers).  I  know  it  is  a  philosophy  which  few 
are  able  to  live  out — ^to  work  without  self  as  an  object  is  the  great 
lesson  of  human  life.  But  there  are  problems  in  the  universe  which 
materialism  not  only  does  not  solve,  but  which  it  declares  are  in- 
soluble— difficulties  which  materialism  cannot  grapple  with,  about 
which  it  says  man  must  remain  dumb  forevermore.  I  came  to  pro- 
blem after  problem  for  which  scientific  materialism  had  no  answer. 
Yet  these  things  were  facts.  I  came  across  facts  for  which  my  phi- 
losophy had  no  place.  What  was  I  to  do  ?  Was  I  to  say  that  nature 
was  not  greater  than  my  knowledge,  and  that  because  a  fact  was  new 
it  was  an  illusion  ?  Not  thus  had  I  learned  the  lesson  of  materialis- 
tic science.  When  I  found  that  there  were  facts  of  life  other  than  as 
the  materialists  defined  it,  I  determined  still  to  go  on— although 
the  foundations  were  shaking — and  not  be  recreant  enough  in  the 
search  after  truth  to  draw  back  because  it  wore  a  face  other  than  the 
one  I  had  expected.  I  had  read  two  books  by  Mr.  Sinnett,  and  these 
threw  an  intelligible  light  on  a  large  number  of  facts  which  had 

2 


650  The  Theosophist.  [August 

always  remained  unexplained  in  the  histor}'  of  man.  The  books  did 
not  carry  me  very  far,  but  they  suggested  a  new  line  of  investigation, 
and  from  that  time  forward  I  looked  for  other  clues.  Those  clues 
were  not  definitely  found  until  earlj'  in  the  year  1889.  I  had  ex- 
perimented then  and  before,  in  Spiritualism,  and  found  many  facLs 
and  much  folly  in  it.  (Cheers).  In  1889  I  had  a  book  given  me  to 
review— a  book  written  by  H.  P.  Blavatsky,  entitled  the  **  Secret 
Doctrine."  I  suppose  I  was  given  it  to  review  because  I  was  thought 
to  be  more  or  less  mad  on  such  subjects.  (Laughter  and  cheers).  I 
knew  on  studying  that  book  that  I  had  found  the  clue  I  had  been 
seeking,  and  T  then  asked  for  an  introduction  to  the  writer,  feelinij 
that  one  who  had  written  it  might  tell  something  of  a  path  along^ 
which  I  might  travel." 

After  defending  the  character  of  Mme.  Blavatsky  and  the  Theo- 
sophical  Society,  she  concluded  with  this  powerful  peroration  : 

*'  Every  month  which  has  passed  since  Madame  Blavatsky  left 
has  given  me  more  and  more  light.  Are  you,  I  would  ask,  quite 
wise  to  believe  that  you  are  right,  and  that  there  is  nothing  in  the 
universe  j'ou  do  not  know?  (Hear,  hear).  It  is  not  a  safe  position 
to  take  up.  It  has  been  taken  up  in  other  days  and  always 
assailed.  It  was  taken  up  by  the  Roman  Church,  by  the  Protest- 
ant  Church.  If  it  is  to  be  taken  up  by  the  Freethought  party  now, 
are  we  to  regard  the  body  as  the  one  and  final  possessor  of  knowl- 
edge, which  may  never  be  increased  ?  That,  and  nothing  less,  is  the 
position  you  are  taking  at  the  present  time.  ("  Yes,"  "Yes,"  "  No," 
"  No,"  cheers  and  hisses).  What  is  the  reason  I  leave  your  platform  ? 
Why  do  I  do  so  ?  I  shall  tell  you.  Because  your  society  .sends  me  off 
it.  The  reason  this  is  m}'  last  lecture  is  because  when  the  hall  passes 
into  the  hands  of  the  National  Secular  Society,  I  should  not  be  per. 
mitted  to  .say  anything  going  against  the  principles  and  objects  of 
that  Society.  (Hear,  hear).  Now  I  shall  never  .speak  under  such 
conditions.  (Cheers).  I  did  not  break  with  the  great  Church 
of  England  and  ruin  my  social  position  in  order  that  I  might  come 
to  this  platform  and  be  told  what  I  .should  .say.  (Cheers).  Our  late 
leader  would  never  have  done  it.  (Cheers).  I  do  not  challenge  the 
right  of  your  society  to  make  any  conditions  you  like.  But  my 
friends  and  brothers,  is  it  wise  ?  I  hold  that  the  right  of  the  speaker 
to  speak  is  beyond  all  limitation  save  of  the  reason.  If  you  are  right, 
discussion  will  not  shake  your  platform ;  if  you  are  wrong,  it  would 
act  as  a  corrective-  (Cheers).  While  I  admit  your  right  to  debar 
me,  I  sorely  misjudfffe  the  wisdom  of  the   judgment.    (Hear,  hear). 

**  In  bidding  you  farewell,  I  have  no  words  save  words  of  grati- 
tude. In  this  hall  for  well-nigh  seventeen  years,  I  have  met  with 
a  kindness  which  has  never  changed,  a  loyalty  which  has  never 
broken,  a  courjfgj^  which  has  always  been  ready  to  stand  by  me.  With- 
out your  help.  If  sliould  have  been  crushed  many  a  year  ago ;  with- 
out the  love  ybw  gave  me  my  heart  had  been  broken   man5%   many 


1901.]  Rebirtli.  651 

years  since.  But  not  even  for  you  shall  a  gag  be  placed  on  my 
mouth  ;  not  even  for  your  sake  will  I  promise  not  to  speak  of  that 
which  I  kuow  now  to  be  truth.  (Cheers).  I  should  commit  a 
treachery  to  truth  and  conscience  if  I  allowed  anyone  to  stand  be- 
tween my  right  to  speak,  and  that  which  I  believe  I  have  found. 
And  so,  henceforth,  I  must  speak  in  other  halls  than  in  yours. 
Henceforth  in  this  hall — identified  with  so  much  of  struggle  and 
pain,  and  so  much  also  of  the  strongest  joy  nature  can  know — I 
shall  be  a  stranger.  To  you,  friends  and  comrades  of  so  many. years 
—of  whom  I  have  spoken  no  harsh  words  since  I  left  you,  for  whom 
I  have  none  but  words  of  gratitude — to  3'ou  I  say  farewell ;  going  out 
into  a  life  shorn  indeed  of  many  friends,  but  with  a  true  conscience 
and  a  good  heart.  I  know  that  those  to  whom  I  have  pledged  my 
services  are  true  and  pure  and  bright.  I  would  never  have  left  your 
platform  unless  I  had  been  compelled.  I  must  take  my  dismissal 
if  it  must  be.  To  you  now,  and  for  the  rest  of  this  life,  I  bid  fare- 
well." 

Her  concluding  words  were  spoken  with  deep  emotion,  and  it 
was  very  evident  that  the  hearts  of  the  majority  of  the  audience 
were  touched  ;  tears  could  be  seen  in  many  eyes  and  as  she  left  the 
platform,  the  hall  rang  again  and  again  with  deafening  cheers. 

H.  vS.  Ol,COTT. 


REBIRTH. 

As  Taught  in  Ancient  India  and  Bei^ievkd  in  Modern  Euroi'K. 

{Concluded fp'om  p.  5tS9.) 

IN  searching  the  literature  of  more  recent  ages  we  shall  be  quite 
surprised  to  find  so  many  thinkers  and  writers  both  of  prose 
and  poetrj-,  endorsing  the  doctrine  of  the  Kajput  Sage.  Had  it  not 
been  for  the  attempts  of  the  Church  to  eradicate  it,  it  might  now  be 
a  dogma  taught  in  all  Christian  institutions  ;  as  the  inner  thoughts 
of  the  leaders  of  Christianity  at  the  time  when  it  first  swept  over 
Europe,  were  tinctured  with  this  truth  of  reincarnation,  or  rebirth. 
In  the  Bible  it  is  clearly  referred  to  as  a  current  belief.  Most  of 
the  so-called  heretics  (such  as  the  Sinionists,  Basilidians,  Onostics, 
etc.)  were  attached  to  this  teaching. 

We  are  told  that  Pythagoras,  Yarchas,  Apollonius  and  others 
distinctly  remembered  their  former  lives.  If  we  read  Giordano 
Bruno,  Paracelsus,  Jacob  Bochme,  Schopenhauer,  Lessing,  Hegel, 
Ficlite  the  younger,  and  others,  we  find  that  both  seers  and  philoso- 
phers advocated  pre-existence.  The  learned  English  Platonist, 
Dr.  Henry  More,  says :  **  I  produced  the  golden  key  of  pre-existence 
only  at  a  dead- lift,  when  no  other  method  could  satisfy  me  touching 
the  ways  of  God,  that  by  this  hypothesis  I  might  keep  my  heart 
from  sinking." 


652  The  Theosophist.  [August 

♦Shelle}'  expresses  himself  on  this  subject  in  the  following  wotds: 
"  If  there  be  no  reasons  to  suppose  that  we  have  existed  before  that 
period  at  which  our  existence  apparently  commences,  then  there 
are  no  grounds  for  supposing  that  we  shall  continue  to  exist  after 
our  existence  has  apparently  ceased." 

Emerson  in  his  essay,  *'  The  Method  of  Nature,"  says  :  **  We 
cannot  describe  the  natural  history  of  the  soul,  but  we  know  that 
it  is  divine.  1  cannot  tell  if  these  wonderful  qualities  which  house 
to-day  in  this  mortal  frame  shall  ever  re-assemble  in  equal  activity 
in  a  similar  frame,  or  whether  they  have  before  had  a  natural  history 
like  that  of  this  body  you  see  before  you ;  but  this  one  thing  I 
know,  that  these  qualities  did  not  now  begin  to  exist,  cannot  be 
sick  with  my  sicknesses  nor  buried  in  my  grave ;  but  that  they  circu- 
late through  the  universe :  before  the  world  was,  they  were." 

In  "  Ten  great  Religions,"  by  James  Freeman  Clarke,  we 
read  :  **  That  man  has  come  up  to  his  present  state  of  develop- 
ment by  passing  through  lower  forms,  is  the  popular  doctrine  of 
science  to-day.  What  is  called  evolution  teaches  that  we  have 
reached  our  present  state  by  a  very  long  and  gradual  ascent  from 
the  lowest  animal  organizations.  It  is  true  that  the  Darwinian 
theory  takes  no  notice  of  the  evolution  of  the  soul,  but  only 
of  the  body.  But  it  appears  to  me  that  a  combination  of  the  two 
views  would  remove  many  difficulties  which  still  attach  to  the 
theory  of  natural  selection  and  the  survival  of  the  fittest.  If 
we  are  to  believe  in  evolution,  let  us  have  the  assistance  of  the  soul 
itself  in  this  development  of  new  species.  Thus  science  and 
philosophy  will  co-operate,  nor  will  poetry  hesitate  to  lend  her  aid." 

There  is  in  the  Pn?icelon  Rroiew  for  May  1881,  a  very  interesting 
article  on  **  Christian  Metempsychosis, "  by  Professor  Francis 
Bowen  of  Harvard  University,  from  which  we  shall  quote  a  short 
passage  :  •*  Threescore  years  and  ten  must  surely  be  an  adequate 
preparation  for  eternity.  But  what  assurance  have  we  that  the 
probation  of  the  soul  is  confined  within  so  narrow  limits  ?  Why 
may  it  not  be  continued,  or  repeated,  through  a  long  series  of  suc- 
cessive generations  ;  the  same  personality  animating,  one  after 
another,  an  indefinite  number  of  tenements  of  flesh,  and  carrying 
forward  into  each  the  tiaining  it  has  received,  the  character  it  has 
formed,  the  temper  and  dispositions  it  has  indulged,  in  the  stage  of 
existence  immediately  preceding?  It  need  not  remember  its  past 
history,  even  while  bearing  the  fruits  and  the  consequences  of  that 
history  deeply  ingrained  into  its  present  nature.  How  many  long 
passages  of  any  one  life  are  now  completely  lost  to  memory,  though 
they  may  have  contributed  largely  to  build  up  the  heart  and  the 
intellect  which  distinguish  one  man  from  another  !  Our  responsibil- 
ity surely  is  not  lessened  by  such    forgetfulness.      We  are  still 

•  For  some  of  tbc  following  iDformatioii  we  are  indebted  to  **  BeincamatioD," 
by  Walker. 


1901.]  Rebirth.  653 

accountable  for  the  misuse  of  time,  though  we  have  forgotten  on 
what  or  how  we  have  wasted  it.  We  are  even  now  reaping  the 
bitter  fruits,  through  enfeebled  health  and  vitiated  desires  and  capac- 
ities, of  many  forgotten  acts  of  self-indulgence,  wilfulness  and 
sin — forgotten  just  because  they  were  so  numerous.  Then  a  future 
life  even  in  another  frail  body  upon  this  earth  may  well  be  a  state 
of  just  and  fearful  retribution,  **  Why  should  it  be  thought  incred- 
ible that  the  same  soul  should  inhabit  in  succession  an  indefinite 
number  of  mortal  bodies  and  thus  prolong  its  experience  and  its 
probation  till  it  has  become  in  every  sense  ripe  for  heaven  or  the 
final  judgment  ?  Even  during  this  one  life  our  bodies  are  perpetually 
changing,  though  by  a  process  of  decay  and  restoration  which  is  so 
gradual  that  it  escapes  our  notice.  Every  human  being  thus  dwells 
successively  in  many  bodies,  even  during  one  short  life." 

According  to  J.  Sparks'  "  Works  of  Benjamin  Franklin " 
(Vol.  I.,  p.  596,  Boston,  1840),  the  great  American  citizen  declared 
his  belief  in  reincarnation,  in  an  epitaph  which  he  composed   at  the 

age  of  23  : 

The  Body 

of 

Benjamin  Franklin, 

Printer, 

I^ke  the  cover  of  an  old  book, 

Its  contents  torn  out, 

And  stripped  of  its  lettering  and  gilding, 

l4es  here,  food  for  worms. 

But  the  work  shall  not  be  lost, 

For  it  will,  as  he  believed,  appear  once  more 

In  a  new  and  more  elegant  edition, 

Revised  and  corrected 

by 

The  author. 

Through  all  times  and  in  all  ages  the  reincarnation  of  the  soul 
has  been  a  favourite  theme  of  the  poets,  whom  Horace  calls  **  the 
first  instructors  of  mankind,"  and  Bulwer-Lytton,  '*  the  truest 
diviners  of  nature." 

We  call  those  poets  who  are  first  to  mark 
Through  earth's  dull  mist  the  coming  of  the  dawn, 

Who  see  in  twilight's  gloom  the  first  pale  spark. 
While  others  only  note  that  day  is  gone. 

The  verses  of  Virgil  and  Ovid,  as  well  as  the  old  Norse  legends, 
the  literature  of  the  Druids,  as  well  as  the  scriptures  of  the  Teutonic 
tribes  that  conquered  the  mistress  of  the  world,  were  inspired  by  the 
same  doctrine  of  the  pre-existence  of  the  soul.  The  I^tin  verses  xrf 
Giordano  Bruno  contain  the  same  thoughts  on  this  subject  as  were 
echoed  in  the  French  stanzas  of  Beranger  and  Victor  Hugo,  while 
similar  German  views  find  expression  through  the  poetry  of  Schiller 
and  Goethe.  Many  are  the  works  from  the  pens  of  English  and 


654  The  Tlieosophist.  [August 

American  bards  on  rebirth.    A   few  snatches  of  them  may  fitly  be 
introduced  here. 

From  Dryden's  translation  of 

Ovid's  **  Metamorphoses.'' 

Souls  cannot  die.    Thej'  leave  a  former  home, 
And  in  new  bodies  dwell  and  from  them  roam, 
Nothing  can  perish,  all  things  change  below, 
For  spirits  through  all  forms  may  come  and  go. 
Good  beasts  shall  rise  to  human  forms. 

/v-^w  **  Rain  in  Summer.  *' 

BY  H.  \V.  IvONGFEIXOW. 

Thus  the  seer,  with  vision  clear, 

Sees  forms  appear  and  disappear 

In  the  perpetual  round  of  strange 

Mysterious  change 

From  birth  to  death,  from  death  to  biith, 

From  earth  to  heaven,  from  heaven  to  earth. 

Till  glimpses  more  sublime, 

Of  things  unseen  before, 

Unto  his  wondering  eyes  reveal 

The  universe,  as  an  immeasurable  wheel 

Turning  forevennore 

In  the  rapid  rushing  river  of  time. 

From  "Sudden  Wght." 
BV  D.  G.  ROSSETTI. 
I  have  been  here  before, 
But  when  or  how  I  cannot  tell ; 
I  know  the  grass  beyond  the  door. 
The  sweet  keen  smell, 

The  sighing  sound,  the  light  around  the  shore. 
You  have  been  mine  before — 
How  long  ago  I  may  not  know : 
But  just  when  at  that  swallow's  soar 
Your  neck  turned  so, 
Some  veil  did  fall— I  knew  it  all  of  yore, 
Then,  now,  perchance  again  ! 
O  round  mine  eyes  j'our  tresses  shake  ! 
Shall  we  not  lie  as  we  have  lain 
Thus  for  Love's  sake, 
And  sleep  and  wake,  yet  never  break  the  chain  ? 

From  "  Leaves  of  Grass." 
By  WALT.  Whitmax. 
I  know  I  am  deathless ; 

I  know  that  this  orbit  of  mine  cannot  be  swept  by  a  caipenter's  compass : 
And  whether  I  come  to  my  own  to-day,  or  in  ten  thousand  or  ten 

million  vears, 
I  can  cheerfully  take  it  now,  or  with  equal  cheerfulness  I  can  wait. 


1901.]  Rebirth.  655 

As  to  you.  Life,  I  reckon  3'ou  are  the  leavings  of  many  deaths. 
No  doubt  I  have  died  myself  ten  thousand  times  before. 

Believing  I  shall  come  again  upon  the  earth  after  five  thousand  years. 

Births  have  brought  us  richness  and  variety,   and  other  births    have 
brought  us  richness  and  variety. 

From  an  early  *'  Sonnet.** 

By  f knnvson. 
As  when  with  downcast  e5'es  we  muse  and  brood 
And  ebb  into  a  former  life,  or  seem 
To  lapse  far  back  in  a  confused  dream 
To  states  of  mystical  jsimilitude  ; 
If  one  but  speaks,  or  hems,  or  stirs  a  chair, 
Kver  the  wonder  waxeth  more  and  more, 
So  that  we  say,  all  this  has  been  before. 
All  this  hath  been,  I  know  not  when  or  where  ; 
So,  friend,  when  first  I  looked  upon  your  face 
Our  thoughts  gave  answer  each  to  each,  so  true. 
Opposed  mirrors  each  reflecting  each — 
Although  I  knew  not  in  what  time  or  place, 
Methought  that  T  had  often  met  with  you, 
And  each  had  lived  in  other's  mind  and  speech 

From  Goethe's  "  Faust." 

Thk  SonCx  ok  thk  Watkk  Spirits.* 

The  soul  of  :nan 
Is  like  the  water  : 
From  heaven  it  cometh, 
To  lieaven  it  niounteth, 
And  thence  at  once 
It  mUvSt  back  to  earth, 
For  ever  changing. 

Now  we  ask  :  What  are  the  modern  theosophical  teachings  about 
rebirth  ?  Mrs.  Besant  writes  (Ancient  Wisdom,  p.  234^  :  *•  The 
reincarnation  of  the  soul  is  not  the  introduction  of  a  new  principle 
into  evolution,  but  the  adaptation  of  the  universal  principle  to 
meet  the  conditions  rendered  necessary  by  the  individualiza- 
tion of  the  continuou.sly  evolving  life.**  After  having  shown 
that  there  is  **a  life  (the  Monad)  containing  the  possibility  of  re- 
sponding to  every  vibration  that  can  reacli  it  from  the  external  uni- 
verse," she  further  explains  (p.  239)  that  **  there  is  continuity  of 
life  as  well  as  contihuit3'  of  form,  and  it  is  the  continuing  life—with 
ever  more  and  more  of  its  latent  energies  rendered  active  by  the 
stimuli  received  through  successive  forms — which  resumes  into  it- 
self the  experiences  obtained  by  its  encasings  in  form  ;  for  when  the 
form  perishes,  the  life  has  the  record  of  those  experiences  in  the 
increased  energies  aroused  by  tliem,  and  is  ready  to  pour  itself  into 
the  new  forms  derived  from  the  old,  carrying  with  it  this  accumula- 
ted store." 


656  The  Theosophist.  [August 

The  two  great  principles— **  Of  the  Monad  with  poteutialities 
becoming  powers,  and  of  the  continuity  of  life  and  form"— must  be 
well  grasped  and  always  borne  in  mind  in  the  study  of  reincarna- 
tion. Of  course  it  is  not  our  intention  to  repeat  here  all  that  Mrs. 
Besant  has  written  on  the  subject ;  but  simply  to  point  out  a  few  ot 
the  most  important  facts,  as  they  are  given  in  "  Ancient  Wisdom," 
in  the  chapters  on  *  Reincarnation.'  "  The  great  fundamental 
types  of  the  Monad  then  are  seven  in  number,  each  having  its  own 
colouring  of  characteristics,  which  persists  throughout  the  aeonian 
cycle  of  its  evolution,  affecting  all  the  series  of  living  things  that 
are  animated  by  it.  Now  begins  the  process  of  sub-division  in  each 
of  these  types,  that  will  be  carried  on,  sub-dividing  and  ever  sub- 
dividing, until  the  individual  is  reached  (p.  241)."  "The  human 
Monad  is  triple  in  its  nature,  its  three  aspects  being  denominated, 
respectively,  the  Spirit,  the  spiritual  Soul  and  the  human  Soul, 
A'tmS,  Buddhi,  MSnas  (p.  252)."  Souls  have  their  growth  as  well  as 
bodies,  here  we  have  also  differences  of  evolution. 

**  The  loftiest  soul  had  its  childhood  and  its  infancy,  albeit  in 
previous  worlds,  where  other  souls  were  as  high  above  it  as  others 
are  below  it  now  ;  the  lowest  soul  shall  climb  to  where  our  highest 
are  standing  and  souls  yet  unborn  shall  occupy  its  present  place 
in  evolution.  Things  seem  unjust  because  we  wrench  our  world 
out  of  its  place  in  evolution,  ^nd  set  it  apart  in  isolation,  with  no 
forerunners  and  no  successors  (p.  255)."  *'  Souls  without  a  past 
behind  them,  springing  suddenly  into  existence,  out  of  nothing, 
with  marked  mental  and  moral  peculiarities,  are  a  conception  as 
monstrous  as  would  be  the  corresponding  conception  of  babies  sud- 
denly' springing  from  nowhere,  unrelated  to  anybod}',  but  showing 
marked  racial  and  family  types  (p.  262)." 

If  reincarnation  were  generally  believed  in  and  rightly  under- 
stood, little  children  would  not  be  laughed  at  when  they  talk  of 
listening  to  voices  which  no  one  else  hears,  of  seeing  pictures 
which  no  one  else  perceives.  No  child  would  have  to  undergo  the 
pangs  and  torture  which  fell  to  the  lot  of  little  Dennis  in  "  The 
Bending  of  the  Twig,"  by  Michael  Wood  (jrheosophical  Review, 
November,  1900).  **  Child-life  would  then  be  relieved  of  its  most 
pathetic  aspects,  the  unaided  struggle  of  the  soul  to  gain  control  over 
its  new  vehicles,  and  to  connect  itself  fully  with  its  densest  body 
without  losing  the  power  to  impress  the  rarer  ones  in  a  way  that 
would  enable  him  to  convey  to  the  denser  their  own  more  .subtle 
vibrations." 

We  must  never  lose  sight  of  the  fact,  that  it  is  the  Soul,  or  as 
it  is  called  in  the  Upanishads,  the  Self,  that  incarnates,  that  grows, 
life  after  life.  The  different  vehicles  in  which  it  is  clothed  have 
**to  be  brought  into  activity  one  by  one  as  the  harmonious  instru- 
ments of  the  human  soul."  "  When,  after  many,  many  life-periods, 
it  dawns  upon  the  lower  nature  that  it  exists   for  the   sake  of  the 


1901.]  Glimpses  of  Tfaeosophieal  Christianity.  ^fn 

soul,  that  6:11  Its  Value  depends  on  the  help  whidi  k  •  dan  bring  to 
the  sotil,  that  it  can  win  immortality  only  by  merging  itself  in  the 
sotil — ^then  its  evolution  proceeds  with  giant  strides'*  (p.  ^89), 
until  at  last  "  the  Thinker  not  only  possesses  the  memory  of  his 
own  past  and  can  trace  his  growth  through  the  long  succession  of 
his  incarnate  and  excamate  lives,  but  can  also  roam  at  will  through 
the  storied  past  of  the  earth  and  learn  the  weighty  lessons  of  world- 
experience,  studying  the  hidden  laws  which  guide  evolution  and 
the  deep  secrets  of  Hfe  hidden  in  the  bosom  of  nattire  (p.  296)."  As 
the  final  result  **  humanity'-  is  crowned  with  divinity,  and  the  god- 
man  is  manifest  in  all  the  plenitude  of  his  power,  of  his  wisdom, 
of  his  love." 

C.  KOFBI.. 


GLIMPSES  OF  THEOSOPHICAL  CHRISTIANITY. 

IV.    Thb  Innbr  Cnici.B  of  Disciples. 

WE  have  seen  that  Jesus,  like  all  great  Teachers,  not  only  gave 
the  simpler  teaching  suited  for  the  multitude,  but  also  had 
his  inner  circle  of  disciples  to  whom,  He  said,  it  was  given  **  to 
know  of  the  mysteries  of  the  kingdom  of  Heaven."  (Matt.,  XIII.,  11). 
The  higher  knowledge  of  spiritual  truth  brings  with  it  increased 
powers,  with  which  only  those  who  are  willing  to  subject  themselves 
to  training  in  purity  and  self-control,  can  expect  to  be  entrusted. 
Thus  the  inner  teachings,  which  may  be  classed  under  the  name  of 
occultism,  will  not  be  found  in  those  of  the  Scriptures  of  any  of  the 
great  religions  which  are  open  to  all ;  they  are  carefully  stored  away 
in  the  secret  Scriptures  which  only  the  more  advanced  are  permitted 
to  use,  and  even  there  are  generally  veiled  under  allegory  and 
symboL    It  is  not  that  the  Teachers  are  unwilling  to  give  knowl- 
edge or  help  ;  They   grudge  nothing,  for  Their  whole  being  is  a 
giving  of  Themselves  for  the  good  of  men  ;  it  is  for  the  protection 
of  the  ignorant  themselves,  that  they  may  not  in  their  ignorance 
bring  into  play  forces  that  they  know  not  how  to  use  and  control. 
We  do  not  allow  children  to  play  with  dangerous  explosives  :  yet 
the  mischief  they  can  do  is  a  mere  trifle  compared  with  that  to  which 
the  use  of  occult  forces  may  lead  in  the  hands  of  the  ignorant  or 
impure,  for  explosives  can   but  destroy  the  form,  while  misused 
occult  forces  bring  ruin  to  both  mind  and  soul,  both  of  the  one  who 
misuses,  and  also  of  others.  So  they  are  doubly  guarded,  and  even  if 
the  secret  Scriptures  were  to  become  public,  as  some  actually  have, 
there  are  few  besides  the  pure  and  true  who  would  be  able  to  under- 
stand.   But  in  the  teachings  intended  for  the    multitudes  there  are 
hints  given ;  some  of  the  precepts,  while  bearing  on  the  surface 
an  application  which  all  can  use,  have  also  a  deeper  meaning  which 
v^ould  apply  only  to  the  few.    Others  again  are  put  in  a  form 
which  at  first  sight  might  repel  the  multitude,  and  appear  to  be  un- 
suited  for  application  to  the  daily  life  of  a  man  of  the  i^^orld  ;  yet  When 

3 


658  Th«  Theoaophist.  [Au^st 

we  look  more  deeply  we  see  a  modified  sense  in  which  all,  even  the 
more  worldly,  can  accept  the  precepts,  while  in  their  full  meaning 
they  are  suited  only  for  the  disciple.  In  this  way  those  who  are 
ready  for  the  higher  spiritual  teaching  are,  so  to  speak,  called  oi;t 
from  the  multitude ;  as  they  try  in  their  lives  to  carry  out  the  deeper 
meaning  of  the  precepts,  more  and  more  understanding  opens  out 
within  them,  until  at  length  they  reach  that  point  of  inner  develop- 
ment where  they  are  ready  to  begin  receiving  definite  occult  training ; 
for  it  is  indeed  true  that  "  whosoever  hath  to  him  shall  be  given 
and  he  shall  have  abundance  ;  but  whosoever  hath  not  "  [and  we 
cannot  be  truly  said  to  have  that  of  which  we  make  no  use]  "  from 
him  shall  be  taken  away  even  that  which  he  hath."  (Matt.,  XIII.,  12} 
It  is  for  each  individual  to  find  out  for  himself  in  detail,  where  these 
deeper  teachings  may  be  found,  for  none  can  hear  save  those  who 
have  "  ears  to  hear ;  "  yet  there  are  some  of  the  more  obvious  which 
it  may  perhaps  be  useful  and  helpful  to  dwell  upon,  and  we  may 
trace  out  correspondences  to  some  of  the  earlier  steps  recognised  in 
the  Bast  as  essential  qualifications  for  discipleship. 

The  first  step  the  aspirant  for  discipleship  mUvSt  take  is  to  acquire 
Viveka  and  Vairdgya  ;  in  other  words  he  must  learn  to  discriminate 
between  the  real  and  the  unreal,  and  to  be  indifferent  to  all  those 
things  that  are  recognised  as  transitory.  This  training  may  be  said 
to  begin  even  at  the  very  beginning  of  human  evolution  ;  for  as  man 
in  his  earlier  stages  seeks  one  object  of  desire  after  another,  he 
learns  by  very  slow  steps  that  none  bring  lasting  happiness.  As 
we  have  already  seen,  he  first  seeks  pleasant  sensations,  but  soon 
finds  that  these  may  ultimately  lead  to  pain,  so  he  learns  to  sacrifice 
immediate  pleasure  for  the  sake  of  a  more  lasting  happiness  later  on, 
even  though  he  may  have  to  pay  for  it  by  present  suflering.  This 
is  his  first  lesson  in  Viveka,  the  discrimination  between  the  relatively 
impermanent  and  the  relatively  permanent  But  he  finds  that  even 
the  more  lasting  happiness  is  only  rdatively  so,  for  the  very  nature 
of  manifestation  excludes  the  possibility  of  absolute  permanence; 
and  thus  his  growth  consists  of  a  series  of  steps  forward  from  the 
more  impermanent  to  the  less  impermanent,  but  never  within  the 
circle  of  manifestation  can  he  reach  the  truly  permanent  When  he 
recognises  this,  there  arises  in  him  a  disgust  for  all  the  things  of  this 
world,  and  a  desire  to  be  free  from  them.  This  is  the  first  stage  of 
VairSgya,  which  may,  if  misunderstood,  lead  to  the  endeavour  to 
abstain  from  all  activity.  Out  of  it  springs  Mumuksha,  the  desire 
to  be  free  from  all  the  bonds  of  matter,  the  desire  for  liberation.  But 
he  is  taught,  as  he  advances,  that  only  within  the  circle  of  manifes- 
tation can  there  be  self-consciousness,  and  thus  he  begins  to  look 
on  all  outside  the  Self  as  a  necessary  means  to  an  end,  valueless 
in  itself,  but  of  the  highest  importance  as  an  outer  expression  of 
the  Self,  and  to  be  used  for  its  fuller  manifestation.  Out  of  this 
grows  the  higher  Vairfigya,  which,  so  far  from  causing  a  man  to 


1901.]  GUmpses  of  Theosophical  Christianity.  ^9 

hold  aloof  from  activity,  enables  him  to  make  the  fullest  possible 
•use  of  it.  Then  he  rises  beyond  even  the  desire  for  liberation  ;  he 
is  equally  content  to  be  within  the  circle  of  manifestation  or  without 
it,  for  he  has  begun  to  realise  his  unity  with  the  Self  and  his  only 
desire  is  to  be  at  perfect  oneness  with  the  will  of  the  I/>gos.  He 
no  longer  feels  disgust  with  the  outer  things,  for  he  is  able  to  see 
the  Self  in  them  ;  all  things  then  become  dear  to  him,  but  not  dear 
as  in  the  earlier  stages,  for  the  sake  of  the  happiness  gained  there- 
from by  his  own  separated  self,  but  for  the  sake  of  the  **  Self"  that 
is  manifesting  through  them. 

Tracing  these  stages  in  the  teachings  of  Jesus  we  find  first  the 
passages  that  have  already  been  quoted  in  connection  with  the  Law 
of  Karma  (see  Theosophisty  October,  1900),  where  Jesus  teaches  his 
followers  to  seek  the  spiritual  rather  than  the  material.  "  Lay  not 
up  for  yourselves  treasures  on  earth,  etc."  "  Whosoever  shall  lose 
his  soul  for  my  sake  shall  find  it."  Though  in  the  last  of  the  pas* 
sages  quoted  the  stud^it  will  see  the  deeper  lesson  of  the  transcend- 
ing of  the  individuality,  yet  taken  as  a  whole  they  refer  to  those 
earlier  stages  where  man  is  learning  his  elementary  lessons  in 
Viveka.  But  we  find  another  group  of  passages,  which  will  carry 
us  a  further  step.  *'  Be  not  anxious  for  your  life,  what  ye  shall  eat,  or 

what  he  shall  drink Behold  the  birds  of  the  heaven,  that  they  sow 

not;  neither  do  they  reap,  nor  gather  into  bams ;  and  your  heavenly 
Father  feedeth  them.    Are  not  ye  of  much  more  value  than  they  ? 

After  all  these  things  do  the  Gentiles  seek  ; but  seek  ye 

first  His  kingdom  and  His  righteousness,  and  all  these  things  shall  be 
added  unto  you.  Be  not  therefore  anxious  for  the  morrow  :  for  the 
morrow  will  be  anxious  for  itself"  (Matt.,  VI.,  25 — ^34 ;  Luke,  XII., 
22 — ^34).  When  sending  forth  His  disciples  to  preach  to  the  Gentiles, 
He  told  them  to  take  neither  gold  nor  silver,  "  no  wallet  for  your 
journey,  neither  two  coats,  nor  shoes,  nor  stafif ;"  and  if  delivered 
up  to  councils,  and  governors,  and  kings,  not  to  be  anxious  '*  how 
or  what  ye  shall  speak  ;  for  it  shall  be  given  you  in  that  hotu:  what 
ye  shall  speak."  (Matt.,  X.,  6 — 20).  When  one  came  to  him  who 
had  observed  all  the  commandments  from  his  youth,  Jesus  bade  him 
''  Go,  sell  whatsoever  thou  hast  and  give  to  the  poor,  and  thou 
shalt  have  treasure  in  heaven,  and  come,  follow  me."  (Mark,  X., 
17 — ^22  ;  Luke,  XVIIL,  i8 — ^30).  The  thoughtful  student  pauses  here. 
For  if  the  Law  of  Karma  be  true  does  it  not  teach  us  that  we  have 
our  duties  on  the  material  plane  as  well  as  on  the  higher  ones  P 
Have  we  any  right  to  cut  ourselves  off  from  all  worldly  possessions, 
for  by  so  doing  shall  not  we  become  dependent  on  others,  and  by 
casting  off  our  own  burdens  simply  add  weight  to  theirs  ?  Or  if  we 
are  rich,  are  not  our  very  riches  entrusted  to  us  under  the  working 
of  the  Law  that  we  may  use  them  for  the  helping  of  others  and  the 
good  of  humanity  ?  Surely  it  would  be  better  that  a  rich  man,  who 
is  also  good,  should  keep  his  riches  and  use  them  well,  than  that  he 


4!90  The.  T)iAOflOi>bi«t.  [August 

should  distribute  tbem  amx^ngst  the  poor,   whQ>  not  understanding 
how  to  use  their  newly-acquired  sufficiency  to  any   advantage,  wiU 
only  squander  it,  and  thus  be  in  the  end  just  as  poor  as  befcHie,  and 
suffer  even  more  through  the  contrast;    And,   for  the  man  of  the 
world,  the  answer  is  :  Yes,  this  is  so ;  such  a  one  is  not  justified  in 
giving  up  the  world,  for  he  has  not  yet  learned  all  its  lessons,  he 
has  not  yet  discharged  his  responsibilities,  and  is /i^/j/^/ roz^^  to 
leave  the  world.    For  faim  the  essence  of  the  teaching  lies  in  the 
word  *'  anxious,  *'  in  the  fin^t  passage.    While  taking  all  proper  pre- 
cautions, while  acting  prudently,  or   with  foresight,    he   should 
be   free   frosii   all    worry,    knowing   that    as  he   is   acting   with 
the   Law.  so   far   as    his   knowledge   enables   him,  nothing   can 
happen  to  him  that   is  not  in  accordance    with  the  Law.    And 
so  he  gradually  draws  himself  away  from  attachment  to  the  things 
of  isense,  while  at  the  same  time  fully  discharging  his  karmic  duties 
of  the  physical  plane.    But  in  the  second,  and  third  passages  it  is  to 
disciples  or  aspirants  for  discipleship  that  Jesus  is  speaking,  aad 
they  should  be  ready  for  more  advanced  teachings    The  ruler  who 
**  had  great  possessions"  failed  in  the  test ;  he  had  not  yet  reached 
even  the  first  stage  of  VairSgya ;  and  so  he  "  went  away  sorrow£al." 
But  those  who  are  ready  for  the  higher  stages,  no  longer  feel  attach- 
ment to  the  world ;   they  are  ready  to  beeome  channels  throu^ 
which  the  life  of  the  Logos  may  pour. out  the  more  freely  into  the 
world;  they  live  not  for  themselves,  but  for. all ;  and  so  until  the 
word  of  the  Master  came  tothiem^  the  disciples  faithfully  discharged 
their. worldly  duties  ;  but  when   He  called,  they  immediately  rose, 
left  all,  and  followed  Him.    It  was  not  Vair&gya  that   prompted 
them,  they  had  passed  beyond  that ;  it  was  that  to   them  the  only 
thing  in  the  world   was  to  do  His  will,  and  they  knew  that  J/ He 
called  them,  then  in    serving  Him,    all  that  they  required  would  be 
added  unto  them.    And  herein    lies  the  true  secret  of  retirement 
from  the  world.     It  is  only  those  to  whom    the  word  of  the  Master 
has  come,  that  have  the  right  to  retire  ;  for  His  word  will  come  to  all 
earnest  souls  when  their  karmic  duties  are  discharged,    but  not  <me 
moment  earlier.     If  then  we  are  at  any  time  tempted  to  throw  aside 
all  worldly  responsibility,  to  give  ourselves  up  entirely  to  study  and 
religious  contemplation,  depending  on  the  charity  of  others  for  our 
material  suj^ort,  let  us  pause  and  ask  ourselves ;    has  the  word  of 
the  Master  come  to  us  ?    Is  it  that  He  is  calling    us  to  His  service  ? 
or  is  it  only  that  we  are  weary  of  the  world  and  wish  to  escape  from 
its  trialS' and  anxieties?    If  the.  latter,  then  there  can  be  no  sujrer 
sign  that  we  ought  to  remain  at  present  in  the  world  ;  for  our  retire- 
ment is  but  a  gratification  of  a  sdfish  desire,  subtle  in  its  seli^hness, 
it  is  true,  but  still  selfish.    It  is  of  no  use  for  us  then  tp  say  to  our- 
selves, we  wish  only  to  do  God's  will,  therefore  He  will  provide  for 
us.  For 'though  we  may  persuade  ourselves  that  such  is  ou^  wish,  we 
shall  all  find,  if  we  analyse  our  motives  mor^e  carefuUy,  that  we  wish 


IJdl.j  GlitnpsBS  of  Taa035pbtical  Gbsristiaaity.  6&1 

to  do  His  will  in  our  own  way,  which  is  not  necessarily  God's  way, 
aad  therefore   we   are,  after  all,   only  wishing  to  do  our  own  will. 
Only  when  Vairagya  itself  has  been  transcended,  are  we  really  ready 
for  retirement.  In  the  light  of  these  thoughts  we  are  able  better  to 
understand  some  other  passages  which  sometimes    excite  question. 
"  He  that  loveth   father  or    mother  more  than  me  is  not  worthy  of 
me"  (Matt.,  X.,  37) ;   or,   as  even  more  strongly  expressed,   '*Ifany 
man  cometh  unto  me,  and  hateth  not  his  own  father  and  mother, 
and  wife,  and  children,  and  brethren,   and  sisters,  yea,  and  his  own 
life  also,  he  cannot  be  my  disciple."    (Luke,  XIV.,  26).    Surely,  we 
say,  this  second  passage  cannot  be  the  teaching  of  the  Master  whose 
very  life  was  the  embodiment  of  love !    And   certainly  none  can 
regard  hatred  of  any  other  being  as   good,  or  as  entitling  one 
to  discipleship  of  any   Master  of  compassion  ;  so  that   we  cannot 
accept  the  passage  in  its   mere  superficial  meaning.    But  we  are 
able,  it  seems  to  me,  to  see  the  truth    underlying  it,  if  we  dwell  on 
the  words,  "  yea,  and  his  own  life  also."     It  is  not    good  that  a  dis- 
ciple should  bate  his  own  life ;  and  yet  it  is  a  stage  through  which 
it  appears  that  all  have  to  pass ;  and  none  can  reach  discipleship 
without  it.     It  is  indeed  the  Vairslgya  already  referred  to,  where  one 
feels  distaste  for  the  thin^gs  of  the  world  ;   one's  possessions^  one's 
surroundings,  one's  association  with  others,  one's  own  very  self,  all 
becomes  distasteful,  for  one  is  conscious  of  the  limitation,  but  has 
not  yet  begun  to  realise  the  Self  within  ;  and  so  one  shrinks  away , 
one  longs  to   escape,  one  even  feels  a  strong  repulsion,   almost  a 
hatred  to  everything*    There  is  perhaps  no  more  dangerous  stage 
than  this,  necessary  as  it  is.    Two  paths  diverge  here ;   along  the 
one  lies  separateness,  becoming  ever  more  and   more  marked,  and 
culminating  in  what  is  sometimes  referred  to  as  spiritual  wicked* 
ness  ;  selfishness  is  at  its  very  basis,  for   the  one  who  chooses  this 
path  tries  to  escape  from  the  world  for  his  own  happiness  ;  he  seeks 
progress  for  himself,  and  ultimately  reaches  an  isolation  from  which 
he  can  escape  only  by  bitter  sufiering  and  by  painfully  retracing 
his  steps.    Along  the  other  path  lies  unity  ;  for  the  consciousness  of 
limitation,  and  the  shrinking  from  it  in  all  its  forms,   will  lead  the 
true  disciple  to  look  behind  the  limitation  for  the  reality  ;  his  Master 
will  not  suffer  him  to  leave  the  world,  He  will  tell  him  to  remain  in 
it,  but  not  ^it ;  and  doing  this,  his  love  for  the  Master  will  grow 
until  he  begins  to  see  Him  everywhere  ;  then  he  realises  what   love 
really  is,  and  by  loving  the  Self  in  all  things,  he  learns   to  love 
father,  mother,   nay  all   humanity,   with  a  love  that  nothing  can 
shake,  nothing  can  lessen,,  for  he  loves  the  Self  more  than   aught 
else.     But  just  before  the  parting  of  the  paths  is  a  dreary  stretch  of 
desert  to  be  crossed,  where  all  is  dark  and  desolate ;   there  is  no 
turning  aside  from  it ;  it  is  useless  to  look  back,   for  the  surround- 
ings of  the  past  have  no  attraction  ;   nor  can  anything  outside    of 
ourselves  help  us,  for  we  have  become  too  conscious  of  the  limita- 


662  The  Theoflophlst.  [August 

tion  of  all  that  is  embodied.  But  there  is  a  light  beginning  to  bum 
within,  feeble  and  dim,  at  first ;  ever  flickering  and  almost  dying 
away  but  gradually  growing  brighter  and  steadier  ;  it  is  the  light  of 
the  Self,  and  if  we  fix  our  attention  on  that,  we  shall  be  able  to  see 
our  way,  for  it  is  through  that  that  the  Master  is  guiding  us,  and 
in  that  light  shall  we  find  our  father,  mother,  brothers,  sisters,  as 
they  are,  not  as  they  appear  to  be,  and  there  we  shall  learn  what 
love  really  is.  If  we  shut  our  eyes  to  that  light,  there  is  nothing 
that  can  help  us,  for  we  shall  be  blind  to  the  Master's  guiding  hand, 
and  then  either  we  shall  fall  back  for  the  time,  or  we  shall  stray 
aside  and  follow  the  path  of  separateness.  But  the  cause  of  our 
failure  will  not  be  that  we  have  loved  our  fellow  human  beings  too 
much,  but  that  we  have  loved  them  in  the  wrong  way,  and  have 
loved  the  Master  too  little. 

These  qualifications  have  special  reference  to  the  inner  life  of 
the  disciple  or  the  aspirant  for  discipleship.  In  the  six  qualifica- 
tions which  are  grouped  together  under  the  Eastern  term,  Shat- 
sampatH,  we  have  the  attributes  that  bear  more  on  his  outer  hfe. 
his  relationship  with  others.  On  the  first  two,  control  of  thought 
and  control  of  conduct,  we  need  not  dwell  ;  for  it  is  obvious  that 
they  are  absolutely  essential  for  any  progress  whatever,  thought 
and  conduct  being  the  two  methods  of  activity  in  the  outer  world, 
and  therefore  the  very  means  of  progress.  The  last,  balance,  we 
may  also  omit,  as  it  is  the  harmonious  adjustment  of  all  other  quali- 
fications. The  fifth,  faith,  we  will  postpone  to  another  tim6,  so  we 
have  remaining  the  two,  Uparati  and  Titikshdy  or  tolerance  and 
endurance,  as  they  are  sometimes  translated.  Now  these  two,  like 
Viveka  and  VairSgya,  may  be  taken  at  different  stages  of  progress, 
and  their  meaning  is  found  to  expand  as  progress  is  made.  Toler- 
ance begins  with  the  recognition  that  in  a  world  of  variety,  which 
presupposes  limitation,  there  must  be  differences  in  opinion,  difier- 
ences,  that  is,  in  our  perceptions  of  truth,  every  mind  seeing  the 
truth  partially  and  imperfectly.  And  so  we  develop  tolerance  to- 
wards the  opinions  of  others.  But  it  is  a  more  advanced  step  when 
we  learn  to  be  tolerant  towards  the  conduct  and  character  of  others. 
It  is  summed  up  in  the  Christian  precept,  **  Judge  not,  that .  ye  be 
not  judged."  (Matt.,  VII., 1-5).  If  taken  literally  and  in  its  entirety, 
this  would  seem  rather  to  be  a  check  to  progress  than  the  reverse  ; 
for  it  would  shut  out  all  criticism  of  others,  and  is  it  not  mainly 
through  the  criticisms  passed  on  us  by  others  that  we  learn  our 
faults  and  are  thus  enabled  to  cure  them  ?  How  could  a  nation 
progress,  how  could  society  be  reformed,  unless  the  prophets  and 
reformers  came  forward  and  denounced  evil  in  every  form  ?  And 
yet  if  we  are  not  to  judge  others,  neither  must  we  judge  society,  and 
then  there  could  be  no  prophets  or  reformers-  Here  again  we  must 
distinguish  between  the  man  of  the  world  and  the  disciple.  For 
the  man  of  the  world  it  is  right  to  criticise  provided  it  be  done  with- 


leOl.J  Glixnpses  of  Theosophical  Christianity.  663 

out  harshness,  pride,  or  injustice ;  for  criticism  is  the  work  of  the 
intellect,  of  the  MSnasic  principle,  and  it  is  that  principle,  or  the 
individuality,  which  the  man  of  the  world  is  developing.  So 
he  is  warned  to  do  as  he  would  be  done  by,  to  refrain  from 
judging  with  such  judgment  as  he  would  not  wish  to  have 
meted  out  to  himself,  and  to  see  that  there  is  no  beam  in  his 
own  eye  when  he  is  striving  to  take  out  the  mote  from  his 
brother's  eye.  It  is  by  criticism,  yes,  and  not  always  the  kind^ 
liest  criticism,  that  society  grows  in  its  earlier  stages.  That  is 
one  of  the  signs  of  the  undeveloped  stage  humanity  has  reached, 
but  man  i§  evolving  along  God's  road,  and  God  is  able  to  utilise 
man's  imperfections  to  bring  about  the  realisation  of  His  own  plan. 
But  for  the  disciple  it  is  dififerent ;  he  is  aiming  at  love  and  compas- 
sion to  all  beings,  and  he  cannoi  indge.  For  he  has  learned  bow 
God  is  working  everywhere,  how  even  through  our  failings  He  is 
leading  us  on  ;  and  he  knows  that  our  brothers  who  are  toiling  and 
fainting  by  the  way,  do  so  because  they  are  not  yet  wise  enough  or 
strong  enough  to  stand  and  walk  boldly  on.  He  knows  that  God 
understands  their  needs  better  than  he  can  yet  do,  and  he  has 
caught  a  glimpse  of  the  end  to  which  all  this  pain  and  suffering  is 
leading.  He  has  too  much  faith  in  God  and  His  law  to  let  his  own 
ignorance  and  lack  of  sympathy  stand  in  the  way  of  his  brother,  so 
he  recognises  that  his  is  not  the  duty  of  condemnation  or  judgment, 
that  he  sees  too  little  of  the  struggles  and  temptations  of  his  brother 
to  be  a6le  to  judge  him  aright,  and  so  instead  of  judging,  he  simply 
helps  and  loves.  And  thus  he  becomes  so  in  accord  with  the 
thought  of  God  Himself  that  God  is  able  to  help  others  through  him  ; 
and  through  his  love,  even  though  it  be  unspoken,  there  comes  a 
strength,  an  inspiration  to  the  one  who  is  ever  falling  and  sinning, 
which  gradually  lifts  him  out  of  the  mire  into  which  he  has  sunk, 
and  makes  him  raise  his  heart  towards  God.  And  then  the  brother 
who  has  loved  him  is  still  standing  by  his  side  ready  to  support  and 
guide  his  totteriilg  footsteps.  It  is  with  the  individual  as  has  been 
said  with  regard  to  the  nation  :— "  All  the  stages  through  which  a 
nation  passes  are  necessary  for  its  growth,  and  need  not  be  con- 
demned merely  because  of  their  being  limited  and  imperfect.  In 
practical  politics  condemnation  is  useful  as  a  stimulus,  as  one  of  the 
agents  for  bringing  about  the  evolutionary  changes,  but  the  philos- 
opher should  understand,  and  understanding,  he  cannot  condemn. 
The  worst  struggle  that  we  may  see,  the  most  terrible  proverty,  the 
most  shocking  misery,  the  strife  of  man  against  man,  and  nation 
against  natior, — all  these  are  workers  out  of  the  Divine  purpose,  and 
are  bringing  us  towards  a  richer  unity  than  without  them  we  could 
possibly  attain."*  The  disciple  is  a  Philosopher  too,  and  can  not 
only  understand,  but  also  love. 


•     '•  Evolution  of  Life  and  Form."    A.  Besant,  pp.  107,  108. 


604  The  Theosophist.  [August 

Then  we  learn  what  is  meant  by  the  precepts  given  as  to  the 
non-resistence  of  evil.  "  Ye  have  heard  that  it  was  said,  an  eye  for  an 
eye,  and  a  tooth  for  a  tooth;  but  I  say  unto  you,  resist  not  him  that 
is  evil ;  but  whosoever  smiteth  thee  on  thy  right  cheek,  turn  to  him 
the  other  also."     (Matt.,  V.,  38  et  seq.,  Luke,  VI ,  27  et  seq,).    Weak, 
mean-spirited!  such  would   be  the  verdict  of  the  world  as  to  such 
conduct ;  and  it  would  be  argued  that  if  evil  were  not  resisted,  it 
would  become  rampant,  and  carry  all  before  it.     Again,  to  the  man 
of  the  world  such  precepts  are  meaningless.    True  indeed  it  is  that 
a  force  must  be  brought  to  bear  which  may  neutralise  the  force  of 
that  which  we  call  evil ;  and  the  man  of  the  world  knows   no  other 
force  to  use  save  that  of  resistance.    So  he  will  not  understand  this 
teaching,  and   even  though  he  may    recognise  it  as  an  ideal  fit  for 
some  time  in  the  dim  future,  he  will  not  endeavour  to  realise  it  yet. 
Nor  is  it  intended  that  he  should.     For  it   is  through  this  ven- 
resistance  that  the  individuality,  or  the  MSnasic  principle,  grows  ; 
and  we  have  seen  that  the  work  of   the  man  of  the  world  is  the 
development    of    the    individuality.     But    Jesus    knew    human 
nature  well  enough  to  know  that  only  those  who  were  ready  would 
understand  and  try  to  obey.  For  with  the  disciple  the  case  is  diflferent. 
He  has  begun   to  understand  what  evil  is,  and  to  know    that 
resistance  does  not  neutralise  evil,  but  rather  intensifies  it.  And  so 
he  learns  the  lesson  of  Endurance.     First  with  regard  to  the  suffer- 
ing that  comes  to   him  without  the  intervention   of  another,  he 
realises  that  it  comes  for  the  sake  of  the  growth  of  the  soul ;  and 
instead  of  trying  to  escape  from  it,  he  accepts  it   cheerfully,  and 
even  joyfully,  striving  to  learn  the  lesson  it  has  to  teach,  and  know- 
ing that   it  cannot  aflfect  himself,  but  only  the   form   he  is  wearing 
for  the  time.    Then  he  applies  the  same  thought  to  the  sufifering 
that  comes  through  others;  he    recognises  that  this   too  comes  for 
the  sake  of  his  growth,  and  also  that  it  is  the  result  of  discordant 
forces  he  has  set  in  motion  in   the  past.    So  this  also  he  accepts 
cheerfully,  and,  knowing  that  resistance  will  but  cause  those  discor- 
dant forces  to  continue  and  so  intensify  the  evil,  he  substitutes  for 
resistance  the  gentler,  but  far  stronger,  force  of  love.     Love  indeed 
is  the  only  force  by  which  evil  can  be  overcome  ;  as  Gautama  the 
Buddha  said,  "  Hatred  is  not  overcome  with  hatred  ;  hatred  is  over- 
come with  love."    The  world  will  misjudge,  but  the  disciple  cares 
not  for  that,  for  he  is  working,  not  for  the  praise  of  men,  but  for  the 
love  of  God ;  and  he  knows  that  the  Master's  teachings  are  those  of 
wisdom,  and  that  though  it  may  be  long  before  the  effects  of  love 
appear  on  the  surface,  yet  they  are  working  steadily  beneath,  and 
will  at  last  draw  men  nearer  to  that  unity   which  Jesus   ever  held 
before  his  disciples  as  the  goal  they  should  strive  to  reach. 

LiUAN  Edgbr. 
[To  de continved. ] 


665 


jrVACHINTA'MANl 

\^Concludcd  from  p.  625.] 

THE  Yoga  S'fistra  says  that  the  mind  is  purified  by  meditating 
upon  Pratyagatman  and  that  Moksha   is  attained   by  medita- 
ting upon  Param&tman. 

XXIV.  Question  :  If  such  be  the  case  how  is  it  that  the  SSnkhya 
(?.  e.,  he  whoTollows  the  school  of  SSnkhya)  who  admits  the  twenty- 
fifth  Tattva  is  divorced  by  Yoga  ? 

^«5W<fr;  TheS'vetas'vatara  Upanishad  says:  "There  is  one 
unborn  being  (female),  red,  white,  and  black,  uniform  but  producing 
manifold  ofispring.  There  is.  one  unborn  being  (male)  who  loves 
her  and  lies  by  her ;  there  is  another  who  leaves  her,  while  she  is 
eating  what  has  to  be  eaten." 

The  S&nkhyas  hold  that  the  two  Purushas  mentioned  in  the 
above  S'ruti  occupy  two  different  bodies  and  not  one  and  the  same 
body.     On  this  account  alone  the  SSnkhya  is  divorced  by  Yoga. 

But  it  is  said  that  both  Sfinkhya  and  Yoga  are  one,  because 
MahanSrayana  S'ruti  says :  **  He  who  is  above  that  Purusha  who  is 
immersed  in  Prakriti  is  the  great  Lord."  Here,  two  Purushas  are 
distinctly  said  to  occupy  the  same  body,  it's:.,  the  one  who  is  joined 
to  Prakriti  and  the  other  who  is  above  him. 

The  Bhagavad  GM  also  says  : 

**  Children,  not  the  wise,  speak  of  Sankhya  and  Yoga  as  distinct. 
He  who  sees  Sdnkhya  and  Yoga  as  one,  sees  (the  truth)." 

From  the  above  we  can  see  that  this  Sankhya  deals  with  twenty- 
seven  Tattvas.  This  is  therefore  known  as  Vaidika  Stnkhya,  and 
is  acceptable.  While  the  other  SSnkhya,  dealing  with  only  twenty- 
five  Tattvas,  is  called  Avaidika  (/.  e.,  not  supported  by  Vedas),  and  is 
consequently  rejected. 

XXV.  Question  :  What  is  the  evil  in  not  admitting  two  Puru* 

shas  in  the  same  body  ? 

Answer:  There  is  one  Purusha  who  in  conjunction  with 
Irakriti  eats  of  the  fruits  of  good  and  bad  Karmas.  He  must  have 
some  one  to  rest  upon  in  order  to  enable  him  to  reject  this  Prakriti. 
No  one  will  leave  the  lower  branch  on  which  he  stands  without 
getting  hold  of  the  branch  above.  A  piece  of  gold  will  not  be  able 
To  get  Itself  purified  by  itself.  So  the  Lower-Self  requires  a  Higher- 
Self  for  its  purification. 

The  S'vetSsVatara  says  :  **  That  which  is  perishable  is  Pradhtna- 
that  vi'hich  is  immortal  and  imperishable  is  Hara.  The  one  God  ruled 
the  perishable  (Pradhana)  and  the  Self. 

4 


666  The  Theosophist.  [August 

And  the  Gita  says  :  **A11  beings  are  perishable.  Xutastha  is 
said  to  be  imperishable.  There  is  another  supreme  Purusha  who  is 
known  as  Paramatman." 

From  the  above  quotations  we  see  that  mention  is  made  here 
of  three  Tattvas,  viz,,  the  Jiva  who  is  joined  to  the  perishable  Prak- 
riti,  the  imperishable  Kutastha  or  the  Higher-SELF,  and  Paramat- 
man who  is  above  both  of  them.  Therefore  Sankhya  and  Yoga  are 
one  and  the  same.  Further,  the  same  S'vetasVatara  says  that  Param- 
atman should  be  reached  by  means  of  SSnkhya  and  Yoga.  Gita 
too  says  :  **  That  state  which  is  reached  by  Sdnkhyas  is  reached  by 
Yogins  also."  Therefore  it  follows  that  Yoga  devoid  of  SSnkhya  and 
Sankhya  devoid  of  Yoga  will  not  serve  the  purpose. 

XXVI.  Qu€stio7i  :  Is  the  immemorial  Prakriti  capable  of  being 
destroyed  or  not  ?  If  it  can  be  destroyed,  then  when  Moksha  is 
attained  by  destroying  it.  the  world  must  come  to  an  end.  If  il 
cannot  be  destroyed  then  none  will  attain  Moksha. 

A7istver :  Prakriti  is  of  two  kinds,  viz,,  that  which  is  the  effect, 
and  that  which  is  the  cause.  The  former  is  manifold  and  is  called 
Avidya.  The  Jivas  who  are  addicted  to  Avidya  are  capable  of  de- 
stroying it  by  means  of  Yoga  combined  with  knowledge,  but  the 
Prakriti  which  is  the  cause  of  all,  ever  remains  with  Paramatman 
to  whom  alone  she  is  subject. 

XXVII.  Questw7i :  Is  not  then  that  imperishable  Prakriti,  an 
impediment  to  those  who  want  to  attain  the  Paramatman  ? 

Amwer :  Bhagavad  GitS  answers  this  question  thus :  "  Verily  this 
divine  May^  of  mine  is  hard  to  surmount :  whoever  seek  me  alone, 
they  pass  over  this  Mdya  (or  imperishable  Prakriti)." 

The  Kathavalli  also  says:  *'  That  self  cannot  be  gained  by  the 
Veda,  nor  by  understanding,  nor  by  much  learning.  He  whom  the 
Sklf  chooses,  by  him  the  SvxT  can  be  gained.  The  Self  chooses 
him  (his  body)  as  his  own." 

From  this  we  see  that  Paramatman  chooses  him  or  shows  Him- 
self'to  him  who  endeavours  to  reach  Him. 

It  cannot,  on  the  strength  of  this,  be  argued  that  Paramatman 
may  choose  any  one— even  one  who  is  devoid  of  the  necessary  quali- 
fications pertaining  to  Jnana  and  Yoga — because  Vyasa  in  the 
Vedanta  Sutras,  as  translated  by  Prof  Thibaut,  sa3's  as  follows : 

**  Inequality  (of  dispensation)  and  cruelty  (the  Lord  can)  not 
(be  reproached  with),  on  account  of  His  regarding  (merit  and  de- 
merit) ;  for  so  (Scripture)  declares  "  (II.  i.  34). 

As  each  will  be  rewarded  according  to  his  Karmas,  the  Lord 
will  not  choose  one  who  is  devoid  of  the  merits  required  for  His 
choosing  him. 

XXVIII.  Question  :  It  is'said  that  Stnkhyas  do  not  admit  that 
there  are  two  A'tmans  in  the  same  body.  Or  in  other  words  they 
do  not  admit  the  I/)wer-Self  or  JivStman  which  is  under  the  influ- 
ence of  Prakriti,  and  the  Higher-SsifF  or  PratyagStman  which  is 


1901.]  Jivachintainanl.  667 

above  Prakriti.  On  this  account,  this  Sankhya  is  termed  Avaidika, 
and  it  is  said  to  be  distinct  from  Jnana  Yoga  or  Vaidika  Sankhya. 
For  this  reason  it  is  said  that  it  should  be  rejected.  Now  this  view 
seems  to  be  erroneous.  For  in  the  Taittiriya  Upanishad  it  is  said 
that  five  sheaths  called  Annamaya,  Pranamaya,  Manomaya,  Vijna- 
namaya,  and  A'nandamaya  came  out  of  Prakriti.  From  this  we  see 
that  there  is  only  one  Purusha  called  Prijna  who  occupies  the  last 
sheath.  He  can  be  compared  to  a  knife  covered  by  five  sheaths  con- 
structed one  over  the  other.  He  is  in  contact  with  the  innermost 
sheath  only.    Therefore  there  cannot  be  two  Purushas. 

Atiswer :  No.  Anna,  Prdna,  Manas,  Vijnana,  and  A'uanda  are 
the  five  Kos'as  or  sheaths  here  referred  to.  The  sulEx  **  maya  "  in 
each  of  them,  indicates  that  there  are  five  Jivas.  Even  if  it  be  said 
that  A'nandamaya  alone  functions  in  the  remaining  four,  it  should 
be  admitted  that  by  contiguous  relation  with  all  other  Kos'as,  this 
Purusha  who  is  called  Piajna  is  affected  by  pain  or  pleasure  attach- 
ing to  each  of  them.  In  the  same  Upanishad  there  is  a  passage  in 
which  mention  is  made  of  another  A'tman  who  is  above  A'nanda- 
maya and  who  is  the  Purusha  reflected  in  Prakriti. 

The  passage  referred  to  is  this  :  **  Like  the  human  shape  of  the 
former  is  the  human  shape  of  the  latter.  Satisfaction  is  its  right 
arm,  great  satisfaction  is  its  left  arm,  bliss  is  its  form  or  trunk. 
Brahman  is  the  base  or  support. 

Here  the  expression  **  Bliss  is  its  form  or  trunk  *'  refers  to  Pra- 
tyagltman  or  the  Higher-SEi,F,  and  the  expression  "  Brahman  is 
the  base  or  support "  refers  to  Paramatman.  Hence  there  is  no  con- 
tradiction. 

XXIX.  Question  :  O  Holy  Teacher  !  I  have  heard  that,  in  Mun- 
daka,  the  5th  Upanishad,  it  is  said  that  the  Self  came  into  existence 
like  the  spark  of  fire.  I  have  some  doubts  there.  Please  quote  that 
S'ruti  and  I  shall  ask. 

Answer :  This  is  the  scriptural  passage  referred  to  :  **  As  from 
a  blazing  fire,  sparks,  being  like  uhto  fire,  fly  forth  a  thousand  fold, 
thus  are  various  beings  brought  forth  from  the  imperishable,  my 
friend,  and  return  thither  also."    Now  tell  me  where  your  doubt  is  ? 

XXX.  Question :  Prakriti  is  the  latent  energy  of  Brahman. 
On  account  of  the  activity  of  that  latent  Prakriti,  a  portion  of  Brah- 
man shines  out  like  so  many  sparks  of  fire,  each  spark  as  it  were 
falling  on  one  of  the  Prakritic  atoms.  Each  of  such  atoms  is  then 
called  a  Jiva  (otherwise  known  as  Purusha).  It  descends  the  line 
of  Prakriti  as  far  as  gross  body,  and  by  its  associations  subjects 
itself  to  pains  and  pleasures.  You  have  also  admitted  that  only  one 
spark  of  Brahman— and  not  more  than  one  spark— falls  on  a  Pra- 
kritic atom.  If  such  be  the  case,  it  cannot  be  said  that  in  the  body, 
which  is  an  effect  of  Prakriti,  there  are  two  A'tmans  called  JivStman 
and  Pratyag^atman.  ThusVhen  there  is  not  the  possibility  of  even 
one  Pratyagfitman   within   the  body,  how  can  it  be  said  that  the 


66d  The  Theosophist.  [August 

partial  lights  within  the  eye,  and  those  perceivable  within  the 
Chakras  or  plexuses  beginning  with  Muladh^ra  (or  sacral  plexus), 
and  within  the  Brahmarandhra  (aperture  of  Brahman  in  the  skull) 
are  the  lights  of  Pratyagitman  ? 

Answer :  The  Brahmic  portions  shining  forth  like  sparks  of  fire 
do  not  manifest  themselves  through  the  action  of  Prakriti.  Tbey 
shine  forth  through  the  action  of  Vidya  S'akti  which  is  likened  to 
the  sunshine.  Even  though  each  of  those  sparks  falls  upon 
Prakriti,  it  does  not  adhere  to  it,  but  attaches  itself  to  Jiva  which, 
like  a  shadow,  is  its  own  reflection.  This  is  the  reason  why  it  i> 
said  that  there  are  two  Sei,ves  in  the  body.  If  it  be  doubted  that 
the  shadow  cannot  feel  pleasure  and  pain,  that  objection  has  already 
been  answered  by  saying  that  it  can  do  so  by  its  intimate  relation 
with  Cthe  flesh  of)  the  heart.  Besides,  it  is  a  well-known  fact  that 
a  simile  cannot  be  pushed  too  far. 

Even  though  this  very  same  Pratyagdtman  enters  the  body 
through  Brahmarandhra,  {i.  e.,  the  aperture  at  the  top  of  the  head},  it 
will,  as  stated  in  Saubhagyalakshmi,  the  105th  Upanishad,  be  seen 
with  suitable  forms  in  the  nine  spiritual  centres  b^inning  with 
Muiadhara,  because,  the  Jiva  has  motions  up  and  down  those  centres. 
True  it  is  that  Jiva  is  said  to  be  seated  in  the  eye  in  his  wake- 
ful condition,  in  the  throat  when  he  enters  the  state  of  dream^  m  the 
heart  when  he  enters  the  state  of  sound  s^ep,  and  at  the  top  of  the 
head  in  his  Turiya  or  fourth  state. 

Although  the  eye,  the  throat,  and  the  heart  are  the  th/ree  seats 
ordinarily  assigned  to  Jiva,  yet  in  the  Yoga  practice  which  trans- 
cends the  said  three  states  of  consciousness,  he  could  go  up  and 
down  the  nine  spiritual  centres. 

S'vetas'vatara,  the  14th  Upanishad,  says  :  **  When  Yoga  is  being 
performed,  the  forms  which  shine  in  Brahman  ai^e  those  that  re- 
semble misty  smoke,  sun,  fire,  wind,  fire-flies,  lightning,  crystal, 
and  the  moon. 

The  differences  in  the  said  forms  evidently  depend  upon  the 
different  grades  of  mental  purity. 

XJ^Xl.  Question  :  The  Jiva  who  cognises  pleasures  and  peuns  in 
all  parts  of  the  body,  such  as  the  knee,  the  feet,  etc.,  has  movements 
all  over  the  body.  How  is  it  then  that  we  do  not  see  such  move- 
ments in  Pratyaglitman  ? 

Answer :  Buddhi  alone  congnises  pleasures  and  pains  in  all 
places  where  there  is  circulation  of  blood,  and  so  it  may  be  said 
that  Buddhi  has  such  movements.  Jiva  has  no  such  movements. 
Jiva  ca^  feel  all  pleasures  and  pains  by  remaining  in  his  own  seat. 
Evien  in  Siddhis  like  Parakdyapraves'a  (f.^.,  entering  another's  body 
by  means  of  Yoga)  it  is  the  3uddhi  alone  and  not  Jiva,  that  enters 
ai^pther  body  like  a  leech. 

Thus  by  means  of  Vaidika  SSnkhya  S'astra,  one  should  know  the 
Jivatpian,  the  Pratyagatman  and  the  Param^tman.    Then  by  prac- 


1901.]  Jivachlntamani.  ■    669 

tising  RSja  Yoga,  he  should  directly  cognise  Pratyagatman,  and 
finally  practise  BrahmAtma-DhySna-Yoga  (£.^.,  abstract  meditation 
on  the  identity  of  Brahman  and  the  Self)  according  to  the  rules  laid 
down  by  Vaidika  Yoga  S'Sstra,  in  ordjer  to  attain  that  perfect  iden- 
tity which  is  likened  by  the  S'rutis  to  the  pouring  of  oil  into  oil  and 
water  into  water. 

XXXII.  Questiofi :  O  Holy  Teacher  !  I  have  another  doubt. 
You  have  said  that  Kutastha  is  like  the  spark  of  fire.  This  is  op- 
posed to  the  statement  of  tjie  S'ruti  which  says  that  he  (Kutastha) 
is  like  the  ether  in  th^  pot. 

Afiswer :  This  is  no  contradiction  because  there  are  two  kinds 
of  Kutasthas  (Higher  Selves),  the  one  being  the  cause  and  the  other 
the  effect. 

In  Mundaka  the  5th  Upanishad,  it  is  said :  '*  Higher  than  the 
high  imperishable."  The  one  who  is  above  Akshara  or  the  Kar>'a 
Kutastha  is  called  ELarana  Kutastha.  The  one  above  this  Karana 
Kutastha  is  called  Paramatman.  Thus  we  have  now  28  instead  of 
27  Tattvas. 

[Wehere  see  a  correspondence  between  the  aforesaid  25th,  26th, 
27th  and  the  28th  Tattvas,  and  the  four  Theosophic  principles 
known  as  the  Lower  Manas,  the  Higher  Manas,  Buddhi  and  A'tman.] 

From  the  S'ruti  which  says,  **  the  Purusha  is  higher  than 
Avyakta,  "  we  find  that  there  is  a  Purusha  who  is  above  Prakriti. 

And  again  from  the  S'ruti  which  says  :  '*  through  inseparable 
connection  with  Prakriti,  the  state  of  being  Purusha  is  again  mine, 
we  find  that  there  is  a  Purusha  below  Prakriti. 

These  two  Purushas  are  further  mentioned  in  one  and  the  same 
S'ruti  thus :  "  He  that  is  superior  to  him  who  clings  to,  or  is  absorb- 
ed in,  Prakriti  is  called  Mahes'vara." 

We  may  take  these  two  Purushas  to  represent  either  JivStman 
and  Pratyagatman  or  Pratyagatman,  and  Param&tman. 

Thus  ends  Appaya  Dikshita's '*Jivachintamani,"  dealing  with 
the  first  principles  of  Vaidika  Sankhya  followed  by  the  Anubhava- 
dvaita  School  of  Vedlnta. 

[Those  who  want  to  know  more  about  Anubhavadvaita  (or  the 
system  of  practical  Advaita),  are  recommended  to  read  **  Adhikarana- 
kanchuka,'*  a  commentary  by  Appaya  Dikshita  on  the  Brahma  Sutra- 
Vritti  of  Dakshinamurti,  and  also  the  three  Kandas  of  Tattvasarayana, 
a  very  important  Itihasa  based  on  the  108  Upanishads  and  an 
exhaustive  work  on  the  subject  of  Vedanta,  in  24,000  verses.] 

Translated  by  G.  Krishna  S'a'stri'. 


670 


RA'MA  GFTA'. 

{Continued from  page  615.] 

Chapter  IX. 

O  S'ri  RIma,  the  most  excellent  of  teachers  !  Where  it  was  said 
that  Samadhi  alone  is  bath,  etc.,  to  the  knowers  of  Brahman  (^nde 
verse  46  of  the  last  chapter),  there  I  have  a  great  doubt.  (i) 

The  omission,  even  by  the  knowers  of  Brahman,  of  such  obliga- 
tory duties  as  bath,  etc.,  pertaining  to  each  AVrama  (or  order  of 
life),  is  sinful,  as  they  are  ordained  (by 'the  S'&stras).  (2) 

Since  they  (obligatory  duties)  are  not  of  the  nature  of  Naimit- 
tika  (or  occasional),  and  are  different  from  Kamya  (or  optional), 
their  omission  can  in  no  way  be  expiated.  (3) 

If  the  evil  consequence  resulting  from  the  omission  :of  ordained 
rites  is  capable  of  being  removed  (or  remedied),  then  the  S'astra 
which  lays  down  certain  consequences  for  such  e\al  acts  as  those  of 
killing  a  Brahman,  etc.,  becomes  null  and  void.  (4) 

Because  the  effect  of  karma  (or  the  performance  of  essential 
duties)  has  no  prior  existence  (or  is  unprecedented)  and  because 
the  effect  of  vikarma  (or  the  performance  of  forbidden  acts)  has 
only  a  future  existence  (or  is  produced  later  on),  if  akarma  (or 
non-performance  of  essential  duties)  will  not  produce  any  effect  (as 
stated  in  the  last  verse),  then  people  will  become  wayward  (or  do 
what  they  like).  (5) 

SanySsins  (those  belonging  to  the  last  order  of  life)  are  without 
karmas  (/.  ^.,  are  not  required  to  perform  religious  rites)  according 
to  the  ruling  of  the  S'Sstra  itself.  I  do  not  know  of  any  S'astra 
which  exempts  the  householders  also  from  the  performance  of  such 
rites.  (6) 

Both  the  householder  who  does  not  commence  (religious  duties) 
and  the  ascetic  who  is  active  (/.  e,,  busy  with  the  performance  of 
such  duties)  do  not  shine  by  their  adopting  the  opposite  (or  wrong) 
course.  (7) 

O  Chief  of  the  Raghus  !  I  have  heard  from  eminent  men  that 
this  (/.  e,y  what  has  been  said  in  the  last  verse)  is  the  mighty  declara- 
tion of  the  S'rutis  and  Smritis,  and  it  cannot  be  otherwise.  (8) 

S*ri  Rama  said  : 

O  son  of  Pavana !  O  best  of  the  intelligent  !  What  is  doubted 
by  thee  is  right.  Even  all  the  learned  persons  are  perplexed  here.  (9) 

Those  three,  viz,,  karma  (performance  of  essential  duties^\ 
akarma.  (non-performance  of  essential  duties),  and  vikarma  (per- 
fortnance  of  forbidden  acts)  are,  by  no  means,  ineffectual,  because 


1901.]  The  Rama  Gita.  671 

the  S'niti  declares  that  those  effects  are  elsewhere  employed  in  the 
case  of  his  *  (/.  e.,  Jivanmukta's)  friends  and  enemies.  .  (lo) 

By  omitting  the  performance  of  obligatory  duties  on  account  of 
their  being  entirely  subject  to  (or  having  been  immersed  in)  SamS- 
dhi,  not  even  the  smell  of  sin  is  attached  to  wise  men  (or  knowers 
of  Brahman)  who  are  liberated  in  life.  (n) 

To  those  who  are  devoid  of  worldly  affections  and  whose  minds 
are  devoted  to  Samadhi,  waywardness  (or  doing  what  they  like)  is 
impossible  even  as  a  eunuch's  passion  for  a  courtezan.  (12^ 

Some  ignorant  people  think  that  waywardness  is  permitted  in 
the  S'ruti  and  other  authorities,  without  at  all  considLering  their 
eulogistic  character.  (13) 

Even  though  the  wise  people  (immersed  in  Samadhi)  omit  the 
performance  of  duties,  there  is  no  harm,  if  they  begin  to  perform 
(only)  the  karmas  suitable  to  the  occasion  on  their  coming  out  of 
Samadhi.  (r4) 

He  who,  without  the  concentration  of  mind,  fails  to  begin  the 
performance  of  karmas,  is  surely  degraded  from  the  householder's 
order.    Such  a  fool  does  not  shine.  (15) 

The  learned  men  who  teach  the  Truth  have  clearly  declared  so 
(as  stated  in  verse  8  of  this  chapter),  regarding  him  alone  (who  is 
referred  to  in  the  last  verse).  Do  not,  therefore,  doubt  at  any  time 
the  meanings  taught  by  me.  (16) 

As  it  is  admitted  here  (in  the  world)  that  when  the  doer  dis- 
appears, the  doing  also  disappears  (with  him),  so  in  the  same  man- 
ner when  the  agent  (or  doer)  is  lost  in  Samadhi,  there  can  be  no 
impulse  (or  ordinance)  to  act.  (17) 

The  householder  being  on  a  par  with  the  ascetic  (in  this  re- 
spect), even  he  is  not  in  the  position  of  a  doer  when  he  is  engaged  in 
Samadhi,  and  when,  through  the  experience  ol  his  Ski.f,  he  is  freed 
from  all  karmas.  (18) 

If  he  (the  householder)  can,  without  entering  the  fourth  order 
of  religious  life,  go  into  that  continuous  Samadhi  from  which  he  need 
not  come  out,  then  there  is  no  harm  whatever  even  in  his  giving  up 
all  the  karmas.  (19) 

If  it  be  said  that  karmas  are  heard  of  (7.  i.,  taught  in  the  S'ruti 
to  be  performed)  even  in  the  fourth  order  of  life,  then  hear  (what  I 
am  going  to  say).    Karmas  are  taught  to  be  abandoned  (by  the  ascet- 

•  The  S'ruti  says  :  **  The  good  actions  (of  a  Jlivanmukta)  go  to  (his)  friends 
and  the  bad  actions  to  those  that  hate  him."  Then  a  question  may  arise  :  How 
is  it  possible  for  a  Jtvaiimukta  to  have  friends  and  enemies  ?  It  is  answered  thus  : 
He  will  not  have  from  his  point  of  view,  either  friends  or  enemies,  ?is  he  will  look 
upon  all  alike.  But  from  the  point  of  view  of  others,  he  may  be  liked  by  some 
and  disliked  by  others.  Those  that  like  him  and  honour  him  are  said  to  be  his 
friends  nnd  those  that  dislike  him  and  do  him  harm  are  said  to  be  his  enemies, 
The  distribution  of  ^a  certain 'class  of  karmic  effects  thus  among  friends  anc| 
enemies  is  only  applicable  to  Jtvanmuktas,  and  not  to  all. 


672  The  Theosophist.  [August 

ic)  in  the  beginning  as  well  as  in  the  end,  but  in  the  middle,  on  ac- 
count of  his  inability  •  they  (karmas),  are  (taught)  to  be  performed. 

(20) 

To  associate  the  Sanyasins  with  karmas  is  not,  therefore,  the 
chief  intention  (of  the  S'^stra).  Even  the  acceptance  of  the  staff  etc., 
(by  the  Sanyfisins)  is  due  to  the  request  made  (to  them)  by  the  house- 
holders. (21) 

The  Brahmacharin  or  the  student,  the  Grihastha  or  the  house- 
holder, the  Vanaprastha  or  the  hermit,  and  the  Yati  or  the  ascetic 
(who  respectively  belong  to  the  four  orders  of  religious  life  among 
the  twice-born),  even  though  devoid  of  concentration  of  mind,  may 
in  consideration  of  (or  in  order  to  have  more  leisure  for)  their  con- 
templations on  the  SeItF,  perform  their  essential  rites,  in  an  abridged 
manner.  (22) 

By  the  abridgment  of  (essential)  rites  is  meant  not  their  mental 
performance.  (It  means  that)  the  repetitions  of  incantations  and  the 
brevity  of  ceremonies  are  to  be  the  same  as  those  laid  down  for  the 
unfortunate  (such  as  the  sick,  etc).  (23) 

Even  he  whose  Indriyas  all  shine  of  their  own  accord  like  the 
fully  absorbed  mental  modifications  on  account  of  his  intense  lonely 
meditation  directed  towards  Brahman  alone,  is  said  to  incur  no  sin 
by  his  omitting  the  karmas  (while  engaged  in  such  meditations). 
(When  there  is  no  sin  for  even  his  omission)  then  how  can  there  be 
any  f  for  the  other  (one)  whose  mind  is  absorbed  in  Samddhi.  (24&25) 

Hanumstn  said  : 

O  Chief  of  the  Raghus  !  If  it  be  so,  then,  because  all  the  living 
beings  have  certainly  their  chitta  in  a  completely  absorbed  state 
during  sleep,  there  is  no  harm  in  their  omitting  the  karmas  (by 
going  to  sleep  whenever  they  like).  (26) 

The  well-known  eulogistic  character  of  the  passage  which  says 
that  **  in  the  event  of  a  visit  from  the  great  ones,  all  religious  obser- 
vances may  be  stopped,"  is  also  destroyed  (by  the  teachings  con- 
tained in  the  foregoing  verses  J).  (27) 

S'ri  Rama  said  : 

Since  all  the  modifications  certainly  exist  in  their  seed-form, 
during  sound  sleep, 'thp'state  of  complete^absorption  of  mind  is  not 
(then)  attained  and  what  is  generally  said  is  only  compliment- 
ar}'.  (28) 

Hence  that  knower  of  not-self  (/.  e,,  he  who  is  ignorant  of  Self) 
who  omits  the  essential  karmas  during  sound  sleep  (z.  e,^  who  goes 
into  sound  sleep  during  that  time  when  he  ought  to  perform  certain 

»  Evidently  his  inability  to  reject  the  request  of  the  householders  to  conform 
himself  to  certain  rules  and  practices  for  their  sake,  as  stated  in  the  next  follow- 
ingf  verse. 

fThe  literal  translation  of  the  Sanskrit  expression  would  be  "  What  is  there  tQ 
be  said  of  the  other." 
J  See  also  verse  13. 


1901.]  The  Kama  Gita.  673 

obligatory  duties  and  thereby  omits  them)  becomes  a  sinner,  and  he 
is,  therefore,  bound  to  perform  such  penances  as  are  ordained  (in 
the  S'&stras  for  such  omission).  (29) 

The  meeting  of  the  great  ones  here  will  be  the  cause  of  hearing 
more  about  Brahman  {t,e.,  will  be  conducive  to^  the  study  of  Self). 
On  this  account,  the  passage  (mentioned  in  the  last  verse)  is  termed 
not  eulogistic.  For  all  other  purposes  (than  that  of  its  being  condu- 
cive to  the  study  of  Sei.f)  it  is  admitted  by  all  to  be  eulogistic.   (30) 

As  Niyama  S'Sstra  (the  law  relating  to  spiritual  duties)  is  all 
powerful,  being  extremely  efficacious),  it  should  not  at  any  time  be 
condemned  by  any  one  who  is  devoid  of  the  discriminative  know- 
ledge of  Brahman  and  the  Self.  (31) 

Who  will  (dare  to)  intentionally  violate  that  Niyama  S'astra 
which  is  closely  followed  even  by  the  knowers  of  Brahman  during 
their  periods  of  worldly  intercourse  ?  (32) 

O  Hanuman !  Thou  shalt  understand  that  what  is,  by  the 
force  of  superior  knowledge,  stated  here  in  the  inverted  order,  is 
quite  in  conformity  with  Vidhi-s'Sstra  (1.^.,  the  scripture  of  com- 
mandments), and  is  never  otherwise.  (33) 

Decided  rules  relating  to  castes  and  orders  of  life  are  laid  down 
by  the  ancients  as  well  as  the  more  ancients.  They  cannot  be  con- 
demned (or  dishonoured)  by  even  the  I/)rd  of  the  whole  universe, 
and  much  less  by  ordinary  mortals.  (34) 

Having  propitiated  the  Supreme  Lord  by  observing  the  rules 
and  practices  pertaining  to  the  respective  castes  and  orders  of  life, 
the  man  gradually  attains  My  Supreme  Seat.  (35) 

Vedftntas  do  not,  however,  purify  him  who  is  devoid  of  the  ob- 
servance of  rules  and  practices  relating  to  castes  and  orders  of  life 
The  great  teachers  also  do  not  accept  him  as  a  disciple.  (36) 

Even  the  knower  (of  Brahman)  will  derive  much  comfort  by 
following  the  restrictions  imposed  upon  castes  and  orders  of  life, 
as  they  will  have,  then,  no  room  for  waywardness,  etc.  There  is  no 
doubt  about  this.  (37) 

The  binding  nature  of  the  observances  pertaining  to  castes  and 
orders  of  life,  is  no  bondage  to  those  who  desire  liberation.  The 
observance  of  duties  pertaining  to  others,  causes  fear  and  bond- 
age. (38) 

That  chief  among  the  Karmins*  who  pays  great  attention  to  the 
observances  pertaining  to  castes  and  orders  of  life,  attains  wisdom, 
(in  course  of  time)  even  though  he  be  an  ignoramus.  (39) 

Just  as  the  woman  who  is  devoted  to  her  husband  attains  the 
highest  bliss  here  and  hereafter,  and  just  as  she  who  is  self-willed  (or 
wayward)  suffers  great  pain  here  and  hereafter,  even  so  does  he  who 
is  devoted  to  castes  and  orders  of  life,  enjoy  bliss  here  and  here- 
after, and  the  other  (who  is  wayward),  on  the  contrary,  suffer  pain. 
•  There  is  no  room  for  doubt  here.  (40  &  41) 

*  Karminsl:  Those  Who  follow  the  path  of  karma-yoga. 
5 


674  The  Theoaophist.  [August 

It  might  be  possible  even  for  a  Chand&la  (an  outcaste)  to  attain 
Brahmanahood  by  means  of  penances,  but  lie  who  is  entirely  de- 
graded from  castes  and  orders  of  life  can  never  hope  to  regain  his 
lost  status  by  means  of  penances.  (42) 

The  observances  of  castes  and  orders  of  life  being  the  roots  of 
that  tree  which  is  made  up  of  Bhakti  (devotion),  Jnina  (knowledge), 
Virakti  (non-attachment),  etc.,  they  should  never  be  rejected.    (43) 

As  a  rootless  tree,  even  though  properly  watered,  produces  no 
fruit,  so  does  he  who  merely  depends  upon  devotion,  etc.,  without 
the  obser\'ances  pertaining  to  his  order  of  life,  fail  to  realise  any 
fruit.  (44) 

This  (i.  e.,  what  is  taught  in  the  last  verse)  will  not  serve  as  an 
objection  to  the  condition  of  one  who  is  above  all  castes  and  orders 
of  life,  which  (condition)  is  well-known  to  all  the  VedSnta,  be- 
cause he  is  devoid  of  any  observance  of  his  own  or  of  any  others.  (45) 

That  yogin  is  Ativarnas'ramin  (z.  e.,  one  who  is  above  all  castes 
and  orders  of  life)  who,  having  neglected  the  observances  of  his 
own  as  well  as  those  of  others,  has  become  continuouslj'  motion- 
less. (46) 

He  who  here  abandons  his  own  A'chSras  (or  observances)  and 
adopts  the  A'chSras  of  others,  such  an  one,  intent  upon  way- 
wardness, is  said  to  have  fallen  from  castes  and  orders  of  life.     (47) 

The  qualities  of  tranquillity,  self-restraint,  etc.,  are  said  to  belong 
to  the  best  ascetic,  even  then,  on  account  of  their  excellence,  they 
are  never  dangerous  to  others.  (48) 

If  you  say  that  Agnihotra  and  other  karmas  are  likewise  (not 
dangerous)  even  to  the  S*udras  (just  like  the  qualities  mentioned  in 
the  last  verse),  we  say— no  ;  because  of  the  want  of  similarit>'  between 
the  internal   (qualities)  and  the   external  (karmas  like  Agnihotra, 

etc.)  (49) 

Until  thou  art  able  to  neutralise  the  essential  nature  ♦  of  Arupa 
Chitta  and  until  thou  shalt  thereby  attain  Videha  Mukti,  thou  shalt 
adhere  to  castes  and  orders  of  life.  (50) 

Having  secured  bodies  corresponding  to  thy  desires,  O  Hanu- 
mSn !  thou  shalt  perform,  without  attachment,  all  the  obligator}- 
dharmas  ordained  by  the  S'rutis  and  Smritis,  and  offer  them  to  Me, 
then  I,  Myself,  shall  release  thee  soon  from  pain.  (51) 

Because  thou  art  desirous  of  emancipation  thou  shalt  never  be 
indifferent  in  the  least  about   thy  A'charas  here.    Since   SvSrSjya 

*  The  word  "  asuh  "  has  been  taken  here  as  weH  as  in  verses  11  and  12  of 
chapter  V.,  to  mean  "the  essential  nature."  Whereas  its  literal  meaain^is 
•*  Pi^na,  f.^.,  life  or  vitality."  If  it  be  taken  in  ifs  literal  sense,  the  meaning  of 
the  first  part  of  this  verse  as  weU  as  of  verse  12  of  chapter  V.,  will  run  thus: 
"  One  whose  AHipa,  Manas  and  Prilna  are  lost  in  the  Universal  Essence."  Where- 
ever  there  is  the  Manas,  Pr4na  too  is  said  to  be  there,  and  when  one  is  mentioned 
by  name,  the  other  too  is  implied.  The  expression  **  loss  of  Pr4na '  may  be 
taken  by  many  to  mean  physical  death.  Therefore,  it  is  better  to  take  **  cbittasuh  ' 
as  a  Tatpurusha-compound^  meaning  "  the  vitality  or  the  essential  nature  of 
Chitta  "  instead  of  taking  it  as  a  Dva^a'Compoitnd,  meaning  "  Chkta  and  Print." 


1901.]  The  Rama  Gita.  675 

(^.^:.,  the  SEW-domain  or  the  identification  with  Self-effulgence)  has 
for  its  roots  the  A'charas  pertaining  to  one's  own  A's'rama,  thou 
shah  ever  be  zealously  devoted  to  them  (A'charas).  (52) 

Thus  in  the  glorious  Upanished  of  Ra'ma  GiTA',  the 
"  secret  meaning  of  the  Vedas,    embodied  in  the  second 

Pdda  of  the  Upasana  K^nda  of  Tatvasarayana,   reads 

the  ninth  chapter,  entitled  : 

THE  DECISION  REGARDING  CASTES  AND  ORDERS  OF  LIFE. 


Chapter  X. 

Hanumin  said  : 

Bow  to  Thee,  O  Consort  of  Janaki !  I  am  sorry  for  my  having 
caused  Thee  fatigue  (by  detaining  Thee  so  long).  O  Raghava,  fond 
of  devotees  !     Pardon  me  for  my  wrong.  (i) 

There  are  many  more  pointsithat  I  have  to  hear  from  Thee  again 
in  this  connection.  Even  then,  I  shall  wait  for  Thy  convenience 
and  gradually  hear  them  afterwards.  (2) 

S'ri  RSma  said : 

0  Hanuman !  Although  thou  art  skilled  in  understanding  the 
intentions  of  others,  thou  hast  gone  astray  in  the  present  case, 
because,  thou  speaketh  so  (as  stated  in  the  last  verse)  of  Me  who 
am  extremely  delighted  to  teach  the  Tattvas.  (3) 

1  have  not  even  a  particle  of  that  sham  fatigue  which  is  said  to 
result  from  conversation.  Now  it  is  that  my  expressions  (of  ideas) 
filled  with  the  nectar  of  SELF-bliss  begin  to  flow  out.  increas- 
ingly. (4) 

Therefore,  O  Maruti  !  in  the  matter  of  acquiring  the  knowledge 
of  the  Supreme  Truth,  thou  shalt,  according  to  thy  wish,  question 
Me  zealously  on  all  questionable  points  exhaustively,  without  the 
least  fear.  (5) 

Hanuman  said  : 

O  Lord  !  O  Descendant  of  Raghu !  O  Master !  Eminent  men  say 
that  Karmas  •  are  of  three  kinds,  known  as  Sanchitaf,  Agami  J  and 
Prardbdha.  §  (6) 

*  Karmas  are  classified  under  different  heads,  v»>.,  Nitya  (obligatory),  Naimit- 
(ika  (occasiouaj),  and  K&niya  (optional  or  sprung  from  desire.)  1.  He  who 
acquires  an  indirect  or  theoretical  knowledge  of  Brahman  will  cease  to  perform 
KA.mya  Karmas.  2.  He  who  attains  Jivanmukti  by  means  of  direct  cognition, 
will  cease  to  perform  Naimittika  Karmas.  3.  The  Nitya  Karmas  will,  of  their 
own  accord,  drop  off  when  Videhamukti  is  attained.  Likewise,  the  end  of  San- 
chita,  A'g&mi,  and  Pr^rabdha  Karmas  too  will  respectively  be  reached  by  the 
aforesaid  three  persons  in  the  same  order. 

There  are  two  other  classes  of  karmas,  viz.^  Pr&yaschirta  (counteracting), 
^nd  Nishiddha  (forbidden).  Prayaschitta  Karmas  are  only  capable  of  retarding 
the  effects  of  bad  karmas  for  the  time  being.  Spiritual  degradation  will  be  the 
result  of  Nishiddha  Karmas. 

The  effects  of  all  karmas  are  classed  under  three  heads,  w>.,  Sanchita, 
A'gAmi  and  Prirabdha. 

t  The  word  *  Sanchita'  means  *  collected.'  Sanchita  Karmas  are  the  effects 
of  actions  in  store  which  are  awaiting  fruition.  These  have  not  yet  begun  to 
bear  fruit ;  when  they  are  matured  they  become  Pr&rabdha  which  is  the  cause  of 
future  births.    All  the  Pr^abdha  Karmas  do  not  in  a  lot  mature  at  a  time.     It  is 


0Y6  The  Theosophist.  [August 

[The  Purvapaksha  or  pfima  facie  view  is  stated,  in  Verses  7,  8  &  9 

as  the  argument  of  one  side.] 

Some  learned  men  say  that  of  the  three  kinds  of  karmas,  those 
known  by  the  name  of  Sanchita  are  destroyed  as  soon  as  knowl- 
edge (of  SBI.F)  is  acquired,  without  even  having  the  necessity  to 
enjoy  their  fruits— the  pleasures  and  pains.  (7) 

Those  that  have  reached  the  other  shore  of  VedSnta  say  that 
the  good  and  bad  effects  of  A'gSmi  Karmas  which  are  not  created  by 
wise  men  thereafter  (i,  e,,  after  their  acquiring  SEi.F-knowledge), 
do  not,  at  all,  stick  on  to  them.  (8) 

Those  that  have  discerned  the  Truth  say  that  Prarabdha  Kar- 
mas of  wise  men  (Brahma-Jnanins)  are  never  destroyed  without 
their  effects  being  enjoyed,  even  (so  certainly)  as  an  arrow  let  off 
from  the  hand  (of  an  archer).  (9) 

[The  Siddhanta  paksha  or  demonstrated  conclusion  is  stated  in 
the  following  verse  as  the  argument  of  the  other  side.] 

Whereas  others  say  that  the  first  (Sanchita  Karmas)  and  the 
second  (A'gSmi  Karmas)  can  only  be  exhausted*  (or  destroyed)  by 
fully  working  out  their  effects,  and  that  the  third  kind  of  karmas 
(f.  €,,  PrSrabdhas)  never  become  extinct  without  clinging  on  (to 
the  body)  and  without  being  worked  out.  (10) 

bul  a  collcclion  of  active  forces  set  in  motion  at  different  times,  in  dlffereot  ^  de- 
grees of  intensity  ;  and  as  such  bearine  fruit  in  the  corresponding  order  of  time. 

t  The  word  *  A'g&mi*  means  *  coming.'  A'g&mi  Karmas  are  actions  performed 
in  this  life,  which,  if  not  counteracted,  by  Samidhi  and  other  means,  will  KO  to  en- 
hance the  bulk  of  Sanchita  Karmas  already  in  stock  and  will  bear  fruit  in  the 
fattire.  • 

§  PrArabdha  Karmas  are  the  effects  of  actions  that  have  borne  fruit,  it  is 
by  virtue  of  Prarabdha  that  man  is  born  on  earth,  or  in  other  ^ords  gets  his  body 
in  order  to  work  out  the  effects  produced  by  the  actions  or  forces  which  he  had 
set  in  motion  previously.  The  effects  of  Pi^rabdha  must  be  completely  worked 
out ;  no  one  can  escape  it  ;  the  last  farthing  of  this  debt  must  be  paid. 

S'rt  RAma  holds  that  the  other  two  karmas  also  must  be  worked  out  in  the 
same  manner  and  that  there  is  no  escape  from  them  unless  the  individual  lose 
himself  in  the  Universal  Essence  by  means  of  SamAdhis. 

*  How  karmas  are  ultimately  exhausted  and  how  the  knowledge  of  Sblf  is 
gradually'  attained  will  be  clear  from  the  following  observations  extracted  from 
Muktiratna,  chapter  III. : 

Among  a  crore  ot  persons  one  at  least  will  become  wise  and  at  the  same  time 
disgusted  with  the  ever  active  mundane  life  and  its  miseries.  Then  the  effect  of 
his  past  unselfish  karmas  will  naturally  generate  in  him,  discrimination,  non-at* 
tachment,  etc.  The  effects  of  good  karmas  are  classed  under  *'  K&mya  *'  as  they 
too  have  to  be  worked  out  like  those  of  bad  ones.  But  the  small  items  of  Nish- 
kiUna  (or  unselfish)  karmas  performed  in  numberless  past'  births  will  be  accumula- 
ting in  small  atoms  without  the  knowledge  of  the  doer,  and  then,  when  they  become 
powerful,  they  will,  as  their  combined  result,  generate  the  said  discrimination,  non* 
attachment,  etc. 

From  the  time  the  combined  effect  of  unselfish  karmas  is  felt,  no  new  selfuh 
acts  will  be  performed  by  him,  and  in  the  course  of  a  few  more  births,  all  his  past 
Sanchita  Karmas  will  be  completely  worked  out.  Then  know^ledge  wil  begin  to 
increase.  With  the  increase  of  knowledge  he  will  cease  to  create  fresh  A'gftmi 
Karmas  again.  Even  a  millionaire  who  does  not  take  any  interest  for  his  moniei) 
and  who  meets  all  his  expenses  from  out  of  his  capital,  will,  in  course  of  time,  be* 
come  a  pauper,  tn  the  same  manner  will  all  his  past  karmas  be  exhausted.  He 
who  does  not  allow  his  senses  to  run  after  selfish  actions  which  cause  new  births, 
and  he  who  performs  only  the  obligatory  and  occasional  rites  pertaining  io  bis 
own  order  of  religious  life,  is  called  a  Jn&nin* 

The  effects  of  karmas  performed  during  the  period  of  one's  ignorance  canoot 
but  be  worked  out  in  full.    The  arrow  aimed  at  a  cow  which  was  mistaken  ^  by  Ibe 


1901.]  The  ftffma  Gtta.  677 

O  RSghava !  Of  the  two  (sets  of)  opinions  thus  expressed*  by 
wise  men,  please  determine,  and  say  which  is  acceptable  to  me.  (ii) 

S'ri  RSma  said : 

O  Hanuman  !  O  one  who  is  exceedingly  intelligent  and  who 
knows  how  to  question !  This  matter  (/.  ^.,  the  decision  regarding 
this  controversy)  ought  to  be,  necessarily,  known  even  by  the  most 
wise.  (12) 

Of  the  two  sets  of  opinions,  the  first  which  thou  hast  heard  from 
the  mouth  of  the  learned  is  unimportant.  That  second  one  which 
thou  hast  heard  from  the  mouth  of  the  most  leartiedis  important.(i3) 

The  doctrine  (or  opinion)  of  those  who  hold  that  Tattva-VichSra 
(f.  e.,  contemplation  on  the  Truth)  is  only  necessary  until  the 
attainment  of  Jivanmukti,  is  verily,  the*  first  mentioned  one,  which 
pleases  those  who  are  lazy  (or  stupid).  (14) 

The  doctrine  (or  opinion)  of  those    who  hold  that  meditation 

« 

(on  the  Sei«f)  is  necessary  until  the  attainment  of  Videhamukti  is 
the  next -mentioned  one,  which  gives  satisfaction  to  those'  who  are 
excellent  (or  wise).  (15) 

In  the  caise  of  the  first  (of  the  two  sets  of  statements  above -men- 
tioned) there  are  many  objections  when  the  matter  is  carefully  con- 
sidered.   When  Sanchita  Karmas  remain  unexhausted,  the  dawn  of  . 
perfect  knowledge  is  impossible.  (16) 

The  knowledge  which'is  begotten  at  the  first  stage   being  weak 
(or  i^ieffectual),  it  will  not  have  the  power  to  destroy  Ihe  multitudes  . 
of  Sanchita  Karmas  which  are  strong  (or  very  eiBfective).  (17) 

If  it  be  argued  that  the  passages  referring  to  penances  will 
become  useless  in  case  karmas  can  only  be  destroyed  by  suffering 
their  consequences  (/.  e,,  by  entirely  working  them  out)  ;  then  the 
reply  will  be— no  ;  because,  it  is  the  minor  sins  (upa-papa)  alone  that 
can  be  destroyed  by  penances.  (18) 

If  it  be  argued  again  that  that  passage  refers  to  such  grave  sins 
as  the  killing  of  a  BrShmaria,  etc.,  then  the  reply  will  be — no  ;  be- 
cause of  the  explanatory  or  eulogistic  nature  of  it.  If  it  be  otherwise, 

archer,  for  a  tiger,  will  not,  after  it  is  let  off  Irum  his  hand,  fall  flat  on  the  ground 
without  killing  the  cow,  even  though  he  finds  out  his  mistake  and  repents  for  il 
when  it  has  gone  half  way.  The  same  is  the  case  with  the  effects  of  karmas  once 
performed.  Therefore,  all  karmas  other  than  those  that  are  alti'uistic,  as  well  as 
all  karmas  performed  for  one's  own  sake,  must  necessarily  be  worked  out.  P&pa 
(the  effect  of  bad  karma),  cannot  destroy  Punya  (the  effect  of  good  karma).  Each 
produces  its  eflect  on  the  doer  and  ceases  only  ajfter  it  is  fully  worked  out.  Pen- 
ances can  only  increase  the  stock  of  Pui>ya,  but  can  never  decrease  the  stock  of 
PApa.  In  like  manner  NAma  Sankirtana  (t.  f.,  reciting  the  names  and  praises  of 
God),  etc.,  too,  can  only  add  to  the  stock  of  Puiiya,  but  cannot  destroy  P4pa. 
Mighty  Punya  Karmas  performed  here  can,  by  their  preponderating  influence, 
restrain  the  effects  of  P&pa  and  produce  their  own  effects  first.  So  ^ays  ParAsara  : 
The  weaker  karmas  that  are,  for  the  time  being,  restrained  by  the  stronger,  pro- 
duce their  effects  either  in  dreams  or  in  tlie  next  incarnation,  in  the  Rim^yana 
too  it  is  said  that  Dharma  cannot  destroy  Adharma,  s^nd  vice  versa. 

*  The  two  sets  of  opinions  are  :  (1)  Those  contained   inverses  7,    8  and  9: 
(2)  Those  contained  in  verse  10. 


67d  The  Theosophist.  [August 

then  the  passages  that  speak  of  the  effects  (or  fruits  of  kannas) 
will  become  meaningless.  (19) 

**  (Any)  karma  (which  is)  generated,  whether  good  or  bad, 
must  necessarily  be  worked  out.  Karma  is  never  exhausted  without 
being  worked  out,  even  after  the  lapse  of  hundreds  of  crores  of 
Kalpas.*'  This  as  well  as  similar  other  passages  are  hostile  to  tht 
prima  facie  view  (which  holds  that  certain  karmas  are  destroyed  by 
certain  means  such  as  knowledge,  etc.).  Besides  (in  case  the  first- 
mentioned  view  is  upheld),  Brahma  (the  creator),  I*s'vara  (the  Lord 
of  the  Universe),  and  the  Teacher  (Brihaspati),  will  have  to  be 
accused  of  injustice  (or  inequality  of  dispensation).  (20  &  21) 

If  it  be  said :  *'  Let  the  passages  dealing  with  the  eflfects 
(of  karmas)  operate  on  those  who  do  not  have  recourse  to 
penances  ;**  then  (the  answer  is)  the  well-known  capability  of  bad 
karmas  to  destroy  the  understanding  (or  knowledge),  becomes 
useless.  (22) 

If  it  be  asked,  when  the  scriptural  passage,  **  Just  like  grass 
and  cottdn  thrown  into  fire",  refers  to  Sanchita  Karmas,  how  can 
it  be  said  that  they  should  be  worked  out  ?  then  hear  (the  reply).  (23) 

O  Hanuman  !  thou  shalt  understand  that  the  fire  of  knowledge* 
bums  to  ashes  either  the  (upa-papas)  minor  sins,  or  the  Prarabdhas, 
and  not  otherwise.  (24) 

When  grave  sins  as  well  as  meritorious  deeds  done  with 
desire,  are  entirely  destroyed  by  working  them  out,  then,  verily, 
Sanchitas  too  are  destroyed  as  they  are  of  the  same  class  {i,  c,  of  the 
class  of  sins  and  meritorious  deeds).  (25) 

During  the  period  of  embodied  existence  due  to  karma  (i  c, 
the  result  of  meritorious  and  evil  deeds),  the  effects  of  unselfish  and 
other  good  deeds,  produce  knowledge,  here  alone,  by  means  of 
S'ravana,  etc.  (26) 

On  account  of  the  powerful  nature  of  S'ravana,  etc.,  the  Punya- 
P^pas  (f.  €.,  the  effects  of  good  and  bad  deeds)  which  impede  know- 


*  Compare  Muktiratna,  III.,  13-15. 

True  it  is  that  the  Bhagavad  Gitft  says  that  the  fire  of  knowledj^e  bums  all 
karmas  to  ashes.  This>  can  only  be  reconciled  thus  :  When  all  karmas  are 
worked  out,  knowledj^e  dawns  ;  then  it  is  said  that  the  fire  of  knowledge  bums 
them.  This  is  just  like  the  falling  of  a  fruit  from  a  palm-tree  as  soon  as  a  crow 
perches  on  it.  Therefore  what  Bhagavad  Gtt&  says  is  only  eulogistic.  Thi! 
function  of  desireless  or  unselfish  penances  being  the  storing  up  of  materials  of 
knowledge,  they  will  produce  purity  of  mind,  etc.  The  Jnanin  will  not 
create  new  sins  thereafter,  and  the  statement  that  all  sins  are  destroyed  wheo 
knowledge  dawns  is,  therefore,  merely  a  complimentary  one.  One  may  doubt 
that  if  neither  penance  nor  knowledge  can  destroy  sins,  and  that  if  they  should, 
anyhow,  be  completely  worked  out,  then  no  one  will  perform  penances  or  study 
the  Ved&nta.  There  is  no  room  for  this  doubt ;  because,  mental  purification  and 
emancipation  will  be  the  result  of  performing  penances  and  studying  Vedinta, 
and  every  one  will,  therefore,  have  recourse  to  both  the  means.  VVhile  one  is  in 
the  course  of  enjoying  the  fruits  of  good  and  bad  actions,  the  fruits  ot  Niitlikiiua 
(unselfish }  karmas  become  ripe,  and  begin  to  produce  their  effects  in  the  shape  of 
knowledge  acquired  by  means  of  S'ravana  (hearing),  etc.  Therefore  it  is  not 
even  necessary  that  all  sins  must  be  worked  out  before  tbe  dawu  uf  knowledge. 
That  unselfish  man  who  does  not  create  fresh  Puoya  and  P4pa,  w^ill,  without 
doubt,  attain  emancipation. 


ItOl,}  The  Rama  Gita.  679 

ledge,  yield  their  fruits  in  the  waking  state,  while. the  weaker  ones, 
of  their  own  accord,  produce  their  effects  either  subsequently  or  in 
the  dreaming  state.  (27) 

But  as  the  knowledge  of  him  who.  uninterruptedly,  enjoys 
SELF-bliss  (in  the  fourth  state)  after  discarding  the  three  states  of 
consciousness,  is  very  strong,  the  karmas  in  his  case  are,  i  ndeed, 
ineffectual.  (28) 

As  long  as  the  Sklf  continues  to  be  connected  with  the  body 
so  long  will  Prarabdha  too  continue.  When  the  connection  of  the 
SEI.F  with  the  body  is  disliked,  then  Prarabdha  too  may  be  rejected 
(by  forgetting  the  body).  (29) 

It  is  wrong  to  say  with  those  who  hold  the  puma  facie  view, 
that  Sanchita  Karmas  are  powerful  because  of  their  being  the  first 
and  that  Prarabdha  Karmas  are  weak  because  of  their  being  the 
last.  (30) 

Hanumsin  said : 

O  Lord  !  O  chief  of  the  Raghus  !  What  Thou  hast  said  regard- 
ing the  use  of  karmas  is,  without  doubt,  correct ;  even  then  I  have 
another  doubt,  (31) 

"  The  merits  and  demerits  of  the  knower  of  Self  go  to  his  friends 
and  enemies  here.*'  This  declaration  of  the  S'ruti  is  contrary  to  the 
statements  of  both  sides  (mentioned  in  verses  7,  8,  9  and  10).      (32) 

When  the.se  Sanchita  and  Prarabdha  Karmas  are  destroyed  by 
bhoga  *  and  kno7vledge\  respectively  ;  how,  then,  can  their  use  be 
made  elsewhere,  viz.,  in  the  case  of  friends  and  enemies  ?  (33) 

S'ri  RSma  said : 

O  Hanuman  :  The  good  effects  of  those  Naimittika  Karmas 
(occasional  rites)  that  are  performed  befoie  and  after  the  dawn  of 
perfect  knowledge  with  the  only  idea  of  setting  an  example 
-to  the  people  J  not  being  worked  out  (by  himself)  nor  destroyed 
by  knowledge,  necessarily  go  to  his  friends.  (34  &  35) 

O  son  of  Marut !  The  bad  effects  of  those  Naimittika  Karmas  that 
are  performed  with  desire  and  without  the  idea  of  setting  an  exam- 
ple to  the  people,  and  that  are  never  performed  by  (perfect)  knowers 
of  SBI.F,  not  being  worked  out  (by  himself)  nor  destroyed  by  know- 
ledge, go  to  his  enemies.  (36  &  37) 

.  These  good  and  bad  effects,  being  distinct  in  themselves,  are 
not  included  in  those  of  Sanchita  Karmas,  nor  are  they  included  in 
those  of  PrSrabdha  Karmas,  nor  in  those  of  A'gSmi  Karmas.       (38) 


•  By  Bhoga  :  by  working:  out  or  by  underg^oing  the  karmic  effects. 

t  By  knowledge :  by  means  of  SELF-knowledge  which  ultimately  leiids  to 
higher  Samildhis  wherein  the  body  is  forgotten. 

XLokasangraha  Budhyaiva.  This  expression  is  rendered  by  some  as — *'  Hav- 
ing regard  only  to  the  keeping  of  people  (to  their  duties)  *'  aiid  by  others  s^s.-r- 
•*  for  the  protection  of  the  masses." 


680  The  Theosophist.  [August 

It  is  said  that  these  good  and  bad  effects  of  kannas  perfonned 
by  Paroksha-Jn&nins  (i.e,,  indirect  knowers  of  SKtP),  go  to  their 
friends  and  enemies  and  take  hold  of  them  half  way  (i.e.,  in  the 
course  of  life),  or  at  death.  (39) 

The  knower  of  Supreme-SELF  is  never  besmeared  with  these 
good  and  bad  kannas,  even  as  a  lotus  leaf  with  water,  as  they  are 
performed  for  the  sake  of  others.  (40) 

O  MSruti  !  The  Nitya  Karmas  that  are  performed  prior  to  the 
dawn  of  perfect  knowledge  are  coadjutors  in  the  acquisition  of  that 
perfect  knowledge  as  also  in  the  attainment  of  liberation.  (41) 

Hanuman  said  : 

It  is  proper  to  hold  that  Nitya  Karmas  assist  in  the  acquisition 
of  perfect  knowledge.  O  Raghava  !  it  is  nowhere  heard  that  they 
assist  in  the  attainment  of  liberation.  (42) 

As  fire  is  independent  in  (the  act  of)  burning  the  fuel,  and 
cooking  the  food,  even  so  is  perfect  knowledge  in  destroying  karmas 
and  effecting  emancipation.  (43) 

When  there  is  any  obstruction  to  knowledge  it  requires  the  help 
of  karma  (to  overcome  it).  Here,  in  the  case  of  the  unobstructed, 
how  can  there  be  any  need  for  help  ?  (44) 

How  can  there  be  any  fallacy  in  the  demonstrated  conclusion 
of  Vedanta  which  says  that  after  the  dawn  of  perfect  knowledge 
there  is  nothing  to  be  done  in  the  least  ?  (45) 

S'ri  Rama  said  : 

O  son  of  Anjana  !  In  consequence  of  the  fact  that  Jnanendriya 
(or  the  powers  of  the  organs  of  sense)  whose  formless  nature  is  not 
thoroughly  destroyed, 'Will  act,  in  all  possible  ways,  upon  their 
external  objects  of  perception,  the  knower  of  the  Self  should  (as  a 
child  is  fondled  by  keeping  it '  engaged  with  its  toys)  keep  them 
fully  interested  in  the  performance  of  Dharma,  ♦  KSma,  and  Artha 
necessarily  pertaining  to  (the  respective)  castes  and  orders  of  life, 
in  order  that  they  may  not  become  wa3rward.  (46  &  47) 

As  long  as  the  neutralisation  of  the  formless  nature  (of  the 
Indriy&s)  is  not  accomplished  by  means  of  SamSdhis,  so  long  does 
perfect  knowledge  certainly  require  the  aid  of  Nitya  Karmas.    (48) 

Hence  the  wise  need  not,  in  the  least,  perform  any  other  than 
Nitya  Karmas.  Thou  shalt  understand  that  the  teaching  of  the 
Vedanta  is  thus  free  from  fallacies.  (49) 

The  indulging  (keeping  occupied)  of  the  senses  which  naturally 

•  Dharma,  Artha,  K&ma,  and  Moksha  are,  termed  PurushArtha  (f>.,  the 
chief  aims  and  objects  in  the  life  of  a  man),  Dharma  refers  to  the  several  duties 
perlaininfi:  to  one's  stag^es  and  stations  in  life ;  Artha  is  well-earned  wealth,  physi- 
cal and  intellectual  ;  *  Kama  '  means  righteous  desires*  tea4>oral  and  spiritual ; 
and  Moksha  as  is  well  known,  is  freedom  from  misery  and   bondage. 


1901.]  Astrological  ^Warnings.  681 

run  after  their  objects,  with  karmas  pertaining  to  one's  own  order 
of  life,  leads*  to  the  highest  prosperity  (or  Bliss).  (50) 

If  karmas  corporeal,  verbal  and  mental  be  gradually  associa- 
ted with  perfect  knowledge,  then  such  association  itself  will  be  an 
ornament  to  the  knower  (of  Self).  fSi) 

That  most  excellent  knower  (of  Sei^f),  the  formless  nature  of 
whose  Chitta,  Prana  and  senses  has  been  neutralised,  is  never 
bound  by  these  injunctions  and  prohibitions.  (52) 

O  wise  one  !  If  there  be  the  least  desire  on  the  part  of  the 
knower,  for  the  enjoyment  of  Prarabdha,  then  understand  that  the 
performance  of  rites  pertaining  to  one's  own  order  of  life  becomes 
necessary.  (53) 

O  HanumSn  !  Retain  in  thy  mind  what  I  have  taught  thee, 
and  without  hesitation  question  me  again  on  questionable  (or 
doubtful)  points.  (54) 

Thus  in  the  glorious  Upanished  of  RA'MA  Gi'TA',  the 
secret  meaning  of  the  Vedas,  embodied  in  the  second 
Pdda  of  the  Upisan^  K^nda  of  Tatvasariyana,  reads  the 
tenth  chapter,  entitled : 

THE    YOGA    OF    DIVISION    OF    KARMAS* 

Translated  by  G.  Krishna  S'a'stri'. 
\Tlo  be  cgntimted,^ 


''ASTROLOGICAL  WARNINGS/' 

IN  the  Theosophical  Review  for  September,  1897,  Mrs.  Besant 
wrote  :  "  Every  occultist  recognises  the  importance  of  cycles, 
the  existence  of  certain  definite  periods  of  time,  which  announce 
themselves  in  the  lower  worlds  by  troubles,  or  by  favourable  condi- 
tions, as  the  case  may  be.  These  cycles  are  further  marked  by 
planetary  combinations  which,  seen  occultly,  are  the  forces  of  great 
spiritual  Beings  working  in  relation  to  each  other,  the  planets  of  the 
physical  plane  being  the  lowest  manifestations  of  these  Beings;  the 
magnetic  and  other  forces  that  radiate  from  them  being  as  definite  as 
those  that  radiate  from  the  physical  body  of  a  man.  The  *  magnetic 
field  *  of  such  an  entity  is  naturally  immensely  greater  in  area,  and 
the  energies  playing  over  that  area,  than  the  corresponding  mag- 
netic field  of  so  minute  and  feeble  an  organism  as  man,  and  the  effects 
produced  are  proportionately  great.  H.  P.  Blavatsky  often  spoke 
of  *  the  end  of  the  present  cycle,'  and  put  it  somewhat  vaguely  at 
different  times,  as  1897,  ^^  1897-98,  and  *the  end  of  the  century.* 
She  would  often  speak  of  the  importance  of  carrying  the  Theosophic- 

*  By  keeping  the  senses  (which  run  after  their  objects)  interested  in  objects 
chosen  by  the  individual  (in  accordance  with  tlie  S'astras),  he  is  bringing*  them 
under  control  and  can  gradually  lessen  the  number  of  objects  until  he  gains  com- 
plete command  over  them.  It  is  for  this  reason  that  at  a  certain  stage  K&mya 
karmas  are  dropped,  at  the  next  stage  the  Xaimitlikas  are  dropped,  and  at  the 
Inst  stage  even  the    Nitya   karmas   drop  off  themselves. 

6 


682  The  Theo sophist.  [August 

al  Society  througli  this  period,  of  holding  it  together  as    an  organic 
body  through  this  critical  time,  of  *  keeping  the  link  unbroken/  " 

A  study  of  the  planetary  conditions  that  prevailed  in  1897,  1898. 
and  1899,  show  us  why  our  honoured  teacher  spoke  of  these  dates  as 
she  did,  and  we  may  as  well  look  at  the  exact  facts.  On  Nov.  24th, 
1897,  five  **  planets  "—Saturn,  Mars,  Mercury,  Sun  and  Moon— are 
oTOuped  together  in  one  sign  ot  the  Zodiac,  Sagittarius.  On  Nov. 
30th,  1898,  the  Sun,  Mercury,  Venus,  Saturn  and  Herschel  (Uranus) 
are  grouped  in  Sagittarius ;  on  Dec.  3rd,  1899,  no  less  than  seven  are 
thus  grouped  in  Sagittarius— the  Sun,  Moon,  Mercur>%  Venus,  Mars, 
Saturn,  Herschel,  and  as  an  eighth,  the  Moon's  Node  (Rahu).  These 
extraordinary  conjunctions  of  the  heavenly  bodies;  such  as  have  not 
occurred,  it  is  said,  for  five  thousand  years,  completely  justifj^  H.  P. 
B's  warnings  of  troubles,  and  the  dates  she  gave.  Mr.  George 
Wright,  President  of  the  Chicago  Theosophical  Society,  who  gave  • 
me  at  my  request  the  above  exact  details,  writes  :  **  The  remark- 
able feature  is  that  from  Nov.  1897  to  Dec.  1899  the  planets  seem  to 
group  themselves  together,  culminating  in  the  grand  conjunction 
on  Dec.  3rd,  1899.  Hence  the  effects  of  the  cyclic  close  must  be 
lontJ-  drawn  out."  *'  The  world  has  already  been  showing  the  preHm- 
inary  S3anptoms  of  disturbance,  and  India — the  *  sacred  land '  of 
the  fifth  race — reeling  under  plague,  famine  and  earthquake,  is  re- 
ceiving the  full  brunt  of  the  torrent.  Darker  yet  looms  the  future, 
and  cyclonic  storm-clouds  lower  on  the  horizon  of  the  nations.*' 

I  am  indebted  to  Mr.  S.  Stuart,  of  New  Zealand,  for  the  follow- 
ing positions  of  the  planets  at  the  commencement  of  the  Kali  Yuga, 
more  than  five  thousand  years  ago  =  B.  C.  3102,  February  17th,  os., 
6h.  lom.  and  29s.  G.  M.  T.  or  apparent  midnight  at  Benares. 

Neptune    8*^    10'    7*^      Jupiter  lo^    15'  39"     Sun  10^      2'  45 

Uranus     it«      6'  43*'      Mars        9^    25'  16"      Mercurj^    9^    14'  56 
Saturn       9^      8'  16*^      Venus    lo^    14'  45*^      Moon        io«    13'  53" 

From  the  above  it  will  be  seen  that  the  'conjunction  was  a 
verj'  close  one,  and  that  it  occurred  in  Aries ;  a  ver)*  much 
closer  conjunction  than  that  of  the  3rd  December  last.  As  a  mat- 
ter of  fact,  the  congress  of  planets  in  Sagittarius,  of  December 
3rd  (it  was  too  outspread  to  be  called  .a  conjunction),  was  not  so 
close  as  a  similar  C07icu7sus  of  planets  in  Sagittarius  in  1485.  Such  a 
congress  of  planets  as  that  of  the  3rd  December  u.sually  occurs  at 
inter\^als  of  172  years,  more  or  less,  according  to  Mr.  S.  Stuart ; 
therefore  too  much  must  not  be  expected  from  its  occurrence,  such, 
as  for  instance,  the  hegemony  of  the  world  falling  once  again  to 
India.  The  men  who,  five  thousand  years  ago,  raised  Bharata 
Varsha  to  its  pinnacle  of  material  splendour,  are  now  incarnating  in 
the  European  races.  The  S'udras  of  the  time  of  the  '*  Five  Pandavas" 
are  now-a-days  the  Brahmans  and  Rajputs  of  Hindustaii.  It  is  no 
more  possible  to  revivify  a  deod  nation  than  to  bring  a  corpse  to  life : 


1901.]  Astrological  Warnings.  683 

even  though  Mrs.  Besaut  is  attempting  the  impossible,  at  Benares  * 
and  Europe  is  similarly  experimenting  with  Greece  and  Rome — 
how  unsuccessfully  is  shown  by  the  results  of  the  Greco-Turkish 
War  of  1897  and  the  Italian  disasters  in  Abyssinia  and  a  little  earlier. 

But  though  a  concursus  of  the  planets,  similar  to  that  of  the  3rd 
December,  occurs  much  more  frequently  than  once  in  five  thousand 
years,  still  these  planetary  congTeJises  are  always  the  precursors  of 
great  changes  in  the  world.  For  instance,  the  concursus  of  1485 
marked  the  expulsion  of  the  Moors  from  Spain,  the  discovery  of 
America  and  the  maritime  anabasis  of  the  European  Races,  the  con- 
quest of  Constantinople  by  the  Turks,  the  birth  of  Russia,  the  end  of 
the  War  of  the  Roses  in  Eugland,  and  many  another  event,  of  which 
w^e  are  experiencing  the  results  at  the  present  day.  Great  and  decisive 
battles  even  have  been  signalised  by  a  congress  of  planets,  such  as 
Trafalgar.  The  death  of  Nelson  occurred  at  4-30  p.m.  on  the  21st 
October,  1805,  when  Aries  23°  ascended  and  Capricorn  13°  culmi- 
nated, while  Mars,  the  lord  of  the  ascendant,  was  in  25°  Scorpip, 
the  sign  on  the  ascendant  at  Nelson's  birth,  and  in  the  eighth,  the 
house  of  death,  it  will  be  noticed  that  cardinal  signs  were  upon 
all  the  angles,  the  Moon  and  Mercury  17°,  Saturn  20°,  Uranus  22°, 
and  Sun  28^  Libra,  or  five  pjanets  setting,  all  in  the  cardinal  sign 
Libra.  Neptune  was  in  27 ^  Scorpio,  while  Venus  6°  and  Jupiter  7^ 
Sagittarius,  were  on  the  cusp  of  the  ninth  house.  Many  battles  too 
have  been  marked  by  eclipses,  from  Platoea,  which  freed  Europe 
from  an  Asiatic  yoke,  through  the  valour  of  the  ancient  Greeks,  to 
Isandula,  on  the  22nd  January,  1879,  when  the  Zulu  impis  won 
their  last  victory. 

Again,  congresses  of  planets  mark  the  life-time  of  great' 
souls,  of  which  we  have  just  had  an  instance  in  the  birth  and 
death  of  England's  greatest  Queen,  and  this  world's  noblest 
woman,  Victoria,  Regina  et  Imperatrix,  a  re-incarnation,  as  believed 
throughout  India,  of  Sita  Devi,  at  the  new  moon  of  April,  1821, 
Mercury  1°,  Jupiter  8°,  Saturn  15*,  and  Sun  and  Moon  12°  Aries, 
Moon's  node  (Rahu)  12^,  Mars  23**,  Venus  29°  Pisces,  with  Uranus 
and  Neptune  in  Capricorn.  The  5th  May  following  saw  the  death 
of  Napoleon  at  St.  Helena.  Later  on  came  the  independence  of 
Roiunania,  Servia  and  Greece  from  the  Turkish,  and  of  South  and 
Central  America  from  the  Spanish  yoke,  to  say  nothing  of  the 
invention  of  the  telegraph  and  steam  engine,  which  between  them 
have  revolutionised  the  world.  Albert  the  Good,  Prince  Consort, 
may  also  have  been  a  re-incarnation  of  Ramachandra,  the  divine 
hero  of  the  RamSyana,  of  whom  Tennyson  sung:  **  Wearing  the 
white  flower  of  a  blameless  life."  He  was  born  at  Rosenau  on  the 
26th  August,  1819,  with  the  Sun  and  Mercury  rising  in  Virgo,  and 
Gemini  6^  29'  culminating,  the  Queen's  exact  ascendant.    He  died 

•  [If  only  a  few  are  induced  to  make  a  stand  for  reform,  the  effort  will  not  be 
wasted.    Ed.  note.] 


684  The  Theosophist.  [August 

on  the  14th  December,  1861,  to  the  great  grief  of  the  whole  English 
worlfl.  At  the  new  moon  of  the  previous  5th  September  we  find 
the  Sun,  Moon,  Mercury,  Mars,  Jupiter  and  Saturn  in  Virgo,  his 
ascendant,  with  Venus  in  Libra,  and  Uranus  in  Gemini,  the  Queen's 
Ascendant.  If  England  never  suflSciently  honoured  him  whUe 
living,  "  the  heavens  at  least  have  declared  his  glory."  The  transla- 
tion of  Victoria,  the  Great  and  Good,  was  presaged  ty  the  fiery 
flames  in  the  sky  of  the  great  planetary  conjunction  of  the  3rd 
December,  1899,  upon  her  exact  descendant.  The  earth  honoured 
her  by  the  attendance  of  its  kings  and  princes  at  her  bier,  while  the 
heavens  honoured  her  by  the  assemblage  of  its  planetary  spirits, 
the  Celestial  Watchers,  in  that  most  occult  sign  of  the  Zodiac, 
Sagittarius. 

Before  coming  to  the  more  immediate  present  it  may  perhaps 
not  come  amiss  to  make  a  few  explanations.  The  cardinal  signs, 
Aries,  Cancer,  Libra,  and  Capricorn,  are  the  most  important,  and 
cif  the  four,  the  first  and  last  are  the  greatest,  Aries — ^as  the  as- 
cendant of  the  world,  and  Capricorn,  as  its  Zenith.  Mundane  As- 
trology, with  which  this  article  deals,  relates  to  the  forecasting  of  the 
great  events  and  changes  of  the  world.  Zadkiel  II.,*  in  his  "  Science 
of  the  Stars,"  in  my  opinion  the  most  reliable  of  the  astrol- 
ogers of  the  present  day,  and  a  pupil  of  Zadkiel  I.,  the  greatest 
astrologer  of  the  19th  century,  gives  the  following  methods : 
I.  "  By  casting"  figures  of  the  heavens  "for  the  moment  of  the 
Sun's  entry  into  the  cardinal  signs."  I  should  alter  this  into, 
the  Sun's  entry  into  Aries  only,  and  judge  of  the  importance 
of  the  figure  by  the  signs  on  the  ascendant  and  mid-heaven. 
'If  a  common  sign,  Gemini,  Virgo,  Sagittarius,  or  Pisces, 
ascended,  I  should  judge  that  the  year  would  be  an  uneventfiil 
one,  unless  other  testimonies  presented  themselves  in  the  way  of 
eclipses  or  conjunctions.  2.  "  By  casting  figures  of  the  heavens 
for  eclipses  of  the  sun  and  moon,  in  countries  where  they  are  visible." 
I  would  leave  out  the  last  part,  and  trouble  myself  merely  with  total 
solar  eclipses,  as  a  general  rule.  3.  "  By  marking  the  transits  of 
the  superior  planets  through  the  signs  of  the  zodiac."  I 
should  confine  myself  to  the  conjunctions  .  of  the  superior 
planets.  Nos.  4  and  5  refer  to  the  movements  of  the  fixed  stars 
and  of  comets,  which  either  occur  at  such  long  intervals,  or 
at  such  uncertain  intervals,  that  they  may  be  put  aside  for  the 
present.  It  is  true  that  a  comet  has  just  been  seen  in  the  Southern 
hemisphere,  but  it  will  be  weeks  3'et  before  sufficient  is  known 
about  it  to  make  prognostication  reliable  as  regards  its  advent 
Comets  are  usually  the  harbingers  of  war,  and  the  probability 
is  that  the  present  comet  will  prove  no  exception  to  the  general 
rule.    Zadkiel  omits  what  in   my  opinion  is  the  most  important 

*  Mr.  A.  J.  Pearce.    The  publishers  of  Zadkiel's  Almanac  are  Messrs.  Glen 
and  Co.,  14  Red  Lion  Court,  Fleet  Street,  London  B.C. 


1901.]  Astrological  VJ^arnings.  685 

of  all  the  methods,  the  observance  of  the  horoscope  of  the  ruler 
of  the  country,  and  noticing  how  it  is  affected  by  directions, 
transits,  conjunctions  and  eclipses.  At  the  present  time  London  is 
the  most  important  city  in  the  world,  and  its  ascendant,  Gemini  17^ 
20'  has  been  accurately  determined.  Nostradamus,  the  great  French 
astrologer  of  the  i6th  century,  and  Lilly,  the  great  English  astrol- 
oger of  the  17th  century,  accurately  predicted  the  Civil  War  and 
Beheading  of  Charles  I.,  and  the  Great  Plague  and  Great  Fire  of 
London,  from  the  passage  of  the  Fixed  Star,  the  Bull's  North  Horn, 
over  this  point  in  the  zodiac.  One  last  matter  has  to  be  borne  in 
mind.  Roughly  speaking,  a  degree  of  the  zodiac  is  equal  to  four 
minutes  of  time,  and  a  house,  or  sign  of  jthe  zodiac,'  to  two  hours. 
Twelve  noon  in  London  is  ten  minutes  past  noon  in  Paris;  12- 
54  P.M.  Berlin  ;  12-50  p.m.  Rome  ;  1-7  p.m.  Vienna ;  1-56  p.m.  Con- 
stantinople ;  2-2  P.M.  St.  Petersburg ;  1-14  p.m.  Cape  Town  ;  2-4  p.m. 
Cairo;  4-47  p.m.  Bombay;  5-22  p.m.  Madras;  5-54  p.m.  Calcutta; 
7-42  P.M.  Pekin ;  9-20  p.m.  Tokio  (Yeddo)  ;  7-4  a.m.  New  York; 
9-8  A-M.  Rio  Janeiro ;  5-24  a.m.  Mexico ;  7-6  a.m.  Buenos  Ayres  ;  and 
11-46  A.M.  Madrid. 

The  present  turmoils  that  afflict  the  nations  appear  to  have 
originated  with  the  China- Japanese  War  of  1894.  ^^  1893  there 
were  two  eclipses  of  the  sun,  the  total  solar  eclipse  of  the  i6th  April 
in  Aries  27^^,  and  the  annular  solar  eclipse  of  the  9th  October  in 
Libra  17^.  The  first  eclipse  was  important  because  it  was  total 
and  occured  in  Aries.  The  second  eclipse  was  merely  comple- 
mentary of  the  first  as  occuring  in  the  opposite  sign  of  the  zodiac. 
But  the  conjunction  of  Saturn  and  Mars  of  the  30th  October  follow- 
ing, was  important  as  occuring  in  the  Cardinal  sign  Libra,  18^ 
28'  at  G.  M.  T.  6-44  p.  M.  ;  and  the  annular  solar  eclipse  of 
the  6th  April  following  was  complementary  to  it.  Or  perhaps 
it  would  be  better  to  say  that  these  three  solar  eclipses  and  this 
conjunction  must  be  taken  together  to  determine  subsequent 
events  in  1894.  Now  it  will  also  be  found  that  in  eclipses 
Mars  is  the  detis  ex  machina  in  bringing  their  potentialities  into 
actual  being.  In  the  total  solar  eclipse  of  the  i6th  April  1893, 
G.  M.T.  2-34  p.  M.  we  find  at  Pekin,  10-14  p.  m.,  Sagittarius  loo 
ascending  and  Virgo  290,  culminating,  the  luminaries  in  Aries  26° 
49%  on  the  cusp  of  the  fifth  house,  with  Neptune  90  25'  and  Mars 
120  20'  Gemini  on  the  descendant,  the  house  of  war,  and  Saturn  8^  f 
Libra  in  the  mid-heaven.  In  the  solar  eclipse  of  the  9th  October 
following,  G.  M.  T.  8-27  p.m.,  we  find  at  Tokio,  or  Yeddo,  the  capital 
of  Japan,  5-47  a.  m.  Libra  i2<>  ascending  and  Cancer  14^  culmina- 
ting, with  Mars  4<>-5o',  Saturn  150  55' and  the  luminaries  160  46'  all 
on  the  ascendant.  At  the  conjunction  of  Mars  and  Saturn  on  the 
30th  October  following,  G.  M.  T.  6-44  p.m.,  we  find  these  two  plan- 
ets in  Libra  180  28'.  At  the  solar  eclipse  of  April  6th,  1894,  Pekin, 
1 1-45    a.m.,  we  find  Cancer  270  ascending  and  120  Aries  culminating 


686  I'll©  1*lieosophist.  [Augnst 

with  the  luminaries  iu  i6^  23'  Aries,  Saturn  in  Libra  22^  retrogra- 
ding in  opposition  to  them  in  the  fourth  house,  and  Mars  in  Aqua- 
rius 6^  11'  in  the  seventh,  the  house  of  war,  for  the  second  time.  War 
began  on  the  26th  July,  1894,  when  Mars  in  Aries  19^  arrived  at  the 
opposition  with  Saturn  in  Libra  19^  the  place  of  their  conjunction 
on  the  30th  October,  and  the  place  of  the  luminaries  on  the  9th 
October,  1893,  ^"^  "^  opposition  to  the  place  of  the.luminarieson  the 
6th  April,  1894. 

The  conjunction  of  Mars  with  Saturn  3-8  p.m.  on  the  5th 
November,  1895,  was  the  first  warning  the  heavens  gave  us 
of  the  Boer  War  that  began  four  years  later.  Aries  26^  ascend- 
ed and  Capricornus  10^  culminated,  while  no  less  than  six 
planets  were  in  Scorpio,  the  seventh  or  house  of  war,  Mercury  4^ 
50',  Moon  8^  36',  Mars  and  Saturn  11^33',  Sun  23^,  and  Uranus 
20^  26'  Scorpio.  This  conjunction  was  quickly  followed  by  the 
Jameson  Raid.  The  conjunction  of  Mars  and  Jupiter  took  place  on 
the  loth  October,  1899,  G.  M.  T.  11-12.  p.  m.,  Leo  4<^  ascending  and 
Aries  11^  culminating,  Mars  and  Jupiter,  13^  33'  Scorpio,  being  in 
the  fourth  house.  This  seems  to  show  that  the  ascendant  of  Pretoria, 
the  capital  of  the  Transvaal,  must  be  i2<>  Scorpio.  At  this  conjunc- 
tion, which  took  place  simultaneously  with  the  commencement  of 
the  war,  Uranus  in  Sagittarius  5^  26'  was  exactly  on  the  Queen's 
descendant,  while  Saturn  in  19^  Sagittarius  was  in  the  seventh 
house  of  the  royal  horoscope.  At  Pretoria,  at  1-33  A.  M.  on  the  nth 
October,  Capricorn  21^  42'  ascended,  Taurus  14^  34'  culminated, 
with  Mars  and  Jupiter  on  the  descendant.  Paul  Kruger  was  born 
on  the  loth  October,  1825,  when  Mars  and  Jupiter  were  conjoined 
in  Virgo,  so  this  conjunction  occurred  on  his  74th  birthday. 
Though  the  Transvaal  is  under  Scorpio,  the  rest  of  South  Africa  is 
under  Cancer.  The  following  were  born  when  the  Sun  was  in 
Cancer:  Rt.  Hon.  J.  Chamberlain  and  Cecil  Rhodes,  Lord 
Kitchener,  and  General  Symonds,  who  was  killed  at  Glencoe. 
In  1897  there  were  three  conjunctions  of  Saturn  and  Uranus— 
on  the  6th  January,  ist  Jiuie  and  9th  September,  in  27^ 
40',  26<>  26',  and  25^  35',  Scorpio.  These  three  conjunctions 
seem  also  to  have  forewarned  us  of  the  Boer  War,  since  the  for- 
mer conjunction  of  Saturn  with  Uranus  which  took  place  in 
Taurus,  2<>i7',  on  the  i6th  March,  1852,  was  followed  by  the  Crimean 
War,  which  began  on  the  27th  March,  1854,  the  Crimea  being  under 
Taurus,  the  interval  in  both  cases  being  the  same. 

A  few  words  as  regards  the  Spanish  Amercan  War  of  1898.  A 
conjunction  of  Mars  and  Saturn  occurred  on  the  27th  November 
1897,  in  Sagittarius  3^  32' ;  Spain  being  under  Sagittarius,  while  the 
U.  S.  A.  is  under  Gemini.  A  conjunction  of  Mars  with  Jupiter  took 
place  in  Cancer  2^  23',  on  the  26th  April,  1895,  ^^^  at  Havana  the 
conjoined  planets  were  in  the  seventh  house,  Cuba  revolted  against 
Spain  immediately  after   this  conjunction.    The  Spanish  American 


1901.1  Socialism  and  Theosoph>.  687 

war  commenced  with  the  destruction  of  the  Spanish  Fleet  at  Ma* 
nila  on  the  30th  April,  1898,  when  Mars  in  Aries  1°  was  in  exact 
opposition  with  Jupiter  in  I^ibra  1^.  On  the  arrival  of  Mars  in  Gemini 
3^  32',  on  the  24th  July,  in  exact  opposition  to  the  place  of  the  con- 
junction of  the  27th  November  previous,  fighting  ceased  with  the 
capture  of  Santiago  de  Cuba  and  Manila,  and  the  destruction  of 
Admiral  Cervera's  Fleet. 

The  total  eclipse  of  the  Sun,  of  the  22nd  January,  1898,  occurred 
in  the  mid-heaven  of  the  Queen's  horoscope,  Aquarius  2^  21',  and 
proved  as  evil  as  all  its  predecessors.  The  cycle  of  eclipses  is  19 
years.  On  the  22nd  January,  1879,  occurred  the  disaster  in  Zululand. 
On  the  22nd  January,  i860,  we  were  just  beginning  another  war  with 
China.  On  the  22nd  January,  1841,  we  had  the  Cabul  disaster, 
and  another  Chinese  war  on  our  hands.  At  the  moment  of  New 
Moon  at  Pekin,  3-10  p.m..  Cancer  9^  24'  ascended,  Pisces  18^  23' 
culminated,  the  luminaries  were  in  the  eighth  house,  and  Mars  in 
the  seventh  house,  in  Capricorn  15^  11'.  The  Queen  died  on  the 
third  anniversary"  of  this  eclipse,  the  22nd  January.  1901. 

Thomas  Banon. 
( To  be  conchided.) 


SOCIALISM  AND  THEOSOPHY. 
\^Co7icl'nded  from p,  620.] 

IN  all  these  objects  I  have  named,  we  recognise  noble  altruistic 
work  and  true  brotherliness,  in  working  for  others.  I  take  it 
that  the  5''oungest  socialist  does  not  expect  to  live  to  see  the  **  State 
Pension"  department  in  full  operation.  He  is  therefore  working 
unselfishly,  and  without  hope  of  personal  reward. 

If  one  student  of  Theosophy,  and  a  socialist  before  he  was  a 
theosophist,  finds  himself  so  much  at  one  with  Socialism,  the  ques- 
tion may  be  asked,  wherein  lies  the  difference  between  the  two  ?  So 
far,  many  of  their  ideas  must  be  in  liarmony.  while  they  tend  towards 
brotherhood.  It  appears  to  me  that  the  works  of  the  Theosophical 
Society  will  be  far  reaching :  still  the  work  done  by  the  socialist,  in 
endeavouring  to  gain,  for  each  member  of  the  community,  equal 
material  opportunities — for  that  is  the  beginning  and  end  of  it — has 
pointed  the  way  to  Brotherhood  on  the  material  plane,  and  thus  has 
been  preparing  the  way  for  the  theosophic  idea  of  Universal  Bro- 
therhood. Just  as  the  higher  criticism  prepared  the  way  for  the 
theosophic  student's  researches  into  other  religions  ;  as  the  work 
of  the  scientific  evolutionist  did  for  certain  far  reaching  theories 
of  ev^olution  taught  in  theosophic  writings. 

The  theosophic  student  says  that  our  social  conditions  are  of 
our  own  making,  and  that  they  are  what  the  race  in  the  past  has 
made  them — and  that  each  individual  lias  had  a  share  in  the  making. 

In  claiming  consideration  for  the  theor}'  of  the  pre-existence  of 


683  The  Theosoj^hist.  [August 

the  soul  of  the  individual,  he  believes  he  oflFers  the  key  to  the  true 
solution  of  social  questions.  Education  therefore  in  the  teaching 
of  karma  and  reincarnation  would  go  far  to  hasten  the  appreciation  of 
certain  social  problems.  And,  in  directing  attention  to  these  laws, 
I  believe  I  am  indicating  a  factor,  so  powerfully  educative,  that  the 
socialist  cannot  aflford  to  ignore  it. 

I  hold  that  every  man  and  woman  is  more  or  less  a  socialist  at 
heart,  at  least  as  regards  being  able  to  appreciate  the  possibility  of 
an  ideal  commonwealth. 

If  not,  how  comes  it  that  such  ideals  when  placed  before  them, 
in  works  like  More's  "  Utopia,"  Bacon's  **  New  Atlantis;"  I^ytton's 
•*  Coming  Race,"  and  Bellamy's  **  Looking  Backwards,"  find  at 
once  a  warm  appreciation,  and  almost  every  one  who  reads  them  is 
ready  to  exclaim  :  *'  Would  I  were  a  citizen  of  such  a  nation." 

This,  says  the  theosophist,  is  simply  an  echo  from  far  oflF  times 
when  he  did  live  in  such  a  golden  age,  and  there  lives  in  his  soul  a 
memory  of  it. 

The  series  of  articles  on  Ancient  Peru,  by  our  friend  Mr.  C.  W. 
I^adbeater,  which  were  published  sometime  ago  in  the  Tkeosopkical 
Review y  are  exceedingly  interesting  reading,  and  they  will  probably 
be  issued  in  book  form.*  Many  of  you  I  am  sure  will  like  to  hear 
something  about  these  social  conditions  14,000,  years  ago — you  can 
study  the  details  later  on  for  yourselves. 

Land  was  di^'ided  into  two  equal  portions — one  half,  .public ; 
the  other  half,  private. 

The  public  land,  was  again  divided  into  two — one  portion  was 
called,  ''  The  I^nd  of  the  Sun,"  and  the  other,  "  The  King's  Land." 

It  was  cultivated  thus  :  Fitst,  **  The  land  of  the  Sun  ;"  secondly, 
**  The  Private  land "  belonging  to  the  individual ;  lastly,  "  The 
King's  Land." 

The  **  Private  Land"  was  divided  annually  among  the  people  with 
the  utmost  fairness,  each  adult  having  exactly  the  same  proportion, 
men  and  women  sharing  alike;  although  the  men  only  did  the 
work  of  cultivation.  The  individual  was  free  to  do  anything  he 
liked  with  his  own  portion,  except  leave  it   uncultivated. 

The  work  on  the  "  Land  of  the  Sun"  and  the  **  King's  Land" 
appears  to  have  taken  the  place  of  taxes — indeed  were  the  taxes. 

The  **  Land  of  the  Sun"  was  under  the  care  of  the  Priests, 
and  from  its  revenue  was  provided  : — 

(i)  Public  worship  throughout  the  whole  state.  This  included 
buildings,  and  everything. 

(2)  Free  Education  to  the  entire  youth  of  the  Empire,  male 
and  female.     Not  merely   elementary  education,   but  a  technical 


length 


•  [As  Mr.  Leadbeater's  *'  Notes  on  Ancient  Peru"  were  discussed  at  some 
.,th,  in  the  early  issues  of  this  vohime  of  The  Theosophist,  in  a  series  of  articles 
on  **  Theosophy  and  Socialism,"  by  Mr.  A.  E.  Webb,  only  a  brief  summary  of 
the  chief  points  in  Mr,  Leadbeater's  "Notes"  is    here   given.— Ed.  note.] 


1901.]  Socialism  and  Theosophy.  689 

training    that  carried  them  through  years  of  close  application  up  to 
the  age  of  20,  and  sometimes  beyond. 

(3)  Entire  charge  of  all  sick  people.  Any  one  becoming  unfit 
for  work,  became  what  was  called  a  "  Guest  of  the  Sun."  He  was 
freed  from  all  state  duties ;  attendance,  medicine,  food,  were  all 
supplied.  If  married,  his  wife  and  family  also  came  under  the  same 
charge  till  his  recovery. 

(4)  The  entire  population  (except  the  oflBcial  class)  over  the  age 
of  45,  were  all  "  Guests  of  the  Sun."  It  was  considered  that  one  who 
had  served  the  state  from  20  to  45  years— that  is,  for  25  years— had 
earned  rest  and  comfort  for  the  remainder  of  his  life.  He  could 
continue  working  if  he  pleased,  but  that  was  his  private  concern. 

Members  of  the  official  class  did  not  retire  from  active  service 
at  45  except  through  illness,  nor  did  the  Priests  themselves.  It  was 
felt  in  these  two  classes,  that  the  experience  and  wisdom  of  age 
were  too  valuable  not  to  be  utilised  to  the  full.  They  generally 
died  in  harness. 

The  "  King's  Portion"  was  used  as  follows : 

(i)  The  entire  machinery  of  Government  was  kept  up,  and  all 
salaries  and  expenses  were  paid  out  of  this  fund. 

(2)  He  executed  all  the  great  public  works  of  the  empire,  the 
mere  ruins  of  which  still  make  us  wonder.  These  consisted  of  the 
wonderful  roads  which  joined  city  to  city  and  town  to  town  ;  bridge- 
building  ;  and  the  splendid  series  of  aqueducts,  which  carried  water 
to  the  remotest  corners  of  an  often  sterile  countr}'. 

(3)  He  built  and  kept  always  filled,  a  series  of  huge  granaries, 
established  all  over  the  Empire.  The  rule  was,  that  there  should 
always  be  two  years*  store  of  provision  for  the  whole  nation.  This 
was  to  provide  against  the  failure  of  rain,  and  therefore  famine. 

(4)  He  kept  up  his  army,  a  highly  trained  one ;  but  it  was  util- 
ised for  many  purposes  of  public  service  besides  protecting  the 
country  from  the  neighbouring  and  less  civilised  tribes. 

Mr.  Leadbeater  tells  us  that  these  notes  on  Ancient  Peru  are  the 
result  of  first-hand  clairvoyant  investigation.  That  they  are  true 
history,  not  a  condition  of  things  that  might  be,  but  a  condition 
that  has  been— the  conditions  the  student  of  Socialism  is  striving  for 
now.  It  is  almost  superfluous  to  point  out,  that  every  object  I  quoted 
to  you  from  the  objects  of  the  *'  Independent  Labour  Party,"  is 
covered  in  the  conditions  of  Government  said  to  have  existed  in 
Ancient  Peru. 

Every  child,  whatever  might  be  his  birth,  had  the  opportunity 
of  being  trained  ;  to  join  the  governing  class,  if  he  wished,  and 
his  teachers  approved.  The  training  for  this,  however,  was  exceed- 
ingly severe,  and  high  qualifications  were  required.  The  instruc- 
tors were  always  on  the  lookout  for  children  of  unusual  ability,  in 
order  that  they  might  be  trained  for  this  arduous  position. 

•  The  religion  of  this  ancient  people  seems  to  have  been  of  a 
7 


690  The  Theosophiat.  [August 

very  simple  kind.  Although  generally  called  **  Sun  Wordiip," 
Mr.  Leadbeater  appears  to  think  that  they  did  not  worship  the 
Sitn — it  was  simply  used  as  a  symbol. 

Their  public  services  were  of  the  simplest  character.  Praise  was 
offered  daily  to  the  **  Spirit  of  the  Sun,"  but  never  prayer ;  because 
they  taught  that  the  Deity  knew  better  th^n  they  did,  what  was  re- 
quired for  their  welfare. 

If  any  of  you  think  you  would  be  interested  in  a  Peruvian 
Sermon  14,000  years  old,  you  will  find  one  in  Mr.  Leadbeater's  notes. 
I  think  it  would  be  difficult  to  improve  upon  it  to-da}-. 

So  far,  the  socialist  seems  to  leave  the  question  of  religion 
serenely  alone  (and  it  may  be  wisely),  but  it  is  a  factor  in  man  s 
life  which  cannot  be  ignored.  The  devotional  side  of  man's  nature 
must  in  the  vast  majority  of  cases  be  provided  for.  Our  own  Chris- 
tian Religion  will,  like  other  forms  of  faith,  undergo  changes  in  the 
course  of  time.  What  these  changes  are  likely  to  be,  is  uncertain 
at  present,  but  the  Theosophical  Society  in  encouraging  the  study 
of  Comparative  Religions  is  doing  a  good  work  here,  and  preparing 
for  them.  Even  now  we  are  learning  that  no  religion  has  a  monopoly 
of  truth,  and  the  student  of  Theosophy  is,  by  his  studies,  learning 
this,  if  anything,  rather  quicker  than  other  people. 

And  he  looks  forward  with  hope  to  the  future,  believing  that 
nothing  is  wasted  in  the  divine  economy  of  nature*  Therefore,  the 
almost  blind,  unreasoning  faith,  which  our  Western  civilization  has 
developed  tor  so  many  cei^turies,  will  yet  bear  good  fruit. 

When  we  are  able  to  appreciate  our  individual  responsibility  in 
ALL  things,  to  ourselves  and  to  others,  we  shall  exercise  that  faith 
we  have  developed,  by  having  faith  in  ourselves  and  each  other— 
and  in  our  own  and  each  others'  work. 

Then  the  change  that  will  be  wrought  in  our  social  con- 
ditions will  be  rapid  and  far  reaching.  And  when  the 
golden  age  returns,  as  return  it  must,  it  will  be  found  that  neither 
the  socialist  nor  theosophist  aloiie^  has  been  the  work^,  but 
they  have,  with  others,  only  been  doing  their  share,  in  the  direction 
each  found  best  suited  to  his  ability  and  character. 

In  the  meantime  none  of  us  can  afford  to  ignore  any  work  we 
see  going  on  around  us.  It  takes  little  time  to  investigate  it  now-a- 
days,  opportunities  are  so  readily  given,  and  when  examined,  if 
found  to  be  in  harmony  with  the  special  work  each  has  set  before 
himself,  then,  without  leaving  that  to  which  we  have  set  our  hand, 
we  can  help  other  work  by  sympathy,  and  if  need  be,  on  occasion^ 
defend  it  against  misrepresentation — and  sometimes  even  worse. 

I  think  our  investigations  have  gone  to  prove  that,  so  far  as  the 
Socialist  and  Theosophist  are  both  working  towards  the  recognition 
of  the  Brotherhood  of  Humanity,  nothing  but  sympathy  can  exist 
between  them. 

»  R,  T,  Patesson* 


691 


THE  PRESIDENT'-FOUNDBR'S  AMERICAN  TOUR. 

COI<.  OLCOTT'S  tour  in  the  States  has  been  one  long  and  joyous 
success.  Landing  in  San  Francisco  after  a- visit  to  Honolulu, 
he  has  at  this  date  (June  20)  stayed  and  lectured  in  Los  Angeles,  San 
Diego,  Sacramento,  Portland,  Tacoma,  Seattle,  Vancouver,  Butte, 
Helena,  Sheridan,  Denver,  Lincoln,  Minneapolis,  St.  Paul,  Chicago, 
Freeport,  and  Streator.  San  Francisco  and  Chicago  had  each  three 
weeks,  giving  time  for  ample  Branch  work  and  many  public  lectures. 
Now  are  to  follow  Muskegon,  Saginaw,  Lansing,  Toledo,  Cleveland, 
Dayton,  Washington,  and  Philadelphia.  The  later  route  was  to 
have  been  Toronto,  Boston,  Newton  Highlands,  Holyoke,  and  Onset, 
thus  carrying  his  dates  towards  the  latter  part  of  August,  but  it  now 
looks  as  if  important  business  may  require  his  sailing  JFor  South 
America  at  an  earlier  date,  losing  thereby  the  last-named  towns. 
So  valuable,  however,  has  been  shown  this  American  work  that  the 
Col.  thinks  seriously  of  a  return  to  the  States  next  year,  that  tour  to 
include  many  plaoes  necessarily  omitted  at  present. 

It  is  hardly  possible  to  over-state  the  contribution  of  the  Col.  to 
Theosophic  strength  and  work  in  this  country.  There  was  the  pres* 
ence  of  the  President-Founder,  a  celebrity  who  attracted  newspaper 
attention  and  lecture-attendance  at  every  point,  reaching  hundreds 
who  otherwise  knew  Theosophy  only  by  name.  There  was  the  mes. 
sage  from  one  who  knew  the  inner  and  outer  history  of  the  Theosoph- 
ical  Society  and  could  controvert  the  painful  burlesques  imperii 
ling  its  mission  ;  whose  vast  experience  \\nth  men  and  affairs  and 
High  Teachers  equipped  him  with  facts  and  memories  and  auec« 
dotes  to  illuminate  every  point  and  enrich  every  lesson  ;  whose 
copious  wisdom  fitted  him  for  exactly  the  counsel  needed  in 
Branch  difficulties  and  individual  perplexities.  Then,  too,  were  the 
information  and  the  charming  interest  of  his  public  discourses,  de- 
lighting and  edifying  the  thousands  who  attended.  And  pervading 
all  was  the  genial  kindness  of  a  soulful  nature,  captivating  F.  T.  S. 
and  outsiders,  arousing  enthusiasm  and  evoking  friendliness  and 
awakening  sympathy.  Thus  in  each  of  his  three-fold  capacities  as 
official,  teacher,  and  friend,  the  Col.'s  presence  has  been  everywhere 
a  stimulus  and  a  benediction. 

The  Annual  Convention  was  naturally  the  culminating  scene. 
The  delegations  were  unusually  large  and  the  enthusiasm  percepti- 
bly warm.  In  his  peculiarly  happy  way  the  Col.  hastened  along 
the  purely  business  matters,  while  delighting  every  member  with 
his  felicitous  remarks  and  methods.  Appealing  to  the  Convention 
for  gifts  to  fill  up  the  depleted  treasury,  he  himself  headed  the 
subscription  paper,  Mr.  Leadbeater  followed,  and  then  a  long 
stream  of  donorb  raibcd  the  total  to  ^Gj^,    The  Wednesday  evening 


692  The  Theosophist.  [August 

address  to  Branch  members  was  to  a  densely-packed  hall,  and  upon 
the  most  interesting  subject  of  "  The  Masters,"  facts  about  Them 
and  reminiscences  of  H.P.B,  enriching  the  whole.  At  the  Sunday 
evening  public  lecture  in  Steinway  Hall  scores  of  people  stood 
throughout,  the  stage  was  covered  with  chairs,  and  300  persons 
were  turned  away.  I^ter  lectures  by  the  Col.  alone  were  largely 
attended,  one  of  them  clearing  $100  above  expenses,  though 
tickets  were  at  the  low  price  of  25  cts. 

Of  course  the  advent  of  the  President- Founder  of  theTheo- 
sophical  Society  could  not  fail  to  stir  up  the  enemies  of  Theosophy 
and  the  T.S.  The  experience  in  San  Diego  was  amusing,  "  The 
lyeader  and  Official  Head  "  of  the"  Universal  Brotherhood,"  alias 
"  The  lyeader  of  the  Theosophical  Movement  throughout  the 
World,"  alias  **  Purple  "  and  "  Promise,"  was  profoundly  aggrieved 
at  such  an  appearance  near  Point  Loma,  the  sacred  spot  where  the 
*'  Leader  "  resides  and  where  the  ashes  of  H.P.B.,  captured  from  the 
American  Section,  are  exhibited  to  tourists  at  25  cts,  a  head. 
Owners  of  halls  were  warned  (as  in  the  case  of  Mr.  I^eadbeater)  not 
to  rent  them  for  the  CoU's  lectures,  counter  attractions  were  rapidly 
organized  at  great  expense,  a  public  meeting  in  memory  of  W.  Q. 
Judge  !was  prepared,  and  the  **  Leader  "  announced  that  "  $600 
had  been  spent  to  down  Leadbeater,  and  $1,000  would  be  spent  to 
down  old  Olcott."  But  it  would  not  seem  that  these  investments 
had  been  entirely  remunerative.  Fair  audiences  attended  both 
Mr,  L.  and  Col.  O.,  and  very  good  newspaper  notice  was  given  to 
each.  The  Branch  was  stimulated  and  has  taken  a  new  hall. 
Strange  that  the  spectacle  of  a  lecturing  Theosophist  should  so 
excite  a  **  leader "  !  One  thinks  of  Virgil  and  his  '*  Can  there 
be  such  anger  in  celestial  minds  ?  " 

Of  course  newspaper  treatment  of  the  CoU  has  not  been  everj- 
where  wholly  commendator>\  The  press  has  not  yet  accepted 
Reincarnation,  and  some  editors  are  still  sceptical  as  to  the  possibili- 
ties of  Mesmeric  Healing.  But  the  vast  number  of  articles  upon  and 
portraits  of  Col.  Olcott,  the  copious  space  given  to  interviews  and  to 
reports  of  his  lectures,  and  the  kindly  tone  of  the  journalists,  are 
particularly  cheering  at  this  era.  For  they  demonstrate  two  things : 
firsl,  that  interest  in  Theosophic  doctrine  has  by  no  means  died  out 
in  this  country,  though  comparatively  little  effort  to  promulgate  it 
has  of  late  been  possible  ;  second,  that  the  obloquy  thrown  upon 
Theosophy  and  the  T.  S.  by  the  impostures  and  caricatures  since 
1895  is  sensibly  moderating.  The  public  teachings  by  Mr.  Lead- 
beater and  Col.  Olcott  at  this  time  are  of  peculiar  value  in  hastening 
that  process,  and  certainly  the  most  devoted  workers  in  the  Section 
have  some  plausible  reasons  for  supposing  that  the  tour  of  each  was 
prompted  by  Those  who  know  times  and  seasons  and  the  hour  when 
such  work  will  be  most  efficacious  and  most  enduring. 

A,  F. 


693 


tibcoeopbi?  in  all  !!Lan^0* 


EUROPE. 

London,  June  jSt/iy  icpi. 

The  chronicler  has  no  startling  events  to  relate  this  month ;  the 
usual  round  of  activities  proceeds  except  the  Sunday  evening  lectures, 
which  are  in  abeyance  for  the  summer  season.  The  Monday  '  at  homes' 
have  been  well  attended  and  seem  to  meet  a  want.  Lodge  lectures  have 
been  given  regularly  in  the  different  centres  as  usual  and  some  of  our 
speakers  have  been  in  requisition  for  lectures  in  connection  with  a  new 
movement  called  the  *  Higher  Thought  Centre' — we  certainly  claim  that 
Theosophy  can  place  some  "higher  thought"  before  those  who  are* 
ready  to  receive  it.  It  is  now  becoming  not  at  all  uncommon  for  several 
of  our  members  to  be  asked  to  give  a  presentation  of  Theosophy  in  con^ 
nection  with  different  intellectual  movements,  and  it  is  certainly  more 
pleasant  to  give  where  there  is  a  consciously  felt  want  rather  than  where 
the  giving  is  resented. 

Before  my  next  letter  we  shall  have  had  our  Annual  Convention  at 
which  we  expect  the  presence  of  Mr.  Leadbeater  after  his  long  sojourn 
in  America.  The  usual  meetings  have  been  arranged  for  and  we  hope 
that  a  successful  gathering  lies  before  us. 

The  following  is  from  a  popular  scientific  weekly  paper,  and  is  not 
without  interest  to  students  of  the  ''Secret  Doctrine"— time  will  uji* 
doubtedly  make  known  much  that  has  been  hidden  among  the  steppes 
and  deserts  of  Western  Asia  : 

Are  the  long  buried  cities  of  the  plain  to  be  untombed  ?  If  scriptural  history 
and  tradition  are  right  this  result  is  among  the  probabilities,  according  to  recent 
scientific  investigation  made  in  the  sunken  valley  of  the  Dead  Sea,  wliere  the 
buried  cities  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah  lie.  The  great  feature  of  the  Dead  Sea 
tiasin  is  its  level,  below  that  of  the  ocean*  According  to  careful  measurements 
that  level  has  been  slowly  rising  for  some  years,  and  the  rise  has  now  become  so 
marked  that  persons  familiar  with  the  region  can  plainly  recognise  it  by  ordinary 
observation*  This  rising  is  more  strongly  apparent  round  the  mouth  of  the  Jordan, 
near  where  the  scripture  narrative  places  the  cities  that  were  destroyed  by  fire  in 
the  days  of  Abraham.  Here  on  the  north  side  of  the  Jordan  delta,  a  broad  lagoon 
has  been  formed,  the  water  of  which  does  not  sink  in  summer,  and  there  is  every 
evidence  that  the  entire  bottom  ot  the  sea  is  rising.  If  this  elevation  continues  it 
is  quite  certain  that  the  buried  ruins  will  in  time  show  themselves. 

My  next  paragraphs  are  from  a  daily  paper  and  relate  to  astronomical 
matters  ;  in  both  it  will  be  seen  that  scientific  suggestions  are  travelling 
in  the  direction  of  occult  teaching  and  the  first  extract  possesses  the 
additional  interest  of  referring  to  the  entirely  altered  attitude  which 
science  is  adopting  towards  matters  of  religious  belief  : 

Birth  OF  Worlds  : — Sir  Robert  Ball  gave  special  interest  to  the  annual  meet- 
ing of  the  Victoria  lubtitute  yesterday,  by  a  charming  discourse  on  the  *'  Origin  of 
New  Stars.*'  The  Nova  Pcrsci,  which  appeared  bO  suddenly  in  February,  and  has 
disappeared  so  mysteriously,  furnished  the  text   of  the  theme,    6ir  Robert  adopts 


694  The  Theosophist.  [August 

the  theory  that  the  flashing  brilliancy  of  the  celestial  visitor  was  the  result  of  a 
collision  of  two  bodies  moving  with  enormous  but  different  velocities.  The  spectra 
taken  by  Father  Sidgrcaves,  of  Stonyhurst,  showed  that  one  at  least  was  a  mass  of 
blazing  incandescent  hydrogen,  the  other  being  probably  a  dark  body.  The  collision 
might  not  be  a  direct  encounter;  a  mere  grazing  contact  developing  enormous 
tidal  action  would  account  for  the  effects.  The  Lowndean  Professot  threw  on  the 
screen  photographs  to  show  that  in  almost  ev^ry  part  of  the  heavens  vast  nebulae 
are  revealed  by  the  camera,  all  of  thenr  probably  suns  in  the  process  of  making. 
Fully  half  of  these  are  spiral  nebulae,  in  which  Laplace's  great  conception  of  the 
formation  of  suns  and  planets  seems  to  be  in  course  of  realisation.  Nothing  is 
fixed ;  the  heavens  we  sec  have  been  pretty  much  the  same  since  the  days  of 
Homer  and  Job  ;  but  they  were  not  the  same  always.  If  the  ichthyosaurus,  say, 
ten  million  years  ago,  turned  that  wonderful  eye  of  his  to  the  skies,  he  saw  hardly 
one  of  the  stars  we  see.  Endless  motion;  endless  change.  All  this  led  fhc  Pro- 
fessor to  the  conclusion  that  there  was  a  time  when  these  things  bad  a  begin- 
ning—a  time  when  forces  of  which  science  knew  nothing  began  this  vasit  universe. 
The  annual  report,  read  by  Professor  Hull,  F.  R.  8.,  referred  with  gratification  to 
*  the  fact  that  men  like  Sir  G.  Stokes,  the  Lord  Chancellor,  Lord  Kelvin,  and  other 
leaders  of  thought  "  were  devoting  their  time  voluntarily  to  the  Institute's  work,  as 
one  potent  for  good  results  in  banishing  that  spirit  of  unbelief  which  has  professed 
to  be  founded  on  science." 

**  To  astronomers,  professional  and  amateur,  the  face  of  the  sun  is  now  a  sub- 
ject of  interesting  observation.  It  is  thought  that  the  solar  orb  has  recently  pass- 
ed through  a  minimum  sun-spot  epoch.  On  May  19  a  large  spot  became  visible 
in  (solar)  latitude  9  deg.  north,  continued  on  view,  on  the  side  of  the  sun  turned  to 
the  earth,  until  the  end  of  the  month,  and  was  brought  into  sight  again  faist  week 
by  the  sun's  rotation.  Usually  these  spots,  which  form  one  of  the  unsolved  mys- 
teries attaching  to  our  bright  particular  star,  begin  between  30  deg.  and  42  deg. 
north  or  south  of  the  sun's  equator  and  they  are  generally  small  and  endure  only 
for  a  few  days.  Others,  larger  and  longer-lived,  follow  until  in  four  or  five  years  a 
maximum  is  reached,  when  the  spots  are  profuse  and  lie  in  two  belts  or  zones  on 
either  side  of  the  equator,  with  a  mean  latitude  of  10  deg.  N.  or  S.  From  this 
condition  there  is  a  gradual  decline  for  six  or  seven  years  to  another  minimum, 
when  the  solar  face  is  nearly  free  from  blemishes.  The  present  large  spot  is 
rather  abnormal  at  this  stage  of  the  cycle.  There  is  a  hypothesis  which,  however, 
requires  more  evidence  in  its  support,  that  the  attractions  of  the  planets  may  cause 
tidal  movements  in  the  sun's  vast  flaming  atmosphere,  and  30  bring  about  these 
strange  appearances*  Those  who  favour  the  idea  may  think  that  as  Jupiter, 
Saturn  and  the  earth,  have  lately  been  nearly  in  a  line,  their  united  pull  may  have 
produced  the  effect  now  observed." 

Occultism  would  support  the  idea  that  there  is  a  very  close  con- 
nection between  planets  and  sun  spots,  although  perhaps  not  quite  in 
the  way  suggested.  But  the  '*  Secret  Doctrine ''  certainly  affirms  of  what 
we  call  gfravitation  that  it  is  near  akin  to  magnetism ;  science  confirms 
the  fact  that  there  is  an  apparent  connection  between  sun  spots  and  the 
earth's  magnetic  currents,  and  if  readers  will  recall  the  suggestion  of 
Prof.  J.  J.  Thompson,  referred  to  in  my  letter  in  the  June  Theosophist, 
they  will  see  a  still  greater  interest  in  the  above  extract. 

And  I  have  j-et  another  cutting  to  send  this  month— this  time  from 
a  widely  read  Sunday  paper,  with  sporting  and  dramatic  tendencies— 
the  Referee,  The  issue  of  June  2nd  had  the  following  at  the  conclusion 
of  a  quite  lengthy  and  readable  article  on  dreams  ; 

And,  after  all  this,  I  have  but  indicated  the  kernel  of  my  theme.  Is  It  the  body 
or  the  boul  that  dreamb  ?  That  ib  the  qucbtion,  and    I  could  offer  an    unhesitating 


1901.]  Reviews.  695 

answer  to  it,  in  one  word,  if  it  were  not  for  the  fear  of  carrying  the  untrained  in* 
telligrence  too  far.  Yet,  after  all,  why  should  one  bite  hesitatingly  at  the 
bone  of  truth  for  fear  of  setting  the  teeth  of  imitating  youth  ajar?  The  word 
is— Both.  It  is  one  of  the  most  curious  things  observable  in  this  modern 
world  that  whilst  ninety-nine  men  in  a  hundred  will  indignantly  rebut  the 
accusation  of  infidelity,  the  same  majority  will  dispose  themselves  to  laughter 
when  a  man  who  processes  to  think  on  scientific  lines  accepts  any  of  the 
doctrines  which  are  offered  in  the  Books  on  which  they  build  their  creed.  The 
average  Christian  is  as  ignorant  of  the  Books  which  embody  his  belief  as  he 
would  be  if  they  were  written  in  untranslated  Sanskrit.  He  sneers  at  the  organic 
foundations  of  his  own  faith,  and  stares  with  eyes  of  wonder  at  the  man  of  science 
who  finds  even  a  partial  truth  in  them.  If  there  is  no  such  thing  as  telepathy, 
and  no  such  power  as  hypnotism,  and  no  such  faculty  as  that  of  prevision,  the 
whole  creed  of  Christianity  is  based  on  falsehood*  Yet — so  strangely  are  the 
tables  turned  within  the  last  half-century — the  Christian  believer  is  the  mocker 
at  the  foundational  creeds  of  his  own  faith,  and  the  scientific  thinker  is  the  re- 
storer of  the  Christian  dogma,  which  he  strove  to  destroy  so  brief  a  while  ago. 

After  this  who  will  say  that  ideas  for  which  the  Theosophical 
Society  has  been  pleading  and  striving  are  not  beginning  to  permeate 
the  fabric  of  modern  society.? 

A.  B.  C. 


NEW  ZEAIvAND  SECTION. 

Branch  activities,  classes  and  public  meetings  continue  to  be  held 
with  unfailing  regularity,  and  are  well  attended. 

In  Auckland,  owing  to  Mr.  Draflfin's  illness,  the  ladies*  meetings 
are  taken  by  Miss  Davidson,  and  are  still  held  every  month.  The 
ladies'  meeting  in  Wellington  continues  with  success,  and  Dunedin  has 
also  started  this  form  of  activity,  the  meetings  being  taken  by  Miss 
Christie. 

Mr.  S.  Stuart  lectured  in  Auckland  on  June  3rd  to  a  good  audience, 
his  subject  being  **  Evolution.'* 


Reviews. 


FRAGMENTS  OF  A  FAITH  FORGOTTEN.* 
We  must  apologise  to  the  Publishers  for  the  long  time  which  has 
elapsed  between  the  receipt  of  the  copy  of  Mr.  Mead's  book  and  the 
appearance  of  this  Review,  but  the  book  was  appropriated  by  the  office 
people  and  sent  to  a  customer  and  we  have  only  now  discovered  the 
fact  and  secured  a  copy.  It  is  always  of  interest  to  our  members  when 
an  F.  T.  S.  devotes  himself  to  a  special  line  of  study  or  investigation, 
with  a  view  to  proving  the  underlying  unity  of  all  religions,  their 
common  origin,  and  the  fact  that  behind  all  these  movements  stand 
those  Great  Souls  who  watch  over  the  development  of  mankind  and  who, 
by  reason  of  Their  great  love,  are  called  the  Elder  Brothers  of  Humanity. 
Especially  valuable  is  this  new  work  by  Mr.  Mead,  because  it  will  bring 
before  the  masses  of  the  Western    world,  who  are  chiefly  Christian  in 

*.    By  G.   R.  S.  Mead,  b.a.,  yLondon  :    Theosophical  Publishing    Society, 
Price  Rs.  7-14. 


696  The  Theosophist,  [August 

religious  thought,  and  therefore  generally  antagonistic  to  Eastern  ideas, 
the  real  truths  taught  by  the  Christ  to  his  disciples— a  higher,  or  more 
esoteric  doctrine,  than  that  taught  openly  to  the  masses.  And  throug^h 
its  words  our  brothers  of  other  religions  may  come  to  see  that  the  real 
teachings  of  the  Christ  are  immeasurably  higher  than  the  limited 
views  usually  presented  to  them.  Mr.  Mead  is  a  scholar  of  great  ability, 
a  man  of  keen  intellect,  and  to  his  work  he  brings  the  greater  insight 
gained  through  theosophical  study  and  a  wide  sympathy  for  the  truth, 
in  whatever  form  it  may  be  clothed.  In  the  introduction  Mr.  Mead 
saj'S : 

Can  any  one  who  keenly  survey  the  signs  of  the  times  doubt  but  that  now,  at 
the  dawn  of  the  twentieth  century,  among  Christian  nations,  the  general  oature 
of  thought  and  feeling  in  things  religious  is  being  quickened  and  expanded,  and 
as  it  were  is  labourinj^  in  the  pains  of  some  new  birth  ?  And  if  this  be  ao^  why 
should  not  the  twentieth  century  witness  some  general  realization  of  the  long 
deferred  hope  by  the  souls  that  are  to  be  bom  into  it  ?  Never  in  the  Western 
world  has  the  general  mind  been  more  ripe  for  the  birth  of  understanding  in 
Tilings  religious  than  it  is  to-day;  never  have  conditions  been  more  favourable  for 
the  wide  holding  of  a  wise  view  of  the  real  nature  of  the  Christ  and  the  task  He  is 
working  to  achieve  in  the  evolution  of    His  world-faith. 

Of  the  purpose  of  his  work,  the  author  says  : 

Our  present  task  will  be  to  attempt,  however  imperfectly,  to  point  to  certain 
considerations  which  may  tend  to  restore  the  grand  figure  of  the  Great  Teacher 
to  its  natural  environment  in  history  and  tradition,  and  disclose  the  intimate 
points  of  contact  which  the  true  ideal  of  the  Christian  religion  has  with 
the  one  world-faith  of  the  most  advanced  souls  of  our  common  humanity—in 
brief,  to  restore  the  teaching  of  the  Christ  to  its  true  spirit  of  universality.  Not 
for  one  instant  would  we  try  to  lessen  the  reverence  and  the  love  of  any  single 
soul  for  that  Great  Soul  who  watches  over  Christendom  ;  our  task  will  rather  be 
to  point  to  a  soil  in  which  that  love  can  flourish  ever  more  abundantly,  and  ever 
more  confidently  open  its  heart  to  the  rational  rays  of  the  Spiritual  Sun. 

Of  the  method  of  comparing  one  religion  with  another,  he  says : 

The  one  Religion  flows  into  the  hearts  of  men  and  the  light-stream  poun 
its  rays  into  the  soil  of  human  nature.  The  analysis  of  a  religion  is  therefore  an 
analysis  of  human  kind.  Every  great  religion  has  as  manifold  expressions  as  the 
minds  and  hearts  of  its  adherents. 

There  are  three  main  divisions  of  the  book.  The  first  section  Mr. 
Mead  has  called  *'  The  Gnosis  according  to  its  foes,"  and  it  consists  of 
"  some  Gnostic  fragments  recovered  from  the  Polemical  writings  of  the 
Churoh  Fathers,"  together  with  traditions  of  the  Christ  and  the  man 
Jesus.  In  the  second  portion  we  find  those  interesting  and  instructive 
short  essays  concerning  Gnostics  and  their  teachings  which  appeared 
in  The  Theosophical  Review,  The  third  portion  the  author  calls  "  The 
Gnosis  according  to  its  friends,'*  audit  consists  of  translations  of  old 
manuscripts,  or  summaries  of  their  contents. 

In  the  short  "  Afterword  "  the  author  says,  speaking  of  these  writers 
called  Heretics  by  the  church  : 

We  have  for  some  short  hours  been  privileged  to  enjoy  converse  with  those 
who  loved  and  love  the  Master,  With  their  words  still  ringing  in  our  ears»  with 
the  life  of  their  love  still  tingling  in  our  veins,  how  can  we  venture  to  speak  ill  of 
them  ?  "  Come  unto  Me,  ye  weary  !  '*  In  such  a  light  of  love,  how  shall  we  finJ 
the  heart  to  condemn,  because  they  went  out  unto  Him  with  all  their  being? 


jnOl.]  Reviews.  697 

And  again  : 

How  long  must  it  be  before  we  learn  that  there  are  as  many  ways  to  wor- 
ship God  as  there  are  men  on  earth  ?  Yet  each  man  still  declares  :  My  way  is 
best,  mine  is  the  only  way.  Or  if  he  does  not  say  it,  he  thinks  it.  These  things, 
'tia  true,  transcend  our  reason  ;  religion  is  the  something  in  us  greater  than 
oiir  reason,  and  being  grrater  gives  greater 'satisfaction.  If  it  be  true  that  we  have 
lived  for  many  lives  before,  in  ways  how  many  must  we  not  have  worshipped  God 
or  fiuled  to  do  so  ?  How  often  have  we  condemned  the  way  we  praised  before  ! 
Intolerant  in  one  faith^  equally  intolerant  in  another,  condemning  our  past 
selves ! 

And  he  concludes  with  the  following  : 

What,  then,  think  ye  of  Christ  ?  Must  He  not  be  a  Master  of  religion,  wise 
beyond  our  highest  ideals  of  wisdom?  Does  He  condemn  His  worshippers 
because  their  ways  are  diverse ;  does  He  condemn  those  who  v/orship  His  Breih- 
ren,  who  also  have  taught  the  way  ?  As  to  the  rest,  what  need  of  any  too  great 
precision  ?  Who  knows  with  the  intellect,  enough  to  decide  on  all  these  high 
subjects  for  his  fellows  ?  Let  each  follow  the  Light  as  he  sees  it — ^there  is  enough 
for  all;  8%)  that  at  last  we  may  see  **  all  things  turned  into  light — sweet,  joyous 
light."  These,  then,  are  all  my  words,  except  to  add,  with  an  ancient  Coptic 
scribe,   **  O  Lord  !  have  mercy  on  the  soul  of  the  sinner  who  wrote  this*" 

A  large. bibliography  is  appended. 

N.  K.  W. 


THE  SONG  OF  UFB. 
In  this  little  volume  the  author,  Charles  Johnston,  presents  to  the 
public  another  contribution  to  Oriental  literature.  The  book  is  divided 
into  two  portions.  The  second  is  a  free  translation  of  the  3rd  and  4th 
Br4hmanas  of  the  4th  chapter  of  Brihadiranyaka  Upanishad.  There 
are  several  explanatory  additions  to,  as  well  as  omissions  from,  the  text. 
The  translation  conveys  very  well  the  meaning  of  the  verses  but  is  not 
in  zny  sense  a  correct  rendering  of  the  Sanskrit.  The  first  part,  under 
the  title,  **The  mystery  Teaching,*'  is  a  modem  rendering  of  the 
teachings  of  the  Upanishad.  There  are  many  beautiful  thoughts,  aptly 
expressed,  as  one  would  expect  of  Mr.  Johnston,  and  reminding  one 
somewhat,  in  style,  of  Emerson.  He  speaks  of  two  worlds  in  which 
men  live  ;  the  physical,  a  "  land  of  dreams  and  the  shadows  of  desires," 
and  the  higher,  into  which  we  enter  during  sleep,  the  "  realm  of 
immortal  will.''  Beyond  the  former  stands  the  "gate  of  peace.  All 
men  enter  there  and  all  creatures.  Were  it  not  so,  all  men  must  go 
mad."  But  *'  we  come  back  again  shivering  across  the  threshold,  and 
hasten  to  wrap  our  pure  divinity  in  a  mist  of  dreams."  Refreshed  by 
this  stay  in  the  immortal  world  we  again  take  up  the  struggle.  "  We 
strain  and  stagger  under  the  burden  of  our  dreams,  driven  by  hope  and 
fear,  by  desire  and  hate.  Fear  is  the  keenest  scourge  of  all ;  making 
us  cowards,  it  makes  us  also  cruel.  Thus  we  fall  away  from  our 
divinity."  Of  the  overcoming,  he  says  :  *' Our  genius  bids  us  gather 
power  and  conquer  fear"  first,  and  all  "the  army  of  dreams"  will 
disband.  And  of  the  end  :  "  When  we  unseal  the  inner  fountain  of 
knowledge,  its  waters  will  never  more  cease  to  flow  into  our  hearts, 
bringing  life  and  light  and  everlasting  3'outh.  Many  old  and  well- 
guarded  secrets  will  come  to  us  ^nd  reveal  themselves  in  the  twilight 

8 


a08  The  Theoaophist.  [August 

Stillness.  Deathlessness  we  know  to  be  ours  ;  and  gradually  the  mists 
begin  to  lift  from  tlie  infinite  army  of  years  we  have  lived,  from  the 
endless  days  that  are  to  come.  By  entering  the  Soul  we  have  lifted 
ourselves  aboye  the  narrow  walls  of  this  one  life,  and  it  no  more 
tyrannises  over  us  with  loud  insistence  as  before."  This  is  the  first 
task.  The  second  is,  to  find  the  work  we  best  can  do.  The  third  is 
greatest.  "We  are  to  perfect  our  oneness  with  the  Soul,  to  break  down 
all  barriers,  to  draw  into  our  wills  the  powers  of  the  Most  High,  not  fof 
our  own  purposes,  but  for  everlasting  ends ;  to  draw  ever  towards  the 
lyight,  not  for  guidance  along  our  pathway,  but  for  the  Light." 

N.  E.  W. 


MAGAZINES. 

In  The  Theosophical  Review  (July)  Mrs.  Besant  concludes  her  ven- 
instructive  series  of  papers  on  "Thought-power,  its  Control  and  Cul- 
ture." She  first  explains  how  others  may  be  helped  by  our  loving, 
concentrated  thought,  which  maj'  be  made  to  affect  not  only  those  who 
are  living,  but  the  so-called  dead  also,  and  this  latter  class  even  more 
readily  than  those  who  still  inhabit  earthly  forms.  * 

"  Tfiought-work  out  of  the  bodj^"  or  while  our  bodies  are  asleep,  is 
ne3ct  considered,  and,  further  on,  '*  The  power  of  combined  thought." 
In  her  concluding  remarks  Mrs.  Besant  says  : 

*'  We  cannot  help  thinking  to  some  extent,  however  weak  the  thought 
currents  we  generate.  We  must  affect  those  .iround  us,  whether  we  will  or  not ; 
th«  only  question  we  have  to  decide  is  whether  we  will  do  it  beneficially  or 
mischievously,  feebly  or  strongly,  driftingly  or  of  set  purpose.  We  cannot  help 
the  thoughts  of  others  touching  our  minds  ;  we  can  only  choose  which  we  wil 
receive,  which  reject.** 

We  must  choose,  and  the  importance  of  the  choice  is  shown  to  be 
indescribably  great.  The  publication  in  book  form,  of  the  series  just 
completed,  will  be  anxiously  awaited.  Mrs.  Louisa  Williams  next  offers 
an  able  plea  for  "  The  Wider  Tolerance,"  and  says  : 

If  the  higher  teachings  of  Theosophy,  with  the  **  doctrine  of  the  heart/'  are 
to  travel  no  further  than  the  head,  if  they  are  to  lodge  always  in  the  brain,  we 
can  know  nothing  of  the  Wider  Toleration,  and  while  we  exhaust  the  mental  enerp\' 
and  fret  the  nervous  system  for  the  sake  of  untying  metaphysical  knots,  wo 
might  also  find  it  well  to  be  replacing  the  habit  of  criticism  by  the  habit  of  appro- 
bation. The  arid  atmosphere  of  criticism  and  depreciation  of  personalities  dries 
us  into  mummies  and  shuts  us  into  coffins  of  our  own  manufacture. 

We  beg  to  add  our  emphatic  approval  of  the  foregoing  thought.  Mr. 
Mead,  in  continuation  ofhis  New  Testament  researches,  discusses  "The 
Fourth  Gospel  Problem,"  and  leaves  it  open  for  further  research.  The 
question,  **  Is  Pain  Gain  ?"  is  ably  handled  by  Caroline  Cost.  '*Thc  Ex- 
cellent  Versatility  of  the  Minor  Poet,"  is  another  of  Michael  Wood's 
well-told  stories.  Mr.  Bertram  Keightley  gives  an  instructive  historical 
sketch  of  "Guru  N4nak,  the  Founder  of  the  Sikh  Religion."  Mrs- 
Carbett,  in  her  paper  on '*  Dharma,  or  Eastern  and  Western  Ideals," 
ofifers  some  very  important  thoughts  for  consideration.  W.  C.  Ward's 
contribution,  "  On  Love,"  which  is  "  from  the  Greek  of  Platinus  "  is 
commenced  in  this  issue.  "  The  Atonement  of  Antoine  Despord^"  is  a 
short  story  illustrating  karmic  retribution,  by  A.  Sylvester  F^kser. 


1901.]  Reviews.  69^ 

Tkeoso^hy  in  Australasia  (June)  presents  some  very  good  ideas  to 
its  readers,  in  "The  Outlook,"  "  Theosophy  and  Science,'*  by  H.  W, 
Hunt,  points  out  the  diflference  between  the  methods  of  Eastern  and 
Western  scientists,  alludes  to  the  conflicts  which  have  waged  between 
religion  and  science,  and  notes  the  unifying  influence  of  Theoeophic 
ideas.  '*  Theosophy  and  German  Mythology,'*  by  H.  A.  Wilson,  shows 
by  numerous  quotations  from  Teutonic  mythology  that  the  germs  of 
Theosophic  thought  were  manifest  in  this  ancient  literature.  "  Death 
and  Separation"  is  a  thoughtful  article  by  W.  G.  John. 

The  New  Zealand  Theoso^kical  Magazine,  contains  a  valuable  con- 
tribution—^' No  Cross,  No  Crown"  -by  Elizabeth  W.  Bell ;  alsoja  further 
instalment  of  Helen  Thome's  instructive  article — "  Theosophj*  applied 
to  the  Education  of  Children." 

July  Theosophic  Gleaner  opens  with  the  first  instalment  of  an  article 
on  ''Jainism  and  Buddhism,"  by  N.  A.  The  variotis  selections  which 
follow  are  well  chosen. 

The  June  number  of  the  Reuue  Theosopkique  opens  with  the  traiuila- 
tion  of  Mrs.  Besant's  "  Problems  of  Morality."  Dr.  Pascal's  third  lecture 
of  the  2nd  series,  follows.  "  Upon  Karma,"  by  E.  Syflfert;  "Traces  of 
the  submerged  continents  "  (trans.)  by  W.  C.  Worsdell ;  an  essay  by  Ch. 
Blech ;  the  continuation  of  clairvoyance,  and  notes  and  reviews  complete 
the  contents. 

With  the  May  issue,  Theosophia  begins  its  tenth  volume.  We  wiBh 
it  continued  success.  Among  the  contents  we  note :  Reports  of  White 
LotuB  day  meetings ;  "  A  Fragment  of  Occult  Truth,"  by  H.  P.  B., 
Translated  from  the  T^^^jj^/^^'j-/ ;  the  first  portion  of  the  translation  of 
'*The  Path  of  Discipleship  ;  "  "Something  about  self-control,"  by 
H.  Laon  ;  ^'  The  Social  Idea  and  its  adherents,"  by  P.  P.  Snoep. 

Sophia  :  Madrid.  The  June  issue  contains  a  further  instalment  of 
**  Thought  Power;  its  control  and  culture;"  the  conclusion  of  the 
article  on  Homeopathy,  by  D.  Jos€  Meli&n ;  the  Geneva  conference 
lecture  ;  "  The  Idyll  of  the  White  Lotus  ;  "  the  objects  and  rules  of  the 
society  now  formed  in  Spain  to  popularize  the  idea  of  cremation,  and 
notes  and  reviews. 

Teosofia :  June.  The  first  essay  is  by  Dr.  X.  Y.,  on  *'  Life  in  Crystals." 
The  essays  of  the  previous  number  are  continued  and  notes  on  the 
Theosophical  movement,  complete  the  number. 

The  Cenir'Ol  Hindu  College  Magazine  presents  an  attractive  table  of 
contents  for  July,  and  has  an  able  corps  of  contributors.  It  deserves  a 
very  wide  circulation. 

The  Arya  for  June  opens  with  a  paper  on  "True  and  False  Ideas  of 
Work  and  Conquest,"  by  Professor  K.  Sundararama  Aiyar,  M.  A.  This 
is  followed  by  articles  on  ''  Count  Tolstay  and  his  influence  on  modem 
European  Thought,"  "  The  Small-Pox  Goddess,"  **  Anecdotes  of  Kam- 
ban,"  "The  Arya  Catechism,"  **  The  Aryan  System  of  Caste,"  "  The 
Castes  during  the  Vedic  Period,"  and  other  matter. 

Acknowledged  with  thanks :  The  Theosophic  Messenger^  Ike  Goideu 
Chain,  Light,  The  Banner  of  Light,  The  Harbinger  of  Light,  The  Retnew 
of  Reviews t  The  Metaphysical  Magazine,  Mind,  The  New  Century,  The 
Phren^gical  J<mmal^  The  Arena,  Health,  Modern  Medicine,  The  Lighi 
of  I>uiii,  The.  LdgM^oftke  East^  Dawn,  The  Indian  yfturnalof£dt$(n»0mn, 


TOO  The  Theosophist.  [August 

Ike  Christian  College  Magazine,  The  Brahwavddifi^  The  Brahmach&Hv, 
Notes  and  Queries^  The  Buddhisty  Journal  of  the  Maha-  Bodhi  Soaety, 
The  Forum,  Prabuddha  Bhdrata,  Bulletin  de  L' Institut  Psychologiqtu 
International,  Bulletin  de  la  Socidti  D'  Ethnographie,  Theasophiscker 
Wegweiser. 


c< 


CUTTINGS  AND  COMMENTS. 

ThoughtSi  like  the  pollen  of  flowerS|  leave  one  brain  and  fiuten  to  anoth;'^r." 


The  following  touching  paragraph  contributed 
Modem         bj'  Helen  Keller,  the  blind,  deaf  mute,   to  the  New 
Education.       Yo^k  Sunday  Journal  of  April  28th,   seems  to  in- 
dicate that  there  are  several  screws  loose   in  our 
modem  educational  system.    She  says  : 

There  are  disadvantages  I  find  in  going  to  college.  The  one  I  feel 
most  is  lack  of  time.  I  used  to  have  time  to  think,  to  reflect— my  mind 
and  I.  We  would  sit  together  of  an  evening  and  listen  to  the  inner  melo- 
dies of  the  spirit  which  one  hears  only  in  leisure  moments,  when  the 
words  of  some  loved  poet  touch  a  deep,  sweet  chord  in  the  soul  that  had 
been  silent  until  then.  But  in  college  there  is  no  time  to  commune  with 
one's  thoughts.  One  goes  to  college  to  learn,  not  to  think,  it  seems. 
When  one  enters  the  portals  of  learning,  one  leaves  the  dearest 
pleasures— solitude,  books  and  imagination — outside  with  the  whisper- 
ing pines  and  the  sun-lit,  odorous  woods. 

What  a  saddening  commentary  on  the  popular  educational 
methods  of  to-day  I  The  divine  treasures  whidi  lie  hidden  within 
the  storehouse  of  the  soul  are  being  smothered  b}'  a  continual 
*'  cramming "  and  in-pouring  process,  instead  of  being  careftdly 
nurtured  and  called  forth  into  bloom. 


•  • 


The  following,   reproduced  in   the  Madras  Law 
A  very  novel   Journal  for  July  1900,  from  the  Albany  Law  Journal, 
action,  may  prove  of  some  interest  to  readers  of  the  Theoso- 

phist'. 

*'  One  of  the  most  novel  and  curious  actions  at  law  we  have  come 
across  for  some  time  originated  not  long  ago  in  Stroudsburg,  Pa. 
Among  the  residents  of  that  city  is  the  Rev.  E.  E.  Dixon,  who,  in  a 
public  prayer,  invoked  the  divine  vengeance  upon  a  brewety  that  had 
been  erected  in  that  town.  In  his  prayer  the  Rev.  Dixon,  after  calling 
down  curses  upon  Uie  aforesaid  brewery  and  its  proprietors,  according 
to  newspaper  reports,  specifically  urg^d  God  to  strike  it  with  lightning. 
Sure  enough,  not  long  afterward,  during  a  violent  storm,  a  bolt  from 
heaven  struck  and  partially  wrecked  the  building  ;  thereupon  the 
owners  brought  a  suit  for  damages  against  Mr.  Dixon,  claimmg  that 
through  his  mtercession  and  appeals  tne  divine  wrath  had  been  brought 
down  upon  their  property.  The  clergyman,  in  his  answer,  it  is  tmoer- 
stood,  puts  fordi  the  claim  that  he  should  not  be  held  responsible  for  an 
act  of  divine  providence,  and  this  is  the  novel  question  with  which  the 
court  will  be  compelled  to  wrestle.  Such  a  plea  would  seem  to  indicate 
a  woful  lack  of  faith  in  the  power  of  prayer,  yet  perhaps  it  was  the 
i  only  plea  he  was  able  to  make  under   the  circumstances.    The  Ixial  of 

\  this  novel  suit,   if  it  ever  comes  to  trial,   ought  to  prove  decidedly 

'  interesting.    The  Good  Book  tells  us  that  all  that  one  needs  in  order  to 

have  one's  prayers  answered  is  faith.  Did  the  Rev.  Dixon  possess  it  ?  And 
!  was  that  faith  potential  in  calling  down  the  divine  vengeance  upon  the 

brewery  referred  to,  or  was  its  destruction  so  soon  after  the  prayer  a 


1901.]  Cuttings  and  Conautndnts.  701 

mere  coincidence-  -one  of  those  strange  correspondences  with  which 
the  busy  world  is  filled  ?  Here  is  a  question  which  is  calculated  to  cause 
the  average  juryman's  hair  to  turn  gray.*' 

O.  V.  N. 


•  • 


A  LiTBRARY  Curiosity. 

The  following  is  the  last  effort  of  the  genius  who 

Afiltan^s        gave  to  the  world  that  greatest  epic  in  the  English 

LMsi  Poem,      tongne,  "  Paradise  I/)st."    This  poem  is  not  now  to 

be  found  in  any  existing  edition  of  the  works  of  the 
immortal  John  Milton.  I  am  credibly  informed,  besides,  that 
neither  Trinity  College,  Dublin,  the  British  Museum,  nor  the  Uni- 
versities of  Oxford  or  Cambridge,  possess  a  copy  of  the  poem  which 
is  given  below.  Yet  it  was  certainly  found  among  Milton's  papers 
after  his  death,  and  was  actually  included  in  an  early  but  incom- 
plete Oxford  edition  of  the  poet's  works,  of  which  but  a  limited 
number  were  issued,  and  which  has  been  for  many  years  out  of 
print.  The  late  Rev.  Mr.  Crook,  d.d.,  who  was  for  some  time  editor 
oiXhe  Methodist  Evangelist,  favourably  reviewed  the  poem  in  the 
columns  of  that  journal  a  quarter  of  a  century  ago,  and  replied  to 
certain  critics  who  declared  it  unworthy  of  the  poet's  great  genius. 
The  son  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Crook,  who  is  now  a  well-known  Professor 
of  Trinity  College,  Dublin,  had  the  appended  copy  of  the  poem  sub- 
mitted to  him  a  few  days  since  and  wnen  he  had  read  it  he  declared 
that  he  was  aware  that  his  father  had  reviewed  it  over  twenty-six 
years  ago,  and  was  firmly  of  the  opinion  that  its  authenticity  was 
beyond  question,  although  it  is  not  now  to  be  found  in  any  known 
or  existing  edition  of  Milton's  works : — 

I  am  old  and  blind. 

Men  point  at  me  as  smitten  by  God's  frown 
Afflicted  and  deserted  of  my  kind, 

Yet  am  I  not  cast  down. 

I  am  weak— j'et  strong ! 

I  murmur  not  that  I  no  longer  see. 
Poor,  old,  and  helpless,  I  the  more  belong 

Father  Supreme,  to  Thee  1 

Oh  !  Merciful  One  ! 

When  men  are  furthest,  then  Thou  art  most  near. 
When  friends  pass  by,  my  weakness  shun, 

Thy  chariot  I  hear. 

Thy  glorious  face 

Is  leaning  towards  me,  and  its  holy  light 
Shines  in  upon  my  lonely  dwelling-place, 

And  there  is  no  more  Night. 

On  my  bended  knee 

I  recognise  thv  purpose  clearly  shown, 
Myvision  thou  hast  dimmed  that  I  may  see 

Thyself— Thyself  alone ! 

I  have  naught  to  fear. 

This  darkness  is  the  shadow  of  Thy  wing, 
Beneath  it  I  am  almost  sacred— here 

Can  come  no  evil  thing. 

Oh !  I  seem  to  stand 
Trembling,  where  foot  of  mortal  ne'er  hath  been  j 


702  The  Theosophlst.  [Auguit 

Wrapped  in  the  radiance  of  Thy  wondrous  hand, 
Which  ej'e  hath  never  seen. 

Visions  come  and  go  ! 

Shapes  of  resplendent  beauty  round  me  throng- : 
From  angel  lips  I  seem  to  hear  the  flow 

Of  soft  and  holy  song. 

It  is  nothing  now, 

When  Heaven  is  opening  on  my  sightless  eyes  ; 
When  airs  from  Paradise  refresh  my  brow, 

That  earth  in  darkness  lies. 

In  a  purer  clime, 

M}'  being  fills  with  rapture  ;  waves  of  thought 
Roll  in  upon  my  spirit:  strains  sublime 

Break  over  me  unsought. 

Give  me  now  my  lyre, 

1  feel  the  stirrings  of  a  gift  divine, 
Within  my  bosom  elows  unearthly  fire, 

Lit  by  no  skill  ofmine. 

John  Mii^ton. 

That  this  poem  should  have  escaped  the  notice  of  those  who 
have  compiled  his  works  seems  extraordinary,  and  I  believe  I  do  a 
service  to  English  literature  in  rescuing  the  verses  from  oblivion.— 

Madras  McM. 

*  • 

Indian  journals  have  of  late  contained  various 

Thecattse        articles  relating  to  Prickly  Heat  and  its  cure,    which 

and  cure  of     have  attracted  considerable  attention  among  those 

Prickly  Heat,     who  suffer  from  this  annoying  inflammation   of  the 

skin.  Major  R.  R.  H.  Moore,  \L.  D.,  R,  A.  M.  C,  of 
Barrackpore,  Bengal,  writes  to  the  /oumai  of  Tropical  Medidtu. 
stating  that  he  first  received  considerable  relief  from  this  skiu 
irritation  by  using  cocoanut  oil  carefiilly  rubbed  in.  Some 
months  afterwards  his  attention  was  called  to  an  article  in 
the  same  journal,  by  Mr.  Frederick  Pearse^  and,  on  reading  it  he 
*•  was  thereby  encouraged  to  use  the  oil  more  extensively  and  to 
abandon  the  use  of  soap  in  the  bath.  Since  then  I  have  been  able 
to  keep  free  from  prickly  heat,  though  living  in  the  steamy  climate 
of  I^wer  Bengal."  Mr.  Pearse's  conclusion  is  that  **  Soap  is  only 
required  when  bathing  is  neglected,"  and  as  everybody  in  hot 
climates  bathes  once  or  twice  a  day,  it  is  quite  unnecessary.  Major 
Moore  says,  fresh  cocoanut  oil  has  no  offensive  smell,  and  if  only  a 
small  quantity  is  used  and  it  is  thoroughly  rubbed  in,  it  is  all 
absorbed  by  the  skin  and  the  clothing  is  not  soiled  by  it. 

A  correspondent  who  has  tried  Major  Moore*s  method,  writes  to 
a  contemporar>%  as  follows : 

'*  Some  years  ago  I  took  to  using  a  certain  kind  of  soap  in  the  bath, 
and  thought  I  had  discovered  a  treasure.  Each  one  has  to  gain  his  experi- 
ence. I  believe  now  that  this  soap  should  only  be  used  for  washing 
clothes  !  After  a  time  I  developed  a  rash  all  over  the  body.  My  doctor 
blamed  the  soap,  and  advised  other  skin-soaps,  such  as  lanoline,  in  its 
place.  He  at  the  same  time  told  me  that  for  many  years  he  had  entirely 
given  up  the  use  of  any  soap,  and  had  found  great  benefit  from  its 
abandonment.  He  used  a  bath-sponge  and  faoe-spoojge  freely,  rubbed 
with  plenty  of  cold  or  warm  water,  according  to  the  time  of  the  year.  I 
founa  the  skin  inflammation  left  me  as  soon  as  I  took  to  sponging  with 
clean  water  free  from  soap.    Later  on,  I  used  the  best  Italian  olive  oil 


mOl.]  Cuttings  and  Comments.  703 

for  rubbing  into  the  skin,  as  Major  Moore  does  with  cocoanut  oil,  but  I 
had  to  give  it  up  owing  to  the  diminutive  red  house- ant.  These  little 
pests,  attracted  Dy  the  smell,  got  into  my  clothes-basket  in  hundreds,  and 
made  my  shirts  unwearable.  They  ate  them  into  holes.  I  still  keep  up 
my  bath .  and  face-sponging  without  soap,  and  I  suffer  no  more  from 
prickly  heat  or  smy  other  skin  inflammation,  even  in  the  liottest,  muggi- 
est Bombay  weather. 

The  basis  of  all  soaps  is  an  alkali,  usually  soda.  It  is  emulsified 
with  fats  or  oils  of  sorts*  and  is  commonly  employed  in  the  form  of  sili- 
cate  of  soda  or  water-glass,  which  gives  a  soft  feel  to  the  water 
when  used  in  moderate  proportion.  But  the  action  of  the  alkali 
is  to  poison  the  skin  by  corroding  away  and  prematurely  remov- 
ingf  the  natural  oil  which  is  always  exuding  from  the  healthy  skin. 
The  abstraction  of  this  oil  makes  the  skin  dry  and  hard,  and  causes 
the  excessive  perspiration  from  which  we  suffer  by  the  endeavour  of 
Nature  to  replace  the  oil  which  has  been  so  improperly  removed.  The 
conclusion  1  have  come  to  is  that  rubbing  with  oil  is  needless,  and  that 
the  full  benefit  of  the  bath  is  got  by  vigorous  sponging  with  cold  or 
warm  water,  according  to  the  climate  or  one's  likings.  Each  one  has  to 
judge  for  himself  in  these  things.  Pure  water  is  the  universal  dissolv- 
ent :  it  removes  the  dirt  that  clings  to  the  oil  on  the  skin,  and  it  also 
gets  rid  of  an3'  of  the  oil  that  has  done  its  work.  Any  washing  with  soap 
or  rubbing  the  skin  with  oil  is,  therefore,  superfluous.  It  is  like  gilci- 
ing  refined  gold." 


Professor  Pickering,  of  Harvard  University,  has 

Is  there         obtained  photographs  of  certain    localities   on  the 

snow  on  the      moon's  surface,  which  seem    to  indicate    that  the 

Moon  ?  **  white  patches  which  wax  and   wane,   as  the  sun 

rises  or  sets  upon  them,"  are  made  by  snow.  He 
thinks  this  results  from  "  the  emission  of  volcanic  gases  and  steam 
from  the  craters,"  which  condense  into  snow  or  hoar  frost.  Of 
course",  this  means  that  the  moon  has  some  sort  of  an  atmosphere  in 
which  vapottr  may  be  suspended.  He  thinks  also  that  his  photo- 
graphs indicate  **  the  existence  of  vegetation  upon  the  moon  in  large 
quantities  at  the  present  time."  The  Chicago  Suftday  American  has 
reproduced  some  of  the  Professor's  photographs,  and  in  an  article 
accompanying  them.  Professor  Garrett  P.  Serviss  says,  in  closing  : 
**  Whether  animal  life  can  exist  in  the  rare  atmosphere,  surcharged 
with  carbonic  gases  emitted  from  the  thousands  of  craters  and  vents 
that  cover  the  moon,  is  another  question."  Referring  to  .Professor 
Pickering's  discoveries  in  relation  to  clouds,  Professor  Serviss  says  : 

He  avers,  contrary  to  the  general  impression,  that  clouds  are  abund- 
ant upon  the  moon.  Astronomers  have  been  in  the  habit  of  repeating 
the  statement  that  on  the  moon  no  clouds  ever  ap)>ear,  but  that  all  its 
features  are  always  equally  and  perfectly  clear  and  distinct.  This, 
Professor  Pickering  declares,  is  certainly  erroneous.  It  is  contradicted 
by  the  verj'  appearance  of  certain  parts  of  the  moon  as  viewed  with 
the  telescope,  but  heretofore  this  appearance  has  been  misinterpreted. 
In  other  words,  we  have  been  seeing  clouds  upon  the  moon  ever  since 
telescopes  were  invented,  without  knowing  or  recognizing  what  it  was 
we  were  looking  at. 

Wherever  we  see  a  bright  streak  on  the  moon  like  those  that  radiate 
from  the  enormous  Crater,  Tycho,  for  instance,  "  there  a  few  days 
after  sunrise,"  says  Professor  Pickering,  "  will  be  found  a  cloud,  and  it 
is  chiefly  the  conspicuous  presence  of  clouds,  combined  with  the  lack  of 
shadows,  that  at  the  time  of  full  moon  makes  the  lunar  detail  in  certain 
regions  so  difficult  to  distinguish." 

The  expression  "  a  few  days  after  sunrise"  refers  to  the  fact  that, 
owing  to  the  peculiar  rotation  of  the  moon  upon  its  axis,  which  keeps  the 
same  side  always  toward  the  earth,  the  length  of  a  day  from  sunrise  to 


704  The  Theosophist.  [August 

sunset  upon  the  moon  is  about  two  weeks,  and  the  length  of  the  night 
is  about  the  same. 

The  thing  which,  in  the  opinion  of  astronomers,  has  always  render- 
ed unlikely  the  existence  of  such  phenomena  as  Professor  Pickering 
believes  he  has  discovered  upon  the  moon,  is  the  fact  that  when  stars  and 
planets  pass  behind  the  edge  of  the  moon,  during  an  occultation,  no 
such  distortion  or  displacement  of  their  discs  as  the  refraction  of  a 
perceptible  atmosphere  would  be  expected  to  produce,  has  been  noticed. 
But  Professor  Pickering  himself  obtained  evidence  during  his  observa- 
tions at  Arequipa  some  j-ears  ago,  that  there  is  a  visual  effect,  which  can 
be  noted  in  the  case  of  the  occultation  of  the  planet  Jupiter,  show- 
ing that  the  moon  possesses  some  kind  of  an  atmosphere  in  which,  up  to 
a  height  of  four  miles  from  the  surface,  an  absorbing  medium  exists. 
This  is  about  the  height  at  which  many  of  our  clouds  float  upon  the 
earth,  but  that  does  not  show  a  similarity  between  our  atmosphere  and 
that  of  the  moon.  On  the  contrary,  both  because  of  its  rarity  and  its  com- 
position, the  lunar  atmosphere  would  no  doubt  be  fatal  tons.  The  absorb- 
ing medium,  whatever  it  is,  appears  only  in  the  sunlit  side  of  the  moon, 
and  is  absent  from  the  dark  side.  In  other  words,  this  observation  and 
other  observations  tend  to  show  that  in  the  lunar  night  the  vapors  do 
not  rise  in  the  rare  lunar  atmosphere,  which  remains  perfectly  clear, 
but  when  the  sun  appears,  the  condensed  vapor,  being  in  the  form  per- 
haps of  snow  and  hoar  frosts  around  the  volcanic  vents  from  which  they 
have  issued,  rise  above  the  surface.  Soon  after  the  period  of  high  noon 
the  volatilization  reaches  its  maximum,  and  the  whitish  patches  are 
greatly  diminished  in  size  or  completely  disappear.  As  sundown  ap- 
proaches they  increase  ag^in  in  extent,  and  this  increase  continues  until 
the  sun  has  set  upon  that  part  of  the  moon.  It  should  be  remembered 
that,  as  already  remarked,  about  fourteen  days  elapse  upon  the  moon 
between  sunrise  and  sunset,  and  lunar  noon  occurs  a  week  after  the 
lirst  appearance  of  the  morning  sunbeams. 

The  announcement  that  Professor  Pickering  will  return  to  Jamaica 
and  continue  his  photographic  investigation  of  the  moon,  gives  promise 
that  the  mystery  may  be  completely  solved.  If  he  can  make  his  evi- 
dence of  the  existence  of  lunar  snow,  lunar  clouds  and  lunar  vegetation 
so  overwhelming  that  all  must  perforce  accept  it  as  conclusive,  an  im- 
mense step  in  advance  will  have  been  made  in  our  knowledge  of  the 
moon,  and  that  bodj'-  will  possess  for  us  an  interest  such  as  it  has  not 
had  since  Galileo  with  his  telescope .  first  demonstrated  the  fact  that 
there  are  mountains  and  plains  on  the  surface  of  the  moon. 

We  read  in  the  **  Secret  Doctrine  "  (p.  156,  o.e,) : 

"  The  moon  is  now  the  cold  residual  quantity,  the  shadow  dragged 
after  the  new  body,  into  which  her  living  powers  and  *  principles  are 
transfused.  She  is  doomed  for  long  ages  to  be  ever  pursuing  the  Earth, 
to  be  attracted  by  and  to  attract  her  progeny.  Constantly  vamptrised 
by  her  child,  she  revenges  herself  on  it  by  soaking  it  through  and 
tnrough  w^ith  the  nefarious,  invisible  and  poisoned  influence  which 
emanates  from  the  occult  side  of  her  nature.  For  she  is  a  dead  yet  a 
living  body.  The  particles  of  her  decaying  corpse  are  full  of  active  and 
destructive  life,  although  the  bodj-  which  thej'  had  formed  is  soulless 
and  lifeless." 

Probably  Professor  Serviss  is  quite  right  when  he  says  :  "The 
lunar  atmosphere  would  no  doubt  be  fatal  to  us.*'  Professor  Picker- 
ing's photographs  of  the  moon's  surface  are  being  carefully 
examined  by  many  scientists. 


THE    THEOSOPHIST 

s 

(Founded  in  1879.) 


VOL  XXII.,  NO.  12,  SEPTEMBER  1901. 


"THERE  IS  NO  RELIGION   HIGHER  THAN   TRUTH." 

[Faf?tily  viotto  of  the  Maharajahs  of  Benares^ 


OLD  DIARY  LEAVES* 
Fourth  Skrirs,  Chapter  XXII  I. 
(Year  1891.) 

BARON  HARDEN-HICKEY  had  been  so  expeditious  with  his 
translation  of  the  **  Buddhist. Catechism,"  that  I  was  able  on 
the  31st  of  August — only  three  weeks  after  we  had  made  our  ar- 
rangement in  Paris  about  its  publication — to  read  the  printer's 
proofs,  at  London. 

On  the  2nd  September,  I  went  to  the  Aquarium  to  see  **  Joseph 
Balsamo,  the  Boy  Mesmerist,"  who  gave  a  striking,  but  revolting, 
exhibition  of  phenomena  by  suggestion  upon  a  wretched  sensitive. 
If  anything  can  be  a  prostitution  of  a  noble  science,  it  is  these  pub- 
lic degradations  of  subjects  by  travelling,  charlatan  mesmerizers :  the 
drinking  of  lamp-oil,  and  eating  of  tallow  candles  under  the  delu- 
sion that  they  are  delicious  food,  and  the  compulsory  doing  of  acts 
which  lower  the  sense  of  manhood,  are  such  outrages^  upon  the 
private  rights  of  the  individual  that  the  most  ardent  advocate  of 
mesmerism  would  not  object  to  have  them  forbidden  by  law.  For 
my  part,  I  do  not  wonder  that  these  mesmeric  and  hj^pnotic  public 
exhibitions  have  been  prohibited  by  the  authorities  of  different 
countries  of  Europe,  when  I  see  what  terrible  after-eflfects  some- 
times follow  the  peripatetic  "  lecturer's"  demonstrations  of  his 
power  of  hypnotic  suggestion.  One  of  the  perils  of  our  times  is  the 
abuse  of  this  mysterious  faculty,  and  no  one  who  has  the  least 
friendly  regard  for  a  relative  or  friend  should  abstain  from  warning 
him  or  her — especially  her— of  the  danger  incurred  in  lending 
themselves  for  such  experiments.    We  have  seen  in  our  time,  women 


•  Three  Tolumes,  in  series  of  thirty  chapters,  tracing  the  history  of  the 
Theosophical  Society  from  its  beginnings  at  New  York,  have  appeared  in  the 
lfheowphi»t,  and  two  volumes  are  available  in  book  form.  Price,  Vol.  1.,  cloth, 
Rs.  9'l2-o,  or  paper,  Rs.  2-8-a  Vol.  IL,  beautifully  illustrated  with  views  of  Adyar, 
has  just  been  received  by  the  Manager,  77i eosop^ i>f :  price,  cloth,  Ri».  5  ;  paper, 
Rs,  3-80. 


*f66  The  Theosophist.  [September 

giving  such  exhibitions^  one,  at  least,   a  powerful  mesnierizer,  but 
this  makes  the  risk  no  less,  nor   her  oflfeuce  the   more  excusable. 
There  was  at  the  Aquarium,  at  the  same  time,  a  Frenchman  calhng 
himself  Alexandre  Jacques,  who  was  making  a  fifty  day's  fast,  under 
medical  supervision.    I  saw  him  on  the  thirty-fourth  day,  and  had 
quite  a  talk  with  him.     He  told  me  that  he  ate  nothing,   but  took 
an  herb  powder  which  sustains  life.     He  said  that  it  was  composed 
of  common  herbs,  to  be  found  almost  everywhere.     His  weight  was 
diminishing  at  the  rate  of  4  ozs.  daily,  but  he  appeared  to  be  in  good 
health.    When  the  famous  Dr.  Tanner  made  his  forty   day's  fast  at 
New  York,  some  twenty  years  ago,  under  the  strictest  medical  ob- 
servation, night  and  day,  some  of  the  medical  profession  persisted 
in  declaring  it  a  fraud,  because  they  believed  it  an   impossibility  for 
a  man  to  go  so  long  without  nourishment.     But  if  anyone  wishes  to 
have  such  doubts  removed,  he  need  only  go  among  the  Jains,  at 
Bombay,  and  see  elderly  women  making  this  ver)'  protracted  fast 
with  great  ease,  at  a  certain  period  of  the  year.    They  are  supposed 
to  gain  great  merit  by  this  asceticism  ;  and  the  ludicrous  part   of  it 
is  that  this  merit  has  a  certain  commercial  value,  and  they  sell  it  for 
solid  rupees  to  self-indulgent  co-religionists,   who  do   not  feel  like 
mortifying  the  flesh,  but  are  quite  willing  to  get  merit  vicariously! 
Is  this  very  different  from  the  once  prevalent  traffic   in    Papal  par- 
dons, so  briskly  carried  on    at   the   time  when   Luther  dashed  his 
mailed  fist   against  the   Vatican   door  ;  or  the  paying  of  men  in 
cassocks  to  pray  souls  out  of  Purgatory  ? 

A  fortnight  before  the  day  fixed  for  my  sailing  for   New  York, 
our  friends  at  Stockholm  telegraphed  a   request  that   I  would  visit 
them  before  my  departure  ;  and,  as  the  prospect  was   most  agree- 
able, I  consented  and  left  London   on  the  4th    September  for  that 
place,  via  Hull  and  Goteborg.     The   passenger  season  had  closed 
and  the  stories  that  I  had  read  about  the  dangers  of  that  tempestu- 
ous North  Sea,  with  school-boy    reminiscences    of  the    maelstrom, 
made  me  think  that  I  was  going  to   run  an  exceptional  risk  in  ma- 
king the  voyage,  and  I  actually  made  my  will  before  leaving  London. 
When,  however,  I  found  that  I  was  sailing  on  as  smooth  a  stretch 
of  water  as  heart  could  desire  and  under  a  bright  sunshine,  I  felt  as 
though  I  wanted  to  find  some  corner  where  I  could  hide  my  morti- 
fication.   Without  adventure,   I    reached    Stockholm    on  the  third 
evening,  and  was  greeted  at  the  station  by  all  our  members,  headed 
by  the  good  Dr.  Zander,  who  took  me  to  his   house.    An  indelible 
impression  was  made  upon  my  mind  during  my  three  days'  stay,  by 
the  sweet   hospitality   and  charming   naturalness  of  the  Swedish 
people.     It  was  a  case  of  love  at  first  sight,    and    now    that,  during 
the  past  summer,  I  have  revisited  Sweden   and  been  in  the  other 
Scaudiuavian  countries,  the  impression  is  strengthened.     In  all  my 
life  I  never  met  such  uniformly  delightful  people.    Hospitality  is, 
with  them,  as  much  a  religious  duty  as  it  is  with  the  Hindus  ;  and 


r 


1901.]  Old  Diary  Leaves.  707 

I  fully  endorse  the  opinion  expressed  by  a  Swedish  lady,  in  a  re- 
cent letter,  where  she  says  :  "  In  my  country  the  very  fact  that  a 
person  is  a /orrigfier  entitles  him  to  double  consideration,  hospi- 
tality and  politeness."  Every  hour  of  the  day  had  its  engagements, 
mostly  public.  There  was  a  Branch  meeting,  at  which  I  responded 
to  an  address  of  welcome  ;  the  next  day,  a  lecture  at  the  Hall  of  the 
Academy  of  Sciences,  to  an  excellent  audience,  three  conversazioni ; 
a  supper  every  evening  and  a  farewell  dinner  and  surprise  party  at 
Dr.  Zander's  house  on  the  day  of  my  departure.  The  pleasant  rec* 
dlections  of  the  visit  have  been  since  marred  by  a  disagreeable 
lesson  as  to  the  mendacity  of  hysteriacs  and  the  danger  of  being 
alone  with  such  persons  under  auy  circumstances. 

On  the  second  day  of  my  visit  I  was  invited  to  an  audience 
with  His  Majesty,  Oscar  II.,  King  of  Sweden  and  Norway,  at  his 
palace  outside  the  town.  I  found  him  a  most  cultured  gentleman, 
g^cious  and  unpretentious  in  his  manners.  His  reception  of  me 
was  all  that  I  could  have  asked  and  he  kept  me  talking  for  more 
than  an  hour  on  Masonry,  Symbolism,  Religion,  Spiritualism  and 
Theosophy,  on  all  of  which  subjects  he  gave  propfs  of  extensive 
reading  and  sound  reflection.  He  at  once  relieved  me  of  the  em- 
barrassment of  standing,  inviting  me  to  sit  with  him  at  a  small 
taUe,  where  each  of  us  drew  figures  on  paper,  illustrative  of  the 
S3''mbolical  expression  of  religious  and  scientific  ideas  by  different 
nations.  His  Majestj'  cordially  invited  me  to  stop  a  day  or  two 
longer  at  Stockholm,  so  that  I  might  become  acquainted  with  a 
person  for  the  sanctity  of  whose  character  he  entertained  a  great 
respect ;  but  I  was  obliged  to  hurrj'back  to  London  to  continue  my 
vo)rage,  and  we  parted  with  cordial  expressions  of  mutual  good- 
will. Of  course,  it  is  universally  known  that  King  Oscar  is  one  of 
the  best  linguists  and  most  cultivated  men  in  Europe,  an  Oriental 
scholar  and  a  patron  of  learning,  and  the  reader  may  imagine  what 
pleasant  recollections  I  must  have  of  my  interview  with  him  in  his 
own  palace. 

I  returned  to  London  via  Copenhagen,  Kiel,  Hamburg,  Bremen, 
Osnabriick  and  Flushing,  but  when  I  went  to  claim  my  luggage  I 
found  that  my  trunk  had  been  left  behind  en  route,  although  book- 
ed through  from  Stockholm.  This  was  a  serious  matter,  for  I  was 
to  sail  from  Liverpool  in  three  days  :  to  make  things  worse,  my 
steamer  and  railway  tickets,  as  far  as  Yokohama  and  Colombo,  were 
in  the  trunk,  together  with  half  my  clothes  and  some  money.  Tele- 
graphing and  worrying  did  no  good  and  I  had  to  sail  without  it. 
The  greatest  annoyance  was  the  behavior  of  the  Messageries  peo- 
ple, who  actually  would  not  give  me  a  duplicate  ticket  until  I  had 
got  the  President  of  the  great  London  bank,  where  I  keep  my  ster- 
ling account,  to  sign  a  guarantee.  When  I  went  to  tell  him  about 
this  preposterous  demand,  he  said  it  was  something  novel  in  his  ex- 
perience, but  as  he  happened  to  know   me   for  an  old  customer,  he 


708  The  Theosophlst.  [Septeniber 

kindly  complied  with  the  French  Company's  demand.  As  for  the 
American  Line,  they  granted  me  the  duplicate  tickets  without  a 
moment's  hesitation.  I  recovered  the  trunk  ultimately  at  Colombo, 
on  my  way  home  from  Japan. 

My  boat  was  one  of  the  largest  and  swiftest  of  the  "  Ocean  grey- 
hounds; '*  she  rushed  through  the  water  like  a  sword-fish  at  the  rate 
of  twenty  miles  an  hour,  even  in  the  roughest  seas.  This  was  all 
very  well  for  those  who  liked  speed  at  whatsoever  cost ;  but  my  rcc* 
ollection  is  that  it  was  the  most  uncomfortable  Ocean  travelling  I 
ever  did,  for  what  with  the  working  of  the  engines  and  the  thrash- 
ing of  the  propellers,  the  ship  was  in  a  constant  vibration  that  was 
enough  to  upset  the  nerves  of  most  people.  Withal,  she  pitched 
and  rolled  so  that  barely  a  fourth  of  the  passengers  appeared  at  the 
table.  I  met  some  delightful  people  on  board,  whom  I  shall  be  ven' 
glad  to  see  again,  and  happily  escaped  the  usual  call  for  a  lecture : 
both  the  sick  and  the  well  were  engaged  in  thinking  much  more  of 
their  stomachs  than  of  their  souls.  The  members  of  my  own  family, 
my  friends  FuUerton  and  Neresheimer  and  others,  met  me  on  land- 
ing, and  I  was  enjoying  the  prospect  of  getting  speedily  to  my 
sister's  bouse,  but  my  unfortunate  notoriety  barred  the  way.  A 
dozen  reporteis,  representing  the  principal  New  York  journals, 
wanted  to  interview  me,  and  as  this  could  not  be  done  conveniently 
on  the  wharf,  Mr.  Neresheimer  had  engaged  a  drawing-room  at  the 
Astor  House  and  had  placed  small  tables  around  the  four  sides 
for  the  convenience  of  the  reporters.  Thither  I  was  taken,  install- 
ed in  a  big  chair,  given  a  cigar,  allowed  to  remove  my  coat,  as  it 
was  a  verj'  warm  evening,  and  then  subjected  to  a  cross-ques- 
tioning about  my  doings  within  the  twelve  years  since  my  departure 
for  India,  and,  generally,  the  condition  and  prospects  of  the  Theo- 
sophical  movement.  It  was  a  most  amusing  episode,  this  interview 
at  wholesale,  but,  being  an  old  journalist  myself,  I  managed  to  give 
the  young  fellows  the  sort  of  "  copy"  they  wanted,  and  the  next 
morning  my  arrival  was  heralded  by  the  whole  press  and  my  por- 
trait appeared  in  the  five  principal  dailies.  Of  course  it  was  ver}- 
late  before  I  could  get  to  bed. 

I  found  New  York  greatly  changed  in  many  respects  ;  many  of 
my  old  friends  were  dead,  and  many  landmarks  had  disappeared. 
I,  too,  had  changed  in  a  marked  degree,  for,  after  so  many  years  of 
the  placid  intellectual  life  of  the  Orient,  the  mad  quiver  and  rush 
of  American  life  upset  me  greatly.  I  could  not  have  realized  that 
so  radical  a  change  should  have  come  over  me.  My  brothers  want- 
ed me  to  look  at  the  giant  buildings  which  had  sprung  up  towards 
the  sky,  and  other  so-called  improvements  ;  but  I  told  them  that  I 
would  not  exchange  my  desk  and  library,  and  the  restfulness  of  my 
Adyar  home  if  any  one  should  offer  to  give  me  the  biggest  of  the 
buildings  on  condition  that  I  should  return  to  live  at  New  York. 
Yet  it  was  very  sweet   to   meet  so  many   old   friends,   some  even 


1901.]  Old  Diary  leaves.  709 

of  my  Rckool-days,  and  the  relatives  whom  I  had  not  seen  for 
so  long.  But  I  was  not  sorry  when  the  time  came  for  me  to 
hurry  across  the  continent  towards  the  Lands  of  the  Rising  Sun* 
My  family  was  now  the  members  of  the  Society  ;  my  friends,  my 
working  colleagues ;  my  home,  the  Adyar  headquarters  ;  my  ambi* 
tions,  aspirations,  hopes,  loves  and  very  life  had  passed  into  the 
Society ;  my  country  had  become  the  wide  world.  Not  that  I  loved 
America  and  my  kinsfolk  less,  but  that  }  loved  the  cause  more. 

My  American  visit  was  intended  to  be  a  mere  transit,  not  a 
tour.  It  was  now  the  end  of  September  and  I  had  to  be  at  home 
early  in  December  to  make  ready  for  the  Convention  ;  meanwhile, 
I  had  some  fifteen  thousand  miles  of  travel  before  me.  While  at 
New  York  I  gave  one  public  lecture  to  a  very  large  audience,  in 
Scottish  Rite  Hall,  on  Madison  Avenue.  The  chairman,  an  amiable 
F.  T.  S.,  must  have  been  unaccustomed  to  facing  such  crowds,  for, 
intending  to  just  merely  introduce  me,  he  wandered  off  into  a  dis- 
course on  Theosophy  which  must  have  taken  close  on  forty -five 
minutes,  and  tired  the  audience  very  much.  Meanwhile,  I  sat  there 
like  a  simple  auditor  and  was  half  tempted,  when  I  finally  did  get 
the  floor,  to  say  that  as  my  friend  had  fully  enlightened  them  about 
Theosophy,  it  was  not  worth  my  while  to  detain  them  an}*^  longer, 
and  with  that  make  my  bow  and  retire.  But,  as  clearly  that  would 
not  do,  I  went  on  with  my  address,  and  was  ver^^  heartily  applauded 
at  the  close.  Then  followed  a  pleasant  experience,  when  one  old 
friend  after  another  came  up  to  the  platform  and  shook  hands  with 
me. 

On  the  28th  I  took  the  overland  train  of  the  Pennsylvania  Road 
and  soon  was  spinning  across  the  continent  at  the  rate  of  forty-five 
miles  an  hour.  It  almost  seemed  as  though  some  tricksy  elementals 
of  the  luggage  department  had  been  following  me  from  Stockholm 
onward,  for,  having  lost  one  trunk  between  there  and  London,  I 
now  found  that  the  other  had  been  left  behind  at  Chicago  by  mis- 
take. Then  we  had  an  accident  to  our  sleeping-car  which  was  quite 
enough  to  stimiilate  the  nerves  of  an  excitable  person  ;  for  in  the 
night  of  the  2nd,  eight  of  its  wheels  flattened  out — fortunately  with- 
out doing  anj''  harm  to  us — and  we  were  transferred  to  an  ordinary 
carriage  where  we  passed  a  very  miserable  time  until  morning. 

I  was  met  at  Sacramento  by  Mrs.  Gilbert  and  Dr.  Cook,  the  Pre- 
sident and  Secretary  of  our  local  Branch,  and  hospitably  entertained 
at  the  house  of  the  latter.  Among  my  visitors  was  a  gentleman 
who  had  been  employed  as  a  clerk  in  my  office,  when  I  was  Special 
Commissioner  of  the  War  Department.  Some  of  the  callers  asked 
my  advice  on  confidential  personal  matters,  domestic  and  otherwise. 
It  is  one  of  the  peculiar  features  of  my  tours  that  I  am  regarded  as 
a  s6rt  of  father  confessor,  to  whom  all  are  free  to  confide  their 
secrets  and  a.sk  for  comfort  in  their  sorrows.  One  gets,  in- this  way, 
not  only  an  idea  of  the  extent  of  misery  that  prevails  in  social  life, 


710  The  Theosophist.  [September 

but  also  of  the  weakness  of  will  which  is  too  common  among  people 
who  have  fixed  their  aspirations  on  the  Higher  Life,  but  find  the 
path  full  of  stumbling-stones.  The  satisfaction  one  has  in  lighten- 
ing, by  ever  so  little,  this  burden  of  private  grief,  more  than  com- 
pensates  for  the  trouble  given  by  the  seekers  after  advice.  On  the 
evening  of  Sunday,  the  4th,  I  lectured  in  public  on  **  Theosophy 
and  H.  P.  B.,"  and  a  conversazione  followed.  The  next  morning  I 
made  the  short  journey  to  San  Francisco  and  became  the  guest  of 
that  sympathetic  and  cultured  gentleman.  Dr.  Jerome  A.  Anderson, 
The  chief  workers  of  the  city  called  on  roe,  and  on  the  following 
day  the  Branch  gave  me  a  formal  reception  with  a  friendly  address, 
to  which  I  responded.  Mr.  Judge,  who  had  been  making  a  tour  on 
the  Pacific  Coast,  was  in  San  Francisco  at  the  time  of  my  arrival, 
also  a  guest  of  Dr.  Anderson,  and  here  practised — for  the  time  being 
most  successfully — another  deception  upon  me.  It  was  in  connec- 
tion with  the  mysterious  Rosicrucian  Jewel,  formerly  belonging  to 
Cagliostro,  but  in  my  time,  worn  by  H.  P.  B.  I  say  *'  mysterious" 
with  reason,  because  the  pure  white  crystals  with  which  it  was  set, 
had  the  occult  property  of  changing  their  colour  to  a  dark  green  and 
sometimes,  muddy  brown,  when  she  was  out  of  health.  I  shall  not 
dwell  upon  the  details  of  his  falsehood,  as  it  will  have  to  be  spoken 
of  in  connection  with  the  transactions  at  London  when  he  was  cited 
before  a  Judicial  Committee  which  I  convened  to  try  him  on  the 
charges  of  malfeasance  brought  against  him. 

The  ladies  of  our  local  Branch  had  organized  a  charming  scheme 
of  moral  and  religious  instniction  for  children,  to  which  they 
gave  the  name  **  The  Children's  Hour."  A  special  exhibition  of  it 
was  given  for  my  information  and  it  delighted  me  very  much.  The 
motive  was  to  impress  upon  the  youthful  minds  the  idea  of  the 
fundamental  resemblance  between  the  world  religions,  and  the 
advisability  of  learning  to  be  kind  and  tolerant  to  all  men,  of  whatso- 
ever race  or  creed.  A  senior  girl  represented  Theosophia,  and  others, 
the  Founders  of  religions — Krishna,  Zoroaster,  Gautama  Buddha, 
Christ,  Mahommed,  etc.  Each  of  these  held  a  staff  carrying  a  sym- 
bolical pennant.  A  simple  yet  excellent  dialogue  was  framed,  in 
which  Theosophia  put  questions  to  each  of  the  flag-holders,  to  give 
him  or  her  the  chance  to  quote  from  the  scriptures  of  the  Founderof 
that  religion,  verses  which  embodied  the  tlieosophical  spirit.  The 
children  wore  prett)^  dresses,  there  was  some  little  •  marching  and 
other  exercises,  and  all  seemed  to  enjoy  the  occasion.  It  would  be 
a  good  thing  if  this  device  were  adopted  throughout  the  whole 
Society,  for  it  is  calculated  to  be  of  great  service  in  implanting 
theosophical  ideas  in  the  youthftil  mind. 

The,  to  me,  most  delightful  incident  of  my  San  Francisco  visit 
was  a  meeting  with  three  brothers  of  the  Steele  family,  with  whom  I 
was  brought  into  contact  at  Amherst,  Ohio,  in  1851-2-3,  and  whom 
I  may  almost  regard  as  my  greatest  benefactors  in  this  incarnation, 


1901.]  Old  Diary  Leaves.  711 

since  it  was  from  tbem,  and  the  other  bright  minds  and  noble  souls 
connected  with  them  in  a  Spiritualistic  group,  that  I  first  learned  to 
think  and  aspire  along  the  lines  which  led  me  ultimately  to  H.  P.  B. 
and  the  Theosophical  movement.  The  family-  had  migrated  to 
California,  become  great  landed  proprietors — raucheros — and  attain- 
ed to  places  of  distinction  in  that  State  :  one  was  a  judge,  another 
a  senator,  a  third.  President  of  the  great  society  of  the  Grangers. 
The  hours  we  passed  together  were  full  of  unalloyed  delight  and  the 
life-pictures  which  had  been  concealed  behind  the  veil  of  latent 
memory  for  forty  years,  came  out  again  vivid  and  real.  On  the  even- 
ing of  the  7th  I  lectured  at  Metropolitan  Temple  on  the  same  sub- 
ject as  at  Sacramento ;  Mr,  Judge  was  chairman  and  we  had  on  the 
platform  a  life-size  photograph  of  H.  P.  B.,  standing  on  an  easel.  On 
the  8th  I  embarked  on  the  ''  Belgic"  for  Yokohama,  a  host  of  T.  S. 
friends  seeing  me  off  and  loading  me  with  flowers. 

The  Pacific  Ocean  was  true  to  its  name,  a  calm  sea  and  sunshine 
following  me  almost  all  the  way  across.  We  had  a  few  rough  days 
and  some  rolling  of  the  .ship,  but  not  enough  to  cause  much  incon- 
venience. It  seemed  as  though  I  had  not  finished  with  the  meet- 
ing of  persons  who  would  bring  back  to  me  the  memory  of  the  olden 
days,  for  the  surgeon  of  the  Belgic  proved  to  be  the  son  of  a 
charming  lady  whom  I  had  known  as  a  school-girl  at  New  York 
many  years  before  her  marriage:  moreover  he  was  the  living 
image  of  his  mother.  When  I  came  to  recall  the  past  I  realised 
that  but  for  the  advice  of  this  lady  and  her  elder  sister,  I  should 
never  have  gone  to  Cleveland,  Ohio,  in  1851,  whence  I  went  to  Elyr- 
ia,  thence  to  Amherst  and  the  Steeles  ;  those  ladies,  then,  formed 
the  first  link  between  my  home-life  at  New  York  and  my  spiritual 
enfranchisement  at  Amherst.  By  this  I  do  not  mean  that  I  had  ever 
been  a  follower  of  my  parents*  religion,  or  sectarian  of  any  sort,  but 
that,  until  I  became  associated  with  the  Amherst  Circle,  my  mind 
had  been  lying  fallow,  waiting  for  the  sowing  of  the  seeds  of  theo- 
sophical thought. 

After  a  voyage  of  seven  days  we  reached  Honolulu,  and  stop- 
ped there  twenty-four  hours  before  continuing  the  journey.  We 
went  ashore  and  looked  about  the  place,  some  of  us  going  to  see  Dr. 
Trousseau's  Ostrich  Farm.  The  birds  were  kept  in  paddocks,  with 
an  avenue  running  through  the  middle  and  wide  enough  so  that 
persons  passing  through  could  not  be  reached  by  the  iron  beaks  01 
the  male  birds,  who  are  not  at  all  friendly  at  certain  seasons.  The 
proprietor  of  the  farm,  with  whom  I  had  some  conversation,  express- 
ed himself  as  well  satisfied  with  the  profits  of  the  undertaking, 
saying  that  the  yield  of  plumes  fit  for  commerce  was  a  good  deal 
larger  than  the  average.  We  sailed  again  on  the  i6th,  taking  our 
fine  weather  along  with  us.  On  the  19th  I  accepted  an  invitation 
given  me,  at  the  urgent  request  of  a  large  missionary  party  on  board, 
to  lecture  on  Theosophy,  and  thenceforward,  throughout  the  voy- 


712  The  Theosophist,  [September 

age,  this  subject  was  very  much  talked  about.  On  the  21st  we  crossed 
the  i8oth  meridian  of  longitude,  and  thus  in  a  Pickwickian  sense, 
blotted  out  Tuesday,  it  being  Monday  until  noon,  and  then  Wednes- 
day. I  had  to  laugh  when  I  recalled  the  ingenious  employment  of 
this  de\4ce  by  Jules  Verne  to  make  his  eccentric  hero  get  around 
the  world  in  eighty  days  and  thus  win  the  bet  at  the  London  Club, 
which  depended  on  this  result.  The  festive  missionaries  relieved 
the  tedium  of  their  voyage  by  a  lot  of  hymn  singing. 

We  reached  Yokohama  at  7  p.  m.  on  the  28th,  the  20th  day  ac- 
cording to  the  calendar  after  leaving  Fnsco,  but  including  the  day 
which  had  been  nominally  obliterated.  We  were  inexpressibly 
shocked  to  learn,  on  arriving,  that  on  the  morning  of  that  very  day 
one  of  the  most  disastrous  earthquakes  in  the  historj'^  of  Japan  had 
spread  devastation  over  a  wide  area :  thousands  of  buildings  ,  inclu- 
ding some  of  the  strongest  temples,  had  been  destroyed,  and  thou- 
sands of  persons  killed.  It  was  not  a  promising  time  for  me  to  get  the 
High  Priests  together  to  consider  my  Fourteen  Propositions. 
However,  I  got  them  translated  into  Japanese  by  Mr.  N.  Amenomo- 
ri,  an  excellent  English  scholar,  of  Yokohama.  He  completed  the 
task  the  same  day,  so  that  I  was  able  to  leave  on  the  31st  for  Kobe, 
en  route  for  Kioto.  As  the  earthquake  had  broken  up  the  railway, 
I  went  by  the  P.  &  O.  s.  s.  **  Ancona,"  and  the  weather  being  de- 
lightful, had  fine  views  of  the  coast  and  of  Fugi  San,  the  snow- 
capped sacred  mountain,  whose  glittering  cone  figures  so  very  often 
in  Japanese  paintings.  It  was  certainly  one  of  the  most  charm- 
ing journeys  in  the  world — almost  like  Fairyland.  We  reached 
Kobe  at  1-30  p.  m.  on  Nov,  ist,  and  I  put  up  at  the  Hiogo  Hotel, 
at  the  waterside,  where  I  had  the  honour  and  pleasure  of  meeting 
Prof.  John  Milne,  the  world-renowned  seismologist. 

From  what  I  heard  I  had  good  reason  to  fear  that  it  would  be 
very  difficult  for  me  to  get  the  signatures  of  the  Chief  Priests  of  the 
sects,  to  my  Platform,  as  a  number  of  them  had  left  Kioto  for  the 
scenes  of  earthquake  disaster.  However,  I  determined,  since  I  was 
on  the  ground,  to  overcome  all  obstacles,  in  view  of  the  immense 
importance  of  the  object  sought.  I  went  on  to  Kioto,  on  the  2nd, 
and  put  up  at  my  old  inn,  Nakumraya's  Hotel.  I  notified  the  two 
Hongwanjis  and  the  Ko-sai-kai — ^the  General  Committee  of  all  the 
sects,  which  I  had  induced  them  to  form  on  the  occasion  of  my 
former  visit — of  my  arrival.  My  rooms  were  thronged  with  visitors 
the  next  and  following  days.  Among  the  old  acquaintances  were 
Mr.  Hirai,  formerly  a  leading  member  of  the  Young  Men's  Buddhist 
Committee,  which  sent  Noguchi,  as  a  sub-committee,  to  Madras  to 
personally  escort  me  to  Japan  ;  and  that  highly  influential  and 
agreeable  priest,  Shaku  Genyu  San  of  the  Shin-gon  sect.  He  was  a 
most  enlightened  man,  open  to  all  good  suggestions  for  the  advance- 
ment of  his  religion,  and  travelled  with  me  over  the  Empire 
when  I  was  there  before.    We  had  a  very  earnest  discussion  o\'er 


IML]  Old  Diary  I^eaves.  713 

the  Ponrteen  Propositions,  the  wording  of  which  he  found  perfectly 
satisfactory ;  but  he  put  it  to  me  why  it  was  necessary  for  the  North- 
em  churdb  to  sign  these  condensed  bits  of  doctrine  when  they 
were  so  familiar  that  every  priest-pupil,  throughout  the  Empire, 
had  them  by  heart :  there  was  infinitely  more  than  that  in  the  Ma- 
hSyana.  In  reply,  I  said :  *'  If  I  should  bring  you  a  basketful  of 
earth  dug  out  of  a  slope  of  Puji  San,  would  that  be  part  of  your  sa- 
cred mountain  or  not  ?"  "  Of  course  it  would,"  he  answered.  "  Well, 
th.en,"  I  rejoined,  "  all  I  ask  is  that  you  will  accept  these  Proposi- 
tions as  included  within  the  body  of  Northern  Buddhism  ;  that  they 
are  a  basketful  of  the  mountain,  but  not  the  whole  mountain  itself/' 
That  view  of  the  case  seemed  to  be  quite  convincing,  and  when  I 
had  argued  at  length  upon  the  vital  necessity  of  having  some  com- 
mon ground  laid  out  on  which  the  Northern  and  Southern  churches 
might  stand  in  harmony  and  brotherly  love,  oflFering  a  jinited  front 
to  a  hostile  world,  he  promised  to  do  his  best  to  hj^ve  my  wish  ac- 
complished. He  then  left  me  to  go  and  see  some  of  his  leading 
colleagues,  and  on  the  4th  returned  with  a  favourable  report  and 
signed  the  document  on  behalf  of  the  Ko-sai-kai ;  thus  giving  my 
scheme  the  imprimature  of  the  approval  of  the  united  sects,  even  al- 
though I  should  secure  no  other  signatures.  But  I  did,  as  personally, 
and  through  the  medium  of  Shaku  San,  the  Chief  Priests  who  were 
within  reach  of  Kioto  could  have  the  thing  explained  to  them.  Before 
leaving  for  Kobe  on  the  9th  I  had  got  all  the  sects  except  the  Shin- 
shu  to  sign  the  paper.  This  latter  sect,  as  the  reader  may  remember, 
occupies  an  entirely  anomalous  position  in  Buddhism,  as  their 
priests  marry— in  direct  violation  of  the  rule  established  by  the 
Buddha  for  his  Sangha — have  families  and  hold  property  ;  for  ex- 
ample, a  temple  will  pass  from  father  to  son.  At  the  same  time  they 
are  by  far  the  cleverest  sectarian  managers  in  all  Japan,  drawing 
immense  revenues  from  the  public,  and  building  superb  temples 
evenrwhere.  They  are,  par  excellence,  the  most  aristocratic  religious 
body  in  the  Empire.  They  excuse  their  infraction  of  the  monastic 
rules  on  the  ground  that  they  are  samaneras,  semi-laymen,  not  full 
monks.  The  principal  men  among  them,  whom  I  needed  to  see, 
were  away  in  the  earthquake  districts,  where  they  had  suffered 
great  losses  ;  and  as  my  time  was  extremely  limited  and  the  people 
whom  I  saw  would  not  give  me  a  definite  answer,  I  had  to  do  with- 
out those  signatures.  However,  as  they  were  represented  in  the 
Ko-sai-kai,  Shaku  San's  signature  on  its  behalf  virtually  gave  me 
the  consent  of  the  whole  body  of  Northern  Buddhists.  My  joy  in 
achieving  this  result  may  readily  be  imagined. 

H.  S.  Olcott. 


714 


GLIMPSES  OF  THEOSOPBICAL  CBRISTIANIT7. 

V.  Faith,  and  the  Efficacy  of  Praybr. 

[Conchuied /ram  p,  664.] 

THE  ethics  of  religion  deal  with  conduct  and  character,  laying 
down  the  principles  by  which  charactermay.be  built  up,  and 
perfect  development  attained.  But  ethit:s  bj'  themselves  aie  insuffi- 
cient ;  they  lack  vitality,  and  it  is  only  when  they  are  energised  by 
the  spirit  of  devotion,  that  the  practical  side  of  religion  is  complete. 
Devotion  is  the  motive  force  of  morality,  it  prompts  to  purity  of  life 
in  a  way  that  no  mere  recognition  of  the  consequences  of  evil  can 
ever  do.  A  man  may  believe  in  the  Law  of  ICaxma,  he  may  recog- 
nise that  every  wrong  action  will  ultimately  bring  its  results  of 
suffering  upon  him,  and  his  desire  to  avoid  suffering  may  induce 
him  to  strive  to  overcome  his  tendencies  to  evil.  But  if  he  has  not 
devotion,  his  efforts  will  not  be  persistent  and  continuous ;  again 
and  again  he  will  fall  back,  for  the  fear  of  future  consequences  is 
not,  in  most  natures,  so  strong  as  the  dislike  to  steady  effort  directed 
against  failings  that  have  so  become  a  part  of  ourselves  that  we  love 
them.  The  cause  of  delay  and  lack  of  energy  in  all  religious  life  is 
not  so  much  that  we  find  it  difficult  to  ie  good,  as  that  we  find  it 
difficult  to  wa$i/  to  be  good.  Devotion  is  the  only  force  which  will 
overcome  this  difficulty.  The  basis  of  devotion  is  love  with  faith ; 
its  outer  expression  is  worship,  in  any  of  its  various  forms.  Now  in 
Christianity  the  form  in  which  devotion  usually  expresses  itself  is 
prayer,  and  the  efficacy  of  prayer  is  clearly  stated  to  depend  on  the 
degree  of  faith. 

It  was  because  of  their  "  little  faith"  that  the  disciples  of  Jesus 
on  one  occasion  could  not  *'  cast  the  devil"  out  of  the  lad  that  was 
brought  to  them ;  an  incident  that  gave  rise  to  that  memorable 
saying  of  Jesus,  **  If  ye  have  fiaith  as  a  grain  of  mustard  seed,  ye 
shall  say  unto  this  mountain,  Remove  hence  to  yonder  place ;  and 
it  shall  remove  ;  and  nothing  shall  be  impossible  unto  you."  (Matt., 
2CVII.,  20 ;  cf.  Luke,  XVIL,  6),  And  some  natures,  like  the  prover- 
bial little  child,  have  had  their  faith  shaken  because,  when  they 
have  prayed  to  God  to  remove  some  mountain,  possibly  one  of  their 
own  creation,  no  miracle  has  been  wrought  for  them,  and  the  moun- 
tain has  remained  unmoved  1  What  then  is  this  faith  that  shall 
make  all  things  possible  to  him  who  possesses  it  ?  What  is  the/aith 
of  the  fnustard  seed  i  It  knows  not  why  it  is  cast  into  the  ground, 
nor  how  the  laws  that  govern  its  growth  are  working ;  but  when 
the  warmth  and  moisture  of  the  earth  cause  it  to  expand,  then  that 
mysterious  force,  which  none  yet  have  been  ^ble  satisfactorily  to 


1901.]  Glimpses  of  Theosophioai  Christianity.  f  IB 

explain,  the  life  of  the  seed,  responds  to  the  impalse  from  witliotit, 
and  it  begins  to  grow.  How  far  it  may  be  conscious  of  growth  we 
cannot  sayr;  one  thing  only  we  know,  the  response  from  within  is 
always  in  harmony  with  the  impulse  from  without ;  growth  invari- 
ably takes  place  mth  the  laws  of  nature,  not  in  antagotiism  to  them. 
And  this  seems  to  be  the  secret  of  true  faith  ;  its  two  aspects  aire,  a 
response  from  within  to  some  divine  imptdse  from  withemt,  and  a 
complete  harmony  with  the  law.  In  the  seed  there  is  harmony  with 
the  law  because  the  life  within  has  not  yet  asserted  its  individuality ; 
it  cannot  yet  act  of  its  own  prompting.  But  with  man  this  is  no 
longer  so ;  the  individuality  is  formed ;  through  expermrce  some 
knowledge  of  the  law  has  been  gained,  and  the  ft-ee-will  has  begun 
to  develop.  So  man  ma>'  choose  between  two  courses ;  he  may 
consciously  act  in  harmony  with  the  law,  or  he  may  strive  to  go 
against  it.  Faith  will  therefore  be  to  him  a  conscious  and  vokut- 
tary  harmony  with  the  law,  while  with  the  seed  it  is  uncooscioua. 
While,  on  the  one  hand,  this  renders  a  lack  of  feith  possible  to  mim, 
it  also  opens  out  before  him  the  possibility  of  far  stronger  suid  deck- 
er £aith  than  could  have  existed  at  an  earlier  stage.  For  as  knowl- 
edge and  powA*  grow,  so  is  man  able  to  bring  himself  into  more 
and  more  complete  harmony  with  law.  Tiae  response  from  witbiii 
comes  from  the  same  cause  in  both  cases.  The  life  of  God  in  the 
form  responds  to  the  same  life  acting  in  other  forms.  Aad  as  in 
man  the  life  is  so  much  more  developed  than  in  the  lower  kingdoms 
the  response  will  be  proportionately  stronger.  But  here  again  tke 
fact  tlmt  man  is  conscious  and  that  his  free-will  is  developing,  rend- 
ers it  possible  for  him  to  set  his  desires  in  opposition  to  the  iai- 
pulse  from  within,  and  resistance  to  it  is  perhaps  one  of  the  most 
certain  causes  for  lack  or  loss  of  faith.  If  then  a  man  had  faith  as 
a  grain  of  mustard  seed,  that  is  if  his  whole  nature  were  toned  to 
that  inner  response  so  that  there  was  perfect  harmony  with  tlM  low, 
then  he  would  indeed  be  able  to  work  wonders,  knowledge  being 
added  to  faith.  The  very  nature  of  faith  will  preclude  all  possibility 
of  his  attempting  to  do  anything  which  is  against  iam,  but  Yais 
knowledge  will  enable  him  to  bring  into  play  laws  which  are  not 
known  to  those  who  have  not  his  faith,  and  thus  he  may  do  what 
appear  in  the  eyes  of  ordinary  men  as  miracles. 

As  man  progresses  another  element  combines  with  this  form  of 
faith.  The  effort  to  live  always  in  barmony  with  the  law  stisitulates 
the  growth  of  the  divinity  in  man,  and  thus  leads  to  a  fuller  knowl« 
edge  of  God  ;  glimpses  are  seen  of  His  tenderness  and  beattty, 
and  a  responsive  love  springs  up  in  the  heart,  which  slowly  ripens 
into-deep  devotion.  It  is  when  this  love  has  been  fiek,  hxrHeiKt 
dimly,  and  however  little  understood,  that  the  lives  of  llhe  gresrt 
Teach^^  like  Jesus  of  Nazareth  begin  to  appeal  to  the  heart.  Till 
then  there  is  no  real  response  ;  the  intellect  may  recognise  a  eer- 
tain  beauty  and  purity  in  the  life,  but  no  emotion  is  stirred,   no  de* 


f\6  thB  l*h6osophi8t.  [SeptaoftlMif 

votion  is  felt.  It  is  somewhat  as  when  a  strain  of  music  is  heard 
by  one  who  has  no  *'  music  in  his  soul ;"  he  says  it  is  "  pretty,**  and 
that  is  all ;  or  as  when  a  beautiful  picture  is  seen  by  one  who  has  no 
artistic  feeling.  There  is  as  yet  nothing  within  that  can  respond, 
and  so  the  impulse  from  without  is  hardly  felt  But  when  the  fiist 
Spark  of  devotion  has  been  kindled,  progress  becomes  more  rapid. 
Love  grows,  and  with  it  faith  takes  on  a  new  aspect,  and  becomes  a 
loving  confidence  in  the  Teacher  who  is  leading  us  and  in  the  God 
to  whom  our  steps  are  being  guided.  Then  alone  do  the  higher 
forms  of  prayer  become  possible. 

For  certain  forms  of  prayer  have  been  used  long  before  this 
stage  is  reached.  At  first  man  sees  a  mysterious  force  at  work  in 
nature  ;  he  recognises  that  it  is  sometimes  beneficent,  sometimes 
maleficent.  He  associates  this  with  the  earliest  teachings  he  has 
received  from  the  divine  Teachers  of  whom  we  read  in  the  records 
of  all  races.  They  have  told  him  of  a  God  who  is  ruling  and  guid- 
ing the  universe,  and  pouring  His  life  into  it,  as  the  snn  pours 
light  and  heat  upon  the  earth  ;  and  they  have  taught  him  to  regard 
the  sun  as  the  symbol  of  God.  So  it  is  easy  for  him  to  see  God 
working  in  all  the  forces  of  nature  ;  and  when  he  fitfds  them  benef- 
icent he  thinks  God  is  pleased  ;  when  maleficent,  God  is  displeased. 
So  his  prayer  is  at  first  an  attempt  to  propitiate  God  ;  it  is  a  petition 
for  His  favour  and  protection,  and  it  is  associated  on  the  one  hand 
with  all  the  benefits  that  he  receives  from  nature,  and  on  the  other 
with  all  the  great  calamities  that  endanger  his  prosperity  and  his 
lifie.  This  is  good  ;  for  it  is  the  effort  of  the  divinity  within  to 
reach  out  towards  its  source  ;  he  is  not  conscious  of  this,  for  the  first 
stages  of  growth  are  imperceptible.  And  it  is  true  that  it  in  the 
selfish  instincts  that  prompt  this  form  of  prayer.  But  we  have  seen 
that  separateness  must  first  be  intensified  in  order  that  the  in- 
dividuality may  grow,  so  we  shall  expect  at  this  stage  to  find  a 
strong  element  of  self,  even  in  religion.  But  when  iave  springs  np, 
then  by  degrees  this  changes.  Man  begins  to  recognise  that  joy 
and  sorrow,  prosperity  and  suffering,  alike  are  the  e2q>ression  of 
God's  love,  and  the  methods  by  which  He  is  drawing  His  children 
nearer  to  Him.  So  he  begins  to  eliminate  from  his  prayer  the  de- 
ment of  petition.  First  he  raises  it  to  a  higher  plane,  and  instead  of 
asking  for  material  benefits,  he  prays  for  grace  to  resist  evil  and 
grow  strong  in  righteousness.  Then  he  learns  by  slow  degrees  that 
he  is  always  surrounded  by  the  grace  of  God,  that  he  needs  only  to 
open  the  "  windows  of  the  soul,"  and  it  will  flow  into  his  heart ; 
that  God  is  ever  giving,  but  that  man  too  often  turns  away  from  the 
hand  that  gives,  and  fails  to  see  the  gift.  The  only  barrier  between 
man  and  God  is  man's  own  blindness  and  coldness  ;  and  hence  he 
learns  that  the  best  form  of  petition  is  to  open  the  htert  to  receive. 
Then  his  prayer  becomes  aspiration,  he  pours  out  his  love  at  flie 
feet  of  God,  knowing  that  then  the  love  and  streugth    of  God  will 


iHPl-J  Glimpses  of  tbeosophical  Christianity.  7l7 

enter  freely  into  his  heart.  He  no  longer  o£fers  petitions,  unless 
for  greater  devotion,  for  a  stronger  spiritual  life,  or  for  help  for 
others.  Then,  faith  being  strong,  devotion  being  deep  and  tender, 
his  prayer  becomes  a  force  that  may  in  very  truth  remove  moun- 
tains. 

One  of  the  great  aims  of  Jesus  was  to  lead  his  followers  to  this 
purer,  more  spiritual  form  of  prayer.  With  the  Jews,  prayer  seems 
to  have  become  mainly  a  matter  of  form.  Many  times  he  rebukes 
them  for  the  absence  of  any  real  devotion.  They  made  long  prayers 
in  the  streets  for  the  sake  of  show,  they  scrupulously  observed  all 
external  rules,  they  kept  the  "  outside  of  the  cup  and  platter**  clean, 
but  within  there  was  worldliuess,  pride,  arrogance,  oppression.  The 
spirit  of  prayer  was  absent ;  self-interest,  not  devotion,  prompted  the 
careful  observance  of  all  the  outer  forms.  So  he  taught  them  first 
to  substitute  the  prayer  of  the  heart  for  the  mere  outer  form,  and 
to  pray  in  secret,  not  in  public.  **  When  ye  pray,  ye  shall  not  be 
as  the  hypocrites  ;  for  they  love  to  stand  and  pray  in  the  syna- 
gogues and  in  the  corners  of  the  streets,  that  they  may  be  seen  of 
men  .  .  •  .  But  thou,  when  thou  prayest,  enter  into  thine  inner 
chamber,  and  having  shut  thy  door,  pray  to  thy  Father  which  is  in 
secret."  (Matt,  VI.,  5,  6).  No  private  room  is  needed  for  this; 
for  each  man  has  with  him  always  the  inner  chamber  of  the  heart 
into  which  he  may  withdraw  ;  even  in  the  street  or  the  market  place, 
amid  the  throng  of  men,  he  can  still  retire  to  this  inmost  chamber, 
and  shutting  the  door  of  the  heart  to  keep  out  all  extraneous 
thoughts,  can  pray  to  the  Father.  For  the  Father  is  ever  present 
there;  that  is  His  temple  far  more  truly  than  any  of  the  stately 
edifices  reared  by  man  in  His  honour. 

Jesus  next  deals  with  the  object  of  prayer,  and  here  again  spir- 
itualises the  old  teachings.  He  points  out  that  it  is  unnecessary 
to  entreat  of  God  that  He  will  give  the  things  that  are  needed  by 
man;  "in  praying  use  not  vain  repetitions,  as  the  Gentiles  do ;  for 
they  think  that  they  shall  be  heard  for  their  much  speaking,  fie 
not  therefore  like  unto  them ;  far  youf  Father  hwweth  what 
things  ye  have  need  of,  before  ye  ask  Him."  (Matt.,  VI.,  7, 8).  And  yet 
it  is  well  that  man  should  recognise  that  these  things  are  the  gift 
of  God ;  that  he  should  remember  that  it  is  God*s  life  in  nature 
which  gives  him  the  fruits  of  the  earth  for  his  use.  So,  in  the  prayer 
which  He  gives  to  His  disciples,  one  clause  is  introduced  with  this 
aim,  "  Give  us  this  day  our  daily  bread."  (Matt,  VI.,  n).  Like* 
the  majority  of  the  teachings  of  Jesus,  this  can  be  taken  both  in 
the  material  and  in  the  spiritual  sense.  In  the  former  it  may  be 
taken  rather  as  the  grateful  recognition  of  a  fact,  than  as  a  petition  ; 
lor  it  seems  as  if  Jesus  gave  a  considerable  part  of  His  teaching  in  a 
form  that  would  appeal  to  the  somewhat  undeveloped  people 
amongst  whom  He  worked,  and  we  must  make  allowances  for  that 
when  we  try  to  understand  His  full  meaning.    We  are  reminded  of 


718  'the  Theoaophist.  [Septeaaiber 

the  recognition  ot  the  same  fact  in  the  verses  in  the  Bhagavad- 
Gita  (III..  11,12):**  With  this  "  [t.e,,  sacrifice]  "  nourish  ye  the  Gods, 
and  may  the  Gods  nottrish  you  ;  thus  nourishing  one  another,  ye 
shall  reap  the  highest  good.  For,  nourished  by  sacrifice,  the  Gods 
shall  bestow  on  you  the  enjoyments  you  desire.  A  thief  verily 
is  he  who  enjoyeth  what  is  given  by  Them  without  returning  the 
gift."  Even  the  offering  of  material  sacrifices  to  the  Gods,  will 
bring  us  the  highest  good,  if  accompanied  with  a  spirit  of 
gratitude,  for  the  thought  will  bring  us  more  closely  into  con- 
tact with  Them.  But  better  still  is  the  sacrifice  of  a  life  that 
is  full  of  love,  and  this  will  be  offered  by  those  who  realise  that 
even  the  daily  bread  is  the  gift  of  God.  But  Jesus  reminds  as 
elsewhere  that  **  man  shall  not  live  by  bread  alone,  but  by  ever}' 
word  that  proceedeth  out  of  the  mouth  of  God."  We  need  not 
look  within  the  covers  of  any  book  for  these  words,  though  every 
book,  whether  sacred  or  secular,  contains  them.  For  thei e  is  nothing 
in  this  universe  which  has  uot  **  proceeded  out  of  the  mouth  of  God," 
and  it  is  when  we  learn  to  hear  His  voice  speaking  to  us  everywhere 
in  the  murmur  of  the  brooks,  the  ripple  of  the  sea,  the  rustling  of 
the  leaves  in  the  trees,  the  hum  of  the  insects,  the  song  of  the  birds, 
the  crash  of  the  tempest,  and,  chief  of  all,  in  the  life  and  heart  of 
every  human  being,  it  is  only  then  that  we  begin  to  realise  how  He 
is  ever  giving  us  our  daily  bread.  And  so  we  reach  the  more 
spiritual  meaning  of  the  phrase,  and  see  in  it  the  recognition  of  the 
way  in  which  the  love  ot  God  is  leading  us  through  all  the  varied 
experiences  of  life,  whether  of  happiness  or  of  pain,  and  our  pmyer 
becomes  an  opening  of  the  heart  to  receive  from  Him  that  grace, 
which,  stimulating  the  divinity  within,  shall  enable  us  to  derive  fmm 
every  experience  the  whole  of  the  teaching  and  training  it  is  sent 
to  give  us. 

In  the  last  phrase  of  this  prayer  we  have  a  somewhat  similar 
thought.  We  have  already  seen  in  what  sense  it  may  be  said  that 
God  leads  us  into  temptation  (see  Vol.  XXI.,  page  432)  ;  and  in  the 
light  of  that  thought,  this  prayer  becomes  an  opening  of  the  heart 
to  that  divine  power  which  will  lead  us  along  the  straight  path  of 
evolution.  God  is  ever  teaching  us,  His  love  is  ever  drawing  us 
towards  that  which  is  good ;  if  we  recognise  this  and  yield  ourselves 
willingly  to  His  guidance  we  shall  be  delivered  from  evil,  by  rising 
through  and  above  it,  and  there  will  be  no  need  for  that  severe 
pain  which  must  inevitably  come  as  the  result  of  refusing  to  learn 
by  love.  If  the  prayer  is  offered  with  earnestness  and  faith,  it 
cannot  fail  in  bringing  about  this  result ;  and  then  we  shall  not 
fear  any  tests  and  trials  that  may  come  in  the  natural  course  of 
growth,  for  we  shall  know  that  the  God  within  us  can  surmount 
them  all.  To  the  weak  and  undeveloped  the  prayer  will  have  a 
different  meaning.  To  them  temptation  in  all  its  forms  seems  evil, 
a  thing  to  be  avoided.    So  to  them  it  is  a  petition   that    tbey  may 


lOM.]  Glimpses  of  TheosophicaJ  Christianity.  719 

not  be  subjected  to  tests  and  trials,  lest  they  should  fall  beneath 
them ;  to  them,  to  be  delivered  from  evil  is  to  be  spared  the  trial, 
while  to  the  stiong  it  is  to  have  the  power  to  go  through  it  aiid  come 
out  on  the  other  side,  the  stronger  for  it.  And  the  prayer  of  the 
weak  is  answered,  even  as  is  the  prayer  of  the  strong.  For  God 
knows  what  strain  His  children  are  able  to  bear,  and  He  knows 
that  if  the  strain  goes  beyond  the  breaking  point,  progress  will 
be  delayed.  So  of  the  weak  less  is  required ;  they  are  not  led 
into  the  temptations  that  the  strong  are  able  to  bear,  but  are  allow- 
ed to  journey  along  a  smoother,  if  a  longer,  path.  It  is  unnecessary 
to  speak  of  the  clause  containing  the  prayer  for  forgiveness,  as  it 
has  already  been  considered.  (See  vol.  XXII.,  page  74). 

The  first  three  clauses  of  the  prayer  have  a  twofold  significance 
according  to  the  meaning  that  is  attached  to  the  phrase  **  Our 
Father."  It  is  probably  usually  taken  as  applying  to  God,  and  the 
association  of  the  thought  of  God  with  a  heaven  that  is  by  some 
even  yet  regarded  as  a  locality,  tends  to  emphasise  the  idea  that 
God  is  far  removed  from  man.  Heaven  is  placed,  as  it  were,  in 
contradistinction  from  earth,  and  the  natural  conclusion  is  that 
there  is  a  similar  contradivStinction  between  God  and  man.  The 
prayer  then  expresses  the  earnest  wish  of  the  soul  that  there  may  be 
the  same  obedience  to  the  will  of  God  on  earth  as  there  is  in  heaven 
amongst  the  angels.  There  is  some  degree  of  vagueness  in  thought 
and  also  of  variety  of  opinion  as  to  where  and  what  heaven  actually 
is  ;  but  it  is  agreed  by  all  who  adopt  this  view  of  it  that  its  con- 
ditions are  quite  different  from  those  of  earth,  rendering  it  possible 
for  men  to  be  far  purer  and  more  spiritual  there  than  here,  and  to 
come  into  closer  contact  with  God.  Indeed  Christians  holding  this 
view  seem  to  be  generally  agreed  that  in  heaven  man  will  be  entirc- 
I3'  freed  from  all  the  limitations  and  imperfections  to  which  he  is 
subject  on  earth.  But  the  idea  of  heaven  as  a  locality  is  fast  dis- 
appearing, and  it  is  regarded  by  many  as  being  a  state  of  consciousness 
independent  of  locality,  so  that  we  can  if  we  choose  make  a  heaven 
upon  earth.  Now»  if  we  take  this  view,  we  must  recognise  that  prog- 
ress is  essential  in  order  to  produce  this  change  in  our  state  of 
consciousness.  In  the  light  of  the  teachings  as  to  the  constitution  of 
man  we  see  that  it  means  a  raising  of  the  consciousness  from  the 
personality  to  the  "  Thinker,'*  and  then  from  that  to  the  Higher 
Self;  heaven  being  the  consciousness  of  the  Higher  Self,  earth  that 
of  the  personality,  independently  of  locality.  (See  vol.  XX.,  page 
85).  This  raising  of  the  consciousness  can  only  be  effected  by  the 
development  and  training  of  the  three  lower  bodies,  and  also  of  the 
causal  body,  by  the  cultivation  of  all  the  qualities  of  the  Ego  or  Jivat- 
man  through  these  forms,  and  by  the  subordination  of  the  consciousness 
4tf  the  forms  to  the  consciousness  of  Self  In  other  words,  desire,  which 
may  be  roughly  described  as  acting  in  the  forms  referred  to,  must 
b^  controlled  by  the  will,  which  is  the  active  energj'  of  the  self. 


720  ,  The  Theosophist.  [SeptenflMr 

This  is  a  long  process,  extending  over  many  incarnations,  but  we 
have  seen  how  belief  in  Christ  combined  with  love  for  Him,  enables 
us  at  length  to  achieve  it.  Adding  to  this  thought  that  of  the  unity 
of  all  things,  we  begin  to  see  another  meaning  in  the  phrase,  **  Our 
Father ; "  it  is  the  Higher  Self  of  every  man,  the  divine  ray  which, 
though  for  the  time  appearing  separate  from  its  source,  is  yet  one 
with  it ;  the  unity  being  clearly  exemplified  in  Christ,  who  is,  on 
the  one  hand,  the  type  of  perfected  humanity  in  which  the  Higher 
Self  rules,  and,  on  the  other  hand,  the  manifestation  of  God.  And 
then  the  prayer  becomes  a  looking  inward  into  the  very  recesses  of 
our  own  being,  that  we  may  find  the  divine  light  that  is  shining 
there,  and  having  found  it,  may  let  it  illumine  our  whole  nature. 
Then  the  kingdom  of  the  Father  will  come,  for  our  whole  lives  will 
be  ruled  by  the  Higher  Self;  the  will  of  the  Father  will  be  done  on 
earth  as  in  heaven,  for  in  whatever  body  we  may  be  functioning, 
we  shall  act  and  think  only  as  the  Higher  Self  prompts.  Thus  we 
are  led  to  the  teaching  given  in  all  religions,  that  God  is  within  us. 
If  thou  wouldst  find  Him,  look  into  thine  own  heart,  for  unless  thon 
canst  find  Him  there,  thou  wilt  not  be  able  to  find  Him  elsewhere. 
And  finding  Him,  thou  wilt  find  also  the  Christ,  and  thine  own  Self, 
for  they  are  one.    As  the  old  hymn  says : 

"  Though  Christ  a  thousand  times  in  Bethlehem  be  bom, 
But  not  within  thyself,  thy  soul  will  be  forlorn  ; 
The  Cross  of  Golgotha  thou  lookest  to  in  vain. 
Unless  within  thyself  it  be  set  up  again.*' 

Or  as  Sri  Krishna  said  to  the  Gopis  at  the  time  of  the  RSsa 
Lila,  one  of  the  most  exquisite  incidents  of  His  childhood,  and  one 
that  is  perhaps  more  full  of  teaching  than  any  other :  Go  back  to 
your  homes,  you  will  find  me  there  as  easily  as  here ;  it  is  not  those 
who  are  with  me  in  body  that  are  nearest  to  me,  but  those  that 
enshrine  me  in  their  hearts.  And  then  when  later  they  joined  in 
that  mystic  dance  which  was  so  wonderful  in  its  beauty  that  the 
very  stars  in  heaven  stopped  in  their  course,  and  the  Gods  them- 
selves gathered  round  to  watch,  each  of  the  Gopis  felt  Sri  Krishna's 
hand  in  hers.  His  arm  was  on  her  shoulder,  for  wherever  His  dev- 
otees are  thinking  with  earnestness  and  devotion  on  Him,  there  is 
He  in  the  heart  of  each  one. 

And  thus  these  two  religions,  which  at  first  sight  may  seem  to 
be  so  different,  almost  opposed  to  each  other,  are  seen  on  a  deeper 
study  to  be  one  in  spirit.  Some  of  the  most  important  teachings 
are  found  in  both,  and  on  this  point,  the  most  important  of  all,  they 
are  at  one ;  for  in  both  we  find  clearly  taught  the  divinity  of  man, 
and  the  unity  of  God  and  man  ;  in  both,  devotion  is  enjoined  as  the 
one  means  by  which  man  may  find  God,  and  in  both,  knowledge  and 
action  are  the  two  wings,  as  it  were,  by  which  the  bird  of  humanity 


1»1.]  On  the  Thi'68hold  of  the  Life  Beyond.  721 

may  at  last  rise  above  all  the  limitations  of  matter,   and  folding  its 
wings,  may  rest  in  the  infinite  bosom  of  God. 

LiUAN  Edger. 


ON  THE  THRESHOLD  OF  THE  LIFE  BEYOND, 

SOLEMN  is  the  moment  when  the  soul  takes  its  leave  of  the  world, 
when  the  sail  is  taken  off  the  gallant  bark  which  now  lies  like 
a  water-logged  craft.  Sad  and  gloomy  are  the  associations  which 
the  very  word  death  recalls  to  our  mind.  Let  philosophers  or  stoics 
view  the  approaching  end  with  stolid  indifference.  Let  the  devout 
man  of  feligion  welcome  the  messenger  of  Pluto  as  the  harbinger  of 
divine  peace  and  felicity.  But  the  common  herd  of  mortals  cannot 
rise  to  the  lofty  heights  of  the  philosopher  or  the  sage ;  they  will 
always  contemplste  death  with  feelings  quite  the  reverse  of  hopeful 
and  pkasant.  The  undefined  sense  of  gloom  and  horror  that  takes 
possession  of  our  mind  at  the  thought  of  death  is  a  mystery  which 
has  baffled  the  analysis  of  the  poet  and  the  metaphysician.  It  is  not 
easy  to  say  whether  it  is,  as  the  sage  Patanjali  avers,  due  to  the 
painful  experiences  of  death  that  we  must  have  gone  through  in  our 
^evions  lives  ;  ch*  whether,  as  Shakespeare  puts  it,  it  is  owing  to 
our  want  of  knowledge  of  what  lies  beyond,  the  **  dread  of  sorae- 
thing  aftear  death— the  undiscovered  country  from  whose  bourne  no 
traveUar  lettims." 

Ib  whatever  way  we  regard  death,  there  is  one  thing  that  we 
cannot  loae  sight  of.  When  the  dying  person  is  about  to  take  his 
departure  from  this  scene  of  earthly  joys  and  sorrows,  he  is  advised 
by  his  firieadfi  and  relatives,  as  well  as  by  priests  and  clergymen,  to 
lose  an  regard  of  what  he  leaves  on  this  earth,  and  devote  his  mind 
exclusively  to  thoughts  of  the  Divine  Idea!.  Wealth  and  rank,  men 
and  flsoney,  friends  and  relatives  can  then  do  him  no  good.  Hence 
it  is  that  the  parting  soul  must  make  at  this  last  moment  one  supreme 
effort  to  snap  asimder  the  earthly  bonds,  to  free  itself  from  the 
chilchesof  its  ruling  passion,  and  to  rise  to  the  sublime  heights  of  a 
and  purer  exiMence  in  the  n«xt  world. 

Tha  very  recognition  of  the  necessity  of  changing  the  trend  of 
thcmght  and  seeking  divine  aid  akme  at  the  time  of  death,  reveals  a 
stfange^  ctdpabk  ineoiisist«acy  of  which  we  arc  shamefully  guilty. 
We  never  tiie  of  the  gewgaws  of  the  world.  Prom  childhood  up- 
wardft  we  spare  na  pains  to  Ativ^  ocrr  minds  into  the  narrow  groove 
of  warldiintsay  saehing  nothing  but  pelf  and  power,  and  objects  of 
soisa  in  gsncral.  In  our  mad  pursuit  of  wealth  and  fame,  in  our 
findat^  f^miggSLe  to  gratify  the  lusts  of  the  flesh,  we  push  aside  our 
vaeakc^  btefchren^  trample  upon  the  claims  of  justice  and  humanity, 
Bfid  set>  at  liaagbd  the  tmmpet-call  of  duty  and  religton.  In  this  way 
we  acquire  a  vicious  worldly  bent  which,  pursutng  us  like  Nemesis, 

3 


722  The  Theosophist.  [September 

wherever  we  go,  shapes  irresistibly  our  future  destiny.  Hence  it  is 
surely  the  height  of  folly  on  the  part  ot  ourselves  as  well  as  of  our 
friends  and  relatives,  to  expect  that  the  mind  should  be  able,  at  the 
last  awful  moments,  to  fling  off  its  earthly  weight  of  passions  and  de- 
sires and  concentrate  the  thinking  energies  on  a  higher  and  purer 
ideal.  Yet  in  spite  of  this  absurd  folly,  in  spite  of  the  sheer  im- 
possibility of  the  fulfilment  of  our  pious  wishes,  we  have  here  the 
glimpse  of  a  deep  philosophical  truth  which  cannot  be  explained 
away.  Underlying  all  ritual  observances,  fasts  and  vigils,  prayers 
and  meditations,  there  is  the  emphatic  recognition  of  the  great 
truth  that  man's  destiny  in  the  next  life  is  mainly  conditioned  by 
the  predominant  tendency  acquired  by  him  in  this  life.  Accord- 
ing to  the  teachings  of  the  highest  esoteric  wisdom,  all  the  acts, 
thoughts,  and  feelings  of  a  man,  however  great  or  small  they  may 
be,  go  to  give  a  complexity  to  the  operations  of  Karmic  Law 
that  no  ordinary  human  intellect  can  unravel.  The  tangled 
yarn  of  life  spun  by  the  hand  of  karma  defies  the  highest  flights 
of  scientific  or  metaphysical  lore.  It  is  only  the  seer  or  the 
sage  who  is  ever  allowed  to  have  a  glimpse  into  the  mysteries.  The 
infinite  multitude  of  beings  that  pass  before  our  eyes  in  daily  review, 
the  endless  variety  of  causes  and  effects,  and  what  we  ignorantly 
call  accidents,  the  clash  and  rush  of  life  and  work,  the  ceaseless 
whirl  of  celestial  bodies  in  infinite  space,  all  combine  to  present 
before  our  bewildered  gaze  a  harmonious  complexity  that  attests 
the  unspeakable  majesty  of  the  Great  Architect  and  His  Law,  the 
Law  of  Karma.  The  operation  of  this  great  law  has  found  its  ablest 
exposition  in  esoteric  philosophy.  The  eyes  of  the  trained  seer, 
penetrating  the  thick  veil  of  Maj'a  or  illusion,  gain  an  insight  into 
the  arcana  of  the  universe  ;  to  him  the  Karmic  Law  is  a  living  real- 
ity, affording  an  answer  to  the  **  obstinate  questionings  of  nature," 
a  key  to  the  solution  of  the  great  problems  of  life  and  death. 

Says  the  Bhagavad  Gita  :  **  Whatever  object  a  man  thinks  of 
at  death  when  he  leaves  the  body,  that,  O  son  of  Kunti,  reaches  he  by 
whom  that  object  has  been  constantly  meditated  tipon  "  (VIII.,  6). 

In  grasping  the  true  significance  of  the  above  sioka  we  have 
need  to  be  on  our  guard  against  a  pitfall  that  we  are  likely  to  fall 
into.  We  must  have  an  eye  to  the  general  tenor  of  life  and  thought, 
and  not  to  a  mere  passing  thought  or  a  transient  feeling  at  the  time 
of  death.  We  must  bear  in  mind  that  the  fixing  of  thoughts  up<ni 
the  Divine  Being  is  an  impossible  feat  unless  by  a  persevering 
course  of  rigid  discipline,  devotional  practice,  and  constant  medita- 
tion the  mind  has  been  taught  to  soar  above  the  storm  of  passions 
and  desires,  and  rise  to  the  serene  sky  of  a  higher  consciousness. 
To  bring  this  sublime  truth  home  to  our  minds,  the  Mahfibhinita, 
the  richest  store-house  of  all  sacred  wisdom,  has  the  beautiful,  but 
pathetic  story  of  king  Bharata.  It  is  an  oft-told  tale  no  doubt,  yet 
it  bears  to  be  told  again. 


I 


1901.]  On  the  Threshold  of  the  Life  Beyond.  723 

In  those  far  off  days  when  mother  India  was  at  the  height  of 
her  spiritual  glory,  there  reigned  a  mighty  monarch,  named  Bht- 
nita.  After  having  reigned  long  and  peacefully,  and  having  dis- 
charged all  his  kingly  duties,  he  thought  of  betaking  himself  to  the 
life  of  an  ascetic  and  a  recluse,  after  the  manner  of  his  illustrious 
ancestors.  Having  called  his  five  sons  before  him  and  given  them 
all  necessary  instructions,  he  left  them  in  charge  of  his  extensive 
dominions  and  retired  to  a  distant,  lonely  hermitage,  with  a  view  to 
pass  the  remainder  of  his  life  in  the  contemplation  and  worship  of 
the  Divine  Being.  He  had  faithfully  done  what  he  owed  to  his 
subjects  ;  he  had  now  a  duty  to  himself— the  highest  duty  of  casting 
off  the  earthly  freight  from  his  soul,  and  raising  it  to  a  divine  union 
with  the  perfect  and  the  universal  Self.  Though  master  of  the 
earth  and  of  **  the  fullness  thereof,"  he  now  began  to  lead  a  life  of 
strict  self-denial  and  piety,  all  his  days  and  nights  being  given 
solely  to  acts  of  charity  and  meditation.  A  rigid  course  of  self- 
discipline,  a  continuous  round  of  religious  exercises,  wrought  a 
wonderful  transformation  within  him.  The  world  gradually  slipped 
away  from  his  mind,  higher  and  higher  states  of  consciousness 
unfolded  themselves  within  him  ;  a  divine  light  shone  in  upon  his 
mind  from  the  inner  depths,  giving  him  peace  and  tranquillity.  But 
the  conquest  over  self  was  not  yet  complete,  and  trials  were  yet  to 
come. 

One  day  after  his  morning  ablution  in  the  sacred  waters  of 
the  Gandaki,  Bhirata  was  occupied  with  his  customary  ceremonies, 
when  he  espied  a  thirsty  doe  drinking  at  the  crystal  stream.  All 
on  a  sudden  the  terrific  roar  of  a  lion  echoed  far  and  wide  from 
a  neighbouring  forest.  Seized  with  fright  the  doe  leaped  into 
the  water  and  swam  across  the  river.  Big  with  young  as  the 
doe  was,  the  effort  was  too  much  for  her.  The  struggle  not  only 
cost  her  her  life,  but  also  brought  forth  her  fawn,  which  fell  into  the 
river  and  was  swiftly  borne  along  the  stream.  The  heart  of  the 
royal  ascetic  melted  with  pity.  He  took  up  the  fawn  in  his  arms 
and  brought  it  to  his  hermitage.  There  he  fed  it  and  tended  it  with 
his  own  hand ;  in  short,  he  bestowed  upon  it  every  care  that  he 
could  give.  Thus  under  his  fostering  hand  the  fawn  grew  up  into 
a  fine  deer.  It  frisked  and  gambolled  about  on  the  grassy  plain  and 
gladdened  the  heart  of  Bh^rata.  When  it  was  alarmed  at  the  sight 
of  any  wild  beast,  or  when  night  came  on,  the  deer  found  a  home 
and  a  shelter  in  Bh^rata's  leafj'  bower.  Thus  days  passed  on.  Mean- 
while a  change,  a  very  insidious  change,  was  coming  over  the 
mind  of  the  royal  sage.  The  self,  that  seemed  lost  in  the  wide  waters 
of  devout  meditation,  found  a  congenial  soil,  and  sprouted  forth 
again,  softly  twining  its  tendrils  round  and  round  the  deer.  The 
affections  of  his  mind  slowly  and  imperceptibly  reversed  their 
current  and  began  to  flow  down  a  different  channel.  Oh,  the  sad 
change  !     A  passionate  yearning  after  the  deer  gradually   filled  his 


79^A  The  Tn«o«ophl4t.  [Septenibor 

soul  and  held  in  chains  that  mighty  mind  which  had  so  easily  re- 
aounoed  the  world  with  all  its  pleastti:es  and  enjoyments.  The  deer 
was  now  his  constant  companion  ;  it  followed  him  wherever  he  went ; 
its  sweet,  innocent  and  trusting  affection  had  a  charm  that 
captivated  the  heart  of  Bh&rata.  His  meditations  were  nam  dist«rbad ; 
his  mind  wandered  during  his  prajrers  ;  thoughts  of  the  deer»  with 
all  its  loving  associations,  would  come  unbidden  and  intrude  upon 
his  religious  exercises.  When  the  evening  came  and  the  deer  dehiyed 
in  returning  home^  many  a  stid  and  painful  anxiety  would  agitate 
his  mind  and  he  would  exclaim,  **  Ah  I  why  is  the  deer  at)Ocat 
80  long  ?  What  has  become  of  it  ?  Has  any  fell  tiger  or  wdf 
aeised  and  preyed  upon  it  ?  Oh  !  how  happy  should  I  be  if 
the  deer  would  just  come  and  rub  his  budding  antlers  against 
my  body  I  Ah  I  these  tufts  of  grass  nibUed  off  by  my  deer 
look  like  pious  Brahmin  lads  sitting  with  well -shaved  beads  and 
ehanting  the  verses  of  the  Sama  Veda! '*  Such  were  the  thoughts 
which  tossed  his  mind  to  and  fro.  His  daily  round  of  rsltgioes 
exercises  was  sadly  interrupted.  He  would  lose  all  selfK^ontrol  and 
his  spirit  wandered  with  the  wanderings  of  the  deer.  Thus  the 
great  Bhtrata,  with  his  heart  all  engrossed  by  a  selfish  affection  for 
the  deer,  passed  his  days,  unconscious  of  the  mournful  change  that 
,  was  imperceptibly  but  irresistibly  dragging  him  down.  At  last 
Bharata  felt  his  end  approaching.  King  Death  stood  ready  brfore 
him  with  his  relentless  scythe.  The  deer  was  at  the  side  of  the 
king,  fondly  and  mournfully  watching  him.  Bh&rata  breathed  his 
last,  looking  wistfully  at  the  deer  and  feeling  acutely  the  coming 
separation  from  his  favourite  animal.  The  story,  however,  does  not 
end  here.  A  corner  of  the  curtain  that  hides  the  future  of  the 
re-incarnating  soul  is  lifted  up  for  us,  and  we  have  a  glimpse  of  the 
path  along  which  the  soul  of  Bharata  travelled  towards  evolutiofl. 
As  BhSrata's  mind  was  solely  occupied  with  thoughts  about  the  deer, 
we  see  him  transformed  after  death  into  a  fine  antler  ranging 
through  the  forests  and  tasting  of  the  experiences  of  the  lower  life 
that  be  had  so  eagerly  longed  to  associate  with.  Again  the  wheel 
of  Karma  carries  him  onward ;  the  pious  exercises,  the  prayers  and 
meditations,  the  yearnings  after  a  higher  and  diviner  life,  reassert 
themselves,  and  we  next  find  Bhtrata  re-incarnating  as  a  human 
being,  unfolding  the  highest  attributes  of  his  nature  and  finslly 
working  out  the  complete  redemption  of  his  soul. 

Such  are  the  outlines  of  the  beautiful  legend  of  the  great  King 
Bh4rata.  The  account  is  not  without  features  that  may  clash  with 
a  jarring  sound  against  the  materialistic  proclivities  of  theaget  The 
scepticism  of  the  modern  intellect  will  be  apt  to  regard  the  story 
gs  a  mere  farrago  of  nonsense,  a  pure  myth  generated  in  the  heated 
brain  of  the  Hindu  enthusiast.  The  scientific  instincts  of  the 
modern  man,  accustomed  to  the  hard  and  fast  rules  and  limitations 
of  the  material  world,  hardly  feel  justified  in  stepping  out  of  the 


1901.]  On  the  Thrasfaold  of  the  Z.lfe  Beyond.  7^8 

sure  ground  of  gross  matter,  into  the  higher  regions  of  mitid  and 
spirit.  The  bright,  unclouded  vision  of  the  ancient  seer,  the  petie- 
tratiJig,  All^comprehending  gaze  of  the  soaring  spirit,  are  possibilities 
wbtch  we,  the  products  of  a  material  civilisation,  have  yet  to  appre- 
ciate and  realise »  Compared  with  the  ancient  Masters  of  Wisdooi, 
we  are  no  better  than  children,  feeling  our  way  in  the  dark.  Our 
st^s  must  necessarily  be  cautious  ;  and  it  may  therefore  be  asking 
too  much  of  one's  credulity,  to  accept  the  story  as  gospel  tnitii  in  all 
its  details.  But  the  thought  is  there,  however  perishable  the  form 
may  be  ;  the  principle  is  there,  quarrel  as  we  may  regarding  the 
point  and  shape  of  its  application.  The  Law  of  Karma»  that  of 
cause  and  effect,  stands  on  a  rock  of  adamant,  however  much  the 
surging  waves  of  human  speculation  may  rage  and  roar  about  it 

Man's  whole  life  in  the  past,  the  present  and  the  future,  forms 
an  unbroken  link  of  sequential  record  where  no  gap  is  possible, 
where  there  is  no  room  for  what  we  call  chance.  Christianity  pays 
homage  to  this  great  I^aw,  though  dogmatism  has  narrowed  and  per- 
verted its  operation  by  blotting  out  from  the  Book  of  Life  the  history 
of  past  incarnations  and  holding  out  au  eternity  of  reward  or  punish- 
ment for  actions  done  during  one  short  life-period  on  this  e^uth. 
The  Law  oi  Moses  is  the  grandest  impersonation  of  Divine  Justice 
and  Retribution, ''  not  a  jot  or  tittle  departing  from  the  Law/*  Christ's 
religion  of  Love  and  Mercy  recognises  the  awful  Majesty  of  the 
same  Law.  ''  Whatsoever  a  man  soweth,  that  shall  he  also  reap. 
For  he  that  soweth  to  his  flesh  shall  of  the  flesh  reap  corruption  ; 
but  he  that  soweth  to  the  spirit,  shall  of  the  spirit  reap  life  ever- 
lasting." 

The  Aryan  sages  went  still  further  and  deeper.  Penetratiag 
the  thick  veil  of  the  future  they  marked  the  various  stagies  of  the 
soul's  progress  or  retrogression.  They  formulated  a  law  and  a  pm^ 
cess  of  differentiation  that  may  well  astound  us  by  their  vast  sweep 
of  {generalisation.    Says  the  Gita : — 

"  Saliva,  Rajas^  TamaSy  thtse  guuaSy  O  mighty  armed,  born  of 
Prakriti,  bind  in  the  body  the  embodied,  the  indestructible  "  (XIV., 

5). 

*'  Of  these,  Sattva^  lustrous  and  painless  from  its  stainliessness, 

binds  by  the  attachment  to  happiness  and  by  the  attachment  to 
knowledge,  O  sinless  one  "  (XIV.,  6). 

*'  Know  thou  Rajas  to  be  of  the  nature  of  passion,  giving  rise 
to  thirst  and  attachment ;  it  binds  fast,  O  son  of  Kunti,  the  embod- 
ied by  the  attachment  to  action  "  (XIV.,  7). 

*'  Know  thou  Tamos  born  of  unwisdom,  deluding  all  embodied 
bcangs;  by  heedlessness,  ind(^ence  and  sloth,  it  binds  fiist,  O 
Bbfirata"  (XIV.,  8). 

"  Saitva  attaches  to  happiness,  and  Rajas  to  action,  O  Bhdrata, 

while  Tamos  attaches,  on  the  contrary,  to  heedlessness  "  (XIV.,  9). 

*'lfthe  embodied  meets  death  when  Saiiva  is  predominant 


726  The  Theosophist.  [September 

then  he  attains  to  the  spotless  regions  of  the  worshippers  of  the 
Highest"  (XIV.  14). 

*•  The  fniit  of  good  action,  they  say,  is  Sattvic  and  pure ;  verily 
the  fruit  of -^o/Vwispain  ;  and  unwisdom  the  fruit  of  Tamos  "  (XIV., 
16). 

•*  Those  who  abide  in  Sattva  go  upwards,  the  Rajasic  dwell  in 
the  middle,  and  the  Tamnsic^  abiding  in  the  function  of  the  lowest 
guna,  go  downwards  "    (XIV.,  18). 

All  this  is  not  altogether  unintelligible  to  the  Eastern  mind 
grounded  from  childhood  in  a  firm  belief  in  the  transmigration  of 
souls  and  the  doctrine  of  re-incarnation.  But  the  Western  scholar, 
chained  to  the  Baconian  method  of  induction,  will  find  it  hard  to 
give  his  mental  assent  to  the  doctrines  enunciated  above.  Yet  no 
one  will  be  disposed  to  call  in  question  the  universal  truth  that  it  is 
the  predominant  quality  of  the  human  mind,  the  general  result 
of  the  experiences  stored  up  in  this  life,  which  traces  the  future 
path  of  the  soul.  Hindu  philosophy  is  more  explicit  on  the 
point  and  affirms  that  the  preponderating  quality  of  the  mind 
is  Sattvic^  Rajasic^  or  Tamasic,  The  three  attributes.  Saliva, 
Rajas,  and  Tamas,  the  natures  of  which  have  been  defined  in 
the  verses  quoted  above,  are  broad  generalisations  of  three  princi- 
ples into  which  all  things,  subjective  or  objective,  may  be  re- 
solved. These  three  attributes  in  their  various  degrees  enter  into 
numerous  permutations  and  combinations  so  as  to  give  rise  to  end- 
less difiierentiation  in  what  we  call  the  mineral,  the  vegetable  and 
the  animal  kingdoms.  It  is  the  ascendancy  of  one  or  other  of  these 
qualities  that  determines  the  trend  of  the  mind  and  the  particular 
body  through  which  that  mind  will  best  operate.  The  close  con- 
nection between  mind  and  body,  the  laws  of  heredity,  the  existence 
of  intuitional  conceptions  or  ideas,  all  bespeak  a  mental  configura- 
tion which  is  expressed  in  a  physical  body  that  is  the  fittest  vehicle 
for  that  mental  personality.  A  soul  with  a  certain  bias  or  proclivity 
will  move  in  a  particular  direction  and  will,  by  the  laws  of  affinity, 
clothe  itself  in  a  body  which  is  the  best  and  the  fittest  instrument 
for  the  display  of  that  particular  tendency.  This  is  the  fundamental 
position  of  Hindu  philosophy— a  position  which  has  in  it  much 
to  commend  itself  to  cultured  rationalism.  Before  we  discard  the 
doctrine  as  a  mere  fanciful  speculation,  we  have  a  right  to  claim  for 
it  all  the  characteristics  of  a  genuine  hypothesis  ;  and  such  a  claim 
will  press  on  our  attention  until  we  are  confronted  with  a  theory 
more  legitimate  to  our  purpose.  If  this  be  conceded,  we  shall  not 
be  without  a  warrant  in  sticking  closely  to  the  classification 
and  accordingly  regulating  our  thoughts,  feelings,  actions,  de- 
sires, and  appetites — nay,  even  the  choice  of  our  food— for 
the  purpose  of  awakening  the  inner  senses  and  opening  our 
eyes  to  the  possibilities  of  human  growth.  How  far  such  a 
regulation  of  our  daily  life  is  of  practical  value  is  a  difficult  problem : 


i901.]  On  the  Threshold  of  the  Life  Beyond.  727 

and  it  may  be  best  solved  by  a  careful  study  of  life  and  society  in 
the  East  and  the  West. 

To  return,  however,  to  the  closing  scene  of  this  life-drama. 
The  final  curtain  is  slowly  rolling  down.  As  the  vital  currents  are 
gradually  drawn  from  the  toes  upwards,  as  the  spirit  breaks  up  its 
companionship  with  the  body,  there  is  a  sensation  that  can  better 
be  imagined  than  described.  Brain  and  being  reel  and  totter. 
Unconsciousness,  so  far  as  the  outer  world  is  concerned,  steps  in  ; 
and  before  the  soul  wings  away  forever  from  its  earthly  tenement, 
there  comes  an  awful  moment — the  moment  of  self-introspection. 
The  whole  panorama  of  man's  life  with  all  its  thoughts  and  feelings 
and  doings,  unrolls  itself;  the  memory  of  a  thousand  buried  yesterday 
now  flash  upon  him ;  all  the  inner  and  outer  forces  that  were 
allowed  to  play  upon  the  soul  now  start  up  and  struggle  for 
mastery.  Very  soon  the  review  is  over,  the  restlessness  and  anguish 
cease,  the  civil  war  comes  to  a  close,  and  the  resultant  force,  the 
ruling  bent  of  the  mind,  carries  forward  the  soul  to  its  futtu'e 
destination,  its  fit  habitation. 

So  does  esoteric  wisdom  teach  us.  But  how  far  the  teachings 
may  be  oflFered  as  generalisations  of  empirical  observation  is  yet  a 
question  on  which  opinions  may  differ.  The  time,  however,  is  not 
far  off  when  a  direct  demonstration  will  be  available.  Already  the 
sublime  truths  are  being  sensed  from  afar ;  already  indications  are 
coming,  shadowing  forth  the  progress  that  is  to  be.  Pacts  of 
daily  life  are  accumulating  to  verify  the  sacred  truths  of  esoteric 
wisdom.  The  necessity  of  building  up  the  character,  the  obser- 
vance of  self-control,  the  formation  of  good  habits,  the  fixing 
of  right  principles — in  short,  all  those  things  that  education 
and  discipline  imply  and  enforce  have  to  do  with  the  crea* 
tion  of  fixed  tendencies  in  the  mind  and  the  body  so  that  both 
may  work  in  harmony  without  swerving  from  the  path  traced  out 
for  them.  Education  and  discipline  will  lose  all  significance,  morality 
and  religion  will  have  no  value,  unless  we  distinctly  recognise  the 
importance  of  fixed  tendencies  powerful  enough  to  overmaster  the 
terrors  of  pain  or  the  solicitations  of  pleasure. 

Now  arises  the  all-important  question.  How  are  we  to  determine 
and  regulate  the  ruling  bias  of  the  mind  ?  The  answer  is  given  in 
plain,  unmistakable  terms.  We  can  do  no  better  than  quote  from 
the  Bhagavad  GitS  these  verses  which  clear  up  the  point : 

"  I^ittle  by  little  let  him  gain  tranquillity  by  means  of  Buddhi 
held  in  firmness  ;  having  made  the  Manas  abide  in  Self,  let  him 
not  think  of  anything  "   (VI.,  25). 

*'  And  he,  who  at  the  time  of  death,  thinking  of  Me  alone,  leaves 
the  body  and  goes  forth,  reaches  My  Being  ;  there  is  no  doubt  in 
this  "  (VIII.,  5). 

''  Whatever  object  a  man  thinks  of  at  death,  when  he  leaves  the 


726  The  TbeoM^^ist.  t^P^^i*^b«^ 

hcAy,  ttiat,  O  son  of  Knuti,  reaches  he,   by  whom  that  object  hfis 
been  constantly  meditated  upon  "  (VIII.,  5). 

**  Ttaerefote  at  aU  times  do  thou  meditate  on  Me  and  fight; 
with  Manas  and  Buddhi  fixed  on  Me  thou  shalt  doubtless  come  to 

Me"(VnU7). 

*'  Meditating  iMitb  the  mind  engaged  in  the  Yoga  of  cosotant 
piBCttce,  not  passing  over  to  an3rthing  else^  he  goes  to  the  Suprenw 
Pumsha  rtftpiendettt,  O  Son  of  Pritha  "  (VIII.,  8). 

So  death  is  our  great  teacher.    The  very  conaideratioM  of  death 

telb  us  what  we  are  now ;  it  shows  us  what  we  shall  be  one  day, 

and  it  teaches  us  what  we  ought  to  be  during  the  course  <^  this  lif«. 

Our  dMtiny  is  in  our  own  hands.    The  thought-force  i»  a  mi^^ 

farce.    A  careful,  judicioits  use  of  this  power  is  necessary  far  tr«b« 

ing  the  will  and  regulating  our  pasaioas,  desires,  and  appetites^   It 

is  wdll  known  that  a  constant  repetition  of  one  and   the  same  llni^ 

tends  to  set  ttp  an   automatic  action  of  the  mind  and  the  body  in 

that  direction.    Let  us  take  note  of  this  beneficent  law,  aroidaU 

loose  habits  of  thought,  and  meditate  constanlly  on  tht>  Divine 

Ideal*    Then  at  the  last  moment,  when  darkness  gathers  around  us, 

when  our  passions  and  desires  swell  high  and  strong  and  the  stotm 

voices  rage  about  us  with  a  deafening  roar,  the  will-power,  backed 

Uf  by  the  automatic  action  of  the  mind  and  the  body»  will  rise 

superior  to  the  strife  of  elements,  hold  fast  the  helm,  and  steer 

the  bark  right  onward   to  the  port.    All  terror  of  death  is  then 

gone  ;  the  triumph  of  the  spirit  over  the  body  is  then  assured ;  and 

the  parting  soul  cries  out  in  joy  :. 

"  Lead^lend  your  wings !  I  mount  1 1  fly ! 
O  «-ave !  wnere  is  thy  victory  ? 
O  oeath  \  where  is  thy  sting  ?" 

ISVAR  Clf  AKDRA  CUAmUkVAMVl. 


A  M&Rmm  PRAYIlt. 

LET  me  to-day  do  something  that  shall  take 
'    A  Rttle  sadness  from  the  worid's  vast  store, 
And  may  I  be  so  favoured  as  to  make 
Of  joys  too  scanty  sum  a  little  more^ 

l^  me  not  hurt,  by  any  selfish  deed 
Or  thoughtless  word,  the  heart  of  foe  or  friend  ; 

Nor  would  I  pass,  unseeing,  worthy  need, 
Of  sin  by  silence  where  1  should  defend. 

Howerer  meagre  be  my  worldly  wealtb, 
I^et  me  give  something  that  shall  aid  my  kind^ 

A  word  ofcourage,  or  a  thought  of  health, 
Dropped  as  I  pass,  for  troubled  hearts  to  find. 

Let  me  to-night  look  back  across  the  span 
Twfxt  dark  and  dawn,,  and  to  mj  consdencer  smy^ 

because  €>f  some  ffood  act  to  beast  or  ma>u**^ 
"  The  world  is  better  that  I  lived  to-day.*'' 

Blla  Wh  wler  Wii,cox,  io  Ligii' 


729 


RAMA  GFTA', 
[Caniintced  from  page  68i.] 

Chapter  XI. 
Hanumdn  said  : 

O  Teacher  of  teachers  !  O  Illustrious  Rtmachandra  !  O  Ocean 
of  kindness  !  What  am  I  to  say  regarding  your  affection 
towards  your  devotees  ?    It  is  beyond  my  power  of  description,    (i) 

On  account  of  such  affection  alone  Thoji  art  so  very  kind  and 
extremely  interested  in  rescuing  me  from  being  drowned  thus  in 
this  shoreless  ocean  of  Samsira.  (2) 

There  are  the  famous  Tri-gunas  (three  gunas)— the  Sattva,  the 
Rajas,  and  the  Tamas.  There  are  also  (four  kinds  of  spiritual 
people)  the  Karmins,  the  Bhaktas,  the  JnSnins  and  the  Yogins.     (3) 

O  Chief  of  the  Raghus  !  Tell  me  the  nature  of  these  four  (kinds 
of  people)  affected  by  Sattva  and  other  gunas  and  the  correspond- 
ing results  produced  by  their  being  so  affected.  (4) 

S'rt   Rdma  said  : 
[Sa'ttvika  KAKMINa] 

Karmins  in  whom  Sattva  predominates,  and  who  are  free  from  de- 
sires, perform  the  Nitya  Karmas  enjoined  by  the  S'rutis  and  Smritis 
and  thereby  please  Me,  the  all  pervading  JanSrdana.  (5) 

They  gradually  become  purified,  and  through  the  path    of  Ve- 

dftnta  reach  Me,  the  Intelligent,  Blissful  and  Eternal  ParamStman. 

(6) 
[Ra'jasa  Karmins.] 

Others  who  are  affected  by  Rajoguna,  and  who  are    desirous  '^ 
obtaining  heaven,  penorm  tne  Vagas  and  other  Karmas   mentioncu 
in  the  S'rutis  for  propitiating  Indra  and  other  gods.  (7) 

They  enjoy  the  highest  pleasures  in  heaven  together  with    the 
Devas,  and  when  the  good  effects  of  such    Karmas   are    exhausted 
they  are  surely  born  again  in  this  world.  /3) 

[Ta'masa  Karmins.] 
Others  affected  by  Tamogujja    are   ever   bent   upon  performing 
El&mya  Karmas  alone,  and  are  always  devoted  to    supporting  their 
families  with  the  monies  earned  by  means  of  such  Karmas.  fo) 

They  go  (after  death)  to  the  terrible  hells  protected  by  Chitra- 
gupta  and  others  and  thereafter  take  a  downward  course  and  de- 
scend to  the  wombs  of  dogs,  etc.  (i,  e.,  degrade  themselves  to  the 
lives  of  dogs,  etc.).  /jq\ 

[Sa'ttvika  Bhaktas.] 
Bhaktas  who  are  endowed  with  Sattva  and    who  are  free  from 
desires,  adore  Me  the  Vishnu  holding  in  His  hands  the  Conch    the 

4 


730  The  Tbeosop 

Discus,  and  the  Club,  by  meditations  i 
in  the  S'rutis. 

They  are  brought  by  My  attend 
taining  the  knowledge  of  Ssuf  from    I 
That,  My  Supreme  Seat,  along  witi     i 

[RA'jASi    T       I 

Those  other  Bbaktas  in  who< 
their  several  disciples,  adore  m 
archanas  (adoring  them  with  floi 

They  reach  My  world  (Va- 
are  even  rare  to  BrahmS  and  oti 
pure  brfihmaria  families. 

[Ta'm/ 

Other  Bhaktas  in  whom  T 
selves  the  garb  of  Bhaktas,  ar 
by  the  S'rutis,  worship  Me  f- 

They,  being  on  a  par  wi 
thereafter  live  the  lives  c 
sins  from  behind  the  screer 
[Sa'i 

JnSnitts  who  are  Sttt 
good  qualities,  who  medi 
man,  who  shine  with  t' 
castes  and  orders  of  Ufe, 
(they)  reach  My  Loka  d 
end,  reach  That,  My  Si 

Those  Jntnins  in 
addicted  to  Sams&ra, 
sionally  contemplate 


pn 
ed 


ig01«]  Aama  Gita.  Ydl 

dhas  end,  and  their  bodies  (consequently)  fall,  (they),  without  Ut- 
krftnti  (or  the  agonies  of  the  last  moment),  etc.,  reach  That,  My 
Supreme  Seat,  established  by  all  the  Ved&nta.  (23  &  24) 

[Ra'JASA  YOGINS.] 

Those  other  yogins  who  have  a  Rajoguna  nature,  who,  on  ac- 
count of  meditations  practised  in  company  with  others,  have  not 
succeeded  in  bringing  about  the  destruction  of  their  mind,  etc.,  and 
whose  minds  are  perplexed  at  not  having  realised  (A'tman)  the  ob- 
ject of  their  DhySna,  undergo  the  greatest  miseries  resulting  from 
PrSrabdha.  Then,  leaving  this  body  at  death  (after  having  under- 
gone Utkr&nti  or  agonies),  they  reach  My  Supreme  Goal.  (25  &  26.) 

[Ta'masa  Yogins.] 

Those  Yogins  in  whom  Tamogu^a  predominates,  by  showing 
extreme  neglect  to  Brahma- VidyS,  will  be  vexed  by  (Abh&ndvarana) 
the  screen  that  keeps  them  ofif  from  the  light  of  A'tman,  and  will  be 
eager  to  acquire  a^ima  and  other  siddhis  or  superhuman  powers.*  (27) 

By  their  aversion  to  forbidden  Schdras,  they  will  reach  My 
I/>ka,  enjoy  the  highest  pleasures  there,  and  then  will  reach  Me 
after  being  bom  once  m6re  on  this  earth.  (28) 

It  should  be  understood  by  the  wise  that  the  three  gunas,  Sattva, 
etc.,  become  sixfold  by  dividing  them  into  K&rya  (secondary  or 
pertaining  to  the  effect),  and  Ktrana  (primary  or  pertaining  to  the 
cause),  which  are  of  the  nature  of  the  changeable  and  the  change* 
Icss.f  (29) 

Of  these  (K&rya  and  Kdrana  gupas),  the  Yogins}  who  are  re- 
spectively endowed  with  the  three  Kirya  or  secondary  gunas  are  of 
three  grades,  and  Jivanmuktas§  who  are  respectively  endowed  with 
the  three  K&rana  or  primary  gunas  are  also  of  three  grades.         (30) 

And,  O  Miruti !  the  Karmins,  Bhaktas  and  Jnslnins  already 
referred  to  (in  verses  5  to  22  of  this  chapter)  are  of  nine  grades,  dis- 
tinct in  their  character,  each  being  endowed  with  one  of  the  three- 
ifold  subdivisions  of  each  of  the  three  (modified)  gunas.  ||  (31) 

Just  as  Jivas  who  are  the  eflFects  of  AvidyS  are  declared  to  be 
of  nine  grades**  on  account  of  the  triple  nature  of  the  principles 
known  as  Vis'va,  Taijasa,  and  Prfijna  ;  (32) 

*Accordine  to  another  reading  of  the  text  the  end  of  this  verse  runs  thus  : 
— "  And  will  adhere  to  their  respective  A's'ram&charas." 

t  The  three  gu^tas,  Sattva,  Rajas  and  Tamas,  pertaining  to  the  effect  which  is 
subject  to  change,  and  the  three  gu^as  pertaining  to  the  cause  which  is  not  sub> 
ject  to  change,  make  up  the  sixfold  division  here  referred  to.  (See  also  footnote 
under  verse  39  of  this  cnapter). 

X  The  three  grades  of  Yogins  who  are  influenced  by  the  three  KArya  gu^s, 
respectively  practise  the  first  three  Sam&dhis. 

§  The  three  grades  of  Jivanmuktaa  who  are  influenced  by  the  three  KArana  or 
primary  gu^as,  respectively  practise  the  last  three  higher  Samftdhis. 

Il  The  threefold  divisions  of  the  three  modified  gu^as  are  :  I.  (a)  Sattva-sattva, 
(b)  Sattva-rajas,  {e)  Sattva-tamas  ;  II.  (a)  Rajas-sattva,  (b)  Rajas-rajas,  (c)  Rajas- 
tamas  ;  III.  (a)  Tamas-sattva,  fb)  Tamas-rajas,  and  (c)  Tamas-tamas. 


V 


••The  nine  grades  of  JJvasare  :  I.  (a)  Vis'va-vis'va,  {b)  Vis'va«tatjasa,  (<)  Vis'va- 
rl^na  ;  II.  («)  Taiiasa-Vis'va,  Taijasa-taijasa,  Taljasa-pr&jna  ;  IIL  PrAjna«vis'va, 
'rAjiia«taijasa|  and  PrAjna-prAjna. 


732  The  Theoaophlst.  [SeptaiUlMr 

And  just  as  the  Lords  who  are  influenced  by  the  effects  of 
Maya,  are  declared  to  be  of  nine  grades*  on  account  of  the  triple 
nature  of  the  well-known  Brahm&,  Vishnu,  and  I's'a  ;  (33) 

Even  so  is  the  ninefold  division  of  Karmins,  etc.  (including 
Bhaktas  and  JnSnins),  who  are  influenced  by  the  effect  of  any  one  of 
the  three  sub-divisions  of  each  of  the  three  (modified)  gu^as  called 
Sattva,  Rajas,  and  Tamas.f  (34) 

The  three  primary  or  seed  gu^as  are  said  to  pertain  only  to 
these,  viz,,  the  S'akti  mentioned  in  AjS-mantra,}  as  also  to  the(higher) 
Prakriti  who  is  of  the  nature  of  Chit,  and  the  immortal  Trip4d 
Tattva  (the  three-footed  Brahman  or  the  upper  triad).  (35) 

Some  say  that  these  three  gunas  are  the  effects  of  MfiyS  and 
Avidyfi.  This  is  inconsistent  because  of  their  (of  these  gu^as)  being 
the  seeds  (of  M&yi  and  Avidyt).  (36) 

The  threefold  sub-divisions  (of  the  three  modified  gums)  are 
quite  distinct  from  those  (separate  gunas)  that  pertain  to  the  effect, 
and  from  those  (latent  gu^As)  that  pertain  to  the  cause.  They  (the 
threefold  modifications)  are  to  be  rejected  by  those  who  desire 
liberation.  (37) 

Those  that  have  not  even  realised  here  the  k&rya  guxias,  but 
who  nevertheless  neglect  the  K&rana  or  seed  guijias  with  the  idea 
(or  the  wrong  notion)  of  similarity  (between  the  gunas  pertaining  to 
the  effect  and  those  pertaining  to  the  cause),  are  pseudo-philoso- 
phers or.  quack-professors  of  the  science  of  Sblp.  (38) 

O  M&ruti  !  Even  Brahma,  Indra  and  others  ever  worship  those 
My  three  (seed)  gupas  which  are  of  the  nature  of  Sat,  Chit,  and 
Ananda.§  (39) 

— M^—i— i^^— »"  I.  I    ■  »      I  Will  1    ■     » I  I    11    I  I  .    -I  I  I  ,  III 

*  See  Theosophisif  vol.  XXX.,  p.  150. 

t  The  three  grades,  of  Karmins,  Jninins  and  Bhaktas,  are  said  to  be  under 
the  influence  of  the  eflfect  of  any  one  of  the  three  sub-divisions  (such  as  Sattva-sattva, 
etcj  of  each  of  the  three  modified  gu^as. 

X  See  SvetAsVatara  Upanishad  IV.  5,  for  this  mantrat 

§  The  teachings  contained  in  verses  29  to  41  of  this  chapter,  will  be  plain  to 
the  student  of  Vaidika  S&nkhya,  but  will  be  quite  unintelligible  to  the  student  of 
the  current  S&nkbya  Philosophy  which  is  termed  avaidika  and  which  is  very  often 
criticised  by  S'ankara,  R&m&nuia  and  other  great  writers.  It  is  the  former 
Sinkhya  that  is  referred  to  in  the  Bhagavad  Glt4.  Its  doctrines  are  discussed  at 
length  in  several  places  in  that  colossal  work  called  Tattvas&riya^a,  For  arwry 
brief  exposition  of  it,  the  reader  is  referred  to  Jtvachintima^i,  translated  and  pub- 
lished in  the  July  and  August  numbers  of  vol.  xxii.  of  tbe  Theo^pkisi.  The  fol- 
lowing genealogy  of  higher  occult  Powers  (though  a  very  rough  outline)  and  a 
few  explanations  given  thereunder,  will  be  of  some  help  to  the  reader,  in  under- 
standing the  main  doctrines  of  Vaidika  SAnkhya  which  distinguish  it  from  tbe 
other  S4nkhya.  This  genealogy  may  be  read  with  advantage  along  with  the 
dis^ram  on  page  150  of  vol.  xxi.  of  the  Tktosophist, 

Thb  Nirouna'ti'ta  Brahman. 
(The  aitributeless  and  the  unknowable), 
.       f      Name  OP  Ati^ta  Tattvas.  Dbscription, 

^.n  J  Ntreu^a  Brahman  (the  source  \      f 
^  S  I      of  Jtvas,  having  the  privative  V.J] 


% 


rt  ]      of  Jlvas,  having  the  privative  I     J  „_.         ....   . 

«         attributes  of  lat,  Chit,  and  f  "i  Brahma-VidyA 
L    A'nanda).  )      I 


I90li} 


ftjuna  Olta. 


rsd 


O  Haimm&n  !  Thou  shalt,  therefore,  with  due  regard  for  My 
words,  contemplate  upon  the  three  KSrapa  (or  seed)  gu^as  pertain- 
ing to  Me,  for  the  sake  of  obtaining  liberation  in  life.  (40) 


OB 
3 


t 

i 


ParamAtman  (the  cosmic  \ 
Chaitanyam)*  S 


Sagn^     Brahman  (the) 
source  of  the  Universe).  3 


{ 


Purasha(Brah-) 
man  raanilested 
in  Prakriti). 


^ 


J 


I's'vara  (Puni- 
sha  energised  in 
(  M&yA). 


[Below  this  are  the  nine 
Lords  referred  t6  in 
Verse  33   of  this  chap- 

.    ter]. 

PratyaeAtroan  (o  n  e^ 

centre  of  energy.  The  | 

Self  in  the  Turya  or  y 

the    fourth  state    of  j 

^consciousness).  J 


C  One  spark 
<  Purusba  ( t 
CA'tma-Buddhi) 


of) 
the  V— 

0.     J 


r  (Daivl)  Prakriti  (Part 
of  Vidy&  having:  the 
three  gu^as  in  equili- 
brium and  in  seed 
form). 


M4yi(the  s4ttvic 
aspect  of  Prakriti  from 
which  originate  Vik- 
sbepa,  Avara^a,  the 
differentiated  gu^as, 
etc.  Another  aspect 
is  called  Avyakta 
or  MiUaprakriti  with 
separated  gupas). 


iOne  atom  of  Daivl 
Prakriti. 


Tattva. 


Karya.  (       JtvAtman 


^fS^'l      (Avidya   (a  modifica. 
^5"*  I  tion  of  MtUaprakriti). 


(The  effect  of  Prat. 
}  SB  ^     yagfttman 
(     Ego). 

[Prom  this  point  downwards  the  three^fold  classifications  and  the  differentia- 
ted  KU9»s  begin  to  play  their  part]. 

Of  the  above,  the  Nirgu^ttta  is  unknowable.  Nirgupa  is  called  in  this 
Giti  the  middle  Brahman  which  is  reached  by  means  of  the  three  higher  SamA- 
dhis.  Paramitman  has  the  three  seed-gunas  which  are  said  (in  verse  39)  to  be 
of  the  nature  of  Sat,  Chit  and  A'nanda,  in  a  latent  state.  Pratyag^tman  is  en- 
dowed with  both  kira^a  and  k&rva  gu^as  according  as  it  is  the  kAra^  pra- 
tyag&tman  or  the  k^rya  pratyag&tman  (see  Jtva  ChtntAma^ i).  Sagu^a  Brahman 
is  endowed  with  the  three  separate  gu^s.  The  three-fold  classificacion  of  each 
of  the  three  differentiated  gu^as  (t.  «.,  the  modifications  of  each  of  such  gu^s)  will 
only  apply  to  JlvAtmans.  All  the  96  Tattvas  enumerated  in  the  Var&hopanishad 
refer  only  to  those  Tattvas  that  are  below  Sagu^a  Brahman.  The  current 
S4nkhya  deals  with  the  principles  beginning  from  Mkyk  (called  Avyakta  or 
MiUaprakriti)  downwards.  The  Yoga  has  recognised  Ts'wara  also.  But  the 
Vaidika  S&nkhya  mainly  deals  with  all  the  higher  Atlta  Tattvas  frotn  Sagu^a 
Brahman  upwards. 

(|As  a  possible  help  to  the  student  of  Theosopby,  who  is  familiar  only  with  the 
classifications  given  in  the  later  theosophical  writings,  the  following  suggestions 
are  c^ered  :  The  Nirgu^Attta  Brahman  is  the  Unknowable  of  the  '*  Secret  Doc- 
trine ;"  the  Atlta  Tattvas  (which  are  powers  rather  than  qualities)  are  the  inferred 
attributes  of  Nirgu^&ttta  Brahman  and  do  not  in  any  sense  refer  to  the  three 
Logoi  of  the  Solar  System.  The  nine  Lords,  also,  are  those  referred  to  as  stand- 
ing before  Parabrahm  :  his  immediate  agents  in  the  bringing  of  the  universe  into 
existence,  so  being  powers  rather  than  manifestations.  These,  all  together,  form 
the  supreme  Cause — are  the  reason  for  the  existence  of  all  that  is*  In  this  dia- 
gram all  the  intermediate  stages  between  this  great  Unknowable  and  the  human 
Ego  are  omitted.  The  student  should  think  of  many  stages  between  them,  but  we 
will  mention  only  one  :  that  of  the  Solar  Logos  and  his  system.  The  Nirg^^- 
tita  Brahman  stands  as  cause,  KAra^a,  and  the  Solar  Logos  as  K&rya,  or  effect. 
The  latter  in  its  turn  becomes  K4rana,  or  cause,  and  is  tl^  source  of  PratyagAt- 
man,  which  is  the  self  of  the  individual  :  that  self-conscious  centre  which  is  back 
of  the  Ego.  This,  again,  in  its  turn,  although  an  effect,  becomes  a  cause  and  its 
KArya  is  JtvAtman,  the  separated  individual,  or  the  Human  Ego.  The  lower 
effects,  the  bodies  mental,  astral  and  gross,  are  ignored  in  this  arrangement,  but 
the  student  may  think  of  them  as  effects  of  JtvAtman  as  cause.  All  below  Nir- 
gu^tlta  Brahman  stands  as  a  duality  of  effect  and  cause,  until  we  reach  the 
outermost  limits  of  the  all-pervading  force,  where,  of  course,  effect  paly  would 


734  The  Theosophist.  [SepUmbor 

Although  these  (seed)  gunas  are  known  by  the  name  of  gu^^is 
in  this  case  (in  the  case  of  Sat-Chit-A'nanda),  they  are  no-gunas  in 
the  case  of  the  Truth  (or  Nirguna  Brahman).  The  one  still  above 
that  (Power)  is  Nishpratiyogika  or  Nirgunfitita  (the  attributeless) 
and  It  is  far  removed  from  gunas  and  no-guiias.  (41) 

O  Thou  that  hast  almost  burnt  down  I<anka  !  Having  rejected 
the  gunas  (the  modifications  of  gupas)  by  guiias  (the  separate  gupas) 
thou  shalt  stand,  as  firm  as  the  Mountain  Meru,  in  thy  self-con- 
sciousness, and  shalt,  by  means  of  Sam&dhis,  realise,  by  degrees. 
My  three  gunas  (the  Sat,  Chit,  and  A'nanda).  (4?) 

Thus  in  the  glorious  Upanishad  of  Ra'ma  Gi'TA',  the 
secret  meaning  of  the  Vedas,  embodied  in  the  second 
Pdda  of  the  Up&sand  K&ndaof  Tattvas^ftya^a,  reads  the 
eleventh  chapter,  entitled  : 

The  yoga  of  separation  prom  thbthree  gunas. 


Chapter  XII. 

Hanumdn  said  : 

O  RSmachandra,  Ocean  of  Mercy  !  O  Consort  of  J&nak!  !  I, 
Thy  servant,  wish  to  hear  of  Thy  mysterious  Universal  Form,      (i) 

S'ri  RSma  said  : 

O  Hanum&n  !  Hear  me,  O  lord  of  apes  !  I  shall  tell  thee  My 
mysterious  Universal  Form  which  will  presently  become  visible  to 
thyself  and  cause  thee  fear.  (2) 

Even  though  it  is  impossible  to  describe  My  Universal  Form,  in 
words,  I,  whose  mind  is  won  over  hy  thy  devotion,  shall  tell  thee 
the  same.  That  beautiful  Form  which  has  been  brought  about  by 
the  play  of  (My)  Miy&,  should,  undoubtedly,  be  heard  of  by  thee,  but, 
be  thou  not  afraid.  (3) 

HanumSn  said : 

O  Lord  I  How  can  I  possibly  be  terrified  when,  from  the  mouth 
of  Thee  who  alwa3rs  advocates  fearlessness,  I  now  hear  about  Thy 
extremely  auspicious  and  divine  Form,  which,  if  once  heaM  of,  is 
capable  of  destroying  all  fears  !*  (4) 

S'ri  RSma  said : 

O  Hanumfin  !  Do  not  say  so.  By  merely  hearing  of  it,  alas ! 
even  Brahma,  Indra,  and  other  gods  are  terrified.  Even  the  haiis 
of  My  body  stand  erect  when  I  think  of  it.  By  that,  thou  shalt 
fainfaway  in  no  time.  (5) 

Think  of  that  mighty  undivided  Form  which  has  on  all  sides 
numerous  hands  and  feet  that  are  beyond  gtasp  ;  which  has  eyes, 
mouths,  noses  and  heads  on  all  sides  ;  and  which  has  ears,  necks, 
arms,  breasts,  navels,  knees  and  thighs  on  all  sides.  (6) 

Over  and  over  again,  O  Handman  !  these  fourteen  worlds  (or 
planes  of  existence)  having,  like  so  many  gnats,  entered  tbecafi^ 


1901.]  Raxna  Gita.  735 

of  (a)  nose  of  that  Universal  Porm,  while  in  the  act  of  inhaling,  come 
out  scattered  in  the  act  of  exhaling.  (7) 

The  crores  and  crores  of  Brahmic  eggs  spreading  over  the  hairs 
(of  Its  head)  here  and  there,  give  occasion  for  certain  doubts. 
They  appear  in  their  shape  as  if  they  were  so  many  atoms 
clinging  together  like  the  seeds  of  one  of  the  branches  of  an  Indian 
fig  tree  which  spreads  on  all  sides  its  branches  and  branchlets.      (8) 

Some  of  those  faces  are  big,  some  long,  some  short,  and  others 
atomic.  So  also  are  the  feet,  etc.  Hence,  That  Form  should  be  seen 
by  those  brave  souls  in  this  world  whose  minds  are  serene.  (9) 

Who  is  there  that  has  the  power  and  fearlessness  to  see  That 
(Universal  Form)  to  which  are  even  the  seven  oceans  like  so  many 
mouthfiils  of  water  (for  rihsing  the  mouth  or  drinking)  ;  to  which 
the  principal  rivers  are  like  the  secretions  of  the  nose  ;  and  the 
mountains  such  as  Meru,  etc.,  like  the  secretions  of  the  ear.  (10) 
How  could  I  tell  thee  the  greatness  of  That — My  Universal  Form — 
before  which  numberless  mid-day  suns  (the  totality  of  whose  bright- 
ness is)  very  difficult  even  to  be  imagined,  are  like  so  many  fireflies, 
and  by  whose  violent  peal  of  laughter,  the  outer  shell  of  the  Brah  - 
tnic  egg  has  been  broken  ;  (11) 

Wherefrom  numberless  gods  of  death  run  away  on  seeing  the 
multitudes  of  faces  with  projecting  fangs,  and  in  which  wonderful 
Form,  they  fall  senseless  of  their  own  accord,  not  finding  the  slight- 
est space  an3nvhere  dse  whereto  they  may  go ;  (12) 

Whereby  numberless  Indras  have  lost  their  eyes ;  wherein 
alone  they  fall  down,  and  exceedingly  cry,  wherefore  they  reproach 
themselves  for  being  unable  to  shut  their  eyes,*  and  alas  !  being 
perplexed  in  mind,  they  become  motionless ;  (13) 

Within  whose  lotus-like  navels,  many  four- faced  ones  (Brah- 
mSs),  although  (they  are)  the  greatest  and  the  permanent,  yet 
dust-like  (when  compaiva  vriiu  this  Form)  being  broken  down  by  that 
fierce  peal  of  laughter,  roll  about  in  the  same  manner  as  wild  ani- 
mals do  in  mountain  caves  when  frightened  by  thunderbolts.       (14) 

O  son  of  Pai^ana  !  Thyself  meditate  upon  that  Mystery  which 
is  devoid  of  beginning,  middle,  and  end ;  and  by  which  the  extra- 
ordinary fires  (that  break  out  at  the  time  of  the  destruction  of  the 
world)  are  entirely  destroyed,  and  are  made  invisible  in  no  time.  (15) 

Skilfully  perceive  (by  the  mental  eye)  That,  which  shines, 
sometimes,  of  its  own  accord,  as  Meru  ;  sometimes,  clearly,  as  Mai- 
nfikat ;  and  sometimes,  spontaneously,  as  the  Himalayas,  with 
beautiful  choice  colours.  (16) 

Under  whose  lotu6-like  feet  even  A'di-S'esha  (the  thousand- 
headed  serpent)  is  but  a  streak,  and  the  sky  over  whose  hairs  (of 
the  head)  is  like  a  dark  coloured  ornament.    Thus  shines  that  un- 

*  Devas  are  said  to  have  their  eyes  always  open. 

t  Men]  and  Main&ka  are  two  mytholog^ical  mountains.  The  former  is  said 
to  be  of  golden  hue  and  the  latter  evidently  is  of  a  dark  colour. 


736  The  Theosopbist.  [Septiotftor 

divided  Form  which  has  the  Sun  and  Mocm  for  its  pendants^  and 
which  pervades  its  own  inside  and  outside.  (17) 

Who  is  there  that  is  competent  here  (in  this  world)  to  express 
an  opinion  as  to  what  My  Form  is  like,  when  (in  reality)  it  is  unseen 
though  partly  seen  ;  unheard  of  though  partly  heard  of ;  and  to 
which  Brahma  (knowledge)  and  Elshattra  (power)  are  food,  and 
death  is  mild  sauce.  (18) 

While  the  Lord  of  Siti  (i.e.,  S  ri  Rama)  was  thus  describing  (Oie 
Universal  Form),  Hanumfin,  the  son  of  Vftyu,  was  rapidly  medita- 
ting upon  that  Form,  with  his  eyes  closed.  (19) 

Then,  by  means  of  such  rapid  meditation,  He  (Hanfiman), 
perceiving  That  (Form)  which  causes  fear,  fell  down  senseless  on 
the  floor  with  languid,  powerless  limbs.  (20) 

And  S'ri  Rama  smilingly  looked  at  him  (Han&mSn)  for  a  short 
space  of  time,*  and  then,  with  great  regard,  raised  him  with  His 
own  lotus-like  hands.  (21) 

With  excellent  cold  water  and  with  soft  currents  of  air  induced 
by  fanning,  the  Lord  Himself  comforted  him  who  was  (then)  sense- 
less. (22) 

After  Hanuman  had  recovered  from  his  swoon,  the  best  of  the 
Raghus,  with  tears  of  Joy,  and  with  indistinct  words,  again  began  to 
describe  the  Universal  Form.  (23) 

On  hearing  it,  the  son  of  Anjana,  holding  firmly  by  his  hands, 
both  the  feet  of  S'ri  Rama,  addressed  Him  (thus)  with  words 
choked  in  his  throat.  (24) 

Hanfim&n  said : 

O  Lord  !  Ocean  of  Mercy !  The  grandeur  of  Thy  Universal  Form 
is, indeed,  wonderful  and  difficult  to  be  perceived.  O  Teacher! 
Protect  me  who  am  deficient  in  courage,  by  concluding  Thy  de- 
scription of  That  (Form)  ana  uy  cuau^mg  the  topic.  (25) 

That  great  Form  of  Thine  which  presented  Itself  to  my  (mental) 
vision,  without  mercy  draws  here  and  there  my  feet,  here  and  there 
my  hands,  and  in  like  manner  my  other  parts  also.  Alas !  I  cannot 
endure  this  even  for  a  moment.  (26) 

O  my  dear  Lord !  Thou  art  possessed  of.  endless  giandettr, 
Thou  art  the  Universal  Spirit.  Thou  art  all-powerful.  Who  is  there 
equal  to  Thee  ?  As  I  have  become  the  weakest  of  the  weak,  pro- 
tect me  with  Thy  tender  look  which  is  essentially  kind.  (27) 

O  RSma,  having  lotus-like  eyes !  I  am  (only)  a  foolish  and 
degraded  monkey.  What  else  have  I  in  this  world  to  depend  upon 
except  Thy  lotus-like  feet  which  are  rare  even  to  BrahmS  ?     (28) 

O  chief  of  the  Raghus  !  Counting  upon  my  excessive  former 
courage,  and  being  ignorant  of  the  greatness  of  this  Mdyfi  of  Thine 


*  *'  MubOrta,"  the  word  used  in  the  text,  is  here' taken  to  mean  *'  a  short  space 
of  time."  It  is  sometimes  taken  to  be  equal  to  forty-eight  minutes  and  soine- 
times  tliree  and  three-fourths  Indian  hours. 


nai:]  Rama  Glta.  737 

difficult  to  be  overcome,  I  have  committed  an  error.  O  Teacher  ! 
pardon  me  for  this  offence.  (29) 

Without  even  catching  a  glimpse  of  that  Universal  Form  (which 
glimpse)  is  enough  to  destroy  multitudes  of  strong  sins,  I  thought 
that  I  had  attained  Thy  Nirguna-SBi«P.  Pardon  me,  O  Lord  I  for 
this  offence  also.  (30) 

Because  of  its  association  with  M&y&,  I  certainly  thought  that 
(the  characteristic  of)  fullness,  will  not  apply  to  Sagu^a.  O  Lord  t 
O  Supreme  Purusha  who  art  everywhere,  inside  and  outside  !  Par- 
don me  for  this  offence  also.  (31) 

Having  daily  observed  Thy  unbounded  passion  for  S'ri  J&naki, 
I,  without  considering  Thy  greatness,  entertained  indiscriminate 
thoughts  concerning  even  Thee  who  art  the  Lord  of  all.  Alas !  par- 
don me  for  this,  the  greatest  of  my  offences.  (32) 

When  Hanumdn,  the  most  intelligent,  thus  expressed  himself 
in  tasteful  words,  S'ri  RSm^,  the  great  one,  moved  by  mercy — with 
tears  of  Joy,  with  hairs  standing  erect,  with  shaking  limbs,  and  with 
words  choked  in  His  throat— spake  to  him  these  mild  and  candid 
words  which  indicate  His  love  towards  His  devotees.  (33  &  34) 

S'ri  Rdma  said : 
O  HanumSn  !  Let  these  words  of  thine  be  (useful)  for  (attaining) 
freedom  from  mundane  existence.    Consider  as  to  what  remains 
for  thee,  to  be  known,  and  again  ask  Me  (about  it).  (35) 

Thus  in  the  glorious  Upanishad  of  Ra'ma  GI'TA',  the 
secret  meaning  of  the  Vedas,  embodied  in  the  second 
Pdda  of  the  Upftsanft  K&nda  of  Tattvas&r&ya^a,  reads 
the  twelfth  chapter,  entitled: 

THE  INVESTIGATION  OF  THE  UNIVERSAL  FORM. 


Chapter  XIII. 
HanumSn  said : 

Bow  to  Thee,  destroyer  of  misfortunes  and  bestower  of  all  for. 
tunes.  Bow  to  S'ri  RSma  who  is  the  source  of  pleasure  to  the 
world.  (i) 

Bow  to  Thee,  Kes'ava  ;  bow  to  Thee,  NSrfiya^a  (floating  on  the 
waters  of  Ether)  ;  bow  to  Thee,  MSdhava  (the  Lord  of  Lakshmi)  ; 
bow  to  Thee,  Govinda  (the  Cow-keeper) ;  (2) 

Bow  to  Thee,  Vishnu  (the  pervader) ;  bow  to  Thee,  Madhu- 
sddana  (the  destroyer  of  the  demon  Madhu)  ;  bow  to  Thee,  Trivi- 
krama  (He  who  measured  the  Universe  by  three  steps)  ;  bow  to 
Thee,  VSmana  (the  dwarf)  ;  (2) 

Bow  to  Thee,  S'ridhara  (bearer  of  fortune);  bow  to  Thee, 
Hrishikes'a  (Lord  of  the  organs  of  sense) ;  bow  to  Thee,  Padma- 
nitbha  (the  lotus-navelled) ;  bow  to  Thee,  DSmodara  (having  a  cord 
round  the  belly).*  (4) 

•  The  word  DAtnodara  applies  to  Krishna — His  foster-mother  Yas'oda  having 
in  vain  passed  a  rope  round  his  belly,  whilst  a  child,  to  keep  him  in  confinement. 

5 


738  Th»  TheoBophist.  [Septemlwr 

Bow  to  Thee,  Matsyatflpt  (who  took  the  form  of  fish) ;  bo*  to 
Thee,  Kurmarupi  (who  took  the  form  of  tortoise)  ;  bow  to  Thee, 
Varaharfipi  (Who  took  the  form  of  Boar) ;  bow  to  Thee,  Nriaimha 
(Man-lion)  ;  (5) 

Bow  to  Thee,  Vtmana  (Dwarf)  ;  bow  to  Thee,  Rima  (Parasu- 
rftma  who  extirpated  the  Kshattriya  caste) ;  bow  to  Thee,  S'ri  R&ma 
(the  slayer  of  RSvanS) ;  bow  to  Thee,  Bala  R&tna  (elder  brother  of 
Krishna) ;  '  (6) 

Bow  to  Thee,  Krishna ;  bow  to  Thee,  Kalki  (a  future  liberator  of 
the  world).    O  Lord  !  Janardana !  always  be  pleased  with  me.        (7) 

O  Dear  Consort  of  JSnaki !  Some  learned  people  say  that  the 
Mantra  of  sixteen  syllables — vis,,  O  Hari  !  Rdma  !,  Hari  IRfima  1 
Rfima  I  Rima  !  Had  !  Hari !  Hari !  Krishna  !  Hari !  Krishna !  Krish- 
na !  Krishna !  Hari  I  Hari  ! — is  the  great  Mantra  that  carries  one  to 
the  other  shore  of  SamsSra,  { 8  &  9) 

Some  say  that  the  name  **  RSma  "  is  the  Mantra  that  rescues 
all — from  Brahm&  down  to  the  very  worm — ^when  it  is  muttered  (by 
MahSdeva)  into  their  ears  at  the  time  of  their  death  at  Kis'i  {i.e., 
VtrSnasi  which  Samskrita  word  is  now-a-days  wrongly  pronounced 
and  written  as  Benares).  (10) 

Others  say  that  the  eight-lettered  Mantra  meaning  *'  Bow  to 
Narayana,'*  to  which  is  directly  prefixed,  Pranava,  is  the  most 
excellent  Mantra  which  rescues  one  from  earthly  bondage.        •  (n) 

Others  say  that  that  Mantra  which  rescues  one  at  Ksts'i  is,  the 
letters  (that  make  up  the  word)  **  S'iva,"  or  as  some  would  say,  it  is 
the  five-lettered  Mantra  pertaining  to  S'iva  (meaning)  *'Bowto 
S'iva."  (12) 

Others  again  hold  that  Pranava,  the  eternal  and  auspicious 
monosyllable  proclaimed  in  all  the  Vedas  is,  of  all  others,  the  most 
important  lettered  and  ever  rescuing  (tfiraka)  Mantra.  (13) 

Thus,  verily,  is  this  point  argued  in  diverse  ways  by  the  wise 
BrShmanas  who  debate  upon  Tfira  (the  Mantra  that  is  capable  of 
rescuing  one  from  bondage).  O  chief  of  the  Raghus  I  Decide 
the  point  here  and  tell  me  the  one  which  is  best  suited  for  my  medi- 
tation. (14) 

Thus  questioned  by  HanumAn,  S'ri  Rftma,  well- versed  in  S'rutis, 
taking  into  His  consideration  the  pros  and  cons  of  all  the  S'rutis, 
that  treat  of  TItraka,  such  as  Brihajjdbala,  (Rama)  tdpini,  (Narada) 
Parivr&jaka,  Advaya  (t&raka),  and  all  others  down  to  the  end  of 
Muktikopanishad,  told  him  (thus)  the  decided  meaning.    (15  &  (i6) 

S'n  RSma  said : 

O  Haniiman  !  I  shall  tell  thee  that  T&ra  by  which  thou  shalt 
be  able  to  cross,  immediately,  this  ocean  of  Samsfira.  Hear,  with 
a  most  attentive  mind.  (17) 

There  is  no  doubt,  O  Hanuman !  that  all  the  S'aiva,  and 
Vaish^ava  Mantras  have,  ordinarily,  the  power  to  rescue  one  firom 
Sams&ra.  (jS) 


tMt;}  Bama  Glta.  T3d 

Bven  then,  this  Mantra  called  Pra^ava  is  the  most  excellent  oi 
all.  It  is  this  alone  that  is  actually  meditated  upon  by  all,  for  the 
sake  of  liberation*  (19) 

All  other  Mantras  except  Praoava  are  applied  for  purposes  of 
both  Bhoga  (enjoyment)  and  Moksha  (liberation) ;  but  this  (Prana- 
va),  verily,  is  applied  for  the  purpose  of  liberation  alone.  (20) 

And  this  Praijava  which  is  of  the  form  of  **  Om  "  consisting 
of  letters  beginning  with  a,  u,  etc.,  is  found  established  in  all  the 
Ved&nta  (Upanishads).  (21) 

Such  eminent  personages  as  Brihaspati  (the  Teacher  of  Devas), 
A'da  S'esha  (the  thousand-tongned  serpent  serving  the  purpose  of 
Vishigtu's  bed),  etc.,  so  also  My  own  teacher  Vasisbtha,  the  con- 
soct  of  Arundhati,  are  incapable  of  describing  the  greatness  of  this 
(Pranava).  (22) 

Therefore  do  I  desist  from  giving  thee  a  description  of  it  at 
present.  Now  hear  from  Me  its  form  and  meaning,  both  of  which 
afaonld  necessarily  be  known  by  thee.  (33) 

This  Pranava  has  its  form  made  up  of  sixteen  inconceivable  or 
subtile  M&tras  (measures  or  parts)  t  such  as  the  following,  viz.,  (i) 
A,  which  is  said  to  be  the  first  letter ;  (2)  u,  the  one  next  to  it ;  (3) 
then  the  letter  m  (ma) ;  (4)  then  ardhamatrd  (half  the  measure  of  a 
tone) ;  (5)  Ndda  (sound) ;  (6)  next  to  it,  is  Bindu  (the  point  from 
which  the  sound  starts) ;  (7)  KalS  ;  (8)  then,  Kalatitd  (the  one 
above  Kal&) ;  (9)  S'tnti  (tranquillity  or  peace) ;  (xo)  then,  S'&ntyatit& 
(the  one  above  No.  9) ;  (11)  the  eleventh  is  said  to  be  Unman! ;  (12) 
the  twelfth  is  Manonmani ;  (13)  Puri  ;  (14)  MadhyamS :  (15)  then, 
Pasyanti ;  and  (16)  the  last,  ParS.  (24  to  26) 

O  Hanum^n  !  By  subdividing  each  of  these  M&tris  into  their 
gross,  subtile,  seed,  and  turya  (or  the  fourth)  states,  they  become 
stxty-four.f  (27) 

*  It  is  impossible  JtQ  make  the  average  reader  understand  the  occult  sig-nifi. 
cance  and  the  meaning  attached  to  the  name  of  each  of  these  MAtrAs,  They  refer 
te  Ntghiy  occult  matters  reserved  for  the  last  sUgc^  of  inilialapn.  Those  fortimdte 
souls  that  have  undergone  the  highest  stages  oMnitiation  jnto  the  secrets  of  an- 
cient Indian  white  magic  and  occultism,  may,  with  advantage,  refer  to  that  portion 
ofVartvasyi-rnhasya  which  treats  of  '*HRtif"  and  its  sixteen,  as  well  sis  two 
hundred  and  fifty-six  M&tr4s.  "  HftiM  "  is  said  Lo  be  tht:  Sth^Iu  Pranava  and 
''OM,"'the  Sukshmn  Pranava.  The  two  hundred  and  fifty-six  MAtr As  of  this 
Pra^^va  with  their  diffi^reiu  elassifi^attofis,  meanings  and  applicatioiKi  are  fully 
dealt  with  in  the  Anubhiiti-Mimimsa-BhAshyaof  Appaya  Dtkshiticharya.  Many 
points  dealt  with  in  this  R&ma  GftA  will,  ai  present,  be  unintelligible  to  the  average 
render.  Earnest  students  rmiy  hop9  to  gr^sp  those  points  clearly  whan  they  are 
enabled  to  read  in  the  issues  of  the  next  volume  of  the  Theosothist^  the  translation, 
in  parts,  of  Muktiratna,  a  complete  Manual  of  AnubhavAdvaita  (f»«.,  the  empirical 
or  0;«|ieri€ntial  monism). 

t  The  MAndiUcya,  one  of  theicn  Upanishads,  speaks  o{  four  MAtrAs,  tM>.,  a,  ir, 
M  and  ardhamAtrA,  and  also  of  eight  MAtrAs  by  assigning  four  MAtrAs  to  Prakriit 
and  four  to  Purusha.  The  Atharvas'iropanishad,  one  pf  the  Thirty-two 
Upanishads,  deals  with  the  gross^  the  subtile,  the  seed  isnd  the  Turya  sfstes  ot 
each  of  these  four,  and  thus  makes  then  sixteen.  Again  speaking  of  tiie  sixteen 
MAtrAs  pertaining  to  Prakriti  and  an  equal  numbnr  lo  Purnsha,  it  (thff  aaid  Upanl- 
slud)  iriy«s  us  thirty-two  MAtrAs.  Th#  VanAba  and  Nurada  parivrAjaka  coming 
under  the  class  oi  oqa  hundred  and  eight  Upanishads,  spc^ik  of  the  si«A«*en  parts 
mentioned  in  verses  24  to  26  of  this  chapter.    TbfiO  the  eighth  (chapter  of)  instrwc' 


740  The  TheosophiBt.  [SepttfaOMT 

Being  two-fold  from  the  standpoint  of  (the  inseparable)  Prakri- 
ti-Punisha  (or  Matter-Spirit)  they  again  become  one-handred  and 
twenty-eight  MStras.  {28) 

From  thence  they  again  become  two-hundred  and  fifty-six 
Mdtras  when  considered  from  the  standpoint  of  the  farther  two-fold 
subdivision  into  Saguna  and  Nirguna.  (29) 

Thus,  O  Miruti !  understand  that  Pranava  consists  of  such  ex- 
tremely subtile  MatrSs.  I  shall  now  tell  thee  its  meaning.  Hear 
with  an  attentive  mind.  (30) 

That  supreme  Brahman  which  is  well  known  to  be  of  the 
nature  of  undivided  Sat-Chit- A'nanda  is  alone,  verily,  the  prinuoy 
meaning  of  this  Pranava  which  enables  one  to  get  over  to  the  other 
shore  of  the  ocean  of  SamsSra.  (31) 

Those  one  hundred  and  twenty-eight  Mttris  which  are  free 
from  any  tinge  of  Saguna,  are,  here  said  to  demonstrate  Brahman's 
Svagatabheda  *  (t.  ^.,  the  distinctions  existing  among  the  sevecal 
members  which  go  to  make  up,  as  it  were,  the  body  of  NirgOQa 
Brahman).  (32) 

Of  these  (128  M&trds),  sixteen  MStrds  are  included  in  the  six- 
teen subdivisions!  into  gross,  etc.,  of  the  four  characteristics  known 
by  the  name  of  Viveka,  etc.,  pertaining  to  the  sixteen  kinds  of  &tmi- 
dhik&rins  (or  persons  fit  for  realising  the  Sei^p).  (33) 

It  should  be  understood  by  thee  that  the  remaining  (112)  out  of 
the  aforesaid  (128  M&tr^),  are  distributed  among  the  seven  Qnftna) 
Bhflmikas  or  stages,  in  their  respective  order,  at  the  rate  of  sixteen 
M&trfis  for  each  stage.  (34) 

It  is  only  by  thus  dividing  it  into  M&trlts  that  the  Pranava  mantra 
should  be  meditated  upon  by  the  wise  with  the  aid  of  S'ravana,  &c., 
for  the  sake  of  their  direct  cognition  (or  experience  of  the  Swjf).  (35) 
This  Pranava  which  ought  to  be  muttered  in  prayer  in  its  com- 
plete form  as  an    undivided  one  (without    breaking  it  into  MStrls) 
and  which  is  resorted  to  by  ascetics  who  are  unselfish  in  their  devo- 
tion, is  the  sole  cause  of  mental  purification.  (36) 
Just  as  the  meditation  on  this   (Pranava)  in  the  form  of  mut- 
tered prayer  which  is  subordinate  (to  abstract  meditation)  is  useful 
here,  for  attaining  Krama-Mukti  (z.^.,  liberation  in  due  order) ;  even 
so,  O  Hanumtn  !  is  the  repetition  of  My  name  (useful  here  for 
attaining  Krama-Mukti).                                                                  (37) 
The  primary  meanings  of  other  (holy)  names  (used  by  devotees 

tion  of  the  latter  Upanishad  refers  to  sixty-four  MAtr4s  in  dealing:  with  their  gross 
subttle,  seed  and  Turya  states.  Ag^ain  speaking  of  the  Prakriti-Purusha  aspect, 
the  Pranava  ts  said  to  consist  of  one  hundred  and  twenty-eig'ht  Mitrfts.  Of  these 
(128),  the  first  ninety-six  M&trfts  will  include  the  ninety-six  Tattvas-  (Muktimtiia* 
Mah4vllkya  pmkara^a). 

*  To  illustrate  Svagatabheda  we  may  take  the  exiimple  of  an  Indian  fig  tree, 
whose  branches,  leaves,  twigs,  shoots,  fruits,  roots,  etc.,  are  distinct  from  one 
another,  although  all  of  them  together  go  to  make  up  the  tree. 

t  The  subdivisions  here  referred  to  are  :  the  Stb^la-viveka,  Sftkshma-vivefcay 
KAra^a. viveka,  and  Turya  viveka ;  Sthilla  vair&gya,  Sukshma-vaiHtgya,  Kara^a- 
vair4gya»  and  Turya  vairigya  ;  and  so  forth  for  the  remaining  two  also. 


in  tbcir  prayers)  are  included  in  the  secondary  (or  undivided)  Pra- 
nava.  The  primary  meaning  of  the  Prnaava  divided  into  Mitris  is 
included  in  itself.  (38) 

The  Sanyfisin  or  the  ascetic  alone  is  verily  entitled  to  perform 
that  meditation  (or  muttered  prayer)  in  which  the  gauijia  (t,f.,  the 
secondary  or  the  undivided)  Pranava  is  the  chief  object  of  medita- 
tion. Whereas  all  are,  without  exception,  entitled  to  perform  that 
(abstract)  meditation  in  which  the  mukhya  (i,  e.,  the  primary  or  the 
divided)  Pranava  is  the  chief  object  of  meditation.  (39) 

The  son  of  V&3ru,  hearing  in  this  manner,  the  meaning  taught 
by  S'li  Rftma,  said  (to  Him)  :  I  have  heard  that  Thou  art  Thyself 
the'meaning  of  Prai^ava.    Tell  me,  O  Righava  !  how  it  is.  (40) 

S'ri  lUma  said : 

I  shall  tell  thee  that  meaning  also.  Hear,  O  Hanum&n !  with 
devotion.  By  hearing  it  alone  thou  shalt  instantly  become  puri- 
fied. ("41) 

I^kshma^a  whose  form  is  Vis'wa,  denotes  the  meaning  of 
Akftm  (f .^.,  the  letter  a)  ;  S'atrughna  whose  form  is  Taijasa,  denotes 
the  meaning  of  Ukdra  (f.^.,  the  letter  u) ;  and  Bharata  whose  form 
is  PiAjna,  denotes  the  meaning  of  Mak&ra  {i.e.,  the  letter  m).  I  am, 
sorely,   ardhamAtr&    and    my    very   form    is  Brahm&nanda   itself. 

(45  &  43) 
On  account  of  My  presence,  this  SitS  who  is  called  Mulapra- 

kriti  is  said  to  be  the  cause  of  creation,  preservation,  and  destruc- 
tion of  all  beings,  and  the  support  of  the  Universe.  The  Brahma- 
vddins  call  her  Prakriti,  because  she  is  to  Me  like  Prana.  (44  and  45) 

She  alone  is  Mah&mfty&  and  she,  the  most  supreme  VidyS.  O 
son  of  Marut !  She  is  also  that  I^shmi  who  has  My  breast  for 
her  residence.  (46) 

Pranava  is  said  to  have  sixteen  other  states,  O  Handmdn  ! 
attentively  hear  those  states  beginning  with  JSgrat-JSgrat.  (47) 

O  son  of  V&yu !  The  great  ones  say  that  that  state  in  whidi 
there  are  no  such  ideas  as  '  this '  or  '  mine'  as  regards  all  visible 
manifestations,  is  called  jA^GRAT-jA^GiHAT.  t      .  (48) 

That  is  said  to  be  Ja'grat-svapna  wherein  all  ideas  of  name  and 
form  are  given  up— after  realising  (the  fact  that)  the  uninterrupted 
series  of  manifestations  (are)  in  me,  the  Sat-Chit- A'nanda.  ^49) 

The  conviction  that  *'  in  me,  the  all-pervading  Chid&k&s*a  (or 
the  space  of  mind),  there  is  naught  else  except  Svi^P-knowledge,"  is 
called  Ja'grat-Supti  .  (50) 

That  is  called  Ja'grat-Turya  wherein  the  conviction  becomes 
firm  that  the  three  states,  Sthula,  etc.  {i.e,,  the  gross,  the  subtile,  and 
the  causal),  are  fSsilse ;  even  though  the  causal  form  has  not  yet  been 
broken  up  (or  neutralised)  there  (ie,^  at  this  stage)*  (51) 

The  conviction  that  even  the  activities  proceeding  from  the  astral 
plane  owing  to  cattses  set  in  motion  previously,  do  not,   in  the  least 


742  The  ttiQMoiiilist.  [SepteUMT 

bind  me  when  the  knowledge  of  the  ph3rsical  plane  is  completely 
destroyed,  is  called  Svapna-Ja'grat.  (52) 

Thatis.SvAPNA  SvAPNA  wherein  the  seer,  the  sight*  and  the 
seen,  which  remain  after  the  destruction  of  Kftrap&jnina  (or  ignor- 
ance which  is  the  root  of  all)  becomes  inefiectttal  for  purposes  of 
knowing.  (53) 

When  by  means  of  excessive  subtile  thinking,  the  modifications 
of  one's  own  mind  become,  without  the  least  agitation,  merged  in 
knowledge,  then  it  is  called  Svapna-Supti.  (54) 

That  loss  of  innate  bliss  (pertaining  to  the  individual  Self) 
which  follows  his  attainment  of  (the  universal)  Bliss  on  account  of 
his  undisturbed  seat  in  the  Undivided  (Form),  is  called  SvAMnAr 

TURYA.  (55) 

The  experience  of  that  SEi«F-Bliss  which  has  taken  the  shape 
6f  (or  has  been  identified  with)  the  Universal  Intelligence  through 
the  rising  (or  spreading)  of  mental  modificati^is,  ia  called  Sum- 
JA'GRAT.  isfi) 

That  state  is  called  Supti-Svapna  in  which  one  ideolafies  him- 
self with  the  modifications  of  the  mind  which  has  long  been  im. 
mersed  in  the  experience  of  internal  Bliss.  (57) 

The  attainment  of  oneness  of  knowledge  which  is  far  above  the 
mental  modifications  pertaining  to  the  visibles,  and  &r  above  the 
realisation  of  the  abstract  condition  of  the  Lord,  is  called  Supti- 
SUPTI.  (58) 

That  is  called  Supti-Turya  wherein  the  Akhandaikarasa  or 
the  one  Undivided  Essence  (of  the  Universal  Ssv)  starts  into  view  or 
manifests,  of  its  own  accord,  without  the  help  of  meditation.        {59) 

O  HanumSn  1  That  state  wherein  the  enjoyment  (or  experi- 
ence) of  the  aforesaid  Essence  becomes  natural  (or  easily  obtainable) 
in  his  waking  state,  is  called  Turya-Ja'grat.  (60) 

That  state  wherein  that  enjoyment  becomes  natural  even  in  his 
dreaming  state  is  difficult  to  be  accomplished,  and  is  called  Turya- 

SvApna.  (61) 

If  that  One  Undivided  Essence  will  clearly  manifest  itself  even 
iti  deep  sleep,  then  that  state  which  is  extremely  difficult  to  accom- 
plish, is  called  Turya-Supti.  (62) 

That  Arupa  state  which  is  beyond  cognizance,  and  wherein  the 
Akhandaikarasa  disappears  (or  is  absorbed)  like  the  dust  of  kata- 
ka-nut  (i>.,  the  nut  of  a- plant — probably  Strychnos  Potatorum — used 
for  clearing  water),  is  called  Turya-Turya.  (63) 

These  sixteen  states  should  be  known  by  men  of  subtile  intel- 
lects. O  Hanum4n  I  They  are  not  to  be  told  by  thee  to  any  one 
and  every  one.  (^) 

These  (sixteen  states)  that  I  have  taught  thee  should  be  care- 
fully told  by  thee  to  one  who  has  the  greatest  regard  for  the  one 
hundred  and  eight  Upanishads  ;  whose  desire  for  Videha  Mukti,  in- 
creases day  by  day  ;  whose  devotion  to  the  Teacher  is  extremely 


lOOl.]  Rama  Gita  743 

stainless;  whose  non- attachment  to  all  external  objects  of  enjoy- 
ment is  very  great  ;  and  who  has  all  the  distinguishing  marks  of  a 
Jivanmukta.  (65  to  67). 

Never  should  these  (states)  be  taught  to  one  who  is  devoid  of 
the  said  characteristics  ;  who  is  wicked-minded  ;  who  is  a  deceiver  ; 
an  athiest ;  an  ungrateful  one  ;  one  who  is  always  bent  upon  sen- 
sual pleasures  ;  who  always  pretends  (or  dramatically  represents  by 
his  looks,  gestures  and  outward  actions)  to  have  reached  that  high 
state  of  Jivanmukti  ;  and  who  is  devoid  of  devotion  to  Teacher, 
etc.  {68  &  69) 

O  Miruti  !  This  should  always  be  screened  even  before  Kar- 
mins,  Bbaktas,  and  Jndnins  ;  and  should  only  be  taught  to  those 
Yogins  who  are  intent  upon  the  identification  of  Sbi«f.  (70) 

Out  <5f  regard  (for  thy  dependence  on  Me),  I  have  taught  thee 
all  the  esoteric  Vedantic  meanings  that  ought  to  be  kept  screened. 
I  have,  therefore,  O  son  of  Viyu  !  no  other  secret  than  this  to  be 
kept  screened.    This  is  all  my  entire  wealth.  (71) 

Those  sixteen  M&tr^  of  the  monosyllable  '*0m*'  are  said  to  be 
the  forms  of  (or  to  represent  the  diflFerent  grades  of)  the  Universal 
Biahmic  consciousness;  and  the  rest  (j  12)  are  only  the  subdivis- 
ions of  the  seven  stages  or  Bhumikas  representing  the  various 
states  of  these  sixteen.*    What    secret  other  than  this  can  there 

cb  ?  (73) 

There  is  no  other  point  that  has  to  be  questioned  by  thee,  no 

other  meaning  that  has  to  be  explained  by  Me,  and  likewise  'nothing 
that    is    left    unexf^ained    by    My  worthy  Teacher  (Vasishtha>. 
Question  me  again  if  thou  hast  anything  more  to  hear  from  Me.  (73) 
Thus  in  the  glorious  Upanishad  of  Ra'ma  Gi'TA',  the 
secret  meaning  of  the  Vedas,  embodied  in  the  second 
Fdda,  of  the  Upftsan^  K^da  of  Tattvas^r&yana,   reads 
the  thirteenth  chapter,  entitled  : 

THC    YaOA    OF    THC    DIVISIONS    OF    TARAKA    PRANAVA. 

Translated  by  G.  Krishna  S'a'stri'  . 
^  To  be  continued  J 


•  Those  referred  to  in  thus  verse  are  the  128  Nireu^  MAtr&s.    The  Sagv^a 
MAtrfts  are  referred  to  in  the  footnote  to  v6rse  27,  andin  verses  33  and  47. 


744 


BROTHERHOOD  AS  TAUGHT  BY  THE  BUDDHA. 

IT  needs  only  the  most  cursory  examination  of  the  recorded  utter- 
ances of  Lord  Buddha,  to  convince  any  honest  investigator  that 
the  key-note  of  his  whole  teaching  is,  Love  to  all  Humanity — ^the 
very  essence  of  Brotherhood. 

Neither  need  one  search  far  to  discover  the  harmony  existing 
between  the  fundamental  teachings  of  the  Buddha  and  the  Christ. 

But  the  breadth  and  boundlessness  of  the  teaching  of  the 
Buddha  concerning  Brotherhood  are  manifest  in  the  fact  that  it  in- 
cludes our  younger  brothers,  the  animals— even  all  created  beings. 
The  omission  of  this  important  branch  of  Brotherhood  from  the 
teachings  of  the  Christ,  is  no  doubt  owing  to  the  extreme  brevity  of 
these  teachings — so  far  as  they  are  at  present  known  to  us — ^when 
compared  with  the  voluminous  records  of  the  utterances  of  the 
Buddha. 

The  following  gems  selected  from  ^  miscellaneous  collection 
entitled,  *'  The  Imitation  of  Buddha,"*  by  Ernest  M.  Bowden,  which 
are  referred  to  by  Sir  Edwin  Arnold,  in  his  preface  to  the  work,  as, 
"  rubies,  sapphires  and  emeralds  of  wisdom,  compassion  and  human 
Brotherhood,  any  one  of  which,  worn  on  the  heart,  would  be  suffi- 
cient to  make  the  wearer  rich  beyond  estimation" will  fiurly 

set  forth  the  doctrines  of  the  Buddha  concerning  Brotherhood.t 


Hurt  not  others  with  that  wlu€!lt|)ains  yourself  (p.  24). 

With  pure  thoughts  and  fullness  of  Love,  I   will  do  towards 
others  what  I  do  for  myself  (p.  24). 

Overcome  evil  by  good  (p.  27). 

Conquer  your  foe  by  force  and  you  increase  his  enmity  ;  con- 
quer by  love  and  you  reap  no  after-sorrow  (p.  27), 

He  cherished  the  feeling  of  affection  for  all  beings  as  if  they 
were  his  only  son  (p.  36). 

The  man  of  honour  should  minister  to  his  friends by 

liberality,  courtesy,  benevolence,  and  by  doing  to  them  as  he  would 
be  done  by  (p.  39). 

Speak  not  harshly  to  anybody  (p.  40). 

Let  us  then  live  happily,  not  hating  those  who  hate  us.    In  the 
midst  of  those  who  hate  us,  let  us  dwell  free  from  hatred  (p.  44). 

For  hatred  does  not  cease  by  hatred,  at  any  time ;  hatred  ceases 
by  love ;  this  is  an  old  rule  (p.  44). 

(Not  superstitious  rites,  but)  kindness  to   slaves  and  servants, 

*For  sale  at  the  Theosophist  Office.    Price  Rs,  2-4. 

t  The  references  given  indicate  the  pages  in  Mr.  Bowddn's  book,  where  more 
definite^references  to  Lord  Buddha's  works  may  be  found. 


1901.]  Brotherhood  as  taught  by  the  Buddha.  745 

reverence  towards  venerable  persons,  self-control  with  respect  to 

living  creatures, these  and  similar  (virtuous  actions  are  the 

rites  which  ought  indeed  to  be  performed),  (p.  48). 

Doing  no  injury  to  anyone,  dwell  in  the  world  full  of  love  and 
kindness  (p»  51). 

By  the  power  of  his  compassion  ....  he  made  all  men  friends 

(p.  77)- 

(To)  the  man  who  foolishly    does  me  wrong,  I  will  return  the 

protection  of  my  ungrudging  love  :  the  more  the    evil  that  comes 

from  him,  the  more  the  good  that  shall  go  from  me  (p.  S6). 

I^iberality,  courtesy,  benevolence,  unselfishness,  under  all  cir* 
cttmstances,  towards  all  people— these  qualities  are  to  the  world 
what  the  Unch-pin  is  to  the  rolling  chariot  (p.  100). 

Humble  in  mind,  but  large  in  gracious  deeds ;  abundant  in 
charity  to  the  poor  and  helpless  (p.  102). 

May  I  be  thoroughly  imbued  with  benevolence,  and  show  always 
a  charitable  disposition,  till  such  time  as  this  heart  shall  cease  to 
beat  (p.  105). 

I/>ving  virtue,  he  is  able  to  profit  men ;  and  thns,  by  an  impar- 

tiality  of  conduct,  he  treats  them all  as  his  own  equals  and 

fellows  (p.  107). 

A  loving  heart  is  the  great  requirement ;  to  regaird  the  people  as 
an  only  son  ;  not  to  oppress,  not  to  destroy ; not  to  exalt  one- 
self by  treading  down  others,  but  to  comfort  and  befriend  those  in 
suffering  (p.  112). 

In  this  mode  of  salvation  there  are  no  distinctions  of  rich  and 
poor,  male  and  female,  people  and  priests ;  all  are  equally  able  to 
arrive  at  the  blissful  state  (p.  1 14). 

Even  the  most  unworthy  who  seeks  for  salvation  is  not  to  be 
forbidden  (p.  114). 

Look  with  friendship  ....  on  the  evil  and  on  the  good  (p.  114). 

I  consider  the  welfare  of  all  people  as  something  for  which  I 
must  work  (p.  1 17). 

If  thou  see  others  lamenting,  join  in  their  lamentations  :  if  thou 
hear  others  rejoicing,  join  in  their  joy  (p.  118). 

This  good  man,  moved  by  pity,  gives  up  his  life  for  another,  as 
though  it  were  but  a  straw  (p.  135). 

Full   of  truth  and  compassion  and  mercy  and  long  suflering 

(p.  144). 

Tell  him  I  look  for  no  recompense— not  even  to  be  bom  in 

heaven — but  seek  ....  the  benefit  of  men,  to  bring  back  those  who 

have  gone  astray,  to  enlighten  those  living  in dismal  error 

to  put  away  all  sources  of  sorrow  and  pain  from  the  world 

(p.  116). 

Kindness  to  Animals. 

All  beings    desire    happiness ;  therefore   to  all    extend    your 

benevolence  (p.  23). 

6 


746  The  Theosophist.  [Septamlier 

Because  he  has  pity  upon  every  living  creature,  therefore  is  a 
man  called  holy  (p.  23). 

The  member  of  Buddha's  order  ....  should  not  intentionally 
destroy  the  life  of  any  being,  down  even  to  a  worm  or  an  ant  (p.  28). 

He  came  to  remove  the  sorrows  of  all  living  things  (p.  29), 

Whosoever harms  living  beings  ....  and  in  whom 

there  is  no  compassion  for  them,  let  us  know  such  as  a  base-bom 

(P-  56). 

Whoso  hurts  not  Giving)  creatures,  whether  those  that  tremble 

or  those  that  are  strong,  nor  yet  kills  nor  causes  to  be  killed,  him 

do  I  call  a  Brfihmana  (p.  57). 

Even  so  of  all  things  that  have  ....  life,  there  is  not  one  that 
(the  Buddhifet  anchorite)  passes  over ;  ....  he  looks  upon  all  with 

....  deep-felt  love.    This,  verily is  the  way  to  a  state  of 

union  with  God  (p.  67). 

Causing  destruction  to  living  beings,  killing  and  mutilating 
....  stealing  and  speaking  falsely,  fraud  and  deception  .... 
these  are  what  defile  a  man  (p  82), 

If  a  man  thus  walks  in  the  ways  of  compassion,  is  it  possible 
that  he  should  hurt  anything  intentionally  ?  (p.  83). 

To  whom  even  the  life  of  a  serpent  is  sacred  (p.  87). 

I  love  living  things  that  have  no  feet  ....  four  footed  crea- 
tures and  things  with  many  feet ....  May  all  creatures,  all  things 
that  live,  all  beings  of  whatever  kind,    may  they    all  behold    good 

fortune  (p  87). 

He  who  ....  is  tender  to  all  that  lives   ....  is  protected  by 

Heaven  and  loved  by  men  (p.  103). 

M0N0& 


MEANS  OF  SPIRITUAL  GROWTH* 

**  'T^HE  Manas  is  said  to  be  twofold — the  Pure  and  the  impure.  The 
L  impure  is  determined  by  desire  and  the  Pure  is  devoid  of  de- 
sire." What  constitutes  Purity  of  mind  ?  Or  rather,  by  what  marks  are 
we  to  note  the  taint  of  impurity  in  our  desires  ?  The  answer  to  this 
question  is  found  on  almost  every  page  of  the  now  numerous  books 
on  Theosophical  Ethics,  an  answer  easy  to  grasp  intellectually,  but 
so  very  difl&cult  to  realise  in  one's  actual  life.  Any  desire  connected 
with  the  separated  self  as  opposed  to  the  one  self  of  all  is  and  must 
be  impure.  Why  ?  The  philosophical  basis  of  this  teaching  is  not 
hard  to  find.  The  great  outflow  of  energy  during  a  period  of  mani- 
festation has  been  symbolised  in  various  ways,  but  the  picture  that 
appeals  best  to  many  persons  is  that  of  the  flow  of  a  current  of  light 
into  a  field  of  darkness.  The  trend  of  this  current  must  necessarily 
be  in  one  direction  and  one  direction  only,  and  that  we  call  the  goal 
of  the  evolution  of  the  totality  of  beings— z^zi.,  the  evolution  of  a 

•  Read  before  the  Adyar  Lodge,  T.  S.,  May  12th,  iQoi. 


1901.]  Means  of  Spiritual  Growth.  t47 

Logos  and  minor  Logic  and  other  Powers  who  will  take  in  hand 
future,  yet  unborn,  or  shall  I  say,  yet  unplanned  schemes  of  evolu- 
tion. This  outflow  of  the  energy  of  the  Logos  requires  also  to  be 
opposed  at  every  step  by  the  inertia  of  the  matter  into  which  it 
flows,  by  the  Tamas  which  is  one  of  the  characteristics  of  MfiyS  ; 
for  it  is  impossible  to  picture  an  action  without  reaction,  a  flow  with- 
out resistance,  frictional  or  otherwise  It  follows  then  that  that  is 
pure,  that  is  light,  which  runs  in  the  direction  of  the  flow  of  the 
energy  of  the  Logos,  which  works  for  the  one  Self  of  all ;  and  that 
is  impure,  that  is  darkness,  which  runs  in  the  opposite  direction, 
which  works  for  the  separated  self.  To  employ  another  image 
which  also  is  very  helpful,  whatever  is  in  harmony  with  the  key- 
note struck  by  the  Logos  at  the  beginning  of  creation  is  pure,  what- 
ever is  in  discord  with  it  is  impure.  Now  what  is  the  keynote  of 
creation,  if  one  might  venture  the  phrase?  The  following  passage 
translated  from  the  S^atapatha  Brdhmana  (XIII.,  7,  i.  i.),  supplies 
the  answer : — 

*'  Brahma,  the  self-existent,  performed  tapas.*  He  thought,  *  In 
tapas  there  is  not  infinity.  Come,  let  me  sacrifice  myself  in  [various] 
forms  of  life  and  [various]  forms  of  life  in  myself.  Then  having 
sacrificed  himself  in  all  living  things  and  all  living  things  in  Himself, 
He  acquired  superiority,  self-efFulgence,'  and  supreme  lordship. 
Therefore  a  Yajam^na  who  offiers  all  [available]  sacrificial  material 
in  the  Sarvamedha  (universal  sacrifice)  obtains  superiority,  self- 
efiulgence,  and  supreme  lordship." 

The  following  passage  translated  from  the  Bhagavad  GitS,  iii.,  10, 
contains  also  the  same  teaching,  only  it  is  generally  misunderstood 
and  misinterpreted : 

"  Having  created  the  world  with  sacrifice,  thus  said  the  Lord  of 
the  world.    '  With  this,  multiply  ;  verily  it  is  the  desire-giver." 

The  Logos  having  thus  struck  the  keynote  of  sacrifice,  it  fol- 
lows that  however  low  we  be  in  the  scale  of  evolution,  once  we  un- 
derstand this  teaching,  we  have  to  seek  the  attunement  of  our 
little  selves  with  the  Param&tman  only  by  means  of  sacrifice.  Sacri- 
fice alone  can  help  us  to  grow,  to  *  multiply,'  to  secure  our  *  desires.' 
In  so  far  as  we  sacrifice  whatever  the  separated  self  holds  dear,  to 
that  degree  alone  shall  the  chord  of  self  sing  in  proper  time.  All 
desires,  all  desire -prompted  thoughts  and  acts  that  have  to  do  with 
the  good,  spiritual  or  temporal,  of  the  separated  self,  are  out  of  time 
and  must  prevent  the  eternal  music  of  the  spheres  from  being 
heard.  Hence  if  the  self  sets  itself  up  as  a  centre  and  seeks  to  take 
in  happiness,  to  take  in  knowledge,  to  take  in  pleasure,  it  but  works 
with  the  forces  of  MSyfi  the  forces  that  obstruct  the  flow  of  the 
energy  of  the  Logos.  Hence  when  we  give  we  are  pure  and  when 
we  take  we  are  impure. 


*  Tapas  here  does  not  mean  the  Tapas  subsidiary  to  creation,    but  the  eu- 
joymsnt  of  Nirvaoic  bliss  by  the  Logos  during  Pralaya. 


746  Tbe  Theovophlst.  [Septenib^f 

Next  comes  tbe  question,  htiviog  understood  tbe  philosophical 
basis  of  the  teaching,  bow  shall  we  strive  to  realisK  it  in  actnai  life  ? 
Every  day  during  the  calm,  dispassionate  moments  of  the  morntng 
meditation,  we  resolve  to  keep  down  the  snak^  ot  self  that  is  ibr* 
ever  and  in  most  insidious  ways  weaving  itself  into  our  lives.  But 
when  we  go  out  into  the  world  ail  the  famous  resolves  sectt)  to  re- 
solve into  nothing,  without  our  being  any  the  wiser  for  it  and  wben 
it  is  too  late  we  find  the  self  has  been  active  just  as  it  was  before. 
I  have  also  noticed  that,  struggling  to  conquer  a  particular  weakness, 
after  having  thought  much  about  the  beauty  of  the  "  opposite  virtue** 
and  resolved  with  all  available  will-force  to  baild  it  into  myself, 
when  the  fall  came,  it  came  like  a  stroke  of  lightning,  wttheut 
preparation,  without  a  struggle  and  without  a  groan.  This  is 
the  result  of  what  one  may  calif  a  face-to-face  6ght  with  the  sdf, 
when  one  is  not  grown  strong  enough  to  do  it.  What  then  are  the 
indirect  means  to  weaken  the  power  of  the  self?  Herein  we  see  the 
benefits  of  the  numerous  penances  and  ceremonies  that  form  the 
basework  of  the  various  forms  of  discipline  prescribed  by  the  various 
religions  of  the  world.  Divorced  from  their  philosophical  iii<oatiiiig, 
they  have  but  led  to  Pharisaism  in  ail  ages  and  countries;  bat 
vivified  by  the  genial  warmth  of  Theosophy,  I  think  they  can  be 
made  to  be  of  some  use  in  the  conquest  of  the  self,  which  ia  the  aim 
of  every  earnest  member  of  the  Society.  But  this  discipline  »  too 
often  entirely  connected  with  the  physical  body  ukl  each  man 
should  supplement  it  with  similar  correctives  for  the  higher  bodies. 
For  this  purpose  the  following  prescription  is  priceless:  **Give 
light  to  the  toiling  pilgrim,  and  seek  qnt  him  who  knows  still  Icbb 
than  thou  ;  who  in  his  wretched  desolation  sits  atarring  fbr  the 
bread  of  wisdom  and  the  bread  which  feeds  the  shadow,  without  a 
Teacher,  hope,  or  consolation,  and — let  him  hear  the  taw."  (^*  Voke 
ofth^  Silence,'*p.  45.)  lionet  know  of  any  better  means  of  strangling 
this  snake  of  self  than  this  one--of  constantly  seekittg  out  one  that 
knows  less  than  you  and  trying  to  make  him  see  the  light  that  y«Mi 
have  seen,  of  trying  to  make  him  participate  in  the  joy  that  yot 
have  felt  or  rather  that  you  can  feel  in  fulness  only  when  you  fiad 
at  least  one  other  fellow-man  whom  you  can  make  to  ace  with  you 
this  flash  from  on  high*  Efforts  in  this  direction  at  spreading  the 
light  of  Truth  should,  to  be  of  benefit,  not  be  sfiomdic,  hut  cossturt; 
should  constitute  a  recognized  portion  of  one's  daily  activities.  If 
made  a  constant  habit  of  the  mind,  this  kabitnal  outflow  of  the  adf 
to  others  prov^  of  some  use  in  counteracting  the  constant  tendency 
to  appropriate,  which  is  the  aote  of  the  lower  sel£  One  oftm  aid 
often  attempts  to  directly  eliminate  the  sense  of  aelf  from  ooe^ 
thoughts  and  desires  and  acts,  but  o«e  finds  the  insidious  faydfa* 
headed  demon  only  gets  fresh  inspiration  and  greats  miyMc 
glamour  from  all  these  combats.  Unchtvahous  as  it  might  look, 
one  has  to  fight  the  demon  from  under  cover,  asS'ri  S<lma  is  said  &Q 


1901.]  Means  of  Spiritual  Growth.  f4d 

have  attacked  a  specially  invulnerable  opponent  of  his  ;  one  has  to 
starve  the  self  of  its  food  by  being  constantly  engaged  in  what  is 
rather  prosaically  described  as  'altruistic  work.'  This  is  the  teach- 
ing of  S'ri  Krishna  in  what  is  practically  the  last  s'loka  of  the 
Bhagavad  GitH,  xviii.  68 : 

"  Whoso  proclaims  this  grand  secret  to  My  Bhaktas,  loves  Me 
above  all  and  doubtless  reaches  Myself.*' 

The  sdf  haviug  been  disabled  by  constant  efibrtis  in  these  ways 
of  self-discipline,  becomes  a  fit  subject  for  the  treatment  taught  in 
the  **  Light  on  the  Path,"  L,  20.  It  may  then  be  grasped  firmly  and 
made  the  means  of  understanding  the  growth  and  meaning  of 
individuality,  for  it  will  then  not  afford  any  obstacle  to  one's 
boldly  '*  plunging  into  the  mysterious  and  glorious  depths  of  one's 
own  inmost  being"  and  returning  with  an  accession  of  spiritual 
energy  from  each  such  plunge, 

P.  T.  Srznivas  Ivbwgar. 

[In  the  debate  that  followed  the  reading  of  the  above  paper, 
analogies  were  sought  for,  enabling  one  to  grasp  the  idea  that  a 
9oal  iocreades  in  strength  and  does  not  lose»  by  giving,  and  the 
following  were  suggested : 

(i)    **  From  one  light,  many  ligiits." 

(3)  The  water  of  a  well  keeping  ever  the  same  quantity  as  the 
water  is  used.  It  is,  when  UAed,  sweet,  while  if  the  well  is  not  nsed 
it  grows  stagnant. 

(3)  As  one  of  the  means  of  growth  of  the  body  is  exercise,  so 
one  means  of  growth  of  soul  qualities  is  the  practising  of  them.  To 
eat  and  sleep,  merely,  does  not  make  a  strong  body ;  so  reading  and 
meditation  alone  do  not  bring  out  the  strength  of  the  higher  faculties ; 
but  the  effort  to  put  them  into  practice  increases  the  strength  of 
tbe  soul  in  man  and  its  power  of  expression  in  the  material  world 
in  all  ways  helpful  to  his  brothers  and  himself 

<4)  Water,  runiting  through  a  natural  channel,  serves  to 
fertilise  the  land  near  the  channel,  and  at  the  same  time  washes 
all  imptttities  out  of  the  obaunel  itsd£  So  the  Love  of  the  X/>go8 
^^«iiich»  like  the  total  quantity  of  matter  and  oi  energy  in  the  systein» 
might  be  conceived  to  be  a  constant  quantity,  if  made  to  flow 
through  an  individual  heart,  serves  to  wash  the  heart  of  its  stains 
asid  to  foither  the  work  of  the  I/>gos  himself^] 


fib 


"  ASTROLOGICAL  WARNINGS.'' 
[^Cancluded from  p.  687.] 

THE  New  Moon  of  the  3rd  December,  1899,  took  place  at  0-48 
A.  M,.  G.  M.  T.,  when  Virgo  25^  ascended  and  Gemini  23^  cul- 
minated, at  I/>ndon.  This  seems  to  show  that  during  the  next  5,000 
years  the  centre  ot  the  world,  or  "  the  hub  of  the  universe,"  as  the 
Americans  would  say,  will  move  from  I<ondon  to  Puget  Inlet  on  the 
Pacific  Coast  of  North  America  ;  Seattle  and  Tacoma  forming  one 
huge  city  and  monopolising  the  trade  of  the  world.  The  places  of 
the  planets  at  this  conjunction  are,  Jupiter  2^^  10'  Scorpio,  Uranus 
^  26',  Sun  and  Moon  loO  40',  Mercury  170  40',  Moon's  Node  (Rahu) 
20^  35',  Mars  2^  40',  Saturn  24^  20',  Venus  o^  15'  Capricorn,  and 
Neptune  250  40' retrograding  in  Gemini.  This  conjunction  has  to 
be  taken  in  connection  with  the  total  solar  eclipses  of  the  28th  May, 
1900,  and  the  i8th  May,  1901,  as  well  as  the  conjunction  of  Saturn 
and  Jupiter  on  the  28th  November,  1901,  and  the  other  congresses 
and  conjunctions  of  planets  in  the  December  following.  The  most 
interesting  point  to  us  in  this  conjunction  is,  that  when  Mars  arrived 
at  the  opposition,  Gemini  10^  40',  on  the  13th  July,  1900,  the  fiercest 
fighting  in  China  took  place.  It  seems  probable  therefore  that  this 
war  of  China  with  Europe  will  be  the  means  to  bring  about  the 
great  changes  predestined.  But  we  must  wait  another  15  years  till 
Saturn  is  in  Gemini  before  these  events  come  to  their  fruition  and 
completion. 

The  total  eclipse  of  the  28th  May,  1900,  occurred  in  opposition 
to  the  New  Moon  of  the  3rd  December  previous,  G.  M,  T.  2-50  p.  h. 
At  Constantinople,  8^  Scorpio  rises  and  i5<>  Aquarius  culminates  ; 
the  luminaries,  Gemini  6^  47^  are  in  the  8th  house,  while  Mars  is 
setting  in  Taurus  8^  20'.  As  there  is  only  a  difference  of  sis  minntes 
in  time  between  Constantinople  and  St.  Petersburg,  this  figure 
also  applied  to  St.  Petersburg,  and  so  Russia  fought  the  Chinese  in 
Manchuria,  and  the  Czar  himself  nearly  died  from  an  attack  of 
t3rphus  last  autumn.  The  total  solar  eclipse  of  the  i8th  May  this 
year  is  complementary  to  that  of  last  year,  and  occurs  G,  M.  T. 
5-38  A.  M.  At  London,  Gemini  24^  ascends  and  Aquarius  18^  cul- 
minates ;  the  luminaries,  Taurus  26^  34^  are  with  the  Pleiades,  and 
in  the  twelvth  house.  At  Madras,  Mars,  Virgo  2^  30',  is  in  the  ascend- 
ant. This  eclipse  will  be  very  unfortunate  for  the  Czar  and  Russia. 
Nicholas  II.  was  bom  on  the  i8th  May  1868,  at  St.  Petersburg, 
with  Virgo  g^  29'  on  the  ascendant,  and  Taurus  29^  11'  culminating ; 
the  Sun  in  Taurus  27^  11'  being  on  the  mid-heaven,  with  the  Pleiades 
and  in   opposition  to  Saturn.     At  this  eclipse   therefore  we  find 


1901.]  Astrologleal  AVarnlngs.  751 

Mars  on  his  ascendant  and  the  luminaries  on  his  Stin  and  mid-heaven. 
The  Boy-King  of  Spain  also  was  born  on  the  17th  May  1886,  with 
the  Sun  in  conjunction  with  Neptune,  so  that  he  too  will  be  under 
very  evil  directions.  Before  proceeding  further  it  may  be  as  well 
to  give  the  figure  of  the  heavens  at  the  Vernal  Equinox,  G.  M.  T. 
7-23  A.  M.,  2ist  March,  1901,  which  maybe  taken  as  the  horoscope 
of  the  xxth  Century.  At  London,  Taurus  15^^  ascends  and  Capricorn 
i^  culminates,  with  the  Sun  in  the  twelvth  house.  This  is  of  good 
omen  for  Ireland,  even  though  it  shows  Saturn  in  Capricorn  as  the 
ruling  planet  of  the  xxth  Century.  Mars  retrograding  in  I^eo  is 
evil  for  France  and  Rome,  as  he  is  the  ruler  of  the  seventh  house. 
Mars  is  in  the  ascendant  at  Pekin,  so  that  no  alleviation  of  its  sorrows 
and  miseries  awaits  China.  For  India  the  outlook  is  of  the  bright- 
est ;  and  the  same  may  be  said  for  Turkey  in  Europe,  whose  deliver- 
ance from  the  Turkish  yoke  is  very  near  at  hand. 

As  the  horoscope  of  the  king  is  the  horoscope  of  the  coun- 
try he  rules  over,  it  will  be  as  well  to  give  here  the  horoscope 
of  His  Majesty,  King  Edward  VII.,  who  was  born  at  Buck- 
ingham Palace  on  the  9th  November,  1841,  at  G.  M.  T.  10-48 
A.M. ;  Sagittarius  27^  43'  ascends  and  Scorpio  ^  29'  culminates ; 
the  Sun  in  Scorpio  16^  54'  with  the  fortunate  fixed  star, 
North  Scale,  is  in  the  mid-heaven,  Saturn  Qf>  9'  and  Mars  1^  14' 
Csipricom,  are  in  the  first  house,  while  Jupiter  has  just  passed  the 
ascendant  in  Sagittarius,  21^  28'.  Neptune,  Aquarius  14^  20',  and 
Uranus,  Pisces  20^  37',  are  in  the  second  house.  The  Moon  is  in 
Virgo  29^  26',  on  the  cusp  of  the  ninth  house,  Venus  is  in  Libra, 
\tf  24',  in  the  ninth  house,  and  Mercury  is  in  Sagittarius,  \^  42', 
in  the  eleventh  house.  It  will  readily  be  seen  that  this  is  a  very 
powerful  horoscope,  "big  with  the  fate   of  Caesar  and  of  Rome." 

I  now  give  the  horoscope  of  Victor  Emanuel  III.,  King  of  Italy, 
who  was  born  at  Naples  on  the  nth  November,  1869,  at  10-39  p.m.  ; 
since  his  horoscope  bears  the  same  relation  to  that  of  the  King  of 
England  and  the  solar  eclipse  of  the  nth  November  next,  as  the 
horoscope  of  the  Boy- King  of  Spain  does  to  that  of  the  Czar,  and 
the  total  solar  eclipse  of  the  1 8th  May.  Leo,  the  ruling  sign  of 
Rome,  13^  28'  ascends,  and  Taurus  3^*  2',  culminates,  while  Jupiter, 
150  27'  Taurus,  retrograding,  is  on  the  mid-heaven,  Saturn,  i6<>  11', 
with  Mars  17^  51'  Sagittarius,  and  with  Venus  40  19'  Capricorn,  are 
in  the  fifth  house. 

After  this  digression  we  come  to  the  solar  eclipse  of  the  nth 
November  next,  which  is  complementar>'  to  the  total  eclipse  of  the 
1 8th  May;  and  of  importance  as  transiting  the  radical  suns  of  the 
Kings  of  England  and  Italy,  and  also  as  the  planets  again  begin  to 
form  groups,  as  they  did  at  the  New  Moon  of  the  3rd  December, 
1899.  Scorpio  22<^  ascends  and  Virgo  12^  culminates,  while  the 
luminaries,  in  18^  14'  Scorpio,  are  on  the  ascendant.  At  Berlin, 
Vioim  and  Rome,  Mars  will  be  on  the  ascendant    This  eclipse  is 


782  The  Theoaophist.  [September 

likely  to  lead  to  earthquakes,  floods,  upheavals  and  submergendes 
in  countries  where  it  is  visible,  and  also  in  those  under  Taurus,  Leo, 
Scorpio  and  Aquarius.  The  months  of  November  and  December 
next  will  witness  the  war  of  the  gods  (planetary  spirits)  in  the  Heav- 
ens while  the  earth  is  perturbed  thereby. 

The  conjunction  of  Jupiter  with  Saturn,  in    14^  Capricorn,  G. 
M.  T.  4-36  P.M.,  occurs  on  the  28th  November  next.    At  IfOndon, 
Gemini  19^  5'  ascends  and  Aquarius  13^^  33'  culminates,  while  the 
conjoined  planets  are  in  the  eighth  house,  with  Venus  22^  53' 
Capricorn.  Mars,  3^  26'   Capricorn,  is  in  the  seventh  house*    Sun  5* 
46'  and  Uranus  i€fi  27'  Sagittarius  are  with  Mercury  17^  53'  Scorpio, 
in  the  sixth  house.   Neptune  o^  44'  is  on  the  cusp  of,  while   Moon 
129  38'  Cancer  is  in,  the  second  house.   Conjunctions  of  Jupiter  and 
Saturn  occur  every  twenty  years  and  bring  about  great  changes  in 
the  world,  especially  in  the  Cardinal  signs.     On  the  26th   January, 
1842,  there  was  a  conjunction  of  these  two  planets  in  8^  54'  Capri- 
corn, which  marked  the  retreat  from  Cabul,  during  which  the  Brit- 
ish Army  was  massacred  to  a  man.    What  makes  this  conjunction 
so  ominous  is  that  the  ascendant  of  London  ascends  both  at    this 
and  the  following  conjunction  of  Saturn  and  Mars  on    the  14th 
December,  while  at  London,  Gemini  24^  ascends  at  the  total  solar 
eclipse  of  the   i8th   May.    With  Gemini  ascending  and  Aquarius 
culminating  it  would  appear  as  if  the  effects  of  these  eclipises  and 
conjunctions  would  principally  affect  England  and   Russia.     It  is 
unlikely  that  the  whole  of  India  is  under  Capricorn,  probably 
only  Northern  India  is.    Afghanistan  is  likely  once  more  to  become 
the  theatre  of  war ;  either  when  Mars  arrives  at  the  opposition  of  the 
eclipse  of  the  i8th  May,  on  the  9th  October  next,  or  on  forming  his 
conjunction  with  Saturn  on  the  14th  December  following.    The  last 
time  Saturn  occupied  Capricorn  was  from  the  15th  December.  1870, 
to  the  loth  December,  1873,   and  its  entrance  into  the  sign  was  sig- 
nalised by  a  lotal  eclipse  of  the  Sun  on   the  22nd  December,  1870. 
There  was  a  total  eclipse  of  the  Moon,  in  Capricorn  21^,  on  the  i?th 
July,  1870,  just  three  days  before  the  Franco-Prussian  war  began, 
and  on  the  ascendant  of  the  horoscope  of  Napoleon  III.  No  wonder 
then  that  France  was  defeated,  Louis  Bonaparte  lost  his  throne,  and 
Pio  Nono,  Rome  and  the  Temporal  Power.    Saturn  was  also  in  Cap- 
ricorn from  the   29th  December,  181 1,  to  the  27th  December,   1814, 
Saturn  found   Napoleon  the  Great  at  the  zenith   of  his  power  and 
glory,  and  in  three  short  years  burled  him  down  from  his  place  of 
pride,  a  prisoner  at  Elba.     It  is   not  improbable  that  great  misfor- 
tunes may  yet  befall  France  and  other  countries  in  Europe  before 
Saturn  enters  Aquarius. 

The  peculiarity  of  conjunction  of  Saturn  and  Jupiter  is  that  for 
centuries  they  fall  in  the  same  triplicity.  As  the  conjunction  of  these 
planets  in  Capricorn  8^  54'  on  the  26th  January,  1842,  began  a  new 
series,  from  the  fiery  to  the  earthly  triplicities,  it  waa  termed  by 


tS&lJ}  Astrological  Warnings,  tbs 

Zadkiel I.,  ''the  Great  Mutation  ; "  and  lie  predicted  from  it  "  war 
and  bloodshed  in  India,  great  changes  in  agriculture  and  legislation 
with  regard  to  landed  property."  The  ancient  aphorism  run's: 
"Jupiter  and  Saturn  change  and  overturn  things;  and  when,  con- 
joined, they  pass  from  one  triplicity  to  another,  or  from  one  sign  to 
another,  there  will  be  the  beginning  of  divergencies."  When  Saturn 
reached  9^  Cancer,  in  1857,  in  opposition  to  "the  Great  Mutation," 
the  Indian  mutiny  broke  out  in  Northern  India.  A  conjunction  of 
Saturn  and  Jupiter  in  18^  Virgo  occurred  on  the  21st  October,  1861. 
At  this  time  fighting  was  going  on  in  Poland  and  in  Crete,  and  the 
American  Civil  War  had  just  beg^n.  When  Saturn  arrived  at  i8<> 
Pisces,  in  opposition  to  this  conjunction,  on  the  7th  May,  1877, 
Russia  made  war  on  Turkey,  There  was  a  conjunction  of  Saturn 
and  Jupiter  on  the  i8th  April,  1881,  in  i<>  Taurus.  Agrarian  outrages 
were  rife  then  in  Ireland,  the  Czar  and  President  Garfield  were  assas- 
sinated, then  also  followed  Scobeloff's  massacre  of  the  Turcomans 
at  Geok  T^pe,  the  Majuba  Hill  surrender  in  the  Transvaal,  the 
evacuation  of  Candahar,  the  death  of  lA>rd  Beaconsfield^  the  seizure 
of  Tunis  by  the  French,  and  the  military  Revolt  of  Arabi  Pacha 
which  was  followed  by  the  English  occUffation  of  B^y^it.  Sattum, 
on  the  19th  November,  1894,  and  the  28th  May,  1895,  arrived  at  the 
opposition,  1®  35'  Scorpio,  when  we  had  the  d^at  of  Home  RiiTe  for 
Ireland^  it  the  General  Election  of  1895,  the  Amienian  M&ssatres, 
and  the  Italian  Defeats  in  Abyssinia.  At  the  tittle  t)f  the  conjunc- 
ttoii  of  the  i8th  April,  i88r,  there  were  six  planets  in  Taurus.  With 
regard  to  the  next  conjunction  on  the  28lh  November,  it  would  be 
well  to  bear  in  mind  that  Saturn  arrives  at  the  opposition  in  1915-16. 
Zadkiel  considers  that  the  conjunction  of  the  28th  November 
next  will  bear  rule  for  ten  years  to  come  ;  and  that  it  will  be  even 
more  important  than  that  of  the  26th  January^  1842,  which  seems  very 
probable.  A  general  European  War  appears  feirly  certain,  from 
which  will  result  the  enthronement  of  Russia  upon  the  Bosphorus  in 
place  Of  the  Sultan,  and  the  disappearance  of  eVery  independeht 
MIthomedan  kingdom  ftrom  off  the  face  of  the  earth.  From  St.  Peters- 
burgto  Madrid,  Mars  is  in  the  seventh  hoUse  throughout  Europe, 
both  at  this  conjunction  and  at  the  conjunction  of  Saturn  and  Mars 
on  the  14th  December  next,  G.  M.  T.  3-59  p.m.  After  his  conjunction 
with  Saturn  in  Capricorn  15^^  42'  43",  Mars  forms  his  conjunction 
with  Jupiter  in  Capricorn  180  9',  G.  M.  T.  7-23  p.m.  (in  the  sixth 
house  at  I/)ndon),  on  the  17th  December ;  so  that  on  the  i6th,  at  5-41 
A;M.,  he  is  midway  between  Saturn  and  Jupiter.  These  conjunctions 
of  Mars»  Jupiter  and  Saturn  all  take  plads  in  the  first  house  of  the 
Royal  Horoscope,  as  similar  conjunctions  tdok  plai^  both  bef^ 
and  after  the  King's  birth  in  1841.  On  the  siittietii  dsj^  ait^r  birth, 
which  correspoirds  to  the  sixtieth  jreftr  of  h!s  life^  there  were  fivfe 
ffl^nets  in  Capricorn,  Jifpitef  and  Yenud  Wfete  iti  ^olijaflcSdtt  and 
in  seictite  to  Mat^  Whil6  the  Stin  hM  the  s^tik  of  ITfanii^,    Thi^  is 

7 


7G4  T^  TheoBopblst  [September 

good  as  £Eir  as  it  goes,  and  is  helped  out  by  the  primary  direction  of 
Sun  parallel  Jupiter,  Zodiac,  which  comes  into  operation  next 
November.  But  unfortunately,  just  before  this,  the  primary  direc- 
tions are  evil-ascendant  square  Saturn,  Zodiac,  in  August,  and 
mid-heaven  conjunction  Saturn,  Zodiac  and  Mundo,  in  September 
At  the  end  of  this  year,  just  as  sixty  years  before,  there  are  five 
planets  in  Capricorn.  In  conclusion,  taking  everything  into  con- 
sideration, it  seems  probable  that  towards  the  end  of  this  present 
year  England  will  pass  through  an  even  darker  hour  than  that  of 
December,  1899  ;  but,  with  the  proverbial  English  luck  and  pluck, 
finally  she  will  emerge  from  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death, 
victorious  though  sadly  strained  and  battered  in  a  war  of  Titans. 

Thomas  Banon. 


ITbeosopb^  in  all  Xan^0« 

London,  25/A  July,  1901. 

The  annual  convention  of  the  European  Section  has  once  more  come 
and  gone,  and  it  appears  to  be  generally  agreed  that  it  was  a  pleasant 
and  successful  function,  although  it  goes  without  saying  that  the  pres- 
ence of  Mrs.  Besant,  and  the  lectures  which  she  usually  gives,  w^ere 
very  greatly  missed  by  all.  Exceptionally  fine  weather— warm  sunshine 
tempered  by  a  cool  breeze^enabled  the  visitors  and  delegates  to  g^ 
about  London  in  comparative  comfort  and  permitted  the  crowded  rooms 
at  Headquarters  to  be  more  easily  endured.  They  certainly  were  very 
crowded  for  we  had  really  a  good  gathering  of  the  clans,  and  London 
itself  furnishes  an  increasingly  large  contingent,  and  as  for  the  tvro 
public  meetings,they  were  remarkably  successful  from  the  point  of  view 
of  numbers. 

As  usual,  the  delegates  were  received  at  Headquarters  on  Friday 
evening  (July  12th)  and  a  couple  of  hours  passed  quickly  in  renewing  old 
acquaintanceships  and  making  new  ones.  Saturday  morning  su£B.ced 
for  the  very  brief  and  almost  entirely  formal  business  of  this  convention 
and  included  an  interesting  but  brief  address  from  Mr.  Sinnett,  ^nrlio 
presided,  as  well  as  one  from  Mr.  I^eadbeater  who,  having  just  returned 
from  America,  gave  a  little  account  of  his  general  impressions  as  to  tlie 
work  of  the  T.S.  in  that  country,  and  the  prospects  before  the  workers 
there.  With  large  hopefulness  for  the  spread  of  Theosophy  in  that  ex- 
tensive country,  he  indicated  some  points  where  caution  was  needed 
owing  to  the  almost  too  receptive  character  of  the  people,  who  were  so 
ready  for  teaching  on  the  lines  of  occultism  that  they  were  inclined  to 
accept  too  much  rather  than  too  little,  and  thus  became  to  some  extent 
a  prey  to  the  machinations  of  designing  and  self-interested  people,  wlio 
started  innumerable  varieties  of  little  semi-occult  societies  which  were 
mischievous  and  misleading. 

In  the  afternoon  there  was  another  gathering  for  tea  and  talk  and  in 
the  evening  a  very  well  attended  meeting  at  Queen's  Hall  at  whidi 
lectures  were  given  by  Mr.  Bertram  Keightley  and  Mr.  Mead.  The 
former  spoke  on  the  general  outlook  for  the  future,  touching  on  some  of 


19D1.]  Theosophy  in  all  I^ands.  755 

the  prominent  features  of  modem  thought  and  the  way  in  which  Theos- 
ophy  was  destined  to  help  in  the  moulding  of  the  thought  of  the  future, 
while  Mr.  Mead  took  up  his  favourite  theme  of  the  problems  connected 
with  early  Christianity  and  the  way  in  which  the  criticism  of  modem 
scholarship  was  laying  bare  all  that  could  be  known  of  this  fascinating 
study  from  outside  evidence. 

Sunday  brought  various  social  gatherings  arranged  by  several 
London  members  with  a  view  of  allowing  country  and  foreign  delegates 
further  opportunities  of  meeting  and  conversation,  and  at  seven  o'clock 
— ^the  time  fixed  for  the  evening  meeting — every  seat  in  Queen's  Hall 
was  occupied  by  an  audience  sufS^ciently  interested  in  Theosophy  to 
attend  a  convention  gathering.  It  was  distinctly  encouraging  to  see  the 
character  of  the  assembly  extremely  crowded,  so  that  scores  of  people 
stood  during  the  whole  time— being  extremely  attentive.  Mr.  Sinnett  was 
the  first  speaker  and  he  chose  for  his  subject,  **  Theosophy  the  Science 
of  the  Future,"  and  dealt  in  a  clear  and  lucid  fashion  with  the  subject 
of  recent  scientific  discovery  and  its  tendency  to  approach  the  occult 
standpoint,  following  somewhat  on  the  lines  of  his  recent  articles  in 
the  *'  Evening  Sun,"  though  of  course  with  much  less  of  detail.  Mr.  Lead- 
beater  gave  the  second  lecture  which  was  on  "Higher  States  of 
Consciousness."  The  subject  was  a  big  one  and  the  lecturer  took  it  some- 
what fully,  especially  in  the  earlier  stages,  but  the  audience  listened 
with  profound  and  sustained  interest  and  the  meeting  was  declared  a 
great  success. 

Monday  gave  yet  another  opportunity  for  those  who  could  temain 
and  avail  themselves  of  a  couple  of  hours  in  the  afternoon  during  which 
Mr.  Leadbeater  answered  questions  at  Headquarters,  and  the  following 
day  saw  the  dispersion  of  most  of  the  delegates  to  their  respective 
centres  of  activity. 

By  this  time  many  London  members  have  departed  to  the  country 
and  during  August  the  Sectional  Library  and  reading-rooms  will  be 
closed— while  the  Blavatsky  Lodge  does  not  resume  its  meetings  until 
October. 

The  following  extract  from  Science  Sif  tings  is  of  interest  as  pointing 

to  the  probability  of  securing  at  no  remote  date  some  further  evidence 
of  that  ancient  and  vast  civilisation  which  had  its  roots  in  those 
mighty  empires  of  the  past  of  which  the  occult  records  tell  us.  The 
feeble  descendant  of  mighty  progenitors,  the  Aztec  civilisation,  is  not 
without  interest  to  those  who  study  the  problems  of  races  and  the  rise 
and  flail  of  nations  :— 

What  promises  to  be  a  rich  and  most  important  archaBological  discovery  was 
made  a  few  days  ago  by  workmen  in  a  sewer  excavation  immediately  behind 
the  cathedral  in  the  city  of  Mexico.  Two  of  the  chain  of  78  chapels  which  sur- 
rounded the  great  Aztec  temple  which  stood  at  the  time  of  Cortez's  conquest 
have  been  found.  Only  the  tops  of  the  towers  have  as  yet  been  uncovered,  but 
articles  found  are  conclusive  evidence  that  the  buried  Teocalli  has  at  last  been 
uncovered.  A  great  quantity  of  objects  pertaining  to  the  old  temple  have  been 
taken  out  in  the  last  few  days,  including  idols  of  all  sizes,  some  richly  ornamented 
wilb  gold  ;  gold  objects,  pure  jade  beads,  sacrificial  knives,  carved  slabs  of 
stone,  coloured  pottery,  on  which  the  colours  are  as  brilliant  and  beautiful  as 
they  were  four  centuries  ago,  and  stone  and  metal  objects  of  many  kinds,  making 
altogether  several  waggon  loads.     Presideitt  Diaz    was  quick  to    grasp  *the  im- 


7Q0^  Th^  Tt»eo8opm«,t  [Septem^jt 

portan/pe  oi  the  discovery,  and.  upon  his  recommendation  ;^o,ooo  has  been 
appropriated  to  continue  the  work  of  excavation* 

An  area  covering  20  acres,  including  the  main  plaza  of  the  city  and  the 
cathedral,  which  is  thought  to  cover  part  of  the  buried  Aztec  Teocalli,  will  be  ex- 
cavated. The  temple  itself  may  be  found,  as  may  the  lost  treasure  of  Montezuma. 
From  the  gold  objects  already  taken  out  this  hope  seems  likely  to  be  realised. 
In  any  case  the  value  of  the  objects  procured  is  sure  to  be  many  times  the  cost  of 
excavation. 

What  curious  calctUationB  still  find  publicity !  A  French  Geologist, 
M.  R^tnond^  recently  claims  220,000,000  years  for  the  deposition  of  the 
carboniferous  strata  of  the  Mons  valley  alone.  Shade  of  H.  P.  B. !  What 
another  indignant  paragraph  has  been  lost  to  the  "  Secret  Doctrine ' ' ! 

A.  B.C. 


HOLLAND. 

A  decidedly  unique  discussion  on  Theosophy  has  taken  place  in 
Amsterdam  recently.  One  of  our  members,  Mr.  C.  P.  Haje,  among  tlie 
**  Theses  "  he  was  to  uphold  before  the  eleven  Professors  who  constituted 
the  Examining  Board,  when  under  examination  for  his  degree  of  Doctor 
of  Dutch  letters,  placed  the  following : 

"  The  Theosophical  movement  which  was  commenced  by  Helena 
Petrovna  Blavatsky,  and  f(x  which  she  fought,  is  not  valued  at  its  high 
worth  by  the  world  of  the  learned." 

In  order  to  enable  Mr.  Haje  to  defend  his  position  in  the  way  he 
desired,  Mr.  van  Manen  attacked  him  by  iMinging  to  notice  all  the 
attacks  on  Theosophy  and  upon  H.P.B. ;  for,  as  our  correspondenjb  writes, 
''  If  Mr.  Haje  were  able  to  refute  the  various  arguments  brought  into 
play  against  him,  and  that  under  the  critical  hearing  of  eleven  Pro- 
fessors, then  a  strong  moral  authority  would  have  been  created  for  very 
useful  reference  in  the  future.  Mr.  Haje  indeed  defended  himself 
splendidly.  The  Professors  were  obliged  to  listen  for  twenty  minutes  to 
a  discussion  on  Theosophy,  which  they  would  not  have  done  had  they 
had  a  choice  in  the  matter.*' 

As  Mr.  Haje  received  his  degree,  Theosophy  may  be  considered  as 
a  recognized  subject  for  discussion  at  the  Am^terdan^  University,  and 
this  is  certainly  a  move  in  the  right  direction. 


Vcvtewff. 


THE  UNKNOWN  PHILOSOPHER.* 

Mr.  Waite  ha3  placed  the  English  reading  student  of  Philosophy 
under  great  obligations  by  this  latest  book  of  his,  for,  with  the  esoep- 
tion  of  "  Theosophic  Correspondence''  and  '*  Man  :  His  true  Naturft  and 
Ministry,"  both  translated  by  the  late  Mr.  Edward  B.  Penny,  wiehave 
none  of  the  teachings  of  this  great  philosopher  of  the  Eighteenth 
Century.  The  present  volume  is  not  a  translation  of  any  work  of 
Saint*Martin,  but  is  a  careful  and  sympathetic  study  of  all  of  his 

•  The  Ufa  of  Louis  Claude  de  Saint-Martifi,  by  Arthmr  Sdward  Waite^^ 
Loodoo^  Philip  Wel(by,i90i,    Pricp  7/6  Net, 


writxngs^  and  a  rendering  of  them  into  convenient  form,  with  transla- 
tions and  paraphrasing. 

The  book  opens  with  a  sketch  of  the  life  of  Saint-Martin,  tracing 
the  circumstances  which  placed  him  in  the  way  of  occult  teaching  ;  his 
meeting  with  Pasqnally,  and  his  entrance  into  the  order  of  the  Elect 
Cohens.  Then  follow  the  meetings  with  the  different  people  who  had 
so  great  influence  on  his  life  and  thought ;  but,  in  spite  of  his  admira- 
tion for  them,  he  was  not  an  imitator,  but  followed  an  individual  method 
in  his  development  of  the  higher  faculties.  The  life  of  Saint-Martin 
"  In  the  Occult  World,''  "In  the  Inward  Man,"  and  the  **  Later  History 
of  Martinism**  are  the  subjects  dealt  with  in  the  first  book.  The  second 
treats  of  the  '*  Sources  of  Martinistic  Doctrine."  Saint-Martin,  himself, 
gives  much  credit  both  to  Swedenborg,  and  to  Jacob  Boehme,  but  Mr. 
Waite  finds  that  through  his  writings  runs  a  distinct  individuality  and 
that  the  views  of  other  philosophers,  while  appreciated  and  quoted  by 
Saint-Martin,  do  not  seem  to  have  modified,  to  an  appreciable  extent, 
his  own  peculiar  method  of  thought. 

Book  the  Third  treats  of  '*  The  Nature  and  State  of  Man."  In  the 
Introductory,  the  author  says  : 

Th^  message  of  Saint-Martin  may  be  fitly  termed  the  Counsel  of  the  Exile. 
It  IS  conceri^ed  with  man  only,  with  the  glorious  intention  of  his  creation,  with  his 
fall,  his  subsequent  bondage,  the  means  of  his  Kberation,  and  his  return  to  the 
purpose  of  his  being.  It  is  in  most  respects  a  concrete,  practical  message,  and 
there  is  not  much  evidence  in  Saint- Martin  of  any  concern  or  any  specific 
Uuminaticm  as  to  merely  abstract  problems.  He  speculates,  indeed,  upon  many 
mMters  which  have  at  first  sight  the  air  of  abstractions,  but,  later  or  sooner, 
tfaey  all  refer  to.that  which  is  for  him  the  great,  the  exclusive  subject — namely, ' 
Mi^n  apd  his  Destiny*  This  consideration  will  help  us  to  account  for  the  meagre 
refqreafieis  which  can  alone  be  gathered  from  his  works  upon  a  subject  that  is 
seemingly  of  such  transcendent  importance  in  a  mystic  and  theosopbic  systen^ 
as  the  Divine  Nature  considered  in  itself-^tbat  Nature  with  which  the  true 
mystic  must  ever  seek  to  conform,  that  First  Principle  with  which  fallen  and  de- 
viated humanity  must  strive  to  recover  correspondence  (p.  113). 

Saint- Martin  was  surely  aware  of  the  possible  development  of  the 
psychic  powers  in  man,  but  he  seems  to  have  delibexately  abandoned 
that  method  for  himself  and  does  not  advise  others  to  follow  it.  His 
system  seems  rather  to  bear  afiGinity  to  the  school  of  Raja  Yoga,  the 
development  of  the  innate  powers  by  knowledge  and  practice,  as  the 
following  will  show :  *  . 

Let  me  affirm  that  diving  union  (which  is  the  end  of  all  hjaman  life,  according 
to  Saint-Martin)  is  a  work  which  can  be  accomplished  only  by  the  strong  and 
oonstant  resolution  of  those  who  desire  it ;  that  there  is  no  other  means  to  this 
end  but  the  persevering  use  of  a  pure  will,  aided  by  the  works  and  practice  of 
every  virtue,  fertilised  by  prayer,  that  divine  grace  may  come  to  help  oor  weak- 
ness and  l«ad  us  to  the  term  of  our  regeneration  (p»  116}." 

Back  of  Nature  Saint-Martin  recognized  a  power,  or  force,  which 
gave  the  laws  which  operate  in  it.  But  "  he  did  not  really  regard 
Nature  as  the  chief  mirror  of  Divinity.  It  was  man,  and  not  his  envi- 
nmment,  which  proved  the  Supreme  Agent  (p.  117), 

In  the  chapter  on  Good  arid  Evil  we  find  the  following :  **  Good  is 
for  every  being  the  fulfilment  of  His  proper  law,  and  evil  is  that  which 
is  6pt>bsed  thensto"  (p..  i;^;}.    And  again : 


758  The  Theosophist.  [September 

**  Since  all  beifig^s  have  but  a  single  law,  for  all  derive  from  a  first  law,  which 
is  one,  in  like  manner,  good,  as  the  fulfilment  of  this  law,  must  be  one  also,  single 
and  exclusively  true,  though  it  embraces  the  infinity  of  existence.  On  the  con* 
trary,  evil  can  have  no  correspondence  with  this  law  of  being,  because  it  is  at 
war  with  the  same;  it  cannot,  therefore,  be  comprised  in  unity,  since  it  tends  to 
degrade  it  by  seeking  to  form  a  rival  unity.  In  a  word,  it  is  false,  since  it  can- 
not exist  alone ;"  that  is  to  say,  it  is  a  derangement,  and  a  derangement  sop- 
poses  an  order  which  preceded  it ;  "  and  since,  despite  itself,  the  true  law  of 
beings  co-exists  with  it,  which  law  it  can  never  destroy,  though  it  can  disturb  it 
and*retard  its  fulfilment. " 

In  the  next  chapter,  the  two  Principles  are  discussed,  and  in  them 
Saint-Martin  traces  the  origin  of  good  and  evil  in  Nature  and  Man. 

Very  interesting  and  instructive  are  the  chapters  treating  of  man's 
true  origin,  and  his  real  mission  in  life  ;  for  Saint- Martin  believed  that 
man  had  a  distinct  mission,  "  to  recall  those  to  life  who,  by  an  improper 
use  of  its  liberty,  had  forfeited  its  essence,"  and  that  this  was  the  pur- 
pose for  which  he  was  called  into  being. 

**  The  Martinistic  doctrine  of  the  Fall  of  Man  is,  put  shortly,  that  the 
evil  principle  which  he  was  created  to  restrain  aod  to  reconcile  succeed- 
ed in  seducing  him'  *  (p.  i66).  Saint- Martin  says  in  the  "  Natural  Table :" 
**  The  crime  of  man  was  the  abuse  of  the  knowledge  he  possessed  as  to 
the  union  of  the  principle  of  the  universe  with  the  universe.  The  priva- 
tion of  this  knowledge  was  his  punishment;  he  knew  no  longer  the 
intellectual  light"  (p.  167).  And  again  :  "  I  must  not  conceal  that  this 
crass  envelope  is  the  actual  penalty  to  which  the  crime  of  man  has 
made  him  subject  in  the  temporal  region.  Thereby  begin  and  thereby 
are  perpetuated  the  trials  without  which  he  cannot  recover  his  former 
correspondence  with  the  light"  (p.  177).  So  this  penalty  proves  to  be 
our  salvation,  for  sufifering  finally  forces  us  to  turn  within  for  comfort 
and  there  to  seek  for  that  spark  of  the  divine  which  is  in  each  of  us.  A 
large  portion  of  the  book  is  devoted  to  an  exposition  of  Saint- Martin's 
theories  of  the  way  by  which  man  may  re-attain  Godhood.  There  is  a 
short  Section  on  the  "  Mystical  Philosophy  of  Numbers,"  and  an  Api>en- 
dix  containing  some  prayers  of  Saint- Martin,  a  few  metrical  exercises 
and  a  bibliography. 

N.  E.  W. 


MAGAZINES. 

In  The  Theosofihical  Review  for  August,  W.  C.  Ward  concludes  his 
study  on  "  Love,"  *  from  the  Greek  of  Plotinus.*  Mr.  Bertram  KeighUey 
gives  a  historical  survey  of  "  The  Religion  of  the  Sikhs,"  first  giving^ 
the  main  teachings  of  tiheir  sacred  book,  the  '*  A'di  Granth,"  and  thea 
following  with  a  brief  account  of  their  chief  Gurus,  from  the  period 
of  Guru  Ndnak,  the  founder  of  their  religion,  until  the  present 
time.  ''The  Relation  of  Theosophy  to  the  Fundamental  Laws  and 
doctrines  of  Christianity,"  by  C.  George  Currie,  D.  D.,  isaveiy  able 
exposition  of  the  harmony  existing  between  the  two  systems  of  belief. 
He  opens  with  that  ever  memorable  and  all-important  statement  of 
Jesus,  as  recorded  in  St.  Matthew,  xxii.,  37-40,  which  might  be  consider* 
ed  a  summary  of  Christian  Dharma  : 

<*  Thorn  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  with  all  thy  soul,  and 
with  all  thy  mind.    This  is  the  first  and  great  cdaimandment*    And  the  seooocf 


1901,}  Reviews.  759 

is  like  unto  it :  Thou  shalt   love  thy  neij^hbour  as  tbysel£    On  these  two  com- 
mandments hang  all  the  law  and  the  prophets." 

The  writer  of  the  essay  illustrates,  in  a  masterly  manner,  the  guah'fy 
of  the  love  thns  enjoined  upon  his  disciples  by  Jesus.  **  A  Religion  of 
Mystery,"  by  a  Russian,  is  a  synopsis  of  the  beliefs  and  traditions  of 
the  ancient  Lithuanians  which  contain  many  gems  of  truth  some  of 
which  are  partially  veiled.  "The  Prince  and  the  Water  Gates''  is  a 
story  by  Michael  Wood,  which  will  well  repay  perusal.  Mr.  Mead's 
contribution  is  entitled,  "The  Life-Side  of  Christianity,"  and  the 
catholicity  of  his  views  will  commend  his  article  to  all  lovers  of  truth. 
He  says  : 

'*  We  can  no  more  account  for  the  life,  growth  and  persistence  of  Chris- 
tianity by  an  analysis  of  outer  phenomena,  than  we  can  find  the  soul  of  a  man  by 
dissecting  his  body,  or  discover  the  secret  of  genius  by  a  mere  survey  of  its 
environment.  To  all  these  things  there  is  an  inner  side.  And  it  is  just  the  inner 
side  of  the  origins  of  Christianity  which  has  been  so  much  neglected  by  those  who 
have  so  far  approached  them  from  the  present  limited  view-point  of  scientific 
enquiry.    The  life-side  of  things  is  at  present  beyond  its  ken." 

He  does  not  deny  that  hallucination  must  be  "  duly  allowed  for  in 
our  investigations,"  but  adds  : 

"We  protest  against  the  narrow-mindedness  and  egregious  self-conceit  that 
presumes  to  class  the  experiences  of  religion  among  the  phenomena  of  crimino- 
logical psychology.'' 

"  A  Dialogue  on  Deck,"  is  an  account  of  an  interesting  conversation 
between  Captain  X.,  a  recent  convert  to  the  Roman  Catholic  faith,  and  a 
lady  theosophist.  The  main  text  closes  with  a  brief  though  quite  read- 
able and  somewhat  instructive  story  by  E.  M.  Stevens — **  The  seeds  of 
Gossamer" — showing  that  the  summing  up  of  the  good  deeds  of  the 
king  and  the  beggar  resulted  in  quantities  small  indeed  ;  the  motives 
being  nearly  all  that  was  of  value. 

July  Theosophy  in  Australasia,  devotes  about  eight  pages  to  an 
article  by  T.  H.  Martyn,  on  "The  Bible."  The  subject  is  divided  as 
follows  :  I.  '  The  Bible  as  it  sees  itself.'  2.  *  The  Bible  as  its  critics  see 
it.'  3.  *  The  Bible  as  it  is.'  The  contribution  contains  much  that  is  of 
value  to  Bible  readers,  who  should  give  it  careful  attention.  Mr.  George 
Peell  makes  an  earnest  plea  for  individual  investigation  and  discrimina- 
tion in  regard  to  the  acceptance  of  the  various  statements  which  have 
been  promulgated  in  Theosophical  teachings. 

The  N,  Z.  Theosophical  Magazine  presents  its  readers  with  the  first 
portion  of  an  article  on  **  Dharma,"  by  Marion  Judson,  the  aim  being  to 
simplify  the  teaching  on  this  subject.  The  very  helpful  and  instructive 
paper,  **  Theosophy  applied  to  the  Education  of  Children,"  by  Helen 
Thome,  is  concluded.  A  poem  on  "  God,"  and  another  instalment  of 
Auntie  Loo's  story—"  Fairy  Passiton— "  follow. 

The  Theosofhic  Gleaner  for  August  publishes  the  conclusion  of 
"  Jainism  and  Buddhism,"  together  with  a  variety  of  valuable  selections 

from  various  sources. 

Reoue  Thiosofhique  for  July  opens  with  the  translation  of  Mrs. 
Besant's  "Devotion  and  the  Spiritual  life."  Dr.  Prat  Flottes  has  an 
essay  on  "Theosophy."  "Is  Beauty  indispensable,  "  by  Blanvillain, 
follows*    ''  Ancient  Peru,"  is  continued,  and  "  Questions  and  Answers," 


780  The  *fh^s6phlst  [September 

Reviews  and  notes  on  the  movement,  complete  the  number.  The  trans- 
lation of  the  second  volume  of  the  "  Secret  Doctrine"  is  begun. 

The  June  issue  of  Theosafhia  presents  to  its  readers  "  Fragments  of 
Occult  Truth,"  by  H.  P.  B.  ;  the  first  portion  of  the  translation  of 
**  The  Path  of  Discipleship,"  by  Mrs.  Besant;  "  Tao-te-King ;"  "Clair- 
voyance ;'  *  the  report  of  that  part  of  the  examination  of  C.  F.  Haje  for 
the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Dutch  letters  at  the  Amsterdam  University,  in 
which  he  defends  Theosophy,  thus  forcing  the  eleven  Professors  to 
listen  to  a  discourse  on  Theosophy.  "  From  the  life  of  Bacilli  ;"  "  Over 
Population  ;"  '*  Golden  Thoughts"  and  notes  on  the  theosophical  move- 
ment fill  the  remaining  pages. 

Sophia  for  July  continues  the  translation  of  "  Thought- Prfwer,  its 
Control  and  Culture,"  of  the  reports  of  Dr.  Pascal^s  lectures  at  Geneva, 
and  of  *'  the  Idyll  of  the  White  I^otus."  "  One  chapter  of  the  thouglits 
of  the  Spaniard,  S&nchez  Calvo ;  "  "  Questions ;  "  **  Suggestive 
Thoughts  ;"  a  Platonic  dialogue  and  Reviews  complete  a  very  interest- 
ing number. 

Teosofia  for  July  contains  the  "  Life  within  Matter;"  a  letter  on  "  The 
Life  of  Minerals,"  reprinted  from  the  Rome  Tribuna:  the  continuation 
of  **  An  Italian  Hermetic  Philosopher  of  the  17th  Century ;"  "  Reincar- 
nation," by  Dr.  Pascal ;  aletter  from  Mrs.  Lloyd  on  "  Customs  of  India," 
notably  that  of  "  Sutteje,"  and  notes  on  the  T.  S.  movement.  ^ 

The  Arya  (July)  opens  with  "  True  and  false  ideas  of  Work  and 
Conquest,  Part  II.,"  by  Professor  K.  Sundararama  Aiyar,  m.  a.  The 
"  Religious  Teachers  of  India,"  by  Swami  Ramakrishnananda,  is  con- 
tinued. Dewan  Bahadur  R.  Ragoonath  Row,  contributes  three  articles 
to  this  issue— ** Sri  Sankara's  creed,"  "Smritis,**  and  "The  Principles 
of  Vedic  Religion."  S.  Ramaswami  Aiyar,  B.A.,  B.I,.,  has  two  articles, 
— one  on  "Self-Sacrifice  "  and  one  on  "Yoga  Principles  in  Sacrifice," 
"Anecdotes  of  Kamban,"  by  M.  S.  Pumalingam  PiUai,  B.A.,  and 
"The  Arya  Catechism,"  by  Alkondavilli  Govindacharlu,  C.  E.,  are  both 
continued.  The  subject  of  "  The  Castes  during  the  Epic  Period,"  Is 
discussed  by  T.  R.  B.  Notes  on  various  subjects— Editorial,  Educational, 
and  Religious — "  Science  Jottings,"  Reviews,  etc.,  complete  the 
number. 


Acknowledged  with  thanks :  The  Theosophic  Messenger,  The  Golden 
Chain,  Light,  The  Banner  of  Light,  The  Harbinger  of  Light,  7 he  Review 
of  Reoiews,  2  he  Metaphysical  Magazine,  Mind,  The  New  Century,  The 
Fhrenological  Journal,  The  Arena,  Health,  Modern  Medicine,  The  Li^ht 
of  Truth,  The  Light  of  the  East,  Dawn,  The  Indian  Journal  of  Educa- 
tion, The  Christian  College  Magazine,  The  Brahmavddin,  The  Brahma- 
chdrin.  Notes  and  Queries,  The  Buddhist,  Journal  of  the  Maha-Bodhi 
Society,  The  Forum,  Frabuddha  Bhdrata,  Theosopkischer  TFegweiser,  The 
Indian  Review, 


7« 


CUTTINGS  AND  COMMENTS. 

*'  Tboa^hts,  like  the  pollen  of  flowers,  leave  one  brain  and  fasten  to  aDOther." 

In  a  recent  editorial  in  the  Indian  Mirror,  we 
Q  hH!^  find  the  following  which  we  commend  to  the  careful 
Sr^j^ —      attention  of  our  readers : — 

]m^^^T  Whiwt   we  most  cordially  welcome  the  present 

VA  •  Hindu  revival  in  our  midst,  and  the  attempt  that  is  being 

antsm.  made  to  revive  the  study  of  Sanskrit  literature,  we  are 

strongly  of  opinion  that  it  would  be  well  if  at  the  same 
time  an  endeavour  were  made  to  revive  the  cultivation  of  Pali  literature 
in  this  countrv,  and  the  study  of  the  Buddhist  scriptures.  Sanskrit  was 
not  the  only  language  that  exivSted  in  Ancient  India.  Pali  can  justly 
claim  a  similar  honour.  Pali  was  the  spoken  language  of  India  in  the 
olden  times,  and  the  Indian  vernaculars  of  the  present  day  are  only  so 
many  modifications  of  the  Pali  language.  And  what  little  of  the  past 
history  of  this  country  has  been  preserved  tons — of  social  history  at 
least— is  to  be  found  in  the  pages  of  Pali  books.  It  is,  therefore,  the 
du^  of  all  well-wishers  of  India,  who  are  deeply  interested  in  the  revival 
of  Sanskrit,  to  see  that  steps  are  taken  simultaneously  to  revive  the 
study  of  Pali  literature  amongst  us.  We  areelad  tiiat  Pali  has  been  made 
an  optional  subject  in  the  curriculum  of  the  B.  A.  Examination  of  the 
Calcutta  University.  Pali  is  a  language  that  can  be  more  easily  master- 
ed than  Sanskrit,  and  its  close  amnity  to  Bengali  gives  it  a  peculiar 
claim  to  the  acceptance  of  our  Bengali  fellow-countiymen.  TThere  is 
much  that  is  instructive  and  interesting  in  the  Buddhistic  literature, 
and  a  knowledge  of  Pali  alone  would  enable  us  to  have  access  to  the 
treasures  of  that  literature.  We  rejoice  exceedingly  at  the  establish- 
ment of  the  Central  Hindu  College  at  Benares,  and  of  other  educa- 
tional institutions  in  other  places  for  the  study  of  Sanskrit,  and 
for  •  giving  instruction  in  Hinduism  to  our  boj'S ;  and  it  will  aiSbrd 
us  equal  Measure  to  see  similar  irstitutions  established  for  the  study 
of  Pali  and  the  cultivation  of  Buddhistic  literature.  There  is  not 
the  least  doubt  that  the  sublimest  reli^ous  truths  and  the  hig:hest 
code  of  morality  are  to  be  found  in  Buddhist  books  as  much  as  in  Hindu 
books— and  as  the  study  of  each  other's  religion  on  the  part  of  Hindus 
and  Buddhists  is  bound  to  be  helpful  to  both,  we  deem  it  important  that 
the  study  of  Sanskrit  and  Pali,  and  the  investigations  into  the  doctrines 
of  Hinduism  and  Buddhism,  should  be  carried  on  at  one  and  the  same 
time.  Now  that  the  question  of  religious  education  is  engaging  such  a 
large  share  of  public  attention,  the  subject-matter  of  this  article  is  de- 
serving of  serious  consideration.  It  should  be  remembered  that  whilst 
some  of  the  sublimest  truths  of  Hinduism  are  to  be  found  scattered  here 
and  there  in  our  sacred  books,  they  are  to  be  found  in  a  more  convenient 
and  collected  form  in  the  sacred  books  of  the  Buddhists.  Our  young 
men  cannot  certainly  be  instructed  in  a  hi&fher  ethical  code  than  is  to 
be  met  with  in  some  of  the  Buddhist  sacred  books.  As  the  future  des- 
tiny of  India  depends  wholly  on  the  progress  she  makes  in  religious 
thought,  we  hope  our  suggestions  will  not  be  lost  upon  our  countrymen. 
Students  of  the  Ved&nta  or  the  Adwaita  philosophy  will  recognise  much 
resemblance  between  that  philosophy  and  tne  philosophy  of  Lord 
Buddha.  There  need,  therefore,  be  no  ouarrel  between  Hindus  and 
Buddhists,  and  all  strife  and  discord  should  cease  between  them.  They 
sho'^ld  live  in  perfect  amity,  and  like  brothers  of  the  same  family.  One 
of  the  chief  objects  of  the  Mah&-bodhi  Society  ought  to  be  to  try  and 
bridge  over  the  gulf  that  yawns  between  them,  and  bind  them  firmly 
together  in  the  silken  bonds  of  love  and  affection.  This  indeed  is  a 
cooMunmation  devoutly  to  be  wished,  for  the  sake  of  both. 


8 


A 


7M  The  Theoaophist.  [September 

Gunvantrai  G.  Mazumdar  writes  from  Patau,  N. 

Fifty  years    Guzerat,  as  a  correspondent  of  the  Bombay  Gazette:-' 

without  Food,  "So  far  as  the  case  of  Preniabai  is  concerned,  the 

attempt  to  induce  the  scientific  world  to  believe  in  the 
possibility  of  existence  without  subsistence  has  proved  a  complete  failure. 
This  single  case,  however,  ought  not  to  be  allowed  to  turn  our  minds 
into  an  irremovable  bar  towards  instituting  scientific  enquiries  in  cases 
wliere  they  become  necessary'  and  imperative.  As  a  Hindu,  and  con- 
sequently believing  in  the  efficiency  of  Yoga  practices,  I  am  prepared 
to  hold  my  own  against  any  odds  when  I  say  that  it  is  quite  possible  for 
a  Yogin  to  subsist  without  nourishment  of  any  kind  whatever  for  a 
period,  greater  or  smaller,  according  as  his  Yoga  studies  are  advanced 
or  initiatory.  We  have  heard  of  and  even  seen  the  cases  of  Sadhus  al- 
lowing themselves  to  be  buried  in  the  earth  for  a  considerable  period  of 
time  and  then  emerging  from  their  SamUdhis  full  of  life  and  health.  I 
would  not  have  taken  up  this  subject  had  it  not  been  for  the  fact  that 
cases  like  that  of  the  memorable  Premabai  have  a  tendency  to  deal  a 
death-blow  to  the  doctrines  of  the  Yoga  Sh^tra  itself.  For  the  veri- 
fication of  my  point  I  quote  here  the  case  of  a  woman  who  has  been  sub- 
sisting without  any  sort  of  nourishment  these  fifty  years.  At  the  pres- 
ent she  lives  in  the  Ramaniifa  Koota,  near  the  Fateh  Sagar  Bag.  at 
Jodhpur  (Rajputana).  Throughout  Marwar  she  is  known  by  the  name 
of  Matagi,  her  real  name  being  Rukhi  Bai.  She  only  takes  water 
hhamamrita  thrice  every  day.  This  bharuamrita,  as  every  temple- 
going  Hindu  knows,  weighs  less  than  even  a  tola  or  ounce.  The  pious 
lady,  though  now  an  octogenarian,  is  still  able  to  go  up  to  the  Rajgadhi, 
situated  on  a  hill  half  a  mile  high.  I  would  not  have  made  bold  to  come 
before  the  public  but  for  the  fact  that  some  of  my  own  near  relations, 
w^ho  have  stayed  with  her  for  years  and  who  have  had  ample  opportu- 
nity to  mark  all  her  movements  with  the  strictest  vigilance  have  been 
unable  to  find  out  the  least  flaw  in  her.  As  a  Brahmin  of  the  orthodox 
school  of  Hinduism  I  would  draw  the  attention  of  Sir  Bhalchandra  to 
this  unique  case  of  the  power  that  the  practice  of  Yoga  imparts  to  a 
human  being.  Throughout  Jodhpur  she  is  looked  upon  as  a  saintly 
personage,  Her  Highness  the  Maharani  denying  herself  her  very  dinner 
until  she  pays  her  respects  to  her,  every  morning." 


•  * 


There  is  apparently    considerable  misapprehension 

Why  Bibles     as  to  the  use  which  is  made  of  copies  of  the  Bible  in 

areindemafid    India.  In  a  recent  issue  of  the /'z^w^^  a  correspond- 

in  China.       ent  mentioned    that  **  tens  of  thousands  more  Bibles 

were  printed  last  year  than  ever  before."  A  Scotsman 
now  sends  to  our  contemporary  the  following  extract  from  the 
Scotsman  newspaper,  to  show  where  some  of  these  Bibles  go  : — 

'*  Some  time  ago  there  was  a  big  demand  for  cheap  Bibles  for  Cbina 
and  one  ship  took  out  nearly  100,000  books.  The  remarkable  number  of 
new  Christians  this  indicated,  while  it  occasioned  much  thankfulness  in 
Missionary  circles,  caused  the  Gospel  Propagation  Societies  to  set  on 
foot  enquiries  as  to  the  methods  employed  in  saving  the  souls  of  such 
an  unusual  number  of  Celestials,  and  the  use  to  which  they  put  the 
Bibles  sent  to  them.  The  results  of  these  enquiries  were  surprising^. 
These  Chinese  are  large  manufacturers  of  fireworks,  especially  of  the 
cracker  variety.  The  poor  Chinaman  works  at  home  for  a  contractor, 
who  provides  him  with  a  certain  quantity  of  powder  and  leaves  him  to 
find  the  paper  for  wrappers.  Now,  paper  is  not  a  cheap  commodity  in 
China,  but  when  John  Chinaman  found  that  Bibles  were  to  be  had  for 
the  asking,  he  took  all  he  could  get,  and  his  conscience  did  not  suffer  a 
pang  as  to  their  disposal  for  cracker  wrappers  " 

The  Pioneer  correspondent  adds  :  **  In  this  extract  we  are  told 
of  one  ship  which  took  out  100,000  books — and  we  can  readily 
believe  that  other  ships  took  out  larger  or  smaller  quantities.    This 


1901.]  CuHings  and  Comments.  763 

will  account  for  a  good  percentage  of  the  Bibles  printed  in  1900,  or 
may  be  for  the  year  before."  The  article  in  the  Scotsman,  it  may  be 
remarked,  appeared  in  the  latter  part  of  1900.  In  this  countrj'^ 
copies  of  the  Bible  as  big  as  Webster's  Dictiouar}'  used  to  be  sold 
for  a  few  annas ;  and  our  boys  and  grown-up  men  are  known  to 
utilise  the  Bible  copies  in  a  way  not  very  different  from  that  which 
finds  favour  with  John  Chinaman. —  The  Hindu. 

Colonel  Olcott  having  asked  the  respected  phi- 

The  Spark  of    lanthropist,  Miss  Clara  Barton,  whether  imprisoned 

Virtue  in  the     criminals  as  a  rule  read  good  books,   or  those  which 

Human  Soul,    glorify  the  hlghwa3'man  and   burglar  as  heroes,  she 

replies : — 

"  You  speak  of  something  I  have  said  in  some  report.  That  may  be, 
although  I  do  not  recollect  it ;  still,  it  is  very  probable,  and  would  be 
perfectly  true,  if  1  said  1  believe  that  even  the  most  hardened  and 
degraded  nature  leans  instinctively  to  virtue ;  however  far  from  the 
grasp— the  dim  ray  is  there,  however  clouded.  I  had  once  under  my 
care  nearly  half  a  thousand  women  prisoners  of  all  grades,  from  the 
simple  dissolute  life,  to  suspected,  if  not  attemx)ted  murder. 

*'  They  sat  before  me  in  chapel  an  hour  each  day.  1  did  not  weary 
them  with  advice — they  had  had  a  surfeit  of  that  long  before ;  nor  cor- 
rection—they were  having  enough  of  that.  Heaven  knows,  as  the  weary 
da^'S  dragged  on.  I  told  them  stories  of  the  lives  of  other  persons,  and 
left  them  to  draw  their  own  inferences  ;  but  never  one  plaudit  did  I  get 
from  even  the  most  hardened,  for  a  story  of  successful  vice  or  crime. 
They  listened  stolidly,  or  approvingly,  to  a  tale  of  vice  overtaken  by 
retributive  justice  ;  but  the  simple  story  of  reclamation — of  one  leaving, 
at  last,  the  mirey  track  and  the  hidden  way,  and  learning  to  lead  the 
life  that  God  had  planned— one  who  had  found  the  stren^h  to  keep  the 
path,  and  walk  erect  before  the  world,  filled  the  hall  with  sobs,  often 
with  moans  painful  to  listen  to.  I  never  interrupted,  but  let  nature  have 
her  perfect  work,  and  studied  myself,  meanwhile,  the  lesson  i  am  now 
trying  so  unexpectedly  and  imperfectly  to  recite  to  you.  The  spark  of 
virtue  and  of  God  is  inborn  in  the  human  soul,  or  man  would  not  be 


man." 


»% 


The  two  following  statements  which  we  copy 

htstantane-      from   Light,  show  that  aid  from   higher  planes   of 

Otis  Healing     being  is  sometimes  rendered  to  mortals,  in  a  manner 

as  a  result  of    that  might  be  considered  miraculous  by  those  who  do 

Prayer.  not  realise  that  nothing  can  happen  which  is  outside 

the  realm  of  law : — 

A  highly-esteemed  Catholic  clergyman  and  author,  Christoph  von 
Schmidt,  who  died  in  1854,  at  the  age  of  eighty  years,  as  a  member  of 
the  Cathedral  Chapter  (Domkapitel)  of  Augsburg,  has  left  an  interest- 
ing autobiography  in  which  he,  though  he  does  not  otherwise  show  anv 
interest  in  occultism,  minutely  records  some  remarkable  events  which 
took  place  during  the  early  days  of  his  priesthood. 

In  the  village  of  Lengensvang,  which  belonged  to  the  large  parish 
in  which  Mr.  von  Schmidt  was  the  clergyman,  there  lived  a  youth  of 
about  twenty  years.  From  his  earliest  days  the  lad  had  suffered  from 
epileptic  fits  of  the  worst  description.  Sometimes  he  might  have  them 
twenty  times  during  the  day,  falling  down  suddenly,  and  afterwards 
Bleeping  heavily. 

His  parents  could  not  allow  him  to  take  his  meals  with  them,  as  the 
fits  were  so  horrible  to  witness,  and  the  smallest  excitement  would 


td4  'f  he  Tlieosophlst.  [SeptaiaiMr 

cause  them  to  return.    Sometimes  several  men  were  needed  to  hold  the 
boy  while  under  these  terrible  attacks. 

The  parents  being  well-to-do  people,  and  esteemed  members  of  the 
community,  kept  the  facts  as  secret  as  possible ;  but  three  of  the  fits 
having  taken  place  publicly,  for  instance,  one  at  church.  Pastor  Schmidt 
got  to  know  about  tnem  and  went  to  see  the  poor  youth  at  his  home. 
He  found  him  looking  ill,  and,  to  all  appearance,  very  much  distressed. 

And  the  poor  lad  got  worse.  He  could  not  leave  his  bed  or  even 
assume  a  sitting  position  in  it,  as  the  fits  would  immediately  throw  him 
down.  In  this  miserable  condition  the  young  man  threw  himself  on 
the  mercy  of  God ;  and  Pastor  Schmidt  relates  the  further  course  of  this 
wonderful  case,  in  the  boy's  own  words,  as  accurately  as  he  could  remem- 
ber them.  It  must  be  added  that  the  word  '  Bue/  which  occurs  in  the 
narrative,  belongs  to  the  Bavarian  peasant  dialect,  and  means  son,  child. 
The  boy  said : 

*  It  was  the  afternoon  of  July  3rd,  1796 ;  everybody  in  the  house  had 
gone  to  church,  and  all  the  doors  were  locked.  I  was  lying  quite  alone 
m  my  bed  in  the  uppermost  room,  when  my  misery  became  more 
clear  to  me  than  ever  before,  and  I  wept  so  bitterly  that  the  tears 
streamed  down  my  cheeks.  I  prayed  with  more  fervour  than  ever, 
stretching  out  my  arms  towards  the  image  of  the  Mother  of  God,  which 
hangs  near  my  bed,  when  a  knock  came  at  the  door.  The  knocking  was 
repeated  very  loudly,  and  I  began  to  hope  for  some  help.  I  went  on 
praying.  Tne  door  was  then  thrown  open  with  a  violent  crash,  and  1 
was  frightened  and  crept  under  the  counterpane  ;  but  I  perceived  that 
something  was  drawing  it  away  from  me.  Though  gapping  it  strongly 
I  had  to  leave  my  hold  of  it.  Then  I  saw  a  white  globe,  as  white  as  ue 
purest  piece  of  linen.  The  ball  glided  up  and  down  my  body,  and  a 
voice  came  and  said  :  "  Bue  !  thy  cross  is  heavy,  very  heavy,  but  trust 
in  God  and  rise ;  thou  shalt  be  helped.*'  "May  God  reward  thee!" 
I  said,  and  the  form  moved  upwards  and  vanished. 

'  A  moment  afterwards  my  father  came  home  from  church.  On  en- 
tering the  house  he  was  astonished  to  find  the  upper  storey  illuminated. 
He  came  up  the  stairs,  and  saw  that  the  door  to  my  room  which  on 
leaving  he  had  carefully  locked,  was  open.  **  Have  you  left  your  bed," 
he  asked,  "  and  have  you  been  able  to  rise  ?  '* 

'  I  told  him  what  had  liappened,  but  father  insisted  on  its  having 
been  a  dream.  But  I  said,  ''  I  know  that  I  was  awake,  and  you  will 
never  make  me  believe  the  contrary." 

'  Father  went  to  seek  the  chaplain  who  had  performed  the  afternoon 
service,  and  the  chaplain  said  :  **  This  thing  may  be  of  God  ;  believe 
this,  and  trust  implicitly  in  the  Divine  help." 

'  Now  I  rose  from  my  bed  and  sat  down  on  a  large  chest  in  my  room. 
I  was  able  to  pray  fervently  and  trustfully,  and  f  was  very  hopeful 
While  thus  praying,  something  fell  down  on  the  box  from  the  ceiling.  I 
looked  upwards— tne  globe  was  again  visible.  It  descended  through  the 
air  and  took  its  place  beside  me  on  the  chest.  I  shook  wiUi  fear.  "Bue !" 
said  the  voice.  "  God  sends  me  here  ;  thou  art  cured.  Thou  canst  now 
go  wherever  thou  wishest." 

'  Hearing  God's  name,  my  terror  ceased,  and  I  became  quite  easy  in 
my  mind.  "  Thou  art  cured  ;  walk,  stand,  do  as  thou  likest,"  the  voice 
said  again  ;  "  thy  cross  has  been  taken  from  thee." 

The  youth  added  his  regret  that  he  had  not  remembered  thanking 
the  '  globe '  for  its  kindness,  and  his  astonishment  at  its  being  able  to 
speak.  He  said  also  that  the  voice  very  much  resembled  that  of  a  very 
kind  neighbour,  Gottfried  Ehrhardt,  who  had  recently  died. 

t^astor  Schmidt  found  the  young  man's  expression  so  sincerely 
happy  and  grateful,  atid  so  candid,  that  he  had  not  the  least  doubt  about 
ttie  truth  of  the  story  ;  and  after  this  event  his  health  was  peffectiy 
restored,  «ind  he  never  h^d  atiV  relapse,  thoug;h  sometimes  wotking  to 
the  fields  many  hours  and  in  the  hottest  sunshine,  which  formerly  wouM 
hi^ve  been  like  death  to  kim^ 


IMltf]  Cuttings  and  Comments.  70S 

In  another  remarkable  case  of  a  supernatural 
Timely  aid      character,  related  by  Pastor  Schmidt,   he   begins  by 
front  a  higher    speaking  of  the  elevated  mind  and  high  moral  stand- 
plane.  ard  of  the  person  who  told  him  about  it.     It  was   a 

young  chaplain,  whose  disinterestedness  and  devo- 
tion were  appreciated  by  all  who  knew  him.  He  was  a  deep  thinker 
and  a  man  of  prayer. 

Schmidt  once  undertook  a  walking  excursion  with  this  man, 
whose  name  was  Weber,  and  in  the  evening  twilight,  while  wander- 
ing in  the  brilliant  moonshine  across  valleys  and  mountains,  and 
while  listening  to  the  song  of  the  nightingale,  their  hearts  being 
disposed  to  confidential  communications,  Weber  told  the  following 
episode,  which  had  left  a  deep  impression  on  him  :  — 

Some  years  ago  he  had  been  chaplain  in  a  large  parish  called  Mit- 
telberg,  and  on  a  cold  and  stormy  evening  he  was  seated  with  the 
clergyman  of  the  parish  at  their  supper.  A  poor,  lonely  boy  knocked 
at  the  window  and,  shaking  from  hunger  and  cold,  beeged  for  alms. 
Weber  obtained  the  priest's  permission  to  take  the  child  indoors  and 
give  him  some  of  the  warm  soup. 

It  being  evident  that  the  child  was  ill,  the  chaplain  got  him  put  to 
bed  and  nursed  him  carefully  during  a  violent  fever,  from  which  the  boy 
recovered,  but  only  to  fall  into  an  iUness  from  which  he  finally  died  in 
the  course  of  the  ensuing  summer.    Weber  nursed  him  spiritually  and 

fhysically.  He  taught  the  boy,  who  was  an  orphan,  to  say  the  I^ord's 
rayer  and  he  told  him  many  incidents  of  the  life  of  Jesus,  to  which  the 
boy  listened  with  joy.  He  grew  in  faith  and  divine  knowledge  of  the 
love  of  God  and  Jesus  Christ,  and  his  patience  under  suffering  was 
something  marvellous.  As  autumn  approached  the  boy  passed  peace- 
fully away,  to  awaken  in  a  better  existence. 

The  following  winter  Weber  paid  a  visit  to  a  sick  person,  a  German 
mile  from  his  home,  and  stayed  so  long  that  it  had  become  quite  dark 
when  he  left.  A  labourer  in  the  place  offered  to  accompanv  him,  but 
Weber,  knowing  how  hard  the  man  had  worked  the  whole  day,  would 
not  trouble  him,  thinking  it  would  be  easy  for  him  to  get  home,  as  he 
knew  every  step  of  the  way. 

But  fresh  snow  had  fallen  and  all  the  roads  were  covered  with  it,  so 
that  the  chaplain  lost  his  way.  Suddenly  he  heard  some  ice  breaking 
under  his  feet  and  he  felt  himself  sinking  deeper  and  deeper  into  the 
water  of  a  lake,  without  anything  to  take  hold  of.  He  looked  upon 
himself  as  lost  Then  he  saw  a  radiant  light  Surrounded  bv  light 
clouds  he  saw  the  boy*s  smiling,  transfigured  face ;  that  boy  whom  he 
had  prepared  for  his  death  and  whose  eyes  he  had  closed.  The  form 
seized  his  hand  and  drew  him  up  on  terra  firma ;  it  reached  out  with  its 
arm  in  the  direction  which  he  had  to  go,  and  then  it  disappeared.  Weber, 
who  had  been  saved  in  this  wonderful  manner,  reached  his  home  with 
indescribable  feelings. 

The  next  day  he  went  to  look  at  the  place  where  he  had  been  so 
near  drowning.  He  could  trace  his  own  footsteps  to  the  dangerous  place, 
and  his  were  the  ovXy  footsteps  visible  in  the  new-fallen  snow.  He 
looked  at  the  newly-formed  ice  in  the  spot  which  had  been  broken 
in  the  very  deepest  part.  His  heart  went  up  in  thankfulness  to  God. 

Pastor  Schmidt  adds  that  this  event  was  a  convincing  proof  to  him 
and  the  chaplain  of  the  continuance  of  life  after  death,  and  that  many 
Divine  promises  after  this  stood  out  in  new  light  to  them.  They  saw  that 
the  loving  dead  in  another  existence  still  could  follow  their  fate  and  with 
God's  permission  come  to  their  assistance. 


I  tfaiak  that  these  two  narratives  may  be  accepted  with  perfect  trust, 
coiiiiaf  from  such  honoarable  and  serious  persons*    Both  took  place  in 


tSd  The  Th«o8opbi8t.  [Septenftber 

Bavaria  among  Catholics,  who  are  very  little  interested  in  spiritaalistic 
phenomena. 

MADAME  T.  DE  CHRISTMAS  DlRCKINCK-HOI,MFEU>. 

Valby,  Denmark. 


The  Lucknow  Advocate,   in  commenting  on  the 
The  Inter-      Congress  of  Vegetarians  held  in  London  on  June 
national        last,  says : 

Vegetarian  xhe  report  of  the  inauguration  of  the  International 

Congress,        Vegetarian  Congress suggests  many  thoughts.     First 

of  all,  it  adds  another  confirmation  to  our  belief  that  Uie 
modern  age  is  tending  towards  internationalism.  People  are  eag'e'  to 
strengthen  their  hands  by  allying  themselves  with  those  of  similar  con- 
victions in  other  lands.  This  is  one  of  the  best  and  most  hopeful  ten- 
dencies of  civilisation.  The  inaugural  meeting  of  the  international 
Vegetarian  Congress  which  took  place  in  London  on  the  22nd  June  is, 
taken  by  itself,  a  hopeful  sign  of  the  times.  It  shows  unmistakably  that 
the  Vegetarian  movement  is  gaining  >»round  in  the  West.  The  Memo- 
rial Hall,  where  the  meeting  was  held,  is  reported  to  have  been  crowded 
with  visitors.  The  Hon'ble  Mrs.  Eliot  Yorke,  President  of  the  Women's 
Temperance  Union,  opened  an  Exhibition  of  Vegetarian  foods  and.  sun- 
dries in  an  adjoining  room,  and  the  Presidential  address  delivered  by  Mr. 
Arnold  Hills  teemed  with  thoughtful  passages.  He  believed  vegetarianism 
was  one  of  the  movements  by  which  the  world  would  be  won  from  misery 
to  peace  and  joy. 


The  Indian  Mirror  has  unflinchingly  held  aloft  the 

TTie  Indian      banner  of  Theosophy  these  many  long  years,  patiently 

Mirror  and     enduring  the  ridicule  of  the  opposition ;  however, 

the  Rev,  Mr,    the  tide  is  beginning  to  turn,  and  it  now  says  :    "  But 

Vance^  those  laugh  best  who  laugh   last,  and  we  think  the 

opportunity  to  laugh  last  and  laugh  best  has  come, 

at  length,  for  us."     It  then  proceeds  to  publish  the   following  letter 

addressed  to  the  London  Spectator^  by  the  Rev.  G.  Hamilton  Vance 

of  Dublin,  and  thinks  its  readers   will   fairly   **  adjudge  the  prize  of 

this  belated  discovery  to  Theosophists." 

There  was  in  my  congregation  an  old  lady — since  deceased — ^the  Hon. 
Miss—,  who  valued  greatly  the  privilege  of  attending  divine  worship  in 
my  church,  and  whose  habit  it  was  to  come  in  by  a  side  door  and  sit  be- 
side one  of  my  daughters  in  the  minister's  pew.  Her  health  being  pre- 
carious and  failing  she  was  sometimes  rather  late.  One  Sunday  morning 
I  was  about  concluding  the  sermon,  when  I  chanced  to  notice  Miss- 
sitting  in  her  usual  place.  The  thought  crossed  my  mind  at  the  time, 
first  of  pleasure  at  seeing  her  again  after  some  weeks'  absence  through 
illness,  and  then  of  surprise  that  I  had  not  noticed  her  earlier  in  the  ser- 
vice ;  and  I  also  remember  noting  in  my  mind,  in  the  pulpit  at  the  time, 
that  she  was  sitting  unusually  close  to  my  daughter.  When  we  got 
home,  I  remarked  to  the  members  of  my  family  about  Miss— 's  presence 
in  church.  But  they  one  and  all  denied  that  she  had  been  there,  and 
said  with  laughter,  when  I  persisted  that  I  had  certainly  seen  her,  that  I 
must  have  been  dreaming.  Whether,  in  face  of  their  unanimous 
negative,  I  should  eventually  have  acquiesced  in  the  opinion  that  I 
had  been  mistaken,  I  cannot  say.  But  I  happened  to  be  calling  that 
same  Sunday  afternoon  on  two  ladies,  members  of  my  congregation, 
and  I  inquired  casually  of  them  whether  they  had  noticed  Miss-^ 
in  church  that  morning.  "Yes,"  they  replied,  'she  was  there.  *' I 
was  myself  perfectly  convinced  that  I  had  seen  her  \  I  never  felt 
more  stronely  certain  of  any  thin^  in  my  life ;  but  so  emphatically 
6ure  were  tne  members  of  my  family,   in  whose  pew  X  had  m>^  her, 


I90]t.}  Cuttings  aad  Gomments.  767 

that  she  was  not  there,  that  I  detennined  to  call  on  Miss^and  ascertain 
from  herself  whether  she  had  been  in  church  or  not.  I  did  so  ;  and  the 
answer  I  received  tends»  in  my  opinion  to  substantiate  the  mysterious 
nature  of  the  occurrence.  Miss — had  not,  so  she  said,  been  to 
church  that  day  ;  but  she  had  had  a  very  strong  desire  to  go,  had, 
indeed  intended  to  go,  and  had  ordered  the  carriage,  which  had  even 
come  to  the  door  for  the  purpose  of  taking  her,  but  at  the  last  moment 
her  strength  was  not  equal  to  the  exertion.  Taking  all  the  circumstances 
of  this  incident  into  view,  it  seems  to  me  to  prove  that  under  certain 
conditions-  intense  volition  being  probably  one — the  mind  may  have 
the  power  of  projecting  the  image  of  its  own  body  elsewhere,  so  as  to  be 
even  visible  to  the  bomly  eye  of  other  people. 

The  Editor  of  the  Mirror  can  certainly  be  pardoned  for  feeling 
somewhat  elated  over  the  admission,  by  the  Reverend  gentleman  who 
ministers  to  his  Dublin  congregation,  of  the  possibility,  yes,  even 
the  actualit}',  of  a  human  being  projecting  his  double  to  a  distance, 
by  •*  intense  volition."    He  says  : 

**  When  this  power  was  claimed  by  those,  who  ought  to  know,  on 
behalf  of  Indian  Adepts,  the  world  laughed.  We  resist  the  over- 
whelming temptation  to  deduce  further  triumphs  from  the  authentic 
story  of  a  trusted  Christian  divine.'* 

« 
•  * 

We  are  indebted  to  the   Lahore    Tribune  for  the 
Sun-spots       following : — 

ana  p^^  interesting  feature  in  connection  with  the  Mag- 

cnanges  oj  netic  Survey  which  is  to  be  undertaken  in  India  is  the  dis- 
Tefnperaiure.  covery  of  the  existence  of  interdependence  between  mag- 
netic tension  and  sun-spots.  The  Meteorological  De})art- 
ment  in  Simla  has  received  a  chart  from  Sir  Norman  Lockyer  in  which 
a  comparison  has  been  made  between  the  record  of  the  Bombay  magnetic 
station  and  the  curve  of  sun-spot  frequency,  showing  an  almost  exact 
coincidence  of  the  two.  More  remarkable  still  is  the  fact  that  in 
some  cases  the  magnetic  record  is  found  to  anticipate  the  sun-spot 
maxima.  This  may  eventually  lead  to  the  possibility  of  foretelling  the 
one  from  the  other.  In  a  paper  in  the  Proceedings  of  the  Royal  Society, 
Sir  Norman  Lockyer  and  Mr.  W.  J.  S.  Lockyer  have  sought  to  prove 
the  existence  of  a  connection  between  solar  changes  of  temperature, 
dependent  upon  sun-spots,  and  variations  in  the  rainfall  of  the  Indian 
region.  By  the  light  of  the  recent  discovery  of  a  large  sun-spot  (sup- 
posed to  be  responsible  for  the  present  heat  wave  all  over  the  w^orld) 
Sir  Norman's  conclusions  regarding  solar  changes  of  temperature, 
dependant  upon  sun-spots,  are  calculated  to  excite  much  interest,  and 
we  cannot  say  if  they  do  not  apply  to  the  variations  that  are  unfortu- 
nately observable  in  the  rainfall  of  the  Indian  region  just  now. 

*  « 

There  is  a  wonderful  story  in  circulation  concer- 
The  ning  a  leper  who  was  cured  by  drinking  water  from 

Azawgarh       a  disused  well  and  bathing  in  it.  Referring  to  this  the 
Well,  Indian  Mifror  makes  the  following  ohservations : — 

"The  storjr  reads  much  like  certain  *' Miraculous 
cures  "  brought  about  in  certam  places  through  the  instrumentality  of 
Romish  priests.  But  in  this  case,  there  were  no  priests  nor  professional 
miracle  workers.  The  poor  leper  received  heartless  treatment.  The 
kindness  that  sent  him  to  the  disused  well  might  have  proved  fatal.  The 
leper  drank  full  draughts  of  the  waters  of  the  well,  and  bathed  in  it,  and 
was  a  whole  man  again.  What,  then,  becomes  of  the  bacteria  theory  ? 
The  water  must  have  been  full  of  germs.  Was  it  a  homoeopathic  remedj' 
which  cured  the  unconscious  patient  ?  There  is  a  pool  of  water  at 
Bf^ndtch  (Oudh),  not  far  from  the  Nepal  border,  which  is  alleged  to 


768  The  Theoftophlst.  [September 

have  equally  efficacious  virtues,  hut  priestcraft  is  there,  and  many  pa- 
tients nave  returned  home  uncurred  and  unconvinced.  And  these 
stories  remind  us  of  a  true  story,  not  very  generally  known,  of  an  Eng- 
lish doctor  and  sanitarian  who  filled  a  hottle  with  water  taken  from  what 
he  believed  to  be  the  impurest  part  of  the  scurred  river  Ganges,  near 
Benares.  He  took  the  sample  home  in  the  full  belief  that  he  would  be 
able  to  demonstrate  that  while  the  Hindu  pilgrims  bathed  in  the  Gan^«8 
for  achieving  spiritual  salvation,  they  were  courting  almost  certain  ae- 
struction.  The  dirty,  filthy  sample  was  taken  home  and  the  severest 
analysis  showed  no  trace' of  bacteria  or  that  sort  of  thine  !  How  is  the 
story  to  be  explained  away  ?  Dr.  Hankin  of  Agra  has  also  found  that  the 
Ganges  water  is  free  from  bacteria. 

.% 

Mr.  C.  Staniland  Wake,  of  Chicago,  writes  to  The 
An  opinion      Sunday  Record-Hetald  of  that    city,  complimenting 
adverse  to       Col.   Olcott  for   **  his  excellent  outline  of^  the  main 
Reincama-      doctrines  of Theosophy."    Still  he  thinks   "Many 
Hon,  arguments  could   be  advanced  in  opposition  to  the 

doctrine  of  reincarnation,"  which  he  considers  super- 
fluous.   He  says : 

The  main  aim  of  evolution  is  the  perfect  development  of  the  cosmos 
as  an  organized  entity  and  not  that  of  man,  who  partakes  of  the  general 
progress,  however,  in  being  a  part  of  the  whole.  Now,  as  the  perfection 
of  man  is  relative  to  that  of  the  cosmos  of  which  he  forms  a  part,  there 
is  no  occasion  for  the  reincarnation  of  particular  individuals,  if  this 
were  actually  possible.  They  are  indeed  mere  cells  in  the  cosmic  oi^gans 
constituted  by  particular  classes  of  human  beings  or  by  the  human  race 
as  a  totality. 

He  thinks  "  terrestrial  reincarnation  is  not  required,"  because 
'*  Man  can  go  on  toward  such  a  state  of  perfection  as  is  necessary 
for  hira,  elsewhere,  beyond  the  confines  of  earth.'* 

He  closes  as  follows : 

Notwithstanding  the  defects  above  referred  to,  Theosophy  as  a  general 
system  contains  valuable  truths,  which  will  be  recognized  by  science 
when  they  are  put  into  plain  language  and  freed  from  the  exaggeration 
and  imaginative  speculation  in  which  the  Oriental  mind  is  apt  to 
indulge.  Particularly  eood  is  its  insistence  on  the  doctrine  of  the  divine 
trinity,  the  mystery  which  furnishes  the  key  to  all  other  mysteries  of 
the  cosmos,  including  that  of  man  himself. 

We  understand  that,  since  the  publication  of  Mr.  Wake's  letter 
from  which  we  have  quoted,  he  has  become  a  member  of  the  Theo- 
sophical  Society. 


SDPPLEMENT    TO 

THE   THEOSOPHIST. 


SEPTEMBER   1901 


MONTHLY  FINANCIAL  STATEMENT. 

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ADYAR,  madras,   ")  T.  VlJIARAGHAVA  CHARI^U, 


ao/A  Au£yisf,  1901.  J  Treasurer,  T.  S. 


THE  PRESIDENTS  TOUR. 

As  the  time  for  the  close  of  our  President's  tour  in  the  United 
States  draws  near,  one  begins  to  count  the  good  results  attained.  From 
correspondents,  generally,  one  gathers  that  the  chief  result  has  been  a 
binding  together  of  the  members  in  the  Branches,  and  of  the  Branches 
also,  throus^hout  the  Section,  with  a  decided  stimulation  to  greater 
work,  which  is  always  a  result  of  the  Colonel's  presence.  Outside  of 
the  T.  S.  we  find  a  change,  also  resulting  from  his  tour ;  the  more  friend- 
ly attitude  of  die  Press.  Lectures  have  been  reported,  on  the  whole,  in 
an  unprejudiced  way,  but,  of  course,  many  curious  statements  have 
been  printed,  often  resulting  more  from  the  reporter's  ignorance  on 
the  subject  than  from  any  intention  to  misrepresent.  From  Muskegon, 
Sa&rinaw,  Lansing,  Toledo,  Cleveland,  Dayton,  Washin^on  and  Philadel- 
phia we  learn  of  crowded  meetings  and  much  enthusiasm,  despite  the 
^t  that  the  country  was  suffering  under  a  great  heat,  which  made  it 
very  difficult  for  the  members  to  get  about.  Even  our  Colonel,  seasoned 
as  he  is  to  heat  by  his  twenty-one  years'  residence  in  India,  found  the 
heat  oppressive. 

On  the  27tli  of  July,  the  President-Founder  was  to  sail  from 
Philadelphia  for  Southampton.  From  there,  after  a  short  stay  in 
England,  he  was  to  go  to  Buenos  Aires ;  then  back  to  England,  and  home. 


xxxTi  Supplement  to  the  Theesophleti 

COLONEL  OLCOTT'S  FAREWELL  MESSAGE. 

[We  print  our  President's  farewell,  as  it  appears  in  the  official 
organ  of  the  American  Section.] 

"  As  I  have  only  one  morf  station  to  visit  before  closing  my  American 
tour  and  turning  my  face  toward  the  Atlantic  Ocean,  I  wish  to  express 
through  the  Messenger  my  gn^teful  thanks  for  the  loviitg  kiadjiess  and 
generous  hospitalftv  which  I  have  received  everywhere  &roi:^hout\he 
country.  My  special  aoknowledgmeuts  aiie  due  to  my  hind  hosts  and 
hostesses,  and  I  regret  that  my  engagements  are  such  as  to  prevent 
me  from  addressing  each  personally  in  writing. 

It  appears  to  me,  after  this  long  circuit  through  many  states,  that 
my  visit  has  been  purposely  put  off  until  now  by  the  Wise  Ones  who 
overlook  our  affairs,  for  the  om>osition,  once  so  active,  is  crumbling 
away,  and  before  long  there  will  not  be  a  vestige  left  of  the  great  seces- 
sion party  which  at  one  time  came  near  sweeping  theAm^mcan  Section  oat 
of  existence.  I  know  now  from  observation,  how  deep  a  debt  the  Society 
owes  to  Alexander  Pullerton,  George  E.  Wright,  Kate  Buffington  Davis^ 
and  some  others,  for  their  loyal  and  courageous  defence  of  the  more- 
u;ent  from  its  would-be  destroyers.  In  human  afiairs  the  crisis  always 
brings  out  the  men  to  meet  it ;  and  surely  this  rule  has  been  exemplified 
in  our  case. 

I  am  encouraged  as  to  the  future  of  tihe  American  movement,  for  we 
have  all  over  the  country  men  and  women  thoroughly  in  earnest,  and 
capable  of  every  degree  of  self-sacrificing  devotion.  What  is  most 
needed  is  a  small  corps  of  workers  who  can  give  their  whole  time  and 
services  to  the  cause.  Suitable  persons  for  such  work  exist,  but  their 
cirQi;mstances  prevent  them  from  doing  as  they  would  wish  ;  and  so, 
until  we  have  command  of  the  necessary-  means  to  pay  their  expenses, 
and  ensure  the  support  of  their  dependents,  we  must  go  on  as  hereto- 
fore, with  such  help  as  we  can  get  from  volunteers. 

I  cannot  too  strenuously  urge  the  policy  of  making  expositions  of 
Theosophy  as  simple  as  possible,  avoiding  all  attempt  at  fine  writing  and 
fine  talking,  which  only  tickle  the  intellect  for  the  time  being  ;  and 
encouraging  everybody  to  put  their  knowledge  into  their  lives  as  a 
guiding  force.  Theosophy  as  a  working  power  can  be  made  all  potent, 
and  ca;tt  sweep  over  America  like  a  tidalv.  ave,  if  it  is  properly  managed. 
I  am  rejoiced  to  know  that  my  new  personal  friendships  with  the 
members  of  the  American  Section  will  hereafter  bind  us  together  in  a 
golden  chain  of  confidence  and  friendship.  When  I  get  bad  to  Adyar 
I  shall  have  many  a  precious  memory  of  the  tour  of  1901. 

•,•  ^  H.  S.  OliCOTT. 

WASHINGTON,  D.  C.     \  ^.'-vxa. 

17M  July,  1901.         \ 


NEW  BRANCHES. 

The  General  Secretary  of  the  French  Section  reports  the  formation 
of  two  Branches  at  Geneva  :  "  Dharma,"  President,  the  Countess  Tiozar, 

l^i^M^:S£\  ^"'  ^^^  "^»^*^' '   ^^^^-^  ^--  ^-  ^-th! 

AMERICAN  BRANCHES. 
V^£nliSSr:t   ^"^^^""^   ^-^^orm^.  has  changed  its  name  to 

Two  other  Charters  have  been  cancelled  and  Branches  suppressed 
-GalesburgT.S  Galesburg,  111.,  and  Peoria  T.S.,  Peoria  iff^T^ 
are  now  70  Branches  in  the  American  Section.  ^^^^a,  lu.    mere 

Al^EXANDKR  FUUL^RRTON, 

Crentral  Secretary, 


SMpptooMttt  to  the  Thaoaophist.  XKKlrtt 

A  CORRECTION. 

Among-the  articles  purporting  to  be  reports  of  lectures  by  CoL  01cott» 
or  interviews  witii  him,  we  have,  unfortnnately,  printed  one  in  which 
Qccnr  certain  statements  that  the  Colonel  informs  us  are  incorrect. 
We  refer  to  the  one  on  "  Mahatmas/'  in  the  June  issue.  The  reporter 
may  have  got  somewhat  mixed  in  writing  on  such  an  unusual  subiect. 
The  Editor-xn-charge  is  extremely  sorry  that  such  a  thing  should  have 
occurred. 

PRIZES  FOR  ESSAYS  ON  CASTE. 

We  have  been  requested  to  state  that  two  prizes  of  Rs.  loo  each  are 
offered  by  Jadunath  Mozoomdar,  M.A.,  bx..  Editor,  Hindu-Patrika,  and 
Brahmach49rin,  Jessore,  Bengal,  for  tiie  "  best  essays  on  Caste,  one  for 
and  another  against  it.  The  essays  may  be  written  in  English  or 
Bengali.  They  should  treat  the  subiect  from  various  standpoints,  such 
as  social,  moral,  religious,  political,  physical,  economical,  etc.  They 
are  also  expected  to  defend  or  attack  by  the  authority  of  the  Hindu 
scriptures,  from  the  Vedas  down  to  the  Puranas."  Those  who  think 
Caste  should  be  reformed  may  "  indicate  the  lines  on  which  it  may  be 
remodelled ;"  those  who  oppose  Caste  should  state  how  they  think  it  can 
be  abolished  without  "  renouncing  the  national  religfion."  Competitors 
should  forward  their  essays  to  the  above  address,  on  or  before  the  31st 
December,  1901. 

MAHA-BODHI  WTERARY  SECTION. 

In  accordance  with  the  scheme  already  set  forth  for  the  revival  of 
the  study  of  Pali  Literature,  the  Maha-Bodhi  Society  has  decided  to  open 
a  Literary  Section,  the  object  of  which  will  be  (i)  to  transliterate  the  Pali 
Buddhist  works  into  Devanagari  and  the  other  vernaculars  of  the  country, 
together  with  their  translations,  (ii)  to  bring  out  popular  editions  of  im- 
portant Buddhist  texts,  with  copious  notes  and  explanations  so  that  they 
may  be  read  and  understood  by  the  people  of  this  country  and  also(iii] 
to  open  a  class  for  the  study  of  Pali  Literature  (which  will  be  convertea 
into  a  regular  Institution  afterwards)  at  2,  Creek  Row,  where  re^lar  in- 
structions will  be  j^ven  to  the  students  who  are  willing  to  join.  Pali 
is  one  of  the  classical  languages  of  India,  whose  history  can  be  traced 
so  far  back  as  six  hundrea  years  B.  C.  While  every  attempt  has  been 
made  to  revive  and  spread  the  Sanskrit  language  both  by  the  people  and 
the  Government,  we  nave,  up  to  the  present,  neglected  Pali,  which  has 
been  the  spoken  language  of  India  from  remote  antiquity  and  which  for 
centuries  together  flourished  in  the  whole  of  Upper  India  as  the  princi* 
pal  dialect  which  the  people  wrote  and  s])oke.  The  subject  was  studied 
and  cultivated  in  the  ancient  Universities  of  N&landa,  Takkhasila, 
Udanta-pu-ri  and  Vikramsila,  and  patronised  at  the  Courts  of  the  dif- 
ferent Kingdoms. 

Though  we  have  done  nothing  as  yet  to  revive  and  bring  to  light 
this  important  literature  which  is  contained  in  the  Pali  lan^age,  thanks 
to  the  exertions  of  the  noble  band  of  Orientalists,  the  subject  has  been 
fully  appreciated  and  is  being  studied  in  the  Universities  of  England, 
France,  Germany,  Russia  and  America.  Pali  literature  has  been  almost 
a  sealed  literature  to  us.  Our  knowledge  of  the  History  of  India  is  not 
at  all  complete  without  the  knowledge  of  Pali.  For  brilliant  records  of 
the  achievements  of  kings  and  princes,  the  interesting  history  of  the 
manners  and  customs  of  the  people,  and  a  faithful  account  of  the  inter- 
nal Government,  are  all  to  be  met  in  this  ancient  literature.  The  lan- 
guage is  important  alike  to  the  student  of  comparative  religion,  his- 
torian and  philologist.  Its  study  will  at  once  reveal  the  glory  of  ancient 
Indian  wisdom.  The  Society  has  undertaken  the  publication  in  Deva- 
nagfari  of  Kacc&yana's  Pali  Grammar  by  Pandit  Satish  Chandra  Vidhyab- 
hushan,  M.  A.,  and  Dhammapada and  Suttanipata  by  Babu  Cham  Chan- 
dra Bose. 

The  University  of  Calcutta  recognises  Pali  as  one  of  the  second  lan- 
guages in  the  Entrance,  First  Arts,  B.  A.  and  M.  A.  Examinations .  .  . 


xxxviii  Supplement  to  the  Theosophist. 

Those  who  may  be  willing  to  take  up  this  important  subject  of  study 
in  any  of  their  University  Examinations  are  at  once  requested  to  com- 
municate with  the  undersigned.  Instructions  will  be  given  to  lay 
students  as  well  as  to  University  Examination  candidates.  For  the  con- 
venience of  the  latter  the  class  will  be  held  daily,  (Sundays  excepted) 
from  5  to  6  P.  M.  The  tuition  fee  will  be  Rs.  2  per  mensem  for  the 
students  of  the  College  Classes  and  Re.  i  for  the  students  of  the  School 
Department.  Competent  Pali  scholars  will  be  in  charge  of  the  classes 
ana  the  whole  work  will  be  supervised  by  a  Committee. 

To  carry  out  the  foregoing  objects,  viz,^  undertaking  the  translation 
of  important  Pali  works  and  bringing  out  popular  editions  of  rare  Bud- 
dhist books,  and  also  establishing  an  institution  where  every  facility 
may  be  given  for  the  study  of  this  classical  language,  would  require  at 
least  two  thousand  rupees  annually.  The  work  will  be  purely  of  an  un- 
sectarian  character.  The  chief  aim  of  the  Maha-Bodhi  Literary  Section 
is  to  give  the  educated  public  an  opportunity  to  come  in  contact  with 
this  splendid  literature  which  is  an  inexhaustible  mine  of  knowledge  and 
an  immortal  legacy  handed  down  to  us  by  the  Sages  of  old.  We  ask  for 
the  help  and  co-operation  of  all  who  are  interested  in  this  work  both  in 
this  country  and  in  foreign  lands.  Donations  for  the  furtherance  of 
the  cause  will  be  gratefully  received,  and  acknowledged  in  the  Maha- 
Bodhi  Journal,  All  communications  on  the  subject  should  be  addressed 
to  the  undersigned. 

RAS  BiHARI  MUKARJI  (UTTARPARA),  BENGAI., 

Honorary  Secretary, 
Maha-Bodhi  Literary  Section. 

2y  Creek  Row,  Calcutta. 

NEW  BOOKS  FOR  THE  ADYAR  LIBRARY. 

Periodicals:  &astra  Muhtdvali, 'Sos.  21  to  23;  The  Bandit,  J^os.  7 
and  8  ;  and  Kdvyamdla,  Nos.  173  and  174. 

Books  and  Pamphlets :  "  The  relation  of  man  to  God,"  by  A  Schwarz; 
"  The  unseen  world,"  by  C.  W.  Leadbeater;  **Man  the  master  of  his 
destiny,"  and  "  The  Aryan  type ;  "  "A  word  on  man,  his  nature  and 
his  powers ;  "  **  The  Law  of  sacrifice ;  "  **  Des'avidha  Br&hma^a  S'akha 
Vivavarana  ;  "  *'  Moghul  colour  description  of  Ag^a,  Part  I ;  "  **  Report 
of  the  two- anna  famine  relief  fund  scheme  ;"  **  Dharma  "  '*  (Guzarati 
character);"  ''Omkkx^iva  upak^ra  S^ara  "  (Hindi);  "  Le  Bouddha 
A-T- II  Exists  ?"  By  L^on  de  Rosny;  **  De  g-eheime  correspondentie 
van  Abraham  de  Wicquefort  met  den  Franschen  minister  de  Leinne," 
by  C.  F.  Haje  ;  The  annual  '*  Report  of  the  Bureau  of  American  Ethno- 
logy," i895-'96,  Part  I ;  1896- '07,  Part  I,  and  a  descriptive  catalogue  of 
Sans.  Mss.  in  the  Library  of  Calcutta  Sans.  College,  by  Hrishikes'a 
S'&stri  and  S'iva  Chandra  Gui. 

Minor  works  of  S'rinivasa  Makhi, 

S'ivaguru  Saundarya  S&gara  Stava  S&hasrika ;  Simhapuriprasann&n- 
janeya  Satakam;  Gururdja  S'atakam  ;  SlvatAndava  Stava  S'atakam  ; 
HetirajaStava  S'atakam  ;  Svarnikarshana  Chairava  S'atakam  ;  Chittapra- 
bodhana  S'atakam  ;  Pr^tasmarana  S'atakam  :  S'dradi  dvis'ati,.  Prakrita 
Sumamanjan ;  S'aradimbd.  S'atakam  ;  Vidhi  Jugupsana  S'atfikam ; 
Vairdgya  KAmadhenu. 

S'ataka     I.  Janana  Jugupsana ; 

Do.       II.  B&lya  do; 

Do.      III.  Yauvana      do ; 

Do.      IV.  Jard  do ; 

Do.       V.  Ydtana         do ; 
Mah^bhairava  S'atakam  ;  Vijnapti  S'atakam  ;   Yogi  bhoji  Samvida 
S^atakam ;  A'ra^yak^nubhava  S'atakam  ;  Kaliparidevana  S'atakam;  and 
S'ri   JagatgurudhAma  Seva  S'atakam;     Subhadr^rjunam,    Malayalam 
drama. 

Printed  by  Thohpson  and  Co.,  in  the  Theo9ophist  department  of  the  iftnervo 
Tresi,  Madras,  and  published  for  the  proprietors  by  the  bueiness  Maoa* 
ger,  Mr.  T.  Vijia  Baghata  Oharlu,  at  Adyar,  Madras. 


GENERAL  REPORT 

OF  mn 

TWENTY-FIFTH 

ANNIVERSARY  AND  CONVENTION 

OF  THR 

THEOSOPHICAL  SOCIETY, 

H^LP  AT  Bi^NARES,  India, 
December  27TH  and  28th,  1900, 

WITH  OFFICIAL  DOCUMENTS. 

The  first  Convention  of  the  Society  at  Benares,  tinder  the  new 
system  of  biennial  meetings  alternately  at  the  Society's  headquarters 
at  Adyar,  and  the  headquarters  of  the  Indian  Section  at  Benares,  the 
adoption  of  which  was  announced  by  the  President-Founder 
in  1898,  was  held  on  the  27th  December  and  the  Society's 
Twenty-fifth  Anniversarj'  in  the  Central  College  Hall,  on  the 
following  day.  The  necessity  for  the  change  of  custom  has  been 
already  explained :  India  is  so  vast  a  country,  our  Branches  are  so 
scattered  over  the  whole  area  and  their  members  so  poor,  that  the 
TTorthern  Branches  find  it  impracticable  to  send  Delegates  to  Adyar, 
while  those  of  Southern  India  are  equally-  prevented  from  participa- 
ting in  the  meetings  of  both  the  Society  and  Indian  Section  when  thej' 
are  held  at  Benares  :  by  alternating  the  meetings  between  these  two 
centres,  each  group  of  Branches  is  enabled  to  assist  at  them  once  in 
two  years,  and  thus  all  are  fairly  treated. 

The  attendance  of  Delegates  on  this  occasion  was  large  and 
enthusiastic,  and  once  more  as  in  1898,  the  President-Founder's 
heart  was  rejoiced  to  meet  so  many  old  and  dear  colleagues  and  to 
receive  their  filial  greetings.  To  the  onlooker  it  was  delightful  to 
see  the  affection  shown  him  in  their  salutations.  The  names  of  140 
Delegates  were  written  in  the  Register. 

The  noble  conception  of  Mrs.  Besant  of  a  Central  Hindu  College 
is  rapidly  taking  shape,  and  one  can  see  that  the  experiment  is  to  be 
an  unqualified  success.  The  College  building,  and  those  of  the 
Indian  Section,  the  Boarding  House  for  students,  the  T.P.S.,  the 
Sub- Post  Office,  and  for  officers'  quarters  are  built  or  nearly  completed, 
and  a  swarm  of  coolies  are  bringing  materials  to  the  masons  and 
carpenters,  the  sound  of  whose  trowels,  hammers  aji4  saws  gives 

A 


evidence  of  intense  work  going  on.  Mrs.  Besant's  private  bungalow, 
which  is  also  the  joint  property  and  residence  of  the  Countess 
Wachtmeister  and  Mr.  Bertram  Keightley,  is  all  finished  and  makes  a 
very  comfortable  dwelling.  The  venerable  Mrs.  Lloyd,  and  Dr. 
Richardson,  Principal  of  the  College,  are  also  living  there  at  present. 
The  formal  sessions  of  the  Society  and  Indian  Section,  were  supple- 
mented by  Mrs.  Besant's  usual  four  lectures,  before  the  Convention, 
and  meetings  of  the  E.S.T.,  a  number  of  conversational  meetings  ecu- 
ducted  by  Mrs.  Besant,  and  lectures  by  Dr.  Richardson  on 
**. Vibrations,"  with  experimental  illustrations ;  Mr.  Harr>'  Banberj', 
on  "  Visualisation  as  an  art  in  teaching  and  learning  ;  "  Babu  Jagadish 
Chandra  Chatterji,  on  "  India  in  the  West ;"  and  by  Mr.  K.  Narayana- 
swami  Iyer.  The  President- Founder  was  obliged  to  leave  for  home 
on  the  30th  December  so  as  to  prepare  things  at  headquarters  for  his 
departure  on  tour,  so  he  and  Dr.  English,  Rec.  Sec,  who  returned 
with  him,  missed  Mrs.  Besant's  fourth  lecture  on  **  Womanhood" 
much  to  their  regret.  They  brought  awaj'  from  Benares,  however, 
very  pleasant  recollection  of  the  entirely  successful  Convention 
and  Anniversary  of  1900.  On  the  opening  day  of  the  Section's 
sessions,  the  President- Founder  supported  an  appeal  of  the  General 
Secretary  for  a  sum  large  enough  to  finish  the  Sectional  head- 
quarters building  and  obtained  subscriptions  to  the  amount  of  about 
Rs.  7,800  :  more  than  was  needed. 

The  Preisident's  Address. 

Brethren  and  fellow-workers  :  If,  at  each  recurrent  anniversan' 
of  our  Society  in  the  past,  we  have  mutually  congratulated  each 
other  on  the  fact  that  we  had  been  spared  another  year  to  work  on 
and  stniggle  towards  our  goal,  how  much  more  jubilant  ought  we 
not  to  be  to-day,  when  we  close  the  first  quarter-centur>'  of  our 
labors,  and  pass  into  the  second  period  with  the  Society  strong, 
vital,  overflowing  with  energj%  and  full  of  reasonable  hope  for  the 
future.  Twenty-five  years  of  activity,  of  vicissitudes,  of  failures 
and  successes,  of  paramount  victory  behind  us  :  a  step  on  the  path  : 
a  milestone  by  the  roadside  ;  an  episode — and  glorious  one — in  the 
cyclic  evolutionary  progress  of  each  one  of  us  ;  an  ample  season  of 
sowing  of  the  seed  of  good  Karma,  from  which  we  must  reap  rich 
har\'ests  hereafter.  This  period  has  brought  the  Society  from  its 
cradle  to  its  time  of  adolescence,  and  vindicated  its  title  to  be  consi- 
dered as  the  friend  of  religion,  of  good  morals,  of  intellectual 
development,  a  prominent  social  factor  of  our  epoch,  to  be  taken 
into  account  by  the  future  historian.  This  is  what  to-day's  gathering 
recalls  to  mind,  this  the  panorama  which  memory  is  unrolling  as  we 
look  inward  upon  the  soul  of  our  theosophical  movement.  Around 
me  are  men  who  have  been  my  co-workers  from  almost  the  begin- 
ning of  our  Indian  career,  men  who  joined  the  Society,  in  1879  and 
1880;  but  they  are  few.    Some  of  the  noblest,  most  devoted,  mo^ 


i 

I 

Unselfish,  have  left  us  grieving  for  the  loss  of  their  companionship, 
yet  not  bereft  of  hope  of  future  epochs  of  joint  labour  for  the  good  of 
humanitx'.  And  of  the  survivors,  which  of  us  elders  shall  see  the 
completion  of  the  second  quarter-century?  The  Convention  will  be 
held,  but  who  shall  preside  over  it,  and  who  listen  to  his  semi- 
centennial address  ?  At  least  we  know  this,  that  Those  who  guide  the 
movement  will  not  let  it  die  for  lack  of  workers,  and  that  our  places 
when  left  vacant  will  be  filled  by  others  who,  through  many  past 
rebirths,  have  been  preparing  themselves  for  service  when  wanted. 
Have  we  not  had  proof  enough  of  this  law  of  demand  and  supply, 
when  we  see  how  the  torch,  as  it  dropped  from  the  dead  hand  of 
my  co-founder,  H.  P.  B.,  was  snatched  up  by  Annie  Besant  and 
carried  on  in  the  forefront  of  the  battle  ?  Have  we  not  seen  new 
workers  stepping  forward  to  fill  vacancies  made  by  the  deaths  of 
predecessors  ?  Have  we  not  seen  new  laborers  coming  for\vard  to 
cultivate  and  harvest  in  every  new  field  which  the  progress  of  the 
movement  has  opened  out— in  India,  Great  Britain,  France,  Spain, 
Scandinavia,  Holland,  the  Colonies,  the  United  States,  South 
America,  Hawaii,  Japan,  and  other  parts  of  the  world?  Have  we  ever 
seen  the  movement  receive  more  than  momentary  checks  from  lack 
of  helpers?  No,  as  one  valiant  soul  falls,  another  replaces  him,  and 
fresh  writers,  teachers,  lecturers  and  organisers  present  themselves 
as  their  names  are  called  along  the  corridors  of  time,  and  the  bell 
of  their  ripened  Karma  rings  out  their  signals. 

My  tho^ight  goes  back  to  that  small  gathering  in  New  York  city 
on  the  ijtli  November  1875,  and  the  scene  unfolds  before  me.  A 
small  Hall,  dimly  lighted,  with  a  small  platform  at  one  end,  and  book- 
cases lining  the  walls  of  the  room,  which  belonged  to  another  society 
occupying  the  room.  A  handful  of  thoughtful  men  and  women, 
most  of  them  since  deceased,  who  created  the  nucleus  out  of  which 
was  to  evolve  this  now  majestic  movement ;  they,  ignorant  of  the 
future  and  planning  for  only  the  misty  present.  Some  still  live,  and 
one  of  them,  who  heard  my  Inaugural  Address,  attended  my  lectures 
in  the  city  of  Nice  last  March,  and  told  my  audience  about  that  first 
meeting  of  the  Theosophical  Society  ;  how  interesting  an  experience 
to  me,  you  may  imagine. 

It  will  interest  you  all  to  know  the  progressive  stages  by  which 
our  membership  has  spread  over  the  world,  so  I  have  classified  the 
several  countries  within  periods  of  five  years  each,  as  follows  : 

Spread  of  the  T.  S.  Movement  throughout  the  world. 

{Classified according  to  Ouingtunnial   Periods). 

The  Society  was  founded  at  New  York,  U.  S.  A.,  in  1S75,  and 
its  membership  has  spread  throughout  the  world  as  follows  : 

iS75-i.S8o*:  England   ;  Greece  ;     Russia  :  India  ;   Ceylon:    vScot^ 

land. 


18801885:  United    States  of   America  (Charters    from  India;; 

Ireland  ;  Java  ;  British  Borneo. 

1 885- 1 890:    Sweden;  Japan;  Australian  Continent ;  Philippine 

Islands ;  Austria  ;  Tasmania. 

1890- 1895 :  New  Zealand  ;  Holland  ;  Norway  ;  Denmark  ;  Spain  » 

Germany  ;  Argentine  Republic  ;  France ;  Domi- 
nion of  Canada  ;  Hawaiian  Islands ;  Bohemia  ; 
Canary  Islands ;  Bulgaria  :  China. 

1895-1900:  Switzerland  ;  Italy  ;  Belgium  ;  South  x\frica  ;  British 

Columbia ;  British  West  Indies ;  Nicaragua, 
C.  A. ;  Cuba ;  Mexico  ;  Egypt ;  Finland  ;  Algeria. 

Making,  in  all,  42  countries. 

The  geographical  boundaries  of  the  movement  are  as  follow.s : 
from  Latitude  66*5,  N.  to  Latitude  46,  S.,  and  all  round  the  globe. 
In  English  miles  the  distance  between  the  Northern  and  Southern 
boundaries  is  7,919  miles. 

Think  of  this,  my  brothers.  Take  the  map  of  the  world  and 
see  how  we  have  gradually  sent  our  ideas  and  our  influence  from 
land  to  land,  and  across  ocean  after  ocean.  Yet  the  work  has  but 
begun,  its  active  development  is  to  come  within  the  next  quarter- 
century,  its  completion  lies  far  off,  in  the  dim  distance  of  the  future. 
Since  we  have  proved  faithful  until  now,  we  may  certainly  count  on 
returning  to  the  work  in  our  next  rebirth  ;  for  the  Lords  of  Karma 
need  trained  agents  and  sub-agents,  and  will  doubtless  give  us  the 
chance  for  such  further  service  as  our  evolved  capacities  fit  us  to 
perform.  Even  thus  have  many  of  us,  who  were  linked  together  in 
world-service  in  previous  countries  and  epochs,  been  drawn  together 
now  in  the  Theosophical  Society ;  for  so  turns  the  wheel  of  Karma, 
and  thus  are  gathered  together  those  between  whom  stretch  the 
unbreakable  ties  of  associations,  of  sympathies,  of  kamiic 
relationships  Thus  were  H.P.B.  and  I  brought  together  in  this 
birth  and  allowed  to  feel  the  old  threads  of  love  and  loj-alty 
which  had  tied  us  together  in  many  past  exi.stences.  Thus,  too,  shall 
we  and  all  of  you  meet  again  and  work  together  in  the  future.  Our 
present  concern  should  be  to  lay  the  foundations  of  our  Society  as 
deep  and  strong  as  those  of  the  Pyramids,  so  that  like  them,  it  may 
endure  from  age  to  age,  a  monument  to  our  fidelity,  a  beacon  for 
the  helping  of  the  world. 

The  present  moment  is  one  when  we  should  study  the  statistics 
of  our  corporate  growth,  and  make  them  the  guides  of  our  future 
action.  We  first  note  that  the  growth  of  the  past  twelvemonth  has 
been  greater  than  it  was  in  the  previous  one,  thirty  -six  new  Branched 
having  been  chartered  as  compared  with  twenty-eight  between  Decem- 
ber 1898,  and  December  1899.  Following  is  the  table  of  charters 
issued  between  1878— before  which  none  was  granted — ^and  1500, 
iusive : — 


Charters  issued  by 

THE  T. 

vS.  TO    THE  CLOSE  OE 

1900. 

X 

X 

1 

Si 

X 

1— ( 

i 

X 

X 

X 

X    X 

1 

i»-*  ,1—1 

1 

X 

X  |<3i 
X  Ix 

X  'X 

1 

1 

1 

Ill                   I 

'         1                  ' 
1891  1892  1893  1891  1895  1896 

I 

1897 

1898  1899 

1 

1 

1 

1900 

p^ 

M 

o 

:4 

04 
lO 

to 

1 

1-H 

CO 

CO 

s 

95 

1 

1 
1 

279  i  3)4  i352 

1 

394 

408 

438 

492 

512 

570 

607 

New  Branches. 

America  has  added  ten  new  Branches  to  our  list,  during  the  past 
year  ending  November  ist,  and  seven  of  her  former  Branches  have 
been  dissolved. 

India  has  added  fifteen  new  Branches  to  the  list  of  her  Section 
and  ten  dormant  ones  have  been  revived. 

The  European  Section  has  formed  seven  new  Branches,  and 
one  charter  has  been  given  up. 

The  Australasian  Section  has  added  one  new  Branch,  the  Scan- 
dinavian Section  one,  and  the  French  Section  two,  making  a  total 
of  thirty-six  new  Branches  throughout  the  world. 

Localities  of  New  Branches. 

American  Section  .-—Dayton,  Ohio  ;  Portland,  Oregon  ;  West 
Superior,  Wis. ;  lyewiston,  Maine ;  Cedar  Rapids,  Iowa ;  Omaha,  Neb  ; 
Corr>',  Pa.  ;  Santa  Rosa,  Calif.  ;  two  at  Grand  Rapids,  Mich. — lo. 

European  Section  :— Leeds,  Bath,  Antwerp,  Florence,  Milan, 
Naples,  Glasgow— 7. 

Ii^DiAN  Section  :— Bansberia,  Amraoti,  Bettiah,  Kulitalai, 
Marakpur,  Nandalur,  Srinagar,  Tenali,  Tindivanam,  Tirukoilur, 
Villupuram,  Vriddhachalam,  Ariyalur,  Harur,  Srirangam. — 15. 

Australasian  Section  : — Fremantle,  Newtown. — 2. 

Scandinavian  Section  : — Boden  (North  of  the  Polar  Circle)  — i. 

French  Section:— VEssor,  Ana  Bai.— 2. 

Branches  Revived  :  Indian  Section.:— Broach,  Cuddalore, 
Erode,  Guntur,  Krishnagiri,  Rangoon,  Tirivallur  Adoui,  Kanigari, 
Narasaraopet. 

Australasian  Section  : — Toowomba. 

Branches  Dissolved;  American  Section  :— Portland,  Ore- 
gan  ;  Santa  Cruz,  California  ;  Ellensburg,  Wash.;  Clinton,  Iowa  ; 
Lily  Dale,  N.  Y.  ;  Green  Bay,  Wis.;  Albany,  N.  Y.— 7. 

European  Section  :— Corfu. — i. 

Within  the  past  year  I  visited  the  Branches  in  ten  European 
countries,  t7>.,  England,  Scotland,  France,  Belgium,  Holland,  Ger- 
many, Denmark,  Sweden,  Norway  and  Italy— the  longest  tour  I  have 
ever  made  in  Europe.  I  was  on  the  whole  pleased  and  satisfied  with 
what  I  saw.  Many  of  our  colleagues  are  extremely  earnest  and  ex- 
cellent  workers,  some  less  so,  some  only  nominally  members.  .  In 


France  there  is  a  new-born  zeal  which  is  a  most  pleasant  contrast 
with  what  we  have  seen  in  the  past,  France  having  been,  as  I  have 
sometimes  said,  a  gravej^ard  of  theosophical  Branches.  But  to  push 
on  the  work  there  we  need  more  workers,  our  leader,  Commandant 
Courmes,  is  getting  on  in  life,  and  Doctor  Pascal  is  overworked. 
Italy  is  a  new  field  and  full  of  promise,  as  3*ou  will  infer  when  the 
report  of  Mrs.  Cooper-Oakley  is  read.  The  credit  for  the  initiative 
of  this  encouraging  outlook  is  due  to  the  respected  Mrs.  Lloyd, 
whom  you  see  here  present,  and  about  whom  the  Italians  spoke  to 
me  in  most  affectionate  terms  during  my  tour  in  their  countrj'. 

The  Sweden,  Danes,  Norwegians,  and  Finns,  among  whom  I 
passed  some  happy  weeks  last  summer,  are  the  kindest,  most  hospit- 
able, most  sincere  people  I  have  almost  ever  met,  and  in  no  part 
of  the  world  have  we  colleagues  more  capable  of  understanding  our 
ancient  philosophy.  But  there,  again,  we  need  active  workers,  to  go 
from  Branch  to  Branch  and  do  for  them  what  our  District  Branch 
Inspectors  are  doing  for  the  Indian  Branches,  As  for  England, 
much  need  not  be  said  for  the  bulk  of  our  best  literature  is  being 
written  there,  and  many  of  the  Branches  are  models  for  imitation  ; 
especially  so  the  Blavatsky  Lodge,  of  which  Mrs.  Besant  is  President 
and  whose  membership  is,  I  believe,  the  largest  in  the  world. 
Holland  has  for  years  occupied  a  leading  place  in  our  Euro- 
pean movement,  there  being  collected  together  at  the  Amsterdam 
headquarters  several  persons  of  high  capacity  and  unquenchable 
zeal ;  drawing  their  inspiration  largely  from  the  beloved  and  respect- 
ed Mme.  Meulemann.  Belgium  is  a  fresh  field  but  warm  blood  is 
running  through  her  veins  and  we  have  some  excellent  workers  there. 
Germany  is  sluggish  and  dispirited  and  the  outlook  is  not  just  now 
encouraging.  This  comes  almost  wholly  from  the  physical  prostra- 
tion of  Dr.  Hiibbe  Schleiden,  the  eminent  scholar  and  pioneer  leader 
of  the  movement  who,  after  making  many  sacrifices  and  a  long 
struggle  against  difficulties  caused  by  the  mental  attitude  of  the 
educated  German  public,  which  he  had  tor  a  time  to  carry-  on  with 
very  few  helpers,  has  had  to  retire  to  his  library.  There  he  is  apply- 
ing himself  to  the  writing  of  a  great  work  showing  the  historical  and 
scientific  basis  of  the  theory  of  Reincarnation.  A  younger  generation 
has  entered  the  field,  among  whom  I  found  several  men  full  of 
fervor  and  zeal,  but  turned  aside  into  by-paths  traced  out  by  the 
leaders  of  secession.  What  will  be  their  future  relationship  with  us 
is  as  yet  undetermined. 

From  the  reports  of  the  various  General  Secretaries  of  Sections, 
presently  to  be  read,  you  w411  be  able  to  take  a  birds-eye  view*  over 
the  whole  theosophical  field,  and  judge  for  3-ourselveii  how 
encouraged  we  ought  to  be  as  to  otir  future  part  in  shaping  the 
intellectual  and  religious  history  of  our  times. 

To  us,  it  seems  incredible  that  the  general  jntblic  should  be  s<> 
ignorant  as  they  are  about  us  and  our  work-     Most  of  them  think  wx 


are  Spiritualists,  some  going  so  far  as  to  regard  us  with  contempt  as 
exposed  tricksters  and  charlatans  ;  thousands  of  devout  Christians 
hate  and  fear  us  as  professed  enemies  of  their  religion,  and  one  igno- 
ramus of  an  array  officer,  acting  as  Treasurer  of  a  hospital,  wished 
his  Board  to  refuse  to  accept  the  proceeds  of  a  theosophical  lecture 
because  it  was  **  de\41-money.*'  But  let  us  take  a  calm,  dispassionate 
survey  of  what  we  have  actually  accomplished  since  1880  only,  and 
what  do  we  see  ?    Let  us  divide  OLir  results  into  se*'2:i  categories. 

Firstly,  then  :  We  have  spread  throughout  the  world  the  teach- 
ings of  the  ancient  Sages  and  Adepts  about  the  Universe,  its  origin 
and  its  laws,  sho\dng  its  intimate  agreement  with  the  latest  dis- 
coveries of  Science  ;  and  about  man,  his  origin,  evolution,  manifold 
powers  and  aspects  of  consciousness,  and  his  planes  of  activity. 

Secondly  :  We  have  won  thousands  of  the  most  cultured  and 
religiously  inclined  people  of  the  day  to  the  perception  of  the 
basic  unity  and  common  source  of  all  religions. 

Thirdly  :  In  loyalty  to  our  declared  object  of  promoting  human 
brotherhood,  we  have  created  in  Western  lands  among  our  members 
a  kindlier  feeling  towards  colleagues  of  other  nationalities  ;  and, 
far  more  wonderful  than  that,  we  have  effected  a  fraternal  agree- 
ment between  the  Northern  and  Southern  schools  of  Buddhism  to 
accept  a  platfonn  of  fourteen  statements  of  belief  as  common  to 
both ;  thus  bringing  about  for  the  first  time  in  history  such  a  feeling 
of  common  relationship. 

Fourthly :  We  have  been  the  chief  agents  for  bringing  about 
this  revival  of  Hinduism  in  India  which,  we  are  told,  by  the 
highest  Indian  authorities  has  revolutionised  the  beliefs  of  the 
cultured  class  and  the  rising  generation.  An  outcome  of  this 
is  the  revival  of  Sanskrit  literature,  much  of  the  credit  for  which  was 
given  us  by  the  late  Prof.  Max  Miiller,  and,  so  far  as  India  is 
concerned,  has  been  conceded  by  the  whole  Native  press  and  the 
pandit  class.  Another  evidence  is  the  foundation  of  this  Central 
Hindu  College  which,  within  the  past  two  years,  has  received  gifts 
in  cash  of  Rs.  1,40,000  and  in  real  estate  of  Rs.  80,000.  After  only 
this  short  lapse  of  time  we  see  success  achieved,  contributions  of 
money  flowing  in  constantly,  and  everj"^  augury  of  a  grand  future 
career  of  beneficence  before  it. 

Fifthly  :  We  have  revived  Buddhism  in  Ceylon  to  such  an 
extent  that  the  situation  as  regards  the  relations  between  the  Sinha- 
lese and  Missionaries  has  been  completely  changed ;  the  people 
generally  are  now  familiar  with  the  fundamentals  of  their  religion, 
and  their  children,  previously  ignorant  of  even  the  smallest  feature 
of  it,  are  now  being  taught  it  in  every  respectable  household. 

Sixthly  :  We  have  started  an  educational  movement  in  Ceylon, 
which  has  already  led  to  the  opening  of  150  schools,  attended  by 
18,400  pupils,  under  the  management  of  our  Society  members  in 
^eylon,  find  some  fifty  other  Buddhist   schools   under    private 


8 

management,  whose  jSlipils  would  bring  up  the  above  registered 
attendance  to  about  23  or  24  thousand. 

Seventhly :  An  attempt  to  educate  and  uplift  the  distressfully 
down-trodden  Pariahs  of  Southern  India  is  promising  the  most 
gratifying  results —as  Dr.  English's  note  elsewhere  shows.  Not  only 
MissS.  E.  Palmer,  the  General  Superintendent,  but  Mr.  P.  Krishna- 
sawmy  and  his  subordinate  teachers  deserve  credit  for  this  showing. 

Have  I  exaggerated  in  anything  ?  If  not,  then  let  these  seven 
categories  of  indisputable  achievements  by  the  Theosophical  Society 
be  its  vindication  against  its  calumniators  and  the  proof  of  its  title 
to  be  ranked  as  a  social  force  working  for  the  help  of  the  race. 
What  other  Society  can  point  to  so  much  work  done  and  good 
Karma  won  ? 

The  most  striking  feature  of  this  affair  is  the  absolutely  trifling 
cost  of  the  work.  Look  at  the  various  sectarian  societies  of  the 
West  having  their  incomes  running  up  to  almost  fabulous  sums- 
say  in  the  case  of  the  Salvation  Army,  *'  whose  total  income  is  con- 
siderably over  a  million  pounds  a  year  "  (vide  Windsor  Magazine^ 
November  1900),  and  say  with  what  equally  great  achievements  on 
the  higher  planes  of  consciousness  they  can  match  what  we  have 
done.   Let  me  read  you  a  note  I  have  prepared  for  your  information  : 

Financial  Digest  of  the  Theosophicai,  Society  from  the 
date  of  its  foundation  in  1 875  to  december 

20th,  1900,  inclusive. 

Receipts. 

Received  from  all  sources,  includ-     RS.      A.   p.         rs.      a.    p. 
ing    Charter    and   Entrance    Fees, 
Annual   Dues,    Donations,   Subscrip- 
tions to  all  Funds,*  etc  ...  295,630  10    2 

Given  by  the  two  Founders        ...    37,375    2    o 


Total  Receipts...  333»oo5  12    2 

Outlay. 


Gross  expenditure  for  all  objects, 
including  the  purchase,  and  furnish- 
ing of  the  Ad\'ar  headquarters ;  taxes ; 
the  building  and  furnishing  of  the 
Convention  Hall  and  the  Asiatic  and 
Western  I^ibraries ;  purchase  of  books 
and  collection  of  MSS. ;  the  making 
of  new  buildings  and  new  rooms  ; 
repairs ;  digging  of  tanks ;  planting 
of  trees  ;  salaries  ;  servants*  wages  ; 
travelling  expenses  ;    charities  ;  fuel  ; 


*  The  Permanent,  Headquarters,  Anniversary,  White  Lotus    Dav,  Founders, 
Subbarow  mcda),  Travelling,  etc. 


lights ;    stable    expenses  ;   printing ;  RS.    A.    P. 

postage  ;  telegrams  ;  stationery  ;  in- 
vestments in  Government  Securities 
and  I/)ans  on  Land  Mortgages,  etc., 
etc.  ...  280,962  12    5 

Cash    balance,    (represented    in 
Bank  deposits,  mortgage  loans,  cash 

in  hand,  &c.)  ...  52,042  15    9 

Other  Assets. 

Estimated    value   of  the   Adyar  rs.  a.  p, 

estate,  including  buildings                 ...  30,000  o  o 

7,000  growing  trees                      ...  7,000  o  o 

Furniture     and     fixtures, 

vehicles,  horses,  etc.                            ...  6,000  o  o 

MSS.  and  books  in  the  Oriental 

Library                                                  ...  30,000  o  o 

Books  in  the  Western  Library    ..  5,000  o  o       78,000    o    o 

Total   (Headquarters)    Assets    of 
the  Theosophical  Society  on  the  21st 

December  1900  ...  130,042  15    9 

E.  &  O.  E.  = 

Adyar,  Madras,        )  T.  Vijiaraghava  Charlu, 

20/^  December  1900.       1  Treasurer^  1\  S, 

Examined  and  found  correct. 

T.  Sambiah, 

A  uditor  of  Accounts. 

It  should  be  noted  that  the  above  Digest  deals  only  with  the 
financial  transactions  of  the  Executive  headquarters  of  the  Society, 
not  taking  account  of  the  outlays  and  incomes  of  our  Sections  and 
Branches,  which  do  not  come  under  the  Treasurer's  cognizance 

It  is,  I  believe,  generally  known  that  the  Founders  of  the  Soci- 
ety have  never  received  any  salary  or  emoluments,  and  that  the  same 
remark  applies  to  Mrs.  Besant  and  almost  all  our  leading  colleagues. 
Those  others  who  are  paid  at  all  received  but  a  bare  subsistence 
allowance,  the  desire  common  to  all  of  us  being  to  help  as  we  can  our 
fellow-men  without  selfish  motive.  But  for  this  fact,  our  expendi- 
ture account  would,  of  course,  have  run  up  to  a  much  higher  figure. 

The  Subba  Row  Medai<. 

The  book  of  the  year  most  worthy  of  the  award  of  the  Subba 
Row  Medal  is  Mr.  Mead's  '*  Fragments  of  a  Faith  Forgotten,"  a 
really  important  contribution  to  contemporary  literature,  and  I 
should  have  awarded  the  Medal  to  him  but  for  the  fact  of  his  having 
had  it  before,  and  for  my  feeling  that  it  ought  to  be  reserved  for  the 
encouragement  of  fresh  writer?  to  enter  our  literary  field,  rather  than 

B 


xo 

he  given  over  and  over  again  to  the  same  person.  Mrs.  Besant,  for 
example,  produces  from  time  to  time  books  worthy  of  special  distinc- 
tion, and  so  do  Mr,  Sinnett  and  Mr.  Leadbcater;  but  the  distinc- 
tion of  the  Medal  having  been  once  bestowed  on  them,  I  gave  the 
jpreference  last  year  to  the  author  of  '*  The  Great  Law  "  rather  than 
U>  cither  of  the  others.    And  I  think  it  a  sound  policy. 

Activity  among  the  Parsis. 

I  am  personally  much  pleased  to  hear  good  reports  from  my 
friend  N.  F.  Bilimoria  as  well  as  from  our  Parsi  brothers  now  pres- 
ent, of  the  state  of  religious  feeling  in  the  Bombay  Parsi  communit>'. 
It  seems  as  if  there  had  begun  a  stirring  among  the  dry  bones  of 
their  conservation.  Meetings  at  our  Branch  rooms  to  discuss  and 
expound  Zoroastrianism  are  well  attended,  a  religious  class  for  Parsi 
ladies  is  finding  favour,  such  distinguished  scholars  as  Mr.  K.  R. 
Cama  and  Ervad  Jivanji  J.  Modi  are  attendinj^  meeting??,  our  litera- 
ture is  being  more  and  more  read,  and  our  mcnibersliip  amon^.*:  the 
young  men  is  increasing.  Let  us  hope  the  day  may  come  when  the 
k)ng«needed  Parsi  Exploration  Fund  or  Archaeological  Society  will 
be  founded,  and  great  discoveries  be  made  of  the  buried  literary  re- 
mains of  that  great,  that  once  world- conquering,  people. 

The  Presidkntiai.  Tour  of  1901. 

In  pursuance  of  the  plan  announced  last  year,  I  shall  devote 
the  year  1901  to  tours  in  North  and  South  America.  My  passage  is 
engaged  for  the  N.  D.  Lloyds  steamer  of  January  nth  from 
Colombo  to  Japan  and  thence  by  the  Pacific  Mail  S.S.  Co.,  to  San 
Francisco,  via  the  Hawaiian  Islands.  On  my  way  I  hope  to  spend 
a  week  at  Honolulu  with  our  faithful  Aloha  Branch  T.  S.  and  to 
re^ch  my  destination  by  the  26th  February.  A  tour  through  the 
United  States,  to  cover  several  months,  is  laid  out  for  me,  after 
wbich  I  shall  visit  our  Branches  in  the  Argentine  Republic,  and 
then  return  home  via  Europe  and  the  Red  Sea.  This  will  be  one 
of  the  longest  tours  ever  made  in  the  Society's  interests,  and  one 
which  promises  to  be  a  completely  successful  one. 

The  Adyar  Library. 

Our  Library,  which  was  founded  in  1886,  completes  its  fourteenth 
y«ar  to-day,  and  offers  us  ever>'  encouragement  as  to  its  future.  The 
Oriental  Department  already  contains  2,333  different  works  in 
manuscript,  comprising  3,762  volumes,  and  3,321  volumes  of  printed 
books,  all  on  Oriental  subjects.  The  Western  department  contains 
about  five  thousand  volumes.  At  a  low  estimate  our  pandits  and 
shastris  value  the  Oriental  collection  at  about  thirty  thousand  rupees, 
4nd  that  in  the  other  department  at  five  thousand,  or  an  average  of 
p^ly  about  one  rupee  per  volume.  I  thought  it  best  to  keep  well 
within  the  mark  in  this  as  in  all  other  of  my  estimates.  In  1892  we 
had  in  the  Library  only  515  MSS.,  so  that  we  have  increased  our 
Jiterary  treasures  sevenfold,  thanks,  largely,  to  the  energy  a,n4ze^  of 


It 


Mr.  R.  A.  Sastry,  whose  official  Report  will  be  found  to  be  excep' 
tionally  interesting  and  instructive,  and  who  has  a  special  talent  for 
collecting  MSS.  in  South  Indian  villages. 

Manuscripts  and  printed  books  in  the  Oriental  Section  of  the  Adyar 
Library t  as  per  stock  taken  on  the  loth  December  1900. 


Manu- 

Printed | 

Manu- 

Printetf 

1 

scripts. 

books.     »: 

scripts. 

bookJB. 

6 

SubjeoUi. 

SM 

**"  f/ 

«M 

**-■  m 

d            liabjects. 

«M 

<M     » 

tt^           l«iM    -A 

0 

0  0 

;z5  fc 

0    B 

0  0 
JZ5  ^ 

^3       • 

1 

Vedaa 

68 

8] 

66 

77 

17  Tamil  language     . . . 

ss 

6fi 

224 

\  224 

2 

YedalakshaDa 

42 

83 

4 

e38|Tflngu      4o^        ...I  13€ 

18C 

151 

186 

8 

UpanUhMto 

67 

42 

28 

12G3 

19  Canarese  do          ..  1      8 

8j    80 

25 

4 

Srouta 

57 

54 

11 

G4 

OMalayAlam 

•  •  t 

«. . 

7 

4» 

5 

Itlh&sa 

98 

19 

27 

U  » 

1  Hindi 

1 

I 

•  • « 

»  ■  • 

6 

Pui&Sas 

127 

62 

82 

851 

2Mahraibi 

•  •* 

*•• 

71 

71 

7 

Dbarma  STAstras    ... 

44:.' 

284 

13" 

162  4 

3Gujarati 

••• 

••• 

48 

48 

8 

VedAnta  igeneral } . . . 

47 

24 

42 

364 

A  Bengali                   

•  •a 

51 

51 

9 

Advaita  Ved&nta  .. 

146 

85 

^ 

544 

5  Sanski-k       publicii- 

10 

y.  Yed4nta  iSansk.) 

93 

73 

53 

53 

t  i  0  n  8      including 

Jl 

Do        (Tamil). 

101 

4.S 

24 

24 

KAvyamAk,  Anan- 

12 

Dvaita  YedAnta     ... 

16 

8 

9 

5b 

dAaruma,      Hysocv 

13 

NyAya 

170 

96 

26 

23 

library,  Yizianaga- 

14 

PArvanitiD&nisa     ... 

39 

17 

18 

13 

ram,    the     tandit. 

15 

S4nkhya 

3 

3 

7 

the  Yidyodaya,  and 

16 

Yoga 

30 

17 

21 

19 

the      American 

17 

YyAkarana 

208 

144 

81 

6C' 

Oriental  Series.   .. 

•  •  • 

•  •. 

167 

Sit 

18 

KoSa 

65 

25 

47 

37  4 

6  Vernacular    diction- 

19 

Jyautieha 

233 

159,     S^J 

83 

aries 

... 

... 

41 

41'! 

20 

Yaidya 

11 

10     14 

U4 

7  Catalogues  of  Bans^ 

21 

Ag>jma  (general)  . 

59 

47       6 

5 

krit  works 

. 

... 

50 

56 

22 

^Aktftgama 

85 

48     8^ 

32  J 

K  Sinhtdes*-  works    ... 

•48 

48 

30 

80 

28 

S^aivAgama 

liHi 

69     lli 

]o  . 

9  Burmese 

6 

6 

% 

r 

24 

Mautra 

212  145;  ... 

•       5 

.  Siatni^se 

r  •  ■ 

•  •  • 

;39 

3tf 

25 

^totra 

54U 

888 

•  1 

He5 

;  Pali   Text  Society's 

20 

Vfata 

111 

61 

1 

1 

transliterations   . . 

•  « 

•  •1 

46 

4r 

27 

KAvya 

184 

72 

7J 

61  5 

2  Chinese  &  Japanese. 

•  •  • 

•  •  • 

1279 

307 

28 

NAtaka 

47 

22 

43 

4;^  5 

3  Buddhistic  works  in 

29 

Alaakiffa 

60 

28 

25 

^ 

English 

•  •• 

•  •• 

112 

112 

30 

NhigraBthai 

24 

9 

15 

16-5- 

4  Persian  &  Arabic  ... 

•  •  ■ 

•  «• 

86 

80 

81 

SAmudrika 

6       6 

«  •  • 

•••  15 

5  Reference  books,  in- 

82 

^akuoa 

2       2 

■  •  • 

■  >  • 

cluding  translations 

33 

Sangtta 

7 

6 

16 

16 

of  original  Sanskrit, 

34 

STilpa 

%       2 

•  •  ■ 

•  •  ■ 

Triiboer's  "  Orien- 

80 

Jaina  works 

4 

4 

27 

27 

tal  Series,"  "Sacred 

36 

Miao.  works 

3 

3 

•  •  ■ 

•  •  • 

Books  of  the  East," 

— ^ 

otc. 

*  ■  • 

•  •  • 

e7o 

efcy 

Total... 

% 

t 

t 

Total...  3762 

i 

2888 

1141 

ana 

Total  number  of  vols.  ■■ 
Do  works  a 

^  laoladuig  etie  engraved  copper-plate  book, 
t  Approximate  value. 

For  3,715  MSS.  dd,  Rs.  5  per  vol.  *  18,575. 
For  47  Sinhalese  cadjan  MSS.  =  8,000. 
For  printed  works  @  Bs.  2  per  YoU  ^  8,282. 


Bs. 
7,903. 
5,664* 


^Mrt 


Total  B«.  29,867 


12 


Books  Published  in  1900. 

"  Avataras,"  Mrs.  Besant. 

"  Some  Difficulties  of  the  Inner  Life,"  Mrs.  Besant. 
"  Some  Problems  of  Life,"  Mrs.  Besant. 
"  Old  Diary  Leaves"  (Second  Series),  H.  S.  Olcott. 
"  Fragments  of  a  Faith  Forgotten,"  G.  R.  S.  Mead. 
"  The  Great  Law,"  W.  Williamson. 
'*  Karma  "  (London  Lodge  transaction),  A.  P.  Sinnett. 
**  Traces  of  a  Hidden  Tradition  in  Masonry    and  Mediaeval 
Mysticism,"  Mrs.  Cooper-Oakley. 

"  Science  of  the  Emotions,"  Bhagavan  Das. 

"  KLarma,  Works  and  Wisdom,"  Charles  Johnston. 

"  Memory  of  Past  Births,"  Charles  Johnston. 

"  The  Mystic  Guide  in  the  Gospel  according  to  St.  John," 

H.  A.  V. 

"  Reincarnation  in  the  New  Testament,"  James  M.  Pryse. 

"  Rules  for  Daily  Life,'*  A.  Siva  Row. 

"  Relation  of  Man  to  God,"  A.  Schwarz. 

"  Consciousness,*'  A.  Schwarz. 

"  Ten  Comtnandments  of  Manu,"  M.  D.  Shroff. 

"  Dawn  of  a  New  Era,"  G.  E.  Sutcliffe. 

French. 

**  La  Sagesse  Antique  "  (trans.),  A.  Besant. 

"  Vers  le  Temple  "  (trans.),  A.  Besant. 

•*  Qu'est-ce-que  la  Theosophie,"  Leon  Clery. 

"  Conferences  on  Congres  de  1900,"  Mrs.  Besant  and  Mr- 
Chakravarti. 

"  Le  Sentier  du  Disciple  "  (trans.),  A.  Besant. 

"  La  Mort  et  les  Etats  qui  la  Suivent "  (trans.),  C.  W.  Lead- 
beater. 

**  La  Theosophie  et  ses  Enseignements  "  (trans.),  A.  Besant. 

"  La  Vision  des  Sages  de  1'  Inde  "  (trans.),  J.  C.  Chatterji. 

Dutch. 

Are  the  Dead  ever  Raised,"  Dr.  T.  A.  Binnenwig. 
Theosophy  and  Religion,"  P.  Pieters. 

•*  Natural  Science  and  Theosophy,"  M.  van  den  Bosch. 

"  The  Ancient  Mysteries,"  C.  W.  Leadbeater  (trans,  by  J.  J. 
Hallo),  and  the  following  translations  by  Johan  van  Manen  : 

"  Karma,"  Annie  Besant. 

"  Man  and  his  Bodies,"  Annie  Besant. 

**  The  Astral  Plane,"  C.  W.  Leadbeater. 

"Secret  Doctrine,"  three  parts:  the  fourth  part  is  now  in 
preparation. 

SWKDISH. 

*'  Arcana,  Thought-images,"  B.  N.  G. 

"  The  Religion  of  the  Future,"  Pekka  Ervast, 


(( 


English  (Mouthly). 


•  * 

"  TThe  Ancient  Wisdom  "  (trans.),  A.  F.  A.  and  E.  Z.  Theosophicat 
Pamphlets,  No.  6.  Orion  Lodge  members  also  a  Furnish  translation 
of  the  **  Introduction  to  Theosoph3^'* 

VERNACUI.AR. 

A  Tamil  translation  of  "  Vicharasagar,"  second  edition,  and  the 
**  Upanishadartha  Dipika  "  Series,  by  A.  Siva  Row. 

A  Telugu  translation  of  the  Git^  has  also  been  prepared  by  Lt. 
H.  Wahab,  Hyderabad,  Deccan. 

Magazines. 
The  Theosophist^ 

The  Theosophical  Review, 

Vdha7iy 

Pras7iottara, 

Theosophic  Gleaner^ 

Arya  Bala  Bodhini, 

The  Buddhist, 

Journal  of  the  Mahabodhi  Society, 

The  Punjab  Theosophist, 

The  Pantha, 

Theosophy  in  Australasia, 

New  Zealattd  Theosophicat  Magazine 

Modem  Astrology, 

Theosophicat  Messenger, 

The  Golden  Chain, 

Sannmrga  Bodhini, 

Polyglot. 

Teosofisk  Tidskrift  (Swedish), 

Balder  (Norwegian), 

Revue  Theosophique  Frajigaise  (French), 

Sophia  (Spanish), 

Philadelphia  (Spanish), 

Theosophia  (Dutch), 

Teosofia  (Italian), 

Der  Vdhan  (German),  trans,  and  original 

Le  Bulletin  Thiosophique, 

L'Idee  Theosophique  (French), 
Thus  we  close  our  brief  account  of  the  progress  of  the  Theoso- 
phical  Society  and  of  the  whole  movement  up  to  the  close  of  the 
year  1900,  and  now  we  turn  our  faces  towards  the  future.  Hand 
clasped  in  hand,  heart  beating  with  heart,  let  us  move  forward  to 
accomplish  the  destiny  we  have  prepared  for  ourselves. 


>i 


>y 


i> 


)» 


>> 


>> 


*> 


)» 


1) 


i> 


>> 


i> 


>> 


f» 


Telugu  (Weekly). 
Monthlj\' 


u 
)» 


Quarterl}^ 


The  Recording  Secretary,  Dr.  English,  then  reported  the  receipt 
of  telegraphic  messages  of  greeting  from  Australia,  Holland,  Swit- 
zerland, Rome,  Karachi,  Hyderabad,  Mahableshwar,  Madura  and 
6:0m  Prince  Harisinhji,  who  telegraphed  from  Sihor,  Telegrams 
have  since  been  received  from  the  Branches  at  Tenali  and  Broach, 


H 

Rkports  of  Sections. 

Reports  of  the  various  Sections  were  then  read  in  the  following 
order : — 

Indian  ;  Bertram  Keightley. 

American ;        Dr.  W.  A.  English. 

European  ;       Mrs.  Annie  Besant. 

French  ;  Mr.  F.  T.  Brooks,  of  Brussels. 

Scandinavian ;  Mr.  Harry  Banbery. 

Australian  ;      Miss  J.  M.  Davies. 

New  Zealand;  Miss  Annie  Davies. 

Netherlands  ;  Mr.  Max  Thurlwall. 

The  Report  of  the  T.S.  movement  in  Italy,  of  Buddhist  Schools 
in  Ceylon,  also  of  the  Buddhist  Press  at  Colombo,  were  read  by  the 
President-  Founder. 

Notes  on  the  Panchama  Educational  Movement  were  read  by 
Dr.  English. 


REPORT  OF  THE  INDIAN  SECTION. 

To  the  President^Founder,  7".  .S". ; — An  important  feature  of  the 
past  year's  work  has  been  the  building  of  our  new  Headquarters, 
which  matter  will  be  dealt  with  at  some  length,  in  my  complete 
Report  to  the  Section. 

Our  Office  staff  is  now  better  manned  than  ever  before,  and  our 
work  is  being  done  in  a  more  systematic  and  satisfactorj'  manner. 

In  visiting  Branches  much  successful  work  has  been  accom- 
plished by  Mrs.  Besant,  Brother  Govinda  Das,  Dr.  Richardson,  the 
Joint  General  Secretaries,  the  Branch  Inspectors  and  others,  78 
Branches  having  been  visited,  exclusive  of  visits  paid  to,  and  lec- 
tures delivered  at,  other  places  where  no  Braitcbes  as  yet  exist. 

During  the  Session,  472  new  members  joined  the  Section,  as 
against  363  during  the  previous  year,  showing  a  gain  of  over  one 
hundred,  a  very  satisfactory  increase.  Of  these  472  new  members, 
301  paid  the  full  Entrance  Fee,  133  paid  reduced  Fees  and  38  were 
admitted  free,  including  two  members  who  were  transferred  to  our 
Section  from  foreign  Sections. 

Twelve  »ew  Branches  were  formed  during  last  year,  viz  :— 
Amraoti,  Bansberia,  Bettiah,  K^alitalai,  Marakpur,  Nandalur,  Sri- 
nagar,  Teoali,  Tindivanam,  Timkoilnr,  VillupuTai&  and  Vriddha* 
chalam,  while  since  the  end  of  our  official  year  (September  3ctii) 
four  more  new  Bnmches  have  been  added  to  our  roll  by  the  exer- 
tions  of  our  indefatigable  brothers  T.  Ramachendra  Row  and  K. 
Narayana  Swami  Aiyat,  making  fifteen,  to  this  date. 

Seven  oW  and  dormant  Brauches  were  also  revived  dttriflg  last 
year,  tiz :  Broach,  Cnddalore,  Erode,  Guntur,  Krishnagiri,  Rangoon, 
Tirivafltrr  and  since  September  30th,  three  more  have  been  added 
to  these,  viz ;  Adoni,  Kanigari  and  Narasaraopet. 


IS 

There  were  a  nutober  of  Branches  in  an  almost  hopelessly 
dormant  condition  last  year^  which  this  year  we  have  decided 
definitely  to  class  as  dormant^  21  in  all.  And  thus  summing  l^)  the 
situation  we  find  that  at  the  beginning  of  the  Session  we  numbered 
155  Bmnches  (including  the  21  just  alluded  to)  which  were  classed 
as  active,  so  that  we  have  now  (deducting  these  ai)  only  143  really 
active  Branches  on  our  rolls. 

We  have  lost  twenty-three  members  by  death,  nine  by  direct 
resignation  and  55  by  refusal  of  the  V.  P.  receipt  for  the  Annual 
Dues,  which  counts  as  resignation. 

Prasnotiara  has,  on  the  whole,  well  sustained  its  increasingly  use- 
ful and  interesting  character.  We  have  already  doubled  its  size  and 
added  a  cover  but  we  hope  in  the  near  future  to  be  able  to  do  still 
better,  especially  in  respect  to  its  editing,  when  the  demands  of  our 
building  work  are  d^ae  mth.  In  ihis  we  sliail  be  much  helped  by 
the  increasing  flow  oi  useful  couiribations  from  various  parts  ot 
India  and  especially  by  the  publication  in  our  pages  of  the  lectures 
which  Mrs.  Besant  is  now  delivering  to  the  Benares  Branch  on  the 
Bhagavad  Giti. 

This  year,  I  am  very  glad  to  say,  our  financial  position  is  much 
more  satisfactory  than  was  the  case  at  the  close  of  last  Session.  Our 
total  receipts  for  the  past  year  have  increased  by  Rs.  1,651,  while 
our  expenditure,  in  spite  of  various  additional  charges,  is  less  by 
Rs«  435-  And  this  will  be  seen  to  be  the  more  satisfactor}*^  in  that 
this  increase  is  almost  entirely  due  to  additional  receipts  from  our 
Entrance  Fees  and  Annual  Dues.  Indeed  our  total  donations  during 
the  past  year  have  fallen  off  from  Rs.  1,560  to  Rs.  1,187,  *  diminu- 
tion  of  Rs.  375 ;  while  the  contributions  to  travelling  expenses  have 
decreased  from  Rs  602  to  Rs.  120,  a  loss  of  Rs.  481.  Hence  tmder 
these  two  important  heads  our  income  has  been  less  than  that  of 
last  year  by  Rs.  855.  Thus  our  net  increase  under  the  heads  of 
Entrance  Fees  and  Annual  Dues  has  amounted  to  Rs.  1,164  from 
Annual  Dues,  and  Rs.  1,120  from  Entrance  Fees  making  together 
a  total  increase  under  these  two  heads  of  Rs.  2,284  which  seems  to 
me  exceedingly  satisfactory,  especially  when  we  recall  the  terrible 
burden  of  famine  and  plague  which  still  pressed  so  heavily  through- 
out the  year  upon  many  parts  of  our  beloved  country.  We  have  the 
sum  of  Rs.  554  now  standing  to  the  credit  of  a  Deposit  Account. 

It  is  even  more  gratifying  to  find,  on  studying  the  details  of  the 
accounts,  that  not  only  is  our  movement  spreading  and  growing 
rapidly,  but  that  further  we  are  re-awakening  active  interest  in  the 
minds  of  a  good  many  old  members  who  had  quite  dropped  out  of 
touch.  In  many  instances  we  have  received  back  Annual  Dues  from 
such  for  several  years,  in  some  cases  for  as  many  as  nine,  and  this 
fact  appears  to  me  a  most  hopeful  and  encouraging  sign. 

It  gives  me  very  great  pleasure  to  announce  that  we  are  at  last 
ill  a  position  to  oiak^  otir  Sectional  Headquarters  available  as  a 


i6 

real  centre  to  which  our  members  can  come  for  rest,  peace  or  spiri- 
tual refreshment,  no  less  than  for  further  instruction  in  Theosophy, 

The  following  Publications  have  continued  to  be  issued  during 
the  past  year,  namely: — The  Arya  Bala  Bodfiini,  Madras,  which 
henceforward  will  become  the  Hhidu  College  Magazine ;  Pantha, 
Calcutta,  The  Theosophic  deanery  Bombay  ;  and  the  The  Punjab 
Theosophist,  Lahore. 

A  new  work  published  this  year  is  the  "  Gitt  Prakashini"  being 
a  translation  of  the  Gita  into  Telngu,  by  Lieut.  Henry  Wahab,  of 
Hyderabad,  Deccan. 

To  sum  up,  we  have,  I  think,  good  reason  for  satisfaction  in 
the  record  of  the  past  year's  work.  A  most  important  step  onwards 
has  been  taken  in  the  building  of  our  permanent  Headquarters, 
and  when  the  work  on  them  which  still  remains  to  be  done  is  finish- 
ed, I  am  confident  that  each  passing  year  will  increase  their  value 
and  usefulness  to  our  movement.  We  are  favoured  by  the  presence 
amongst  us  of  our  revered  Teacher,  Mrs.  Besant,  and  during  this 
new  Session  shall  also  derive  great  help  and  benefit  from  the  work 
of  our  able  and  devoted  sister,  Miss  Lilian  Edger,  M.  A.,  who  is 
now  at  Adyar  and  will  make  a  prolonged  tour  in  the  North- West 
and  Sindh  during  the  early  months  of  1901.  If  it  can  be  arranged 
for  our  Section  to  have  the  advantage  of  her  permanent  residence 
amongst  us,  either  with  Madras  or  some  other  Presidency  Town  as 
a  centre,  we  shall  have  taken  a  great  stride  towards  providing  for 
eflScient  work  and   supervision  throughout  a  large  and  important 

field. 

Our  most  grateful  thanks  are  due  to  Dr.  Balakrishna  Kaul  of 
Lahore,  for  most  valuable  and  able  assistance  in  many  ways,  and  to 
our  able  and  energetic  Provincial  Secretary,  Mr.  K.  Narayana 
Swami  Aiyar,  for  the  splendid  work  he  has  accomplished  in  the 
South,  as  also  to  his  devoted  helpers,  Judge  A.  Ramachandra  Row, 
J.  Srinivasa  Row,  of  Gooty,  R.  Jagannathiab,  and  also  K.  Lakshmi 
Narayana  Aiyar.  Good  work  has  been  done  in  other  fields,  but 
that  in  the  South  is  especially  deserving  of  mention  ;  while  over 
the  whole  field  it  is  most  encouraging  and  satisfactory  to  find  a 
spreading  and  deepening  of  interest  in  Theosophy  as  well  asa  growing 
recognition  of  the  usefulness  of  our  Society  and  its  vital  importance 
for  the  future  of  our  beloved  India. 

With  so  many  hopeful  signs  we  may  well  look  forward  to  tbe 
future  with  confidence  and  courage.  We  have  lived  through  many 
dark  and  gloomy  days  in  the  past ;  India  has  been  suffering  sorely 
indeed  during  these  last  four  years,  but  still  our  movement  has 
grown,  steadily  gaining,  year  by  year,  in  strength  and  solidity.  And 
so  long  as  we  remain  true  to  our  ideal,  so  long  as  we  labour  selfless- 
ly  and  devotedly  for  the  good  of  humanity,  so  long  as  we  seek  the 
Truth  and  the  Light,  and  keep  firm  our  faith  and  trust  in  those 
Mighty  Teachers  who  h&ve  called  our  Society   into  being  and  still 


17 

giye  .energy  and  real  spiritual  life  to  our  movement,  so  long  ho 
storm  can  overthrow  us,  no  foe  injure,  no  adverse  power  hem  the 
prpgr^ss  of  the  work  which  we  are  striving  to  do  for  Their  service. 
Upon  Their  wisdom  we  can  ever  rely,  upon  Their  strength  we 
can  confidently  Jjuild,  sure  that  so  long  as  we  are  faithful  and  true. 
They  will  never  abandon  us  or  leave  us  without  the  light  of 
Their  guidance  and  the  support  of  Their  mighty  hands. 

Bertram  Keighti^ey, 

General  Secretary, 


REPORT  OF  THE  AMERICAN  SECTION. 

To  the  President-Founder  T,  S.  :--0n  jbehalf  of  the  American 
Section  T-  S.  I  report  the  statistics  thereof  from  November  i,  1899, 
tq  Noyenjhsier  i,  1900. 

Tjen  new  ^rauches  have  been  chartered  :  ManasaT.  S.,  Dayton, 
0}iip;  MxMint  Hopd  I^odge  T.  S.,  Portland,  Oregon  ;  North  Stfr 
J^dge  T.  S.,  West  Superior,  Wis. ;  Lewistoi;  T.  S.,  I^ewiston,  Maine  ; 
Cedar  Rapids  T-  S.,  Cedar  Rapids,  Iowa  ;  Omaha  T.  S.,  Omaha, 
Neb.  ;  Eltka  T.  S.,  Corry,  Pa.  ;  Santa  RosaT.  S.,  Santa  Rosa,  Calif; 
Gran4  Rapids  T.  S.,  Grand  Rapids,  Mich.  ;  Valley  CityT.  S.,  Grand 
JLapids,  Mich. 

The  following  Branches  have  dissolved  :  Willamette  T.  S*,  Pott*- 
lafld,  Oregon  ;  San  I^orenzo  T.  S.,  Santa  Cruz,  Calif.  ;  Ellensburjg; 
T.  S.,  Ellensburg,  Wash.  ;  India  T.  S.,  Clinton,  Iowa  ;  Uly  Dale  T* 
S.,  Lily  Dale,  N.  Y.  ;  Green  Bay  T.  S.,  Green  Bay,  Wis.  ;  Albany  t. 

The  .total  Aumher  of  Branches  is  73. 

^embers  admitted  during  the  year  (not  including  a  few  restora- 
tions), 281  ;  resigned,  46  ;  died,  4  ;  number  of  branch  members, 
1,2^8  ;  me^ihe;cs-at-large,  173  ;  total  membership,  1,391  ;  decrease  of 
3gaem,bership  during  the  year,  28. 

Magazines  issued  are  7^he  Thcosophical  Messenger^  The  Goldefi 
Chain,  and  the  American  edition  of  The  Thcosophical  Review. 

The  lpS3  in  membership  is  certainly  regrettable,  yet  it  may  in 
pai;t  he  acqpunted  for  by  the  policy  explained  in  the  report  of  last 
y£ar,  to  wit,  the  predominant  attention  given  by  our  travelling 
lecturers  and  workers  to  the  training  of  Branches,  over  that  given  to 
p,ub^c  addxe3Ses.  The  number  of  such  lecturers  has  been  remark- 
able, Bix  having  l;)een  in  the  field  during  more  or  less  of  the  year.  If 
pur  ,re3ource3  increase  we  hope  to  arrange  for  one  whose  whole  time 
vdll  be  given  to  this  service  and  who  can  remain  with  each  Branch 
sufficiently  long  to  ensure  thoroughness  to  his  plans.  One  exceed- 
ingly gratifying  fact  is  tJie  increasing  number  of  members  competent 
not  only  (o  address  Branches  but  to  publicly  lecture. 

The  Convention  of  1899  determined  upon  the  incorporation  of  a 
body  of  Trustees  legally  empowered  to  receive  legacies  and  gifts  for 

c 


i8 

Theosophical  use,  and  such  charter  was  actually  obtained,  but  the 
legal  conditions  being  such  that  all  control  of  the  Section  was  re- 
moved from  Convention  and  transferred  to  the  Trustees,  the  Con- 
vention of  1900  found  it  necessary  to  direct  the  abandonment  of  the 
charter  and  the  appointment  for  such  purposes  of  either  the  General 
Secretary  for  the  time  being  or  a  Trust  Company  already  incorpor- 
ated. 

In  response  to  a  request  from  India  I  published  in  Messenger  an 
appeal  to  the  Section  for  aid  to  the  Indian  Famine  Fund,  and  the 
amount  received  therefrom,  $477.55,  was  duly  transmitted  to  Mr. 
David  Gostling  of  Bombay  for  use  through  his  Committee. 

The  great  event  of  the  year  has  but  just  begun — the  tour  of 
Mr.  C.  W.  Leadbeater  in  America.  Originally  intended  to  last  for 
only  three  months,  requests  for  its  prolongation  have  been  so  earn- 
est that  it  will  extend  over  about  five,  thus  making  possible  the 
inclusion  of  some  ol  the  most  distant  Branches  in  the  States  and  of 
the  two  in  British  territory.  It  is  hardly  possible  to  over-state  for 
eagerness  felt  to  see  and  hear  this  illustrious  man  ;  and  everywhere 
are  heard  expressions  of  delight  at  such  a  boon  to  the  Section  as  this 
visit. 

And  then  will  follow  the  long-desired  tour  of  the  President- 
Founder.  Ten  years  will  have  passed  since  his  preceding  visit  to 
this  country,  and  twenty-five  since,  with  H.  P.  B.,  he  established 
here  the  Theosophical  Society.  At  the  request  of  the  New  York 
Branch  he  has  promised  a  memorial  letter  for  use  in  that  city,  where 
the  Society  was  formed,  on  the  anniversary  day,  November  17th, 
the  letter  to  be  distributed  through  the  Section.  Preliminaries  for 
his  tour  have  been  begun,  and  after  January  ist,  arrangements  will 
be  rapidly  made  so  that  a  large  proportion  of  the  Branches  may  be 
visited  before  and  after  the  annual  Convention  at  which  he  will 
preside.  Delight  at  this  prospect  is  coupled  with  conviction  that  at 
this  particular  era  his  presence  and  influence  will  produce  incalcu- 
lable good  to  the  Section  and  the  Cause. 

Thus  the  first  year  of  the  Twentieth  Century  is  anticipated  by 
American  Theosophists  with  fervent  exhilaration.  It  demonstrates 
the  continued  existence  of  the  Society  which  was  founded  here, 
received  here  the  traitorous  blow  which  many  feared  might  cause  its 
death,  has  rallied,  aroused  itself  to  fresh  energy  and  devotion,  put 
forth  most  vigorous  effort,  and  is  ever  drawing  in  new  health  and 
strength.  And  that  yta,r  is  to  be  adorned  by  long  visits  from  the 
President  and  from  one  of  the  greatest  of  the  members.  Rightly 
may  the  Theosophists  of  America  feel  joy  and  hope  and  assurance 
and  distinction. 

Al.EXAND^R  FULLKRTON, 

Gen,  Secretary, 


I  irft 


X9 

REPORT  OF  THE  EUROPEAN  SECTION. 
To  the  President' Founder  of  the  T,  5.:— In  my  Report  of  the 
activities  of  this  Section,  the  first  place  is  claimed  by  the  change  of 
Head-quarters  to  28  Albemarle  Street,  mentioned  in  the  last  Report, 
and  successfully  carried  out  at  the  beginning  of  this  year,  under  the 
superintendence  of  the  then  General  Secretary,  the  Hon. 
Otway  Cuffe.  The  new  Head-  quarters  are  of  easy  access  from  all 
parts  of  London,  and  the  hope  that  a  large  number  of  visitors  would 
be  attracted  by  the  removal  to  a  more  central  situation  has  already 
been,  to  a  considerable  extent,  realised.  On  the  first  floor  there  are 
a  large  lyccture  Room  and  a  Drawing  Room  ;  the  next  provides  very 
convenient  quarters  for  the  Sectional  and  I^endiug  Libraries,  with 
a  private  oflSce  for  the  General  Secretary  ;  and  the  general  office  is 
on  the  floor  above.  The  rooms  have  been,  since  the  opening,  largely 
used  for  Theosophic  works  the  Blavatsky  I^odge  meets  in  the  Lecture 
Room,  which  has  also  been  utilized  for  several  courses  of  lectures. 
In  January  Mr.  Mead  gave  a  course  of  four  lectures  on  the  "  Mys- 
teries of  the  Greeks  ;"  in  March  on  the  "  Wisdom  Schools  of  the 
Earliest  Christendom  ; "  and  he  is  now  delivering  a  course  ot  eight 
lectures  entitled  **  Fragments  of  a  Faith  Forgotten.**  In  February 
and  March  Mr.  Leadbeater  delivered  a  course  of  four  lectures  ;  and 
during  Mrs.  Besant's  all  too  short  stay  amongst  us  she  gave  two 
courses  to  crowded  audiences,  one  on  **  The  Emotions,  their  Place, 
Evolution,  Culture  and  Use,"  and  another  of  four  lectures  on 
"Thought  Power,  Its  Control  and  Culture."  The  Drawing-room 
has  also  been  made  good  use  of.  In  the  Spring  the  Countess  Wacht- 
meister  and  other  ladies  gave  a  series  of  At  Homes  at  which  various 
members  spoke  and  answered  questions  on  Theosophical  subjects; 
and  since  the  Summer  vacation  the  work  has  been  carried  on  by  a 
Ladies*  Committee,  appointed  by  the  Convention,  who  are  arranging 
classes  and  meetings  for  the  Winter.  On  Sunday  evenings  lectures 
open  to  the  friends  of  members  are  given,  under  the  management  of 
the  Blavatsky  Lodge. 

Many  generous  contributions  have  been  received  towards  the 
heavy  expenses  of  removal  and  furnishing ;  and,  thanks  to 
these,  the  finances  of  the  Section  are  in  a  fairly  satisfactory  state.  It 
is  hoped  that  the  activities  which  are  centering  around  our  new 
rooms  will  furnish  the  best  evidence  to  our  friends  that  their 
money  has  been  spent  to  the  profit  of  the  cause. 

A  matter  of  very  serious  regret  to  us  all  is  that  Mr.  Cufife,  upon 
whom  all  the  burden  of  the  removal  and  the  new  arrangements  has 
rested,  and  who  has  devoted  much  valuable  time  and  attention  to 
the  business  of  the  Section,  has  found  himself  compelled,  on  leaving 
England,  to  resign  the  office  of  General  Secretary.  During  his 
tenure  of  office  he  has  made  himself  beloved  and  respected  by  all 
who  came  into  contact  with  him,  and  the  hearty  thanks  and  goqd 
^ish^s  of  the  Section  follow  hin;  to  \\\s  new  home  in  Ireland, 


20 

During  the  j'ear  ending  1 5tli  October  1900,  309  new  members 
X^ete  enrolled ;  and  though  a  carfeful  revision  of  the  lists  has  rfesult- 
ed  ill  the  striking  off  of  128  names  as  lapsed,  the  resignations  (32) 
are  few,  and  the  deaths  (6)  still  fewer  ;  the  active  mfehibership  now 
reaches  the  very  respectable  total  of  1,520. 

Six  new  Charters  have  been  issued  during  the  same  peHt)d ;  to 
fjeeds  (tfenewal),  Batk,  Ayitwerp^  Florence,  Milan  and  N'aptes. 

the  Ionian  Branch,  which  had  long  been  dormant,  was  forth- 
ally  dissolved  in  July  last. 

The  Convention,  which  was  held  in  London  on  the  7th  and  8th 
of  July,  was  well  attended,  a  larger  number  of  foreign  members  than 
lisual  hieing  present  ;  probably  to  assist  in  welcoming  Col.  Olcott, 
undei"  whose  presidency  the  meetings  passed  off  vei*y  successfully. 

The  quarterly  meetings  of  the  North  of  England  Federation 
have  been  presided  over  by  Mrs.  Besant,  the  Countess  Wachtnieister 
and  Mr.  Leadbeater;  and  the  meeting  of  the  South-Western 
Federation  by  the  President-Founder,  whilst  on  his  Westfem  toilr. 

In  addition  to  the  lectures  before  named,  Mrs.  Besant  gave  four 
Sunday  evening  lectures  in  London,  besides  others  in  different  parts 
of  the  country;  and  much  good  work  has  been  done  in  visiting  the 
oranches  and  in  lecturing,  by  the  Countess  Wachtmeister,  Airs. 
fcooper-Oakley,  C.  W.  Leadbeater,  J.  C.  Chatterji,  G.  R.  S.  Mead  and 
others,  not  only  in  England  but  also  in  Belgium,  France,  and  Italy. 

In  Italy  the  work  has  been  carried  on  vigorously,  although  Mrs. 
Lloyd  has  now  gone  to  Benares,  abundance  of  energetic  workers  being 
left.  A  strong  and  promising  Branch  has  been  formed  at  Milan, 
mainly  through  the  exertions  of  Mrs.  Williams,  and  the  other  new 
foundations,  Florence  and  Naples,  are  doing  well.  Captain  Boggiani 
and  Mrs.  Cooper-Oakley  have  been  appointed  temporarj*^  organiz- 
ing Secretaries,  and  there  is  every  prospect  that  in  the  near  future 
Italy  will  be  qualified  to  form  an  independent  Section  of  its  own. 

The  literary  activity  of  the  Section  during  the  past  year  has  not 
been  very  great.  From  Mrs.  Besant  we  have  had,  **  AvatAras," 
•*  Some  Problems  of  Life,*'  and  new  editions  of  **  Man  and  His 
Bodies"  and  the  "  Evolution  of  Life  and  Form." 

Mr.  Mead  has  brought  out  his  important  and  long  expected 
work  entitled  "Fragments  of  a  Faith  Forgotten."  Mrs.  Cooper- 
Oakley's  "  Traces  of  Hidden  Tradition  in  Masonry  '*  and  "  Mediaeval 
Mysticism  ; "  a  London  Lodge  Transaction  (No.  34)  by  Mr.  Sinnett, 
entitled  "  Karma  ";  and  a  new  edition  of  Leadbeater's  "  Astral  Plane," 
Complete  the  list. 

The  Theosophical  Revieu\  now  simultaneously  published  in  Eng- 
land and  New  York,  has  been  regularly  brought  out,  and  has  con- 
tained good  work  by  new  contributors  as  well  as  the  regular  writers. 
This  is  as  it  should  be,  and  promises  well  for  the  future.  The 
Vahan  has  maintained  its  recent  level  and  much  valuable  inforinaition 
ft^d  counsel  have  been  couin^unicated  to  the  members ;  the  appiiftci^- 


r 


ir 

tiott  of  which  has  been  manifested  by  the  reproduction  of  the 
answer^  in  many  of  ourl!'heosophical  Magazines  and  in  various  Ian- 
guages. 

I  have  reserved  to  the  last,  my  dear  President-Founder,  the 
acknowledgment  of  what  th^  Section  owes  to  your  own  visit  during 
the  past  Summeh  You  have  carried  the  stirring  influence  of  your 
presence  and  your  exhortations  over  oiirfiranches  in  Italy,  London, 
the  North  of  fengland  and  Scotland,  the  West  of  England,  and 
Belgium,  leaving  behind  you,  everywhere,  encouragement  and  a 
most  affectionate  and  grateful  remembrance  of  your  unwearied 
labours  and  never-failing  kindliness  of  heart  and  speech.  Permit  me, 
on  behalf  of  our  members,  to  oflFer  to  you,  personally,  our  best  thanks 
for  all  that  you  have  done  for  us  (not  excluding  that  form  of  grati- 
tude  which  has  been  well  defined  as  a  lively  sense  of  favours — to 
coihe  !\  and  at  the  same  time  to  convey  to  your  meeting  and  all  the 
Sections  there  repJresented,  the  assurance  of  our  hearty  fraternal 
good  wishes.  The  Anniversary  Meeting  of  the  Society  is  the  sym- 
bol of  that  inner  unity  which  is  the  indispensable  condition  of  our 
usefulness  to  the  world  at  large  ;  and  our  greeting  is  the  expression 
of  oUr  faith  that  for  us,Theo3DphistB,  there  is  no  distinction  of  Eastern 
or  Western,  but  only  the  one  world-wide  body  of  earnest  seekers  for 
the  Truth  and  ardent  workers  for  good,  whose  existence  is  the  best 
pledge  for  the  world's  future,  and  membership  of  which  is  the 
highest  honour  to  which  we  can  aspire. 

Arthur  A.  Wki.ls, 
Gefterai  Secretary, 


u-^ 


REPORT  OF  THE  SCANDINAVIAN  SECTION. 

To  ihe  President-Founder  T.  S. :— At  the  time  of  the  Annual  Con- 
vention in  May  1900,  the  total  number  of  members  amounted  to  484  ; 
since  then  16  new  ones  have  been  admitted,  but  as  one  has  left^  the 
total  number  of  members  amounted  to  499  on  the  ist  of  November. 

A  new  Branch  was  formed  in  the  presence  of  Colonel  Olcott, 
Miy  45th,  at  Boden,  in  the  extreme  North  of  Sweden,  within 
the  Arctic  Circle,  under  the  Chairmanship  of  Mr.  Edward  Johans- 
son. The  Branches  of  the  Section  are  thus  13,  and  during  the 
last  year  there  has  been  a  considerable  activit}"  in  all  of  them 
With  public  and  private  lectures  and  discussions.  The  visit  in 
Mtiy,  of  dear  Colonel  Olcott  to  the  Section,  gave  a  new  and 
strong  impulse  to  the  spiritual  devotion  of  our  members.  The 
Colonel  delivered  public  lectures  in  the  towns  of  Copenhagen, 
Gothenburg,  Christiania,  Stockholm,  Lulea  and  Lund,  and  presided 
at  the  Convention  in  Stockholm.  Brother  Pekka  Ervast  of  Fin- 
land, invited  to  Stockholm  by  the  Executive  Committee,  lectured 
during  a  month's  stay  here  (April- May)  at  the  Branch-meetings,  de- 
livered a  public  lecture  at  the  Convention,  i^nd  especially  put  his 


22 

time  and  energy  at  the  disposal  of  the  Committee  and  the  General 
Secretary.  He  returned  to  Stockholm,  October  14th,  and  has  been 
since  then  engaged  on  a  lecturing  tour  in  Sweden,  visiting  several 
Branches. 

At  the  Fifth  Annual  Convention  of  the  Section,  held  in  Stock- 
holm, May  20th  and  21st,  the  following  oflScers  were  elected  : 

General  Secretary  :  Mr.  T.  E.  Liljestrand. 

r  Dr.  E.  Zander  (Vice-Chairman.) 
\  Mrs.  F.  Ingestrom. 
Executive  Committee  :      ;  Mr.  F.  Lund. 

(,  Mr.  O.Zander  (Treasurer)  ; 

the  Presidents  of  the  Branches  are  members,  ex  officio,  of  the  Com- 
mittee. 

During  the  year  the  following    literature  has  been  published  : 

Teosofisk  Tidskrifty  10  numbers,  "  The  Ancient  Wisdom," 
by  Annie  Besant ;  translated  into  Swedish  by  A.  F.  A.  and  E.  Z. ; 
Balder,  the  Norwegian  T.  S.,  magazine,  Theosophical  Pamphlets,  No. 
6,  edited  by  members  of  the  Orion  Lodge. 

A  Finnish  translation  of  the  **  Introduction  to  Theosophy,"  of 
Annie  Besant. 

"  Arcana,  Thought-image?,"  by  B.  N-G.  (Swedish).  '*  The  Reli^ 
gion  of  the  Future,"  by  Pekka  Ervast  (Swedish.) 

P.  Eric  Liljestrand, 

General  Secretary. 


REPORT  OF  THE  NETHERLANDS  SECTION. 

To  the  President' Founder,  T.S, — Before  entering  on  the  business 
details  regarding  the  work  of  our  Section  during  the  past  year  it  is 
my  pleasing  duty  to  convey  to  you  in  the  name  of  all  our  members 
our  heartfelt  greetings  and  congratulations  on  this  first  General 
Convention  of  the  T.S.  following  the  completion  of  its  25th  year. 

You  alone  of  those  who  met  together  in  New  York  in  1875  are 
with  us  still,  and  we  look  on  you  in  a  certain  sense  as  the  embodi- 
ment of  the  theosophical  interest  through  the  world.  You  as  Presi- 
dent of  the  Society  have  piloted  it  through  many  storms,  and  we 
congratulate  ourselves  that  you  are  still  with  us,  still  robust,  full  of 
zeal  and  full  of  energ>%  still  able  to  stand  at  the  helm  and  steer  the 
ship  safely  into  the  twentieth  century. 

The  Society  founded  by  you  and  Madame  Blavatsky,  twent)-- 
five  years  ago,  has  grown  strong  and  is  a  real  force  to-day  in  the 
world  of  thought.  She  is  no  longer  with  us  in  bodily  presence  but 
her  work  remains,  and  a  loving  and  grateful  remembrance  of  the 
two  co-founders  of  the  T.S.  is  with  us  always  ;  although  most  of  us 
have  only  been  privileged  to  meet  one  of  the  founders  personallj'. 

In  this,  my  fourth  annual  report  of  the  Dutch  Section,  I  have  no 
new  Lodges  to  record  but,  notwithstanding  this,  I  feel  able  to 
^sure  you  that  the  work  here  is  ipaking  sure,  if  slow,  progress.    It 


2i 

is  mentioned  by  the  daily  press  and  from  the  pulpit  as  a  phase  oi 
modern  thought  which,  though  one  may  not  agree  with  it,  deserves 
study  as  an  existing  movement  that  must  be  kept  account  of  and 
that  no  longer  can  be  set  aside  with  ridicule  or  indifference. 

New  centres  of  activity  have  been  started,  holding  regular 
weekly  meetings,  but  have  not  as  yet  formed  themselves  into 
Lodges,  belie\nng  it  better  first  to  prepare  themselves  by  regular 
study,  so  as  to  be  able  to  teach  before  applying  for  charters. 

Sixty-four  members  have  been  admitted  during  the  year.  Eight 
members  resigned  and  we  lost  one  through  death. 

Six  members  are  entered  as  Unattached  during  the  year  ;  the 
total  membership  is  therefore  278,  showing  an  increase  of  fifty-five. 

During  the  year,  the  "  Theosophische  Uitgevees  Maatschappy  " 
has  published  Vol.  VIII,   of  Theosophia,   twelve  Nos. 

"  Karma,"  by  Annie  Besant — translated  by  Johan  van  Manen. 

'*  Man  and  his  Bodies,"  by  Annie  Besant — translated  by  Johan 
van  Manen. 

"The  Astral  Plane,"  by  C.  W.  Leadbeater— translated  by  Johan 
van  Manen. 

"  The  Ancient  Mysteries,"  by  C.  W.  Leadbeater— translated  by 
J.  J.  Hallo. 

"  Secret  Doctrine,"  3  parts — translated  by  Johan  van  Manen— 
the  fourth  part  is  in  preparation  and  will  shortly  appear. 

Other  books  written  by  members  but  not  published  by  the 
T.  U.  M.  are  :— 

"  Are  the  dead  ever  raised  ?  "  by  Dr.  T.  A.  Binuenweg. 
"Theosophy  and  Religion,"  by  P.  Pieters. 
*'  Natural  Science  and  Theosophy,"  by  M.  van  den  Bosch. 
Two  Theosophical  novels  published  in  French,    '*  La  peine  du 
Dam,"  and  **  Vengeance,"  by  M.  Reepmaker. 

The  T.  U.  M.  has  secured  premises  two  doors  from  the  Section 
Head-quarters,  where  T.  S.  literature  in  all  languages  is  on  sale. 

This  has  proved  a  good  move,  for  a  decided  increase  in  the  sale 
of  T.  S,  books  and  pamphlets  has  taken  place  since  the  book-shop 
was  opened  in  March  last. 

Our  library  has  been  able  to  secure  a  number  of  works,  thanks 
to  the  legacy  of  5oo  fcs.  left  us  for  that  purpose  by  our  late  collea- 
gue and  fellow-worker,  Madame  O'breen,  better  known  to  readers  of 
the  Theosophist  as  '*  Afra." 

Mr.  Leadbeater*s  visit  last  Spring  was  one  of  two  great  events 
that  have  marked  this  year's  work.  He  spent  fourteen  days  with  us 
and  was  untiring,  holding  two  and  sometimes  three  meetings  in  one 
day.  He  gave  several  public  lectures  in  Amsterdam,  the  Hague  and 
other  towns,  and  lectured  always  to  a  crowded  and  attentive  audi- 
ence. Many  of  the  Provincial  members  came  long  distances  to  hear 
him. 


24 

His  lectures  were  taken  down  in  shorthand  by  one  of  pur  mem- 
bers, Mr.  J.  J.  Hallo,  and  have  since  appeared  in  Theosophia. 

The  second  great  event  (in  point  of  time)  was  the  visit  of  the 
President-Founder  who,  with  his  adopted  daughter,  arrived  here 
from  Sweden  in  time  to  preside  at  our  Fourth  Dutch  Convention. 
A  reception  was  held  at  the  Section  Head-quarters,  Am$te]dijk  76,  ou 
tb^  eve  of  the  Convention,  and  a  large  numb^er  of  members  ^^dly 
availed  themselves  of  the  opportunity  of  making  the  President's  ac- 
quaintance personally. 

The  ten  days  following  the  Convention  were  devoted  to  a  U>m 
in  the  provinces,  and  the  Lodges  were  delightjed  to  have  the  pleasure 
of  welcoming  the  President- Founder  and  hearing  him  lectupe.  He 
worked  so  hard  while  with  us  that  I  fear  the  Dutch  Section  ||rill  get 
sadly  into  bad  repute  for  mercilessly  overworking  its  gu^ests.  Our 
only  excuse  is  that  we  have  not  the  President  often  within  leach 
a43id  so  niake  the  most  of  the  opportunity  when  such  is  the  c^ise. 

On  the  last  evening  of  his  stay  in  Holland  he  was  th^  g^est  of 
the  Vahana  Lodg«,  who  availed  themselves  of  that  opportunity,  to 
present  him  with  an  engraved  copper  bowl  as  a  souvenir  jof  his  visit 
here. 

With  regard  to  general  activities,  a  large  number  of  pt^iblic  lec- 
tures have  been  given  during  the  year  a;id  at  all  these  th/ei^  was 
Theosophical  literature  on  sale  in  the  Hall  where  the  jbecture^  were 
held..  In  addition  to  the  public  lectures  the  various  lodges  hold 
fortnightly  or  monthly  lectures  to  which  visitors  are  admitted ;  cards 
of  admission  are  obtainable  free  of  charge  from  Secretaries  of  I/>d- 
ges  ;  classes  for  study  meet  regularly,  iu  some  places  three,  in.pthers 
four,  times  a  week.  The  XvOtus  circle  meets  every  week  and  24 
children  attend  regularly. 

You  will  undoubtedly  have  ^  large  gathering  this  year  ia  Ben- 
ares. In  thought  your  Dutch  brethren  will  be  with  you  too,  though 
distance,  alas !  prevents  their  being  with  you  in  person,  but  one  and 
all  send  hearty  and  loving  greetings  to  all  our  brothers  and  sisters 
tbece  assembled  in  Convention,  and  join  them  in  the  hope  that  the 
Theosophical  Society  may  flourish  in  the  century  just  opening  and 
become  more  and  more  a  living  power  for  good  and  for  the  helping 
of  manJkind. 

W.  B.  FRICKfi, 
Getural  Secretary, 


25 

REPORT  OF  THE  AUSTRALASIAN  SECTION  T.  S. 

To  the  President'Fmnder,  T,  S,  :— In  the  absence  of  our 
esteemed  General  Secretary,  Dr.  Marques,  it  is  my  duty  to  report  to 
you  that  the  number  of  active  Branches  now  belonging  to  the  Aus- 
tralasian Section  is  ten  ;  the  names  of  five  others  still  remain  upon 
our  Roll  but  they  are  at  present  dormant.  The  increase  of  three  on 
last  year's  Report  comes  from  the  Toowoomba  Charter  of  1881  hav- 
ing been  revived,  a  Charter  having  been  granted  to  Newtown  Branch 
(Sydney)  and  another  to  the  Fremantle  T.  S.,  notice  of  which  ac- 
companies this  Report. 

Since  our  last  Report  65  new  members  have  joined  us,  but  owing 
to  a  drastic  revision  of  our  Roll,  from  which  the  names  of  all  those 
who  have  not  paid  their  annual  dues  for  two  years  have  been  erased, 
our  total  number  now  is  350.  Five  members  have  died,  among  whom 
were  Mrs.  D.  J.  Parker  of  Ibis,  T.S. ;  Mr.  H.  F.  Kessal  of  Mt.  Gam- 
bier,  Mr.  C.  Handley  of  Cairns,  and  Mr.  F.  F.  Cox  of  Sydney,  all 
of  them  earnest  members  and  hard  workers  for  the  Society. 

Owing  to  the  prevalence  of  the  Bubonic  Plague  in  Sydney  last 
Easter,  our  Annual  Convention  could  not  then  be  held,  but  it  is 
hoped  that  it  will  be  possible  to  hold  it  this  month. 

The  necessity  for  attending  to  private  business  matters  in 
Honolulu  took  Dr.  Marques  away  from  us  in  April,  but  he  is  now 
on  his  way  back  to  Sydnej'. 

During  the  year  just  closed,  our  Federal  Lecturer,  Miss  Lilian 
Edger,  has  visited  and  lectured  in  Perth,  Fremantle  and  Albanj^  the 
great  activity  since  shown  in  Western  Australia  being  evident!}'  the 
result  of  her  efforts. 

Adelaide,  Melbourne,  Hobart,  Warmambo61,  Ballarat,  Sydne}', 
Armidale,  Toowoomba,  Townsville,  Charter's  Towers,  Cairns, 
Mackay,  Rockhampton,  Bundaberg,  Mar>'borough  and  Brisbane 
were  visited  by  her,  and  from  a  week  to  a  month  spent  in  each, 
giving  public  lectures  and  meeting  enquirers  and  members. 

Miss  Edger's  farewell  lecture  before  her  departure  for  India  was 
delivered  in  Sydney  on  Oct.  21st.  We  all  deeply  regret  the  loss  wc 
are  suffering  but  hope  that  in  the  future  we  may  again  have  the 
pleasure  of  her  presence  and  her  help. 

The  Branches  at  Adelaide,  Hobart,  South  Yarra,  Melbourne, 
Sydney  and  Brisbane  continue  their  public  lectures,  classes  for  studj- 
and  meetings  for  inquirers  without  cessation,  each  one  of  them  able 
to  keep  its  own  activities  going  without  outside  a.ssistance  ;  and  by 
their  lending  Libraries,  in  all  cases  open  to  the  public  at  a  merely 
nominal  fee,  they  are  doing  much  to  vSpread  the  knowledge  of  Theoso- 
phy  among  the  public.  The  Book  Depots  at  Melbourne,  Sydney  and 
Brisbane  are  also  doing  good  work. 

The  Sectional  Library  is  proving  of  valuable  assistance   to  the 

smaller  branches   and  unattached  members,  the  addition   of  the 

♦*  Sacred  Books  of  the  East  "  which   we  expect  shortly,  will  put  a 

D 


26 

their  disposal  books  which  very  few  members  or  Branches  even 
would  be  able  to  buy  for  themselves. 

The  Sectional  Organ,  Theosophy  in  Anstfrtfasia,  has  been  issued 
regularly  each  month  during  the  year  and  its  size  has  been  increas- 
ed to  24  pages. 

I  enclose  a  list  of  our  Branches  with  the  names  of  the  officers 
and  addresses  of  the  Secretaries. 

H.  A.  Wilson, 
Assistant  Genaal  Secretary, 


REPORT  OF  THE  NEW  ZEALAND  SECTION,  T.  S. 

To  the  President-Founder^  T.  S.  — •  I  have  much  pleasure  in 
again  reporting  on  the  condition  of  the  New  Zealand  Section  ;  in 
which,  during  the  year,  much  active  work  has  been  done. 

Though  no  new  Branches  have  been  formed,  a  good  deal  of 
activity  is  going  on  in  various  new  centres,  such  as  Ouehunga,  near 
Auckland,  Port  Chalmers,  near  Dunedin,  and  Nelson,  from  which, 
Branches  in  due  course  should  result. 

Twenty-four  new  members  have  been  added  to  our  Register : 
but  during  the  year  two  members  have  left  the  Colony,  three  have 
resigned,  and  seventeen  have  lapsed  by  non-payment  of  dues,  a 
total  of  twenty-two  in  all ;  so  that  our  last  year's  membership  of 
189  is  only  increased  by  two.  Of  the  191  members,  155  are  Branch 
members,  and  36  are  "  Unattached."  Though  there  is  not  much  ac- 
tual increase  in  numbers,  the  quality  of  those  remaining  is  excel- 
lent. They  are  much  sounder,  more  energetic  than  last  year. 
There  is  a  good  deal  more  vital  force  in  the  Section  than  at  any 
previous  time. 

A  new  leaflet  on  **  Evolution  '*  has  been  printed  ;  and  in  the 
beginning  of  the  year  the  Ntw  Zealand  Theosophical  Magazhuyr2& 
issued,  under  the  Editorship  of  Mrs.  DrafEn  and  m3'self.  The  suc- 
cess of  this  activity  has  far  exceeded  our  expectations ;  and  though 
we  have  been  compelled  to  raise  the  price  from  one  penny  to  two- 
pence, the  price  remains  moderate,  and  the  size  of  the  magazine 
has  also  been  increased.  The  circulation  grows  larger  all  the  time, 
and  next  year  we  hope  to  have  it  firmly  established  as  a  permanent 
tictivitj'.    Its  usefulness  we  cannot  overestimate. 

The  Fourth  Annual  Convention  of  our  Section  was  held  in 
Dunedin  on  January  ist  and  2nd,  1900,  and  was  as  successful,  useful 
and  harmonious  as  all  the  previous  ones.  As  before,  I  was  accom- 
panied by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Draffin,  of  Auckland,  and  Mrs.  Draffin  again 
gave  a  series  of  verj''  successful  lectures  in  Dunedin,  Christchurch, 
Wellington,  Woodville,  Pahiatua  and  Wanganui.  The  New  Zealatid 
Theosophical  Magazine  yN2c&  adopted  as  the  official  **  organ  "  of  the 
pection. 


Tlie  Theosophicdl  Book  Depot  continues  its  useful  work  of 
distributing  the  literature  of  the  movement ;  there  is  a  steady  and 
continuous  demand  from  all  parts  of  the  countr>',  which  augurs  well 
for  the  future  of  the  Society  in  New  Zealand. 

In  Auckland  and  in  Wellington,  afternoon  meetings  for  ladies, 
who  are  for  the  most  part  unable  to  come  to  the  Sunday  evening 
meetings,  have  been  started,  presided  over  by  Mrs.  Draffin  in  Auck- 
land, and  by  Mrs.  Richmond  in  Wellington.  These  have  proved 
highly  successful,  are  held  monthly,  and  the  social  element  is  intro- 
duced by  **  afternoon  tea  "  following  the  address.  The  same  element 
has  also  been  utilised  by  the  holding  of  very  enjoyable  **  Social '' 
meetings  in  Auckland  and  in  Dunedin  ;  in  the  latter  case  the  Branch 
showed  its  great  appreciation  of  the  services  of  its  energetic  Secre- 
tary, that  old  and  earnest  worker  Mr.  A.  W.  Maurais,  who  has  done 
so  much  for  the  cause  in  New  Zealand,  by  making  him  a  present- 
ation as  a  mark  of  their  love  and  esteem. 

Dunedin  has  done  good  work  for  the  Section  this  year ;  not 
only  by  its  general  activity,  but  by  bringing  out  gifted  and  devoted 
workers — Miss  Christie,  Miss  Home  and  Mr.  Burn,  m.a. — whose 
lectures  and  general  work  have  aroused  much  interest,  not  only  in 
Dunedin,  but  in  various  outlying  districts  visited  by  them. 

Christchurch  I  should  like  to  see  more  active  ;  the  elements  are 
not  sufficiently  uniform  to  ensure  real  solid  progress. 

In  all  the  four  chief  centres,  Auckland,  Wellington,  Christchurch 
and  Dunedin,  public  lectures  are  given  every  Sunday  night,  which 
are  also  duly  advertised  in  the  daily  press  and  in  all  the  Branches. 
Besides  the  lectures  there  are  numerous  active  works  whose  influence 
materially  assists  the  labours  of  the  speakers. 

The  •*  Golden  Chain  "  movement  is  taking  a  good  hold  of  New 
Zealand  :  already  we  have  thirty  children  enrolled  in  it  and  a  good 
many  more  are  coming  in  ;  so  that  this  useful  and  interesting  acti- 
vity is  likely  to  have  a  good  deal  of  influence  in  this  Section. 

On  behalf  of  the  New  Zealand  Section,  I  beg  to  send  the  heart- 
iest fraternal  greetings  and  good  wishes  to  the  Annual  Convention 
assembled  at  Benares  and  to  you  the  President-Founder  of  the 
Society,  hoping  that  as  in  the  past  the  blessing  of  the  Masters  may 
be  with  you  in  your  deliberations,  and  feeling  that  your  meeting 
will  be  a  centre  of  peace,  harmony,  and  prosperity  for  the  T.  S. 
throughout  the  world. 

C.  W.  Sandkrs, 

General  Secretary. 


3- 

4- 


o.  ,j 


28 

REPORT  OF  THE  FRENCH   SECTION. 

To  the  Presideni'Founder,  T.S.i-l  have  the  honour  to  make 
the  following  report  upon  the  present  condition  and  prospects  of 
the  French  Section  of  the  Theosophical  Society.  I  shall  begin  with 
some  statistics : — 

1.  Names  and  location  of  new  Branches  : 

**  V  Essor,"  21  Avenue  Montaigne  Paris,  17/ 12/1899. 
**  Ana  Bai,"  125,  Boulevard  Chave,  Marseilles,  27/6/1900. 

2.  Names  of  Branches  dissolved  ...  ...none. 

Names  of  Branches  revived        ...  ...  ...  none. 

Total  number  of  Branches        ...  ...  ...      n 

5.  Number  of  Members  admitted  during  the  year  ...      96 

6.  „  „  resigned        „  „         ...        7 

deceased       „  ^         •••         2 

of  Branch  Members    ...            ...  ...  161 

y.            ,,             Members  unattached            ...  ...  88 

10.  Total  membership        ...            ...            ...  ...  249 

11.  Increase  of  membership  during  the  year  ...  86 

12.  Magazines  issued  :  \si  Le  Lotus  Bleu, 

2nd  Le  Bullet iu  Theosophiquc, 

13.  Books  or  pamphlets  issued  : 

ist,   original:  "  La  Theosophie  en  Quelques  Chapitres/* 
par  le  Dr.  Pascal. 

**  Qu'est-ce-que  la  Theosophie,"  par  Leon  Clery. 

**  Conferences  au  Congres  de  1900,"  Mr.  Chakravarti  and 
Mrs.  A.  Besant." 

2nd,  translated:  **  Le  Sentier  du  Disciple,"  A.  Besant. 

**  La  Mort  et  les  Etats  qui  la  Suivent,"  C.  W.  Leadbeater. 

**  La  Th6sophie  et  ses  Enseignements,"  A.  Besant. 

*•  La  Vision  des  Sages  de  I'lnde,"  J.  C.  Chatterji. 

(Conference  donnee  a  Paris.) 
The  condition  of  the  Theosophical  movement  in  France  is  very 
satisfactory.  It  is  not  from  the  point  of  view  of  the  number  of  its 
members  that  it  should  be  judged,  but  rather  from  the  devotion  of 
a  large  number  of  them,  and  by  the  marked  influence  which  our 
doctrines  are  acquiring  over  the  general  thought  of  the  nation. 
Literature,  philosophy  and  religion  are  gradually  becoming  impreg- 
nated with  the  new  light  and  one  may  thus  follow,  step  by  step,  the 
spread  of  the  moral,  the  mental  and  the  spiritual  influence  of  the 
Theosophical  Society.  When  all  our  theosophists  shall  know  the 
power  of  their  heart-vibrations,  when  they  shall  have  learned  that 
their  thought,  however  isolated,  however  distant,  however  unsus- 
pected it  may  be,  can  continually  affect  the  human  atmosphere,  and 
gently  raise  the  race  towards  the  highest  stages  of  evolution,  a  great 
step  will  then  be  made  within  a  few  years. 

An  important   event  to  notice  is  the  appeal  made  to  our  dear 
Mrs.  A.  Besant,  by  the  Department  of  Public  Instruction  of  the 


29 

Canton  of  Ceneva  (Switzerland),  that  she  would  kindly  give,  during 
the  course  of  the  Winter,  two  theosophical  lectures  in  the  great  Hall 
TAula.  Mrs.  Besant,  being  obliged  to  reach  India  b}-  the  15th 
September,  has  been  forced  to  decline  the  offer,  but  has  suggested  as 
a  substitute  Dr.  Pascal,  General  Secretary  of  the  French  Section. 
He  has  accepted  and  will  give,  on  the  28th  of  November,  a  first 
lecture  on  **  Theosophy  and  its  Teachings,"  and  a  second  on  the  ist 
of  December  on  **  The  Relations  of  Theosophy  with  Science,  Philos- 
ophies and  Religions,"  A  third  lecture  will  be  given,  finally,  in 
another  hall  of  the  city  on  *'  The  Proofs  of  Re-incarnation/' 

It  is  to  be  hoped  that  this  first  official  patronage  of  the  theoso- 
phical ideas,  promulgated  under  their  true  names,  at  the  University 
of  Switzerland,  will  be  the  prelude  of  their  admission  into  the  uni- 
versities of  other  countries.  We,  theosophists,  who  believe  in  the 
Divinity  incarnated  in  the  world  to  push  on  evolution,  have  no 
doubt  upon  that  point.* 

For  Dr.  Th.  Pascal, 

Ch.  B lech y  Jr.,  Private  Secretary, 


THE  REPORT  ON  BUDDHIST  SCHOOI.S  FOR  1900. 

To  the  President' Founder,  T,  S.  : — It  was  in  June  that  I  assumed 
the  duties  of  management.  Mr.  A.  E.  Buiiltjens  went  on  leave  in 
January,  and  from  that  date  onward  to  his  final  retirement  in  June 
Mr.  D.  S.  S.  Wickramaratna  acted  as  General  Manager. 

The  resignation  of  Mr.  Buiiltjens,  through  ill-health,  is  a  serious 
loss  to  our  work.  He  assumed  the  responsibility  of  management  at 
a  critical  juncture,  when  the  Buddhist  educational  movement  was 
in  its  infancy,  meeting  with  a  strong  opposition  that  threatened  its 
ver>'  existence.  For  ten  long  years,  Mr.  Buiiltjens  guided  the 
efforts  of  the  Buddhists  with  consummate  ability  and  steady  zeal, 
and,  thanks  to  his  able  management,  our  Society  to-day  occupies  a 
prominent  and  recognised  position  in  the  field  of  education  in  this 
Island. 

Our  work  for  the  past  year  has  been  on  the  whole  satisfactory, 
steady  progress  being  visible  on  every  side.  Many  new  schools 
"have  been  opened  ;  attendance  has  con.sequently  increased  ;  and 
several  schools  have  been  registered  for  grants.     A  reference  to  the 

J -  — —     '      "*■  —    — .-       —     ....    --■     -      — ^ —      _-.__-^-_--._^.-  ■  ^^^^  _ 

•  Inadvertently,  of  course,  no  mention  is  made  of  the  holding-  of  the  Intei- 
nationnl  Theosophical  Congress  at  Paris,  June  24  to  28  inclusive,  which  was 
attended  by  Delegates  from  France,  Gjeat  Britain,  Germany,  Holland,  Belgium, 
Spain,  Italy,  Russia,  the  United  States  of  Ameriira,  and  India,  and  was  a  great 
success  in  every  respect.  The  chief  credit  for  initiating  the  gathering  is  due  to 
Commandant  D.  A.  Courmes,  our  oldest  French  member  and  a  devoted  personal 
friend  of  the  Founders,  while  its  success  was  largely  due  to  the  exertions  of 
Dr.  Pascal.  M.  Blech,  M.  Gillard  and  their  associates.  The  President- Founder 
presided,  and  Mrs.  Besant  took  an  active  part.  The  results  of  the  Congress 
promise  to  be  very  important,— Editor, 


following   tabular  statement  will  indicate  the  gradual   expansion  of 
our  work :  - 

1899.  1900. 

Number  of  schools  ...      134  150 

Number  of  Reg'd.  schools       92  119 

Total  attendance  ...15,490  18400 

Grants  Rs.  20,27170        Rs.  24,168-88 

New  schools  opened  during  the  year  are  :  IVesiern  Province  : — 
Asgiriya  (Ver.  Girls)  ;  Heneratgoda  (Ver.  Girls);  Halugam  (Ver. 
Boys)  ;  Kudagammana  (Ver.  Boys) ;  Kalutara  (Eng.  Boys)  ;  Kalutara 
(Ver.  Boys)  ;  Kaliyawadana (Ver.  Mixed)  ;  Madabaurta (Ver.  Boys); 
Nawana  (Ver.  Boys)  ;  Dodangoda  (Ver.  Mixed)  ;  Dombagoda  (Ver. 
Mixed)  ;  Hebivana  (Ver.  Mixed)  ;  Wetara  (Ver.  Girls)  ;  Dalupitiya, 
(Eng.  Boys)  ;  Dalupitiya  (Ver.  Girls)  ;  Naraheupita,  (Ver.  Mixed)  ; 
Medemula  (Ver.  Boys ).  Southern  Province : — Polwatte  (Ver.  Girls)  ; 
Totagomuwa  (Ver.  Boys)  ;  Beliatta  (Ver.  Boys).  North-western 
Provi7ice  ;— Mawila  (Ver.  Boys).  Central  Province  : — Laggala  (Ver. 
Boys)  ;  Gampola  (Training  School)  ;  Bembija  (Night  School)  :  24  in 
all. 

The  following  schools  have  been  registered  for  grants  : — Madel- 
gomuva,  Anibanwia,  Dalupitiya  (Eng.),  Mukalaugomuva,  Polgaha- 
wela,  Boralesgomewa,  Moraketiyare,  Diyogama,  Galgana,  Kudagam- 
mana, Kussala.  Meevitigammana,  Madabawita,  Nagoda,  Narawila, 
Narahenpita,  Polwatte  (English),  Rukmale,  Raddoluwa,  Uggalboda, 
Bandarawela,  Dankauda,  Gampola  (Training  School),  Widiyawatta : 
24  in  all. 

Applications  for  the  registration  of  twenty-five  schools  are  now 
before  the  Educational  Department.  New  buildings  have  been  put 
up  or  existing  buildings  extended  at  Polwatte,  Dodangoda,  Diya- 
gama,  Galgana,  GanimuUa,  Heneratgoda,  Katana,  Wellawatta,  and 
Kadewidiya.  A  spacious  building  is  in  course  of  construction  at 
Kalutara  North.  I  am  glad  to  state  that  our  English  institutions 
are  doing  good  work.  Mr.  Buiiltjen's  retirement  was  certainl3-  a 
great  loss  to  Ananda  College  ;  but  thanks  to  the  zealous  and  hearty 
co-operation  of  a  competent  staff,  I  have  been  able  to  maintain  the 
efficienc}^  of  the  College  in  an  unimpaired  condition.  Our  num- 
bers are  rapidly  increasing.  The  curriculum  of  studies  includes, 
besides  work  prescribed  for  University  and  Government  Examina- 
tions, such  practically  useful  subjects  as  Drawing,  Shorthand,  and 
Book-keeping,  which  are  taught  free  of  cost  to  such  students  as  are 
likely  to  be  benefited  by  them.  Mr.  C.  Jinarajadasa,  b.  a.  (Cantab.) 
has  recently  joined  the  College  as  Vice- Principal,  considerably 
adding  to  the  strength  of  the  staff. 

Dhannaraja  College  (Katidy)  which  was  a  source  of  considerable 
anxiety  last  year,  has  made  very  creditable  i^rogress  under  its 
new  Principal,  Mr.  C.  S.  Rajaratnam,  b.  a.    The  last  Govemment 


3t 

examinatiou  was  a  thorough  success  and  the  work  has  elicited 
commendation  from  the  Chief  Inspector  of  the  Central  Province. 

The  new  English  school  at  Kalutara  has  so  far  been  a  success. 
If  the  Buddhists  will  only  unite  to  support  the  school,  Mr.  Faber, 
the  Head-Master,  will,  I  am  sure,  show  good  results  in  the  near 
future. 

The  English  schools  at  BaduUa,  Matale,  and  Kurunegala  have 
passed  satisfactory  examinations,  but  the  same  cannot  be  said  of 
Katugastota,  Hatton,  and  Ampitiya.  The  Sanghamitta  (Girls) 
schools  had  to  be  finally  closed  about  the  middle  of  'the  year.  Our 
leading  Veniacular  schools,  too,  are  doing  excellent  work,  particu* 
larly  those  at  Wekada,  Kadewidiya,  Tangalle,  Gampola,  Dikwela, 
Kalutara  North,  and  Ataragalle.  Gampola  has  recentl}'  been 
registered  as  a  Training  School,  which,  I  hope,  will  in  course  of  time 
remove  the  great  difficulty  now  experienced  of  securing  teachers  for 
our  schools.  It  gives  me  much  pleasure  to  note  that  no  less  than  43 
of  our  Vernacular  teachers  obtained  certificates  this  year. 

Coming  to  finances,  it  will  be  seen  from  the  statistical  summary 
given  above  that  the  total  amount  of  grants  received  during  the  past 
year  was  Rs.  24,168.88.  The  total  expenditure  incurred  by  the 
Society  was  Rs.  34,254.91.  From  lists  furnished  by  a  majority  of 
local  managers,  I  find,  moreover,  that  over  Rs.  16,000  have  been  ex- 
pended locally,  in  most  cases  on  buildings,  repairs,  &c.  It  will  thus  be 
seen  that  during  the  year  under  review  a  sum  exceeding  Rs.  50,000 
has  been  spent  by  the  Buddhists  for  the  purposes  of  education. 

My  predecessor's  Report  for  1899  alludes  to  the  amalgamation 
of  the  schools  in  the  Kandyan  Districts  with  those  of  the  Western 
and  Southern  Provinces,  under  one  management.  This  amalga- 
mation, absolutely  necessary  to  save  the  up-country  schools  from 
total  collapse,  involved  the  payment  of  large  arrears  of  salar>'  due  to 
the  teachers  of  those  schools.  This  financial  responsibility,  under- 
taken with  more  generosity  than  discretion,  naturally  made  it 
difficult  for  the  Society  to  meet  the  ordinar>'  legitimate  demands 
upon  its  exchequer — a  difficulty  which  resulted,  I  fear,  in  grave  dis- 
satisfaction among  the  teachers  in  the  Western  and  Southern 
Provinces,  whose  salaries  very  often  could  not  be  paid  punctually. 
A  great  effort  was,  however,  made  to  meet  this  emergency,  and  in 
consequence,  I  am  able  to  state  that  ever\'  school  under  my 
management  has  been  paid  up  to  date. 

The  Annual  Fancy  Bazaar  has  been  a  success  this  year,  though 
contributions  from  abroad  have  been  disappointing,  owing  perhaps 
to  the  unusual  demands  made  upon  the  public  on  behalf  of  the  W^ar 
and  Famine  funds.  As  it  was,  the  Fancy  Bazaar  may  well  be  said 
to  have  saved  the  situation,  and  great  credit  is  due  to  their  energetic 
friends*  who  worked  it  up  so  successfully.  But  I  have  reason  to 
apprehend  a  large  deficit  next  year.     I  would  therefore  express  the 


32 

Earnest  hope  that  the  next  Fancy  Bazaar  may  receive  the  heart}' 
support  of  our  friends  and  well-wishers  abroad. 

The  annual  meeting  of  Local  Managers  and  Teachers  was  held 
on  the  24th  of  November,  when  great  enthusiasm  prevailed.  Over 
seventy  representatives  were  present,  and  several  important  resolu- 
tions were  discussed  and  adopted.  It  was  decided  to  introduce  a 
uniform  system  of  religious  (Buddhist)  education  with  examinations, 
in  all  our  schools,  and  to  make  **  result  payments  *'  to  teachers  upon 
the  results  of  the  annual  Government  Examination. 

In  conclusion  I  have  to  express  my  thanks  to  our  friends  and 
sympathisers  ;  to  the  Local  Managers,  to  whose  disinterested  eflForts 
the  success  of  our  work  is  greatly  due  ;  and  to  the  Inspectors  and 
Teachers,  who  have  performed  their  duties  conscientiously.  My  best 
thanks  are  also  due  to  Mr.  D.  S.  S.  Wickremaratna,  who  acted  as 
General  Manager  during  the  first  half  of  the  year,  and  has  since 
assisted  me  with  his  usual  energy  and  zeal,  and  to  the  members  of  the 
Advisory  Board,  whose  ready  counsel  has  been  always  of  great 
serv'ice. 

D.  B.  Jayatilaka,  B.A., 

General  Manager  of  Buddhist  Schools. 


BUDDHIST  PRESS  REPORT. 

To  the  President' Founder,  7".  S,  :— I  have  the  honor  to  submit 
my  report  of  the  Buddhist  Press  for  the  j^ear  ending  30th  November 
1900. 

In  my  report  for  the  last  year  I  had  the  pleasure  of  acquainting 
you  of  the  steady  progress  in  all  the  departments  under  my  control. 
It  is  gratifying  to  see  that  I  am  again  able  to  inform  you  that  my 
work  is  in  a  highly  satisfactory  condition. 

Want  of  proper  accommodation  was  much  felt  during  the  previous 
3^ears  and  I  was  therefore  not  able  to  effect  the  improvements 
necessary  to  my  satisfaction.  In  July  last,  thanks  to  the  indefatigable 
members  of  the  Colombo  T.  S.,  a  new  wing,  on  the  property  belonging 
to  the  Society,  has  been  added,  to  which  the  editorial  offices  of  the 
Sandaresa  newspaper  and  the  staff  of  compositors  have  been  removed ; 
leaving  the  Job  Department  in  the  old  premises. 

The  quad  royal  machine  imported  from  England  and  the  other 
small  machines,  together  with  the  gas  engine  by  which  the  former 
is  worked,  are  all  fitted  up  in  the  new  quarters. 

Perhaps  you  will  be  glad  to  hear  that  the  circulation  of  the 
Sandaresa  has  increased  steadily  within  the  last  year.  We  now  print 
4,000  copies  each  time.  This  number,  in  a  small  country  like  Ceylon, 
is  indeed  ver>'  gratifying,  exceeding,  as  it  does,  the  circulations  of 
other  papers. 


33 

The  Jobbing  Department  is  fully  occupied  with  several  important 
religious  and  classical  works,  I  hope  to  issue  them  as  early  as 
possible. 

As  a  novel  departure  in  the  art  of  Sinhalese  printing  I  have 
tried  colour-printing,  and  I  am  glad  to  be  able  to  say  that  I  am 
satisfied  with  what  was  done  (with  hardly  any  necessary  materials 
at  hand)  in  connection  with  the  last  Buddhist  Fancy  Bazaar. 

I  have  been  able  to  add  to  our  press  this  year  a  branch  for 
stereotyping.  The  work  turned  out  is  splendid.  A  stereot5rping 
branch  was  a  long-felt  want  in  our  press,  and  it  has,  during  the  few 
months  since  its  establishment,  proved  very  useful  and  paying, 
besides  facilitating  business  to  a  considerable  extent. 

The  English  Department  is  also  doing  good  work,  although  I 
regret  to  report  poor  progress  in  connection  with  our  monthly 
magazine,  The  Buddhist,  through  lack  of  steady  editorial  help. 
Pecuniarily,  much  might  be  expected  from  this  department  by  way 
of  job  works  and  in  printing  and  issuing  useful  Buddhist  works, 
if  any  European,  American  or  Indian  brother  who  sympathises  with 
our  work,  would  help  me  in  getting  a  foolscap  Platen  machine  and  a 
few  fonts  of  fancy  type  of  assorted  varieties. 

My  cordial  thanks  are  due  to  all  the  members  of  the  staff,  with- 
out whose  efficient  co-operation  the  present  satisfactory  condition  of 
our  affiiirs  could  not  have  been  expected. 

H.  S.  Perkra, 

Ma7iager, 

REPORT  FROM  ITALY. 

Via  Somma  Campagna,  15, 

Rome,  December  Sihy  1900. 
To  the  President'Fmnder,  TS.  : — It  is  with  much  pleasure  that 
we  are  able  to  send  for  the  first  time  a  report  from  the  "  Central 
Office"  of  the  Theosophical   Society  in  Italy,  to  the  General  Conven- 
tion of  the  Theosophical  Society. 

The  opening  of  a  "  Central  Office  "  and  a  **  Bureau  for  Publi- 
cations and  Literature  "  has  been  necessitated  by  the  development 
of  our  work  during  the  past  year.  There  are,  at  present,  four  char- 
tered Lodges  in  Italy,  three  of  which  have  been  formed  during  the 
past  year,  and  the  list  of  their  members  is  steadily  increasing,  nota- 
blv  so  in  Rome. 

The  translations  are  also  adding  to  their  number,  and  we  have 
now  four  good  pamphlets  in  Italian  for  distribution  ;  the  "  Path  of 
Discipleship  "  and  **  Esoteric  Buddhism  "  are  also  translated,  and  we 
are  expecting  the  "  Ancient  Wisdom  "  and  the  **  Inner  Purpose  of 
the  Theosophical  Society,"  from  the  printers. 

A  very  decided  development  in  interest  in  Theosophy  is  being 
noticed  in  Rome,  and  much  quiet  activity  is  going  on,  the  result  of 
which  cannot  be,  at  present,  gauged, 

E 


34 

A  small  reference  library'  has  also  been  opened  in  the  Central 
Office  ;  the  nucleus  of  the  future  Sectional  library- :  this  office  and 
its  Committee  are  purely  temporary  institutions  to  serve  as  a 
*  Centre '  round  which  will  grow  up  the  *' Italian  Section"  of  the 
Theosophical  Society.  During  the  past  year  much  valuable  help  has 
tyeen  given  to  Theosophy  in  Italy  by  the  lectures  delivered  by 
Jir.  Chatterjee  in  Rome  and  Florence.  In  April  Mrs.  Besairt  lec- 
tured in  Naples,  Rome,  and  Florence.  The  effects  of  her  words  are  still 
lingering  in  the  hearts  of  those  who  heard  her.  Italy  gives  many 
Hidications  which  are  very  hopeful,  but  your  organizing  Secretaries 
—dear  Mr.  President — feel  that  with  the  very  peculiar  conditions 
that  exist  here,  it  is  wise  to  have  as  little  in  public  print  as  is 
consistent  with  the  active  work  your  members  are  carr>'ing  on. 

We  beg  you  to  convey  to  all  our  colleagues  the  heartfelt  greet- 
ings of  Italian  members,  and  ask  our  far-off  Brothers  to  feel  that 
here  in  Italy  we  are  one  vnth  them  in  heart  and  work. 

With  most  cordial  greetings,  dear  Mr.  President,  to  you,  and  to 
all  who  are  with  you. 

We  are  your  faithful  Colleagues. 

ISABEI*  CoOPER-OAKI,EY, 

Captain  Ouvera  Boggiani. 
For  the  Central  Committee  of  the  work  in  Italy. 


Ed.  Note  : — Mrs.  Oakley  seems  to  have  forgotten  how  manj- 
thanks  we  owe  to  Mrs.  Lloyd  for  her  excellent  pioneer  work,  as, 
also,  the  recent  Italian  tour  of  the  President- Founder. — Editor. 


REPORT  ON  THE  ADYAR  LIBRARY. 

To  the  Presidetit' Founder  i—ln  submitting  herewith  my  report 
On  the  Oriental  Section  of  the  Adyar  Library  for  the  current  year, 
I  beg  to  state  that  nearly  900  MSS.  have  been  added  since  last  year. 

My  tour  for  the  year  was  confined  to  Conjeeveram,  Kalahasti, 
and  Coimbatore.  During  my  research  I  came  across  rare  works, 
among  which  were  the  Vasugupta's  Sakti  Sutras  and  Saiva  Sutras, 
with  different   commentaries,  and   I  have  secured  them   all  for   the 

Library. 

Until  now  the  British  Museum  Library  alone  could  boast  of  an 
old  Text  of  the  Sakti  Sutras,  without  commentary.  That  Librar>' 
demanded  ;^2o  for  supplying  us  with  a  copy  of  the  work.  We  hav^e 
now,  however,  that  text  in  good'order  with  different  commentaries. 
I  can  safely  say  that  this  Library  now  contains  more  than  200  rare 
MSS.  that  are  not  found  in  the  '*  Catalogus  Catalogorum." 

The  number  of  MSS.  in  the  year  1892  was  only  515,  but  in  the 
bourse  of  the  past  seven  years  the  number  has  come  up  to  3,762, 
comprising  2,333  works.  These  MSS.  have  been  secured  without  any 
cost  to  the  Librar>'. 


35 

Our  thanks  are  due  to  Messrs.  Ramaswamier,  T.  Sadasiva  Ai3'er, 
K.  S.  Subramania  Iyer  and  Vaidyanathier,  of  Coimbatore,  and 
T.  Viswanatha  Yogi,  of  Kalabasti,  for  this  year's  success  in  securing 
rare  and  useful  MSS. 

With  the  additional  establishment  of  a  Pandit  and  a  copyist 
recently  sanctioned,  we  hope  to  bring  out  a  complete  list  of  all  the 
MSS.  in  the  Library  within  a  few  months'  time. 

R.  AXANTHAKRISHXA  SASTRV. 


EDUCATION  OF  THE  PANCHAMAS. 

To  the  President' Founder : — The  Panchama  educational  move- 
ment, which  was  started  by  you  in  1895,  with  55  pupils,  hae 
steadily  advanced,  until  we  now  have  three  schools  with  an  atten- 
dance of  about  125  pupils  each  ;  and  ground  has  just  been  brokeai 
for  another  school,  with  a  prospect  of  100  pupils  to  open  wit^. 
Calculating  on  the  steady  growth  of  the  three  schools  now  is 
operation,  we  shall  have  over  500  pupils  under  tuition  as  soon  as 
this  school  opens. 

The  eagerness  with  which  these  poor  children  pursue  their 
studies  is  really  astonishing,  and  the  results  achieved  at  the 
Government  examinations  show  a  larger  percentage  of  passes  on  the 
average  than  is  found  among  European  or  caste  schools. 

The  money  for  the  establishment  and  up-keep  of  these  schools 
has  been  contributed  by  friends  of  the  movement,  nearly  all  of  it 
coming  from  Europeans  and  Americans. 

As  it  is  more  blessed  to  give  than  to  receive,  it  is  to  be  hoped 
that  Hindus  will  not  always  let  this  opportunity,  of  earning  the 
blessings  of  the  Holy  Ones  by  conferring  the  blessing  of  education 
upon  the  lower  classes  about  them,  pass  by.  How  can  any  of  us 
dare  ask  for  blessings  from  those  above  us,  unless  we  are  also  earn- 
estly seeking  to  confer  blessings  upon  those  below  us  ? 

The  educational  course  followed  in  the  schools  is  elementary 
but  useful,  the  pupils  being  taken  only  up  to  the  Fourth  Standard. 
The  object  of  the  movement  is  not  to  turn  out  clerks  or  professional 
men,  but  only  to  fit  the  Pariah  children  for  such  kinds  of  employ- 
ment as  are  open  to  them,  such  as  domestic  service  with  Europeans, 
tally-keepers  in  small  bazaars,  time-keepers  under  contractors, 
teachers  in  Panchama  schools,  petty  shopkeeping,  local  guides 
to  travellers,  etc.  Our  teachers  in  our  three  schools  are  ajl 
of  this  community  and  they  give  great  satisfaction.  By  degrees 
the  people  are  coming  to  know  of  the  great  success  obtainoc} 
in  all  our  three  schools,  and  they  are  asking  us  to  open  new 
schools  in  their  villages.  I  should  not  be  surprised  if  the 
movement  should  spread  with  great  rapidity  and  grow  into 
one  of  prime  importance.    A  gentleman  of  Europe  gave  to  Col, 


36 

Olcott  last  summer  the  sum  of  Fes.  36,ocx)  in  cash  for  luvestment, 
the  income  earned  by  the  capital  to  be  divided  between  the 
Adyar  Librar>'  and  the  Panchama  Education  Fund,  in  the  proportion 
of  two-thirds  and  one-third  respectively.  This  will  give  the  schools 
a  fixed  income  of  about  ;^22  per  annum  or  Rs.  26  per  mensem, 
enough  to  pay  the  salary  of  one  teacher. 

W.  A.  Engush. 


BUDDHIST  THEOSOPHICAI.  SOCIETY, 

Galle,  12th  December  1900. 

COLONEI.  H.  S.  O1.COTT, 

Pfeside^tt' Founder,  Theosophical  Society,  Madras. 

Sm: 

I  beg  to  send,  herewith,  the  Annual  Report  of  the  Buddhist 
Theosophical  Society,  Galle,  for  the  year  ending  31st  December 
1900,  with  statement  of  accounts. 

I  beg  to  remain. 
Sir, 
Yours  obediently, 

O.  A.  JAYASEKERK, 

Secretary. 

BUDDHIST  THEOSOPHICAL  SOCIETY, 

Galle,  i^th  Decefnber  1900. 

Report, 

The  work  of  the  Society  is  confined  to  educational  matters.  All 
the  schools  under  the  management  of  the  Society  did  fairly  well  at 
the  last  Grant-in-aid-Examination. 

Katukurunda  mixed  school  is  registered  as  a  Grant-in-aid  school 
and  will  be  examined  in  the  early  part  of  next  year.  Want  of  funds 
prevents  the  Society  from  opening  a  few  more  schools  in  parts  where 
there  are  no  schools. 

Last  year  when  Colonel  Olcott  was  here,  a  fund  was  raised  for 
erecting  a  building  for  Mahinda  College.  It  is  deposited  in  the 
Chartered  Mercantile  Bank.  Although  Colonel  Olcott  made  an 
application  to  the  Government  Agent  of  the  Province  for  a  plot  of 
Crown  Land  adjoining  the  Dangedara  mixed  school  for  a  sum  of 
Rs.  250  and  although  he  recommended  to  the  Government  the  grant- 
ing of  the  land  for  the  purpose  applied  for,  yet  nothing  has  been 
heard  from  Government  officially* 

O.  A.  JAYASEKERE. 

Secretary. 


i1 


Siaienient  of  Galle  Buddhistic  National  Fund  for    1900. 


To  Cullecfcion   by   Col.  H.  S. 

Olcott 
To     Interest     from    D.    H. 

Prolis 
To  Interest  from  W.  P.  Gun- 

csekere 
To  arrears  of  Interest  due  ... 


Total... 


5,845 

90 

108 
804 


6,848 


GALr,K,  Wih  December  1900. 


93 

0 

0 
51 


44 


By  principal  due  on  Bonds... 
„       Do        recovered 
„  Value  of  lands  purchased. 
„  Allowance  paid  to  Haber- 

adowc  School 
„  Allowance  paid  to  Dange- 

dera  North 
„  Balance  in  the  hands  of 

Mr.  Perera 
Balance   in  the   hands  of 

Mr.  D.  O.  D.  S.   Gunese- 

kere  ••• 

„  Paid  to  Mahinda  College.. 
„     Do    for   stamps  to    Mr. 

D.O.D.8.  Gunesekere    ... 


a 


a 


Balance  in  C.  M.  Bank  ... 

Total... 


2,100 

1,116 

975 

110 

90 

200 


496 
70 

200 


1,491 


6,848 


0 
O 
0 

0 

0 

0 


0 
0 

0 


44 


44 


T.  D.  S.  Amarasuriva. 


Statement  of  Mahinda  College  Fund, 


December  14,  19(>3 

To  amount  of  collections   by 
Col.  H.  S.  Olcott  from  June 
1899 
„  Amoant  of  Interest  receiv- 
ed from  C.  M.  Bank 


Total... 


Gallb,  14tfe  D«C€wb^  IdOO. 


5,392 
83 


90 
25 


5,476 


15 


June  2nd,  1899,  By  paid  for  a 
cheque  book 

June  12th,  1899,  By  paid  ex- 
penses for  June  collections . . . 

August  17th,  1899,  By  paid 
Mahinda  College 

August  3lst,  1899,  By  paid 
Kandy  College  a  loan  to  Mr. 

Hack  '  * ' 

September  23rd,  1899,  By  paid 

expenses   for    August   and 

Sept.  collections 
September  23rd,  1809,  By  paid 

Bank  postage 
December  14th,  1900,  By  paid 

Balance  in  C.  M.  Bank 


j».. 


Total... 


5,476 


25 

0 

19 

0 

0 
07 
64 
15 


T»  D.  S>  Amabasubiya. 


3« 

THE  TWENTY- FIFTH  ANNIVERSARY  MEETING. 

The  celebration  of  the  Twenty-fifth  Anniversary  of  the  Theoso- 
phical  Society  was  held  at  Benares,  on  the  evening  of  December 
28th  in  the  Central  Hindu  College  Hall,  which  was  beautifully 
decorated  for  the  occasion,  and  closely  packed  \v4th  eager  listeners. 
The  President- Founder  occupied  the  chair  and  made  the  opening 
speech,  in  which  he  referred  to  the  beginning  of  the  movement, 
twenty-five  years  ago,  and  traced  its  steady  growth  up  to  the 
present,  through  the  storms  and  trials  which  have  tried  the  hearts 
of  its  members.    His  remarks  were  highly  appreciated. 

The  President  then  selected  certain  gentlemen  as  capable  of 
testifying  to  the  spread  of  the  movement  in  their  several  localities, 
who  addressed  the  meeting,  viz. ;  first,  for  Northern  India,  the 
Honourable  Norendro  Nath  Sen,  Editor  of  the  Indian  Mirror^  whose 
courageous,  public  advocacy  of  Theosophy,  through  evil  report  and 
good  report,  for  a  long  period  of  time,  has  won  the  esteem  of  all 
Indian  members  of  the  T.  S. 

For  South  India,  Mr.  K.  Narayanaswamy  Aiyer,  Southern 
Provincial  Secretary.  His  enthusiastic  remarks  were  loudly  ap- 
plauded. 

For  the  Parsi  community,  Mr.  J.  N.  Unwalla,  m  a..  Principal  of 
Samaldas  College,  Bhavnagar,  who  next  read  a  scholarly  address 
on  the  progress  of  Theosophy  among  his  people. 

For  Europe  as  a  whole,  Mr.  Bertram  Keightley,  General  Secre- 
tary of  the  Indian  Section,  was  called  upon,  and  drew  an  impressive 
contrast  between  the  indifference  felt  for  Theosophy  in  Europe 
twenty-five  years  ago,  and  the  present  widespread  interest. 

Mr.  F.  T.  Brooks  of  Brussels  next  gave  an  interesting  account 
of  the  growth  of  the  movement  in  Belgium  and  France. 

To  Mrs.  Lloyd,  who  rendered  most  important  s:ervice  in  the 
beginning  of  the  Italian  movement,  was  assigned  the  duty  of  telling 
the  meeting  how  things  had  developed  in  that  world-centre  of 
Christianity. 

The  closing  speech  of  the  evening  was  made  by  Mrs.  Besant, 
whose  fervid  utterances  were  listened  to  with  most  profound  atten- 
tion and  followed  by  prolonged  applause. 


Mrs.  BESANT^S  LECTURES. 

The  opening  lecture  of  Mrs.  Beaant*s  course  was  given  in  the 
Central  Hindu  College  Hall,  on  the  evening  of  December  26th,  her 
subject  being,  "  The  Four  Ashramas*"  No  brief  report  could  do 
justice  to  her  powerful  discourse,  which,  together  with  the  three 
subsequent  ones,  ** Temples,  Priests  and  Worship,"  "The  Caste 
System,"  and  **  Womanhood,"  will  soon  be  issued  in  book  forln. 

The  lecturer  said  sll^  should  tr>'  to  put  forth  the  ancient  Indian 


39 

ideal,  in  sad  and  bitter  contrast  with  the  degraded  present  as  it  noW 
exists.  India  can  rise  only  by  the  greatness  of  her  sons.  Part  of 
India  is  determined  not  to  move  at  all.  That  means,  death.  The 
spirit  of  the  age  is  the  Divine  impulse  along  the  road  of  Evolution. 

The  problem  is  to  preserve  Indian  spirituality  and  add  to  it 
everything  which  any  other  nation  has  to  give  which  is  of  value. 

Being  interrupted  by  prolonged  applause,  Mrs.  Besant  said : 
**  Will  any  of  you  give  your  lives  for  India,  instead  of  the  mere 
applause  of  your  hands  ? " 

Education  should  deal  with  the  spiritual,  the  emotional,  the 
intellectual  and  the  physical.  Modern  education  consists  mainly  in 
the  development  of  the  intellectual. 

How  many  realise  that  man  really  succeeds  only  as  he  raises 
others  along  with  himself. 

The  fourfold  system  of  education  is  pursued  in  all  the  leading 
English  Universities,  Religious  exercises  are  held  every  morning. 
On  the  walls  of  these  buildings  are  inscribed  the  names  of  those  who 
have  made  their  lives  glorious  b^^  noble  deeds  in  the  senrace  of 
humanity,  and  great  attention  is  paid  to  physical  training,  along 
with  the  intellectual  work. 

She  spoke  of  the  decreasing  stature  of  Hindus,  in  localities 
where  too  early  marriages  prevail,  and  reprimanded  their  ignorance 
of,  and  indifference  to,  physiological  laws. 

In  her  second  lecture,  on  **  Temples,  Priests  and  Worship,"  she 
spoke  of  the  importance  of  right  religious  ideals  and  of  their  proper 
expression  in  true  worship,  and  referred  to  the  appalling  degrada- 
tion which  is  now  manifest  in  the  conduct  of  many  of  the  Hindu 
Temples. 

In  her  third  lecture,  on  **  The  Caste  System,  "  she  said  that 
changes  in  social  systems  must  be  made  with  great  forethought, 
and  that  we  should  carefully  distinguish  between  essentials  and  non- 
essentials. The  principles  of  caste  are  clearly  stated  in  the  Gita. 
They  are  fundamental  and  natural  divisions  of  people  into  four  classes, 
and  represent  the  different  stages  in  the  paths  of  evolution  along 
which  humanity  travels.  In  countries  where  there  is  no  definite 
caste,  we  find  that  the  same  fundamental  differences  in  characteris- 
tics exist  among  the  people.  The  easiest  position  lies  with  the 
lowest  class,  and  the  duties  increase  as  the  grade  advances.  The 
subtle  bodies  also  differ  among  the  four  castes,  and  depend  upon 
heredity,  largely. 

Men  used  to  look  on  birth  not  as  a  matter  of  chance,  but  a 
matter  of  karmic  law.  These  multitudinous  sub-castes  result  from 
man's  pride,  selfishness  and  separateness.  The  Br&hmana  walls 
himself  around  with  barriers  and  is  indifferent  to  the  welfare  of 
those  below  him.  When  man  asks  for  privilege,  forgetful  of  duty, 
resentment  grows  up  instead  of  love.  Vanity  and  the  spirit  of 
^xclusiveness   is  common    among  the  BrShmanas.    I<et  us  try  to 


4c 

recognise  the  use  of  the  original  fourfold  divisions  and  try  to 
ignore  the  non-essential  sub-divisions.  Inter-marriage  and  inter- 
dining  among  all  Br^hmanas  should  be  recommended.  Transition 
from  one  of  the  lower  castes  to  a  higher  is  not  to  be  recommended. 
One  should  cheerfully  accept  the  body  one  is  bom  in,  with  its  atten- 
dant Kanna,  and  try  to  be  worthy  of  a  better  one  next  time. 

Outcasting  was  practised  to  preserve  the  purity  of  the  caste, 
but  who  are  now  fit  to  be  the  proper  judges  in  these  cases. 
One  may  now  outrage  every  principle  of  morality  yet  not  be  out- 
casted,  if  he  keep  up  the  outer  forms  ;  yet,  if  a  young  man  travel 
abroad  to  get  an  education,  he  may  be  at  once  outcasted,  or  he  ma^ 
not — it  seems  now  to  be  a  mere  matter  of  chance.  According  to 
the  ignorance  of  the  sub-castes  is  the  cruelty  of  the  outcasting.  In 
the  far  past,  Hindus  were  accustomed  to  travel  freely  in  distant 
lands. 

All  the  nations  of  the  world  are  beginning  to  intermingle,  one 
with  another  and  enjoy  the  benefits  to  be  derived  from  associa- 
ting with  each  other.  Other  nations  are  getting  much  from  India, 
why  do  you  Indians  shut  yourselves  off  from  others  ?  Such  asso- 
ciation promotes  Brotherhood.  When  will  you  recognise  merit  and 
demerit,  instead  of  following  prejudice  and  ignorance?  The 
thoughtful,  the  religious,  should  mark  out  the  line  of  life  and  walk 
in  it. 

Outside  all  caste  there  are  thousands  and  millions  of  human 
beings  who  are  utterly  neglected  and  looked  down  upon.  Hinduism 
is  being  slowly  undermined  by  Christianity  and  Islamism ;  if  thL^ 
continues,  Hinduism  will  sink  lower  and  lower.  Would  it  not  be 
wiser  for  Hindus  to  devise  some  means  of  treating  these  people  in 
a  different  manner,  and  recognise  merit  wherever  it  may  be  found? 
We  should  try  to  recognise  the  use  of  the  ancient  social  system,  in- 
stead of  following  the  mere  burlesque  of  it  which  we  see  at  present. 
Let  the  truly  learned  take  this  matter  in  hand  ;  let  the  /^wrw^^lead. 
and  let  the  ignorant  follow. 

We  regret  that  we  have  no  notes  of  the  last  lecture. 


FEBHANKNT  YVSH. 


lECEIPTS. 


on  Mortgage  of  Bi. 
ATith  UesarB.  Thomp- 
id  Co.,  @  lOf/o  P«" 
1,  for  one  ye&r  from 


,  from  the  Puit  Office 
,gB  Bank  on  Ba.  10-0-~ 
■(99-1900 


Amount  to  tbe  Heedqonnera 
Fund  tratuferred  from  the 
iDtersBt,  to  meet  the  cui 
expensea 


OfBalanoo  loanedon  Beoaritiet,..! 25.000 
Total  Ba,.i2;,S3H 


imnvEBSAKr  fuhd. 


RECEIPTS. 

*„<»... 

EXPENSES. 

Ammini. 

Rb. 

A 

P 

Rb. 

.['. 

ce    on  25th   Dscember 

CoBt  of  feeding  at  the   carte 

M 

18 

9 

! 

kitchen 

411 

3   0 

Vagra     Kao      NbMq 

Balance  paid  to  Pandal  Con- 

iiwftrtft,  for  1898 

G 

( 

0 

13 

8    0 

1 

0 

Coiit     of     feeding     at     the 

J.  Edal  Behram,  Sarat 

Earopean  table 

102 

4   0 

ContribatioiiB  for  1899 

3A 

( 

459 

4   K 

toor  BmnchT-B.      do.. 

20 

0 

Extra  Borvanta  Enjfagod      .. 

10 

A.  8.  Vaidianatha   Iyer 

Postage  and  TolBgramB 

29 

1    (I 

Contribotion  for  1899. 

10 

0 

9    U 

mkal  Branch  T.  S.     do... 

10 

0 

c 

.t  Lod^T.  a.,  Colombo 

Fondrelnmed 

SO 

0  0 

Contribution  for  1899 

30 

0 

Sundrieg 

30 

5   3 

«Bn(ra  Branch  T.  S.  do,.. 

10 

0'     " 

¥..  U^HHi                      do... 

IS 

0 

-  8«lem  Branch  T.  S.  do  .. 

10 

0 

.KBda            do          do... 

5 

0 

rur                do          do... 

5 

0 

Khat             dn         do... 

9 

(, 

riaaraopet     do         do... 

6 

(■ 

•«y                do         do... 

15 

(1 

(laraniam       do          do... 

5 

0 

rsi  i-isitora  from  Bomluy 

Contribntion  for  1809. 

50 

0 

.UBaniai>tC««nwlado.. 

5 

0 

r.  S.  K.  Snbrova  Chcttiar, 

*lein,Contribntioii  for  1899. 

6 

0 

6 

r,   Koti&h    Chelly    Gara, 

Ncllorp,  Contribulion   for 

1890. 

6 

0 

-l-l 

Curiedover.. 

279 

1  3^                        Carried  over... 

1,199 

111 

4c 

recognise  the  use  of  the  original  fourfold  divisions  and  trj'  to 
ignore  the  non-essential  sub-divisions.  Inter-marriage  and  inter- 
dining  among  all  BrShmanas  should  be  recommended.  Transition 
from  one  of  the  lower  castes  to  a  higher  is  not  to  be  recommended. 
One  should  cheerfully  accept  the  body  one  is  bom  in,  with  its  atten- 
dant Kanna,  and  try  to  be  worthy  of  a  better  one  next  time. 

Outcasting  was  practised  to  preserve  the  purity  of  the  caste, 
but  who  are  now  fit  to  be  the  proper  judges  in  these  cases. 
One  may  now  outrage  every  principle  of  morality  yet  not  be  out- 
casted,  if  he  keep  up  the  outer  forms  ;  yet,  if  a  young  man  travel 
abroad  to  get  an  education,  he  may  be  at  once  outcasted,  or  he  may 
not — it  seems  now  to  be  a  mere  matter  of  chance.  According  to 
the  ignorance  of  the  sub-castes  is  the  cruelty  of  the  outcasting.  In 
the  far  past,  Hindus  were  accustomed  to  travel  freely  in  distant 
lands. 

All  the  nations  of  the  world  are  beginning  to  intermingle,  one 
with  another  and  enjoy  the  benefits  to  be  derived  from  associa- 
ting with  each  other.  Other  nations  are  getting  much  from  India, 
why  do  you  Indians  shut  yourselves  off  from  others  ?  Such  asso- 
ciation promotes  Brotherhood.  When  will  you  recognise  merit  and 
demerit,  instead  of  following  prejudice  and  ignorance  ?  The 
thoughtful,  the  religious,  should  mark  out  the  line  of  life  and  walk 
in  it* 

Outside  all  caste  there  are  thousands  and  millions  of  human 
beings  who  are  utterly  neglected  and  looked  down  upon.  Hinduism 
is  being  slowly  undermined  by  Christianity  and  Islamism ;  if  this 
continues,  Hinduism  will  sink  lower  and  lower.  Would  it  not  be 
wiser  for  Hindus  to  devise  some  means  of  treating  these  people  in 
a  different  manner,  and  recognise  merit  wherever  it  may  be  found? 
We  should  try  to  recognise  the  use  of  the  ancient  social  system,  in- 
stead of  following  the  mere  burlesque  of  it  which  we  see  at  present. 
Let  the  truly  learned  take  this  matter  in  hand  ;  let  the  learned  lead, 
and  let  the  ignorant  follow. 

^X^e  regret  that  we  have  no  notes  of  the  last  lecture. 


FEAKANIMT  FVND. 


I   25th   Deoember 


Intereat  on  Mortgage  of  Bb. 
5,000  with  Ueuni.  Thomp- 
Bon  and  Co.,  (g  IOI'/b  per 
aniinm,  for  ooe  year  froni 
Decnmber  1899  to  Novem- 
ber 1900,  at  a  monthlv 
intereit  of  Bb.  43-12 

Interest  from  the  Post  Office 
Savings  Bank  on  Bl.  10-0-9 
for  1899-1900 


Amount  to  the  Headqaarter 
Fund  trangferred  from  the 
inUtrogt,  to  meet  the  current 


C  Balanoo  loanedon  seoaritiea... 


Total  B<...I2>,63H  I 


AHNITESSAUr  FUND- 


BECEIPTS. 

Amount. 

EXPENSES. 

Anionnt. 

Bi. 

Bi. 

A 

V. 

CoBt  of  feeding  at  the   caite 

1899 

18 

kitchen 

441 

8 

9 

Mr.      Pa^ra      Boo      Naidn 

Balance  paid  to  Pand^  Con. 

Beiwada,  for  1898 

5 

13 

8 

0 

Cnxt     of     feeding     at     the 

Dr.  J.  Edal   Behram,  Snrat 

102 

4 

0 

ContribatiodB  for  1899. 

86 

Printing  Anniversary  Reports 

469 

4 

ChLttoor  BmnchT.S.      do... 

20 

Extra  aervants  Engaged 

10 

0 

0 

Mr.  A.  8.   Vaidianetha  ly^r 

29 

i: 

Contribotion  for  1S99. 

10 

Printing  and  Stationery      .. 

3 

9 

w 

Numakal  Branch  T.  S.    do... 

10 

Hope  Lodge  T.  B.,   Colombo 

Fund  relumed 

60 

0 

0 

Contribution  tor  1899 

ao 

Sundrieg 

30 

6 

3 

RivaftaDga  Branch  T.  S.  do... 

10 

Mr.  E.  Dewi                     do... 

15 

The  Balem  Branch  T.  S.  do  .. 

10 

Bezwada              do          do.,. 

6 

Knmt                  do          do,.. 

5 

Palghat               do          do... 

9 

Narasaraopet      du          do... 

6 

Gooty                  do          do... 

15 

Vodaraniam        do          do... 

n 

Parsi  iH  Hi  tors  from   Bombay 

Contribution  for  1899. 

60 

Bala  Samaj  at  Cocanada  do  .. 

6 

Mr.  8.  K.  Subroya   Chettiar, 

Salem.Coutribation  for  1899. 

5 

Contribution  for  1899. 

6 

Mr.    Kotiah     Chetty    Gam, 

Nellore,   Contribution  fon 
1S99. 

6 

Carried  over.. 

279 

Carried  over... 

1,199 

4 

11 

ATOivEBSAST  irmn-rcmimtudj. 


BECEIPTS. 

Amonn 

t.                    EXPENSES. 

Amount. 

Rb.     a 

.P 

Bb. 

A-P. 

Broaght   forward. 

279 

o                     Brought  forward.. 

1,109 

+  g 

Mr.  C.  RfttnUh  Garo,  Nellore 

! 

Contribution  for  1899 

2 

D 

Mr.  B.  RnnRa  Rediiy,  Nellore 

Contribution  for  1899 

6 

3 

Vedacbelft  lludr.,  Chinjtleput 

6 

3 

Dr.  M.  H.  Jaganatha  Ebju  do 

3 

Mr.  Vonkoteaa  Iyer            do 

2 

J 

„  D.VenkataBao.Salemdo 

S 

J 

Bala  Samaj  at  Bezwada    do 

) 

Porinkulam  Branch  T.  8.  do 

4 

J 

A  Member  of  the  T.  8.       do 

1 

ilr.  B.    Panchapatteaa   Sastr 

ContribDCion  for  1899 

1 

A  MpihInt  of  the  T.  3.    do.. 

1 

Wr.  V.  C.     Sesha    Charrinr 

! 

1899 

16 

Mr.  BaUchandra  Iyer      do.. 

3 

pnh.  Contribotion  for  1899 

10 

3 

„    K.S.Submmaniryerdo 

2 

„    V.  Balaramiah  Gara   do 

2 

„    A.  NilakantaSsBtrialdo 

10 

„    D.PunuhottamGnrudo 

2 

The  Royndrujt   Branch  T.  8 

1 

6 

A  friend                 do 

1 

Mr.K.  r.  Perraiu,  Cooanada 

Contribotion  for  1890 

20 

Mr.  B.  G.  Bodenkar         do.. 

2 

! 

1 

„    M.  V.  K,                    do.. 

3 

1 

„    A.   Hanumartha  Charlu 

1 

Contribution  for  IS99 

2     ( 

i 

1     C 
1     C 

„    Raahava  CharlQ          do 

„    S. V.                              do 

1     ( 

'  0 

„    B.  Gin  Bow                  do 

8     t 

0 

The  Awahener  of  India      do 

2     f 

r 

Mr.  Sanjiviflh                      do 

2     C 

0 

A  friend  from  Conji             do 

1      C 

0 

Mr.  A.  E.  SitaramaBaatri  do 

2     C 

0 

„  Sandararaia  Rao  A  afriend 

: 

Contribution  for  1890 

1    IS 

0                                       ! 

Dr.    A.   Marques  for    Aloha 

1 

T.  S.  Contribution  for  1899 

80     0 

0                                                ' 

100     0 

0 

Mr.  D.  GoBtling,  Bombay,  do 

124     0 

"                               1 

The  Adyar  Lodge  T.  S.       do 

20     0 

0                                                1 

100     0 

0                                     ;        1 

Mr.  M.  BingaraTelu  Mudr.  do 

5     0 

0 

„    A.    Kamaawami    Sastrial 

Contribution  for  1899. 

7     0 

c 

Carried  over... 

514     8 

0                            Carried  over... 

1,199 

I.    0 

1 

AiJiflVERSARY  TVKD-i.Continued). 


RECEIPTS. 


Amoant. 


i> 


Brought  forward... 

Mr.  y.K.  Desika  Cbarriar 

CoDtribution  for  1899. 

C.  K.  Chiniiasami  Iyer  du 

V.  Sundram  Iyer  do 

V.  CooppuBwaini  Iyer   dO| 

Bangalore    Cantonment  T.  8. 

Contribution  for  1899. 

Coimbatore  Branch  T.  S.  do 

Mr.  V.  Yasudeva  Iyer        do 

,,    A.    Saptarishi   Iyer    and 

Mr.  B.  Siva  Hao  Contribu-I 

tions  for  1899. 

lif  r.  T.  Chidambara  Row     do 

Masulipatain  Branch  Secy,  do 

Amount  received  for  private 

huts.    Convention  of  1899 . 
Donation   from   guests 
Loan     recovered     from    the 

Library  Fund 
Loan  received  from  the  Head 

quarters  Fund 
Annual  Dues    of  Mr.   R.   K 

Modi's  wife 
Annual  from  Mr.  K.  V.    Dvi 

vedi,  Mombasa 
Annual  T.  W.  Williams,  Esq., 
Loudon 


Rs. 
514 


5 
1 
L 
5 

20 

10 

5 


3 

5 

10 

28 
4 

100 

320 

10 
6 

15 


Total  Rs...  1,343 


A. 


0 


0  0 

8i  0 


0 
0 

0 
0 


0 
0 
0 

8 
12 

0 

0 

0 

0 

o! 


0 
0 

0 
0 
0 


0 
u 
0 

0 
0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 


EXPENSE. 


Amount. 


Brought  forward,., 


Rs.    A. 

I 
1,199   4 


P. 
11 


Balance... 
Total  Rs... 


1,199 
143 


4 
12 


1,343 


II 

4 

3 


44 

HEADaUAETERS  FUND. 

1900. 


RKCEIPTS. 


Amount. 


KXPEX8E. 


Amount. 


>» 


M 


n 


»» 


»• 


13n]aiicc   on   25tli  December 
1899 

Donations. 
Mr.  Peter  D'Abrew,  Colombo 
H.  Nagasa  Bao,  Bezwada. 
K.  Annaswami  Iyer,  Tri- 
vellore 
Mr.   P.   Nanjunda   Naidu, 
Hassan 

D.  Nowroji,  Bombay     ... 

E.  Annamalai  Mudaliar.. 
Anautarai  Nattiji  Mehta, 

Bhaunagar 
A  friend  through  English   ... 
Lala    Hari   Krishna    Das, 

liahoro 
Miss  Ida  IX.  Patch,  Donation. 
Miss  Elena  Adolf ovna,   Italy 

£50  (Donation   for    Col.'s 

Travelling   Fund,  but  lent 

to  Headquarters) 
Mr.  G.  Sambiah,  Subn.  for  8 

months 
Entrance   Fees   and    annual 

Dues 
Recovery   of  loans  to  other 

funds 
Interest   on  mortgages    and 

Deposits 
Sale  of  prai'den  produce 
Kocovery  of  advance  for  rice 

distribution 
Sundries 

25  "  f^^  Dues  from  Sections : 
Europenn  Section,  T,  S. 
American       do 
!New  Zealand  do 
Australian      do 
Scandinavian  Section 
Dutch  do 

French  do 

Indian  do 

Buenos  Aires  Branch 


Rs. 


1,329 

5 
2 


3 
3 

1 

84 
3 

12 
45 


750 

19 

60 

94 

641 
175 

665 
3 

521 

1,203 

111 

197 

399 

148 

170 

1,919 

33 


Total  Ra...,  8,503 


A. 


0 

0 
0 

0 

0 
0 
0 

0 
C 

0 
11 


01 

8 

9 

0 

6 
7 

2 
0 

8 

6 

14 

10 

13 

12 

0 

7 

2 


P. 


Food  expense  for  guests 
Postage  and  telegrams 
Printing  and  stationery 

0  Repairs  and  construction 

0  Travelling  expense 
Stable  expenses 

0  Sundries 
Establishment  charges 

0  Loan  given  to  Anniversary 

0      Fund 

OlLoan  given  to  Library  Fund 
Do   returned  to  Library  Fund 

01 

a 

0 
0 


0 


c 

01 


c 

u 


2 

0 


11 


0 


Rs. 

141 

147 

77 

375 

64 

9i7 

2,156 

2,367 

320 
270 
250 


1 


Balance. 
Total  Be... 


7,097 
1,405 


.V.P. 


15 
1 
8 
9 
L4 
.0 
1 
0 

0 
0 


0 
6 
10 
0 
9 
4 

I 

u 
6 

M 
0 


8,503 


13 
9 


6 
U 


45 

IIB&ABY  FUHD. 


1900. 


RECEIPTS. 


Amount. 


EXPENSE. 


Balance  on  the  2otli  Deer.  '99.1 

DOSATIOKH. 

Mr.     T.    Munigesa     Nadar, 

Tranquebiir 
Mr.   B.   Sooria    Row    Naidu, 

Yizagapatam 
Mr.  A.  VenkatakaTiniali,    Na- 

makal 
Mr.  A.  Schwarz,  Colombo   ... 
Sir  S.  Rabramanier,  Mylapore 
Bt.    Hon.   the    Earl   of  Mex- 

borough 
Mr,  Geo.  Tubbs 
Mr.  C.  Sambiah,  Mylapore  .. 
An   F.   T.   S.    of   Burma  for 

whole  year 
Mr.  A.  Schwnrz 
Loan  received  from  H.S.O.'s 

Private  Fund 
Loan   received    from    Head- 
quarters Fund 
Loan  recovered  from    Head- 

qoarten  Fund 
Anon. 

Interest    on  P.    O.    Savings 
Bank 


Total  Rs.... 


Rs. 


£26 

IOC 

20 

1 
100 
100 

78 
73 
19 

600 
SO 

195 

27C 

25C 

20 

0 


A. 


1510 


0 

0 

4 
0 
0 

12 
14 

8 


P. 


0 


c 


0 
0 
0 


( 

/ 

0 


Establishment  charges 
Purchase  of  Books 
Binding  charges 
Subscription  to  Periodicals 
Freight  &  Postage 
Sundries 
Loans  returned 


0  0 
0  0 

0 


0 
0 

0 
0 

8 


0 

0 
0 


Balance... 


Total  Bs.... 


Amount. 


Rs. 


822 

423 
68 

311  4 
2413 


A.  P. 

3    0 

141  O 
0 


105 
495 


4 
0 


6 
3 
0 


T.  817BBA  SOW  MEDAL  FUND< 


RECEIPT. 


Amount. 


EXPENSE. 


Balance  on    25th   December 
1899 

Interest   from  P.  ().   Savings 
Bank  a  c  for  1899-1900    ... 


Total  Rfl.... 


Bs. 

1,246 

38 


1,284 


A. 


6 


P. 


10 


9   0 


16110 


Cost  of  making  a  Gold  Medal 
Do.     Engraving  on  it 


Balunce  Rs.... 


Total  Rs«... 


Amount. 


Rs. 


51 
3 


51 
1,230 


1,284 


A. 

6 
0 

6 
9 


15 


P. 

0 
0 

0 
10 


10 


46 

White  lotus  dat  fund. 


IIECEIPT. 

Amount. 

EXPENSE. 

j 
Amount 

• 

Balance  oil  25tli  Decern bor 

1891 

Donation**. 
Mr.  T.  P.  Srivenkateswaralu, 

Cocanadu 
The  Dutch  SectioiiT.S.i:71.8 

Rs. 

253 

2 
106 

A. 

0 

0 
4 

4 

P. 

C 

0 
0 

0 

White  LotU8  Day  Expense  ... 

Balance  ... 

Total  Rs... 

Rs. 
23  J 
838 

A. 

3 

0 

4 

1 

P. 
6 
6 

361 

0 

Total  Rs... 

361 

FOUNDERS  FUND. 


RECEIPT. 


Amount. 


EXPENSE. 


Amount. 


Rs. 


An  F.  T.  S.  in  Paris  Dona- 
ted Fes.  36,0;iO  Converted 
into  Sterling  (fr>  25  Fc$». 
|>er  Pound,  amounting  to 
£  1,431-16-4  (n)  Rs.  15  per 
Pound 

Renewal  Fee  allowed  by  the 
Madras  Bank 

Premium  allowed  on  3  p.  c.. 
Government  Pro.-Notes 
for  Rs.  10,000  in  the  safe 
custody  of  the  Madras 
Bank  (the  remaining  Rs. 
12,600  Pro.-Notes  of  3  p.  c., 
having  been  transferred  to 
Messrs.  Thompson  and  Co.) 


Total  Rs... 


21,477 


A. 


1,000 


P. 


0 


0  0 


4,  0 


Discount  charged  by    Madras 
Bank  for    purchasing  Pro- 
Notes 
Do.  Do        for  cashing  a 

cheque  on  London  and  W.M. 
Bank,    Limited 

Amount  Advanced  for  the 
Accumulated  interest  on 
Government  Securities 


Balance  Rs... 


Total  Rs... 


Detail  of  the  Balance. 

Bs.  A.  p. 

On  Mortgage  with 
Messrs.  Thompson 
&Co.,  Madras,  Rs.12,000  0  0 

3  per  cent.  Govern- 
ment Pro-Notes 
in  the  safe  custody 
of  the  Madras 
Bank,  Rs.  ...10,000  0  0 


Total  Rs... 22,000  0  0 


Rs. 


A. 


50 


161 


266 


478 
22,000 


22,478 


13 
6 


O 


O 


0  o 

41  O 


47 


I.  a.  PBBSIOENrS  TOUB  TUNO. 


BECDIPTS. 


Babn  Narendra  Kath  Mitter, 

Galoatta 
Babn  Rasbihari  Mukerji  .. 
Hani  Hrinalini  of  Pikapara... 
Sirdar  Umrao  Singh,  Lahore. 
Dr.  Balkishna  Kaul  do... 
Babu  Daya  K.  Kaul  do  ... 
Rai  Bishamber  Nath  do  ... 
Lala  Suraj  Bhan  do  ... 

Dr.  A.  Marqaes,  Honolulu  ... 
Mr.  A.  E.   Koyle,   tbro.    Mr. 

Scott  ' 
Sir  S.  Subramania  Iyer,  Myla- 

pore 
Mr.  Jehangir  Sorabji,  Hyder- 
abad (Deo.) 
V.    Cooppuswami    Iyer, 

A.  Hamachandra  Bow, 
Bangalore 

A.  Nilakanta  Sastri 
V.  Vengu  Iyer,  Palghat. 
Janardhan  S.  Gadgil     ... 
v.  G.  Sesha  Chariar     ... 

B.  Jotindramohan  Tagore 
K.  Perraju,  Cocanada  . 

Dr.  J.  E.  Behram,  Surat 
Mr.  T.  M.  Sundrum  Pillai  ... 
„    D.  Goatling,  Bombay    ... 
Babn  Dharmsi  Gokul  Das  .. 
Mr.  A.  Singaravelu  Mudr.  .. 
„    B.  S.  liamaswami,  Salem. 
B.  B.   Booria   Row   Naidu, 

Yizagapatam 
Babu  Neel  Comul  Mukherji.. 
Mr.  J.  M.  Boys,  Man  galore... 
K.  B.  N.  D.  Khandalvala    .. 
Dorabji  Desabhoy 
Mr.  P.  Naraina  Iyer,  Madura. 
„    J.  L.  Pagi,   Lucknow    ... 
„    A.  Hamasami  Sastri 
Amount  subscribed   on    the 

Continent... 
Do       do    in  United  King- 
dom... 
Countess  Wachtmeister 
Amount  collected  by  Mr.   A. 
Fullerton,  from   American 
Section  T.   S.  for  Tour  of 
1901  in  £90-1-8 


» 


t) 


» 

SI 


Amount. 


mm0 


EXPENSE, 


Rs. 


50 
200 
200 
200 
100 
100 
15 
10 
105 


30 

100 

28 

17 

100 
10 
15 
25 
60 

100 
10 

100 
10 

100 
50 
11 
10 

75 
20 
20 
80 
60 
10 
10 


612 

516 
450 


Total  Rs.. 


1,351 


Amount, 


A. 


0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 


0 


P. 


0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
f» 

0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
13 
0 

0 

0 
o 

0 
0 
0 
0 
0 

0 


4,896 


Discount  charged  by  Madras 

Bank 
Outfit 

Ticket,  Madras  to  Tuticorin... 

Do     Tuticorin  to  Colombo. 

Do    2nd  Class  to  Naples  .. 

Postage,  Telegrams,  Ac.      .. 

Travelling    Expenses    in   10 

European  Countries 
Return  ticket  to   Colombo 

(2nd  Class).. 
Do  to  Madnis 

Sundry  Expenses  on  Steamer. 
0   Harbour  Dues 


0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 


0 


0  0 


0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 

0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 

ol 

0  01 
0  0 


0 


Rs. 


1 

326 
13 
19 

280 
47 

1,891 

420 

50 

27 

9 


A. 


1 
8 
14 
0 
0 
6 


Balance... 


Total  Rs... 


4,696 


0 

0 

8 

12 


8 
14 


mmm**mmm^immmmi 


P. 


0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 


0 
0 
0 
0 


0 
0 

0 


48 


To 


The  President  of  the  Theo8oph{eal  Society, 


Dear  Sir  and  Brother  : — In  aooordanoe  with  Rule  20  of  the  Bales  ae  reTited 
Society's  aooounts  should  be  certified  annaally  by  aiiditors,  we  have  oarefally  exa« 
December  1900  and  have  found  them  correct.  The  several  Iteins  of  reoeipto  and 
remitted  the  money,  and  in  the  latter  case  by  reoeipts  from  the  parties  who  reoeived 

We  beg  to  suggest  for  the  favourable  coqaidei'ation  of  the  President  that  a 
for  the  entry  of  loans  and  advanoes  reoovered  from  servants  and  other  l)orTOWeri|  in 
adyances  outstanding  at  the  end  of  the  year  may  be  seen  at  a  glanoe, 

Acccnrnt  current  of  TheosophUal  Society  for  the  period  Jrom 


Particulars  oF  Receipts. 


Rkceiptb. 


By  Cash. 


By  transfer. 


Total. 


Grand  Total. 


Balance  on  26th  Deceml>er  18dG. 


Permanent 

Fund 

Anniversary 

do 

Library 

do 

Headquarters 

do 

Subba  Row  Medal 

do 

White  Lotus 

do 

President  Founder*! 

3  do 

Founders 

• 

do 

Receipts  in 

1900. 

Permanent 

FuDd 

Anniversary 

do 

Library 

do 

Headquarters 

do 

Hubba  Row  Medal 

do 

White  Lotus 

do 

President  Founders 

'  do 

Founders'  Fund 

do 

Total... 


Rs. 


A. 


626 

904 

1,128 

6,622 

38 

108 

4,896 

22,478 


Total... 

Detail   of   Balances    in  di£Perent  1 
Funds  on  the  20th  Deer.  1900. 

RS.     A.  p. 

Permanent  Fund  25,000  0  0 
Anniversary  do  143  12  4 
Library  do         115     1     2 

Headquarters  do  1,405  9  11 
Subba  Bow  Medal 

Fund  1,230  9  10 
White  Lotus  do  338  0  6 
President  Founders' 

Tour  Fund     1,809  14    0 

The  new  Founders' 

Fund  22,000    0    0 


36,696 


Total  Rs.  62,042  15    9 


8 

8 
9 
8 
9 
4 
1 
4 

10 


P. 


0 
0 
7 

10 
0 
0 
0 
0 


Rs. 


A. 


P. 


420 
736 
652 


1,807 


0 
0 


Rs. 


26,113 

18 

226 

1,829 

1,246 

268 


28,187 


A. 


8 
9 
16 
0 
6 
0 


P. 


7 

8 
10 

5 
10 

0 


8 


0 
0 
2 


626 
1,324 

1,868 

7,174 

88 

108 

4,896 

22,478 


38,408 


8 

8 
9 
7 
9 
4 
1 
4 


11 


28,187 


P. 


13 


0 
0 
7 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 


8X1 


88,408 


66,591 


13 


6 


1 


6 


■••■ 


hj  the  OenentI  Council  at  the  ConFentldn  of  Dooombor  169T,  en^lulng  tbai  tba 
mined  the  aooonnta  of  Iho  Booiety  Tor  the  perioi]  from  ^Btli  DeoembeF  ISQp  to  20tb 
cipeDditue  are  aapported,  In  the  tonneF  oaee  by  letter*,  Ao.,  froDi  the  parties  vhq 
ihe  paymentB  and  by  aoooaats  signed  bj  Col.  DIcott  for  Bazaar  ptircbsaes,  ^o. 


25M  Decmiier  1899  /d  2nd  December  1900, 


Oct  1.  AYS. 

PiTticalari  of  Outlayx. 

i 

By  Cash. 

By  transfer. 

Total. 

Qrond  Total. 

Ka. 

A 

P. 

Bs. 

A.P. 

Rs. 

A 

F 

p: 

638 

11 

638 

11 

Annivemry                do 

1,1»9 

4 

11 

1,198 

4 

1 

Library                        do 

1,465 

8 

3 

Slrj 

"ao 

1,970 

R 

Headquarters              do 

5,-(23 

2 

6 

1,674 

11 

0 

6,097 

Bnbba  Bao  Uedal       An 

54 

6 

0 

B4 

t 

White  Lotos                do 

23 

a 

B 

... 

23 

3 

I'resident-Fonnder's  tour  do      ,.- 

3,0« 

3 

0 

3.086 

I 

The  Founders'                    do 

47^ 

4 

0 

... 

478 

» 

Total  - 

12.358 

II 

8 

8,189 

^ 

0 

14.548 

6 

Dalnnce  of 

Amonnt  lent   to    Babu  Krishna 

Kow  and  brother  («  101  "/o  o" 

1 

1 

mortg^K  of  lands  in  th<?  NurLli- 

Wert;  ProvincoB 

1 

30,000 

0 

Amount   tent  to   Mr.   <).  Cunda- 

I 

Rawniy    Mudstiar,    hia  brother 

and  his  minor  sons,  on  inorlimBC 

>.r  buildinpo  at  10}  per  cent.  ... 

5,ooo;  0 

Do           inOporCPnt.        ... 

I2.O0O'  0 

D-^posit.- 

I)u     in  3  per  oeut.  Government 

1 

Promissory    Notes,    in    safe 

1 

niatody  at  Madraa  Banlc     ... 

10,000  0 

0 

Madras  Bank,  as  per  psss  book  ... 

757 

3 

0 

Fn-sident-Foonders'    Tonr    I'und 

1 

with  Col.  Otoott  in  Madras 

Bank 

458 

10 

0! 

Bank  fOO-l-S 

! 

1  ^•^'^ 

4 

0 

PostOfRoe   Savings  Bank  deposit. 

, 

Permanent        Fund         10    i   9 

i 

, 

Annirarsary         do            3    2    0 

f 

Library                do            6    0    9 

eabba  Row  Hedal 

1 

1.E69 

0 

8 

Fund     1,230    0    0 

Caah  b  London  and  Westminster 

Bank,  Limited  in  the   name   of 

1 

H.S.0loott£3G-l-6at  16  Rs. 

1 

and  the  balance  £33.15  at   Rh. 

15  per*. 

1      '      1 

527   7 

Oi 

Postaee  stamps   Bs.     10    0    0^ 
and  caah            „      679    5    3> 

1      1 
1     1     ■ 

j 

6895 

3  62,042 

16 

6 

9 

Total  Rs... 

_ 

66,i>»l 

"b 

SOfh  Dn-cntb^r  1900. 


50 


PAHCHAMA  EDUCATION  PUHD. 

1900. 


BECETPTS. 


Amount. 


EXPENSE. 


Amount* 


Balance  on  25th  Dec.  1893 

Donations  : —  «.    ^  . 

Mr.  A.  K.   Sitarama   Saatn, 

Cnddapah 
Babu  Govinda  Das,  Benares.. 
Mrs.  Annie  Besant        do    . 
Mr  A.  Schwarz,  Colombo    . 
„    D.  GostliDg,  Bombay    . 
An  European   P.  T.  S.,   2ndj 

gift  by  cheque  •., 

Amount     collected    by    Dr. 

English  for  boys  ...' 

Mr.    V.    K.     Desikaehamar, 

Periakulam 
Mr.  E.  Annaswami  Mudelliar, 

Trivellore 
Miss  Elena  Adolf  ovna,  Milano, 

£50 
Miss  Lilian  Edgar,  ma.,  f.t.s., 

Australia  • 

Rao  Bahadur  R.  Suna  Row 

Naidu,  Vizagapatam 
A  friend  through  Dr.  English. 
Mr.  J.  StcherbatchofP,  Ceylon. 
Mr.  C.  Wrenn,  Madras 
Mr.  Campbell 
Part  Loan  recovered  from  the 

Library  Fund   out   of   Rs. 

1,200  given  •• 

Part  Loan  recovered  from  the 

Theosophiaf    Fund    out    of 

R8.200 
Rent  of  the  Mylapore  st-hool 

house 
Interest  from  Thompson   and 

Co.,  onMortgfigefor  1  year 
Loan  received  from  Col.  Olcott 
Ciovemment  grant   for  O.  F. 

School  • 

Loan  received  from  the  Theo 

sophist  Fund 
Cash  received  for  a  horse  sold 

to  the  Headquarters 
Sale  of  mangoes  at  Kodam- 

baukam 


Details.  R**-  a.  p. 

On  Mortgage  with 

Thompson  &  Co., 

Madras  •.  5,000-0-  0 

In  Madras  Bank...  1,649-0-1 1 
In      London    nnd 

W.  M.  Bank,  Ld., 

£50-2-0  751-8.  0 

Cash  in  hand     ...      212-5-  9 


7,40011 


Total  ..  7,012-14-8 
Total  Rs... 


0 


Bs. 


Purchase  of  property 

Cost  of  repairs 

Salaries  of  teachers 

Books  purchased 

Cooking   Class  and  Food  ex- 
penses 

Rent  of  the  school,  ground   .. 

Printing  and  Stationery 

Loans  returned 

Loans  issued 

Stable  charges,  including  pur- 
chase of  a  horse  and  a 
brougham,  Ac. 

House  and  Municipal  Taxes... 

Sundries 

rash  bnlanoo  in  hand. 


A. 
8 


2(0 


525 
100 


15!  4 


Total  Rs. 


1,061 
98112 

1,186  8 
56  4 


68 

24 
101 
245 

2001  0 


P. 

0 
1 
9 
6 


9 

0 


696 
11 
52 

7,612 


9 

9 
15 


14 


2 
0 
4 

0 
0 


7 
4 
0 

8 


11,361 


15 


5^ 

kULES  OF  THE  THEOSOPHICAL  SOCU^TY. 
.Is  /Revised  hi  General  Council,  July  9,  1896. 

Constitution. 

1.  The  title  of  this  Society,  which  was  formed  at  New  York. 
United  States  of  America,  on  the  17th  of  November,  1875,  is  the 
**  Theosophical  Society." 

2.  The  objects  of  the  Theosophical  Society  are  : 

I.  To  form  a  nucleus  of  the  Universal  Brotherhood  of  Humanity, 
without  distinction  of  race,  creed,  sex,  caste  or  colour. 

II.  To  encourage  the  study  of  comparative  religion,  philosophy 

and  science. 

III.  To  investigate  unexplained  laws  of  Nature  and  the  powers 

latent  in  man. 

3.  The  Theosophical  Society  has  no  concern  with  politics,  caslc 

rules,  and  social  observances.     It  is    unsectariah,   and   demands  no 
assent  to  any  formula  of  belief  as  a  qualification  of  membership. 

Membership. 

4.  Every  application  for  membership  must  be  made  on  an 
authorized  form,  and  must  be  endorsed  by  two  members  of  the 
Society  and  signed  by  the  applicant ;  but  no  persons  under  age 
shall  be  admitted  without  the  consent  of  their  guardians. 

5.  Admission  to  membership  may  be  obtained  through  the 
President  of  a  Branch,  the  General  Secretary  of  a  Section,  or  the 
Recording  Secretary  ;  and  a  certificate  of  membership  shall  be  issued 
to  the  member,  bearing  the  signature  of  the  President- Founder  and 
the  seal  of  the  Society,  and  countersigned  by  either  the  General 
Secretary  of  the  Section  or  the  Recording  Secretary  of  the  T.  S., 
according  as  the  applicant  resides  within  a  sectionalized  or  non- 
sectionalized  territory. 

Officers. 

6.  The  Society  shall  have  a  President,  a  Vice-President,  a 
Recording  Secretary,  and  a  Treasurer. 

7.  The  President-Founder,  Colonel  H.  S,  Olcott,  holds  the  office 
of  President  of  the  Theosophical  Society  for  life,  and  has  the  right 
of  nominating  his  successor,  subject  to  the  ratification  of  the  Society. 

8*  The  term  of  the  Presidency  is  seven  years  (subject  to  the 
exception  named  in  Rule  7). 

9.  The  President  shall  nominate  the  Vice-President,  subject  to 
election  by  the  Society.  The  Vice-President's  term  of  office  shall 
expire  upon  the  election  of  a  new  President. 

10.  The  appointments  to  the  offices  of  the  Recording  Secretar}- 
and  the  Treasurer  shall  be  vested  in  the  President. 

1 1.  The  President  shall  be  the  custodian  of  all  the  archives  and 
records  of  the  Society,  and  shall  be  one  of  the  Trustees  and  ad^ 


52 

ministrators  for  property  of  all  kinds,  of  which  the  Society  as  a  whole 
is  possessed. 

12.  The  President  shall  have  the  power  to  make  provisional 
appointments  to  fill  all  vacancies  that  occur  in  the  offices  of  the 
Society/and  shall  have  discretionary  powers  in  all  matters  not  spe- 
cifically provided  for  in  these  Rules. 

13.  On  the  death  or  resignation  of  the  President,  the  Vice- 
President  shall  perform  the  presidential  duties  until  a  successor 
takes  office. 

Opga7ii2atio7i. 

14.  Any  seven  members  may  apply  to  be  chartered  as  a  Branch, 
the  application  to  be  forwarded  to  the  President  through  the  Secre- 
tary of  the  nearest  Section. 

15.  The  President  shall  have  authority  to  grant  or  refuse  ap- 
plications for  charters,  which,  if  issued,  must  bear  his  signature  and 
the  seal  of  the  Society,  and  be  recorded  at  the  Headquarters  of  the 
Society. 

16.  A  Section  may  be  formed  by  the  President  of  the  Society, 
upon  the  application  of  seven  or  more  chartered  Branches. 

17.  All  Charters  of  Sections  or  Branches,  and  all  certificates  of 
membership,  derive  their  authority  from  the  President,  and  may  be 
cancelled  by  the  same  authority. 

18.  Each  Branch  and  Section  shall  have  the  power  of  making 
its  own  Rules,  provided  they  do  not  conflict  with  the  general  rules 
of  the  Society,  and  the  Rules  shall  become  valid  unless  their  con- 
firmation be  refused  by  the  President. 

19.  Every  Section  must  appoint  a  General  Secretar>%  •  who 
shall  be  the  channel  of  communication  between  the  President  and 
the  Section. 

20.  The  General  Secretary  of  each  Section  shall  forward  to 
the  President,  annually,  not  later  than  the  ist  day  of  November,  a 
report  of  the  work  of  his  Section  up  to  that  date,  and  at  any  time 
furnish  any  further  information  the  President  may  desire. 

Administf  ation . 

21.  The  general  control  and  administration  of  the  Society  is 
vested  in  a  General  Council,  consisting  of  the  President,  Vice-Presi- 
dent and  the  General  Secretaries. 

22.  No  person  can  hold  two  ofiices  in  the  General  Council. 

Election  of  President. 

23.  Six  months  before  the  expiration  of  a  President's  tertu  of 
office  his  successor  shall  be  nominated  by  the  General  Council,  and 
the  nomination  shall  be  sent  out  by  the  Vice-President  to  the 
General  Secretaries  and  Recording  Secretar3\  Each  General  Secre- 
tary shall  take  the  votes  of  his  Section  according  to  its  rules,  and 
the  Recording  Secretary  shall  take  those  of  the  remaining   members 


5^ 

of  the  Society.    A  majority  of  two-thirds  of  the  recorded  votes  shall 
be  necessary  for  election. 

HeadquaHers, 

24.  The  Headquarters  of  the  Soctety  are  established  at  Adyar, 
Madras,  India. 

25.  The  Headquarters  and  all  other  property  of  the  Society, 
including  the  Adyar  Library,  the  permanent  and  othar  Funds,  are 
vested  in  the  Trustees,  for  the  time  being,  of  the  Theosophical  Society 
appointed  or  acting  under  a  Deed  of  Trust,  dated  the  14th  day  of 
December,  1892,  and  recorded  in  the  Chingleput  District  Office, 
Madras,  India. 

Fina^ice. 

26.  The  fees  payable  to  the  General  Treasury  by  Branches  not 
cofHprised  within  the  limits  of  any  Sectiofi  are  as  follows  :  For  Charter, 
£\  ;  for  each  Certificate  of  Membership,  5^.  ;  for  the  Annual  Sub- 
scription of  each  member,  5^.  or  equivalents. 

27.  Unattached  Members  not  belonging  to  any  Section  or 
Branch  shall  pay  the  usual  5^.  Entrance  Fee  and  an  Annual  Sub- 
scription of  £1  to  the  General  Treasury. 

28.  Each  Section  shall  pay  into  the  General  Treasury  one- 
fourth  of  the  total  amount  received  by  it  from  annual  dues  and 
entrance  fees. 

29.  The  Trea.surer's  accounts  shall  be  yearly  certified  as  correct 
by  qualified  auditors  appointed  by  the  President. 

Meetings^ 

30.  The  Annual  General  Meeting  of  the  Society  shall  be  held 
at  Adyar  and  Benares  alternately,  in  the  month  of  December. 

31.  The  President  shall  also  have  the  power  to  convene  special 
meetings  at  discretion. 

Revision* 

32.  The  rules  of  the  Society  renmin  in  force  until  anleiided  by 
the  General  Council; 

True  Copy.  Official; 

H.  ii;  OlCOT*,  t»:  ¥«  ri« 

C»  W.  MADBfeATiife, 

Secretdry  to  the  Meeting  of  C&untiii 


OK  THK 


THEOSOPHICAL  SOCIETY 


AND 


UNIYEJ^SAL  BROTHERHOOD. 


President. 

Henry  S.  Olcott, 

{Late  Colonel  S.  C,  War  Dept^  U*  S.  A.) 


Vice-President. 
Alfred  Percy  SiNNKTr. 


Beoording  Secretary* 
Wm.  a.  English,  M.D 


Treasurer. 

T.  VlJIARAGHAVA  ChARLU. 


(General  Secretaries  of  Sections 

Alexander  Fullerton,  American  Section. 

Address  :  46,  Fifth  Avenue,  New  York. 
Bertram  Keightt.ky,  M  \.  -^  j^^^^^  S^^tj^„ 

Upendra  Nath  Basu,  B.A.,  LL.B     j 

Address  :  Benares,  N.-W.  P. 
Dr.  Arthur  A.  Wells,  European  Section. 

Address  :  28,  Albemarle  St.,  London  W. 
A.  Marques,  D.  Sc.,  Australasian  Section, 

Address :  42,  Margaret  St.,  Sydney,  N.  S.  W. 
P.  Eric  Liljestrand,  Scandinavian  Section. 

Address  :  Engelbrechtsgatan  7,  Stockholm,  Sweden. 
C.  W.  Sanders,  New  Zealand  Section. 

Address :  Mutual   Life   Buildings,   Lower  Queen  St., 

Auckland,  N.  Z, 


W.  B.  Fricke,  Netherlands  Section. 

Address :  76,  Amsteldijk,  Amsterdam. 
Dr.  TH.;PiisCM*,  Frefach  Section.    :  I 

Address:  52,  Avenue  Bosquet,  Paris. 


President's  Private  Secretary  :  Miss  Nktta  E.  Weeks. 
Addr€S»:.Adyar,  Madras. .  .        _  .  .       ^ 

Cable  Addresses: 

The  President-Founder.—"  Olcott,  Madras." 
Gen.  Sec.  Indian  Section.—'^  Besant,  Benares." 
Do.        European  Secticm : — ^*  Theosoph,  London." 
Do.        Eastern  School :  — "  Blavatsky,  London." 
Do.        American  Section  :— **  Confucius,  Newyork."* 
Do.        Australasian  Section:—*'  Theosoph,  Sydney." 
Do.        New  Zealand  Section  : — **  Theosophy,  Auckland," 
Buddhist  Committee : — "  Sandaresa,  Colombo/* 


■  •  > 


•  tWntttnthtts,  the  imiiPke  of.the  City  6f  New  York^oes  as  one  word.] 


OF  THE 

THEOSOPHICAL    SOCIETY 

{Corrected  up  to  December  igoo). 


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SUPPLEMENT   TO 


THE   THEOSOPHIST. 


OCTOBER   1900. 


KXECITTIVE  NOTICES. 

TlIEOSOPHICAL  SOC  lETV, 

President's  Opf  ice, 
Ad  YAH,  Se^piember  27  th,  19(H». 

The  undersigned  ainiouuces  with  sincere  regret  the  withdrawal  of  Hon. 
Otway  Coffe  from  the  Greiieral  Secretaryship  of  the  European  Section,  which 
he  has  been  filling  so  acceptably ;  the  Executive  Council  of  the  Section  lias 
chosen  as  his  successor  Dr.  Arthur  A.  Wells,  a  gentleman  in  every  way  qualifi- 
ed for  the  office.  Mr.  Cuffe  informs  me  that  his  sole  reason  for  this  step  is  the 
imperative  necessity  for  his  devoting  his  personal  attention  to  his  estate  in 
Ireland  and  of  giving  up  residence  in  London.  He  wishes  it  understood 
that  his  sympathy  for  our  work  is  not  in  the  least  abated  and  that  his  enfor- 
ced retirement  from  office  causes  him  great  concern.  His  high  character  and 
invariable  courtesy  and  sympathetic  kindness  have  endeared  him  to  all  his 
colleagues,  whose  best  wishes  will  follow  him  wherever  he  goes.  I  cordially 
appi*ov6  of  the  choice  of  Dr.  Wells  and  shall  expect  9'  continuance  of  the 
friendly  personal  relations  which  have  always  existed  between  us. 

H.  S.  Olcott,  p.  t.  s. 


TnE0SOPHICA.L  SOCIETV, 

PiiESiDEicT*s  Office, 
AuYAR,  September  27th,  U><X», 

Tlie  undersigned  acknowledges  the  receipt  of  the  sum  of  36,000  Francs 
from  a  AVestern  member  who  positively  refuses  permission  to  divulge  his 
name;  the  said  sum  to  be  invested  in  Government  3  per  cent.  pro.  notes  and 
to  constitute  a  permanent  trust  to  be  known  as  the  "  Founders*  Fund."  The 
annual  increment  is  to  be  divided  between  the  Adyar  Library  and  the  Pan- 
chama  Education  Fund  in  the  proportion  of  two-thirds  and  one-third,  res- 
pectively. Of  the  abode  sum  Francs  35,000  were  converted  into  sterling  for 
£1,392-0-3  and,  through  the  Bank  of  Madras,  the  following  securities  were 
bought  with  it :  **  The  total  cost  of  Government  Paper  purchased  on  your 
joint  account  is  Bs.  20,655-13-7  and  I  have  accordingly  tilled  up  your  cheque 
on  the  London  and  Westminster  Bank  for  £1,387-16-4,  being  sterling  equi- 
valent  of  this  amount  at  i  ^l-  (Letter  of  Sec.  and  Treas.,  Bk.  of  M., 
26-ix-OO)."  This  leaves  a  trifling  balance  in  my  London  account.  The  pur- 
chase money  alK)ve  reported  covers  accrued  interest. 

A  balance  of  1,000  Francs  is  also  left  on  deposit  in  the  Credit  Lyonnais  of 
Paris,  for  the  present.  The  undersigned  gratefully  acknowledges  this  dona- 
tion and  hopes  that  it  may  be  the  precursor  of  other  generous  gifts  to  those 

two  most  worthy  objects. 

— H.  S  Olcott,  p.  t.  s. 

9 


i\  Supplement  to  the  Theosophist. 

ECHOES  OF  THE  PRESIDENrS  TOUR. 

Among  the  cities  visited  by  Colonel  Olcott  after  the  adjournment  of  the 
London  Convention  was  Exeter,  from  which  a  correspondent  writes : 

"  The  sleepy  little  Cathedral  city  of  Exeter  is  one  of  the  most  conserva- 
tive of  conservative  places.  It  delij;hts  in  calling  itself  the  **  ever  faithful 
city,"  from  its  motto,  **  Semper  Fidelis,"  bub  as  this  faithfulness  consists  in 
keeping  as  much  behind  the  times  as  possible,  ono.  can  easily  realize  that  the 
few  Theosophists  working  there,  have*a  hard  figtit  with  misconceptions  and 
prejudices. 

On  the  day  after  his  arrival  two  meetings  were  held  at  the  Lodge  room. 
A  slight  thunder  storm  thinned  the  attendance  in  the  afternoon,  but  in  the 
evening  the  room  was  full  to  overflowing. 

'J'he  President- Founder  gave  a  short  but  interesting  account  of  the  found- 
ing and  growth  of  the  Theosopliical  Society,  and  afterwards  answered 
most  ably,  questions  of  a  varied  character. 

At  both  meetings  great  interest  was  evinced,  many  lingered  to  exchange 
a  few  parting  words,  so  that  it  was  r|uite  late  before  good-night  was  really 
said. 

Minds  work  slowly  in  the  West  of  England,  bub  without  donbt  Tbeo- 
sophy  is  making  its  way  even  in  the  *'  ever  faithful  city/'  and  every  member 
oE  the  Exeter  Centre  will  look  back  to  the  welcome  help  afforded  by  the 
President-Founder's  first  visit,  and  feel  there  is  now  one  more  to  whom  they 
owe  a  debt  of  gratitude  that  it  will  be  difficult  to  pay. 


KOTICE. 

General  Secretaries  will  please  remember  to  post  their  Annual  Reports 
to  Headquarters  not  later  than  the  middle  of  November. 


ADYAR  LIBRABV. 

The  following  gifts  to  the  library"  since  the  last  report,  are  gratefully 
acknowledged  :  From  Mrs.  Mona  Caird,  three  volumes  of  her  works ;  Mrs:. 
H.  Roughton  Hogg,  two  volumes  of  Fiona  Macleod's  works;  Col,A.  De 
Rochas,  director  of  the  Polytechnic  School,  Paris,  his  snperb  work,  **Lies 
Sentiments  La  Musique  et  la  Geste;"  Baron  G-.  de  Fontenay,  "Apropos 
d'Eusapia  Paladino ;  "  Rev.  J.  Barron.  "  The  Story  of  Religion  in  England;  " 
from  the  publisher,  '*  Christianisme  et  Spiritisme,"  by  L6on  Denis;  Herr 
M.  Reepmaker,  five  volumes  of  his  works ;  Charles  Gt>dfrey  Leland,  *'  Aradia, 
or  the  Gospel  of  the  Witches.''  his  lat-est  work ;  Matthews  Fidler,  Esq., 
"  Shadow  Land,"  by  Mrs.  E.  d'Esperance ;  Herr  Schmidt,  Zablmeister  of 
the  s.s.  "  Sachsen,"  fifteen  volumes ;  444>  old  palmleaf  mannscripts  collected 
in  Southern  Indian  villages  by  Mr.  R.  A.  Sastrj-,  Librarian. 


The  usual  Financial  Report  ix  deferred  until  next  issue. 


Printed  by  Thompson  and  Co..  in  the  TlieoBophist  department  of  the  Minerva, 
Press,  Madras,  and  published  for  the  proprietors  by  the  BostDess  Mana- 
ger, Mr.  T.  VuiA  Ragiiava  Ciiaklu,  at  Adyar,  Madras. 


SUPPLEMENT    TO 

THE  THEOSOPHIST. 


NOVEMBER    1900. 


MONTHLY  FINANCIAL  STATEMENT. 

The  following  receipts  from  27th  Aagusfc  to  20th   October  1900  ar& 
acknowledged  with  thanks-:— 

Headquarters  Fund.  rs.  a.  p. 

Miss  Emma  Nadler,  Fees  and  Dues,  £\-b^            ...            ...  18  12  0 

Mr.  Anantarai  Natbji  Mehta,  Bhannagar,  Annual  Donation..  84    0  0 

Mr.  0.  Firth..  Yorkshire,  Fee  and  Donation           ...             ...  22    8  0 

Br.  C.  W.  Sanders,  General  Secretary,  New  Zealand  Section, 

T.S.,  25  «/o  Dues,  £4-15-8- 7112  0 

A  Friend,  Donation       ...             ...            ...            ...            ...  3    0  0* 

Mr.  0.  Sambiah  Garn,  Mjlapore,  Subscription     ...             ...  3    0  0 

Miss  Ida  R.  Patch,  through  Mr.  A.  Fullerton,  New  York...  30    7  0 

Library  Fund. 

Mr.  C.  Sarabiah  Garu,  Mylapore,  Subscription     ...             ...  3    0  0 

Mr.  A.  Venkatakanniah,  NamAkal,  Donation        ...             ...  14  0 

An  F.  T.  S.  of  Burmah,  Subscription  for  August              ...  60    0  0 

Mr.  A.  Soh  wars,  Colombo,  Donation       ...            ...         ....  100    0  a 

An  F.  T.  S.  of  Burmah,  Subscription  for'September         ...  50    0  0 

Justice  Sir  S.Subramania  Iyer,  Donation             ...            ...  100    0  0 

T.  Vijiaraghaya  Charlu, 

Treasurer,  T.  8. 
Adtak,  Madras,  20tk  October  1900. 


DEATH  OF  Mr.  GADGIL. 

One  of  the  oldest,  most  intellectual,  tried  and  trusty  men  whom  I  have 
met  in  the  Society,  Bao  Bahadur  Janardhan  Sakharam  Gadgil,  F.  T.  S., 
late  Justice  of  the  High  Court  of  Baroda,  has  just  died  at  that  place.  Readers 
of  '*  Old  Diary  Leaves  "  will  recollect  his  intimate  friendship  for  H.  P.  B., 
and  the  wonderful  psychical  experiments  which  be  made  for  his  instruction 
and  that  of  his  friends,  both  at  Bombay  and  Baroda.  It  would  have  been  a 
ooDBolation  to  me  if  he  could  have  kept  his  health  and  strength  some  years 
longer  to  work  with  me  for  India.  However,  we  shall  meet  again,  and  work 
again  together  for  the  helping  of  mankind.    So,  fare  thee  well,  old  friend. 

H.  S.  0. 


GIFTS  TO  THE  ADYAR  LIBRARY, 

Mrs.  E.  Dmmmond,  F.  T.  S.,  the  life-centre  of  our  admirable  working 
group  at  Edinborough,  has  made  the  Library  a  most  acceptable  and  valuable 
gift.  It  is  a  6-in.  magnifying  glass,  mounted  in  a  folding  support  and  arrang- 
ed' for  the  reading  Of  old  p&lmleaf  MSS.  On  testing  it  the  Xiibrary  pandits 
we^  abfe  at  once  to  decij^ner  i^n  old  MS.  so  defaced  tb<\t  they  had  laid  it 
aside  as  illegible.  As'th^y  are  Engaged  in  preparing  a  catalogue  of  our  now 
'   '       9    '        •.••••■••• 


iv  Supplement  to  The  Theosophist. 

splendid  colleciiion,  Mrs.  Drammond's  glass  will  be  as  serviceable  as  any  tbat 
could  have  been  given. 

Mr.  B.  A.  Sastnr  snoceeded,  last  month,  in  collecting  at  an  interior 
village  of  Southern  India,  270  rare  ccu(/an«.  Most  of  them  belong  to  8aiv& 
Agamas.  In  this  ooUection  there  is  a  MS.  on  the  *'  Spanda  Sltras "  of 
Vasngnpta,  with  the  commentaries  of  Kshemar&ja,  Krishna  Dasa,  and 
Kalid&sa.  Our  collection  has  already  outgrown  oar  shelf-room,  and  twenty* 
five  intermediate  shelves  have  had  to  be  inserted.  If  it  goes  on  at  this  rate 
the  Adyar  Library  will  need  enlargement.  This  puts  the  crown  of  snoeeaa 
upon  the  tentative  experiment  of  1886,  and  shows  that  the  President- 
Founder  will  leave  b^ind  him  a  literary  monument  of  which  any  man  might 
be  proud. 


THE  NEW  SERIES  OF  "  OLD  DIARY  LEAVES. 


•ff 


The  latest  news  from  London  is  to  the  effect  that  the  book  was  all  printed, 
the  engravings  had  come  up  extremely  well,  and  that  the  work  woald  be 
published  within  the  next  ten  days.  Indian  buyers  can  now  send  in  their 
orders.     See  advertisement  on  leaflet  herewith  sent. 


NEW  BRANCHES. 

The  Leeds  Lodge  has  been  re-formed  and  a  n(&w  charter  issued,  dated 
September  19tb,  1900,  to  A.  R.  Orage,  W.  H.  Bean,  Mrs.  Orage,  Miss  M.  A. 
Nelson,  Mrs.  Lees,  Miss  A.  K.  Kennedy,  and  H.  W.  Hunter. 

A  Charter  has  also  been  granted,  dated  September  21st,  1900,  to  Edwin 
Hill,  F.  B.  Bond,  E.  R.  Blacketc,  M.  S.  Johnson,  Mrs.  Hill,  Miss  J.  M.  Chivers* 
Miss  E.  Beane  and  Mrs.  Blackett  to  form  a  Branch  of  the  Society  at  Bath. 

Otway  Cuffb, 
General  Secretary,  European  SeeliatK 


m» 


INDIA. 

The  following  branches  have  been  formed  : 

Tirukoilnr         —  President,  Mr*  R.  Sundarasa  Mndaliar. 

Secretary,  „  P.  S.  Venkatarama  Iyer. 

Yriddhachalam —  President,  „  T.  Shanmugam  Pillai. 

Secretary,  „  B.  Sanjeevi  Row. 

Nandalur          —  President,  „  P.  Gopalakrisbnaiak. 

Secrewry,  „  C.  Seshaehala  Iyer. 

Srinagar           —  IVesident,  „  Pandit  Vaskak. 

Secretary,  „  Pandit  Ananda  Kaul. 

IBLevivals. 

Adoui  *—  President,  Mr.  V.  Rama  Chetty. 

Secretary,      „    B.  SamlMisiva  Row. 
Erode  —  President,      „    T.  T.  Rangachariar. 

Secretary,     „    C.  S.  Subramania  Iyer. 

Dhai^a  Kbishna  !blSVA8, 
AeeUtant  SecreU^y,  Indidn  Sedum, 


CIRCULAR  TO  THE  SOUTH  INDIAN  BRANCHES. 

Adyar,  October  1900. 

For  the  gratificatioh  of  South  Indian  memberfii  who  have  been  accttstomed 
to  take  their  holiday  at  Adyar.  the  President- Founder  has,  in  coasaliatiMt 
with  Mrs.  Be'sant,  made  the  followina  arrangement: 

It  is  hoped  that  Miss  Lilian  Eager,  who  is  expectlsd  'shortly  in  tndia» 
will  consent  to  giVe  the  usual  cotlrse  of  four  lectured  on  tbe  usual  days,  viz^ 
December  27,  28,  29  and  30,  and  to  hold  E.  S.  T.  itieetihffs  for  the  benefit  of 
members  of  that  school.  As  neither  the  Society  nor  the*  Section  can  afford  to 
incur  expenses  over  and  abbte  those  at  Betaares,  it  is  proposed  ttiat 


Supplement  to  The  Theosophlst.  \0^ 

tipproved  Brahmin  hotel-keeper  shall  be  presoDt  at  Adyar,  and  snpply  meals  to 
&11  applicants  at  the  nsaal  price.  Any  expenses  incurred  for  the  cadjan 
eating  pandals,  extra  lights,  etc.,  etc. — ^which  need  only  be  trifling  in  the 
^fSS^^f^^ — c<^  he  covered  by  a  small  Tolnntary  subscription  got  up  at  the 
close  of  the  meeting. 

As  the  Becording  Secretary,  and  Treasurer  T.  8.  will  have  to  accompany 
the  President- Founder  to  Benares,  he  will  ask  Messrs.  K.  Narayanasami  Iyer. 
J.  8rinivasa  Bow,  of  Gooty,  and  Y.  G.  Besbacharri,  to  act  as  a  Managing 
Committee,  while  the  President's  Secretary  will  be  on  hand  to  act  for  him  in 
any  business  matters  that  would  require  his  personal  attention. 

Orders  for  cadjan  huts  and  any  other  special  arrangements  should  be 
sent  in  to  M.R.Ry.  T.  V.  Charlu  before  the  Ist  of  December.  Of  course  the 
Convention  Hall  and  lower  rooms  will  be  available  for  sleeping  purposes  as 
>nsual. 

This  circular,  which  is  preliminary  to  the  one  to  be  issued  as  soon  as  Miss 
ledger's  decision  is  definitively  known,  is  intended  to  elicit  as  general  a 
response  as  possible,  so  that  the  President-Founder  may  know  what  orders 
to  give  in  advance  of  the  meeting. 

Postscript :  Since  the  above  was  written.  Miss  Edger  has  told  us  to  expect 
her  at  Adyar  on  December  10th  or  11th,  and  since  Mrs.  Besant  has  written  to 
her  to  bold  the  Adyar  meeting,  there  seems  little  doubt  as  to  her  giving  the 
lectures.    Take  this  for  granted  unless  you  hear  to  the  contrary. 

By  order  of  the  President- Founder, 

N.  E.  Weeks, 

Pritxiie  Secretary, 

TRANSFER  Oi^  THE  BODHINL 

The  successful  foundation  of  the  Hindu  Central  College  having  formed  a 
natural  centre  for  propaganda  of  the  Hindu  Religion,  it  is  evident  that  the 
very  important  sgency  created  in  the  establishment  of  the  Ary a. Bala  BodhinU 
should  be  henceforth  transferred  to  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  the  College,  and 
no  longer  attached  to  the  non-sectarian  office  of  the  Theosopkitt  and  the 
•control  of  the  undersigned.  It  is  essentially  a  Hindu  publication,  devoted 
solely  to  the  moral  and  spiritual  education  of  Hindu  boys  and,  inasmuch  as 
the  President  of  the  T.  S.  is  constitutionally  obliged  to  foster  no  one  religion 
more  than  the  others,  and  as  the  TJieosofhist  is  edited  on  the  same  principle, 
it  seems  clear  to  the  undersigned  that  it  is  altogether  better  to  hand  over 
this  sectarian  magazine  to  the  managers  of  the  sectarian  College,  since  his 
services  and  personal  pecuniary  guarantee  for  its  upkeep  are  no  longer 
indispensable. 

The  undersigned,  therefore,  made,  some  months  ago,  to  Mrs.  Besant,  the 
offer  of  transfer,  and  she  has  recently  accepted  it.  From  and  after  the  31  st 
of  December  proximo,  the  Bodliini  will  be  edited,  printed  and  published  at 
the  headquarters  of  the  Indian  Section  T.  8.,  at  Benares,  under  the  respon« 
sible  supervision  of  Mrs.  Besant,  and  all  literal^  communications,  reports  of 
Bala  Samajes,  and  cash  remittances  must  thereafter  be  sent,  as  the  case  may 
be,  to  the  Editor  or  Manager  of  the  A.  B.  Bodhinif  Benares  City,  N.  W<  P. 

Nearly  200  subscriptions  run  over  into  the  year  1901,  and  the  propor- 
tionate share  of  the  subscription  money  will  be  paid  over  to  Mrs,  Besant  by 
the  present  Manager  of  the  journal ;  as  will  also  the  proportionate  share  of 
new  subscriptions  -sent  in  to  Adyar  up  to  the  close  of  the  present  year. 
Subscribers  for  1901  will  pay  their  money  to  Benares*  on  receipt  of  the  January 
Number,  which  will  come  to  them,  as  heretofore,  by  V.  P*  P. 

The  uodersigned  congratulates  the  '  subscribers  of  the  journal  that, 
under  Mrs.  Besant's  splendid  direction,  it  most  inevitably  be  greatly  impro- 
ved, and  he  expects  that  the  circulation  will  increase  rapidly  and  widely.  He 
has  no  doubt  but  that  every  really  sincere- Hindu  boy  who  now  reads  the 
Bodhmi  will  take  a  pride  and  pleasure  iti  doing  his  best  to  get  it  taken  by 
his  friends.  For  it  is  a  very  great  honour  and  piece  of  good  Karma  to  be 
able  to  work  with  Annie  Besant  for  the  glorious  object  of  restoring  the 
spiritual  grandeur  of  the  Motherland  of  the  Rishis  and  Munis.  There  is  no' 
reason  whatever  why  the  circulation  of  this  excellent  monthly  periodical 
should  not  rise  to  100,000  copies ;  none  whtitever.  This  ie  xi  contietion  f&rmed 
after  much  pereondl  expeHenee  (MMng  hidiaii  hoys*  <     .  . 


*l;l  Suipplexnent  to  The  Theosophist4 

In  taking  leare  of  the  magazine  which  he  rescued  from  failure  and  has 
helped  to  build  up  into  success,  the  undersigned  expresses  to  his  dear  young 
lads  of  India  his  unchanged  and  ever-enduring  love  for  them  and  interest  in. 
their  future  welfnre.  He  will  work  as  much  for  them  as  ever,  and  meet  and 
address  them  while  on  his  tours.  He  wishes  them,  at  the  same  time,  to  feel 
ever  grateful  to  the  devoted  Editor,  M.B. By.  S,  Y.  Bangaswamy  Iyengar,  b.a.  ; 
the  unpaid,  faithful  Business  Manager,  M.B.By.  T.  Vijiaraghava  Cbarlu ; 
the  dear,  generous  Countess  G.  Wachtmeister,  who  has  often  helped  ns 
with  money  to  pay  our  way  when  subscribers  were  few,  and  to  M.B.By. 
T.  Srinivasa  Iyengar,  the  clerk  of  the  Bodhini  Office,  who  has  kept  the  regis- 
ters and  sent  subscribers  all  their  papers. 

And  now,  the  last  word  to  speak  is :  May  the  blessing  of  the  Masters  rest 
always  upon  the  Bodhini,  its  Directors  and  subscribers. 

H.  S.  Olcott, 

General  Adviser  to  the  Arya  Bala  Sanwj^ 


Mrs.  BESANrS  ADVICE. 

We  copy  from  the  Theosophic  Gleaner,  the  following  extracts  from  a 
brief  report  of  Mrs.  Besant's  remarks  in  Bombay,  on  her  return  from  Europe, 
in  September  last : 

*'  1  come  to  India  always  with  a  glad  heart ;  I  return  as  an  exile.  EspeciaUy 
here  in  Bombay  I  am  glad  tp  see  the  Theom)phical  canae  prDSpen'og,  for  this  ia  a 
cosmopolitan  city,  and  if  here  we  make  it  jtoBsible  for  Bindne,  Parais,  Buddhists, 
.Christians  and  others  to  stndy  BeUgion  and  work  together  in  harmony  and  in  peaoe^ 
then  that  harmony  and  that  peace  will  spread  thronghont  India,  and  then  other 
nations  will  learn  to  follow  that  example.  And  if  once  peace  can  be  preserved  among 
Tarions  peoples  in  religions  matters,  then  they  will  learn  to  preserve  it  in  political 
and  social  matters  as  well.  For  yon  know  religions  differences  often  canse  trouble 
in  other  departments  of  life  also  ;  and  we  have  it  from  a  high  authority  that  it  is  ao^ 
for  the  other  day  Lord  Salisbnry,  the  Prime  Minister  of  the  Empire  to  which  we  all 
belong,  speaking  .to  the  Society  for  Propagating  Christian  Knowledge,  warned  the 
Missionaries  in  China  who,  instead  of  teaching  their  own  religion,  attack  that  of 
others  and  bring  about  the  enmity,  troubles,  and  bloodshed  such  as  the  world  is  now 
witsessing  in  the  Chinese  Empire.  So  if  India  teaches  to  preserve  harmony,  other 
nations  will  follow,  for  peace  here  means  peace  in  the  world,  and  as  a  general  rule 
political  and  social  friendship  follows  religions*  Our  Society  can  do  mtioh  in  this 
matter,  for  wo  are  teaching  men  to  be  as  brothers  to  each  other  in  religions  things, 
and  make  it  a  condition  to  admission  into  our  society.  I  know  this  is  a  matter  of 
great  difficulty  but  that  is  exactly  why  it  is  a  work  also  of  great  glory.  India  is 
passing  through  hard  times  of  late  I  know,  and  men  : are  dying,  and  also  their 
friends,  the  cieittle,  and  these  hard  times  at  the  end  of  the  19th  century  have  already 
been  prophesied  by  our  revered  teacher,  H.  P.  Blavatsky.  But  this  century  will  end 
and  the  next  century  will  bring  prosperity  to  India  if  we  but  work  for  the  revival  o£ 
Bpirituality  among  various  sections  of  the  people.  For  three  or  four  years  more  you 
may  still  have  some  troubles,  but  then  after  those  few  years  of  trial  are  over,  India 
will  see  brighter  days  and  there  will  reign  peace  and  prosperity  as  has  never  been 
witnessed  during  the  last  fifty  years,  for  deeper  religious  life  will  help  the  nation  to 
rise,  upward,  and  tme  religious  revival  will  give  inner  power  of  work  and  will  make 
it  possible  for  material  prosperity  to  return.  Already  there  are  good  signs  and 
young  men  are  showing  greater  devotion  and  more  inclination  to  religions  life,  and 
old  men  .have  commenced  to  see  the  errors  of  their  youth  and  want  their  sons  and 
grandsoi^s  to  be  religious  and  to  develop  spirituality." 

*'  While  the  West  will  be  witnessing  horrible  scenes  of  war,  in  the  Bast  there  will 
appear  the  dawn  of  peace  consequent  upon  religions  life.  But  prosperity  of  a  nation- 
depends  on  the  character  of  its  people.  No  nation  can  prosper  unless  its  people  are 
honest,  upright,  moral  and  religions.  Each  can  help  the  nation,  if  each  man  and 
woman  will  nngp:ndgiugly  give  that  help.  Each  must  work  as  if  the  country's 
cause  depends  on  him  alone ;  as  if  the  cause  will  fail  if  he  does  not  work ;  as  if  the 
whole  burden  lies  upon  his  shoulders ;  each  must  work  and  say  to  himself  that  if  he 
does  not  work,  the  whole  world  would  fail.  That  is  the  spirit,  that  the  energy,  that 
the  heart  with  which  we  have  to  work  and  go  about  our  daily  business." 


Printed  by  Thompson  and  Co.,  in  the  Tli^qsophiit  department  of  the*  -Minsrea 
'       Press,  Madras',  and  published  for  tlie  propri^iprs  by  the  business  Mana- 
ger, Mr.  T.  YiJiA  Baghaya  Chablu>  at  A.^yiir,  Madras. 


SUPPLEMENT    TO 

THE   THEOSOPHIST. 


DECEMBER    1900. 


EXECUTIVE   NOTICES. 

Thkosophical  Society, 

President's  Office,  Advar, 
17th  November,  1900. 

The  following  correspondence  is  pablished  for  the  information  of  the 
concerned  ; 

Theosophical  Society. 
iTniematioiial  Theosophical  BrotJierhood.) 

In  Germany. 

Head-quarters,  Leipzig, 

Uih  June,  1900. 
Dear  Colonel  Olcott, 

The  undersigned  request  jou  to  read  their  propositions,  and,  if  these  are 
not  agreeable,  that  you  will  make  propositions  in  return,  by  which  an  agree- 
ment  would  be  possible  between  the  Theosophical  Societies  in  Germany, 
(perhaps  also  of  the  Theosophical  Societies  in  America,  England,  Sweden, 
Holland,  &c.,^  and  the  Theosophical  Society,  the  President  of  which  you  are. 

RespectfuUyi 

Arthur  Weber, 
Edwin  Bohu£» 
Hermann  Budolfu. 


Theosophical  Society. 

{International  Theosophical  Brotherhood,) 

In  Germany. 

Head-quarters,  Leipzig, 

Uth  Juncy  1900. 

To 

Colonel  H.  S.  Olcott, 

President  of  the  Theosophical  Society, 

(Head-quarters f  Adyar), 

The  Theosophical  Society  in  Germany  and  its  union  with  the  Theosophical 
Society,  (Head-quarters,  Adyar). 

Article  I. 

Principles  and  Foundation. 

1.  The  T.S.G.  has  its  fonndation,  as  seen  by  its  constitution,  acoording  to  the 
Theosophical  Society  founded  by  H.  P.  Blavatsky,  H.  S.  Olcott,  W.Q.  Judge  and  others 
and  keeps  to  the  original  constitution  which  grants  thorough  freedom  of  actiou  and 
thought  to  everybody.  It  considers  as  its  principal  aim  the  realisation  of  Universal 
Brotherhood  on  a  spiritual  (theosophical)  basis,  viz^,  founded  upon  knowledge  of  the 
true  nature  of  man  or  the  divine  essence,  which  is  the  real  nucleus  of  unity  lying 
at  the  bottom  of  every  being. 

9 


viii  Supplement  to  The  Theosophist. 

2.  It  declares  itself  to  be  in  sympatliy  with  all  men  and  societies,  acting  nn- 
selfishly  on  the  same  nnsectarian  foundation  for  the  benefit  of  mankind  by  enlighten- 
ment and  elevation  of  humanity,  in  complete  tolerance  towards  people  of  different 
opinion,  be  they  members  of  a  T.  S.  or  not. 

3.  It  represents  no  person  nor  special  party,  nor  is  it  in  opposition  to  any  per- 
son or  party*  Nor  does  it  make  any  propaganda  for  an  outward  organization,  school 
or  society,  not  striving  for  outward  success.  Therefore  no  members  are  acquired  by 
persuasion  or  promises  of  any  kind.  It  works  exclusively  for  the  expansion  of  the 
theosophicaJ  ideas  of  unity,  love  and  brotherhood,  without  adhesion  to  any  authority 
or  dogma.  It  leaves  everyone  to  join  the  T.  S.  according  to  his  own  decision  and 
<sonsideration,  and  to  act  according  to  his  conviction.  But  no  member  has  the  right 
to  propagate  his  doctrines  in  the  name  of  the  society  as  such.  Therefore  the  SocietT 
is  not  responsible  for  any  opinions  expressed  in  lectures,  books  or  reviews. 

The  unity  of  the  T.  S.  is  spiritual,  and  not  to  be  identified  with  the  exterior 
unity  of  organization.  The  latter  must  be  aimed  at  but  is  not  absolutely  necessary 
for  the  realization  of  the  purpose  of  the  T.  8. 

4.  The  T.  S.  in  Germany  is  a  free  organization,  not  a  branch  dependent  on  a 
society  in  Germany  or  abroad.  It  conducts  its  business  in  an  independent  way,  as  it 
suits  every  Theosophical  Society,  who  decide  about  the  members  to  be  accepted. 

Abticlb  2. 
Particular  Decisions. 

6.  The  T.  S.  in  Germany  Federates  with  the  T.  8.  (Head-quarters,  Adyar)  pre- 
sided over  by  H.  S.  Olcott,  to  co-operate  together  for  the  expansion  of  the  ideas  of 
Universal  Brotherhood  under  the  following  conditions  : — 

(1)  It  sends  an  annual  voluntary  contribution  for  the  expenses  of  the  adminis- 
tration of  that  body  directly  to  Colonel  (3Icott,  Head-quarters,  Adyar.  This  donation 
and  the  time  of  its  expedition  are  decided  by  the  Annual  General  Convention  of  the 
T.  S.  in  Germany. 

(2)  The  Secretary  of  the  T.  S.  in  Germany  sends  an  extract  of  the  annual  re- 
port to  the  President  of  the  T.  S.  (Head-quarters,  Adyar)  in  order  to  get  it  published 
in  the  annual  report  of  the  T.  S.  (Head-quarters,  Adyar). 

(3)  Therefore  the  T.  S.  in  Germany  unites  to  general  work  with  the  T.  S. 
-  (Head-quarters,  Adyar),  without  being  a  Branch  of  a  European  Section. 

(4)  This  union  with  the  T.  S.  (Head-quarters,  Adyar)  does  not  exclude  the  right 
.  of  federation  with  other  societies,  if  this  proves  to  be  advantageous  for  the  progress 

of  the  Theosophical  movement. 

(5)  Each  of  the  societies  is  free  to  annihilate  this  agreement  at  any  time. 

The  T.  S.  in  Germany  unites  with  the  T.  S.  (Head-quarters,  Adyar)  on  the  foun- 
dation exposed  in  paras.  1 — 5  in  order  to  show  that  it  considers  harmony  and  nniver* 
sal  brotherhood  without  any  distinction,  without  distinction  too  of  organization,  to 
which  theosophic  workers  belong,  as  the  principsJ  aim  of  the  T.  S.  and  that  it  is  in 
no  opposition  to  any  person  or  society,  and  is  not  working  in  any  particular  lines. 

There  is  no  longer  a  parent  society,  it  is  abolished  and  replaced  by  an  aggre- 
gate body  of  societies  all  autonomoua. 

To  whatever  organization  we  belong,  let  us  be  One  in  spirit  and  work  together  in 
unwavering  harmony  for  the  benefit  of  suffering  mankind. 

For  the  Executive  Committee  of  the  T.S.  in  Germany* 

Arthur  Wkbrb, 
Edwin  BdHME, 

Hermann  Budolph. 
To  be  approved  by  the  General  Convention. 

Leipzig,  Ibth  June,  1900. 
Messrs.  Weber,  Bohme,  &  Rudolph,  Cohmittbb. 
Gentlemen, 

Yoar  important  commuaication  of  yesterday  shall  have  my  carefal  and 
impartial  consideration,  and  shall  be  answered  after  J  have  consulted  wiih 
the  members  of  the  General  Coancil  of  the  Theosophical  Society.  As  they 
live  in  distant  countries  it  will  naturally  be  some  months  before  I  can  receive 
their  reply  to  my  circular  letter. 

Yours  respectfully, 

H.  S.  Olcott,  p.  t.  s. 


Supplement  to  ¥  he  T'heosophist.  il 

From  the  Presideni' Founder  of  ike  Theosophical  Society  to  ilie  Committee  of 
Leipzig. 

Theosophical  Society, 

President's  Office, 

llih  November  1900. 

Gektlbmex, 

Accordiug  to  promise  I  have  submitted  your  letters  of  June  the  15tli  to 
the  members  of  the  General  Council  of  the  Society  and  am  now  authorised 
to  answer  as  follows  i-^ 

The  chief  issues  involved  are — 

1.  The  present  status  of  the  Theosophical  Society  and  that  of  the  body  to 
which  yon  belong. 

2.  The  terms  on  which  a  connection  may  be  effected  between  the  T.S^ 
and  your  body. 

3.  A  cognate  issue  is  that  of  the  present  status  in  the  Theosophical 
Society  of  those  among  you  who  were  registered  fellows  of  the  T.  S.  and 
holders  of  its  Diploma  at  the  time  of  the  Judge  Secession,  and  now  claim  mem* 
bership;  which,  although  not  mentioned  in  your  official  letter,  was  discussed 
between  us  at  Leipzig  in  June  last.  Indeed,  it  was  claimed  by  yourselves  to 
have  an  important  bearing  upon  the  question  of  your  asserted  right  to  the 
use  of  our  Seal  and  corporate  name.    It  must  therefore  be  settled  here. 

As  regards  the  first  issue,  we  affirm  the  unbroken  continuity  of  eiist- 
ence  of  the  Theosophical  Society  from  the  date  of  its  foundation — ^November 
the  17th,  1875 — to  the  present  time;  with  the  sole  right  to  the  Title, 
Seal,  and  authority  to  issue  in  its  name  Charters  for  Sections  and 
Branches  and  Diplomas  of  Fellows.  Furthermore  we  affirm  that  your 
Society,  as  well  as  hH  others  which,  since  the  Secession  of  April  the  28tb,  1895, 
have  been  organized  under  this  Title,  made  use  of  its  Seal,  and  issued  its  form 
of  Charters  and  Diplomas,  are  not  constituent  parts  of  the  Society,  nor  em* 
powered  to  use  its  Title,  Seal,  and  other  symbols  of  its  identity,  nor  to  issue 
documents  of  the  kind  aboveraentioned,  or  any  other  involving  the  name 
**  Theosophical  Society."  I  would  also  call  attention  to  the  fact  that  our  Society 
is  not  the  Theosophical  Society  '*  of  "  or  "at  "  Adyar :  it  has  no  geographi- 
cal limitations,  but  spreads  over  the  whole  world.  Its  American  and  Euro* 
pean  Sections  have,  it  is  true,  for  many  years  used  the  designations  *'  in 
America  "  and  "  in  Europe"  in  legal  documents  and  official  annual  Reports, 
but  never  with  any  pretense  of  having  any  status  apart  from  or  independent 
of  the  parent  Society,  from  which  they  derive  their  chartered  existence,  and 
of  which  whole  they  are  but  parts  or  sections. 

Yours  and  the  several  bodies  above  alluded  to,  being  extraneous  to  our 
organization  and  not  subject  to  our  Bules,  must  be  defined  as  outside  socie* 
ties,  with  whom  friendly  compacts  may  be  made  (as  in  the  cases  of  the  , 
'*  Society  of  Benares  Pandits,"  the  **  Sanskrita  Sabha,"  etc.,  with  which  we  have 
formed  alliances  in  the  past),  provided  that  mutually  satisfactory  terms  can 
be  agreed  upon. 

With  respect  to  the  second  point,  it  is  perfectly  possible,  as  above  stated, 
for  alliances  to  be  made  between  the  Theosophical  and  other  Societies  on 
terms  mutually  satisfactory.  In  the  case  of  bodies  like  yours  the  only  seri- 
ous obstacle  that  presents  itself  is  that  you  are  improperly  working  under  our 
Title,  thereby  producint;  confusion,  and  using  our  corporate  Seal,  which 
was  designed  for  our  special  use,  and  for  indicating  the  character  and  de- 
clared objects  of  our  Society,  and  which  has  been  published  by  us  in  all  parts 
of  the  world.  Our  sacrifices  and  industry  have  made  it  universally  known 
and  respected,  audit  has  become  so  endeared  to  us  that  we  should  have  to 
exact  as  the  first  condition  of  any  alliance  with  another  Society  the  abandon- 
ment of  this  emblem,  of  our  corporate  Title,  and  of  the  motto  chosen  by  us 
many  years  ago  as  expressive  of  the  Society's  character. 

If  anv  junior  Society  is  really  and  sincerely  anxious  to  enter  into  alliance 
with  an  older  society  or  societies,  and  thus  share  in  the  good  karma  of 
their  philanthropic  work,  it  seems  most  reasonable  to  expect  that  they  would 
cheerfully  abandon  the  names  and  symbols  of  the  older  body  or  bodies  when 
it  was  notified  to  them  that  their  use  was  unauthorised,  productive  of  oonfu* 


k  Supplement  to  The  Theosophist. 

sion  in  the  pablic  mind,  and,  hence,  improper.  It  would  be  easy,  for  a 
you  Offer  society  especially,  to  adopt  some  Title  which  won  Id  at  once  show 
its  independent  character  and  relinquish  to  its  proper  owners  the  one  injudici- 
ously appropriated. 

As  regards  the  question  of  your  body  making  a  voluntary  cash  donation 
to  the  Theosophical  Society,  I  cannot  see  that  we  can  claim  or  accept  one 
from  you  any  more  than  we  could  from  any  other  outside  body,  since  you 
repudiate  the  authority  of  our  President,  our  Rules  and  our  Council,  and  are 
therefore  under  no  obligation  to  contribute  to  the  Society's  expenses.  It  is 
true  that  what  should  be  sought  is  the  union  in  sympathetic  collaboration  of 
all  persons  in  the  world  who  desire  to  work  for  the  dissipation  of  ignorance 
and  the  spread  of  spiritual  knowledge.  At  the  same  time  it  is  a  fact  not  to 
be  disputed  or  gainsay ed,  that  the  world's  work  can  only  be  carried  on 
through  organisations  conducted  on  the  lines  of  unity  of  action  and  prudent 
pii^ttagement ;  the  Truth  is  the  soul,  the  organized  Society  the  body  in  which 
only  it  can  dwell  and  manifest  itself. 

As  to  the  cognate  (third)  question,  I  affirm  that  uhe  seceding  holders  of 
our  Diplomas  at  the  time  of  the  Secession  of  April  28th,  1895,  were  expelled 
and  the  Charters  of  the  seceding  branches  to  which  they  then  belonged 
officially  cancelled  in  the  President-Founder's  Executive  Notice,  dated  at  Zum- 
marraga,  Spain,  Jnne  5th,  1895;  which  was  unanimously  ratified  in  the  meet- 
ing of  the  General  Council,  held  at  London,  June  27 ch,  in  the  same  year. 
Therefore)  from  the  date  of  the  Secession  all  such  Diploma-holders  lost  their 
membership,  and  can  only  regain  it  as  outsiders  who  are  personally  accept- 
able, in  sympathy  with  our  ob]octs,and  willing  to  assume  the  same  obligations 
as  those  taken  upon  ourselves  by  the  Founders  and  other  registered  Fellows 
of  the  Society*  No  privileged  class,  such  as  yon  verbally  snisgested  to  me, 
will  be  formed,  no  exceptions  made  to  the  common  rule  to  which  we  are  all 
subject.  While  we  wish  to  utter  no  reproaches  to  our  ex-members,  nor  put 
upon  tbem  any  indignity  or  humiliation,  we  must  insist  upon  their  coming 
in  again,  if  at  all,  on  the  basis  of  the  provisions  of  the  Constitution  and  by- 
laws, without  mental  reservation  and  with  the  honest  purpose  of  being  true 
to  their  pledgee  as  members.  In  tlie  cases  of  such  as  ftaid  their  Entrance- 
Fees  on  first  joining,  the  second  payment  may  be  waived,  and  their  annual 
dues  may  be  chargeable  from  the  date  of  their  ro-entrance  ;  but  all  must  sign 
fresh  Application  forms,  get  two  fellows  in  good  standing  to  sign  as  their 
sponsors,  and  be  admitted  in  the  usual  way,  into  the  Branch  to  which  they 
wish  to  unite  themselves.  Provided,  that  the  General  Secretary  of  the 
Section  shall  certify  his  approval  of  the  re-admission.  Should  he  veto  it,  the 
applicant  may  appeal  to  the  President* Founder  or  his  successor,  whose  de- 
cision would  be  final. 

According  to  the  terms  of  the  Presidential  Executive  Notice  in  question, 
which  by  ratification  of  the  General  Council  became  law,  and  has  never  been 
cancelled,  the  loss  of  membership  applies  to  every  person  who  may  at  any 
time  subsequent  to  April  28th,  lo95,  have  acquiesced  in  the  principle  of  Seces- 
sion, whether  or  not  he  or  she  has  taken  up  membership  in  one  of  the  outside 
societies  above  mentioned. 

In  conclusion,  I  beg  you  to  be  assured  that  in  all  that  has  been  said 
above,  our  decision  rests  upon  our  deep  conviction  of  the  necessity  for  pro- 
tecting and  strengthening  the  visible  agency  which  we  have  been  bailding 
up  during  the  past  twenty-five  years,  and  is  not  influenced  in  any  way  what- 
soever by  personal  feeling.  The  world  is  large  enough  to  support  many 
bodies  like  ours,  and  onr  cordial  good  wishes  go  to  all  men  who  are  imbued 
with  an  unselfish  love  of  the  race  and  the  wish  to  better  its  spiritual  condition* 

I  am.  Gentlemen, 

Respectfully  yours, 

H.  S.  Olcott, 
President-Founder  of  the  Theosophical  SoeieUf. 


'  Supplement  to  The  Theosophist.  xi 

MONTHLY  FINANCIAL  STATEMENT. 

The  following  receipts  from  2l8t  October  to  20th  November  1900  are 
acknowledged  with  thanks : — 

Head-quauters  Fund.  rs.  a.  p. 

Babu  Upendra  Nath  Basvi,  General  Secretary,  Indian  Section, 

T.  S.,  25«/o  dues  for  the  quarter  ending  30th  September  1900.  578  10    0 
In  advance  for  the  next  quarter  ...  '.       16    0 

Library  Fund. 

Rt.  Hon.  the  Earl  of  Mexborough,  London,  donation,  £5-5-0...     /8  12    0 
An  F.  T.  S.  of  Burmab,  snbscription  for  October  1900  ...     50    0    0 

Mr.  Geo,  Tabbs»   donation      ...  ...  ...     73  14    7 

T.   VlJIARAGHAVA  ChaRLU, 

Trecuurer,  T.S- 
Adtab,  Madras,  20lh  November  1900. 


CENTRAL  HINDU  COLLEGE  ANNIVERSARY. 

A  correspondent  of  the  Madras  Mailf  writing  from  Benares,  gives  the 
following  account  of  the  recent  anniversary  of  the  Central  Hindu  College, 
which  was  held  ac  the  College  buildings  in  Benares  : 

Bevabes,  2Qth  Oct — A  Yery  gay  appearance  was  presented  hy  the  Central  Hindu 
College,  Benares,  on  the  occBsioii  of  its  second  anniversary  held  on  the  24th  instant. 
The  College  motto,  **  KnowledKe  shines  by  piety,"  was  the  first  greeting  to  the  in> 
coming  visitor,  traced  in  purple  and  gold,  over  the  arch  of  greenery  that  gave  en- 
trance to  the  Boarding  Honse  quadrangle.  As  be  passed  on  towards  the  College 
itself,  flags  of  the  sume  colours,,  purple  and  ficold,  met  his  eye  nt  every  point  of  van- 
tage, li^htinK  up  the  dark  green  folta^re  which  hid  each  slender  pillar  and  carvnd 
arohway.  For  these  are  the  College  colours,  and  they  were  worn  by  boys  and  staff, 
by  Board  and  Managing  Committee,  and  some  sympathisers  had  also  donned  them 
to  show  that  they  too  considered  themselves  as  attached  to  the  College.  It  was  a 
very  large  and  representative  gathering  which  crowded  the  College  hall. 

The  President  and  Vice-President  of  the  Board  of  Trusfcees  took  their  seats  on 
the  platform  at  3  p.m.,  and  the  proceedings  were  opened  hy  a  Sanskrit  recitation  by 
one  of  the  students,  followed  by  a  seeond  recited  by  seven  students  together.  The 
President,  Mrs.  Annie  Besant,  then  briefly  sketched  the  day's  proceedings  and  men- 
tioned that  letters  of  refrret  for  inability  to  be  present  had  been  received  from  the 
Commissioner  of  Benares,  from  two  Officers  of  the  Black  Watch,  ill  with  fever,  and 
from  the  President  of  the  Theosophical  Society,  who  wrote  : — 

"  I  wish  I  could  be  in  Benares  in  person  to  speak  words  of  encouragement  and 
to  impart  some  of  the  feeling  of  confidence  I  have  as  to  the  future  of  the  highly  im- 
portant enterprise  which  you  have  started  and  are  pushing  forward  with  so  much 
enthusiastic  zeal.  I  believe  that  the  Central  Hindu  College  will  have  a  career  of 
great  usefulness  and  be  the  most  valuable  of  all  our  agencies  for  helping  on  the  re- 
demption of  India  and  the  spiritual  uplifting  of  our  dear  Indian  peoples.  May  a 
blessing  rest  upon  you  and  all  who  participate  in  this  sublime  work." 

The  Annual  Ueport  was  then  read  by  the  Secretary,  Babu  Bbagavao  Das. 

It  showed  much  progress  in  the  educational  work  under  the  oare  of  three  Eng- 
lish workers,  Dr,  Biohardson,  the  Principal,  Mr.  Banbeiy,  the  Headmaeter,  and 
Mr.  Soott,  Professor  of  Engli^,  with  their  twelve  Indian  ooUeagnes :  Babu  Biresfa* 
war  Banerjif  M.A.,  Pandit  Hari  Krishna  Pararjpe,  Bjk.,  Babu  &ishna  Chandra  De, 
M.A,,  Pandit  Romesh  Dntt  Pande,  B.A.y  s.c.T.y  Babu  Hari  Das  Mnkhetji,  b.a.,  Babu 
Syan  Sundar  Das,  b.a.,  Babu  Pramatha  Nath  Ghose,  ba.,  Babu  Nillnma)  Bbait^- 
cbarya,  b.a.,  Babu  Harish  Chandra  Sen,  b.a.,  Babu  Tarak  Nath  Sanyal,  Pandit 
Nityananda  Pande  Yyakaranaoharya,  Pandit  Hari  Krishna  Thatte  Yykaranachaiya. 
The  College  has  170  stndente,  who  completely  filled  the  available  accommodation, 
but  the  15  rooms  now  opened  give  room  for  a  largely  increased  number,  if  the 
financial  resources  expand  to  take  them  in*  Attention  was  drawn  to  the  distant 
places — ran^ng  from  Calcutta  to  A j mere,  from  Aligarh  to  Tinnevelly — ^from  which 
sindents  had  oome*  The  Beport  of  the  Athletic  department  was  also  encouraging, 
and  mention  was  especially  made  of  the  success  of  the  young  football  team  in  the 
matohes  in  which  it  had  engaged.  The  Library  has  grown  to  some  4,200  books 
and  pamphlets,  and  the  Laboratory  is  prospering.  The  new  buildings,  begun  on 
the  12th  February,  1900,  had  gone  forward  so  rapidly  that  they  are  ready  for  open- 


jcii  Supplement  to  "the  "theosophist.  * 

log,  and  tbey  form  a  very  hondsome  pile*  Ra.  32,000  hnve  been  spent  on  them,  and 
another  Ba.  8,000  will  be  needed  to  complete  them.  The  Boarding  HonBe  which  ao 
far  has  cost  Bs.  8,900  has  been  opened,  and  has  a  competent  Superintendent  in  Dr. 
Nibaran  Chandra  Makherji,  who  has  given  np  a  good  medical  practice  in  Calcutta  to 
devote  himself  gratnitously  to  this  work.  The  total  of  cash  received  during  two 
years  is  Ra.  1,40,000,  and  the  landed  property  held  by  the .  College  ia  Talned  at  over 
Aa.  87f000.  The  number  of  Local  Committeea  has  riaen  from  37  to  47,  and  all  over 
the  conntry  individnala  are  working  for  the  movement.  H.  H.  the  Maharajah  of 
Kashmir  has  become  a  Patron  of  the  College,  and  iis  subscribing  Bs.  600  a  month 
to  it,  and  his  brother,  General  Bajah  Sir  Amar  Singh  has  also  promised  help  and  has 
already  sent  a  donation  of  Ba.  1,000.  This  part  of  the  work  is  summed  up  in  the 
statement  that  notwithstanding  the  heavy  demands  on  India  by  famine,  plague  and 
war,  the  College  can  show  "  a  doubled  permanent  fund  and  a  doubled  property  in 
land,  buildings,  furniture,  apparatus  and  books."  After  a  distribution  of  prizes  and 
addxeasea  by  Mra.  Beaant  and  Mr.  Principal  Dr.  Biohardaon,  the  new  buildiogs 
were  officially  opened  and  the  meeting  adjourned. 


COL.  OLCOTT'S  NEXT  TOUR. 

As  at  present  arranged,  the  Preaident-Founder  will  sail  from  Colombo 
for  San  Francisco,  via  JEongkong,  Japan  and  the  Hawaiian  Islands,  by  the 
steamer  **  Sachsen  *'  (the  same  one  on  which  he  went  to  Europe  and  re- 
turned) on  the  llth  January.  To  do  this  he  will  have  to  leave  Adyar  on 
the  7th,  and  therefore  must  hurry  home  from  Benares.  Correspondents  who 
wish  their  letters  to  reach  him  later  than  the  3rd  or  4th  of  January  should 
address  him  in  care  of  Alexander  FuUerton,  Esq.,  46,  Fifth  Avenne,  New  York 
City. 

ANNUAL  ELECTIONS  AT  BUENOS  AIRES. 

The  President  and  Secretary  of  the  Ananda  T.  S.  of  Baenos  Aires  (South 
America)  officially  report  to  the  President- Founder  the  following  result  of 
the  election  for  officers  held  in  July :  President,  Mr.  C.  H.  Baly ;  Secretary, 
Senor  Carlos  M.  Collet ;  Treasurer,  M.  E.  Coudray ;  Librarian,  Sr.  E. 
Bonnicet.  The  Branch  is  in  a  prosperous  condition  and  sends  cordial  greet- 
ings. 

The  Secretary's  address  is :  Casilla  de  Correo,  1277. 


Mr.  HARGROVE  IN  SOUTH  AFRICA. 

The  Ernest  T.  Hargrove,  one  of  Mr.' Judge's  most  active  co-ad jntors  in 
the  Secession  movement,  for  sometime  President  of  the  (Seceded)  Branch  at 
New  York  and,  later,  a  fDllower  of  Mrs.  Tingley,  has  not  been  crowning  him- 
self with  laurels  in  South  Africa.  The  corresponaent  of  the  (London)  Standard 
writes  to  that  paper  about  the  "  Sensational  disclosures  **  made  on  overhauling 
the  letters  and  .diaries  of  M.  Van  Kretchmar,  Managing  Director  of  the 
Netherlands  Railway   Company,  of  Natal.    Bribes,  some  very  heavy,  were 

Siven  lavishly  to  Boer  officials  and  pro- Boer  journalists.  Among  the  latter 
[r.  Hargrove  figures  as  follows  in  M,  Van  Kretchmar's  evidence  before  the 
Government  Commission  which  is  now  taking  the  evidence.  Says  the 
Standard  correspondent : 

**  Hargrove,  to  whom  the  Company  (for  the  Boer  Government)  paid  £19000,  ia 
the  notorioua  Engliah  pro- Boer  whoae  oorreapondence  with  Mr.  Kruger  was  puhliah- 
ed  in  a  Oolonial  Office  Blue  Book.  He  ia  alao  connected  with  the  So^Uh  African  Newt, 
a  Bond  newapaper  pnbliahed  in  Gape  Town.  The  German  Government  waa  re- 
present at  the  enquiry  by  Counsel." 

This  is  a  sad  downfall  for  a  young  man  who  was  formerly  so  much 
esteemed  among  us,  and  we  sympathise  warmly  with  the  honorable  family  into 
which  he  married  a  short  time  ago. 

THE  RUINED  "  TEMPLE." 

The  Nemesis  of  their  own  folly  has  overtaken  the  seceders  who  formed 
themselves  into  a  group  at  Syracuse,  N.  Y.  under  the  title  of  "  The  Temple.*' 
Its  leader  was  a  Mrs.  La  Due,  apparently  a  hvsteriao  and  certainly  a  moiv 
phiomaniac,  who  gave  out  esoteric  teachings  while  **  entranced,"  and  claimed 
W  be  directed  by  a  Master  whom  she  call^  **  Hilarion.*'    Among  her  asao* 


•  Supplement  to  The  Theosophist.  xiil 

oiates  was  Dr.  J.  D*  Back,  of  Cincinnati,  formerly  one  of  our  most  influential 
colleagues  and  the  principal  backer  of  Mr.  Judge's  secession.  The  Syracuse 
Evening  Herald  of  September  2l8t  last  prints  a  long  communication  from 
Miss  Irene  Earll,  with  copies  of  letters  from  "  JKilarion''  attached,  in  which 
she  exposed  the  contemptible  affair  and  makes  grave  imputations  upon  the 
character  of  ^*  Blue  S&ar,"  the  trade-mark  of  Mrs.  La  Due.  It  is  really 
pitiable  to  see  how  the  various  *'  Theosophicar*  societies  which  have  sprung 
into  being  among  the  Judgeites  crumble  success ivel}-!  leaving  their  promo* 
ters  in  a  sad  plight. 

A  GENEROUS  GIFT  FOR  THE  STARVING. 

Mr.  S.  Imamura  (P.  O.  Box  874),  leader  of  the  Japanese  religious 
party  at  Honolulu,  H.  I.  and  an  old  member  of  our  Branch  Society  in  Japan, 
sends  ns  Bs.  4id,  collected  among  the  members  of  the  Shin  Shu  sect  in  the 
Hawaiian  Islands,  for  the  help  of  the  Indian  sufferers  from  famine.  The  Presi- 
dent-Founder will  communicate  with  the  proper  authorities  and  ascertain 
how  the  money  may  best  be  applied.  Meanwhile,  he  thanks  the  generous 
donors  with  all  his  heart  for  this  mark  of  Buddhistic  compassion  for  those 
who  suffer.  He  expects  to  be  able  to  thank  them  personally  in  February 
next,  on  his  way  to  America. 

SERIOUS  LOSSES  AT  ADYAB. 

Our  usual  run  of  good  lack  at  Adyar  has  been  of  late  interrupted :  we 
have  lost  by  death  three  horses  and  a  pony,  which  leaves  ns  with  only  one, 
nearlv  superannuated,  pony  to  use.  There  are  no  available  trams  nor  any 
omnibuses  nor  cab-stands  within  our  reach  ;  to  gpt  to  a  steamer  we  have 
to  drive  seven  miles ;  the  Printer's  office  is  equally  far ;  the  two  railway 
stations  are  respectively  five  and  six  miles  distant;  and  near  them  are  the 
shops  with  which  we  have  to  deal :  the  food-supplies  are  procured  at  the 
market,  which  is  also  seven  miles  away.  Under  these  circumstances  it  is 
easy  to  see  that  if  we  should  have  no  horses  we  should  have  to  stop  at  home, 
for  in  this  tropical  heat  walking  is  not  to  be  thought  of.  Miss  Palmer's 
Pariah  schools  are  distant  several  miles  from  Adyar  and  she  requires  the 
constant  use  of  a  conveyance;  the  Head-quarters  staff  equally  need  one  ;  the 
Theoaophist  Manager  must  also  have  his  own  vehicle,  and  the  steward,  like 
every  other  one  in  Madras,  has  to  have  a  pony  and  cart  to  fetch  supplies.  All 
the  losses  of  our  animals  occurred  within  one  month  and  seem  to  have  been  due 
to  some  passing  epidemic ;  however  that  may  be,  the  concrete  fact  is  that  the 
Head-quarters  fund  has  a  loss  of  £50,  or  3250,  to  make  up  as  speedily  as  pos- 
sible. A  trifling  sum  for  three  horses  and  a  pony,  yet  a  very  hard  one  to 
make  up  out  of  our  always  scanty  resources.  No  one  will  accuse  us  of  the 
habit  of  begging,  and  even  now  we  do  not  ask  any  one  to  help  us  out  of 
our  little  difficulty,  but  only  mention  the  facts  and  let  our  colleagues  act  as 
seems  best  to  them. 


THE  BENABES  CONVENTION  AND  ADYAR  MEETINGS. 

Mrs.  Besaut  has  chosen  the  following  subjects  for  her  four  morning 
lectures  at  the  joint  Convention  of  the  Theosophical  Society  and  its  Indian 
Section,  at  Benares,  December  27,  28,  29  and  30 : 

Ancient  Ideals  and  Modern  Life. 

Lecture  I.  Education, 

„       II.  TempleSf  Prieate  and  Worship, 

„      III.  Ths  Gaeie  Syaiem. 

„      IV.  Wonumhood. 

She  informs  me  that,  meanwhile,  she  will  make  the  following  short 
tour:  December  3-5,  Arrah;  5-7,  Chapra ;  7-9,  Gorakhpur;  9-11,  Lucknow; 
12-14, Lahore;  14-16,  Faridkot;  17,  Aligarh;  18,  Cawnpur.  Then  back  to 
Benares. 

Miss  Lilian  Edger,  m.  a.,  has  cabled  me  that  she  will  comply  with  my 
wishes  and  give  the  desired  lectures  at  Adyar  on  the  usual  Convention  days, 
December  27,  28,  29  and  30,  though  she  has  not  yet  been  able  to  put  me  in  a 
position  to  announce  her  subjects.  It  needs  no  assurance,  however,  that  they 


xiv  Supplement  to  The  Theosophlst. 

will  be  both  helpfal  and  insiractive.  It  is  extremely  obH|(iii|(  ia  her  to  thus 
forego  the  aoticipated  pleasare  she  expected  to  enjoy  at  Benaree,  and  I  hope 
that  her  Soath  Indian  friends  will  prove  their  appreoiation  of  it  by  attending. 
Mr*  T,  Baniachandra  Iyer,  Retired  Sub-Jodge,  and  Mr.  J«  Srinivasa  Bow, 
of  Gooty,  onr  beloved  old  friend,  have  most  kindly  consented  to  take  eharge 
of  the  physical  comforts  of  Indian  visitors,  while  Miss  Weeks,  P.  8.,  will  look 
after  non-caste  gnests.  As  Announced  last  month,  the  Adyar  meetings  will 
have  nooflElcial  character,  being  simply  arranged  for  the  pleasure  and  profit  oC 
oar  Mofossil  members,  who  are  accnstomed  to  visit  the  head-quarters  at 
Convention  time. 


OUR  TWENTY-FIFTH  ANNIVERSARY  AT  NEW  YORK. 
Mr.  Alexsnder  Fnllerton,  General  Secretary  of  the  American  Section, 
having  notified  the  President- Founder  of  his  intention  to  hold  a  meeting  on 
the  17th  of  November  to  commemorate  the  twenty*fifth  birthday  of  the  Sooiecy 
at  New  York,  and  r«»qae9ted  him  to  send  a  short  address  to  be  raad  on  tbe 
eecasion,  the  latter  complied  by  sending  the  desired  pa|)er  and,  on  the  17th 
November  cabled  the  following  message :  *'  Brotherly  greetings  to  all  asssai* 
bled  colleagues  and  s>  mpathisers.  Courage,  hope,  fidelity,  self-sacrifice, 
brotherly  love,  cultivate." 

THE  PARIAH  SCHOOLS. 

The  enocess  of  the  experiment  of  trying  to  educate  and  uplift  the  poor 
Pariah  children  of  Madras  is,  month  by  month,  becoming  more  eviaent. 
Thanks  to  Miss  Palmer's  practical  management  and  the  aid  of  the  clever 
Pariah  teachers  she  has  drawn  around  her,  the  problem  of  developing  t<he  mental 
capacity  and  moral  sense  of  her  little  pupils  has  passed  out  of  the  experi- 
mental stage.  We  now  know  that,  not  even  the  terrible  social  pressure  nnder 
which  these  outcastes  have  been  trampled,  can  stifle  the  inner  potentiality 
for  mental  and  psychical  activity.  Those  few  generous  souls  who  have  sent 
in  money  to  help  on  the  movement  ought  to  be  very  happy  on  reading  the 
subjoined  figures.  Up  till  now  three  schools  have  been  opened  vis  :  No.  1, 
the  *'  Olcott  Free  School,"  founded  in  1895  at  Urur ;  the  "  H.  P.  B.  Memorial 
Free  School,*'  founded  in  1898  at  Kodambakum ;  and  the  **  Damodar  Free 
School,*'  founded  in  1899  at  Teynampett.  All  occupy  buildings  and  grounds 
of  their  own  in  the  suburbs  of  Madras — bought  out  of  moneys  given  by 
friends — save  the  first-named  which  is  on  leased  ground. 

The  results  of  the  examinations  recently  held  at  two  of  these  schools 
are  given  in  the  following  tables: 

Olcott  Freb  School. 
4th  Standard ;    No.    presented,      7 ;  No.    passed,      I 
3rd         ,,  „  „  10      „  „  8 

2nd        „  „  „  18      „  „  16 

1st  |,  .,  „  21      „  „         lo 

Infant    „  „  „  29      „  '        „         24 

Average  (leroentage  of  passes  in  this  school,  83. 

The  present  total  attenaance  is  126. 

The  examination  at  the  Diimodar  Free  School  has  not  yet  been  held. 

The  present  attendance  is  111. 

Hi  P.  B,  Memorial  School. 

3rd  Standard;    No.    presented,      5;    No.    passed,     5. 

2nd         „  „  „  13        „  „         13 

1st  f,  ,1  ,1  o         ,,  „  o 

Infant     „  „  ,,  11        „  »>  9 

The  average  percentage  of  passes  being  89,  Fourteen  pupils  eligible  for 

Grant  Examination  were  unable  to  be  present,  owing  to  the  prevalence  of 

cholera  and  other  diseases,  in  the  vicinity.    Present  total  attendance  122. 

Another  school  is  to  be  started  in  Mylapore  as  soon  ss  the  bniidine  is 
completed,  on  the  property  purchased.  This  is  a  work  of  compassion.  Who 
else  will  help  it. 

Printed  by  Thompson  and  Co.,  in  the  Theoaophist  department  of  the  Minerva 
Preis,  Madras,  and  published  for  the  proprietors  bv  the  business  Mana- 
ger, Mr.  T.  YiJU  Baghata  Cearlu,  at  Adyar,  Madras, 


SUPPLEMENT    TO 

THE   THEOSOPHIST. 


FEBRUARY    1901. 


MONTHLY  FINANCIAL  STATEMENT. 

The  following  receipts  from  2ist  November  to  20th  December  1900 
are  acknowledged  with  thanks  : — 

Headquarters  Fund. 

Mr.  C.  Sambiah  Gam,  Mylapore 

Lala  Hari  Krishen  Dass,  Lahore 

Mr.  W.  B.  Fricke,   General  Secretary,   Dutch  Section 

T.  S.,  Amsterdam,  25  per  cent.  ;^io-o-o 
Scandinavian  Section  T.  S.,  25  per  cent.  Dues  ^^26  13- 1  . 

Library  Fund. 

Mr.  C.  Sambiah  Garu,  Mylapore 

An  F.  T.  S.  of  Burma,  subscription  for  November 

Mr.  A.  Schwarz,' Colombo 


PRESIDENT-FOUNDER'S  TOUR  FUND. 

American  Section  T.  S.,  through  Mr.  A.  FuUerton. 

Discretionary  Fund 

Convention  Appropriation 

Mr.  and  Dr.  Burnett 

Dr.  A.  G.  Henry 

Alexander  Fullerton 

Mrs.  H.  I.  Dennis 

Miss  M.  Pfender 

White  Lotus  Lodge 

Mrs.  Eliz.  Hughes 

Mrs.  E.  G.  Mayberry 


RS. 

A. 

p. 

3 

0 

0 

12 

0 

0 

148 

12 

II 

399 

13 

0 

3 

0 

0 

50 

0 

0 

30 

0 

0 

*i50 

0 

0 

100 

0 

0 

50 

0 

0 

SO 

0 

0 

45 

0 

0 

25 

0 

0 

5 

0 

0 

5 

0 

0 

4 

0 

0 

2 

0 

0 

Adyar,  Madras, 
2.0th  December  1900. 


Total.. 4(436    o    o 

-;^90.i-8-i,35i-4-o. 

T.  VlJIARAGHAVA  CHARLU, 

Treasurer,  7'.  S. 


NOTICE. 


The  General  Secretary  of  the  American  Section  finds  it  necessary  to 
state  to  members  of  the  Indian  Section  that  he  does  not  keep  a  book- 
shop, that  he  has  no  relations  with  dealers,  and  that  he  undertakes  no 
commissions  as  to  books  or  other  matters.  All  arrangements  concerning 
sales  need  to  be  made  with  T.  E.  Comba,  67,  5th  Ave.,  New  York,  the 
Theosophical  Book  Concern,  26  E.  Van  Buren  Street,  Chicago,  111.,  or 
"Messenger"  Publishing  Office,  Odd  Fellows'  B'd'g.,  San  Francisco, 
Calif.  Any  books  sent  to  the  Gen.  Secy,  for  sale  will  hereafter  be 
retained  until  postage  for  their  return  is  received,  or,  in  default  of  it 
given  away.  No  commissions  of  any  kind  can  be  attended  to.  Letters 
on  other  business  than  that  of  the  Gen.  Secretary's  Office  must  be, sent 
direct  to  the  parties  attending  to  such  business.  Moreover,  letters  on 
business  with  the  Gen.  Secretary  must  be  prepaid  at  foreign  postal  rate, 
not  at  the  domestic  rate  of  India.  Much  trouble  and  disappointment  will 
be  averted  if  this  very  distinct  notice  is  carefully  conformed  to. 

AI.EXANDER  Fullerton, 

General  Secretary. 


XYi  Supplement  to  The  Theosophist. 

THE  GRAND  LAMA. 

His  Holiness,  Tehainsin  Oorooltooeff,  the  Grand  Lama  of  the 
Buddhists  of  Bast  Siberia,  who  was  recentl}'  received  by  the  Czar,  and 
is  now  slowly  returning  home  via  Vladivastok,  is  in  Ceylon.  His  first 
Question  on  meeting  the  Russian  Consul  was  whether  he  knew  one 
Colonel  Olcott,  who  had  compiled  a  Buddhist  Catechism.  He  said  he 
was  known  all  throughout  Siberia,  and  he,  the  High  Priest,  was  most 
anxious  to  see  him.  When  he  was  obliged  to  leave  for  Anuradhapura 
with  the  Russian  Consul,  he  expressed  his  stron^st  regret  not  to  be  able 
to  wait  to  see  the  Colonel.  The  latter's  disappointment  was,  of  course, 
far  greater,  but  as  the  next  best  thin?  he  set  to  work  to  arrange  for 
a  Public  Meeting  to  be  held  at  Widyodaya  Colleee  on  the  Grand  Lama*s 
return,  and  the  adoption  of  a  sympathetic  address,  to  be  signed  by 
Sumangala,  Subhuthi  and  the  other  Chief  Priests  of  Ceylon,  expressive 
of  their  hope  that  brotherly  relations  may  be  in  time  established 
between  the  Northern  and  Southern  sections  of  Buddhism. 

The  Colonel  distributed  prizes,   and  made  the  usual  speech,  at 
Ananda  College  on  the  loth  January.    On  the  nth  he  sailed  for  Japan. 


NEW  BRANCHES. 

On  December  i6th,  a  charter  was  issued  to  the  Forest  City  T.  S., 
Cleveland,  Ohio  with  9  charter-members ;  on  December  17th  to  the 
Heliotrope  Lodge  T.S.,  Helena,  Montana,  with  10  charter- members  ; 
on  December  i8th  to  the  Boston  Lodge  T.  S.,  Boston,  Mass.,  with  7 
charter-members.  The  President  of  the  Heliotrope  Lodge  is  Alpheus 
B.  Keitle,  the  Secretary  is  Mrs.  Katherina  N.  Moore,  47,  S.  Rodney  St., 
Helena,  Mont.  The  President  of  the  Boston  Lodge  is  Mrs.  Emily 
A.  Partridge,  the  Secretary  is  Mrs.  Grace  Van  Dusen  Cook,  Box  219, 
Needham,  Mass.    There  are  now  76  Branches  in  the  American  Section. 

Al^XANDKR  FUU^RTON, 

General  Secretary. 


THE  LATE  RAI  BAHADUR  R.  SOORIA  RAO  NAIDU. 

A  correspondent  of  the  Madras  Mail  writes  :~It  is  with  deepest 
pain  that  I  have  to  record  the  death  of  Rai  Bahadur  R.  Sooria  Rao 
Naidu.  Without  the  least  shadow  of  doubt  he  was  one  of  the  most 
upright,  impartial  and  straightforward  officers  that  Government  has 
ever  had.  He  took  a  very  great  interest  in  the  study  of  Theosophy. 
Self-development,  self- purification  and  altruism  shown  alike  to  fnend 
and  foe  were  his  prominent  characteristics.  He  lately  gave  a  series  of 
elaborate  lectures  on  Theosophical  subjects,  and  thus  gave  every 
encouragement  and  support  to  the  Theosophical  Branch  here.  In 
general,  he  encouraged  every  literary  and  religious  movement.  The 
relatives  of  the  deceased  have  6ur  sincere  sympathy. 


THE  BUDDHIST  CATECHISM  IN  BURMESE. 

Orders  for  the  above  should  be  sent  hereafter  to  the  Rangoon  Branch 
of  the  T.  S.,  59,  Sparks  Street,  and  «<?/ to  43,  Phayre  Street,  the  old 
address  which  was  given  in  our  December  issue. 


BACK  NUMBERS  OF  *' THEOSOPHIST"   WANTED. 
Vol.  14    December  and  January  issues. 
M     15  M         issue. 

„      2    May 
Any  person  having  one  or  more  of  the  above  numbers  which  he  is 
willing  to  part  with  will  please  address  (or  send  to)  The  Manager, 
Theosophist  Office,  Adyar,  Madras,  India. 


Printed  by  Thompson  and  Co.,  in  the  Tkeo9ophiet  department  of  the  Minerva 
PreUf  Madras,  and  pnblished  for  the  proprietors  by  the  business  Mana- 
ger, Mr.  T.  ViJU  Baohava  Charlu,  at  Adyar,  Madras. 


SUPPLEMENT    TO 

THE   THEOSOPHIST 


MARCH,     1901 


MONTHLY  FINANCIAL  STATEMENT. 

The  followincr  receipts  from  21st  December  to  20th   February  1901 
are  acknowledged^with  thanks  : — 


HEAD-QUARTERS  FUND. 


RS.   A.   P. 


Arthur  A.  Wells,  Esq.,  General  Secretary,  European  Section, 

T.  S.,  25"/„  Dues  from  ist  May  to  31st  October  j^i-12-6  ...     774    6    o 
A  Bombay  firm,  for  horse  purchase  ...  ...  30    o    o 

Babu  Bolanath  Chatterji,        do      ...  ..       10    o    o 

Indian  Section  T.  S.,  for  travelling  expense  of  P.T.S.  to  the 

last  Convention  ...  ..  ••  ■     100    o    o 

Mr.  C.  Sambiah  Garu,  Mylapore,  subscription  ..  300 

Alexander  Fullerton,  Esq.,  for  horse  purchase         ...  ...      29  13    o 

Mr.  Knothe,  do  do  ...  .600 

Alexander  Fullerton,    Esq.,    General  Secretary,    American 
Section,  T.  S.,  25"/^  Dues  from  ist  May  to  31st  December 
1900.     Cheque  for /27- 10-3  .  ...  ...  ...     406  12  11 

C.  W.  Sanders,  Esq.,  General  Secretary,  New  Zealand   Sec, 

T.  S.,  25''/„   Dues  for  2nd  half  of  year  1900,  ;^i-i5-6         ...       26  10    o 

Anniversary  Fund.. 

Amount  collected  through  Mr.  V.  C.  Scshachariar  ..      394    o    o 

Mr.  J.  Srinivasa  Rao,  Gooty,  Donation        ...  ...  3    "^    o 

Mr.  R.  T.  Tebbit  Sivatar,  Annual  Dues  for  1901        ...  ...       15    o    o 

Library  Fund. 

An  F.  T.  S.  of  Burma  for  December  1900  and  January  1901  ...     100    o    o 
Mr.  C.  Sambiah  Garu,  Mylapore,  for  do  ...300 

An  Australian  F.  T.  S.  ...  ...  •••        400 

President's  Tour  Fund. 

A  Friend                 ...  •                    200  o  o 

A  Friend                  ...            .  '         •  •     100  o  o 

Dr.  Edal  Behram,   Surat  50  o  o 

Mr.  P.  D.  Khan,  Colombo                 ...  75  «  o 

ADYAR,  madras,     I  T.    VIJIARAGHAVA  CHARI.U, 

2Qth  February  1901.  )  Treasurer,   T.  S, 

NEW  BOOKS  FOR  THE  ADYAR  LIBRARY. 

"  The  Story  of  Religion  in  Ireland  ;"  by  Clement  Pike  :  presented  by 
r.  John  Barron.     **  El   Materialismo  y  el  Espiritualismo, "   from  the 


tserar  ;  uu.  m  mc  .^.^.<nix  o  x^..*www^«  ,  -..^  -::\7^  Manuscript,"  Part 
II  Fasc  I  and  II. ;  Rejwrts  of  Archaeological  Survey  of  India,  \  ols. 
Xix.  XX.  XXI.  XXII.  XXIII,  and  Index. 


xvili  Supplement  to  The  Theosophlsfc. 

THE  "  WEST  COAST  SPECTATOR." 
We  are  glad  to  notice  that  the  Editor  of  the  West  Coast  Spectator  is 
pleased  to  publish  an  occasional  article  in  explanation  of  the  principles 
of  Theosophy.  If  more  of  our  Indian  editors  would  follow  his  example 
and  that  of  the  Editor  of  the  Indian  Mirror ^th^  valiant  "  defender  of 
the  faith — "  much  good  might  result  therefrom. 


NEW  BRANCH,  AUSTRALASIAN  SECTION. 
A  Charter  to  form  a  Branch  of  our  Society  at  Launceston,  Tasmania, 
has  been  duly  granted,  to  Elizabeth  Worth,   M.  W.  Noble,  H.  E.  Webb, 
Richard  Worth,  Elizabeth  Petley,  G.  C.  Jackson,  Esther  Lithgow 

A.  Marques, 

General  Secretary, 

BRANCH  DISSOLVED,  EUROPEAN  SECTION. 
The  Wandsworth    Branch  has  returned  its  Charter,   the  members 
having  decided  to  dissolve  the  Branch. 

Arthur  A.  Wells, 

General  Secretary. 

OUR  PANCHAMA  FREE  SCHOOLS. 

Beginnings  in  industrial  Education. 

The  marked  success  which  has  attended  the  establishment  of  the 
Olcott  Free  School,  and  the  two  other  schools  which  have  since  been 
founded  under  the  same  supervision,  is  worthy  of  notice,  and  shows  how 
eager  the  Pariahs  are  to  have  their  children  educated.  The  increase  in 
attendance  has  been  quite  remarkable  during  the  past  six  months  and 
indicates  that  provision  will  have  to  be  made  for  accommodating  man3' 
more  pupils  than  were  at  first  expected.  The  parents  of  these  children 
much  prefer  to  send  them  to  schools  where  no  attempt  is  made  at  prosely- 
ting. The  children  are  docile,  studious  and  eager  to  learn,  showing  that 
they  are  readvto  take  a  forward  step  in  the  path  of  evolution,  and  that 
the  efforts  wnich  are  being  made  by  a  few  people,-  in  their  behalf,  are 
by  no  means  wasted,  but,  on  the  contrary,'  are  supplying  a  great  and 
growing  need.  If  our  readers  could  only  see  the  bright,  eager  faces  of 
the  children  who  attend  these  schools,  I  am  sure  their  sympathies 
would  be  awakened,  and  they  would  feel  anxious  to  do  something  to  aid 
this  movement.  The  upkeep  of  these  three  schools  is  attended  with 
considerable  expense,  as  thirteen  teachers  are  at  present  required  and 
others  will  be  needed  as  soon  as  the  fourth  school- house,  which  is  now 
in  process  of  erection,  is  completed.  One  hundred  pupils  are  in 
readiness  to  attend  this  school  as  soon  as  it  oi)ens. 

In  addition  to  instruction  in  the  usual  branches,  some  attention  is 
being  paid  to  industrial  education.  A  class  in  Hook-binding  is  held 
weekly,  in  which  thirty-two  of  the  larger  boys,  and  several  ot  the 
teachers,  are  being  instructed  by  a  practical  Book-binder  from  Madras, 
in  this  useful  art.  The  girls  in  the  schools  are  carefully  trained  in 
needle-work,  and  in  cutting  and  fitting  their  own  garments.  The  older 
pupils   are  also  trained  in   practical  cookery. 

The  morals  of  the  children  are  not  neglected.  At  the  Olcott  Free 
School  there  is  a  very  large  weekly  attendance  at  the  Sunday-school, 
where  Miss  Palmer  (the  talented  American  Lady  who  is  devoting  all 
her  energies  to  the  needs  of  this  long-neglected  class  of  people)  tells  an 
int -^resting story  having  a  useful  moral,  thus  instilling  correct  principles 
into  the  minds  of  the  pupils,  which  will  help  to  mould  their  future  lives. 
A  gjreat  work  has  been  undertaken  ;  it  is  rapidly  growing  and  needs 
assistance.  Is  it  to  be  left  to  suffer  for  lack  of  aid  ?  Shall  we  who  are 
constantly  receiving  help  from  superior  beings,  withhold  such  aid  as  we 
are  able  to  give,  from  those  who  are  below  us  't  Who  will    respond  ? 

w.  A.  English. 


Printed  by  Thompson  and  Co.,  iu  the  TJieoaophiat  department  of  the  Mitierva 
Press,  Madras,  and  published  tor  the  proprietors  by  the  business  Mnna- 
ger,  Mr.  T.  Vuia  Kaguava  Uiiaklu,  at  Adyar,  Madras. 


SUPPLEMENT      TO 

THE   THEOSOPHIST 


APRIL   1901. 


MONTHLY  FINANCIAL  STATEMENT. 

The  following  receipts  from  21st  February  to  20th  :March  1901  are 
^icknowledged  with  thanks  :— 

HEADQUARTERS  FUND. 

RS.    A.    P. 

J^abu  Upendranath  Basu,  Benares,  General  Secretary,  Indialn 
Section,  Theosophical  Society,  25"/o  Dues  for  last  quarter 
1900  . .  . .  • .  579    o    o 

Alexander  Fullerton,  Esq.,  New  York.  Donation  for  purchase 

of  horses  ..  ..  ..  ..  141 30 

Library  Fund. 
An  F.  T.  S.  of  Burma  ..  ••  ..  ..  ..       50    o    o 

Anniversary  Fund. 

A  friend,  through  Mr.  V.  C.  Seshacharri  ..       15    o    o 

]Mr.  J.  Jayaram  Chetty,  Madras,  through  Mr.  V.  C .  vSeshacharri        500 

The  sum  of  Rs.  3/8  credited  last  month  as  collected  by  J.  Srinivasa 
Row,  shoitld  have  been  credited  as  collected  by  V.  C.  Seshacharri.  The 
total  collections  to  date  by  Mr.  Seshacharri  amount  to  Rs.  417-8-0. 

ADYAR,  )  T.  VlJIARAGHAVA  CHARU', 

20/^  March  1901.  )  Treasurer,  T.  S, 

THE  PRESIDENT'S  TOUR. 

The  President  left  Colombo  on  January  nth,   on  the  S.  S.  Sac/isen, 

a>f  the  Norddeutscher  Lloyd,  touching  at  Penang  on  the  loth,  Singapore 

on  the  17th  and  Hongkong  on  the  23rd.    Shanghai  was  reached  on  the 

27th  and  Nagasaki  on  the  29th.  The  weather  during  the  whole  time  was 

? Pleasant.    The  Steamer  had  lost  a  day  at  Singapore  and  Col.   Olcott 
eared  he  would  miss  his  connection  with  the  Pacinc  mail  steamer,  but, 
by  leaving  the  Sachsen  at  Kobi  and  travelling  by  train  to  Yokohama,  he 
•caught  the  boat,  the  ill-fated   City  of  Rio  de  Janeiro. 

Our  latest  advices  from  Col.  Olcott  are  from  San  Francisco,  where 
he  arrived  on  the  25th  of  February,  a  day  sooner  than  expected. 

The  first  news  he  received  was  of  the  wreck  of  the  steamer  *  Rio  de 
Janeiro,"  on  which  he  had  come  from  Yokohama  to  Honolulu,  and  left 
her  to  proceed  on  her  way.  More  than  one  hundred  lives  were  lost, 
including  those  of  the  Captain,  First  and  Second  Officers,  and  others  of 
the  company's  servants,  and  also  nearlv  all  the  agreeable  and  intelligent 
passengers  with  whom  the  Colonel  had  i>assed  such  pleasant  tunes 
during  the  transit  of  ten  days  from  Japan  to  the  Hawaiian  Islands, 
This  was  the  saddest  experience  he  has  ever  had  in  his  travels.  At  the 
j;ame  time  he  could  not  help  seeing  the  Guiding  Hand  which  had 
arranged  for  him  to  be  spared  the  necessity  of  proceeding  on  from 
Honolulu  to  San  Francisco  by  the  ill-fated  vessel  in  question. 


XX  Supplement  to  The  Theosophist. 

The  week  the  Colonel  passed  at  Honolulu  was  full  of  activity,  and 
rich  in  results.  Our  little  band  of  devoted  colleagues,  composing  the 
Aloha  Branch,  has  been  greatU'  strengthened  and  encouraged  by 
contact  wnth  the  President,  and,"  as  usual,  he  has  converted  all  he 
has  met  into  personal  friends.  On  leaving  he  was  almost  buried  in 
floral  wreaths  and  garlands  of  a  sweet  smelling  vine  peculiar  to  the 
Islands. 

Mis  transit  from  Honolulu  to  San  Francisco  on  the  steamship 
**  Coptic''  was  very  agreeable,  and  his  reception  at  San  Francisco  has 
been  quite  enthusiastic.  On  the  evening  of  February  27th  two  or  three 
hundred  members  and  well-wishers,  gave  him  a  welcome  at  the  charm- 
ing Hall  of  the  Golden  Gate  Lodge,  T.  S.,  w^hich  had  been  tastefuUy 
decorated  for  the  occasion.  An  informal  speech  of  welcome  was  made 
by  ]Mr.  W.  J.  Walters,  the  President,  and  replied  to  by  the  President- 
Founder  in  moving  terms.  He  was  then  kept  busy  for  an  hour  or  two 
receiving  the  personal  greetings  of  old  and  new  friends. 

His  first  public  lecture  was  to  be  given  at  Metropolitan  Temple  on 
the  subject  of  "  Theosophj-,  Religion,  and  Occult  Science.*'  Another 
public  reception  w^as  to  be  given  him  at  Oakland,  a  suburb  of  San 
Francisco,  where  our  valued  and  beloved  friend,  Mr.  A.  F.  Knudsen, 
is  diffusing  his  own  devotion  and  energy  into  a  local  group ;  a  public 
reception  on  the  evening  of  the  2nd  of  March  ;  a  lecture  to  the  Japanese, 
through  an  interpreter,  at  their  Temple,  on  their  religion,  was  to  be  given 
on  Sunday  morning,  the  3rd,  and  another  lecture  on  **  Buddhism"  to  the 
general  public  at  the  same  place,  and  on  the  7th  a  lecture  at  Oakland  on 
the '*  Rise  and  Spirit  of  the  Theosophical  Movement,"  were  already 
booked. 

Mr.  F^ullerton  had  laid  out  a  program  filling  up  the  Colonel's  time 
with  visits  along  the  Pacific  coast,  in  the  Territories  of  Montana 
and  Wyoming,  British  Columbia,  and  the  States  of  Minnesota,  Colora- 
do, and  Nebraska,  up  to  the  meeting  of  the  American  Convention  at 
Chicago  on  May  26th.  The  program  from  Chicago  eastward  was  to  be 
arranged  later.  It  was  expected  that  his  whole  American  tour  would  be 
finished  by  August,  when  he  would  be  free  to  take  the  steamer  down  to 
Buenos  Aires,  in  South  America  ;  from  there  coming  home  by  way  of 
Kuroi-e,  the  Red  Sea  and  Colombo. 

He  is  doing  all  that  lies  within  his  power  to  ^et  home  some  time  in 
November,  so  as  to  have  ample  time  for  preparations  for  the  next  con- 
vention, which  he  expects  to  be  one  of  exceptional  importance. 

The  following  route  program  is  copied  from  Mr.  Fullerton's  memo- 
randum : 

''From  San  Francisco,  California,  to  Los  Angeles,  Cal. ;  San  Diego, 
Cal. ;  San  Francisco,  Cal. ;  Sacramento,  Cal. ;  Portland,  Oregon;  Tacoma 
Washington  ;  Seattle,  Washington  ;  Vancouver,  B.  C.  ;  Seattle,  Wash- 
ington ;  Butte,  Montana  ;  Helena,  Montana ;  Sheridan,  Wyoming : 
Minneapolis,  Minnesota,  (where  he  is  to  stop  May  5th,  6th,  7th,  8th,  and 
9th,  among  Miss  Palmer's  old  friends  and  colleagues) ;  Denver,  Colorado ; 
Lincoln,  Nebraska  ;  and  Chicago,  Illinois. 

The  Colonel  writes  in  tenns  of  wanu  praise  of  his  kind  hostess  at 
San  Francisco,  Mrs.  Hotaling,  who  is  showing  him  every  kindness  and 
proof  of  good  will.  Among  other  notable  things  done  she  has  presented 
him  with  money  to  replace  the  horses  which  recently  died  at  the  Adyar 
Headquarters. 

Happily  he  preserv^es  his  robust  health  and  hi^h  spirits,  and  looks- 
forwara  enthusiastically  to  the  results  of  his  American  tour. 


NEW  BRANCHES,  EUROPEAN  SECTION. 

A  Charter  was  issued  on  February  25th,  to  Mrs.   Passingham,  Miss 
Wheaton,  Mrs.  Bernard,  Mrs.  Pengelly,  Mrs.  White,  L.  A.  D.  Montague. 


Supplement  to  The  Theosophist.  xxr 

Mrs.  Snodgrass,   J.  I.  Pengelly  and  Mrs.  Lake,   to  fonn  a  Branch  of  the 
Theosophical  Society  at  Kxeter  to  be  known  as  the  Hxeter  Branch. 

Arthur  A.  Wkixs, 

(rcnerai  Secretary. 


AMERICAN  BRANCHES. 

San  Lorenzo  T.  S.  has  reconsidered  its  wish  to  dissolve  and  will 
retain  its  charter.  Mercur}- T.  S.,  Brooklyn,  N.Y.,  has  surrendered  it 
charter,  and  the  charter  of  the  Indiana  T.S.^  Indianapolis,  Ind.,  has  been 
cancelled  by  the  General  Secretary  and  the  Branch  suppressed.  On 
February  12th,  a  charter  was  issued  to  the  Wachtmeister  T.S.,  Washing- 
ton, D.  C.,  with  eight  charter- members.  The  President  is  Mrs.  Anna  M. 
Jaquess,  423, 8th  St.,  S.  K. ;  the  Secretar3'  is  Mrs.  Katherine  Glenn,  16,  2nd 
St.,  N.  K.  There  are  now  76  Branches  in  the  American  Section. 

Alkxandkk  FuixkrTON. 

Getieral  Secretary, 

NKW  BOOKS  FOR  THK  ADVAR  LIBRARY. 

From  the  Government  of  India,  Archccologicat  Survey  of  htdui,  Kc^c 
Series y  Vol.  II.  ;  The  Mogfntl  Architecture  oiFathpur- Si kri\  Parts  1-4; 
Re\nsed  lists  oi  Antiquarian  Remains  in  the  Bombay  Presidency  ;  *'  Yd- 
JHsha  Andhitagni Paitrimedhika  Prayoga,''  in  Telugu,  2  Vols.,  from 
Me.ssrs.  C.  Sambiah  and  V.  V.  Seshiah.  From  the  Bombay  Branch  T.  S^  : 
A  scientific  exposition  of  purity  of  thoughts  ^  words  and  deeds  as  taught  in 
Zaroastriafjism  (Huniata,  Hukhta  and  Hvarshta) ;  Progress  and  Returca- 
tion ;  T/ie  soul  after  death;  The  Mazdian  creed;  2 he  holy  Sraosha, 
by  Mr.  N.  D.  Khandalvala,  B.A.,  LL.B.  ;  Frashokard  and  Re-birth,  by 
Mr.  N.  D.  Khandalvala,  B.A.,  LL.B.  ;  Laboratmy  dangers^  bj-  Sarah  S. 
Gostling  ;  Zoroastrian  ceremonies ;  Zordastrianism  and  Re-incarnation  ; 
Primitive  Mazdayasnyan  teachings,  all  in  English  ;  and  the  following  in 
Guzarati:  Gems  of  the  Avesta,  by  a  Zoroastrian  Lad\' ;  The  three 
paths  \  An  account  of  the  life  of  the  Emperor  Kaikushro  of  Persia, 
in  the  light  of  Theosophy,  by  a  Zoroastrian  theosophist  of  the  priestly 
class ;  Some  mysterious  ^natters  in  the  Vendidad  (the  need  of  the  know- 
ledge of  theosophy) ;  The  guardian  of  advice,  by  a  Zoroastrian  ;  Good 
thoughts,  good  words  and  good  deeds,  in  the  light  of  1^ 'ester n  science  and 
Theosophy ;  The  Theosophical  Society ,  its  founders,  its  mefnbers,  its 
Zoroastrian  members ;  an  explanation  of  objections  and  misapprehen- 
sions existing  against  them,  by  two  members  of  the*  T.S.  The  Zm-oas- 
trian  ceremonies ;  Tlie  worship  of  Fire;  Dangers  of  suicide  ;  77ie  Astral 
Light,  by  N.  F.  Bilimoria ;  Cherdg  (the  Lamp),  a  monthly  religious 
magazine,  bj-  N.  F.  Bilimoria  (one  issue)'. 


■  t,    '  ■    '   ..     • 


Printed  by  Thompson  and  Co.,  in  the  The08O})hi8t  department  of  the  Minerva 
Presst  Mhdras,  and  published  for  the  proprietors  by  the  b'us^iness  Mana- 
ger, Mr.  T.  ViJfA   Raghava  Chablu,  at  Adyar,  Madras. 


A  SYSTEMATIC  COURSE  OF  READING 

IN  THEOSOPHY.* 


ELEMENTABT. 

The  Seven  Principles  of  Man.     By  Annie  Besant 

Reincarnation.     By  Annie  Besant 

Death  and  After.     By  Annie  Besant 

Karma.     B3' Annie  Besant 

The  A.stral  Plane.    By  C.  \V.  Leadbeater 

The  Devachanic  Plane.     Bj'  C.  W.  lyeadbeater... 

Man  and  His  Bodies.     By  Annie  Besant 

Dharnia.     B)' Annie  Besant 

The  Ancient'  Wisdom .    By  An  ni e  Besant 

Invisible  Helpers.    By  C.  \V.  Leadbeater 

Dreams.    By  C.  W.  Leadbeater  

<:iairvoyance.    By  C.  W.  Leadbeater 
Key  to  Theosophy.     By  H.  P.  Blavatsky 

The  Human  Aura.     By    Marques  Paper 

The  Purpose  of  Theosophy.     By  Mrs.  A.  P.  vSinnett 

A  Ouide  to  Theosophy  ...  

•Collection  of  Esoteric  Writing^s.    By  T.  Subba  Row 
.Sadhanachatuchtaya.     By  R.  Jagannathia 

Theosophical  Gleanings  

Thp  Scientific  Basis  of  Theosophy  

ADVANCED. 

ICvolution  of  Life  and  Form.  By  Annie  Besant 

Building  of  the  Kosmos.     By  Annie  Besant 

The  Self  and  Its  Sheaths.     By  Annie  Besant    ... 

Birth  and  Evolution  of  the  Soul.     By  Annie  Besant 

Esoteric  Buddhism.    By  A.  P.  Sinnett 

The  Grovrth  of  the  Soul:    By  A.  P.  Sinnett 

Plotinus  (Thepsophy  of  the  Greeks).  By  G.  R.  S.  Mead... 

Orpheus  (Theosophy  of  the  (rreeks).  By  G.  R.  S.  Mead... 

Simon  Mag^s.     By  G:  R.  S.  Mead  ...  Paper 

World  Myster>'.     By  G.  R.  S.  Mead 

The  Secret  Doctrine  ;  3  vols,  and  Index.     By  H.  P.  Blavatsky 

Isis  Unveiled.     By  H.  P.  Blavatsky  ♦... 

Pistis  SophiiV    By.G.  R.  S.  Mead  

Theosophy  Applied.     By  Lilian  Edger,  m.a. 


t  u  • ' » • 


ETHICAL. 


Rs.    A. 


Voice  of  the  Silence.     By  H.  P.  Blavatsky 

Bhagavad  GitJi.    Translated  by  Annie  Besant  Paper    ... 

The  Upanishads  ;  two  vols.  Translated  by  G.  R.  S.  Mead  and  J.C. 

Chatterje  (Brahmacharin)  each 
Light  on  the  Path.     By  M.  C. 
Stor>-  of  the  Great  War ;  Lectures  on  Mahabharata.  By  Annie 

Besant 
In  the  Outer  Court.     B;>'  Annie  Besant 
The  Path  of  Disci pleship.     By  Annie  Besant. . . 
Three  Paths.     By  Annie  Besant 
First  Steps  in  Occultism.     By  H.  P.  Blavatsky 
Four  Great  Religions.     By  Annie  Besant 
Christian  Creed.    By  C.  W.  Leadbeater 
Avataras.     By  Annie  Besant 
Discourses  on  Bhagavadgita.    Bv  T.  Subba  Row 
The  Path  of  Virtue.    Translated'by  W.  R.  Old 
Doctrine  of  the  Heart  ".   ... 

•  The»je  prices  do  not  include  postage. 


■  • 

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9 

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0 

9 

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6 

SUPPLEMENT      TO 

THE   THEOSOPHIST. 


MAY   1901. 


RS.  A.  P. 


M  13 

0 

I     0 

0 

2  15* 

0 

MOXTHI^Y  FINANCIAL  vSTATKMENT. 

The  following  receipts   from  21st  March  to  20th    April   1901  are 
acknowledged  with  thanKS  : — 

HKA1>QUAKTERS  FUND. 

Mr,  Alexander  Fullerton,  New  York,  Donation  towards 

horse  purchase 
A  friend  do  do 

Through  Mr.  A.  Fullerton  do 

Mr,  Alexander  Fullerton,   General  Secretary',  American 

Section,  T.  S.,  for  25  ^1^,  Dues  from  ist  January  to  ist 

March  1901,  Cheque  for  £40-7-4  @  Rs.  15  per  £ 
Mr.    C.  Sambiah  Chettiar,   Mylapore,   Subscription  for 

February  and  March  1901     ..'. 

Library  Fund. 

An  F.  T.  S.  of  Burma,  Subscription  for  March  1901 

Panchama  K.  Fund. 

A  friend  for  a  special  purpose 
An  Ivuropean  F.  T.  S.,  cheque... 

Anniversary  Fund. 

The  total  amount   collected   of  the  sums  subscribed  in  December 
1900  has  been   acknowledged  in  Theosoptiist,    By  request  we  subjoin  a 
<letailed  list  of  subscribers. 


605    8    o 


300 


50    o    o 


300 
1,500 


o 
o 


o 
o 


B8.  A. 


B6.  A. 


1.  Cliittoor  Branch  through  Mr. 

C.  M.  DoraiBwini  Mudeliar, 
Pleader 

2.  Dr.  Jagaunatha  Raja 
-i,  K.  K,  Krishna  Iyer 

4.  W.  A.  Krishnama  Charri    ... 

5.  T.  G.  Krishnamurthi,   Plea- 

der, Gadivada 
•0.  I.  V.  Krishna  Row  Ji^aidu    ... 
■7.  N.  Krishna  Row 

8.  G.  Krishna  Sastri 

9.  M.  C.  Krishnaswami  Iyer  ... 
10.  If.  S.  Krishnaswami  Iyer  ... 
Jl.  Arni  Kappuswami  Iyer 

12.  P.  Kappuswami  Iyer 

13.  V.  Kappuswami  Iyer 

14.  T.    8.    Lakshmi    Narayana 
.  Iyer 

lo.  Two  Members 
lO.  Namakkal  Branch 

17.  h,lj.  Narasimham 

18.  C.  Narayanaswami  Iyer 

19.  A.  Narayana  Sastriar 
'20.  T.  Padmanabha  lyah 
31.  K.  Perrazu 

22*  B.  S.  Bamaswami  Iyer 

^.  A.  Bamaswami  Sastriar 

24.  B.  Banga  Gharri 

25k  B.  Banga  Beddiar 

:20.  G.  J.  Bangaswami  Iyengar. . 

27.  T.  Sadasiva  Iyer 

28.  )^.  Sadasiva  Bow 
-20.  SanjivaJjer 


10 
1 
2 
2 

5 
2 
2 
1 

10 
2 
1 
0 

20 

2 
o 

14 
2 
1 
5 
4 
5 
1 

10 
2 
4 
2 

10 
7 
2 


0 
0 
0 

o 

0 
0 
0 
8 
0 
0 
0 
8 
0 

0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 

o 

0 

o 
o 

0 
0 
H 
0 
0 
0 


90.  C.  Sesha  Ghella  Iyer 

31.  V.  G.  Sesha  Gharriar 

32.  A.  Siva  Bow 

33.  Sir  S.  Subrahmania  Iyer    ... 

34.  M.  Subrahmania  Iyer 
•^.  G.  Subrahmania  Iyer 

36.  G.  Subaya  Iyer 

37.  Sund.iram  Chetty 

38.  C.  Sundara  Iyer 

30.  S.  G.  Srinivasa  Gharri 

40.  Ami  Sriuivasa  Iyengar 

41.  l^aga  Baja  Iyer 
'12.  Vasndeva  Iyer 

43.  Vedacbelia  Mudolfar 

44.  Yeeraswami  Iyer 

45.  Yellore  Branch 

46.  A.  Vcnkatakanniah 

47.  Toki  Vonkatapati  Naidu     ... 

48.  U.  Venkata  Bow  •». 

49.  D.  B.  Venkata  Snbba  Bow... 

50.  L.     Venkata     Yaradarajulu 

Naidu 

51.  G.  V.  Viswanada  Sastri 

52.  G.    Mnthukumaraswami 

Mudeliar 

53.  T.  N.  Bamaohandra  Iyer    ... 

54.  T.  V.  Gopalaswami  Iyer     ... 
•5o«  T«  Bamanujam  Pillai 

u6.  J.  Jayaram  Ghctty,  Madras... 


4 

0 

eo 

0 

2 

a 

100 

0 

4 

0 

1 

0 

1 

0 

1 

0 

3 

0 

1 

0 

1 

0 

1 

0 

6 

a 

2 

0 

4 

0 

2 

0 

2 

0 

5 

a 

10 

a 

5 

0 

2 

0 

2 

0 

35 

0 

10 

0 

5 

0 

8 

0 

5 

0 

Total  Bs...  417    8 


xxili 


Supple'tnent  to  the  TheosophisU 


The  following  gentlemen,  who  were  kind  enough  to  pfromise  to 
pay  toward  Anniversarj- Fund,  are  requested  to  send  in  their  subscrip- 
tions as  early  as  possible  : 


5 


o 


O 


0 


10 

0 

3 

0 

3 

0 

5 

0 

Ks.  A. 

1.  Banpralorc    Branch    through 

Mr.  N.  P.  Sabramanin  Iyer    20    0 

2.  BcKwacla     Branch     through 

Mr.  ScBhagiri  Kow 

3.  Chittoor     Branch     through 

Mr.    C,     M.      Doi-aiswanrii 
Mudcliar,  Pleader 

4.  Coimbatore  Branch  through 

Mr.     S.     N.     Bamaswami 
Iyer,  Pleader 

5.  Dr.  Jaganuatha  Raju 
0.  Mr.  T.  Jayaram  Chctty,  D.  P. 

W.,  Coimbatore 
7.  P.  Kesava  Pillai  thn>ngh  Mr. 
Vijiorathnam  Pillai,  Chulai. 
"8.  B.       Krishnaswanii     Naidu, 

Ghintadri))ct 
i).  Knmbakonani     Branch 

through  Mr.  M.  C.  Krishna- 

swami  Iver 

10.  T.    Lakshmana  How,    Small 

Cause  Court,  Madras 

11.  Madras  Branch,  through  Mr. 

C.  R.  Krishnama  Charri ... 

12.  Toki  Nai*ayanaswanii  Naidu, 

Chiutadripet,    through  Dr. 
Jagannatham 

13.  A.    Nilakantha  Sastriar,  Sri 

Vaikunthani 

14.  B.     PanchapakcMi      Sastriar, 

Madras  ...       3    0 

15.  K.  Pe.rra/.u,  Cmumada  ...       5    o 


2    0 


5     0 


5     0 


o     0 

3     0 
ID    0 


16.  Chelikala  llajagopala  Cbeiti, 

GO,   Narayana    Mudaly 
Street,  Madras 

17.  B.     S.      Kainaswami      Iyer 

Collector's  Office,  Salem ... 

18.  Bangoon  Branch,  through  X* 

O.  Subraman  ia  Iyer 
10.  C.    Singara    Velu  Mudeliar, 

Madras  Branch 
20.  M.   Subrah mania    Iyer,  Sub- 
Magistrate,  Gootv 
21     O.  8.    Subrayalu   Chetty,  13 
Ekathakoil  Street,  Madras. 

22.  K.  Subrahmauia  Siva 

23.  S.  fitieenivaea  PiHai,  41  Edai- 
palayam  Street,  Madras    ... 

24.  R.  Swaminatha  Ijor,  Head 
Clerk,  Panrotti  Munsiff's 
Court,  Cuddalore 

2o.  8.  Tyagaraja  Mudaliar,  Sub- 
Registrar,  Swami  Malai, 
Tanjore  District 

2G.  Yedaranyam  Branch  through 
Mr.  N.  Pichai  Pillai,  Retired 
Tahsildar 

27.  G.  Vcnkatranuah  Gam,  Prod- 
dattur 

28.  Vcnkasanii  Rao,  Chittoor  ... 


Rs.  A. 


10 

O 

4 

0 

5 

0 

1 

o 

4 

c> 

2 

o 

1 

i» 

O 

K 

2 

0 

3     0 


30    0 

10     O 
1     O 


Adyar,  Madras,  20///  April  1901, 


Total  Rs.  unpaid  162     K 
T.    VlJIARAGHAVA  CHARLU, 

T7'easrtrer,  7".  S. 


THK  PRKSIDKNrSTOUR. 

Success  attends  the  President's  work  at  San  Francesco,  as  it  did  at 
Honolulu.  The  press  has  published  a  number  of  notices  of  his  lectures, 
and  audiences  numbering-  from  1,000  to  1,500,  according-  to  the  state  of 
the  weather,  have  attended  the  latter. 

They  have  a  custom  at  San  FrancLsco  of  holding  public  "  quiz" 
meetings  at  the  Branch's  rooms  ;  in  other  words,  meetings  fpr  the  pro- 
pounding of  questions  to  be  answered  by  the  person  in  charge.  It  will 
not  surprise  his  Indian  friends  to  hear  that  the  meetings  held  by  Col. 
Olccftt  have  been  great  successes,  nor  that  the  interest  in  them  increased 
from  week  to  week.   At  the  last  meeting  heard  from  the  hall  was  packed. 

The  suite  of  rooms  occupied  by  the  **  Golden  Oate  Branch  "is  as 
well  appointed  as  the  rooms  of  any  branch  that  the  Colonel  has  ever 
visited.  The  meeting-hall  has  at  one  end  a  fixed  stage,  or  platform,  with 
a  semi-circular  front  like  the  one  at  Adyar,  and  a  ver\'  prett3'  pipe-organ 
for  iLse  at  musical  entertainments.  Life-sized  portraits  of  the  west 
known  leaders  of  our  movement  hang  on  the  wall,  and  at  one  side 
there  are  extensive  book-cases  for  the  Branch  library-.  Adjoining  the 
"hall  at  one  end  is  a  ver>-  neatly  kept  binder>'  and  small  printing-press, 
and  at  the  other  a  private  office  for  Mr.  Walters,  an  archives  room,  and 
a  nicely  laid-out  rooui  for  the  compositors  that  set  up  the  magazines- 
the  Ji/essc/zji^er  and  the  Golden  Chain,  The  rooms  are  in  Odd  Fellows 
Building,  alarge  structure  on  the  principal  street,  and  in  a  conveniently 


Supplement  to  the  Theosophist.  xjciy 

central  locality.  The  considerable  sum  needed  for  the  fitting-up  of  the 
rooms,  including  the  press  and  composing  room  exjienses,  together  with 
a  large  share  ofthe  rent,  has  been  given  by  one  generous  niembcir, 
whose  private  means  are  as  large  as  her  unselnsh  impulses  are  strong. 

Following  are  some  remarks  made  by  the  Rev.  Nishijinia,  of  the 
American  Buddhist  Mission,  San  Francisco,  on  March  3rd,  1901  : 

"  The  O.  and  O.  liner,  *•  Coptic,'  brought  to  this  City  on  the  25th  ult., 
from  the  East,  one  of  the  best  known  personages  of  our  times,  the  Pres- 
ident-Founder ofthe  Theosophical  Societj',  Col.  H.  S.  Olcott. 

**  He  was  most  cordially  greeted  by  a  crowded  assemblage,  composed 
ofmeinbers  of  his  Society  and  sj^mpathizing  friends,  at  the  Societj'^s 
Headquarters  in  Odd  fellows  Building.  Beyond  doubt  he  will  be  similarly 
welcomed  throughout  the  whole  country,  for  his  name  is  known  through- 
out his  native  land. 

"  It  was,  of  counse,  the  duty  of  the  Theosophical  Society  to  welcome 
Col.  Olcott  as  children  welcome  a  father  and  mother,  ancl  we  also,  as 
Buddhists  from  the  Orient,  feel  it  our  duty  to  welcome  him  as  father  and 
mother  of  this  Buddhist  Mission  in  America.  Do  >k)u  ask,  why  ?  I  will 
tell  you.  My  friends.  Col.  Olcott  has  done  what  we  Oriental  Buddhists 
of  Japan  could  never  have  done,  and  so  we  cannot  forget  the  debt  we  owe 
this  venerable  brother,  nor  fail  to  be  for  ever  grateful  Tor  his  services.  He 
is  an  American  Buddhist  who  has  been  working  for  over  twenty  \ears  to 
revive  Buddhism  in  Ceylon  and  Burmah,  and  who  in  1889,  when  invited 
to  come  to  Japan,  came  and  actuall}'  revived  the  sleeping  religious  spirit 
of  our  Japanese  Buddhists. 

**  Moreover,  the  establishment  of  the  Theosophical  Society  through- 
out the  world  has  done  a  great  deal  to  strengthen  the  religious  and 
intellectual  ideas  of  the  western  people,  so  that  now  the  people  ofthe 
Occident  are  getting  broader  views  with  regard  to  religion,  and  the 
spirit  of  tolerance  is  expelling  from  many  minds  the  old  feeling  of  un- 
reasonableness and  uncharitableness.  The  grand  motto  ofthe  Theosophi- 
cal Society,  "  There  is  no  religion  higher  than  truth,"  is  calculated  to  make 
western  people  willing  to  hear  about  Buddhism,  and  to  study  its  doc- 
trines ;  whereas,  they  formerly  looked  upon  us  Orientals  simply  as 
heathens,  the  ignorant  followers  of  an  ignoble  faith. 

**  Thus,  while  Col.  Olcott  created  in  the  Japanese  an  appreciation  of 
their  religion,  and  a  wish  to  spread  its  teachings  in  foreign  lands,  he  has 
also  been  preparing  the  western  mind  to  receive  them  dispassionately, 
smoothing  the  way  for  this  first  mission  ever  sent  out  to  foreign  lands 
in  the  history  of  Japanese  Buddhism. 

"  May  every  blessing  be  his." 

Colonel  Olcott  has  to  thank  Miss  Agnes  White,  ofthe  Buddhist  Mis- 
sion of  San  Francisco,  California,  for  the  gift  of  a  silver  Mexican  coin  so 
small  as  to  be  compared  with  nothing  except  the  tiny  chakrams  of 
Travancore  State. 

The  Colonel  left  San  Francisco,  for  Southern  California  on  the 
19th  March,  after  a  three- weeks'  visit  of  a  most  successful  character. 
At  his  farewell  lecture  the  large  hall  in  the  Odd  fellows  Building  was 
cro^i'ded  to  the  doors  and  many  stood  up.  He  received  warm  thanks  from 
many  people  for  his  clear  expositions  of  Theosophy  and  the  Society. 
Mr.  A.  F.  Knudson,  so  well  known  and  affectionately  remembered  at 
Adyar,  has  decided  to  accompany-  the  Colonel  to  Buenos  Aires  and 
thence  to  England,  should  nothing  unforeseen  happen.  Colonel  Olcott 
received  the  most  generous  hospitality  from   Mrs.    Hotaling,  F.  T.  S. 

DKATIIOF  M.GILLARD. 

We  are  sorry  to  hear  from  Paris  ofthe  death  of  our  long  esteemed 
friend  and  colleague,  M.  Paul  Gillard,  President  of  I^e  Disciple  Branch 
T.  S.,  of  Paris,  after  a  somewhat  lingering  illness. 

M.  Gillard  was  a  very  earnest  and  convinced  Theosophist,  and  for  a 
number  of  years  has  been  one  ofthe  main-stays  of  Commandant  Counnes 
and  Dr.  Pascal.  At  the  present  stage  of  affairs  in  our  French  Section 
earnest  and  unselfish  workers,  like  him,    can  ill  be  spared. 


xxv 


Supplement  to  the  Theosophist. 


INDIAN  BRANCHES, 
The  following'  Branches  have  been  chartercKi  in  Indui  since  Jaauaiy 

xst,  1901  : — 


Branches. 


President 


Secretaiy. 


Jammu 

Bapatla 

Hyderabad  (Stnd)   ... 

Malkalmtiru,  Aska  ... 

Berhamporc 

Sompet 

Bombay  Dharmalaya, 


Diwan  Ainar  Nath 

V.  Kuppusawmi  Aiyar,  M.A.... 

Hiranaiid  Santokram  Advant, 

B.Acf  R«l«*  ... 

K.  V.  Gopal  Rao 
V.  Challapathy  Rao 
M.  Ramadoss  Pantulu 


Bliai  Dan  Singh. 
V.  X'eiikatadrt,  b.a. 
Khanchaod  Prataprai. 

K.  K.  Ramaltngam. 
B.  V'iyganna  Panluto. 
K.  Jagannadham,  b.a. 
Gajanan  Bharkarvakl3ra. 


NEW  BRANCH  AT  ROME. 

A  Charter  was  issued  March  25th,  1901,  to  ]^Ime.  A.  Ulrich, 
M.  Caniglia,  A.  Mazzerelli,  L.  Mangosi,  A.  Lancia,  A.  Veneziani  and 
Iv.  Piattelli  to  form  a  Branch  of  the  Theosophical  Society  at  Roine,  to 
be  known  as  the  Besant  Branch. 

Arthur  A.  Weu^, 

(reneriil  Secretary. 


UNPAID  LETTERS. 

Col.  Olcott  is  extremely  annoyed  at  being  obliged  to  pay  exhorbi- 
tant  double  charges  on  letters  sent  him  to  America  durine  the  present 
tour,  by  persons  who  do  not  take  the  pains  to  find  out  what  is  the  rate 
of  letter  postage  between  India  and  the  United  States.  On  such  a  letter, 
which  contained  a  request  for  an  entirely  personal  favour,  there  was  a 
stamp  of  I  anna,  whicn  was  the  proper  postage  for  Great  Britain,  but  to 
America  it  should  have  been  il^  annas,  and  he  had  to  pay  on  it  15  cents 
American  money,  or  nearly  8  annas.  When  letters  are  thus  addressed 
to  persons  who  cannot  afford  to  squander  money,  a  g'reat  injustice  is 
done,  and  he  asks  friends  in  India  who  wish  to  write  to  him,  or  any 
other  person  in  America,  to  put  on  a  2^  anna  stamp. 


A  lady  in  Russia,  a  member  of  a  group  of  earnest  students  of  Theos- 
ophy,  writes  us  of  the  difficulties  they  meet  with  in  their  study  and 
speaks  of  her  great  desire,  as  the  member  of  the  g^oup  with  the  fewest 
ties,,  of  comine  to  India  to  learn  for  herself,  from  teachers  here,  in  order 
that  she  may  help  them.  But  she  is  without  means  and  mast  secure  a 
position  as  teacher,  either  in  a  family,  school,  or  as  dail^' eovemess.  She 
says  of  herself :  '*  I  know  Russian,  French,  German  ;  Italian  only  prac- 
tically, and  English  enough,  as  you  see,  to  give  the  required  explana- 
tions to  teach  the  languages  I  know."  Should  any  of  our  readers  learn 
•of  a  suitJible  position,  we  would  bs  glad  if  they  will  let  us  know. 


NEW  BOOKS  FOR  THE  ADYAR  LIBRARY. 

Latin  Composition  and  Syntax;  Tutorial  Latin  Grammar^  hy  Hayes 
and  Mason ;  The  Century  Book  of  Gardening,  7  parts,  pp.  i  to  158, 
incomplete  ;  A  ryabhdigavata  (Sanskrit)  unbound ;  Cdnia  Memorial 
Volume;  Descriptive  Catalogue  of  the  Calcutta  Sanskrit  College,  Nos. 
12  and  13. 


Printed  by  Tiioxpjon  akd  Co.,  in  the  TlieosophUt  deparbmotit  uf  the  Minere^ 
Press,  M^ftdras,  and  pdblished  for  the  proprietors  by  the  ba«iness  Mtnv 
ger,  Mr.  T.  ViJiA  Baguava  Cuarlu,  at  Adyar,  Midras. 


SUPPLEMENT      TO 

THE   THEOSOPHIST. 


J.UNE    19  01 


MONTHLY  FINANCIAL  vSTATEMKNT. 

The  following  receipts  from  2ivSt  April  to  20th  May  1901  are  acknow- 
ledged with  thanks  :-- 

HEAD-QUARTERS  Fl'ND. 

RS.  A.  P, 

Mr.  P.  Nan iunda  N aid u,  donation  ...  ...  ...      300 

Mr.  C.  Sambiah  Chettiar,  Mylapore,  subscription     ...  ...       180 

Arthur  A.  Wells,  Rsq.,  General  Secretary,  European  Section, 
T.  S..  for  25"/„  Dues  for  6  months  from  ist  November  1900 
to  30th  April  190 1 ,  cheque  for  ;^35-4-i.  at  Rs.  ivS  P^r  £  equal  to  528     i     o 
1\.  A.  Wilson,   Esq.,   General  Secretary,  Australian  Section, 
T.S.,    for   25"/,,    Dues   for  the  year   1900.     A  cheque   for 
jf  14- 18- II  at  Rs.  15  per  ^,  equal  to  ...  ...  ...  224    3    o- 

French    Section,   Theosophical  Society,   for  2$°!^  Dues  from 
January  1900  to  April  1901.   A  cheque  on  National  Bank  of 
India,  Ld.  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  301  10    5 

Through  Mr.  Alexander  Fullerton  for  horse  purchase  ...      215    o 

Library  Fund. 
An  F.  T.  S.  of  Burma,  subscription  for  the  month  of  April  1901.    50    o    o 
Mr.  C.  Sambiah  Chettiar,  Mylapore  do  i    8    o 

Adyar,  Madras,  )  T.  Vijiar.\ghaya  Charlu, 

2otk  May  1 90 1,      j  TreasKi'cry  T.  S, 


THE  PRESIDENT'S  TOUR. 

A  Los  Angeles  Y,  T.  S.  asks  us  to  print  the  following  report  of  Col. 
Olcott's  work  in  that  city  : — 

All  whose  good  Karma  has  enabled  them  to  make  the  acquaintance  of  Col* 
H.  S.  Olcott,  will  agree  with  me  in  declaring'  that  the  Theosophist  is  not  large 
enough  to  contain  half  that  should  be  known  of  so  grnnd  a  character. 

Col.  Olcott  arrived  in  Los  Angeles,  March  20th,  and  was  tendered  a  reception 
by  Harmony  Lodge.  In  reply  to  an  address  of  welcome  the  Col.  gave  a  sketch 
•of  the  work  accomplished  by  the  T.  S. 

March  21st,  the  Col.  answered  questions  from  3  to  5-30  P*M.  and  in  the  evening 
lectured  on  *'  Buddhism."  March  22nd,  from  2  to  5-30  p.m.,  Interviews  ;  and  8  P  M., 
answered  questions  :  March  23rd,  from  2  to  5-30  P.M.,  Interviews :  8  p.m.  lectured  on 
•*Theosophy  in  the  World's  Religions.**  March  24th,  the  Col.  attended  the  Golden 
Chain,  and  won  the  heart  of  every  child  present.  In  the  evening  the  Col.  lectured 
to  an  audience  of  about  700  people*  March  25th,  at  2  p.m.  the  Col.  presided  at  a 
speci/il  Branch  meeting,  and  addressed  a  very  large  audience  in  Pasadena  ;  in  the 
evening  returning  with  some  friends  to  L.  A.  about  11  p.m.  but  even  then  he 
denied  himself  a  much  needed  rest,  in  order  to  answer  a  number  of  letters*. 
As  a  worker  the  Col*  was  indefatigable,  as  a  friend  the  truest  and  gentlest,  as^ 
a  leader  he  stands  alone. 

No  Theosophist   ever   won  the   good   will   of  the    press   in  Los  Angeles  as 
thoroughly  as  the  Col* 

Col.  Olcott   left   for   San    Diego,    March    27,  but  the   effect  of  his    visit  will 
remain  for  many  a  year. 

Words  are  inadequate  to  express   our  appreciation  for  the  service  Col.  Olcott 
has  rendered  the  race. 

May  the  Masters  ever  guard  and  protect  him  is  the  sincere  wish  of  Harmony 
Lodge. 

Stella  P.  Michelsen. 


xxvii  Supplement  to  The  Theosophist. 

We  are  constantly  receiving  letters  from  friends,  telling  us  of  the 
great  good  our  President  is  doing  the  members  personally,  and  of  the 
impetus  given  to  the  work  of  the  Society.  The  following  quotation  from 
a  letter  will  show  the  general  tone  : 

Col.  Olcott  is  here  three  days  aheac^  ol"  lime.  On  Wednesdaj'  night  he  was 
given  a  reception,  and  I  must  say  it  is  a  long  time  since  we  have  been  so 
^enthusiastic.  What  is  it  that  that  man  carries  witll  him  ?  He  said  very  little,  and 
j'et  every  one  was  brimming  over  with  good  feeling  and  spirits.  He  is  certainly 
the  personification  of  love  and  good-fellowship. 

In  the  *  Ancient  Wisdom,'  2nd  chap,  on  '  Reincarnation.'  page  225,  old 
edition,  it  says  :  "  When  the  buddhic  body  is  quickened  as  a  vehicle  of  conscious- 
ness the  man  enters  into  the  bliss  of  non-separateness — knowledge  and  ultimately 
wisdom  is  the  predominant  element  of  the  Causal  Body,  but  the  predominant 
element  of  consciousness  of  the  buddhic  body  is  bliss  and  love.' 

When  I  read  that,  and  after  seeing  our  two  great  leaders  lately,  and  soon 
onoug^h,  so  that  one  was  able  to  compare,  I  know  where  to  place  them.  Mr. 
Leadbeater  is  the  scholar,  the  man  of  learning  and  the  man  of  certain  powers,  bat 
our  President  is  the  man  who  has  "  entered  into  the  bliss  of  non-separateness." 
He  asked  us  to  look  upon  him  a«i  a  father  ;  to  come  to  him  if  we  had  any  troubles; 
to  open  our  hearts,  and  he  would  try  and  help  us.  He  did  not  come  to  teach  and 
answer  questions  about  the  infinite,  but  to  know  us  and  have  us  feel  the  love  and 
tenderness  that  was  in  his  heart  for  all  of  us.  and  for  every  living  creature.  He 
wanted  no  introductions  ;  all  were  liIs  children,  the  most  unworthy  were  the 
nearest.  Every  one  in  the  room  was  touched  to  the  heart,  and  felt  the  greatness 
and  simplicity  of  this  gentle  soul.  He  had  something  when  the  Masters  chose  him 
out  of  all  the  people  in  the  world  to  help  H.  P.  B. 

1  appreciated  Mr.  Leadlx^ater  and  his  knowledge  more  than  I  can  tell,  but 
this  great  soul  is  one  who  can  appreciate  human  weakness  and  sympathise  with 
human  failings. 

Our  latest  advices  are  from  Portland,  Ore.,  and  Seattle,  Wash.,  where 
the  President  is  having  crowded  meetings.  Col.  Olcott  writes  us  that 
the  e.state  left  him,  in  the  latter  place,  for  the  use  of  the  Adyar  Library, 
is  very  valuable  and  the  P^xecutors  hope  soon  to  begin  to  realise  on  it. 


XAMP:  OF  BRANCH  CHANGPZD. 

The  name  of  the  new  Marseilles  Branch,  in  France,  has  been  changed 
from  Ana-Bai  to  Sophia. 


AMERICAN   BRANCHES. 

The  Charlotte  T.  S.,  Charlotte,  Mich.,  has  dissolv^ed  and  returned  its 
charter.  On  March  29,  1901,  a  charter  was  issued  to  the  Des  Moines 
T.  S.,  Des  Moines,  Jowa,  with  19  charter- members.  The  President  is 
Bernard  R.  Hale  ;  the  Secretary  is  John  M.  Work,  522  Good  Block,  Des 
Moines,  Iowa.  There  are  now  76  Branches  in  the  American  Section. 

Alexander  Fullerton, 

General  Secretary, 


INDIAN  BRANCHES. 

Two  Branches  were  chartered  in  |India  in   March  last — the 
T.  S.,  and  the  Parvatipur  T.  S. 


"WHITE  IvOTUS  DAY  "  AT  ADYAR. 

(From  a  Correspondent  of  the  Madras  Mail). 

Last  night  [May  8th]  the  Headquarters  of  the  Thesophical  Socie^ 
presented  a  very  picturesque  ajjpearance.  The  platform  upon  which 
the  statue  of  :m  .d  tie  Blavatsky  is  placed  was  decorated  with  evergreens* 
ferns,  and  fest'n.i. ,  and  beautiful  wreaths  of  the  white  lotus  adorned 
he  statue" itself,  w/  xh,  lighted  from  above,  looked  very  striking. 


Supplement  to  The  Theosophist.  xxviil 

Mr.  V.  C.  S'eshachariar,  B.A.,  B.i^.,  was  voted  to  the  Chair,  and  among- 
those  present  were  Miss  Weeks,  Miss  Palmer,  and  Messrs.  B.  Panchi- 
bikesa  Sastriar,  B.A.,  B.i,.,  C.  R.  Krishnamachariar,  B.A.,  B.L.,  B.  N. 
Chandik,  T.  Simhachariar,  D.  B.  Venkatasubba  Row,  B.A.,  A.  Siva  Row, 
B.A.,  S.  V.  Ran^aswami  Aiyengar,  B.A.,  A.  K.  Sitarama  Sastrigal,  of 
Cuddapah,  V.  Seshia  Oaru'of  Masulipatam,  Dr.  Jagannatha  Rajii, 
Pandit  G.  Krishna  Sastri,  C.  Sanibiah  (Tarn,  T.  Vijiaraghava  Charhi, 
and  P.  K.   Ranumi  ^lenon. 

In  opening  the  Proceedings,  the  Chairman  referred  to  the  absence  from 
the  Adyar  of  Colonel  Olcott,  the  venerable  and  venerated  co-founder,  and  Dr. 
English,  the  Recording  Secretary  of  the  Society,  He  observed  that  the  White 
Lotus  Day  had  become  a  regular  function  year  after  year  in  all  the  Theosophi- 
cal  centres,  and  it  was  incumbent  uf>on  all  true  Theosophists  to  pay  homage 
and  do  honour  to  the  memory  of  the  deceased  lady  who,  for  a  great  many  years, 
had  worked  at  the  Headquarters  at  considerable  personal  sacrifice  in  the  service 
of  humanity.  In  accordance  with  the  wishes  expressed  in  the  last  Will  and  Testa- 
ment of  the  deceased  lady,  the  Chairman  then  called  upon  Pandits  Krishna  >S'astri 
and  Krishnamachariar  to  read  selections  from  the  Git  A.  After  the  chanting  of  tlic 
GiiA  was  over,  Mr.  S.  V.  Rangaswami  Aiyengar  read  portions  of  Sir  Edwin 
Arnold's  *»  Light  of  Asia.^' 

Several  of  those  present  spoke  of  the  great  work  of  the  Society  which  was 
achieved  during  the  past  quarter  of  a  century,  and  expressed  hope  for  the  mighty 
future  yet  before  it.  Miss  Weeks  quoted  statistical  fij^ures  and  showed  that 
Theosophy  had  spread  over  42  countries  of  the  world.  She  said  that  all  organi- 
sacto:is  were  more  or  less  short-liv^ed,  and  the  longevity  of  particular  institutions 
depended  upon  the  internal  strength  which  was  infused  by  their  promoters. 
Speaking  of  the  Theosophical  Society,  she  ventured  to  express  the  liope  that  it 
would  be  a  very  powerful  factor  in  human  evolution,  and  it  would  become  day  by 
day  more  acceptable  to  the  Western  philosophers  and  scientists  also. 

Mr.  S.  v.  Rangaswami  Aiyengar  referred  to  his  long  association  with  the 
Society,  and  mentioned  several  instances  in  which  individual  members  had  done 
an  immease  amount  of  solid  good  work  after  imbibing  the  great  teachings  of  the 
Society, 

Mr.  T.  K.  Sitarama  Sastriar  ofCuddapah,  also  spoke  of  the  good  work  done 
by  various  members  of  the  Society  and  tothe  immense  growth  of  Theosophic  litera- 
ture all  over  the  world.  He  requested  the  members  present  to  realise  the  responsi- 
bility which  rested  on  them  and  to  do  all  that  lay  in  their  power  for  the  furtherance 
of  the  work  of  the  Society. 

Tn  conclusion,  the  Chairman  referred  to  the  large  personal  self-sacrifices 
that  were  made  by  several  European  ladies  and  gentlemen  who  had  devoted 
their  lime,  energy,  money,  and  life  to  the  great  work  of  the  Society,  which  .started 
its  beneficent  career  a  quarter  of  a  century  ago.  He  paid  a  tribute  to  the  unfiinch* 
ing  perseverance  of  the  President- Founder  and  the  solid  and  substantial  work 
done  by  Mrs.  Besant,  who  had  made  India  her  home  and  Indian  interests  her  own. 
He  referred  particularly  to  the  Central  Hindu  College,  Benares,  which  within  the 
short  space  of  its  existence  had  shown  such  splendid  results.  He  requested  all 
present  to  join  with  him  in  invoking  the  blessiings  of  the  sages  and  saints  for  the 
prolonged  good  work  of  the  Society  in  its  various  branches. 

The  distribution  of  a  pamphlet,  entitled  "  Conquest  of  the  Flesh," 
by  Jehangir  Sorabji,  brought  the  proceedings  to  a  close. 


THE  ORIENTAL  LITERARY  INSTITUTION,  CONJEEVARAM. 

The  Council  of  Directors  of  the  above  named  Institution  beg 
leave  to  offer  the  following  for  the  consideration  of  the  public  : 

The  Oriental  Literary  Institution,  Conieevaram,  was  founded  in 
1896.  We  believe  that  its  career — short  though  it  has  been— justifies  this 
appeal  to  the  public  for  sympathy  and  support  on  behalf  of  a  National 
cause. 

More  than  our  Schools  and  Colleges,  Newspapers  and  Magazines^ 
the  platform  is  an  effective  means  for  the  diffusion  of  useful  knowledge 

among  the  masses  of  the  people To  institute,  therefore,  courses  of 

popular  lectures  in  the  Vernaculars,  on  useful  subjects,  is  as  much  the 
•object  of  this  Institution,  as  it  is  to  open  Ayur  Vedic  schools  and  dis- 
pensaries ;  to  procure  and  print  great  works  yet  in  manuscript ;  to  open 
n  digenous  schools  to  work  on  national  lines,  somewhat  like  Mrs.  Annie 
esant's  Benares  College ;  to  open  Industrial  Schools,  etc. 


xxix  Supplement  to  The  Theosophist. 

Attention  is  also  called  to  the  following  appeal : — Modern  researches 
testify  anipl}'  to  the  fact  that  the  sacred  and  the  philosophic  literature 
of  the  Kast  is  a  vast  store-house  of  ancient  wisdom. 

The  political  history,  past  and  present,  of  India ;  its  present  low 
state  of  material  prosperity  ;  the  gull  that  divides  the  English -educated 
Indians  from  their  fellow-countrymen,  most  of  whom  are  sunk  in  igno- 
rance ;  the  rapid  and  most  deplorable  extinction  that  has  been  going  on 
of  the  class  of  Pandits  deeph'  learned  in  Sanscrit  and  the  Vernaculars  : 
the  long  time  that  must  necessarily  elapse  before  the  new  class  of 
scholars  shall  come  into  existence,  adding  to  the  deep  scholarship  of  the 
Kast  the  critical  and  scientific  studj'of  the  West;  the  difficulties,  almost 
insuperable,  under  which  only  deep,  original  and  extensive  researches 
into  the  Indian  philosophic  and  sacred  literature  can  be  carried  on  in 
these  days — these  and  many  other  circumstances  make  it  the  dut}'  of  the 
enlightened  public,  as  it  is  the  prerogative  of  the  wealthy  amongst  them, 
to  give  what  sympathy,  support  and  co-operation  they  can,  to  movements 
whose  object  it  is  to  revive  the  enlightened  stud}-  of  the  Vedas  ;  to  rescue 
good  old  books  now  perishing,  from  total  extinction  ;  to  print  and  pub- 
lish them  ;  and  to  adopt  measures  to  bring  into  harmony,  as  far  as  may 
be,  the  ideas  of  the  Kast  and  the  West — The  Conjeevaram  Oriental 
I.iterar}'  Institution  aims  at  achieving  these  objects. 

For  this  National  cause  your  patronage  is  solicited. 

The  *•  Madras  Mail  "  under  date  July  27,  1899,  remarks  : 
The  Oriental   Literary    Institution  of  Conjeevaram   endeavours  to 
revive  an  enlightened  study  of  the  Vedas,  to  rescue  good,  old  books  now 
]>erishing  and  publi,sh  them   and  to  adopt  measures  to  bring   into  har- 
mony, as  far  as  maj-  be,  the  ideas  of  the  P^ast  and  the  West. 

This  movement,  it  is  hoped,  will  have  the  sympathy  and  co- 
operation of  enlightened  Maharajas,  Rajas,  Zemindars  and  other  gentle- 
men. Donations  of  money  and  of  books  (in  any  language)  will  be  thank- 
fully received  and  dtily  acknowledged. 

The  best  wishes  of  the  Theosophist  are  offered  for  the  continued 
success  of  this  Institution. 

C.  Bhashvam  Aivangar,  b.  a.. 

Head  Master,  Chittio'  High  ScJiooI ; 
Secretary,  Oriental  Literary  Institution,  Conjeevaram, 


ii 


MAN   AND   HIS    BODIKS "    IN   TAMIL. 


It  is  with  pleasure  that  I  hear  of  one  Theosophical  book  after 
another  being  translated  into  the  various  vernaculars  of  India,  spreading 
abroad  in  ever- widening  circles,  the  beneficent  influence  of  the  ancient 
Brahma  \'idya,  now  known  as  Theosophy.  May  the  blessings  of  the 
Oods  accompany  everj-  message  of  their  truth,  spoken  by  the  feeble  lips- 
of  their  servants,  among  the  humblest  of  whom  is 

CHlTTrR,  January  1900.  ANNIE  BESANt! 


I*riiited  by  Thompson  and  Co.,  in  the  Theo80j)hi8t  department  of  the  Minerva 
Presny  Madras,  and  published  for  the  proprietors  by  the  business  Mana- 
ger, Mr.  T.  Vijia  Ra(jiiav\  Ciiarlu,  at  Adj'ar,  Madras. 


SUPPLEMENT   TO 

THE  THEOSOPHIST. 


JULY   1901- 


RS. 

A. 

P. 

I 

8 

0 

360 

4 

2 

554 

14 

0 

MONTHI.Y  FINANCIAIy  STATEMENT. 

The  following  receipts  from  21st  May  to  2otli  June  1901  are  acknow- 
ledged with  thanks  :— 

HEAD-QUARTERS  FUND. 

Mr.  C.  Sambiah  Chettiar,  Mylapore,  subscription  .... 
General   Secretary,  American  Section  T.  S.,  250/0  dues  from 

March  ist,.  to  30th  April  1901,  for  £  24-3-7  at  Rs.  15 
Indian  Section  Theosophical  Society,  250/0  dues  for  quarter 

ending  31st  March  1901 

Library  Fund. 

The  First    Payment  of  the  White  Estate  bequeathed    for 

T.  S.  Library.    Cheque  for  £  loi,  cashed  by  Madras  Bank  1,502    4    o 
'An  F.  T.  S.  of  Burmah,  subscription  for  May  1901  ...      50    o    o 

Mr.  C.  Sambiah  Chettiar,  Mylapore,  for         do.         ..,  ••.        180 

• 

Anniversary  Fund. 
Mr.  A.  Singaravelu  Moodeliar,  Bangalore     •••  •„  ...    20    o    o 

Panchama  Education  Fund. 
!Rt.  Hon.  The  Earl  of  Mexborough  £  y^       ...  ...  ...    46    9    2 

ADYAR,  MADRAS,    )  T.  VlJIARAGHAVA  CHARI.U, 

20M  yime  1901.     )  Treasurer,  T.  S. 


THE  PRESIDENT'S  TOUR. 

From  Seattle,  Colonel  Olcott  went  to  Tacoma,  Wash.,  and  Vancou- 
ver, B.  C;  the  latter  place  being  the  northernmost,  point  of  this  year's 
tour.  In  both  places  he  had  large  and  enthusiastic  audiences,  and  met 
manv  persons  during  the  day  for  private  conferences.  Starting  east- 
ward, our  President  visited  towns  m  Wyoming,  Montana  and  Dakota, 
receiving  the  hearty  welcome  of  the  Americans  and  the  love  and  vener- 
ation of  the  members  of  the  Society  for  their  head.  From  the  Helena 
Evening  Herald,  of  April  30th,  we  ^uote  the  following :  "  Many  persons 
who  attended  the  lecture  last  evenings,  of  Col.  Henry  S.  Olcott,  were  led 
to  look  upon  the  Eastern  philosophy  in  a  new  light.  To  them  Theosophy 
now  has  a  dififerent  meaning  than  it  did  before  the  gray-bearded  philo- 
sopher expounded  it"  From  all  points  we  receive  word  tiiat  Colonel 
Olcott's  simple  and  lucid  explanations  clear  away  the  difficulties  and 
make  Theosophy  appear  in  its  true  light— rational  and  at  the  same  time 
soul-satisfying.  A  Lincoln,  Neb.,  paper  sa^'S  :  ''A  decided  interest  is 
being  taken  by  citizens  of  Lincoln  in  Theosophy."  From  Denver,  Colo, 
comes  a  similar  report    In  Minneapolis,  Minn.,  a  large   reception  was 


xxxi  Supplement  to  The  Theosophist. 

given  in  his  honour  on  May  14th.  He  gave  several  public  lectures  in 
that  city  and  in  St.  Paul,  all  of  which  attracted  much  attention  and  had 
very  fairreports  in  the  papers.  On  May  23rd,  the  Colonel  arrived  in  Chica- 
go and  on  the  evening  of  the  25th,  a  reception  was  given  him  at  which 
some  250  members  and  friends  were  present.  The  next  morning,  26th,  the 
Fifteenth  Annual  Convention  of  the  American  Section  of  the  Theo- 
sophical  Society  was  convened.  A  partial  report  of  the  proceedings 
will  be  found  in  another  place. 


NEW  BRANCHES. 

A  Charter  was  issued  on  May  28th  to  P.  M.  Dunlop,  R.  A.  Vennor 
Morris,  A.  P.  Cattanach,  Miss  S.  O.  Nilson,  James  Stirling,  Mrs.  Vennor 
Morris  and  F.  R.  King,  to  form  a  Branch  of  the  Theosophical  Society  in 
Ivondon,  to  be  known  as  the  Battersea  Branch. 

ARTHUR  A.  WELLS, 

General  Secretary, 


NEW  BRANCH  IN  INDIA. 

A  Correspondent  writes  :  A  branch  of  the  Theosophical  Society  was 
established. in  Mangalore  on  the  23rd  ultimo,  at  a  meeting  held  at  the 
Bandar  of  Mr.  N.  Manjunathaya,  under  the  Presidency  of  Mr.  J.  W« 
Boys,  Agent,  Bank  of  Madras.  The  following  office-bearers  were  elect- 
ed :— President,  Mr.  J.  W.  Boys ;  Vice-President,  Mr.  G.  Seshag^iri 
Prabhu,  B.A.  ;  Secretary,  Mr.  M.  Upendra  Pai,  B,A.,  B.I,.  ;  Assistant 
Secretary  and  Treasiirer,  Mr.  H.  Srinivasa  Row. 


AN  APPEAL. 

Shillong  Indian  Club  Rooms, 
Shillong  [Assam\ 

The  loth  May  1901. 

DEAR  Sir  and  Brother  : 

With  a- -view  to  attract  the  Indian  public  here  to  Theosophy,  a 
Theosophical  Section  was  added  in  1898  through  the  efforts  of  some 
members,  to  the  General  Library  of  the  **  Shillong  Indian  Club,"  which 
is  a  literary  institution  established  in  1876  and  has  ever  since  been  cater- 
ing to  the  literary  tastes  of  the  Indian  public  of  Shillong.  The  institn- 
tion  is  a  properly  constituted  one,  and  its  status  is  recoraised  by  the 
Assam  Government,  which  supplies  it  regularly  with  the  Assam  Gazette 
and  other  official  publications,  free  of  cost. 

The  Club  was  located  in  the  "  Quinton  Hall,"  the  only  public 
hall  of  this  town,  which,  after  its  restoration  since  the  memorable  earth- 
quake of  1897,  was  destroyed  by  fire  on  the  12th  January  1900.  This 
catastrophe  involved  the  destruction  of  almost  all  the  property  (inclu- 
ding the  valuable  library)  of  the  Club.  The  work  of  the  Institution  has, 
however,  again  been  resumed  with  books  mostly  presented  by  the  mem^ 
bers  and  other  liberal-minded  gentlemen.  The  library  has  been  located 
in  the  "  Quinton  Memorial  Hall"  just  constructed,  with  corrus^ated  ircm 
roof.  The  Board  of  Control  will  feel  grateful  if  the  Theosophical  Sec- 
tion of  the  Shillong  Indian  Club  Library,  w^hich  before  the  fire,  was  rich 
in  the  possession  of  the  principal  works  of  Madame  Blavatsky,  Mrs. 
Besant,  and  other  well-known  Theosophical  writers,  could  agrnn  be 
resuscitated  in  a  decent  way.  As  the  Institution  is  in  sore  straits,  it 
has  only  been  able  to  just  buy  the  Theosoi^ical  Manuals ;  and  as 
for  some  time  to  come  the  General  Library  will  absorb  the  almost  entire 
attention  of  the  members  of  the  Club,  funds  cannot  be  provided  by  theim 
for  the  Theosophical  Section.  The  Board  have  accordingly  bid  me  isstte 
this  appeal,  and  I  have  undertaken  without  the  least  hesitation  to 
comply  with  their  request,  especially  because  I  am  convinced  that  the 
existence  of  a  decent  stock  of  Theosophical  works  will, ,  by  dint  of  the 


Supplement  to  The  Theosophist.  xxxii 

intrinsic  worth  of  the  truth  enshrined  in  them,  and  on  the  economical 
principle  that  supply  creates  demand,  inevitably  make  for  the  spread  of 
Theosophy  to  the  infinite  benefit  of  the  public  of  this  town*  I  there- 
fore, beg  to  solicit  help  in  furtherance  of  the  object  in  view,  and  trust 
that  you  will  donate  books  or  money,  or  render  such  other  substantial 
help  as  might  enable  the  Theosophical  Section  of  the  L/ibrary  to  be  a 
model  Theosophical  Library  in  Assam.  Should  you  see  no  objection, 
we  propose  that  75  per  cent,  of  the  money  contributions  from  you,  if 
any,  be  spent  on  the  acquisition  of  Theosophical  Literature,  and  the 
balance,  on  the  purchase  of  standard  works  on  Buddhism  and  Hinduism. 
Contributions  will  be  received  by  me  and  duly  acknowledged  in  the 
Indian  Mirror^  the  Theowphisf  znd.  the  Prasnottara,  With  kind  wishes 
and  brotherly  regards. 

I  am,  yours  fraternally, 

Satyendra  Kumar  Bosk, 

Joint  Secrefary  to  the  "  Shillong  Indian  Club.'^ 


WORTHY  OF  EMULATION. 

We  learn  from  our  Indian  exchanges,  that  the  Maharaja  of 
Travancore  has  founded  two  scholarships,  open  to  natives  of  Travancore 
who  are  Bachelors  of  Art,  of  the  Madras  or  anj'  other  University.  The 
scholarships  are  intended  to  enable  the  holders  to  proceed  to  Europe  or 
America  to  study  geology,  mineralogj-,  mechanical  engineering,  agri- 
cultural chemistry,  or  any  other  inaustrial  "or  technical  subject.  The 
successful  candidates  will  be  given  all  travelling  expenses  and  will  be 
allowed,  during  their  stay  in  Europe  or  America,  a  sura  of  ;^2oo  per 
^nnum,  payable  quarterly  in  advance.  The  object  of  these  scholarships 
is  to  encourage    technical  education. 

This  action  of  the  Maharaja  is  highly  commendable,  and  it  is  to  be 
hoped  that  other  Indian  Maharajas  will  follow  his  noble  example. 


*'  A  TARDY  CONFESSION. »' 

The  following  from  The  Bengalee,  will  be  appreciated  by  our  Indian 
friends : 

At  the  recent  anniversary  meeting  of  the  Church  Missionary  Society, 
the  Secretary  had  to  make  a  melancholy  statement.  In  his  Report  he 
observed  that  **  there  was  a  marked  revival  Of  zeal  in  the  devotees  of 
the  old  religion,  and  the  weaknesses  of  native  Christians  were  at  times 
the  sorrow  of  Missionaries.  The  Missionaries  would  have  been  more  thau 
human  if  they  had  not  been  unnerved  at  the  sight  of  the  Hindu  revival- 
The  most  thoughtful  among  the  Missionaries  already  perceive  that  the 
diffusion  of  education  has  well-nigh  annihilated  evangelising  prospects  in 
India.  We  do  not  know  what  the  Secretary  refers  to  when  he  laments  the 
* '  weaknesses  *  *  of  Native  converts.  If  he  means  the  convert's  new-born 
propensity  for  relapsing  into  the  faith  in  which  he  was  bom,  we  are  not 
sure  whether  we  should  not  call  it  "  strength"  rather  than  **  weakness.*' 
The  convert,  who  had  embraced  Christianity  not  so  much  to  satisfy 
the  cravings  of  his  conscience  as  to  satisfy  his  hunger,  soon  finds  out 
that  by  changing  his  religion  he  has  not  appreciably  improved  his 
prospects.  He  heartily  rues  the  da}'  which  placed  him  beyond  the  pale 
of  his  own  community  and  longs  to  be  re-admitted  to  the  society  of  his 
own  people.  The  Arya  Samaj  has  provided  a  golden  bridge  'for  the 
re-admission  of  such  converts  to  Hinduism  ;  and  the  progress  of  this 
Shttddhi  or  purification  movement  tolls  the  knell  of  the  parting  Mis- 
sionary Propaganda.  Observant  Missionaries  fully  realise  the  real  state 
of  things ;  but  they  -console  themselves  with  the  thought  that  the  deluge 
will  come  after  them  and  not  in  their  time.  Meanwhile  they  are  thank- 
ful for  famine— that  most  powerful  auxiliary  of  the  Missionary  force—- 
and  for  such  stray  wanderers  from  the  Hindu  fold,  as  chance  occasion- 
ally casts  in  their  way.    No  wonder  that  the  Society  should    have  to 


xxxiii  Supplement  to  The  Theosophlst. 

labour  under  the  serious  disadvantage  of  a  deficit  of  ;g4o,ooo.  John 
Bull's  faith  in  the  propaganda  seems  to  have  already  been  considerablj^ 
shaken.  The  stream  of  sixpences  and  sovereigns  seems  to  have  almost 
run  dry.  But  perhaps  the  substantial  accession  to  the  number  of  con- 
verts, caused  by  the  last  famine,  will  not  be  without  its  effect  upon  the 
supply  of  the  sinews  of  war.  One  generous  donor  contributed,  we  note, 
jf  10,000  on  the  spot. 


NEW  BOOKS  FOR  THE  ADYAR  LIBRARY. 
Purchased : 

Anandasrama  Series,  Nos.  41,  42,  Parts  I.  to  III.,  &  43  ;  Old  Diarj- 
Leaves,  Second  Series  ;  Sabdendu  Sekhara  (lithograph  edition); 
A  compendium  of  Rija  Yoga  Philosophy. 

Presented : 

**  The  Seventeenth  Annual  Report  of  the  Bureau  of  American  Ethnol- 
ogy," 1895-96.  **  The  report  of  the  Madura  Theosophical  Society  for 
1900."  "  Report  on  the  search  for  Sanskrit  MSS.  during  1855  to  1900," 
by  Haraprasad  S'astri,  Hony.  Jt.  Philological  Secretary,  Asiatic  Societj* 
of  Bengal.  "  Notices  of  Sanskrit  MSS.,''  second  series,  by  Haraprasad 
S'astri,  of  the  Asiatic  Society  of  Bengal,  Vol.  I.,  Part  III. 

"  Mysore  Govt.  Oriental  Series,"  Nos.  23  and  24  ;  "  Midhaviya 
Dhatuvrittih  ;  "  No.  25,  ''  The  Principles  of  Pravara  &  Gotra,''  by 
Chentsal  Rao,  C.  i.  E. ;  **  Adi  Purdna  of  Pampa,  Kannada,"- No.  I.^ 
Yogaratnakara  (Medicine),  Telugu  and  Canarese  Translation,   Part  I. 

Catalogue  of  Sans,  printed  works,  1898  ;  Catalogue  of  Enj^lish 
works,  1900;  Catalogue  of  Sans.  MSS.  1900 ;  Catalogue  of  MSS.  and  printed 
works  in  Canarese,  1898,  all  in  the  Mysore  Government  Oriental  Librar3' ; 
ChandogyaUpanishad,  Part  II.,  published  by  Mr.  V.C.  Seshftchari. 

Periodicals : 

S*dstramdid,  No.  20. 

Kdvyamdldy  Nos.  151  &  152, 

The  Pandit,  Nos.  5  &  6.  . 

The  Chowkhamba  Sans.  Series^  Nos.  37,  38  &  39. 

Vidyodayay  Nos.  i  &  2. 

Our  thanks  are  due  to  Mr.  M.  D.  Shroff,  of  the  Blavatsky  Lodge 
Bombay  for  copies  of  the  following  works  translated  into  Gujarati  : 

"The  Story  of  the  Great  War.'*  "The  Path  of  Discipleship  " 
"The  three  Paths."  "  Dhamia  and  Hinduism."  "  Doctrine  of  the 
Heart.'  "  Bhagavad  Gita."     "  Subodha  Patrika."     "  Chromopathy." 


Printed  by  Thompson  and  Co.,  in  the  l!!lM0wgk\9i  department  of  the  iftnerra 
Press,  Mbdras,  and  published  for  the  proprietors  by  the  business  Mana- 
ger, Mr.  T.  YiJiA  Baghata  Chablu,  at  4^dyar,  Haoras. 


SDPPLEMENT    TO 

THE  THEOSOPHIST. 


AUGUST   1901 


MONTHLY  FINANCIAi,  STATEMENT. 

The  following  receipts  from  21st  June  to  20th  July  1901  are  acknowl- 
edged with  thanks  : — 

HEAD-QUARTERS    FUND. 

Mr.  C.  Sambiah  Chettiar,  Mylaijore,  subscription.  Rs.  i    8    o 

XyiBKARY  Fund. 
An  F.  T.  S.  of  Burma,  subscription.  ,,50    o    o 

Mr.  C«  Sambiah  Chettiar  Mylapore,  subscription.  ,,     180 

ADYAR,  MADRAS,  >  T.  VlJlARAGHAVA  CHARLU, 


:10th  yulyy  1901.   J  Treasurer,  T.  S. 

NEW  BRANCHES  IN  INDIA. 
Guntakal,  Chartered, 

,—    T 4.1, -^ux  T  A  ,^,     S President— W.\ ,  Mooni  Swamy. 

(Byjagannathiah)        ...     1-6-1901.    J  ^4^^^^^_^b.  Soondaram  PiUay. 

Peddapuram. 
Krishna  T.S.  Chartered. 

(ByK.NarayanaSwaflxy).  .-6-19UI.    iSSri:5;v^?Kaliar. 
Nadiad.  Chartered, 

'WM.    ^  J.   J  V  •  u       m  c      ^A,^^.    $  President — I^allubhai  P.  Parekh. 
rhe  Gopal  Krishna  T,S.     3-6-1901.  { ,9^^^^^^^^_Ramsingh  Devisingh, 

Thakore. 


SMALLEST  BOOK  IN  THE  WORLD. 

At  a  reception  at  the  home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  K.  C.  Havens,  on  the 
eighth  ultimo,  says  a  Chicago  paper,  Colonel  H.  S.  Olcott  was  made 
acquainted  with  a  number  of  Professors  in  the  University  of  Chicago, 
members  of  the  medical  fraternity  and  some  of  the  leading  divines.  The 
entire  evening  was  spent  in  discussing  the  logical  and  scientific  aspects 
of  Theosophy.  Colonel  Olcott  gave  to  Mr.  C.  Staniland  Wake,  of  the 
Department  of  Anthropology,  Columbian  Museum,  a  copy  of  what  is 
known  as  "The  smallest  book  in  the  world,'*  a  duplicate  of  which  he 
presented  to  the  British  Museum.  It  was  given  to  Colonel  Olcott  by 
the  custodian  of  the  Golden  Temple  at  Amritsar,  India.  Colonel  Olcott 
also  presented  to  the  Field  Museum  a  nest  of  diminutive  wooden  boxes 
made  at  Benares  on  a  turning  lathe  of  the  most  primitive  description, 
the  smallest  box  being  only  one- eighth  of  an  inch  in  diameter,  yet 
having  a  cover  that  fits  it  perfectly. — Madras  Mail. 


XXXV  Supplement  to  The  Theosophist. 

"  CHRISTIAN  MISSIONS  IN  INDIA." 

Mr.  Isaac  Jackson  wrote  to  the  Tiotieer  last  year  concerning  Chris- 
tian Missions  in  China,  and  was  advised  by  the  missionaries,  to  study 
the  subject  of  Foreign  Missions  more  carefully,  before  attempting  to 
again  enlighten  the  public  on  this  matter.  He  now  writes  to  the 
Pioneer  that  he  has  "  taken  this  advice,"  and  proceeds  to  let  in  a  good 
many  rays  of  light  on  the  question  of  Foreign  Missions,  and  finally 
saj's  that  "  all  the  statistics  given  below  are  taken  from  reports  issued 
b3'  the  Missionaries  themselves."  We  have  space  for  only  a  few  ex- 
tracts from  the  lengthy  article  on  *'  Christian  Missions  in  India-" 
Concerning  the  report  of  the  Church  Missionary  Society,  it  is  stated 
that  the  "  Baptisms  for  the  year'*  ending 31st  March,  1900,  were  8,423, 
of  whom  5,978  were  children  !  It  does  not  say  whether  these  were 
'' 7vithout  their  parents''  or  not  ;  but,  setting  aside  the  children,  there 
remain  "  2,445  adult  conversions  as  the  fruit  of  the  labours  of  3,018 
MivSsionaries."  '*  In  the  previous  year's  report  (1899)  the  number 
of  communicants  was  returned  at  33,804.  Adding  to  this,  the 
8,423  baptisms  recorded  in  the  report  for  1900,  the  number  should 
now  be  42,227,  whereas  the  actual  figures  are  35,640  ;  thus  registering 
a  loss  of  6,587.  This  would  reduce  the  net  gain — including  chil- 
dren and  adults— to  1,836  as  the  result  of  the  labour  of  over  three 
thousand  Missionaries  and  an  expenditure  of  ;^i  13,631 — an  all-round 
cost  of  over  ;^6o  per  convert,  without  reckoning  the  money  raised  and 
spent  locally."  Speaking  of  the  work  in  Bengal,  he  says :  "  L<ast  year 
there  was  a  staff  of  443  agents  who  received  from  England  over  j^i5,ooo. 
During  the  twelve  months  they  baptised  loi  adults  and  554  children — 
one  adult  convert  to  every  four,  missionaries."  Further  on  we  read; 
*'  At  Bellary,  after  90  years'  work  and  with  a  present  staff  of  46  agents, 
there  are  166  Church  members,  an  average  gain  of  less  than  two  per 
year,  while  there  is  an  actual  decrease  from  172  to  166  members  during 
the  past  four  years.  I<ast  year  the  46  agents  baptised  15  adults  and 
children  out  of  a  population  of  736,000." 

Again,  "  In  Madras  there  are  201  Church  members  after  70  years' 
propaganda  with  a  staff  of  63  Missionaries.  *  There  are  distinct  signs 
of  progress'  is  the  cheering  statement  in  the  report  for  1900  (p.  164), 
and  the  only  evidence  of  its  presence  is  that  the  Church  members  haVfe 
dropped  from  221  in  1896,  to  201  in  1900."  Some  of  these  '  converts ' 
above  referred  to,  are  gathered  in  from  other  missions  and  re-baptised, 
it  is  stated.  There  is  much  more  of  the  same  sort  given  in  the  article 
in  the  Pioneer* 


NEW  BOOKS  FOR  THE  ADYAR  I.IBRARY. 

The  "Science  of  the  Emotions  ;"  "Vaidika  Dharma  Siitrini,"  by 
Swami  Datta  Das ;  "  The  Funeral  ceremonies  of  the  Parsees,"  their 
origin  and  explanations,  by  J.  Jamshadji  Mody  ;  Transitions  of  the 
Asiatic  Society  of  Japan,  of  Japan,  Vol.  XXVIII.  ;  "P&panas'a  Sthula 
Purina  ;"  "  Prasnottara  Malika,"  in  Malayalam  characters. 


Printed  by  Thompson  and  Co.,  in  the  Theosophiat  department  of  the  MOnefva 
Press,  Madras.  »ind  published  for  tlie  proprietors  by  the  ba»neps  DfMia* 
ger.  Mr.  T.  Vijia  Raghava  Charll',  at  Aayar,  MadrHs. 


Fvlxiistlced"  M.  91. 


k-  «i 


MMlMiM 


.  .  (  >^ 


\F.\V  YGRS 

LIBRARY 


I  t  S."*"*    fUr* 


,<,',^ 


THE 


rHEOSOPHIST 

A  MAGAZINE  OF 

RIKXTAL    PHILOSOPHY,    ART,    LITERATURE    AND     OCCULTIS^f 

[^Fotmdcd  October^  1879.] 
Conducted  Bv  H.  S.  Olcott. 


Vol..   XXIL   No.    I. —OCTOBER    1900. 


V\w. 


A  Dian- Leaves,  Fourth  Series,  ^11 H.  S.  OixoTt 

ir^ipses  of  Tbeosophical  Christianity Lilian  Kdgi^r 

ii-^c  iousness A.  Schwarz 

;.v  Tbeosophical  Society Jeiianoir  Sorabji, 

•icient  Astronomy....... Samukl  Stuart.... 

•eosophy  and  Socialism.: A.  E.  \Vkbi3 

itr    I^ogos E.  J.  B 

I  Astral   Picture., B.  A.  B 

no  SOPHY  IN  Pax,  Lands 

\  IKWS \ 


I 

9 

15 

1  > 


i  lio  Second  Series  of*  O.  D.  L.  *'  ;  K.un.a  :  Works  and  W  i*,doni  ;  Tiie  En^^lish 
Translation  of  the  Aitareya  Upanishad  ;  Prince  Uklitomsky  on  Tibetan 
Buddhism  and  Colonel  Olcotl's  Work  ;  Magazines. 

I  TINGS  AND  COMMICNTS 

The  Gili  in  Erfgland — Indian  Philosophy  at  Rome— Tin'  Pope  and  tlie  "  Evil  Eye  — 
King  or  Beggar — Mr.  Noble  on  the  Missionary-  Famine  Gifls  from  Chinese 
and  Criminals — Japanese  Buddhism  Advancing— Additions  to  the  Advar 
Library — **  The  President-Founder' -  The  mystical  "'  Feng-shui'' — The  he/ny 
burden  of  a  crown — The  Chinese  and  '*  No  quarter.' 
s-PT.EM^NT i 


29 

■»> "- 

45 
46- 

51 

51 

5K 


— n 


MADRAS:  .     ' 

PUBLISHED  BV  THE  PROPRIETORS 

AT  THE  THEOSOPHICAI.  SOCIETY'S  HEADQUARTERS,  ADVAR: 


> 


MC.M. 


NOTICE. 


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rending  rnatDer.     It  is  now  in  its  20th  year  of  publication*    The  Ma^zlite  is   oftVi-  • 
AS  a  vehicle  for  the  dissemination  of  tacts  and  opinion-*  connected  with  the    As  a- 
religions,  philosophies   and   sciences;   contributions  on  all   of  which  subjects  wili  :, 
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Press  MSS.  go  by  post  at  newspaper  rates  if  both  ends  of  the  wrapper  are  left  opf 

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Permission  is  given  to  translate  or  copy  articles   upon  the  sole  condition  of  crrli  - 
ing  them  to  the  'fheoaophiBt, 

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AGENTS. 

The  Theosophiai  Magazine  aud  the  publications  of  the  Theosophical   Society  ms\  < 
obtained  from  the  undermentioned  Agents  : — 

London— Theosophical  Publishing  Society,  3,  Langham  Place,  W, 
New  York. — Theosophical  Publishing  Society,  6b,  Fifth  Avenue. 
Boston.— Golby  and  Rich,  Bosworth  Street;  The  Occult  Publishing  Co.,  P.O.  H. 

Chicago. — Secretary,  Chicago  Theosopliical  Society,  26,  Van  Buren  St, 

Paris.— Mme.  Savalle,  46,  Rue  St.  Anne. 

San  FranciBCO. — Manager,  Tlieosophic  Messenger^  Boom  7i  Odd  Fellows  *  BuildLi^. 

Australia.— Mi's,  \V.  J.  Hunt,  Hon.  Manager,  80,  Swanston  Street,  Melbouriif  ^ 
II.  A.  Wilson,  42,  Margaret  St.,  Sydney. 

New  Zealand— O.W.  Sanders,  Mutual  Life  Buildings,  Lower  Que^«L  >Siv. 
Auckland,  • 

The  Par  East. — Kelly  and  Walsh,    Singapore,   Shanghai  and  Yokofaatta. 

West  Indies.— C.  B.  Taylor,  St.  Thomas. 

Ceylon.— Petsr  deAbrew,  No.  40,  Chatham  St.,  Fort,  Colombo  ;  or,  Manager 
the  Buddhist,  61,  Maliban  Street,  Pettah,  Colombo. 


RATES   OF  [SUBSCRIPTION. 


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INFORMATION  FOR  STRANGERS, 


THE  Tlieosopliiciil  Society  was  formed  afc  New  York;  November  17tli,  1875.  Its  foandera 
believed  that  the  best  interests  of  Relig^ioiiand  Science  would  be  promoted  by  the  re- 
vival of  Sanskrit,  Pali,  Zend,  and  other  ancient  literatare,  in  which  the  Sages  and  Initiates 
liad  preserved  for  the  us^of  mankind  truths  of  the  highest  valae  respecting  man  and  nature. 
A  Society  of  an  absolutely  unsectarian  character,  whose  work  should  be  Amicably  prosecuted 
ity  the  learned  of  all  races,  in  a  spirit  of  unselfish  devotion  to  the  research  of  truth,  and  with 
the  purpose  of  disseminating  it  impanially,  seemed  likely  to-  do  much  to  check  materialism 
iud  strengthen  the  waning  religious  spirit.  The  simplest  expression  of  the  objects  of  the 
Society  is  the  following  :  — 

First* — To  form  a  nucleus  of  the  U niverscd  Brotherhood  of  Humanity,  without  distinction 
of  race,  creed,  sex,  custe  or  colour. 

Second- — To  encourage  the  study  of  comparative  religion,  philosophy  and  science. 

Third* — To  investigate  unexplained  laws  of  Nature  and  the  powers  latent  in  man. 

No  person's  religious  opinions  are  asked  upon  his  joining,  nor  any  interference  with  them 
;)ermicted,  but  every  one  is  required,  before  admission,  to  promise  to  show  towards  his 
rcllow-mejnbers  the  eaine  tolei'ance  in  this  respect  as  he  claims  for  himself. 

The  Head-quarters,  offices  and  managing  stj^if  are  at  Adyar,  a  suburb  of  Madras,  where  the 
Society  has  a  property  of  twenty-seven  acres  and  extensive  buildings,  including 
no  for  the  Orientril  Library,  and  a  spacious,  hall  wherein  T.  S.,  Conventions  are  held 
\)\\  the  27th  of  December,  once  in  two  years  (on  alternate  years  in  Benares). 

'i'he  Society  is  not  yet  endowed,  but  there  is  a  nucleus  of  a  Fund,  the  inconie  from  the 
investment  of  which  js  available  for  current  expenses;  thoao  are  mainly,  however,  met  by 
'ionaiions,  and  one-fourth  of  all  fees  and  dues  collected  by  Sections,  and  fees  and  dues  fi'om 
non -sectional ised  countries. 

All  Jjeqnests  intended  to  benefit  the  Socielij  (ts  a  wJiole,  must  be  made  to  "The  Trustees  for 
'lie  time  being  of  the  Theosophical  Societj',  appointed  or  ac.ing  under  a  Deed  of  Trust,  dated 
f  lie  14th  of  December  1892,  and  duly  enrolled." 

The  Society,  as  a  body,  eschews  i)olitics  and  all  subjects  outside  its  declared  sphere  of -work. 
The  liules  stringently  forbid  members  to   compi-omise   its  strict  neutrality  in  these  matters. 

The  Thcoaoiyhi'it  is  private  property,  but  under  tlie  lie  vised  liules  it  is  the  organ  of  the 
■^ocipty-for  the  publication  of  othcial  news.  For  anything  else  in  the  Magazine,  the  Society  is 
iiOD  responsible. 

Many  Blanches  of  the  society  have  been  formed  in  various  parts  of  the  world,  and  new  ones 
nro  constantly  being  organised.  Up  to  Dec.  27, 1000,  t>07  Charters  for  Branches  had  been  issued. 
Kiich  Braach  fi!amo8  its  own  bye-laws  and  manages  its  own  local  business  without  inter- 
lerenoe  from  Head-quarters ;  provided  only  that  the  fundamental  rules  of  the  Society  are  not 
violated*  Branches  lying  within  certain  territorial  limits  (as,  for  instance,  America,  Europe, 
India,  &c.,)  have  been  grouped  for  purposes  of  administration  in  territorial  Sections.  For 
{larticulars,  sec  the  Revised  Rules  of  IHdG  and  1899,  where  all  necessary  information  with 
rti^ai-d  to  joining  the  Society,  &c.,  will  also  be  found  :  to  be  had  free  on  application  to  the 
Recording  Secretary  of  the  Theosophical  Society,  Adyar,  Madras;  or  to  the  General  Secreta* 
lies  of  the  Sections,  as  follows  : 

In  Europe,  apply  to  Dr.  Arthur  A.  Wells,  28,  Albemarle  Street,  W.,  London.  In  Scandinavian 
..■ountriea  to  P.  Erik  Liljestrand,  Engelbrechtsgatan,  7,  Stockholm,  Sweden.  In  Holland,  to 
%V.  B.  Fricke,  Amsteldijk',  76,  Amsterdam.  In  France,  to  Dr.  Th.  Pascal,  52,  Avenue 
fiosquet,  Paris.  In  India,  to  Upendranath  Basu,  Benares,  N.-W.  P.,  India.  In  America, 
ro  Alexander  Fullerton,  4(3,  Fifth  Avenue,  New  York  City.  In  Australia,  to  Dr.  A.  Marques, 
42,  Margaret  St.,  Sydney,  N.  S.  W.  In  New  Zealand,  io  C.  W.  Sanders,  Mutual  Life 
iJuildings,  Lower  Quoen  Street,  Auckland.  In  Coylon,  to  Mrs.  M.  M.  Higgins,  Musseua 
School  and  Orphanage  for  Buddhist  Girls,  8,  Rosmead  Place,  Cinnamon  Gardens,  Colombo  j 
or  to  Mr.    II.  S.  Pcrei*n,  61,  Maliban  St.,  Colombo. 


NOTICE. 


A  New  aud  Revised  Explanatory  Cutalogue  of  o'2  ]m^es.  containing  the  titles  of 

Mvcr  700  important  and  interesting;  works  upon  THEOSOPHY,KELlGION,  MAGIC 

I  PHANTOMS,   SPIRITUALISM,    THOUGHT-READING,    MESMERISM,  PSY- 

I  OHOMETRY,  ASTROLOGY,  PALMISTRY.    HYGIENE,  ETC,  may  be  had  free 

'ipon  application  to  the  Manaj^or,   Theosophiat  Office,  Adyar,  Madras*    All  books  are 

k  sent  by  V.  P.  P.  in  India,  Burma  and  Ceylon  for  the  ])rice  marked  in  the  Catalogue, 


rith  the  addition  of  postage  aiid  V.  P.  Commission. 


CORRESPONDENCE    NOTICE. 

To  save  needless  trouble,  always  observe  the  following  rules: 

1.     All    correppoiideiice   from    uiiy   country  aboiib  Head-qnaiters  (!Non-liid  :.: 
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-.  Letters  to  ni}  self  biiould  be  addressed  to  mc  at  Adjar  :  confidential  ones  to  '  ♦ 
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of  all  kinds,  address  only  to  The  Bni<iiiess  Alanager,  Theosoitliist  Office.  Adiak. 

ri.     All  mat  ^rs  for  pulilication   in  the  Uheoso2thist  and  books  for  review,  adda:- 
only  to  The  Editor  of  ill 0  Theosojjhisi,  Adyau. 
Adyak,  Johimnj,  lS9d.  H.  S.  OLCOTT.  T-  T.  S. 

MADAME    BLAYATSKY'S    WORKS. 


TjJESeCKET   DoCTiMXE,    3  VOLS.      KS.       A.    -FdoM  THE  CaVK;?  AXI)  JlXOLK.^  I1-.   .\ 

unu  SEPARATE  Index  Vol 55    0         of  Hixdustax     ...             ...  i;    :• 

TuiHD  Vol.  (separately)         ...     15    0 '    Gems  Fiioif  the  East              ...  «M:. 

?'TS  Unveiled     ...       "            ..     35    0     Nightmare  Tales                  ...  0  14 

Tueosophical  Glossary  ...  10  15  .  The  Voice  of  the  Silexce  ...  o  ^ 
Key  to  Tukosophy,  '^iiio  axd                        Ixdex  Vol.  to  the  Secret  Doc- 

RtvLSED  ExGLisn  Edition  ...       5     4         trixk    ...            ,».            ...  l.';    ' 

JVo^e. — The  Mouaijcr,  Theonoi'hift,  is  now  rendy  to  supply  complete  sots  of  3  Vols,  if  ♦!. 
••Secret  Doctime,"  with  Index  Vol.,  for  Hp.  55.  'Post  Free,  by  V.  P.  P.  Its.  r>o  12, 


'' Theosophy  in  everyday   Life/'    |  THEOSOPHY  APPLIED. 

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THE    THEOSOPKICAL  REVIEW. 

A  Monthly  Magazine  devoted  to  Theosophy.  {Ffntiidrd  in  1887). 

Founded  by  H.  P.  BLAVATSKY;  Edited   by  Axxie  Bksaxt  and  G.  R.  S.  Mim 
Published  on  the  l.">th  of  each  month  by  the  Theosophical  Publishing   Society. :  . 
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T/ic  Monthly  Organ  of  the  Australasian  Section,   Devoted  to  the  Dissefniffati:i 

of  the  Principles  of  Theosophy, 

Piiblis^hcd  at  theHead-quarters  of  the  Section,  12,  Marf^arct  St.,  Sydney,  Atistnil  * 

HEW  ZEALAND  THEOSOPHICAL  MAGAZINE. 

Kdited  and  published  at  the  Auckland  hcad-C|nartcrs,  T.  S.,  Loircr  Queen  St. 

THE  THEOSOPHIC  MESSENGER. 

Kdited  by  AV.  J.  Walters  and  published  at  Odd  Fellowb'B'dg.,  San  Francisco,  Cal. 

Kither  of  the  above  Magazines,  and  all  new   books  annoiiDCod  in  them  may  I 
subi>(  ribcd  for  or  ordered  through  the  Manager  of  the  Theof^ojiJiisi. 


a 


"  Registebed '*  M.  91. 


m 


"  I  ■-■'  1  V  \  ,  < 


I 

^  <     AMO  / 

N  JATiUNf 


THE 


THEOSOPHIST 

A  MAGAZINE  OF 

ORIENTAL    PHILOSOPHY,    ART,    LITERATURE    AND     OCCULTJSM 

[Founded  October^  1879.] 
Conducted  By  H.  S.  Olcott. 


Vol.  XXII.  No.  2.— NOVEMBER  1900. 


Page 

Old  Diary  Leaves,  Fourth  Series,  XIII H.  S.  Olcott 65 

Glimpses  of  Theosophical  Clmstianity..... LiUAif  Edgkr .........i.    74 

Hermes  Trisinegistus C.  A.  Ward , 81 

Astronomy Samuel  Stuart 88 

Tkeosophy  and  Socialism,.... A.E.Webb 96 

The  Signs  of  the  Times Thomas  Banon 104 

Blue  Light  and  Vegetation H.  S.  OtcOTT ,..,  m 

Prof.  Buchanan's  Prophecies  Partly  Fulfilled..  W.  A.English 114 

Theosophy  in  All  Lands 117 

Re\t[Ews 120 

Rules  for  Daily  Life  ;  A  New  Work  on  Sanskrit  Literalure  ;  Magazines. 

CuMiNOs  Am>  Comments ; 126 

Tbcosophic  Ideas  in  the  Churches— Heredhy  and  Divine  Will — Songs  of  Indian 
'    Beggars — Views  of  the  Chinese  Minister — A  Model  Ruler. 

Supplement ,.., iii— vi 


.  MADRAS: 
PUBLISHED  BY  THE  PROPRIETORS 
AT  THE  THEOSOPHICAL  SOCIETY'S  HEADQUARTERS,  ADYAR. 


^ I 


MC1I« 


NOTICE. 


— :.0:' 

The  Theosophical  SoGiety,  as  Mch,  is  not  responsible  Jar  o/iy  opinion  or 
declaration  in'  this  or  any  other  Journalf  by  whomsoever  expressed^  unless 
contained  in  an  official  document 

The  Theosopkist  will  appear  each  month,  and  will  conbain  not  lesii  than  64  pa^es  of 
reading  matter.  It  is  now  in  it  a  20th  year  of  publication.  The  Magazine  ia^  offered 
AS  a  vehicle  for  the  dissemination  of  £ac(»s  and  opinionj  connected  wioh  fihe'  Asiatic 
religions,  philosophies  ai^  sciences  ^  ooatribations  on  all  of  which  ^abjecte  will  be 
gladly  received.  All  litejrary  .  communications  should  be  addressed,  to  thjp  Editor, 
Adjar,  Madras,  and  should  be  written  bzi  one  side  of  the  paper  only.  Bejected  MSS. 
are  not  returned. 

Press  MSS.  go  by  post  at  newspaper  rates  if  both  ends  of  the  wrapper  are  left  open. 

No  anoi^ymous  documents  will  be  accepted  for  insertion.  Contributors  should 
forward  their  MSS.  in  the  ^rly  part  of  che  month.  Writers  of  contributed  articles 
are  alone  responsible  for  opinions  therein  stated. 

Permission  is  given  to  translate  or  copy  articles  upon  the  sole  coaditioaof  credit- 
ing them  to  the  Theosopkist, 

Only  matter  for  publication  m  the  Tkeosopliist  should  be  addressed  to  the  Editor. 
Business  letters  must  invariably  g3  to  the  "  Business  Manager.*' 

AGENTS- 

The  Tfieosophist  Magazine  and  the  publications  of  the  Tb^sophioal  Society  may  ';e 
obtained  from  the  undermentioned  Agents  :— 

London— Theosophictil  Publishing  Society,  3,  Langham  Place,  W. 
New  York.— Theosophical  Publishing  Society,  65,  Fifth  Avenue. 
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^ 


THE 


THEOSOPHIST 

A  MAGAZINE  OF 

ORIENTAL    PHILOSOPHY,    ART,    LITERATURE    AND     OCCULTlS\f 

[Founded  Oc/o6er,  1879.] 

Conducted  By  H.  S.  Olcott. 


Vot.   XXII.  No.  3.— DECEMBER   1900. 


Pagic 

Old  Diary  Leaves,  Fourth  Series,  XIV... H.  S.  Olcott 129- 

The  Conquering  of  the  Five  Enemies Annie  C.  McQukkn 137 

Universal  Brotherhood A.  Marques 144 

VirSga. • A.  Nilakanti  Sastri 151 

Industry  as  Forming  Character W.G.John 155 

The  Late  Max  Miiller H.S.O 162 

Notes  on  a  Visit  to  VaisSli P.  C.  Mukherji 164 

TheSanyisin R 171 

Sktnda  PurSna R.  Ananthakrishna 

Sastry  175 

Thkosophy  in  All  Lands 178^ 

Reviews 181 

The  Feelings,  Music  and  Gesture;  Eu<«apia'$  Phenomena  ;  The  Buddhist  Catechism  m 
Burmese  ;  The  Gopllta  TUpini  and  Krishnopanishads  ;  Diaries ;  Magazines. 

Cuttings  AND  Comments.. 188 

The  Tomb  of  Confucius — Spirit  children  in  Kama  Loka — Discovery  of  Caves  in  Crete — 
Crows  and  Cholera — Consecration  of  Thought — Return  to  America  of  the  Countess 
Canhavaro— A  great  Malabar  Sorcerer — Evaporation  of  Lakes — Fruit  acids  as 
Germicides. 

Supplement ...vii— xiv^ 


MADRAS: 

PUBLISHED  BY  THE  PROPRIETORS 

AT  THE  THEOSOPHICAL  SOCIETY'S  HEAD-QUARTERSg  ADYAR. 


MCM, 


NOTICE.  / 

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*' Bbgistebed  "  M.  91 


^ 


I  *  • 


i •  •  i.  1 1 '  i 


.--.:•'  ] 


THE 


THEOSOPHIST 

A  MAGAZINE  OF 

ORIENTAL    PHILOSOPHY,    ART,    LITERATURE    AND     OCCULTISM 

[Founded  October^  1879.] 

Conducted  By  H.  S.  Olcott. 


Vol..    XXII.   No.  4.— JANUARY    1901. 


Pag£ 

Old  Diary  Leaves,  Fourth  Series,  XV H.  S.  O1.COTT 193 

Theosopby  and  Socialism A.  E.  Wkbb 203 

Universal  Brotherhood A.  Marquks 210 

The  "  Great  Year  "  of  the  Ancients,  and  our 

Present  Minor  Manvantara Samuel  Stuart. 214 

Lunar  Influence  on  the  Animal  World Nakur  Chandra  Bisvas..  224 

Notes  on  Modern  Italian  Stone- Worship  and 

Folklore Roma  Lister, 226 

Potentiality  of  the  Will George  L.  Simpson 231 

Life  Portraits Hope  Hunti^y 239 

Theosophy  in  Ai*i.  Lands 241 

Reviews 247 

Astrology  for  All ;  The  Unitarian  Movement  in  Japan  ;  Two  Triopian  Inscriptions  ;  A 
Series  of  Meditations  ;  Tales  of  Tennalirama ;  Other  Publications  Received ;. 
Magazines  ;  The  Arya  Bala  Bodhini, 

Cuttings  and  Comments ; 252 

The  character  of  Mme.  Blavatsky — A  valuable  gift  to  the  Ady a r  Library — Panah  Pupils 
of  the  Olcott  Free  School—Erratum — New  T.  S.  Branches — A  Hindu  Lady  without 
food — The, books  of  our  movement— Visit  of  their  Excellencies,  the  Viceroy  and 
Governor-General  of  India  and  Lady  Curzon,  to  Adyar. 

Twenty-fifth  Anniversary  and  Convention  of  the  T.  S i —  96 


MADRAS: 
I  PUBLISHED  BY  THE  PROPRIETORS 

^^  AT  THE  THEOSOPHICAL  SOCIETY'S  HEAD-QUARTERS,  ADYAR. 

^  MCMI. 


NOTICE. 


►:  o  :• 


The  Thsosophi^al  Society,  as  such,  is  not  responsible  for  amj  opinion  or 
declaration  in  this  or  any  other  Journal,  by  whomsoever  expressed,  unless 
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Permission  is  given  to  translate  or  copy  articles  upon  the  sole  condition  of  credit- 
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JBusiness  letters  must  invariably  go  to  the  "  Business  Manager.'* 

AGENTS. 

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West  Indies. — C.  B.  Taylor,  St.  Thomas. 

Ceylon. — Peter  de  Abrew,  No.  40,  Chatham  St.,  Fort,  Colombo  ;  or,  Manager  of 
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"Registebed"  M.  91. 


^ 


'-ibfi*\i-v  i 


■^     uCNOX    A^P 


THE 


T  HE  O  SOPH  I  ST 

A  MAGAZINE  OF 

ORIENTAL    PHILOSOPHY,    ART.    LITERATURE    AND     OCCULTISM 

[Founded  October^  1879.] 

Conducted  By  H.  S.  Olcott. 


Vol..  XXII.   No.   5.— FEBRUARY    1901. 


Pagr 

Old  Diaty  Leaves,  Fourth  Series,  XVI H.  S.  Olcott 257 

Obstacles  to  Spiritual  Progress Lilian  Edger 265 

Theosophy  and  Socialism A.  E.  Webb 273 

The  Study  of  Theosophy Alexander  Fullerton..  279 

More  of  Mme.  Mongruel's  Clairvoyance  and 

Prophecies W.  T.  Stead 285 

The    Great  Year   of  the    Ancients,   and  our 

Present  Minor  Manvantara S.  Stuart 292 

The  International  Psychical  Institute., H.  S.  0 301 

Rama  GitS G.  Krishna  Sastri 302 

Theosophy  in  All  I^ands 307 

Reviews 311 

To  those  who  suffer  ;  Lest  we  forget ;  Magazines. 

Cuttings  and  Comments 314 

A  Reform  started  by  the  Central  Hindu  College — Karma  as  a  Patent  Medicine — Infant 
Prodigies  summarily  explained — The  Viceroy  and  the  "  Memory  Man  "—An  Indiin  Sir 
Boyle  Roach — Religious  Revivals  ^mong  the  Negroes—"  The  Veil  of  Isis  '*  or  '*  Isis 
Unveiled  *' — Max  MuUer's  Views  on  the  causes  of  the  Chinese  troubles — Different 
Classes  of  Poetry. 

Supplement xv.— xvi. 


■  • 


MADRAS: 
PUBLISHED  BY  THE  PROPRIETORS 

AT  THE  THEOSOPHICAL  SOCIETY'S  HEAD-QUARTERS,  ADVAR. 


MCML 


The  Theosophical  Sor.tely,  an  sueh,  is  not  reapoiwibU  Jar  any  opini-i 
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religions,  philosophieH   and   sciennesj   coiitribabions  on  all   of  which  subjects  n    . 
gladly  received.     All   literarf    commnuicition!!   should   be  addressed    to  the  £.:!< 
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AGENTS- 

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obtained  from  the  undermentioned  Agents  :■:- 

London.— Theosophical  Pablishing  Society,  3,  Laugh  am  Place,  V,'. 

Mew  York. — 'i'lieosophical    Publishing  Society,  65,  Fifth  Avenue. 

BO»ton.— Colby  and  Biuh,  Bosworth  Street;  The  Occult  Fnbliiihiiig  Co.,  P.<i.  L 
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3ftll  Franciaoo. — Mannger,  Tl^eoaophic  }Tee>enger,  Room  7,  Odd  Fell-iwa  '   Bnildi' ." 

Anatralia.—Mi's.  W.  J.  Hunt,  Hon.  Manager,  80,  Swanston  Street,  Melboarir. ; 
H.  A.  Wilson.  42,  Margaral,  St.,  Sydney. 

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Weat  Indiei. — C.  B.  Taylor,  St.  Thomas. 

Ceylon.— Peter  de  Abrow,  No.  40,  Chatham  St.,  Fort,  Colombo  ;  or,  Uanst:' : 
the  BvddhUt,  61,  Maliban  Street,  Pettah,  Colombo. 


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# 


f  7  >  ■ 


•^  C  K    AND 
♦.OPTIONS 


THE 


THEOSOPHIST 

m 

A  MAGAZINE  OF 

ORIENTAL    PHILOSOPHY,    ART,    LITERATURE    AND     OCCULTISM 

[Founded  October,  1879.] 

Conducted  By  H.  S.  Olcott. 


Vol,.  XXII.   No.   6.— MARCH   1901. 


Pagk 

M  Diary  Leaves,  Fourth  Series,  XVII H.  S.  Olcott 321 

»^tacle.s  to  Spiritual  Progress Liuan  £dgk&. 329 

Tentative  Conception  of  the  Mode  of  Motion.  J.  G.  O.  Tepphr 337 

t' )  a  Larger  Room Euzabkth  W.  Bbi^l 346 

ncient  Theories  as  to  the  Origin  of  the  World.  Samuei*  Stuart 355 

•ic  Rama  Gita G.  Krishna  Sa^trv 364 

lie  Awakening  of  the  Self. \ Elizabeth  Hughes 37 1 

Life  Portrait Hope  Hunti,ev 372 

jrivosoPHY  IN  All  Lands 373 

KVIEWS 374 

lilssai  Sur  L'Evolution  Humatne  ;  The  Taittiriya  Upanishad  with  Coiumeiitaries  ;  Brahtna 
Sutra  (Marathi);  Sidhana-Sangraha  ;  Magazines. 

ttings  and  Comments 379 

A  Silent   Concert— The  Mystery  of  the    Moon— Technical  Training  for  hidian   Youth — 
X-ray  as  a  cure  for  Cancer— A  Bright  Outlook — Society's  Strange  Superstitions. 

PPUCMENT xvii — xviii 


MADRAS : 

PUBLISHED  BY  THE  FROPRIKTORS 

AT  THE  THEOSOPHICAL  SOCIETY'S  HEAD-QUARTERS,  ADYAR. 

MCMI. 


NOTICE 


"^> 


The  Theosaphiccd  Society ^  as  such,  is' not  responsible  Jch-  any  opinio:;  'T 
declaration  in  this  or  any  other  Journal^  by  tohomsoeoer  expressed,  wu:  .> 
contained  in  an  official  document. 

The  Theosophiat  v7l11  appear  each  mouth,  and  will  contain  not  le^^s  than  64  p.iL(t:.-  - 
reading  matcer.  It  is  now  in  its  22nd  year  of  pnblication.  The  Magazifie  isi  u^»  •■< 
asaveniclefor  the  dissemination  of  fact>s  and  opinions  connected  wi&h  the  As* 
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gla£y  received.  All  literary  oommunioations  should  be  addressed  to  th^.  Hi-  . 
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are  not  returned. 
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forward  their  MSS.  in  the  early  part  of  the  month.  Writers  of  contributed  ar.i. 
are  alone  responsible  for  opinions  therein  stated. 

Permission  is  given  to  translate  or  copy  articles  upon  the  sole  condition  of  cr-r : 
ing  them  to  the  Theoaophiat, 

Only  matter  for  publication  in  the  Tkeo&ophlst  should  be  addressed  to  tht*  Ei]* 
Business  letters  must  invariably  ^o  to  the  **  Business  Manaf.^«r.''  • 

AGENTS- 

The  Theoaophiat  Magazine  and  the  publications  of  the  Theosophical  Society  ma\ 
obtained  from  the  undermentioned  Agents  :— 

LondoiL — Theosophical  Publishing  Society,  3,  Langham  Place,  W. 

Hew  York. — ^Theosophical   Publishin*?  Society,  65,  Fifth  Avenue. 

Boston. — Banner  of  Light  Publishing  Co.,  204,  Dartmouth  Street ;  The  Oo 
Publishing  Co.,  P.O.  Box,  2646. 

Chicago. — Secretary,  Chicaji^o  Theosophical  Society,  26,  Van  Buren  St.. 

Paris.— Mme.  Savalle,  47,  Rue  des  Petite  Champs. 

San  Francisco. — Manager,  Theosophic  Meaaenger,  Room  7,  Odd  Fellivvs  '   Bin  id 

Australia. — Mrs.  W.  J.  Hunt,  Hon.  Manager,  80,  Swanston  Street,  Melbourne  ; 
H.  A.  Wilson,  42,  Margaret  St.,  Sydney. 

New  Zealand. — C.  W.  Sandert?,  Mutual  Life  Buildings,  Lower  Queen  :>rr 
Auckland. 

The  Far  Eaet.-^Kelly  and  Walsh,    Singapore,   Shanghai  and  Yokoh.ima. 

West  Indies.— -C.  £.  Taylor,  St.  I'homas. 

Ceylon. — Peter  de  Abrew,  No.  40,  Chatham  St.,  Fort,  Colombo  ;  or,  Mauiig^jr 
the  Buddhiatf  61,  Maliban  Street,  Pettah,  Colombo. 


» 'J. 


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^ 


-■"-C  LIBRARY 

';••  Lthox  AND 
•  -'-"noations 


T'HE 


rHEOSOPHIST 

A  MAGAZINE  OF 

UENTAL    PHILOSOPHY,    ART,    LITERATURE    AND     OCCULTISM 

[Founded  October^  1879.] 

Conducted  Bv  H.  S.  Olcott. 


VoJ..  XXIL  No.  7.— APRIL  1901. 


Page 


I  Diary  Leaves,  FourtH  Series,  XVIII 

>tacles  to  Spiritual  Progress 

o  a  I^arger  Room 

cient  Theories  as  to  the  Origin  of  the  World. 

iqiiest  of  the  Flesh 

b  King , 

L  RSnia  Gita 

eidonis 

t  Fire-Temple  in  its  Esoteric  Aspect 

sosopHY  IN  Ali.  Lands 


H.  S.  Olcott 385 

Lilian  Edger 393 

Elizabeth  W.  Bell 399 

Samuel  Stuart 405 

jehangir  sorabji 415 

P.  S 421 

G.  Krishna  Sastry 425 

W.  H.  Trimble 432 

ZOROASTRIAN 435 

437 


-news 


439 


Wisdom  of  the  Ages  ;  Utiararama  Charita  ;  Charaka  Samhita  ;  Magazines. 

[f  iNGS  AND  Comments 443 

||  sure  cure  for  Hj'drophobia — The  Nineteenth  Centur>'  Before  and  After — The  Creed  of 
\:      Ella  Wheeler  Wilcox — Origins  of  the  Hindu    Revival — A  thought   about  an   idol— 
i       Divine  I  Arithmetic — Idolatry     Explained — Women    Missionaries     and    the    Chinese 
crisis. 

►|  r.KMENT xix — xxii 


MADRAS: 
PUBLISHED  BY  THE  PROPRIETORS 

AT  THE  THEOSOPHICAL  SOCIETY'S  HEAD-QUARTERS,  ADYAR. 


MCML 


NOTICE 


The  Theosophi-cal  Society,  as  such,  is  not  responsible  for  any  opinkn 
declaration  in  this  or  any  other  Journal,  by  whomsoever  earpressed^  un 
contained  in  an  official  document. 

The  Tlieosopkiat  will  appear  each  month,  and  will  contain  not  less  than  64  pajje^ 
reading  matter.  It  is  now  in  its  22 ad  year  of  publication.  The  Magazine  is  oi!  i 
^s  a  vehicle  for  the  dissemination  of  facts  an  I  opinions  connected  with  the  A?l- 
religious,  philosophies  and  sciences;  contribations  on  all  of  which  subjects  w, 
gladly  received.  All  literary  communicalions  should  be  addressed  to  the  Ei 
Adyar,  Madras,  and  should  be  written  on  oue  side  of  the  paper  only.  Bojecied  M^ 
are  not  returned. 

Press  MSS.  go  by  post  at  newspaper  rates  if  both  ends  of  the  wrapper  are  left 

No  anonymous  documents  will  be  accepted  for  insertion.  Contributors  >{• 
forward  their  MSS.  in  the  early  part  of  the  month.  Writers  of  contributed  ftr:. 
are  alone  responsible  for  opinions  therein  stated. 

Permission  is  given  to  translate  or  copy  articles   upon  the  sole  condition  of  ca  • 
ing  them  to  the  Theosophiat, 

Only  matter  for  publication  in  the  Theosophist  should  be  addressed  to  the  E: 
Business  letters  must  invariably  go  to  the  *'  Business  Manager.'* 

AGENTS. 

The  TheosopUist  Magazine  and  the  publications  of  the  Theosophica!    Society  mi ■ 
obtained  from  the  undermentioned  Agents: — 

London. — Theosophical  Publishing  Society,  3,  Langham  Place,  W. 

New  York. — Theosophical   Publisliing  Society,  65,  Fifth  Avenue. 

Boston.— 'Banner  of  lAght  Publishing  Co.,  204,  Dartmouth  Street;  The  V 
Publishing  Co.,  P.O.'Box,  2646. 

Chicago. — Secretary,  Chicago  Theosophical  Society,  26,  Van  Buren  St. 

Paris.— Mme.  Snvalle,  47,  Kue  desPetits  Champs. 

San  Francisco. — Manager,  Theosophic  Mesaeyiger,  Room  7,  Odd  Fellows'  Bail'l'^ 

Australia.— Mrs.  W.  J.  Hunt,  Hon.  Manager,  80,  Swanston  Street,  Mel  boa  n  ■ 
H.  A.  AVilsoii,  42,  Margaret  St.,  Sydney. 

New' Zealand.— C.  AV.  Sanders,  Mutual  Life  Buildings,  Lower  Qaeon  Si 
Auckland. 

The  Par  East. — Kelly  and  Walsh',    Singapore,   Shanghai  and  Yokohama. 

West  Indies. — C.  E.  Taylor,  St.  Thomas. 

Ceylon.— Petsr  de  Abrew,   No.  40,   Chatham    St.,    Fort,  Colombo  ;  or,  Mai}aL'' 
Che  Biiddhiaty  61,  Maliban  Street,  Pettah,  Colombo. 


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advance.     Back  numbers  and  volumes  may  be  obtained  at  the  same  price. 

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Manager,  so  that  the  Magazine  may  reach  them  safely.    The  Proprietors  of  tho  | 

soPHjsT  cannot  uiidertake  to  furnish  copies  gratis  to  replace  those  that  go  astray  tL  I 

carelessness  on  the  part  of  subscribers  who  neglect  to  notify  their  chanfi^e  of  Q<li 

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m 


I  ■■".=:  ?«;■.<.'  YORK 

!'   'fIC  LIBPARY 


THE 


THEOSOPHIST 

A  MAGAZINE  OF 

ORIENTAL    PHILOSOPHY,    ART,    LITERATURE    AND     OCCULTISM 

[Founded  October^  1879.] 

Conducted  By  H.  S.  Olcott. 


Vol..  XXII.   No.   8.— MAY   1901. 


Pagp: 

( )kl  Diary  Leaves,  Fourth  Series,  XIX. .  ."^ II.  vS.  Olcott 449 

'I'he  Uusecu  World • C.  W.  Licadbkatkr 45S 

Lussons  from  the  Life  of  Anna  Kingsford A.  P.  Cattanach 466 

Hiiidii  Morality M.  A.  C.  Thiriavatj 472 

'Die  Temp.orar>'  Nature  of  Our  Personality.  . .  W.  G.  Joiix 4S0 

'^IMieosophy  and  Church  Membenship 486 

•Matter  and  its  Higher  Pha.ses F.  M.  Parr 487 

;  The  Rama  Gita G.  Krishna  Sastry.  . 493 

Renunciation Gkorcje  L.  Simpson 499 

^rrnKosoPHY  IN  All  Lands 501 

ft<K VIKWS 504 

V         Death— and  After  ;     Vulmiki  Runiayanu  in  Tamil  Prose  ;  Magaziues. 

Ct'TTINGS  AND  COM^JKNTS ' 506 

The  life-work  of  our  President —Tr;:ining  the  Mind— The  Pres-ident-Foundor  and  llie"  ill- 
fated  Steamer — The  rule  of  MAra  -  Fire-Walkers  \\\  many  lands  *•  The  sense  of 
smell" — Trust  Rcw.irdcd — Doing  God's  Work — Tin:  inner  Gimu. 

Srppi.UMENT xxii— XXV 


MADRAS: 
PUBLISHED  BY  THE  PROPRIETORS 
AT  THE  THEOSOPHICAL  SOCIETY'S  HEAD-OUARTERS,  ADVAR. 

MCMf. 


NOTICE. 


:0  :■ 


The  Tkeosophi-cal  Societi/,  as  such,  is  not  responsible  Jor  any  opinion  or 
declaration  in  this  or  any  other  Journal,  by  whf)ni9oever  expressed,  unltisH 
contained  in  an  official  document.    . 

The  Tlieosopldst  v/ill  appear  each  month,  and  will  contain  not  less  thsirn  64  pa<2:e.s  of 
reading  matter.  It  is  now  in  its  22iid  year  of  publication.  The  Magazine  is  offero*! 
as  a  vehicle  for  tlie  dissemination  of  facts  and  opinions  connected  with  the'  Asiaii<- 
religious,  philosophies  and  sciences;  contributions  on  all  of  which  subjects  will  b'i 
gladly  received.  All  literary  communications  sliould  be  addressed  to  the  Editor, 
Adyar,  Madras,  and  sliould  be  written  on  one'  side  of  the  paper  only.'  Rejected  MSS. 
are  not  returned.  • 

Press  MSS.  go  by  post  at  newspaper  rates  if  both  ends  of  the  wrapper  are  left  optii. 

No  anonymous  documents  will  be  accepted  for  ins^ertion.  Contributors  shoull 
forward  their  MSS.  in  the  early  part  of  the  month.  Writers  .of  contributed  anicrli-s 
arc  alone  responsible  for  opinions  therein  stated. 

Permission  is  given  to  translate  or  copy  articles  upon  the  sole  condition  of  crcli:- 
ing  them  to  the  Thcosophisl, 

Only  matter  for  publication  in  the  Tliros^ijhUt  should  be  addressed  to  theEdirjir. 
Business  letters  rnust  invariably  go  to  the  '*  Busiiioss  Manager.** 

AGENTS. 

The  Theo.iujiJti-'it  Magazine  and  the  publications  of  the  Theosophical  Society  may  )» 
obtained  from  the  utidermentioned  Agents  : — 

London. — Theosophical  Publishing  Society,  o,  Langham  Place,  W. 

New  York. — Theosnphical    Publishing  Society,  Go,  Fifth  Avenue- 

Boston. — Banner  (>/  Light     Publifching   Co.,     204,  Dartmouth   Street;   The    Occn'.t 
Publishing  Co.,  P.O.  Box,  264,6. 

Chicago. — Secretary,  Chicago  Theosophieal  Society,  26,  Van  Buren  St. 

Paris.— Mrae.  Savalle,  47,  Eue  desPetits  Champs. 

San  Francisco. — ^lanager,  Tkeosophic  ^fesseuifer.  Room  7,  Odd  Fellows  '   Buildincr. 

Australia. — Mrs.  W.  J.  Hunt,  Ilonr Manager,  80,  Swanston  Street,  Melbourne;  or 
11.  A.  Wilson,  42,  Margaret  St.,  Sydney. 

New   Zealand. — 0.  W.    Sander.^,  Mutual  Life     Buildings,   Lower   Queen    Srro^r, 
Auckland. 

The  Far  East. — Kelly  and  Walsh,    Singapore,    Shanghai  and  Yokohama, 

West  Indies.— C.  E.  Taylor,  St.  Thomas. 

Ceylon. — Petar  de  Abrew,   No,  4(),   Chatham    St.,    Fort,  Colomlwr ;  or.  Manager  .  .z 
the  Baddliisty  01,  Maliban  Street,  Pettali,  Colombo. 


RATES   OF   SUBSCRIPTION. 

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The  Volume  begiiis  with  the  October  number.     All   Subscriptions   are  pajabl<i  iJ 
advance.     Back  numbers  and  volumes  may  be  obtained  at  the  same  price. 

Money  Orders  or  Cheques  for  all   publications  should  be  made  payable  only  to  1 1  .* 
Business  Manager,  Theosophist   Office,  and  all  business   communications    shoulci   \  • 
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be  made  to  indlviduah  by  »ia»W!,  as  the  meinbers  of  the  stajf  are  often  absent  front  Af7  ?/4f 
on  duty,  

» 
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SOPHIST  cannot  undertake  to  furnish  copies  gratis  to  replace  thosetbat  go  astray  tbroii  l.- 
carelessnesson  the  part  of  subscribers  who  neglect  to  notify  their  change  of  addi-*?.^ 
Great  care  is  taken  in  mailing  and  copies  lost  in  transit  "will  not  be  repIac-tM 


^ 


'  'fs  rjFw  •■'  ■  -  <    ] 

'■■C  L[S '-A KY 


THE 


I  ' 


THEOSOPHIST 

A  MAGAZINE  OF 

ORIENTAL    PHILOSOPHY,    ART,    LITERATURE    AND     OCCULTISM 

[Founded  October,  1879.] 

Conducted  By  H.  S.  Olcott. 


Vol.  XXir.   No.  9.— JUNE  1901. 


f 


Pagk 

Old  Diary  Leaves,  Fourth  Series,  XX H.  S.  Olcott 514 

The  Unseen  World C.  W.  Leadbkater 520 

Lessons  from  the  Life  of  Anna  Kingsford A.  P.  Cattaxach 528 

Hindu  Morality. M.  A.  C.  Thirlwall 533 

Renunciation George  L.  Simpson 540 

Matter  and  its  Higher  Phases F.  M.  Parr S47 

The  Rama  Gita G.  Krishna  S'a'stri' 554 

Thkosophy  in  All  Lands.. • 564 

Reviews 568 

/        Ancient  Ideals  in  Modern  Life  ;  The  Colour  Cure  ;  Magazines. 
JCUTTINGS  AND  COMMENTS 572 

'  Till?  work  of  Uie  Theosophical  Society — The  President  in  the  Cnited  States— The  Wonder- 

ful Solnr  Motor — "The  King's  son  and  the  craven." 

^>CPPLEMENT xxvi — xxix 


MADRAS : 

PUBLISHED  BY  THE  PROPRIETORS 

AT  THE  THEOSOPHICAL  SOCIETY'S  HEAD-QUARTERS,  ADVAR 

MCMI. 


NOTICE 


Ths  Theosophi^al  Society,  as  such,  is  not  responsible  for  any  opinion  or 
declaration  in  this  or  any  other  Journal,  ^hy  whomsoever  expressed,  unless 
contained  in  an  official  document. 

The  Tkeosophist  will  appear  each  month,  and  will  contain  not  less  than  64  pa<?es  of 
reading  matter.  Ic  is  now  in  its  22nd  year  of  pablication.  The  Magazine  is  offere*i 
iis  a  vehicle  for  the  dissemination  of  facts  and  opinions  connected  with  the"  Asiatic 
religions,  philosophies  and  sciences;  contributions  on  all  of  which  sabjects  will  be 
gladly  received.  All-  literary  communications  should  be  addressed  to'  the  Editor, 
Adyar,  Madras,  and  should  be  written  on  one  side  of  the  paper  only.  Hejected  MS.S. 
are  not  returned. 

Press  MSS.  go  by  post  at  newspaper  rates  if  both  ends  of  the  wrapper  are  left  open. 

No  anonymons  documents  will  be  accepted  for  insertion.  Contributors  shou)«I 
forward  their  MSS.  in  the  early  part  of  the  month.  Writers  of  contributied  article-i 
are  alone  responsible  for  opinions  therein  stated. 

Permission  is  given  to  translate  or  copy  articles  upon  the  sole  condition  of  credit- 
ing them  to  the  Theosophiat, 

Only  matter  for  publication  in  the  Tkeosophist  should  be  addressed  to  the  Editor. 
Business  letters  must  invariably  go  to  the  **  Business  Manager." 

AGENTS. 

The  TkeosojthiH  Magazine  and  the  publications  of  the  Thcosophical  Society  may  •>«.' 
obtained  from  the  undermentioned  Agents: — 

London. — Theosophical  Publishing  Society,  3,  Langham  Place,  W. 

New  York. — Thosophical    Publishing  Society,  65,  Fifth  Avenue. 

Boston. — Banmr  of  JAglii  Publishing  Co.,  204,  Dartmouth  Street ;  The  Occult, 
Publishing  Co.,  P.O.  Box,  264(). 

Chicago. — Secretary,  Chicago  Theosophical  Society,  26,  Van  Buren  St. 

Paris.— Mme.  Savalle,  47,  Rue  des  Petits  Champs. 

San  Francisco.— Manager,  Tkeoaophic  Messenger,  Room  7,  Odd  Fellows  '  Building. 

Australia. — Mrs.  \V.  J.  Hunt,  Hon.  Manager,  80,  Swanston  Street,  Melbourne;  i>r 
H.  A.  Wilson,  42,  Margaret  St.,  Sydney. 

New  Zealand. — C.  W.  Sanders,  Mutual  Life  Buildings,  Lower  Qaeen  Street, 
Auckland. 

The  Far  East. — Kelly  and  Walsh,    Singapore,   Shanghai  and  Yokohama. 

West  Indies. — C.  E.  Taylor,  St.  Thomas.  ■ 

Ceylon. — Petar  de  Abrew,  No,  40,  Chatham  St.,  Fort,  Colombo  j  or,  Manager  v »i 
the  Buddhist,  61,  Maliban  Street,  Pettah,  Colombo.  , 


RATES   OF   SUBSCRIPTION. 

Single  Copy.        AnnaaliSabscriptiot . 

India Re.  1 Rs.  8. 

America 50  c $5. 

All  other  countries , 2  s £1. 

The  Volume  begins  with  the  October  number.    All  Subscnptions  are  payable  ii^ 
advance.    Back  numbers  and  volumes  may  be  obtained  at  the  same  price. 

Money  Orders  or  Cheques  for  all   publications  should  be  ma-de  payable  only:  to  tho 
Business  Manager,  Tlmosophist  Office,  and  all  business  comma nications   should  !»« 
addressed  to  him  at  Adyar,  Madras.  It  is  particularly  requsstedlJuitno  remitlances  slut  1 1 
be  nuuie  to  individiuxls  by  »a»ie,  as  ike  members  of  the  staff  are  often  abseni  from  Ady  rtt 
en  duty,  '_^___ 

NOTICE. 

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Manager,  so  that  the  Magazine  may  reach  them  safely.    The  Proprietors  of  the  Tu  n  j 

SOPHIST  cannot  undertake  to  furnish  copies  gratis  to  replace  those  that  go  astray  throii  irj 

•carelessness  on  the  part  of  subscribers  who  neglect  to  notify  their  change  of  ad.drevr> 

Great  care  is  taken  in  mailing  and  copies  lost  in  transit  will  not  be  replact^^i 


m 


/^ 


y'i£  liF/'^' 


OA  V 


>-^ 


\J' 


THE 


THEOSOPHIST 

A  MAGAZINE  OF 

M^IENTAL    PHILOSOPHY,    ART,    LITERATTRE    AND     OCCULTISM 

[Founded  October^  1879.] 

Conducted  By  H.  S.  Olcott. 


1. 


Vol.  XXII.  No.   10.— JULV  1901. 


Page 

l  Diary  Leaves,  Fourth  Series,  XXI. H.  S.  Olcott 577 

'  Mrth C.  KoFEi    585 

.    Ml  the  New  Thoughts  stands  for C.  Brodie  Pat^jckson 590 

.  /thorhood  in  the  Bible Emma  C.  Allison 596 

ckncss  and  its  Cure  by  Witchcraft.' . , B • 599 

ic  Rama  Gita G,  Krishna  S'a'stri' 606 

)cialism  and  Theosophy R.  T.  Paterson 616 

'  achiutamani G.  Krishna  S'a'stri' 620 

;  Tin  >SOPHY  IN  AlL  LaNDS 625 

.     IKWS , 630 

Obstacles  lo  Spiritual  Progress  ;  The  L'nsecn  World  ;  Tno  Uncli&covercd  Planets  ; 
MagaziacSh 

TTINGS  AND  COMMENTS 634 

,  Xow  Mg-ht  on  the  antiquity  of  the  Alphabet— The  dead  still  lise— A  descriptive  list— 
A  remarkable  fast  and  its  sequel — Wireless  Signalling  inK!'.*r  Water- -A  Theoso- 
pliical  Library — The  "Spiritual  Ideal" — The  lost  art  of  Tempering  Copper — Success- 

•  ful  Hypnotism  over  a  Telephone  Wire— Respect abJe  Sins. 

PPLBMENT /..♦,,.,,. XXX — xxxiii 

IVIixithlv  Financial  Statement  ;  The  President's  Tour  ;  New  Branches  ;  New  Branch  in 
India  ;  An  Apptfal  ;  Worthy  of  Emulation  ;  *'  A  Tardy  Confession;"  Xe\v  Books  for 
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THEOSOPHIST 

A  MAGAZINE  OF 

ORIENTAL    PHILOSOPHY,    ART,    LITERATURE    AND     OCCULTISM 

[Founded  October^  i879«] 

Conducted  By  H.  S.  Olcott. 


Vol.  XXII.   No.   I  J. —AUGUST  1901. 


Page 

Old  Diary  Leaves,  Fourth  Series,  XXII H.  S.  Oi^Corr 641 

Rebirth , C.  Kofel 651 

Glimpses  of  Theosophical  Christianity Lixian  Edger 657 

Jivacuintamani G.  Krishna  S'a'stri' 665 

The  Rama  GitS „  ,,  „        670 

**  Astrological  Warnings'' Thomas  Banon 681 

Socialism  and  Theosophy R.  T.  Patkrsos^ 687 

The  President-Founder's  American  Tour A.  F 691 

Theosophy  in  Atri*  Lands 693 

Reviews .* 695 

Fragments  of  a  Faith  Forgotten  ;  The  Song  of  Life  ;  Magazines. 

Cuttings  and  Comments 700 

Modem  Ed-  'jation — A  very  novel  Action— MHton's    Last    Poem— The  cause  and  cure  of 
Prickly  Heat — Is  there  Snow  on  the  Moon  ? 

Supplement , xxxiv — xxxv 

Monthly    Financial   Statement  ;    New  Branches  in  India  ;  Smallest  Book  ft.  the  World  ; 
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THE 


ITHBOSOPHIST 

A  MAGAZINE  OF 

RIENTAL    PHILOSOPHY,    ART,    LITERATURE    AND     OCCULTISM 

[Founded  October ^  1879.] 

Conducted  By  H.  S.  Olcott. 


Vol..  XXII.  No.   12.— SEPTEMBER  1901. 


Page 

id  Diary  leaves,  Fourth  Series,  XXIII H.  S.  Olcott 705 

I  impses  of  Theosophical  Christianity Liuan  Edger 714 

^  the  Threshold  of  the  Life  Beyond Isvar  Chandra  Chakra- 

VARTi 721 

Morning  Prayer Ella  Wheeler  Wiu:ox.  728 

ima  GitS G.  Krishna  S'a'stri' 72^ 

otherhood  as  Taught  by  the  Buddha Monos 744 

eans  of  Spiritual  Grdwth 746 

Vstrological  Warnings" Thomas  Banon 750 

rKOSOPHY  IN  AXX,  LANDS 754 

:viEws 756 

The  Unknown  Philosopher ;  Magazines. 

TTINGS  AND    COMMENTS 761 

Pali  and  Sanskrit,  Hinduism  and  Buddhism — Fifty  years  without  food — Why  Bibles  are 
in  demand  in  China — The  Spark  of  Virtue  in  the  Human  Soul — Instantaneous  Healing 
as  a  result  of  Prayer — Timely  aid  from  a  higher  plane — The  International  Vegetarian 
Congress — The  Indian  Mirror  and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Vance — Sun-spots  and  changes  of 
Temperature — The  Azamgarh  Well — An  opinion  adverse  to  Reincarnation. 

•PIGMENT. XXXV — xxxviii 

Monthly  Financial  Statement ;  The  President's  Tour  ;  Colonel  Olcott's  Farewell  Message  ; 
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Price  Aa.  8. 

1894— The  Self  and  its  Sheaths,  J'^ubjec&s:  The  Body  of  Action  ;  The  Body 

of  Feeling;  The  Object  of  the  Sheaths,  Price  As.  11. 
1896— The  Path  of  Discipleship,   SubjecL^:  L^First  Stepa.  IL- QuaHfieO' 

turns  for  Diseipleehip.     IIL-^The  Life  of  the  Disciple.    IV,— The  Future 

Progress  of  Humanity.    As.  15. 
1896 — ^Four  great  Beligions: — Hindnism,  Zoroasthanism,   Buddhism  and 

Christianity,  Price  As.  15. 
1898— The  Eyolution  of  Life  and  Form,  Price  As.  15. 
1899— The  Avatarat,  Price  As.  15. 
1900— Ancient  Ideals  in  Modern  Life,  Price  As.  15.